Better Ideas

[ashnistrike]

As I get older, I've learned to appreciate people who actively work on their shit--as opposed to ignoring potential problems and pretending everything is just fine.

The extremely diverse DC suburb where I live is planning a series of community discussions about whether we have any cop-civilian tension, and what to do about it if so.  I haven't noticed any, but I'm female and pretty white-looking--I plan to sit in the back of the room and listen.

Apparently our police department did receive a humvee through that horrible military-surplus-for-police program.  The city council had just said no to a bunch of things that cost money, and felt like "free equipment" was an easy thing to say yes to.  We use the humvee for snow removal, so we don't just want to get rid of it.

One of the proposals on the table, therefore, is to repaint the humvee as an art car in order to reduce the potential for testosterone poisoning.  This, explained the neighbor who's planning to host one of the discussions, would "better reflect community values."

Which is true.  I do love this town.  It's far from perfect, but it's actively working on its shit.

Comments

[ashnistrike.livejournal.com]

I don't know if we have burners (though it seems likely), but we do have art cars. Have we driven you by the house with the steampunk-y trucks? The guy who makes them insists that they aren't "steampunk" as he was doing it before the term came into use. (Hipster steampunk?)

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

I don't think so! That sounds fun.

Sounds like the hipsterest steampunk. I like it.

[ashnistrike.livejournal.com]

Remind us to make the side trip next time you're visiting. Which you should totally do soon--it's been a while.

[tricksterquinn.livejournal.com]

Yes! I miss you guys. I am on a bus back to town from Boston now and don't plan to travel again for a few weeks, so that should be a little easier now. Things got a little hectic in there for a bit.

What might work for you? I perform Fri, and otherwise will need to check my schedule to confirm, but definitely want to work something out.

Did you see Smitten's sunken apple and honey cake this week? I might try it in the next few days; it looks awesome.

[page-of-swords.livejournal.com]

He was ok with being called Steampunk when I walked by and talked to him for 20 minutes that one time. I networked him to someone else I know but in NJ but I don't think anything came of it.

I still can't decide if I want a house that looks like that, or dread a house that looks like that. "Keeping up appearances and all that."

[ashnistrike.livejournal.com]

Either he likes you better than he likes us, or hurricanes put him in a bad mood.

I think he keeps up a pretty excellent appearance. And improves the quality of the neighborhood: I know of at least one person who took a look and decided they maybe didn't want to live here after all, which I suspect of being a good filter for people we'd like to have around. Like telling schools about our family structure right at the start, and walking away if they freak out.