Reading

Current Mood: artistic
Current Location: ici

A walk on the Mortimer trail

We'd promised ourselves a walk on this footpath last time we were in Ludlow and ran out of time.

The Mortimers were the local aristocratic family and had an unerring ability to choose the wrong side during the Wars of the Roses.

We walked past one of the several weirs on the River Teme.

( More pics! )

PSA which I keep forgetting to post

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/01/online-platform-independent-bookshops-ebooks-uk

Bookshop.org is now selling ebooks in the UK as well, with profits (as with paper books sold through them) going to indie bookshops; you can either pick a specific shop you love to benefit (in my case, Juno Books), or have the money go into a collective pool.

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The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, Nov 7)

Another day I did not go downtown at all. I had scheduled brunch with a friend of mine (the previous librarian) because this is another day I don’t have to take mom to her treatment, and I decided that I didn’t need to rush downtown and back, since we’re going in a different direction for brunch. Grocery shopping can wait until tomorrow.

We went to a restaurant I had never been to before (didn’t even know it existed!); she got a fancy breakfast panini and I got a lunch panini (as they were apparently serving both at this time?), the chicken caprese. It was delicious. And we had a lovely visit. I used to stay and visit with her when I’d drop by the library, but since she retired I rarely see her. (Though we are two of a very few left-leaning folk in this area, so we like and share each other’s facebook posts often. *g*)

Additionally, I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, hard boiled eggs and made egg salad, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I also emptied some old containers of food out of the upstairs refrigerator freezer (including a package of taco meat dated 2018 o_O) and found some leftover pork tenderloin (that is not THAT old *g*) that I served Pip for supper.

I finished typing in my Top Gun notes and finally started typing in my fic! I got the entirety of what I had handwritten typed in! ~4,920 words!!! I now just have one more ‘scene’ (it’s really more than one scene, but it’s a section from one person’s pov) to write. I’m pretty excited about being so close to the end. (I didn’t even take a nap today because I wanted to get as much as possible typed in!)

Temps started out at 33.8(F) and reached 54.5. There was very little sun and a good breeze, but if there had been more sun and less breeze it would’ve been really nice out. Then of course it got overcast and rained a bit in the late afternoon.

Mom Update:

I talked to mom and she sounded good. She said everything went well with her appointment and she didn’t have any issues with her food. Since she isn’t able to do much, that was about it.

Leaky Ceiling

So. My ceiling leaked. I panicked and called for immediate water mitigation. After a quick search (at about 2 or 3 in the morning), I sent a message to CWF.

They came out. I hired the guy.

They did a fantastic job. Everyone who saw or heard about what they did told me it was complete overkill, but I liked being *sure* that my ceiling wasn't moldy or weakening. I've had a ceiling fall, just inches from crashing over my body. I did not want to risk that.

What I did not know: mitigation would require cutting 4 large holes in my ceiling. They would not fix those.

Oh, they had a division that fixed the holes, but that was a separate service and fee.

Fixing my ceiling (they bundled in re-painting my ceiling in my living room, hall, and kitchen) would cost over $4,000. I said 'no.' I'd live with the holes first.

Today, I got the bill for the water mitigation. $2,700. Paying with a credit card is going to cost an additional $82.

I feel so incredibly foolish.

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🔗 knitting typeface, sass witchcraft, reclaim tech

Hello, happy Friday! Some links for y’all:

Crafts & Hobbies

Here’s a bunch of really artsy, really cute witchy/pagan printables including coloring pages, grimoire pages, and idea lists.

And here’s a typeface for people who love to knit— and it doubles as a pattern, too!

Pride Radio Network, which is “a multi-mode amateur radio repeater network created by and for the members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies.”

Zines & Books

Some intriguing zines I found recently:

For An Anarchist Radio Relay League (PDF direct link)
SASS Witchcraft Zine (“secular, agnostic/atheist, skeptical, and science-seeking”)
Collection of fanzines from nonasuch on Tumblr
Free digital zines from Alexa Kari on various topics, including one about museum controversies!

Also ZineMap.com which has zine libraries, stores that sell zines, etc. listed in an easy-to-use directory.

Internet Culture, etc.

Sacha Judd writes about how the internet is broken for groups/communities, not just individual users. She didn’t mention forums at all, BUT they have everything needed for a vibrant community space except the problem is cost: hosting, plus time/emotion/effort for moderators to keep things running. One reason Discord has taken off for fan groups is because it’s free, you can do mod things, you can search for history more or less, and so on. It’s basically like a slightly shittier forum mixed with IRC. Anyway…

Streetpass for Mastodon — a fun browser extension where it automatically finds Mastodon accounts for websites you visit. It’s a spin off the Nintendo 3DS’ StreetPass feature!

A short but informative video presentation about ReclaimTech, a community movement away from corporate web/social media. Here’s their main website which has more info and resource links.

Here’s a little thing about the downsides of open source software licenses (h/t alisx).

Two modes of Internet use by Tracy Durnell:

I’ve found my relationships are healthier when I keep my offline-first relationships offline (e.g. not following each other on Facebook or Instagram) — following someone’s Instagram makes it feel like I know what’s going on with them without interacting. Following offline friends on social media can reduce what used to be normal friendships into parasocial relationships.

[…]

I suspect bringing offline relationships online is responsible for a lot of the loneliness people feel — social media looks like you have all these friends… but no one you could ask to feed your cat while you’re away, because one-to-many broadcasting replaced direct interactions 😿 Essentially, the offline relationship became an online one.

US Politics

“Former library director awarded $700,000 after she was fired for refusing to remove LGBTQ+ books” — yay!

Need more stuff to read? I’ve compiled all previous linkspam posts here on my website, or you can explore the linkspam tag to find more.

Crossposted from Pixietails Club Blog.

Entry tags:

media: books: nonfiction

📖 reading log: confessions of a concierge by bonnie g. smith

Book Info

Confessions of a Concierge: Madame Lucie’s History of Twentieth-Century France
by Bonnie G. Smith (1985)

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, History

LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/1238610/

Acquired from: Capitol Hill Books, Denver, Colorado, USA ($6.50) [see also: Indie Bookstore Visit Log]

Started reading: November 6, 2025

Finished reading: TBD

Reading Notes:

Copyright page says the following:

The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources.

I’ve never seen that before, but sure enough the pages aren’t yellowed and are sturdier than many other paperbacks, more like a nice hardcover paper.

Page xvi: Quite a long-winded intro on why this story deserves to be told by a historian and why it’s important to historians or whatever which I think must be a sign of the time it was written (1985,) because nowadays it’s just taken for granted that first-person historical info is important and wanted?? Published by Yale so maybe something there too– like author had to argue why it’s academic, maybe?

Page 3: First part of book is written in first-person POV from POV of Madame Lucie. Second part is third person from POV of historian (I think).

Crossposted from Pixietails Club Blog.

(no subject)

I got offline early yesterday as I didn't want to see the Celeb Traitors spoilers. The finale was mistakenly shown a day early in Canada, so it would have been all too easy to unwillingly see the outcome. As it was, I was glad I did go in unspoiled. ( cut for spoilers )

I've really enjoyed watching the show, and while it was frustrating waiting a week between some episodes, doing so kept people talking, and I liked that.

Today I've been for a walk to one pharmacist to pick up Kayleigh's script, and then to another to get James'. While there's no bright sunshine, it's still mild so it was nice to walk through the falling leaves and get some fresh air.

I also talked to Pauline, who phoned asking if we wanted to meet up next Wednesday for a lunch out to celebrate James' birthday. Now, that's not until the 1st, so yet again she's arranging stuff really early. But hey, he's off that day and I guess there's no reason not to celebrate that early.

Tomorrow, for the first time in a few weekends, we don't have any craft fairs so we're off to the cinema. I don't even know what to see yet, but something. I may even buy myself my first Christmas Costa of the season. I quite fancy a gingerbread latte with a tiny gingerbread man balanced on top.

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podcasts

podcast friday

Double feature because there was too much good content this week.

I'm going to take the rare step of recommending a two-part episode before I've finished listening to part 2, because I've listened to the Conspirituality episode on the same subject and I know who Peter Thiel thinks is the Antichrist. Through all of part 1 and the beginning of part 2 of Behind the Bastards' "Peter Thiel and the Anti-Christ" you can just feel Robert getting increasingly excited about telling Sarah Marshall who Thiel thinks the Antichrist is and she keeps guessing and getting close but missing, critically, how fucking insane Thiel is.

You should listen to this because the people making all of the decisions in our lives with all of the money are actually batshit and believe batshit things and we all need to adjust our political strategies accordingly.

The flipside is Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff's "The Gallae: Trans Priestesses of Ancient Rome," where Magpie talks to Gabriel Dunn about how ancient trans women were persecuted but powerful and badass, into noise music, and did rave culture. Part 1, part 2. Not as much on Sumerian civilization as I'd like but maybe that's another episode.

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The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Nov 6)

I did not go downtown at all today as I wanted to get some stuff done at home before I left to pick up mom. Also, the thought of sitting at McD’s wasn’t appealing. One thing I did do was hit the post office to mail a long-overdue package to Alaska!Niece. Now I just need to get her Christmas package put together so she gets that before the holidays. o_O

I drove mom to her treatment, did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a couple walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I grilled steak for Pip’s supper.

I typed in ~1,200 words on my SFBB fic. Everything handwritten so far has been typed in, now I just need to finish writing it. I typed in some of my Top Gun notes, and then in the evening I somehow managed to write ~1,300 more words on that fic! I’m nearing the end, and I’d like to get it typed in sooner rather than later.

I watched an HGTV program and took another short afternoon nap. I told mom that it doesn’t bode well for the winter months if I already need daily naps.

Temps started out at 37.2(F) and reached 42.3. Pip said it got warmer than that when the sun came out, but I didn’t see it. In fact, it had fallen back into the 30s before I left to pick up mom and was once again (or still) in the 30s when I got home. There was some sun, but dark clouds moved in and we drove through rain that turned very ‘thick’ at one point. It didn’t quite reach what I’d call snow, but it was trying to. When we got to mom’s appointment, we heard that they had actual snow there earlier. I’m really not looking forward to that.

Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

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cats

Kitty training

Sipuli can now touch a target and also touch it by sort of standing up on her hind legs. That did take extra training and I am giving another verbal cue, but it's really the same trick and I'm not sure what to do next. She sits most of the time by default, which would make that hard. Maybe lie down, or turn in a circle?

I started training Tristana yesterday too (the sessions are about 5 minutes, so it's not really a burden), and she is getting better about touching the target but doesn't fully understand yet.

(no subject)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DQruTV9j36j/

Dear Americans, especially those of limited means,

I came across this. I don't know if it's accurate, but if this offer is in any way relevant to you, it might be worth checking it out.

Link has details about an offer from Aldi for a Thanksgiving meal package costing $40 and containing food to feed ten people. There's a list of what's in the package. Even if you don't actually plan to feed that many, that's still a lot of food that sounds like a lot of it could be frozen or stored for another day. If the offer is true, it sounds like a really good deal. I'm not entirely certain what the equivalen of $40 is in my local currency, but it doesn't sound like an awful lot for this amount of food.

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[Writing | Books] Fics off to beta, and some recent reads and re-reads.

Writing Update!

Since finishing the first drafts of Harsh Light and Gentle Dark in late September, I have revised and edited both, and as of yesterday they're off to my beta reader. I thought about posting an excerpt for WIP Wednesday (or Thursday) but to be honest I've been staring at these fics for so long that I think it's probably better for me to take a break from looking at them for a few days! I do really enjoy the editing process, but even so I was starting to glaze a little by the end, so I hope to be able to look with fresh eyes when I come back to implement beta suggestions. And then posting!

In the same vein, I think it'll probably be good for me to noodle around with some smaller scale writing before I just launch myself into the next longfic. (Though launching into another longfic is always such a temptation for me.) I have an idea for an FFXIV one-shot about some NPCs that I may play with once the longfic is ready to go. Perhaps even some non-FFXIV writing, who knows.

In any case, it's been a good fall for writing, the end is in sight for the current project, and if writing slows down a bit, or becomes a bit less structured, for the winter, that's fine.

( Recent Reading (Spoiler-free) )

I wish you all much creative energy in whatever your current project(s) are. If you like, tell me what you're currently reading or working on in the comments!

Current Mood: photographical
Current Location: 'ome from the market

Last Paris pics

The building which houses the Musée Jacquemart André is rather fine in its own right!

This is the garden:

( Here be pics!. )

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The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Nov 5)

I had a chiropractic appointment and a pedicure this morning. (I went with a deep red polish.) I made this a no-shopping day.

I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. Some days I plan for ‘no leftover’ meals because Pip doesn’t need extra leftovers to take to work; this was one such day so, due to the weather, I just did soup and grilled cheese.

I typed in ~1,500 words of fic! Though not the fic I was planning to type in. This is the fic I started writing for

smallfandombang. I wanted to participate in Saturday Snippets, and since this fic had been handwritten, I needed to start typing it in to do that. Also, it might get me motivated to work on it some more.

I had hoped to write more on my Top Gun fic, but I spent what little time I had available for that going down a Google search for specific terminology to use in the fic. I eventually remembered that transcripts do exist and found what I needed from that source. And then spent some time scrolling through it and found some neat information via missing scenes (like the fact that Maverick requested Hondo to come help him out with the training).

And guess who now has a copy of the Top Gun soundtrack on CD in their hot little hands? If you guessed me, you’d be correct. I did used to own it on cassette (does everyone reading this remember cassettes? *g*), but I don’t have those anymore, and watching the movies (multiple times) has given me the urge to listen to it.

I watched a couple of HGTV programs I had recorded and then set Lottery Dream House in the background. I also fit in a short nap. I’m blaming the weather and the time change.

I didn't have any pain today from the sciatica! Let's hope that continues.

Temps started out at 39.0(F) and reached 53.8. It was overcast all day, so not warm at all.

Mom Update:

Mom sounded good when I talked to her on the phone. She didn’t have much to say other than her appointment went well and she remembered to call her dr office to A) request a prescription (the prescription she got when she left the hospital for her blood thinner is out of refills and she prefers to get her meds in the mail, in any case) and B) request a note to get a handicap placard (which I’ve mentioned to her several times o_O). She’s not sure the doctor took note of the second request, but I had planned to ask her doctor today at her weekly status check, because I figured they could give us the necessary doctor’s note right there, whereas we’d have to pick it up from her regular doctor’s office. Having the handicap placard will make things so much easier!

Saving this link

I need to remember to review this post when picking out some books for a nieph: https://stackedbooks.org/ya-horror-comics/

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📖 reading log: my love affair with england by susan allen toth

Book Info

My Love Affair with England: A Traveler’s Memoir by Susan Allen Toth (1992)

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel

LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/work/56906/

Acquired from: Capitol Hill Books, Denver, Colorado, USA ($7.50) [see also: Indie Bookstore Visit Log]

Started reading: October 31, 2025

Finished reading: November 4, 2025

Review

I picked this up because I nearly bought it from a UBS in Milwaukee a few months ago. It caught my eye again, mostly because I’m planning to go to England for a few months next year AND I adore pre-internet travel memoirs, so I decided to get it!

It’s a very charming book which focuses mostly on the bits of England that the author enjoyed, mixed in with some memoir-type stuff about her personal life and how it intersected with her visits to England and how that affected her time there. I enjoyed reading about the specific things she likes, as you can tell she REALLY likes them– but not to the point where it sounds like ass-kissing.

I also liked that she said specifically she only likes visiting and doesn’t want to move there; often I find that actually living somewhere is way different than being a visitor, often to the location’s detriment because now you have to deal with things like sorting trash and paying electricity bills, when really what you want to do is wander around looking at old buildings and eating bacon sandwiches.

Having been to England myself several times I recognized a lot of the stuff she was talking about, and that was fun, too. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

Reading Notes

Page 9:

I do not blame the English. If they keep to themselves, I also keep to myself. At home in America, I guard my privacy, cherishing the easy and congenial company of my husband or quiet time alone. When I am in England, I need even more meditative space. Since I travel quite intensely, looking and listening and walking hard, at night I am ready to stop. I have to absorb what I experience and gather my energies for the next day. I want to sink into bed with a book, not traipse down to the pub to talk about politics or football. So I do not usually make social overtures.

Same!!

( Read the rest of this entry » )

Crossposted from Pixietails Club Blog.

Entry tags:

finland,
health

Are you fucking kidding me, health center?

When I called the health center in late October and said "My last refill of ADHD medication came with a note that said 'book appointment with doctor for checkup'", they told me that there were no appointments available until December, and to call back at the beginning of November when the December appointment slots open up.

I called after lunch today, and the receptionist told me that all the slots had been filled already (even though the slots only opened for booking this morning - I checked their hours - at 8 am) so I would have to call back on November 17th when the next batch of appointment slots (for later in December I guess) opens up, "and preferably as early as possible in the morning!"

This isn't a functional system.

It might be the best way they can manage the resources they have, but it's clearly a health center that doesn't have enough doctors.

This is not an acceptable way to access a doctor's care in a public health system!!!!

(It's because conservative governments have had control in Finland and have been shoving through 'healthcare reforms' and insane cutbacks to all the social services over the last few years.)

An appointment with a private GP at the chain of private health centers with a branch in town has a base price of 100€, but it's 140€ for specialists and I suspect might be more for psychiatrists. (I haven't seriously considered going there, so I didn't check the specifics. Checking how the psychiatric medications are going for me is theoretically a more long-term monitoring anyway, not a one-time visit.)

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Wednesday Reading Meme

What I’ve Just Finished Reading

Already posted about Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, and there’s been nothing else of note.

What I’m Reading Now

Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. This is a LOT of undersea description, and sometimes I’m enjoying it and sometimes I’m like “That list of fish is LONG ENOUGH, Verne.” But the main thing pulling me along is the question “Captain Nemo, what is your DAMAGE?”, and also the source of his fabulous wealth.

Although I just learned the answer to this latter question in the most recent chapter! Retrieving the treasure from long-ago shipwrecks, of course. And he’s funneling the funds to revolutionary movements around the world, double of course, peak 19th century activity right there.

Also, I’ve discovered that the twenty thousand leagues of the title refer to the length of the voyage, not the depth, as twenty thousand leagues is apparently many times deeper than the actual depth of the ocean.

What I Plan to Read Next

My hold on Sachiko Kashiwaba’s The Village Beyond the Mist is finally on its way! I put this book on hold back in May or June, and it’s been dawdling because apparently it was too new to leave its home branch even though no one checked it out for ages and AGES… but finally it’s coming to me! The book apparently inspired Spirited Away (it looks super different though, so I’m not expecting any super direct relationship) so I’m looking forward to reading it.

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The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Nov 4)

I hit Walmart while I was downtown and Stewart’s on the way home (for milk and gas). I also voted! I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I heated a ham steak for supper. (We were both guzzling water the rest of the night!)

I didn’t get anymore words written, but I did type up the notes I’d taken the other night and I also watched some more of Top Gun: Maverick so I had a better memory of the timeline (and took more notes, naturally). I watched some HGTV programs and later put Zoo Tampa on in the background. Not having to take mom to her appointment gave me more time to catch up on some mod stuff, which was very helpful.

I felt just the teensiest twinge of buttock pain in the evening, but it reminded me to do some stretches, so that was good.

Temps started out at 41.4(F) and reached 51.1. There was sun, but it was windy and felt cold.

Mom Update:

Mom sounded good when I talked to her. ( more back here )

Entry tags:

books

Reading Wednesday

Any day that starts with Cheney dying and ends with Mandami getting elected as New York mayor, even with the forces of both wings of the Party allied against him, is a pretty good day.

But onto the books.

Just finished: Nothing.

Currently reading: Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. Okay "academia is hell" is a cheap premise but 1) it's true, and 2) she does it splendidly, and I am devouring this book. It's so good. I love Alice. She's awful and such a fuckup and makes the wrong decision at every turn and I'm here for it. As I'm reading I just want to screenshot every page and text it to my academic friends.

I'm about 3/4 through and if Kuang lands the ending, this is going to be one of the best things I've read this year.