(no subject)
Dec. 23rd, 2025 05:34 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
apod_feed
Yesterday the Sun reached its southernmost point in planet Earth's sky.
apod_feed
Christmas cookies
Dec. 22nd, 2025 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
low_deltaMy mom called to say our Christmas cookies were ready, so I went over to pick them up. What kinds are there? Yes. Peanut butter balls, peanut brittle, pecan crescents, some things with lemon frosting, some amaretto somethingsorother, some with pistachio and chocolate frosting, caramels, fudge, gingersnaps, chocolatey somethings with m&m's, and a few nondescript cookies with frosting or chocolate.
When I was there eleven days ago, she was baking cookies for church. Some cookie auction or something. She hadn't started on her own cookies yet. She got those all done last night, so tonight she was packaging them for delivery. This is only a fraction of the plates she puts together. There are fourteen buckets on the table, but I'm not sure if that's all of the different kinds she made.
She gave Cindy and I each one, though mine has only peanut butter balls and pecan crescents. She named off all the neighbors she gives to. She said she was once talking to her financial guy who mentioned Christmas cookies, so she decided to take him a plate. And she still takes them to that place, even though he doesn't work there anymore. And she'll take a plate to Dan's dad (I have no idea who Dan is), but he has bad teeth so she's worried that some will be too hard for him. Of course she'll tell Dan to tell his dad that he can soften them up by putting them in the microwave (she can hardly give you food without also giving that advice). I don't know who else. She's got to have friends to give them to. And a coworker or two. My sister, and her two kids.
And Mom wonders how much money she spends on this. She used four to five pounds of butter, but she had to tell me how cheap butter is at Costco.
When I was there eleven days ago, she was baking cookies for church. Some cookie auction or something. She hadn't started on her own cookies yet. She got those all done last night, so tonight she was packaging them for delivery. This is only a fraction of the plates she puts together. There are fourteen buckets on the table, but I'm not sure if that's all of the different kinds she made.
She gave Cindy and I each one, though mine has only peanut butter balls and pecan crescents. She named off all the neighbors she gives to. She said she was once talking to her financial guy who mentioned Christmas cookies, so she decided to take him a plate. And she still takes them to that place, even though he doesn't work there anymore. And she'll take a plate to Dan's dad (I have no idea who Dan is), but he has bad teeth so she's worried that some will be too hard for him. Of course she'll tell Dan to tell his dad that he can soften them up by putting them in the microwave (she can hardly give you food without also giving that advice). I don't know who else. She's got to have friends to give them to. And a coworker or two. My sister, and her two kids.
And Mom wonders how much money she spends on this. She used four to five pounds of butter, but she had to tell me how cheap butter is at Costco.
(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2025 08:30 pmdustbunny105So, this is obviously very silly since I've been talking about Christmas and I'm obviously very aware of it coming up but, like. It truly only hit me today that the end of the year-- y'know, that event that always follows right after Christmas-- is also coming up.
I. am not ready, lol.
I. am not ready, lol.
(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2025 08:20 pmbitterlawngnomeI can feel it happening. Many artists enter - usually at the end of their career - a phase where they no longer govern themselves by the rules they know will make their work intelligible to others. Nowadays I often find I just want to photograph the light sliding across the backdrop from morning to night. It won't mean a damn thing to anyone else. But it's the utter essence of photograph, the light at an exact place and time.
Can't think of a bloody title...
Dec. 22nd, 2025 09:07 pmshadowkatResting my knee tonight, so didn't do the exercises - did ice it, also did exercises at work. Also took a longer walk than I should have? I wanted to see if Trinity Church, Printemps, and NYSE had been dressed up at all for Xmas. It had, but minimalist in style. The over-blown festive decorations are apparently saved for Dyker Heights, my apartment complex lobby, and Midtown Shopping District. The Financial District is well...not exactly spendthrift when it comes to Christmas decor - and errs on the tasteful and minimalist side of the fence?
( The Financial District, Trinity Church and NYSE at Christmas Time )
After the walk - which included an ill advised journey to Insomiac Cookies, which was alas closed - my right knee/leg was killing me. It was my own fault - if I'd ended it five to ten minutes sooner, I'd have been fine. Plus it was cold outside. ( Would have been nice if Insomina Cookies had warned me that they were closed this week.) And I didn't even get any chocolate chip cookies. I wanted my cookies. Instead I bought a chocolate bar - which resulted in high blood sugar, the cookies were the better bet.
On the plus side (knee wise, at least) - I managed to schedule an MRI for January 4 at the Brooklyn location, and on a Sunday morning, no less. Go me. So not quite as far as the Manhattan one, and less steps. Also a followup appointment with the orthopedist at 2:30pm on January 9 (Friday). I'll probably have to take the day off. Unfortunately. Either that or take two hours of comp time. I only have 10 hours of comp time remaining. Currently have a PT appointment scheduled at 4:30pm after it, which I might cancel or try to reschedule. So got it a lot faster than expected.
2. Gave up on the Larry Silverstein book - the narrator was speaking in a monotone, and I was having troubles following it. Jumped over to Tim Curry's autobiography entitled "Vagabound" - which Curry was reading himself, only one small problem? He'd just suffered a stroke. After about an hour and a half, I gave up. I can't do 10 hours of that - it was painful listening to him. So, I jumped over to Angelica Huston's autobiography/memoir, The Story of Me - which is a two party, and read by Huston, to high acclaim. She has a lovely voice, and it's beautifully written. Also very interesting - since she talks about her parents, the acclaimed actor, film director and writer, John Huston, his wife a prima ballerina, his father, an acclaimed actor, and their friends. It talks a lot about old Hollywood - during the 1950s. I just finished a chapter, where she talks about how her father, along with Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, etc - formed an organization supporting the First Amendment - to speak out against the McCarthy Hearings and the infamous Hollywood Blacklist. This also resulted in Huston leaving the US, and filming outside of it, and living outside of it for the remainder of his life. Huston married Angelica Huston's mother when he was 40 years of age, and her mother was 18 years of age, and a prima ballerina at the premier ballet company in the US which later became the NY Ballet.
Angelica Huston doesn't tell so much as show? She relates the facts, and lets the reader figure it out. Reminds me of Paul Newman's memoir in that respect. It's well written.
3. Progressing along in my rewatch of Buffy S5. Some takeaways, after seeing I was Made to Love You and Crush.
( still pondering the contradictions in Crush and in IWMTLY )
( The Financial District, Trinity Church and NYSE at Christmas Time )
After the walk - which included an ill advised journey to Insomiac Cookies, which was alas closed - my right knee/leg was killing me. It was my own fault - if I'd ended it five to ten minutes sooner, I'd have been fine. Plus it was cold outside. ( Would have been nice if Insomina Cookies had warned me that they were closed this week.) And I didn't even get any chocolate chip cookies. I wanted my cookies. Instead I bought a chocolate bar - which resulted in high blood sugar, the cookies were the better bet.
On the plus side (knee wise, at least) - I managed to schedule an MRI for January 4 at the Brooklyn location, and on a Sunday morning, no less. Go me. So not quite as far as the Manhattan one, and less steps. Also a followup appointment with the orthopedist at 2:30pm on January 9 (Friday). I'll probably have to take the day off. Unfortunately. Either that or take two hours of comp time. I only have 10 hours of comp time remaining. Currently have a PT appointment scheduled at 4:30pm after it, which I might cancel or try to reschedule. So got it a lot faster than expected.
2. Gave up on the Larry Silverstein book - the narrator was speaking in a monotone, and I was having troubles following it. Jumped over to Tim Curry's autobiography entitled "Vagabound" - which Curry was reading himself, only one small problem? He'd just suffered a stroke. After about an hour and a half, I gave up. I can't do 10 hours of that - it was painful listening to him. So, I jumped over to Angelica Huston's autobiography/memoir, The Story of Me - which is a two party, and read by Huston, to high acclaim. She has a lovely voice, and it's beautifully written. Also very interesting - since she talks about her parents, the acclaimed actor, film director and writer, John Huston, his wife a prima ballerina, his father, an acclaimed actor, and their friends. It talks a lot about old Hollywood - during the 1950s. I just finished a chapter, where she talks about how her father, along with Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, etc - formed an organization supporting the First Amendment - to speak out against the McCarthy Hearings and the infamous Hollywood Blacklist. This also resulted in Huston leaving the US, and filming outside of it, and living outside of it for the remainder of his life. Huston married Angelica Huston's mother when he was 40 years of age, and her mother was 18 years of age, and a prima ballerina at the premier ballet company in the US which later became the NY Ballet.
Angelica Huston doesn't tell so much as show? She relates the facts, and lets the reader figure it out. Reminds me of Paul Newman's memoir in that respect. It's well written.
3. Progressing along in my rewatch of Buffy S5. Some takeaways, after seeing I was Made to Love You and Crush.
( still pondering the contradictions in Crush and in IWMTLY )
not much of an update
Dec. 22nd, 2025 07:56 pmmellowtiggerI don't know if Minnesota is entering your news feed stories recently, but news and social here are filled with incidents involving either ICE or the financial thefts from charities. There are claims and counter-claims from different government entities, there are videos of incidents, and there are claims of government lies and AI-manufactured content. It's hard to know what to believe as fact. Reddit threads for Minneapolis and the Twin Cities have become a home for ICE reports instead of traditional community topics. A few days ago, there was this ICE raid about 2 blocks from my house. I can offer only my good thoughts to the thousands of people who showed up at a recent protest.
I don't have the mental stamina to sort through it all.
I will say, though, that a week or two ago, during my Christmas walk (too much walking) through the snow, I finally visited the offices of the Nonviolent Peaceforce, where I donated during GiveToTheMax day. I chatted with a nice young man there at their front desk. A significant part of their funding was federal money that ended with the defunding of USAID fiasco (a terrible thing, even according to Harvard). Their office in Minneapolis will shut down. I'm not sure how much longer they'll still keep their spot a few blocks northwest of me, but they may be keeping an office in California as their only USA location.
The cruelty is the point. The banned word list from this Republican-controlled government is meant to erase compassion, community, and true justice from our thoughts, our actions, and especially our standards for holding leaders accountable.
The Kraken Bush
Dec. 22nd, 2025 04:56 pmscrubjayspeaks(reproduced from my tumblr post for your enjoyment)
Speaking on the subject of holiday desserts,
me: King Arthur had a video course they were promoting on making bûche de Noël
my mum: that's where they fill it with cream?
me: yeah, it's usually a chocolate sponge cake that's rolled with...?
mum, visibly confused: oh
me, realizing the conversation is about to Go Places: er, yes?
mum: wait, maybe I mean...kraken bush? No, wait, is that a monster?
me, delighted beyond measure: yes, a kraken is a giant, monstrous squid octopus thing. A kraken bush is nothing, I don't think.
mum, miming something small and round: where they...and then the pile...?
me, about to commit a crime against French people with my pronunciation but I have other things on my mind now: do you mean croquembouche? Like profiteroles? It's French all the way down, apparently.
mum: yes, that's what I was thinking of.
me: okay, great, forget Christmas trees. We're doing a kraken bush for Yule from now on.
Speaking on the subject of holiday desserts,
me: King Arthur had a video course they were promoting on making bûche de Noël
my mum: that's where they fill it with cream?
me: yeah, it's usually a chocolate sponge cake that's rolled with...?
mum, visibly confused: oh
me, realizing the conversation is about to Go Places: er, yes?
mum: wait, maybe I mean...kraken bush? No, wait, is that a monster?
me, delighted beyond measure: yes, a kraken is a giant, monstrous squid octopus thing. A kraken bush is nothing, I don't think.
mum, miming something small and round: where they...and then the pile...?
me, about to commit a crime against French people with my pronunciation but I have other things on my mind now: do you mean croquembouche? Like profiteroles? It's French all the way down, apparently.
mum: yes, that's what I was thinking of.
me: okay, great, forget Christmas trees. We're doing a kraken bush for Yule from now on.
DANG that was a lot of work [vaguebooking, projects]
Dec. 22nd, 2025 07:51 pmrebeccmeisterAll I can say is that I really hope ya'll like your Christmasolstihanukkawanzaa gift! It is going to be given in stages, snail-mail stages first.
Whew.
Anyway.
Today I am also FULL OF RELIEF because I managed to secure excellent cat-sitters for George and Martha! They are two of my animal care student workers, so I already know they know how to take very good care of animals.
Now, time to sleep.
Whew.
Anyway.
Today I am also FULL OF RELIEF because I managed to secure excellent cat-sitters for George and Martha! They are two of my animal care student workers, so I already know they know how to take very good care of animals.
Now, time to sleep.
Day 1798: "Covering up things."
Dec. 22nd, 2025 03:51 pmwtfjht_feed
Today in one sentence: On Friday, the Justice Department released a limited batch of records from its Jeffrey Epstein investigations, conceding it didn’t meet the legal deadline to disclose the full file as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act; on Saturday, the Justice Department temporarily removed at least 15 files from its public “Epstein files” site, including an image that showed a photo of Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell, before later restoring that Trump-related image; on Sunday, JD Vance refused to condemn antisemitism in the conservative movement, saying there should be no “purity tests” beyond "love America"; the U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes on more than 70 suspected Islamic State targets in Syria; CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss pulled a fully produced “60 Minutes” investigation into alleged abuses at El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it was set to air; and the Trump administration on stopped federal leases for five offshore wind projects already under construction along the East Coast, citing unspecified national security risks.
1/ On Friday, the Justice Department released a limited batch of records from its Jeffrey Epstein investigations, conceding it didn’t meet the legal deadline to disclose the full file as required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The material included photos, phone logs, and interview records, many heavily redacted Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told Congress the department needed more time, writing that “the volume of materials to be reviewed” made full compliance impossible by the deadline. Lawmakers from both parties, meanwhile, rejected that explanation, calling the disclosure “disappointing” and warning that Congress was weighing legal options to force compliance. Nevertheless, the White House defended the partial rollout as evidence of transparency, claiming it was doing more than prior administrations to make the files public. (Associated Press / Washington Post / New York Times / Bloomberg)
2/ On Saturday, the Justice Department temporarily removed at least 15 files from its public “Epstein files” site, including an image that showed a photo of Trump with Epstein, Melania Trump, and Ghislaine Maxwell, before later restoring that Trump-related image. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche claimed the removal “has nothing to do with President Trump” and said the department removed images after victim advocates raised concerns about unredacted women. The Justice Department said it reposted the image after deciding there was “no evidence that any Epstein victims are depicted in the photograph,” but it hasn’t fully explained why the files vanished without a public notice in the first place. Lawmakers, meanwhile, accused the Justice Department of “selective concealment” and “covering up things that, for whatever reason, Donald Trump doesn’t want to go public.” Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna said they’re drafting a measure to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for what Massie called “flouting the spirit and the letter of the law.” (Associated Press / NBC News / CNBC / Politico / Axios / Washington Post / Associated Press)
3/ On Sunday, JD Vance refused to condemn antisemitism in the conservative movement, saying there should be no “purity tests” beyond “love America.” In his closing speech at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, Vance said Republicans “have far more important work to do than canceling each other,” declining to set any boundaries as activists debated whether to exclude figures such as Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier. The comments followed days of public infighting, including Ben Shapiro accusing Tucker Carlson of elevating antisemitic conspiracy theorists, and Steve Bannon calling Shapiro a “cancer” on the movement. Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk, meanwhile, publicly endorsed Vance for president, even though he hasn’t declared, Trump is still in office, and no primary field exists yet. (Associated Press / Politico / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)
4/ The U.S. military launched retaliatory strikes on more than 70 suspected Islamic State targets in Syria. The Dec. 19 strikes follow the Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra that killed two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter, and wounded three other soldiers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth framed the mission as punishment, saying, “This is not the beginning of a war — it is a declaration of vengeance.” (Reuters / ABC News / CNN / Politico / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal)
5/ CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss pulled a fully produced “60 Minutes” investigation into alleged abuses at El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it was set to air, saying the story needed additional reporting and on-the-record participation from Trump administration officials. The segment, which focused on the deportation of Venezuelan men under Trump’s immigration policy, had already cleared legal, standards, and multiple editorial reviews. In an internal email, the program’s correspondent, Sharyn Alfonsi, condemned the decision as political, writing, “If the administration’s refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient.” Weiss, meanwhile, told staff she pulled the piece because it “was not ready” and lacked sufficient on-the-record participation, saying it would air at a later date after more reporting. (NPR / Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / Politico)
6/ The Trump administration on stopped federal leases for five offshore wind projects already under construction along the East Coast, citing unspecified national security risks. The Interior Department said the suspension blocks projects in Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Connecticut that together represent about $25 billion in investment and were expected to power millions of homes. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum claimed the action was necessary because “the prime duty of the United States government is to protect the American people,” adding that offshore wind near population centers created security vulnerabilities. (Associated Press / New York Times)
⏭️ Notably Next: The 2026 midterms are in 316 days.
- Four years ago today: Day 337: "It checks all the boxes."
- Five years ago today: Day 1433: "It appears to be significant."
- Eight years ago today: Day 337: Very intense.
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(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2025 07:18 pmmajuUgh, it took me a couple of hours to fall asleep last night. Once I got to sleep I slept well though. The alarm dragged me awake - I heard and felt it vibrating several times before I woke up enough to turn it off. This has never happened with this particular alarm before; usually I wake up at the first vibration (as far as I can tell). My cold is following the usual course of a cold and I'm snuffly and sneezy today but not feeling too bad. I took a Sudafed PE nighttime pill last night and it seemed to dry things up for an hour or two, but after that I think it wore off. I had been thinking of taking a second one after four hours if I happened to wake up around the right time, but when I did wake up during the night I didn't feel like wrestling with one of the horrible child-safe blister packs the pills are in.
I also took a couple of the daytime Sudafed tablets during the day today and I think they helped slightly with the congestion. However, I'm afraid they might have affected my cognitive abilities even though they are supposed to be safe for daytime use. I took my car for a drive after lunch (maybe an hour or two after taking one of the pills) because it was more than a week since I'd last used it, and at one point I found myself quite unconsciously driving on the left instead of the right. Luckily I was on very quiet low-speed neigbourhood roads, but I was unpleasantly surprised when a car came around a corner on the same side of the road as me and I instantly realised I was the one in the wrong. This has happened once or twice before, plus once when I was in Australia I found myself unconsciously driving on the right. On busy roads there are plenty of cues as to which side of the road I should be on, but on deserted or nearly deserted roads it's all too easy to default to the wrong side.
The girls were all excited this morning because Eden was opening her birthday gifts before school. This afternoon her mother has taken her out of school for the final couple of hours, and tomorrow after school she is having a party. Very exciting times.
I also took a couple of the daytime Sudafed tablets during the day today and I think they helped slightly with the congestion. However, I'm afraid they might have affected my cognitive abilities even though they are supposed to be safe for daytime use. I took my car for a drive after lunch (maybe an hour or two after taking one of the pills) because it was more than a week since I'd last used it, and at one point I found myself quite unconsciously driving on the left instead of the right. Luckily I was on very quiet low-speed neigbourhood roads, but I was unpleasantly surprised when a car came around a corner on the same side of the road as me and I instantly realised I was the one in the wrong. This has happened once or twice before, plus once when I was in Australia I found myself unconsciously driving on the right. On busy roads there are plenty of cues as to which side of the road I should be on, but on deserted or nearly deserted roads it's all too easy to default to the wrong side.
The girls were all excited this morning because Eden was opening her birthday gifts before school. This afternoon her mother has taken her out of school for the final couple of hours, and tomorrow after school she is having a party. Very exciting times.
(no subject)
Dec. 22nd, 2025 06:43 pmflemmingsShe has turnèd, she has turnèd, she has turnèd (everyone to her own way)-- I mean, for the first time in 75 years I am actually *glad* for the solstice. Sympathetic magic: may the returning light bring a lightening to this dark world, and may I soon read that big, beautiful obituary. Why yes, I have frequently wished someone dead, whatever it does to my karma, and still do.
Lie-in dream today was of being at a spa/ onsen of sorts which was also the family cottage but enlarged, with my cousin F but also my sister, and an unpleasant woman I was supposed to share a room with. Decided I couldn't hack this, I was going back to TO, but couldn't find the owner/ o-kamisan to tell her this and the mostly Asian staff didn't know where she'd got to. Told my sister but she couldn't help. Told F, who was in a bathing suit, who said something about her dad (dead 50 years this month) taking me back but he was at their real-life cottage, two over from ours. Did I make it home? I think I may have-- vague memory of counting the cars on the 401 highway, which is not the way you get to the cottage, that's the QEW, a sink.
Hit the LCBO and have vodka and Kahlua to see me through the hols. Many white russians in my future, since the black ones rot my guts. Gov't money comes in early so I splurge on alcohol and food banks, though am accablée that the Muslim one seems to operate only on the west coast. Will no one think of the Toronto delivery guys?
Lie-in dream today was of being at a spa/ onsen of sorts which was also the family cottage but enlarged, with my cousin F but also my sister, and an unpleasant woman I was supposed to share a room with. Decided I couldn't hack this, I was going back to TO, but couldn't find the owner/ o-kamisan to tell her this and the mostly Asian staff didn't know where she'd got to. Told my sister but she couldn't help. Told F, who was in a bathing suit, who said something about her dad (dead 50 years this month) taking me back but he was at their real-life cottage, two over from ours. Did I make it home? I think I may have-- vague memory of counting the cars on the 401 highway, which is not the way you get to the cottage, that's the QEW, a sink.
Hit the LCBO and have vodka and Kahlua to see me through the hols. Many white russians in my future, since the black ones rot my guts. Gov't money comes in early so I splurge on alcohol and food banks, though am accablée that the Muslim one seems to operate only on the west coast. Will no one think of the Toronto delivery guys?
Books I've Read: October 2024
Dec. 22nd, 2025 03:24 pmhrjI'm chunking these posts based roughly on the number of books, so some cover one month, some two.
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton -- (audio) What if Regency England social politics but murderous dragons? I found it a fascinating worldbuilding project. My notes say "peculiarly interesting." I felt that things wrapped up too tidily at the end with the "good guys" all getting rewarded and escaping consequences. I recall having some other thoughts about the gender politics but I'd have to go back and re-read to recall specifics.
The First Rebellion by M.C. Beaton -- (audio) I had signed up for a new audiobook outlet (Chirp) that often has significantly reduced sale prices, so I've periodically taken the opportunity to try some books that I wasn't specifically looking for. (In general, I've tended to be unsatisfied with the books I've picked for that reason, but you never know.) Straight historic romance. Supposedly a "naïve bluestocking rebel wins the heart of a rakish nobleman by being unruly and rude to him" but I found it really hard going. The characters were childish and unlikeable and the male lead isn't worth winning. DNF.
Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout -- (audio) Spotted this one when pulling titles for the podcast. An imaginative story coming up with a (fictional) backstory for events that inspired details in Frankenstein. My notes say "very literary and more than a bit Freudian." There is a sapphic plot thread but it doesn't have a happy ending. Content note for sexual grooming and abuse.
The Duke at Hazard by K.J. Charles -- (audio) A delightful homage to Georgette Heyer's The Foundling, featuring a naïve young duke and his quest to prove himself competent and independent. Utterly charming and satisfying. It combined enough parallels with the original to amuse the reader while diverging in enough points to be its own thing. Certain characters in the conclusion cross over with The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting. (I've occasionally noodled f/f Heyer-homage plots and reading this got me thinking strongly about the social and economic logistics of how to do a sapphic version of Cotillion. To the extent that I have an outline-and-notes document for it.)
Craze by Margaret Vandenburg -- (audio) A history lesson about queer life in 1920s New York City, dressed up as a novel. Entertaining and informative, if occasionally overly erudite for some readers. Read in the context of interviewing the author for my podcast.
The Fire and the Place in the Forest by Jeannelle M. Ferreira -- (audio) Short fiction and poetry focusing on sapphic relationships, especially in historic settings. Even though my main format for fiction these days is audio, I'd buy Ferreira's work in that format no matter what because even her prose is poetic and that's the best way to receive it. (Advisory: I am not exactly unbiased as she has sold me stories.)
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells -- (audio) Secondary world fantasy. I'd been wanting to check out some of Wells' earlier work and this came up on sale (if I recall correctly). Amazing worldbuilding, though with a bit of a "generic fantasy" feel in the prose. I did have the same issue I had with the first Murderbot story I read, which was feeling like it was overloaded with blow-by-blow fight scenes. (But maybe I'm alone in finding that a negative?) This is a romance novel at heart, with many standard tropes gender-flipped due to the social structure, which resembles that of social insects.
If I do one of this posts per day, I should be caught up by the end of December. That will be my goal.
Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton -- (audio) What if Regency England social politics but murderous dragons? I found it a fascinating worldbuilding project. My notes say "peculiarly interesting." I felt that things wrapped up too tidily at the end with the "good guys" all getting rewarded and escaping consequences. I recall having some other thoughts about the gender politics but I'd have to go back and re-read to recall specifics.
The First Rebellion by M.C. Beaton -- (audio) I had signed up for a new audiobook outlet (Chirp) that often has significantly reduced sale prices, so I've periodically taken the opportunity to try some books that I wasn't specifically looking for. (In general, I've tended to be unsatisfied with the books I've picked for that reason, but you never know.) Straight historic romance. Supposedly a "naïve bluestocking rebel wins the heart of a rakish nobleman by being unruly and rude to him" but I found it really hard going. The characters were childish and unlikeable and the male lead isn't worth winning. DNF.
Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout -- (audio) Spotted this one when pulling titles for the podcast. An imaginative story coming up with a (fictional) backstory for events that inspired details in Frankenstein. My notes say "very literary and more than a bit Freudian." There is a sapphic plot thread but it doesn't have a happy ending. Content note for sexual grooming and abuse.
The Duke at Hazard by K.J. Charles -- (audio) A delightful homage to Georgette Heyer's The Foundling, featuring a naïve young duke and his quest to prove himself competent and independent. Utterly charming and satisfying. It combined enough parallels with the original to amuse the reader while diverging in enough points to be its own thing. Certain characters in the conclusion cross over with The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting. (I've occasionally noodled f/f Heyer-homage plots and reading this got me thinking strongly about the social and economic logistics of how to do a sapphic version of Cotillion. To the extent that I have an outline-and-notes document for it.)
Craze by Margaret Vandenburg -- (audio) A history lesson about queer life in 1920s New York City, dressed up as a novel. Entertaining and informative, if occasionally overly erudite for some readers. Read in the context of interviewing the author for my podcast.
The Fire and the Place in the Forest by Jeannelle M. Ferreira -- (audio) Short fiction and poetry focusing on sapphic relationships, especially in historic settings. Even though my main format for fiction these days is audio, I'd buy Ferreira's work in that format no matter what because even her prose is poetic and that's the best way to receive it. (Advisory: I am not exactly unbiased as she has sold me stories.)
The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells -- (audio) Secondary world fantasy. I'd been wanting to check out some of Wells' earlier work and this came up on sale (if I recall correctly). Amazing worldbuilding, though with a bit of a "generic fantasy" feel in the prose. I did have the same issue I had with the first Murderbot story I read, which was feeling like it was overloaded with blow-by-blow fight scenes. (But maybe I'm alone in finding that a negative?) This is a romance novel at heart, with many standard tropes gender-flipped due to the social structure, which resembles that of social insects.
If I do one of this posts per day, I should be caught up by the end of December. That will be my goal.
Yarnbomb!
Dec. 22nd, 2025 11:50 pmloganberrybunnyPublic
325/365: Yarnbombed pillar box, Stourbridge
Click for a larger, sharper image
This is a "yarnbombed" pillar box on the platform at Stourbridge Junction station. The actual box isn't visible here, but the knitted topper is the important bit in any case. It's a very festive example and it certainly gave me a smile today. :)
325/365: Yarnbombed pillar box, Stourbridge
Click for a larger, sharper image
This is a "yarnbombed" pillar box on the platform at Stourbridge Junction station. The actual box isn't visible here, but the knitted topper is the important bit in any case. It's a very festive example and it certainly gave me a smile today. :)
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Dec. 22nd, 2025 11:07 pmcosmolinguistThanks for the nice comments on the previous entry. They, along with just writing it out in the first place and D holding me tight (normally I am the big spoon but he did a great job at it last night!) helped me have an okay night.
D had asked me, after we turned the lights off, if there was anything I wanted to do today -- the family had no real plans beyond making the homemade vegan wellington for my birthday dinner that D's sister had suggested and I'd gotten excited about before I remembered quite how much work it was last year, oops. But D and I helped and it felt a lot less of a production this year.
Anyway, before that we had no plans and I thought it might be nice to get out of the house and see something of Birmingham. We didn't actually make it as far as the city centre but the local high street allowed D to browse charity shops while I got a long-overdue haircut (I went from the longest hair I've had in quite a while to the highest skin fade I've maybe ever had, so it feels like a dramatic difference!), and we went for a very nice birthday lunch.
My birthday present from D might still be trapped in DRM hell but he told me what it is, and The Feminist Art of Walking by his old pal Morag goes very nicely with the birthday present I've already gotten from angelofthenorth, of short walks/hikes around Greater Manchester. I also got a bookshop.org voucher from D's mum, which can be added to the one that comprised the other part of my birthday present from Miriam, so I have to decide what to get there too, which is so fun.
Weirdly, my birthday also marks a year since Gary died. It feels so long ago but also I can still conjure him so clearly in my memory, and there probably hasn't been a day all year that I haven't thought of him. I still miss him so much.
I've had a much better day, and I'm looking forward to being home tomorrow.
Lake Lewisia #1346
Dec. 22nd, 2025 02:42 pmscrubjayspeaksFor those planning to make exercise part of their lifestyle in the New Year but unenthusiastic about lifting dumbbells or running on a treadmill in a gym, we have an alternative opportunity. Through partnerships organized by the community clinic, you can be paired with another local in need of help at home due to injury, disability, or other life circumstances, and get your exercise from activities like hauling groceries or walking pets. Clinic staff have sorted chores according to skills built, from strength training to cardio to psychic resistance, so you can improve yourself and serve your community.
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LL#1346
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LL#1346
Life and Such
Dec. 22nd, 2025 03:20 pmlydamorehouse
Image: Classice Yule Log with three white candles, bedecked with boughs and ornaments (surrounded by silver reindeer).
HAPPY SOLSTICE to all who celebrate. And those who don't? I hope you had a lovely Sunday all the same.
Our Solstice was much as it is most years--a quiet, family affair. We have some traditions, the first of which is making rosettes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosette_(cookie)). I have attached the Wikipedia article if you have no idea what a rosette is--it is, in fact, a deep fried cookie. Personally, if done well, I think they taste amazing, like sugar and AIR. Because, basically, the batter is ultra, ultra thin and you use a cookie iron to to crisp up a lot of vanilla and sugar-flavored nothing. Our recipe actually comes from a class I took on Christmas cookie making several years ago, but very likely (this being Minnesota) comes by way of Norway, though possibly Sweden or Finland.
The cookie making class is memorable because I was the youngest person in the room. I really figured that probably I'd be the oldest, since I presumed things like rosette, pizelles, krumkaka, etc., were the sorts of things that grandma would pass on and, maybe, it skipped a generation. Nope. It was me an all older ladies and on older guy who kept telling everyone that he took the class hoping to pick up a lady. (Yep, he was that old.) Anyway, me and all the older folks all had a lovely time and I was really only there for the hidden rosette knowledge because everyone agrees there is "a trick to it."
And, there is.
The trick is making sure the irons are hot first--but also not too coated in oil. But that little layer of hot oil will, in fact, help them come off. In fact, ours often just fall off the iron into the bubbling hot oil. So, we always have to have tongs to hand.
Image: me patiently waiting for the bubbles to slow down the appropriate amount. Mason in the forground. Our kitchen all around and a few exampes of the cookies drying on the paper towels. The irons come in a lot of shapes--star and flower/rosette shown. Not pictured is the Christmas tree.
We never want the rosette process to be arduous so we only make as many was we feel up to, call it good enough, and then I usually make a fun lunch like deep-fried shrimp. We have charcuterie for our Solstice dinner meal, light our Yule log (pictured above), open presents, and then take a bit of the Yule light upstairs in a safe, insulated container and keep the light burning for the longest night.
I like to joke: if the sun came up on December 22, thank a pagan!
Our Solstice gifts are always books. There is a version of the Icelandic Yule Cat where the present you must recieve is not new clothing, but a book. We decided to adopt that tradition. Mason got a Terry Prachett book (and a gift certificate for Uncle Hugos) because he's been on a Pratchett kick lately; Shawn got the last and final Phil Rickman novel The Echo of Crows; and I got Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Hew Lemmy and Ben Miller. My gift is one I asked for because I've really enjoyed their podcast by the same name.
Also as is traditional, someone's present must include the Solstice wrench. It has been Mason for many years, now, in part, I think because we started using it to baffle a child who could very distinctly tell the shake of LEGOs.
You can keep your King's Cakes, we have the Solstice Wrench!!
By chance our friend John J. sent along a bunch of other book-related presents and so we opened those at Solstice as well.
Image: Shawn inspecting a surprise gift (one of many!) from our friend.
A lovely time all around.
So, again, I hope you all had a lovely Solstice. If not, we can all enjoy the return of longer days. More sunshine! Hooray!
Thirst: Guardian: fanfic: Look and Feel
Dec. 23rd, 2025 10:57 amchina_shop posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fan_flashworksTitle: Look and Feel
Rating: M-rated
Length: 1280 words
Acknowledgements: Much thanks totrobadora for beta! <3
Tags: Episode Related, Episode 4, Masturbation, Vague hints of D/s, Handcuffs, Non-explicit fantasies
Summary: Unbidden, he pictures Shen Wei alone in the interview room, composed, proud, and patient.
( Look and Feel )
Rating: M-rated
Length: 1280 words
Acknowledgements: Much thanks to
trobadora for beta! <3Tags: Episode Related, Episode 4, Masturbation, Vague hints of D/s, Handcuffs, Non-explicit fantasies
Summary: Unbidden, he pictures Shen Wei alone in the interview room, composed, proud, and patient.
( Look and Feel )
Birds
Dec. 22nd, 2025 04:06 pmribirdnerd posting in birdfeedingSunday was more mild than usual so it was nice to take a walk and see some birds along the trails - White breasted Nuthatches, Blue jays, Tufted Titmouse and Chickadees.
Today it is cold and windy again and not much going on except for some House Sparrow and Blue Jays.
Today it is cold and windy again and not much going on except for some House Sparrow and Blue Jays.