Just Hilly

I recently went on a date with my partner to a local Irish Bar in my area called Kitty Mulligans. I follow them on Instagram and was excited to see them post about having bingo nights as a weekly event on Thursdays. I'm a big fan of playing bingo, I find it to be a fun game to play while chilling and having some food. Our reservation was made the day before and when we went in our name was on a little chalkboard on our table. A very cute touch that I haven't seen before. The owner introduced himself and was a sweetheart.  The layout of the bar was separate from the large counter was a side section for tables and booths with nice big barn doors separating them. The side with tables and booths is a space that can be booked for private events which I thought was cool. The list of food and drinks on their website was actually shorter than the actual sit down menu. We took quite a while to decide on what to get. My partner and I both shared their Grilled Chicken Flatbread and their ...

Today at my college they held a 'Take Back the Night' event that was about highlighting the voices and experiences of sexual assault victims, promoting the importance of consent and the different resources available to anyone going through interpersonal violence, sexual harassment etc. As a small opener they had students write messages to anyone struggling with their experiences, to uplift, spread awareness or positivity. I chose to make my message about coercion, albeit I did misspell the word lml.  "A 'YES' AFTER 10 'NO's IS A NO!  #stopcoercion' I am unfortunately one of billions of victims of various forms sexual harassment and sexual assault but one of the seemingly 'lesser' overlooked forms is coercion. It can look like your partner begging you throughout your evening to have sex, possibly throwing in some guilt tripping, maybe blackmail, even potentially leaving without a ride in somewhere unfamiliar or threats of bodily harm etc. Your in...

To walk into a room, a space, and find yourself being examined Every detail of your countenance being microscopically observed Studied, picked apart and concluded on- A black person disallowed from individuality & personhood. The laughing group of black people in a public space- the stares, The murmurs, the sighs- the disapproval of black joy How dare they make noise? How dare they be loud? The censorship of black hair, black attitude, black perspective, black ingenuity-  BLACK BODIES We can find ourselves policed everywhere for not following guidelines that were never truly handed to us on a personal level- a broad stroke of social rules to follow We must remember that when we empower ourselves, as a race of people, we must not forget to grant each other personhood- a leave from this job we are tasked with in our day to day. See each other not through their eyes but our own- see the individual and FORCE others to see the individual as well For we will never be free of this rol...

One of the greatest and most impactful inventions of mankind, arguably up there with the wheel, the internet and the MMR vaccine- the automobile created one of the great permanent shifts in the course of human history. After spreading throughout the globe and transforming the way people could travel, motor vehicles also obtained the status as an important tool to be handled with care- a tool for men. In this day and age, 2024, the belief that women are bad drivers, dangerous on the road, unaware of how to handle their vehicles etc. has remained as a globally shared stereotype in global societies by long held misogynistic views perpetuated by the patriarchy. To first understand the origins of this stereotype, why it continues to persist over the years and the deconstruction of it, one must first understand patriarchy as an institution that often dictates the overarching views of civilizations. Institutions in general, serve as a guide for participating members of society by providing th...

Happy New Year everyone 🥳🥳🥳 Glad to have made it another trip around the sun. For this year I have quite an ambitious outlook towards what I'd like to accomplish. Hopefully they're ambitious enough that if I fall short I'll still have done quite a bit overall. I would like to obtain my NHA certificate for Clinical Medical Assistant this year. It's been a while since trade school graduation and my last MA job and I'd like to get back into a clinical position. My current job is clerical but still in healthcare; it's been great with my school schedule but not as fulfilling as being part of a medical team.  Updating my blog more often as well. I've been wanting to do more creative writing, trying my hand at more journalistic pieces and writing on topics I'm passionate about or would like to bring awareness to. Growing my savings is also a huge goal for me. After using my little nest egg to help my family in a hard time, it's been a little sad not havi...

There is a general respect for the arts among Long Islanders, and there are quite a few spaces in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. In my town, or hamlet really, Bay Shore has been renowned as the place to go for things like festivals, parades and free outdoor activities for the community. The Westfield Mall, roughly a mile or two from main street, serves one of the main commercial hubs in the community. The Islip Arts Council, a non-profit organization dedicated to the showcasing of work by Long Island artists and authors, is located in this commercial hub right next to the Dick’s Sporting Goods.  The IAC focuses on hosting exhibits to uplift different communities within the LI greater community as well as offering a myriad of art classes year round.(Dekoning, par. 5) Like most places, the IAC suffered a huge hit during the height of the covid pandemic- their former residence closed down; the manager of the Westfield Mall in Bay Shore invited them to relocate to an open space avai...

In its most simple definition, a name is an identifier. Names are often one of the first pieces of information you can learn about another, a label to match a face- another conscious being. Historically, names carried weight depending on things like your family’s prestige or class, any trades passed on from father to son, one great ancestor who did something revolutionary or tied to a certain ethnic group/region of people. In recent history and modern society, a name can still be tied to prestige as well as socioeconomic status, ethnicity and gender identity (or lack thereof). Both historically and in present times, a name has been closely tied with different aspects of one’s life journey that influence the paths they take; and while it may not be the only factor molding a person into who they are- a name plays a role in who they become.  Traditionally, names (specifically last names) held the purpose of identifying a group of people, whether a clan, a royal lineage, tradesman etc....

Hello everyone 👋 The fall semester started for me this past Monday and almost all my classes are writing intensive. I'm considering posting my essays, responses to certain prompts and research I end up doing throughout the next few months. Not sure if I'll make a separate page for longer pieces or just post them on my regular feed. I know the mobile version of this blog allows viewing the feed by selecting individual posts instead of the desktop version's continuous layout. Lmk/comment what you think would be the best approach based off your experience going through my blog. The insight would be helpful with making that decision. I'm also hoping all the writing this semester will encourage some new ideas and motivation towards the poetry and stories/books I'm writing. Some personal and some published on a different platform anonymously but all needing work. Thanks for stopping by :)

Last Thursday night, I went out on another date with my partner at the same little bar I mentioned a few posts ago. It's called Nostalgia and is a very cute 90's themed bar in Bethpage, NY. We went for what we found out is going to be a new monthly drag show hosted by some of my friends who are drag queens along with performances by other local queens as well.  (Video shows a quick vid I took of one of the sets done by my very talented friend Gemma Tolstoy  ) The bar is very queer friendly and definitely in my opinion a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks looking to go out and have a fun time. Definitely a mixed crowd bar depending on the night, when I go tends to be more folks in their 20's with just a  sprinkling of those in their 30's and 40's. The place is totally decked out throughout with everything 90's from movie memorabilia, autographed headshots of 90's celebs, fun colored lighting, Pokemon decor around the bar, CD and comic book themed bathrooms and the r...