driley1

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Today is the day that several of my friends are choosing to wear purple, to acknowledge the sadness and the senselessness of the deaths of several young teens because they were targeted and (sometimes brutally) attacked because they were different.

Sometimes the difference was because they identified as gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered... or even questioned their sexuality. Sometimes it may have been a chronic condition that they lived with, like asthma or diabetes. Sometimes it's simply because they weren't into the things that the "popular" kids in school were. They may have been geeks, artists, musicians. Even more disappointing, they may have just had a different skin color, or different religion, or speak a language other than English natively.

The point is, these teens may have felt as if they had nowhere to turn. Nowhere to go to have a safe place free from teasing, assault, hateful messages left in lockers and in email inboxes and on cell phones.

A movement on YouTube started, called "It Gets Better." The movement encouraged people of all walks of life to share their stories of their tumultous teen years, and show youth out there who may be struggling with similar issues that life does get better as you grow older.

I created and shared a video with the IGBP. It's behind the cut, if you wish to view.

( Read more...Collapse )

If you're out there, and hurting... it does get better. As I said in the video, it doesn't get perfect overnight. But what you're going through now is temporary. It will pass. Please reach out to someone if you are thinking about hurting yourself. If you don't have someone, you can call The Trevor Project at (866)4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386) or visit them online at thetrevorproject.org. You can even send me a PM on LJ or comment to this entry (comments on this entry will be screened and anonymous comments are accepted) if you want.

Take a look a the most recent news post, as it explains a recent security breach that may have possibly gotten ahold of the email address where you receive LJ-related mail (such as comment notifications).

I got hit with it myself, so if you've visited my journal recently, you may be at risk.

Don't forget to check your alternate accounts, such as RP or creative journals.

Thank you so much for the iTunes card! (It may all be gone before Christmas day. XD) But I wanted to drop a line saying I got it just fine and everything great!

Thanks again! ^__^

Power is back on at the apartment and in the office.

Fred and I are going to the store today to replace the entire contents of our refrigerator and freezer. After that will be a thorough house cleaning, and then I think things will finally be back to normal.

I can't say it enough; thanks to everyone who's sent good wishes and thoughts our way. We really appreciate it.

After this entry, this LJ will revert back to its previous Friends-Only status. If you wish to read beyond this point, please comment here or on the first post on http://driley1.livejournal.com to be added.

• 15:11 My pants just split in the middle! >.< #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

• 19:20 When it comes to handling water emergencies, Fairfield is really FAILfield. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter

Power came back on in the apartment this morning. Power is still out at my office. There are more employees at the office than we have working computers, so I may still lose a day of work...

THANK YOU SO MUCH! I got the package today, and was completely floored. I don't think I'll ever run out of gel pens as long as I live. XD And the iTunes card will definitely be put to good use, as will the manga. ^_^

Thank you thank you thank you!

Love,
Dusty

If you comment on this journal asking to be added to my Friends List, you will be subject to scrutiny. As has always been the policy, I reserve the right to deny your request, and will be doing so more frequently.

No one currently on my Friends List is affected by this policy.

more information here.

Omar was the director of the All-Ohio State Fair Band from 1970-1998. I was a member of that band from 1997-2000. Omar was inspiration to every one of his students, including me. I credit him with teaching me a hell of a lot more than music. Probably in the coming day or so, I'll remember an example of this, but I can't right now.

Happy Birthday, hinoai!

Hope you have a fantastic day!

I'm having a fantastic day myself! Yay!

Today is my LiveJournal's Birthday! YAY! It's four years old. I've been doing this since 2001. Holy geez. @.@

So to celebrate, here are ten random memories that made me pee from laughter.

1. Seeing as I'm quite addicted to LJ, here's a helpful list of what to do and what not to do if WHEN LiveJournal goes down.

2. A post from an old friend after he returned from the dentist, still on anesthesia.

3. Pwn3d with puns.

4. Laying the grammatical smackdown on a radical anonymous poster troll.

5. janscottfrazier gets quite creative with some answers to a LiveJournal Mini-Game.

6. shippo versus Cheney. Round 1. FIGHT!

7. Just when you'd thought you'd seen every possible crossover...

8. Ever go to Google and type in [yourname] is?

9. They'll put a warranty on anything nowadays...

10. Not a LiveJournal link, but click here and check out the Videos section, namely the video from "Password Plus." It is the most soda-from-nose-squirting, knee-slapping, urine-inducing moment in game show history. Many thanks to hmtriplecrown for hosting and providing this clip to me.

So there you have it. Here's to another four years of OMGWTFBBQ.

After opening the chat program of your choice, be it AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Trillian, Gaim, Adium, or whatever your heart desires...

...

DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE DAMN SIGN ON BUTTON. *headdesk*

Otherwise you may be left with feelings of loneliness or "why is no one talking to meeeeeeeeeee ;_;".

Brought to you by the Please Be Smarter Than Dusty Fund.



[EDIT: I will be doing some slight pruning of the flist today - nothing major, just mainly dropping journals that haven't updated in like a million years. And at this point since about 85-90% of my entries are public anyway, it doesn't matter much.]

[EDIT EDIT: Done. Most of my pruning was dead syndies or communities.]

Ugh. I'm swearing off White Castles.

Even if I'm hungry after an 11-hour shift (3pm-2am) and nothing else is open. Uuuuuuuuuuggggggggghhhhhhhhhh. *dies*

*sings* Argh! Something died in my mouth tonight, it must've been something I ate... */sings*

Back after I go buy stock in the company that makes Certs...

Happy Birthday, indirect!

Though I'm here and you're there, I hope you know that I wish only the best for you, especially as you near the big W day. *hugs*

[EDIT: The first time I posted this, I put the exclamation point inside the LJ-user tag, creating a big bold "Happy Birthday [bad username in lj tag]" XDDDDD]

VERY. LONG. DAY. For all parties involved. Had a lot of last minute things come up, and one emergency meeting later things seemed to have smoothed out a bit.

Now going to bed.

Swiped from one suzume_sparrow:

I know very little about some of the people on my friends list. Some people I know relatively well. Some of you have something in common with me and we chat occasionally. Some of you I hardly know at all. Perhaps you lurk, for whatever reason. But you friended me and I thank you.

But here's a thought: why not take this opportunity to tell me a little something about yourself. Any old thing at all.Just so the next time I see your name I can say: "Ah, there's so and so...s/he likes office supplies."

I'd love it if every single person who friended me would do this. Yes, even you people who I know really well. Then post this in your own journal.

mr_bastian says: (2:11:05 PM)
Staples hurt. D:

Then again, so does exploding.

Final number for the Geico insurance: $550 for 6 months. I forgot to tell them about an accident I don't remember having in September of 2000. I was a worse driver than then I am now, so it's fairly possible I actually did have the accident. ^_^; Still a significant savings. \o/

And with that, let's get our next addition to the friends list...

...it's robertsearcy! COME ON DOWN! You are the next Friends List Member on DUSTY'S LIVEJOURNAL!

*is shot for running this gag so far into the ground that Rod Roddy's grave is uncovered to find Rod spinning in said grave*