#tomework

Personal Post (apologies in advance)

It’s amazing how the older you get the more time seems to slip away from you. Maybe I need to change some things in my life but to be honest I’m not really happy right now. Life is miserable. The pandemic killed what little social life I did have. I have problems in my relationship that don’t seem to have a solution. I value him and my relationship above all else, yet there are things I need to sacrifice that mean sacrificing part of my own happiness. Maybe it’s selfish of me to not want to give up my happiness simply to be in a relationship. I’ve never met a man I love more than him and every day I’m with him I somehow learn to love him all over again. The time we spend together is the best time of my life and the memories we’ve made are ones I’ll cherish for the rest of time regardless. I’ve built this life that doesn’t feel fulfilling. I want to read and write more, that seems to help, but I can’t supplement all of my happiness in life. I know it’s on me to make the changes and do the work, but I’m afraid of what that will mean for the people in my life. I’ve been used and abused most of my life and I’ve finally created a space for myself where I feel comfortable in my own skin and with the people I surround myself with. I’m afraid that if I stand my ground or make some of these changes that I will lose some of those people around me and I don’t want that to happen. I don’t want to be alone again.

The perfect pair from the same book store, although I had to hunt to find this match.

“The Abolition of Prison” by Jacques Lesage de La Haye (translated by Scott Branson)

Again I know very little about this book other than it’s a French piece from a well known intellectual. The abolition of the prison system would be extraordinarily profound.

As of a couple of years ago I read in the book “The New Jim Crow” that while the United States made up less than FIVE percent of the world’s overall population, we accounted for well OVER a whopping TWENTY-FIVE percent of the world’s entire prison population. It never sat right with me. I think about that statistic every day and wonder how it’s changed in recent years.

Certainly a hot topic right now.

“The End of Policing” by Alex S. Vitale

“The problem is not police training, police diversity, or police methods. The problem is the dramatic and unprecedented expansion and intensity of policing in the last forty years, a fundamental shift in the role of police in society. The problem is policing itself.”

Again, hand in hand with a lot of the other books currently added to my bookshelves. The need to study intersectionality and how it affects all aspects of our lives from the way we conduct business, to the way we socialize, to the way we’ve allowed the police to evolve into a borderline military industrial complex. We border on living in a police run state.

The problem with that is the origins on the police force and basically how it never really evolved, it just learned to cover its tracks. And boy did it cover its tracks POORLY.

Only a couple books left from “Independent Bookstore Day”!!

“So you want to talk about race” by Ijeoma Oluo

I have yet to crack this one but I’ve considered buying it for a while. Pair this with some of the other books I’ve reviewed and posted about here and you’ll be on your way to a more diverse perspective.

As a white ally I know I can always be better. A big part of that is listening to, and uplifting, those around me, and those who are oppressed. This book helps open the door to that conversation.

This is a rather fascinating read. It’s a cocktail recipe book, and a bit more than that.

“Field Guide to Hendrick’s: Vol. Two”

I love Hendrick’s gin and I have every bottle so far from their cabinet of curiosities. This was on the shelf of a used bookstore for like $2 so of course I had to!!

Various recipes for cocktails, a little bit of history on Hendrick’s, and some other interesting information. Honestly a darn good deal.

It’s a “mystery” book kind of day I guess.

The descriptions on the wrapped book read the following:

“These are ghost stories in a sense, but they won’t scare you. They might make you cry though.”

“Read this if you enjoy short fiction that haunts you!”

This is also a local Michigan author!!

“Apparition & Late Fictions” by Thomas Lynch

So as the description for the “date with a book” plates read, these are stories that will haunt you and probably make you cry. I’ve made it partway through the first one and it revolves around the death of a parent. I will have to assume that most of these deal with death of a loved one and the reconciliation of such an event.

The “mystery” mystery novel for a whopping $2. No description, no nothing just a book wrapped in paper

“Lying in Wait” by J.A. Jance

No idea what this book is about, no idea if I’ll actually read it, no idea if I’ll even keep it. I know nothing about this book it was just an impulse mystery buy.

On my “want to read” list and will be reading sooner rather than later.

“Tintin in the Land of the Soviets” by Hergé

Ok so I was raised on the Tintin comics and I’ve NEVER heard of this one before. My mom had the Tintin comics growing up. My grandpa traveled Europe and would always bring home some Tintin comics as his gift to them.

We have all of them, or so I thought. Until I found this one on independent bookstore day and I just HAD to buy it. Not published in the United States until 2007 as far as I can tell.

I actually started reading this as soon as I got home. So it’s being added to my “currently reading” list

“My Best Friend’s Exorcism” by Grady Hendrix

An 80s themed horror comedy?? Absolutely. Also the cover, the cover makes the whole book for me I really feel like I’m about to experience a true classic horror novel. I really hope this lives up to the hype because it will easily be one of my all time favorite books.

Stay tuned for more on this one!!

Ok let’s start here I guess? More of a novelty procurement than anything else.

“The Lesser Key of Solomon” by S.L. MacGregor Mathers & Aleister Crowley

I don’t subscribe to western religion or Christianity. I’ve found bits and pieces of things that make sense to me from various classes of religious thought and yet none as a whole make sense to me. So why not dive into some hermetic texts too?

**LONG POST ALERT**

Yesterday was “Independent Bookstore Day” and I was able to hit five of at least eight locally owned and operated bookstores in my area.

Socialight Society — at the Lansing Mall in Lansing, MI this local bookstore uplifts black and female voices in literature. I absolutely love this place, it’s beautifully designed and laid out. A great selection of books from the classics, to lifestyle, religion, young adult and children’s books, and more!!

The Resistance — a relatively new book store selling both new and used books in pretty much every category and genre you can think of. The Resistance is a community based bookstore that willingly rents out their space, FOR FREE, to local organizations, book clubs, and groups. They also carry what they call community credit so that nobody walks out of the store without a book. Can’t afford it? Don’t worry about it, take the book. Read it. There’s a line of community credit to cover the expense of books for individuals that might not be able to regularly have access to their own books and resources. Probably my favorite spot of all time. Ever. Favorite bookstore hands down.

Wayfaring Booksellers — a new and used bookstore operating out of one of those micro-markets, you know the flea market style one where everyone has their own space/booth in a shared building? Yeah I love this place too. It’s tiny but packed to the gills with books. First editions, classical editions, new books, used books, art books, fiction and non fiction, there’s so much packed into such a small space!! Also they do punch cards so every 10 books gets you 10% off your next purchase. How can you turn down a rewards program for books??

The Robin Books — umm I didn’t even know this place existed until yesterday?? It’s a tiny bookstore inside the local community theatre that’s only open two days a week for like six hours a day. Beautiful little bookstore and theatre, some amazing books and a surprisingly large selection. For a first visit it was overwhelming I will have to be back for further investigation.

Deadtime Stories — boasting the nations ONLY truly true crime bookstore. They carry nothing but true crime novels, books on serial killers, and all kinds of stuff like that. Definitely unique and you will find basically anything crime related here. If you ever make it to mid-Michigan it is worth a stop.

On my “want to read” list and even my “still need to buy” list.

“Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

I know nothing about this book other than what the cover says. Doesn’t matter, I’m hooked and I want to read it. Historically we have ignored almost every native group and the knowledge they amassed as their own individual civilization.

Here in the grand old United States of America (again just DRIPPING with sarcasm) we have almost taken pride in the fact that we suppress the indigenous groups of the lands we occupy. It’s disturbing. Our neighbor Canada is currently being swept up in a massive scandal revolving around the mass deaths of children up there that was covered up for decades.

As a whole humanity needs to do better at respecting other cultures and the nuances that surround them. People have developed their own civilizations and we should be thrilled that there is so much diversity in the world.

Another one I’m currently reading.

“How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence” by Michael Pollan

Back in the 50s and 60s psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and LSD were actually seen as helpful tools into understanding the human brain. Somewhere along the line it got a bad wrap with rumors of bad trips, people committing suicide while under the influence of these substances, and even the idea that someone would permanently lose their mind if they were to ever consume these compounds.

In recent years, starting back in the 90s, psychedelics made a come back in the mental health field. Credited with helping treat anxiety, depression, addiction and more in minuscule “micro-doses”, LSD and the active psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, have slowly regained their reputation as being something almost spiritual.

It’s gone so far as for the federal government to allow the import of foreign psychedelic compounds and substances that naturally produce said substances like “ayahuasca” from Central and South America for religious purposes. These religious ties to psychedelic compounds has opened a lot of doors for those interested in the science and spirituality of psychedelics.

It’s been a few since I added some books. I was on vacation and then getting adjusted back to work.

Starting back up with one I’m currently reading,

“Radical Suburbs: Experimental Living on the Fringes of the American City” by Amanda Kolson Hurley

Are the suburbs really that white? Did you know that in the last few years, after DECADES of stagnation, American Cities suburbs have grown more diverse than the inner cities? Did you know that as of late most immigrants coming to this country skip the city all together for the suburbs?

Amanda Hurley tackles the history and out of date assumptions revolving around American Suburbs. So far it’s been a rather interesting read. Rather short if I’m being honest but packed full of information.

Again, another comic unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

“Mother F. Goose” by Frank Tieri, Joe Eisma, Matt Herma, and Carlos M. Mangual

Just gave this one a quick flip through but had to buy this one. Good lort. The cover says it all. Mature readers only.

This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.

“Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts” by Anthony Bourdain, Joel Rose and other top horror comic artists

This is incredible, absolutely incredible. A collection of different horror comics, but still connected by an overarching theme. All the stories revolve around food…or consumption(?) at the very least.

A table of chefs sit around eating and take turns telling ghost stories. Kinda cool, and unique. Real unique. If you have a chance to check it out go for it, for mature readers only.

Ok, so far I think this is wildly underrated in all things old school Marvel.

“Marvel Superheroes: Secret Wars”

This surrounds a variety of superheroes, and a variety of supervillains, being abducted from earth and transported to a newly terraformed planet seemingly made up of various other planets.

Pitched against each other by an unknown entity it’s a clash of titans. Comparably the older comics are a bit, well, obtuse. But the concept here is awesome and even back then they killed it with this one.

Still trying to finish it but always reading and buying new books so sometimes things move to the back burner for a little bit.

Let’s skip back to my graphic novels/comic books for today. Starting with,

“Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts” by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko made the OG Marvel superheroes I grew up. Old school comics. I was never really into Dr. Strange back in the day but recently started to expand my comic repertoire.

This is the first collection of Dr. Strange comics. I know there are a couple more so I’ll get there. For now I start here, and with the rest of my comics.

Let’s wrap up today with another game manual.

“Star Trek Adventure” from Modiphius

This came fresh off a kickstarter to my local comic book shop. I’m a total Trekkie, sci-fi junkie, and really want to get into TTRPGs so this was absolutely perfect.

This game is slightly different from what most people expect from an RPG because it’s a 2d20 system, so you really only use six sided dice and twenty sided dice. Based solely on Star Trek but pulling from all the shows, movies, books, and more from what I can tell. It’s incredibly thorough.

With Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma Quadrant supplements as well as Command, Science, and Operations supplements this game will literally turn you into a fully fledged Star Fleet officer. A Klingon Core Rulebook, two hardcover collections of campaigns, a gamemaster’s guide and a player’s guide, the newest Shackleton Expanse Supplement, and the constantly updated live campaign from their website these game is incredible.

If you love Star Trek and love TTRPGs this game is for you.