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The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, June 14)
Jun. 15th, 2025 06:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spikedluvI hit Price Chopper, the Pharmacy and the Bakery while I was downtown. I stopped at the library on the way home to pick up a book. I made spaghetti sauce for supper when I got home. I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.
For fun stuff I watched the current ep of Resident Alien and some HGTV programs, read some more Lily Adler, and sent more messages to mom. I also wrote ~550 words on a new fic.
Temps started out at 55.0(F) and reached 61.2. It was originally supposed to rain all day, but the forecast showed that the percentage was going to drop to very low after 9am, though we weren’t going to have any sun. And that’s sort of what happened; there were still sprinkles, but not a soaking rain. Still it was very chilly.
Mom Update:
Mom had been moved to the SCU when my sister, A, arrived this morning. She’s talkative and actually ‘eating’ her lunch (beef broth and Italian ice – still on liquid diet). My sister said she’s much more herself today, which is great news! She’s getting a roommate, which is not good news as we were hoping for a private room, but what can you do. They didn’t get her up to walk at all, so that must’ve been PT coming around yesterday, not just the nurse. It’s ridiculous that the patients get zero PT on the weekend. Seems like they'd lose some of the progress they made.
For fun stuff I watched the current ep of Resident Alien and some HGTV programs, read some more Lily Adler, and sent more messages to mom. I also wrote ~550 words on a new fic.
Temps started out at 55.0(F) and reached 61.2. It was originally supposed to rain all day, but the forecast showed that the percentage was going to drop to very low after 9am, though we weren’t going to have any sun. And that’s sort of what happened; there were still sprinkles, but not a soaking rain. Still it was very chilly.
Mom Update:
Mom had been moved to the SCU when my sister, A, arrived this morning. She’s talkative and actually ‘eating’ her lunch (beef broth and Italian ice – still on liquid diet). My sister said she’s much more herself today, which is great news! She’s getting a roommate, which is not good news as we were hoping for a private room, but what can you do. They didn’t get her up to walk at all, so that must’ve been PT coming around yesterday, not just the nurse. It’s ridiculous that the patients get zero PT on the weekend. Seems like they'd lose some of the progress they made.
Music Saturday
Jun. 14th, 2025 09:24 pmmuccamukkSurprisingly sapphic for Raye (who usually sings about relationships with men, but maybe she's bi?). I guess she was at World Pride? Hmm...
unfortunately even though we accomplished Task we still have to do the shopping
Jun. 14th, 2025 06:11 pmcimoreneOne thing about updating the decorative arts and design history blog is that my kneejerk loathing of the term "inspo" has me struggling multiple times a week with the strong impulse to block everyone who reblogs my posts with that tag.
It's good for me somehow, probably.
I'm currently exhausted because the spring that pushes the latch bolt out of the kitchen-hall door broke last night after midnight and we spent several hours fixing it this afternoon. Wax took the equivalent spring out of the lockbox of the dining-livingroom door because unfortunately the lockbox is a pre-1940 model and the springs are not manufactured anymore, nor are the parts interchangeable with the later springs from the 40s- model that are still in production, nor can the whole lockbox be easily switched (because the spindle and hole for it are not the same circumference and the boxes themselves can be different sizes). However, the two lockboxes aren't identical. In fact, it looks like the one that broke is the oldest one in the house. She had to squish the spring a bit to get it in, and it wasn't exactly the same shape and size, so we are nervous that it may break soon. (She did all the hard bits with tools, not trusting me not to injure myself, and I cleaned the insides of the lockboxes with q-tips dipped in vinegar and then oiled them with q-tips dipped in mineral oil.) Wax hopes we can get the blacksmith to make a new spring for the spot when that happens, rather than having to replace the entire mechanism, but we don't know how plausible that is.
We can't do without this door and its latch, but the lockboxes on the other doors are all other sizes so they can't be swapped. We need it latched to keep the cats apart! They're making progress, and they've touched noses now, but Tristana still retreats any time Sipuli gets a little excited, and they are only meeting with Sipuli on the leash.
It's good for me somehow, probably.
I'm currently exhausted because the spring that pushes the latch bolt out of the kitchen-hall door broke last night after midnight and we spent several hours fixing it this afternoon. Wax took the equivalent spring out of the lockbox of the dining-livingroom door because unfortunately the lockbox is a pre-1940 model and the springs are not manufactured anymore, nor are the parts interchangeable with the later springs from the 40s- model that are still in production, nor can the whole lockbox be easily switched (because the spindle and hole for it are not the same circumference and the boxes themselves can be different sizes). However, the two lockboxes aren't identical. In fact, it looks like the one that broke is the oldest one in the house. She had to squish the spring a bit to get it in, and it wasn't exactly the same shape and size, so we are nervous that it may break soon. (She did all the hard bits with tools, not trusting me not to injure myself, and I cleaned the insides of the lockboxes with q-tips dipped in vinegar and then oiled them with q-tips dipped in mineral oil.) Wax hopes we can get the blacksmith to make a new spring for the spot when that happens, rather than having to replace the entire mechanism, but we don't know how plausible that is.
We can't do without this door and its latch, but the lockboxes on the other doors are all other sizes so they can't be swapped. We need it latched to keep the cats apart! They're making progress, and they've touched noses now, but Tristana still retreats any time Sipuli gets a little excited, and they are only meeting with Sipuli on the leash.
The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, June 13)
Jun. 14th, 2025 07:24 amspikedluvVisited mom again at 11am. I didn’t go downtown, but did manage to get some chores and computer stuff done before I left the house.
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I made it to the library to return and pick-up a book. I started a new book (the first Lily Adler one), watched the current ep of Murderbot, and sent mom another message. I hope she enjoys them when she’s home and sees them.
I picked up my car from the garage this morning when I dropped off Grant. I forgot to mention it in yesterday’s post, but just when I pulled out on the main road to head to the hospital it started acting up. (Thank goodness I leave early to make sure I can find parking. And thank goodness Pip has a used car he can lend me.) It bucked and sent the dreaded ‘reduced engine power’ message, along with the ‘service stabilitrak’ and ‘service traction control’ messages I’ve gotten before. This time Pip replaced the gas pedal, of all things. He said there are two sensors in the gas pedal and they weren’t lining up. It drove well today, so hopefully that’s the fix.
I also haven’t mentioned that a bird, a killdeer, built a nest in our driveway. At first we spotted the male dancing around trying to attract a female. Then the male chased Pip one day and we joked that he might have a nest nearby. Then we saw the female sitting in our driveway forever, and it turns out, they did have a nest in the driveway. Seems like a weird place to build a nest, especially with cats and dogs living here, but what do I know, nature is weird. I got photos of the female and the eggs when she was off the nest one time.
~*~ 
Additionally! On the drive to the hospital I pass a house that has a bunch of irises on their front lawn. Solid dark purple and solid pale yellow. They’re gorgeous and they look so pretty together.
Temps started out at 54.1(F) and reached 73.6. It was hazy most of the day. We’re supposed to have more rain tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom was much better today. ( not long, but cutting for those who don’t want to read it )
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I made it to the library to return and pick-up a book. I started a new book (the first Lily Adler one), watched the current ep of Murderbot, and sent mom another message. I hope she enjoys them when she’s home and sees them.
I picked up my car from the garage this morning when I dropped off Grant. I forgot to mention it in yesterday’s post, but just when I pulled out on the main road to head to the hospital it started acting up. (Thank goodness I leave early to make sure I can find parking. And thank goodness Pip has a used car he can lend me.) It bucked and sent the dreaded ‘reduced engine power’ message, along with the ‘service stabilitrak’ and ‘service traction control’ messages I’ve gotten before. This time Pip replaced the gas pedal, of all things. He said there are two sensors in the gas pedal and they weren’t lining up. It drove well today, so hopefully that’s the fix.
I also haven’t mentioned that a bird, a killdeer, built a nest in our driveway. At first we spotted the male dancing around trying to attract a female. Then the male chased Pip one day and we joked that he might have a nest nearby. Then we saw the female sitting in our driveway forever, and it turns out, they did have a nest in the driveway. Seems like a weird place to build a nest, especially with cats and dogs living here, but what do I know, nature is weird. I got photos of the female and the eggs when she was off the nest one time.
Photos
~*~ Additionally! On the drive to the hospital I pass a house that has a bunch of irises on their front lawn. Solid dark purple and solid pale yellow. They’re gorgeous and they look so pretty together.
Temps started out at 54.1(F) and reached 73.6. It was hazy most of the day. We’re supposed to have more rain tomorrow.
Mom Update:
Mom was much better today. ( not long, but cutting for those who don’t want to read it )
Volunteer social thread #155
Jun. 13th, 2025 10:56 pmpauamma posting in ![[site community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/comm_staff.png){kind=small}
dw_volunteersI'm listening to thunder rumbling in the distance, and hoping the thunderstorms forecasted for tonight will bring the temperature down from today's mid-30s Celsius.
How is everyone else doing?
How is everyone else doing?
(no subject)
Jun. 13th, 2025 11:13 pmrogaI am so, so over this thing ugh. But am safe, as are family. Someday I will write real posts again I hope, le sigh. PS I am also on bluesky these days, not posting much, but more then here.
Hoping for as easy a weekend as possible to all.
Hoping for as easy a weekend as possible to all.
obviously
Jun. 13th, 2025 09:27 amthistleingreyWhen I was a kid, it was expected that the school-day began with the whole class standing to recite the pledge of allegiance. It was nearer the McCarthy era, and the Cold War was still a thing. One effect of doing this in greater Los Angeles is that when Spanish class was first period (the start of the day), obviously we recited the pledge in Spanish.
After Latin, dead French, and other dead languages with only intermittent use of diacritics, my sense of modern Spanish orthography is a bit impressionistic; I'm not checking where the acute accents would go. But my inner 12yo holds the sounds:
We landed hard on the first word, such that it sounded like juró, "one swore"; and dios mediante is for "under god" in English, but they aren't quite the same, are they. Anyway, para todos: sí.
After Latin, dead French, and other dead languages with only intermittent use of diacritics, my sense of modern Spanish orthography is a bit impressionistic; I'm not checking where the acute accents would go. But my inner 12yo holds the sounds:
Juro fidelidad a la bandera de los estados unidos de américa y a la república que symboliza---una nación, dios mediante, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos.
We landed hard on the first word, such that it sounded like juró, "one swore"; and dios mediante is for "under god" in English, but they aren't quite the same, are they. Anyway, para todos: sí.
"This is the REAL ADHD tax!"
Jun. 13th, 2025 02:25 pmcimoreneThe other day I saw a post about American politics on Tumblr that was just a screenshot of someone's tweet that said something like, "Fascism won't make America great. Universal healthcare, universal preschool, housing the homeless, and free higher education would make America great." By this standard, I'm living in utopia! (Or, well, living in Greatness-ia.) Finland has all that.
AND YET...
My efforts to get a driver's licence continue. Basically,
And even worse, the list of conditions that now require EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has ever been diagnosed with them to get a certificate from a private doctor - which means in most cases also a NEW doctor, not their own GP who has treated them before - is not just ADHD. Everybody with any of these conditions (this is not the entire list either) is now taxed, at minimum, an extra hundred bucks for the privilege of getting a driver's licence in Finland, as of two months ago:
Insane. It's not just the financial burden for all these people, either; a brand-new doctor, a stranger, is at a disadvantage for determining if most of the conditions meant here are a danger or not.
So I'm waiting for a call back and Sipuli really doesn't understand why I won't take her outside in the sunshine.
AND YET...
My efforts to get a driver's licence continue. Basically,
- Signed up for driving school for lessons in how to drive stick. My US license expired more than ten years ago and I've never driven in Finland.
- Online information indicates I should have to apply in person, but the customer service rep told me that I can disregard that and just apply for a first licence the normal way.
- The normal way: a brief online form that will instantly issue a printable and downloadable permit that allows you to take the theory test and to drive with an instructor in a car.
- But you can't do that if you have any of a list of health conditions which require a doctor's certificate. And the list includes ADHD.
- There's a new law which seems to say you can't get these certificates from the health center anymore, but I called to check. The booking nurse at the health center thought they didn't do them anymore, but she also agreed that it seemed unfair. But she checked with two people and no, the public health service really aren't issuing certificates for driving for ANYBODY anymore.
- I called the one private doctor center in town. According to their website, the minimum cost of one of these certificates is over 100€, just like waxjism predicted. Their receptionist didn't even know who to book me with (does ADHD require a specialist)? She'll call me back.
- If it does, it will be like at least 150€ instead, because that's the base price for specialists.
And even worse, the list of conditions that now require EVERY SINGLE PERSON who has ever been diagnosed with them to get a certificate from a private doctor - which means in most cases also a NEW doctor, not their own GP who has treated them before - is not just ADHD. Everybody with any of these conditions (this is not the entire list either) is now taxed, at minimum, an extra hundred bucks for the privilege of getting a driver's licence in Finland, as of two months ago:
- diabetes
- any cardio issues including hypertension or a heart murmur
- sleep apnea or insomnia or any other sleep disorders
- any past severe depressions or recurrent panic disorders, or personality disorders
- dyslexia
- autism spectrum
- any neurological conditions or injuries including migraines or any past brain or spinal injury
Insane. It's not just the financial burden for all these people, either; a brand-new doctor, a stranger, is at a disadvantage for determining if most of the conditions meant here are a danger or not.
So I'm waiting for a call back and Sipuli really doesn't understand why I won't take her outside in the sunshine.
The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, June 12)
Jun. 13th, 2025 07:49 amspikedluvAgain, I had some time before I had to drive to the hospital, so I got some chores and computer stuff done.
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I finished System Collapse, watched an HGTV program, and sent my mom some more messages.
Temps started out at 67.8(F) and reached 77.7. It was so nice out this morning, I got in a walk before I left to go visit mom.
Mom Update:
Mom was miserable today. ( more back here )
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I finished System Collapse, watched an HGTV program, and sent my mom some more messages.
Temps started out at 67.8(F) and reached 77.7. It was so nice out this morning, I got in a walk before I left to go visit mom.
Mom Update:
Mom was miserable today. ( more back here )
US Politics: Transcending parody
Jun. 12th, 2025 08:35 pmpetraAfter illegally ordering the National Guard and the Marines to violently end protests in California, 47 went to the theatre to see Les Misérables.
Can we please fire the people scripting this season of the United States of America? Some of these choices are so asinine I think they're consulting genAI for their scripts, and no one is editing them.
Oh, wait, that's what the politicians are doing to make fucking laws.
I'm going to go read amnesia fic now and think, "I wish that were me."
Can we please fire the people scripting this season of the United States of America? Some of these choices are so asinine I think they're consulting genAI for their scripts, and no one is editing them.
Oh, wait, that's what the politicians are doing to make fucking laws.
I'm going to go read amnesia fic now and think, "I wish that were me."
The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, June 11)
Jun. 12th, 2025 07:30 amspikedluvI did not go to visit my mom. My sisters took it in turns today so I could get some stuff done. I’ll take my turn again tomorrow morning.
I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I hit Walmart while I was downtown and got in a longer walk around the park. I also stopped in at the Feed Bag to pick up the suet Pip forgot (and to reserve two large metal garbage cans for Pip to pick up on Monday; he got one when he got birdseed this past Monday (the task fell to him since I was a tad busy) and decided he wanted more. They’re big enough that I can’t take them in my car. As it turns out, he doesn’t have any more in stock so will have to order them.)
I hit Stewart’s on the way home, returned a book to the library, stopped to check mom’s mail, visited my aunt (since I won’t be available to do so tomorrow; and complained to the social worker about how they do her hair – it’s such a minor thing, but it would be so easy to keep her hair in curls instead of straight and straggly by not using a hairbrush on the curls and I’d like her to look nice, at least, because she has so little dignity left, you know?), and stopped at Sunnycrest again to check on the beef stick status. If you guessed they ~still don’t have them, you’d be right. I’m going to be annoyed if I found something Pip likes and they won’t carry them anymore, or at least regularly.
I did a load of laundry, ran a load in the dishwasher and emptied it, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I baked chicken for the dogs’ meals and fed Pip leftover pulled pork (yes, from the big b-day do a couple weeks ago; mom put it in the freezer) for supper. I did get fresh strawberries at Sunnycrest, so I made biscuits. I had strawberry shortcake for my supper; Pip prefers his biscuits with peach jelly because that’s how his mom used to do it.
(He refuses to eat a biscuit with anything other than peach jelly. It’s very frustrating. You can imagine my shock the first time I made chicken and biscuits for supper and Pip only ate the chicken and gravy and completely refused the biscuit because I didn’t have any peach jelly. Basically a bowl of soup, lol! I had no idea anyone would eat biscuits with ONLY jelly. I mean, I eat my leftover biscuits with butter and jelly, but solely?!! I know now and prepare accordingly.)
The surgeon’s office called today to schedule the removal of the node they found during Pip’s endoscopies. August 11, the day after my birthday, so one heck of a b-day pressie. *g* [I told him when he got home from work and he was like, I'm not having that removed! And I'm like, why not? Apparently he thinks it's not necessary when two different doctors think it is. *shrug* He's going to talk to the doctor himself to get it sorted. He's such a pain in my butt about this sort of thing.]
I finally started System Collapse, watched an HGTV program, and sent mom some messages she'll see when she gets home, in lieu of our usual telephone conversation.
Temps started out at 55.0(F) and reached 82.8. There was a mix of sun and clouds and a breeze, thankfully.
Mom Update:
My sister kept us informed of events as they occurred:
( I did bullet points so it got long )
I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I hit Walmart while I was downtown and got in a longer walk around the park. I also stopped in at the Feed Bag to pick up the suet Pip forgot (and to reserve two large metal garbage cans for Pip to pick up on Monday; he got one when he got birdseed this past Monday (the task fell to him since I was a tad busy) and decided he wanted more. They’re big enough that I can’t take them in my car. As it turns out, he doesn’t have any more in stock so will have to order them.)
I hit Stewart’s on the way home, returned a book to the library, stopped to check mom’s mail, visited my aunt (since I won’t be available to do so tomorrow; and complained to the social worker about how they do her hair – it’s such a minor thing, but it would be so easy to keep her hair in curls instead of straight and straggly by not using a hairbrush on the curls and I’d like her to look nice, at least, because she has so little dignity left, you know?), and stopped at Sunnycrest again to check on the beef stick status. If you guessed they ~still don’t have them, you’d be right. I’m going to be annoyed if I found something Pip likes and they won’t carry them anymore, or at least regularly.
I did a load of laundry, ran a load in the dishwasher and emptied it, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I baked chicken for the dogs’ meals and fed Pip leftover pulled pork (yes, from the big b-day do a couple weeks ago; mom put it in the freezer) for supper. I did get fresh strawberries at Sunnycrest, so I made biscuits. I had strawberry shortcake for my supper; Pip prefers his biscuits with peach jelly because that’s how his mom used to do it.
(He refuses to eat a biscuit with anything other than peach jelly. It’s very frustrating. You can imagine my shock the first time I made chicken and biscuits for supper and Pip only ate the chicken and gravy and completely refused the biscuit because I didn’t have any peach jelly. Basically a bowl of soup, lol! I had no idea anyone would eat biscuits with ONLY jelly. I mean, I eat my leftover biscuits with butter and jelly, but solely?!! I know now and prepare accordingly.)
The surgeon’s office called today to schedule the removal of the node they found during Pip’s endoscopies. August 11, the day after my birthday, so one heck of a b-day pressie. *g* [I told him when he got home from work and he was like, I'm not having that removed! And I'm like, why not? Apparently he thinks it's not necessary when two different doctors think it is. *shrug* He's going to talk to the doctor himself to get it sorted. He's such a pain in my butt about this sort of thing.]
I finally started System Collapse, watched an HGTV program, and sent mom some messages she'll see when she gets home, in lieu of our usual telephone conversation.
Temps started out at 55.0(F) and reached 82.8. There was a mix of sun and clouds and a breeze, thankfully.
Mom Update:
My sister kept us informed of events as they occurred:
( I did bullet points so it got long )
(no subject)
Jun. 12th, 2025 05:22 pmcopracatQuestion of the Day
Do you have some table items you only bring out when you entertain guests for dinner?
I picked up this question fromdine. I like to use my precious things rather than save them for special. Otherwise why have them? If it has function, let it function. Some things though are too large for one or two person eating. I have a tin-lined copper couscoussier that is not suitable for cooking small amounts. It also looks amazing when you bring it out and put it on the table, gleaming and full of deliciousness.
Other than that there are platters, serving spoons and such that only come out when I'm feeding a few.
Do you have some table items you only bring out when you entertain guests for dinner?
I picked up this question from
dine. I like to use my precious things rather than save them for special. Otherwise why have them? If it has function, let it function. Some things though are too large for one or two person eating. I have a tin-lined copper couscoussier that is not suitable for cooking small amounts. It also looks amazing when you bring it out and put it on the table, gleaming and full of deliciousness. Other than that there are platters, serving spoons and such that only come out when I'm feeding a few.
Time Bandits!
Jun. 11th, 2025 10:47 pmcofax7Well I watched the Apple+ show Time Bandits, and it was hella fun! I particularly liked Bittelig and Penelope. But now I'm sad because it's been cancelled.
I am desperately trying not to get stressed out about The Omnishambles, but it's kind of hard.
Be safe, y'all!
I am desperately trying not to get stressed out about The Omnishambles, but it's kind of hard.
Be safe, y'all!
Photos: Dark Gardening
Jun. 12th, 2025 12:01 amysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
gardeningI enjoy growing dark-colored plants. I have black flowers, bronze leaves, black fruits, all kinds of interesting things.
( Walk with me ... )
( Walk with me ... )
Shelf status
Jun. 11th, 2025 08:32 pmazurelunaticThree shelves (10' length, more or less) have been assembled, put up on the north wall, and filled to great effect. This emptied 1 entire Billy (with slight double stacking). We therefore need bookends.
The empty Billy is now in the living room, with the top few shelves embookinated and various plastic craft-adjacent boxes on the lower shelves. This is making a significant dent in the chaos by my desk.
The shorter bookshelf is currently at the end of the hall, for lack of a better place to put it. I expect that if it stays there long, I will start racking up another set of incredible bruises, and I still don't know where the one on my right arm CAME from. (I remember that I walked into some corner on my sleepy and unstable way to bed and then went "well, THAT'll leave a mark!" but do I remember what that something WAS? No more than I remembered what things I'd rammed into when I was taking Drama in high school, and my legs were forever dotted with black and blue marks.)
Today after work, Belovedest has put up all the standards (upright rails) on the south wall, embracketed them with however many brackets we currently have, and has started to assemble board pieces into full length shelves.
Coincidentally, today I also got a notification from the hardware store that they are shipping the backordered brackets.
There is onefree-loving* free-standing bookshelf remaining in the room, where it is cheerfully getting in the way. I suggested a different method of assembly which neither requires turning the boards lengthwise nor doing the assembly behind the Billy, which suggestion was well-received.
Eventually there will be enough Shelf in the media room that some of the things taking up floor space will be able to go on them.
Today I roused in the morning long enough to feel bleugh, then woke up in the afternoon feeling competent to Lounge. Still craving bacon at intervals.
* My high school freshman Biology class had a crucial typo in a sentence about free-living organisms. We reacted about how you'd expect.
The empty Billy is now in the living room, with the top few shelves embookinated and various plastic craft-adjacent boxes on the lower shelves. This is making a significant dent in the chaos by my desk.
The shorter bookshelf is currently at the end of the hall, for lack of a better place to put it. I expect that if it stays there long, I will start racking up another set of incredible bruises, and I still don't know where the one on my right arm CAME from. (I remember that I walked into some corner on my sleepy and unstable way to bed and then went "well, THAT'll leave a mark!" but do I remember what that something WAS? No more than I remembered what things I'd rammed into when I was taking Drama in high school, and my legs were forever dotted with black and blue marks.)
Today after work, Belovedest has put up all the standards (upright rails) on the south wall, embracketed them with however many brackets we currently have, and has started to assemble board pieces into full length shelves.
Coincidentally, today I also got a notification from the hardware store that they are shipping the backordered brackets.
There is one
Eventually there will be enough Shelf in the media room that some of the things taking up floor space will be able to go on them.
Today I roused in the morning long enough to feel bleugh, then woke up in the afternoon feeling competent to Lounge. Still craving bacon at intervals.
* My high school freshman Biology class had a crucial typo in a sentence about free-living organisms. We reacted about how you'd expect.
PSA: beware this scam: it's not AO3
Jun. 11th, 2025 10:11 pmride_4eververushka70 will give you all the details about this comment scam being perpetrated by bots in fic comments on AO3. Do not react to the bot threats that falsely claim they are from AO3! Check out her very important warning in her DW post.Please signal-boost this if you are so inclined.
June Theme - Nooks & Crannies
Jun. 12th, 2025 03:34 ampeaceful_sands posting in bitesizedcleaningWe're a bit further into the second week of June than I intended but work days are long and relaxation time to post (or do my own bite-sizing) is brief. The focus this week is to turn attention to the nooks and crannies in the kitchen - is there a little used cupboard or drawer or maybe even just a shelf or windowsill that needs a bit of a clean and clear? Or maybe it's a time to clean the filter in above your stove if you had one or to clean the kettle or dishwasher out. Remember the job doesn't need to be huge, it just needs to be in one of those that get missed in the big clean, that little spot you always think 'I'll catch that later/next time'.
Enjoy what's left of your week.
Enjoy what's left of your week.
Make an ass out of u and me - Star Wars story on the theme of "Obi-Wan: Virgin and/or Whore"
Jun. 11th, 2025 09:32 pmpetraMake an ass out of u and me (1431 words) by Petra
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Depa Billaba/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Shaak Ti/Quinlan Vos, Aayla Secura & Anakin Skywalker
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Aayla Secura, Quinlan Vos, Shaak Ti, Depa Billaba
Additional Tags: A+ Jedi Pedagogy, Polyamory, POV Outsider
Summary:
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Depa Billaba/Obi-Wan Kenobi/Shaak Ti/Quinlan Vos, Aayla Secura & Anakin Skywalker
Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Aayla Secura, Quinlan Vos, Shaak Ti, Depa Billaba
Additional Tags: A+ Jedi Pedagogy, Polyamory, POV Outsider
Summary:
Anakin has the most boringly perfect master in the entire Jedi Order. Some masters go on interesting missions; Obi-Wan does diplomatic missions where he sits at a table and says, "Hm, well…" a lot till he gets his way. Some masters have showy, dangerous lightsaber styles; Obi-Wan does Soresu, which is as purely defensive as anything anyone has ever devised. Some masters are fully-rounded people who drink and laugh and dance; Obi-Wan stays in with his three best friends and talks about philosophy all night, because he is a perfect Jedi, and so are they.
wednesday reads and things
Jun. 11th, 2025 07:16 pmisisWhat I've recently finished reading:
Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, the fifth Shardlake book. Looking back at my reviews, I think the author must have got his feet under him better as he went on, or else he just shifted to things more to my taste, because I had said the fourth was my favorite so far, but I think I liked this one even better! This story is set mostly distant from court intrigue, though it comes in at the end; Matthew is given a legal case by Queen Catherine Parr, and it intertwines with his own interest in the situation that led to Ellen Fettiplace's commitment to Bedlam. I'm not going to mention my favorite thing about this book, because it is a spoiler, but - this book contains one of my favorite things. :-) Also I like the way the various plots and sub-plots wind around each other: the legal case, Ellen's history, Barak's relationship with his wife Tamasin (complicated by her pregnancy), Matthew's problematic new steward. Okay, I lied, this book contains two of my favorite things, and the other one is a fascinating and detailed endnote about the real historical events that this book is built around. I loved this in Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom books, and I love it here.
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko, which is related to the Raybearer series, and which several people in my circle read and enjoyed, so I got it from the library despite my having been disappointed in the series. And as the other reviews said, it was rather heavy-handed issuefic (so was the Raybearer series), but also had clever worldbuilding, charming characters and, I thought, better pacing than the series. (Also was in past rather than present tense, which I prefer.) However, will someone please tell Ifueko that "monotone" is NOT A SPEECH VERB DAMN IT?!?!
What I'm watching now:
We've got three episodes left to go of Andor S2, and gosh isn't it ironic to be watching
I did read the interview with the showrunner about how no, he wasn't inspired by current events (that is, recent events, obviously the show was written well before current events!) but it's definitely inspired by historical fascist governments and fights against them, and wow, we are just proving that what goes around comes around, that human foibles are universal, etc etc, but still, holy shit, right? Yeah.
But as I have said before, this is the wonderful thing about SF, that it can recast real issues in ways that make them easier to understand than when you are right in the middle of them argh.
Heartstone by C. J. Sansom, the fifth Shardlake book. Looking back at my reviews, I think the author must have got his feet under him better as he went on, or else he just shifted to things more to my taste, because I had said the fourth was my favorite so far, but I think I liked this one even better! This story is set mostly distant from court intrigue, though it comes in at the end; Matthew is given a legal case by Queen Catherine Parr, and it intertwines with his own interest in the situation that led to Ellen Fettiplace's commitment to Bedlam. I'm not going to mention my favorite thing about this book, because it is a spoiler, but - this book contains one of my favorite things. :-) Also I like the way the various plots and sub-plots wind around each other: the legal case, Ellen's history, Barak's relationship with his wife Tamasin (complicated by her pregnancy), Matthew's problematic new steward. Okay, I lied, this book contains two of my favorite things, and the other one is a fascinating and detailed endnote about the real historical events that this book is built around. I loved this in Bernard Cornwell's Last Kingdom books, and I love it here.
The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko, which is related to the Raybearer series, and which several people in my circle read and enjoyed, so I got it from the library despite my having been disappointed in the series. And as the other reviews said, it was rather heavy-handed issuefic (so was the Raybearer series), but also had clever worldbuilding, charming characters and, I thought, better pacing than the series. (Also was in past rather than present tense, which I prefer.) However, will someone please tell Ifueko that "monotone" is NOT A SPEECH VERB DAMN IT?!?!
What I'm watching now:
We've got three episodes left to go of Andor S2, and gosh isn't it ironic to be watching
Spoiler you can probably guess if you have seen the show
a manufactured riot as pretext for government crackdown while a riot is being manufactured as pretext for government crackdownBut as I have said before, this is the wonderful thing about SF, that it can recast real issues in ways that make them easier to understand than when you are right in the middle of them argh.
Adventures Elsewhere — May 2025
Jun. 11th, 2025 10:55 pmhelloladies posting in ladybusinessAdventures Elsewhere collects our reviews, guest posts, articles, and other content we've spread across the Internet recently! See what we've been up in our other projects. :D
( Read more... )
Our Favourite Media of May 2025
Jun. 10th, 2025 10:51 pmhelloladies posting in ladybusinessEach month, we look back over the media we loved in the previous month, from books to film to video games and more. This entry in the series was written a while ago, but we haven't posted a favorite media since then, so we're posting it now for maximum completion!
( Read more... )
What Am I Reading Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Jun. 11th, 2025 10:12 amjust_ann_nowPartly sunny and warm; not quite summer weather yet but working up to it!
What I Just Finished Reading
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear, by Seanan McGuire. I'm not a fan of McGuire's writing (though I enjoyed reading her LJ, back in the day) but when I saw the cover of this I knew I could save it for a "Chosen for Its Cover" prompt, and I did! This was for Read Broader.
Written on the Dark, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Character-driven, lovely prose, loosely based on historical events of which I knew little, a very enjoyable weekend read. For A to Z Authors.
Cold, by Drew Hayden Taylor. I know that Stephen Graham Jones is pretty much the king of Indigenous Horror right now, but I've noped right of his books, so for this subgenre it's Taylor for me. Well told story, great characters. For A to Z Authors.
Making Amends by Nisi Shawl. This is another one of these novels composed of related short stories, difficult to do well. An introduction explaining how it all ties together didn't really help me. For Read Broader - Woman Author.
Hijab Butch Blues, by Lamya H. Ok, this is where Read Broader really shines - I do read pretty broadly, but let's be honest, there's little reason for a 71-year-old white cishet woman to pick up this book. But I did, and I'm so glad. Lamya H wrote so movingly about her faith and how it relates to her daily life, fear of coming out in an unsupportive culture, the search for meaningful relationships. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year. For Read Broader - LGBTQIA+ Author. (And now I'm fearful for Lamya H's safety; I haven't found anything recent about her, but it's added to my list of things to worry about.)
What I Am Currently Reading
Everything I read last week was pretty weighty, so I'm taking a break with a cozy mystery, The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening, by Naomi Cuttner. It's like Murderbot (or Owlet's Bucky) retiring to a small town and meeting up with the Thursday Murder Club. I wasn't going to apply it to any challenge, but I just discovered that it can go in A to Z Titles, so there it is. Much fun!
What I Am Reading Next
Yet another Adrian Tchaikovsky coming out tomorrow! Bee Speaker. (I keep hoping against hope he'll write the origin of the Bug People, some of my favorite books of all time. I guess the yoga is helping my
flexibility in keeping every crossed *grin*
Question of the Day: What's blooming? Many things, but my favorite right now is larkspur, from a packet of mixed wildflower seed. It seeds itself, comes in multiple colors, and is just so joyful out there:
What I Just Finished Reading
Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear, by Seanan McGuire. I'm not a fan of McGuire's writing (though I enjoyed reading her LJ, back in the day) but when I saw the cover of this I knew I could save it for a "Chosen for Its Cover" prompt, and I did! This was for Read Broader.
Written on the Dark, by Guy Gavriel Kay. Character-driven, lovely prose, loosely based on historical events of which I knew little, a very enjoyable weekend read. For A to Z Authors.
Cold, by Drew Hayden Taylor. I know that Stephen Graham Jones is pretty much the king of Indigenous Horror right now, but I've noped right of his books, so for this subgenre it's Taylor for me. Well told story, great characters. For A to Z Authors.
Making Amends by Nisi Shawl. This is another one of these novels composed of related short stories, difficult to do well. An introduction explaining how it all ties together didn't really help me. For Read Broader - Woman Author.
Hijab Butch Blues, by Lamya H. Ok, this is where Read Broader really shines - I do read pretty broadly, but let's be honest, there's little reason for a 71-year-old white cishet woman to pick up this book. But I did, and I'm so glad. Lamya H wrote so movingly about her faith and how it relates to her daily life, fear of coming out in an unsupportive culture, the search for meaningful relationships. Definitely one of the best books I've read this year. For Read Broader - LGBTQIA+ Author. (And now I'm fearful for Lamya H's safety; I haven't found anything recent about her, but it's added to my list of things to worry about.)
What I Am Currently Reading
Everything I read last week was pretty weighty, so I'm taking a break with a cozy mystery, The Retired Assassin's Guide to Country Gardening, by Naomi Cuttner. It's like Murderbot (or Owlet's Bucky) retiring to a small town and meeting up with the Thursday Murder Club. I wasn't going to apply it to any challenge, but I just discovered that it can go in A to Z Titles, so there it is. Much fun!
What I Am Reading Next
Yet another Adrian Tchaikovsky coming out tomorrow! Bee Speaker. (I keep hoping against hope he'll write the origin of the Bug People, some of my favorite books of all time. I guess the yoga is helping my
flexibility in keeping every crossed *grin*
Question of the Day: What's blooming? Many things, but my favorite right now is larkspur, from a packet of mixed wildflower seed. It seeds itself, comes in multiple colors, and is just so joyful out there:
Wednesday Reading Meme & Books 40 - 42 of 2025
Jun. 11th, 2025 07:10 amspikedluvWhat I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: In a Dark House (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie, All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells, and Seeing a Large Cat (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters.
What I am Currently Reading: After finishing the Amelia Peabody book on Monday I didn’t really feel like starting anything yesterday, but I plan on starting System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells today.
What I Plan to Read Next: I have more library books out, so most likely one of those!!
Book 40 of 2025: In a Dark House (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)
This book was really good!! ( spoilers )
I've already requested the next book in the series; I'm giving this one five hearts.
♥♥♥♥♥
Book 41 of 2025: All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)
I did another re-read because I felt like I had already forgotten what happened and I wanted to compare it to the tv show. No additional comments, just making a note of it.
Book 42 of 2025: Seeing a Large Cat (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)
This book was really good! ( spoilers )
I enjoyed this book a lot and must go request the next in the series. I'm giving this one five hearts.
♥♥♥♥♥
What I am Currently Reading: After finishing the Amelia Peabody book on Monday I didn’t really feel like starting anything yesterday, but I plan on starting System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells today.
What I Plan to Read Next: I have more library books out, so most likely one of those!!
Book 40 of 2025: In a Dark House (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)
This book was really good!! ( spoilers )
I've already requested the next book in the series; I'm giving this one five hearts.
♥♥♥♥♥
Book 41 of 2025: All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)
I did another re-read because I felt like I had already forgotten what happened and I wanted to compare it to the tv show. No additional comments, just making a note of it.
Book 42 of 2025: Seeing a Large Cat (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)
This book was really good! ( spoilers )
I enjoyed this book a lot and must go request the next in the series. I'm giving this one five hearts.
♥♥♥♥♥
The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, June 10)
Jun. 11th, 2025 06:59 amspikedluvI planned to visit mom, but since she’s in the ICU and visiting hours don’t start until 11am I had some time to kill. I did not go downtown, but stayed home to do some chores and stuff on the computer.
I did two loads of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.
I typed in edits, coded and posted thesmallfandomfest fic I’ve been working on!! It’s Murder, She Wrote crossed over with V (1983). To make it work, I gave Jessica another niece, lol! I read some fanfic and watched some HGTV programs. It still feels really weird to not call mom in the evening to talk about our respective days.
I saw my brother (and his GF) and my sister S (the nurse) while visiting mom. There can only be two at a time in the ICU so we took turns.
I fell again. *head desk* This time inside the house (slipped on a puddle of wet on the floor), but I landed on that same knee I keep falling on and bent that same big toe. It hurt and I swore a lot. And I realized it’s almost the one year anniversary of my first fall when I scraped my knee so badly, pulled every muscle, and cracked my big toe.
Temps started out at 61.0(F) and reached 82.6. It rained all morning, but the sun came out in the afternoon. I got in a short walk with Pip and the dogs when he (they *g*) got home from work. Within a half hour of that the clouds moved in and the temps dropped 12 degrees before it started raining again for a bit.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing pretty well when I saw her. She was so out of it, thanks to the drugs. Her voice was very raspy (because of the tube, which they removed before I got there) (if I wasn’t facing her while she was speaking, I never would have known it was her) and she slurred a bit due to the drugs. Sometimes she forgot what she was saying. She talked about Matlock a lot. *g*
They gave her an epidural for the pain and her nurse (she seemed awesome) said that they were going to keep the epidural in for a few days, and that while it was in she’d remain in the ICU. I’m happy about both; no pain, and great care.
The bad news came later in the evening when my sister S passed on (in the Family Group chat) that the surgeon thinks that my mom may have originally had pancreatic cancer that jumped to the bile duct. She won’t know for certain until the labs come back. I do not fucking want it to be pancreatic cancer. As you may have guessed, I had a knot in my stomach the rest of the evening and didn’t sleep super well, even though I doubled my melatonin to make sure I would fall asleep.
All positive thoughts welcomed.
I did two loads of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.
I typed in edits, coded and posted the
smallfandomfest fic I’ve been working on!! It’s Murder, She Wrote crossed over with V (1983). To make it work, I gave Jessica another niece, lol! I read some fanfic and watched some HGTV programs. It still feels really weird to not call mom in the evening to talk about our respective days.I saw my brother (and his GF) and my sister S (the nurse) while visiting mom. There can only be two at a time in the ICU so we took turns.
I fell again. *head desk* This time inside the house (slipped on a puddle of wet on the floor), but I landed on that same knee I keep falling on and bent that same big toe. It hurt and I swore a lot. And I realized it’s almost the one year anniversary of my first fall when I scraped my knee so badly, pulled every muscle, and cracked my big toe.
Temps started out at 61.0(F) and reached 82.6. It rained all morning, but the sun came out in the afternoon. I got in a short walk with Pip and the dogs when he (they *g*) got home from work. Within a half hour of that the clouds moved in and the temps dropped 12 degrees before it started raining again for a bit.
Mom Update:
Mom was doing pretty well when I saw her. She was so out of it, thanks to the drugs. Her voice was very raspy (because of the tube, which they removed before I got there) (if I wasn’t facing her while she was speaking, I never would have known it was her) and she slurred a bit due to the drugs. Sometimes she forgot what she was saying. She talked about Matlock a lot. *g*
They gave her an epidural for the pain and her nurse (she seemed awesome) said that they were going to keep the epidural in for a few days, and that while it was in she’d remain in the ICU. I’m happy about both; no pain, and great care.
The bad news came later in the evening when my sister S passed on (in the Family Group chat) that the surgeon thinks that my mom may have originally had pancreatic cancer that jumped to the bile duct. She won’t know for certain until the labs come back. I do not fucking want it to be pancreatic cancer. As you may have guessed, I had a knot in my stomach the rest of the evening and didn’t sleep super well, even though I doubled my melatonin to make sure I would fall asleep.
All positive thoughts welcomed.
Tiny lions
Jun. 10th, 2025 11:01 pmoffcntrSeems like we've been feeding feral cats in our carport since we moved in. The first one, a grey-and-white female I named Pearl, got so comfortable with Denise being out in the yard working on paper that one day, she just strolled into the studio and decided to stay. We eventually moved her into the rest of the house, where she bonded with one of the house cats and eventually declared herself queen.
Our second outdoor kitty, and gold and brown tiger we nicknamed Goldie, never got that comfortable with people. She'd come eat when we put out the kibble, would sprawl in the backyard sunning herself, but would light out for the blackberry thicket if you got too close. She had a clipped ear, indicating she'd had a trap-and-release spaying, so we didn't have to cope with kittens, at least, but she disappeared one day, never to return.
For the last year or two, we've been feeding two--a big fluffy black and tan tiger, and a small, sleek tuxedo cat. They both have oddly shortened tails, and seem to be very relaxed with each other, so we suspect a family connection. Accordingly, we dubbed them Tybalt and Raj, after the uncle/nephew cait sidhe (cat fey) characters in Seanan McGuire's October Daye novels.
Tybalt remains leery of humans, though he will let me step past him to the pottery shed while he's eating, so long as I don't make eye contact. Raj, however, is getting positively gregarious. He'll come and meow outside my studio door--or, recently, the bathroom window--at mealtimes, jump up on the open half-door to get my attention, strop my ankles as I walk out with his breakfast or supper. More than once, I've found him exploring the studio when I left the door ajar or the half door open. And this morning, he was up on the roof above the door, making the breakfast call.
And then, this afternoon, when I got home from the studio, I came into the back yard where Denise was making paper...
...to find she had company.
He'd shaken her down for supper at five, then followed her into the back yard, jumped up on the table to investigate, sniffed the vat, deigned to drink a little fresh water she poured out from her bottle.
I think we're gonna wind up with another indoor cat before winter.
Our second outdoor kitty, and gold and brown tiger we nicknamed Goldie, never got that comfortable with people. She'd come eat when we put out the kibble, would sprawl in the backyard sunning herself, but would light out for the blackberry thicket if you got too close. She had a clipped ear, indicating she'd had a trap-and-release spaying, so we didn't have to cope with kittens, at least, but she disappeared one day, never to return.
For the last year or two, we've been feeding two--a big fluffy black and tan tiger, and a small, sleek tuxedo cat. They both have oddly shortened tails, and seem to be very relaxed with each other, so we suspect a family connection. Accordingly, we dubbed them Tybalt and Raj, after the uncle/nephew cait sidhe (cat fey) characters in Seanan McGuire's October Daye novels.
Tybalt remains leery of humans, though he will let me step past him to the pottery shed while he's eating, so long as I don't make eye contact. Raj, however, is getting positively gregarious. He'll come and meow outside my studio door--or, recently, the bathroom window--at mealtimes, jump up on the open half-door to get my attention, strop my ankles as I walk out with his breakfast or supper. More than once, I've found him exploring the studio when I left the door ajar or the half door open. And this morning, he was up on the roof above the door, making the breakfast call.
And then, this afternoon, when I got home from the studio, I came into the back yard where Denise was making paper...
...to find she had company.
He'd shaken her down for supper at five, then followed her into the back yard, jumped up on the table to investigate, sniffed the vat, deigned to drink a little fresh water she poured out from her bottle.
I think we're gonna wind up with another indoor cat before winter.
All the animals
Jun. 10th, 2025 10:46 pmoffcntrGlazing once again, painting all the animals. Started on Sunday with 75 mugs, some mine, some for Great Harvest Bakery. Monday was a little slower, pies and casseroles, a couple of special orders. Today was cookie jars, pitchers, creamers, some dinner salad and pasta bowls. Studio is a little chaotic at the moment, Jon is spread all over the kiln room getting ready to load the kiln tonight, so I bailed out at 5:30 and went home to make supper.
Pictures mostly from Sunday and Monday:
Holiday
Jun. 10th, 2025 10:39 pmoffcntrAccording to the Saturday Market newsletter, last Saturday was National Black Bear Day. Wish I'd known in advance. Coulda done something to celebrate...
Romancing the pulp
Jun. 10th, 2025 10:32 pmoffcntrFinished my throwing and trimming for this production cycle just after lunch Friday, wasn't starting to glaze until Sunday, so I got a half-day off! Finished setting up the tubs in the back yard, and coaxed Denise out to make paper together. We each made about a dozen sheets--the stack in the lower right, below, was mind. Sadly, the lovely blue-dyed iris-blossom paper didn't hold the color. The dried sheets still have blue and gold flecks from the blended iris blossoms, but the background is basically white again.
Recent theater
Jun. 10th, 2025 06:36 pmtroisoiseauxEmily Burns' new adaptation of Frankenstein at the Shakespeare Theatre Company is phenomenal— I've been struggling to explain it in a way that a. doesn't undersell how well it works and b. isn't just the Jenny Slate Drunk History meme, but trust me, it's so good. It's a reimagining of Mary Shelley's original plot— the first half takes the events of Victor's return to Geneva and re-centers it on his foster sister/fiancée(!) Elizabeth, and on Justine, the servant framed for the murder of Victor's younger brother; the second half departs from the book entirely, but has more than a little of Mary and Percy Shelley's history in its DNA— with a distinctly contemporary voice, but it weaves in Mary Shelley's original text in ways that carry new meanings: ( ... ) The dynamic between Victor and Elizabeth is messed up in a way that makes for delicious theater— Victor is the worst, in an "abusive boyfriend learns therapy words" way that, I swear, you could feel the audience (which, at least where I was sitting, skewed towards younger women) mentally screaming for Elizabeth to throw the entire man out; this play leans into the Gothic faux-cest vibes with flashbacks to the pair of them sniping like siblings— and the main theme is one of parents and children, explored through three different plot threads: obviously, that of Victor Frankenstein's refusal to take responsibility for the creature he created, which hangs over most of the play as an unspoken but omnipresent rebuke; the undercurrent of grief (mutual), resentment (Victor's), and guilt (Elizabeth's) over the fact that Victor's mother died because she'd nursed Elizabeth when she was ill; and ( spoilers! )
Also saw The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical at the Signature Theater, having finally wised up to the fact that if a new musical is being produced in DC it's probably on its way to Broadway, so I might as well see it now. (Cheaper tickets! Potential bragging rights!) This is exactly what it says on the tin - a rock musical by Joe Iconis about writer Hunter S. Thompson, father of Gonzo journalism in the 1960s-70s - and certainly timely; to lean into the inevitable Hamilton comparisons, Hunter...'s Burr is Richard Nixon as a so-sleezy-it's-camp psychopomp haunting Thompson's final hours as he runs through his life story, and the parallels to, you know, that other guy are about as subtle as a bonk to the head. Very meta, overall: as it goes on, the other characters begin to confront Thompson over his version of events and demand to speak for themselves. There was a frequent use of puppets, including a peacock, a baby that could make a fight the man! fist and flip the bird, and a giant Nixon head. (Yes, in addition to the actor playing Nixon.) I enjoyed this a lot!! The only downside of seeing such a new show is that I've had random snippets of lyrics and melodies floating around in my head for days and there's no cast recording to listen to. (ETA: There is an official trailer, though!)
( ETA #2: found some individual songs online )
Also saw The Untitled Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical at the Signature Theater, having finally wised up to the fact that if a new musical is being produced in DC it's probably on its way to Broadway, so I might as well see it now. (Cheaper tickets! Potential bragging rights!) This is exactly what it says on the tin - a rock musical by Joe Iconis about writer Hunter S. Thompson, father of Gonzo journalism in the 1960s-70s - and certainly timely; to lean into the inevitable Hamilton comparisons, Hunter...'s Burr is Richard Nixon as a so-sleezy-it's-camp psychopomp haunting Thompson's final hours as he runs through his life story, and the parallels to, you know, that other guy are about as subtle as a bonk to the head. Very meta, overall: as it goes on, the other characters begin to confront Thompson over his version of events and demand to speak for themselves. There was a frequent use of puppets, including a peacock, a baby that could make a fight the man! fist and flip the bird, and a giant Nixon head. (Yes, in addition to the actor playing Nixon.) I enjoyed this a lot!! The only downside of seeing such a new show is that I've had random snippets of lyrics and melodies floating around in my head for days and there's no cast recording to listen to. (ETA: There is an official trailer, though!)
( ETA #2: found some individual songs online )
dispossessed, aside-thrust, chucked down
Jun. 10th, 2025 06:31 pmwychwoodSurvived the Week of Church (Tuesday night, Wednesday night, ten hours on Saturday), and am looking forward to a whole! week! off! work! next week - the expected project go-live date is Thursday that week, so I'm probably going to have to log on for a couple of hours to make updates to student-facing content that can't be done until live day, which is annoying, but I'll get the time back and I've made it clear that anything else launch-related will have to wait until I'm back on the Monday!
In the meantime, there's plenty of tasks that need to be done before we go live, and I'm only avoiding some of them... some tasks are just freakishly intimidating and I can never tell why; half of them only take ten minutes once you actually face them.
The buses took a long time to recover after COVID - there was a phase where it felt like I was waiting 25 minutes every time I caught a bus - but the last year or so things have been much more reliable. Of course, sometimes that doesn't work in my favour, like how my bus home from church reliably arrives three minutes too late for me to catch the bus that stops by my house instead of having to walk ten minutes home. But the other day I was waiting for a bus which was twelve minutes away when I got to the stop... five minutes later it was thirteen minutes away... seven minutes after that it was fourteen minutes away... after that I stopped checking, because I was a little bit afraid of what might happen, and walked home instead.
Mum's started chemo now, and is doing OK-ish. I'm going over to see them on Sunday for Fathers' Day, possibly along with my brother and his tribe, but we'll see. Ticking along!
In the meantime, there's plenty of tasks that need to be done before we go live, and I'm only avoiding some of them... some tasks are just freakishly intimidating and I can never tell why; half of them only take ten minutes once you actually face them.
The buses took a long time to recover after COVID - there was a phase where it felt like I was waiting 25 minutes every time I caught a bus - but the last year or so things have been much more reliable. Of course, sometimes that doesn't work in my favour, like how my bus home from church reliably arrives three minutes too late for me to catch the bus that stops by my house instead of having to walk ten minutes home. But the other day I was waiting for a bus which was twelve minutes away when I got to the stop... five minutes later it was thirteen minutes away... seven minutes after that it was fourteen minutes away... after that I stopped checking, because I was a little bit afraid of what might happen, and walked home instead.
Mum's started chemo now, and is doing OK-ish. I'm going over to see them on Sunday for Fathers' Day, possibly along with my brother and his tribe, but we'll see. Ticking along!