On Love, Loss, and the Cleveland "Ego-System"
Navigating a 73-degree November, election blues, and Cleveland’s cultural shifts.
First things first: I’ve decided to publish these when I want to (lol). At least bi-weekly, but maybe weekly—turns out I just have too much to say. Who would’ve thought?
Writing this as it’s 73 degrees and sunny in Cleveland. My brain and body are incredibly confused. My heart yearns to watch the iconic Thanksgiving episode of Gossip Girl, yet my soul aches for a rooftop pool. Labour Day has passed, yet I’m still wearing white. Evidently, it’s November, but I’m not quite sure.
October is my second favorite month, right after May (my birth month and a gorgeous time of re-birth). October signals fall, which signals November, which signals change—of seasons, foliage, and most likely, of one’s mental state. While this is usually the season when seasonal depression hits its peak, I like to think of it as a mental change from sweet n’ nostalgic to mischievous & sophisticated. This reframing makes it more theatrical for me, and less psychologically torturing.
In other news, it was Halloween over the past two weeks. Here’s a photo of one of my three costumes. If you can guess who I am, well, I don’t know… Maybe I will buy you a muffin or something.
Anyway, here’s what’s happening in the city that always sleeps, starting with an election day check-in:
Election Blues
We are a city of blue, swallowed by red.
The mood in Cleveland has been especially bleak post-election. I felt it, too—a deeper-than-usual low. Traveling into the city the morning after election day felt incredibly jarring. The rapid ride was practically silent—a collective sense of shock, I think. Downtown was still; not in a peaceful way. Was it a redo that we wanted? A chance to correct, or at least, understand, where we went so wrong? It’s a reality we all knew was possible, but one we desperately tried to avoid. I couldn’t help but notice the men on the street wearing red. I wondered if that color had always been theirs or if it was now a silent shout of resistance—a message of hostility to the women and marginalized that surrounded them.
This isn’t my first ride through the red tide. I grew up in the Cleveland suburbs during the 2016 election. I vividly remember walking into school the day after the election, feeling dejected at 15. Now, at 23, I feel the same… except I’m no longer heading to third-period French, bracing myself for a victorious rant from my incredibly right-wing Monsieur. Instead, I’m forced to step into the world and pretend everything is okay.
Although trying, I still believe love outweighs hate. If you’re upset, that’s good. It means you care. Shockingly, many people don’t—about 74 million people, actually. I urge you to keep leading with love. Never let the weirdos and freaks take that rare and beautiful trait away from you. To quote James Baldwin:
“The world is held together, really it is held together, by the love and the passion of a very few people. Otherwise, of course, you can despair. Walk down the street of any city, any afternoon, and look around you. What you've got to remember is what you're looking at is also you. Everyone you're looking at is also you. You could be that person. You could be that monster, you could be that cop. And you have to decide, in yourself, not to be.”
In Cleveland, a city I've come to see as home, love is more than a sentiment; it's a survival tool and a product of resilience. Perhaps that’s what we lean on when we feel swallowed by the red: a commitment to show up, to nuzzle in community, and to extend compassion where it’s deserved. There are no poetic words or phrases to make this feel any better, but hopefully, this view comforts some.
If you’re interested in the broader implications of this election, here’s a fantastic summary by Signal writer Nick Castele on Cuyahoga County’s shifting political landscape and what it might mean for the country.
Lunch Break
Now for a new section titled “Lunch Break,” which is essentially just stuff I’m consuming, noticing, and observing on my lunch break.
Mason’s Creamery is reopening its ramen menu for the season. The notorious Ohio City ice cream shop turns into a ramen spot in winter. This week, I think I will try their Korean Corn Dog.
Follow-up on busking and my friend, Malcolm: In the last issue, I talked about paid street performers. Apparently, this is called “busking” and is common in many metropolitan cities. When I asked Malcolm if he felt like the practice was a weird and desperate attempt to manufacture culture, he said, “It’s the same as a city commissioning an artist for a public mural.” There you have it.
There are 46 cyber trucks in Cuyahoga County. Two, I’ve noticed, are at Conrad Mortgage at the old Architectural Justice building in Strongsville (business vehicles I’m guessing). One is at Myles Garrett’s house where it was used as a prop in his Terminator-themed Halloween display. Zero are in my driveway because I do not like them and think they are weird.
Rothy’s update: They finally came! And yes—they’re amazing. I can already imagine myself walking down Superior Ave, stepping in some human and/or dog piss, and then immediately tossing them straight in the wash. Love it!
The “apple effect”: Saw a guy eating an apple while walking. TikTok claims that walking with a fruit is the new walking with a cigarette. I like this. Plus, it makes you 10x more attractive. Confirmed.
State of the Youth Forum highlights:
The primary concerns of Cleveland youths are safety, jobs, fresh produce, and parental love (heartbreaking).
There is a debate regarding Cleveland-style pizza. Maybe I’m just ignorant, but did we ever have a Cleveland-style pizza? I didn’t know this was an ongoing conversation. I fear we don’t need to have everything. Maybe we can pass on this one. Let me know what you think:
Layered Choco Cake: My silent prayers have been answered. A week ago I saw this 24-layer chocolate cake from the Strip House in NYC and literally prayed to God for one near me. Imagine how tickled I was when I came across THIS TikTok just a few short days ago. Still confused about the popcorn gimmick, but I am grateful for the inclusion of cake on the menu. It is indeed the season of gratitude!
Shooters on the Water update: Rumor has it MGK and attorney Jon Pinney may take over the lease. This would be MGK’s second Cleveland venture after 27 Club Coffee, and presumably, Pinney’s first (correct me if wrong). Pinney, a managing partner at the law firm KJK, played a pivotal role in bringing the 2016 Republican National Convention to Cleveland (i.e. - authored a 345-page bid on why it should be here) and sparked a city-wide conversation about the state of our economic “ego-system.” Like him or not, he is a mover and shaker in the Cleveland community.
I’ve never been to Shooters and I’ve never been to 27 Club Coffee, so I can’t really say much here. I did, however, take a look through Reddit and saw this:
Best line ever: “cheap tacky (how tacky should be).” Go look at the Tower City holiday decor: The holiday decor is going up in Terminal Tower. I love it. Walking through on my way to work, I’m now craving peppermint mochas and the Ariana Grande Christmas album.
Lastly….
Tyler, the Creator’s new album, Chromokopia, is out. Given the past few weeks of stress and uncertainty, I’ll leave you with his opening lines:
“You are the light
It’s not on you; it’s in you
Don’t you ever in your motherfucking life dim your light for nobody.”
Have a good week, everyone. See you next Sunday!
xo, Cassidy 🫶🏽
thanks for the plug 😜
best piece of writing I’ve read in a while!