Roar Cat Reads

Author: Trish

  • How Can I Find a Safe and Comfortable D&D Group if I’m a Queer Lady?

    How Can I Find a Safe and Comfortable D&D Group if I’m a Queer Lady?

    Dear Roar Cat is an advice column for questions about D&D. Send in your questions to roarcatreads@gmail.com.

    How Can I Find a Safe and Comfortable D&D Group if I’m a Queer Lady?

    Dear Roar Cat,

    I want to get into Dungeons and Dragons, but as a queer woman, I don’t always feel comfortable in what I call “nerd bro” spaces. How can I find people to play with if I don’t want to just walk into a gaming store?

    -I Just Want to Kick the Door Down

    Dear I Just Want to Kick the Door Down,

    As a queer lady myself, I want to start by saying I get it. Although a lot of nerdy spaces are female-friendly and gay-positive, it only takes one weird look or some unwanted attention to put you off even trying.

    Unfortunately, you ARE going to have to try. Joining a new group is always a little awkward, so the first step will be to embrace the awkward and put yourself out there regardless. It will be worth it, I promise!

    The good news is, there are lot of friendly queer spaces online and IRL. Start with some of the groups that you are already a part of: Are you in a book club? Do you have a nerdy group chat? It doesn’t hurt to ask them if anyone wants to try a one-off game of D&D. You might be surprised at who has a secret history with role playing games.

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    Personally, I have found friends in two unusual online spaces: I met my current D&D group on Meetup. I joined a group called “Vancouver Nerdy Ladies Club” and started a conversation saying that I was interested in starting an all-ladies D&D group. A couple people responded, friends were added, and it’s now we’ve been playing together for two years.

    I also met a friend through a Patreon forum. I joined a group that was focused on queer nerdy content and started a conversation, saying I was new to Vancouver and asking if anyone wanted to hang out. I met a girl who is still my friend two years later – we even started a podcast together!

    My point is, make your intentions known and get creative with online platforms.

    Alternatively, you have found Roar Cat Reads! Both Rachel and Tricia are professional DMs and run sessions for just $12.50/person for a 2-3 hour session. Send us an email at roarcatreads@gmail.com if you’re interested in hiring us!

    Level up,

    Roar Cat

    Common Sense and Sensibility: A Regency Lady TTRPG

    “It is exceedingly well known that the life of a lady is far from easy. Death raises its grisly visage at every turn: whether from shawl insufficiency or too many novels, a Regency-era lady can never be too cautious.”

    In Roar Cat Reads’ original TTRPG character funnel, Regency ladies will test their delicate mettle and try to stay alive. This handbook lays out the game’s core rules, character creation instructions, and a list of the surprisingly mundane events that can test a lady’s constitution.

    Download your FREE copy at our Ko-Fi shop.

  • I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

    I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver

    When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they’re thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents’ rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.

    But Ben’s attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan’s friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.

    At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity. 

    Goodreads

    A coming of age coming out novel that handles the fear of being fully yourself with patience. It stresses the importance of finding safe people to be your foundation so that you can better survive the spaces and people who are less safe (or actively dangerous).

    Ben begins the story at their lowest moment, having just been kicked out of their house after telling their parents that they are nonbinary. I can tell I am old because I just wanted to cuddle them and make everything okay for this tiny precious child. In a nice twist of the “found family” story, Ben finds a family…in their estranged older sister. It was a joy to see the two of them reconnecting and building a new relationship while addressing the pain of their initial separation (which had more to do with their parents than each other).

    Ben finds family in other ways too, of course. I loved the role of the Internet in Ben’s life. It is through Internet role models and community that Ben is able to label themselves nonbinary, and the friends they make online are a support throughout the book. Queer folx often find community online, so this felt very true. But I did like that they eventually joined an in-person support group as well.

    As for those parents…ugh. They are awful in very realistic ways. The dad is just pure bigotry with an utter lack of desire to understand his child. The scene where he condescendingly says, “Now who’s misgendering someone?” to Ben just reeked of smug superiority. It is infuriating and heartbreaking. The mom is more subtly bigoted. She wants to love her child, but under terms that she understands. I do feel a bit sympathetic toward her; I wonder what her reaction might have been if she were married to someone different.

    The romance in this book is adorable, and the chemistry between Ben and Nathan is SO CUTE. However, I have a gripe. No matter how anxious and insecure Ben is, could they REALLY doubt Nathan’s feelings toward them? Nathan overtly flirts with Ben from day one, holding their hand, repeatedly saying they are handsome and cute. I mean, come on!! Teenage boys do not do that sort of thing with their friends. Still…so cute.

    The last thing I’ll note is that I really liked that the book allowed space for people close to Ben to mess up. Sometimes people slipped and called them something masculine. Ben’s inner monologue let’s us know that they are hurt by this, but they model healthy relationships by pointing out instances of misgendering and allowing people to apologize and learn. I think these depictions can help those of us who identify as cisgender to enter into conversations and relationships with nonbinary folx with a little more confidence.

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 3 RECAP – Power Broker

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 3 RECAP – Power Broker

    Episode three of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is fun enough, full of explosions, fights, and familiar faces. But we didn’t learn a lot or advance the plot. They’ve only got three episodes left…I’m not really sure what they’re trying to do with this show.

    We start with New Cap searching for leads on the rogue super soldiers. He rages when the person they raid spits in his face, screaming, “Do you know who I am?” Smells like toxic masculinity to me. The only redeeming thing is Hoskins’ bulletproof vest with the star motif.

    Bucky visits Zemo in prison, and it’s terrible. He apologizes for using Bucky in Captain America: Civil War by saying, “You were a means to a necessary end.” Endless crying; that’s the story of Bucky’s life.

    Bucky and Sam argue about whether to break Zemo out of prison. Except the argument is useless, because he already escaped. Scenes like these always alarm me, because they make it seem very easy to break out of prison. Zemo is very rich, and he rocks a fun fur collared coat. Apparently his plane and butler were on standby waiting for him to escape prison, which is very nice of them.

    While they’re traveling to Madripoor, Zemo needles Bucky, reading from his atonement list. Turns out that’s the same notebook that Steve had, and my heart shatters a little bit. We also get another interesting comment on race relations, with Sam telling Bucky that Marvin Gaye is beloved and Zemo whitesplaining black culture to Bucky.

    Madripoor is a rad city; formerly a pirate haven, currently a very colorful, diverse, and vaguely intimidating city Southeast Asia. Is this a real place? Google says no, and also that it’s the MCU’s first step toward the X-Men. As the three men walk through the city streets, graffiti reads, “Power Broker is watching.” At first I assumed Zemo would turn out to be the Power Broker in a long con sort of situation, but if this is supposed to tie in with X-Men, maybe it’s Wolverine? That would be rad! No one tell me; I like not knowing what’s going to happen next.

    Sam has to drink snake guts and Bucky has to recreate his violent past in order to gain access to Selby, a badass older woman with short white hair! I instantly love her, which is too bad because she is murdered after Sam’s phone rings and his sister calls him by a name other than his alias. I’m glad we got to touch base with Sarah, but I really hope we get to see more of her soon. They’re globetrotting in a way that makes me doubtful.

    (Also, it was explicitly shown that Bucky was filmed acting like the Winter Soldier. I assume this will not be good for him in his rehabilitation program.)

    Sharon saves the day by killing Selby (RIP) and everyone else. Turns out, no one thought to clear her name after she helped Steve and Sam, which is…pretty bad. She fled to Madripoor and turned to a life of crime. I like her so much more in this tv show than in Civil War.

    She takes them to a secret lab hidden in a storage container, where Nagal the scientist admits that he made 20 vials of super soldier serum, but that Karli stole them all, putting her on the Power Broker’s hit list. How did she know about the program in the first place?

    While they’re talking, Sharon takes on all of the bounty hunters in Madripoor who have amazingly shown up simultaneously! She does look really badass righting, though, and I assume everyone has now joined me in loving her? The violence doesn’t stop! Zemo kills Nagal. The places blows up! Zemo escapes. The place blows up some more! Zemo puts on a mask and there is even more blowing up. Wow. This is an action show, guys, did you know?

    Sharon won’t come with them, and Bucky refuses to move his seat forward for Sam, in a nice callback to the moment that their frenemies relationship began.

    Sam and Bucky are still hung up on Captain America’s shield, and Bucky says he would have taken it before giving it to New Cap. Sam says he thinks he ought to have destroyed the shield. Sounds like some Flag Smasher talk there, Sam! I like it.

    New Cap thinks Bucky and Sam busted Zemo out and tells Hoskin they are going to go rogue too. I assume this will be a bad thing, but it’s hard to judge him for it when our stars have just loosed a baddie into the world with seemingly no plan to bring him back to prison.

    Karli has been having a hard day at the Resettlement Camp. A woman has died of tuberculosis (I guess because the camps are overpopulated), and she raids food supplies from somewhere that had six months supplies just sitting there. She and her friend with the cheekbones try to humanize the super soldiers to us, but then Karli blows up the building because “that’s the only language they understand.” Oh Karli.

    In Latvia, Bucky breaks off from Sam and Zemo to pick up tiny balls with runes carved in them. I did not recognize them at all and genuinely gasped when a woman from Wakanda showed up. (She is apparently Ayo, a renegade Dora Milaje who fell in love with Aneka – are we about to get some lesbian Wakandans up in here??? YES PLEASE.) We are left eagerly awaiting more Black Panther tie-ins until next week!

    This was very much a Bucky episode, though I wish we had gone a little deeper into how he is being affected by playing the Winter Soldier role. I assume we will find out in future episodes. I also hope we shift the focus back to Sam. I am a huge Bucky Barnes fan, but this show is doing a lot to interrogate black people in the MCU and in America more broadly, and Sam deserves the spotlight.

  • Terraforming Mars

    Terraforming Mars

    A Tabletop Game Review

    (1-5 players, 1-2 hour gameplay)

    Terraforming Mars is a literal world-building game that creates a pace and domino effect of changes that feels accurate.  Fun for one player or a group, this game rewards strategy at increasing levels of difficulty depending upon how many of the rewards you count toward final scores.

    I first played Terraforming Mars with a low level of interest.  There were so many pieces and the tracking system for my organization’s money, iron, plants, heat, etc. looked overwhelming.  But when I played a couple rounds, I was hooked. The thing that got me most was the fact that the gameplay felt real. When you draw cards, some are immediately playable.  Others require that the planet’s oxygen and heat be at a certain level. After all, mining can begin immediately when developing a dead planet, but animals are not going to be able to survive until the basics are taken care of.

    Because there are limitations on what you can do when, the beginning of the game is slow.  Each player can likely only perform one or two actions before passing to the next. But as heat rises and terraformed plant tiles increase the planet’s oxygen (not to mention as your money intake grows), you can perform more and more actions.  These in turn speed up the rate at which the planet is developing, until by the end, all players are scrambling to accomplish all their goals before Mars is fully terraformed. At that point, scores are totaled based upon the number of cities you founded and whether they touch greenery, which feels like a realistic goal for a game about making a planet habitable.

    The fact that the system feels real and is, I assume, well-researched, continues when you move beyond the beginner corporations and try the game with specific organizations targeted to certain goals.  For instance, my pick was a mining corporation, which made the costs of mining actions lower. This led to faster expansion and more money, which ultimately won out over my partner’s attempts to push plants.  But in another round with different cards being drawn, the outcome could be totally different.

    Together with the fact that there are expansions to Terraforming Mars, the number of corporations you can play as and the amount of action cards available make this game incredibly replayable.  

    Pros:  

    1. Chill and Competitive.  There are rarely opportunities to directly attack your fellow gamers, and you indirectly help each other by raising temperature and oxygen levels.  The competition primarily comes from building your own successful system, which is only fully realized when score counting. As a person who values non-aggressive competition, this game was perfect for me.
    2. Realistic.  I mean, I haven’t terraformed Mars.  Nor has anyone else, so who knows if this actually is realistic.  But it’s very well thought out, and this makes the game feel immersive.
    3. Play Alone or With People.  My girlfriend played Terraforming Mars solo, and she said it was just as enjoyable as playing with others.  Alone, you are racing against the clock, and she said it felt impossible right up until the last couple rounds, which was just the kind of drama you feel when competing against others.

    Cons:  

    1. There are a lot of tiny game pieces needed to track all of your resources.  This isn’t a huge deal, but I could see people with children or pets getting into some trouble here.
    2. We haven’t played with all of the corporations, but some do feel more easily winnable than the others.  More playtime will reveal if this is true!

    I recommend Terraforming Mars to game players who love strategy, science, and the satisfaction of a series of decisions paying off in big rewards.

    Have you played Terraforming Mars?  
    Share your thoughts in the comments below!

  • Realizing You’re Queer When You’re 30

    Realizing You’re Queer When You’re 30

    When I was first starting to realize that I might not be entirely straight, I went to the Internet to find stories that might help me understand what I was feeling. There weren’t many. I hope this blog post will help change that.

    Realizing You’re Queer When You’re 30

    When I was 30, I didn’t know I was queer. I had just moved to Vancouver, and I was in awe of how openly gay and accepting the city was. I sent my brother pictures of church signs that welcomed LGBT people with captions like, “Can you believe it!?” When I came out to him later that year, he said he wasn’t surprised. Among other things, he noted my excitement about a thing that seemingly didn’t affect me.

    Is This a Friend Crush?

    When I put out the call to a Meetup group that I was looking to join a women’s D&D group, Rachel was one of the people who responded. During the first session, there was electricity between us as our creativity and humor bounced back and forth. I have a friend crush! I told several people, entirely unironically. It never crossed my mind that the ex she mentioned was a woman, and my gaydar was so undeveloped that her butch aesthetic never registered to me as gay.

    It was almost a month later that she explicitly labeled the ex as a woman, and I realized she was a lesbian. I did some quick recalculations in my head. Did this change my friendship crush? To my surprise, I asked myself, “What if this isn’t a friendship crush? What if it’s just a crush?” Within a week, I had journaled myself into the ground and come away with the fact I was most comfortable admitting: I was not entirely straight.

    Re-Evaluating the Past

    In hindsight, I was never entirely straight. Despite identifying as a heterosexual for three decades, I have never dated a man. I’ve gone on dates, but I preferred by far the delicious agony of pining after someone unattainable. The few times that physical intimacy was a possibility, my body went rigid. However, that was easily explainable. I grew up in conservative evangelicalism with purity and modesty culture. In fact, I thrived in it, since I have always loved rules and the security of knowing I’ve followed them. There is a part of me that wants to blame all of my repressed sexuality on this: I’ve always been gay, but I was indoctrinated to the point of not realizing! There is truth to this, I think. But I was also a socially anxious, awkward human who both craved and feared intimacy and vulnerability.

    When I parse through the interplay of religion and sexuality in my past, some things do stand out. Perhaps most importantly, I did not know any women who identified as lesbians or as bisexual. My older cousin was gay, and I’m grateful for the courage he showed in coming out to a Midwest God-fearing family. But that wasn’t exactly encouraging to me. Instead, I was witness to family members arguing about where the line between loving a person and hating their sin fell in regards to attending a gay wedding.

    Almost ridiculously, there is one specific moment from my teenage years that might have been the most important tipping point of all. In my senior year, I became friends with a girl who was smart, funny, and super cute. We spent all of our time together and took pictures of us hanging all over each other, although admittedly, this wasn’t unusual for teenage girls. Something about her felt different, though, and in a fit of fear, I brought it up to my mom.

    “I think I have a crush on her,” I said.
    “Oh, that’s just a friendship crush,” my mom said. “Everyone has those.”

    It embarrasses me now, how fully I accepted this. Friendship crushes! Everyone has them, so I have nothing to worry about! I spent the next decade reveling in friendship crushes with women who were fascinating and fun. I was even friends with a woman who told me she was bisexual. She was newly married to a man, and we used to tease him that we were going to get together while he was away. As I type that, I cannot fathom how I had those conversations and never questioned my sexuality. I was old enough to know better, but I wasn’t in a cultural situation that allowed me the space to question my identity.

    Testing the Queer Waters

    Eventually, things began to break down, though never so much that I had to come face to face with any consequences. I took “male” off the “interested in” profile on Facebook, leaving it blank, and I intentionally used vague pronouns when referring to potential future partners. Just for fun! To see what would happen! Literally nothing happened, because no one noticed. I wore slightly queer clothing (which for me was like, a flannel shirt) and wondered if anyone would think I was gay, but again, no one said anything. I realized once that all of the people I followed on Twitter were queer women, and I filed that away as interesting but not pertinent. And at some point, the question, “What if people think you’re gay?” became increasingly louder, though I never allowed myself to ask, “What if YOU think you’re gay?”

    Meeting Rachel was the spark for a fuse that I had been laying out for years, which is why, although initially surprisingly, I very quickly accepted it. It’s been three years since that moment, and although I now feel very comfortable labeling myself as queer, I still have so much confusion about where exactly I land on the sexuality spectrum and how to think about my past from my present understanding.

    One thing the internet has taught me is that no experience is fully unique. I believe that other people have had experiences similar to mine. Maybe some of you have felt similar shame and embarrassment about not realizing something that is supposed to be fundamental to our sense of identity. I hope that by sharing part of my story, you won’t feel alone in those feelings. We can sit in the embarrassment and joy and wonderment together.

  • Black Sails Season 1 Episode 4 Review – IV

    Black Sails Season 1 Episode 4 Review – IV

    An undertaking by the Walrus crew ends in disaster.  Silver warns Flint about Billy.  Rackham and Bonny try to regain their livelihood.  Eleanor needs help from her father.  A figure from Vane’s past pays a visit.

    (Summary provided by starz.com)

    REWATCH Q&A

    Q:  What happens to Randall’s cat, Betsy?
    A:  She is seen running away unsquished, so I choose to believe she found a new home in the Nassau interior and is being treated well there.  Sad that Randall doesn’t get to keep her, but honestly, having a cat on the ship would have stressed me out any time there was violence.

    BEST FLINT MOMENT

    I love that he steps up as captain to risk being crushed in order to save his crew, but even more, I love his mini-speech to Eleanor.  Big picture, idealistic Flint is my favorite!

    “Nobody will believe that it’s possible until we show them.  But when that day comes, you know what they’ll say?  They’ll say that it was inevitable.”

    BlackSails-104_2181
    Oh Captain, my Captain!

    TODAY’S RUNNER UP

    Miranda!  I’ll talk more about her under “Well-Formed Thoughts,” but I love this passionate, sad woman that we are slowly getting to know.  Especially heartbreaking was her kindness toward a little boy who then threw rocks at her and called her a witch.  Dangerous era to be a woman with secrets.

    LOL MOMENT

    Silver can’t cook a pig, must take lessons from pirate captain on the sly. ❤

    Flint:  What the FUCK did you do to that?
    Silver:  I…cooked it?
    Flint:  You absolutely did not.

    WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

    I really love the slow reveal of Miranda and Flint’s backstory, and it’s a testament to the show’s brilliance that it’s even more compelling on rewatch.  Let’s review some of the things we learned about them in this episode, shall we?

    We know that Flint hunted the Maria Aleyne in order to murder two people, and that when he returned to Nassau, he told Miranda it was “done.”  We know that they have sex together, and that it is pretty spectacularly bad.  Flint is a non-participant, and when Miranda finishes and lays against him, his eyes are dead and hers are teary.  We know that after they are dressed, they show astounding vulnerability and intimacy toward each other.

    Miranda:  That book is something I shared with Thomas.  I just – missed it.  Our life then, when he was alive.  I can feel myself forgetting it, and I don’t want to forget it.  This place, this life that we’ve been living here, it doesn’t feel like living anymore.  I can’t be alone in feeling this way.  Some part of you must feel it too.
    *Flint holds her face*
    Flint:  Things will get better here.  I promise you they will.
    *Flint kisses her forehead*

    These mixed relational signals are further confused when Mr. Guthrie confronts Miranda with his knowledge that she is not Mrs. Barlow but Mrs. Hamilton.  The mystery deepens!

    “The portrait in your room depicts you alongside Lord Thomas Hamilton, son of Alfred Hamilton, the lord proprietor of these Bahama Islands…You see, I’ve had extensive dealings with the earl over the years, and so I’d long heard of the tragedy that befell his eldest son.  But Thomas’s wife, long rumored to be the cheating sort, had begun a torrid affair with her husband’s closest friend, a promising young officer in His Majesty’s Navy.  Upon discovering the affair, Thomas went mad with grief.  His despair was so great, even the asylum couldn’t protect him from himself.  As for Thomas’s wife, she’s said to have fled London along with her lover, partly out of shame, partly to escape retribution.  Given the facts at hand, I am forced to assume that the lover is none other than our friend Captain Flint.”

    FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

    • Gates and Billy are two of the only non-ambitious characters in this show, and they both receive promotions in this episode with the blessing of the crew.  This contrasts quite nicely with John Silver and Captain Flint, both of whom have to scheme and lie in order to find/keep power.
    • I do not enjoy the “fuck tent,” and I’m happy that this is the last time we ever have something like that.
    • In a similar but even worse circumstance, we find Max making the best of a horrible situation.  I love that she uses her captivity to try to teach pirates the joy of good, consensual, gentle sex, but Asshole Pirate ruins everything by being an Asshole.  Anne has Feelings about this, but she is not yet a character that says or does much.
    • Eleanor’s actions in taking away Vane’s ship and crew are starting to have significant repercussions re: her power in Nassau.  The other pirates are resenting her and even calling her “Queen Eleanor” – a dangerous title in a democratic pirate republic.
    • Mr. Scott is trying to be the voice of reason, but both Eleanor and Mr. Guthrie are using him.  I liked that they finally addressed the fact that Mr. Scott is the Guthrie’s slave – this serves to make their relationships even more twisted, and his power and gravitas even more impressive.
    • Also, Mr. Guthrie’s wig is hella awful.
    • “Trust me.  I am purely in this for myself and you know this.  I have no reason to tell you anything other than the truth.  Both our futures depend on this.”  Flint doesn’t want to be won over by Silver, but he can’t help but listen!
    • Jack is so impotent this season, and he’s far from the joy he will become, but this exchange with Noonan was a DELIGHT.
      “Then I believe we are at an impasse.”
      *blank stare*
      “A disagreement without prospect of resolution.”
      “Fuck you, Jack.”
    • Vane’s having a trippy episode, high on opium and envisioning Eleanor and a Mysterious Bearded Man.  His dream of Eleanor is especially revealing of his inner world, something we needed to see.  I’m impressed by his knowledge of Eleanor and her ambition, as well as the revelation that this is exactly what attracted him to her.  It’s also a joy to see him vulnerable, weeping, grieving, and fearful.  He’s a human now!
    • RIP Morley
    • RIP Noonan, no wait, you can rest in agony for making a living off abused women.

    “You know that she will stop at nothing to save this place.  A place where she matters.  A place where you matter.  Except that in your heart, you know the truth – places like this aren’t meant to last.”

    ACCUMULATING QUESTIONS

    • Why is the Guthrie family repeatedly said to live in Boston when later they are said to live in Philadelphia?
    BlackSails-104_2040
    Someone befriend this woman!  No, not you, Mr. Guthrie.

    Not done reliving the episode?  Listen to Daphne and Liz’s podcast at Fathoms Deep!

  • The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

    The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood

    What if you knew how and when you will die?

    Csorwe does — she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.

    But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin—the wizard’s loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.

    But Csorwe will soon learn – gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.

    GoodReads

    This instantly became one of my favorite books, and I want to thrust it into the face of anyone who likes fantasy or queer ladies or, ideally, both!

    Where lesser fantasy novel would drag out this plot into a multiple books, The Unspoken Name has a pace that crashes readers through twists and time jumps while feeling cohesive and satisfying. Bonus: This IS the start of a series, but that is only because there is so much good story to cover, not because Larkwood held anything back this time around. We start with Csorwe (An orc protagonist! My heart!) as a child raised to be a sacrifice, then quickly leap several years ahead after she decides to abandon her fate. I found it so much more interesting to see how that time had changed rather than read every detail of what changed her.

    Also, the idea of a sacrifice refusing to play into the role that’s dealt to them….but there being consequences? I love that! I feel like most stories with this conceit revolve around the sacrifice realizing that the religion is corrupt or sacrifices are unnecessary, but this iteration felt so much more powerful and interesting to me.

    That detail speaks to the joy that is the worldbuilding of The Unspoken Name. Every person and place that we meet feels rich and well thought out. I wanted to know more and see more, so it delights me that Larkwood is working on a sequel, The Thousand Eyes, due to be released in June 2022.

    All of this is just a lead up to my favorite aspect of this book: the characters are SO GOOD. The wizard who “rescues” Csorwe is unapologetically ambitious and selfish, and Tal, his other apprentice, is an asshole. The three of them together is *chef’s kiss*. Their relationships are so complicated and messy, and there is literally nothing I love more.

    What Make This Book Queer?

    The Unspoken Name has multiple queer relationships! Huzzah! The central lesbian relationship warmed my little heart, and I especially liked that their attraction to each other was as much about what they each had lost as it was sparks and lusty times. Their relationship built very naturally and slowly, and I cannot wait to see more of them.

    On the other hand, we have a gay relationship that is revealed out of nowhere and is so sad, but in a deliciously dramatic way. I won’t say more than that.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • D&D Monster Fight: CAMBION vs. VAMPIRE SPAWN

    D&D Monster Fight: CAMBION vs. VAMPIRE SPAWN

    Rachel and I both DM separate Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. In an effort to improve our knowledge of D&D monsters and fight more creatively, we decided to challenge each other to a duel.

    ROUND ONE
    Cambion vs. Vampire Spawn

    Challenge Rating (CR) 5

    The Setting

    A cavern 80 ft long narrows in the middle with a natural pillar in the center.

    The Story

    The cambion, let’s call her Raja, flies forward until she is within range to cast Command on Lucy the vampire spawn. It is successful, and Lucy Halts. Raja swoops forward and finishes her turn. Lucy, held by the Command spell for one round, can take no action. 

    On the next turn, Raja uses the ranged spell attack Fire Ray twice and deals damage before flying out of range of the vampire spawn. At the start of Lucy’s turn she regenerates 10 HP (something she will do at the start of each of her turns) and scuttles out of sight behind the pillar.

    Raja flies past the pillar to bring the vampire spawn back into view, but she isn’t there. Lucy held her action and used Spider Climb to scale the pillar until she was 20ft above the ground. When the cambion comes into range, she leaps forward and grapples the creature out of the air after succeeding on contesting strength rolls. Raja sustains fall damage and fails to break free of the grapple on her turn. The vampire spawn has now regained full HP thanks to the Regeneration ability and Bites Raja, dealing 19 points of damage. If she hadn’t already been at full HP, the necrotic damage done via Bite would have healed the vampire spawn. Lucy holds on to the Cambion and maintains her grapple.

    On her next turn, Raja breaks free and blasts Lucy with two Fire Rays before retreating to a safe distance. The vampire spawn once again scuttles behind the pillar.

    At this point, we paused to discuss how to resolve the hiding aspect of the vampire spawn's tactics. Because the cambion has 60ft of movement through the air compared to the vampire spawn's 30ft, there is no way for Lucy to close the gap. Hiding and leaping out as the cambion flies past is her best option. We decide to contest Stealth and Perception rolls when Raja and Lucy potentially have line of sight on each other.

    When Raja swoops past, she spots Lucy immediately and blasts her with 2 more Fire Rays. Lucy scuttles away and regenerates.

    On the next pass, Lucy surprises the cambion by falling from the ceiling. Their contested strength rolls match, so Lucy does not grapple Raja and the cambion is free to move. We imagine Lucy is hanging on to Raja’s foot. Raja flies up as high as she can and kicks the vampire spawn off with a contested roll, Lucy takes 40ft of falling damage (4d6).

    The game of cat and mouse around the pillar continues. The vampire spawn’s best tactic is to try and drag the fight out as long as possible. The cambion is below half HP; Raja is doing a lot of damage but has no way to heal, Lucy has taken a total of 140 points of damage, but Regeneration is keeping her in the game. If she can land another couple of surprise attacks, she could win this. 

    On Raja’s next pass Lucy drops on her from above and drives her to the ground dealing 20ft of falling damage, Raja grips Lucy’s wrist and casts Plane Shift. After a successful spell attack and a failed Charisma saving throw from Lucy, the vampire spawn is transported to a plane of Raja’s choosing. “Celestial,” the cambion says with an evil grin. Lucy lasts 12 seconds in the celestial realm, taking 20 points of radiant damage each turn before bursting into flames.

    The Takeaway

    Tricia aka Lucy the Vampire Spawn

    I tend to hack and slash my way through fights, whether as a player or the DM. This fight took that option away from me, since my speed was half that of my opponent, who could also fly! I had to get creative, which meant using Spider Climb to hide and surprise attack the cambion. Having Regeneration was a (literal) lifesaver, and if it weren't for that stupid Plane Shift spell, I maintain that I would have won!

    Rachel aka Raja the Cambion

    Utilizing my movement advantage was key to this fight, so I was constantly flying close and retreating out of reach. It became apparent that I wasn't doing enough damage to the vampire spawn, and I was starting to take significant damage myself without a way to heal. It was nice to have Plane Shift in my back pocket, but because there were two checks, it was not a guaranteed win. This time, it worked in my favor.

    WINNER: CAMBION

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 RECAP – The Star Spangled Man

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2 RECAP – The Star Spangled Man

    Episode 2 starts with an extended scene designed to make John Walker sympathetic…and it works on me. He’s got a hot girlfriend, and they have special pinky promise kisses. He’s got a best friend who gives him pep talks. He is all chin.

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is great at anticipating my skepticism, because just as I was wondering why this huge crowd of people would be cheering for a Captain America without superpowers, he gives this really inspiring speech about just that – he’s not super strong, but he does have guts. Guys, he’s winning me over!

    Finally we cut to our heroes. Bucky is feeling all kinds of emotions while watching this guy fill his best friend’s suit, and he finds Sam to yell at him about giving up the shield. Everything about this tv show is instantly elevated as they bicker at each other.

    “You can’t call me that.”
    “Steve called you that.”
    “Steve knew me longer, and Steve had a plan.”

    Out of pure spite, Bucky throws himself out of a PLANE. This show is a gift. And Sam films it! Although episode one was good, these last five minutes immediately make me wonder why they wasted an entire sixth of the story with these two people not interacting.

    They snipe about how many Flag Smashers are loading cargo, then chase the semis. Bucky runs faster than a truck, and rips the door open. The only thing I love more than this is the realization that the helpless redheaded girl is actually a badass! She looks a lot like the first class girl in Snowpiercer, and I am scared of her.

    Oh, and people stealing vaccines? In this economy!? Must be evil. Unless they are giving vaccines to people who don’t normally have access, in which care. Hm. I’m conflicted about these badies.

    The fight atop two semis is very good. Karli kills Redwing, and people are tossed between trucks. When Captain America (henceforth referred to as New Cap’n) shows up, it is deliciously wrong to see the three fighting together again. However, I am distracted by the fact that other cars are still driving on the highway while this fight is happening?? Stop your cars!

    The fight ends when New Cap’n escapes with his bestie, Lamar Hoskins, and SAM AND BUCKY TUMBLE INTO A FIELD OF FLOWERS IN EACH OTHERS ARMS. Be still, my shipper heart.

    New Cap’n and Hoskins drive past the petulant men, and I laughed out loud when New Cap’n repeated Sam’s “Big Three” question. The dialogue is really popping in this episode. Unfortunately, New Cap’n can’t quite stick his invitation to work together, calling Sam and Bucky Steve’s wingmen. It’s like he doesn’t know that this show is named after them.

    We cut to the Flag Smasher super soldiers who are hunkering down in a civilian’s space. They’re given a room with chicken livers, cot beds, and…high tech computers with three screens? Sure, whatever. They encourage each other with their rallying cry: “One world, one people,” and I’m already sad that they’re going to turn out to be villains.

    Bucky takes Sam to meet Isaiah, a super soldier from the 50s who is not pleased to see Bucky (who was Winter Soldier during their previous run in). Turns out that not only did the US government not advertise a black super soldier, they also incarcerated him for 30 years and ran experiments on him! It’s really bad, and then it gets worse! Sam and Bucky are arguing in the street when cops pull them over and immediately target Sam as the problem. It is heartbreaking to watch Anthony Mackie’s face as Sam is confronted with the reality that no matter how much of an international hero he is, some podunk cop can still pull him over.

    I’m honestly really impressed with how this show is handling race, not only by giving a black man the lead role and filling in supporting roles with black men and women, but also because they’re making the inequalities black people face in America explicit. Unexpected but very welcome!

    In another spot-on observation, the white cops who thought the black man was the problem have accidentally let their racism blind them to the fact that it’s the WHITE guy who is the problem. Bucky is arrested for missing court-mandated therapy, but New Cap’n releases him from jail. Well, not until his therapist demands an impromptu session and drags Sam along.

    It is a testament to this episode’s greatness that a tumble through flowers is not even the shippiest thing that happens. The therapist says the two of them need to have couples counseling so that they can figure out how to build a life together. She orders them to face each other and sit closer, no, closer. Eventually their legs are intertwined and I am cackling with glee.

    It works, though. Bucky’s anger that Sam returned the shield is a cover for his fear that if Steve was wrong about Sam, he might have also been wrong about Bucky. Sam just wants his decision to be respected. Neither can empathize with the other, so nothing is resolved.

    New Cap’n is waiting for them outside, and ominous music when Cap’n says “Stay out of my way” after they reject his offer of teamwork. I’m sure THAT doesn’t mean anything.

    The military tries to capture the Flag Smashers, and the one guy’s sacrifice ought to feel impactful, but instead I just wondered, Why did he run into open fire after knocking down a power line? He already stopped them. They have super strength, but not super intelligence.

    Bucky convinces Sam to go to a man with some answers – Zemo! Some awesome requiem music kicks in, and it’s like the music in the Avengers when Loki smirked and then whacked someone’s face with his staff. There’s a shot of a chess board, so we know that Zemo is going to be Smart Villain. Can’t wait!

  • Final Fantasy 8 – From Balamb to Timber

    Final Fantasy 8 – From Balamb to Timber

    I first played Final Fantasy 8 (FF8) when it was released in 1999 as a wee little eleven year old. I was blown away by the massive leap in graphics quality as I watched human-shaped figures walk through beautifully rendered backgrounds. Of course it looks incredibly dated now, but the remastered version goes a long way toward making it both visually appealing and nostalgic on my PS4.

    Note: These posts are not entirely spoiler-free, though I have forgotten most of the game, so honestly, there’s not a lot I could spoil if I wanted to.

    Okay, let’s go!

    • The intro still slaps! The music is ominous and thrilling and exciting, the fight between Squall and Seifer is dramatic, and Rinoa in a field feels eerie and hopeful and that fall into each other’s arms at the end – so romantic!
    • I have so much to say about Quistis, and I will later, but even here in her introduction, it just rubs me the wrong way that she makes fun of Squall in this weirdly intimate way when all we know about her is that she is his instructor.
    • A lovely little spoiler exists if you search Squall’s computer in class when it casually mentions that GFs may cause memory loss, though this isn’t proven.
    • I love that FF8 sets up the card-playing game immediately. This is my favorite mini-game from any Final Fantasy game, and I am all about collecting cards, turning monsters into cards, and saving often so that if I lose Ifrit or Diablo I can undo it!

    I think the battle system in FF8 is my favorite of all Final Fantasy games as well. I adore the system of junctioning GFs and magic to make yourself stronger. It relies so heavily on strategy as you have to balance using your powerful magic as a junction to increase your stats while also being powerful magic that you’ll want to use in battle. I love the Draw action in battles, and my strategy is always to max out on every spell immediately.

    Similarly, I love the strategy surrounding limit breaks in FF8. The fact that your strongest attacks are only available when you are at your weakest moment is dramatically appealing, but it’s also a fun fine line to walk. I have lost many a battle because I risked staying at low health to keep doing Renzokuken one turn too many and got wiped out by the T-Rexaur. So fun!

    (more…)
  • Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog

    Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog

    This tiny corner restaurant opened a couple months ago at the corner of Robson and Denman in the West End of Vancouver. I live across the street, and every time I went by, there was an epically long line outside. Now, I love a good corn dog, but what could possibly be so amazing as to warrant that kind of time commitment?

    Cut to: Me eating my first Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog and forsaking all other hot dog creations for the rest of my life. This shit is GOOD.

    I got to work from home one Friday, and I figured this was my chance to avoid the huge lines. There are two: one to walk in and place your order, at which point you join the line on the other side of the door to wait for your order number to be called. I was able to go with no wait to enter the small space, where I ordered the Sausage-tteok (Rice cake) Hotdog and Rachel got a Mozzarella Cheese Hotdog. All of the corn dogs come with a special breading made of “sticky rice in dough that fermented for 120 minute every morning,” according to their website, though some additionally have potato or ramen added to the breading.

    Guys! It was absolutely delicious! The Mozzarella Cheese Hotdog is half cheese, half hot dog, and when Rachel bit into the cheese it had the most appealing cheese pull I’ve ever seen. I can only imagine it tasted as good based on the fact that she refused to share.

    Totally fair, because I wasn’t about to give up one bite of my Sausage-tteok Hotdog. Nor did I give up the second one I ate less than a week later. I am stuck in the deliciously terrible situation of having loved the first thing I ever ate at Chung Chun, and now I don’t want to try anything else. Which is a pity, because that ramen corn dog is looking pretty good…

  • Black Sails Season 1 Episode 3 – III

    Black Sails Season 1 Episode 3 – III

    Flint and Gates seek a partner to hunt the Urca d’Lima.  Silver helps Billy with a morale problem.  Vane impressed Eleanor by being reasonable.  Gates gets a promotion.

    (Summary provided by starz.com)

    REWATCH Q&A

    Q:  Now that I know the characters and plot, does the rape scene serve any real narrative purpose?

    A:  I’m going to have to say yes, even though I still truly hate this scene.  On rewatch, without the shock value, I can even appreciate that they made clear what was happening without lingering on Max’s pain or turning it into rape porn.

    But the thing that really stood out to me this time was how much this was of Max’s choosing, and what this reveals about women’s options during this time period.  Eleanor keeps trying to save her, but Max’s relationship with Eleanor has always had skewed power dynamics.  First Eleanor is paying for the privilege of sleeping with Max, and it seems that also being rescued is too much for Max.  By saying, “My actions cost you your pearls.  Until my debt is paid, I am yours,” Max is asserting what little control of the situation that she can claim.  I really think the show is trying to highlight just how shitty it was to be a woman at that time while allowing her some agency.

    BEST FLINT MOMENT

    We are introduced to Unreasonable Rage Monster Flint in this epsiode!  We saw him rage in episode 1 when he fought Singleton, but that was strategic.  Here he is just pouty and furious and I love it!  It is also a wonderful glimpse of Flint’s relationship with Gates (father and emo teenager), and honestly, the comedy in this moment is just delightful.

    TODAY’S RUNNER UP

    Gates!  He is a first-class quartermaster in this episode, conferring with Hornigold and Jack, negotiating, appeasing Billy, and ultimately being handed captaincy of Ship #2.  He really is the only reasonable person in the show right now who’s focused on doing his job.  I love Gates!

    LOL MOMENT

    Randall’s scream!!  “That’s what I’ll do if he should wander.”

    WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

    Let’s talk pirate alliances!

    It’s clear now that although each pirate captain is fiercely ego-centric, they must rely on each other in order for Nassau to survive.  There’s so much that must be navigated: captains, crews, ships, supplies.  As Flint, Gates, and Eleanor plan to take the Urca gold, they must form alliances with first Hornigold and then Charles Vane in order to have everything necessary.  It is fascinating to watch their negotiations, and to take note of whose decisions are based in reason, whose are based in emotion, and whose have a little bit of both.  I love watching these fundamentally different people try to find a way to work together…at least until it all falls apart.

    FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

    • We see a lot of Miranda Barlow this episode, though we don’t actually learn all that much about her yet.  She’s clearly very intelligent, and she seems rather sad.  Her relationship with Flint is a Mystery:  she’s comfortable seeing him half-naked and bleeding, he’s making intense eye contact, and she seems very familiar with his plans to take the Urca gold.  Just when she starts to open up and admit she’d hoped to spend more time with him, they’re interrupted and we must wait for more information until another episode!
    • Silver is still being smart, revealing only part of the schedule and helping Billy ferret out potential mutineers.
    • Flint:  And when the Urca’s ours?  What’s to stop me from killing you anyway?
      Silver:  Well, it’s a few weeks from now.  We might be friends by then!
      Flint:  *smirk*
      Silver:  *face falls*
      Me:  Hehehehehe!
    • Speaking of Silver’s attempts to win people over, his trying to charm Randall is so rewarding.
    • Pirate fashion includes:  billowing shirts, earrings, necklaces, ponytails and braids.  ❤
    • More statements on women’s roles during this time period when Eleanor talks to her dad:  “We made you into the man you always insisted to us that you were.”
    • Hornigold wants so badly to be important, but he’s just, like, sitting in a tent.
    • “No matter how many lies we tell ourselves or how many stories we convince ourselves we’re part of, we’re all just thieves awaiting a noose.”  (Callback to previous episode when Flint says the pirates are men in need of hope.)
    • FLINT’S LAUGH WHEN GATES SUGGEST THEY WORK WITH VANE!  I tried very hard to find a video clip of this, but failed.  Anyone who can will earn major brownie points with me!
    • This is the episode I started to like Vane, first with his “Be honest.  Are you as surprised as I am that I’m the only one here behaving myself?” and then with his empathetic talk with Max.  Although I don’t love his assertion that he had no choice in letting his men assault her while she’s chained up.  YOU HAD A CHOICE, VANE.  Sexual assault should never be a form of debt payment.
    • “You’re too clever for your own good, Jack.”  Truer words.
    • There’s a lot going on with Miranda and Pastor Lambrick, but I’ll stick with this:   Lambrick’s assertion that “It is Christ’s love of sinners that gave him strength to endure his agony” sounds a lot like Flint, and it’s telling that Miranda takes issue with this!
    • Eleanor rewards Vane’s good behavior with sex.  Vane continues to grow on me as he makes it clear that he wants to cuddle with her afterwards.

    “How should you be?  You should be like a rocky promontory against which the restless surf continually pouds.  It stands fast while the churning sea is lulled to sleep at its feet.  I hear you say, ‘How unlucky that this should happen to me.’  But not at all.  Perhaps say instead, ‘How lucky I am that I am not broken by what has happened, and I’m not afraid of what is about to happen.  For the same blow might have struck anyone, but not many who would have absorbed it without capitulation or complaint.”

    ACCUMULATING QUESTIONS

    • Are men ever forced to repay their debts through sexual favors?
      I thought not.
    BlackSails-103_1600
    A rare Smiling!Flint appears ❤

    Not done reliving the episode?  Listen to Daphne and Liz’s podcast at Fathoms Deep!

  • Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

    Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

    Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper – despite the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

    Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.

    Goodreads

    Oh wow, I am losing it!  This book made me feel EVERYTHING, and there’s no way this review will be anything coherent.  I guess I know why The Iliad continues to be read millenia after it was created–no one can create a drama like the Greeks!  The tragedy here is SO STRONG, with characters acting so stupidly human that you want to shake them, but you totally see their point, and then everything falls apart because there are no real “good” guys and “bad” guys, only dumb humans seeking glory, and AHHHH!

    Okay, I’ll try again.  Reading The Song of Achilles is like watching Titanic.  I knew what was going to happen, but I couldn’t help but desperately hope things would turn out differently.  Every bit of foreshadowing heightened the horrified anticipation so that when the climax came I was just helplessly awash in emotion.  I mean, I actually thought I was holding it together pretty well, until I read the very last paragraph and surprised myself by bursting into tears.  

    Miller takes one of Western history’s greatest stories and plays up the romance angle, milking two sets of drama for all they’re worth.  She doesn’t have to change anything at all for Achilles and Patroclus to believably be in the most epic romance of all time.  I am a total sucker for friendship turning into romance, so one set in ancient Greece against the backdrop of gods and goddesses, blood oaths and battles – I was a goner.

    The Song of Achilles was amazing and everyone should read it. I want to read it again as soon as I stop jumping up and down to get rid of all the feels crawling around in my heart.

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    Check out our Queer Lil Library for more book recommendations and reviews!

  • The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 1 RECAP – New World Order

    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 1 RECAP – New World Order

    Captain America and the Winter Soldier is my favorite Marvel movie, both on its own merits and for its role in creating excellent fanfic (Ain’t No Grave by spitandvinegar is one of my all-time favorites), and I adored Marvel’s first foray into episodic storytelling with WandaVision, so there was no way I was going to miss Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson sniping at each other in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

    Of course, in episode 1, Sam and Bucky aren’t even in the same city. This feels like a real misfire to me, especially because their chemistry is what the trailers have been advertising. It’s not that there aren’t interesting things happening in the show; it’s just fairly underwhelming so far.

    We start with Sam Wilson on an Air Force mission in Tunisia. There are a lot of aerial escapades that are entertaining to watch, and I loved seeing Baltroc “the ballet fighter” again. After he saves the day in the knick of time, Sam enjoys some tea with his military contact Joaquin. All of this was action movie heavy and not really what I was here for.

    Things get a little better when we shift to the Winter Soldier, and I know it’s horrific, but rank-haired murder goblin efficiently massacring people and grabbing someone through a wall is EXACTLY what I am interested in. It’s just a nightmare, though, and Bucky awakes after murdering a civilian who happened to witness the violence. Bucky goes to therapy, which would be much better without the INTENSE close up shots. This lays the groundwork for his arc: Bucky has no friends and is trying to make amends in the most awkward, semi-violent, horrific smiling way possible. It’s good.

    After giving up Captain America’s shield to the Smithsonian, Sam heads to his hometown in Louisiana, where I become a lot more interested in his story. I love his sister, who needs his help and resents her savior-brother who thinks he can swoop in and take control after she held things together for the five year Snap. It feels really great to focus on a working class black family and how superheroes and missing people have effected their lives: hint, it’s not good.

    Bucky meets up with his closest friend, an adorably cranky Japanese man. They bond over obituaries, warming my fanfic-loving heart. The man asks out the cute Japanese-American waitress for Bucky, and Leah accepts. She is an excellent human being who saves their painfully awkward date (“How old are you?” “106.” “Why are you wearing those gloves?” “….Poor circulation.”) with the board game Battleship and beer. Unfortunately, the topic shifts to the old man Bucky was hanging out with, and Leah sympathizes that it is uniquely terrible to not only lose your son, but to not know how he died. Bucky abruptly leaves and heads to the old man’s house…where we see a memorial shrine set up to his son: the civilian who Bucky murdered in his Winter Soldier nightmare. Ouch.

    Sam takes his sister to the bank, thinking his Avengers status will help her get a loan so that they can keep their parents’ sweet houseboat. In a devastatingly accurate scene, even a superhero can’t get a loan if he’s black. Even worse, he heads home to watch the news only to see that Captain America’s shield has been passed on to some random who winks at the screen. Sam! You should have kept it!

    There is also a whole thing with the Flag Smashers (dumb name) that I do not yet have any interest in. Honestly, I wish this show were just character studies of Sam and Bucky, hanging out with people and getting on with life. And together! I hope their paths cross in the next episode.

    Overall, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier lacks the hook that WandaVision had. It feels a lot more traditionally Marvel, which is fine but not fascinating. I’m definitely interested to know what will happen next, and I’m loving Sam breaking out of the token black person role. But I do kind of wish that Sam and Bucky had found themselves in a 1950s sitcom…

  • Celebrating My 33rd Birthday with Frodo: We’re Coming of Age!

    Celebrating My 33rd Birthday with Frodo: We’re Coming of Age!

    Yesterday I turned 33!

    I have had the bad luck to celebrate TWO birthdays under COVID-19 restrictions. Currently in BC we are not allowed to hang out with anyone outside of our household, so I asked my girlfriend to join me in the nerdiest, most introverted birthday celebration imaginable: a Lord of the Rings movie marathon. It reached new heights of perfection when I remembered that 33 is a special age in LotR lore:

    At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thiry-three.

    The Fellowship of the Ring

    Secondly, to celebrate my birthday. Cheers again. I should say: OUR birthday. For it is, of course, also the birthday of my heir and nephew, Frodo. He comes of age and into his inheritance today.

    The Fellowship of the Ring

    With this seal of nerdy approval, Rachel and I celebrated my birthday in a decidedly hobbit-approved fashion: By eating good food, drinking good drink, and partaking in a good story from the comfort of my hobbit hole.

    We were inspired by Webstaurant Store Blog’s Hobbit Meal Times and came up with the following schedule for ourselves.

    9:00 a.m. Combined Breakfast and Second Breakfast

    Admittedly, it’s not a strong start to combine two meals, but we never eat breakfast at 7:00. Anyway, the bacon, eggs, and toast was delicious, which is the most important thing!

    11:00 a.m. Elevenses

    Halfway through The Fellowship of the Ring, we went for a quick walk to the neighborhood Breka for an almond croissant, carrot and walnut muffin, and breakfast cookie – too much, but wow, so good.

    1:00 p.m. Luncheon

    We forgot to buy food for lunch, so in between Fellowship and The Two Towers, we once again went across the street for Chung Chun Rice Dog (full review coming soon). Small but mighty!

    3:00 p.m. Afternoon Tea

    Just before the battle of Helm’s Deep, we grabbed boba tea for our take on afternoon tea. No joke, we live within a block of three boba tea places, and that is why I love our apartment.

    6:00 p.m. Dinner

    By this time we were flagging, both with sitting through 8 hours of movie and with shoving sugary foods into our mouth. But we were eating like hobbits, dammit!! So I served us the tiniest portion of some butternut squash soup Rachel had pre-made the night before. Absolutely delicious; I can’t wait to eat it while actually hungry.

    8:00 p.m. Supper

    Things were at their darkest point in Return of the King when we dished out homemade cottage pie. It helped with the aching sadness, but again….this was all so much food, and I definitely didn’t need more. Thank goodness for leftovers!

    9:00 p.m. Birthday Cake

    Of course there’s always room for cake.

    10:00 It’s over

    I love these movies as much as I did when they came out 20 years ago! What a perfect way to celebrate my birthday in these COVID times. I highly recommend the meal plan for anyone else contemplating a marathon of the extended editions, but go with small portions early on…it’s a marathon, after all!