Deb Nystrom, dnrevel

A great reminder ❤️: At age 23, Tina Fey was working at a YMCA. At age 23, Oprah was fired from her first reporting job. At age 24, Stephen King was working as a janitor and living in a trailer. At age 27, Vincent Van Gogh failed as a missionary and decided to go to art school. At age 28, Wayne Coyne (from The Flaming Lips) was a fry cook. At age 30, Harrison Ford was a carpenter. At age 39, Julia Child released her first cookbook and got her own cooking show at age 51. Vera Wang failed to make the Olympic figure skating team, didn’t get the Editor-in-Chief position at Vogue, and designed her first dress at age 40. Stan Lee didn’t release his first big comic book until he was 40. Alan Rickman gave up his graphic design career to pursue acting at age 42. Samuel L. Jackson didn’t get his first major movie role until he was 40. Morgan Freeman landed his first MAJOR movie role at age 52. Kathryn Bigelow only reached international success when she made The Hurt Locker at age 57. Grandma Moses didn’t begin her painting career until age 76. Louise Bourgeois didn’t become a famous artist until she was 78. Whatever your dream is, it is not too late to achieve it. You aren’t a failure because you haven’t found fame and fortune by the age of 21. Hell, it’s okay if you don’t even know what your dream is yet. Even if you’re flipping burgers, waiting tables or answering phones today, you never know where you’ll end up tomorrow. Never tell yourself you’re too old to make it. Never tell yourself you missed your chance. Never tell yourself that you aren’t good enough. You can do it. Whatever it is that sets your soul on fire.

O, Happy Day! It’s lovely to wake up and see that Democrats have overperformed expectation, once again, even in deep red states like Kentucky. Congratulations also to Ohio and all the volunteers who worked so hard to enshrine a precious right into the state constitution. And to Virginia Democrats for holding the State Senate and flipping the House of Delegates. Sorry, Gov. Youngkin! You don’t get to drag the state backward any further. What a collection of victories!

Also flipped red to blue: Cheshire (!!) Stafford Colebrook East Lyme Ashford The list is growing! Almost 10% of all towns in the state. Extraordinary.

You can say it’s Connecticut and it’s a blue state, but Republicans control more town governments than Democrats. Last night Dems flipped Danbury Fairfield Wethersfield Newington Old Lyme Cromwell Clinton Brookfield Colchester That’s a partial list. A big big deal.