Nicole Field's Blog, page 28
January 27, 2016
Some photos from the Australia Day FauxBQ
Some photos from the Australia Day FauxBQ
lgbtqpi-au:
Gosh darn those polyamorous sluts. Cuddling and affectionately supporting each other....
Gosh darn those polyamorous sluts. Cuddling and affectionately supporting each other. Practicing open communication and consent. Establishing their social and emotional wellbeing based on more than one romantic relationship. Existing in trusting, loving, safe relationships. Someone stop them.
Yesterday we held our first Poly Family FauxBQ on Australia day, and it was amazing. We were a smallish group of around ten people from six different houses, with more than a few people meeting each other for the first time (meta-metamors, etc). The amount of cuddle piling and general comfort between everyone was even more than I had expected.
The idea first came up as a joke that the boy believed was serious and then immediately posted to FB because it was such a good idea. And then I slowly came to realising it was. A whole bunch of new relationships have started in the last eight months, and this seemed like a delightful way of celebrating that.
At one stage, we found ourselves in a circle out in the backyard, sharing our poly experiences and relationship experiences in general, and more than once came the exclamation ‘It’s a bloody wonder we’ve ended up here!’ But there were laughs, solid new friendships made. We talked about the differences and significances of romantic relationships and metamor relationships. There were people of varying experience with poly who were hearing what poly family meant to other people for the first time, and then expressing their feelings that coming into this group of people felt like ‘coming home’.
The backyard is full of chairs still sitting in a circle, and I can’t bring myself to clear it to where things usually are because seeing it like that brings a smile of memory to my face.
We’ve already organised another dinner on Friday week with a slightly different section of the poly family, and I’m so looking forward to it.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Poly families are what I’m here for.
January 25, 2016
Patreon
I have gotten to the point where I think I might actually be worth a Patreon account. I know how to meet deadlines, and it is physically possible for me to regularly do so. I have some good ideas that are probably under priced, but that I think are at least reasonably priced. The goals I have put together would help the creative community so I can tell myself it’s altruistic as well as selfish.
Hundreds or thousands of other people are doing it. It’s not even like it would bankrupt people. There’s no commitment for people to pledge.
I have just spent the last 3 hours putting it together and pressing the ‘launch’ button with all the scepticism of a character from Star Trek pressing a Big Red Button.
But promoting it, or even offering the link so that people can go visit the page if only to have a look around? HAHAHAHAHA. Maybe tomorrow.
January 24, 2016
deerishus:
So! In about two weeks I will be shifting across to...
So! In about two weeks I will be shifting across to working full-time as an artist via art and commissions…!
Which is both fantastic and intimidating news, even to me!
This means a pile of exciting stuff for those still following me (I love you!)
- More art!
- Livestreams
- Commission availability (but there will be price adjustments as this will now be my main source of income)
- Lots more social media options for those of you who don’t actually prefer tumblr!
- Getting to tag along in my journey of personal projects and explorations as an artist, and thrusting my hands into as many opportunities as I can reach!
Cheers everyone!
January 22, 2016
"When I first said I was genderqueer, Gretchen was so cool with everything, I couldn’t believe..."
-
‘What we left behind’, by Robin Talley.
I love this book for a few reasons.
One: My whole life has been one long story of various experiences finding out love on its own isn’t quite enough, and the back cover of this book states, “an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love may not be enough to conquer all.”
Two, I’ve had this character in my head since 2007 who deserves her own story and I’ve never been able to finish it, but recent life experiences combined with this quote make me think that maybe now I finally am.
January 21, 2016
litanyofexcuses:
Friendly reminder to check you’re not holding tension in your body. Let your...
Friendly reminder to check you’re not holding tension in your body. Let your shoulders drop, unclench your hands and jaw. Take a deep breath. Much better.
January 20, 2016
polynbooks:
I read this book because it scores an A+ on the...
I read this book because it scores an A+ on the diversity exams. Black main protagonist, disability/disorder, bisexuality. It also showed up on a list with a bunch of other books I’d recently read recently and loved, so when I found it at my library on the weekend, I was ecstatic.
And then I started reading it in little doses. Because, although the main story is about a bisexual girl who wants to get out of Nebraska being bullied by her lesbian support/friendship group at school for suddenly going and daring to date a boy, a big part of her identity is anorexia.
And man the depictions of being anorexic, and the mindsets you get pulled into are graphic. And when I say ‘graphic’, I mean ‘accurate as FUCK’. Not just that, but she’s not “as bad” as one of the other characters, so there’s also her personal analysis on how she’s not a “real anorexic” because hell at least she eats. And I just felt guilty for eating and also feeling so. damned. glad. that I can again.
So, the first half of this book was challenging. And, in a way, I felt disappointed because it wasn’t as well written as The Fault in Our Stars, which is forever my best go-to on challenging texts, but I didn’t feel the same need to keep reading. I mean, I obviously did.
And then, I don’t know.
Something changed, and I… It was suddenly this empowering as FUCK story about a bunch of teens who don’t know what they’re doing, where they’re going, but they’re making these decisions anyway, and they are all doing the best they can, and I’m just holding my hand to my chest reading avidly.
I mean, the main cast of characters all kind of speak like me and my friends, but this really caught me in the second half of this book, because so many of these guys could have been me and my friends, minorities, and people who feel passionately about the various arts.
Yeah, there were specifics about this book that didn’t gel specifically with me and mine, but that didn’t matter, because it was just such a strong message of be yourself and find your strength and just be, and I loved the hell out of that and wanted more.
Oh… my god, fuck, you guys. And then this author’s acknowledgement at the end of the book:
To anyone who has ever dealt with any sort of eating disorder, thank you for making me want to write a book about us with your passion and your courage for sharing your stories, and please know that there is so much hope, & that I am always here for you if you want to reach out, to either offer whatever support I can or to refer you to someone much more competent.
*dies happy*
"The child alone a poet is:
Spring and Fairyland are his.
Truth and Reason show but dim,
And all’s..."
Spring and Fairyland are his.
Truth and Reason show but dim,
And all’s poetry with him.
Rhyme and music flow in plenty
For the lad of one-and-twenty,
But Spring for him is no more now
Than daisies to a munching cow;
Just a cheery pleasant season,
Daisy buds to live at ease on.
He’s forgotten how he smiled
And shrieked at snowdrops when a child,
Or wept one evening secretly
For April’s glorious misery.
Wisdom made him old and wary
Banishing the Lords of Faery.
Wisdom made a breach and battered
Babylon to bits: she scattered
To the hedges and ditches
All our nursery gnomes and witches.
Lob and Puck, poor frantic elves,
Drag their treasures from the shelves.
Jack the Giant-killer’s gone,
Mother Goose and Oberon,
Bluebeard and King Solomon.
Robin, and Red Riding Hood
Take together to the wood,
And Sir Galahad lies hid
In a cave with Captain Kidd.
None of all the magic hosts,
None remain but a few ghosts
Of timorous heart, to linger on
Weeping for lost Babylon.”
-
‘Babylon’, by Robert Graves.
Robert Graves was a World War I poet best known for his poetry and prose on war descriptions.
I’m running through edits for a story that is basically my take on the journey of teens immediately after the end of Harry Potter/Hunger Games/Buffy chosen one type stories, and the hardest thing for me is always a good title. A dear friend, upon reading my work, suggested that I read some of Graves’ writing and see if any of the lines strike me as a good title.
This poem connected with me from the second line. I’m now wondering whether I can get away with using the whole thing as my title…
After 7 years, we can still surprise each other.
The Boy: Huh. Fair enough. I'd always wondered why you didn't use gender fluid or something.
Me: O.o I was wondering how much to tell you, how much you'd freak out, and you'd been wondering this whole time why I don't use gender fluid?
The Boy: Well... yeah.
Me: *shoves the gammut of recent Tumblr posts at him*
