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Dec. 9th, 2025 06:07 am![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
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Many wonders are visible when flying over the Earth at night.
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Music: Nazdrave Ti
Dec. 8th, 2025 09:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soniaHere's another song we're singing this time, Nazdrave Ti, Chorbadžijo, "Cheers to You, Master of the House." This is a caroling song with a strong dance rhythm, and I took to it much more happily than Otče Naš. Koleda is the Bulgarian term for the Christmas season. And I love the design of this album cover!
Cheers to you, master of the house!
Oh, Koleda!
We sing to you, we praise God.
As much sand there is by the sea,
May you have as much grain in this house.
As much water there is in the sea,
May you have as much wine in your barrels.
As many leaves as there are in the forest,
May you have as many sheep in your pens.
Cheers to you, master of the house!
Oh, Koleda!
We sing to you, we praise God.
As much sand there is by the sea,
May you have as much grain in this house.
As much water there is in the sea,
May you have as much wine in your barrels.
As many leaves as there are in the forest,
May you have as many sheep in your pens.
paltry
Dec. 9th, 2025 12:00 ammerriamwebster_feedMerriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 9, 2025 is:
paltry • \PAWL-tree\ • adjective
Paltry is a formal word that can describe something that is very small or too small in amount, or something that has little meaning, importance, or worth.
// They're offering a paltry salary for the position.
// The professor announced they'd finally had enough of the students' paltry excuses for being late to class.
Examples:
"When the witty and wry English fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett interviewed Bill Gates for GQ in 1995, only 39% of Americans had access to a home computer. According to the Pew Research Center, the number who were connected to the internet was a paltry 14%." — Ed Simon, LitHub.com, 25 Nov. 2024
Did you know?
Before paltry was an adjective, it was a noun meaning trash. That now-obsolete noun came from palt or pelt, a dialect term referring to a piece of coarse cloth, or more broadly, to trash. The adjective paltry, which dates to the mid-16th century, originally described things considered worthless, or of very low quality, but it's gained a number of meanings over the centuries, none of which are complimentary. A paltry house might be neglected and unfit for occupancy; a paltry trick is a trick that is low-down and dirty; a paltry excuse is a poor one; and a paltry sum is small and insufficient.
Fujisawa 2025-Dec-08
Dec. 9th, 2025 10:53 ammindstalkSo, yesterday: I worried I'd gotten a germ after all, since I woke up with a slight sore throat and almost-congestion. There was an alternative explanation, "sleeping in a cold dry room", but who knows. I went out for a walk and ended up out for 3 hours, which suggests good health, though I was doing easy pace. ( Read more... )
But the soft and lovely silvers are now falling on my shoulder
Dec. 8th, 2025 07:29 pmsovayIt feels like cheating for the air to taste so much like the sharp tin tacks of snow when the sky is so clear that even through the white noise of the streetlights Cassiopeia comes in like pointillism and Polaris as bright as a planet. I saw none of the phi Cassiopeids, but the Geminids peak at the end of the week, with any luck on a night that cloudlessly doesn't make my teeth feel about to explode in my mouth. On that front, may I commend the attention of people in frozen boat fandom to this early twentieth century hand-painted stained glass window depicting Shackleton's Endurance? I spent my afternoon on the phone making sure of our health insurance in the bankrupt year to come: the customer service representative was a very nice science fiction person who agreed that it was time to reset this worldline on account of stupidity and for whom I apparently made a pleasant change from all the screaming and breaking down in tears, even more so than usual this year that never need have happened. I've been sent photographs of some really neat letters. Two cards arrived in the mail. My digital camera is showing further signs of deterioration, but a few evenings ago I caught one of those scratch-fired sunsets it's hard to wreck. I am aware of the collapses in the world, but I don't know what else to love.
Feeling rather whiny today (but what's new)
Dec. 8th, 2025 04:49 pmcatharsis_logsLove cyclic depression and anxiety. I'll have a period of time where I'm doing fairly well, and then I'll have a period of time where I'll think I'm a piece of shit and the world is ending and it's all my/our(humans) fault.
Almost done with the Foreigners series by C. J. Cherry. On the second book of the last trilogy (I don't own the most recent book yet) and having it be about building a rail through some different territory is feeling rather anti-climactic after everything that preceded it lmao.
I've been playing a lot of Caves of Qud and having quite a bit of fun with it. I think literally the only reason I've gotten as far as I have is the optional 'roleplay' setting which means you can check-point in settlements.
Tomorrow I need to go a lot of places. I need to pick up dog food (if they haven't sold it yet, I didn't get a call saying it was ready just that 'it would be in on Fri' and that was last month loool), get my T shot, drop off some library books, pick up some games, and pick up some of my sis' drugs.
I'm so tired. I think it's partly because my sleep schedule has been screwy. I've been going to bed around 5am every night, 4am if I'm lucky and coordinated, and the last couple days been waking around 3:30pm and today around 4pm. I don't like waking up just as the sun is going down. So I'm going to try to get to sleep 'early' tonight or at least before 5am. I've got to get it at least under enough control that waking up at 8am on Sat for the library book sale won't absolutely wreck me.
And I'm partly as tired as I am because I took what's become my monthly shower on Sat. I'm hoping to drag myself into the shower this Sat as well, so that it might not poop me as much as it has. The water heater betrayed me and ran out of hot water quite a bit before I wanted it to and needed it to, as I wasn't quite as clean as I would like. :/
Every so often I doubt being disabled but then remember that taking showers exhausts me enough that I don't do them more than once a month and it takes me like three days to recover. That I'll fall asleep on the couch like an old man if I've done too much. Grocery trips tire me out, watching TV/movies tires me out, interacting with people tires me out, almost everything exhausts me besides reading and (sometimes) playing (certain) games, or if it doesn't then I've had a month of not doing much of anything and everything else is balanced.
Almost done with the Foreigners series by C. J. Cherry. On the second book of the last trilogy (I don't own the most recent book yet) and having it be about building a rail through some different territory is feeling rather anti-climactic after everything that preceded it lmao.
I've been playing a lot of Caves of Qud and having quite a bit of fun with it. I think literally the only reason I've gotten as far as I have is the optional 'roleplay' setting which means you can check-point in settlements.
Tomorrow I need to go a lot of places. I need to pick up dog food (if they haven't sold it yet, I didn't get a call saying it was ready just that 'it would be in on Fri' and that was last month loool), get my T shot, drop off some library books, pick up some games, and pick up some of my sis' drugs.
I'm so tired. I think it's partly because my sleep schedule has been screwy. I've been going to bed around 5am every night, 4am if I'm lucky and coordinated, and the last couple days been waking around 3:30pm and today around 4pm. I don't like waking up just as the sun is going down. So I'm going to try to get to sleep 'early' tonight or at least before 5am. I've got to get it at least under enough control that waking up at 8am on Sat for the library book sale won't absolutely wreck me.
And I'm partly as tired as I am because I took what's become my monthly shower on Sat. I'm hoping to drag myself into the shower this Sat as well, so that it might not poop me as much as it has. The water heater betrayed me and ran out of hot water quite a bit before I wanted it to and needed it to, as I wasn't quite as clean as I would like. :/
Every so often I doubt being disabled but then remember that taking showers exhausts me enough that I don't do them more than once a month and it takes me like three days to recover. That I'll fall asleep on the couch like an old man if I've done too much. Grocery trips tire me out, watching TV/movies tires me out, interacting with people tires me out, almost everything exhausts me besides reading and (sometimes) playing (certain) games, or if it doesn't then I've had a month of not doing much of anything and everything else is balanced.
FIAB fics!
Dec. 8th, 2025 04:42 pmsnickfic![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ficinabox reveals have happened, and after being a post-deadline pinch hit (and then a post-post-deadline pinch hit...) and being a little nervous about it, I got some great things. :3 More recs to come once I get a chance to explore the rest of the collection.i said farewell (i meant don't go), Red Sonja (2025), Sonja/Petra, 7k. Petra survives the arena, goes traveling with Sonja after the end of the movie, and absolute does not pine or have any feelings about it (and then gets abducted by an eldritch cult, oh no). Jaded traumatized warrior women/young earnest warrior woman, what an excellent ship. :') The writing here is gorgeous, and the fic hits that good tropey goodness in a way that can be hard to find in femslash.
Probably readable canon-blind? If this sounds like your jam at all, I definitely recommend. This fandom is SO SMALL that the tag is unwrangled on AO3, and I worry that no one but me is going to find this fic and read it.
The Lonely Ones, Kyle Murchison Booth stories, Booth/Alexis Rigby pre-slash, 5k. One misterable stormy night, Alexis appears on Booth's doorstep, to their mutual surprise. This is the first fic for this ship longer than a drabble, and I am so delighted it exists. The writing is really delicate and lovely, and very careful, as it needs to be when writing Booth making new personal connections (whether he wants or not).
Reflections, Kyle Murchison Booth stories, Booth/Ratcliffe, 3k. Despite his best intentions, Ratcliffe loses touch with Booth and then starts to form some suspicions about why that might be. I love this premise of Booth being a kind of liminal being as well, which fits right in with some of the ways Monette treats time and setting in canon. A nice shippy little ghost(?) story.
how to rub your prostate
Dec. 8th, 2025 05:06 pmmellowtiggerThere's so much terrible stuff to discuss for Moody Monday, how about I try a different direction this week?
This YouTube video has almost too much joking around, but there is important biological and psychological information throughout. They discuss the many names involved in this topic: male g-spot, p-spot, prostate. Keep in mind that this video is very much not safe for work, not safe for the bus, not safe for most crowded environments. Listen at your own risk. I'll leave the link here with the title.
"How to rub your prostate?" (YouTube, 34 minutes)
I'm not sure how practically they answer the central question posed by the video title. It's a fascinating discussion, though, regardless of what preconceptions or history you bring to it yourself.
more IRA paperwork
Dec. 8th, 2025 05:45 pmredbirdI went out in the cold today, took a shuttle buses that was replacing the central part of the green line, and walked into a Fidelity office to get the medallion signature I need on the BNY form.
They provided the medallion for my signature, but the woman who handled that told me she thought I would need to redo the _Fidelity_ forms once BNY had transferred the funds, because the inherited IRA would need a brand-new account, not the one I created for the purpose a few weeks ago. Having printed and signed those forms, I asked her to keep them, in case they are usable. (She may have been thinking I'm trying to move the money into an account that already has money in it.)
She also said I do need to put the form with the medallion signature in the mail to BNY, Fidelity can't send it to them electronically. I brought the medallion-ized form home with me, but before I put it in the mail I'm going to scan it and upload the scan to the Fidelity website, in case the previous advisor is right and they can do this electronically.
So that will be another outing in the cold, to a post office, in the hope the letter gets to BNY in good season despite both Christmas packages and the Republican effort to destroy the postal service. Fortunately, there are post office branches at this end of the green line, the part that's still running trolleys.
ETA: I scanned the document, and just uploaded it to the Fidelity website, with a message explaining that I will be mailing the hardcopy to BNY tomorrow.
They provided the medallion for my signature, but the woman who handled that told me she thought I would need to redo the _Fidelity_ forms once BNY had transferred the funds, because the inherited IRA would need a brand-new account, not the one I created for the purpose a few weeks ago. Having printed and signed those forms, I asked her to keep them, in case they are usable. (She may have been thinking I'm trying to move the money into an account that already has money in it.)
She also said I do need to put the form with the medallion signature in the mail to BNY, Fidelity can't send it to them electronically. I brought the medallion-ized form home with me, but before I put it in the mail I'm going to scan it and upload the scan to the Fidelity website, in case the previous advisor is right and they can do this electronically.
So that will be another outing in the cold, to a post office, in the hope the letter gets to BNY in good season despite both Christmas packages and the Republican effort to destroy the postal service. Fortunately, there are post office branches at this end of the green line, the part that's still running trolleys.
ETA: I scanned the document, and just uploaded it to the Fidelity website, with a message explaining that I will be mailing the hardcopy to BNY tomorrow.
Just one thing: 09 December 2025
Dec. 8th, 2025 04:04 pmjazzyjj posting in awesomeersIt's challenge time!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!
Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!
Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Monday Word: Saturnine
Dec. 8th, 2025 04:17 pmstonepicnicking_okapi posting in 1word1daysaturnine [sat-er-nahyn]
adjective
1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
2. having a sardonic aspect
3. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
4. due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.
5. born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn
examples
1. But even in that calm gloom, my eyes slowly acclimated to the 14 grandly saturnine paintings, made by Mark Rothko in the late 1960s. New York Times. 21 Feb 2022. "At Mark Rothko's chapel, a composer is haunted by a hero."
2. For two years, she kept them dancing attendance on her--the fair-haired, athletic, good-looking Thord; the saturnine, intelligent, lion-hearted Olaf. "Pattern of Revenge" by John Bude.
origin
It comes ultimately from Sāturnus, name of the Roman god of agriculture, who was often depicted as a bent old man with a stern, sluggish, and sullen nature.
adjective
1. sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
2. having a sardonic aspect
3. suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
4. due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.
5. born under or influenced astrologically by the planet Saturn
examples
1. But even in that calm gloom, my eyes slowly acclimated to the 14 grandly saturnine paintings, made by Mark Rothko in the late 1960s. New York Times. 21 Feb 2022. "At Mark Rothko's chapel, a composer is haunted by a hero."
2. For two years, she kept them dancing attendance on her--the fair-haired, athletic, good-looking Thord; the saturnine, intelligent, lion-hearted Olaf. "Pattern of Revenge" by John Bude.
origin
It comes ultimately from Sāturnus, name of the Roman god of agriculture, who was often depicted as a bent old man with a stern, sluggish, and sullen nature.
(no subject)
Dec. 8th, 2025 01:15 pmgreghousesgfYesterday was interesting, my friend and I went over to Toronado and we had drinks and some good conversation, then her boyfriend (who I'm also friends with) joined us but when we went across the street to Memphis Minnie's they were closed for two weeks (DESPITE THEIR DAMN WEBSITE SAYING THEY WERE OPEN!) so we went to this other barbecue place which was open and their food was good but it was too crowded and the portions were too little. Then we hung out at this gamer place and had more drinks and played games, I'm not into video games but I played pool and Rick and Morty pinball. Then we went back to their place and hung out and watched TV and I bought my Dickens Faire ticket and I have to go back there tomorrow after PT to get my printed out ticket because I don't know jack about how to use a flash drive.
I'm sorry, but WTAF?!?
Dec. 8th, 2025 04:43 pmdavidgillonI haven't been able to bring myself to actually read the new US National Security Strategy, but according to reports the highlights from the European perspective appear to be:
Adoption of the White Supremacist "Great Replacement" conspiracy theory as official US Government policy.
The US must therefore divorce itself from Europe because some European states might become non-White* majority in the future. (I think the appropriate description for this triumph of logic is utterly barking, the EU states average 5-15% non-EU born citizens, and that includes Brits nowadays, the only exception is Liechtenstein, and that has a population of 40,000, plus the whole international banking and financial services hub thing going on).
Apparently the US has to protect Europe against 'civilizational erosion' by working to undermine the EU and further the Far Right, because protecting your population against racial hatred is contrary to the sacred principle of free speech.
Meanwhile, South of the Border, they're reinstating the Monroe Doctrine because apparently the South American states need an American guardian to tell them who they can have relations with.
As I said, I'm sorry, but WTAF?!?
* They don't actually say 'non-white', but they're fooling no one.
Busy Monday!
Dec. 9th, 2025 03:17 amtygerI went shopping with Mama this morning, as planned. Got Mama her present! Also got part of a present for my father, too, so that's a start! Still no idea what to get for Sibling though orz orz orz
And then this afternoon took Sushi to the vet! He REALLY didn't want to get into the carrier, and once we managed to get him in there he sulked the entire way there, through the vet visit, and back home. Sigh. SO DRAMATIC, SUSHI.
Anyway, turns out we were there a week early (I put down the wrong date on my calendar, whooops), but the vet saw him anyway - luckily there wasn't another appointment, or if there was they were running super late - and she's super happy with how he's healing! He's allowed to have the cone off for a bit, too, though not overnight yet. This pleases him omg. He apparently also groomed so much fur out of his coat Mama had to get the vacuum out! Which is! A lot!!! :O Bet he's feeling way better now!
I played a bunch of multiplayer Terraria when we got home, too, which was super fun! :3 Still getting our asses absolutely smashed in the expert mode game, heh. We beat Plantera in the standard mode game though! :D
Also! I think I will be getting a new raspi to replace the shitty laptop - the 500+ kit and the official portable screen are a little more expensive than a super cheap laptop, but much much shinier. And probably better made. You know. On the balance of things. :D Will talk to Mama about it tomorrow - will probably be partially paid for by them as a Christmas present - but feeling pretty secure in the decision right now. :3
Not the only one having those visions, Margaret....
Dec. 8th, 2025 03:34 pmoursinMargaret Atwood seems to be claiming some kind of unusual prescience for herself when writing The Handmaid's Tale:
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, Atwood said she believed the plot was “bonkers” when she first developed the concept for the novel because the US was the “democratic ideal” at the time.
Me personally, I can remember that the work reading group discussed it round about the time it first came out - and I remarked that it was getting a lot of credit for ideas which I had been coming across in feminist sff for several years....
I think the idea of a fundamentalist, patriarchal, misogynist backlash was pretty much in people's minds?
I've just checked a few dates.
At least one of the potential futures in Marge Piercy's Woman on the Edge of Time (1976).
Margaret O'Donnell's The Beehive (1980) .
Suzette Haden Elgin's Native Tongue (1984) and sequels.
Various short stories.
Various works by Sheri Tepper.
I'm probably missing a lot.
And assorted works in which there was an enclave or resistance cell of women embedded in a masculinist society.
I honestly don't think a nightmare which was swirling around at the time is something that can be claimed as woah, weird, how did I ever come up with that?
I'm a bit beswozzled by the idea that in the early-mid 80s the USA was a shining city on a hill, because I remember reviewing a couple of books on abortion in US post-Roe, and it was a grim story of the erosion of reproductive rights and defensive rearguard actions to protect a legal right which could mean very little in practice once the 1977 Hyde Amendment removed federal funding, and an increasingly aggressive anti-choice movement.