That looks like a sweet, quiet read! How are you reading together? Reading out loud, or you each have your own copy?

Language is powerful. Perhaps we should be asking and sharing, “What is it that we want to conserve?” I want to conserve the democratic America that I believe in. What do you want to conserve?

“I believe in conserving the environment. I believe in conserving human rights. I believe in conserving civil rights. I believe in health care.” I don’t recall his entire list, but I have never forgotten his message.

My college political philosophy professor, whom I revered, one day said, “I am a conservative.” Even then, there were startled faces. He went on, saying:

Witness the right’s negative framing of the word “liberal,” a word the left adopts proudly or at least with comfort. Here’s a way to think more deeply about language:

I oversaw global health programs at @USAID.

They reached 100s of millions of people, added 6 extra years to the lifespan of children in partner countries, and were eradicating health threats worldwide.

What insanity and cruelty to break that.

Scenes, specifics, sound vision, structure, surprise, suspense, and a story mule.

open.substack.com/pub/soundjud...

You can learn seven great techniques that the best audio storytellers and writers use from this classic Christmas story:

I need this, thanks @findthatpod.bsky.social!