BUTTS: A BACKSTORY by Heather Radke — some quotes that deserve their own post

"This is your birthright. You get to feel joy in your body if you want to." —Deb Burgard p 170

"Aerobics is, by and large, a submissive practice: you stay on your mat, inside your little rectangle, and do as you are told. In that way, aerobics has the consequence of reinforcing and rewarding compliance and uniformity." p 161

[begin quote] "When they write the history of popular culture in the 20th century, they can sum it up in one sentence, which is: 'White kids wanting to be as cool as Black kids'." [end quote] —Chris Connelly p 196 

[begin quote] "If a white girl does something that seems to be Black, then Black people think, Oh, she's embracing our culture, so they kinda ride with it. Then white people think, Oh, she must be cool! She's doin' sumpin' Black. So it's weird! But if a Black person do a Black thang? It ain't that poppin'." [end quote] —Nicki Minaj p 238 

 

 

Saw a rainbow on our way to HMart for our First HMart Haul!

We picked up our Mother Sauces (+ 간장, 떡, & 냉면, among other things while we were staying in our temporary accommodation) from the Korean 슈퍼, 팔라마, &then we finally trekked out to HMart to fill out our first round of Korean must-haves, now that we're finally in our condo :) 

Here's a list of what's pictured, for the curious [from top left, clockwise, spiraling around] ::

• 라면
• 석류 알로에 주스
• 왕만두
• 한국고추
• 두부
• 에노키 버섯
• 생강
• 쌈무
• 포기김치
• 유부초밥 kit
• 상추
• 참기름
• 어묵
• 냉동삼겹살
• 마늘
• 주키니
• 양파
• 당근
• HMart Smart Card for all the discounts!

&oddly enough, walmart has the cheapest calrose rice, so we've been buying five-pound bags until the bodybuddy/liifemate decides to haul home a twenty pounder. 

Happy Korean Eating! 

&here is a look at the last big meal that we ate
while staying in our temporary lodging

Twelve-Zero-Three

We got our keys to #1203 

on the day of our tenth anniversary

&seeing the sea

fills our hearts with such glee

that we're confident that here

we will set ourselves free,

finally.

&Then we ate Phở

to celebrate our love

&sorta looked at each other

&laughed, "Duh!"

I fear ...

... that if I do not worry about tomorrow, 

... I am, somehow, being irresponsible.

doing "my best" is all i can do

A fat cow grazes on a lush green island pasture.

For years she feeds daily; still every night she fears disaster.

You've eaten well since birth; in no nutrient are you deficient.

Quit fretting for tomorrow; your lot has always been sufficient. 

—Rumi as translated by Melody Moezzi

 

But why ...

... is growth ... painful?

the place where all knowledge is kept

The first thing that I always do when we land in our new "from here now" is obtain a library card. Most libraries provide a short-term card for non-residents, and so, until we have our permanent address here, I signed up for a non-resident card that I will renew as a resident card once we sign our lease!

Here in Honolulu, the library system charges $25 for a five-year non-resident card and $10 for a three-month non-resident card. For residents, like in all places, the library is free to use for residents. 

Upon obtaining my three-month non-resident card, I checked out five books for myself, and I let the bodybuddy/lifemate check out two books on my account :)

Happy Reading! 

Nocturnal Test Run w/ sushi, snacks, a soda, &a sunrise

2023 April Reads

 Year Goal: 14/53

12. A Quantum Life: My unlikely journey from the street to the stars by Hakeem Oluseyi [must read]

Nonfiction | 520.92 OLU | 2022 | 342 pages

"In the center of the curve are the vast majority of people. They're indifferent. Apathetic. They're thinking of themselves. Then there is a small minority of people who will extend a helping hand to you. They will work with you, share resources with you. And there's another small minority that is going to be hostile to you. Don't let that small group of doubters derail you." —Art Walker p 319 

 

13. Black Magic: Religion and the African American Conjuring Tradition by Yvonne Patricia Chireau

Nonfiction | BR563.N4 C5 | 2003 | 234 pages

14. Journal Articles

• "On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big?" 

authors Emily M. Bender and Timnit Gebru

• "Gender Shades: Intersectional Accuracy Disparities in Commercial Gender Classification" 

authors Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru

• "Between the Worlds of the Colonizer and the Conjure Woman" 

author alecia deon 

QED: A Journal in GLBTQ Worldmaking, Michigan State University Press, Volume 6, Number 3, Fall 2019, pp. 143-148