Author: Trish

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

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What a strange book!  It just…didn’t do anything that I expected it to do. 518Eq5pqzcL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_ I was anticipating a Hunger Games-style revolution, but…nope.  And I think I love it?  Because it was so unexpected, and I really like when books surprise me.  But because it’s outside the established narrative, my insides are all confused!  Probably you should also read it and draw your own conclusions, but here are a few thoughts anyway:

The setting is awesome.  400+ years in the future, an AI named Talis has taken over control of the planet, ruling with a semi-benevolent but iron hand.  To keep peace between nations (in a world where water is scarce so tensions run high), all rulers must send a child to specific Preceptures where they will learn to run nations…and be held hostage.  If a nation goes to war, their child is murdered.

Greta is a princess hostage, and until Elian comes, she never bothers to question the system.  It’s all she knows.  But then she begins to question things, and this is where I thought things would be typical, and they would revolt and start a new world order.  But…everything EXCEPT that happened.  There’s a revolution, of sorts, and also torture, stalemates, negotiating, AIs, and a LOT of ambiguity.  This is the book’s strong suit, I think.

Talis (who steps into the story about halfway through) is, like I said earlier, a brutal but semi-benevolent AI ruling the world.  He’s also hilarious and snarky, and I couldn’t help but like him while being terrified of his every move.  Then there’s the Abbot, an AI who runs the Prefecture and tortures students, but who saves Greta and is kind of a good guy?  And the humans!  They’re a mess!  They also torture people, hold people hostage, and murder people.  So….in the question of whether humans or AI should rule the world, this book answers with a resounding “¯\_(ツ)_/¯.”  And I like that.  Also I really like Talis, did I mention that?  Ambiguous AI are my new interest, apparently.   Continue reading →

Computer Game Nostalgia

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Before I came out to Seattle, I knew there was one very important thing my brother and I needed to do:  play computer games.  It was one of our favorite things to do together as kids, and this just happens to be the perfect time to be an adult reliving their childhood with computer game nostalgia.

Tomb Raider: Anniversary

Although this was released in 2007, it was on sale for $2.24 on Steam last week, so it’s new to me.  Because it’s a recreation of the original Tomb Raider game, it brings back all the feels.  I played for a couple hours on my own, delightedly remembering the joy of trying out jumping and climbing moves in Lara’s manor before attempting to explore ruins around the world.

This was a game that was played by Roy more than me, however, because I quickly realized I was not used to using a keyboard to move, jump, climb, pick things up, grapple, and duck, sometimes all in succession.  When I once missed a jump, fell into a pit, and was immediately mauled by a bear, my heart had sped up to the rate of an actual adventurer/explorer.   Continue reading →

By Land and By Sea

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There is something about exploring a city on my own that both invigorates and calms me.  Maybe it’s the sense of ownership that it creates, knowing that I managed to find my way around without help, confident that I actually am competent.  Although I enjoy traveling with friends, I really appreciate opportunities to set off into the wild unknown…of civilized Seattle.

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King Street Station, where Amtrak’s Empire Builder line ends.

We left off (in #44DaysInATrain: DAY THREE) with me in the coffeeshop Zeitgeist, waiting for my brother Roy’s lunch break.  At noon, we arranged to meet for Thai food.  I would walk one way down 1st Ave, he the other, and eventually we would meet up.  I put on my purse, threw my backpack on, and clutched my duffel bag, then cut a wide swath down the sidewalk.  Just when a homeless man called out, “Welcome home!” I wondered if I’d gone too far.  My phone rang, and Roy said, “I’m almost to Zeitgeist.  Where are you?”  We had missed each other, and I had gone further than the restaurant, so we both turned around and eventually met in front of our Thai restaurant.  Continue reading →

Sand in My Bra edited by Jennifer L. Leo

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366190Female travelers of the world will love this compilation of travel essays from 28 women headed into hilarious, dangerous, and awkward situations all over the world.  Although some of the essays are generic travel stories, most are distinctly female, and it made me aware of how infrequently I read about women adventurers.  There are stories about accepting imperfect bodies simply by being on a beach overseas, and horror stories of period catastrophes, and a lot of unironic adoration of being female.

I mean, that’s pretty much it.  If you like traveling and you like women, then you will probably like the majority of these essays.  But hey, here’s a quote to entice you just a little bit more:

This is the heart of travel.  This is why we do it.  This is why we are so willing to strap our fragile bodies into metal capsules and fly thousands of miles with hundreds of strangers endlessly exhaling new viruses into our airspace, drink water from dubious sources, eat food virulent with unknown flora and fauna, put up with impossible travel companions, lost luggage, and the legions of mule-like bureaucrats who manage to win positions of petty power in every city and village on earth.  We do it because we love this beautiful dangerous planet and we want to know it personally and, on balance, the pluses far outweigh the minuses, right?

Continue reading →

#44HoursInATrain: DAY THREE

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8:20AM
42 hours down | 2 to go

I blinked awake and saw total darkness outside. Then I blinked again and saw a blur of trees and mountains and snow. We’d just exited a tunnel, and I jolted into consciousness. It was so beautiful! We’d gone through Glacier National Park in the dark last night (should have planned on taking the train both ways) and before that, North Dakota and Montana were pretty flat and, well, boring. BUT NOW. We’re in Washington, and everything is stunningly beautiful.

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Including Devon. Readers, I have not been entirely honest with you. I’ve been making eyes at this tall blond guy the whole trip, every time he or I pass in the aisle. By “making eyes” I mean I’ve made eye contact, smiled, and immediately looked away. I didn’t mention it because a) it was pathetic, and b) he didn’t act like he cared, which was hurtful.

But this morning, in a grand scheme of Let’s Give Tricia Everything She Wants, I threw my increasingly-greasy hair in a bun on top of my head, wound my scarf around my shoulders, and made my way back two cars to the observation lounge. We were in a tunnel again, and everything was dark. When I got to the doorway to the lounge car, Tall Blond Guy and Nice Woman (from dinner the first night) were blocking it. There was no other option:  I would have to speak to him.   Continue reading →

#44HoursInATrain: DAY TWO

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7:45AM
17.5 hours down | 26.5 to go

Okay, so the whole sleeping-on-a-train thing is not as great as I’d imagined. Although the rocking of the train puts me in a cat nap almost instantaneously, getting significant deep sleep is difficult. The seats recline, and there are footrests that can lever up. I brought a scarf that is massive enough to double as a blanket, and I used my jacket as a pillow. Still, with all of that, train seats are not beds.

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The most comfortable sleeping position.

 

I woke up for good a little after 7:00, and I discovered a dressing room down the toilet hallway. There aren’t showers for those of us in coach, but changing just enough clothes to feel like it’s a new day goes a long way toward making me feel clean.   Continue reading →

Sunday Summary #7: What’s on the Internet

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1|  Hamilton is taking the Internet by storm, and this article on The Mary Sue makes a compelling case that the hero of the musical is not Alexander, but Eliza Hamilton.

2|  BuzzFeed has created a list of 18 reasons Japan is amazing, including tons of vending machines and organized signage.

3|  The Gospel Coalition posted a spot-on critique of Christian films, culminating in a sentiment I agree with 100%.

What if God Is Not Dead was about a Christian wrestling with the fact that he knew atheists smarter and more ethical than himself?

Suddenly we would have a chance to say something vulnerable, honest, and profound. But as long as Christian films are motivated by a desire to trap people into hearing a gospel presentation, or as a consolation for losing the culture war, they should not make the final cut.

4|  The Travelettes wrote a beautiful ode to female solo travelers, reminding us of the beauty, frustrations, and worthiness of exploring the world.

5|  Andrea Wenger’s writing blog has a post about the writing process of INFJs that I found very accurate.  She’s got posts for other personality types, too, so check them out if that sort of thing interests you.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

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mindy-kaling-why-not-meMindy’s second book is even better than her first!  Why Not Me? is less a memoir and more a series of essays about her life right now.  I’m happy to learn about her past, but I’ll be honest – I’m more interested in her life as a 30-something professional woman stumbling through love and work and being a role model.  And those topics are made infinitely better because of her hilarious sense of humor.

What I love most about Mindy is that she’s honest – she doesn’t try to downplay the perks of being famous (in fact, she revels in them), but she also freely owns up to its downsides.  It is so refreshing to read about how to be beautiful: fake hair, spray tans, tailored clothing, technological gadgets, bra tricks, good lighting, facial masks, and knowing how to pose for pictures with your arms akimbo.  No nonsense about eating right and glowing skin.  Hollywood beauty is all about hard work, and Mindy does wonders for boosting people’s body images by getting honest.

I also loved her candid enjoyment of sex scenes (“You get to crawl around in a bed with another person you either a) already know well or b) are getting to know better in the most cozy and intimate way possible.  Yes, it’s true that an entire room of people is watching you when you shoot a sex scene.  To that, I say: the more, the merrier!  Most of those people are artists whose job it is to make sure your physical imperfections are cloaked in mysterious shadows.  By the end of the shooting day, you’ll wish there were more people there.”) and the essay about her and B.J. Novak being “soup snakes.”  THOSE TWO.  When will they work it out?   Continue reading →

#44HoursInATrain: DAY ONE

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3:22PM
1 hour down | 43 to go

Back in July, I decided it would be fun to go to Seattle to celebrate Thanksgiving with my brother Roy. I happened to see that Amtrak had a deal, so in a fit of whimsy, I bought a train ticket. Today I begin #44HoursInATrain, which simultaneously feels like the best and worst decision of my life.

The whole thing is new to me. At Union Station in Chicago, I wandered to what I thought was my gate. I got in line behind a group of Amish men and women, only to find out that all of us were not allowed to be there. I went back to the main terminal, marching with confidence. It must have looked fake, however, because a big Santa Claus of a man asked if I knew where I was going. I thrust my ticket at him and asked where I ought to go.   Continue reading →

An Unplanned Night in Chicago

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When I visited Athens in March earlier this year, I was put in a dorm room with an American girl for a roommate. Kelly was a college student studying abroad, and she was a constant source of fun and encouragement while I went through an evaluation to work for House of Damaris. She bought me Greek snacks. She took me downtown one night to sit on Mars Hill and then grab dinner overlooking the Acropolis. She bought me a Nutella-filled doughnut after one day of evaluation was particularly hard.

My relationship with Kelly is pretty much “Hi, I’m a stranger! Can I room with you? And do you mind taking me into a city to show me around?” When a snow storm caused my mom travel anxiety, we decided to go to Chicago Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon to catch my train to Seattle. I booked a hotel, but messaged Kelly as a backup. She’s studying in Chicago now, and she immediately offered to let me stay the night with her. The hotel was cancelled, and off I went to Kelly’s apartment!   Continue reading →