Stuff. And shenanigans.

I have been struggling with writing the past week or so, which may sound funny considering that a week and a half ago I was talking about the stories I've been working on.  But it's true.  I've been struggling.  It's not for want of desire...I sorely want to write these stories. My attention has been scattered, my mind a mess, and it's just been so damned hard.

I was finally able to sit down and keep myself together to get some writing done, and added around 1300 words to After the Ordeal.  I'm getting a sense now of how long this story is going to be now, and I know where it fits in the timeline for the characters in question.  It's normal, I guess, to kind of know character's personal arcs before you write them...it's different with pure fanfic, because you can wave a few magic wands to make things work:

Missing scene
Interstitial between stories
Missing adventure
Alternate universe

The thing is, the vast majority of the stories I'm cobbling together are not fanfic, even if they exist in an already created fictional universe.  So while there are certain things I do need to be aware of, I'm mostly flying blind...and discovering that the characters are living their own lives.  And I'm responsible for them.  This is both exciting and terrifying.

~~~~~//\\~~~~~

See, here's the thing...

I am not one to humblebrag.  I'm not one to brag, period.  People yell at me because I self-efface all the time.  And when I say all the time, I mean I think I do it in my sleep too.

But I can say some nice things about myself.

I think I'm a nice person.

I try to be polite whenever possible.

I'm accepting of everyone.

I'm passionate about things that affect or effect me.

Here's the thing.  I like sharing things that people may not know or know about...my astronomy stuff on occasion, my music posts on occasion, et cetera.  Obviously I share a lot about myself here...my feelings, my journey, all that.  That doesn't necessarily mean that I am or should be someone's sole education on what it is to be trans.  My experience is my own, and is unique.  I will call you out if you misgender someone (or me), I will call you out if you fetishise trans women or men, I will call you out if you use slurs or are transphobic.  That doesn't mean that I have to spend more than the time to give you a few links to good reputable websites with good, reputable information about being trans to educate you.  It's not my job.  It's not my obligation.  I share here what I share because I want to, for me as much as for you.

I should not have to explain the difference between a transvestite and a trans man or woman.

I should not have to explain why orientation has nothing to do with identity.

There's a tool for that, and it's called Google.

I want people to be educated...because the more they know maybe the less they'll hate and hurt and kill us...but I a one person, and I don't have the energy to do more than talk about myself and my opinions, let alone talk about the entire trans experience.  I can't speak for a transman any better than he can speak for me.  We're different, and resplendent in that divergence. 

TL; DR: You can ask, but don't get offended if I say 'Google it.'

Please note, family exemptions may apply.  See your local representative for details to see if you qualify.

~~~~~//\\~~~~~

And now it's well past 7, and I need to get a workout in before it gets too late, with the sound of my nephew and/or dog running from room to room above me like a heard of stampeding wildebeest.

Osda svnoi, sidanelvhi.