As I was adding important dates to our new Ellie calendar, I saw that we did a lot of fun stuff! I wanted to get it all down somewhere, so here you go!
In January, we celebrated my Gram's birthday and Ellie turned 3!
In February, we had a nice Valentine's dinner.
I went to Washington in March because I missed my niblings. I'm sure I also had pie on Pi Day. :)
It looks like we went to Washington in April, too.
I went back to Washington in June for my nephew's high school graduation, and we started our many appointments for Brie. Poor puppy had her knee surgery in June!
We celebrated July 4th, and I saw Gwen Stefani in Vegas with a long-time friend in July. We also went to Seaside , OR, with my family in July. That was Gary's first time on this annual trip! July was our first of 3 Angel's games this year.
I went back to Washington right before school started in August. Gary and I went to a musical in both August and September. I went to Six Flags with a student group in September, too. Gary also brought Ellie up to Taft to visit me for a weekend!
In October, I visited my niblings in Seattle to welcome my oldest nephew to college, and I took my student club to the Bakersfield Pride Festival.
In November, we only traveled for Thanksgiving.
I went to Wicked with my long-time friend in December, then we went to Washington again for the holidays and Auntie Day.
Lots of music, and Angel's games, and family!
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Monday, December 31, 2018
Auntie Day 2018
So, apparently I only have motivation enough to find time to post on here if it's Auntie Day, the made-up holiday for me!
Every year, my sister says that Auntie Day shouldn't have an annual theme because Mother's Day doesn't have an annual theme. The theme is "mothers". But every year she comes up with a cool new theme! She does reserve the right to not have a theme, but this year the theme was DOGS!
We went to a hot dog restaurant (Mad Dogs), and played Apples-to-Apples (because the restaurant had it and it's my favorite game; it's not theme-related). My nephew Adam won, I think. I got a mac and cheese hot dog!
After that, we went home and watched Good Boy!, a silly dog movie that the kids had watched non-stop when they were kids. There, we had puppy chow for a snack!
Another fun Auntie Day! I'm grateful for my sister, and my niblings, for making a great day and for making being an aunt to fulfilling!
Every year, my sister says that Auntie Day shouldn't have an annual theme because Mother's Day doesn't have an annual theme. The theme is "mothers". But every year she comes up with a cool new theme! She does reserve the right to not have a theme, but this year the theme was DOGS!
We went to a hot dog restaurant (Mad Dogs), and played Apples-to-Apples (because the restaurant had it and it's my favorite game; it's not theme-related). My nephew Adam won, I think. I got a mac and cheese hot dog!
Another fun Auntie Day! I'm grateful for my sister, and my niblings, for making a great day and for making being an aunt to fulfilling!
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Auntie Day 2017
For Auntie Day 2017, we went to see The Last Jedi! Here are the pictures!
I got a Wonder Woman backpack- with a lasso!! It was even on sale!
We all wore Star War t-shirts!
And I got a cup that says NIBLINGS on it!
Auntie Day 2016
I got a little behind on these, I'm don't remember what we did in 2016. I know we went to noodles (I love noodles!). I'm wearing a Star Wars t-shirt, so maybe we went to see Rogue One? Anyway, here are the few pictures that I have!
And they baked me something, but it's been so long that I don't remember what it was... :/
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Christian Friends
I wrote the email below to a Christian friend who is facing some personal struggles right now. I thought that it might clarify for others a little of where I stand. As I finished in the email, there's WAY more to say, but the email wasn't for debates or explanations, it was just to say, "I'm here for you."
I was thinking about some of your struggles, and realized that trying to mix me in with your religious life might be one of them. So, I'm writing to explicitly say that I'm open and supportive of whatever you want to share about your faith and how it's helping you through your treatment. You might not know much about Unitarian Universalism (http://www.uua.org/beliefs), my faith community, but it's all about people finding their own spiritual path, so a basic foundation is openness and welcoming others and their beliefs. Although we're mostly humanists, there are Christian UUs (and Jewish, Buddhist, pagan, and atheist UUs; probably Muslim, too, but I've never met a UU Muslim...).
I can imagine that my uber-progressive activism and opinions might make it seem like I can't or won't see the benefits of Christianity (or conservatism, for that matter), but I know that there are different kinds of congregations and different types of Christians. And I want you to know that my social or political beliefs aren't relevant in your recovery journey; I want to support your beliefs and how your faith helps you.
But really, my point is that you don't have to silence yourself about your faith, especially how it is helping you or how you are trying to leverage it to help you now. I'm completely supportive of any belief or community that helps you.
There's so much more to say, but that's the basics, I think. I might've been able to say things better, but I hope that the feelings come across.
I was thinking about some of your struggles, and realized that trying to mix me in with your religious life might be one of them. So, I'm writing to explicitly say that I'm open and supportive of whatever you want to share about your faith and how it's helping you through your treatment. You might not know much about Unitarian Universalism (http://www.uua.org/beliefs), my faith community, but it's all about people finding their own spiritual path, so a basic foundation is openness and welcoming others and their beliefs. Although we're mostly humanists, there are Christian UUs (and Jewish, Buddhist, pagan, and atheist UUs; probably Muslim, too, but I've never met a UU Muslim...).
I can imagine that my uber-progressive activism and opinions might make it seem like I can't or won't see the benefits of Christianity (or conservatism, for that matter), but I know that there are different kinds of congregations and different types of Christians. And I want you to know that my social or political beliefs aren't relevant in your recovery journey; I want to support your beliefs and how your faith helps you.
But really, my point is that you don't have to silence yourself about your faith, especially how it is helping you or how you are trying to leverage it to help you now. I'm completely supportive of any belief or community that helps you.
There's so much more to say, but that's the basics, I think. I might've been able to say things better, but I hope that the feelings come across.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Doctor Strange
I had been avoiding this movie because of the whitewashing of the Asian characters, and because I just didn't see how magic would work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but as I'm catching up on S4 of Agents of SHIELD, I'm seeing a more super-natural bent (Ghostrider, mostly).
As I began watching it, I rolled my eyes and said, "Oh, another white asshole that must learn empathy or compassion or sacrifice or something to truly become powerful. Great. It's not like I haven't seen this a couple of times already (Tony Stark, Thor, etc.)."
I did like that there was some racial diversity, although not enough Asians for a movie set mostly in Hong Kong. It was a little awkward, though, that Chiwetel Ejiofor's character was very, very similar to his character in Serenity.
It totally didn't pass the Bechdel Test, of course. At least the love interest had skills!
Basically, if this wasn't a Marvel movie, I wouldn't have watched it. I'm totally not a Cumberbatch fan, either. I mean, I was mostly "meh" until Star Trek: Into Darkness. Then I HATED him.
As I began watching it, I rolled my eyes and said, "Oh, another white asshole that must learn empathy or compassion or sacrifice or something to truly become powerful. Great. It's not like I haven't seen this a couple of times already (Tony Stark, Thor, etc.)."
I did like that there was some racial diversity, although not enough Asians for a movie set mostly in Hong Kong. It was a little awkward, though, that Chiwetel Ejiofor's character was very, very similar to his character in Serenity.
It totally didn't pass the Bechdel Test, of course. At least the love interest had skills!
Basically, if this wasn't a Marvel movie, I wouldn't have watched it. I'm totally not a Cumberbatch fan, either. I mean, I was mostly "meh" until Star Trek: Into Darkness. Then I HATED him.
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Survivor
They've been coming for African Americans and American Indians since conquering this land and did you speak up - because you weren't Black or Native?
They then came for the Muslims and did you speak up- because you weren't Muslim?
They then came for the sexual minorities and did you speak up- because you weren't gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender?
They then came for women and did you speak up- because you were a man, or a woman with another privileged status (White, middle or upper class)?
Then they will come for you- and by that time no one will be left to speak up.
They then came for the Muslims and did you speak up- because you weren't Muslim?
They then came for the sexual minorities and did you speak up- because you weren't gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender?
They then came for women and did you speak up- because you were a man, or a woman with another privileged status (White, middle or upper class)?
Then they will come for you- and by that time no one will be left to speak up.
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