Travis

My name is... wait for it.... Travis. Here is a picture of me dramatically running away from a giant bear statue.

Gendry approaches Theon in his row boat, and he be all like "what's up, buddy?"

LordBy said:

Anonymous’s statements were ugly. If you are a Catholic and you think that Pride is a specific weaponized and targeted attack on your faith, then that says more about how you view your faith than about anything to do with Pride. He thinks Catholics are <1% of the population, like that’s some kind of persecution permission slip, while they are really closer to 20% of the population. He’d, I’m sure, argue that he means “Traditional” Catholics and most Catholics don’t qualify thus allowing him to feel superior to other members of his faith as well.

This is what grabbed me also. I almost spit my coffee out when I read the comment (paraphrased) "clearly it's harder to be a 'Traditional Catholic' in 2019 than LGBT." Are you fucking kidding me? I've lived a picture of privilege and I don't have any real experience to draw on, but I can say that I can't imagine how much anxiety and sadness and loneliness I would experience if my basic rights to be equal were being litigated on a day to day basis in public. That I should have to fight and suffer criticism and "wait for the world to catch up" to just be a person living their lives. I can't even fathom what that must feel like, and this dude is all twisted up about the notion of Pride Month? Are you fucking kidding me! We have it so easy. I've never had to fight for my right to do anything. My biggest life outrages have amounted to being pulled over for going the speed limit and getting an MIP when I wasn't drinking, maybe being messed with by a bully or two for being a "weird-o." So, basically nothing. I've never been judged openly by people for just walking around, giving my wife a kiss in public. I can't remember who said it here earlier, but it's so true. If you're bending over backwards to try to sound reasonable, maybe you should take a look at how reasonable your footing is. Be religious and hold your beliefs and do you, but I'm sorry there are societal effects to being married beyond just calling yourself man and wife in some arbitrary way. It has become a governmental action with associated rights. You don't get to play the "but my religion" card and have it stand up. Marriage is an equal rights issue in our society. Plus, what does it matter to you?

This is the thing that I have always struggled with: Why there is even a problem? This should be so basic. It's just people wanting to live their lives in the same manner as everyone else. The right to live and love and take part in the world as people. Who cares who someone loves? What does it matter to you, living your life? In what way is your life changed if your LGBT neighbor gets married? None in the least. So where is the problem? Why is this even a thing? It's just people loving each other. Why do people even get to shame people for loving who they love? How would anyone who hasn't been held to any scrutiny feel if suddenly they were? I hate this whole thing so much. It should be so obvious. Is religion really meant to be a pass on simply being good to people? Even if you harbor these ridiculous hateful feelings inside, it just shouldn't be your choice. Individual rights to peace and equality should always supersede religious ones. Always. It's just so obvious. I don't get it.

EDIT: My wife made a friend recently who had a teenage daughter who was trans and killed herself. That woman has made it a social media stance saying basically "if you don't support LGBT rights, I don't know what to do with you and don't want to interact with you." How could she not? It becomes a representation of what killed her daughter. All the judgment and hate and complexity of just wanting to live as who you are. Even having no personal stakes in it, I get closer and closer to that point every day. I mean, that line represents a fundamental thing that I can't reconcile. Like I said, it should just be so obvious and the severe damage that this culture does to people so needlessly. I mean, seriously why? On both fronts: why does this bother you so much? and Why do you feel like you have the right to cast judgment on people? How do you feel righteously empowered to create policies that take rights away from people because you don't "approve" of the way they live their lives when it doesn't effect you in literally any functional way? Why? I'll never understand. Does Anonymous have any understanding of how harmful that culture is? (I mean I guess not because "it's harder to be a traditional catholic than LGBT in 2019." Give me a break with that.)

Speaking of random stuff, I was looking at my "on this day" thing on Facebook and was reminded of the most ridiculous museum display that I ever saw. This was in a car museum in Los Angeles. I get that this dude is "trying to fix the car" but I think something very different is conveyed...


Also a part of the same exhibit, I love how the other dude just looks really confused and not-approving.

Ha! I hadn't seen that. That's funny. 

mostlywright said:

@Demerol ;
It is 100% a dog lover thing. I think it is symbolic that Jon is leaving behind his former Stark life, and I think Ghost will be so happy North, and I am grateful beyond belief I don't have to witness Ghost's death. But all that rationality flies out the window when Jon doesn't even boop or scritch that big, floofy, good boi. Shame! Shame! Shame! 

This shit had me yelling at the TV. I mean, just "peacing out" on Ghost like that is just fucking wrong, and it was TOTALLY a moment where I saw the typewriters clacking and the budget reports. Jon wasn't ever really a great wolf owner, but to not have a "moment" of it is just beyond wrong. I mean, this is an animal that he is connected to beyond most human animal relationships which can be incredibly meaningful without warging/mind meld types of influences. This was bullshit, and I refuse to believe that they couldn't have given the moment at least an ounce of gravity in comparison to the goodbyes with Tormund and Sam. That sucked. I liked the episode quite a bit, but that was bullshit.

I'm not reading the comments yet because we're only through 2 episodes of the new season so far (started it last night), but I saw this and it rang so totally true that I figured I would drop it in.

I just got back yesterday from a 5 day weekend trip to the northern CA coast (specifically a couple of areas ~45 minutes to an hour south of Big Sur) and it was spectacular. I won't bore with the details, but stuff has been pretty heavy and tough lately (though in a way that gives some optimism for the future) and I just felt primed and ready for some of the insane nature that we came across. The picture below I count as a religious experience to come across and take in. In essence this is looking out over a cliff above a full landscape of clouds that blanketed the ocean with the sunset on top of it all. It doesn't translate (nothing ever does), but the depth and configuration of the clouds honestly looked like a second ocean on top of the first. It was truly amazing to take in. Also this view was the headliner, but there was so much amazing nature up there. Cliffs and coast and redwoods forests and waterfalls and on and on. I honestly can't recommend the area more for anyone who loves nature and hasn't been to it. In my book, it's basically the picture my mind draws when I try to figure out what people are talking about with this heaven business.

Does Fringe count for these purposes now? I got a inclination recently and tried to find it and you can't stream it anywhere without buying it to my knowledge. F'n crime. That show was great.

10 albums that shaped my music life...
Chronological (my favorite record by the act in question is in parenthesis at the end because it's rarely the choice):
1. The Monkees - s/t - my first record. first band I ever loved (same)
2. Paul Simon - Graceland - I could insert in many chronological spaces because it's always been relevant. (same)
3. Alice in Chains - Facelift - introduction to the grunge years. Also, kind of where I started finding my own way musically, even though my sister was the one in played them for me. (Dirt)
4. The Smiths - Queen is Dead - Welcome to the awkward teenager depression. Morrissey really like speaks to me, man. (Strangeways Here We Come)
5. Sonic Youth - Goo - So... grunge is cool and all, but this... whoa! (same)
6. Pixies - Surfer Rosa - So Sonic Youth is pretty crazy, but wait... Holy shit! who are these guys?  I wanna play like these guys! In a way, the Pixies was sort of the beginning of an almost identity type shift. I think Surfer Rosa kind of turned me into an indie rock fan, opened the door for Sebadoh and Pavement and Beck and all the greats that came nearly after. (Trompe Le Monde)
7. Kids Soundtrack - So there's a dude named Lou Barlow and he's going to talk to you a whole lot in a way that feels more "right" than Morrissey talking to you for quite a long time. Plus, Natural One is a fuckin JAM! Also, now I really like stuff that you could describe as "quirky" and that is going to stick in a big, big way. Everything felt different after the Kids Soundtrack in a real way. (Folk Implosion - Dare to be Surprised, Sebadoh - Harmacy)
8. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted - Introduction to my favorite band since I was like 16. (Wowee Zowee)
9. the Good Will Hunting Soundtrack - There's a dude named Elliott Smith and he talks to you now. (XO)
10. The Beatles - Abbey Road - So I've always loved the Beatles, but now I'm hearing them as a grown up and the experience has seriously leveled up. I literally cried with excitement when the Carry that Weight callback happened the first time in my 20s. The Medley fuckin broke me. (tied with Revolver)

It's kind of a bummer that I guess I'm pretty "shaped" for about half a lifetime now, but it also kind of makes sense in a way. I still find a lot of great stuff, but the real impact and way a record can change you hasn't really happened since my early 20s.