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Peg's avatar

Your writing, your reflections and connections have reminded me how much I used to enjoy reading. It's a beautiful piece you've shared. It's left me wanting to read more and wondering why I haven't these past few years. Thank you for letting me know what my mind has been missing/starved for.

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Amy Martin's avatar

Thanks Peg. Thank you for reading and commenting. It means a lot to hear this. If you know anyone else who would enjoy my work please share and ask them to subscribe.

More readers is imperative to my success. I have a whole book that needs publishing.

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Dennis Beaver's avatar

Another great one, Amy! Felt like being right there with you feeling the cyclic and collective! Fascinating that you ran into a local who used to live in Oregon and was also a Dylan fan! Spent my high school and later years memorizing so many of his songs. Of course, you were primed, having watched “A Complete Unknown” on the way down. Great flick! Keep it up!

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Amy Martin's avatar

Thanks Dennis. Also glad to hear you’re a Dylan fan too!

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Dennis Beaver's avatar

Here’s an ironic twist. There was actually an acoustic guitarist at the Hands Off March that I attended in Rochester today and his second song was “The Times They Are A Changing”! Brought back a few memories! Happy Easter!

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Amy Martin's avatar

Oh that’s amazing! Would have loved to have heard that.

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Kalani's avatar

Great story. Felt like I was there. 🤙

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Amy Martin's avatar

Thanks kakani. Thanks for reading and supporting.

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Kalani's avatar

You should write a movie series or something. Book…..

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Amy Martin's avatar

I’ve written a memoir and have an agent who is helping me to get it published, however one real hurdle these days in the publishing world is platform. Large publishers want writers to have substantial platform. Anytime you can comment, like, and share writers you enjoy with other readers so we can grow readership, it helps us get the platform we need to publish the books we have waiting. Thank you for your support. It’s really appreciated.

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Bob Swandby's avatar

Amy, I love this one! A free trip back to Puerto Vallarta, feel the wind in my face parasailing again f like a flying eagle looking down on the ocean, and great commentary! Bob Dylan is of my time, born in Duluth, Mn 2 years before I was born in Mpls. He was an iconic symbol of the anti-Vietnam War era and I loved that the protest movement finally got us out of that damn mess, but it took tremendous numbers, perseverance and time, which is what it will take today to rid us of the current mess. If you get the chance, watch the documentary narrated by his son Jacob, "Echo Canyon," of who so many of the great composers, singers and groups of the 60s informally got together to compose and sing their music before it went public

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Amy Martin's avatar

Hi Bob, I'll def look for that Jacob Dylan documentary. That sounds great. And thanks for the compliments on the piece. And much agreed on the need for perseverance in our current political crisis. Everyone must be standing up to this dictator who is hijacking our Country, our Freedoms, and systematically eliminating every check and balance that could stop him. Just glad to see some organizations begin to stand up to him--Harvard, a few law firms. It will take much more effort to put the brakes on him, but hopefully, people are beginning to understand how dangerous things are now.

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Beth Anderson's avatar

You spell out, in such wonderful terms, the act of moving toward the things that frighten you the most, and that that is the only way to keep them from taking over. Sometimes counterintuitive to our inborn genetic instructions to flee from danger, but almost always the best approach. I love your writing.

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Amy Martin's avatar

Thanks as always for your support and feedback Beth.

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Beth Anderson's avatar

Don’t ever stop, Amy. Your words are needed in the world.

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Rose's avatar

Pathetic leadership

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Victoria Veldhoen's avatar

This piece is absolutely beautiful, and I loved all of it. I could comment on so many parts, but what struck me the most was the 25-year-old who had grown up in America but was deported back to Mexico when he was 17. I can't imagine the terror of losing the country you'd grown up in, and especially being separated from your mother. Like your reflections on your own daughter, 16/17 is grown up in some ways but so childlike in others.

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