It’s been a pretty shitty month for a lot of people, especially since inauguration. Being Canadian, I’m less impacted than lots of the people I’ve interacted with on here, but we aren’t idle up North, both in showing support for what’s going on in the US, or to ensure the same craziness doesn’t happen here, as racists have been emboldened. Combine that with some preventable issues related to my last job that are going to cost me, and this January kicked my ass. I’m not going to talk politics often here, but there’s too much going wrong in the USA right now to ignore. The first 2 weeks have been pretty overwhelming. A good friend of Iranian birth, with whom I’m part of a group sponsoring a Syrian refugee family, has essentially had her career fucked (she’s an academic, and won’t be able to go to conferences), but also won’t be able to visit her partner’s family. It’s been said a million times already, the travel ban is just cruel, and without actual substance (because the terrorists seem to come from countries Trump has business dealings with, and so weren’t affected by this executive order).
What is frustrating is that Prime Minister Trudeau has claimed to welcome refugees affected, without changing laws that would make that legally possible. Trudeau’s government (because let’s face it, as an oil-mongering, anti-environmental, and two-faced corporate owned entity, it doesn’t represent me or anyone I know) also is giving US border guards crazy powers in Canada. The end result, is that like a lot of people, I’m not going to the USA for a while. I’m pretty much only supporting small business in the US, whose politics seem to be rational.
I’m encouraged by the strong response around the world to the increased craziness in the world.
Shit I bought:
Postscripts to Darkness 6: This was something that got lost over Christmas and made it’s way over late. Mostly bought to read more of Tonya Liburd. I keep misplacing it, and it’s REALLY pissing me off.
Stephen Graham Jones– Mongrels in paperback
Stuff I read (or tried to):
Nathan Adler – Wrist. With all the bs going around and distracting me I got a late start, and it’s so popular I couldn’t extend my library loan. I got enough out of my brief look to put it on my to buy list.
Cherie Dimaline – A Gentle Habit
Signal Boost:
Women in Horror Month is coming up soon: I’m going to see a screening of XX the anthology directed by 4 women.
Pre-orders for the new Dim Shores book (a translation by Scott Nicolay) are open ! [This [pst has been a month in the works, so maybe it’s sold out already]
The Toronto Spec-Fic Colloquium is back! With guest of honor Cory Doctorow (his books Homeland and Little Brother are great for young readers, especially now). Now go download his FREE digital copies, and then buy the ones you like most.
The Outer Dark Symposium on the Greater Weird is crowdfunding. You can get some cool, or out-of-print things, signed things, or buy tickets to go to the event.
fmalexander 