#I think it’s brilliant that people are reading again and supporting independent bookstores.

[xpc-web-dev]

feel the same way about that book about delinquent teenagers playing ruggby.

In addition to being VERY poorly written (all the drarry fanfics I've read from last year to date are better written) It romanticizes a lot of bad things.

The only thing I liked was the idea of ​​giving second chances to people that society marginalizes, through sport, Mainly young people and them being the family they don't have. But she can't develop it very well.

I don't remember the name of the book, just that one character is blonde, unbalanced and the main one runs away from a murderous father.

I've seen so many arts on pinterest that I've been developing a desire to read and above that, as the character reminded me of draco I thought "maybe it's another drarry fan who made a work and now it's becoming known? I want to know".

And holy shit, how bad, absolutely bad. It's worrying how many girls I've read find all that normal.

I was once a teenager and I know it's because they haven't learned yet, and that's precisely the problem for me.

Because then if they meet a possessive mentally challenged asshole who can kill her she might think it's ok since he just needs love and care like her comfort character.

And yes, adult women with a critical sense and good emotional development and therapy can read stuff like that without romanticizing it and bringing it to real life.

CHILDREN / TEENAGERS NO!

And that's why it's so dangerous, and yes, I also know that it's the parents' responsibility what their children read.

But we can easily find pdfs or translations on wattpad on the internet for example

This is horrible.

what is your problem with tiktok or booktok and colleen hoover lmao its not that bad surely

the fact that it actively promotes overconsumerism, the way it sells books to you by just playing into already heavily milked out tropes with very specific character niches that are seen in every book nowadays and how the reading is just seen as something aesthetic or a part of the "it girl routine" maybe? if those are enough reasons for you?

does the fact that these books are the first things you see when you walk into a bookstore not bother you? when you ask someone for a book recommendation they'll follow it up with "its a romance slow burn enemies to lovers". it's always about the aesthetic of the book, how many lines can you take out of context and post as a compilation of your super cute romantic annotations page on instagram. no analyzing the book, no theories, no symbolism or meaningfulness at all. how people stand reading those kind of books and still feel any kind of emotions over these flat as hell books with no world or character building is genuinely baffling to me

no one seems to know about actual literature anymore, which not to sound like a boomer but i think its definitely true. there's always been trend cycles, i agree such as the harry potter craze from the 1990s to the 2000s and the dystopia hunger games/maze runner/divergent blast in the early 2010s but tiktok has just.. shortened these cycles so much. as a result, people like our darling colleen hoover whose written around 46 books since 2015 (according to google) try come up with as much fresh content as they can as quickly as possible for the readers (see overconsumption). the fact that this lady outsold the bible is not outstanding to me, its fucking concerning.

and after all that, the result is badly written books with characters who're about as dimensional as a piece of paper, overuse of tropes, read like they've been written by a toddler, toxic-ass relationships being romanticised, very unnecessary sex scenes and countless other things. seriously if i wanted to read about the kind of stories hoover tells i would just open a wattpad account.

this isn't to say that all booktok books are terrible. i'm trying to highlight some of the flaws i find in authors like colleen hoover, emily henry, taylor jenkins reid, ali hazelwood, sarah j maas and elena armas. some of their works are quite decent :) six of crows, thsoeh, tsoa, circe, daisy jones, where the crawdads sing etc are some books which i think everyone has heard of if theyre active online which were actually nice reads. also i am BEGGING u to reach out of your comfort zone and read something different like non-fiction or fantasy or one of the classics for once if you only read booktok like seriously it might be hard but just do it for the love of god!!

[spine-buster]

The President Wears Prada (William Nylander) | Epilogue 1: In August

A/N:  Well, I think this is the answer to everybody’s questions...!  Epilogue 2 will be up next Monday as well! :)

September 2021

Aberdeen Bloom was at a book talk and signing.

Her own book talk and signing.

It had all happened so fast, really.  The article about the NHL bubble had really put her on the map and had garnered a lot of positive reviews and comments.  She’d been working steadily at Toronto Life for a few months, writing another big feature for the magazine.  She had a short story published in The Walrus that also got rave reviews.  Aberdeen even got to live out another dream – interview Margaret Atwood for the magazine, and write an entire feature on the bustling arts, culture, and publishing scene in Toronto she was now, miraculously, involved in by virtue of working at Toronto Life.  It was all a dream, really.

Then one day, after peeping Aberdeen’s computer screen, Beth Zadakis noticed Aberdeen was adding to a manuscript.  She inquired about it.  Aberdeen tried to play it off, but eventually relented and told her all about it.  ‘Send me the first hundred pages’ Beth told her.  Aberdeen did.  Beth stayed up all night reading it.  ‘Send me your entire manuscript’ Beth said the next morning in the office.  ‘I know the senior editor at Coach House.  Do you have an agent?  I’ll get you an agent.  Aberdeen, this is going to get published.’

And it was.  When Aberdeen walked into the Coach House Books offices – the small, independent publisher famous in Toronto that launched a lot of literary careers –  she sat down in a chair and looked the senior editor in the eye as she told Aberdeen, “This is what I’ve been looking for all along.”  After a $10,000 advance, and more meetings with editors at Coach House Books, her first novel, In August, was published.

She held it in her hands for the entire interview, like it wasn’t real and would float away, even though it had already been out for months.  Just last week, it had been announced on the longlist for both the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Governor General’s Literary Award, the two biggest literary awards in Canada.  For a book from an independent publisher, this was a big deal.  And for Aberdeen, this was of course the biggest deal.  

A dream.  It was all a dream.

“We have time for one more question from the audience before we switch to the book signing portion of the evening,” the host of the event said.  The full room got antsy in anticipation to meet Aberdeen; the young woman at the microphone knew she should make her question good.  “Miss, what’s your question?”

“Hi, I—I first just wanted to say I absolutely loved your book,” she started nervously.

“Thank you,” Aberdeen smiled, hoping to calm her nerves.  

“I—I was just wondering what advice you have for young women who want to become writers?  I mean, if you get on the Shortlist for the Giller and the Governor General’s Award, you’ll be the youngest woman – not just woman, the young person – to ever win the award.  I mean that’s amazing.  What advice do you have?”

Aberdeen considered the question for a moment before a small smile appeared on her face.  “Bank on yourself,” she said confidently into the microphone.  Virtually the entire room smiled along with her.  “I mean that sincerely.  Bank on yourself.  Don’t let people’s averse opinions about you or your writing get to your head.  If you’re good, and you know you’re good, bank on yourself.  Surround yourself with people who believe in you.  They don’t always necessarily have to be in the literary world either.  I mean, listen – I was a bank teller throughout university.  I had some boyfriends at that time who thought writing was a waste of time and that I was fighting a lost cause.  It affected me…a lot.  More than I like to admit.  It tears you down and makes you second guess yourself and your talent.  I’m here to tell you to not let it get to you.  My first job out of university – I mean I’ve spoken about this at length now – but my first job out of university was being a personal assistant to Brendan Shanahan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  He’s been one of my biggest supporters ever since.  That’s where I met my partner William, who’s my biggest supporter and the man who encouraged me to write and told me I had what it takes to be a successful writer.  I got my job at Toronto Life by writing an article they didn’t want me to write, but I banked on my writing to get me the job.  And it paid off.  So truly – I mean it.  Bank on yourself.”

***

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Aberdeen smiled as she looked up at a young woman – who couldn’t have been much older than her, as she opened the cover of the book.  “Who am I making this out to?”

“Clara.”

“Clara,” Aberdeen repeated as she wrote out her name and proceeded to sign the novel.  She’d been at it for almost two hours now and was nearing the end of the line.  She wouldn’t leave until everyone got an autograph.

“You have a way with words,” Clara said.  “I just love your style and voice.  It’s so unique.  I’d give my left arm to write like you.”

“You better not be left-handed,” Aberdeen joked, causing both women to giggle as she slid the signed book back towards Clara.  “It was nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.  Can we take a quick picture?”

“Of course!” Aberdeen said.  Clara turned towards her friend who had just met Aberdeen, ready with a camera.  Clara thanked her once more before moving past her.  Aberdeen watched as Clara did a little excited jig and held the book against her heart.  She smiled.

When she turned her head back to greet the next person, she was shocked at who she saw.

Jason Spezza.

They both looked at each other for a few moments, speechless.  Aberdeen couldn’t formulate any thoughts, let alone any words.  The only thing she could say was his name.  “Jason.”

“Aberdeen,” he said nervously.  “Hi.”

“Hi.”

Jason looked nervous.  Very nervous.  And Jason Spezza did not get nervous.  “Congratulations,” he said, and it was only then that she realized he was holding her book in his hand.  “I read it.  It’s amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“The whole team read it.  I mean they probably didn’t understand a word of it but they read it.  I’m sure William told you that,” he followed up.  “It’s brilliant, Aberdeen.  It really is.”

“Thank you,” she repeated.

Another awkward silence.  “Listen…” Jason began, looking around so he didn’t have to make eye contact with her.  “Are you free after this?  Can…can we talk?”

A shiver ran up her spine.  “Uh…yeah.  Yeah of course.”

“Want to meet me at Alo for a drink?” he asked.

She nodded her head.  “Sure.”

“Alright.  Thanks.  The book was great.  Uh…bye,” he said quickly, turning around and walking the opposite way he should have been walking, pushing the door to the bookstore open so he could leave.

***

Aberdeen shook off her umbrella and brushed the stray raindrops off her blazer as she walked into Alo.  The restaurant was packed – typical for Alo – but through the droves of people, Aberdeen could see Jason sitting at a booth against the side, swirling his wine nervously.  

“It’s a two hour wait,” the hostess said.

“I’m meeting a friend,” Aberdeen nodded in Jason’s general direction before leaving the hostess there.  

She slowed her pace as she walked in between tables, mentally preparing herself for the conversation she was about to have.  She had no idea what he was going to say to her.  They hadn’t spoken for an entire year.  He and William played together but there was no love lost.  From what William would tell her, the entire team knew that she and Jason had stopped talking and were really, really shocked to hear so, considering everyone knew how close they were.  They knew better to ask William, and they definitely knew better than to ask her, but whenever they’d ask Jason about it, he wouldn’t answer either.  He’d shake his head or say “We’re not going to talk about that” or just pivot to something completely different, signalling that, well, he wasn’t going to talk about it.  So there was this air of mystery.  And though her year had been successful – articles and book deals and now book talks and signings – in the back of her mind, she always remembered that Jason was disappointed in her.  She always remembered that despite her success, she couldn’t share this with him like she wanted to.

“Hi,” she said out of the blue, startling Jason slightly.  

He looked up.  “Hi Aberdeen,” he said, moving to get up like a gentleman.  

“You don’t—” she held her arm out, shaking her head.

He stopped, nodding.  “Sit,” he said, motioning across from him.  She slipped in.

Before she could say anything else, a waitress approached their table.  “I see your guest has finally arrived,” she smiled at Jason before turning to Aberdeen.  “What can I get you?”

“Oh, I’ll have what he’s having,” she said, pointing to the red.

The waitress nodded before walking towards the bar.  She and Jason sat there, staring at each other for a few moments.  “It’s really nice to see you, Aberdeen,” he spoke first, his voice soft but very clearly nervous.

“It’s nice to see you too, Jason,” she smiled slightly.  

“I wanted…” he began, hesitating, considering his words.  “I wanted to come see you to talk to you.  To…well, to talk about what happened that day.  I was so…I…” he kept trailing off, not knowing what to say or how to say it.  “I was an ass that day.”

“You were justified—”

“Let me—” he put his hand up to interrupt her as gently as possible.  “I was an ass that day, but I don’t think you can blame me.  And you can tell me to fuck off, you can tell me to do whatever, because I deserve it – I mean, we haven’t spoken in a year – but I realized how big of a mistake I made that day in being so harsh to you, and I want to…solve this.  I want to work through it.  I miss having you around.  I don’t want to not speak to you again for an entire year.”

Aberdeen nodded her head.  They were going to do this.  “Do you want me to start from the beginning?”

Jason nodded his head.

So she told him.  She told him everything.  About how she’d hooked up with William that summer not knowing he was William Nylander of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  She told him how they met again in the elevator with Brendan Shanahan present and that was how she realized who William was – this got a smile out of Jason.  Then Aberdeen told him about keeping William at a distance, but his persisting, and her wall breaking away.  She told him of the late night drives, the late night hotel rooms talks they’d have and how she learned so much about him.  She told him about what William had done for her in terms of Ethan.  She told him about Christmas.  About New Year’s Eve.  About the Night With the Blue and White.  About how they promised each other they’d tell no-one – not even their families – and how good they’d been at keeping that promise.  She told him how she fell deeper and deeper for Will.  What he’d do for her, what he’d say that would make her go off in the deep end.  She told him about how she fell in love.  She told him what he’d done for her, what he continued to do for her.

Aberdeen felt like she had been talking for hours.  She probably had.  She had barely taken a sip of her wine.  But when she saw everything that she needed to say, she waited for Jason’s reaction.  He’d been silent the entire time, just listening.  Listening intently.  And she could see it on his face – him processing all the information.  He understood the ramifications of it.  The only people in the world who knew the true timeline of events now were him, Aberdeen, and William.  He realized that.  Not even Brendan knew.  Not even Siena.  Not even her parents.

“You love him,” Jason said it as more of a statement than a question.  

“Of course I do, Jason,” Aberdeen said softly.  She had William had been together almost two years now.  One year publicly.  Two years if we were really counting.  

Jason bit his lip and nodded his head slightly.  “I can’t hate you for that.”

“You can hate me for breaking your trust, though,” Aberdeen said.  And it was true.  She knew she would hate someone if they broke her trust the way she broke Jason’s that day.  

Jason shook his head.  “No.  I can’t hate you for that anymore either.  I can’t hate you at all.”  He shifted uncomfortably in his seat before continuing.  “I just…I want to put this entire thing behind us.  And I want to tell you I’m sorry.  I’m sorry for the way I acted that day.  I’m sorry for not speaking to you for a year.  I’m sorry about all of it.”

“I should be the one apologizing.”

Jason shook his head.  “You don’t have to.  Can we…can we just acknowledge that it happened and move forward?”

Aberdeen couldn’t help but smile.  “I’d like that a lot,” she said.  “I’ve missed you, Jason.”

“I’ve missed you too,” he smiled back, holding up his wine glass.  “To unlikely friendships,” he toasted.

“To unlikely friendships,” she clinked her glass.  As she took a sip of wine, she still had one lingering thought in the back of her mind.  One she knew she needed to address with Jason.  She could honestly just leave it – half of her mind was telling her to do so – but the other half wasn’t having it.  “Jason?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for not telling Brendan.”

He nodded his head.  “I was mad at you.  But I didn’t want to ruin your life.  Your secret is safe with me.”

***

“There you are, minskatt,” William’s sing-songy voice crooned through the apartment once Aberdeen shut the door behind her, tossing her keys into the bowl at the front door and slipping off her blazer.  She walked into the apartment to see William watching TV – hockey of course.  The Chicago Blackhawks, which meant he was watching Alex.  If only for a moment, his eyes were momentarily taken off the screen and settled on Aberdeen at the foot of the couch.  She was the only person able to divert his eyes.  “Talk ran long?  Did you insist on signing every single person’s book even when they wanted to cut you off like last time?” he asked with a smile.

She smiled back but said nothing.  She felt too giddy inside, still, to speak.  Instead, she crawled along the couch until she reached him, giving him a long, lingering kiss before pulling away and snuggling herself into his chest.  He wrapped his arms around her tightly.  “What’s got you all smiley?”

She couldn’t hold it in any longer.  She finally found the words.  “I was having drinks with Jason.”

She could feel William stiffen slightly at her words, but not out of fear.  She knew it was mostly out of shock.  “Jason Spezza?”

Aberdeen nodded her head.  “He showed up at the book signing.  He asked if we could go for drinks at Alo and when I met him there we sort of…well, you know…we talked about everything that happened.”

“And?”

“And…there’s now three people that know our entire story.”

“But what about you and him?” William asked, knowing her relationship with Jason was much more important.  “Is everything okay between you and him now?”

Aberdeen could only smile and nod her head.  It made William smile too.  Knowing that his girlfriend, the love of his life, was happy again – happy to be speaking to one of her friends again, happy to have buried a hatchet – made him all the happier.  It had been a year of personal triumphs for Aberdeen but also a year of pain, and now that pain had gone away.  He leaned in and kissed her again, the both of them smiling.  “I love you, minskatt.”

“I love you too, Willy.”

***

October 2021

“ABERDEEEEEEEEEEEEN!  MOM NEEDS THE VEGETABLES!” Camden screamed down the basement steps.

“Better watch it,” William said from behind him.  “She’s a published author now.  She isn’t gonna take crap from you anymore.”

Camden looked behind him and shrugged.  “She’s still always gonna be my sister.  She’ll always take crap from me.”

William couldn’t help but giggle as he smiled.  “You’re very smart, Camden.”

“And besides, I’m her little brother.  I’m allowed to.  You on the other hand—”

“Whoa whoa whoa!” William protested.

“Camden!” Aberdeen screamed from the bottom of the stairs.  “Don’t think I don’t hear you!” she started stomping up the stairs.  When she finally reached the top, holding the casserole dish full of roasted vegetables in between her hands covered in oven mitts, she furrowed her brows.  “Aren’t you supposed to be helping Siena with the dessert?”

“Siena told me to make sure you and William weren’t doing too much kissy kissy,” he smooched his lips together.

“She did not say that.”

“I did say that!” Siena called out from the kitchen.

Camden smiled and wiggled his brows before skipping away, having done his duty and fulfilled his job.  Aberdeen looked at William.  “You can leave if you want.  I understand if you just want to spend Thanksgiving alone in a quiet condo.”

“Are you kidding?” he asked, bending down to kiss her quickly.  “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

“Mooooooom!  They’re kissing again!”

***

Jason was purposely slow in putting on his gear.  He was eyeing William the whole time as William worked to put on all his own gear – the pads and the socks and the practice jersey.  Most of the boys had already left to go out onto the ice.  But Jason had been slow.  Jason stayed back.  He and William had been making eye contact throughout their getting ready.  “We talked,” he said simply, but loud enough so William could hear.

“I know,” William said, nodding his head slightly.  “She came back from that book talk the happiest I’ve seen her in a while.  She couldn’t stop smiling the entire night.  She cried as I held her,” he said, pausing for a bit of a dramatic effect.  “Happy tears, of course.”

Jason nodded his head.  He got up from his stall and walked over to William, who was still sitting in his.  “Listen,” he began.  “I should apologize to you too.”

William shook his head.  “You don’t need to.  So long as you apologized to Aberdeen that’s all that matters,” he said.  And he meant it.  William never expected an apology.  Truth be told, he didn’t want one – he didn’t want Jason to apologize to him.  He didn’t really deserve it.  The only person who deserved an apology was Aberdeen.

“No,” Jason said a bit more emphatically.  “I do need to apologize to you.  I was a dick.  And…” he trailed off.

“And…?” William egged on.

“And you love her,” Jason said.  The heavy words hung in the air between the two men for a few silent moments.  “You love her, and you’ve shown her you love her for almost two years now, and that’s what counts here.”  Jason paused again, both men looking each other in the eye.  “You loved her since the beginning, didn’t you?  Since the day you laid eyes on her in that bar, the night of her graduation.”

“Of course I did,” William said softly.  

Jason nodded his head slightly, in understanding.  “You’re the luckiest damn son of a bitch on this Earth to be with her.”

“Believe me, I know.”

“And wh—”

“And if I ever hurt her, I’m sure your fist is going to be the first one connecting to my eye,” William finished Jason’s sentence for him.  “I know, I know.”

“No no, that’s not what I was going to say,” Jason said.  William furrowed his brows.  “What I was going to say, was…when you two get married, I better be the guest of fucking honour,” he smiled mischievously.

It was only then that William noticed Jason’s arm and hand outstretched.  He smiled, bringing his hand up to grasp Jason’s.

They hugged.

***

February 2022

“Aberdeen!” Bee McTavish’s voice rang out as Aberdeen stepped foot into the family suite at Scotiabank Arena.  After a long day at work in Toronto Life and balancing a phone interview about In August with a literary magazine based out on Montreal, Aberdeen was tired.  But tonight was a Hockey Night in Canada against the Montreal Canadiens, and Aberdeen couldn’t miss it.  Wouldn’t miss it.  

Aberdeen saw Bee balancing Jace on her hip.  Behind her, Aryne was on the phone with someone.  “Hey Bee,” she smiled wide, approaching the two.  “Hey Jace!”

“Hiii Baberbeen,” he smiled.  

“How did your interview go today?” Bee asked.  

Bee was always keeping up with her writing and the interviews she was doing, and what she was going to write next.  It was one of the things Aberdeen loved most about her.  She was incredibly supportive of Aberdeen’s career, keeping tabs and taking a real interest in it.  Bee even requested that Aberdeen autograph some first edition copies of In August because “When you win the Governor General’s Award or the Giller Prize or the Booker it’s gonna become a Rielly family heirloom!  First edition Aberdeen Bloom novels!  I mean come on!”  Aberdeen signed however many Bee wanted her to sign.  “It was great.  It’s for their next issue, so I should only have to wait about a month or so to see it in the magazine.”

“Any others coming up?”

“There’s a journal based out of Vancouver that wants to do a profile, too.”

“Look at you!” Bee cooed, smiling from ear to ear.  “When you become a famous novelist don’t forget us in the family room at Scotiabank Arena.”

Aberdeen giggled.  “Are you kidding?  I could never forget this place.  This is like my second home.”

***

August 2022

William could hear the soft waves crashing against the shore as he walked out the back door of the cottage.  In the distance, he could see Alex jumping off the boathouse – typical.  If he got injured the Blackhawks wouldn’t be very happy.  He saw Daniella follow Alex by diving into the water.  Jacqueline and Stefanie were tanning on chairs.  He looked to his left to see his dad barbequing and his mom helping.  

Then he saw who he was looking for.  

Aberdeen was sitting on the edge of the dock, beside the flagpole flying the Swedish flag, feet dangling over and toes grazing the water as she watched Alex and Daniella’s diving competition.  William couldn’t help but smile to himself as he got closer and closer to her with each passing step.  

“Whose dive was better, Aberdeen?!” Alex asked from the water.

“Definitely Daniella’s!” she called out, much to Alex’s very, very vocal displeasure and Daniella’s very, very vocal satisfaction.  

Her hair was down; long and flowing in the slight breeze until she turned her head and looked over her shoulder and back at him.  She smiled when she saw him, and she brought her hand up to shield the sun from her eyes.  “Hey you,” she cooed.

She wore a floral dress.  The sky was blue and so was the water as William crouched down and sat behind her.  He adjusted himself until Aberdeen was sitting in between his legs and his legs were dangling off the dock with hers.  He made sure to wrap his arms around her waist.  He gave her a kiss on her shoulder before she turned her head and he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.  “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” Aberdeen smiled.  “Jag tänker på dig när jag inte ens tanker,” she said in an almost perfect Swedish accent.  She’d been practicing for two and a half years now, after all.  

William smiled, giving her another kiss.  “Jag tänker på dig när jag inte ens tanker.”

[thesydneyfeminists]

Feminist Travels: How to Travel More Ethically

I’ve traveled a fair bit over the course of my lifetime, especially over the last four years. In that time, I’ve spent three months backpacking Europe, a month roadtripping the east coast of the US, a month and a half exploring the Melbourne area, before finally planting tentative roots in Sydney for a year and a half.  But then my life plans went astray, as they’re apt to do. Since February, I’ve been working and traveling New Zealand while I wait for a second visa back to Australia. It’s been an amazing and, at times, overwhelming experience. And it’s certainly not the life I imagined for myself. If you asked 16-year-old me, she never would have guessed she’d grow up to travel the world. I often get bemused or baffled looks when I try to explain to people how (and why) I do what I do. The truth is, most of the time I don’t know.

But, wherever life takes me, I keep circling back to how my various privileges shape the way I travel. My US passport is hugely beneficial, as is being white. I’m straight-passing (which, at times, is both a blessing and a curse). I don’t come from money, but my family is supportive and would take me back in a heartbeat if I ever needed it. And I don’t have any health issues that prevent me from traveling or require me to announce them to customs. It’s still less safe for single women to travel than single men, but it’s becoming much easier and more acceptable for women to travel alone. If you Google “feminist travel,” you’ll find a plethora of feminist travel blogs, all created with the intent of empowering women to see the world. This is great! But there is also a darker side to the recent travel phenomenon that we, as feminists, need to address more in-depth.

Image Description: A picture of a person with long hair standing on a metal walkway overlooking the tops of a vast mountain range. They are wearing a long sleeve shirt and long pants of indeterminant color and facing away from the camera. They are straddling the walkway and holding their arms spread up over their head like an angel. The mountains are shadowy and peak up over fluffy, white clouds, which are beneath the person and the walkway. The sky above the mountains is bright blue.

The travel lifestyle brand pushed by so many Instagram pages and blogs is often enormously unethical. For starters, not everyone can or will ever be able to travel. Of course, I want travel to eventually become accessible to everyone, but sadly there’s a long way to go before that happens. Additionally, not everyone wants to travel, and that’s perfectly okay too. Those who make sweeping claims about how traveling makes you a better person do so at the detriment of people who choose not to travel, for various reasons. And finally, travel can have lasting environmental and social/cultural/political effects on a place and its inhabitants. As one travel blogger writes, “we have a responsibility as travelers to be respectful to the people and culture in the foreign countries we visit. This means traveling humbly, respectfully, without cultural appropriation or mockery, and being aware of the historical dynamics your ethnicity bears” (https://capsulesuitcase.com/2017/03/08/how-feminism-shapes-the-way-i-travel/). As feminists, we should think critically about travel and the ways in which our feminisms shape and are shaped by our physical movements through the world.

Now, I’m not here to lecture anyone about the best and only way to travel (there isn’t one). I won’t try to convince you it’s absolutely necessary to stop traveling if you want to call yourself a true feminist. Obviously, I enjoy traveling and it’s a huge part of my life, so that would be a bit hypocritical. Instead, I want to think through some ways in which we can all be a little more “feminist” in our travels. This list is not definitive or all-encompassing. It’s meant more as a jumping-off point for further thought/ discussion. It stems from my personal experiences and conversations I’ve had with other travelers and non-travelers alike. Please feel free to add your own ideas in the comments!

Image Description: A photo of a large map of the United States spread out of on a white table. In the left-hand corner is the keyboard of a Mac computer with a mug of coffee sitting to the left of the keypad. Beneath the computer is a United States passport and a turquoise blue, plastic camera. In the top right-hand corner is another silver and black camera with a black strap. You can see the top of a person’s head in the bottom-center of the photo. They are wearing a black, broad-brimmed hat which hides their face and shoulders. They are also wearing a white sweatshirt, rolled up to their elbows, a black and gold watch on their right wrist and a silver ring on their right ring finger. Their right hand is pointing towards a place on the map near the Great Lakes. Next to their hand is a pair of light blue, leopard print sunglasses.

1.     Don’t participate in Voluntourism: So, I very much support volunteering. I’m a volunteer here at the Sydney Feminists, so I know firsthand the importance of volunteer work. But voluntourism is something altogether different and very problematic. Everyday Feminism published a brilliant article on this very topic. Instead of attempting a poor summary, I’ll just link it here: https://everydayfeminism.com/2016/11/voluntourism-wont-fix-the-world/. I don’t mean to condemn you if you’ve ever done a trip like those mentioned in the article. No one is born the “perfect feminist,” and we all need to learn and unlearn as we grow. Reading up on voluntourism and the harm it brings to communities around the world is a good start!

2.     Support local businesses: This point really boils down to the “keeping it local” mentality.  Although there are ways to travel on a budget, all travel requires at least some monetary exchanges. Many people consider travel and tourism “healthy” for local economies for this exact reason. But the truth of the matter is, large, international corporations benefit the most from travel and tourism. More often than not, local economies don’t see much, if any, of the profits. So, next time you travel, forego the Hilton and book a local B&B. Or, better yet, stay and work for locals in exchange for food and accommodation. Websites like WWOOF and HelpX are popular ways of facilitating such exchanges. Skip Maccas and dine at small, independently owned restaurants (in most cities around the world, there are usually cheap food carts and such for even the most budget-friendly of travelers). Attend weekend farmer’s markets for an array of food, crafts and activities. And definitely make sure those souvenirs you buy to bring home are sourced from local artisans! Bonus points if you research businesses owned and operated by minorities (gender or otherwise). 

3.     Donate to local charities – but do your research first: Again, you don’t have to pour huge amounts of money into this step. I understand the need to pinch pennies when traveling. But even a donation of the cost of a cup of coffee can be helpful. It’s always important to research charities before donating, even in your own home. Some charities are just as corrupt as big businesses. But, if you can find good people doing important work on something you’re passionate about (say, women’s rights!), donations of time or money are great ways to say thank you to local communities for sharing their home.

4.     Read books by locals: Okay, not just books! Read (or listen to) anything you can get your hands on by people who grew up/ lived in the place you’re traveling to. If you have the money to spare, you can purchase hard copies from a local bookstore. But there are plenty of free resources on the internet as well. Sometimes, local libraries will allow you to browse and read the items they have available, or else will have cheap books for sale. Reading in this way allows you to see a place through the eyes of the people who live there. It can give you a fresh perspective and is often a much more intimate experience than reading those mass-produced guidebooks you see in airports.

5.     Familiarize yourself with local politics, and then listen to what locals have to say about them: As I mentioned above, traveling is always political. Therefore, it can be handy to have a basic understanding of the politics of a place before you travel there. No one is expecting you to become an expert overnight. But a few, initial Google searches will show people you care. Probably the most important part of this step, though, is listening to locals. I wouldn’t suggest immediately bombarding people with questions about politics the second you step off the plane (or train or bus). But if the topic comes up organically, be open to what people have to say. I’ve learned so much through conversations with locals about politics (both the government kind and the daily life kind). Willingness to communicate and actively engage with a place and its people will go a long way in leading a more feminist, traveling life.

Image Description: A photo of a hand holding a toy globe up in front of a green and grey mountain range. The hand and globe are in focus, while the background is slightly out of focus. You can only see the hand from the wrist up and its palm is facing the camera. On the globe, you can see all of Central and South America and some of North America and Africa.  

By: Brittany L. 

Sources:

https://feministglobetrotter.com/

https://worldforagirl.com/travel-and-feminism/

https://capsulesuitcase.com/2017/03/08/how-feminism-shapes-the-way-i-travel/

https://thevagabondfeminist.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/solo-female-travel-is-an-act-of-feminism/

https://passionpassport.com/feminism-travel-space/

https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/03/traveling-harassment-advice/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sydney Feminists. Our Blogger and Tumblr serve as platforms for a diverse array of women to put forth their ideas and explore topics. To learn more about the philosophy behind TSF’s Blogger/ Tumblr, please read our statement here: https://www.sydneyfeminists.org/a

[cinemamablog]

Children’s Books about Hollywood and Film History

I’ve collected children’s books for Oliver since before I even knew Oliver existed. I saved my own copies of Tomie dePaola’s The Art Lesson and Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. I bought used copies of out-of-print childhood favorites, like A Baker’s Portrait by Michelle Edwards. Books were a major part of my childhood. My parents once owned a children’s book store, first in Sioux Falls and later in Sioux City. (I was no intelligentsia though; I also played video games all afternoon and stayed up until 3 AM watching infomercials.) I wanted to give my children that same foundation and love for books, because I’m convinced that strong reading skills can help you in every aspect of your life. (Communication, empathy, problem solving… Those skills apply to pretty much any profession ever.)

Once I gave birth to Oliver last July, I discovered many options for inclusive books about artists and scientists from all different time periods and backgrounds. I struggled to find similar resources for children on film or Hollywood history, though. Movies are such a key component of our household, I worry my kids would be flummoxed by their parents’ passion for film if we don’t teach them some of the basics. I want to write my own children’s book about women in film someday, but in the meantime, I figure if I want Oliver (and soon Ezra) to develop a base knowledge of Hollywood history, I needed to start searching out books about film for children.

I’ve compiled my favorite children’s books about film here, ranging from board books for babies to chapter books for independent readers or reading together. These books cover a variety of topics: animation, performers, Universal Monsters, early Hollywood history, and more. I’ve also embedded links so you can order them online, though I do encourage you to search your public library’s online catalog first (for the Sioux City Public Library, click here) or consider ordering copies from your local bookstore! In Sioux City, Book People is our only independent bookstore and they can order almost anything for you. You can visit them online here or on their Facebook page here.

For itty bitty babies who would rather chew on their books than read them, the pickings are slim but at least you have a couple options. I recommend the “Little Artist” board book set, written by Emily Kleinman and illustrated by Lydia Ortiz. The collection includes four books, each book featuring four artists. Kleinman organizes the artists into these categories: painters, sculptors, musicians, and performers. In the “performers” book, your little one will enjoy bright, vivid, and simple illustrations of Charlie Chaplin and Josephine Baker, accompanied by a simple sentence describing why they matter in art history. (Chaplin for his success in silent film, Baker for her dancing and spy activities.) This series clearly makes an effort to maintain gender balance, featuring two men and two women in every book, and also racially inclusive, featuring at least two people of color in every book. “Little Artists” also earns some bonus points because these books are the perfect size and texture for teething babies.

Another board book option for your tiny baby is the “Little People, Big Dreams” series. The series publishes most of their books in paperback, as well as condensed and simplified board books, so your child can grow with the series. The books focus on a variety of fascinating achievers throughout history, in professions from fashion to science, but your film history choices include personalities like actress Audrey Hepburn, dancer Josephine Baker (there she is again!), and martial artist Bruce Lee. I personally own the Frida Kahlo and Ella Fitzgerald board books from this series and find them engaging and informative without getting too lengthy for a baby.

Moving on to picture books! Both of these books are ideal for reading aloud to your little one, though one is a bit more complex than the other. 

Let’s start with the simpler of the two picture books: Mary Blair’s Unique Flair, written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Brittney Lee. This appropriately colorful book tells the story of Mary Blair’s artistic childhood, and later, her career at Disney. The book takes time to explain how Blair drew inspiration from Latin America and other geographic landscapes, which influenced her concept art for classic movies like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Mary Blair’s Unique Flair respectfully emulates Blair’s style and celebrates her career and achievements. Blair serves as a positive role model for any young artist.

For a bit heavier of a picture book that tackles identity and gender politics head on, I recommend Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor, written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by Katy Wu. The book explains to the young reader how Lamarr’s glamorous screen persona and otherworldly good looks actually worked against her inventive ambitions. Lamarr was an amateur scientist and inventor with great ideas, but she had a hard time getting people to take her seriously because of her gender and world-renowned beauty. The government went as far as ignoring her most groundbreaking invention (frequency hopping, the precursor to Wi-Fi) for years and therefore keeping her major contribution to science a secret until the 1950s. This book makes for a brilliant companion to the recent documentary Bombshell: the Hedy Lamarr Story, currently streaming on Netflix. A whole lesson plan can be built around the book and film: you can teach your child(ren) about the scientific method, classic film, and the dangers of judging a book by its cover (or its gender).

For independent readers or for parents wanting to introduce little ones to long-form storytelling, I adore the “Who HQ” series of non-fiction books. The series includes what seems like every topic in history ever, but I especially enjoy their film history books, including Who Was Charlie Chaplin?, Who Was Alfred Hitchcock?, What is the Story of Frankenstein?, and Where is Hollywood? (While the Frankenstein book covers the entire history of Mary Shelley’s story and subsequent cultural impact, it dedicates many pages to the history of the classic Universal Monsters, so I chose to include it in this list.) I appreciate how this series spotlights supporting players in the narrative by providing sidebars for significant persons or events. For instance, the Alfred Hitchcock book dedicates a page to the career of Patricia Highsmith, the writer of the novel that inspired Hitch’s screen adaptation, Strangers on a Train. (I also love how the Hitchcock book stresses the collaborative nature of Hitch’s relationship with his wife, Alma.) Each book in this series provides supplementary materials, like illustrated timelines and bibliographies for further independent research. (A great resource for a research project or just for finding more books to read for fun!)

For parents who enjoy teaching and engaging with your kids at home using multimedia elements, or even for homeschooling families, as your children grow older (I’m thinking toddlers and onward), you can pair most of these books with full films or clips, as I suggested for the Hedy Lamarr picture book. For shorter attention spans, you can watch Josephine Baker dancing the Charleston, Charlie Chaplin short films, Bruce Lee fight scenes, and Audrey Hepburn dance numbers from musicals like My Fair Lady and Funny Face for free on YouTube. You can Google Mary Blair’s concept art together and then watch the resulting films either on Disney+ or through a digital rental. For older children, you can pay $11.99 for a monthly Criterion Channel subscription and dive into entire filmographies after you read about prolific filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, and Carl Laemmle Jr. That’s one nice thing about the Production Code of early Hollywood: most movies are family-appropriate, though you may have to address dated or problematic elements. (Such as the pre-code trope that if a female character makes immoral decisions, she either must repent or die, but usually both.)

I might write a follow-up post as I get introduced to more children’s books about film history. I’m especially interested in finding books for children that describe the inner workings of a movie set. Message me your recommendations! I didn’t learn about how movies are really made until I went to college and fell in love with the art form! It’s never too early or too late to learn something new. I also want to put together a zine to share with my readers, one that serves as a prototype for one of my dream projects, the “Women in Film” book I mentioned earlier in this post. Keep your eyes open and keep reading; your local CineMama has big dreams and you just might watch them come true in this space!

[robertodacosta]

hi! this is a little embarrassing, but I want to start reading comics and I have no idea where to start. I wasn't allowed to read comics growing up so I'm not even sure where to get them. anyway ahh you just seem cool and I like your blog so I hope it's okay that I'm asking you for advice!

i’m so happy to help! when i started reading comics (about 2 years ago, now) i found the amount of comics and the sheer mass of backstory and even just the basics really overwhelming, so under the cut i went through and explained where to get comics, tips for how to start reading, and some recommendations for good comics for folks who are new to comics. if you want specific recs for specific characters, shoot me another ask and i can help with that!

Good luck, and let me know if you have any more questions, or how you like the books I recommended!

first, some basics.

a quick rundown on how comics are sold. new issues are released every wednesday, and new issues can be bought physically in comics shops or digitally. comics run in story arcs, which might be made up of 2 issues, or sometimes as many as 12 issue, depending on the comic. a while after an arc is finished, the collected issues will be released as a trade paperback (tpb). 

where do you get comics?

comic books stores tend to be pretty common, so if you prefer to read physical comics rather than digital. this website will tell you the closest stores to you. comic stores will carry newly released issues, assorted tpbs, and some have large selections of older back issues of comics that you can buy individually.i honestly only went to a comic book store for the first time this summer because i was really intimidated by them, though i’m not entirely sure why, so it’s really easy to read comics, even if you don’t have a store nearby.

you can always buy tpbs on amazon, and i know barnes and noble and some independent bookstores also carry tpbs, though in my experience b&n tends to be pretty heavy on dc/marvel, and heavy on popular characters.

for digital comics, comixology is your best friend. it covers any/all publishers, so i would just skip marvel/dc digital stores and go right here. it’s good to support the creative teams behind comics, but if you can’t afford to buy that many comics, you can read comics for free here, and download them here. comixology also offers a subscription service, comixology unlimited, that allows you immediate access to a library of digital comics, from marvel, dc, and other publishers. marvel offers marvel unlimited, a similar service, but with a wider range of marvel titles. both take a few months to upload new issues, as an incentive to both buy issues and subscribe. it’s worth noting that sales of digital comics and tpbs are counted towards official sale stats, so if you want to support a comic that’s in danger of cancellation, buying the issue at a store is the only way to have your purchase counted.

what to read?

there are so, so many comics, so i’ve recommended a handful of series that are pretty easy to get into for beginners, while still being good reads. i’ve sorted these recs by dc/marvel/indie, and included some quick notes.

full disclosure, i almost exclusively lead comics led by women, so i am not the person to ask for captain america or batman reading recommendations. luckily, most other folks are reading those characters, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find suggestions!

DC

DC rebooted their whole universe with the Rebirth initiative last year, so pretty much everything is 30 or fewer issues in right now. Rebirth was technically a reboot, but some comics do reference earlier continuity from the New 52, their previous reboot (in 2012 i think?). I’ve not read a lot of n52, and i think general consensus is that rebirth titles are much stronger than n52. Aside from these recs, the best thing to do with dc/marvel is find the characters you like, and then go read the current book that they’re in, and see how you like it!

Batwoman (2010)- Kate is a new character, and this is her original solo. There are other character in the book with long histories, but you don’t really need to know them to read it. I’d recommend reading Batwoman: Elegy first.

Batwoman: Elegy- Batwoman was introduced in an earlier comic, but this is her first collected story. 

Batwoman (2017)- I’m not caught up on this, but I would assume you can read this without having read Kate’s earlier series, if you want to start with Rebirth. Otherwise, the only thing you need to read to be caught up for this is the 2010 Batwoman solo.

Black Canary and Zatanna: Bloodspell- This is a team up story that gives you backstory on Dinah and Zatanna’s relationship, and shows them going on a mission together. It’s a graphic novel, so it’s like one very long issue.

DC Comics Bombshells- If you only read one DC comic, I’d suggest this one. It’s an alternate universe where the female heroes of the DCU all came first, as a team of super powered heroes fighting in WWII. Most of DC’s biggest female characters have significant roles, and the comic also introduces you to a bunch of slightly less well known female characters. There’s like 3 men, and almost all of the heroes are confirmed wlw, so it’s a gift, and should be treasured. The series ended earlier this summer, and is now being continued in the sequel, Bombshells United. They’re both digital first comics, which means new issues are released digitally on Fridays, and collected into print editions every third Wednesday.

The Legend of Wonder Woman- This is totally outside of main dcu continuity, and it’s a retelling of Diana’s origins as Wonder Woman in WWII. 

Trinity (2017)- Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman team up. Other characters guest star, which helps introduce you to the wider DCU. It’s fun and the art is cute.

Wonder Woman (2016)- If you enjoyed the movie, definitely read this. It has 2 storylines running simultaneously for the first 25 issues, one retelling Wonder Woman’s origins, and one set in the present, in which Diana realizes parts of her life have been lies, and sets out to discover the truth. The first few issues might be a little confusing because of this, but more because it’s intended to leave you questioning things, not because it depends on an in depth knowledge of continuity. What’s really brilliant about Greg Rucka’s run on this comic (the first 25 issues) is that WW has the least consistent history of pretty much any character, and Rucka dismissed pretty much all of the inconsistency, and streamlined Diana’s backstory. Also, Diana, Etta, and Steve are the dream team. This has been released in 4 tpbs so far, which organize the book by story arcs, instead of the original release order, which ran multiple arcs on alternating weeks.

Zatanna (2010)- this is pre-n52, but honestly all you need to know about previous continuity is that Zatanna exists. It’s one of maybe 2 solo runs she’s ever gotten, and it’s only 16 issues. It’s fun, easy to read, and Zatanna is so great, and deserves a rebirth solo.

MARVEL

Marvel is in the middle of a reboot right now, and I’m not really sure where they’re going. They’ve been on this cool initiative where a lot of classic heroes are phased out and younger, more diverse heroes take on their titles. But they’ve convinced themselves that nobody likes it and that it’s destroying sales, so they’re doing something weird right now that is very unclear. The entire universe hard rebooted about 2 years ago, following a very confusing event called Secret Wars, which was the culmination of about 3 years of ongoing plots in Avengers, New Avengers, and Fantastic Four. I’m mostly recommending ongoing runs because the hard reboot makes it pretty easy to jump on with any book. Again, for marvel comics, just find the characters you like, and read their current books!

A-Force (2016)- Gone too soon. This is the first ever women-only Avengers lineup, and it pulls heroines from all over the MU. The first couple of issues talk about secret wars (and there was an a-force mini-series during secret wars, that’s really good, but involves some knowledge of the surrounding events), but it’s navigable. It’s a really good team, and a fun comic!

Alias- It’s kind of iconic, and it’s really worth reading. This is Jessica Drew’s very first appearance in the MU, so no prior knowledge necessary. The Purple Man story that the Netflix show used draws on this comic, without replicating it. It’s a dark comic, but super good.

All New X-Factor (2014)- It’s all new, but with old X-Men characters. Character backstory doesn’t matter here, because this is a group of people who’s not really talking about their past if they can avoid it, but pretty much any relevant backstory is contextualized for new readers. This is fun, up until there are multiple crossover events that slow down the plot, but even those are still readable, without reading the main crossover event. It’s interesting, the art is cool, and all the characters are dweebs with superpowers.

America (2017)- America Chavez is such a good character, and this is a really great comic! It’s only 5 issues in, so very easy to catch up. It explains any backstory you might need, and is really witty, and pop-culture savvy.

Astonishing X-Men (2004)- This is the first comic I ever read, and functions really well as an X-Men comic for people who haven’t read X-Men comics before. It’s about 10 years old, and eventually it hits the year or so when there was an X-Men crossover event every 6 weeks, but the first 25-30 issues (the Whedon/Cassaday run) are really good, and will make you love Kitty Pryde forever.

Avengers Assemble- The very best intro to marvel comic. Skip the first 9 issues (written by Bendis) because they are bad, and start when Kelly Sue Deconnick takes over. This has a rotating cast of Avengers, including those in the MCU and those not, and is such a good read. It introduced me to my very favorite character (Jessica Drew), and gives every character depth.

Black Panther (2016)- Get pumped for this movie and read the comic! Ta-Nahesi Coates is such a good writer, and this is a really strong, textured story, that really works on every level. I’ve not read any previous BP comics, and I had no trouble with continuity.

Champions (2016)- This is Ms. Marvel’s team of teen superheroes, coming out of Civil War II, last summer’s marvel crossover disaster. It’s really good and engages with social justice issues in ways that feel about as effective as comic books can be.

Defenders (2017)- It’s literally just the cast of the Netflix Defenders teaming up, for actually the first time ever as a team of 4. It’s still on the first arc, but I’m enjoying it thus far.

Hulk (2016)- So, so, so good! Jennifer Walters (formerly known as She Hulk) takes over the Hulk mantle following her cousin Bruce’s murder in CWII. It’s all about trauma and PTSD and how Bruce’s death and Jen’s own debilitating injury in CWII changed her, and her ability to control her hulk. I wish everybody was reading this, and I think this is probably my favorite ongoing comic from any publisher.

Ms. Marvel (2014) and Ms. Marvel (2015)- This is the thing to read! Kamala was created in this comic, so you can just jump right in! It’s fun and well-written and the art is consistently good, and this is so worth reading!

New Mutants (1983)- This comic is like 30 years old but it’s the best and the New Mutants are my favorite superhero team in any universe. This is part of the X-Men franchise, and is the origin of a handful of characters who now show up all over the place. (Magik is on the main X-Men roster, Sunspot and Cannonball have been Avengers for a few years, Dani Moonstar is a Valkyrie who played an important role in some X-Men events). And there’s a New Mutants movie coming out next spring so might as well get prepared for that, right?

Silk (2015) and Silk (2015-7)- Cindy Moon is the hero we deserve! The first series covers her origins, then it was cancelled due to Secret Wars cancelling everything, then rebooted like a month later. The second series was also cancelled (rip), but follows Cindy as she infiltrates crime rings and tries to track down her missing family. Cindy is a new character, so a great starting point!

Spider Woman: Origin- All about Spider Woman! 5 issue miniseries, giving the character her definitive backstory.

Spider Woman: Agent of SWORD- Kinda backstory heavy (follow up to the Secret Invasion crossover event), but it’s totally possible to follow. Everything you need to know gets explained, but it’s basically Jessica Drew working as a secret agent for an organization that’s like the CIA but for aliens, and hunting down members of an alien race that kidnapped and impersonated her. This and Origins are kind of the essential Spider Woman reading, and I really recommend them both. Jess is the best, and her recently cancelled comic had one (1) good issue.

Storm (2014)- I didn’t recommend a lot of X-Men books because, imo, they’re the hardest Marvel books to start reading, but Storm’s solo is wonderful and incredible and you don’t need to know anything about X-Men to understand it!I

Indie

I don’t read a lot of indie comics, so I’m just going to list some titles I like and you can see what looks good! Indies are inherently easier to understand than marvel/dc books because, for the most part, indie comics stand on their own. But I assumed you were mostly hoping for superhero comics in your ask, but shoot me another ask correcting me if I’m wrong, and I can make you an indie rec list!

Faith

Lady Killer

Ody-C

Paper Girls

Pretty Deadly

Welcome Back

The Wicked and the Divine

[drunkenudder]

Banal Dreams, Beneficent Communications: . . . Or Don’t Delete Your Day Residue: An Essay on Dream Image Work

It, the real function of the arts is to permeate as I see

schmuck aus pferdehaar wordpress the environment of the world with a metaphysical.

reality so that man is not alone utilizing the ego.

–Cecil Collins

(Or “woman,” I might add, in case of this story . . . )

So often we wake from a dream thinking, Oh i simply dreamt that because that’s what I did yesterday–what a dumb dream! And it is forgot by us in a moment. But even those banal dreams may have messages that are beneficent. Messages that sometimes may make a difference in a decision or choice our conscious mind is considering. Consider this essay as a example that is significant.

Twenty-two years ago, on the eve of what astrologers were calling “The Harmonic Convergence,” five other women and I drove out to Cynthia’s mom’s household on Little Sebago Lake in Maine to hold out and relax over the weekend. It was a gorgeous day and we hurried into our bathing suits and climbed into these wonderful lake lounges, our books in dry, protective pockets inside the waterproof chaises. Then we paddled our way out to the dock that is free-floating. Climbing out, we set ourselves up with towels and drinks and talked quietly or read our books beneath the warmth that is perfect of August sun. There were the usual disturbances of other boats and voices calling from the shore, but the scene was primarily peaceful.

We were talking about a phenomenon sweeping the local community that is feminist of Maine called, vaguely and innocuously enough, “The Artists’ Workshop.” This artists&rsquo that is particular Workshop was created to help “struggling feminist writers and artists.” We had just attended a meeting which had never really specified exactly what was meant by “help” or what skills had been to be actualized throughout the session. Lynn, an friend that is old of with whom I had worked at my bookstore was the woman that has initially invited me to join.

This was 1987 and at the time, I had never heard of a pyramid scheme, such as that one that recently helped bring the world economy down. Guised in New Age language, set up to make money for those who get in early enough, The Artist’s Workshop was said to be a brilliant way that is new support independent women. Those whom don’t literally do the math could be perfectly charmed by the energy and lured in by the enthusiasm of the group. They were perpetuating a losing proposition, one that would hurt others in the end, I was immediately suspicious although I didn’t really believe Lynn, or any of her friends, thought.

Usually I was a Pollyanna when it came to trust, but there is something that make sense to didn’t me. Math is not my point that is strong;s one of my right-brain challenges in fact. But I did know some logical left-brained people and consulted them. A pyramid scam essentially grows exponentially at such a rate that is quickly multiplying inevitably at some point it has to collapse. That one was to do business with an airplane metaphor.

For $1500 you could buy a seat on the plane. You then sold eight other seats and were promoted to a “co-pilot.” Those eight people gave you $1500 a piece and lo and behold, before you knew it, you had $12,000 in cash. Lynn was using this leverage to make a lengthy desired geographical move cross country. And she did move and she was served by it well. As for the ladies who gave her their money—they took a gamble but fare that is didn’t well. A few of those women were the women on the dock with me that day.

I tried to tell them the risks that are probable. But everyone in our small city was discussing this thing and in those days I could be so i&rsquo that is passionately judgmental sure my negativity was a turnoff to other people with stars (or dollar signs) in their eyes. The scheme had probably already gotten past the true point of any returns. But in entrepreneurial Maine, there were so many young holistically-minded-women trying to break out into their own practice—massage therapists, nutritionists, experts in natural flower remedies, what have you—everyone wanted to quit their day task. I had just sold my store plus the idea of chance at a secure start that is financial a new venture was very seductive.

In our small city people in their mid thirties took risks and you could “do your dream” here more easily than in a more substantial, more populated area where real estate prices were off the charts. The fact was that, at this point, those who were promoting the Artists’ Workshop show had already invested and were convinced that there were people that are enough the world that this thing could keep moving and liberate anyone from the tedium of meaningless job. We found out later it had currently been exhausted in Boston and the airplane was flying north to more places that are provincial smaller populations and people with less cash to burn.

So I had been considering doing the workshop. I was tempted and I had the cash on hand. I had even confronted Lynn with the problem that is ethical what she was promoting. “What if the ladies who give you their money with their own good will are left in the lurch when they can’t find anyone else to board the plane?” I asked. “Well, maybe that’s their karma,” she answered.

Her answer didn’t sit right with me in that it misused the spiritual belief system, almost as the Hindu caste system does when it rationalizes that the low-lying “untouchables” have been born to their lowly state as a result of karmic payback, therefore people of higher castes are justified in looking down at them. Despite any reasoning about the cause and effect of karmic balancing, I believed that someone who follows a path that is spiritual not knowingly put others at a disadvantage. Then again, we were grown-ups, and Lynn maintained that everyone knew the risks. I claimed that ultimately someone down the relative line would lose out while I would have benefited from her money. That, I maintained, might be karma that is bad. Perhaps I was overly self-righteous but I didn’t think, in good conscience I could ask someone to give me money selling her on the idea they’d back get it when I couldn’t guarantee anything of the sort.

We vehemently discussed the professionals and cons that sunny on the dock to the humming motors of outboard boats afternoon. The scene was totally peaceful until out of nowhere this whaler full of twenty-something boys came whipping by, throwing its wake like a tsunami over our sacred space. We all stood up, our books falling into the lake, drinks tipping over while towels were soaked. We scolded and hollered, cursing and shaking our fists at the boys, and to our great surprise, they looped around, came back, jumped out of their boat, swam in the water toward us, climbed onto our dock and began throwing us!

This was therefore outrageous that in between the screaming, we couldn’t help but laugh and fight back. Everyone was either climbing onto the dock or someone that is throwing off. Here we were, domestic goddesses in our thirties, and these younger boys were aggressively attacking us. One stayed in the boat of course, and we could see the empty beer cans scattered on its flooring.

At one point the dock was full of wrestling women and young men listing one way then the other. Our feet sliding, everyone was grappling and screaming, grunting and laughing as the four corners of the square dock alternately dipped beneath the surface of the lake. Then, as suddenly as they had come, the boys began to swim right back toward their ship. We held onto one of them and pummeled him with our fists as he lay on his stomach, reaching with the half that is upper of body towards the water. Finally he was thrown by us overboard. They whipped away in their whaler leaving us hysterical. It was a very strange interlude and in the quiet left behind, we turned to each other and howled like schoolgirls.

Later that night we cooked dinner outside and saluted the alignment that is planetary. I found out the day that is next after I had gone to bed, two regarding the women went skinny-dipping and that the lake had been full of revelry into the wee hours of the morning. Back home a day or therefore later on, my dream took its imagery from the crazy incident at the lake. It was one of those plebeian dreams, a playback that is literal of tape of our lake event a few days before.

But this dream was not only a warning to not dismiss the imagery of the unconscious even when it seems solely connected to “day residue;” the dream turned out to be a response to my query about “The Artist’s Workshop.” Here’s the dream:

I’m with my women buddies on the dock at the lake, Suddenly a boat full of young men comes by and sprays us. The boys get out of the boat and swim to the dock, attacking us,throwing us in the water, trying to take the dock over.We fight back and there is a huge scramble of bodies lurching and falling, pushing, pulling and piling onto one another. It seems as though there are more and more people on the dock and the atmosphere that is emotional the scene turns scary. Suddenly I notice one corner sinking completely underwater and I am struck with the thought: This Dock Will Sink. Then I awake.

I probably would have dismissed this dream as a nothing but my memory’s image of the exact events a couple of days previous had I not been a dream junky, training in dream work with a mentor that is jungian. Furthermore, I had distinctly asked my unconscious for information about the Artists’ Workshop before I went to bed that night. I must admit, as adamant as I was with Lynn and as hard as I argued against it with my other friends, I too was tempted to try it. The timing was perfect I was going next as I was “between” jobs and unsure of where.

Yet that when I thought about the dream, I was convinced I had the information I needed morning. In the future that is not-too-distant that airplane was doomed to crash and sink just like the exaggerated dock in the dream, and We, for one, decided I was not going to be on it.

Although I did tell my friends, several took the risk anyway and guess what? They lost their money. We were precisely one tier too late in the Airplane game. My girl friends, though disappointed, seemed become good natured in regards to the loss later, admitting it was a gamble but nevertheless, none of us were well off and I was relieved not to be out $1500. Naturally this only increased my faith in communing with the unconscious.

* this incident that is whole up some issues about the New Age world of business as opposed to the true workings of spiritual consciousness in the universe. Over the years I have become more suspicious as I’ve consulted with many people and taken many courses and workshops in the so-called spiritual fields of recovery and consciousness. Just what I’ve learned is that human weakness is rife and that in this field, perhaps more than others, one must be one’s own guide that is personal.

The problem of trust is just as shaky if they were gods as it is in the traditional medical field where we have looked to Doctors as. Our higher selves are our own best guides. There are guru-type charlatans in the New Age business just as there are in any other kind of business. People have unconscious shadows and when it comes to money, it’s easy to go unconscious. I knew from writing poetry and from meditation that an inner world of knowledge exists and that the practice of listening and stillness helps us arrive there.

Despite the mainstream media’s jokes about “The Moronic Convergence” I believed there had been a brand new energy available for spiritual development after that alignment that is planetary. Many prophetic writings mention the “dispensation” for the human race that was destined to come at the close of the century that is 20th. As we see our outer reality challenge us more, turning inward to our own guidance may be all there is to rely on.

Our dreams will speak to us if the effort is made by us to ask. We can incubate a dream by holding a problem in mind as I did that night. Whatever dream comes, no matter how banal, or removed it may seem from our question, we will find it is relevant if we look carefully.

References:

*quoted in

Harvey, Andrew and Mark Matousek., Dialogues with a Modern Mystic,. Wheaton, IL: Quest, 1994.