If it's not about you, don't make it about you.
If person A has a bit of a rant about privileged people who screw them and their fellows on the axis over, and you, another privileged person, don’t actually do any of the things mentioned, you don’t need to take offense to it.
If it’s not about you, don’t make it about you. Don’t be a dick.
And for that matter, don’t appropriate movements like the LBGT movement or the neurodiveristy movement if you’re not actually LGBT or neuroatypical, but are just related to someone. Or take words like ‘straight’ or ‘allistic’ as an insult.
Empathy
It can be hard to explain to someone who isn’t affected. It can be a daily struggle: being in pain, feeling sick, or feeling wrong is some other way, all on the inside while looking fine on the outside.
Please share this if you are or if you know someone with an invisible illness (Anxiety, Bipolar, Depression, Diabetes, Lupus, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, MS, Arthritis, Cancer, Heart Disease, Epilepsy, Autism, ADHD, etc.).
And if you’re lucky enough that neither you nor anyone you’re really close to are affected by something like this, then try to be patient and understanding when dealing with the rest of the world. Chances are, at least one person you talk to today will have the weight of something like this on his or her mind, and you might not know who.
Remember Wheaton's Law
Seriously. It’s a way of life.
how is 'derp' even worse than 'retarded'? it's a nonsense word, for fuck's sake
Many a racial slur sounds like a nonsense word but you don’t see people casually using them because they are offensive. The first use of the word was in South Park and “comes from a word invented by Trey Parker and Matt Stone themselves, which they say means ‘an obvious joke’ or is said when they do something dumb.” It sounds not dissimilar to the way some developmentally disabled people vocalize and is almost certainly a riff on that. But I think it’s worse than retarded precisely because it is a nonsense word; words have power regardless of how they sound. Offensive jokes are still offensive regardless of how many people are laughing at them.
So you can anonymously complain like a fucking champ and be ignorant and ableist, or you can think for two seconds and come up with something better. It’s really not that hard.
ETA: And as always you could just remember Wheaton’s Law: Don’t be a dick. The perfect rule for any and all occasions.
xoxo
Ms. Meghan
Lollapalooza 2011: What did I learn?
So what lessons did I learn at Lollapalooza 2011 that will make next year even more enjoyable? I’m glad you asked. The following list is not all inclusive, it’s just what I can think of at the moment. There may be additions later.
Sunscreen. Man am I glad I had some. Outside of the rain at the end of Sunday, it was sunny for the entire weekend. I had SPF 45. I reapplied often. I still got a really good tan. In fact, it is now a month later and I am still not back to my normal pale color.
Plastic bags. This is one that I failed at this year. I turned off my phone during the rain, so it was fine, but my wallet was entirely soaked. On the supply list for next year will be resealable plastic bags.
Comfy shoes. My All Stars were pretty comfortable for most of the weekend. I was especially glad for them during the rain since they let my socks dry out pretty quickly. That said, I’m thinking about these for next year. Yes hipsters wear them. Yes, I may look like an idiot in them. They would have been epic for the mud, so shut it.
A hat. I picked up a hat pretty early in my first day. In retrospect I should have brought one with me. (Or at least picked one up as soon as I walked through the gate.) As I’m sure most of you know, the sun is pretty bright, so some eye shielding is needed during the afternoon. Maybe next year I’ll wear some welders goggles.
Don’t try to work on Monday. I should have taken Monday off and stayed in Chicago Sunday night. It just makes sense. That way I’m not rushing out to either make my train or beat traffic. Plus I think it would be fun to just hang out by the park for a while after the show. Maybe be the last one out. I think it’s a good goal for next year. Who’s with me?
Keep hydrated. If you like to partake in beer or wine, try to drink a bottle of water for every couple of beers/wines you have. You may think that will send you to the bathroom a lot, but if you are walking around, or dancing (as you should be), you sweat most of it out anyway. Remember, you’d paid a lot for these tickets, don’t waste you money being wasted all weekend. You can do that when you get home.
Think about getting into town Thursday night. I live a couple of hours out of town, so I can work Thursday and still make it to Chicago during daylight. You can also avoid morning rush hour.
Spend more time at Perry’s. According to the man himself there will be more electronica at each upcoming festival. His goal is to eventually have one side of the park be rock and roll and the other side more dance focused. Until then, get your ass on the dance floor. (I’d like to repeat #6 here. Drink as much water as you can if you plan on spending any time under the tent.)
Remember Wheaton’s Law. That’s right. Don’t Be a Dick! Remember there are 90,000 (likely to be more next year) of us here today. Please be patient in line. That’s any line: the line to get in, the line for beer, the line for the bathroom, and the line for food to name a few. Also, remember that just because you see empty space close to the stage doesn’t mean that it’s empty. People are sitting there, so if you are shoving by me to get there, I’m likely to not be very nice about it. Also, if you wanted to be in the front for the headliner, you should have been at the stage since at least 4. I mean, do you think you are the only person here to see this band?
Try to get to the park around noon at least once. There is something about being in the first few thousand people through the gate that is really satisfying. Plus you are likely to see bands between noon and 3 that really want it. They may not be the most polished, or have the best songs, but they will give you all they’ve got.
This concludes my list. If I think of anything else I’ll post it along the way. It’s only 328 days until Lollapalooza 2012, so start thinking about next year. I’ll see you all there.
Re-blogging/Re-posting - Wheaton's Law Applies
Say I post stuff that originates with me, or that I re-blog stuff. Its a big world. Probability dictates the same pic can be posted by more than one person at a time.
However, if you follow my page, and I start to notice that day after day, you save pics that I post, and then re-post them as yourself…or even worse….save pics that I re-blog from others, whom I want the world to know about because of their awesomeness and brilliant aesthetic taste….but you then post them as yourself? Not giving credit to the original sources?
There are no laws against this.* It’s a free internet.
However, if you DO do this? You’re being a dick. A bastard. A selfish, ego driven fascist that I’ll just block.
Follow Wheaton’s Law. It’s only right. Thank you. Have a nice year.
(*Unless of course, you’re making financial profit off of other people’s efforts. Then yes, there are laws.)
thinking about gendered pronouns
Telling someone that you think their pronouns are “silly” or that you find them “amusing” is incredibly disrespectful and disgustingly ignorant.
Would women not be outraged if men started saying “you know what, it’s really silly to use ‘her’ and ‘she’ when I’m discussing you all, so I’m just going to ignore the difference and use ‘his’ and ‘he’ for everyone!” Of course women would be outraged! And women still do get outraged when male-specific language is used in a multi-gender situation. And fucking yet, some of those same women act all transphobic and ridiculous because someone who is different from them would like some fucking respect and asks that specific pronouns be used.
So, I refer you to Wheaton’s Law: Don’t be a dick! Its one thing to not know what to do, it’s another thing entirely to blatantly disregard it.
