Don’t make me laugh

Apr. 20th, 2025 12:24 pm
shadowhive: (Qimir Sabers)
[personal profile] shadowhive
The past few days have been semi less stressful than before, but mostly because it’s a bank holiday so nothing can really be done (so money still isn’t in and I don’t expect it to be until Tuesday at the earliest which I’m trying not to be frustrated about)

The main source of stress was yesterday morning cause my glasses have gone completely awol. I honestly have no idea where they are. The problem is I can’t remember if I took them off downstairs Friday night before bed (and so they’re somewhere down here) or if I took them up and they’re in my room. I had thought it was the latter but they’re not under the pillows or either side of the bed so I’m at a loss. (Mum looked too and had no luck either.) the only good thing is that they’re in the house somewhere it’s just… where. (I just hope Naryu hasn’t hid them she did that with mums before but not for awhile)

Thankfully mum knew where my old pair was but… they’re an old pair. They’re good enough that I can see but when I was on ESO last night I couldn’t read half of the in game text which is irritating (Especially when I was gonna get back to Stranger Things this week and I just know there’ll be subtitles.) If it comes down to it I might have to contact my opticians for my prescription and sort a pair out but… ugh.

Anyway there’s also been Star Wars celebration but I’ve not been able to watch or properly able to catch up with the official streams. However there’s been some good things:

*The Mandalorian and Grogu is coming out next year (the title is so clunky though) and there’s gonna be Zeb from Rebels, a fight on an AT-AT and Sigourney Weaver is gonna be a New Republic commander and pilot
*There’s gonna be a new film in two years called Star Wars Starfighter, not much info other than it has Ryan Gosling and it’s set a few years after IX
*Other films are in development but I’ll believe them when there’s actual details
*The Hasbro panel announced new figures but not too many. There’s Dash Rendar (it still feels odd there’s a sudden big Shadows Of The Empire push) and stuff from Jedi Survivor including a two pack with Turgle and Cal (though his alternate head is…) the coolest looking thing is a furry bantha! (Still no Qimir figure though)
*Hayden and Manny were there and both got massive amounts of love which is so deserved
*The animation panel announced a new series, Maul Shadow Lord. A Darth Maul series was not on my bingo card but it does sound cool, though it’s another new Rise of the empire era thing.
*Theres a new Clone Wars era turn based strategy game called Zero Company which looks pretty cool
*Ahsoka season 2 is filming soon (damn why so long)but I love the idea of a Thrawn/Ackbar face off(and ahhh Loth kittens!)
*Visions was the only panelI saw and that’s coming in Octoberand the concept art looks so cool (and the was a clip of someone that’s very friend shape. The new volume has sequels to volume 1 stuff so I’ll have to rewatch them (and one is getting a limited series too)
*The next Fortnite season is confirmed to be a five week Star Wars one with Palpatine, Mace Windu, Poe, Phasma and Darth Jar Jar coming (at least) which is a crazy line up.I’m surprised they didn’t announce a Cassian cause surely there is one

I think that’s all the big announcements (and obviously Andor is coming this week and Tales Of The Underworld Star Wars day.)

Despite not fully being in the hype this time it has made me wanna get back to Star Wars stuff. I still have a massive pile of Star Wars books to get round to so I might actually pick one to read after the current books. (And even if not there’s a bunch of graphic novels that will be easier to check out instead.) There’s also Visions volume 2 and the other Tales Of The Empire stuff to watch so I might watch them (and Young Jedi Adventures and Bad Batch, fuck I’m so far behind). And the black series figures have made me wanna get back on Jedi Survivor which I might do this week if I’m not too tired.

But ahhhh Star Wars!

But of course last night was one of my other main loves, aka a new Doctor Who ep so thoughts on Lux under the cut.

Read more... )

Today’s plan! Start The zresidence, have another root around for my glasses, watch Shoto’s spooky stream, Grace and then a Wendigoon vid (and maybe more who knows?) I also wanna see if fic brain will work and read the Stranger Things comic that came the other week but I was too stressed to read.

Today's Adventures

Apr. 19th, 2025 09:19 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
We went up to Amish territory today.

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Birdfeeding

Apr. 19th, 2025 12:21 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, rainy, and cool.  It started raining yesterday evening and is still going.

I fed the birds.  Not much activity today.

EDIT 4/19/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It is not currently raining.

EDIT 4/19/25 -- I took out one of the big self-watering pots from Family Dollar.  I filled the bottom half with American Countryside composted manure and the top half with American Countryside potting soil.  Then I planted a 'Mr. Stripey' heirloom tomato.  I put the pot on the new picnic table.



.
 

Philosophical Questions: Immigrants

Apr. 19th, 2025 01:01 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

Is it just and right to deny entry to a country when doing so probably means death for the immigrant and their family?


No. People should have freedom of movement, and not need the permission of one owner to leave the cage they were born in and another owner's permission to enter a different cage. Safety is also a human right.

And this is going to kill a lot of people, because climate refugees aren't even recognized as real refugees with rights, but humans are creating millions of them.


Creative Jam

Apr. 19th, 2025 12:49 am
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The April [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Empowerment."  Com give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration! 


What I Have Written




From My Prompts



Vocabulary: Ladramhaiola

Apr. 18th, 2025 10:22 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
From [community profile] 1word1day

Friday word: Ladramhaiola
Ladramhaiola (Irish Gaelic): a day that was frittered away, despite one's planning to get a lot done.


We call this "day eaten by locusts."

Join the Fictionfolk Webring

Apr. 18th, 2025 09:09 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Are you fictionfolk? Do you have a personal website? We'd love to have you join our webring! We've have yet to see anyone make fictionfolk webring, so we're filling the gap ourselves.

Safety

Apr. 18th, 2025 08:46 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
WHAT MAKES A HOME FEEL SAFE FOR AUTISTIC PEOPLE?

Autistic children and adults often lack access to spaces that make them feel safe, or allow them to decompress and be themselves without interference or unwelcome scrutiny. Sometimes a lack of safe spaces is no one’s fault, as when living quarters have limited size or privacy. But too often, autistic safety, comfort, and ease are not considered due to a lack of autism understanding, or rejected outright due to insistence on complying with non-autistic lifestyle approaches.

While ideally all non-autistic people and professionals would understand what makes spaces feel safe for autistic people, the baseline should be that autistic people have at least one space to retreat to: their homes. We talked to autistic people from a variety of backgrounds—including autistic parents of autistic and neurodivergent kids—about strategies for making homes feel safe for the autistic people who live in them.


Read more... )

Birdfeeding

Apr. 18th, 2025 04:18 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, windy, and warm.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, several grackles, and a robin.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/18/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/18/25 -- I planted one spearmint in the cistern garden and two bleeding hearts in the log garden.

EDIT 4/18/25 -- I planted a 'Festival Maxima' white peony and 3 lilies of the valley in the white garden.

EDIT 4/18/25 -- I watered the recently planted things.

EDIT 4/18/25 -- I filled a trolley with dead weed stems and dumped it in the firepit.  I think that's about it for weed stems in the way of that particular spot.  There's still a pile of dead brush that needs picking up though.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Safety

Apr. 18th, 2025 01:17 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Survivor of notorious New Orleans child sex abuser priest speaks out for first time

Neil Duhon blames archdiocese for allowing his rapist to prey on children throughout his career.
The clergy abuse survivor who helped prosecutors secure the only conviction against a notorious child rapist and retired Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans is still hoping that authorities file criminal charges against his former high school principal and everyone else who enabled the clergyman.
“Everybody that had any part … needs to be held accountable. Period – period,” Neil Duhon, whose rapist was Lawrence Hecker, said in an interview with WWL Louisiana and the Guardian, the first and only time he’s ever revealed his identity to the public.



"Priests are fuckers."
-- Shiv

Food

Apr. 18th, 2025 01:15 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
FDA to suspend quality-control program for food testing due to staff cuts

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is suspending a quality-control program for its food-testing laboratories as a result of staff cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to an internal email seen by Reuters.
The proficiency testing program of the FDA’s Food Emergency Response Network is designed to ensure consistency and accuracy across the agency’s network of about 170 labs that test food for pathogens and contaminants to prevent food-borne illness.
The firing and departure of as many as 20,000 HHS employees has upended public health research and disrupted the agency’s work on areas like bird flu and drug reviews. Donald Trump hopes to slash as much as $40bn from HHS.



Disturbing, but hardly a surprise.

Do you have a yard, or access to a community garden? You might want to plant edibles so you'll know where they've been.

Where are the trans people toilets?

Apr. 18th, 2025 01:08 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Copied from [personal profile] jayblanc for brilliant activism:

Here's a sample letter you might consider sending to your local authority if you live in the UK.

"To Whom it may concern,

I'm making a freedom of information request for information regarding your provision of toilets and changing rooms in Cherwell council operated buildings. As the new legal ruling requires the rights of Trans people not to be discriminated agains, can you please identify the Trans persons bathroom and changing facilities in all [LOCAL AUTHORITY] operated buildings, and certifications that they are of equal amenity to any other present bathroom and changing facilities. I advise that shared spaces currently dedicated to Disabled persons would not count towards such amenity, as it would be dilution of the provision for Disabled people.

Yours - Name and address"

And perhaps we can start a campaign of going into public authority buildings and asking where "The Trans person toilets" are, then explaining they now have a legal obligation to provide one.

Jug Crafts for Gardening

Apr. 18th, 2025 12:38 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This is one of the comments I made over on Frugal Friday.

A translucent plastic jug (e.g. milk jug, water jug) can be used to make various garden crafts. I prefer the gallon size, but half-gallon will work for some purposes.

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Frugal Friday

Apr. 18th, 2025 12:09 pm
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[personal profile] ecosophia has posted Frugal Friday where everyone is welcome to share money-aaving tips. \o/  This is a recurring post so watch for it weekly.

Follow Friday 4-18-25: Graphics

Apr. 18th, 2025 12:04 am
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Today's theme is Graphics.

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Never Forget

Apr. 18th, 2025 12:45 am
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The survivors of the Shoah remember, because they have seen this before.



Never forget. Never again.

And in case you need a reminder of why.

Reality Imitating Art

Apr. 17th, 2025 08:18 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Exclusive: Musk's SpaceX is frontrunner to build Trump's Golden Dome missile shield

SpaceX is leading a bid to build Golden Dome with startups Anduril and Palantir, six people said
The SpaceX-led group is pitching the Pentagon on a 'subscription model' for missile defense, sources said
SpaceX proposes a constellation of 400 to more than 1,000 missile defense satellites, sources said


The stupid, it burns like hydrogen.


Today In “I Literally F*cking Wrote This” by John Scalzi

You know who thought up a subscription-based defense model in his book Starter Villain? FUCKING ME THAT’S WHO. That smug fascist owes me a percentage. I won’t get it, of course and if I did get it I would donate that shit to all the “woke” things he hates so fast it would make his brain swim.


*sigh* Those who don't read science fiction are doomed to repeat it.

(no subject)

Apr. 18th, 2025 01:31 am
shadowhive: (James Sleeping on trains)
[personal profile] shadowhive
Today has been a pretty draining day.

Cause I had an appointment I had to be up early and out to town…. Only to find that I’d got the wrong day. I’d seen the appointment as being Thursday and, rightly cause of it being urgent, had assumed it was today however it was for next week.

Thankfully the lady I talked to was a decent person and was able to not only sort it out for me, but could tell me what happened (one of the digits in the system was wrong), flag getting the payment back as urgent (since it had already bounced back) and actually said it’s a good job I came in early to sort it.

She said it should be in as early as tomorrow, before realising it was the bank holiday so that should delay it by a few more days. Hopefully that’s true and that’s the end of it but… ugh.

Instead of just heading home like last time I went a few places to get bits and pieces for shopping. Nothing too exciting but by the end of it was tiring (mostly cause of the 8p veg from Asda being heavy). It probably didn’t help I picked up a Doctor Who hardback book from a charity shop either.

Once I got back I flopped and watched the Mario Kart direct and it still looks really good. The trouble is though the direct felt a tad… pointless? Like most of what it shown was stuff in the original trailer and I kinda felt like the direct would go more in depth with stuff you know? Like it didn’t even say if you unlocked characters by doing things or had everyone from the start (all it did was mention unlockable costumes).

Rest of the day I spent mostly tuned out and flopping with Midna cuddles.

I did get an email about the Sumerian order I did in the sale, cause two CDs didn’t come with the rest (Danny Worsnop and Sleeping With Sirens albums) and it just said I was getting a refund for them. No reasoning why, so I’m left to assume they just didn’t have the stock they expected.

Tonight is the start of Star Wars Celebration, but the streams are at 3am here so I’ll probably miss them all.(and intend to watch them later and instead forget). So I’ll expect to wake the next few days to exciting reveals of stuff. (Like info on the upcoming Star Wars fortnite season and I’m manifesting we get a Black Series Qimir figure)

And speaking of Star Wars, the local cinema has confirmed it’s gonna be getting Episode III so I might see that. (It is more than seeing it at the Odeon, but the Odeon is all the way in Birmingham and this is just in town.)

This weekend I’m just gonna flop and hope that my energy can come back so I can do things. Maybe I’ll get back to reading or ficcing (I did end up starting ANOTHER wip last night) but most likely I’ll just end up flopping with the girls and waiting for the new Who ep to drop.

But now I’m gonna head up to bed, if I’ll actually sleep is another thing entirely.

Navajo Peaches

Apr. 17th, 2025 04:54 pm
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[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
How a Navajo Scientist Is Helping to Restore Traditional Peach Horticulture

People have grown peach trees in the vast desert landscape of the southwestern United States for hundreds of years. Peach orchards in Canyon de Chelly National Monument were first sown by predecessors of the Hopi people and in the 1700s by the Navajos. They were part of a local economy of shepherding, small-scale farming, hunting, and gathering. Of the orchard fruits adopted by the Navajo people, the peach became the most culturally significant. It was a versatile food, trade good, and feature of traditional ceremonies. The peaches are now predominantly modern varieties, but young Navajo horticulturist Reagan Wytsalucy, who is collaborating with the National Park Service at Canyon de Chelly, understands there’s great interest in returning to the centuries-old, traditional peaches. Her groundbreaking research shows why.

Wytsalucy is working with Indigenous communities to increase the availability of traditional crops for original uses. She hopes this will counter food insecurity, increase resiliency, and perpetuate traditional cultural knowledge
.


This is a great cultural accomplishment. It's also valuable in the face of climate change, which is causing droughts in many more places.  You can help by growing a climate-resilient garden with drought-resistant crops.
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