Busy Busy

I don't like that during the summer I try to get back on this blogging thing and try to get into the habit of doing it regularly I manage to fail at it. I'm not sure exactly why I'm finding the time hard to get, but there you have it. In positive news, though, I have a reason for the past few days. I've been frantically working on finishing my story for submission to Coming Together: Arm in Arm in Arm, an anthology of tentacle erotica with proceeds going to ocean conservation. I initially took to the task of writing my entry for the challenge: I've never written anything remotely like what the call for submissions requests but I figured it would be worth a try. I don't quite know how I'll feel if my story winds up published. It's a bit weird. I'll try to get back to this more often.

Feminist Frequency: a Kickstarter Project I can get behind

Anita Sarkeesian has a Kickstarter Project going to raise money to fund the production of a large video series on sexism in video games. This is a discussion that needs to happen. Part of my reason for backing this project relates to a torrent of hate so large that it makes Noah's flood look like a leaky faucet. For daring to turn a critical eye toward their hobby, the community of gamers has cried foul in their foulest words. This response is all the proof the world needs that Anita is doing the right thing. The casual racism, homophobia, and sexism pervading the comments as well as the higher level harassment she has received all serve to demonstrate that the gaming community does have some very deeply rooted problems with those who are not straight white males. Anyone who is Other is an invader, an unwelcome presence, who must be shamed for daring to enter the hobby. This response demonstrates that the issues Anita will discuss in her Tropes vs. Women in Video Games and those she has discussed in her other videos do make a difference. These issues help perpetuate a system in which women, gays, and minorities are put down and denigrated merely for existing. I don't really know right now how to put into words everything I feel about this. I can hardly fathom how anybody would find it acceptable to do what has been done to Anita here. I can't understand the people who make excuses for the people doing this. Anita has far surpassed her funding goal. She had far surpassed it by the time I found out about the project. That should not matter. Pledging should be a matter of principle at this point. So if you read this, please consider making a pledge to show your support of Anita's efforts to engage gamers in a rational and level-headed manner about a very important subject. The project concludes on Saturday Jun 16, 3:09 A.M. EDT.

And I slip on the posting

Looks like I have slipped my schedule a bit. I have a good reason, though, I swear. I've finally settled in from spending much of the past month working on moving out of my place in my college town. We are now living with my fiancee's uncle until we can move down to my shiny new university. I don't have very much to report about this time. Other than moving, I've been working and doing my part in planning the wedding. We've got much of the planning set, which is good. Not so good is the having money part of things. Still need to work on that part. I've acquired a number of new coins which are making me very happy. I've also been mulling over thoughts about aspects of Dune, Foundation, and Don Quixote that mesh well together and might make for an interesting paper. I will leave you for now and return soon with something of actual substance.