Jen McDowell
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jenmcdowell.bsky.social
Jen McDowell
@jenmcdowell.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.5K following 460 posts
A disabled, bi woman living on Wiradjuri land in Australia - Spend way too much time on social media - Definitely lean to the left - #LongCovid #POTS #MECFS #MCAS #CRPS #Fibromyalgia #SmallFibreNeuropathy #PTSD #OCD #Depression #Anxiety

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jenmcdowell.bsky.social
The most accurate depiction of trump I’ve seen yet.
Image of front page of “The Daily Star” (UK tabloid paper) with a cartoon of Putin, dressed in blue jumper and beige trousers, walking a giant, bright orange poodle with Trump’s face. The poodle has been groomed and the legs and rump are free of hair except at the ankles, with the remaining hair in curved sections. The headline reads “PUTIN’S POODLE Orange Manbaby blames UKRAINE for being invaded”.
February 21, 2025 at 1:58 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
My mementos from my stress test on Tuesday. Even with cannulation under ultrasound I still ended up with fairly epic bruising that stops me in my tracks every time I catch a glimpse of it. The pics don’t really do it justice. I was asked twice whether I was on blood thinners. I guess this is why.
Day 2 bruise right arm. It’s almost mushroom shaped with two deep purple lines surrounded by a trunk and cap that are mottled dark purple/brown/green. The bruise covers about half the overall width of the arm. There is part of a pale pink pj top in the shot and white pillows in the background along with closed vertical blinds with some sunlight shining through. Day 3 bruise - right arm. It’s now more round shaped, still with two deep purple lines surrounded by mottled dark purple/brown/green. The bruise covers about half the overall width of the arm. There is part of a pale pink pj top in the shot and pink and white pillows in the background along with closed vertical blinds with some sunlight shining through. Day 2 bruise - left arm. It’s almost triangular with a deep purple lines at the top and darkish purple below. The bruise covers about a third of the overall width of the arm. There is part of a pale pink pj top in the shot and a crystal shabby chic style lamp in the background. Day 3 bruise - left arm. It’s pretty much circular now and is currently a mixture of dark purple/brown/green. The bruise covers about a third of the overall width of the arm. There is part of a pale pink pj top in the shot and a crystal shabby chic style lamp in the background.
January 23, 2025 at 11:16 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
Dealing with #MentalHealth issues encompasses so many other areas that people just don’t consider.
missmentelle Health insurance is a mental health issue. I can't help a client who can't afford to see me. Housing is a mental health issue. I can't use therapy to help a client whose depression and anxiety come directly from sleeping in the streets. Food insecurity is a mental health issue. I can't help a client who isn't taking their medication because their pills say "take with food" and they have nothing to eat. Healthcare is a mental health issue. I can't help a client whose "depression" is actually a thyroid condition they can't afford to get treated. Wages are a mental health issue. I can't help a client whose anxiety comes from the fact that they are one missed shift away from not being able to make rent. Child care is a mental health issue. I can't help a client who works 80 hours per week to afford daycare, and doesn't have the time or energy left to come see me. Drug policing is a mental health issue. I can't help a client who ended up in prison because they got caught self-medicating with illegal substances. Police brutality is a mental health issue. I can't help a client whose 'anxiety' is a very real and justified fear of ending up as a hashtag. If you're going to make a stand for improving mental health, you have to understand that addressing mental health goes way beyond hiring more therapists and talking about mental health on social media. If we're really serious about tackling this mental health problem as a country, it means rolling up our sleeves and taking down the barriers that prevent people from getting the help they need - even if those people are different than us, lead different lives, and make choices we don't agree with. We aren't "fixing" mental health unless we're fixing it for everybody.
January 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
From @hcrichardson.bsky.social latest letter on Facebook (1 Jan 2025)

It seems Ukraine is, rightfully so, making things even harder financially for Russia. Seeing this made my day.
As of midnight last night, a five-year contract ended that had allowed Russia to export natural gas to Europe by way of a pipeline running through Ukraine. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky warned that he would not renew the contract, which permitted more than $6 billion a year to flow to cash-strapped Russia. European governments said they had plenty of time to prepare and that they have found alternative sources to meet the needs of their people.
January 2, 2025 at 11:44 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
It’s great to see someone taking the lead. It’s about time the US started to catch up to the rest of the world when it comes to paying a living wage. As an Aussie it’s always blown my mind that customers have been expected to pay part of someone’s wages directly by way of a tip.
Picture posted on Facebook on 17 December credited to Josh Rincon (although I’m not sure if he’s the OOP) captioned “This restaurant in Austin is catching the US up with the rest of the world”. The picture is of a sign saying “To create a livable wage for front & back of house employees, we factored the cost of labor into menu prices. This policy ensures employees are paid better per hour than industry standards, are provided with benefits and can maintain financial stability. As a result, tipping is not expected. Thank you for supporting fair wages!”
December 24, 2024 at 6:11 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
In the latest Australia Post debacle, my parcel is apparently coming to Dubbo from Bathurst via Cowra. That’s 1.5 hours in the wrong direction, as shown by the arrows on the map below. Of the, I was assured, only 1.5% of parcels with delivery issues I always manage to have at least 2 or 3 a year.
A map of regional NSW cut down to include Cowra, Bathurst and Dubbo with red arrows hand drawn between Bathurst and Cowra, and Cowra and Dubbo.
December 16, 2024 at 8:31 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
Those two rocks are way too beautiful and perfectly formed to be MAGAts. I pictured something more like this.
A picture of three irregularly shaped rocks, largest at the top and smallest at the bottom. They pretty much halve in size from first to second and second to third. They’re a yellow based rock like maybe a sandstone, but don’t have the right grain to be sandstone, and have a reasonable amount of light grey-toned brown dirt on them. They look like they’re sitting on a silver metal scale or tray of some sort.
December 11, 2024 at 7:15 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
And it just gets better. Aus Post now says they delivered the parcel to my business address - someone signed for it. I don’t have a business address. Another phone call & they say they’ll try & get someone out there to retrieve it & redeliver it. Right now I doubt I’m ever getting this parcel.
A copy of an email from Australia Post with reference numbers blacked out. The pertinent information being that they delivered my parcel to “a person at the business address”.
December 10, 2024 at 6:15 AM
jenmcdowell.bsky.social
For the Aussies in the room. If you think #abortion is safe here then you’ve got some catching up to do. Even in a state where it’s legal. Individual public hospitals are trying to ban it. Thankfully the LHDs
stepped in & it’s reinstated, but don’t think Dutton won’t try it on if he wins next year.
Screenshot of a page from the ABC app with the following three headlines Surgical abortions at Queanbeyan Hospital to be reinstated and region's service expanded 15 Nov 2024 at 09:17 Email proves Queanbeyan Hospital has banned surgical abortions, as pressure mounts on NSW health minister to intervene 13 Nov 2024 at 14:17 Orange Hospital directs staff to no longer provide abortions to patients without 'early pregnancy complications' 08 Nov 2024 at 07:09
November 30, 2024 at 10:25 AM