#communty college

[alarrytale]

I have been reading your last anons and I think you been making really great points. I would just like to add something about Harry's perception from the queer communty.

I'm a college student, and a lot of other students posts pop up on my tl, even when I'm not even following them, and sometimes a lot of those students tweet about Harry. I do like to point out that the course I'm taking has a LOT of queer students, and most of the male students of my course are either gay or bi, so I always find it very interesting when I see their opinions on Harry.

Something I noticed is that most of them seem to have, lets say, a complicated relationship with Harry. I've noticed that most of them seem to enjoy Harry's music to some degree, and I see them talking about Harry and listening to his music way more often than I see them listening to most other male artists.

But when they talk about Harry as a person they sometimes come off very harsh. Some of them indeed talk about the whole queerbaiting thing and that Harry is taking queer money and all that. But also something I noticed is that those opinions seem to come off from a certain place of resentment. Like, I have seen multiple times other people asking those students why they think that of Harry, and I noticed by their answers that those opinions most of the times don't come off from a place of genuinly thinking that Harry is a straight dude pretending to be queer or something like that, but instead most of them think Harry is closeted to some degree and they end up sort of resenting him for being so famous and not taking the risk of being seen out and about with men.

Like, I think most of them genuinly like Harry, and from what I gather a lot of those queer students have been liking him since 1d days and wish they could see him actually dating man, because they would like to have that sort of represation from someone they have always looked up to. I have read a lot of times from those queer students that Harry publicly dates women and hides his relantionship with men, so like, a lot of them are not that clueless about the situation. They just end up saying meaner things about Harry and sort of "lash out" on him because he doesn't give them the represantion they wish he gave them.

I genuinly believe a lot of the blacklash Harry gets from the queer community comes, most of the times, from people that genuinly admire him and picture him as a role model, and wish Harry acted like the role model they think Harry should be. And I think this is something Harry and HSHQ should take into consideration.

Anon, thank you! This perspective is so interesting. Representation is so important!

As i've said in some of the billy porter asks, representation is important for normalisation and progression. And some queer people sees and recognises one of their own, a person who is like them, who takes up queer spaces and immerse himself in queer culture, but presents straight. That must be frustrating to watch. I think that's perhaps also where billy porter was coming from. Harry don't have to be a role model for the queer community if he dosn't want to. But i think queer people would prefer it then if he didn’t take the opportunity of representation away from someone who could or wants to be a queer role model. Because, again, representation is so important. This is also why some queer people think you should only give queer actors queer roles. It's contested of course, because you can be queer and closted. Being closeted don't make you any less queer. However by doing that, queer people won't get the representation they so badly seek. So it's a tricky thing.

Harry doing MP as a closeted man (not giving queers representation) and doing dwd with heavy straight stunting in the same breath, would piss off the queer community. The potential is there, but he's not living up to it. So i get it, but again, it's a tricky thing. He needs to be even more careful going forward, playing both sides, because the critical voices are growing. As you say, i hope they take that into account.

[glenburnieplayers]

#Betsy Ross

#"Anne Arundel Communty college

[merrock]

CHARACTER INFORMATION

face claim: hannah waddingham

full name: dr.  joanna iris rostova

nickname(s) / goes by: Jo

pronouns & gender: cis woman she/her

sexuality: pansexual

birth date: march, 30, 1974

birth place: columbus, ga

arrival to merrock: July 2023

housing: a townhouse in historical downtown

occupation: professor at Merrock Communty College (theater/media studies… she is willing to bounce back and forth or teach something involving both depending upon what the college needs of her each semester)

work place: Merrock Community College 

family: No children, an ex-partner

relationship status: divorced

PERSONALITY

At almost 50, there are certain aspects of Jo’s personality that have managed to weather the storms and trials of aging. If she were to be described in one word, it would be this: fierce. Joanna Rostova does all things in life with a ferocity seldom seen. Whether it is love or hate, career or hobby, she tackles it all with her everything. At least, that’s what it would seem to be. She is a vivacious individual with a wicked sense of humor who lives each day as though it was her last. However, underneath all the glitz and bluster, there is a sincerity there. She is someone who you can call at any time of day, and she will be there. Over the years, she has done quite a lot that has been publicized, but it pales in comparison to what she does in private. Jo does for others simply because it is the right thing to do, regardless of how close she is to that person. This intensity can be very off-putting, but for those who were enveloped in one of her signature bear hugs after a rather disquieting trip to the hospital, home, anywhere scary, her steadfast support was unlike anything they’d ever experienced. However, showing up so intensely for others does have its drawbacks. Very seldom does anyone see the  woman she becomes behind closed doors. The quiet, introspective old bitty that curls up on the couch unmoving while episodes of Murder, She Wrote flicker past without stopping. She is a very giving person, yes, but in the stillness of the night, when she doesn’t have to be ‘Madame Rostova’ or ‘Jo’, Joanna mourns the life she wanted, but seems unable to have. 

WRITTEN BY: Laura (she/her), est.

BACKGROUND / BIO

triggering / sensitive content warning: death, pregnancy

Few can say they have truly lived life to the fullest, and even fewer can say they have led several. Jo Rostova is one of those chosen few. Born Joanna Iris Rostova, it is said that she came into the world singing and that is how she will go out. Well, that’s how her mother tells it, but when your mother is one of the country’s premier opera singers, it’s a bit hard to not point out that your daughter practically cooed like a dove the moment she came into the world. Jo’s had a song on her lips for as far back as she can remember (which, admittedly, isn’t terribly far these days). While being the daughter of an opera star certainly helped foster this melodic proclivity, it was her father who really helped her fall in love with the arts. A professor at a local college, Jo and her father would go and visit her mother at every show. Her father acted as a sort of translator, explaining to her what was going on. He never talked down to her, and it was this tireless dedication to his daughter’s appreciation of the theater that allowed her to really, truly fall in love with it the way she did.

With her golden vocals and even more golden locks, it didn’t take long for Joanna to find herself on the stage. Starting in kindergarten, the little songbird grew up in the theater and the choir, taking every opportunity she could to better her craft. By her own admission, much of Joanna’s formative years are a bright blur of laughter, spotlights and makeup. Her college years were set to fare a bit better, with Jo slated to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Middle Grades Education and a Minor in Theatre. While she did graduate, she would not initially follow the path straight into the classroom as she had set out to do. The Atlanta theater scene was calling, and she answered with all the brass she could muster. Her near meteoric rise to stage-fame wasn’t just a happy accident; it was certainly intentional. She’d learned early on the power of networking and, combined with a killer work ethic and insane charisma, it seemed nothing could stop the indomitable Joanna Rostova from doing anything she pleased. This would remain the prevailing narrative until one fateful evening when she agreed to a blind date set up for her by a dear friend in the business.

As in all things, Joanna fell in love deeply and swiftly. While she’d had many lovers in the past, there was something about the who and the when of this one that felt… different. They were truly made for each other, so many would say, especially at their wedding that happened three years to the day after their first date. Indeed, they wouldn’t be mistaken in believing so. Jo and her partner looked happy, blissful even, and seemed to compliment each other beautifully. However, just as the confluence of people and events that lead to their union came to pass, so too did their undoing come about in much the same way. The divorce was quiet, surprisingly free of scandal considering how intertwined both their professional and personal lives had become. Jo maintains to this day that the strain of losing both of her parents a month apart was the main reason, there are few who know that the two had been at odds about one particular point: children. When they’d wed, Jo saw no reason to ever want children, not with her career flourishing so well. However, as time had gone on, her tune began to change. Unfortunately, her beloved’s did not.

Life post divorce was far quieter for Joanna. A 35 year old divorcee was prone to far more gossip and hearsay in her industry than to her liking. So, what did she do? She went back to school, collecting degrees like Infinity Stones. This latter half of her career was one she looked on quite fondly, as this was where she followed in her father’s footsteps and became an educator. While acting in local productions, she was also able to teach theater, direct, write, choreograph and so on. So how did a crown jewel of the southern theater scene end up in a tiny town in Maine? Simply put: she needed a change. Having been in the Southeast her entire career, she took a tip on a position in Maine as a way for her to reinvent herself. She moved up in July of 2023, began teaching at Merrock Community College that Fall, and hasn’t looked back. Now, in the winter (trying to avoid her own discontent), on the precipice of half a century above ground, what will be next for her?

[murdochccm]

我的弟弟是一名初级奥林匹克游泳运动员。

Wǒ de dìdì shì yī míng chūjí àolínpǐkè yóuyǒng yùndòngyuán

My brother is a junior Olympic swimmer.

[coffeesleepstudies]

100 days of productivity - day 11

today was short, but good to me, i think. it’s been hard so far, even though classes haven’t started. i feel like i’m in a strange, unfamiliar place. i’m happy to be done with community college, and moving on in my education. but lately i’ve been experiencing some mania that makes my days very scary at times. i’m managing it, though! there’s good in with the bad. all that matters is that i’ll move through it, and that i’ll take care of myself in that process. i’ve been eating 99% of the meals i’m supposed to, brushing my teeth every day, and the basic self care has helped me feel better in all of this. sorry for this lil paragraph, aha. classes start monday. i’m excited. 

what i’m listening to  🎧: d(half moon) - dean

[chaotic-aro-incarnate]

me :handshake: you (that rant about american evangelical christians)

There's way more where that came from lol. It's just frustrating cause like I grew up in the typical american evangelical environment and the whole time I thought that was the only type of Christianity that there was and being like "wow this kinda sucks." And then I became an adult and found out that there actually are really good, welcoming, and healthy church environments out there, they just don't get as much attention/are a minority.

[turnupthemusicinmylife]

NEW VIDEO! 💡 Summer try-on HAUL: NA-KD, She-in bikinis, H&M & more! 🤩🌞🛍

[icantpeopletoday]

Climate change is a imminent threat to use all; that we have known about since the 1960s.

Most all young people of every generation, the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, had very progressive views about climate change and wanted systemic change for the better; but they have had time to fall into the rhythm of life.

My generation is very liberal because we don’t have time to fall into the rhythm of life on Earth.

By which I mean: getting married, having babies, and paying bills. But I also mean the daily routine of eating and sleeping and just being human.

My generation doesn’t have time to grow complacent with the status quo. The world is literally getting too hot for life. We are out of time.

We are fighting with everything we have to make sure that we do have time to live and love. But if we don’t, we want every precious human life to be treated with fairness and dignity. Because human life has value.

Life has value.

No matter the color of your skin, your religion, or your beliefs. You are deserving of life. And things that infringe the right to a happy life; rasism, sexism, global warming, have got to go.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it burned in one.

[giggly-agenda]

you don't post as much as you should for this communty and when u do it isn't even that good lmao 😹 leave it to everyone else and leave lol

So you don't like what I make but instead of ignoring it, you come to do this shit?

I know I can block this anon ( they aren't the same as the last, I already blocked that other one ) but I'm choosing to answer to let you all know the reason I haven't been around as much as I used to.

I know I don't post as much and it isn't something I can help. We've finally paid off the moving company that handled our stuff so I'm busy helping out with that. On top of that I've gotta handle applying for colleges and shit, and I haven't been in the best state of mind lately.

So yeah, apologies for not having the time or proper motivation to make things to post. Trust me I am trying.

And I am considering deactivating but until I figure out if I will, understand that instead of coming onto people's inboxes with hate and shit like this there's always the mature option to ignore and move on with your day.

[laundryandtaxes]

Hi Julia, I'm gonna push back on your post re: nyc. I grew up in another city in New York State and moved to the city at 17 for work, never going to college. I've lived in three different boroughs, and never held a lease, just for context. I think the divide of "native New Yorker" vs "transplant" is in many ways created as a way of sewing division and doesn't reflect that in every strongly-rooted ethnic group, immigrant or otherwise, there is a certain amount of coming and going. For me, every generation of my fam has come here to live for a time since immigrating, despite moving to the south or Midwest. That's super common for my ethnicity and common in many other groups here.

Many if not most of my friends who grew up here have nuanced views on this, and when it gets down to it see it beyond a binary of "native vs nonnative". I think that viewing it as a binary isn't particularly useful. There are definitely alienated internal migrants and people who move to join elite communties, but most of my friends who grew up here have lived elsewhere for a time, and if there have family or ethnic community here aren't weird about it.

This model of discourse doesnt usually talk about the strongly rooted elite/borgeiouse here, and many people who migrate to NYC internally do it for social and economic reasons. Particularly pre-pandemic, the gay and ballroom scenes were massive draws, and jobs in certain industries are concentrated here. Wealthy residents are catered to, and certain type of internal migrant/wealthy expat/wealthy immigrant is definitely catered to by legislation that favors gentrification and has made the city a playground for the rich. The city has intentionally eroded public housing, but it remains that a higher percentage of residents live in public housing, rent controlled apartments well-below market value or recieve housing subsidies here than nearly any other city in the country. People will get on public housing and section 8 waiting lists and leave the city or even country. To be here and to stay here is very tenuous for many multigenerational residents. Regardless, migration and immigrantion have been part of NYC since it began having a distinct culture towards the 1820's. Culture and social creation has never been the exclusive domain of people born here, and NYC is what it is because of born-residents, immigrants, internal migrants and being a center of cultural and social community that draws people from around the world. If it was just one of these things it wouldn't be NYC.

NYC is a place that feels disconnected from the (rest of) the USA and I think that the politicization of desire to be here will have implications exacerbated by the pandemic.

Re: nyc again:

Many wealthy people leave nyc because there isn't a great bang for your buck in the same way as other parts of the country. It's honestly a shitty and expensive place for the rich lmao.

And many poor/working class people come here bc of enviable renters protections, higher wages, and special education for disabled kids. In particular people come from within the eastern seaboard, New England and south for all of these things.

Thank you for another perspective! I am not from New York myself, so my perception of the city comes largely from the accounts of friends who are from NYC, and media, but just like with anywhere you can’t get a complete picture of what a place is like based on those two things.

I will say that a lot of what you’ve said here strongly contradicts my idea of what the city is like, some of which is based on personal experience. I considered a move to NYC at some point with an ex girlfriend (which, holy shit thank goodness that didn’t work out) and I have to say that in particular the idea of NYC as a place with “enviable renters protections [and] higher wages” specifically doesn’t square with what I saw when I researched those two things. Wages in NYC for work that doesn’t require degrees didn’t look good at all, and as far as renter’s protections go, my current understanding is that rent control is awesome but that landlords regularly engage in tenant harassment to pressure rent controlled tenants out of units and the city does almost nothing about it. The second is based more on recent articles I read and news pieces I watched about NYC, but the last time I looked at wages in NYC I was extremely unimpressed given the cost of housing alone, and when I was running the numbers for myself (this was maybe 2015ish) I came away not understanding how anyone could possibly afford to live in the city unless they 1) made a ton of money, in order to afford the outstanding rents, or 2) got into a rent-controlled apartment, which it seemed it was not easy to do unless you knew someone, like I did at the time, who was basically going to tell their landlord to hand you the lease. Obviously I’m not saying you’re wrong, just that I am very surprised to hear that anyone thinks of NYC as a place with genuinely solid rent protections and good wages, because the last time I looked it really did not seem like either of those was the case. If that is the case, that’s awesome and I am very glad to hear it. The story I was told by friends was largely one of intense, almost unbearable pressure from gentrification and jobs not paying nearly enough for the cost of living and being actively displaced by people who came to the city with an absurd amount of money to spend. So if that isn’t actually the case, that’s very very good news because I kind of had what I THINK of as contemporary NYC built up in my head as this horror story of the worst things that could happen to a city.

I also am not intimately familiar with the culture of NYC, but I have to say that I don’t think I agree with the idea that ‘ "native New Yorker" vs "transplant" is in many ways created as a way of sewing division’ because I don’t think that concept is unique at all to NYC- I certainly have a lot of a specific kind of pride in having been born and raised in Chicago, I and most other Chicagoans consider it genuinely offensive and rude when people who grew up in suburbs nearby tell people they are from Chicago, I and most other Chicagoans see ourselves, I would say, as a particular breed of people who share a particular kind of roots in this place, and I don’t think that pride is harmful or bad in any way. I would never tell someone that moving here is an evil thing to do- I consider roughly 10 years of residency to grant you the right to refer to yourself as a Chicagoan and not just a Chicago resident lol- or say that transplants to Chicago are categorically bad people. Half of that is just stupid cultural stuff, really, and shouldn’t be taken very seriously. But I don’t think the concept itself is bad. I have a fundamentally different relationship to Chicago than someone who grew up anywhere else and moved here, no matter how long they moved here, and I don’t think it is harmful at all to be open about and proud of that. I would never make the claim that transplants haven’t made massive contributions to the city, and I would assume most native New Yorkers wouldn’t make that claim about transplants to NYC.

Thank you for sharing your personal understanding of the situation there, and I am very surprised to hear that the proportion of residents in NYC who live in public or rent controlled housing is quite high, and glad to hear it. As needlessly aggressive as Chicagoans (myself included) can be when “New York” is even uttered aloud, I obviously have a lot of real respect for the city and I am glad to hear that it hasn’t just been mostly ruined in the way I had imagined it. This is a good lesson in taking any media you see about a place whose name will get clicks/engagement just by virtue of the aura of the place (New York, Chicago, San Francisco, etc) with several grains of salt. If I was only familiar with Chicago through media I’d think it was some super dangerous place when it definitely isn’t categorically. 

[plannedparenthood]

Justice, Knowledge, and Power: Meet the People of Raíz

In their own words, four organizers discuss why they push for public policies that truly represent the Latinx community — and work to protect access to health care.

Planned Parenthood health centers provide care to communities across the country — people of all colors, all gender expressions, regardless of income, education, or immigration status. But that care affects each of our communities in different ways.

The Latinx people who power Planned Parenthood can attest to that truth, and can speak from knowledge about how their life experience informs the ways Planned Parenthood speaks about — and works to protect and expand — access to health care

We want you to meet a few of the Latinx members of the Planned Parenthood family — and to learn from them, in their own words, about the importance of the work they do every day.

Angelica Romero Raíz Organizer, Planned Parenthood Arizona

1. How long have you worked at Planned Parenthood?

I am a new Raíz organizer and have been on staff for five months — but I was a Raíz volunteer for two years.

2. Why did you come to work at PP?

I got involved with PP because I knew this administration would attack women — but specifically women of color like myself. Planned Parenthood not only focuses on health care for all, but also advocates for immigrant rights so I thought it would be the perfect route to fight for the injustices that matter to me.

3. What does the Raíz organizing work mean to you?

Organizing with Raíz is like organizing for our roots and where we come from. Educating our communities of color on reproductive care issues is something powerful because at times, our people are the ones who are being left out of the reproductive care conversations. Seeing my mom be educated about the services we provide and being able to break the abortion stigma she held is something powerful, and even more empowering when it can be done to many other women like my mother through the Raíz program.

Norma Jimenez Specialist, Latino Leadership and Engagement, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

1. How long have you worked at Planned Parenthood?

I started my involvement with Planned Parenthood in Phoenix in 2014 when President Obama rolled out the Affordable Care Act (ACA). At the time I was working with a Planned Parenthood group called Community Connect —  which I had heard about when a friend who knew I was looking for an internship related to health care emailed to say, “you should apply to this.” That job focused on helping Latinx people and people of color get health insurance. Over the course of six months, I walked neighborhoods, knocked on over 100 doors, mainly Spanish-speaking  households, and assisted them in enrolling and choosing a healthcare plan that would work for them and their families through the ACA.

After the enrollment period ended, I continued to engage with Planned Parenthood locally and kept working with Latinx folks through a program called Raíz. As an organizer with Raíz, I helped get sex-ed policies  adopted by local school districts and provided an educational forums and pláticas to Spanish-speaking communties and partners. I decided that I wanted to continue being connected with Planned Parenthood, and now, I am working with the strategic partnerships team at the national office in DC.  

2. Why did you come to work at PP?

I grew up in a Catholic household in a Mexican family. At a young age, I was made aware to never let anyone touch my body without my permission; or if I was ever made uncomfortable by a male or anyone, to let my mom or grandma know. That was it. All other topics related to reproductive care, education or health care were not talked about. When I was in middle school, my body started to develop faster than many other of my girl friends. I hid my body under loose clothing when I went to school and hated my body because I was starting to look like a woman. During this time, I also got my period (in middle school) during class and I was so scared. That moment changed me. I was scared, confused and I felt alone and questioned, "why me?" — as if I was broken and I had done something wrong. I had to learn how to navigate that time and moment on my own. My family didn’t talk to me about it. They didn’t know how.

I understood soon enough that many of our moms, and loved ones don’t know how to bring up the subject of reproductive care to their children. Many of our parents think our teachers should be educating us on “sex topics” when in reality, comprehensive sex education is not taught in school at all.

This is why I have decided to work with Planned Parenthood.  Planned Parenthood is the country's largest sex education provider as well as the go-to provider for reproductive health care for  people. Planned Parenthood was there for me when I needed my first annual exam. They were there when I needed to learn about my birth control options and most importantly, Planned Parenthood helped me find my voice, and my identity. I learned to love my body unconditionally. I want all young people to know they are not alone, and it’s okay to feel confused and scared. Planned Parenthood is here for you.

3. What does the Raíz organizing work mean to you?

My first time learning to unpack all the bottled-up feelings and trauma I had since I was little, was through Raíz. Raíz provided me with resources and skills to help me develop my professional career. To be empowered, to make my own choices while at the same time being true to the values my family had instilled in me. I identify as an immigrant, as a woman, as a Latina, as a feminist, as the first to go to college, as a survivor.

Raíz is not just another Planned Parenthood program. Raíz uplifts our people, our communities, it empowers people to be true advocates for what they believe. Raíz advocates for justice and helps change policies for the betterment of our families and selves. Raíz works with our moms, abuelitas, with teens, students, with community partners to work on issues that are important to us.

Raíz organizers know we are not single-issue people who live single-issue lives. Raíz upholds our culture, our races, our people and more than anything, trust and family.

Victoria Ruiz-Marin Raíz Organizing Specialist, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains

1. How long have you worked at Planned Parenthood?

I have worked for Planned Parenthood since January of 2017. I was hired by PPFA as a Raíz Organizer to engage the Latinx community in Las Vegas. At the start of 2018 I transitioned into my local affiliate, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

2. Why did you come to work at PP?

I decided to work for Planned Parenthood because I recognized the lifesaving medical services  they provide each and every day to women and people who need it most. As an undocumented individual who did not have a maternal figure during my adolescence due to unjust immigration policies, I found myself with a pregnancy scare and no knowledge of how to proceed during my high school years. During that stressful time in my life, Planned Parenthood was there for me. The nurse who saw me was kind. She addressed my concerns, and talked to me about the birth control options that were available.

As I grew older I realized that several women in my community had not accessed reproductive health care, because of barriers rooted in discrimination. When I was approached about the position with Raíz, I was excited for the opportunity to engage other Latinx community members around access to reproductive health care and the protection of our reproductive rights. The Latinx community is one of the most marginalized and underserved; I knew that through Raíz I would be able to unite my community in order to drive the change needed to protect our reproductive rights.

3. What does the Raíz organizing work mean to you? The work being done through Raíz means I’m able to give back to my community by empowering them to become leaders who advocate for their reproductive freedom. Through Raíz, we can collectively break down the existing barriers that keep us from accessing health care. Organizing my community allows me to uplift their voices and experiences to affect policy and ensure our access to reproductive health care, and hold our elected officials accountable. Raíz is truly about justice and building the most authentic and sustainable partnerships among Latinx folks.

Joshua Alba Raíz Fellow, Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts

1. How long have you worked at Planned Parenthood?

I’ve worked at Planned Parenthood since late August 2018 — so, nine months.

2. Why did you come to work at PP?

Coming to work at Planned Parenthood was not initially part of my plan, so it was a surprise. As a cis-male Latino, I had always seen Planned Parenthood as a womxn’s organization, even though I’ve sought its services. I decided to take the opportunity, because I realized that all the reading and healing that I’ve been doing for myself, with my partners, family and friends, around  trauma and toxicity stemmed from my relationships with my body, and everyone around me. I still get shook when I register just how fundamental sexual and reproductive health is to identity, empowerment, connection — and how basic health is to all of us.

3. What does the Raíz organizing work mean to you?

This work I’m doing through Raíz is a cornerstone to liberation for me and my people. When I look at the still-lingering effects of Puritan decimation in the Northeast and Catholic colonialism in the Caribbean — I’m Dominican American — I see bodies policed, slaves, minds shackled, forced breeding, rape, mutilation and murder. My family is a direct product of that, and that trauma lives in me. I struggle to heal, and in order to heal, we have to change the core ways in which we see ourselves that we’re established so very long ago. That means owning our own bodies, that means respecting other’s bodies and choices, and doing no harm from this ground level, all the way up. That means fighting for the right for everybody to be able to have, at least, enough protections in this area of our lives, so that we can heal our generational wounds. That’s what Raíz means to me. It’s up to us.

[remholder]

College of the Ozarks: yeah we closin' lol

Ozark Technical Communty College: come into work and disinfect every surface imaginable

[geraldfierst]

My book, The Heart of the Wedding, published in May of 2011, celebrates both a time-honored ritual and the power of words. By connecting marriage with a larger vision of humanity, past, present, and future,  I demonstrate how to celebrate our selves, our families, and our communties.

I learned about the concept of the civil celebrant in Australia where it is a national institution. Civil Celebrants perform the majority of weddings in Australia and New Zealand. In 1973, Lionel Murphy, Attorney General of Australia, created the concept of a secular officiate who could incorporate traditions from all over the world.  I am certified in Australia by the International College of Celebrance, Melbourne, and in the U.S. by the Celebrant Foundation and Institute, Montclair, NJ.  

One of the rewards of being a civil celebrant is that you get to see the truth of humanity, which is not self serving, but reaches out to connect.  As an example of the power of the words we say to each other, I remember a wedding I performed at a hospice in New York City. The bride and groom had two children and had lived together for seven years. His liver was failing, and no one was sure if he would live out the day. Family and friends gathered to hear messy the simple words “You are legally joined together in my presence and in the presence of these, your family and friends, I am bound to remind you publicly of the solemn, the serious, and the binding nature of the relationship into which you are now about to enter. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire, the hope, and the firm intention that it will last for the rest of your life.”  No one could hold back the tears, but after the vows were said, the groom managed the traditional smashing of the glass, tand we all shouted Good luck! Congratulations! Mazel Tov!

I have thought about this wedding a great deal. What is marriage? The groom had hours to live. By marrying, he gave his wife certain legal recourse for social services. Is that why they married? If so, why did the bride wear a special dress? The groom wore a tuxedo shirt. The families had bottles of sparkling grape juice to pop open after the ceremony. No, this couple was not making a business decision to marry. They were reaching out for eternity. When my hospice couple married, even though their physical connection was temporal, their souls were changed. When we wished them mazel tov, we weren’t wishing them future money and comfort. We were acknowledging the good fortune that had given their souls the opportunity to be together even for a brief moment. The physical world is ever changing and impermanent, but that moment of union was a blessing beyond the measure of time.

The Heart of the Wedding, by Gerald Fierst. Published by Parkhurst Brothers, Inc. (ISBN: 978-1-935166-22-1) and available at bookstores, libraries and online at, www.pbros.net, or at, www.theheartofthewedding.com

[merrock]

WELCOME TO MERROCK, JOANNA ROSTOVA!

Joanna (she/her, cis woman) was born on March 30, 1974 in Columbus, Georgia and arrived to Merrock in July, 2023. They prefer to be called Jo, work as a professor at Merrock Community College, and their stomping grounds are downtown. | written by: Laura (she/her, est), portrayed by: hannah waddingham. FILLING CONNECTION: Platonic date for Rafael Bardales.

Hello, Laura, welcome to Merrock! We are so excited to see Joanna here in town. Please check out our WELCOME BROCHURE, and be sure to submit your account within 48 hours, and your finished bio within one week. Thank you! xx

face claim: hannah waddingham

full name: dr.  joanna iris rostova

nickname(s) / goes by: Jo

pronouns & gender: cis woman she/her

sexuality: pansexual

birth date: march, 30, 1974

birth place: columbus, ga

arrival to merrock: July 2023

housing: a townhouse in historical downtown

occupation: professor at Merrock Communty College (theater/media studies…she is willing to bounce back and forth or teach something involving both depending upon what the college needs of her each semester)

work place: Merrock Community College 

family: No children, an ex-partner

relationship status: divorced

filling connection: pretend date/lover for Rafael Bardales

[breakfaststudy-blog]

Hello world!

So this is my formal introduction. Hey! Welcome to my studyblr. I’ve only been on tumblr for a few weeks but i’ve mostly followed this community on insta. I always just looooved everyone’s work and have finally decided to share my own with y’all.

intro to me:

• my name is sandy

• i’m 17 years old and a junior in high school (11th)

•i live in TEXAS! (howdy)

here’s some facts about me:

• i am the design editor for my schools yearbook (yes that means i basically designed all 376 pages)

• i love KPOP bro

• i spend way too much time on netflix

• i love to watch movies, any kind.

• i play the clarinet in my schools band

• my hogwarts house is RAVENCLAW & my patronus is a dragonfly (lmao)

• i have 2 dogs

• & lastly i love photography

classes im taking:

• APUSH ( AP US History )

• AP English 3

• Yearbook

• Band

• Foundations of College Math

what i hope to take away from this:

I want to be a more productive person. I feel as if i’m always lazy and never have time to study because of the 4 hour nap i took after school instead of getting my work done. I want to hold my self accountable for the progress i make. I want to put more effort in my work instead of half assing it. i hope anyone who reads this can accept me into the communty because all of y’all seam really sweet. thank you :)

peoples work i really like:

@alimastudies @elkstudies @studyquill @jiyeonstudies @emmastudies @studywithinspo @peachyboy-studies

[islandjournal]

HI!

Hi, Im new to the studyblr communty

blog wise I’ve admire from afar for years

this is my attempt at a stuyblr, where i just share my bullet journal and and other things that help me stay organized and study.

Facts About Me!

Abby

17

Yr 1 college student

Hoping to become a biotech

Blogs that ispired me: @studyblr @failingstudying @sweeterthanstudying @studydiaryofamedstudent @studybuddyx @studytune @moonlitcatstudies @sweetsandstudies @hoshi-studies @ryustudies

Thanks especially @deadnarrival for helping my lazy ass start this.

My style of bujoing is simple 

Hobbies!

Bullet journaling

Music  kpop especially

Netflix ive watched everything

Art im not that good

My Style Of Journaling:

My style of journaling is simple with just a little colour I’m not very good a drawing and is very messy. But the point of journaling is to be effectve.

I blurred out some stuff

January 2018

Yeah thats me basically bye.

Abbyx