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“Will you let me come dear Susie – looking just as I do, my dress soiled and worn, my grand old apron, and my hair. Oh Susie, time would fail me to enumerate my appearance, yet I love you just as dearly as if I was e’er so fine, so you wont care, will you? I am so glad dear Susie, that our hearts are always clean, and always neat and lovely, so not to be ashamed. I have been hard at work this morning, and I ought to be working now, but I cannot deny myself the luxury of a minute or two with you. The dishes may wait dear Susie, and the uncleared table stand, them I have always with me, but you, I have “not always,” why Susie, Christ hath saints manie – and I have few, but thee – the angels shant have Susie – no – no no!”

― Emily Dickinson, The Letters of Emily Dickinson

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Boyfriend photobombs girlfriend with engagement ring for a Month without her knowing

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My sister just sent me a message saying she's working on her dissertation that deals with empowering women, and was like "what problem does it solve? I want to know."

And I was like, "well, I only have a bachelor's of science on horse stuff and everything I have learned about feminism and social justice has been from reading, talking to people, and the Internet, so it's not like I have research to back me up."

But went on to talk about breaking the patriarchy, getting equality getting things to a point where not only would women be empowered to be equals, but that would have to also include intersectional issues or race, religion, expansive genders, and sexuality.

Then, I feel into a pit of despair about where we are right now in the US, what the world looks like in general, and how empowering women can so quickly go to white supremacy that I am feeling very tired and sick, and couldn't come up with anything else to answer my sister with.

Though, I KNOW the work is hard and I can't stop cuz that is when the bad parts of humanity will really win, but hells bells.

I am not sure if she's also running into a similar pit of despair and is looking for something to shake her out of it, or if she genuinely isn't sure of her dissertation subject anymore.

But, I don't know, if you have words of wisdom, I can pass them on.

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"Radaachi cultural quirk number one: Their language only has one set of pronouns and as a collective they've decided that misgendering everyone was easier than figuring out how that shit works with foreigners" is such a great bit of worldbuilding.

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Picture this. You wake up in an office building. A man starts asking you questions. You realize you don’t remember who you are, where you came from, or what your name is. He plays you a recording of yourself claiming that you chose this life. Then he hands you a trombone. To your knowledge, you have never played the trombone. But this man tells you that your job, your life, your only purpose, is to practice this trombone day in and day out, because one day an office worker is going to complete (1) data entry file, and you are going to do a choreographed set to celebrate. This sounds insane, but with no other choice, you agree. You realize you can read sheet music (like how you can read print but you don’t remember learning it). Finally, the big day arrives. The people you’re performing for look terrified of your marching band. Your boss seems oblivious to this and is having the time of his life dancing around. Then one of the people you’re performing for runs away while the other frantically tries locking your boss in the bathroom. You continue playing the trombone. Another guy shows up and shoves a vending machine in front of the door. They take your instruments. This is against protocol. Then they make a speech about rebelling against your boss. It makes a lot of sense. You decide to join them in their mission to destroy your boss when he finally breaks out of the bathroom, but as far as you know, there’s no plan other than bashing him with band instruments and locking him in a bathroom. Also, if you leave the building, you die.

Well, that’s what it was like for the marching band innies.

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Shelley Paulson Photography

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This is what Rasputin would've wanted.

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Because sometimes we all just need to see a guy head-bump a beautiful Beluga whale

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Happy 10th birthday to the best tweet of all time.

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wave shapes / print

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Bystander Intervention Training

so, the US just attacked Iran, and that is fucking terrible. Something we all need to think about right now is how we can stop the harassment and violence against Muslims and Arabs in the US that got so much worse in the early 2000s from happening again to people now.

To that end, I wanted to share some resources on Bystander Intervention. One of the biggest things I learned from training like this is that there are many ways to intervene, and they don't all involve putting yourself in front of the person who may harm you or others. It's ok if you feel intimidated by that because there are more ways to help! And once you do the training, it might not be so scary.

Right to Be has Bystander trainings based on the 5Ds of Bystander Intervention (Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, and Direct). The trainings are free!! sign up here.

I took one of their trainings a few years ago (when the org was called Hollaback!) and it was really very good, they have trainings at multiple levels and focused on various topics. They also partner with other orgs to focus on specific issues (like anti-AAPI harassment and with CAIR Chicago for anti-Muslim harassment, etc.).

Here are a few more resources:

APA Bystander Intervention Tip Sheet

RAINN Practicing Bystander Intervention

I think I'll sign up for one as a refresher.

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obligatory post today

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the thing that I love about James Fucking Flint is that I believe him

he starts giving a speech about how we’re going to destroy the entire british empire and end colonialism once and for all and we’re going to start a new self-governing society outside of the constraints of imperialism and I believe him

I have several centuries of hindsight on my side, but I still listen to this man in 1715 saying he’s going to end the british empire and I think yes you will! 

and of course, Flint’s ability to rouse and rally people to his cause, to talk them around to his side, recurs over and over throughout. to a point that elevates him near godhood. but you never think, oh that’s not realistic. you never think, why are they listening to him. you never think, yeah okay but if they just acted rationally then—

because you. sitting on your couch. in the 21st century. even with the full knowledge of history and also the plot of black sails because you’ve seen it before. 

you hear flint start talking. and you believe him too. you believe he can do it. you believe he’s going to do it. this time. this time, surely he must. 

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lets hear it for transgenderism and faggotry. can I get a round of applause for transgenderism and faggotry

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It really is 2003 again Jesus Tapdancing Christ.

Like, all Republicans did was replace Iraq and gay people with Iran and trans people.

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How people be trying to read the titles of the books, they want to buy, at the bookshop: