The Cracked Mug v 2.0

[erikavonkaiser]

oh I should return my library books while I'm out getting groceries, lemme do that

[knightofcups]

Happy anniversary!!!

[erikavonkaiser]

Mary: An Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
Four stars

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yo for real though this was good!

I was a bit back-and-forth until maybe halfway through, at which point I couldn't put it down. For the first third-ish I was more lukewarm, because I thought it was gonna be yet another thriller with an unreliable female narrator whose entire support network dismisses her and I'm tired of those. Oh, is she off her meds and maybe drinks too much wine? Did she have A Trauma and/or is just, middle-aged, and now people think she's hysterical so they don't listen to her when she's in distress? Those kinds of stories feel like cheap shots and I'm over it. That's what I was worried this story was going to be but hoooooooooly shit does it dangle that trope and then do weird shit with it.

I don't wanna go into too much detail, because if the pitch sounds good to you, I think you should read it:

Mary is a quiet, middle-aged woman doing her best to blend into the background. Unremarkable. Invisible. Unknown even to herself.

But lately, things have been changing inside Mary. Along with the hot flashes and body aches, she can’t look in a mirror without passing out, and the voices in her head have been urging her to do unspeakable things.

Fired from her job in New York, she moves back to her hometown, hoping to reconnect with her past and inner self. Instead, visions of terrifying, mutilated specters overwhelm her with increasing regularity and she begins auto-writing strange thoughts and phrases. Mary discovers that these experiences are echoes of an infamous serial killer.

Then the killings begin again.

Mary’s definitely going to find herself.

It made me feel weird, but in a good way, and goddamn does it go (righteously, gloriously) hard on serial killer/true crime podcast culture. I saw a reviewer describe it as "American Psycho for women" which isn't quite correct but it's also, not incorrect.

#books2023

[erikavonkaiser]

also I am unquestionably a spring and summertime himbo but man there's something really peaceful about those first few days when you can smell fall in the air

[erikavonkaiser]

Weekend!

I had one!

It was good; yesterday was mine and Sophie's anniversary so we started a Baldur's Gate 3 multiplayer campaign and got to the druid encampment. I bought the game for her a bit ago as a present and she has been enjoying it I think even more than me, she's already in Act III on her main toon! I've just finished Act II and will probably let that sit and percolate for a bit while I catch up on some other games. Notably FF14, which I played for a bit with Greggo today to grind out tomestones for an in-game event. It was fun!

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I hopped off socials a little early this evening so I can go ahead and walk Baby Dog, get the apartment in order, and then spend some time unwinding playing a bit more bungame or maybe even watching YouTube while I hang out with my pubberdog before my work week starts.

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[Fetian]

Holy shit

[erikavonkaiser]

Holy shit

At least I have a super on the board and justifiable reason to now formally categorize her as "polite to at work, otherwise ignore" and I'll definitely never pet sit for her again after that one, sheesh

[erikavonkaiser]

your honor I would die for him

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[erikavonkaiser]

I finally!

Went!

To the post office!

idk why but that's always an errand I put off way longer than is ever necessary. I'll sit on a package for literally months, having it completely ready to mail, knowing it will only take an hour or so out of my day to walk to the post office, wait in line, then walk back, but by god, I will put it off and put it off. I had packages ready for Greggo, Masque, and Dax/Xel, so those are outbound now and that chore is knocked off my mental to-do list. I swung by the Asian grocer on the way back since it's across the street from the post office and got some goodies; I think the only other errands/chores I really need to knock out this week are laundry and to grab some groceries from Jewel. I may go ahead and do both of those tomorrow morning and then can kinda coast the remaining workweek with just my usual routine stuff.

I guess that's about it for now, lemme bed flop for a bit before it's time to go to work

[erikavonkaiser]

I read fanfic sometimes and it has made me deeply aware of how many people think they are good at writing banter and are, not

This insufferable writer take brought to you by how many times I've seen someone writing their Tav having a conversation with Astarion and my mental reaction being "oh my god both of you shut up already"