Those close by
I’ve still not yet mustered the courage to process the daily national news. Mere glimpses of what’s been happening have felt like facepunches, when my ears have not yet stopped ringing from November 5th.
Other people’s labor
Today was another long and draining day, joyful and challenging in varying measures. On days like today, approaching this nightly project may feel like approaching dinner without a plan in place. The option of spending unplanned money for delivery or takeout can beckon.
Sparing myself the work—just for tonight, one imagines—of the thinking, and the making, and the cleaning up afterwards.
For this project these nights might look like sending money to a org that will do the work instead of me tonight.
I do not consider takeout a moral failure. It is the foundation of most any economy that we convert our labor into money, which we spend in exchange for the labor of others.
(Using DoorDash and other delivery services complicates the economies of restaurants’ survival. Ask your local restaurants how they might prefer you order delivery and pickup from them!)
At some point it may be useful to develop a list of organizations I can turn to on nights like this. When all I can muster is to send money to someone who is doing the work of making the world a little better (or a little less worse) every day.
My labor → money → others’ labor → etc.
Just one thing
Tonight instead of sending money to an organization doing the work, I decided to send more money to a friend (GoFundMe link), to help him take care of himself and his family as his job search enters month 10.
Also remember to take care of the people close by.
All of the @#$%ing things
Night 8: Gave gifts and spoke words of appreciation aloud
Night 7: Contributed to a California-focused nonprofit newsroom
Night 6: Made homemade donuts for my team
Night 5: Opted into a paid Buttondown tier
Night 4: Reviewed my local election results
Night 3: Deactivated my X account
Night 2: Contributed to my local nonprofit newsroom
Night 1: Started by starting
Words, sorts, and thinks by Chris Ereneta, from Oakland, California. Thoughtful feedback and questions are welcomed at that.often@gmail.com