Updated: Nov 18, 2020
Some of Flannel Diaries' butches favorites things: Having cocktails, watches, golf, baseball caps, and witty banter with friends.
And, what is every butch's favorite past time? Being dandy and drinking cocktails. Here are Flannel Diaries not very scientific polls Top 10 Cocktails:
1. Bourbon, neat 2. Old Fashion 3. Jamison on the Rocks 4. Manhattan 5. Mai Tai 6. Gin & Tonic (My golfing buddy prefers Hendricks Gin) 7. Moscow Mule 8. Stoli & Soda with a lime 9. Pabst Blue Ribbon (Don't know why this is on the list. Mostly tastes like garbage but you'll look like a hipster while drinking it). 10. Any microbrew (Best Microbrews in Rochester, MN) Bonus Butch Cocktail: New York Sour
Vangie's Cocktail of Choice:
Tito's vodka, cranberry juice, and a lemon wedge. Also known as a Cape Cod.
* Please remember to drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive. Always have designated driver. Must be 21 to consume alcohol legally anywhere in the United States.
Is there a reason why people want to keep the world the way it is? Because, I don't see the profit in maintaining the status quo.
I know, I've seen, and lived through suffering, which does not in anyway disregard anyone else's suffering. I do believe that all living being's lives are sacred and valuable -- even those who annoy me. I'm not Buddha, I'm human and I make mistakes, I fail, I get sick, I hurt people's feelings, I get my feelings hurt. It's how life rolls when we decide to be in this world. To live this life.
The hardest part about being in this world is trying to be one's true and authentic self. To have one's world views, but still be able to see the world views of others. I may be uncompromising in many things: the unfair & unethical treatment of humans and animals, social and political injustices, the disproportionate amount of people in poverty caused by racist and xenophobic policies, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, abuse, dishonesty, greed, the commodification of Jesus and culture, hate, bigotry, and bullying. Why wouldn't I be? Those are serious topics that a person must be uncompromising and resolute in when one is trying to prevent or end these things. Do you want someone who's wishy-washy fighting for your dignity, humanity, and human rights? Of course not.
It is imperative that I cannot pick and choose to support one movement fighting for injustice versus another. That #BlackLIvesMatter because to me all lives matter, which means ALL lives, trans, immigrants, the homeless, refugees, blacks, whites, men, women, gay, straight, abled, differently-abled, cops, and criminals. I can disagree, be disgusted by people's behavior and actions, but it doesn't mean I should be so indifferent to the hurt and harm people experience or inflict on others.
We all have many obstacles that can keep us from doing well in life, if that's personal, emotional, physical and/or social. However, it doesn't mean it should define us, as the saying goes. Being a good person in the world is a practice, I don't think it comes as easily as people think it does. It is much easier to stand by and watch things happen, than it is to intervene or to say, "hey, that's just not right." It's also very easy to criticize those who are trying to make the world a better place. Because, it's easier to put a person down than it is to lift them up. Or, have a real conversation and challenge one's personal beliefs and perspectives and still walk away respecting one another.
I am more than open to hearing contrary information that will challenge my already strongly held beliefs, but don't come at me with false facts, and cat memes. That is just disrespectful towards my intelligence. Don't tell me I must have some mental illness that makes me think this way, because I do have a mental illness, and I've lived with it my whole life and am very well aware of it and manage it daily. It doesn't make me crazy, it makes me sad (I have pills for that). In addition, it also makes me very introspective.
I can have depression, and fight for social justice, be a good person in the world, and seek to understand the inhumanity of the world, in order to find ways to help solve the world's problems. It is very difficult to fix a very large complex problem with very simple and small minds, or with the same minds that created these ginormous problems.
I'm enough. We are all enough. We can be the solutions to the world's problems if we are willing to find a way to come to compassionate consensus. There is some strong resistance to compassionate consensus, so I'm just saying, it's going to take some strong people to get things done. It's scary. I live in a town that will shut you down if someone says the truth about something about someone who doesn't like the truth, and their friends don't like it too, because we don't like the truth it upsets our comfortable lives, but it doesn't make it any less true. Police brutality is real. Dead babies are floating in the sea. The west coast is on fire. Canada is in a recession. That's real.
I don't have to fight so hard. I don't have to care so much. I don't. But, I do. I have a good life, I'm happy with my friends, family, and spouse. I don't want for anything. I have an education, a career, my health, and a nice home to go to. My dog seems pretty content with his life too. Why would I sacrifice my reputation or my livelihood for a cause?
It's the right thing to do.
I'm not stepping on peoples backs to get to where I'm going. But, I'm standing on the shoulders of those who came before me, and that's real. I give back to my community, to the people who don't have enough, for those who are too afraid to speak for themselves, because I made it out, and I didn't do it alone. So, this is my way to pay the cost of living on this planet. This is how I decided to pay my way through life. Nothing is free. Even those free samples, have been paid for by someone else.
This post was originally going to be 10 things to know this week, but I didn't think I knew 10 things, so I dropped it to 5. If you have anything you want us to know this week, just drop us a note on the contact section or the submit breaking stories button.
Flannel Diaries conceived by a very smart panel of drunken friends, and written by Cumberbund Vanderbutch (really not her real name) is launching a SWEET new site that is all butches and gender non-conforming folks will enjoy lots and lots of interesting info in regards to butch related stuff & junk. We are still in BETA form.
Hillary Clinton has become the Democratic parties presumptive nominee, which just means she's going to be POTUS in November.
The weather in the Midwest is starting to get hot & humid. The Midwest is where Vanderbutch, for some reason, found herself living.
Cumberbund Vanderbutch is having a midlife crisis, and we are still trying to figure out what a midlife crisis for a butch dandy lesbian looks like.
Creating a website that's about all stuff related to butches and gender non-conforming folks, takes a lot of time and energy, and mental capacity.