rthstewart | we're all fine here, how are you?

So with all the news from D23 (the Marvel What If with Hayley Atwell voicing "Captain Britain), the return of Kat Dennings, Ming Na Wen being in the Mandalorian? And directing, Dave Filoni doing his first live action, plus Deborah Chow, Bryce Dallas Howard and Taika Waititi?? And Ewan McGregor back as Obi-Wan.
What do you all think? Is Disney+ worth my money? And of course, with all these streaming services, eventually we will be offered bundles, which means we are back to... cable.

And the new sizzle reel is up and I pretty much sobbed through the first full minute of it. I didn't like Attack of the Clones, but apart from such a loving look at Han, Luke, and Leia, I really enjoyed the glimpse of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon and Maul but damn, why Boba Fett and not more Padme? WHY WHY WHY. And yeah, Rey's double bladed red light saber and costume are super cool. And with those ISDs? Is that a Katana-like fleet?

"Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker | D23 Special Look" (Watch on YouTube)

Also, my spawn leaves at the end of the week to return to college and so I'm very sad. Spawn is moving into a campus apartment so we had to buy things this weekend, including the nightmare scape that is Bed Bath and Beyond and then Ikea. But it was so much better than the first we tried to do this. I am always reminded of this piece from the Onion,Mom’s Fears About Daughter Leaving For College Channeled Into Fight About Storage Bins. Spawn had opinions and sort of had a list and roommates had a googledoc.

And today is international dog day! So we're taking Thorin Corgishield and Komo to Pups on the Patio at one of our favorite local places, which the spawn really wanted to do.

And, actually, not so fine. I'm at that point where I hate every word of my NFE and think I'm terrible and it's terrible. I don't like to post this because I think it makes others feel badly -- I'm not hosting this or asking for or accepting a gift in exchange that makes you miserable! Which I totally get and that's not it but the self hate is real.

It is all completely between my ears (I hope). Over the weekend I had a lovely new reader discover Stuff for the first time and they complimented me on the visual style of my writing which 1) I'm terrible at visuals and descriptions NO VISUALS but 2) gosh, yeah, I can see what they mean, which means I'm terrible at it now but 3) surely I'm a better writer than I was 24 years ago? Right? Or Not right? that ever-downward spiral of self-doubt and loathing.
Blergh. I just to power through this. I really thought, at my previous pace, I'd have had it posted by the initial deadline of Saturday with time for 2 treats. Ha ha such a loser. And just have to keep going. It's so different from what I"ve done in the past I have no baseline of comparison.

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<3 It's so dispiriting hen when writing feels awful.

It does. Thank you.

You have grown immensely as a writer since Stuff. I suspect the visual-writing compliment has more to do with that reader than with your writing as such--I'm not a very visual reader most of the time, but some people's work hits me just right, and that might be what's happening here.

Yay keeping on writing till you get to the end of the story.

Thank you. The reviewer also complimented my dialogue, and that's another where I look at some of what I did there, warts and all, and think, damn, I won't ever be able to do that again. So yeah, not a great head space. Just have to push through.

THROWS MONEY. Gawd, so much wonderful content from our corporate overlords.

Erm, gentle encouraging noises? I've never yet plucked up the courage to enter a fic exchange at any level more committed than a madness round, but have the deepest respect and admiration for those who do. Whether or not I like their work, but I love yours, so please, please don't lose heart.

Thanks so much. You are lovely and I'm very grateful.

Cheering for your and your NFE from the sidelines! Your stories are always so, so good so don't be hard on yourself.

My friend's cousin is doing the apartment shopping in DC as she too goes back to school; one piece of advice my friend to her to keep in mind apparently is to always ask if there's a student discount. :-) Hope you and the Spawn have been doing so too!

DISCOUNTS GALORE. Spawn is very good and getting very expensive things for pennies on the dollar. My MIL is very proud of her grand-spawn.

I agree that it's all between your ears. I haven't read any of your recent stuff (no pun intended) because I don't know anything about the universe, but you've always had such a wonderful voice and way with storytelling. I'd bet big that has only developed over the years. Just write, as Aaron always told me.

I'm still in a happy daze about the new Obi-Wan show. Take my money, Disney. The Mandalorian actually looks really good too.

I'm so not into the lone gunman, OH COOL BOBA FETT armor thing. But... the directors and the casting, the deliberate, course-corrections toward inclusion and representation are really speaking to me. And Obi-Wan... wow. Yeah. Not missing that.
I miss Aaron so much. Thank you, my friend for the kind words.

my brother is subscribing to the disney thing and my christmas present is getting to use it lol such a generous brother

good luck to the spawn! college is hard and being college-y is hard, and living on your own for the first time (dorms dont count) is hard

you do not suck at all, youre one of my favorite writers and are amazing and im so looking forward to anything you write!

Thank you. It's been a rough week.

I'm sure your NFE will be amazing, as your work always is. It's definitely in your head!

(But if it's any consolation, you're not the only one who feels that way.)

Thank you. good luck with your own!! I LOVE your writing.

You are very very far from being a terrible writer. You are better than you were 10 years ago, and while I've never dug back a full 24 years, you were far from being bad when I first found your work. Don't be so hard on yourself. <3. We are all our worst critics.

Thanks so much, Pru. I really appreciate it.

What do you all think? Is Disney+ worth my money?

i keep going back and forth on that. my brother wants to get it because marvel. the theory is that the price will go up after a year or so after it's out though.

Belated "between your ears". And sometimes that's what beta-reading is for. It's just happened to me; my beta picked up a load of the places I didn't feel good about myself, but at the same time that helped me focus on them and make them better (meaning I CAN make them better) without flailing around helplessly.

By the way, I also recently discovered Stuff, but didn't get around to commenting... and, hey, if it helps I saw the warts and I think you're better than that now, so it's not all bad. I'm kind of admiring you from the distance; I'm one of those people most of your stuff isn't for, but at the same time you're one of those people who made me go "Oh, there can be so much more done with Narnia!", and this is a belated thank you for expanding my own horizons like that.

1- You are an amazing writer. I have always thought so. I mean... it's literally how we because friends! I was so awed by your writing!

2- I have so many feelings about everything D23. It's overwhelming! But in a good way. :)

we're all fine here, how are you?

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Dear Disney

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