(no subject)

[ellenkushner]

And putting things in perspective - rozk tells us they're killing queers in Iraq.

More happily, though, I got to talk to Roz -in-London on Skype that night. I'm a Skype near-virgin, and had that Near Tech Experience unaparalleled since Mr. Graham wanted Mr. Watson. OMIGOD!!! I shrieked to Delia. IT'S ROZ! HER VOICE IS COMING OUT OF MY COMPUTER!

It was a thrill, I can tell you. Especially as it was sitting on my lap.

* * *

The August edition of Mythic Passages is just out and you'll love it: art by Charles Vess, articles by Phil Cousineau (Pilgrimage), Terri Windling (Cinderella), Brenda Sutton (Mt Fuji), Wm. Doty (Neil Gaiman's "1602"), Thomas Fortson ("Trading the Center of the World:Dante's Inferno
and the Underworld Journey of September 11th"), etc ad gloriam.

For anyone who has ever wondered why packing to move is quite as bad as it really is, I recommend my wonderful Cousin Els' lateset, Notes from the Malevolent Heart of Packing, including such pearls (and commentary on them) as "1) IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PACK AND LIVE AT THE SAME TIME." and "4) PACKING IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE IT REQUIRES YOU TO PREDICT WHAT YOUR LIFE WILL BE LIKE AFTER YOUR MOVE. WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE UNLESS YOU ARE PSYCHIC."
(If anyone has a library job in Vancouver they'd like to offer her, please do! Also, check out her kidlit reviewzine, bookbookbook.)

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

The Sistani fatwah issue has been kicked around since last year. Juan Cole has a different take on it (http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/03/18/18087751.php).

[peregrinejohn.livejournal.com]

For still more perspective, note that it's not a unique problem to that troubled nation, but imported from other places where stoning, hanging, and having walls toppled upon them (?!) are common punishments for homosexuality. Afghanistan, Iran, these we all know. How about Nigeria, Indonesia, Egypt? How about others that are even higher on our "allies" list? (Three guesses what they have in common.) It's a scary world out there, and here we sit in America quibbling over words.

In cheerier news, Skype entirely rules.

[rustica.livejournal.com]

That's a horrible thing about Iraq :(

But I shuddered happily at the Heart of Packing story. It's all so dreadfully true! Plus, most things are not rectangular and therefore strenuously resist your attempts to fit them into rectangular boxes, no matter how much bubblewrap is used; and those things (like books) which will usually fit into rectangular boxes (for a given value of "fit", admittedly) then become too heavy to lift and have to all be taken out again. I moved into my cottage 5 years ago, and I swear I'm going to die in this house. Nothing short of complete amnesia is *ever* going to make me go through another move again.

[elswhere1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked the packing post! Every word of it is true. Unfortunately.

And oh, how right you are about the rectangular-boxes issue. Also unfortunately.