a mishmash of topics

Topic the First: I have many livejournal activation codes. If you know me, or know someone who knows me, and you want one, just ask. Don't ask if you're a complete stranger and not a friend-of-friend, though. I have some standards. ;)

Topic the Second: A handy hint for anyone planning to go to anti-war demonstrations in the upcoming days/weeks/months: Print out and carry with you a copy of the ACLU Bustcard. This is a handy little card that tells you what to do (and what not to do) if you get stopped or arrested by police -- including what information you do and don't have to provide, and so forth. It's in PDF format here, or if you don't have PDF capabilities, it's in plain web text here.

Topic the Third: At long last, I dreamt about MY fantasy sex life, rather than that of obsessedmuch or anyone else! ;) ( details of dream in which I get horizontal with Michael Rosenbaum )

Topic the Fourth: Last night I slept over at my mom's place to keep her kitties company. I was feeling very guilty for not having visited them in four days. Poor little guys, they've been all alone that whole time (except when the upstairs neighbor comes to feed them, but she just puts down the food and leaves). They were insanely excited to see me. First they wanted much playing, which I provided until I was falling over with exhaustion, and then they wanted much snuggling. Nomar decided at 4am that he was ready to be cuddled and petted, so he came to curl up against my chest, and I was petting him, and every time I stopped and tried to, you know, go back to sleep, he stuck his wet nose in my face. Sigh. It's a darn good thing he's so damn cute. :) This morning they wanted to play some more, but alas I could only play with them a little bit before I had to head to work.

This weekend, the upstairs neighbor will be away, so not only do I have to feed mom's kitties, I also have to feed hers. I'll sleep over again on Saturday night. Hopefully next week I'll be able to come over more frequently than I did this week; in particular, I need to go over on Tuesday night if at all possible to take out mom's trash.

Topic the Fifth: I was so depressed about the war yesterday (and the previous day) that I never got around to mentioning to y'all that I had my latest prenatal appointment on Wednesday. It went fine. I've gained 7.5 pounds since last visit; all vitals are looking good; my fundus measures 23 centimeters (the distance between the pubic-hair line and the top of the uterus is supposed to correspond roughly to the number of weeks pregnant, and I'm at 22 weeks, so that's good); and, uh, that's about it. At my next visit I get tested for gestational diabetes, which means I have to drink this disgustingly (so I hear) sweet beverage, which they gave me to take home. I drink it an hour before my next appointment and then they test my blood for sugar levels. Whee.

I have more, but this post is getting long so I'll save it for later.

sigh

Thanks to our government, an entire city is in flames. Are you shocked and awed? I know I am. [/bitter]

tiggrrl writes eloquently in response to the question "What's the point of protesting?"

I'm grateful, although also guilty for feeling grateful, that I work in an office where pretty much everyone opposes the war, although not many of 'em quite as passionately as I do. But this is a time when I feel exhausted from all the efforts of trying to reason with hawks, when I feel like I can't do it any more, like my energy for hearing their nonsensical "arguments" and their brutish bloodlust is expended. Tomorrow morning I'll go to a peace vigil in Waltham, and perhaps more protesting later in the day and/or on Sunday, and maybe -- hopefully -- I'll get my wind back and be ready to go one-on-one with the hawks again. For right now, though, I feel drained by it, and that makes me sad.

Today's Friday Five asks, in part, "if you could live anywhere else, where would it be?" I can't think of another part of planet Earth where I would want to live right now, because right now they all seem equally torn by divisiveness and hatred, intolerance and ignorance and greed and anger and hopelessness. I want to live right here, right now, but in an alternate reality.

There are, of course, still things that bring me pleasure and joy in my life. Three examples that spring immediately to mind are the roundness of my belly, the soft snuggliness of my kitties, and the tastiness of the ice cream of which I have way too much. What does a woman my age in Iraq right now know of these luxuries? I don't flagellate or blame myself for having these things, but, having them, I do hold myself accountable for seeing them as they are: as privileges. And enjoying these privileges imposes on me certain responsibilities toward those who don't have them. This is the difference between blame and responsibility. It is not my fault that I have these good things and the woman in Iraq lacks them; but it is my responsibility to be mindful of it, and to act on that mindfulness, in whatever form and frequency my conscience dictates.

avoidance technique

Well, I don't usually drabble, and in fact I haven't committed fanfic in quite a while at all, but what the hell, a person needs a bit of escape. And blunaris asked for springtime-lowering-inhibitions-removing-jackets drabble (see her post in which she does in fact express it more coherently than that) so what the hell.

Of course, I'm drabbling in a fandom that apparently doesn't exist except for me, so no one cares, but whatever. *shrug* I've been looking for any excuse to get these two together for, like, months now. Sigh.

( John Doe drabble, rated NC-17, m/f, spoilery for tonight's episode )