Sunday, 30 July 2023

Nerd Church - And Yet

 

Honestly, I have no idea. This is one of those posts that just kind of... happened. 😅

General Content Warning for... I don't know. The state of the world? You'll see.



Title: And Yet. Background: black marble or granite slab


It can feel like you're shouting at the clouds, with the world burning down all around you.

...Who made the world this way, do you know?

Because all we're doing is fighting within systems in systems in systems - and all it does is benefit those few at the top, who've always been well off.

The only division that should matter is between love and hate - and there is a right answer (hint: it's not hate.)

I don't understand how the world can be so beautiful and wonderful and yet...

And yet.

Friday, 28 July 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Nah, They Gay

 

'The crew stared at him, and at Lucius behind him who was gesturing emphatically at the leather pants.'


Title: Fics Fix! Background: purple with white lightning bolt shape


This fic made me laugh - and I think we could all do with that, yeah?

(Well, it's what we're getting!)

Sunday, 23 July 2023

Nerd Church - Watching Tennis With Depression

 

Warning: As you probably figured out from the title, this post discusses Depression.

Disclaimer Time: I'm not any kind of medical, psychological, or mental health professional. These are my own experiences - nothing more, nothing less.



Title: Watching Tennis With Depression. Background: large yellow tennis ball on green background



I love watching tennis.

Like I love it.

It's the one sport that I've followed regularly and consistently since I was a kid.

And for a British kid, there's nothing bigger in tennis than the Wimbledon Championships.


Friday, 21 July 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Solid SamBucky

 

Warning: this post briefly discusses PTSD/mental health problems



'The storm begins while Sam is away. Which means that Bucky is left to fend for himself in their empty apartment...'

 





We all need some solid SamBucky emotional/mental-health-based Hurt/Comfort every now and then, right?

...I mean.

We all know it's true.

Thursday, 20 July 2023

Comics Wrap-Up - Those Pesky Mortals



**This post contains Amazon affiliate links for Amazon.com. 

I receive a small commission for qualifying purchases made with these links.

Polite notice: Please only use these links to make .com (USA) Amazon purchases as I will not receive commission for other domains**



Title: Comics Wrap-Up. Background: lined-notebook-style with speech bubbles containing heart symbols

It's Thursday, life is hard sometimes, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Sunday, 16 July 2023

Nerd Church - The Nebulousness Of Self-Care (Or 'What Do I Need?!')


Warning: Vague discussions of mental health issues

Disclaimer Time: I am not any sort of psychological, medical, or healthcare professional. I am a chick with an internet connection: nothing more, nothing less.



Title: The Nebulousness Of Self-Care (Or 'What Do I Need?!')



Does anyone else find it hard to figure out what sort of self-care they need?

Because it's not all bubble baths and scented candles 

- in fact I have to be careful with bubble baths in case my skin allergies freak out, and I don't like lighting candles anywhere near the cats because that's just an accident waiting to happen...

And apart from all that, the consumerist, one-size-fits-all, version of self-care does not, in fact, fit all.


Friday, 14 July 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Quite Frankly Batpoop OFMD Vibes

 

'“I think I’m gonna faint now,” Stede says. He nods to himself. “Yes, I think that’s it for me for a while.”'


Title: Fics Fix! Background: purple with white lightning bolt shape

 


Are we all recovered from the shock of AO3 going down earlier in the week? Yes? Good.

I really wish there was more than one fanfiction site with AO3's usability, range, and download feature. But I suppose that would be greedy. 😘😅


(Fandom notes:

AO3 = Archive Of Our Own - the biggest and probably most widely used fanfiction site.)



So, with AO3 safely returned to its rightful place on the interwebs, I have some Our Flag Means Death (OFMD) fanfiction for ya!

(It's been like... 3 weeks since I last rec'd OFMD. #Restraint.)

Thursday, 13 July 2023

Comics Wrap-Up - Yellow. Costume.

 

Title: Comics Wrap-Up. Background: lined-notebook-style with speech bubbles containing heart symbols

It's Thursday, I am tired, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness, right here on Dora Reads.

Sunday, 9 July 2023

Nerd Church - Short Story: New Money




This was first published by me in the Medium publication Promptly Written.

This is the first story I wrote which featured a character called Anna Sinclair - to date, I've written three stories about her, and given her her own Medium list titled 'Snapshots of Anna Sinclair.' (She won't leave me alone, so I've given in and accepted it.)



Content Warning: one potential drug reference. (Yes, I said ‘potential’ — it’s a little ambiguous, even to me 😅)




New Money




Friday, 7 July 2023

Friday Fics Fix - Five Hargreeves Is Ruminating, OK?

 

'Viktor’s book was informative. But there are still things Five now understands himself not knowing.'


Title: Fics Fix! Background: purple with white lightning bolt shape


I haven't rec'd a The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fic in a while.

But I've still been reading some, obviously.

So, yeah, this week's offering for your humble perusal (lol) is a TUA fic.

Wednesday, 5 July 2023

Month In Review(s) - June 2023



June was too damned hot.

I hate the heat - I'm not built for it.

Ugh. It sucks.

Also, the mountain fires are apparently releasing heavy metals, like lead, from the vegetation, due to Wales' past status as lightly smouldering industrial wasteland.

It's potentially getting into the water supply. Fun times.

...On the plus side, maybe the English won't want our water now. (No, I'm not explaining that one - Google 'Wales water exports,' and once you've done that, Google 'Tryweryn'.)



Title: June - Mehefin. Image: heart drawn in the sand.


Sunday, 2 July 2023

Nerd Church - Internet Pitchforks: The Cases of Elisa Lam and Nicola Bulley

 

Title: Internet Pitchforks. Sub-title: The Cases of Elisa Lam and Nicola Bulley



Warning: this post discusses sensitive topics, including but not limited to - missing people, unexplained death, accidental death and drowning, murder, internet harrassment, mental health problems

Links may also contain distressing content.

Disclaimer time: I am not any sort of scientific, legal, sociological, or psychological expert. I'm a chick with an internet connection.