Google Reader: a retrospective

When I first heard, I admit I was furious. I don't normally set much store by interweb facilities. Sure, I enjoy Facebook for the photos, LinkedIn for the networking, Gmail/Rocketmail/Hotmail for the communications, but apart from some very light blogging and tweeting (as evidence by this neglected blog) I really could say I'm cyber-lite. I don't have such capabilities on my mobile telephone. I access the internet by a slightly more advanced version of dial-up or visit the local internet-enabled cafe (and use gallons of bandwith/electricity for a very reasonable 40p bottle of spring water). I never even text, let alone send photo messages - do you know how expensive they are?

So, when I learned that the one crucial site that I used LOADS was disappearing for no good reason, I was fuming.

I joined this petition. I grumbled to people lengthily. I was very sad. I had used my Google Reader account for as long as it had been available. I had stored there all my subscriptions to comics, blogs, job searches, news updates, etc. I thought it would last forever. I actually thought what a fun insight it would provide should I ever leave this mortal coil unexpectedly early, my nearest and dearest taking comfort in all the funny cartoons I enjoyed and serious political debate on which I kept tabs.

I knew that good ol' Google wouldn't be persuaded. Someone had mentioned the costs of keeping it alive and compared it to the revenue possible, but we GReader scamps weren't cross-posting or tweeting or blogging or promoting enough. We could have been punished another way. Make it slower. Fill it with ads. Do a YouTube and make us watch a commercial before we could get to the good stuff.

Instead there was just a steady reminder to back-up, download, collect and otherwise archive the information lovingly contained therein before the big power switch in the sky was turned off.

Resignedly I searched for alternatives. I tried Old Reader, but it didn't float my boat. I'm now using Feedly, but I'm still not convinced. I wanted more functionality for free, but maybe I'm just greedy.

I'm no longer angry. Strangely, it subsided pretty quickly. Feedly is now my go-to site after Facebook and my various email providers.

However, I'm beginning to think Google's Do No Harm promise is ringing hollow...

Televisual treats! Question: Is Keesha the new Shane?

What a day! Rizzoli and Isles, The Closer and The Big C [Andrea: “I don't see myself as skinny, but I do see myself as a lady so you best come correct.” LOVE IT!]... and the delectable UNICORN PLAN-IT - - there was so much to adore about this new series that I have made a list of my favourite moments. This isn't so much a recap as a top-10 of the awesomeness!

• Episode #101 VaGchat 00:00 - 1:06 - It was just like the best bits of The L Word, perhaps Liquid Heat S5E9

• Episode #101 VaGchat 1:07 - So, was her boot still outside the morning after? She (Vick) took time to pull one on whilst still in their house... I can understand kicking stiletto heels off on the way to a serious rumpus session; you don't want those bad boys intermingling with the lady-loving... But pulling off one boot, before getting inside? Am I missing something? Is that what LA queer ladies do? Sexy-time with one shoe on? Clearly it is, because there was at least one risk-lover in the room that night: see Exhibit A.

Exhibit A from VaGchat

• Episode #101 VaGchat 2:47 - J: "..and by let's I mean you."

• Episode #101 VaGchat 3:24 - Scissors Bump! 

Scissor bump! Hmm, plural or singular... scissors

• Episode #101 VaGchat 4:54 - J: "...why didn't you just tell my face?"

• Episode #102: Bang it Out! 2:53 Vick: "...I gayly respect tradition, the gender binary and my mother."

• Episode #102: Bang it Out! 3:51 Keesha: "I do taste delicious"

• The marvellous music created in-house!

• The super-clever writing skillz! 

• The gorgeous gay women (and Amir Levi!) filling the screen...

But I have questions... actually just one question:

Is Keesha the new Shane?

I know Vick is being set-up as the lady-killer character, but I get the vibe from Keesha that she will turn out to be the wicked heart-breaker. OR MAYBE... Vick and Keesha were characters written for Sarah Croce and Ashley Reed respectively, but they switched them to spice things up - since we would all be expecting the brunette with the heart-throb blue eyes to be the trouble-maker.

Mostly my feelings about all this can be summarised thusly: click here to hear!

UNICORN PLAN-IT: It's so close now, I can almost touch it!

Thanks to Alice for this image from the gif competition

Hip-hip-hooray, UNICORN PLAN-IT starts today!

Yes, my lovelies, the exciting new webseries by the gorgeous people at Autostraddle and their beauteous pals has already garnered accolades, tweets and posts aplenty - - and it hasn't even started yet! No need to wait! Yup, Monday August 1st (TODAY) is the world premiere of this scripted show's first two episodes.

Here is how it all started...

Temped to tune in? You should be! Need more persuasion? Here is a synopsis of the show and the teaser video where Ashley explains The Ho Bag!

"The show centers around an events planning office in LA, lesbian owned and operated. It's character centered, around J (Sherri D. Sutton), the boss, her lover Harmony who is also a spiritual healer (Haviland Stillwell), and her employees, player Vick (Ashley Reed), emotionally promiscuous Keesha (Sarah Croce), and the lone gay boy (Amir Levi). The business and the relationship are at a crossroads, so Harmony brings in a big piece of business -- her former college "roommate" Bambi (Catherine Wadkins) is getting married, and the UNICORN PLAN-IT team has to get their shit together and plan it! We refer to everyone as Unicorns, because gay people love them, because they are magical and lovely, and also, they are really just lesbian horses. Obvs. Holler. UNICORN PLAN-IT...Get horny."

Already love it? Good! You should check out Unicorn Plan-It's facebook page, youtube channel and twitter feed! You want to know more RIGHT NOW? Okay, how about this? Insider info, from a starlet in the know, reveals that the show is made by almost entirely gay ladies (crew, cast, etc.). So if you want to support it just because it has great queer and feminist ideals, then that would be wonderful, too!

Let's take a closer look at these wonderful people...

SARAH CROCE (actress, Girl Talk, Autostraddle's Miss April)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook twitter tumblr youtube model portfolio
Top Google search suggestions:

ASHLEY REED (writer, upcoming film HARTS LOCATION)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook twitter
Top Google search suggestions:

HAVILAND STILLWELL (TV/Broadway actress, recording artist)
Stalking opportunities: Facebook Facebook page Facebook group twitter website
Top Google search suggestions:

SHERRI D. SUTTON
Fascinating facts: Sherri was six years in a cult, fighting her queer identity but luckily for her (and us!), she went through "lesbian remission" and is now a successful comedian and theatre teacher. You can stalk her here: Facebook

The other cast members include: Amir Levi (Facebook Facebook page twitter), Catherine Wadkins (Facebook), Malcolm Devine and Rachel Paulson.

 

Last but by no means least: Sara Croce guarantees a ride on her invisible horn in exchange for cashola! Ooh, the sauce! You heard it here - - verbal contracts are binding! Want to contribute and secure that magical moment avec La Croce? It's too late! *sad face* but you'll have the link for when they start fundraising for season 2! Click here to help the lasses and see a bigger version of this wondrous rainbow-pooping beast!

The girls in La La Land are SO excited about their new show; let's make it a success... And if you happen to be near M Bar 1253 Vine Street, Los Angeles tonight head to the premiere party!

Homosexy people! Use the force of the queermos to get the word out!

[*This delectable delving into the latest endeavour by the creative wonders at Autostraddle.com was meant to go live over the weekend, but then 'Blogger autosave' tried to ruin my world. Luckily I found out about pmdump.exe and strings.exe, so whilst a lot was lost, at least I learned a new retrieval skill!*]

Thursday Lite Bite!

Lots of lovely links:

Cynthia Nixon's Australian interview about motherhood (@Babble.au)

Boys in colourful underwear beat the recession blues (@DailyMail)

An amazing opportunity for woman anywhere in the world to attend a conference in the USA and get a scholarship to do so. Women & Power: Connecting Across the Generations, a conference to be held September 11-13, 2009.

Alex@Bilerico's report on new femme book plus a chance to win a copy of the book if you follow them on Twitter!

A fascinating map of the latest web trends laid out through a copy of the Tokyo subway map- it lists the latest significant people and places on the Internet...

I don't know how this escaped my notice but British boy band Boyzone released a music video showing a gay band member in a romantic clinch with a...man! Hurrah! See this link to watch the video - the link is from the kiddies' section of the BBC news site - progressive, eh?

Oh, I couldn't resist: Scotland's #1 male Barbie? This Aberdonian fellow is all kinds of special! The link takes you to a BBC3 video excerpt and it is fabulous!

If I have not already advised you to check out the new super-terrific e-zine for intellectual queer types, then I have been extremely remiss... Polari is smart, funny, cultural, beautifully designed, easy to navigate, with quick loading times and great links. You must read it, and join their facebook fan page!

Queeries for Queeroes

So another question for the LGBTQ community...
Do lesbians who indulge in fisting find childbirth easier as a result?

...and the usual Sunday Serving of Surflinks...

• Check out Tom Robinson's fab website: he is a queer man who ended up marrying a woman and having babies with her, but remains solidly promoting LGBTQ pride and resistance through his awesome music. His website kindly allows free downloads of his tunes for the sensible reason that ("iTunes downloads cost 79p per track. Writer/publisher get 6p, Performer 6-8p, Visa/Mastercard 7p, Apple 12p, and Record Company almost 50p. Sod that. Help yourself to my songs & share them with your friends") - make sure you play 'Glad to be Gay' at every queer event you attend - too often there is such dispiritedness as a result of constant battles with prejudice that queer events can feel a bit angry, isolationist and overly-political. Sometimes we just want to be really, you know, gay - - as in happy! As Dana's brother, Howie, said at GayPride on The L Word: I mean (shouting to the crowd) be gay, be proud everybody! (The crowd roars back.)

Sing if you're glad to be gay
Sing if you're happy that way, hey
(Tom Robinson lyrics)

• Really interesting session at WAM2009 called In/Out of Focus, Broadening a Feminist Lens: Gender, Non-Conformity and the Media, which you can follow on twitter...
• If you don't laugh, you'd cry...Papal condoms!
• Volunteers needed for a worthy event: Bi Health 2009
• Also, for those wanting more help in their activism schemes, you might want to apply to Soulforce...
• For major fans of Riese and crew (like me!) become a fan of Autostraddle's new facebook page!
• Oh, and Towleroad has an awesome listing - check THEM ALL OUT!
  
• Therese Szymanski, who is completely fabulous, has a lively blog and an excellent website writes fantastic queer, women-oriented fiction. Having been given the book of erotica 'Tall in the Saddle', I thought I would share a quotation from her story which I thought equally hilarious and accurate!

"You know I can't let let you go back there now."
"I don't want to."
"So what do we do?"
Billy held Elise tight with one arm while her other caressed her hair, then the full length of her back, stopping only to cup her full, shapely ass. "We've got horses. Can you ride?"
"Hell, yes, I can ride."
"So we got us horses, a treasure map, and the rest of out lives. What's say we go for it?"
Elise rolled Billy onto her back, ripped open her shirt, and said, "Start speaking proper English, stop acting stupid, and let me see you as you really are and we might have a deal."
Little did Billy know that Elise was practically defining butch/femme relations for the next century with that single move.
Therese Szymanski, The Life and Times of Ornery Crazy Mean Bad Bill, 2007

I'm a bit surprised how much I loved the story and then I realised it was because it felt safe, mirroring the heteronormative lines of romance stories I have seen, read and heard since I was a child. The protagonists are a man (who is really a woman, but who dresses, acts and names herself in the masculine style) and a woman who live together, eventually have a child (adopted) and reconcile with the estranged family members who are just fine with their alternative lifestyle choices. Did I really feel more comfort in reading familiar stories with a queer take for queer women, or is it ingrained in humans to have that sort of same+other relationship, rather than same+same? More introspection needed...


On the idea of introspection, I was in the bath finishing TL&ToOCMBadBill, when I realised in all my roles where I have been the boss, I have never felt comfortable in charge of women who were physically bigger than me. At 5'8 and 8stone it is hard to find employees smaller than myself, but more importantly what does it mean about my self image and ability to be the strong woman in charge yet physically weaker? The same goes for women I want to date - they are all similar in physique. Either I am so egotistic that I can only fancy people of similar body-shapes, or I think the men in my life should be bigger than me (men are the protector, tall and imposing like my father) and that the women in my life should be smaller than I (women are delicate and need protecting like my mother). This might be linked to the idea that I prefer to date younger women (I cannot get down with well-used puss, or wrinkly flesh, post-birth bodies, etc. - maybe I worry that they have diseases if they have been about a bit). I would prefer a young virgin, then any mistakes in bed would be ignored (what does that say about my bedroom confidence?) and we could learn to love one another together rather than having to show off one's skills. At 28, younger lovers are realistically going to be 18-28, anything younger really feels gross and paedophilic. Yet I also sought young inexperienced male partners, I had a plan to hang about seminaries, young, men, probably virgins learning to be vicars, looking for a wife - I could be a real hit! Do I seek to help out at queer LGBTQ youth events because I am experienced in working with youngsters, or is it that I think there might be a potential gf there for me? Weird... I think there might be something Freudian in this...

Ooh, I think I forgot to mention...

Each morning after checking iGoogle (UK news, queer news, tech news, Dilbert, word match up, art of the day, twitterfeed, facebook, quote of the day, Japanese word of the day, English word of the day), browsing a paper edition of The Daily Mail, checking my work email address and avoiding my personal one, plus logging out of the auto-sign-in MSNMessenger, I routinely check Marie Lyn 'Riese' Bernard and crew's new website. It is splendiferous and I recommend anyone with an interest in things pertaining to queer women give it some serious attention.

Today those lovely ladies sent my tumbling through the internet with the following links:
SXSW Update
Bitch magazine's 'women in science' link to Flickr
Jezebel caught up with the 'ladies loving ladies late' trend

...and then I was wondering: what ever happened to Beth Orton? The answer is here.

... and then I was glad Feministing had this article on the missing gender discussion regarding the recent German school girl shooting.

Autumn is to fall...

My beautiful grandmother has lived to the lovely, ripe old age of 85 - a life jam-packed full of experiences, perhaps I'll tell you all about them one day.

How is it though that some people are blessed with longevity and some are not? A young man who lived with us last year died yesterday in a car crash whilst on his way home to his family for Christmas, travelling with friends from high school, friends he had known since he was a teenager, friends from his home-town who he had undoubtedly missed whilst at University, but with whom he was reunited on this trip. It would seem that he had done the unexpected and died from 'youth', rather than, the over-used and redundant, 'old-age'. He had been having fun with friends, likely chatting and listening to tunes before tragedy struck. Within hours his mother had thoughtfully instructed someone to post on his facebook wall to prevent anyone from being in the distressing situation of sending an inappropriate message in a time of loss and sadness. Yet immediately his wall was filled with missives of grief directed to him - it seemed trite to me, but here I am blogging about it. This is no better; it is derivative at best and disrespectful at worst. However, the point of this blog is to encourage honesty and dialogue, to talk about the things that have strangled us for so long, kept us quiet and ignorant. This blog is intended to stimulate discussion; not necessarily on this page, but at least in your own consciousness and with your own conscience, within your friendship groups and family gatherings. There are some words which are too difficult to get out, because you know that once spoken they can never be retrieved and put back in hiding. There are some things you only want to have to tell once, if ever, and preferably never if that option is available. So this post is not to dissect the meanings of a young man's death, but maybe to ask each of us what is life worth and to that end, in the end, what is death worth? Can we live by the motto that each second must count, filled with excitement, joy, productivity, or can we slip into quiet submission of routine and regularity, never expecting the worst and unprepared, with many unfulfilled wishes, when it happens?

Annually, or more frequently, I have an epiphany when I decide I really must stop fucking around and get on with my life. At 27 years of age it is high time to know what you want and how to get it. Even if that goal changes in a wee whiley or is dull once achieved, at least let there be drive and passion and determination to succeed; at least don't let the endless days drift on by as unloved and forgotten leaves from a year-tree, comfortable that there are many more seasons and many new leaves to count on, that there is no hurry since you can wait until next spring for the leaves of life to matter, to make the most of then, of now.

How foolish, how reckless to waste the now. How reckless not to be reckless, not to be brave and not to try. This young man was extraordinary, yet will his loss impact more of us more profoundly than a longer life might have done? Will there be more lessons learned from this sad day than by seeing him mature further and grow old, as so many had planned for him to do? What a terrible thought to consider the end of his life more affective than the living of it.

Writing a condolence message to his family was as difficult as one might imagine it would be. I wanted to convey how amazing he was and how missed he would be. But I was conscious that reminding them of the greatness that was lost would only open further the wounds and protract the healing. Would it be better not to spin anecdotes of the fun times, or should they know for sure how special he was to everyone he met? I chose the latter. I painted a picture in words of the last time I saw him amidst his University friends, how treasured he was. It seems strangely fitting that my abiding memory of this energetic man is of him crammed in a bunch of excited people moshing on a dance floor, many with glow-sticks raised high. He is the centre of attention as old friends swarm to greet him; he is loved.

It's a fair cop, Guv'nor. You've got me bang to rights and no mistake.

So, I briefly considered a wee introduction about myself, my life, my project, but I thought blow that, let's just jump right in! You guys will grasp what's going on quick enough... For those that need a hook to continue reading let it suffice to say that this fledgling blog is going to cover every bizarre, unexpected and controversial (to some) conversation, thought and experience that form a good proportion of my existence. I'm not crazy, it's just that the people around me are...

Today's weirdness is courtesy of D-man and his attempts to pimp me out... No, I'm serious - he has this pal who is thinking of trying lesbianism (based on some rubbish experiences with men and a current interest in exploring sapphic tendencies...). Here follows our facebook chat conversation - since this is my first post I thought I would be lazy and just ctrl+c this bad boy. A cheat? Yeah, maybe, but at least you know my standards from the off.

After an extended foray into the varying benefits of pillow-talk referencing one's own or one's partner's genitalia (i.e Which is sexier - talking about your own bits or that of your current bed-mate's?) and how my preference indicates likelihood of being a fully-blown lesbo as opposed to a pretty balanced bisexual (which I always assumed I was), I came to the conclusion at 2:49pm that I am fascinated by sexuality. I worried that it was a reflection of how much/little I was getting - that there might be an (in)verse relationship - but now I think it is actually just something that interests me. Everything from the use of sexual practice to create new life or to self-identify & determine one's own orientation, to the use of orgasm as artistic exploration - I am fascinated by it all. There are so many options, diversions, perversions. You can never summarise or collate. There are innumerable bastardisations and derivations. Like a very fine fractal diagram eternally diverging/converging. Rather poetic, no?

My partner in crime (D-Man) was happy to discuss the issue... but first there was one matter to clear up - my academic education thus far not being in anything remotely related... Would this stop me from talking about such things? Not on your nelly. Having taken courses in mostly science subjects since age 16 I'm not really best placed to comment on such culturally-created concepts as gender, orientation, etc. But I wasn't going to let a little thing like that hold be back.

Luckily I have found management (in which I have my university degree and current PhD research) to be an appropriately interdisciplinary subject. It is about managing expectations, goals, people, processes and power - all the facets of sexual exploration; it isn't just about running a company.

After half an hour of banter about gender-expression and related topics we had to briefly part company but we were soon back in the swing of things...

3:08pmD-Man
brb
3:17pmD-Man
sorry about that
was it terrible without me?
3:17pmBioGal
actually I have been busy self-identifying as a bi-dyke
was v hard work
3:18pmD-Man
as in you were evaluating whether you want to do away with cock completely?
3:28pmD-Man
or does that mean something entirely more scandalous?
3:28pmBioGal
no no
I was learning the definition of bi-dyke and seeing if it fitted me mentally
or at least if it fitted me mentally right now
and I think it might
3:29pmD-Man
what is a bi-dyke?
3/4 for girls, 1/4 for boys?
3:30pmBioGal
sort of, a bisexual woman who is more queer/lesbo/woman identified - i.e. feels more comfortable in that community than the str8 one

Then [whilst dashing to the loo] thinking back to the prospect of being the one to introduce D-Man's pal to homosexy shenanigans, I remembered my own initial lesbi-friendly flirtations and those of several ladies for whom I was their first lady-lover... and decided to proclaim them as fact. Luckily D-Man didn't seem to notice or care that I offered no basis for purporting these things to be true other than my own personal experience...

the weird thing is women who are thinking about trying lady-love prefer their potential partner to be bi(curious)
they do not want a fully-fledged dyke
they want a shared interested in men, a mutual get-out clause
in fact part of the initial flirting routine of women attempting tentative lady-love is to share/compare guy preferences
talking about muscles, sweaty sporty men
as if it sets foundations for later retreats when the lady-love isn't successful
'I told you I preferred Jean-Claude Van Damme type-men - it isn't you, it's just that I prefer muscly men'
maybe it is less of a rejection to say it is a lack of interest in lesbianism rather than 'I do want to be snogging a woman but just not if the woman is you'
3:35pmBioGal
I guess also that establishing one's interest and experience with men means it is less intimidating when you get to the nitty-gritty - you are not expected to be awesome at loving women as it is so foreign
anyway, they were my thoughts in your absence
3:37pmD-Man
wow
that's a lot to process
3:37pmD-Man
not quite as sexy as the rest of the conversation, i have to be honest
3:39pmBioGal
I had better fuck off and let you do some work... sorry for chewing your cyber-ear off

... and there our conversation ended. D-Man had to run to his radio show and I wandered in search of food-based sustenance - The word of the Lord might fill some bellies (Ezekiel 3:3), but He wasn't feeling chatty and I craved chocolate...

Until next time, hombres!