june 2025

june vibes

my trip

I was supposed to go to Mille Lacs to camp and fish, but unfortunately, the boat was not in the greatest condition. It would have been a risk to take on a lake that large. There was some mysterious issue with the outboard motor that would make it stall and die. The boat has a trolling motor, so we wouldn't have been SOL but trolling to shore in a giant lake would take forever. The lower unit of the motor would be hot, so the thought was that it was the impeller which is basically the part that pumps water through the motor. The impeller got replaced, but a bolt that was too long caught the impact and broke off. Now, the shifter doesn't work.

Fishing was still done, though! I do live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes after all. Everyone owns a boat and there's a fishing spot within 20 minutes no matter where you are. We used my uncles boat and got some okay trolling in.

I am not too happy with my lack of fish. I went out two days, and only got three fish. I had two baby walleyes which were very cute. The eyes on a walleye are freaky, though. The third fish was a freshwater drum, but also known as a sheepshead. I've been told all of my life that they were invasive, but they're actually not. I am curious about how many people think this and why. They put up a really fun fight too, so you always think they're something more interesting. I think they growl too.

The second day had a lot of bites, but no catches. They were sneaky that day. Walleye tend to be pretty sneaky. Pikes are funny because they will chomp off your line, and it feels like you experienced a sea serpent. It's freaky until you actually see how stupid they look in person. Their faces are built like strange shovels.

We spent most of our time trolling in 15-18ft at 0.6-1.6mph. The others caught a few pikes with the slightly faster speed. Pikes like a chase. I really don't know why I couldn't catch anything. It could be my jigging pattern or my jig. The walleye really liked that jig the first day (orange and blue w/ yellow eye), but even moving to a rap, I had no bites. Sad. I'll get more fish. I got my fishing license for the year. The jig I was rocking was on a fun walleye rod with pink accents. It was for my mom, but she never used it so it's mine now! I've also been given a rod that's rigged up for crappies and an Eagle Claw reel that I lubed. I've been trying to work on a Mitchell 4470, but someone else has been in it. They took out a lot of plastic pieces. This reel has infected my dreams where I dreamt that I found the plastic pieces. I have to figure out how some of the parts work with a decades old scanned diagram. The auto bail is especially hard. When that reel is done, it's going on this beast of a rod. It's nameless, but it feels like the size of a saltwater rod. I can catch any big guys I want on it. I have also gotten my late grandpa's tackle box. I'm really excited about it, and I am gonna love it. It has daredevils, jigs, raps, rattles, one red-eye, and just everything I need in it. I know others picked through it, but I really don't understand why no one kept the whole thing. It's a good tackle box full of good stuff. This grandpa was an avid fisherman and a professional archer, so this is so awesome for me to have.

My neighbors learned to fly fish while they were on their trip. We're going to exchange fishing knowledge, and go fishing together (also with my partner of course, we all the crew). I might shoot for trouts, but my absolute goal is to get a gar. Garfriend needs a gar!!!

PRIDE 2025

Sorry to kill the fun fishing vibes, but I have to acknowledge the feelings of this year's Pride. I hate to say this, but I miss the rainbow-washing. I do wish it was more advocacy rather than cash-grabbing, but the lack of gaudy rainbow clothing is disheartening. This year's Pride feels hidden, swept under the rug, and forgotten.

Unfortunately, conservatism is the current trend in American culture, but also globally. Companies follow trends because that's where the money lies, and everything is about profit. Even celebrities are leaning more conservative like Kim K or being more open about their conservatism like Gwen Stefani. Young people are becoming more conservative and acting fake "old money" like on the Cruel Kids NYT cover. This cultural shift is concerning.

I miss the Target Pride collection where they collaborated with queer artists to create merch. I have the Gender Fluid mug from the last time they did that! Even the hollow cash grab Pride collections represented a culture of acceptance that we now lack. Pride collections this year are sad and beige or it's only stocked in stores in metro areas. Queer people live in rural areas too! Pride is also for them!

If you think that the US has gay rights because gay marriage is legal, you are insane. It boiling down to just marriage rights is such a heteronormative view of love. Marriage with kids isn't necessarily rights, but not getting attacked, ridiculed, or hated is rights. Heightened risks of attacks, harassment, suicide, etc is not queer rights. A disproportionate amount of trans people having to do sex work to get by because of discriminatory hiring practices is not trans rights. The comeback of "gay" as an insult is not gay rights. You get what I mean. The repeal of DOMA and passing of the Respect for Marriage Act were hallmark moments, but they're only the beginning of achieving queer rights. We were still far from achieving it when it starting fumbling backwards.

I'm just mourning what we used to have. It just adds to the ever growing pile of cultural and/or political things that sickens me and makes me scared for the future of the world. If you "just tolerate" or are "just okay" with queer people, don't talk to me. Don't interact with my website even. I only fuck with people that fully accept queer people. Just tolerance means that you would also tolerate queer hatred, but I'll never find a way to tolerate people that just tolerate queer people.

I think it's more important than ever to celebrate Pride from here on out. Many companies have pulled out of their sponsorships of Pride events, so showing up and supporting is so important. Happy Pride, you wonderful people. This pansexual genderqueer fish-loving creature is gonna attend Pride this year and every year, and you should too.

resources for queer folk