Shenanigans

the reason that learning to speak dog helped me learn to speak human is that I was able to translate verbal communication into dog and back. by which I mean, I was able to interpret things like "this is intended to deescalate the situation" "this is an appeasement signal" but also in that I was able to translate what signal I wanted to send INTO Human Word Language. this is a situation that I want to deescalate. what do I say to indicate that? this is a person who I think may feel threatened by me. I want to let them know I'm not going to do or say the thing they're scared of. what do I say to indicate that? this person is trying to push my boundaries and get a reaction out of me. I want to let them know that I won't be rising to the bait, but without starting a fight. what do I say to indicate that? a friend is apprehensive about something I have experience with and I want to help them understand that it's safe. what do I say to indicate that? etc etc on and on it just made everything SO MUCH EASIER for me

we are broadly so fucking bad at being good friends to people who Cannot Leave

“Country singer Lee Greenwood, 83, will open the proceedings with his 1984 signature track “God Bless the U.S.A.” — the same song he has performed at Trump events since 2016. Three of Greenwood’s top five songs on Spotify are variations of the same tune. Trump also tapped tenor Christopher Macchio, whom he compared to the late Luciano Pavarotti, to perform classical selections. Macchio currently draws 571 monthly listeners on Spotify and 2,000 YouTube subscribers. Flo Rida, Vanilla Ice, and Freedom Williams of C+C Music Factory have not yet withdrawn from Freedom 250.”