Month: December 2013

Cross-Country Connections: Christmas Day

Brianne Bilyeu, 1,216 Comments

Cross-Country Connections is a Biodork weekly blog entry dedicated to telling stories in pictures of three family members – me, my sister and Mom – living in different locations across the country. Every week we choose a different theme and then take or contribute a personal photo that fits the theme. This week’s theme is Christmas Day.

Me, Mom and Erin were all in Woodstock, Illinois for Christmas.

From me in Woodstock, Illinois:

CCC Christmas Day Brianne
It really was a white Christmas this year. My aunt and uncle have the best bird – and by default, squirrel – feeder. This year I saw blue jays, finches, robins and cardinals…and this guy…helping themselves to a Christmas day feast.

From Erin above Lake Geneva, Illinois: 

Picture taken from high above Lake Geneva - snowy fields, trees, some houses and one road under a brilliant blue sky
My holiday adventure, a gift from my father-in-law, was a helicopter ride from Magic Carpet Helicopters. This is a view of Lake Geneva, Illinois on the horizon. 

From Mom in Woodstock, Illinois:

Erin, her husband Ralph and Brianne sitting in the living room. A black dog is climbing over Brianne's lap.
Christmas morning – waiting for the present carnage to begin.

Cross-Country Connections: Christmas Day
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Cold, Dark and Slippery

Brianne Bilyeu, , , , 546 Comments

Yeesh! It’s been snowing all day today; a light but steady fall of pretty white powder came down during the work day. I left at 7pm so I missed the rush hour traffic, but even my kick-ass snow tires were put to the test on the drive home. I saw one accident on 35W North near Diamond Lake Road in south Minneapolis. Another car – which had been abandoned by the time I saw it – was at an unlikely angle high up a hill on 212 in Eden Prairie. TwinCitiesTraffic.com is showing FOURTEEN accidents in since 7:42pm (within the past thirty minutes).

Stay safe, all.

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I was outside taking photos of the snow when I heard two horns bellow and squealing tires at this intersection. Cold. Dark. Slippery!

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Fresh snow in the city.

Cold, Dark and Slippery

Cross-Country Connections: Snow

Brianne Bilyeu, , 978 Comments

Cross-Country Connections is a Biodork weekly blog entry dedicated to telling stories in pictures of three family members – me, my sister and Mom – living in different locations across the country. Every week we choose a different theme and then take or contribute a personal photo that fits the theme. This week’s theme is Snow.

From Mom, who’s traveling this week:

A snowy house across the street from the photographer's perspective. A large tree in the foreground. Early morning, overcast.
Outside my sister ‘s window in Woodstock, Illinois 

From me in Minneapolis, Minnesota:

CCC Snow Brianne
Snow? Or astronaut footprints on the lunar surface? I can’t remember which roll of film this came from.

From Erin in Takoma Park, Maryland:

A tree against a blue sky - no leaves, but green foliage visible near the bottom of the photo.
Or not. It’s a tropical paradise in DC right now. A balmy 72 degrees!

Cross-Country Connections: Snow

Clinic Escorting Training Was…WOW

Brianne Bilyeu, , , 873 Comments

You may have seen my call for volunteers in the Twin Cities area to take part in last Saturday’s clinic escort training in Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of inquiries I received and by the number of people who said they wanted to attend, to the point where I set up a Facebook event to track the numbers of “maybes” and “yeses” so that the coordinator could plan for an appropriate number of visitors.

All in all, last Saturday was an outstanding success.

Continue reading “Clinic Escorting Training Was…WOW” →

Clinic Escorting Training Was…WOW

Cross-Country Connections: Backyard

Brianne Bilyeu, 277 Comments

Cross-Country Connections is a Biodork weekly blog entry dedicated to telling stories in pictures of three family members – me, my sister and Mom – living in different locations across the country. Every week we choose a different theme and then take or contribute a personal photo that fits the theme. This week’s theme is Backyard.

From Erin in Takoma Park, Maryland:

A llama and sheep hang out in front of a shed
Well not my backyard, but just a few away, the Old Maryland Farm at Watkins Regional Park in Prince Georges County MD. 

From Mom in Hagerstown, Maryland:

Freshly fallen snow, with a fence and shed visible in the background.
The dog is not happy.

From me in Minneapolis, Minnesota:

Two pine trees, heavy with snow, and unblemished, freshly fallen snow stretching across the backyard.
Snow…snow everywhere.

Cross-Country Connections: Backyard

You May Not Be A Real Man(TM)

Brianne Bilyeu, , 681 Comments

This billboard was placed in my neighborhood for a few weeks.

Sign shows a man holding a baby with the text "Real Men Love Babies" Heatbeat at 18 days.

Apologies for the crap quality – I took this photo at night, on my cell phone, over my shoulder as the Hubby was driving through an intersection. If for some reason you’re interested in seeing a “better” version, NYCyclist over at Jezebel Groupthink took a photo of the same sign when it was put up in the Bronx.

I used to not see the problem with the “real men” campaigns, especially when they were used for good* instead of evil. I once very proudly sent an anti-homophobia campaign video that used the “real men” message (in this case, a bunch of smiling women holding signs that read “real men don’t discriminate”, etc), to More Than Men in the hope that they would help spread the message. Sasha was kind and patient enough to rip apart the (several) problems with the video, and I haven’t used or endorsed the term “real man” since. I’ve also become more tuned in to when other people do. Like when shitty forced-birth proponents push that shit on their shitty anti-abortion signs. Continue reading “You May Not Be A Real Man(TM)” →

You May Not Be A Real Man(TM)

Be A Clinic Escort in Minneapolis!

Brianne Bilyeu, , 489 Comments

Five of us in our clinic escort vests, bundled up in puffy coats, hats, hoods and gloves

Ah yes…winter clinic escorting season. Brrrrr!

The abortion clinic that I volunteer with is hosting a New Escort Training and Welcome Session this Saturday from 7am-11am. If you are interested in volunteering with the clinic as an escort – or maybe you have an interest in getting involved in other ways – come on down to Whole Women’s Health this Saturday! There will be coffee and donuts (first come, first serve), a Do and Don’ts of Clinic Escorting training, and an opportunity to freeze your butt off on the sidewalk while antis lecture you on the evils of abortion!

Now who doesn’t want that?

Whole Women’s Health
825 S 8th St #1018,
Minneapolis, MN 55404

If you’re in the area and would like to volunteer, but are lacking in some resource that you think I might be able to provide – e.g., a ride to the clinic, help with directions or bus routes, warm clothes – let me know. If you think you might be interested, but want to ask me some questions beforehand – ask! If you would like to attend, but can’t, shoot me an email and we’ll work out an alternate way to get you trained in. I can be reached at [email protected]

Be A Clinic Escort in Minneapolis!

Cross-Country Connections: Thanksgiving

Brianne Bilyeu, 655 Comments

Cross-Country Connections is a Biodork weekly blog entry dedicated to telling stories in pictures of three family members – me, my sister and Mom – living in different locations across the country. Every week we choose a different theme and then take or contribute a personal photo that fits the theme. This week’s theme is Thanksgiving.

From me in Minneapolis, Minnesota:

Me posing with a frozen turkey and my greatgrandma's apron wrapped around my waist.
Domestic goddess cosplay.

From Erin in Takoma Park, Maryland:

Cat grumpily sharing her table with the Thanksgiving centerpiece
Grumpy Thanksgiving!

From Mom in Hagerstown, Maryland:

Thanksgiving table set with roast pork and side dishes
Stuffed pork roast with all the trimmings.

Cross-Country Connections: Thanksgiving