Poem: "A Room with a Garden View"
Jan. 9th, 2015 02:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is from the January 6, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from librarygeek, thnidu, and LJ user Ng_moonmoth. It also fills the "furnishing the home" square in my 12-17-14 card for the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
genprompt_bingo fest. This poem belongs to the series An Army of One. It has been sponsored by Ng_moonmoth.
"A Room with a Garden View"
Astin loves the Lacuna,
loves figuring out how to assemble
a trade route to connect the major stations
in an effective order for transmitting goods,
how to loop in some of the smaller spots
that only have one or two people
so they don't get left out.
Sargasso Base becomes one anchor,
and Supply Base Bounty 3D3N
seems like another logical choice
even though xe doesn't know
anyone there yet.
The first had been Orion
and the second Carinan,
providing a useful balance.
By the time Astin arrives at
Supply Base Bounty 3D3N, though,
the ship lights are starting to sputter.
It's not a new ship and Astin doesn't have
a lot of money for repairs.
The commanding officer Router is sympathetic.
"I'll send our mechanic to fix up your lighting,"
he says. "Just be gentle with him, would you?
Backup is kind of ... special."
"I'll do my best," Astin says.
"I'm other-gendered myself, so
I know what it's like to be different."
There is more to it than that, of course,
but that's a concise version, enough
to show that Astin is making honest efforts
to work with the unusual but effective
culture that's evolving in the Lacuna.
The mechanic, whose name is Backup,
mumbles and shuffles from sheer nerves,
but Astin trusts that Router wouldn't have
sent someone who couldn't do the job.
So the trader points out the glitchy lights,
describes the problem as carefully as possible,
then points out the access hatches
and the caches of tools.
Astin is scrolling through
the ship's repair manual when
a quiet voice begins reciting the steps
for fixing the worn-out wiring.
Startled, Astin looks up.
"How do you know all that?"
"I remember everything," Backup says.
"I'm a good mechanic. I just need supervision."
"Wow," says Astin. "That's quite a gift."
Backup's smile gleams
in the fitful light of the ship.
His voice sounds cheerful
as he calls home for spare parts.
When Astin leaves the mechanic to work
and sets off to see about trade arrangements,
it's as if treating Backup decently
has opened every door on the station.
Router is there to introduce Port,
who oversees the docking bays;
and Case, who manages the stockrooms.
They greet Astin with grins and
shoulder pats and a tour of the facilities.
Some of the materials have already been distributed
but a large amount still remain, sorted into
various rooms and bays around the supply base.
There are uniforms and their parts --
cloth, patches, pins, badges and trim.
There are furnishings -- beds, tables, chairs,
pillows and blankets and sheets, organizers, bins.
There are shades and curtains for interior windows,
portable screens for dividing rooms, and other oddments.
Astin is delighted by the screens.
"I've never seen anything like this
in other army supplies."
Case ducks his chin and says,
"They're, uh, not standard issue.
We had some huge rooms that needed
divisions so I made dividers out of scraps."
"That's impressive," Astin says.
"See, the panels of this one have hoops
filled in with dashboard dial covers.
The second is cut from a bulkhead plate
with gauze over the holes," Case explains
as he points out the details in the brasswork.
"The hanging panels that slide are just metal strips
riveted together into rectangular sections."
Astin likes the standing ones best, for their
combination of straight and curving lines,
matte and shiny surfaces. "I wish I could
furnish my ship like this, but it's not practical."
"Well, why don't you take a room here?"
Case invites. "Router says you want to make
this base an anchor for your trade loop,
so you should have a place of your own.
We've got plenty of space."
"Like where?" Astin asks, intrigued.
Case leads the way, one big hand
gentle on Astin's elbow. "I know it's
just one big room now, but I could
build you dividers and stuff," he said.
"It'll have a nice garden view, someday, once
the Gardener gets food production up to speed."
Astin strolls through the empty space,
imagining a soft bed and sleek sheets,
a sturdy oval table and chairs, perhaps
an organizer desk with drawers and cubbies.
There could be heather curtains to cover
the clear front panels for privacy.
"It's big enough for two, if you ever
find someone to settle with," Case adds.
Astin can't hold back a sigh. "I don't know.
It takes me so long to decide whether
I even like someone, they usually move on
by the time I've made up my mind. I'm not
really keen on the jealousy either."
"Hey, take your time," Case says.
"There's no rush here. I just want you
to know the option's open if you need it."
The place is, indeed, big enough for two --
or three or four, if they were cozy,
the way Astin has seen the crew
piling together on one bench in a galley
that could have held far more people.
So they find screens that Astin likes
to surround the bed made from brass pipes,
pick out a steel desk painted cream and
an oval table woven of bronze straps
formerly used to bind packing crates.
"I made the table when I was messing around
with those metal strips," says Case.
"I could make you a set of matching chairs."
"Yes, please," says Astin. "Do you
make these for trade, or just for here?"
"I was just fooling around," Case says slowly.
"You really think anyone else would want these?"
Astin knows they will; the furniture is
elegant and functional. "Send me
some of the screens. They fold flat.
Someone is sure to buy them."
They dicker briefly over prices,
and then Case carries the screens
to stash in Astin's ship, along with
the crates of army surplus supplies
that the trader has selected.
Backup has finished the repairs,
and Astin pays him with an Orion toolkit
scavenged from Sargasso base.
"You're going to need this, the way
people are mixing these days."
Case is similarly thrilled with the spools
of copper and silver wirefloss, along with
a bag of scrap fabric left over from making
some of Astin's new clothes. It is perhaps
a bit self-serving to want a talented crafter
to have a wider variety of materials.
"I can't wait to get my hands into this,"
Case says as he carries away his boxes.
"Take pictures while you work, and
write out the steps," Astin suggests.
"Send those over the ciphernet
and then other people can make
the simple things for themselves.
It'll save traffic for fancier goods,
food and medicine, that sort of thing."
By then it is time for supper,
the crew happily crammed together,
Case and Backup pulling Astin
down to sit between them
to devour bowls of savory stew.
Afterward, Astin lies down in the new bed
with its frame a pleasing blend of
straight and curved lines.
The trader had come only looking for
mercantile arrangements, but instead
had made new friends, and -- perhaps --
found a home.
* * *
Notes:
Autistic adults may benefit from guidance by accommodating employers. Backup has a great memory and good skills, but not so great executive function; he does best with someone to tell him which things to do and then get out of his way while he does them.
Upcycling turns old things or scraps into useful new items such as furniture. Many items in the Lacuna are upcycled, because they have lots of leftover army surplus but very little coming in fresh from the Galactic Arms.
Astin doesn't have a lot of vocabulary for intimate identity yet, but shows clues of demisexuality and may have a range rather than a point on the polyamory-monogamy spectrum.
Men and women often like different features in furniture, but it's possible to combine those. Astin's taste combines masculine (functional, straight, uncluttered, leathery, solid or simple patterns) with feminine (elegant, curving, lightweight, shiny, smooth or soft textures) elements. Medium and blended colors are preferred to the dark masculine or pastel feminine tones.
When you're ready to decorate your space, pay attention to the different styles, themes, and colors. That way you'll get something comfortable that reflects your personality and meets your needs.
Case made divider screens from round dial covers, flat metal sheets plus gauze, and metal strips. The bedframe came from brass pipes. The desk is standard-issue. The table, like some of the screens, is made from metal strips. Notice that Astin chooses primarily things that blend straight and curved lines, elegance and functionality. Most furniture in the Lacuna is made from synthetic materials (metal, glass, plastic) rather than natural (wood, leather) ones. The military background creates a utilitarian tone overall, something echoed in the choices of the artificially intelligent AYES who do not wear clothes but do have furniture inside their ship-bodies.
Social skills are complex, and can be challenging for people on the autistic spectrum. Most advice here aims at pressuring neurovariant people to conform to neurotypical standards, rather than teaching neurotypical people how to accommodate neurovariant people. The Lacuna's prevailing neurovariant population is evolving a culture of their own, with some flexibility to account for people's different needs. The outsiders who get welcomed in tend to be those who can adapt to local custom and/or have quirks of their own.
librarygeek, thnidu, and LJ user Ng_moonmoth. It also fills the "furnishing the home" square in my 12-17-14 card for the genprompt_bingo fest. This poem belongs to the series An Army of One. It has been sponsored by Ng_moonmoth."A Room with a Garden View"
Astin loves the Lacuna,
loves figuring out how to assemble
a trade route to connect the major stations
in an effective order for transmitting goods,
how to loop in some of the smaller spots
that only have one or two people
so they don't get left out.
Sargasso Base becomes one anchor,
and Supply Base Bounty 3D3N
seems like another logical choice
even though xe doesn't know
anyone there yet.
The first had been Orion
and the second Carinan,
providing a useful balance.
By the time Astin arrives at
Supply Base Bounty 3D3N, though,
the ship lights are starting to sputter.
It's not a new ship and Astin doesn't have
a lot of money for repairs.
The commanding officer Router is sympathetic.
"I'll send our mechanic to fix up your lighting,"
he says. "Just be gentle with him, would you?
Backup is kind of ... special."
"I'll do my best," Astin says.
"I'm other-gendered myself, so
I know what it's like to be different."
There is more to it than that, of course,
but that's a concise version, enough
to show that Astin is making honest efforts
to work with the unusual but effective
culture that's evolving in the Lacuna.
The mechanic, whose name is Backup,
mumbles and shuffles from sheer nerves,
but Astin trusts that Router wouldn't have
sent someone who couldn't do the job.
So the trader points out the glitchy lights,
describes the problem as carefully as possible,
then points out the access hatches
and the caches of tools.
Astin is scrolling through
the ship's repair manual when
a quiet voice begins reciting the steps
for fixing the worn-out wiring.
Startled, Astin looks up.
"How do you know all that?"
"I remember everything," Backup says.
"I'm a good mechanic. I just need supervision."
"Wow," says Astin. "That's quite a gift."
Backup's smile gleams
in the fitful light of the ship.
His voice sounds cheerful
as he calls home for spare parts.
When Astin leaves the mechanic to work
and sets off to see about trade arrangements,
it's as if treating Backup decently
has opened every door on the station.
Router is there to introduce Port,
who oversees the docking bays;
and Case, who manages the stockrooms.
They greet Astin with grins and
shoulder pats and a tour of the facilities.
Some of the materials have already been distributed
but a large amount still remain, sorted into
various rooms and bays around the supply base.
There are uniforms and their parts --
cloth, patches, pins, badges and trim.
There are furnishings -- beds, tables, chairs,
pillows and blankets and sheets, organizers, bins.
There are shades and curtains for interior windows,
portable screens for dividing rooms, and other oddments.
Astin is delighted by the screens.
"I've never seen anything like this
in other army supplies."
Case ducks his chin and says,
"They're, uh, not standard issue.
We had some huge rooms that needed
divisions so I made dividers out of scraps."
"That's impressive," Astin says.
"See, the panels of this one have hoops
filled in with dashboard dial covers.
The second is cut from a bulkhead plate
with gauze over the holes," Case explains
as he points out the details in the brasswork.
"The hanging panels that slide are just metal strips
riveted together into rectangular sections."
Astin likes the standing ones best, for their
combination of straight and curving lines,
matte and shiny surfaces. "I wish I could
furnish my ship like this, but it's not practical."
"Well, why don't you take a room here?"
Case invites. "Router says you want to make
this base an anchor for your trade loop,
so you should have a place of your own.
We've got plenty of space."
"Like where?" Astin asks, intrigued.
Case leads the way, one big hand
gentle on Astin's elbow. "I know it's
just one big room now, but I could
build you dividers and stuff," he said.
"It'll have a nice garden view, someday, once
the Gardener gets food production up to speed."
Astin strolls through the empty space,
imagining a soft bed and sleek sheets,
a sturdy oval table and chairs, perhaps
an organizer desk with drawers and cubbies.
There could be heather curtains to cover
the clear front panels for privacy.
"It's big enough for two, if you ever
find someone to settle with," Case adds.
Astin can't hold back a sigh. "I don't know.
It takes me so long to decide whether
I even like someone, they usually move on
by the time I've made up my mind. I'm not
really keen on the jealousy either."
"Hey, take your time," Case says.
"There's no rush here. I just want you
to know the option's open if you need it."
The place is, indeed, big enough for two --
or three or four, if they were cozy,
the way Astin has seen the crew
piling together on one bench in a galley
that could have held far more people.
So they find screens that Astin likes
to surround the bed made from brass pipes,
pick out a steel desk painted cream and
an oval table woven of bronze straps
formerly used to bind packing crates.
"I made the table when I was messing around
with those metal strips," says Case.
"I could make you a set of matching chairs."
"Yes, please," says Astin. "Do you
make these for trade, or just for here?"
"I was just fooling around," Case says slowly.
"You really think anyone else would want these?"
Astin knows they will; the furniture is
elegant and functional. "Send me
some of the screens. They fold flat.
Someone is sure to buy them."
They dicker briefly over prices,
and then Case carries the screens
to stash in Astin's ship, along with
the crates of army surplus supplies
that the trader has selected.
Backup has finished the repairs,
and Astin pays him with an Orion toolkit
scavenged from Sargasso base.
"You're going to need this, the way
people are mixing these days."
Case is similarly thrilled with the spools
of copper and silver wirefloss, along with
a bag of scrap fabric left over from making
some of Astin's new clothes. It is perhaps
a bit self-serving to want a talented crafter
to have a wider variety of materials.
"I can't wait to get my hands into this,"
Case says as he carries away his boxes.
"Take pictures while you work, and
write out the steps," Astin suggests.
"Send those over the ciphernet
and then other people can make
the simple things for themselves.
It'll save traffic for fancier goods,
food and medicine, that sort of thing."
By then it is time for supper,
the crew happily crammed together,
Case and Backup pulling Astin
down to sit between them
to devour bowls of savory stew.
Afterward, Astin lies down in the new bed
with its frame a pleasing blend of
straight and curved lines.
The trader had come only looking for
mercantile arrangements, but instead
had made new friends, and -- perhaps --
found a home.
* * *
Notes:
Autistic adults may benefit from guidance by accommodating employers. Backup has a great memory and good skills, but not so great executive function; he does best with someone to tell him which things to do and then get out of his way while he does them.
Upcycling turns old things or scraps into useful new items such as furniture. Many items in the Lacuna are upcycled, because they have lots of leftover army surplus but very little coming in fresh from the Galactic Arms.
Astin doesn't have a lot of vocabulary for intimate identity yet, but shows clues of demisexuality and may have a range rather than a point on the polyamory-monogamy spectrum.
Men and women often like different features in furniture, but it's possible to combine those. Astin's taste combines masculine (functional, straight, uncluttered, leathery, solid or simple patterns) with feminine (elegant, curving, lightweight, shiny, smooth or soft textures) elements. Medium and blended colors are preferred to the dark masculine or pastel feminine tones.
When you're ready to decorate your space, pay attention to the different styles, themes, and colors. That way you'll get something comfortable that reflects your personality and meets your needs.
Case made divider screens from round dial covers, flat metal sheets plus gauze, and metal strips. The bedframe came from brass pipes. The desk is standard-issue. The table, like some of the screens, is made from metal strips. Notice that Astin chooses primarily things that blend straight and curved lines, elegance and functionality. Most furniture in the Lacuna is made from synthetic materials (metal, glass, plastic) rather than natural (wood, leather) ones. The military background creates a utilitarian tone overall, something echoed in the choices of the artificially intelligent AYES who do not wear clothes but do have furniture inside their ship-bodies.
Social skills are complex, and can be challenging for people on the autistic spectrum. Most advice here aims at pressuring neurovariant people to conform to neurotypical standards, rather than teaching neurotypical people how to accommodate neurovariant people. The Lacuna's prevailing neurovariant population is evolving a culture of their own, with some flexibility to account for people's different needs. The outsiders who get welcomed in tend to be those who can adapt to local custom and/or have quirks of their own.
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(no subject)
Date: 2015-01-09 10:20 pm (UTC)• the points out the access hatches
→ then
• of the AYES who do not wear clothes
> What are AYES? Link or definition, pls?
(no subject)
Date: 2015-01-13 04:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-01-13 04:23 am (UTC)Thanks.
Thank you!
Date: 2015-01-21 05:45 am (UTC)Yay!
>> • the points out the access hatches
→ then <<
Fixed.
>• of the AYES who do not wear clothes
> What are AYES? Link or definition, pls?
They are artificially intelligent beings who run some of the starships in the Lacuna. Toward the bottom of the series page there's a list of poems where they appear:
http://penultimateproductions.weebly.com/an-army-of-one.html
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2015-01-21 03:40 pm (UTC)Thanks
Glad this was sponsored!
Date: 2015-01-10 02:00 am (UTC)Re: Glad this was sponsored!
Date: 2015-01-10 02:04 am (UTC)I'm happy to hear that.
>> I still have a few bad days to get through with the funeral schedule. <<
*hugs* I hope you have ways to take care of yourself.
A reward
Date: 2015-01-10 03:35 am (UTC)I'm so glad I did. It's satisfying in ways that angry, aggressive plots aren't. It's warm and inquisitive, and shows off an uncertain person taking risks... making connections with others.
The payoff is so much more than "Astin rents a space to use when he's not trading," that I could probably write an entire blog post about it.
Thank you for this one, too.
Re: A reward
Date: 2015-01-10 04:04 am (UTC)*hugs* I am flattered. I'm also glad you have folks to take care of you.
>> I'm so glad I did. <<
Yay!
>> It's satisfying in ways that angry, aggressive plots aren't. It's warm and inquisitive, and shows off an uncertain person taking risks... making connections with others. <<
An Army of One is very much about making connections, most of them among people who are not naturally gregarious and find it challenging to make the kind of ties that most folks do without even thinking about it. And on the whole they seem less aggressive, more prone to solve problems in other ways than fighting. What hostility they have is more expressed as being snappish or irritable than in picking fights.
>> The payoff is so much more than "Astin rents a space to use when he's not trading," that I could probably write an entire blog post about it. <<
Aww! The key is that it's not exactly renting, the way settlefolk will take one residence and make it theirs whether they own it or not. Case, bless him, somehow recognizes the concept of an anchor spot, and offered it because that is a big benefit to his base-family as well as to Astin. Of course the ship is Astin's primary home, but there are limits to what can be done with it. Anchors are where a trader can stop for a while, rest up, and form lasting connections with other people. It's just that a trader's "home" isn't necessarily all in one place like it is for other people.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-01-10 05:00 pm (UTC)I like the matter-of-fact way Backup talks about his "gift", and the way Astin welcomes it. Like fandom at its best.
I also like the upcycling. You can make some amazing things that way.
Thank you!
Date: 2015-01-11 06:27 am (UTC)Yay!
>> I like the matter-of-fact way Backup talks about his "gift", and the way Astin welcomes it. Like fandom at its best. <<
That was part of my inspiration for the Lacuna, yes.
>> I also like the upcycling. You can make some amazing things that way. <<
Agreed. I have many things which are adapted from their original purpose.
Astin stories
Date: 2015-01-17 02:27 am (UTC)Re: Astin stories
Date: 2015-01-17 02:53 am (UTC)As long as you're tracing them, if you send me a list of the Astin titles, I can put them in the Extras on the series page like I have for the AYES poems.
Re: Astin stories
Date: 2015-01-18 03:36 am (UTC)#1. Astin is not in the list of characters. http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/2737705.html
#2. Uncounted Colors of the Stars also features Astin getting the [Other] gender box added to forms via trade.- http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/3192901.html
#3. Umbilical Lines features shopping for appropriate clothes and their first other-gendered customer! - http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/3391916.html
#4. This one of course, since I seem to need to complete the list. "A Room with a Garden View" http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/10119699.html
#5. Has anyone bought "The Space Traders" 8-6-13 yet? Seems like a good Astin, or Astin-background candidate. :-)
Also: Is there still a verse of Poem: "The Sum of Its Parts" to be shown with another linkback? If so, tell me what you want linked or reviewed and I'll do it! http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/2853942.html I dislike partial poems after all this elapsed time.
Re: Astin stories
Date: 2015-01-18 10:36 am (UTC)Thank you! I have added this.
>> #5. Has anyone bought "The Space Traders" 8-6-13 yet? Seems like a good Astin, or Astin-background candidate. :-) <<
It does not mention Astin by name, but does describe the background of traders in the Lacuna. It is still for sale at $20.
>> Also: Is there still a verse of Poem: "The Sum of Its Parts" to be shown with another linkback? If so, tell me what you want linked or reviewed and I'll do it! <<
Last verse posted in regard for this list.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-01-09 09:51 pm (UTC)Yay!
Date: 2015-01-09 10:57 pm (UTC)Hmm, thinking on it further, I suspect the prevailing love languages will wind up being gifts and service far more than words or touching. That's likely to appear in friendships as well as romance.
Thank you so much for this
Date: 2015-01-09 10:41 pm (UTC)I noticed that you credited me with a prompt. Was that for anything other than Astin being the result of an earlier prompt?
Re: Thank you so much for this
Date: 2015-01-09 11:11 pm (UTC)Yay!
>> I hope the place I find will be as welcoming and accepting. <<
I hope so too. There are some. If you're mobile enough to relocate, you can explore and find them. Off the top of my head, Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle have genderflexy subcultures. Certain parts of New Orleans used to be too, but I have no idea what it's like currently in that regard. Also some intentional communities are very welcoming -- and many of those do workshops, have open houses, or otherwise accommodate guests for short to medium terms.
>> I noticed that you credited me with a prompt. Was that for anything other than Astin being the result of an earlier prompt? <<
Just the character background. I hadn't written it on the poem but kept thinking you'd had a prompt in it. So I guess that counts.
Re: Thank you so much for this
Date: 2015-01-10 12:21 am (UTC)If you're mobile enough to relocate, you can explore and find them. <<
Sorry, I was still talking about a place in gender space there, not physical location. I'm making a series of posts to my blog right now, where I'm describing how things I've been reading and experiencing over the past several months have coalesced my gender identity into something that feels right for me. If you get a chance to go have a look, there's a bit in a response I wrote to another LJ friend's comment that I think really hits the mark about the journey I'm on in gender space.
>> Also some intentional communities are very welcoming <<
I'd lay pretty good odds that I'll wind up in something like that eventually. My community is not segregated by age. I have much more in common with people who are flexible enough to participate in the process of redefining gender than I ever will with most folks in my age cohort, and I'd much rather be sharing my life with them.
Re: Thank you so much for this
Date: 2015-01-21 05:41 am (UTC)Okay, that makes sense too.
If you're open to community, the Federation for Intentional Community has books, videos, and web resources for seekers. There's a directory search page, though it doesn't seem to have gender aspects:
http://www.ic.org/directory/search/
(no subject)
Date: 2017-11-22 05:37 am (UTC)anyone there yet.<<
I think you typo'd Astin's pronouns.
>>"I was just fooling around," Case says slowly.
"You really think anyone else would want these?"<<
Yeesh, Case, I think the Arms mishandled more than just Backup in the EFA department. Of course a functional and attractive set of items like that would be desirable! Heck, I want some of those. *rolls eyes*
Thoughts
Date: 2017-11-22 07:30 am (UTC)Fixed, thanks. This may actually be from before they got set.
>>"I was just fooling around," Case says slowly.
"You really think anyone else would want these?"
Yeesh, Case, I think the Arms mishandled more than just Backup in the EFA department. Of course a functional and attractive set of items like that would be desirable! Heck, I want some of those. *rolls eyes* <<
The people in the Lacuna are generally ones that nobody wanted back in the Arms. Just not all for identical reasons. So yes, the Arms -- both of them -- mistreated most of those folks. That's why so few of them wanted to go back.