I keep thinking about that scene from "The Incredibles". The where is my super suit scene. Because of course its a play on a number of things.
There's a call back to sitcom spouses (usually wives, and "The Incredibles in very interested in retro-futuristic gender binaries) who are more worried about how things look and get mad when their spouse lets work intervene.
Edited to correct typos.
But right now I keep thinking about how if you live in a world where robot villains show up on the regular, some days you just need that dinner party you planned to happen. That some days you are the one yelling at friends and family to turn on the news, to watch what is happening. And some days you are the person who just carries on. And that for spouses, or other shared family members, sometimes the day you want to be the fixer and the day you want to be the ignorer, the someone else has got this right person, well, sometimes that's the same day.
Because, yeah, I was in a project zone last Wednesday and ignored all my news alerts. I briefly paused to talk books on social media, and then to wish a friend happy birthday. And when the friend texted back have you seen? My initial reaction was no, I will catch up later. And I got the freaking obnoxious curfew alert and nearly jumped out of my skin. And I finished up some stuff and caught up to the fact that well, things had happened.
So I felt a bit like Mrs. Frozone, because I wanted my friend to have a good birthday. I wanted to talk about baked goods and books on social media. And yes, I was and remain aware that a super important thing happened not two miles from where I live, and it came very close to changing all of our lives in irrevocable ways.
And, as I keep thinking about what to carry forward, I am also profoundly sad. As a DC resident, I have been told over and over that all these inconveniences where your ability to walk or drive or take a photo of a federal building changes quickly and with little warning, is to keep us all safe.
And of course, here the events of last week have shown that it was in fact, more whimsy. That these folks rallied around the Capitol under less restrictions than I have to follow to attend a hockey game.
But I don't want daily life to be as restrictive as attending sports games. I want dangerous people to be taken seriously when they announce harm. And if they can't be, then I don't think reforming these institutions, or giving them more money will fix that. And I want us to remember that attempted overthrow of the government should have consequences. Greater than slightly less access to social media.
Edited to correct typos.
