shaunspalding

[shaunspalding]

YOU have the power to choose whether we are ruled by bullies and sociopaths this week. If you are suffering from election anxiety like me, I'm coming out of my years-long social media hibernation to ask anyone who reads this to please vote and vote as early as possible before election day (to avoid jamming up the lines).

Please donate: https://movement.vote/blog/165-million-gap-shortfall-for-grassroots-field-operations-in-key-battleground-states/

Money in politics seems best used supporting local grassroots organizations who won't pack up after the election is over. Did you know that these organizations still have a $30+ million dollar shortfall?

Please volunteer: https://www.fieldteam6.org/ballot-curing

Pennsylvania will likely decide the election, and already submitted ballots will be rejected if they are not "cured." Did you know that you can volunteer to call people to help them fix their ballots?

Do a friend bank: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/10/26/2278785/-Just-15-minutes-to-setup-the-Reach-app-so-you-re-ready-to-friendbank-your-peeps-who-haven-t-voted

Use the Reach app to remind people you know to vote. Then, ask them to download the app and do the same.

This election will likely be decided by the less than 40,000 votes the previous election was decided by. You should do what you can now to make sure you don't regret not-doing-enough after election day. And for anyone who reads this who is voting for Trump, we are still friends, and you've got your reasons, but to me none of those reasons outweigh the fact that he's an emotionally unstable psychic vampire.

[shaunspalding]

This is the first time that either @tcgeary or I have ever not gone home to Florida to visit family during the December holiday season. Every year for over a decade we always meet up at the same place @stardustie to hang out and catch up. This year, unfortunately visiting family in Florida wasn't in the cards. BUT we're both luckily enough to be in a place where we can recreate the experience at virtual #stardustvideoandcoffee ... Things change: after all, we've been going long enough to have seen what used to be a video rental store and coffee shop become just a coffee shop. But even as things change, the best you can do is to concentrate on trying to maintaining the things you love about the old while trying to accept the new. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJbybzbBdRJwtUE1KltPthyGnyAlKzXHTyIzOs0/?igshid=1lfcs9kg85bq3

[shaunspalding]

First off, no we shouldn't reopen things until scientists tell us to: full stop. BUT... . It's very easy to create straw men of the "back to work" protesters: the selfish "I want a haircut" people, the reactionary "government can't tell me what to do" people, the obtuse "virus = fake news" people. BUT... . While all those people make headlines, there's a mostly silent majority of middle-America who are scared out of their minds about their financial situations and their families. When put up against a wall and without good information (Fox News and conspiracy theory blogs), they choose what seems like the only choice: "I'll take my chances." . The fact that a large segment of the population would actually choose risk of death for themselves and their families to get back to jobs they probably don't even like is income inequality in action. Sure, ridicule the people who are protesting for idiotic reasons, but ALSO do what you can to support the people they (claim to) represent who are backed against the wall: . (1) Support struggling food banks in areas where protests are happening. (2) Contact your politicians in states where protests are happening and tell them they have to take economic support to individuals and small businesses seriously. (3) Save up some money in a fund to support your favorite local spots once things are safe to reopen. Buy their gift certificates now to use later. . People who see a future where they won't soon starve and they won't get foreclosed on next month will always make better long term decisions. . The "people who run the system" want you to hate other poor people, so they center narratives around loud idiots who are easy to ridicule to deflect from the real, quiet desperation. They want you to think those people aren't like you. It's not an accident that these people who have no legs to stand on are the ones the powers that be put on display to live in your minds rent free. Because they make us angry in a simple way that's easy to trivialize, so there's nothing productive you feel you need to do with that anger. This is textbook propaganda. . Don't take the bait. Be the change . Credit: flickr.com/photos/becker271/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B_VNxAghemhRaYaQWxZAIzSG0Cn5YPOX8C1qZ00/?igshid=arj3irq1kr1u

[shaunspalding]

For many reasons, I have complicated feelings about the military-industrial complex but much less complicated feelings about veterans (U.S. and foreign) who either justly or unjustly are forced by the system to fight, suffer, die, or walk away with a lifetime of physical and emotional scars. Those scars affect us too: their families, friends, and society. So this Veterans Day I'm starting a new thing, and I'm temporarily back on scoial media to encourage you to do it, too. With the money that I make during my Veterans Day off, I'll be donating it in thirds to three different charities. (1) one that supports veterans, (2) one that supports civilian victims of war and (3) one that I believe fosters a society that makes war and conflict less likely... I'd encourage you to spend at least a few minutes today thinking about what you can do to minimize your role in war while acknowledging that war does exist. And if you want to do it too and don't have any non-profits in mind, I'd be happy to give suggestions since I've been on Charity Navigator and Guidestar all morning 😋 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4vBiH4hntY/?igshid=4xwtjfdwe1dv

[shaunspalding]

Saints of California: Assemble! feat: San Diego, Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and more... (at San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3FtI4bB3h3/?igshid=10ak9a22k8vc1

[shaunspalding]

I don't think it's a coincidence that this town that has a very statistically significant amount of vintage VW Beetles would also be playing Lindsay Lohan's "Herbie: Fully Loaded" inside of a restaurant (at San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3AoyFWh0Ip/?igshid=sq68l6fdap3v

[shaunspalding]

Currently being targeted for ads for "adult autism." Clearly, I've been found out. Who told? https://www.instagram.com/p/BqtDE-HgeL_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11350cjrayysk

[shaunspalding]

On Transgendered Day of Rememberance, just a reminder that the world is hard is enough for everyone already, so please be kind. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqaUZVNgMgZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wzfl0zmg0nd

[shaunspalding]

On Transgendered Day of Rememberance, just a reminder that the world is hard is enough for everyone already, so please be kind. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqaUZVNgMgZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15kw2q4oou5dl

[shaunspalding]

My new neighbors had a housewarming party (at Centro Historico de Guadalajara) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp50XHLgsCg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rg0z2d1nbm5m

[shaunspalding]

Frida Kalho organized her documents into folios decorated with loteria cards. My favorite part of seeing her bookshelf was learning that she labeled her personal letters to friends with the "heart" and her personal letters from her husband Diego with the "devil." https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp40RhGguSv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=b695uqs84kqn

[shaunspalding]

That feel when you become a sun god #relatable https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp0eOkpgE_b/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xoiwio2gkl0j

[shaunspalding]

Adventures in copyright infringement https://www.instagram.com/p/BpzUCyiA-cR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13zn3u50j43ag

[shaunspalding]

#eyebrowgoals (at Museo de Arte Moderno de México) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpyILvtA9EI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3pidtj4z22c5

[shaunspalding]

We've gotten ourselves into some awkward positions (at Salon Fiesta Guadalajara) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpw9JntAN6S/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1o0m3awqaqeba

[shaunspalding]

For sale: baby shoes, never worn. (at Centro Historico de Guadalajara) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpuyLXeAV4Y/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ky2vi99psb0p

[shaunspalding]

Brides on parade #nofilter (at Centro Historico de Guadalajara) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpuIWjlgUGk/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=l32rni4bjm45