unclutter | Member Posts

Getting up was extremely difficult this morning, because bed comfy world cold. Also, cat snuggles. But I did eventually do it! And went to the shops and got food!

Nothing much else today, though, bleh.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: Birthplace

stonepicnicking_okapi

Not my best work. I've done several Alice in Wonderland-themed collages which are much better than this. But my brain is not my friend at the moment, and I have filled up the last of my three inserts I was using for collage so I will be using my Agatha Christie notebook and my art notebook going forward. Both are smaller but I think that might be a good thing.

rmc28

Books on pre-order:

Queen Demon (Rising World 2) by Martha Wells (7 Oct 2025)

Books acquired in June:

and read:
1. Playing for Keeps by K A Findlay (Kim Findlay) [7]
2. The Charlie Method (Campus Diaries 3) by Elle Kennedy
and unread:
1. Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen
2. Sort Your Head Out by Sam Delaney
3. The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

Borrowed books read in June:

Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton
The Domino Pattern (Quadrail 4) by Timothy Zahn [8]
Judgment at Proteus (Quadrail 5) by Timothy Zahn [8]

Annoyingly, when I thought I'd cancelled my KU subscription in May, Amazon thought I'd suspended it for a month, so I got charged again in June. And as the above makes clear, I didn't really get my value for the month of it. The Timothy Zahn Quadrail series is really fun (Trains! In Space! And also galaxy-spanning conspiracy and action adventure with really interesting aliens!) and I'm glad I got to finish it, but I have now definitely and for real cancelled the subscription until further notice.

I don't expect to read much this month either, with the women's football Euros running most of the month. Farocation is running again and I didn't yet get through all the books from last summer, so I'm being even pickier about which ones I decide to pick up this summer.

[1] Pre-order
[2] Audiobook
[3] Physical book
[4] Crowdfunding
[5] Goodbye read
[6] Cambridgeshire Reads/Listens
[7] FaRoFeb / FaRoCation / Bookmas / HRBC
[8] Prime Reading / Kindle Unlimited

fred_mouse

I need some down time this weekend. I have any number of things I want to have done, but I'm restricting myself to things that can be done sitting on the bed, minimal movement. To whit:

Finish reading The Dictionary of Lost Words - DONE! Highly recommended fictional account of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary
Read Attached - book on romantic relationships. in progress (started Saturday)
Finish Creating a Second Brain - collected from the library yesterday, read a chapter on the bus
Finish Library of the Dead - this one is due back on Monday, and being Libby, will get autoreturned.

Which, not actually outside the bounds, as long as I am actually doing those.

stretch goals, of which I'm hoping to achieve at least one

close tabs (current: 526, goal: <500) in safari
finish reading the fic I'm part way through (there might be more than one of these.
progress Eldest's quilt (this is not an 'on the bed' activity; it is added so that if I need to get up and move around, I have a task)
write up my goals for the next 6 months
blog post about how the study is going.

paperghost

So... Long story short, a forum I was on in my late teens is still online, albeit dead and inactive. During the pandemic at one point, someone logged back into their account to pop in and leave a sentimental message. There were some replies to it after in the last few years, and I even logged into my account and left one. I also left a message with a burner email address for any users to contact. The forum has a lot of OLD, embarassing, and offensive shit I posted, but it was 2008-2011 and most people in the 30-40 range were Like That in the 00s so I figured most won't judge.

...And then, right when I was drawing OCs for Artfight, I got an email from someone! I can't believe it!

Obviously I'm not going to discuss the contents (duh), but it reminds me of how I've wanted to leave "messages in a bottle" to people I used to know over a decade ago, but I never bother... It's mainly a "what's the point, I changed too much" or feel like I'm "lame" and a loser in comparison. 15+ years from now people I know have moved states and countries, have careers and partners, are game devs, meanwhile I just work a 9-5 (more like 5-2...), only been in one short relationship, and live in the same house for the last 20 years. I've never judged anyone for not "making it big" or struggling with employment, being poor, etc., but it's just... I don't know. I always feel like a blip on people's radar and inadequate.

(I also forgot DW was the perfect site to post this stuff, lol.)

kaberett

Freegle has both provided (a 4'x8' piece of 6mm plywood, which I am intending to press into service as A SHED FLOOR) and taken away (a bag of used Jiffy Green padded envelopes).
I have discovered to my delight that I do not have to wait for a submitted indexed recipe book to actually be approved before I can ask for (and be assigned) the next one. My submitted queue is currently two deep; I'm working on another of the very short books now, and will be entertained if I manage to get it three deep. I am finding this data entry very soothing. (Though I am also having an entire moment over the vegan cookie recipe entitled "Rrraw", developed in collaboration with the Rrraw Cacao Factory, featuring raw chocolate and raw cocoa powder and raw cacao nibs, that is then baked at 160°C.)
........... the internet just Provided someone's photo of a pet rabbit with googly eyes along its side. This is so perfectly engineered to A's interests that I'm kind of surprised it showed up in my feed because someone I actually know, who is not A, shared it.
I think I had somehow not previously ever spent a significant amount of time removing dried peas from their pods? But one of this evening's ~~distractions~~ jobs (while A was removing the ratchets from the plywood in service of removing the plywood from the roof bars) was removing the pods from all the extremely dried-out peas for the purposes of being able to sow more of them next year, and... they go ping and twirl themselves up into neat little curls for broadcasting purposes? if you just look at them a bit funny? I somehow had NO IDEA about this and it's GREAT. (Somehow: all my attempts at growing significant quantities of drying peas have thus far failed dramatically.)
While double-checking the series-internal order for Murderbot because I needed to remind myself which novella came next, I discovered the existence of another short story I had inexplicably been entirely unaware of... because apparently it's being published on the 11^th (and possibly in Reactor Magazine on the 10^th? According to at least one misc website...).
A, eating tonight's curry, suddenly went "... oh :( I meant to stop off at the supermarket opposite the pharmacy and get some lassi :(" (the last several places they have expected to be able to get salt lassi from having Not Provided). I, who had been aware of the Why Will Nobody Sell Me This problem, had been vaguely intending to get around to just making some and, up until this sad oh-ing, had been singularly failing to actually, you know, do so. But five minutes later A had acceptable salt lassi, and it was really nice to be able to Just Produce a Treet.
First couple of really good blackberries, and lots more raspberries, while at the plot. (There have been blackberries for a week or so now provided you didn't mind that despite the fact they were black they weren't actually quite done ripening... but apparently Just Enough more time has now elapsed!)
Facebook showing me the Mayor of London emphatically posting, as a caption to a photo containing at least 44 Progress Pride flags, "In our city you are free to be whoever you want to be, and love whoever you want to love. We must take a stand against those seeking to roll back hard-won rights."
Tomorrow morning's elaborate breakfast plans are cherry clafoutis, with allotment cherries. (And then while the oven's on I'll bake the bread.)
We are doing a pretty good job this week of remembering that mutual social grooming is good for us, and therefore actually managing brushing each other's hair first thing in the morning. Which for bonus points I am attempting to actively engage with as somatosensory rehabilitation, because I am having Thoughts about my constant background headache, and doing science on myself is my idea of a good time.

Bonuses (oh hey this practice is working): pink gooseberries -- plus yoghurt and hazelnuts, but also by themselves. tomatoes setting fruit. Murderbot novellas. fiddling with pens as fidget. The Fan made this afternoon's 28°C (or at least the bits of it I was awake for) much less unpleasant. A has just set the bat detector up and it's Detected A Bat!

umadoshi

At the start of the month I entertained the fleeting thought of trying to post every day in July, especially with

sunshine_revival (in which I have in no way participated) going on, but. Well. *gestures at current date* And as we all know, something-something-only-perfect-results-matter, etc. etc. etc.

But here. It's Friday. The world is terrifying, but at least for this moment the sun is out. I spent most of my workday in a style guide meeting, which was genuinely pretty fun; tonight we're seeing Ginny and Kas because this week it's better for them than our usual Saturday hangout.

Tomorrow the (very) wee farmers' market that's only a few blocks away is getting underway for the season. I have ambitions of actually rolling out of bed and walking over in hopes of strawberries, even though tomorrow and Sunday are also Eevee community day in Pokemon Go, so I'm also hoping to leave the house those afternoons. Leaving the house twice in one day is not exactly a thing that happens often, and as a result, the prospect of it is exhausting. ^^; But here's hoping!

There's been zero doubt for a long time now that my only actual investment in Pokemon Go is the pursuit of shinies, and community days are the best chance to get shinies of a given critter, and Eevee, see, has EIGHT possible evolutions, so if there's any faint hope of ever having a full set of shinies of those, well, it's this weekend.

(I can't remember if I've said here that this is a crystalized perfect demonstration of why it's really, really good that I don't gamble. I'm usually pleased when I catch a new-to-me Pokemon, but it's pretty minor. But rather than setting the game aside, since it mostly hasn't resulted in me actually getting outside and walking much more than I had been, the hope of catching a shiny critter keeps me opening it back up. Nobody get me into slot machines, okay? [That sounds facetious, but I mean it very seriously.])

That's all I've got right now. Stay well, friends.

Current Mood: pensive

tyger

Sibling was over again today! ( Today's home improvement ramble is mostly about skirting boards. )

Other than that... I did some washing! Had a late afternoon nap! Nothing much else. Really gotta go to the shops tomorrow. I should really be eating something more nutritious than three ingredient pasta. (Pasta, dried shiitake, peas. Plus cheese, but that's added afterwards.) So uh yeah I should get to bed so I can do that...

Current Mood: sore
Current Location: Birthplace

stonepicnicking_okapi

For new friends, personal posts not on Tuesdays are called 'Into the Void' as in 'Screaming into the Void'

THANK YOU to everyone for the well wishes on the new job. I will respond individually but I just wanted to do a quick blast of thanks now. Orientation went well. I have clients starting MONDAY! I am low-key terrified, but that's to be expected with something so new. So my schedule will be 8 am to 2 pm with going from one client's house to a second client.

Lots of deep breaths...

THANK YOU!

svgurl

fairytalebingo, a flash event inspired by fairy tales, mythology, legends, fables, etc, is open for sign-ups.

fluffyjuly is a daily fluff themed prompt event running through July.

fandom-free-bingo is running Virtues & Vices Edition. Sign-ups will close on July 31st.

sunshine_revival is active through the month of July! There will be 7 challenges, one posted every four days. There is also a Friending Meme.

allbingo is running Winterfest in July. There are both pre-made bingo cards or you can create your own based on the available prompts.

allbingo is also running a Western Bingo Fest. Premade cards and the option to make one yourself are both available here as well.

littleblackdressex, a fic/art/podfic exchange based on works about your "little black dress" character (the one you feel goes with everything/you multiship), is open for sign-ups until July 6th, 11:59PM EDT. Nominations have also been reopened.

battleshipex, an event where you join a team and race to clear a board of targets by creating fanworks, has opened sign-ups until July 9th or until they reach 280 sign-ups. Nominations are also still open.

narniaexchange, a Chronicles of Narnia fic exchange, is open for sign-ups until July 11th.

no_true_pair has opened sign-ups for their No True Crossover Event, where you sign up with four different fandoms and use the posted prompts that uses all the fandoms in different combinations, and you create works using those randomly made crossovers.

fancake's theme of the month is: working together. Click on the banner below to find out more!

Photograph with added text: Working Together, at Fancake. Workers in India use wide wooden paddles with long handles to shove a huge yard of drying grains into big piles. The grain, most likely rice, is a beautiful golden color, and there's a mix of western and traditional clothing among the seven men and women.

svgurl

Challenge #1:

Journaling Prompt: Light up your journal with activity this month. Talk about your goals for July or for the second half of 2025.

Goals for July:
-write and complete at least one fic (writing more non-exchange fics has been a constant goal and I am hoping to get there)
-read three books (I keep checking books out but I need to actually finish them and find the motivation to read again)

Goals for the rest of the year
-get more organized (a constant struggle)
-try something new (vague but it's easier when it's broad)
-make more solid traveling plans
-try to write a little very day (I'm hoping consistent habits will be good for me)

Creative Prompt: Shine a light on your own creativity. Create anything you want (an image, an icon, a story, a poem, or a craft) and share it with your community

I made 5 summer-y icons.

kaberett

( Read more... )

tyger

Actually succeeding in going to bed early!

I even did all the things on my to-do list today, which is pretty nice. :3 :3 :3

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: Birthplace

kalloway

sunshine_revival's first challenge is goals/plans for the month, just in time for me to actually post my monthly plans roundup. (A couple of days late, because hot.)

So here goes:

( June )

July's plans are to survive being too fucking hot.

( July )

There is another part to the challenge but I'll worry about that later, if at all.

fred_mouse

..look at the underlying code or moth...

me, describing someone else's approach to understanding large language models.

kaberett

(Yeah I'm struggling with the ukpol news at the moment, and feeling especially bleak about this FOI response in particular. Maybe I will manage to pull together a post of useful "please write to your MP about the UC/PIP bill" tomorrow, given I've got them all open in tabs to do so anyway.)

( Read more... )

watersword

Face of sadness & rage: the public library here has had to cut its streaming services, likely in part because of the destruction of the IMLS, which funded a lot of that. This is a fucking travesty.

It's been too hot to bake, so I picked up a loaf of bread and am basking in the season's first tomato sandwiches. Bliss.

One thing I want to do before the end of the summer is borrow the ice cream maker and dehydrator from the Thing Library; my ice cream quest continues (Dutch Chocolate is perfectly fine but not a standout); blueberrying has not been scheduled but I have agreement that it sounds like fun from the people I want to go with. I am up to H.M.S. Surprise in the Aubreyad and enjoying myself thoroughly.

I love summer so much. I feel like a person.

tyger

Not that I did HUGE amounts, but I did finally fucking shower, so there's that.

Sibling came over for a bit to bash nails back in - took way less time than expected, the floor really is in good condition.

Cats are both pretty snuggly at the moment, which is extremely nice. :3

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: Birthplace

stonepicnicking_okapi

Wednesday's word is...

...halyard [hal-yerd]

noun

1. any of various lines or tackles for hoisting a spar, sail, flag, etc., into position for use.

---

I found this in Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

First Mr. Fridley fastened the U.S. flag on the halyard (that's a new word in my vocabulary) and then fastened the California flag below it.

halyard

arlie

Long ago, in a fit of "they need to hear from more boomers" I signed up for Google User research.

The last time I clicked through to sign up, they wanted me to produce a video of myself and send it to them, to be considered for participation.

Today I clicked through again. The can-you-participate survey first had a field to be filled out only by those living outside the US (per the text) that proved mandatory when I tried to go to the next screen. On the next screen, I discovered that July 14th of this year is a Tuesday, July 15 is a Wednesday, and July 16th is a Thursday. (They did correctly identify July 8 as a Tuesday, in the same question.)

Two stupid errors in one survey. The second one's a killer - I can't correctly tell them what days/times I'd be available when I don't know what date they meant.

I wonder what kind of chat bot or overworked human peon created this survey.

Amazingly, I now have even less interest in donating my time to educating them about the capabilities and preferences of older users. (Yes, there's a gift card if selected and actually participates, but that never was my motivation.)

If they can't avoid multiple errors in their screening instrument, the research is presumably pro forma, and/or equally addled.

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uncluttering one day and one thing at a time

Member Posts

I did, eventually, go to the shops!

Collage Journaling: Alice

To-read pile, 2025, June

Ridiculous weekend plans

message in a bottle

ten good things

Idle Friday post that turned out to be half about Pokemon Go

Fucking cactus spines I hate them

Into the Void

current fandom events

sunshine revival challenge #1

[ukpol] links re PIP/UC reform

Oh hey look it's not even 1

Monthly Roundup Returns

typo du jour

ten. good. things.

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Wednesday Did In Fact Happen

Word: Halyard

Google Enshitification

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