FRIDAY OPEN THREAD: I Want To See The Pictures You Took This Week!

Yayyayayay! It’s finally Friday, which means it is time for the Friday Open Thread! Your hair looks so good today. How has your week been? My week has been bananas! I am glad it is finally the weekend and I don’t have to wake up at 5:30am for two days (just kidding I’m jinxing myself to be wide awake at 6am by saying that).

This week, I seemed to have a lot going on. Well, you know what they say: pics or it didn’t happen. Wait, did everyone stop saying that like three years ago? Forgive me. I am still linguistically stuck in like 2004.

Last weekend I went to Pride! It was magical, as being around a ton of queers and allies always is. There was a petting zoo there, too! My best friend (the best straight ally and the best honorary Straddler, hi Stephie!) and I thought it’d be a good idea to go pet the animals.

:/ :/ :/

:/ :/ :/

So that’s how that ended up going after all. Turns out I’m freaked out by miniature animals. Unpredictable jerks!

I went to IKEA with my friend, then I incorrectly prioritized a froyo cone over holding up a 50 pound box.

Regrets: I have them.

Regrets: I have them.

My friend set the box down on a railing, and then the box slid off the railing, and then the box hit my leg and now I have a bruise the size of my entire hand. I’ve been the whiniest of whiners about this shit.

My girlfriend and I also bought a couch! Off of Craigslist. Not IKEA. IKEA couches are expensive, aren’t they?

Maddie's going to kill me for putting up a picture of her in work clothes but this is a risk I will take for you.

Maddie’s going to kill me for putting up a picture of her in sweaty work clothes but this is a risk I will take for you.

If you’re thinking that looks real perilous strapped into the back of my parent’s SUV, then you are correct. But no one died! Not even a couch! No one even cried. That’s really rare for the combination of furniture moving and me.

The weather has been freaking me out lately, though. We had a terrible hail storm the other day and it killed my basil and brussel sprouts.

RIP

RIP

There’s also been a ton of tornadoes through the Midwest. Stay safe! Bribe someone with a basement. I recommend alcohol and sweets for bribery, personally.

Are you watching the World Cup this weekend? I made the mistake of trying to sneakily watch it on my computer at work yesterday and ended up yelling when Germany scored, right in front of of a client.

Screen Shot 2014-06-27 at 4.08.46 pm

Turns out if I yell really loud at work I won’t get fired! So far.

But now it’s even more exciting because this time, if our team loses, they’re out! Of course I’m Team USA up in here, but my gut feeling says Brazil. Anyone but Germany, amirite? (wait wait German fans don’t hate me your team is really good I’m just jealous.)

Tonight, I’m going to a fancy dress party for my friend’s birthday! Bring on the cocktail dresses and also beers the size of my face.

Show me your pictures! I want to see what you’ve been up to! And what you’ll be up to this weekend! Best picture wins all of my love and devotion.

How To Post a Photo In The Comments:

1. Find a photo! This is the easy part. Find a photo on the web, right click (on a Mac, control+click), hit “Copy Image URL,” and then…

2. Code it in to your comment! Use the following code, and use a DIRECT LINK to the image. Your image link should end in .JPG or .GIF or .PNG or .CallMeWhateverYouWant even. I don’t care, but it should be an image suffix!

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2. Copy the code and paste it directly into your comment.

3. Go forth and jam.

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Hansen

Hansen is the former DIY & Food Editor of Autostraddle.com and likes to spend most days making and cooking and writing. She teaches creative writing at Colorado State University and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts in her free time.

Hansen has written 189 articles for us.

149 Comments

  3. I am doing a project where I take a photo every day for a year. Some of my photos from this week are super boring, so I’ll stick to the good stuff.


    I painted my nails with polka dots. The girly/cute/summery look kept me optimistic during my (long, boring) last week at work before summer vacation.


    I guess you can see Mt Fuji from here on clear days. It was beautiful anyway… a nice escape from the city.


    … and on Friday, I stopped in the park on my way to work.

    • I applaud the 365 photo project. I tried it once and only got to about day seven. I love your pics of Japan! I SO want to go there someday.

      • This is the second time I’ve done a project like this; the first time was when I turned seventeen to when I turned eighteen. It’s been awhile (seven years) since that project finished and I thought it might be interesting to do another year and see what’s different. I just wish I had done one during university, too.

        The rest of them are at goodbye 25, my Tumblr, if you’re curious for more Japan pics. (I live in Japan, so they’re all taken here (obvs), but some are generic and could really be anywhere.)

        • Ah!!! Your tumblr is awesome! That shot of the beach reminded me of an Ozu film (can’t remember which one). Tarot and journals, yay!

  4. I JUST ADOPTED SUGAR GLIDERS, NO BIG.

    Their names are Fili and Kili and I’m pretty much dying every hour of every day because of how fucking cute they are even though Kili’s kind of a butthead.

    • I didn’t know you could have pet sugar gliders! I guess it depends on where you are?

      Yours are soo precious and I love their names!

      • Yeah, they’re illegal in California and a few other states. I’m sure they’re illegal in plenty of other countries too. Exotic animals, yaaaay

        • I had to look them up, but they are very cute.

          Ferrets are also illegal here(though you can’t tell by going to the pet store as they sell medicine for them), but I’ve met 2 ferret owners. I’m sure it won’t stop any who wants one.

    • Whoa I just did a google search and found:

      “As of January 3, 2014, sugar gliders are legal to own in Massachusetss, but achieving this goal took three years of hard work by Michelle Cutler and others.”

      I had no idea I wanted one so bad, thank you Michelle Cutler and others.

    • I’ve been having a pretty bad day/week, but seeing the sheer adorableness that is your sugar gliders just made my evening brighter. The cute! It’s killing me~!

  7. So, I have been working a lot of night shifts lately. That makes me sad and lonely. Luckily, the beautiful sunrises that I get to experience make the whole ordeal moderately more tolerable…

  8. Hansen, I am appalled that you used that picture. Drinks on you tonight.

    Here is a little show and tell for the part of the week that she left out….

    I let her put her car in the garage that night and took the curb spot. Drinks on her tonight.

  9. I’ve had a pretty nice relaxing week. I’ve spent a lot of it painting. Currently I am painting my bike, but it isn’t ready for showing. So I’ll share a painting I made a few days ago.

      • Well I’m using acrylic because that is what I have, but I don’t know how long it will last. I have to do a few layers to cover up the bike color. I’m only painting some of the bike. I can post pictures tomorrow once I’ve finished.

        • Here is my finished bike. It’s all acrylic paint and most of the black/white portions are made from Sugru.

  10. A few days ago I saw a gondola!

    I think I saw it once before but that time it was from a driving tram and I wasn’t sure I had seen an actual gondola, and now I was parking my bike (on a boat used as bike parking) and suddenly it came floating past right in front of me. It was all very dreamlike and Venetian and stuff. Then I rushed to get my camera out of my bag.

  11. Hi!

    I bought a binder this week, which is a thing I’m trying out as I’m figuring out my genderqueerness, and the person who did my fitting for it was really nice and it feels way better than i thought it would, physically and mentally, so here’s me in it, yay!

    And then here’s me and my friends’ feet around a little treasure trove in the middle of a rock labrynth we found by the swimming hole

      • Gazebo, a lingerie store in Northampton, MA. I didn’t want to just buy one off the internet and have it not fit right, so I felt super lucky that I saw a flyer that they did binder fittings :)

  12. Clearly, this has been a week of thrill and accomplishments.

    (In other news: graduated college in May, start a new job at the end of August, spending the summer trying to find odd jobs and other stuff to do, but mostly sitting in my parent’s house on the internet by myself.)

  13. By far, the highlight of my week was seeing one of my best friends get married yesterday. Him and his wife are beautiful, awesome people and I love witnessing their love. Also I love dressing up because damn I’m fly.
    super dapper in my bow tie/dress shirt/vest
    One selfie just isn’t enough!
    super dapper in my bow tie/dress shirt/vest

  14. I spent the first part of this week trying to save this lil squeaker who was abandoned on my driveway. I made a point of not naming him or getting too attached ’cause I read that hand-reared baby mice only have about a 50% chance of surviving, but I still cried when he didn’t make it. :(

    • That’s so sad! It was so compassionate of you to try though. Yesterday I wept a little while rewatching “The Rescuers” for the first time in years and that just pales.

    • Hey you were kind to Lil Squeaker in its final moments and that says a lot about you and your kindness. Let the Big Mouse in the sky on the rainbow bridge give you a big warm hug (()) on behalf of Lil Squeaker.

  15. I’ve been dealing with some shitty shit recently, but for self-care I did all the classic SoCal things I do when I’m visiting home: giant California burrito, beach, and soft serve. Sending love to anyone else having a hard time, and good luck finding comforting things to get you through <3

    • Firstly, amazing pie lid.

      Secondly, I need to get my hands on that book; not so much to understand partners but to understand myself.

      • :) there are some great books out there…I just recently got a bunch on amazon. Best of luck to you on your journey and hope you have loved ones for support! This would be a great subject for Audostraddle articles, don’t you think?

        • Thanks. It’s been a long journey, and I know where my baggage comes from, but knowing that you do the things you do, and where these actions originate isn’t the same as being able to stop yourself doing them. I am really all or nothing in relationships, and I definitely throw people away before they get the chance to hurt me.

          Also, yes, it would be a wonderful topic for Autostraddle to cover.

  17. Aside from forming a meaningful relationship with Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite, this week I left the house a grand total of once, wherin I managed a) fancy hair and b) this semidecent selfie:

  18. I don’t have a picture for it, but in a meeting yesterday with my boss he used gay inclusive language for the first time I can remember. It made my day.

  19. Seattle Pride is this weekend so I don’t have pictures just yet. I’ll be spending the majority of it in a beer garden aaaand then on the dance floor. However it was my birthday on Tuesday. I turned 23. I spent my day adventuring around the city with my girlfriend and then the evening with some good buddies. I took a lot of drunk selfies.

  20. I’m going to do this. Can I post tomorrow? I have things to say, but I have a family reunion tonight and I promise I’ll take a picture for you. Stuff happened this week, you’re going to be proud of me.

      • That is fantastic, because I’m SO EXCITED. Friday just happened to fall on top of my family reunion, which is also extended through part of today.

  22. So, I’m really bummed I have to miss World Pride in Toronto this weekend, but on the upside, I’m missing it for a very good reason – tomorrow, I’m playing in my VERY FIRST EVER roller derby bout and I am SUUUUUUPER excited about it! I started playing about a year ago, and have been working all year to improve my skills to the point where I could get rostered on the team, and I DID and tomorrow I get to FINALLY PLAY!!!

    Here’s where ya’ll come in. Our coach has given us players the responsibility to choose our entrance song (yes, like in wrestling – this game is just the most awesome) so tonight I’m trying to come up with some ideas and I need suggestions! So, if you have an idea for me, reply to this comment!

    PS: Our team name is the Bytown Blackhearts. (And yes, Bad Reputation is already on my list!)

  23. Congrats on your Craigslist couch!!! I too have a Craigslist couch and it’s where I’ve spent the majority of my time after work this week.

    I don’t have any pictures from this week to show so I’m gonna cheat a little by posting this picture of a rainbow in my backyard from a couple of weeks ago.

  24. My mum runs a nursery school and they hatched this little fella last week. His name is Phil and he fits in one hand!

  25. I absolutely love that this is an open thread with photos!!! I took lots of portraits of my beautiful model & muse this week but spent every other second hovering over my keyboard working away at midterm exams, any pics of which would be extremely uninteresting. Love seeing everyone’s pics!!!

  26. I had my first week at my fantastic camp job with fantastic people, which was all fantastic. I start actually leading kids on Monday. Everything feels a lot less fantastic than it was, though, because my grandfather passed away on Wednesday night.

    I’ve been alternating between elation at my job and utter numbing sadness, so I’m exhausted.

  27. Pride was last weekend here in Louisville, and the sky was hella gay for the occasion.

    And I spotted evidence of a fellow Harry Potter nerd in the ladies’ bathroom graffiti at my local dive.

    • Sooooo pissed my new job made me miss Pride here in the Ville. And it’s a terrible job so what’s even the point.

      • Meet me at Nach some time. I’ll buy you a make up drink. You know, that’s actually good and not shitty and overpriced.

  28. Starbucks screwed up my coffee by making it too small…so I got to keep that one and get the proper one.

    Side note: I’m not allowed to have that many shots for breakfast ever again.

      • Haha!! It’s a caramel macchiato with raspberry. I usually get a comment about pretty coffee when I get it from either the person making it or the people in line waiting for their own. :)

  29. Hey everyone!

    I moved to Seattle right after camp. Like legit had all my shit at camp which seemed like a good idea at the time. It is not. Don’t do it kids. Learn from my slight overlook.

    It has been going well. From my small town in Wisco to a larger city I will say it is going good. A few parts where I just wanted to cry but I did not.

    Since I would like to win all of Hansen’s love and devotion here is a sneak peek for my pride outfit/other fun.
    1.A CORGI BOW TIE
    2. “You’re cute” cards to hand out. I can be really weird and awkward so why not just hand out some cards. Raise people’s self esteem.

    Oh and since living and working in a hostel I have no idea what day it is. I read Friday Open Thread and thought, “Is it really Friday already?”

    P.S. Hansen I’m alive…don’t worry. Small town girl in a big city is surviving.

  30. This week, my best new Zealand friend visited and it was pride and everything was amazing and we went to pride and a pride party and got some “themed” designs painted on ourselves:
    (Also, run on sentences were a thing I used, apparently)

    In other news from my world, my cat got into some packing peanuts and it was the cutest.

  32. Somebody just shot a gun 7 times somewhere down the block from my apt and even though I’m inside I’m fucking freaked. That’s my story.

      • Last I checked I still had the number of limbs I started out with, which is always nice :) It’s like the weather gets nice and the gangs come out of hibernation or something.

  33. Sidewalk blackberries in Brooklyn

    Swoon exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum

    Queer Crisis (.tumblr) sticker outside former St. Vincent’s Hospital, Manhattan

  34. I just moved to a new city and don’t know anyone, but instead of staying home tonight I thought I’d go out to a Pride Week event. These are all the friends I made.

  35. Monday, my brother in law, my nieces and I went to a water park for the whole day. I woke up Tuesday feeling like I had A-Plague AGAIN so vitamin C and Sudafed because tomorrow I get to play some paintball with my co-workers. Speaking of water park, my otterbox failed me thus ending my Samsung s3’s life. I was already planning on getting the s5 then my credit card cried cause it was too early! I sadly couldn’t save my s3 guys. I felt like I lost someone. Electronics give me feels. The rice thing didn’t work. Guess it was water logged for some time. Anyway. RIP buddy.

    WATER PARK!!

    then

    then it went to the shop and yesterday as of 427PM it died.

    ALSO!!! I made this earlier in the week!! =) NYC y’all!!

  36. The cute little travel section of the used bookstore in Denton, TX. My friends and I go there to hang out sometimes. It has three awesome levels and the most decent LGBT section I’ve ever seen in a bookstore that’s split into fiction, nonfiction, and autobiographies by identity.

  37. I wanna share a picture of the demon puppy I’m fostering trying to deceive us of her wicked ways by looking like a cute little fuzzy angel sleeping on my lap but uh the iphone adapter thing and this laptop are having a disagreement. Blast you technical difficulties, blast you into outer space.

  38. This week I bought way too many shoes, 2 pairs total cost £26…win. One pair are super gay looking olive green corduroy wallabee type things which I just love, even though they look a bit like slippers. You know in Disney/schmaltzy old movies when a princess/femme protagonist is putting on heels and spinning with shoe joy…i was the tomboy version of that. I also finally had time to do some drawing which was super inspiring because I remembered I don’t suck when I work at it. Can’t for the life of me link to any images from my BlackBerry :( the spirit is willing the technology unable.

  39. Today was upsetting. I’ve been having a bad two weeks, actually; much heartache and anxiety, and it will be a while before the worries are over. Because of a major upset last week, I decided to do something for myself for once to help me let go of the past and move forward, something I’ve been waiting to do for two years while I was letting a mohawk grow out. …So, this is what happened yesterday:

    My hair does indeed look good today, thank you~ ;)

    • Urgh. Photobucket, I give up on you. You disappoint me with your lies.

      Let’s try this again with imgur…

  40. I’m temporarily on holiday because I’ve finished teaching for the year-round course and my summer classes don’t start until Tuesday. I’m a little apprehensive about that because all of my summer students are kids (I usually teach more adults than kids) and the courses are pretty intensive. For now, I’m just trying to take a break.

    Now that the weather has got hotter, I’ve been taking my daily walks in the evening instead of the afternoon. Sunsets are very distracting.

  41. Hey, anyone know if there is autostraddle car gear? I just got a new Honda CR-V. I’d love some lessie gear on my cute new ride.

  42. I keep forgetting your from the same city as I am!! Went to 1up to celebrate me getting into Metro State University

    Party time:

  43. Okay, so I will model my NYC Dyke March 2014 look for ya’ll! I don’t usually wear eyeliner, so I figured I’d go overboard with it. Also I did two tiny braids on the side of my head and then pinned them back, don’t know if you can see them. But I was going for a Sarah Manning from Orphan Black look. Anyway, I’m super excited for my first Pride as an OUT human!

  44. This weekend I went to Playa de Langre on the Northern coast of Spain, and then had a coffee at the world’s most cheerful bar

  45. I don’t have any photos but in the past 3 days I’ve seen breakdancers, Japanese female drumming crews, the NYC pride rally, the Apollo theatre, and so many rainbow flags and cute lesbians that I will be so sad to go back to Australia when my 2 weeks holiday are up.

    I’m going to the dyke march today and so excited (and nervous) to meet some other straddlers. I’m inspired by this post to remember to take some pics when I’m out and about.

  46. Last Saturday I marched in the Mermaid Parade as part of an all-female drum corps in a Scottish pipe band. Being on Coney Island that day was a little overwhelming, but we managed to find a sketchy vacant lot and have a photo shoot. Such a fun day!

  47. I had just finished like 4 cups of coffee at a coffeeshop near campus and thought I could make it home in one piece and was WRONG but luckily lots of buildings were open on campus because of orientation, so I sat down to pee in probably the oldest stall I’ve ever used and I saw this gem and was actually pretty glad I didn’t make it all the way home lol

  48. I went to the Sahara in Morocco

    Aaaaaaaand had a new cut because it’s more practical with the heat here

  49. I really like taking pictures (especially nature shots because Western WA is effing beautiful). I haven’t taken a lot this week though.


    I live near Tiger Mountain in WA, and this is just a goooorgeous sight. Barely any filter, for reals.

    And then I took a selfie.

    Also: I’ve been living just outside of Seattle for about a year and don’t really have friends here. Anyone in Seattle/outside of Seattle willing to possibly meet up for some fun? I feel kind of embarrassed about knowing basically nothing about Seattle.

  50. This awesome sea fog rolled in on Wednesday. There are these cool tree stumps on the beach so I dragged my girlfriend out of bed and off we went.

  51. It’s San Francisco Pride weekend!!! SF Pride is proceded by Frameline International LGBT Film festival and I saw som AMAZING LGBT films this week!!! The pic below was when I went to the legendary Castro Theatre to watch Patrik Ian Polk’s (Noahs Arc) new film “Blackbird” starring Monique and Isaiah Washington! It was on of the most amazing queer coming of age films I have ever seen!!

  52. Well this week began for me with Istanbul’s Trans Pride march

    And tonight, to distract myself from the fact that the woman I’m falling for seems to have forgotten how to communicate, I painted my nails to blend in with the flags at tomorrow’s general march.

    (Looking at that I see how much cleaning up they need!)

    Happy pride everyone!

  53. Guess what, fellow straddlers? I came out to my mother today. I’ve been out to my friends and at work for quite a while now, but while I haven’t been doing anything to hide my queerness from my family, I also hadn’t come out per se to any of them til today (my partner is a man, so despite my super-queer hair and black triangle tattoo, definitive coming-out is required to not be presumed straight). My mom was always going to be the hardest one to come out to, so it’s all downhill from here! I popped open some (old) champagne (that has been sitting in my fridge forever, but whatever) to celebrate, guys!!!

    I also got my ALH trimmed and freshly queered-up, so I’m feeling pretty damn good this week.

  54. I’m super happy that our city council formally acknowledged that we’re on unceded first nations territory this week – here’s the lovely entrance to the school opposite our home in celebration!

    And my wife’s beautiful garden, just because it also makes me happy *grin*

    Have a fabulous weekend everybody!

  56. I’m super happy that our city council formally acknowledged that we’re on unceded first nations territory this week – here’s the lovely entrance to the school opposite our home in celebration!

    And my wife’s beautiful garden, just because it also makes me happy *grin*

    Have a fabulous weekend everybody!

  57. Finally bought (and fixed the rust on) an Official LLBean Subaru outback… finally holding my queer head up high, driving around Burlington and being a walking stereotype…

    • I can’t tell if you’re referring to being a Vermont stereotype, queer woman stereotype, or both, but either way, you are totally driving in style.

    • Wow, another Vermonter! Congrats on the car! But do you have a Labrador and plaid shirt to complete the picture?

  58. Well, this week I got to come home from my first visit to SF with my girl, had a birthday, and I finally actually joined Autostraddle, even though I’ve been reading it for a really long time. Great week!

  59. Tonight, Saturday night, I finished the lengthy process of being completely out. I wrapped it up today by coming out to my brother and sister, and two of my best friends from high school separately!!. It was so great, I think they had some of the best reactions- because they were so (as I told my girlfriend) “nbd, loving, and happy for me.” I don’t know why I was so scared as to leave them for last, but it doesn’t matter anymore and I am very happy. Good weekend :)


  63. I got a haircut :D

    ALSO, I came out to my family this week! It was dramatic. I kicked my husband out of my apartment and told my mom I was a lesbian. He’s pissed, of course, but it’s not like nobody saw it coming…

    I’m struggling, a little. I’m SO SO SO grateful that my family took it well, but I’m not sure how to deal with grieving my marriage and the loss of my husband’s family. I lived with him for like two years, there’s a level of attachment between us that I don’t know how to describe. He was quite emotionally abusive at times. I don’t know what divorce is going to mean as far as custody of my daughter, and that makes me nervous. She belongs with me, I can parent her more effectively and provide for her perfectly fine.

    On another note, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to date people my age. I have a 1 year old baby. That’s maybe not a big deal for people who are a little bit older, but I’m barely 21. I’m afraid that girls who I want to date are going to be a little freaked out by the fact that if we got as far as moving in together, they’d be part of my daughter’s life. I haven’t even met any other gay people who live in the same town that I do, so maybe I shouldn’t worry about something that hasn’t even happened yet, but it’s definitely a concern.

    I’m also a little nervous that people will doubt my sexual orientation because of the obvious fact that I have a child with someone. It’s not like it was years and years ago, even though it feels like it’s in the past, to me. What would you think if you started dating a young girl claiming to be a lesbian, who gave birth a year and a half ago?

    I’m probably overthinking this. Anyway, the point is that I’m OUT and I feel liberated, and refreshed, and totally awesome!

    • I just want to say you are showing a huge amount of honesty, courage and self love by acknowledging your sexuality not only to yourself but to your family. Living your life and being honest with yourself and your family is huge and is not to be underestimated because their reaction to your vulnerable disclosure is unknown and may be hateful. You have every right to come out to those who care for you in your own time and you know best when to do this. You have also decided to up the challenges in whatever time frame you have done this monumental act of bravery in by saying goodbye to your husband. You are so courageous, and this will serve you well. I am cheering for you and send you fistbumps, toasts, and celebratory gunfire. Self love and honesty is the first and most important step and you are taking it. My hat is off to you.

  64. photo IMG_6520_zps47386b31.jpg

    Good morning!

    :) Extra extra crispy double fried bacon and a sunny side up! And, you can never ever forget your cup of rice tom complete that good ol’ Filipino Breakfast.

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