meledol84

[meledol84]

Joy Ride: A Bike Odyssey from Alaska to Argentina by Kristen Jokinen. Introduction by Cheryl Strayed. Hawthorne Books & Literary Arts, 2023. 9780998825755. 268pp. https://www.powells.com/book/-9780998825755?partnerid=34778&p_bt

With the outlines of a plan and a budget of $800 a month, Kristen Jokinen and her husband Ville set off from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, on their way to Bahia Lapataia in Argentina, the end of Highway Three "just past" (easy for me to say) Ushuaia, Argentina. Like me you may assume the Jokinens were bike people before the start of their journey. They were not! And they're not planners, at least not much past which road they're taking the next day. I admire that almost as much as their ability to reach out to others for help, whether it's for a place to camp, a much-needed spare part, or medical care. (Worth noting: The trip is difficult in all of the ways you can imagine and some you probably can't, but the specifics are harrowing and make for a great read. Plus it's kind of a book about how to be an awesome spouse, too.)

Mostly this book left me with the sense that folks all over the world are much kinder to each other and even to (or especially to) strangers in their midst, which I really need to feel right now. I'm not one to read many books about travel, but for me this is one of my favorites, right up there with Casey Scieszka and Steven Weinberg's To Timbuktu. I've already given a copy as a gift and I plan to buy several more.

The Jokinens were guests on Episode 73 of the Labyrinths with Amanda Knox podcast, which I highly recommend listening to if you're on the fence about reading this.

#book review #book rec #what kind of craziness #biking

[meledol84]

Pearl of the Sea by Anthony Silverston, Raffaella Delle Donne, and Willem Samuel. Catylist Press, 2023. 9781946395740. 164pp..

Pearl spends more time in the water than on land, diving for crayfish and abalone, though it's illegal. (She and her dad need money or they may have to move to the city. This would suck because Pearl is waiting for her mom to return home.) Pearl has also been searching the site of a shipwreck that's off-limits. It's there that she first encounters the giant sea creature that she later tries to befriend, and which others are searching for.

The large format of this graphic novel allows the art to shine; at half the size I don't think it would look nearly as good. It's an especially tween-friendly YA book with lots of beautifully drawn undersea moments that will appeal to readers of all ages; I haven't liked underwater scenes this much since seeing the scuba diving murder scenes in Jacamon and Matz's The Killer.

#snorkeling #friendship #book rec #graphic novel #comics #art #sea monsters #sea creatures

[meledol84]

Is it time already for a Lady Lovely reboot?

#lady lovely locks #reboot WHEN! #cartoons #80s cartoons #i think

[meledol84]

Sometimes I doubt if I should go on making art... I'm desperately trying to find people who love it but I feel that my art is not something someone but myself wants...

#mermay 2024 #mermaids watersoap

[meledol84]

This was shared as a "bad" joke but I was so charmed by it I've been thinking about it for days.

#puns #jokes #comics #vignettes

[meledol84]

Not to be disgustingly tooth decaying fluffy on main, but one of the things my partner said to me the first time we met outside work, on a not-date, when i had to follow his car to a different place was: "no need to memorise my car brand / my car plate. You'll recognise me, I am the one waiting for you".

Tbh, at the time, it sounded unnecessary chivalrous. The tone even sounded kind of warm, affectionate, and caring.

I disregarded that completely after our MULTIPLE, disastrous dates. Just talking without substance.

Then we tried again: decided to be completely honest with each other and, from my part, to try and not be completely crazy scared out of my mind.

After almost two years, i MUST say this: he IS always the one waiting for me, looking out for me and checking on me. Yes, he can forget everything i tell him, zone out while we are cooking, get lost looking for a video I must absolutely watch.. But every time we are doing something together and he sees me being even a little behind the other, unsured or scared, he always waits for me

#personal #grafffittti man #3 Fs and 3 Ts so it is wrong but cooler #feeling very grateful today #i am blessed in every aspect of my life honestly

[meledol84]

why has tumblr stopped letting my reply and is it related to my inability to view my inbox, i wonder

#this happened to me too #a couple of years ago i think #they solved it pretty quickly though #i couldnt acces my messages my inbox was empty #i was baffled because i keep literally everything #i have messages from 9 years ago

[meledol84]

"Whale" I didn't have enough time for her, but the light here is nice~

#this is nice #but if this creature existed you know they would be guys from all over the place wanting to try and get to the big p***y #surely some women too #nsfw #i'm sure out there there are women dreaming about giving their mermaid girlfriends lot of orgasms from inside #it would be a good workout also #people would take classes about how to dive in marin caves savely #and stay really vague about what kind of caves they want to explore

[meledol84]

For those of you not aware Mercury Stardust, Point of Pride, and friends are raising funds for Trans Healthcare.

Unfortunately, some TikTok peeps are being complete transphobic bastards and are reporting the lives and getting the accounts banned. The appeals are being rejected.

This hinders getting the word out on this fundraiser.

Make sure you donate if you can or at least share the link in your circles so people are aware and hopefully the message can reach a wider audience

#mercury stardust #trans handy ma'am #lgbtq+ #point of pride #trans healthcare #transgender

[meledol84]

#fem!semigod maui #disney moana #disney oceania

[meledol84]

the fact that walls get dusty is ridiculous. you're vertical. act like it.

#i just ignore them #but op is speaking the truth

[meledol84]

first mermay art ever ⭐

#mermay #mermaid #mermay 2024 #LOVE IT!

[meledol84]

Tried an e-bike for the first time today.

It was a bit overwhelming at first (i am a very slow learner). Between the button for changing how much assistance you needed for pedalling, and the 2 levels for gearshifting, the majority of tim i have my eyes glued on the road and the little screen with all the information (plus it suggests when shifting the gear, and reminds on what level of assistance you were). Dont ask me about the nature around me because i was worried about being always the last of the group, by far. I tried to keep the pedal assistance low, but we are surrounded by hills, so i had to give up at some point and toying with all the buttons trying to find what worked for me.

I didnt like the instructor taking us off road among vineyards, but that is because I am always afraid of falling. We ended up encountering mudded path, our bikes were a disaster afterword.

All in all, it was interesting, and I dont ever go uphill, i dont like sharp downhills, but e-bikes are honestly an amazing invention. It could be helpful for people who enjoy going back to biking, or start biking, or people who live on places too difficult to reach for a beginner or an amateur. Also, an e-bike can take a weight of 120kg, and there's a german type that can take up to 150kg. It would be wonderful for some people i know, because i think they would enjoy it.

#tbh honest i may think about purchasing one #would it be interesting measuring how does it take going to work with it #surely it is less than regular bike #but how much less #and my boyfriend lives on a hill #surely i am not going there with my regular bike #i am not THAT good #ebike #we were seven people #and 5 italians 1 man from holland and 1 man from england #and they live here!!! with their wives!!! #what would compel someone from holland to come here?????? a place with no bike culture? #italian wine and food apparently

[meledol84]

#terminatur #storytelling #dungens and dragons #d&d campaign #d&d characters #granmas playing d&d #terminatur the gnome #french people #french granma

[meledol84]

New video from jenny nicholson @spiderjewel just dropped!

It's 4 hours long, disney/ Star Wars related, and it is a crazy deep dive as per usual!

#jenny nicholson #star wars #star wars galactic starcruiser #if you like it she has some incredible videos like the one about #evermore #the theme park #not the taylor swift album #BUT taylor swift is mentioned for reasons i cannot say because #spoilers! #i am happy she is fine i was worried #Youtube

[meledol84]

wait did marquis de sade do something problematic

#i had a couple of classes on de sade's literature my last year at uni and the discussions were fascinating. #maybe i just had a great professor and was lucky to find myself in a group of intelligent people with perfect reading comprehension #and analysis skills lmao #<- prev tags #do you mind sharing something about those discussions? i'm curious

[meledol84]

Tumblr ads are on another level

#tumblr ads