From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit
Writing about stories, stories about writing
Habari gani, folk? Day 5 of Kwanzaa is all about Nia, or Purpose -- which is admittedly one of the trickiest principles to talk about because it's so big and so vague. How does anyone truly know their purpose? And how can our individual purposes align with the ones we've set for our communities? These … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2025: Nia / Purpose
Habari gani, everyone? When I joined the furry community way back in 1996, it was a vastly different place. The Internet was still kind of new in those days, and most of the spaces were owned by small(er) hosting companies or individuals. Personal-run websites were connected by themed web rings; art was spread out in … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2025: Ujima / Collective Work & Responsibility
When I think about self-determination, I think about Zootopia. I know, I know. I know! But as a furry and a person of color, I was really taken by the metaphor. Here is this immense place designed so anyone can be anything they wanted to be -- while also taking into consideration the realities of … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2025: Kujichagulia / Self-Determination
Habari gani, everyone? I've observed Kwanzaa for the past several years and found it to be a truly enriching exercise. Over time I've become more and more focused on the importance of community, and the Seven Principles (or Nguzo Saba) are useful lenses to gain a new perspective with. I don't have a kinara (those … Continue reading Kwanzaa 2025: Umoja / Unity
Greetings! It's been a minute since I've written here -- long enough that it felt appropriate to give the blog a fresh coat of paint and reintroduce myself. My name is Jakebe T. Lope, and I am a jackalope online. I am also a Black American, part of the wonderful African diaspora, though I'm not … Continue reading Who I Am and Where I’ve Been
Shine (1996) Starring Geoffrey Rush, Noah Taylor, John Gielgud, and Lynn Redgrave Written by Jan Sardi, from a story by Scott Hicks Directed by Scott Hicks If this movie doesn't make you respect Rachmaninoff, I don't know what will. Shine tells the (supposedly) true story of pianist David Helfgott, who overcame a severe upbringing and … Continue reading 3 Movies: Shine / Ambulance / Beetlejuice
I'm back from a trip to Arkansas, where the last of my husband's four brothers got married! He's the oldest in a large family of seven children, all of whom have strong personalities and deeply-held beliefs. One brother loves hunting; one sister is super-athletic; another sibling voted for Trump; yet another is a staunch Christian … Continue reading True Blue in Red States
I'm traveling home today from a week-long visit with the in-laws, but it's also been two whole weeks since I've checked in here. I don't feel pressure to keep the Content Monster fed, but it's also important to me that I try to keep a regular practice of writing and posting. So -- my apologies … Continue reading New Tattoo! (CW: Suicide)
The social justice reckoning in our little corner of the Internet has been inspiring to see. Furries have listened to and amplified the voices of its BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) population, and we can speak up about our unique experience in the fandom more than ever. But the cultural divide we're trying … Continue reading Difursity Review: Come So Far, But So Far to Go
We're living in a time where fear is a completely natural and understandable response. It feels like the world is perilously close to the edge of ruin -- nuclear tensions between the world superpowers are higher than they've been since the Cold War; our governments are doing very little to deal with the environmental problems … Continue reading (Buddhism) Smile, Breathe and Go Slowly
From the Desk of Jakebe T. Rabbit 