I’m very tired. you probably heard that Russia destroyed the Kakhovka Dam to slow Ukraine’s counter offensive. here’s something I didn’t quite realize: since this February, the Russians operated the dam in juuuuust the right way so that as much water would build up as possible when the snow melted and spring showers started. and then they blew the whole thing up.

40,000 people may need to be evacuated. I don’t really have the energy to say anything else right now.

Hospitallers Medical Battalion: actual angels can confirm. they’re combat-zone medical services - you know how humanitarian groups like MFS and Red Cross have to pause operations due to the Russians fucking shooting at humanitarian zones? yeah, these guys don’t pause for bullets, they fucking walk into them and they bring out anyone they can.

Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation: you can choose from a number of various fundraiser projects here, if you’re feeling particularly picky. for those of you who balk at the idea of supporting anything military just please remember that things like vehicles and drones aren’t just for military use, they’re also for evacuation and finding the wounded and they’re fucking vital.

KSE Foundation: similar to the above, KSE has multiple projects you can choose from to donate to. looking at it right now, one of the projects with the lowest amounts of money raised thus far - despite being started in April - is Seeds for Ukraine, which will help Ukraine recover from the ecological devastation Russia has been wreaking (and with Ukraine, the countries that rely on Ukraine’s grain exports that Russia keeps trying to steal).

Come Back Alive: do these guys even need the introduction? they’re Come Back Alive. I’m kissing all of them.

United24: Zelenskyy’s brain child, and the official fundraising platform of Ukraine. Mark Hamill recommends the fundraisers for drones in particular.

UAnimals: Nova Kakhovka’s zoo got… pretty much completely swept away. all zoo residents except the birds have drowned. UAnimals has tried throughout the occupation to keep the animals safe, and they’ve been reporting on the status of the zoo. I don’t really know what to say except that I hope they’re able to save the pets and strays in the towns along the river.

You can find NGOs specific to evacuation efforts in this post; please signal boost it as well. I’ve listed them but am leaving the links for the op post.

Ukrainian FireFighters Foundation

Helping To Leave

I say this as someone who sells pottery, and many people who see my art assume I am using art as an outlet to “express myself.”

I am not.

I use art to challenge myself. A lot of what I do is the equivalent of doing a hard sudoko or a half marathon, answering the question of “can I do this?”

I use art to question things and explore ideas. Finding physical synthesis between concepts and working out a design to its end state.

I use art to make money. I make some things just because I suspect they’ll sell well, and I keep making them when they do.

This idea that an artist is “putting themselves out there” every time they create is not only stupid, but harmful, and it kills critique and analysis.

Yes every creative work is influenced by its creator, but the most preliminary step of analysis is to define the purpose of a work of art (functional, narrative, entertainment, persuasive, decorative, ceremonial, etc.) and a vanishingly small percentage of that is self-expression. Even then, it’s generally tied to the self’s relationship with something else—perception, society, etc.

It’s very tiresome to have people assume they know you because they like (or dislike) your art, to make assumptions about who you are and how you approach the world. It’s nothing new— people called the Impressionists insane and the Fauvists degenerate. And now people are expected to hand out their identities and traumas to prove they have the right to explore certain subjects.

you know cortisol, sometimes referred to as “the stress hormone”? do you know what it’s called when you have very low levels of it?

Monkey Shines George A. Romero. 1988

Campus Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA See in map

mom's minion memes for real justice

Hi there again. I'm Casi. I'm a disabled Enby who is the only caregiver for my elderly disabled mother, and we're Homeless.

Mom is 70yrs old and has chronic bronchitis and arthritis and Mobility issues, and I'm chronically ill and multiply disabled myself. Where we live has already had multiple days of 105°F (40°C) temperatures throughout the Spring, its gonna be a hot summer. We cannot be on the Streets.

I have us in a Hotel because its the safest option for us. We have no family that can put us up for even a night and while I'm always on the lookout for outreach groups and programs we might qualify for, at this point we're on our own.[ and incredibly grateful for all the kind and generous support to help us through]

But the rates have gone up to Summer Prices which will make things a little more difficult than they already are. The Current rate is $98.30 a day / $688.03 a Week.

Moms Social Security is our only stable income apart from donations and my Redbubble and Ko-Fi shops where I sell my art. I've been looking for stable work but its always been a joke that there "more people than jobs" in this town and that's even truer now than ever, and without any transportation I can't even do Odd Jobs or Gigwork.[cant doordash on foot, can't to yardwork on the other side of town if I cant get myself there and back safely etc...]

Moms income will only cover 12 days of the month, and that's without putting any of that towards Meds or Groceries. We do get $290 SNAP/Food Stamps, on the 9th, but with the prices of everything between absofuckinglutly ridiculous, that too, only goes so far.

Literally Any Amount of Help would be incredibly appreciated. Really and Truly.

PayPal // Ko-Fi / Redbubble

Edit: Good News!!!! The rate hasn't gone up as far as I had been told!!! Its $84 a night // $590 a week!!!!!

Still a strain, but more manageable.

Edit Canceled. Went back in with Moms Second check to pay for another week and ?? It Is $688 a week. [At least when Nadia isnt in the office. :/ maybe ]

Rachel was super kind and helpful and allowed me to owe a $96.45 balance because "they know you'll get it to them"

So. Both of Moms checks have come and gone.

We have the room reserved until the 14th with a $96.45 balance outstanding on the Reservation. The room IS unfortunately $688 a week now with the summer tourism taxes and fees.

Even Rachel seemed confused by the price she was like "how much have they been charging you? Because this..." and I was like "well it Was $72 but now I'm not sure anymore. I thought it was $84 but ???"