check it it's random and not what i was originally posting on.

new post on the Pink Juice Box. Check it, y'all and comment if you're feeling benevolent.

If you already know about EFCA and support it click here to contact your congresspeople and ask them to support it.

So, I don't post necessarily overt political things as blogs that often (ok, yes I do), but I don't often ask you to take action, which maybe I should more often. Anyway. The Employee Free Choice Act is something that is close to me, for a variety of reasons. 1) I worked for the Service Employees International Union during the election helping defeat ludicrous anti-worker initiatives in Colorado and electing Barack Obama and, more importantly, 2) I am a low-wage retail worker who cannot afford the benefits "provided" by my employer, I do not get paid sick days, I live from paycheck to paycheck (sometimes less), and I wish there were a way for me to improve these things in my workplace. The fact is, speaking out about things in the workplace is dangerous for me, and whenever I do it, I run the risk of getting fired or punished by getting my hours cut, getting written up, or being treated poorly/ignored. If my co-workers and I were able to join a union and bargain with our management for better wages, benefits, and policies, we would all be happier in our jobs, and my workplace would benefit from happier employees who felt like they were valued.

Speaking out, or asking for better treatment is especially hard in an ecomony like ours because you know that many people would love to have your job and you don't want to feel ungrateful that you have not been let go.

Of course, this is not to say I don't enjoy my job. I absolutely love what I get to do every day even if it is tiring and sometimes stressful. But I think my work is worth more than my wage. I feel that I deserve good, affordable health care because of all the hard work I put in (and money I make for my bosses and the company. In fact, today, I had one individual sale that was over $600, which is a little less than what my paycheck for TWO WEEKS usually equals). I don't think it's weird to like your job and wish it could be improved at the same time. And I'm certain most of my fellow workers feel the same way as I do.

The Employee Free Choice Act, which was introduced in both the house and senate yesterday would make it easier for me and my co-workers, if we chose to, to form a union, and would make it less likely that we would get fired or "punished" for wanting one. It would allow our voices to be listened to, and allow us to assert that our work is worth a certain amount, which is a right that has slowly been eroded by selfish business interests who have the money to influence elected officials.

And already, these same interests are at it again, pouring millions of dolllars of money their workers earned them into deceptive ads and lobbying against EFCA. They pretend like it will get rid of a secret ballot elections (which it won't), or that it will force workers to join the union (which is illegal, and it won't), and this just pisses me off.

Anyway, the link above talks a little about EFCA, and this link is SEIU's five things you should know about employee free choice. There's also SEIU's EFCA website, which explains a little bit more, and here's the link (from there) to contact your congressperson and ask them to support EFCA. If you're a working person, or someone who cares about me and my well-being who is better off, I encourage you to take action and ask your congresspeople to support EFCA so that workers are valued and make what they are worth.



Here's a video of Rachel Maddow talking about EFCA, to give you some perspective:



And, you know, pass it on.

Pinky

Dudes,

I haven't written forever, but hopefully that will be a'changin. And, of not, oh well. I'm sick right now, though. Feel feverish and am trying to convince myself I don't have a fever because I need to work tomorrow.

This next paycheck is going to be pretty small, which sucks, but hey, at least it's not a rent paycheck.

Some exciting and maybe terrifying things may be on the horizon. Will keep you folks updated, I guess.

Also, is there anyone I can marry for health insurance? If you would like to marry me, let me know. My ankle is supremely fucked up and I can't afford to get it looked at fixed, but I'm pretty sure I need surgery (bc i'm a doctor, and all).

Laterz.

So, more than twice in the last few days, I have felt my heart or hopes lift thanks to something our new president has done. Now, mind you, I know I worked for five months to elect him, and that I was a fan, but I don't generally believe in politicians, nor believe what they say. This man ran on closing gitmo, he said he was going to repeal the global gag rule, and he has. And it is amazingly likely that the first bill he will sign is going to be the Lilly Ledbetter act, which will help close the pay gap between men and women and ensure that unequal pay can be brought to court and those who were paid unfairly receive back pay. It's weird to say, since I have not done it in the past eight years (aka, allll of my adult life), but I am pleased with what our president has done, and what he will do. Wow. That feels good, kids.

so, i thought once i started back at work, i'd want to write a fuck ton more on my blog, but that just hasn't happened. some of that has to do with the fact i don't stress the sex toy job as much as i used to, some of that has to do with the general checked-out-ness that has happened within me in terms of organizing/politics/whatever, some of it has to do with wasting more time hanging out with people in real life, some of it has to do with being mad at the world, but somehow, none of these things i particularly care to write about in any way.

i also find that i prefer to be funny and clever in order to amuse people, but funny and clever is not a place i'm in in terms of blog posting at the moment, i'm actually more there irl, which is what it is. or maybe there are just certain realities setting in about my life that aren't interesting to share with people anymore (if they ever were).

to be honest, i feel almost entirely done with any sort of organizing (which just made me remember that i have a meeting at 9am tomorrow. fuck!!!!). the reproductive justice shit i've been doing is pretty much total bullshit and unproductive. colorado unity defeated 46, but now that everyone has a nice job, they can do that equal opportunity shit as a real job, and i just get to volunteer if i want. i want to do activism around sex and education, but a lot of that looks racist, or ignorant, or boring, and the avenue i could do that through (luz) is not really the place to do it at this point. i'm a picky bitch.

i was also conversing with a friend about the denver non-profit structure and how i'm frustrated by the way whiteness and femaleness intersect, and the ways that pushes me out of lots of shit by default. it's extremely hard to explain because it sounds really stupid, but since i'm not really a hardcore "feminist" (in the way it's generally defined), nor one of the many self-proclaimed (fuck anything else) "anti-racist white allies" (who magically, only hang out with other white people and write zines about it), nor an environmentalist (OWLS!), it's extremely hard to find a fucking job because there are assumptions that surround you if you're white and female in denver, and because i don't nicely fit into one (or more) of those three categories, i'm kinda fucked. it's not like in a woe-is-me for being white thing, it's more of a what-the-fuck when it comes to the ridiculous cateogries we place people in, and how that's kinda fucking oppressive. and, the fact i cuss like it's normal and talk about sex makes that even harder. but fuck that professionalism bullshit. that's not how you win shit.

i could probably post about work shit here, but it might get read, so that will prolly go on the preferred list thing, well, at least the shit about the structure, employment aspects of my job. i can still tell all of you about creepy guys. and today was a creepy guy day because it's a wednesday (and thinking about how it was wednesday and two for one rental day was the other thing that reminded me i have a meeting tomorrow! thanks disgusting men!). first thing that happens is the "fuck movie" guy comes in. this guy is here all the time, he specifically like hopes i'm working and whatnot. it's because he's imagining sticking his "cock" into my "pussy" or "ass" or prolly both. the words in quotes are all words he uses frequently when conversing with me. you may think these are common words one would hear often in a porn store, but they're not. for one, i generally go with the scientific or medical terms for body parts because it makes people less uncomfortable than saying "pussy" when asking them a question about a vagina. i've also realized i generally can have a conversation without mentioning a vagina or parts of the vagina if i don't need to when selling toys. anyway, this guy arrives today and i have a line and am helping people, but he waits for me, because i am just *so* hot and awesome. ewww. and then he's talking to me, despite the fact people need to check out about "fuck movies" and why he would rent a "she male movie where a guy is getting fucked because if he wanted to see a guy get fucked in the ass, he'd get gay porn" and then asked for the 12,539 time if we had any "she-male movies" with "chicks" getting fucked, to which i said no. he then asked if he could "pay me a compliment" and i said "no", which i think shocked him (and, to be honest, shocked me because i usually would be nice to a customer), but whatever. it was annoying and fucked up my whole day (where stupid occurences like this kept happening).

i just realized it's prolly easy for people i don't want to to read this shit, but i wish i cared more.

i need to sleep for my meeting in a few fucking hours. booo.

i totally like this taylor swift song called "love song". I'm a fucking sappy girl all the time, even if i pretend not to be. well, maybe not, it'd prolly be sappy if it made me cry, but it doesn't. i wonder how many people will make this their wedding song this year? lol. if i ever get married, i'm picking a classic song. one of my cousins had "at last" by etta james, which is a fucking amazing choice, and her sister had "forever" by ben harper. btw, those are both really good choices, i think. also, how weird is it that you pick one song to be your first song that you dance to as married? it seems odd.

anyway, i am sick, hungover and on my period, which makes me want to stab myself.

new years eve was super fun. there's some pics up my friend took, one of which is fucking horrible, but i think they're in my myspace pictures. i puked and then felt better.

today was horrible at work because i was so sick, hungover, and on period. ah well, it was fun to clean lube bottles and shelves...lol.

btw, i took my romance educator tests, and aced them, and still didn't get my fucking raise. and i want my nametag that says "romance educator". because, as you all know, i'm the fucking expert on romance. i'm actually partially offended that they even attempt to make the porn store about romance. i'm sure all the creepy old man renters just want a little bit of romance with their dvd players...dildo!

sometimes i wish i could write the things i want on my blog just because i generally have toe urge to share wildly inappropriate things that would fuck something up, but fuck!!!! haha.

in other news, i own all you bitches at guitar hero world tour, so suck my 15 inch schloooooonnggg.

i accidentally left my vitamin water in the freezer for too long and it froze, so i'm going to put it in the firdge and hope it doesn't asplode! i also will put my gatorade in there. i'm going on a few day no-soda binge. that shit is nasty, or actually, it is delicious.

i need to go buy a bottle of good fucking wine tomorrow, because i feel like getting drunk and there are only three bottles of vodka in my fridge. maybe i'll look up some deliciously fruity martini recipe and do that instead. i haven't had a drink for a few weeks, which is like a record, and which also means i'm probably a bit of a lightweight now. i guess that's your cue to take me out and take advantage of me.

ok, i'm off to bed or something. also, happy first day of december (and yay for snow and cold!!!)

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Now playing: Led Zeppelin - Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
via FoxyTunes

is over here. Go read it, then bookmark my blog kids. Most of my posts here will probably just link over there now unless I'm talking about my feelings, then I'll stay all emo on my myspace.

It's weird how going back to work at a porn store makes me want to blog all the time again. I think trying to get Obama elected was just fucking exhausting, yo.

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Now playing: Tickle Me Pink - Typical
via FoxyTunes