Well, I’m boosted. One good thing about LA- it was almost impossible to get an appointment. I had to wait two weeks! Everyone is getting vaxxed! But I have it now and I’m queasy and gross (Dolly Parton is trying to kill me) and very happy. I am the opposite of an anti-vaxxer. I will shoot myself up with all of the science I can find. VAX ME!
In other news, I spent a lot of time on Skid Row in LA this week as I start to build out our on the ground ID operations here and it’s a really fascinating place. For those who don’t live in LA, our Skid Row is 27 blocks and has existed for decades. At this point it really is a city within a city (that reminds me of a book recommendation that I will put in READ below) and it has a plethora of services, resources, and organizations supporting the massive population of unhoused that live in the area.
LA’s biggest problem is not a lack of concern, or money, the citizens of this county give plenty of both, it is literally a problem of not having any space. We should look like Blade Runner. Instead we look like Springfield. Too much single family housing from a time when no one could imagine that Los Angeles would be as enormous as it now is. So we have houses where we should have skyscrapers and a massive part of the city has become a community of the unhoused. In Skid Row here are parks which are cleaned by an army of city workers, have banks of chargers and water refill stations, and people walking by offering to sign you up for Obama phones or to use the shower stations. There’s a 24/7 center where people can do laundry, take showers, use wifi, and access services. There are Skid Row advisory boards that include actual residents of Skid Row. There are a lot of organizations, activists, and an entire mayoral department.
The homelessness problem in Los Angeles is absolutely out of control, but as I am finally able to dig deeper into serving my own city- a long challenge because it was difficult to convince donors that there are other reasons to get IDs other than voting and maybe even blue states have problems- I have been amazed by how much thought and care and kindness goes into serving this community and how very welcoming they have been.
Watch:
The Lost Leonardo (rent) - Our IS ALL ART A SCAM? series continues.
The Line (Apple TV)- You may or may not remember the Navy SEALs scandal that happened during the Trump admin because there was a scandal a day so who can remember them all. But this one happened and it’s important and this short docuseries produced by- but very clearly not directed by- Alex Gibney tells a story of Americans at war (I am VERY concerned by how much we are clearly brainwashing soldiers before we deploy them), the courage of a few men to stand up to their superiors (the line “there’s no training for how to report your commander for war crimes” was striking), and how far some people will go for misguided loyalty. This docuseries is really good (get past episode 1, which makes you think the perspective is something it’s not, for a really good reason) and I absolutely do not understand why more people are not talking about it.
Burning (Prime)- Remember the Australian fires? Well, this documentary will devastate you and then anger you and then break your heart.
Listen:
Apple Podcasts’ Episodes of the Year- CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! I’m still making my way through but so far these are great episodes and what is the end of the year for if not catching up on everything you’ve missed for the last eleven and a half months?
Your Spotify Wrapped- This is a clever way for Spotify to tell you they’re tracking your data without telling you they’re tracking your data TO SELL IT but it’s still fun and I look forward to it every year.
The Dropout (podcast)- I know I UNRECOMMENDED The Dropout and I stand by that BUT I think it’s really important for us to understand exactly what Elizabeth Holmes’ defense team is doing right now so I recommend listening to the most recent episode so you can hear the shenanigans for yourself.
Read:
A guru you’ve never heard of recently passed away and now we’re all finding out that of course it was a cult.
My second humble submission for IS ALL ART A SCAM?
Possibly the best restaurant review of all time.
PROMISED RECOMMENDATION: The City and the City by China Mieville. I deeply love Mieville and this book was my gateway drug.