[Narnia Content Note: Racism]
The Horse and His Boy, Chapter 15: Rabadash the Ridiculous
When we last left this scene, King Lune was judging Rabadash in a trial which was utterly devoid of authority, impartiality, or even good judgment. I said before that even if Lune were in the appropriate position to judge Rabadash is a bag of rabid weasels, that wouldn't change the real politick of the situation: in other words, now that they've won the battle, how do they prevent a war?
Next moment Cor wondered why everyone at the table had risen and was standing perfectly still. Of course he did the same himself. And then he saw the reason. Aslan was among them though no one had seen him coming. Rabadash started as the immense shape of the Lion paced softly in between him and his accusers.
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Narnia: Rabadash the Ass |
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Metapost: A Brief Summary of Medical Stuff |
[Cross-posted from my Patreon]
Since yesterday, I have almost 60 new patrons--and many of my existing patrons have adjusted their pledges upwards in order to help me. I cannot, I can never, thank you enough. Thank you so much.
[TW: Medical Stuff, Internalized Ableism]
For those who do not follow me on Twitter, yesterday I learned that the health insurance my employer switched us over to for 2018 doesn't cover my pharmaceutical meds. The pills I take to manage my pain (and which I gushed about as so amazingly life-changing in my last Patreon newsletter!) are now $400 a month--with another monthly $100 charged to administer a physical examination to determine whether I'm using these drugs properly. (This involves rigorous urine testing to see if I have more drugs in my system than I'm "supposed" to.)
A wonderful and beloved patron reached out to me yesterday and paid for my February meds, because I was having a panicky meltdown about going into the weekend without this resolved. (thank you thank you thank you!!) Meanwhile, new pledges poured in while my phone blew up with love. I have never seen anything like what happened yesterday. You are all magical and beautiful star-children and I feel blessed to know you and write for you. I went from feeling like a "burden" on the medical system and like the world would be better without my existence, to feeling safe in the arms of hundreds of people sending me love and affirmation.
Thank you.
Right now, we have a tentative plan forward in terms of medicine. My doctor wants me to try a different medicine which is itself $500 a month, but for which they have "coupons" which bring the price down to a fifth of that sticker cost. How long those coupons will last and how many I'm allowed to use is something they're checking on. So it's not the best solution in the world, but it'll hopefully keep me alive and pain-free for another couple months while we figure something else out.
My spouse is being wonderfully supportive through all this (as are my comfort cats--who are highly attuned to when mommy is upset) and he's doing everything he can to help. I'm drafting up an "in case of emergency" list of instructions for him on what to do with my Patreon, Twitter, blog, etc. in case I'm unable to post for any reason.
I love you all and thank you so much. I'm humbled and grateful to have you here. Monetarily, your support means more than I can say; emotionally, your support is equally invaluable. When I can create lovely combinations of words that touch others, I feel like I'm bringing beauty into this world. With you here, I don't feel like a "burden". ♥ ♥ ♥
[/TW]
Today I'll be scheduling Patreon posts for February and they'll go up on the 1st. You'll get a slew of emails that morning! I'm really excited about the things I'll be posting, and I hope you like them as much as I do. ;) I also plan to get a Narnia up this weekend (tentatively tomorrow?) and I'm excited about that, too.
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Open Thread: Ice on a Window |
Winter has sort of led to some recurring themes in these open threads. Taken on a bus.
We have a special open thread set aside for discussion of The Last Jedi. Please take any spoiler-having discussion of it there.
Friday Recommendations! What have you been reading/writing/listening to/playing/watching lately? Shamelessly self-promote or boost the signal on something you think we should know about - the weekend’s ahead of us, so give us something new to explore!
And, like on all threads: please remember to use the "post new comment" feature rather than the "reply" feature, even when directly replying to someone else!
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Review: The Belles |
The Belles
by Dhonielle Clayton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Belles / B071XNWRHC
I'd heard in advance this book was amazing, and even pre-ordered the Kindle version, so I was excited beyond words when the publisher sent me an ARC to read in advance. I meant to read it a little at a time (I'm trying to break my marathon-reading habits) but ended up devouring the entire book in a day. SO GOOD.
The people of this world are afflicted with a mysterious curse which drains them of color. But a few girls are born with color and a mysterious magical gift: they can provide beauty (any color! golden hair? sure! red-rose lips? on it! honey-brown eyes? here you go!), moderate moods and temperaments, and grant musical and artistic skill. These girls are called Belles and their entire purpose in life is to serve the people of Orleans and beat back the graying curse with constant vigilance in the form of beauty treatments.
...which are expensive.
...and very painful.
Camille, one of the latest batch of six graduating Belles, longs to show the people their inner beauty. She wants to *enhance* their loveliness and help them accept how wonderful they are. But life is about to take a sharp turn when she arrives at the capital and realizes that what the people *actually* want has nothing to do with natural beauty or self-acceptance and everything to do with a desperate scramble to the top of a treacherous and deadly social ladder.
If you liked HUNGER GAMES but wanted less running in the woods and more Capitol politics, clothing, beauty regimens, and rich people murdering each other--and President Snow as an evil princess with a miniature pet elephant--then you will like THE BELLES.
---Spoilers and Trigger Warnings--
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Open Thread: Tree + Snow |
A lot of times snow covered trees are hard to capture in a way that really gives the feeling of looking at them. That was true here, but I think it's a passable job.
Taken near my home.
We have a special open thread set aside for discussion of The Last Jedi. Please take any spoiler-having discussion of it there.
Friday Recommendations! What have you been reading/writing/listening to/playing/watching lately? Shamelessly self-promote or boost the signal on something you think we should know about - the weekend’s ahead of us, so give us something new to explore!
And, like on all threads: please remember to use the "post new comment" feature rather than the "reply" feature, even when directly replying to someone else!
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Review: Good Luck With That |
Good Luck with That
by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Good Luck With That / B077CNXY2B
[Trigger Warning: Fat Hatred, Eating Disorders]
I want to say upfront I did not finish (DNF) this book. There are 39 chapters and a prologue, so 40 chapters total. I read the first 7 chapters, 2 chapters in the middle, and the last 4 chapters--13 chapters total I read, or almost a third of the book. I also heavily skimmed the parts I didn't read. I was looking, as close as I could, for something that would make this book stop being hurtful. In the beginning, in the middle, and in the ending, I only found more hurt.
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Good Luck With That: Chapter 5 |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Chapter 5 (and finished. done.)
(Tweet Link) Tonight we finish this book, #GoodLuckWithThat, by which I mean: I am done. I have read chapter 5 and chapter 6, I have skimmed the pages between them and the ending, I have read several of the end chapters. I'm done. Funnily enough, I don't feel as though the book beat me by getting me to give up. I feel as though I beat the book by refusing to play its game.
It *wants* you to read it for the rage or pain or voyeurism. I won't play its game. It has no power over me.
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Good Luck With That: Chapter 4 |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Chapter 4
(Tweet Link) Okay, here we go. #ANAGLWT. This is an attempt to read and review Chapter 4 of "Good Luck With That". Reminder that there is a LOT of fat stigma in this book and I honestly encourage fat people and people with eating disorders to mute "ANAGLWT" in their Twitter settings.
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Good Luck With That: Chapter 3 |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Chapter 3
(Tweet Link) I'm going to talk a bit more about this book and maybe read Chapter 3 tonight. Please feel free to go into your Settings and mute this hashtag; there's a LOT of fat shaming in this book.
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Good Luck With That: Chapter 2 |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Chapter 2
(Tweet Link) Okay, I'm going to do chapter 2 of this book, which is where the last owner of this ARC had to bail. We may have to review this book in pieces, like scribes copying out Cthulhic texts to preserve their minds. Go into your settings and mute to avoid seeing this.
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Good Luck With That: Chapter 1 |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Chapter 1
(Tweet Link) Okay, I'm going to do another #GoodLuckWithThat reading sprint. Mute in your Twitter settings if you need to; there's fat stigma in this thread.
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Good Luck With That: Prologue |
[Good Luck With That Content Note: Fat Stigma, Eating Disorders. Please take this content note seriously.]
Good Luck With That, Prologue
(Tweet Link) Okay, so do ya'll remember #GoodLuckWithThat? I have acquired an ARC of the book.
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Open Thread: Tree Melt |
Even in the places where a uniform cover of snow has fallen, it does not melt away to nothing at a uniform pace, instead a variety of factors influence the speed at which snow melts in a particular spot. Factors like, say, whether or not there's a tree sticking out of the ground right there.
We have a special open thread set aside for discussion of The Last Jedi. Please take any spoiler-having discussion of it there.
Friday Recommendations! What have you been reading/writing/listening to/playing/watching lately? Shamelessly self-promote or boost the signal on something you think we should know about - the weekend’s ahead of us, so give us something new to explore!
And, like on all threads: please remember to use the "post new comment" feature rather than the "reply" feature, even when directly replying to someone else!
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Open Thread: Moderate Delays |
On the twelfth day of Christmas, the day when this thread was actually supposed to be posted, the Red Line northbound was experiencing moderate delays. Specifically, there was supposed to be a five minute wait between trains. The delay made it take 22 times that long. You know: moderate.
This was taken about half an hour in to the moderate delay. Many commuters had already abandoned all hope and left the platform by that time.
We have a special open thread set aside for discussion of The Last Jedi. Please take any spoiler-having discussion of it there.
And, like on all threads: please remember to use the "post new comment" feature rather than the "reply" feature, even when directly replying to someone else!
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Writings: This War of Mine |
Note: This was previously published on my Patreon.
[TW: War, Violence, Children living in a war area.]
This is an older fic I wanted to share, previously posted on my blog and updated for this space. This was written after I played This War of Mine (available on Steam) for my YouTube channel and fell in love with the game; it's honestly one of the most immersive and emotional games I've ever played. You play a team of survivors in a walled city trying to survive a war while you wait for the war to be over and humanitarian aid to get through.
I wanted to repost this because the feeling of working together with others while in a high-stress environment trying to kill you feels relevant right now.