Confessions of a Liberal Puritan

Sketched out my next watercolor of a woman that I keep seeing on the subway - who today wore a floral print tank and short short cut of jeans, and glitter thongs, with hair extensions, and bag with tassels. ( Read more... )

Finished watching White Lotus S3 over the weekend, and it haunts me.
It was much better than I expected. I'd fallen asleep during White Lotus S2, and couldn't get into White Lotus S1. The appeal of Jennifer Coolidge was lost on me, and I really didn't like the cast in the second season, they all grated on my nerves. I can't stand Michael Imperial. So I didn't expect to like S3, at all. But, it had a cast that intrigued me - Jason Issacs (Star Trek Discovery, among others), Walter Goggins (Fall Out, Justified), Carrie Coon (Gilded Age), Leslie Bibb, Natasha Rothwell, Scott Glenn (whose gotten old and looks skeletal), and Sam Rockwell. Plus numerous nominations.

I watched...and it was compelling. And haunting. Very dark comedy - I didn't find it funny. (I can't say I find any of the comedies nominated funny - maybe Hacks?) And it wasn't predictable - it actually surprised me.
I thought it would go darker than it did. And different people would die.

It does a good dissection of friendship and superficial relationships, or masking in relationships, where folks aren't authentic or genuine with each other, and lie with pasted on smiles, and grins that never quite leave their faces. The only ones who don't are in misery and wracked with pain.
And they all appear to be chasing pleasure, purpose and happiness which eludes them the more they try to chase it. There's an emptiness there, and a strong message about spirituality.

I was astonished how good Jason Isacs, Walter Goggins, and Carrie Coon were.

Started watching Great British Sewing Bee on Roku channel, which is kind of interesting? I'm not really a sewer, so some of it is lost on me. And it's more sewing focused than fashion focused?

July Question Memage

19. Do you like spicy foods such as chilli peppers?

Yes on spicy foods. No on chilli peppers. I have to be careful. I like them, my esophagus and gut are more particular. Or they don't always like me. I accidentally took a small bit of the hottest pepper on the planet once, aka the Carolina Reaper - my lips burned for days. I didn't get it past them.
Avoid at all costs. The heat is in the seeds and juice. I mistook it for a different pepper and cut it up in a salad.

I can do spicy more than most. I like wasabi, sirachi, and tabasco for example. And put pepper (black pepper and red pepper crushed) on a lot of things, more than salt.

20. Are there any artisan food markets or farmer’s markets held close to where you live? Do you visit often?

Yes. Farmer markets are plentiful - Across the street from my work place every Tuesday (not big, but there), and about a twenty-thirty minute walk every Sunday from my apartment. Also lots of indoor artisan food markets. It's NYC. It has everything.

21. Have you ever traced your family tree?

Yes, fell down the rabbit hole with it once and traced all the way back to the 1690s Scotland and Britain, also 1690s in the US. How accurate it is, don't know. It's hard to verify anything further back than the 1700s. (Because the records don't survive). Germany was mostly destroyed in WWII, and the Native Americans, along with the African-Americans destroyed a lot of theirs for well, obvious reasons. France also lost a lot records in WWII. As did Spain.

But Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, and Britain in general - not a problem, they did a better job of preserving records, apparently.

It does get confusing the further back you go, and I gave up. I have relatives who are into it - though.

22. Do you know how to play backgammon? How about chess?

Yes to both. But haven't played in years, so it's unlikely I remember the rules or how. Last time was about ten years ago. I prefer backgammon, it's quicker. Chess takes forever.

23. Do you own a coffee machine? What’s your favourite type of coffee?

No. I can't drink coffee - only decafe, on occasion. The acidity and caffeine concentration make me ill.

24. How are you feeling today?

Tired and kind of spacy, also irritable. Sleep deprived. Going to bed now, in the hopes of remedying it.

Sleep deprived, due to waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to get back to sleep - it was a sinus headache that woke me. But, I did take a walk at lunch to Printemps Department Store.

And discovered a lovely little French Bakery inside that has gluten-free baked items.

I got a Haitian Chocolate Brownie, a Caribbean chocolate and sea salt cookie, and an iced tea. It's pricey, so this won't happen daily.



And here are some other pictures from inside the store:

( a display of just matches or match boxes )

( upstairs bar and shopping area )

( inside the shopping area - looking at displays )

It's such a lovely store in the art deco bank building.

I truly love this work location, best work location that I've had in my life time.

I waited until I got home to enjoy my haitian chocolate brownie - which was like a flourless chocolate cake, with whipped cream and raspberries. Had the cookie at work. This keeps blood sugar down.

***

While I love the location, Crazy Workplace can drive me crazy. I keep having Who's on First, What's on Second discussions - even trying to provide an example gave me a headache.

So, Ozzy died. People just posted "Ozzy died" and I thought, okay, I'm guessing this is Ozzy Osborn, and not another Ozzy. It was stunning - because he'd just finished a concert tour. I last saw him about a year ago judging Dancing with the Stars. (Assuming there is another one out there.) I can't say I was a fan, exactly? I saw him in things of course, and I grew up in the 1970s and 80s, so, yes, I've heard Black Sabbath. Metal, I'm on the fence about. Although I was listening to it today and yesterday at work and finding it weirdly comforting as white noise. It definitely blocks out all other noise. (Listening to it on my Bose headphones, so great sound by the way.)

Here's the new music that Apple Music has been sending me all day (I got bored and clicked on one of the browsing new music options):

Living Dead by The Pretty Wild
RAGE by President
Level High by Cyanide Summer
Night Driving - Max McNown
She Explains Things to Me - David Byrne and the Ghost Orchestra
IAMWHATIAM - Tiga
Kholat - Paradox
The Spell - Mammoth
Burnpile - Pecos & the Rooftops
Nuclear - dead7
We are Love - the Charltans
Clarity - The Amours
Superman - Galatic Empire

Among others. It's kind of a mix of indie rock, country, metal, rap, hip hop, and electronica. Some worked for me, some didn't.

Like I said I'd gotten bored of my music library and wanted to listen to something new. Also I've been in the mood for metal lately. I used to go to sleep to the soundtrack of The Crow.

Here's Paranoid by Black Sabbath (fronted by Ozzy Osborn).
****

Making my way through the Rook (on the Kindle) - it's...how to put this? There's a lot of info dump. And while it is entertaining in places. It is a lot of info dump. And the writer is building a complicated world. Which would be fine - if I weren't relegated to reading it in twenty minute snatches on a subway, or briefly at night. Also if I weren't skimming and reading information all day long for work. This is urban fantasy. Think Torchwood but for the supernatural and paranormal, and a lot older and a lot more organized.

I can tell the writer has watched and read certain things - since he borrows heavily from them. But, again on the other hand, maybe not? Ideas are readily available to all. As Rubin states in The Creation of Art as Being (I think that's what it is called - I cannot remember the name of that book to save my life) - ideas are out there for anyone to grab. The Universe or God or the Source channels the ideas to as many as possible - hoping someone will create something to convey the message. In copyright law - it's simple - there is no such thing as an original idea. It's how you decide to use that idea that is original. Example? A female vampire slayer is not an original idea. But a valley girl from Southern California, who is small, blond, and former cheerleader, who becomes the slayer, and speaks in slang, and has a single Mom, and is called Buffy - that is original. It's all the trappings that make the idea copyrightable and original, not the idea.

And don't worry - just because you couldn't do anything with an idea, doesn't mean someone else won't - they just won't do what you would have done with it - because we are all unique individuals who do not think alike.

Anyhow, sorry for the subtangent. I like the book, for the most part, and will stick with it, but I wish there was a little less info dump? The writer clearly works for a bureaucratic government agency with lots of pointless meetings (I can relate - I do too), and feels the need to make fun of it here (which I get), but seriously it's a lot of info.

***

Speaking of Buffy? The Reboot is in pre-production. Gellar shared a picture of her name above her character's name "Buffy Summers" on a placard in front of her chair. A script. And her little Buffy action figure on a lap top. Made me kind of want my own action figure.

Also, Charisma Carpenter is doing a first watch of all of the Buffy episodes, because she never watched the series, in a group of podcasts entitled - The Bitch is Back. She has guests from time to time. Why the Bitch is Back? She finds the phrase empowering - due to an episode of Angel entitled Room of One's Own - where Cordelia takes down a poltergeist.

My leg wasn't killing me today - no sciatic nerve. Knees were a bit on the sore side, but the sciatica had improved. Also it was a lovely day, low eighties (twenties C), a cool breeze, and low humidity. So I took a long walk at lunch - to check out the Freedom Tower and Memorial Park.

I'm thinking of going back at another time - maybe after work? When I've more time to explore. I want to check out the shops, and the Mercer Labs Museum of Art and Technology which is huge and contains immersive art exhibits.

New York Pass on Mercer Labs

It is however pricey. About $42-53 per visit.

NYC is basically a city of museums. I'm considering checking out all the museums in NYC over the course of two years. It has about 170. Still not as much as LA which has 800. I don't see myself making a trip back to LA any time soon - it's an impossible city to visit without a car. And my extended family all live closer to or in the surrounding suburbs of San Francisco.

Gill & Marc Wildlife Wonders sculpture exhibit in the Financial District of NYC was on display. I'd already seen one group of sculptures north of the Freedom Tower, now I saw the ones leading to it.
Britain has chimpanzees, and we have hippos and octopus.
( photos of Wildlife Wonders Exhibit )

Then I wandered over to the Occulus and the murals across the street from it.
( the Occulus and the murals across the street )

Then off to look at the Freedom Tower and the Memorial Fountains, which are where the World Trade Center once stood. The whole area was constructed by Silverstein in cooperation with the Port Authority.

( Read more... )

Finally, The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center- it was rebuilt along with the Freedom Tower.

"Welcome to Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center in New York City. We are a community of faith resurrected within the rebuilt World Trade Center, more than twenty years after the horrific day of 9/11. The rebuilt church stands strong to the fullness of Orthodox Christian faith, and is a Shrine for the Nation, a place for remembrance and reflection."

I didn't go inside - I only had ten minutes to get back to the office. But I may come back at another time - and check it out. There's two churches, I'd like to check out the interiors of at some point - Trinity and St. Nicholas.
( picture of the church/shrine from the outside )

And finally a parting shot of the Freedom Tower and the surrounding buildings and park from in front of St. Nicholas Church.

As always, good news like comedy and beauty is more often than not in the eyes of the beholder, and mileage will most likely vary on the below.

( mainly political resistance items - showing small political and legal strides in the fight against fascist bigotry and fascism in general )
20.California lawmakers removed provisions from a proposed bill that would have slashed rooftop solar net metering compensation when customers sold their homes.

https://www.canarymedia.com/newsletters/california-lawmakers-back-off-on-anti-rooftop-solar-legislation

( political resistance stuff )

( nice news about nature and stuff )

“The planet is everybody’s. All it offers is the grass, the sky, the water, the ineluctable dream of peace and fruition.”
​
– E.B. WHITE

Whew...here's a flower:

Somewhat depressed today, been feeling lonely and depressed lately - kind of like that Adele song? My Little Love? Except I don't have kids. ( Read more... )

Random tidbits:

1. Kevin Feige announced today that yes, the MCU plans on recasting all of the X-men, and Tony Stark and Steve Rogers down the road. Probably around 2027, after Secret Wars.

He made some good points. Why not? It's not like they haven't recast James Bond, Doctor Who, Captain Kirk, Spock, Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman - multiple times.

Superhero films/comics have a lot in common daytime soap operas and insanely long-running television serials/film franchises - in that the following often happens, and their audience/readers are used to it and tend to shrug it off or hand-wave it:
( Read more... )

That said... I find this disconcerting: ( Read more... )

I've mixed feelings? ( Read more... )

What do you think? Assuming there's anyone out there reading this that's still into the MCU films and the Marvel comics. I honestly can't tell. [Note: If you aren't into it? Or it's not your thing? I really don't need to know, silence remains golden on that front.]

2. Malcolm Jamal-Warner, who played Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, has died at the age of 54.

"Per The Associated Press, Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department confirmed that Warner died on Sunday in a drowning accident while on vacation with his family at a beach along the country's Caribbean coast. He was pulled into a current. Fellow beachgoers tried to rescue him, but first responders from Costa Rica's Red Cross were unable to revive him."

Go Here

I'm thrown by the folks who are dying that are younger than me. This is the second one in a few weeks. The first was Julian McMahon of cancer.

3. On a more positive note? I attended a Zoom presentation of my agency's new climate protection toy today. ( Read more... )

Here's a link to the MTA's Climate Resilience Program

And a link to the newly proposed high speed train: GO HERE.

4. Went on a walk around Battery Park at lunch today, and saw a man holding a large yellow python, also a man playing a kind of old style string instrument (he was playing AULD LANG SYNE) and took pictures of flowers and buildings.

Man holding huge python - behind the cut for the snake adverse:

( really big yellow snake )

Man playing weird instrument:

( weird instrument )

Slabs of a WWII War Memorial amid the greenery.

( see memorial )

And finally...a field of corn flowers in NYC:

Haven't done much today. Outside of fighting a sinus headache. It's a hot day - 87-89 F/ 27-29 C, an muggy. So I've been sticking to the fans and A/C (78-79F/18-19 C indoors). And looking out at the treetops, birds and sky, also binge watching The White Lotus S3 on HBO MAX, and watched a portion of my UU Church's service about how make it about Love. Didn't hear the whole sermon - but the portion I did was interesting - the lay-person lecturer/preacher was a former staff member of the Bernie Saunders Campaign, and had worked for a non-profit involved with Hurricane relief. She interviewed a Mayor who had worked with Hurricane victims. ( Read more... )

The White Lotus, Episode 7, I think also had a nice little thought lesson, which I didn't expect to find. It's underlying theme of the series, I suspect?
( Read more... )

At any rate, both comforted me more than expected. Like a cool blanket or hugging a monk.

**

I also saw Ryan Coogler's Sinners on HBO Max this weekend. How to describe it? ( vague spoiler )

The set up, although it may be better to go in blind like I did? I don't know. I kept going to sleep during the first half - which was kind of plodding, except with insanely beautiful cinematography. So beautiful, I was glad I had a 55 inch television set. It would look amazing in a movie theater. The colors popped.

Then in the second half, once the sun goes down - it changes. And takes off. Also, it suddenly becomes a really cool musical.

Wales told me some time ago that she walked out of the movie theater and couldn't see the whole thing. She loved the first part, but found the second part too scary. I didn't find it all that scary when I saw it? It didn't scare me at all. (It's not a mean horror film like Heredity or MidSommer or so many others, it's more of a fun thematic musical horror movie?) Actually I was kind of puzzled at why Wales found it so scary she had to walk out of the movie theater? (I saw the Ring in the movie theater with Wales and Blair Witch Project, she didn't walk out then? Those were scarier and ended horribly, this really wasn't. This ended on a good note. It wasn't mean.) Honestly, if you can make through Supernatural, Game of Thrones, Vampire Diaries, Buffy, and Doctor Who - you'll be fine. It's kind of humorous actually. While it borrows heavily from Night of the Living Dead - it's not Night of the Living Dead (way too many horror films have). And doesn't come close to The Walking Dead.

The film is beautifully made, and has an excellent score. Also the performances for the most part are spot on. But, it like many of Ryan Coogler's films is more style over substance. I never care that much about the characters? I don't know them well enough to care. Part of the problem is the action takes place within one day, and there are a lot of characters to care about. Also, we're not given a lot information on any of them? Just snippets here and there. The point of view character - we only know a scant amount about, and his relationships with the others, a stray line here or there. The focus of the film isn't on the characters or the plot really, but on theme. The director is more interested in the meta or the thematic message, than he appears to be in the characters or the story - so it all felt a bit hollow in a way?

That said, it's a lot of fun in the second half, and has great visuals and soundtrack. If you are a fan of cinematography? And visuals? You should enjoy it. Also R&B music, blue grass, and African-American/Irish/Scottish-American folk. The Soundtrack is great - I want the soundtrack. Also there is an all-encompassing scene of African-American musicians throughout the cultural history of that music - which is worth seeing on a big screen with surround sound all on its own (if you are into that sort of thing? I'm not, so seeing it on my television screen was fine for me).

I just wish he did a little bit better job building and developing the characters, which would have meant cutting back on the long scenes of the boys driving through the white cotton plantation fields (that's what kept putting me to sleep). And I get why we got those scenes - like I said, it's a visually thematic film - heavy on the meta-narrative, and blends genres, while commenting on them as well as various horror film, historical and black exploitation film tropes. Also went through various music genres and how to tell stories through music and build suspense through music. This film is in many ways a musical - but it uses the music to further theme and story, without becoming an opera, or a musical in the classic sense of the word.

I'd tell you more? But part of the fun is not quite knowing. Although I did figure it out - more or less at a certain point, the writer more or less telegraphs it to the audience at the halfway mark.

1. So far, I've managed to put two things together, a canister to hold large utensiles on my counter top, and a see-through plastic medicine box. The Medicine box is unfortunately slightly defective - on of the sides doesn't quite fit the box. But I've made it work - sending it back is just costly and a bit of work.

Yes, I know, I know...

2. Cancelled two subscriptions: New York Magazine, and Paramount Plus. (I realized I seldom watch Paramount Plus, and I'm protesting their decision to cater to the Doofus to obtain permission from the Federal Government to merge with Skydance Media.)

Okay let's talk about THAT for a hot minute or two?

For financial reasons, Paramount is pursuing a lucrative merger with Skydance Media.

The nitty gritty on the Merger
( Read more... )

3. Thinking of relaxing, reading, and getting groceries. But first must fix lunch.

4. Friday Five on Saturday...

* Name five favorite movies.

Star Wars - Empire Strikes Back, Gross Point Blank, LadyHawk, Raiders of the Lost Arc, Endgame

* Name four areas of interest you became interested in after you were done with your formal education.

Human Rights Advocacy/Social Justice (although I'm kind of burned out on it at the moment), Watercolor, Cooking and nutrition (I have dietary restrictions), Trains

* Name three things you would change about this world.

1) Selfish Entitled Asshole Syndrome - switch that default to being kind and helping others with a communal sense of cooperation, 2) Climate Change - everyone work together to reduce it, and aid in scaling it back, Dependency on Cars - switch from roads to high speed trains, 3) install universal health care across the globe - so everyone has free access to health care (provide health care specialists with housing stipend, a month vacation, free education, trip allowance, transportation stipend, and free tickets to entertainment events).

* Name two of your favorite childhood toys.

Barbie Doll - I used it to tell stories, I was very rough on it.
Star Wars Action Figures - also used to tell stories.

* Name one person you could be handcuffed to for a full day.

Can't think of anyone. So thankfully, it will never happen.

Read through correspondence list. So just to let you know? I read, I just don't tend to comment - because, I can't think of anything to say outside of - oh, that's interesting, thanks for sharing.

What is making you smile these days? Create a top 10 list of anything you want to list or talk about.

( my list )

***

I've thought about it? If I were in charge? I'd arrange for teachers to be paid for the entire year including the summer, with the caveat that they either do summer school for one month or a course or tutoring. They get at least one month off paid vacation. Paid for Spring Break and Christmas.
And have some latitude on materials. And smaller class room sizes.

Allow for creativity. And provide a housing stipend, also pay for transportation. Of course I want this for everyone.

Why can't I have a world where folks have equal access to health care, housing, food, entertainment, work, and love? I'm tired of the Selfish Entitled Assholes Ruling the world - can the Universe kill them off already? [Rhetorical questions - mileage may vary on this - and if it does, I'd rather not know?]

***

July Question a Day Meme

14. Do you enjoy mocktails/cocktails? What’s your favourite?

Not really. Sugar is involved. I avoid sugar. Alcohol will burn off the sugar - but you know, alcohol - which causes other health related issues and drug interactions. So, I don't drink cocktails or mocktails at all any longer.

15. When was the last time you saw any bees?

About two days ago - on the flowers? I've not been walking around the flowers recently as much - because it's been really hot. Today it was 92F/32C.

16. Do you know any sign language? Have you heard of Makaton?

Not really. No.

17. If you enjoy tea, how do you make it – with a teabag, with loose-leaf tea, in a mug or in a teapot?

Usually a teabag, loose leaf requires more work. In a mug, since again teapot is work and mess, and I like easy. Also as far as I can tell there's not a lot of difference. I do have a tea infuser. I take black tea and matcha with milk (usually unsweetened oat or almond/coconut milk). Herbal without.

Right now, I'm into Matcha Lattes, which isn't a tea so much as a powder.
Stronger than green tea, with more curative power.

18. Are you good at arranging cut flowers? Have you ever tried Ikebana?

No, I suck at it. I don't know what Ikebana is? I looked it up HERE - and no. I've not tried it.

I know people who are amazing at it - a co-worker is a floral arranger and florist - she raises her own flowers, and buys cut flowers and creates amazing arrangements, with dyes and everything.

But, I get cut flowers, and I screw it up - I can't figure out the slant, have no patience, and I don't handle plants well? Also I'm allergic to flowers slightly? So I don't tend to get cut flowers that often? And mold really - allergic? And no room for them?

I can photograph and draw and paint them, though?

See?

1. Dueling Superman Reviews - which unintentionally depict how to write a film review and how not to write a film review.

Professional film/music/book critic and science fiction novelist John Scalzi and his daughter, an inspiring blogger (who to date has primarily written blog posts in her father's blog) post dual reviews of the new film - Superman (directed by James Gunn).

Go HERE (Warning, Athena Scalzi's review is filled with spoilers, although I got confused halfway through, jumped to the end and gave up on her review, her father, John Scalzi's review has relatively few - actually no spoilers outside of what you might see in the trailers.)

The dueling reviews - which are quite different takes on the film - unintentionally show the dos and don'ts of writing reviews, and glaringly show the difference between a professional film critic's review and a amateur film reviewer who saw a flick.

Snippets for examples of the difference:

Beginning of AS's review: ( Read more... )

Beginning of JS's review: ( Read more... )

And..

Ending of AS's review: ( Read more... )

Ending of JS's review: ( Read more... )

The trick in reviewing anything - is to give the reader just enough information for them to determine privately if they want to see, read, or listen to the item being reviewed themselves. Is it worth their time? Their taste more likely than not will differ greatly from the reviewer's - so the trick is to give them enough information, without spoiling them, to know whether to check it out for themselves. And at the same time - entertaining them, giving them interesting information, and not boring or confusing them in the process. This is not easy to do. Most amateur reviewers haven't a clue how to do it, as you can see from AS's review.

I figured out from John Scalzi's whether it made sense to see the film in a big theater, and whether I'd like it. And that was without being insanely spoiled on it. Besides giving me a headache, Athena's review confused me and spoiled me about various bits, I'd prefer not to be spoiled on. Also, AS's review only works for those who have already seen the film and not as a review - whose audience is those who haven't seen the film yet. You can't make sense of AS's review without having seen the film. I also couldn't tell if I'd like the film or not. But I knew without a doubt whether I would reading her father's review. (I won't and will wait for it to come on television. It's like Gunn's other films - too busy. And movie theaters aren't comfortable any longer? And have too many distractions? I'd rather watch at home.)

( cut for length )

2. Books

I think I've landed on The Rook -

Per Good Reads: Myfanwy Thomas awakens in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, she must trust the instructions left by her former in order to survive. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization, and this person wants her dead. Battling to save herself, Myfanwy will encounter a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and terrifyingly vast conspiracy. Suspenseful and hilarious, The Rook is an outrageously imaginative thriller for readers who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime.

"Utterly convincing and engrossing -- -totally thought-through and frequently hilarious....Even this aging, jaded, attention-deficit-disordered critic was blown away."-Lev Grossman, Time

About the author: Dan O'Malley graduated from Michigan State University and earned a Master's Degree in medieval history from Ohio State University. He then returned to his childhood home, Australia. He now works for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, writing press releases for government investigations of plane crashes and runaway boats.

This may work for me - it fits my sense of humor, and I'm also a jaded, attention-deficit-disordered critic at the moment.

Plus it's on Kindle so not hard to lug around.

Finished Remarkably Bright Creatures - my difficulty with it was all the characters were frustratingly dense. The writer contrived ways to keep them apart which irritated me. I deal with dense people daily, I can't handle reading about them? Also the writing style didn't work for me, for some reason?

Re-listening to all of the Kate Daniels Graphic Audio Dramatizations - there's ten in all. Plus several single audio books, which aren't. Maybe by the time I finish there will be more? The Kate Daniels series scratches whatever itch I need scratched at the moment. Also they are kind of comfort reads.

And still making my way through the thick paperback of Fair Folk.

Disclaimer: As always, good news is often in the eye of the beholder and mileage may vary on the below. Hopefully you'll find something to make you smile.

1. Only about a quarter of medical schools include training on how to discuss safe gun storage and firearm injury prevention with patients. Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic is working to change that — and ensure that future doctors play a role in preventing gun violence.

https://www.thetrace.org/2025/07/medical-school-gun-violence-prevention/

2. Great land protection story from the Port Townsend Leader about the exciting recent purchase of 81 acres of forest and wetlands by our friends at the Northwest Watershed Institute (NWI)! The land will be permanently protected and stewarded as part of NWI's 500-acre Tarboo Wildlife Preserve in the Quilcene area. Jefferson Land Trust is proud to have played a facilitation role in this project by working with the U.S. Navy to secure matching funds through the Navy’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program. The Navy’s funding purchased a restrictive easement on the land that prevents development (but does not grant any rights to the military for use of the property).

https://www.ptleader.com/stories/northwest-watershed-institute-purchases-forest-for-addition-to-tarboo-wildlife-preserve,215813

3.Senator Chris Van Hollen’s amendment in the Senate Appropriations Committee to "retain, preserve and compile" any records related to Jeffrey Epstein passed unanimously. On that note, the Epstein files are proving to be a real thorn in Trump’s shoe, and I’m here for it.

https://www.ksby.com/politics/senate-committee-unanimously-approves-amendment-that-would-preserve-jeffrey-epstein-files

[The fight over the Epstein files and release of the client list is amusing, partly because it's one of the many platforms that the Doofus ran on, and right now, his base, Magna is furious at him. Over on Twitter, Stephen King got into trouble with his fans - for stating that the Epstein Client List was about as real as the Tooth Fantasy and Santa Claus. ]

4.L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has signed an executive order to provide cash cards worth several hundred dollars—funded by philanthropy—to undocumented immigrants who miss work due to fear of ICE raids.

https://mayor.lacity.gov/news/mayor-bass-issues-executive-directive-support-immigrant-communities

5.US District Court Judge Nina Wang has fined two of Mike Lindell's attorneys $3,000 apiece for their error-riddled AI-generated legal brief. Lindell, of My Pillow, lost the defamation case and is on the hook for $2.3M in damages.

[Yeah, don't use AI to write things folks. It's a computer code created by IT - and IT can't write that well, and some can't write to save their lives.]

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5389852-mypillow-ceo-mike-lindells-attorneys-fined-for-inaccurate-ai-generated-brief/

6. Poland generated more power from clean energy sources than coal for the first time in June.

https://www.ft.com/content/ae920241-597e-49d9-a4b9-bfdfa9deabb6?accessToken=zwAGOQFSub4YkdOukgJBWX5J2dOkub_fqd6rtg.MEUCIC7wxgJShKjVR3u717YcwKFA3kRvRTs4yUanM49uZ5ZYAiEAiv7r4PrLesRguLHgvVlrgsCiItG8QsBG5GNgqjqgj5A&sharetype=gift&token=4a8b6641-d698-4252-8c2f-e667b96f2351&ref=climativity.com

7.Michael Jordan opened his fourth free clinic for people who are uninsured or underserved in North Carolina, his home state.

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nba/michael-jordan-opens-another-free-health-clinic-native-north-carolina-2050274?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40

8.NEW ORLEANS FINANCIAL COLLAB GETS $1M GRANT TO INVEST IN LOCAL START-UPS
The Financial Wellness Collaborative received the $1 million grant to help small businesses manage their financial health and scale-up.

https://www.blackenterprise.com/new-orleans-financial-collaborative-grant-invest/

9.Mexico sent water rescue teams and firefighters to help in Texas after the holiday weekend floods.

https://www.newsweek.com/mexico-sends-help-texas-floods-2095878

10.A new Gallup poll taken over the month of June shows Trump support on “handling the immigration issue” now stands at 35% with 62% opposing.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/692522/surge-concern-immigration-abated.aspx
( the rest of the 44 beneath the cut - the science stuff is towards the end of the list. )

And just in case you found zip in that list to smile about? Here's a photo of flowers.

Grabbing random questions from the Friday Five because I feel like answering random questions.

1. Have you ever been to summer camp?

Yes. But mainly day camps, which are very different than overnight camps and a lot more fun. Only over night camps were brief and in girl scouts, and when I was a kid (6-12) and each time, I had a parent along for the ride.

2. Have you ever made a s'more?

Many many times. Not so much now for various reasons.

3. Have you ever slept under the stars (no tent/tarp)?

Kind of? And I ended up going inside. I don't like bugs?

4. What type of bed do you have (queen, twin, bunk, etc.)?

Queen

5. If you could retroactively erase one TV show from the history of entertainment, which one would you choose?

Toss up between Fox News, and the Bachelor/Bachelorette. For more or less the same reasons.

6. Are you more like your mother or your father?

It's kind of 50/50?

7. If you could take a year-long vacation, what would you do?

Cruise around the world? Or maybe take various train journeys and boat journeys, and walking trips?


8. If you were a crayon, which color would you want to be?

Violet or Purple - a deep purple

9. Which color do you think you would be regardless of what you wanted?

Green

10. Would you rather be used and get blunt, broken and lose your wrapper, or not be used and stay pristine?

Used and get blunt, broken and lose the wrapper.
( the rest of the 37 seemingly random meme questions )

That cheered me up greatly. Thank you, Friday Five.

I slept later than usual, but on the bright side - actually got a solid 8 hours of sleep, most of it core, but what can one do? Did get 55 minutes of deep, and 2 hours of rem. I tend to be a light sleeper for the most part, either that or this smart watch sleep monitoring isn't as accurate as it may appear.

Thinking of reading "actual books" and not ones on the Kindle for a bit. The books on my shelves are more appealing than the ones on the Kindle at the moment, and I've been in a long and annoying book slump. I was more engrossed in The Fair Folk - a book this morning, than What Moves the Dead on the Kindle. Books also have a weight to them, and they don't annoyingly go blank without notice.

The technology/information age is currently depressing me, I think? Do you feel like people are throwing their opinions at you constantly? Often unedited, unfiltered, and misinformed? It's not just on social media, it's journalistic articles, non-fiction editorials, etc. And via text message. I can't escape it. People stop. I really don't want to know what some random political analyst, political science professor, historian, social activist, journalist, bored academic, or law professor thinks about our current political situation, politics, the Wars (cultural, actual, and otherwise). Yes, I know they all think the world is coming to an end, I just wish they'd keep it to themselves, why depress the rest of us?

I've been jumping around television shows this weekend, not quite sticking with anything?

Watched Andor S2 Ep. 7 last night - the end the second three arc. Each arc ends with Andor and Bix - blowing something up or killing someone, or so it seems. Good news, Bix seems to have taken care of her problem. So Episode 7 for the most part was a satisfying conclusion to the Bix/Andor and Gorst situation, that was hanging over from S1. I adore Andor and Bix.

I got a bit lost in the episode, and had to rewind it and rewatch. Mainly because my attention kept drifting away from it. This may well be a me thing and not an Andor thing, folks. ( Read more... )

Poker Face - also had to keep rewinding, because my attention kept wandering - I'd play on the phone, I'd play on the internet, I'd cook, etc. It's partly due to the commercials - it's on Peacock and has commercial interruptions, and partly due to the mystery not always being that gripping? This is basically Murder she wrote by way of Columbo by way of person on the run doing odd jobs. Sometimes the mystery of the week is interesting, sometimes not. Like Murder She Wrote and Columbo it likes to utilize old and big time movie stars, some of which I've not seen in a while and are over the age of 70. Ellen Barkin is a very skeletal 70.

Outlander - see previous post. [And now I'm back to it again - and watching S2 Ep.2 - mainly because I'm curious. Also, I like the actress playing Clair and she's written better in the series than in the book. Odd I know, but there it is. Also Jaime is admittedly very appeal - I rather like the actor portraying him. And I find the differences between mid-20th century medicine and 18th century medicine interesting. It's what people do that fascinates me.]

Buffy S3 - Helpless - was surprised at how well written this was. Was going to skip over it, decided not to, and it was rather better than I thought. Not quite as scary, and amusing in places. Also had to keep rewinding, because I kept wandering about doing things while it was on. It's David Fury - who, sigh, "not the nicest human on the planet" is possibly an understatement? (It comes through in the writing - his episodes have an underlying meanness to them that is hard to put my finger on - but is there? I don't think he likes people all that much? And clearly has Mommy issues?) But he's a good writer, got to give him that. And the acting is through the roof. Also, weirdly, I liked Cordelia in the episode, but did not like Willow, Xander, or OZ - who were kind of useless and annoying. Giles...wasn't supposed to be likable, but Head sold it, and made him likable and interesting. Gellar blows me away. She does things in Buffy that she's not done before or since. Jeff Kober as the villain of the week is rather excellent. But Kober always is. ( spoilers for well anyone who hasn't seen it in the last 25 years )

Damn, this series holds up well. And it gets better as it goes. S3 is much better than S1 and S2, writing wise. The writers finally hit their stride. I can see why Gellar was done by S3 - they worked her to death. She's in every scene, they are all very physical scenes, and she has to cry a lot. She was doing 20 hour days, seven days a week. I think they burned her out, and it's why she's not really done anything great since. They also burned out Marsters. Not so much the others.

**

Took a long walk to get groceries. Used the robot vacuums. Read a bit of The Fair Folk. Meditated. And tried not to let the noise on the internet bother me too much. The birds outside were tweeting. The sun was shining. The trees are green. It's a warm balmy day in Brooklyn. And if I don't think too much and just be, everything is seemingly just fine.

Didn't sleep well last night - every time I go to bed past 11 pm, I don't sleep well. It's odd. Also, my body wants to get up at 6AM. Regardless of the time I go to bed. I think it's because I get up at 6 AM every morning and my body is used to it? Lately it's been waking up half an hour before then, and I force it to go back to sleep.

I attempted to get back into Outlander, S2, Episode 1 - and was, alas, reminded of why I stopped reading the books. ( Read more... )

Back to watching Murderbot (I actually prefer sci-fi to historical drama or hyper-realism). I may try Sinners - next, it's on Max. Finished Murderbot - which I keep wanting to call the Murderbot Diaries. I liked the books better - I don't remember them well enough to know how closely this followed them? Also, I'm not sure I read all of them. It was okay? I like Mensha, Gurathin, and Murderbot, everyone else was kind of annoying? It was heavy on absurdist humor, which was dependent on stupid human behavior, although the Murderbot's snarky sense of humor made up for it. I wonder if it will be renewed? It can legitimately be one season.

Also accomplished today - putting together my drug carousels for the top of my dresser - which worked a lot better than expected. Now instead of being cluttered with pill bottles and medications, the dresser is clean and neat, with all the pills neatly arranged on two clear plastic and somewhat attractive carousels. I also put together a tea and spice shelf for my kitchen, which had decluttered it in an amazing fashion. See picture below the cut:
( picture )

I'd take a photo of the other - but some things must stay private. At any rate, bit by bit, I am winning my battle against clutter.

Questions/Memage:

1. What is the flavor that makes you think of summer? Or favorite summer foods?

( flavors of summer days gone by )

July Question a Day Memage:

9. Have you ever been on a journey and been held up for a long time? What happened and how late were you at your destination?

Yes, multiple times. Once it was cancelled entirely. Plane travel is alas like that. I went to France by myself at the age of 16 to stay with a French family, on the way home, there was fog in Orly airport, and our plane had mechanical difficulties. ( long story )

10. Do you enjoy salad? What would be in a typical salad that you would serve/eat?

Yes. Power greens (pea shoots, spinach, argula and shard), green onion, cucumber, a protein (either nuts, feta cheese, seeds or chicken strips), radish, with lemon and/or apple cider vinegar and olive oil.

11. Have you ever used an old-fashioned typewriter? Can you touch type (type without looking at the keys?)

Yes. I learned how to type on one. Then graduated to electric, then to the computer. Yes, I can touch type without looking at keys, I'm doing it now. Not very fast though. I don't do anything that requires hand/eye coordination quickly. Maybe 20 minutes an hour? I'm not a fast typist. It used to matter - it no longer does - because now, we have computers.

12. Do you like sushi?

Quite a bit. My father first introduced it to me. He loved trying new foods, and had discovered sushi at work. I get it all the time. Perfect summer meal.

13. Have you ever tried Tai Chi?

Yes, I was actually taking classes from folks my junior year in college. We'd do it in the mornings in front of our residence. My boyfriend, me, another guy we were living with, and his girlfriend - who was teaching us.
( Read more... )

I was in a good mood when the day started, only to have it turn sour on me as it evolved. I did take a walk though, see previous entry.

I won't bore you with all the gory details. Work is boring me at the moment, but it is at least non-stressful and for the most part pleasant, unlike last year which was boring, stressful and unpleasant. So, let's be grateful for small mercies. Also having been unemployed, I'm always grateful for employment. There are worse jobs, and I'm good at this one and it utilizes my analytical and writing/communication/legal skills for the most part. I'm doing a lot more math than I'd like - but such is life. Some things are unavoidable. The boredom has to do with too many of the same edits. Parts of my job were given to incompetent people, and I'm now editing work that I used to do outright - the irony is not lost on me.

Each day, every day, of this week, actually - for reasons I don't quite understand? The local news has been reporting on hit and runs in various portions of Brooklyn. Almost as if they are tracking hit and runs across the borough? And all the hit and runs happen in the wee hours of the morning. Usually between 1 am and 4:30 am. Why people are wandering the streets in the early hours of the morning, I've no idea. It's not the safest time to be wandering about. For one thing - it's dark outside. There's no one really out there. And people tend to be more reckless at that time. Either driving drunk, speeding, or half asleep. Also people wandering about are probably drunk or not quite awake? ( the incidents )

I just wanted the weather and the road and rail report. I did not want to know about various hit and runs around the area. They also feel the need to tell me about various shootings around the area, in places I never venture in and never would need to. No wonder people think the city is unsafe. Frigging media.

That didn't put me in a bad mood. Other things did. But, I started out in a good mood - because there were good news items posted on Threads. I'm posting beneath the cut.

( good news items )

Gave me hope. Might not give others hope. I find human beings frustrating.
Does anyone else? It can't just be me?

**

In other news? I finally finished Remarkably Bright Creatures by
Shelby Van Pelt

This is a book about a 70 year old woman who works as a janitor in an aquarium who befriends an octopus. Through a series of events, the octopus manages to solve the mystery of her missing son.
( needless to say the appeal was utterly lost on me )

Reading T Kingfisher's What Moves the Dead now. We'll see if I stick with it. Kingfisher's writing style appeals to me more than Van Pelt's. (This may be why I get stuff from Amazon and on the Kindle - I like non-mainstream writers better than mainstream traditionally published and highly marketed ones? Although What Moves the Dead made it into book stores.) I also like Kingfisher's quirky characters better. They are less whiny and more real, also Kingfisher's plots feel organic to the characters and not as contrived. I think she's a better writer. But mileage may vary on that front, it always does.

Off to bed, and perchance to sleep and dream of flowers and boats and happy things. Unlikely, my subconscious is stubbornly in nightmare mode. It likes to ponder all my worries and anxieties and concerns through my dreams.

This is for the sailors and would be sailors out there (threemeninaboat ).

It was a pretty day today, warm with a nice breeze, so I decided to take a long walk. Original plan was to walk to the Freedom Tower and 1 World Trade to see the "Walk of Heroes" virtual exhibit, but I decided that it will be crowded and not nearly enough time. Also it was 83F/23C, and humid. So instead, I chose to walk up the pier and check out the boats. This was after checking out the smorgasbord and open air market of vendors in Bowling Green aka Immigrants Park. They had all sorts of foods on display, only one that was clearly gluten-free, and a lot of expensive cut crystals and stones. I just grabbed a bunch of maps from the tourist information booth, high tailed it back upstairs, deposited them in my back pack, then went back downstairs for my walk up the pier. Breaking Bad (my boss) was out of the office today, as was practically everyone else - so no one noticed, not that they would anyhow. And I did manage to make it back by 1:15 pm, Chilled Matcha Latte in tote.

I managed to make it all the way up to Pier 16, where the Seaport Boat Museum was located.



This was after I wandered about on a wooden deck with plenty of grass, overlooking the harbor and the city.
( Deck and tall buildings )

And took a picture of one of the tall boats from the deck:

( tall clipper ship )

Then wandered a bit further up the roof top deck to take a photo of the Brooklyn Bridge, and a few smaller boats.

( Brooklyn Bridge and smaller boats )

Here's a picture of another tall boat, and the mall at Pier 17 behind it:




Here's a broader picture of the big tall boat and the museum:



I told threemeninaboat a while back that the Tall Clipper Ship gave cruises, but in reality its part of the Seaport Boat Museum. NYC is basically a huge city on a bunch of islands, surrounded by bridges, tunnels, rivers, bays, ocean and boats. It's one of the things I love most about NYC. There's always the slight scent of ocean in the air or water.
And being near the sea is oddly freeing in a way. Perhaps because I've always loved the water? I find it calming.

It was a calming walk - and by the time I returned to my work place, I was sweating and more than ready for air conditioning - because it was also just a touch balmy.