Red, compact fishnet stockings lie flat on the brown shag carpet of a once-nice, 1970's style hotel room floor. On the tan sheets of a contemporary King-sized mattress sleeps a male, half-naked forty-something with the only thing keeping him from complete indecency--although, it's probably a little late for that--a white, yellow-stained undershirt.
"Hey. Hey! Get the fuck up. GET. THE. FUCK. UP! Come on, let's go!"
Elin, a tall, young black haired blue-eyed Russian wearing nothing but a red bra and matching panties bursts out of the adjacent bathroom with no fucks left to give. The mess of a man on the bed is still struggling to move quicker than a Dead Sea snail.
"Hey!!" Elin yells again. This time she stomps to the bed and shoots her lips to his ear. She starts with a whisper.
"The fuck out of here right now. THE FUCK OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!"
The listless man finally gets up and sits at the foot of the bed. He smirks.
"What's with all the yellin', sweetheart? Got somewhere to be?"
"YUP!"
Done with his lack of energy, Elin grabs his pants, his socks, his shoes, and chucks them out the door. She then comes back to him, grabs him by the back collar of his black button-up shirt that he just managed to get on, drags him out of the hotel room, and releases him over his shit. Before he's able to let out more than a "Hey!" she slams the door at his face.
"Shit. Wait." After taking just a few steps back towards the bed, Elin turns back towards the door. She opens it, walks over the bore, picks up his pants, pulls out his wallet, takes the money that he owes her, and throws the wallet back at him.
"See ya later, baby," she says, this time with soft sexiness, and shuts the door one last time.
A vixen? No. A depraved woman on the last leg of her life? Fuck no. Late? Well...always. She is a voluptuous sex worker by night and the Captain of the LVPD by day. The only fucks she gives are during her night shifts, and even then it's all for the money. Behind the lights and charisma of the Vegas strip, it's a tough town, and sometimes the only way to beat it is to be it.
Jim, Elin's twenty something male secretary was waiting patiently at his desk in the station until he decided to shoot his boss a quick call. He sported a short beard, but the personality didn't fit. With brown hair and kind, blue eyes Jim didn't exactly present as a walking threatopotamus.
"What is it, James?"
"Per usual: coffee's on the desk, Cam is already bitching about something, and Mayor Ken is doing a press conference at 10am."
"10am!?!?"
"Yeah, remember? Dead woman tethered to..."
"...the flagpole. Yeah. Right. Fuck. He's doing the conference at the station, right? Figure out a way to stall! I'll be there in 5."
She would not be there in 5. Or 10. But 15 minutes later, a disarranged Elin spilled into the police station where, as if only to be an eye-roll personified, Jim, waiting patiently by the door, held an outstretched cup of coffee in his left hand.
"I couldn't stall him that long. In fact, I think he's...just getting done."
"Did you even stall...at all?"
"Define 'stall.'"
Elin sighed loud enough for moonlings to hear.
"Look, I realize I get paid to basically cover for you, but I can't help you suck less at your actual job." Jim was done. He enjoyed having Elin as a boss, because he knew he could be straight with her just like a friend would be in trying situations. The problem was that Jim would either receive the short end of the stick in the form of colleague backlash or Elin backlash. This time, he needed Elin to know that today she can kindly fuck off.
"Are you telling me to fuck off?" Elin sarcastically inquired.
"Kindly, yes."
"Fair enough. Now get out of my face."
As Jim returned to his desk, Elin meandered to her office while handling glares from the rest of the station.
END OF PART 1
Friday, August 3, 2018
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
13 Reasons (Season 2 Review w/ Spoilers)
Hello, readers! It's been a while since I've written into the blogosphere in paragraph form, so I thought it only fitting to send my greetings and salutations. Hope you've all been well.
The following is a review of Season 2 of the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why that centers around the aftermath of a female student--Hannah Baker--whom commits suicide and leaves behind a set of tapes that give her reasons for why she decided to end her own life.
The setting comes 5 to 6 months after Hannah's death, and the season revolves around the previously unanticipated court hearing between Hannah's parents and the school. Similar to last season, the characters, the actors, and the writers of the show are the reasons that this season hits a home run. Not only does the show continue delving into the first season's core themes i.e. depression, suicide, rape, and assault, it ups the ante with new, lesser mentioned themes across the mainstream that include teenage drug use, school shooters, and--on a lighter note--the kind of unity that creates life long friendships despite the seemingly impossible-to-handle life moments.
Every actor does an exceptional job at creating awkward to ominous characters. A super special shout out deserves to be given to Justin Prentice who plays Bryce Walker on the show. It's an extremely difficult character to play: An antagonist that quite literally rapes his problems away. Thankfully, there has been a major outpouring of support and love for him to have the courage to play such a despicable role. (As a brief aside: There are videos of Justin reading letters from fans online who specifically express their gratitude towards him. It's very touching and worth the watch. but I'd recommend having a tissue or two nearby).
The strongest character this season is the school counselor, Mr. Kevin Porter. While an argument can be made for any one of the characters i.e. Alex Standall, who we discover in the beginning of the new season unsuccessfully committed suicide with a gun shot wound to the head, Mrs. Baker, who needs to handle most of the court procession on her own, because her ex-husband is seeking comfort from another woman, or Jessica, who keeps being reminded throughout the season of being raped or sexually assaulted. Mr. Porter, though, has a particular kind of character development that demands to be paid attention to. In the first season, Mr. Porter comes across as an aloof rookie Jr. Psychologist who wore the proverbial tin helmet to help make pretend that nothing bad happens to kids in school. In his numerous conversations with Hannah, nothing specifically clued him in to give feedback to her parents or help her when she needed it the most. His inability to connect with any student in a way that showed his genuine concern ultimately lead to fights on school property and Hannah's death. While he is not directly at fault for those occurrences, it's clear by the end of the first season that his lack of effort and inexperience serves as intangible linchpins that start the domino effect of unfortunate events.
Mr. Porter in the second season is a man to be reckoned with. Stricken with the guilt of Hannah's suicide, he starts to make it his mission to clean house. Knowing that Bryce raped Hannah and Jessica, Mr. Porter makes it his personal mission to be sure Bryce doesn't go near Jessica once she returns to school. The scene in the men's bathroom is specifically momentous, as he puts Bryce in a choke hold and slams him against the bathroom wall, thus asserting that he, not Bryce, is in control of the overall situation. And before they leave, he's sure to tell Bryce not to be seen anywhere near Jessica unless he wants more physical repercussions. Mr. Porter even ends up visiting Justin's mom's house, where he gets in a physical altercation with her boyfriend Seth while needing little provocation. Later in the season, Mr. Porter testifies in court where he explicitly apologizes to Mrs. Baker during his testimony through tears. In the most heart wrenching moments of the season, Mr. Porter says with remorse, "I coulda done more. I coulda stopped her from walking out that door. She didn't just leave. I let her go...I was just tryin' to do the right thing. I was following protocol. Protocol probably needs to change. But more importantly, Kevin Porter needs to change. Mrs. Baker, I didn't mean to let your daughter down...Sorry."
Much to the chagrin of the viewing audience, the Bryce Walker saga comes to a disappointing end. While he ends up on trial for Jessica's rape he is found guilty, but the judge only sentences him to 3 months probation. Infuriating? Yes. But as the writers explain in the after show segment "Beyond the Reasons," which immediately follows the last episode of season 2, the average sentence for a young, white male first offender of sexual assault is extremely lenient. Anyone who finishes watching the season, but feels like there are more questions than answers, it would be advisable to watch "Beyond the Reasons."
While this article includes plenty of spoilers, I'm going to hold back from spoiling the ending. Many of the themes/tropes used within the confines of the show are for the purposes of getting a larger conversation going regarding mental health issues, sexual assault, bullying, and the like. I hope that if you're someone who was able to get through the show that you continue to have an open mind when it comes to issues, such as the aforementioned conversational points, you may not understand very well.
I give the second season of 13 Reasons Why a solid 9 out of 10. The effort it must have taken the writers and show runners to produce this kind of show with the delicacy and study that they did is impressive and--for the purposes of getting a global conversation going--inspirational.
If you are someone who has been a victim of any of the show's themes, please only watch this series with friends or loved ones. And I'd advise even further not to binge watch the series due to the show's emotional heaviness. Please take breaks.
- PatInTheHat
The following is a review of Season 2 of the Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why that centers around the aftermath of a female student--Hannah Baker--whom commits suicide and leaves behind a set of tapes that give her reasons for why she decided to end her own life.
The setting comes 5 to 6 months after Hannah's death, and the season revolves around the previously unanticipated court hearing between Hannah's parents and the school. Similar to last season, the characters, the actors, and the writers of the show are the reasons that this season hits a home run. Not only does the show continue delving into the first season's core themes i.e. depression, suicide, rape, and assault, it ups the ante with new, lesser mentioned themes across the mainstream that include teenage drug use, school shooters, and--on a lighter note--the kind of unity that creates life long friendships despite the seemingly impossible-to-handle life moments.
Every actor does an exceptional job at creating awkward to ominous characters. A super special shout out deserves to be given to Justin Prentice who plays Bryce Walker on the show. It's an extremely difficult character to play: An antagonist that quite literally rapes his problems away. Thankfully, there has been a major outpouring of support and love for him to have the courage to play such a despicable role. (As a brief aside: There are videos of Justin reading letters from fans online who specifically express their gratitude towards him. It's very touching and worth the watch. but I'd recommend having a tissue or two nearby).
The strongest character this season is the school counselor, Mr. Kevin Porter. While an argument can be made for any one of the characters i.e. Alex Standall, who we discover in the beginning of the new season unsuccessfully committed suicide with a gun shot wound to the head, Mrs. Baker, who needs to handle most of the court procession on her own, because her ex-husband is seeking comfort from another woman, or Jessica, who keeps being reminded throughout the season of being raped or sexually assaulted. Mr. Porter, though, has a particular kind of character development that demands to be paid attention to. In the first season, Mr. Porter comes across as an aloof rookie Jr. Psychologist who wore the proverbial tin helmet to help make pretend that nothing bad happens to kids in school. In his numerous conversations with Hannah, nothing specifically clued him in to give feedback to her parents or help her when she needed it the most. His inability to connect with any student in a way that showed his genuine concern ultimately lead to fights on school property and Hannah's death. While he is not directly at fault for those occurrences, it's clear by the end of the first season that his lack of effort and inexperience serves as intangible linchpins that start the domino effect of unfortunate events.
Mr. Porter in the second season is a man to be reckoned with. Stricken with the guilt of Hannah's suicide, he starts to make it his mission to clean house. Knowing that Bryce raped Hannah and Jessica, Mr. Porter makes it his personal mission to be sure Bryce doesn't go near Jessica once she returns to school. The scene in the men's bathroom is specifically momentous, as he puts Bryce in a choke hold and slams him against the bathroom wall, thus asserting that he, not Bryce, is in control of the overall situation. And before they leave, he's sure to tell Bryce not to be seen anywhere near Jessica unless he wants more physical repercussions. Mr. Porter even ends up visiting Justin's mom's house, where he gets in a physical altercation with her boyfriend Seth while needing little provocation. Later in the season, Mr. Porter testifies in court where he explicitly apologizes to Mrs. Baker during his testimony through tears. In the most heart wrenching moments of the season, Mr. Porter says with remorse, "I coulda done more. I coulda stopped her from walking out that door. She didn't just leave. I let her go...I was just tryin' to do the right thing. I was following protocol. Protocol probably needs to change. But more importantly, Kevin Porter needs to change. Mrs. Baker, I didn't mean to let your daughter down...Sorry."
Much to the chagrin of the viewing audience, the Bryce Walker saga comes to a disappointing end. While he ends up on trial for Jessica's rape he is found guilty, but the judge only sentences him to 3 months probation. Infuriating? Yes. But as the writers explain in the after show segment "Beyond the Reasons," which immediately follows the last episode of season 2, the average sentence for a young, white male first offender of sexual assault is extremely lenient. Anyone who finishes watching the season, but feels like there are more questions than answers, it would be advisable to watch "Beyond the Reasons."
While this article includes plenty of spoilers, I'm going to hold back from spoiling the ending. Many of the themes/tropes used within the confines of the show are for the purposes of getting a larger conversation going regarding mental health issues, sexual assault, bullying, and the like. I hope that if you're someone who was able to get through the show that you continue to have an open mind when it comes to issues, such as the aforementioned conversational points, you may not understand very well.
I give the second season of 13 Reasons Why a solid 9 out of 10. The effort it must have taken the writers and show runners to produce this kind of show with the delicacy and study that they did is impressive and--for the purposes of getting a global conversation going--inspirational.
If you are someone who has been a victim of any of the show's themes, please only watch this series with friends or loved ones. And I'd advise even further not to binge watch the series due to the show's emotional heaviness. Please take breaks.
- PatInTheHat
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Roam
Here she comes
The one
That called the
Monster
Home
Brushed the
Spider Web
Took a book alone
And read
That star gazers
Can't choose which
Stars to gaze
Didn't phase her
She said
"Not by my
Eyes"
She is a
Storm
Born
From seemingly
Insurmountable nightmares
All of which were
Conquered
Quietly with
Air fare that
Made sure she
Was not
Nowhere
But rather
"There"
A new state that
Made her
Aware
The thunder is
Her heartbeat
And her love
Shocks
Like
Lightening
Tears falling like
Rain drops
On to a
World
Previously unknown
Cold hands
Covering warm face
Streetlights flickering as
The sun of
Brotherly love
Embraces and
Father time is
Acknoweledged
"You can't create
The world in
Seven days"
He said
"But you can
Be
Someone's world
In an instant
Just remember
Be your world
First
And the rest
Will work"
Her heart opens
And the
Sun
Shines through the clouds
"This is my moment
I'll make myself proud"
- PatInTheHat
The one
That called the
Monster
Home
Brushed the
Spider Web
Took a book alone
And read
That star gazers
Can't choose which
Stars to gaze
Didn't phase her
She said
"Not by my
Eyes"
She is a
Storm
Born
From seemingly
Insurmountable nightmares
All of which were
Conquered
Quietly with
Air fare that
Made sure she
Was not
Nowhere
But rather
"There"
A new state that
Made her
Aware
The thunder is
Her heartbeat
And her love
Shocks
Like
Lightening
Tears falling like
Rain drops
On to a
World
Previously unknown
Cold hands
Covering warm face
Streetlights flickering as
The sun of
Brotherly love
Embraces and
Father time is
Acknoweledged
"You can't create
The world in
Seven days"
He said
"But you can
Be
Someone's world
In an instant
Just remember
Be your world
First
And the rest
Will work"
Her heart opens
And the
Sun
Shines through the clouds
"This is my moment
I'll make myself proud"
- PatInTheHat
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
NOprah
There seems to be a trending fascination among Americans that watching the world burn is actually pretty fun.
While people continue to fantasize about what it would be like to live in a Post-Apocalyptic world by watching their favorite TV shows and movies, i.e. The Walking Dead, I Am Legend, The Book of Eli, etc., the signs of a non-fiction version of the apocalypse are displayed on our favorite news stations. For example, channels like CNN and MSNBC regularly have conversations to the effect of the following questions: Is Donald Trump actually going to press the nuke button? Is he going to drive someone else, like Kim Jong Un, to press the nuke button? Is some other fed up, last-leg nation going to press the nuke button, because they have nothing left to lose? These inquisitive scenarios are all hypothetical, but if just one of them happened, then there you have it: A kind of post-apocalypse in the making.
During 2017, we saw the face of the US's potential demise sworn in as POTUS. Similar to how many of us felt on November 9th, 2016, January 20th, 2017 wasn't much better. Many of us could see what was on the way: Social progress derailment, the loss of confidence and support from our foreign allies, the spiraling crash landing of a once great nation. Now that we're in January, 2018, we can all see that we were, fortunately, pretty wrong. Sure, Trump has tried--continues to try--to thwart social progress, to make sworn enemies threaten nuclear war, to masquerade his idiocy with intellect, but overall he's been unsuccessful. Today, social groups, protesters, anti-fascists, and the like are out in droves to maintain some semblance of sanity. The Trump administration has taught us, perhaps more so than any other administration in the history of the US of A, that a presidency does not define the rest of the country and that the government can only lead effectively through partnership with the rest of the American people. I'm confident that we all previously thought that to be true, but the evidence in support is direct. The "Stable Genius" can't solely rely on the horses he appointed to pass country-wide federal laws.
What we absolutely can not do is fight insanity with insanity--the metaphorical "watching the world burn." At the Golden Globes this past week, Oprah Winfrey gave an absolutely magnificent speech upon receipt of the Cecil B. DeMille award. She absolutely deserves the lifetime achievement award, and her speech on sexual harassment, along with her support of the #MeToo movement was powerful! Her work in and out of film has been exemplary. Sure, she may have been the reason for some people we might not like so much, i.e. Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, etc., but I have little doubt that her heart was and always has been in the right place. I even look forward to her performance in the live action remake of one of my favorite books "A Wrinkle in Time." That said, she absolutely should not run for presidency. Though I agree that Oprah would be a better president than Donald Trump, it doesn't mean it should happen. Harking back to overly sarcastic, exaggerated statements like, "Bah! My big toe could be a better president than he is!" The dissection of which would resolve to something like, "1. This is probably true, but 2. It shouldn't happen. Your big toe should not run for presidency. I would guess it's fairly consistently in the dark on major topics."
Ha.
The Trump administration has fostered the formation of hard working, no nonsense protesters as well as, on the other hand, large-scale complacency throughout the country for the desperate desire of having anyone else not named "Trump" as president. It needs to be understood: This. Is. A. Problem. Too. This is not to say that Oprah is a know-nothing bullshitter. She's intelligent. She's kind. Her generosity is right around Ellen level. She has connections. She has the money to run, campaign, etc. But, and similar to the questions we were all asking about Trump, what on Earth does she know about running a country? Does she understand economics on a national and even global scale? Does she know anything about running a military? Does she understand the consequences of both militaristic actions and the lack thereof? Socially speaking, I don't have any questions. I have no doubt that she has the capability of championing minority groups into the future, but we all know that's not all what the presidency is about. This is also not to say that the next president needs to be a seasoned politician. I'm not of that belief. Politicians, as we have seen, have the same capability of running the country into the ground as a non-politician. There are, however, many up and coming politicians, i.e. Kamala Harris, Joe Kennedy III, to name a couple, and others that are great-minded, younger politicians with a solid political background, many of whom have social progress, economic progress, and the gradual ease of aggressive military strategy as major platform attachments.
The biggest lesson anyone can learn from the past election is to take elections in general more seriously. A country is not a game show--it shouldn't be run by a game show host. A country is, more than land, the people whom inhabit it. And if the majority of the people who inhabit it are genuinely afraid of someone leading the country into a deeper pit of ignorant marginalization, economic disparity, and an overall fear for well being, then maybe we should listen.
- PatInTheHat
While people continue to fantasize about what it would be like to live in a Post-Apocalyptic world by watching their favorite TV shows and movies, i.e. The Walking Dead, I Am Legend, The Book of Eli, etc., the signs of a non-fiction version of the apocalypse are displayed on our favorite news stations. For example, channels like CNN and MSNBC regularly have conversations to the effect of the following questions: Is Donald Trump actually going to press the nuke button? Is he going to drive someone else, like Kim Jong Un, to press the nuke button? Is some other fed up, last-leg nation going to press the nuke button, because they have nothing left to lose? These inquisitive scenarios are all hypothetical, but if just one of them happened, then there you have it: A kind of post-apocalypse in the making.
During 2017, we saw the face of the US's potential demise sworn in as POTUS. Similar to how many of us felt on November 9th, 2016, January 20th, 2017 wasn't much better. Many of us could see what was on the way: Social progress derailment, the loss of confidence and support from our foreign allies, the spiraling crash landing of a once great nation. Now that we're in January, 2018, we can all see that we were, fortunately, pretty wrong. Sure, Trump has tried--continues to try--to thwart social progress, to make sworn enemies threaten nuclear war, to masquerade his idiocy with intellect, but overall he's been unsuccessful. Today, social groups, protesters, anti-fascists, and the like are out in droves to maintain some semblance of sanity. The Trump administration has taught us, perhaps more so than any other administration in the history of the US of A, that a presidency does not define the rest of the country and that the government can only lead effectively through partnership with the rest of the American people. I'm confident that we all previously thought that to be true, but the evidence in support is direct. The "Stable Genius" can't solely rely on the horses he appointed to pass country-wide federal laws.
What we absolutely can not do is fight insanity with insanity--the metaphorical "watching the world burn." At the Golden Globes this past week, Oprah Winfrey gave an absolutely magnificent speech upon receipt of the Cecil B. DeMille award. She absolutely deserves the lifetime achievement award, and her speech on sexual harassment, along with her support of the #MeToo movement was powerful! Her work in and out of film has been exemplary. Sure, she may have been the reason for some people we might not like so much, i.e. Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, etc., but I have little doubt that her heart was and always has been in the right place. I even look forward to her performance in the live action remake of one of my favorite books "A Wrinkle in Time." That said, she absolutely should not run for presidency. Though I agree that Oprah would be a better president than Donald Trump, it doesn't mean it should happen. Harking back to overly sarcastic, exaggerated statements like, "Bah! My big toe could be a better president than he is!" The dissection of which would resolve to something like, "1. This is probably true, but 2. It shouldn't happen. Your big toe should not run for presidency. I would guess it's fairly consistently in the dark on major topics."
Ha.
The Trump administration has fostered the formation of hard working, no nonsense protesters as well as, on the other hand, large-scale complacency throughout the country for the desperate desire of having anyone else not named "Trump" as president. It needs to be understood: This. Is. A. Problem. Too. This is not to say that Oprah is a know-nothing bullshitter. She's intelligent. She's kind. Her generosity is right around Ellen level. She has connections. She has the money to run, campaign, etc. But, and similar to the questions we were all asking about Trump, what on Earth does she know about running a country? Does she understand economics on a national and even global scale? Does she know anything about running a military? Does she understand the consequences of both militaristic actions and the lack thereof? Socially speaking, I don't have any questions. I have no doubt that she has the capability of championing minority groups into the future, but we all know that's not all what the presidency is about. This is also not to say that the next president needs to be a seasoned politician. I'm not of that belief. Politicians, as we have seen, have the same capability of running the country into the ground as a non-politician. There are, however, many up and coming politicians, i.e. Kamala Harris, Joe Kennedy III, to name a couple, and others that are great-minded, younger politicians with a solid political background, many of whom have social progress, economic progress, and the gradual ease of aggressive military strategy as major platform attachments.
The biggest lesson anyone can learn from the past election is to take elections in general more seriously. A country is not a game show--it shouldn't be run by a game show host. A country is, more than land, the people whom inhabit it. And if the majority of the people who inhabit it are genuinely afraid of someone leading the country into a deeper pit of ignorant marginalization, economic disparity, and an overall fear for well being, then maybe we should listen.
- PatInTheHat
Monday, November 6, 2017
Groundhog Day
Wake up late. Have breakfast. Turn on the TV. News on. "Oh, another mass shooting." Finish breakfast. Open iPad. Social media. Yelling. Screaming. Crying out.
A void.
Check fantasy. Put in Frank Gore or Javorius Allen? It's Allen's week to make big plays. "Ha." Change channel to football. Watch football all day. "Breaking News" scrolls across the bottom of the screen. Twenty-six dead. Twenty more injured. Church shooting. "News?"
My team won today. Fans bled green. Metaphor. My team will make the playoffs. I'll see about the Super Bowl. Turn off TV.
Open laptop. Open XCom 2. Play as a human resistance force. Defeat enemies from a different world that have infiltrated Earth's world order. Stop them from producing more enemy aliens using gene therapy on humans. Prevent a horrible end to the world. "Unfamiliar."
Turn on TV for night football. More news on shooting before. Trump tweeted. Predictable. "Let me guess: Thoughts and prayers?"
Crack open a beer. Football back on. Need Crabtree to do well. Game is exciting.
Relax.
Open iPad. Social media. Posts about shooting. Posts about shooting. Posts about shooting. Mental illness. Poor guy. White. Gun laws. People fighting. Fighting a fight. Quicksand. Powerless. "I think I'll see my parents tomorrow."
Game's about over. "But is it, really?"
Bed time.
- PatInTheHat
A void.
Check fantasy. Put in Frank Gore or Javorius Allen? It's Allen's week to make big plays. "Ha." Change channel to football. Watch football all day. "Breaking News" scrolls across the bottom of the screen. Twenty-six dead. Twenty more injured. Church shooting. "News?"
My team won today. Fans bled green. Metaphor. My team will make the playoffs. I'll see about the Super Bowl. Turn off TV.
Open laptop. Open XCom 2. Play as a human resistance force. Defeat enemies from a different world that have infiltrated Earth's world order. Stop them from producing more enemy aliens using gene therapy on humans. Prevent a horrible end to the world. "Unfamiliar."
Turn on TV for night football. More news on shooting before. Trump tweeted. Predictable. "Let me guess: Thoughts and prayers?"
Crack open a beer. Football back on. Need Crabtree to do well. Game is exciting.
Relax.
Open iPad. Social media. Posts about shooting. Posts about shooting. Posts about shooting. Mental illness. Poor guy. White. Gun laws. People fighting. Fighting a fight. Quicksand. Powerless. "I think I'll see my parents tomorrow."
Game's about over. "But is it, really?"
Bed time.
- PatInTheHat
Monday, October 16, 2017
Me Too
It isn't enough to apologize on behalf to all of the women posting "Me Too" on social medias. It isn't enough to say it'll all be OK or that this issue will drift away in time. It isn't enough to respond with "I believe you" in response. And, that's right, it's not enough for me to write this article.
I cannot think of a better reason, unfortunately, to come out of my writing hiatus than to talk about the issue of sexual assault. Yes, it's a tough subject--and it's an even tougher subject to those it has happened to--but it's a topic that needs to be talked about and discussed if for no other reason than to create complete and total awareness to help ensure this nonsense stops happening.
First, I'm going to address the males. Guys, let's have a talk. I know it won't be an easy one, and I'm sure to peeve some of you off, but I feel like there is something important that has to be said: When women are posting "Me Too" to imply that they, too have been sexually abused in their lives, please do not comment with, "That happened to me, too." There are a lot of problems with commenting this way regardless of what precedes or follows for a couple reasons. 1. It trivializes the woman's assault in question 2. You look like an attention hoarder and that moment is just 100% not the time, and 3. This is where you might get a bit upset with me, and honestly, that's OK. I can handle it. But if you were ever sexually assaulted by a woman, I'm here to tell you that it's just absolutely not the same. Though there are exceptions i.e. Being drugged, date raped, or being too drunk to function, let's understand those happenstances are quite different than the average female to male encounter. Before you start throwing expletives at me--which, again, you could do--I'm not remotely trying to tell you that you being sexually assaulted isn't a problem. What I'm trying to tell you is that male on female sexual assault is far more prevalent. Moreover, a male is on average about twice the size of a woman making it harder for a woman to do anything about the assault. Also, I really don't think you want me to include the statistics for how often male on female sexual assault leads to the female either dying from the encounter or committing suicide later down the line. What I will say: The numbers aren't good. Therefore, male on female assault is considerably more of a problem. For some direction on how to act on this, just look at female suffrage. Did you hear from female rights activists in the '60's during the Civil Rights movement? If you did, how often? Didn't live in the '60s? OK let's talk about the last 5 years. Women believe so strongly in equality that they even put their own grievances aside--if only momentarily--in favor of black/other minority rights. Similarly, I'm asking you to put aside your own grievances for the cause of insuring this type of abuse stops happening to women. Although hard to prove, I'd bet that if this stopped happening to women--and so frequently--that it would more quickly stop happening to men. So, in other words, by aiding in the removal of male on female sexual abuse you then help your own cause to ensure it stops happening to you. Kinda like how the removal of patriarchal anecdotes, biases, stereotypes, etc.--or one of the ultimate goals of feminism--also benefits men.
Lastly, to the women: This is embarrassing. My empathy billows over the rim of the societal glass for these heinous actions against you. Similar to how white people need to keep other white people in check to thwart racism--nonexclusive, of course--it is also up to men to keep other men in check to thwart the behaviors of sexual irreverence. My promise to you is that my effort will not yield. Though I have put in effort previously, I must confess that I have not done enough. You have all made that abundantly clear. So, your grievance is also my cross to bear. I will continue to listen to your outcries, but I hope that they diminish. Not because of those that try to silence you, but because the occurrence stops happening. I sincerely hope that your struggle does not end in self-inflicted demise. Please seek the attention you need in order to keep your head above the fire and smoke. I know that it will be a hard step to take, but if it means your well-being, then it may be necessary. My heart is with you. Good luck.
- PatInTheHat
I cannot think of a better reason, unfortunately, to come out of my writing hiatus than to talk about the issue of sexual assault. Yes, it's a tough subject--and it's an even tougher subject to those it has happened to--but it's a topic that needs to be talked about and discussed if for no other reason than to create complete and total awareness to help ensure this nonsense stops happening.
First, I'm going to address the males. Guys, let's have a talk. I know it won't be an easy one, and I'm sure to peeve some of you off, but I feel like there is something important that has to be said: When women are posting "Me Too" to imply that they, too have been sexually abused in their lives, please do not comment with, "That happened to me, too." There are a lot of problems with commenting this way regardless of what precedes or follows for a couple reasons. 1. It trivializes the woman's assault in question 2. You look like an attention hoarder and that moment is just 100% not the time, and 3. This is where you might get a bit upset with me, and honestly, that's OK. I can handle it. But if you were ever sexually assaulted by a woman, I'm here to tell you that it's just absolutely not the same. Though there are exceptions i.e. Being drugged, date raped, or being too drunk to function, let's understand those happenstances are quite different than the average female to male encounter. Before you start throwing expletives at me--which, again, you could do--I'm not remotely trying to tell you that you being sexually assaulted isn't a problem. What I'm trying to tell you is that male on female sexual assault is far more prevalent. Moreover, a male is on average about twice the size of a woman making it harder for a woman to do anything about the assault. Also, I really don't think you want me to include the statistics for how often male on female sexual assault leads to the female either dying from the encounter or committing suicide later down the line. What I will say: The numbers aren't good. Therefore, male on female assault is considerably more of a problem. For some direction on how to act on this, just look at female suffrage. Did you hear from female rights activists in the '60's during the Civil Rights movement? If you did, how often? Didn't live in the '60s? OK let's talk about the last 5 years. Women believe so strongly in equality that they even put their own grievances aside--if only momentarily--in favor of black/other minority rights. Similarly, I'm asking you to put aside your own grievances for the cause of insuring this type of abuse stops happening to women. Although hard to prove, I'd bet that if this stopped happening to women--and so frequently--that it would more quickly stop happening to men. So, in other words, by aiding in the removal of male on female sexual abuse you then help your own cause to ensure it stops happening to you. Kinda like how the removal of patriarchal anecdotes, biases, stereotypes, etc.--or one of the ultimate goals of feminism--also benefits men.
Lastly, to the women: This is embarrassing. My empathy billows over the rim of the societal glass for these heinous actions against you. Similar to how white people need to keep other white people in check to thwart racism--nonexclusive, of course--it is also up to men to keep other men in check to thwart the behaviors of sexual irreverence. My promise to you is that my effort will not yield. Though I have put in effort previously, I must confess that I have not done enough. You have all made that abundantly clear. So, your grievance is also my cross to bear. I will continue to listen to your outcries, but I hope that they diminish. Not because of those that try to silence you, but because the occurrence stops happening. I sincerely hope that your struggle does not end in self-inflicted demise. Please seek the attention you need in order to keep your head above the fire and smoke. I know that it will be a hard step to take, but if it means your well-being, then it may be necessary. My heart is with you. Good luck.
- PatInTheHat
Monday, August 28, 2017
Coming Soon!
Ever since I was 16/17 years old, I had the idea of creating a YouTube channel. Even 8 or 9 years ago, people were already figuring out cool and creative ways to either express themselves or express their art. Although I'm not 100% sure exactly what I'm going to do yet, I'm definitely going to make it happen!
YouTube has changed a lot in the last 8/9 years, so I'm definitely not using the platform for the sake of monetary gain, but rather a means of communication. I have been doing the "blog thing" for around 3 years now, and as much as I like to write, I enjoy even more to engage other people and other perspectives--something I don't feel like is as easy to do on this platform. Having only a brief outline of ideas, my channel will likely have multiple components. In other words, the channel will not just be a "gaming" channel or a "talking head" channel, but a smorgasbord. And despite how ruthless the comment section of YT vids can be, I think it's important for me to enter an open community that dialogues. I like listening to new ideas and new perspectives, and even though YouTube can be brutal in that regard, I think it can be equally as useful.
If any of you out there are interested in the idea of this channel being created, I'm definitely up for suggestions! The timeline for the beginning of this channel's creation is currently unknown, so "soon" is as good as I'm going to be able to do right now, but I'm definitely looking to start before the end of the 2017 calendar year. Most YouTubers have a swath of videos on their channel, so I might create a cache of videos before I even publish anything to the channel so that way when I'm ready you'll know it, because you might see 4 or 5 other videos on my channel that you can watch right away. I'm also not sure what my YouTube handle will be yet. I could stick with "PatInTheHat," but I'm not set on it.
To those that are interested, I sincerely hope I don't disappoint! I'll do my best. And to those that might just stumble on it...well... I'm sorry. You're stuck with me forever. =)
- PatInTheHat
YouTube has changed a lot in the last 8/9 years, so I'm definitely not using the platform for the sake of monetary gain, but rather a means of communication. I have been doing the "blog thing" for around 3 years now, and as much as I like to write, I enjoy even more to engage other people and other perspectives--something I don't feel like is as easy to do on this platform. Having only a brief outline of ideas, my channel will likely have multiple components. In other words, the channel will not just be a "gaming" channel or a "talking head" channel, but a smorgasbord. And despite how ruthless the comment section of YT vids can be, I think it's important for me to enter an open community that dialogues. I like listening to new ideas and new perspectives, and even though YouTube can be brutal in that regard, I think it can be equally as useful.
If any of you out there are interested in the idea of this channel being created, I'm definitely up for suggestions! The timeline for the beginning of this channel's creation is currently unknown, so "soon" is as good as I'm going to be able to do right now, but I'm definitely looking to start before the end of the 2017 calendar year. Most YouTubers have a swath of videos on their channel, so I might create a cache of videos before I even publish anything to the channel so that way when I'm ready you'll know it, because you might see 4 or 5 other videos on my channel that you can watch right away. I'm also not sure what my YouTube handle will be yet. I could stick with "PatInTheHat," but I'm not set on it.
To those that are interested, I sincerely hope I don't disappoint! I'll do my best. And to those that might just stumble on it...well... I'm sorry. You're stuck with me forever. =)
- PatInTheHat
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