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Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:27:02 +0000 https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com en https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Home Mon, 08 Feb 2021 02:12:40 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Home &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; hello &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; welcome to the ee! &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;loving response&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; to&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; zines&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&amp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;art/books&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; [enter] https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Issue-6 Fri, 04 Apr 2025 20:54:26 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Issue-6 the ee! : number six Welcome to the ee! : a space for loving response to zines and art/books.&nbsp;&nbsp; For our sixth issue, our FASHION issue, we asked our contributors to respond to four zines or art/books with this theme in mind:&nbsp; Can I borrow your...? To read responses from this issue, tap the titles below or choose from the “menu” in the upper righthand corner. Find our past five issues in the menu as well. contents&nbsp; hey kalila, can i borrow your whimsy?jaye swain responds to Quilted Collage (2022) and Black Gold (2023) by Kalila Jones. I GIVE YOU FASHION Theodore (ted) Kerr responds to Me and My Gall by Nan Collymore,&nbsp;Andria Lo, and the NIAD team (2020-2021).El Séptimo AñoMarci Green responds to The Pictionary by Nola Silberman (2025). Ga(y)ze: A reflection on being seenStephanie J responds to Dressing Queer by&nbsp;Loretta Ryan-Krawczyk (2022). <img width="3000" height="3000" width_o="3000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8d000b8f396d9eeadf52d6215df6b5265e58900cc994c14385dab0ff30950d8e/the-ee-logo-navy2.png" data-mid="229290534" border="0" data-scale="17" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8d000b8f396d9eeadf52d6215df6b5265e58900cc994c14385dab0ff30950d8e/the-ee-logo-navy2.png" /> https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/jaye-Kalila Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:24:07 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/jaye-Kalila jaye&nbsp;swain responds to Quilted Collage (2022) and Black Gold (2023) by Kalila Jones. hey kalila, can i borrow your whimsy? “now how is a nigga gonna borrow some whimsy?&nbsp; nigga is you gonna give it back??” heheheh maybe but seriously tho… kalila, tysm1 for sharing your whimsy ! your silly, your mirth, your exuberant joviality, your joy ! i have such a deeply entrained pattern of falling into the overwhelming desire for purely logical and rational decision making in my making and crafting processes i am naturally a lover of systems and regularity. i like minimalism and restricting my color palettes. i like grids that have consistent sets of parallel lines, i like symmetry, i like even spacing, i like order and we relate on that in life generally.&nbsp; you also have your systems, your regimens and routines that keep you grounded and feeling stable in what’s now and what’s next but in your making, i feel a distinctive approach emerge it’s your…&nbsp; w h i m s y y y&nbsp; ｡･.・゜* : *･ﾟ★ “yknow what your problem is?”&nbsp; “what?” “you got it set to *m* for mini, when it should be set to *w* for whimsy”&nbsp; “…patrick i don’t think whimsy is a real word” &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“c’monnn you know! i whimsy, you whimsy, he she me, whimsy. whimsy! whimsy-ing! … whimsology–– the study of whimsy?!&nbsp; its first grade, spongebob” it’s the way you let yourself have fun in your work. all your choices are thoroughly considered, but your creativity seems to flow from a much more unrestricted place.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that’s not to say there's not a logic inherent to your work, cause there is. there’s a reason why you use teal and purple together (they’re your favorite colors, in that order) there’s a reason you compliment that teal with orange and brown, and the purple with yellow there’s a reason you sneak in references to your worlds of birbizaurs2 and imbue phrases like “gentle breaths,” “pleasure,” “wrapped around my finger” into your pieces in handwritten notes you’ve sewn in i feel like your world is a refreshing invitation to not to forget how fundamental playing is in life so thanks for that reminder.&nbsp; love you very much friend — jaye swain 1 thank you-u-u so mu-uchh…&nbsp; very very niiii(c)e 2 birbizaur (n.) :&nbsp; a (taxonomical) family of fantastical monotreme3 chimeral4 creatures that occupy the thalamus, medial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex5 of @kalilacrochet. while all birbizaurs have wings, only some species of birbizaur are capable of sustained flight <img width="3024" height="2859" width_o="3024" height_o="2859" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/14472a9cd1c7f555c5be4f99e409841de146fb89c02714e1e2bbdd1c5655ace3/Birbizaur-1-1.jpg" data-mid="231893425" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/14472a9cd1c7f555c5be4f99e409841de146fb89c02714e1e2bbdd1c5655ace3/Birbizaur-1-1.jpg" /> <img width="5616" height="3744" width_o="5616" height_o="3744" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/96eeeafc7518ca0e3372dec4d57f83cf7a9003734aaa63a94d2d991bf4abebf0/IMG_8895-1-1.jpeg" data-mid="231893454" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/96eeeafc7518ca0e3372dec4d57f83cf7a9003734aaa63a94d2d991bf4abebf0/IMG_8895-1-1.jpeg" /> 3 monotremes are mammals of the order monotremata. they are the only group of living mammals that lay eggs, rather than bearing live young (i.e. platypuses6 and echidnas) 4&nbsp; chimeral (adj.) relating to, derived from, or being a genetic chimera; containing tissue with two or more genetically distinct populations of cells (usually chimeric)existing only as the product of unchecked imagination; fantastically visionaryThey’re a chimeral optimist infused with otherworldly visions. 5 accordinging to this harvard medical school publication, these three areas in the brain where dreams come from 6 or platypi?&nbsp; or platypeople?&nbsp; or… well you know what i mean… ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Theodore-Nan Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:25:57 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Theodore-Nan Theodore (ted) Kerr&nbsp;responds to Me and My Gall by&nbsp;Nan Collymore, Andria Lo, and the NIAD team&nbsp;(2020-2021). I GIVE YOU FASHION In the publication, Me and My Gall, pronounced “gal,” participants from the California organization, NIAD, (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development), worked with artist Nan Collymore and photographer Andria Lo to create what the fashion world would call a lookbook, a collection of pictures that highlight clothing, accessories, or other products that put forth an idea of style and identity in an attempt to lure buyers. Instead of selling an object or a brand, Me and My Gall uses fashion to showcase the creativity and beauty of the NIAD community. Many of us, including people with disabilities, people over the age of 30, and people who are larger than a size 6, are taught to reject fashion. We are told it’s elitist. It's wasteful. It’s not for us. In her 1985 essay, Poetry Is Not a Luxury, public intellectual Audre Lorde makes the case that in the face of structural oppression, poetry - as a way of knowing one’s self, the world, and sharing that knowledge - is a means to survive and thrive. It is not a luxury, because it is needed. Of poetry, she wrote: “It is a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of the light within which we predicate our hopes and dreams toward survival and change, first made into language, then into idea, then into more tangible action.”&nbsp; As you dive into Me and My Gall,&nbsp; witness the attitude in the model’s faces, the angles of their hands, the layers of texture and color. The publication is a collection, to use Lorde’s words, of language, ideas, and tangible action. In her essay, Lorde goes on to make the case that, “Poetry is the way we help give name to the nameless so it can be thought.” Similarly, I think fashion is a way we can participate in the visual field of society, asserting our agency in how we are seen and thought of. I am not saying that poetry and fashion are the same, but what happens when we consider both of them as valid means of expression? What happens when we don’t reject fashion? How we present ourselves is one of the things we ought to have power over, and fashion is one tool of many that helps us negotiate what it means to be in the world. Fashion can help us project our soul, and protect our body. Fashion can be silly, fun, and make us feel good. In fashion we can make mistakes, try new things, and find a vision of ourselves we are willing and able to be in the world. I think some of the messages we get to reject fashion come from fashion gatekeepers themselves, who don't want everyone to feel welcome. They are scared of an expansive and inclusive vision of beauty. I also think many of us teach ourselves to reject fashion, as a form of self protection, a way to assert disinterest before the sting of possible denial. This is a shame. So much is taken from so many people already, why should we give up fashion?&nbsp; I agree with Lorde when she says that poetry is not a luxury, and when I dive into Me and My Gall I know in my heart, fashion is a luxury and we all should be welcomed to indulge.&nbsp; — Theodore (ted) Kerr <img width="2451" height="2096" width_o="2451" height_o="2096" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1417a5fae7b0ec33ce1494ba567bd95f5ffc4c6fd7375520e426049dd55d63c5/I-GIVE-YOU-FASHION-tattoo-update-copy.jpg" data-mid="233841390" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1417a5fae7b0ec33ce1494ba567bd95f5ffc4c6fd7375520e426049dd55d63c5/I-GIVE-YOU-FASHION-tattoo-update-copy.jpg" /> <img width="2379" height="3285" width_o="2379" height_o="3285" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d5194dc32c4affd9e2a24051dbe0489993355ca81d8b78e40eaa59e072318b6b/I-GIVE-YOU-FASHION-pink---red.jpg" data-mid="233841373" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d5194dc32c4affd9e2a24051dbe0489993355ca81d8b78e40eaa59e072318b6b/I-GIVE-YOU-FASHION-pink---red.jpg" />Collages, in response to Me and My Gall, by Theodore (ted) Kerr: “I GIVE YOU FASHION (tattoo)” (above); “I GIVE YOU FASHION (pink + red)” (below). ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Marci-Nola Fri, 04 Apr 2025 21:25:45 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Marci-Nola Marci Green responds to The Pictionary by Nola Silberman (2024). El Séptimo Año<img width="2097" height="3001" width_o="2097" height_o="3001" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a36207522f1254336f721f78372eda329f4ccc746467c0e6d6e2fc167a77b23a/pink-teal_dress_1-copy.png" data-mid="233307686" border="0" data-scale="40" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a36207522f1254336f721f78372eda329f4ccc746467c0e6d6e2fc167a77b23a/pink-teal_dress_1-copy.png" /> Seven years ago, the year you were born, I was on the precipice of a new me. I’ve heard it said that our body chemistry shifts every seven years, and although this statement only has some medical truth to it, I’m still enamored with the idea as a meaningful metaphor, if nothing more. New beginnings every seven years give me feelings of rejuvination and hope. At the beginning of your seventh year, we designed new clothes together in a familiar cozy classroom at Fleisher Art Memorial.&nbsp; (So honored and overjoyed I was and am to celebrate your birthday together making art!) We sorted through fabric scraps, selected colors, textures, and cut out shapes to piece together patterns for clothes we hope to learn to make. We chatted about purple polka-dots and PJs, shimmering dresses, and billowing pants. Favorite teachers, sisterly love, and anticipated birthday celebrations also filled the room. We shared creative inspiration, cut-outs, and many smiles. When I look at the zine of clothing designs you made and photos taken that evening, I see: Texture, texture, texture! Delightful combinations Glitter, shimmers, sparkles Globs of glue Fancy numbered pages Supplies old and new Mermaids Ball gowns PJs to dance all night in Pure admiration Fluid creative choices Fuzzy pink Changing sequins A shared love for tye dye Stars Hot pink tulle neither of us used Handmade fancy fonts So FANCY! Fahn - say! ¡Elegante! I borrow inspiration from this memory made together, carrying forward acts of mutual care and delight. I also look backward, reminded of my own girlhood of dressing up fancy with my sister and having fashion shows in the living room with Gram. Hair ties to spare stood in line on my wrist for friends in need, knowing the act was reciprocated, subtle but significant signs of community support. With leftover scraps from our zine-making evening, I sewed scrunchies for you in gratitude, and embued them with encouragement, enthusiasm, and endless love. <img width="2559" height="2768" width_o="2559" height_o="2768" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5d18aef732a4cf93a13074ce8b029fa688eded83bde24467273e48e53b232424/pink_scrunchie.png" data-mid="233307568" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5d18aef732a4cf93a13074ce8b029fa688eded83bde24467273e48e53b232424/pink_scrunchie.png" /> <img width="2776" height="2796" width_o="2776" height_o="2796" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/880778af872805e57f7e9e7808490eb6a3f45cea06d2346bd6fa7fca4dba6151/sequin_scrunchie.png" data-mid="233307570" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/880778af872805e57f7e9e7808490eb6a3f45cea06d2346bd6fa7fca4dba6151/sequin_scrunchie.png" /> <img width="3024" height="2978" width_o="3024" height_o="2978" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/21ff95c84caa96e6d19fbd003f7d81d23d0cc5cb7cb0c651a77767256d696187/polka_dot_scrunchie.png" data-mid="233307569" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/21ff95c84caa96e6d19fbd003f7d81d23d0cc5cb7cb0c651a77767256d696187/polka_dot_scrunchie.png" /> — Marci Green ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Stephanie-Loretta Thu, 17 Apr 2025 20:27:02 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Stephanie-Loretta Stephanie J responds to Dressing Queer by Loretta Ryan-Krawczyk (2022). Ga(y)ze: A reflection on being seen Can I borrow your eyes? To be nude in the golden light of day is such a different beast than what lurks in the blue-red of night. Clothed in nothing but my moles, how the cold linoleum goosebumps my skin. Can I borrow your gaze? &nbsp; The one which peels off my t-shirt, hands-free. The crop, with the cherub front and centre. Soft black pants which hug me as a second skin. Does it not reveal so much more to be seen in the costumes of the everyday, than in the bare freckled flesh of one’s birthday suit? Loretta’s zine breathes life into these thoughts like balloons buoying about the ceiling. I ask myself the questions she poses to her contributors and find myself laid bare; for my queer identity is as much tied up in the planes of my skin as it is in the fabric that shrouds it. Loretta writes: “… there are so many different ways to get dressed as a queer person.” Too, are there so many ways simply to be one. In this collection, Charlie’s boots, Estella’s flares, and Will’s t-shirt take on personalities distinct from the bodies they clothe. Identity, in all its manifestations, is celebrated in this zine. Reading it, I feel, at once, a sense of wholeness as a tiny gap in the puzzlement of my understanding of people and their place in the cosmos is filled. I find myself wondering, how fine is the distinction between skin and cloth? How intimately do the fibres of our clothes nestle against our flesh? Dressing Queer has inspired me to ritualise the banality of dressing myself; of peeling on my socks and lacing my shoes with a reverence that can be so easily misplaced in the hustle of the working day. But, too, has it reminded me how the press of clothes against my skin can itch. My flesh screams to be free. For me, getting dressed as a queer person includes not getting dressed at all. Can I borrow your eagerness? To demolish what separates my skin from the air? To feel, at once, flayed, yet clothed by the turning of the earth about her sun? — Stephanie J ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Issue-5 Thu, 29 Aug 2024 19:43:34 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Issue-5 the ee! : number five Welcome to the ee! : a space for loving response to zines and art/books.&nbsp;&nbsp; For our fifth issue, our guest editor Sara Inácio asked our contributors to respond to five zines or art/books with this theme in mind: Queerness &amp; Multi Species KinshipJosé Esteban Muñoz describes Queerness as “not simply a being but a doing for and toward the future,” a rejection of the here and now and an insistence on the potential for another world. Queer ecological thinking paves a path toward a greater openness to the world which moves past constructed norms, imagining new and alternative ways of being. Queerness is creative, continuously growing and adapting to one’s surrounding circumstances. The pieces in this issue each explore multi-species connections found in relationship to non-human beings, especially those that are overlooked, and find themselves at the margins of the human-centered landscape. These pieces are a reflection on parallel existences and persistent survival. We welcome the rats, pigeons, bats and mushed berries… To read responses from this issue, tap the titles below or choose from the “menu” in the upper righthand corner. Find our past four issues in the menu as well. contents&nbsp; a ratAlexis Gudding responds to rat church by Zooey Kim Conner (2022). A Squeezed Life Selena Williams responds to Mushed Bb by Elise Mollie (2024).Pigeon Peeks: Watching and UnderstandingUttong Zhao responds to A Pocket Guide to Pidgeon Watching by Crow Raughley (2023). Plato’s Allegory of the BatJune Thompson responds to Little Brown Leatherwinged Bat Crankie by Storm Welch (2023).Becoming Myself AgainElise Bernal responds—with a sequence of drawings—to “until that hole” by sage ua sole (2022). <img width="3000" height="3000" width_o="3000" height_o="3000" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8d000b8f396d9eeadf52d6215df6b5265e58900cc994c14385dab0ff30950d8e/the-ee-logo-navy2.png" data-mid="217167320" border="0" data-scale="17" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8d000b8f396d9eeadf52d6215df6b5265e58900cc994c14385dab0ff30950d8e/the-ee-logo-navy2.png" /> https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Alexis-Zooey Thu, 23 May 2024 16:47:03 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Alexis-Zooey Alexis Gudding responds to rat church by Zooey Kim Conner (2022) a rat i am a rat all the time i love myself i love that i am i help other rats before i help myself and i love to help i love warmth, and another rat named rat rat and i spend time together we eat and hide and burrow and run and look out last night, after rat left i dreamt that i was in a maze but i could not smell usually i can smell i can always smell blood, and sometimes it makes me kill and other times i run the next night i found rat and their inside was outside i know how i cried and left the next day i found i was still a rat i guess i am still a rat all the time maybe not — Alexis Gudding ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Selena-Elise-M Thu, 23 May 2024 16:50:16 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Selena-Elise-M Selena Williams responds to Mushed Bb by Elise Mollie (2024) A Squeezed Life I know some part of me spilled out. The grief came when I realized that there was no stitching able to erase what I saw or felt. The tension grew day by day without relief. Eventually the pressure grew beyond what my structure could hold. As I let myself fall deeper, Down to the bottom of the ocean of berries, I felt you grasp me in your fingers. I felt your clutching embrace. When you witnessed me, I was just a little berry in your hands. I felt shy, nervous being held by another, and yet somehow more safe. Yet somehow I no longer feel the constant tension. You seem to even hold me with care. You look at my impaired coating with desire and intimate curiosity. My boundaries continue to give and my dark blue shifts into colors that were once solely housed in my dreams. I am lost in wonder as I am no longer a little berry. An infinite sea of light expels from my hurting belly. I find it strange that my form once held a world barely touched, Waiting for another to patiently explore. I want you to feel what comes out without hesitation, The inner being reaching out to touch you and only you. And I only realize when it’s already too late that so much of myself is spread across your fingers. I hope you keep the fingers still, Never out of my sight. I wonder if this is what you want or if you need this in some needling way. Want me, Never need me. Want me, Never need me. I hope you never fully consume me, I don’t want to find myself a part of your story alone. But as you look further and further into the uncovered body, it makes me see the other side of my little world. As the innermost pieces are fully exposed, the last of me looks to you as I rest beneath your fingernail. The inevitable merging of our existence onto one single body to my delight and despair. — Selena Williams ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎ https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Uttong-Crow Fri, 24 May 2024 15:32:27 +0000 the ee! https://aspaceforlovingresponse.com/Uttong-Crow Uttong Zhao&nbsp;responds to A Pocket Guide to Pidgeon Watching by Crow Raughley (2023) Pigeon Peeks: Watching and Understanding Have you ever wondered why there are so many pigeons in the city? Around 5000 years ago, humans started domesticating pigeons, mainly using them to send messages. However, as we invented new and more efficient ways of communication, pigeon coop keepers slowly freed their pigeons, and they've adapted and evolved ever since, becoming creatures of the city. With that said, it's clear that pigeons are very adaptive and intelligent animals. Today, I sat on a bench near the river. There were a lot of pigeons, seagulls, ducks and geese. The pigeons, ducks and geese were standing on the shore, occasionally pecking food specks off the ground. The seagulls stood on the rails, sometimes they would take off and fly around the lake. Pigeons are one of the friendliest and most caring birds, and not only to each other. From my observations, it seems like pigeons don't interact with other species, but if you offer food to them, they will eat it together peacefully. It is generally very rare to see pigeons fighting with each other or other birds. There is an interesting phenomenon about pigeons and their secret food distribution system called “ideal free distribution.” If you get yourself a small bag of dry corn or crushed crackers, try throwing them in two directions, with one side having double the portion of the other side. After a few minutes, observe the number of pigeons in each direction, and you’ll most likely find out that there's exactly double the amount of pigeons on the side with twice as much food. According to this theory, you are technically not feeding the pigeons more, but more pigeons will be attracted to the location with more food. It predicts that the ratio of foragers at resource sites should be the same as the ratio of resources between the sites.&nbsp; If you keep feeding the pigeons at the same location, they will remember, and before you even get to the location, they already know that you are coming from a mile away. If you ever get close to a group of pigeons, it is important to understand some of their body language. Keep in mind that this might not be accurate and body language could mean different things in different contexts. Feathers are a very easy spotting indicator of the pigeon’s attitude in your presence. If they are preening (cleaning up their feathers) when you are near them, it means that they don't see you as a threat. Because preening requires them to put their heads in positions where they can't see their surroundings. If a pigeon’s feathers are fluffed up when you are near them, they are usually feeling comfortable. But don’t assume they are comfortable! They could be sick or cold depending on the environment and other body languages.&nbsp; To distinguish the difference between comfort and stress, you could also observe the posture of the pigeon. If they have their feet tucked in (sometimes using their chest feathers as a pillow), with their belly on the ground, this means that they are comfortable with your presence. If they are standing, it could mean that they are nervous, because having their feet out could lead to a faster take-off in times of danger. Don't be alarmed when they start pecking at you, that means they like you a lot and are trying to impress you. Pigeons are loveable creatures, even just watching them walk and fly around feels fun. Hopefully, with this log, you will learn more about these amazing birds. Have fun pigeon-watching! — Uttong Zhao ︎︎︎ previous &nbsp; men &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; next ︎︎︎