I signed up to be an election judge in 2020 but was never called. They called this year! I went to training and there were very few of us under mid 70s. When one older man asked what our state rule was on 'non citizen voting', the answer was "it's a felony. not many people will risk going to jail to vote". This led to multiple other questions until I loudly asked "what percentage are we talking here?" and the answer was "basically, none". I live in suburban Minnesota, btw.
So this will be my new thing, new blood in the election judge arena.
Pam, I salute you—that is really brave of you. And meaningful to represent the non-retiree age. Thank you—I have goosebumps! Watch out for those dead Democrats who keep voting over and over 🙄
Oh god. I’m pouring MANY out for you. I am curious what these kids will come away with politically when they’re older. I try not to talk politics too much at home but even still my 9 year old proudly showed me an acrostic he’d made out of the word “TRUMP” with every letter being something nasty, the last one being “pussy." We had a little talk about that last word. But it just made me sad.
I stopped scrolling news during the pandemmy when my therapist advised it. I have replaced it with memorizing poems, which is so cringey and pretentious, so I balance it with watching a lot of TikToks of cats doing stupid things.
Godspeed to you!! I got into a bad place during COVID where I would “treat” myself to scrolling the news while I was in the toilet. That was a bad strategy.
Here is an email template if you want to spread the news about the Evil Witches Giving Circle to support democratic candidates in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately Substack doesn't let me embed links in comments so I'm putting them below the copy:
#
Subj: Stop doom scrolling and make a strategic state-level donation like I did
Hi there:
If you’re like me, you are concerned about the 2024 election but don’t know best how to make a difference and stay involved without losing your mind.
That’s why I chipped in to the States Project Giving Circle benefiting the Pennsylvania state elections (run by the newsletter Evil Witches). Any donation amount can help secure a Democratic government in PA, which will also help the Democratic Presidential candidate. You can donate here [link] or learn more here. [link]
Let me know if you have any questions and I will get them answered for you. Thank you for your time!
Every time (EVERY. TIME.) I have given money to a Democratic cause, my email/phone number has been sold and I have ended up on the receiving end of a million campaign fundraising emails and texts for months and years afterward. I would happily donate if there were a way to opt out of giving away my personal contact information. I've emailed the states project to ask about this, as it's a red line for me now for my own mental health and sanity. Commenting here in case this is something that other people would be interested in knowing about as well.
So I emailed Melissa and she told me "It's actually something people ask about a lot, and The States Project does not share contributors' information with campaigns or candidates." As a donor you'd get a confirmation email and probably a thank you email from me if I'm on my game but not requests for further contributions to the Giving Circle unless I mention it in the newsletter and you see it.
Thank you, that is a great question. Let me confirm with Melissa about the communication before I promise you anything but I concur that since my work with the States Project I don't get emails/texts from them like I get from other groups ("CLAIRE I'M NOT ANGRY JUST DISAPPOINTED. Y U NOT DONATE")
I've donated to the States Project previously (and will again; Pennsylvania is close to my heart because I grew up there and my [[[deep sigh]]] mom and stepdad will almost certainly be voting badly there) and have gotten only occasional emails, which get sorted to my promotions and no text messages, if that helps.
I keep pointing out to everyone who wants to talk to me that November is three and a half months away and that is a lifetime in the news cycle—so if I start obsessing now it’s just stress for no good reason.
I have also been opting out of the absolutely unhinged bs news cycle. Mostly I am taking more naps and playing more ridiculous phone games. Occasionally tidying one (1) thing at a time in my house. But mostly naps.
I have a copy of the new Kit Rocha book,Queen of Dreams, that I won in the Romancing the Vote auction, and I plan to start that today. After a nap! (Also THANK YOU for starting a giving circle!)
Greetings fellow witches! I'm finding I'm less online by being more online: I've started reading the Tarot for the Biden campaign at various points (after the convictions, after the debate, etc). It's been surprisingly encouraging! Here's one I did yesterday after all the news since the weekend: https://youtu.be/8lYASW35g7g
It helps to feel like I'm doing something and keeps me from spending too much time in a doom spiral 🖤🖤🖤
I started rewatching Dawson’s Creek again so I could listen to Again with this Podcast- they’re now on season 2 with weekly recaps and I’m on Season 3 and found The Great Dawson’s Rewatch Project recaps that started in 2018 and read those for about 6 weeks. I really try to be off my phone by 10 and while I didn’t finish either of my book club books before our meeting I did finish them a couple days later!
All we can do is support each other. It takes a village. I've been very clear to my American friends that I'll host them if they need reproductive services that they can't access elsewhere.
I reduced my sources of news to Joyce Vance’s Substack and the Pantsuit Politics podcast. I was following two accounts on IG which were great, but it was just too much noise. I know I will get factual, thoughtfully considered information from Joyce and PP. I’ve also eaten a lot of ice cream this month.
Donating to the Giving Circle! I grew up in PA and it's a great state that deserves great leaders. I'm also looking for a Giving Circle in New Hampshire if anyone has any leads!
I signed up to be an election judge in 2020 but was never called. They called this year! I went to training and there were very few of us under mid 70s. When one older man asked what our state rule was on 'non citizen voting', the answer was "it's a felony. not many people will risk going to jail to vote". This led to multiple other questions until I loudly asked "what percentage are we talking here?" and the answer was "basically, none". I live in suburban Minnesota, btw.
So this will be my new thing, new blood in the election judge arena.
Pam, I salute you—that is really brave of you. And meaningful to represent the non-retiree age. Thank you—I have goosebumps! Watch out for those dead Democrats who keep voting over and over 🙄
I am originally from Chicago and used to say "vote early, vote often" but I stopped in 2016 when I didn't want people to take me seriously ;)
Thank you for wading into this particular pool.
This is fantastic, and something I’ve never even considered doing but will now look into it where I live.
Avoid the news? I AM the news. Pour one out for journalist moms.
"Mommy why are you watching that?"
- my 4 year old when I was taking notes during the Biden presser
Oh god. I’m pouring MANY out for you. I am curious what these kids will come away with politically when they’re older. I try not to talk politics too much at home but even still my 9 year old proudly showed me an acrostic he’d made out of the word “TRUMP” with every letter being something nasty, the last one being “pussy." We had a little talk about that last word. But it just made me sad.
I’m so glad my 7 year old granddaughter is clueless. I’m wondering if that will change when school starts and the election gets closer.
I stopped scrolling news during the pandemmy when my therapist advised it. I have replaced it with memorizing poems, which is so cringey and pretentious, so I balance it with watching a lot of TikToks of cats doing stupid things.
It's not cringey and pretentious!! It's admirable, I say.
If you really want to stop following the news, having 2 under 2 has really worked for me 🙃
Godspeed to you!! I got into a bad place during COVID where I would “treat” myself to scrolling the news while I was in the toilet. That was a bad strategy.
Here is an email template if you want to spread the news about the Evil Witches Giving Circle to support democratic candidates in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately Substack doesn't let me embed links in comments so I'm putting them below the copy:
#
Subj: Stop doom scrolling and make a strategic state-level donation like I did
Hi there:
If you’re like me, you are concerned about the 2024 election but don’t know best how to make a difference and stay involved without losing your mind.
That’s why I chipped in to the States Project Giving Circle benefiting the Pennsylvania state elections (run by the newsletter Evil Witches). Any donation amount can help secure a Democratic government in PA, which will also help the Democratic Presidential candidate. You can donate here [link] or learn more here. [link]
Let me know if you have any questions and I will get them answered for you. Thank you for your time!
Best,
NAME
#
Donation link: https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/5wmhrga/Evil-Witches
Learn more here link: https://evilwitches.substack.com/p/when-you-want-to-avoid-the-news-but
Every time (EVERY. TIME.) I have given money to a Democratic cause, my email/phone number has been sold and I have ended up on the receiving end of a million campaign fundraising emails and texts for months and years afterward. I would happily donate if there were a way to opt out of giving away my personal contact information. I've emailed the states project to ask about this, as it's a red line for me now for my own mental health and sanity. Commenting here in case this is something that other people would be interested in knowing about as well.
So I emailed Melissa and she told me "It's actually something people ask about a lot, and The States Project does not share contributors' information with campaigns or candidates." As a donor you'd get a confirmation email and probably a thank you email from me if I'm on my game but not requests for further contributions to the Giving Circle unless I mention it in the newsletter and you see it.
I fully support you resisting further spamming
Thank you SO MUCH for looking into this, and I'm so happy to know that is their policy!!! Donated <3
aw thank you Sarah!!
Thank you, that is a great question. Let me confirm with Melissa about the communication before I promise you anything but I concur that since my work with the States Project I don't get emails/texts from them like I get from other groups ("CLAIRE I'M NOT ANGRY JUST DISAPPOINTED. Y U NOT DONATE")
I've donated to the States Project previously (and will again; Pennsylvania is close to my heart because I grew up there and my [[[deep sigh]]] mom and stepdad will almost certainly be voting badly there) and have gotten only occasional emails, which get sorted to my promotions and no text messages, if that helps.
Emily in Your Phone on TikTok recommends Oath for this reason! https://app.oath.vote/
I keep pointing out to everyone who wants to talk to me that November is three and a half months away and that is a lifetime in the news cycle—so if I start obsessing now it’s just stress for no good reason.
I live in North Carolina so I don’t have to look far
I have also been opting out of the absolutely unhinged bs news cycle. Mostly I am taking more naps and playing more ridiculous phone games. Occasionally tidying one (1) thing at a time in my house. But mostly naps.
I have a copy of the new Kit Rocha book,Queen of Dreams, that I won in the Romancing the Vote auction, and I plan to start that today. After a nap! (Also THANK YOU for starting a giving circle!)
Yo estudio con Duolingo mucho ahora porque tengo mas tiempo.
Also I have big, BIG plans to re-arrange the wrapping paper/gift bag corner in the furnace room so it’s slightly less flammable.
Thanks for picking PA!!
Greetings fellow witches! I'm finding I'm less online by being more online: I've started reading the Tarot for the Biden campaign at various points (after the convictions, after the debate, etc). It's been surprisingly encouraging! Here's one I did yesterday after all the news since the weekend: https://youtu.be/8lYASW35g7g
It helps to feel like I'm doing something and keeps me from spending too much time in a doom spiral 🖤🖤🖤
I started rewatching Dawson’s Creek again so I could listen to Again with this Podcast- they’re now on season 2 with weekly recaps and I’m on Season 3 and found The Great Dawson’s Rewatch Project recaps that started in 2018 and read those for about 6 weeks. I really try to be off my phone by 10 and while I didn’t finish either of my book club books before our meeting I did finish them a couple days later!
I'm a Canadian Witch ...what do you think I could do?
All we can do is support each other. It takes a village. I've been very clear to my American friends that I'll host them if they need reproductive services that they can't access elsewhere.
Thank you Lydia for asking!! If you want to forward this post to any American buddies or just repost this that is something.
I reduced my sources of news to Joyce Vance’s Substack and the Pantsuit Politics podcast. I was following two accounts on IG which were great, but it was just too much noise. I know I will get factual, thoughtfully considered information from Joyce and PP. I’ve also eaten a lot of ice cream this month.
My summer has been sponsored by McDonald's Soft Serve cones.
The Mcflurry still slaps.
Glad you are doing this. I am inspired.
I have chipped in to some NC giving circles and will do it again!
i've know melissa for years and this makes me think i should do this with the Double Shift for NC.
Donating to the Giving Circle! I grew up in PA and it's a great state that deserves great leaders. I'm also looking for a Giving Circle in New Hampshire if anyone has any leads!
Hi Megan! I just found this one if this is what you're looking for:
https://www.grapevine.org/giving-circle/JXjhKeA/Ralph-Marty-s-Giving-Circle
Thank you!