The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, June 28)
Jun. 29th, 2025 07:08 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spikedluvAnother long day. Hopefully the final one. Today was Ian’s graduation party. Thankfully I did not have to be to mom’s as early as I feared so sister A could leave to get set up for the party. She said I could get there between 9 – 10am, so I split the difference and got there at 9:30am. Then I took mom to the party. Sister S relieved me at 7:30pm.
I did manage to get stuff done before I left the house: two loads of laundry (one dried and folded), hand-washed some dishes and did a load in the dishwasher, scooped kitty litter, took the dogs for a short-ish walk, and dropped a book in the library return box on my way to mom’s. I did more hand-washing of dishes when I got home and tossed some laundry into the dryer.
I watched the current ep of Murderbot, finished my book and started another (Fugitive Telemetry, finally). And, of course, attended Ian’s graduation party.
Temps started out at 64.4(F) and reached 87 (according to Pip). He couldn’t have been far off because it got HOT. (It was still 79.2 when I got home after 7:30pm.) My sister had moved Ian’s party from a tent at her house to the local fire house because we were supposed to have scattered thunderstorms all day, but we didn’t get any.
Mom Update:
Mom did well yesterday. ( more back here )
I did manage to get stuff done before I left the house: two loads of laundry (one dried and folded), hand-washed some dishes and did a load in the dishwasher, scooped kitty litter, took the dogs for a short-ish walk, and dropped a book in the library return box on my way to mom’s. I did more hand-washing of dishes when I got home and tossed some laundry into the dryer.
I watched the current ep of Murderbot, finished my book and started another (Fugitive Telemetry, finally). And, of course, attended Ian’s graduation party.
Temps started out at 64.4(F) and reached 87 (according to Pip). He couldn’t have been far off because it got HOT. (It was still 79.2 when I got home after 7:30pm.) My sister had moved Ian’s party from a tent at her house to the local fire house because we were supposed to have scattered thunderstorms all day, but we didn’t get any.
Mom Update:
Mom did well yesterday. ( more back here )
SGA Drabble: Midnight Tea
Jun. 29th, 2025 08:31 amkat_lair***
Title: Midnight Tea
Author:kat_lair
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Character: Teyla Emmagen
Tags: Drabble, Implied Relationships, Introspection, Caretaking
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: She brews the tea when she can see the stars.
Author notes: Prompt = the title.
Midnight Tea on AO3
( Midnight Tea )
***
Title: Midnight Tea
Author:
kat_lair Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Character: Teyla Emmagen
Tags: Drabble, Implied Relationships, Introspection, Caretaking
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: She brews the tea when she can see the stars.
Author notes: Prompt = the title.
Midnight Tea on AO3
( Midnight Tea )
***
Staying Afloat
Jun. 28th, 2025 06:02 pmysabetwordsmithAcademia: Staying Afloat
You are the right person to do what you do, know what you know, study what you’re going to study. You do it.
You are a lifeboat.
You are not the passenger being rescued from a shipwreck. You are the rescuer. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience reside in you. You have pulled them from the cold ocean where cruel and careless captains have set them adrift.
You are a lifeboat.
( Read more... )
You are the right person to do what you do, know what you know, study what you’re going to study. You do it.
You are a lifeboat.
You are not the passenger being rescued from a shipwreck. You are the rescuer. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience reside in you. You have pulled them from the cold ocean where cruel and careless captains have set them adrift.
You are a lifeboat.
( Read more... )
Evaporative Cooling
Jun. 28th, 2025 05:10 pmysabetwordsmithArt pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes through.
( Read more... )
Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes through.
( Read more... )
been all over
Jun. 28th, 2025 06:00 pmomensWe have been to Many Shopping the last couple days since getting the car back, and the day before last we saw some ducklings :D there are 2 groups of babies in this photo, one regular duck. One group was obviously the outgoing extrovert children and the other group was anxious stragglers. They were really fun to watch.
A couple yard pics ( Under here )
Some not great Ghost news (warning: illness? injury?) ( nothing gory )
Oh, ETA: in unrelated news and tonal whiplash - does anyone else use focumon? It's a focus app with a pokemon knockoff theme. If you liked habitica, same kinda thing. We should be friends if you try it! I am only on day 1, so idk if I will stick to it. It seems very complicated at first, so I'm trying to streamline it for myself. I basically only need the "focus now" bit.
A couple yard pics ( Under here )
Some not great Ghost news (warning: illness? injury?) ( nothing gory )
Oh, ETA: in unrelated news and tonal whiplash - does anyone else use focumon? It's a focus app with a pokemon knockoff theme. If you liked habitica, same kinda thing. We should be friends if you try it! I am only on day 1, so idk if I will stick to it. It seems very complicated at first, so I'm trying to streamline it for myself. I basically only need the "focus now" bit.
(no subject)
Jun. 28th, 2025 08:11 pmbadfalconWe are coming up to the point in the year where I usually post a warning that we are coming into the two weeks of the year where I get very excited about the sportsball...
...except, I don't know if you've noticed at all over the last year...
... but I haven't exactly *stopped* being very excited about the sportsball. At All.
I keep most of my squee and ramblings to my tennisblr but you can absolutely feel free to come friend me over there, should you wish to experience the full impact.
So. Um. FORZA JANNIK! 🧡🎾🦊😁
...except, I don't know if you've noticed at all over the last year...
... but I haven't exactly *stopped* being very excited about the sportsball. At All.
I keep most of my squee and ramblings to my tennisblr but you can absolutely feel free to come friend me over there, should you wish to experience the full impact.
So. Um. FORZA JANNIK! 🧡🎾🦊😁
Birdfeeding
Jun. 28th, 2025 01:52 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and sweltering. It rained off and on yesterday and last night.
I fed the birds. I've seen several house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/28/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
.
I fed the birds. I've seen several house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/28/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
.
The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, June 27)
Jun. 28th, 2025 07:03 amspikedluvThis was another long day. I had to be at mom’s by 7:30am so my sister S could go to work. My sister A had to decorate for Ian’s graduation party tomorrow, and S attended the graduation of her step-grandson. (Not as long a day as yesterday, though – sister A showed up at 5:30pm to relieve me.) As I’ve said, I don’t mind BEING there, because I can be on my computer or read, but it gives me anxiety to not be home where I can get chores done, or go shopping. Thankfully, I did get some stuff done before I left the house today.
I stopped at Stewart’s for milk after dropping Grant off at the garage. I threw a load of laundry into the washer, hand-washed dishes, cooked hot dogs for Pip to heat up for supper, stirred together two cabbage salads for Ian’s graduation party (one with pineapple and one without to put on pulled pork sandwich if they want to do so) and scooped kitty litter. (I also had to cut up chicken for the dogs’ supper and pack my ‘lunch bag’.) (As you might imagine, it felt like I was running a race to get all of this done before I left to relieve my sister.) When I got home I tossed the wet clothes into the dryer, did up more dishes, and took a shower before I sat on the bed with a towel wrapped around my hair to decompress a bit.
I finished the current Amelia Peabody and started a new book, and took a short nap (which was just enough to reinvigorate me, rather than leave me lethargic).
Temps started out at 58.8(F) and reached an unknown high; it was 66.4 at 6pm when I got home. It was overcast all day, but I felt lucky we hadn’t had the forecasted rain, which then came in late afternoon. Thankfully it had finished before I needed to carry all my bags out to the car.
Mom Update:
Mom seemed tired when I arrived. I think yesterday’s activity took a lot out of her. ( more back here )
I stopped at Stewart’s for milk after dropping Grant off at the garage. I threw a load of laundry into the washer, hand-washed dishes, cooked hot dogs for Pip to heat up for supper, stirred together two cabbage salads for Ian’s graduation party (one with pineapple and one without to put on pulled pork sandwich if they want to do so) and scooped kitty litter. (I also had to cut up chicken for the dogs’ supper and pack my ‘lunch bag’.) (As you might imagine, it felt like I was running a race to get all of this done before I left to relieve my sister.) When I got home I tossed the wet clothes into the dryer, did up more dishes, and took a shower before I sat on the bed with a towel wrapped around my hair to decompress a bit.
I finished the current Amelia Peabody and started a new book, and took a short nap (which was just enough to reinvigorate me, rather than leave me lethargic).
Temps started out at 58.8(F) and reached an unknown high; it was 66.4 at 6pm when I got home. It was overcast all day, but I felt lucky we hadn’t had the forecasted rain, which then came in late afternoon. Thankfully it had finished before I needed to carry all my bags out to the car.
Mom Update:
Mom seemed tired when I arrived. I think yesterday’s activity took a lot out of her. ( more back here )
P!ATD Drabble: Mismatched Magic
Jun. 28th, 2025 09:59 amkat_lair***
Title: Mismatched Magic
Author:kat_lair
Fandom: Bandom, Panic! At The Disco
Pairing: Ryan/Spencer
Tags: Drabble, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Witches, Familiars, Best Friends, Fluff
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: For a witch with a cat familiar, Ryan does a lot of water magic.
Author notes: Prompt = the title. This is a little snippet in the Magic In The Making series.
Mismatched Magic on AO3
( Mismatched Magic )
***
Title: Mismatched Magic
Author:
kat_lair Fandom: Bandom, Panic! At The Disco
Pairing: Ryan/Spencer
Tags: Drabble, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Witches, Familiars, Best Friends, Fluff
Rating: G
Word count: 100
Summary: For a witch with a cat familiar, Ryan does a lot of water magic.
Author notes: Prompt = the title. This is a little snippet in the Magic In The Making series.
Mismatched Magic on AO3
( Mismatched Magic )
***
Philosophical Questions: Morals
Jun. 28th, 2025 01:34 amysabetwordsmithPeople have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?
If you want to hold all the money, you have to pay all the bills. If you don't want to pay all the bills, make sure other folks have enough money to pay their own.
Also, there is no Planet B. Climate change affects everyone -- but the people in wealthy countries who are causing it have thus far suffered less than people in poor countries who haven't caused it. If you don't make it feasible for them to stay in their own countries, they will leave so they don't die, and wash up in wealthy countries. This is already happening some, but you have seen nothing yet. It will be like the waves of the sea beating the shore, over and over again, until people think they would give anything to make it stop. And then it will stop. And then people will wish, just as desperately, to have that many people ever again as the losses pile up and there aren't enough hands left to hold up civilization.
Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?
If you want to hold all the money, you have to pay all the bills. If you don't want to pay all the bills, make sure other folks have enough money to pay their own.
Also, there is no Planet B. Climate change affects everyone -- but the people in wealthy countries who are causing it have thus far suffered less than people in poor countries who haven't caused it. If you don't make it feasible for them to stay in their own countries, they will leave so they don't die, and wash up in wealthy countries. This is already happening some, but you have seen nothing yet. It will be like the waves of the sea beating the shore, over and over again, until people think they would give anything to make it stop. And then it will stop. And then people will wish, just as desperately, to have that many people ever again as the losses pile up and there aren't enough hands left to hold up civilization.
Bingo
Jun. 27th, 2025 11:14 pmysabetwordsmithI have made bingo down the G column of my 6-2-15 card for the Pride Fest Bingo, plus 7 extra fills. That covers Row 5 also.
G1 (support) -- "Fatherhood Is Support" (standalone)
G2 (aroace) -- "Preparing Every Nook and Cranny" (Polychrome Heroics: Finn Family and Mallory)
G3 (found family) -- "Born and Found and Made" (standalone)
G4 ("I'd rather eat cake") -- "The Bond with a Dog" (Polychrome Heroics)
G5 (belonging) -- "Worthy of Love and Belonging" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)
B3 (activism) -- "The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior" (Monster House)
B5 (unlabeled) -- "Emodox" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
I3 (rainbow) -- "Along These Sympathetic Fibers" (Peculiar Obligations)
I5 (community) -- "When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed" (Clay of Life)
N1 (growth) -- "Tomato Seedlings in Tin Cans" (Daughters of the Apocalypse)
N5 (comfort) -- "All It Takes to Be Invulnerable" (Polychrome Heroics: Marionettes)
O5 (validation) -- "Choose to Be Gentle" (Arts and Crafts America)
G1 (support) -- "Fatherhood Is Support" (standalone)
G2 (aroace) -- "Preparing Every Nook and Cranny" (Polychrome Heroics: Finn Family and Mallory)
G3 (found family) -- "Born and Found and Made" (standalone)
G4 ("I'd rather eat cake") -- "The Bond with a Dog" (Polychrome Heroics)
G5 (belonging) -- "Worthy of Love and Belonging" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)
B3 (activism) -- "The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior" (Monster House)
B5 (unlabeled) -- "Emodox" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
I3 (rainbow) -- "Along These Sympathetic Fibers" (Peculiar Obligations)
I5 (community) -- "When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed" (Clay of Life)
N1 (growth) -- "Tomato Seedlings in Tin Cans" (Daughters of the Apocalypse)
N5 (comfort) -- "All It Takes to Be Invulnerable" (Polychrome Heroics: Marionettes)
O5 (validation) -- "Choose to Be Gentle" (Arts and Crafts America)
Poetry Fishbowl Report for June 3, 2025
Jun. 27th, 2025 04:14 pmysabetwordsmithOur theme this month was "Gentleness Is Strength." I wrote from 12:30 PM to 4 AM, so about 13 hours 30 minutes, allowing for lunch and supper breaks. I wrote 6 poems on Tuesday and another 5 later in the week.
Participation was variable, with 11 comments on LiveJournal and another 30 on Dreamwidth. A total of 10 people sent prompts.
Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"All It Takes to Be Invulnerable"
"The Bond with a Dog"
"Choose to Be Gentle"
"Emodox"
"The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior"
"When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed"
Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from June 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.
This session's donors include:librarygeek and janetmiles. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 3 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.
The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
Participation was variable, with 11 comments on LiveJournal and another 30 on Dreamwidth. A total of 10 people sent prompts.
Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"All It Takes to Be Invulnerable"
"The Bond with a Dog"
"Choose to Be Gentle"
"Emodox"
"The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior"
"When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed"
Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from June 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.
This session's donors include:
librarygeek and janetmiles. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 3 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
Birdfeeding
Jun. 27th, 2025 02:26 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy, muggy, and hot. It's been raining off and on.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming. :D