Penelope Friday

Just enough media to be revolting.

Thank you so much for taking the time to put out an alt text version, it means a lot.
And as a trans person, thank you equally for what you say in the post. Supportive allies mean the world.

The Vietnam protests, for example, took literally years, but I think people would argue that they helped changed hearts and minds. (Idk, I’m not American, I’m going by what I understand.)
People need to know they’re not alone. Protests help prevent hopelessness setting in, and give people strength.

The Tesla ones were certainly part of what made a difference to the share prices and the raised negative attention to Tesla as a brand, so I’d say they did something.
And yes, having people able to see they’re not alone and there is support improves morale. Nothing is a quick fix but it helps.

Tempted to call them “tiny teddies” in line with that picture now, but oh well. I suppose that would have to be the underside of the paw in general, if we’re going to be pedantic (and I’m always going to be pedantic).

It was one of those nights when pain Like a rusty nutcracker held by a determined drunk woman Had me in its grasp. Pressing and pushing on differing areas With a determination far better suited and booted For a different cause. While friends, such as paracetamol and breathing techniques Pulled at her, whispering her name, trying in vain To persuade her away. Where the long hours seemed interminable, Falling into one another and back out In waves of silver agony. She loosened her grip, that drunk woman, eventually. The nutcracker still holds me; it always does. Just not so tight, right now.

Poetry isn’t my strongest suit, though I’ve been published in the past. And I apologise for bringing down the tone from cheerful and/or photos with this poem.

But it’s #SevereMEDay and I’ve been ill for 32+ years, so it deserves some acknowledgement.

In any other circumstances, we’d be calling it transphobic, but we’ve got to the point where protection for any trans people is such a shock that these people are seen as supportive because it’s better than no protection at all, which is what most are offering.

But it probably didn’t include a number of trans women prisoners who really should be included. I mean, Ann Widdecombe basically meant, “trans people who pass as women should be protected“ which is the least woke vaguely supportive pov you can get.

Can we just be clear that it wasn’t all trans women prisoners, only those who had had gender reassignment surgery as well as being on hormones - to state the obvious, it’s not like Ann was saying that Barry in cell 302 could announce he was a woman and be straight off to the female prison that day.

Depends if they’re peeing on your quilting, that would be distressing, but otherwise…fuck knows.

Oh, so then they get done for sex offences (exposing yourself in public) and then Its “shown” that there are more trans “sex offenders” so the bathroom ban is warranted, and it’s a nice gotcha, that one.

Their answer is generally of the really kind “well, you *chose* this,” as if the fact that you are trans means you chose/deserve to be assaulted in mens’ loos, rather than that you won’t. (I’ve seen Forstater say it about trans men being banned from all loos, as well.)

I’d been interested to see what happened to a road of deserted houses, or a shopping centre, over the same time, if it really was completely left human free. I wonder how much wildlife would come back and take over. There’s a housing crisis so it can’t be done. But…

(My instincts may be off, because I know I was skewed early by starting wearing one some of the time at age 11. I was an A cup then and didn’t always bother - then again, I’m a C now, and I sometimes wear binders and sometimes don’t bother at all, so…)

Tbh, thinking about it, I’m quite surprised she was getting her first bra at 14. It seems quite late? It’s possible she was embarrassed because her mother insisted on telling everyone that this is her FIRST BRA and making a thing of it, and she just didn’t want any assistant involved.

I don’t think sanitary products are such an issue these days? It could just be my son, but his long term girlfriend when he was 16 had menstrual issues that they were both quite open about, and he went and bought her sanitary towels quite happily. (He’s nearly 20 now.)

This sounds such fun, but please can you consider using alt text for your images?
(Also I am reminded that when I first knew my spouse, he and a friend used to say randomly to each other “I want to live in a lighthouse” to which the other would reply “I want to live by the sea.” They’d get Kazimir.)

Some are fuckin’ long-ass days instead.

Monks Wood Wilderness: 60 years ago, scientists let a farm field rewild – here’s what happened “Will it become a wood again, how long will it take, which species will be in it?”

Wow, this is a really fascinating story about a field left alone for 60 years, to see what happened to it if humans did nothing at all.
theconversation.com/monks-wood-w...

A harbour. The sea is a ridiculously beautiful turquoisey-blue colour, with a number of small boats dotted all over its water. In the foreground is a small patch of concrete with a herring gull standing on the edge. In the background, there is a quay with people walking up and down it, a few cars, and then buildings and houses behind, building up into the hillside before it turns into an abundance of trees.

Sometimes I’m almost embarrassed to have moved to such a beautiful area. We went out (Very exciting if you’re as disabled as I am) to #Porthleven for an hour today, and it looked beautiful. #Cornwall
#PhotoSky
#HarbourPhotos
#Photography

Please will you alt text this? It deserves a bigger audience.

Incidentally, if you used not to use alt text, but have started, please prod me and I’ll follow you :) Always happy to find new friends.

I’m sorry, lovely. All good thoughts.

*hug*

It may take a few days as I have to have the energy to check TLs; it’s more labour-intensive than just following back everyone. But providing you do actually post at all, it isn’t just sales propaganda, or virulently right-wing anti-LGBTQ+ stuff (why you’d follow me if so, idk), I will follow back.

In the same vein,

“I would follow you back, but you don’t use alt text, or you repost a lot of people who don’t.”

I check the TL of everyone who follows me, and if they post at all, I follow them back… AS LONG AS THEIR POSTS HAVE ALT TEXT.

Two cats lying on their sides, curled in opposite directions so that their heads are together and so are their back legs, but their backs curve away from one another. The close one is light brown and spotty, though the spots aren’t very vivid; the further one is brown with darker brown stripes. They are both lying on a blue duvet and staring off into the distance; the nearer cat looks suspicious (she isn’t, it’s her default expression) and the further cat looks wistful (I don’t know how, he’s probably wondering whether it’s worth getting up to pounce on whatever has caught their attention). There’s a bookshelf in the background with books on one side and folders on the other. The folders also contain (printed copies of) books.

It might not be #Caturday but it’s always a good day for pictures of cats, as I’m sure #CatSky would agree. So here are Zula (near) and Ares (back) curled up on my bed with me.

They’re not related, but they’re the most sibling cats ever, sometimes fighting and sometimes curled up together.

Happy Arsenal-versary!

PK Porthcurno - Wikipedia

The telegraph museum in Porthcurno is relatively obscure, I think (I remember Mr Penn was fascinated, but our 4 year old wasn’t and I was trying to entertain him) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PK_Port...
Or the Ramones museum, in Berlin, which excited Mr Penn even more!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramones...

Well, my Dad comes from here originally. We used to come here on holiday when I was a kid, and then even more regularly as my grandmother got very old. Mum was bothered by the lack of very good theatres, but she sees me more than she goes to the theatre, so she decided it was worth it :)