Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2012-11-23 04:22 am
azurelunatic) wrote2012-11-23 04:22 am
Entry tags:
Thanksgiving in Loony-land
Since I hold that it's an insufficiently examined life that doesn't take a regular reckoning to reflect on the ways in which I could be much worse off, and rejoice in the things small and large that bring me contentment, fulfillment, and joy, I go less out of my way than I used to to think about this specifically on Thanksgiving.
Like Valentine's Day, while it's nice to have the reminder to take stock and figure out what's up, it's not actually good nor healthy to save up all of the holiday spirit for that one particular day, and not see it at all during the rest of the year.
How I celebrate:
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to spend time with my family, or friends who might as well be family. (Since I have a better relationship with my family than many of the people I know do with theirs, I amend this to: spend time with the family who cherish and nourish me, and who I would be glad to have as friends even if we were not related.) (Also, I'd better call bits of my biological family tomorrow, since I may have been too busy playing horrible card games to think about calling today.)
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to remain connected to my far-flung electronic communications family and friends, sharing in their lives and sharing mine in return.
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to avoid celebrating the historically dubious and generally fucked-up narrative of Pilgrims and Indians, because seriously, a bunch of religious zealots who got kicked out of the UK for being intolerant jackasses nearly dying and then oppressing the fuck out of the locals? Not actually something worthy of celebration.
When I think of the things I am thankful for, I must not stop my thoughts at "I'm glad I have this, because not everybody does", but continue: how can I help people who don't have this get it, if it is at all in my power? How can I work to dismantle the fucked-up systems and habits keeping everyone from enjoying this?
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to eat heartily but not to discomfort, of the traditional holiday foods of my people: of my family and friends: food that is agreeable to my palate and also my body. Generally I can take or leave booze, but I prefer not to drink to excess, allowing plenty of time for any booze to wear off before needing to drive anywhere. Hydration. Hydration is key.
My people includes Californians. Therefore, sourdough bread and hummus is totally a traditional food of my people.
And lo, lingonberries boiled with orange juice and sugar beats the fuck out of anything that shows the marks of the can upon it.
I prefer to celebrate my close connections, and spend quality time with people who help sustain me through times of trouble, and celebrate with me in times of joy.
I prefer to avoid the fuck out of situations that I know would cause angst, stress, grief, and heartache.
I prefer to righteously party down.
***
Things I am thankful for:
I have most of my health. I can work to maintain and improve it. I can avoid taxing it overmuch by asking of myself things that I probably should not do. I can avoid taxing the health of others, by washing my fucking hands, not going to work sick, and paying attention to the health needs of others when they share this information.
I speak the primary language of my location fluently. My area is doing pretty well as far as I can tell in making important information available in other significant languages. I can support literacy efforts, and show patience and understanding when working with people whose grasp of English is imperfect.
I do not possess physical racial characteristics that mark me for systematic oppression. I can listen to the experiences of people who have experienced systematic racial oppression, and take them seriously, without "experimenting" to become a tourist of firsthand racial oppression. If screening applicants for a position, I can strip identifying information from the application information, to remove reference points for my unconscious biases -- or assist others in my department by being the one doing the stripping. I can start identifying problematic thoughts and assumptions in my own head, especially ones that I would rather die than speak aloud, and attempt to drown them out by yelling over them with positive words and imagery.
I have a family who I love very much, and who loves me. I can keep in better/more frequent communication with them.
My family situation is generally good. I can show empathy for people whose family situations are not as good, and avoid adding to their stress by assuming that the trust and joy I experience with my family holds true for them.
I have an amazing braintwin/fishwife and a stellar BFF. I can continue to be there for them as they are there for me. I can remember that not everyone is as lucky as I am, and take seriously every report of partner/familial violence, boundary-fuckup, and sexual chicanery that happens my way.
I have a wonderful Marmalade Fish family. I can continue to be there for them.
I have mostly clean air, clean water, and decent food. I can give to those in more need, and advocate for extending these things to more people.
I am not dead, beaten, or coerced because I'm queer. I can continue being out, for those who can't be. I can continue attempting to demonstrate to the various anti-queer forces of the world that actually no, it's entirely okay and they need to get with the program.
I am a citizen of the United States. I can continue to exercise my right to vote, and advocate for foreign policy that doesn't involve killing people.
Like Valentine's Day, while it's nice to have the reminder to take stock and figure out what's up, it's not actually good nor healthy to save up all of the holiday spirit for that one particular day, and not see it at all during the rest of the year.
How I celebrate:
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to spend time with my family, or friends who might as well be family. (Since I have a better relationship with my family than many of the people I know do with theirs, I amend this to: spend time with the family who cherish and nourish me, and who I would be glad to have as friends even if we were not related.) (Also, I'd better call bits of my biological family tomorrow, since I may have been too busy playing horrible card games to think about calling today.)
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to remain connected to my far-flung electronic communications family and friends, sharing in their lives and sharing mine in return.
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to avoid celebrating the historically dubious and generally fucked-up narrative of Pilgrims and Indians, because seriously, a bunch of religious zealots who got kicked out of the UK for being intolerant jackasses nearly dying and then oppressing the fuck out of the locals? Not actually something worthy of celebration.
When I think of the things I am thankful for, I must not stop my thoughts at "I'm glad I have this, because not everybody does", but continue: how can I help people who don't have this get it, if it is at all in my power? How can I work to dismantle the fucked-up systems and habits keeping everyone from enjoying this?
On Thanksgiving, I prefer to eat heartily but not to discomfort, of the traditional holiday foods of my people: of my family and friends: food that is agreeable to my palate and also my body. Generally I can take or leave booze, but I prefer not to drink to excess, allowing plenty of time for any booze to wear off before needing to drive anywhere. Hydration. Hydration is key.
My people includes Californians. Therefore, sourdough bread and hummus is totally a traditional food of my people.
And lo, lingonberries boiled with orange juice and sugar beats the fuck out of anything that shows the marks of the can upon it.
I prefer to celebrate my close connections, and spend quality time with people who help sustain me through times of trouble, and celebrate with me in times of joy.
I prefer to avoid the fuck out of situations that I know would cause angst, stress, grief, and heartache.
I prefer to righteously party down.
***
Things I am thankful for:
I have most of my health. I can work to maintain and improve it. I can avoid taxing it overmuch by asking of myself things that I probably should not do. I can avoid taxing the health of others, by washing my fucking hands, not going to work sick, and paying attention to the health needs of others when they share this information.
I speak the primary language of my location fluently. My area is doing pretty well as far as I can tell in making important information available in other significant languages. I can support literacy efforts, and show patience and understanding when working with people whose grasp of English is imperfect.
I do not possess physical racial characteristics that mark me for systematic oppression. I can listen to the experiences of people who have experienced systematic racial oppression, and take them seriously, without "experimenting" to become a tourist of firsthand racial oppression. If screening applicants for a position, I can strip identifying information from the application information, to remove reference points for my unconscious biases -- or assist others in my department by being the one doing the stripping. I can start identifying problematic thoughts and assumptions in my own head, especially ones that I would rather die than speak aloud, and attempt to drown them out by yelling over them with positive words and imagery.
I have a family who I love very much, and who loves me. I can keep in better/more frequent communication with them.
My family situation is generally good. I can show empathy for people whose family situations are not as good, and avoid adding to their stress by assuming that the trust and joy I experience with my family holds true for them.
I have an amazing braintwin/fishwife and a stellar BFF. I can continue to be there for them as they are there for me. I can remember that not everyone is as lucky as I am, and take seriously every report of partner/familial violence, boundary-fuckup, and sexual chicanery that happens my way.
I have a wonderful Marmalade Fish family. I can continue to be there for them.
I have mostly clean air, clean water, and decent food. I can give to those in more need, and advocate for extending these things to more people.
I am not dead, beaten, or coerced because I'm queer. I can continue being out, for those who can't be. I can continue attempting to demonstrate to the various anti-queer forces of the world that actually no, it's entirely okay and they need to get with the program.
I am a citizen of the United States. I can continue to exercise my right to vote, and advocate for foreign policy that doesn't involve killing people.