This week I got a little calcium score for my heart (very good, no issues), discussed cholesterol with my doctor, had a laser treatment for face redness, and walked and stretched a lot as a perimenopausal woman turning 48 tomorrow does.
I am a month-long birthday celebrator, and that holds true as I age. As it turns out, it's harder to feel consistently celebratory as my country is dismantled from within by people who have no idea what connects to what and make cruelty the point, being cheered on by people who also have no idea what connects to what and seem okay with cruelty until it reaches their doorstep. The horrors persist, but so do we, and finding joy is a must or what is the point. Truly.
If you'd like to celebrate with me in spirit, you're invited! Here are some things I'll be doing this weekend.
1. Stand for something. Today! This morning. Now, actually. Government officials work for US, not the other way around. Call your democratic Senators and tell them to vote NO on the stopgap funding bill/continuing resolution AND NO on cloture - this is the only chance to put a CHECK on Elon Musk from continuing his "work" gutting and privatizing agencies and programs Social Security before it's too late, and that should be enough for all of us. My calls say, "I'm a constituent calling from (zip). I am telling the Senator to vote NO on the Republican Continuing Resolution and NO on cloture. I would typically never advocate for a government shutdown but while it will hurt people, passing this CR will do much more damage to those same people long term and our country. I need the Senator to hold the line for a government funding deal that includes ironclad protections to keep trump and musk from hijacking federal spending - this is your only chance to rein in DOGE before it does any more irreparable harm and we continue our descent into fascism." If you don't want to say all those things just say "I'm a constiutent from (zip) asking the Senator to hold the line and vote NO on the Continuing Resolution and NO on cloture." The Capitol Switchboard is (202) 224-3121. Follow the prompts.I am not typically an advocate for calling people who are not your elected officials, but you can certainly call a party "leader" especially if they are in the midst of a spectacular leadership FAIL like Chuck Schumer is.
And above all else, if democrats follow that old ass cowardly Schumer and let this pass without changes, do not give a fucking dime to ANY Senate Democrat. Not one fucking dime to ANY of them.
2. Hit the library. I'll be fielding elbows from hoards of senior citizens hellbent on getting their books at the library book sale today, and also picking up a book on hold. Go give your library some love this weekend! Check out books, enjoy the quiet, see what they have to offer besides books. Take the kids! Get the kids library cards if they don't have them. Get yourself a card if you don't have one. It's freeeeee. Free is for me.
3. Go for a walk. Put a coat on and join me. Look at the sky! A great regulator for your nervous system. Heart healthy! Fresh air. Fun for the whole family! Outside is the best side. Outside is freeeee
4. Mail a petty postcard. Dropping a postcard in the mail on the Ides of March tomorrow to participate in the Ides of trump postcard avalanche event? As an Ides of March baby? Hell yes. This taps into my love of postcards and small acts. Some messaging ideas and printable postcards through that link, but I'm just using postcards I have and sharing some non-threatening facts with the fascist posterboy occupying the White House. By that I mean trump...I know that could be taken as either trump or musk. Actually I'll send our unelected president musk a postcard as well, to the same address:
White House Occupant donald j. trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
My from address will be the Supreme Court as shown on the link:
Supreme Court Bldg.
One First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20543
5. Bake a cake and eat as much as you want. I will be baking a seventies-style strawberry cake fit for a 1977 baby with strawberry buttercream icing (or whipped cream icing, I haven't decided yet). I will be eating as much as I want. I advise you to do the same. MFD is making steaks, and we're also having crab and shrimp stuffed ravioli from Aldi and asparagus if you need a dinner idea.
6. Drop some food off to a local food pantry. They need donations now more than ever. Which is truly a source of shame for this country as a nazi fuckup and his orange sidekick sell said nazi's cars on the front lawn of the White House like an infomercial from hell.
7. Paint your nails. One color, or two. I am a standard two colors at once lady.
8. Tell a fascist to fuck off. It's the only way to greet them. Speaking of, this is my new garden flag:
9. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Those laugh lines and forehead wrinkles are proof of life, not something to fret over.
10. Get eight hours of sleep. Revolutionary in these times, am I right?
TGIF.
SMD
Hey March bday buddy! I need to step up the stretching!