This time, it's a base color of a sort of light to medium purple with a coat of magnetized nail polish on top. The magnetized polish would look like a thin layer of Labradorite on its own. It changes the purple to become ten little clear night skies on my fingers!

It is valid to be looking at job applications and say, "Seriously, these two are our only legit choices. And this one? NO! We've gotta fill the spot, so we're hiring this other one. I just wish we had better choices."

Day 125 and my Sea Monkeys are still going! I did lose one a few days ago, but even that one made it over 120 days.

https://youtu.be/aAXex5lJZnw

Again, I think the people twisting Biden's comments and trying to point to it as "he planned this"... it's BS. I don't even think they believe it.

These things just often make me think how there are many ways we need to do better. People who blame violence solely on things like movies or games aren't getting it, and that's not what I'm doing. I'm saying there are a lot of factors, and some of them may seem insignificant, but they're the ones most commonly experienced.

But I do think our choices in speech and entertainment influence how we look at the world. I am certainly not a "ban violent video games, but do nothing about guns" person! In fact, I think there is some healthy release to be found in things like shooting and fighting games.

Books, shows, and movies can have violence that is meaningful in the story. And it doesn't all have to be teachable moments. There's just a big difference between violence relevant to the story vs. violence looks cool.

"taking a [violent act] at it"?

Why do people play competitive video games and refer to winning against the other team as "absolutely [violent sexual act] them"?

Why do we say "I could have [violent fatal act] him!" when we're just mad at somebody?

Why are we so comfortable with speaking in violent ways, but then still shocked when violent acts are committed?

And we aren't as shocked as we used to be. We've become numb. A lot of that is because it happens so often.

I'm looking at this as a violent trauma survivor with PTSD. I am constantly braced for what might come out of people's mouths. I hate that people start getting ready for Halloween in the middle of summer because I hate that what almost killed me is a big part of Halloween jokes and celebration.

I'm tired of living in a world where people don't think violent speech is a problem until it becomes physical violence.

Why do we talk about making a guess or just giving something a try as

I thought about putting the "politics" tag on this, but it's really more about modern culture. It's something I want everyone to be more mindful of. It's about how violent speech is.

Yeah, the people pointing to Biden's previous comments about "putting Trump in a bullseye" are, I believe, intentionally twisting the meaning. They know how it was meant, and their favorite candidate has said and done worse.

But I want us to think about why we talk like that, and the effects of it.

I did become cool like him. I'm not famous, but I learned that's not what made him cool. It was the love. The passion for just existing. The willingness to be weird.

We were blessed to have Richard Simmons. This world is better because he breathed the same air as us.

I love Richard Simmons. I was so excited as a child to exercise along with him on the tv, and then there would be making a healthy food at the end of the show. My grandmother would lovingly laugh when we baked about how I learned to beat eggs by watching Richard Simmons.

When I was a teenager, I saw him talk about how he was bullied as a kid and how that made it so important to him to give love to the world. I thought anybody famous was cool, so I had hope I could become cool like him.

I kind of get it. I don't feel like I've fully experienced something if I don't use all of my senses. Sensory sensitivity in me manifests as a deep craving for tactile stimulation.

I also know how to respect other people's boundaries, though. I didn't realize how much it stressed me that she doesn't.

Some of that comes from me being autistic. Some of it is about me having religious practices that are not always obviously a religious thing to other people. But no matter how many times she was asked not to touch stuff, she did it anyway. She wants to touch it if it's pretty. She wants to touch it if it's not pretty. She wants to pick it up if she doesn't know what it is.

It's been a couple of months since my mother-in-law moved out. I suddenly realized today that I'm no longer constantly afraid that somebody's going to be moving my stuff around.

According to Homer's description of Hermes inventing the lyre - which would become associated with Apollon because Hermes gave it to him to make up for stealing his cattle - there was an animal skin pulled tightly across the open side of the turtle shell that made the body of the instrument.

I'm picturing this, and that sounds like it was closer to being what we know as a banjo. Is there something missing in the history of how the lyre developed? Was "lyre" just "stringed instrument" then?

Spent some time outside with my banjo today. Played "Freebird" for the birds. They come to the birdfeeder when I sit out there.

#politics Seriously, I say this out of concern and not to start any fights. If you find yourself thinking that anybody who isn't freaking out about the sky falling is an idiot, check your privilege.

It is valid that you weren't prepared for this and don't know what to do or expect. It is also valid that marginalized people have always known the system isn't friendly and have always had to find ways to live anyway.

I spent a couple of hours mopping today and my nails still look good??? NEVER had that happen before!

I had to stop painting my nails years ago because I started having allergic reactions when I touch my face. I have now found a brand - Mooncat - that doesn't have some of the chemicals in most nail polish. I'm hoping this works.

The color is called "Loch Ness". Blue with rainbow holographic micro glitter. I have Lake Monster nails!