Hello from the other side of Valentines Day, or, as I like to call it, National Making Single People Feel Like Shit Day. Actually it has been years since that national agenda affected me much: I’m not even nostalgic for the coupled state anymore. It’s been too long and I hate the patriarchy too much nowadays. Also, I have a grown son and a brother who I take care of and the shine, as it were, is off the rose. No offense, reasonably decent Y chromosome holders, I know you’re out there, but: WHAT THE FUCK? What, in general, The Fuck is wrong with men? I read too much Reddit these days as my beloved Metafilter dwindles itself away into the great world wide series of tubes in the sky and if you, like me, read any of those R/relationshipadvice or R/AITAH posts you too will come away going, WTF? The AITAH stuff is supposed to be Am I the Asshole but, although I remember a couple years ago when that was sort of accurate, nowadays it’s more like, Am I the Asshole for crying gently to myself while my husband and all his friends and relations pelted me with empty beer cans, stole my children to sell and buried me up to the neck in a fire ant pit? They say I’m overreacting. It’s like History’s Greatest Martyrs and, gentle reader, you will start off being appalled and then horrified and then, eventually, get to, where TF did you FIND this monster and WHY did you stay with him past the first date? And the answer, sadly, is often that the bar is so low it is in hell, and the monsters outnumber the men.

The Epstein files are, of course, front and center of the national consciousness despite the nation in question having apparently not even the slightest intention of DOING anything about them. It’s like, OK! The entire government is composed of rapist assholes from the 10th circle of hell and, hey, get back to work! Shut up and smile while the government lies, steals and builds more concentration camps. But Imma let this go, as the kids say, because I too just can’t anymore. I am going this afternoon to hold a sign on the street again, which is basically my weekend routine and, what the hell. I supposed that it ensures I will end up in the ovens faster, since my name is by this time on all the lists. I hold by the lists being a place of honor and if everyone is on them the logistics get staggering when they go to take us away, so let’s all be on them, but. But, yes, but. Oh well!

Yesterday afternoon I went downtown with my friend for ArtWalk and checked out a bunch of galleries (like none of them give out wine anymore and, dude, change for the WORSE) and there was some great stuff out there. I feel that in the last seven years since I have lived here both the food and the art has gotten significantly better. Or maybe I’m just used to it now. Anyway, on to my own art, such as it is, the week above.

The gallery above! I hope you can open these photos. It doesn’t work at all for me on my phone or tablet and that is no good. Sigh. I swear I’m going to do some research and fix it.

On Sunday I took Harvey the dog to the trail by the airport, which is an awesome place to walk your dog and I wish I could actually go there, but since Harvey is a fucking wack job when it comes to other dogs, I can’t, really. I keep trying but I know better. We did that day and it was okay because the two dog owners we encountered had actual situational awareness and leashed their dogs when I waved my arms and shouted at them. This is not always the case. On Monday morning, back to work, taking a photo on the drive, a terrible rotten dangerous thing to do. On Tuesday after work I took Harvey down to the port for our walk – that’s the place where the reactive dog owners go, we all avoid each other like the plague we are and it’s great. On Wednesday it was beautiful and I walked home, encountering these limping deer – the Crippled Deer of Astoria Oregon is a thing I will write some day. It’s just kind of dark and sad – they’ve all been hit by cars. Like, all of them. All the deer in town. So they’re all lame. And it’s tragic and depressing and well, you’re welcome, now you too can have that in your head. But there are a LOT of deer here and somehow none of them ever internalize basic traffic safety. On Thursday I had to work late, which indignity is ameliorated somewhat by the view. On Friday it rained and rained, which is what it should be doing this time of year. And yesterday was Saturday and above is the view down Commercial Street and below is a “street” shot which I quite like, from the Astoria bistro where my friend and I sat for her to have coffee and me to have a really nice Cabernet and discuss the whole caregiving thing and how hard it is and so on. There’s a lot to say and unpack there and maybe, next week, I will! More good times! And now I’m off to hold a sign. Remember, boys and girls, the only good Nazi is a thoroughly punched Nazi.