Am I getting old (yes!) or has everyone stopped using headphones all of a sudden (also yes?)? In just the last few weeks on the bus, on the ferry, walking around, riding a bike. Come on, everyone. Just, like, I don’t know, do the thing we’ve been doing for decades. If I wanted to hear whatever you’re listening to louder than the podcast I’m listening to now, it’s 2021, I could make that happen.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And get vaccinated if you’re eligible and haven’t been yet.

Looks like some windy shit today. And flooding rivers to boot. Nasty. Everyone, please stay safe and dry if you can. I definitely felt the wind on a walk earlier this morning. And the waves are very choppy. But no rain at this moment.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And hey, there’s still time to get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Gaah. Forgot to write this. How about all that rain…huh?

Wash your hands and get vaccinated, you disgusting germ factory.

When you have an intractable situation, how much do you blame people who are trying to work around it? In the case of an upside down tax system in Washington, how much should you blame Democrats? They have made significant changes to the tax code in recent years (after holding the Governor’s Mansion for decades, and a trifecta for years).

If Democrats could be confident that the state supreme court would allow a high earners income tax, the blame would go to Democrats for not trying. But in the actual working of state government, at least some blame has to go to the court. And to the earlier court that ended it.

Anyway, national publications aren’t going to have much nuance.

Anyway, anyway, please wash your hands right now. And don’t be a dipshit, get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Welcome to all of the Canadians who can now cross the border again. I had missed (?) all of the Bluejays hats around the city when they play the Mariners. And I imagine even more Canucks gear at some point. But seriously, it’s good because both sides of the border are good enough on COVID-19, and a lot of places depend on tourism.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And just get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

With last night’s ballot drops, I think it’s safe to say the people who will be in Seattle and King County elected offices. Other than Port it’s the same as election night.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And if you haven’t been vaccinated, get your shit together and make an appointment today.

Well that was unpleasant. While some of the races are still too close to call, it looks like the Seattle conservative, and in one case actually conservative, people won. It’s disappointing.

More lefty people won in SeaTac, but the Republicans they were running against were more explicit about it. In fact, suburbia still trended left in a lot of places. The you should be afraid Seattle messages didn’t scare people running in places that weren’t Seattle. The national picture is… bleaker.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now! And get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Hey, get your ballot postmarked or dropped off by tomorrow. Local races are going to make a huge difference. It’s quite a clear cut difference in many races, including Seattle. 2 years ago, it was pretty stark in many of the districts, but also a few were both fine.

But this year, there’s a clear difference in every race. I — you’ll be shocked to know — voted for the lefty candidates for all offices. I hope you will too if you live in the city.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And the vaccine is safe, people have been taking it all year: Get flipping vaccinated.

Gosh, it sure is raining. I like a good 5 months of drizzle. But this is not great. Come on, rain. Be cool.

Seriously, though don’t forget how to drive just because it’s been rainy. Be kind to other people on the bus. Just everyone be cool.

And please wash your hands right now. For all that’s correct and good, get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

Congratulations to Kim Wyman on her selection for election security head at the Department of Homeland Security. If it was going to be a Republican — and I absolutely don’t think it had to be one — she’s probably the best choice.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And get fucking vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

I am curious if other people in Washington feel like the pandemic is over? I am writing this on public transportation with my mask on. And in some places (more as of today) I have to show that I’m vaccinated. More people at my work — me included some days — are working from home than before the pandemic.

But Seattle is hopping. Downtown has people doing typical Downtown stuff. People are out and about all day. Brunch places are packed on the weekends. I am able to go to the dentist for an overdue cleaning. People are doing routine medical procedures. Most importantly, people are not getting sick and dying in large numbers.

I don’t have children, so I understand that for a population that can’t get vaccinated it’s tougher. But even then, they’re back in school unless there’s a relatively rare breakout.

Anyway, it’s still important to take precautions. So wash your hands right now. And for the love of God get vaccinated if you haven’t yet.

King County’s projection for the upcoming election is that 46% of eligible voters will participate. That means you — yes you! — can have an outsized impact on the result. Fewer people voting means that your vote will do more to help keep the yell at school board asssholes off the school board. It means your vote will go further in determining where city and county resources are spent. So use your power to vote every time, but know it makes a lot of difference this year.

Anyway, wash your hands right now. And if you haven’t been vaccinated yet, get the fuck on it.

I have negative sympathy for everyone fired for not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. I mean if you’re exempt, great. But if you didn’t have a medical exemption, man fuck off. Fuck off if you have a good government job. Fuck off of it’s a private sector job. We’re talking about a miracle drug with minor side effects. It means that you are much less likely to pass a major disease to vulnerable people.

Honestly, it’s better that you aren’t out spreading the disease on the public dime. It stinks that you didn’t get vaccinated; Not that you were fired. I think of all of the people who did so much work to get to the place where you can get vaccinated easily and for free.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And honestly, get vaccinated so I don’t have to make fun of your dumb ass.

Hey, if you’re in Washington State, you should have received a ballot. If you haven’t, you can contact your county elections office and ask for a replacement. It’s municipal elections, so it’s things you see on the ground.

Here in Seattle, the choice for the municipal elections actually feels like a choice. The Prosecutor’s race is a Republican versus an abolitionist. It’s very exciting, although I am old enough to remember the Sidran era, so am a bit pensive about the result.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And of you’re still unvaccinated, you’ve had plenty of time, just get vaccinated.

Salmon are spawning upriver of the Grand Coulee Dam. What an amazing thing. It still needs humans to get them upriver, but oh boy is this something. Can’t wait to see if any of them return in 2024 and beyond.

Anyway, please wash your hands right now. And if you aren’t vaccinated, rectify that today.