Once upon a time, I was very active in Portland-area politics, supporting progressive candidates and causes. I even did some videos. I had plans to do more, and then anxiety and depression, life-long health issues of which I was entirely unaware most of my life, gained control.
Today, having gotten the mental health care I needed from the VA, I am looking to find ways to live out my values in a political way. For me, this means as an artist and a creator. Unfortunately, I have little idea how to make this happen; a lifetime of anxiety has undermined my self-belief and ability to work through to solutions.
Thankfully, my recovery is teaching me how to keep plodding onward. So: this website. Soon: videos. I’ll probably just speak my mind on political stuff; whatever is on my mind on a particular day. My committed efforts will be in regards to mental health: education, advocacy, and so on.
But I have interests in lots of areas, so I’m likely to do some writing and video work beyond politics and mental health. Things like football (ie, soccer), especially the Portland Thorns. Music. Anime. Food and drink. Life, the universe, and everything.
I’m just about to turn 66. A somewhat typical Portland liberal white male, but hopefully woke enough on issues of justice and equity to not carry some of the TPLWM baggage. I have 2 sons, grown up and married; one has 4 kids and the other no plans at all for such. I love being a grandparent! I hate cars and all they have done to destroy community. I love bicycling and riding trains.
There’s more, but this is enough for now. You see, one of the things I am learning is to not wait for “enough” and “good enough” but to just get something made, publish it, and move on. I’ll get better with time; I’ll get nowhere with “getting it right”.