sundries

[rm]

I did not bother to rummage the sleep mask out of the suitcase last night and really paid for it. I did, however, dream -- about Dragon*Con and London and tsarina and the matter of zir name.

Last night we made Chinese mustard with stuff we got a Penzeys. I love Chinese mustard, but it tends to contain undistilled white vinegar and then terrible things happen. NOT ANYMORE. HA! (Note: making Chinese mustard involves mixing water and mustard powder; do not get excited about our massive skill or anything).

New front door keys to our building. This isn't a bad thing in that that door could really stand to be more secure, but they are Do Not Duplicate keys, which is a pain in terms of getting a third set for cat sitters or whatever. Also, there are not video cameras in the vestibule and front all. This is probably a good safety thing and will cut down on the litter in the buildings halls, but it also creeps me out a little.

Yesterday I also found out what the party someone I know was being all "I got to go to _this_ party at Dragon*Con and I am so much cooler than you because they always invite me and it's the event of Dragon*Con" actually was and then couldn't stop laughing for a really long time. Oh, hilarity. And since like five of you will email me going "what, what?" this story does not involve a boy or a celebrity in any remotely direct way, so don't get over-excited. This is amusing on a far more limited basis. And I should take my own advice more often.

The victims of the Pakistan flood are sleeping in mud and 118 degree heat. help_pakistan.

Remarkably not about 9/11: The fight for New York's skyline.

A haven for victims of acid burns (Note: graphic descriptions, some photos, discussion of domestic violence against both men and women).

The metacognition deficit (Note: graphic in-period description of early-19th century breast cancer surgery as the entrance to the topic).

Buh, what? Apparently, to be a powerful woman in New York you need Kate Spade three-inch wedge heels.

Patty and I watched about 30 minutes of the Miss Universe pageant last night in Spanish (er, we found Telemundo before we found NBC and it was closer on the dial to the upcoming The Daily Show). Miss Jamaica was our favorite and came in as first runner-up, causing yendi to wake up to some unexpected flattery.

karnythia talks about being pretty in public.

For the record: write fiction about whatever you want (seriously, _seriously_, I mean this sincerely, really, really, really -- lord knows I do, and sometimes that works out and sometimes that doesn't), but if you're writing about people that are Other than you, particularly if they are marginalized or fetishized in our culture, understand that the bar for good execution is, quite reasonably, higher -- even if your book/story/fanfic/poem isn't meant for an audience that contains those people (slash fandom, I'm looking at you) and even if you feel it's easier for you to write those people than people who are more like you.

I feel a profound, agonizing responsibility to my characters most of the time when I am writing; so generally, I think I should feel the same way about my readers too. I believe fictional characters are real, but I know audiences are. Writing is hard; but I'm not always sure why thinking about writing has to be so hard. Make cool stuff; suck less -- not really the worst goal for any of us.

I can't believe I have to keep saying this: Can we stop it with "she needs a sandwich" please? Yes, skinny people have privilege and so talking trash about them is ultimately less culturally harmful than talking trash about fat people. However, policing bodies isn't good for anyone, no matter which direction you're doing it in. I'm the size and shape I am because of a genetic disease; and instead of anyone considering something might be wrong or trying to figure it out, peers told me I was ugly, men told me I was fragile and not worth fucking, and doctors insisted I was a liar, an anorexic (this a value judgment from their lips instead of any sort of actually concerned attempted at diagnosis), and just wanted attention. Body policing is rude and harms everyone's health.

mrtonylee's short film, The Shoot, is now online.

While I often forget that apparently people still don't get the existence of geek girls, because hi, on LJ and from Harry Potter fandom, this has the potential to be interesting and necessary.

The CA state senate passed a measure to repeal an archaic law requiring the state to search for cures for homosexuality. They also passed a measure asking Obama to end DoMA.

Caster Semenya is competing again, and some of her rivals are still refusing to accept her as a legitimate female competitor.

Last night on Angel: "Shiny Happy People" or AWESOME SHOW IS AWESOME AGAIN. Seriously, I was so over the self-proclaimed "turgid supernatural soap opera" but everything about this episode was just brilliant, from the dopey expression on Angel's face, to the very recognizable feeling of not being able to stand that one person that everyone thinks is awesome and you think is totally fake, to Fred having a damn plot-line again, to falling of Jasmin's schtick ourselves, to wondering how it will all work out! Man, SO GOOD. And completely, skin-crawlingly terrifying. AWESOME SHOW IS AWESOME!

Okay, time to do work, there sure is a lot of it!