Az Venus

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It arrived today...

✅ Correct Name
✅ "x" Gender Marker!

Holy shit they're still printing Chick Tracts?

The Trans Passport Drama™️ update...

Status update on 7/14 said they received my attestation & I'm back in process.

Called NPIC today to get a processing time estimate only to be told their system doesn't match what I'm seeing on the status page; I'm showing as "paused, pending verification"...

It's happened again three more times!

7/17 - You no longer have a FICO® Score
7/18 - You now have a FICO® Score!
7/24 - You no longer have a FICO® Score

I'm convinced there are no employees at Experian. It's automated phone tree hell where every number & extension goes to the same useless AI. 💢

Come the fuck on Experian! 🤬 It's every goddamned week, sometimes multiple times per week, for SIX MONTHS. I've now got creditors threatening to close my accounts becuase you assholes can't get your shit together. Apparently having & then not having a FICO score repeatedly makes me a "credit risk".

All fixed it seems. Looks like it was limited reach:
- no live video with "Device Offline" error but functional events/notifications on devices already migrated to or native to Google Home
- live video but "Device Offline" error on devices eligible for migration but still in the Nest app

A screenshot of status.cloud.google.com showing an active incident involving the us-east1 AWS instance.

Lost my live video from my Nest Doorbell about 30 minutes ago, says it's offline but it's still cranking out event recordings and notification pushes. My Nest Hub Max swears it's offline but live video is working on that unit.

Oh no, who broke us-east1?

Americans think of themselves at being and having "the best." I've started thinking more about what things we're (deliberately) falling behind on: electric cars, solar power, health care and health outcomes, to say nothing of transport infrastructure.

@himself.bsky.social @abenewman.bsky.social

On a positive note: PA Dept of Vital Records finally processed my name change for my birth certificate!

I submitted that on Feb 3rd & was told 20 weeks for processing. 😳

Called this morning for an update to be told they just got it approved last week and it should print for mailing this week! 🖨️📬

I get the same feeling anytime I get an email with no agenda. Or a message from my manager that asks if I'm free. Or a message from any other employee that just says "Hi".

My default response is panic thinking I'm in trouble or I messed something up 😔

Someday I'll figure out how to undo that.

Burnout isn't openly discussed enough!

Personally, it's hard to recognize burnout if you have job-related PTSD. I'm constantly 2nd guessing my worth to the company if I'm not actively working on ≥3 tasks at once.

My doctor is on my ass every year about my work stress.

He submitted a "name review request" too. I'm concerned I'll get sent a passport w/'X' and the wrong first name. Was told to "wait & see what shows up" then submit another DS-5504 to fix it. I was warned that risks being force-assigned 'F' if the 2nd DS-5504 goes in after any appeals/stays happen. 😫

Spoke with a very kind NPIC rep who was confused about the name typo; give them 2 things w/typed name on it yet they somehow bungle it up?

I was told to fill out the forms but return them using certified mail instead of the envelope provided (*which has the typo on the return address sticker*).

I got both a gender letter AND a "we can't verify your identity" letter!

I want to know how, if I *sent my goddamned passport with the form* (as required!), did those buffoons somehow manage to misspell my first name?

The State Dept letter is on my Informed Delivery today...

My first name is misspelled on the envelope!

If you have any suggestions for the best way to remortar the walls, I'm definitely interested in hearing details! That's on my list of "shit I need to do to the basement soon" or I'll be finding chunks of river rocks on the floor (again).

A screenshot from the U.S. Passport Status website titled "Your Application Status". Application Status: Additional Information Needed. We sent you a letter and/or email on 01/11/2025 requesting you provide additional information to complete your passport application. Your application is now on hold and is no longer "In Process." Please note that your processing times may be delayed.

The Trans Passport Drama™️ thickens...

I paid for expedited service to fix my gender marker the day after the "Class X" annoucement. Just now hitting 3wks. Now they're purposefully delaying further! Was the almost $400 they've gotten out of me since January not enough?

cc: @erininthemorning.com

Having an estranged mother you are no contact with that refuses to accept the no contact situation is emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting. 😫

Today's voicemail was an accusation of my shutting off her water. And somehow I'm responsible for her roof leak?

I'm so confused...

I had not seen that photo until now. That is, in fact, inside the DLCC.

I stand by my statement that I did not personally see him during my volunteer shift, although there were enough safety volunteers and staff stationed along the route that someone should have noticed.

The only photos I have seen of him were taken outside of the DLCC during the 10th street loop.

In speaking with other parade volunteers, none of us saw him inside the DLCC either during the lineup, on the escalators, or exiting the East Lobby doors. I also did not see him inside Hall D after.

I volunteered w/Safety for the fursuit parade. I did not see him during lineup or in DLCC post-parade. If I did, I would have made Staff aware immediately!

During the parade I was stationed near the end by Hall D. He had to have joined during the outdoor portion only and bailed before the end.

Another item off the to-do list: domain verification on Bluesky.

Now I have to remember everwhere this is linked and update it...

You were amazing! 🤩

I am running on three-ish hours of sleep. I do not know how I am awake right now.

---

Now: Dinner at Condado Taqueria 🌮🌮

Soon: Start packing 🧳

Later: Dead Dog Dance 🪩 (debut of partial fursuit)

Later-Later: MOAR PACKING! 🧳🧳🧳

Tomorrow: Driving home 🚙🏡

When I stopped going to hacker cons, when I stopped doing EMA, when I retired from public safety, each of those I told myself I would stop being staff. That I was retiring from volunteering to just attend & enjoy.

This year I volunteered at @anthrocon.org and goddammit I missed this feeling. 🐾❤️

Guess I'm glad I was in the room when maintenance came, because two hours later (now that I'm trying to get dressed for today after a failed nap) I noticed that he never latched the door on his way out! If I wasn't here, my room door would have been ajar all day.

Maintenance came at 7:30am, apologized for the delay, then told me they did not call him out like I was told - rather he came in this morning to find an urgent work ticket to be handled first...

So why tell me someone was coming and keep me awake until 3am?

I now get to start my day two and a half hours before I expected to, on what is about four hours of sleep because I was told someone was coming but nobody did.

And I *still* cannot use the bathroom in my own room with no idea if/when a maintenance is coming.

I ask where I'm supposed to pee, get told to go use the lobby bathrooms.

I go down 19 floors to find a locked set of bathrooms. Now I have to wait for the one guy on front desk duty to find the key cards for the bathrooms!

I use a cane. This is ridiculous.