Aqua Utopia｜海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
blake kathryn
❣ Chile in a Photography ❣
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
ellievsbear
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Monterey Bay Aquarium
if i look back, i am lost
NASA
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Keni
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"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
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official daine visual archive
roma★
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@not-so-superheroine
watch me on ESPN today and tomorrow (6/23/2026 and 6/24/2026) swimming in 2026 Special Olympics USA games!
https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2026/06/espns-coverage-of-2026-special-olympics-usa-games-begins-june-20-live-from-university-of-minnesota-in-minneapolis/
i swim around 2:47 pm EST, 3:13 pm EST, and 4:04 EST, approximately.
i'm very hype and so is my team. we are going for gold 🥇. and if not, as the Special Olympics athlete pledge says, we will "be brave in the attempt!"
This Pride Month, consider reading some yaoi to celebrate. I recommend the Epic of Gilgamesh
“but if i communicate it perfectly then they will understand me” WRONG 10,000 years of suffering
Visit with Elder Renlund - April 2026
At my last visit with the Renlund's, I gave them a copy of The Book of Queer Mormon Joy and bookmarked my story and one written by my friend Erran Speaker (@loveerran) and he asked me to bring her with me the next time I visit. That visit took place today.
He began by commenting how much he loves my pink tie. Really likes it. In fact, referenced it a few times during the meeting, even commenting on how my pink phone matches my tie. It was cute.💗
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I shared about Elder Anderson's visit to my church building and that I was in charge of lunch. The wives were oohing and ahhhing over the tablescape and the food and took pictures and offered to airdrop photos to me and asked for what my phone is called. "Bootyyyshaker9000." Elder Renlund laughed at that.😆
Then I shared how Elder Anderson came to the kitchen afterwards to thank everyone who was cleaning and commented that he's never seen it be all men washing up. I immediately commented that cooking and cleaning are not among the duties listed in the Handbook for the sisters' callings. Elder Renlund responded, "Good for you."👏👏👏 Then he asked how Elder Anderson reacted. "He looked over at me for a 1/2 second, then carried on with what he was saying."🙄
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Elder Renlund asked how I was doing healthwise. I let him know that since we last met I had completed therapy for eating disorders. He was very kind as he noted that this is a difficult thing to overcome.
I spoke about how this has been something I've done daily for decades, it started as a teen. He asked how frequently I engage in disordered eating now having completed therapy? I've had a few incidents but they've been months apart. He especially found it interesting that the types of food I used depended on what feelings triggered the disordered eating, such as comfort foods when anxious or crunchy foods I could chop down on when feeling angry.
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I shared with him that I was aware someone had made very negative comments about me serving as a stake executive secretary which caused me some hurt feelings. Elder Renlund expressed his sorrow that such a thing happened and what it implied about me as a gay man serving in church. That if I'm doing a good job and the stake president wants to keep me on, that's the only opinion that matters.
I stated that I recently completed 10 years in this calling, and it was after these negative comments were made about me that led to the first time in all these years that the stake president and I had a conversation about whether it's time for me to be released. Elder Renlund responded I'm doing a great job and he thinks I should serve for 23 years! 😅 My stake president and I should be open to the Lord's timeline and revelation of when it's time for a change, but "there's no reason to stop serving."
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I brought up his recent General Conference talk with the story of his dog having trouble choosing whether to chase the blue ball🔵 or the yellow ball🟡, and using that to teach we should choose to focus on the Savior's atonement which gives Him power to help us along our earthly journey. He showed us a drawing by an Idaho cartoonist named Bagley of his dog and the yellow and blue balls. Very cute!
He let us know his 10-year-old had asked to get a pet dog and Elder Renlund thought he'd get a big dog and name it Spike so when he walks it down the sidewalk he'd look very manly. His wife Ruth suggested getting a small dog with a feminine name. So they compromised and for 17 years had a small dog named Lady whom he loved very much. 🐶
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At some point we mentioned we know people who came home early from their proselyting missions who have transitioned to service missions. Elder Renlund wanted to make clear there should be NO stigma about serving service missions instead of a proselyting mission. Sometimes parents think of it as a lesser option, the fallback position, and they don't want that for their child.
He shared with us a quote made by Gordon B. Hinckley in his first General Conference after becoming president of the church. "Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this church is small or of little consequence." Ruth Renlund had joked, "Oh sure, being the Primary pianist is as important as being president of the Church." But a week later as she sat at the piano in the Primary room she thought, "Well, Gordon isn't here, guess it's up to me." 🎹
Elder Renlund wants service missionaries to know that their calling isn't secondary, it isn't lesser, it is an opportunity to serve and contribute to the Kingdom of God which makes it equal to all other callings to serve.
He followed this up by saying on some Sundays he doesn't have an assignment and will choose to attend a local ward, and after Sacrament Meeting he goes to Primary. His favorite is the singing of songs. He asks the Primary children what their favorite songs are and it used to be that the answer almost always was "I am a Child of God," but nowadays he most often hears, "This Little Light of Mine," along with one or two others of the new hymns. While he no longer is overseeing the new hymnal, which gets released in 2027, he delights that the new hymns are being embraced even by the children. 🎶
Oh, that morning I shared with Erran a joke Elder Renlund told me, that he thinks the war in heaven started over the creation of a new hymnal because there's so many strong opinions. He delivered that joke again today and Erran laughed (while politely not saying that I already told her that joke😬)
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One thing I appreciate about meeting with Elder Renlund is he asks me to be my authentic self, to be honest about my thoughts and feelings, and that he will be his honest, authentic self in return. That a conversation where we can be honest with each other is important.
We had such a conversation today, some hard things, some hurtful things, some personal things being shared, things too personal for a public blog post. And his response was empathetic, and to share his opinions on the matters, and even to thank us for things we shared and an invitation to come again.
Given the small number of apostles and how many members there are in the LDS Church, I know only a limited number get to have the experience of one-on-one conversations like we had today. I am fortunate that an apostle takes interest in me, a gay Latter-day Saint, and in my friend who is a trans member of this church, and the hardships we encounter and in our thoughts on our experiences with church. I wish more people could experience the care, concern, and love expressed. 💖
Isn't David's outfit awesome?!?
What a wonderful opportunity to meet with Elder Renlund! We parked in the “tunnels” downstairs and then checked in with the security desk in the lobby. Elder Renlund’s secretary, Becky, came down and showed us the way up. She was previously the secretary for Elder Richard G. Scott, and we shared our fondness for our favorite conference talks from him.
Elder Renlund had recently moved offices in the building. The building itself is quite beautiful. Elder Renlund met us at the door and said hello to David and then to me, shaking my hand and looking me in the eyes as he asked my name and had me spell it for him. He conveys an immediate sense of warmth and inclusion. I appreciated his kindness in using my name and pronouns during our visit.
We were shown into his office, where I was somewhat surprised to find a rather utilitarian and unassuming desk like one might find at a typical office furniture store (I suppose I was expecting a rather larger, more ornate, all-wood version with a historical vibe). Elder Renlund had his chair pulled out and invited us to sit in two side chairs facing him, with nothing between us. After spending a few minutes catching up with David, he asked me about my work and where I was from, then he and David discussed some things about David’s experience as Stake Executive Secretary. His compassion and concern for David was evident. Also, he has apparently heard that David does an excellent job, which surprises none of us who know him!
Elder Renlund said he had read both mine and David’s stories from the Book of Queer Mormon Joy. My story in that book is about when I and a friend attended Relief Society for the first time. I related a follow-up story from another church meeting that included a sacrament meeting and a Relief Society meeting that became the most important church meeting of my life. In a previous visit, the Renlunds had jointly gifted David a copy of their book The Melchezidek Priesthood to bring to me. I have since read the book a couple of times and mentioned how much I enjoyed his relating a personal story about training a newly ordained elder serving as Branch President in administering blessings. It’s a wonderful story of how to train and strengthen with kindness and the spirit, and it has become my model for training others in both church and work settings. Elder Renlund gave us a copy of his new book, Learning to Listen. It’s a book on receiving personal revelation and I am looking forward to reading it!
One of my favorite parts of the conversation was the discussion on service missions and service missionaries. I know a number of service missionaries and they are amazing! Elder Renlund spoke to the desire in church leadership that there never be any stigma attached to a service mission. They are not lesser missions (and in my opinion they may be the best kinds of missions in a lot of ways)! I deeply appreciated the sincerity he evidenced in saying how much the brethren want people to know that every calling matters and is important. He also mentioned that his favorite second hour meeting is Primary, and he loves singing time! I love knowing that about him!
And when Elder Renlund told the joke about the war in heaven starting over a new hymnal, he told it much more funny than David.
It was a wonderful visit, and I felt heard and ministered to. I don’t suppose there have been many opportunities for someone like me to speak with an Apostle of the Lord and receive counsel. It was humbling and I am very grateful.
Fundraiser for Able SC, a South Carolinian Center for Independent Living serving Disabled people.
Hi everyone, my name is Wednesday and I work at Able SC, a Center for Independent Living that serves disabled people in SC, because I believe every South Carolinian ( and every person generally) deserves the chance to live independently, work meaningfully, and exercise their rights fully, regardless of disability.
This Midlands Gives Day, a virtual fundraising event in central South Carolina, a generous anonymous supporter has committed to MATCH every donation dollar-for-dollar, up to $30,000. That means your gift goes TWICE as far!
Please join me in supporting Able SC on Tuesday, May 5, ideally between 11:00 – 11:59 AM EST (we can win up to a $2,000 bonus prize if we get the most donors during that window!) If you see this post after this time, donations are still appreciated.
As a person with a disability, I work at Able SC because I experienced the difference Able SC makes first hand. I received services at Able SC as a young adult and learned important self-advocacy skills that helped me develop my social skills and succeed at college. I wanted to be a part of the work that empowered me to reach my goals. Your support will help me support disabled people living independent, self-directed lives and advocate for systemic change.
When you give to Able SC, you're supporting:
A disability-led organization where 75%+ of staff are people with disabilities
30+ years of advocacy, service, and systems change
Real people achieving real independence
Every donation, $10, $25, $100, or more, will be matched. Together, we can unlock the full $30,000 and double our impact from last year.
If you cannot donate, reblogs are appreciated!
Centers for Independent Living are federally mandated to exist by United States Law/Disability Policy. This means we primarily operate off of federal funds. We have always had to seek out other streams of funding, because despite being federally mandated, CILs are not well funded, but donations are especially important now, as the Trump administration has cut funds to services for Disabled people, including Centers for Independent Living. We serve all people with disabilities regardless of identity, but I would like to share that most of the people we serve are people of color, and many of the people we serve are in poverty. South Carolina is a poor state in general, but people with disabilities are disproportionately impacted by poverty. Most of the people we serve have Intellectual and Developmental disabilities, like myself. We also actively support the rights of LGBTQ+ persons, who are more likely to experience disability. All communities have crossover with the disability community because anyone can become disabled.
Here is the link to the website of Able SC if you want to check out what we do. Here is the fundraising link! It's personalized but the funds go directly to Able SC.
Thank you for supporting me and Able SC!
i've been swimming almost every day of the week and joined the closest usa masters swim team near me. they practice every day except sunday. weekday practices are from 5:30 am to 7 am, so it's before work and doesn’t conflict with anything in my schedule rn.
i wanted to start earlier, but getting up in the mornings was a challenge. my psychiatrist told me to try taking my meds at 7 pm and to get a sunrise alarm clock. i did and it works like a charm! i'm up by 4 am weekdays and 5 am saturdays without a hassle. i also go to bed around 9:30 pm - 10 pm now (i'm def tired earlier. esp when i hit the gym after swim practice). so it feels like i have less free time after work, but it's worth it. also definitely healthier for me overall.
definitely recommend the sunrise imitation alarm clock. tricks your circadian rhythm according to my psychiatrist. i like it a lot. linking the one i bought. the name brand is like 100 dollars, but my 35 dollar knock off works just fine.
i have a meet for special olympics next saturday and idk if i'll get any faster by then with just 2 weeks of (almost) every day practice. but i will definitely improve some before national special olympics in late june.
the masters swim practice is longer and more intense than the special olympics practice. the coach is also a professional coach. my SO coach is a parent, but the area coach is a professional. i'm not on her local team but she does come work with me 2 times a month or so.
i am slower than most of the people on the masters team but everyone is very encouraging. it doesn’t make me feel bad at all. just makes me want to keep at it!
imagine how good i'll be by next year with a year of consistent practice under my belt. also! i'm making new friends!
i have been becoming better friends with people on my special olympics team. namely the other women. there was one woman i could swore didn't like me, but she asked for my contact info last practice! so maybe i was mistaken or she just warmed up to me by this point. she's a pretty talented swimmer too. her backstroke is pretty smooth.
my first friend on the team and i text regularly. i'll have to invite her to do something sometime soon. but idk how strict her parents are. parents of (even adult) children with intellectual disabilities can be restricting.
ig this is just a sports related life update. i could use a new swimsuit or two as well, but a good competitive swimsuit is not cheap, so i'd need to justify the price considering all my other expenses. especially now that i have to pay pool and swim team fees now for masters swimming. also dues to the masters swim team organization which gives me insurance (for potential injuries i guess? idk.) i think it's actually justifiable now because i'm in the pool much more and chlorine eats at the suit. my one from three years ago is showing a some wear, and the newer one is not up to my standards as a competition suit. took a chance on a cheaper brand and it's okay, but the cut is wrong and doesn't provide enough compression. i will buy a tyr or speedo suit this time.
swim meet/competition today!
wish me luck 🤞🏿
🥇first place 25 m backstroke at 26.60 seconds :)
🥈second place 50 m freestyle at 47.46 seconds.
swim meet/competition today!
wish me luck 🤞🏿
🥇first place 25 m backstroke at 26.60 seconds :)
swim meet/competition today!
wish me luck 🤞🏿
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you're welcome
Lovely to see we have spaces where you can gain access to so much literature!
rip. got a flat on the way back from swim practice (technically the sporting goods store but i didn't have what i needed for my first time swimming with this team and am going back tomorrow) and am waiting for roadside assistance to come help.
i clipped the curb and rip front right tire.
it's taking them a while to find someone to assist.
i have the tools to do it myself, but my dad said to go with roadside and i would rather them do it too.
just sitting in my swim suit. i do have track pants on as well. at least these suits dry fast.
gonna be super delayed to work. i do make my own hours and have no set meetings today so that's okay. inconvenient but could be worse.
update: someone just picked up my ticket so hopefully i get an eta soon.
i shoulda brought my book. i think i have a usable epub of it on my phone somewhere. though i am discovering that paperbooks may be the way for me.
easier to set reading goals and track progress. also turning the page is nice.
though being able to upload it to my text to speech app and read along with the highlighted word has very many upsides too.
eta: 29 minutes from now.
rip. got a flat on the way back from swim practice (technically the sporting goods store but i didn't have what i needed for my first time swimming with this team and am going back tomorrow) and am waiting for roadside assistance to come help.
i clipped the curb and rip front right tire.
it's taking them a while to find someone to assist.
i have the tools to do it myself, but my dad said to go with roadside and i would rather them do it too.
just sitting in my swim suit. i do have track pants on as well. at least these suits dry fast.
gonna be super delayed to work. i do make my own hours and have no set meetings today so that's okay. inconvenient but could be worse.
update: someone just picked up my ticket so hopefully i get an eta soon.
I cannot get this poem out of my head. It haunts me. Joyously, it haunts me.
This poem format is my favorite thing and this is the first time I’ve ever seen it’s origin story. I love it. Every time.
THE SACRED TEXTS!
I forgot the context! It’s beautiful!
I am reasonably sure I’ve bought bread from there.
i'm in rare pair hell.
tos mcsarek? sarones?? sarek/mccoy nation???
are you out there? ao3 is damn near empty.
