condense the quotes in the 2022 reading post

main/_posts/2022-12-13-reading_faves_2022.md

@@ -26,15 +26,9 @@ But when I saw *They Both Die at the End* by Adam Silvera, I didn't *know* it wa
 
 If you like close-to-reality sci-fi, and heartbreakingly tragic queer romance stories, then I really recommend these two books.
 
-> "What the hell am I supposed to say?" I ask. 
-> 
-> "Speak from your heart," Dalma says. "Not your dick." 
-> 
-> "Speak from my heart, not my dick; speak from my heart, not my dick," I mutter like a mantra.
+> "What the hell am I supposed to say?" I ask. "Speak from your heart," Dalma says. "Not your dick." "Speak from my heart, not my dick; speak from my heart, not my dick," I mutter like a mantra.
 
-> He's got to be thinking I'm prepping for a kiss, which I mean, I'm not, but also, I wouldn't be mad at all.
-> 
-> Damn, maybe I am thinking with my dick.
+> He's got to be thinking I'm prepping for a kiss, which I mean, I'm not, but also, I wouldn't be mad at all. Damn, maybe I am thinking with my dick.
 
 > "You're positive about a movie theater in the afterlife but not if you'll have your glasses? Seems like an oversight in your heavenly blueprint." He removes my glasses and puts them on. "Wow. Your eyes suck."
 
@@ -54,17 +48,7 @@ While I think they are both amazing, I'm passionate about Love on the Brain beca
 
 If you love a good wacky romance, a punky queer feminist, and a chaotic story, you'll love... on the Brain.
 
-> "Sorry." I scratch the back of my neck. "Just to be clear, you two were having intercourse with..."
-> 
-> "With each other," she tells me proudly.
-> 
-> "How did Boris even ... find you?"
-> 
-> "Guy cam into our office looking for something, found us on your desk, ratted us out."
-> 
-> "On *my*---why did you have to do it on *my*---" I stop. Take a deep breath. "To be clear." I look between them. "This was ... consensual?"
-> 
-> "Very," they answer in unison, locking eyes and smiling like idiots.
+> "Sorry." I scratch the back of my neck. "Just to be clear, you two were having intercourse with..." "With each other," she tells me proudly. "How did Boris even ... find you?" "Guy cam into our office looking for something, found us on your desk, ratted us out." "On *my*---why did you have to do it on *my*---" I stop. Take a deep breath. "To be clear." I look between them. "This was ... consensual?" "Very," they answer in unison, locking eyes and smiling like idiots.
 
 > As I wait for the crowd to disperse, I take stock of the room. His team appears to be WurstFest™️ material. The well-known Meatwave. A Dicksplosion in the Testosteroven. The good old Brodeo.
 
@@ -79,9 +63,7 @@ If you're into troubling, but deeply honest depictions of racial issues, and the
 
 > "They think it's so cool that my best friend is black." She rolled her eyes as she said it, but it was still clear that it was some sort of weird badge of honor for her, like I was a trendy accessory---otherwise why mention it at all?
 
-> "You know, I used to think you were such a weirdo for getting annoyed when people want to touch your hair, but now that I've got this"---she places a hand on either side of her stomach---"I get it now. I'm like Aladdin's lamp. No one asks. They just rub."
-> 
-> It isn't the same thing at all, but I let it go.
+> "You know, I used to think you were such a weirdo for getting annoyed when people want to touch your hair, but now that I've got this"---she places a hand on either side of her stomach---"I get it now. I'm like Aladdin's lamp. No one asks. They just rub." It isn't the same thing at all, but I let it go.
 
 # 🏳️‍⚧️ Meet Cute Diary
 Okay. Okay. Let's get back to *adorable stories*. The Meet Cute Diary, by Emery Lee, is a story about Noah, a trans boy who runs a blog that features stories about trans people finding love through adorable meet cutes. The only problem: They're all fake, and no one knows Noah is making them up.
@@ -90,23 +72,9 @@ It's a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking story about what trans people go th
 
 The story also includes a character who is trying to figure out which pronouns suit them best, and the book cleverly incorporates this process into the story by using the pronouns they're currently trying while talking about them.[^2]
 
-> "They're your pronouns. You don't have to consider anyone else before you pick them."
-> 
-> His eyes widen, and then I don't know hat changes, but he smlies like all his problems have melted away, and it really is a beautiful smile.
-> 
-> "Thanks. Do you mind using they/them for me from now on?"
-> 
-> I roll my eyes. "No, I don't mind. They're your pronouns."
-> 
-> And they smile again, and for a moment, my heart feels heavy.
+> "They're your pronouns. You don't have to consider anyone else before you pick them." His eyes widen, and then I don't know hat changes, but he smlies like all his problems have melted away, and it really is a beautiful smile. "Thanks. Do you mind using they/them for me from now on?" I roll my eyes. "No, I don't mind. They're your pronouns." And they smile again, and for a moment, my heart feels heavy.
 
-> He smirks over at me and says, "This is Noah, my boyfriend. Noah, this is Matt. We used to ski together."
-> 
-> "Damn, dude, I didn't know you were gay," Matt says.
-> 
-> Drew laughs. "I'm not. Noah's special."
-> 
-> And I know he means it as a compliment, but it makes me feel kind of dirty, like I'm just not enough of a boy or too much of an anomaly to really be anything at all. I mean, it's not like he's a trans rights activist. He doesn't know better, so I'll just mention it when I get a chance. No big deal.
+> He smirks over at me and says, "This is Noah, my boyfriend. Noah, this is Matt. We used to ski together." "Damn, dude, I didn't know you were gay," Matt says. Drew laughs. "I'm not. Noah's special." And I know he means it as a compliment, but it makes me feel kind of dirty, like I'm just not enough of a boy or too much of an anomaly to really be anything at all. I mean, it's not like he's a trans rights activist. He doesn't know better, so I'll just mention it when I get a chance. No big deal.
 
 (*It is a big deal, though. This is awful. Don't be like this, please.*)
 
@@ -117,25 +85,9 @@ I absolutely adore this book. However, I do have to admit that some parts felt h
 
 It also contains the best teacher that has ever existed (or, well, *fictionally* existed), and I want her to have been my teacher in high school.
 
-> "Please, for the love of God, don't tell me you were masturbating."
-> 
-> "Stop!"
-> 
-> "You totally were, weren't you?"
-> 
-> "I can barely tie my shoes before eight a.m. I don't have the motivation to do that before school. I was shower-dreaming about him, sure. But that's it."
-> 
-> "Shower-dreaming?" She tils her head, confused. "Is that gay for 'masturbating'?"
+> "Please, for the love of God, don't tell me you were masturbating." "Stop!" "You totally were, weren't you?" "I can barely tie my shoes before eight a.m. I don't have the motivation to do that before school. I was shower-dreaming about him, sure. But that's it." "Shower-dreaming?" She tils her head, confused. "Is that gay for 'masturbating'?"
 
-> "Principal Burger." Winter smiles. "Surely we can figure this out without taking prom away from students?"
-> 
-> "Ms. Winter." Burger returns the smile, but maliciously. "How about this? Unless you plan on chaperoning your own prom for your Yearbook class, you'll need to enforce the ban."
-> 
-> "Well," Winter sighs, thinking. "Okay, then." 
-> 
-> Burger blinks. "Okay you'll enforce the ban?"
-> 
-> "Okay I'll be chaperoning my own prom for my Yearbook students," she says.
+> "Principal Burger." Winter smiles. "Surely we can figure this out without taking prom away from students?" "Ms. Winter." Burger returns the smile, but maliciously. "How about this? Unless you plan on chaperoning your own prom for your Yearbook class, you'll need to enforce the ban." "Well," Winter sighs, thinking. "Okay, then." Burger blinks. "Okay you'll enforce the ban?" "Okay I'll be chaperoning my own prom for my Yearbook students," she says.
 
 # 🔥 Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
 Lastly, but certainly not least...ly, a great nonfiction book by one of my favorite YouTubers and activists: Caitlin Doughty, a mortician from Los Angeles who specializes in advocating for people having access to the body disposition options they want after their death.