Rachael Arsenault's Blog - Posts Tagged "netflix"
December 2021 Wrap-Up: Defending Fanfic, Repping for Curly Hair, and a Satisfying Conclusion
The last wrap-up of 2021. That’s so wild! I’ve been writing these for almost two years now, and it still feels new every time I do it.
I didn’t write as much as I would have liked this year – no major book or short story publications – but I was also adjusting to major life changes, most notably having a sweet little baby. Plus, what I lacked in writing to share, I more than made up for in reading. I read almost twice as many books as I did last year! And almost all of them were really, really good.
Including the one I read this month. So, without further ado, let’s round out my reading for 2021.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown
I’ve been hyped for this book ever since I read ASoWaR early this year. And it was well worth the wait! I absolutely love Malik and Karina, how they grew as character, and how their relationship developed together. Plus the lore and world-building is beautiful. Definitely a duology that’s on my list to reread whenever I have the time.
Articles
The “Princess Diaries” Makeover Scene Made Me Terribly Insecure for Years
As a curly-haired, awkward, geeky girl, this spoke to me on every level. Though I didn’t watch The Princess Diaries as a child (and watching it as an adult distressed me because it’s not at all like the books and WHY ARE YOU DRY BRUSHING CURLS???), I still saw plenty of makeover scenes in movies where the frumpy, curly-haired nerd gets a dramatic makeover and is suddenly conventionally attractive. It’s super damaging and reinforces this narrative that curls are ugly, you should be ashamed of your geekiness, and women’s worth is measured by their beauty in the eyes of others. Total bullshit, and Niveda debunks it all perfectly.
Reality Check: What You Care About Can Drive You to Exhaustion
A short but important piece acknowledging the toll it takes on a person when advocacy, academia, and personal hardships/traumas collide.
Other
The Witcher Season 2
I didn’t get to watch this until over a week after it came out, so dodging spoilers was a fun adventure. But it was worth the wait! Watching everyone clash together and split apart and join back up in new (or familiar!) groups was so fun, plus we got some major lore drops and reveals. Stoked for season 3, and dreading the long wait.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Is Fanfiction a Valid Form of Writing?
Still steadily working away at cross-posting Vocal articles over to Medium, but I wanted to highlight this one – because, like last month, I was invited to have my work included in a Medium publication! This time I have a couple pieces featured at The Ugly Monster, which is all about gaming, media, and geekiness. Please give it a look!
And, as I’ve said in past months, follow me on Medium if you’re enjoying what I post there. It genuinely helps a lot.
I didn’t write as much as I would have liked this year – no major book or short story publications – but I was also adjusting to major life changes, most notably having a sweet little baby. Plus, what I lacked in writing to share, I more than made up for in reading. I read almost twice as many books as I did last year! And almost all of them were really, really good.
Including the one I read this month. So, without further ado, let’s round out my reading for 2021.
What I’ve Enjoyed
Books
A Psalm of Storms and Silence by Roseanne A. Brown
I’ve been hyped for this book ever since I read ASoWaR early this year. And it was well worth the wait! I absolutely love Malik and Karina, how they grew as character, and how their relationship developed together. Plus the lore and world-building is beautiful. Definitely a duology that’s on my list to reread whenever I have the time.
Articles
The “Princess Diaries” Makeover Scene Made Me Terribly Insecure for Years
As a curly-haired, awkward, geeky girl, this spoke to me on every level. Though I didn’t watch The Princess Diaries as a child (and watching it as an adult distressed me because it’s not at all like the books and WHY ARE YOU DRY BRUSHING CURLS???), I still saw plenty of makeover scenes in movies where the frumpy, curly-haired nerd gets a dramatic makeover and is suddenly conventionally attractive. It’s super damaging and reinforces this narrative that curls are ugly, you should be ashamed of your geekiness, and women’s worth is measured by their beauty in the eyes of others. Total bullshit, and Niveda debunks it all perfectly.
Reality Check: What You Care About Can Drive You to Exhaustion
A short but important piece acknowledging the toll it takes on a person when advocacy, academia, and personal hardships/traumas collide.
Other
The Witcher Season 2
I didn’t get to watch this until over a week after it came out, so dodging spoilers was a fun adventure. But it was worth the wait! Watching everyone clash together and split apart and join back up in new (or familiar!) groups was so fun, plus we got some major lore drops and reveals. Stoked for season 3, and dreading the long wait.
What I’ve Created
Articles
Is Fanfiction a Valid Form of Writing?
Still steadily working away at cross-posting Vocal articles over to Medium, but I wanted to highlight this one – because, like last month, I was invited to have my work included in a Medium publication! This time I have a couple pieces featured at The Ugly Monster, which is all about gaming, media, and geekiness. Please give it a look!
And, as I’ve said in past months, follow me on Medium if you’re enjoying what I post there. It genuinely helps a lot.
