WHERE THE FLIP* TO BEGIN?

From the internet.

     Okay. 

      I've been trying to get a post up for quite some time.  It has not been easy.  As I posted at the first of the year, I will not be writing as much due to working on other projects.  Still, with the way the year's been going, you know I have plenty of thoughts on just about everything.  So, I've decided to post a long post; combining a few that I feel are relevant in one way or another.  This will be one of my longer posts.  You've been warned.

     First it's February 2, otherwise known as, (normally) Groundhog Day.  I've done a quick post every year since starting Sadie's Gathering in January of 2013.  Even had my husband draw up a cartoon:  

Honestly, I saw no mention of it, when I got online today about 9:00 am CST.  

That was a first.  

     When I looked around, I came across, THIS. So, Chuck says early spring, and Phil says more winter.  Frankly I think Phil just wanted to get the hell back inside away from the goofballs.

      Everyday, I get up and if I pay attention to any of the news; I end up in a very bad mood.  It's getting to seem perpetual.  Just like Shirley MacLaine's character Ouiser, in Steel Magnolias.  Let's hope it doesn't last for 40 years. 

     So, a couple of weeks ago, I posted,

"What Feminism Means To Me."

    

 I knew at the time, I'd just scratched the surface of what I wanted to say.

It's been hard to write.  To get everything that's crossed my mind on the page.  The thoughts and concerns, come too fast.  To the point of being overwhelmed. 

Guess it all began the day after the election.

On November 9, I wrote my initial reaction in Know This.  

The next day, was my Hillary T-Shirt post. 

I tried to get back to a regular post, the following day, but never completed it or posted it. 

Here was the thought:

     Don't have it in me to do a post today.

I'm still just in a funk.  One of the reasons I created these tshirts with my husband, is to try to draw me out of that funk. 

     To me, there's reason to wear them now; (I'd love have one if I'm able to get to a protest.) And let's face it, there is a more than fair chance that there will be reason to wear often, over the course of the next four years.  Even with international travel.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

     The big thing, that brings me to tears is this realization:

       

     WHEN WILL WE EVER HAVE SUCH A QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED, PERSON, WITH SUCH COMPASSION AND INTELLIGENCE AGAIN?

     I have not been able to turn on MSNBC, CNN, or even the late night variety shows for the reasons in  "Know This."

And the simple fact is that people refused to see.

They didn't go beyond what Anderson, Wolf, Brian, Rachel, Chris, Chuck, Andrea, Joe, Bill, Sean, Maureen, Howard, and the rest told them week after week.  They chose the entertaining, shake em' up game show host.

Just as in other relationships that end, there are those that you look back on, and know that for whatever reason; you mussed up.

By then, it's too late. 

A few days later, I tried again... here is all I wrote:

To those who voted for Trump, or who think, it's not gonna be that bad.

Think about that for a moment.

Do you have any family or friends who are gay?  Please have them tell you how much marriage means to them.  Please tell them that you're fine with, "Come what may."  Tell them that if a business discriminates against them, you'll step in every time in every way to make sure they get what they need.

Do you have a daughter?  Are you with her every hour of the day?

     Nearly a month later, I finally got a post of length and point out:  The Point.
   
     I ended the year with an attempt at a lighter note, with:

Hunting With The Trumps, Anyone?

     Have to admit, I'm a tad curious as to who's going on the hunting trips.  

     Anyone know?

Now, for a new year. 

     So, naturally, I'm sharing a post I began about a year ago.   The following is a post I began about a year ago.  I've gone through, only adding a couple of thoughts, now that we know the outcome of the election. 

  

   

 These Shoes Were Made For CRUSHING:

QUINTESSENTIAL TESTICLE CRUSHERS

SO f'ing mad right now I could spit.

Years ago, I came up with a mental image that has helped me deal with sexist moments I've encountered in my life.  Ladies go ahead and try to count up your own sexist experiences.

The image is me, in stilettos such as one of these:

CRUSHING A MAN'S TESTICLES.

Thus, the proverbial stiletto was born.

     In the vision, I am wearing a killer dress, or a pinstripe suit, and a pair of stilettos such as these:

Next; I crush the offending pretense of a man's "jewels" with the heal of my stiletto.  I finish off the f$%*er with the toe; much like squashing a bug.  You can change the color of shoe if you like. Although I think it would be much easier to wipe a pair of patton leather stilettos clean, than say... suede.

If you're not a feminist, or don't believe that we live in an extremely sexist country for as enlightened as it claims to be; I implore you; stay with me for a moment.

When you first hear the notion of sexism or gender inequality, you may roll your eyes.  Even if you're a woman.  It strikes you, on the list of the problems we encounter on a daily basis, as it ranks low.

Then you start to look around.  You may read something about sexism, and then you think about it.  Then you start to see its prevalence.  And you start to realize that quite possibly, some of the problems in the world might be due to sexism. 

Allow me to illustrate.  

For one day, look around and take note.  Turn on your TV in the morning.  Or anytime really.  Think of the ratio of women to men on news shows.  On major networks.  Get on your computer.  How many photos of women compared to the number of photos of men do you see on a site such as Huffington Post?

Thank Mary's Holy Grace, that we have Samantha Bee.  

     The original reason for the post:

      Today, The Onion, the farcical site, that I've described as a good reminder that all news is biased; proved that goes for the Onion as well.  If you don't know what I'm referring to, you can go to their site, their Twitter feed, or whatever.  

       Whatever happened to respect?  From the comments, 90% of them from men, I'm not certain they didn't think it was real.  When I Googled, "Photoshopped nude of male presidential candidates,"

Google returned with, "Did you mean: photoshop nude of female presidential candidates?"

LET THAT SINK IN.

Right now, Google, "Are women..." 

Still want to tell me that we don't live in a sexist country?

Added today:

Do you live in America?  And really, really, before you say another word; consider who the president is now, and consider that now it is a well known fact that the Women's March on January 21, 2017, was the largest demonstration/protest EVER.  And it was peaceful. 

At one point, many months ago, I was feeling better about the country ingrained sexism after reading a post.  So okay that I started a post entitled "I know you don't mean to be a sexist,"

Those days are gone.

I am a mom of 2 girls.  THIS IS NOT THE WORLD I WANT THEM GROWING UP IN. 

Everything is not rainbows and sunshine, and I know it never will be.

Recently saw some bullshit headline that "Bern The Witch".  It's no longer on Bernie's site, but it was there and that's enough.  I've been called "asshat" and worse from just asking a question or stating that I did not think it was great about whatever. 

So, I voted for Hillary, because I knew the others did not get it.

In other words, if Hillary's a witch, the others are flying monkeys.

And I want her in my coven.

Shouldn't surprise anyone that there was a post I started more than a year ago, that expressed the same views as this post. 

It was entitled, A Few Words About Misandrony.  So I combined the two. 

It is a man's world.

And that explains why it's in the damn mess it is.

As a self professed feminist, I have said before, that that means to me, nothing more than a  belief and desire to see gender equality.  I do not hate men.  I have a good one, that I've been with for almost 20 years.

However, there are times, when men, with their actions and comments, spark in me some misandrous notions. 

I grew up surrounded my strong spirited women, who shooed the men away, when it came to cooking, cleaning, yard work, home maintenance.  The women worked in factories, ran stores, restaurants, were bookkeepers and worked for the government.  If cars needed to something fixed, they would be taken to the shop immediately before "he" got to tinkering, and render the car useless.

Last year I read in an article featured in RAWSTORY, a money moron, Foster Freiss, said:

     "You know, back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraception.  The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn't costly."

     My response?

        Seems to me if you shoved that Bayer aspirin up a man's penis that would serve as a good contraceptive as well. 



If that doesn't sit well with you, it might be a good time to go to ESPN.com.

Enjoy the Superbowl.

For a thought about dealing with our current reality:

Check out: "What We Can Learn From This Photo"