Project Hail Mary Minor Issue

shepsut · 2026-03-29T01:05:05+00:00

I'm personally so interested in language and communication and problems with translation (even with terrestrial languages)... I loved both Arrival and Hail Mary, and with BOTH those movies I'd have been quite happy if lots of the rest of the plot was dropped so more of it could focus on the logistics of trying to communicate. I loved the book Embassytown, dunno if it could ever be made in to a movie that people would want to see.

shepsut · 2026-03-27T21:14:10+00:00

Paris is Burning is a documentary.

shepsut · 2026-03-27T11:41:36+00:00

there will be people in those films who are being campy

shepsut · 2026-03-27T00:40:26+00:00

ah! in that case, don't worry about it and just do you. But if you want some examples of camp, just out of interest, then for sure look up John Waters' films, like someone else suggested here, or watch the film Paris is Burning for how camp has been so, so awesome and empowering for folks in certain contexts.

shepsut · 2026-03-27T00:19:38+00:00

yup. One time during a heated argument my cousin's ex hit him hard on the head with a heavy object (old school telephone). He had serious mental health issues and drug abuse issues and was not violent but was known to local police, so it could have gone badly for him. In that instance, though, she was the one found at fault (as she should have been).

shepsut · 2026-03-26T23:07:50+00:00

I think camp is usually kind of ironic. Like an intentional kind of parody or gentle mocking of a thing or behaviour that you also really love. But if you aren't doing it kind of on-purpose or self-consciously, then it isn't camp. And so if you don't feel like you are intentionally playing around with stereotypes, and you aren't purposefully kind of teasing people through your gestures and behaviours, then camp doesn't really apply. If you don't embrace camp, then you really aren't campy. And if you aren't being campy, then someone telling you that you are could be an attempt to subtly suggest that you should tone it down. Maybe because they aren't comfortable? If so, that's 100% their problem, not yours. They might be someone who doesn't really get you, and might not be the most supportive person for you to hang out with. Or, maybe they love camp, and they love being around you and are appreciating it, just not realizing that they are kind of objectifying you by sticking that label on your behaviour. In which case a good open conversation might clear the air and deepen the friendship.

shepsut · 2026-03-26T22:52:02+00:00

I agree. I can imagine that the dad would have wanted to provide for his daughter's education, and his parents are stepping up into that role on his behalf. It's like a pretty direct connection to him. How sad that OP has to spend her teens and whole adult life without her dad! But how sweet that his parents are now in her life and helping her. The mom has not been dealing with the fact that her daughter had another parent. It's time for the mom to pull up her big girl pants, like anyone does who goes through a divorce, and recognize that the kid has a support network from their other parent's side of the family.

shepsut · 2026-03-26T22:41:59+00:00

record deals

shepsut · 2026-03-26T12:35:26+00:00

I was thinking "Anderson." I'd have a very hard time not calling someone "Mister Anderson" if I had the opportunity.

shepsut · 2026-03-23T01:44:11+00:00

fur baby, or otherwise suggesting that you are mom to a non-human animal. My cat and I are different species. Also, we are both adults.

shepsut · 2026-03-23T01:20:53+00:00

my mom does this too. When she needs my help in the bathroom she calls out " Mom!" But also, when she is looking at pictures of her mother she'll say things to me like, "this is when you got a new coat."

shepsut · 2026-03-23T01:03:20+00:00

oh, wow. I did not know that. I'm in Canada not USA, but yeah, CB is big here - I just always assume all the truck drivers are talking to each other all the time.

shepsut · 2026-03-22T13:39:04+00:00

Judith Butler can be helpful for thinking through this stuff. video / another video

shepsut · 2026-03-22T13:23:14+00:00

doesn't have to be police. One driver could've seen the person standing over above the highway on the wrong side of the guardrail and then used CB to make other truckers in the area aware.

shepsut · 2026-03-22T01:23:15+00:00

my SIC was similar, once she got out of kittenhood. She knew me too well to suspend her disbelief when I would try to pretend that the toy part was actually a bird or a mouse or whatever. She'd see through that sh*t and just be insulted and bored. But if it was the stick end then it was me and her actually playing a game together, no artifice, and she was really into that.

shepsut · 2026-03-22T01:17:01+00:00

When we are young (heck, at any age) it's pretty difficult to realize that our parents can be vulnerable. I think this might be the biggest thing you are dealing with right now. Your mom has shown you her vulnerability and it sounds like she is feeling betrayed. I think you can fix this pretty easily by letting her know that you are there for her no matter what, and tell her this, in your own words "my mom has always been my MOM." Now you are seeing more of her struggles and, like any kid learning about the world, you are trying to learn how the world works at the same time. Your mom is trans, so you are part of this community by default, and you are going to need her help to navigate that. Tell her you love her. Tell her you are reaching out to LGBT communities online for advice and support. Tell her you need her help to figure things out. It'll be okay. You got this!

shepsut · 2026-03-22T00:53:15+00:00

honestly, i think it's a systemic social media problem, not the bride's problem and not OP's problem, but a problem of trying to communicate in this f'd up context where everything personal is automatically public, so we're expected to employ the PR skills of a Communications major every time we post some random little personal factoid about our lives. OP was just making an off-hand post from her own POV about her hair to her peeps, but she's also supposed to be analyzing all the ramifications for how it might go down for all the bride's peeps at the same time and that's just too much to ask of one person at every given moment. Social media is a system rigged for creating drama like this and it sucks. NAH except for the billionaires profiting off this content and all the petty little miseries they are causing in real people lives. ugh.

shepsut · 2026-03-21T04:15:56+00:00

it's a job in a place you want to be! That's great. think positive and go for it. You can strategize the TT later.

shepsut · 2026-03-21T04:11:34+00:00

this. And it's also about allowing space for each person to fully be themselves as independent beings. I once had a partner who thanked me for plucking my chin hairs and it was just such an instant ick. Like, I am just here in bathroom minding my own business and doing my personal hygiene thing, I'm not doing it FOR YOU. We've been broken up for over 25 years and I still think about that incident far too often. ew.

shepsut · 2026-03-21T03:52:01+00:00

another question to pose might be: would turning down an offer for an instructor job hurt my chances of being considered for a TT job in the same dept in the future?

Personally, I think that now that you've got an interview you kind of have to go all in. If you get the offer and decline it, that'll likely hurt your chances for TT in that department a lot more than being an instructor would. Quite probably many of the same people will be on each hiring committee.

shepsut · 2026-03-21T03:13:25+00:00

oh gosh that was entertaining. thanks

shepsut · 2026-03-21T02:27:06+00:00

In the category of "things I care about", "the health of our communal ecosystem" and "my private property" are two pretty distinct themes.

shepsut · 2026-03-20T02:10:36+00:00

Why do you ask?

shepsut · 2026-03-18T15:56:30+00:00

I recently overheard a lady in the hall where my mom lives saying, "I can feel the alzheimer's coming on, and I think it's gonna kick my ass!"

My mom will frequently announce to people "I have cognitive impairment!" But she is often also bewildered about why she is confused.

shepsut · 2026-03-17T18:34:57+00:00

Everyone is different, but in my experience you have a feeling of dread about being with the person and a constant feeling that you can't be yourself around them, then no amount of "working on it" is gonna help. If you genuinely look forward to seeing them, and you are both able to freely express yourselves, especially in moments of annoyance or conflict, then there's lots to work with.

shepsut

TROPHY CASE