julia rao > Recent Status Updates

making a soundtrack for this book now

“After all of that, I can’t distinguish the bud from the blossom” -Dean Highbottom

“He took immediate steps to mask his terror.” Everyone’s reaction to Arachne being stabbed says a lot. The horror makes so many freeze and divert their attention. Coriolanus thinks about how that reaction shows fear and he doesn’t want to be seen as weak for having fear, so he tries to be a hero and help. But not for Arachne’s sake, only for the sake of his image

Tigris, Sejanus, and Coriolanus being young shows how they are able to begin to empathize with the tributes. Killing kids is wrong and they’re starting to acknowledge the humanity of people from the districts. That’s dangerous and can shatter their whole world view and system. Sejanus’s distress and emotional honesty making Coro uncomfy was key.

“The endless dance with hunger has defined his life. Not the very early years, before the war, but every day since had been a battle, a negotiation, a game... It was all just a mind game go distract himself from the fact that it was never enough. No one would ever let him have enough”

Doc Young lived a crazy, classic, life

I am so glad to hear of Cleve’s experience with the production of “Milk” and how Dustin Lance Black won Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. His acceptance speech was great and made Cleve cry.

“Not a single member of the board was HIV-positive. They fired me.” Cleve writes about The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt in 2004, which began in 1987.

Reading about Cleve’s travels makes me reflect on my life and choices for my future. It’s so fascinating how easily (with years of savings and staying in dreary conditions, albeit) he was able to hitchhike and find beds to sleep in, train tickets, and ways to travel across the west coast and Europe. I imagine my life on trains across Canada and France but also concern for safety and worrying about my next meal.

Great background on Cleve’s upbringing and Quaker background. He provides good historical context and background on people like Harry Hay of the Mattachine Society. “Are we a queer and distinct people, with revolutionary potential born from our experience— or are we really just like everybody else except for what we do in bed?”

It’s really interesting how their parents and peers created an atmosphere about being open minded.

But it turns out even the fiercest denial can’t stop time.

Breaking and Entering breaks my heart

The Number of People Who Meet on Airplanes is everything.