RIP Nelsan Ellis

   Goddammit. How many black men in the prime of their lives and careers are gonna have to die before they pour more money into researching heart failure? TOO MANY is how many.
   Lafayette may be the character I will remember most fondly but his portrayal of Shinwell Johnson in Elementary is going to stick with me for quite a while...

I got distracted

   I've been working on and off with that new dress for The Medieval Week and honestly it's going really well but, as always, I got derailed somewhere along the process and just "had to" finish a few other projects...

   Two surcôtes in dire need of some finishing touches, my new red cotehardie at the right and a new liripipe hood in hand. I'm trying to jump from project to project to keep myself from getting too tired of the hand sewing. 

Celebrating Medieval Days

Along the Swedish west coast is Varberg and Varberg Fortress and just recently they had their Medieval Days. Starving for some "medieval" fun I donned my outfit and jumped on a train to meet up with some friends. Before reaching my destination I received more than a few giggling stares and I guess I can understand them... but you know me. "Smile and wave" is the proper way to deal with people. Once I arrived at the fortress I made the most of it.

One month until The Medieval Week.

I don't wanna adult anymore

NOPE. Don't wanna.

"It's bullshit"

She's a huge fucking cynic but she's amazing. "We're living in this crazy period of superficiality" she says and slams plastic surgery and the world's obsession with youth ("All these bullshit doctors..."). "I'm 88, well I mean, really 87 but I make myself one year older. I don't want to be... look younger or be younger. I like to be one year ahead." Why be scared of ageing?

"I feel beautiful inside."

In other news:    I had a lovely midsummer with all I hoped for and as good as everything I wished for. Kind words, laughs, hugs and other forms of closeness were to be found in every direction throughout the midsummer weekend. My energy reserves were filled to the brim as I floated home on itty bitty pink clouds. All through this week I've been riding on a tall wave of yummy endorphins. However, I feared it wouldn't last and yesterday I finally crashed in a wicked way and now I'm utterly and totally exhausted. To experience that kind of intense association with beautiful people one day and then go back to my normal lonely existence the next was... not all that good. It only goes to prove once and for all that I need to hang out with people more. Socialise. I need other people. But not just that, I need physical closeness. Not necessarily sexual, mind you (you pervs). Well. Better get on with that then...    I've been reading Redshirts by John Scalzi. At first I wasn't all that impressed but it's grown on me and n ow it's really amusing.

The Hutt Recommends: Revolution

Revolution by Russell Brand
(Politics is cool, yo.)

Let me start by saying that I've never really taken to Russell Brand as a comedian, with the specific exception of when he appears working in tandem with Noel Fielding, but despite my aversion to his stand-ups I have observed that he has on occasion put forth a few thought-provoking sentiments in interviews and that had me curious.
   I stumbled upon Revolution on audio, read by Brand himself, as I anchored in a well-known bay in the depths of the internet. Having listened to a lot of books of varying quality in the last few years I figured that Brand's particular kind of insanity compacted into 9 hours of audio files wouldn't infuriate me more than some of Heinlein's more sexist scifi (of which I haven't bothered to finish a few because of said sexism). Normally, I just listen to books on my way to and from work and I rarely find myself trying to find excuses to go for a walk or take a detour in order to keep listening for "just a few more minutes...".
   I can happily announce to you that with Revolution, I did just this.

   I studied Politics at university and am familiar with most of the ideas Brand brings forth, anarcho-syndicalism seemingly being at the forefront, which certainly makes it easier to take in and understand what basis of ideas Brand works from. This book requires more reading, obviously, as Brand's grand ideas are all snippets of other people's grand ideas. It lacks depth in ideology but as I read it, it's supposed to - you're meant to finish the book and go "hey, here's a great idea to read more about and possibly incorporate in my everyday life". Revolution starts with individuals and ends with societies; it starts with civil disobedience at the face of inequality and ends with the subversion of an unjust system.
   What Brand lacks is what most leftist ideologies lack these days - a grand theory. A utopia and a way of reaching it (but please do tell me when you find a comprehensive handbook to building coherent alternative societies). On the left we cry for equality and justice but have no viable ideas of how we could practically build that kind of society. We say we want to include everyone, but say nothing of how we are to do that or proceed from there. I think this is why right-wing parties have gained so many followers lately - they have an idea of how to hands-on "solve" our societal problems and even though their ideas are terribly short-sighted, fear-mongering and is kicking the wrong people in the face, people can see solutions. Scared and desperate people are easy to manipulate with populist propaganda hiding a more sinister ideology.

   Corporations is who we should be kicking in the face.
   Capitalism is what we should oust from our lives.
   We should be building community instead of undermining it.
   Brand gives us the choice between Capitalism or the Planet, and he's right.

   All in all, yes, Revolution has that Hollywood yoga pants vibe; a celebrity with a history of living it big trying to convince others less fortunate that changing the societies in which we live is as easy as pie even though we might not have the monetary funds that makes it so easy for Brand himself to make his ideas heard.
   However, Brand is in his own way very charming and rather funny and Revolution is well worth a read. If you like that sort of thing.

You funny little man

Oh, Mr Howard 💚
Russell was amazing (except for a poorly performed fat joke) and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Happy about this

Tonight I've gone so far out of my comfort zone it's ridiculous.
   This weekend is Pride weekend in my city and I've taken time off to be a part of it. (I didn't last year and regretted it deeply.)
   Tonight I was at a pub meet with a bi/pan group. After that I went to a party arranged with the dress code = underwear. And I went. I actually went. And I had fun. I didn't know anyone.
   It's a strange time to be alive.

Not happy about this

That feeling when I made a whole pitcher of iced coffee yesterday while it was all warm, sunny and nice just to wake up this morning to windy, cold and rainy. Not amused.

I want to forget about the Dragon

   Well. That's a whole lot of hours of my life I can never get back.
   I speak of course about Iron Fist. Fucking hell, what a load of garbage.
   Daredevil, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are all shows I could get behind and enjoy (especially Jessica Jones). Despite the criticism I've read against Iron Fist some of my friends liked it so I had to give it a chance. I was hoping it might be easier for me to wrap my head around all of the characters once The Defenders premiere. Again; what a load of garbage, so in retrospect I would rather not have.
   I have never fully understood martial arts films with white dudes in the lead, so it should come as no surprise this was incomprehensible to my sad little brain. There is no larger motive. No grand plan. No great principles of life governing our lead man.
   It's slow and tedious.
   Claire Temple is the only 'pro' in a long list of 'con's.

Kinda like that

Next Friday

I'm going to see this wonderful lil' man live.

Hobbit looking for party

I hear there's a parade in town

Happy Towel Day and a wish for you to have a Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May.

I've started my preparations for the day and hope to see plenty a nerd slinging around towels and lilacs. (Do also remember to support Alzheimer research as well as research into battling cardiovascular deceases.) This hobbit is going to a parade!

Step 1: Puttin' my ears on is a good start.

Step 2: I'll be using my own not-so-hobbit green hair
bc fuck wearing a wig in this heat.

Stage 3: Hobbit at the ready!

- May the Fourth Be With You -

Celebrate and be merry.

Wear your glitter to honour the memory of our Blessed Space Mom Carrie Fisher.