New Math Pt. 1

Canvassing is the art of hitting the target the first time.

I've talked about organizing here before, but never technically because you just... can't.

Some people try to train on it that way, but it just doesn't do it right.

My first training ever, the guy that was running it was probably one of the best "technicians" that ever did it. He originated the Mt. Olive "Don't Pay a Nickel for a Mount Olive Pickle" campaign. He started the Organizing Institute. Needless to say, he's one bad motherfucker.

When I got him alone for five minutes, he told me that basically the best way to learn is to do it. The raps, the readthroughs, the critiques... all of that shit is technical. Everything else is experiential.

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SEIU has changed a little since my first housecall.

We've since spent 60.7 million dollars on the Obama campaign. We spent less than one percent of that number on membership education in the two years I've been working.

We've since overthrown UHW.

We've since sought to overtake UNITE HERE, only succeeding and taking one piece.

My union has become something that I can't continue to love in the same way. How do you love someone that doesn't really love you?

Black rods and iron bars make a prison and that seems to be all that SEIU is buying.

And I have never wanted to live in a cage.

Old Communiques, Part One

Just to let you know what's been happening since we've last tuned in, I'll repost the old news... I wrote a series of letters to relatives...

"... Well, after the layoffs in TN, I moved back to DC... it's been pretty cool to be back home, especially with the new apartment and old friends around. One by one, all of our adventures (me and my friends) ended with us leaving the South and venturing onward. I don't know how good that makes me feel about the land below the Mason Dixon line (does that mean that they just aren't ready for three-dimensional thinking and economic justice down there? I'm getting nervous that its really and truly an independant nation...) but I know this much, I'm really happy to be here..."

"... my old boss went a little crazy and now we are bossless.... weird."

"Months pass, and now suddenly I'm all weird and lonely when she leaves on business. When I leave town, we call each other and talk for hours on the phone.... hell, we do that when she leaves too. I was the guy that said "I'll never get married" a very short time ago. Now, suddenly, I'm making plans like a guy preparing himself to be married to a woman. Cleaning my shit up, resolving old debts, even trying to secure an actual career for myself.... I'm making long term plans, and I'm Mr. Short Term."

"I guess I'm in love with this woman."

"My journal entries stopped because of a lack of internet access. I'll be back up in a week or so."

You make promises to yourself about what your life will look like. Fast cars, beautiful women... then you wake up and you've got a slow car and YOUR beautiful woman. One out of two isn't that bad.

More later, this time I'll add it to Outlook. In the meantime, I'll make a few layout changes.