Weekly Update, June 28, 2021

Howdy y’all and welcome back! I know it’s been a few weeks since I did a weekly update with any depth, but I figured that I would make up for it today.

Black Lives Matter

As I write every week, Black Lives Matter! On that theme, and as I also mention every week, it’s important to follow content creators from all diverse backgrounds. Put plainly, if you are on social media, make sure that you aren’t only following white creators.

I feel like I don’t ever have anything really profound to say on the subject of BLM but I also don’t feel like the most important thing is for me to say profound things, but rather to just continue to use this platform to life up other causes that aren’t about me.

Personal

This is hard for me to write, but I think it is important to be as honest as possible on this page. Two weeks ago, I started a disability leave of absence from work to deal with mental health issues that have been present for most of my life. American society stigmatizes mental health in general, but for men in particular there is a stigma against talking about any mental health issues and to just be strong.

I think it takes more strength to be honest than to lie – I have suffered from depression and anxiety for much of my life. I was a kid who was self-conscious about the way my body developed from a young age and great up hating it. Since probably the fourth or fifth grade, I have not liked my body and been ashamed of the way I look. I tried dieting and exercise and even things that were less healthy. Even when I was emaciated and unhealthy, I still didn’t like the way I looked.

It dawned on me recently that the issues was with not liking myself. I don’t know if I would had genes that gave me a naturally high metabolism and I grew up skinny that I would just trade a different set of issues. A few months ago I started therapy with someone who (at least so far) has been helping me. I read two books cover to cover on psychology to get a framework for dealing with my issues. I’m also watching the American anime, “King of the Hill” because my father is from Texas and most of my issues stem from my childhood, and mostly directly from him.

So I am working on being a person who defines my personality and not just responding to the way my childhood went down. My therapist tells me that anger is only a secondary emotion. Really it is either hurt or fear that is masquerading as anger. I think this insight is really helpful and I am working on being a different person than what I was told I had to be.

Anyway, this is why I’ve not been posting weekly updates lately. With everything else going on, it felt like too much to also put weekly updates on top of everything else. However, it has been cathartic to write about it, and I am glad that I did. I don’t know if anyone actually reads this anymore, but if you do I hope you find some value from this story.

Politics and Professional

Pass.

People to follow (on Twitter)

Bernice King - The daughter of Dr. King

Martin Luther King III - The son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

@cetolyne - great friend, awesome programmer, super helpful!

@blenster - cool maker, very positive, well worth a follow!

Marley - first place champ! Marley is one of the best on Twitter!

Null Coder - another awesome person to keep an eye on!

@EvilMog - creator of the DC MUD and an interesting person to follow.

TrakoZG – an internet friend who tweets excellent things

Sofia Rune – brilliant scholar who shares things that are both insightful and valuable

MildThrone – up and comer with a small following for now, but I think this account is on the rise!

Johnny B. Ill – Brilliant musician with wisdom to share for those smart enough to listen

Tiffany Collins - This is my wife, who is making cool art and is well worth a follow!

My music project - This is my music project, Dude and the missing rugs (I know that I link to it below, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to list it twice).

One last thing – for the music and art lovers

If you want to find what I am doing on other platforms, this is my TikTok here is my YouTube channel and here is the music project Twitter. Finally, if you want to listen to the full songs that I’ve recorded, you can check out my Spotify or search most music platforms for, “Dude and the missing rugs.”

My wife is making incredible art, and this is her website where you can buy her prints/stickers, here is her TikTok she is also on Instagram and Twitter. Finally, if you like her art you can support her on Patreon as well!

That’s it for this week, internet friend! Thanks for reading this far! I hope you have a very nice day and a most excellent week.

Cheers!

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