Monday thoughts – Why are women held to a different standard than men and why is our government allowing this?

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It’s a beautiful Monday afternoon, mild in weather and close to one of my all-time favorite holidays. While I try my best to keep a positive state of mind with the season rapidly approaching, I find my mind wandering to darker subjects. In these trying times I think it’s hard for anyone to stay positive, especially with opposition coming in full force from all directions─ people angry with the state of things and looking for anything to blame on others.

This is a rant, and my own personal opinion.

I watched my aunt fume over Biden ‘ruining the country’ and real history being taught at schools. Not just the traditional founding fathers nonsense, but the truth on slavery and wrongdoings as well. Sorry, but that is history and your children need to be taught about why it should never happen again. If you have a problem with truth or get defensive over it, you might want to take a harder look at yourself. Don’t your children deserve the truth? It makes me increasing sad to realize that there is a real disturbing trend of people that are buying into a zealot-level conservativism. They bring it into our business, playgrounds with children soaking all of this up like sponges, in the store, on the t.v., on the internet, brainwashing the elder generation that buys into old conservative ideals. The old conservatives were something else, really trying their best to fight for what was right. Teddy Roosevelt was a prime example of leadership. He got it done. These modern day jokes are nothing more than bullies, corruption galore, heartless business men that are taking advantage of the poor and under-educated. Do I side with any one party? No, I do not. Corruption is absolutely nothing new and all parties have it. Even independents, and green parties─ those claiming to be for the people. While I don’t buy into the Kool-Aid of conspiracy theorists (whom are also usually zealots in their own way, just like far-leftists) there is some merit in mudslinging to distract the public. You keep people fired up, they focus on blaming a mass following of a certain party that fosters hate between the people.

Divide the people, gerrymander, take bribes, treat others like garbage, commit the most heinous sexual acts without repercussions, get out of millions of dollars in taxes, rob people of their rights (especially women and minorities) and have the audacity to try and represent the people and somehow succeed in elections?

Just in the state of Texas alone, there are more regulations on my body and reproduction organs than guns. You can walk into any gun-show and have a wide selection of anything your heart might desire. The background check is a joke and any and all guns don’t have to be registered on your driver’s license. But god forbid a woman have the audacity to make an important life choice for her and an unborn entity. What kind of shit life awaits a child whose parent(s) want nothing to do with it? My mother was a shining example of this and I was reminded of it every. single. day. It made her bitter, spiteful, and apathetic to anything going on in my life. If you think this doesn’t happen all the time, you are terribly wrong.

How quickly would the state change it’s tone if we had massive regulations on the state being responsible for abandoned children and paying for natal care? How about having to assist single parents with schooling, feeding, and clothing that child? While it’s a tired argument, it’s a correct one─ no one wants to pay for a child to be taken care of, they want women to deal with it themselves (aka conservatives little fuck you to women for having sex outside of marriage without a husband and therefore should be punished for it.). No one that is pro-life gives two shits about that child’s life, they are pro-birth. That is backwards to even their core beliefs, you know why? You say that someone should take responsibility for a child─ neat, what if they they can’t afford that or have zero support systems? What argument are you going to come back with? That the woman is responsible for her own problems and should suck it up? Sure, ok. So, she busts her butt and it still isn’t enough for two to survive so she has to apply for aid. But, you say that people that live off of financial aid are lazy and shouldn’t be allowed to take all of your hard earned tax dollars. (which by-the-way, have you ever actually looked into where your tax dollars go? It isn’t to the people. Dallas has had millions of peoples tax dollars mysteriously disappear, or turned into a non-functioning bridge. Go on, look into your own city. It’s pretty depressing.)

So, back to the real issue at hand─ this is all an underhanded bullshit way to corner women into needing men to survive. Let’s just call it what it is, absolute control over women’s bodies and their lives. You know what the solution is? You don’t like your tax dollars used for people to just survive because they chose to keep a child they can’t afford, therefore costing you way more than forcing un-wanted pregnancies─

pay for birth control instead.

But guess what, you won’t and I think you know why you won’t.

It isn’t about helping ‘protect women’ and ‘thinking about women’s lives’ or about ‘having proper support before getting pregnant’, or ‘protecting the child before it’s born’ absolutely not. Many people buy into this, not because they have nefarious intentions but because it is what they were taught. And they honestly believe that it is the right way to be and they are helping others. That is not what any of this is about and you can’t expect someone that was raised on these ideals to know any better. What history has shown is no different thousands of years ago versus today─ no matter the amount of reason you present to someone else, they will dig their heels into the ground and back up their viewpoint. No one wants to seem like a fool or believe that they have bought into some sort of sham or way of life their entire life. It took me years to have an open mind towards other’s thoughts and opinions. It isn’t as though I don’t understand where their heart is, or why they believe that way because I did too once upon a time.

Ladies, men in charge do not have your interests in mind. Because heaps of them are in the stone age and taught based off of a bible that was written by men, for men and altered from original text to fit the European way of life and culture and then adapted to the new Americas and its culture, and then modern white, American men and its culture. White American culture─ based off of a non-white, presumably middle-eastern man, in a completely different culture from our own. What.

Have any of you been to a southern Baptist, or Pentecostal church? Ridiculous. Women have to wear skirts, they can’t cut their hair, they can’t wear makeup, many believe they have to give birth until they physically and mentally can’t give birth anymore. No low neckline shirts, no tight clothing, no shirt sleeves above the elbow, no gender-neutral clothing including pants, must remain ‘pure’ for their husbands.

Men’s rules: no hair below their ears, or touching their collars. Hmm.

While all religion in many cultures harp on abstinence on both sides, it is more loosely enforced on men and extremely strict on women.

The biggest insult is how women are viewed. It’s about men making sure that women ‘stay pure’ for men. It is about massive amounts of misunderstanding on how the female body works. This horrible incorrect nonsense is taught to our children, shaming their natural instincts instead of building them up and preparing them for the real world. Sexual education is a joke here. The only education is to not have sex, the end. But, it goes deeper than that. Women are even taught in front of boys that if they have sex before marriage your husband gets the raw end of the deal with a busted vagina. Nothing there about protection, or safety, or taking care of your body, or birth control─ Ladies, your hoo-ha is men’s property and you’re ruining it.

So instead it’s about letting the ‘boys be boys’ and sleep around but women are to stay virtuous. You little shits in no way shape or form care about women, you care about us not being spoiled goods like some sort of human garbage you can pile your shit on until we sit quietly at the bottom of it, losing our voice and only obeying you.

With all my heart and without remorse, screw you.

Control is all you are after disguised as care. The worst part? You know others truly believe in something you don’t and are manipulating them and using them for political advantage and power to the fullest extent. And we support them.

Just my rant on a Monday afternoon.

xoxoxo-Grey

Women in Texas and the United States everywhere, fight─ fight with all you’ve got.

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So, seriously? I couldn’t believe it when I heard about the new law so I immediately looked at several news sources, articles, and anything I could find over it. Sure enough, it was true. How, for the love of all that is holy, did this happen? I mean, I’ve always known that Abbott is a real piece of work, but this is absolutely ridiculous.

Really? The equivalent of bounty hunting? Not only does it just go through in our state but then it’s allowed to fly by our Supreme Court? What is going on in our country right now? How can anyone in their right mind say that allowing whistle blowing on women and suing not only them but anyone they think is involved something a sane group of people would come up with? Even if you have the procedure in another state where later term abortions are legal you can still be sued? Totally unacceptable.

Oh, and the real kick in the pants is the fact that the Supreme Court didn’t hear the full briefing or any arguments in court. Great job guys, you have just undermined more than fifty years of progression for women across our state. And then, as you could guess, caused a domino effect where other states are scrambling to get our constitutional rights banned.

Which begs the question, what next America? Critical thinking anyone? Hello?

Do you know who gets affected the most by these laws? Poor people and minorities. Just like everything else. Want revenge on someone and be able to walk away scot-free from your responsibilities of helping someone that you knowingly slept with and has every chance to get pregnant? No problem, once your ex or one-night-stand has to go to another state to get a medical procedure done, you can make a little side hustle out of exploiting a woman and taking her money. With no consequences. None.

Rape? Who cares.

Childcare? The woman or family’s problem.

Money? They should have a better job that pays more─ oh and find child care and live off of a single income without aid from the state or government.

You want to throw down rich, white conservative zealots? (because many conservatives are not this extreme) Ok, cool. By your own logic, let’s look at what should also go into place for this insane law to make it fair if you really are doing this for the health and safety of women in the state:

  • The state will provide free birth control to women ages 16 until menopause occurs so that no abortions are necessary. It can be sold over the counter or online and readily available with easy access, no excuses. The same will be offered for men who want to get vasectomies.
  • Once a paternity test has confirmed the child is his, the man involved, if he has not done so, should be sued for not providing half payment for said abortion before 6 weeks. This is court ordered and he is unable to defer payment. Failure to show up in court will result in a $10,000 dollar fine and up to 5 years in jail.
  • If a woman has decided to keep the child, the father must cover half of all expenses involved with necessary child care expenses. This includes primary and secondary schooling expenses.
  • A man has the right to wave parental responsibilities if he pays a one-time fee of $10,000 that can be paid within 3 years time. The man involved must sign a legal document waving his parental rights, and as previously stated a paternity test must be taken before paying the court-ordered fee. Failure to comply will result in a $10,000 fine and up to 5 years in jail.
  • If a woman or a couple finds out that she is pregnant and it is past the deadline but does not want the child or is unable to take care of the child, the state is held responsible to open adoption centers where children are provided what they need to survive and to receive a proper education.
  • If the father is unknown or in another state, and the woman does not wish to keep the child the state is held responsible to open adoption centers where children are provided what they need to survive and a proper education.
  • If it is found that a single parent is unable to financial support themselves and a child, the state is held responsible to assist the single parent until they are able to find a better paying job. This includes natal care after 6 weeks of pregnancy. To counter-act people throwing fits over having to ‘support lazy bums’ that, by the way the state has supported by implementing this ridiculous law, a parent will have a reasonable amount of time to get off of assistance, but they have to get off of assistance within the allotted time.
  • Parents of women that have to take on the burden of a child shall not be held financially responsible to pay for said child if the mother is 18 years or older. Except in the case of the woman’s father, or brother being the man responsible for the pregnancy. This includes natal care for the remaining of the pregnancy after the 6 weeks law takes effect.
  • Abortions after 6 weeks performed in another state will not result in fining, or allowing individuals involved to sue or be sued by the state of Texas.

Extreme conservatives by nature have no place in government. Any religion that removes personal freedom without consequences to anyone other than the pregnant woman is unconstitutional. This law is put in place to control women and our rights. It’s to control the poor and minorities and it is downright deplorable.

Hey, assholes, you have no right to use the term ‘pro-life’ you are anything but. Label yourselves like it is, ‘pro-birth’ because you don’t give a shit about that child after it is born. You don’t give a shit about women’s rights or what happens to them after a forced pregnancy occurs. You just don’t give a shit.

George Carlin says it best:

Something needs to be done, and it needs to happen now or there is no stopping whatever they have planned next to pin women under the state and men’s authority.

Because according to them, we are second class citizens and having sex before marriage should only be a luxury afforded to men. By that logic─ doesn’t that mean that men should only be allowed to have sex with men? I mean, no pregnancy occurs and women stay ‘pure’, right? Your move Texas law makers.

Back To The Grind – A Pleasant Reminder That I Live in Texas

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It’s Tuesday, I’m recovering from a previously long and exhausting workweek. The AC industry is no joke in Texas. Many families can barely afford to cover bills, let alone pay to have a service company come out.

The DIY industry has boomed over the last decade or so since the internet has been empowering homeowners with knowledge. Which is kind of great and horrible at the same time.

Since the beginning of the year, I have progressively watched the cost of A/C equipment go up by 5%-10% twice in the first quarter, and now they are saying it will go up again. As a business owner, you come to expect these sort of setbacks. People expect things to go up a bit, especially with the state of things recently. But try explaining to your regulars when the cost goes up by 25% – 40%

Refrigerant cost has more than doubled since last year, copper has gone up a whopping 200%, and steel a staggering 400%. Think that’s bad?

Shipping is far, far worse. Yes, we can all guess that because of COVID-19 things have progressed slower than usual but this is an entirely different beast. A shipping container from Asia, on average, last year was around $2k per container.

This year? That number has gone up to $20k as of late. An 800% increase.

Let’s just think about that for a second. 800% increase.

Even domestic shipping and freight have been steadily increasing every month since last year.

It’s a tough time for many business owners, it’s a tough time for customers, it’s just tough.

As you can imagine the unique industry I work in brings in some…characters to put it mildly. Imagine living in Texas during the pandemic, with a slew of under-educated, narcissistic mans-man sorts that consider themselves godly church-folk. Now add in just enough YouTube knowledge to make them dangerous and the ability to buy the parts online and buddy─ you’ve got yourself an insufferable man-child.

I’ll definitely take these guys any day over an engineer, however. I’ll explain that particular hell in another episode.

When you live in a place like Dallas, you know that your experience will be different depending on which part of the city, and neighboring cities you are in. If you are anywhere outside of Downtown proper or just outside of a metropolitan area, without a doubt you are dealing with apathetic, single-minded individuals that find this whole pandemic to be blown out of proportion. While, just like any sensationalist news, that does come with some truth, ffs have a brain.

I have signs posted everywhere. Before someone walks in, after they walk inside, all of our employees wear them. And yet, for ever 1 person wearing a mask, 3 do not wear one.

Look. I don’t like masks, I’m vaccinated, I constantly wash my hands make a real effort to not touch my face or dig up my butt crack at work and touch other things, and I keep my distance. But you know what, I wear a flipping mask. So why, in the nine hells, can someone not wear a mask for fifteen minutes or less?

Because, dear friends, I may live near the dessert but I’m drowning in a sea of idiots.

They all, literally, have the exact and I mean verbatim, word vomit. I’ve even heard such phrases as, “my wife is a nutritionist and we refuse to get vaccinated” as if she is at the pinnacle of medical discovery and working hard on the front lines with dying patients. “I’m vaccinated,” yeah, so am I and viruses mutate, next. “The flu has killed more than Covid-19″─ herpa derp─ “I’ve had it, it’s nothing─ berpadee derp herp─ “It’s a conspiracy against white men and it’s racist─ derpa herpadee snort snoot─ “Biden is going to be the ruin of this country─ deeherpa doo da─”

These are not made up conversations, yes, these people do exist. P.S. For anyone jumping on the Right v Left train and that can only identify with one side of the argument and mudslinging bullshit, please go over to the children’s table and learn something called critical thinking.

Biden, by the way, is not democratic. He is what the Republican party used to represent.

The sheer amount of idiocy would surprise many people. I’m not talking about normal people ignorance. I’ve had customers come in for a few years now, we got along great, had differences in opinions politically but nothing we couldn’t ever reach middle ground on. This has been such a weird last two years and really makes me sad. It’s like people have gone completely polar opposite on damn near everything happening. They just need a reason to take their anger out on everything, and everyone. I can’t believe the words leaving people’s mouths right now.

At this point, I have no sympathy for people raised a certain way. When you cannot see reason, you cannot be reasoned with. Therefore, yes, you are a danger to society.

The amount of times that I have heard, “well, I haven’t gotten it once and I’ve been fine, or, everyone in my family got it but me,” is embarrassingly high.

Yeah, no, you got it you just didn’t have symptoms. Congrats, you’re a super-spreader. Even if you didn’t get it, your family did and they spread it. And I’m sure if your dumbass didn’t get a shot, your family damn sure didn’t. Unless you have a teen or young adult with some sense in the house that got vaccinated. For those that seem to think this is a good thing that weeds out the population, while logically I get what you are saying, fuck right off you miserable asshole.

You want to know something? I’m about to get real savage. If you are too fucking stupid to not see people getting this, struggling with their lives, even some of your precious leaders getting it and dying or fighting for their lives, then I have zero sympathy for you. As a matter of fact, I think there should be a waiver that if you refuse to get a vaccine, you also wave your right to get treated in a hospital.

Just so there is no confusion, if you are waiting on a vaccination and on a waiting list─ you are just fine to be treated. For the assholes that try and get clever by being on a permanent waitlist, you can go ahead and get ready to spend a long time in prison. Let’s go ahead and leave the hospital beds open for people that are actually trying to help themselves and others. You got a strong opinion that you undoubtedly stand behind, you’re a big strong adult, you can take care of yourself. The only exception to this rule are children for obvious reasons.

But I digress.

I explained the earlier info to paint a picture of the type of customers we get daily. Today, I had a gentleman from Hong Kong impart top secret knowledge to me that the vaccines were poison, Japan can confirm apparently. 😐🙄

As frustrating as it all can be, at the end of the day it feels good being able to help families. Especially in times when it seems like we all desperately need it.

Anyway, these are my thoughts on a Tuesday. Have a great day lovelies. 💞

Xoxoxo

Grey