#amwriting. Last night's creative exercise was naming and describing the ethnically-diverse delightfully-steampunky fairy seamstresses from the alternate universe of Paracelsian alchemical gnomes. Mom thinks these are a worthy inspiration for artists and illustrators. /1 These are all minor characters, and there are no big plot spoilers involved. All of the main characters are getting period-accurate Victorian-era clothing, including the capuchin monkeys. /2

Jordan Peterson wouldn't dare do that in MY HOUSE. Mycology is an alternate reality where gender binary isn't even possible, all fungi are gender-fluid, we can't even SAY "male" or "female." Tetra-polar mating systems. 36,000 genders... Aspergillus nidulans is homothallic. Experienced mother cells (having divided at least once) swap genders with each cell division. Selfing involves activation of the same mating pathways characteristic of sex in outcrossing species.