i. about 2 weeks ago, i was told there's a good chance that in 5 or so years, i'll need a wheelchair.
ii. okay. i loved harry potter as a kid. i have a hypothesis about this to be honest - why people still kind of like it. it's that she got very lucky. she managed to make a cross-generational hit. it was something shared for both parents and kids. it was right at the start of a huge cultural shift from pre to post-internet. i genuinely think many people were just seeking community; not her writing. it was a nice shorthand to create connection. which is a long way of saying - she didn't build this legacy, we built it for her. she got lucky, just once. that's all.
iii. to be real with you, i still struggle with identifying as someone with a disability, which is wild, especially given the ways my life has changed. i always come up against internalized ableism and shame - convinced even right now that i'm faking it for attention. i passed out in a grocery store recently. i hit my head on the shelves while i went down.
iv. he raises his eyebrows while he sends me a look. her most recent new book has POTS featured in it. okay, i say. i already don't like where this is going. we both take another bite of ramen. it is a trait of the villain, he says. we both roll our eyes about it.
v. so one of the things about being nonbinary but previously super into harry potter is that i super hate jk rowling. but it is also not good for my mental health to regret any form of joy i engaged with as a kid. i can't punish my young self for being so into the books - it was a passion, and it was how i made most of my friends. everyone knew about it. i felt like everyone had my same joy, my same fixation. as a "weird kid", this sense of belonging resonated with me so loudly that i would have done anything to protect it.
vi. as a present, my parents once took me out of school to go see the second movie. it is an incredibly precious memory: my mom straight-up lying about a dentist appointment. us snickering and sneaking into the weekday matinee. within seven years of this experience, the internet would be a necessity to get my homework finished. the world had permanently changed. harry potter was a relic, a way any of us could hold onto something of the analog.
vii. by sheer luck, the year that i started figuring out the whole gender fluid thing was also the first year people started to point out that she might have some internalized biases. i remember tumblr before that; how often her name was treated as godhood. how harry potter was kind of a word synonymous for "nerdy but cool." i would walk out of that year tasting he/him and they/them; she would walk out snarling and snapping about it.
viii. when i teach older kids creative writing, i usually tell them - so, she did change the face of young adult fiction, there's no denying that. she had a lot more opportunities than many of us will - there were more publishing houses, less push for "virally" popular content creators. but beyond reading another book, we need to write more books. we need to uplift the voices of those who remain unrepresented. we need to push for an exposure to the bigotry baked into the publishing system. and i promise you: you can write better than she ever did. nothing she did was what was magical - it was the way that the community responded to it.
ix. i get home from ramen. three other people have screenshotted the POTS thing and sent it to me. can you fucking believe we're still hearing this shit from her when it's almost twenty-fucking-twenty-three. the villain is notably also popular on tumblr. i just think that's funny. this woman is a billionaire and she's mad that she can't control the opinions of some people on a dying blue site that makes no money. lady, and i mean this - get a fucking life.
x. i am sorry to the kid i was. maybe the kid you were too. none of us deserved to see something like this ruined. that thing used to be precious to me. and now - all those good times; measured into dust.
/// 9.6.2022 // FUCKING AGAIN, JK? Are you fucking kidding me?
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Atlas: So your boss had you work through your break? Bee…
Taryn: It’s fiiine, I ate my granola bar in between sorting books.
Atlas: You know that isn’t a healthy place to be at, right?
Taryn: Yeah, but it pays decently.
Atlas: Are you like the sole provider of your house…?
Taryn: Oh no! I’m not sure if Kai mentioned it, but our parents are in Selvadorada taking care of my grandma. She’s really sick and well, we made this arrangement. They take care of a majority of rent and Kai and I take care of utilities and the rest.
Atlas: Ah, I see. I’m sorry to hear about your grandma.
Taryn: I appreciate it. She’s a kind woman, she used to make me champurrado on Christmas and it was the best.
Atlas: That’s really sweet. I’ve always wondered what that tastes like. Growing up, Toni was adamant on us not meeting our grandparents, so we never got to experience anything. Is it just fancy hot chocolate?
Taryn: I mean it has chocolate, but the consistency and flavor is a bit different.
Atlas: Huh… Want to make some later on tonight?
Taryn: Sure! I was actually wondering, you seemed a bit eager to skip out on that party.
Atlas: Do you still feel bad? Don’t! Besides Dan couldn’t even type out a proper response which tells me they’re having a great time… Without me.
Taryn: So you did want to go.
Atlas: No! No.
Atlas: I didn’t want to see Frances. That’s the honest answer.
Taryn: OH, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize things were bad.
Atlas: Nah, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to sour the evening.
Taryn: Atlas, you don’t have to pretend around me. What’s on your mind?
Atlas: Frances and I… We have our differences. Sometimes it feels like the things that matter to me aren’t important to her and that’s fine, I guess.
Taryn: And this is in regards to?
Atlas: Toni. She feels like I have something to prove.
Taryn: But you do.
Atlas: Taryn-
Taryn: And you know you shouldn’t.
Atlas: But-
Taryn: So the question is, why?
Atlas: I think it’s the satisfaction of beating an impossible challenge. God, I sound like I’m into being humiliated or something.
Taryn: He isn’t worth it but you already know that. My job also isn’t worth it, I’m aware but people often do things that we know aren’t good for us. As for Frances, she isn’t your enemy, but I think maybe the two of you need to find common ground in how you both communicate.
Atlas: [ begins to attempt to speak before falling silent again ]
Taryn: What?
Atlas: Nothing, I’m just glad to be here with you. Thank you. [ bewp ] Your glasses keep slipping down your face.
Taryn: I know, I need to get them fixed- Wait, don’t change the subject. You have something to say.
Atlas: I dunno what you’re talking about.
Taryn: Atlas the bike-
Atlas: Wha- Fuck!
Taryn: I- We should head back.
Atlas: Yeah, of course.
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whos the guy is he cute how old is he
He’s 23 and 6’1 and yes insanely hot. We met at a mutual friend’s bonfire and long story short we ended up making out and he gave me a hickey and ever since I haven’t stopped thinking ab him. We made out today too and cuddled and he’s going back home for xmas but I can’t stop thinking about him I CANNOT
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sick fic idea that i would write if i could write
jack (clearly sick, clearly unwell) knocking on the jacobs door to walk david and les to their selling spot, leaning on the door after he knocks, and practically falling into david when he opens the door
les being super helpful "hi jack, oh wow you look terrible!"
david being all... why dont you sit down while i finish my coffee, but actually just getting him to come in and sit down
jack falling asleep at the table
david taking les to meet crutchie or someone to look after him for the day
esther finding jack asleep at the table and making him tea and putting him to bed
david coming back and getting into bed with him
esther coming in later and seeing them asleep together and just being like "ah my boys are gay. good for them! GOOD FOR THEM!"
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