Last week, this week, and some books.

[thrillingdetectivetales]

I managed to stay decently attentive to work last week, which was a blessing considering my ADHD brain scramblies have been terrible for months.

My every other Friday TTRPG group's current game is gearing up to end, and I volunteered to run several systems for our next arc, assuming enough players are interested. There are a few other folks in the mix who have also offered, so we're doing a poll after the session this week to figure out what the majority interest is. I'm hoping folks go for the 1920s noir I want to do because I'm craving something pulpy and sultry, but there are a lot of great options on the table.

I went to church again this weekend, which was delightful. I got hugs from some folks and introduced myself to a few more. It's a slow-going process, as I generally feel like I'm bothering people if I walk up to them out of nowhere uninvited, but that's okay. If I stick around long enough everyone will learn who I am eventually, I'm sure, but I'm trying to be an active participant. To this end, I've signed up to write a devotional for an Advent calendar the church will be putting out in November. I've never written a devotional before and have sort of a contentious relationship with my faith so I'm a little bit nervous. At the very least, it'll be doing some writing outside of my comfort zone, which will be a fun challenge.

I had dinner with a friend and his sister on Sunday, which was a true joy. She works in the library at a local university, so we bonded over library employment stories and libraries in general, in addition to our love of strong flavors in food. She introduced me to anchovies on pizza, which I had never tried. Overall, I enjoyed the strong salt and buttery umami taste, but they're rich enough that I would probably spread one out over a standard pizza slice rather than having one on a narrow wedge of thin crust like I did this time.

Talked a bit to one of my aunts and agreed to do a destination race with her sometime next year. I haven't run regularly in years, so I'm starting with a couch to 5K program this week and hoping for the best.

The dogs have fleas at the moment, which is an unpleasant but not entirely unexpected surprise. I was pretty sure I had them on a flea and heartworm med, but I suspect it might be a heartworm-only med. I'll be getting in touch with the vet's office this week to double-check and get them on something immediately if they're not already.

Have rewatched Kidnapped another 6 or so times (because I have a sickness) and received a couple of books from the library I'd been anticipating to research for a fic where Davie actually does get shipped off to North Carolina and meets an Alan who's been sent there for reasons I'm still figuring out.

Have a review of the niche Scottish history book I sent back last week and a look at my current and upcoming reads behind the cut:

Finished reading-

Carolina Scots: an Historical and Genealogical Study of Over 100 Years of Emigration by Douglas F. Kelly

There was a lot of great information in the first section, which focused on life in Scotland in the 18th century (and slightly before) and looked at both some of the reasons Scots had for leaving, as well as why they went to the Carolinas in particular as opposed to other British colonies and what life was like for them there. The latter chapters were in-depth histories of specific families, which I skipped because I didn't need them but could come in handy to someone out there. Worth a read if you're looking for a specific look at Scottish emigrants to the Carolinas, or how Scottish emigrants integrated into the American Colonial tapestry, but there are better Scottish histories out there if you're interested in the people and culture as a whole.

Currently reading-

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

It seems obvious, I know, but I've never actually read this one! I started the audiobook on Libby a little while back but fell off because I was vacationing and whatnot. While on said vacation, my friends and I visited a couple of local bookstores and I managed to snag a print copy from Half-Price Books for a hot $3, so I've switched over to that and am thoroughly enjoying myself so far. Some of the language is a little bit challenging, in that I find myself hopping into a web browser to search specific terms to make sure I'm understanding more often than not, but it's just as fun and swashbuckling (and homoerotic!) as the play, while also leaning into some truly ghoulish drama at times that offers a nice counterweight to the adventure whimsy. I hope to have it finished in the next day or two.

(Audiobook) Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell, narrated by Euan Morton

I was looking for something fun and easy to listen to while working and went back to the Simon Snow trilogy because I really enjoyed the world-building, character relationships, and magical mechanics in the first one. The second one was a bit meh to my tastes, even though I love Shepard and was glad to have a character like him introduced. I got about halfway through the third before I decided I needed a break. High-key YA relationship drama is a bit much for me to take in large doses, and even though I enjoy Rainbow Rowell's writing style, I just can't stick it out. I'll circle around to finish it at some point, but I'm more interested in doing one of my old Diana Wynne Jones standards or listening to podcasts than continuing right now.

Upcoming reads-

Sottish Emigration to Colonial America, 1607-1785 by David Dobson

Published in the 90s by a guy who was fed up with the lack of statistics on Scottish emigration, it looks like it'll be exactly what it says on the tin. I'm really looking forward to this one, as a quick skim leads me to believe the author isn't planning to skimp on details of daily life and society at the time.

A History of the Scottish People, 1560-1830 by T.C. Smout

The reasoning behind this one seems obvious. It's another one from the 90s that looked promising in the library catalog. Hope it holds up!

I've got another few I'm waiting on from the library and several I picked up on vacation that I'd like to get through before I start in on my bookshelf backlog, so there should be plenty to keep me busy over the next several months at least.

Anyway, that's what's going on with me. I hope things are going well for y'all and would love to hear about any adventures or exciting goings on in the comments! <3

Comments

[regshoe]

Joining a new community like a church is a bit of a slow, difficult process, isn't it—throwing yourself into doing things sounds like a good idea, and I hope the writing of the devotional goes well.

Ah, Kidnapped and fic research :D I'm glad you're enjoying the book as well as the play—it is such good swashbuckling fun, and Alan and Davie's relationship is so cute and lovely and generally great. Maybe you haven't got to the best bit (which mostly isn't in the play) yet?... I will avoid specific possibly-spoilery details. :D And those history books sound very interesting—emigration is something that often comes up in the background of the more Scotland-focussed Jacobite-related history reading that I've done but I've never read anything detailed about it.

[thrillingdetectivetales]

Yeah it's definitely one of those "one step at a time" situations, for sure. At least for me, haha.

And yes, the book was a total treasure! I'm not sure which best bit specifically you're referring to, but only because there are so very many to choose from. I feel like I want to reread it again immediately just fix all the details in my head.

The first emigration book was very fascinating, and I'm looking forward to getting to explore the topic in-depth. It's not one I think I would've looked into if Mucca hadn't casually mentioned Davie actually getting shuffled off to NC but the moment the thought was in my head I was like, "Well, I suppose we're doing this now!" I have no complaints so far, though, and it's been years and years since I paid any attention to the British colonies era of American history, so that's been fun, too.

[regshoe]

I'm not sure which best bit specifically you're referring to, but only because there are so very many to choose from.

Hee, sorry! I meant the quarrel, and Davie's tactic of derailing the quarrel via deliberately invoking the power of hurt/comfort, which for me is the most amazing moment of them all—but of course you're right, there are :D

Getting into new bits of history research for a fic idea is such good fun. Glad it's going well!

[thrillingdetectivetales]

Yeeessss that was so good!

Davie in the middle of the fight just, "Alan I don't feel good, don't you want to unabashedly dote on me?" And Alan like, "Well OBVIOUSLY." xD

Yes! I love doing research in general, but it's extra nice to know it's information I'll actually get to use for something.

[regshoe]

Davie in the middle of the fight just, "Alan I don't feel good, don't you want to unabashedly dote on me?" And Alan like, "Well OBVIOUSLY." xD

XD

And then he does! For a whole month, instead of going on travelling to safety in France! This book is amazing.

[thrillingdetectivetales]

It's such a gift, truly.

[muccamukk]

*sighs*

I haven't been to church in an embarrassingly long time. I just seem to I prefer not to? Every Sunday? I do have a lectio group on Zoom I go to sometimes, which is nice. I'd love to read your devotional if you want to share it.

IDK if it's just because I'm anxious due to travelling a lot right now, but I'm feeling very "Everything I do is wrong and I want to hide" about fandom right now.

[thrillingdetectivetales]

I mean, I get that. Really the big reason I'm attending in person is because my friends in town, while all wonderful people, are like, aggressively heterosexual, so while they're supportive and open they don't necessarily have a window into the queer stuff happening in town. Since the church is at least half if not more queer folks I'm much likelier to find some community stuff there.

I'd be happy to share my devotional for sure! I just need to figure out what I'm even doing with it first. I don't have a lot of experience with devotionals in general, so I'm not sure I'm very equipped to write one, and the folks running the project are well-meaning but didn't really give very much guidance.

I feel that anxiety too. After my vacation to Texas it took me like two weeks to feel like I had my feet back under me, from all the stress and the socialization. I'm always here to send long-distance hugs and support if need be. <3