I Hate This Thing.

I hate this thing.

Though, I can imagine some people would think the answer was to actually surveil, but in secret. Just, no. The answer is not installing a nanny-cam behind a teddy bear and watching your kids secretly. Just don’t surveil (/pretend to) at all. Especially when the other person doesn’t have the power to make you stop.

Hey! He’s watching

I imagine the responses to this would have been at least somewhat more simliar had Roy Moore not been dominating the news, and someone like Bill Clinton, or an Al Franken without the apology, had been instead.

Let’s stop being so sure that our people vote based on Principles and Justice based on a poll that came out during a cultural moment when nationally, the most prominent politicians accused of the most sexual harrassment are Republicans. It’s easier for Democrats (in general) to give this answer right now. But remember that so many of the liberal party rallied behind someone who had an affair with his intern when he was the most powerful politician on the planet. And for similar reasons of feeling under seige by the other party who hated the candidate and would have done anything to get him out of power.

Would you still consider voting for a candidate accused of sexual harassment by multiple women?

Still creepily relevant.

Well, Fascism Is Normal Now, Let’s Talk About Fake News Instead

Coming back to this because it’s so #relevant to the current #metoo moment.

I was just thinking that we don’t have that many examples in popular culture of expecting better from men. Of sincere apology and making-things-right-again. Of what it might look like for men who have done badly to do better in the future, besides just fading out of public life. And with conservative Alabama voters closing ranks around Roy Moore as part of defending One Of Us, it’s extra nice to see a model of this featuring a rural Southern boy.

(It also looks super tongue-in-cheek and like everything alt-righters make fun of, but it’s a sincerely sweet moment in the movie.)

A GUIDE FOR YOUNG LADIES ENTERING THE SERVICE OF THE FAIRIES, by Rosamund Hodge

I.

This is the lie they will use to break you: no one else has ever loved this way before.

II.

Choose wisely which court you serve. Light or Dark, Summer or Winter, Seelie or Unseelie: they have many names, but the pith of the choice is this: a poisoned flower or a knife in the dark?

(The difference is less and more than you might think.)

Of course, this is only if you go to them for the granting of a wish: to save your father, sister, lover, dearest friend. If you go to get someone back from them, or—most foolish of all—because you fell in love with one of them, you will have no choice at all. You must go to the ones that chose you.

III.

Be kind to the creature that guards your door. Do not mock its broken, bleeding face.

It will never help you in return. But I assure you, someday you will be glad to know that you were kind to something once.

IV.

Do not be surprised how many other mortal girls are there within the halls. The world is full of wishing and of wanting, and the fairies love to play with human hearts.

You will meet all kinds: the terrified ones, who used all their courage just getting there. The hopeful ones, who think that love or cleverness is enough to get them home. The angry ones, who see only one way out. The cold ones, who are already half-fairy.

I would tell you, Do not try to make friends with any of them, but you will anyway.

V.

Sooner or later (if you serve well, if you do not open the forbidden door and let the monster eat you), they will tell you about the game.

Summer battles Winter, Light battles Dark. This is the law of the world. And on the chessboard of the fairies, White battles Black.

In the glory of this battle, the pieces that are brave and strong may win their heart’s desire.

VI.

You already have forgotten how the mortal sun felt upon your face. You already know the bargain that brought you here was a lie.

If you came to save your sick mother, you fear she is dead already. If you came to free your captive sister, your fear she will be sent to Hell for the next tithe. If you came for love of an elf-knight, you are broken with wanting him, and yet he does not seem to know you.

Say yes.

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