Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: Run To The Next Tree (Write To The Next Full Stop)

 

Wanna see how far you can run? Wanna train to run a marathon or a 5k or whatever it is running-people do?

Find a tree.

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Angst (I Regret Nothing)

 

'Sam’s hand hovers near his arm again, just in the corner of his eye. Just in case he collapses without warning or something. Bucky hates that he has to bite his tongue and accept that as a legitimate probability'

This week's fic appealed to my emo goblin spaghetti-brain. 

I regret nothing.

Friday Fics Fix - Magical Shenanigans With Tony and Loki

 

'“My guess is it’s got something to do with serotonin,” he says.

“Or magic,” Loki points out.

“Don’t spoil my fun, dear.”'

Let's start 2022 as we mean to go on: 

...with Gay superhero fanfiction. 😅😘

The Bookish Diversity Link List 2022

 

Your resource for all things bookish diversity is back! Welcome to the 6th(!) Bookish Diversity Link List, back for 2022.

OK, 2021 maybe (big 'maybe',)  wasn't as actively on fire as 2020, but due to it still being a dumpster fire, and a lot of personal stuff, etc., I once again wasn't able to do as much for the link list as I'd like to.

I actually wondered whether or not to have a list for 2022 - the bookish interwebs have gotten to the stage where diversity is so much more prominent than it was in 2016, and I wondered whether I was really contributing anything any more.

But I still think there's need for a resource which points to other cool and good quality diverse bookish things - even if I sometimes struggle to add as much to it as I'd like.

My corner of the bookish interwebs may be flourishing diversely, but the bookish interwebs as a whole has a lot of churn in terms of participants (i.e. people leaving, people coming in,) - and some of the issues around diversity and representation remain as pressing as ever.

So, here I am, once again, doing my small bit to keep things moving forward. I hope you find it useful.

Comics Wrap-Up - Two Armies Are Coming At Me

It's Thursday, 2021 is - to paraphrase my countryman Dylan Thomas - going gentle into that good night, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - Don't Mess Around With Those Silly Toys

 

It's Thursday, it's December, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - I Told This Kid I'm Ready For A Fight

 

It's Thursday, it is December somehow, this is Dora Reads, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Knit Together

 

'Slowly, Klaus’ scarf begins to take shape. It’s a little wonky in places, the occasional stitch has been dropped, the loops are not very neat - but he’s improving with time.'

The Umbrella Academy (TUA) fic time again!!! Woo!

And yes, as you've probably guessed, this fic is firmly front-and-centred on m'boy Klaus Hargreeves.

Comics Wrap-Up - I Burned All The Place Down 'Cause I'm Too F**king Hot

 

It's Thursday, we're still standing, and this is Dora Reads - so let's get some superhero-y, comics-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - They Treat Me Like If I Did Something Criminal

 

It's Thursday, this is still Dora Reads, let's get some comics-y, superhero-y goodness!

* = commission link

Comics Wrap-Up - Bucky's the Man, Look At How Perfect He Lands

 

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

Month in Review(s) - August 2021

 

August was a month where I had multiple migraines, so that sucks.

But it also was NOT meltingly hot (unlike the first days of September...) so I'll take that! 😅

I know some people were complaining that the skies were dull and not as sunshiney as August normally is, but honestly, if the temperature stays down then I don't care!

(Me + Heat = Angry Bear! Lol.)

Nerd Church - Reasons I Didn't Review Your Book

 

Yes, I'm a book blogger. Yes, I write reviews.

And yes, somehow I lucked out and reviews are some of my highest-traffic content, despite the fact that I write way fewer of them than I intend to.

But I don't review everything I read. Far from it.

There are people who do that - and that's amazing, I admire you so much.

But I can't.

I just can't.

I don't have the energy or the time. And I'm trying not to do the work-myself-into-an-early-grave thing. With varied results.

And whether or not I'll be reviewing your book (metaphorical author who may or may not exist,) will be based on a bunch of factors - because you know that I don't have just one reason for absolutely anything.

(Warning: this post references the affects of Depression/Anxiety)

Nerd Church - Battling My Puritanical Work Ethic (and Society, I Guess)

 

(Warning: this post discusses chronic illness and ableism, as well as negative stereotyping. It also references grief, mental health problems, and Coronavirus/Covid 19)

Nerd Church - Witch-Hunts and Fear: The Emotional Maturity of ParaNorman

 * = commission link

I love the movie ParaNorman*. It’s hugely underappreciated.

This beautiful, weird, stop-motion mash-up of classic horror and kids’ adventure tale is surprisingly emotionally mature.

It explores the way that fear creates hatred, which in turn creates fear and hatred. And that adults can sometimes act out when they’re scared, in ways that can hurt the people – the children – around them.

Warning: this post contains SPOILERS for the film ParaNorman, and discusses: persecution (including religious-based persecution,) Ableism, Transphobia, Homophobia, horror elements, executions, death

I’ve seen ParaNorman quite a few times now – it always strikes me like it’s the first time I’ve seen it.

I think I forget, in between watches, just how good this film is.

First-off, of course, I appreciate anything made with stop-motion animation – stop-motion uses puppets or models, which are imaged, frame-by-frame, as they are moved incrementally by hand.

When the still images are put together (at a rate of around 24 frames per second,) it generates the illusion of movement.

In order to create smooth-looking movement, the positioning of the models from one frame to the next has to be both minute and precise.

Nerd Church - I Watched Jojo Rabbit: Part 3 - The Bittersweet Tale of Captain K

 

Yes! It's here! The final part of 'I Watched Jojo Rabbit' aka Cee can't stop rabbiting on about this film!

If you want to catch up on Part 1 - which is a general look at the hope and humanity of the film Jojo Rabbit - you can do that here.

Or check out Part 2 - which is me fearlessly facing the uncomfortable facets of history because Taika Waititi made this film - over here.

...Honestly I could've kept talking about this film and issues it brings up for the rest of my life, but let's hope 3 parts is enough!

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: Bucky Barnes, Bicon

 

Yes, it's another week of Pride Fics Fest, where I stop pretending fanfiction is anything but All the Gay™.

(You can check out last week's post here!)

I figured it out, Marvel!

You just didn't know how to give us Bucky Barnes as a Bicon! You were afraid of messing it up! That's what it was!

How cynical and misguided of us to think that you were Queerbaiting with The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) - extensively - rather than trying to find a way to express Bucky's Bisexuality.

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Needs Advice... Maybe Not From Them

 

'...“Not in a bad way! Just, y'know, since you started dating him you guys are like a package—”

“I'm not dating Sam,” Bucky stops him.

Peter’s mask’s eyes narrow up at him, confused. “Really?”'

Yes it's The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS). Again.

Yes it's Queer. Again.

Because in this house we allow Bucky Barnes to be his Achillean, Queer-a**, self, with the actual full-on, representation, and not the Queerbaiting b*llsh**. 😎

Month in Review(s) - April 2021

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

April was a mixed month.

Not only did we have snow, hail, rain, and blazing warm sunshine on the same day, but the uncertain opening-up after Lockdown etc. still meant that things felt hecka odd.

We're in that odd position where we're (hopefully) beyond the worst of it, but it's also uber-important not to move too fast, y'know?

Friday Fics Fix - Bucky Gets A Book Club

 

'Sam scrubbed a hand over his face. “Look, I know you talk like that just to annoy me, that the ‘stoic brainwashed soldier’ thing is just an act-“

“I would never joke about perimeter security.”'

 

Have we established that I'm trash for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) yet?

If not, let's establish it right now: I am trash for TFATWS. (Albeit trash that is still critical of their Queerbaiting, but here we are.)