Welcome to Fear

 Happy first weekend of Fall. Spooky season is in full swing and Halloween is just around the corner. I’m currently read “Mexican Gothic” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I’m about a third of the way through the story and so far it’s hitting all the right notes for my love of spooky atmosphere and gothic tropes. I’m hoping things carry through the whole story.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the novel I just finished. Luke Dumas’s “A History of Fear” comes out in December, yet I managed to score an advanced reader’s copy through a GoodReads giveaway. It’s premise sounded promising - a young man claiming the devil had made him commit a murder. I love a good murder mystery and the idea of supernatural forces intrigued me.

Sadly, the book didn’t live up to my expectations, falling into some of my least favorite horror tropes and setting off my social anxiety to the extreme. Overall, I didn’t find this book scary or horrific and everything is (purportedly) explained in an afterword.

Don’t get me wrong, this book has some good points. There’s an intense scene in a library that is excellently paced and thoroughly creepy, but this type of horror is rare. If the book had capitalized on those moments, I think I would have had a more enjoyable spooky experience.

I admit that I have my own standards for horror that don’t always align  with what is popular or conventional.

For example, I really like creepy atmosphere and quiet moments in my horror media. This can allow for a bigger build up in a scare or paranoia. These moments without action give me time to reflect and think - or overthink - about what is happening. I still crave that release of buildup and tension, but a solitary character lost in a fog can be just as terrifying as a monster popping up saying “boo”. 

I consider a story scary if it follows me off the pages of a book or the images on a screen and into my everyday moments. What would I do if my family was slowly starving and possibly being stalked by a witch? (The VVitch). Could I battle a button eyed version of my mother? (Coraline). Would I be able to find who the dead person is before dying myself? (Another). Could I defeat ancient Lovecraftian gods and save the multiverse without losing my mind? (Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem) What would I do if my town was suddenly possessed by spirals? (Uzumaki).

Honestly, only Junji Ito could make a spiral scary and he truly succeeds. The scene where the woman realizes that there is a naturally occurring spiral in her ear haunts me. 

When I was little, I couldn’t handle a lot of horror. I had a reoccurring nightmare of Fidget from “The Great Mouse Detective” popping out (if you’ve seen the movie, y’all know the scene) and kidnapping me while I’m trying to find my way home. The movie (with horror veteran actor Vincent Price as the villain) along with “Scooby Doo Where Are You” were my introduction to horror. As long as the scary images were clearly separate from the real world, I enjoyed it (with maybe a nightmare or two).

And then one of my parents thought it would be an excellent idea to show young me “Arachnidphobia”. For some background, I thought spiders were the coolest before watching this movie. After watching it, I wanted nothing to do with the eight legged arachnids. Suddenly, there was no longer the barrier of animation for my young mind and the real world became a little less safe.

As I’ve matured, I’ve found that I still prefer some kind of barrier between me and my horror media. I much prefer ghost stories and creature features to serial killers and psychological thrillers. If my horror story is too “real”, the less I feel like I’m escaping into a story. Real life is full of terrifying things - many I can’t do anything about. The less plausible a scenario, the more likely I am to jump in without questioning the details of the plot that otherwise might cause it to colapse on itself. As soon as my brain can start poking holes into things, I become frustrated rather than entertained.

Again, this is just my opinion. And these preferences aren’t inflexible.

Once I figured out what was going on with the plot of “A History of Fear”, I became less invested and more annoyed with the author’s choices. I almost completely left the plot and instead powered through to finish the book and move on to a new one.

However, one movie that did scare the crap out of me was “Oculus”. In someways it has some similarities to “A History of Fear”, but only surface level. There’s an element of reality to “Oculus”. The story could be about the mental break down of a family. However, the lore and presentation of the movie creates a narrative that takes me out of reality and into the internally logical world the characters are navigating. I completely buy that the mirror is evil. I also buy that the family had a mental breakdown unrelated to the evil mirror. The fact that there’s no explanation that ties up the plot in a neat little bow and spoon feeds me the explanation is a plus. This movie loved rent free in my mind for weeks.

So did the book (and movie) “Coraline”. As did the manga “Uzumaki”. 

Also, the less jump scares a movie or video game has, the better. I don’t have to worry about these too much in books and graphic novels since books don’t make obnoxiously loud sounds, but movies and video games love jump scares with unnecessarily grating noises. This is why I can’t do haunted houses despite loving the aesthetic and decorations - they’re too loud. Jump scares also don’t leave room for thinking. It’s an almost complete release of tension when they happen. Yes, “Oculus” has a few jump scares, but those weren’t the scenes that got under my skin. (No, that honor goes to the apple/lightbulb scene).

I’ve long since grown out of a need to line by bed with an army of stuffed animals to defend me against vampires and other nighttime terrors. My preferred horror stories have me buying into their internal logic and leave me with questions to mull long after I’ve finished the narrative. I prefer creepy quiet scenes mixed in with my horrific images. I want to escape into a story rather than be forced to live my reality.

Also the less jump scares, the better.

I gave “A History of Fear” 2.5 stars (rounded up to 3) on GoodReads. For all its flaws, I can see fans of true crime enjoying this book. As for me, if the paranormal is promised in my story, I want some really good, actually in the narrative’s world, paranormal stuff to go down.

What are some of your favorite horror media? I’ve listed a few of mine here, but this list is nowhere near complete. For one thing, “Dracula” is still one of my all time favorite horror novels (even if only the first part is truly horrifying) and the first time I mention it is this sentence.

Pleasant nightmares.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Phantom of the Opera

Don't cry for The Phantom, Broadway. The truth is he'll never leave you. He'll hide in the sewers with the subway rats and sneak through the rafters of the next show to find its home at the Majestic Theater. 

That's right - The Phantom of the Opera is leaving Broadway.

1988 may not have had social media like we do today, but Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous (or infamous) show proudly welcomed local and (mostly) tourist alike to through its doors for an amazing performance. 

Sadly, all things come to an end...and the show fell victim to the pandemic. It will become a memory alone in the moonlight after February 23rd, 2023 - a few weeks after it's 35th anniversary. 

The musical is an amazing production. The movie that came out in 2004 and it does not do justice its source material (neither the show nor the book). There's something magical about seeing the candles rise out of the stage's fog while the orchestra swells. It's heart pounding watching The Phantom throw fireballs at Raoul and Christine - it's replaced by a silly sword fight in the movie. And the Chandelier falling at the end of the first act is incredible.

I'm glad I got to see it on stage at least once.

Though I will admit, this isn't my favorite adaptation of the story. That honor goes to The Phantom of the Opera Wishbone episode "Pantin at the Opera". A close second is the original Lon Chaney 1925 silent movie, followed by Phantom of the Megaplex and Phantom of the Paradise tied for third.

However, Lord Webber's rock opera entered pop culture, found a foothold in little theater kids' hearts and midwestern moms' souls, to explode into ubiquitous culture. Something Cats will never be able to do (please let the movie be a fever dream).

A YouTuber who did a lot of video essays on The Phantom of the Opera book and its many adaptations (including the musical, it's sequel, it's many knock offs) once said that "civilization will fall and Phantom of the Opera will still be playing on Broadway". They were kind of right. COVID-19 struck and the show managed to last a few years after its peak. 

Yet, the lack of tourism to New York and the very high budget needed to maintain the ability for a guy to throw a legit fireball at two other people was the death knell for the show.

The final performance will be held on Saturday, February 18th, 2023.

It was magical. It was fun. It had a great theater run. Such dazzling performances. How the tourists loved the performances. 

It was Broadway's Phantom of the Opera.

Let me know of any fond memories or your favorite adaptations of the story. I remember first seeing the movie with my cousin at my grandmother's house and then (reluctantly) seeing the stage production with an aunt and cousin after getting (severely) discounted tickets - I'm glad I did. 

I know the story has its problems and certain parts of social media are having fun with all of their "hot takes" (seriesouly don't look at the theater side of Twitter right now), but there's a reason this musical stuck around for so long and nearly everyone in the United States is familiar with this serialized French story. 

I think it has something to do with the amazing 80s guitar riff.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. 

Until next week. 

By the way, I've made several references through out this post to other Webber musicals. Cats is directly called out, but I also referenced Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Evita, and Jesus Christ Superstar. Feel free to let me know if you spot them. 

Welcome To Spooky Season Recommendations Part 1 Of ?

 It's officially Spooky Season!

Okay - technically fall starts in roughly two week, but pumpkin spice non-sense has hit the shelves and I am eating it up (literally and figuratively).

So far, I've tried the Dunkin Donuts and Goldfish brand mashup of pumpkin spice donut goldfish (they are unsurprisingly addictive) and the Special K pumpkin spice cereal (it's good, has a nice pop of spice). Both are good, but you don't need to go out of your way to pick them up (unlike the amazing pumpkin spice mini ice cream cones from Trader Joe's - those are worth every penny).

Non-pumpkin spice related flavored non-sense, my local giant has a lovely honey crisp flavored seltzer water. I normally don't go for apple flavored things, but this one I do enjoy picking up at this time of year. It's light, not overly artificial apple flavored, and disappears by the end of September.  

Sadly, I have yet to see my favorite baked chips hit the shelves yet this year. These are the ghost baked chips Trader Joe's has between September and October. If you see these, stock up, they also go fast. Trader Joe's also hasn't yet had their pumpkin spice mini ice cream cones yet, so I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. 

Other reoccurring fall themed foods that are back on the market and I can recommend are the pumpkin spice coffee blends - though they vary by brand, apple cider (local is best), and apple butter (seriously, shop local, it's so much better than store brand). I'm also fond of the pumpkin spice tea by Harney & Sons Fine Tea. It's an herbal blend with rooibos and pumpkin pie spices (no actual pumpkin included). It's great for cold nights by a roaring fire. 

Alright, I've written enough about the food and drinks that have hit the shelves. What about the media? Are there any good spooky TV shows or movies to enjoy my time? What about books or graphic novels?

Well...

I've recently become obsessed with the recently released Netflix series Dead End: Paranormal Park. Netflix is currently in my bad books for some of their recent choices, but they at least have kept their animation line up (unlike certain other platforms - see my last post for salty details). This series came out in June and takes place in a theme park that might be described as 1 part Dollywood, 2 parts Disneyland on steriods. The main characters consist of a transgender boy named Barney, his talking dog Pugsley (who happens to be voiced by the actor who played Beetlejuice on Broadway), an autistic Pakistani-American girl named Norma, and the demon Courtney. 

This show is amazing - like Gravity Falls levels of amazing. 

The first season only has ten episodes, but we're left on the finale with an open ending that allows for a season 2 (and there had better be a season 2 Netflix). It checks all of my boxes for spooky season animated shows including good comedy, excellent representation, an intriguing mystery, and really well written complex characters. I love it.

Other spooky season animated shows to recommend on Netflix include Hollow (I've only seen the first season though), Castlevania (I've watched through season 2), and Hilda (which is less spooky and more fun adventures with a dash of mythical...and trolls).

Sadly, Disney has yet to put House of Mouse or House of Villains on Disney+, but they have released the trailer for Hocus Pocus 2. No I haven't seen it, I'm in denial that it will exist in a couple of months.

A movie I'm actually excited for (based on the trailer) is The Invitation, which looks like a modern take on "Dracula". Will I see it in theaters? Probably not, but I will stream it when I have the opportunity.

As for books, I'm currently in the middle of "A History of Fear" which will be released in December. I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and am determined to finish and review it soon. I'm about half way through and very confused. Is it spooky? Parts are, but overall it's more confusing. I do plan on ready "The Only Good Indians" and "Mexican Gothic" for the season - which I can recommend through reputation.

As the season goes on, I hope to have a few more recommendations for you guys. I plan on seeing a "Sleepy Hollow" ballet in the middle of October and might have a review in the works (not that I really know much about ballet, but I love Sleepy Hollow). Additionally, I watched Perfect Blue which deserves it's own blog post simply because it is an intense experience. It's not really spooky season themed, but it fits into the season by virtue of it being such a trip.

If you have any Spooky Season suggestions, please feel free to let me know. I enjoy this season and I hope you guys do to.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Creative Platform Loss

In the early to mid-2000s there was an amazing TV show called Teen Titans based on the comic books by the same name. It had a distinct anime style, though it was an American production, and the theme song was performed in English and Japanese by Puffy Ami Umi. The show ran from 2003 to 2006 and spawned the annoying spin off Teen Titans Go (which I will continue to be salty about since that's the show my little cousin watches [descent into incoherent ranting]). 

Anyway back to the original Teen Titans TV show. 

It lasted for five seasons and concluded with a show down against the Brotherhood of Evil. Much of season focused on the comic relief character Beast Boy and the recruitment of new Titans to fight the bad guys. This culminated in a two part finale that was absolutely amazing. 

Except those weren't the final episodes. 

The actual final episode was "Things Change" and featured the five main characters returning to their home city to clean up and regroup. While assessing the damage, Beast Boy spots a former love interest and character who was presumed dead a few seasons prior. The person Beast Boy sees insists he has the wrong person and asks to be left along. The episode ends on a bit of
a downer cliff hanger with a ton of questions left unanswered. 

And that's because it wasn't supposed to be the last episode of Season 5. It was supposed to be the first episode of Season 6 - which was axed by the studio. Since the episode was already finished, they still aired it - leaving many a young fan confused and left wanting. 

Teen Titans Go did not fill that gap. Nor did the spin off move where the Titans went to Japan.

I was 100% one of those kids. I was frustrated by the lack of conclusion, upset that one of my favorite series was over, and left wanting so much more. 

At least there were DVDs, and later streaming services, available for me to reexperience the series and share it with the next generation. I can also turn to Fanfiction to fill in the gaps (not that it makes up for a lack of an official Season 6).

That's something the current generation is not as lucky to be guaranteed.

If you guys haven't heard the news, HBOMax recently merged with Discovery+ and the new CEO has been making one infuriating decision after the next. 

Yes, I am incredibly salty that I won't get to see Brendan Frasier play a villain in the canceled Bat Woman film - which was nearly complete. 

However, that's small potatoes to the absolute devastation happening to the fans of animation and children's programming that had been available to directly stream on HBOMax. A whole slew of TV shows very suddenly got the ax - with some of their creators finding out via social media. Whole seasons that were completed won't be released and their back catalogues wiped from existence. 

Fans don't even have the ability to rewatch these series via DVD or BluRay because they were streaming exclusives. Creators have seen their hard work vanish without any proof it ever existed except in screen shots and fan pages. 

Tons of work gone because an executive wanted to make some money and not pay creatives for their work.

Animation already struggles to have a presence and be taken seriously (which is another issue to touch upon later), but this is like rubbing salt in a wound and then wrapping it with a band aid made from the butt of a skunk. 

Will this work be considered lost media? Some are predicting it will be. There are people who are keeping track of modern lost media. Most cinephiles are aware that roughly 90% of movies made before the 1930s are considered lost due to poor storage conditions and melting the film down to use for other products. Is the same thing about to happen to the media that only goes on streaming platforms without a physical copy to store?

Some might say that we don't need all the physical media. Its really just junk waiting to collect dust. They have a point, but not everyone agrees. 

Some people equate the loss of this media - these works of art - to the burning of the Library of Alexandria. The loss of the art stalled progress and much would have remained lost, except for the hard work of preservationists in the Middle East. Some of the movies that did manage to survive from before the 1930s have done so in bits and pieces. Some were found in attics and basements - in poor condition, but in tact. 

Where will art historians go to find the media deleted off of streaming services? Is our only hope that someone backed everything up on a USB or Laptop that was outside the reach of the cooperate overlords? There's a story that Toy Story 2 was nearly lost due to a glitch in the studio's computers and was only saved because someone had put the entire movie on a USB to work on at home.

I think we take a lot of the art we consume for granted. We assume it will be there and available for us to always consume. But the reality is that someone looking to make a lot of money in the short term can make a decision that is horribly detrimental to the consumer and absolutely devastating to the artist. 

Barnes and Nobel recently announced a new policy that they would only carry recently released books that were the top 1 or 2 of any publisher. This means that a lot of debut writers, books in every niche genres, and lesser known works weren't going to be published. 

This primarily effects minority and non-white writers. 

I found out about this policy change from the writers I follow on social media. Many wonderful books featuring less traditional narratives and characters are going to be buried because one of the top physical book stores has decided not to carry or promote them. This puts a lot of pressure on new writers and writers with a lot less resources to promote their work. 

I have a lot of feelings as to the loss going on. It's hard to put into words exactly what I am experiencing from an outsider's vantagepoint. Very little of this actually affects me in a direct way.

On the one hand, I understand that nothing in this world is permanent and there are many things that have been lost over time.

On the other, I am an artist and writer who gets very attached to their work. Though some of my pieces have been lost to me (either because I gave them away or they became destroyed for one reason or another). I would be positively devastated if I saw in real time my life's work vanish in a desolation of pixels. 

From an intellectual point of view, we're also losing our creative history. Some of the animated shows lost by HBOMax's purge were critically acclaimed and will likely inspire other works. Media analysis will have gaps. Historians might have debates about the content - like they do about those lost early movies. 

Again, I'm not directly involved with what is happening. It's not my art. It's not my work. 

However, I still feel a sense of loss and melancholy - as if someone had ripped a chunk of my spirit away and I no longer fill every inch of my body. It's an abstract loss, a frustrating state of being that isn't physical.

I'll never get the official conclusion to the questions posed in that last episode of Teen Titans. I can only read the plans for what was to happen and fan theories. More creative work will come from what is lost, but at least I can relive what is available. 

That's not always possible.

Artist have always faced barriers to exploring and showing their work. In the modern age, it feels like we should be making greater efforts to alleviate those barriers rather than constructing more. 

In conclusion: support your local artists, watch some animated movies (Perfect Blue recently broke me guys), and buy your books from small presses and local book stores. Creativity takes work and should be appreciated... and compensated appropriately. 

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please, like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Shark Week Facts

Last week was the annual celebrations of sharks on Discovery Channel. This year marks the 34th year of Shark Week - the first one airing in1988. Though I don't currently have cable, I am able to still celebrate through a few apps and other ocean created content. Currently, I'm typing up this blog post while watching the first blockbuster summer movie Jaws. 

I found this pattern on Pinterest. 

Jaws is a fun summer adventure movie - I don't personally consider it a horror movie. However, it is one of the major reasons humans began going after sharks for sport. After the movie's release in 1975, people went out on shark hunting sprees. In doing so, they decimated one of the oldest species still roaming the planet, harming ecosystems, and further throwing ocean life out of balance. 

Sharks can be dangerous, however we humans are entering their space when we go to frolic in the ocean. Sharks are unlikely to kill a person (you're more likely to be killed in a car accident than by a shark) and typically avoid humans. But if you enter their living room, expect them to be curious about your.

Discovery Channel's shark week originally meant to educate viewers on sharks. In recent years, however, it's been more interested in the entertainment side of educational programing. I remember when they started doing their fake mocumentaries on the Megalodon - an ancient shark that's been extinct for over three million years. These mocumentaries made it seem plausible that the Meg (it's "playful" nickname) might still be alive. It's not. Its extinct. 

Other sensationalist programing made great white sharks seems a lot more dangerous than they actually are. True white sharks have the highest number of human fatalities (which is still a small number), but it's the temperamental bull shark that has the most unprovoked attacks against humans. That's primarily because they like to have their babies near estuaries and are known to be difficult to spot in muddy water. They also hang out off the coast of Florida, which is a popular beach spot. 

Sharks are cool and there are a lot of them. There are over 500 species of shark from the famous great white to the lesser known ghost shark. Some sharks are fairly standard looking like the blue shark or the tiger shark, while others look a little odd like the infamous hammer head shark, and then there are the absolutely nightmarish looking sharks like the cookie cutter shark or the goblin shark. Sharks can be tiny like the dwarf lanternshark - only getting to about 7.4 inches long - while the biggest sharks, whale sharks - getting up to 33 feet - eat the smallest ocean life.

Sharks haven't always been thought of as scary creatures of the deep. This is a much more recent development as more people spend time in the oceans. 

In some cultures, sharks prominent members of their folk lore, mythology, and religion. In Hawaii, there are sharks that are gods who are said to be the guardians of the ocean. Some cultures even think of sharks as the embodiment of their ancestors. 

As Shark Week 2022 comes to and end, remember that sharks aren't as scary as movies or dramatized TV shows make them out to be. They're pretty cool, mostly avoid humans, and are revered in some cultures. They are not mindless eating machines, but powerhouse examples of evolutionary specializations. 

And the Megalodon is not hiding out anywhere in our oceans.

I hope you can take some time to appreciate sharks. With climate change happening and human interference, shark populations are still in danger. The world's oceans need sharks and we should respect their awesomeness. 

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like to hear from me.

Welcome to a Queer USA

I mentioned in a pervious blog post (Welcome to Pride Month Book Recommendations), that I had been reading a book called Real Queer America: LGBT Stories From Red States by Samantha Leigh Allen. Though it took me a little longer than I'd hoped, I finally finished reading it today (July 24th 2022) - roughly five years after the road trip that is described in the book took place. 

Published in 2019, Allen's retelling of her road trip across the United States with her friend Billy is a recount of their visits to queer spaces in "red" states the first summer under the Trump administration. Many people might have considered this trip extremely dangerous for the duo as both Billy and Samantha Allen are transgender. However, Allen was motivated to take this trip as she had found many queer havens in places that people might not suspect, such as Atlanta, Georgia, which is where she began her transition. 

Red states, as this book defines, are traditionally conservative states run by Republicans, voted for Trump in the 2016 election, and are known to be hostile to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. However, in each state Allen visit's, she connects with the community in deep and meaningful ways. She and Billy join protests in Texas, go clubbing at queer bars in Jackson Mississippi and Bloomington Indiana, hang out at a non-profit's headquarters in Utah, and takes a second to chill with friends in a small Tennessee city.

Each place is unique to the culture that birthed it. Texas is big and loud with state shaped waffles, while hiking is all the rage in Utah. Allen takes the time to give the local flavor and frame it through the lens of the queer people that live there - and why they choose to stay in potentially hostile places. 

Most people are familiar with the queer neighborhoods and famous bars in San Francisco and New York City. There are plenty of places to pick from in those cities as well as Portland Oregon, Seattle Washington, Chicago Illinois, and even Atlanta Georgia. But there are a lot less places to go to when you're young and queer and in the middle of a state that is openly hostile to your existence (Atlanta technically falls into this category too). 

So where do you go?

Allen tells us that there's usually one or two queer locations to go to. Rarely are these places specialized to one of the letters in the LGBTQIA+ acronym and some even allow people over the age of 18 in, instead of the exclusionary 21 and up. Anyone who identifies as queer ends up gravitating to these spaces and are able to connect in a way that is limited by the magnitude of availability in areas that are well known for their queer culture. These places are as diverse as the queer community and work to be welcoming to everyone.

This community then spreads into the surrounding area and found families are formed. 

Allen notes that the leaders in these communities and found families genuinely love their home and want to make it welcoming for queer people and an all around better place to live. A few of Allen's interviewees had left their home to try their hand in cities like Washington DC or moved to their new home from a "blue" state. They chose the "red" state for a variety of reasons that all included loving the community they had built. 

These are stories of hope and perseverance. It was the early days of the Trump administration and things felt bleak for queer people. However, there's always a positive feeling in Allen's words, even when protesting outside the Texas capitol building. She shows that queer people are not going to give up and move out of these states, but keep showing their love by working to make it better. 

It's 2022 right now and we're in our third year of COVID in a post Roe v. Wade world with gay marriage on the chopping block. Things again feel bleak. 

But reading about Allen's trip and the people she meets along the way give me hope.

I checked into a couple of the places Allen mentions in her book. Unfortunately, one of the bars in Jackson Mississippi did close - possibly due to the pandemic. However, another bar in Bloomington Indiana is still going strong and the non-profit, Encircle is still making an impact in Utah.

It seems like every time progress is made, something comes along to smack it back. However, it's hard to let go of that progress once it's been experienced. The stories and experiences in Real Queer America are proof that even in the toughest of times and places, people will continue to make the world a better place for everyone.

Thank you for reading this book review. I hope you enjoyed it and pick up a copy of the book. Order it from your local book store, request it from your local library, or download a copy.

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Welcome Local and State Parks

I know I’ve mentioned the National Parks quite a bit in this blog, but in my area there are also a lot of local, regional, and state parks that are wonderful to spend time at. Earlier today, I met up with a college friend and her family to hike around Leesylvania State Park. 

It was a lot of fun seeing my friend and meet her daughter and husband. I hadn’t seen this friend in about ten years, but we’d been keeping in touch through letter writing and social media. We met up at Leesylvania because my friend’s family is trying to go to all 41 Virginia state parks before their daughter turns five. With Leesylvania, they passed the 25% mark.

Leesylvania holds a special place in my heart. It’s the state park I spent the most time at growing up. I had Junior Ranger camp there (a day camp associated with the National Wildlife Federation), many Girl Scout and church event, friend’s birthday parties, and general days spent outside in that park. Going back today was a lovely nostalgic trip and I was glad to share the park with my friends.

Leesylvania State Park was packed today, with it reaching capacity well before noon. We’re pretty sure there was a big church event in one area of the park and we could occasionally hear music while on the trails. However, the train we were on was deserted and, with how lush the growth was, felt like we were in a world of our own. We sadly didn’t see many animals (though we did spot a snake skin that had been recently shed). I think I spotted a heron and there were a few butterflies. By the pond we heard some very noisy frogs that as I child I would have tried to catch.

There’s also old ruins along one of the trails with the foundations of a few houses still standing and an overgrown graveyard that’s mostly covered in poison ivy. A ruined Confederate fort is also on one of the outlooks. The trail we took includes plaques with information on each historic site, which is good because the map is incredibly unhelpful.

Leesylvania is now about an hour away from where I currently live. There aren’t too many State Parks close to my current home, but there are a lot of regional parks and one National Park. Some of these parks do cost money to go into (Leesylvania just raised their rates to $10 per car), some have seasonal costs and are free in the off season, and a few are free year round. The best resource for the northern Virginia area is the NoVa Parks website.

State parks, like National Parks, typically have an annual pass you can invest in. At least they do in Virginia Though there is one Virginia state park on the Virginia/Kentucky boarder that isn’t park of the pass system. That one is Breaks Interstate Park and it’s way off in the foot of Virginia (the southwestern most point near Tennessee).

And new State Parks continue to be added all the time in Virginia. Leesylvania was established in 1989, which isn’t that long ago. And our newest State Park, Seven Bends, opened over the last couple of years. 

Regional parks depend on the counties that encompass the area. NoVa Parks is run with help from Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria, and Loudon Counties. Their parks are typically marked with a brown fence board with yellow gold letters. They also maintain a few water parks, golf courses, tennis courts, and botanical gardens.

My specific city also has local parks and wildlife trials that are clearly marked and provide safe places for people to spend time outside. These parks and trails are maintained by the city. They also connect different parts of the city without worrying about major roads and highways for pedestrians and cyclists. 

Parks are an important part of our society. They provide a safe area with access to nature and help preserve the environment. While at Leesylvania, my friend’s husband pointed out and identified many of the native plant species that keep the ecosystem there healthy. While walking around my city’s trains, I often see foxes, deer, and other wild animals.

We need parks for recreation and as communal spaces to meet up and spend time with each other. Keeping them clean is also a priority to maintain them for future generations. National Parks are some of America’s most amazing examples of wilderness, but state, regional, and local parks are just as important. Some might have historical sites, others are  habitats for animals, while all have areas for people to spend time.

Parks are important. If you don’t have any in your area or you don’t feel yours is safe, contact your local governments. If there’s a green space you’d like to protect, see if you can make it a priory for your community. Protecting these spaces is good for the environment and our mental health and creates jobs. 

I hope you can spend some time at your local parks this summer. I know I will.

Until next week.

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