ratboy [they/them]

Yes! It’s served me well for about 8-9 years

My bike all packed up for my first (and only) bike packing trip

BoA is soooo good. I really need to rewatch it lol I really liked it when I was younger; I think it was more the atmosphere and mood that I was kinda drawn to than the storyline but now that I think about it…there barely was one lol

I loved that shit and honestly idk why???

I guess I just never had other anime needs to talk about it with so I thought I was the only person who had ever watched it lol

Also I was drunk posting last night and I think I’m at the age where I am needing to realize that lots of the things I grew up on are now becoming retro and cool again, like nu metal. Oof

…damn of course lol

OK is lain like a zoomer thing now? I’m a millennial geezer and found it in like 1999-2000. What is going on?

So are you saying that in your daily life you never walk around with your shoulders or arms exposed?

And are you saying that your arms/shoulders are more apt to burn than the rest of your body, or you notice that they tan more easily?

Lolllll Kool-Aid man! That’s fair, I’m so used to people automatically dehumanizing homeless people (thanks reddit) that I’m ready to throw hands when the conversation comes up lol. I appreciate you being rational

I’m not a shrink lol I’m a case manager.

I disagree with the idea that so many homeless are so mentally ill that conversing with them isn’t worth it. It should take the most minimal ability to read human behavior to see when someone is having a hard time and you shouldn’t engage but there are many who don’t experience persistent psychosis who you can talk to, or at least give a nod and hello.

Care to explain what you mean by “actual professionals”?

So I work full time with homeless people who deal with mental illness and substance use issues.

If you are struggling with surviving yourself, you can only do what you can do. This world is fucked up and you shouldn’t be struggling, and those people on the street shouldn’t be in that position either, and it always seems like the burden to assist the poorest in our society is put on to other poor people, because we can actually understand what it’s like at least a little.

There may be times when you can only spare some change, other times maybe 5 or 10 dollars. Other times, nothing at all. If you have the ability at all, even the smallest amount can be helpful even if you don’t think it will be. But, if you feel hesitant, don’t beat yourself up for it. You thinking of giving ANYTHING AT ALL means you’re doing more than most people would.

Also, I think it’s important to try to let go of the moralistic thinking when it comes to people using the money for alcohol or drugs. People end up using drugs because of mental illness, people gave told me that at least when using they feel like they HAVE a reason why theyre hearing voices and seeing shit and its in their control.Because they lost their job due to becoming disabled and doctors won’t prescribe painkillers so they have to find something to numb the pain on the street. They were a foster kid who got kicked out with nothing, no family or friends and we’re physically and mentally abused for years so using drugs is the only way they know how to cope.

Another very real story I heard recently as to why someone drowned themselves in liquor for 15 years is because his nephew was playing hide and seek and hid under a pile of clothes in a closet. A fire started in the house; he was searching everywhere for the kid, and was digging and digging but couldn’t pull him out before the firemen forced him to leave. So he had to stand there and watch as his nephew burned alive because the firemen would not go back in to get him. You don’t know someone’s story and why they got to where they are. If you don’t want your money going to drugs or alcohol, you can make the choice to not give anyone money on the off chance that they happen to have a substance use issue, but remember they are people too with a lot of trauma.

Ah, yeah I relate to that a lot, I used to go out a lot and just deal with the anxiety but now I barely go out at all lol. The first couple of years really screwed a lot of us up, I think. The more you chat with her the easier it’ll be, you got this!

I mean, if she ends up hanging out to watch shows with you it sounds like you did a great job! Doesn’t take away the internal anxiety of social interaction, though, I feel you as I struggle with that myself. I think it can be helpful to ask questions about the other person, people love talking about themselves lol. Ask about what they’ve been reading/watching, how was their weekend, ask exploratory follow up questions, etc. If she’s a communist, maybe she is super passionate about it and that can be a conversation starter. I really like to talk politics and social justice with people, but that’s not always “appropriate”, but if you find someone who is down you can probably talk for hours about it.

Sorry if this is obvious stuff, I’m neurodivergent and some of these things don’t come naturally to me

Crash Bandicoot, Star Ocean 2, Legend of Legaia, Klonoa, Final Fantasy 7 of course, Kingdom Hearts 1

Earthbound, Super Mario World, Chrono Trigger, Donkey Kong Country, Sonic & Knuckles, Bust-a-Move, Vectorman

Hell yeah I’m a former Banana Slug, proud that all the students, like your room mate and yourself, have been holding fast. UCSC has a long ass tradition of radical politics; when I was attending there always seemed to be TA strikes and other Cafeteria/Custodial strikes, sanctioned or wildcat. In the early 2000s there was a ton of ALF activity on campus too. As always tho, fuck 12

Tangent: Back in the day UCSC didn’t even use a grading system; professors would write student summaries giving feedback about performance and progress. I think they were kinda forced into giving grades due to pressure from other institutions (people pursuing work or graduate level education at other universities etc). I had one professor provide me a feedback summary and it was so nice; like she ACTUALLY knew each student and took the time to know their work.

TENACIOUS D! I unironically listen to their first album a lot lol. Weird Al, obviously. Suburban Lawns, the Aquabats, Reel Big Fish, Green Day (the album Dookie in particular), Presidents of the United States of America, Primus, Mr. Bungle, the Adicts, the King Kahn & BBQ Show, Nobunny, Weedeater, Spazz, Gravy Train!!!, the Pixies, GWAR, King Diamond, Busdriver, MF Doom, Talking Heads

Your mileage may vary with some of these; some don’t mean to have a funny shtick but I just find them funny personally

Maybe more effort should be focused on banning misogyny and re-educating people who exploit others for their personal pleasure instead of putting all of the effort into infantiziling women and speaking for them as a monolith. It looks to me that the (rightful) contempt you harbor is actually more about patriarchal control and violence by men towards women. That’s the real issue. If that were dealt with, sex work in the huge, huge part would resolve itself, especially as long as there are abundant resources available for women to access. Maybe it will disappear completely, naturally.

Those who a third time in a situation where their material needs are met, where they have opportunities, where they’ve been given re-education and therapy choose to attempt to perpetuate it under that system however will get the iron fist. It will be merciless.

Women getting the iron fist, especially in a time where they HAVE been brain washed, as you say…Feels extremely misogynistic. I don’t often see women advocating and pushing or FORCING other women to get into sex work as this great, glamorous career. Why are you putting so much effort into saying this about women instead of focusing on violent, manipulative men who coerce women and do horrible things to them? This perspective just serves to perpetuate violence and misogyny to me.

Also men and people of different genders engage in sex work. Perhaps that’s brainwashing as well but just wanted to throw that out there.