sundries

[rm]

Good morning. Four hours of sleep. Did I really do this every day for a year? On one hand, I don't feel so bad. On the other, I think being the best me I can be involves at least six a night. Wow, this is crap.

Moving along. Last night was the opening party for the New York Musical Theater Festival which is what all of those 2am thinky thoughts were about. I probably have buckets of more thoughts honestly, but feel, irritatingly, the need to spare you (or my dignity). Also apparently Catherine Martin and John O'Connell were there, but didn't put in public appearances that I noticed, alas (understandable for a number of reasons, but I'm a big fan of their various work too, particularly Martin's, so cue minor *sadface*). But! What I really _have_ to tell you about is this amazing musical performance we were treated to of this ridiculous song about how you can't sing opera if you're a country star. It was above and beyond, but I need to wait until I can do it justice.

redstapler and I are currently having the most hilarious, least appropriate conversation in EVER. And it's all because she just texted my phone with "Waffle House."

Hey, Austin people, check in. Also does anyone have any current reliable news from UT? First I heard there was one gunman who shot himself and no one else. Then I heard there was a second, then a third, and then that the third wasn't real. So, take a moment to say hello people and give us the news.

I am a not a guest of the Duane Reade, nor is eating my dinner a job. I am old fashioned about service and feel really strongly about these. Marketing is a gorgeous art, so's service. But man, it's crap when the two meet.

The clean-up crews for New York's tornadoes aren't local, so getting to come here for this type of job is a bit novel.

Anti-gay bullying claims another life.

A Minnesota school district that has had four recent suicides due to anti-gay bullying is being challenged on its "neutral stance" on queer issues and being urged to protect its students, thus far to no avail. Thanks to pgdudda for the link.

I want to take a second to note here, that if I were able to find every instance of a young person who killed themselves each day because they are queer or because they've been bullied for being perceived as queer, there would be No Room For Any Other Content On This Journal.

This is not a new rash of suicide amongst gay youth. Rather, statistics show that gay teens attempt suicide at at least four times the rate of their straight peers. And that doesn't even take into account those kids who are targeted with anti-queer slurs who may not have any queer identity.

The cruelty which we too often ignore, tolerate and encourage in our youth, that we say is just a part of growing up, is killing kids EVERY DAY in and adjacent to our communities.

An 11-year-old male cheerleader has been beaten up by bullies and had his arm broken. Yup, you guessed it, more anti-gay bullying. He doesn't plan to give up cheerleading, though. He also has his mom's support and the football team did send him a card.

Student body vote for a homecoming king is overruled by school administration because winner is trans.

For the first time, the portion of adults 25 - 34 who have never been married exceeds that that have.

Comments

[airspaniel.livejournal.com]

I can't get what I want to say to phrase itself in a manner that isn't insulting to someone, so suffice it to say that my dad was a cheerleader in high school, and that whole article just makes me ill.

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

From UT's emergency alert -
September 28, 2010 at 10:22 am

The university is closed.

A suspected shooter in PCL library is dead. Law enforcement are searching for a second suspect. If you are off campus, STAY AWAY. If you are on campus, lock doors, do not leave your building. All organized classes for today, September 28, are canceled.

There's a lot of talk about a second suspect and they are shutting down chunks of central austin.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

I move to UT and this is what happens.

First gunman dead in library. Second suspect (possibly armed, probably not) still on the loose. Currently flushing out the library and surrounding buildings to try to find him. Third suspect unconfirmed -- got a text from my housemate that a student in her class was told about a third suspect.

[cozzene.livejournal.com]

Austin: I have a friend who's friend lives just off campus. Police swarming area and advising people to stay inside locked homes.

Houston: cy-fair school district is so bad that my father moved so I didn't have to go there senior year. If I had he was considering letting me carry a .22 concealed. Seriously evil place.

From Austin

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

The school is closed for the day by order of the president of UT. The school is still in lockdown last I heard and they're constantly advising people to stay off campus if they haven't gone yet. They sent in a SWAT team after the second gunman and it seems like even though shots were fired the first gunman didn't hit anyone but was taken down non-lethally and proceeded to shoot himself.
Twitter and facebook beat news stations, CNN, official emails and texts by anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour which is unacceptable in a situation like this but at least kids had a way of finding out to stay home instead of none at all.
That's all I got. I'm a junior at UT, by the way.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Mostly I'm just confused as to how an AK-47 GOT THROUGH THE LIBRARY METAL DETECTORS considering a library book can't.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Now they're reporting the shots (described as "burst of fire," about 10 rounds) may have not been fired in the library after all but in Jester, the residence across the street. No one knows for sure.

Actually, it doesn't seem like anyone knows much at all.

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

If it lets you feel any better UT is usually a pretty safe school. Also it seems like no one was hurt besides the gunman. Hope that your time in Austin is much less scary from here on out.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

I'm on 23rd and Rio Grande. Seems we're out of the danger area, but my sister was fretting the entire morning about her 9:30 exam. I told her I was pretty sure she'd get a free pass for the exam, considering GUNMAN ON CAMPUS.

Everyone's deriding the Emergency Alert System as being useless but considering no one died here but the gunman . . . might have saved a few lives.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Are you in a safe area? One of my housemates is apparently trapped in class.

[flax.livejournal.com]

They're usually magnetic book security detectors, not metal detectors (though they probably have metal detectors too, idk).

Stay safe, hon!

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

I was at home working on an essay that now isn't due today anymore. I was scheduled to actually be in the library this afternoon oddly enough though. I live pretty far from campus but I still spent most of the morning texting people to keep off campus and using my twitter and facebook to do the same. I'm so glad that everyone is safe.

[tommx.livejournal.com]

Did you see this story?

http://www.queerty.com/oakleigh-marshall-cant-be-homecoming-king-because-he-was-born-a-woman-20100928/

Thought it would be something you'd want to know about.

[introductory.livejournal.com]

Glad you're safe. We're taking in a couple of friends from Jester, because understandably no one wants to go anywhere near that area now, if they even can. Thanks for spreading the word to your friends. I don't know anyone at UT, but my sister and my housemates are trying to get in touch with everyone.

The main thing I'm thinking right now is that if the SWAT team flushed out PCL, couldn't the second suspect (if he exists) just pretend he's a normal student like the rest of them?

[adelheid-p.livejournal.com]

I have a friend who is going to live in Austin but not to attend UT. She leaves this coming weekend. I'm glad she isn't there now, though. My thoughts are with those affected by this.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

I found this link running down the UT situation.

I apologize for the inappropriate humor (or, you know, my stock and trade), but there's a line in it that said, "Gunman could possibly be wearing a tuxido[sic]. Unconfirmed."

I...what?

I'm also about as far away from the main campus as a person can be and still technically be in Austin, so I'm safe.

Though, as mentioned on FB/Twitter, my office building is a UT building, and we have pretty heavy security anyway. And also some Army and NASA offices.

I feel safe as houses.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah, saw that yesterday, but it's kinda been a 24 hours. Just added it. Thanks!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Well, I know you're all right because you've been cracking me up SO HARD. Oh wait, bad choice of words there.

ANYWAY....

Thank you for the news source.

Lovely Tuesday, isn't it?

[introductory.livejournal.com]

rm, sorry for spamming your inbox and your post. I just wanted to add that I've been updating about the UT Austin situation in real time here. So far it seems like the whole thing is winding down due to lack of information, but something might come up.

[rm.livejournal.com]

No problem at all!

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

Oh wait, bad choice of words there.

A friend of mine down here briefly held a job on campus while another job took a little longer to get back to her. She decided to accept the second job, and left UT.

I caught myself before writing on her FB, "Oh man, bullet dodged!"

[rm.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaha. I declare today Awkward Unintentional References Tuesday.

[lokiale (from livejournal.com)]

I've heard some rumors that the second gunman could be unarmed and was just a supposed gunman. However I'm glad that they're possibly overreacting rather than under.
They're flushing out but I think they're going through the kids since they have enough UTPD to flush out several buildings. Many of the second gunman sightings reported him being in the six pack, so there's possibly more caution when it comes to evacuating people there.
Sorry about the flooding as well, rm.

[yarram.livejournal.com]

I'll be posting this in my LJ shortly, but wanted to add it to the conversation here, because you've linked to news on the inciting events before, and you're posting related stuff in this entry: people are calling the Anoka-Hennepin School District (MN) on the BS that is their harmful and silencing "neutral stance" wrt queer issues (http://www.startribune.com/local/north/103902163.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr). You'd think 4 suicides directly linked to anti-glbt bullying in its schools would be a fucking clue, but apparently the school district's administration doesn't think so.

[rm.livejournal.com]

THank you. I'm going to add the link and a bit of a thing.