Entry tags:
"Nervosa" by Hayley Gold
Nervosa, by Hayley Gold. A comics memoir about her experiences with Anorexia nervosa. Published 2023.
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Media report! October
Migraining this week, but I started to feel better at about 5 pm today. Sometimes I really just have to lean into being a night person.
Watched a few documentaries, they were all somewhat enjoyable, concussion/migraine viewing.
The Alpinist. About a free-solo rock and mountain climber (meaning no ropes, no climbing partner). This guy was in it for the adventure and the extreme experiences. He died in 2018 from an avalanche. Lots of great photography in this, but obviously not recommended if you have a fear of heights.
Race to the Summit. Also about 2 free-solo rock climbers, in Switzerland. The Swiss German is sort of narrated over in English. These 2 climbers focus on speed, so they are essentially "running up a mountain". One of these climbers died from a fall and the other is still living. This is on Netflix. Seems like there is a cottage industry of documentaries around this rarefied pursuit and I've now watched a bunch of them. The people who do this, who seek out these experiences and enjoy them, seem to have unusual personalities, and it seems like that type of person would also be the space adventurer in SF and/or the scout in fantasy lands.
Eat the Rich: the Gamestop Saga. About an investment scheme adventure that happened in 2020 involving redditors. They did a nice job explaining it and finding colorful characters to make this short series interesting. There were a couple random fat-phobic shots of a stereotypical fat person sitting in front of his computer eating cheetos, which was a fly in the ointment of this otherwise decent production. This was certainly more entertaining than the film "the big short." That's a low bar though.
I read one comics memoir!
Dear Scarlet by Teresa Wong. This book is about post-partum depression and some intense shit going on.
( Read more... )
Well despite all that, it was a pretty quick read. Wong uses this simplistic art style. There is something about this technique that makes hard shit easier to read about.
Watched a few documentaries, they were all somewhat enjoyable, concussion/migraine viewing.
The Alpinist. About a free-solo rock and mountain climber (meaning no ropes, no climbing partner). This guy was in it for the adventure and the extreme experiences. He died in 2018 from an avalanche. Lots of great photography in this, but obviously not recommended if you have a fear of heights.
Race to the Summit. Also about 2 free-solo rock climbers, in Switzerland. The Swiss German is sort of narrated over in English. These 2 climbers focus on speed, so they are essentially "running up a mountain". One of these climbers died from a fall and the other is still living. This is on Netflix. Seems like there is a cottage industry of documentaries around this rarefied pursuit and I've now watched a bunch of them. The people who do this, who seek out these experiences and enjoy them, seem to have unusual personalities, and it seems like that type of person would also be the space adventurer in SF and/or the scout in fantasy lands.
Eat the Rich: the Gamestop Saga. About an investment scheme adventure that happened in 2020 involving redditors. They did a nice job explaining it and finding colorful characters to make this short series interesting. There were a couple random fat-phobic shots of a stereotypical fat person sitting in front of his computer eating cheetos, which was a fly in the ointment of this otherwise decent production. This was certainly more entertaining than the film "the big short." That's a low bar though.
I read one comics memoir!
Dear Scarlet by Teresa Wong. This book is about post-partum depression and some intense shit going on.
( Read more... )
Well despite all that, it was a pretty quick read. Wong uses this simplistic art style. There is something about this technique that makes hard shit easier to read about.
MurderBot and gendered voice
1. My hands are hurting lately so not up for a lot of typing. But also need to think some things through and writing is my way of doing that!
2. My taste/smell issue is still with me sometimes, but not nearly as bad as it was. A huge relief. I have been using my neti pot and i think it's helping.
3. One thing I like about volunteering and organizing is meeting new people, in this kind of structured way. Lots of folks at books to prisoners this week.
4. Grateful to people on the internet who have helped me de-colonize my brain around ideas of gender. It's a years-long and ongoing project but I'm appreciating what i have un-learned and what i am learning. Such as, there are infinite genders. Gender does not equal anything as mundane as anatomy, gender does not equal pronouns. etc. You can't assume people's gender by looking at them or hearing their voice.
(nota bene, I am not trans.)
had cause to think about this today when i had a very nice conversation about SF, with someone working at the library. Our conversation was one of those great ones that went right into specific titles and authors, in the way of people who like to read SF. We'd both read Ancillary Justice and Murderbot, and I mentioned that i listened to the MurderBot books.
Another employee walking by said, "Oh I know just what he's going to say! He didn't like the reader!" which caused us all to laugh.
My conversational partner said that when you read the text (with your eyes), you get a strong sense that MurderBot is agender. However the reader of the audiobooks has a masculine voice.
This is strange to me, it's the second time I've heard this exact same sentiment, the other was from someone at the dog park. Neither time did I feel confident enough to challenge that statement in the moment.
The narrator of MurderBot, Kevin R. Free, is a "middle-aged Black queer" according to him. His voice is not low, it is what some might call effeminate. He's also a very accomplished voice actor and audio book narrator (of hundreds of books), very thoughtful and skilled. He knows what he is doing. Also he is a queer man-- I imagine he's had his voice policed and commented upon and I am so curious as to what he would say about this.
Also, ok, voice does not equal gender. There are plenty of people who are cis men with high voices, you hear them on the radio every day; there are women with low voices; there are non-binary and a-gender people with all kinds of voices. There is a chorus here in town that used to be a gay men's chorus, and they changed it to be, people of any gender who sing bass/baritone/tenor (I don't know vocal ranges please correct me if i am wrong-- but my point is, they separated it out from gender).
So it then follows that the listener is assigning gender.
2. My taste/smell issue is still with me sometimes, but not nearly as bad as it was. A huge relief. I have been using my neti pot and i think it's helping.
3. One thing I like about volunteering and organizing is meeting new people, in this kind of structured way. Lots of folks at books to prisoners this week.
4. Grateful to people on the internet who have helped me de-colonize my brain around ideas of gender. It's a years-long and ongoing project but I'm appreciating what i have un-learned and what i am learning. Such as, there are infinite genders. Gender does not equal anything as mundane as anatomy, gender does not equal pronouns. etc. You can't assume people's gender by looking at them or hearing their voice.
(nota bene, I am not trans.)
had cause to think about this today when i had a very nice conversation about SF, with someone working at the library. Our conversation was one of those great ones that went right into specific titles and authors, in the way of people who like to read SF. We'd both read Ancillary Justice and Murderbot, and I mentioned that i listened to the MurderBot books.
Another employee walking by said, "Oh I know just what he's going to say! He didn't like the reader!" which caused us all to laugh.
My conversational partner said that when you read the text (with your eyes), you get a strong sense that MurderBot is agender. However the reader of the audiobooks has a masculine voice.
This is strange to me, it's the second time I've heard this exact same sentiment, the other was from someone at the dog park. Neither time did I feel confident enough to challenge that statement in the moment.
The narrator of MurderBot, Kevin R. Free, is a "middle-aged Black queer" according to him. His voice is not low, it is what some might call effeminate. He's also a very accomplished voice actor and audio book narrator (of hundreds of books), very thoughtful and skilled. He knows what he is doing. Also he is a queer man-- I imagine he's had his voice policed and commented upon and I am so curious as to what he would say about this.
Also, ok, voice does not equal gender. There are plenty of people who are cis men with high voices, you hear them on the radio every day; there are women with low voices; there are non-binary and a-gender people with all kinds of voices. There is a chorus here in town that used to be a gay men's chorus, and they changed it to be, people of any gender who sing bass/baritone/tenor (I don't know vocal ranges please correct me if i am wrong-- but my point is, they separated it out from gender).
So it then follows that the listener is assigning gender.
a good book
I read a book!
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore was a relatively easy read: short chapters, slightly larger text (YA), an adventure tale that keeps the pages turning. It's in a series that I like, the Graceling Realm. (In this series, the middle book is Bitterblue which is one of my favorite books ever.)
The author did an artist's residency on a ship that went to the arctic circle, and her experiences inform this story of people on a tall ship sailing among ice bergs. There are also telepathic foxes! This tale focuses on the queen's spy, Hava, who is also her half-sister.
It felt good to read, though maybe I overdid it a bit with this concentration-heavy activity.
More smoke today. The smell/taste thing seems a bit better today, and I do have faith that eventually it will resolve, but it's been distressing. What seems to have helped: Changing my bed sheets, spraying fabrics down with alcohol, washing nearly everything. I turned off, and left off, the bedroom AC unit which is dirty and is beyond my ability to clean--looks like you have to take the whole thing apart, and it's heavy and difficult. Good design should include the concept of cleaning, oh my god, who designs these things.
A bit of whimsy: A couple of times this summer, I've seen this man walking down my street wearing a little red peaked cap, the kind you see on troll figurines.
Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore was a relatively easy read: short chapters, slightly larger text (YA), an adventure tale that keeps the pages turning. It's in a series that I like, the Graceling Realm. (In this series, the middle book is Bitterblue which is one of my favorite books ever.)
The author did an artist's residency on a ship that went to the arctic circle, and her experiences inform this story of people on a tall ship sailing among ice bergs. There are also telepathic foxes! This tale focuses on the queen's spy, Hava, who is also her half-sister.
It felt good to read, though maybe I overdid it a bit with this concentration-heavy activity.
More smoke today. The smell/taste thing seems a bit better today, and I do have faith that eventually it will resolve, but it's been distressing. What seems to have helped: Changing my bed sheets, spraying fabrics down with alcohol, washing nearly everything. I turned off, and left off, the bedroom AC unit which is dirty and is beyond my ability to clean--looks like you have to take the whole thing apart, and it's heavy and difficult. Good design should include the concept of cleaning, oh my god, who designs these things.
A bit of whimsy: A couple of times this summer, I've seen this man walking down my street wearing a little red peaked cap, the kind you see on troll figurines.
Media recap
Bullet point style to get myself journaling!
Things I've watched and enjoyed lately:
-Seasons 1 and 2 of "The Good Fight", a lawyer show with lots of women. Lots of little twists and turns make this super entertaining. I watched it with my parents when I was home.
-Erin Brokovich, a rewatch, holds up.
-Transplant, Canadian medical drama.
-The Woman King. Really great, definitely recommended!
Things I've watched and had various issues with:
-Romancing the Stone. Fine but not really my thing. Did you know that Kathleen Turner has RA?
-Phil Phil Wang Wang, comedy special, Netflix. Bit hit and miss for me.
-An Oscar-nommed short called "Stranger at the Gate," on youtube. It's about a white guy who planned to blow up a mosque, but then de-radicalized and eventually converted to Islam. Interesting, but I wanted more information and fewer lingering shots of Muncie Indiana. And I admit I get cranky about "the power of kindness" moralizing. Kindness does not have to be required to maintain a society, to protect ourselves from violence, etc.
-The Elephant Whisperers, another Oscar-nommed short documentary. Nice story about an older couple who are raising orphaned elephants on a reserve in India. I suppose my expectation for documentaries is causing the problem here-- I wanted more information about how the reserve worked and who was in charge etc. Mostly this was great though!
Read:
-Ducks by Kate Beaton. Incredible book.
-Spare by Prince Harry. I listened on audio, kind of zoned in and out. Good on audio because it has short chapters.
Things I've watched and enjoyed lately:
-Seasons 1 and 2 of "The Good Fight", a lawyer show with lots of women. Lots of little twists and turns make this super entertaining. I watched it with my parents when I was home.
-Erin Brokovich, a rewatch, holds up.
-Transplant, Canadian medical drama.
-The Woman King. Really great, definitely recommended!
Things I've watched and had various issues with:
-Romancing the Stone. Fine but not really my thing. Did you know that Kathleen Turner has RA?
-Phil Phil Wang Wang, comedy special, Netflix. Bit hit and miss for me.
-An Oscar-nommed short called "Stranger at the Gate," on youtube. It's about a white guy who planned to blow up a mosque, but then de-radicalized and eventually converted to Islam. Interesting, but I wanted more information and fewer lingering shots of Muncie Indiana. And I admit I get cranky about "the power of kindness" moralizing. Kindness does not have to be required to maintain a society, to protect ourselves from violence, etc.
-The Elephant Whisperers, another Oscar-nommed short documentary. Nice story about an older couple who are raising orphaned elephants on a reserve in India. I suppose my expectation for documentaries is causing the problem here-- I wanted more information about how the reserve worked and who was in charge etc. Mostly this was great though!
Read:
-Ducks by Kate Beaton. Incredible book.
-Spare by Prince Harry. I listened on audio, kind of zoned in and out. Good on audio because it has short chapters.
Some music and books!
2 songs from the Decemberists that I am into lately,
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Read recently:
"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan, which I picked up at a thrift store. This was cute and an easy read; overall I liked it. But strong warning for fat phobia throughout the book that is treated as comic relief. The story is about two teens named Will Grayson; one is gay and one is straight. They have a friend in common, a large guy who is sarcastically called Tiny. Tiny is both fat and tall and hardly a page goes by without one of the two narrators commenting on this fact.
"Passport" a graphic/ comics memoir. The story was dull but the art was gorgeous. Mostly it's a coming of age, teen story about friendships.
"Grand Theft Horse", a graphic /comics biography. Just the opposite: the story here is super fascinating, the art is a little too busy. Loved it though.
Two audio books I listened to in the car but did not finish:
"Second Chance Dog" by John Katz. Feels like a book that is meant to be skimmed or read in waiting rooms because there is a lot of repeated information and the reading level is low. Not great on audio so I bounced off it.
"Alone on the Ice", an antarctic expedition book. Interesting and I gave it a fair shot, but way too long and detailed for me-- it's 10 discs!
( Read more... )
Read recently:
"Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan, which I picked up at a thrift store. This was cute and an easy read; overall I liked it. But strong warning for fat phobia throughout the book that is treated as comic relief. The story is about two teens named Will Grayson; one is gay and one is straight. They have a friend in common, a large guy who is sarcastically called Tiny. Tiny is both fat and tall and hardly a page goes by without one of the two narrators commenting on this fact.
"Passport" a graphic/ comics memoir. The story was dull but the art was gorgeous. Mostly it's a coming of age, teen story about friendships.
"Grand Theft Horse", a graphic /comics biography. Just the opposite: the story here is super fascinating, the art is a little too busy. Loved it though.
Two audio books I listened to in the car but did not finish:
"Second Chance Dog" by John Katz. Feels like a book that is meant to be skimmed or read in waiting rooms because there is a lot of repeated information and the reading level is low. Not great on audio so I bounced off it.
"Alone on the Ice", an antarctic expedition book. Interesting and I gave it a fair shot, but way too long and detailed for me-- it's 10 discs!
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malindo Lo.
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malindo Lo.
I didn't love this book as much as other people did and I feel a bit weird saying so! In part because I like Malinda Lo as a person. There are a lot of great things about the book, and it's an Important Book in a lot of ways.
The detailed writing immerses the reader into the experience of a queer Chinese-American teenage girl in San Francisco in the 1950s. It's impressively well researched and beautifully descriptive. There are many wonderful insights into Lily's experiences, including a friendship that goes sour, dealing with racist micro-aggressions, and vivid details about her neighborhood and family.
My problem was mostly the pacing. The middle felt too long and I got stuck on it for a bit, then the ending was rushed and unsatisfying. Lots of new conflicts came up in the final chapters, and those are mostly left unresolved. Lily's big fight with her mother was upsetting, and that tension just kind of hangs there. Maybe this is realistic but it left me feeling sad.
I didn't love this book as much as other people did and I feel a bit weird saying so! In part because I like Malinda Lo as a person. There are a lot of great things about the book, and it's an Important Book in a lot of ways.
The detailed writing immerses the reader into the experience of a queer Chinese-American teenage girl in San Francisco in the 1950s. It's impressively well researched and beautifully descriptive. There are many wonderful insights into Lily's experiences, including a friendship that goes sour, dealing with racist micro-aggressions, and vivid details about her neighborhood and family.
My problem was mostly the pacing. The middle felt too long and I got stuck on it for a bit, then the ending was rushed and unsatisfying. Lots of new conflicts came up in the final chapters, and those are mostly left unresolved. Lily's big fight with her mother was upsetting, and that tension just kind of hangs there. Maybe this is realistic but it left me feeling sad.
5 things make a post
1. A couple of my plants looked very bad after I left them alone for 2 weeks, but when I got home I put them in the sink and soaked them, and they seem to be doing OK now.
2. I am really enjoying the Expanse season 6! The writing and acting are so good. The women are powerful and interesting and bad ass.
3. Adulting I did today included cancelling a couple of auto-renewing online subscriptions and changing my bed sheets. I backed up and deleted some media from my computer.
4. It's hard to tell but I might still have a sinus infection even after a course of antibiotics. Frustrating.
5. While I was at the farm visiting my family, I read a really wonderful book called "The Darkness Outside Us." It's a hard SciFi book about two astronauts on a rescue mission. It's marketed as YA. Highly recommended, gripping, precisely plotted, and also gay!
2. I am really enjoying the Expanse season 6! The writing and acting are so good. The women are powerful and interesting and bad ass.
3. Adulting I did today included cancelling a couple of auto-renewing online subscriptions and changing my bed sheets. I backed up and deleted some media from my computer.
4. It's hard to tell but I might still have a sinus infection even after a course of antibiotics. Frustrating.
5. While I was at the farm visiting my family, I read a really wonderful book called "The Darkness Outside Us." It's a hard SciFi book about two astronauts on a rescue mission. It's marketed as YA. Highly recommended, gripping, precisely plotted, and also gay!
Tuesday 7/13
I'm having some internet issues which are interfering with video, so I have to take a break from TV watching. Which is not the worst; I have plenty of other things to do. I got up to 9.03 in Taskmaster and episode 2 of Leverage Redemption.
I'm working on a puzzle from the thrift store; it is quite challenging. It's called "The Astronomer" and it features a wizard and his big telescope in a tower.
Debbie and I went into work for books to prisoners on Monday. Today I dropped off 4 packages of books at the post office, the first ones of the year.
While at the B2P space I borrowed a book called "For Real" by Alexis Hall, and I am totally loving it. It's a kinky gay romance featuring age difference and it's really well written.
Stalled out a little on my vid project, but I managed to work on it just a little bit tonight. At this stage I'm learning a lot and having to make decisions, which is a lot of work.
I'm working on a puzzle from the thrift store; it is quite challenging. It's called "The Astronomer" and it features a wizard and his big telescope in a tower.
Debbie and I went into work for books to prisoners on Monday. Today I dropped off 4 packages of books at the post office, the first ones of the year.
While at the B2P space I borrowed a book called "For Real" by Alexis Hall, and I am totally loving it. It's a kinky gay romance featuring age difference and it's really well written.
Stalled out a little on my vid project, but I managed to work on it just a little bit tonight. At this stage I'm learning a lot and having to make decisions, which is a lot of work.
Media report from my summer vacation
The Dig - Netflix
Not a whole lot happens in this movie, but it's pleasant to watch, kind of relaxing and pretty, with good acting. It's the eve of WWII. A wealthy widower (Carey Mulligan) in the English countryside decides to hire someone to excavate some burial mounds on her property. She hires Basil Brown, a working-class autodidact. Ralph Fiennes completely disappears into this role. Brown does the excavation and eventually finds something amazing. About halfway through, some more characters are introduced as people come to the site to help dig and admire the findings. The film is largely about all these people and their relationships and emotions.
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything
by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (audio read by Inés del Castillo)
This is a somewhat strange YA book about Sia, a teenage girl who lives in a border town. Her mom is missing and presumed dead, which is the central mystery of the story. The first part of this book is about relationships: Sia has a crush and then gets a boyfriend. Her best friend, Rose, is ignoring Sia because Rose has a crush on a girl; plus Rose disapproves of Sia's boyfriend. They passive-agressively fight and then actually argue and have a falling out, then repair their relationship, and all this felt very real and true. Sia is a confident kid and I liked getting to hear her tale.
Then the back half of the book involves alien encounters, secret government experiments, and super powers. It really felt like a different book; the first half was honestly better and the X-files stuff felt a bit under-developed.
There was also a very strange bit about how Sia apparently thinks she's not having sex because she's not doing PIV with her boyfriend. She's like "I can't believe I almost had sex with that guy and he lied to me!" I was like, wait what? I'm pretty sure I had to sit through a sex scene a few minutes ago! I'm told this is a common attitude in Christian teen communities but wow. Jarring and IMO irresponsible: her dad is like "use a condom" and talks about avoiding pregnancy. She's like, "I'm not having sex" which is patently untrue (but she thinks it is true). There is no discussion of STDs.
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
A teen book about a non-binary kid who gets kicked out of their parents' house and goes to live with their older sister. They meet some cool kids at school and do some art projects; they get a crush on a boy named Nathan. A quick read.
Graphic novels / Graphic memoirs:
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha. An emotional story about an immigrant experience.
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine. Very funny, often embarrassing tales from the author's life.
Not a whole lot happens in this movie, but it's pleasant to watch, kind of relaxing and pretty, with good acting. It's the eve of WWII. A wealthy widower (Carey Mulligan) in the English countryside decides to hire someone to excavate some burial mounds on her property. She hires Basil Brown, a working-class autodidact. Ralph Fiennes completely disappears into this role. Brown does the excavation and eventually finds something amazing. About halfway through, some more characters are introduced as people come to the site to help dig and admire the findings. The film is largely about all these people and their relationships and emotions.
Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything
by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (audio read by Inés del Castillo)
This is a somewhat strange YA book about Sia, a teenage girl who lives in a border town. Her mom is missing and presumed dead, which is the central mystery of the story. The first part of this book is about relationships: Sia has a crush and then gets a boyfriend. Her best friend, Rose, is ignoring Sia because Rose has a crush on a girl; plus Rose disapproves of Sia's boyfriend. They passive-agressively fight and then actually argue and have a falling out, then repair their relationship, and all this felt very real and true. Sia is a confident kid and I liked getting to hear her tale.
Then the back half of the book involves alien encounters, secret government experiments, and super powers. It really felt like a different book; the first half was honestly better and the X-files stuff felt a bit under-developed.
There was also a very strange bit about how Sia apparently thinks she's not having sex because she's not doing PIV with her boyfriend. She's like "I can't believe I almost had sex with that guy and he lied to me!" I was like, wait what? I'm pretty sure I had to sit through a sex scene a few minutes ago! I'm told this is a common attitude in Christian teen communities but wow. Jarring and IMO irresponsible: her dad is like "use a condom" and talks about avoiding pregnancy. She's like, "I'm not having sex" which is patently untrue (but she thinks it is true). There is no discussion of STDs.
I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
A teen book about a non-binary kid who gets kicked out of their parents' house and goes to live with their older sister. They meet some cool kids at school and do some art projects; they get a crush on a boy named Nathan. A quick read.
Graphic novels / Graphic memoirs:
Almost American Girl by Robin Ha. An emotional story about an immigrant experience.
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist by Adrian Tomine. Very funny, often embarrassing tales from the author's life.
Book report: Aristotle and Dante #2
Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World
(Aristotle and Dante #2)
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
I got an Advanced Reviewer's copy of this from a friend. Release date is Oct 12.
In short: I loved it!!
There are some books that get you where you live. That make you feel less alone, that comfort you and expand your view of yourself. This is one of those books.
Being gay can be joyful and liberating, and sometimes it can be really heavy and painful, trying to live and love in a world that largely either ignores you or hates you. Ari navigates this reality with his boyfriend Dante, their supportive parents, and with some new friends. Ari and Dante go camping; the attend their senior year of high school. It's 1988; AIDS is killing people around them.
This is a quiet book, a beautiful book. Ari is a remarkable person, a deep thinker who struggles, and eventually succeeds, at truly connecting with other people. He struggles with seeing himself as worthy of love. With the help of his people, he grows into himself, into a sensitive and loving person.
We who are queer in this world, we need these kinds of hopeful stories.
(Aristotle and Dante #2)
by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
I got an Advanced Reviewer's copy of this from a friend. Release date is Oct 12.
In short: I loved it!!
There are some books that get you where you live. That make you feel less alone, that comfort you and expand your view of yourself. This is one of those books.
Being gay can be joyful and liberating, and sometimes it can be really heavy and painful, trying to live and love in a world that largely either ignores you or hates you. Ari navigates this reality with his boyfriend Dante, their supportive parents, and with some new friends. Ari and Dante go camping; the attend their senior year of high school. It's 1988; AIDS is killing people around them.
This is a quiet book, a beautiful book. Ari is a remarkable person, a deep thinker who struggles, and eventually succeeds, at truly connecting with other people. He struggles with seeing himself as worthy of love. With the help of his people, he grows into himself, into a sensitive and loving person.
We who are queer in this world, we need these kinds of hopeful stories.
Entry tags:
Getting more into audio books means I am having Opinions
I met with a prospective roommate today. He seems fine and nice, kind of a nerdy white guy who grew up on a farm.
I listened to one of my favorite books, "Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe", which is narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I like LMM but I'm not sure he was quite the right narrator for this particular story. I also am sort of annoyed by myself for having such complex opinions about this; I wish I could just enjoy the audio book without over-thinking it. But this is my brain, here I am.
Aristotle in the book is quiet, contemplative, sometimes morose, somewhat of a loner. LMM is energetic, charming, funny. He's also so famous that it's hard to forget you're listening to him (or at least, famous to me, an erstwhile Hamilton fan). Ari speaks in short sentences. LMM speaks in paragraphs. You see? I would like to hear this story read by someone with a quieter energy.
I'm working on a 1,000-piece puzzle called "Merlin's workshop." It's quite challenging and my roommate has helped me some. We're almost finished.
Earlier this week I really over-did it, because the weather was nice and I had a bit of energy. The next day, I had to sleep most of the day. It's a reminder to myself that my limits are there for a reason.
I listened to one of my favorite books, "Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe", which is narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I like LMM but I'm not sure he was quite the right narrator for this particular story. I also am sort of annoyed by myself for having such complex opinions about this; I wish I could just enjoy the audio book without over-thinking it. But this is my brain, here I am.
Aristotle in the book is quiet, contemplative, sometimes morose, somewhat of a loner. LMM is energetic, charming, funny. He's also so famous that it's hard to forget you're listening to him (or at least, famous to me, an erstwhile Hamilton fan). Ari speaks in short sentences. LMM speaks in paragraphs. You see? I would like to hear this story read by someone with a quieter energy.
I'm working on a 1,000-piece puzzle called "Merlin's workshop." It's quite challenging and my roommate has helped me some. We're almost finished.
Earlier this week I really over-did it, because the weather was nice and I had a bit of energy. The next day, I had to sleep most of the day. It's a reminder to myself that my limits are there for a reason.
media
Yesterday and today I listened to "Network Effect" by Martha Wells, which I enjoyed a lot. MurderBot is just such a great character. I mostly played Stardew Valley while listening.
Watched:
9-1-1, "Blindsided".
9-1-1 Lonestar, "Saving Grace." This was excellent, really good writing and acting.
Oh I'm also reading "We Do This 'Til We Free Us," by Mariame Kaba, about abolition of the criminal punishment system (namely cops and prisons). I'm mostly reading bits of it as I eat meals.
Watched:
9-1-1, "Blindsided".
9-1-1 Lonestar, "Saving Grace." This was excellent, really good writing and acting.
Oh I'm also reading "We Do This 'Til We Free Us," by Mariame Kaba, about abolition of the criminal punishment system (namely cops and prisons). I'm mostly reading bits of it as I eat meals.
Got my vaccine #1 today (3/24) whoohoo
Read:
"The Deep and Dark Blue" by Niki Smith - graphic novel
Very beautiful, lots of blues and purples. A trans main character and an interesting magic system.
The plot had some problems, but this is fantasy aimed at tweens; it doesn't have to have a perfect plot. But, unnecessary character death does bother me, more and more; I think it's more interesting, more complicated, more hopeful to keep characters alive in most circumstances.
Watching:
I tried out "Saving Grace" which I liked, but there is too much murder, so I have to take a break. I think I've reached and surpassed my tolerance for murder in media.
Slowly continuing with Leverage Rewatch.
Playing:
Got to a major plot point in Hades tonight! Really enjoying this game.
Milestones:
Got my first vaccine dose!! Pfizer. Left arm. Super stoked.
"The Deep and Dark Blue" by Niki Smith - graphic novel
Very beautiful, lots of blues and purples. A trans main character and an interesting magic system.
The plot had some problems, but this is fantasy aimed at tweens; it doesn't have to have a perfect plot. But, unnecessary character death does bother me, more and more; I think it's more interesting, more complicated, more hopeful to keep characters alive in most circumstances.
Watching:
I tried out "Saving Grace" which I liked, but there is too much murder, so I have to take a break. I think I've reached and surpassed my tolerance for murder in media.
Slowly continuing with Leverage Rewatch.
Playing:
Got to a major plot point in Hades tonight! Really enjoying this game.
Milestones:
Got my first vaccine dose!! Pfizer. Left arm. Super stoked.
March 17, not much happening.
Very tired, sleeping a lot, not much happening.
Watching:
Leverage re-watch, I'm in season 4.
Saving Grace, on Hulu, episodes 1-4. The main draw is Holly Hunter.
Playing:
too much Hades.
Reading:
the Atlantic articles,
"Dragon Pearl" on audio, but I'm having trouble getting through it. It's just taking me a long time.
Finished "Snapdragon," a middle-grade (i guess?) graphic novel that was very cute and beautiful.
Watching:
Leverage re-watch, I'm in season 4.
Saving Grace, on Hulu, episodes 1-4. The main draw is Holly Hunter.
Playing:
too much Hades.
Reading:
the Atlantic articles,
"Dragon Pearl" on audio, but I'm having trouble getting through it. It's just taking me a long time.
Finished "Snapdragon," a middle-grade (i guess?) graphic novel that was very cute and beautiful.
Entry tags:
Listening to audio books
I'm trying to get more into audio books as a way to get reading back as a hobby. There's a bit of a learning curve. I'd like something to do with my hands while I listen, as a way to help me focus. Something that requires passive attention, but does not trigger RSI pain. Still experimenting with this. I'm a bit bored of all my familiar computer games.
Today I listed to Murderbot #3, Rogue Protocol I think is the title. It's harder to remember titles when you don't have the paper book in your hand. I found my attention drifting some during the action parts, but I got the gist of it, and I like the reader, who is Kevin R. Free. I think he was on Welcome to Night Vale. I enjoy Murderbot's humor. There's somewhat of a trope of the grumpy warrior who keeps saving people and making friends despite themself; I love this trope. Think Wolverine (X-men), and the Mandalorian. All I need now is for Murderbot to adopt a wayward child.
I'm a bit bored in general; I don't have enough energy to do interesting things, or like, the executive function I can borrow from other people's energy when doing things together...because we mostly can't do things together these days.
My parents have got their first dose of the vaccine. A relief.
Grateful for my roommate, who cooked dinner tonight.
Today I listed to Murderbot #3, Rogue Protocol I think is the title. It's harder to remember titles when you don't have the paper book in your hand. I found my attention drifting some during the action parts, but I got the gist of it, and I like the reader, who is Kevin R. Free. I think he was on Welcome to Night Vale. I enjoy Murderbot's humor. There's somewhat of a trope of the grumpy warrior who keeps saving people and making friends despite themself; I love this trope. Think Wolverine (X-men), and the Mandalorian. All I need now is for Murderbot to adopt a wayward child.
I'm a bit bored in general; I don't have enough energy to do interesting things, or like, the executive function I can borrow from other people's energy when doing things together...because we mostly can't do things together these days.
My parents have got their first dose of the vaccine. A relief.
Grateful for my roommate, who cooked dinner tonight.
Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore
A friend sent me Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore, which is a brand-new book in the "Graceling" series. The previous book, Bitterblue, is one of my favorites.
This book picks up 5 years later. Queen Bitterblue and some of her companions decide to visit Ledra, the capital city of a neighboring nation called Torla (no I mean Winterkeep). Winterkeep has a representative democracy, but it's run by wealthy elites. The people travel by airships and some of them have telepathic foxes. Out in the ocean are silbercows, seal-like animals that are friendly to humans and can also communicate telepathically with some people.
The narration alternates perspectives between Bitterblue, her friend Giddon, and two new characters: Lovisa, the 16-year-old daughter of 2 wealthy politicians; and a fox who is bonded to Lovisa's mother. The story involves some mystery and page-turning adventure.
Some things I especially liked:
--Although the main romances in these books have been m/f, Winterkeep has queer background characters, and Lovisa is bisexual. It seems to be taken for granted and un-remarked upon. Lovisa thinks and talks about sex in a no-nonsense manner. The characters drink a tea for contraception. It's refreshing.
--One of the themes of Cashore's work is, what do you do when your parent, or parents, turn out to be evil? The characters reckon with trauma and abuse. This felt very realistic to me, and important.
--The foxes and the silbercows are really cute!
This book picks up 5 years later. Queen Bitterblue and some of her companions decide to visit Ledra, the capital city of a neighboring nation called Torla (no I mean Winterkeep). Winterkeep has a representative democracy, but it's run by wealthy elites. The people travel by airships and some of them have telepathic foxes. Out in the ocean are silbercows, seal-like animals that are friendly to humans and can also communicate telepathically with some people.
The narration alternates perspectives between Bitterblue, her friend Giddon, and two new characters: Lovisa, the 16-year-old daughter of 2 wealthy politicians; and a fox who is bonded to Lovisa's mother. The story involves some mystery and page-turning adventure.
Some things I especially liked:
--Although the main romances in these books have been m/f, Winterkeep has queer background characters, and Lovisa is bisexual. It seems to be taken for granted and un-remarked upon. Lovisa thinks and talks about sex in a no-nonsense manner. The characters drink a tea for contraception. It's refreshing.
--One of the themes of Cashore's work is, what do you do when your parent, or parents, turn out to be evil? The characters reckon with trauma and abuse. This felt very realistic to me, and important.
--The foxes and the silbercows are really cute!
Entry tags:
Looking for book recs for my mom
I sent a couple of books to my mom and she really enjoyed them. They were "Lab Girl" by Hope Jahren, and "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah.
These two were such hits! I'm struggling to think of another book to send her that would be as good, and thus am seeking recommendations.
My mom likes: History, animals/plants/nature, medicine, farming and gardening, Swedish stuff, anything well-written and interesting. She's also read a couple of presidential biographies about Truman and John Adams, and I think she read and liked the book by Dr. Jan Pol, called "Never Turn your back on an Angus Cow." Fiction recs also wanted; she reads mostly main-stream fiction, not SF/F/Horror or romance.
I'm trying to avoid anything that is depressing, or about abuse or death. Bonus if a large-print text is available, though that is not necessary.
Books I'm considering, which i have not read myself:
My Journey with Maya by Tavis Smiley
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
These two were such hits! I'm struggling to think of another book to send her that would be as good, and thus am seeking recommendations.
My mom likes: History, animals/plants/nature, medicine, farming and gardening, Swedish stuff, anything well-written and interesting. She's also read a couple of presidential biographies about Truman and John Adams, and I think she read and liked the book by Dr. Jan Pol, called "Never Turn your back on an Angus Cow." Fiction recs also wanted; she reads mostly main-stream fiction, not SF/F/Horror or romance.
I'm trying to avoid anything that is depressing, or about abuse or death. Bonus if a large-print text is available, though that is not necessary.
Books I'm considering, which i have not read myself:
My Journey with Maya by Tavis Smiley
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder
Entry tags:
Bouncing off of, or Noping out of, books/tv/movies
I've gotten better at knowing my own tastes, and deciding to stop reading or watching something that isn't working for me. Usually I can tell within the first few minutes if something is my jam, but I used to argue with myself and try to get myself to like things, or finish things. Sometimes I still try to argue myself into liking a fanfic-- Usually a something long, that starts out pretty good but then just goes on and on. Sometimes I think to myself, "I'm just not in the mood for this right now," which is no judgement on the media itself. Moods vary and there is nothing wrong with being the wrong mood for something.
For instance, I started watching "Into the Woods" and just kind of hated it. Maybe a different time I'll like it. No harm no foul. Back to the library with you.
I read the first couple of chapters of "Fire" by Kristin Cashore, which I've read before but don't remember. I just wasn't feeling it. "Fire" takes place technically in the same world as Graceling and Bitterblue, but it's a different magic system and a different kind of book.
Using the library a lot helps with this, since I'm not spending money on anything, and I enjoy going there. I've also been trying to return comics that I've borrowed from people, and donate books, so I'm not staring at books that I am not going to read anytime soon.
For instance, I started watching "Into the Woods" and just kind of hated it. Maybe a different time I'll like it. No harm no foul. Back to the library with you.
I read the first couple of chapters of "Fire" by Kristin Cashore, which I've read before but don't remember. I just wasn't feeling it. "Fire" takes place technically in the same world as Graceling and Bitterblue, but it's a different magic system and a different kind of book.
Using the library a lot helps with this, since I'm not spending money on anything, and I enjoy going there. I've also been trying to return comics that I've borrowed from people, and donate books, so I'm not staring at books that I am not going to read anytime soon.
Entry tags:
under the weather
I'm having pretty bad pain in my left ear and jaw, so not a lot of brain power happening. I'm taking antibiotics and trying to sleep a lot.
There's a new Stardew Valley update! Includes a new mine by the quarry.
I recently re-read "Bitterblue" and "Graceling". What I find curious right now is that this is a secondary-fantasy world that does not seem to have any religion. I hope to re-read "fire" next if I have enough energy.
There's a new Stardew Valley update! Includes a new mine by the quarry.
I recently re-read "Bitterblue" and "Graceling". What I find curious right now is that this is a secondary-fantasy world that does not seem to have any religion. I hope to re-read "fire" next if I have enough energy.