HomeReviewsInterviewsStoreABlogsOn Writing
I shouldn't be surprised

…and actually, I’m not quite sure surprise covers my reaction. Outrage is in there, for sure, but there is an element of incredulity.

During the RWI debacle, someone at the SBTB commented that it wouldn’t be long before there were cries from conservatives about how de ghays oppress and bully them–and not shortly after, this comment popped up at Courtney Milan’s blog.

And then, when the furor has calmed down some, someone calling itself SeaLaughing left this screed (without a link, of course): (more…)

Is that the baseline mark for strength?

I was reading DAJane’s review of Alpha Instinct, Katie Reus debut, and got increasingly annoyed as I read on.

(Please note I’m not talking about the novel, as I’ve not read it)

Jane uses ALL CAPS to note that the females in the story cannot provide for themselves.

Just a few lines later, she reiterates, “They can’t even financially support themselves, you guys.”

Keeping to the pattern, the review last line is,  “the depiction of these poor little she wolves who couldn’t even financially care for themselves was depressing.”

But the last straw was the very first comment. LG says, in part,

I wonder what these ladies do when they have males around. Just have sex, look pretty, and bear children? They certainly can’t be working, if they can’t even provide for themselves financially.

Seriously?

So, women like me, who make just a few cents more than the minimum wage and work over forty hours a week, yet still barely scrape together enough money to pay our bills, we are…what?

A myth? non-people? don’t exist?

Or it’s simply that we are even weaker than the female characters in the story in question?

Yeah, this hits way too close to home, so you may want to skip it.

Look, haven’t we often complained how the heroes in many a romance have to be financially successful to be considered heroic?

Haven’t we asked for more realistic characterization? (aka, “How many English Dukes can you fit at Almacks?”)

Then why in the fuck would women struggling financially be automatically weak?

A lesson in management (or, how to fuck that up)

Where I work, everyone but salary managers and (hourly) shift supervisors provide availability so that, when the weekly schedule is made, you are not expecting employee A to show up while he’s sitting in anatomy class two hours away.

Manager R has been making the schedule for a couple of months–and oh my lord it sucketh ass. (Read: we’ve spent a lot of time waiting for A to show up, while he’s looking at bones and muscles somewhere else)

Manager B was in charge of training, so there would be times when unknown-to-anyone-else employee X would show up, as clueless as the rest of us, for ‘training’ (on what? for how many hours?). Not happy with that clusterfuck, manager B tells employee C to show up for training at this time, on this day…only to send him right back home the moment he shows up (after driving 20 minutes, mind you) because “we don’t need you right now.” ¹

erm…

Manager J decided to transfer employe K to another store–realizing right after the paperwork is complete that we don’t have anyone who can cover K’s position during the hours she was available.

His solution? Schedule employee N–outside her availability–to cover those shifts, while scrambling to train employee S (who, by the way, sucks at it) to regularly cover those slots.

*head desk*

Best part of last week: manager A asks manager J whether N will indeed cover K’s shift on Saturday. J’s answer, “I don’t know, she made me so angry² that I hung up on her.”

*sigh*

 

I need a new job–three months ago.

 * * * * *

¹ The second time he asked her, right out, “then why the fuck did you schedule me for training?” She’s lucky he didn’t do it in front of customers.

² Angry because she’s “bitching” about having to work when she’s not available to do it, how dare she, the bitch.

Too good to pass up (as blog fodder)

 

I was busy with other things yesterday when this review went up at Dear Author, but as I was coming over to post something else, Karen had already been there, done that, and come back to post about it.

Anyway, will you look at this precious, precious gem from Sandy: (more…)

"Do all my work for me, please, but only if you are an expert. Thank you."

Okay, so I’m probably being harsh in my interpretation, but that’s how this comes across to me¹: (more…)

Are you fucking kidding me?

Pardon the cursing, but really.

Over at Dear Author, Jane has up a very apt post on the reader/author paradigm (honestly, should be required reading). The discussion that follows is, as usual, also very, very interesting–which doesn’t mean that everyone agrees with Jane on all points, by the way.

And so it goes until we read a looooooooooooooooooooonnnnng screed comment left by EMoon(1)(2). We get all the usual–but readers don’t understand how much about publishing a book is out of the author’s hands. But readers don’t know how horrible the author’s life was while s/he was writing the book. But readers just don’t get how difficult it is to write a book.

The kicker, though is at the very beginning: (more…)

"Not someone like that"

“Not someone like that”

Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Posted in: Azteclady Speaks, cranky AztecLady, rant

I’m a bit hesitant to post this because the exchange started in a different venue where I’d rather not create trouble for the moderators–especially since technically I’m still one of them.

So, if I may, let’s keep whatever discussion ensues over here, please. With that said…

This is what happened: remember how I posted that I’m in love with this video? Well, there’s a thread in the music area of that other forum devoted to all things Adele. Obviously I had to share the love, right? So far so good. Some people comment that they don’t get the video, blah blah and then this guy says that the video doesn’t make sense because (and I quote): (more…)

Cured? Cured????

Monday, July 12, 2010
Posted in: arseholes abound, Azteclady Speaks, rant

This story has been bothering me for months now and it finally boiled over:

Asshole cheating drug using pastor claims that therapy has cured him of his “urges” to use male prostitutes.

I call utter and absolute bullshit on the whole thing.

You cannot cure who you are.

Blame abuse all you want if it makes you feel better, but don’t belittle so many people’s sexuality just because you can’t accept who you are.

Asshole.

Charity Begins At Home? Or Does It?

Thursday, April 8, 2010
Posted in: random ramblings, rant

This email has been doing the rounds on the web of late:

Shame on you GREAT BRITAIN..we have children going to bed without eating..elderly going without needed medicines..mentally ill without treatment..troops without proper equipment..yet we donate millions to other countries before helping our own first..99% ppl wont have the guts to copy and repost this.!!!!!! WILL YOU ???

I’ve seen various versions of the same email, some that begin with “Shame on you AMERICA”, etc.

If I’m honest, I don’t get it.

I understand the concept of charity beginning at home, but it seems to me that people comparing poverty in the West, to poverty in third world countries are either off their heads or off their meds. Or both.

The fact is, poverty is relative. A poverty-stricken child in England just cannot be compared to a poverty-stricken child in Sudan.

(more…)

A brief note…

Thursday, March 11, 2010
Posted in: Azteclady Speaks, rant

to the asshole who,  in the middle of a thunderstorm, swerved towards the sidewalk while accelerating, thus creating the waterfall that blinded me and finished the job of soaking me to the skin:

I hope you get crabs and become allergic to them.

Enjoy your chuckle, asshat.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

In other news… still haven’t gotten my reviewing mojo back, and I have no idea when (if? *gulp*) I’ll get it back.

I just started working again–hourly employee in the food service industry. This translates into never having the same schedule two days in a row, let alone week to week. It also means more physical exertion than any other job I’ve ever held (and for less money than I’ve ever earned too).

On the other hand, in an economy where one in ten persons is unemployed, I’m very grateful I’m one of the nine with a job.

Comonwealth Antarctic Expedition 2009 small

Seven women skied their way from the coast of Antarctica to the geographical South Pole in 38 days. No guide, no strong man (or dogs) to carry or drag their supplies. Seven women.

Three of the seven where the first person from their country to reach the South Pole,  and two more were the first women from their country. Only the two Brits (one of whom was a last minute replacement for the Ghanaian woman who, sadly, contracted malaria shortly before the date set for the expedition) come from a country where women have accomplished such a feat repeatedly.

From their website:

Marking the 60th aniversary of the Commonwealth, the expedition aims to demonstrate the potential of greater intercultural understanding and exchange, while at the same time highlighting the achievements of women across the world.

So first and foremost: kudos to each and everyone of these women, for braving the gauntlet and succeeding so brilliantly in their mission.

*     *     *

Now… the rant. (more…)

Do you ever feel the urge to say, to a loved one (or a friend, or well meaning relative, acquaintance, etc.), “I don’t know where you get your information, but it doesn’t apply to my reality”?

What are you thinking now

I confess I’ve been having to exercise restrain not to do that myself, just now.

Having dealt with the public consistently for some four years, I readily understand how draining, unreasonable and aggressive people can be towards those of you who make your living as customer representatives.

Perhaps it would help everyone involved if you would internalize this trivial fact: by the time a customer seeks you out, he or she is already aggravated by a broken down system. He or she doesn’t have the emotional reserves to be kind, understanding and apologetic about interrupting your day with unreasonable demands to receive whatever services s/he is already paying for–the nerve!–and when you yourself are short, ungracious and rude, it only compounds the problem, unnecessarily prolonging an interaction that is, clearly, as repugnant to you as it is to the customer.

Therefore, perhaps it would behoove you, in a fit of self-interest, to be expedient in resolving whatever disagreement or complaint is coming your way, so that you may hang the phone all the sooner, turn around to your fellow customer service representatives, and make fun of/bitch about the latest imbecile to interrupt your working day with her trivial and stupid problems.

Thank you kindly,

a customer.

An excellent tutorial:

Caring continuum - couldn't care less vs could care less

To alter, is to change. To worship, we use an altar.

The palate is what we cleanse with a new taste or flavor. Palette is what painters use to mix their colors.

Yes, I’m cranky. And your point is…? 😛

Another rant: it is not so hard.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Posted in: Azteclady Speaks, rant

For the love of all that’s good and holy: when writing a character of an ethnicity not your own, please please please get someone who is one hundred percent fluent in that language to check and double check your foreign language expressions!

Yes, if you are writing for the US market it’s likely that a good chunk of your readership will skip over those and be happy, but for those who actually speak that other language it is grating and annoying and-I’m sure unintentionally but all the same-offensive.

It is not that hard to find someone who actually speaks other languages like a native (or who is indeed a native). It is not.

(more…)

I am serious, this is not a review. This rant originated while I was reading Maggie Shayne’s “Animal Magnetism” (originally in the Wild Thing anthology)

Bare bones set up: there’s a serial rapist about and no clues. The bastard wears a mask of some sort, beats his victims to within an inch of their lives, then rapes them and leaves. During one such attack, he shoots the victim’s dog. When the cops arrive, one of them takes the wounded Lab to the nearest vet… who happens to have a psychic ability that allows her to communicate with animals. Events unfold from there.

So far, so good, right? But then I got blindsided.
(more…)

sadness-8-by-scarabuss-small

After nine years and tons of bitterness and accusations flying every which way, the final report on Catholic schools for children in Ireland has been published. Apparently it details decades of abuse of thousands of children by the very people who should have cared for them, protected them, eased their (already heavy) burdens.

What is truly sad is that I am not surprised, not the teensiest bit surprised.

I’m sure a number of people are going to get up in arms over this post, so let me explain a couple of things:

(more…)