The temperature has dropped, the wind is getting up, and the humidity is if not gone, then at least lower. I think heaven sent that breeze. Oh my good gosh, whew! I stepped out the door after work, aiming to make a combined dinner and grocery run, and I absolutely said, "Oh, thank frick!" out loud. :) I could stand in the path of that breeze for a while.
this post brought to you by UGH
Aug. 27th, 2024 07:09 pmIt is disgustingly, soupily humid, and oh my lord it's gross. :( It's not an issue an air conditioner can fix; that way you end up cold and wet instead of vaguely warm and wet. Yuck! :s
Tim Walz just earned major points with me
Aug. 7th, 2024 10:31 amYes, I tuned in to the rally yesterday afternoon. My verdict: I already like this guy! His progressive policies are one reason, how obviously genuine he is is another, but that GSA story... wow. As someone who grew up queer and desperately closeted in the small town Midwest at the turn of the millennium? So. much. respect.
And yes, I dearly want to see a Walz-Vance debate. I want to see J.D. Vance get a verbal kick or several in the J.D. pants.
And yes, I dearly want to see a Walz-Vance debate. I want to see J.D. Vance get a verbal kick or several in the J.D. pants.
it's a lovely night in Dairyland
Jul. 17th, 2024 08:38 pmI've been out to dinner with a couple of local friends. We all independently admitted we needed the get-together, and for much the same reasons; we're all prone to doom spiraling, and were pleased to escape that, while still having wide-ranging substantive conversations! :) A local take on Thai veggie curry didn't hurt things either, at least for me, heh. Yes, I'd eaten comparatively little all day, whoops.
One of our trio (J, she who feeds and names both birds and squirrels) split off from us after a while. She has a chinchilla who's recovering from a medical scare, so she needed to get home to dispense meds and probably cuddles. That left V the one-time Californian and I to loop our way back to mine and part company, at which point I asked about an adjoining street's sidewalk. The darn thing's been under construction for months, and it came out in conversation that they're finally paving it. She was game to explore the corner nearest my place when I asked for a sighted eye view, and a little poking around later, it was established that the frakking road that's been an inaccessible rock climbing wall since March is walkable again! Yay! Thank *God*.
All in all, this evening's been a very nice one. I needed that.
One of our trio (J, she who feeds and names both birds and squirrels) split off from us after a while. She has a chinchilla who's recovering from a medical scare, so she needed to get home to dispense meds and probably cuddles. That left V the one-time Californian and I to loop our way back to mine and part company, at which point I asked about an adjoining street's sidewalk. The darn thing's been under construction for months, and it came out in conversation that they're finally paving it. She was game to explore the corner nearest my place when I asked for a sighted eye view, and a little poking around later, it was established that the frakking road that's been an inaccessible rock climbing wall since March is walkable again! Yay! Thank *God*.
All in all, this evening's been a very nice one. I needed that.
Tag to ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
silveradept, on the judge and her decision:
This allows her to sidestep having to rule on the merits of the case, but it also means said Special Counsel can appeal her decision and also request to have her removed from the case and replaced by someone competent.
Thank frak, there is some legal recourse after all.
silveradept, on the judge and her decision: This allows her to sidestep having to rule on the merits of the case, but it also means said Special Counsel can appeal her decision and also request to have her removed from the case and replaced by someone competent.
Thank frak, there is some legal recourse after all.
my whiteness is showing again
Jul. 15th, 2024 01:46 pmI was a particular, not-disclosed age in the summer of 2024 when I realized that the line 'ain't no smiling faces lyin' to the races' is one reference, one coherent phrase, and not somehow two separate items on the song's list.
Tiny me did not get it, and was confused and a touch dismayed. Adult me only recently got it, and feels like Blanca McWhiteskin and a doofus.
Tiny me did not get it, and was confused and a touch dismayed. Adult me only recently got it, and feels like Blanca McWhiteskin and a doofus.
We do now. Goddammit. Looking your way, Florida.
This snarl brought to you by news of the classified documents case this morning. 'Nuff said.
Is there any recourse here? As in, any that doesn't rely on the genuine legal scholarship, as opposed to the ideological agendas and obvious toadyism, of a certain high court majority?
This snarl brought to you by news of the classified documents case this morning. 'Nuff said.
Is there any recourse here? As in, any that doesn't rely on the genuine legal scholarship, as opposed to the ideological agendas and obvious toadyism, of a certain high court majority?
rusty lining to today's sh!tstorm
Jul. 13th, 2024 11:00 pmMy Fandom Trumps Hate fic is finished. I'm awaiting a ping from the person to whom I owe said fic, with info on how they'd prefer to receive it.
Entropy is running, said Diane Duane. Run faster. Working on it, sir*.
*Starfleet. Sir is universal, until and unless someone expresses a preference for another respectful term of address. This is where I get my own preference for sir, should I outrank or otherwise lead someone.
Entropy is running, said Diane Duane. Run faster. Working on it, sir*.
*Starfleet. Sir is universal, until and unless someone expresses a preference for another respectful term of address. This is where I get my own preference for sir, should I outrank or otherwise lead someone.
Son of a [fluent swearing redacted]!
Jul. 13th, 2024 08:14 pmSo. Someone took a shot at the giant orange toot. They apparently grazed him, while they themself are dead, as is one rally attendee.
I don't want it to have been a liberal who tried this. We are not known for political violence, quite the opposite, in fact, and I'd sooner we never be. I want it to have been someone even further to the right than TFG. Not that it's likely to have been. We are the people of musical instruments and songbooks and hand-lettered protest signs in multiple languages, elegant artwork and wicked wordplay. The weapons we carry around are our vocabularies and fluent historical references, come on. A sick verbal scorching, sure, but physical harm? No.
This had better galvanize us on the left, get us all behind keeping TFG out of power by strictly *nonviolent* means. His response, which I'm sure will be a sh-!tstorm of bloody retribution rhetoric and open hostility, had better get us all to coalesce. The right's about to have a screaming hate tantrum with us as the focus; we need to coalesce.
I'm terrified, and sick, to think what will happen if we don't.
Dammit, I need a drink or two to deal with tonight.
I don't want it to have been a liberal who tried this. We are not known for political violence, quite the opposite, in fact, and I'd sooner we never be. I want it to have been someone even further to the right than TFG. Not that it's likely to have been. We are the people of musical instruments and songbooks and hand-lettered protest signs in multiple languages, elegant artwork and wicked wordplay. The weapons we carry around are our vocabularies and fluent historical references, come on. A sick verbal scorching, sure, but physical harm? No.
This had better galvanize us on the left, get us all behind keeping TFG out of power by strictly *nonviolent* means. His response, which I'm sure will be a sh-!tstorm of bloody retribution rhetoric and open hostility, had better get us all to coalesce. The right's about to have a screaming hate tantrum with us as the focus; we need to coalesce.
I'm terrified, and sick, to think what will happen if we don't.
Dammit, I need a drink or two to deal with tonight.
excellent news for a Sunday
Jul. 7th, 2024 08:42 pmI have three main reactions to the election results out of France that show the far right getting roundly rejected. Yes! WHEW! And merci, seigneur!
Holy frak was I ever worried for a minute there. W-H-E-W!
Linked news story courtesy NPR.
Holy frak was I ever worried for a minute there. W-H-E-W!
Linked news story courtesy NPR.
the traditional thunderstorm
Jun. 22nd, 2024 08:57 pmEvery year at or around the solstice, ham radio people all over the US and Canada turn out for Field Day, which means activating stations from all the heck over and making as many contacts as possible within 24 hours. Lots of local parks sprout antennae and friendly nerdpeople in abundance.
And darn near every year, it storms. Aieeeee!
This post brought to you by the gal who managed a little much-needed time on the air, working phone on 20 meters under the local club call, but whose evening, like all of ours, got cut short by incoming weather. I'd have stayed out and played radio all night, had I been able. As it was, it was safer to get under cover of something more than a park pavilion. Darn.
And darn near every year, it storms. Aieeeee!
This post brought to you by the gal who managed a little much-needed time on the air, working phone on 20 meters under the local club call, but whose evening, like all of ours, got cut short by incoming weather. I'd have stayed out and played radio all night, had I been able. As it was, it was safer to get under cover of something more than a park pavilion. Darn.
80 years ago today
Jun. 6th, 2024 10:02 pmThat rocks my heart with the monotonous languor. D-Day is here.
It is more than a little surreal to think that such a pivotal event was 80 years ago today. A customer and I were having a conversation about exactly that, in amid the details of his call. We agreed that we were both somewhere nearing amazed that anyone present on or near the beaches that day is in their later nineties now, if not beyond, and yet a nontrivial number of participants from that day are still returning to Normandy for commemorations. He mentioned people now on wheels. I suggested generations of family being along for the trip.
I still get the shiveries, and a case of slight envy that shames me, when I think about actually receiving certain radio messages in early June of 1944. Put them in the context of genuine events on the ground, actual occupation, and thrilling is hardly the word to use, but nevertheless...
It is more than a little surreal to think that such a pivotal event was 80 years ago today. A customer and I were having a conversation about exactly that, in amid the details of his call. We agreed that we were both somewhere nearing amazed that anyone present on or near the beaches that day is in their later nineties now, if not beyond, and yet a nontrivial number of participants from that day are still returning to Normandy for commemorations. He mentioned people now on wheels. I suggested generations of family being along for the trip.
I still get the shiveries, and a case of slight envy that shames me, when I think about actually receiving certain radio messages in early June of 1944. Put them in the context of genuine events on the ground, actual occupation, and thrilling is hardly the word to use, but nevertheless...
The giant orange toot is guilty on all charges! Verdict just handed down. Boom, buddy, that's what the jury said!
A few minutes ago, my personal phone started blowing up. I thought it was someone pinging me about future plans, be that tonight's walk or September's birthday travels. Nope! It was the friend I intend to go walking with, but she had some news for me instead! I'd been checking NPR all morning, waiting for an update, and when I ignored it for a few hours - kerboom! Verdict!
I yelped delighted profanity all over the apartment. Quite a few times. I hope my neighbors aren't concerned, but considering the poop word was often paired with laughter, hopefully they figured out it was happy cursing, if they even heard me.
I still can't quite believe it. And now my phone is blowing up some more. I texted the family groupchat with the news, plusmeimichan and the friend who passed me the update in the first place, so I have no doubt who's making my text message chime go off this time.
I'm paying attention to my work phone and e-mail during all this, honestly I am. :) I'm darn lucky it's not busy this afternoon!
:D!
A few minutes ago, my personal phone started blowing up. I thought it was someone pinging me about future plans, be that tonight's walk or September's birthday travels. Nope! It was the friend I intend to go walking with, but she had some news for me instead! I'd been checking NPR all morning, waiting for an update, and when I ignored it for a few hours - kerboom! Verdict!
I yelped delighted profanity all over the apartment. Quite a few times. I hope my neighbors aren't concerned, but considering the poop word was often paired with laughter, hopefully they figured out it was happy cursing, if they even heard me.
I still can't quite believe it. And now my phone is blowing up some more. I texted the family groupchat with the news, plus
meimichan and the friend who passed me the update in the first place, so I have no doubt who's making my text message chime go off this time. I'm paying attention to my work phone and e-mail during all this, honestly I am. :) I'm darn lucky it's not busy this afternoon!
:D!
a radio nerd's guide to power restoration
May. 22nd, 2024 01:18 pmIf you take the opportunity that a power outage affords and go chasing DX from your balcony, you'll know the power has come back on somewhere (we lost it at about 9:00 last night due to the nasty storms in the area, which made this morning especially fun) when the noise level on the shortwave bands increases with a general BZZZZ and drowns out the faint carrier you're chasing. On the downside, so much for catching the 1730Z sign-on of Radyo Pilipinas, which was admittedly unlikely to be heard here anyway. On the upside, yay power! I absolutely went, "Hmm. Something just came back on somewhere. Let me go in and see--aha!" The aha being when I stepped into the kitchen and heard the noise of a refrigerator in operation.
For a little context, Madison and, really, much of southern Wisconsin had some truly nasty storms last night, to the tune of severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings, powerful wind gusts and, in some places, coin-sized hail. Eeks! There are reports of large trees and power poles down, though not right here. My plants were first tucked on the balcony's internal ledge, then brought inside, and you'd better believe I was staying away from windows and sliding doors for quite a while there.
Looking back, we were roughly 14 hours without electricity, which in the grand scheme of things isn't so bad. The contents of my refrigerator and freezer are now likely safe from going off, my laptop and phone can charge, and I can log in at work. Have done, in fact, as of forty minutes or so ago. My boss has been understanding throughout the whole thing, thank goodness. This area seems to have avoided any major damage, save some downed branches. It could have been so, so much worse, given the ridiculous wind gusts we had last night. I was monitoring on one of our local VHF repeaters throughout the storm activity, because Dane/Iowa County's ARES/RACES emergency call was sharing severe weather net duties with another Midwest severe storm call, and I'm super glad I had that ability. Ham radio privileges for the win, and the relevant info. I needed it, especially after the power went out.
I did wind up at the local Whole Foods with a friend this morning, both to charge a near-dead cell phone battery and to get breakfast. Also to escape the apartment for a bit, rather than sitting here spinning my wheels. The intention was to go back over there with the laptop later, but now that isn't necessary.
In short, whew!
For a little context, Madison and, really, much of southern Wisconsin had some truly nasty storms last night, to the tune of severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings, powerful wind gusts and, in some places, coin-sized hail. Eeks! There are reports of large trees and power poles down, though not right here. My plants were first tucked on the balcony's internal ledge, then brought inside, and you'd better believe I was staying away from windows and sliding doors for quite a while there.
Looking back, we were roughly 14 hours without electricity, which in the grand scheme of things isn't so bad. The contents of my refrigerator and freezer are now likely safe from going off, my laptop and phone can charge, and I can log in at work. Have done, in fact, as of forty minutes or so ago. My boss has been understanding throughout the whole thing, thank goodness. This area seems to have avoided any major damage, save some downed branches. It could have been so, so much worse, given the ridiculous wind gusts we had last night. I was monitoring on one of our local VHF repeaters throughout the storm activity, because Dane/Iowa County's ARES/RACES emergency call was sharing severe weather net duties with another Midwest severe storm call, and I'm super glad I had that ability. Ham radio privileges for the win, and the relevant info. I needed it, especially after the power went out.
I did wind up at the local Whole Foods with a friend this morning, both to charge a near-dead cell phone battery and to get breakfast. Also to escape the apartment for a bit, rather than sitting here spinning my wheels. The intention was to go back over there with the laptop later, but now that isn't necessary.
In short, whew!
note to self
May. 18th, 2024 11:50 pmChanter dear, if you play the youtube video that's clips of all the Eurovision winners from 1956 to 2024 as many times as you have, you are going to have a dozen earworms in short snippets cycling through your head at all hours of the day. Yes, this includes the ones you thoroughly dislike - Milk & Honey, Tanel Padar, Salomé, Dana, Herrey's - as well as those you love - Céline Dion, Isabelle Aubret, Marija Serifovic, Lenny Kuhr, Anne-Marie David, Lordi, Loreen (twice). Get used to it, doofus. :P
Signal boost!
May. 14th, 2024 08:27 pmFound via minoanmiss, cmcmck, and others, but borrowing minoanmiss's wording.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/661601
"Do not ban transgender people from receiving care in mainstream hospital wards"
Boost it far and wide, folks. Non-UK folks can't sign this one, I'm afraid, else my signature would be on there already.
minoanmiss, cmcmck, and others, but borrowing minoanmiss's wording. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/661601
"Do not ban transgender people from receiving care in mainstream hospital wards"
Boost it far and wide, folks. Non-UK folks can't sign this one, I'm afraid, else my signature would be on there already.
Got most of my answers re As It Happens and Kahliweyo'se during tonight's WPR zoom call. Much of the former boils down to either listener numbers which, you keep talking about listener surveys and focus groups, WPR, so why is this the first time I'm hearing about them? or a desire to focus on more local as opposed to national/international content. (Related, if I never hear the word content again, it will be too damn soon! Shove that back to money-scrabbling social media where it belongs.) The latter is getting the delete button along with all the other volunteer-hosted local programs, as well as the remaining regional ones. The whole thing strikes me, given the reason As It Happens is being ditched, as very 'We want more local emphasis. No, not that way!'
I'm sorry, but I'm going to be salty forever about the single indigenous show on the network getting chucked in favor of more one-genre white focus, and no matter how presenters try to broaden their range of composers, the fact is, European-style classical music *is* a one-genre focus, and a distinctly white one. I wasn't happy when the Hmong-language program from the valley ended production a few years ago either.
I know answers were given in good faith tonight. I know directors and staff have the best of intentions. But wow. Inserting regional/cultural segments into Morning Edition when, incidentally, I'm probably either at work already or scrambling around getting going, feels a little token-y, a little like a consolation prize. Yes, more regional and cultural stories from Wisconsin presented as segments in amid Morning Edition is apparently the plan. And who knows? It may turn out excellently down the road, but for now, side-eye! It feels like, just now, WPR doesn't quite know how to serve a population who can hold simultaneous local and international interests, and broader multicultural ones. Or maybe I'm just telling on myself again.
I'm sorry, but I'm going to be salty forever about the single indigenous show on the network getting chucked in favor of more one-genre white focus, and no matter how presenters try to broaden their range of composers, the fact is, European-style classical music *is* a one-genre focus, and a distinctly white one. I wasn't happy when the Hmong-language program from the valley ended production a few years ago either.
I know answers were given in good faith tonight. I know directors and staff have the best of intentions. But wow. Inserting regional/cultural segments into Morning Edition when, incidentally, I'm probably either at work already or scrambling around getting going, feels a little token-y, a little like a consolation prize. Yes, more regional and cultural stories from Wisconsin presented as segments in amid Morning Edition is apparently the plan. And who knows? It may turn out excellently down the road, but for now, side-eye! It feels like, just now, WPR doesn't quite know how to serve a population who can hold simultaneous local and international interests, and broader multicultural ones. Or maybe I'm just telling on myself again.
Dammit, WPR, what are you doing?
May. 12th, 2024 04:55 pmI wasn't thrilled with the idea of WPR reorganizing its stations and changing both network names when first I heard about it, but now I find out that both As It Happens and Q are being deleted from the program lineup, and Kalihweyo’se is going away. Damn. it! There goes the main reason I tune in in the evenings. As for Kalihweyo’se, I've been listening to that show since I was in middle school, and I still tune in if I'm within range of Green Bay's stations. So much for diverse music getting airplay. Nope, we get more white European niche twiddling, carefully curated.
Ugh!
I am not a happy Chanter. I'll be civil about it, but I've got an invite to a webinar regarding all the changes tomorrow, and am I going to bring up my dismay twice over? You betcha!
No offense to either fans of classical music or the WPR hosts who present the same, but I've almost never understood the appeal. The fact that an entire network's worth of the ever-lauded genre can't make room for a First Nations music program with a two-decade history for two hours on one night a week really cheeses me off.
And why the frak are they deleting As It Happens? Thanks a lot! :(
Ugh!
I am not a happy Chanter. I'll be civil about it, but I've got an invite to a webinar regarding all the changes tomorrow, and am I going to bring up my dismay twice over? You betcha!
No offense to either fans of classical music or the WPR hosts who present the same, but I've almost never understood the appeal. The fact that an entire network's worth of the ever-lauded genre can't make room for a First Nations music program with a two-decade history for two hours on one night a week really cheeses me off.
And why the frak are they deleting As It Happens? Thanks a lot! :(
written for @Spring_Renewal
May. 5th, 2024 01:38 amI'll edit, if I need to, when the glass or so of wine is out of my system. Then I'll link to the relevant comm. Fic begun a few days ago but finished in an enormous splurt of choruster-biased scribbling tonight. All related imagery is probably obvious. Credit for the dragon's name in here goes entirely to either Neil Young, or to that man's parents, or both. Take your pick.
ETA: A few edits made, mainly to avoid word duplication.
( The prompt is any, any, nothing left to lose )
ETA: A few edits made, mainly to avoid word duplication.
( The prompt is any, any, nothing left to lose )
Mad City, here I am
Apr. 26th, 2024 02:25 pmSafely home in Madison as of this morning. Relatives all headed north, some already at their destinations, some probably still in transit. I'm now doing an approximate crud ton of laundry, sorting out the last of the unpacking, and settling back into my skin. More to follow, including about that last.
