The Stoned Look Is In

[bloodyrosemccoy]

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day
Take Houseplants for a Walk
Walk on Stilts Day

 

Today the plan is to keep my room as dark and scary as possible, because this morning the eye doctor dilated my pupils for the sole purpose of shining bright lights into them.  So now I squawk “Ow!” whenever I look out the window.

 

Usually the only thing I really hate about the eye doctor is that my eyes deteriorate enough every year that they have to do the prescription check, where they lower this great big contraption like some sort of Sherlock Holmes kachina mask, and flip lenses in and out of your vision until they work out which one corrects your vision the best.  “Number one, or number two?” they ask. “Three, or four?  Five, or six?”  And the whole time they do that they’re flipping these lenses in front of your eyes, and if you’re me, your eyelashes are so bloody long that every time they do that the lens whacks your lashes and makes you twitch.

 

So now my eyelids are having spasms and I hiss like a goblin when I come into the light, and I am unfit for anything much.  So I’m going to go play Banjo-Kazooie and swear at the anti-aircraft snowmen.  That’ll really make my eyes feel better.

 

 

And now, allow me some links:

 

I finally convinced both siblings to start reading Dominic Deegan, with an assurance that the art gets better as it goes.  Currently I’m trying to figure out if Orcish is a collection of random phrases or if it’s a bona fide conlang.  I believe it’s the former, but you never know.

 

And if you’re interested in thought-provoking essays as well as the photo-documented adventures of two American Girl dolls, kittikattie is a very good source of both. She’s currently doing a series on the unspoken racism/classism/sexism/etc. of American Girl, and while I don’t always agree with her interpretations, she has many good points and a fascinating angle on the whole thing.  I was especially interested in this post, because it illustrates something else that drives me nuts in science fiction: the Global Culture phenomenon, where for some reason each planet or species or whatever in a story has a single, unvaried culture.  Because, you know, that’s how it is with humans on Earth.  I may bitch more about that later, but right now you should just check out her LJ.

Comments

[kurupira.livejournal.com]

That's an interesting perspective on the American Girls.. I have to admit I haven't read them at all recently, so at the time I was into them none of the possible racist/sexist undertones caught my attention. My parents got me Felicity way back in the day when there were only 4 of them.. I guess because I'm from Virginia and like horseback riding? I would've preferred Josefina, though granted, she wasn't around back then. I remember at some point I met Valerie Tripp (author of a bunch of the books) at a "tea party" at a bookstore but I don't remember anything of interest that took place there, except you were required to bring one of the dolls and it was recommended (not officially, maybe just by the mother of the friend I went with, though I can't remember) that we wear matching outfits, and I was sad because I didn't have any of Felicity's clothes in my size. So I wore my sister's Kirsten winter outfit, and carried Felicity in her pretty white spring dress, and got some weird looks. ohh the trials and tribulations of second grade.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

I do think some of her assertions are a little over the top, but a lot of her points are sounds. I am a casual doll collector, and for the last couple of years Addy has been the next on my wishlist.

I always liked Valerie Tripp's writing, although my favorite author, who was loosely affiliated with AG for a while, is Marissa Moss ~ the author of the Amelia's Notebook series. (I almost called this blog Amelia's Notebook). I like Molly a lot better than the folks over at kittikattie's blog do ~ she's the first I got. But I have to admit, my favorite clothes are Josefina's and Felicity's. My sister has the old Felicity doll ~ I cannot begin to express my rancor at the way they darkened her hair from the original ginger.

Glad you liked my links! ;)

[luinmir.livejournal.com]

Boo artificial pupil dilation! (Hooray beer...?)

I hate the big lens-y mask. I can never decide which one is clearer.

Yay for Dominic Deegan! I myself was wondering the other day about his orc language.

Interesting stuff about the American Girl dolls. I never was into them. I only played with them once, when I gigglingly undressed a couple of my friend's dolls. Strong homosexual overtones to that memory.

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Hooray beer!

Actually, I hate beer in general, but the commercials are great.

Someday I'll post more about my dolls. I've been a total nut for them since I was eight. I don't share nearly as much of her anger with AG: I believe the ideal of the company is a very honorable one, and I also give them credit for trying to rectify their initial hiccups. (But don't get me started on the changes Mattel made. They may have introduced a Native American, but beyond that the company really sank after they bought it. Bastards.) I also have dolls from other short-lived companies that followed in AG's footsteps, including one that I designed myself back when the design-your-own-doll phase was briefly popular. I tell people I'm one of very few amateur authors to have an 18 1/2 inch vinyl doll of one of my characters. Maybe someday I'll post pictures.

[pixel39.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough, I too had an eye appointment on Thursday morning. I spent the rest of the day wearing very dark sunglasses.

[crazykawaii.livejournal.com]

So I've been reading Dominic Deegan for the past few hours (well, except the hours when I went out dancing, but whatever!) and it's awesome. Thanks for linking it!

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Glad you like it. It's pretty cool! I have to admit, I especially was interested in Stonewater and Melna's past together ~ it's a bit contrived, but it's still a very interesting setup.

[crazykawaii.livejournal.com]

I agree. It is a bit convenient, but it's interesting counterpoint to a usually black-and-white topic.

Now that I've read through all the archives, however, I'm disappointed that the plot starts to skew towards melodrama and saving the world rather than puns :(

[padparadscha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's gotten a bit of criticism over the melodrama. He says to bear with him and it'll fade soon, and since the archive suggests that he swings from melodrama to puns often, I'm not particularly worried that this is a new trend.