karmicdragonfly

Not civics or political science, for sure. "The horrors of socialism"? And Democrats voted for that? I'm not surprised. Even up here we have people who maintain that Carney is-- wait for it-- a communist. When in fact he's not even a Liberal: he's an old-fashioned Red Tory.

In minor matters, the fruit flies congregated about my traps but showed no inclination to fall in and drown. Come morning the upstairs trap was actually pretty full but there was still a cloud of the suckers in the kitchen. Have bought glue strips and hope they work.

At some point must go down to the basement and read my water meter. The city had them sending automatic reports until someone noticed that something like 80% of the meters were doing no such thing. So for the past however long they've been estimating usage. And now they want homeowners to read the meters for them. Got the notice last week and was all moan groan tremble in anticipation of a bill in the thousands of dollars. Reminded myself that in the old days they billed me less than the recent estimates, and I trust I have no leaking toilets that do boost the bills, and anyway it's something I must do, so...

susandennis

First there was volleyball. It was more fun than usual, actually. And then there was elbow coffee which was more boring than usual, actually. And that is some kind of boring, let me tell you. It may be all groups of very old people or just this one, but bring up an ailment and each and every one of them will bore you to tears and forever sharing their own experiences, the experiences of their family members and and friends of second cousins of the neighbors they used to have 25 years ago.

Hospitals are in the business of ensuring you get the worst care possible. Doctors are the stupidest people on the planet and don't even get them started on pharmacists.

It makes for tedious conversation. At one point I caught Bonny rolling her eyes into the back of her head and I nearly lost it in giggles.

But, now it's done for the week. Whew. And I have no more duties today.

I need a few things at the dollar store but I don't think today's the day. I think today is TV and knitting. My dinner order has been entered to be picked up later and I have sandwich makings for lunch.

Everything is under control... for now.

oursin

These people are AWFUL: Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world

(And I can't believe that there aren't women who didn't survive, particularly given the whole 'germs aren't a thing' ideology that's mixed up with it. Or at least pretty badly damaged.)

I've always been somewhat side-eyeing Grantly Dick Read and his gospel of 'natural childbirth' without fear and pain, because it was a bit vibes based on anecdotal stuff of his, but at least he was a trained medical professional, and he advocated antenatal classes teaching women what to expect when they went into labour, and giving them breathing exercises so that they could breathe through the contractions and so on and he did not suggest women giving birth alone without support.

This is also - like being anti-vaccine - coming from a very short period of historical time: in this case one in which maternal and infant mortality had plummeted and was no longer something people were more or less used to, or had at least heard cases of within their general circles.

These people are delusional.

Okay, there can be a lot wrong with modern obstetric practice - ?particularly in the USA, for reasons - but nature is so not your friend in this matter.

8daysofdwj_feed

https://zencastr.com/z/26xps9hC

Nobody should be losing lives at this rate. What is wrong, Christopher?

In our first episode of Season Three, the brilliant Iona Datt Sharma joins us for a discussion of bureaucracy, cricket boys, Burton and Kipling, and the limitations of escape into fantasy,

Transcript available here, and we'll be back next time with Castle in the Air!

https://zencastr.com/z/26xps9hC

poliphilo

Picture Diary 109

1. Have a strawberry

2. The party faithful

3. Sunset

4. Two Women

5. Satori

6. The President is leaving office

oursin

Happy birthday,

gwyneira and

ironymaiden!

conuly

( Even if I don't give the title, it's spoilers aplenty )

***************

( Read more... )

poliphilo

The larger and livelier a group becomes the more likely it is that trouble will arise and cliques will form. We get around 15-25 people attending worship at our Meeting House on a Sunday and around 10 on a Thursday. People drop in, people drop out. I make it my business to know the names and a little of the background of everyone who shows up but sometimes memory fails. We're at a level where unity becomes hard to maintain- and I'm aware of hairline cracks that could become fissures.

At area level- where Quakers from Meetings spread across half of Sussex from Seaford to Rye try to find common ground- there is undisguised disharmony. Ailz is at a get together this afternoon which will be dealing with the bugger-up that occured last Sunday. She says our visit to Bunhill Fields has helped her put things in perspective. When you're walking across the unmarked graves of nearly 100 people who died for their faith in the ghastly prisons of 17th century London the dissension and hurt we're experiencing seems not so very important.....

conuly in

agonyaunt

Dear Annie: I've always had a complicated relationship with my older sister, "Beth." She's the golden child -- successful, pretty, everyone's favorite. I'm more of the quiet one. I've never resented her accomplishments, but I've spent years feeling like I'm living in her shadow.

Recently, something strange happened. I got offered a promotion at work that would put me in a leadership role over a project Beth's company is contracted on. It's a huge opportunity. When I told my parents, they were polite but not enthusiastic. My mom actually said, "Well, let's hope that doesn't make things awkward for Beth."

Beth hasn't said much, just a text that said "Congrats," with a period. Not even an exclamation point.

Part of me wants to let it go and focus on the win. But another part of me feels really, really sad, like I'm still chasing approval I'll never get. I don't want this old family dynamic to steal the joy from something I worked hard for.

How do I celebrate myself without needing my family to do it with me? And is it worth trying to fix something that maybe they don't even think is broken? -- Out of the Shadow

( Read more... )

darkoshi

It's the time of the year and time of the day when sunlight hits the small mirror ball hanging by the window in one room. It throws glints of light across the walls and across me. I give the ball a slight twist, and the bits of light dance around the room. It is beautiful to watch.

I've previously taken videos, wanting to show how neat it looks. But I lack time to upload and post them; there are other things that need to be done.

...Ahh well. I decided to go ahead post one of those videos. I didn't think it would take 5.5 hours* to accomplish, but there you have it. That's why I rarely do.

Watch on YouTube

Video title: Sunshine & Mirrorball

*Sure, I also took a walk down memory lane, browsing through and renaming 150 photos and other videos. And I washed sheets and ate dinner and hung up on a phone call, and updated the video editor software.

shadowkat

I'm procrastinating dinner, mainly because I don't know what to eat? (I have to throw out the chicken and chicken soup that I made last weekend - and haven't touched, after getting incredibly ill. I didn't get ill because of it? But the idea of reminds me of it - so just no.)

Both Crazy Workplace and Apartment Complex are having holiday parties the second week of December, and since I will be around - I should probably go to them. ( Read more... )

There's a new list of top 100 books - that is kind of interesting? - it's the Australian Radio List or what I want to call the Top 100 Books that have been, will be or are soon to be adapted into movies or television series. I've either read, tried to read, seen or tried to watch over half of them - some I have on my to see/to read list, and actually own. I could literally go down a good portion of that list and give recommendations. I'm tempted.

Decided on the left over baked salmon, celery, carrots and some quinoa.
Then watched Buffy S4 Primeval, after watching Yoko Factor the night before.

Buffy S4 Rewatch - Yoko Factor and Primeval

After watching Yoko Factor again, I get why the fandom split over the character of Spike to the degree it did? I'd forgotten how cool Spike was as an anti-hero character, and how good an antagonist. ( Read more... )

What's interesting about Angel and Buffy's cross-overs to each other's series - is that Buffy only crosses over to Angel in S1. ( Read more... )

At any rate, Yoko Factor reminds me of why I love this series. Snappy banter, which is just a joy to behold (a lot of television writers ironically can't write dialogue - how they become television writers without being able to write good dialogue is beyond me?). Also, Adam is actually palpable in the episode - due to Spike. I was actually rooting for him to get his chip out and disappointed he didn't. Although, they'd have to kill him off. So that wasn't happening.

There's a hilarious scene where Xander gives Spike a gun, and Spike gleefully points it at him - only to get a migraine. ( Read more... )

Primeval - eh, this feels like watching a bad comic book brought to life. I remember liking it better in the early 00s. It doesn't age well, and is kind of on the campy side? Forrest is ...annoyingly misogynistic - so much so, that it doesn't surprise me that Whedon went there again with Warren and Caleb. I prefer the villains who aren't misogynistic. I really did not like the villians in S4 at all. This episode just reminds me of why.

( Read more... )

Note while this is the last arc episode? It's not the last episode of the season. Which is interesting, and different from S1-3, in which it would have been the last episode. Showing that S4 was meant to be a bridge episode between S3 and S5.

Some say this is the best episode of S4, IMBD did, which makes me wonder about some of their reviewers? I mean obviously HUSH is the best episode, with several others coming close. HUSH is among the best of the series. Each season has one or two standout episodes. S4 is hands down - HUSH.

***

Crazy Workplace

Breaking Bad: I swear this place could be a Paddy Chafesky play. It is a Paddy Chafesky play. It might even be better if it was.
Me: Paddy Chafesky wrote Network right?
Breaking Bad: Yup, excellent writer.
ME: Agreed. I read all his plays in high school. (Don't remember them, but I did read them.)

I even put a Paddy Chafesky quote from NETWORK in my high school yearbook. "I'm Mad as Hell and I'm not going to take any longer." I kind of regret doing that. But I found it amusing at the time.

***

Now that the Vertigo is blessedly gone, I've a ENT on Monday about it. (Taking the day off.) I'd rather have had the ENT appointment on Tuesday when it was still there, bugging me. On the other hand - I wouldn't have been able to get to the ENT appointment or provided coherent information, so maybe not.

flemmings

I'd scheduled a cab to take me down to my appointment at Service Ontario but today was the day those No park signs spraypainted onto the street for the last week came into effect as little bobcats ripped chunks out of the pavement and then filled them up again with asphalt. When I went to check 90 minutes before my due time, cars were able to pass, but there was no guarantee the bobcats wouldn't start on a new section. So I cancelled my cab and hoofed it over to Bathurst (shall be oh so happy when the Christie elevator becomes operational) and so down to College. Where my normal up elevator was out of service but I eventually located one in the labyrinthine and badly signposted MARS building. Up to the street and over to Bay and eventually located the totally unsignposted wheelchair entrance, and by dint of asking a security guard, the minisculely signposted elevator down.

I was early because of course I was, but they called me fifteen minutes after my appointed time and I was out ten minutes after. Found my MARS elevator no prob, empty subway train to St George, and announcements that train would bypass Spadina station because of a police investigation. Well, I wasn't going north, I was going west today, so down to the line 2 platform, black with the unlovely youth of TO and their backpacks and their hockey sticks and their shoving and jostling and loud whoops of glee. Ah well, knew I'd hit the student rush hour, shou ga nai. But the westbound train comes in, I get on, and then a stentorian loudspeaker says EASTBOUND TO KENNEDY, THIS TRAIN IS EASTBOUND TO KENNEDY. Bref, all westbound trains were turning back at St George because the investigation was at the line 2 Spadina station. So forced my way back through the crowd and tried to locate the elevator which was on the far side of the sea of humanity, both sides of the platform. And may I say, guys who stand on the platform edge looking down the tunnel in case the train might come earlier than announced, blissfully unaware of someone trying to pass them from behind, are asking to be shoved off said platform. Made it to the elevator along with many other disabled types with walkers, and mothers with tank strollers, and the elevator showed no signs of coming, and when it did it was full of tank strollers who decided no they didn't want to get off after all. One or two walkers made it on, also an unlovely youth who slid past me before I could move and stood there looking innocently over my head.

Got to the street eventually and then walked home. The one good thing being that Wieners was still open and I could buy fruit fly traps. Guy recommended fly paper but I've dealt with fly paper before and don't care to repeat the experience. So 8000 steps today and a temporary health card and the real thing if and when the post office agrees.

The odd thing being that both my health card and ID date from four years ago and I seem to remember going down to Bay St to get them, pandemic or no, but I have no record at all of doing so.

andrewducker

We have a Spotify family account, so I thought I'd add Sophia to it.
Turns out that because she's under 13 she's incredibly limited in the music she can have access to, and has to be in the special kids app.
So, YouTube for music it is!

(Seriously, they didn't even have the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack. Utterly useless.)

oursin

Meet-up with visiting person from US institution of renown which I have visited in the past, and BBL (who I realise I have known for getting on for 40 years as we first met when I gave the first paper on my PhD research), whom I have not seen in person for yonks though we have talked on the phone.

While the reason for this was rather sad as it involves scholar we both knew and liked a lot who died unexpectedly last year, and left various projects unfinished but in a fairly advanced state, it was also a very lively and stimulating and enjoyable meeting with lots of mutual appreciation.

Also it looks like there may be a very interesting project coming out of this to finish off one of the projects which is bang in my wheelhouse/ballpark/whatever.

However, though not surprised or shocked, saddened to hear that things are, indeed, and fairly predictably, not well with the institution in question.

lydamorehouse

Sorry, everybody.

It's actually been a really big week for me, being my birthday week, but I seem to have completely forgotten to update you all on any of it. I have about fifteen minutes before I need to head out, so let's see what I can tell you about in that amount of time.

I turned 58 on Tuesday.

I have never been one of those people who hates birthdays or the idea of growing older. I love every single birthday (with the sole exception of the one that I spent driving back from Indiana.) But, generally, I am all about starting to celebrate my birthday as soon as possible and, this year, I started on November 3 (my birthday is the 18th). One of the things that I very expressly asked my wife for was time to game. Normally we fuss a bit because, if I had my way, I'd be running D&D every single weekend that my players was available. So, for November, I've played D&D every single weekend so far--which has been tremendous fun. It's come to a close, however, as the Thanksgiving prep is in full swing.

Shawn always takes my birthday off work. She also almost always takes her own birthday off, too, as did I when I was working. In fact one of the funniest conversations I ever had with a boss was when I was working as a itenerent library page for Ramsey County Library. My boss at the time, Lee Ann, was a fellow Scorpio. She also used to call all the pages to see where and when they'd be available. The 18th was floated for me and I just said, "Sorry, that's my birthday." She seemed stunned. She said, "Well, tomorrow is my birthday and I'm working," and I said, "That sounds sad. You should take your birthday off." Apparently, this is not something that regularly occurs to adults. Lee Ann seemed very stunned and afronted. But, I've long embraced the fact that I'm not a normal adult.

Side story, but part of birthday week for me has been getting to go get fancy coffee in the mornings. I discovered that one of the barista at Claddaugh really, really loves rocks. So, I've started carrying rocks in my pockets again just to show her the ones I've collected. Yesterday, I pulled out the Thomsonsite that I have from our trips to Bearskin and showed it off. Other people were interested so a bunch of adults started oohing and ahhing over cool rocks. And it reminded me of that meme that goes around with the guy who is sad because the worst part of being an adult is that no one ever (shows you a cool rock, is one version, or) asks you your favorite dinosaur. So, we very quickly all started sharing our favorite dinosaurs, as well. Take that, adulthood! You can't diminish my love for cool rocks and dinosaurs! NEVER GO QUIETLY INTO THE LONG DARK! LOVE ROCKS! LOVE DINOSAURS!

The other thing I love to do is go out to eat. I am especially fond of breakfast or brunch out. I love me a good greasy spoon, too. I have had my family take me out to the Egg & I, but this year we went to Day by Day. which is slightly less grease and more hippy/recovery community. I pushed out the boat (and as Shawn has been adding lately, and got into it! Because you don't want to "push out the boat" and then "miss the boat") and had their buscuits and gravy. Not a safe meal for a 58 year old, but look at me, living on the edge! Do I know how to party, or what?

We also went out for dinner, which, in our family, is borders on insanity. Like, we were seriously living it up. Dinner was Taste of India out in Maplewood, a place that I've been going to for my birthday for decades.

The only pall on the day was the fact that I forgot my cell phone at home and so I missed the MONARCA text about the Federal action in Midway. It's probably just as well. Pepper spray got deployed and no one wants to be pepper sprayed for their birthday. (I mean, maybe

sabotabby does?) I did feel bad for missing it as my friends

naomikritzer and

resolute were there doing the good work.

So that's me? How's you?

susandennis

I learned yesterday, quite by accident, of yet another misstep by Timber Ridge marketing. They told me a fair number of things as truths that turned out not to be. Mostly small things, but some big ones, too. Ex. They told me the pool was salt water. It was not and never has been. They told me not to worry about choosing a carpet to mask pet stains as housekeeping would treat for all stains. They do not and this carpet, which was very expensive, has stains all over it. Lots of examples.

But, yesterday, I learned that they did NOT tell me there was a free, secured, internet available to me.

Turns out there are two wifi networks for residents. 1 is open and requires not password. It's the one I've been using for 2 years. But, because my printer and my web cams need a secured network, I've had to do work arounds which have been problematic. My latest one - a $40 a month Xfinity account which requires a modem and a router - has been failing regularly and I've been looking for alternatives. I was almost to the point of giving up my printer and web cams.

And then yesterday, I found out that there is another free wifi network that is secure. Each apartment has their own password. I was supposed to have been given the password by marketing when I moved in. Once I found out about the network, it took 2 mins to get my password. Those marketing fuckers.

So much of yesterday was spent moving everything to this new (to me) network which turned out to be non-trivial. The printer was the most problematic. But, I finally got it done. Then I had 18 other things to move to the network one by one. Interestingly, the hub that runs the shades was the easiest and it took the shades with it. The Echo products were very annoying. But, finally, I got everything moved. And unplugged the modem and the router.

I am in the middle of a call to cancel Xfinity (again) now. Their website does not have a phone number but fortunately Google does. Their website wants you to schedule a call back and the first available they offered was next wednesday at 5 am and then the page errored out. I called the Google number and now I have a person who, I hope, is going to do the job. There is now annoying music so Yeah but when she goes off to do her thing, there is the deadest air. She now says the job is done and she'll send me an email today. I'm not convinced. But, I'm willing to wait and see.

Oh. Ok, their website seems to reflect the change to done. And now I owe them -$32.00. Ok, so nice. They do have the slowest website on the planet.

It is actually lovely and luxurious to just have all the internet I need available without any hardware (and its eccentricities). Even better than electricity, really. I don't even need outlets. Just wifi everywhere. And my printer is WAY happier than it was. I can now print from any device and actually from anywhere in this complex!

I'm glad I got it all moved over yesterday.

Today, I think I'm going to skip swimming this morning. No good reason. I just feel like it. Bonny wants to go to Costco, so steps. I don't really need any Costco but heck that may change when I get there. Plus I can check on my ham and cheese croissants which I'm pretty sure they have discontinued but maybe...

I do need to trot downstairs to pick up the menus for next week. Oh, I may actually get to be on the Food and Beverage Committee next year. I was asked this week if I was still interested and I said YES, Please.

Biggie and Julio are snuggled up together on the couch. Biggie appears to be asleep but Julio is clearly awake and just enjoying the cuddle and happy that Biggie hasn't kicked him off. So cute.

spikedluv in

smallfandomfest

Today, Friday, November 21, is the last day to get your prompts in for this round! If you've got more prompts to submit, or you've been putting it off, head on over to the Prompt Submission Post and prompt away!

oursin

Happy birthday,

booksandtea!

profile

karmicdragonfly

November 2025

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summary

flemmings - Bless me, what *do* they teach them at these schools
susandennis - Busy morning but all done now
oursin - Drown them in a pail of caudle
8daysofdwj_feed - The Lives of Christopher Chant
poliphilo - Picture Diary 109
oursin - (no subject)
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 22-11-2025
conuly - The protagonist of this book forgave his terrible family far too easily
poliphilo - Holding Things Together
conuly in agonyaunt - (no subject)
darkoshi - mirror mirror on the ball
shadowkat - Friday is thankful it is Friday finally...and the Vertigo is gone!
flemmings - My great big transit adventure pt 3
andrewducker - Life with two kids: Limited Musical Choices
oursin - That was very pleasant
lydamorehouse - Neither Present Nor Accounted For
susandennis - All switched
spikedluv in smallfandomfest - SFFest38: Prompt Submission Reminder
andrewducker - Interesting Links for 21-11-2025
oursin - (no subject)

...

"O seguro morreu de velho, mas o desconfiado ainda está vivo." -- "The safe one died of old age, but the suspicious one is still living."

Karmic-Dragonfly

Queer, (mostly) vegetarian, Buddhist-Pagan who lives with a very old Mulberry

network

Bless me, what do they teach them at these schools

Busy morning but all done now

Drown them in a pail of caudle

The Lives of Christopher Chant

Picture Diary 109

(no subject)

Interesting Links for 22-11-2025

The protagonist of this book forgave his terrible family far too easily

Holding Things Together

(no subject)

mirror mirror on the ball

Friday is thankful it is Friday finally...and the Vertigo is gone!

My great big transit adventure pt 3

Life with two kids: Limited Musical Choices

That was very pleasant

Neither Present Nor Accounted For

All switched

SFFest38: Prompt Submission Reminder

Interesting Links for 21-11-2025

(no subject)

profile

November 2025

links

summary

...