BTW, here is an essay from an outraged scifi novelist about the Penn State situation. I really liked it. And the fiction shout out at the end is really perfect.

[link]

I read Scalzi's essay earlier, le nubian. If I were in charge of the world, everyone would have to read "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," but what I thought of at the end of his essay was how few people in the story walk away.

Now I'm going to have trouble sleeping, as I ponder what relationship there could be between martial arts, stoicism, gayness and sleeplessness.

PS: Orgasms? Don't solve chronic insomnia. They just feel good.

OH GOD, NOT AN ORGASM! NOT THAT!! ANYTHING BUT THAT!!!

Signed,

Brer Rabbit.

BWAH! Okay, you seriously just made me snort.

Cass, look for a dojo that promotes self defense. There are many out there and it is a good introduction to martial arts. From my experience self defense dojos pull from various martial arts. Once the student has a better idea of what she likes, then she can find an art that best suits her.

Thank you.

Brer Rabbit

One would not want to offend your clearly delicate sensibilities.

Unrelated to absolutely everything before, I just read this article on the stereotyping of Asian men as weak or villainous.

As someone outside the Asian community, I think that Asian men in media are portrayed sexily, but unsexed. They are often really attractive, but are third in line (behind white guys and black guys) to get the girl. I'm not going to say there's not a problem with weakness or villainy, because it's certainly not my place to comment, I just thought it was really interesting and it's something new to look out for.

I have wondered if she'll suggest orgasms at any point.

But she will call them "Snoregasms".

At which point, BT, I hope ita ! runs shrieking out of the office, foregoing her patented stoicism.

I thought the article was interesting, and made me try to think of Asian male actors who are portrayed positively. Jackie Chan has segued into mostly comedic roles, Daniel Kae Kim was evil on Angel, Chow Yun Fat, Jet Li and a lot of other Asian actors who have been in American films have all played evil and good.

Glenn, on The Walking Dead? I'm not an expert on Asian male actors.

But what really got me thinking is a gender expectation that often tends to transcend race: that women want a man who can protect them. It's a fraught, interesting issue.

OTOH, I heartily admit I find fighting skills sexy as hell. Skills, not stupid aggression. But I think they're sexy as hell in men AND women. And protectiveness is of course not just physical violence, but I think a lot of people do an auto-default when thinking "protection."

Which has me thinking about my own personal take: Would I want a partner who was not willing to protect me? No. But it should be equal, IMHO; partners should be willing to protect each other, in a variety of ways that go past the physical. But in all relationships, skill abilities are going to vary.

D would kill or die if I were in danger. I have no doubts about that. However, I am the one that would be more likely to be more effective in a physical confrontation. Because I am more naturally assertive, and because I weigh more than him and have a high pain threshold, and am really just kinda of a dirty fighter and strong; if anyone takes a punch defending anyone in this family, I want it to be me. But here's this societal perception that a man, of any race, who is partnered with woman who is more assertive than him is a wimp or is pussy-whipped.

I HATE this gender-assumption. I think it's terribly unfair to both genders -- any gender, or non-gender. I'm sick of things being broken into a duality: male/female, protector/protected, etc.

People have different skills. Regardless of uterus or penis. Very, very few things in life require those organs.

Ugh. I'm babbling, and preaching to the choir, right. Sorry. It was a good link, ita ! Got me thinking.

I have to hit the road at stupid oclock tomorrow so I'll read the article later.

As someone outside the Asian community, I think that Asian men in media are portrayed sexily, but unsexed.

But as a starter I'd agree with this; however, I will say that it's only fairly recently that Asian men are portrayed particularly sexily outside of the very specific genres to which they're usually limited.