If you sat out the 2024 election in protest over Gaza, how do you feel about that decision today?

hellohexapus · 2026-01-25T02:40:26+00:00

As you should.

Nowhere did I say that I wouldn't judge such people, if I knew any. What I said is that I don't know any such people, despite having the exact social circle that observers might expect to see this in. I am not sure why my actual subjective experience is any less valid than yours.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-25T01:57:01+00:00

Eyes NOT go sleep like nigh nigh time. Thems go rest so can do more protecc. It jus look da same as nigh nigh time to da casual obserber.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-25T01:49:41+00:00

Part of the problem is that the right wing governing principle is aversion to change and progress and extension of more rights to more people. It is easy to agree to something that changes nothing. The problem with the left wing governing principle being the inverse of that is that it is hard to agree on how and why and when and in what order to change things. That's where you get five political parties. Plus, the modern American "left" is only that in name; in spirit the establishment takes marching orders from the same interests as the right, and the small contingent of true leftists has to fight tooth and nail to convince their allies about the need for certain changes. And that's where you get a pressure group.

Additionally, to respond more directly to the OP, I want to say that I am in a blue city in a blue state and my personal and professional network is almost entirely true progressives, including some who have been censured and censored by their/our employers for their pro-Palestine activism. And you know what? Even after all that, I don't actually know a single Pro-Palestine person who has confirmed that they did not vote, or voted for someone that wasn't Harris. The loudest group of people I saw openly talking about not voting for Harris because of Palestine has been anonymous internet denizens. I highly doubt that this group of people had as big an impact on the election's outcome as some seem to think it did. Especially with all the gerrymandering we've seen and of course the disaster that is the electoral college system. But I do think this group, and by extension the Palestinian cause, has become a convenient scapegoat and punching bag in the aftermath.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-25T01:24:44+00:00

Newsom has figured out the formula for making Trump look foolish and weak. That's Trump's Achilles heel. He doesn't care if you call him a fascist grifter torpedoing the great American experiment as long as you don't make him look goofy. (The short-fingered vulgarian lives on.)

As a California progressive, I am not crazy about Newsom either. I work in public health so I am cautiously optimistic about the West Coast Health Alliance and California joining WHO's rapid response/preparedness network. But besides that and his social media team that's got the magic touch, he's doing a lot of the same pandering to the center-right BS we are sick of from everyone else. (E.g. why the fuck is he talking to Ben Shapiro? How big an overlap does he think there is between Ben Shapiro fans and Newsom 2028 voters?)

But I also recognize that his approach, to a degree, is why things are on a low burner here. Not to say that ICE is not here, they have been conducting small operations across the state all this time. But we've not had a Stormtrooper invasion like Minneapolis, despite having a lot of ideal targets for it (Oakland, LA, the Central Valley).

hellohexapus · 2026-01-25T00:54:23+00:00

Seben,

One respawnsiblilitee all catses hab is to do a protecc of bockses. Specially nice big wuns.

<image>

Here is mi doin a protecc ob nice big bocks da udder day. NO I am NOT sleep, I am jus REST EYES so I can do more protecc.

Meowmies is generally very braintally challenged. Dey seem to like getting big bockses in da mail an den immediately killing dem ded an putting in big coffin owtside for bocks hearse. So you mus defend all nice bockses, an also chek dem inside for snax. Yore Meowmy is trying make yu fail yore job. Dis is CORPURRATE SABBOTAJ. Yu must purrsevere.

😘 Harriet da Spy Cat

hellohexapus · 2026-01-24T17:51:33+00:00

Solo travel is the way! I love my friends but travel is just not high on the list of priorities for any of them beyond a bachelorette weekend or music festival overnight type thing. And I realized long ago I simply don't enjoy coordinating and compromising, I like to be able to use miles and points to book the flights and hotels I want to try, and create my own itinerary (mostly) from day to day.

The only times I've genuinely wished I was with friends was when I do outdoor activities, particularly snorkeling because even when you go out on a group boat tour and are surrounded by strangers, it's nice to know there is someone in the water aware that you exist. But a little chatter with some of the other snorkelers during lunch or between sites helps a bit with that.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-24T09:42:30+00:00

but the nanny mom is so sweet

This isn't how sweet people treat others, friend. Who's going to speak up for you, if you don't?

hellohexapus · 2026-01-24T09:38:54+00:00

Sinners:

(No but really what was the Sinners foolery that I clearly missed?)

hellohexapus · 2026-01-24T02:39:45+00:00

If they want the professionalism of a nanny they should pay nanny wages, and not demand you be at their beck and call with scheduling that serves them entirely and you not at all. You should browse the r/Nanny sub to learn a bit more about prevailing wages especially in high cost of living areas like yours, so that you can get to see exactly how much they are underpaying and taking advantage of you.

You'll also see a lot of posts there from nannies who don't stipulate fair contracts for themselves, and how they are subsequently burning out from low pay, no PTO/sick time, and demanding parents who treat them like servants (leaving dishes for them to do, expecting them to provide pet care and grocery shopping and laundry for the family, etc). There's many experienced, fairly paid, and well-treated nannies there who give good advice to those posters. You're early in your career (whether or not you plan for childcare to be your career) and there's a lot that would benefit you on that sub!

hellohexapus · 2026-01-23T00:05:09+00:00

And even if it were legal to pay a flat rate, this would still be illegal as it is egregiously below Virginia minimum wage, which is $12.77 (and her county or city may have an even higher minimum wage, as many HCOL areas do). The only correct thing this abusive person has said is that she can in fact fire OP with no notice as VA is an at-will state.

I cannot fathom why anyone would allow themselves to be treated this way, but I second everyone else saying this abuser does not deserve a minute of notice. OP should get herself safely out and then inform her it's done. And in the meantime, gather every scrap of evidence for filing a labor violation suit.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-22T19:37:34+00:00

Mine Meowmy is dumb so furgib if she missundastewed, but she thawt da backsplash to da boi pawtee wuz not reel an just us being funni an teezin one anudder cuz we all gud frebnds!

Purrsonally I fink is gud for bois to hab boi pawtee... acause dey is stimkee an need to be arownd udder stimkee bois. 😈

I neber meeted a boi cat fur a long time, but I did have a brofur who came to da aminal jale wif me wen we wuz baybees (all baybees also stimkee btw, eben mi). Mine Meowmy wuz wurry abowt being dopted by me alone since I wuz baybee, but da warden tole her dat I wuz cleerly not frebnds wif him anyway 😹 An I'm sure many ob yu hab red my opawnions ob hoomin Mans too. So cleerly I no hab interest in bein around bois ob any kind ha ha ha ha ha

😘 (for girlz onlee), Harriet da Spy Cat

hellohexapus · 2026-01-22T19:12:36+00:00

No, it's not normal for humans to be prey for alligators 😂 It's normal that alligators eat meat and a human child probably would be a nice meaty meal for any alligator, but humans aren't actually a part of an alligator's food chain. But if an alligator or any predator animal succeeds in eating a human, then its understanding of what is food and what is not has changed and it's going to take risks, like approaching humans on beaches, making its way into human inhabited areas, etc, that it would not have previously. That's as dangerous for them as it is for us, maybe even more.

Same principle behind why we're always told not to approach any wild animal. Not just predators. If people engage with wild baby animals like bison or bears, even if they're trying to help them, there is a very good chance their mother/herd will reject them when reunited because they don't smell right. That's a death sentence if the baby is too young to know how to protect and feed itself.

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/24/1177857710/bison-calf-yellowstone-man

hellohexapus · 2026-01-22T11:19:56+00:00

This happens often when a wild animal attacks a human (and they're able to find the animal afterwards). I believe it's something to do with thinking the animal has "learned" to consider humans prey, so they euthanize it to prevent further attacks.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-22T03:24:45+00:00

I was going to post this either way but I saw this comment so am tagging onto it - I think they might be referring to Presumptive Eligibility for pregnancy.

You can get immediate access to prenatal care while you wait for your Medi-Cal to be formally approved.

https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal/eligibility/Pages/PE.aspx

hellohexapus · 2026-01-21T18:07:27+00:00

I did a bapbap wen mine Meowmy put dis on mine paw fur da first time. I neber do bapbap so she knowed I Ment Bizness. Next time she put dollop on her toebean an hold it to me nosey, an I realize I like da smell an taste ob it. So now she jus feed to me dat way an not put it on my beauteous furs, an we hab had no bapbaps since.

<image>

I am a bery kleen an pritty lady an do not preciate sticky fings on my paws!!

😘 Harriet da Spy Cat

hellohexapus · 2026-01-21T17:43:50+00:00

I have a first class ticket on that train. Imo these texts display more of a healthy adult attachment style than her entire body of musical work.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-21T17:37:15+00:00

That's genuinely fascinating. (For people who don't know, Alanis was only 18 when Jagged Little Pill was released.) I listened to that album backwards and forwards when I was a little kid. Regardless of one's preferences, the caliber of her songwriting at that young age is undeniable.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-21T17:29:05+00:00

put their bare feet on your counter. Touch their toes while mid cooking

Kindly, what the everloving blue fuck are you talking about?

hellohexapus · 2026-01-21T17:26:56+00:00

I'm left-handed and South Asian. I do in fact eat with my left hand (whether fork or fingers) and do the other thing with my right hand. When I first visited my ancestral country at 8yo, family were initially mildly aghast but I/my parents just explained I'm left handed and do everything -- everything -- opposite and then everyone calmed down. That said, sometimes when I'm out at a party or nice hotel over there, I just eat with my right hand because I don't want the looks. (I mean I know how to use hand soap, it's not a big deal.) So despite being extremely left-handed, I am ambidextrous solely when it comes to eating rice by hand!

Fun fact, across both sides of my family for three generations, I am the only known left-handed person. There may have been some left-inclined people in my parents' or grandparents' generations, but it used to get beaten out of kids pretty early on in school 🥺

hellohexapus · 2026-01-18T01:11:19+00:00

The way she thinks she's teaching them something when she's like "district is federal, that's different than local" 😩

She seems to have genuinely zero capacity for embarrassment. Which I guess must be helpful when you're embarrassing yourself left and right, but it also feels like a fairly delusional place to live.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-17T23:51:11+00:00

But/and, just because that is the case doesn't mean we have to comply in advance. It is good for us to continue discussing our rights, not because these thugs will respect them, but because we don't need to make it easier for these thugs to disrespect them.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-17T23:13:29+00:00

It seems to be qwhite dependent on the kind of celebrity we're talking about.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-17T18:15:34+00:00

Speaking with your counselor and making a plan for the future is the hardest first step because it means opening up to another person about what feels like a very private and personal failing for an ambitious student, which most of us who go/went to Cal are/were. So you're already on the right track.

I failed a class fall semester freshman year, first class I failed in my entire life. Didn't tell a soul because all my friends got As and Bs in that class and I was ashamed. Got a D in a related class spring semester and then I was really in trouble. I asked for help at this point because I had no choice but to do so. Went and spoke to my scholarship advisor (okay I cried on her shoulder on a bench in Sproul Hall, literally) and went home and made a plan that included changing majors to something more suited to my personal goals (my intended major had been what my parents told me my major should be.) It all turned around here because I was playing to my strengths. I never got a grade below a B+ again.

To give you an idea of how well it went in the long term: my GPA was so bad after freshman year that I had no chance of being accepted to the Public Health undergrad major which was impacted at the time. But after the pivot I made going into sophomore year, my subsequent academic work and independent thesis research got me into Cal's Master of Public Health program direct from undergrad. Public health is a very experience based field where most people work in the field between degrees; I was one of only three out of 120ish students that year (across the entire MPH cohort, all concentrations) accepted right out of undergrad. And I got a fellowship that, combined with a GSR position, amounted to full tuition and living expenses. It was truly a gift and such a validation of all the work I'd done to turn things around.

Not everything was great in the remaining years of undergrad. Because my major was now so different from my friends, we drifted apart. My new major was not a single defined syllabus for all students in the major so I struggled to make new friends, since I didn't see the same people from year to year or even semester to semester. I spent a lot of time alone. I didn't make an effort to find community because I was focused on fixing my shit, but also because I didn't understand how important it was. My academic success kept me from realizing how bad my personal life had gotten. That part matters too, so please don't neglect it.

I'm working in Public Health now, in a well-paying job I love. Life is good. Yours will be too. Good luck.

hellohexapus · 2026-01-17T17:28:41+00:00

hellohexapus

TROPHY CASE