Wanna Hear Me Talk?

I mentioned in my last post, but now I'm doing the official promotional thing. I'm going to be doing a couple of presentations at the Flights of Foundry convention next weekend! Specifically, I'll be doing a game demo for Rolling Realms on Saturday, September 28 at 1pm Pacific. On Sunday, September 29 at 3pm Pacific, I'll be doing a panel presentation on copyright and public domain basics; finally, also on Sunday, September 29 at 5pm, I'll be on a panel sharing my handwork (specifically my crochet, cross stitch, and blackwork) with a few other fantastic people.

This is my first time doing this kind of presentation, and so I'm a wee bit nervous. Still, I'm super excited, and the fact that it's all online means that I'll at least be in my home, and the cats may or may not make an appearance on camera.

So! If you're interested in what's looking to be a fabulous online convention (that's FREE!), come join us next weekend!

Is This the Other Shoe?

 You know how we always talk about waiting for the other shoe to fall? Basically, when things are going well, we're waiting for the negative things to come and balance the scales, because it's not possible for things to go TOO well - something's going to bring us back down to Earth.

Well, lately things have been going pretty well. I've been asked to do a panel at the Flights of Foundry convention at the end of the month, talking about copyright and public domain basics. The convention is being put together using the things that the attendees say they can bring to the table, and so I had said that I could talk about copyright, and I could also demo a board game. They've asked me to do both! I can't say that I expected them to take me up on that offer, but here we are!

I'm also doing a workshop at GeekGirlCon in November, talking about how embroidery can help improve your mental health and teaching the basics of cross stitch and blackwork. In this case, I had suggested the panel and said that I wanted to do it, so it's not as much of a surprise, but I still wasn't expecting them to say yes.

These are things that involve a lot of work, but they're things that make me excited (and nervous) and happy. It's an overall upswing, and I want to say I'm waiting for the downswing. But...maybe this is the upswing that's making up for the earlier downswing for this year? We've had a rough couple of months, so maybe this time, the other shoe dropping isn't a bad thing.

I'm working to maintaining my optimism, but there's still that little bit that's waiting...

Not Like That

The last few months, I've been spending every Sunday morning writing with Mary Robinette Kowal's Make Me Write Zoom group. It's been really useful to have a dedicated time to focus on writing, and I've made some real progress on the novel I've been working on for *mumble* years now. I've also, for reasons unknown, started drafting poetry. I've submitted a few things for publication and gathered up the rejections, but I'm working on sharing some of it a little more. This one...I've been fighting with some stuff, and this one came easily to me, though it hurts a little to read now. So, obviously, I must share the pain!

Not Like That

Ask for what you deserve, they say,
Don’t expect people to just give you things.
You teach people how to treat you.
Advocate for yourself!

Fine. I deserve respect, I deserve kindness,
I deserve to be paid what my work is worth.
I want to be treated the way I treat others;
I have the right to expect these things.

Well, no, not like that, they say.
You go above and beyond for everyone.
You can’t expect people to just help you out.
You need to pull your own weight!

Fine. I will act my wage, doing the bare minimum,
Refuse to go beyond the basics.
I will focus on myself, my family, my home,
And everyone else can do the same.

Well, no, not like that, they say.
You’re too nice a person to let people struggle.
You need to help out where ever you can.
You can’t expect people to go it alone!

Fine. Let me ask you one thing, I’ve never known:
If I’m to help others, to support those in need,
To be a rock for others to steer by,
Then who helps me?

You do, of course. It’s all up to you.