Author: marylowd

Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 27: Petra

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 3: Octopus Ascending.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“There are whole poems — whole books of psalms — that basically amount to the holy humans holding their hands out and saying, ‘STAY!’ to all of dog-kind before they left Earth.”

What does it look like when the world changes?  Does it have to be hundreds of cats, marching together, holding up banners that read, “Free Petra!” and singing folk songs?

Or is it just one dog?  Afraid to meet a cat’s eyes and mumbling, “The charges have been dropped, and the officer who assaulted you has had his badge taken.  He’s not a police officer anymore.  We’re sorry.” Continue reading “Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 27: Petra”

Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy

In some ways, I think I Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward shaped my beliefs even more than Star Trek, which is impressive as Star Trek is basically my heart and soul.

But Looking Backward paints a picture of a similar utopia while actually making sense and being thought through. Continue reading “Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy”

Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 26: Kipper

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 3: Octopus Ascending.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Kipper felt the soft, probing of a tentacle wrap around her shoulder and the many kiss-like touches as another coiled around one of her paws.”

Octopuses keep their secrets.

But cats can keep secrets too.

Kipper kept and coveted the secret of Siamhalla’s missile armament, coddling it close to her heart, hoping it would be the salvation she needed.  Of course, the octopus brigade that escorted her and all her otters back to the Jolly Barracuda might not give her credit for saving Earth from the raptors if Siamhalla did it.  They might want to drag her back to their cartoon court and convict her of war crimes. Continue reading “Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 26: Kipper”

Engaging in the Name of Outreach (Or Not)

It would just be so incredibly cool if when people don’t understand a topic or really know anything about it, they would start by seeking out information with kindness and politeness instead of with cruelty, foisting assumptions at people, and general name calling.

Discussing the effects of AI was so much more fun before most of my little societies turned it into a purity issue where if you don’t express the Right and Correct beliefs you’re fair game for cruelty and name calling. Continue reading “Engaging in the Name of Outreach (Or Not)”

Jeff Sperla

Hey, Eugene people,

My kid has been seeing JEFF SPERLA at BETTS PSYCHIATRIC, but he has gone off the rails. Today, he fat shamed my kid, interrogated him about his snacking habits, berated him for still masking in public to protect against Covid, and finally punished him for basically not fitting some weird mold that this doctor had in mind by withholding ADHD meds THAT THE DOCTOR HIMSELF HAD RECOMMENDED. Continue reading “Jeff Sperla”

Peer Pressure

I don’t seek out arguments about AI, because it’s not worth my time. But if someone who’s clearly connected to a community I value comes at me, I do my best to discuss the topics reasonably. And when I do… it’s just so sad how circular and incoherent the anti arguments are.

I guess that saying this might draw more people into arguing at me. And that thought makes me tired. But also, I decided some time ago that I wasn’t going to let the meanness of the anti crowd make be quiet. Continue reading “Peer Pressure”

Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 25: Jenny

by Mary E. Lowd

An excerpt from Otters In Space 3: Octopus Ascending.  If you’d prefer, you can start with Chapter 1, return to the previous chapter, or skip ahead.

“Way, way down beneath the quagmire of toxic gases that looked like cheerful creamsicle clouds, there was at least one raptor who believed raptors and otters could be friends, that maybe someday they could visit each other peacefully.”

Jenny and Ordol landed Brighton’s Destiny lightly atop the Europa base.  It touched down like a lonely whirligig maple seed that had spun its way improbably down through an arctic sky to the surface of an iceberg, a small stretch of cold land, floating on Europa’s choppy gray ocean.

Wind whipped through the hatch when Jenny broke the seal.  The door swung aside, and Jenny climbed out of the ship.  Ordol followed her, clambering over the flat ground like a basket of snakes slithering together in a complicated knot.  The sky above them was clear and bright with stars.  Jupiter hung low on the horizon, where it should be — far away, rather than under Jenny’s paws. Continue reading “Otters In Space 3 – Chapter 25: Jenny”