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@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ I'm also justifying my recent exorbitant spending on my office as a way to stop
## Reading
Most of my reading from here on out is going to be prep work for my college class and for the coming school year. I read through all of *Speak* by Laurie Halse Anderson, which I'm glad to say is as good as I remember it — it was a favorite of mine as a teen. I also recently learned that there's a graphic novel version that I'd like to get my hands on one day. Frankly, I'd love to teach this book one day in the classroom (not for a college course) — even if it is dated in terms of publication year (the themes are perennial) — but that's not really possible with the age group that I teach right now.
My next read is *All Boys Aren't Blue* by George Matthew Johnson, which I'm about halfway through. I think it's an essential book in the current YA landscape, even if cloyingly self-important in spots. I'm happy to have it in my syllabus and am generally enjoying it, though I expected something far more controversial given the ire it has attracted. Johnson explains elementary concepts around racism, homophobia, and patriarchy with simple language and remarkable patience to make the text accessible for young people and those beginning their journeys toward confronting their biases, but as someone who has been steeped in those ideas for over a decade now, it all feels a little too basic.
My next read is *All Boys Aren't Blue* by George Matthew Johnson, which I'm about halfway through. I think it's an essential book in the current YA landscape, even if cloyingly self-important in spots. I'm happy to have it in my syllabus and am generally enjoying it, though I expected something far more controversial given the ire it has attracted. Johnson explains elementary concepts around racism, homophobia, and patriarchy with simple language and remarkable patience to make the text accessible for young people and those beginning their journeys toward confronting their biases, but as someone who has been steeped in those ideas for over a decade now, it all feels a little too basic. That's more about me than a critique of the book, of course; it knows its audience and serves it well — I'm just not the target.[^5]
I'm also refreshing myself on chapters from *Literature for Young Adults: Books (and More) for Contemporary Readers* by Joan L. Knickerbocker and James A. Rycik, which is our textbook for the course and is about as exciting as it sounds (though useful). I know *The House on Mango Street* by Sandra Cisneros well enough that I was able to plan from memory, but I pulled two poems from *Silent Dancing: A Partial Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood* by Judith Ortiz Cofer to pair with it. I first read the better part of *Silent Dancing* in undergrad — I think for a world lit class — and really loved it; the title story is particularly resonant and haunting. I'd like to go back and read it in full when I'm less bogged down with work.
I'm also refreshing myself on chapters from *Literature for Young Adults: Books (and More) for Contemporary Readers* by Joan L. Knickerbocker and James A. Rycik, which is our textbook for the course and is about as exciting as it sounds (though useful). I've been reading a *lot* of supplementary materials and research articles to pair with the novels, too. I know *The House on Mango Street* by Sandra Cisneros well enough that I was able to plan from memory, but I pulled two poems from *Silent Dancing: A Partial Remembrance of a Puerto Rican Childhood* by Judith Ortiz Cofer to pair with it. I first read the better part of *Silent Dancing* in undergrad — I think for a world lit class — and really loved it; the title story is particularly resonant and haunting. I'd like to go back and read it in full when I'm less bogged down with work.
## Watching
Joe and I are still watching old seasons of *Survivor* — we're on *Caramoan* right now. There are no returning players for 50 on it, but we enjoyed *South Pacific*, and I see *Caramoan* as kind of part two of that season. We're still following [Austin Walker's Let's Play of *Knights of the Old Republic II* ](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzb96hSa04DPbyVmGawLPUYr9DUG99k8Q) and then watching [Friends at the Table Ali's *Mistria* Mondays](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIAGhNc7IWXxCHc55BwOsuTgMrDM8smSU) when we need turn off our brain content. I've pushed into season four of *Downton Abbey*, but it's losing its luster. I would like to maybe finish it, though... again, maybe when I'm less busy with work.
@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Joe and I are still watching old seasons of *Survivor* — we're on *Caramoan* r
I watched [a pretty bad short film called *Speak* (2016)](https://vimeo.com/153657125?share=copy) — I was hoping to maybe find resources for my college class on pairing film with books that wasn't just the actual *Speak* film adaptation with Kristen Stewart, but this won't cut it. I rewatched *that* and found enough for my purposes. I remember thinking it was a great adaptation when I saw it as a teen, but on rewatching it, you can tell it's a Lifetime flick. It was stunning to see Bart Bass as Mr. Neck, however.
## Playing
I'm back on my *Fields of Mistria* bullshit now that we're home. At this point, I've exhausted a lot of the content currently available, which isn't a bad place to be — I've *seen* just about everything (except heart events, which I really don't interact with in these types of games) and now can focus on 100%ing things and beautifying my farm. There's still a few things that will unlock at higher town ranks, and I can keep looking forward to the regular updates.
I'm back on my *Fields of Mistria* bullshit. At this point, I've exhausted a lot of the content currently available, which isn't a bad place to be — I've *seen* just about everything (except heart events, which I really don't interact with in these types of games) and now can focus on 100%ing things and beautifying my farm. There's still a few things that will unlock at higher town ranks, and I can keep looking forward to the regular updates.
I picked up *Baldur's Gate 3* again when my new monitor came in so that I could see something that isn't just pixel art. I'm in early Act 3, but I feel a bit frustrated and disillusioned with the game. I feel constantly as though I'm missing out on things, I save scum every roll, and I'm looking up every decision I make for its ramifications. I know I need to just trust the playthrough and let things unfold naturally, but I'm also obsessed with having the best possible outcomes and seeing everything — the game is *so long* that I don't see myself replaying it any time soon. I'm also just fatigued with it, in a way. I thought time away from it would help, but it hasn't. There are so many running storylines, and I'm so ready for an end to be in sight, but I know that, in all likelihood, I have a good 20 hours left ahead of me. I also know I've missed out on two stories — one relatively minor, the other really fucking major — due to the game's frankly baffling design decisions. Long, deep games are a good thing when you're in the mood for it, but I'm ready to just be done — I love so much of what is here, but I also feel like I'm fighting against the game.
@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ I also listened to [Outside the Lobby]([https://pca.st/5wv7133q](https://pca.st/
I also listened to [*I Love My Computer* by Ninajirachi](https://ninajirachi.bandcamp.com/album/i-love-my-computer), which fucking bangs. Recommended for fans of Charli XCX's earlier, more PC music-adjacent era[^4], and general hyperpop/EDM folks. Listen to "Fuck My Computer," "Delete," and "All I Am" for a taste of what the whole album is like; I'm particularly enamored with "Sing Good," but the whole album feels like an ode to teenage creativity and terminally online behavior, for which I am squarely in the audience.
[^1]: I've been slowly cutting down on my Amazon purchasing — I'm hoping to be almost entirely off of it soon — but I don't have any brick and mortar electronics stores around me aside from Walmart, which feels like a lateral move... and a bitch needs a discount every now and then.
[^2]: Ideally I would be doing no work outside of the school day, but that's not the reality of teaching — and also I am a workaholic and perfectionist. Let me live.
[^3]: I hate this term but I can't think of anything better to use right now.
[^4]: I love *brat* and believe it brought PC Music's innovative sound to the mainstream, but that also works against it: it's somewhat diluted compared to the bizarre, abstract, creative shit that PC Music and similar artists put out over the years.
[^4]: I love *brat* and believe it brought PC Music's innovative sound to the mainstream, but that also works against it: it's somewhat diluted compared to the bizarre, abstract, creative shit that PC Music and similar artists put out over the years.
[^5]: Not all media is for you! That's okay!