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HumorWaving your pinky
This is my desperate attempt to popularize this action my mom told me about when I was just a baby teen, 13. I had been being bullied by a pathetic boy because he was mad at my brother. Don't ask but this happened often, I was always being judged for something my brothers did by peers like in school n church n everywhere. anyway, one day my mom got fed up with him after seeing me crying about some things he said to me and grabbed the phone from my hands to call this 14 or 15 yr old dude up and chew him the fuck out about it. I just remembered her repeating loudly "SHE IS NOT HER BROTHER. SHE IS NOT (BROS NAME)" and hearing meek little oks and yes ma'am from the other end of the call.
So she then tells me what to do if he tries to bother me in person, or any boy really. You ready for this? She tells me to do this; holds just her pinky up, rest of hand in a fist, waves her pinky and says "you're overcompensating for something"
I had never heard of or seen that before and to this day it cracks me tf up and is something I use often. By often, I mean on the road, like when those HUGE trucks dickheads are on the road driving like assholes, or a dude is excessively revving his engine or speeding, I try to make eye contact, hold up the pinky and wiggle it while smiling
Anyway happy women's day I hope you can find times to use this gesture in your own lives, against aggressive men or misogynistic or sexist men, or overly sexual men, you name it. I thought it was hilarious even if almost no dude understands what I'm doing when I do it.
First, I am coming to read this brilliant book a couple of years after it was published, so some of you may have already read it. But wanted to highly recommend it. Shriver is one of my favorite contemporary writers (I mostly only read women authors), and this book is a deep, funny, imaginative exploration of the difficult subjects of aging, mortality, the body's deterioration, choices to stay or go, and much more, written in Shriver's inimitable way, with great humor, energy, intelligence and a wonderful ability to point up cultural ridiculousnesses and fads with sharp wit and insight. She is, of course, gender critical in her journalism (the novel is not about "g.i" issues, but gets a bit in). She is also brave and courageous and embodies freedom of speech and belief in her forthrightness to speak on any subject, particularly taboo ones.
I posted this link because it is an excellent interview/discussion on the novel, and on writing, with Zoe Strimpel. I really like to hear from authors whose books I admire.
I recently listened to the Mandibles, from 2016, on a long road trip. She predicted toilet paper shortages! That book terrified me because we're headed in that direction and it really made me think about my own situation in the context of all that's happening across the globe, which isn't great as a single woman who doesn't have a stash of gold bars or a gun. I'm not quite up for this one yet, but I'll get there. She's my new favourite horror novelist and I love that she sees right through the gender nonsense, which of course she does.
Yes, the Mandibles is really really good - and grim! Ohmigosh. She writes about her worst fears, and the thing of it is, it's all things that could actually happen. And in some cases already have, to somebody.
It made me think I should learn how to use a gun, and get one, even though I'm in Canada. As a single woman, I can't protect myself if I can't stop men. Grim stuff!
That part with the "house-jacking" - that's like, yeah, that's actually how that could go.
There's a similar scene in "Should we stay or should we go", and the old couple wind up relegated to their attic while others have taken over their own house.
I strongly think Shriver is an under rated author. She is really really REALLY good. The way she writes it is so visceral.
Yeah, and seeing how the police don't give a shit about women, the house-jacking scene really made me think, and as a single woman, it could go way worse than what happened in the book, plus, any food I have would be taken. I agree that Shriver is underrated. The first book of hers I read was "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and it was mind-stretching and important.
She writes about things that are outside of your control, that are still going to affect your life. And yet, she still writes from a perspective that personal responsibility exists. I really wish we heard more, from this sort of perspective. Like, if the entire American Dollar collapses, there is no amount of self-help that's going to really help you, and yet, there ARE some choices you get to make.
Yeah, good analysis. I just want to prepare to keep myself somewhat safe and go from there. It's like driving, though, I'm a good driver, but I have no control over the assholes on the road.
Yes, The Mandibles is my other favorite of hers. And like a great writer, she understands humanity and can see possibilities of where we are going on many different levels. As she says in this interview, one of the things that interests her is our financial situation.
Our financial system is grim. I'm in Canada, and waiting for the ball to drop, because we've turned on the printing money taps and left them running for years and it's going to hurt when we shut them off and try to clean up the mess.