At least it's Friday

I’m putting this out there, partially in the hopes that “giving it up to the universe” will bring some positivity ‘round these parts.

Next week has got to get better. This week was built from the days that feel like no matter what you’re doing –  no matter how hard you’re swimming – you cannot keep your head above water and oh, sweet Jesus are those sharks over there and why are they carrying clipboards?

Things are less than great right now and although I’ve got a good sense of humour, sometimes having an arsenal of other survival mechanisms would be nice. Like, say, a shit ton of money. Or maybe or a raccoon that instead of ripping open my garbage bags, pooped golden bars in my garden. Covered in chocolate.

It’s tiring, this swimming against the current. I hesitate even to write about it because there are people in my life who do not support decisions I’ve made that have put me in this place. But they are generally not kind people, some who even take glee in knowing that I face challenges. That used to make me angry. Then it made me sad. Then angry again. Now I think I just don’t care. It’s like my brain exhausted all the energy my psyche was willing to supply. Is that a coping strategy in itself? Specific mental apathy?

This place is temporary, though. They will be jerks forever.

Obama won. I’m glad. I have a problem understanding a lot of GOP ideology, and although I think their party has some core values worthy of examination, I do not understand where the anger and vitriol of some members towards Obama and Democrats comes from. I don’t understand how women in America could vote for the party who tolerate/allow/perpetuate/condone/whatthehellever hatred of women. Make no mistake; it’s hatred and misogyny and patriarchy and a whole bunch of those other big words academics use to say “hatred of women.”

You don’t limit a woman’s agency or autonomy without a clear subtext of misogynistic ass-hattery. I don’t care if Mitt Romney himself didn’t say things about rape and legitimacy and birth control or not; he didn’t do enough to condemn those who did.

And why do we even care who puts their what where? I don’t even really care about what most people did on the weekend. Criteria for marriage should be thus: Are the participants adult parties willing to enter said union without pressure from outlying forces, either implied or explicit? Yes? Yeehaw! Where’s the champagne?

I’m a Canadian. Does that say it all?

I’ve had access to universal health care and a “social safety net” all of my life, and I’ve used it. My daughter had a fingered severed and reattached and it cost me $7. Yes, I pay taxes –  a lot by some people’s standards –  but I don’t think you could convince me or my daughter that it wasn’t worth every goddamn penny.

Would I be happy to pay if by some stroke of luck I didn’t ever need to use it? Would I be happy to continue to pay the same rate of tax so that someone other than me could use the “fund?” Would I be happy to have contributed to a stranger’s health care by deductions off my own wages - even for a stranger who doesn’t work?

Would I be happy to pay then?

You bet your sweet ass, I would. (Assumption of your having “a sweet ass” are solely those of the author.)

I cannot imagine how it must feel not to have that.

We’re going out tonight, to a comedy club. I hope no one makes any sexist or homophobic jokes, because friends?

I AM IN NO MOOD.