I hate politics, or Todd "Legitimate Rape" Akin

Guess what I got to wake up to this morning?

6:10am.
NPR alarm
"It seems to me, first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down." --Rep Todd Akin

You can read more about it on Jezebel here, on Slate here and on NPR's site here. NPR has a transcript of the interview; Jezebel and Slate have reporting/opinion pieces.

I woke UP to this. On the first day of my period no less. My body and mind felt like it was rejecting itself with rage.

But why am I mad? Ooo-oh-oh-hoh-hoh.

1) I'm upset because there is the expectation that (even wanna be) public servants have the people's best interest in mind. This expectation is blown clear out of the water with the above statement because A) there is no such thing as the distinction "legitimate" when it comes to rape and he's not-so-subtley insinuating that those thousands of women who are impregnated through a rape weren't actually raped since "science" and B) fuck you.

2) I'm befuddled because there is a minimum expectation that if someone who is, or wants to be, in a position to affect legislation that affects our literal, physical lives then they will do a little research before making blatantly incorrect statements on National Public Radio.

3) I'm fucking furious because politicians actively affect people, including me, through policy based on ignorance. And I can't just disagree with them. I have to abide by the law, lest I pay a fine to the gov't with which I disagree and/or I go to jail.

4) I'm peeved because there's nothing I can really do about any of this. The only real thing I can do is provide support for survivors, keep the discussion alive with people I know and never, EVER vote for these ignoramuses. 

At least Obama is a boss.

The president held an impromptu conference about Akins' comments, saying "Rape is rape. And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me. So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women."

I wish what he said here would actually happen. More women in politics, please?

Long Way to Happy - Pink

Thank you? A hangover story

I'm not in the habit of thanking things. Thanking people? Sure, in the moment of their nicety. But that whole think about or write down one thing you're grateful for every day is not my bag. I certainly don't want to be that person who squeals at the sun at 5am on a weekday, "Isn't it a wonderful day?! I love life, don't you!" That attitude is so bright it's blinding, and it pretty much pisses me off. But I wonder if I wouldn't be so angry all the time if I focused my thoughts on things I'm grateful for. Not that I'm an angry person or anything...

Well, maybe I am. This morning on my commute, I grunted rather loudly, "The fuck are you doing" to a sweet young girl on a pastel blue bike with a fucking-wicker-basket when she slowed down next to me. I barked at her because I didn't want to be responsible for her falling over like an idiot and hurting herself. I also barked at her because she basically whispered like a shy little fairy, "e-e-excuse me" when she was wobbling aside my stride; her timidity annoyed me. Why? She's acting like a shrinking violet in that moment to avoid irritating anyone, when simultaneously if she just spoke up, I'd get the message that she's coming by and I wouldn't give a shit.

That's not true; I would still give a shit. I wanted to be angry this morning. It was a beautiful morning: sun shining, breeze blowing, temperature mild, the air smelled like grass and water, the trees were green and my shoes were comfortable. But instead of focusing on that, I let my stomach churn with vile and spit acid at the first thing that came in contact with me.

Maybe instead, I just shouldn't drink during the week. A hangover is terrible for morale.