Yesterday I stood inside a church and looked at a ballot with measures on porn and weed and a presidential battle between a woman and a rich guy with traits I usually label as “asshole.” It was a bizarre 20 minutes. But I did my part. I voted, put my sticker on my shirt and walked away. On my way back to work, I stopped and bought some flowers for my mom and some Coors Light for my dad because down the street they were celebrating 36 years of marriage. Happy Anniversary to them.

At home, I had a big IPA waiting for me in fridge to drink while I watched America elect a new president. What happened the rest of the night is a blur. An unraveling. It was an altogether odd experience I’ll never forget. I woke up on the couch at 1:00 a.m. to the first headline announcing that America had elected Donald Trump as it’s new president. Fear and frustration took over as I crawled into bed scared and embarrassed.

This morning I still got a coffee and nothing was on fire yet. But I also realized that how we react about this is so damn important. And it’s not about parties. Politics. Policy. Violence. Or any of that. This is about us sticking together. Because holy shit it’s been bad before, and we might be facing some of the shit Hunter S. warned us about. But we must start with ourselves. Continue to be a good person. Do not run. Don’t hate. Get together. Lazy hipsters no longer allowed. We’re on more now  than ever.

If you aren’t happy with what’s happening, if you’re embarrassed, or scared, well it’s time for your greatest work yet. Do what you do best. Skate, surf, thrash and keep moving. Get in the fucking way. It’s the most frustrating thing we can do. Flop around like a fish that refuses to get in the boat. Stay wild.

Today, I’m still going surfing. The punk rock can’t get loud enough. I know who I am. I’m still going to drink my coffee without sugar and skip the meat. Just keep doing your part. Stay frustrated. Stay curious. And mad. But stick together. We need our artists, musicians, comedians and writers more than ever — and it wouldn’t hurt to make the best fucking punk rock we’ve ever heard. Start now. Let’s go. —Travis