Author ("Queer Rites," "Sagittarius Witch," & "Queer Qabala" from Llewellyn Books). Podcaster (#4QuickQs). Comedy musician (Misbehavin' Maidens). Pagan clergy (FAWS/ASW). Proud weirdo. Pink hair-haver. Queer. (Profile pic by Devon Rowland Photography)
OMG, em dashes are not a sign of AI writing!
I kept hoping this myth would burn itself out, but no — the idea that em dashes are a sign of AI writing just keeps spreading. I finally couldn't take it anymore, so I crashed a segment into the latest Grammar Girl podcast.
The whole thing seems to have taken off after a popular GenZ culture podcast advised people to stop using the “the ChatGPT hyphen.” (And I have to confess it kills me that they didn't even know the name for it.) 🧵
@Jennifer Thank you!
Announcing: https://justaqrcode.com.
Tired of "free" QR code generators that are full of ads and trackers, that share your data, and that want to sell you something? Me too. Here's my act of resistance: I made a one-page site that works entirely in your browser to generate a simple QR code. And that's all it does. You can download the HTML page and run it locally, even. Read the source; nothing up my sleeves. Just a QR code.
My offer to you -- I will continue to pay for the domain name and web hosting for it, myself. If you find it valuable, you can pay it back by creating your own useful thing for the world and releasing it for free. Let's take back the friendly web, one vexingly-monetized utility at a time!
@karaksindru Thanks!
OMG OMG OMG y'all.
When my first book came out, I had a couple places I was dying to see it on the shelf: places that meant a lot to me. One was my hometown public library (check!) & the other was Powell's in Portland, Oregon.
Well, Powell's had my first book available only as a special order, which was a little disappointing. But my newest book, "Queer Rites," is not only on the shelf at Powell's, it's a STAFF PICK. I am *screaming*. A colleague just sent me this photo.
OMG OMG OMG y'all.
When my first book came out, I had a couple places I was dying to see it on the shelf: places that meant a lot to me. One was my hometown public library (check!) & the other was Powell's in Portland, Oregon.
Well, Powell's had my first book available only as a special order, which was a little disappointing. But my newest book, "Queer Rites," is not only on the shelf at Powell's, it's a STAFF PICK. I am *screaming*. A colleague just sent me this photo.
Hey, got any plans this Saturday, Jun 21? BPI's having a party, and everyone's invited. https://blindlgbtpride.org/announcing-bpi-silver-saturday-on-june-21/ #Blind #LGBTQ #PrideMonth #SilverSaturday
https://mltshp.com/p/1R3J3 “At yesterday’s soccer game in St. Paul”
Use Signal. We promise, no AI clutter, and no surveillance ads, whatever the rest of the industry does. <3
I'm hopeful we'll be able to offer this again next year. If it sounds like something you'd enjoy, the best way to stay in the loop is to subscribe to my e-newsletter — I'll let you know if we end up doing it again. https://majorarqueerna.com/contact/
Side note: I was really impressed by the Omega bookstore. Huge selection of a wide array of books, incense, tarot decks, clothes, crystals...it was a proper witch shop. And the prices were shockingly good — like, clothing, accessories, and incense were around half to two-thirds the price of what I'd expect to pay at a local pagan shop or festival.
They had a wonderful display of books for the weekend's events.
By the end of the weekend, everybody seemed to feel empowered and renewed — something all marginalized people need, desperately, right now. I'm honored to have helped them achieve that.
I went into the weekend not really knowing what to expect. I've never taught at a retreat center before, and haven't been part of such an intimate group that stayed together through all classes for the entire weekend. We had 15 participants and I got to chat with almost everybody at least once. They were all hungry to learn how to weave together their magick, life experiences, and queer identities, and I think we delivered.
I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to hang out with and get to know my fellow presenters, Mat Auryn, Aly Kravetz, and Storm Faerywolf. It was the first time I'd gotten to hang out and chat with any of them for any length of time, and honestly? All are delightful, and so smart and so talented.
The Omega Institute campus is just gorgeous, and so serene. Their sanctuary space is particularly stunning.
I just got back from teaching at the Magickally Queer weekend at the Omega Institute, and holy shit is my heart full (and holy *fuck*, am I tired). Some thoughts, in a thread.
🧵
I wasn't able to watch it live, but I'm stoked to check out the recording of Ariana Serpentine's #LlewellynCon talk about "Rethinking Binary Approaches in Magical Systems." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKEkxFnMFEE
Still my favorite blurb ever. Thank you, Kristoffer!
"Queer Rites" is available wherever books are sold! If you are able to support indie/local bookshops with your purchase, please do!
I'd also love it if you could request it for purchase at your local public library!
Very High: GU
High: DC
Moderate: HI, LA, NV, TX
Low: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, ID, MA, MD, MS, MT, NJ, OK, OR, SD, UT, VA, VT, WA
Very Low: AK, AL, AR, CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NM, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, WI, WV, WY
No Data: ND, VI
