Actually the main thing decreasing my number of stories (besides laziness, absent mindedness and a weird sense of chivalry) is the meanness.
Like, what am I even doing here? Brianna reads every post here religiously, you know. Just like you hoped she did. And the main thing any of this gets me seems to be making her get mad at me and dis me to more people.
Brianna was pretty mean to me in some ways, but y'all can be meaner. Talking on here at all has done more damage to my life, career and reputation than anything else in a long time, and I hope you appreciate my still doing it. You were right that some people disrespected me for working for Brianna, but now both sides disrespect me. Sucks.
Anyway, here is a story:
"The first time Brianna got mad at me, and the time Brianna made me the saddest"
The first time Brianna really yelled at me was to do with a Kiwifarms thread. I already told that story.
But before that was in April, the first time she ever got mad at me about anything.
In April I won a contest with Our Revolution Massachusetts, and was basically voted "biggest Bernie Bro in Malden" or something. I won some free politics training in DC, but no ride down there or lodging. But Malden knew I was poor, and they raised $2000 for me and the runner up to go. No other town in MA raised nearly that much.
I was one of the poorest attendees out of 450 people, and definitely the poorest from the Northeast. People called me "Warren Dirty Shoes", because I had holes in my dirty shoes. I was super grateful to get to go, because of the kind people of Malden. I got to meet Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Keith Ellison, Jeff Weaver, Cynthia Nixon, Ben Jealous and Nomiki Konst. Nina Turner hung out with me and high-fived me. My friend's baby grabbed her boob. A DNC member showed me how to buy legal pot in DC and we smoked "DNC pot".
I took 25 different classes, and learned more about political campaigns in 4 days than in my entire life previous to that. I met lobbyists and think tanks first hand and experienced the fuckery. I made about 300+ amazing political connections, and I now personally know about 1 in every 20-30 Berniecrats running for state or federal office in the entire country.
But most importantly to Brianna, I got on MSNBC for a tiny 2-second non-speaking cameo.
Suddenly she was calling me up 50 times.
B:"Warren, what are you doing in DC?"
W:"I'm getting free training in political campaigns. Just like you got at Emerge, except instead of costing thousands of dollars, it's all paid for by Malden progressives and by Our Revolution. And instead of advice for women candidates, it's advice for progressive candidates of any gender. You said you wanted a progressive campaign, so I'm finding out how to do that successfully."
B:"Yes well you can't do any work for me if you're down there being busy all the time."
W:"Yes but I met Nina Turner and hung out with her today, and took a class with Jeff Weaver. NBC was filming it, and I'm about to go to a protest my friend Tania started at the White House."
B:"Warren I'm not paying you to advance your own political career."
W:"Yeah I understand. I met this awesome lady from Alaska while I was here, and she called me 'the best ground organizer in the entire country,' and she wants to pay me more just to help her campaign by internet. I like working for you way better because you're super nice and funny and colorful, but if you have to fire me, I understand."
B:"I'm not saying I want to fire you. I just need your help. Are you happy working for me?"
W:"Of course! I just, I mean, this is all so inspiring here. I've been crying all day. Nina Turner is just so inspiring. I feel like this trip has changed my life."
B:"Well but what's the benefit for me though?"
W:"Well the chair of the endorsements committee for Our Revolution Massachusetts (ORMA) is here, both co-chairs of ORMA are here, I met about 30 endorsement and support groups, from good ones like unions to bad ones like Facebook, and they all give candidates money and support if they're progressive. Plus I'm learning how to help you better, and there are 25 progressive candidates here from Massachusetts that you can connect with. Plus famous progressives, I mean what's the down side?"
B:"The down side is I need you helping me hire more staff. Are any of your new contacts going to help with that?"
W:"Maybe! I don't know, they all seem richer than me and working on their own campaigns. But they know EVERYBODY. But if you want more staff that's a good thing! I know like 5 people at home who could help."
B:"Okay great. Can you be back by tonight?"
W:"Um no, it doesn't end til 3 days from now, and that's when my ride is."
B:"Okay well I'm pretty disappointed in you."
W:"Really? Why?"
B:"You should tell me if you're going to leave for 4 days."
W:"I did tell you..."
B:"Let me finish. The New York Times is coming to interview me this week, and BuzzFeed and WIRED magazine, and this is a really bad time for you to be gone."
W:"Wow, WIRED magazine? That's great! I bet the underprivileged kids from Brockton would love if we did a story about teaching kids to code, and how tech companies can help low income and rural communities!"
B:"Exactly."
W:"Well I just don't have a ride or any money to get back right now, but I'll be back as soon as it's over. Plus my ride is the founder of Our Revolution Weymouth and also riding with me is the founder of Our Revolution Milton. I can talk to you about them both endorsing you!"
B:"Well that sounds good. Why haven't they endorsed me yet?"
W:"Well there's a vetting process. But they just changed the process specifically so you, Tahirah Wadud and Bill Cimbrelo will have a better chance, even though the groups in the 8th aren't as organized as up here in the 5th. And I basically helped talk them into that."
B:"Okay but you've already been trying that for months. What we need now is lots of fundraising so we can pay you more and hire more people."
W:"Yes, pay me more! I'm not very good at fundraising but I'll do the best I can. I'm still getting that raise on May 1st, right? And the back pay?"
B:"Yes, anything you want! But come back soon and help with this media stuff."
W:"I will! Okay now I'm going to run to the White House."
B:"Wait what are you doing there?"
W:"Protesting the war in Syria!"
B:"Are you going to get arrested? Do not get arrested!"
W:"No just hold up some signs and maybe get on TV"
B:"I saw you on TV earlier today. This is not about you getting on TV. Do not get me in trouble."
W:"I know. Okay fine whatever. I'll go see my other friend at the Pentagon instead."
B:"Warren, get some sleep so you can come back and be ready to work. This is a substantial raise you're getting already and you're not even in Massachusetts. Come back."
W:"I will! Have a lovely time with the press!"
***
That night a bunch of my friends protested at the White House and got on German, Dutch, Belgian, Russian and Arab TV news plus FOX News. MSNBC and CNN wanted to cover it when they thought we were protesting that night's potential Mueller firing, but not when it was a war protest. Which was pretty weird. But I guess Obama started the war, and those two stations seem to love bipartisan wars, especially CNN. Whatever. I went to the Pentagon and had an amazing experience which you would never believe. I bet that reality show coming to town will like hearing about it, though. Really mind blowing. And no, not involving sex if you're thinking that. Just nerdy electoral stuff, but like the gold mine of it.
***
Anyway, so I get home days later and, sorry no cigar, I missed the New York Times. Oh well, she warned me, no big deal. I see the article later, not bad.
So I go all over Whitman and Brockton and Norwood and Abington and tell everybody WIRED magazine and BuzzFeed are coming to town, and who wants to be in the story, and who wants to help me convince Brianna to come to Norwood or Brockton, and help the kids for the article, etc?
Several people get really excited, we get one school that helps kids with addictions, one Boy Scout leader who got girls in the Scouts and basically can sway or flip 4 towns just by saying somebody's a good person. Bill Murray's baseball team gets interested. Even STEPHEN LYNCH'S COLLEGE ROOMMATE.
I'm like "Brianna, we have to have these people over so you can meet them and help the working families in Brockton and stuff"
She's like "Bill Murray, hell yes I'll meet Bill Murray!"
I'm like "Well first you have to meet the boy scout guy and he gives you a good recommendation, and then the baseball team PROBABLY meets with you and you go throw out a baseball, and THEN you meet Bill Murray."
B:"That's pretty complicated, maybe later. What about Lynch's roomate?"
W:"He'd love to meet you! I'm friends with his friend! But keep in mind he's a centrist bipartisan economically conservative guy and it's not about parties or people or attack ads with him, it's about issues."
B:"Great, set it up!"
***
long story short, Brianna and Frank met with the roommate and completely blew the meeting. He agreed with them on the issues, gay rights, corruption in both the Democrats and Republicans, etc, although he isn't 100% anti trump like they are. But then Brianna cut to the chase:
B:"I'm an engineer, so I'll be blunt with you. I invited you here because you're Stephen Lynch's college roomate. We all know he's a bad guy and not progressive. You must have more dirt than anybody, including his cousin here. Tell me the dirt!"
The dude:"Um I don't agree that he's a bad guy. I think he's a pretty good guy. He listens to both sides like I do and he helped the unions. I mean gosh, he's my roomate and friend."
Me:"Well as you saw last Wednesday he's pretty out of touch with Brockton. We need a bold progressive future in the 8th and we need one bad, especially economically, and Brianna has access to the particulars of how that would work in a way that Stephen doesn't."
The dude:"I agree with that and that's why I'm here. But gosh, he's my friend. But I will tell you a story though."
(he tells a positive story about Stephen Lynch)
Frank: Let's talk about bro stuff in the kitchen.
The dude: Ok.
(they go off in the kitchen and it's me, my friend who introduced me to the dude, and a transgender Republican lady from like the Worcester area, and Brianna. I'm not really a "bro" type guy, more of a "watches abfab with the ladies" type guy, so perfect.)
The transgender Republican lady tells a story about how she's going to the Republican convention and gonna wave a transgender flag there.
I'm like wow, I'm not a Republican but I think that's awesome and very brave. Are you like a far right wing Republican or moderate, or like an Eisenhower Republican? She's like "funny you should say that because Eisenhower is one of my favorites!" I was like "Me too! I bet we have a lot in common! Are you pro cannabis?"
TR: "I am 100% pro cannabis!"
W: "Do we need more transparency in both parties?"
TR: "Yes!"
W: "Do we need more liberty for ordinary Americans, and not just the 1%?"
TR: "Yes! So you're a Bernie fan?"
W: "Yes indeed."
TR: "He's my favorite Democrat. You've got to tell it like it is."
W: "You've got to speak from the heart. And you've got to care about working families."
TR: "That's what Democrats don't do right, and it's a big reason why I'm a Republican. You know what my favorite bipartisan issue is?"
W: "We've got to fix our crumbling infrastructure!"
TR: "You read my mind." (awkward 90s high five)
My friend who introduced Lynch's roomate to us: "Speaking of infrastructure, I have a plan about how Brianna can fix the whole economy of Brockton, Whitman, East Bridgewater and Abington. What she needs to do is call these big-name tech friends of hers, bring them to the Brockton schools, and teach the kids to code, and then have WIRED magazine come interview us while she's doing that, while I do a SWOT assessment of all 4 towns and we put the data in the article. That will not only make the campaign look good and help a few kids, but it will help attract tech industry to the area, which it seriously needs. We've had factory after factory close down, the whole economy is devastated, and trying to get more shoe factory jobs like Stephen Lynch wants isn't going to do it. That industry is gone to the third world and it's not coming back. Almost the only jobs right now in the 8th are in military and tech, and people drive all the way to Boston for their tech jobs. If we had tech here, it would change everything. And the companies would like it, the prices are very good and we have lots of educated people, many of whom already work in tech."
She lays out more and more detailed plans of how Brianna could change the entire area with her tech contacts that she's always talking about. I get really excited, because I'm kinda poor, and the idea of helping poor people have a better chance makes me happy to think about and talk about. She and I start talking excitedly about all the people we know and how to set this up, and bring Bill Murray and Tito Jackson into it. Transgender Republican gets excited too. She'd be glad to help us. She likes industry. Friend and I keep insisting but we've got to train the jobs here. We've got to help the area, not just price people out. All 3 of us agree we've got to teach the kids to code. Some people say it's a neoliberal idea and I can see how tech is messing up San Francisco. But for rural areas it seems like it could really help. Plus over and over again when I'm in these 4 towns, people talk about jobs. We need jobs. So let's give them training AND tech jobs! Brianna can bring us both right? #BriannaFuture!
My friend: "People in Whitman and Abington have been offered a theoretical cupcake in the sky for decades by both parties, and they're going to take the cupcake in front of them with the hair in it over the one in the sky which might look better."
TR: "So true. Brianna needs to be out in the district SHOWing what she can do."
My friend: "Can we get Brianna's friend at Apple on the phone tomorrow about sending somebody down to help the kids?"
Brianna interrupts: "Sorry to interrupt and change the subject, but I *am* the candidate here, the one we are talking about."
Us: "Of course! Go right ahead!"
Brianna: "Do you think my podcast Rocket is one of THE tech podcasts, or just A tech podcast?"
My friend's face fell, and I don't think she ever saw Brianna the same again.
The dude: Well it's been nice, but I better head home!
He later declined to endorse Brianna.
No kids were ever helped or met with
No jobs came to Brockton
I applied to all 25+ endorsement opportunities I got in DC on Brianna's behalf, and got ONE of them. Because Brianna would not return their calls or emails. She eventually yelled at me so much for even trying to get them, that
WIRED never actually showed up
BuzzFeed never came to Boston, they invited Brianna to some conference in New York that she just went to and spoke at.
Brianna didn't want to meet with my friend anymore because she "talks over people too much". I eventually talked her back into ever hanging out with my friend over Bill Murray stuff, and we all met with the Boy Scouts guy and then a week later, Brianna got mad that that didn't get her Bill Murray when she never called the Boy Scouts guy back after the meeting even though I reminded her to over 10 times.
May 1st turned into May 15th. On May 14th I was suddenly "in trouble" for a post months before I ever worked for Brianna.
Raises did happen but they weren't as high as promised, because I was "in trouble". No back pay ever materialized.
Around June I discovered Wikifarms, and pretty much lost all remaining enthusiasm to do a good job. But I was already on the way there after all of the above.
Later on, Brianna fired me, as you know. My friend called me up to call Brianna the C word, and the B word and yell about it really loud.
***
Although I respect free speech and rights to say them, I do not approve of the "ironic" racism stuff here, or transphobia or homophobia. I'm pretty much a SJW "soyboy" in that regard. And I think it is pretty mean here, and stalker-y. I know not everyone, but some people. My friend read half a page of this thread and was like "they're like weaponized incels". And I kind of feel like a tattletale, even though Brianna made me sad. But I hope you enjoy my semi juicy (if a bit rambling) story. I may retreat into kind of a wussy bubble of people who like me for a while. But it's been fun being made fun of, in a way. Enjoy the snark fuel and sorry if I get "boring" for a bit.
Sorry deleted some text accidentally. Should read: "She eventually yelled at me so much for even trying to get them, that I got demoralized and mostly stopped.
WIRED never actually showed up"
like that. I don't mean that her yelling made them not show. I have no idea why.