Calypso

i am irritated with my imaginary father in law

Fought off numerous urges to yeet a family friend's dog out of the window. It growls at you to get your attention. Like a little neurotic monster.

welcome to the V I B E M A S H E E N

Not really that much all like American Gods. It has that instantly identifiable Gaiman storytelling touch, but the subject matter is so different and told in a rather playful tone - stark contrast from American Gods & Anansi Boys, really. Colourful characters and a clear sense of mythological 'rules' that govern the world, if that makes any sense to you. I haven't read any Lovecraft, unfortunately. What would you recommend as a starter? I've seen his influence in so many other works, and as a progenitor of amazing horror I respect the hell out of him, but it's never been something that immediately attracted me. Finished The Shadow of the Sun. Started reading Victorian Duke: the Life of Hugh Lupus Grosvenor by Gervas Huxley, who I'm actually a direct descendant of on my mother's side, so it is a bit of a vanity project lol. Also trudging through some pertinent sections of Herman Kahn's On Thermonuclear War for a novella I'm working on. Real tome, to be honest, but he approaches mass casualty statistics like an economist. Depressing stuff.

bumping because I don't want to start a new topic. Read Neil Gaiman's new Norse Mythology, which was so addictive I had to read it in one sitting. Also just finished Stoner by John Williams, which is equally depressing, profound, candid, and did I mention depressing? Would recommend if you like to intermittent fits of crying. About 1/3 of the way through The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuscinki. Somehow feels a tad dated in the storm of today's racial politics, but insightful and forthright about the issues and experiences he personally went through. Some fantastic insight about Ghana's independence, pan-africanism and the ensuing effects on the concept of 'Africa', which is, of course, a massive misnomer and generalization that still seems to be relevant today. Also gave me a good idea for a short story. C'mon, lit nerds. Feed me books.

Sounds like the darkly precocious child of Candy Claws and MBV.

Sorry, not l o w - e f f o r t - c o o l enough for ya?

You've 'seen it', you've heard of the concept, maybe you're a professed victim of it. It's the hot button social issue™, so you'd better have an opinion! I remember when it was a niche term, something I'd seen on tumblr or repeated by some acquaintances. Not any more. You can't walk without stepping in cultural appropriation. Strange how the internet comes to haunt us all. Personally, I'm a little hesitant to abide by it. When I was in the US, I was always a bleeding heart lefty, but something about the concept just feels off. Wrong. Divisive & disingenuous. It makes all of the light in the world feel dull and untouchable, if led to its logical conclusion (And what is that? Is speaking another language cultural appropriation?). Employed in an argument, it shuts down all dissent because, often, the person arguing against it doesn't have the requisite lack of privilege to have a voice in certain left wing Anglosphere circles. I'm a TCK (Third Cultural Kid). The moniker is clumsy, but it gets the point across. I didn't grow up monoculturally. The idea of barring culture to those who aren't part of it, to me, is beyond idiotic. My entire life has been framed by cultural differences! Blending and bleeding of culture is a natural process, as it has been for the entire time human beings have existed on Earth. Grod appropriated Thag's fire, then went over to Bik-lik's place and appropriated cave painting. 'Cultural appropriation' is part of how we learn, as a species and individually. An observer can only get so much. I don't know why I'm poking (r: kicking) the hornet's nest with this one, but if we don't talk about our social policing, what's the point of anything?

6 red bulls and a handgun, just in case. I sat on my ass for two weeks instead of getting my work done.

Ordered Arthur C. Clarke's collected stories and a bunch of Shakespeare and contemporaries for my course (Marlowe, Webster etc).