Friday Five
Jul. 10th, 2026 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
days_unfoldingOkay, I'll bite.
1. What would you do right now, if money were not an issue?
Retire. Buy a house in Hawaii and a house in the Italian Lake District.
2. What would you do for the next three years, if money were not an issue?
Travel, travel, travel. I travel more than most people, but I would travel more.
3. What is bringing you the most joy right now that requires little or no money?
This is hard. Most of my "joy" items require money. Singing doesn't have to require money, but I spend money on singing lessons. Maybe sitting in my yard with the dogs. It's very relaxing. And reading doesn't require a lot of money.
4. What types of things do you find enjoyable that require no money?
See above. And writing poetry.
5. Is there anything you've been meaning to do for a long time, but put off because of money?
Retire.
1. What would you do right now, if money were not an issue?
Retire. Buy a house in Hawaii and a house in the Italian Lake District.
2. What would you do for the next three years, if money were not an issue?
Travel, travel, travel. I travel more than most people, but I would travel more.
3. What is bringing you the most joy right now that requires little or no money?
This is hard. Most of my "joy" items require money. Singing doesn't have to require money, but I spend money on singing lessons. Maybe sitting in my yard with the dogs. It's very relaxing. And reading doesn't require a lot of money.
4. What types of things do you find enjoyable that require no money?
See above. And writing poetry.
5. Is there anything you've been meaning to do for a long time, but put off because of money?
Retire.
I'm reading a fanfic where
Jul. 12th, 2026 10:46 amconulyso many people are expressing concern that our beloved 11 year old talks about how much he enjoys cooking and - okay, yes, we all know he has an abused child backstory, but they don't know that! 11 years old is a perfectly reasonable age to know how to cook, or to enjoy it as a hobby! Lots of kids that age can cook and bake!
It's deeply annoying. The writer clearly is making some assumptions there, and I do not like that assumption.
************************************************
( Read more... )
It's deeply annoying. The writer clearly is making some assumptions there, and I do not like that assumption.
( Read more... )
Singing Day
Jul. 10th, 2026 10:00 pmdays_unfoldingWoke up at 8:40 AM. I put clothes on the heated drying rack. I found my “I listen to dead people” classical music t-shirt the other day, so I’m going to wear it this weekend with my new black jeans. I ordered more black socks because mine disappear. (Bella? She got into a package of new navy socks the other day.)
Hmm. Now the forecasters are saying storms tomorrow, but not on Sunday, so I’ll do inside tasks tomorrow.
Lily is snoozing in the bathroom. It seems to be her room along with the upstairs. But it’s cooler down here.
Made a vet appointment for Gracie for shots. And left a message for the garage guy asking when he’s going to do my driveway.
I’m running a monster script on my laptop for work. It’s probably going to take longer than the end of the work day, so I’ll have to leave my computer on. I’ve been watching it long enough to determine that it’s working.
It’s pouring out. Bella came in. I was trying to get Gracie in, but she didn’t want to come in yet. I might try again. A very wet Gracie came in.
I got my trellis, and it is small. Sigh. I need another one. Okay, I ordered another one. I got it from Home Depot rather than Lowe’s because of free delivery. Lowe’s wanted $79 to deliver one! (I’ve been trying to shop at Lowe’s for political reasons, but money.)
Oh crap. A funnel cloud was sighted near Normal, which is NW of us for a fairly long distance, but still, I’ll keep an eye out for tornado warnings.
I read an interesting article in the Washington Post about people who smoke a lot of marijuana suddenly vomiting and having abdominal pain. They think that it’s like an allergy developing. Well, I threw up more often than not the few times that I smoked marijuana, so maybe I had a sort of allergy to it? (I smoked it only a few times because getting ill was not fun.) My reactions were not as extreme as the ones in the article though. Some of those people were throwing up for weeks.
Singing went well, though I felt wrung out after I sang the Habenera (Carmen). It’s a long piece. I felt “done,” but my teacher then had me sing “When I am laid in earth” (Purcell) after, and I made it through. She thinks that I know the Purcell piece pretty well, so we should start a new one. I said that it was up to her, and she asked me if I liked Italian (yes!) or Baroque music (yes! I told her that Bach was my favorite composer), so she’s going to send me some pieces from which to pick.
Oh, and Bella burst into the room while I was singing. I asked her what she was doing in there because it’s the cats’ room (Zara particularly), and I escorted her out. (My digital piano and laptop are in there for singing lessons and piano class.)
It’s kind of cozy in here. It’s raining out, and the dogs are curled up at my feet.
Had to charge my phone. I don’t know why it’s running out of juice so early. Oh, it’s because I didn’t nap at lunchtime and charge my phone while I sleep. Must remember to bring a charging brick with me to Europe. It’s in my travel case for chargers.
It’s tricky to figure out clothes for my trip. Paris averages between 71F/22C and 51F/11C in September. Venice will be warmer, Vienna about the same as Paris, Istanbul warmer, Prague cooler, and Budapest about the same as Paris. I guess that I’ll bring some short-sleeved and some long-sleeved shirts. And I’m bringing blazers and a trench coat. I found a travel adapter that will work for the countries on my list, but I need to wait to get paid again to order it.
The script for work timed out, so I copied the last items that went through, and I’ll modify the input file and start it again on Monday.
Hmm. I was going to go to bed, but I’m getting my second wind at 10 PM as per usual. I still think that I should go to sleep and sleep in though.
Hmm. Now the forecasters are saying storms tomorrow, but not on Sunday, so I’ll do inside tasks tomorrow.
Lily is snoozing in the bathroom. It seems to be her room along with the upstairs. But it’s cooler down here.
Made a vet appointment for Gracie for shots. And left a message for the garage guy asking when he’s going to do my driveway.
I’m running a monster script on my laptop for work. It’s probably going to take longer than the end of the work day, so I’ll have to leave my computer on. I’ve been watching it long enough to determine that it’s working.
It’s pouring out. Bella came in. I was trying to get Gracie in, but she didn’t want to come in yet. I might try again. A very wet Gracie came in.
I got my trellis, and it is small. Sigh. I need another one. Okay, I ordered another one. I got it from Home Depot rather than Lowe’s because of free delivery. Lowe’s wanted $79 to deliver one! (I’ve been trying to shop at Lowe’s for political reasons, but money.)
Oh crap. A funnel cloud was sighted near Normal, which is NW of us for a fairly long distance, but still, I’ll keep an eye out for tornado warnings.
I read an interesting article in the Washington Post about people who smoke a lot of marijuana suddenly vomiting and having abdominal pain. They think that it’s like an allergy developing. Well, I threw up more often than not the few times that I smoked marijuana, so maybe I had a sort of allergy to it? (I smoked it only a few times because getting ill was not fun.) My reactions were not as extreme as the ones in the article though. Some of those people were throwing up for weeks.
Singing went well, though I felt wrung out after I sang the Habenera (Carmen). It’s a long piece. I felt “done,” but my teacher then had me sing “When I am laid in earth” (Purcell) after, and I made it through. She thinks that I know the Purcell piece pretty well, so we should start a new one. I said that it was up to her, and she asked me if I liked Italian (yes!) or Baroque music (yes! I told her that Bach was my favorite composer), so she’s going to send me some pieces from which to pick.
Oh, and Bella burst into the room while I was singing. I asked her what she was doing in there because it’s the cats’ room (Zara particularly), and I escorted her out. (My digital piano and laptop are in there for singing lessons and piano class.)
It’s kind of cozy in here. It’s raining out, and the dogs are curled up at my feet.
Had to charge my phone. I don’t know why it’s running out of juice so early. Oh, it’s because I didn’t nap at lunchtime and charge my phone while I sleep. Must remember to bring a charging brick with me to Europe. It’s in my travel case for chargers.
It’s tricky to figure out clothes for my trip. Paris averages between 71F/22C and 51F/11C in September. Venice will be warmer, Vienna about the same as Paris, Istanbul warmer, Prague cooler, and Budapest about the same as Paris. I guess that I’ll bring some short-sleeved and some long-sleeved shirts. And I’m bringing blazers and a trench coat. I found a travel adapter that will work for the countries on my list, but I need to wait to get paid again to order it.
The script for work timed out, so I copied the last items that went through, and I’ll modify the input file and start it again on Monday.
Hmm. I was going to go to bed, but I’m getting my second wind at 10 PM as per usual. I still think that I should go to sleep and sleep in though.
[ SECRET POST #7126 ]
Jul. 10th, 2026 05:58 pmcase posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #7126 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #1017.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
check in day 10
Jul. 10th, 2026 08:09 pmlilly_c posting in writethisfanficSorry I missed most of the week, ended up with a lot more hours at work and have crashed as soon as I've got home. Also is anyone free for week 2 at all?
How is the writing going?
*let's pretend the poll creator is working...*
today I:
~wrote
~edited
~posted
~sent to beta
~researched
~planned
~had a break
~dealt with life
Discussion: what are you working on this weekend?
How is the writing going?
*let's pretend the poll creator is working...*
today I:
~wrote
~edited
~posted
~sent to beta
~researched
~planned
~had a break
~dealt with life
Discussion: what are you working on this weekend?
Puzzle: Sushi!
Jul. 10th, 2026 06:45 amstonepicnicking_okapiThis is a 500 piece from Puzzlebug that I began on July 4th and finished yesterday. I do NOT recommend this brand. It really is a poorly constructed puzzle. One bump of the knee and your work is undone! This happened many times to me which is one reason it took so long. Really, the lock of pieces is absurdly flimsy. Also those pink bits all look alike, which contributed to the difficulty. And the pieces are only of two types, which wasn't very fun. I bought it at the yard sale to raise money for the Music Boosters at Minor's high school and paid 50 cents so that was about right.
Five or possibly 15 or 20 favorite fics
Jul. 9th, 2026 10:19 pmsholioI was tagged on Tumblr on a "5 favorite fics you've written" meme and - while I don't do these all that often - decided to do this one and ended up cramming at least 15 in there and could EASILY have done more.
So I figured I'd copy it over here. (On a side note, it turns out that Tumblr's HTML editor generates "clean" HTML; I thought I was going to have to paste into the rich text editor on DW to avoid having to recode all the links, but the results were - urgh - and then I switched the tumblr post into HTML to copy that out, and it worked perfectly.)
( An ever-expanding cornucopia of favorites )
DW really doesn't have the "tag people into a meme" culture of Tumblr and similar sites, but feel free to get it spreading around DW as well if you think it looks fun!
So I figured I'd copy it over here. (On a side note, it turns out that Tumblr's HTML editor generates "clean" HTML; I thought I was going to have to paste into the rich text editor on DW to avoid having to recode all the links, but the results were - urgh - and then I switched the tumblr post into HTML to copy that out, and it worked perfectly.)
( An ever-expanding cornucopia of favorites )
DW really doesn't have the "tag people into a meme" culture of Tumblr and similar sites, but feel free to get it spreading around DW as well if you think it looks fun!
1/2 Sick Day
Jul. 9th, 2026 09:14 pmdays_unfoldingI forgot to mention yesterday that Gracie was nose-to-nose with Oliver, and she didn’t bug him (though she was barking at him later). Gracie seems to be maturing. Yay.
I tried turning on the washer. It worked, so something is wrong with the dryer. I want to pull the washer and dryer out to make sure that the dryer is plugged in. (It would be really annoying to pay a service charge only to have them tell me that the dryer is unplugged!)Otherwise, I’ll get it fixed. I need to get some more laundry baskets to get the clothes off of the washer and dryer, and Dollar Tree has them.
I’m still feeling a little sick. I’m trying to decide whether to call in sick to work and my dental appointment. Done—I’m going back to bed. I did screw up though. I’m “on call,” which means to assign a working group to tickets, and I forgot to tell my backup that I was out. She was nice about it though.
I’m wondering if dehydration is causing my stomach issues. I’ll try to chug water.
Good. No rain predicted on the weekend so far, so I can get yard work done.
I’m back at work in the afternoon. The people at my job tend to take ½ sick days and try to log in in the afternoon, so I do too. I’ve had lunch and feel better.
Therapy went okay, but I logged on a little late because I was working on a program and lost track of time. We’re going to up my frequency of sessions because a friend might be staying with me, and she wants to help me work out any issues. She’s also sending me a link to a book called “Unfuck Your Boundaries”.
Worked on the kitchen.
I haven’t been mentioning that I might have a friend stay with me because I didn’t want to put pressure on her. But we had a long talk tonight, and I think that this is going to work. She wants to store some stuff at my place, so I need to measure the part of my basement that doesn’t have stuff in it and let her know how much space I have available.
I think that I’ll go to bed early though (famous last words) to sleep off the ick that I’ve been having.
I tried turning on the washer. It worked, so something is wrong with the dryer. I want to pull the washer and dryer out to make sure that the dryer is plugged in. (It would be really annoying to pay a service charge only to have them tell me that the dryer is unplugged!)Otherwise, I’ll get it fixed. I need to get some more laundry baskets to get the clothes off of the washer and dryer, and Dollar Tree has them.
I’m still feeling a little sick. I’m trying to decide whether to call in sick to work and my dental appointment. Done—I’m going back to bed. I did screw up though. I’m “on call,” which means to assign a working group to tickets, and I forgot to tell my backup that I was out. She was nice about it though.
I’m wondering if dehydration is causing my stomach issues. I’ll try to chug water.
Good. No rain predicted on the weekend so far, so I can get yard work done.
I’m back at work in the afternoon. The people at my job tend to take ½ sick days and try to log in in the afternoon, so I do too. I’ve had lunch and feel better.
Therapy went okay, but I logged on a little late because I was working on a program and lost track of time. We’re going to up my frequency of sessions because a friend might be staying with me, and she wants to help me work out any issues. She’s also sending me a link to a book called “Unfuck Your Boundaries”.
Worked on the kitchen.
I haven’t been mentioning that I might have a friend stay with me because I didn’t want to put pressure on her. But we had a long talk tonight, and I think that this is going to work. She wants to store some stuff at my place, so I need to measure the part of my basement that doesn’t have stuff in it and let her know how much space I have available.
I think that I’ll go to bed early though (famous last words) to sleep off the ick that I’ve been having.
Werewolves, Witches, and Vampires, oh my!
Jul. 9th, 2026 08:04 pmflareonfury posting in fandom_iconsThe below icons were made for itsabattlefield Supernatural battle. Entry count was only 20, but... I'm me, and I have a bunch of extras... What can I say? I love me some werewolves, vampires & witches ;D
[20] Being Human (US & UK)
[03] She-Wolf of London
[02] Sabrina the Teenage Witch
[07] Grimm
[01] Moonlight
[02] Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PREVIEW
werewolves, witches, and vampires....
itsabattlefield Supernatural battle. Entry count was only 20, but... I'm me, and I have a bunch of extras... What can I say? I love me some werewolves, vampires & witches ;D[20] Being Human (US & UK)
[03] She-Wolf of London
[02] Sabrina the Teenage Witch
[07] Grimm
[01] Moonlight
[02] Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PREVIEW
werewolves, witches, and vampires....
[ SECRET POST #7125 ]
Jul. 9th, 2026 06:01 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #7125 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 08 secrets from Secret Submission Post #1017.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Happy ARMY day!
Jul. 9th, 2026 04:32 pmstonepicnicking_okapiBorahae to all the ARMY out there! 9 July is the day the BTS fandom was created (26 days after BTS debuted). And instead of a BTS clip, here's a clip of the Chilean ARMY in the streets a few days ago protesting the government's statement that the concerts (3 shows already sold out) were not confirmed yet and that the platform used by BTS were in danger of hurting the turf of the stadium and that the show would have to be moved to another venue.
It sounds like a shakedown for a bribe by the government. I hope they back down and approve the concert in the designated field and that ARMYs who have tickets go and enjoy. But see them protest peacefully. And ARMYs around the world stand with you!
It sounds like a shakedown for a bribe by the government. I hope they back down and approve the concert in the designated field and that ARMYs who have tickets go and enjoy. But see them protest peacefully. And ARMYs around the world stand with you!
Thursday Word: Crypsis
Jul. 9th, 2026 10:42 ambethctg posting in 1word1daycrypsis (noun)
cryp·sis
• The ability of an organism to conceal itself especially from a predator by having a color, pattern, and shape that allows it to blend into the surrounding environment
etymology: 1956; cryp(tic) + -sis, or borrowed from Greek krýpsis "hiding, concealment," from kryp- (stem of krýptein "to hide, conceal") + -sis -sis
Crypsis in action!
from Wikipedia entry
cryp·sis
• The ability of an organism to conceal itself especially from a predator by having a color, pattern, and shape that allows it to blend into the surrounding environment
etymology: 1956; cryp(tic) + -sis, or borrowed from Greek krýpsis "hiding, concealment," from kryp- (stem of krýptein "to hide, conceal") + -sis -sis
Crypsis in action!
from Wikipedia entry
Poet's Corner: Onions by William Matthews
Jul. 9th, 2026 06:47 amstonepicnicking_okapiOnions By William Matthews
How easily happiness begins by
dicing onions. A lump of sweet butter
slithers and swirls across the floor
of the sauté pan, especially if its
errant path crosses a tiny slick
of olive oil. Then a tumble of onions.
This could mean soup or risotto
or chutney (from the Sanskrit
chatni, to lick). Slowly the onions
go limp and then nacreous
and then what cookbooks call clear,
though if they were eyes you could see
( Read more... )
How easily happiness begins by
dicing onions. A lump of sweet butter
slithers and swirls across the floor
of the sauté pan, especially if its
errant path crosses a tiny slick
of olive oil. Then a tumble of onions.
This could mean soup or risotto
or chutney (from the Sanskrit
chatni, to lick). Slowly the onions
go limp and then nacreous
and then what cookbooks call clear,
though if they were eyes you could see
( Read more... )
"Ethels" Lunch
Jul. 8th, 2026 10:07 pmdays_unfoldingWoke up at 8 AM. Oliver scratched up my leg because he was on my lap and I tried to get him off, and he slipped. Sigh.
There was a flurry of activity when I started work because of a problem with some Web pages that I posted. I fixed them.
I went out to lunch with the AARP-affliated women’s group. It was nice, but I had to leave early to get back to work, so I felt a little like I had just got there. I told them that I’ll try to get to more of their lunches. My stomach is upset now though (I don’t think that it was the food, but my IBS), but I can’t leave work to lie down when I just got back from lunch.
Oh! I discovered that there is a Le Peep restaurant in Champaign. It’s a really good breakfast chain that I thought was only in the Chicago area. I’ll have to go there soon. It’ll be a little sad though because I used to go to Le Peep with my mom.
My stomach is still kind of wacky. I thought about going to piano class, but I think that I’ll lie down instead. I tried eating something to see if it helps. Couldn’t sleep; my brain was whirring about the things that I needed to do. Oliver was snuggling with me though.
I checked to see if the dryer was plugged in because it isn’t turning on. It seems to be, but it’s hard to tell because the dryer vent is in the way. I’ll have to get someone in to look at it, but I need to check the circuit breaker box first. Meanwhile, I have the heated drying rack.
Got the recycling out. Two full bins and some boxes. The forecasters are predicting rain late in the morning, but I’m hoping that the recycling people will get the boxes before then.
Fed us all. My stomach is still upset despite the food. I need to get to bed soon to settle my stomach, and I need to shower before work because of a dentist’s appointment.
There was a flurry of activity when I started work because of a problem with some Web pages that I posted. I fixed them.
I went out to lunch with the AARP-affliated women’s group. It was nice, but I had to leave early to get back to work, so I felt a little like I had just got there. I told them that I’ll try to get to more of their lunches. My stomach is upset now though (I don’t think that it was the food, but my IBS), but I can’t leave work to lie down when I just got back from lunch.
Oh! I discovered that there is a Le Peep restaurant in Champaign. It’s a really good breakfast chain that I thought was only in the Chicago area. I’ll have to go there soon. It’ll be a little sad though because I used to go to Le Peep with my mom.
My stomach is still kind of wacky. I thought about going to piano class, but I think that I’ll lie down instead. I tried eating something to see if it helps. Couldn’t sleep; my brain was whirring about the things that I needed to do. Oliver was snuggling with me though.
I checked to see if the dryer was plugged in because it isn’t turning on. It seems to be, but it’s hard to tell because the dryer vent is in the way. I’ll have to get someone in to look at it, but I need to check the circuit breaker box first. Meanwhile, I have the heated drying rack.
Got the recycling out. Two full bins and some boxes. The forecasters are predicting rain late in the morning, but I’m hoping that the recycling people will get the boxes before then.
Fed us all. My stomach is still upset despite the food. I need to get to bed soon to settle my stomach, and I need to shower before work because of a dentist’s appointment.
[ SECRET POST #7124 ]
Jul. 8th, 2026 06:21 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #7124 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 16 secrets from Secret Submission Post #1017.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
August Ask Me Anything
Jul. 8th, 2026 09:55 pmadoreI'm enjoying this meme my DW friends are doing (matsushima and blackcatofmisery off the top of my head) so I'll be doing it too, for the month of August! How it works is, you pick a day and ask a question in the comments of this post. I'll answer it with a post on that day. I'm curious about what y'all are curious about.
1matsushima: Do you like your name? If you were to choose a new name, what would it be and why?
2matsushima: What book(s) made you want to be a writer?
3china_shop: How did you come to start watching Kdramas, and what do you like most about them?
4radiokomorebi: How does your average day go by lately? How do you schedule your work and other activities (and make sure you stick to it or improvise) and decide on rest days?
5soricel: How do you define cozy literature, and what draws you to it?
6 7 8
9yarnofariadne: Do you have any writing rituals?
10
11diaryoflife: What is your fav show (tv/Netflix/YT/whatever, interpret how you want) and what is your ritual for watching it?
12 13 14 15
16blackcatofmisery: Is there a creature, real or imagined, that you feel you identify with somehow?
17blackcatofmisery: Going a more fantastic route from the 16th: Is there a real or imagined creature's ability/behavior that you wish you could have?
18diaryoflife: What is your fav icon and why do you like it?
19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26
27kat_lair: If money and practicalities weren't a consideration, what kind of pet would you like?
28kat_lair: What's your favourite (or one of them) fanfic trope to read and/or write?
29kat_lair: Share a happy childhood memory
30
31radiokomorebi: What's your favourite poem you wrote?
matsushima and blackcatofmisery off the top of my head) so I'll be doing it too, for the month of August! How it works is, you pick a day and ask a question in the comments of this post. I'll answer it with a post on that day. I'm curious about what y'all are curious about.1
matsushima: Do you like your name? If you were to choose a new name, what would it be and why?2
matsushima: What book(s) made you want to be a writer? 3
china_shop: How did you come to start watching Kdramas, and what do you like most about them? 4
radiokomorebi: How does your average day go by lately? How do you schedule your work and other activities (and make sure you stick to it or improvise) and decide on rest days? 5
soricel: How do you define cozy literature, and what draws you to it? 6 7 8
9
yarnofariadne: Do you have any writing rituals? 10
11
diaryoflife: What is your fav show (tv/Netflix/YT/whatever, interpret how you want) and what is your ritual for watching it? 12 13 14 15
16
blackcatofmisery: Is there a creature, real or imagined, that you feel you identify with somehow? 17
blackcatofmisery: Going a more fantastic route from the 16th: Is there a real or imagined creature's ability/behavior that you wish you could have? 18
diaryoflife: What is your fav icon and why do you like it?19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26
27
kat_lair: If money and practicalities weren't a consideration, what kind of pet would you like? 28
kat_lair: What's your favourite (or one of them) fanfic trope to read and/or write? 29
kat_lair: Share a happy childhood memory30
31
radiokomorebi: What's your favourite poem you wrote?On a less morose note, here's a verbatim quote from /r/whatsthatbook:
Jul. 10th, 2026 11:26 amconulyThis has to have been an EARLY scifi novel. 80s- to early 00s at the latest.
********************
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
I suppose she has a point...
Jul. 8th, 2026 07:12 ammed_catEighty-year-olds shouldn’t get divorced
Better the silver fox you know than the large pack with mange beyond your garden gate
(title and subtitle of a recent article in The Telegraph)
Word: Lathi
Jul. 8th, 2026 06:45 amstonepicnicking_okapiWednesday's word is...
...lathi
a heavy stick often of bamboo bound with iron used in India as a weapon especially by police (as in dispersing a crowd or quelling a riot)
...which I came across in the DW book club book Midnight at Malabar House:
And then independence had happened, and Seth --a tear-gas-and-lathi-charge officer, a man who had toed the British line, believing his duty to his uniform to supersede his duty to the cause of his countrymen-- had fallen from favour.
...lathi
a heavy stick often of bamboo bound with iron used in India as a weapon especially by police (as in dispersing a crowd or quelling a riot)
...which I came across in the DW book club book Midnight at Malabar House:
And then independence had happened, and Seth --a tear-gas-and-lathi-charge officer, a man who had toed the British line, believing his duty to his uniform to supersede his duty to the cause of his countrymen-- had fallen from favour.
Tuesday word: Doff
Jul. 7th, 2026 09:34 pmsimplyn2deep posting in 1word1dayTuesday, July 7, 2026
Doff (verb, noun)
doff [dof, dawf]
verb (used with object), doffs, doffed, doffing
1. to remove or take off, as clothing.
2. to remove or tip (the hat), as in greeting.
3. to throw off; get rid of: Doff your stupid ideas and join our side!
4. Textiles.
a. to strip (carded fiber) from a carding machine.
b. to remove (full bobbins, material, etc.) from a textile machine.
noun
5. Textiles.
a. the act of removing bobbins, material, etc., and stripping fibers from a textile machine.
b. the material so doffed.
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: 1300–50; Middle English, contraction of do off; cf. don
Example Sentences
"Long before the civil wars, men and boys were expected to doff their hats, indoors or out, whenever they met a superior," he says.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
The sellout crowd, which had long been on its feet, continuing cheering, eventually drawing Kershaw back out onto the field to doff his cap in appreciation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025
When they arrive, there is a ceremonial greeting, where the Lords doff their black bicorn hats and the Commons representatives acknowledge this by bowing.
From BBC • May 25, 2024
“Courage Hats” wants a little too forcefully to guide us into “deep” places where we will doff our hidey-hats to reveal our true selves — abstract concepts for the literalizing peewee set.
From New York Times • May 20, 2022
We were required to doff our hats as the warder walked by.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Doff (verb, noun)
doff [dof, dawf]
verb (used with object), doffs, doffed, doffing
1. to remove or take off, as clothing.
2. to remove or tip (the hat), as in greeting.
3. to throw off; get rid of: Doff your stupid ideas and join our side!
4. Textiles.
a. to strip (carded fiber) from a carding machine.
b. to remove (full bobbins, material, etc.) from a textile machine.
noun
5. Textiles.
a. the act of removing bobbins, material, etc., and stripping fibers from a textile machine.
b. the material so doffed.
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: 1300–50; Middle English, contraction of do off; cf. don
Example Sentences
"Long before the civil wars, men and boys were expected to doff their hats, indoors or out, whenever they met a superior," he says.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
The sellout crowd, which had long been on its feet, continuing cheering, eventually drawing Kershaw back out onto the field to doff his cap in appreciation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025
When they arrive, there is a ceremonial greeting, where the Lords doff their black bicorn hats and the Commons representatives acknowledge this by bowing.
From BBC • May 25, 2024
“Courage Hats” wants a little too forcefully to guide us into “deep” places where we will doff our hidey-hats to reveal our true selves — abstract concepts for the literalizing peewee set.
From New York Times • May 20, 2022
We were required to doff our hats as the warder walked by.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
a list of cats I see around
Jul. 8th, 2026 03:25 amsilverflight8I apparently live in a place where there are are a lot of indoor/outdoor cats. I'm not quite sure why I see so many cats. I guess there are just a lot of people with indoor/outdoor cats here (oof - mixed feelings). I live in an apartment with no yard (the building itself occupies the yard) but since I live on the second floor, I look out over multiple neighbours' yards. I love this. I look at my yard constantly when I am home. First thing in the morning, all day if I work from home, with my desk set up so I look out, one last time before bed - primarily for birding and just general enjoyment of the outdoors but, increasingly in the last few months, also for cats. I guess I am outside all the time because I walk to and from the train station, I bird all the time, plus I play ingress, I get groceries on foot, etc. Also okay yes I do randomly pspsps on the street sometimes. I see so many that my friend suggested I start a bingo of cats.
Here is a list:
Calico cat, mostly white with scattered orange and tabby spots - Jenny - very friendly, learned her name via tag and also a poster on the street
Big plush grey cat - no idea, often plopped in the yard now
Big fluffy orange cat - probably lives down the street - this cat I have seen for the longest but have no idea who he is
Small white cat with tabby on head & raccoon tail - Luna, owned by the convenience store
White-and-orange, orange saddle - Noisy
Fluffy tabby-and-white, very thin with age, now deceased - Sarah (learned her name bc she only hung out right by her home and I actually talked to the humans who lived there on occasion). She lived till 18!!! but I miss her and when I pass by her place I still reflexively look for her under the bush she liked. I petted her so many times because she would trot to the pavement and let you admire her.
Fluffy large black cat - probably lives near park
Tabby with white paws and white sliver on back - new, I only started seeing them a week or two ago
Dilute tortie/calico - new within a few months, don't know name
This is Jenny:
This picture is so cute I could die
This is how I learned Noisy's name, though I actually saw Noisy after the poster was put up:
But yeah a few days ago I went to get groceries and as I was walking by I distinctly saw Noisy disappear into someone's yard.
Then there are the cats in windows:
Ollie & Luna, the asymmetric and symmetric tuxies in the window (also learned from talking to the neighbour)
A nondynamic duo of a tortie and a tabby tuxie, always sleeping in a bed in the window
White-and-orange shorthair cat, plopped in the window
I have no conclusion for this entry. CATS. (Please keep your cat indoors!)
Here is a list:
Calico cat, mostly white with scattered orange and tabby spots - Jenny - very friendly, learned her name via tag and also a poster on the street
Big plush grey cat - no idea, often plopped in the yard now
Big fluffy orange cat - probably lives down the street - this cat I have seen for the longest but have no idea who he is
Small white cat with tabby on head & raccoon tail - Luna, owned by the convenience store
White-and-orange, orange saddle - Noisy
Fluffy tabby-and-white, very thin with age, now deceased - Sarah (learned her name bc she only hung out right by her home and I actually talked to the humans who lived there on occasion). She lived till 18!!! but I miss her and when I pass by her place I still reflexively look for her under the bush she liked. I petted her so many times because she would trot to the pavement and let you admire her.
Fluffy large black cat - probably lives near park
Tabby with white paws and white sliver on back - new, I only started seeing them a week or two ago
Dilute tortie/calico - new within a few months, don't know name
This is Jenny:
This picture is so cute I could die
This is how I learned Noisy's name, though I actually saw Noisy after the poster was put up:
But yeah a few days ago I went to get groceries and as I was walking by I distinctly saw Noisy disappear into someone's yard.
Then there are the cats in windows:
Ollie & Luna, the asymmetric and symmetric tuxies in the window (also learned from talking to the neighbour)
A nondynamic duo of a tortie and a tabby tuxie, always sleeping in a bed in the window
White-and-orange shorthair cat, plopped in the window
I have no conclusion for this entry. CATS. (Please keep your cat indoors!)
Productive Day
Jul. 7th, 2026 10:24 pmdays_unfoldingThe money did post to my account, so I submitted a grocery order. (That’s why I was staying up late. I wanted the order to come tomorrow morning.)
Overslept until 9:30 AM. Got my groceries, so yay. The dogs are outside. The cats want food, so I need to soak their dishes.
I finished one major task at work. Go me :)
I’m still having IBS symptoms. Ugh.
I made an appointment with the weight management people with whom I need to consult to get my insurance to cover the meds. It’s not until the 23rd (?) though. (It’s on my calendar.)
This is a productive day. I got a lot done at work. Then I went out and did some mowing. Now I need to get the garbage out (done—I even cleaned out the refrigerator. It needs serious scrubbing though).
I received my hiking poles.
Fed everyone except Zara. (Zara’s dish is soaking. I wash the dish before filling it again.)
I need to get to bed at a decent hour because I need to shower before work because I’m meeting the local AARP ladies for lunch.
Overslept until 9:30 AM. Got my groceries, so yay. The dogs are outside. The cats want food, so I need to soak their dishes.
I finished one major task at work. Go me :)
I’m still having IBS symptoms. Ugh.
I made an appointment with the weight management people with whom I need to consult to get my insurance to cover the meds. It’s not until the 23rd (?) though. (It’s on my calendar.)
This is a productive day. I got a lot done at work. Then I went out and did some mowing. Now I need to get the garbage out (done—I even cleaned out the refrigerator. It needs serious scrubbing though).
I received my hiking poles.
Fed everyone except Zara. (Zara’s dish is soaking. I wash the dish before filling it again.)
I need to get to bed at a decent hour because I need to shower before work because I’m meeting the local AARP ladies for lunch.
[ SECRET POST #7123 ]
Jul. 7th, 2026 05:40 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #7123 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 24 secrets from Secret Submission Post #1017.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
Spent the last two nights at the hospital with a resident
Jul. 9th, 2026 12:30 pmconulyShe's fine, no worries - well, not fine fine, she's at the hospital, but it's nothing to worry about.
Taking the bus back from the hospital always gets me thinking about Hurricane Sandy. They named a corner after those two boys. They'd be in high school now, or even entering college. It's easy to judge their mother - and don't get me wrong, I do judge her, because she made every possible mistake from before the storm even hit, starting with not evacuating - but people do dumb stuff all the time and it usually works out just fine. People don't usually die because they did something stupid, they don't usually lose their kids over it.
It's been rainy too. It's really just a maudlin way to start a week.
But I still think, every time I take that bus from the hospital, that those kids should've gotten to grow up, and instead they didn't even get to go trick-or-treating that year.
The moral of this post, inasmuch as there even is one, is that if your area is under an evacuation order, or ought to be, fucking evacuate. Or if you've decided to shelter in place, shelter in place. Don't try to evacuate after the storm is already upon you. That's how it all goes wrong.
Taking the bus back from the hospital always gets me thinking about Hurricane Sandy. They named a corner after those two boys. They'd be in high school now, or even entering college. It's easy to judge their mother - and don't get me wrong, I do judge her, because she made every possible mistake from before the storm even hit, starting with not evacuating - but people do dumb stuff all the time and it usually works out just fine. People don't usually die because they did something stupid, they don't usually lose their kids over it.
It's been rainy too. It's really just a maudlin way to start a week.
But I still think, every time I take that bus from the hospital, that those kids should've gotten to grow up, and instead they didn't even get to go trick-or-treating that year.
The moral of this post, inasmuch as there even is one, is that if your area is under an evacuation order, or ought to be, fucking evacuate. Or if you've decided to shelter in place, shelter in place. Don't try to evacuate after the storm is already upon you. That's how it all goes wrong.
Views & News
Jul. 7th, 2026 07:10 amstonepicnicking_okapi1. Lovely happy mail from Tucson from oldtoadwoman!
2. Gosh, I love Murderbot. I listened to Platform Decay (I am not going to return it. I am going to play it over and over until the library seizes it back. Sorry, next person in queue). How much I love this series always affirms my place on the ace spectrum and gives me hope that a compelling story can be told without a romantic component.
3. The DW book club book selected was Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan so join us at https://bookclub-dw.dreamwidth.org/ on 31 July for discussion. I have started it and am enjoying it.
4. I have 2 jigsaws going. My Inspector Rebus one and a small sushi board one that is very fiddly and is taking much longer than anticipated.
5. Minor ran a 10k on July 4th and placed 2nd in his age group (under 19) and won $20 (!!!). Cash prize! I am proud of him.
6. US out of the World Cup. My boys' father's favorite, Brazil, is also out. But he is still enjoying it.
7. I am going to set the weekend for trying to see if I can make my own BTS photocard to give out at the concert in August. If you've ever made your own photocards, PLEASE let me know any tips or resources. I got a book on Canva and I'm going to go to the Makerspace at the library to see if they have any ideas.
8. New client tomorrow. *cross fingers*
I'm late for work!
oldtoadwoman!2. Gosh, I love Murderbot. I listened to Platform Decay (I am not going to return it. I am going to play it over and over until the library seizes it back. Sorry, next person in queue). How much I love this series always affirms my place on the ace spectrum and gives me hope that a compelling story can be told without a romantic component.
3. The DW book club book selected was Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan so join us at https://bookclub-dw.dreamwidth.org/ on 31 July for discussion. I have started it and am enjoying it.
4. I have 2 jigsaws going. My Inspector Rebus one and a small sushi board one that is very fiddly and is taking much longer than anticipated.
5. Minor ran a 10k on July 4th and placed 2nd in his age group (under 19) and won $20 (!!!). Cash prize! I am proud of him.
6. US out of the World Cup. My boys' father's favorite, Brazil, is also out. But he is still enjoying it.
7. I am going to set the weekend for trying to see if I can make my own BTS photocard to give out at the concert in August. If you've ever made your own photocards, PLEASE let me know any tips or resources. I got a book on Canva and I'm going to go to the Makerspace at the library to see if they have any ideas.
8. New client tomorrow. *cross fingers*
I'm late for work!
Raining, raining, raining...
Jul. 7th, 2026 09:53 pmconulybut at least it's cooled down!
(I always picture all this rain after a heat wave like somebody reaching up and literally wringing out the damp air.)
********************************
( Read more... )
(I always picture all this rain after a heat wave like somebody reaching up and literally wringing out the damp air.)
( Read more... )
Nice Weather Day
Jul. 6th, 2026 10:12 pmdays_unfoldingI overslept until 8:30 AM.
I screwed up at work. Sigh. I hate my brain sometimes. I want to retire. I got some good work done later though.
The weather is back to normal (for summer). The dogs are spending the day outside, running around and barking.
Yesterday on Facebook, I saw an ad for dolls that you can make to learn to crochet. I don’t have time for it now, but I saved the Web page. Maybe when I retire….
Napped, but someone banged on my door. I saw an Amazon envelope, but that’s it. That wasn’t worth a knock.
I have to jump in the shower after work because I need to water the plants, and I can’t do that in my pajamas. Work, yes.
The dogs, surprisingly, came in when I went out to water. I sat outside for a little. I received the new Orthofeet walking shoes and the new cleaning stuff, which is timely. Now everyone is fed except for Zara and me (done).
I’ve been having some IBS symptoms, so I think that I want to go to bed soon, but I also want to stay up until midnight to see if a money transfer has posted. So I guess that I’m not going to bed soon. I have plenty to do.
I screwed up at work. Sigh. I hate my brain sometimes. I want to retire. I got some good work done later though.
The weather is back to normal (for summer). The dogs are spending the day outside, running around and barking.
Yesterday on Facebook, I saw an ad for dolls that you can make to learn to crochet. I don’t have time for it now, but I saved the Web page. Maybe when I retire….
Napped, but someone banged on my door. I saw an Amazon envelope, but that’s it. That wasn’t worth a knock.
I have to jump in the shower after work because I need to water the plants, and I can’t do that in my pajamas. Work, yes.
The dogs, surprisingly, came in when I went out to water. I sat outside for a little. I received the new Orthofeet walking shoes and the new cleaning stuff, which is timely. Now everyone is fed except for Zara and me (done).
I’ve been having some IBS symptoms, so I think that I want to go to bed soon, but I also want to stay up until midnight to see if a money transfer has posted. So I guess that I’m not going to bed soon. I have plenty to do.
Writing software/word processors pt.2
Jul. 7th, 2026 07:50 amadoreI talked previously about a new online writing software/word processor called Skrib. I have since tried it out. What I liked about it was the search function, being able to toggle between documents from the sidebar, and having the planning/brainstorming board right there alongside my draft. However, I decided it's not for me based on a suggested edits feature that will literally give you suggestions for what to do with your sentences. Skrib purports to be anti-Gen AI and granted, the editorial suggestions feature isn't generating sentences. But telling you what you can do with your sentences comes too close and makes me uncomfortable. I know people use Grammarly or ProWritingAid for the same thing, but I personally don't like it. And it's not useful to me. My editing process is very gut-checky and vibes-based.
So I'm going to stick to Ellipsus. They've recently introduced a premium plan on top of their free one. Their free plan is great: I can have all the projects/documents I want and sync them to the cloud automatically, which covers the basics for me. And I can use timers, focus mode, and add collaborators. The premium plan introduces custom themes and something opt-in called 'emboss' which is like your writing fingerprint (it shows how many sessions you wrote the document in, typing speed, and other stuff meant to show you wrote it yourself, without using AI checkers). I'm irritated that our writing tools now are having to help writers prove they didn't use AI.
So I'm going to stick to Ellipsus. They've recently introduced a premium plan on top of their free one. Their free plan is great: I can have all the projects/documents I want and sync them to the cloud automatically, which covers the basics for me. And I can use timers, focus mode, and add collaborators. The premium plan introduces custom themes and something opt-in called 'emboss' which is like your writing fingerprint (it shows how many sessions you wrote the document in, typing speed, and other stuff meant to show you wrote it yourself, without using AI checkers). I'm irritated that our writing tools now are having to help writers prove they didn't use AI.
A poem by Sergey Plotov
Jul. 6th, 2026 08:19 pmmed_catЯ недавно беседу имел с котом,
Так как кот в настроении был как раз.
Он сказал, что нет никакого «потом» —
Лишь «сейчас и здесь», только «здесь и сейчас».
I recently had a conversation with a cat,
Because the cat happened to feel like talking.
He said that there is no "afterwards",
There's only "now and here", only "here and now".
Что коты эту мудрость знают давно:
Если ты спокоен, весь мир — эскорт,
Что прекрасно просто смотреть в окно,
Что в коробках тайна, а в миске корм.
He said that cats have known this wisdom for a long time:
If you're calm, the entire world is your escort,
That it's fine to simply look out the window,
That there's mystery in boxes, and food in the bowl.
Хочешь есть — поешь. Хочешь спать — ложись.
Одолеют мысли — лицо умой.
А девятая жизнь — лишь девятая жизнь,
Что-то вроде пятой или седьмой.
If you're hungry, eat. If you're sleepy, go to bed.
If thoughts are plaguing you, wash your face.
And the ninth life is simply the ninth life,
Rather similar to a fifth or a seventh life.
— Но потом — я воскликнул — потом-то смерть!..
Кот зевнул, небрежно махнул хвостом,
И сказал, живота умывая мех:
Ты забыл, что нет никакого «потом».
"But afterwards," I exclaimed, "afterwards--there'll be death!..."
The cat yawned, negligently waved his tail,
And said, washing the fur on his belly,
"You've forgotten that there's no such thing as 'afterwards'."
Сергей Плотов
Sergey Plotov
Так как кот в настроении был как раз.
Он сказал, что нет никакого «потом» —
Лишь «сейчас и здесь», только «здесь и сейчас».
I recently had a conversation with a cat,
Because the cat happened to feel like talking.
He said that there is no "afterwards",
There's only "now and here", only "here and now".
Что коты эту мудрость знают давно:
Если ты спокоен, весь мир — эскорт,
Что прекрасно просто смотреть в окно,
Что в коробках тайна, а в миске корм.
He said that cats have known this wisdom for a long time:
If you're calm, the entire world is your escort,
That it's fine to simply look out the window,
That there's mystery in boxes, and food in the bowl.
Хочешь есть — поешь. Хочешь спать — ложись.
Одолеют мысли — лицо умой.
А девятая жизнь — лишь девятая жизнь,
Что-то вроде пятой или седьмой.
If you're hungry, eat. If you're sleepy, go to bed.
If thoughts are plaguing you, wash your face.
And the ninth life is simply the ninth life,
Rather similar to a fifth or a seventh life.
— Но потом — я воскликнул — потом-то смерть!..
Кот зевнул, небрежно махнул хвостом,
И сказал, живота умывая мех:
Ты забыл, что нет никакого «потом».
"But afterwards," I exclaimed, "afterwards--there'll be death!..."
The cat yawned, negligently waved his tail,
And said, washing the fur on his belly,
"You've forgotten that there's no such thing as 'afterwards'."
Сергей Плотов
Sergey Plotov
[ SECRET POST #7122 ]
Jul. 6th, 2026 06:18 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #7122 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 32 secrets from Secret Submission Post #1017.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
check in day 6
Jul. 6th, 2026 09:57 pmlilly_c posting in writethisfanficHow is the writing going?
Discussion: how do you handle your first fic in a fandom?
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6
today I
View Answers
wrote
4 (66.7%)
edited
2 (33.3%)
posted
0 (0.0%)
sent to beta
0 (0.0%)
researched
1 (16.7%)
planned
1 (16.7%)
had a break
1 (16.7%)
dealt with life
1 (16.7%)
Discussion: how do you handle your first fic in a fandom?
The editor is your friend
Jul. 6th, 2026 09:34 pmjulesjones It occurred to me after the recent binge on Blake's 7 fanac that I should Do Something about getting more of my old zine-published fic online, this being a project that was brought to an abrupt halt a dozen years ago by one of the many unpleasant ways in which my body has failed me. So at the weekend I went looking for the old files, hoping that I would actually find them in a usable format because the earliest ones date back to Lotus AmiPro, never mind Lotus WorPro.
It turned out I did have the submission file of the very first fanfic I ever wrote, and it was a .txt file. I read it. I thought, "Why on earth didwatervole publish this?" The answer, of course, is that she didn't. The .txt file is what I initially sent her as a submission. What appeared in the zine is the version I sent her after she'd explained how to improve it.
Unfortunately I can't find the file for the published version (and will have to beg her to see if she still has it on an ancient machine or mailspool somewhere). And I am *not* going to put the first draft out in public. There is a reason why Dolphin Dreams is dedicated to her and to my editor at Loose Id, Raven McKnight. As I said there, editors are good people. They make your stories better.
It turned out I did have the submission file of the very first fanfic I ever wrote, and it was a .txt file. I read it. I thought, "Why on earth did
watervole publish this?" The answer, of course, is that she didn't. The .txt file is what I initially sent her as a submission. What appeared in the zine is the version I sent her after she'd explained how to improve it.Unfortunately I can't find the file for the published version (and will have to beg her to see if she still has it on an ancient machine or mailspool somewhere). And I am *not* going to put the first draft out in public. There is a reason why Dolphin Dreams is dedicated to her and to my editor at Loose Id, Raven McKnight. As I said there, editors are good people. They make your stories better.
Vienna Teng: My 4th of July Post
Jul. 6th, 2026 08:16 amlabingiA bit belated, here's a repost of my Substack post extolling Vienna Teng:
I’ve been sinking into Vienna Teng’s song cycle, “We Got You,” and drawing daily strength from it. The cycle is made up of two core songs, “Spark” and “Comfort,” both centered on the theme “we got you.” In “Spark,” the words are used in the sense of “You inspire us. You are our ally.” In “Comfort,” the sense is “We’ll keep you from falling.” Together, the songs describe the two necessary faces of activism or any movement committed to transformation despite the risk: we need strength and we need refuge.
She, then, combines the two songs into one track, encapsulating the totality of this kind of struggle. I highly recommend listening to all three and, if you like them, buying them: Teng deeply deserves the financial recognition for what she’s given us.
(See the rest and links to videos of her songs on my Substack.)
I’ve been sinking into Vienna Teng’s song cycle, “We Got You,” and drawing daily strength from it. The cycle is made up of two core songs, “Spark” and “Comfort,” both centered on the theme “we got you.” In “Spark,” the words are used in the sense of “You inspire us. You are our ally.” In “Comfort,” the sense is “We’ll keep you from falling.” Together, the songs describe the two necessary faces of activism or any movement committed to transformation despite the risk: we need strength and we need refuge.
She, then, combines the two songs into one track, encapsulating the totality of this kind of struggle. I highly recommend listening to all three and, if you like them, buying them: Teng deeply deserves the financial recognition for what she’s given us.
(See the rest and links to videos of her songs on my Substack.)
Music Monday: Tomorrow by BTS
Jul. 6th, 2026 06:58 amstonepicnicking_okapiA reminder to me that there's always something new in fandom. BTS is on their world tour, in the European leg, now in London after performances in Brussels and Madrid, and their set list includes a space for two songs (different for every performance) from their discography. The second performance in Brussels this was one of the songs which is new to me, but I learned was one of the first that SUGA produced. Here's a performance of it from 2017 and we get Mint Hair!SUGA, which, as every ARMY knows, is the best SUGA.