In addition to calling my Senators on a regular basis, I had been calling my rep's local office regularly, and kept getting the same staffer, who eventually gave me his email, so I've been respecting his communication preferences by using it--- and I know in at least once instance he passed it on, because I got a reply from a more-senior staffer, in the DC office, on an issue I'd emailed about! Achievement unlocked!
As for how I'm avoiding burnout:
1) I've realized that even though making those calls stresses me, I'm actually a lot more stressed and upset when I don't/can't (e.g. over the holidays when a lot of offices were closed). Phonecalls are bad--- feeling paralyzed and helpless is TERRIBLE.
2) I keep reminding myself that the fact that there ARE so many terrible things going on is probably part of the strategy: they give us so many bad things to oppose that it's hard to know where to start and it's easy to get paralyzed by it.
2a) This community has been SO AMAZING for my ability to triage and organize my activism--- pointing me at pressing issues as well as giving me scripts! And helping me keep my spirits up and keep "building on hope" and "taking the next chance and the next" (/Rogue One reference)
3) Something else I've done both to organize my thoughts and encourage myself is to keep a call diary of what actions I've taken when, so I don't repeat myself and do try to cover a wider range of issues.
4) Last but not least, once I decide what to call about, if someone else hasn't written a script, I sit down and write one for myself.
Oh, and as far as a fandom for the next round of badges, my vote is definitely Star Wars. (I would especially love and combination of Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Padme Amidala as the badges for calling Senators, since that's what they were, lol.)
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As for how I'm avoiding burnout:
1) I've realized that even though making those calls stresses me, I'm actually a lot more stressed and upset when I don't/can't (e.g. over the holidays when a lot of offices were closed). Phonecalls are bad--- feeling paralyzed and helpless is TERRIBLE.
2) I keep reminding myself that the fact that there ARE so many terrible things going on is probably part of the strategy: they give us so many bad things to oppose that it's hard to know where to start and it's easy to get paralyzed by it.
2a) This community has been SO AMAZING for my ability to triage and organize my activism--- pointing me at pressing issues as well as giving me scripts! And helping me keep my spirits up and keep "building on hope" and "taking the next chance and the next" (/Rogue One reference)
3) Something else I've done both to organize my thoughts and encourage myself is to keep a call diary of what actions I've taken when, so I don't repeat myself and do try to cover a wider range of issues.
4) Last but not least, once I decide what to call about, if someone else hasn't written a script, I sit down and write one for myself.
Oh, and as far as a fandom for the next round of badges, my vote is definitely Star Wars. (I would especially love and combination of Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Padme Amidala as the badges for calling Senators, since that's what they were, lol.)