6/14/25
No more fear, no more ICE, freedom now—don’t think twice! Raise your voice, stop the raids—liberty must not be swayed! Tear down ICE, tear down fear—no more kings, the time is here! From sea to sea, our shining land—stand with migrants, make your stand! Break the silence, end the strife—ICE destroys our peaceful lives! This is home, we belong—your cruel laws are dead wrong! They come at night, they come in fear—rise up now, make it clear!
6/4/25
Psychotherapy Action Network (@PsiANorg): So, according the the FTC, BetterHelp: Sold data about all LGBTQ users who looked into “Pride Counseling,’' teens who visited “Teen Counseling,’ Christians who visited “Faithful Counseling,' & Spanish-speaking folks who visited “Terappeuta.” (at least spell it right?) Uploaded the email address of all current and former users to Facebook to target them and their friends with BetterHelp ads Falsely used the HIPAA logo to deceive patients that they met HIPAA requirements for privacy and confidentiality
6/4/25
Translated from Cat by Dora Round; revised by the editor. Originally Published in Intimate Things, 1935. This is my Man. I am not afraid of him. He is very strong, for he eats a great deal; he is an Eater of All Things. What are you eating? Give me some! He is not beautiful, for he has no fur. Not having enough saliva, he has to wash himself with water. He meows in a harsh voice and a great deal more than necessary.
NBC News: Tulsi Gabbard wants to overhaul Trump’s daily intelligence briefing to match how he “likes to consume information.” One idea: a Fox News style video version. Truly, the dumbest president in history.
esidubatl: For the record, Trump has only attended 12 intelligence briefings since he took office. In contrast, most American presidents, unless restricted by an emergency, sit down for an intelligence briefing EVERY FUCKING DAY.
6/4/25
Sen. Chris Murphy to Kristi Noem, Trump’s Homeland Security Director: [Y]our department is out of control. You’re spending like you don’t have a budget. You are running out of money for this fiscal year. You are illegally refusing to spend funds that have been authorized by this Congress and appropriated by this committee. You are ignoring the immigration laws of this nation, implementing a brand new immigration system that you have invented that has little relation to the statutes that you are required to follow as spelled out in your oath of office.
5/17/25
I am undergoing some really good therapy. Certain aspects of life have backed off enough that at least sometimes, the sense of threat is not as strong as it had been in prior years. What is strange for me, though, especially having been freed from the very old fashioned requirements of masculinity, and also I think biologically, compounded by the additional estrogen, is that the trauma tends to float up. What’s bizarre about that experience is that I can suffer what’s termed an emotional flashback.
5/10/25
libraford: I’m at the pediatrician office watching two 3-year olds attempt to break the language barrier. English-speaking child: baby! baby! Spanish speaking child: jesta bebe! [excited screaming from both] Spanish: [produces a toy of some kind] [excited screaming from both] Spanish: do … do you … quieres … ahhh … English: do you want to come pl- Spanish: ¿Juegas conmigo? [toy makes a sound] [excited screaming from both] 🗒
It’s been very hard for me lately. I’m not in danger of self-harm, but I’ve been haunted this month by the second anniversary of a friend’s suicide. I also am frankly feeling gender dysphoria pretty strongly. It’s just a general weariness. 🔗
I’ll say that today, I got an unexpected surprise sequel episode from a series I love, and it totally gave my Little Kid an absolute holy fuck that is amazing OMG reaction. :) 🔗
I’m watching DS9. I’m listening to the very opening of “Q-Less.” I’m convinced that Dr. Bashir is doing his best William Shatner impression.
Rare recommendation from me. Black Mirror S7E01 is … too dark for our time. I know that only encourages people to find it out, but read the plot somewhere (Wikipedia, Google, etc.) without watching the episode, and you’ll understand why. We’re in a dark time. This is too dark for it.
Watching an old TNG episode “The Outrageous Okona.” It is a bit funny, because ‘Okona’ is clearly a Han Solo pastiche, and in the opening credits, you see “Guest Starring Joe Piscopo as The Comic.” Loving the sheer ’80s/’90s-ness of this episode.only a few minutes in. And TERI HATCHER as the transporter officer!
Kids are not responsible for:
50 Ways to Rest Nicola Jane Hobbs
Take a slow deep breath. Relax your shoulders. Soften your jaw. Turn your face towards the sun. Sway your hips. Hug a loved one. Hug yourself. Sigh. Yawn. Cry. Bake. Knit. Read. Dawdle. Doodle. Daydream. Stretch. Give your feet a little massage. Have a hot shower. Savour the smell of the soap when you wash your hands. Chat to a neighbour. Wait for the green man. Turn off your phone. Put on your cosiest jumper. Take off your bra. Wear trousers with a loose waistband. Watch an episode of your favourite show. Wander slowly around the block. Look at the trees. Look at the clouds. Look at the moon. Stand barefoot on grass. Do one thing at a time. Eat leftovers for dinner. Go to bed early. Lie on the floor. Stop Googling things. Listen to the birds. Listen to the rain. Listen to the silence. Light a scented candle. Avoid work- related activities in non-work time. Connect with your values. Share what’s in your heart. Turn the lights down low. Let there be crumbs. Meet your worries with gentleness. Meet your fears with tenderness. Meet your self-critical thoughts with compassion. Remind yourself again and again, ‘I am allowed to rest. I am worthy of rest. There is nothing I need to do to deserve rest’.
It is kind of funny-sad how your chest heaves the same way when you are trying to restrain sobs and when you are trying to restrain upchucking.
3/28/25
So, I’m embarrassed, but not for a good reason. It’s been a TOUGH day. Said goodbye to my therapist. Then worked. Then accidentally spilled soda on my power strip enough that it literally began buzzing and smoking. Cautiously but frantically (until today, I would not have thought you could do something both cautiously and frantically, but sure enough, it is possible), I unplugged every single plug on that strip and moved it to the other room, then called 911, keeping my cool, and they said as long as it was unplugged, it was cooling, and the wall platform was not hot, I shuld be okay.
3/27/25
A: This is how Tony Stark figured out time travel, because we know in Endgame he uses a Möbius strip as the shape to figure out time travel, but the reason why Marvel and the Russo brothers use this shape is actually crazy. B: To be fair, I have no idea what a Möbius strip even does. A: Okay, so if you look at this, right, it’s just a regular loop.