I knew most of the facts noted in the link, but I quibble with the idea that Morrison rejected the label of "African-American writer"...as shown midway through this interview...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ0m...

Steinbeck ignored the racial element that blocked socialism from taking root in the US. Said LBJ, “If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”

Though not a fantasy writer, I'd say that even after more decades, the answer for "of the era" will change, as relevance is always shifting. It's hard for us to believe that, at certain points in history, Mozart was not as esteemed as he is now.

Familiar can be another word for reliable. It can also be comfort: grandma's cooking, the embrace of a loved one, the smell of home.

I long to be with someone long enough for us to become familiars, rather than live with the novelty of successive flings.

(Yes, I was born "That Guy" 😉)

After many dire relationships, I've learned to meet people where they are. On ex ended himself...and no amount of me loving on him could change his mental illness. It was one of the hardest lessons I ever had to learn.

So I aim to be the best version of myself - and hope they'll meet me where I am.

For the uncoupled among us, "should" is extremely tricky. As stylist Law Roach said on America's Next Top Model, "Never fall in love with someone's potential." Women often think they can change a man - which causes so much disappointment. As encapsulated in the below...

As with so much, context and situations matter. The word "should" is tricky: parents might think their lesbian daughter should be straight...or their trans child be gendered as what the child was assigned at birth.

Although my Dutch is crappy (no excuse when my two greatest loves were Dutch and I spent 20 years in Belgium), but one of the things I'm proudest of is being able to swear a bit in Dutch and not get laughed at.

I save versions I like with the date saved as a suffix. Then I can go back to different versions more easily...