Worth A Read Yes Length 336 Quick Review Green Banks, West Virginia is the heart of a zone with bans on all devices emitting radio frequencies so astronomers can look past the stars. The quiet zone keeps away WiFi and technology, but creates an atmosphere perfect for less than wholesome individuals.
Enjoying quiet time reading in the Grand Canyon.
Stephen Kurczy does not own a cell phone (or at least he didn’t as of the writing of this book). It started out of convenience and evolved into a protest against society. He sought out Green Banks, a place where he was not the only one without technology, and his time there sparked the inspiration for The Quiet Zone. Moving into the town, hearing the stories of the natives and the transplants, learning about the observatory, he learned the area offered a darker story than the one he set out to tell.
Pocahontas County is home to the National Radio Quiet Zone because of the Green Banks Telescope, the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope, which is under the control of the Green Banks Observatory but was previously operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) until late 2016. This quiet zone is enforced by radio policemen and “Operating any electrical equipment within ten miles of here was illegal if it caused interference to the telescope.” There are other quiet zones in the world, they are largely uninhabited; though Pocahontas County is sparsely populated, it is very much lived in. Kurczy was intrigued by the space like many other media outlets around the world. Instead of breezing through and interviewing a handful of people, he made a space in his life for the place and the people. Taking the time to get to know the nuance, the hypocrisy, the secrets, the community, the history, the science, and more. What he found led The Quiet Zone in a different direction because he took the time, asked questions, and did what others had not: “Had [Sanjay] Gupta and [Katie] Couric so much as searched for a WiFi signal using their smartphones, they might have started to see a messier portrait of the Quiet Zone.”
Green Banks is in the Appalachians; a notoriously difficult area to navigate and inhabited by people who are, at best, wary of outsiders. Over the years, people, from hippies to the electromagnetic hypersensitives to neo-Nazis and everything in between have gravitated to the area for their own reasons. Secluded geography and a lack of technology make it a paradise for those wanting to live off the grid or avoid surveillance, “The physical and bureaucratic barriers isolated an already remote area.” With a heavy neo-Nazi population and a National Alliance base, Kurczy arrived with one story in mind but, so often is the case, realized there was a more interesting story to tell.
The Quiet Zone by Stephen Kurczy
The Quiet Zone is well written and intriguing because he captures the essence of a place that exists outside the norm of modern society. He asks the question: is an unconnected life truly idyllic? The portrait of Green Banks is wonderful in all its eccentricities and hypocrisy. No place is as simple as the world believes it to be, and that couldn’t be more true than in Green Banks. Kurczy embraces his quest to find the heart of Green Banks and doesn’t shy away from stomach curdling stories and situations, including tours of the National Alliance’s headquarters, animal cruelty, terrorist plots, unsolved murders, and more.
I read this book in between hikes into the Grand Canyon. I was experiencing my own quiet zone as I was living without WiFi, cell phone service, internet, and even electricity as I was camping. I enjoyed it, but there were definitely some bits that were hard to read. In Kurczy’s place, I don’t know if I would have been able to do what he did. I highly recommend The Quiet Zone to all those who are piqued by a life without technology.
Memorable Quotes “I felt that I’d stumbled into a pivotal place in the world and, perhaps, in the history of humanity: an area endangered not by climate change or gentrification but by the Fitbit on your wrist, the iPhone in your hand, the anti-collision sensor in your car, the human desire to have what everybody else has.” “Then I started coming back with stories of electro-allergies and illicit WiFi hotspots, secret government hideouts and neo-Nazi terror plots. The place was less and less Walden and more and more weird.”
bisous un обьятий, RaeAnna
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository Shop the Post [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4572259″]
Title: The Quiet Zone; Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence Author: Stephen Kurczy Publisher: Dey Street Copyright: 2021 ISBN: 9780062945495
I started out niched solely as a book blogger in the Insta-sphere. Even though that’s not the only thing I was writing about way back when, it was what I became known for. I rebranded so I had more freedom to talk about all the things without any push back and unfollows because travel, dogs, social justice, opinion pieces, etc were not on brand.
The books topping my reading list this fall.
When COVID hit, my life became wrapped up in the puppies and staying home. I’ve lost a great deal of motivation. Before 2020, I was extremely self-motivated and would often work ten or more hours a day seven days a week between my writing for work and content creating for the blog. I have found a complete loss of self-motivation in ALL things. Not just blog content.
A book part of this blog has been and will be book critiques. I love reading and expanding my world views. I have not fallen off the wagon when it comes to reading…. Although, I’m Netflixing more than I used to. My reading quotas are still being met. The book critique quotas are not, however. I’m getting back to it… Probably.
Bear really wanted to let you all know he’s super excited to be involved too.
Anyways. Publishers are still sending me books. I am still reading them. I’m just not posting them—or anything else—lately. But I wanted to give you a little sneak peek into eleven books I’m excited to read this fall. My reading taste is pretty focused. As a book critic, I like to vary it more than I would if I were solely reading for pleasure, so I aim for half nonfiction and half fiction on a wide range of topics, views, authors, and more. There is always a lean towards social justice, inclusion, representation, and progress. Even in my light reading, I choose female point of views and authors as well as finding POC writers because even when it’s a cute novel, women of color speak to things I may not immediately think of as a white woman.
Here are the eleven books on the top of my reading list right now:
Charged Emily Bazelon
Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead
Sister Outsider Audre Lorde
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
My Broken Language Quiara Alegría Hudes
Girl, Woman, Other Bernardine Evaristo
The Testaments Margaret Atwood
The Bright Side Sanctuary for Animals Becky Mandelbaum
Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut
Entitled Kate Manne
Ghost Forest Pik-Shuen Fung
Fingers crossed I publish book critiques of what should be some amazing books in a relatively soon time frame. We shall see.
anbisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
Shop on Amazon [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4571036″] Shop on Book Depository [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4571035″]
I love my dogs so, so, so much. All six of them. I have no favorite. They each have my whole heart because they are uniquely and perfectly themselves.
People, who are not me, tend to fall into two categories:
Oh my God. That’s too many. You need to find new homes for some of them.
Oh my God. You are living the dream.
To the people in the two categories, I say:
Fuck you. It’s a good thing it’s not your life.
I KNOW! IT’S THE BEST THING EVER.
Boys, Duke and Knight, relaxing before the vet comes in.
Life changed extravagantly after I adopted one dog. Life changed completely when I rescued fourteen and kept five. It wasn’t the plan, but I’m so happy with what is. Six dogs complicates life a bit. From travel to going out to having handy people over, there was some adjusting. Things run smoothly now, but there was a learning curve to knowing what works and what does not. They all bring their own personalities, preferences, and quirks to each and every day. We honor those but also maintain boundaries and rules to ensure the house, family, and pack are safe, happy, and healthy.
Today I want to talk about the adventure that is going to the vet. It used to be a simple and seamless experience. One dog. Once a year. With check ins if something was out of the norm. It was easy and as inexpensive as having a rescue dog can be.
Having six dogs… Going to the vet is an affair. When the puppies were puppies, we would load all thirteen in laundry baskets and head to the vet with Tess in tow. As they got older, we would pile them into the back seat, two at a time, until all thirteen were in. Then the same on our way into the vet’s office. Now that I have six permanent dogs instead of one, I have an entirely new process of spacing our vet trips out for two reasons:
They’re huge. I can’t imagine trying to wrangle 408 pounds of dog into the vet all at one time. It would be a nightmare. Also my car isn’t big enough. I have enough self respect and self worth to not attempt.
Money. Financially taking all the dogs to the vet at one time is extravagant.
This first year has been rough. I wouldn’t have it any other way [unless healthy dogs was an option, then I would have it that way], but it was expensive. A lot of the expense was expected, but there was a good amount that wasn’t. Tess was heartworm positive when I picked her up off the side of the road. Duke had to have dental surgery to fix his face and give him a good quality of life. Both expected expenses. Makeda ended up getting a very serious eye infection and had to have lots of tests to ensure she wouldn’t lose her eye. Good news, she’s totally fine. Duke ended up having repeated x-rays and MRIs because he has some skeletal issues. Upside, he will grow out of them, but it’s been both painful and frequent for the last ten months and will continue for eight more. Tessa had emergency surgery because she got a cut too close to her shnoot. Knight has SEVERE allergies, which did not present as allergies at first. Many tests later, it’s an easy but lifelong battle we both get to enjoy. Duke [that boy is chalk full of problems], is having mouth problems again, so back we go to the doggy oral surgeon. All of these were unexpected, but we made it work because they’re our babies. And what was I going to spend that money on anyways? Probably fancy restaurant food. I like my dogs more than fancy restaurant food. Worth it.
Knight protecting Duke from the mean, mean vet with the pokey stick of health and wellness.
I did the math. Just to cover costs of heartworm prevention, vaccines, and check ups, it costs almost $1600 a year in Houston, Texas for six dogs. In my house, yearly vet check ups are non-negotiable. I decided to spread out the check ups to two a month in the summer. Knight and Duke in June. Bear and Makeda in July. Tess and Beau in August. It makes it easier to wrangle at the vet and easier to wrangle my wallet.
Budgeting is super important when it comes to having six dogs. From food to supplements to saving for the inevitable yearly check ups to saving for the oopsies. I knew all of this when we decided to take on five more doggos. I have made budgets, plans, and adjustments in our life. I wouldn’t call the things I’ve given up “sacrifices;” they are adjustments. We adjusted. I gave up some trips and some fancy restaurants, but we have gained so, so much more by including them in our family and life. Even Beau loves having them around; I never thought I would say that.
I don’t want anyone to think this is me complaining. This is 100% me not complaining. BUT it is me being honest. Honest about the financial commitment of properly taking care of six dogs. Adopting is more than just bringing home a cute dog and feeding it and taking it potty. Like children and adults, they require training, medical check ups, vaccines, medication, and attention when things happen. Just like humans, dogs can and will get sick, have injuries, and more. Those take both time and money. So often, people think and talk about the time commitment that must be made when taking on a dog or two or six. We don’t talk about the monetary aspect of having a pack and the things that can and do come up.
Celebratory “it’s all over” puppaccinos for the very goodest boys.
I count myself lucky to take on the joys and challenges of raising six fur babies with my awesome co-parent. We share the responsibilities, financial, time, and physical, of raising and tending to them. There’s a give and take for both of us; a balance we have happily managed to find.
So if you’re contemplating adopting a dog or growing your pack and want to chat about what that means, I’m always here! I love talking about my babies and hearing from passionate dog parents.
I am a huge fan of knowledge. It’s really the reason I love to read. I want to know everything about anything. As a kid, I’m pretty sure I took “knowledge is power” literally, and I’m not sure I ever stopped. Knowing things makes me feel more secure in the world; I don’t mind not knowing things or the absence of knowledge.
Me trying my super hardest to soak up all the knowledge.
The invention of the internet then high-speed internet then smartphones has made my pursuit of knowledge so much easier. If I don’t know something, I pull out my phone and do a quick Google search. Some of the things I learn stick for good, others may not. I grew up in the era before home computers were everywhere. Hell, I grew up when cell phones were a luxury. If I wanted to know something, I had to open a book or a dictionary. Now, my home had a dictionary and an encyclopedia, but those only do so much. So I kept a notebook with a list of things I wanted to know, and when we would take our frequent trips to the library, I would find the answers to my questions.
Instant gratification did not exist as a child on my search for knowledge; however, it does now. And I take full advantage of Google. My search history is diverse and sometimes a bit frenetic. “David Bowie’s birthday” may be followed by “who founded quantum physics” followed by “what gun did Billy the Kid use.” Why oh why do I need to know these things? Frankly, I don’t. But I want to. I like finding answers to my questions. I like collecting information. I like being the person who is full of random facts.
I have been called a know-it-all. I used to say “Well, actually” with my pointer finger extended. Then I realized that’s incredibly off putting. So I replaced “well, actually” with “fun fact!” and jazz hands because I have to gesticulate when I speak. Sometimes I don’t even realize I know something about a topic until someone says something, and I realize I have a factoid to add to their statement… Or correct their statement to make it factually correct.
When people find out I’m a knowledge nerd, a perpetual learner, an eternal student, a seeker of truth, they often want to know some fun facts. I realized it’s rather difficult to come up with fun facts on the spot when not prompted by conversation or information. So I compiled a handful of fun facts that I can spout at a moment’s notice. Some of these are fun facts and others are just facts that I like to tell people are fun because knowledge is cool, and no one can tell me different.
The pound sign, or hashtag if you will, was originally called the octothorp. Yes, it is also known as the number sign. The symbol itself has roots dating back to ancient Rome, the modern incarnation can be seen in variations since 1850. There wasn’t an official name for the symbol, which appeared on the bottom right of a telephone keypad. So Don MacPherson, a Bell Telephone Laboratories engineer, created the term octothorp. Octo- for the eight points in the symbol and -thorp in honor of Olympic medalist Jim Thorp. There you have it.
Qatar, Monaco, and Cuba have the highest number of doctors per capita at 77, 71, and 67 respectively.
Magnolia trees are older than bees. They were [probably] pollinated by beetles until bees evolved and started pollinating the flowers and plants of the world.
The average international height of men is 5’7.5”, but average height varies drastically throughout the world. Timor has the shortest men on average, and the Netherlands boast the tallest average men.
David Bowie had heterochromia, which is an eye condition causing the eyes to be two different colors. It is very rare in humans, but it is far more common in animals. Several dog breeds see frequent occurrences of the condition, such as: Huskies, Border Collies, and Australian Shepherds.
French and Russian have a lot of cognates, or words that sound similar and mean the same thing. I could get into the history of the two countries and how that affected Russian’s linguistic evolution but that’s another story entirely.
Queen Elizabeth I died on March 24, 1603, which is exactly 391 years before my little brother was born on the same day.
Women are 73% more likely to be injured in a car accident than men. Funny, men and women have different insides, but crash test dummies are all modeled after the male anatomy. The crash test dummies used for women in cars are just small men. Cars are literally not designed to protect women. This isn’t necessarily on purpose, but data bias is a real thing and causes real, inherent problems in the world. But you know, we’re just women.
Dr. Jen Gunter, a respected gynecologist, said that menstrual cramps are much more painful than a heart attack. Take this with a grain of salt because heart attacks in women often come with no pain because, SHOCKER, heart attack symptoms are different in men and women. Still menstrual cramps can be absolutely debilitating; I speak from experience.
Nigeria has been home to some of the most famous African writers, and many are of Igbo descent. Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Flora Nwapa, Christopher Okigbo are among them.
One of the ways scientists proved all human life originated in Africa is through study of linguistic evolution, also known as evolutionary linguistics. Language originated in Southern Africa and evolved uniquely into families with specific characters. As humans dispersed, their language evolved and became simpler. Languages tend to lose phonemes, a distinct unit of sound, as they evolve away from their mother language. Africa is home to languages with more phonemes than other continents/countries and their languages. Like any science, this is a whole lot more complicated and fascinating than I’m making it. Today, the Taa language, spoken by people in Botswana and Namibia, has the most phonemes with a total of between 93 and 109, depending on the source. Rotokas, native to Papua New Guinea, has the least phonemes at eleven.
Yes. I really know all of these things off the top of my head. I did fact check to make sure my knowledge wasn’t outdated, but these are things my brain has decided are important enough to store long term. I’m not complaining; though, I look like a real nerd, which is on brand for me.
I love to learn. Some of these things directly correlate to my interests: women’s issues, books, and history. Some of these things were researched because it had something to do with my education: linguistics, language, and words. Yet some, I just have no idea why I know them other than I probably looked it up once upon a time, and it stuck. Permanently in my noggin.
So I hope you enjoyed and learned a thing. Maybe this even sparked a sense of wonder and will elicit some random Googling and dives down the knowledge acquisition rabbit hole. Either way, I like fun facts!
bisous un обьятий, RaeAnna
Shop the Post [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4543171″]
In usual RaeAnna style, I am incredibly behind on my travel writing. Normally, I put it off because I don’t want to edit pictures, but the pictures have been edited since the plane ride home. I’ve just been ridiculously terrible at getting the writing portion done.
Las Vegas is the perfect place to go when you want to pretend you’re not where you are. So many of the casinos have destination themes, and they sure do go over the top. You can enjoy a romantic gondola ride through Venetian canals and be under the Eiffel Tower ten minutes later before seeing the Sphinx before heading to the tropics enjoying a slice of pizza by the Statue of Liberty. Truly there is so very much to do and see and let your imagination run wild. If you’re me or just like a good picture opportunity, there’s really so many places you can do just that. Honestly, you can spend your whole trip posing around the world within two miles.
Hello, Vegas! I’m here to play!Thanks for a good time! I’ll be back soon.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign This sign is iconic for a reason. I wasn’t quite sure where I thought it was, but it’s a bit of a walk from the strip. There is a convenient parking lot if you don’t want to walk there like I did. What I didn’t realize was that it was two sided! On the other side, as you’re driving away from the strip [duh], it says “Drive Carefully Come Back Soon.” I walked past the sign on my very first day. I didn’t stop to take a picture because there was a VERY long line, and warning, there is always a long line unless…. I went at 6:00 am the next day, and I was the only one there. Except for Elvis, from Pittsburgh. He serenaded me as I posed. Luckily, I was prepared and brought two outfits so I could take pictures front and back and pretend I was leaving to post when I was actually leaving.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521948″]
Standing in the middle of the room for a cool picture.
The Venetian Really anywhere you go here, there are gorgeous picture spots. Had I known, I would have gotten up earlier and snagged a picture before all the people arrived to shop and site see. Inside is equally gorgeous with their flower installations.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521956″]
Dancing in the morning glow.
Mandalay Bay Again. This one is HUGE, so the picture moments are endless. The main entrance is really gorgeous and filled with waterfalls and tropical plants. If you can’t tell, I managed to match my outfit to the theme of the place. I got there too late in the morning for a sunrise golden hour, but I made it work, I think. This one is at the very end of the strip, and I almost never saw it thrumming with people.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521958″]
There’s nothing much better than reading in the pool.Of course I had to see the sphynx.
Luxor PoolsI stayed here the very first night. I’d only been to Las Vegas once before in 1999… It was an ode to my childhood trip. The pools are very well known and make great photo spots. When I was there at the end of April/beginning of May, one pool was closed due to COVID, another was under renovation, and the third was open. It was good enough! I landed at 9:00 in the morning and was poolside by 10:15. The pools crowd very quickly, so I suggest getting there early if you don’t want too many bodies sharing the spotlight. SphynxBy noon, I had a bunch of content because I changed into a cute outfit to pose in front of the Sphinx. If you’re trying to find it, like I was (it’s hard to know where things are when you’re INSIDE the casinos), the Sphynx is out the doors next to the front desk, facing the waterfalls. I had to get creative with my angles because the normal photo spot for the Sphinx was closed. They turned out fun anyways!
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521955″]
This was my favorite place in all of Las Vegas.
Bellagio There are so many gorgeous photo spots. I suggest all of them. I fell, absolutely fell in love with the Conservatory and Botanical Garden. The first night I was there, I walked the entire strip and into the Bellagio. I followed the flowers to the Conservatory, where I was left in awe, which meant I visited every single day to appreciate it at different times of the day. It’s a 14,000 square foot Botanical Garden with a stunning glass ceiling; every season and for Lunar New Year, the Horticulture and Engineering teams create a unique and brilliant floral and botanical installation. They reuse, recycle, replant, and repurpose as much as they can in their commitment to sustainable art. They recently changed the installation for summer, and now I want to go back to see it. This may have been my favorite thing in Vegas…. And it’s free.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521972″]
Best food I had in all of Las Vegas.
Best Friend In Park MGM, Roy Choi’s incredible and experiential restaurant can be found. This was a must on Amanda’s list, and I never say no to food. I didn’t know what to expect, but the moment we walked up, I was in. 90s Kid Paradise. I’m not kidding. If you were raised in the 90s like I was—aging myself—, then you’ll have, at the very least, nostalgia, and, at the best, a full on nostalgiagasm. There is so much going in the front, and then we walked to the dining room… I wasn’t expecting that. The food was incredible. The best food of the trip, hands down. I will go back again.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521975″]
It was hot. This was the coolest I was the entire trip.
Hilton Garden Grand Vacation Just a normal Hilton. It’s connected to the Flamingo, so my friends wanted to stay there for pool access (discussed below). The cute part about this hotel is the oversized chair. Everyone needs one of those pictures on vacation.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521978″]
I really loved this bathtub.Rooftop pools are for me.
Waldorf Astoria Rooms Themselves I stayed here the last couple of nights. There is no casino here, which means it’s quieter and caters to a less rambunctious crowd. It’s also nice as fuck, which is why the rooms themselves are the perfect place for a photoshoot. I don’t take baths, but I took a bath every day I was there. Also… not a bad view to get some work done. PoolThe rooftop pool is really, really nice. It has a fabulous bar with wonderful waitstaff. You’ll need a reservation for the cabanas, but honestly you don’t need it. Amanda and I lounged in our Texas icon, Buc-ee’s, swimsuits before immediately changing into something cute. I spent several hours by that pool. Paul, the bartender, is fantastic and also an Iowa native; we hit it off when he wasn’t busy. The [nonalcoholic] drinks are delicious. I felt like I had loads of money sitting by that pool… A beautiful fantasy.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521981″]
These were my favorite pictures from the entire trip.Who wouldn’t want to eat a baguette in front of the Eiffel Tower?
Paris Eiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is one of the most photographed structures in the world, one of the most tagged locations on Instagram. Okay… the real one, but that means the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas is a must see and must photograph spot too. There’s loads of ways to get your picture, but I suggest heading across the street to the Bellagio Fountain and posing with your back to the Eiffel Tower. That way you get a cute foreground and the entire tower in the frame. And if you scroll through Instagram, very few people are doing that. Arc de Triomphe This spot isn’t quite as noticeable when you’re walking around the strip because it’s nestled back into the hotel. The Arc de Triomphe is on the side of Paris, where people are picked up and dropped off. I woke up early and headed over there to take a whole bunch of fun Parisian inspired photos with the Arch in the background.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521983″]
Meow Wolf was incredible.
Meow Wolf This was such a fascinating experience. If you want to spend an entire day taking unique, strange, and potentially disturbing pictures in the midst of a hoard of people, this is the place for you. I truly loved it, and there is so much to take in. I didn’t spend a lot of time behind my camera. Instead I immersed myself in the immersion. I did pause to take this picture because the room truly was beautiful.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521985″]
I preferred looking over it after it closed.
Flamingo’s Pool For the young, party people—not me—this is the go to spot. It’s very pink. Very crowded. Very expensive. I stayed in the Hilton Garden Grand Vacation attached to the Flamingo for one night, so I got in for free. But you will have to wait in line and pay to get in. If you want a chair or a table or a couch, pay some more. It’s not my scene. I walked in and walked right back out. I took this picture on a walkway overlooking the pool after it had closed. Honestly, I think it’s better than being surrounded by a whole lot of sweaty, wet drunk people while trying to get a picture for the gram. Take a flight of stairs. Worth it.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521984″]
I would not go back, but you should decide that for yourself.
Fremont Street If I never go back to Fremont Street, I will be okay. It did not speak to me. It was fine once. There’s a lot of alcohol, gambling, and drunk people. LIGHT. So much light. There’s not really any amazing photo opportunities except for literally standing in the middle of the street, surrounded by people. Which can be a cool picture, but that’s about it. I do like the picture, though; it’s not my usual aesthetic.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521986″]
This was just a cute nook.
An Alley of Shops Between Linq and Flamingo I tried so hard to find out if this area had a name, and I have no idea what it’s called if it’s called anything at all. Onward, it’s a nice, clean lane with shops and restaurants.. It’s a great little spot for just a casual picture in the sun. Nothing crazy, but nice.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521988″]
I was feeling myself.
Caesars Palace Can we briefly mention the lack of an apostrophe… I don’t like it. Grammar aside, it’s a beautiful casino. Huge. Being completely transparent, there are tons of photo worthy spots, but a lot of times the interesting thing about it is the art and sculpture recreations. So go explore and find the naked man statue that speaks to your soul, I mean, Instagram feed.
Shop the Look [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521989″]
So there’s a run down of my favorite photo worthy locations. The thing is, this is not at all a comprehensive or even intensive or even well-researched look at Vegas’ Insta notable spots. This is what I found works and is pretty while still trying to have fun and not be intimidated by the swarms of people.
If you’re on your way to Vegas, remember to stop by the Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Garden. You will not regret it, and send me a picture of what’s installed right now. Also eat all the food, every single bite.
Pride was last month. Like all the other heritage months, those who belong exist the other eleven months of the year. I love Pride. I think it’s great. A month long opportunity to celebrate, learn, challenge, and spread love. For the LGBTQ+ community, Pride is every day, all day, forever. It’s an existence.
A combination of not being able to and spreading the joy, this post is coming after Pride month has come to an end. If you didn’t dive into learning about LGBTQ+ issues or stories during Pride, there’s no better time than the present. Learning is a never ending pursuit.
I belong to the LGBTQ+ community, but I have so much to learn as well. We all do. None of us can know all of the things. Although, that’s not going to stop me from trying. These are three of my favorite books I’ve read recently dealing with rainbow issues. If you don’t know much, these are a great place to start. They’re grounded in personal stories, so you can connect and empathize with the people that make up this beautiful community.
Of course I posed in front of a church with this one. How could I not?
The Queer Bibleedited by Jack Guinness I loved this one so, so, so much. It’s jam packed with illustrations, stories, maps, and more. It’s told by and supports the LGBTQ+ community. A collection of essays by well known members of the queer community about their personal queer icons. From David Furnish to Tan France to Graham Norton to Mae Martin and so many more. They’re personal stories of discovery but also love letters to the people who inspired them. Memorable Quotes “This book is dedicated to my queer ancestors who went before me, that I never knew existed, whose stories we’ll never know, I hope that I’m making you proud.” Jack Guinness—dedication
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository Shop the Post [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521863″]
Queer Love In Colorby Jamal Jordan The queer community has been marginalized for so long, but to be a person of color and queer is double the marginalization. So often the queer narrative has been told by the white community. The media has portrayed white queer stories. Where are the people of color? They exist. Jamal Jordan photographed people around the world and tells their love stories in this marvelous book. Memorable Quotes “Their stories range widely, but one thing kept coming up: the feeling that, on some level, finding love felt impossible.”
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository Shop the Post [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521860″]
I will find color whenever and wherever I can.
The Queens’ Englishby Chloe O. Davis Language fascinates me as a writer and a linguist. Words are fluid; they change with time, geography, community, and more. Words are a way of excluding and including people. The LGBTQ+ community has their own language, which evolved as much as a way to protect themselves as to include themselves. So much of queer language has seeped into the mainstream vernacular, but so much of queer language has not. I am known for being decades if not centuries behind on slang. I’ve found mainstream language difficult to understand, and I have found queer language just as difficult because my head has been hidden in books for years. The Queens’ English is a cheeky and very thorough dictionary that opens queer terms to me and I’m sure countless others. This is a fabulous book that is simultaneously heartbreaking, inspiring, educational, and uproariously funny. One of the most important things to remember, Davis says, “Many of the terms are not appropriate for people not in the LGBTQIA+ community to use.” Memorable Quotes “The Queens’ English is merely a starting point for the important conversations around inclusivity, sexuality, gender expression and identity, gay slang that’s been co-opted by mainstream culture, and queer American terminology that’s been around for decades.”
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Book Depository Shop the Post [show_shopthepost_widget id=”4521851″]
Happy reading, my dears. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do. They’re inspiring and beautiful. They showcase the ever expanding range of humanity and our capacity to survive and love. Because love is love, and we all are exactly who we are.
