The rantings of many.

I dropped billy. Freaking hell. Like, he wasn't sick enough so I decide to throw him on the floor? I had given him his medicine, we hung out and snuggled, he was lounging up by my neck but I thought it'd been long enough he might want to just be home so I put my hands around him and walked to the cage. He hadn't been really squiggly until he saw the cage, then he suddenly decided to dive for it. He was about at my waist level when I really lost hold of him, he hit the edge of the cage with a leg and dropped to the floor. And now that leg is screwed up. We were up until 1 in the morning watching him, then I woke up this morning and called two vets to see who could get him in early and neither one really could. One said if we dropped him off, they might just be able to take a look before 3:30, so marc took him there.

On top of feeling like a terrible person, I'm also just really mad because when I googled information about guinea pigs with broken legs I mostly came across people wanting advice that did NOT involve a veterinarian. Because they "didn't have the money". I'm sorry but I think it's really irresponsible to own a pet if you don't have the resources to take care of it. I know guinea pigs are only $30, but that doesn't mean you should get one just because you happen to have $30. It's not a x-box, it's a life!

rant over. obviously I can't pose like the most responsible pet owner ever since I just dropped my piggy, but let's face it, we've been medicating the little guy for two months. That's a lot of handling, having him in and out of the cage, holding him, etc. I've probably held him 100 times without dropping him. I hate myself, and I feel horrible, but that won't fix him now.

Keep good thoughts up for us. I'll update when they call back, hopefully soon.

I'm going to go see how much calcium I'm getting in these damn prenatal vitamins, I really hope my baby has strong bones.

http://www.spacefem.com/feministoftheday/viewfem.php?id=64

Abolitionist, theoretician
Born: November 26th, 1792
Died: December 23rd, 1873
Quote:"All I ask of our brethren is that they will take their feet from off our necks."
Links:

• http://www.english.ilstu.edu/351/hypertext98/hankins/african/SGrimke.html
• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASgrimkeS.htm

• 10:36 Hey Sun, I hear you're not going to be gone for this long again for a whole year. Congrats! #
• 00:22 I'm apparently either a devious mastermind or a brainwashed cultist plotting my own elimination. For great profit to myself. #
• 01:19 I swear, job hunting is more time consuming than having a job and more depressing. #

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• 00:54 Tonight D is sleeping off whatever it is that has her, so I spent the evening running around the web and listening to Digital Gunfire. #
• 02:39 @JudasKincaid And in some other stories, it is the way to show that a person's essence does not change no matter what skin it is in. #
• 23:27 Blarg, I'm getting sick. But despite that, I'm still feeling like I could take on the world. #

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http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01961/

ReMix of Ghosts 'N Goblins (NES) by Mazedude.
Original soundtrack by Ayako Mori.

Preview pic for the CS/VE crossover "One Night in Salem" - Carrie as Zoe

So, after about 8 months of MtF transition and therapy I flew a crossed the country to visit my family who had never seen me since I came out to them 5 months prior over the phone. They were extremely supportive and it was spread quickly through my extended family with very few problems (twilight zone moment!). So I arrive and get nothing but reinforcement about my decision. Constantly everyone has been telling me I am a completely different person and full of life in stark contrast prior to transition.

That being said all my previous reservations for full transition have fallen and now I'm looking at coming with a sense of commitment. So right now I dress act and with the help of hormones I know I appear ambiguous to people at a distance. My own father even made mention I seemed to be at a "mid way point."

I'm really looking to hear others thoughts on that point of no return which I feel I'm getting to. I know I'll be working on my voice and electrolysis very soon, and other steps that it will become impossible to remain in my current comfort zone to be successful. I mostly just let people presume I'm homosexual male since I'm more comfortable with that. With the full changes I would push for full female the prospect of "point of no return" is terrifying. The hardest is I'm currently going to school to be an MA and I'm worried about attempting to find work without legal change of gender and name. I seem to be more comfortable with the idea of getting a job first then transitioning while in employment so I can establish my skill as an employee rather than my transition being top issue.

I'll stop, I'm rambling.

Happy Plane is Happy!



Courtesy jessie_c

N) About two and a half minutes watched; certain amusement value.

It should be noticed that in our case the Star Wars films were experienced at roughly the same age, the fiction viewed much as the Highlander fiction was in terms of curiosity regarding a classic.

It is near the Christmas break of the school year. The students have turned in all their work and there is
really nothing more to do. All the children are restless and the teacher decides to have an early dismissal.

Teacher: "Whoever answers the questions I ask, first and correctly can leave early today."

Little Johnny says to himself "Good, I want to get outta here. I'm smart and will answer the question."

Teacher: "Who said 'Four Score and Seven Years Ago'?"

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Susie says, "Abraham Lincoln."

Teacher: "That's right Susie, you can go home."

Johnny is mad that Susie answered the question first.

Teacher: "Who said 'I Have a Dream'?"

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Mary says, "Martin Luther King."

Teacher: "That's right Mary, you can go."

Johnny is even madder than before.

Teacher: "Who said 'Ask not, what your country can do for you'?"

Before Johnny can open his mouth, Nancy says, "John F. Kennedy."

Teacher: "That's right Nancy, you may also leave."

Johnny is boiling mad that he has not been able to answer to any of the questions.

When the teacher turns her back Johnny says, "I wish these bitches would keep their mouths shut!"

The teacher turns around: "NOW WHO SAID THAT?"

Johnny: "TIGER WOODS. CAN I GO NOW?"

Corrosion's 2009 year in review video and a look at our first event in Jan 2010. ( click hear for video ) Corrosion, still laughing.

( I slipped up--- cut due to possibly trigger for some ) I'm going to start to heal again. I'm not going to count days.... I end up putting too much emphasis on the days & I set myself up for failure. I realize now that this isn't as easy as just making the decision to quit. It's going to be a constant battle somedays & it may never get easier... but I pray that it will. Relapse IS a part of Recovery. I think that is something that has been particularly hard for me to accept. Slip-ups are going to happen, but it doesn't mean all hope is lost and healing isn't taking place. But it's still hard to deal with. I don't know if I sure be feeling more guilty than I am about slipping up. I feel a bit guilty. I feel a bit selfishly sick. But, I still feel as though I want to get better, and I'm not a horrible person... I'm just not a well person.  Anyone have any words of advice or encouragement about how I can look at these slip-ups and not let them get me down? How can I acknowledge them but not let them own me?

This Wednesday, Corrosion is starting a Christmas tradition. We're asking everyone to bring a book or two for donation to Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners. We all have plenty, really, even when things are so economically depressing, so lets consider the spirit of Christmas and do something for people is far less fortunate circumstances.

You can check these guys out at http://lab2p.wordpress.com/.

Vendetta, Alekzandr and DedSexi will be spinning the best and most varied goth-industrial, like we do. And the drinks are cheap and plentiful. Like they are.

So merry Christmas everyone. We'll see you there. Bring out your books!

Most of you know that I've been proudly renting apartments for the past seven years. When I first got my job, the guys I worked with told me it was STUPID to rent because it's "throwing money away" and I needed to be saving money for a house now, get in with the smallest downpayment possible, just get in! Well I ignored them. At the time I was paying $400/mo for my apartment, and the kind of house I wanted was going to cost a great deal more than that. I could put the extra money into savings, and did. And I knew that your first few years in a house you only pay like $100/mo off the principal, so if I could put more than that into savings I was getting way more cash built up than equity. Sorry for the boring paragraph just explaining things, plus it sums up my general attitude about renting: It's a good thing. Am I paying a lot now? Sure. But I don't have any "surprise, you need $10,000 for a new sewer line!" sorts of issues that come up like homeowners do.

That all said, I really think I need to buy a house next year. The big thing is that I'm having a baby and there's no room for it here. Marc and I are in a split-level "one bedroom" that has no walls. I often feel like with just the two of us, we're outgrowing it. An office would be nice. A basement for storage would be nice. A second bathroom would br PRICELESS. And finally, a room for the baby, where we can close the door and watch TV someplace else while it snoozes away.

Last year we kinda looked at some places, but after about two days of cruising neighborhoods on Sunday afternoons for open houses we decided we weren't ready. We couldn't really afford anything we liked and didn't really like anything we could afford. Plus there was no hurry, not like we were having a baby or anything. So we signed another one-year lease on the apartment. I got pregnant right after we signed the lease. The timing was outright weird.

So here's the timeline we're considering:

• April 1 - $8000 tax credit for first-time home buyers goes away. If we've "bought" the house by then we get the credit, if not too bad.
  
• June 11 - have a baby. I should mention that I have a family history of late babies.
  
• July 1 - Close on the house to get $8000 tax credit.
  
• August 31 - lease is up. Getting out of the least before that costs about $2000

If it weren't for that damn tax credit timing, I'd just chill out and get a house when our lease is up in August, or even a little after, September could be "move/overlap" month. I don't worry much about bringing a newborn into the apartment, they don't need much stuff, kids don't even sleep in cribs until they're 3-4 months old. We just need diapers and a dresser drawer. And there are benefits to bringing a new baby home to this silly little apartment... we have fleets of neighbors here who love us, and would love to be part of all this. It'd be adorable to put an "it's a girl!" sign on our door. (if it's a girl. still hoping.)

But the tax credit drives all these other questions into my head, maybe we should try doing this earlier. Close by July 1? So in June, we'd have a baby and close on a house... does that sound too busy? Maybe we could close before that, and try to move out of the apartment while I'm eight months pregnant?

I read a real estate article once that said "First time buyers should know that the right time to buy a house is whenever YOU are ready to buy a house. Do not try to time the markets or take advantage of amazing offers, just buy when you're ready, this is your home you're talking about." And Rich Dad, Poor Dad also really stresses the fact that a house should not be your big investment asset... it's just where you live. So don't think too much about money. Just live there.

The other thought in my head is that the tax credit has already been extended once, and may very well be again. If we buy in August and they don't extend for us, well, it wasn't really our money to begin with was it? I don't feel so bad gambling with money that isn't mine.

It feels like such a maze.

http://www.spacefem.com/feministoftheday/viewfem.php?id=163

Guide, interpreter for Lewis and Clark
Born: 4789
Died: December 22nd, 1812
Quote:""
Links:

• http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/inside/saca.html
• http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/sacagawea.htm
• http://www.powersource.com/gallery/womansp/shoshoni.html

• 15:40 other radicals: stop using "male-bodied" and "female-bodied" to mean wo/man. It's transphobic and naturalizes the social construction of sex #
• 23:56 happy mother-night and good yule to all; tomorrow is the solstice, and thus this night kicks off yule. #

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• 02:17 Went to a friend's place for game night. Had a great time. I need to figure out a time to host at our place. #
• 03:15 I want to go to sleep, but my eyes are so wide open that my body won't let me. Disadvantage of last night's rave, I guess. #

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N?/M?)

In a certain game, a boy who looks like a girl who suffered hardship for many years in an all-boys school transfers to an all-girls school for financial reasons. He then, pretending to be a girl, has to try to interact with and eventually marry one of four girls within that school, who hold special positions and in doing so dress as boys/princes. There's significant amusement. This is the general background of the entry prompter.

Shortly after transferring, he encounters someone who earlier transferred out of his all-boys school, who went through hardships similar to him at the time. The protagonist things that this person is like him, a boy who looks like a girl who for some reason (noted, but irrelevant) wanted or needed to enter that all-girls school. At the same time, from the dialogue observed the game-player concludes that the other person is in fact a female who had originally secretly entered the all-boys school, and that that female has now concluded that the protagonist is likewise a female. There is significant amusement.

Various things happen, that character's route is only opened by reaching an end of one of the four crossdressing females' routes, and when it is finally reached...

...it turns out that the character in question is in fact male after all.
*facepalm*

More confusingly, this comes shortly after a CG (the person being accidentally walked in on) which shows pretty much absolutely no room, under certain non-boxer clothing, for the thing which was later shown in the significant CG in question.

Come to think of it, the clothing observed and the word used to describe it were pretty much completely different...

There is extreme suspiciousness regarding the integrity of the plan behind the route in question.

M?/N?) Not that this

N?/M?) But the symmetry...! The wonderful symmetry that could have been!
Ah, well. The amusing symmetrical concept is satisfactory on its own.

M?/N?) Have I mentioned how irritated I become when I'm not given a chance to finish thought-transcription?

N?/M?) I'm very sorry.

Edit: M?/N?) This itself is very pleasant, in different ways. *smiles*

Second edit: N?/B?/M?) The two crucial differences between the scene being watched and the memories from the Original's brief time in an all-male boarding school at the primary school level regarding the nightly interactions between the person in the bed one bed counter-clockwise around the room from the Original's and the Original is that the fictional characters portrayed are sexually mature and seem to know exactly what they're doing.

Third edit: N?/B?/F?/M?) Ah, a third significant difference just appeared. The Original had strong hygiene-related inhibitions in place against anything touching the defecation orifice, so nothing of that sort took place, despite the other's urging.

Recalling those memories one tends to wonder what sort of life the other had lived up until that point.

I used to be active in this community a few years ago when things were really tough for me, but as I got older, I didn't have time to be on the computer so much.  But I will get to my point.  Now, I'm 19, but still stuck emotionally where I used to be active here around 14/15 years old.  Now in a long-term relationship, I feel that if I start to cut again, he will feel it's his fault.  But right now, I just have the overwhelming feeling that all of us know: I need to cut; I need to see the blood drip, you know?

But I'm an "adult" now and I can't play it off as some sort of teenage phase.  I don't know how to find help or who to turn to.  The feelings I feel aren't familiar to my boyfriend.  He does not understand it at all, supportive he is, but you don't understand until you get sucked into the cycle yourself.

I guess I just want to express how I feel to people that understand, to feel part of something bigger than me.  Thanks.

I've spent alot of the past few years stagnating, in many different ways. After I lost my job last month, I decided that I needed to return myself to the level of drive and enjoyment with life that I had long ago. I tried to remember what things I did back when I was living in Iowa that made me feel really alive. I remembered going out dancing every other night at the clubs with Cassandra. I remembered the weekly trips to RHPS with all the different people there. I remembered the little retail job I was at and how just as many people would stop by to talk with me and listen to stories of my experiences, as those that came by with the purpose of making a purchase. I remembered being lithe, beautiful, and with an energy that synergized with those around me.

Friday night I went to a rave with dana_grrl, viesti, paradox_puree, and a few others. I hadn't been out dancing in years, and I really enjoyed my own little style. Apparently, my tastes in dance music is a little different than the others I went with. I don't think anybody does Nu-Metal raves, but I found that something called "Dub Step" works pretty well for me, "Psy-trance" doesn't work well, and that I would probably like Dark Trance or Industrial if I went to someplace featuring them. Yes, this is a request for some music suggestions as well as for nearby venues.

One person at the rave had a lightsaber and was doing what I can only describe as a sword kata modified to work with the music playing. Watching him move gave me another inspiration. When I was living in Davenport, I had a friend who taught me a few sword kata (I think his particular martial art was called "Kumdo", sort of the Korean answer to kendo). Watching the lightsaber man brought forth these memories and gave me inspiration. I think I need to study martial arts, preferably something sword-based or stick-based like Kumdo, Kali, or maybe sword-based Tai Chi. I've known for a while that I need to find some kind of physical activity that I can actually get into. Sure I go rock climbing to Planet Granite on the Wednesdays, but it doesn't really get my heart into it the way that it does for the other people there. I think that if I could study some kind of sword- or stick-based martial art, the moves would be a good physical activity and the structure could work great to make something both feel-good and self-entertaining. If a potential teacher asked why I came to the decision, it would sound like I am belittling the art itself, which is not my intent. I'm not wanting MA training so I can dance, but the dance inspired me to find MA training. Bah, this is probably only making sense to me. Nonetheless, I think it's something I should look into.

In addition, I think I need to go to more of these raves. I remember the clubbing as my most positive experiences with my former roommate Cassandra, and that they were some of the times that I felt the most beautiful and radiant overall. I think that some of that was shaken loose Friday night. Maybe I can find something to do every 3 or 4 weeks, maybe even biweekly if I were feeling up to it.

Time went by quickly and I didn't get tired until 6am, when I was in the car riding home. It ruined my sleeping schedule over the past couple days, but it was quite worth it. I want to go raving again and more frequently. It's ben far too long since I got to go out and have fun like that. I'm going to have to go shopping for some other clothes though. It gets very hot there and I want to make something with lots of lights on it to give a show as I dance.

I was cutting and told the wrong person I'd had a bad day and they called the cops saying I was suicidal. Weeks have passed since they let me out the hospital but nothing ever got fixed. They took me in and released my outta the psych ward within 10 hours; I guess I really am good at keeping my cool. I was cutting again within a week; and it's starting to get reckless. Next shot is probably gonna be across as vien, I'm kinda sad about that fact becasue that means I've fallen flat on my face again but , hey, what can you do when you're transparent and even though they can see right through you they refuse to see anything at all?


fuck the losers who posed, bashing this page. Some assholes just don't feel anything at all

Hi all. I thought I would introduce myself. My name is Katie, and I am actually quite cisgendered. I am here because I am honorarily part of a very uniquely awesome family. I live with one of my oldest and dearest friends and his son and daughter. When I met my roommate, he was superwoman - mother of three, working wife, holding down two jobs and going to school to support a husband and children. Now, at the age of 40-something, he is navigating through life as a ftm, and trying to fit all of the pieces together.

Myself being happily cisgendered, I have no frame of personal reference for his life, but I love him and support him the best that I can. So, here I am, trying to support my roommate/friend/family through something that, frankly, I haven't experienced before, and in my narrow social circle am not likely to see on a daily basis. It's a journey for all of us, and I am trying to help his daughters understand as much as I can (they are adults, in their twenties, with kids of their own), but again, it's not something I fully understand. His son seems to be fine with the transition, it's the girls who are having a hard time dealing with it.

Did any of you experience having to help your children understand? How did you do it? Can you think of anything I can say to help the girls understand a little more? (They don't listen to their mom, because, well, they're kids, damn it!! lol)

Thanks for being here as a livejournal community. I am so glad I have found this!

For the record, after he gets my fetlife profile set up (hahaha. My fetish? I am straight and vanilla! HAHAHA!!! What a profile....) we are getting him a livejournal, because we were reading some of this community's posts together, and he's looking forward to joining!

I'll stop rambling now.

And so, a wild, wacky weekend has been experienced.

Yesterday saw Round 1 of x-mas festivities, and I got a pretty respectable haul there. ^_^

Among them were a great many books, as well as some jeans, and assorted undergarments that most of you probably aren't interested in. XD Chief among said books is none other than "... And Another Thing", as well as a manga drawing tutorial type book, and several manga, including the first couple volumes of Fruits Basket.

And yesterday was also my niece's b-day. Though we did it today what with things at my step-dad's folks. And, my niece got a really cool birthday haul. From me, she got a teddy bear that lights up, as well as a Fisher Price school building. And one of her grandmothers got her some nifty plush robot mouse thingy that automatically runs around the floor. And my sister complimented me on my taste in things to get little ladies such as my niece.

Also, further thoughts on "... And Another Thing" forthcoming. Coming soon to an entry near you! XD

N) At a certain point: "Hmm, I want to eat a plain steamed bun.". Two hours later: "Hmm, I want to fry a plain steamed bun and eat it.". Note the general dislike/avoidance of fried foods.

First, can I post a pigture I took recently?

This is The Brain. He is truly wise. You can ask him questions, and he will meditate quietly until finding a clear answer (as shown below).



he also likes sniffing. and shedding long white hair on things.

In other news, I spent the weekend in Topeka with my sister where her friends were throwing their annual Lenaia party. This is loosely based on an ancient Greek festival, but their idea is that a bunch of women get together to celebrate womanhood, drink white cosmopolitans, get their feminist rants off their chest, dance, laugh, be merry. Great party! I enjoyed being with a group of women who weren't selling junk or showering someone.

I took a nap in the afternoon before driving to Topeka and still got THE SLEEPIES in a bad way. Around midnight or 1, I was just about to lose it. Finally one of the girls at the party must have noticed, and said if I felt like I needed to lay down I was welcome to go upstairs and invade somebody's room and I was like, "Oh thanks, I'm having a great time! Might just go up and stretch out a bit though."

three hour later I was totally rested and ready to party, but everyone else was going home, so crap. Everybody was cool about it and totally blaming it on the pregnancy but I gotta be honest... I like sleeping, and this is not the first time I've crashed a little early at a party for no real reason.

Here's the conversation of the night... some gals brought up the fact that my sister and I get along so well, it's amazing we have so much in common. At first I was like "What? She totally let me down forever, she's not an engineer." They were like "But you still get along so well then, how come?" I thought about it a bit. Then finally said, "Well I'm proud of her... I mean maybe she's not an engineer but I still feel like she's a nerd in her own way and that's what's important." They all quickly agreed... Nerd definitely! It was the sort of agreement you don't really want your close friends to have about you that instantly, I don't remember if she was around or not. But anyway, there are technical nerds, but if you look at the broader term it really means "one who totally over-researches things that other people cannot possibly relate to their interest in." And that's her. You can be tall, good-looking, have friends, throw good parties... and yet those close to you will still know the truth. And love you for it, if they're nerds, or if they're just loving people, it works either way.

And it's sad but I've met a lot of non-nerd engineers. They're horrible. They seem to have fallen into the field by flipping a coin, and stayed because it's a steady paycheck, but the passion just isn't there. I don't see how they can be that good at what they do. Get up, come to work, complain, go home, watch sitcoms, join the softball league, mow the yard. And that's about the highlight. You think these people can't end up in technical fields but they seep in. We have nothing in common.

Things we played and some blurry yet haunting and evocative photos. Later I may edit this to include some video I took of Leah's second performance. Thanks to you who attended, and to Eugene and Leah for being amazing.

( Read more... )

Just some of my favorite records from the past year. Hope you like!


Angelspit -- Hideous and Perfect



The Big Pink -- A Brief History Of Love



Fuck Buttons -- Tarot Sport



HEALTH -- Get Color



Ouch My Face -- Ouch My Face



A Place to Bury Strangers -- Exploding Head



Porcupine Tree -- The Incident



Rammstein -- Liebe Ist Für Alle Da



Tegan & Sara -- Sainthood

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01960/

ReMix of OutRun (ARC) by LuIzA.
Original soundtrack by Hiroshi Miyauchi.

The joys of working at a toy company tech line:

Kid who is obviously pretending to be older:" I need to have the parental lockout removed for my child, please."
Jenn (Skeptical): "Okay...are you over 18?"
KWIOPTBO: "Yes."
J: "Alright. What year were you born?"
KWIOPTBO: ".........................197...6."
J(Immediately): "How old does that make you?"
KWIOPTBO: "..................." ::hangs up::
J: ::laughs hard hard hard::

Forwarded from Loree Cook-Daniels. This is last-minute as they need responses by the end of today, but please cross-post to appropriate communities!

Loree Cook-Daniels from the FORGE Transgender Ageing Network here. A few years ago, MetLife and the LGBT Ageing Issues Network of the American Society on Ageing did a well-publicised survey of LGBT people age 45-64. Unfortunately, for a bunch of reasons, there were few to no Trans respondents. They are redoing the survey and trying to do this one right, but we need more Trans respondents -- NOW (by the end of the weekend).

Note that this survey is set up in a complicated way that redirects anyone who is not in the right age bracket and/or that doesn't indicate they're Trans by noting they were assigned a different gender at birth. (So if you get a question about elected officials being out of touch, know you've been redirected.) Despite that, the questions were written for a mixed LGBT audience, so they're not all as Trans-savvy as we would like. Please be gracious if you fall within the needed age range and answer anyway, because we'd like to: 1) have Trans respondents; and 2) show other researchers that you CAN get Trans respondents in a mixed LGBT survey, if you outreach.

Below is MetLife's description and the link. Thank you.

Loree

( Read more... )

Here are some photos of the snow. And the kids too ofcourse!

( see the pictures! )

We had fun for a bit but now we're inside getting warm. I'm debating if I'm going to put the kids' pants in the dryer. They're wearing fresh pants right now. But we'll soon run out of pants if they have to change them every time they come in (couldn't find snow clothes). But if I turn on the dryer then the hot air that goes outside will melt the snow and turn it to ice around the side steps. For now they're sitting on the radiator.

The National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students's 14th annual conference will take place January 15th to the 17th at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As usual the conference will be held over a weekend, and co-hosted by a campus Hillel, the NUJLS leadership conference features workshops, services, community building, and social time. This year's keynotes are Rabbi Bradley Artsen, Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and comedian Dana Goldberg!

We welcome students from all sorts of backgrounds (religious, not, newly out, not, liberal to conservative, and more). Workshops, speakers, and text studies address such topics as Judaism and homosexuality, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, and politics. Last year more than one hundred students came from across the United States and Canada to participate, and we anticipate a similar turnout this year! Registration ($80) includes meals (all kosher), housing, and all conference events. Travel and registrations subsidies are available upon request (in the registration form). View past schedules and register at http://www.nujlsonline.org/conferenceinfo.html

Hope to see you there!

http://www.spacefem.com/feministoftheday/viewfem.php?id=99

Actress, pacifist
Born: December 21st, 1937
Quote:"A man has every season while a woman only has the right to spring."
Bio:A popular actress, Jane Fonda was first cast in typical sex-symbol roles until her political views changed around the time of the Vietnam War. Her career goals changed and she portrayed tougher, deeper women, and she was soon known for being outspoken about issues related to peace, human rights, and feminism. She was recently in the news for visiting Guatemala City to draw attention to the murders of almost 700 women in the past three years for which no justice has been served.
Links:

• http://www.starsofhollywood.com/jane_fonda.html
• http://www.swinginchicks.com/jane_fonda.htm
• http://www.vday.org/contents/vday/press/media/0312081

• 16:57 is actually starting work on a poetry zine #
• 22:00 editing a zine, making stew, and listening to Coil - must be winter in the PNW. #
• 00:39 who else read the story Stone Soup as a child? Am I alone in wanting to do a gutterpunk version of it? #

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Ladies and Gentlemen. For the first time in twenty years, I've finished Super Mario Brothers. And the only cheat was a save state. GO ME!

Hello, I'm Kai. I'm 17 and FtN...ish. My actual gender is neutral, but the filter between me and the world changes from male to female and other stuff. I'm preparing to tell my parents that I'm trans within the next two months, so I will probably be asking a lot of things. Right now I'll just start with a couple questions.

First of all, I'm trying to figure out the logistics of socially switching to a different name. Right now, my six closest friends all use my preferred name. Luckily it starts with the same letter as my given name, so I've started signing papers with [first initial][last name], but I'd like to completely switch over. In January, a new semester starts and I'd like to use Kai consistently, but all of my teachers either have already had me in class or know me by my given name from elsewhere. I thought I'd email my teachers, and since they mostly seem cool they'll probably be okay, but I'm more worried about dealing with other people's "WTF, why are they calling you Kai?" Even cis people start using nicknames sometimes, but how do you actually do it?

Second thing is a binding thing. I'm lucky to have a really small chest (34A), but I'd like to get it flat and don't know how. My immediate hope was to find a tight sports bra, but it's really hard to find a size small where I live, let alone an extra-small or something like that. So now that I know I'll have to order something anyways, I figure I might as well just find out what is the most effective.

lisanys and I had been talking about learning to lead climb for awhile now, and just over a month ago decided to learn. A couple months after I started climbing regularly I figured that once I could climb 5.10a I would consider myself ready to start working on leading, and I'd accomplished that a few months back now. We signed up for lessons at Rock Oasis (our normal climbing gym) and our first lesson of two was a month or so ago.

( Long details of lead climbing lessons cut )

Please tell me I'm not the only one who doesn't want Christmas to come. ( Cut for length. )

One more and it'd be a Phil Collins reference.

Now that you've had a solid day to scrape the mold off our skull buckle boots and squeeze the rainwater from your lungs, it's time to go to Shadow Gallery's fourth annual Christmas party! SEE the inimitable Leah Kahn dance with flames sprouting from her hands! HEAR the finest, darkest and most ferocious goth, industrial, swirl and death rock! DANCE the Mamuschka at 1 a.m. to compete for a fabulous $50 gift certificate from the good people at Wicked Orleans! All this and more upstairs at Maison Musique, 508 Frenchmen St., at 11 o'clock, for no cover.

Here's a flyer.

( Click. I won't bite. )

N?)

1. Forging swords is a free action.

2. "No matter how great the katana is, it's useless in the hands of an amateur like you." "Skills aren't necessary. What's important is a heart that won't falter!"

N?/F?: Somehow it feels as though she just grievously insulted everyone who ever seriously trained in swordsmanship.

3. (Though this was before 1., the contrived way that two characters kept being interrupted/separated at the most dramatic moment was a little eye-rolling-inducing. Somewhat similar with the systematic weapon-destruction to pave the way for the dramatic weapon-receiving scene. There's a degree of acceptable leeway (?), though.)

I'm really trying to keep the lj balanced these days and think I'm doing a pretty good job. The ratios I'm aiming for:

• 30% pilot adventures
  
• 25% pregnancy updates
  
• 10% guinea pigs
  
• 35% observations about the world

It could happen. I probably need more observations but I'm doing okay. To be honest, when I look back on my old lj entries sometimes I wish I wrote more about current events and things, more "time capsule" kinda stuff.

But today's entry is about pregnancy. I decided to take some pictures of myself, because humaazul is convinced I'm hiding something. Also even though I don't think I look different, I realized that if I don't take pictures now I'll never know when I DO start looking different. The changes are so gradual. Even with my clothes, it wasn't like I woke up one day and they didn't fit, it changed with the days and the times and still in the mornings I think a lot of stuff fits just fine.

( Read more... )

It's snowing! YAY! I know it's supposed to turn into some aweful blizzard. But for now it's not that bad and the kids are having fun. hehe







Fun fun fun. hehe

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01959/

ReMix of Radical Dreamers: Nusumenai Houseki (SNES) by OA.
Original soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda.

http://www.ocremix.org/remix/OCR01958/

ReMix of Sonic & Knuckles (GEN) by Xenon Odyssey.
Original soundtrack by Howard Drossin, Jun Senoue, Tomonori Sawada.

I thought you guys might like this....

Taken from the CD 'This Winter's Night' by Mother Tongue.

Have you ever wondered why there's so much singing at Christmas? This is the story of the very first song. It's a true story just as all stories are, if you believe in them

This story begins a long long time ago when Earth and Sun made the first beings. -- the very first plants and animals and people.

It was springtime and the Sun shone warm and bright from His high perch above, and Earth, proud mother that She was, held and fed Her newborns and relished them with tenderness and love.

It was a time of joy, it was a time of great delight. The Moon waxed and waned time and again in the night sky, and the children of the Earth grew well and strong through Summertime. They played and danced and Earth and Sun watched over them.

Then Autumn came, and the Earth began to sleep much longer every day. She grew tired and pale. She could no longer feed Her children and had no strength to make new life. High above the Sun grew more distant and took longer to return each morning. The nights grew longer and cold winds blew where none had blown before.

And then, one day, Earth went to sleep and never did wake up. She wrapped Herself in a blanket of snow and rested Her tired head on pillows of dried leaves and She did not wake up. Her children could do nothing to rouse Her from her slumber. They prodded Her, they called Her, but She would not awaken.

In the sky, the Sun was nowhere to be seen and the children of the Earth felt fear and also felt despair. This was the longest night that they had ever known.
"What shall become of us" they pondered. "Earth Mother sleeps, and Father Sun is oh so far away that we can barely see Him in the sky. He is much too far to hear our call. What shall we do?"

So they brought their questions and their fears to the Moon, the sister of the Sun, for they knew not where else to turn. She closed Her eyes and took a slow deep breath and looked within Herself and awoke thoughts that had never been awakened until then.
She opened Her soft eyes and said "When hope is lost, the best way to get it back is with a song. Climb you the tallest trees, the biggest hills and the mountains and yule a song to reach the Sun.

Now 'yule' is a word from one of the worlds oldest tongues. It is related to words like 'yell' or 'yodel' and it means 'to call out in song'.

But the first beings had never heard a song so once again they sought the Moon's advice. "How shall we yule?" they asked. "How shall we sing a song?"
"Take the best of what you have," she said, "the best of what you are. Take what you love; take what you cherish most. Take your joys, your dreams, your fondest hopes and weave them all together in a sound."
And so they did. They climbed atop the tallest trees, the mountains and the hills. They stood in all the places that would bring them closest to the Sun. They shut their eyes and thought and felt the best of thoughts and feelings and dreamt the finest dreams. And as they did their voices rang out and made a bridge of song across the sky to reach the distant Sun.

He heard, and turned, and smiled, and wrapped Himself in all His light and warmth and sped to where the yuling voices called. As He drew near the sleeping Earth did stir and dreamed a dream of Spring. And so the wheel of life made its first turn, and hope and joy prevailed. And ever since, that time of year has been called Yule in honour of the song.

But the first song did not end. It had such power, such allure that the first beings kept singing it throughout, and then the second beings born of the Earth took up the song, as did the third and so it ever since has gone, through years and years until this very day.

At times the song is very soft and scarcely can be heard above the din and clatter of our lives, but when Yule comes it rises and swells in memory of that night when the Sun heard, and light and life returned.

And so do we upon (this) that longest night gather with those we love and who love us and stand upon the body of slumbering Earth and light the log with last years and lift our voices soaring to the Sun and join the song that first was sung so very long ago.

We sing our thanks to those who went before and sing our fondest wish to those who come after. We bask in the returning light of re-awakened hope and welcome YULE.

• 00:55 In games: I got picked up for an ICC-10 group and downed the first two bosses, and Rock Band announced their next game: RB: Green Day! #
• 17:14 What to wear, what to wear... #
• 17:20 @SonyaLynn Real vampires don't sparkle. Oh wait... #
• 17:23 @SonyaLynn But seriously: the quick answer is that vampires are the new hotness. Wake me up when time-travelers are back in vogue. #
• 17:55 @SonyaLynn Yeah, but time travel and alternate universes are my preferred gig, after all. #
• 18:33 @SonyaLynn I guess. I just miss shows like Quantum Leap, Sliders (which has NOT aged well), and the time-loop story arc in Babylon 5. #
• 18:34 @SonyaLynn "Can not run out of time. Time is infinite! You are finite. Zathras is finite. This... is wrong tool!" #
• 19:14 @jephjacques BYAAAH!!! #
• 23:32 Entering an event where you have to be patted down before getting in. Either very good or very bad. We'll see. #

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Um...paycheck? Anyone? Jobs are supposed to pay. That's why I'm a phone monkey, Job. Paychecks. Coulda used one when you said you were gonna get me one. ::sees the financial avalanche coming, and for once, decides to just let it hit her::

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