The amount of existential terror that book engendered was off the charts for me. I still have vaguely, yet inexplicably, terrifying dreams of rooms and hallways magically appearing in my closet

Is it weird that I’m jealous that you have yet to read rendezvous with rama and broken erth for the first time? I loved both so much!

I loved all the ancillary books. IMO not knowing anyone’s gender for sure was part of the fun. It does rely on the reader to work at making connections tho. I can see why some folks don’t like that aspect, but I personally like some challenge.

I would love to see more color and flair normalized for all kinds of men. I see so many dudes wearing the khaki pants, blue dress shirt uniform. Boring.

I would love to see more color and flair normalized for all kinds of men. I see so many dudes wearing the khaki pants, blue dress shirt uniform. Boring.

When I was in my early 20s, I foolishly dated a selfish stingy man for wayyyyy too long. I would go all out and get him whatever he asked for, take him out, the works, and I would have to save for months because I was a grad student working 3 PT jobs. For my birthday one year, he planned nothing, but my parents were nice enough to invite him to the fancy dinner they were paying for at a swanky blues club. He shows up with a plastic bag from one of those mega truck stops. Inside was a shark beanie baby and silver skull-shaped tire valve covers. I hated beanie babies, had no particular thing for sharks, skulls, or random ass car accessories. I was so embarrassed in front of my parents.

This was the first movie I thought of too! I saw it when it was released in an art house theatre. I didn’t know much about it, and apparently most of the audience didn’t either. Once the film got to that scene where the guy buys a teen boy magazine and climbs into the back of the car to…you know….a bunch of people just got up and walked out!