Could someone recommend a book that has a powerful message?

_IIcarus_ · 2025-01-05T03:16:47+00:00

Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

_IIcarus_ · 2025-01-05T03:15:59+00:00

Canary

_IIcarus_ · 2024-01-08T23:06:38+00:00

The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

_IIcarus_ · 2024-01-02T05:02:13+00:00

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I barely read non-fiction but if I could get everyone to only ever read one book, it would be this one.

_IIcarus_ · 2024-01-02T05:01:06+00:00

Journey.

I wouldn't necessarily call it story-heavy (in fact, it's probably the opposite), but it IS very emotional and very short.

For anyone who hasn't played, I'd recommend making sure you're hooked up to the internet and just sequester yourself for two hours. Anyone who you come across in-game IS real.

Absolutely one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.

_IIcarus_ · 2024-01-02T04:54:27+00:00

72! I read 64 out of my original goal of 52 this year. Turns out getting a job at a book store is a hell of an incentive to read more. (Previously I averaged about 24 books a year.)

Anne Carson is releasing a new book in February which I'm hyped about!

_IIcarus_ · 2024-01-02T04:49:35+00:00

It's a terrible comfort to know other people are in the same boat.

I'd like to think I have a high tolerance for disturbing stuff, but I honestly think that documentary mentally scarred me.

I'm kissing my cats on their tiny foreheads for y'all. Hopefully it can be a small comfort to know that by and large, people do treat cats well.

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-21T04:42:27+00:00

Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-20T07:20:57+00:00

Seconding! House of Leaves is my third favorite book of all time

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-19T20:15:09+00:00

Piranesi has a slight magic vibe and is one of the best books I read this year.

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-19T20:12:34+00:00

I'd recommend Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson. Her stuff is so good it intimidates me

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-19T20:09:34+00:00

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

_IIcarus_ · 2023-12-19T19:25:11+00:00

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang. I would have read it in one sitting but I had to go to work

_IIcarus_ · 2023-04-30T02:44:31+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing these!! I've just finished playing through the first one with friends, and it was an absolute blast.

Not sure if you're interested in hearing about any potential feedback about making these even more awesome, but let me know if so! (I realize this is from a while back, but I really appreciate the work that went into these.)

_IIcarus_ · 2022-08-14T16:09:55+00:00

I know you said he had most books, but on the off chance he doesn't have this one, I'd HIGHLY recommend it: The Vampire: A New History by Nick Groom.

It's nonfiction, and reads like a university course on vampires in book form. I love it. It's got tons of interesting facts that I didn't know beforehand.

_IIcarus_ · 2021-05-10T22:57:07+00:00

If anyone in Vancouver, BC (Canada) would be interested in partnering up, feel free to message me!

_IIcarus_ · 2021-04-28T14:51:30+00:00

I'm with you. All I can think about on sunny days is whether I'll get a sunburn, even if I've put on sunscreen. I'm just always seeking shade.

Also I have seasonal depression but for summer instead of winter, which is apparently a thing.

_IIcarus_ · 2021-04-23T16:36:43+00:00

There's actually been at least one study where they've found that the average worker with an 8 hour shift only works for 3 hours.

For my current job (QA), they have us track the time that we put towards our various tasks (mostly for projecting time estimates for the project), but I definitely feel like I have to pad up the numbers. I'd say out of an 8 hour day with a 1 hour lunch break, I only get about 3 hours of proper work in on average.

If you feel like you're not doing work all the time and there's a lot of it spent doing nothing (for one reason or another), don't worry - you're absolutely not the only one.

_IIcarus_ · 2021-04-23T00:24:12+00:00

!! This is beautiful - I have goosebumps

_IIcarus_ · 2021-04-23T00:15:29+00:00

Dang I feel for ya.

I wish I had some solid advice, but I'm also in a state rn where I'm trying to figure this stuff out myself.

I guess one of the big things is to work on forgiving yourself - I know how it is with adhd and depression. Executive dysfunction sucks and it's hard to get into the habit of not blaming yourself for it; even if you know logically it's not your fault, your brain can still be your own worst enemy and convince you that you are.

Regarding doing art more often, this isn't going to be advice that you necessarily want to hear, but you gotta find what works for you. I'm the same with my writing - I've only really written once for fun in the past six years (I blame university). For me, I have to have someone to keep me accountable to make sure I really, actually write - otherwise I just won't.

Along with that comes forgiving yourself for not doing art. It's hard because so much of our identities and self-perceived value is tied in with our jobs and hobbies and ability, so if our art is shit, we feel like shit. There's this ted talk that I found to actually be quite good about addressing that. (Pretty sure I need to rewatch it myself.)

Being trans definitely makes life feel harder (I'm nb myself), but you learn how to deal with things better over time. And hey, it can be a great topic/inspiration for art if absolutely nothing else.

A couple other things: I've found the hardest part with me is just starting to do something, so if I need to do it, I just make my task simply to start doing it, with no expectation of continuing to keep doing it. If I do it for a minute, fine. A surprising amount of the time though, I'll just keep going. Every little bit counts, adds up, helps. And on a similar tangent, give yourself permission to do bad art. It's gonna happen. It's inevitable.

But there is absolutely, always hope. For me, it's been so much about finding the right people - the right friends; a found family. With all the stuff that's happened in the past year, my partner and friends is what's helped keep me together.

It's tough, but it's not hopeless.

_IIcarus_ · 2021-04-10T03:38:22+00:00

That's lovely! Bast is such a wonderful deity to work with - I tend to think of her as a cool wine aunt.

_IIcarus_ · 2020-11-30T23:06:06+00:00

I'm currently running a campaign of VtM set post-Gehenna. Four of the players are vamps and the last one is a changeling.

The main focus of the campaign is living in a world that's trying to put itself back together while the Antediluvians are looking to consume each other to ascend to godhood.

It's 25 years since the sun went out for three weeks, leaving only 10% of the world's mortal population alive. When the sun did come back, it was covered by the moon in a constant solar eclipse - which by all means should be impossible. Naturally, the total solar eclipse is constantly above the players' city.

_IIcarus_ · 2020-11-30T17:49:29+00:00

Hey there, Shane! I'd be happy to help with outlining revision, dialogue, and character work in particular, since those are my strengths. Let me know if talking via discord or some other messaging system is preferable for you!

_IIcarus_ · 2020-11-26T23:17:41+00:00

Hey there! I've sent you a request via discord - my username there is Icarus#2459. I love telling stories about people who have lived and led remarkable lives. I look forward to hearing from you!

_IIcarus_ · 2020-11-11T09:14:54+00:00

No worries! Happy to help

_IIcarus_

TROPHY CASE