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Wedding Woes
ei34
member
Summer Tuesday
ei34
member
in Wedding Woes
How's everyone? Today is my first day of summer vacation, I might be a bit sparse. My lawyer has some big docs coming to stbxh this week, so that's exciting/nerve wracking. Hoping everyone is okay, both following scotus/Friday and in general.
Re: Summer Tuesday
ETA: There's also a bigger faction of people than we think that either isn't engaged, doesn't care, and/or fully support all this shit. This country celebrates white supremacy, Christian fundamentalism, and the patriarchy. The things that keep these systems in place are just fine and/or ignored by people. I have empathy for apathetic/unengaged people because the mental load is a lot and actually carving out time and money to fight back via protest, donations, or hell, trying to run yourself is very, very hard. But we need more people than ever to step up. They've made it very easy to stay siloed in an echo chamber and especially if you're white, be told that you're 'at risk' of losing...something.
YAY for movement @ei34. I hope you're one step closer to getting him the hell out and reclaiming your peace.
The kiddo has a job offer for $$ per hour and an opportunity for growth. I'm super proud of him. I hope he gets his start date soon
SSDD otherwise. Still waiting...tick, tick, tick.
Nothing much else really going on. I read about "brown noise" music (which makes me laugh because at heart I'm 12) that is supposed to help people with ADHD and other concentration issues. I've been listening to it and work and it does seem to be helping with my concentration and motivation. I did some googling about the different colors of noise and brown noise is often described as the sound of a river. Makes sense then, as I have an entire "water" playlist that I use to help me calm down. There's no sound I love more in the world than flowing water (like a river or a creek NOT oceans waves, they make me nervous).
Side note we had tiny escapee this morning lol We have a latch on BK's door - we can't close the door because the air flow is awful, so this keeps it open a crack. Also she can yell out of her room and we can hear her if necessary {like if the monitor glitches out and BK is yelling for us - it's happened}
M & I are downstairs drinking coffee, and we hear BK run from her room to ours and back.
M goes to the stairs to see what's up and she's on the landing heading down lol
So we're removing the latch this weekend to see. We may keep it on for bedtime just to ensure she doesn't leave but we'll see.
1. All the judges that are ordering stays in states with trigger laws
2. All the prosecutors saying they won't go after women or doctors for performing or seeking abortion care
It would be nice to see medical boards state they won't revoke healthcare licenses for doctors that do provide abortion care and get charged/arrested. And also, allow those doctors to work even if they're awaiting trial.
Also, a downer...did anyone see that AAP came out *yesterday* with their new 'guideline' about how birth givers should try to nurse for at least 2 years vs. the previously recommended 1 year? There's so much to AYFKM about the decision to release the opinion now and also, read the damn room?! AAP does this though...they have some great guidelines, but then they pull shit like this.
And hell, I'm not sure it really doesn't touch everyone unless you're a person the lives a solitary life in the wilderness or something and doesn't come across any other people. This has to be shouted out as touching every person who participates in society. The polling bears it out that messaging has to bring everyone under the tent, especially men because a poll on Friday showed 49% of male respondents don't see this as their issue.
I understand as a cis-het woman the twinge when inclusive language (especially that feels clunky) is used that my identity is being eliminated, but I have a fuck ton more privilege than someone who is trans or non-binary and especially being white. I do feel under attack right now and have been very emotional about how this was going to go for awhile. But we know the target has moved already to decisions that affect people who have much less privilege and that may move even faster than Roe did.
But it's just such bad timing between the formula shortage and the Roe decision. I guess if this came out any time in the last month or two or in the next month or two, it still would be met with a bit of an eyeroll at the very least. I will say the shortage seems to be getting somewhat better around here. I've seen more formula, even specialty, on shelves. I'm sure it's not close to demand, but I hope it's eased a little.
The US is often behind in following guidelines for breastfeeding so this should be viewed as a choice women have and what to argue with employers so that women are able to both work and pump. In the first 6 months it's critical for employees to do that every 2-3 hours and it's so infrequent in the US that women can catch more than a 5 minute break to do this. By normalizing breastfeeding, providing more locations and breaks for pumping and having the scientific documentation that backs this up, it's a way for women and birth givers to continue to be a vital part of the workforce and to provide that nutrition for their children as well.
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I did have a good vacation. I did finally make it to Barcelona. One day later than I'd planned, but at least I made my cruise which left the next day. Thank goodness I had planned to arrive two days early!!!!!
Overall, I enjoyed being on the ship and I enjoyed my excursions. I also passed my COVID test to get on the ship. I was super worried about that. Not because I'd felt sick, but just because it would have ruined my whole trip. I wore an N95 mask for the whole time I was traveling, plus the two weeks before I left.
I'd entered an "auction" with the cruise line a couple months ago to upgrade to a balcony. I bid only a few dollars more than the lowest amount possible and was given a "very poor" chance of wining. But I did win! And got a slightly bigger room, with a balcony, for only an extra $310. This ship can normally hold 4K people. But I heard we were only at about 3K.
I also had a free booze package. My favorite bartender on the ship introduced me to a frozen mojito. If you like mojitos, I highly recommend you try making a frozen one. But, overall, I was good about not going too crazy with the alcoholic drinks. Mainly because it was early mornings and long days for the shore excursions. I did decide to bail on the Cannes port. I decided I needed a day to just relax on the ship. They'd had a special spa deal for a 75-minute (total) massage and facial combo. So I did that instead. Very luxurious.
I got home late on Sunday, but had taken yesterday off to rest and recuperate from the trip. I unpacked most of my stuff, though not quite all of it, and did a big load of laundry. Caught up on all my snail mail. But mostly vegged on the couch and watched tv, lol.
I did NOT wear a mask at all on my return trip home. And came down with a cold this morning (sigh). Back in the pre-COVID days, that often happened to me after being on a plane. I forgot and need to make it a policy to wear masks on planes and in airports, from now on.
Unfortunately, I have not been allowed to have a mellow day on my first day back at work. It's been filled with emergencies and nightmares since I walked in. Oh well.
But it will feel like a short week and then there's a 3-day weekend coming up, so all is well despite the really annoying work day.
All is well, except for women being persecuted and their medical rights being sent almost 50 years back in time. Louisiana is one of those states with a trigger law. Because of course we are, smh. So are our neighboring states. I've heard the closest place from here to get a legal abortion is Illinois. Not very close.
It just hits home that the people most screwed over are the people who can least afford an unwanted pregnancy. $200 for a flight to Chicago. A few hundred bucks for 1-2 nights in a hotel. Plus having to take 3-4 days off from work. That's impossible for so many people.
Or what about someone with a high risk pregnancy. I'd almost want to go live in a different state for the last trimester of my pregnancy. So I don't die if a medically necessary abortion is needed. Because...uhhh...pro-life?
I've been depressed since Friday and I really can't shake it. My parents are huge Trump supporters and I've decided to take a very long break from them. The final straw was seeing my mom comment on an FB post that was very pro-life (life begins at conception, no exceptions nonsense) and she commented "Amen". This woman is not religious and hasn't even been inside a church in 10+ years. They are both completely brainwashed. So I deleted her from FB and told her that I wasn't interested in speaking.
I've heard Pritzker isn't the best, but he's gotta be better than that guy. I hope that people don't lose their minds and decide they need 'change' and vote in crazypants. Even though people in my state would love that. LOL