Dear President Trump, Yesterday I mentioned my penchant for getting persnickety about people’s word choices and I need to add here that I’m also fond of picking apart other's arguments. I do this with everyone, but definitely find myself doing it more with people of color and with other white women. Essentially, I’m more critical … Continue reading “Internalized Racial Superiority;” the other IRS
Coping and Self-care
More signs
Dear President Trump, Recently a favorite restaurant of ours closed its doors. It was one of a small handful of “special night out” spots we liked to go to when we felt like venturing away from our part of town and spending a little more money than usual. We could count on there being a … Continue reading More signs
Ice floes and ‘climate despair’
Dear President Trump, Every day when I finish writing my letter to you and I’ve posted it on my blog, I open a new tab to pull up your contact page. It’s usually the first time in the day when I “get” links to whatever Google (I guess) thinks I might want to see. The … Continue reading Ice floes and ‘climate despair’
Hungry for inspiration
Dear President Trump, Yesterday I told you about the conversation we had with the tiny girl running around like a jackrabbit in rain boots and how her “it’s only girls” comment about her new soccer team left me feeling deflated after the US team’s World Cup win. I see the exchange as a bit of … Continue reading Hungry for inspiration
Letting some things be mysteries
Dear President Trump, Last night Laura and I took the dogs for a decompression walk up at the walled-but-not-gated country club at the top of the View Ridge neighborhood in NE Seattle. It’s fairly close to our house and there’s a loop around the homes that’s bordered on the other side by the small golf … Continue reading Letting some things be mysteries
Canaries in the free press coalmine
Dear President Trump, Over the past week there’s been at least one copyediting error in about a fifth of the articles I read in the WP. If I thought you perused your now-hometown paper with any regularity, I’d ask if you’ve noticed them too, but since you allegedly don’t read (let alone peruse), and there’s … Continue reading Canaries in the free press coalmine
We’ve swapped one devil for another
Dear President Trump, Today is my monthly “gallery sit” for the cooperative art gallery I joined in January. It’s downtown and usually I take a half-day off from work, drive here, and park in an insanely expensive lot with way-too-small stalls. Today, however, I took the whole day off and used public transit to get … Continue reading We’ve swapped one devil for another
Forging a path between all and nothing
Dear President Trump, I’ve started this letter over four times now. It hardly ever happens to me that I can’t get a toehold with a letter, but today I’m really struggling. I’m quite certain it’s because I keep thinking about how white Northeast Seattle is and the fact that I live here and am not … Continue reading Forging a path between all and nothing
Finding sanctuary in birds
Dear President Trump, I’ve got to take a break today from you, Barr, Graham (hmm, where’s McConnell been lately?), and the Fox crew. You all are toxic and I’ve had it with you, so I’m going to write to you about birds. Bird vignette 1. On my walk into work two mornings ago I spotted … Continue reading Finding sanctuary in birds
Cranky Buddha Baby
Dear President Trump, You’ll likely not be surprised to learn that Laura and I have a treasured little collection of Buddhas. Some look serious and solemn, some are serene and content. One looks for all the world like he’s dancing and another one glows in the dark. Until yesterday I wouldn’t have been able to … Continue reading Cranky Buddha Baby