I Got Stung Twice By The Same Wasp Today, Because The Class I Was Observing For Training Danced On Its

Time Magazine

July 2015 edition

Interview & Cover Subject: Steve Rogers

Interview by Peter Parker

PP: What made you so involved in the fight for marriage equality despite the fact that it was legal in your home state of New York even before the Supreme Court’s decision?

SR: “Me and Bucky have had things trying to keep us from loving each other our entire lives. The federal government was one of them for far too long and the fact that they were still doing it to people like us a century later is something that this country needs to be ashamed of. I never wanted anyone else to be denied of something that everyone deserves to have as an option- the option to love freely and legally.”

PP: How hard was it growing up gay in the forties?

SR: “I mean, it was illegal, so the threat of jail time was constantly looming over us. We were lucky to live in a pretty open neighborhood- lots of drag queens honestly, one was my babysitter as a kid. But it was hard, definitely, having to pretend. It was scary being worried about the law or anyone who might have seen you for what you were. There was a lot of fear in everyone I knew who was queer, but that was something both me and Bucky were willing to endure to be with each other. I’m glad that gay rights and acceptance have changed for the better in this century but I think we all need to admit we still have a long way to go. The Supreme Court’s decision was a step further in the right direction, but it’s not a place to stop by any means.”

PP: What advice, if any, would you offer to LGBTQ+ youth out there who look up to you and your story?

SR: “Ah, that’s a tough one. There’s all the standard stuff about not being afraid, accepting yourself, how it’ll get better as time goes on. That’s all true! But if I was going to give any advice, I don’t want it to be something they’ve all heard before. So, I guess the biggest advicr I can give you is: it’s okay to not be immediately sure of things. Not bring sure, questioning yourself, even changing your mind- it’s all okay. It’s part of the process, and it’s okay not to have an answer. And don’t let people use your uncertainty as an excuse to force their own opinions about you down your throat as the truth. That’s another big lesson. Don’t let other people’s decisions about you influence who you think you are.”

PP: Now that same-sex marriage is legal in every state, will you be popping the question to your boyfriend anytime soon?

SR: “Actually, Bucky proposed to me during the war. Of course we couldn’t do anything much about it back then besides trade dogtags and have one of our squad bless us- nothing binding- but we’ve always considered it a standing engagement, but now that it’s legal we’ll be going about it the traditional way this time- right now it’s just a matter of waiting to see who springs the question first. I’m pretty sure our friends have bets going. If Sam loses, he’ll never let me hear the end of it.”

PP: So, this last question isn’t actually one from me, but if you don’t mind I’ll just hand it over.

SR: “What?”

BB: Hi, baby. I’m taking over the interview.

SR: “Bucky? What are you doing? Are you going to-“

BB: I’m the one asking questions here, Rogers. Now, to get down to it: Will you marry me?

SR: “Did you just propose to me during an interview?

BB: Natasha said it was the perfect way to get the drop on you.

SR: “Is this on the record?”

BB: ...Only if you say yes?

SR: “Bucky, of course I’m saying yes. Yes, you idiot. Always.”

Family Outing - 7/14/20

Ya know how in Watchmen, Dr. Manhattan exists in all times at the same time? That’s what watching this felt like. I am both in 2020 and 2005. Who is this intrepid time traveler???

Would you say maladaptive daydreaming about interacting with the Gods would be disrespectful?

No. As far as I’m aware, maladaptive daydreaming is not something you want or control. 

How many human sacrifices did the Aztec make, really?

The most recent archaeological evidence suggests a consistent pattern of finding between 90-150 individual remains at each of the the major archaeological sites in Mexico City. Based on the age of the city, and the Aztec religious calendar, the math suggests the Aztecs sacrificed 18 to 25 individuals every year. This might go up during times of stress. We have at least one recorded drought when they increased the number of human sacrifices in response.

But in general, this is a much lower number than the popular imagination would have you believe. Another win for archaeology!

Norway | Kai Grossmann

Topical Legstagram I did last month and never posted. For some reason I find it really soothing to make fake chats!

Gandalf has had the gc on mute for a year.

Review of ‘The Good Soldier’ by Ford Madox Ford ---- 5/5 STARS

Three months ago, when I stumbled upon a beautiful collection of Alma Classics at a book sale, I hardly imagined that one of the volumes I selected would turn out to be one of those rare literary unicorns that ticked all my boxes. It seems unlikely, but The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford fascinated me from practically the first sentence. “This is the saddest story I have ever heard.”

The first thing you should know about The Good Soldier is probably that it’s being told from the viewpoint of an unreliable narrator and has no strict chronology. It reads like a confession and the sequence of events is jumbled according to the mood and flow of conscience of the main character, John Dowell (whose name you will likely have forgotten by the end). The story is written in such a way that you don’t untangle most of its lies and mysteries until the very last page, which gives the book the impression of being a puzzle you must put together. The suspense definitely had me race through the later chapters. 

On the surface, Ford sketches how, at the beginning of the 20th century, the lives of two couples -- one American, one British -- intertwine themselves over the years, giving way to a secret romance and betrayal. On a deeper level, Ford examines the mental processes these people underwent to get where they are now in their lives. It spares us no dirty details. Even our dear unreliable narrator finds plenty of faults within himself and ends most parts of the book on a self-critical note. The Good Soldier is brutally honest in spite of describing an intricate web of lies and the feelings of one man who was the sorry victim of it. 

Despite being first published in 1915, so many elements discussed in this book are incredibly relevant and it’s obvious why that is: The Good Soldier is a portrait of humans, and humanity has not really changed in the past century at a base level. We are still driven by love, pride, jealousy and all that other good stuff. This has led many reviewers to call the characters ‘despicable’ or ‘the worst of humanity’, but I think that’s too quick of a judgement. It was refreshing to see the dark corners of the human psyche portrayed with such stark honesty. The characters felt like people I could possibly encounter in the street; some reminded me of people I knew. Best of all, I could understand all of their motivations at any one point.

Honestly, this book handles so many subjects that we are still struggling with today. Here’s a selection: sexism, male entitlement, the objectification of women, abusive relationships, religious tension between branches of the Christian faith, the downsides of cultural conservatism, and many others. But it also brought some brighter topics to the fore, namely asexuality, polyamory and serial monogamy, male-female friendship, and the importance of responsibility and trust in any relationship. If that doesn’t sound modern then I don’t know what does anymore.

And the ending, damn, it was all I could have wanted. It was realistic and so quietly tragic that I could not help but feel sympathy for all those involved in the tale. It’s true you won’t get happy vibes from The Good Soldier, but you get tonnes of satisfaction from it instead. It’s got my full recommendation.

You may well ask why I write. And yet my reasons are quite many. For it is not unusual in human beings who have witnessed the sack of a city or the falling to pieces of a people to desire to set down what they have witnessed for the benefit of unknown heirs or of generations infinitely remote; or, if you please, just to get the sight out of their heads.

Ford Madox Ford, The Good Soldier (via relatablepoetryandquotes)

one of the commissions i did for @sexybovine :)