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)

Friday Fics Fix - Road Trip With Steve Rogers

 

'Bucky's voice in the back of his head told him they both knew that really Steve wasn't going to just leave a kid in a gas station parking lot in the middle of nowhere. Who was the Bucky voice to tell him that? He was right, but still.'

Honestly - and you know I'm always honest with you dearest nerdlets - I don't know what exactly it is that I read, with this fic.

I don't know what exactly to make of... *waves hands to encompass entirety* the whole thing.

Nerd Church - The World Is On Fire

 

So - the world is on fire.

Like, literally.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released this week, is bleak.

The outlook on climate change is bad. Humans are the cause.

We may already be too late to fix some of the affects, we're running out of time to stop others.

We need governments and industry to make massive changes. Fast.

Friday Fics Fix - A SamBucky Rec List

 

I wrote a Sam and/or Bucky rec list a little while back, but I've rec'd a few The Falcon And The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fics since then - so I figured it's time for a mini-list highlighting some specifically SamBucky fics!

Because in this house, Bucky Barnes is Queer af, OK? OK.

SamBucky, sometimes known as WinterFalcon (though SamBucky is generally preferred - at time of writing anyway - by most fan-creators,) is the name of the ship between, well, Sam and Bucky - which is kind of self-explanatory, really.

Micropoetry - April + July 2021

 ...because I wrote one piece in April, and then there was a big gap 'til the next one in July *shrugs*

Apparently I was having a Shakespearean references moment in April. 

And was feeling things about Wales and our place in the world - and within (or maybe not) the United Kingdom - in July.

Y Ddraig means The Dragon in Welsh. You can check out a pronunciation here if that's something you're interested in.

So - this is what came out of all that! Enjoy!

As always, the poetry is in the alt-text for those who use screenreaders, with / marks showing line breaks

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: Musings On Medium (and Blogging in General)

 

In March I started – tentatively – sticking some of my blog archive onto Medium.

Medium is kind of a weird-a** combo of blogging, freelance journalism, and social networking. And it pays.

Don’t ask me the ins-and-outs of how it pays – it uses some form of occult ceremony to distribute the tithes paid by the ardent congregation (only they call it Medium membership, but meh.)

But anywho, it pays.

And since I lost my Amazon UK Associateship (which is a long story which you can read on Dora Reads here, or on Medium here,) I need to work on other modes of monetisation.

Because one of these days I would like to hit an income bracket above ‘Starving Artist™’ – but that’s enough about that.

Friday Fics Fix - Loki, Gender, and The TVA (Fandom Is Here For It)

 

‘But as the days wore on in the TVA, blending together as they did, Loki realized that what they missed was magic.

And the freedom that came with it’

 

I mean… it’s probably no surprise that I’ve been absorbing large amounts of Loki fanfiction as if I can somehow merge them with my DNA.

(Which… I feel like there’s probs a fic out there somewhere that’s based on just that scenario, but I’m too scared to look. Because I’ll find it. 😅)

But if you’re new around here: I’m Marvel trash, btw.

And of the many specific types of Marvel trash that I am – being part of Loki’s Army is right up there.

Month in Review(s) - July 2021

(Warning: this post briefly discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19, and vaccinations/needles)

July was way too fricking hot.

Like, climate change is real - summers were never like this when I was a kid. And while I'm the wrong side of 25, under 30. So some time in the last 10-20 years, things altered majorly with our weather.

It's not normal. It's not pleasant. It's gotta be some sort of punishment from the world for our collective environmental sins.

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.

Comics Wrap-Up - I Said That Lie Already

 

It's July, it's Thursday, let's find us some comics-y, superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - For Every Time That They Want To Count You Out

 

It's Thursday, I am melting under an 'extreme heat' official weather warning (help,) let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Comics Wrap-Up - And Trouble's Gonna Follow Where I Go

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, and I'm tired so expect a certain amount of archaic verbosity 😉😅 - let's get some comics-y, superhero-y goodness.

Month in Review(s) - June 2021

 

June was awful.

I lost my grandmother, and everything is just that little bit harder, y'know?

I know a lot of people have been through some sh** in the last year and a half - but that doesn't make it any easier.

Comics Wrap-Up - I Need A Drink, Whiskey Ain't My Thing

 

It's Thursday, so let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness here on Dora Reads!

Comics Wrap-Up - Please Forgive Me, I've Got Demons in My Head

 

It's Thursday, it's July 2021, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: Sandbox Love Never Dies

 

And we're here! It's the last week of my Prides Fics Fest, where for the month of June, I give Friday Fics Fix over solely to LGBTQ+ fics!

Which isn't much of a change, because fanfiction is Queer af, but this month has focus and everything! 😅

'Needy wraps her hands around the smooth wood handle and takes a deep breath. Then she raises the shovel and stabs it into the earth.'

Jennifer's Body is a, thankfully renaissance-having, staple of Sapphic culture.

For years, this Queer horror classic was maligned by A-hole, Allocishet (non-LGBTQ+,) male critics and audiences, who didn't effing get it!

Comics Wrap-Up - Hair Back, Collar Up, Jet Black, So Cool!

 

It's Thursday, it's still June, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - Random Life/Blogging Update (It's Been A Rough Week)

 

It's been an extremely rough week.

And I'm emotionally exhausted, at this point.

My grandmother passed away last weekend. 

And even though we'd known, for a while, that it was coming - even though we'd almost lost her twice this year already - it still hurts like hell.

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: Jack the Lass

Welcome back to Pride Fics Fest! That period in June where I stop pretending straight and fanfiction have anything to say to each other 😉

This post contains SPOILERS for Gentleman Jack, series 1

SPOILERS!!!! OK? SPOILERS

Gentleman Jack is a truly amazing BBC historical drama, based on the life and diaries of 18th/19th Century English Lesbian, landowner, and businesswoman, Anne Lister.

Anne left extensive, coded, diaries - many of which were fairly sexually explicit.

I love this series - a well-written, well-acted, period drama about Lesbians who are complex, flawed, genuine, people. It's so good!

Comics Wrap-Up - Wore Them Lips And A Coat That Were Matching Green

 

It's Thursday, and I really think we should get some awesome-sauce comics-y superhero-y goodness!

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.

Comics Wrap-Up - Only Those Who Are Awake Will Make Mistakes

 

It's Thursday, which means here on Dora Reads it's time for some comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Month in Review(s) - May 2021

(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/Covid 19)

May was one of those in-betweeny months - as lots of months have seemed to be lately.

Here in Wales we had a Senedd/Parliament election, allowing Mark Drakeford (aka everyone's uncle,) to form another consecutive government, and giving him the mandate to continue with his cautious Covid approach.

It also means that while Labour's struggling nationally, Welsh Labour are the strongest they've ever been. 

Which means that while England is increasingly voting for the Conservative party (the party our current Prime Minister Boris Johnson leads,) which is the party on the right of UK politics, Wales are sat here being a Socialist democracy and happy with it!

(This is your regular reminder that Socialism =/= Communism, Communism is a form of Socialism.)

Nerd Church - I Watched Jojo Rabbit: Part 2 - Facing History

Welcome to the next instalment of I Watched Jojo Rabbit, aka 'Cee rabbits on about Jojo Rabbit!*'

(And no, I could not resist the pun.)

While you don't need to have read Part 1 of this mini-post-series in order to understand this part, I do recommend reading it (which I would do, because I wrote it,) to get a more generalised view of Jojo Rabbit as a film.

You can read part one here.

Jojo Rabbit is a funny and heart-warming film, with a dark and deeply uncomfortable edge.

And this post? This post looks at that darker part of Jojo Rabbit - from the controversial premise to the dark nature of this darkest period of history.

We're gonna get uncomfortable, dearest nerdlets, fair warning.

* = commission link

Friday Fics Fix - Pride Fics Fest: The Queer Umbrella (Academy)

 

Yes, it's June! Which means that here on Dora Reads I stop pretending that fanfiction is anything other than Queer af, and go all-out with my Pride Fics Fest.

What better way to kick off this year's Pride Fics Fest than with superhero TV show The Umbrella Academy (TUA)?

TUA is super Queer (pun very definitely intended,) and more than willing to give us two canonically Queer main characters in our superhero family ensemble.

Because this is fanfiction, I'll be looking at IDs which are both canon and not canon.

Comics Wrap-Up - Are You Never Gonna Get It? The Kids Already Know

It's Thursday, it's June, let's get some comics-y superhero-y goodness my dearest nerdlets!

Nerd Church - I Watched Jojo Rabbit: Part 1 - The Survival of Humanity

(Warning: due to the subject matter of the film Jojo Rabbit, this post discusses: war, Nazis, Hitler, the Holocaust, bigotry, indoctrination)

I watched Jojo Rabbit...

Jojo Rabbit* is a 2019 film written, directed, and starring the legendary Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi.

(It's inspired by, rather than based on, the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens.)

It is a comedy about Nazis.

And yes, you read that right.

It is a comedy about Nazis.

* = commission link

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**. 😎

Comics Wrap-Up - Only To Come Back, As Pure As Gold

 

It's Thursday, this is Dora Reads, let's get a nice big helping of comics-y superhero-y goodness!

Nerd Church - The Writer Diaries: My Own Plot Twists Surprise Me

 

"Holy sh**!"

These are the words I've just written on paper. Hand-written, in ballpoint pen, in my multi-coloured Crayola notebook (all the cool kids have them! 😉😎)

They're words I've given to one of the characters from my Work in Progress (WIP), Dan, as he realises something ground-breaking that makes everyone look at the situation entirely differently.

...It's a sentiment I fully endorse, because I have no clue where this plot twist came from. 

And, with wide eyes, my only statement at this moment can only be an echoed, 'Holy sh**.'

(Only I can't swear because my mother, so it was more like 'Holy...' and then trailing off.)

Friday Fics Fix - Not Ready

 

'As good as she is at anticipating his family’s actions and decisions, everything always gets a little skewed and unpredictable once the bullets start flying'

I love quirky horror movies with kick-butt heroines - which brings us to the film this week's fic is based on: Ready or Not.

Ready or Not is a super-quirky horror film about Grace, who is marrying Alex Le Domas - a member of the rich Le Domas family, who made their money in board games.

(And yes, there is a vibe here that feels very akin to Knives Out, but that's more of a crime film than this - this is def. horror.)

Comics Wrap-Up - A Loaded God Complex

 

It's May, it's Thursday, let's get us some superhero-y, comics-y goodness!

Nerd Church - 'I Shall, This Night, Be Engaged In A Struggle For Freedom': The Fight For The Vote in the UK

(Warning: this post discusses political struggle, including murder by the military. It also refers to historical capital punishment and torture.)

On the night of 4th of November, 1839, somewhere between 1000 and 5000 men from the South Wales valleys marched to the Westgate Hotel in Newport.

By morning, at least 22 of them would be dead.

They were killed by the British army on British soil.

This was the Newport Rising.

This is the story of the right to vote in the UK - not just for women, but for the majority of the men in this country, too.

And it's long, and it's bloody, and it's rarely taught in schools. 

But it's our history - not the history of the rich, who had long had the right to vote and the ability to stand for parliament - but the history of the working people of this country.

Friday Fics Fix - Things Can Be Better

 (Warning: this post discusses Homophobia and the persecution of LGBTQ+ people.)

"What the hell man you can't just go announcing that! You'll get the place raided!" He hissed, Sam furrowing his brows before his face relaxed in realization, letting out a short laugh.

Am I rec'ing a The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (TFATWS) fic for the second week in a row? 

Yes, yes I am.

We all know at this point that I'm TFATWS trash (...amongst other trash, but let's stick to TFATWS for now 😅)

I couldn't resist this fic, OK?

Comics Wrap-Up - Venom, Adrenaline Momentum

 

It's Thursday, it's May 2021, let's get some superhero-y comics-y goodness!

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.)

Comics Wrap-Up - I'm Watching You Two From the Closet

 

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

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.))

Friday Fics Fix - The Ups and Downs

 

'Dave got off on the 18th floor, looking back to see Klaus with his hand raised in a wave. Dave swore he had the words ‘Good Bye’ written on his palm'

This week's fic is a fun fic based around The Umbrella Academy (TUA)

(Yes, I know I am trash. 😅 We have established this thoroughly by this point. And I don't care.)

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!

Nerd Church - Anticipatory Grief: Mourning Before Death

(Warning: this post discusses Coronavirus/ Covid 19, grief, mourning, bereavement, death, dying, and last illnesses)

People don’t talk about anticipatory grief.

Which means either they’ve never been through it, or they’re too mixed-up with the shame and the hurt to talk about it.

Which sucks. Because this is hard enough as it is, without pretending that it isn’t happening.

Disclaimer time:

I am not a counsellor, therapist, or other mental health, or medical, professional.

I am a chick with a blog who has been through some sh**.

If you need help, please seek it in the appropriate places. You're amazing, and you matter.

When someone you love is ill – like, the kind of ill where you don’t expect them to get better – it’s hard. It’s really hard.

And one of the things that’s hard about it is that you start grieving while the person is still with us. Maybe even planning things – running through funeral details in your head.

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!

Review Time! - The Sigil by Shakeil Kanish and Larissa Mandeville

* = commission link

Title: The Sigil*

Author: Shakeil Kanish, Larissa Mandeville


Genre: Young Adult (New Adult crossover appeal,) Fantasy, Witches(-ish,) LGBTQ+ (relationships: M/M, side M/F, refs to F/F)

Buy with Amazon.com*

Nerd Church - How I Use True Crime Media To Boost My Mental Health (Yes, Really)

 

(Warning: this post discusses true crime, and though it avoids details of murders, it does reference various topics surrounding true crime. This post also discusses Depression/Anxiety.

Any links to other websites may have further details of true crime, though I've tried to avoid anything graphic; I am not responsible for the content on these sites.)

I find true crime media weirdly helpful with combatting the affects of my mental health problems.

I put true crime shows on the TV sometimes in the evening, to wind down before falling asleep.

I clamour to Netflix true crime to calm my Anxiety.

I watch true crime docs or YouTube videos while I'm working to help me concentrate.

Comics Wrap-Up - Paint These Walls In Pitchfork Red

 

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

Nerd Church - But There Are No Saints, There Are No Sinners: The Extremes of Opinion When Public Figures Die

 

(Warning: this post discusses death (which you probably figured out,) suicide, grief, mourning, online abuse, domestic abuse, racism, colonisation, ableism, ageism)

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, died on Friday. He was 99 years old, nearly 100.

...As seems to be the norm, the world then descended into extreme points of view.

Especially the Internet, obviously, because the Internet is like every extreme dialled up to the max.

Friday Fics Fix - Hargreeves Family Schmoop

 

'Diego drags a hand over his face, groaning. "I didn’t know meeting a six year old would take this much effort."'

This week's fic is just a schmoopy and super-cute li'l fic all about family!

(Woo!)

As we all know, (or maybe we don't, but if that's the case I'ma tell you!) the Hargreeves family, aka the members of The Umbrella Academy, have a butt-tonne of family issues.

Like, the tagline to the Netflix series is actually 'Super. Dysfunctional. Family.' and that pretty much sums it up, tbh.

So I kinds love fics where the Hargreeveseseses are like super-duper-awkward about family stuff, but somehow make it work (mostly because they never manage to make it work in canon!)