I do have an agenda for visiting here – via a link from The Ink which intrigued me – but I thought first I’d take you up on your offer to comment about “home”. We have a few acres, partly tree covered, drainage creek running through it, small pasture with llamas (my wife’s responsibility), a slightly older place which we keep improving and treasuring, a place which has the feel of a park in the cul-de-sac, all this outside of the home of the Mayo Clinic, and so part of what I want to comment on. Now, still winter, we can see our neighbor’s houses, hardly ever see them personally now, but when the trees have leaves and the houses hidden, the neighbors are nonetheless out and about as well. And the neighborhood is exactly as I would want any kids to grow up in, even with a fishing river just a quick walking distance away; it’s not atypical to see the neighbor kids with fishing poles walking past. About winter, we just came in from clearing out from under a blizzard, the results of which will be gone in about one week. Great life.
Part of what led me here had to do with getting buy-in from folks of all political stripes for some real changes relating to healthcare funding. I’m trying to do something positive to provide solutions to even the budgetary issues rather than simply do what the MAGA Republicans are doing, simply cut, no matter the cruelty. It strikes me that now is exactly the right time to start showing the alternative fixes to today’s fragmented and unfair system. It’s also exactly the right time to show how the use of democracy – as opposed to Trump’s authoritarian autocracy – can be used to create something great for the whole of this country. But, perhaps most importantly, whatever it is, it’s got to have that buy-in, which means it must cover all of the issues that folks have with the ACA, with universal healthcare, and with the government budgetary issues of healthcare.
With that in mind, I’ve written up a web page describing a framework and an approach by which the Democrats – of which I am not (in full disclosure) – can get ahead of this issue for the midterms. It can be found in Substack and off of my blog, but here is the direct link.
Hi Mark! Thank you for the thoughtful response. Your home sounds like a cherished, peaceful place! I will read through this in depth this week, it sounds interesting! Thanks for reaching out.
Vanessa, I gobbled this post right up. I love your description of your charming home and all its intricacies and quirks. And I've saved the quote at the end, I just love it! Gonna get it printed on a plaque for our new home in Spain.
Very nice, Vanessa! I especially appreciate your tips for actions that people can easily take instead of doomscrolling or hiding under the covers. I appreciate your efforts to effect change at the same time that you're working on your own personal sanctuary to keep you stable. Very admirable!
Journalist Charles Duhigg’s Supercommunicators book also has a section about hard conversations, if I remember correctly. I also read Jonah Berger’s « how to change anyone’s mind last year » and it is not an easy task to try to help your loved ones move their opinion or behavior on the scale towards yours. I’m still testing these approaches with my father and father-in-law and I haven’t found the recipe yet.
Improving my communication is on my intentions list this year, thank you for another round of great recs 🥰 Will definitely work in a cozy home inspired section at some point!!
Loovvved this read ✨ This beautiful description of your home & its history (I can taste this German pancake) has me day dreaming of creating my own cozy space again someday 💭
Also - huge thanks for sharing the 5 actions you’re taking! Especially the resources for talking to loved ones 💛
Vanessa –
I do have an agenda for visiting here – via a link from The Ink which intrigued me – but I thought first I’d take you up on your offer to comment about “home”. We have a few acres, partly tree covered, drainage creek running through it, small pasture with llamas (my wife’s responsibility), a slightly older place which we keep improving and treasuring, a place which has the feel of a park in the cul-de-sac, all this outside of the home of the Mayo Clinic, and so part of what I want to comment on. Now, still winter, we can see our neighbor’s houses, hardly ever see them personally now, but when the trees have leaves and the houses hidden, the neighbors are nonetheless out and about as well. And the neighborhood is exactly as I would want any kids to grow up in, even with a fishing river just a quick walking distance away; it’s not atypical to see the neighbor kids with fishing poles walking past. About winter, we just came in from clearing out from under a blizzard, the results of which will be gone in about one week. Great life.
Part of what led me here had to do with getting buy-in from folks of all political stripes for some real changes relating to healthcare funding. I’m trying to do something positive to provide solutions to even the budgetary issues rather than simply do what the MAGA Republicans are doing, simply cut, no matter the cruelty. It strikes me that now is exactly the right time to start showing the alternative fixes to today’s fragmented and unfair system. It’s also exactly the right time to show how the use of democracy – as opposed to Trump’s authoritarian autocracy – can be used to create something great for the whole of this country. But, perhaps most importantly, whatever it is, it’s got to have that buy-in, which means it must cover all of the issues that folks have with the ACA, with universal healthcare, and with the government budgetary issues of healthcare.
With that in mind, I’ve written up a web page describing a framework and an approach by which the Democrats – of which I am not (in full disclosure) – can get ahead of this issue for the midterms. It can be found in Substack and off of my blog, but here is the direct link.
https://mrfunk.info/HealthcareFundingViaGovernmentAssist.pdf
Enjoy.
Mark Funk
Blog: mrfunk.info
Hi Mark! Thank you for the thoughtful response. Your home sounds like a cherished, peaceful place! I will read through this in depth this week, it sounds interesting! Thanks for reaching out.
Vanessa, I gobbled this post right up. I love your description of your charming home and all its intricacies and quirks. And I've saved the quote at the end, I just love it! Gonna get it printed on a plaque for our new home in Spain.
Thank you so much! That quote is such a great affirmation, I may just print it out to regularly see it too! 🥰
Very nice, Vanessa! I especially appreciate your tips for actions that people can easily take instead of doomscrolling or hiding under the covers. I appreciate your efforts to effect change at the same time that you're working on your own personal sanctuary to keep you stable. Very admirable!
Thank you Gregory! I so appreciate the kind words and glad it resonated 🥰
My pleasure, Vanessa! Keep up the good work.
Yes to a Cozy spaces section !
Journalist Charles Duhigg’s Supercommunicators book also has a section about hard conversations, if I remember correctly. I also read Jonah Berger’s « how to change anyone’s mind last year » and it is not an easy task to try to help your loved ones move their opinion or behavior on the scale towards yours. I’m still testing these approaches with my father and father-in-law and I haven’t found the recipe yet.
Improving my communication is on my intentions list this year, thank you for another round of great recs 🥰 Will definitely work in a cozy home inspired section at some point!!
Loovvved this read ✨ This beautiful description of your home & its history (I can taste this German pancake) has me day dreaming of creating my own cozy space again someday 💭
Also - huge thanks for sharing the 5 actions you’re taking! Especially the resources for talking to loved ones 💛
Thank you as always, Sophia! ☺️
Nice