Recent Reading

Jul. 26th, 2025 12:38 pm
landingtree: Small person examining bottlecap (Default)
[personal profile] landingtree
This was going to be titled 'Books [personal profile] ambyr gave me edition' only then I kept reading more books beyond these first two.

The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai.

I had a lot to say about this but that was two weeks ago. It's very good. It's a dual time-period novel about AIDS. In the eighties, Yale is seeing friends die around him, taking refuge in his monogamous gay relationship when that lifestyle choice has gone from 'a bit unusual in this community' to 'possibly a matter of life and death,' and trying to handle a tangled bequest of what may be incredibly valuable art for the gallery where he works. In the 2000s, Fiona, family to the first man we see die back in the eighties strand, is grown up and trying to track down her daughter, who fell out of contact in circumstances relating to a cult. Hanging over the book, notably undiscussed as the 2000s strand proceeds, is: who is dead by the time of the present? How did the events of the eighties play into what's happening later? The two time periods let the book be about AIDS as a disaster that happened, but also as a disaster that kept happening, and kept on having happened; and the plot brings in the political malice of American AIDS education and healthcare, and is about the way history never sits still, and how AIDS took a vibrant room full of people and swept it empty - but never quite empty. It's a book full of tension-questions about what the ending will be, since very quickly it's clear that nothing resembling a conventional happy ending is going to be possible but also that the book will balance its tragedies to a bearable degree. I was happy with all its choices. (I mean, not happy. But.)


Merchanter's Luck, by C.J. Cherryh

I have read Cyteen and it was amazing and I bought more Cherryh books and proceeded to not read them. Later, unrelatedly, I read Rider at the Gate and it was a slog but in a 'we will enjoy having gone in this hike in the rain' kind of way. But this I just found gripping and involving. I've already got the sequel on order at the library.

Sandor is a marginer, running small freight cargos in his beloved spaceship Lucy, absolutely not within the fringes of the law but pretending to be. His life is small wagers, and small profits, and talking his way out of anything, and knowing that everything he has could be taken away from him at the snap of a port official's fingers. He has no choice but to be constantly prudent. And then, in a bar, he sees a beautiful woman who is entirely out of his social class and potentially dangerous even to interact with, and something in him goes, 'Well I have to be living for some reason, don't I?'

Allison is senior crew on the starship Dublin, one of the great merchanter Names, and... I won't actually summarize why she has any interest in Sandor at all, because her point of view chapters start a bit later and it's fun to be as lost as Sandor is initially, but despite being structured around eyes meeting across a crowded room, this book isn't necessarily or exactly a romance, so much as about two people who each discover that the other may represent both opportunity and risk.

I want to compare this to Bujold - mostly to sell it to members of my family who like Bujold and have bounced off Cherryh, it is true. And because it's space opera with jumpship logistics. But also because it's about characters with very intense emotional situations generated by well-realised economic situations, in which being Vor having a Name matters deeply. This book is bleak at points but much less so than Cyteen, or for that matter, Mirror Dance.


After Merchanter's Luck, I tried to go back to reading The City In Glass, a Nghi Vo novel that I've started and expect I will like. Except I'd already felt as though the mundane world of her Gatsby retelling was anchoring the supernatural in a way I liked, while The City In Glass is much more wall-to-wall numinous magical touches. I think I'll like this, but I did turn from Cherryh feeling strongly as though I didn't want to read about demons doing magic, I wanted to read about uncomfortable humans solving logistical problems in spaceships.


Shroud, by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

From [personal profile] rachelmanija's rec. This was great! A+ uncomfortable humans solving logistical problems in spaceships. For fans of creative alien biomes being encountered by humans who would love to know if anything's going to eat them in the next ten minutes. A corporate-dystopia-ish human expansion fleet discovers a noxious moon which seems to be screaming on all available radio bands, and the reason seems to be 'aliens.' There is no light on the moon of Shroud, and the atmosphere is very weird, and no one in their right minds would plan a piloted mission to the surface instead of just using drones, but some of the higher-ups in the company do not share this perspective, which is part of how our protagonists find themselves very unhappy. And something on Shroud may be trying to understand them with just as much interest as they're trying to understand Shroud.

I had read the first of Tchaikovsky's Shadows of the Apt books and gone 'yeah this is okay.' I actively disliked And Put Away Childish Things, his Narnia novella. But no one had ever told me those books were good, and lots of people have told me that lots of his other books were good, so I kept going, and he really does seem to be a hydra of a writer: if you don't like one of his books, by the time you've finished reading it he's already written two more that are totally different.

(Literal-insect count: low but non-zero. Things-kinda-like-insects count: fairly high.)


And then having finished Shroud last night, confronted with a whole interesting pile of library reserves, I ignored them all and read the first half of The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro. After the prologue I thought 'I cannot bear to read very much of this staid, formal butler narration in one go, I'll break my streak of reading only one book at a time and alternate this with something else.' Then I read the next half of the staid formal butler novel in one go. It gets rather compelling. I sort of already knew the main things this book was doing, since the friend who leant it to me described a pivotal scene very near the end and then saying 'Oh, I guess I shouldn't have enthused about that part.' It is a novel about someone who has made his own life and perspective achingly narrow - and why he did that, and what it's caused. It is also energetic and funny. (There's a sequence where the butler narrator has been tasked with telling a young man about the birds and the bees, except he keeps approaching the subject with such subtlety and decorum that the young man thinks he is literally just a nature enthusiast.) A book that lives or dies on its voice and seems to be living.

friday

Jul. 25th, 2025 08:47 pm
summersgate: (Default)
[personal profile] summersgate
DSC_0264.jpg
Snake Eyes.

DSC_5814.jpg
I've been keeping busy with washing and packing up the clothes for goodwill that Hazel didn't want anymore. I've condensed 10 big black garbage bags of stuff into smaller sized white bags of the good stuff by being very ruthless. This picture is of a sash that was on a pink and black satin dress. The dress couldn't be saved but I cut this beaded part off before I threw it in the garbage.

I'm watching an Italian series called Everything Calls for Salvation (2024) on netflix - dubbed. It's pretty good. About a young guy who ends up in a psych ward. The characters are interesting.
rebeccmeister: (Default)
[personal profile] rebeccmeister
I went to the Ace Hardware in downtown Berkeley. This particular one has a fairly extensive model train supply section. That meant it also had a wide selection of types of model paints. I'd been trying to track down multiple options for paint-marking leafcutter ants, because our most recent attempts with Testors did not seem to go very well (although it seemed to work fine on the queens a year ago!).

I got as far as figuring out that the other main paint type I've used in the past was laquer-based, rather than being enamel-based, like Testors. But the original brand of laquer-based paint is no longer available.

In that kind of situation, there's nothing else quite like being able to walk up to a display of different model paint types and then use one's eyeballs to identify an alternate available lacquer paint that still exists!

I'm not going to try and take containers of lacquer paint back with me to New York.

But I *am* going to try and bring back a kitchen scale of the type I was interested in obtaining anyway. That was also available for sale in person at that hardware store. And a very random (but inexpensive) set of bamboo toast tongs.

It feels like something of a luxury to be able to find these little things, that are the RIGHT little things.

(no subject)

Jul. 25th, 2025 08:18 pm
flemmings: (Default)
[personal profile] flemmings
Severe thunderstorm warning last night-- hail, rainfall, etc etc-- led me to leave the green bin out on the front path in hopes it would wash the insides. Did wonder if the linden's branches would get in the way, but if we were going to have torrential downpours that shouldn't prove a problem. Dunno if we had torrential downpours because the AC unit and fan together blotted out the sound of rain, but this morning the green bin was quite as sticky as ever. Shall have to boil up some water and try that instead.

I can normally drink tap water no problem, but my water  bottle makes it taste funny no matter how often I disinfect the bottle with boiling water and scrub it with a bottle brush. Started using tumblers instead, water still tasted off, so maybe summer is affecting the pipes. Bought a Brita unit, followed all the instructions, and-- the water still tastes funny. Absolutely will not buy bottled stuff but may start boiling my drinking water instead.

So I did miss the Ontario cherries, so sad. Fiesta has bags and bags of luscious dark cherries but they come from Washington state. A boycott is a boycott, even if a state is blue, so... no cherries for me. Have apricots instead.

Shark Week memes 6

NSFW Jul. 25th, 2025 07:14 pm
enchanted_jae: (LOL)
[personal profile] enchanted_jae
( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

Write Every Day: Day 25

Jul. 25th, 2025 05:01 pm
sanguinity: (writing - semicolon)
[personal profile] sanguinity
Intro/FAQ
Days 1-15

My check-in: Wrote and published a drabble, thereby achieving baby's first B-I-N-G-O, hurrah!

Day 25: [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] sanguinity

Day 24: [personal profile] badly_knitted, [personal profile] brithistorian, [personal profile] callmesandyk, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] cornerofmadness, [personal profile] glinda, [personal profile] goddess47, [personal profile] luzula, [personal profile] sanguinity, [personal profile] sylvanwitch, [personal profile] trobadora, [personal profile] yasaman

Expandmore days )

When you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
cyberghostface: (Doom)
[personal profile] cyberghostface posting in [community profile] scans_daily

 

Marvel’s first family got their MCU debut. What did you think about it?

In my opinion it’s an upper-tier superhero film; the highlight was the retro-futuristic setting which made the film feel unique and timeless. 

Hot today

Jul. 28th, 2025 10:18 am
conuly: (Default)
[personal profile] conuly
Not as hot as the Primaries, god that was hellish, but still plenty hot.

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


ExpandRead more... )

Starvation Falls

Jul. 25th, 2025 05:36 pm
yourlibrarian: Small Green Waterfall (NAT-Waterfall-niki_vakita)
[personal profile] yourlibrarian posting in [community profile] common_nature


Our last waterfall of the trip, Starvation Falls. Smaller than the others with a little creek running down near the parking lot.

ExpandRead more... )
bluerosekatie: 3D render of a Bionicle character wearing a purple mask. (Default)
[personal profile] bluerosekatie posting in [community profile] smallfandomfest
Title: can't you let me stay dry?
Author: bluerosekatie
Fandom: Bionicle - All Media Types
Pairing/Characters: Hewkii/Macku
Rating/Category: Gen, Het
Prompt: Bionicle - All Media Types, Hewkii/Macku, Swimming Lessons
Spoilers: N/A
Summary: Macku tries teaching Hewkii to float.
Notes/Warnings: Archive-locked to avoid AI scraping.

Read it on AO3 here!
cvirtue: CV in front of museum (Default)
[personal profile] cvirtue

I'm bringing together a couple of related things here.

First is the essay linked below. It addresses a frustration I have inside my own head -- how can regressive/evil politics be fought against when much of it is presented in a slick and appealing format? When it seems the loudest proponents are outright lying, they know it, but pretend otherwise?
Fighting on that ground is against my religion! We must treat bad faith as disqualifying.

How Liberalism Sabotages Itself Our intentional blindness to bad faith is a loophole fascists use to gain respectability and power. -- Brian Beutler

CV summary: You can't win a discussion with people who view deception as fair means to their political ends. Liberal freedoms are merely loopholes to exploit in their pursuit of power.

Quote: "means-to-an-end-style of bad faith in discourse is endemic on the right—not just among ascendant fascists—and has been for a long time. ... Estelle lays out the method plainly: Rightists appeal to whomever they can with whatever false commitments they intend to break, knowing that, once delivered to power, they will pull the rug."

https://www.offmessage.net/p/how-liberalism-sabotages-itself

The related second idea is in the graphic below. Here is the text (which of course I corrected punctuation, because I can't not do that.)

The paradox is: should you be tolerant of people who are IN-tolerant? The people who are jerks will insist you tolerate them.

thoughtportal wrote:

The Paradox of Tolerance disappears if you look at tolerance, not as a moral standard, but as a social contract.

If someone does not abide by the terms of the contract, then they are not covered by it.

In other words: The intolerant are not following the rules of the social contract of mutual tolerance.

Since they have broken the terms of the contract, they are no longer covered by the contract, and their intolerance should NOT be tolerated.

commasameleon replied: As someone who teaches rhetoric this is a wonderful response to the Paradox of Tolerance. I cannot tell you how many times my students have had debates about this. This is the response. This does indeed fix it. I cannot wait to tell this to my classes now. Philosophically and rhetorically, this completely resolves the Paradox of Tolerance and I am floored by its simplicity, and I am angry I never saw it before!

2025 Candidate Q&A and Chat Round Up

Jul. 25th, 2025 03:27 pm
[syndicated profile] ao3_news_feed

Organization for Transformative Works: Election News

The election season is in full swing! As part of the election season, we have a chat with our candidates coming up soon. You can also find links to the candidates' answers to your questions at the bottom of this post.

Chats

There will be one public chat with all three candidates that will last 90 minutes. Chats will take place in our public chatroom (Discord).
It is scheduled for:

During this chat, chat attendees will have the opportunity to ask the candidates questions not already covered in their platforms, bios, and Q&A, as well as to ask individual questions of specific candidates. New questions will only be accepted for the first hour of the scheduled chat time to make sure candidates have time to finish them all.

We hope that you can join us for this chat!

Please note that though the link to the public chatroom is already active, chatting capabilities will not be enabled until approximately half an hour before the chat begins.

Read on to learn more about using Discord.

  • On the login page, you'll need to provide a screen name.
  • Once you enter the server, you'll find a list of users on the right and a list of chat rooms on the left. Settings are available via the gear icon on the lower left, near your screen name; there you can choose, among other options, whether you prefer a dark or light chat room appearance.
  • There are three rooms available to chat attendees who are not candidates or Elections Committee volunteers: general, candidate_chats, and open_chat.
    • General is where you'll find a list of rules for the chats. Please read through these carefully before entering the other two rooms.
    • Candidate_chats is where the candidates will answer questions and debate amongst themselves. Only the candidates and moderator will be able to chat in this room.
    • Open_chat is where all attendees can participate and talk to each other. We ask that you try to stay on topics related to the election. A moderator will be in the room, so if you have a question for the candidates, you can signal the moderator with o/, the candidate's name, and the question. Use o// if it's a follow-up question to the current discussion.

Q&A

When we posted the Board candidates’ bios and platforms, we asked the public to submit additional questions for them. Once again, our sincere thanks to everyone who did so! We have already posted candidate answers to Q&A questions.

To navigate answers by individual candidate, please use the links below:


The Organization for Transformative Works is the non-profit parent organization of multiple projects including Archive of Our Own, Fanlore, Open Doors, Transformative Works and Cultures, and OTW Legal Advocacy. We are a fan-run, entirely donor-supported organization staffed by volunteers. Find out more about us on our website.

Many

Jul. 25th, 2025 01:35 pm
offcntr: (can do)
[personal profile] offcntr
Realized as I was firing the glaze kiln yesterday that it was my fifth firing of 2025--that's somewhere in the vicinity of 1500 individual pots since new years (plus about sixty left over for my next firing).

No wonder I'm so tired.

Here are a few samples from the last glazing cycle:






Familect phrases

Jul. 25th, 2025 11:04 am
petra: Barbara Gordon smiling knowingly (Default)
[personal profile] petra
I love hearing about the phrases people have incorporated into their family dialect (familect) that require explanation.

Here are some examples from around my house:

A "fuzzy" is a polar fleece jacket. (source: unknown)

Cat food comes in two varieties: gooshy (wet) and crunchy (dry). (source: Two Lumps webcomic)

"Bloop bloop?" means "Would you care to engage in sexual intercourse with me?" (source: a Tumblr post from someone who heard elk mating calls, parsed them as 'bloop bloop,' and started using the noise with their partner for the purpose, which cracked us up)

"One day... when you least expect it..." means, "I am contemplating taking you to bed." We almost never say the "I WILL HAVE SEX WITH YOU!" bit. (source: the second linked George Takei PSA)

The cat, as is the way of cats, has a zillion nicknames, including "Bunny," "[The] Fur," "Miss Fuzzbutt," and "Catface." T. S. Eliot violently underestimated the number of names my cats tend to accumulate, and none of the options are effin' ineffable. (reference: not how he officially spelled it but what we all heard)

Bad Sex BINGO + Keep Fandom Weird

Jul. 25th, 2025 01:01 pm
sanguinity: woodcut by M.C. Escher, "Snakes" (Default)
[personal profile] sanguinity
It took me yonks, mostly because I got stuck on my fifth fill (did it want to be a drabble or a full-length fic? I have scrapped SO MANY WORDS trying to figure that out), but behold! I have achieved a Bad Sex BINGO!

ExpandBad Sex Bingo card )

Behold the fills! Three drabbles, one double-drabble, and a 221B:


I would also like to direct your attention to a delightful podvid inspired by the Bert/Ernie drabble: Ernie Bangs Bert's Big Bass Drum, by [archiveofourown.org profile] ks_reads.




Happily, I completed Bad Sex Bingo just in time for me to receive my bingo card for Keep Fandom Weird:

ExpandKeep Fandom Weird bingo card )

Some of those seem substantially less weird than others ("Epistolary" has far too venerable a literary history to qualify as "weird", imo), but there are nevertheless some fun possibilities there.

*...tents fingers evilly as I contemplate subjecting my characters to some terrible indignities...*

Profile

which_chick: (Default)
which_chick

July 2025

S M T W T F S
  12345
6789101112
131415 16171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

Expand All Cut TagsCollapse All Cut Tags
Page generated Jul. 26th, 2025 01:53 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios