Thoughts and Things

Have you considered that this is how your presence feels?

I got to ask her about that rebuttal years later at a book signing event for her newer One and Only series. She laughed and said that her publisher had no idea she would say that, and if they knew they probably would not have let her do so. But she genuinely meant what she said and was proud it left an impression that lasted 20+ years.

i decided to try a romcom i somehow missed i the 2000s 'head over heels' and i got 3 and a half minutes in and we're introduced to the lonely MC with bad taste in men as evidenced by her extremely short list of ex boyfriends, including her first boyfriend when she was 11 or something because i guess that's still relevant in her adult life.

so she's resigned herself to never finding love and prefers to ignore men to focus all her energy into her career.

this job is immediately presented as though it's for spinsters with no hope of ever finding a man.

the mc's lesbian bestie (whose first line involves her being scolded for being too sexual in the workplace, but moving on) points out their colleagues as evidence that they're doomed to a romance-less, sexless life if they don't switch up their shared career path. the colleagues are three old women, so-dubbed "the menopause triplets":

these women are presented as if they have no idea what's going on at any given moment. this is 2001, and presumably this is an entry level job requiring low effort and no experience.

then their boss bursts into the room, unceremoniously bumping a large painting into the door jam and walls, announcing that it's a new project for our MC.

our MC is thrilled to see the painting. apparently it's a light in the daily slog at her dreary job for loser women with nothing going on in their lives.

And that job is? Conservator of paintings (specializing in Renaissance) at the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The painting being handled like an old couch on its way to the curb?

The Bacchanal of the Andrians by Titian.

Her lesbian colleague who is presumably also a a highly trained & skilled curator finds it depressing that the MC is so excited about the painting.

If you are participating in protests, encampments, or occupations, you should understand how to dress to minimize your risk factors.

Most importantly—if you wish to protect your privacy, you will need an outfit that conceals your identifying features. You should change into it in a location that is not under surveillance, wear it for the entire duration of the activity, then change out of it in a location that is also not surveilled. You should not be seen with any elements of the outfit before or after.

Consider reading these short instructional guides:

Fashion Tips for the Brave

https://crimethinc.com/fashiontips

The Femme’s Guide to Riot Fashion