Saturday, November 19, 2016

...so I won't.


Okay, I'm back.

I'm a little stuffed bull and sometimes I get scared. I hope that if you needed it, you had a dresser drawer to crawl into and close behind you. It's nice and soft and quiet and you can be locked away from the world for quite a bit to take care of yourself.

But you can't stay there forever. (Aside from needing to eventually face the world, I wish I'd gone to the toilet before I crawled in the dresser.)



Okay: things not only look bad; they are bad. Warning: the below is tough stuff. If you want to skim past it, scroll down until you see the picture of Captain America. But I'm afraid you've probably already seen a lot of this stuff over the past week and a half.








I have been exceptionally depressed the last week. Many other people have been even harder off.



And here, following The Guardian's report on rising rate of calls to suicide centers, are the hateful, terrible mocking responses of some very inhuman humans:








A friend of mine said this online, and I want to repeat it, in big letters:

We need you. Hold on.

Remember, you can call and talk to someone any time at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK. (If you're out of the US, or don't have this number written down, please Google "suicide hotline" to get a number you can call.)


Here are other hotlines you can call. Save the following image on your phone! Don't forget that you are loved and you are wanted!


So, what can we do?

Okay, if you don't do any of that above, at least click over to HOLY FUCK THE ELECTION and explore for a while. It has guidance for activism as well as self-care. It's the most thorough and helpful single website I've yet seen.

And remember to fight for your rights...else who will?




Here's another of my favorite songs, one that's unfortunately timely than ever, by my very loved, very missed Kirsty MacColl:


I was born and I was bred
I was reared and I was fed
Moved into the neighbourhood
Where I was bad and I was good
I fixed things for people there
I took them out I don't know where
I coloured in their lives to give them outlines
I walked before I'll walk again
I'll walk along a line of men
And walk into the lion's den

I think you know but you won't say
Just what it is makes life this way
But I'm not going to take this lying down

Reach for the stars, retch for the earth
We took the earth and made it worse
And there was never any doubt
We ate it up, we spat it out
And still we love to say we did it our way
On this voyage of discovery
I'm blinded by the things I see
I've seen before I'll see again
I'll look along a line of men
And fall into the lion's den

Now you can pray your head is bared
And I'm not saying I'm not scared
But I'm not going to take this lying down

I think you know but you won't say
Just what it is makes life this way
But I'm not going to take this lying down


Finally, take time to self-care. Have a snack. Watch a funny movie. Take a brisk walk. Breathe in deep, breathe out, and repeat. Sing out loud. Hug a family member, hug a friend, hug a little stuffed animal. The people who love you — and you have some — will help you get through the hard days.

Be good and be good to each other. These are hard times. Many of you who follow my blog have noticed that I don't post every day for long stretches, and that's when I'm under the covers sad and hiding. I've had a very hard year since January, but I couldn't e making the sprint through December without all of you lovely readers and fans. Special thanks to Mike Sterling, who reminded people — and me — that I have a posse. Know what? so do you. And I'm in it for you.

And you can always, always have some of my cookies.


11 comments:

Delta said...

Thanks for this. The bathroom ten feet outside my college office (here in Brooklyn) was vandalized the day after the election and the NYPD hate crimes unit called in. My students are frightened. We all deserve a safe drawer and cookies.

Dave said...

We love you, Bully. We got your back - and we know that only by making this stuff public and shameful can we fight it.

Blam said...

{{{hugs}}}

Unknown said...
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Unknown said...

Thank you for posting this: many of my friends feel depressed and do not know what to do next. I was actually guided back to sanity by a Rabbi, which is funny considering I am an atheist! I am going to share this on my Facebook feed. Thank you for spreading love. Hugs.

Ward Hill Terry said...

Today was the first time I've checked your blog in almost two weeks. I haven't even wanted to look at my usual blogs or social media. I enjoy your posts a great deal. I consider you a virtual friend, even though you know nothing about me, and I have only glimpses of the real you. But those glimpses are enough for me to like you.

Scott said...

Bully, you are loved.

Elayne said...

Wonderful, Bully. Many hugs to you and the whole gang there.

Evan Waters said...

An excellent, inspiring post. With Kirsty!

Andrew Leal said...

Cookies are a good coping strategy.

Bully said...

Thank you everyone for all the very kind words! They truly mean a lot to me.

Lots of little stuffed love right back atcha!