Thursday Thoughts - In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream

1. If you're not following Comments by Celebs on Instagram, you are missing out. Thank you Lauren for sharing this gold mine.

2. Somewhere over the last week I forgot that I never owe the world an explanation, even if the world is thirsty for one. I forgot that the world can't take what I don't in some way willingly give. Both of those things are so out of the ordinary for me to even think about that I was operating at like 20% of my normal capacity.  It has been almost five years since I’ve given away my personal power to circumstances or people or the world at large. Taking your personal power back is like running an errand in Mordor: it takes longer than you think, requires more energy than you have to spare, and is a dark, dirty, flesh eating mind fuck on the way there but you drag your ass home even more fierce than you were before because you've been reminded of how vital your personal capital is and you aren't going to let anything fuck with that again any time soon.

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3. But today is my 41st birthday and while that whole battle with myself earlier this week was a drag my birthday will definitely not be. We're meeting Melissa and Blane in New York and seeing Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and I could die of excitement, I've been waiting for this forever. Thanks to Mom for picking Bruce Springsteen The Dog up from Camp Bow Wow and hanging with the dogs!

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4. While that will be an exciting and awesome end to the day, I'm going to the library in the morning and that's nothing to shake a stick at either. Library love for life. Speaking of, did you catch up on the 56 awesome posts in Show Us Your Books on Tuesday? Man, if you can't find your next great read in one of those posts, you can't find it anywhere.

5. Aside from seeing Bruce Springsteen The Man, I'm possibly happiest about not commuting for two days in a row even though I will be on a train to NYC today. Being on a train for something fun is different than being on a train for work. I've had a series of very late trains and run ins with brain drainers. Yesterday a man  put a hat that was sitting on the seat next to me onto my bag saying very matter of factly, "There's your hat." I told him it wasn't my hat. "Oh...SURE it's not," he replied, his tone and look making it clear he thought I was lying and it was my hat but didn't want to tell him. Dude. Why would I lie. Go away.

6. You've got to have fresh nails for your birthday too. It's a personal rule. Essie Lots of Lux - this is textured polish and it's weird and I won't ever buy another textured polish but I love the color. Excuse the mess, I was painting my nails when the power went out last night. Not the best timing. I could've cleaned them up and taken it again but the world is an imperfect place. Plus Bruce Springsteen The Dog is freaking hilarious in this photo.

7. Another minor purge was picked up yesterday. Thanks Vietnam Vets of America!

8. I can't even, hour by hour now in this administration. Tillerson, Russia, Sessions orchestrating ICE illegal fuckery, fucking insanity abounds not day by day anymore but hour by hour. I'm taking my birthday off from this shit, I've had enough bad energy in my psyche this week. I'm tired. Please refer to Amy Siskind's Authoritarian list as always.

9. Reminder: courtesy of Jay-Z.

10. E-card of the week: me!

Made my March Madness picks on a wing and a prayer. I don't even have any idea who I picked to win.