behind his eyes he says ‘i still exist’
Jun. 3rd, 2025 06:13 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
wwdn_feedThis thing has been happening to me since I built my first blog about 25 years ago, and you’d think that by now it would have stopped, but here we are.
The longer I go between posts, the more SUPER IMPORTANT the next post becomes. This is especially gross after I’ve been promoting something. I feel like I’ve bombarded the world with my promotional stuff, so I ought to give the world something to offset that.
…only when I sit down to do that, the part of me that creates those things is like, “Oh hell no. I’m on vacation.”
So I come in here, day after day, get to about this point in a post just like this one, and then I get frustrated, delete it, and go play video games.
I have to break that cycle, so here’s a little bit of a roundup to put something new here.
Yesterday, I finished building the LEGO Batmobile, which I started months ago. It has some adorable little details that were a lot of fun to discover, but holy shit was it tedious most of the time. It turns out that building vehicles, even one that I have been obsessed with since I was a little kid, is not something I enjoy.
I think I’m doing the Haunted House next.
If you’d told me a year ago that the Stanley Cup final in 2025 would be the same teams from 2024, I never would have believed you, and once again I am cheering for Florida because Edmonton is literally the only Canadian team I just can’t abide. Sorry, Oilers Nation, but fuck Corey Perry.1
Remember Trek Side of the Moon? It’s back, in T-shirt form.
I loved the movie, but am very late to the What We Do In The Shadows series party, so I’m only now getting into its third season. A couple nights ago, I watched an episode that takes them to Atlantic City. Nandor gets completely hooked on a Big Bang Theory slot machine, and is delighted to discover that there is a television series that is “faithful to the slot machine.”2
The thing is … because The Big Bang Theory canonically exists inside the What We Do In The Shadowsverse, that means I exist inside that universe. This feels like an achievement that should come with a badge, and it makes me stupidly happy.3
Late last week,I saw that Loretta Swit passed away. We worked together when I was a kid, and I remembered some things about her.
A friend of mine observed that we are slowly becoming the Elders, and that’s just really weird. I have been thinking about that, and it turns out there is a lot about that I’m not really ready to embrace, like accepting that people I love, who mean so much to me, are getting older (and elderly) with all that implies. It’s just … it’s really weird. At the same time, it feels really good and … gentle? … to embrace a position in life that allows me to be a kind, patient, supportive, and encouraging person in the world for anyone who needs it.
I’m thinking a lot about how I can talk about things from a place of experience, in a way that younger me would have been able to hear and internalize. I want to be a Helper so much, y’all.
I had a meeting with my team to discuss next steps on It’s Storytime. The audience is small but passionate, and growing steadily. I think we’ve found a way to make it break even, or slightly better, while the audience continues to grow. Thank you to everyone who is supporting the show on Patreon, to everyone who has liked and subscribed and whatnot. It looks like the audience is right around 20,000 listeners which seems like a lot to me, and something I feel really good about! But you know what’s crazy? In the podcast world, it’s tiny. Isn’t that nuts?
When I was walking Marlowe, I came across this weirdly bent spoon in the street, so I posted it in my Instagram stories with the caption “If anyone sees Uri Gellar, tell him I found his spoon.”4
I think this is a pretty good joke.
I watched a fantastic film a couple nights ago, about the post-punk scene in West Berlin from 1979-1989, called B-Movie: Lust & Sound. It’s streaming all over the place, and if you like the same kind of music and aesthetics that I do, it’s probably worth your time.
I think that’s all for now. Have a good day, friends.
- Also, Florida sent 9 players to Four Nations, and Four Nations was the most exciting and satisfying hockey tournament I have ever seen. So there’s that.
︎ - I love how this show keeps surprising me like this. The first time, it was throwing the bone off the roof in the werewolf fight. I never saw it coming, and it just killed me. ︎
- I also exist inside Tommy Westphal’s snow globe, but that doesn’t feel as exclusive. They’ll let anybody into that thing. They let me in there! ︎
- If you get this reference, that means it’s time to schedule a colonoscopy, if you haven’t already. And make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D, because our aging bodies need it. ︎
And they called the wind "I am so over it."
Jun. 3rd, 2025 11:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
freewaydivaTheme for 2025: Focused creation
Me: It's been a mad week, starting with my Auntie and cousin being in London for the long weekend, shooting up to an event for a Laurelling, making stuff and shopping for people, and going to a 5-day event in Ireland. I...have not always made the best food choices, and WOW is my body grumpy with me. The madness continues for a bit, though, as I have houseguests tonight, and again at the end of the week until the middle of next. It's Countess Adina, who brings her own chaos vector, starting with "You gave me a bunch of transportation options to get to your house from Heathrow, and I chose none of them and got Paddington Express tickets instead," which puts her in probably the worst place to start from to get to my house. But here we are.
I'll talk about the event a bit, below, but Saxa and I fucked off on Sunday night back to Dublin to stay in a hotel and get a little bit of touristing in. This was an inspired choice, and I'm super glad we did it. A little tour of Trinity College and a peep at the Book of Kells, followed by seeing a bunch of lovely artefacts at the National Museum (waves at the Ardagh Chalice and Boru brooch) before I had to leave on Monday night.
The Food Report: I've just been eating what's in front of me, and hoping for the best, really. I am hoping to get back on track, because my body isn't happy with me.
Villa Formaggi Resort & Spa: Panic cleaning commencing in 3...2...
Reading, Watching, Listening: Reading: ... Watching: YouTube Listening: A lot of subliminals.
Eagerly Anticipating: Midsummer Coronation. A long stretch of nothing much so I can maybe make some new clothes.
SCA: I've made an apron panel for Her Upcoming, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I'm using the leftovers and some stuff I had laying around to make a matching hat for His Upcoming, so while they're not matchy-matchy, they'll at least look coordinated and shiny.
I test-drove the new dress at St. Bede's and Strawberry Raid, and I am well pleased. I wore one of my 16th c. dresses one day at SR, and was so uncomfortable I am now dedicated to making more of the new style and new 16th c. ones that actually fit (now that I have the patterns from Victoria). I also think I can just remove the laces entirely, on the sides, without losing any of the nice shape. That will have to wait until after Coronation, though.
Strawberry Raid was good fun, in sum. It was every bit as windy as the last time I was there, which I didn't enjoy, and there was more drama than I am generally interested in. If I go back, I'll sort out different food and lodging arrangements, I think. Staying in a big house with a bunch of other people isn't ideal, and there was a lot of backing and forthing for meals and schlepping food to site and a bunch of nonsense that I just am not into. There were a couple of other moments that weren't excellent, but I probably won't post about them but will say that some personalities are very challenging for me. I did have a good time, though - Etienne taught me how to play medieval chess, which was hilarious because he is hilarious. He proceeded to trounce me, and then I proceeded to trounce his daughter. I taught a couple of classes that seemed to be well-received. I had LOADS of hang-out time with lovely people, made some new friends and made some existing friendships better. It didn't rain while I was there. I got to do a bit of Town Crying, played Stunt Seneschal, and attended the royalty, so even got to scratch the herald and service itch a bit. Most importantly we have new Royalty, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they bring.
The bestest of the best, though, was getting to hang out with Saxa a tonne. She taught a bunch of classes, too, but we fucked off on Saturday after the tournament to go to the Irish National Heritage Park up the road a bit and then, as I said, ducked out on Sunday night to get back to Dublin. It breaks my heart that the Kingdom where she lives is such an absolute shit-show, in general, and for her specifically. I wish we could adopt her, because she brings so much with her.
Projects: Green sweater is still in the punishment pile. I gave up on the mittens because the pattern was nuts, and I've put the matching hood kit into the Charity pile because nope. I've started a hood for Ma out of some dark pink tweed, and have yarn to knit her a hat to match a scarf she wove for herself. Lots of thinky thoughts about modern clothing sewing, but stopping just short of buying fabric for that, so far. Materials for the Langobard ensemble continue to amass - I found some wool gauze for a veil and some linen for a dress, and bought a rustic-looking Laurel medallion from Oriane's first attempts at gilding + enamel so I can put it on some of the beads I have stuffed in a box, somewhere.
Work: Back on the bench, but have been attached to a couple of pitches so we'll see how it goes.
Seating Arrangement
Jun. 1st, 2025 09:36 pmquestionable_content_feed
That's no ottoman, that's my slime girl friend
I always channel Sybil Fawlty when saying "Basil"
Jun. 1st, 2025 12:29 pmmadbaker"Turkey is the perfect protein for a low-fat dinner. Lemon juice and zest give this dish oomph."
( Read more... )
PostSecret AfterStory
Jun. 1st, 2025 12:03 ampost_secret_feed
Dear Frank,
My secret reads: It hurts to do jazz hands after I cut myself, but the show must go on. I sent you my secret several years ago shortly before coming to college.
I am now a senior in college and a lot has changed. I am majoring in vocal music performance and specializing in opera rather than musical theatre, so no more jazz hands! But more importantly, I have stopped cutting and am on the road to stopping self-injury totally.
And even more importantly, I have used my experiences related to my secret to help the others who have the same secrets. Over the past three years, I have not only become increasingly more open about my experiences, I have also worked to raise awareness among college students about the stigmas related to self-injury as well as organizing campus-wide events in conjunction with campus counseling services in which people who suffer as self-injurers can come and talk openly and give voice to their secrets related to SI.
Looking at my life now and looking at my secret from the past, it seems like it is an image from someone else’s lifetime. Someone else’s story. But there it is… a reminder of how far I have come and the fact that even then, even in the darkness, I knew there was more… that the show would go on. And thankfully, it has.
The post PostSecret AfterStory appeared first on PostSecret.
(no subject)
May. 29th, 2025 10:19 ammadbakerMiss Bea used her adorable mini-growl a couple times and didn't let Trish touch her, but didn't completely run away either. That makes Trish the third person not living here to actually see Bea in the flesh. (The other two being the upstairs neighbors, who have visited enough that Bea will take treats from them... but only if we are present.)
David Dastmalchian interview
May. 28th, 2025 02:29 pmmarthawells"Now I feel much more comfortable advocating for [what I need]. To give you an example, on the set of Murderbot, going to my directors and writers, the showrunners, Chris and Paul [Weitz], and saying, ‘I'm really sorry, but on Wednesday at 2pm - I know I'm on the schedule that day, but is there any way I could be in my trailer for 45 minutes to have a therapy session?' and them being so supportive and loving and saying, ‘Of course, we will get you a Wi-Fi booster,’ because we were out in the middle of nowhere.
Not a Kids' Book Series
May. 28th, 2025 11:05 ammadbakerI had planned to make rhubarb ice cream, but apparently it hasn't been a banner year for rhubarb here and there wasn't any available last week. Rhubarb rhubarb arugula. So I made nectarine ice cream instead. But since it was the same base as apricot ice cream but with only a related fruit substituted, I didn't think that was really a "new" recipe. So instead -
"Consider this a neo-tiki Negroni."
( Read more... )
(no subject)
May. 27th, 2025 08:23 ammadbakerIt made me happy. Not as happy as being among the redwoods in Muir Woods, but still. Just being in the trees and hearing birdsong helped refresh me. Afterwards we walked down to the Haight and had a bite (trying to avoid the dirty hippies).
Dynamic Illumination
May. 26th, 2025 10:04 pmquestionable_content_feed
taking off her shirt acts as a flashbang
Memorial Day Secrets
May. 25th, 2025 12:09 ampost_secret_feedThe post Memorial Day Secrets appeared first on PostSecret.
Episode 3 Available Now
May. 23rd, 2025 10:47 ammarthawellsHere's an interview with David Goyer where he says nice things about me:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/05/22/murderbot-ep-david-s-goyer-on-alexander-skarsgrd-and-staying-true-to-martha-wells-books/
“No one was interested. They were like, ‘This is just RoboCop’ and we were like, ‘No, it's not at all. It's the anti-RoboCop,'” Goyer recalled. “It's about neurodivergence. It's about humanity.”
And an interview with Paul and Chris:
https://arstechnica.com/culture/2025/05/the-making-of-apple-tvs-murderbot/
Paul Weitz: The first book, All Systems Red, had a really beautiful ending. And it had a theme that personhood is irreducible. The idea that, even with this central character you think you get to know so well, you can't reduce it to ways that you think it's going to behave—and you shouldn't. The idea that other people exist and that they shouldn't be put into whatever box you want to put them into felt like something that was comforting to have in one's pocket. If you're going to spend so much time adapting something, it's really great if it's not only fun but is about something.
The Perfect Gift
May. 22nd, 2025 10:11 pmquestionable_content_feed
starting to notice a pattern with these two
