Well the euphoria that accompanied affirmation has worn off. This is to a large part because of a setback. Our literacy coordinator is now doing jury duty, and it’s taking it out of her. She bowed out of working today and won’t be in tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a full day at the courthouse.

In the meantime, today, her first day away, I had a lot to do. I realized that we jumped too soon on doing reorganizing because I am now having to do my regular stock and sorting and pick up the reorganizational slack.

Rainbow

I looked around today and saw, really saw, my immediate environs and the situation for what it is. I’m barely holding my own with the operational workload. And I have too much to do. I miss being with my horses and getting things done here. I did get a goat share and now I have milk. Very expensive. But I don’t think that we’ll be breeding our goats. This would be over the top for me, and I would have to be the one making the cheese.

I would like to find someone, a paid employee, who feels passionate about this project and would enjoy fundraising. Why is this so difficult? The answer is that the BLBP is free enterprise. Books are free – people are taking advantage of the word free – it’s like, get it while you can because it’s there. Better books than say other things because they might actually read them.

Tonight I was at a political meeting and a woman, a friend of a friend, I told her that I was with the book project and she began raving about the local bookstore. I thought, you have no idea of your audience here. I then began telling her about the importance of taking on the used books, but she didn’t want to hear me. The words didn’t want to hear me are key. Most people are like this – they hear what they want to hear. And so the logic behind taking on a used book versus purchasing a new one does not penetrate their consciousness.

Right now, we are living in a troubled country in very troubled times. Next week Herr president is coming to Wasilla. I wish that today I had written down the comments of friends who are left leaning. My friends, unlike the elected official who is coming for a visit, are intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate human beings.

I would, if I had the time, go to this event. For some time, I have wanted to write a book entitled Republican like Me, one in which I assume a Republican identity; that is, dress, act, eat, and pray like them. Going to this event would be really all I need, a glimpse into this very warped world. But I won’t because this would be time lost, time that really will be better spent getting books into the hands of appreciative readers.

Most likely I will feel less discouraged tomorrow. And I need to keep telling myself that change is a constant.

Next: 269. 10/9/26: Republican Like Me