Annnnnd GO!

Sudden major move to new city in another state checklist:

-Clean fucking everything

-Get rid of extraneous crap  (When we moved here all our stuff fit in two car loads, that would be very nice to do again)

-Arrange remaining things in attractive patterns to tempt prospective renters

-FIND PERSON TO TAKE OVER LEASE.

-FIND NEW APARTMENT IN NEW CITY

-Pack up everything, question why we have so much crap, leave much in apartment complex dumpster

-Load, drive, and unload truck in new place

-Begin new life with more college, more job, and hopefully babies.

This is not an exhaustive list, but I feel jittery and tired just looking at it.

It's Thanksgiving!

And I spent an obscene amount of money on the foodstuffs for today, but I don't regret it.

(Ok, maybe a little, but not much.)

It was just me and my husband for the holiday this year, so we decided to spend the day in the nude, watch the Macy's parade, grill steaks instead of roast turkey, play video games, have sex, nap, and eat cheesecake in an unhurried manner.

I'm thankful for everything in that paragraph, but I'm going to clarify.  I'm thankful that I have total body confidence around my husband, and he around me.  I'm thankful that we have a glorious and effortless sex life.  I'm thankful that my husband doesn't mind watching the parade with me (I LOVE parades).  I'm thankful we can play video games together and enjoy it.  I'm thankful that I can cook and that we can afford to cook quality food for this wonderful feast holiday.  I'm thankful that i can take downtime when I need it. And I'm thankful for delicious desserts that I consume in comfortable quantities with no guilt.  There are so many things in my life that I am really thankful for and happy to have.

In years past it's been a rough holiday.  Both my folks have passed, and at the holidays it can hurt unexpectedly and be triggered by things I wouldn't expect... but not this year.  When I laid down for a nap my brain calmed down.  For once I was able to drift off without the anxiety parade, was able to truly appreciate how much I have, and able to enjoy it.  For right now, life is so good.

Flying Kittens!

                                                Credit to the fine folks listed under the video

You should never read the comments.

And sometimes too many very poignant blog posts and articles in a row.  I've spent the last few hours perusing articles on harassment all around the internet, sometimes reading through the comments list, sometimes not and I'm feeling a big bundle o' emotions about it.

Articles about consent, workplace harassment, street harassment, rape, trolling, and general assholery and I'm feeling tired.  These problems are enormous, and not just enormous because they happen, because people are out there who genuinely want to ruin your day/life/work, and because there are people apologizing for it, defending it, and generally placing the blame everywhere.  The lack of consensus on all these issues, the 'isms', the pure and unadulterated evil of some/most/all of it.  I just feel tired, and sad, and unsafe.   Part of this stems from a bad interaction at work, the rest from shock at what people go through.  Because, you know, my own nasty experiences with street harassment and public shame didn't clue me in that some people suck.

This needs to stop

So there is a man in Idaho making comments.  One of which is "Well, I guess I better get back to work with all the other white slaves."

There is a another man on the radio.  He says "There will be guns in the streets within a week."

These are both white men, upset that their candidate was not chosen and this is how they choose to express it.  We have a president that is breaking social barriers, that is respected by the rest of the world, and trying to put an end to the inherent discrimination in our culture that half of us don't even recognize and these men feel this is means for revolution, that people actually receiving equal rights means that the formerly (let's face it, STILL) privileged have to share.

I don't know if I can truly express my contempt for this without devolving into expletives.  And the worst part is that it is so very unlikely that these men will ever understand how awful they are being.  Because people shut down when confronted with things they don't want to hear.

No, really.   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120917124349.htm

I hate that moment when I have something to add to the conversation, type out a long thoughtful response, then at the last second decide it isn't quite good enough and delete the whole thing.  I'm a little tired of this, especially since I think of myself as insightful, and pretty damn funny.  (though sometimes I don't mean to be, like how I had to admit to the people at work that I'm not getting sick, I just lost my voice screaming expletives at the refs at the college football game over the weekend)

Also, this.  Because I am REALLY happy about the election results.  Almost all of the results, in fact.  I'm happy the president gets a second term, I'm ecstatic that my home state legalized marriage equality, very happy that certain misogynistic assholes lost in landslides (legitimately), and also happy that it's over, also casually wondering if I really want to run for office one day.

Observation regarding presidential election speeches.  I have no idea where this Romney who gave an excellent concession speech came from.  He was charismatic and calm, and seemed for once in control of himself.  Was honestly considering the possibility that he has been remotely controlled by aliens for the duration of the election.  If he had displayed this attitude and poise earlier, things may have been different today.  Romney called his wife "the best decision I ever made".  President Obama thanked his wife for agreeing to marry him.  I felt that highlighted a key difference in their world views.  I also think that the Obama's could probably handle another dog just fine, Mr. Meany Presidential Dad.

And hey, I just whipped up a casserole for lunch!  I'm feeling extremely house-spousey.