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There were a lot of good bits. I'd like to highlight this passage:
"WE CANNOT OPERATE FROM A PLACE OF FEAR. SURE, FEAR CAN KEEP YOU ALIVE IN A GIVEN, PASSING CONFLICT. BUT FEAR IS NOT A PERSPECTIVE. FEAR IS NOT A PHILOSOPHY. FEAR IS LASHING OUT. FEAR IS SCAPEGOATING. FEAR IS NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. FEAR IS THE INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT COME FROM WITHIN. FEAR IS MAKING IT ALL ABOUT "THE OTHER."
WE PRETEND LOGIC MATTERS IN ALL THIS. THE THING IS THAT MOST OF OUR BELIEFS ARE ROOTED IN, OR AT LEAST ANCHORED BY, EMOTIONAL TRUTHS. BELIEF IN GOD. THE WILLINGNESS TO HELP OUR OTHER MAN. LOGIC OFTEN AUGMENTS THEM, BUT ONLY SO MUCH. OUR EMOTIONAL TRUTHS ARE THE CORE OF OUR INCLINATIONS. AND IF YOUR EMOTIONAL TRUTH IS FEAR? THEN YOU ARE GOING TO REVERT TO SOME PRETTY POISONOUS BELIEFS AND SOLUTIONS. HECK, MOST OF THE ABHORRENT POLITICAL STANCES ARE ROOTED IN FEAR. ANTI-MUSLIM SENTIMENT. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. UTTER DISTRUST IN THE NEED OF GOVERNMENT. IT'S ALL ROOTED IN FEAR. AND YES, THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WITH RAPE. FEAR OF OUR DAUGHTERS BEING RAPED. FEAR OF OUR LOVED ONES BEING RAPED. AND THEN COMPARATIVELY WITH THE FEAR THAT WE WOULD BE ACCUSED OF SUCH A CRIME. THAT OUR LUST WOULD BE SOMEHOW MISTAKEN FOR FORCE. THE FEAR THAT WE'D GET LUMPED IN WITH "REAL RAPISTS." OR THE FEAR THAT WE'D BE CALLED SEXIST FOR OUR VIEWS. EVERY PROBLEMATIC PART OF THE PSYCHE COMES FROM FEAR.
SO INSTEAD OF FEAR, YOU HAVE TO TEACH COURAGE."
-Film Crit Hulk
Essay is quite long and in ALLCAPS, but I think it was well-written. Obviously, trigger warnings for discussion of rape.
WE NEED TO CHANGE HOW WE TALK ABOUT RAPE
"WE CANNOT OPERATE FROM A PLACE OF FEAR. SURE, FEAR CAN KEEP YOU ALIVE IN A GIVEN, PASSING CONFLICT. BUT FEAR IS NOT A PERSPECTIVE. FEAR IS NOT A PHILOSOPHY. FEAR IS LASHING OUT. FEAR IS SCAPEGOATING. FEAR IS NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. FEAR IS THE INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT COME FROM WITHIN. FEAR IS MAKING IT ALL ABOUT "THE OTHER."
WE PRETEND LOGIC MATTERS IN ALL THIS. THE THING IS THAT MOST OF OUR BELIEFS ARE ROOTED IN, OR AT LEAST ANCHORED BY, EMOTIONAL TRUTHS. BELIEF IN GOD. THE WILLINGNESS TO HELP OUR OTHER MAN. LOGIC OFTEN AUGMENTS THEM, BUT ONLY SO MUCH. OUR EMOTIONAL TRUTHS ARE THE CORE OF OUR INCLINATIONS. AND IF YOUR EMOTIONAL TRUTH IS FEAR? THEN YOU ARE GOING TO REVERT TO SOME PRETTY POISONOUS BELIEFS AND SOLUTIONS. HECK, MOST OF THE ABHORRENT POLITICAL STANCES ARE ROOTED IN FEAR. ANTI-MUSLIM SENTIMENT. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. UTTER DISTRUST IN THE NEED OF GOVERNMENT. IT'S ALL ROOTED IN FEAR. AND YES, THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WITH RAPE. FEAR OF OUR DAUGHTERS BEING RAPED. FEAR OF OUR LOVED ONES BEING RAPED. AND THEN COMPARATIVELY WITH THE FEAR THAT WE WOULD BE ACCUSED OF SUCH A CRIME. THAT OUR LUST WOULD BE SOMEHOW MISTAKEN FOR FORCE. THE FEAR THAT WE'D GET LUMPED IN WITH "REAL RAPISTS." OR THE FEAR THAT WE'D BE CALLED SEXIST FOR OUR VIEWS. EVERY PROBLEMATIC PART OF THE PSYCHE COMES FROM FEAR.
SO INSTEAD OF FEAR, YOU HAVE TO TEACH COURAGE."
-Film Crit Hulk
Essay is quite long and in ALLCAPS, but I think it was well-written. Obviously, trigger warnings for discussion of rape.
WE NEED TO CHANGE HOW WE TALK ABOUT RAPE
Hiiii. It's been a while since I recommended something and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yuri_shoujo and I found an awesome show on Hulu a couple of weeks ago. The full title is "Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3", "Stella Women's Academy" or "Shīkyūbu" (C-Cubed) for short. It's set at a women's high school and the characters are members of an airsoft survival games club - basically they go out in the woods or an unused school building and shoot each other with airsoft guns. They participate in tournaments with other schools and non-school clubs. It's adorable. My favorite character, a tall girl named Rento, recruits the lead by basically pouncing on her in joy as a fellow weirdo. The girls all love their war-games with a gleeful joy that reminds me of my own response to SCA armored combat (let me show you my bruises! it was great!), there's no tolerance for "mean girl" shenanigans, no boy problems. There's certainly plot development - the club leader dealing with challenges to her role as the best shot and strategist, rival clubs and old resentments - but I've yet to hit an arc that tripped any real irritation for me. Excellent shoujo anime, slice of life/action with occasional moments of magical realism. PG rated I'd say.
Ending animation and song:( Read more... )
yuri_shoujo and I found an awesome show on Hulu a couple of weeks ago. The full title is "Stella Women's Academy, High School Division Class C3", "Stella Women's Academy" or "Shīkyūbu" (C-Cubed) for short. It's set at a women's high school and the characters are members of an airsoft survival games club - basically they go out in the woods or an unused school building and shoot each other with airsoft guns. They participate in tournaments with other schools and non-school clubs. It's adorable. My favorite character, a tall girl named Rento, recruits the lead by basically pouncing on her in joy as a fellow weirdo. The girls all love their war-games with a gleeful joy that reminds me of my own response to SCA armored combat (let me show you my bruises! it was great!), there's no tolerance for "mean girl" shenanigans, no boy problems. There's certainly plot development - the club leader dealing with challenges to her role as the best shot and strategist, rival clubs and old resentments - but I've yet to hit an arc that tripped any real irritation for me. Excellent shoujo anime, slice of life/action with occasional moments of magical realism. PG rated I'd say.Ending animation and song:( Read more... )
The Open Door by Elizabeth Maguire
( None of this "silly lady novelist" patronizing crap, thank you. )
***
( Les Mis reaction - no big spoilers )
( None of this "silly lady novelist" patronizing crap, thank you. )
***
( Les Mis reaction - no big spoilers )
The Tokaido road : a novel of feudal Japan
Robson, Lucia St. Clair.
( Cross-dressing and bisexuality with a jerk in Genroku-era Japan )
A Natural History of Dragons : a Memoir by Lady Trent
Brennan, Marie.
( A Scientific Lady's tale of her Youth )
Robson, Lucia St. Clair.
( Cross-dressing and bisexuality with a jerk in Genroku-era Japan )
A Natural History of Dragons : a Memoir by Lady Trent
Brennan, Marie.
( A Scientific Lady's tale of her Youth )
Update and quick recs
Nov. 20th, 2012 11:49 pmUpdate:
Quick recs:
- Not dead!
- Had 2nd interview for a job in MN, haven't heard back yet. Hoping. It would be an actual dedicated youth svcs. librarian position. OooOOooo...
- Kind of hate the new...feed thing on my friends page. What? Can I opt out? Turn it off?
- Started my GO Exchange fic, but haven't got very far yet. Hrm. Will prevail!
- Avoiding all trailers/previews/etc. for Hobbit. V. excited.
- Almost completed Christmas shopping, but still have some gift-making left.
Quick recs:
- Wreck-It Ralph: Very cute movie. EDIT: Does not Fail
sthe Bechdel test. Several named female racers talk.largely becauseThere are two male-female pairs running around independently,stillhas awesome female characters. Loooooots of video game/arcade geekery, but knowledge thereof not necessary to appreciate the story. Bonus: the primary character seen gaming in the arcade is a little girl. - Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey, Rosemary Edgehill, and Jane Hodson: Cross-dressing, a truly steam punk female inventor, the Old West and zombies. Very snappy story, kickass female characters. Some care taken to use character-appropriate diction without peppering it with horribly racist things, would appreciate other views/thoughts on the success of this.
- Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Future post-apocalyptic Cinderella story set in China and starring a cyborg mechanic girl, a plague, and a prince. Cliffhangerrrr... Looking forward to the rest of the series. Interesting world-building.
- Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan: Main character's attempting to play "plucky girl reporter" and investigate her hometown's dark secrets, annoying her friends and making her fellow citizens nervous. Really funny dialogue and good character building. Good job to Brennan for a reasonably diverse cast without preachiness. Another one with a cliffhanger ending; hope she publishes the next one soon.
- A Jane Austen Education: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter by William Deresiewicz: Called by me "How Jane Austen Cured Me of Being a Shitlord." Enjoyed his growth and frankness about his poor behavior. Interesting analyses about Austen's books and I thought he pulled good messages from them.
I just finished reading The Far West, book three of Patricia C. Wrede's Frontier Magic series. I'm inordinately fond of these books. The setting is awesome; an alternate universe Earth where magic exists (obviously) and the main action all takes place in late-19th century USA along what is, in our world, the Mississippi River. The US expansion was significantly slowed in this world by the presence of many incredibly dangerous magical flora and fauna that roam the Plains and beyond; Lewis and Clark's expedition vanished without a trace and the pioneer settlers that venture beyond the Mammoth River have to gather in settlements bounded by magical protections. The main character, Francine "Eff" Rothmer, is the thirteenth of fourteen children. Her twin brother, Lan, is the fourteenth and the seventh son of a seventh son - one destined for great magical power and a bit spoilt because of it. She's much more interesting, clever, and sensible with her own talents. Awesome world-building, fun lead character.
Also there are two minor characters in book 3 that I ship like the dickens and suspect are actually meant to be a couple. They're a surveyor and dowser and are partners, best friends, always in company with each other and show no interest in the menfolk. Elizabet/Bronwyn, yes please!
Also there are two minor characters in book 3 that I ship like the dickens and suspect are actually meant to be a couple. They're a surveyor and dowser and are partners, best friends, always in company with each other and show no interest in the menfolk. Elizabet/Bronwyn, yes please!
Recommendation: Saiyuki manga series (all)
Sep. 4th, 2012 10:18 pmSquee: I'm reading a translated copy of "Saiyuki Gaiden" I found online (because the publishers apparently don't want to share a licensed copy with English-speaking audiences) and I want to cosplay. I want to cosplay all four of the leads plus Kanzeon Bosatsu (albeit with a less transparent top) because they are all so cool. Also I want to hug them all, because they're so dear and good to each other and so so so doomed. Unfortunately, cosplay of any of them would be kind of expensive because I would need really good wigs and material for complicated costumes and possibly prosthetics and colored contacts. Tenpou Gensui in his everyday clothes would be the easiest (honestly, for that, I'd only need to buy a wig and find a lab coat because I have everything else and would basically be him in that universe), but I love their uniforms as well and seeing him in badass-mode and then I start wanting to play Kenren Taishou (wouldn't need a wig!) because he's such a loyal person under the bravado, and then I want to be sweet and carefree as Goku for a while and then I want to slap them all upside the head and protect them as Konzen Douji and then I want to lounge around watching them as Kanzeon Bosatsu...
Being a fan is hard.
Seriously. I really like this manga. I've read and plan to buy Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload (aka Epic Roadtrip to the West, parts I and II), which I believe are the only two parts of the series available in English at the moment. Saiyuki Gaiden is a many-ages-ago prequel and the main characters of the first two are reincarnations of the characters in Gaiden.
Saiyuki and Reload are both 9-volume series that chart the first two legs of a journey that Our Four Heroes are sent on at the whim of an eccentric intersex deity to
The Saiyuki manga series(es?) and the Samurai Champloo anime are probably my favorite things I've run across in their respective art forms, though of course there are other wonderful titles in both. Both are adventure stories and roadtrip stories...huh.
Being a fan is hard.
Seriously. I really like this manga. I've read and plan to buy Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload (aka Epic Roadtrip to the West, parts I and II), which I believe are the only two parts of the series available in English at the moment. Saiyuki Gaiden is a many-ages-ago prequel and the main characters of the first two are reincarnations of the characters in Gaiden.
Saiyuki and Reload are both 9-volume series that chart the first two legs of a journey that Our Four Heroes are sent on at the whim of an eccentric intersex deity to
- a) find the cause of a weird malady that sends youkai ("demons," sort of) insane and homicidal,
- b) stop whatever's doing it before human-youkai relations are totally and eternally screwed, and
- c) snark, gripe, fight, and generally Slap Slap Kiss their way across a continent, healing each other's old scars.
The Saiyuki manga series(es?) and the Samurai Champloo anime are probably my favorite things I've run across in their respective art forms, though of course there are other wonderful titles in both. Both are adventure stories and roadtrip stories...huh.
Avengers Shipping Meme
Aug. 6th, 2012 12:12 amtsukeru collected a list of all the Avengers Ship names s/he had found so far, so I am borrowing the list to use in anAvengers/Marvel Movie-verse Shipping Meme
Now, I know y'all (well, many of you) have seen Avengers and the related films and been...intrigued by the armada of shipping possibilities. So:
- Classify: "I ship it!" - "I can see it" - "Undecided" - "Nope"
- Name: Bold your favorite ship names, add new ones
- Recommend: Found a fun shippy fic/podfic/artwork? Link it under the ship.
Adventures of the boring and geeky
May. 6th, 2012 01:19 pmSo, last week yuri_shoujo and I went to visit the nearest town of decent size for a shopping expedition and a date (decent Chinese food). Said town has a very large Salvation Army and we ended up with a great haul. Besides professional clothes (which was the aim), we ended up with some awesome additions to our steampunk outfits - an army dress jacket and hat for yuri_shoujo and a pair of button-up boots and gaiters for me!
( Pictures under cut )
In other news, Avengers tonight! Our theatre decided not to be useless and actually show it when it opened! My lady hasn't actually seen any of the other Marvel movies except for Captain America, as she isn't interested in superheroes, but she's putting up with it because I'm so excited.
I'm in rehearsal for the local theatre company's production of Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm playing Francis Flute, one of the rustics, and enjoying myself immensely. Provided Lysander learns his lines and actually shows up at practice from now until the end of the month, I think it'll turn out well.
Fandom-wise, I've been listening to a good deal of podfic. The Audiofic Archive is a tremendous boon to my ability to do repetitive computer-related tasks at work without succumbing to ennui. Some interesting supernatural Sherlock AUs were uploaded recently including a faerie-verse, a "winged humans"-verse and a semi-Good Omens crossover (Sherlock as a fallen angel and Mycroft as an angel in an Arrangement similar to Aziraphale and Crowley's). I've really been enjoying the Inception podfic, particularly the Arthur/Eames stuff, because it's generally hot, full of guys having uncomfortable feelings about (horrors!) emotions, and read well, all of which I enjoy. Absolute favorite thing I've run across anytime recently, though, is a podfic of "On Life's Terms", a perfectly gorgeous, sweet Young Wizards fic of Carl and Tom starting with their first meeting at college. It's very believably in character and sets up their partnership in a way that definitely fits in with their appearances in the books.
yuri_shoujo and I went to visit the nearest town of decent size for a shopping expedition and a date (decent Chinese food). Said town has a very large Salvation Army and we ended up with a great haul. Besides professional clothes (which was the aim), we ended up with some awesome additions to our steampunk outfits - an army dress jacket and hat for yuri_shoujo and a pair of button-up boots and gaiters for me! ( Pictures under cut )
In other news, Avengers tonight! Our theatre decided not to be useless and actually show it when it opened! My lady hasn't actually seen any of the other Marvel movies except for Captain America, as she isn't interested in superheroes, but she's putting up with it because I'm so excited.
I'm in rehearsal for the local theatre company's production of Midsummer Night's Dream. I'm playing Francis Flute, one of the rustics, and enjoying myself immensely. Provided Lysander learns his lines and actually shows up at practice from now until the end of the month, I think it'll turn out well.
Fandom-wise, I've been listening to a good deal of podfic. The Audiofic Archive is a tremendous boon to my ability to do repetitive computer-related tasks at work without succumbing to ennui. Some interesting supernatural Sherlock AUs were uploaded recently including a faerie-verse, a "winged humans"-verse and a semi-Good Omens crossover (Sherlock as a fallen angel and Mycroft as an angel in an Arrangement similar to Aziraphale and Crowley's). I've really been enjoying the Inception podfic, particularly the Arthur/Eames stuff, because it's generally hot, full of guys having uncomfortable feelings about (horrors!) emotions, and read well, all of which I enjoy. Absolute favorite thing I've run across anytime recently, though, is a podfic of "On Life's Terms", a perfectly gorgeous, sweet Young Wizards fic of Carl and Tom starting with their first meeting at college. It's very believably in character and sets up their partnership in a way that definitely fits in with their appearances in the books.
Movie reports:
Aug. 26th, 2011 12:16 amCaptain America - \O/ with a small intermission of "Ahaahhahah, unfortunate facial hair" on Neal McDonough (see icon for example of lack of aforementioned unfortunate facial hair).
Wilby Wonderful - AWWWWwww... Duck/Dan adorableness and also awwww! Callum and Paul, you are yay. "Next year a parade." Duck, you are a good man.
Wilby Wonderful - AWWWWwww... Duck/Dan adorableness and also awwww! Callum and Paul, you are yay. "Next year a parade." Duck, you are a good man.
Hey look, it's a rec list.
Mar. 21st, 2011 12:32 amSuperhero Favorites | Vancouver Public Library | BiblioCommons
Unfortunately does not include Young Avengers, because they don't have the Young Avengers title I've read. But hey.
Unfortunately does not include Young Avengers, because they don't have the Young Avengers title I've read. But hey.
Update and recs.
Mar. 2nd, 2011 02:01 amHi. Not dead, just being eaten alive by school. I've got a major project presentation next Friday for my independent study, which is still very much a WIP. ANYWAY.
Y'all should check out Ask Robins!, which is a hilarious tumblog comic starring (who else?) Batman's wards/sidekicks/offspring, who answer reader questions.emmypenny , you in particular. It is adorable and dorky.
Awesome poem from the genderqueerchicago blog called How To Make Love to a (Trans) Person. I added the parentheses myself, because, really, it's about love and respect and sex with a person regardless of their gender identity or sex. Thanks to my lady for linking me to it.
Thirdly, I have a book rec. Lynne Truss, the author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, has written another book about the phenomenon of rudeness. Talk to the Hand: the utter bloody rudeness of the world today, or six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door is clever and funny and surprisingly thoughtful.
ALSO. Once we all have time for ST_D again, I feel that our next adventure should be a Perfectly Proper Steampunk Star Trek adventure. I have already half-begun composing Pike's orders from the British Imperial Admiralty about his mission in HMSS (Her Majesty's Star Ship) Enterprise to deal with a threat to their allies, the Vulcanians. I'm thinking a combo of high naval adventure, Victorian diction, and pulp scifi tropes.
Topodfic_lover , your story is not done yet, but I am having Ideas(tm). Sorry for the wait, but RL is being unfortunate.
Y'all should check out Ask Robins!, which is a hilarious tumblog comic starring (who else?) Batman's wards/sidekicks/offspring, who answer reader questions.
emmypenny , you in particular. It is adorable and dorky.Awesome poem from the genderqueerchicago blog called How To Make Love to a (Trans) Person. I added the parentheses myself, because, really, it's about love and respect and sex with a person regardless of their gender identity or sex. Thanks to my lady for linking me to it.
Thirdly, I have a book rec. Lynne Truss, the author of Eats, Shoots & Leaves, has written another book about the phenomenon of rudeness. Talk to the Hand: the utter bloody rudeness of the world today, or six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door is clever and funny and surprisingly thoughtful.
ALSO. Once we all have time for ST_D again, I feel that our next adventure should be a Perfectly Proper Steampunk Star Trek adventure. I have already half-begun composing Pike's orders from the British Imperial Admiralty about his mission in HMSS (Her Majesty's Star Ship) Enterprise to deal with a threat to their allies, the Vulcanians. I'm thinking a combo of high naval adventure, Victorian diction, and pulp scifi tropes.
To
podfic_lover , your story is not done yet, but I am having Ideas(tm). Sorry for the wait, but RL is being unfortunate.So, finally got around to reading Young Avengers (issues #1-12), and bwahhh, so cute. Yeah, mostly because Billy and Teddy are adorable and oh, boys and sweet and Billy is such a fanboy. (I'm a witch, not a warlock. It means 'oath-breaker.' It is not a nice word.) But Cass and Kate rock too, and Eli's a good guy and...well, Tommy fought next to Wolverine and Logan said re: his fighting, "That's sick, I like it." *snerk* Vision seems pretty cool too. Nice to see Captain America get a little comeuppance around Eli's grandfather. I like their team dynamic as a whole.
I'm in the middle of grl2grl by Julie Anne Peters, a book of short stories about being teenage and lesbian. It's pretty good so far, though occasionally vastly depressing.
( Real Life (more or less) )
ETA: OH YEAH. SENATE PASSED THE DADT REPEAL, HOUSE ALREADY PASSED IT. FUCK YEAH! Obama's signature and it is LAW.