{"id":1936,"date":"2021-01-18T08:58:43","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T16:58:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/digitalmanticore.com\/?p=1936"},"modified":"2021-01-18T08:58:43","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T16:58:43","slug":"two-weeks-in-the-life-january-18-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalmanticore.com\/?p=1936","title":{"rendered":"Two Weeks in the Life: January 18, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When I was thinking about what I wanted to write this weekend, I had some ideas about novelty and how the pandemic has made novelty a difficult proposition. Of course, then Viola died<\/a> and that has provided me with a horrible type of novelty that no one asked for. I’m writing this on Sunday night, past when I normally quit the computer to go to bed. When I was retiring for the night, I used to call Viola and she would race past me down the hall the hang out in the bedroom with me. She was always next to me when I was reading in bed. Normally I love getting in bed at the end of the day but now I’m only dreading it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought about not writing a blog this week, but I didn’t write last week and I have some things I want to share\/not forget about. It might be a little jumbled but this website is free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consuming<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are some things I’ve recently read or bought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Books and Other Words<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Essa Hansen’s Nophek Gloss<\/a> is another book in one of my favorite motifs: found family. It’s a space opera, there’s a crew of misfit privateers, and people trying to work through their trauma. I liked the story in general, but one thing I thought it was particularly effective at was its portrayal of PTSD. So this is a good book for sci-fi fans and for people who like to see complicated characters dealing with their shit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauren Beukes’ Afterland<\/a> was really good. It’s set in the present day United States, but a terrible virus has killed almost all men. The novel rotates points of view between Cole, her son (Miles) and her sister (Billie). Miles survives the plague only to be scooped up by the government’s research apparatus. Cole just wants to get her son out and travel home to South Africa. What follows is a wild road trip novel of family drama. There’s even a cult! What’s not to love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n