Sometimes it feels like what is going on in the world is too overwhelming, too big, too beyond my control.

Overwhelming, big and beyond my control might be accurate. But they are not reasons to not be engaged.

Time to be engaged with elected officials. (Image: Kathryn Reed)

Your voice matters. If you don’t like what is going on, merely bitching to your family and friends (assuming you are preaching to the choir and not trying to advocate for reason) is not enough.

Pick an issue or two each week to voice your opinion about. It could be something you see is working or something you want to stop or you might have a question. It’s time for your representatives to know what you believe, how you are feeling, what you are thinking.

Contact them regularly. Be civil. Be direct. Listen. Talk. Write. Then repeat every week for the rest of your life no matter who is in office.

Remember—we are the people. They work of us.

This is the link to find your U.S. senators’ contact information.

Click on the word Contact in blue to get district offices or an easy way to submit an online comment.

The email option Sen. Adam Schiff has is fast and easy to use. I had to fill out  “message subject”—to which I typed Current State of Affairs; under the drop down list of topics I hit Other. My message was: What are you doing to stop Elon Musk? Then I hit submit.

Contacting House of Representatives is also easy. Start by going to this website.

Doug LaMalfa, R, is my representative. His main office is in Chico.

His online email system was similar to Schiff’s. My question to him was: What are you doing to stop Elon Musk from running amok?

What LaMalfa had that Schiff didn’t was a box to check if I wanted a response. Yes, I said. We’ll see what he has to say and how long it takes.

When I called Padilla and Schiff’s offices in Washington the connection was garbled; remained so even after turning my phone off and on. Still, I was able to leave a message with Padilla that I favor PBS and NPR continuing to broadcast. (The FCC is investigating them.) Schiff’s voicemail was full. That is inexcusable. I then called LaMalfa’s DC office and asked what the congressman thought of the investigation. Person on the phone said I can’t speak for the congressman–um, hello, really, because it’s not like he’s going to talk to all of his constituents. His staff is there to speak for him. Unbelievable. I left a message saying to keep PBS and NPR on the air.

While frustrating, I’m staying engaged.