sleepy fairy

cats can activate keyboard shortcuts you cannot even concieve of

i see a post talking doom and gloom about how we'll never escape toxic masculinity. i think about back in 2017 when american girl released their first boy doll, and a review for him went viral in the collecting community. the review was written by a mom, who said they went into the store to get their daughter a doll, only to see their son's eyes light up like fire when he saw a doll that looked like him, and now every night he puts his doll in pajamas and rocks him to sleep. i think about the toddler in my daycare room a few years back who was obsessed with baby dolls, carrying them everywhere, and his mom proudly told us he uses his sisters' old baby dolls and wants to be just like them. that toddler saw another toddler crying one day and gave her the doll he had to cheer her up. i think about the eight-year-old boy i saw a few years back, excitedly waving around raya's sword in a target checkout line like all his dreams were coming true. there was a video on my instagram the other day of a little boy at disneyworld crying with joy upon meeting his hero, mulan. i think about the voice actor for bow in the she-ra reboot saying his nephews only wanted adora action figures. celebrity men are wearing dresses on tv now. last halloween i saw a little boy dressed as elsa. i went to go see spiderverse over the summer, and in the line ahead of me was a boy who couldn't be older than twelve or thirteen, bouncing and beaming, giddy with excitement over getting to see the female-led romance movie elemental. i think about the five-year-old boy at my library who breathlessly asked me where the pinkalicious books were, eyes widening when i had more on my cart, his mom explaining that he is all about pinkalicious and fancy nancy. i saw so many pictures online of boys and men dressed in pink to see barbie. teenage boys are gonna open their phones and see the man who wrote fucking game of thrones dressed in pink to see barbie. when i was a kid, a boy dressing in pink was practically a social death sentence. there are boys running around in pink on my street right now.

Aziraphale postage stamp bc why not

terribly charmed by my sibling sending me a voice message that just said “i just always take ibuprofen at the wrong time. i had a headache all afternoon, from three to eight pm and then i took an ibuprofen half an hour before the headache went away! i could have just saved an ibuprofen!”

Before you indulge in a mad act of hubris, THINK:

Apparently this tiktok was deleted hours after I saved it.

[Video ID: A Tiktok that several users have added onto, each making a different joke about gender.

Person 1: They say “No pronouns? Damn… another victim of gender identity theft.” They start cracking up on the last word.

Person 2: They start off smirking while they appear to think about what to say. Then, they look at the camera imitate a spam call voice, saying, “We have been trying to contact you about your gender’s extended warranty.”

Person 3: They come in through a doorway and yell, “It’s my gender identity, and I need it now!” The camera angle shifts to indicate they’re a different person, and they say, “Tired of not having a gender identity? J.G. Wentworth can help. Call J. G. Wentworth; 877-pro-nouns. They’re your pronouns, use them when you need em’!”

Person 4: They imitate the kind of voice you hear on legal ads and say, “Attention: If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Gender, you may be entitled to financial compensation.”

Person 5: Starting off strong and dissolving into fits of laughter as they speak, they say, “-and now a word from our sponsor: Raid Shadow Genders; conquer all of the genders" End ID]

“Cringe culture is dead” I promise you it is not. Please keep killing it. This is an ongoing fight. You’re all doing great though. I love you and please keep being weird. Please keep having fun.

Big fan of when non-binary characters' AGAB is kept hidden. It's great, audiences don't need to know that shit! And we don't want to.

Tell me a soft memory

I didn’t think a typical transaction would take such a turn for my life. “Have a good day,” I said, my usual, every day wish.

“Have an easier day,” he said. “You wanna know why I say that instead of have a good day?”

There was no one else in line. It was a slow evening, and the man had been so kind as I helped him get his dog food, I didn’t think much of it. “Sure,” I said.

“Because you can’t make someone have a good day. But you can always make your day a little easier. Put off that one chore. Don’t be the person who rushes to do all the heavy lifting. Ask for help. You can always make your day a little easier.” And he tilted his head, as if to tip his hat, and headed out the door.

I started saying that at work instead. “Have an easier day.”

Customers smiled more, surprised by this verbiage.

I took his advice. I started making easier days.

I asked for help when my depression started to get more severe on days that I felt like getting up was worthless. It became an easier day.

I put off getting the mail one day because it was hard to get out of bed, but I was able to shower that night instead.

I started graduate school and my dad got cancer in the midst of the pandemic.

I needed easier days.

My mom and I helped each other.

I told my zoom students to have an easier day.

When my dad beat cancer, and I started teaching in person, while still working towards my MA degree, I would tell that class of 11th graders “Have an easier day.”

One day, my student asked me why I would say that. I told them the story of the big bearded trucker guy who said that to me while lugging a 40lb bag of dog food over his shoulder.

I told them all I ever wanted for everyone was to have an easier day. Because not all days will be easy. But they will get easier. And you can always make your day easier. You can’t make a good day. They’re gifts to be cherished.

I wish I had gotten his name. I wish I could tell him thank you.

He truly did change my life. My days are easier. They’re not always good. But they are easier.

So, thank you, sir. I thank you for making my days easier.

Adding librarians.

Cops' settlements for abuse/misconduct are also paid for by tax dollars. Talking billions of dollars in settlements every year.

admiring the autumn season

HALLOWEEN

Pomegranate and Lion, 20" x 16" oil on linen, (2014) Rubik Kocharian

I love the raccoon's reactions when they're caught.