By Golly, Ollie!

💾 a blog about books, tea, & geekery

Category: Geekery

Posts about geeky things like video games, graphic novels & comic books, fandoms, blogging, and nerd culture.

Lately in Books, Tea, & Geekery

I love the brevity of a month-in-review kind of post– the ones where bloggers share the podcasts/albums/books/events/video games they consumed recently but without an accompanying thousand-word analysis of the experience. I used to compose posts like this (read: Five March Favorites), but I am so, so terrible at sticking to structured content calendars. So, here is my latest attempt at a (probably, almost definitely, unregular) feature. Here are the books, tea, and geekery I have enjoyed lately:

Books

Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen

Can’t Even critiques the the systems many Millennials were born into like the college-at-all-costs pipeline, social media-driven lifestyle curation, and the burden of invisible labor nearly all mothers carry even in (especially in?) the year of our Lord, 2024. Petersen’s strongest chapters discussed the “enshittification” of the workplace by examining labor theory and history since the 1970s.

I would be enraged after reading this book, but I’ve read it all before. If you’re a Millennial, who exists at all online, you’ve probably read the arguments before, too. Nevertheless, Can’t Even is relatable, and the book satisfies the craving for confirmation bias.

My biggest critique of this book is the author’s declaration that Millenials are the “burnout generation”. She then dispels that notion in the first chapter by arguing burnout is a state of existence we inherited from our Boomer parents. Which I agree with, by the way! I don’t think Millenials have a monopoly on burnout, and I think trying to imply that only invites the generational infighting I’m so tired of reading about.

The Best American Essays 2023 edited by Vivian Gornick

I love essays. I think I secretly want to be an essayist. It’s probably why I’ve always been drawn to blogs and blogging, which seem like informal essays [this post is not an essay]. Essays take my favorite approach to storytelling (nonfiction) and turn it bite-sized, conveying complex ideas concisely. (How appropriate that The Best American Essays 2023 includes a meditation on concision by George Estreich).

I’m only halfway through, but I’ve already read a few memorable essays. Any Kind of Leaving by Jillian Barnet shatters the usual savior-like portrayal of adoption, and this essay almost made me cry. We Were Hungry by Chris Dennis is a brutal, sort-of-love-letter to McDonald’s from an ex-addict. Ms. Daylily by Xujun Eberlein is an achingly intimate story about a daughter trying to piece together her mother’s relationship with another woman during Mao’s reign and the Cultural Revolution in China.

This anthology also feels like it will be a time capsule for future generations with essays about gender identity, the prison system, and the immigrant experience in the United States. It makes me curious to read earlier books from this series (started in 1986) to see if earlier editors managed to curate a collection of work that embodies the year it was published, too.

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Some of the best graphic novels I’ve read in recent years have come from the Middle-Grade section of the local library, and New Kid by Jerry Craft now gets added to this growing list. New Kid follows Jordan, a Black middle schooler who wants to attend art school but is enrolled in a rigorously academic private school instead. At his new school, Jordan confronts bullying, classism, code-switching, and microaggressions as he struggles to find his place among peers who do not look like him.

The characters and the friendships that develop between them are delightful. The book was laugh-out-loud funny. And, I loved the playfulness of the chapter title illustrations, which were inspired by popular films like the Lord of the Rings, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Star Wars.

Tea

A few Sunday’s ago, a surprise from the good folks at Plum Deluxe arrived on my doorstep– this World of Tea care package inspired by France, which includes five curated blends from their shop and five blends exclusive to this sampler. I’m looking forward to sipping through this collection, but I think I need to acquire some croissants first. Especially for the Cafe Breakfast Blend, which is infused with coffee beans.

The tea featured in my favorite Pragon teacup above is the Huckleberry Happiness blend, a random sample included with the care package. It’s a fruity black tea blend that pairs well with sunny mornings filled with birdsong.

Geekery

Citizen Sleeper

Citizen Sleeper is the cozy, slice-of-life cyberpunk video game I didn’t know I needed in my life. I am obsessed with the artwork, the soundtrack, the story, the wholesome characters like Lem & Mina, the gameplay– everything!

This game follows a “sleeper”, a digitized human mind encapsulated in an artificial body, who escaped their old life of indentured servitude to Essen-Arp Corp. As the story opens, the sleeper has sought refuge on a lawless space station called the Eye. There, the sleeper meets a colorful cast of characters, builds friendships, navigates factions, and ultimately tries to survive and rebuild their life among a hyper-capitalist, interstellar society.

Citizen Sleeper is a text-based game that functions like a Tabletop RPG, where payers “spend” dice to drive the story forward, complete actions, and determine outcomes of choices. It’s sort of like a virtual choose-your-own-adventure story with several different endings, so I’m already looking forward to replaying this game.

Open Roads

In Open Roads, gamers play the role of sixteen-year-old Tess, who has just discovered a secret stash of love letters tucked away in the attic of her grandmother’s house after her grandmother passed away. Tess convinces her mother to go on a road trip to discover how deep these family secrets are buried.

Wikipedia tells me this is a “walking simulator”. Players can navigate a scene and interact with the environment to reveal more of the story. It’s a low-stakes (no-stakes?) video game that had me hooked because 1. it’s set in the early 2000s, so it’s satisfying the craving for nostalgia, and 2. it takes place in Michigan, my home state!

It’s a very short video game; players can probably complete it in an evening. But, after solving the mystery surrounding the grandmother’s secret love letters, I kept hoping Tess would try to discover the secret stash of bootleggers gold, which was a topic that surfaced throughout the story. Open Roads left me wanting more, but in a good way, I think. The story was compelling enough, the characters were charming, and the gameplay was calming, so I just wanted to keep playing.

Skyrim

I am a creature of habit, so I’m usually just replaying a handful of games (Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Stardew Valley), and lately, I’ve been devoting my time to Skyrim. In this open world, action roleplaying game, players explore Skyrim, the northernmost region of the continent of Tamriel, by navigating the politics of a region divided by civil war, joining factions, slaying dragons and draugr, and delving into dungeons to discover valuable loot. (It seems strange to summarize this game since it’s so iconic).

I’ve had this game since it was released in 2011, and I’ve never completed the main storyline(s). I’ll sink 40 hours into a character then take a break for a few months. When I return, I forget what I’m doing and just start a new character with a new play style. Lately, I’ve been playing as a mage. I recently finished the College of Winterhold questline, and I’m now working on the Dawnguard questline, but I don’t love this playstyle, and I already want to start a new character. I started a new sneak thief character. Why am I the way that I am?

Have you enjoyed some books, tea, or geekery recently, too? Let me know in the comments!

April 26, 2024
7 Graphic Novels I Can’t Stop Thinking About

A few years ago, I plucked an unsuspecting graphic novel from a shelf at the library–The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxanne Gay, Tracy Lynne Oliver, Rebecca Kirby, and James Fenner. I remember this graphic novel being solidly okay, but it encouraged me to actively seek out graphic novels going forward. Now I bring one home after every library visit. They are mostly middle-grade or young adult books since that’s what is immediately available to me at my local library, but they are nevertheless incredible. Some have even made me weep! Here are 7 graphic novels I’ve read in the last year (and a half?) that I cannot stop thinking about:

This was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

On the night of the Autumn Equinox Festival, a town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it, the lanterns will float away and right out to the Milky Way. This year, Ben and his classmates make a pact to follow the lanterns to find out if the legend is true. However, it’s not long before the pact is broken, and all who remain are Ben and the one kid who doesn’t quite fit in, Nathaniel. Together, they travel farther than anyone has gone before, and along the way, they discover a world full of magic and unexpected friendship.

This Was Our Pact was delightful. It was magical. It was whimsical. It had a talking bear! And the whole time I thought, this world could come to life in a Hayao Miyazaki film. The artwork was stunning, too. Like, you could open up the book to the illustration of the Milky Way, and the page could just swallow you up like the sky.

Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Aiza has always dreamed of being a knight; it’s the highest military honor of the Bayt-Sajji Empire, and it’s her only path to full citizenship as a member of the marginalized Ornu people. When Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war, Aiza enlists. She navigates new friendships and rigorous training all while hiding her Ornu background from her friends and superiors. She also learns that the Bayt-Sajji military might not be fighting for the greater good after all, forcing her to choose between her heritage and her loyalty to the empire.

Lately, I feel as though I’ve abandoned YA books because the authors I’ve picked up struggle to address social issues well. The stories often feel stilted or like the author is just reiterating a talking point they read on social media. It feels cringey and vaguely Afterschool Special-esque. But, I think the thing that impressed me most about Squire was its ability to address complex themes like propaganda, imperialism, colonialism, and minority identity under a conquering empire without sacrificing rich storytelling. Also, the story features badass girls with swords, which is always awesome.

Incredible Doom: Volume 1 by Matthew Bogart and Jesse Holden

Simply, Incredible Doom is about outcast teens finding refuge from abusive parents and acceptance from peers after being bullied at a new school through the bulletin board system of the early ’90s (sort of a precursor to the modern internet). Plus, it has a punk house, 90’s DIY aesthetic, and some wonderful Star Trek geekery!

Even though I didn’t have internet access at home until the late 1990s and didn’t experience BBS, this graphic novel made me feel so nostalgic for the internet of yesteryear. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this book and the early days of personal websites since.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton

Kate Beaton narrates her experience working in the oil sands of Alberta, where she is one of a few women among thousands of men, in this graphic novel memoir.

This is probably the only book on this list that doesn’t target a YA or middle-grade audience and pheeew! This book was heavy. I went into reading this book thinking it was going to be about the environmental impact of the oil sands, and the author does touch on it. But, it was more about the cultural and human impact of living in an insular and isolated community.

As a woman, Beaton dealt with sexual harassment and sexual assault. She doesn’t excuse these actions but still manages to hold compassion for many of her male co-workers, who are complicit in perpetuating a toxic and dangerous environment for women. Ultimately, the men were victims of the oil sands too. Without access to mental health resources, pervasive loneliness and depression permeated their lives as they spent years away from families and communities outside of work camps or watched corporate bosses sweep the accidental deaths of oil sand workers under the rug because they were viewed as expendable. Ducks is a devastating, empathetic, and nuanced portrayal of just how badly the environment and human lives were exploited to churn out a corporate profit.

P.S. Don’t skip the afterword. Beaton addresses her assault more directly here, and it provides much more context on how it was treated in the graphic novel. It helped me process some of the emotions that surfaced as I read this story.

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connell

Freddy Riley’s world revolves around her girlfriend, Laura Dean. Laura is cool and popular and exciting, but she’s also a jerk who only seems to use Freddy when she’s bored. Freddy’s self-esteem and friendships are suffering because of it, so Freddy is trying to figure out how to ditch Laura once and for all.

I found this coming-of-age story absorbing, but the thing that sticks with me after all this time is the artwork. The illustrations are inked simply in black and white with the occasional use of pink. It was beautiful, absolutely striking.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

On the surface, This One Summer is about Rose and her annual summer vacation at Awago Beach. This summer is different though because Rose’s parents keep fighting. Luckily, Rose’s friend Windy is at the beach too, and together they find ways to distract themselves from family drama.

Below the surface, This One Summer is a quiet novel about a girl teetering on the cusp of adolescence. It’s about leaving the freedom and naivety of childhood behind and learning to navigate the tumultuous world of pre-teen/teenage girlhood. It’s changing bodies and pushing boundaries and noticing boys. It’s also about all the ways we learn to form opinions of ourselves as girls based on how the world around us (men and boys in particular, but also the media we consume and other women harboring internalized misogyny), reacts to our existence. Girlhood (and womanhood) is such a powerful experience, but sometimes it is a profoundly devastating experience, and it was captured here within the pages of This One Summer. And by God, this book made me weep.

There are two stories I think of that capture the essence of being a preteen girl so perfectly: Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume (which I read as an actual preteen) and now This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki (which I read as an adult and through the lens of being a mother). It was absolutely brilliant.

On A Sunbeam by Tillie Walden

Throughout the deepest reaches of space, a crew rebuilds broken-down structures to reassemble the past. As the newest crew member, Mia gets to know her team, the story flashes back to her time in boarding school, where she first fell in love. Soon, Mia reveals her purpose for joining the crew was to track down her long-lost love.

On a Sunbeam is a warm blanket. There is so much love between these pages it soothes my soul. First, it is in the form of Sapphic relationships, especially between Mia and her first love, Grace. When Grace is suddenly ripped from Mia’s life, Mia attempts to defy the vastness of the entire. friggin. universe. just to find her again. Second, it is in the form of a found family– the crew Mia connects with to rebuild abandoned buildings in space.

Beyond the storytelling, Tillie Walden’s illustrations are stunning, and her artwork is among my favorites. Her artwork in Are You Listening? is pretty incredible too.

P.S. You can read On a Sunbeam online for free here.

April 5, 2024
Teas to Sip While Reading Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne by David Gaider
I am obsessed with the Dragon Age video game series. Like, replay-the-video-games-every-year obsessed. Like, check-for-Dreadwolf-updates-every-other-month-even-though-I-know-there-are-no-new-updates obsessed. Like, would-buy-all-the-Dragon-Age-collectibles-if-I-did’t-have-to-be-responsible-with-money obsessed.

Dragon Age is a fantasy role-playing video game series that takes place on the continent of Thedas. The video games focus on the events that take place during the 100 years of the Dragon Age:
- from the story of the Grey Wardens, who defeated the horde of twisted Dark Spawn during the Fifth Blight
- to the growing unrest between the mages of the Free Marches city-state and their militant handlers, the Templars
- to the re-creation of the Inquisition, an independent political and military organization trying to restore order to Thedas following an explosion at the Divine Conclave that resulted in the death of the leader of the Orleasian Chantry (their church, if you will) and a tear in the veil that allows demons to escape from the Fade (a magical realm) into the world (phew!). And, they must do this while navigating a world torn apart by the Mage-Templar War and an Orlesian Civil War.
Beyond the current video games, there are books, comics, flash games, tabletop RPGs, web series, a movie, and a Netflix animation. The world is immersive. And, rumor has it, there is to be a full reveal of Dreadwolf in 2024. (But, who knows. I feel like Bioware has been teasing us about DA4 since 2018).

I’ve never anticipated the release of a game this much, so I had the brilliant idea to read and play through as many of the 34 Dragon Age installments I can get my hands on in chronological order for my “canon playthrough”. (Okay, as I admit this to the world, my plan sounds more bonkers than brilliant, but I think other passionate fans of the series would understand.)

The Book

And so it begins with Dragon Age: the Stolen Throne by David Gaider. The events in this novel take place 30 years before the 1st video game, Dragon Age: Origins. In fact, it takes place before the actual “Dragon” Age. The novel opens with the country of Ferelden under occupation by the neighboring Orlesian Empire. The Rebel Queen of Ferelden, who has been fighting against Orlais, is murdered by traitorous, Fereldan nobles, but her son, Prince Maric survives.

Fleeing from his mother’s assassins, Prince Maric runs into a band of outlaws led by Loghain (who Dragon Age fans will recognize as the antagonist from Dragon Age: Origins). The two reluctantly team up, reunite with the Rebel Army, and fight to expel the usurper Orlesian King of Ferelden. Of course, no Dragon Age story would be complete without the threat of villainous mages, a foreboding visit from the Witch of the Wilds, morally ambiguous Chantry leaders, and passionate romances between companions in between brutal battles for the future of Ferelden.

I give it a solid…TWO STARS.

The Stolen Throne was both too short for the story Gaider wanted to tell and too long for the story that was delivered. The author stuffed several years of story into 400 pages, so naturally, some elements of good storytelling were sacrificed. Gaider spared readers several years of redundant battles by summarizing a year of war into a few paragraphs. But, this also meant that crucial character development and relationship building were glossed over, and arguably, the characters, the interpersonal drama, and the dialogue between them is what makes the Dragon Age series so special.

In the end, I would only recommend this book to folks who really embrace the fandom. I’m not sure there is enough here to keep even a casual player enticed. And forget it if you’ve never played a game before. So much of the world-building was lacking, so without prior knowledge of the world of Thedas, the Stolen Throne reads a bit like a generic sword and shield fantasy novel.

The Teas

Your Favorite Shou Pu’erh

The Fereldans are a puzzle. As a people, they are one bad day away from reverting to barbarism. They repelled invasions from Tevinter during the height of the Imperium with nothing but dogs and their own obstinate disposition. They are the coarse, wilful, dirty, disorganized people who somehow gave rise to our prophet, ushered in an era of enlightenment, and toppled the greatest empire in our history.
– Empress Celine I of Orlais, in a letter to her newly appointed ambassador to Denerim

The Dragon Age continent of Thedas is an amalgamation of cultures and civilizations in Eurasia spanning from the Early Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period. Ferelden, the setting for the Stolen Throne, seems to resemble the period following the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England– not quite “barbaric” but not yet as opulent as Orlais or Tevinter. Not opulent at all, actually. It’s rural and dirty and always on the verge of battle against darkspawn or neighboring Orlais, and really I just imagine most people smell of wet mabari (a breed of war dog revered by Fereldans).

And so, for my first tea, I suggest your favorite shou pu’erh. For the uninitiated, shou pu’erh is a fermented tea that, to me, is akin to licking a wet forest floor in the middle of Autumn, but in a good way. (Usually. I had a shou that tasted like how the animal pens at the county farm smelled, and that ended up down the drain. But, honestly, that sounds perfect for Ferelden, too). I sipped Pu-erh #1 from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is an undaunting introduction to pu’erh. It offers aromas of earth, wet wood, and dry leaves. (It appears this tea is no longer available, but check out more aged teas from Friday Afternoon here.)

Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea

Loghain glanced uncomfortably at the knights who had been assigned to his command, once again wondering just how he had allowed himself to end up here. Thirty mounted men in heavy plate armor, each with more combat experience in the last year than he had in his life, and he was supposed to lead them?
the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

Picked simply for its name, the Soldier’s Blend from Friday Afternoon Tea is a blend of black tea, chicory root, cacao nib, and natural vanilla flavor. It’s reminiscent of a dark chocolate bar with a pop of tangy acid. I prefer to sip this one sweetened to draw out the creamy vanilla notes and to tame the dark chocolate flavor (I’m a milk chocolate girlie).

Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea

The knight sheathed his sword. Reaching up to his helmet, he pulled it off, and Loghain realized the man’s voice had sounded strange because it wasn’t a man at all. Masses of thick brown curls were plastered against the woman’s sweaty pale skin, yet Loghain found it didn’t mar her striking appearance. She had high cheekbones and a strong chin that a sculptor would have ached for, yet carried herself with a confidence that told him the armor was no affectation. She was as much a soldier as the men she led, and while it was not unheard of in Ferelden for a woman to be skilled in the art of war, it was uncommon enough to be surprising.
the Stolen Throne by David Gaider

Rowan is easily my favorite character. She is betrothed to Prince Maric and will someday be Queen of Ferelden. But, in the meantime, she charges headfirst into battle alongside her army to win back the throne stolen by Orlais. Her story is part honor, duty, and total badassery, but it is also part unrequited love, which wrecks me every single time. She should have been the main character.

Rowan kind of reminds me of Eowyn from the Lord of the Rings, so to honor Rowan, I’ve selected Shield Maiden from Friday Afternoon Tea, which is a blend of elderflower, pink peppercorn, roasted dandelion root, ginkgo biloba, cacao nib, and shavegrass. This golden-like-the-sun brew has a thick, luscious mouthfeel and it offers aromas of dried grass and dried wildflowers. There is also a soft heat from the pink peppercorns.

Your Favorite Rose-Infused Blend

Delicate to the nose, comfort to the tongue, and, strangely, a half-remembered whisper to the ears. It is described as—and inspires—a wistful spirit. A vintner’s opus.
Dragon Age codex entry on the tasting notes for Vint-9 Rowan’s Rose

No Dragon Age story is complete without romance. (Except for Dragon Age 2. My headcanon Hawke only has eyes for Varric, who is not one of the game’s love interests :( and yes I am still bitter about this.) In The Stolen Throne, we get a double-whammy of unrequited love. ~*~spoilers!~*~ Loghain pines for Rowan who pines for Maric who has been promised to Rowan but pines for Katriel. sigh.

For the final tea, I suggest your favorite rose-infused blend. To sweep me off my feet, I sipped the Orlesian Gray from Lady Gray Kitchen. It’s a citrusy Earl Grey blended with rose, lavender, and rosemary. As an added bonus, this particular blend was inspired by the kingdom of Orlais from the Dragon Age series!
March 29, 2024
Teas to Sip While Reading Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade

I used to be adamant about my distaste for Romance novels. I knew them as the Harlequin Romance novels my mom used to devour alongside Junior Mints on a quiet Sunday afternoon or the bodice rippers one of my friends used to have her nose buried in during high school lunches. I thought they were an inferior literary genre– simple, formulaic, and full of smut, which I did not want to read; in hindsight, I think that perspective was deeply rooted in internalized misogyny. Then a few years back, I read the Flat Share by Beth O’Leary, and my appreciation for Romance literature started to blossom. I’m still learning my preferences when it comes to the genre, so my experience is hit and miss, and unfortunately, my most recent venture into the genre with Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade was a big miss.

In 280 words or less…

Spoiler Alert centers around the fictional fandom of Gods of the Gates, a live-action fantasy TV series that created legions of fans worldwide but started going downhill once the writers and TV producers ran out of source material…not unlike the Game of Thrones series based on George R. R. Martin books. Our main character, April, is a Gods of the Gates superfan, who writes smutty fan fiction about her favorite on-screen couple– Aeneus and Lavinea. Marcus Castor-Rupp, the actor that portrays Aeneus on-screen, secretly writes fan fiction too, and in fact, is April’s longtime online pal and beta reader. The two are unknowingly united after April posts a photograph of herself in Lavinea cosplay on Twitter, and folks criticize her for her weight in true internet fashion. When Marcus sees the post, he decides to invite April to dinner.

By the end of dinner, Marcus has made the connection that April is one of his closest online friends, but April is none the wiser. Geekery, drama, and steamy bedroom scenes ensue.

The Review

I picked up Spoiler Alert for its unabashed love for fan fiction and nerdy pop culture. I, too, loved fan fiction in my youth. I used to devour Sailor Moon fics as a pre-teen, and I used to write awful Lord of the Rings fan fiction when I entered high school. (It was bad, folks. So, so bad.) I also admire cosplay culture and spending the day at comic book conventions. But, beyond this really cool element, the story made me cringe. First, the premise seemed unbelievable. I mean, I understand there is an element of fantasy in romance novels, but it was hard to suspend disbelief for this one– an actor that secretly reads and writes fan fiction for a fandom in which he acts (about the character he plays!) is kind of weird and creepy.

Also, the characters were the worst. It’s hard to enjoy a romance when I’m just rooting for the couple to break up.

The way the author introduced April made it seem like she was going to be a confident, plus-size bombshell working in a STEM field– heck yeah! But, in reality, this was not the fat-positive story I thought it was supposed to be. One particular scene that stands out to me and represents about 90% of the conflict in this novel, occurs early in the relationship. In the scene, April and Marcus are discussing the hotel breakfast options. April asks Marcus, who adheres to a strict diet for his career, what’s good for breakfast. Marcus tells her that he usually just has a bowl of oatmeal with fruit. April took that personally and as criticism toward her body, so she gives Marcus the cold shoulder and cuts him out of her life. April exhibits this kind of behavior several times throughout the story– she projects her insecurities onto Marcus, makes assumptions about what he means even though he’s never ambiguous, and then gives him the cold shoulder. I found her behavior to be toxic at best, and I was screaming internally, “Use your damn listening ears, April!”.

Marcus is only slightly more bearable. He’s kind and sensitive and nurturing and a bunch of other character traits that fall under the list of “THE PERFECT MAN^TM“. Somehow, all of that kind of makes him boring? Like, don’t get me wrong– I’d totally marry him, but I don’t want to read books about him if that makes sense. He does harbor a deep, dark secret though– he’s dyslexic? Oh, also he’s April’s longtime internet pal, but instead of telling her the truth, he not only hides it from her during their relationship but his online persona essentially ghosts her as well. (I mean, this is actually really bad. Maybe I wouldn’t marry him.)

I will say, if you love #smutsmutsmut, you will appreciate the steamier scenes in this book. Dade leaves nothing up to the imagination; this stuff seemed explicit. I do not like #smutsmutsmut, however, because I am a prude, so listening to the audiobook version of Spoiler Alert, and having Isabelle Ruther narrate the sex scenes to me as I washed the dishes was mortifying. It made me so, so uncomfortable.

The Tea

Writer’s Fuel by Friday Tea

The name of this blend may be a little on the nose, but I couldn’t resist pairing the Writer’s Blend with a novel about writing fan fiction. The Writer’s Blend is subtle pine smoked black tea that reminds me of many chilly evenings spent writing by the fireside.

Direwolf from Friday Tea

Rumor has it, Spoiler Alert is actually a self-insert fan fiction inspired by the Game of Thrones (or rather about a certain actor who stars in Game of Thrones?) Many Goodreads readers seemed to take issue with this, but I’m not particularly bothered by it. However, I cannot unsee the connection to Game of Thrones, which is why I’m pairing Direwolf with this book. It’s a blend that features juniper and sage and shou Puerh, and it tastes like hiking through a rainy pine forest.

June 11, 2022
20 Things I’m Really Doing During Social Media Hiatuses

I recently wrote a post about Silencing the Internal Pressure to Be the Blogger I’m Not, and that wasn’t even the article I set out to write that day. I planned to sit down and write this slightly self-deprecating list of all of the things I do instead of work on my blog, create new videos, or post to Instagram:

1. Drink coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. That way, I definitely cannot write about/film videos/take pictures of tea.

2. Borrow a bunch of books from the library, and then I proceed to binge-watch the Office again because, you know, it’s been a few months since I watched it.

3. Change my layout.

4. Stare at my phone with a finger hovering over the Instagram icon, debating internally whether to open the app before ultimately setting it down and walking away to rummage around in the fridge, because nothing is more distracting than eating food when you’re not really hungry.

5. Open the Youtube Creators app and then quickly close it before it finishes loading because I don’t want to see how many subscribers I’ve lost.

6. Brainstorm my way through a blog branding workbook before realizing everything I wrote down is exactly the same as the last three times I brainstormed my way through a blog branding workbook. (My ideal audience is always “me”).

7. Change my layout.

8. Try to do Twitter again. Like, why am I so bad at it?

9. Have a sudden bolt of inspiration to launch a new blog, as if that were the answer to my inability to sit in a chair and write.

10. Proceed to brainstorm my way through another blog branding workbook for the new blog only to realize it’s still the exact same as the blog branding workbook for ~~Books & Tea~~ By Golly, Ollie!, just with different fonts. (Also, my ideal reader is still “me”).

11. Give up on the new blog and finally sit down and hand-write a long list of blog post ideas.

12. Type up a hand-written list of blog post ideas onto Trello cards.

13. Change my layout.

14. Move all of my bloglovin’ subscriptions to a Feedr account.

15. Decide I don’t like Feedr that much either, and move all of my subscriptions to my Feedly about.

16. Binge read blog posts but don’t comment because I don’t want someone to click through and see that I haven’t posted in two months.

17. Type up a blog post and let it sit in drafts for a month before ultimately scrapping it because it’s not as good as I thought it was the day I wrote it.

18. Change my layout.

19. Begrudgingly type up another blog post just to get something out into the world even though it’s definitely worse than the blog post that was sitting in my drafts for over a month.

20. Write a second blog post, hope for the best, and pray for continued writing momentum.

Do you experience anything like this? Tell me I’m not the only one who suffers from blogger’s block!

January 10, 2020
Silencing the Internal Pressure to be the Blogger I’m Not
Blogging has been my hobby for two decades now. I mean that quite literally. And during these past twenty years, blogging evolved from inane ramblings on personal websites built on Geocities to polished content creation with the unstated intent to sell something to the readers. It could be a lifestyle. It could be a self-published book. It could be an online course on how to make money from blogging. Heck, it could even be Books & Tea (the former title of this blog for new readers).

I can admit that sometimes I get caught up in the appeal of influencer culture. My heart skipped beats the day I was approved to read an Advance Reader Copy of The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. And then again when I was invited to participate in book tours. And I’m sure I damn near hyperventilated the day Adagio Teas offered me some of their teas in exchange for reviews on my site. So, it was inevitable that I tried to evolve with the medium; it was like I was chasing a high. I choked down article after article about SEO Optimization, branding, how to use social media to drive traffic, and building e-mail lists. Then, this blog, this outlet for creativity, became a job. A chore. A burden.

It’s cyclical and it usually goes like this:
1. I write and publish with a fervor.
2. I think to myself, I could make something of myself and this little blog, so I spend countless hours working my way through branding workbooks or researching blog monetization.
3. I devise weekly content calendars, but the moment I sit down to start writing posts, I freeze. The flame fueling the desire to write fizzles out.
4. I realize I’ve been procrastinating all along. The branding workbooks, the content calendars– all distractions.
5. I disappear from the blog, the youtube channel, and social media because seeing other peoples’ posts makes me feel guilty for avoiding writing. It makes me feel insecure that anything I have created or will go on to create will never be as good as what they create, so why bother?
I most recently had been stuck in phase five, but as frustrating as it is, step five is not inherently bad. I mean, the negative internal speak is terrible, but the break from creating and consuming content isn’t bad. It’s refreshing to step back from the undeclared competition of blogging, and it’s refreshing to stop reading about how other people define success in the blogosphere. It’s also during this time that I re-evaluate what I love about blogging, and why it’s been my hobby for more than half my life. It’s never been about popularity or money, so I don’t know why I keep putting pressure on myself to achieve that kind of success. It’s always been about writing, creativity, and community, and once that realization settles in, I can throw myself back into my hobby.

Lately, I’ve been focusing on creating a daily writing habit. That way, if I ever fall into a rut again, I have routine to fall back on. I am also trying to find my online community again. It used to be easy to define back when I considered myself a book blogger, but as you must have noticed by now, I’m not reading much these days (unless it’s a picture book!). Finally, I am rediscovering content I enjoy writing and content that serves a purpose here at By Golly, Ollie! Like, how do I write about tea without writing a “review”? Will readers be interested in what I have to write about “Silencing the Pressure to be the Blogger I’m Not?” How do I write about motherhood but assure readers this isn’t just another mommy blog? I suppose I will figure all of that out soon enough. Right now, I’m just happy to experiment with writing again.

Do you ever feel pressure to blog a certain way or do you find yourself ever trying to achieve other peoples’ definitions of blogging success, and how do you deal with it?
January 6, 2020
Back to Hogwarts with THE BOY WHO…tea from Adagio Teas
It’s September 1st, which means the Hogwarts Express departed without fail from Platform Nine and Three Quarters today. I can’t help but reflect on how this magical story has been in my life for TWENTY years, now. I never could have suspected the impact this series would have on me the day I pulled this book* randomly from one of the shelves at Walden Books. I held it in my hands, staring at the artwork almost debating whether to spend my allowance money on it or not. A mother passed by me, and seeing the book in my hands, told me the book I held was an incredible story. That was enough to convince me to bring it home with me, so thank you Random Mother who convinced me to buy Harry Potter back in 1999.

*This book actually being Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. My experience with book series back then was the Boxcar Children, Fear Street novels, and the Time Warp Trio. I had no idea there were series that were meant to be read in order!

Today couldn’t be a more perfect Back-to-Hogwarts day here in Michigan either; 67 degrees, overcast, and occasionally drizzly. The perfect day to cozy up and enjoy the Harry Potter marathon on television while sipping THE BOY WHO…tea from Adagio Teas. THE BOY WHO… tea is one of the fandom teas blended by Cara McGee. It is a blend of Black Tea, Ginger, Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Natural Pumpkin Spice Flavor, Natural Caramel Flavor, Marigold Flowers & Natural Cinnamon Flavor.

I can easily see black tea leaves, ginger pieces, cinnamon pieces, and cloves. I don’t see cardamom as I expected despite it being high on the ingredient list. The dry tea smells warm and inviting and most prominently of clove and cardamom.

I brewed this tea a little differently this time. Typically, I would steep the tea leaves in hot water and then add milk and sugar, but this time I steeped the tea leaves directly in milk. I put two teaspoons of tea into one cup of milk in a saucepan, brought it to a boil, and then steeped for about 3-4 minutes. I added sugar to taste.

I find that this tea isn’t as spicy as one would expect considering the ingredient list, and I’ve steeped it both in water and in milk. That being said, I still find this blend enjoyable and appropriate for Autumn. The black tea and the pumpkin flavor were the most prominent flavors, followed by cardamom and ginger. I much prefer steeping this tea in milk (as opposed to steeping in water and then adding milk). It adds a creaminess and mouthfeel that cannot be achieved if this tea were to be steeped in water. It has me reconsidering how I steep any of my spiced chais.

Already tried THE BOY WHO…tea? Check out these other tasTEA recommendations:
If you love Harry Potter, what is your favorite book from the series? For me, it’s hard to choose. It’s a toss-up between books 1, 3, and 5! It’s possible I love those three equally, albeit for different reasons.
September 1, 2019
Motor City Comic Con 2019

I don’t think I have ever openly declared my nerdom here on my blog, but I have demonstrated it here, here, here, and here. Now however, I would like to declare it:

I. Am. A. Nerd.

Like a stay-up-well-past-my-bedtime-even-though-my-infant-son-has-me-sleep-deprived-so-I-can-sneak-in-some-video-game-playtime kind of nerd. Or a I-lost-track-of-how-many-times-I’ve-read-Harry-Potter-kind-of-nerd. Or a I-used-to-write-Lord-of-the-Rings-fan-fic kind of nerd. I can’t believe I just admitted to that last one, but you’re beginning to see the picture, I hope. And now I can add to this list: a visited-the-Motor-City-Comic-Con kind of nerd!

A couple of weeks ago, Jon and I visited the Motor City Comic Con, and it goes down as one of the coolest things we’ve done together. Over 60,000 people visit the Motor City Comic Con over a weekend, and the convention floor is filled with comic book vendors, artists, cosplayers, celebrity guests, tabletop games, and celebrity guest-led panels.

Since this was our first comic con, we were a bit overwhelmed when we first arrived, but shortly we found our home in artist alley. We spent most of our time (and perhaps way too much money) there, but it was rows upon rows of artists and crafters selling fandom-inspired prints and coasters and comics and candles and postcards.

Here were some of my favorite pieces of artwork:

I love these clever pop culture mash-ups by Steve Jencks, especially Robocop replacing the Tin Man on the yellow brick road and Alien preparing to dine on ALF, while ALF prepares to dine on a cat. [WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM]

Okay, okay, so Jon may have chosen the wrestler prints, and I may have chosen the X-Files print, but I still love how they look like the covers of comic books. Artwork by Erik Hodson [INSTAGRAM]

These images hardly do the artwork by Sean Anderson justice. What you don’t see are the metallic and holographic leaf elements that make his superhero artwork truly impressive. He also had a series of superheroes set against Detroit landmarks, which was cool to browse through. [INSTAGRAM]

The artwork by Andrew Heath was perhaps my favorite. I loved it so much that along with a TARDIS print I also purchased a book of his artwork to display on the coffee table (that I will someday soon buy). [WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM]

As much as I loved Artist Alley, I know we missed out on the cosplay contests, and I would have loved to visit some of the guest panels (especially the Doctor Who After Hours event!) but, toting around Oliver made that challenging to do. Maybe we can look forward to that next year though.

Have you ever been to a comic con? What are some of your favorite fandoms?

June 3, 2019
Visiting Maine with my Main Squeeze

I miss Portland, Maine.

I miss flying in to the city and thinking, I don’t think I’ve seen this many pine trees in my life. I miss meandering the streets, exploring the shops, and being overwhelmed by all of restaurant choices. I miss hearing the sound of the ferry horns honking as they entered and exited the harbor. I miss tasting as many of the IPAs on the menu at Salvage BBQ and Slab Sicilian Street Food that our livers could handle and determining that Substance IPA from Bissell Brothers was the best (but still not quite as good as Michigan’s own Two Hearted). I miss how the temperature dropped what felt like 20 degrees the moment we rode the ferry out into Fore River/Casco Bay. I miss having Great Diamond Cove all to myself, or so it seemed, and I miss riding bikes all over the island. I miss the pickles– the weird, mustardy pickles. And the lobster rolls. I miss the lobster rolls too.

We spent most of our days roaming around the city streets in search of pinball machines, comic books, craft beer, and the best restaurants, and we hit the jackpot in Portland:

Featured Donuts from the Holy Donut: Triple Berry, Salted Chocolate, Maine Apple, Allen’s Coffee Brandy, Orange Creamsicle, and Maple Bacon

The Holy Donut | 194 Park Ave. Portland, ME 04102 or 7 Exchange St. Portland, ME 04101

The Holy Donut offers a sweet treat like no other. The key ingredient in their delicious, fried treats…is the potato. Yes, the Holy Donut puts potatoes in their donut dough, which creates this incredible yeast donut/cake donut hybrid. It’s cakey and moist but also fluffy and chewy, and the outside has just the right amount of crispness. Jon and I intended to just buy four donuts, but there were so many enticing choices that we walked out with a six-pack. If you visit the Holy Donut, you must taste the Salted Chocolate donut (which Jon and I fought over), Allen’s Coffee Brandy, and the Orange Creamsicle.

Salvage BBQ | 919 Congress St. Portland, ME 04102

When you visit Maine, you probably wouldn’t think to eat at a BBQ restaurant. Honestly, neither did Jon and I. The only reason Salvage BBQ ended up on our radar is because it was located right next to one of the hotels we stayed at. Thankfully. Their chopped pork sandwich topped with coleslaw and side of mac and cheese was dreamy. Salvage BBQ also offers 17 taps, most of which were Maine microbrews, which is how we discovered Substance IPA from Bissell Brothers. Or, if bourbon is more your taste, they have an extensive selection of bourbon as well.

Slab Sicilian Street Food | 25 Preble St. Portland, ME 04101

I knew I was going to love Slab the moment I saw the restaurant host; he was wearing a pair of lime green hot pants and singing along to Just a Girl by No Doubt. Also, the slices of pizza were as big as my head. Sorry, I shouldn’t say “slice”; they are referred to as “slabs” and serving sizes are measured in pounds. POUNDS. Be sure to order the Crisps and Dip starter with the White Bean dip and the original slab pizza. And if it’s Sunday…try the Hangover Wedge; who knew potatoes on pizza could be so amazing?

Slab also has an extensive drink list of micro brews and ciders. Jon and I both ordered one hard cider and one IPA. Yes…that dark brown liquid in Jon’s glass is not a stout or a porter or a brown ale. It is an IPA. I want to say it was Doom IPA from Founders (a Michigan brewing company); whatever it was, it was over 12% apv, and it tasted like regret.

Coast City Comics | 634 Congress St. Portland, ME 04103

Okay, so we didn’t come to Portland for the nerd culture, but when we found it we were delighted. Coast City Comics had shelves upon shelves of graphic novels, and in the back of the shop, there were several pinball machines waiting for us to spend our quarters. We spent an afternoon here playing games, browsing through graphic novels to add to our collection, and picking out t-shirts featuring artwork from local artists.

It’s been over a year since Jon and I took the much-needed, week-long vacation to Portland, Maine, and not a month goes by where I don’t think about it. It was probably the best vacation I’ve ever taken, and the only reason we ended up there is because airfare to Maine was the cheapest, ha! It is the vacation I measure all future vacations against (which actually kind of sucks because I didn’t anticipate booking THE BEST VACATION EVER on my first try). I think that had less to do with me though and more to do with how incredible the city is.

Our vacation to Portland also encouraged us to set the life goal of visiting every state in the U.S. for vacation. Pre-baby, we had set our sights on visiting Montana or Massachusetts or Alaska next, but now I think we will stay a little closer to home (Ohio? Wisconsin? Indiana?) until Oliver is a little older and won’t wail on airplanes.

What is your favorite vacation experience? Have you ever visited Maine? What are some places you would love to visit for vacation?

October 23, 2018
Five Reasons Why You Should Read Ms Marvel, Vol. 2: Generation Why

A few years ago, I was invited to volunteer at Trunk or Treat with an old high school buddy of mine. The theme was “Superheroes”, so the gymnasium of her church was crawling with DC and Marvel characters. She was Batgirl, I was Ms Marvel, and there was even a special appearance by Superbaby. But, I have to admit, I felt like a fraud because I hadn’t actually read a Ms Marvel comic. Ever.

I ended up purchasing and reading a copy of Ms Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson, and I was in total awe. She was this nerdy, Pakistani-American teenager grappling not only with her identity as an American and a person of color but also with her newly discovered super power. It was a more powerful story than I could have expected, and I so terribly wanted to read on in this comic series.

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May 24, 2016