feature image © Riese Bernard for Autostraddle
Hello, toasted coconut nibs! Welcome to the Friday Open Thread, a funky old shack set way back in the middle of a field with glitter on the highway, porch, mattress, and many other places, too. Or a spot where cool and interesting people like you and I gather to share a space with each other on this glorious Friday.
What this is NOT is a time or place to feel bad for ourselves that we aren’t at A-Camp. I mean, would I like to be at camp with a bunch of queermos and a water slide? Yes, I would like that. But really only a very small number of our readership go a-camping and, despite how it feels because a large number of AS staff do attend, the vast majority of Straddlers are not at camp this year or, like, ever.
Beyond which, there are lots of cool and interesting things all of us do or like or have done in the past or will do in the future. I’m not at camp because I have a very cool and interesting one-year-old toddler who is too exhausting to send off to the grandparents for a whole week at this age. And I’m using a lot of my work vacation time to travel and promote my very first real book coming out in August, which is also pretty cool and interesting. I’m not mad! I’m a very cool and interesting person and I’m right here with ya’ll cool and interesting people and I feel good about it. TBH, I feel great about it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh4rCp7j7tL
And I want to know what’s cool and interesting about you! What are your hobbies? What are your big dreams for the future? What’s the coolest, interesting-est thing you’ve ever done or hope to do? What was your most favorite bestest vacation ever? What would be your most favorite bestest dream vacation ever?
Do you make your own hair crayons? Do you know how to change your own spark plugs on your car? Are you single-handedly reclaiming femme nail flagging? Are you, like, really into the Sims, like in a possibly creepy way? (Wait, that’s me and brief update: All my Sims Freeplay sims are now women living in a 100% misandrist matriarchy and it’s very nice.)
Tell me what makes you a cool and interesting person! Because you are! I see you! You are very cool! Very interesting! Also, like, tell me anything about anything. I’m here for all of it!
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At the moment, I am very much focused on my evening plans to grill burgers for my fam tonight. I’m feeling like I want to go Peak Dad and stand in the yard while drinking beer and enjoying the lovely weather we have today. But also with fire and meats.
Hope everyone is doing well and feeling good!
Do it! Get your Summer Dad on!
Here’s a good “dad joke” for you:
“I gave all my dead batteries away today…”
“Free of charge!”
You’re welcome.
Thank you for helping me reach my full potential ?
I dunno what exactly makes me interesting, but people tell me it’s how much I know and how nice/good friend I am(was told this recently). Then again cool means different things for different people. I was never seen as cool in grade school, but was seen as kind of cool later on. I think if anyone has seen my Friday open thread posts they’d probably notice my hobby is to be in nature/outdoors and share moments of it.
How is everyone’s week going? Mines hasn’t been to kind to me. I technically got stood up this week, we met up for a different reason that night(not a date). Now I am questioning why can’t I find someone more stable to date, and is more than words. It’s been leading to some poor sleeping and weird dreams. Ugh. OKC and Tinder are starting to get depressing because I am usually getting matches, but they never reply. Crying alone has been a bit therapeutic as has vegan donuts. Some input would be appreciated.
Sunday was mother’s day so I spent it with my grandmother, mother, and sister. Here is an image from a few weeks ago.
Thank you for viewing and reading my post. Have a positive weekend!
Beautiful pic! I love the photos you always share. They’re always beautiful and make me wish I was an outdoors person! I think if you were not a stranger on the internet, we could be friends! Except I don’t really do a lot of “outdoor things,” but we could get a coffee and sit in the outdoors in a place relatively near a public restroom and have quite a good time!
I have no good dating advice. Honestly, I got monogamous with my person before dating apps were a thing. I tried dating websites for a hot second circa-2005 and it was a NIGHTMARE. Like, what the fuck… I don’t think it’s you. I think it’s the shitty dating apps and the challenge of meeting a person in this digital age. I’ve only ever dated or fallen seriously for people who started as my friends, so…I guess I’d say don’t worry about the Tinder dates and focus on those good friendships you have! TINDER IS A WASTELAND.
Thank you for that, made me feel better. Parks can be a nice place to be outdoors, yet close to everything. Some even offer a shaded table next to a lake.
I remember dating sites back in 2005, even out here quality matches was hard to find. Plus, there was the stigma of being a dating site, which was seen differently back then. I met this person on OKC, which people always say is the better pool of people vs tinder. I’ve found that Tinder isn’t that big of a waste land as I’ve made two cool friends off there. I’m going to Long Beach pride this Sunday with one of friends I made off tinder years ago.
I have no good dating advice other than to commiserate. The apps are super depressing.
I don’t know what you’re looking for, but my previous experience was that looking for cis men was Way worse. Just gross. So I’ll take radio silence over an inbox full of “Hey”s any day. :/
And I feel like people get overwhelmed with the false abundance, forgetting there is another person on the other end. Like if we swipe long enough magic happens. But really, magic is what happens after knowing and connecting with one person. So maybe the secret is getting off the apps and trying to meet real people IRL. This, of course, coming from someone who would prefer to stay home with her dog and manages to turn down 90% of the invites people send me ;)
I agree, cis men are awful, as I’ve had cis gbq men hit on me in a way that is borderline harassment. And the person I’m in a complicated situation has shared some of the stuff she has received from (gbtq)men and it’s not kind. I actually for a while was going out alone, but like you kind of prefer being home, though no dog, yet.
Hi y’all! This is my first post; I finally registered explicitly so I can gush about the Best Thing ever. I just got home from a 5 day retreat learning tarot from Lindsay Mack (@wildsoulhealing), soaking in mineral hot springs, and hiking in the Tahoe National Forest. My heart feels blown open like a barn door and I’m just thrilled. And I want to talk Tarot with any other tarot nerds/obsessives!
Welcome back to earth!
That sounds amazing and revelatory and transformative!
Have you checked out Fool’s Journey, the column @littleredtarot used to pen for us? I miss it so much!
I love her, and all the contributors to the blog on her site are just amazing.
Firstly, I just want to celebrate that it’s Friday! Happy Friday, friends! My arthritis flared hardcore this week and a middle aged doctor told me I’m too pretty and too young to be sick and I barely got my body to work, so oof the weekend couldn’t be here sooner! That’s not to say I don’t like my job, cause I do. I do volunteer coordinator work at my local public library and also help with lots of outreach events. I’m starting grad school in the fall to become a librarian, which makes me so excited! Because libraries are so important, ya’ll, and they’re where I’ve found community and purpose and they really act as pillars for our communities and safe spaces for those needing it and I could go on all day :D Other interesting me things….hmmm…I have two rad cats! And I’m moving soon horray! And I love tea, even if it’s 90 degrees outside! And being outside is my happy place, even if I can’t hike like I used to! And I’ll be 24 soon and I actually feel good about where I’m at in life! And I love potatoes in any form! Enjoy your weekend. Also, your baby is the cutest thang ever. <3
I hope you told the doctor to fuck the fuck off then reported them to the highest person available.
Sorry this happened to you mate.
I screamed in my car and texted my mom and then went home and cuddled my gf because I didn’t have anything else in me at the time but now that I’ve had a day to process it I do plan to speak to someone and also never see him again. Aghhh bad doctors
I completely understand and sympathise with you on the doctor thing……I also spent a LOT of my life being told I was “too young” to have back problems therefore didn’t need testing/physio/etc (I’m now 28 with 2 herniated discs and osteoarthritis). But the comment about being “too pretty” WOW that’s a whole new level of unprofessional.
Im sorry you had to experience that and I hope you manage to see a better doctor! And that you feel better soon!
I have a solid team of other docs (including an amazing rheumy for my arthritis) and I won’t see this guy again. It’s hard to be young and sick so always nice to find fellow spoonies who get the frustration and weirdness :)
I thought “tea is better when it’s 90 degrees outside”. Then I remember that I’m from the south and drank sweet iced tea every day growing up but that may not have been your experience. I was straight up confused for a minute there.
I’m sorry about your experience with the doctor. That just really sucks.
Welcome to the wonderful world of librarianship! I’m a new librarian (<1 year, completed the MLIS last year) and there appear to be several on AS. I've actually met another AS academic librarian in person at a conference now, which was cool. The world of public libraries is different from academic librarianship, but I still think there's something of a fellowship.
Also, hooray for cats!
I’m so excited!! I haven’t decided yet if I wanna do academic or public librarianship. Would you maybe we open to chatting about the field and all the cool parts?? Aka can I pick your brain?!
Yeah sure, you’d be more than welcome to. I like academic librarianship simply because I was on track to be a professor “before”, so it’s the world I’m used to, but there are attractions to both.
Oops, I meant for my comment about connecting you with queer librarians in different kinds of libraries to be addressed to you! I know academic libraries best, particularly science and engineering ones. But I have been in libraries for many years and know many other kinds of librarians!
Yay libraries! I just got back from A-Camp where there was a little meet up of librarians there (6 or 7 of us, and we were not the only ones in attendance). If you want more queer librarian connections in different kinds of librarians, let me know!
Too young to be sick? Oh boy I bet my cousin would love to know he doesn’t have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis after all won’t need that knee brace anymore and my little niece didn’t actually have an tumor and doesn’t need regular check ups. >_>
What medical school did this assclown go to? Because I think he needs remediation or another chance at education.
Lodge a compliant somewhere if you have the energy to do it because that kind of attitude is medical malpractice in progress.
So glad you’re going to never see that doctor again. Why do medical professionals think they can get away with that shit?
I feel you on the hot drinks NO MATTER WHAT. It’s coffee for me, but I just prefer it hot! Iced coffee is OK, but it isn’t a substitute for steaming hot coffee.
I got a summer job in a tourist shop so that was fun, I’m moving to Spain next semester to study Biology there for a year as an erasmus student so that is my amazing news.
This weekend is whit sunday/monday (some religious business) which is a bank holiday weekend here in Iceland so while my folks are going out of town to their summer house, I am going to stay behind and try my luck at the local gay bar because honestly I am twenty and I’ve never been kissed which makes me sad and tinder is the most dire experience ever, the only time I went on a date, she turned out to have a boyfriend that she brought to the date and then they wanted to have a threesome. I felt very caught off guard by that, because that’s a thing you tell someone before a date.
But life is honestly pretty good right now. I got my best ever Uni grades this year and next term I’ll be able to get a first which is exciting. I finished Uni about a week ago and on my days off work I watch a documentary a day, because I am one of those people that needs to learn something new every day. I’m having a good summer so far :D
Where abouts in Spain are you moving to?
Good luck at the gay bar! And don’t get hooked up on the kiss thing…..even though it’s super cliche it really is better to have waited a long time and have a great first kiss that you remember and treasure as a memory :)
I’m going to study in Salamanca, at the USAL, which will hopefully be fun. I’m also pretty excited for the warm summers haha. Growing up in the North of England and in Iceland, they never really got above 20 degrees celsius.
Your summer sounds really fun so far!! What’s been some of your favorite documentaries so far?
Ooh, yes, I also want to know about your documentary picks!
I think so far my favourites have been a documentary called “Out of thin air” which is on Netflix, It’s about these really baffling murder cases that happened in a small town in Iceland a few decades ago, It’s really about the suspects more than anything else, and how small town mentalities influence crime and justice. Then another good one is of course the 13th by Ava DuVernay which just floored me, and made me question everything I knew about America. Others I have watched:”One of Us”, “Deprogramming”, “Going clear: Scientology”, “Brave Miss World (could be triggering for some)”, “Keep quiet” and a lovely one about Tig Notaro. Just really diverse stuff is best. And then of course anything by David Attenborough.
Happy Friday people!!!
This is a shameless plug, but for a good cause. The interesting thing I’m doing this weekend is a sprint triathlon with my rugby team for a charity that supports people with motor neurone disease (MND). This is an unbrella term for a group of conditions including ALS. So if anyone has any loose change they can spare, it’s a fabulous charity, and I am gonna be VERY sweaty.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/guwrfctriathlon
Happy Weekend
Is this allowed? Just occured tk me that it might not be.
Holy Shit, Netflix!!!!
“Jennifer Aniston and Tig Notaro to Star in Netflix Political Comedy ‘First Ladies’”: The story follows America’s first female president (Aniston) and her wife, the first lady (Notaro).
http://variety.com/2018/film/news/jennifer-aniston-tig-notaro-netflix-political-comedy-first-ladies-1202815019/
I am so for this!
100% here for this. I still am not over the cancellation of One Mississippi.
WHAT. I’m so on board though.
I have been rather absent from AS recently because I was trying to finish studying a course and I also fell in love with a beautiful woman and *somehow* convinced her to be my girlfriend and also I just started a new job!
I’m the only woman in the team but so far everyone is nice and my first week was only 2 days long between public holidays and them getting the paperwork sorted (just as well because I’ve spent a looong time without having to wake up early haha
Today I’m happy because on the way home I bought flowers for the gf because she’s amazing and gets up to make me breakfast and pack my lunch even though these were her 2 days off…..and I arrived home and she’d bought me flowers! And weirdly enough like 2minutes before arriving home I thought about how funny it would be if one day I bought her flowers only to find out she’d bought me flowers! So now my house is full of flowers which is definitely not a bad thing :)
Anyway I’m having a chill night because I have to study for my job this weekend (soooo much to study, and it’s almost all in French which I haven’t spoken/been around for 3 years) so my weekend is gonna be mostly spent staring at my laptop.
Hope you all have a good weekend!
Okay, that’s freakin’ adorable. Yay for flowers!
VICKY! That is the sweetest story!!! @vickys1
I’m in the thick of my last three months of taking grad school classes and interning 20hrs/wk while also working at my job 40hrs/wk. I’m broke and exhausted but I can’t wait to have my MSW! Also, it’s my birthday on the 27th and I realized I somehow have at least 18 close friends that want to celebrate with me, which is WILD and beautiful.
I just keep thinking about all the free time i’m going to have this fall!
Also, also I’m taking a BEEKEEPING class this summer which is a goddamn dream of mine.
Omg beekeeping! ?? That’s so cool!
Hope you have a super happy and friend-filled birthday!!!
I’ve got some temp work in a children’s publisher, and along with the admin work I’ve got at another agency I’m set to have 3 days a week of work for at least the next month. I miss my bed in the mornings but booyy I do not miss the soul crushing boredom of unemployment. I even went out for Vietnamese with the team got promoted.
Congratulations!
Awesome news! Congratulations on the new jobs!
And here’s the cast.
INTO IT!
hello! hi! i generally do not think i’m that cool, but this week i dug the penny board i bought years ago out of storage and started riding it. i grew up in a northern california surfer town and used to skateboard when i was a little kid. picking it back up is 60 percent because it’s fun and 40 percent because i’m really a surfer bro at heart and i firmly believe that if i skate, girls will think i’m cool and want to date me. i ate shit in a pothole yesterday and tore up my knee, but still. very cool!
the interesting things i do are mostly my academic work. i’m going to be applying to the senior thesis next year, and if the program lets me in i’m thinking about writing about lesbianism in early modern drama. (if you haven’t read any early modern drama, i HIGHLY recommend that you drop whatever you’re doing and find a Shakespeare comedy to read. they’re full of cross-dressing, dirty jokes, and gay shenanigans.) so! that will be interesting if i can do it.
other than that lately i do a lot of uncool and uninteresting stuff like hiring new newspaper editors and going to budget hearings. ugh.
Um, hiring newspaper editors and going to budget hearings both sound very cool and important to me. Like, you have INFLUENCE, babe!
Teenage me was very attracted to boys with skateboards, so I feel like girls or bois on skateboard would be even hotter. Solid plan to meet girls, if you ask me! Do you have the Dickies skate pants and requisite pocket chain, though? That’s an important detail, I think.
i don’t have the pants or the chain :( but i have lots of cool sneakers!
the influence is cool but it’s so stressful right now that it’s hard to see the coolness.
Happy Friday, everyone! I have the day off and am sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, listening to the beginning of a thunderstorm. It’s normally dry and sunny most days of the year here in Colorado, so any rain is a welcome change.
I slept super late and snuggled with my cat all morning, which I’m now paying for because he’s shedding like crazy and my allergies are off the charts. But he’s just so darn cute!
Hope you all are having nice weekends, too.
That sounds absolutely lovely! Hope you get more cat snuggles in over the weekend!
I did, and also last night I went to a gay bar for the first time ever! It was so great! Especially since it was a Lisa Frank roller skate night, so it was just a big neon party.
I have an identical twin sister. We are very different but we can pretty much read each other’s minds. We also have sympathy pain for each other. Both physical and emotional. Even when we lived on different sides of the state I knew when she was having a bad day or something by the way I felt. With a few exceptions, we have always tried to spend our birthday together. She spent our 21st birthday with her fiance at some bar downtown. I spent our 21st birthday at Scandals dancing with many lovely ladies, also in downtown Asheville. So, we were still close to each other.
I worked for a family-owned company for several years. Old money, American tycoon type family. I spent some of my winters in Palm Beach cooking for the patriarch of the family at the time. They would have board meetings and the whole board would fly down and I had to cook for them. They were always nice and respectful to me. Sometimes one or two of them would come into the kitchen to take a break. They would joke around with me and ask about my family, etc. I helped open a couple of their restaurants and ran one of them.
We were invited to cook at the James Beard House. All the male chefs got to go but I had to stay behind and take care of everything. But I had to spend hours teaching them how to make the pastries the right way. I had to dumb it down, and honestly, I’m still a little pissed about it, because I was way more qualified than a couple of the guys. I worked my ass off and taught myself how to bake but the guy who stood around and ate all the time got to go. I’m sure I made less too. But the whole experience was actually awesome. I love the restaurant business and just seemed to have a natural talent for it.
Unfortunately, my career was cut short by severe depression, PTSD, OCD, self-harm, and panic attacks. I haven’t worked for almost 20 years now. I still cook for friends and family but any kind of stress or fatigue sends me into a downward spiral. I have been hospitalized dozens of times, done dozens of outpatient programs, and spent many nights in the ER. I have a lot of stories about hospitals, emergency rooms, groups, etc. Except for the two years, I was getting ECT on a regular basis. That wiped my memory out but it’s the first thing that worked. Sometimes I just have to laugh about that shit.
I’m also in a 12 step program. I started using drugs when I was 9 because my life really sucked. But I got clean when I was 19 and have stayed clean for 30 years. As a result, I have some remarkable relationships. I have strong connections with some really awesome people. We go camping, hiking, kayaking, to the beach, we have game nights, and dinners, and go to concerts, lectures, protest, and all kinds of cool stuff together. We teach each other things. I’m teaching someone how to play piano in exchange for learning violin. Mostly, we teach each other how to love and be loved.
So I guess I have a lot of life experiences that are at least a little interesting.
Thanks for sharing, Denise. You’ve had a really interesting life, that’s for sure! Sound like you’ve had to be really resilient!
Are you in Asheville still? We have talked NC in previous comment threads
I don’t know how “cool” I am but I think I had a pretty awesome day that is representative of how cool I feel my life can be when things go mostly right. I went to my job that I finally have after a long-fought slog through graduate school and filled the dean in on the important meeting I attended yesterday where higher administrators discussed things that pertain pretty much directly to my role. I am about to have to come up with meaningful solutions to pretty substantial barriers in research, and I’m so excited. After that, I enjoyed a great luncheon with my coworkers where we celebrated excellent staff and gave them awards. Free BBQ is always a plus. And then, I went to the Python class I started this week, where I made a program that lets you guess a number and tells you “Game over, man!” when you lose. Now I have to figure out a way to make a program that finds a number using bisexual slicing…I mean, bisecting slicing. Hehe.
When class was over, I hit the gym. I have had a VERY long fight with chronic pain/injury and am just now starting to feel like maybe, just maybe, I will not only be OK but that I can get meaningfully strong again. I did press 65 lbs. overhead three times before I realized I couldn’t keep my shoulder stable, so I stopped, but the strength is there if I can just get the neuromuscular control down. I also noticed my wrists were going slack on my curls, so I can watch for that and fix it now. At any rate, I got in a good workout that made me happy, if sweaty, and now I am about to eat a delicious dinner that my better half made for me.
Oh, and one more thing…THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Do you like fantasy? Do you like philosophical fantasy that explores substantive issues? Or do you like fantasy inspired by RPGs where there are lots of exciting fights? WHAT ABOUT BOTH?
Next month (this is the deadline I’ve set for myself), my book will be available to order on Amazon and iTunes and whatever other bookstores are big (I know you Canadians love Kobo). I have been working on this story for over ten years and I am so eager to begin offering the series for real for real. I aspire to release four volumes a year but considering I work full time at another writing-intensive job, that may not be realistic, but two volumes a year probably is. Who wants to read a new fantasy series? Maybe Zoidberg! Maybe you!
OMG so much exciting news!
Tell us how we can find your book? Title? Author name?
When it’s released for pre-order (or just order), it’ll be on Amazon and iTunes as Inferno: Cassandra’s Call by A. Kat (yes, really, by A. Kat). I don’t yet have a title for the second volume/issue but it’ll probably be something like Inferno: The Elven Wood. Because there are elves. Duh. I don’t know what volume/issue three will be called yet because it very much depends where I stop two and start three.
The name of the series is Inferno so that’s always a safe bet vis-a-vis searching no matter how long I stretch it out. Each part will cost $2.99 in the US and roughly that or cheaper in other countries.
I’m cool! I’m hip! There I am in the feature image for this post about how everyone is cool and interesting! I’m doing Me Made May this month which is a thing where you only wear clothes you made yourself for the whole month. Can you believe I made this whole outfit, including the coat! I’m great! ;)
also its currently 3 degrees outside but I am in bed, sandwiched between my person and my cat so life is pretty glorious.
aya, my image didn’t work!
I fixed it! Wrong URL originally.
LOVE the outfit. I can’t believe you made it!!
I’m mostly glad this stressful week is over – it’s been a DOOZY. I’ve been spending a lot of time putting together a magazine, which is a pretty crazy thing to do and WAY more work than I thought. For all my fat babes out there, we’re creating a magazine that features writing by fat women & nonbinary creators (most of home, like me, are queer!) who love being active but hate toxic weight-loss culture. If that sounds like something you’d be into, check us out! I’m actually interviewing Vanessa Friedman, who you might recognize from tons of incredible essays and articles on here! http://www.fatventuremag.com/
I’m also spending my evening eating really delicious chicken shawarma and watching true blood with my wife (and our cat)
OMG wait, I want this mag! It looks amazing!!!
I’ve had a god-awful week. I lost a job that was one of the few things in my life that felt right. It was also my main tether to my queer community. I’m heartbroken and struggling to find purpose.
Something interesting about me: I’m learning figure skating at the ancient age of 25. I took a few classes as a child, but I never advanced beyond basic skating. But the Olympics inspired me. I’m now taking lessons through my park district and practicing as much as possible. I’m currently in the Gamma level, and I plan to keep going!
I’m sorry to hear about losing the job. That sounds really crappy.
So sorry to hear about your job. <3
I took figure skating lessons as a kid, too. I was incredibly unfocused about it and not very good at it, but it was a lot of fun! I love that you're taking it back up as an adult.
I don’t know how to change the sparkplugs in my truck (sad lesbian), but I am going to try to change the oil and clean/oil the air filter in my motorcycle tomorrow! It’s a dirt bike, before any of you get visions of sugarplum Harleys dancing in your head. Wish me luck!
Still pretty impressive if you ask me!
The mixing spices by scent thing is rather interesting and the most witchy thing I do on a regular-ish basis.
Not that I don’t have some set in stone recipes or ratios for spice mixes but on the fly I come up with a mixture for just about any thing by following nose and there was that time I “defeated” that supercook thing.
Oh! Organic wire wrapping, I don’t follow a pattern I just go where the wire and takes me. I’ve started wrapping again (focused more on freeforming with brass and not copper around a found object) which was another thing that annoyed me about my flare up last week I couldn’t finish my Mother’s Day gift for my mom. Most people I’ve encountered that use wire wrapping learned it from patterns to start with whereas I’m 100% self taught in my process I guess is what I’m trying to say.
I could generalise the cool interesting thing about me is my ability to improvise once I have familiarity with the terrain of something.
I’m not going into the world building character creating thing my brain does because suddenly I’m awkward and shy about it cause I had a thought(s) about what to do with but tumblr purity culture is horrifying, all it takes is one nasty person with a following and I’ve been in a room with people throwing things at me before which I laugh about now but a labor of love that came from my mind is not the same as being that weird kid in summer school.
I wish I had your nose for spice-mixing! I attempt it without a recipe because I’m a rebel. It sometimes works out fine, but I often end up over-spicing in one direction or another and having to do weird things to try to save the dish.
Everyone has their special gifts.
But hey at least you try to save the dish and don’t toss the thing out in a fit like some people that will not be mentioned.
I had a lovely massage today as a late birthday gift to myself. Then I took my kids to a picnic where we had a pretty good time, but it meant we got home late, i.e. past 8:00, and first one kid and then the other one had a meltdown. This is why we shouldn’t try to do fun things, or something.
Happy belated birthday!
And TOO REAL about sleepy, cranky kids. It’s a thing!
Thanks, @KaeLyn!
@shewasnice , please continue to do nice things with the kids! Maybe schedule more with regard to awaitable overwhelm / sleeping time/ .., but please continue to do nice and fun things. You and them deserve it!
And please get some help/support – I’ve read from several of your posts that support would be an important thing to have for you (and the kids)!
On Wednesday I went to Philadelphia to speak at an event called Demand the Ban for banning assault rifles. It was the first time I was asked to speak for money at an event and I was really stoked! The event was in some ways problematic (I am ALL FOR the ban on assault rifles! Just… some of the speakers annoyed me), but it was still a really exciting and cool thing to do and I’m kinda stoked about it :)
That’s awesome! Getting paid to use your voice for something important? Yeah, that’s really cool!!! Congratulations!
That’s amazing! Congrats on getting to speak and get your voice heard. Keep fighting the good fight!
I have a very important question. Are there going to be any lesbians/queer women at the royal wedding?
I said I wasn’t going to watch but let’s be honest, I will, because I love a spectacle.
I wasn’t going to watch either but someone shared a picture of Amal Clooney arriving , after that i just had to watch the whole thing.
Oy! I got sucked in with the amazing hats.
I’m starting the process to become a foster parent which is very cool and interesting.
You should think about doing it too! There are so many children (especially older youth) that need a home. And LGBT youth are overrepresented in the system. We need more queer foster parents!
/End rant
Now I’m about to get up and go to the farmers market to buy cut flowers for my apartment because I’m a fancy lady like that.
@Emma Best wishes with your foster parenting journey! My wife and I have been foster parents for a little over a year. It is a journey, for sure. The system and lack of control can be incredibly frustrating. But there are good parts when I see progress with the kids, and then backsliding, like last night when both had meltdowns.
Congratulations! I’m happy for you!
Hi, I’m a queer human who sometimes dresses up as anime boys, bought a hydrangea last week (and it’s not dead yet), and is going to spend this weekend watching Best of the Super Jrs because this week was rough and pro wrestling is my trashy guilty pleasure. All I’ve got, really.
What else could you possibly be or need? Sounds perfect to me!
Needed this because one of my best friends is at camp right now and seeing all the pictures of people there makes me so jealous! But I’ll get there some day :)
Anyway, one of my biggest things right now is hosting tons of travelers on couchsurfing, especially trying to be a beacon of safety and support and fun times for solo female travelers. It’s been amazing- my roommate and I have hosted 75 travelers from 15+ countries, countless states, and every continent but Antartica in the past year. We also started a podcast about it called Surf Memphis which is super fun and rewarding, sharing our travel/hosting stories as well as those of our surfers. Any straddlers passing through Memphis, message me! Would love more queer voices coming through :)
Best vacation? Probably a trip through Scotland I took with my best friend. Ya’ll, it is magical there and Nessie may or may not be real.