Reawakening.

So, it's been awhile.  Lots has transpired since last time I updated.  Obviously.  The way of the universe is, life goes on, whether you're ready for it or you want it to or not.  The shop is doing well.  I took a 2 1/2 week trip to California to visit friends, which did wonders for body and soul.  I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to see, but I guess that just means I have to go back next year.  I kept a (paper!) journal through the whole trip, and I plan on writing some posts based on those journal entries, very soon.  And you all know that for me, "very soon" can mean tomorrow or next month.

Yesterday, I made amends with a friend I'd been fighting with for the better part of two months.  We got the yuck out of our systems, talked about things like grown-ups, then spent the evening hanging out like no time had passed.  That's the mark of a good friend, dears.  You get the hell over it.  Forgiveness is hard, and forgetting?  Well, forget it.  But moving on is truly where grace lies.

So it's that time of year where enough of it has passed to look back and make broad, sweeping judgments about it.  This was a bad year for friendship, sadly.  A good year for personal growth, but a horrific year for friendship.  I can't hold myself blameless.  My fault mostly lies in the "not just saying what you feel, when you feel it" department, vis a vis my proclivity to befriend people, then help them, and not speak up when the first signs of my good nature being shat upon appear.

That's what it always boils down to in my life, folks taking enormous dumps on my good nature.  It's always the people I try to give a hand up that suddenly decide I'm a heinous bitch for whatever reason.  I don't think I want anyone besides my husband to live with me ever again.  Those are the worst slaps in the face.  I've got two rooms in my home trashed right now because clearly, asking for rent after MONTHS of saying we're having financial issues is just rude, and expecting to use one's own living room before midnight when there's no less than 3 other places in the house to sleep and clearly, headphones do not exist is downright unreasonable. The really shitty thing is, I don't merit talking to about these things.  Nope.  Let's just leave our shit all willy-nilly and fuck off and shit talk the only person who was willing to help in your hour of need.

I'm done with shitty people, y'all.  Just done.  I'm up to something like 6? 8? people that crested the top of my shit list and rolled off the other side in 2011.  Folks I thought were good friends and good people.  Is it just me?  Does this happen to anyone else when you lend someone a hand?  Maybe it's just misdirected stress and anger.  I'm here, and thus, an easy target.  Makes sense, but it doesn't make it right.  I'm kind, and thus, a mark.  THAT is fucked up.

And, to make up for all the shittyness of this post, here is Scotti-cat in a hoodie.

Onwards and upwards. Bigger and better. Good things are coming to me. I can already feel it.

Relative to what? {Facebook Stupid}

I promise that this is to the best of my memory.  



The Exchange:

So, tonight, a friend's status was about a possible 2012 presidential candidate.

First comment is a non-committal agreement.

I was second. I offered up a casual but firm disagreement.

Friend laughingly states a rebuttal.

I state a piece of information that supports my previous disagreement.

Friend concedes the point, as my information was factual, but states another reason she likes said candidate, a sound bite of rhetoric that's exited the blowhole of every presidential candidate since I started paying attention in the year 2000.

A man, likely an older relative, made a rude statement, calling me ignorant for not sharing his political beliefs. It was deceptively kindly worded, so as to trick the reader into not realizing they'd been insulted.

I replied that Friend's reason was something stated in every election cycle, and then that Relative ought not call strangers ignorant. That it was rude, and did not look good on him.

Friend deletes my comment.

I reply "You deleted my comment? Coward. Enjoy your brainwashing." then unfriended her.

I understand that it's awkward as hell when friends and family clash on Facebook. My personal policy has always been to watch the discussion, whether I participate or not, for anyone being rude and/or unfair. If things got out of hand, I'd delete the status, but I've never had to do this. A different former friend of mine called one of my family members out on a homophobic statement. In fact, on a completely different post, 5 of my friends called out a family member for homophobia. There have been some heated debates, but everyone on my friends list has played (mostly) fair so far. In fact, I've even directed friends/family to rude comments made on my status, just because I knew they'd have something hilarious or awesome to say about it. I don't expect everyone I know to agree on all subjects at all times. It's not possible to not discuss politics so I dive right in, for the most part.  I feel that people should be free to openly disagree with one another. The vast majority of my friends are smart, witty, and opinionated. These are traits I adore in my loved ones. The prevailing unspoken code seems to be one of respect.

A person who feels it's ok for a relative to insult a friend for no good reason, then cosign that bullshit is not a friend. I don't care how "respected" this person is, or how old, I'm not going to just accept their insults. Just...no. I'm an adult. Your relative? I wouldn't know them if they kicked me in the ass. There's a tiny-ass picture and a name. Respect is earned. And if you don't instigate drama, there's no reason to feel badly about calling out an insult. Period. Some people are bullies. Some of them don't know any other way to be, so they get old, bitter, and hateful. Shit happens. I'm too old myself to tolerate a bully, or to silently acquiesce.

So tell me, ye who do not suck, what is your policy on friend vs. family verbal projectiles on Facebook? No seriously. Write it in the comments, anon if you don't feel like registering/signing in/having your name associated with your feelings on the subject. Even if all you have to say is "ignore it." I want as many opinions as possible on this.

Kthanx.

ps - Yeah, fighting on the internet, stupid, whatevs. Humor me.

OH MY GOD, Y'ALL

So I just read this article on Yahoo News.  I was hungry and about to go eat my leftover sandwich from lunch, but now, NOPE.

Japanese scientists have synthesized meat FROM POOP.

HUMAN FUCKING FECES.

I'll be fair.  I'm sure they killed the various microbes.  I'm sure it does not visually resemble shit.  I'm sure they used enough chemicals to make it palatable to humans.

BUT IT'S SHIT, Y'ALL.  SHIT!

And here's what gets me:

The scientists hope to price it the same as actual meat, but at the moment the excrement steaks are ten to twenty times the price they should be thanks to the cost of research.

So, you go to the market, and you have your regular factory-farmed meat, your more-expensive organic grass-fed meat, AND SYNTHETIC POOP MEAT.  Which are you going to choose?

Professor Ikeda understands the psychological barriers that need to be surmounted knowing that your food is made from human feces. They hope that once the research is complete, people will be able to overlook that ugly detail in favor of perks like environmental responsibility, cost and the fact that the meat will have fewer calories.

Why yes, I do have "psychological barriers" about EATING SHIT.  Those were developed during human evolution for a damn good reason.  And citing "fewer calories" as a reason to override both instinct and common sense?  Oh wait, people do that every day.

Merde!

Last stop, this town

I am most definitely in a state of transit.

Since I no longer have a stylist, I've taken my hair care into my own hands.  He always said I wouldn't look good with blunt, thick bangs, especially if they extend past the corner of my eye.  Guess what I have now?  I cut 'em myself a few days ago.  They're definitely...challenging when they get unruly, but I love them.

He also told me that he hated the way my hair looks when I dye it blue, so I did that today.  Krystal took some pictures for me on our way to go run errands this afternoon.

So yeah.  New hair.  Major love.

So, since I started rockin' and posting pictures of my fatkini, I've had many people ask questions about the source of my confidence, so I decided randomly to start The Fatkini Mafia on facebook , then got sparky and started Fatkini Riot..  I'm not sure if it's activism or sheer hubris, but both projects sound like tons of fun (hurr hurr) and I hope I can get some co-conspirators to submit photos, guest posts, and engage in discussion.  

If you're interested in the least, join the group, check out the blog, and hit me up and let me know what tickles your pickle.  And yes, I would be more than happy to do some Q&A/advice posts, so hit me up with questions, too.  Anon commenting is enabled, but at least give me a pseudonym and enough details to work with without revealing who you are if you'd rather keep your privacy.  Also, if you can think of questions you would have liked to have answered during your early days of Body Acceptance, I'll take a stab at those, too.  Where to shop, relationship advice, tarot readings--I'll hook it up as long as you're willing for it to go public without your name attached.  I've always had a secret daydream of being an advice columnist, so indulge me, k?

In other news, I about climbed through the drive-thru window at the CVS to choke a bitch.  Here's the story, if you care to read it.  It happened about a week ago, so I'm mostly over it, but damn, y'all, you are RUDE.

Also, I got a new fatkini.  But y'all know where to find that.

Through all the crazyness, the busyness, the pain, the loss, and the scary new symptoms, I'm still alive and kicking, shooting my mouth off, and blistering the eyeballs of fatophobes everywhere.  I'd say I'm doing pretty damn good, yes?