I appreciate knowing that you read it, truly!

Hi, thank you for asking. I'm sorry I dropped off the face of the earth. I made a reply just a bit ago, but it looks like it didn't come through. It's not been too bad. I've been busy at work. The hard part is in the winter everything starts to feel like the same day over and over. In the summer, I can find a lot of things to do for free, but it's getting harder. It's not terrible, but not good.

I got banned from reddit for "abusing the report button" by reporting transphobia

I can feel the SAD kicking in already. I'm like a rattlesnake -- I thrive on sunshine and heat -- so I'm absolutely living in the wrong place.

My husband's insomnia has been even worse, so I can't really play my guitar or keyboard. It's been too cold and dark for longboarding, and I need a creative outlet, so I've been obsessively revising my Magic decks again. I've got six binders of cards, and those are just the cards I've deemed worthy of constructed play. I've got a lot more chaff in boxes. BTW the best way to play is with proxies, but my playgroup is uptight, and I can't find a different one. Seems like everyone else who plays at the game store are teens, and I've got nothing against teens, but it's not like I'd invite kids over to play kitchen table commander. I've been playing a lot of MTGO as well, but I wish I could do something more productive.

I feel jealous that some of you have actual antifa groups and such in your communities. I feel so isolated. Our plan used to be to relocate after I gained some career experience, but instead my addiction to alcohol killed our chances. I'm super old now -- I'm not just saying that, I'm much older than you probably think -- to the point that I don't really have hope anymore that I can make a better life. I'm trying to find ways to make myself happy and my community a better place, but it's all so overwhelming. For example, I've got today off, and all I've got planned is going for a walk and then smoking weed and playing more Magic. I think my husband works tonight, so perhaps I can play my guitar, if I'm still awake.

I've thought about running for local office, but that's really a waste of time, isn't it? Not like it accomplishes anything. I'd appreciate any ideas for action I can take. I'd at least like to find a way to share my books with other people, since my local library has absolutely nothing about things like anarchism. I feel good about what I do at work. I feel like it helps people, especially groups that have been marginalized in my community, but then what?

That looks absolutely beautiful! I hope you have a great time!

My husband speaks Spanish, and we have our passports now, and we love camping, so maybe we can save some money and...

Expected uplifting news, but this asshole survived

Some people also call it "frisbee golf." I think the pro scene can be toxic, but the people who play casually are typically chill.

Yeah, there's a super nice course not far from where I live, and the people I've played with don't even care about winning. It's just a fun thing to do while walking in the woods. People are also really good about keeping the trails clean.

Disc golf too, as long as you don't play with people who are super serious and competitive

I never knew about this! https://shinigami-eyes.github.io/

I use Fennec on Android, which also supports addons via collections, so I'm going to add this to my collection.

It's so easy to accidentally click into anti-trans shit, and this will help so much.

Still reading Dawn by Octavia Butler

Also been listening to Kropotkin's "Mutual Aid a Factor of Evolution" on Audible Anarchist as the chapters get recorded and uploaded

That last sentence sent me

It doesn't have a pickup. When I've performed acoustically, I've always mic-ed it or borrowed someone else's guitar. (Last time I performed was 2022 though, but I got to perform in front of one of my favorite artists, which is something I'll never forget.)

I had started putting some cash in a jar, but our financial situation has become even worse since I last posted.

Somehow I'll get another electric. I realized I've still got my little Jay Turser Classic practice amp. It's a solid state amp, but it has a pretty good sound, and I even recorded a couple demo tracks with it after I sold my Zinky Mofo (another big mistake).

The thing I learned the hard way is that selling the equipment did help a bit, but it didn't even fix the longterm situation, so I could just as well have kept it. That's why I've never tried selling things like my Magic cards, even though we need the money.

If I can just get my hands on a solid body guitar with some P90s, I'll be as happy as a kid on a snow day.

I'm not trying to be negative though, and please don't feel bad for me. Like you said, I've got my acoustic. My acoustic has always been my main thing. In fact, the first song I ever performed in public was an acoustic cover of the Total Chaos song "Kill the Nazis."

I'm currently working on an Eldrazi commander deck using the smaller devoid Eldrazi from Battle for Zendikar and Vela, the Night-Clad as my general. Since they're devoid, they have no color, so giving them intimidate makes them unblockable. Mwahahahahaha

(It's actually not an overpowered deck though, but it does include some large bois like Ulamog and Kozilek)

I was just having a conversation with my discord buddy about how many LGBTQIA people we know online whose only safe space is social media.

I've watched a couple old Vincent Price movies this week: The House on Haunted Hill and The Last Man on Earth. Are they good movies? No. Are they fun movies? Hell yeah!

Ooh I love The Shining. It scares me more than any other

Yeah maybe so. My dogs do kinda sound like that when they're happy we come home.

I can't help but think the coyotes are lamenting the existence of humans, but that's probably projection on my part.

I can't possibly pick a favorite, but I do love American bison, and rabbits, and prairie dogs. I feel lucky that I see these animals a lot.

I love coyotes too, but they sound so sad and mournful.

Capybaras are fantastic

A park in South Dakota

Thanks :)

I think I was just lucky