The Net Stuff Continues

The internet outages have somehow screwed with other aspects of our system. This is getting old and annoying very quickly. It isn't too much to ask that things work.

Anyway, I have writing to do and memes to chuckle at. I mean, assuming I get to see the memes given that the internet might die again.

Internet Issues

The internet has gone out three times this week. The customer service people were rude. We're not happy with the new owners of the company at all, and yet I'm not really sure if any of the other options available to us will be any better.

I'm really tired of the basic services not working. I get that the world is awful now and nothing really works all that well, but still. Ugh. Something needs to get better.

Cooler Days

It was cooler today. As in, it was actually pleasant. It was very nice. I'm pleased with the weather. This is something that should always be commented on so it's not just all the complaining.

I started on a story I promised someone today. I also worked on one of my side projects. That will probably be what happens writing-wise for the rest of the week. 

This is the last week of September. I'm really hoping that Fall really begins to happen. I'd like a nice, fun Fall. It's been a while. 

Controlling

For a long time, conventional wisdom held that the more you tried to deny someone of a thing, the more they wanted the thing. This is especially true for children and teens. Even if they don't like a certain kind of cookie, if you tell them they can't have it, they'll want it more than ever before.

Actually, I'm pretty sure this is still true. People just keep forgetting it.

Case in point, there is a new trend with parents for them to COMMIT to deprive their children/teens of phone time. No phone at night or no phone on the weekends or no phone during one day. 

This will backfire. 

This is just going to make those kids/teens want their phones more. It's just going to make them prioritize the phone as SO IMPORTANT. It's stupid and it's controlling and it's bad parenting. 

If you don't want your kids talking to pedos or scammers, teach your kids about pedos and scammers. Teach them how these people operate and the ways they try to draw people in. 

It's more work, and yes it means really taking a hard look at the religious and political influencers in your own life who might be using those same techniques, but that is a good idea as well.

Whenever I see stuff like this, I think about how many kids out there are only getting through their day because they have some bright points online. They have a place to really shine and be who they really are.

Oh but wait. They want to snuff out that too, don't they?

The Second Fairy Tale

I wrote another fairy tale as told by Feanor. It received some good feedback. I was happy with that and may need to just work on lighter stuff for a bit. It would help me recover from summer/ease into the darker part of the year. 

I'm going to do all I can to manage my SAD this year. 

We started the second video of another Brit mystery series. I'm enjoying it quite a lot. The characters are a bit annoying but there is something about the show that comforts me. Could be the way that my roommate and I snark about everything that happens.

The Week is Over

The internet managed to stay on all day. This is a good thing. We're tentatively looking at better phone plans so that when the internet goes out we can still function like normal people. It's annoying but probably needed.

I have several projects I need to finish and instead of doing that I started a new one. It's almost finished though so after that, I plan on spending the rest of the weekend working on the WIPS.

Annoying Start

The internet was out for several hours. Nothing was accomplished. It's on now (obviously) but it still put a damper in the evening.

Summer's End

Summer is ending. Well, it's officially ending. It's still hot because summer is a clingy thing that never wants to leave. Summer and winter are both clingy, unlike the GOOD seasons that never stay long enough.

For me, summer was marked with two events. The first was the fanfic project I did with an artist. I had a lot of fun with it and it challenged me to look at the characters in a very different way. 

The second was the microburst that knocked the power out for almost two days. That was stressful and scary. We made it through. We stayed in a hotel which almost felt like a vacation. I never want to go through that again. 

For autumn, I want to disengage with drama as much as possible. I want my household to be safe, quiet, and hale. I just want us to have fun and for things to be easy for a while. I don't think that's too much to ask.

LIke Your Blood Knows the Way

I was watching Mason Alexander Park perform "The Origin of Love" from the Hedwig soundtrack and they talked about how when they first heard this song, it really fundamentally helped them to understand the path they needed to take to pursue life and art. 

The performance was powerful, one of those performances where you understood the singer really FELT every moment of the song. The songs from Hedwig lend themselves to that. 

After I watched them, I put "Midnight Radio" on loop and just let it wash over me, which is, of course, what the song is about. Music connects us to something deeper, deeper within ourselves and deeper within the scope of everything. It is powerful and sometimes I think we forget how powerful it can be. 

Whenever I meet people who have really lost the plot to life, not the ones who are depressed or sad, but the ones who are hateful and devoid of joy, almost in every case, they've walked away from what music can give them. They've divorced themselves from its power. And usually they've given themselves over to something really destructive. 

I'm probably only alive because of music. In my darker moments of the courtship with suicide, it's always been music that pulled me away. I think we'd all be better off if we sang more often. It doesn't matter if you sing well. Sing anyway.

Wring and Whatnot

I rewrote a fairytale this weekend and posted it. It did okay. Everyone is still trying to get through the Summer Collection and I think they're overwhelmed. I need to finish some stuff this week and then just start editing for a bit.

As predicted, September is going to stay hot until the bitter end. Even into the start of October, it's still going to be hot. And that's really annoying. I'm tired of fans and being uncomfortable and damp. I'm tired of bitching about it. And I'm also just tired in general because I'm having to stay up so late in order for it to be comfortable enough to sleep. 

State of the Cats as Summer Ends

It's hot today and will be hot for the next several days, but I think it's pretty certain that Tinkerbell will make it through another summer. I am so profoundly grateful for this. 

Right now she's sleeping peacefully on my desk, one paw resting against my leg. This is her favorite form of contact. Touching, but just a small amount. Touching, but in a way where she can pretend she's just doing it to keep her balance. It means a great deal to me.

Because of my roommate's hack on how to feed the cats during the summer, neither of them got overly thin. Their fur looks good and both seem happy. Millie is aggressive with the outdoor cats. She's aggressive with Tink as well and I wish that would stop. Aside from these behavior issues, she's also thriving.

Overall, I'm happy where the cats are concerned.

Blocking the Paths

I wonder why it is that when people find a path out of their own discomfort, others always want to do everything they can to stop them. 

When someone finds a way to make peace with their poverty by enjoying the art produced by people who will sell it at a price they can afford, others disparage the art (entertainment, enjoyment) as less that or, if they decide they like it as well, try to find ways to raise the price of it to where it's out of reach of the poor.

Why is it that now that people are finding ways to pull themselves free of the social and biological chains connected to sex (which, mind you, none of us asked for or chose or had any say in), others are so quick, in some cases violently so, to try and stop them? 

If your path in life is basically okay if your body is to your liking and the expectations of it to your liking, why are you so angry when others just don't want that?  Why are you angry when other people choose to be childfree or marriagefree or genderfree? Why are you so angry when someone just wants to find a path to happiness? 

Let people be. Honestly, in most cases all you have to do is nothing.

Morning Panic

I woke up around 6:30 this morning having a panic attack. I did my best to calm myself, but I never really shook it. It's thrown me off all day. 

I hate waking up like that and never really managing to get back to sleep. I dozed some, but only a bit. It was rather torturous. We have to be up early tomorrow because my roommate has an appointment in the city. Hopefully nothing goes wrong.

Oddness

Blogger has been weird. Things aren't showing up well. People on my reading list are listed days behind. Some of them said the last post was from Wednesday of last week when I knew they had more recent posts than that.

It was another nice day. The weather is shifting toward a cooler, more reasonable temp. As this is September, it'll get hot again before it gets better. That's just the way of things.

Cooler Finally

It was actually cooler today! I am so happy. I wasn't sweaty or uncomfortable at all. It's just a marvelous feeling. 

And look, I know it will snow here in a few months and I'll be A Complainer about that, but at least, for now, it's nice. Lovely even. It feels just wonderful right now. 

Not Christian

The most upsetting and ironic thing about Texas' suit against the ACA & PrEP is that they base their claims on the basis of being Christian, but are acting in the most unChristlike manner I can imagine. Christ believed in healing the sick. Christ believed in giving comfort. Christ believed in being humble. He believed in helping your enemies by showing them kindness and generosity. 

Denying people medical coverage that could prevent HIV is hateful. Christ was not hateful. Denying people medical coverage that could prevent HIV is spiteful. Christ was not spiteful. Christians are supposed to draw people to their beliefs by living in a way that makes goodness and kindness radiate from them. Nothing about this is good or kind. 

Look, if you want to say you deeply and sincerely believe in this, okay more power to you. But stop saying it's about being a Christian. There is nothing Christian about this kind of behavior. 

A New Thing Happened

Someone actually requested a fic! This is the first time it's happened. 

I have a few projects I need to finish first, but after that, I'm certainly going to make the request happen. 

This made me feel very good.

State of the Writing

I posted another chapter tonight. It's the third chapter in what was supposed to just BE three chapters but will now be four. It needed the extra chapter. I find my writing is always better when I pull back.

OGoA released the third version of their theme song on Youtube and I've been listening to it on a loop. I loved the other two versions of the song as well, but so far this one is my favorite. I think it will prove to be very inspiring for me going forward.

Dancing on the Edge

I'm really tired of people getting angry about something pushing an agenda when it's the same themes and ideas the story/series/movie has always had. I don't like it when people get pissed off that Star Trek has people of color on it or women in significant roles when that has been the case the whole time. I don't like it when they are upset when Star Trek (or other shows) slides that line just a little more to the left because that has always been what it did. That was one of the points of the show.

Don't be angry when the show/book/movie that pushed the envelope of acceptable society 10/20/30/40 years ago is still going to keep pushing now. If one of the points of the work was to dance on the line of what people would find acceptable, it's going to continue to do that, even if that line has moved beyond what you're comfortable with. In fact, that makes it better, as now you get to face what makes you uncomfortable and explore it. 

Push your filling against that piece of aluminum foil. 

Honestly, people need to stop this. It's like if the strip club has been a strip club for the last 40 years and you're suddenly screaming because someone put glitter on their tit and that must mean they're shoving their nipple agenda in your face. 

The titties have been here the whole time. 

Pleased

I finished Blindsight last night and enjoyed it quite a lot. It brought up a lot of very interesting philosophical questions. I'll be thinking about the book for a while. I may read it again in a few months.

House of the Dragon was good this week as well. The story is moving along well. I need to finish a chapter. I wrote some of it this morning. Not sure if I'll work on it more tonight or not. 

September Being September

I have no idea why I always let myself get excited about the end of August. September is always a hell month too. It's either stormy and dark or muggy. It's doing that already and I should have just accepted that it would. 

August spoiled me this year. August was actually pretty decent. Maybe that was because I had a lot of projects to finish and didn't pay as much attention to the weather, but still. 

Anyway, fans are still on. I'm still sweaty. 

Holiday Planning

I'm starting to get my holiday stuff together. My brother's gift is here. Others are ordered. Most everything is settled for who gets what. I'm hoping everything is arrived and ready by the end of the month.

It's raining again. It rained last night. I had a little panic attack because I could see the trees really bending to the wind like they did the day we had the microburst. Nope, still not over that. Not sure when I will be.