February 2, 2025

🇨🇦 A Most Unreliable Narrator ❄️ Issue #206 My Favorite Canadian

Welcome to A Most Unreliable Narrator, the slice-of-life newsletter of GenXer around town, Lisa Rabey. I talk about anything and everything with a bit of swears. I’m glad you’re here.

Dear Internet,

 

This is the first issue of AMUN on Buttondown. Let’s see how it goes!

 

In Remembrance

 

Since I wrote issue #205, I haven’t looked at the post I started, with the intent to post it today, about Brendan. It’s been long enough that I do not recall what I wrote. Which is fine, it’s about grief and loss. That rotten, selfish bastard.

 

Mr. Lisa and I found ourselves this week at a bar before a movie we planned to see. A hockey game was on (Redwings v Kings; Redwings won 5-2), and I desperately wanted to text Brendan to tell him I was at a bar drinking Guinness and Harps and watching hockey. I wanted to hear his sarcasm since the Flyers are his team. (I learned at his wake that he wanted to go pro if he hadn’t gotten into tech.)

 

But he’s dead, and Signal stays on my home screen showing the last conversation is a text to him two days after he died, wondering where he was.

 

All this got me thinking that I’ll collect my Brendan thoughts and publish them on his birthday this year, September.

 

I told Steph you don’t realise how much someone is in your life until they are gone. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s fucking true.

 

I love you, you stupid, selfish man.

 

Nerd Nite

Steph came up to see me present at Nerd Nite this past week, and we had a lot of fun! Kristin and Mr. Lisa both pulled out because they were sick. Mr. Lisa felt bad he couldn’t support me, but he’s going to be at my author's reading in a few weeks, so he’ll live.

 

Several librarians from one of my libraries were there, which was great support. I wore a sleeveless tank top to show off the tattoos. I mentioned that I specifically wore the tank top for that reason and also to be the cool librarian. People laughed. (Now that I think about it, I’m hoping it was with me and not at me.)

 

Lots of good questions were asked, and people thought I was funny (always a bonus), and I loved doing it. I love being in front of a crowd, making them laugh, and presenting. Best Kate and I marveled years ago that they have zero problems walking into bars and making BFFs but are not fans of standing in front of people giving a presentation, while I’m the complete opposite. (Though I am getting better about talking to strangers without having a wing person.)

 

I’ve uploaded the deck to Speaker Deck.

 

Information Literacy

 

As we move further into the…painful era of US politics, fighting misinformation is not even a luxury; it needs to be a given.

 

In a writer’s group I’m in, a woman copy-pasta’d a post from #BookThreads that spelled the doom of romance books. The romance genre were going to fit into the child pornography law that was just submitted to the Oklahoma House. OK book clubs were banning romances. It’s Project 2025 all over the place!

 

Several people responded up in arms.

 

I did a quick search and nothing is mentioning OK House banning romance books or sending people to prison for writing, reading, or owning them. There was one book club that banned romances in OK back in 2022. Nothing else since then.

 

I read the bill submitted, and it’s the tired bullshit about saving the children. No drag shows, no salacious content in children’s books sections, and images must be appropriate.  Etc etc.

 

Now, do I believe the romance books are in trouble? Sure. It’s believable. But anything that screams “leftist” or “predator” to the right, even as innocuous as romance books, is in danger. Right now, the current administration is so hell bent on deportation and tariffs that banning romance novels (of all shapes and sizes) is not on their minds.

 

And Project 2025? Christ. What the actual fuck?!

 

I responded with the facts I found (easily findable via Google) and links. I asked people to use their critical thinking skills before posting.

 

No one responded, which of course. I was waiting for one of the mods to come at me with “tone” issues (as people tend to do when I am being straightforward about something), but nope.

 

Christ, people need to take an information literacy class.  You know, like the one I’m teaching!

Snowmance

Where I’m at in N. Michigan has seen nearly 100” of snow this season and tomorrow we’re getting nearly 5 more inches. Still would rather live here than in Kentucky.

Wonderful Things

Not having to leave the house for a few days

Having been running around daily with work, side hustle, visitors, and events, not having to leave the house in the next few days feels like a luxury. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got plenty to do to keep me busy (especially the side hustle), but not having to put on pants? Huzzah!

Duty calls,

lisa x

(Fuck fascists and Nazis!)

You've just finished reading A Most Unreliable Narrator: the slice of life newsletter from the GenXer about town, Lisa Rabey. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook and Bluesky if you're so inclined. I am everywhere. Copyright © 1996 - 2025 by Lisa Rabey