Christmas

And it's time for another post that my family doesn't know about. 
I MAKE Christmas for my family.  Ever since I left.  My Mom is blind as fuck and my Dad and brother don't do Christmas shopping (though I will say I got the greatest gifts from my brother for my 30th birthday).  Grandma is slipping into old age and so it's always been up to me that they have gifts to actually open.  I'm not going to fault any of them for this at all, but it doesn't make it any easier.  Each year is a scramble to find SOMETHING that they'll like, times 10, and wrap and package the gifts and send them off, so each one of them has something to open that won't take 10 minutes to do.  Every single year.  This year I'm on sabbatical so I told myself I'd get all shopping done by the end of Nov.  I'm doing it, but goddamn.  The pressure is enormous every year. 
If I talked to them about it, they'd say Oh, don't worry about it.  But I do.  I want to make sure that every Christmas where I can't be there is perfect.  So here's another season where I'm trying to do this again, and it's not easy.
I suppose this is a total #firstworldproblems post and it is.  But it's also about giving your family a good Christmas with gifts to unwrap every year.  I will do the best I can.  But it's still hard. 

Kitty Genovese

Are we turning into a nation that has forgotten the Kitty Genovese Murder?  Or are the people that I work with too young to remember that horrific event?

Yesterday, there was a medical emergency involving a co-worker.  And as an empath, and as the only female who jumped in, I was the only one who started to organize the few people who actually didn't stand back in their office or close the door to: you watch the guy and get him to sit/calm down, you call our emergency-guru, you call 911, etc. 

The ONLY PERSON. 

We found out, once the paramedics came and his TL joined the fracas that he has epilepsy and his inability to walk or talk (he seriously just could not) was probably due to a seizure.  And while some people looked on at the stumbling and collapsing and inability speak anything other than gibberish, I was apparently the only person who knew this poor kid needed help and started delegating tasks. 

Really?

If someone needs help, help them.  This is not a difficult choice. 

And no, if you ask, I will not reveal his name.  This person has already experienced such a gross invasion of privacy that it's not right of me to do so. 

Guns and violence

I'm so tired of all the crap happening in our world today.
I'm tired of people thinking that Repubs have the right idea. 
I'm tired of people dying by guns that completly sensible reform could have prevented.  I know it won't prevent everything.  But it will at least HELP. 
I'm so tired of feeling guilty that I had an abortion.  If you wanted that child to be born then you should have stepped up, but Repubs don't.  They oppose almost all pulic assistance programs, which I would have had to go on, and I wouldn't have finished college.  So FUCK YOU. 
I'm tired of feeling guilty that I have a goddamn uterus.  If men had the ability to get pregnant, there would be drive-through clincs all through the US and Roe vs Wade would never have been a problem. 
I'm tired of feeling ashamed of my sexuality.  If I'm straight, then who cares?  And if I'm gay, I'm trying to advance the "gay agenda" which is nothing more than to be able to have a goddamn family. 
If I believe in gun control, I'm a stupid liberal.  Well you know what?  If someone invades my home I'm gonna come at that asshole gun or not, and he's gonna regret the day he was born.  Dodge, you morons.  Or just work through the pain.  Or is it just Democrats who have learned to live and go on through the pain?
So, to anyone who votes Repub......I just don't know.  You've either been brainwashed or you're just plain stupid.  Try looking at the facts for once.  Then talk to me.