The Weekly Edit: Like a Runaway Train

With just 31 days left in the legislative session, the train is speeding toward the station.  Some days I look up from my work to check the lunch menu, only to discover that it’s 3:00 PM.  But it’s exciting.  At least, that’s the polite word for it.

Things are good though.  Kyle is coming for a visit this weekend.  We’re playing in a charity poker game, and I’m sure the dogs will be happy to see him.  He truly is the love of Avery’s life.  It’s always fun to watch her make goo-goo eyes at him.

My boss doesn’t like when we’re on our phones in Committee.  He thinks it’s rude.  As a former D.C. staffer, I had to have the sutures removed just so I could learn to put my phone down.

To keep in contact with my coworkers via text and follow email in real time, I started wearing my Apple Watch again.  Which meant I needed bands, because a girl’s gotta have options.

Not wanting to splurge on a band, I bought this woven one in rose gold first.  It matches the watch and has a subtle look, which I like.  I also wanted a leather-look band, so I bought this $13 band in tan.  I liked it, but it didn’t feel nice enough to be wearing with professional attire.  So I headed over to GiGi New York; they have quality leather bands for under-$100 in a variety of colors.

I watched this documentary after a reader brought it to my attention.  Dark Money is about the corrupting influence of money on Montana politics.  Montana is a small state — one-million people and three-million cows — so it’s easy to buy the advertising, the get-out-the-vote resources, and the social media presence to influence our politics.

I appreciated that the documentary covered how insidious money in politics can be, but it focused primarily on corporate money.  Having grown up in Montana and worked elections in Montana, I can tell you the money that tries to bend our political will isn’t just corporate.  Outside groups who want to influence agriculture, health care, forestry, mining, etc. — on both sides of the issue — create non-profits with homegrown sounding names that funnel money from special interests in other states.  It’s one of the reasons politicians on both sides of the aisle almost universally oppose Citizens’ United.

As a native Montanan, combating the influence of outside interests and groups feels like a Sisyphean task.  We pass laws.  They use their money to take us to court.  We lose.  We lick our wounds.  We come back next biennium and try again.  We just want sunlight, so Montanans can see who’s standing behind the green curtain.

My under-eye area needs help.  So much help.  My boss keeps asking me if I’m feeling okay.  That’s how tired I look by the end of the week.

Layering this correcting primer under my foundation has helped.  Then, I apply the Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer.  Then, when I get home at the end of the day, I apply these Wander eye masks or these 24k gold gel ones from Amazon.  Because you can’t just conceal, you must treat the circles as best you can.

When the session ends, I’m headed back to Spokane.  My first order of businesses is to sleep for a week.  My second task is to start organizing the new house.  This book is going to be so helpful.  So if you want to organize and clean up for the Spring, grab this book.  There are lots of amazing tips, like using this small Lazy Susans to organize inside your cabinets.

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