jhetley | Reading

7/52 for the group 2026 Weekly Alphabet Challenge

This week's theme was: G is for Greasy

I hate things that are greasy. I can't eat greasy food or stand the feel of grease on my hands or a greasy surface. I love my cleaning spray that cuts through the grease in the kitchen. It also smells nicely of lemon.

In other news...

I can't get started on anything today. There was a 90 minute dry period, otherwise it has rained incessantly, sometimes mixed with hail, all day so far. The SAD lamp can only do so much and my brain feels as though it's mostly shut down due to the gloom. I feel I should be hibernating. I'll try standing just outside the front door for a few minutes, under the overhang of the roof and see if I can wake up properly.

rolanni

Sunday.

No screaming today, though I'm being hard on myself for not getting "enough" done on the WIP. That I've rearranged several chapters and rewritten four more is the merest bagatelle.

I really need a time-turner.

This week upcoming has me phoning The Earth tomorrow. Tuesday, I'm wanted in Bath at an Unghodly Early Hour, with needlework in the evening. Firefly visits her vet on Wednesday afternoon. Thursday is blessedly free. Friday morning, Sarah's scheduled to come in and clean, and it is also the 2nd anniversary of Steve's death. I'm giving a talk at the library on Saturday afternoon, when it's supposed to -- *checks wunderground* -- ah. Downgraded to "snow showers." Much better.

It is entirely possible that I will not be much around for the balance of this week.

Everybody be well. Stay safe.

I'll look in as can.

dewline

From Carole Cadwalladr, formerly of the Guardian and Observer network, now a co-founder of The Nerve:

https://broligarchy.substack.com/p/the-us-coup-one-year-on

Current Mood: determined
Current Music: Cross-Country Checkup on CBC Radio One

hrj

Finished doing the paper draft of my taxes and have enough confidence that I understand all the new (retirement-related) elements to be ready to go online and fill in the forms. Also did a very rough draft of my expected 2026 federal taxes (based on 2025 forms and projected numbers) and I don't see a need to adjust my current withholding at this point. Of course, the rough draft doesn't include the unknown amounts I'll be getting from Bayer (pro-rated bonus from last year and what's likely to be a very minimal long-term-incentive program bonus), which will only apply for 2026. So 2027 will actually be the first year when I'm working entirely on retirement numbers. (As usual, I'm using spreadsheets as my self-soothing mechanism and nattering on about the results.)

conuly

The 1916 (Olympic) games were cancelled due to an international dispute occurring during that year

A dispute that left millions dead, sure. Not how I'd describe WWI, but okay.

***********************

( Read more... )

rolanni

8 Cuckoo's Egg, C J Cherryh, (audio first time)
7 *Plan B, (Liaden Universe® #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
6 Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie (audio first time)
5 *Carpe Diem (Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4 *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
3 *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
2 A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace Burrowes (e)
1 Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)

________
*I'm doing a straight-through series read in publication order

james_davis_nicoll

Ben Reich plans a perfect murder in a world where getting away with murder is impossible.

The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester

$radiantfracture: A ladybug faces forest armageddon (Everything is on Fire)$

radiantfracture

It occurs to me that some folks might want to know about CAIABB (Canadian Authors and Illustrators Against Book Bans) and even, you know, join. But I keep forgetting to bump it here.

In the wake of US Supreme Court reinforcement of the ban on children's books that discuss LGBTQ+ and racialized experiences, my pals Kari Jones and Robin Stevenson founded Canadian Authors and Illustrators Against Book Bans.

Robin's book about an adorable puppy at a pride parade was the target of a particularly nasty spew of vitriol. Robin is perhaps the kindest, most generous person in the world, and she gets incredible amounts of hate for making affirming books for queer kids and families.

There's a Linktree here, but most of the action is on Instagram.

Note: CAIABB is not directly affiliated with the American organization Authors Against Book Bans, but they cooperate with similar orgs, like PEN.

§rf§

alfreda89

It's a big study. Times and thoughts on things change, but it looks like coffee and tea in moderation can be protective for drinkers. I also drink a couple of cups of caffeinated coffee for other health reasons, so this becomes doubly useful.

Ironically, it was tea for many years until about ten years ago. And I started drinking coffee because my system demanded it. Took years to know why.

Yes, I am slightly picky. Single source, high mountain, caffeinated. Always Central American coffees first!

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2844764

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: An ancient seabed
Current Music: Air purifier

rolanni

A very nice day out. The Belfast Indoor Farmers Market is the place to be on a Saturday in February, and I don't think it was just the Valentine's Day Effect.

I purchased many frivolities, including this new leather bag, which, if I've got to be carrying my passport with me, my usual go-to bag is too small. This one has three compartments: one for your phone; one up front, which you're looking at, and a big central compartment. At the time this picture was taken, this bag held my Boox, my "papers," wallet; business cards; lighthouse passport; other paperwork; and the charging cords for phone and Boox. It obviously was not holding my phone, because that's what I was using to take the picture.

I also bought savory mushroom and veggie pie for lunch, a tea cake, for dessert, a bottle of ligonberry mead from Run Amok Meadery (which has an awesome label, not only for the graphic, but for the Denial Clause: "In my own defense, the moon was full and I was left unsupervised.") Um, what else -- ah. A small round of whole wheat sourdough, six Asagio cheese bagels in the Maine Economy Size, and a pair of local alpaca kneehighs, because I have discovered it to be a Universal Truth, that one cannot have too many alpaca kneehighs.

I have a couple things to do here on the computer, because I also distributed cards, and got a nibble from a jury member of the Maine Craft Store in Ducktrap, who sent me "something." After that -- and this -- I believe i will continue my Writer's Day Off by viewing another episode or three of the Silly Show I tapped last night, "My Demon."

The drive was nice, and after I left Belfast, I went down to Camden to say hello to the harbor, before I turned around and came home.

And that is: Run Amok Meadery
imMEADiate Gratification
Honey-Lingonberry Wine

hrj

I think people who follow me on social media (especially here and fb) are aware of my habit of explicitly noting when I don't want "helpful" commentary/suggestions/feedback on something I"m describing--and, conversely, explicitly noting when I'm seeking input. But sometimes I worry that people take that as a signal that I don't want interaction at all. (Why in the world would I post things about my life if I didn't want any interaction?)

I'd love to have more actual conversations on social media. Back and forth, discussions of topics of mutual interest. But it feels like so few people stop to ask themselves, "Am I phrasing my participation in this conversation in a way that implies the original poster is ignorant or incompetent? Is there a way I could rephrase that makes it clear that I'm providing additional information for other readers, rather than implying this is something the original poster doesn't know? Or that I'm amplifying and agreeing with the post, rather than contradicting it or poking holes in it?"

Here's a generic example.

OP: [Interesting Fact]
Commenter: [Subsidiary Information that could be assumed to be known by anyone who already knows Interesting Fact]

Compare to:
OP: [Interesting Fact]
Commenter: What I love about that [Interesting Fact] is [Subsidiary Information].

The first implies the OP doesn't know the fact. The second shows solidarity by assuming the OP knows the fact and the commenter is sharing their love for it.

Now, one could object that people differ in their ability to communicate in nuanced fashions and some people just aren't good at analyzing on the fly how their comments might be taken. But from the other side, people differ in their ability to assume good will in the face of past experience. A mirror-world version of "I'm not good at reading social cues" is "I'm working very hard to read social cues and the false positives are abundant." Telepathy still hasn't been invented.

Anyway, I don't know why I'm whining about this (given that the inciting interaction was incredibly trivial).

heleninwales

The rain has stopped, but the weather has turned much colder. There was a heavy frost overnight so we postponed our walk until after lunch, by which time it was a little warmer and the frost had gone. We just did a walk along the Mawddach Trail to Penmaenpool and back. Although we've not had snow, there is snow on the mountains.

We had already postponed the Quaker meeting at M's house because one member is away this weekend. The weather is supposed to turn bad overnight, but none of us need to worry about travelling or driving up the very steep hill that doesn't get gritted.

james_davis_nicoll

Nine books new to me: 3 horror, 4 mystery, 1 non-fiction, and 1 science fiction, although I am not sure about the proper categorization of some of those books. Only one is explicitly part of a series.

Books Received, February 7 to February 13

Poll #34218 Books Received, February 7 to February 13

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 39

View Respondents

Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (October 2026)
13 (33.3%)

Tyrant Lizard Queen: The Love, Life, and Terror of Earth’s Greatest Carnivore by Riley Black (October 2026)
16 (41.0%)

Lethal Kiss by Taylor Grothe (October 2026)
6 (15.4%)

Null Entity by Seth Haddon (July 2026)
5 (12.8%)

Our Cut of Salt by Deena Helm (September 2026)
10 (25.6%)

Savvy Summers and the Po’boy Perils by Sandra Jackson-Opoku (July 2026)
7 (17.9%)

Revenge of the Final Girl by Andrea Mosqueda (October 2026)
9 (23.1%)

Lucy Kline, Necromancer by Tom O’Donnell (September 2026)
6 (15.4%)

They Say a Girl Died Here by Sarah Pinborough (August 2026)
7 (17.9%)

Some other option (see comments)
1 (2.6%)

Cats!
31 (79.5%)

rolanni

Sigh. Friday. A semi-productive day, enlivened by random moments of wishing to scream. An Executive Decision has therefore been taken.

Tomorrow is a Writer's Day Off, even though I feel like I don't have the luxury of time. I gotta get outta this house, and the Plan is to go to the Inside Farmers Market in Belfast tomorrow, and Have an Outing. I give myself permission to spend money on frivolities. Possibly, I will even eat lunch.

Hopefully this will address the Inclination to Scream.

In the meantime, Rook has convinced Tali that it is too Happy Hour, so I will be making up the bed for the night, and possibly finding something Silly to watch while I have a glass, or two, of wine.

I hope everyone had a delightful Friday the Thirteenth.

Be well. Be safe.

I'll check in as can.

james_davis_nicoll

BROWNSVILLE, TX – Tech visionary Elon Musk astounded observers when he set aside more than a decade of unfulfilled vows to colonize the Red Planet in favour of the seemingly more modest goal of failing to colonize the Moon.

heleninwales

6/52 for the group 2026 Weekly Alphabet Challenge

This week's theme was: F is for Frozen

The weather is very wet here and too warm to find any natural ice. As there's nothing in our own freezer that would be at all photogenic, I have resorted to the frozen food cabinets in our local Co-op supermarket.

james_davis_nicoll

Lila Macapagal's quest to keep her aunt's ailing restaurant afloat is greatly complicated when a pesky foodblogger dies mid-meal... with Lila as the most likely murder suspect.

Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mystery) by Mia P. Manansala

hrj

I think I now have all the data and documents and forms assembled to do my transition-to-retirement-year tax returns. Today's task was to turn last year's financial spreadsheet into my usual yearly summary, then put the relevant data from it and all the various W2s and 1099s and whatnot into my tax data template (which needed to be updated for several new types of documents and data).

Because of how my brain works best, I'm going to go to the length of printing out paper copies of the forms to noodle on, even though I'll be filing online. And I'll be reading through the pdfs of the instruction booklets and highlighting everything that looks relevant. But on my first skim through, I think this is going to be easier than I feared. The schedule C stuff (writing business) is the same as always. And although the worksheet to calculate how much of my social security income is taxable is convoluted, the instructions walk you through it step by step.

One new wrinkle is that they now have a separate "1040-senior" form, evidently to simplify the instructions for the enhanced standard deduction for seniors (which get convoluted if you're married filing jointly but only one of you is a senior). I'll compare it point by point with the standard 1040 to make sure it doesn't do anything else bizarre.

And despite the rather chaotic nature of how my withholding is set up for the various retirement incomes, I think it's still pretty close to the right amount. Once I have this year's returns done, I can probably do a mock return for next year and see what adjustments I should make on the withholding.

heleninwales

Choosing the habit pledge for the Get Your Words out challenge (which is on DW) was the right choice. I try to avoid revising when I write first draft. There's a danger of ending up in the endless revision loop, going back repeatedly over previous chapters without making any forward progress. However, I felt that I was losing track of exactly what was happening, so today I went back and read through some of the previous scenes and did a bit of smoothing. I also noticed that I'd used the wrong name for a character which meant checking through Book 2 of the trilogy and making a couple of changes there. It didn't result in many new words -- though more than I expected -- but it counts for the habit pledge, so that's fine.