OpenStreetMap editing.

I try to get people to read Marxist theory, and correct common misconceptions. Part of why people feel despair right now is because they don’t see a way out of this, because they don’t have a background in leftist theory. I keep a basic beginners reading list I can link, if anyone wants it, I’ll spare the copypasta.

It also includes a section at the end with my own personal practical suggestions for how to conduct yourself in your daily life to remain effective and optimistic.

I also try to combat problems like queerphobia, racism, and misogyny when I see them.

I’ll just keep volunteering to be honest, I’m a volunteer EMT a few times a month right now but I’m thinking of volunteering with the local theater and possibly the warming center as we enter the colder months.

I keep extinct in the wild and critically endangered species of fish in my aquariums and am a member of a couple of fish focused associations who work with universities for the goal of preservation of species. been considering getting into red listed frogs and cactus, but the communities are smaller (so less access to species) and space is a premium when living in an apartment.

i wish there was more exposure of this hobby because it’s such an affordable, easy and “low effort” thing to do, but a lot of people who care about the environment and animals basically get offended when you keep animals “locked up” in an aquarium. in my opinion, serious aquarists (not the pet store furniture mentality) are invaluable, as a lot of species has been saved from extinction through aquarist efforts and university collaboration to reintroduce them to their native ranges after restoration work is completed (at least Lenoardo DiCaprio made a little bit of social media impact for one of the associations in 2022).

I should add, overfishing is not the leading cause for extinction in freshwater fish, it’s pollution from agriculture, as the vast majority of fish threatened with extinction have no utility to us (or bright enough colors to benefit the commercial pet trade - brightly colored species are generally not even found in the wild, and have their colors from decades of selective breeding by dedicated aquarists).

during the hiv/aids crisis; people who had spare bedrooms; or could afford to cook extra meals; or took it upon themselves to distribute those extra meals; or volunteer basic healthcare services for free (ie candy stripers); etc. would put up “help offered” posters in gay safe spaces with contact information on them. the posters where mostly hand made back then, but i’ve seen a more modern day version of it with home printers and the bottom section of the paper scored off so that people can rip off and take the contact information with them and i’ve seen a newer version of that with the mutual aid community in hexbear: https://hexbear.net/c/mutual_aid

any leftist safe space, both virtual and real. will have something like this; seek them out and you can ask someone in person what you can do to help that’s tailored to you circumstances. (and to set your expectations: it’s probably going to suck a lot; that’s why they need the help)

It’s a small thing I started doing years ago: whenever I see a loose nail or screw in the street I’ll always pick it up and put it in the nearest trash so nobody gets a flat tire or steps on it. Small, but hopefully saves some potential misery for someone.

My toddler and I have been bringing a trash bag to the park and cleaning the place up. It’s always a mess and it makes me sad to see because it’s my sons favorite park.

My current activities : -Finding caring doctors for an elderly woman

-Counsel colleagues at my work about mental health and/or unionization

-Help two refugees friends for their paperwork for citizenship.

I wish I could do more, but on top of work, I’m already exhausted.

Real small relative to the other comments but if a loose cart is nearby in the grocery parking lot, I’ll go out of my way to return it. I know I hate seeing an “empty space” and there being a cart in the way and in that case it’ll likely never get moved.

Pick up any trash that I touch/step on/kick and dispose of it into the nearest bin.

This started from the bottles and soda cans kicking, I just loved how they sound when kicked to the max. I still do to this day :)

My dad hated it so much. He probably smacked my young tush once or twice for that. So i would pick the dirty bottles and cans if he’s in the vicinity and kick them hard out far back. Yap, I know how silly this is. He still heard the kick sounds, tho LoL

So he came with a truce: “You wanna kick bottles? Fine. You kick a bottle, you ensure a proper disposal of it on the bin.”

He even gave me a tactic to kick them higher up that day LoL, thanks, dad.

I took a drive today. Around my old stomping grounds, streets I haven’t driven down in years if not decades. Past the hospital where I was born, past the high school I graduated from. Down the highway where my driver’s ed teacher when I was 15 kept bitching at me to lift my head off the headrest. I made sure to drive that stretch of road with my head on the headrest.

I drove past my great grandmother’s old house, where some of my earliest memories were formed. It’s been standing abandoned long enough that trees are growing through the porch now. Past the Yamaha dealership where I bought my first motorcycle, which is now a machine parts warehouse. Past the airport where I got my pilot’s license.

I stopped at the lake by my old college and walked the trail around it, stopping at some of the little fishing piers, benches to look at the lake and the woods. I stopped at the foot bridge over the creek that feeds the lake and just looked upstream and listened to the water babble over the tree roots.

The entire time I was out, my mind could only do two things: hum Auld Lang Syne and envision swimming straight out to sea.

On a related note, the above text felt like an answer to this question.

I’m feeling big “connect with my people” vibes so so far I’ve made my sister and her family dinner, baked some cookies for clients tomorrow, will host a Friendsgiving this weekend, and have a dinner set with friends to discuss building an intentional community. Not world-changing but things ripple…

Help my people with my time when I can.

4B. Women if you want to know message me.