A Good Thread On Whether “queer” Is A Slur And If It Should Be Used Or Not.

Me.

a new day

The Reading Pile Pt. 4

Lazarus: The Complete Hardcover Collection Volumes 1, 2 & 3 In the not too distant future, the 18 richest families of the world get together and divide up the world. Governments soon fall, and these families become the leaders of the world. People are broken down into three classes. Family (those who rule), Serf (those who have been chosen by the family to serve the family) and Waste (those who have no association with the family). As you can guess, most belong to the 3rd class. Along with their fighting units, each family has a Lazarus; a warrior specifically designed to be the ultimate fighter. They are strong, cunning and hard to kill. For the family Carlyle, this is Forever, the youngest daughter of the family and the series protagonist. This series is, quite easily, my favorite book of the past 15 years. Writer Greg Rucka and artist Michael Lark really put their heart and soul into this series, which is evident if you get the hardcover collections with all the bonus "how we did it" material. Tons of research and discussion go into each issue. Rucka even went so far as to film himself and buddy for a fight scene that Lark could use for reference. Rucka originally said the story would take 125-150 issue to tell. Unfortunately, it looks like the series has died. The final volume (four) is due out in May, collecting the last 9 issues of the series to have come out, which finishes off the first major arc of the series. The last issue came out in 2022, literally one year after the previous issue, and that issue came out 8 months after the one before that. It's a shame, because it was a great book. Image Comics - 3 HC volumes (with the 4th due out in May) - Vol 1 $34.99, Vols 2 & 3 $39.99, Vol 4 $49.99. All still available. Also available in SC trades (with no behind the scenes items).

Everyone wins.

The next time they tell you Americans are “happy” with their employer provided health insurance remember that that “happiness” is fueled by willful ignorance of what the alternatives are really like and fear of losing what little crappy health care they currently have.

The Recent Realization That Completely Took Me By Surprise

“I’ve made the decision.  I’m giving up on dating.”

I made this proclamation to a friend sometime in the very early 2000s.  I was tired of everything that went with dating, or trying to get dates, and had gotten to a point where I, quite frankly, just didn’t give a damn anymore.  I was happier being alone, relationship wise.

My friend scoffed at me, and as I told others, they did too.  But for the past (approximately) 14 years, that’s been the story.  There really was no one I actively wanted to date.

So it came as quite a shock to me when one night a couple of months ago, as I was out at a bar with a group of friends, it became clear to me that I really wanted to ask one of them out on a date.

[This, BTW, is not the realization this blog post is about.]

I did not react well to this.  Remember a few months ago when I was making Vaugebook posts about frustration and falling into old mental traps?  Well, now you know why.  I had so many questions I couldn’t answer.  Where did this come from?  Why was this suddenly happening?  I was happy not being in the dating scene, why would I suddenly want to screw that up?  Why her?  I didn’t really consider how she would feel.  I was 99% sure she wasn’t interested.  In fact, I think I would’ve been more worried if I asked her out and she actually said yes!

A week later, I travelled to New York City to visit a couple of friends of mine.  While there, I discussed my recent revealation.  They had become engaged a couple of weeks before, so I took their view of my situation with a huge grain of salt.

But as I spent the day with them, and watched them together, I became aware that I wanted exactly what they had.

That connection. That emotional bonding. That love.

[This, also, is not the realization this blog post is about.  Stay with me here.]

I got on the train home and began thinking about everything and every emotion, past and present; what had led me to where I had been and to where I was now.  And somewhere between Harlem and Greenwich, I discovered the truth.

The truth was that, during all those years, I had wanted to date.

I had wanted that connection. That bonding. That love.

The problem was, during that time and up until recently, I didn’t love myself.  Truth be told, I down right loathed myself for most of that time.  And because of that, I didn’t think I deserved to be loved by anyone.

So when I would meet a woman who I thought was special, I would think to myself, “Too bad I don’t want to date anyone”, and put it out of my mind.

This is the revelation this blog post is about.  The revelation that, “I don’t want to date anyone”, was really my brain’s way of saying, “You don’t deserve anyone’s love.”

And once I realized that, everything going on fell into place.

I love myself now. I’m ready to date. I’m ready to love someone else now.

But, most of all, I’m ready to accept that someone can love me the same way.

I predicted that, but then gave up on it.

A month ago, this was exactly how I thought the Punk/Reigns/Rollins match would end. But then the whole "You owe me a favor" stuff started. And they were pushing this possiblility on the pre-show so hard, I thought for sure there was no way it would happen. And then Punk got a vdeo package AND a band playing him to the ring and I was sure his victory was a given.

Umm... Gotta take my first answer?

NOW it's truly classic Trek.

“Captain’s log, supplemental: the Enterprise has encountered an alien life form who has identified himself as ‘Ziggy’”

Me, looking at Tumblr.

Portable Closet (aka “Bag of Clothing”)

Wondrous Item, Rare

Often found among the traveling elite and wealthy, the Portable Closet is outwardly very similar to a Bag Of Holding, but a bit fancier looking.  On the outside, it has a roughly 2-foot diameter opening and is about 4 feet deep.  The inside is also like a Bag Of Holding in that it is much larger than its outer dimensions.  Unlike the Bag Of Holding, this item is specifically designed to hold only clothing. The Portable Closet has 12 “chambers”, each designed to hold one outfit plus any accessories needed for the outfit (shoes, hats, gloves, jewelry and such).  The closet will clean and press any clothing placed in it and left there for an hour.  It will also clean any accessories left for the same time period (i.e. - shoes are shined, metal polished, leather oiled, etc.).  The bag also uses the Mending cantrip to repair any damage to any item placed in it, up to the limits of the spell.  Note that any items kept inside something else (such as in a purse or pocket) will not be cleaned or repaired. Armor may also be kept in the closet, though Scale Mail and Half Plate armors take up two of the chambers of the closet and any heavy armor takes up three chambers.  Magical properties that alter an armor’s weight do not apply.  For example, a magical suit of chainmail that acts as if it was light armor would still require 3 chambers of the closet to be stored in the bag.  No accessories maybe be placed in with the armor up to and including weapons, backpacks and other types of adventuring gear. If the bag ever has more than its 12 chamber filled, has something placed in it that can’t be considered clothing or an accessory (such as weapons or loose coins) that are not contained in an outfit or accessory, something is placed in with a suit of armor, or if it becomes pierced or torn, then the closet ruptures and is destroyed, and its contents are scattered in the Astral Plane.  If the bag is turned inside out, its contents spill forth, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again.  Breathing creatures inside the bag can survive up to a number minutes equal to 10 divided by the number of creatures (minimum of 1 minute), after which time they begin to suffocate. Placing a Portable Closet inside an extra-dimensional space created by a Bag of Holding, a Portable Hole or any similar item instantly destroys both items and opens a gate to the Astral Plane.  The gate originates where the one item was placed inside the other.  Any creature within 10 feet of the gate is sucked through it to a random location on the Astral Plane.  The gate then closes.  The gate is one-0way only and can’t be reopened.

More from the Reading Pile

Fortunately The Milk A fun children's story that can be enjoyed by all ages. Skottie Young's art works perfectly with the wild story (a dad tells the story of why it took him so long to go buy a bottle of milk). It's written by Neil Gaiman, so decide for yourself if you want to support it (I had already purchased it before all the news broke). Harper Collins Children - HC $19.99, SC $9.99

Wrestling Unmasked: Ripping the Mask off the Crime, Politics and Intrigue Beyond The Ring A collection of various articles from the British Wrestletalk Magazine from the early 2020s. They are well written and dive into the ugly history of the industry. If you're a long time wrestling fan like me (since the mid '80s), you probably know most of these stories already. But the articles are well written and in some cases personal. Worth picking up, especially if you are recent fan to the squared circle. Wrestletalk.com - ebook £6.99, print SC £14.99, also available from Amazon

Snarf Quest: The Book A graphic novel of the first story line of Larry Elmore's "Snarf Quest" comic from the back of Dragon magazine of the 1980s. It's entertainingly silly and goofy and doesn't take it's self seriously at all (it features a time traveling wizard, a robot that crash lands in front of Snarf and a dragon that thinks it's a duck). Also, it's Larry Elmore, so all of the women are beautiful and scantly clad, but at least they don't fall into the "damsel in distress" trope. A fun read. If you can find it cheap, snap it up. TSR Inc - Cover Price $9.95 (out of print)