reading log: january 2026

Feb. 10th, 2026 10:31 am
tozka: Dawn (from Buffy) reading a book with a starry background (buffy dawn with stars)
[personal profile] tozka
First book: Adventure in Zanskar by Amy Edelstein, a travel memoir with a heavy Buddhist spirituality slant, about a 20-something hiking a mountain range in far-north India in the 1980s.

I actually really enjoyed reading this; I generally enjoy travel memoirs of women doing adventurous things PLUS I love travel memoirs that take place before cell phones. That, plus the author really had a great time on her trip and loved meeting local people, and the introspection stuff that's typical of a 20-something trying to figure out what to do with her life wasn't as annoying as it might've been because it was tempered with Buddhist philosophies.

Downside is she falls heavily into the "things are so much better for this primitive uneducated society because they don't have technology or money" mindset which is very surface-level, tbh. Maybe they're truly happy, maybe they're just showing you, an outsider, a positive face.

Second book: Peregrinations of a Pariah by Flora Tristan, translated by Jean Hawkes, another travel memoir but this time from the 1800s. It's basically about a French woman traveling to Peru to try and get some family inheritance, and then getting caught in a civil war.

She's an excellent writer (and the translator did a great job) but she definitely has the old-school traveler mindset of "everything but my home country is horrible"-- she hates the food, the people, the location, etc. Her personality is quite funny, though; she kept saying she could run the country if only she could find the right man to partner with, but she couldn't even convince her miserly uncle to part with any money for the 9+ months she lived with him. Ha!

Civil war coverage was a slog and took up a good 1/3 of the book-- which was edited down even more from the original, actually-- and while it was interesting to read about 1800s Peru the fact that the author hated nearly everything about it made for rough reading. I WOULD read her other books, though, one of which is about traveling to England and another about labor reform in France.

Mod Post: Off-Topic Tuesday

Feb. 10th, 2026 09:39 am
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[personal profile] icon_uk posting in [community profile] scans_daily
In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

The Winter Olympics are underway in Italy.

Alongside the usual magnificent achievements, there was also controversy caused by Gus Kenworthy, a British skiier, though one who was raised in America and had competed for the USA in the past, leaving a less than subtle message about his about American current affairs. Aside from everything else, I admire his calligraphy in a challenging medium.

The Superbowl happened, but being neither American nor a sportsperson, I can't get worked up about the game and can only point you to the half time show with Bad Bunny (Which annoyed all the right people, especially when you read the disaster which was the "alternate" half time show with Kid Rock), and the movie trailers)

The Madalorian and Grogu got one which was more... vibes than anything else, though the voiceover did seem like it was about to recommend some sort of old fashioned farm product, possibly cheese or cured meats.

Supergirl featured an adorable cameo by everyone's favourite superdog as a puppy. As an aside DC are also sponsoring puppies for training as guide and service dogs, always a worthy cause IMHO, and the first puppies are appropriately named: Krypto, Clark, Kara, Lois and umm... Lobo?

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" told a story about what did, or did not, happen to Benjamin Sisko, in a sort of love letter to DS9 as SAM the photonic life form tried to find out more. The pacing and some of the story choices felt weird to me, even whilst acknowledging I am probably not a target demographic anymore. However, for a couple of the surprises we got, I'll forgive it a lot.

And in slightly on topic news, Jay and Miles of the long running XplaintheXmen podcast have announced the series will end at some point during this coming year. They will cover the Grant Morrison as their finale. As a longtime fan and commentator there, I will miss them, but am glad they are going out on their own terms, and on a run I've been looking forward to them covering (though I will miss them covering the Chuck Austen run, which I suspect would have been... entertaining)

Also, for those who are interested, they have provided some basic resources for those looking to get more involved in local activism (directly, or supporting) in their most recent post.

(no subject)

Feb. 10th, 2026 09:30 am
oursin: Brush the Wandering Hedgehog by the fire (Default)
[personal profile] oursin
Happy birthday, [personal profile] mal1!
[syndicated profile] smartbitches_feed

Posted by Amanda

Welcome back!

This is where the month starts to get beefy for new releases. There are contemporary romances, mysteries, and more!

What new releases are you excited for this week? Let us know in the comments!

Honey Bee Mine

Honey Bee Mine by Sarah Dubb

Author: Sarah Dubb
Released: February 10, 2026 by Gallery Books
Genre: ,

In this small town, enemies-to-lovers romance from the author of Birding with Benefits, a type-A beekeeper and a former bad boy join forces to plan a summertime Honey Festival.

Like the bees she keeps, Penny Becker lives by a golden rule: never stop working. That mantra kept Becker Farms running when her grandfather, dad, and ex all left for greener pastures. But after taking out a loan for an expansion plan that crashed and burned, Penny has to find a way to pay or risk losing it all, and she’s betting everything on the Sullivan’s Glen Honey Festival. To save the farm, she has to make the festival bigger, better, and more successful than ever before—and she plans to do it all on her own.

Reformed bad boy turned restaurateur Zander Bouras left Sullivan’s Glen in a blaze of glory and vowed to never return. But when his ex-wife wants to go back for the summer, Zander grudgingly follows. He refuses to miss time with his son, and figures it’s finally time to deal with the farmhouse his grandfather left, for some reason, to him.

His first day in town brings Zander face to face with Penny, the girl whose perfect life mocked him from next door. It’s just his luck that his son loves her and her bees, and before he knows it he’s been volunteered to help plan a honey festival with the sexy, stubborn beekeeper whose braid he just wants to tug. As they learn to work together, Zander faces his demons and learns to see Sullivan’s Glen in a new light as Penny realizes that accepting help isn’t so bad—especially from the right person. But as the festival day and Zander’s departure draw near, they’ll have to decide if the romance buzzing between them can last past the sweet days of summer.

Amanda: Former bad boy has a kid who is obsessed with the heroine’s bee colony. I’m curious.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

The Midnight Taxi

The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunasekera

Author: Yosha Gunasekera
Released: February 10, 2026 by Berkley
Genre:

When the last fare of the night turns up dead in her backseat, a Sri Lankan American taxi driver works off the clock to clear her name in this mystery novel by debut author Yosha Gunasekera.

Siriwathi Perera doesn’t quite know where she’s going in life. She never expected to be a taxicab driver in New York City, struggling to make ends meet and still living with her parents at twenty-eight. The true-crime podcasts that keep Siri company as she drives don’t do much to make up for the legal career she imagined for herself, or the brother she’s grieving.

When public defender Amaya Fernando gets into her cab, they make a quick connection through their shared Sri Lankan roots. Siri, whose social circle is limited to her grade-school best friend, Alex, thinks things might finally be looking up with this new potential friendship. But she’s suddenly dropped into her own true crime when she discovers her next passenger murdered in the backseat, and she has to call Amaya sooner than she’d expected.

Pinned as the obvious and only suspect, and desperate to clear her name, Siri chases down leads across the boroughs of New York City with Amaya’s help. But with her court date looming, they have just five days to find out who really killed the midnight passenger—or Siri’s life will be over before she can even truly live it.

Sarah: This book’s cover copy grabbed me because of the characters and the short time span – they have 6 days to figure out who killed Siri’s last fare. It looks so layered and interesting and I’m so excited to read it.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Murder Bimbo

Murder Bimbo by Rebecca Novack

Author: Rebecca Novack
Released: February 10, 2026 by Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Genre: ,

Murder Bimbo is Gone Girl for the Luigi Mangione era, and Rebecca Novack is one of our funniest and most acerbic new writers. —Catherine Lacey, author of Biography of X

An exhilarating and provocative debut perfect for fans of My Sister the Serial Killer, Yellowface, and Killing Eve—the origin story of sex worker turned assassin turned unlikely folk hero, Murder Bimbo, as told by the Bimbo herself (and then revised, uncensored, and reconsidered).

A thirty-two-year-old sex worker is shocked when she’s approached by undercover government agents to aid them in a top-secret plot to assassinate a politician known as “Meat Neck.” But once the deed is done, she realizes what made her the perfect She’s 100% disposable.

Holed up in an off-the-grid cabin in the woods, she now has only two days, her wits, and a laptop to save her own life.

Her best bet is to reach out to the wildly popular feminist investigative podcast Justice for Bimbos. In a hastily typed series of emails, the newly minted “Murder Bimbo” explains how she was recruited and then trained by a cabal of code-named US agents to take out Meat Neck.

Then she starts a new series of emails. This time, they’re addressed to her ex, and the facts line up a little differently…

Constructed in three increasingly unhinged acts, each a more subversive, twisted version of the story than the last, Murder Bimbo can be read as a gloriously bold literary thriller, a satirical megalomaniac’s manifesto, or a raucous send-up of the political insanity we all live inside every day. Either way, it’s a dead-serious announcement of an electric new voice in American literature.

Elyse: I would probably buy this book just for the title, but the plot sounds delightfully bananas.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Operation Bounce House

Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman

Author: Matt Dinniman
Released: February 10, 2026 by Ace
Genre:

A man must fight for his planet against impossible odds when gamers from Earth attempt to remotely annihilate it in this epic, fast-paced novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl.

All colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch with his sister, maybe play a gig or two with his band, and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking as long as possible. As a fan of Earth television and culture, he figures it will be a good thing when the transfer gate finally opens all the way and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora. But there’s a complication.

Even though the settlers were promised they’d be left in peace, Earth’s government now has other plans. The colossal Apex Corporation is hired to commence an “eviction action.” But maximizing profits will always be Apex’s number one priority. Why spend money printing and deploying their own AI soldiers when they can turn it into a game? Why not charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines and remotely pilot them from the comfort of their own homes?

The game is called Operation Bounce House.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against machines piloted by gamers who’ve paid a premium for the privilege. With the help of an old book from his grandfather and a bucket of rusty parts, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.

A brand new book from the author of Dungeon Crawler Carl.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Promise Me

Promise Me by Sara Cate

Author: Sara Cate
Released: February 10, 2026 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: , , ,
Series: Sinful Manor #2

He let him get away once… Now he has seven days to get him back.

Fifteen years ago, Declan Barclay left for uni with plans of becoming an artist and escaping his family’s heavy rule. What he didn’t expect was to meet a soft and enigmatic actor in desperate need of guidance…and a friend. Declan quickly took Colin Shelby under his wing and the two were inseparable ever since.

That is until the night before graduation, when lines were crossed and everything changed.

Now, after years apart, Colin is back in Declan’s life, but he’s not alone. He’s made a promise to marry someone else, and Declan only has seven days to win back the love of his life. There’s just one His family is counting on him to pull this wedding off at Barclay Manor.

With just one week until vows are exchanged, Declan must decide—stay silent and lose Colin for good, or risk everything and ask the one who got away to promise him forever.

Elyse: Cate is an auto buy for me.

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

She Made Herself a Monster

She Made Herself a Monster by Anna Kovatcheva

Author: Anna Kovatcheva
Released: February 10, 2026 by Mariner Books
Genre: , ,

A heady, dark-hued Gothic gem of a debut novel: in nineteenth-century Bulgaria, a self-proclaimed vampire slayer—actually, a traveling con artist—joins forces with a teenage girl to create a monster deadly enough to vanquish their own demons. 

We make monsters in order to destroy them. For thousands of years, we’ve named witches and burned them, suspected demons and exorcised them. When crops die and children fall ill, who better to blame than a monster?

In nineteenth-century Bulgaria, Yana rides from one desolate town to the next, staging grisly displays while the villagers sleep: animal corpses in the public square, eggs filled with blood in the chicken coop. She tells the stricken villagers stories of vampires that stalk the night. Then Yana eliminates the threat, and leaves seeds of hope in her wake.

The village of Koprivici, however, is plagued by exceptional illness and misfortune, its children rarely surviving infancy. There, Yana meets Anka: a headstrong orphan who the villagers blame for their curse. As Anka approaches womanhood, the village Captain is grooming her for marriage against her will. Anka is powerless against him—that is, until Yana arrives. Together, the orphan and the vampire slayer hatch a plan: to conjure a monster so vile, it might provide cover for Anka to escape. But their plan quickly takes on a horrifying life of its own…

Inspired by Slavic folklore, She Made Herself a Monster concocts a clever mix of witchery, ghost stories, heresy, and deception to spin a feminist fable about agency and the power of collective action. It is a haunting and astoundingly cathartic tale of two women who will stop at nothing to take control of their fate.

Amanda: Any book that uses Judith Beheading Holofernes for a cover is an automatic yes

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Still Into You

Still Into You by Erin Connor

Author: Erin Connor
Released: February 10, 2026 by Forever
Genre: ,

Two exes reunite for a make-or-break interview that will either bring them back together  or drive them apart forever.

Sloane Donavan dreamed of being a rock journalist ever since she posted her first MySpace blog. Now, one journalism degree, a failed internship, and dozens of backstage passes later, she’s struggling to land a full-time staff position. So when punk rock’s most notorious and elusive frontman offers her his first interview in eight years, Sloane should be jumping at the opportunity—but taking it would mean reconnecting with the only guy she’s ever loved (and lost), Dax Nakamura.

Unable to pass up a shot at making her name—and helping Dax clear the reputation that’s plagued his—Sloane agrees. It’s only a conflict of interest if anyone finds out. But the article Dax wants and the salacious tell-all Sloane’s editor is expecting are two completely different stories. And as old feelings resurface, Sloane’s journalistic integrity hangs in the balance. This is the career-making piece she’s been waiting for, but it comes with a the chance to rewrite the ending with her first and only love.

Amanda: The last second chance romance with a setting in music I read was a 5-star read, and I normally avoid those tropes. Let’s see if we can go two for two.

Dahlia: Connor’s debut, Unromance, was one of my favorites last year, so especially as a former rock journalist-wannabe, I’m excited to see what she brings back to the table. (Plus, demisexual rep!)

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

Throne of Nightmares

Throne of Nightmares by Kerri Maniscalco

Author: Kerri Maniscalco
Released: February 10, 2026 by Little, Brown and Company
Genre: , , ,
Series: Prince of Sin #3

‘Beware of waking the gods, their dreams are often our nightmares . . .’

A book of dangerous magic draws two readers into a perilous quest to find it – and their own happy ending – in this action-packed standalone fantasy romance from Sunday Times bestselling sensation Kerri Maniscalco.

A prince who prefers games of the head to those of the heart.

Prince Sloth hates leaving his enchanted library, but when a forgotten deity threatens the very fabric of the Underworld, he’s thrust into a race against time. He must find the Book of Nightmares – an ancient artifact that has the power to break worlds – before it unleashes a deadly game to free its master, the Goddess of Night. When a betrayal leaves him marked, and desperate, his path collides with a young woman who possesses the legendary Phoenix Tear – a portal stone unlike any other.

A librarian who is all sweet sunshine . . . until she burns.

Lore Brimstone has always loved getting lost in a book – but she never meant literally. Yet, after visiting a traveling caravan, she quickly finds herself transported to a terrifying but oddly familiar world – with a calculating prince at her side. Realizing they are living out her favourite novels one by one, they face off against an increasingly dark magic as they try to survive the story.

A twisted tale that means they can’t trust themselves – or their hearts.

As Lore and Sloth navigate the pages of her beloved novels gone wrong, she must channel her inner main character to defeat the Book of Nightmares before the wall between the gods and mortals comes crashing down, dooming them all.

Amanda: I’ve been enjoying this series (and surprisingly staying on top of it), so I’m excited to keep going!

Add to Goodreads To-Read List →

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[personal profile] sewagelag00n posting in [community profile] addme
Name: sewagelag00n. Sewa for short.  

Age: 20 

I mostly post about: My daily life, some stuff about my hexperiences regarding "mental health"/Madness. Occasionally I'll talk about media I've been into. 

My hobbies are: Selfshipping! DIY alternative fashion, customizing clothes & making jewelry. Ballet. Writing & art. Doll collecting. Soft toys. 

My fandoms are: Some Sword/Some Play (18+)! A very obscure little game that I love so much I've basically adopted one of the characters as my OC. Please I am so abnormal about these lesbians. Longtime Vocaloid fan, I think I'm coming up on 9 years now. I love Hatsune Miku (she's literally me) and recently Teto SynthV has captured my heart. Recently got back into FNaF (my favorite is Mangle!). Very normal about Neon Genesis Evangelion. Huge music nerd: love digital hardcore like Ada Rook, but also into stuff under the goth umbrella, industrial, shoegaze, new wave... I like a little bit of everything. I also love Emilie Autumn, Machine Girl, Nashimoto Ui, Chelsea Wolfe, and femtanyl. 

I'm looking to meet people who: Honestly, just looking for more interaction. People who post regularly and will comment on my posts. 

My posting schedule tends to be: Every couple of days, but sometimes I take a week off. 

When I add people, my dealbreakers are: Those who follow Abrahamic religions. I am a staunch antitheist. I do have religious friends, I don’t blanket hate all religious people, but it is a turnoff. I am more receptive to other religious/spiritual people. Transmisogynists, racists, sanists, homophobes, other bigots. 

Before adding me, you should know: My blog is very much 18+ and viewer discretion advised because I am into a lot of dark and sexual things. I am Mad and hexperience things like plurality (one of my alters sometimes posts on this account too) and self-harm and intense mood swings. I am very critical of the psychiatric system. I am polyamorous and have 3 real-life partners and a whole host of fictional ones. 

Winter Grips Japan

Feb. 10th, 2026 05:01 am
[syndicated profile] earthobservatory_iod_feed

Posted by Michala Garrison

A satellite image shows snow blanketing Hokkaido, Japan, with sea ice swirling just north of the island.
February 5, 2026

Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island’s largest city and host of an annual snow festival, typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall, with nearly 6 meters (20 feet) accumulating on average each year. The ski resorts surrounding the city delight in the relatively dry, powdery “sea-effect” snow that often falls when frigid air from Siberia flows across the relatively warm waters of the Sea of Japan.

However, despite the region’s familiarity with heavy snowfall, winter 2026 got off to a disruptive start. A series of intense storms in January and February repeatedly paralyzed transportation systems, closing airports, snarling roadways, and suspending trains. Following storms that dropped more than 2 meters (7 feet) of snow in Aomori, a city on the island of Honshu just south of Hokkaido (out of frame), authorities deployed troops to help clear roofs, according to news reports. The snow has caused dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries, according to Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

On February 5, 2026, the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of snow-covered landscapes across Hokkaido. With more than 31 active volcanoes, the island features several large caldera lakes, including at least five that are visible in the image. (Calderas are large depressions formed by volcanic eruptions.) In the east, forested windbreaks around Nakashibetsu form a checkerboard pattern, while to the north, swirls of drifting sea ice adorn the Sea of Okhotsk.

The Sea of Okhotsk is the southernmost sea that routinely hosts large amounts of sea ice. Although this winter brought unusually cold weather, long-term observations indicate that the amount of ice observed there each year has declined significantly in recent decades. One 2026 analysis noted a 3.4 percent per decade decline in the maximum extent of its winter sea ice since the 1970s. These changes could have implications for the region’s marine ecosystems, which are known for being highly productive and producing massive phytoplankton blooms each spring after the ice melts. 

Disruptive snowstorms are also striking elsewhere in Japan. In February, a storm blanketed western Japan in snow, leading to more travel disruptions and the early closure of some polling stations during national elections.  

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Adam Voiland.

References & Resources

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The post Winter Grips Japan appeared first on NASA Science.

Constantine TV series last episode

Feb. 10th, 2026 05:14 am
beccaelizabeth: my Watcher tattoo in blue, plus Be in red Buffy style font (Default)
[personal profile] beccaelizabeth
Have to say, did not quite see that last sentence coming. Knew something was up but did not see what. And it makes the whole series make different sense, and fits together, so fair play to them.

Unfortunately Read more... )

John Constantine as a character has a lot of precedent to work with so they've got a lot that is already compelling and they can just give him a showcase and watch him go. So you get a man who they keep calling arrogant, which he is, but he keeps solving things by finding the other people who can do what he cannot and encouraging them to believe in themselves, which isn't arrogant at all. Only turn that around and look at it the other way and you've got a con artist who talks other people into sticking their necks out for him over and over again. He'll risk his life over and over, especially for children, but you can never actually trust him, because he'll do what *he* thinks is right and damn the consequences. He believes he is damned with no hope of a way out, he keeps saying he'll pay when it's his time, but he'll do... so many things to put that time off. And he is *angry*. So angry. He thinks evil needs to be punished. Including his.

Fascinating and compelling character, who got more room to breathe on the other show.



Every wiki I read says that folding John into the Arrowverse retcons this series into the Arrowverse too, but I remain unconvinced. It could be a step sideways of all that.
Plus with the Crisis in the middle we see at least two versions of everyone anyway.

There were a lot of loose threads but they needed to do a Lot better at a great many things before I'd want this particular iteration of the story to be the one to tie them off.

Flawed stories with fascinating character in them.

Magpie Monday

Feb. 9th, 2026 11:25 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
[personal profile] dialecticdreamer is hosting Magpie Monday with a theme of "just a normal day."  Leave prompts, get ficlets! 

I've only myself to blame

Feb. 9th, 2026 10:41 pm
james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll
Because having wondered what the Tangent Online 2025 recommended reading list looked like--or more accurately, how many non-recommended reading list words would precede it, nothing compelled me to go look.

(The preamble is about 6000 words)
[syndicated profile] scalziwhatever_feed

Posted by John Scalzi

Hey, I neglected email for a bit in order to finish my book(s), including Big Idea queries, but now that they’re both in, I’m going to going to catch up with everything in the next couple of days. If you have a Big Idea query into me and haven’t heard back from me by this Friday, go ahead and resend it. Thanks.

— JS

Economics

Feb. 9th, 2026 08:43 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Consumers spend much more when making digital payments instead of using cash

The use of digital payments has led people to spend more than they do when using cash, according to survey evidence from more than 1,200 consumers.

The shift reframes everyday purchases as moments where restraint weakens quietly, long before shoppers notice any change in their budgets.



This is why one of the most effective ways to save money is to buy things with cash, and thus, one of the many reasons for protecting the use of cash.

Poem: "Libraries from the Ashes"

Feb. 9th, 2026 08:23 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This poem is spillover from the February 3, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from [personal profile] kengr, [personal profile] librarygeek, and (Anonymous) IP Address: (46.110.23.207). It also fills the "Take a Class" square in my 2-1-26 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by [personal profile] janetmiles. It belongs to the series Daughters of the Apocalypse.

Read more... )

(no subject)

Feb. 9th, 2026 08:55 pm
flamingsword: Sun on snowy conifers (Default)
[personal profile] flamingsword
The mood swings are gone now, and I have been trying to figure out finance stuff with getting my volunteer massage clinic hours done in time for getting work and saving up money for moving in June (dear gods I hope so anyway).

The house was invaded yesterday by other family members for Superb Owl Sunday. There was a lot of food making and then I retreated upstairs during the sportsball tournament, as I am not much for team sports. Today I went in for Jury duty, waited around for an hour and was dismissed.

Podcast on how to feel more loved, the answers to which are somewhat paradoxical, but do ring true to my experience of life - https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/the-happiness-lab-with-dr-laurie-santos/how-to-feel-truly-loved-with-dr-sonja-lyubomirsky-and-dr-harry-reis - I should work on my listening skills again, though. It’s been a minute.

Some vaccines seem to have a protective effect on the brains of the vaccinated - https://www.sciencealert.com/huge-study-reveals-2-vaccines-that-appear-to-reduce-dementia-risk#

The Access Is Praxis series of disability Justice writings - https://moonglades.notion.site/access-is-praxis-50fa0311f50c45689b60567bddbff253
yourlibrarian: Buffy and Willow are confused (BUF-Whahuh-literati)
[personal profile] yourlibrarian
1) It's surprising to me that it's been a month since I last posted...here. I have been posting every week in communities, but simply haven't completed some write ups and reviews I wanted to make.

However speaking of communities, [community profile] marchmetamatterschallenge will be starting up again on March 1. If you've written meta, join in and copy your meta over to an additional location for both discovery and safekeeping! More details at the community link.

2) We were watching Colbert and his wife Evie was on. For Valentine's Day they read through her 12 year old writings about what she considered the perfect guy for her. Among her notes was that he should be "all man." This made my partner remember an event in hockey where a player was placed in the penalty box because his team had too many players on the ice. The TV caption however, as they showed him sitting there was "Too much man." I found this hilarious.

3) I daresay the article Stop Meeting Students Where They Are is relevant to various readers here. They key to me is that (a) younger online users are starting to intentionally reduce their time there, and Read more... )

4) Love how the same people scolding audiences for preferring to watch movies at home, don't go to the cinema even when it's free. "The Academy has long hosted screenings of Oscar-hopefuls for its members throughout the year in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, New York and London, and then again after the announcement of the Oscar nominations.

But in recent years — particularly over the seven years since the Academy introduced its members-only streaming service, the Academy Screening Room, through which members can watch films at home — attendance at all of these screenings has markedly declined.... “an average of five members attended these screenings in the last two years,” ...which reportedly cost the organization thousands of dollars a pop. So the Academy decided to save resources by eliminating them altogether." Aside from the Academy members can view movies on the big screen at the many showings hosted by the nominating studios. They just choose not to, just like most other viewers.

5) We finished watching Bodkin, which I will agree was an interesting view, though I had trouble getting into it, primarily because I was not fond of any of the main characters. A few episodes in the mystery was developing and I was fairly satisfied with how that unfolded and its complexity.

My big problem was that Netflix had labeled this "Comedy." Read more... )

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and i guess that i just don't know

Feb. 9th, 2026 04:42 pm
jazzfish: Jazz Fish: beret, sunglasses, saxophone (Default)
[personal profile] jazzfish
Spoke with Rhonda the realtor and she's cautiously optimistic about the condo market. Plan is to put this place up for sale sometime in March. Which is closer than I think.

Started putting books in boxes. Need to get a decent amount of stuff out of the condo and into storage as I can before opening it up to potential buyers. Packing books is physically easy, I've done this enough times that I have it down to a science. The hard part is having them Not Around for awhile. Boardgames, too, and DVDs and who knows what else, I'll sort that out as I go. Gonna be an empty-feeling apartment for a couple of months.

There's also the obligatory `Cull. E.g. I've been carrying around Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang for, oh, since before I moved to Canada. At this point I am probably not ever going to actually read it. That sort of thing. I can leave culled books out and see if I end up reading any of them just because they're there, and if so whether they're worth keeping. Small favours.

As for actually moving... as Lou Reed sang ("sang"), I don't know where I'm going. Staying in the lower mainland is safe and fiscally responsible, and it's killing me by inches. Minneapolis is expensive and dangerous (health-care-wise) and far away. Elsewhere in BC is a complete unknown. No good options.



I -have- been keeping up on viola practice, at least. Turns out to be a good thing. Last week I went out with Kevin to a fiddle session at an Irish pub out in Kitsilano. It was pretty great. It's nice to be musicking with people, to get that enjoyable camaraderie and sense of all doing something together.

Viola means that I can't really play most fiddle tunes (viola's a fifth down from violin, so any high notes are unplayable at speed, at least for me), so I end up doing drones or simple harmonies. I'm always a bit nervous about that kind of thing. I've basically no formal training; I'm just doing things that seem like they'll fit in. People did seem to like it, and said nice things about it afterwards, so that was nice as well.

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