Today is my last day of working full-time. As of tomorrow, I will officially enter the world of the freelancer. Ad revenue from this blog sometimes pays for hosting costs (and sometimes doesn’t) so donations are a HUGE help, both in keeping this blog alive and allowing me to work as an artist.
But I don’t like begging and pleading for money. I’ll do it, but I don’t like it. (Did I mention please donate!?!) In an effort to spice things up, I’m going to introduce some donation gifts for people who donate at the following levels:
$5 – I’ll mail you a show postcard for Uncovering the Mirrors, complete with a personalized greeting
$15 – I’ll mail you a show poster for Uncovering the Mirrors, and a show postcard
$35 – Everything from the above levels, and I’ll mail you a DVD of Uncovering the Mirrors (whenever the DVD is done)
$50 – Everything from the above levels, and I’ll write a blog post about a topic of you choosing
$100 – Everything from the above levels, and I’ll take you out for coffee or a drink if you’re ever in Chicago
$500 – Everything from the above levels, and I’ll post a video to this blog thanking you for your donation (or, if you’d rather not be publicly thanked, I’ll do a silly video in your honor)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: your donations help make what I do, doable. PLEEEEEEAAAAASSE (please please pretty please) donate.
We’re having a(nother) Heroes and Villains party in a few weeks, and my roommates and I are tentatively planning on all going as Batman villains. Try to guess what this costume piece will be used for!
Yay! I may start wearing corsets all the time. Look at that waist!
Some links and fun videos for ‘ya. Hope everyone enjoyed their Sunday!
The Homophobia Keeper – Homophobia in literature (particularly in sci fi and fantasy)
deviance, rape culture, and the courtroom – In cases where one is accused of rape, how does the presumption of innocence shape public perception differently than in other crimes?
Schrodinger’s Rapist – I really like this post, and have used the concept to explain to some of my male friends how I view men differently now that I’ve transitioned, and am more aware of presenting myself as a woman.
Now for a funny video. She’s not actually bad looking to begin with, which is frustrating, but it’s still amusing.
My whole life, I have been in search of a way to validate my identity through ceremony and ritual. I recognize the importance of
Some – my circumcision, my Bar Mitzvah – were imposed by a religion and a culture to which I did not voluntarily join. They established my gender as something existing outside of myself, and yet integral to myself: there wasn’t anything I could do to deviate from its course, or reject its structure.
Some were my early own attempts at discovering what worked for me. Burning papers with my male name. Throwing out male clothing. Writing a blog to record my thoughts, feelings, and emotions throughout my transition. Using performance and theatre as a way to tell my story.
Last year I was able to go to the Chicago Dyke March, which was a ton of fun. However, it left me too exhausted to actually go to the Pride Parade the next day, meaning I missed it entirely.
Last night, I was volunteering at a benefit for the theatre company that I’ve been working with for 15+ years. I absolutely want to help the theatre, and am thrilled the event was (from what I could tell) a success, but I didn’t really want to be there. If you know what I mean. I’m glad I did it, but didn’t have fun.
This partially had to do with my friends. I was helping at the check-in and check-out table, meaning I was working basically from 4PM until after 11PM. My friends were spotters for the live auction, meaning they were only working for an hour or so here and then, and then just hanging out.
I ended up staying for the after party, held for all the volunteers, which was looking to be a lot of fun until I crashed around 1AM and ended up taking a cab home. Meanwhile, I heard the after party was still rocking until about 4AM.
So again, today, I was too exhausted for the pride parade. I think I’m going to try to go to the Andersonville Back Lot Bash later tonight, but I’m kind of disappointed in yet another ‘meh’ Pride.
I don’t say this because I’m not observant. (Although I’m not.) I don’t say this because I haven’t been to services in years. (Although I haven’t.) I don’t say this because I don’t keep kosher. (Although I don’t.)
I’m a bad Jew because I dislike Israel. Indeed, I oppose the very fact of its existence.
I believe that Jews should be able to be Jewish without needing to be tied to Israel; Israel does need the support of the international Jewish community and cannot be abandoned, but a connection to Judaism should not only be based on a connection to Israel. While learning about Israel is one important way to establish a Jewish identity, why can’t there be other ways? What ever happened to cultural Judaism based on Jewish literature, plays, and heritage? What happened to having a unique Jewish culture? (Emphasis added)
Yes, being Jewish should not depend on one’s attitude toward or connection with Israel. But I disagree that Israel cannot (or should not) be abandoned.
Lets pretend my bathing suit made me look like this.
Today was a beautiful, sunny, breezy, 90-degree day in Chicago. My roommate and I took advantage of the weather to sunbathe on the roof. (I think I’ve mentioned this before, but we have awesome landlords.)
I actually found a halter bikini top I like, so didn’t feel like a total fat blob, along with the bikini-bottom-underneath-short-trunks for a bottom. This marks, I think, the first time I’ve ever felt comfortable in a bathing suit. In my life. FTW! (No, you don’t get pictures. Neener neener neener.)
Unfortunately, CVS’s “Continuous Spray Sunblock” fails on all of its advertised features: It does not spray, it particularly does not spray continuously, and it only blocks the sun intermittently. Hence I have a dinner-plate sized burn on my tummy and boobs, as I enjoyably but regrettably chose to sunbathe topless. Which felt great at the time, but is now itchy and pink. (There’s a visual for ya!) Though, honestly, most of where I’m burnt wouldn’t have been covered my the top, so I don’t feel too much regret over my choice.
In any event, I’m sunburnt. (Sunburned? Sunned burn?) I have a sunburn. Summer is finally here!
Hey gang! I’m still recuperating, slowly but surely. So even though I’m feeling noticeably better each day, I’m still a long ways away from 100%. As such, I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back to posting here as frequently or as verbosely as I like to, so I wanted to open up two questions to You, The Readers.
First, I’d love to provide an opportunity for guest posts, if anyone is interested. If you have a topic you’d like to write on, let me know. If you have an older post from your own blog you’d like to expose to a wider audience (meager as that ‘wider audience’ may be!) let me know that, too. Shoot me an email at blog [at] fridaythang.com; I’d love to hear from you.
Likewise, if anyone has any questions for me they’re dying to have answered, or topics they would like to see me write on, I’m open to that, too. (Shamelessly stealing a page from Bond’s book.) Leave a question or a topic in the comments, or shoot me an email.
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I’m a bad Jew.
Beating Heart Stress Relief Pillow
Self-censorship, or picking your battles
Themocracy