Hello fellow Straddlers, and how has your week been? I’ve just finished a 20,000-word thesis and will be getting my final feedback later today. I’ve also just helped my best friends of ten years pack up their stuff to move to America, and do you know how much of your crap migrates to other people’s houses over the course of ten years? I have no idea where these bags of books are going to live. My bookshelves were already a carefully negotiated balancing act, you guys; there’s no space for anything more.
This is Kitten Harkness, he came with me to help them pack
It’s also the start of the school year, which in my head means it’s more like new year than New Years actually is and I suspect I’m not ever going to shake that. September always feels hopeful, like I’ll have the chance to do everything right this year even though I probably won’t. Plus I really do like pumpkin spice lattes. Are you in school? If so, how has your first week(s) back been? Are you just starting or are you old and jaded in your school career? And what about everybody else — how are you finding September and does it feel like just any other month? Also, show me your pets because everybody likes pets!
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Thoughts:
1) Screenrant has said that Supergirl will have a new costume in the upcoming season. I’m terribly afraid that it will that Mon-El will return as Valor, with his own costume, and Supergirl will match her costume to his.
2) How much time has passed in the “Carmilla” universe? In the first season Laura is a freshman, but in the trailer for the movie she’s a professor.
I think its meant to be ten years later but I may have made that up
To answer your second question! It’s a five year time jump :)
Congratulations on finishing your thesis/draft!
Having left academia long ago, and not being one who can take summer holidays, September doesn’t have that new beginnings feel.
Instead I’m delighting (?) in the fact that a new cat is hanging around on and off. My first four years living here I saw more stoats and foxes than cats, but this past year the cat population has exploded and most of them seem to be either cream, red? white-spotted or tortoiseshell. Miss Kitty Fantastico, the stray who moved in with us back in December, of course is all of the above. Well New Cat is white/cream with a dark ear and a dark tail, like Miss Kitty Fantastico, and is quite possibly a sibling or half-sibling. Here pictured unusually out in the open by our neighbor’s letterbox via super zoom lens:
Squee! Lets have a picture of Miss Kitty too?
Always!
I hope that’s not one I’ve shared here before. ?
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I really like those big masculine looking cats. Too bad I am highly allergic to cats.
I’m in my second to last year of college, and I’m realizing that it’s okay if I never have the “classic college experience” I expected. I’m learning to appreciate that going to therapy is a hell of a lot more important than going to parties, and that if I look back on my college years and discover that working on my mental health was my main extracurricular, it will have been time well spent. There’s so much pressure in American society for college to look like it does in the movies. But my personal college experience is more important than adhering to anyone else’s idea of what these years should be.
I hope everyone who’s going through a similar struggle right now can take a deep breath, let go, and appreciate and value themselves. You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, and you are exactly who you’re supposed to be.
Well done on working through this! Its so hard and so important and things are going to keep getting better for you.
I started therapy while in college and it was the best idea ever.
Hard work though, but still, a good time to get it done.
Congratulation!
I’m about 2 weeks into law school and honestly I’m really proud of myself cause I’ve been eating better and going to the gym regularly and just…being an Adult Person instead of the terrible college goblin I became in my last year of undergrad.
Also I’ve only cried twice this week so that’s…better than average tbh.
Congrats on all fronts!
I rarely comment but always read; however, the idea of College New Year is too real. It’s my second of three years of college, and I think I’m having the Quintessential College Experience right now. I impulsively cut four inches of my hair off in the bathroom last night, scheduled my appointment for my first tattoo, got accepted to study in Spain next semester, and haven’t had a single sober weekend since I’ve been back. I am aware that these are questionable choices even as I make them, but I continue forward in my mission to make this semester my Real College Experience, as I’m fairly certain I won’t have the chance later. And, as a side note, I genuinely enjoy all of my classes this semester :)
Hey there’s questionable and then there’s questionable! These all sound awesome (as long as its a sanitary tattoo parlour)!
Congrats on your thesis! I’m out of school, but the Jewish New Year is next week, which helps me stay on a school year calendar. I wish it were cooler in NYC… (It’s in the 80s every day, only dropping down to 70 at night.)
I need your help, Autostraddle. Last night, I went on a second date. I’m really enjoying getting to know this girl, and I’d love a third date…BUT there hasn’t been a kiss yet. I’m generally one to kiss on the first date, and I’m normally fine initiating it, but I don’t know what’s different this time. I guess taking it slow is better than U-Hauling, but I’m nervous she’s not interested, even though she is. I dunno, dudes.
You could always ask? It’s been a while since I’ve gone on a proper date, but the last time I was one I asked if she consents to a kiss. She actually liked the question because people generally don’t ask her a consent question like that.
I think asking is a good idea!
And yes- I am trying to lay the groundwork for some really meaningful High Holidays. I have some stuff going on in my marriage etc. that really needs some reflection and it is such a great time for it.
This is the end of my 3rd week in grad school, it went much better than the first two weeks, it takes me a long time to get used to new routines. But I’m doing homework on a Friday so I think I am doing okay, like that would never have happened in undergrad. Also I’ve been actively applying and looking for jobs all week. Even though I haven’t heard back from anyone yet and it is stressful, at this rate someone at some point will have to give me a chance right?
I think it helped that I got to spend a few hours with a friend, I hadn’t seen anyone that wasn’t family or classmates in about a month. Having to read all the time is going to make it hard to make friends.
I technically haven’t been in school since Obama came into office(my last semester was when got sworn in). Though I did for a while work as the camera and computer person for a research project a friend was doing as part of his required credits at local University. I liked it because by the end all I was doing was editing videos, or transcribing the video, while watching day time TV, and eating snacks all from the comfort of my kitchen. Now, I just work with my father and searching for new idea or product to sell in a weird economy. I don’t really miss school, other than the communal aspect of it, as I was never really a fan of tests.
How is everyone’s week going? It was alright for me, but I wish every Monday was a day off, or a late start work day(say 11am for everyone). It be nice and probably make people more productive, I know I would be. On the other hand I had a good Wednesday night as I went to a gay leather bar for LBTQ night, alone. Theme was back to school night and they had 70’s lesbian porn playing in the background with themes that kind of reflected it. They were all directed by hetero (cis)men, but kind of curious to know how bad or cheesy the acting is. There was also free vegan+gf donuts and attractive LBTQ people everywhere! Tomorrow night I have plans to go to underground Queer dance party solo, and plan to dance the night away and possibly even meet new people. We’ll see, but I had fun the last time I went with a friend.
Spent last Saturday night by the coast. It was nice and calming.
They had these neat stickers Wednesday at the bar(was also wearing my AS they/them pin!).
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Thank you for viewing and reading my post. Have a positive weekend!
Not sure why the second image didn’t load.
Omg that sounds like an amazing night!
It was pretty amazing, mostly because of the whole scene and donuts of course(shout out to Cuties Coffee out here in LA for the tasty donuts and the queerness).
Y’all…
Where to start..
I’ve been away for a couple of weeks, helping my mom finalize her move to San Diego. The truck pulls away tomorrow!
I’m also getting sick. It’s sore throat city over here.
I have a new coworker, who I adore about 98% of the time. He’s so smart and a quick learner and he’s quite fun to work with. The 2% is that he’s kind of redneck in the sense that when he doesn’t like something he says its “gay” *eyeroll* but I think I can slowly and gently undo that habit from him without being like dude stfu before I stab you with scissors. I genuinely like him enough to not stab him with scissors.
Hopefully starting next week I will be back to being a more consistent straddler and visiting with y’all
Such a shame when seemingly nice people have an underlying layer of assholeary. Remember, if you can avoid stabbing him you can maintain the moral high ground.
I’m in the second year of my PhD, and shit’s starting to get real- I just sent out an email yesterday trying to organize my first committee meeting (and, of course, there’s no time that works for *everyone*). Still, it’s going pretty well- I’ve already got some great preliminary data for my dissertation, this past year I’ve been coauthor on two papers in various stages of development (and a third that I’m about to start on), and I’m pretty happy with my progress.
I’m definitely looking forward to being done with it, though- as much as I’ve enjoyed my time in grad school, living on $15,000 a year isn’t much fun (my wife is the one who actually pays the rent, which has occasionally lead to friction in our relationship), and I’d like to actually have a chance to be a Real Adult Person instead of feeling like a perpetual student. Sigh. Only two more years! (Hopefully)
Your publishing record is impressive!
Aw, thanks! My program’s been amazing and really allowed me to thrive :-)
I graduated in June from college. I’ve got a “licence” (I gave up on how the US college works, so : licence is 3 years of university) in history. I did not see the time. Nothing changed in my life during college. Still living with my parents, still going to the same music school… So now I’m taking a year off as a language assistant in Ireland.
So now I’m settled in my city, Roscommon. Before that, I visited Ireland with my parents. The coolest moment was when we spent 3 days in an island, Valentia’s Island. I highly recommend it ! I just don’t know how I feel about living alone for the first time ever. In a foreign country. Without even my power wheelchair. (okay stop here, I think we can say i’m anxious !) I need to hurry up to get ready because I have a week end of formation in Dublin.
Anyway, the bad news is that I’m in love with someone I can’t have and it’s painfull. I thought I had a crush, and then I was crying because this person did not speak to me one night, and I knew it. I know I can handdle it, I’ve already done this, and things are not ambiguous or anything, but still it hurts and I wonder why I can’t be loved ? Let’s just say I wish I did not fall in love while I was leaving the family home and moving country. but i don’t desperate to find an Irish girl (or a Galway girl, it’s not far from my city !)
It’s really fun to have a new room. My bedroom is the same since middle school (I hate change and also am very nostalgic), and now I have something news. I brought pictures of my nephew and of my niece, so the most important is here :D Aaand the other good thing is that I can watch french tv on my computer, so I’m not going to miss the French version of the Great British Bake Off and this is very important !
That’s so exciting! What made you move to Ireland?
Well, I could not do an Erasmus, so I found this program, the CIEP, where you can be a french assistant anywhere in the world, to the condition that you speak well the language of the country where you going. So, I had to choose an english-speaking country. Canada and USA offered 230 $ by month for 32 hours of work per month, while Ireland was 918€/month for 12 hours a week. So it was a big point, but then I went on holidays and I looooved how everyone was welcoming and laid-back. I do not regret for the moment ! Everybody is very welcoming and want to help !
Gosh I wish I spoke French because that sounds brilliant!
Yes it’s so good ! Do you live in Ireland ?
No, Scotland. But my family is from there so I’ve been over quite a lot.
Can everyone help me out and name/link any podcasts hosted by trans people or NB folks (POC especially!) that you listen to or know about?
This is my first year living in a country (Germany) where my school year starts at this time of year, and even though it’s not my first time living in the Northern hemisphere I still have to keep reminding myself that it will be wintery hard work in December, not warm holidays like New Zealand. I’ve only been here for a month, my classes haven’t started and the only people I know are my temporary flatmates. It’s hard not to feel isolated and lost, not to mention how hard I didn’t expect German to be?! I’m usually talkative but suddenly even trying to order a pretzel here makes me want to disappear. On the bright side there are pretzels and beer and people are patient and studying an MA in Germany is kinda cool. Also before class starts I have all the time in the world to catch up with every even-slightly-gay tv show so if I ever find a queer community here I won’t be out of touch. Pls talk to me about queer tv i miss talking about it so bad!!
Also I dunno if we can post links but here’s a super cute story about little kid organising a wedding for his two mums in Australia ahead of their upcoming vote on marriage equality: https://thespinoff.co.nz/parenting/14-09-2017/marriage-equality-and-human-rights-through-the-eyes-of-a-child/
What are you studying? That’s a really challenging move to make, I’m impressed and a little intimidated!
I just binge watched all of the first season of Wynonna Earp and my friends are only halfway through so I’m just bursting with juicy spoilers right now!
I’m studying Modern China & Mandarin (in Germany, it’s weird I know!) and honestly also intimidated but there’s no going back – at least not right now.
I’m actually trying to decide whether to start on Wynonna Earp or Supergirl to be honest, because all i actually want to watch is The Bold Type forever…
Languages were not my forte so I’m even more impressed now. I haven’t watched Supergirl yet but definitely watch Wynonna Earp! Its so good and features bisexual cupcake Waverly Earp who is Good and Pure and who I would definitely date if given the option.
Hey, congratulations on making such a big move! I’m hopeful for you that over time you’ll be able to connect with more people and feel less isolated – hang in there :)
I’d definitely recommend watching Wynonna Earp. It’s so great! Supergirl is okay, but while season 2 does have a lovely queer storyline, it also has a lot of storylines that revolve around a whiny straight white dude at the expense of the main character’s development… though I watched all of it anyways, so who am I to tell you not to? In any case, glad you’re finding time to watch some gay TV shows!
Not being able to express yourself the way you’re used to is a pain in the… well, all over to be honest. As someone who identifies as talkative you might experience something similar to what I went through. All my life people had told me that I was eloquent, educated and well-read, and I identified with that. So, after a few months in a country where I struggled to express myself, I really felt that I had lost my whole identity. Save for one neighbour who was impressed with my progress and liked to come over for help with her computer, no one in the whole country saw me remotely as I saw myself and that was extremely tough to live with and it took a long time before it got better.
If your MA programme is in English perhaps you can avoid this sort of painful “ego death”, but if those feelings sneak up on you… know that it’s perfectly normal and you’re not alone.
Hi, Siobhan! That’s an impressive thesis size you’ve managed. Congratulations! I can’t imagine writing that much. =)
Myself, I am out of school (which I’m kinda glad for, as I never really liked it at all and left as soon as I was done with my degree). September feels pretty similar to most other months, I guess. Work, work, play, sleep, work some more. But hey, I’m fortunate to be wear I am, I think, so I’m grateful for that.
Whoops, that should say “where I am.” I can’t type well. >_<
I might be leading a LGBTQ+ meditation at my local metaphysical shop. It is pretty well known as well which is awesome.
Kind of freaked out, but nothing has been finalized so I don’t want to get too excited. Bought plants today. An asparagus fern, paper white narcissus bulbs, a palm thing, and a cute kalancho. I’ve been dying for a kalancho, they are the ultimate fall plant. You can have tons of green in your house in the fall/winter you just have to know what is needed
Really need everyone’s input:
What would you need in a spiritual safe space? What meditations, crystals, activities, conversations need to be had/addresses in a spiritual safe space?
Sadly allies are invited, I wanted the space to be queer only, but apparently that went against the culture of the shop so everyone is invited. Hopefully buttholes won’t show up. But in all realness if someone wanted to intrude rules would not stop them.
I’m really excited that this is happening! I grew up Neopagan, and the used book store/occult shop was our community hub growing up. What’s the culture of the shop like? Is it Neopagan or New Age or some combination?
@kaye The shop is called The Bag Lady.
https://www.the-bag-lady.biz/index.html
The culture of the shop is new age spiritual. They have wiccan and pagan elements. There are galactic elements as well. It is kind of a huge hodgepodge of everything. There are crystals, tarot, oracle cards, shamanism, smudge sticks, channelers, and much more. It is pretty cool.
We are in the process of scheduling a date.
@kaye
Soooooooo, my question::
What would you need in a spiritual safe space? What meditations, crystals, activities, conversations need to be had/addresses in a spiritual safe space?
So, it looks like the place has an inclusivity clause in its values/mission statement, so I think that reminding people about it at the beginning would be a great thing at minimum.
I’m a librarian, so half of why I asked that earlier question was to get a better idea of which helpful resources you need. ^___^ There’s a blog that has a roundup (on the pagan/polytheist/Wiccan side): https://dowsingfordivinity.wordpress.com/2015/06/20/a-queer-pagan-reading-list/ (and many of these writers do/did have blogs)
Otherwise, if you do guided meditations that involve gods or spirits, I think that using gender-neutral terms for them might go a long way unless you’re using imagery from specific myths. I’m a cis femme lesbian (and a Hellenic polytheist, so the ritual system is very different for me), so I’ll defer to others — my safe space needs are essentially just wanting other people to recognize that queer femmes exist.
Oooo, this looks good thanks. Recognizing the right to exist is a great. I think I am going to bring affirmations into the circle.
“I have the right to exist.” Yay!
I don’t think I am going to bring in gods or goddesses. I live in the bible belt, so even the crystal loving, tarot card using spiritualists are pretty jesusy. I am opposite lol. I love Jesus, but I also love Sedna, the green man, and the horned god.
Before the circle we will state names and pronouns. I know that.
I am super nervous everybody will think the circle is lame, but no one else is doing it and I need this so I’mma put it together.
@kaye Oooo, this looks good thanks. Recognizing the right to exist is a great. I think I am going to bring affirmations into the circle.
“I have the right to exist.” Yay!
I don’t think I am going to bring in gods or goddesses. I live in the bible belt, so even the crystal loving, tarot card using spiritualists are pretty jesusy. I am opposite lol. I love Jesus, but I also love Sedna, the green man, and the horned god.
Before the circle we will state names and pronouns. I know that.
I am super nervous everybody will think the circle is lame, but no one else is doing it and I need this so I’mma put it together.
Hm I’m trying to think of things but all I can think of is what applies to me and uh it’s something that in my opinion is on me not you.
Part of my practice involve runes and a deity white supremacists have co-op’d for their own nasty ends.
So I feel like it’s MY job to put people at ease, explain how dumb white supremacists are and why.
(Odin was queer af; not the patriarchal law keeper like the Abramic god that would be Tyr >_>)
I guess maybe being open to dialogue and not shouting.
A talking stick if you think things might get verbally uncivil maybe?
Introduction exercises might be good too.
Like: Hi, I’m Nemo.
This is my path/practice
I’ve been on it/practicing for X number of years
I’d like to learn more about —–
Also that kind of intro exercise can help you get a read on the room and whether or not you might need to break out the talking stick.
Wow, before I even saw this post today, I was looking over my New Year’s resolutions/goals from January and checking in with myself about goals for the rest of the year – what perfect timing! It’s cool to see that I’ve been able to do or work on a lot of the things I’d hoped to do. Although, I also noticed I’ve been sort of ignoring my creative/spiritual/intuitive side, so I guess that will be something to focus on in the coming months.
I’m having a hard time with the “start of school year” feeling this year. Last June, I left my job (at a college) to focus on my health. I had hoped that over the course of the summer I’d be able to get a handle on my chronic illness, so that by now I’d be ready to get back to work, or at least be ready to apply to jobs. No such luck :( It’s frustrating to watch so many people return from their summer vacations and get back to their “usual” lives when I can’t do the same. But I’m trying to be patient with myself.
Chronic illness is the worst and the internal and external ableism we face makes it so much harder. Its important to be gentle with yourself and remember that our value as people doesn’t derive from our capacity to labour. Its awesome that you’re so on track with your goals though! If you’re comfortable sharing what are your spiritual goals?
Thanks for the kind words :)
One of my spiritual goals is to seek out people/places/community to talk about my faith/faith in general with. I’ve been struggling with how to integrate faith and spirituality more into my everyday life, but since I don’t believe in any particular religion, it’s been hard to find a faith community to reach out to for guidance and support (or even to find the right words to talk about this topic).
I’m also hoping to learn more about Tarot and explore that as a possible way of engaging with spirituality.
I’m starting school at the end of this month and i’m really looking forward to it. I just have a good feeling about this year, ya know?
I have two new housemates and they’re much better than my two previous housemates and also everyone in my house is queer now!! And we have pet rats. They’re so smelly but so darling.
I finally caved and bought a MacBook Air to replace my clunky, heavy old PC. It’s so light and my back and shoulders are happy with me again.
I’m halfway done with college, y’all! Holy shit!!
OK how can you come here and say that and not show us pictures of the rats? Pics pics pics!
i will post pictures as soon as i can!! they’re very darling
Hello hello! I worked from home today and I have no AC and it is 80 degrees in New York so it does NOT feel like September :(
In better news, I just watched this video of Pastel Wife ALB and her Goth Wife Niko and my heart is so so so full I thought I would share:
Oh no let me try to embed again:
I’m jealous because it is fucking freezing here. I know I live in Scotland on purpose but oh my god how is it already this cold.
I work at a university as a science librarian, and on Wednesday, I finally got caught up on email. The busy season for me started in mid-August with orientations.
Today, I got a giant package of Shoyeido incense. I’m a polytheist, and I grew up Neopagan, which has given me a fascination for reading late Antiquity historical accounts of how the transition from polytheistic religions to Christianity happened (so I can digest it and compare it to my experience being religiously harassed all throughout school as some kind of proxy for having other second-gen pagans/polytheists to decompress with). I picked up The Final Pagan Generation a few weeks ago to read and am having my usual mixed emotions to the text. Whenever this happens, I somehow end up stress-purchasing incense because I can’t fix massacres of pagan villages after Christianity took over, but I have the religious freedom to worship my gods without fear of execution — and, you know, impulse shopping emotions and all of that.
Otherwise, to reiterate: I AM 99% CAUGHT UP ON WORK EMAIL. This makes my stress load way better. I also had a hilarious short story idea and wrote about 2000 words of it this week, finished main character sketches for an epistolary scifi novel and about 2/3 of the synopsis, and managed to break down all of my grocery/cat litter subscription boxes. I am adulting very well no matter what my self-esteem demons try saying to me.
Would you say that “The Final Pagan Generation” is a worthwhile read? Minus the stress and anger
Yes, it’s very interesting. The author is following 4 upper-class men who left significant historical records from their births in the 310s or so until their deaths and describing the political/religious situation in terms of how it impacted their lives. It’s not an approach I’ve really seen before.
Being caught up on email is the best! I’m so happy for you!
I am so happy to say that I am not in school so September means FALL STUFF AND HALLOWEEN TIME!
Also I made bread yesterday and I forgot how much I love making bread! I made some jam as well and I’m trying to be cheerful about really not knowing how to make good jam. I accidentally made so, so much strawberry jam earlier and like, wow, I don’t know if I can actually eat all this jam. (I’m going to post pictures and I hope it works)
The bread!:
The jam!:
When the bread making was done I still had a bunch of good energy going so I took a trip up to the mountains to enjoy nature. It was beautiful, and then later in the day I ran into some fog that was wild and made everything so beautiful with the sun trying to shine through and not to be dramatic but it was pretty breathtaking. I found a place to walk around right before sunset and suddenly the fog made everything VERY moody and I loved it. Not a single person was around.
I want to eat your bread and jam! Weirdly despite their growing their own fruit and vegetables and doing a lot of baking my grandparents refused to make their own bread and my attempts to teach myself have failed spectacularly (like bread dough exploding into masses of liquid all over the kitchen instead of rising nicely spectacular).
That forest looks lovely is this PNW or Sierra?
San Bernardino National Forest!
No way? That’s a close-ish drive from LA. I definitely need to check that area out. Thank you.
These photos are beautiful! ?
uh so i’ve never commented on an open thread before so here goes
goals for university this year:
befriend all the queers
don’t limit yourself to the ones who look queer (bc that’ll just be the masc presenting or flamboyant ones tbh, and i’m about them aaaalll)
do ur fuckin readings ffs
i would post a pic of my puppy bc she’s cute n matches her big brother but that sounds like a lot of work lol
*Thor voice* Laudable goals!
If you post a pic of your puppy I’ll post a pic of Kitten Harkness stealing my chair. Do we have a deal?
I’m just…pretty down in the dumps this week. I was at a fest two weeks ago and my body is still trying to recover (and working last weekend didn’t help at all on that front). I had been hoping to get to another fest this weekend in WV but…due to my bod not really being up for another kayaking festival, my being able to safely drive myself but not being able to find anyone to ride with, and having the potential to work a couple days, I’m up working instead of being on my favorite river and seeing some of my favorite people some of whom I haven’t seen in like a year.
And just really struggling to cope with illness stuff because I want to be doing things other than being a Professional Sick Person who sometimes kayaks. My friends that are still in college are starting their last year of it! Some of my friends have master’s degrees now! Some have Real Adult Jobs. My brother got his first full-time teaching gig so HIS school year started up again!! I just feel real stuck and this is magnifying all the usual Mood Issues the change of seasons brings which is even more frustrating because FALL IS MY FAVORITE SEASON. Just…probably not this fall.
On a lighter note from like last week my two cats being SO GLAD I WAS HOME they had to sit on top of each other to both be near me at the same time when they normally can’t stand each other
Aw my god kitties! That’s so sweet!
Sorry it’s been a tough week for you. Illness stuff is so not fun :(
I’m curious, what makes fall your favorite season? I hope you’ll maybe still be able to enjoy some of those things, even if it’s in a different way from what you’re used to.
Sending encouraging thoughts your way <3
I know how you feel as a fellow chronically ill person! I believe in you! Also your cats look real nice. :)
I need to share this with a fellow sentient being familiar with popular American culture from the 1980’s.
Share what?
Something awesome, but mostly my never ending failure at embedding vids into the comment sect.
I can say with no ego my photo posting is good.
But jfc I have never had a vid embed well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PgTjhx1VLw
That was one of the most amazing videos I have ever seen.
Right?
I want to see it reenacted in a queer club by exotic dancers.
Heck I might even use the word NEED in allcaps.
I haven’t been in college for quite a long time. But my September is going well so far. Usually, I find September depressing because it just reminds me that it’s about to be cold. I am grateful I live somewhere that has pretty mild winters. However, next week a friend and I are headed up to Maine. We’re doing some camping and hiking in Acadia. I have lived in the south my whole life so I get cold easily. I’m excited about the trip. My friends’ ten-year-old daughter is traveling with us. She’s homeschooled and this will be an educational trip too. We are going to Washington DC to visit the Holocaust museum. Hershey Pennsylvania for the chocolate, because her daughter really wants to go there. We’ll be headed over to Niagara Falls at some point. She’s Canadian and I’m just hoping if we go to the Canadian side of the falls she can get back in. Because sometimes she forgets to renew her work visa. Her kid is American so she can get back in but she would be stuck with me. I don’t know how to talk to kids so I’ve been talking to her like she’s an adult since she was a baby. I tried to explain homonyms to her when she was 2. She does understand my sarcasm now but she still thinks I’m incredibly weird. Also, I loaded my kindle up because space is limited and there is no way I’m not going to have books to read. I plan on downloading all the gay movies on Netflix ao I can watch them if I want without internet access. Small Bluetooth speaker for music. No way I’m not having music. As long as I have music, reading material, and a tent I’m good.
I’m no longer in school. My spouse is just finishing up grad school and my kid just started preschool! So we officially embarked on a journey of maybe 20+ new school years as parents. It has a REALLY different feel from the beginnings of my school years. We have settled into a routine which is still hard for my kid, several weeks in. It’s a long day for a tiny kid- if I had a choice we would have gone with a shorter day but I have to cover work hours. So that’s just the thing that happens.
Hello! I hope you all get to eat something delicious this weekend!
Grad school applications keep drawing nearer and my essays are far from being done. I’m so unmotivated even though this is something I want for myself. I feel aimless with applying to grad school and much more lost than when I applied for college.
If you guys have any tips I’d love to heard them! I’d also love to hear anything you have about grad school in general. I’m applying for a masters in Mental Health Counseling, even though I didn’t study psych for my undergrad which is a bit nerve wreaking.
i’m in a phd program in psychology and would love to help you out with all things grad school related! not sure if you can PM me somehow, but if so, i’d be glad to share allllll of the resources/advice with you. best of luck!
I was going to drop out, but certain events made mad as hell so I decided fuck it if this nasties are crawling out like they deserve to be in the sun I’m not giving up even if my degree means nothing and I never get a job in it b/c things get Mad Maxified. I still will have finished something beautiful and know that I did.
Only taking 2 classes and so far I failed to turn in my first paper(got so much closer than any paper so far tho), but am acing the other class even with people that should be more on the ball in my program because they didn’t waste a semester out of the program trying to finish that last gen ed requirement that is the bane of my dysgraphic existence.
They’re treating it like it’s a walk b/c no coding is involved and not bringing their A-game.
I’m going to be a senior this year. It’s been 4 years and I am still trying to figure out this whole “higher education” thing. I’m excited to work on my senior project. It’s going to be focusing on the Chinese Exclusion Act and how exclusionist immigration policy reinforces systems of gentrification. (Yes, I’m a history major.) I’m also trying to be as unapologetically queer as possible.
things i wanna do
-do drag more
-kiss/cuddle/date queer people (i have been single for SO long)
-dance more
-wear clothes that are affirming of my black girl magic
-write more poetry
-organize and complicate my understandings of white supremacy and capitalism
-graduate, i guess
Happy first FOT, Siobhan! :pops cork on champaign bottle:
September feels like I am crushing my to-do list, while somehow simultaneously drowning in new to-do’s every week/day/hour/minute. I’m mostly overwhelmed that I have a HUGE looming deadline at the end of this month and not enough hours or self-confidence to envision meeting it. I WILL. I KNOW I WILL. I AM POSITIVE OF IT. I think…
I’m a prolific procrastinator who is trying to be better at planning ahead and spacing and benchmarking progress. But good grief, it’s hard!
My favorite part of September is the early days of sweater weather! Nothing like snuggling into a fuzzy sweater and a hot beverage…and still wearing my sandals! I hate socks, but I love sweaters! September in NYS was made for me!