Thursday Thoughts - But the patterns of the rain and the truth they contain have written my life on your skin

1. Yesterday we saw sun, and after many days without, it was fucking glorious. We went out at lunch and again at sunset. It was cold, but the wind was down and we stayed out as long as we could both times. Don't speak to me of weather today...my apartment has a separate entry from the main house, and my desk is set up on the dining table in the main house. Since I've been up here, we've gotten freezing rain and the last time I went down the steps I almost died even though I had put salt down so I'll be stuck up here/taking my life in my hands next time I go down.  Which is a bummer because I started work early and planned to shower at lunch and you know how when you don't shower, then all you want to do is shower and it looms over you? No? Just me? 

2. We've been to the beach in straight gray and edge of the horizon not gray this week too, of course. The sunny days just feel better. Regardless of sky Ben rolls in dead things every single time, once this week was a whole big ass dead bird and I was not okay. 

3. I plucked a library book off the shelf for the first time since last February. I've been going to the library, but putting all of my books on hold ahead of time and doing a straight pickup. That's how I do it most of the time in non-pandemic times too, but yesterday I wanted something I knew they had that I had not put on hold in advance, and I did a little browsing and it felt good. Which was a mood boost after my Tuesday coffee shop visit where it never feels good to see it empty.

4. Did I need to go to the library at all? No, I did not. I have untold amounts of books I own - digital and print - sitting unread. I have at least 15 books from Netgalley with publication dates fast approaching. One was this, which I also won a physical copy of in a goodreads giveaway. I was freaking pumped to win a book, first time in over five years of entering them. Of course it was one I already had digitally but it's FINE and the book was surprising in a good way. I stayed up until 12:30 to finish it Tuesday night, then started another book. At 12:30. Why am I like this.

5. I feel terrible for the people in Texas and am fucking furious on their behalf. I like to joke with my FL friends about "FL cold" compared to our cold up in the Mid-Atlantic states, but all of us who live in climates that are used to cold and snow should grasp how Texans could individually be unprepared for this. People - many of them, especially lower income people, don't have appropriate clothes for cold weather. Or shovels or generators. In general towns do not have snow plows and they don't stock rock salt. In addition, their elected officials have failed them - they are on a separate energy grid and it cannot sustain the amount of energy they need right now. They deregulated private utilities because they are greedy fucks and they're trying to blame the fucking Green New Deal which isn't even a fucking thing. It is outrageous and people are suffering because of it. Citizens are without heat, power, water, food (or have food but no way to cook it), and many of them have nowhere to go and no way to get there if they do. And of course as always the marginalized communities are hit the hardest. Get these people power, water, and federal aid. If you can spare money to donate, please consider doing so. Also please consider why the government - state and federal, both of whom have money for all sorts of things that are not actually saving people and their lives and homes, are not coming in and blanket taking care of this. Stop crying about socialism and worrying someone will get something they don't deserve. If that is you, what is wrong inside of yourself that you need to see other people suffer to affirm whatever you believe? There is a super easy way to fix this without regular citizens funding it. But that's not the world we live in, so if you have $ to spare, please give to these organizations working on the ground, info can be found here, and here (both of those links will require you to go to the link in profile or to just go to Venmo or Cashapp and send $) and so many other places. UPDATE TO THE SECOND GRAPHIC FOUND HERE. Also FUCK TED CRUZ FOREVEER FOR FLYING TO FUCKING CANCUN WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR VACATION while people in his state suffer - AFTER he incited a fucking insurrection in January. He was listed as standby this morning to return because obviously this blew up on the internet.

6. It's been cool to watch them extend the 14th Street Fishing Pier out into the ocean this winter. By the end it will extend an additional 125 feet seaward.

7. Nails this week are Essie Tide of Your Life. We've also reached the point of the year where I feel I need bronzer, which I will actually not use but feel better having. I bought some from LimeLife, my friend of 20+ years Gwen who you may know as the woman behind Confessions of a Gila Monster has been wearing it for a few years and just started selling it. I always wanted to try one of their skin care products in particular but only knew someone who was unable to say Black Lives Matter out loud that sold it so I'm happy Gwen (who can say Black Lives Matter out loud) is selling it. The cleanser is on its way to me but I got bronzer, undereye concealer, and two lip products (I do use undereye concealer and lip stuff at least three days a week) that I'm excited to try. Cruelty-free. Gwen's link is here. 

8. Here's my bougie candle shit of the week: Rhubarb smoke from Boy Smells. The candles are $$$ but the smell is unique and divine and we're approaching my birthday month. They tunnel a little, but I can deal. Small queer-owned biz. 

9. Reminder, via Iuliastration

10. E-cards: 

What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band