quinquine

I almost never post anything on here, but today I need to change. Nazis (or white nationalist, or alt-righters, or whatever name they choose to hide behind - from here on out, to me, they’re Nazis) have murdered people. We must stop them.

I have seen a LOT of people talking about how these people don’t represent America, but let me tell you, if you look at our history you will see that this is nothing new. People like this have been around for a long time. We could easily look the other way, and pretend that they weren’t there (and I am just as guilty of this as anybody). We just happen to be seeing more of them because our President, his political advisors, and seemingly a large portion of his political party are either a: craven cowards or b: actively courting the support of Nazis (please note: it’s probably b, given the history of several of the President’s advisors). They feel emboldened to come out and peddle their hate in the open.

I’ve also seen talk about debating with Nazis. What...what do you think debate is? Debate is a show, a performance to broadcast your position to an audience. If a Nazi loses a debate, do you think you’ve changed their mind? It’s a performance when it’s done in an educational context, and it’s a performance when we see our politicians engage in it. I see no need to allow Nazis a space to sell their hate, and I guarantee that you’ll never change their point of view with tons of facts and charts.

People are worried about violence “on both sides”. Really? REALLY? Look, of ALL the videos and photos I have seen, who’re loaded up with firearms? Torches (tiki torches, what the fuck)? Shields and truncheons? Have you ever heard of a leftist or a socialist or an LGTBQ+ activist plowing into Nazis with a car? C’mon.

And then, I have to look at myself in the mirror. How long have I been silent about this? How long have I said nothing while terrible things have happened? These Nazis want to destroy my friends, my family. Can I keep looking in that mirror without being ashamed? How can I help to stop them? I think the first thing I can do is stop being silent.

 I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the Toast before it was gone, (today is the last day of active content, and from here on out it's archive city, I guess?) but I would be TERRIBLY REMISS if I didn't link to this, perhaps the best article on the internet of all times:

The Most Metal Deaths in Middle-Earth, Ranked

 Well, I've gone 12 days without playing Hearthstone. I've sketched a couple of times, which is nice. I've also done more reading than I had previously (even though my 'reading list' posts might not show it - I've been reading books which would normally take me a lot more time). 

I've upped the ante. For the last 3 days, the rule has been no more fountain pen websites & forums (boo that fora is no longer the preferred term), and no more watch websites (or fora. HA I DO WHAT I WANT), either. Both will come up in my instagram, twitter, and facebook feeds, but those are timesucks in and of themselves that I will deal with when I'm ready, and I feel they are different (in the way that I interact with them).

Let's see what happens!

 April reading list:

23) The Sorcerer's House, Gene Wolfe
22) Playing at the World, Jon Peterson
21) The Stress of Her Regard, Tim Powers
20) Foreign Devils, John Hornor Jacobs

Year to Date:

19) Stopping and Seeing, Chih-i (Zhiyi), translated by Thomas Cleary*
18) Medusa's Web, Tim Powers
17) Expiration Date, Tim Powers
16) Mona Lisa Overdrive, William Gibson
15) Pattern Recognition, William Gibson
14) The Art and Thought of Heraclitus, Charles Kahn*
13) Count Zero, William Gibson (re-read)
12) The Mechanical, Ian Tregillis
11) Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe, Thomas Ligotti
10) The Shibboleth, John Hornor Jacobs
9) The Twelve-Fingered Boy, John Hornor Jacobs
8) This Dark Earth, John Hornor Jacobs
7) Learning to Die in the Anthropocene, Roy Scranton*
6) City of Blades, Robert Jackson Bennett
5) Gemini Cell, Myke Cole
4) Silver on the Road, Laura Anne Gilman
3) The Croning, Laird Barron
2) The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, Kai Ashante Wilson
1) How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer, Sarah Bakewell*

 Time for a February reading list!

13) Count Zero, William Gibson (re-read)
12) The Mechanical, Ian Tregillis
11) Songs of a Dead Dreamer and Grimscribe, Thomas Ligotti
10) The Shibboleth, John Hornor Jacobs
9) The Twelve-Fingered Boy, John Hornor Jacobs
8) This Dark Earth, John Hornor Jacobs

Year to Date:

7) Learning to Die in the Anthropocene, Roy Scranton
6) City of Blades, Robert Jackson Bennett
5) Gemini Cell, Myke Cole
4) Silver on the Road, Laura Anne Gilman
3) The Croning, Laird Barron
2) The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps, Kai Ashante Wilson
1) How to Live: Or A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer, Sarah Bakewell

Well, I failed to get through 52 books this year...but it's not like I had made a promise to anyone but myself. So there.

49) The Present Alone is Our Happiness, Pierre Hadot
48) The Black Company, Glen Cook
47) Slade House, David Mitchell
46) Soldier of Sidon, Gene Wolfe (re-read)
45) The Broken Sword, Poul Anderson

44) King Solomon's Mines, Henry Rider Haggard
43) The Rim of Morning, William Sloane
42) Matter, Iain M. Banks
41) Declare, Tim Powers (re-read)
40) Southern Gods, John Hornor Jacobs
39) Pietr the Latvian, Georges Simenon
38) The Aeronaut's Windlass, Jim Butcher
37) Starting Strength, Mark Rippetoe
36) The Bone Clocks, David Mitchell
35) The Inner Citadel, Pierre Hadot   
3) In the Dark Places of Wisdom, Peter Kingsley (paperback)
2) Lovecraft's Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow (Kindle)
1) Seveneves, Neal Stephenson (hardcover)

An epic attempt at catching up - I don't know that I'll finish the year with 52 books read, but I sure tried. :)

Most recent (August/September):   
In the Dark Places of Wisdom, Peter Kingsley (paperback)
Lovecraft's Monsters, edited by Ellen Datlow (Kindle)
Seveneves, Neal Stephenson (hardcover)

 My friend mentioned that this album is worth a listen, and he's right!

HEALTH, 'Death Magic'

It looks like I've had some good gains in the last year; I'm concentrating on getting stronger, and I should update my max/PR page!

7/23/14 weight: 145 lb neck: 15" chest: 35.5" waist: 29.25" inseam: 31.5" arm: 34" hip: 36" left bicep: 13.25" right bicep: 13" left thigh: 21" right thigh: 21.25" both calves: 13.75" shirt size: small (or 15"/34") pants size: 30-32 (or 29-32 if available)

7/23/15 weight: 150 lb neck: 15" chest: 36" waist: 30.5" inseam: 31.5" arm: 34" hip: 36" left bicep: 13" right bicep: 13.5" left thigh: 22" right thigh: 22.5" left calf: 14" right calf: 13.75" shirt size: small (or 15"/34") pants size: 30-32 (or 29-32 if available)