ravan

Hi all! Haven't posted for the longest time, have no excuses really. I'm okay, my new hip is better than the rest of me, and my mood is more on the copacetic side than it's often been in the past.

Take care, you critters!

Skapi

An argument that large language models should be called goLLuMs.

There is so much potential for satire and mockery here. :D

Current Mood: amused

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Today is mostly sunny and hot.

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

EDIT 9/18/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/18/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/18/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

.

Current Mood: busy

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From the “You don’t say!🙀” files
(Content note: The article uses language that frames ADHD as a problem)

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/adhd-advantage-hypercuriosity

Today I am thankful for...

Kaleidofolk's new album starting to come together,
Mario of StudiOjo in Wateringen. Also, having a professional recording studio walking distance (450m) from our house.
Learning a lot about recording. NO thanks for my scratch tracks being barely usable. Oops.
Bandmates (m and N) with an ear for harmony, as well as m's voice coaching.
Bronx's growing talents as a snuggler. He may be taking lessons from Ticia. Also, having a cat to keep my back warm on cold nights.
5mm cube magnets.

Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag
Current Music: see post

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So, today I was clearing up past it flowers and one of the things on the list was my patch of Swamp Milkweed. It's floppy, covered in aphids and hasn't bloomed in at least 2 yrs. I'd decided to cut it back and dig it up once the weather gets cooler BUT today there were a handful of Monarch caterpillars! Couldn't be much more than a couple weeks old. Guess it's staying but might get replaced by one that would bloom regularly like the Yellow kind...
FridhR,
Pat

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Location: Lenoir City(Nevermore;>!)
Current Music: Heilung Radio

Folks have mentioned an interest in questions and conversations that make them think. So I've decided to offer more of those. This batch features hobbies.

Embroidery is a fibercraft hobby of making things from colored thread on fabric. If you feel frustrated by planned obsolescence, artificial intelligence, and other current issues then consider embroidery as a form of protest. Make something beautiful that will last.

On Dreamwidth, consider communities like

crafty,

cross_stitch,

everykindofcraft,

get_knitted,

justcreate,

sewing, and

sewing101.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Here is Thursday's Modem Problems from Matthew McAndrews:

( Matthew McAndrews' Modem Problems #2266 - Power, Gas, and Water - September 18th, 2025 )

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That vine that reached over the fence to embrace a tree got cut back, but it still spills over the fence.

I was wondering why it didn't seem to be producing any grapes, so today I paused my walk and looked closer. I think it may be a luffa vine.

Consider Hope-Scrolling

Today’s goal is to boost your mood, inspire positivity, and restore some bits of faith in humanity. Now is the time to acknowledge the importance of regularly searching for hope and applying the benefits. The hip new slogan for this process is known as hope-scrolling.

I aim to do this as a counterbalance to the often dark things I post regarding climate change, activism, etc. It's challenging because there aren't as many positive news sites as mixed or gloomy ones, and they don't update as often. Sometimes I can find good science news. I used to pull fun educational things or amusing animal videos from YouTube, but I don't really want to support a site that's mistreating its users. :/ Still, I'm always keeping my eye out for sources of upbeat news.

Current Mood: busy

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U.N. Commission Finds That Israel Is Committing Genocide in Gaza: What Does It Mean?

On Sept. 16, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory (COI) published a report finding that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Commission concluded that Israel has committed four of the five underlying acts of genocide listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention (killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm, deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about physical destruction, and imposing measures intended to prevent births), and that it has done so with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians as a group. The commission’s findings build on its earlier reports that considered crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Took them long enough. While this does not really change anything, it is a useful stick to beat people with when they claim that Israel's actions are okay and protesting them is wrong.

Current Mood: busy

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The violent collisions that made Earth habitable

The violent final 1% of planetary formation may decide which worlds could host life.

Late-stage planetary collisions reshaped Earth and its neighboring planets, delivering water, altering their atmospheres, and influencing their tectonics. New findings suggest these violent impacts were central to both planetary diversity and the origins of habitability.

Current Mood: busy

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Today we went into Mattoon.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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The mixes for the "Amy & Me" album are almost done. The vocals are now properly adjusted, but I'm not happy with the relative levels of the fiddle and guitar vs. the vocals, so I need to go down and take another run at the songs. Unfortunately, this takes time and time has been in short supply.

On Friday and Saturday, I was going to and from Ball State for Parents Day. This was a priority interrupt. :)

Sunday, I reworked and tested the mixes, realized where some of the problems were and started experimenting with some different approaches.

Monday, I had a Windycon meeting.

Tuesday, I went back into the studio and touched up all of the mixes.

Wednesday, I tested the mixes in the car and found them wanting. Tonight, there was another Windycon meeting.

Thursday night is the dog training class, so there will be no mixing on Thursday.

I expect that I can get this cleaned up on Saturday and off to the duplicator by Monday morning.

Assuming that nothing else happens...

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Settling Down
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 1, complete
Word count (story only): 1712
[May 4, 2020, night]

:: Back to the cabin where Ed an Aidan are waiting, the next challenge is that Ed is petrified of sleeping alone. Part of the Edison’s Mirror arc. ::

Back to Unfamiliar Terrain
To the Index
On to

After their supper of mostly foraged vegetables, Vic helped to dry the dishes and put them away while Aidan grumbled his way to the large bedrooms. “The only fireplace is desperately undersized. The kitten needs more warmth than the bedrooms have right now, and…” He passed out of Vic’s hearing range.

Ed slipped close, pressing against Vic’s side. He took the towel and began drying the next dish. “Aidan is trying to make everything ‘normal’ for us,” the boy whispered hoarsely. “Nothing is normal. Nothing can ever be normal again.”

Swallowing hard, Vic nodded as he accepted a mug. “It hurts. It’ll hurt a little less a bit at a time, and… And then there will be bad days that hurt just like it’s all brand new, but those days will get farther apart,” he murmured.
( Read more... )

On to

Current Mood: accomplished

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Today is mostly sunny and hot.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/17/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/17/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 9/17/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.

EDIT 9/17/25 -- I did more work around the yard.

I watered the new picnic table, old picnic table, telephone pole garden, and a few savanna plants.

Cicadas and crickets are singing.

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

Current Mood: busy

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Lisa and Kuma are home. But that last segment was on the verge of going completely wrong.

( SFO Security and What the Heck is Happening in the Bay Area )

We got Lisa into her cave (the travel trailer) and she worked on getting things running again and trying to get to bed ASAP. I had to stop and have something to eat, as my earlier plan to eat at the airport while waiting for Lisa was scuppered by the travel kerfuffle.

So everything worked out in the end, but I guess it's a good think she had such a long layover at SFO or else that too would have failed and she would have spend the night sitting by luggage carousel 9 waiting for met to come and rescue her.

Current Mood: relieved
Current Location: Fernley, Nevada

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Good news includes all the things which make us happy or otherwise feel good. It can be personal or public. We never know when something wonderful will happen, and when it does, most people want to share it with someone. It's disappointing when nobody is there to appreciate it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our joys and pat each other on the back.

What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?

Current Mood: busy

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recurring posts

QOTD: Walter Benjamin on the relationship between photoraphs and captions

Every field has certain works that everyone working the field is expected to be familiar with. In art history, one of those is Walter Benjamin's 1935 essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction."

This seems like a useful topic to discuss in today's context.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Bi-weekly grocery run. To my horror, on the way there we found ourselves behind a matte black Cybertruck tricked out with some sort of military-looking armature over the cover of the truck bed. I suppose it could have been for securing bikes or surfboards or something. But it looked more like Judge Dredd's latest. I was very glad when they turned out to be going to a different store in the mall.

When I returned from this evening's attempt to get the dog to walk, Monty emerged from a hiding place and shot me a look. The dog didn't notice, of course. Prudence was on the neighbours' shed roof. So I returned with food for them both. She started eating but he wasn't visible, either demonstrating his pique or waiting to be sure the dog was safely stowed.

Swooping through

Artificial Intelligence

Birdfeeding

ADHD research

Thankful Thursday

Of Course;>!

Hobbies: Embroidery

#2266 - Power, Gas, and Water

D.O.P.-T.

Hopescrolling

Genocide

Space Exploration

Today's Adventures

Treading Water

Settling Down (part 1 of 1, complete)

Birdfeeding

Getting Lisa Home

Good News

Art

D.O.P.-T.

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