Author: marylowd

Shortly after my first dog died, “The Mighty Quinn” came on the radio, and I thought, “In a few years when I’m not dealing with a 3-month-old baby, I’ll get a new dog and name him Quinn.”

Looking forward to Quinn was profoundly comforting for the next two years.

Quinn was the best dog. I love the dogs I have now, but I had a particularly special bond with Quinn. We just got each other. Continue reading “The Mighty Quinn”

The eight-year-old loves Minecraft and wants me to play it with them… but I just don’t get it.

But now we’ve found Terraria — it’s basically 2D Minecraft, and that means it looks like the side scrollers I loved when I was a kid. Continue reading “Terraria”

I have a lot of respect for giraffes, because I find having a human neck to be challenging and painful enough. They walk around their whole lives with ridiculous giraffe necks and somehow get by anyway. That’s just damned impressive.

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We’re watching Back to the Future, ‘cause the younger kid doesn’t remember it. And we decided to play the game of “Who would they cast for a reboot version?” Continue reading “Giraffes, Back to the Future, and Furry Planning”

Years ago, I was in a World of Warcraft guild, & right as we beat a big raid boss, one of the paladins said, “I hope it drops paladin gear!”

Everyone jumped on him, like he’d broken a taboo.

We were all hoping for new gear but, apparently, weren’t supposed to speak that truth. Continue reading “Hoping the Loot is For You”

Years ago, after finishing Otters In Space 3, I began outlining Otters In Space 4.

I am not good at outlining.

My outlines tend to look like a bag of small toys, a pile of tarot cards, a playlist of songs, or a vague gesture at several seemingly incompatible movies. Continue reading “Reaching the Heart of Otters In Space 4”

The eight-year-old was complaining about their homework, which just involved writing down one thought about something they’d read in class.

They claimed to have no thoughts on it. Whatsoever.

So I asked what it was about. Continue reading “The Inspiration Behind “Lizard Talked to a Porcupine””

This year, I received nine nominations across four categories—more nominations than I’ve ever received in a single year before. Probably more nominations than anyone has received in a single year before.
It also brings me up to a total of 52 nominations across the last 11 years.

Let’s talk about these nominations. Continue reading “Nine Ursa Major Nominations”

Watching Star Trek always feels like going home.

Even when I’m already at home, somehow the Star Trek makes it more so.

One of the costs I’ve found of being autistic is that I have to get REALLY REALLY good at managing, understanding, and explaining my emotions to others.

I see other people work out their emotions through the process of interacting with others… I rarely have that privilege. Continue reading “Working Out Emotions Through Fiction Instead of Reality”

There are people who I thought were friends but who I’ve learned cannot be trusted with anything under the social mask I wear.

In the past, people like this ended up being my enemies… Continue reading “The Weight of a Mask”