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Thursday, 29 May 2025 08:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aurumcalendulaI'm kinda excited that The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System is getting deluxe hardcovers!
When I was looking at where it can be preordered, I discovered that Hudson Booksellers has functional listing for the deluxe boxset and a 20% off coupon (plus free USPS shipping over $55).
When I was looking at where it can be preordered, I discovered that Hudson Booksellers has functional listing for the deluxe boxset and a 20% off coupon (plus free USPS shipping over $55).
in the Pitt
Thursday, 29 May 2025 04:40 amcalimacOn my trip, I did something I hadn't done in over fifty years. I attended a major league baseball game. The home team Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1, so everybody enjoyed themselves.
The game was an optional add-on for attendees of the wedding, the day before the ceremony, and I figured it would be a good occasion to socialize with my fellow guests. It was also a glimpse into a world I rarely see.
Not having a smartphone to load my ticket onto, I had to stop at the box office to pick it up. (None of the team's or stadium's web material that I could find said where around the stadium's perimeter the box office was, and I couldn't reach them by phone. I presumed it would be near the gift shop, and I guessed right.)
My seat was around the other side of the stadium, but instead of going around the outside and using the gate there, I entered at the main gate by the box office, took the escalator (! - I'd never seen a sports stadium with an escalator before) up to the second level, and walked around the inside.
PNC Park is, I understand, one of the new breed of baseball parks that are smaller and more intimate, but it looked awfully big from here. The long, curved (so you couldn't see how much further there was to go), seemingly endless corridor was like nothing so much as a concourse at a huge airport. Tiny signs indicating the doors outside to numbered seating sections were inconspicuous; what occupied the attention was a vast sequence of concessionaires, and the crowds occupying their seating. Frequently repeated outlets for junk food, and the same sequence of whiskey bars. The stadium opens 90 minutes before the game starts to allow attendees plenty of time to get lubricated, and judging from what I saw on quick visits to the restroom during the game, many people never bother to go out and watch the game.
When I finally got to my section, the weather outside was balmy. The seats were up a steep flight of steps, and at first I wasn't sure if I'd be able to see home plate from up here - oh, there it is - and such view outside as wasn't blocked by the giant scoreboard was impressive: the large river with downtown behind it, just like at the wedding venue, only this time it was the Allegheny, the river on the other side of downtown.
I've occasionally seen baseball on tv, and watching a game in person is different in a couple important ways. First, there's no play-by-play commentary. The PA limits itself to announcing the name of the next batter. If you don't know the umpire's signals, you have no way of telling a ball from a strike without averting your eyes from the field and looking way up at the scoreboard, which half the time isn't displaying the box score anyway, preferring pictures of the batters or animated geegaws - if a visiting team player strikes out, the scoreboard displays a gif of three cannons firing, that sort of thing.
That's the other thing about watching baseball without a tv camera to guide you - it's hard to know where to look, or when. Baseball is not like other sports. In basketball or soccer or hockey the action is nearly constant. In American football it's intermittent, but you know it's going to happen when the players line up and the quarterback takes the snap. But baseball consists of a long sequence of pitches that the batter doesn't hit, interrupted at unpredictable intervals when something exciting happens. It only lasts a few seconds, so if you happen to be looking away you'll miss it. And you usually need to be looking at two widely separated places at once. The ball has gone out to the outfield over there, while the runners are on the base paths over here, and knowing what's going on with both is vital to following the game.
At any rate, despite having few hits and almost no runs, the game wasn't too boring as sports games go. My brother told me that in recent years, rule changes have prohibited the characteristic baseball activity of standing around not doing anything for long periods. So things proceeded on with dispatch - after the first couple innings, I wondered if the game would be over in an hour, though in fact it took more than two - and there were a couple exciting double plays, and so on. I'm not likely to do it again, but I didn't feel my time was wasted.
Tomorrow: food, transit, and birds in Pittsburgh.
The game was an optional add-on for attendees of the wedding, the day before the ceremony, and I figured it would be a good occasion to socialize with my fellow guests. It was also a glimpse into a world I rarely see.
Not having a smartphone to load my ticket onto, I had to stop at the box office to pick it up. (None of the team's or stadium's web material that I could find said where around the stadium's perimeter the box office was, and I couldn't reach them by phone. I presumed it would be near the gift shop, and I guessed right.)
My seat was around the other side of the stadium, but instead of going around the outside and using the gate there, I entered at the main gate by the box office, took the escalator (! - I'd never seen a sports stadium with an escalator before) up to the second level, and walked around the inside.
PNC Park is, I understand, one of the new breed of baseball parks that are smaller and more intimate, but it looked awfully big from here. The long, curved (so you couldn't see how much further there was to go), seemingly endless corridor was like nothing so much as a concourse at a huge airport. Tiny signs indicating the doors outside to numbered seating sections were inconspicuous; what occupied the attention was a vast sequence of concessionaires, and the crowds occupying their seating. Frequently repeated outlets for junk food, and the same sequence of whiskey bars. The stadium opens 90 minutes before the game starts to allow attendees plenty of time to get lubricated, and judging from what I saw on quick visits to the restroom during the game, many people never bother to go out and watch the game.
When I finally got to my section, the weather outside was balmy. The seats were up a steep flight of steps, and at first I wasn't sure if I'd be able to see home plate from up here - oh, there it is - and such view outside as wasn't blocked by the giant scoreboard was impressive: the large river with downtown behind it, just like at the wedding venue, only this time it was the Allegheny, the river on the other side of downtown.
I've occasionally seen baseball on tv, and watching a game in person is different in a couple important ways. First, there's no play-by-play commentary. The PA limits itself to announcing the name of the next batter. If you don't know the umpire's signals, you have no way of telling a ball from a strike without averting your eyes from the field and looking way up at the scoreboard, which half the time isn't displaying the box score anyway, preferring pictures of the batters or animated geegaws - if a visiting team player strikes out, the scoreboard displays a gif of three cannons firing, that sort of thing.
That's the other thing about watching baseball without a tv camera to guide you - it's hard to know where to look, or when. Baseball is not like other sports. In basketball or soccer or hockey the action is nearly constant. In American football it's intermittent, but you know it's going to happen when the players line up and the quarterback takes the snap. But baseball consists of a long sequence of pitches that the batter doesn't hit, interrupted at unpredictable intervals when something exciting happens. It only lasts a few seconds, so if you happen to be looking away you'll miss it. And you usually need to be looking at two widely separated places at once. The ball has gone out to the outfield over there, while the runners are on the base paths over here, and knowing what's going on with both is vital to following the game.
At any rate, despite having few hits and almost no runs, the game wasn't too boring as sports games go. My brother told me that in recent years, rule changes have prohibited the characteristic baseball activity of standing around not doing anything for long periods. So things proceeded on with dispatch - after the first couple innings, I wondered if the game would be over in an hour, though in fact it took more than two - and there were a couple exciting double plays, and so on. I'm not likely to do it again, but I didn't feel my time was wasted.
Tomorrow: food, transit, and birds in Pittsburgh.
Hummingbird Cottage Updates
Thursday, 29 May 2025 08:09 amosprey_archerImportant Hummingbird Cottage updates! First, I am sad to report that the geese after all decided not to nest on the pond, presumably flying off in search of a larger pool. However, the pond is still frequently visited by ducks and geese, and also a red hawk which swooped across the pond and snatched something small and dark from the rocks. You go, red-shouldered hawk! Keep the small rodent population in check!
The flowers have begun to blossom. Velvety purple irises, blue-violet columbines, yellow roses, lovely gold-pink roses like a sunrise, these last outside the window of the downstairs bedroom, which at last forced me to remove the mattress blocking the window -
I have not yet told the story of the mattress. So. At a mattress fundraiser for my old high school, I bought a queen size mattress on clearance, only to discover upon delivery that my bed frame was, in fact, a full. This ended with the mattress leaning against the window for a month, until the roses forced my hand, and I took apart the old bedframe and lowered the new mattress to the floor, where it will reside till I get an appropriately sized bedframe.
(Hilariously, a week after my mattress misadventure, my former roommate bought a new mattress for a bedframe that was surely a full. But NO. That bedframe was in fact a queen.
One would like this to end with the trading of the bed frames, but Julie understandably wished to keep the charming wooden sleigh bed and therefore cut it down to size.)
The weeds are getting away from me, in particular the lemon balm (a variety of mint that is spreading all along the shady north side of the house). However, yesterday evening I did get rosemary and chives from the farmer’s market, which I planted, having cleverly come out through the garage in order to keep Bramble inside… only to look up from planting the rosemary at the sound of a happy meow. Bramble trotted past, intent on exploring the neighbor’s patio, which I must admit I’ve also been curious about, so I followed him nothing loath.
The Hummingbird Cottage is half of a duplex - all the houses in this condominium development are, except the ones that are fourplexes - but I’ve never seen the neighbors in the other half of my duplex. Nor have I heard any noise from their half of the house, seen their car, or seen a trash can pulled to the curb by their driveway.
Through the patio door as I chased Bramble (happily hiding under an overgrown bush), I saw a dining room set with a jacket draped over a chair, so someone must live there at least occasionally? A mystery.
Bramble eventually scampered down to the pond, and then apparently decided he’d had enough, as he docilely allowed me to pick him up and deposit him inside. Possibly all that water was a little alarming. I finished planting the rosemary and chives and contemplated the best place for a cherry tomato plant, but as I have not yet acquired said plant, that is a problem for another day.
Also, I found the perfect little wicker cart for my houseplants! Admittedly there is currently only one houseplant, but now that I have a home for more they will surely come into my life. The cart is currently a somewhat battered yellow and needs a wash and a coat of white spray paint, but it was only twenty dollars at the secondhand shop, and anyway how often do you see a charming wheeled wicker cart for sale anywhere?
The flowers have begun to blossom. Velvety purple irises, blue-violet columbines, yellow roses, lovely gold-pink roses like a sunrise, these last outside the window of the downstairs bedroom, which at last forced me to remove the mattress blocking the window -
I have not yet told the story of the mattress. So. At a mattress fundraiser for my old high school, I bought a queen size mattress on clearance, only to discover upon delivery that my bed frame was, in fact, a full. This ended with the mattress leaning against the window for a month, until the roses forced my hand, and I took apart the old bedframe and lowered the new mattress to the floor, where it will reside till I get an appropriately sized bedframe.
(Hilariously, a week after my mattress misadventure, my former roommate bought a new mattress for a bedframe that was surely a full. But NO. That bedframe was in fact a queen.
One would like this to end with the trading of the bed frames, but Julie understandably wished to keep the charming wooden sleigh bed and therefore cut it down to size.)
The weeds are getting away from me, in particular the lemon balm (a variety of mint that is spreading all along the shady north side of the house). However, yesterday evening I did get rosemary and chives from the farmer’s market, which I planted, having cleverly come out through the garage in order to keep Bramble inside… only to look up from planting the rosemary at the sound of a happy meow. Bramble trotted past, intent on exploring the neighbor’s patio, which I must admit I’ve also been curious about, so I followed him nothing loath.
The Hummingbird Cottage is half of a duplex - all the houses in this condominium development are, except the ones that are fourplexes - but I’ve never seen the neighbors in the other half of my duplex. Nor have I heard any noise from their half of the house, seen their car, or seen a trash can pulled to the curb by their driveway.
Through the patio door as I chased Bramble (happily hiding under an overgrown bush), I saw a dining room set with a jacket draped over a chair, so someone must live there at least occasionally? A mystery.
Bramble eventually scampered down to the pond, and then apparently decided he’d had enough, as he docilely allowed me to pick him up and deposit him inside. Possibly all that water was a little alarming. I finished planting the rosemary and chives and contemplated the best place for a cherry tomato plant, but as I have not yet acquired said plant, that is a problem for another day.
Also, I found the perfect little wicker cart for my houseplants! Admittedly there is currently only one houseplant, but now that I have a home for more they will surely come into my life. The cart is currently a somewhat battered yellow and needs a wash and a coat of white spray paint, but it was only twenty dollars at the secondhand shop, and anyway how often do you see a charming wheeled wicker cart for sale anywhere?
The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, May 28)
Thursday, 29 May 2025 07:00 amspikedluvI had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I mentioned the bruised feeling after last week’s adjustment and he wasn’t sure why it was sore after. If he’d had to try a couple of times to get it to go back in, then it would be obvious, but that wasn’t the case. So I guess we don’t know and we’ll see what happens after this adjustment, while hoping it doesn’t hurt again this week.
This would’ve been a no-shopping day, but I wanted some fruit so I made a quick stop at Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a short walk (one lap) around the park. (And another shortie later with the puppers.) I also got Chinese for lunch.
I did a load of laundry, as well as the usual amount of hand-washing dishes and scooping of kitty litter, paid some bills online, and placed an online order (and naturally forgot one of the main things I’d wanted to get). I grilled baby back ribs for Pip’s supper. It’s not my thing, so I had the fruit I purchased.
I started the next Murderbot story and watched some HGTV programs. I typed in ~2,500 words on my![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
intoabar fic and got it edited and posted!
I think I very nearly allowed myself to be scammed by someone trying to get into my computer. I caught on (eventually) and noped out. I got a bunch of flashing error messages with a message that was super loud and everything was locked up and I couldn’t turn down the volume or close out of anything. It told me to NOT turn off my computer or I’d lose data and TO call the number, which I stupidly did. You know what eventually worked? Turning off my computer. Be careful out there, folks!
Temps started out at 47.8(F) and reached 80.4. There was more sun, which was nice.
This would’ve been a no-shopping day, but I wanted some fruit so I made a quick stop at Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a short walk (one lap) around the park. (And another shortie later with the puppers.) I also got Chinese for lunch.
I did a load of laundry, as well as the usual amount of hand-washing dishes and scooping of kitty litter, paid some bills online, and placed an online order (and naturally forgot one of the main things I’d wanted to get). I grilled baby back ribs for Pip’s supper. It’s not my thing, so I had the fruit I purchased.
I started the next Murderbot story and watched some HGTV programs. I typed in ~2,500 words on my
intoabar fic and got it edited and posted!I think I very nearly allowed myself to be scammed by someone trying to get into my computer. I caught on (eventually) and noped out. I got a bunch of flashing error messages with a message that was super loud and everything was locked up and I couldn’t turn down the volume or close out of anything. It told me to NOT turn off my computer or I’d lose data and TO call the number, which I stupidly did. You know what eventually worked? Turning off my computer. Be careful out there, folks!
Temps started out at 47.8(F) and reached 80.4. There was more sun, which was nice.
Interesting Links for 29-05-2025
Thursday, 29 May 2025 12:00 pmandrewducker- 1. A Square Theory (of crosswords and jokes)
- (tags:square games jokes connection )
- 2. Edinburgh winter festivals worth almost £200m to the city
- (tags:Edinburgh festival winter Christmas money )
- 3. Sir Ian McKellen to open all trans and non-binary production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
- (tags:shakespeare transgender LGBT theatre )
- 4. Episode IX - Duel of the Fates. I'll Forever Wish This Was the 3rd Sequel Film
- (tags:movies StarWars )
Weather and Climate Livestream
Thursday, 29 May 2025 02:08 ammxcatmoon posting in thisfinecrewThere's so many bad things going on requiring our attention that the cuts/firing in the meteorology and climate science communities gets less attention, but having a fully staffed NOAA is an important issue. Right now, there is a 100-hour livestream going on to call attention to how vital these services are, especially as hurricane season is upon us. I have it on in the background right now.
What can we do? Watch the livestream, call our Representatives, and go to 5 Calls for sample script/letters.
Info and schedule: The Weather and Climate Livestream
Direct YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rG4ePBqD-E
What can we do? Watch the livestream, call our Representatives, and go to 5 Calls for sample script/letters.
Info and schedule: The Weather and Climate Livestream
Direct YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rG4ePBqD-E
Sungkyunkwan Scandal - Pimping Slides
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 10:48 pmamediaI made a set of these a few years ago and lost them in a computer crash. So I made new ones, because this deliciousness needs to be shared!
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
My Insane Korea K-Pop Haul!
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 10:43 pmpurplehello98Right, finally, here's my promised post with the haul from my Korea trip! The K-pop haul, at least--I bought some snacks and some other random things beside this, but this is the centrepiece of my trip's haul. Twenty-two albums in all (including three platform version albums) plus one season's greetings. But first, let me tie up some loose ends regarding the rest of my trip.
I actually did get to check the last item off my Korea bucket list before leaving--eating ramyeon! In Incheon Airport, I found this restaurant in the food court that sold ramyeon, which I had some of for my breakfast/brunch/first lunch/time zones are weird. It was really good, albeit so spicy I had to eat it slowly and so I couldn't finish it before we would miss our flight.
We had an extra-long day on the 22nd, and we even saw two sunrises! Since we were flying "back in time", so to speak, and hit early morning darkness somewhere over the Pacific. In total the day lasted about 36 hours or even a bit more! So we left Korea at 11AM and arrived back in Missouri at 6PM, despite travelling for most of 24 hours in there, including a layover in San Francisco where my mum and I split an almost-twenty-dollar airport quesadilla.
I watched Wicked on the plane ride back! I thought it was pretty good. Not the best movie of all time, but I can see why people like it so much. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ervo have really great voices that meld well! Unfortunately I did sleep through the part of the movie with "Popular" in it, though, and that was the only song I knew from Wicked because Ariana Grande did that remake-type song of it back in 2013 or so, which is so full-circle!
And so now the past few days have been me unpacking my trip stuff and college stuff and trying to organize it all, and also dealing with jet lag. Let me tell you, people, waking up at 5AM and not being able to get back to sleep is hellish.
But anyways, not for the haul! Here's the photo:
My main haul was Verivery: from left to right, on the top row, we have:
I actually did get to check the last item off my Korea bucket list before leaving--eating ramyeon! In Incheon Airport, I found this restaurant in the food court that sold ramyeon, which I had some of for my breakfast/brunch/first lunch/time zones are weird. It was really good, albeit so spicy I had to eat it slowly and so I couldn't finish it before we would miss our flight.
We had an extra-long day on the 22nd, and we even saw two sunrises! Since we were flying "back in time", so to speak, and hit early morning darkness somewhere over the Pacific. In total the day lasted about 36 hours or even a bit more! So we left Korea at 11AM and arrived back in Missouri at 6PM, despite travelling for most of 24 hours in there, including a layover in San Francisco where my mum and I split an almost-twenty-dollar airport quesadilla.
I watched Wicked on the plane ride back! I thought it was pretty good. Not the best movie of all time, but I can see why people like it so much. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ervo have really great voices that meld well! Unfortunately I did sleep through the part of the movie with "Popular" in it, though, and that was the only song I knew from Wicked because Ariana Grande did that remake-type song of it back in 2013 or so, which is so full-circle!
And so now the past few days have been me unpacking my trip stuff and college stuff and trying to organize it all, and also dealing with jet lag. Let me tell you, people, waking up at 5AM and not being able to get back to sleep is hellish.
But anyways, not for the haul! Here's the photo:
My main haul was Verivery: from left to right, on the top row, we have:
- Liminality EP:Love - Over version
- my favourite aesthetic-wise, I think
- Liminality EP:Love - Shy version
- this version, inside the sleeve, actually has a cardboard texture on the photobook to match the paper bags that they wear in the photobook! Which is really cool, although the paper bag thing probably sounds really strange if you don't know what I'm talking about with the photobook.
- Face Me - official version
- this is one of my favourite albums from them so I'm excited to finally have the physical version! It also includes a lenticular photocard, which is where pictures are printed on triangles so you see a different picture depending on the angle you look at it from--look it up if you don't understand because I don't know how else to exlpain it! LOL
- Face You - official/normal version
- Liminality EP:Dream - Plan version
- I already have the Play version, which is the other version.
- Veri-Chill - official/normal version
- I can't believe I don't already have this one! This is the coolest, I think--the photos are all really good, and some of them have glitch effects that are totally epic. Plus, there are photocards of the members with transparent backgrounds! I don't know why, but that's pretty cool. This album also makes me nostalgic because this is the first Verivery album where I clearly remember the hype of the buildup, teasers, etc. I was in a KakaoTalk group chat for Verrers (Verivery fans) back at the time and we were all super excited! I wish I could find my old account and see that chat again.
- Liminality EP:Love - platform version (Over concept version)
- This is my first platform album! Basically, for people who don't know what platform albums are, it includes a QR to download the music (instead of a CD), usually through some crappy app instead of something like iTunes. Besides that, it might have a little booklet, but it's mostly just photocards--made so people can collect photocards without generating as much waste through getting a lot of identical CDs, photobooks, posters, etc. In return these are significantly cheaper than normal versions.
- TWS - Sparkling Blue - some platform version
- I really thought this would have a CD--it's bigger than a CD and the girl working the counter in the store thought it would. Knowing that, I would've bought the official version, especially since me buying the rest of the album besides the one song I already had on iTunes--because if I buy an album, I want the music--cost a good chunk of the difference between this version and the normal version. But oh well.
- The Boyz - Phantasia Part 1 - I think it's the Eric version!
- This was cheaper since it's a member-specific version as opposed to the standard version, but thankfully still had a CD. I just wanted it for the single Lip Gloss and also for the hope that the other songs would be good--I haven't listened to it yet, though.
- Waker - Vanilla Choco Shake - normal version?
- I heard the single on-line and liked it enough that I figured the rest of the album would be good too.
- Zerobaseone - Blue Paradise
- I love the single "Blue"! And I'd like to get more into ZB1. Actually, this album has a board game inside, complete with little cardboard game pieces of a few of the members! You also get random challenge cards for the game from the members, so each album's game is different. Sadly, the non-member-created challenges are mostly boring stuff like "stream the music video five times", "tell three" and similar--which makes it seem like it's just a way, albeit a creative one, to further promote the album that someone's already bought. I think they could've made more creative ways to still promote the album, but in a way that's actually fun and game-like. For example, you could have a challenge be to, instead of doing the normal choreography on Tik-Tok, make up your own dance to the song and put it on Tik-Tok! Or take a picture of the little cardboard game pieces of the members in somewhere blue and post it on-line--bonus points if it's somewhere extra creative or weird. See? It could be so much better!
- The Wind - Hello: My First Love - Love version
- This album is so cute! :) And it includes film strips inside in addition to photocards
- EVNNE - Hot Mess - one of the members' version
- I really like the song! And they're a junior group in the same company as Verivery, so I feel a sort of connection to them. And to their fans, because their company (Jellyfish Entertainment) is arse.
- The Wind - Beginning: The Wind Page - Youth version
- I bought this album on iTunes ages ago and didn't expect this concept for the physical album! It looks way different from the digital album cover. But it's pretty cool in a way! But anyway, this might be my favourite album of theirs musicwise--I'm not sure.
- TWS - Try With Us - Mini-CD edition
- This is insanely cool! I've never seen a mini-CD of a K-pop album before--actually, I don't know if I've ever seen one at all. The retro tech resurgence keeps winning! Although sadly I don't think it'll fit in the CD tray on my computer or in my car, because they're both slot-loading.
- The Wind - Hello: My First Love - Keychain platform version
- This one was so cute I had to buy it! It has pictures of each of the members included that you can out in the little photobook keychain thing. This is dangling off my purse now!
- NCT Wish - poppop
- This was such a cute album design--the bits of confetti move around if you shake the album! And I like the title track pretty well, as well as the b-sides!
- Girls' Generation - 2025 Season's Greetings
- I kind of bought this on a whim because it was the last one in stock and I wasn't finding any Girls' Generaiton stuff. I like it nonetheless!
- SMTown 30th Anniversary - The Culture, The Future
- This was a pretty cool album overall, although of course Girls' Generation's cover of "My Everything" by The Grace is my favourite song. I actually even managed to pull a photocard of Seohyun from GG! Which made me very happy. :) Although the lady at the store also gave me some sort of bonus photocard--but it seemed to be lost in translation, until she just asked me if I liked Jaehyun from NCT. I said sure, and she gave me an extra photocard of him and bid me on my way--but if I had known she would ask that I would've asked for a member of Girls' Generation, probably Sunny. But oh well!
- Eunhyuk from Super Junior - Explorer - keychain platform version
- I thought this was such a cool version! There's something like four keychains inside, all different kinds, and one of them has the NFC chip you need to load the album digitally--which I'll have to try one day, because apparently it has special behind-the-scenes content or something. I love all these extra inclusions in albums these days! Although I did just end up buying the rest of the album on iTunes anyways, music-wise.
- Then we have a set of three:
- NMIXX - FE304
- Loossemble - One Of A Kind
- Viviz - Summer Vibe
- I got all three of these from a super-cool store in Myeongdong called K-Mecca! They had random album grab boxes for about $15-20 with three albums inside, which is really great pricing! I guess it's probably to get rid of old stock. Sadly, the boy group version was sold out, but I got the girl group version! I would've gotten one of both anyways. I haven't listened to any of these yet, but I like Viviz's title track off the Summer Vibe album--I bought that song on iTunes back when it came out. Anyways, this was a pretty cool box!
wednesday books teach school
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 07:51 pmlandofnowhereThe Incandescent, Emily Tesh. For years I have been complaining about the lack of SFF written from the point of view of a teacher, and Emily Tesh probably wasn't listening but she wrote this book anyway! Tesh taught classics at a boarding school for two years, and the worldbuilding of her boarding school in a world very much like ours only with magic is very much informed by that experience -- this is the sort of book that has a lot to say about education in our world, while also having creative and thought-provoking worldbuilding. It's not quite the type of story about a teacher that I wanted, but I hope it will lead to more of these.
(Also, I do still need to read Gooseberry Bluff Community College of Magic, which is the only other example I know of a fantasy novel from the point of view of a teacher.)
(Also, I do still need to read Gooseberry Bluff Community College of Magic, which is the only other example I know of a fantasy novel from the point of view of a teacher.)
Now There's No More Oak Oppression
Thursday, 29 May 2025 12:10 amaustin_dern bunnyhugger, stirred up by my post last night about the tree and the risk it might present, spent too much time worrying about what to do and turned to doing something about it this afternoon. And by remarkable stroke, found something very effective: a couple guys who could come out to the house today to give an estimate, and who're scheduled to come out tomorrow afternoon to cut the fallen branch down and chop it up into useful wood. So now we're set to be even more well-stocked for when we get the fireplace converted into something not dangerously unsafe to operate.
Also we got back the clock. As promised they had it ready Wednesday; I ventured in after work, but before going to the card store to get my father a birthday card. (This spun out into also getting father's day cards, saving me a trip sometime in two weeks.) As bunnyhugger texted to ask if I was stopping for something after work I was on my way to the art glass shop. This was all but the work of a minute. I came in and both the woman and the guy who'd been in the car on Saturday telling me she'd gone back in were there. I started to explain what my deal was when the woman pointed to the counter. I was delighted, and said so, by how lovely the new glass looks. bunnyhugger observed maybe the real difference was just that it was completely new and clean. But it does look great. And now it's on the wall and everything's in good shape in this part of this room of the house! We're making progress.
And now we return to Kennywood and to the flying saucer gift shop!
And here's the 90s t-shirt. Steel Phantom was rebuilt into Phantom's Revenge; Wipeout and Pitt Fall are gone (Wipeout to Lake Compounce). I can't find any information about Fort Kennywood and wonder if it might have been a show or event or something that wouldn't make lists of former attractions.
bunnyhugger admiring the Grand Carousel by night.
The carousel all white-lit and brilliant by night.
The inside has plenty of mirrors so you get to see the insides of the horses in this picture.
Looking out from atop a horse. bunnyhugger grabs a picture of me here.
bunnyhugger goes for a ride on the tiger this time.
Trivia: E-470, the beltway toll highway around Denver, is an incomplete loop, with the northwestern corner never built owing to plutonium-239 contamination of the soil of the former Rocky Flats Plant, which operated from 1952 to 1992. Source: Land: How the Hunger for Ownership Shaped the Modern World, Simon Winchester. In 1989 the FBI raided the plant, owned by the federal Department of Energy, over Rockwell International's shoddy management.
Currently Reading: The Harvey Comics Companion, Mark Arnold.
Fandom5K Pinch Hits due 28 June
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 09:04 pmlongficmod posting in pinchhitsEvent: Fandom5K s a multi-fandom gift exchange for fic with a 5,000-word minimum and comics with a 5-page minimum
Event link: Rules and FAQ on AO3
Pinch hit link: At the DW community
Due date: 28 June, with a required check-in during the week of 7-14 June
Pinch hits available:
PH 2 - Blue Lock (Manga), 終わりのセラフ | Owari no Seraph | Seraph of the End (Anime & Manga), Fairy Tail
PH 5 - Temeraire - Naomi Novik, The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
PH 7 - Dial M for Murder (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955), Dial M for Murder - Hatcher
PH 8 - Path of Night (Podcast), Vampire: The Masquerade - Various Authors (Choice of Games), Vampire: The Masquerade Port Saga (Podcast)
PH 9 - 終わりのセラフ | Owari no Seraph | Seraph of the End (Anime & Manga), Blue Lock (Manga), Fairy Tail
PH 13 - The Elementalists (Visual Novel), Heart of Battle - Fay Ikin, Royal Affairs - Harris-Powell-Smith
PH 15 - Code Vein (Video Game), 神さまのいない日曜日 | Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi | Sunday Without God (Anime & Manga), Octopath Traveler II (Video Game), 刀使ノ巫女 | Toji no Miko | Katana Maidens (Anime), よるのないくに | Yoru no Nai Kuni | Nights of Azure (Video Games), Xenoblade Chronicles (Video Game)
PH 17 - Breaking Bad, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), The Godfather (1972 1974 1990)
PH 18 - Ancient History RPF, Solstice (MoaCube Visual Novel), Crossover Fandom
PH 19 - Ace Combat (Video Games), Dishonored (Video Games), Warhammer 40k (Novels) - Various Authors
PH 20 - ATEEZ (Band), Blink-182 (Band), Men's Basketball RPF
PH 24 - Biggles Series - W. E. Johns, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Original Work
PH 25 - The Pitt (TV), The Faculty (1998), All Elite Wrestling
Event link: Rules and FAQ on AO3
Pinch hit link: At the DW community
Due date: 28 June, with a required check-in during the week of 7-14 June
Pinch hits available:
PH 2 - Blue Lock (Manga), 終わりのセラフ | Owari no Seraph | Seraph of the End (Anime & Manga), Fairy Tail
PH 5 - Temeraire - Naomi Novik, The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
PH 7 - Dial M for Murder (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955), Dial M for Murder - Hatcher
PH 8 - Path of Night (Podcast), Vampire: The Masquerade - Various Authors (Choice of Games), Vampire: The Masquerade Port Saga (Podcast)
PH 9 - 終わりのセラフ | Owari no Seraph | Seraph of the End (Anime & Manga), Blue Lock (Manga), Fairy Tail
PH 13 - The Elementalists (Visual Novel), Heart of Battle - Fay Ikin, Royal Affairs - Harris-Powell-Smith
PH 15 - Code Vein (Video Game), 神さまのいない日曜日 | Kamisama no Inai Nichiyoubi | Sunday Without God (Anime & Manga), Octopath Traveler II (Video Game), 刀使ノ巫女 | Toji no Miko | Katana Maidens (Anime), よるのないくに | Yoru no Nai Kuni | Nights of Azure (Video Games), Xenoblade Chronicles (Video Game)
PH 17 - Breaking Bad, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), The Godfather (1972 1974 1990)
PH 18 - Ancient History RPF, Solstice (MoaCube Visual Novel), Crossover Fandom
PH 19 - Ace Combat (Video Games), Dishonored (Video Games), Warhammer 40k (Novels) - Various Authors
PH 20 - ATEEZ (Band), Blink-182 (Band), Men's Basketball RPF
PH 24 - Biggles Series - W. E. Johns, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Original Work
PH 25 - The Pitt (TV), The Faculty (1998), All Elite Wrestling
This and that and the other thing
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 06:01 pmshadowkatI woke up in a decent mood and started the day, happy and carefree - yet by the end of it? Grumpy. I think the world likes to chip away at us at times?
Also it's raining, and my right leg is bothering me again. It was fine this morning - more or less, but started bugging me again at lunch time. To cheer myself up - I got a discounted Grand Central mouse pad/post-card, and a NYC 2025 Guide Book (both discounted off by 20%). Also, got a matcha latte. (I'm in love with matcha lattes - with almond milk - they are unsweetened, have almost no calories, and healthy). Sitting at home now, with a heating pad on my back.
1. The Truth About Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM
I've basically done everything that has been suggested. I'm working on the diet bit - because I think that may be a factor. I realized that my sleep deprivation over the years is most likely why I have some of the health issues that I currently have - well that and menopause and ceiliac disease are probably factors, plus genetics. Honestly there's never one solution or one cause, if there was, the pharmaceutical industry would be out of business.
2. My Buffy Re-Watch - has made me aware of a few things? I'm still in S2.
( Read more... )
3. I do not know what to make of Amanda Palmer. I tried to unsubscribe to her Patreon, but it keeps popping up in my inbox. And I keep deleting. And she keeps talking about how all she does is love, gets browbeaten by trolls, but fights back, and can't talk about what happened until the lawsuit is over. I feel sorry for her - she gets trolled, but I also think that she's been infected by Fame and can't let go of the addiction? What I don't get is why people troll her? I get the anger? But trolling solves little? We're all flawed, let people be.
4. Bono (U2) of all people gave me a smattering of hope today.
Bono on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Kimmel asks him where he stands on the Trump vs. Springsteen issue. He's of course in Springsteen's corner...yada yada yada. But what he says that gave me a smattering of hope is this: "I founded a non-profit bipartisan foundation called ONE and it is made up of a lot of conservative and highly religious people, Anglicans, Catholics, Fundamentalist Christians, etc and they are VERY angry about what the person they voted for is doing to their country and how he is dismantling various fundamental and important life saving aid programs such as US AID and the Peace Corps which have saved millions of lives from AIDS and other diseases and poverty around the world. Taking away programs of compassion and kindness - which are what America is all about. What we are about. So angry that trust me on this, they and we are about to make a lot of good trouble."
I can't emphasize this enough to anyone who stumbles upon my journal, there are numerous coalitions forming around the United States and Globally to fight this administration and it's project 2025 plan. And they are growing daily.
5. MTA vs. the Federal Government.
Tee Hee, the MTA is winning!
MTA: The Feds want us to give up congestion pricing and tell us how to control traffic and transportation in our city. But the Federal court prevented them from vindictively punishing us by removing Federal funding. We are not giving it up. Look here? The New York Times dug deep and proved it is working.
I feel sorry for the MTA, they are fighting everybody. Including idiotic talk radio hosts who think the subways are dangerous. They are not dangerous. I take the subways twice daily, five days a week and sometimes on weekends and to doctor's appointments, basically everywhere. They are safer than cars or buses. And far less stressful. Not to mention cheaper.
Very few people die on the subway. The worst thing I've seen on the subway was a man who was scarred from third degree burns on every inch of his body and begging for money. Also once during the pandemic - a homeless man with a knife. But we were perfectly safe - the conductor stopped the train, got us all off, and called for assistance at the next station.
Also it's raining, and my right leg is bothering me again. It was fine this morning - more or less, but started bugging me again at lunch time. To cheer myself up - I got a discounted Grand Central mouse pad/post-card, and a NYC 2025 Guide Book (both discounted off by 20%). Also, got a matcha latte. (I'm in love with matcha lattes - with almond milk - they are unsweetened, have almost no calories, and healthy). Sitting at home now, with a heating pad on my back.
1. The Truth About Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM
I've basically done everything that has been suggested. I'm working on the diet bit - because I think that may be a factor. I realized that my sleep deprivation over the years is most likely why I have some of the health issues that I currently have - well that and menopause and ceiliac disease are probably factors, plus genetics. Honestly there's never one solution or one cause, if there was, the pharmaceutical industry would be out of business.
2. My Buffy Re-Watch - has made me aware of a few things? I'm still in S2.
( Read more... )
3. I do not know what to make of Amanda Palmer. I tried to unsubscribe to her Patreon, but it keeps popping up in my inbox. And I keep deleting. And she keeps talking about how all she does is love, gets browbeaten by trolls, but fights back, and can't talk about what happened until the lawsuit is over. I feel sorry for her - she gets trolled, but I also think that she's been infected by Fame and can't let go of the addiction? What I don't get is why people troll her? I get the anger? But trolling solves little? We're all flawed, let people be.
4. Bono (U2) of all people gave me a smattering of hope today.
Bono on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Kimmel asks him where he stands on the Trump vs. Springsteen issue. He's of course in Springsteen's corner...yada yada yada. But what he says that gave me a smattering of hope is this: "I founded a non-profit bipartisan foundation called ONE and it is made up of a lot of conservative and highly religious people, Anglicans, Catholics, Fundamentalist Christians, etc and they are VERY angry about what the person they voted for is doing to their country and how he is dismantling various fundamental and important life saving aid programs such as US AID and the Peace Corps which have saved millions of lives from AIDS and other diseases and poverty around the world. Taking away programs of compassion and kindness - which are what America is all about. What we are about. So angry that trust me on this, they and we are about to make a lot of good trouble."
I can't emphasize this enough to anyone who stumbles upon my journal, there are numerous coalitions forming around the United States and Globally to fight this administration and it's project 2025 plan. And they are growing daily.
5. MTA vs. the Federal Government.
Tee Hee, the MTA is winning!
MTA: The Feds want us to give up congestion pricing and tell us how to control traffic and transportation in our city. But the Federal court prevented them from vindictively punishing us by removing Federal funding. We are not giving it up. Look here? The New York Times dug deep and proved it is working.
I feel sorry for the MTA, they are fighting everybody. Including idiotic talk radio hosts who think the subways are dangerous. They are not dangerous. I take the subways twice daily, five days a week and sometimes on weekends and to doctor's appointments, basically everywhere. They are safer than cars or buses. And far less stressful. Not to mention cheaper.
Very few people die on the subway. The worst thing I've seen on the subway was a man who was scarred from third degree burns on every inch of his body and begging for money. Also once during the pandemic - a homeless man with a knife. But we were perfectly safe - the conductor stopped the train, got us all off, and called for assistance at the next station.
Ten Lord of Heroes Weapon Attributes for June 2025
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 09:15 pmkalloway posting in inspiredbyDay 2, high speed, low budget [bicycling]
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 08:52 pmrebeccmeisterLockport continued to be awesome in the morning.
We got to watch a group of fourth graders lock through on a tour boat! I took several short videos.
On our way out of town we encountered three tall bike tourers headed the other way.
https://flic.kr/p/2r7Eu37
We went across a point where there’s a waterfall *under* the canal, and another spot where a road goes underneath. Not as impressive as some of the European aqueducts but still great.
Brockport has a lovely welcome center right next to the canal, with showers, laundry, space for tents on shore, and moorings for canal boats.
We had some headwinds and rain today, so I am tired and it’s time to fall asleep.
We got to watch a group of fourth graders lock through on a tour boat! I took several short videos.
On our way out of town we encountered three tall bike tourers headed the other way.
https://flic.kr/p/2r7Eu37
We went across a point where there’s a waterfall *under* the canal, and another spot where a road goes underneath. Not as impressive as some of the European aqueducts but still great.
Brockport has a lovely welcome center right next to the canal, with showers, laundry, space for tents on shore, and moorings for canal boats.
We had some headwinds and rain today, so I am tired and it’s time to fall asleep.
Book Review
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 08:19 pmkenjariChasing Cassandra
by Lisa Kleypas
This historical romance is the penultimate in the Ravenel series. After seeing her sister married, Cassandra Ravenel feels lonely and out of sorts. A surprising encounter with business magnate tom Severin creates an undeniable spark between them. However, Casssandra is unsure that he can give her the quiet, domestic life she wants, and Tom is convinced that love is not for him. Yet, they cannot stop thinking about and wanting each other. When Cassandra finds herself the victim of a cruel scandal, Tom proposes marriage and she accepts his marriage proposal, hoping that her desire to be loved will be fulfilled. And this is a romance novel, so it ultimately is.
This one started out a little iffy for me. It took me quite a while to warm up to Tom, as he starts out as a ruthless businessman who has trouble dealing with people and admitting his feelings and thus keeps himself emotionally locked down. He was very much not the kind of hero that appeals to me. His attraction to and developing feelings for Cassandra break down his walls, but, thankfully, he was already doing some of that work himself before they became involved. I did grow to like the way he cared deeply and fiercely for her, even before he recognized or admitted it. I also liked the way he always listened to Cassandra and considered her viewpoint. Cassandra was very likeable, as a woman who knows what she wants and won't settle for less. Their differences truly complemented each other.
by Lisa Kleypas
This historical romance is the penultimate in the Ravenel series. After seeing her sister married, Cassandra Ravenel feels lonely and out of sorts. A surprising encounter with business magnate tom Severin creates an undeniable spark between them. However, Casssandra is unsure that he can give her the quiet, domestic life she wants, and Tom is convinced that love is not for him. Yet, they cannot stop thinking about and wanting each other. When Cassandra finds herself the victim of a cruel scandal, Tom proposes marriage and she accepts his marriage proposal, hoping that her desire to be loved will be fulfilled. And this is a romance novel, so it ultimately is.
This one started out a little iffy for me. It took me quite a while to warm up to Tom, as he starts out as a ruthless businessman who has trouble dealing with people and admitting his feelings and thus keeps himself emotionally locked down. He was very much not the kind of hero that appeals to me. His attraction to and developing feelings for Cassandra break down his walls, but, thankfully, he was already doing some of that work himself before they became involved. I did grow to like the way he cared deeply and fiercely for her, even before he recognized or admitted it. I also liked the way he always listened to Cassandra and considered her viewpoint. Cassandra was very likeable, as a woman who knows what she wants and won't settle for less. Their differences truly complemented each other.
the algebra of dependent types
Thursday, 29 May 2025 01:23 amfanfhttps://dotat.at/@/2025-05-28-types.html
TIL (or this week-ish I learned) why big-sigma and big-pi turn up in the notation of dependent type theory.
( Read more... )
(no subject)
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 07:39 pmaurumcalendulaAmazon has suddenly decided to not to download any books I've purchased at any point of time unless I update my Kindle for Android app :(
I suppose I could update from version 8.33.0.100(1.3.226969.) and 8.122.1.0(2.4.41706.0), but I'm worried about losing the ability to sideload books via Calibre. Has anyone run into issues with that post update?
I'd already shifted to buying more stuff via Kobo, but this is so irritating.
ETA: I updated the app on an old phone and found that the collections and sideloading still worked, so I ended updating the app after all.
I suppose I could update from version 8.33.0.100(1.3.226969.) and 8.122.1.0(2.4.41706.0), but I'm worried about losing the ability to sideload books via Calibre. Has anyone run into issues with that post update?
I'd already shifted to buying more stuff via Kobo, but this is so irritating.
ETA: I updated the app on an old phone and found that the collections and sideloading still worked, so I ended updating the app after all.
Oops?
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 08:05 pmsettiai"I'm exhausted from not getting enough sleep, and my spoons are gone after the hell that was work today," I said yesterday evening after getting home from work.
"I have so many things that I need to get done this evening, but I don't have the energy right now," I said. "Plus my head's really starting to hurt."
"You know what?" I asked myself. "A short nap will be the perfect solution."
Spoiler: it was not the perfect solution for accomplishing things yesterday evening. Why not? Because instead of it being a short nap, it turned into a full night's sleep.
Oops?
Seriously, I didn't even turn out the lights. I curled up on top of the comforter on the bed. I wasn't even under the sheets. And I still slept for hours.
Luckily, I woke up for something like twenty minutes a little before midnight. That gave me time to take care of a couple of things that I really had to do, and then I was able to at least turn out the lights and such. But, yeah. That wasn't exactly what my plan was for yesterday. It's certainly what happened, though.
"I have so many things that I need to get done this evening, but I don't have the energy right now," I said. "Plus my head's really starting to hurt."
"You know what?" I asked myself. "A short nap will be the perfect solution."
Spoiler: it was not the perfect solution for accomplishing things yesterday evening. Why not? Because instead of it being a short nap, it turned into a full night's sleep.
Oops?
Seriously, I didn't even turn out the lights. I curled up on top of the comforter on the bed. I wasn't even under the sheets. And I still slept for hours.
Luckily, I woke up for something like twenty minutes a little before midnight. That gave me time to take care of a couple of things that I really had to do, and then I was able to at least turn out the lights and such. But, yeah. That wasn't exactly what my plan was for yesterday. It's certainly what happened, though.
fic: "Unsatisfied" (Murderbot TV)
Wednesday, 28 May 2025 05:53 pmkindkitSpeaking of the Murderbot TV show, I have written a thing for the first time in quite a while. It's about Gurathin, who is, predictably enough, my favorite.
Unsatisfied (1003 words) by kindkit
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Murderbot (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dr. Gurathin (Murderbot Diaries)
Additional Tags: Backstory, Character Study
Summary: Five things Gurathin has wanted and not been able to have.
The fic is archive-locked on AO3 (all of mine are, due to recent AI scraping incidents). So I'm also pasting it in below.
( Story under the cut )
Unsatisfied (1003 words) by kindkit
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Murderbot (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Dr. Gurathin (Murderbot Diaries)
Additional Tags: Backstory, Character Study
Summary: Five things Gurathin has wanted and not been able to have.
The fic is archive-locked on AO3 (all of mine are, due to recent AI scraping incidents). So I'm also pasting it in below.
( Story under the cut )