So, I know that it’s 2019, but we are already talking Presidential candidates. It’s obviously critically important who is President. But it’s also important who is on your city and county councils. It’s critical that in 2020 we have great candidates for the legislature and for Congress. We need to defeat Donald Trump, but we also need to be able to govern.

Did you go to Emerald City Comic Con? I didn’t, but I did enjoy some great (and free!) people watching near Seattle Center. I also went to the after party for the podcast Jay and Miles X-plain the X-Men, a podcast that I adore despite not really caring about the X-Men. It was a lot of fun even if I didn’t have the same point of contact as a lot of the people there.

Seattle! Let’s eliminate late fees for overdue library books. I write about how much I use the library, and I have never had a late fee. But, it is still stressful when you’re close, and can’t renew. And I could afford the fees if I was a bit late.

Also, sending people to collections always seemed gross.

Seattle, I complain quite a bit. But I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. So I hope that it doesn’t come across as too much when I say (once again) please learn to stand. If you are in line for something, stand a reasonable distance behind the next person in the queue. If someone has to ask if you’re in line, maybe you fucked up. Also, doorways and curb cuts; Don’t just stand in them.

Oh good. Allergy season has hit the Pacific Northwest. I shall spend the next few weeks slowly turning into phlegm. Still beautiful, still I will take it over the snow.

Y’all! You can see the Puget Sound from Bell Street! The Viaduct is viadown there. I can’t wait for more sightlines as more and more removal happens. So cool.

KUOW had a very interesting story this morning about a sex education bill in the state Legislature. I wanted to do an open thread about it (pro, contact your legislators if it’s your thing). But I don’t see it on their website. This has happened a few times. I don’t know how quickly they turn around stories, but it’s kind of frustrating.

Eric Holder is not running for President. I probably wouldn’t have voted for him, but I think that he would have been a good addition. So what makes it good to get in a crowded field? Some combination of better than the median candidate and specific issues that they will bring up.

Congrats to Jay Inslee on the Presidential run. I like him quite a bit; He’s probably the best governor since I moved here. I thought he was great as my Member of Congress. And I am glad to see someone running explicitly on environmental issues. Still, I will probably not vote for him. Democrats have such a great field, of candidates it will be tough to choose.

On an ideal world, the blue slip rule in the Senate might not exist (in my ideal world, the Senate wouldn’t exist). So perhaps it would be better if there were fewer choke points in nominating judges. Still, there is a value in the unwritten rules. And to get rid of them like this is not good. If you want to end these things, be explicit and change the rules.

Still on vacation. Talk among yourselves.

I am on vacation! While you suckers are toiling away at your bullshit job, I will be, um, on a train. Seriously Amtrak is great, but I am a bit nervous about going crazy being on a train for 22 hours. The most I have taken before is 13 hours. My itinerary is pretty full, but if there’s something I have to do in the Bay Area, let me know.

I don’t understand what makes me mad on public transportation. I was in the bus tunnel* and there was a metal grate loose. Some teenager was standing on and off it and making noise. It should have annoyed me but I didn’t notice it until someone started yelling at him. And I was much more upset with yelling guy than clanging guy. I would have thought that I would be equally, or nearly equally, upset with both. I had to stifle a laugh when clanging guy started clanging again with yelling guy walking away.

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Are you doing OK in the national emergency? Did the fact that Congress only appropriated some wall money stop you from living your life? In some ways it feels like it was before the emergency, but that can’t be right.

It’s pretty awful that we’re going to have a declaration of a national emergency over nothing. And it’s so obviously an impeachable act, but add it to the list of things that he won’t be impeached for.