Wind keepers
Jan. 15th, 2026 11:01 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
aeon_feed
How do you capture something invisible? A blustery short revels in the sights and sounds of a windswept day on the coast
- by Aeon Video
aeon_feedLandholder vs stockholder
Jan. 15th, 2026 11:00 amaeon_feed
In 1752, David Hume discerned that wealth was becoming untethered from land. Here lies the origin of our political divisions
- by Catherine Nichols
Father’s letters
Jan. 14th, 2026 11:01 amaeon_feed
Spinning imaginative tales, a father wrapped his daughter in a protective layer of love all the way from an island gulag
- by Aeon Video
How to become a tree
Jan. 13th, 2026 11:00 amaeon_feed
Many people today want to commit their remains to rejuvenating the planet. But are these green deaths just greenwashing?
- by Hannah Gould & Georgina Robinson
I-Kiribati warrior armour
Jan. 12th, 2026 11:01 amaeon_feed
Fish helmets and coconut suits – how the islanders of Oceania built suits of armour without any metal
- by Aeon Video
The synthetic self
Jan. 12th, 2026 11:00 amaeon_feed
In order to better understand our human nature, we must attempt to build a robot capable of robust subjective experiences
- by Tony J Prescott
The dangerous rise of Buddhist extremism: ‘Attaining nirvana can wait’ – podcast
Jan. 16th, 2026 05:00 amtheguardian_longread_feedStill largely viewed as a peaceful philosophy, across much of south-east Asia, the religion has been weaponised to serve nationalist goals
By Sonia Faleiro. Read by Dinita Gohil
Continue reading...
Blooming Seas Around the Chatham Islands
Jan. 16th, 2026 05:01 amearthobservatory_iod_feed
January 10, 2026
At about 800 kilometers (500 miles) east of New Zealand’s South Island, the sparsely populated Chatham Islands are rugged, remote, and often inconspicuous. In January 2026, however, a ring of bright green and blue swirls in the ocean put a natural spotlight on the far-flung specks of land.
A bloom of phytoplankton—tiny photosynthetic organisms that become visible to satellites when their numbers explode—encircled the Chatham Islands in austral summer. Surface currents and eddies carried the floating organisms into intricate wisps and swirls. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured this image of the display on January 10, 2026.
The Chatham Islands sit on the Chatham Rise, an underwater plateau that extends eastward from the South Island of New Zealand. The top of the rise is relatively shallow and separates areas of deeper water to the north and south. These seafloor contours make blooms common along the Chatham Rise, where cold, nutrient-rich currents from the Antarctic and warm, nutrient-poor water from the subtropics converge. The well-mixed water, coupled with long daylight hours, can boost phytoplankton populations.
With phytoplankton at the base of the food web, the waters around the Chatham Islands support productive fisheries, with valuable species such as pāua, rock lobster, and blue cod. The region is also home to an array of marine mammals, including five seal species and 25 whale and dolphin species. Amid this abundance, however, the islands are a hotspot for whale and dolphin strandings, in which hundreds of animals are sometimes beached.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann.
References & Resources
- Murphy, R. J., et al. (2001) Phytoplankton distributions around New Zealand derived from SeaWiFS remotely‐sensed ocean colour data. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 35(2), 343–362.
- NASA Earth Observatory (2009, December 28) Phytoplankton Bloom Over Chatham Rise, South Pacific. Accessed January 15, 2026.
- NASA Earthdata Ocean Color. Accessed January 15, 2026.
- New Zealand Department of Conservation Chatham Islands marine mammals. Accessed January 15, 2026.
- Pinkerton, M.H. (2011) A balanced trophic model of the Chatham Rise, New Zealand. Unpublished NIWA report.
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Jan. 15th, 2026 08:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lycomingstAnother adventure in home ownership. It's the coldest week so far this winter so naturally my electricity failed. Only in about half of the house. I still had hot water, kitchen stove and internet. The bedroom was dark and I had to move the frig to the other side of the room. It happened after I plugged a space heater in a socket, which was asking too much of it.
So I had to call somebody, a stranger had to come to my home and I had to talk about it on the telephone. I worked myself up to it after feeding the birds, retrieving the trash bin from the sidewalk, taking a shower. Usual delaying tactics. I was told somebody would be here Friday afternoon. Ok. I took off my 'meeting people clothes' and got into my robe, which is warmer. Five minutes later I see the company's car in my driveway. It turns out the owner just stopped by to check out the problem.
He was here about 4 minutes. Just did something at the electric panel and everything was on the way it should be. Now I had turned the main off and on, as I believe he did. But nothing changed. So now I look like an idiot or maybe just a confused old person.
But I'm back in the bedroom watching tv, so all's well. Electricity hates me.
So I had to call somebody, a stranger had to come to my home and I had to talk about it on the telephone. I worked myself up to it after feeding the birds, retrieving the trash bin from the sidewalk, taking a shower. Usual delaying tactics. I was told somebody would be here Friday afternoon. Ok. I took off my 'meeting people clothes' and got into my robe, which is warmer. Five minutes later I see the company's car in my driveway. It turns out the owner just stopped by to check out the problem.
He was here about 4 minutes. Just did something at the electric panel and everything was on the way it should be. Now I had turned the main off and on, as I believe he did. But nothing changed. So now I look like an idiot or maybe just a confused old person.
But I'm back in the bedroom watching tv, so all's well. Electricity hates me.
Snow Day
Jan. 15th, 2026 11:16 pmcornerofmadnessHonestly we didn't get a lot of snow but under it was ice. On the road between Jackson and Gallipolis (the two places I talk about all the time) had TWO five vehicle crashes and multiple small ones including the fire chief getting run over by someone who doesn't know what red lights mean (he was transported to the same trauma center I had been in) By 1 pm the most of it had melted but you know what I'm not arguing with a day off.
Mom, of course, thinks any spare second I have should be me cleaning. She's not wrong but still...that said I DID pick one major project and I did it, namely three bins of sockets and undies and a huge ass pile of clothes (still mostly socks) so I made 5 piles, summer socks, winter socks, fuzzy socks, socks I don't want period and lonely socks looking for mates.
So the piles are gone. The undies are gone because why in the name of god was I holding onto them. Many socks ready for donation and two uncomfortable realizations.
1. I have more fuzzy socks that any one human should. I know some are tight and need to be donated. Some have holes that I wear in bed in the fall/early spring while reading if my Raynaud's kicks in. Well pick two pair Dana and toss the rest.
2. That was NOT a bin of old undies. Under them was dozens of printed out stories, catalogues for book clubs that have been online only for YEARS and books. WTF? At least the books are now out on a shelf, the catalogues in the recycler and I'll sort the stories later to see what needs read and what can hit the recycler.
I did finish the last two stories I could possible write for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomtrees and maybe if we're lucky everything will release this weekend. Both of the recipients had 2 by the time I got these done but that's fine. Now they have 3.
I found a place in Pittsburgh I need to visit (and I thought about a little vacation right there in the city if it's not crazy expensive) the weeping glass
I have some community recs this thursdayfandomtrumpshate is gearing up so if you want to look it over to join in an raise money to do good now's the time.
And I got a few communities (new to me) fromtozka that looked cool. Check them out
vintageads I think I'll need to join this one. It'll be a good source for historical fic
bookclub_dw This is a monthly book club where members of the community host book club discussions once a month. - I don't need a new one but maybe you do
Mom, of course, thinks any spare second I have should be me cleaning. She's not wrong but still...that said I DID pick one major project and I did it, namely three bins of sockets and undies and a huge ass pile of clothes (still mostly socks) so I made 5 piles, summer socks, winter socks, fuzzy socks, socks I don't want period and lonely socks looking for mates.
So the piles are gone. The undies are gone because why in the name of god was I holding onto them. Many socks ready for donation and two uncomfortable realizations.
1. I have more fuzzy socks that any one human should. I know some are tight and need to be donated. Some have holes that I wear in bed in the fall/early spring while reading if my Raynaud's kicks in. Well pick two pair Dana and toss the rest.
2. That was NOT a bin of old undies. Under them was dozens of printed out stories, catalogues for book clubs that have been online only for YEARS and books. WTF? At least the books are now out on a shelf, the catalogues in the recycler and I'll sort the stories later to see what needs read and what can hit the recycler.
I did finish the last two stories I could possible write for
fandomtrees and maybe if we're lucky everything will release this weekend. Both of the recipients had 2 by the time I got these done but that's fine. Now they have 3.I found a place in Pittsburgh I need to visit (and I thought about a little vacation right there in the city if it's not crazy expensive) the weeping glass
I have some community recs this thursday
fandomtrumpshate is gearing up so if you want to look it over to join in an raise money to do good now's the time.And I got a few communities (new to me) from
tozka that looked cool. Check them outvintageads I think I'll need to join this one. It'll be a good source for historical ficbookclub_dw This is a monthly book club where members of the community host book club discussions once a month. - I don't need a new one but maybe you do
Things
Jan. 16th, 2026 03:38 pmvassBooks
So far this year (since January 1) I've read Margaret Killjoy's The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice, listened to the audiobook of Alexandra Rowland's Running Close to the Wind, am reading Victoria Goddard's Plum Duff, and started Evelyn Araluen's The Rot.
Games
Quoting my own complaint elsewhere: the worst part of Hollow Knight is the runbacks. Each time my desktop switches itself off I need to turn it on again, restore my browser tabs and do other "just booted" chores, see what troubleshooting data I can get now, check what steps I can take next, then start the game again to find out whether whatever I tried this time worked. Then two minutes later my computer crashes.
Have also been doing Redactle and Squardle withkaberett, and cryptic crosswords with shehasathree.
Tech
As you may gather from the previous section of this post, I am having technical difficulties. So it goes.
Crafts
No active progress yet, but the yarn I ordered arrived. This is for weaving with my mother's old knitter's loom which she gave me for my birthday last year.
Actually, no, I'll share the complaints I emitted while trying to decide what yarn to order (huge thanks to Iphys on the Lays server for sorting me out on this.)
( cut for length )
Garden
No ripe tomatoes yet, but they're still alive. Raspberry bush looking very sad indeed. Harvested a little bit of parsley and oregano for cooking purposes.
Cats
Didn't enjoy the hot weather last week. Neither did I.
Nature
Hot and windy. (This is an understatement. Last week there was a heatwave and my whole state, as well as those nearest it, was at either "extreme" or "catastrophic" fire danger. I was in one of the "extreme" parts, and unpleasantly aware that on the fire danger scale they use, "catastrophic" is 100 out of 100. Meaning, your area can be at 99 and yet not catastrophic.)
It cooled down after that, but summer is very much not over, and there are places all over the state that are still on fire.
So far this year (since January 1) I've read Margaret Killjoy's The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice, listened to the audiobook of Alexandra Rowland's Running Close to the Wind, am reading Victoria Goddard's Plum Duff, and started Evelyn Araluen's The Rot.
Games
Quoting my own complaint elsewhere: the worst part of Hollow Knight is the runbacks. Each time my desktop switches itself off I need to turn it on again, restore my browser tabs and do other "just booted" chores, see what troubleshooting data I can get now, check what steps I can take next, then start the game again to find out whether whatever I tried this time worked. Then two minutes later my computer crashes.
Have also been doing Redactle and Squardle with
kaberett, and cryptic crosswords with shehasathree.Tech
As you may gather from the previous section of this post, I am having technical difficulties. So it goes.
Crafts
No active progress yet, but the yarn I ordered arrived. This is for weaving with my mother's old knitter's loom which she gave me for my birthday last year.
Actually, no, I'll share the complaints I emitted while trying to decide what yarn to order (huge thanks to Iphys on the Lays server for sorting me out on this.)
( cut for length )
Garden
No ripe tomatoes yet, but they're still alive. Raspberry bush looking very sad indeed. Harvested a little bit of parsley and oregano for cooking purposes.
Cats
Didn't enjoy the hot weather last week. Neither did I.
Nature
Hot and windy. (This is an understatement. Last week there was a heatwave and my whole state, as well as those nearest it, was at either "extreme" or "catastrophic" fire danger. I was in one of the "extreme" parts, and unpleasantly aware that on the fire danger scale they use, "catastrophic" is 100 out of 100. Meaning, your area can be at 99 and yet not catastrophic.)
It cooled down after that, but summer is very much not over, and there are places all over the state that are still on fire.
At the hotel!
Jan. 15th, 2026 11:00 pmsilver_chipmunkGot up at 9:15 and showered and dressed. mashfanficchick had a very bad backache, so ultimately we decided to not take the subway to the Moynihan Train Hall, but take a Lyft instead. Which I think was a very good idea, because we were wrestling with three suitcases, two backpacks, my laptop case and purse, and zer cane.
So we got to the train hall with just enough time to buy breakfast before our train, but not enough time to eat it. So we boarded and found seats together, somehow, and ate there.
The ride was supposed to be four hours but was late getting in, so we arrived around 5:00. Called for a Lyft and got to the hotel and checked in.
The room is very nice. We went down to the con suite to see Larry, and then came back and settled in. I Teamed the FWiB, after much trouble with the computer and the hotel WiFi.
At 8:00 we watched 911, and then 911: Nashville.mashfanficchick started feeling unwell, but thinks it may just be lost sleep due to the back pain. We ordered food, Thai, and Japanese, and had it delivered.
The Kid is already here, but I don't know her room number. She's on the 10th floor.
The con starts tomorrow. Can't wait!
Gratitude List:
1. The FWiB.
2. Got here safely.
3. Good dinner.
4. Fun TV.
5. Nice room.
6. Arisia!
Edited to add: Forgot to say, called Middle Brother, he's fine. Nothing new.
mashfanficchick had a very bad backache, so ultimately we decided to not take the subway to the Moynihan Train Hall, but take a Lyft instead. Which I think was a very good idea, because we were wrestling with three suitcases, two backpacks, my laptop case and purse, and zer cane. So we got to the train hall with just enough time to buy breakfast before our train, but not enough time to eat it. So we boarded and found seats together, somehow, and ate there.
The ride was supposed to be four hours but was late getting in, so we arrived around 5:00. Called for a Lyft and got to the hotel and checked in.
The room is very nice. We went down to the con suite to see Larry, and then came back and settled in. I Teamed the FWiB, after much trouble with the computer and the hotel WiFi.
At 8:00 we watched 911, and then 911: Nashville.
mashfanficchick started feeling unwell, but thinks it may just be lost sleep due to the back pain. We ordered food, Thai, and Japanese, and had it delivered. The Kid is already here, but I don't know her room number. She's on the 10th floor.
The con starts tomorrow. Can't wait!
Gratitude List:
1. The FWiB.
2. Got here safely.
3. Good dinner.
4. Fun TV.
5. Nice room.
6. Arisia!
Edited to add: Forgot to say, called Middle Brother, he's fine. Nothing new.
Black Ships (Graham)
Jan. 15th, 2026 07:24 pmcahnThis book, via selenak, was just very relevant to my interests and I adored it so much! It's one of those books that I didn't really want to end. It's a retelling of the Aeneid from the point of view of the Sybil, with nods towards making it Bronze-Age historically plausible.
Gull begins her life as the daughter of a slave in Pylos, and is apprenticed to the Pythia, the oracle of the Lady of the Dead, becoming Pythia herself when the current Pythia dies. After Troy (here called Wilusa) is sacked for the second time, the black ships of the Wilusan prince Aeneas and the remnants of his people land in Pylos to try to capture back some of their people who had been slaves (including Gull's mother, though by that time she has died). When they depart, Gull/Pythia goes with them as their Sybil on their sea adventures as the People search for a home...
I just really loved so many things about this, starting with that retellings of epic poems are always my jam. I loved Gull/Pythia and the way in which centering her and her experiences centers the lived experience of the women of Wilusa. I loved the way that Aeneas and the Wilusans are portrayed as refugees, because that's what they are. I loved that the gods, while they do appear on the edges, are mysterious beings that may be real and may be wholly belief; and that they aren't toddler-level petty and vindictive like in the Aeneid. I loved how Pythia and Xandros had that sort of fealty-love thing going with Aeneas, uh, not that this is a hardcore thing I love or anything.
Of course I was very curious about how Dido would be portrayed, even without knowing (as Graham says in her afterword) that Carthage didn't... actually... exist during this time period, so that Aeneas & Dido would have to at the very least be revamped. ( Mild thematic spoilers. )
One of the things that's really interesting here is the through-line of how the world is getting worse, piracy is getting worse, civilization is crumbling. Gull/Pythia can see that all of this is getting worse during her journeys with the black ships, and has gotten worse since the previous Pythia's days. And yet, as the reader knows, and as Pythia comes to dimly see, the arc of civilization since that time will curve upwards, and Aeneas will be part of that. (And I find this a somewhat comforting thought in some ways...)
I'm rather impressed that this was Graham's first book, which I had no idea about until I finished and went looking for more books by her! Occasionally there may have been a tiny bit of unevenness, but it just manages to weave together so many things in a way that I admired so much, and I thought it was extremely strong, much less as a debut! Sooooo now I'm gonna reread Judith Tarr's Lord of the Two Lands to get myself in a proper Alexander mood, and then I shall go on to read Graham's Stealing Fire :D
selenak, was just very relevant to my interests and I adored it so much! It's one of those books that I didn't really want to end. It's a retelling of the Aeneid from the point of view of the Sybil, with nods towards making it Bronze-Age historically plausible. Gull begins her life as the daughter of a slave in Pylos, and is apprenticed to the Pythia, the oracle of the Lady of the Dead, becoming Pythia herself when the current Pythia dies. After Troy (here called Wilusa) is sacked for the second time, the black ships of the Wilusan prince Aeneas and the remnants of his people land in Pylos to try to capture back some of their people who had been slaves (including Gull's mother, though by that time she has died). When they depart, Gull/Pythia goes with them as their Sybil on their sea adventures as the People search for a home...
I just really loved so many things about this, starting with that retellings of epic poems are always my jam. I loved Gull/Pythia and the way in which centering her and her experiences centers the lived experience of the women of Wilusa. I loved the way that Aeneas and the Wilusans are portrayed as refugees, because that's what they are. I loved that the gods, while they do appear on the edges, are mysterious beings that may be real and may be wholly belief; and that they aren't toddler-level petty and vindictive like in the Aeneid. I loved how Pythia and Xandros had that sort of fealty-love thing going with Aeneas, uh, not that this is a hardcore thing I love or anything.
Of course I was very curious about how Dido would be portrayed, even without knowing (as Graham says in her afterword) that Carthage didn't... actually... exist during this time period, so that Aeneas & Dido would have to at the very least be revamped. ( Mild thematic spoilers. )
One of the things that's really interesting here is the through-line of how the world is getting worse, piracy is getting worse, civilization is crumbling. Gull/Pythia can see that all of this is getting worse during her journeys with the black ships, and has gotten worse since the previous Pythia's days. And yet, as the reader knows, and as Pythia comes to dimly see, the arc of civilization since that time will curve upwards, and Aeneas will be part of that. (And I find this a somewhat comforting thought in some ways...)
I'm rather impressed that this was Graham's first book, which I had no idea about until I finished and went looking for more books by her! Occasionally there may have been a tiny bit of unevenness, but it just manages to weave together so many things in a way that I admired so much, and I thought it was extremely strong, much less as a debut! Sooooo now I'm gonna reread Judith Tarr's Lord of the Two Lands to get myself in a proper Alexander mood, and then I shall go on to read Graham's Stealing Fire :D
Daily Happiness
Jan. 15th, 2026 07:44 pmtorachan1. Tuxie was gone for three days but back this morning like nothing happened. He does this occasionally so I don't get worried, per se, but I am always glad to see him back and know he's safe. I wish he could tell us about his adventures when he's gone!
2. I have a tattoo!
I'll post another picture once it's healed. The yellow especially is very dark in the picture because it was the last color she did and it had a lot of blood welling up still. But it's exactly what I wanted and I'm very happy with it.
Overall the session took nearly three hours but the first was just discussing the design and prep, and the actual needling was about an hour and forty-five minutes. It's large, and since it's a wrap around, it's kind of fiddly, but since it's just color fill and not a lot of intricate line work or anything, it went pretty quickly overall.
It did hurt a fair bit, especially since there were some boney areas, but mostly I was just very tense from having to hold still. I felt like how I feel at the dentist, which always leaves me with a tension headache. I took some advil when I got home for the headache, but my leg itself didn't really hurt once she was done.
3. My usual Friday meetings were cancelled and the stuff I need to do tomorrow doesn't require accessing our system (which I hate doing from home because we're not able to use a VPN anymore and have to remote into a PC at the office, which is a pain), so I'm going to relax and work from home tomorrow.
4. I love getting pics of the cats looking up like this. It makes their cute faces even cuter!
2. I have a tattoo!
I'll post another picture once it's healed. The yellow especially is very dark in the picture because it was the last color she did and it had a lot of blood welling up still. But it's exactly what I wanted and I'm very happy with it.
Overall the session took nearly three hours but the first was just discussing the design and prep, and the actual needling was about an hour and forty-five minutes. It's large, and since it's a wrap around, it's kind of fiddly, but since it's just color fill and not a lot of intricate line work or anything, it went pretty quickly overall.
It did hurt a fair bit, especially since there were some boney areas, but mostly I was just very tense from having to hold still. I felt like how I feel at the dentist, which always leaves me with a tension headache. I took some advil when I got home for the headache, but my leg itself didn't really hurt once she was done.
3. My usual Friday meetings were cancelled and the stuff I need to do tomorrow doesn't require accessing our system (which I hate doing from home because we're not able to use a VPN anymore and have to remote into a PC at the office, which is a pain), so I'm going to relax and work from home tomorrow.
4. I love getting pics of the cats looking up like this. It makes their cute faces even cuter!
I should export a snow icon from LJ
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:09 pmflemmingsSeeing it's going to be one of Those Winters. Did not put my recycling out last night, not least because the new recycling company have been less than efficient. Horror stories abound. Some neighbourhoods were skipped entirely last time, some they only took one side of the street and didn't come back for the other, one guy called to complain and a truck came by to pick up his recycling but not anyone else's on the street. There have been complaints, so our loathèd premier says Well if you downtown lefties don't like it, you handle the recycling yourselves. Conveniently forgetting that we've always handled our recycling and it was Ford's own idea to bring in a private company. I swear the man acts more like Trump everyday.
But mostly it was because another snowstorm was set to begin last night and begin it did. Hard to tell how much we got with the winds blowing the stuff around, but by day's end the roofs looked like a good eight inches/ 20 cm. My lovely neighbours did my steps and walkway while out snowblowing the sidewalk, but of course I had to go out and sweep/ shovel the new stuff, twice. It was light powder-- which it should be, given the vortex temperatures-- so sweepable enough, but my back still hates me doing it.
I had a dentist appt scheduled for next Wednesday so I booked my physio for Tuesday. Dentist calls me this morning asking can I come in Tuesday instead, so I said sure. Went to rebook my physio and she has nothing available for the next two weeks, and then she's away for a week. So now I'm on standby and fingers crossed, both that there'll be a cancellation and that I can get up the street to get to it.
And the recycle bins are still sitting in front of everyone's houses. Though-- NB, Mr. Ford-- the green bins were emptied promptly this morning by the old garbage company, even with six inches of snow.
But mostly it was because another snowstorm was set to begin last night and begin it did. Hard to tell how much we got with the winds blowing the stuff around, but by day's end the roofs looked like a good eight inches/ 20 cm. My lovely neighbours did my steps and walkway while out snowblowing the sidewalk, but of course I had to go out and sweep/ shovel the new stuff, twice. It was light powder-- which it should be, given the vortex temperatures-- so sweepable enough, but my back still hates me doing it.
I had a dentist appt scheduled for next Wednesday so I booked my physio for Tuesday. Dentist calls me this morning asking can I come in Tuesday instead, so I said sure. Went to rebook my physio and she has nothing available for the next two weeks, and then she's away for a week. So now I'm on standby and fingers crossed, both that there'll be a cancellation and that I can get up the street to get to it.
And the recycle bins are still sitting in front of everyone's houses. Though-- NB, Mr. Ford-- the green bins were emptied promptly this morning by the old garbage company, even with six inches of snow.
I left my mind behind in 2015
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:14 pmsovayToday was the yahrzeit of the molasses flood. I was last at Langone Park for the centenary, since which time the field has been renovated and a new marker erected in memory of the disaster and its dead. Seven years ago feels nearly a century itself.
Speaking of man-made needless awfulness, I have been made aware of the locally vetted aggregate of Stand with Minnesota, a directory of mutual aid, fundraisers, and on-the-ground support against the onslaught of ICE. All could use donations, since internet hugs are of limited efficacy against tear gas, batons, bullets to the face and legs. Twenty-three years ago feels like several worldlines back, but the Department of Homeland Security sounded absurdly, arrogantly dystopian then.
The fourth and last of this week's doctors' appointments concluded with an inhaler and instructions to sleep as much as possible. My ability to watch movies remains on some kind of mental fritz which upsets me, but I liked running across these poems.
Speaking of man-made needless awfulness, I have been made aware of the locally vetted aggregate of Stand with Minnesota, a directory of mutual aid, fundraisers, and on-the-ground support against the onslaught of ICE. All could use donations, since internet hugs are of limited efficacy against tear gas, batons, bullets to the face and legs. Twenty-three years ago feels like several worldlines back, but the Department of Homeland Security sounded absurdly, arrogantly dystopian then.
The fourth and last of this week's doctors' appointments concluded with an inhaler and instructions to sleep as much as possible. My ability to watch movies remains on some kind of mental fritz which upsets me, but I liked running across these poems.
Trump vs. Minnesota: A Realization
Jan. 15th, 2026 09:34 pmdewlineAll this horror and heroism in Minneapolis-St. Paul of late...in the cities that gave us Charles Schulz of all people.
Not a full media update
Jan. 16th, 2026 03:27 pmchina_shop1. I am ridiculous and not even managing to keep up with Dreamwidth.
2. Just listened to Bujold's Penric's Demon in audio. Aww!
3. Watching Younger on Netflix, and wow, nothing dates an American show like all of the regular cast members being white. In New York. (Other than that, it's light fun and about what I'm in the mood for. Kind of like an Amy Sherman-Palladino show with less wealth porn.) Also started season 2 of The Pitt, despite intending to rewatch season 1 first.
4. (Burying the lede.) Andrew's surgery went well! We played two games of Scrabble this morning. I'm spending most of my time at the hospital.[a] Halle is confused by his absence and seeking an injunction.
[a] I've spent so long in North American fandoms that I've forgotten when we put "the" in front of "hospital", but I'm pretty sure this is one of those times, it being a specific hospital.
2. Just listened to Bujold's Penric's Demon in audio. Aww!
3. Watching Younger on Netflix, and wow, nothing dates an American show like all of the regular cast members being white. In New York. (Other than that, it's light fun and about what I'm in the mood for. Kind of like an Amy Sherman-Palladino show with less wealth porn.) Also started season 2 of The Pitt, despite intending to rewatch season 1 first.
4. (Burying the lede.) Andrew's surgery went well! We played two games of Scrabble this morning. I'm spending most of my time at the hospital.[a] Halle is confused by his absence and seeking an injunction.
[a] I've spent so long in North American fandoms that I've forgotten when we put "the" in front of "hospital", but I'm pretty sure this is one of those times, it being a specific hospital.