This last week:
Been snowed in the entire week except for a brief couple hours Tuesday morning when my mom was able to run into town for groceries. She barely made it back. Haven't done anything for my birthday besides cake because my mom couldn't buy my presents due to snow. Had a scary time last night going to/from my grandma's house. Her house is across the highway. It was night, and my glasses fogged up immediately so I couldn't see anything at all. There were snowdrifts everywhere. Between the snowdrifts, the blindness and my grandma's house being diagonal instead of directly across the highway, I spent a full minute each way on the highway instead of the normal 5 seconds. If a car had come, I'd have been squished.
We got a new kitten! We found her huddled outside the window, couldn't find her mom, and brought her in. She's really really cute. Named her Victoria. The other cats are doing okay. Liz barely cares, doesn't want the kitten too near her but other than that is okay. Pumpkin is a little more upset but, considering she's a cat, she's doing quite well too.
Thanksgiving, as usual, ended up completely borked. Second year in a row I've ended up alone, holding a kitten, trying not to cry.
Last year, my mom was talking about how in her education class they asked how they'd taught about HIV/AIDS during the students' school years. My mom was saying how she felt old because they had barely discovered HIV/AIDS when she was in school. Stepdad decides it's a perfect time to explain his theory about how HIV/AIDS originated from men having anal sex with each other. I could have made a fuss, but decided it was Thanksgiving and to instead go outside and hang with my grandma's kittens until I could calm down again.
This year, we made it through dinner. During clean-up, we were all in the kitchen when my stepdad made a comment about how this actor was really impressive because "he was really manly and was still able to play a gay character really well!"
We'd had this exact fight before. Again, it was Thanksgiving, I didn't want to start anything. I huffed in frustration and left the room to go sit down. Stepdad decides to follow me. It ended in a screaming fight in the living room. He said some really stupid, homophobic things. Seriously.
Points he made:
1. Well SOME gay men are really girly so it's okay to say girly men are gay
2. You don't represent all gay people so stop arguing
3. I have gay friends
4. I grew up with a gay uncle and treated him nice
5. I grew up with a gay uncle in a homophobic area and defended him, I can't be homophobic
6. I grew up with a gay uncle in a homophobic area, I know more about homophobia than you do even though you live it 24/7
7. I'm the only one you ever get upset at even though I actually have no idea since I don't follow you around at school
8. You're just looking to be offended
9. I have free speech you know
10. You're the judgmental one
11. You have a tiny mind (he actually said this)
I felt like I was reading Derailing for Dummies and the anti-gay bingo card. All this, I'm sure, outed me to my grandma who was sitting right there. It's my fucking choice who knows and when, dammit!
I ended up walking home and cuddling Victoria for a while. I swear, kitten purrs can fix anything.
Anyway, for all my American friends, hope your Thanksgivings went well (or at least better than mine) and that your turkeys were delicious!
We got a new kitten! We found her huddled outside the window, couldn't find her mom, and brought her in. She's really really cute. Named her Victoria. The other cats are doing okay. Liz barely cares, doesn't want the kitten too near her but other than that is okay. Pumpkin is a little more upset but, considering she's a cat, she's doing quite well too.
Thanksgiving, as usual, ended up completely borked. Second year in a row I've ended up alone, holding a kitten, trying not to cry.
Last year, my mom was talking about how in her education class they asked how they'd taught about HIV/AIDS during the students' school years. My mom was saying how she felt old because they had barely discovered HIV/AIDS when she was in school. Stepdad decides it's a perfect time to explain his theory about how HIV/AIDS originated from men having anal sex with each other. I could have made a fuss, but decided it was Thanksgiving and to instead go outside and hang with my grandma's kittens until I could calm down again.
This year, we made it through dinner. During clean-up, we were all in the kitchen when my stepdad made a comment about how this actor was really impressive because "he was really manly and was still able to play a gay character really well!"
We'd had this exact fight before. Again, it was Thanksgiving, I didn't want to start anything. I huffed in frustration and left the room to go sit down. Stepdad decides to follow me. It ended in a screaming fight in the living room. He said some really stupid, homophobic things. Seriously.
Points he made:
1. Well SOME gay men are really girly so it's okay to say girly men are gay
2. You don't represent all gay people so stop arguing
3. I have gay friends
4. I grew up with a gay uncle and treated him nice
5. I grew up with a gay uncle in a homophobic area and defended him, I can't be homophobic
6. I grew up with a gay uncle in a homophobic area, I know more about homophobia than you do even though you live it 24/7
7. I'm the only one you ever get upset at even though I actually have no idea since I don't follow you around at school
8. You're just looking to be offended
9. I have free speech you know
10. You're the judgmental one
11. You have a tiny mind (he actually said this)
I felt like I was reading Derailing for Dummies and the anti-gay bingo card. All this, I'm sure, outed me to my grandma who was sitting right there. It's my fucking choice who knows and when, dammit!
I ended up walking home and cuddling Victoria for a while. I swear, kitten purrs can fix anything.
Anyway, for all my American friends, hope your Thanksgivings went well (or at least better than mine) and that your turkeys were delicious!