political opinion – Tell Me Your Story

My Year Of Creativity (November 2025)

In early September of 2024, my husband and I went to the Delaware Art Museum’s sculpture garden. Quite taken with The Crying Giant, by Tom Otterness, he became a subject for many photographs.

There have been so many days since January 21, 2025 that I have wanted to put my face in my hands, just like this colossal, yet gentle, figure. The dismay and disbelief over what is happening in this country feels monumental; in the early months there was the desire to weep and, to due lack of sleep, sometimes the tears came.

The mournful sculpture was created in response to the events that transpired on September 11, 2001. That day, which is commonly know as 9/11, terrorists coordinated attacks on the United States. They were part of an Islamist extremist group from several Arab nations. Sadly, Islamophobia began almost immediately on 9/11/01. Hate crimes increased. People, couldn’t see the difference between a religion and an act of terrorism by zealots; this made me sad.

The seeds of bigotry have always been in the soil of this young country; all it takes is a little rhetoric for it to germinate and grow. For those who resided in this nation, it was a horrific time. However, the American people came together on that day and the time following. There was global support: nations around the world held vigils and offered sympathy. 38 large jets landed in Gander, Newfoundland, as planes flying into the United States were diverted. The Canadians opened their homes, churches and schools to the people from these aircrafts. Food and accommodations were provided to thousands of unexpected “guests”.

That day, just over 24 years ago, the attack came from somewhere else. Currently, the horrors come from within our country. Our allies have been pushed away; it is doubtful there are any countries who would rush to our aid now.

By the end of November 2025, the sun seemed to be setting on what was once a country that people from all over the world wanted to be part of. The current administration dismantled so much of what was good about this country; it has rolled back years of progress in medical, social and global relations. Racism, xenophobia, transphobia, antisemitism and misogynistic tendencies are becoming “normalized”. People in the highest offices in this country seem to think it is “OK”: to have people being taken off the streets by masked agents because of the color of their skin; for the leader of our country to verbally attack women in the White House press corps and make derogatory remarks about their appearance; that the man in the Oval Office suggested democratic lawmakers be put to death because they urged service members to disobey illegal orders…. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE NORMAL!

Paying attention to the news in November, the endearing statue, from the Delaware Art Museum, kept coming to mind. For all the things mentioned previously, there was want to put my head in my hands.

Perhaps it seems like I spend the whole day listening to the news; this is far from the truth. For the most part, my life is full, yet many days are spent in the minutiae (swimming, walking, playing the New York Times puzzles…). In November I didn’t travel very far, most of the month was spent close to home. Time was spent with friends. Some afternoons were occupied by writing my October story. Other periods, following lunch, working on my creative project(s) kept me focused.

As the 11th month came to a close, my mother’s house was visited. The American Thanksgiving holiday was upon us. Knowing Mom would ask everyone at the table what they were thankful for, I began to think. Deciding what to say seemed elusive, as this country’s golden light continued to fade. Then, the realization hit me, although angry with the politics of this country, hope and joy could still be felt.

Hope was present because it was becoming increasingly clear that a majority of Americans are unhappy with the current events. Special elections in November and people speaking out were evidence of the American people being downcast. Joy surrounded me. I have to a loving family, good friends in my corner, a roof over my head, food on the table and the ability to create, learn and travel. There was still much to be grateful for!

I arrived home from my mom’s with one day to finish my creative endeavors. Many projects had been started in November. Only some were finished…

11th Month Complete

This is the first project finished in November. I had been carrying this stone around with me since April. There are three drilled holes, but one didn’t go the whole way through. My bead reamer didn’t help. I had to find a way to cover the holes. Bezel setting seemed to be out of the question, so I tried my hand at wire wrapping by following a reel. This was not as easy as the short film made it look; it turned out clunky! I will probably cut the wire away and eventually try something else for this stone.

My soldering last month focused around closing seams. These three rings are the product of this practice. They were supposed to be pinky rings.The bottom ring is too big. The top ring (which I like the best) is too small. But, like the *Three Bears,* the middle ring is just right!

This ring is made from the handle of this spoon:

My last endeavor to be finished was another wire wrapped necklace made at night in font of the tv. The final bead was place on November 30th.
Making similar necklaces all the time, is becoming tiresome, but repetition helps to build mastery of a skill.

My Year Of Creativity

January https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/02/01/my-year-of-creativity/

February https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/07/my-year-of-creativity-2/

March https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/30/my-year-of-creativity-march-2025/

April https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/05/18/my-year-of-creativity-april-2025/

May https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/06/06/my-year-of-creativity-may-2025/

June https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/07/11/my-year-of-creativity-june-2025/

July https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/08/08/my-year-of-creativity-july-2025/

August: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/09/14/my-year-of-creativity-august-2025/

September: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/10/21/my-year-of-creativity-september-2025/

October: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/11/08/my-year-of-creativity-october-2025/

My Year Of Creativity (May 2025)

In early May, my husband and I flew to Northern California. We joined our eldest daughter. She was beginning a new path in life and would be celebrating her 25th birthday this summer; this was an early birthday present from us to her. For 11 full days, we enjoyed the sun and surroundings. I was somewhat (but not completely) tuned out to the state of affairs within our country. The world around me went on, as life should.

Our travels started in vineyards to the north of San Francisco,

Sonoma Valley: Bartholomew Estate Winery

Then we traveled west to the sea,

Day trip to Bodega Bay

On our way back east to the wine country, for one more night, we stopped at a redwood grove:

LandPaths Grove of Old Trees

After three nights in The Sonoma Valley, down the coast we went, through a redwood forest that was devastated by a record breaking number of lightning strikes in 2020.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Look at the top of the trees, and compare them to the first redwood grove we visited. This picture shows new growth and resilience in nature.

On we Drove to stay in Carmel-By-The-Sea.

Some early mornings and late afternoons were spent at the nearby Carmel River State Beach:

Day trips were taken from The Carmel River Inn:

Day 1:

Monterey Bay Aquarium and some of the surrounding area:

Day 2:

Harbor seals and other wildlife at Point Lobos State Natural Preserve:

Then the Pacific Coast Highway took us a little farther south to Big Sur:

Day 3:

Our last day staying in Carmel-By-The- Sea we went on a 17 mile drive: Pebble Beach:

Do the Nesting Brandt’s Cormorants live harmoniously with the sea lions? What happens when the eggs hatch, do the sea lions have a tasty snack?

We ended our trip to spend time with my sister and brother-in-law in San Francisco:

In and around San Francisco

**Area of silence at the De Young Art Museum**

Our trip was amazing! However a realization struck me: if I wasn’t paying attention to any news, the state of our country would appear normal….

It wasn’t until the third week in May that I began my creative project for the month. The focus was on a knotted necklace, made a few years back; it was rarely worn, as it was too long for me. I loved the beads: they reminded me of the sea, sand and colors in shells.

The necklace was taken apart to find a new form.

In the afternoons, those last two weeks of May, I worked on a second project. For some reason, I wanted to try my hand at a pelican pendant. While I sawed, soldered, sanded and did other things to transform a piece of silver, the book ‘The Prince of Tides’ played through my AirPods. The book was read years ago. In April, when I began listening to it, there was a need to to listen to something that I was familiar with. The audio book is almost 26 hours long. When I was near the end of fashioning my pendant, just over 2 hours from the end of the book, one of the characters quoted this:

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. – That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

Thomas Jefferson

The Declaration Of Independence

This made me take pause. I had forgotten this important piece of history. Scrolling back, these words were listened to again. If I am not mistaken, The Constitution was created to uphold the principles set forth in The Declaration of Independence. The government is changing. As Americans, we should have the right to stop the movement toward a facisist or theocratic nation; after all we are (currently) “The land of the free and home of the brave”…

Emotionally and mentally, I am in a different place than March or April. Maybe almost a month of traveling (back to back trips to Western Maryland, Toronto and California) helped me. My head continues to be kept above the sand: I listen to the news, but not as much. When something is heard that seems over the top, they are fact checked.Two people with an online presence, Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Reich, help break down the news and explain what is happening for me. By the end of May, I was beginning to have hope. The courts, organizations, and people were pushing back against what is happening in our country. I choose to believe that our nation will be as resilient as the trees we saw in the redwood forest…..

Fifth Month Complete

I still need a lot of practice on my silver pieces; especially work on my sanding and polishing

My Year Of Creativity

January https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/02/01/my-year-of-creativity/

February https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/07/my-year-of-creativity-2/

March https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/30/my-year-of-creativity-march-2025/

April https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/05/18/my-year-of-creativity-april-2025/

My Year Of Creativity (April 2025)

April was long, yet at the same time it is hard to believe May is half over. I have been traveling for the better part of a month. No creative project has been started; we’ll see what happens…

On April 1st, I decide to devote my creative work (well most of it) to a color that calms me. A little tranquility was needed because sleep, something I have always taken for granted, had been “shallow” since mid January. I had been struggling with the use of a CPAP machine, having been diagnosed (in late December) with sleep apnea. I am one of those people who has this sleep issue, not because of being overly heavy, but just because I have a small airway. The lack of sleep, in combination with the anxiety and fear that I feel due to what has been taking place in our country, was starting to weigh me down.

Blue, and shades of it, has long been my best-loved color. Although I tend to wear a lot of black, I have always found this color calming. Maybe this is because swimming is one of my favorite activities. Shades of blue can be found in many bodies of water. Where there is water, I can swim. On the very first day I began to devote myself the the immersion of blue: my first fired pot, from pottery class, was painted various hues of my favorite color:

Although I felt peaceful after my class, the ongoing news (of our economy spiraling; public institutions being dismantled; DOGE having their hands on everything; good works being defunded…) was not helping my overall frame of mind. Saturday, April 5, I did two things that helped my mood: the first activity was joining a group that was removing invasive plants in our area; it felt good to be working outside and focusing on something different than politics! The second thing I did was join the “Hands Off Movement”, a peaceful rally in our red county. Just as in February, standing among strangers united for a common cause, I felt empowered. That evening, the necklace I started in March (not blue), was finished.

I think of many of my creations as prototypes; there is always room for improvement. The clasp on this necklace is on the front, and interchangeable closures were made with different beads.

On April 7, my husband suggested we visit the Smithsonian. We hadn’t been in years. When my spouse presented me with this opportunity, I jumped at the chance. In March, the President Of The United States announced an executive order to try and make changes at the Smithsonian Institution; it was important to me to see these places, once again, before the “restoring of Truth and Sanity to American History”. The first museum we visited was the National American Museum of History; this had always been my favorite museum. Then we went to the National Museum Of African American History; the last time we were in Washington, DC, was shortly after it opened, and it was hard to get into. Unfortunately the day was getting late, so we only stayed at the second museum for a short while. As we left D.C. I was overwhelmed by how far we had come as a country and, at the same time, was filled with trepidation that our predecessors mistakes might be covered up.

April 15th, I received my second finished piece from my pottery class:

My plan for my creative project in April, was to immerse myself in learning how to make a bezel from start to finish: soldering bezel wire to a metal base, sawing the form out, filing, sanding and finally setting a blue stone. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any bezel wire.

Instead of jewelry work in the afternoons, I decided to look at a file box my father had kept for me. The early years took me back to first grade; this was the era of “Free To Be You And Me”( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_to_Be…_You_and_Me). I found solace in reliving my younger years. A story was written and published in mid April:

The Dabbler
https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/04/21/the-dabbler/

Many years ago my sister had been on a trip around the world and brought beads back. Then, a few years back, she gave them to me. At night, I worked on a necklace for my eldest sibling. The stones I chose to work with were blue; they were hard to work with as they were chipped stone of different sizes and shapes.

Meanwhile, current events continued to weigh me down. In mid April, I awoke to the news that the president decided to sunset all environmental regulations made in the last 100 years:

Presidential Action

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/zero-based-regulatory-budgeting-to-unleash-american-energy/.

Presidential Action more easily explained

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/17/nx-s1-5366814/endangered-species-act-change-harm-trump-rule

Mentioning this to my husband, he politely told me he wasn’t in the mood to hear any type of political news. Respecting his request, my rant remained silent. In fact, I tried hard not to talk about anything political for almost a week…

The 4th Tuesday in April, during pottery class, I received my finished vase and painted a large pinch pot (see pictures at the bottom of the story):

At the end of that week, we spent two days with our youngest daughter Appalachia. I had barely listened to the news for 5 days. Time was spent in nature and I felt happy and relatively calm.

The day we arrived home from our visit with our daughter, we found out one of our own was touched by DOGE. A job that was a volunteer position, where only a stipend was being paid, was dismantled. I was seeing red! I was angry, but at the same time so sad. Why were good works the target of our new government? What happened to empathy?

I packed for a three day trip to Toronto, the day after the news hit home. While packing, my AirPods played the streaming sit-in of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Cory Booker. Realizing there were still people who could make a differences, pushing against the destruction of the United States, relieved some of the feelings of the day before…they were making “Good Trouble”.

The last three days of April, I traveled to and from Canada, with one day in between (to attend a remembrance for a family friend who had died). The necklace was finished the night before I left for the memorial service:

The large blue pinch pot made and the stages:

My Year Of Creativity

January https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/02/01/my-year-of-creativity/

February https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/07/my-year-of-creativity-2/

March: https://tell-me-your-story.org/2025/03/30/my-year-of-creativity-march-2025/

“The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience….. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.”

– Carl Sagan

My Year of Creativity (March 2025)

(unedited)

At least once every day, since January 20, I have uttered the words “What the F—-“, as I listen to the news. Before this year, I tended to be the type of person with my head part way in the sand, when it came to local and world events; that changed as the new Trump era swept in.

In December 2024, I decided that my New Year’s resolution would be to complete one creative project a month. The year ahead looked like it might have many hard changes. At this point, my prediction is coming true, for many of us. The reason for my new year’s intention was this: having something to focus my imagination on, would clear the noise that might be rattling around my head; it has helped somewhat.

As the executive orders were announced, like so many Americans, I became angry. The very first actions I heard were those that directly impacted the LGBTQ+ individuals; it is a clear attack on human rights. One of my children lived as a transgender individual for a five years, before detransitioning. I felt our president was wiping out a population of people with a swipe of his pen; this wasn’t okay. The executive orders kept coming. This was an intentional strategy to “flood the media”. Typically a mild mannered person, my temper was flaring! To help extinguish the flame within me, I worked with real fire to make my first creative project of the year.

Nine days after the beginning of the presidential proclamations, my husband and I went on our planned vacation to Arizona, the time in Sedona took me away from the news. I felt calmer…maybe it was all the healing energy that was within Sonoran Desert? When we arrived in Tucson, for the next leg of our stay, I received a text from a friend with the headline “Rep. Ogles Proposes Amending the 22nd Amendment to Allow Trump to Serve a Third Term”….all the peaceful feelings went away. The next two days, I was in class and discovered the our teacher and at least several of the women (from the first class) were feeling very much like I was. As I focused on my creative workshops, attended the gem and mineral show and enjoyed the surroundings of Tucson with my spouse, the anger dissipated once again. When we left Arizona, I felt ready to face the next step.

A friend invited me to join a group of people who also were not happy with what was happening in our government: this was a safe space to exchange news headlines and share information. Some of the things conveyed, made me look at things through the eyes of others. In the middle February, I attended a protest and no longer felt completely complacent.

In late February, I focused my on the imaginative project of the month; it connected me with a happy memory and good intention. Although I had some respite from the outside world, my torch must have felt some of my energy (if that is possible); it misfired and singed some of my hair. By the end of the month, I was afraid of what was happening in the United States. As a fan of historic fiction and dystopian novels, the thought of of what took place in the past, layered onto what life could become, instilled fear. Doomscrolling added to my anxiety.

Then, at the beginning of March, I understood just how isolated Americans had become from the rest of the world. My fear increased. Every evening, as I watched tv with my husband, time was taken away from the news. For a little while, concern for things happening in the “New America”, were replaced by laughter that came from the shows we were watching. My energy was also centered on learning how to wire wrap a beaded necklace. The matte chakra beads, that had called to me the very first day at the Tucson Gem and mineral show, were what I decided to use for my March project.

The second full week of March (as the markets continued to drop and my worry about the economy started) my husband and I began instruction on how to hand build pottery. During those first three hours of class, my thoughts centered on the way the clay felt in my hands and the piece I was building. My pots might not end up being the most beautiful of objects, but the therapeutic benefits of the process are highly recommended!

The second week of class, I took too long to make my coils. I took them home, along with extra clay, to finish my project. Of the three pieces I made, this is least favored by me; once they are all fired and glazed my opinion might change.

My fear continued to ramp up while listening to the news, yet calm during the later part of the day when my focus was elsewhere. Then, on March 16, the local chapter of INDIVISIBLE had in-person meeting and I attended. Surrounded by other people who are not happy with the things that are happening in this country, made me feel better; something switched inside of me. That same week, my chakra necklace was completed. Now it is the end of March. The path of where we are headed, as a nation, is not clear. I’m still angry and fearful: freedoms seem to be waning and history might be erased, but now I no longer feel alone.