People Are Exhausting

A cartoon of me, a chubby brunette-and-grey
woman wearing blue, with an angry
expression and her right hand up near her
forehead. There is a thermometer shaded
green to red, with the top broken and the 
caption "I've had it up to here."

I've always considered myself an extrovert, though I've had my moments of introversion - a whole year of them immediately following Laston's death. 

But lately, circumstances have forced more introversion, if only because I'm choosing to stay safe, follow the rules, shelter at home, mask when I must go out, etc. 

So yes, some of my current... antipathy toward many of my fellow humans is simply less in-person interaction with them than that to which I am accustomed.

But quite a lot of it is their horrifying, selfish behavior. Even the people who are generally reasonable are completely losing their cool. And yes, yes, we're all depressed, stuck at home, tired of this. I try to be compassionate and give people a little grace. 

It's hard to do for some of these people, with their broken-record talking points, completely illogical thought processes, and skewed priorities.

Violence against Asian-Americans is on the rise?

The reaction to mass shootings is... making it (even more) difficult for brown people to vote? Rather than - say - enforcing the laws about what weapons are okay to have?

Unions are evil for protecting their members?

Personal squick means passing laws so girls can't be on the sports teams that match their inner selves?

"Support these poor sweet helpless people who can't speak for themselves" but... they could if you'd just shut up for a minute?

Discomfort with a given work of art is treated as Truth?

George Floyd's death is an intellectual exercise? Police are allowed to kill people because they did something bad once?

If we had done the thing when asked nicely, we wouldn't be in this deep?

Football players are traitors for kneeling respectfully but actual domestic terrorists are heroes?

"What about the children?" is an anthem for people... but it's really another intellectual exercise or they'd actually look at the things that help? Like healthcare, maybe? Or higher education debt? Or teaching children about personal space? Or actual real-life kids in actual real-life cages? 

It's 2021, people, get a clue. 

Maybe someday I'll learn to like (most) people again.

Unmet Expectations (That are my Own Fault)

Cartoon rendition of me, a brown-and-grey-haired,
 fair-skinned, green-eyed person in a blue shirt.
The expression is embarrassed
and the caption says "OOPS!"

So today I needed to order a couple things that are not normal grocery-type things but that we could really use. A long-barrel lighter or two, a funnel that will fit in Lizzy's art-project bottles, that sort of thing. Nothing outrageous or that I would need a specialty shop for, just... different to the norm for our household.

And I wanted them today, as I don't have any matches or other lighters on hand, and how am I supposed to light my daily reminder candle, with the power of my mind?

All righty, well, these are things one can get at the local Safeway, and I have that Shipt account so I don't have to go out in the Covidness of it all. So I got my online shopping cart up to about $31. Now, I could've stopped at $31 and paid $7 for delivery, or I could bring my total up to $35 and get free delivery, so I chose the latter.

Hmm... what do I want? Well, it's Safeway, and they have a decent (if probably inauthentic) Chinese-food section of the deli, so... I know! Kung Pao Chicken for lunch!

I wanted Kung Pao Chicken.

I ordered Kung Pao Chicken.

I even corrected my phone when it thought I wanted King Oso Chicken (What? I write in Spanish a lot more than I do in Chinese).

So the Shipt Shopper did what they do, texted me when he got to Safeway, asked when he had questions ("do you want rice with your Kung Pao Chicken?"), and thanked me for the clear directions to my house, which is tricky to find the first time.

I took my groceries in and put the frozen and refrigerated stuff away.

Then I opened the Kung Pao Chicken and it was... not what I expected.

I mean, I had thought Kung Pao Chicken. I had said Kung Pao Chicken. I had even typed Kung Pao Chicken more than once, including correcting my phone.

But the picture in my brain was General Tso's Chicken.

The Kung Pao Chicken was awesome; it really hit the spot and satisfied the craving. 

Not what my brain expected.

But awesome.

And that's kind of how my week is going so far. 

Not bad, not at all.

Just not what I thought I wanted.

Of Cats, Hats, Eggs, Ham, and Gendered Potatoes

If you've been paying attention at all, you know that a) Hasbro changed the name of the line to Potato Head - they're not taking away your gendered potatoes, and b) the people who actually own the copyrights to Dr. Seuss books made a choice to stop printing six of the hundred or so books, and six of the more obscure ones at that. Neither decision had anything to do with your rights being taken away, neither had anything at all to do with the new and relatively competent federal government in the United States, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something.

Probably guns, as these tend to be the same people who have convinced you that you need them to protect yourself from - I dunno - random marauding tree-huggers?

You people need to get a grip,

A cartoon of me, a fair-skinned, green-eyed
person, in a potato costume, lying prone.
The caption reads "potato."

It's not like that, you little drip.
No-one's taking cats in hats,
Or eggs and ham or this or that.

Not killing babies, taking guns,
Nor stopping you from having sons,
We're putting health and safety first,
That's it, that's all, you're not coerced.

We just want people to be seen,
As more important than the green,
So next time you turn on the Fox,
(Not Fox in Socks, the one in-box),
Think back to who has told you things,
Remember who this message brings.

They prey on fear of black and brown,
And gays and lib'ruls in your town,
And that the babies will be killed,
And that your guns will be re-milled.

What they don't tell you is that this,
Their message, it's a bunch of piss.
They want you fearing folks like me,
Who want us all alive and free.

So you do you, don't wear the mask,
But don't be shocked when people ask,
Why you only care for those,
Just like you; that's what you chose.

Outrage over gendered tater,
Demands that to you we must cater,
Cats and eggs and ham, it's mindless
Heedless of good sense or kindness,

Maybe someday you will see,
There's more than your view versus me.