I can’t believe we’re already three weeks in to 2026. Everyone hanging in there?

Up in this week’s newsletter is a look behind the scenes of Story Wars, a nonprofit organization building inclusive storytelling spaces for “non-writers.” Plus, learn more about All Aboard Ohio, the transportation advocacy organization fighting for improved passenger rail options across the state. Don’t miss multiple chances to participate tomorrow (Thursday, Jan. 22) or sign-up for future opportunities, whether you want to be a writer or a public transit fighter.

And, of course, three pop culture recommendations to check out if you’re looking to switch it up — or revisit one the longest running American sitcom of all time.

Happy reading,
Dakotah

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Not gonna lie, ever since I magically came up with the ghost theme a few weeks ago, I’ve been trying to force themes ever since. Surprise, surprise, it just doesn’t work that way.

If you’re thinking, “Uh, thanks but I didn’t need a reminder that The Simpsons exists,” hear me out.

As much as I love cartoons, I didn’t grow up watching The Simpsons even though Matt Groening grew up in Portland, OR. (He went to Lincoln High School, the arch nemesis of where I went, if you care about that sort of thing.) Somehow, I managed to watch loads of South Park and even Futurama, but The Simpsons often overwhelmed me because there are a whopping 800+ episodes.

I could never decide where to start.

That’s when a friend (hi, Zanna!) texted me out of the blue to tell me to watch some of the recent seasons. As obvious as the advice may have seemed, it helped to just be told where to start by a pal.

The only season I had access to was the most recent one, Season 37. I felt pretty attacked minutes into the first episode, titled “Thrifty Ways to Thieve Your Mother,” where Lisa raids Marge’s closet for trendy vintage clothes… from the 1990s.

And it just kept getting better from there.

A few more episodes in and set in the future when Bart and Lisa are teenagers, Marge goes to the doctor to deal with her perimenopause symptoms. As women, and unfortunately the same is true for other marginalized groups, the majority of us relate to the following conversation between Marge and her doctor:

Anyway, if you’re like me and just need to be told to start, consider yourself told.

Over the last few weeks, the cord that lets me listen to music in my car stopped working. Thankfully, I have a CD player and do actually still own a few CDs. One of them is by hip-hop artist Oompa from Boston, MA.

When I moved to Boston in 2017, I stumbled into my first Oompa show by accident. One of my favorite slam poets, Melissa Lozada-Oliva, had a show that featured Oompa with her backing band, The Chocolate Factory.

I still remember standing in a crowd at The Sinclair while the acts changed between sets. Oompa and her band were incredible. One show turned into many more, and 2019 marked one of the best live shows I’d been to: Oompa’s album release for her sophomore album, Cleo.

The album, based on the 1996 film Set it Off starring Queen Latifah, is a lyrical journey through struggles with poverty, heartbreak and addiction. It’s gorgeous, and while difficult to pick a favorite track, I’ll have to go with “By You” feat. Anjimile.

These artists are truly what motivated me to start writing about local arts and culture, with an emphasis on hip-hop. I had the chance to interview Oompa once after she earned a spot in the Grammy’s Recording Academy in 2023, alongside two other powerhouse rapstresses.

And I’ll never forget any of it.

At this point, I don’t even remember how I discovered Lane Moore, but I’ve been a big fan for years. She was the former sex and relationships editor at Cosmopolitan before turning to stand-up comedy, most notably her Tinder Live shows, where she swipes profiles in front of a live audience. Moore has even had special guests such as Janeane Garofolo, Mara Wilson, and Jean Grae.

You Will Find Your People is basically a book about boundaries and how hard it can be to maintain adult friendships. With all the turmoil over the last few years, a lot of people have come and gone, and if you’re like me, it can be easy to blame yourself. This book provides Moore’s — who I am convinced is also autistic — first hand account of navigating friendships ranging from the ones that burn brightly and suddenly go out, to the ones that go the distance.

(Side note: A few years ago, Lane Moore put out a call for stories about dating disasters and I submitted a few of my own. One of them made it into her ebook, You’re Not the Only One F*cking Up: Breaking the Endless Cycle of Dating Mistakes, in January 2024.)

Last year, Ohio’s state legislature removed the passenger rail representative seat on the Ohio Rail Development Commission.

For more than 50 years, All Aboard Ohio (AAO) has advocated for smarter passenger rail and public transit options across the state. The nonprofit wants to give Ohioans the transportation options it deserves.

“People just need to realize that they deserve it, and that if we actually mobilize, things can change,” Mitch Radakovich, AAO board member, said. 

Tomorrow, AAO plans to attend the Ohio Rail Development Commission meeting to demand that the commission include a representative to advocate for passenger rail. After the position stayed vacant for years, state law was revised through the 2025–26 state budget to eliminate the requirement. 

As a result, Governor Mike DeWine appointed two stakeholders to “represent the interests of freight rail,” including government affairs representatives from CSX and Midwest & Bluegrass Rail. The long-debated proposed Amtrak line connecting Cleveland to Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati would run in part on existing CSX tracks that Amtrak would have to rent the rights to use. 

“If you’re willing to remove the voice for passenger rail at these meetings, congratulations. You just signed up for 20 to 30 minutes of public comment every commission meeting,” Radakovich told Upbeat Nonsense.

Nearly 80% of Ohioans want improved passenger rail, according to a 2025 study by the Ohio Department of Transportation. With multiple chapters across the state and over 6,000 members, the organization’s main goal is to mobilize people to demand efficient and affordable transportation options.

The Ohio Rail Development Commission is made up solely of appointed representatives, mostly by the governor. The next meeting takes place tomorrow, Jan. 22 in Columbus, though you can also attend online.

When most people think about transportation, it almost always means cars. One of the biggest hurdles, Radakovich argues, is changing how people think beyond just cars. It requires a ton of momentum, he said.

“It’s a huge challenge to get people to realize that these other options could be more efficient, more comfortable, and even more affordable,” he said. After investments in public transit in Cincinnati, Radakovich said he lives across the street from a bus route that comes every 10 minutes.

“I always joke with my friends that I actually am not obsessed with trains, but with society,” he said, admitting that those same friends roll their eyes at that response. Radakovich graduated from Ohio State University with a minor in city planning, where he learned the importance of mobility in a community.

Throughout the state, Radakovich said that it’s typically the smallest towns who are the most excited to increase public transportation and passenger rail options. 

“I truly believe that if we’re able to provide transportation choices that it’s going to unlock so much good for our big cities, but also our small towns,” he said. For example, in more rural areas, more transit options can help people reach the best hospitals, which are often located in larger cities.

Despite budget setbacks in Cleveland, other cities such as Columbus have made financial commitments to modernize public transit. For example, ridership spiked after Columbus increased its late night service in 2025.

“That’s what our job is now, to harness that excitement and make sure that people like Senator Bill Reineke know that this is important to the people [of Crestline, which has a proposed 3C+D stop] in his district,” Radakovich said. Over the last several years, AAO has fought for a bipartisan coalition to improve transit options across the state. Last year, advocates met with over 60 statehouse representatives to pass out literature and let officials know that constituents are paying attention.

“Transportation is a big topic in the statehouse, but we’re only thinking about cars. That’s why we’ve got to plant that bug in every single one of their minds,” Radakovich said. 

All Aboard Ohio has chapters all over the state, including Clevelanders for Public Transit. 

Tomorrow, you can attend virtually or in-person to support increased passenger rail in Ohio. There will be opportunities to give public comment, whether you want to support AAO’s message or share a story of your own.

The meeting will be hosted at the Ohio Department of Public Safety (1970 West Broad Street) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Columbus. If you cannot attend in person, you can register online or call-in during the meeting at (213) 929-4212 and enter the access code: 777-656-165.

For the first time, the top eight writers will square off on Jan. 28 at Forest City Brewery.

Don’t let the word “wars” mislead you, Story Wars aims to create more writers, not fighters. Next Thursday, Jan. 28, you can catch regular people – not just professional writers – at the first "Champions of Champions” storytelling event at Forest City Brewery. (And no, it’s not at all like The Moth.) 

In 2022, Gabby Valentine and her brother-in-law Kelly Lytle started Story Wars as a way to get more people writing. In an increasingly digital age where people are either texting or communicating with robots, it’s getting harder to actually write. 

Story Wars is fighting to change that, one unhinged prompt at a time.

“We’re all creative, no matter what your fourth grade teacher told you,” Genevieve Santos-Miller, the nonprofit’s marketing manager, told Upbeat Nonsense. “These events exist for everybody, it’s not just for writers.”

Together, the three self-identify as “extroverted people who like to write,” Valentine, who also works in higher education, said. “Surely there are more extroverted people who like to write.”

The setup for each event is pretty straightforward: People show-up to either watch or write, and then writers compete in three “wars.” Each storyteller only has five minutes to write a response to the prompts before sharing what they wrote aloud. There are no guidelines on genre or style of writing, just the time limit.

At the end of each round, the audience casts their vote for their favorite stories before selecting an overall winner. On Jan. 28, the audience will vote again during the championship event. 

For Valentine, she loves that these events challenge people to step outside their comfort zone and socialize with other people. It’s very difficult to attend Story Wars and not sit next to someone you haven’t met before, she said. 

“When this kind of entertainment meets community building, you have to engage with people you don’t know. It’s a really valuable thing that during COVID got lost a bit, especially at a time when everything else in the world is also very, very isolated,” Valentine said. 

When it first started, Valentine said she didn’t know if anyone besides her friends and family would show up. Eventually, more people started to come in who were willing to try.

A driving motto behind Story Wars is to “democratize creativity,” according to co-founder Lytle. To do this, Story Wars has set out to eliminate gatekeeping and encourage an environment that’s “uplifting and encouraging,” Lytle said. 

“You walk in and you feel it right away from everybody,” he said. “And that’s just one of the coolest things there is.” 

Shortly after moving to Cleveland from Nashville, Miller-Santos said she found her community through Story Wars. She was brand new and didn’t know anyone, but “felt so encouraged to create.” 

“If there ever was a moment to try Story Wars with very little pressure, [this] is the one,” Santos-Miller said. Unlike their other events, the Champion of Championships has already selected its competitors, so this time all they are calling for is an audience. (Though, if you want to write and share, check out their free event tomorrow, Jan. 22 at Jukebox). 

If you’re more of a lover than a fighter, Story Wars also hosts bi-monthly meetups for people who want to unplug, read and maybe meet some fellow bookworms. For a complete list of events, visit their website.

Tickets ($12) are on sale for the Champion of Champions event at 7:00 p.m. at Forest City Brewing.

I’m a big indie comic fan, so I thought I’d share an animated video from one of my favorites, Ben Passmore. Check out the three-minute short called “Your Black Friend” or pick-up the comic book.