wherein Liz talks about politics, etc.

I couldn't find school board candidate interviews via the Ithaca Times, which is what I usually do, but the Ithaca Teacher Association's political action committee has helpfully made a Board of Education Candidate Information Center, which was enough for my purposes.

Also helpful: the ICSD board's own election and budget vote information page, which informed me A) that one candidate had withdrawn from the race though her name is still on the ballot, and B) which school voting district I live in and therefore needed to write on my ballot return envelope.

So I have voted, and will mail the ballot tomorrow.

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In other news, I successfully got a haircut. \o/

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There was a rally against police brutality and racism in law enforcement on the Commons Sunday afternoon. On Monday, there was a small protest that seems to have begun as a sit-in in front of the police department, but which then migrated one block west where protesters lined up in the crosswalks and blocked the intersection of Clinton and Cayuga streets. I am not entirely sure what the point of that was -- most people driving through that intersection are not police and have nothing to do with police. Apparently this devolved somewhat as drivers tried to get through the intersection. There was car-on-pedestrian contact, which never goes well for pedestrians no matter how slowly the car is moving, and one driver may have gotten out and shoved a protester.

...

I'm kind of torn about that. On the one hand, yes, things are terrible and need to change. On the other hand, I really don't see how blocking a random intersection in the middle of the day with no warning is going to do anything useful.

On a personal level, I have a visceral dislike of standing in large groups of people listening to speeches and/or shouting that is doubtless rooted in A) general introversion and B) intense discomfort in social situations without clear structured rituals to organize interaction. And also a general dislike of shapeless actions that don't have a clear goal and a way to gauge whether you've done anything concrete toward reaching it. And while "express outrage and solidarity" IS a concrete goal, I... am not sure it really DOES much in the long run? Not unless, once it's been established that the situation normal is, indeed, all fucked up -- which, I think we are there -- people then put forth clear and actionable ideas to make it less fucked.

So what I really want at this point is some concrete proposals I can call my representatives (local, state, and national) to say they should support and pass into law. Like the ones in these two Twitter threads: research-based solutions to stop police violence and MEANINGFUL legislation that has been proposed and, in some cases, passed in cities and states to address police violence. I am not sure who I would talk to about that. Possibly write a detailed email to the town government, my state assembly representative and state senator, and my national Representative (ugh, Reed) and Senators?

...

Yes. That. I should do that.

Okay, that's on Wednesday's to-do list.

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Now I am going to tackle the rest of today's to-do list, which includes exciting items like "find a way to hang some of your houseplants since you are running out of flat surfaces for them" and "buy groceries". *sigh*

At least I made a batch of pot roast overnight. It's good to have food on hand.

wherein Liz has an abrupt change of plans

And then I didn't do anything else on my to-do list, because about fifteen minutes after I made my previous post, I was struck by what's most likely a bout of food poisoning and spent the rest of the afternoon either in the bathroom or in bed attempting to sleep it off after I took some ibuprofen and immodium. Bodies are the worst. :(

I don't know what brought this on -- could be something had gone off in the leftover soup I had for Monday's lunch, could be something in the lettuce on the sandwich I bought for Monday's dinner, could be something I don't even remember from Sunday. *hands* Whatever the source, it was gross and painful and undignified.

...

I think I am probably up to a grocery run after my nap and some restorative tea and crackers. And I'd like to salvage SOME feeling of productivity from an unpleasant day.

...I will take some more ibuprofen before I venture out, though.