Notices by Ricki Gray Area Witch Tarr (rickitarr@beige.party), page 2

I'm pretty vocal on here about a lot of things a lot of the time. Part of why I am is because it makes me feel better to know, you all are out there supporting the cause. BUT please if you need a break, TAKE A BREAK. I talk a lot, but I'm also popping a weed gummie and watching my comfort shows, I'm spending time with friends, and going out to spend time with nature, I'm planning for holidays with loved ones, I'm trying to meditate (Shoutout to all my people for whom stilling their mind is an intense effort), I'm attempting to get enough sleep and eat right. No one can fight all the time, spending time on the things and people that make our lives better is not a waste.

Perfect has got to stop being the enemy of good, especially with societal change.

Susan B Anthony was racist, no way around it, most people were then, lots of people still are.

Does that mean I should give up my hard won rights, because it wasn't done the right way?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! What it means is that we all have to work towards more equality for women of color, as well as for ourselves.

Utopias don't exist, but we do, we don't have to agree, to work towards better, we should just work towards better. It has always been the Apocalypse for someone, this is not new. Change isn't faith based, we know we can make positive change, if we work together, we will. Stop thinking it doesn't matter just because there are setbacks. Start thinking generationally, and not just for right now.

I'm going to start listing some good things that have happened in society, and I know a lot of you are going to want to say, Well, that's all over now, it will all be taken away, but remember nothing lasts forever, even the bad stuff. So, instead of giving into despair and hopelessness, think for a second, and instead of tearing down hope, add to the list.

The idea that we would have open legal gay marriage in my lifetime wasn't something I believed would happen, but here we are.

I can buy legal recreational Marijuana in my state.

The show Drag Race not only exists, but it has for a long time, and it's very popular.

AIDS is no longer a death sentence.

And to add to that, you can take a drug that will just stop you from getting it.

There is a vaccine for Malaria.

I can just go buy an electric car.

When I was a kid, parents hitting kids was the rule, not an exception.

In my teens and 20's, I never met a transitioned or transitioning Trans person, now I know lots of them.

Abortion pills exist.

There are tenant union.

There is a vaccine against cervical cancer.

Women make up more than half of the college educated work force.

Millions of people showed up to protest police brutality in 2020, I know that's not enough, but if you compare that to the past, or even Rodney King, it's a big fucking deal.

Things are rough, and we are scared, but we haven't just been treading water, and we won't just sit in misery. It's never going to be perfect, but we can be better.

Despite Elon Musk, we really are working towards having high speed trains, I will most likely get to ride one in America, in my lifetime, and I'm excited about it.

People will say this is fake, because no one cares this poor baby was born with a dog body!

Okay, this is kind of silly, but I have this friend who is something of a conspiracy theorist, and he said in the last 40-50 years the amount of UFO sightings have increased, and he believes they aren't aliens, but time travellers, viewing significant portions of history, and I'm not saying I believe it, but I kept thinking, Oh no, why are they coming now? LOL

And I'm going to be honest, especially this year, I've had many many days where I've wished I could just check out. I didn't want the ugliness, anxiety, and the drama, I didn't want to think about it or get involved any more. In that way I get it, it's dirty and exhausting, and every politician, even the ones I support are flawed and compromised, but so am I. I wish I could care less, and I wish I could assume things will work out, but I want better for myself, my loved ones, all of you, and even the idiots who didn't pay attention, even though I'm gritting my teeth a little while I type it. I know you are all exhausted too, you just want to say fuck it all, and disappear, but if you haven't, thank you.

I'm seeing people talking in such a way that makes it sound like if someone is too "stupid or ignorant" that they don't deserve rights. I shouldn't have to say that this is how fascism and genocide starts. While we are fighting for ourselves and the most vulnerable among us, let's leave room for redemption, for education, and be very careful to not become the thing we are fighting against.

One thing I am learning from all this is how truly checked out many many Americans are from politics. I would talk to people, and they would just say, "Oh I'm not involved in politics, it's not for me." I thought this was the exception, but it's proving to be the rule. People told me Kamala didn't have any plans or Trump was great for the economy. Many many people live in a very limited education bubble. We are suffering under a deep lack of education, a lack of critical thinking skills, a world where it's increasingly difficult to check facts, and a group of very rich, and very powerful individuals who know this and are using it against the common good.

@coldfish Believe it or not, I have experienced this a ton (red state, Conservative upbringing), it's bizarre, like it's not enough for them to win, they constantly want your approval too.

I truly wish there was a way people could learn their lesson without the rest of us having to go to school.

Just a reminder:

Plan B has a shelf life of four years. (Works best if you are under 155 lbs)

Both mifepristone and misoprostol tablets usually carry a 2-year shelf life. (95%+ success rate no matter what you weigh)

You can get 4 months of over the counter birth control (progestin-only pill form) at Costco for $50. Or 3 months on Amazon for about $45.

Mirena: Can last up to eight years
Liletta: Can last up to eight years
Kyleena: Can last up to five years
Skyla: Can last up to three years
Copper IUD: Can last up to 10 years.

Contraceptive Implants: Can last up to 3 years.

If you have ideas on how to help or actions people can take, please share them.

This is going to sound crass, but think about it for a second, when Joe won in 2020, Maga dressed as vikings and stormed the Capitol, we are over here saying it's over and sharing suicide hotline numbers. Obviously share the numbers, and take care of your mental health, but fuck me, we can do better than giving up. I know you're tired and sad, me too, this was a blow, but I love you all, and I'd rather work for you than give up.

What does resistance look like?

We are all sitting here feeling like we don't know what to do or how to do it, myself included, but remember lots of things count.

Helping people who might need them get passports.

Providing space to organize.

Bringing food to people who might need it.

Getting involved with your local government and school boards.

Calling people who need support.

Sharing humor and life stories.

Making sure the most vulnerable people are staying warm this winter.

If you have money, there are plenty of people and organizations who could use help, just be discerning.

Helping women get access to Healthcare.

Shelter for people who can no longer stay in their space.

Think about your skill set, and what you can do, it doesn't have to be organizing a whole march, starting an organization, or donating a huge amount of money to be helpful.

Please share ways to help or organizations that are helping, this is a good place to put your ideas.

I want to make something crystal clear. We have a lot of different kinds of people on Mastodon, with a lot of different ideas on how things should work. BUT if you truly believe that all people deserve basic civil rights, and want to work towards that goal, I want to be your friend. We can argue semantics later, but reduce harm now.

And if you're here to doom talk, and say nothing will work, don't. I know you're scared and angry, I am too, but giving up is not an option for me, and I hope it isn't for you too. If you have better ideas please share, but if you're coming to shit on hope, resistance and resolve, think about who that is actually helping.

They want you to be distracted. THEY WANT YOU TO BE DISTRACTED!

Do you really think that it is an accident that Trump will say something insane like, Haitians are eating cats and dogs? It's not, they know the news will play it for weeks, and we will be outraged. Meanwhile, they are achieving sinister shit in the background that only a few news outlets are reporting. It will take time and concerted effort to put all this Project 2025 shit into place. Let's make it as difficult as possible, and take as long as possible.

I don't know what's going to happen, and neither do you, but don't get distracted. They love it when we are in chaos and disorganized, and blaming each other, instead of focusing on one important goal, limit the damage and get them the fuck out.

2,300-Year-Old Plush Bird from the Altai Mountains of Siberia, c.400-300 BCE: this figure was crafted with a felt body and reindeer-fur stuffing, all of which remains intact.

How cool is that!!! If the museum that houses this treasure doesn't have replicas in the gift shop, I would riot.

I know hope is in short supply right now, but even through your fear and anger, a majority of you have listened to my fears and others as well, and treated me with kindness and compassion. I know it doesn't fix everything, and there's still so much to worry about, but you give me that spark, and a reason to keep fighting for the good in the world, because you are good in the world.