Gold Leaf Across Your Lips

the last time I reblogged this post right before I got a great job, in a permanent work-from-home position, with benefits, retirement, and a salary literally 3x what I was making before, doing something I really like. 

So you know. 

don't do this. don't use genAI. even if your professors give you permission. even if they ask for it or suggest it. if they do anything short of directly requiring it (and I weep, because I've already seen assignments that require it) don't touch that crap. if they do require it, stick it to them. be as maliciously compliant as possible. be a nightmare.

I know it might sound easier right now -- just plug in your assignment and get the answers. you don't care about this class anyway, it's not for your major, you don't see the value of the assignment.

but for your own sake, for the sake of your education and mind, and for the sake of the future world we want to have: learn the stuff. you are not as stupid as the corporate bizzaro kings who want to rule the world think you are, so don't give them reasons to believe it.

and odds are good genAI is gonna give you corrupted info anyway -- more and moreso as the machines cannibalize themselves.

I love by problem solving, remembering small things that people like and make them happy--like little notes in the margins of our relationships, a silent squeeze on the arm to reach out and connect.

I have a friend who loves by asking if she can send me a recipe for Japanese egg and rice when she knows I'm having a bad time. I have a (cishet) friend who loves by messaging to tell me he's just finished reading He/She/They by Schuyler Bailar. I have a friend who loves by telling me "I love you" openly and as often as possible. Some love by telling you things they won't tell to another living person, some love by going six months without talking but answer in five minutes when you message them at work, and some love by not knowing how to show their love, but never leave you out in the cold when you ask for somewhere to go and a warm fire.

That person trying to win social commentary points online is not your friend. That person can’t give you funds for house repair or to restock on food and meds. And if they say they can - that is a scammer and not someone you can trust.

Scammers and developers trying to take advantage after a disaster intentionally spread rumors/misinformation to convince survivors not to apply for federal disaster assistance. Many well meaning people pick this misinformation up and spread it further without understanding how the assistance process works. It’s happened more and more over the years and it will happen with Helene.

If you do not apply for assistance, you lose the chance to receive federal funds. APPLY APPLY APPLY. This doesn’t guarantee you will meet eligibility requirements, but you definitely can’t meet them if you don’t apply. The application process isn’t perfect but it continues to be updated - and was updated in 2024!! - to try and make it easier for survivors. If you have damages or lost power for an extended time, APPLY.

The changes included things like streamlining the application process and also the appeals process.

The changes ALSO introduced help for immediate housing needs for people who have been displaced--that's a new thing! If you can't go home, there's a good chance FEMA can give you money to spend on housing in the short term!

The changes ALSO broaden the types of housing that FEMA will fund repairs to! It used to be that they would only fund repairs for stuff that had been fully functional before the disaster. So if you had a leaky roof before the storm, and the storm blew the roof off, they would only pay to replace the part of the roof that hadn't been leaky before the storm. Biden changed that; now they'll just replace the whole thing. And if you want to use part of the money to make your home more accessible than it used to be, that's allowed now, too.

WHO IS USING THIS

AN APP??? THEY HAVE A FUNCTIONING WEBSITE

You water your plants for the first time in a while. Surprisingly they’re not dead yet. You remember a movie that you really enjoy and you find the energy to watch it. You feel better afterwards. Maybe you still can’t find the motivation to reply to your friends but you buy yourself a nice scented candle and read your book. You take a nice long shower and you feel refreshed, so you put on an outfit you find cool. Then after what seems like forever, you get a good night of sleep. You wake up with more energy than usual so you play with your dog. Then you cook that healthy meal you really enjoy. You reach out to a friend.

You start remembering what brought you joy. You start again with the little things. You look back on the days that have passed and feel relieved they’re over.