Posts

September 2021 Carnival of Aros: Just Friends

Spoiler for Shang Chi: how a relationship is described and where that relationship ends up.   The September 2021 Carnival of Aros theme is LANGUAGE . A significant portion of Aros, I haven’t taken a poll, don’t appreciate the phrase “just friends” because it enforces a relationship hierarchy of romance as superior to friendship.  Someone once questioned this dislike, citing that “just” can be used to clarify “this not that” and doesn’t necessarily mean a value comparison.  For example, “Did you get apples and bananas from the store?” - “No, just bananas.” However, the connotation of “just” tends to be a diminishment.  “What was that noise?” - “Nothing, just goofing around”. In this example, “just” is used to say the noise is nothing to be concerned about because it is less than what the person who heard it and worried thought it might have been. The same thing happens with an accusation that someone is having an affair and the defense that “we are just friends.” The same diminishing ef
Post a Comment
Read more

August 2021 Carnival of Aros: Amatonormativity and Wellbeing

This post is for the August 2021 Carnival of Aros: Amatonormativity and Wellbeing .  "What are some things you do to mitigate the impact of amatonormativity on yourself, such as with self-care practices?"  I write drabbles (exactly 100 words of fiction) exploring non-amatonormative relationships. Like so: Drabble Time!      “You know how I’m polyamorous?” he asks.       “Mmhmm,” I voice, our cuddling making nodding inconvenient.       “You understand that I tell my partners about my other relationships?”      “What words would you use for this?” I ask.       “You’re physically affectionate, but evasive as soon as I try to define us.”      I grin wide to hide my fear. “Did you know I give fantastic backrubs?”      “I did not know this,” he says. “Are you offering?”      “I am, turn around.”      He complies.       My fear rambles out of me, laying bare my uncertainty and preference to stay vague and experimental.       “As you wish,” he says.
Post a Comment
Read more

August 2021 Carnival of Aces: Anything Goes!

This post is for the August 2021 Carnival of Aces: Second Change at Any Past Topic .  I recently discovered the 10 minute drabble. A challenge to write a scene or microfiction of exactly 100 words in 10 minutes.  What better prompts for my team of ace and aro superheros than the first year of Carnival of Aces prompts? How amazing is it that Carnival of Aces has been going for a decade?!  Coming Out - May 2011 “Are you interested in our team?” asks a latina with lightning bolts dotted across her cape, the design clownish and out-dated. “Um,” I say. I look up at the “Ace and Aro Heroes” banner. I had only meant to wander the booths to appear interested in various teams. It seems my subconscious had another plan.  “How ‘out’ would I have to be, hypothetically.” “Well, if you join the team people would know. Do you not want that?” “I’m focused on the saving people part. I’m worried having to defend myself from all the ‘that’s not real’ would trip me up.”   Community - July 2011 She covertl
Post a Comment
Read more

June Carnival of Aros : Pride

 For pride month I participated in Kathy Trithardt's collab video by recommending three aromantic short stories for " Ace BookTubers Recommend Ace Books ." The original call was for ace/aro content, but based on the title it looks like mainly ace content was recommened, so I've linked to the time code where I talk about the aromantic short stories.  It was great having a deadline and a three story limit, and getting to contribute to a group project during pride month. The following is the transcript of my aromantic short story recommendations.  To Unmask a Witch by agnezztealeaf "This has an old woman who lives in the woods, and there's these three three or four children trying to sneak up on her because they think she's a witch,  and they're looking for proof. And it's just full of mischief and bravery  and not meeting people's expectations and that being okay." A Problem Unsolved by candypeel "features a witch and a love potion
Post a Comment
Read more

Queer Lit Readathon Day 7

I'm Amazing! I completed my "finish line" goals. I completed the "side quest" of reaching 50% for the 2021 Books that Burn Challenge . I completed 2 of 3 long shot goals! I was on track to completing every single goal, even though completing every goal wasn't the goal :P, but then a nasty headache stole a few hours. But I feel confident I could have achieved this out-there set of goals if that hadn't happened, which is a nice empowering feeling. I do not know where all this focus came from, but I'm loving it.  Today I read: 40 pages of poetry 45 pages of graphic novel 1 short story 219 pages of fiction 4.8 audiobook hours
Post a Comment
Read more

Queer Lit Readathon Day 6

 Day 6 I completed all my Day 6 goals! (with one small adjustment). During the time I planned to read Tonguebreaker , I was magically inspired to work on an important project I'd been postponing. I did manage to do an hours worth of reading sprints for Tonguebreaker in the evening, so I call that a win-win. " Once and Future King " (short story) by Jeanette Ng 11:35 am - 12:35 pm reading  Tonguebreaker Chapter 4 of  How to be Ace Pass 50% of  Iceman: Thawing Out As much of  Carry the Ocean  as I want, AFTER the other goals I read more than I challenged myself to today. 🎊 Day 7 Goals The final day is upon us 😱 Cross the Finish Line Last 54 pages of Tonguebreaker Last 40% of  Iceman Thawing Out Side Quest (to hit 50% for the 2021 Books that Burn challenge) " Blood is Another Word for Hunger " by Rivers Solomon " Who is like God " by Akwaeke Emezi Long Shot Goals Read last 50% of  Suicide by Ghost Read last 366 pages of Carry the Ocean Listen to las
Post a Comment
Read more

Queer Lit Readathon Day 5

Day 5 I had very specific goals for Day 5: 36 pages of  Tonguebreaker 49 pages of  Honor Girl  and/or  How to be Ace 3.2 audiobook hours (less in real time) of  Freshwater  and/or  Girls of Paper and Fire 22 pages of  Carry the Ocean Daddy & Dada  (picture book) " A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel " (short story) I charged through many of them "first thing in the day" aka midnight to 2am. But didn't even scratch the more difficult goals of Tonguebreaker and Freshwater. I had fun with such specific goals and want to try again, but this time with an eye for what didn't work yesterday.   Day 6 Goals It's time for me to let go of Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. This book is not good for me. As much as I'd like to choose to be unaffected, that's not how mental health works. Akwaeke Emezi is one of the authors for the Books That Burn Queer Authors of Color 2021 reading challenge, but I can read the short story " Who is like God " in
Post a Comment
Read more