Reading

The Friday Five for 15 August 2025

This week's questions were suggested by

aforkintheroad.

1. What is your favorite experience in your life so far?

2. What motivates you to keep going every day?

3. Where do you want to go in life? What do you want to accomplish?

4. Is there anything that you regret? Do you try to change it?

5. What is your most cherished gift you have received? Why do you cherish it so much?

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Oooo!

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Current Mood: nostalgic

One of My Biggest Inspirations for Taking Up Knitting

Oooo there’s a bunch of the 1980’s Joan Hickson Miss Marple’s on iPlayer - (re)watching them is happy-making (even though it’s sometimes giving me, intense but mundane, little flashbulb-type memories of watching them the first time round as a child/teen)

(They are SO much better than the 2000’s Geraldine McEwan/Julia McKenzie adaptations)

Friendship Degradation

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Media Round Up: Making Progress on My Pile of Graphic Novels

As the title says I've actually read some of the pile of graphic novels that I got from the library! Things have been busy and I've been sick so progress has still been slow.

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Faith Schaffer — A graphic novel about a teen girl who wants to be a samurai and an older jaded ronin. The tech level is handwavy feudal Japan but with cell phones, which I found distracting. I didn’t think the cell phones added enough to the book to be worth it. Content note: gore, grief and dying

Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen and Diana Tsai Santos— Graphic novel about a Japanese American girl named Anzu who has just moved to a new town and get accidentally swept into the underworld. I thought it was pushing a little hard on we can solve systematic problems like bullying with individual choices but it was mostly sweet. I liked the kind of cartoony art style and all the different mystical critters.

Dragon of the Lost Sea by Laurence Yep —I read this Chinese mythology inspired MG fantasy novel to the kid at bed time. I had read these books myself as a kid and I was a little worried that they wouldn’t hold up, but the suck fairy has not gotten them! It’s maybe a little weird that the dragons all have wings. Chinese inspired stuff written in English these days tends to be very strict about not mixing in more western elements like that but actually the mixing is fun. Anyways this is a fun adventure story with lots of characters with big personalities.

Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley,Casio Ribeiro, and Nikki Fox —A graphic novel about two girls who are both new at their high school. They decide to go on a quest to find all 7 volumes of an out of print manga they both never finished reading. I loved this! Both girls are charming and quirky in a geeky way, the manga story within the story was lovely. One of them does have a dead mom, something I generally avoid but by the time that was revealed I was hooked. It was super fun and charming!

Himawari House by Harmony Becker —A graphic novel about three young women from different places who move to Japan and end up living in the same house. It's a very slice of life with lots of food and friendship but also some sad moments. The author has a heartfelt note at the end explaining that she wrote on the accents because she wants to destigmatise having an accent. I have mixed feelings about it though because I find written accents way harder to parse than spoken accents.

The Friday Five for 8 August 2025

This week's questions were suggested by

sparklesalad.

1. What is one food (or meal) you used to hate but now love?

2. If you had to give up one of your favorite foods (or meals) for good, what would it be, and why?

3. Which food seems like it should be healthy and isn't, and do you eat it? Why?

4. If you were an item of food, personified, what would you be and why?

5. You've seen tomatoes and pies used for this purpose ... now think of a more inventive item of food one could throw at someone. What is it and why would throwing it at someone be hilarious?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

Book Rec!

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Laughing at children

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Current Mood: silly

Finally the Cabin Pressure / XKCD cross over the world has been waiting for

Specifically the Douz episode of Cabin Pressure

[mouseover text:We should have you at the gate in just under two hours--two and a half if we get pulled over.]

work yay

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Fic Rec

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New trails.

Yesterday we finished the meal planning and grocery shopping, shared lunch, and then decided to try to venture out for a trail because the temperature and humidity drops currently feel quite magical. We discovered a new county trail park less than 10 miles away, which goes by the name "Beech Bluff", which is an homage to the number of beech trees in its general vicinity but also tends to overhype what is generally a not-that-tall hill overlooking Middle Creek. That said, I'm happy to see the place - it was born of an old 300-acre farmstead that has been preserved, with a community garden, orchard, playgrounds for little ones, and both ADA-compliant (boardwalk, pea gravel over asphalt) and natural (mostly red clay) trails. None of the trails are very long - only about 0.5 mile each, so I think the total mileage is something like 2.6 - and they involve a main trail out to the "bluff" with an overlook and several loops that traverse around meadows and through woodland. The park only opened in March, so everything still looks immaculate. Dogs are welcomed on leashes, and there's plenty of parking and shelters, including a field for kite-flying. (I'll add that this park is over the county line in Willow Spring(s), so the funding comes from Wake County bonds. I adore the ideas behind it, though.)

While there, we came across a stump utterly colonized by various species of shelf mushrooms, which made me happy. (Also I think it might have some reishi, but I am not 100% sure and I didn't pause to examine longer because we had the dog with us.)

It's nice to know we have another relatively close option for trails. On the northern end the wooded trails are far enough from other development that you can feel away from people, though towards the entrance the park does abut neighborhoods and so we encountered a homeowner enthusiastically mowing (unseen) through the trees. One of the nicer surprises, however, was following a natural trail into a wildflower meadow absolutely swarming with happy dragonflies.

After we got home, I was overcome with exhaustion, and so while I intended to read I ended up napping for a bit. I have started a few different books, including Catton's Birnam Wood, Gay's The Book of Delights, and Annie Martin's The Magical World of Moss Gardening (the latter I have had two different versions for a long time for reference, but am trying to finally sit down and read through more thoroughly).

Current Mood: curious

Letter Box

In the BeforeTimes people would frequent make a screened comment post after BiCon for people to tell them anything or ask questions (and to have the awkward conversations to match people to usernames - which is sadly less of an issue these days unless we can collectively coax a whole load of new people over here).

You do not have to have been at BiCon to play.

So if there is anything that you would like to tell me or ask me or whatever here is a space for it. Comments are screened and will stay screened (DW works more sensibly than LJ did so the journal-owner can reply to screened comments with only them and the commenter being able to see the exchange)
You can be anonymous if you really want but then you’ll never see your comment again (because it’ll be screened) and the only ways I’ll be able to reply that you can see are if I unscreen my reply here or address it in another post…

July Prompts for Heat Waves (the moon lists, slightly late)

1. PEAK RIPENESS
What’s something that is feeling purely delicious, ripe, messy, and juicy?

My entire extended family-ish situation. I am so happy with it, and there are lots of combinations of humans that can all be fun. The polycule is so great, Birdie being here is awesome and provides all kinds of ideas. Even the 'rents are being pretty okay right now.

2. COMING IN HOT
Your phone overheating. Being told to “simmer down.” How are outside forces communicating that you need to cool off?

I pulled a muscle or something while in contortion class on Thursday, and then I was trying to be super gentle today when I did the same thing again. Weird snapping feeling, no real pain, but some stiffness and soreness afterward. Whatever's happening in there, it's too sudden to be a good thing.

3. HOT HUES
Sun-bleached turquoise. Overripe watermelon. Green grass after a thunderstorm. Roadside wildflowers. Summer makes everything brighter: What color are you craving more of right now?

I don't know that I've ever craved a color!

4. PLUNGE
What’s the last thing you said yes to without hesitation?

Tiny Person's upcoming press handstand miniseries.

5. FEVER DREAM
Admit one thing you probably shouldn’t do, but lowkey want to?

Attend Somergloom alone and in a very altered state, with no preview or research. (What I actually am doing is making a playlist based on all the artists, to see if I like them)

6. BEACH SUB
Summer hunger hits differently. What’s your go-to simple, satisfying, hot weather meal?

Chickpea salad on a bagel, maybe.

7. MELTDOWN
When was the last time you totally lost it?

2021 when I suddenly could not, could not, go back to work as planned after a day or two off.

8. BURNING YOUR TONGUE
Texting your ex. A hot take. Unsolicited advice. When was the last time you took a sip too soon (metaphorically speaking)?

I heard that someone had basically lost their group in a coup at Zillian (and cried in the associated meeting), and reached out to that person before thinking to actually let them save face by asking how they were doing. The person was quite adamant that they'd chosen the new direction (though from what options, I can't say) and were simply emotional about the transition. OK OK, fine...

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The Friday Five on a Sunday

What is something you collect? Why?

Space mission badges, patches, and stickers, from the ones that I've worked on. They always look so good. I never stick them on anything, though. I just hoard them in little stashes like a greedy dragon. Occasionally I'll put one of the pin badges on my suit lapel.
If you could make one ice cream flavor, what would the ingredients be and what would be the name?

I don't feel the need to invent a flavour when mint chocolate chip is already my all-time favourite.
What can't you go a day without?

I mean, I *can* go without it and I have before, but it isn't pleasant: Coffee.
What position do you sleep in? *back, right side, left side, stomach . . . etc.*

Curled up on my right side in a defensive ball.
What is your typical morning routine before work/school?

Get up, feed cats, empty dishwasher, make breakfast, make coffee, fill everyone's water bottles, pack snacks and lunches, lay out clothes and shoes for the kids, get dressed myself, pack rucksack, sneak in 15 minutes of work or email before shovelling everyone into the car.

I have left out showers, shouting about putting shoes on, and scrubbing toothpaste off school jumpers, but those things usually feature somewhere in there too.

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thefridayfive

Friday Five: Random Edition

From this week's

thefridayfive:

What is something you collect? Why?
I am not a big collector of things, I prefer simpler spaces and find too much clutter overstimulating. That said, whenever we go on a trip, we often pick up a piece of artwork or pottery as a souvenir. I do appreciate this because I can look at a particular piece and recall the memories of the trip that we found it on, and they are associated with good things.
If you could make one ice cream flavor, what would the ingredients be and what would be the name?
A vegan rocky road ice cream, made without any coconut milk/oils/derivatives (so probably cashew-based). I'd call it "Unicorn Flavor" because such a thing is impossible to find - nearly all vegan ice cream has some form of coconut to make it creamy, which is why I haven't had any in about two years. (We did find one brand that was coconut-free but it was also "diet" and more like eating shaved ice, so a crime against nature, basically.)
What can't you go a day without?
Coffee.
What position do you sleep in? *back, right side, left side, stomach . . . etc.*
I flop from side-to-side all night like a slowly roasting eggplant. On my left side, my hip determines the length of the position. On my right side, my shoulder/neck determines the duration until the next flop. Aging is SO delightful!
What is your typical morning routine before work/school?
Coffee while quickly perusing whether the world is still in flames. I have had better morning routines with fancy things like morning pages or meditation and/or yoga, but none of those have remained a long-term habit. I think in part, because my youngest is usually home fresh off night shift, and now L. is also home for the summer, and the energy in the space is not conducive to those sorts of centering/self-reflective habits unless I get up REALLY early (before either of them are up/home), and I am not a morning person by nature.

Current Mood: enthralled

(no subject)

Ooooo the Hot and Bothered podcast is continuing its series of looking at Romantic Films with a set of episodes talking about Queer Romances. The first one is about But I’m a Cheerleader and it makes me happy because the hosts genuinely love the movie as well as discussing it critically (though it makes me feel old when they talk about it’s “historical moment”

https://shows.acast.com/8db78936-153d-56f6-b6d4-fa61364322f6/6889008e2a38d6f5cbe53c01

There’s also a bonus initial episode with the awesome podcast veteran Kathy Tu discusses Queer Romances Books with H&B’s Vanessa - and they coo over the high levels of Bisexual Inclusion in the genre.

https://shows.acast.com/8db78936-153d-56f6-b6d4-fa61364322f6/687fa506fd9acfeba4871ae9

Moving the ovum

Well well well... Birdie, aka the ovum, aka the inevitable consequence of my long-ago egg donation, officially now lives a few blocks from me. And she'll likely live here for the next couple of years, while getting a master's in public health at a local college and also applying to med schools. While my mind continues to be blown by this, my body is now remembering several (three?) trips back and forth across the square as we a) investigated the apartment, and started setting up a few big things like the new mattress, b) brought over everything from my place except the cats, then opened all her boxes and assembled her new cat condo, and c) brought over the cats.

All of this was on Friday, after we fetched her (and the cats) from the airport on Thursday night and put her up here for the night. And it all went pretty smoothly! Yes, one of my grandcats did finally express a certain opinion on a blanket, an opinion which my washing machine is too small to rebut, but I can wash that in the squirrel's big machine and I think everything else is cleaned up already. I was glad to give the cats somewhere quiet to be while we did all the loud/scary parts of the unpacking, and Birdie was glad to have the move-in done so quickly. I know it really helps to have multiple people helping, especially when one is good at assembling things and the other loves to go medieval on cardboard boxes.

I promised her a lot of info about local professionals like dentists, etc, and part of me is very curious about what kind of relationship we're going to have over the next couple of years -- what does she want, what does she think she wants, what's actually going to work, etc? But mostly I'm grateful that whatever's happening here, she held off on doing it until I actually have time to spend with her. Pragmatic stuff first.

She turns 24 a week from tomorrow, and my birthday present to her is going to be a semiprivate contortion lesson with the coach at LCS, to help get her started with the local circus scene.

Lastly -- remember being young enough, and unfussy/unburdened enough, or just committed enough to minimalism, to move by shipping 8 or 10 boxes across the country plus loading up a suitcase? That was impressive. I'm admittedly a little envious, although my fully furnished place is a lot better for getting through a pandemic in.

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1SE for July 2025

Watch on YouTube

There is a lot of wildlife in here, and for some reason both Keiki and my voice feature quite often.

Dick Grayson

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