Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fungus

whether that's Snap, or cash assistance or housing or insurance or WHATEVER.

I just want to say- I am a tax paying middle class person.

For the love of whatever you find holy, TAKE THE HELP. Seriously. Please. I am paying these taxes, and I am begging you to use that money to make your life better.

I find it tremendously depressing when my tax money goes to tanks for cops or subsidies for billionaires or general colonizing bullshit.

I want my tax money to improve your life. I do not give one single shit what you do with your cash assistance. I don't care if you think you maybe possibly could have gotten by without SNAP. If you can qualify TAKE IT. Eat as well as you can. Live as well as you can.

If you feel bad, picture me, cheering you on with every single choice you make that brings you comfort, stability or joy.

His dad’s words aren’t supposed to do this.

The mantra that carried Riz through the Night Yorb battle, the reminder as he plotted his friends’ academic success. He couldn’t have the right conversations with Fig about Ayda, Adaine about Aelwyn, Kristen about Cassandra—

And now Kalina is back, and that somehow feels like his fault too, but guilt is not what Riz is sitting with right now.

No, he couldn’t have the right conversations, but he kept them alive to have those conversations with one another. And through his plans for college, he will keep them together.

It’s a hard job, though. The more he works on it, the more difficult it gets. Is that how it’s supposed to go?

Not for the fucking Rat Grinders, fighting the same enemies in the woods over and over again, three hours a day, nine hours on weekends. It’s infuriating, and even more so is the fact that Riz understands it. It’s work they’re doing to keep themselves together.

Work is an act of love.

Riz sighs at the essay he’s started for Kristen. 10 pages on how she saved the world and revived a God. It would be easier to find a thesis if she had any kind of relationship with Cassandra—

But that would take too much work.

Riz loved Penny more than he loved the mystery of her, and he loves his friends more than their adventures together. His dad cracked that one; it’s not even a question for him anymore.

Work is an act of love.

Riz stops writing the essay, at least for now.

This thread is incredibly important to read.

It is also extremely difficult to read. I don't know if I need to point this out, but the document itself is obviously full of bigotry so please take care of yourself if you choose to read it. Antisemitic phrases like "cultural marxism" and "global elites" appear before the document even really gets rolling, and are mixed in with transphobia, racism, and more.

If you want a taste of how this document starts in the first main section about "The Family", here is a taste:

"This starts with deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity (“SOGI”), diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”), gender, gender equality, gender equity, gender awareness, gender-sensitive, abortion, reproductive health, reproductive rights, and any other term used to deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists."

Hey you know how I said I was going to make a workbook on the kind of bullshit you need to do when someone you love dies? I actually did that.

HERE IS THE VERSION WITH LOTS OF SWEARING AT THE USELESS, SHITTY SITUATION YOU’RE IN.

HERE IS THE VERSION WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF BLACK HUMOR BUT NO CURSEWORDS.

Featuring Helpful Sections such as:

Death Certificates – What you need, why you need them, and how to get them

Prepare to spend a long and miserable time on the phone

What the Everloving Fuck is Probate

Some Simple Dos and Don’ts

Shitty Mad Libs – Templates for writing Obituaries and Memorials

How to plan a non-religious death party

So you suddenly have to become some sort of hacker or some shit

This is an eighteen page book that you can print out, download, share, and give away; it is meant to be used to collect information about funeral planning and account management after a death OR you can use it BEFORE you die and give people information so they’re not stuck playing Nancy Fucking Drew while trying to keep seventeen cousins who crawled out of the woodwork from gutting each other in front of the fucking casket as they argue about who’s inheriting grandma’s favorite dentures.

It’s not exactly cheerful and it’s full of things that are probably going to feel really fucking raw if you’re processing a fresh death.

I’m sorry! I love you! Death is shitty! I’m trying to laugh about it a little and I hope you can laugh a little too because otherwise we’re all just going to cry together.

Good luck!