A Few Things | Jan 28

The most radical thing I am going to do this year.

Off To Their Next Adventure

While worldwide, January has been rough (that’s putting it mildly), in the Blair Family’s life, January has meant a lot of time together — in fact, during the first week of January we were all together for the first time in 6 months. So unexpectedly, I’m looking back at January with gratitude. The older the kids get, and the farther they adventure, the more rare it is to have the family all together in one place. Once a year, maybe twice, is probably the most we’re going to get.

On January 6th, Maude flew to the U.S.. On January 7th. Olive flew to meet some of her Oakland friends in Morocco, and from there flew back to the U.S.. On January 10th, Oscar went back to Dublin for the second semester of his sophomore year (Ben Blair and Ralph drove him there on the ferry so that he could bring bulky things like a bike and guitar and keyboard). On January 17th, Ralph flew back to the U.S.. And then on January 26th, Betty took the train to Paris to start the second semester of her freshman year. In case you’ve lost track, that means that Flora June is the only kid at home (which is it’s own strange new thing for our family that I want to write about in another newsletter).

I’m feeling so grateful for our time together, and I’m really happy that for some of this month, I was able to log off and just be with everyone. And now, when I’m feeling homesick, I watch this little video on repeat.

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I’m Craving A No-Nazi Book Club or Discussion Group

The news is overwhelming. Some people believe (and I tend to agree) that it’s intentionally overwhelming, so that the chaos makes it easier to force regression, while not enough people are paying attention to any one thing.

While I’m tempted to check out from reading the news at all, I know that’s not an option, so instead, I’m trying to be selective and proactive about what I’m reading, watching, and listening to. I joined a book club last year, but didn’t rejoin the same club this year because ultimately it wasn’t a good fit for me. I don’t want to read so-called “centrist” writers, whose actual politics align with the right. I don’t want to be in a club with people who insist Elon Musk was just “giving his heart” to people, and who deny it was a Nazi salute.

But I am craving a book club, or really, more of a discussion group. I’m seeing posts about books and reading as resistance. I saw Heather Cox Richardson talking about how fascism won’t take root if we’re experiencing joy. I think these are vitally important messages. I want to host a group that reads articles and books, and comes together for discussion. I want to invite writers, thinkers, and experts to join us for those discussions. I want to create a community where people can find like-minded folks to organize with on a local level. I want it to be a no-nazi zone. I want to host a group that prioritizes finding and celebrating joy. I want to host a community of people who are sincere about wanting to reduce suffering, increase justice, and make the world a better place.

As you might remember, I was already envisioning some sort of discussion group back in September when we began promoting our parenting book. That was before the election and while I still had earnest hope that Kamala Harris would be the president. I think the need for a discussion group is even more vital now.

There’s going to be so much nonsense happening, that it will get harder and harder to see clearly what is normal and what requires action. I want a group where someone can say: this thing is happening, and the group members can bring clarity and objectivity in recognizing when something is normal, and when something is not.

Basically, I want it to be a group where we can discuss what’s happening in the world so we don’t go crazy, a group where we can find joy, a group where we can connect with each other in real life wherever possible.

I’m working on the structure of it now. What else would be helpful in this group? What am I missing? Also, I’m still working on a name for the group. I’ve been calling it the Blair Discussion Group in my notes, but I’d like something that feels more special or memorable — if you have ideas, feel free to chime in.

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The Most Radical Thing I Want To Do This Year

The most radical thing I want to do this year? I want to enroll in Newlane and earn my philosophy degree. And I want anyone interested to earn their degree right along with me.

Why? A few reasons, here are two. 1) Almost 28 years ago, I earned a bachelor’s degree — a BFA in graphic design. It has served me well and I have no regrets about what I studied. But when I think about my work over the last ten years — especially my 3 books — ultimately, they are all philosophy books. And I think being able to say I have a philosophy degree, would bolster my confidence as a writer in a really helpful way.

2) I think actively seeking knowledge and prioritizing education is incredibly important right now. The first thing we see as fascism takes over is those in power degrading education and expertise, getting rid of professors and experts, attacking universities and institutes of knowledge. Earning a degree, and bringing attention to our actions by doing it publicly, is a really productive way to fight fascism in real time.

I would especially love to see many, many women join me — those who never had a chance to finish (or even start) their degree, and those who, like me, would benefit from adding a philosophy degree to their resume. We could rely on each other for encouragement, support, and motivation. And we could have regular zoom study groups!

I haven’t been in school for almost 3 decades, and I admit I’m nervous about it. So having an incredible group of women to do this with would be ideal.

I can picture an army of women reading and discussing important writings and ideas, and then relating what we’re learning to the world right now, allowing us to think more clearly and intelligently about how to move forward. And with philosophy degrees under our belts, we would no doubt feel more confident and justified about speaking up in the face of injustice — both in writing and in person. I can even imagine us continuing on together to earn Master’s degrees or Law degrees as we specialize in particular fields.

How it would be work? Anyone interested could enroll in Newlane with me. If you already have an Associate degree, earning a Philosophy degree requires taking 10-20 classes (depending on how many credits you transfer). If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, it would require 10 classes. I would love to attempt 5 classes per year — one at a time, trying to complete each course over 8 weeks. We could have zoom study groups every 2 weeks to keep ourselves accountable. If we keep up that pace, in 2 years time, we could have our degrees! The thought of it makes me really, really happy.

I want to study philosophy, but they just launched some new degrees as well, so we could also create study groups for other degrees if that’s of interest.

And Newlane is very affordable, but if it’s out of reach for some, we could organize scholarship funds for those who want to earn their degree but don’t have the budget at the moment.

Why Newlane? Well, it was founded by Ben Blair and my brother, Josh Stanley. And because I’ve seen it up close, and have seen the heart and soul that has been poured into it, I think it’s a no brainer. It’s affordable. It’s accessible to anyone on Earth who has an internet connection. The schedule is flexible, so we can fit coursework around our already full lives. There’s an excellent transfer credit policy. Those who have graduated from Newlane have gone on to well-respected graduate programs. And it’s a rigorous, accredited program where I know we’ll experience real learning. I’ve seen what it takes for students to pass Newlane classes — it’s not easy! — and I know it will challenge us in a good way. At least, it will certainly challenge me.

Does this sound like something you would like to do with me? Or can you think of someone who would benefit by earning their degree? Here’s my plan: I want to spend the next week gathering anyone interested in joining me on this degree journey.

1) If you want to be a part of this (I hope you do!), let’s register with Newlane by next Tuesday, February 4th (and don’t worry, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you try it and don’t feel like it’s the right fit).

2) Once you’re registered, email me and let me know (designmom@designmom.com), so I can add you to my study group.

3) Then, let’s have our first zoom Study Group on Thursday, February 6th. We can say hello, determine our first class, and make a study schedule. I can invite Dr. Monique Bates, the Student Support Director, to join us and answer any questions we might have. And yes, we’ll record it, in case you miss it.

I’m SO EXCITED about this. Like heart-racing excited! I always think I’m going to read certain philosophy books and then never make the time to actually do so. I think using the excuse of required coursework, in order to allow myself to spend more time reading and studying, is going to be a really good thing. I hope you’ll join me!

The coming years are going to be hard. I think earning a degree will be a bright spot. I think study groups will be something to look forward to. And I think actively seeking education will be our best armor in this fight against fascism.

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Buy One Get One For Alt Summit

If you need something warm to look forward to, I highly recommend joining me at Alt Summit. It’s happening March 14-17th in iconic Palm Springs. Enjoy gorgeous sunny days at the end of a long winter. You’ll meet smart and creative peers, get complimentary headshots, speak one-on-one with experts, choose gorgeous gifts from sponsors, and connect with potential brand partners. The schedule is packed with valuable workshops, classes, meet-ups, parties, and so many brilliant ideas. The ticket price is an incredible value.

And! There’s a flash sale happening right now! Buy One Get One! Anyone who buys a full price ticket during the flash sale, will receive a code for one free ticket. They can split the price with a friend, or gift the ticket to a colleague. The flash sale starts today and ends Thursday.

Click here, choose Individual Ticket, and register now — once you do, you’ll get an email with the code for a second ticket — free! Remember: the flash sale is for 3 days only. Don’t miss out! I’d love to see you in Palm Springs.

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That’s all for now. Feel free to comment on anything I’ve mentioned above or whatever is on your mind.

kisses,
Gabrielle

P.S. — Just thinking: maybe the Degree Group should be an option within the Discussion Group? Maybe there could be options for those who want to earn a degree, and those who just want to be part of the discussion group? Or maybe it should be separate? Still thinking…