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I have officially met my ground training benchmarks and have been given the ok to fly. Now I just have to patiently wait for my engine. And keep practicing so I don’t forget everything I’ve learned in the interim. 😬

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I'm going to *remembers suicide jokes are detrimental to my mental health* quit my job and start making shoes for American Girl Dolls

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I feel like politicians' insults about each other have really gone down hill. These days it's all "moron" and "loser", so childish. Think what you will of Paul Keating, but he gave us such gems as "he's a shiver waiting for a spine", "debating him is like being flogged with warm lettuce", "he's like a lizard on a rock: alive but looking dead", "he's all tip and no iceberg".

Where's the creativity these days?!

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Also I just went to leave a review on Goodreads and apparently it’s being bad-review-bombed for *checks notes* having a nonbinary background character and legitimizing sex/cam work. Knowing it’s making people gnash their teeth over “wokeness” is, I think, an endorsement all it’s own.

The “huh, people are into this?” to “wait…am I into this?” pipeline continues in book two of Allen’s Into Darkness series. Listening to the audiobook while trying to shop at Costco induced a cognitive dissonance so strong it ought to be studied. 

Anyway, Allen is two for two, now. I still haven’t managed to finish any other “dark romances” but what makes these books so compelling is that they don’t take themselves seriously. Yes, they’re like 80% sex, but the plots are entertaining, the background characters are fleshed out (Nonna, my beloved) and the banter/internal commentary are often laugh out loud funny. If you like sex and laughter and hijinks (and like, a smidge of murder/crime) (as a treat), maybe give this series a try.

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The “huh, people are into this?” to “wait…am I into this?” pipeline continues in book two of Allen’s Into Darkness series. Listening to the audiobook while trying to shop at Costco induced a cognitive dissonance so strong it ought to be studied. 

Anyway, Allen is two for two, now. I still haven’t managed to finish any other “dark romances” but what makes these books so compelling is that they don’t take themselves seriously. Yes, they’re like 80% sex, but the plots are entertaining, the background characters are fleshed out (Nonna, my beloved) and the banter/internal commentary are often laugh out loud funny. If you like sex and laughter and hijinks (and like, a smidge of murder/crime) (as a treat), maybe give this series a try.

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Because I can’t be normal about anything, I’ve decided to make a pretty spot in the garage for my Paramotor (on a budget, of course).

I’m diying a rolling stand so I can take the hitch carrier (with the motor strapped to it) on and off by myself and store it against the wall. For context, imagine this sitting on top of that carrier:

So far I have the the base (fb marketplace coffee table for $20 with the legs removed) and I’ll add some wheels ($15 Home Depot) tomorrow. Also started painting with leftover black paint from my slat wall project (free). Here’s before and after so far:

I’m going to do led lights (thrifted, $15) around the edges, a shelf for the wing overhead (haven’t found one yet), and some hooks for harnesses, helmet, windsock, etc. (leftover from yard tool organization/free). My goal was for the project to cost less than $100 total and I’m doing great so far. 🤞🏼

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In happier news, just as I was beginning to despair over tariff costs for purchasing a new engine from Italy, my flight instructor messaged me saying he may have found one for me in Florida with just a few hours on it and a config that should actually work for my size/weight. So I won’t get to customize colors, but not only will it be cheaper, they can ship it to me in the next two weeks. Which means I could be flying next month.

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Thanks for the input folks (especially those in my DMs with the inside scoop). I’ve informed the con’s author team that I won’t be attending and reached out to a couple book stores in the area to see if I can still do some sort of event in town to meet up with folks who’d planned to get signed copies of my books and such. It is now way past my bedtime and I have an early morning, so goodnight! I appreciate your assistance!

Romance Con Wank

Good evening, I’m exhausted. Does anyone with a solid understanding of the Romance Con drama want to weigh in here because I do not have time to do the deep dive this deserves.

From my current understanding the initial issues brought up were:

People upset about the parent company’s name “Mischief Management” which was a holdover from their origin as a Potter-specific con. In their initial response, they said they’d cut all ties with Rowling/HP events years back. Fair enough. I won’t hold the parent company’s name against them.

2. They were championing Julie Soto as a featured author (and her scrubbed Dramione fic Rose in Chains that was being heavily marketed as scrubbed Dramione fic) (buoying the IP) (and as far as I know, Julie Soto has not attempted to stop these marketing efforts, nor has she spoken out against Rowling’s shittiness). Understandably upsetting for other authors and con-goers alike since Romance Con markets itself as a queer-friendly space.

Yesterday, Romance Con announced that Julie Soto would no longer attend, so I figured, okay, that’ll be the end of it. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with staff, and wanted to believe it was an awkward situation brought on by strange literary times. How were they supposed to know when they booked her that Soto’s publishing team would lean so heavily into using Rowling’s IP for promoting the book’s release?

BUT THEN.

Today, they sent out an email to all the authors. It really rubbed me the wrong way. Apparently when they initially said they’d cut all ties with HP, they were not telling the truth AND they’re planning to continue hosting HP specific events. They say it’s at the request of trans/queer folks wanting a safe space but I can’t say I personally know anyone (and I know a lot of trans/queer folks!) (even those still creating HP fan works!) who would support conventions continuing to further the HP IP when we have substantive evidence that any money Rowling makes could actively, negatively, impact the trans community. And the odd throwaway paragraph about a summer camp for trans youth feels performative and icky, in this context.

Maybe I’m being overly sensitive, but while yesterday I was 100% willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I am now conflicted. I don’t want to pull out of attending because I’ve been so looking forward to meeting other authors and folks planning to attend, I’ve put time and money into swag/merch, and I don’t like disappointing folks who made plans around my being there. But also, sunk cost fallacy, right? In a moral sense.

I just finished A Long Fucking Day of work and now I have two hours before I need to go to bed and I can’t spend them doing more research on this because I have to take care of life shit. So if anyone would like to share additional information they have about the parent company, other cons they run, and their claims about ongoing HP events at the request of trans/nonbinary folks, please do.

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Romance Con Wank

Good evening, I’m exhausted. Does anyone with a solid understanding of the Romance Con drama want to weigh in here because I do not have time to do the deep dive this deserves.

From my current understanding the initial issues brought up were:

People upset about the parent company’s name “Mischief Management” which was a holdover from their origin as a Potter-specific con. In their initial response, they said they’d cut all ties with Rowling/HP events years back. Fair enough. I won’t hold the parent company’s name against them.

2. They were championing Julie Soto as a featured author (and her scrubbed Dramione fic Rose in Chains that was being heavily marketed as scrubbed Dramione fic) (buoying the IP) (and as far as I know, Julie Soto has not attempted to stop these marketing efforts, nor has she spoken out against Rowling’s shittiness). Understandably upsetting for other authors and con-goers alike since Romance Con markets itself as a queer-friendly space.

Yesterday, Romance Con announced that Julie Soto would no longer attend, so I figured, okay, that’ll be the end of it. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with staff, and wanted to believe it was an awkward situation brought on by strange literary times. How were they supposed to know when they booked her that Soto’s publishing team would lean so heavily into using Rowling’s IP for promoting the book’s release?

BUT THEN.

Today, they sent out an email to all the authors. It really rubbed me the wrong way. Apparently when they initially said they’d cut all ties with HP, they were not telling the truth AND they’re planning to continue hosting HP specific events. They say it’s at the request of trans/queer folks wanting a safe space but I can’t say I personally know anyone (and I know a lot of trans/queer folks!) (even those still creating HP fan works!) who would support conventions continuing to further the HP IP when we have substantive evidence that any money Rowling makes could actively, negatively, impact the trans community. And the odd throwaway paragraph about a summer camp for trans youth feels performative and icky, in this context.

Maybe I’m being overly sensitive, but while yesterday I was 100% willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I am now conflicted. I don’t want to pull out of attending because I’ve been so looking forward to meeting other authors and folks planning to attend, I’ve put time and money into swag/merch, and I don’t like disappointing folks who made plans around my being there. But also, sunk cost fallacy, right? In a moral sense.

I just finished A Long Fucking Day of work and now I have two hours before I need to go to bed and I can’t spend them doing more research on this because I have to take care of life shit. So if anyone would like to share additional information they have about the parent company, other cons they run, and their claims about ongoing HP events at the request of trans/nonbinary folks, please do.

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Y’all. Whiskey When We’re Dry is one of the best westerns I’ve read in a long fucking time but the end is Devastating. Like the writing is right up there with Portis and McMurty and I want to recommend it to everyone but at the same time I just. Hated the ending. Even though it was realistic. Like I get it, from a narrative perspective. But I’m also just very

About it because I’m a slut for happy endings.

Anyway. If you want some excellent western prose about a kickass but flawed cross-dressing queer girl(?) and her various exploits in the 1880’s (warning for period-typical racism, sexism, homophobia, etc.) and you don’t mind an unhappy ending, this is the story for you.

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Hi. My name is Erica and I don’t care about resale value.

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Embrace your divine feminine energy by taking part in traditional women's hobbies & interests like experimenting with radioactive materials, developing mathematics, programming computers, piloting aircraft and practicing marksmanship.

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So I had to return a book to the library today and I came straight from the horse farm. I went to the front desk because it was an item on loan from another library and I wasn’t sure if it had to be checked in differently. The librarian said no, it could get returned in the normal slot but she could take it and check it in right away.

It was only when I got back to the car that I realized I had walked into the library covered in dirt from head to toe and handed back a book about grave robbing.

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Went to the Aboriginal artifact exhibit in Chicago. And it’s interesting. How many blankets and masks and totem poles say ‘unknown source’, because every five seconds my mom would stop and point to something and say. “Pauline’s grandmother made that,” or, “That belongs to Mike’s family, I should call him” because. It’s all stolen

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military recruiter: so what got you guys interested in the marine corps

enormous horde of hagfish, ispods and bottom-feeding crustaceans: oh. uh. is that how you pronounce it

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How to speak Midwestern Sales Guy:

A Solution Engineer’s Perspective

Calling out of the blue, he starts with: “Hey! How’s it going?”

This means something good has happened. A deal is about to close. A new opportunity has arisen. Yay!

Calling out of the blue, he starts with: “Hey bud, you got a sec?”

This means he’s calling to clarify something, request notes/information, or apprise you of a change in scheduling. A neutral call.

Calling out of the blue, he starts with: “Heyyyyy buddy.”

Tragedy has struck and/or he’s about to ask you to do something that’s going to completely monopolize your days and possibly nights for the next week.