Making Space

Just went through my current friendslist and took some folks off. Just to cut things down to a more reasonable number, not out of beef or drama or anything. Basically, if we haven't talked via LJ in a hot minute, it's probably not our means of communication.

Plus I feel like right now, what the universe is telling me is to simplify, to focus my energies. I need to cut some stuff off and narrow down for the moment.

Sun come out, gotta have some music

Learnings, get you some

The recent rash of white identified POC saying black people have it easy? I'm not even going to dig deep in the archives - I'll just pull some quick links for you to think about.

AA Admits fare better than Legacy Admits
2009, Black mayor forced to resign by KKK
Crazed white folks go around shooting survivors of Katrina in militant paranoia
An interview with Jane Elliott
Tarika Wilson: another victim of police
Sundown Towns in the US

5 element theory and my tired ass

So one of the things in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is to generalize to 5 Element theory when looking at longer term systemic issues. In my case, I'm enjoying the triple combination of having a Wood Imbalance throw off my Earth, which is draining my Water.

Or:

Stress etc. at work are causing my nervous system to ramp up all the time (Nerves, Wood), which is causing me to hyper tense and fuck up my digestion (muscles, digestive tract, Earth), and between the stress-adrenal response and getting less nutrition in, burning out my energy reserves (Water).

If it were just one thing, it'd be a lot easier to treat. Seeing how this is basically year 2 of stress, it's hitting 3 elements and problematic. Some things are easier to address than others. I'm starting with food, since it also allows me to tie it into my plans for weight loss. Beets are good for Kidneys, which will help me not feel so exhausted, plus help me stave off illness. Carrots are good for both Kidneys and Liver. I'm going to start drinking 2 lemons of lemon juice a day, for the liver stuff (since it's the root problem). And finally, try to get more soups, since that'll help the Spleen/Stomach, Earth stuff.

Though treatment ends when you feel better, the fallback quote is "a treatment should last a season", and seeing how I've been digging a hole for 2 years, AND still in it, it's probably going to take a while.

So Fresh and So Clean

Starting anew. It fits so much in my life right now. Letting go of a lot of stuff I've been holding onto. (Lesson, closing doors is important!) Part of it is asking myself who I really talk to, and, more importantly, who I want to listen to, and why.

My biggest frustration in blogging has been all about who I'm talking with. I tried doing a couple of separate blogs for gaming, but instead of becoming critical mass site for geeks of color, it just became swamped by typical gamer types. So really it's about the people I talk to more than the service itself, though LJ's last few years of "TOS when we want, not when you need it" hasn't done much for sustaining my trust.

Anyway, I think I'm going to talk more geek stuff on this go around, and maybe it'll hit the magic mixture I've been looking for. (If you know me from LJ and you've changed your username, let me know who you are.)

ETA: One thing I'm liking is that I can grant access to "friends only" entries without having to subscribe to everyone's posts. That's actually pretty awesome as I really don't have time to keep up with everyone, but I would like folks to still be able to talk w/o having to invite the whole damn world.

Game up

The Emperor's Heart

Chinese Steampunk sci-fi - a secret society vs. the corrupt government. Wuxia swordfights on the sides of spaceships, sort of the inversion of Star Wars - a chinese story with sci-fi elements.

Crash Portfolio

Cyberpunk future - your character is literally rated on what you own - all of which have devaluing stats ("Old is out, new is now!"). All things are rated either Civilian, Criminal or Corporate. I'm thinking part of the game is about protecting things which aren't rated, which make up your identity ("The ability to speak my native tongue", "The community center where I grew up" etc.)

Ghost Rush

Chinese ghostbusters in the Gold Rush era. Being caught between being heroes, a necessary "service" and damned chinamen. Old west ghost stories are fun, but combining bits of history appeals to me.

By the Next Moon

A D&D 4E adventure, with a POC focal setting. Is it worth going through the GSL? I haven't decided yet.