Showing posts with label Nerd Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nerd Church. Show all posts

Sunday 21 June 2020

Nerd Church - A Short Ramble on Father's Day



Happy Father's Day!

This post is gonna be short and ramble-y because I have a migraine and it sucks. 

I'll be fine in a day or two, but I need to write this post now, when I feel like I've been hit by a shovel, which is great timing. 😅

And sorry if this post looks a little strange - migraines affect your vision with obstructions (like blindspots/sunspots,) light sensitivity, and colour differences, so if things look a little odd, then it's because I physically can't see the post or graphics in the way I normally would.




'A Short Ramble on Father's Day' against a wooden floor background, complete with mucky boot prints




I love my dad.

I know that, sadly, a lot of people have less-than-ideal relationships with their dad. A lot of people have no relationship with their dad. And a lot of people understandably don't want a relationship with their dad.

A lot of dads, likewise, may have mixed feelings about their relationships with their kids.

A lot of people have also lost their fathers, or their children, and that hurts.

So hugs all round, dearest nerdlets, hugs all round!

Sunday 14 June 2020

Nerd Church - Supporting Black People, Trans People, and Black Trans People



(Warning: this post discusses racism, Transphobia, and racist, Transphobic, and Transmysogynoiristic murder.)



Brief note before I start: 

Please, please, please remember that we are still in the middle of a global pandemic with Covid 19/Coronavirus - a pandemic that disproportionately takes the lives of People of Colour/BAME people.

Stay safe. 
KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING - 2m/6ft apart if possible. 
Stay home when you can. 
Wash your hands A LOT. 
Wear a face mask if/when appropriate.






Supporting Black People, Trans People, and Black Trans People




 
Once again, the rights and lives of Black people, Trans people, and Black Trans people, are under threat.

I'm privileged in that I'm a White Cis woman. 

And after all the media attention has died down, I will still be a White Cis woman, and Black people will still be Black, and Trans+ people will still be Trans+.

Sunday 7 June 2020

Nerd Church - Paul Robeson and His Beloved Wales



1920s London. An unlikely meeting that would forge an unbreakable bond.

I figured, given the ongoing racial injustices and prejudice against Black people, that now was a good time to talk about and highlight a Black hero of the (mainly White) Welsh miners: Paul Robeson.

Some of the details are a little disputed - it's become its own mythology over the years - but I've tried to go with the consensus, and there're resources at the end of the post if you're interested to learn more!

(And yes, she's talking about Wales again!)



'Paul Robeson and His Beloved Wales' next to a photo of Paul Robeson onstage at the National Eisteddfod in 1958

Image of Paul Robeson: Geoff Charles (1909-2002)/Wikimedia Commons




Paul Robeson was a Black American actor, singer, athlete, and political activist - including Civil Rights and Socialist activism. 

He is also a national hero here in Wales, especially among the older generations.

Wednesday 3 June 2020

Month in Review(s) - May 2020

(Warning: this post discusses the Coronavirus/Covid 19, and references the death of George Floyd)



May 2020... who wrote this film?!

Obviously, globally, May was a dumpster fire. 

(And Black Lives Matter. George Floyd deserves justice. If you disagree, you can eff off.)




'May - Mai' witha pink flower on the right-hand side


Sunday 31 May 2020

Nerd Church - Power and Privilege In 2020


(Warning: This post discusses 2020. 

Which means it discusses:

- Coronavirus/Covid 19, and the death statistics
- racism
- racist murder (inc. murder of Black people by the police)
- Transphobia
- Transphobic murder
- Homophobia/Queerphobia
- Donald Trump

...I think that's everything. 2020, everyone.)



Power and Privilege in 2020



Well... it's been a week, right?


Unfortunately, if there's one theme to this week, both here in the UK and over in the USA, it's this: The more power and privilege someone has, the more they will abuse that power and privilege.

Sunday 24 May 2020

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: One of My Side Characters Is Pouting!



I can't get the side characters from my Work-in-Progress (WIP) to do what I want!



I know, to people who don't write fiction that probably doesn't make much sense. 

Surely, I, as the author, am in control? *laughs in writer* HELL NO!

Sorry to break this to you, but authors have extremely limited control over their characters. 

Essentially we write down what they're doing to the best of our ability... and attempt to cut out any scenes where they're doing sh** they shouldn't. With mixed results.



'One of My Side Characters Is Pouting!' above a bunch of outlined people shapes in different colours - they're arranged so that it looks like they're in a crowd


Sunday 17 May 2020

Nerd Church - For Those Of Us Feeling Overwhelmed Right Now


(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, and references Anxiety and mental health problems)



This post isn't a magical solution to feeling overwhelmed, but hopefully it'll help a little.

Disclaimer time: I'm not a medical or mental health professional. I'm someone with my own personal experiences of Depression/Anxiety which may or may not be helpful to you. Always do what's right for you, k? K.



'For Those Of Us Feeling Overwhelmed Right Now' against a background of a sky with fluffy clouds




Sometimes it can be hard to keep moving forward. It can feel overwhelming as f**k, let's be honest. 

But to make it less overwhelming?

You have to take everything one step at a time - as goddamn irritating as that can be, sometimes. 

Wednesday 13 May 2020

Month In Review(s) - April 2020

(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, and Anxiety)


April 2020.

Um... yeah... 

(I know it's the 13th of May - I'm disorganised, and you all know this.)




'April - Ebrill' with girl in a coat holding an umbrella, and an artsy swirl around it




OK, plus side: I had fewer panic attacks this month!

I mean, I still had panic attacks, and a butt-tonne of Anxiety, but I had slightly less of it! Woo!

(Small victories, dearest nerdlets, small victories.)

Sunday 10 May 2020

Nerd Church - How Are You Bored...?


(Warning: this post references Coronavirus/Covid 19, and Lockdown)


"Bored!" I kicked the carpet with my heel. "Bored!" I kicked it with my other heel. "Bored!" I switched back to the first heel.

...That's the last time I can remember being plain bored. 

I think I was eight. I definitely wasn't older than ten.





How Are You Bored...?





Don't get me wrong - I've been bored of things plenty of times. Teachers, mostly. 

(School is good and something you should go to and all that - but my school sucked. On many levels.

We used to hide maths homework inside our PSE (Personal Social Education) booklets - because apparently LSD was a big threat to the teens of the mid-to-late 00s. (Spoiler: it wasn't.) 

Also we had to colour in the pictures of drugs for some reason? Like this is gonna put us off in any way? (Don't do drugs, dearest nerdlets, k? K.)

Also the teacher I had for PSE told us way too much about the various times she 'ran away with [man] to [location] and it all went wrong and I ended up stranded in [location - not necessarily the 1st location]' We honestly didn't want to know. 

We were hiding maths homework, dearest nerdlets. Maths. Homework.)


Sunday 3 May 2020

Nerd Church - I'm SO Tired


(Warning: this post references Coronavirus/Covid 19 and Lockdown, and discusses mental health problems and Anxiety throughout.)


I'm so tired.

Like, SO tired.

Part of that is probably due to an existential tiredness related to the Lockdown and wanting things to go back to 'normal' - whatever normal is.

(Stay Home though, dearest nerdlets - STAY HOME PLEASE! It's so important!)



'I'm SO Tired' in a shadow-block font over a bed and bedside table


Sunday 26 April 2020

Nerd Church - Covid 19: Why Are People Like This?



(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19 and lockdown/quarantine throughout. It also discusses Donald Trump and medical misinformation. It also gets kinda rant-y.)



What is wrong with people? 

I mean... does anyone know?



'Covid 19; Why Are People Like This?' against a blue artsy background




As I sit here, still on full lockdown in the UK, my neighbours have gone out. Again.

If you read this blog/follow my Twitter (thank you, I love you!) you may know that I have Problem Neighbours™.

What started as some sloppiness with letting their 2 dogs out has morphed into a general disregard for the people around them (...and they have 4 dogs now.)


Sunday 19 April 2020

Nerd Church - Oliver Queen, You Have Saved This Girl's Life



(Warning: this post discusses Depression and low self-esteem/self-worth, as well as referencing suicidal thoughts and feelings.)



Oliver Queen, you have saved this girl’s life.

People who’ve read this blog before will be aware that I credit a lot of things for saving my life – from fanfiction to meds, from blogging to Fall Out Boy. With what feels like millions of other things in between.




'Oliver Queen, You Have Saved This Girl's Life' with a green background and white arrow shapes




I mean all of it. Completely.

When Depression sinks it’s teeth in so deep that you think you are the worst creature to ever draw breath – that, in fact, you’re probably hogging oxygen from someone who deserves to breathe it more – you need more than just one thing to rescue you.

Sunday 12 April 2020

Nerd Church - Watching 'Orange Is The New Black' In Lockdown



(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19, and prison, and references drugs and death.)


You know all those shows that you just don't get around to for whatever reason? 

Orange Is The New Black was one of those for me.



'Watching 'Orange Is The New Black' in Lockdown' with an orange background, and black stripes down the left-hand side




So what better series to start when we can't go out, than one where they can't either, y'know? 

The UK is in Lockdown - we can only go out for specific reasons, which does currently include 1hr exercise, provided we practice social distancing, so we're better off than some.


Wednesday 8 April 2020

Month In Review(s) - March 2020


(Warning: This post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19 (b/c March 2020) and related stuff like lockdown and Anxiety)



...Maybe the first rule of March 2020, is that we don't talk about March 2020.

But then, I'd totally break that rule in half and throw the pieces in the air like confetti anyways, so here we are!






Sunday 5 April 2020

Nerd Church - A General Message of Positivity For Anyone Struggling With Their Mental Health ATM



(Warning: this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, and mental health problems/general mental health)


I think we could all do with some positivity right now.

We all need to take care of our mental health. You don't need to have a mental health problem in order to be struggling with your mental health.

We all need to take care of ourselves.

So here's one of my famous (notorious? infamous? who knows,) pep talks, with the hopes that it'll do some good, somewhere.



'A Message of Positivity...' against a background of hearts



Sunday 29 March 2020

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: Aesthetically Confused


(Warning: this post discusses the affects of Anxiety)


If you hang around bookish and/or writerly corners of the Interwebs, you may've seen random-a** collages related to books, individual characters, or writing projects.

Or maybe you haven't - in which case you probably don't know wtf I'm talking about. But trust me, they're out there.




'The Writer Diaries. Aesthetically Confused.' On the right-hand side is a person holding a slate in front of their face. The slate has a confused face drawn on it.


Sunday 22 March 2020

Nerd Church - The Anxious Girl's Guide To Pandem-onium



(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid-19 (but hopefully in a non-stressy way!) and Anxiety/mental health problems)


Wherever you are in the world, your life is probably being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic right now - if you're in Europe, then it definitely is.

I'm Anxious af right now - and I know other people are too.



'The Anxious Girl's Guide To Pandem-onium' written in graffiti-style against a striped grey-and-blue background



So, I think we could all do with some practical self-care advice.

(Even if you don't have mental health problems, you still need to take care of your mental health!)


Sunday 15 March 2020

Nerd Church - The Benefits Of (Sometimes) Switching Off


(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid-19, although it's v. brief, I promise!)

Turn off the apps and tabs you aren't using, log out of social media, and let the noise just... stop for a while.


Hooman beans aren't meant for screens - not 24 hours a day, anyways.



'The Benefits of (Sometimes) Switching Off' against an artsy black-and-lens-flare background



I'm not saying 'turn off the evils of technology and become one with the universe' or whatever the latest anti-tech line is.

(Side note: these lines always seem to be spouted online. #JustSaying.)




Technology is a tool. An exceptionally useful one for so many people.

But you don't hammer nails all day, every day, do you? (Wait... do you?)

Even the most fervent lumberjack has to put down the axe every now and then. (Axe... chainsaw... I don't know wtf they're using - ask them!)


Wednesday 11 March 2020

Month in Review(s) - February 2020



February... I mean, on a personal level, February wasn't too bad.

I had a few colds (and yes, they were colds,) and some bad depression days, but nothing too much.




'February - Chwefror' written on an old-fashioned wooden desk, scattered with hearts, a notebook, and number blocks (1. 4.)




Although *gestures vaguely at the state of the world* I realise that more than a few squares have been crossed off on our apocalypse bingo cards.

But we've been crossing those things off since 2016, so it's probably not that surprising.

And a reminder, my dearest darling nerdlets: where there's life there's hope, and where there's hope, there's life.

Sunday 8 March 2020

Nerd Church - #InternationalWomensDay: 'My Feminism Will Be Intersectional, Or It Will Be B*llsh**'



'MY FEMINISM WILL BE INTERSECTIONAL OR IT WILL BE B*LLSH**'


Have you heard those words? Maybe seen them on a placard or a pin badge, or on your socials?

Maybe you have, maybe you haven't.



'#InternationalWomensDay: 'My Feminism Will Be Intersectional, Or It Will Be B*llsh**'' written on the left-hand side of the image, beneath it is a illustration-style Black woman with blonde hair, and a White blonde girl in a wheelchair holding a flag. On the right-hand side is a collage of illustrated/artsy headshots of different women and girls with varying skin colours and racial characteristics. One woman is weaing a hijab. In the bottom right-hand corner, finishing the collage, is a Transgender pride flag (horizontal stripes: blue/pink/white/pink/blue)



They are the words of Flavia Dzodan, as written in her delightfully sweary 2011 essay of the same name*

(I actually don't mind reading swear words, I just can't bring myself to reproduce them without *s - my mother might find out. 😅)


*CW: racism, rape, violence against women, White Feminism™