curiously quiet

[thoreau]

"Peace is not something you wish for;
it's something you make, something you do, something you are, something you give away."
- Robert Fulghum

---

A friend of mine commented to me today that considering how I "used to be the UBER politicalgayqueermarchrally queen" when I was hip-deep in politics Idaho - - how since I've moved to California I've been remarkably silent about the current landscape. I guess it's different living here in San Francisco - I haven't felt engaged politically since I moved here. Part of it - I'm sure - - is that I live in liberal land and you never hear about "what the republicans are doing here in San Francisco" ever... and I live outside the sphere of the state capitol in Sacramento.

I still have strong political opinions - its just part of my passions that didn't have somewhere to exercise when I moved to Sodom. Considering how Idaho politics were my LIFE for so many years - it does feel odd to be less 'involved' here - - but then I'm in the majority here. So far - there are no political windmills to tilt at.

The move to San Francisco changed every part of my life dramatically - new job, new home, new political landscape, new environment, new projects, new friends,....

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Why should it surprise me that politics had fallen so far down on my interests list since moving to San Francisco - till my friend mentioned it today. hmmm.

Comments

[joebehrsandiego.livejournal.com]

Somewhat tangentially ...

On NPR's "Morning Edition" today there was a great piece on an "outdoor" alternative high schoolin VT based on Thoreau/Walden principles.

"High School Teaches Thoreau in the Woods"

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18164469

(And the director's a cutie! ;-))

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

I will offer another thought ... it's implicit in what you've already said, but let's make it explicit: you've been focusing on internal growth to some degree lately. Ideally that can be done in tandem with external politics (indeed, they can play nicely off each other) but there are times when focusing within feels more productive.

Or that's what I tell myself. But I got a bit burnt out on external activism. ;-)

[trulygrateful.livejournal.com]

"The move to San Francisco changed every part of my life dramatically..."

Honey... since when has ANYTHING in your life not been completed in such a fashion?

loveyameanithopeyourhairwins^tm

[bear-left.livejournal.com]

Well said. I think there's also something to be said (& not everyone is in a position to do this, or would necessarily desire to do so if they could, I fully realize) for trying to bring work and activism together. I miss the front lines to some degree, but in my case at least, there's no question I'm doing meaningful work in the classroom.

Now what comes next, well, I'm hoping there'll be some new doors opening along these lines.

[bear-left.livejournal.com]

Intriguing, & makes plenty of sense. Intriguingly, for me, Boston is firing up the desire to get back involved with politics - I don't know whether it was professional circumstances or geography (both, probably), but I felt more demoralized from doing anything in Georgia. Now I feel like there's more hope to get something accomplished.

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

I've been doing my work at 826 Valencia - and other projects so it's HARDLY like I've been standing still. :) But my heart thinks sometimes - that the work on internal growth is selfish.

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

I loved the political game in Idaho - and taking on conservatives who had never had someone come right out and say in the media - "you're views shouldn't be legislated at the expense of others".
I miss the adrenaline rush of testifying in front of a legislative committee.

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

I way underestimated the impact moving to California would have on my life. WAY underestimated.

[retired101.livejournal.com]

The location creates at least part of the circumstance.

Grew up near Boston. Trying to deal with a sister who thinks Mr. Obama is a terrorist. Seriously.

Now I remember why I left.

oops

[retired101.livejournal.com]

oops, I'm new, forgot the picture...