Um Hello This Is A Blog

This is my blog where I do bloggy things Mel || They/Them

[great-and-small]

The majority of the Earth’s rodents: How do you survive environments with practically zero oxygen, feel no pain, and live for decades when none of the rest of us can???

Naked mole-rats:

[creekfiend]

a funny thing about having conversations with people within institutions (academic in this case but also others) about gatekeeping, is that you end up having a conversation over and over in which you're like, "hey this alligator spike pit moat you have erected around your institution is keeping a lot of people out," and they're like, "well *I* navigated the alligator spike pit moat just fine," and you're like, "right. by dint of us having this conversation, you within the institution and me without, it is understood that you navigated the alligator spike pit moat. due to that being an inherent requirement of entering the institution," and they're like, "I don't think you understand the prestigious history of our alligator spike pit moat," and you're like, "is there a reason why there needs to be an alligator spike pit moat encircling the concept of higher education?" and they're like, "look, the alligator spike pit moat isn't for everyone. some people just aren't cut out for the alligator spike pit moat :)" and you're like, "right, yeah, like disabled people and people coming from poverty or unstable home environments or underserved communities or people dealing with difficult to navigate life events like pregnancy or abuse or prison or addiction or the death of a loved one, for example" and they're like, "how dare you imply that we are keeping those people out on purpose. it's their own problem if they can't wrestle the alligators and avoid the spikes while also disabled and/or poor and/or pregnant etc" and you're like, "well that seems evil," and they're like, "it sounds like maybe you're just bitter about the alligator spike pit moat because of your totally random individual experience with ONE bad alligator spike pit moat. have you considered therapy?" and you're like, "did you know that there's some patterns here in terms of how y'all are handling this stuff?" and they're like, "actually yes. we even have a department of alligator spike pit studies :)" and you're like, "that's great, how do I get access to and participate in those conversations?" and they're like, "well firstly you must cross the alligator spike pit moat"

[creekfiend]

if you can document that you have a medical condition that might make it challenging for you to navigate the alligator spike pit moat, they'll give you an extra 20 minutes to complete your navigation of the alligator spike pit moat

[creekfiend]

IMPORTANT: any injuries incurred as a result of navigating the alligator spike pit moat will be the sole responsibility of the injured parties. once you leave, the people who made you navigate the alligator spike pit moat and the institution that installed the alligator spike pit moat will never contact you again. except sometimes to ask you for more money.

[sobcat]

Hotel Reviews

User1: Catastrophe. Room is a compost bin and the staff beats you every night.

User2: Best place ever! Rooms were so clean and comfortable and the staff simply a joy to be around :)

[partywithponies]

I love vague labels that make people go "but that's confusing" or "but that could mean anything" Good. Keep guessing lol

[partywithponies]

"Queer doesn't actually tell me anything" who says I wanted to tell you anything. Who even are you.

[livethrushit]

[trans-gothic]

[dat-eyebrows]

@gendernewtral holy shit what??

[gendernewtral]

an update to my insulin pump (a model which is highly recommended by doctors because it has software you can update, unlike other models) would allow my doctor to see more of my medical data because of the way my pump would now function.

i technically had the choice not to update it, but if i didn’t, my insurance company would not cover the cost of fixing or replacing it if something happened to it. they could say that the damage came from not updating the system, even if the damage was completely external.

some of the software updates have been beneficial, and have made my life easier. however, the choice to use these new system has always been made for me. i can’t afford to replace this $3000 device that allows me to live without injecting insulin upwards of five times a day.

disabled people already live in a world that is hypermanaged by people who have absolute control over our health and safety. anyone with a prosthetic, hearing aid, or pacemaker can face the same problem i did if the manufacturer decides they need to exert their presence in our lives more than they already do. the “cyberpunk dystopia” is already here, and if you want to change the ever-growing vice grip of “smart technology,” help disabled activists. we’ve been here all along.

(if you want a short primer on what it’s like to be disabled and rely on technology, read Jillian Weise’s personal essay in Alice Wong’s Disability Visibility).

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria is such a weird theory because it's like there's a very obvious explanation for why middle school kids who didn't have dysphoria before might suddenly have dysphoria. Like huh weird I wonder what very obvious and widely known change that could cause kids to suddenly become very uncomfortable in their gender or sexual identity starts in between the ages of 10 and 14. Guess we'll never know. Must be peer pressure to *checks notes* become the only gender minority in your whole school singling you out for harassment by your peers. Couldn't be puberty suddenly giving you new body parts/bodily functions that are wrong for you.

[commandtower-solring-go]

Turns out Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria is a natural consequence of the often comorbid Rapid Onset Gender

[crevicedwelling]

profoundly jealous of every solitary burrowing invertebrate that can just chill in a hole alone for its entire lifespan. I try my best to do the same but unfortunately belong to a highly social species

[crevicedwelling]

it just sucks so bad

[lesbianralzarek]

"life doesnt get better, you just get stronger" does NOT include ages 11-17. life does in fact just get better from there. those years are dogshit. like, you do get stronger but its mostly just a factor of not being 11-17 anymore. positive thinking helps but it doesnt fix whatevers going on at 15, you have to brute force through that one raw

[scarletbirbs]

Thinking about those windows movie maker lyric videos from the late 00's/early 10's...truly that era's cornerstone of society

[scarletbirbs]

RIP this format...you were truly iconic

[wanderingandfound]

Can't forget the corrections that they would add with those overlaid boxes YouTube removed years ago.

[gengarguy27]

Shout out to the videos that would have *epic instrumental* or something during an instrumental part.

[bunjywunjy]

Where did the whopping huge meteor come down? I assume if there are core samples, we know where it was, and maybe there are remnants of it?

Chicxulub Puerto, Yucatan, Mexico, fucking exactly

[bunjywunjy]

also the people of Chicxulub Puerto are fully aware of this, and even created a memorial for all of dinosaurkind on their own dime!

and personally, I think this single heartfelt block of concrete is more fitting than any number of sleek expensive monoliths in the world's best museums.

at an unremarkable time in this unremarkable place, the world ended, once. it's good to remember that.

[quotent-potables]

at an unremarkable time in this unremarkable place, the world ended, once.

— bunjywunjy on tumblr

[catchymemes]

[spentgladiator]

[pangur-and-grim]

it's so nice to see Pangur getting over her fear and returning to normal. after months of nothing bad happening, she's finally had the brilliant thought of "huh.....perhaps nothing bad will happen???"

yes, pangur, you are living a life of decadence like none other. nothing bad will happen to you.

[pangur-and-grim]

here she is having the most terrible thing in the world happen (the baby walked past her)

[leg-stealing-bee]

thank fucking god I'm not 14 anymore

[leg-stealing-bee]

hey if you are 14-17 It does get better you are just in your caterpillar goop era

[sadspectre]

Also sometimes the goop era lasts a little longer than other people's goop

[hobbit-feels]

Reporting in just 6 weeks shy of 50 years-old: You will re-goop several times in your life, often emerging with different wings and maybe even different skills. You're gonna be okay.

[soberscientistlife]

[freebroccoli]

I like the fact that the two most well-known uses for lithium are treating people who are bipolar, and making batteries, which are also bipolar but in a completely different way.

[catasters]

[littleguysdaily]

[fleshdyke]

you cant fucking hurt me bitch im protected by the migratory bird act

[fallenangelvictorious]

Please, I just want to know what your migratory flight path is, I promise I’ll release you after I give you this bracelet that will insanely up your game with the ladies

[fleshdyke]

bitches love me for my bright and colourful leg band