Do you know the Horrible Histories? You don’t? I am sad for you. Here, have one:
Category Archives: Uncategorized
A thin, thin, line
Cross-posted from Art of Procrastination
There is a line. A line we draw and say “thus far and no further.” That line is different for everyone.
Today, someone in my life drew that line and left an abusive relationship. I will not reveal more than that for their own safety.
So, for today’s post we are going to 1) signal boost where to get help. 2) discuss abusive behaviors. 3) rage, rage against abuse and give you ways to help.
Where to get help:
For Women:
US: call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).
UK: call Women’s Aid at 0808 2000 247.
Australia: call 1800RESPECT at 1800 737 732.
Worldwide: visit International Directory of Domestic Violence Agencies for a global list of helplines and crisis centers.
For Men:
U.S. and Canada: The Domestic Abuse Helpline for Men & Women
UK: ManKind Initiative
Australia: One in Three Campaign
Abusive Behaviors:
Domestic abuse often escalates from threats and verbal abuse to violence. And while physical injury may be the most obvious danger, the emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are also severe. Emotionally abusive relationships can destroy your self-worth, lead to anxiety and depression, and make you feel helpless and alone. No one should have to endure this kind of pain—and your first step to breaking free is recognizing that your situation is abusive. Once you acknowledge the reality of the abusive situation, then you can get the help you need.
A quick checklist from the National Domestic Violence Hotline:
Look over the following questions. Think about how you are being treated and
how you treat your partner. Remember, when one person scares, hurts or
continually puts down the other person, it’s abuse.
Does your partner…
- Embarrass you with bad names and put-downs?
- Look at you or act in ways that scare you?
- Control what you do, who you see or talk to, or where you go?
- Stop you from seeing or talking to friends or family?
- Take your money or Social Security, make you ask for money or refuse to
give you money?
- Make all the decisions?
- Tell you you’re a bad parent or threaten to take away or hurt your children?
- Act like the abuse is no big deal, it’s your fault, or even deny doing it?
- Destroy your property or threaten to kill your pets?
- Intimidate you with guns, knives or other weapons?
- Shove you, slap you or hit you?
- Force you to drop charges?
- Threaten to commit suicide?
- Threaten to kill you?
If you checked even one of these, you may be in an abusive relationship. If you
need help, call the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Services’ “Safeline” at 1-800-522-7233 or the National Domestic
Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
How you can help RIGHT NOW:
- Signal boost. Share the information in this post. Link to it. Copy it. Post it on your own blog. Facebook it. Tweet about it.
- Donate to your local women’s shelter.
- Volunteer at your local shelter.
- Donate to one of the organizations in the first section
- Send this post to someone who needs the checklist.
- Look around your home and consider if you have the ability to shelter a friend or a friend of a friend who’s escaping a situation. Think about what you would do. Make sure there’s a plan and maybe lay in an extra toothbrush and sundries, just in case.
It is my sincerest hope that you will never need this information. But if you do? Here is it. And here’s a virtual hug from me to you. You are heard. You are believed.
Filed under Uncategorized
A beautiful tribute to Mata Hari from the Helsinki Burlesque Festival.
Pepper Sparkles looks like an Erte statue. She’s perfect in a turn of the century way.
I don’t believe there’s anything particularly objectionable here. But if you think that string bikinis are too revealing, you will not like this. You have been warned. It *is* burlesque after all.
September 25, 2015 · 12:17 am
Schedule of appearances
Hey, wow! Cool! I get to have one of these because I’m going to be showing up at places as an artist. (And a business owner.)
That being said, you’ll be able to see me at:
Virginia Comicon at Richmond Raceway on August 29th. Click here for tickets. (Look for Golden Fleece Press)
First Fridays in front of Prospero’s Books in Old Town Manassas Sept. 4th. 6-9PM (Free) (Look for Golden Fleece Press.)
My books will be available at the above and also at:
The DC Big Flea at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, VA September 19-20.
Prospero’s Books Old Town Manassas.
Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell’s, Golden Fleece Press, and pretty much anywhere else you can think of that sells books. (Maybe as a special order as opposed to on the shelf, but your local bookseller should be able to order me.)
Filed under Uncategorized
Check out Romancing the Rainbow
So, Spacey Zimmerman has her first story out and you might want to check it out:
Red Tides the first story in the “Romancing the Rainbow” series. (Free stories from By Passion Shorn authors)
Adults only please! By clicking the above, you agree that you are over 18 and legal in your jurisdiction.
Filed under Uncategorized
Fear is …
Chuck Wendig has an excellent post on media & fear. You should go read it. (Language warning as always with Chuck W.)
Fear as a momentary response has value.
Fear as a long-term emotional strategy destroys you.
Filed under Uncategorized
Sunday Night Music: Rhythm is Gonna Get Ya
Here. Have an 80’s flashback everyone!
July 27, 2015 · 1:16 am
Step Back- Step Forward?
I recently realized that I just haven’t been posting on any of my blogs. (Except for well-defined series that I have prepped until some point next year on a different blog. And the one where I’m sharing responsibility for posting. I seem to be able to manage those.)
I decided to step back and figure out why that was and what I could do to fix the issue.
I gave myself hurdles. Serious ones for this blog. I wanted to only post well-researched bits and pieces. Oh, sure, I started the music thing on Sundays. (Which reminds me — I need to prep a few more of those.) I also said that I didn’t want to write about writing.
But I’m a writer. It’s something I enjoy. Why hamstring myself more than necessary?
Deep reason – I don’t want to come off as shallow? No, though it’s true enough in its way. The reason is that I feel terribly exposed because I’ve put my name on the blog for once. I de-anoned all of my blogs. Now, I feel that the people I know will judge me based, not only on the quality of my writing, but the content. I am a very, very private person. The switch to the new, exhibitionist/extroverted world of social media has left me clawing for my shell and trying to hide under my nice, safe rock.
The upshot of all of this blather is: I am committing to posting once a week for the rest of the year. It might be about writing, or music, or politics, so long as its something new.
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Taking Advantage of Ancestry’s Promos
My pal Christina has a great piece for anyone who’s an ancestry subscriber. Go check it out:
How to Take Advantage of Ancestry.com’s Free Record Collection Promos
Every so often, Ancestry.com will run special promotions where they offer free access to select historical record collections. At the time of this writing, they are currently running the promo for record collections from the Original 13 Colonies for Independence Day weekend, but the advice below will serve as well for any other free access promotion they offer in the future.
This post is most beneficial to Ancestry users with existing accounts and fairly extensive family trees who do not currently have a paid subscription. If you are new to Ancestry, the information won’t be as helpful because it might be easier for you to use the individual search option that Ancestry already provides.
Filed under Uncategorized
BitterSuites 