I grew up in the same places as these folks, in the same culture, but you're not going to find me with one of these on the car. At some point you choose to want to hurt the other instead of helping. These are adults capable of critical thinking, but they gave it up to feel "tough" and "manly".

I figured as much. Just wanted to make sure someone got a hold of you just in case- "duty to inform" is a thing in my work, heh :)

oh my god

we ARE the meats

This one I understand really deeply right now. I know you've heard it plenty, but you're not alone. It really is about how many times you get back up.

It hasn't been terrible (a nasty cold and sinus thing with gross accessories). Got an ear infection from it too, so it's been pretty great all around. The worst part is just zero energy. Everything is 30% heavier, and it's sore.

This isn't helping my mental health amidst all the craziness at work and frankly the craziness of this entire year. I'm doing my very best to keep on keeping on. These are the times that make us who we are.

Working through deep tissue massage to help, but the pain is a lot. It's the kind that's inconsistent enough in volume that you can't really tune it out, and conventional painkillers just barely take the edge off. All I can do right now is grimace and breathe until it passes.

So imagine that feeling all day long, shoulder to fingers, and the pain makes you spasm, which makes more pain. Looking up hurts, driving with my left hand hurts, standing or laying wrong hurts. Having my hands up to type hurts.

Now? We're about to celebrate our first anniversary, and planning our future, together, as best we can in the face of a world on fire. I couldn't pick a better partner if I tried. And all because of that little orange swirl.