crialpaca's recent activity
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Comment on The 2024 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs December 19 - January 2) in ~games
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Comment on What's something new you started doing this year? in ~talk
crialpaca Link ParentYep, I'm on the ping list and looking forward to it!Yep, I'm on the ping list and looking forward to it!
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Comment on What's something new you started doing this year? in ~talk
crialpaca LinkI started exercising purposefully. I took a break for a while when I also started reading (since I only have an hour or so of free time to do whole-body-occupying things each day and it has been...I started exercising purposefully. I took a break for a while when I also started reading (since I only have an hour or so of free time to do whole-body-occupying things each day and it has been nicer to chill and read using my hands). However, my flexible Kindle stand arrived this week, along with a remote control page turner... and now I can read AND exercise at the same time. No more excuses! My partner and I have also occasionally listened to parts of shared audiobooks together while I exercise, though I appreciate the actual act of reading more because it gives my eyes something to do.
Reading itself is also new for me. I was a habitual reader up until 10 years ago, when college and creative writing burned me out. I discovered audiobooks through Libby this summer. I now spend most of my workday listening to audiobooks, and as a result, I've read almost 90 books since July. BookTok (which I get through Facebook Reels, which Facebook now has me habitually clicking, ugh) has been an... influence. Good or bad remains to be seen. I'm not spending money on books because I abhor clutter and I have enough unread books that I would feel bad buying more. But I'm now hugely into supporting my local library system instead, which I think is a big plus! I recently discovered their online events and am honestly so excited.
I also invested in a water flosser. Huge improvement for me.
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Comment on What's something new you started doing this year? in ~talk
crialpaca Link ParentHow do you find Finch compared to other apps? I tried Habitica, but I felt like it had too many components and it became too much work to try to maintain checking and using the app as a habit,...How do you find Finch compared to other apps? I tried Habitica, but I felt like it had too many components and it became too much work to try to maintain checking and using the app as a habit, too. (On the plus side, now I do most of my good habits so I don't have to bother going into the app, lol!)
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Comment on What long standalone book is worth its page count? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentI recently read Pillars of the Earth and found it to be quite brutal with not enough relief relative to what the characters and the reader go through. I'm still considering reading the related...I recently read Pillars of the Earth and found it to be quite brutal with not enough relief relative to what the characters and the reader go through. I'm still considering reading the related standalones, but... it's going to take me a while to be willing to tackle those.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentThis project is historical fantasy (made up mythology, more or less) set in 550-ish BCE Greece! It's intended to be a duology with maybe a prequel about the main character's parents. Generally,...This project is historical fantasy (made up mythology, more or less) set in 550-ish BCE Greece! It's intended to be a duology with maybe a prequel about the main character's parents.
Generally, I'm interested in writing both historical and futuristic fantasy. And various other things to a lesser extent. I'm working on adding writing back into my routine after long years of avoiding it due to burn out.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca LinkOh boy, here we go. Currently reading: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones for personal book club. Writing style is interesting, just started this tonight. Reminds me of a short story I...Oh boy, here we go.
Currently reading: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones for personal book club. Writing style is interesting, just started this tonight. Reminds me of a short story I read for school that I'll have to hunt down for comparison's sake. I've never read "real" horror before so I'm somewhat nervous but hoping for the best.
Started the audiobook of Fable by Adrienne Young. YA for work entertainment.
Listening to Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune with my partner. He loved this and wanted me to read it with him. Hilarious so far, 20% in and seriously considering putting all of Klune's other works on hold with the library.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. First time read for me, excellently absurd, 20% in.I actually DNF'd two different audiobooks today - The Awakening (Zodiac Academy, which I was trying for the hype, couldn't deal with the writing) and Two Twisted Crowns (going to try this as a text read instead; the narration was too sinister for me to deal with).
Newly finished: A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander book 6). A couple of surprises but mostly entertainment.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent. I found the writing to be extremely compelling despite being first person, which I struggle HARD with. I did actually put most of her other stuff on hold after reading this!
Also finished a beta read for a writer friend - cozy speculative fiction with cat companions. I really hope she makes headway in finding representation because I had a really good time with this read.Up next: ... finishing everything I have going, then And the Sky Bled by S. Hati. And rereading my own book so I can write its sequel, eight years after ending the first one on a cliffhanger...
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Comment on What long book series is worth its page count? in ~books
crialpaca LinkI just finished book 6 of the Outlander series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, by Diana Gabaldon. I really hope I feel like these are worth the page count by the end! Historical fiction with a time...I just finished book 6 of the Outlander series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, by Diana Gabaldon. I really hope I feel like these are worth the page count by the end! Historical fiction with a time travel twist. Book 5, The Fiery Cross, has been my favorite so far. They are very character-driven, and sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. While entertaining, I personally wouldn't reread them, but I know people who are consistently reading one or another of these volumes all the time, so whatever floats your boat. I wasn't able to break into them until I started listening to the audiobooks.
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Comment on What long book series is worth its page count? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentI've read Debt of Bones, The First Confessor, and Wizard's First Rule. I deeply wish he had gotten to write more material for Magda because I appreciated the peek into the past. I'm still working...I've read Debt of Bones, The First Confessor, and Wizard's First Rule. I deeply wish he had gotten to write more material for Magda because I appreciated the peek into the past.
I'm still working up the nerve for Stone of Tears. These will be the biggest fantasy books I've read (though I have read ASoIaF) and while entertaining, I'm still deciding if they're "worth the page count." I watched the show and enjoyed it as a high schooler, so I was expecting some (but not all) of the "weirder" sequences. Goodkind had a lot of content to get across, and at least his early work had pretty simple writing. I saw a review that mentioned how much time Richard and Kahlan spend crying and now it's hard to unsee that!
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Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (December 2024) in ~health.mental
crialpaca LinkI started counseling last week via a free-to-me service through work. They found a counselor who takes my insurance and whose experience supposedly matched what I was looking for (he's not online...I started counseling last week via a free-to-me service through work. They found a counselor who takes my insurance and whose experience supposedly matched what I was looking for (he's not online so I have no idea what his experience is). My first session was last week, and I was immediately impressed. He has already reframed a few things in a way that is helpful and (kindly) reminded me that if I want to work on difficult things, sometimes the work will be hard. Namely, my father has had some deeply concerning mental health episodes, which have led to me feeling anxious and responsible for him. Counselor proposed that I talk to my dad to address the root of this issue, rather than trying to "fix" my anxiety myself (which is what I wanted to do). The proposed solution would also probably give my dad a bit of a feeling of agency and control, which I think would be helpful to him, as well. I haven't yet figured out when I want to do this - if I want to try to do it in the next week or so before my next appointment, or let it percolate some more and ask the counselor for more advice first.
More than anything, I'm deeply appreciative to have been presented with a counselor who is strategy- and solution-oriented. The last counselor I talked to about issues with my dad didn't offer anything memorable other than participation in a drug trial (...nope). Hopefully I can motivate myself to do the work now.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca LinkI just finished The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan, which is set in 1260 & 1261 in the Mongol Empire. It has multiple points of view and a little bit of magic, and an astonishing amount of...I just finished The Judas Blossom by Stephen Aryan, which is set in 1260 & 1261 in the Mongol Empire. It has multiple points of view and a little bit of magic, and an astonishing amount of conspiracy. It felt really character-driven, and something was always happening as a result, because most of the main characters were acting in opposition to each other. I feel neutral about the book overall, which is new for me. I'm interested and I'm planning to read the next one, but I'm not feeling positive or negative in a detectable way. Even the criticisms/positive feedback that I recognize others have don't really resonate with me. Maybe it just needs to percolate more.
My partner and I finished our listen of Eragon, which was fun. I last read this in like 2005 or 2006, and I didn't read the other books in the series, so I'm looking forward to Eldest coming in from being on hold. Eragon is just one of a handful of series I'm planning to revisit, including The Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Sabriel, and the Chronicles of Narnia. I didn't get past the first book or three of these before "outgrowing" them in my gamified reading program in school.
I'm about 10% into What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez, and I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to manage this read. It's YA, first person (tough for me), and a little bit too much in the FMC's head so far. We'll see.
Once I do (or don't) get through that, I have A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, book 6 of Outlander. At 57 hours long, it'll probably be a bit of a long haul, but I'm looking forward to it.
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Comment on 100 notable books of 2024 (gifted link) in ~books
crialpaca LinkA few of these were already on my TBR list, but I added at least a dozen nonfiction books to my list! I appreciated that a lot of the nonfiction books had something to say about the experiences of...A few of these were already on my TBR list, but I added at least a dozen nonfiction books to my list! I appreciated that a lot of the nonfiction books had something to say about the experiences of nonwhite or non-Christian people. (There's more I want to articulate, but it's late and the words aren't coming.) Thank you for sharing!
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Comment on eBooks cost too much in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentI also employ this method - I typically listen to audiobooks (because I can do that while I work due to the nature of my job) that I get from the library. If I like the book enough to want to...I also employ this method - I typically listen to audiobooks (because I can do that while I work due to the nature of my job) that I get from the library. If I like the book enough to want to reread, I'll buy a copy of the physical book.
I definitely wouldn't pay the same price for a digital book as for a physical book unless it's an indie author and they have some rational explanation for the price. If I recall correctly, my physical book and ebook pdfs use nearly the same pdf, if not exactly the same pdf. I would feel super unethical offering them both at the same price for no extra work. Instead, they're both offered at the same cost / net profit.
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Comment on eBooks cost too much in ~books
crialpaca LinkI guess it depends on where you're getting your ebooks and how they're priced. I have one out for $4.99 on Amazon, and when I made it available, it was making me about as much as the paperback...I guess it depends on where you're getting your ebooks and how they're priced. I have one out for $4.99 on Amazon, and when I made it available, it was making me about as much as the paperback book, which is priced at $14.99.
Personally, I tend to get most of my ebooks from the library because I'm not attached to owning them.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentThat one is on my TBR list! But the other ones I've read have been Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Heart of the Sun Warrior, and The Night Ends with Fire. Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been my...That one is on my TBR list! But the other ones I've read have been Daughter of the Moon Goddess, Heart of the Sun Warrior, and The Night Ends with Fire. Daughter of the Moon Goddess has been my favorite by far. I have been sad to be disappointed by the others (I just finished A Song to Drown Rivers).
Others on my TBR list (that I can find right now) are also Sue Lynn Tan - Tales of the Celestial Kingdom and Immortal (when it comes out). And The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca LinkI finished The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, which is my new favorite Outlander book. It was the only one I felt emotionally invested in (almost shed some real tears). I've been enjoying the...I finished The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, which is my new favorite Outlander book. It was the only one I felt emotionally invested in (almost shed some real tears). I've been enjoying the journey and basically happily jaunting along, but without much of a real impact until this book.
I somehow got into mythological fantasy following Chinese culture - I'm now on my fourth book in four months in this subgenre, A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang (narrated by Natalie Naudus). Since Natalie narrated all four of these books I've read in this subgenre, and three of them were about warriors, having her narrate this one as a court lady is a little jarring. I'm slowly getting used to it, though, and I think I finally got invested at about the 50% mark. I'm interested in where it's going and hope it will continue to grow on me.
Also currently reading The Choice by Nora Roberts. I might try one of her standalone books next, as these trilogies have felt... a little filler-y.
Next up is The Wild Huntress by Emily Lloyd-Jones. I picked this up because Book of the Month had it, and it looked up my alley (I may have adopted a practice of spying on their picks and then putting them on hold at the library). After that, Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I am incredibly excited for this reread. I never got through Eldest, and now that I have access to audio books, I'm really excited to take on this series again.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentApparently under 300 is tough (for me anyway) - the only one I found that I've read recently that was under 300 is Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind. It's a standalone and it's high fantasy, might...Apparently under 300 is tough (for me anyway) - the only one I found that I've read recently that was under 300 is Debt of Bones by Terry Goodkind. It's a standalone and it's high fantasy, might be a little bloody in places.
Some things I have marked as TBR: The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer, Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher, The Jinn Daughter by Rania Hanna, Sea of Tranquility by Emily St John Mandel, A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney, Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater.
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Comment on Girlfriend and I bought plan B at Costco yesterday, pharmacist said they'd already sold more than 100 since the election in ~society
crialpaca LinkI'll just put this here for anyone thinking about this - if a woman isn't interested in having biological children, there are also permanent sterilization procedures. I've mentioned this a couple...I'll just put this here for anyone thinking about this - if a woman isn't interested in having biological children, there are also permanent sterilization procedures. I've mentioned this a couple of times on here, but I think it's something that generally isn't talked about a lot, so... Bilateral salpingectomy, which is removing the fallopian tubes, is what I ended up going with; it can supposedly reduce ovarian cancer risk and it's not like there was a point to me keeping the tubes themselves if they were going to be nonfunctional. There are also versions of this where a snippet of each tube is removed, or blocked in some way (tubal ligation or "tying" the tubes). These are surgical procedures but they are generally done laparascopically and recovery time is two weeks. Obviously there are risks with surgery, and it's up to the person and their doctor to decide if it's worth it.
For me, who had terrible side effects with the arm implant (good for 3 years) and was terrified of the IUD (good for 5-10 years?), this was the right move. I have zero desire to pass on my awful genetics, so eliminating the risk of accidental pregnancy AND the need to deal with repetetive / inconvenient / PAINFUL birth control methods was so worth it. Additionally, the Affordable Care Act requires permanent female sterilization to be covered for at least one kind of procedure (but your mileage may vary for getting your doctor and your insurance to agree to one). For me, the surgery was free.
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Comment on What are you reading these days? in ~books
crialpaca Link ParentThat's a mark of a loved book! I'm intending to revisit Jack London here before too long. I recently discovered that I have a whole collection of his work in one volume at one of my parents'...That's a mark of a loved book! I'm intending to revisit Jack London here before too long. I recently discovered that I have a whole collection of his work in one volume at one of my parents' houses. I completely forgot.
If you're ever in California, his Wolf House / estate is part of a state park. It's a very cool place, though a decent amount of it is ruins.
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Comment on Tildes Book Club - Spring 2025 nomination thread - Books from minority or diverse or disadvantaged perspectives in ~books
crialpaca LinkI'll nominate Shutter by Ramona Emerson. (Native American author writing about a Native American character.) The description kind of makes me think supernatural crime thriller. I have not read...I'll nominate Shutter by Ramona Emerson. (Native American author writing about a Native American character.) The description kind of makes me think supernatural crime thriller. I have not read this book yet! Short description below [longer blurbs on goodreads etc]:
"This blood-chilling debut set in New Mexico’s Navajo Nation is equal parts gripping crime thriller, supernatural horror, and poignant portrayal of coming of age on the reservation.
Rita Todacheene is a forensic photographer working for the Albuquerque police force. Her excellent photography skills have cracked many cases—she is almost supernaturally good at capturing details. In fact, Rita has been hiding a secret: she sees the ghosts of crime victims who point her toward the clues that other investigators overlook."
Thank yoooou, I loved Insaniquarium growing up and this is exactly the kind of thing I want if I feel like mindlessly clicking while listening to an audiobook!