Dear Reader, 

We are amidst a big week with midterm elections in the United States and an especially big week in Michigan. If you live in Michigan and are registered to vote consider this newsletter is me knocking on your door, canvassing, asking you to vote tomorrow or turn your absentee ballot into a ballot box (it is too late to mail it to be counted Tuesday!)

In Michigan we have the battle for the Senate seat between Abdul El-Sayed (D) and Mike Rogers (R). I mentioned this a few weeks ago but me and Katy had the opportunity to hear Abdul speak at a town hall in Traverse City and it was really remarkable. To have someone representing our state who believes in medicare for all, abolishing ICE, and a Free Palestine - almost feels like a fever dream. Politicans are politicans are politicians, never perfect or to be pedestaled. But Abdul is a good man and a good neighbor and an amazing Michigander.

There was only time for a few questions at the town hall and I was so glad someone asked him what he would do to protect trans and queer people, their healthcare, and trans youth. His answer was long and supportive but what felt most profound was that he asked to be held accountable. He admitted he might stumble, that as a cis person he might not always know the right move, but that he is here to serve and protect trans people and that he would remain open to feedback while in office.

This is what I hope for in an elected official. Someone willing to say, I might not have all the answers but I am here to serve the people and take action when it is asked of me.

I’d like to share something startling that happened to me while voting this past week, in case you need some encouragement to make sure your vote is counted.

Because I have ADHD and chronic health issues I often try to vote early at a polling place or by absentee and mail it in early enough or drop it off at a ballot box. This way if Election Day rolls around and I am scattered, depressed, or have a migraine, I have already gotten my vote in. I don’t have to rely on one single day.

So this year I got my absentee ballot and passed the cut off date to mail it in to be counted on Tuesday 11/3 so I filled it out at the dining room table, cried a few tears while filling in Abdul El-Sayed for Senate, and packed it up in the security envelope before putting it in the mailing envelope. The signature on my license and the one I usually use is just my initials CCP with a little dot at the end. Before I changed my name I signed MGCP with a dot. For some reason with the ballot envelope I thought - I should make this signature more official - and signed my full name in cursive : Cody Cook-Parrott.

I then went to pick up my mail at the post office and told Rob my local postal worker that I didn’t see a ballot box at the township hall. He exclaimed oh yah it’s at Shirley’s house. I looked puzzled and then he explained Shirley is the Solon Township Clerk and she has an official ballot box at her house and she collects them there.

I drive through the four way stop and park in front of Shirley’s. I don’t know how to explain it but, I just felt a weird vibe. Intutitively I thought, something isn’t right about this. I opened her screened in front porch and sure enough there was the official ballot box. I dropped it in and went about my day.

The following day I was traveling to Detroit to see my little brother play a concert. While in the passenger seat I noticed I had a missed call from Shirley. I opened my email and had an email from Shirley stating that she did not have my signature on file and that I needed to fill out a Signature Cure Form in order to have my vote counted.

I felt a pit in my stomach. I wouldn’t have access to a printer for a few days and also WHO is Shirley and why is she being weird. I googled Shirley and see that she is a registered Republican. I naturally assume now that we have a conspiracy happening and she is trying to suppress my gay transexual vote!

So I decide to call Shirley and explain to her this is probably because of my legal name change. Shirley answers and I let her know why my signature might not be on file in which she replies : No that’s not it, it’s because it just looks like “a bunch of circles”.

I am in shock. My name does indeed have five letter O’s which famously are — circles. It also has two C’s which are half circles, and a d,p, and a which all have mini circles in them. Explaining my signature as a bunch of circles is about as accurate as you could be.

When I got to the shop Sunday I printed my form, signed it as close as I could to my ballot signature, and sent it to Shirley asking her to confirm it was received.

She did indeed confirm that my vote would be counted in this Tuesday’s midterm election.

But damn! She had me on rollercoaster for a minute. Imagine if you were voting absentee and then getting on a plane to a meditation retreat where you can’t see phone or email. Or working a long shift at the hospital. There are so many circumstances that could have been true that would have stopped someone from filling out that form.

All to say - be mindful this could happen! I didn’t know this could happen! I don’t know if I was being scammed or this is a thing that happens often or what. But it definitely freaked me out.

Also if for any god awful weird reason you ever liked Haley Stevens remember everything she says is a lie and an atrocity! She is busy dreaming of Israel and endorsing MAGA head Mike Rogers and still calling herself a Democrat. Remember that many/most Democrats are just as corrupt as Republicans, which includes Haley Stevens. She is scary. Do not listen to her.

Michigan vote Abdul El-Sayed this Tuesday! And for people in every other state, good luck with your canvassing and your voting and using your voice.

→ I can’t believe how good Radiator Hospital was in Detroit this past weekend. Sam might be my little brother but I am his biggest fan! Catch the tour

→ Opening for Radiator Hospital was the band Dusk from Wisconsin and they are hands down my new favorite band. Reminded me of booking shows at The DAAC circa 2012

→ My dear friend and mentor Katherine Ferrier is getting evicted from her studio and community space after fighting for it’s existence. You can contribute to her gofundme here.

→ The incredibly cool Papa Shop in Morro Bay, CA has a brand new online shop

→ Jennifer Lawrence launched a celebrity haircare line which I do not care about but she made a commercial and the dancing in it was so good and I looked it up and the movement director is the same as The Testament of Ann Lee : )

→ I am just discovering CMAT and I loved her Tiny Desk Concert

→ This poem by Ahmed Shamali, whose family in Gaza you can support here

→ This Saturday 11/7 our neighbors Slip Vintage are hosting a clothing swap from 9-11am so Common Objects will be open at the same time so you can swing by

CLASSIFIEDS : 

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Harvest+Hibernate w/o Hustle: somatic class on rooting your biz in body, ancestors & Land this season w/o underearning & overdelivering. Join by 11/14

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