enjoy the show

I got the idea from cowcatchers old locomotives used to have.

Anyways, yesterday I uploaded the model to Thingiverse, and just hours after uploading it, the Community Relationship Manager of the whole website left a comment suggesting I enter the model into a competition that's currently being held on the site.

So I did... and now it's in third place not even a day later. First place is $500, but the competition still has a month to go.

Then the Community Manager contacted me again, telling me they want to feature my model in an upcoming design promotion.

Just, what is happening? I mostly made this thing for myself in, like, an hour, and now it's suddenly super popular? This is all a little bit overwhelming 😵‍💫

Other models I worked on for weeks didn't get nearly as popular. I swear, it's impossible to predict what people will like.

Anyways, if you want to print the wheel guards yourself, you can get the model here or here.

I also made a quiet version you can stick furniture felt pads on.

Sometimes when an action makes NO sense to us ("he's like a stupid alien"), it's bc we are not understanding its true motivation/purpouse. If his goal was control, financial pressure and limiting her options due to lack of funds, it makes perfect sensie to buy the truck.

This is classic abuser behavior: maneuver the partner into a situation where they feel trapped and cannot escape. The timing on this is too perfect; he saw her gaining agency & power in the relationship and moved to short circuit that.

I am SO GLAD she got out.

If this happens to you, try reaching out to friends & family first. Chances are they've been watching your situation and are aching to help, but have felt powerless. I can't tell you how many times I've watched this scenario unfold. Ask. For. Help. Nobody will judge you, and they're probably waiting for you to make a move. People notice abuse and want to help.

if you feel truly alone, start out with some free online resources.

Aro and ace exclusion was like this, they'd say "Asexuals are basically straight, they can just pass as straight, nobody cares if they want to fuck or not, there's aromantic straight man invading Pride, there are quirky asexual straight girls pretending to be queer, asexuals are appropriating Stone and oppressing lesbians."

Bisexual exclusion and it was all, "Bisexuals are basically straight, they can just avoid oppression by being straight, these fucking bisexual women are bringing their homophobic straight boyfriends to pride, bisexual women are appropriating butch and femme, and they can't say dyke, those are lesbian only terms, bisexual women are oppressing lesbians."

And now it's like, "Trans men are basically cis. They can just avoid oppression by saying they are men, these fucking trans men are dangerous rapists who can pretend to be women to avoid consequences, trans men are appropriating T4T, and they can't say tranny, and can't say they were once "eggs", those are trans woman only terms. Trans men are oppressing women."

This isn't even all, transmeds also fit this bill, their enemy is just "the transtrender menace."

Like here we are again, rooting out the fake queers, policing them, traumatizing an entire community, and when we all get embarrassed about how we fell for yet another fucking queer moral panic, the damage will be downplayed, nobody will learn anything and we'll move onto the next secretly privileged queer group who needs to be annihilated in order to defend some poor defenseless women who cannot possibly defend themselves from these ugly mannish straight invaders... huh, wait a second.... why does that sound so familiar?

thats what we call neo nazis and shitty conservative bros? or at least its what we used to call them? why are ppl calling themselves "chuds" affectionately now

what is happening

when you call yourself and your friends "chuds"

YOU

ARE

CALLING

YOURSELF

A