May You Always Remember To Carry Your Preferred Supplies Just In Case.

My co-isolation sweetie and I ordered dinner from a local restaurant that does very good Middle Eastern food.  It was delicious, and I have enough leftover gyro meat and hummus to have it again later in the week!  I may even have enough to scramble some with eggs for a third meal.  Yummmm.

Let’s take a positivity break!

Reblog and add something you saw or worked on today. It doesn’t have to be big. If you finished a 10,000 word fic, great, but if you remembered to drink some water or watched an awesome sunset, also great.

Life is scary right now, but there’s also still a lot to love, and we could use the reminder.

Yup, that really sounds like a tax plan that will help the middle class.

If you’re a middle-class family:

your taxes will go up—an average of $6,000.

your property values will go down; and you’re going to lose your deduction for state and local taxes—almost half of which goes to services like local public schools, police departments and firefighters.

If you are a teacher, you will lose your ability to deduct the money you spend on classroom supplies.

If you have kids in college, or have student loans, your taxes will go up because you won’t be able to deduct the interest anymore.

If you’re a grad student, your taxes could go up because your waived tuition will be treated as taxable income.

If you or anyone in your family is sick, your taxes will go up because you can’t deduct medical expenses.

If you’re a union member, your taxes will go up because you can’t deduct your dues.

however, you’ll be able to deduct your private jet now.

#maga

Cut, paste and share.

Here’s to second chances.  (And third and fourth, and completely new chances at something different.)

I am turning 26 very soon, and a week ago I lost my chance at a life and a love better than my dreams, mostly by my own fault. I am applying to the birthday unending in hope that I can hide from my pain and anger until I learn not to hide from myself anymore, and never again to let others carry me through my choices. I bring words that I cannot say out loud, no gender to be seen, many languages to tell stories in, some pig blood and human tears, and a few bundles of rope. May I please come in?

OH, CHILD.

COME HERE.  WE MUST SPEAK TO YOU.

THERE ARE CHANCES WHICH COME AND CHANCES WHICH GO, CHOICES WHICH ARE RIGHT AND CHOICES WHICH ARE WRONG, BUT WE SAY THIS TO YOU, AND WE HOPE AND PRAY YOU WILL LISTEN, THAT YOU WILL BELIEVE, FOR WE MAY NEVER SAY ANYTHING THIS IMPORTANT AGAIN:

SO LONG AS YOU HERE, SO LONG AS YOU ARE DRAWING BREATH, THERE IS NO LAST CHANCE AT A BETTER LIFE.  EVERY DAY IS ANOTHER CHANCE, ANOTHER SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITIES, AND SOME OF THEM MAY PASS BY UNNOTICED, WHILE OTHERS CAN BE CAUGHT, AND HELD, AND NURTURED.  YOU ARE NOT DONE YET.  YOU ARE NOT LOST.  WHAT YOU DID NOT GAIN WILL BE BALANCED IN THE FUTURE YET TO COME, WHICH IS BIG, AND BEAUTIFUL, AND WILL GIVE YOU SO MANY MORE CHANCES.

SO MANY MORE.

HERE IS YOUR PLACE AT THE TABLE.  HERE IS YOUR CONICAL HAT.  HERE IS TIME, CHILD, TIME TO LEARN AND GROW AND UNDERSTAND, TIME TO FIND YOURSELF AND LOSE YOURSELF AND BECOME SOMEONE NEW, SOMEONE YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE.  HERE IS TIME.  TREASURE IT.

WELCOME TO THE BIRTHDAY.  WELCOME TO THE BIRTHDAY.  WELCOME TO THE BIRTHDAY UNENDING.

Every time I see news about a new piece of hate legislation, I want to curl up and cry.  I don’t know if my life-entwined partner will ever be able to visit my family in Kansas again, especially since we have to go through Missouri and/or Iowa to get there.

It’s scary how many states went from “moderate risk in 2 years” to “worst active anti-trans laws” between December 2022 and May 2023.  Most of these laws will be challenged, and many may be overturned.  How many people are going to die in the meantime though?  Even when laws are struck down by the courts, will people ever feel safe there again?  How long until those laws are replaced by new ones that are just as bad but more subtle, or until people don’t have the energy and money to keep fighting against them?

open.substack.com

May Anti-Trans Legislative Risk Map

The map of anti-trans risk has polarized into two Americas - one where trans people have full legal protections, and one where they are pers

When we moved to Oregon in 2019, we always planned eventually to move back "home" to Pennsylvania, the state where, before that, I'd spent all but a year of my life since we moved there in '88.

Today, I'm going to have a conversation with my partners. I think we just have to assume I -- we -- can't go home.

Maybe ever.

Pennsylvania itself is in a low-risk category within two years, but it could easily -- well I know it -- swing into red if the next election cycle breaks another way.

That's not the kind of place where you buy the house that you intend them to "take you out of toes first," as I joked with my wives when we last talked about our plans.

That's what these laws mean to people like me. They mean "the state you consider home might become actively hostile to you within the next 5 years, so you can't plan to buy a home there." They mean "you shouldn't even board a plane that has a likelihood of having a layover in Florida, and you're definitely not going to repeat your 2019 drive across the country, one of the best and worst experiences of your life and the most time you've gotten to spend with your brother in one week since you graduated from high school." They mean half the states in this country are actively hostile to you, legally speaking, in a way you thought was finally behind you.

Sometime soon, I'm going to call my mother and tell her that we're not planning on moving back.

I don't have a clever closing line for this. I'm just sad.

@the-other-sandy, weren’t we just talking about Grapenuts?

Grapenuts

Neither grapes nor nuts.

The closest thing to gravel still considers fit for human consumption.

Possibly a major joke being played on the human race by hamsters.

It would be hysterical if, after the Republicans pitched massive fits over attempts to reduce people's student loan debt, they managed to completely wipe out millions of dollars in loans by dissolving the loaning organization. Given the current administration's cruelty in dismantling every part of the government that is designed to help people, I hope we can find more unexpected benefits like this.

hey it's probably a really good idea to download a copy of your Master Promissory Note since most of them stipulate that your loans are *specifically owed to the Department of Education* and if you intend to dispute the debt in the wake of the DoE dissolving that will be really good to have

Woo-hoo!  Whoever you are, you deserve to feel bold, rebellious, and happy!

On Shopping While Fat 2: Son of Fat

If you live in the United States, can legally vote, and have not already done so, please vote on November 8, 2022.  Specifically, vote for people who are not fascists, who will support everyone’s bodily autonomy, and who believe that LGBTQ+ people deserve rights.

If you need voting information and can’t find it yourself, call or email your local library.  They will probably have everything handy (because you are almost certainly not the only person with questions), but they will find it for you if necessary!  The only thing they won’t tell you is whom to vote for.

Some states will allow you to register at the polls if you are not already registered.  Even if you can’t register for this election, do it now so you’re ready for the next one.

Reminder: tomorrow’s Election Day. If you haven’t voted, take a moment to look up the voting centers near you and hours of operation

Some states mandate time off to allow employees to vote. Some don’t. If your state does, be firm in your right to take time to vote if you cannot any other time

Don’t let those self-righteous old fascist fucks get comfortable. Even if you think there’s no chance, make ‘em sweat

Wow.  Just ... wow.

I found a Maleficent lunch box with dragons on it in an after-Halloween sale several/many years ago.  I happily took my lunch to work in it until it was literally falling apart.  Some of my co-workers complimented me on it over the years, and some probably snickered at it (although no one ever gave me a hard time about it).  Why give up the things that give you joy just because you’re supposed to be “too old” for them??

Don't feel ashamed of doing "CHILDISH" things

•buy toys/dolls/crayons •play with Legos •play old videogames/dress up games •weave friendship bracelets •watch cartoons •use stickers •draw pics of your favorite characters

If it makes you feel nice, do it. Don’t even worry about what other people think, because it doesn’t matter–if it brings you happiness, it’s not “ridiculous”, or “immature”.

You deserve to enjoy yourself.