Wishing You a Joyful Holiday Season
A more personal departure from my usual musings.
Sending you all wishes of joy, peace, love, and good health this 2023 holiday season and beyond.
I seem to have to qualify all of my recent annual holiday notes with “in these challenging and dark times.” As I type this the church bells near me in Eixo, Portugal are letting us all know it’s (approximately) 10am Western European Standard Time. While not quite as accurate as digital devices the bells are a pleasant respite from a technology-driven life. My own life has been remarkably different here in Portugal since beginning my residency here in November 2021. The bells are a reminder that there is a deep sense of community here. I often think I might have found the American Dream, across the Atlantic Ocean from where it was supposed to be. Aside from a sense of community, there is a more authentic life-work balance in Portugal. Throughout my career in the United States, it was always a work-work-work-life balance.
I recognize it is challenging to be festive when the horrors of war are raging in Ukraine and in the Middle East, tensions are rising elsewhere, new COVID variants are spreading, and necessary climate action is frequently constrained as the acceleration of fossil fuel extraction (and the vast wealth the extraction represents) continues. And don’t even get me started on the continuing assault on democracy, justice, and equity in America. It is why I continue to write and publish on Substack and provide guest political, economic, and climate analysis with Maxine Margo and Malcolm Burman on Hudson River Radio’s The Many Shades of Green in New York. And then most of my time continues to be devoted to Civic Works.
My own highlights of 2023 were people-related, with some travel as well. Cyndi and I try to get to the US at least once a year to visit family and friends.
In March we flew to New York (Rachel and Steve), then on to Sacramento (Martina, Trevor, Kira, Jerzy, Scarlett, and Lucy; Nick and Kelsey; and Nalini), then to Las Vegas (Randy and Jim), then Cyndi went on to Tucson to visit dear friends while I went back to NY to spend more time with Rachel and Steve, the Michelen’s, and the East Coast Polisner’s.
In May, Digby and Judy stayed with us. Digby and I had the pleasure of working together on an important technology project in Oregon that delivered fast-track enrollment and expanded access to Medicaid for Oregon residents. Later in May, Allan flew out from Oregon to share time. We spent part of our time at our home in Eixo and also visited Nazare (home of the 100-foot waves and surfing competitions), and Lisbon. Aside from being a brother from another mother, Allan has great insight into global politics and economics. Our discussions continue to evolve my understanding of our world. In June it was great to see Andrew Petrak. I’ve known Andrew since he was a wee lad (yes, we’re watching the new season of Outlander), and it was great to visit with him over a vegan pizza at a favorite spot in Aveiro. Andrew just finished with UC Berkeley and is just beginning what I know will be a great career in the US. In July we took a train trip to Porto (about an hour away from Aveiro) to visit and share a lunch with Becca and Ron. I originally met Ron in Oregon while he was running a major media company in the US (and always grateful to Becca for connecting us). Of course I completely forgot to get a picture to memorialize our time together. I hope to remedy that in the year ahead.
In August we flew to London to watch Cyndi’s amazing daughter in a play, share time with her and her Ben, visit with Ben’s parents (long-time labor activists -we always have a great time conspiring together), and also took in “The Effect” at the National Theatre. Shannon and Ben are vegan and have mapped out all of London’s best vegan restaurants, so I always leave London needing extra time on the stair machine (stairmonster), and the treadmill (dreadmill). While in London our schedules and geography aligned so I was also delighted to sip coffee with Paly who is a dear friend and, as a lawyer, has been dedicated to human rights issues and is always inspiring me (her daughter is a gifted singer).
In September we were able to share time with Naomi Seligman and I arranged a lunch with Naomi, Cyndi, Carol Palombini, and Filipa Pinto de Carvalho in Lisbon. Naomi was on her way to Atlanta to accept an award on behalf of WhistleblowerAid.org, Filipa is a founding partner of a venture capital firm in Lisbon, and Carol is an executive/leadership coach. It was a terrific to bring them all together to discuss their experiences and insights as women in leadership.
In October, another Oregon friend and her husband stayed with us. Birgitte Ryslinge has been leading the higher education charge on the Central Coast of Oregon, organized a monumental effort to receive accreditation for the Oregon Coast Community College, and has implemented important courses of study geared to improving the quality and dignity of lives in the rural coastal region of Oregon. It was great to meet Keith and catch up with Birgitte who then went on to walk part of the famous “Camino”. Then Jackie stayed with us -Jackie has been a long-time friend of Cyndi’s (they are part of a small group of retired public school teachers in Arizona). On our occasional trips to Arizona, Jackie opens her home to us so it felt great to reciprocate and share more time with her in our Portugal home. Later in October I flew to New York and shared more time with Rachel and Steve, Chris, Peter, and the East Coast Polisner family. Also, one of my long-time friends was visiting in NY and we had time to share a pizza out on Long Island and reminisce about the old days when we, somehow, survived without iPhones. He was influential in my career as both a friend and mentor. In November my grandson Owen was born, meaning I now have five grandchildren. My children are now all well into responsible adulthood and wonder when I might join them.
Aside from dear friends and family throughout the year, we visited Coimbra in January (and found the world’s best vegan burrito), Barcelona in February, Viana do Castelo in June, Milan/Lake Como in September, and a brief sojourn in Lisbon earlier this month to catch the holiday lights.
Finally, for any who might be in a position to help, you probably already know my post-conventional career life has been devoted toward democracy, justice, and equity -and my view of the three pillars of democracy: a well-educated, well-informed, and engaged society. In the unfortunate demise of twitter, and the history Facebook has with Cambridge Analytica, I continue to see an important opening for a new, trusted, civic social network. I’m trying to acquire the funds necessary to complete necessary software development, implement a marketing plan, and grow rapidly to have a positive political impact on the 2024 election cycle in the United States. If you can invest, it can help further our progress toward a major launch in the Spring of 2024. If you are unable to invest, sharing our effort with friends, family, and others in your social circle can help us build something lasting and great to empower people in the United States and around the world.
Visit https://wefunder.com/civic.works.corporation and please do feel free to share.
Now, onward toward 2024 with hopes for reason, peace, joy, and love for all,
George
Best wishes this holiday season! How fortunate you are able to realize your dreams in Portugal, it does sound lovely!