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What’s Happening – Internet Hiccups

Hello, zine friends! I hope this post finds you well and that your start to the week has been calm and productive.

Things here have been coming along slowly. There have been several kerfuffles to deal with as we try to settle in here as well as arrange the last little thing back in Bendigo so we can get our bond back. Here’s what’s happening:

*The internet! We thought we had internet all lined up, but we popped instore today to find out that, well, nothing had actually been done. (Not happy, Nigel!) Yay for thinking to pop into the store or we’d have been waiting for a connection that wasn’t going to happen. Sigh. We’re still not sure when we’ll actually get a connection. Grr.

*Emails? For some reason, my phone sim won’t let me respond to emails on my plan. So if you need to get in touch with me fast, Instagram messaging is best. I still probably won’t respond straight away, but it’ll see a response faster than email.

*Pictures or it didn’t happen. Because we’re reliant entirely on phone data at the moment, happy mail and any other new photos have to wait until we have the data to upload photos. If the connection is going to be a while, we’ll get a temporary data thingy (technical terms only here at SGZ) so I can have some normalcy of posting around here.

*Sea Green Zines is open once more. My Etsy shop is now back up and running for your zine-reading pleasure. I do have limited stock at the moment until my printer is set up, but I’m otherwise ready to rock and roll.

I think that’s me for now. Wanderer and I are both pretty exhausted any way you cut it and looking forward to finding our new normal. I’ll be back as soon as I can with all kinds of zine appreciation because, let’s be honest, that’s what we’re really here for. Hehe.

Until next time…

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Brand New Day

Hello, zine friends! I hope this post finds you well and having a good week.

I have finally well and truly landed in South Australia, and I am just starting the unpacking process. The naps are many and the boxes are many more, but with no rental inspection coming up, I am comfortable taking my time. I’m relaxing in ways I didn’t think I could.

The bit of bad news (for me) is that Wanderer has had to make one last trip back to our former residence to wrap up a few more things. But once he is back, we can truly start our new lives here.

I was absolutely delighted to find mail in my new post box already! It made everything really feel like home. You all are the best.

There’s still plenty to do, as is the way with these things, but I am still on track on getting back to at least some level of normalcy here on the blog. I’ll get some pictures up of the new office space, too.

Until then, be well and zine well.

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What’s Happening – Nearly There

Hello, my wonderful zine friends. I hope the beginning of this week has (or will) greet you well, and that things are going smoothly for you.

Things are messy here, and I am very much looking to being on the other side of things.

Moving is hell, but I didn’t quite realise the kinds of hell I would experience. Sudden flu as the clock was really ticking. Barely controlling my own mental health and emotions in amongst experiencing some truly horrific as well as truly beautiful acts of humanity. What looks like the death of one, possibly two, friendships. Other friends I’ve barely spoken to for months showing up on my front door and asking how they can help.

I’ve never looked so forward to a proper sleep in my life.

Anyway, enough of my blathering on! What’s happening?

Today is the last chance to pack up all my things, as the moving truck arrives tonight. The big pack will happen tomorrow, and we’re on the road very early Wednesday morning.

Things will likely be fairly quiet here this week. I’ll try to keep things updated here for anyone interested, but I’m trying to be more gentle with my expectations of myself. I do have some lovely mail already to share next Monday as I start fresh in my new space.

I am looking forward to zines once again being the big focus in my life.

Big hugs and lots of sharpies to you all.

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Call for Submissions: Dear [X]: Coming Out Letters From Trans People

Submissions for Dear [X]: Coming Out Letters From Trans People are now open!

Dear [X]  is a collection of the letters trans people wrote to come out to their friends, families, partners, employers, or anyone else in their lives. Dear [X] is being published by TransActive Gender Center, a Portland-based nonprofit that serves transgender children and their families. Many youth who use our services are in the process of coming out, and for many reasons, we think one of the best ways to tell someone you’re trans is via a letter. We hope that this zine will help trans youth experiencing writer’s block with creating their own coming out letters.

What are we looking for?</p?

Have you written a letter to someone to tell them you are transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer, agender, Two Spirit, questioning, or any other non-cisgender identity? We’d love to see your letter, as well as any comments or pieces of advice you have for youth writing their own letters.  Trans youth who have come out may submit their own letters, but we’d like submissions from folks of all ages, too.

Some questions to answer along with your submission:

  • Who were you coming out to? What should we know about them for context?
  • What did it feel like to tell someone you’re not cisgender? What happened when you told them?
  • Was coming out via a letter easier than you thought? Harder? Why?
  • Would you do anything differently if you had the chance? What?
  • What would you tell others to include in their letters; what would you recommend they exclude?

Are there any guidelines/rules?

We recognize that “the trans experience” is different for everyone, and that mainstream trans visibility often excludes certain groups of people. Because of this, we welcome and encourage submissions from trans people of color, trans people with disabilities, trans folks whose first language isn’t English, and anyone whose oppression extends beyond their gender identity – topics like immigration, religion, diaspora, race, class, ability, and more are all parts of the trans experience, and it’s important to us that this zine reflects that.

Since this zine will be given to trans youth, please keep entries PG-13.

How do I submit?
Email your submissions to toby@transactiveonline.org by September 8th, 2017.

We know that these letters can get wordy, but since space is limited, we may have to edit down entries over 1500 words. Please use file formats compatible with Microsoft Word or Google Docs. You may include good-quality images for which you are the owner; blurry/copyrighted images won’t be printed.

Along with your letters, we’d like to include your first name, age (both at the time the letter was written and your current age,) gender identity, and location. You can share as many of these as you’d like to, but may exclude whatever you’re not comfortable sharing. Submissions should not contain anyone else’s information unless you have their permission. If you don’t specify, we’ll edit out any identifying information. You’ll receive a response by September 14th, 2017. We’re excited to read your submissions!

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Call for Calls for Submissions: Spread the Word About Your Zine/Distro/Library!

Zine Calls for Submissions

Share your call for submissions, let people know about your distro or zine library, announce your newest zine, let people know you are crowdfunding a zine project… If you have an announcement to make that has to do with zines, do it here! Sea Green Zines wants to be your megaphone. Even better? It’s an automatic shout out on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr when you advertise here.

Big fuzzy love hearts to those who have a .jpg call for subs, but all are welcome. Get in touch by emailing theauthor[at]inkyblots.com or comment below.

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Off Topic: If You’ve Had a Bad Day

I’m having a bad day. It started around… 1am and just is managing to bloom into an awful flower of problems and hurt feelings.

There’s so much going on, and I’m melting into puddles on a regular basis.

It’s so easy to fall into this pit of awful darkness and feel like nothing is right or ever will be right. Nobody cares and people will always be awful.

But here’s the thing – reality doesn’t exist in absolutes. This, too, shall pass.

So instead of wallowing here, trying to keep my head on straight while bemoaning the state of the world, I decided to reach out. In the virtual way, of course.

Shit happens. Frequently. Mean, awful people exist, and quiet, sneaky awful people exist. Things get stressful, and there are times when ‘stressful’ just doesn’t cut it as a descriptor. Sometimes everything goes wrong and you can’t seem to get your act together enough to put up some zine reviews.

Here’s a virtual hug for you.

Whether you’re having a bad day, a good day, a night to remember, or a night to forget, here’s a hug to you.

I care, and I hope you have a good day. Because in the end, even when you feel like you can’t do much, you can usually still spread a little sunshine.

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Sea Green Zines Etsy Shop Closing Soon!

As the chaos of the house move increases, I will be closing the Sea Green Zines Etsy shop from September 1st to September 10th so I can finally pack up my zines and mail stuff. If you want to get in any orders before September, now’s the time to do it!

Remember that September 1st my time is Australian time, so it will be closing sometime during the day on August 31st for US zine friends!