[Every Waking Hour, I'm Choosing My Confessions]
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A Hope-er, a Pray-er, a Magic Bean buyer,
If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire
- Shel Silverstein
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lazy
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Mississippi Personhood Amendment
Originally posted by 
gabrielleabelle at Mississippi Personhood Amendment
gabrielleabelle at Mississippi Personhood AmendmentFollow up post to address common questions/concerns is here.
Okay, so I don't usually do this, but this is an issue near and dear to me and this is gettingvery little no attention in the mainstream media.
Mississippi is voting on November 8th on whether to pass Amendment 26, the "Personhood Amendment". This amendment would grant fertilized eggs and fetuses personhood status.
Putting aside the contentious issue of abortion, this would effectively outlaw birth control and criminalize women who have miscarriages. This is not a good thing.
Jackson Women's Health Organization is the only place women can get abortions in the entire state, and they are trying to launch a grassroots movement against this amendment. This doesn't just apply to Mississippi, though, as Personhood USA, the group that introduced this amendment, is trying to introduce identical amendments in all 50 states.
What's more, in Mississippi, this amendment is expected to pass. It even has Mississippi Democrats, including the Attorney General, Jim Hood, backing it.
The reason I'm posting this here is because I made a meager donation to the Jackson Women's Health Organization this morning, and I received a personal email back hours later - on a Sunday - thanking me and noting that I'm one of the first "outside" people to contribute.
So if you sometimes pass on political action because you figure that enough other people will do something to make a difference, make an exception on this one. My RSS reader is near silent on this amendment. I only found out about it through a feminist blog. The mainstream media is not reporting on it.
If there is ever a time to donate or send a letter in protest, this would be it.
What to do?
- Read up on it. Wake Up, Mississippi is the home of the grassroots effort to fight this amendment. Daily Kos also has a thorough story on it.
- If you can afford it, you can donate at the site's link.
- You can contact the Democratic National Committee to see why more of our representatives aren't speaking out against this.
- Like this Facebook page to help spread awareness.
Follow up post to address common questions/concerns is here.
Okay, so I don't usually do this, but this is an issue near and dear to me and this is getting
Mississippi is voting on November 8th on whether to pass Amendment 26, the "Personhood Amendment". This amendment would grant fertilized eggs and fetuses personhood status.
Putting aside the contentious issue of abortion, this would effectively outlaw birth control and criminalize women who have miscarriages. This is not a good thing.
Jackson Women's Health Organization is the only place women can get abortions in the entire state, and they are trying to launch a grassroots movement against this amendment. This doesn't just apply to Mississippi, though, as Personhood USA, the group that introduced this amendment, is trying to introduce identical amendments in all 50 states.
What's more, in Mississippi, this amendment is expected to pass. It even has Mississippi Democrats, including the Attorney General, Jim Hood, backing it.
The reason I'm posting this here is because I made a meager donation to the Jackson Women's Health Organization this morning, and I received a personal email back hours later - on a Sunday - thanking me and noting that I'm one of the first "outside" people to contribute.
So if you sometimes pass on political action because you figure that enough other people will do something to make a difference, make an exception on this one. My RSS reader is near silent on this amendment. I only found out about it through a feminist blog. The mainstream media is not reporting on it.
If there is ever a time to donate or send a letter in protest, this would be it.
What to do?
- Read up on it. Wake Up, Mississippi is the home of the grassroots effort to fight this amendment. Daily Kos also has a thorough story on it.
- If you can afford it, you can donate at the site's link.
- You can contact the Democratic National Committee to see why more of our representatives aren't speaking out against this.
- Like this Facebook page to help spread awareness.
Follow up post to address common questions/concerns is here.
(no subject)
Who's doing NaNo this year?
[I read a lot. A LOT.]
I'm reading Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and I just noticed that it's going to be a Tim Burton movie soon. All I can say is if he casts Johnny fucking Depp again, especially as Abe, I'm going to punch something.
...That aside! The book is fantastic and surreal, and by turns thought-provoking and hilarious. It makes me want to start a reading group with several of you on the flist just because oh, my god, I'm kind of dying to know your opinions.
Next up I have Hell on my list. It looks so good.
...That aside! The book is fantastic and surreal, and by turns thought-provoking and hilarious. It makes me want to start a reading group with several of you on the flist just because oh, my god, I'm kind of dying to know your opinions.
Next up I have Hell on my list. It looks so good.
(no subject)
A few weeks ago I went to Seattle to visit Rae and go to Sakuracon. Amazing weekend, filled with a lot of adventures and misadventures. Like Steph and I walking six blocks before we realized we could order pizza from our room. And my credit card getting stolen. And getting lost with Rae four times because I can't tell direction when there is no sun and no mountains. I had a blast, though.
So without further ado, here are pictures!
My site. The Sakura link is for a photoshoot and a few miscellaneous con pictures, but there are other new photos in almost all the pages now.
And Deviant Art for things that didn't make it to the site or haven't made it there yet.
As always, comments, suggestions, critiques are always welcome.
So without further ado, here are pictures!
My site. The Sakura link is for a photoshoot and a few miscellaneous con pictures, but there are other new photos in almost all the pages now.
And Deviant Art for things that didn't make it to the site or haven't made it there yet.
As always, comments, suggestions, critiques are always welcome.
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optimistic
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(no subject)
this has been the day from hell. I don't even want to go into it. Suffice to say, I spent seven hours in the ER and my mum might have cancer. My sister was denied Medicaid. My nephew's still in the NICU. And that's the big stuff from this week.
I just want to write here to remind myself in the future: self. You are really really lucky to have Hanna and Rae.
And all my friends, but today I have no idea what I would've done without them.
Boo, I did eat. <3 It was Taco Bell so I'm not sure that counts as food, though.
I just want to write here to remind myself in the future: self. You are really really lucky to have Hanna and Rae.
And all my friends, but today I have no idea what I would've done without them.
Boo, I did eat. <3 It was Taco Bell so I'm not sure that counts as food, though.
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worried
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[so you walk that way, i'll walk this way]
( Collapse )
Enough real life blathering. Book review time!
I've been reading the Marla Mason series, by T.A. Pratt. When I say "reading them", I mean I've read three of them in the past two weeks and I'm working on the fourth.
The writing lacks defining style, which is sadly typical of most of today's genre writers. But! The plots are so creative I don't even mind. It's leisure reading in the best sense of the word.
Marla is a gritty heroine who is really fun to read about. She's the chief sorcerer of an east coast city called Felport. She's also a crime lord on the side. The best part, for me? She doesn't run around in a chainmail bikini. She's kicked a hellhound across a room with her steeltoed boots, and she wears grimy t-shirts. She's not a sex object. She doesn't spend every book finding The One. (Not that she's opposed to love if it comes along, but let's just say Death can confirm that she takes care of her own business when she needs. Wink wink.)
Her sidekick is Rondeau, a psychic parasite inhabiting a street urchin's body. Wanna know how they met? When Marla was younger and Rondeau was a kid, she tore his jaw off to use it as an oracle device. Admittedly she was under the influence of her cloak-that-may-not-be-a-cloak, but still, she ripped a kid's jaw off because she needed it. It's horrible and shocking and the strangest start to a best friendship I've ever read. By the time we read about them, they've made amends, but it affects the dynamic from time to time. That's key in this series: things she does continue to have consequences for years.
Also, Rondeau is a snarky bisexual bar owner who dresses in godawful 70's leisure suits. I love him so much it's ridiculous.
Where was I?
In Marla's world, sorcerers are in every city running things behind the scenes. Marla's first master was a pornomancer. It is exactly what it sounds like. Some of her worst rivals are: a necromancer with Cotard delusion, Death incarnate, a would-be Incan priest, a snake god, a 'love talker' who can force everyone around him to love him, and the zombie of John Wilkes Booth.
Oh and there are technomancers, biomancers (one that reminds me so much of Kurotsuchi, Siren), and even a fungomancer. Yeah. A sorcerer who talks to and manipulates mushrooms. And he's fucking creepy, too. If you're wondering, Marla is a jack of all trades sorcerer--described as a "martial sorcerer" or just "asskicker for hire".
I love that Marla gets in trouble. She messes up, and things aren't neatly taken care of all the time. She does the best she can with what she's got, and sometimes that's not good enough. It's refreshing.
In short: if you like funny, extremely creative fantasy with a believably badass heroine? This series.
Enough real life blathering. Book review time!
I've been reading the Marla Mason series, by T.A. Pratt. When I say "reading them", I mean I've read three of them in the past two weeks and I'm working on the fourth.
The writing lacks defining style, which is sadly typical of most of today's genre writers. But! The plots are so creative I don't even mind. It's leisure reading in the best sense of the word.
Marla is a gritty heroine who is really fun to read about. She's the chief sorcerer of an east coast city called Felport. She's also a crime lord on the side. The best part, for me? She doesn't run around in a chainmail bikini. She's kicked a hellhound across a room with her steeltoed boots, and she wears grimy t-shirts. She's not a sex object. She doesn't spend every book finding The One. (Not that she's opposed to love if it comes along, but let's just say Death can confirm that she takes care of her own business when she needs. Wink wink.)
Her sidekick is Rondeau, a psychic parasite inhabiting a street urchin's body. Wanna know how they met? When Marla was younger and Rondeau was a kid, she tore his jaw off to use it as an oracle device. Admittedly she was under the influence of her cloak-that-may-not-be-a-cloak, but still, she ripped a kid's jaw off because she needed it. It's horrible and shocking and the strangest start to a best friendship I've ever read. By the time we read about them, they've made amends, but it affects the dynamic from time to time. That's key in this series: things she does continue to have consequences for years.
Also, Rondeau is a snarky bisexual bar owner who dresses in godawful 70's leisure suits. I love him so much it's ridiculous.
Where was I?
In Marla's world, sorcerers are in every city running things behind the scenes. Marla's first master was a pornomancer. It is exactly what it sounds like. Some of her worst rivals are: a necromancer with Cotard delusion, Death incarnate, a would-be Incan priest, a snake god, a 'love talker' who can force everyone around him to love him, and the zombie of John Wilkes Booth.
Oh and there are technomancers, biomancers (one that reminds me so much of Kurotsuchi, Siren), and even a fungomancer. Yeah. A sorcerer who talks to and manipulates mushrooms. And he's fucking creepy, too. If you're wondering, Marla is a jack of all trades sorcerer--described as a "martial sorcerer" or just "asskicker for hire".
I love that Marla gets in trouble. She messes up, and things aren't neatly taken care of all the time. She does the best she can with what she's got, and sometimes that's not good enough. It's refreshing.
In short: if you like funny, extremely creative fantasy with a believably badass heroine? This series.
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happy
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(no subject)
First off, Calvin Klein: I am not impressed with your pants. Your idea of "extra small" is not, in fact, extra small. ...But your yoga pants were a gift and they are comfortable. Shame I can't actually DO anything in them besides sit very still.
Second, martial arts makes me feel warm and relaxed and peaceful. Go figure.
Third, dinner with friends I haven't seen since before I went to Australia. We're now planning a trip for somewhere, sometime.
Fourth, typing with a bandaid on my finger is hell. I may as well just type with my forehead.
Second, martial arts makes me feel warm and relaxed and peaceful. Go figure.
Third, dinner with friends I haven't seen since before I went to Australia. We're now planning a trip for somewhere, sometime.
Fourth, typing with a bandaid on my finger is hell. I may as well just type with my forehead.
(no subject)
I'm at work with basically nothing to do for eight hours except clean. I figure I'll go home around 3, get up at 10 and go back to do whatever clerical work has come in. It is really nice being able to set my own hours (being the owner's daughter does have some perks....)
One of my dad's partners has retired because she has Alzheimer's but her husband still works here, so they both came in to get some things. It was nice to just say hi; they've known me almost since before I could walk. I only really see them during tax season (January to April) but it's funny how much you learn about a person in that amount of time. They're not really family, but they're close. They're people I'm glad are in my life.
I really do miss doing therapy work with Alzheimer's patients. I think if I can find a clinic where I won't have to do bed lifts, I'd like to go back to work in a rest home. I know Shastya would love it, too. Whenever I take her for walks for CJ, she is drawn to elderly people, and I love seeing them smile when she sits and puts her head under their hands.
I once had several patients whose conditions had progressed so far they couldn't communicate anymore, but when I started training a puppy and bringing her to work, they improved so much. By the time I quit, one of them was calling me by name. Not by my name, mind, but by a name she'd given me ("Mr. Foster").
I'm so excited for photography again. I haven't done any real pictures since I was in Sydney.
One of my dad's partners has retired because she has Alzheimer's but her husband still works here, so they both came in to get some things. It was nice to just say hi; they've known me almost since before I could walk. I only really see them during tax season (January to April) but it's funny how much you learn about a person in that amount of time. They're not really family, but they're close. They're people I'm glad are in my life.
I really do miss doing therapy work with Alzheimer's patients. I think if I can find a clinic where I won't have to do bed lifts, I'd like to go back to work in a rest home. I know Shastya would love it, too. Whenever I take her for walks for CJ, she is drawn to elderly people, and I love seeing them smile when she sits and puts her head under their hands.
I once had several patients whose conditions had progressed so far they couldn't communicate anymore, but when I started training a puppy and bringing her to work, they improved so much. By the time I quit, one of them was calling me by name. Not by my name, mind, but by a name she'd given me ("Mr. Foster").
I'm so excited for photography again. I haven't done any real pictures since I was in Sydney.
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[the slow wonder]
I got out to lunch with a bunch of friends in honor of Marjie. They'd like to do this every week, which knowing us means we'll do it once a month, then once a quarter, then once a year, then next decade we'll start it all over again.
But for now we went to lunch, and it turns out they're all pregnant. Even the men. Everyone, pregnant. I'm picking at my leftovers and wondering if those are pregnant, too.
I'm going to need more 80's sitcom nicknames, stat.
B.A. (my nephew, previously known as Bobo, now named for Mr. T) has been bruising my poor sister's ribs.
That is my life right now.
But for now we went to lunch, and it turns out they're all pregnant. Even the men. Everyone, pregnant. I'm picking at my leftovers and wondering if those are pregnant, too.
I'm going to need more 80's sitcom nicknames, stat.
B.A. (my nephew, previously known as Bobo, now named for Mr. T) has been bruising my poor sister's ribs.
That is my life right now.
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amused
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