Denver

My birthday had a pretty sky! Even though I had a really bad birthday, at least now I know there was beauty somewhere that day.

the most beautiful sky I ever did see 17.01.16

As many of you know, I recently purchased an Uruk-Hai scimitar.

Well let me tell you, it was quite the pragmatic purchase. It has endless uses in my morning routine.

Such as making the bed:

Making toast:

Getting things off high shelves:

Making coffee:

Reaching the remote when it’s too far away:

And assisting me when I ran out of toilet paper:

I don’t know how I survived life without it.

Click here to support Schizophrenia Research Funding by Jonathan Emerson

My name is Jonathan and I am a PhD student at Teesside University, living with paranoid schizophrenia and working multiple jobs to self-fund my study. My Project: This PhD aims to break new ground on a number of fronts, in particular, developing a new model for therapeutic care in schizophrenia...

So for those who don’t know, I’m planning on self-funding my PhD into Schizophrenia, looking to develop a new model for a therapeutic care technique to be implemented within schizophrenia support. I will be incredibly grateful to anyone who considers donating anything, anything at all towards this research and the struggle that will be the next few years of my life.

Terrified Texan

I'm honestly terrified of being out in public now. I look Arab, even though I'm not. I'm born and raised in Texas. I'm gay. Maybe it's my paranoid schizophrenia, but I truly believe I will have to be careful when I'm out alone. I believe my looks were part of an assault by a police officer when I was travelling through west Texas. White people tell me I'll be fine. They say we'll get through this. But this isn't another Bush administration. This is this the xenophobic, homophobic, "disenfranchised", evangelical, white supremacist majority that incorrectly sees me as the enemy. With both Bush elections I was disappointed, but I wasn't terrified. I didn't joke about moving, I took democracy in stride and kept living my life. I jokingly get called terrorist, when I'm a native Texan. I get weird stares on the train and bus because I'm brown, and I was born in the US. I get searched every plane ride, even though I'm half white. In fact, I'm half Irish descent and half Indian descent. But I'm too brown for whites and too American for browns. I don't fit in, so I tend to stand out. And in doing so, I draw the ire and looks of others. There's too much hate and uncertainty in the world. This has always bred fascism, nationalism, and totalitarianism. And that's why I'm afraid. These ideals just won majority in the most powerful nation state in the world. And here I am, just wondering why people rationalize hate. Why has my country betrayed me? I'm truly worried for my safety in public. This wasn't the America I was promised under Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, and Obama. My first political memory was watching the Berlin Wall fall. And now, my home will be building one. Winter is coming.

Let’s Talk About How Black People Broke The Internet In 2016

Black people have a great influence on the internet and this year is not an exception.From hilarious videos to dancing and raising awareness about social injustice issues- this is all about us. It’s magical and it’s important. Enjoy you time watching all this awesomeness again!

1. Of course it’s a  #RunningManChallenge!

After high schoolers Kevin Vincent and Jeremiah Hall began posting videos of themselves doing a revamped running man to Ghost Town DJ’s “My Boo,” the challenge took the internet by storm. It even landed the teens a spot on “The Ellen Show” and a $10,000 scholarship.

A video posted by Theator Thug ! 🕵🏽 (@11.oo7) on Jan 6, 2016 at 6:41pm PST

2.  #SoGoneChallenge

Monica and Missy Elliot’s “So Gone” made a comeback when the internet started doing rapping over the beat in the #SoGoneChallenge. The best rendition, arguably, has to be Chance the Rapper singing to his girlfriend.

3.  When Luke Cage shut down Netflix

It’s no surprise that watching a black bulletproof superhero in a hoodie fight injustice would draw fans. But no one predicted that so many people would tune in that Netflix’s servers would shut down for a could of hours. Sweet Christmas

4.  #YouGoodMan

After rapper Kid Cudi revealed that he was getting treatment for his anxiety and depression, @DaynaLNuckolls and @TheCosby created a space for black men on Twitter to discuss and learn about mental health. It was a necessary hashtag that underscored the importance of this conversation continuing.

5.  MannequinChallenge and of course the best one that shows us injustice in America.  This challenge, made popular by black teens across the country, proved that standing perfectly still in mid-action poses demands more creativity than you’d think.

6.  #BeingABlackGirlIsLit

This hashtag, created by Cherrell Brown the day after Beyoncé gave a Black Panther-inspired performance at the SuperBowl, unapologetically celebrated black girlhood and womanhood. It served as a reminder that we always deserve to be uplifted and empowered.

7.  #BankBlack

Activists like Killer Mike issued a call to action for the black community to open accounts at their local black bank. This resulted in several black-owned banks seeing an increase in business, including Citizen’s Trust Bank in which 8,000 people opened bank accounts with in a span of five days.

8. #UNameItChallenge

Throwback videos aren’t safe from becoming memes. When Suede the Remix God and iComplexity got a hold of an old Shirley Ceasar sermon, they gifted the world with the most lit Thanksgiving anthem ever.

9. #BlackBoyJoy

After Chance tweeted this photo of himself on the red carpet with the caption #BlackBoyJoy, it sparked a movement. Other black men and boys began sharing photos of themselves and their loved ones exuding all of their glorious joy.

10.  #CarefreeBlackKids

“Another Round” host and “The Late Show” writer Heben Nigatu created this hashtag to spread some joy in the midst of black trauma. Seeing videos of little black kids enjoying life was the remedy we all needed.

11.  Dark Kermit memes

Social media users created some hilariously relatable memes from a video featuring Kermit the frog and his “dark side.” Black Twitter took this screenshot and ran with it, imagining scenarios in which their dark alter ego kicks in.

12.  Simone Manuel’s win

This little star told her mom “I got next!” after Simone Manuel tied for gold in women’s swimming at the Olympics this summer. Her and all of the black girls who witnessed Manuel make history proved just how much representation matters.

We are black, we are beautiful, we are caring and inspiring. Always remember that!

my utopia

What do you do when you begin to feel numb again? What do you do when you’re sitting in class and suddenly it’s like a dark cloud is sitting over your head and everyone’s smiling and laughing but in your eyes it looks like everyone’s laughing at you, smiling at your pain. What do you do when the people you love ask if you’re okay and you try to explain but all that comes out is “I’m fine, just tired” and they nod and smile and the dark cloud begins to rain because you can’t.fucking.open.yourself.up.to.love. What do you do when everyday you wake up and it’s like what next? What else is there until I feel okay again? What do you do?

Your secrets are safe here (via thelovewhisperer)

I know I tag everything with “about me” but this is about me

To my Black and Brown fam, please stay safe.

Stay indoors.

The worse has happened and that man was elected. White supremacy will rear the ugliest of heads in the coming days. They will be hunting. Check in with your loved ones. This is not a drill.

We will rally again. But now is not the time.

Stay home. Stay safe.