Do y’all use diacritical marks when writing in English? I only use the umlaut to indicate that you pronounce both vowels in words like reärrange. Because I am an idiot, when I write for work, I vary when I use them. So if I’m emailing someone in the office next to me, it’s äëïöü, but if it’s to a client or whatever outside, I just use unädorned vowels.

I was at a family function over the weekend. I know, the stereotype is that old white people are Trump’s base, but not my aunt and my grandmother. I never thought of either of them as particularly political, but my goodness.

So, who should replace Tim Burgess on the City Council? It can be anyone in Seattle. I will take myself out of contention.

When Jim Compton left, and there was an opening on the Council, they said they wanted a woman of color, got a hundred or so applications, and went with a white lady. This time, there are women of color on the Council, so maybe they’ll say that they need some other unrepresented group, and then not pick them.

So, Tim Burgess. Are you excited? This guy? (Seattle Times link, and he has changed some positions since then) The guy who wrote an excessive panhandling law so broad that it probably would have covered The Girl Scouts selling cookies on the street?

New, new mayor day, Seattle. I say we just have a new mayor every week. This year we’ll have a gay mayor, a person of color mayor, a Republican mayor (probably), and a woman mayor. What a shitty political year.

On the bus this morning, I realized I’m in all dark business attire while most people are in Seahawks colors. For the first quarter of the season or so every year, I forget. It’s a shame, since when else am I going to wear bright green to work?

New Seattle mayor. It’s a crappy gig, and I don’t know who on the Council would want it. Maybe Tim Burgess who is retiring anyway?

Then somewhat less bad is temporarily replacing that Council Member. The City Council can pick anyone for that. It seems like they’d elevate a staff member or find some city notable.

Where are people donating for hurricane relief? I gave some money to Save The Children but I don’t know if there’s something better. I’d rather be in a position where I thought taxes would cover it.

The WordPress app ate my last post, and now I’m almost at work.

Smoke? We’re dealing with smoke? With ash. With damn masks. Is this our future as a region every summer?

Any grand plans for Labor Day weekend? I don’t know when the switch from being excited about Bumbershoot to wanting to avoid the area happened. But it certainly has happened. I don’t know as many of the bands, but I know plenty. Just getting old.

Also, I will avoid the hell out of PAX.

What Michael says here. The Democratic Party needs to do a better job policing ourselves enabling rape culture. We fucked up big time in that instance. And it’s hardly a one -off.

This isn’t to say we’re as bad as or worse than the Republicans — they literally voted for a sexual assailant with a dozen known victims because he’s a sexual assailant. But we have to be a lot better.

When I unpacked after my vacation, I realized that I have 4 half-used travel size toothpaste tubes. I always buy a new one for my vacation. It feels wasteful, but I don’t want to run out on my trip. And I can’t really judge how much is left. So I think I ‘m going to just use them not on vacation.

Anyway, most Republicans hate you and want you to die for want of healthcare.

I am a rather slow reader. As such, I’m usually pretty quick to give up on a book that I don’t dig. Recently, a friend recommended a book that has taken me a week to read 2 chapters. So at what point do I bail without being an asshole?

I think I’m going to use my Democracy Vouchers this week. The problem is that the only competitive race is the one I care the least about. I’d be happy with either 8th District candidate. I don’t know, would it be strange to give one each to Grant and Mosqueda? Probably. Will I do it? Leaning toward it.