Self Soothing in Times of Trump

[canuk-gal]

My natural defense is denial ("wake me up when he is gone"). But I am trying to work at myself and use better defense mechanisms . They don't come naturally, but I try.
So:

1) Humor - read Borowitz's satire
2) Altruism - try to help victims of natural disasters because no one will help us
3) Rationalization - reminding to myself that "Pence would have been worse"
4) Sublimation - I started making pearl bracelets. I started after the election, buying pearls piece by piece. So far they are not great and Trump costs me a lot, but by in three more years I think I shall learn.
5) Distraction - bought a kitty. She purrs each time she sees a human, any human. Lovely.

Please post 1000 pictures of your new kitten. PLEASE!

thread hijack over.

 

[Arkteia]

My cats are big so I have to buy dog toys and multiples of the same toys so they don't fight over them. So far, I've given them the brown squeeky mouse and blue squeeky chew toy. Atticus has been gnawing the blue squeeky for a half-hour as you can see from the amount of cat spit on one end I had to lock myself in the laundry room go get the first pic, 4 cats banging on the door and howling for the rest of the toys

Amazing! Now I know what to look for.

 

[t-c]

I hope this is okay to put here. I had to laugh at how ridiculously pathetic it is, which is a kind of self-soothing, right? This is a note sent to NYMag in 1992- NOT from Donald Trump, of course, but from his secretary, who had to talk about how amazing her boss (NOT the writer of the note, obviously) is when it comes to women.

Holy moley, it just sunk in...he writes like he speaks.

 

[ABKIS]

There is a great support system on PS for what can only be considered the ends justify the means (type) argument. Your apologies are hollow/completely insincere. You made disgusting comments. Disgusting. Uncalled for. But that's right, no support here for thoughts outside of yours.

I'm sorry but I don't need you to believe me. I would have never thought that someone would get so upset with me for making a joke about a man who says significantly more offensive things. You can think I'm insincere. You can think I'm disgusting. I'm good with all of it because I know myself. I know I'm neither of those things and that's more than enough for me. I wish you hadn't been offended by my joke but oh well. Can't please everyone. I don't know you but I really hope that you get just as offended when it comes out of that pompous ass.

FWIW - I actually meant my apology when I first said it. Now time I know not to waste my time.

 

[ABKIS]

Unless you are a left winger on PS otherwise you will be labeled as a bigot. The two conservatives Jo Co and AnnaH wouldn't dare to post here anymore.

When did I label you a bigot? When did I say anyone was a bigot?? Did I miss that? Was I drunk posting? Please do post it here if I did because that sound doesn't sound like something I'd do. I don't think anyone has labeled you a bigot. All that's been said has been in response to your posts. We cannot help it if your posts are somewhat...um...questionable.

 

[t-c]

Honestly, I'd be too afraid that he would do something ridiculous, like stop the motorcade and have me arrested!

You never know nowadays... Weren't there charges filed against people for doing not much (I think ther: one a woman who "laughed at" Jeff Sessions and one a journalist who questioned Tom Price too persistently? Links below (I just took the first results of a Google search):

DOJ to retry woman who laughed during Sessions' confirmation hearing (CNN)

Reporter arrested after repeatedly questioning Health secretary (The Hill)

 

[Calliecake]

My 12-year-old son asked: "Did Donald Trump do things to women like Harvey Weinstein?" and I realized I had to say yes (!!) Surreal. Said 12-year-old then asked when the next pussyhat women's march would be, because he wants to be there.

Anne

You should be so proud of the young man you are raising. Your comment above gave me hope for the future. Thank you @anne_h

 

[monarch64]

I've been eating my feelings. Rye bread with caraway seeds, grilled with butter, Havarti, and American cheese. A side of canned Progresso "Hearty Tomato" as an accompaniment. Well, it can''t get any worse than DJT's diet of McDonald's and fair food, with a side of steak nearly charred past its second death.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I've been eating my feelings. Rye bread with caraway seeds, grilled with butter, Havarti, and American cheese. A side of canned Progresso "Hearty Tomato" as an accompaniment. Well, it can''t get any worse than DJT's diet of McDonald's and fair food, with a side of steak nearly charred past its second death.

Monnie, I swear I read this as "A side of canned PROSECCO"! I was like, "hearty tomato," that must be a rose! Clearly Dee has a one track mind...

 

[telephone89]

with a side of steak nearly charred past its second death.

Covered in ketchup

 

[Phanie]

So, for me ; it has been a very depressing year.
First I had to console my two girls (10 and 8 at the time) who were devastated. They were so sure that we were going to have the first female president because girls can do anything and that $% was just not a very smart nor nice ma (they watched 5 minutes of debate #2 and saw right through him).
I had to reassure them that Maman and Papa would not be deported (we have green cards), that kid#3 was not going to be deported either because she is brown (we are slightly mixed caucasian but she turns gingerbread color in 3 days , she was so scared), I had to tell my 3 kids their Latino friends were probably safe.
Then I donated to PP.
Then I sort of stopped posting political stuff om my FB, because you know we are not citizens.
I joined my grassroot action group here.
I educate people on immigration rights and laws, I tell my story ($5 and his extreme vetting is such bullshit, if you know what immigrants go through, I don't know what more can be done besides showing your privates).
I started planning my impeachement party.
I started to brace myself for the racism that would come to me (as a RN, I get ask often where I am from, but up until last November it was almost always with sweet curiosity and very little contempt, now pfffff, I don't want to even start...)
And then 45 malfeasance really hit home. Immigration screwed us. (Not sure I can share much details)
We lived in limbo for 30 days and some other stuff. I know, compare to others, not that bad but still.

So anyone who voted 45, because their conscience, and told me that after I explained to them that it was spitting in my face as a friend, that we were fine, that nothing would happen , that 45 is a great Christian president, you can go to hell. Because as long as whatever he does does not have a direct consequences on your life , you did not care he is a racist, sexual predator, liar, cheat, thief, etc (the list is too long). I knew 45 is not worthy nor dignified to hold the POTUS position , the people who voted for him did not care but for their own interest not matter what this candidate was.

I could go on.
So yeah, self soothing is important here and I have taken active steps to repair damages that this administration is doing.
I am currently helping two families with paperwork, two single moms with food ( I get them all their groceries because they got their food stamps and healthcare dropped...), and I feed my 86 yo neighbor because she can't afford her meds and food which she used to but in March stuff changed. It is my "in your face " things.
I self soothe by locally trying to undo the wrong he does because that is all I can do.
I also have my representatives on speed dial (kid you not!!!!!)

 

[telephone89]

@Phanie Thank you for your RN work <3 I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this BS now :'(

 

[Dee*Jay]

In keeping with the theme of this thread, I am currently self soothing with a nice manhattan (which you will be happy to know Matata did NOT come out of a can!) and a donation to Juli Briksman. You may remember Juli from page two of this thread as she was the cyclist who “saluted” the Presidential mortorcade as it went by. She has now been fired from her job for exercising her First Amendment rights. I don’t think I can link to the GFM here, but if you’re interested just go to that page and put in Juli Briskman. You go girl!

Woman who gave Trump the middle finger fired from her job

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/w...nger-fired-from-her-job/ar-AAuw0jL?li=BBnbfcL

A woman whose picture went viral after she raised her middle finger at Donald Trump as his motorcade passed her on her bicycle has been fired from her job.

Juli Briskman was cycling in Virginia last month when she offered the gesture in a gut reaction to Trump’s policies, she said.

“He was passing by and my blood just started to boil,” she told the Huffington Post. “I’m thinking, Daca recipients are getting kicked out. He pulled ads for open enrollment in Obamacare. Only one third of Puerto Rico has power. I’m thinking, he’s at the damn golf course again.

“I flipped off the motorcade a number of times.”

A photographer traveling with the presidential motorcade snapped Briskman’s picture and the image quickly spread across news outlets and social media. Many hailed Briskman as a hero, with some saying she should run in the 2020 election. Late-night comedy hosts also picked up the story.

Briskman had been working as a marketing and communications specialist for a Virginia-based federal contractor, Akima, for six months. She thought it best to alert the HR department to the online fuss. Bosses then called her into a meeting, she said.

“They said, ‘We’re separating from you,’” Briskman told the Huffington Post. “‘Basically, you cannot have lewd or obscene things in your social media.’ So they were calling flipping him off obscene.”

She said the company was displeased she had used the image as her profile picture on Twitter and Facebook, and told her it violated social media policy and could hurt the company’s reputation as a government contractor.

Briskman said she pointed out that her social media pages do not mention her employer, and that the incident happened on her own time. She also said another employee had written a profane insult about someone on Facebook, but had been allowed to keep his job after deleting the post and being reprimanded.

Virginia, however, has “at will” employment laws, meaning private-sector employers can fire people for any reason.

Suddenly, the 50-year-old mother of two found herself looking for a new job.

Briskman, who votes Democratic, said she planned to look for a new job with an advocacy group she believes in, such as Planned Parenthood or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

After leaving his Virginia golf club and before passing Briskman, Trump’s motorcade passed a pedestrian who gave a vigorous thumbs-down gesture. Another woman had been standing outside the entrance to the golf club, holding a sign saying “Impeach”.

As news of Briskman’s firing spread, many social media users asked why she was being penalized for expressing free speech on her own time, under the first amendment to the US constitution.

Akima did not immediately respond to a request for comment. On Monday, its website went down. Someone began a crowdfunding page online to raise money for Briskman.

Briskman said she had no regrets about the attention her public show of displeasure received. In fact, she said, she was happy to be an image of protest.

“In some ways, I’m doing better than ever,” she said. “I’m angry about where our country is right now. I am appalled. This was an opportunity for me to say something.”

 

[Dee*Jay]

 

[Dee*Jay]

Akima (the company Juli used to work for) is having quite a bit of colorful commentary posted on its Twitter feed. Ha!

 

[Matata]

which you will be happy to know Matata did NOT come out of a can!

Blessed be. I can sleep well tonight

 

[Dee*Jay]

And one more thing before I move on from Juli:

 

[Dee*Jay]

Blessed be. I can sleep well tonight

I wanted to make sure you didn't think I was a COMPLETE and utter heathen after the canned prosecco incident!

 

[redwood66]

Meh. It's is the right of the employer to fire her if they see fit. I thought it was totally childish.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Meh. It's the right of the citizen to express her opinion about the president. I thought it was totally fabulous.

 

[redwood66]

Meh. It's the right of the citizen to express her opinion about the president. I thought it was totally fabulous.

That is true but actions have consequences. I am sure she'll get another job anyway and it sounds like it was not a good fit for her.

 

[Dee*Jay]

That is true but actions have consequences. I am sure she'll get another job anyway and it sounds like it was not a good fit for her.

True on all counts. Her go fund me page is fattening up nicely. Even "Jeff Sessions" is in!

 

[redwood66]

True on all counts. Her go fund me page is fattening up nicely. Even "Jeff Sessions" is in!

Would you donate if I got fired for flipping off Obama's motorcade?

Not that I would do that because well - childish.

 

[Calliecake]

How anyone could compare Trump to Obama is beyond me.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Would you donate if I got fired for flipping off Obama's motorcade?

Not that I would do that because well - childish.

Yes, actually I would. I would donate to anyone who found themselves disadvantaged for availing themselves of a right in an instance like this, and it wouldn't matter to me what the curx was.

Don't forget Red, I have promised to take you to Ruth's Chris for dinner if you come to town, whatever *beef* I may have with your politics. (Sorry; couldn't the bad pun!)

 

[House Cat]

Would you donate if I got fired for flipping off Obama's motorcade?

Not that I would do that because well - childish.

Dear Red,

Hell NO! OBAMA IS MY GUY! I might invite him to the impeachment party!

But you know...your gofundme would be gigantic under your described circumstances. The Republicans might crash the website to donate. The only way I see it getting more donations is if you flipped off HRC and her emails.

 

[redwood66]

Yes, actually I would. I would donate to anyone who found themselves disadvantaged for availing themselves of a right in an instance like this, and it wouldn't matter to me what the curx was.

Don't forget Red, I have promised to take you to Ruth's Chris for dinner if you come to town, whatever *beef* I may have with your politics. (Sorry; couldn't the bad pun!)

You are one of the sweetest persons! I am going to take you up on it but not sure when I can drag my DH that far east again.

 

[redwood66]

Dear Red,

Hell NO! OBAMA IS MY GUY! I might invite him to the impeachment party!

But you know...your gofundme would be gigantic under your described circumstances. The Republicans might crash the website to donate. The only way I see it getting more donations is if you flipped off HRC and her emails.

I am still coming to the party. LOL.

 

[Dee*Jay]

You are one of the sweetest persons! I am going to take you up on it but not sure when I can drag my DH that far east again.

The offer is open any time!

 

[House Cat]

I have been self soothing to 70’s rock. I play it as loud as my speakers can handle so that I can physically feel the music. I am not proficient in any kind of guitar, especially air guitar, so that isn’t my thing. I DO sing at the top of my lungs with Peter Frampton!

I convince myself that there is nothing embarrassing about what I am doing and that my neighbors “get me.” By practicing denial I create a refined coping mechanism for the day when Trump insists on covering the Times Square Christmas Tree in nothing but gold T’s or for when he gets a White House cat just so he can joke about grabbing pussy.

This is a sign in my neighbor’s yard. I think they feel like I do.