Est. Read Time: 3 minutes. Read Time brought to you once again by the Ashburton Energy + Hair Logistics Group, in association with the Bradley Hills Bureau of Corrections.
SHOWS: Shut Up and Laugh. Fourth Wall Hollywood. Wednesday, June 15th. *I’m hosting! Will be a very good time! Come out!
Further. Manda’s Studio. Saturday, June 19th. Not hosting, but also very fun!
Hey Sternal Journalists,
If you’re in Los Angeles, make your plan to vote by June 7th. Here is where you can find a polling place, here is some information about mail-in ballot deadlines, and here is where you can register and (I believe) still have your vote counted if you provide proof of registration when voting in person.
This week, we will all be bombarded with voter guides and reminders such as the one above to make sure to vote. You have surely seen a voter guide already that you have bookmarked in your phone or in your brain to go back to when it comes time. I don’t want to add to that noise, so I just have two suggestions.
1. Vote for Scott Epstein for CD-5
If you’re in LA’s Council District 5, I endorse Scott Epstein and think it would be very cool if he won. I’ve only just started getting involved in my neighborhood council, but I’ve seen and heard the impact he had while he was the executive chair. He also founded the Mid City Homeless Coalition, an organization dedicated to connecting unhoused people with services. In short, he’s got thoughtful, rational, and passionate transportation and housing solutions. If you want to learn more about him, you can do it here.
1b. Find out what Council District you’re in.
If you’re still reading, but don’t know what council district you’re in, you should find out! The LA City Council has a decent amount of power, but a lot of people don’t know who their representative is. That’s okay! Today’s the day to change that. Find out here.
2. Don’t let Rick Caruso win.
I also reallllly do not think it would be cool if Rick Caruso became mayor. He’s a billionaire property developer and essentially switched parties to run for mayor. If he wasn’t able to do anything radical about building affordable housing while being an unchecked billionaire, he ain’t gonna do much when he’s dealing with all the bureaucracy of elected office.
You’ve probably seen this going around, but he’s pouring money into this thing the way the Grove Cheesecake Factory pours sauce-and-visually-discernible-as-yet-unmelted-cheese on the Factory Burrito Grande—
—and if he wins more than 51% of the vote, he just automatically becomes mayor. So don’t let him!
Yes, I love The Grove, the crown jewel of his development empire, but that is all the more reason to listen to me! You know I get caught up in hype, Sternal Journalists. I am actively making plans to get Jack Harlow’s KFC meal for instance. So if even I’m immune to the novelty of voting for a mall scion whose mall I love, its’ not a good deal.
Keep Mr. Caruso at the Grove. The office from where he planned his campaign is literally across from a now-defunct American Girl Doll cafe on one corner, and the Barnes & Noble/Cheesecake Factory fusion building on the other. And no shade on people planning campaigns from weird places, but he’s a billionaire. He had options.
Recommendations
How to Build a Happy Life. Podcast. I’ve been really enjoying this “happiness science” podcast from The Atlantic. Most memorable takeaway so far: “bored” and “stressed” are opposites on the same spectrum (episode 4).
Music for a Sushi Restaurant. Song. I haven’t made it all the way through Harry Styles’ new album, but this opener is a real seductive banger.
Want Want. Song. New Maggie Rogers. Very fun. Very nice.
Read. Activity. Eek. It looks like I didn’t read anything this week. Let’s both change that!
Love!
Julian
I don't mean to brag, but my procrastination took on a reading turn this year and so far I've read 40 books. Unfortunately I've done nothing else productive but that's the way the anxiety and ADHD crumbles I guess!
Also voted! And not for Rick Caruso.