I was driving home to Chicago from out in the Rockford area the other day; it’s a long drive and though I was content in the fact that I had done a good deed that day by taking my mother-in-law to her neurology appointment when no one else had been available to (and found my sister-in-law’s missing keys as well, long story), the longer I drove the more down I was feeling because she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and besides just the sadness of that, I knew how hard it would hit my wife. Debby’s already been through a lot this year, having already lost her father, and with many other medical issues hitting friends, family and even pets, it’s taken its toll.
So that was my state of mind on my drive when who should call, but one Cenk Uygur! It was a thank-you call for a donation I’d made around the time of the DNC, and of course with those sort of positive vibes coming my way I couldn’t help but get in a better mood again, so thank you for that Cenk!
But the reason I’m writing this is because of something I said on the call, that I see TYT as the Bailey Building & Loan from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”. There’s a scene in that movie where, after the passing of George Bailey’s father, George tells the Board of Directors that the town needs the Building & Loan “if only to have some place where people can come without crawling to Potter.” Just as we need TYT around so that folks can get their news without crawling to corporate media and all the right-wing propaganda outlets out there.
To extend the metaphor a bit, if TYT is the Building & Loan, then that makes us, the show’s audience and supporters, all the folks at the end of the movie that show up to lend a hand in any way they can. They step up not just to save George and Uncle Billy, but to save the Building & Loan that had helped to improve so many people’s lives in Bedford Falls!
And so, although we may or may not ever all get together to sing “Auld Lang Syne”, I just want to say how happy I am to be a part of this community, that I know would all pitch in to help someone in need or lift each other up, and that truly gives me joy.
I am so sorry that you went through all of that and that it took them so long to help you! Clearly, you have amazing strength and resilience to have been able to come out the other side healthier and even stronger. Thank you for sharing your story, I am positive it will help many others. I see that your experience started on Thanksgiving, and wanted to send some extra love as the holiday season approaching might be especially challenging. Please reach out if you need extra support, and make sure to take care of yourself. Stay strong and positive, and know that you are never alone!
PS You have nothing to apologize for, so just keep looking ahead and being awesome!
Hi all, just a quick update about Tobie-Wan, the cute little Shih Tzu that my family and I were fostering.
Well, #CenkWasRight and #AnaWasRight — we ended up adopting him for good! We’re so happy no one adopted him before we decided to. He’s such a wonderful, fun, adorable dog.
I showed the Team Joy segment to my wife and daughter and they loved it. My daughter says that Tobie is famous now! It’s so kind of them to take time to highlight members’ stories.
I’ve gotten to take some better pictures now that we’ve had him for a couple more weeks, and here are just a few. (Don’t worry, I won’t spam the discussion board all the time about him, lol).
I’ve been playing guitar in a local production of Godspell for the past two weeks. It is my first time playing with a band. It was challenging with many missteps and ups and downs, but I’m pretty darn proud of myself for the way it turned out and for tackling it in the first place. Last week a friend and fellow musician warned me about what she called “post-show blues,” a grieving process after spending so much time with others on a project like a musical. Well, tomorrow is the last show, and I am already feeling those blues. Tonight I found myself looking around at the band and cast when I wasn’t playing, and I teared up a couple times. I am anticipating the grieving process that’s coming, but I am going to make a list of the many positive things about this experience to look at when I’m missing the rehearsals, performances, and especially the cast and other band members. Operation Hopeoperation-joy
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. The worst of it was January through April 2022, so thankfully the holidays aren’t as triggering as they might otherwise have been. (There was a weird lull during December that enabled me to get through the rest of the holiday season with things still relatively intact.)
My heart goes to you and your wife. Alzheimer’s is devastating. I hope your mother-in-law has a great care team and your wife has loads of support. My grandma, one of the most amazingly kind people I’ve ever known, had Alzheimer’s. She started showing signs when I was in grade school, by Junior High, there was no doubt. We spent a ton of time together from the day I was born in 1976 up until the day she died in 2000 at the age of 93 (I often think about all of the amazing things she lived through!), and I’m forever grateful that I had the opportunity. She would say to me, “I might not always remember who you are, but I always know that I love you.” Please know that you and your wife are not alone and have support here.
It’s great to see you! That is so cool that you played in the band for Godspell, I bet you were awesome! I hope you are feeling okay and letting yourself take it easy. Don’t be such a stranger now.
Hey, I remember you! That’s very kind, thank you so much. It was a wonderful, whirlwind summer. Thanks for the kind words and I hope you’re doing well.
Hey guy,
I’m writing today because I love TYT, I love this operation joy project, I am a person with HIV, which I contracted from a shady ex whom tried to ruin my life. It ended in a trial which was thrown out because my ex fabricated a faulty story they could not remember on the day of the trial. He had been assaulted by his brother and we had a fight (non physical) and he went to the police with those marks and scrapes and black eye claiming I had been the one to beat him up, been through a lot, during my wait for trial I found a native program for court to show I was doing something productive as the charges were large and I was suffering for addiction both myself and my ex had plans to get clean but never got to it. So I started at the aboriginal healing program,( I’m half native but raised white and never learned my culture) I at first was reluctant I spilt coffee tipped a table over the first day there… it wasn’t pretty. In time I came to notice other peoples struggles were much like mine in the way we had made mistakes and were trying to better ourselves, some were because or court some were there trying to get children back from protective services. But we were all there to do the work and the elder who ran the program was teaching us old native traditions and teachings and I finally started to feel like I found my tribe, unlike church where I’m a sin being a gay male, here I was celebrated as 2spirit and I felt like there was a chair there for me unlike church. The program changed my world view … it helped me concure my addiction, I watched a women get her child back. Watched a number of people succeed all at the hands of “little brown bear” the elder running the program. It was at that point in life I chose myself and happiness for the first time and I have never looked back. My trial passed charges thrown out and I continued to go to the program when I was no longer obligated to legally because it was my second family, I learned how to be a new happy person and really loved learned the culture and eventually I was gifted a spirit name which translates from ojibwe to “man of the heart” and I wear that name proudly, my point of this story and sharing is that through the dirt I was put through with my ex I found this place on google, it was a not planned thing I had no referral I made a call and that was that, if he didn’t do that to me and put me in that situation I never would of found myself, gotten clean, and finally chose myself and happiness. Truly from dirt flowers grow and I’m proof. I’ve been clean for 5 years consistently and
( 2/2 ). feeling great, I deal with my health and I am grateful to wake up every day with family that loves me and my native roots guiding me through this sometimes harsh but beautiful world. Always choose happiness, and always take a chance because it may change you and your core forever. I’m not expecting anyone to see this really but it just feels good to share, I’ve been a TYT member since 2021 and this show gives me hope and that same community in the chat and I love Cenk and Ana and John and Everyyone, and barts jams always perk me up, Thanks for letting me share !!
Love t_payne89 @ twitch aka Taylor The Homo Erotic Dragon
Pps… I did find love from a great guy eventually! We don’t fight we don’t argue I waited and I got my dream guy so things really do work out in time, day by day you will be rewarded just stay positive and keep that chin up !!! LOVE YOU TYT FAM!!
Also I’ve attached the most joyful things in my life my partner and I’s fur babies for Ana. This is Siri and Jude. Tell Charlie we need a play date !!
Now that I have an abundance of long, sleepless hours I’ve decided to get back into some pastimes that used to bring me joy; specifically, music and art.
I had a pile of old Kramer Voyager guitar parts that I never got around to Frankensteining together when I was in college. I took the time to strip the old paint and refinish it. The artwork is a small snapshot of a huge piece of graffiti that a friend of mine did.
While the paint was drying, I got a little extra creative and made a guitar strap from leftover bits of leather. It actually plays pretty good and looks dope if I do say so myself. My playing, based on Morgan’s expression, could use a little work.
Your fur babies are so cute! Hopefully you don’t have an iPhone otherwise it must go off all the time when you call Siri’s name, lol.
Thank you for sharing your story and congrats on being five years sober. That sounds like it was an incredibly difficult situation to live through, but you came out of it stronger.
