So today we headed out with the intention of going to a march. Specifically, an ACA march which had some link to Danny Heck – our local congresscritter. So we hopped in the insight and drove on up to an area of Tacoma. We had actually decided not to go yesterday, for a variety of reasons, but this morning our conscience won us over – we headed up there.
And… were disappointed by the lack of diversity. I am aware that Tacoma’s way more diverse than a lot of Oly, so we were hoping to see some non-middle-class and non-white faces. And I know that I have little that I can say to criticise others. I have never organized a march in my life, nor have I done overly much political – I keep trying, but work is overwhelmingly busy and I struggle to get everything needed done in any given day.
But seriously, in the middle of Tacoma, in a park which is clearly being used by a non-white local community, and virtually every person in that march that I saw was white and (from the vehicles, clothes and people, and my stereotyping) pretty much middle class. My beloved is right, we need to be reaching out to other communities. Making connections with other groups. The fact that the left has so staggeringly failed to bring our message to groups that would actually benefit enormously from leftish policies is one of the most disappointing things about us.
It’s also one of the things that scares me the most.
Still, having made the trek we debated some other actions that were going on, but my immigrant status means that caution tends to be the better part of any kind of valour, and instead we decided to engage in a day of self-care.
We went around Point Defiance Park, for a bit of a wander. We had lunch at the Antique Sandwich Company which was one of Kathryn’s occasional haunts as a child. Visited the world’s most depressing nursery (more dead plants than alive ones). And then meandered down to the Tacoma Art Museum for an utterly amazing exhibit. The Outwin 2016 exhibit had some incredibly powerful portraits. I’m not usually that interested in portraiture, although I have more space for modern portraiture than classic imagery.
But this was truly exceptional work.
And then, occupying the flipside of culture, we headed to Tinkertopia, which is kind of along the lines of what we’d like to do as a store. Not exactly, but it’s in that region. And I picked up a record player for my office (because that’s what my office needs, obviously). It’s a 1950s Decca P-903 that needs a *lot* of love. The case isn’t too bad, although the handle is missing (sadly). However, turning it on it does make a pretty awful noise (they’d already turned it on, so I was feeling daring).
If anyone has a P-903 service manual that’d be handy, because I suspect things are sad internally. The motor’s certainly running but ooooh that deck needs (at the very least) lubrication.
Still, it’s another thing I won’t have time to tackle for a while, but when I do it should be fun.
’til then…
And now I think it’s time to watch Tank Girl :)
