We had literally the coldest winter in 100 years and I’m enjoying every minute of the summer. There have been an incredible number of dragonflies this year and they help keep the mosquito population down so big bonus there.
serrana
10 years ago
Our high yesterday was 81 F. In Houston! In August! We sat out on the patio after supper and when the sun went down, we lit a fire and set off some (quiet) fireworks. (We didn’t get to finish our July 4th weekend fireworks because we rushed off to Austin to be with my grandmother.) Also, I’m finally catching up with all of the technology meltdowns and such. It’s been a lovely weekend.
Robert
10 years ago
Auntie, dragonflies are wonderful beasties, aren’t they? Look amazing, fly with speed and grace, and they eat skeeters.
Unimaginative
10 years ago
Auntie Alias, you’re Canadian too, right? I’m in Alberta. Last winter was the suckiest I can remember in a long time, and this summer is making up for it. And I’m surrounded by dragonflies. Red, blue, and green, not just the black ones. (Actually, not seeing too many green ones.)
I’ve always felt like that was an inherent problem with general safe spaces: The flip side of no one being allowed to say anything harmful (even by accident) is that everyone is constantly in danger of violating that policy by accident, which is the opposite of a safe feeling.
In other words, there’s an inverse relationship between safety as a reader and safety as a contributor.
(I say general safe spaces because it works a lot better with spaces that are safe on only one axis, eg a safe space for abuse victims, because it’s much easier to lay out concrete and easy to follow rules.)
Yes. I like you too, mammoths. And I feel safe here, about as much as I feel safe anywhere.
Interestingly, I was worried about commenting here at first because it *seemed* the reception of new commentators was bad, or that is to say, harsh.
But then, once you join the conversation, you realize the subtle difference – people aren’t mean to every new person, they’re mean to trolls who show up and try to pull the usual “Ah but of course we should be nice to women, I just think they should go back to the kitchen“.
On various ‘chans, people have shitty opinions and other people back them up and it turns into a giant brawl of terrible shit. On other safe spaces, people have exactingly worded opinions (which are, I’m sure, sincere and honest and definitively what they believe! No sarcasm), because it’s been my experience they do a lot to avoid the ire of people who can then point out “You phrased that wrong” (See above re: addiction).
And here, it’s… I don’t know. I just find it very nice that people go “Hey, you wrote X, and probably meant Y, but X is kind of a shitty thing to say, so maybe not do that.”
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
I remember that conversation, Unimaginative. I’ve only occasionally read Shakesville, and never felt inclined to comment. It seems even less worth the bother than commenting at Feministe, mostly.
Auntie Alias
10 years ago
Unimaginative, I’m in Canada but am reluctant to name my location cuz of the misters. Let’s just say it has a rep for being the national mosquito capital and maybe you’ll get my drift. 😉
I’ve never seen any coloured dragonflies here, although I remember seeing blue ones elsewhere. I’m really creeped out by bugs and especially big ones but dragonflies don’t bother me at all. One of them almost darted into the folds of the dress I was wearing yesterday but I just stopped and waited until it got its bearings and flew off. You wouldn’t see me doing that if it was a bee. More like the dance of fear and dread.
it works a lot better with spaces that are safe on only one axis, eg a safe space for abuse victims, because it’s much easier to lay out concrete and easy to follow rules.
Agreed. It’s one of those things where trying to cover all the bases will pretty much invariably fail.
RE: Fibinachi
On other safe spaces, people have exactingly worded opinions, because it’s been my experience they do a lot to avoid the ire of people who can then point out “You phrased that wrong”
Yeah. One of the reasons I actually like it a lot here is that it’s the one place on the Internet I feel I can really let loose. Everywhere else on the Internet, I tend to do a lot of education, so I try to be a lot “nicer,” even when someone is a total horrorbeast to me. (See: my folks.) Here, I feel like I can actually really stand up for myself without having multiple friends look over everything I say to check it for anger and passive-aggression.
RE: Unimaginative and Auntie Alias
No dragonflies here, but fireflies! They’re really pretty; I haven’t seen them around in YEARS, and yet in my mind, they’re a quintessential part of summer.
You’ll all be pleased to know. We had the coldest August morning in Adelaide since 1888.
Global warming? It’s OVER.
If only.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
I’m not at all surprised! They had -6 in Canberra the other night, I hear.
We got down to 1.4 ‘tother night here, or rather morning, since it didn’t get that low till 7.30am. Bonus of being unemployed: I was sound asleep instead of sitting on the train!
Unimaginative
10 years ago
I thought pot was supposed to make you mellow. My stinky neighbour is yelling at his fire pit. I guess he won the argument with his lawnmower earlier.
Auntie Alias
10 years ago
Unimaginative, LOL! If your neighbour was also drinking, that might explain it.
LBT, I love fireflies! I’ve never seen them here but I’m in the middle of a city. I remember running after them when I was a kid and catching them in a jar with holes in the lid and grass inside so I could watch them.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Ahoy, LBT, check your mail, there should be something coming through!
pallygirl
10 years ago
I went to the MAC counter at the local department store and got made up. Turns out that their tinted moisturiser is best for me, I got some sort of concealer stuff put under my eyes that really hid the dark circles (hereditary, plus not sleeping well), and got this dark blue done as a slight Lorde shape for eyeliner. Went back to work. No-one noticed until I pointed it out to them.
First time I have worn anything like foundation since I used to use Shiseido Moisture Mist powder foundation in the late 80s to mid 90s. Apparently I score 0/10 for the slut attempt from the eyeliner as no-one noticed.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Makes you wonder what it would take for them to notice, pallygirl!
I am frustrated with how my novel is doing. 30-odd agents so far and I’ve gotten two partial requests and maybe one non-form rejection. My query is perfect (I’ve been told many times) and my manuscript is on its sixth draft and I can’t get anyone to look at it. Hell, I’m jealous of people who get better rejections than me.
Meanwhile I’m surrounded by writers whose stupid pieces of shit are going like hotcakes. Mr. “Standing on the mountain, the stars looked fuzzy” is bugging me to hurry up editing his time traveling quantum Celtic runes book because he has multiple full requests for it. (For those who don’t know, there’s no such thing as Celtic runes. The Norse used runes. The Celts didn’t. We’re talking someone who didn’t even do Wikipedia research here.) And if I hear about one more derivative YA dystopian Divergent clone getting a book (or, hell, movie) deal, I will punch through a wall.
Sorry, just wanted to vent.
pallygirl
10 years ago
I’m frustrated on your behalf. I just want to add Dan Brown to the list of people who should never have been published. How any of his books made it to best seller lists is beyond me.
Although: with respect to this book only, am I an outlier for having hated The Poisonwood Bible?
cassandrakitty
10 years ago
Hereditary dark circles fistbump. Even as a teenager I had them.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Heredity dark circles and deep-set eyes fistbump. I have the same thing as hellkell, that’s why eyeliner doesn’t work for me, apart from the whole flaking and smudging thing.
Seconding Dan Brown as someone who should never have been published. I tried The Da Vinci Code, cos of the hype and having a perverse fondness for bad rl Xtian Conspiracy stuff. Von Danikan er al could write rings round him.
kittehserf MOD
10 years ago
Sitting up absurdly late* is productive on occasion! I made this pic of Louis last night. It’s how he was on Friday night, sitting outside and reading the paper at Home. Yes, he does wear glasses for reading, no, I’m quite sure he doesn’t need them, and no, he’s not being a hipster! The first time he did it was about being comforting, being middle aged; it was a few years ago, when I was feeling a bit down about being older than him, as far as earthly years go.
*For a morning person.
Argenti Aertheri
10 years ago
Oh boy. I think my favorite is the HARO one — profiling her without her consent is HORRIBAD, as is comparing her to Hugo. Fucking. Schwyzer. (That I’ll second, he’s a category all his own) — but not a peep on profiling him? I don’t want to be associated with him to the point I won’t spell out his name and risk him showing up, but defend him too? Make one mention that this is wrong IN GENERAL? No! It’s a personal attack ON ME!!
Either it’s wrong, or it isn’t. It doesn’t magically become more wrong because you aren’t as fucked up as Hugo. Fucking. Schwyzer. (Which is quite the low bar to limbo under after all!)
Actual opinion? You’re a public figure. You can either deal with the press, or shut down Shakesville. You can’t demand people only write about you what you say they can *cough*Elam*cough*
Seconding Dan Brown as someone who should never have been published. I tried The Da Vinci Code, cos of the hype and having a perverse fondness for bad rl Xtian Conspiracy stuff. Von Danikan er al could write rings round him.
Dan Brown has a really impressive ability to be wrong about every single detail. He stuffs his books full of apparent facts and figures and usually opens with a note specifically saying that they’re all true…and then they’re all wrong. Every time. If he mentions the height of a building, it’s wrong. If he mentions a date, it’s wrong.
There’s a certain class of people (Mr. Celtic Runes included) who just will not acknowledge the importance of historicity or consistent world-building. It’s surprisingly hard to defend why that’s important. If you say “But the Celts didn’t have runes” and the other person goes “So? It’s just a story,” what do you say to that?
I’ve been learning a lot about self-publishing (mostly to procrastinate on the actual writing part), and the consensus seems to be: if you have a limited budget, spend money on 1) editing and then 2) cover art, and then sell the book everywhere you can.
One thing that concerns me is that most of the successful self-publishing authors I’ve been listening to seem to have business/accounting/entrepreneurial backgrounds and are raging control freaks. The control freak part I can handle, the rest, not so much.
Oh, and Bella Andre’s advice is to plan for success. She said she wishes she had set up a corporation and business plan FIRST, so that when she became wildly successful, she had a structure set up to handle it, rather than scrabbling and then having to live with multiple (non-incorporated) accounts with various vendors.
We Hunted The Mammoth
We had literally the coldest winter in 100 years and I’m enjoying every minute of the summer. There have been an incredible number of dragonflies this year and they help keep the mosquito population down so big bonus there.
Our high yesterday was 81 F. In Houston! In August! We sat out on the patio after supper and when the sun went down, we lit a fire and set off some (quiet) fireworks. (We didn’t get to finish our July 4th weekend fireworks because we rushed off to Austin to be with my grandmother.) Also, I’m finally catching up with all of the technology meltdowns and such. It’s been a lovely weekend.
Auntie, dragonflies are wonderful beasties, aren’t they? Look amazing, fly with speed and grace, and they eat skeeters.
Auntie Alias, you’re Canadian too, right? I’m in Alberta. Last winter was the suckiest I can remember in a long time, and this summer is making up for it. And I’m surrounded by dragonflies. Red, blue, and green, not just the black ones. (Actually, not seeing too many green ones.)
I’ve always felt like that was an inherent problem with general safe spaces: The flip side of no one being allowed to say anything harmful (even by accident) is that everyone is constantly in danger of violating that policy by accident, which is the opposite of a safe feeling.
In other words, there’s an inverse relationship between safety as a reader and safety as a contributor.
(I say general safe spaces because it works a lot better with spaces that are safe on only one axis, eg a safe space for abuse victims, because it’s much easier to lay out concrete and easy to follow rules.)
Yes. I like you too, mammoths. And I feel safe here, about as much as I feel safe anywhere.
Interestingly, I was worried about commenting here at first because it *seemed* the reception of new commentators was bad, or that is to say, harsh.
But then, once you join the conversation, you realize the subtle difference – people aren’t mean to every new person, they’re mean to trolls who show up and try to pull the usual “Ah but of course we should be nice to women, I just think they should go back to the kitchen“.
On various ‘chans, people have shitty opinions and other people back them up and it turns into a giant brawl of terrible shit. On other safe spaces, people have exactingly worded opinions (which are, I’m sure, sincere and honest and definitively what they believe! No sarcasm), because it’s been my experience they do a lot to avoid the ire of people who can then point out “You phrased that wrong” (See above re: addiction).
And here, it’s… I don’t know. I just find it very nice that people go “Hey, you wrote X, and probably meant Y, but X is kind of a shitty thing to say, so maybe not do that.”
I remember that conversation, Unimaginative. I’ve only occasionally read Shakesville, and never felt inclined to comment. It seems even less worth the bother than commenting at Feministe, mostly.
Unimaginative, I’m in Canada but am reluctant to name my location cuz of the misters. Let’s just say it has a rep for being the national mosquito capital and maybe you’ll get my drift. 😉
I’ve never seen any coloured dragonflies here, although I remember seeing blue ones elsewhere. I’m really creeped out by bugs and especially big ones but dragonflies don’t bother me at all. One of them almost darted into the folds of the dress I was wearing yesterday but I just stopped and waited until it got its bearings and flew off. You wouldn’t see me doing that if it was a bee. More like the dance of fear and dread.
RE: katz
it works a lot better with spaces that are safe on only one axis, eg a safe space for abuse victims, because it’s much easier to lay out concrete and easy to follow rules.
Agreed. It’s one of those things where trying to cover all the bases will pretty much invariably fail.
RE: Fibinachi
On other safe spaces, people have exactingly worded opinions, because it’s been my experience they do a lot to avoid the ire of people who can then point out “You phrased that wrong”
Yeah. One of the reasons I actually like it a lot here is that it’s the one place on the Internet I feel I can really let loose. Everywhere else on the Internet, I tend to do a lot of education, so I try to be a lot “nicer,” even when someone is a total horrorbeast to me. (See: my folks.) Here, I feel like I can actually really stand up for myself without having multiple friends look over everything I say to check it for anger and passive-aggression.
RE: Unimaginative and Auntie Alias
No dragonflies here, but fireflies! They’re really pretty; I haven’t seen them around in YEARS, and yet in my mind, they’re a quintessential part of summer.
You’ll all be pleased to know. We had the coldest August morning in Adelaide since 1888.
Global warming? It’s OVER.
If only.
I’m not at all surprised! They had -6 in Canberra the other night, I hear.
We got down to 1.4 ‘tother night here, or rather morning, since it didn’t get that low till 7.30am. Bonus of being unemployed: I was sound asleep instead of sitting on the train!
I thought pot was supposed to make you mellow. My stinky neighbour is yelling at his fire pit. I guess he won the argument with his lawnmower earlier.
Unimaginative, LOL! If your neighbour was also drinking, that might explain it.
LBT, I love fireflies! I’ve never seen them here but I’m in the middle of a city. I remember running after them when I was a kid and catching them in a jar with holes in the lid and grass inside so I could watch them.
Ahoy, LBT, check your mail, there should be something coming through!
I went to the MAC counter at the local department store and got made up. Turns out that their tinted moisturiser is best for me, I got some sort of concealer stuff put under my eyes that really hid the dark circles (hereditary, plus not sleeping well), and got this dark blue done as a slight Lorde shape for eyeliner. Went back to work. No-one noticed until I pointed it out to them.
First time I have worn anything like foundation since I used to use Shiseido Moisture Mist powder foundation in the late 80s to mid 90s. Apparently I score 0/10 for the slut attempt from the eyeliner as no-one noticed.
Makes you wonder what it would take for them to notice, pallygirl!
I am frustrated with how my novel is doing. 30-odd agents so far and I’ve gotten two partial requests and maybe one non-form rejection. My query is perfect (I’ve been told many times) and my manuscript is on its sixth draft and I can’t get anyone to look at it. Hell, I’m jealous of people who get better rejections than me.
Meanwhile I’m surrounded by writers whose stupid pieces of shit are going like hotcakes. Mr. “Standing on the mountain, the stars looked fuzzy” is bugging me to hurry up editing his time traveling quantum Celtic runes book because he has multiple full requests for it. (For those who don’t know, there’s no such thing as Celtic runes. The Norse used runes. The Celts didn’t. We’re talking someone who didn’t even do Wikipedia research here.) And if I hear about one more derivative YA dystopian Divergent clone getting a book (or, hell, movie) deal, I will punch through a wall.
Sorry, just wanted to vent.
I’m frustrated on your behalf. I just want to add Dan Brown to the list of people who should never have been published. How any of his books made it to best seller lists is beyond me.
Although: with respect to this book only, am I an outlier for having hated The Poisonwood Bible?
Hereditary dark circles fistbump. Even as a teenager I had them.
Heredity dark circles and deep-set eyes fistbump. I have the same thing as hellkell, that’s why eyeliner doesn’t work for me, apart from the whole flaking and smudging thing.
Seconding Dan Brown as someone who should never have been published. I tried The Da Vinci Code, cos of the hype and having a perverse fondness for bad rl Xtian Conspiracy stuff. Von Danikan er al could write rings round him.
Sitting up absurdly late* is productive on occasion! I made this pic of Louis last night. It’s how he was on Friday night, sitting outside and reading the paper at Home. Yes, he does wear glasses for reading, no, I’m quite sure he doesn’t need them, and no, he’s not being a hipster! The first time he did it was about being comforting, being middle aged; it was a few years ago, when I was feeling a bit down about being older than him, as far as earthly years go.
*For a morning person.
Oh boy. I think my favorite is the HARO one — profiling her without her consent is HORRIBAD, as is comparing her to Hugo. Fucking. Schwyzer. (That I’ll second, he’s a category all his own) — but not a peep on profiling him? I don’t want to be associated with him to the point I won’t spell out his name and risk him showing up, but defend him too? Make one mention that this is wrong IN GENERAL? No! It’s a personal attack ON ME!!
Either it’s wrong, or it isn’t. It doesn’t magically become more wrong because you aren’t as fucked up as Hugo. Fucking. Schwyzer. (Which is quite the low bar to limbo under after all!)
Actual opinion? You’re a public figure. You can either deal with the press, or shut down Shakesville. You can’t demand people only write about you what you say they can *cough*Elam*cough*
Dan Brown has a really impressive ability to be wrong about every single detail. He stuffs his books full of apparent facts and figures and usually opens with a note specifically saying that they’re all true…and then they’re all wrong. Every time. If he mentions the height of a building, it’s wrong. If he mentions a date, it’s wrong.
There’s a certain class of people (Mr. Celtic Runes included) who just will not acknowledge the importance of historicity or consistent world-building. It’s surprisingly hard to defend why that’s important. If you say “But the Celts didn’t have runes” and the other person goes “So? It’s just a story,” what do you say to that?
Katz, over the last couple of years, self-publishing has become more respectable and in a lot of cases more lucrative for authors. While there’s a lot of very polarized commentary about it, I really respect Courtney Milan’s approach (and there are some resources in the comments). http://www.courtneymilan.com/ramblings/2014/02/23/traditional-versus-self-publishing-official-death-match-2014/
I’ve been learning a lot about self-publishing (mostly to procrastinate on the actual writing part), and the consensus seems to be: if you have a limited budget, spend money on 1) editing and then 2) cover art, and then sell the book everywhere you can.
One thing that concerns me is that most of the successful self-publishing authors I’ve been listening to seem to have business/accounting/entrepreneurial backgrounds and are raging control freaks. The control freak part I can handle, the rest, not so much.
Oh, and Bella Andre’s advice is to plan for success. She said she wishes she had set up a corporation and business plan FIRST, so that when she became wildly successful, she had a structure set up to handle it, rather than scrabbling and then having to live with multiple (non-incorporated) accounts with various vendors.