@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

VaylLarkinPoet

@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social

I'm a Trans, Nonbinary, Disabled, Wheelchair-modded writer living in Pittsburgh, PA, Lanape Territory. I write poetry, plays, short fiction and some wildly speculative essays!

Whimsy improves most things. (Like the bunny and toy moose in my BG!) Those it does not, deserve their gravity and weight. Two things can be true at the same time. Eyes open to see injustice, heart open too. <3

(Bio/extra fields include all profile image #AltText info)

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VaylLarkinPoet, to random
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

In case anyone doesn't know: There are real live people who can afford a phone to access Mastodon, who Cannot afford subscription services to media outlets. For some of us, it's that we can only afford one or two, and most media outlets these days are full of lies.

Please, when you post a paywalled article, maybe Mention that it's paywalled? Imagine clicking 20 "broken" links in a row? Yeah, annoying.

VaylLarkinPoet, to random
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

Hot Take #... let's not get into that:
Intelligence is friggin useless. Smart or not, disabled, delayed, challenged, etc., if you can't Admit When You're Wrong and Learn, you're wasting it. I've known wise people from all parts of the spectrum of intelligence who value things like honesty, emotional awareness, and The Wisdom of Others. It's not about a lack of ego. You can be supremely confident in your own abilities AND own your errors and adapt to new information. It's cool to admire folks!

futurebird, to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

This timelapse of a fungus kept by leafcutter ants is remarkable. Thousands of ants monitoring humidity, the nutrition needs of the fungus, removing unwanted growths, keeping their brood and harvesting food. Inside: the queen. Totally inclosed in a living home. The walls are food, a place for her eggs, they slowly renew, tended by her daughters.

As every living organism maintains itself, but on a strange macro-scale. These are your cells shedding and being replaced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3AZffDtOlw

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@futurebird I also love that we are the fungus and we also have a ton of ants.

A bit ago, I saw some enhanced electron microscope images of our bodies' nanofilament network and various motor proteins in action. Reminded me of the Doozers from Fraggle Rock, if that's a reference ever/still. Hehe

It's stuff like this that made the child of a nuclear physicist focus on biosciences. Ooh. An atom. Here's a species with 20 functional genders and ultraviolet vision. SO much cooler! :)

VaylLarkinPoet, to random
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

: I am thinking about moving my Dj activities to Twitch, but I have a deep desire to not be on camera for two hours, so I'm leaning toward a digital avatar and software for my visuals.

I'm a wheelchair user and I'll want that incorporated if possible. (I truthfully don't know how hard they are to draw hehe).

My budget right now is ~$100 USD, but that's based on my own research. If it needs to be higher, just explain and if I can afford it, we'll go from there :). Ty!

randahl, to random
@randahl@mastodon.social avatar

Sometimes I have a hard time believing what I see, when I follow Trump on social media…

But I promise you, this is a real screenshot of what Trump has shared yesterday: A picture of God protecting him, containing a prayer asking God to strike down all enemies who [actual quote:] “what to harm him”.

After an entire week exposing Trump's crimes and extramarital affairs, he is sharing God memes — no political agenda, no vision for America.

This is not a party — it is a cult.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@randahl A "hedge"? Is there some modern military application of shrubbery that I'm unaware of? Wouldn't you want your god to build a more easily defensible fortification? Just saying.

RickiTarr, (edited ) to random
@RickiTarr@beige.party avatar

Lots of debate about this, so I'm curious about the consensus.

Should children be allowed to act professionally, as in having a full time acting job in movie/TV/stage? Feel free to elaborate in the comments.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@RickiTarr As a former child performer, I have literally never seen a peer who wasn't subjected to predatory behavior at the Very Least. These are kids who had parents who would pull them out as soon as things got fishy. Not all had them. Even those who do saw a lot of ugliness.

vlrny, to random
@vlrny@disabled.social avatar

Seemingly dead obvious thing I just realized that has unleashed a pile of self forgiveness:

I can't always be nice when I am in pain.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@vlrny I Think I know what you mean? I'm a pain patient too and when it's really bad, my voice gets forced and clipped and I do Not have the spoons for the little pleasantries of hi how are you what a lovely coat. That said, my pain isn't an excuse I think to hurt other people, and I Can control whether I'm mean/harmful. Is this what you're talking about, or do you mean something else I didn't get?

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to actuallyautistic
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

It's wild the way infantilisation and imposter syndrome team up, meaning that in my mid-30's, I rarely think of myself as an adult.

#ActuallyAutistic @actuallyautistic @neurodiversity @autisticadvocacy

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix @actuallyautistic @neurodiversity @autisticadvocacy Oof. I am 5' tall standing, which I am rarely. When ambulatory, I have been picked up by adult men on MANY occasions with no provocation or consent. I continue to get "cute" and "adorable" as my most common "compliments", and I am Forty-Six!Also I'm totally unable to mask and my affect follows my smallest emotion. To see myself as a respectable, mature and reasonably serious adult seems an impossible task.

etherdiver, (edited ) to random
@etherdiver@ravenation.club avatar

Hey #musician and #producer friends of the Fediverse! If you're looking to get some authentic (i.e. non digital plugin) #tape sounds on your music, samples or mixes, I can help. I'm offering $15 for 45 minutes of audio run thru authentic magnetic tape and back to digital. I offer reel-to-reel and 3 different cassette deck options, plus a few specialty options (VHS, 8-track, microcassette) for an extra charge. If you're interested, DM me or email iametherdiver AT gmail.

Boosts appreciated!

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@etherdiver Love this idea! Passing along to a noise artist friend who might be interested. I'm but a lowly dj, but I boost! hehe

VaylLarkinPoet, to random
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

Irish History note: St. Patrick was a genocidal warlord who slaughtered the Celts and Druids to colonize Ireland. I don't question IRISH people who celebrate. I DO question this being the one time a year the rest of the world goes Green.

Also, Irish folks know Exactly what it's like to be occupied and terrorized to the point where some turn to violence and the oppressors get to paint them all with the same brush. If you don't support Palestinians, I don't think you support Ireland.

RickiTarr, to random
@RickiTarr@beige.party avatar

Why am I both people in this conversation?!

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@RickiTarr I... am just the first person.

sigh

tante, to random
@tante@tldr.nettime.org avatar

The recent hypes (crypto and "AI") both have immense ecological impact. When using these tools one needs to be aware of the cost: For crypto that means to just kill it, for "AI" it means to be very conscious of the massive impact of testing and building these things.
(Title: AI and crypto mining are driving up data centers’ energy use) https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/24/24049047/data-center-ai-crypto-bitcoin-mining-electricity-report-iea

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@tante Just out of curiosity, why do you give a rhetorical pass to "AI"? For one thing, it's not the innovation being claimed. Stealing stuff and rehashing it badly has been standard practice in high schools the world over. Doesn't make it valuable, useful, or worth the ecological cost. Remember that all of these plagiarism machines run on Blockchain. Every time we use "AI", we're part of the problem. I do agree with everything else you've said. I just think you didn't take it far enough.

fkamiah17, to random
@fkamiah17@toot.wales avatar

Here's a list of local peace marches for anyone who wants to attend.
#MarchForPalestine #CeasefireNow
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1w4wusiNOa77G6XcjW1mVJOPoqLfpnqFTVFzFgJ_J_dw/edit

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@fkamiah17 If anyone knows of any virtual actions, for those of us who may not be able to march, please drop them here! I'm a wheeled spinal patient, but I hate not being able to be there in person anymore.

If anyone would like to Organize a virtual event and needs a zoom space to host it in, contact me and I'm happy to donate my room and my tech backup for it.

Tinu, to disability
@Tinu@mastodon.social avatar

“granting automatic relief for borrowers with total and permanent disabilities.”

Given my past troubles with government aid I’d love to know how they determine that. You would think I only need confirmation of my #disability but 🤷🏾‍♀️ I’ve been screwed too many times.

https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-announces-additional-9-billion-student-debt-relief

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@Tinu If you're on SSI-D with SSA, I think this would be automatic. We already aren't required to make any Payments on our student loans, though they still sit there. This would forgive the entire loan. If you haven't been determined to be "permanently disabled", (they told me when I was), you might need to apply, or maybe see if your status can be redetermined to establish that it's permanent.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@Tinu Is there any way I can help? I was successful on my first try and did the paperwork myself. I would be happy to assist in any way! DM me if you think it could help :).

VaylLarkinPoet, to Bipolar
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

Has anyone else experienced psychiatric side-effects with Methocarbamol as a muscle relaxant? I have spastic #neuropathy and was prescribed, but after a month of feeling increasingly anxious and angry, I spent four solid days awake. Did the math, called my doc, stopped the med, but boy heck was that horrid! I'm #Bipolar RC, and I take Abilify along with Strattera for my ADHD. I had a similar, but less severe reaction to Flexaril, but doctor assured me this was different. Any alternatives known?

BlackAzizAnansi, to random
@BlackAzizAnansi@mas.to avatar

This is America.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@NerdRage42 Seriously? The point is not the quality of the education. The point is the Racism. Get it now? Please don't jump into conversations about important issues with non sequiturs that demonstrate how white we all very are. (Again).

VaylLarkinPoet, to HashtagGames
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

"Make tacos, break tacos, but don't take any tacos from fascists"

(this quote applies equally well to any inanimate object nouns you might have handy. Accepting Anything from fascists is a really bad idea except like, surrenders I guess?)

#TacoAnything #HashtagGames #AntiFascist

RickiTarr, to random
@RickiTarr@beige.party avatar

A Hindsight Question!

What is something you loved or enjoyed when you were younger, that isn't so great now that you're older?

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@RickiTarr Church

Loukas, to random
@Loukas@mastodon.nu avatar

I'm not aiming this at anyone in particular, but if you want to help someone who's having a bad time, especially who's depressed, try to find another way of helping instead of saying "is there anything I can do to help?"

That offer seems helpful but it means the person who is suffering now has a new task: finding you something to do.

Instead think of a way you can help and offer that.

It takes the burden onto yourself, and crucially it shows what level of help you actually mean.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@Loukas It IS still important to always obtain consent before helping Anyone. Yes, you should ask that wheelchaired person if they want you to hold the door. No, you should not do so without asking, and if they say no, either ask if there's anything else you could do, or just drop it immediately. Offering to help is Often good. On the other hand, I had a waiter ask to cut my meat for me once, which wasn't welcome. She also spoke in baby talk to me. It was... disconcerting.

DivergentDumpsterPhoenix, to autisticadvocacy
@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix@disabled.social avatar

When you say "go to the doctor" to an Autistic person, you won't necessarily realise what a difficult position they are placed in.

So often we are told that if our problems were "that bad" we would see a doctor.

The truth is that healthcare is inaccessible to many Autistic people for a vast array of reasons. From ableism through to doctors who think studies on the general population should inform the treatment of minority bodies.

@actuallyautistic @autisticadvocacy @audhd

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@DivergentDumpsterPhoenix When I was 5, I was diagnosed with ASD by an independent psych. My parents, fearing funny looks, didn't inform anyone. (They were hellaciously neglectful/abusive). FF to 2018, and my Psych is telling me that while she can confirm that on paper for me, she Thinks I Shouldn't, because I'm in a wheelchair, and trans, and face a ton of medical discrimination already. It's bad out there. She'd heard too many stories and was afraid for me. I still don't have it on my chart.

VeryBadLlama, to random
@VeryBadLlama@mas.to avatar

so if I understand this correctly, the country that votes based on which politician they'd like to get a beer with is mad at a politician because he dresses like he's about to go get a beer

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@VeryBadLlama I live in Pittsburgh, Fetterman's stomping grounds. He's been a legend here a long time, and we're infinitely proud he's a Senator now. Incidentally, we haven't elected a Republican since the 1920s, and our last Democrat attacked BLM protests, so we replaced him with a Black Progressive. We're also a climate haven. Please come, live here, and prevent developers from buying any more property! :)

BlackAzizAnansi, to random
@BlackAzizAnansi@mas.to avatar

I honestly hope that Threads federates because that's the only way this place is going to get some actual diversity.

VaylLarkinPoet,
@VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

@BlackAzizAnansi I don't know anything about Threads, but I've seen a horrific amount of racism go down here, with all manner of "educated" white people acting exactly like the "ignorant" white people we so enjoy looking down on. I'm white, privileged when it comes to education at least, and I've got a little bit of a voice I try to use for antiracism at all times. Are there any specific steps we wp can take individually to help reverse course? I don't know what I don't know, but I want to.

Terra, to random

deleted_by_author

    •
    VaylLarkinPoet,
    @VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

    @Terra Agreed entirely. May I say - as a white person on disability, I Almost understand the instinct to argue that we're "just as bad off". We're not though. ANY Black disabled person has it harder than we do. Can't donate? Try volunteering for Black nonprofits. Can't perform that kind of labor? We're on social media - we can solicit for Black individuals and orgs at the Least. Shopping at Black-owned businesses is another way to use the money we have to balance what we can. Keep working at it.

    Private
    VaylLarkinPoet,
    @VaylLarkinPoet@disabled.social avatar

    @Claire @actuallyautistic Oh, and I have amnesia gaps for some of my alters, but not all and not always anymore. I'm post- a Great deal of therapy, so my system is currently pretty cooperative and open. Not "perfect", but what is?! ;)

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