Entry 2 - 11/4/2024

Excitement!! November is full of fun and exciting events for me. I'm looking forward to it despite the gloomy overcast on my family's collective mood. My dad's looming, failing health is a dark spot. I'm going to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family; possibly visiting my partner's family, too, but I haven't really been feeling well. It's about five hours away, give or take, and I may not be up for the drive.

In lighter news, though, my sister bought us tickets to Dan and Phil's Terrible Influences Tour! We're going to New York City on Sunday for the show. We'll be staying overnight and then heading home sometime on Monday. Our tickets include advance access and some kind of exclusive bar area, since my sister has ridiculous "connections" in the theatre world and can make that kind of shit happen. The tickets were my birthday present, and I've got my eye on a bunch of the tour merch. That jacket is going to be mine...!

I'm so excited. It's going to be absolute chaos. I've managed to avoid all spoilers thus far -- a feat, to be sure!

We have a small, local comic convention this weekend, too. My partner and I go every year. I don't have a cosplay or anything prepped for it, but that's okay! I can always go in nerdy plainclothes.

November is usually a really busy month for me, but my schedule is markedly lighter than in years past. Mostly because I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this month, honestly. The scandal earlier this year about the moderators grooming and harming kids in the Young Writers Program put a distinctly sour taste in my mouth. I'd decided then to not do the challenge ever again. I just couldn't.

I was reminded to delete my account for good when one of their sponsors made a big ol' post about using LLM AI bots to meet the daily or monthly writing goal -- instead of, you know, writing. Ridiculous on its own, right? The doubling down they did followed by that truly horrendous public statement about how disabled people are too stupid and poor people are incapable of writing and editing without generative tools is just... man. It's so bad.

If you haven't read anything about it, give it a gander. The whole thing was a huge fucking mess.

I have more thoughts on the whole NaNo thing, but other people have covered pretty much everything I could say. The last thing I'll say is that it's a damn shame. NaNoWriMo was a huge motivator and a great source of community for writers around the world. And now, it's just embarrassing. A pity.

On a more professional note, year-ahead readings are going to begin soon! I plan on opening limited slots on November 18. I'm opening them earlier than I did last year so that I can offer more slots.

I think I'd also like to do a special live reading option to sit down with the querent while I pull cards for their year ahead. That way, they could ask for clarifying cards in the moment and focus in on specific months or events coming up in 2025.

Coupons are a given, of course! I always do an early bird coupon, but I'll also do one right around the solstice. Monthly members' discounts will be adjusted for the season closer to the solstice, too, since coupons don't stack on Ko-fi for whatever reason.

Good things coming. Yeehaw.

Not to mention all of the holiday shopping and prep... Huh. Maybe November really will be just as busy as in prior years...

Well! Onward!

By Fate's Hand,

Aese.