SH.N.N.G.NS Ѫ @shaananigans - Tumblr Blog

Stay silent, they say you’re guilty. Speak up, they say you’re playing the victim. Say too little, they say you must be hiding something. Say too much, they say you must be trying to ‘splain. The rumor mill is never satisfied, hence why I choose not to engage. Everyone is worried about having an opinion on something that has nothing to do with them. And to be so concerned, no one bothers directly…

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Shaan, 23 & 7 months The Universe November 2014

www.shaanmichaelwade.com

#QTPOC #queer #trans #femme #FTM #TPOC

The Ask Rayceen Show Super Sexy Season Finale Washington, DC November 2014 Absolutely loved the variety of bodies on stage. "Sexy" isn't synonymous with Adonis or Aphrodite-esque physiques. Also, the world really needs more skin-tight catsuits, pink feather boas, Black leather daddies, anf for-queer by-queer productions. See more, high-res shots from the night at www.shaanmichaelwade.com!

Fear.

It's an interesting thing. Fear, for me, is the result of uncertainty. The feeling of not knowing if I'm making the right decision; if I'm going to be okay. What's interesting is I've only recently begun feeling such a way. It happened as the result of a "failure." I never had felt this type of fear before. I was so sure of myself, of my decision. Everything was always going to turn out fine. Until they didn't. Now, I'm always apprehensive. Always hesitant.

Before I quit a job I had had for over a year, I was nervous. What if my new job was worse? What if I couldn't be as flexible? What if I wasn't able to survive? So far things have been good. I'm about to move out of a place I've lived for a year. What if my new place isn't as great as it seems to be? What if I end up hating it? What if I'm not able to afford it after a few months? I'm convincing myself that I'll be fine. Convincing myself that this is a good decision, that I'll be happier, more productive. I've made it this far.

#peptalk

I've been saying "no" a lot as of late. It feels great. I should say "no" more often.

I wonder if people who pour themselves into their work are what becomes of the brokenhearted, the never-loved, and the lonely..

On: recovering from burnout

Parts of me feel bad about being so burnt out with social justice work and taking such a long hiatus. I'm nearing a place of pure ignorance. Aside from the shooting, I honestly have no idea what is happening in Ferguson right now. And I have no interest in finding out. Not because I don't care, but because I just don't have the energy to get so invested in such a hyper-personalized way--as has been the case in the past. That is incredibly draining and I don't have the support system to recover from that time and time again.

These past few months of my hiatus have been the most peaceful times I've had in years. I've been able to learn to take care of myself a little better and treat myself more kindly. I've learned to support myself because others can't be relied on to do so. These things are crucial to survival. I was on the social justice grind, nonstop, for nearly five years. I deserve a break; time to compose myself, get myself back on my feet. But we're so often told that this work never stops, that to stop is to quit and not be "bout that life." I don't buy it. We have to take care of ourselves, even if that means "ignoring" the world around us for a summer.

All I know is that when I return, I won't be as I was before. My activism is beginning to take a new shape, and it looks a lot more like self-care and community building. There has to be a way to balance the grind with the survival in a way that doesn't leave you either drained or disconnected. Right?

Looks like I won't be going back to school this coming semester. Howard, as usual, is on the Ultimate Bull. And I have gotten to the point where I no longer care. I don't support academia. I don't support Howard University.

This summer has shown me how I've been missing the opportunity to pursue living because I've been so busy trying to do as is expected of me. I've wasted so much time focusing hours on classes that don't matter in pursuit of a piece of paper. Meanwhile, the years are passing me by and I have nothing to show for myself. College s not a space for me right nw. It may not ever be. I may not ever return. I'm okay with that.

I'm going to go ahead and register for some classes, just to say I made the effort. Part of me wants to be in school so that I can be done. But if things don't work out, then they don't work out. I refuse to stress over it.

Random connected thoughts:

I'm a first-generation student

I may lose m $15-an-hour internship if I'm not in school

I ain't got no worries

That moment when you realize you spent $42 on a manicure that didn't even last a week. Or at all. Why did I even...

( -__-)

In light of the increase in (publicized) murders of Black people at the hands of police, I have but one thought:

I refuse to live in fear.

I will not allow them to scare me into hiding. I will not "de-hood" my appearance, colonize my speech, or tip-toe politely around their mess. I will not allow them to scare me out of raising a community of Black and Brown youth. I will not allow them to scare me out of loving my people. I will not allow them to erase me. I refuse to be afraid to exist.

And if they dare lay a hand on me, may the Universe be with me as I lay two back. If they aim to take me out, I aim to do the same to them. If I'm going to go out, I may as well go out with a fight.

I'm tired of talking.

Tired of trying to talk.

I always end up putting out more effort than the other person. Or persons.

And then you have people who say they miss me, yet I haven't heard from them in eons. Their "I miss you" message comes through another person. Or two. "Did you know So&So misses you? You should give them call." But why? They. have. my. digits.

And the people who claim to want to hang out but stand me up. Repeatedly, because I try to believe in second chances. "My bad, I overslept." I bet if I were as important as a job interview you wouldn't have overslept. "I forgot and now I have to feed my dog." Am I the only person who cares enough about sharing space with people to put it in my calendar so I remember to feed my dog before I leave? (I don't have a dog.)

And the people who expect me to drop what I'm doing and be there for them, but when I need something they're too busy to even respond to a text. "Let's do lunch today?" No. Today I am hiding in my room butt naked eating, sleeping, and watching The Cosby Show all day.

Now if I were to jump off a bridge tomorrow, so many people would call me their friend. And wonder why I would do such a thing. Because I always "seemed so happy" when they saw me. They saw me twice in the past year. Both times in professional spaces. They never asked how I was doing though. Never asked anything but how I can help them. But let me not get carried away here. I have no desire to remove myself from this earth. Even if other people suck, I am worth living for.

All I'm saying is I'm tired of talking and am beginning to wish people would either put out an actual effort or just leave me alone.

Also, I find it so fascinating when people can connect their daily experiences to a particular culture...and not just traumatic childhood experiences. I'm feeling more and more like I had a relatively whitewashed childhood...

On: thepoliticsoffamily (a ramble)

My friend Alok wrote a powerful piece on the politics of family in queer South Asian culture. With an impending visit to see my mother (whom I haven't seen--and have barely spoke to--in five years), I've been thinking more about how I navigate the aforementioned politic. As a Black American, and also a military brat with few connections to blood relatives, I feel a desperate sense of isolation and otherness when it comes to the concept of "family." Tying in with Alok's thoughts, "coming out" for me was less about leaving someone/something behind in search of someone/something "better," and more about being visible in spaces where I didn't exist anyway. Perhaps I was running at one point, and now that I have found my niche in the Universe I am returning "home" (to my mother) to confront her as her worst nightmare. I'm her only child. She can't really get rid of me. And I can't get rid of her. So, thus beginscontinues the work. Except...the importance of family is not actually important to me because I never had one.

More thoughts to come later.

I'm starting to understand why people do long distance relationships. The Black queergay "community" in DC is entirely too small. Everyone knows everyone and the drama is unreal. I refuse to deal.

Someone come cuddle with me via Skype.

Should I stop having expectations so that I'm never disappointed?

An old friend used to tell me that I needed to learn not to stress over life and just let it happen. I never liked that idea. We only live once. Why shouldn't we be committed to making the most of of that one chance? Why should we just let things happen and act as if we have no control over them? Life is going to happen as it will, but it's our lives. Which means we have control, even if only a bit. Decisions we make impact our future. I'd like to make decision that will lead to a happier future. I'm tired of always feeling sad. I just want to make good decisions.

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