Weird to think, one year ago we in the US were going to vote for the first woman president.
*pauses to imagine alternate universe where this went well*
Today is dry and sunny, with a high of 35º F, and I'm going to vote to re-elect my city council member--
the one who got new bike lanes put in;
protected bike lines, with safety bollards, the lane running on the curb side of the street, so you don't have to worry about someone parking their car opening their car door in your face.
Her opponent is anti-bike lanes, so this vote really matters--as ghost bike memorials > for bicyclists killed by cars remind.
I don't feel as strongly about the mayoral race so am extra-pleased we have ranked-choice voting: I can choose three from the huge cast of characters. I wish we had that for all races.
And that's me for politics today.
Bendable
After voting, I'm going to the physical therapist, where I can report that I woke up this past Saturday and my locked-up Achilles tendon was finally better. Yay! It's been three months.
(It's not completely well: it's still stiff and achey––but not stiff as an iron bar anymore.)
For the first time since I quit Goodwill, last week I went shopping there (not the outlet I worked at), and I felt such a pang of longing, being there:
I'd loved working at GW at first, you know, and only as the slow-squeeze of the boss's boa-constrictor management style set in did that change.
Did I ever mention that once during my paid 15-minute break, I'd crossed the street to the grocery store to buy a little chocolate cake for a coworker's birthday---and the boss told me we weren't allowed to leave the premises on company time?
For safety reasons, he said.
Anyway, at this other GW last Wednesday (senior day! 25% off for shoppers 55 years+), I missed the work so much, being with customers and stuff, and I thought when my leg is better, I will get back in shape (gradually!) ... again (again, again, again), and then I can look for some similar work.
With the money coming from my father's house, and with low-expenses (biking is free), I'll be able to afford to work such low-paying jobs (GW paid $10/hour)--
though, come to think of it, this year the city council voted to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour... but that won't take full effect for five years.
At any rate, I'm in that giddy state that comes with the release of pain. I even feel hopeful about politics this morning:
in only three more years, we can vote for president again.
*pauses to imagine alternate universe where this went well*
Today is dry and sunny, with a high of 35º F, and I'm going to vote to re-elect my city council member--
protected bike lines, with safety bollards, the lane running on the curb side of the street, so you don't have to worry about someone parking their car opening their car door in your face.
Her opponent is anti-bike lanes, so this vote really matters--as ghost bike memorials > for bicyclists killed by cars remind.
I don't feel as strongly about the mayoral race so am extra-pleased we have ranked-choice voting: I can choose three from the huge cast of characters. I wish we had that for all races.
And that's me for politics today.
Bendable
After voting, I'm going to the physical therapist, where I can report that I woke up this past Saturday and my locked-up Achilles tendon was finally better. Yay! It's been three months.
(It's not completely well: it's still stiff and achey––but not stiff as an iron bar anymore.)
For the first time since I quit Goodwill, last week I went shopping there (not the outlet I worked at), and I felt such a pang of longing, being there:
I'd loved working at GW at first, you know, and only as the slow-squeeze of the boss's boa-constrictor management style set in did that change.
Did I ever mention that once during my paid 15-minute break, I'd crossed the street to the grocery store to buy a little chocolate cake for a coworker's birthday---and the boss told me we weren't allowed to leave the premises on company time?
For safety reasons, he said.
Anyway, at this other GW last Wednesday (senior day! 25% off for shoppers 55 years+), I missed the work so much, being with customers and stuff, and I thought when my leg is better, I will get back in shape (gradually!) ... again (again, again, again), and then I can look for some similar work.
With the money coming from my father's house, and with low-expenses (biking is free), I'll be able to afford to work such low-paying jobs (GW paid $10/hour)--
though, come to think of it, this year the city council voted to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour... but that won't take full effect for five years.
At any rate, I'm in that giddy state that comes with the release of pain. I even feel hopeful about politics this morning:
in only three more years, we can vote for president again.
“And the boss told me we weren't allowed to leave the premises on company time”: talk about infantilization. Stupid boss.
ReplyDeleteAs the political writer Mark Shields has written about 2020, the one sure thing is that the winner won’t be a reality-TV star.
How did elections go yesterday? I hope you still have the bike pathways. We need them here in Hanover.
ReplyDeleteMICHAEL: "infantilization"--that was the name of the game at GW.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that things aren't looking good for reality-TV star politicians.
CROW: Yes, thanks for asking--my city council member easily won her reelection. We're a pretty bike-friendly electorate.
P.S. The mayoral election is still undecided---no one of the many candidates won enough first-place votes, so they're counting the 2nd and 3rd place votes.
ReplyDelete