reader. writer.

Once again, I comment on my favorite topics.

What works

Focus on what is working more than what isn’t. When you can, sure, explore ways to improve. To get anything done, it helps to remind yourself of what you can do rather than to dwell constantly on what is not yet in reach.

What I’m writing

Good news, I’m done analyzing characters in this multiple-book revision, and I have moved to fixing tons of random concerns as quickly as possible. It feels good to work on something a little different, plus to make more progress because some of these changes can be completed quickly. 

What I’m reading

Just finished Careless People by Sarah Lynn-Williams. At first, it read like an engaging celebrity tell-all, the kind that makes me grateful I don’t move in those circles. Then, it got darker, as Facebook’s global expansion provided tools that boosted the rise of autocrats, a trend the company chose to embrace rather than reject. Plus, the managers reminded me of the worst trolls now running our government. They aren’t just careless—they are truly terrible. Between it and the Netflix Buy Now documentary, it’s clear that we must always assume corporations are lying, even under oath. Our government has to push private companies to prove they are acting in good faith to prevent or redress harm. Never take their word for it. Of course, for that to happen, we need a state and federal government that is responsive to voters, the opposite of what happens when there is gerrymandering and voter suppression. 

Democracy, yes, please

Gerrymandering is currently in the news. I live in a state that has suffered for a decade or so from the effects of Republican gerrymandering, in which voting districts are carefully designed to ensure that Republican politicians will win, regardless of what the voters prefer. This year, my county has also been gerrymandered by our state legislature because corruption breeds more corruption. So, I’ve spent time lately thinking about what it means to have representatives who don’t have to pay attention to their constituents, just puppets playing a part where we don’t get to see who holds the strings.

Of course, no algorithm or convoluted redistricting plan can change this self-evident truth: power belongs to the people. Unfortunately, it’s the difference between burning down a forest and growing a new one. One happens fast; the other is painfully slow. The autocrat-enablers are burning everything down right now. 

All we can do is keep working to limit the harm—and keep planting seeds for something better.