Hello, and welcome to The Common Loon.
This is something new for me, as I’ve been writing/ blogging about many different topics since 2008, or maybe even before. I’ve been writing off and on here on Substack since 2021–mostly about pop-culture topics, as well as sustainability.
But it is late January 2026, I live in Minneapolis, and I need to do something different for my mental health, as you’ll know doubt understand.
My family moved here in 2019 from Denver. We moved before our kids started school because this was a place we wanted to raise our family, a place we knew we could call home that shared our values, our joy of the outdoors, and provide a great education for our children.
All of that holds true to this day.
But, that is not to say that during our time in this wonderful city, that we haven’t witnessed and experienced very real societal challenges.
A global pandemic that interrupted our son’s first year of school in kindergarten, and into first grade. (He was in virtual learning for 11 months.)
The murder of George Floyd and protests that followed.
An MPS teacher’s strike (was supposed to be 3 days, lasted for 18 days).
The assassination of Rep. Hortman
The school shooting at Annunciation
ICE occupation
Any single one of these could crush the resolve of a citizen, or a city. And not one did. If I have learned anything from being a citizen of Minneapolis and Minnesota in nearly seven years, it is this—community is what makes everyone here kind and resilient.
Each of these events was emotionally hard on us, my family, my community—but each one taught something too, and brought us and our neighborhood closer together. These events created real friendships in our community, taught us to communicate openly, taught us how to take care of one another (neighbors, neighborhood, schools, staff, families, parents…), taught us how to rally, how to protest, how to grieve together, and how to stay strong and resilient.
I have never been so proud to call somewhere my home as I have of Minneapolis. The community of families and neighbors at our schools, parks, local festivals, protests, etc. is something I’ll never forget. I hope that it shows my children what hope and resistance looks like. What truth, kindness, love, and empathy means to not just a community, but to themselves.
And so, it is on that note that I have decided to create a new section called The Common Loon. Because in challenging or good times, we need hope, joy, and optimism.
That is what I am hoping The Common Loon will be, a place where I can shine a light on the greatness that happens here. No matter how dark it can feel, there is always something or someone here with the bright light of kindness.
Minnesota Nice used to be a joke of a passive aggressive kindness. I truly think that’s gone. It’s a real thing. Minnesota Nice is becoming Minnesota Strong.
And why name it The Common Loon? Besides it being the state bird, the bird itself is beautiful, strong, resilient, has the coolest bird call, and a badass (Proof, More proof).
That isn’t it either, I was inspired by the Rebel Loon logo that was created by a user on Bluesky:
So, in solidarity of all rebellions built on ‘Ope; I venture ahead to create something that I hope can give others hope and a reason to smile. I hope that you’ll submit ideas to me of stories that deserve to be told too.
This is The Common Loon.