Reading

Hanging on the telephone

Well, so far, reports of my hiatus have been a bit exaggerated - as Mum has pointed out, BT are paying for the hotspot I'm currently using while waiting for the correct mini hub as per my last post's story of their screwup, (something tells me I will be needing the link they sent me for a rapid call back, as I'm not overly confident about the correct mini hub turning up tomorrow). Meanwhile, Olly Alexander's Eurovision is permanently stuck in my head due to the amount of time I have spent on hold doing battle! Nothing against the guy, (he actually went to art college here, and the local media practically reports on it every time he farts) but could quite happily never hear the song any more. Hoping it will be sorted soon though and I probably should apologise for the amount of ranty posts this week so far (and it's only Monday).

On the plus side the heatwave is finally over (I'm trying to ignore the usual clickbait spam that I'm still getting sent about 39 degree heatwaves on the way, but hoping this isn't the one time they got it right - who am I kidding though with this rubbish?).

Anyway, since I'm trying for a few less Ranty McRantFace posts for a bit, and also conscious that I haven't done a lot of Fannish 50 ramble lately, I'll quickly do one of those.

Say you come across a show you think you like the sound of, only it was cancelled before you got round to it (or you get a few episodes in and then find out it didn't get renewed) do you still carry on anyway, or decide not to bother once you know it's not going anywhere (and left on a cliffhanger)? Something I've been thinking about since I finally got round to checking out Outer Range (which I think was recommended to me by one of those Shows to Watch If You like Show X lists - considering the subject matter, probably Dark, which is one of my all time top five). I did know going into it that it had been decided not to renew for season 3, already have writing ideas for once I have better wifi, but find myself feeling frustrated at the knowledge that I won't get questions answered and have moments of wondering how much it's worth it in that situation.

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Sunday, June 22)

I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, emptied the dishwasher, scooped kitty litter, and stopped at Stewart’s on the way home for milk. I dropped off a book at the library, started the next Amelia Peabody book, and finally got to see the current Murderbot. My brother and his GF were visiting mom when I arrived, so I got to see them.

Temps started out at 67.8(F) and reached high 80s. (Again, I wasn’t home to check.) Thunderstorms rolled in around 4am, which woke everyone up, and dropped quite a bit of rain between then and 8am. It didn’t rain again, and remained overcast, but it was hot and humid.

Mom Update:

Mom continues to do well. ( more back here )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/379320.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other people say or believe, look in a mirror, then say this magic word: 'Hello.'"

"Life does not require us to be consistent, cruel, patient, helpful, angry, rational, thoughtless, loving, rash, open-minded, neurotic, careful, rigid, tolerant, wasteful, rich, downtrodden, gentle, sick, considerate, funny, stupid, healthy, greedy, beautiful, lazy, responsive, foolish, sharing, pressured, intimate, hedonistic, industrious, manipulative, insightful, capricious, wise, selfish, kind or sacrificed. Life does, however, require us to live with the consequences of our choices."

~ Richard Bach

Facts: WWII (U.S. Military)

1.) Seeking to keep its personnel satiated and provide a taste of homer, the U.S. Navy began installing ice cream makers on its ships, even rigging some vessels with full-blown soda fountains reminiscent of those found at corner drugstore. But the Army took this idea one step further in the late stages of World War II, by deploying three ice cream barges with the purpose of delivering this delicious morale-booster throughout the Pacific Theater.

Known as a “BRL,” for “barge, refrigerated, large,” each concrete vessel measured 265 feet long by 48 feet wide and about 17.5 feet deep, and provided a refrigerated space of approximately 130,000 cubic feet. One of the three main compartments housed the ice cream-making room, which was capable of producing up to 500 gallons of ice cream on a daily basis. (A D on naming, but an A for execution.)

2.) I didn't know that WWII that the torpedoes were fueled by 180-proof ethanol (Everclear). As World War II veteran and former torpedo operator Jim Nerison told the Anchorage Daily News, “The torpedo wasn’t going to use it all anyway, so we kind of tapped off a little bit of it.”

This lead to the creation of the cocktail named Torpedo Juice. There wasn’t an exact recipe, but the mix ratio has been reported as somewhere between 1 part torpedo fuel to 3 parts fruit juice, and 2 parts torpedo fuel to 3 parts fruit juice. They usually used Citrus or Pineapple juice in this drink.

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Saturday, June 21)

I hit the Bakery while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. (I got in two additional walks later for a total of 1 mile!) I hit the library to pick up more books, did two loads of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I finished the book I started yesterday and spent most of the day with mom.

Temps started out at 61.3(F) and reached 87 (according to Pip, since I didn’t get home until after the temps hit the high). It was hot, but I luckily spent most of the day inside an air conditioned house.

Mom Update:

She is doing well. ( more back here )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/378880.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"One writes not to be read but to breathe...one writes to think, to pray, to analyze. One writes to clear one's mind, to dissipate one's fears, to face one's doubts, to look at one's mistakes--in order to retrieve them. One writes to capture and crystallize one's joy, but also to disperse one's gloom. Like prayer--you go to it in sorrow more than joy, for help, a road back to 'grace'."

"The artist knows he must be alone to create; the writer, to work out his thoughts; the musician, to compose; the saint, to pray. But women need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves."

~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Facts: Random

1.) Experiments in universities have actually been carried out to figure out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, both with machine and human lickers (because this is important scientific knowledge!). The results ranged from 252 to 411. (The results basically boils down to a shoulder shrug and 'IDK')

2.) Wombats are the only animal whose poop is cube-shaped. This is due to how its intestines form the feces. The animals then stack the cubes to mark their territory. (Why isn't this animal in Minecraft? Seems like a natural fit.)

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Friday, June 20)

I got a lot done before I left to go visit mom. I did a load of laundry, baked chicken for the dogs, boiled eggs for egg salad, put a chuck roast in the crock pot for supper, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. For fun stuff I started a new book.

Temps started out at 59.4(F) (and windy) and reached 74 (that I saw at 6pm, though Pip said it got to 78). The day started off windy and cool, but the sun came out so it was really nice, if still windy.

Mom Update:

Mom is home! ( more back here )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/378685.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"People need to wake up and realize that life doesn't wait for you. If you want something, get up and go after it."

"The most successful people in life are the ones who ask questions. They're always learning. They're always growing. They're always pushing."

~ Robert Kiyosaki

Facts: Random

1.) Contrary to popular belief, there aren't "57 varieties" of Heinz ketchup (and never were). Company founder H.J. Heinz thought his product should have a number, and he liked 57. Hint: Hit the glass bottle on the "57," not the bottom, to get the ketchup to flow. (I thought that it was because of how many heads you can bust before the bottle breaks… not really, but it sounds more fun.)

2.) The original name for the search engine Google was Backrub. It was renamed Google after the googol, which is the number one followed by 100 zeros. (That name had the potential to cause so many couples issues. "Honey, what are doing?" "Just using Backrub to relieve stress!" Yeah, that would be disastrous.)

Entry tags:

vid recs

Vid Rec: Quiet

Guys I have to share this Granada's Holmes/Watson vid I came across, its is such gentle, lovely encapsulation between Brett's Holmes and Hardwicke's Watson. It really shows how comfortable they are around each other.

Watch on YouTube

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, June 19)

I hit Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a longer walk around the park. I did a load of laundry, visited my aunt, filled my gas tank, mowed the lawn, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.

I finished reading a book, watched an HGTV program, talked to mom on the phone twice, and took a nap. (The heat and humidity did me in, I think,)

Temps started out at 70.0(F) (and was already humid) and reached 91.4. The only saving grace was that there was a breeze. We had on/off rain later in the evening, which netted us a double rainbow! And lowered the temps.

Mom Update:

Mom did not come home today. ( more back here )

Current Mood: excited
Current Music: free guy

Entry tags:

i am a leaf on the wind!

hello my flist! my roommate has officially (if not entirely) moved out! by which i mean she left a lot of stuff in the kitchen, i think mostly food, and there's still some stuff in her bedroom and she seems to have left her coats but by and large she's out. she's coming back this weekend to clean (not sure what she expects to clean since i'll still be packing and my shit will be everywhere) and get the rest of her stuff but i now have space! so i can finish packing! so exciting! last weekend my sister and i measured my new place so i even know where everything is going to go. and i can bring my dining room table which is kind of a relief. i'm getting rid of two smaller bookcases - i listed them on facebook marketplace and they went like *that* - theoretically the woman who claimed them will come get them tomorrow - but everything else will fit. i really didn't want to get rid of my dining room table.

today because it was like 90º and we had the day off for juneteenth my sister and i went to ikea while my roommate moved out. we didn't get anything but i looked at new bookcases and coffee tables and my sister looked at armoires and i should have made her wait while i looked at lamps - there's no overhead light in either the living room or my bedroom in the new place - but part of me wants to move in first and then see what i need and where it will fit. ikea was CROWDED. which. well. it was exceptionally hot and a lot of people no doubt had the day off and what else are you going to do when it's brutally hot besides go where there's a/c? right? besides, ikea. :D

and then we went back to her house and had salad for dinner (god bless whole foods and their prepared foods department) and watched the first mission: impossible because last weekend after the measuring we went out for dinner and saw mission: impossible - the final reckoning which went on a bit too long in places but was overall a really good ride. it probably helps to have seen the previous mission: impossibles but i've seen maybe half of them and could still follow along. if it's your thing and you've seen dead reckoning part one i highly recommend it.

and then sunday and the rest of this week i packed around my roommate's shit and sorted kitchen stuff and tried to imagine what it will be like to not have to wait ten minutes for someone to get out of the bathroom when you desperately need to pee. yesterday was the monthly support staff lunch at work and there was hardly anyone there! it's been quiet all week altho to be fair it's the summer and summer is generally quiet.

last wednesday was the admin retreat which is really half a day of professional development (the most useful speakers were the two folks from campus police because they had actual information rather than the kind of vague info we got from the time management guy) (it's important to know who to call in an emergency) and half a day of social stuff. the theme this year was carnival - like carnival side shows like you get with the circus - so the social stuff this year was carnival games and bingo and general hanging out at the boat house. one of the admins a dressed up as a fortune teller and told us our fortunes and mine was that i would see a cute dog. and as we were walking back to the building i saw two - count 'em - cute dogs. this is a future i can totally get behind.

and the weekend before that (so like almost two weeks ago) was family graduations - cousins j&m's twins graduated from high school and while we missed the actual graduation (it was moved inside on account of rain and they didn't have enough seats for all the extended family) we went to the party and then cousin r of j&r got her phd and we went to that party. both parties on saturday! the twins first and then cousin r (whose party was going to be outside but did i mention the rain? torrential. so she moved it inside) and my mom even came up for all the celebrations. my sister had a brunch on sunday for cousins from the other side of the fam and that was fun too and then monday mom went home and my life was consumed with moving again.

and now it's HOT. i finally took the flannel duvet cover off my bed last night. it is the MIDDLE of JUNE. wtf.

in totally other news scientists have actually created the world's smallest violin. no word on whether or not it plays my heart bleeds for you.

was there something else i wanted to tell all you lovely people? i don't remember! us politics are a shitshow and we will not be rehashing them right now and serenity was on tv half an hour ago and i still really like it. resident alien is back and i still really like that. (speaking of things alan tudyk has been in. :D ) and i finally finished the rewatch of andor s1 and am on to s2! i've only seen the first ep tho so don't tell me what happens.

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/378394.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"Nobody knows what you want except you, and no one will be as sorry as you if you don't get it."

"You are what you are. It is my opinion that trouble in the world comes from people who do not know what they are, and pretend to be something they're not."

~ Lillian Hellman

Facts: Random

1.) There is a boss in Metal Gear Solid 3 named 'The End' that can be defeated by not playing the game for a week or by changing the date. Of course, you can kill him normally as well. (Confirmed by my gaming husband.)

2.) German Chocolate Cake is named after an American baker by the name of Samuel German. It has no affiliation with the country of Germany. (This was my dad's favorite cake. The combination of milk chocolate, coconut and pecans is delicious.)

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, June 18)

Having visiting hours not start until 11am has really helped with being able to get stuff done before I go out.

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I didn’t do any shopping, but I did get in a longer walk around the park. I did a load of laundry, a load in the dishwasher, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I read more (currently one of the Duncan Kincaid books).

Temps started out at 66.7(F) and reached 83.8. It was overcast with some sprinkles in the morning, then the sun came out in the afternoon. It was so humid! For the first time since it was hot back in May we had to use the AC in the bedroom.

Mom Update:

Mom was still doing well, but she was more tired today. She’d had some issues, one of which may have contributed to her being so tired. ( more back here )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/378333.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"Don't try to add more years to your life. Better add more life to your years."

"The more I see of Mankind, the more I prefer my dog."

~ Blaise Pascal

Facts: Random

1.) Have you ever wondered why keyboards aren’t arranged by the ABC’s compared to the QWERTY keys we know now? You’d be surprised to know the uniform QWERTY keys we use were chosen at random. Before PC’s and laptops, the typewriter was man’s first typing experience. The earliest typewriters had alphabetic keys, but people typed so fast that the mechanical arms got jammed and tangled up. To solve this, the keys were randomly positioned to slow down typing and prevent key jamming. (I am pretty sure I would wind up typing in a language unknown to man with an alphabetical keyboard.)

2.) Australia has the most number of venomous snakes worldwide. Australia is home to almost a hundred species of venomous snakes. However, only one fatal snake bite incident is recorded per year. (To my Australian friends... Your country is scary. I've always had friends from there. Our favorite past time? Picking {kindly} on one another about our accents. My Texas accent used to be thick. But yeah, your country's critters still scare me.)

Entry tags:

Wednesday Reading Meme & Books 43 - 45 of 2025

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells, The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, and Martinis and Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) by Donald Bain.

What I am Currently Reading: Water Like a Stone (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.

What I Plan to Read Next: Still a variety of library books out and even more on request, so a library book.

Book 43 of 2025: System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)

This book was so good! ( spoilers )

So good! I still have one book left because I was forewarned that this one immediately followed Network Effect. I’m obviously giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

Book 44 of 2025: The Body in the Garden (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I liked this book a lot. ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the second in the series from the library. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

Book 45 of 2025: Martinis & Mayhem (A Murder, She Wrote Mystery) (Donald Bain)

I enjoyed this book (though you know I'll have something to say about it in a future M[F]M post). ( spoilers )

I'm happy to see that these books are getting better, even though there are still some inconsistencies (within the book and with the show). I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, June 17)

My sister A wanted to go out to see mom at 11am; I’m relieving her around 3pm (timing at her request), so I had time to get some shopping and other chores done. I went downtown so I could go to Walmart.

Mom stuff: While at Walmart I picked up some items that mom had requested I get for her eventual convalescence at home; dropped by her house to get her mail; and stopped in at the bank to make sure they had a copy of her POA on file (since she has me signing checks to pay bills while she’s in the hospital). They did not. The process took way longer than I expected; it’s such a rigamarole now. (On the plus side, I got a call after just an hour and a half saying it had been approved, so I’m good to go.)

I passed Sunnycrest, so I stopped in to see if they had those beef sticks for Pip. They did! Just one package, but it’s something.

I did a load of laundry, hit Stewart’s on the way home, baked chicken for the dogs, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and changed kitty litter. (Dear lord, that was a stinky job. My fault because I let it go longer than usual. Lesson learned. Hopefully.)

I started reading a new book and obviously got to visit mom.

Time is warping and I thought today was Wednesday so I took my Trulicity injection a day early. o_O

Temps started out at 59.0(F) and reached 74. At a guess. I hate not being home in the afternoon to check the temp.

Mom Update:

Mom was doing much better today! MUCH better. ( more )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/377970.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"Horror films don't create fear. They release it."

"The first monster that an audience has to be scared of is the filmmaker. They have to feel in the presence of someone not confined by the normal rules of propriety and decency."

~ Wes Craven

Facts: Horror

1.) As many as 50 serial killers are on the loose in the United States. This number is according to the FBI. However, some, including homicide archivist Thomas Hargrove, speculate that around 3,000 to 4,000 serial killers remain active in the country.

2.) Wes Craven’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is based on a real story. Director Craven revealed that the inspiration for the iconic slasher film came from a story he read from the LA Times: a boy was having disturbing nightmares and refused to sleep for days out of fear. The same night he succumbed to exhaustion, he died in his sleep, but not before screaming for help in the middle of the night because of his nightmares.

Entry tags:

bday wishes,
com

Happy Bday, COM!!

Happy bday and many, many, many more to come! I hope your day's a special one! <3

Entry tags:

comment bingo

Comment Bingo Round 7

Round 7 of

comment_bingo is open for sign-ups!!

light blue background containing community name and goal with a phone icon and other symbols

( my table back here )

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Monday, June 16)

I had plans to get a lot of stuff (including stuff for mom) done in the afternoon after visiting mom, but my sister got out of work later than she thought and I stayed later because the surgeon had come in and so I got none of that stuff done.

I did do a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I read and watched an HGTV program.

I was hungry by the time I left the hospital as I hadn’t had lunch yet, and I didn’t want to wait until I got home to eat. So I went to a place called the Hawkeye Bar & Grill in the Otesaga Hotel and had some very good fish and chips. This was the view from my seat on the patio:

Temps started out at 57.4(F) and reached 81. (According to Pip. I’m not sure whether to believe him, but he actually had a number instead of yesterday when he just said ‘it got hot’.) The whole day was overcast/hazy, for which we should be thankful, I guess, if it really did reach 81.

Mom Update:

Mom was feeling better today, which was a relief. A lot of stuff happened, so I expect this to get long. ( it did get long )

Crossposts: https://fairyniamh.insanejournal.com/377643.html

Entry tags:

fact,
quote

Quote & Fact...

Quote:

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable."

"As addictions go, reading is among the cleanest, easiest to feed, happiest."

~ Joseph Addison

Facts: Ice Cream

1.) Charlie Harry Francis created a champagne flavored ice cream laced with viagra. Each scoop of ice cream is dosed with about 25mgs of Viagra. This mixture was made to ideally satisfy the top celebrities who wanted something special at their parties. (Imagine saying, 'if your erection lasts more than 4 hours; please, seek medical help' with your ice cream!)

2.) Sunni Sky's located at 8617 Nc 55 S, Angier, NC 27501-8917, has ice cream flavors that you have to sign a waiver form before consuming it. These flavors are known as the Cold Sweat and Exit Wound and is mixed with peppers of the highest spice level. (This would be a no for me, but my daughter wishes it was here in TX. She's a chili-head.)