Last week I recorded the audiobook for How To Be Okay When Nothing Is Okay and then I collapsed in a limp pile of exhaustion, which is embarrassing because why is “just talking” for two days so hard? Regardless, I spent several nights that I would have normally been drawing while watching 90-Day-Fiance (don’t judge me) instead just hiding under the covers and recovering from being human in public for too long. And that’s why this week’s doodle is unfinished:
But the good news is that because it’s unfinished you can print it out and color it or draw on it and then you can share your version in the comments if you want. EVERYONE WINS.
Here’s a fun tip: I sometimes use the recolor app to upload my drawings and color them:
(PS. I’m not getting paid to plug them. It’s just a free app I stumbled on.)
So anyway…this is just to remind you that it’s okay to not hit every deadline (or any deadline) because you are so much more than your output. And so am I.
Thank goodness.
Hugs,
me
PS. As tax for not having a finished drawing, please accept this picture of a very sleepy Dorothy Barker intentionally laying on my art so that I will pet her instead of drawing.
A man does something beautiful making so many happy. But haters have to try to ruin something that doesn’t affect them at all. None of the attackers are being asked to have same sex with the men, the attackers are not being asked to go to the wedding. So seriously why be so angry that they attack a man for claiming his love for another man? This shit is starting to get far too normal where straight cis people assault, injure, and make LGBTQ+ people afraid to be themselves openly in public. For some reason it seems to infuriate these hateful bigots just to know someone not cis or straight exists. Anyway. At least in Germany he has free healthcare and even though the right wing fascists are rising as a political force driven by wealthy haters, Christian nationalists, and Russia their government is still left leaning. I really wish the US government was still leaning left. Hugs
A German soccer referee, who recently went viral for proposing to his boyfriend, was attacked outside his home.
Pascal Kaiser stole the hearts of millions last week after he proposed to his fiancé in Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion during a match in front of 50,000 people. According to the French publication L’Equipe, Kaiser was assaulted in his home by three men late Saturday night into Sunday morning.
The publication wrote that the bisexual referee, prior to the incident, had reported that he was receiving threatening messages, including ones that included his address. Police told him there was no immediate threat. But Attitudereports that 20 minutes after he got off the phone with authorities, Kaiser was attacked while smoking a cigarette in his garden, which resulted in an injury to his right eye.
Carla Antonelli, a Spanish politician and LGBTQ+ advocate, uploaded a post to Instagram in support of Kaiser and shared a photo of his bruised face. “Terrible message, if you make yourself visible, we’ll put you in the closet: Referee Pascal Kaiser, who proposed to his partner before the Cologne-Wolfsburg match, was assaulted at his home. It is known that prior to the assault, the address of Pascal Kaiser’s house had leaked on social media and received direct threats,” her caption reads. “Police intervened after the attack, and Pascal Kaiser is now in a safe place under police protection.”
Kaiser’s Instagram account, and the couple’s account he shares with his partner, are now both locked and private.
Last week, Kaiser got down on one knee and professed his love for his fiancé while delivering a prepared speech, declaring, “I want everyone to see that I love this person. A man. As a man. In football.” After the proposal, FC Köln, a professional soccer team that plays at the field where they got engaged, uploaded a video of the couple’s special moment and wrote in the caption, “Pascal Kaiser is a referee and a huge FC fan. Pascal is queer and came out three years ago. Today, he had a special plan, which FC Cologne supported. Pascal proposed to his long-term partner at the RheinEnergieStadion, but see for yourselves!” The team continued, writing, “Congratulations, you two!”
Kaiser has long been an advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports. As he previously told Schwulissimo, a major German news outlet, “I see this as my mission: to create visibility. To be a voice. And to encourage people who aren’t yet brave enough to speak up,” he said. “I know how lonely it can be to think you’re the only one. I want no one to have to feel that way again.”
ICE nearly kills another child by mistreatment and ignoring their worsening health and healthcare needs. This is so familiar if you remember history. Lack of food, no healthcare, no humanity. Hugs
Children cry, thinking their parents will be taken if ICE follows them home. All because they are brown skinned. Is this the USA? Hugs
I decided I wanted grilled cheese sandwiches. So at four PM I started supper. And yes I made far too many as I can only eat one or one and half. But here are the steps I go through to make good cheesy thick grilled cheese and ham sandwiches.
I start with getting all the ingrediance out and ready.
If you notice I have already buttered the bread. I is important to use real butter and not a substitute as the substitutes burn before the bread is toasted, the cheese melted, and the ham hot. Now to build the sandwiches.
First the cheese on the bread.
I used two different cheeses on on each side of the bread. Swiss and the other side colby Jack. Then two slices of ham.
Then the rest of the cheese.
Then grill to perfection.
But again I made too many. I ate 1 and a half sandwiches. I wish Ron was here he would eat the rest. Hugs
I went out shopping early this morning. Then I came home and after putting the stuff away I did all the dishes. It was not a lot but three days worth and last night I cooked a good meal. I am washing all the bed linens and all the towels in the chairs / places that Tupac lays on. So as I try to do they cartoon / meme post for tomorrow …. My mind is fractured. So these songs are in my mind. Sorry if this hurts anyone. Also remember I am not in danger of self-harm. I won’t do that to all of you who I respect so much. Hugs or best wishes to all as you appreciate the gesture. The songs below are shattering my thoughts. I walk alone, and I wish for the sound of silence. Oh, to have the thoughts in my mind stop! I desperately wish for it. I have not eaten yet today, nor did I after breakfast yesterday and Ron has called me 3 times asking me to eat. Even telling me to order something if it is more pleasing to me. I just can’t. I bought salad stuff today so maybe a salad later. I am so confused. I had four more ready to post and suddenly realized it was useless. Is my life useless? I do good things. My husband loves me. His cat sleeps pressed up against me at night, yet even last night as I struggled to sleep and he moved up onto my pillow I took no comfort from him. I am feeling so numb inside when I let myself feel anything at all because the government is forcing my pain doctors to reduce my medications despite the new MRI showing severe and increased damage to my spine. My doctors say it my be necessary for me to do surgery to get relief because RFK Jr. has determined that all pain clinics lower their clients morphine equviancy to less than 100. Those who do not feel chronic pain or live in long pain because they dont hve to suffer … well illegal drugs all of a sudden get a hollier than though about drugs. Seriously, this former drug adic is restricting needed medication from people like me with seriously damaged spines and no contributions to his campaigns. But drugs from a qualified pain doctor can mean the difference between living a quality life and suffering in even more agony. Hugs
I am sorry. I do not not want to worry anyone or cause fear. But I feel so… out of sync with the world. I just hurt. It is part physical and a lot emotional. The MRI I had just had showed many parts of my lower spine are showing far more damage than my doctors had thought. They thought I had a few more years before surgery. I cannot afford surgery. The MRI moved many of my lower vertebrae from the moderate to severe to extremely severe zone. One the report said was in civilian terms destroyed. The bone matrrial decaded, the inside soft stuff pushed out and the nerves were caught by the edges of the jagged edges of the bones both being forced out and being pinched and being pinced inside as I moved. It is why I cannot sit in my chair very long. Ron is going to get me an air seat when he gets home but I doubt it will help. I am sitting here thinking of why when my spine shows ever more damage the government is requiring that my pain doctors reduce everyone’s pain medications. Just because the former coke addict RFK Jr dosent feel the crippling pain that people like me do doesn’t mean he gets to stop our pain medication or at least shouldn’t. All that does is force us on to illegal drugs to get relief. I wonder if that is the point all along. Think of it, all the friends in pain suddenly not able to vote would change the election in plenty of ways. Hugs
Sorry, but I keep repeating the songs over and over. Hugs
Every body hurts. But today I hurt terribly. Sorry. Now I have to go struggle to make the bed because I washed the bed sheets. More pain. Hugs
Frightened little kids who are U.S. citizens are running from agents of their own government because their skin color is brown instead of white. My childhood was full of fear. It is horrifying and in the case of these children it is complete bigotry and racism directed by Nazi wannabe Stephen Miller.
What is wrong in this country where adults think terrorizing little kids because of their skin color is acceptable? I cannot accept this. I cannot accept terrified children running from adults just because of skin color! What are we, apartheid South Africa? This video is horrific! Only racists could like seeing this. Hugs
In the days after federal agents killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti (only days after other federal agents killed Renee Good), I saw a video of a haggard Minneapolis restaurant owner saying that he was going to give food away until the federal government’s occupation of Minnesota ends. His restaurant, Modern Times Cafe, was going to be 100% free… for everyone. It wasn’t just going to be free for people who proved they needed free food or for folks who asked for free food. It was going to be FREE. FOR. EVERYONE. Dylan Alverson, owner of the now-renamed Post Modern Times Cafe, was mad as hell, and he was not going to charge for pancakes anymore!
(Full Instagram bit on the page; above is a photo)
Actor and singer Mandy Patinkin’s son Gideon had shared Dylan’s video with me. Gideon runs Mandy’s verified Instagram account. The Patinkins’ IG page is filled with hopeful political messages, righteous leftist anger, and—most importantly—ways to help. At some point our Internet paths crossed, and we have tagged each other in posts ever since. Seeing Dylan’s video was yet another battery in my back that gave me the juice to go to Minneapolis. I saw the video on Monday, January 26, and by that Thursday, January 29 I was on a Zoom with the McKnight Foundation to figure out how we could work together to get me to the Twin Cities. Once we decided that I would go, I quickly put a visit to Post Modern Times on the agenda. I didn’t go there for McKnight. I went there for me. I really wanted to meet Dylan. He reminded me of people I met in Berkeley, back in the day. True believers who are more than excited to go against the grain. Luckily, Dylan was down to talk. As we discuss in the episode, he is not one for attention. He just wants to help his neighbors. I also found out that since he shared that initial video, he has decided that having a free restaurant feels so good that he wants to keep Post Modern Times Cafe free, even after Trump’s government leaves (which they finally announced they are going to do). (Snip)
Dylan plans to turn his restaurant into a nonprofit organization. This just shows, yet again, that the effect this occupation has had on Minnesota is permanent. It doesn’t matter if the feds leave today, they have:
killed two people,
shot at least one more,
made schoolchildren afraid to go to school,
made some people (especially Latino restaurant workers) afraid to go to work,
hurt local business across Minnesota, because consumers are afraid to shop (or are too broke shop because they aren’t working), and
generally traumatized the state.
None of that gets erased, fixed, or healed just because the goons get gone. I truly hope that more people are able to sue the federal government like the teachers union, Education Minnesota, did. The only thing that has stopped the people of the Twin Cities and beyond from folding completely is that there are many, many, MANY people like Dylan Alverson who are committed to community. Like Dylan, they are committed above and beyond their own self-interest… or even their own commonsense.
While Dylan’s free restaurant may seem like a gimmick or a naive idea, Dylan sees it as part of a larger way to fight back against our authoritarian government. Dylan put it best in our interview:
“The world is watching, and they should. This could be the start of a revolution. We don’t know. But to me, it feels like it. And I’m willing to go as far as I need to if I can make that happen.”
Post Modern Times will only be able to keep up its anti-capitalistic “gamble” (gamble is Dylan’s word for what they are doing) if they also have community support. If you can, donate or spread the word about Post Modern Times Cafe’s bold plan.
(snip-MORE, including a podcast with Mandy Patinkin & Katherine Grody, helping MN teachers, and yet more!)
The Department of Homeland Security has brought on a 21-year-old social media professional from the Department of Labor to help run its communications channels — despite internal concerns about N*zi-coded content he previously posted.
According to The New York Times, Peyton Rollins moved from digital content manager at the Labor Department to a key role in DHS communications this month.
His name is Peyton Rollins. C’mon.
This kid has definitely killed small animals.
Could central casting find a more inbred Nazi looking 21 year old?
There were masks on the walls in a room on Epstein Island what had a dentist chair in the middle. Howard Lutnick [current Sec of Commerce] lived next to Jeffrey Epstein on 71st St and both their homes were owned by Les Wexner. #TheEpsteinClass
Republicans love immigrant #PeterThiel and his rampant drug use. Republicans look right past his homosexuality. Republicans love his Big Government Palantir tracking your every move.
This all shows that it’s not about invasive, gay, immigrant, ketamine addicts. All that matters is who serves fascist white nationalism.
Billionaire sex abusers get more than due process, they get Republican protection.
Scottie's Playtime 