Cats & Politics

ChaosLife: Pussy Pics

What were you expecting?

Alabama:

Alaska:

Arizona:

Arkansas:

And that’s just the A’s! That’s not including gems from North Dakota:

Florida:

Kansas:

Oregon:

Pennsylvania:

And even New Jersey:

And that’s just ONE picture of ONE place in each of ten out of fifty states. Don’t tell me those aren’t just as beautiful even if the photography used in some of them might not be as detailed or professional.

You really want to appreciate what we have here? Watch Ken Burns’ The National Parks: America’s Best Idea—it’s streaming on netflix right now.. Not only will you get to see just how much wilderness we’ve protected, but you’ll discover that the US was the country that came up with the national park system in the first place, preserving wilderness areas for the people and for their own preservation. I’m not much of a “‘murica! RAH RAH!” kind of person, but I damned well WILL defend our wilderness places and the fact that we have as many as we do. 

For the most part, things are pretty much grouped into three extremely rigid areas: familial relationships, which must consist of strong, timeless bonds; friendships, which are viewed as necessary yet only healthy in certain amounts and to certain degrees; and sexual-romantic relationships, which are prized above all else as the golden tickets of relationships. 

Maybe I just like to throw a wrench into things, but I feel that by following these guidelines some people are missing chances for meaningful relationships. 

Think about what you might miss when forced to comply to Relationship Standards and Terms of Agreement: 

It’s limiting how much you can love your friends, yet demanding you love your family. Concurrently, it’s telling you that if you care too much about your friends you’re weird, but if you don’t care enough you’re emotionless. If you don’t eventually end up with a partner you’re missing out, but if you date someone on the internet you’re lacking the quintessence of a relationship. Sex* is necessary, but so is romance*, and you must get both from the same person, at the same time. (*Footnote: while absolutely necessary, both are only healthy in moderation.)

All family members are on this level, all friends are on this level, your romantic-sexual relationship at the tippy top. There is no variation. This relationship must meet this criteria. It must. No mixing and matching with other relationships. No half-way points. No passing go. Do not collect $200. No, your happiness does not matter.

Doesn’t this seem ridiculous? I’m exhausted just thinking about it. 

Here’s a different way of thinking about things: If someone makes you feel fulfilled, in any way that vacillates a positive state of being, your relationship with them is good. Likewise, if someone makes you feel shitty, you are under no obligations to care for them.

You shouldn’t be worrying about whether or not you’re too close to a person, or care about them too much. Different people have different emotional and sexual needs, in different capacities, and how those needs are satisfied are equally as varied. If everyone involved is satisfied with the situation, go for it. Don’t worry if your best friend is crossing into romantic territory. Who is to say what is romantic and non-romantic territory? You wanna hold your best friend’s hand? Hold your best friend’s hand. Do it.