Airsucker's Corner of Geekdom

This book was largely panned when it came out. A large portion of that was from the sad/rabid puppy set, because of the gay character, and their claim the Mr. Wendig is a "social justice warrior" who was 'pushing an agenda down their throats'. So, being a Star Wars fan, I had to see what was so awful. One character offers to hook up with the gay character and he tells here that he's not into women. That's it. That's the whole of gay representation in the book. For this, the puppies piled onto the Amazon website to give the book bad ratings.

I gave it 4 stars. It's good, but not amazing. I like the story well enough that I intend to read the rest of the trilogy, because I think it will get better. I'm trying to figure out why I didn't love it, and I feel like the book needed more of something, but I'm not sure what. There were details and world building. Maybe the author relied a little too much on readers being familiar with  the SW universe.

Also of note. Mr. Wendig used a more stream of consciousness from of writing, often using sentence fragments. This is frequently used as an excuse to pan the book. I didn't have a problem with it. It's a writing style, that's it.

It's been a while since I've posted. I got a job at my daughter's school last September as a Lunchroom Supervisor, which really is a glorified babysitter that referees kids while they eat their lunch. It was 3 hours in a split shift for minimum wage. It seems to be over now. They're probably going to keep paying us, which is really nice, but the school year looks like it's going to be cut off.

I've been reading. I read Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor, which was brutal, but should probably be read by every man who thinks himself a stud. I read Jaran by Kate Elliot, who is a master of storytelling and worldbuilding. I read Bullet Proof Witch, which I got for free. It was worth the price. The idea was interesting and the bones of a good story were there, but details were lacking and the worldbuilding was scarce.  I just finished Kings of the Wyld, which was excellent. What if adventuring bands were treated like rock bands and an old celebrated band came out of retirement for one last desperate adventure?

The job was grinding me down. It was very hard work. I was supposed to have a co-worker, but the first one quit and another was never hired. Then suddenly and I say suddenly ironically, we were all home, forever. It's taken two weeks for the panic attacks to begin to subside. There won't be enough ventilators to go around and if it's down to me and some mid--20s white college kid who thought he was invincible, I know my fat ass isn't getting treatment. So I'm staying home. I'm trying not to panic about our looming need for a trip to the grocery store. Jeff will go, but realistically, if he gets it, we all get it. there's just no way not to in such a small apartment. I keep telling myself that I survived the flu, I can survive this. I can do this.

I've been looking into sashiko, the Japanese method of visible mending. I'm working on the inner thighs of a pair of jeans. I do a little every day. I'd like to just finish it, but stitching denim is hard on the hands, so if I push myself, I won't be doing anything at all, which is a sure way further into depression. I'd really like some warmer weather, so I can open my windows, but I feel guilty for wanting warmth, when I know the planet is melting. It's nice, all those stories about the air clearing up when no one can drive, but they'll be so glad when we can come out again, that they'll forget and captain stupid is stripping away decades of environmental laws and regulations.

As for being in a tight space together, the three of us are doing fairly well. We all need some alone time, and sometimes patience starts to fray, but it could certainly be worse. Our girl is smart and enjoys her screen time a lot, which is a good thing this year. She does get annoyed with us asking her to do jumping jacks a lot. I had been walking about 20 km a week and now I'm down to none. I really ought to be making myself move more, but it's a chore and I've been pouring myself into distraction, to keep the panic at bay. I think I'm going to give Don Quixote a try for my nightly reading.

So we're still here and we're surviving. I'm trying to see my way out of the depression, to find my way into doing more things and easing my way out of distraction and panic. My mind has been a chew toy for a panicked brain and I want to get some things done. I want to live.

This is the last in the Binti trilogy. She struggles to incorporate her multiple identities and find acceptance from the people of her childhood. A war that suddenly errupts in the previous book makes this difficult. If only people would talk to each other.