#family anecdotes

[sem24]

On the importance of immigrants…

I usually just post fun, quirky fandom stuff, but in light of recent events I felt I needed to speak up:

Most Americans probably know this iconic song.

It’s considered a classic piece of Americana, but what you may not know is that despite all its mentions of West Virginia, the song was actually inspired by its neighbor, Maryland.

The other thing is, it wasn’t written by John Denver but by a couple, Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert. Their creativity and collaboration brought the song to life before Denver’s voice made it a legend.

Before the success of that song, the two were very much starving artists—in the most literal sense. They couldn’t even afford groceries.

The names Sol and Helen Butt may not mean anything to you, but they mean everything to me…they were my great-grandparents.

Sol was a Polish immigrant, hence the unfortunate last name, awkwardly shortened from its original Polish form. It’s difficult to trace the records, but we believe he arrived in the U.S. sometime in the late 1920s or early 1930s. According to my grandmother—his daughter-in-law—he saw the writing on the wall with the rise of fascism and antisemitism in the lead up to you know what.

As a Jew, he decided to leave before it was too late. The details are hazy, and my recently deceased grandmother’s memory wasn’t as sharp in her final years. (We sadly lost my grandfather when I was very young.) But as far as we know, only Sol—and possibly one of his sisters—made it out. What became of his parents and other siblings is unclear, but you can imagine…

Sol was, by all accounts, a kind, generous, and very… passionate man. One family legend tells of a time when a man came into their little “Mom and Pop grocery store” and held a knife to my great-grandmother’s throat, attempting to rob them. My great-grandfather was in the back, where they also had a small butcher shop. Hearing the commotion, he came out holding his giant butcher’s cleaver. The would-be robber took one look at the furious Polish man with the enormous knife and bolted. But Sol, enraged that someone would dare threaten his beloved wife, didn’t stop there—he chased the man down the street, cleaver in hand, yelling at him the whole way.

Sol and Helen had a long, happy marriage until their deaths, long before I was born. They were apparently so well-loved in their neighborhood that when they eventually retired and sold their shop, the community threw a giant block party in their honor. Somewhere, packed away in my dad’s house, there’s an old album with grainy photos of that day—a celebration of two lives that left such a lasting mark on everyone around them.

They were survived by my grandfather, who, as I mentioned earlier, passed away many years ago. Even so, I can still vaguely remember him—a warm, bald man with an infectious belly laugh and the kind of hugs that made you feel completely safe and loved. Sol and Helen raised a good man, someone who spent the last 30 years of his life using his law degree not to climb the ladder at some fancy law firm, but to defend people against predatory IRS practices, fighting for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. Tragically, despite his dedication to helping others, he was let down by the U.S. healthcare system and died from a preventable cause—a painful irony for a man who spent his life trying to make things fairer for others.

All this to say, immigrants built this country, shaping everything from agriculture to art and contributing to the few parts of the U.S. that make life here worth living. No one should have to justify why they deserve to exist somewhere, but immigrants have more than proven their value. Without them, much of what we think of as quintessentially American wouldn’t exist—from Italians giving us pizza to Japanese workers building the railroads, to Mexican communities enriching our culture, to a small immigrant-owned grocery store quietly supporting the creation of one of America’s most beloved songs. Immigrants aren’t just part of the story—they are the story, woven into the very fabric of this nation.

Fuck Elon Musk

Fuck our orange dictator

Fuck Nazis

And remember kids, always punch Nazis in their stupid fucking face.

Or chase them with a cleaver, you have options.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk, that is all.

[callipraxia]

Context: the books under discussion are the two supplements for the TTRPG “Monster of the Week.” Also, since I am occasionally not quite sure where standard American English ends and Southernese begins, I will add that the word “booger” has two meanings here: one involves unsightly stuff that originates inside your nose, and the other is shorthand for ‘any frightening entity; monster,’ presumably a derivative of “bogeyman.”

Aunt, in tones of deeply judgmental fake concern, on Christmas: “those books you said you wanted, they looked awful! The titles, and the pictures, they were all boogers! What would you want stuff like that for?!”

My mother, dryly and surprisingly: “Guess she’s reading about boogers these days.”

Me, thinking privately while I murmur some excuse: “Thank goodness I had better sense than to ask for the Malleus Monstrorum….”

[dust-and-berry]

So... I was watching Sandman and my mom asked that question and it was super strange for a second since her siblings are of other races or from the same mother (my uncle looks Mexican and my aunt looks like Regina George) so she was left confused an "awkward" moment so to speak...

[callipraxia]

My grandmother, who was a teenager in the late forties, often talks fondly about the old flour sack dresses. She had a good friend whose mother actually enjoyed hand-sewing (the only person anyone around here knew who did, since most women were employed in the sewing plants from the thirties through the end of the 1980s, so they had no interest in anything even vaguely resembling sewing after work), and she and her friend would go with their parents to buy flour in order to pick patterns they liked, and then the friend’s mother would replicate all the top fashions of the day for them at cost, adjusted to be as flattering as possible to their measurements. Nan went from owning three dresses as a little girl to wearing a different one every day of the week as a young woman. One time, the town’s only department store got an unexpected order of men’s dress shirts, white button-downs, for the first time since the War and she managed to get one for her younger brother on her lunch break from the sewing plant - they’d completely sold out by the end of the day. In return, he bought her a ring with a tiny diamond in it. When my grandfather’s five sisters met her, they were so impressed by her pretty clothes and just by her owning any jewelry at all that they thought it was like their baby brother (my grandfather was the youngest of ten) had done married a princess.

[livewellnews]

"Twinkle Khanna's Hilarious Take on Motherhood: From Rotis to Modern Parenting"

In her latest column for the Times of India, Twinkle Khanna, the renowned author and entrepreneur, delves into the profound shifts in maternal roles and responsibilities from her own upbringing to her experiences as a parent. As Mother’s Day swept across social media, Twinkle chose to reflect on the multifaceted demands placed on modern-day mothers.

Recalling the simpler duties of her mother, Dimple Kapadia, which included ensuring her and her sister Rinke’s dietary and grooming needs were met, Twinkle juxtaposes them with her own diverse roles as a contemporary mother. From playing the roles of therapist, event organizer, stylist, educator, motivational guide, to even being a nutritionist and hairdresser, the responsibilities have evolved significantly.

While Twinkle reminisces about her childhood social escapades, like chasing chickens or collecting bottle caps for contests, she contrasts them with the challenges faced by present-day mothers. Managing screen time, adhering to gentle parenting techniques, and shielding children from potential scars are just a few of the complexities modern mothers navigate.

Injecting humor into her narrative, Twinkle shares an amusing anecdote involving her husband, actor Akshay Kumar, inadvertently likening her to a cow during her early days of motherhood. His casual remark about her being “unavailable” because she was “milking” humorously symbolized her transition from a glamorous figure to a nurturing mother.

Delving deeper, Twinkle explores the myriad struggles modern mothers face. Balancing childcare, career aspirations, and personal well-being while navigating societal expectations can feel like an uphill battle. She questions whether the modern approach of shielding children from the realities of the world results in homogeneity among today’s youth, with their similar behaviors, attire, and interests.

Acknowledging the pressure to strike a delicate balance in parenting, Twinkle reflects on the perpetual sense of guilt and blame that accompanies motherhood. Whether it’s granting too much freedom or being perceived as overly controlling, the journey remains fraught with uncertainty and judgment.

Ultimately, Twinkle’s poignant exploration serves as a tribute to the resilience and adaptability of mothers through the ages, as they continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of parenthood with humor, grace, and love.

[world-of-wales]

NEWS -

Francesca Fattore, 44, credits the Princess of Wales with helping to transform her life. She sat down with her inside HMP Send in Surrey after completing a 12-week rehab programme in 2020.

"Do you know what? The one thing that surprised me about Kate was how she didn’t judge - she just didn’t care that I was a prisoner.

"The way she was with me, it was just like I was a normal person. You have so many people out there judging prisoners and ex-prisoners yet she supports rehabilitation there and I was just shocked that someone like her sat next to me and saw me as equal."

"I think the main thing that will stay with me… I said to her I was really nervous and I was shaking, literally. "But she just sat down next to me and I said 'I am so nervous' and she said 'don’t be silly it is fine'. She just made me feel so relaxed then as well.

"I said to her that prison was the best thing that happened to me and she said 'why do all prisoners say that to me'. She was really shocked that going to prison was the best thing that happened to me."

Francesca’s own mum is battling the disease and speaking about the royal, she concluded:

"If I could give a message to her, it would be to say she is amazing.

"I would love to tell her again that I feel so blessed to have met her and it is one of the biggest things that has ever happened to me.

"She is an inspiration to so many women - she is amazing, genuine and I think she is an absolutely amazing woman ."

Francesca is now a content creator and runs UkExFemalePrisoner - a safe space for former female criminals to find opportunities.

[incorrectbatfam]

I haven’t seen the post about peeling skin but I have a moral; never buy socks at Universal Studios

Pre-COVID my family went to California and did all the fun stuff. AKA stuff I don’t find fun but who gives a shit whatever. We went to Universal Studios first, and back then, they had a store dedicated to socks. No idea if it’s still there. Cool, I want funny socks so I buy a couple pairs, and I wear one pair the next day

My feet were peeling for weeks. Like, I could peel off a square inch of skin in one go. Didn’t hurt to come off, but boy my feet were sore. This was because I went on a water ride at Disney and my feet got wet

So, you might think it was because my feet were wet, not the socks. Nah. I’m the kind of freak who both enjoys peeling her skin off and wearing socks in the shower. And when we got home, I did Science

Only the Universal Socks did this. Also they gave my sibling blisters. We tested that too, with more Science.

So don’t buy their socks

[strryhaze]

Kennedy could be sensitive while others were unfeeling.

Actress Judy Garland—Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz—came to Hickory Hill when her career was waning. She looked unwell and seemed to be a little lost, sadly standing off to one side. No one seemed to speak to her, or even notice her, until Kennedy took her in his arms and began to dance. The past-her-prime actress and the shy dancing-class dropout performed a gentle soft shoe together. Garland lit up, touched by Kennedy’s kindness.

— robert kennedy: his life, evan thomas .

[solarwreathe]

christmas with no limits

really, this art was all an excuse to show you this image. i miss when old movie promo photos were awkward as shit.

[jvzebel-x]

here's an update for all the "tOuRiSm iS fOr ThE pEoPlE" fucks. always remember that the second anyone steps foot on that land in the name of "tourism" or any other haole institution, that is colonizing&that person is a fucking explicit modern colonizer who made the conscious decision to be one and has spent a lot of fucking money on that trip to get their title. only that kine want more of their kin there-- don't pretend that shit is for anyone else.

drop dead of spontaneous combustion specifically, not even the sharks would want that pīlau fucking meat.

[callipraxia]

I am officially the Evilest Aunt Alive! Says my year-old nephew who wants to stick his hands in the toilet, eat cat food and climb in the cat-box, throw my teacups, and lick the jar my good clay mask is in, anyway.

[roastedchik]

Help I just looked at my sister's drawing notebook and found that SHE WAS SELFSHIPING HERSELF WITH MALLEUS???? (She is 7)

LIKE WHAT, GIRL?? I STARTED WITH SELFSHIPING AT THE END OF LAST YEAR

Every day these children become more advanced Over and out

[dannymcdanface]

Phil's Grandma's gingerist goose story

Northern anecdotes mon amour ❤️

[george-the-good]

The Queen gave him [George VI] the greatest moral support, and helped him in every way. But the person who was the head of the family was the King.

This development took place over years: it was not the sudden result of kingship. Indeed a remarkable diffidence lingered in the King. ‘He had at first a feeling of inadequacy,’ said a relative. ‘He was the least self-pleased person in the world. I remember being touched when the King, in the first summer of his reign, was arranging his guest list for Balmoral. I remember him saying rather doubtfully, “Do you think they will really want to come?”’

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother by Dorothy Laird (1966)

[peachdoxie]

Decided to start my foray into Batman comics with the print versions of the Wayne Family Adventures, vols. 1-5 lol

[sherlock-is-ace]

a very famous and important argentinian journalist died yesterday and every channel and program on tv is doing some sort of tribute to him which is lovely

but the song everyone's using, is lilly allen's "fuck you" which makes it seem like everyone hated him lol but it's is relevant to him as a person and his career so it does make sense, it's just very funny to hear if you don't know the context lol