Update for Everyone IV - Hungover

[afleitch]

I can't believe I just heard the term 'sex-negative' get used completely unironically in a theology class.

You should highly recommend the forum to whoever said that.

It was a guest lecture by this guy. I was prepared to like him and then he made a wildly inappropriate rape analogy.

What was the analogy? (analogies themselves might sometime be sharp/uncomfortable in order to make them worthwhile analogies)

[afleitch]

Secured a double promotion. Start work in July

[afleitch]

A crisis with my girlfriend and subsequent prayer have convinced me that I need to return to my roots as a religious, pro-life, vintage-vibe leftist, not the weird embittered quasi-reactionary I've been slowly sliding towards being.

Yes. This iteration of Natheline was the most annoying of the past six.

[afleitch]

A crisis with my girlfriend and subsequent prayer have convinced me that I need to return to my roots as a religious, pro-life, vintage-vibe leftist, not the weird embittered quasi-reactionary I've been slowly sliding towards being.

Yes. This iteration of Natheline was the most annoying of the past six.

"Natheline"? Seriously? And I bet you're the kind of guy who (rightfully) gets outraged when conservative assholes misgender trans people, aren't you? Do you even see the contradiction? Or is not respecting people's basic personal choices perfectly OK as long as it suits your cultural agenda (whatever that even is)?

Also, this forum has multiple people who went from libertarian to communist, from mainstream Democrat to North Korea apologist, from centrist Republican to fundie and then to right-populist, and countless other combinations of random ideologies. Heck, weren't you a Thatcherite until a couple years ago? Pretty sure all of Nathan's "iterations" have been far more consistent than the random phases most posters have gone through.

Nathan for the past few weeks has been f-cking annoying. I’m, not saying that as someone who doesn’t like him; quite the contrary I can assure you. He has he admitted himself he’s been putting on the air of a strange ‘embittered quasi reactionary’. It showed and it sucked.

I have no idea why he went down this path (and it coincided with his return to Nathan) because it’s was so dull and so disengaging and so patently forced that it’s a great relief he’s finally noticed. ‘Natheline’ was a barb. I accept that, but if you think it’s somehow anti trans or anti queer or against whatever banner of indignation you’re hoisting today then the point has flown over your head and hit the ground a hundred yards behind you.

Sometimes people are better than who they think they are or should be. Sometimes you want someone who’s smart, engaged, thoughtful and clearly capable of complex thinking that exists outside of basic regurgitation that counts for discussion these days to not rhetorically gut themselves. Nathan knows enough about the world and everything  wrenchingly painful or exhaustingly beautiful not to be publically embittered by it.

I don’t care what journey someone goes through. This is nothing to do with identity or politics; I hate people who cheapen themselves

[afleitch]

A crisis with my girlfriend and subsequent prayer have convinced me that I need to return to my roots as a religious, pro-life, vintage-vibe leftist, not the weird embittered quasi-reactionary I've been slowly sliding towards being.

Yes. This iteration of Natheline was the most annoying of the past six.

"Natheline"? Seriously? And I bet you're the kind of guy who (rightfully) gets outraged when conservative assholes misgender trans people, aren't you? Do you even see the contradiction? Or is not respecting people's basic personal choices perfectly OK as long as it suits your cultural agenda (whatever that even is)?

Also, this forum has multiple people who went from libertarian to communist, from mainstream Democrat to North Korea apologist, from centrist Republican to fundie and then to right-populist, and countless other combinations of random ideologies. Heck, weren't you a Thatcherite until a couple years ago? Pretty sure all of Nathan's "iterations" have been far more consistent than the random phases most posters have gone through.

Nathan for the past few weeks has been f-cking annoying. I’m, not saying that as someone who doesn’t like him; quite the contrary I can assure you. He has he admitted himself he’s been putting on the air of a strange ‘embittered quasi reactionary’. It showed and it sucked.

I have no idea why he went down this path (and it coincided with his return to Nathan) because it’s was so dull and so disengaging and so patently forced that it’s a great relief he’s finally noticed. ‘Natheline’ was a barb. I accept that, but if you think it’s somehow anti trans or anti queer or against whatever banner of indignation you’re hoisting today then the point has flown over your head and hit the ground a hundred yards behind you.

Sometimes people are better than who they think they are or should be. Sometimes you want someone who’s smart, engaged, thoughtful and clearly capable of complex thinking that exists outside of basic regurgitation that counts for discussion these days to not rhetorically gut themselves. Nathan knows enough about the world and everything  wrenchingly painful or exhaustingly beautiful not to be publically embittered by it.

I don’t care what journey someone goes through. This is nothing to do with identity or politics; I hate people who cheapen themselves

I can't speak for Antonio, but for me the "Natheline" thing was the main thing that was horribly wrong with your post. It's not that it's "anti-trans" or "politically incorrect"; it just violates human decency to not refer to people by their preferred name, regardless of what their reason for preferring that name is. In this particular case it gives off the impression (rightly or wrongly) that you care about trans people primarily because they fit your ideology. You seem like a decent enough person so I'm sure that isn't actually how you feel, but that's what's coming across here.

I used ‘Natheline’ as a stupid portmanteau for various iterations of the one poster. I will accept a flogging for that

However, the idea that I only care about trans people (why is this even the topic being discussed?) for ideologically reasons is something I’m struggling to even see in the one line response I gave earlier. However I’ll answer the charge that everyone else seems to be making. I care about trans people because they are human beings. If you like or dislike the inherent nature of a person or yourself ‘ideological’ reasons then there’s something wrong with you. I think that’s been something I’ve been consistent about for the 13 years I’ve been on this forum. I don't think there's anything remotely ideological about basic humanism.

[afleitch]

We bought a kitten.

[afleitch]

We bought a kitten.

There is one major problem with kittens. They grow up to become cats.

If anything that will be a relief.

[afleitch]

I want to hear more about afleitch's kitten.

His name is Finn (we passed through the Finnieston area of Glasgow in the train and it stuck.) He's a 9 week old ginger tom who is nothing but energy. Though he's comfortable being picked up and his paws played with which is something! His nick name is 'puppy'...

This is him with me and a Celtic scarf.

[afleitch]

He's adorable. I've never had a kitten that young--my first two cats were adopted from friends at seven and four months respectively, my third from a shelter at three years--and I've long kind of wanted to.

Ours had a shelter cat mother. Litter of 7 and the first to be able to leave. He's absolutely crazy but he's grown a lot in just two weeks. I know you've always has cats and I have too. My last cat still at my parents, died at 14 in December so it felt right to get another. You'll no doubt find that too, once you're settled somewhere

[afleitch]

Do I ditch my political principles and take a job with Momentum (the UK equivalent to R/SandersforPresident) over the summer?

Blairites have principles?

Momentum helps Blairites look like they have principles by comparison. And that makes me want to end it all now.

[afleitch]

It's my anniversary tomorrow (easy date to remember ) 4 years now.

[afleitch]

I asked my boyfriend to marry me. He said yes.

Wait what?

Go you

[afleitch]

I kissed a glass-encased human heart tonight.

Wow!  Any idea whose it was?

Padre Pio's. Boston's been hosting it for the past several days, probably because our archbishop's a Capuchin.

I would have said that in the above post but I decided to lead with a 'hook'. Leave people wondering if I went to the Mutter Museum or something.

Padre Pio? PADRE PIO? Jeez.

[afleitch]

My husband has posted his absentee ballot It was a thing of beauty.

[afleitch]

I've been feeling increasingly intrusive suicidal urges over the past few weeks, to the point where it's currently near-constant. I wonder if that's the sort of thing a meds adjustment could fix. It probably is, but my prescriber is hours away.

The fact you're aware of it is a good thing. Don't wait for a re-prescription. Talk it out with anyone who will listen.

[afleitch]

Having a 'reading up on Jewish theology' week.

[afleitch]

Bought underwear for endowed men. This is not some self aggrandising but relief at a decent f-cking fit and support at last.

[afleitch]

Just a note to say I'll be in the USA from mid March to late March. Will be flying in and back from New York, will perhaps be on a Florida road trip. Trying to get to Boston (as it keeps falling off my to do list) for a few days as well.