Hello from the depths of hell my basement. I moved down here with my husband and child about a month ago in preparation for a home renovation. We shoved our mattress down the steps (it nearly didn’t make it) and shoved it up next to the couch, where Em piled her blankets, pillows, and way too many plushies.
The first night was too hot, so we borrowed a fan from my in-laws. The second night, my pillows kept sliding off the mattress, so we moved the coffee table so it could act as a temporary headboard. By the third night, everything just felt… moist. Our sheets, our towels, our pajamas smelled of mildew. We ordered a dehumidifier.
Now, the number one thing impeding my sleep (and I haven’t had a single good night’s sleep since we moved down there) is my child. Her blankets fall on me. Her five billion Squishmallows fall on me. Her leg—hot and heavy—falls on me.
Also, she snores.
This is her dream, sleeping next to Mommy. Meanwhile, I am slowly losing my ability to function. It doesn’t help that I wake up multiple times a night needing to pee and have to use core strength I don’t have to get myself up off the damn floor mattress.
Have I mentioned that I’m cranky? Do I even need to say it? lolololololsob.
I feel very meh about the entire renovation. I never really cared about the sloped ceiling in our bedroom, and I figured I could live with our tiny upstairs bathroom. But whatever. If demolishing an entire bathroom will finally take care of the silverfish infestation, I suppose I’ll take it. (If it doesn’t take care of the silverfish infestation, I’m burning the entire house down.)
Hopefully, by the next time I email you, I’ll be back in my bedroom. With the air conditioning back up and running. And zero Squishmallows.
In the meantime, I’ll find relief where I can get it. These days, that comes from my twice-weekly twilight water aerobics classes.
Where are you finding relief at a time when we continue to break global temperature records on the daily? (Climate change? What climate change?)
On the Internets
More than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been signed into law this year, but many of them have been blocked in federal court. Take that, evil-doers!
Still, LGBTQ+ folks remain targets of the conservative right. One of the primary moves against this community right now are bans on gender-affirming care, and such bans have already gone into effect in some places.
Speaking of gender-affirming care, trans activist Schuyler Bailar has this great video of what such care actually entails.
Moving right along, the FDA has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill. This is fantastic news for those who want to take control of their reproductive health on their own terms.
But because we can’t ever have good news about reproductive health without also then having bad news, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America is pausing its Emergency Access Fund, which helped cover travel costs for people seeking an abortion.
Finally, this short newsletter from Tracy Clark-Flory—which poses the question, “How should a mom dress?”—made me feel feelings.
Everything I Accomplished Despite Life
I wrote a couple of posts for Book Riot, but my favorite one was this essay on why all my book clubs have imploded.
For the Feminist Book Club, I did up a piece on the importance of creative work during these dystopian times.
I also have some presentations coming up, if you’re the sort who enjoys seeing me flail about with anxiety and flop sweat. First off: In lieu of their regular in-person conference, Hippocampus Magazine is hosting a virtual HippoCamp weekend. On Sunday, August 13 at 5 p.m. EST, I’ll be giving a flash presentation on How to Survive That Angsty First Year After Your Book Pubs. Don’t forget to register!
And just a few days later (Wednesday, August 16, 7-8 p.m. EST), I’ll be doing a session on Cultivating Sex-Positive Parents as part of the Sex Ed Lecture Series. This session is geared toward educators, and registration costs $30.
Necessary for My Sanity This Past Month
I’ve been playing around with embellishing my clothing and mending stuff, which has been super gratifying. For those of you who’ve known me for a while, you also know that I have an old, loved-to-death E.T. doll that, at this point, bears a strong resemblance to the Crypt-Keeper. My mom made him a scarf years ago. I removed it in order to mend some seams and his entire head fell off. I’m feeling especially proud of that mend, and his neck looks more stable than it has in decades.
Water aerobics continues to be the light of my life.
Netflix released an adaptation of ND Stevenson’s graphic novel Nimona, and it is an absolute joy.
And in the realm of books, I’m going to recommend something that’s not out until September (muahahaha): Carissa Orlando’s The September House, which starts out as a typical haunted house horror but then slowly morphs into a metaphor for something much darker.
My besties and I dressed up to go see the Barbie movie, which was kooky fun.
Good luck with the reno! And LMK if you solve your silverfish problem. I’m usually pretty live-and-let-live with insects, but silverfish eat books! 😡