rocket_to_neptune

Thanks to a donation from

janetmiles, the diptych has been sponsored. Many thanks! :D

"Turn Every Disaster into an Opportunity"
Story Date: Morning of Thursday, May 21, 2015
Summary: After the Omaha Incident, Shiv and friends attend a Cape Fight Cleanup class at Blues Moon.

"The Objective of Cleaning"
Story Date: Midday of Thursday, May 21, 2015
Summary: Shiv and friends visit downtown Omaha to help with cleanup efforts.

Today is busy for me, so I can't swear I'll get these up before tomorrow, but I will post them as soon as I can.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Why doctors are having a tough time tackling loneliness

Loneliness became a medical problem over the past 15 years, and a new study finds that doctors were among the last to claim it.

The medicalization of loneliness is the move to treat a social condition as something the healthcare system should diagnose and manage. It came mostly from academic researchers, government officials, and insurers, not from physicians.

Loneliness is not a medical problem, it is a social problem. A divisive society should not ask the medical industry to clean up its mess. This isn't something that can be fixed with modern medical tools. In fact, many people find the industry isolating and stressful, so more of that would make matters worse instead of better.

However, there is one aspect where loneliness is relevant to the medical industry: where it exacerbates health problems. Among a group of people with a given problem, it is useful to know which ones are lonely -- if they choose to disclose that -- as it's such a strong risk factor for worse outcomes. People may not wish to discuss their social life with medics, though.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/22/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 7/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Astronomers find the first atmosphere on a rocky world in the habitable zone

Astronomers have found the first confirmed atmosphere around a rocky planet in another star’s habitable zone. The planet, LHS 1140 b, revealed its atmosphere through helium slowly leaking into space. Located 48 light-years away, the world may have preserved its atmosphere for billions of years, making it a promising target in the search for potentially habitable planets.

Yay! This is so exciting.

Current Mood: excited

ysabetwordsmith

Everyone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.

We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

It absolutely poured this morning and we even lost power for about five minutes at 9:30. Then I got up and tossed on clothing and went to wait for the Orkin inspector who was supposed to come between 10:00 and 12:00.

I had breakfast and coffee and waited. Spoiler alert, he never did. At a little after 12:00 I started calling. Finally around 2:00 I got an answer as to what was going on. The inspector had never been notified he had an inspection today, because of some sort of issue with the online scheduling page. And he had no time today.

So tomorrow I do the whole thing again and see if he shows up, once again between 10:00 and 12:00.

It rained heavily, and was seriously windy. The hummingbirds were out in force. I showered and dressed.

I started reading The Cloisters by Katy Hayes. So far so good.

We saw Cliff off, and said goodbye. Said goodbye to Piet too.

John came and visited for awhile.

At 7:00 I Teamed the FWiB. At 8:00 I had my Al-anon meeting by Zoom.

After that we went and said goodbye to Andrew, and saw Linda, Alan, and Sue.

Then

mashfanficchick made dinner, split pea soup. While we were eating, John came bye to say goodbye.

I had ice cream and started here.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. My cousins.

3. Finally got through to someone about what was going on with Orkin.

4. The power was only out for a few minutes.

5. Yummy soup.

6. Bed soon.

Current Mood: cheerful

ysabetwordsmith

How fruit helped birds become more colorful and charismatic

Manakins act like small tropical birds with something to prove. Males moonwalk backward along branches, snap their wings like tiny castanets, and wear feather colors that look almost synthetic. Females gather to watch these performances before choosing a partner.

All that showing off burns real energy, and the fuel behind it comes mostly from fruit, which these birds pluck and swallow whole across the warm forests of Central and South America.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy and quite warm, but less hot than recent weather. :D

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two mourning doves, and a male indigo bunting trying to enter the south window of the living room.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 7/21/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/21/26 -- I cracked open a 'Winblo' peach pit and got a good seed.

I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/21/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden and the telephone pole garden.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing.

EDIT 7/21/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Rectangular flat bottomed bag by

donutsweeper

This free pattern on Dreamwidth crochets a market tote bag with two handles. The example pictures show two colors, but you could use more or less if you wish.

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 10:00, cleaned the CPAP, had breakfast and coffee, and contacted Orkin for a termite inspection. Though on looking up the sgns of both, I think we have carpenter ants, not termites, which is good. Carprnter ants do less damage.

Anyway, the inspector is coming tomorrow between 10:00 and 12:00, so I have to be up by then.

Aside from that we mostly hung around the cottage all day. Put in an Instacart order. I made hummingbird nectar and filled the feeder.

I got a call from Dianne Eschelman, they are going to take me out to lunch on Thursday. That's the day

mashfanficchick leaves, so it's going to be nice to have something to do in the afternoon.

Gretchen came by and we had a nice conversation.

John and Brianne came by in the afternoon, and stayed for a few hours. Then they went back to Janet and Thom's for dinner, and I Teamed the FWiB. We talked til 8:30, when John and Brianne came back to try and see a sunset, so we walked down to the top of the stairs but it was just grey, no nice sunset. Still Betsy and Piet came too so we sat around talking for awhile which was nice.

Then

mashfanficchick and I had dinner, gluten-free minestrone soup from a mix which we got in Olcott yesterday, and gluten-free pepperoni pizza.

John and Brianne came by to say good night and goodby since Brianne is leaving tomorrow.

I have finished Rats and Gargoyles, which I enjoyed but don't think I'll be reading more by her. Going to start Cloisters tomorrow. That's by Katie Hayes, the author of Saltwater that I read a while ago.

And that was all the day.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Orkin was easy to arrange.

3. My cousins.

4. Friends.

5. Nice day.

6. Pizza.

Current Mood: cheerful

ysabetwordsmith

How Courtyard Blocks Promote Social Connection

The courtyard block is one of the oldest and most successful urban forms we have. If you’ve walked through Barcelona, Vienna, Berlin, Stockholm, Rome, Prague, Copenhagen, or almost any great European city, you have likely admired courtyard block neighborhoods without necessarily realizing what you were seeing. From the street, you see the continuous building wall: shops, doors, windows, balconies, cornices, stoops, and street life. What you often do not see is the second world inside the block: a protected green courtyard hidden behind the public face of the city.

America has few courtyard blocks that are solid walls of independently owned buildings. But it does have some things are that are related...

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly cloudy and warm, but less sweltering than recent days.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 7/20/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I saw a gray catbird trying to break open a beetle. Without direct sunlight, I couldn't tell for sure, but some sort of small scarab mostly likely a junebug or Japanese beetle. This catbird had somehow figured out that, although the outside was armored, the inside was tender and delicious. The bird mostly hurled the beetle at the pavement and pecked at it. Sometimes it held onto the beetle and thrashed it against the ground. This caused the beetle to bounce around a lot. The catbird never lost track of its prey, even when the beetle bounced into a pile of leaves. Impressive. Eventually the beetle broke open enough for the bird to take a bite, then fly away with it.

It's intriguing to watch how predators learn. Ten years so so back, when the Japanese beetles first arrived, nothing ate them and they devoured every green thing in sight. I spent several years saying, "Dear insectivores, I know that these are unfamiliar to you, but I swear they are insects and therefore your food." Then one summer several beautiful new types of wasps appeared in swarms on my sedum and garlic chive flowers. Looking them up, I discovered they were parasitoids who all prey on scarab beetles. The next year the junebugs and Japanese beetles were fewer, and their populations have fallen since. :D

EDIT 7/20/26 -- We hauled more rocks to the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 7/20/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/20/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/20/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.

.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Understanding the Climatarian Diet

The climatarian diet centres how you buy, prepare, eat, and store food on reducing greenhouse gas emissions while still enjoying a variety of foods prepared simply. Plant-based foods tend to have the lowest Carbon Cost, so the climatarian diet encourages at least 75% of your plate to be plant based.

Some extra points here:
* Grow at least some of your own food if you can. This eliminates shipping.
* If you grow landrace crops, they can adapt to climate change, plus you don't need to buy seeds or seedlings for those anymore.
* Farmer's markets, farmstands or truckstands, U-Pick farms, and Community Supported Agriculture are good alternatives for locally grown foods.
* Also watch for local products at grocery stores, especially health food stores or food co-ops.
* Prefer climate-resilient crops, whether you grow or buy them.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Recipe: "Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca"
Communities
Birdfeeding
Today's Adventures
Space Exploration
Birdfeeding
Communities
Wildlife
Philosophical Questions: Humans
Creative Jam
Today's Adventures
History
Birdfeeding
Science
Friday Five
Today's Cooking
Robotics
Communities
Birdfeeding
Gender
Community Thursdays
Safety
Birdfeeding
Climate Change
Hard Things

LiveJournal has 38 comments. Poem: "Walnut Park" has 60 comments. Early Humans has 22 comments.

"Save All the Pieces" belongs to The Big One and needs $74 to be complete. Kenneth and Stylet discuss what to do about the mangled hedgerow.

The weather has been sweltering this past week, but we got a little rain recently. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two mourning doves, a female cardinal, and a fox squirrel. I saw a hummingbird fly out of the barrel garden. :D Red-winged blackbirds have been singing. I've seen at least 4 bats flying around, plus some giant dragonflies. Fireflies are swarming. Cicadas are singing. Currently blooming: pansies, violas, sweet alyssum, marigolds, snapdragons, lantana, million bells, blue lobelia, petunias, portulaca, nemesia, fan flowers, firecracker plant, pineapple sage, yucca, Asiatic lilies, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, narrow-leaved mountain mint, garlic chives, blackberry lily, Queen Anne's lace, purple echinacea, yellow coneflower, frost aster, cosmos, sunflowers. Ripe fruit: mulberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers.

Current Mood: busy

earthandspirit posting in

addme

Name: Well, i mean here it's earthandspirit, which isn't super catchy. Maybe terraspiritus? idk

Age: very old. I was blogging on LJ before the Russians took over

I mostly post about:mental health, random thoughts - to be honest I haven't posted in a while

My hobbies are:video games (vintage story, hytale, valheim, coral island etc), theology, Irish language/history, tarot, virtual worlds and other things, depending on my mood

My fandoms are:Hannibal, Supernatural, Heated Rivalry, Doctor Who, Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Hello Kitty

I'm looking to meet people who:are just real people who write about things they enjoy, are more than just their opinions, aren't swayed by just taglines and instead would rather learn about the hot topics than just react to them.

My posting schedule tends to be: sporadic AF

When I add people, my dealbreakers are:anti LGBTQ+, narrow minded right-wingers, antisemitism, antichristian/antireligion (not a dealbreaker as much as I just know we wouldn't mesh well)

Before adding me, you should know: I'm Canadian, she/her, raised Jewish, but practicing Christian (liberal, progressive, non-toxic), trying to be a follower of St. Francis , because he wasn't about church, or dogma, he just wanted to live what he thought was a good life. I am also a member of a few different Druid orders, 2nd Degree Gardnerian (no longer practicing), was previously poly but now in a monogamous relationship, still raising kids, and I have multiple rescue animals. non-drinker, ADHD diagnosed, currently estrogen deficient and sometimes very cranky XD

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 10:00, cleaned the CPAP, and had breakfast and coffee. Showered and dressed.

Woke up

mashfanficchick and we started moving the chairs from the back yard to where we thought they belonged, and getting the two tables we used back inside.

John and Brianne picked us up at 12:00ish and we went to the Olcott Methodist Church chicken barbecue. Sue, Steve, Linda, Andrew, Clara and Cliff were there but there wasn;t enough room to sit with them so we four sat at another table. The Kid and her boyfriend showed up and joined us.

After we ate, the Kid and her boyfriend went back to the cottage and the four of us went to the little shoppes to use an ATM and get ice cream. The ATM there, though was not working, and we ended up going into some of the shoppes. We got some stuff, then got ice cream.

mashfanficchick and I joined John and Brianne at the music at the gazebo, only stayed for one song though, and went to Dollar General because I thought they had an ATM. They don't. They direted us to East Side Market, so we went there and I went to use the ATM. Which refused my request. The receipt said "suspected fraud" so I thought it was that was because I never called to say I would be away.

So I called Chase and spoke to someone, who looked into it and said that no it wasn't suspected fraud despite what the receipt said, it was that the machine couldn't read the card, and I should try again. So I did and it worked.

Then we went to Bye's Popcorn and I got mega mix caramel corn. We went back to the cottage then.

Every one was sitting around in the playground. The Kid gave me a glass of wine. Everyone drifted off, and

mashfanficchick and I swung on the swings til the Kid, Her boyfriend, and Brianne got back from wherever they wandered to.

We said good bye and the Kid and her boyfriend left for the airport. We went to look for our umbrellas which were left at Nancy's last night. Got them and

mashfanficchick went to take a nap and I went to Betsy's cottage> I showed Betsy where we buried the ashes.

Then we went to Linda's and I hung out there the rest of the day with John and Brianne, Linda and Alan, and Andrew, and later Sue, Nancy and Steve.

I watched the end of the World Cup final, I have no particular opinion on it either way.

Linda invited us to dinner, so I called

mashfanficchick and told her.

Then it was time to call Middle Brother. He is fine, went to McDonald's yesterday, and today again, after going to a park and swinging on the swings.

We had dinner and then hung out, and someone realized the with the exception of Laurie and Middle Brother, all the living cousins were there so we took a picture of us. Piet sent it to me.

Finally people started to leave so we all cleared out, and

mashfanficchick and I came back here. I wanted to Team the FwiB but he didn't answer my emails or my phone calls, until just recently when it was too late to talk. He fell asleep in his chair again.

mashfanficchick has gone to bed, and I'm just finishing up here.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Middle Brother is well and happy.

3. The Kid texted me they got home safely.

4. Perry's ice cream.

5. Dinner with the cousins.

6. Bed now.

Current Mood: good

ysabetwordsmith

Today I made Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

Don't Punish the People Trying to Fix Your Town

What if the most effective code enforcement for property management didn't stop at violations, but instead pointed people toward solutions?

A lot more things would get fixed.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

midnight_heavenly_bodies posting in

addme

Name: C.K. (Chameleon, Lyko, or Ylva if you would like)

Age: 36, nearly 37, growing old mandatory, growing up optional

I mostly post about: Culture Club/Boy George & Jon Moss (my hyperfixation of 22 years and counting), a-ha, Linkin Park, my OCs who are realer to me than most people, witchcraft/spirit work/folk healing/moon rituals/grief magic, retro gaming, emotional overshares that read like journal entries from a possessed poet, fanfiction that makes people unwell at 2am, chaos, and the occasional Reddit food rabbit hole

My hobbies are: Writing fic that's 70% emotional breakdown, 20% worldbuilding, and 10% people getting railed in a meaningful way, hexing cults with sigils and sass, collecting music like a religion, drawing OCs, being a haunted glitter goblin with eyeliner and vengeance, building 48-year fanfiction universes with fully documented timelines and named children, going to work like a normal person and coming home a completely different entity. I'm currently contemplating doing a vlog on youtube.

My fandoms are: Culture Club (I'm writing a massive AU called Colour By Numbers spanning 1978-2026), a-ha, Linkin Park (Bennoda forever)

I'm looking for people who: are too weird for Reddit, too raw for Instagram, too smart for Twitter/X, overshare about their OCs like a religion, cry over character development, understand that Jon Moss deserved better, write long posts, and don't find it weird that I've named all the children in my fictional universe including the surprise baby

My posting schedule: Erratic. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes I vanish for months and return with an entire AU timeline and a new OC

Dealbreakers: Racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, antisemitism, being a dick, Scientology apologists, anyone who thinks Mike Shinoda is evil because of an Instagram reel, "isn't wrestling fake?", "you still like Linkin Park?", and anti-Zionists/anti-Israel people.

Before adding me: I'm a Norse Pagan. Autistic and ADHD. I write mpreg unapologetically. I am a Zionist and tired of explaining what that actually means. Pro-AI. I smoke weed. I am extremely defensive of Jon Moss and will write essays about it. My AO3 is CampCornette69 and yes that's a wrestling reference. If you want an even more in-depth about me, click this link for my about post.

Current Music: The Sun Always Shines on TV - a-ha

ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy, muggy, and hot. It rained a little last night, so I shouldn't need to water today.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I cracked a 'Winblo' peach pit using a new chisel and got a good seed. It's hard to hold the pits on edge, though. Something to brace them with would help. I tried the nutcracker but peach pits are way too hard for it.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- We hauled some medium rocks to the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I picked a cucumber from the garden to make cucumber lime agua fresca.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/19/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden and the telephone pole garden. Despite the bit of rain last night, some things were wilting.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing. I saw at least two bats and a giant dragonfly.

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

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 9:00 and washed the CPAP, and had coffee and breakfast. Then we set about getting ready for the service.

Cliff came over around 11:00. John and Brianne got here somewhat later. Then the Eshelman's arrived.

Linda brought brownies and so did Martha.

Then The Kid and her boyfriend.

The rain was torrential, but had passed by 12:00. We set up behind the cottage. The only non-family there were Gretchen and Shawn but that's OK.

Cliff did a beautiful, beautiful service, then when we were halfway through the rain started again so since Betsy had said we could use her back porch we moved there to finish it, which was when John, and me, and the Kid and

mashfanficchick and some others spoke about Oldest Brother.

By the time we finished the rain had stopped again so we went back to our cottage and the Kid took some of the ashes to send over Niagara falls like she promised him, and her boyfriend, and John together dug holes and we burried his ashes, and my parents under the tree planted in Grandpa's memory.

Then we had the coffee and tea and cookies, and brownies.

The Eshelman's left and Cliff went back to his cottage, and the rain started again, and we ended up at Nancy's cottage hanging out and having cookies.

The Kid and her boyfriend left for Canada and the falls, but said they'd come back.

After a few hours we moved to Sue's cottage where we had a family meal. And hung out there for several hours til we moved back to Nancy's. The Kid and her boyfriend were just getting back.

We stayed ant Nancy's for awhile, then went back to Sue's.

And eventually the party broke up. And

mashfanficchick and I came back here, and ze had a snack and we tidied up a little, and I started here.

Everything was wonderful. My family is wonderful.

mashfanficchick is wonderful.

It was a wonderful, successful day.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB, who of course I didn't get to talk to but I will tomorrow.

2. The memory of Oldest Brother.

3. My cousins, including Cliff.

4.

mashfanficchick who is family.

5. The Kid, and her boyfriend.

6. Everything went well.

Current Mood: grateful

ysabetwordsmith

Today we went up to Champaign-Urbana for the Middlefork Markets event Middlefork at the Mall at Lincoln Square Mall. This is our favorite flea market, born from the ruins of Gordyville, which fills most of the wide aisles at the mall. The market runs Sunday too, but not as late in the day.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: calm

ysabetwordsmith

Would You Like Sugar With Your Stars? Sugar Detected in Interstellar Space for the First Time

Scientists have detected a simple sugar found in raspberries within the gas and dust at the center of the Milky Way.

It’s the first time a sugar molecule has been identified in interstellar media, having previously been found in our solar system on asteroids.

Writers, if you have ever had someone complained because you used "sugar" to describe a starry sky, you are now completely vindicated! There is sugar up there. :D

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly sunny and sweltering. :P

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches at the hopper feeder. A hummingbird flew away from the barrel garden! :D No idea what it was eating there because I have so many options: purple or pink morning glories, fuchsia wave petunia, crimson million bells, firecracker plant, etc.

I put out water for the birds.

7/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

7/18/26 -- We went out to a flea market for much of the day. When we got home, I did more work around the patio.

7/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

7/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

America’s Most Overlooked Developer: Local Churches

As communities seek solutions to the housing crisis, many are overlooking a group of landowners positioned to create housing through local stewardship and incremental development. These property owners are some of the oldest community anchors, long-standing gathering spaces, and large sources of organized power and funding. They are faith institutions: the churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and land they own. In neighborhoods across America, faith institutions are deeply rooted in their communities and located in areas with existing infrastructure, nearby schools and transit, where housing is needed the most. Those qualities make them uniquely suited to create small-scale housing that fits within existing neighborhoods and make a difference toward more housing opportunities.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Endangered species lose one of their strongest legal protections

Federal agencies have rescinded a decades-old rule that treated the destruction of an endangered animal’s habitat as a form of harm under the Endangered Species Act.
Wrecking a forest, wetland or stream that a protected species depends on will no longer count, on its own, as illegally harming that animal.

The move clears the way for logging, energy drilling and other development on land where threatened species live. Development can proceed as long as the animals themselves are not killed or injured.

Because most species reach the endangered list as their habitat vanishes, conservation scientists say the rule removes one of the law’s strongest protections.

If you remove the habitat in which a species lives, one of two things will happen:

1) It will go extinct, which is what usually happens, which is harm.

2) If as many members as possible are captured to preserve, it will go extinct in the wild, which is also harm.

And these two methods are exactly how we've lost most recently extinct species.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

At what point is a technologically enhanced human not a human anymore?

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

The July

crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Survival." Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration!

What I Have Written

From My Prompts

.

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 10:00 because I had a therapy session at 10;30. Washed the CPAP, had coffee and breakfast in time for the session.

mashfanficchick got up when we got a delivery. I showered as best I could with no hot water, and got dressed. Then we started to wait for the plumbers.

John and Brianne drove down and we had a nice long visit with them, also talking to Alan and Linda and Sue. Steve got here and we all stood around talking.

The plumbers arrived and investigated the water heater. I left them to it and went to talk with the cousins and

mashfanficchick. It didn't take to long before they came out and said it was fixed. A breaker had tripped (not the one in the breaker box, one in the heater itself) and they just needed to open the panels and reset it. They also looked and took care of a leak in the bathroom that we just discovered in the morning.

So we have hot water! Yay! I didn't burn out the heating elements!

John and Brianne wanted to go down to the beach so we went down and since I was wearing my (fake) Crocs, I waded a bit.

Then we came back up, they left, and

mashfanficchick and I had a late lunch. Then we started cleaning the cottage.

We swept and wiped, and mopped. There is still more to be done tomorrow but things looks a lot better.

We took a break and I Teamed the FWiB. We talked til 8:30 as usual.

The Kid texted me that they arrived and were picking up their rental car. Hopefully they are checked into their hotel now.

We had dinner, cold chicken and beans and potatoes, and then did more cleaning.

Soon we will have our ice cream and then bed time.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. They fixed the hot water!

3. Clean cottage.

4. My cousins.

5.

mashfanficchick

6. Ice cream.

Current Mood: relieved

ysabetwordsmith

Today we went out running errands and grocery shopping.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

3,200-yo Tomb Discovered in Luxor from the Era of Ramses

Another month, another big discovery in Luxor—this time of a tomb with preserved interior frescoes dating back around 3,200 years. The T-shaped tomb was discovered by a team of Dutch-Egypt archaeologists in the middle of a long-term project to combine proactive conservation strategies with archaeological excavations at the Theban Necropolis.

Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that inscriptions inside the tomb identify its owner as a man named Paser. Decorative frescoes lining the walls of the tomb indicate it may have been made and occupied during the 19th Dynasty of the New Kingdom—the Ramesside period, that included who is arguably Ancient Egypt’s greatest-ever ruler, Ramesses II.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is mostly cloudy and warm heading for hot. I've been hearing thunder, and parts of the patio are damp, but I think we've only gotten a mizzle of rain.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/17/26 -- We went out shopping and stopped at Grissom orchard. Even a mile or so south of us, they'd gotten more rain. :/

EDIT 7/17/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 7/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I cracked the last 2 apricot pits and got 2 good seeds, which I put in the fridge.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing.

EDIT 7/17/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden. I picked 1 red cherry and 1 yellow pear tomato.

EDIT 7/17/26 -- I watered the telephone pole garden.

No bats tonight, but I saw a giant dragonfly swooping along the road. :D

There's a row of low clouds to the southwest, and some to the north. The only thunderhead is far to the northeast. *sigh* More and more, it seems we're in a lull where rain often falls just north or just south of us, and we catch the fringe at most. However, in a time when violent weather is also increasing, that means we're less likely to get hit by more than the fringe of it -- exactly what happened last month.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Raising Rice and Fish Together Cuts Disease From Snails While Boosting Crop Yields by 25%

To reduce disease transmission, the research team led by Rohr introduced African Bonytongue and Nile tilapia into rice fields, two native fish species that naturally suppress snail populations by eating snails or competing with them for resources. Through two trials, the team found that although the fish were not actively fed, both species thrived.

The researchers found that fields containing both fish species had fewer of the snails that host the parasite that causes the dominant form of schistosomiasis in the region. Fewer snails could reduce the risk of infection faced by rice farmers and their families.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today's theme is Neil Gaiman.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

These questions come from

thefridayfive today...

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 9:00 again, washed the CPAP, had breakfast and coffee. Sat on the porch reading, then puttered on the computer.

I pulled all my courage together and called the plumber's office, and they took my information and said he'd call me back later to schedule.

We had a package show up on the porch, there when I came down, but another one was delivered to the wrong cottage,

mashfanficchick got a delivery notice, with a picture.

So after ze got up and had breakfast, I showered as best I could in the cold water, and dressed, and we went on a hunt for the package. Turns out that it was delivered to John M's cottage, along with a package for Nancy. So we took both and brought Nancy's to her cottage.

Which turned out really nicely, as Nancy was there with Clara, Andrew, Linda, and Alan. So we gave Nncy her package and hung out talking for awhile.

While we were there I got a call from Middle Brother's group home, there was a minor incident today which resulted in him having a scratch, and, probably as a CYA measure, they were taking him to Urgent Care to have it checked out.

I came clean about the hot water and that I had called the plumber and Nancy said "been there, done that" which made me feel better. She also said that she had called the plumber that morning too as she had a leak, and if I heard from the plumber could I mention it. Of course I said yes.

The plumber actually called just when we had left, but the call dropped. I called back and he's coming tomorrow afternoon, and I told him that Nancy was my cousin and here too and he could save time by doing us both when he came down.

So that was settled.

We were hanging around the cottage when John and Brianne drove up. We invited them in and had a nice time talking to them. I told them about the hot water heater so I just need to tell Laurie and the Kid, which i will do after the plumber is here. They left to see the other cousins and

mashfanficchick and I had a late lunch.

After lunch,

mashfanficchick took a nap, and I read on the porch.

At 6:00 I cam in a puttered on the computer, and at 7:00 I Teamed the FWiB. While I was talking to him, I saw Cliff drive in. That was a relief.

After I finished talking to the FWiB at 8:30 I called Middle Brother. I asked him what had happened and how he was. and what they did at Urgent Care. He is fine, not upset by it, and was very happy he went swimming yesterday.

After I talked to him I went upstairs and got

mashfanficchick and we went over and saw Cliff. He had the programs that he made for Oldest Brother's service, and a selection of the photos that he picked out. It is wonderful.

Then we came back to the cottage and had ice cream. Now we're having gluten free pizza for dinner, and it's cooking.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Cliff.

3. My other cousins.

4. It's cooler then it was.

5. The smoke from the Canadian wildfires is clearing.

6. Pizza for dinner.

Current Mood: cheerful

ysabetwordsmith

Yesterday we made a stir-fry with chicken thighs, 'Gypsy' peppers, half an onion, and Chinese 5 spice mix.

Today I'm making a crockpot dish with the remaining chicken thighs, more 'Gypsy' peppers, the other half of the onion, dried mushrooms, pigeon peas, several yellow pear tomatoes, and Xawaash spice mix.

Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

New flapping robot swims and flies like a diving bird

Loons, gulls, puffins, and petrels are some of the 100 species of birds that can both fly and swim. These diving birds can plunge in water to swim after prey, and leap back into the air to fly away.

Inspired by these naturally aquatic aviators, engineers at MIT and EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, have designed a robot that can swim underwater, then flap out of the water to continue flying through air, much like diving birds. The “flapping-wing aerial-aquatic vehicle,” or FAAV, weighs less than 300 grams (about half a pound) and is designed to help scientists study the mechanics that enable diving birds to fly through air and water.

The robot has a central body, or fuselage; two flexible, flapping wings; and a steerable tail. The wings and tail can be swapped out for different sizes. In experiments carried out in a water tank and at a local lake, the engineers identified combinations of wing size, flapping frequency, and tail angle that enable the robot to smoothly transition from swimming through water to breaking through the surface to flying through the air.

I am in awe. Flapping-wing flight is extremely difficult to engineer in a machine, despite all the biological examples. That it also swims is beyond amazing.

Current Mood: impressed

ysabetwordsmith

The Lot

For decades, Phoenix mandated more parking than it needed. The consequences are now impossible to ignore.

Stand in a surface parking lot in Phoenix, Arizona, on a July afternoon and you are standing on one of the hottest surfaces a human body can approach without being burned.

Well that's obviously wrong. You can definitely burn yourself on blacktop in Phoenix -- and a lot of other places. Don't touch dark things in the hot sun, especially pavement or metal. I don't know if they still do this, but Death Valley rangers used to fry eggs on a car hood as a demo, and I've seen videos of frying eggs on pavement.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly cloudy, muggy, and hot.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, plus a mourning dove.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a female cardinal.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- I picked 3 'Gypsy' peppers and 1 yellow pear tomato for tonight's crockpot dish.

I helped set up the mower.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- We walked around to look at the newly mowed south lot.

Red-winged blackbirds are singing.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden. Another sunflower is opening. One of the others looks like it has multiple buds developing. Most of the volunteers there only have a single head. Single/branching is one of the divergence points you can use when developing a landrace of sunflowers with genetic diversity. I like both kinds, and they have different advantages. One head gives you a bigger flower, more and often larger seeds, but a short bloom time. Multiple heads are smaller, often with smaller seeds, but you get a considerably longer bloom time.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing.

EDIT 7/16/26 -- I watered the telephone pole garden.

I saw several bats flying along the driveway and road. :D

I cracked 1 black plum pit, but no seed. I cracked 4 apricot pits but only got 1 good seed. I cracked the last batch of black cherry pits and got a few good seeds. Those all went in the fridge to stratify in damp sand.

Clouds are piling up to the west and northwest. I don't know if they'll amount to anything.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

You've probably noticed this trope:

Tertiary Sexual Characteristics
alt title(s): Put A Bow On Her Head
Wayne: So what exactly is the difference between Pac-Man and Mrs. Pac-Man?
Noah: Well, she's got a bow on her head!
— Waynes World
Roy Knable: Boy, this is strange! [after being turned into cartoon mice]
Helen Knable: Strange? I'm a cartoon mouse wearing high-heel running shoes. The word "strange" is somewhat lacking.
— Stay Tuned
When they must assign gender to animals, inanimate objects, or even abstract concepts, writers and artists have hit upon an ingenious solution: Put A Bow On Her Head!

And here is what that kind of visual signal tends to mean in zoology...

( Read more... )

Current Mood: amused

ysabetwordsmith

This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...

* Commented on Candy Balls in

everykindofcraft.

* Commented on just create - fan edition in

justcreate.

* Commented on Just One Thing (15 July 2026) in

awesomeers.

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 9:00, washed the CPAP, and had coffee and breakfast and then sat on the porch and watched the world go by.

At some point I went and took a shower as best I could considering there was no hot water, and dressed. Shorts for the first time this year. The Instacart orders from Tops and Wegmans arrived and

mashfanficchick and I put then away.

Again at some point

mashfanficchick and I had lunch.

Sue brought over our fans which had somehow been delivered by Amazon to her cottage.

Betsy left for a few day, sadly she won't be at the service for Oldest Brother, but then she's coming back on Tuesday. I saw her and Katie for awhile, then Linda.

I walked around a little, saw Sue's new deck.

At some point

mashfanficchick sat in the back upstairs bedroom and talked, then ze took a nap. The FWiB gave me a quick call because he hadn't been able to tell me when he left to go out. I texted the Kid and discussed the service with her.

I sat on the porch and read Rats and Gargoyles.

Clara came by with her adorable dog, a miniature dachshund. We talked a little bit, an she told me Nancy is coming in tomorrow.

Gretchen came by with two Amazon packages that had been delivered to her cottage. I told her about the hot water and she had Shawn take a look at it. It should theoretically now be working. It is not. I think I killed the elements by running it without water in the tank. It's an almost brand new (2022) water heater and I think I killed it.

Anyway, I Teamed the FWiB, and while we were talking another Amazon package arrived. Then I played in my D&D game.

WE had dinner, and then ice cream.

Tomorrow I have to call the plumber to look at the hot water heater.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. My cousins.

3. Gretchen and Shawn.

4. The Kid.

5. Being here.

6. Perry's ice cream.

Current Mood: anxious

ysabetwordsmith

15-yo Creates App for Reporting Potholes to the Government, and Uses AI to Help with Follow-up

The app allows users to take a picture of a pothole, use a GPS function to locate it in their area, and post them both to the Project Sadak server. AI makes sure the picture is of an actual pothole, while human review ensures that the given grade—severe, medium, or benign, accurately reflects what’s in the picture.

This ensures the worst potholes flash red and are not drowned out amid the complaints of angry citizens. Once the entry is finished, the user can automatically sign their name digitally to an email and send it to the authorities in their part of New Delhi

This approach should work with a wide range of things that need attention, from dysfunctional stoplights to apartment repairs, just directing reports to the relevant people. However, there's a big problem in that deferred maintenance tends to come because demand exceeds supply of repair materials, personnel, and budget. Many other projects have shown bottlenecks where the authorities did not fix problems but also refused to let anyone else do so. A solution would be to include a response timeframe of a month or so, after which other people would be free to repair the problem.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sweltering, mostly sunny with fluffy white clouds above. A beautiful day to stay indoors and write!

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- We did some work around the patio.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- I picked 3 'Gypsy' peppers at the green stage to use in a stir-fry. Hopefully this will encourage those plants to set more peppers.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I saw a female cardinal at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 7/15/26 -- I watered the telephone pole garden.

Fireflies are coming out. Cicadas are singing. I saw a giant dragonfly and a bat swooping along the road.

There's a bank of dark clouds rising in the north and another in the northwest, but chances of rain are low.

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

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Earth's ancient climate was cooler than we thought -- and that's bad news

Earth’s climate has natural brakes built into it. They’ve been working overtime for hundreds of millions of years, keeping the planet’s temperature from swinging as wildly as scientists once believed.

New research suggests those ancient hot periods were significantly cooler than previous estimates claimed. This sounds like reassuring news until you realize what it actually implies: unchecked human warming could push the planet somewhere it has never been before.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Life is full of things which are hard or tedious or otherwise unpleasant that need doing anyhow. They help make the world go 'round, they improve skills, and they boost your sense of self-respect. But doing them still kinda sucks. It's all the more difficult to do those things when nobody appreciates it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our accomplishments and pat each other on the back.

What are some of the hard things you've done recently? What are some hard things you haven't gotten to yet, but need to do? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your hard things a little easier?

Current Mood: busy

silver_chipmunk

Got up at 7:30, cleaned the CPAP, which once again, worked great, then had coffee, showered and dressed, and then

mashfanficchick called an Uber and we set out to the Moynihan Train Hall, with a stop to drop off the keys to my apartment fr RK to pick up.

We got there in plenty of time, and got breakfast, I had a bage with scallion cream cheese and lox.

Then they called for boarding our train. We struggled down to it, and eventually managed to secure two seats together, and fit all our luggage (three suitcases, three backpacks, my CPAP, and a bag of food) in and got going.

The trip was uneventful, except that our seatmate was a very nice lady and we had some conversation.

We got to the Depew station, disembarked, and got an Uber to the cottage. It was cheaper to do wait and ride, so we waited about 20 minutes. Jon Rice called, he and Luanne can't come to the memorial service, which is sad.

It was about an hour to get to the cottage of course, but we got here. Saw Sue, and also Carrie and some of her family.

Matt's cottage is still being build, it is bigger than Aunt Elaine's was. His contractor apparently ran over our front path and wreaked it, but is supposed to fix it in two days.

We spent several hours getting set up. I still don't have the hot water working, I don't think.

We got a delivery from Amazon including distilled water for me, and we have had dinner and set up the porch.

I got about 4 hours of sleep last night and am very tired.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Got the keys dropped off and RK collected them.

3. Made the train on time.

4. Only a little late.

5. The Uber was less than I expected.

6. We're HERE!!

Current Mood: happy

ysabetwordsmith

Non-Binary Awareness Week

Non-Binary Awareness Week kicks off on the Monday before International Non-Binary People’s Day on July 14. Established in 2012 by Katje van Loon, the week challenges traditional gender norms and celebrates everyone who identifies beyond the binary. Positioned between International Men’s Day and International Women’s Day, it’s the perfect time to bridge the gap and promote greater understanding and inclusion for non-binary folks. 

See some of my QUILTBAG characters. Calliope in Polychrome Heroics and The Steamsmith have nonbinary leads. The Blueshift Troupers are all shapeshifters and can change sex at times. Want more nonbinary characters? Feel free to ask for that in any relevant prompt call.

Current Mood: busy

sapphicfairyoracle posting in

addme

Name: Pom

Age: over 35

I mostly post about: life, random things that come to mind so it might be my personal twitter without the character limit and have the ability to control my comments. Drawings and fanfic will come up once I have breathing room from classes.

As of right now, I have no TWs and just hide posts in a cut if they get too long. But I'm working on tagging content/trigger warnings now for future posts after today. Feel free to tell me if you have any TWs before adding me.

My posts are mostly public and will save anything IRL, very personal vent posting, or photos for Access only.

My hobbies are: drawing, making little memes or crack-y “shit posts”. I also am giving writing fanfic a whirl after years of not doing that. Creating and talking about OCs count as a hobby, right?

Love nostalgia and retro. Always down to nerd about 80’s and 90’s cartoons together. What’s your favorite?

I’m very into witchcraft, so spirituality is also important to me. I am exploring Celtic and Kemetic Paganism.

My fandoms are: Right now? Really into Moomin, The Amazing Digital Circus, Pokemon, Story of Seasons series, Evangelion, and a little bit of Undertale. Marvel when it’s mostly Spiderman, Deadpool, and X-men. Tomodachi Life has my Nintendo Switch in a grip. Old interests come back every once in a while. Delicious in Dungeon and Yuri on Ice have a grip on me as far as favorite animes go.

I'm looking to meet people who: Are also into the fandoms I like, and anyone else who also partakes in witchcraft. Fellow artists or writers are always wonderful to befriend, whether we write for the same interests or not. I love seeing creative souls be so passionate about their works.

My posting schedule tends to be: Anywhere from weekly to bi-weekly. Trying to post more. I'll also try to be more engaging with friends in the posts, if it feels hard to comment on my posts lately. I'm trying to be better about commenting on friends' posts more, as well.

When I add people, my dealbreakers are: - I'm still learning when it comes to Paganism and witchcraft. And the different types of practices. I have a grasp on what’s closed and what’s open to practice. So if I'm ever exposed to misinformation, be patient and correct me with well meaning - not with malice.

- I love shipping, so I hope you can tolerate that I ship characters when they tickle my fancy. I’m a old woman-loving nonbinary, so anyone who doesn’t like slash (male/male or women/women couples) is someone I might not want to interact with.

- Be a fellow 18+ adult.

- I'm a little political. Sorry. I understand escaping from reality and doom scrolling, but as a POC nonbinary that openly loves women... I'm friends with other POC and LGBT+ people, so I do care even online. So rants might come up occasionally. (I will tag it, though.) Also why you might as well avoid me if you're conservative.

Christianity is a no for me due to religious trauma. With that said, anyone conservative is someone that I’d like to avoid. They tend to be the bigots we all want to avoid, anyway.

- People that like darker dynamics like incest and adult/minor ships, I would rather not interact with, please.

Before adding me, you should know: I'm on Discord if you're very active on there and would like faster access. I can give that upon private messages. But also know that I work during the day and then do class work as soon as I log off. So replies can be sporadic. And no servers, please. (unless we just make one for ourselves.) Used to have Line, if that's what anyone uses, I can get it again.

Current Mood: chipper

Profile

rocket_to_neptune

Navigation

July 2026

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Page Summary

Style Credit

Style: Grayscale Light for Librarian's Dream by branchandroot

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags

Page generated Jul. 23rd, 2026 03:11 am

Reading

Navigation

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags