Happy Stuff Yourself and Stuff Your Feelings Down Day

Thanksgiving. A day when we celebrate food. Serious amounts of food that we eat until we hurt and then wait a few hours and eat again.

We are having our Thanksgiving at the home of a woman who is close to my SIL, a woman I seriously don't like. But since I want to spend the day with my family and not by myself pouting, I will go and eat and stay as silent as possible except when talking to those I'm comfortable with.

Otherwise, I am well. My new car is cool. I'm almost completely done with Christmas shopping and I even got my cards in the mail as well as my gifts.

This year we're pretty into the season because last year Myrna was going through chemo and ended up in the hospital so it was a sucky holiday. This year we're already cooking up a storm and really planning some celebrations.

I hope everyone celebrating Thanksgiving has a wonderful one. Those of you who aren't (Lea :P) I love you anyway.

Hugs to AL in Mexico.

And my heart to Carolyn who has been facing her first holidays without John. 'll be lifting a glass to his memory and hope you all will take a moment to remember him.

Love you Carol. But not sending any leftovers.

R.I.P. Fortress

My green Uplander, my van we named Fortress (because it was a character in a book Carolyn wrote and it would always protect us) died.

Well, it didn't really die. The brakes were shot, it needed a new battery and the repairs were going to be about $1500. which was $1000 more than I had to spend. Nobody would do a partial fix and there were no payment options on the repair.

So I drove my old van in a Ford dealership and said, "keep it cheap, keep it running and make sure it has great gas milage". Then I cried because I didn't want to add another car payment to my budget after I finally got Fortress paid off.

So we have a light blue Toyota Celica with thankfully, low miles. I got a surprisingly good deal with a low payment (not as low as I wish but probably something that won't break the bank). And I got a good interest rate and everything. The only great flaw with the car is the Hawaiian weather has pitted the paint but that's not a huge deal.

Anyway, a quick tip of the hat to Fortress who took good care of us for years. We'll miss you old girl.

Hate is Just an Unfinished Thought

I saw a wonderful picture on Facebook of a man who saw a swastika painted in a parking lot and he got paint and filled in the lines to make a box with 4 squares and then wrote in L-O-V-E.

And I thought how smart than man was. He saw the swastika and realized that it was just an unfinished thought.

Then I thought about hate. I thought how easy it is to misunderstand and resent. How much easier to assume the worst than the best.

Now I know that people who hate other people based on race, or sex or sexual orientation aren't going to change their mind with a good cuddle. But we can change our minds.

We can recognize that those people are simply unaware that their thinking has stopped in mid-sentence (or in mid-swastika, if you like). It's our job to paint in the rest of the boxes when they're presented to us.

Anyway, our household is a politics free zone right now. My brother is gloating over Trump's election and I'm biting my tongue not pointing out how he's already broken his campaign promises and will continue to do so.

Trump is an unfinished human.

Anyway, my tongue hurts from all the biting and my car's brakes are shot and Christmas is coming. Life is interesting, I must say.

Hope you're all doing well.

If I Turn the Other Cheek, You're Looking at My Ass

Last night when I went to pick Mollie up after school, I got into a discussion with one of the teachers at the school about the election. He was wearing black, in mourning for our country. He said that he and his wife have signed off of all social media right now because they can't swallow the crap they're hearing about how this election is a chance to bring America together.

Then my brother, after I explained in detail how I could see our rights being trampled and trod upon, told me to give Trump a chance. He might prove you all wrong, my brother said.

On Facebook, the morning after the election and even now, people are telling the Hillary supporters to swallow it down, don't be divisive, we can work together. Those were probably the same people who worked so well with Obama the last eight years.

But I thought about it. I really did.

And my answer is no.

Don't tell me to give Trump a chance. He doesn't deserve one. He spewed the hate speech, he bullied and he mocked and humiliated everyone who was 'other' than he was. He had a million chances and every time he doubled down and proved himself even more crass, more nasty, more deplorable than before.

Donald Trump might be the president elect but Hillary won the popular vote and damn it, she was my president.

Donald Trump is a bully and he does not represent me.

Donald Trump is a racist and he does not represent me.

Donald Trump is anti-semitic, xenophobic,misogynist and he does not represent me.

Donald Trump is a sexual predator, a short fingered vulgarian and he does not represent me.

And those of you who voted for him and are saying right now: 'but I'm not racist' or whatever you claim, just remember you voted for a racist. You voted for a man who bragged about sexually assaulting women, who bragged about not paying taxes, who threatened the woman running against him. You voted for him and he represents you.

I'll be donating my time, my service and my money to NARAL, to Planned Parenthood, the the Anti-Defamation league. If I can, I will march with Black Lives Matter, I'll picket businesses who refuse to make wedding cakes for gays and where there are hate crimes, I will make my voice heard.

Congress and the House will get emails and letters and postcards bearing my name. Businesses who show support for Trump will not ever see my money. People who admire him can kiss my fat ass as I turn away from them.

Donald Trump is proof that America hates blacks, women, gays and all minorities. Donald Trump is proof that when all is said and done, most people really are evil. And Donald Trump will never represent me.

Never.

No Matter What: Vote

Just another voice in the millions that are crying out into the void: VOTE tomorrow.

Whether you're with her or against her: VOTE.

Whatever your beliefs: VOTE

This country needs us to speak up and make our voices heard.

As an aside: while driving home today I thought, 'if Hillary gets elected, for the first time in our nation's history we'll be saying Madame President'. And if Trump gets elected, for the first time in our nation's history we'll be saying 'Mein Furher'.

Hold Me by Courtney Milan

Jay na Thalang is a demanding, driven genius. He doesn’t know how to stop or even slow down. The instant he lays eyes on Maria Lopez, he knows that she is a sexy distraction he can’t afford. He’s done his best to keep her at arm’s length, and he’s succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

Maria has always been cautious. Now that her once-tiny, apocalypse-centered blog is hitting the mainstream, she’s even more careful about preserving her online anonymity. She hasn’t sent so much as a picture to the commenter she’s interacted with for eighteen months—not even after emails, hour-long chats, and a friendship that is slowly turning into more. Maybe one day, they’ll meet and see what happens.

But unbeknownst to them both, Jay is Maria’s commenter. They’ve already met. They already hate each other. And two determined enemies are about to discover that they’ve been secretly falling in love…

I usually don't like Courtney Milan's writing. I invest in the voice and I find her's to be distant and pedantic. So I started this book expecting that it wouldn't hold my interest.

I was so wrong.

What a good book. And not for the reasons of sexual fluidity that infuse the book but just because the heroine was fascinating and in a strange way, easily relatable.

Carolyn mentioned the book in an earlier post and mentioned that the heroine is transgender but it's not an issue in the book at all. The hero is sexually fluid, having been in a man/man relationship previously.

The book isn't about sex. In fact, when Mollie woke up this morning, she texted me from her bed and I told her I was reading. She jokingly texted back: 'Smut' but I was about 60% into the book and they hadn't even kissed. So sex wasn't anything that it was about.

It was about learning to trust. Learning to lower boundaries. It was about taking chances that people will love and stay and be okay to trust.

I cried a couple of times while reading. It was that good.

I don't do reviews well (obviously) but I can tell you when a book has moved me and made me feel full in my heart and this one did. I highly recommend it.

Update

Short fart checking in.

Third week of new job and things are starting to make sense. Boss has a high intensity personality so it's a lot to take but it all takes time. Once we get used to each other, we'll be fine. And I don't think he had any idea what he was getting when he hired me but this week I started to joke and tease and now he knows more of my personality.

Lots of travel time which is okay. Earlier wake up times which I'm not acclimated to so a lot more tired right now. And here with Nano starting.

Cheating with Nano and using a half finished story. What can I say? Rules are for Republicans. (*snort*)

So looking forward to the end of the election and no more of politics. Well, no more of this crazy political shiz.

It will be so amazing once we're saying 'Madame President'. And if by any chance the Cheetoh wins: then 4 years of saying "I told you so" to my brother will be a poor consolation prize. Especially since I think he'd still support the asshole as he blows up the world.

(Somehow my brother thinks Donald Trump would be better for Israel than Hillary. Go figure.)

In other news:
Mollie has a 4.0 grade point and made National Honor's Roll.
Carolyn got her pesky third nipple removed.
Lea grew an inch in winter but summer is coming and there it goes.
Mosquitos love me.

Obviously, no new nothing to share.