Irene North – Writings

I’m not doing this for the next four years

On January 22, 2025

Mrs. Blustein, my fifth grade teacher, brought a lady in to speak with us about politics. It was an election year and she was running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She didn’t have to come and speak to a bunch of 11 year olds, but I was glad that she did because I found it fascinating. We were learning about how politics work and here was a lady willing to explain all to us and answer our most idiotic questions. It was 1982 and that visit set me on a path of becoming aware of what was going on in the world and how I might actually be able to help effect change.

Thoughts on a cold winter’s day

By Irene

On January 20, 2025

In Ramblings

A drawing of T-Rex by Wyatt and me. I drew the head and teeth. Wyatt didn’t like my horns and said they needed to be “more pointy.”

A notification popped up on my phone. It was from my friend, Jina. I rarely read emails on my phone, save for things that are emergencies, and this was no different. When I returned home a few hours later, I read my email, nodded my head and spoke to my monitor. Yeah, that’s right. Now you know why it takes me so long to reply to emails. I tend to talk right back at you and forget to actually type out the damned response.

I don’t think this is anything related to my trauma. It’s just how my brain works. It’s also why I have written about a dozen awesome posts in my head over the past month, but never actually typed them. Sometimes, I type them in dreams and forget to do it in the real world. Today, I’m going to start typing them out and share them here.

Let’s make this timeline into a good one

By Irene

On December 26, 2024

In Ramblings

We’ve been on a terrible timeline since the end of 2016. If we are going to be forced to live with this shitshow, I think it should start off with a bang to make me smile. Here is my proposal on how to start 2025 and survive the next four years.

A moment in time

By Irene

On December 24, 2024

In Poetry

Mom and Gram, sometime in the early 1980s.

There go my fingers

By Irene

On December 11, 2024

In Ramblings

WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS BELOW

I stopped screaming when I was 9 or 10 years old. No one came to save when I was 3, 4, 5 years old. They still didn’t when I was 8, 9, 10 years old. So, I internalized my screams and pain and stopped asking for help. I have wailed once since then on the day I nearly lost my eye, but I did not scream. Monday was different.

It’s been a week

By Irene

On November 14, 2024

In Ramblings

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73)

It’s been quite the week and I’ve spent a lot of time in thoughtful contemplation. Wilson Cruz shared this video five days ago. I just came across it now. He is absolutely right on all account and it would be good if you took a couple of minutes to watch it.

Monkeying around with beads

By Irene

On November 10, 2024

In Monkeying Around

Irene and I left home just before 8 a.m. We had a 9 a.m., appointment at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. She had signed up for a class to learn beadworking from HarmonyStar Straub, an Oglala Lakota artist from Crawford, Nebraska.

The American experiment is over. You chose fascism.

By Irene

On November 6, 2024

In Ramblings

The American experiment is over. You chose fascism.

I need a break y’all

By Irene

On October 30, 2024

In Ramblings

I’m done. Mentally and physically, I can’t take it anymore.

Finding time to breathe

By Irene

On October 8, 2024

In Ramblings

Yesterday, I went to pick up my ballot to vote early in the 2024 election. Waiting in lines is difficult, so it’s been beneficial that I can pick up my ballot and take it home, where I can calmly spend time choosing a candidate or picking a for/against and retain/repeal issue.