muladhara | Reading

I used decaf to make coffee granita last night, and I had it for dessert this evening along with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, and it seems to have worked out all right - no late evening side effects of caffeine that I can feel. And I think it's better later in the day as a treat than as my morning coffee, because I eat it so quickly and also it's sweet. I don't put any sugar in my regular coffee, but granita requires it so it doesn't freeze solid. I used vanilla sugar but can't really detect the vanilla (or, rather, differentiate it from the vanilla in the whipped cream).

Also, they were on sale, so I bought a pack of paper plates and they made cleanup after cooking so easy that I remembered why I used to use them regularly back before I had a dishwasher. My plan to replace my dead dishwasher is to try the 4th of July sales - Friend L is going to join me at the store to see if the model I want (Bosch) actually fits in the space I've got (and if it goes on sale - it did not for Memorial Day, that I saw, but maybe I don't need the more expensive/top-of-the-line model? It's just that it has something that will allegedly turn the machine off if it senses a leak, which seems like a good thing to have, especially when you live in an apartment above other people and are responsible if any leakage causes damages below you). Anyway, July is a three-paycheck month, which gives me some leeway for paying most of it off ASAP and not increasing my credit card debt any more than I have to.

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Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Mets vs Rockies on tv

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lassarina

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resolutions 2025

musesfool

The Mets lost a game yesterday they should have won, but I guess it doesn't matter that much because they took the season series from the Dodgers, which means if they are both divisional winners and meet in the NLCS in October, the Mets will have home field advantage. I mean, it would have been nice for them to win on a day when both Atlanta and Philly lost, but I guess you can't have everything.

Anyway, staying up for the previous games in the series (they were out in LA) caught up with me and I couldn't keep my eyes open last night, so I ended up going right to bed at 8:30. It wasn't even fully dark yet! But I slept through till 4:15, got up to use the bathroom, and then slept through again till my alarm went off at 8:15, so I guess I really needed it. I had a lot of dreams, but the one that stuck with me was something where I was already in the hospital visiting someone, and the doctor was like, "we need to talk about your appendix, it needs to come out!" And I was like, "that's news to me since I haven't had an appendix since 1976!" (truth!) And she was like, "what?" and I was like, "what?" and then the dream moved on - I don't remember anything else.

There's really not a whole lot else going on. Work is busy - our CFO keeps trying to steal me away from my boss, but like, there's nothing in Finance for me to do? My main job is board support, and that belongs either in legal or the CEO's office, so...*hands* I guess if something ever happened to my position I might consider trying to transfer, but I just don't see how that would work. No one is indispensable, but no one else in this organization does what I do (and frankly, no one else wants to). If a new CEO comes in and has different ideas, that could be a problem, but I'm trying not to think about that too much. There are closer threats to my job right now. *gestures at everything*

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Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

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sideways

As a long-standing fan of Alastair Reynolds who is finally getting around to watching Babylon 5, it's a bit like... so Mass Effect really just mashed these two things together (and sprinkled a bit of other sci-fi flavouring on top), huh.

Not a crime, of course; and I don't think Mass Effect has ever pretended to be anything but deep and affectionate bow to all things space opera. It's getting a rueful chuckle out of me nonetheless. O to get to file off those serial numbers so successfully.

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video game: mass effect

lassarina

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muladhara

My final thoughts on Clair Obscur; DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN THE CREDITS!

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lassarina

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what are you playing wednesday

althea_valara

I was discussing confidence and job searching with friends the other day, and one of them suggested reading Refuse to Choose: Use All of Your Interests, Passions and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams so I dutifully clicked the link and then went WAIT WHAT A BARBARA SHER BOOK I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT?!?!

I'm a big fan of Barbara's books, and spent a lot of time on her message board when I was younger. I helped proofread Wishcraft when she was first digitizing it, and had even talked to her on the phone once regarding the project. I was very sad when I heard she had passed away, because her books were very formative and helpful for me.

So yes, I immediately bought the ebook of Refuse to Choose and started reading it, and well, it's basically a how-to manual for scanners.

Hmm.

Okay, let me explain: Barbara says there are two types of people in the world: scanners vs. divers. A diver is someone who finds a subject they are interested in, then dives into it and learns everything about it. Scanners are the opposite: they taste a bunch of different subjects and have a lot of different interests.

In the past, I had considered myself a scanner. Now, I'm not so sure. I mean, it's been TWENTY YEARS and I am still primarily listening to Final Fantasy music. It's been FIFTEEN YEARS and I am still knitting and crocheting happily. And those are primarily my two interests. So that feels more like a diver to me.

And yet: I get bored within 6-12 months at a job. Once I learn what I'm doing and master it, I get depressed and listless. I was also the person in high school and college who took classes just because they sounded fun (like, I was never REALLY interested in acting or the theater, and yet I took both "Beginning Acting" and "Play Production" in high school, and enjoyed the classes.)

There's such a thing as a frustrated diver--that person who hasn't found their niche yet. I do wonder if that could be me. Or flipping things around: am I really a scanner that's masking as a diver right now because of anxiety/depression/whatever? There are so many ways I'm afraid to step out of my comfort zone. I'm trying to be more brave and try new things, but it's going to be a process.

If I think of all the things I have tried in the past... well, let's list them:
* photography
* drawing (when I was a kid)
* digital art (a college class I took that was open to highschoolers)
* journal/memoir writing (took a class on this)
* fiction writing (I subbed to Writer's Digest for several years)
* acting
* play production
* embroidery (I have a kit from the library that I was working on)
* candle making (never did it, but bought a kit when I was younger)
* astronomy (had a telescope)
* piano (took lessons as a kid, had electronic keyboards as an adult)
* flute (played in grammar/high school)
* violin (bought a cheap one off ebay and the Suzuki method books and played around with them)
* marathon walking
* pin loom weaving
* tablet weaving via backstrap method
* bracelet making (as a kid/teen)
* origami
* studying Japanese for fun
* anime/manga
* coding for fun (bot!)
* interactive fiction coding/writing
* website design
* DVD making (I made a simple menu for a DVD of Serenity-related items)
* painting, particularly on windows
* trading card games (MtG and LOTR)

...and probably more... that's quite a list! And I wouldn't say I mastered any of them, with the possible exception of bot. I am proud with what I did with bot. Oh, and I actually succeeded in completely a marathon, so that's an exception too. But all of the others, I dipped into for a bit. Usually, I would get REALLY EXCITED about something, throw my all into it for a bit, maybe succeed in accomplishing something, and then... drop the subject.

One thing I notice is that much of the stuff on the list has a creative element to it. I do very much feel like I'm a creator. I want to produce stuff. I want to create stuff out of nothing. I want to inspire or bring joy to people with my creations. I am happiest when talking about creating things. Also happy when discussing video games, but then it's primarily about the really good stories and characters and not so much the gameplay. I'm a sucker for a good story.

So yeah, maybe I *am* a scanner that hasn't allowed herself to explore lately. Either way, I'm gonna finish reading the book and see what Barbara has to say.

Current Mood: contemplative

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musesfool

Work was nuts today, especially since I was out on Friday and some of my cow-orkers apparently just waited around for me to come back instead of sending an email themselves. Plus I had 2 committee meetings (unusual - we try not to do that unless we absolutely can't avoid it) but luckily 1 only lasted 15 minutes, so I was able to knock out the minutes in about a similar amount of time. *g*

Yesterday I roasted some ears of corn, and ate 2 for lunch and then scraped the other 3 into a big bowl and the added some crumbled up bacon, 2 pints of really beautiful grape tomatoes, some little pearls of fresh mozzarella, a sliced vidalia onion, and some salt and pepper, oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme, and dressed it all with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Delicious! I will make some orzo to add to it for lunch over the next couple of days and I am looking forward to it.

I also finally hit upon a good way to cook hotdogs without a grill - in the broiler. I don't eat them very often but a couple times during the summer I get a craving, so when they go on sale, I sometimes snag a pack and some soft, cheap buns to eat with them. Of course, since I have the palate of a 5-year-old, I still prefer ketchup on my hotdogs, but since I live alone, there's no one here to judge me. *g*

*The Dodgers, not the Mets. Sigh.

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Current Music: Mets vs Dodgers on tv

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adventures in cooking

muladhara

Some things, making a post:

# I had a migraine the other day with nausea so bad that it persisted not only into the following day, but it also lasted all day. Luckily(?), I was in work, so I didn't really have time to think about how gross I felt but blerghhhh, please can we not???

# Talking of which, I can't remember if I mentioned it, but I am on a waiting list to get an appointment at the doctor's to, in part, get help with the migraines. They were mostly bearable (in so far as such a thing can be), but the nausea is just. NOPE. NO THANK YOU.

# Yesterday, as I walked into work, I heard People Ruin Paintings on the radio playlist, which is one of the released singles from Critical Thinking and a) I almost sort of enjoyed it (and it was a nice surprise to hear a Manics song at work!) and b) it reminded me that I should listen to the album again, as I have not given it a fair chance yet because I wasn't initially impressed.

(Our store has a pre-built playlist that isn't like a "$Store Radio station" - it's just a giant, varied playlist that has occasional ads for offers or whatever. And, unlike my previous (paid) job, it is actual licensed music, rather than not).

# I ended up talking to two customers about reading, on two separate days!

The first one I hijacked a conversation he was having with a colleague, because I heard him say he has a lot trouble concentrating on reading, and I was like, "OMG SAME!!" Anyway, we chatted a bit, turns out he plays a lot of Vidya Gaems (also same). I told him maybe he's getting his narrative fix from that, as I think to some degree I am, and I said he shouldn't feel guilty about not reading books. I try not to, even though younger me is still mad that I can't concentrate on them like I used to.

And then the other one was an older customer, who's recently become a regular. He was asking about the playlist on the work radio, so I told him a bit about that, and then through some loops in conversation, we ended up talking about science-fiction books. He said he'd read 2001, and I had forgotten until he said it, but I have also read it (I remember nothing), and I talked a bit about Philip K Dick to him (he hasn't read a lot of him, and has seen more films based on his work instead. I am the opposite way around - I've seen Blade Runner and Total Recall and that's IT).

I also complimented a customer's phone case, as it had Hokusai's Wave on it, and that is my favourite Japanese print (I have it on a bunch of things, including multiple postcards, and the t-shirt I am currently wearing).

# I had to walk home from work, and then to work the following day because the bus timetable has changed - buses are now once hourly, and don't run when you need them to. Everything hurts, so I bought myself some pens to make up for it.

# Work is...not great at the moment, but I'm not going into it as to why (way too much explaining, and it's not remotely interesting; also unlocked post). Suffice to say I am very tired, and all I would like to do is sleep.

# that's all I've got for now. I'm going to have my dinner and maybe nap a bit afterwards.

Current Music: The Motel - David Bowie

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musesfool

Recs update!

unfitforsociety has been updated for May 2025 with 13 story recs and 2 vid recs in 3 fandoms:

✭ 12 Batfamily
✭ 1 Star Wars
✭ 1 Avengers vid and 1 Star Wars vid

***

I bought some string cheese a couple weeks ago on sale and today I breaded and fried it into mozzarella sticks. So good to eat! So messy to clean up after!

I slept poorly again last night - I had to shut the window while it was raining, and I don't know if it's the barometric pressure that's been giving me these headaches, but I don't like it. At least this cool rainy weather meant I made it all the way through May without turning on the AC. It looks like I will probably start needed it next week though. Last year, I signed up for the thing where they charge you the same amount each month to smooth out the ups and downs, which I've grown to prefer to the $110 swings in my electric bill come summer.

In other news, I learned that there really is a cocoa shortage and I'm not imagining it. So I'm glad I stocked up from King Arthur. Unfortunately, the bag had a small tear in it, so everything in the box it shipped with was covered in a fine dusting of cocoa powder. 🤨 But I washed it all and transferred the cocoa into a ziplock so it's all nice and tidy now.

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Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Mets beating the Rox on tv

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lassarina

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musesfool

I slept very poorly last night and woke up with a blinding headache and some serious nausea, so I called out of work and went back to bed for a couple of hours.

I keep meaning to post then forgetting what I want to say, since it's mostly just about work. I did get several amazing photos of Baby Miss L in a Spider-Gwen outfit with a hood (with a glittery pink mask on it), a cute blue spider on the torso (when I first saw it, I admit my initial response was "Khaji Da?" so it's more scarab than spider but also she's 2 and a half, so) and a skirt decorated with webbing. It's so cute and she apparently approved of it by saying "Spider-Man! Spider-Man!" in her specific toddler lingo. And the Superman dress finally arrived so I hope to see pictures of that soon, too! Also, she has taken to carrying her Easter basket over her shoulder like a purse and calling it her bag, so she is definitely getting a headstart on her fashionista personality.

In other news, I was reading some fic I was otherwise enjoying but I will never ever ever understand why in EVERY SINGLE FANDOM I have ever read fic in, there are some gobsmackingly awful non-canon nicknames that proliferate. Sometimes for characters who already have a canonical nickname, so why? I mean, I get that the use of a nickname can be intimacy marker (much like the switch from last name to first name, or full first name to canon nickname), but the fact is, none of the characters this is applied to would ever allow themselves to be called these names by ANYONE, not even an intimate partner. The worst is when Jason calls Talia "Tals." NO. WHO thinks TALIA AL GHUL, DAUGHTER OF THE DEMON, is going to let ANYONE call her "Tals." No, really, meet me in the parking lot, I just have some questions.

I also don't understand when people apologize for...well, anything really, in their author's notes, but especially when they say shit like, "Sorry this chapter is mostly dialogue! We'll get back to the introspection soon!" I mean, I guess some people don't like dialogue??? Obviously mileage varies. But it is frequently the best part of a story for me. If your story holds off on dialogue for too long in favor of maundering introspection, I will likely wander away and never come back (like, obviously if it's a 900-word plotless character ramble that's fine, but then you are not posting it in chapters, at least I'd hope not).

I guess if you're not confident in your character voices, dialogue can be difficult, but you're still going to need to get the character voice right in the narration/introspection, and some characters are not really going to be doing a lot of introspection at all, even in their own heads, so it's even harder to get them right. Which is probably when it's time to revisit canon. But I admit, dialogue is pretty much the easiest thing I find to write, so possibly it's just me.

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Current Mood: better
Current Music: Mets vs Rockies on tv

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lassarina

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thenicochan

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job,
real life

lassarina

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lassarina

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what are you playing wednesday

musesfool

I slept through for a full 7 hours last night! right up until my alarm went off, actually, without waking up once!

I also got some fantastic videos of Baby Miss L going nuts about TATOES and BROCCOLI and also some mouse game she plays on my sister's tablet. She is such a character! <333

I haven't started the new season of Poker Face or Andor yet - I am still in HGTV mode. No emotional investment, and it satisfies both my nosiness about other people's houses and my need to be judgy about other people's aesthetic taste without hurting anyone's feelings.

Every time someone says they want to go BOLD with color and their palette is black and white I want to punch them. (I'm not saying black and white can't be a bold choice, just that it's not a bold COLOR choice.) Everyone wants POPS of COLOR but then the color turns out to be greige. I just...find it wearisome sometimes. I get it if you are doing a quick refresh in order to sell, since allegedly neutrals sell better? But these are people supposedly doing their "forever homes" or their "dream homes" so why not pick something interesting? At least a little bit? In the downstairs powder room??? I'm begging you, please!

Ahem.

If you asked me what my preferred home decor aesthetic is, I would say beachy with lots of blues and greens in various shades, and okay, a lot of white, a little gray, and some occasional wood or wicker accents. Definitely would want hardwood floors (or LVP that looked like hardwood). I'd want a large zero-access shower with a built-in bench with some fancy tile, and I wouldn't want to waste space on a tub (or double sinks, since I live alone), but I would like more linen/towel storage.

I would obviously want a large chef's kitchen, with FULL SIZE appliances and a big range - I don't go for that countertop stovetop and wall oven set up, I'd want a bigass stove with six burners - and I certainly wouldn't put it (or the sink) on an island. I'd like a large butcher block work surface and a breakfast nook with an eastern exposure, but don't need a formal dining room or a ginormous island. I do like white upper cabinets, probably with reeded glass doors, and then a color on the lower cabinets - a cobalt blue, maybe, or a deep teal.

The place I might go a little modern/industrial/maybe even avant garde would be in the light fixtures. I have seen some WILD chandeliers and lighting options on these shows and some of them are gorgeous.

Obviously I worked a lot of this out in the time between going into contract on my apartment and finally closing, so I was able to pick stuff out that all kind of went together, because I absolutely understand being a renter for years and not really being able to put your stamp on a place. (all the people who already live in their own houses who have no sense of their own style, though - they kind of baffle me, because didn't they paint/decorate their house? I get maybe not knowing what your architectural style is but these are mainly people in their 30s and older - they should have some sense of what they like, shouldn't they, even if they can't pin it to a specific style?)

Anyway, I don't need people to do their own homes in my preferred style, and some of these homes turn out to be gorgeous, but it would be nice if everyone wasn't doing the same things across several different home renovation shows. I guess HGTV has a bit of a house style? But if you've watched any of it, you can see why Keith and Evan from Bargain Block are my favorites - they actually do a lot of fun different things (or they used to, anyway), where even if it isn't something I'd choose, it still has a strong sense of style.

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Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Knicks-Pacers on tv

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muladhara

So the streams I am watching of Clair Obscur are very close to the end, but I just wanted to note that yesterday the game made me cry twice, on a bank holiday morning, before 11am (I mean, it was my choice to watch it that early).

Large spoilers, imo, beware.

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I know it's not so much commentary on the game, but I did want to note that it did in fact tear my heart from my chest and stomp all over it, and not even in a good way.

Current Mood: sad

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lassarina

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Roots and Bones Art

June 2025

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

Page Summary

musesfool - that double just loosened him up last night
lassarina - May Wrap-Up, June Goals
musesfool - it's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams
sideways - (no subject)
lassarina - Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Fourteen
muladhara - (no subject)
lassarina - What Are You Playing Wednesday
althea_valara - scanners vs. divers, again
musesfool - this team is so loaded with fire power*
muladhara - there is no hell like an old hell
musesfool - goes right back to that breaking ball
lassarina - Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Thirteen
musesfool - went to the curveball, bounced it
lassarina - where is the mythical spring
thenicochan - (no subject)
lassarina - Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Twelve
lassarina - What Are You Playing (Thursday)
musesfool - what a find by O. G.
muladhara - (no subject)
lassarina - Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Eleven

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Page generated Jun. 8th, 2025 07:06 pm

all made up with nowhere to go

i am my own experience

Reading

that double just loosened him up last night

May Wrap-Up, June Goals

it's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams

(no subject)

Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Fourteen

(no subject)

What Are You Playing Wednesday

scanners vs. divers, again

this team is so loaded with fire power*

there is no hell like an old hell

goes right back to that breaking ball

Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Thirteen

went to the curveball, bounced it

where is the mythical spring

(no subject)

Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Twelve

What Are You Playing (Thursday)

what a find by O. G.

(no subject)

Clair Obscur Liveblog Part Eleven

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June 2025

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