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!

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

 

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.)

Nerd Church - Covid 19: I Got My Vaccine Appointment (I Hate Needles)

 

(Warning: as you can probably tell from the title, this post discusses Covid 19/Coronavirus, vaccination, needles, and needlephobia. 

It also talks about Anxiety and Depression, and mentions being a smol closeted Queer chick, because I'm perfectly capable of going off on tangents.)

I have my vaccine appointment! 

At the end of this week, I will be getting my first dose.

(Yes, I am still in my 20s, and Wales started with the over 80s.

The Welsh vaccination programme is working like a well-oiled machine! (I think the small population also probably helps.))

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm Taking Back the Life You Stole

 

It's Thursday, it's the end of April in this year of 2021, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - The Falcon, The Winter Soldier, and Healthy Coping Mechanisms

 

'“Look at me and tell me this doesn’t look like an accomplished person to you!” Sam was holding a giant teddy bear in his arms.'

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) series means these characters are both living in my head rent-free.

Depending on what happens in the finale (released today!) we might all need the smooshy mental-health-based comfort of this fic. 

(Which comes complete with a slight dose of angst, because despite my apparent adulthood, I am a smol emo child, and you all know this.)

Comics Wrap-Up - So Tell Me Right Now, You Think You're Ready For It

 

It's Thursday, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier finishes tomorrow (*gasp*,) let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - You Can't Wake Up, This Is Not A Dream

 

It's Thursday, spring has sprung here in sunny Wales, let's get some superhero-y, comics-y, goodness!

Nerd Church - Covid 19: Years From Now, How Will We Explain?

(Warning: as you can probably tell, this post is about Coronavirus/Covid 19. 

It also references: anti-vaxxers, conspiracy theories, general 2020-ness, mental health problems, Trump, discrimination, ableism, systemic racism, and other systemic discrimination)

"My grandparents lived through the First World War and the Spanish Flu and all that," my mam said, "it's weird - they never talked about it much."

"Well," I said, "imagine explaining 2020, and the pandemic, to someone who's not even born yet. How could you even begin to make them understand?"

If a child asked, decades from now, 'what happened in 2020 and 2021? How did so many people die of Covid?' - what would you answer?

Where would we start? With the fires and the floods and World War Three trending at the beginning of 2020? 

Or would we just jump straight into the Lockdowns, the social distancing, masks, Covid testing, the race for a vaccine...?

Friday Fics Fix - In A Sense

 

'Bucky sucks in a crushed breath. Orange-black and pinned like butterfly wings.'

This fic is so beautifully written.

And you should all know by now that when I find a beautifully written fic, I'm gonna rec it!

Month In Review(s) - February 2021

 

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

We are two months into 2021. Just two months.

I have nearly lost my Nan twice so far in 2021.

Covid (which she had in January) has been so damaging to her health... it's awful. 

If you're one of the people who thinks it's not that bad, or it's a hoax, or it somehow doesn't apply to you, then you can fuck off.

And yes, it kills me to write swear words without *s, but I'm leaving it in.

Nerd Church - Depression Is...

(Warning: as you can probably tell, this post is about Depression. It also includes brief references to ableism, suicidal thoughts, suicidality, and passive suicidality.)

Disclaimer time!

I am not a mental health or medical professional.

I am someone with personal experience of Depression and Anxiety, and this post is based on my own experiences only. 

Mental health problems are intensely personal and therefore have a range of complex, varied, and valid experiences.

If you need help - PLEASE seek help. Getting in touch with a doctor or other help is scary, but so totally worth it - YOU are worth it. Please take care.

If you're in the UK or ROI, you can talk to The Samaritans about anything at any time. Check out their contact details here.

If you're not in the UK or ROI, you can check out this list of international suicide helplines.