Election Day is the Beginning

It feels as though the very air is swirling with hysteria today. Many are panicking. What will our legislatures look like? Who will be our next President? Will we even know the results?

It’s all going to be alright.

Today should not be scary. No matter what happens, we the people hold power. That will be true tomorrow. And the day after that, and the day after that. It will remain true as long as we want it to be true. This should be comforting, and compel us to act.

The present can feel utterly paramount. We tend not to look at an event as one among many in history, but instead feel overwhelmed by its occurrence right now. Yes, this election is consequential, just like all the ones before it. But what happens after today is far more important. The fate of our country will not be determined by one person. It won’t even be determined by Congress (of which I’ve argued is more important). The fate of the United States will be determined by its citizenry. Because right now, it is the people who self-govern. We the people have the ability to choose our leadership, to dictate the nation's policies. As the country is currently constructed, with our Constitution and amendments and laws, we the people are the most powerful entity in the land.

Corporations and the military industrial complex don’t want us to realize that. They want us to think they’re in control. But they’re not. Our future is completely up to us. We must only organize, that is all. We organize, and we accomplish our wildest dreams. Because we are more similar than we are different. We do want the same things; we all want the opportunity for a good life. We hold the power to make it happen. We are citizens, not subjects.

Self-governance requires work. It’s not easy. If we wanted to be lazy, we could elect a despot and ask Congress for the corporations and military industrial complex to take over. If we didn't want to do any work, they would be more than happy to do the work for us. But we would have no control, no say in our nation’s policies. Consolidated power rules for the sole welfare of that consolidation. We must rule ourselves, for ourselves.

And we can all self-govern in 5 basic ways:

• Stay informed

• Discuss important issues with other citizens

• Demand the policy we want from leadership officials

• Volunteer in our communities

• Vote for the laws and leadership that reflect our values

If we take these basic actions, the will of the people prevails.

It’s not foolhardy to brace for impact—a large swathe of the country will be unhappy tonight (or more likely, later this week). But it’s important for us to recognize that tonight is not the end, no matter the results. We can choose to see it as a beginning. We can choose to use these turbulent and polarized times as a foundation from which to work on reunification as Americans, as one people.

I feel calm. Regardless of the outcome, I know I will need to continue to show up for my country and for my people. I’ll need to express my opinions and concerns to my representatives. I’ll need to continue writing open letters to leadership. I’ll need to continue having political conversations with my compatriots. And I’ll need to keep volunteering and voting. None of this changes if Trump or Harris is elected.

The stakes may feel greater now, with the rhetoric on both sides. It’s natural and understandable to feel anxious about the possibility of what will happen. But this simply may be the calling of our times. Maybe this is our destiny. Maybe we will be defined by our actions after this election. To wilt before our reality does no good. As J.R.R. Tolkien wisely sympathizes in The Lord of the Rings, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

What will future generations say about us? “In their time, democracy was in danger. The government appeared captured. It was grim. But they stood up and ensured democracy endured. They made the world we enjoy today possible. They did what was right. I’m grateful they were strong and just and true.”

Is this what they'll say? The choice is ours.

Tom Petty and 5 Years of TAV

We went up to Berkeley last Friday night to see Petty Theft, a Tom Petty tribute band. Clever name right? It was a fun way to celebrate his birthday, and it made me think about Tom’s music again.

I wrote my own tribute when he died back in 2017. His music still brings waves of nostalgia, but it’s more than that. Tom’s lyrics reassure we all deal with the banality of life, but they also provide hope. His music says, “you know those things about life that make it grand, or make it suck sometimes? I feel them too. It’s a wild world. And that’s part of what makes it great, the ride.”

Then there’s the sound: the epitome of Americana. It varies throughout the albums and decades, but there’s something timeless about his sound. It’s almost a rite of passage, as if you have to experience Tom Petty’s music in order to grow up American.

Petty Theft concert at Cornerstone Bar in Berkeley, CA last weekend

I don’t mean to lionize his memory. But he did take a stand against the big record labels and the corruption in the music industry, he sang and spoke from his heart as just an ‘ordinary’ guy, and he appeared to truly love his family. To me those are worthy enough qualifiers to revere him and his contribution of music.

And he’s gone, he's been gone. I still can’t believe it sometimes, like I’m living in some bizarro backwards world. His death makes me think about contribution—which I’ve written about before (see one, two, three, four). I believe Tom significantly contributed to the universe. Music is a wonderful way to contribute, because it awakens the soul. When listening to Tom Petty my soul is alive, it’s free, it raucously tears up any pieces of despair and caution and throws them to the wind.

We all get to find our own way to contribute. I want my writing to be my way.

Not only was it Tom Petty’s birthday, but tomorrow marks the 5(!) year anniversary of this blog. I still remember my decision, my resolution, back in October 2019, to contribute to the universe by writing this blog consistently. My wife (then fiancée) and I were living in Arusha, working with the Kyosei Foundation to bring better education conditions for local children. My perspective was different back then, but the mission for TAV remains unchanged: to convince people that we can change the world. Not politicians, not tech billionaires, not scientists or startups or corporations. Us ordinary people. In talking with people all around the world I try to show that we are more similar than we are different, and that we all want the same things.

Building a school outside Arusha, October 2019

How to change the world has not changed since that post in 2019. It’s still imperative for us to recognize that we inhabit one big beautiful amazing world together. We still need to develop global consciousness so that we can unite humanity around our sameness and shared circumstances and values. We can still inspire change in others. There is still hope in the world—we are that hope. We can contribute to a better world, a beautiful future. I firmly believe this to my core.

But I have changed, and so has TAV. Here's my 5 year update…

Blog Schedule

New blog posts go live every Tuesday and Friday. I’ve adopted this publishing cadence to focus on quality over quantity. I work to bring my very best to you each week, from my unique perspective.

Paradigms: A Path to Global Consciousness

I have the beginnings of my book and am looking for an agent. If you know anyone who might be interested in representing me to publishers, please let me know! I believe a long-form exploration of global consciousness will unlock its understanding and urgency to millions of people.

Photography

I continue to take photos almost daily. Ever since I seriously started taking photos in the 2010’s, I’ve tried to capture the beauty and glory of Earth, from its landscapes, wildlife, and people. My photography will soon be for sale. Only a limited number of each piece will be available, and most of the sale revenue will go to charity. Stay tuned for details.

Merch

You can buy t-shirts! Wearing a TAV shirt is a great way to build awareness—these shirts are designed to spur critical thinking for those who see them. Again, most sale revenue will go to charity. If you want a certain phrase or shirt design, send me a message at hey@trevorallenvision.com.

Soon to come

• Still having conversations around my podcast. Garrulous Banter will appear soon, featuring some great guests

• I’m finalizing a Patreon account so you can support my work directly, if you so desire. Every little bit helps!

If you’re still reading this, thank you for sticking with me. This has been an enlightening personal journey, and publishing my writing out to the world makes me feel whole and valued. It keeps me sane, it holds me accountable to being the best person I can be. And it enables me to contribute, in some small way.

I don’t know what the future holds. But I know if we band together as a species, celebrate the fantastic reality we all share and thus the opportunity we share, that we can change the world.

I think Tom Petty would agree with me.

Birthday Observations

Waking up in Yosemite for your birthday’s not a bad way to go. Some observations from the woods:

• it’s possible to look graceful setting up a tent

• we enjoy just this brief glimpse of time during our lives compared to the geological timescales of this planet

• the mountains and woods restore you soul - we should visit them more often

• watching children play in the river reinforces they’re the future of our species

• driving is hard for humans

• it feels really good to shower after camping for three days

• Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places on the planet

I go into a new year of life full of hope and with many aspirations. I want to learn to cook more things. I want to keep reading and prioritizing exercise. But most of all, I want to renew my focus of contribution, of giving to the world. I foresee big things coming in 2024-2025 for TAV. Stay tuned.

Fate of Contribution

We may “never know what is in store for us,” as Truman said, but I believe we can also influence fate.

I believe thinking about contribution, about creating and producing rather than consuming, affects our inclination for overall output. It’s easy to become complacent with “earning a living” and watching tv in your free time. And that’s not necessarily bad.

But in the end, if blessed with long life, I think we look back on how we contributed to the world. It’s where we derive our pride and fulfillment. How much have I contributed to the universe today? What have I created?

These questions, while sometimes painful, help us grow.

Challenging Holidays

Memorial Day can be a complicated day. On one hand, it’s our responsibility as citizens to pay our respects to all the brave souls who gave their lives to the ideal of freedom. On the other, our country has engaged in much needless warfare, in which those soldiers needn’t have died. Our progress working through this conundrum represents one facet of the necessary reckoning we must have as a society. How shall we proceed? Perhaps we can honor this day and move forward with respect.

Happy Birthday Sister

Megan, we hope you had a good birthday. Mom and Dad made sure you enjoyed lots of good food: donuts, Doritos, pancakes, French fries, Coke, and cupcakes.

Today you are 34 years old. Mom, Dad, Sarah and Trevor love you very much. Happy Birthday!

Mother’s Day 2024

And then there’s Momma. Twenty-one inches I was apparently; now as an adult you wouldn’t believe it.

There’re a group of people in the world who give birth to other humans, who further our species, literally. These humans, we call mothers, raise and teach our young how to behave and how to live.

Everything we know, all the art and science, all the innovation that’s taken us to the moon and back, all begins with our mothers.

I know I can credit anything I contribute to my mother. I love you Mom, Happy Mother’s Day.

Easter Sunday

“Well that was a day.”

Sometimes on holidays it really does mean that much more.

Which is why we spend them with those we love.

Incredibly Two Years Later

Today marks 2 years since my Granny died. As others who have lost loved ones can attest, the time has passed nonlinearly. I still remember the first time, many months later in 2022, when I realized, "I haven't thought about my Granny yet today."

She made an indelible impact not only on my life, but on those of many others. And 2 years later, my most poignant recollection is her positivity. Doris Martinez viewed people as good, the world as a nice place. It wasn't naviety; it was her manifestion of how to behave in the world.

Through her memory I try to always remember the bigger picture. To see the world as a wondrous place ripe for adventure. To emanate love from my core. And to be kind to others. Yes Granny, you've told me.

The First 35

I truly cannot ask for more. How rare is that, how appropriate? What will I do with the next 35? With this support, I bet on myself to do good.

Finding Companionship

Today is my wife’s birthday. I’ve never known a more beautiful loving person, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. The passing of years has reinforced how vital relationships are. We are social beings that require companionship. The best advice I could offer anyone is to find another person to truly and completely share life with. Here’s to another year around the sun Angel. Thirty three and still fabulous!

Reactivity

I’m very reactive when calamity strikes. I’m working on getting better. And it’s certainly very easy to become pessimistic with how corporations control society and treat people. And I’m only talking about relatively minor things I’ve experienced as a privileged person in this country;  it can only feel worse when regarding the significance of today, Juneteenth. But I think that’s the first step toward any semblance of solution. We need to be able to talk to each other without being reactive. I need to recognize when calamity isn’t actually calamity. We have to want to believe in hope, that the world can and will get better. Because it will, we will make it better. We just have to take some deep breaths, and try.

Lessons from Dad

1. Get your stuff done first, then you can goof off

2. Always take care of your sister

3. Plan ahead. Most people can’t plan more than a few days ahead

4. Listen to your mother

5. Everyone laughs and smiles for the same reasons

6. It’s harder to concentrate late at night. Get your work done before then

7. Treat women with respect. Never put your hands on a woman

8. Offer your guests a drink

9. Try your best. If it’s a soccer game or school or work, always do the best you can

10. James Bond is cooler than Indiana Jones (I’m still not sure about this one)

11. Look at the mom. That’s what your wife will look like later

12. Travel will teach you about the world

13. Reading and exercise are very important. Do them every day

14. No one likes it when you’re crabby

15. When leaving: say your goodbyes, and make sure you give your grandparents a hug

16. Driving is about anticipation. You need to anticipate what other drivers may do

17. You’ll feel a lot better when your work is done

18. Buy the best home you can afford right now. Make sure you can accept living in it for the rest of your life, even if you plan to move

19. Your spouse is the most important person in your life

20. Be smart

21. Don’t stay up too late

22. In Liar’s dice, you just have to convince the next person

23. Stick with The Hobbit. Just read the first 100 pages. It gets better.

24. When people are worried about when their next meal may come, they’re not thinking about the world and the big picture

25. It’s just sports, just a game. It doesn’t affect your life

26. Dijon mustard really is better than ordinary yellow

27. Clear everyone’s plates

28. When doing a puzzle, start with the edge pieces

29. She’s always right

30. Don’t look back. You can only move forward

Gather for Music

One of the most basic human activities is to gather with the tribe and listen to music. We’ve been doing it for thousands of years up to now. To celebrate my sister’s birthday, I’m happy to do it today. Let’s turn the music up and have fun. I love you Megan.

Maternal Gratitude

Hallmark holiday or not, today celebrates the most important people in the world. Mothers propagate our species; without them, we wouldn’t exist and we wouldn’t learn. I cannot truly understand the ethereal miracle of motherhood, but my soul yearns with love for the phenomena mothers emanate in this universe.

Thank you Grandma for illuminating the big picture of life through your stories. Thank you Granny for demonstrating the power and reward of kindness every day of your life. Thank you Mom for supporting me and giving all of yourself to my well-being and happiness. I would not be the person I am today without you. I am eternally grateful for your sacrifices and your love. You make a difference in the world. Happy Mother’s Day.

Every Earth Day

In many ways, the Earth is treacherous, dangerous, a rock floating in space, uncaring and irrelevant. In many other ways, it is humanity’s harbor, the one place we know that contains life, the single constant for our species. There is a oneness with the Earth, whether it’s romantic or not. We belong here, and we claw for our very survival here. Perhaps there’s duality in that, but the Earth is the only home we know. For that reason I honor it. Not just today, but every day of my life. Earth Day is not simply April 22nd each year, it’s every moment of every single life form’s existence. We are all one with the Earth.

Considering Easter

Truthfully, Easter has never been my holiday. I don’t particularly have any affinity for the Christian tradition; but, it had always been a day to gather with family and enjoy a good meal, and to welcome the coming of spring (or some years, the full on coming of summer). Today it was that again, and I’m so grateful for it. We should think very critically and very carefully about our traditions; to throw them away wantonly would be foolish. There may be aspects of our heritage we no longer identify with, but there’s also likely many things that have continued for a reason. Easter was something I was glad to partake in today. To the coming of spring, and to all the new life we will experience moving forward.

Childhood Memory

Sally, I wanted to share one of my fondest memories with Gary. I remember many Stern Grove trips with you both, back in the old days, before all the terraces and ticketing. We would all sit out in blankets on the grass, enjoying good weather (for San Francisco), good food, good music, and good company. On one of these occasions, Gary played football with me for what felt like hours. I was still a small child, and he talked with me all day, laughing joyously as he would always do. I remember the character and emotion in his face; he was so expressive and full of life. When the concert was over, he threw the ball to me continuously, while the rest of the adults loitered and talked. Upon departing, he gave me his straw hat, simply because I liked it. “I can keep it?” I asked. “Sure why not? Of course. It’s yours.” I thought that was so cool. Even decades later, his kindness, his generosity, and his playfulness and joy still resonate in this world. With me, and with all who knew him. He made an impact with his life. With love

Already a Year

It’s difficult to believe it’s been a year since you’ve left Granny. The passage of time doesn’t feel right. It still feels unreal, and your sway over the family has yet to falter. I still think about you very often, and I try to draw strength for all you gave me; a way with words; an example of being kind and positive because it’s simply more pleasant; a mother who loved me like you loved your children. I still feel sad that we can’t spend time together like we used to, but I’m also optimistic that will heal and get better. A year later, I try to remember all the good things, to appreciate them, and to be grateful. I was so very lucky to have you as my Granny. Thank you for everything, I will continue to strive to make you proud. I love you.

Different St. Patty’s

Saint Patrick’s Day was an important day for my Granny. It was an opportunity to be proud of her heritage and share it with her family. We would gather at her house each year, indulging in corned beef and cabbage, some half and half’s, and of course, a wee bit of Irish whiskey. I’m certainly not Christian, but she would say the Irish Prayer.

It was a tradition for our family, one that she wholly created for us. For the first time in my life, today is different.

Granny I think about you every day still, but especially on this day, one of your favorites. Thank you for being an amazing host on a fun day for our family. Thank you for being a wonderful role model for me growing up. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day. Have I ever told you?