Vanessa Westerfield
@paradoxstudios.bsky.social
Artist, California Naturalist, photographer, writer. Sonoma County CA
I can't understand how so many people believe they're "self-made" and then go bitch about nepo babies in Hollywood.
November 15, 2025 at 1:29 AM
I can't understand how so many people believe they're "self-made" and then go bitch about nepo babies in Hollywood.
That's true. I'm in California and it seems weird here. Only a few people do it and their houses are always way too sterile to feel comfortable in. It does get wet in winter but everyone has good doormats and covered porches.
November 5, 2025 at 2:16 AM
That's true. I'm in California and it seems weird here. Only a few people do it and their houses are always way too sterile to feel comfortable in. It does get wet in winter but everyone has good doormats and covered porches.
Also those houses tend to be so sterile I feel like I'm in a museum and I'm not allowed to touch anything. It's a house. It should be comfy.
November 5, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Also those houses tend to be so sterile I feel like I'm in a museum and I'm not allowed to touch anything. It's a house. It should be comfy.
Ferdinand is like an old, wise friend. So much character is in each oak tree, and I am so drawn to this one it's a big reason I rented this property. Sadly, Ferdinand is infested with invasive gold spotted boring beetles. The crown is thinning and I'm so afraid it will die.
November 1, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Ferdinand is like an old, wise friend. So much character is in each oak tree, and I am so drawn to this one it's a big reason I rented this property. Sadly, Ferdinand is infested with invasive gold spotted boring beetles. The crown is thinning and I'm so afraid it will die.
Mayday, Slickers, Pandy Porn
October 30, 2025 at 3:12 AM
Mayday, Slickers, Pandy Porn
The poor working hard while the rich pay lower taxes is a tale as old as time. SNAP was one of the few small pieces of relief they/we have had. I say we because I too, have been there. I have worked 3 jobs while my husband was ill and had to choose between rent and food far too many times.
October 29, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The poor working hard while the rich pay lower taxes is a tale as old as time. SNAP was one of the few small pieces of relief they/we have had. I say we because I too, have been there. I have worked 3 jobs while my husband was ill and had to choose between rent and food far too many times.
If you don't personally know anyone on SNAP, if you don't live in or near poor communities, if you don't look at the data, and you try to speak on this, you will come off as privileged and ignorant. It is not news that more often than not, poor people work harder than rich people.
October 29, 2025 at 4:27 PM
If you don't personally know anyone on SNAP, if you don't live in or near poor communities, if you don't look at the data, and you try to speak on this, you will come off as privileged and ignorant. It is not news that more often than not, poor people work harder than rich people.
We need to look at the big picture. Why is minimum wage not enough to feed a family and pay bills? Why does anyone need help with food? And should their government not support them when they are working as hard as they can and still can't make ends meet because wages stay down and prices go up?
October 29, 2025 at 4:25 PM
We need to look at the big picture. Why is minimum wage not enough to feed a family and pay bills? Why does anyone need help with food? And should their government not support them when they are working as hard as they can and still can't make ends meet because wages stay down and prices go up?
Regular old adults who happen to just not make enough money to pay their rent and put food on the table. Many of them work full time or even multiple jobs. NOT freeloaders. Hard-working people who just can't make enough money because our cost of living has been going up so much faster than wages.
October 29, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Regular old adults who happen to just not make enough money to pay their rent and put food on the table. Many of them work full time or even multiple jobs. NOT freeloaders. Hard-working people who just can't make enough money because our cost of living has been going up so much faster than wages.
11% of payments in 2023 were "improper payments" and that can be due to a mistake made by SNAP or misuse/fraud. So a fraction of this 11% are misusing the system. Even if it were the whole 11%, that's 89% of people actually needing it. This includes children, elderly, disabled, AND
October 29, 2025 at 4:22 PM
11% of payments in 2023 were "improper payments" and that can be due to a mistake made by SNAP or misuse/fraud. So a fraction of this 11% are misusing the system. Even if it were the whole 11%, that's 89% of people actually needing it. This includes children, elderly, disabled, AND