Love Doris

3 Things

stormkpr — Sat, 18 Jan 2020 13:03:18 GMT

1. I posted chapter 2 of my latest fic, and I went from 16 kudos to 40 overnight! So that's good, though I wish I had more than a handful of comments on it. But the kudos are nice.

2. I recently made a small change. I used to eat less at breakfast and then have a mid-morning snack. But recently I went back to just eating more at breakfast and omitting the mid-morning snack, and that's actually worked great. I think I prefer going all morning without a snack and am glad I can do it. Also, related - got on the scale for my weekly weigh-in and the number was again low. Under 140.

3. My sister-in-law was supposed to come in this weekend but due to bad weather here, she had to cancel. I think it's better and safer for her to stay in California this weekend, so that worked out well.

Book Report

stormkpr — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 16:15:25 GMT

My rating system:
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible; why did I finish it?

Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land – The book is exactly what the title suggests. The author is a single mom and she’s trying hard to make ends meet, working as a maid. I loved the book. It was a straight-forward account of being poor in America. There was also an element I found fascinating in that she cleans houses and thus gets glimpses of her clients’ lives. Reviewers on Goodreads, however, were torn and lots of them trashed it. I….don’t understand? Maybe a few times the book is repetitive, yes. The author does make a couple bad decisions, but doesn’t every human? (The bad decisions seem to be deciding to have a baby when she had no means to support one, and using a tax refund on one or two frivolous items). I didn’t find her remotely whiny or playing the victim at all. I thought it was an honest look at living in poverty in the US today. I guess I just viewed this book way differently than many Goodreads reviewers. Grade: 8

Tell Me How It Ends by Valeria Luiselli – This is a very short (100 pages) book by a teacher who also translates for children fleeing gang violence in South America and seeking asylum in the US. I just wish everyone could read this and understand more about why people risk everything to come to the US. Sadly, migrant-haters will either never read this or just wouldn’t care if they did. (Sheesh, sorry to be so pessimistic). The book was well-written and captivating. Grade: 8

The Truth Will Set You Free But First It Will Piss You Off by Gloria Steinem – Two short books in a row; this one can pretty much be read in a sitting or two. My quick summary for this one is that it was inspiring and easy, but also not very earth-shattering. It’s basically a collection of quotes and brief essays from the legendary activist. I gotta say that a lot of it was dated. I do like that Steinem includes quotes from “friends”- other activists, especially women of color. I would’ve liked to have seen more (or even, some) trans or nonbinary voices. But despite the book’s flaws, if you’re a long-time activist like me, it’s a good read for some comfort and inspiration. And also, she is 85 years old so maybe her book doesn't seem nearly as dated as it could! Grade: 7

The Queen of Water by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango – A novel based on a true story. Maria Virginia Farinango is an indigenous Ecuadorian, and as many girls in her situation, her parents “give” her to a middle-class, lighter-skinned family to work. She is basically somewhere between a servant and a slave. As you can guess, she manages to her pull herself out of her situation. I really, really wish this had been a memoir instead of a novel. As a work of fiction, it just doesn’t compete with really great novels, but no doubt Farinango’s story would’ve fascinated me without the attempt to turn it into a work of fiction. Grade: 4

Sissy: A Coming of Gender Story by Jacob Tobia - The author is a non-binary writer, performer, and activist. Their memoir is great! I've read plenty of memoirs by LGBT people, and I try to think of what makes this one stand out. Maybe Tobia's witty writing, which at times is hilarious. Tobia is also very big on intersectionality and they bring the concept to the forefront when needed. I'd say they are a breath of fresh air! (Also, sidenote, I'm watching She-Ra on Netflix, and I coincidentally learned that Tobia voices a non-binary character on that show. Very cool!) Grade: 8

Fanfic

stormkpr — Thu, 26 Dec 2019 20:58:41 GMT

I'm in a strange place with my fanfic.
- I'm really lucky to have detailed beta testers
- They've given me some overall writing tips
- I'm just not sure how to implement them

For example, one beta said that I struggle a bit with building intimacy and building tension. She's right. I'm just not sure what to do about it or how to fix it. Another beta said I tend to write characters either having dialog or thinking about stuff without showing the intimacy.

For my WIP, I have 18,000 words and a pretty good idea of where it's going but I'm not sure what to do with the feedback. Go back and re-write some scenes? Blow the whole thing up? I don't want to just shrug and say 'well, I'm not good at that, too bad.' I need to do something with the feedback, but what?

I gave my 3rd beta tester the WIP's outline. Maybe I can get her feedback on the outline and then play around with how to better show intimacy and tension?

Not to repeat stuff from the past, but I gotta marvel again at how 20 years ago, my fanfic was "slapping words on a page", and I'd get a ton of encouragement and positive feedback on what I posted. Since that time, fanfic writers have grown more numerous and more talented. I can't coast on just having a good plot the way I used to. I thanked the first beta tester and told her I hoped to go from good to great in my writing. She said it is great as is, but it can just be even better.

Is it pathetic that I've been writing fanfic for more than 20 years and I still have these issues (not being great at building intimacy or building tension)?

3 Things

stormkpr — Thu, 12 Dec 2019 00:08:12 GMT

1. Three wonderful things happened in the realm of fanfic:
A. One reviewer left me 5 detailed, fantastic comments
B. My beta tester for my new fic LOVED chapter 1
C. My beta tester for my old fic did a Tumblr post praising my fic

2. Two former coworkers were in town today and we got together. They complimented me on my passion and how I've continued the work we started

And...here's one bad thing. Every 2 years, my company has a huge convention in April. I hate it. It's like a 5 day long meeting with naps and it's in Orlando, ugh. I really really thought due to budget cuts that this time I'd finally get to sit it out. Found out today, no deal. I'm going. And what's worse is that I'll likely have to fly in Sunday and not leave till Friday. Just ugh. So much time away from Doris, eating crap food, wanting to be home, standing up for way too many hours each day. Well, time to remind myself that it's a job and they do pay me pretty well so....

3 Things

stormkpr — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 15:46:13 GMT

1. I'm writing a new fanfic! I just get so energized with writing it. Especially if I think others will enjoy it. I just sent the first chapter to my (great) beta.

2. Doris and I enjoyed a yummy dinner at No Bones Beach Club yesterday

3. And I canvassed again yesterday and it went well. I'll do it again on Saturday, and then I think we get 2 weeks off for the holidays.

3 Things

stormkpr — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 13:18:52 GMT

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and I haven't done a gratitude/3 things post for a while, so....

1. Thanksgiving was good. Kind of a long day, hitting both sets of parents but the food was good and the company was good. Also we have so many leftovers that we won't need to cook for a while.

2. We listened to NPR as we drove home. Good grief this world. Horrors going on in Yemen and Lebanon and South American asylum-seekers. I really need to be grateful for just living somewhere that is comparatively stable.

3. And it's the start of Day 3 of Doris's and my 5-day weekend! Other than running around yesterday for Thanksgiving, we're generally trying to take it easy. Saturday we are going to an improv show and an Ethiopian restaurant.

Book Report

stormkpr — Wed, 27 Nov 2019 11:48:07 GMT

My rating system:
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible; why did I finish it?

The Wall by John Lanchester – A novel taking place in a dystopian near-future. An island nation has built a wall to keep desperate refugees out, and protagonist Joseph begins his tour of duty on The Wall. It was brilliantly-written, compelling, and felt all-too-real and too-possible. Good page-turner. Grade: 7

The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris – A memoir by Senator Kamala Harris, who is running for President. The book is about 80% public policy and 20% Harris’s life. I just don’t think that’s the right mix unless you’re obsessed with public policy. I wanted more on Harris as a person. So that was my major issue with the book, but otherwise it’s fine. She’s definitely brilliant, hard-working, and I’d love to vote for her someday. Grade: 6

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian – This was a YA/fantasy novel, in which the titular character is a young woman whose land has been overtaken by a brutal conquering army. After years of laying low, she begins to foment a rebellion. It was decent, it was alright, the love triangle was kinda meh. Halfway through I kinda wanted to give up on the book but I stayed with it. I think this is the first of a trilogy but I doubt I’ll read the rest. Grade: 4

The Shanghai Free Taxi by Frank Langfitt – The author is an NPR correspondent who has lived in China for a long time. In order to get Chinese people to open up, he drives a free taxi so he can learn their life stories. We get to know about 7 or 8 people. It was a fascinating look at contemporary China, its rules and restrictions, and how the culture impacts regular people. Grade: 7

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah – In Beah’s memoir, he describes his life in Sierra Leone where he was forced to be a child soldier in their civil war. You can probably guess that it’s heartbreaking to read about the brutality that he and so many others suffered. It’s a very accessible read. Grade: 7

3 Things

stormkpr — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 01:04:34 GMT

I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm an introvert and sometimes I have to be coaxed to get out of the house and get active. But oftentimes when I do it, I'm so glad I did. I canvassed again for Marie Newman today. Met the most awesome volunteer, Tessine. We canvassed together and really hit it off. She's young and inspiring. She asked that we exchange numbers so we can go again. She doesn't have a car and she lives far from the district, so I offered to drive her when I can (I can pick her up at the el station as needed).

Everything in the news is so depressing, but it's insane what happens when you volunteer or do activism.

And my new fanfic...I posted chapter 2 and am still walking on air - I'm getting reviews and kudos and faves on ffnet. The whole thing will have about 10 chapters and is basically done, pending some revisions to the ending that my (great) beta suggested.

In other news, we're doing lunch tomorrow for my dad's birthday. Doris is making a pie, one which he liked a lot before. Mom shared the menu with me and it sounds awesome.

3 Things

stormkpr — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 01:20:23 GMT

Just going to do what pops to mind first...

1. Had a 1-night business trip this week. I'm home now, which is where I like to be! But the travel was pretty uneventful and the thing I went to was good. I presented to over 400 people. And the regional office's Training team set up my table for me before I arrived. The Training team was so well-organized and so friendly that I sent a nice note to their boss.

2. In fact, I should dig deeper on the above. I don't say enough how lucky I am for my job, which gives me a fair amount of flexibility and in which the work load, I gotta say, is not too bad. Our regional trainers work a lot longer hours (unless they're all lying and exaggerating, which I don't think they are). I'm pretty lucky. It seems I've always had jobs, during the 23 years I've worked at this company, that allowed me that. Truly I can't figure out why I got so lucky but I better appreciate it.

3. And hey, tomorrow is Friday. Nothing too fun planned for the weekend, but it's a weekend

3 Things

stormkpr — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 00:18:33 GMT

Sorry that this one will be mostly based on fandom stuff.

1. Posted the first chapter of my new fanfic about 6 hours ago and the reception has been great! Lots of reblogs with good comments on Tumblr, 2 reviews already (one on Ao3, one on ffnet), 3 bookmarks across both sites, 14 kudos. It's just so good to have affirmation that I can write! I don't think I mentioned that the new fic focuses on two pairing in the fandom: my OTP (who are both minor characters, so it's not that popular of a ship), and the pairing that seems to be the one that's most popular with fans. I did not include the popular pairing just to get reviews, but I have to say I'm so glad to think that my previous works probably didn't get as much traction just because my OTP just isn't as popular. I can write! :)

2. Also, apart from that, I'm at 18,000 words and the writing is still going so well. I'm really pleased with it. And - my beta has been awesome!

3. And one more cool thing. I mentioned that I had done some beta testing for someone else, who gets a lot of reviews and kudos. I asked her to make cover art for my fanfic....and she did! And it's really good. I'm grateful to her, and it also suggests that perhaps my previous stuff didn't do as well because it just didn't have cover art and such.

4. Non-fandom stuff: fun game night yesterday and Scrabble day with Ann today; when I went to the Veggie Grill opening on Thursday, their register was down so I got lunch for free; and I took a coworker to a vegan place on Friday and she loved it.

3 Things

stormkpr — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 23:08:06 GMT

Sorry that this one will be based on fandom stuff.

1. Posted the first chapter of my new fanfic about 6 hours ago and the reception has been great! Lots of reblogs with good comments on Tumblr, 2 reviews already (one on Ao3, one on ffnet), 3 bookmarks across both sites, 14 kudos. It's just so good to have affirmation that I can write! I don't think I mentioned that the new fic focuses on two pairing in the fandom: my OTP (who are both minor characters, so it's not that popular of a ship), and the pairing that seems to be the one that's most popular with fans. I did not include the popular pairing just to get reviews, but I have to say I'm so glad to think that my previous works probably didn't get as much traction just because my OTP just isn't as popular. I can write! :)

2. Also, apart from that, I'm at 18,000 words and the writing is still going so well. I'm really pleased with it. And - my beta has been awesome!

3. And one more cool thing. I mentioned that I had done some beta testing for someone else, who gets a lot of reviews and kudos. I asked her to make cover art for my fanfic....and she did! And it's really good. I'm grateful to her, and it also suggests that perhaps my previous stuff didn't do as well because it just didn't have cover art and such.

4. Non-fandom stuff: fun game night yesterday and Scrabble day with Ann today; when I went to the Veggie Grill opening on Thursday, their register was down so I got lunch for free; and I took a coworker to a vegan place on Friday and she loved it.

3 Things

stormkpr — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 01:24:35 GMT

1. Just taking a moment to be glad for my job. I really love it. I was at an event a couple days ago that went well, and on Friday I'm on a panel at a conference. A graduate from one of our programs is going to be honored, so I went out and got her a gift. I get to see a lot of great moments.

2. There's a vegan restaurant chain called Veggie Grill which I like, and finally they're opening one near where I work!

3. Fanfic is still going really well. My beta is awesome. My new fic is already at 12,000 words. My previous fic has 31,000 words and I got another review of it a couple days ago. Life is good when the writing is going well. (And I just enjoy sharing the word counts, but of course quality is more important than word counts. I guess I just like when the writing is pouring out)

3 Things

stormkpr — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 19:15:53 GMT

1. That awesome vacation in Michigan I mentioned? Doris and I had been sorely in need of winter gloves that aren't raggedly and falling apart, so while in Michigan we bought some from one of the little shops there. But today...I reach into my coat and 1 glove is gone. I was so sad; the gloves hadn't been cheap and I'd hardly worn them. But then - found it later inside the car!! Yes!!

2. Went canvassing for Marie Newman's campaign today. I dreaded it but you know, it's never that bad. It actually went great! They partnered us up and my partner was good. I'm so glad to have done it! The weather was good for November.

3. And I'm in a great place with fanfic. Writing a new fic that features the most popular pairing in the fandom plus my obscure OTP. I have a beta and she loves the story!! YES!! And my already-posted existing fic got 3 reviews in the past few days. Thrilled that the writing is still flowing and that a few people do like it!!

3 Things

stormkpr — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 22:39:09 GMT

Just an all-around great day.

- Doris cooked. I love when she does that

- Had a Scrabble date with Ann

- Then went to the "upscale resale" place nearby and got a nice top

- Then I went to this place where you don't need an appointment and they do chair massages, and the guy I got was awesome

- The weather was gorgeous. Like my favorite, 65 and sunny and cool. I was near one of my favorite forest preserves, so I walked around there

- Then I went home, cooked, and Doris got home!

- Also, I posted a new fanfic. No reviews yet but hey, I like what I wrote and I'm proud of it

Book Report

stormkpr — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 19:25:38 GMT

Here I go with another book report, and another apology for not reading much because instead I've been writing too much fanfic!

My rating system:
10 – life-changing, an all-time favorite
5 - average for what I read
1 – terrible; why did I finish it?

The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates – Normally I love this book’s topic but for some reason this book fell a little flat. Melinda Gates describes her foundation and the work it does, and she intersperses it with tales and wisdom from her own life. I love the foundation’s focus on empowering women and gender justice; they understand that women have to be central to any efforts to fight poverty. I can’t say why the book didn’t draw me in more – though I did read it when I was (am) in the throes of fandom-obsession, so that could explain why? I loved the next book though. Grade: 5

Nobody’s Victim by Carrie Goldberg – OMG. This book was so good. I am going to commit the crime of using someone else’s words on Goodreads to describe it: “If you have ever been the victim of revenge porn, sexual harassment, sextortion, sexual assault, have a friend or family member who has been victim of these crimes, use dating sites, dating apps, have ever made comments anywhere online, you should read this book. Please be aware that reading this book may be triggering for survivors of these crimes. Carrie Goldberg is an attorney who specializes on fighting for victims of these crimes. As a survivor, she speaks about individual’s stories and current topics with compassion and fight. At the end, Carrie includes an extensive list of resources. I want to purchase this book and leave copies around in public for people to read. This is a topic everyone should be educated further on and this book is an excellent resource.”

(Back to me now)….I had to read the book in small increments because it is so infuriating, but it is also energizing to read about how Goldberg fights back. Sometimes she wins. Grade: 9

Becoming by Michelle Obama – I wasn’t going to pass up on Michelle Obama’s memoir! The only thing that I didn’t love was that it started out slow. There is way too much background, too much on her early childhood. Once I was passed that though, I loved it. Loved reading about her life with Barack, the campaigns, their family – even just the small stuff like what it’s like to live in the White House. It was a great mix of personal and political. Grade: 8

A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson - This is a sci-fi/fantasy novel. At its heart, it’s a tale of star-crossed lovers who happen to be male. I struggled with it. The author just throws you into this world with very little explanation or information. He clearly has built a detailed and rich world, and it’s up to the reader to figure it out! There are also a lot of time jumps and dense, wordy writing. Not my thing, but I get why a lot of other people liked it (I think it was nominated for a Hugo Award). Grade: 3

Raising Rosie by Eric and Stephani Lohman – This is a well-researched memoir of a couple whose daughter is intersex. They detail the medical community’s eagerness to push surgery on a baby, and they refute every one of their arguments. They also tell you a bit about their own story and how they discuss being intersex with their daughter. The only downside is that their daughter is only 5 now, so a follow-up in a few years would be welcome. Grade: 6

3 Things

stormkpr — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 19:21:19 GMT

1. Doris cleaned out the fridge. Yes! I need to think of a nice way to thank her

2. Had a business trip to Santa Fe. All went well (mostly). The travel part and hotel part were excellent. There was a great, cheap, lovely restaurant near the hotel where I was able to get vegan food.

3. Also Santa Fe is great. I was in Albuquerque once. Santa Fe is like Santa Cruz CA in that I'd kinda like to retire there, or at least I like to think about doing so. If Doris can ever take time off from work, I'd like to ask her to go to Santa Fe. She can barely take time off but maybe we can do a Fri-Mon thing. (It takes a while to get there so I say don't bother unless you're staying 3 nights)

3 Things

stormkpr — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 17:41:41 GMT

1. Ann and Rollin got officially engaged at game night!! I thought it was so sweet that they chose to do it with their friends around

2. I keep meaning to put on the list the fact that I almost always sleep like a baby

3. Still writing a lot of fanfic. I finished a draft of a new, shorter story. One member of my OTP, his dad is in like 10 episodes and was a great character, so I did a story on him. Haven't posted it yet since I just finished the draft and want to let it sit

stormkpr — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 22:39:18 GMT

The dress I mentioned last post? Wore it to work today. I got....at least 5 people telling me they loved it. My boss told me twice and said definitely wear it to the conference. And one of the people who complimented me was a gay man, so you know how I feel about that. (MADE MY DAY)!

3 Things

stormkpr — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 22:26:32 GMT

1. This has been a good 3 days for fanfic. I got 3 reviews from 2 different people and the reviews were excellent and detailed. Yes! Also, someone on ffnet favorited my story there (which is the only indication I've gotten from ffnet that anyone at all is reading it off there)

2. New seasons of Supergirl, Batwoman, and the other CW shows are starting. Though we have to wait till January for Legends, boo. :(

3. I bought a new dress for a conference I have to go to next week. I like it. I'm wearing it to work tomorrow.

3 Things

stormkpr — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 19:39:48 GMT

1. Yay, I wrote more fanfic! My fic writing has been doing in fits and spurts, but that's fine with me. I'll go 7 days without writing anything and then get inspired. It works for the format of my fic in which each chapter stands alone; it's basically different glimpses at my OTP's life together. Total words now: 24,000.

2. I mentioned making split pea soup in the Instapot last entry. All I can say is that Doris and I have done an impressive amount of cooking this weekend. Potatoes in the air fryer (which is great because it gets them crispy without using oil). Pumpkin pie. Spaghetti squash. And sauteed greens. Many of the items were from our local CSA (community supported agriculture): the pumpkin, the spaghetti squash, the greens, and some of the items used in the split pea soup.

3. The weather has been lovely. And 6 days till Game Night!

3 things

stormkpr — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 19:36:09 GMT

1. A nice fandom moment! With some help, I made a page for my OTP on shipping.fandom.com. I tweeted that I did so, and one person retweeted it saying the page is "beautiful" and the tweet got 3 likes.

2. It's another Friday and I'm working from home. The sun came out and it's cool and really nice out. I finally unpacked the Instapot my sister gave me and made split pea soup.

3. Some good stuff happened at work this week. An evening class ended early (YES!) and a dinner that I hadn't wanted to go to turned out great.

3 things

stormkpr — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 00:28:04 GMT

1. Doris and I spent most of the weekend at an AirBnB that's near 3 big state parks. The weather wasn't the best and the trails were muddy but we still had a great time. Still did a ton of hiking, and miraculously our feet never got wet. We visited Buffalo Rock and Matthiason State Parks which we'd never been to before. Tons of gorgeous views.

2. The Summit/meeting I mentioned in my last post went really, really well. It was fun. And I was told that I was an "amazing" host.

3. Fanfic writing is still just flowing! I'm at 22,000 words and still have more ideas, and am still really loving the writing. The would-be beta tester who offered last week sadly hasn't come through. But I did post chapter 6 today and get a nice comment on it. (From someone who has commented before, but that's fine with me. I'll take any comment)

3 Things

stormkpr — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 23:55:58 GMT

I must say it's been a good Monday.

1. On Wednesday, at work, our partners (vendors) are coming in for an annual meeting that I plan. My team met today. We're in good shape. And I really, really like most or all of the people who are coming in so I'm looking forward to the meeting and the dinner.

2. Some nice person on Tumblr offered to beta test for me! She hasn't done it yet but we've been messaging and she seems super-cool.

3. Last weekend was nice. We went to my in-laws to celebrate my father in law's bday. Sometimes I'm bored when I'm there. But we all (my brother in law, his girlfriend, her son, my nephew, etc) had a spirited discussion about politics over wine and it was actually a blast.

3 Things

stormkpr — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 00:28:51 GMT

1. Someone who I gave some advice to a while ago told me she took it, and it was useful. (She's Patty, the person I go to for massages. We'd talked about books and I'd told her that if I start a book that doesn't interest me, I abandon it. She told me she did that once since then and felt great about it)

2. Doris and I are going on Friday to an AirBnB that Eric stayed at in Wisconsin and he said it's very nice.

3. What else? I'm reading a scary and horrible book about stalking and I am so grateful that this hasn't happened to me

3 Things

stormkpr — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 23:55:02 GMT

1. I was able to switch to the convention rate for my hotel room for The 100 con I'm going to in April. (Long story short, when I booked my ticket to the con, the hotel room block was sold out. I debated what to do, decided I didn't want to risk not getting a room at the official hotel, so I booked a room at the regular rate, which was almost double. But today I saw their tweet where they said they made the room block bigger, I called the hotel, and they switched me to the rate!!)

2. And I feel slightly better regarding one aspect of fanfic. I looked through some other 100 fanfics. The ones with a lot of reviews tend to be AUs, Harry Potter crossovers, Hunger Games crossovers, etc. And there are plenty of fics like mine that don't have many reviews. So I feel a twinge better?

3. Okay let's do a non-100 one. A political candidate who I'm volunteering for already got enough signatures to get her onto the ballot. That's good.