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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-29 08:25 pm
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Moment of Silence: Acelightning

[personal profile] acelightning has passed away.  She has been a supporter of the Poetry Fishbowl for years and offered up some insightful prompts.



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kingstoken ([personal profile] kingstoken) wrote2025-06-29 06:43 pm

First and Second Quarter Reading Wrap-Up

With everything going on I completely missed my first quarter wrap-up, so here are the first and second wrap-ups combined. Here is my book bingo card, I was hoping to be further along at this point, but with everything going on it just didn't happen.  I'm currently reading a Star Trek tie-in novel, The Ice Trap, so that will probably find its way into the next quarter's wrap-up. Books I completed in the first and second quarter are:

Aurora by David Koepp - a thriller about most of planet losing electricity for a long period of time after a major sun flare.  It was an interesting idea, and it was pretty good.  My only complaint is that the author skips over what I thought would be the most interesting part, a group of neighbours coming together to survive during this time period.  After a lot of build up and groundwork, he kind of does a time skip to where they are already a well functioning group, and I would have really liked to have seen the process.

The Invisible Library
 by Genevieve Cogman - mixed feelings on this fantasy story, I liked the concept and the characters, but the story was very chaotic, there was almost too much going on, too many antagonists, and some stuff is left unexplained.  It is the first in a series, but I'm not sure if I will pick up the second book or not.  

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid - M/M hockey romance, I did mostly like this one, but you really have to suspend some major disbelief in order to enjoy it.  It takes place at and just after the funeral of one of the main character's beloved father, and as someone who has lost a parent I just don't believe for a minute that you would have the energy to give a shit whether your ex showed up at the funeral or not, but of course that wouldn't make for a very compelling story.  Also, the one character has to forgive some really shitty past behaviour from their love interest, it makes sense in the story b/c he wasn't "out" and didn't acknowledge his feelings, but it may turn some people off.

Magician: Apprentice by Raymond E. Feist - old school fantasy, with all the classic elements, species, etc, although there is also a bit of a possibly sci-fi twist.  I did like the two main POVs, Pug and Tomas, they're boys we're following from the time they are around 12 to 16, as their world is preparing for war.  I will say, like a lot of classic fantasy written by men, there are a scant few women characters and they're not written all that well, although they aren't overly sexualized, so I guess that is a plus.  This one is also the first in a series, but we'll see if I continue it or not.

Red Heir by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey - this one is a light, fun fantasy,  Two red-headed young men are sharing a prison cell when a group of adventurers comes to rescue the lost heir that is supposed to have red hair, they don't know who is the right person so they take them both.  The story is mostly the group getting out of scraps and the two red heads bickering, until oh no are those feelings!  There were times where I wished that the characters would go a little bit deeper, and that we would get a better understanding of their backstories, but it just wasn't that type of book, it was just meant to be a light, easy read.

The Stolen Rubens - I listened to this one on the Classic Detective Stories Podcast, it was an alright mystery.  The detective was referred to as the "human computer" and he was able to figure out how an art heist occurred.  It was obviously very Holmes inspired, but the human computer lacked charm of Holmes.

Secrets in the Snow
by J. Jefferson Farjeon - another one from the Classic Detective Stories Podcast, I liked this one.  A young woman gets caught in a snowstorm. At first she comes off as a bit ditsy, but she is good at noticing things and how things are not quite right, which leads her to helping solve a mystery. 

One Night in Hartswood
by Emma Denny - M/M Historical romance, I just finished this recently, it is very sweet.  The two men are travelling together but they are hiding their true identities from each other.  I wish they had reveled their identities sooner, because I felt like that was keeping them from deeply connecting on some levels, but I understand why it didn't happen because of plot reasons. 
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-29 05:57 pm

New Crowdfunding Project: Land of Eem

Land of Eem: Beginners RPG for Kids + Underlands Expansion
Dungeoneer Adventures Beginners RPG—an easy, fun, family game—plus The Underlands Sandbox, a brand new setting for Land of Eem.

$150,187 pledged of $75,000 goal
1,234 backers
19 days to go

Land of Eem: Dungeoneer Adventures is an easy-to-learn, easy-to-play, and easy-to-run tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG) box set for kids. Players take on the roles of students attending Dungeoneer Academy, a school where kids train to become full-fledged adventurers and explorers in the fantastical Land of Eem.


Read more... )
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-29 01:51 pm

Birdfeeding

Today is cloudy, muggy, and hot -- but considerably less hot than the past week. Today it's 81°F which is hot but "be careful not to overdo yardening" not "stay indoors until it cools off" hot.

I fed the birds. I refilled the thistle feeder. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a pair of mourning doves.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/29/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/29/25 -- I walked around the yard. I picked a few mulberries but there aren't a lot left. I picked a few black raspberries. That season is almost over too. :( The blackberries are starting to ripen, though, so I can start on those.

Wild bergamot, black-eyed Susans, narrow-leaf mountain mint, and purple echinacea are blooming. Yellow coneflower and cup plants have flower buds. Most of the Asiatic lilies have already bloomed, but some are still going -- I have several varieties.



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kingstoken ([personal profile] kingstoken) wrote2025-06-29 10:45 am

Promoting My Watson Fest

Does anyone have any ideas of where I can promote my Watson Birthday Prompt Fest? My post on Tumblr is getting likes/reblogs, but I don't seem to be getting actual prompts. I have made a post on fandom calendar. I tried looking up Holmes communities on Dreamwidth, but most of them seem to be dead. If anyone has suggestions I'd appreciate it.
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-28 11:05 pm

Today's Adventures

We went out a couple of times today.

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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-28 06:02 pm

Staying Afloat

Academia: Staying Afloat

You are the right person to do what you do, know what you know, study what you’re going to study. You do it.

You are a lifeboat.

You are not the passenger being rescued from a shipwreck. You are the rescuer. Your skills, your knowledge, your experience reside in you. You have pulled them from the cold ocean where cruel and careless captains have set them adrift.

You are a lifeboat
.

Read more... )
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-28 05:10 pm

Evaporative Cooling

Art pieces double as carbon-free air conditioning, inspired by ancient civilizations

Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a 3D-printed evaporative cooling system made of hollow clay columns that can cool the surrounding air by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

The columns are filled with water and sand, and when warm air passes through the porous clay exterior, water stored in the sand columns evaporates, which in turn, cools the air that passes through
.

Read more... )
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Krait ([personal profile] krait) wrote2025-06-28 01:55 pm

Firefox AI Removal

Firefox, my web browser of choice, just updated and dumped a bunch of new "AI features" that are enabled by default.

If you, like me, hate this nonsense, I found this very helpful guide to removing it. It took about one minute, and seems to be working - I no longer see the 'AI link preview' popup window when I hover over a link, for instance.

Please feel free to pass this on!
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-28 01:52 pm

Birdfeeding

Today is mostly sunny and sweltering.  It rained off and on yesterday and last night.

I fed the birds.  I've seen several house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/28/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-28 01:34 am
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Philosophical Questions: Morals

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

Do people in wealthier countries have a moral obligation to help those in poorer countries?


If you want to hold all the money, you have to pay all the bills. If you don't want to pay all the bills, make sure other folks have enough money to pay their own.

Also, there is no Planet B.  Climate change affects everyone -- but the people in wealthy countries who are causing it have thus far suffered less than people in poor countries who haven't caused it.  If you don't make it feasible for them to stay in their own countries, they will leave so they don't die, and wash up in wealthy countries.  This is already happening some, but you have seen nothing yet.  It will be like the waves of the sea beating the shore, over and over again, until people think they would give anything to make it stop.  And then it will stop.  And then people will wish, just as desperately, to have that many people ever again as the losses pile up and there aren't enough hands  left to hold up civilization.


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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-27 11:14 pm

Bingo

I have made bingo down the G column of my 6-2-15 card for the Pride Fest Bingo, plus 7 extra fills. That covers Row 5 also.


G1 (support) -- "Fatherhood Is Support" (standalone)
G2 (aroace) -- "Preparing Every Nook and Cranny" (Polychrome Heroics: Finn Family and Mallory)
G3 (found family) -- "Born and Found and Made" (standalone)
G4 ("I'd rather eat cake") -- "The Bond with a Dog" (Polychrome Heroics)
G5 (belonging) -- "Worthy of Love and Belonging" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)

B3 (activism) -- "The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior" (Monster House)
B5 (unlabeled) -- "Emodox" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)

I3 (rainbow) -- "Along These Sympathetic Fibers" (Peculiar Obligations)
I5 (community) -- "When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed" (Clay of Life)

N1 (growth) -- "Tomato Seedlings in Tin Cans" (Daughters of the Apocalypse)
N5 (comfort) -- "All It Takes to Be Invulnerable" (Polychrome Heroics: Marionettes)

O5 (validation) -- "Choose to Be Gentle" (Arts and Crafts America)
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-27 04:14 pm

Poetry Fishbowl Report for June 3, 2025

Our theme this month was "Gentleness Is Strength." I wrote from 12:30 PM to 4 AM, so about 13 hours 30 minutes, allowing for lunch and supper breaks. I wrote 6 poems on Tuesday and another 5 later in the week.

Participation was variable, with 11 comments on LiveJournal and another 30 on Dreamwidth. A total of 10 people sent prompts.


Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"All It Takes to Be Invulnerable"
"The Bond with a Dog"
"Choose to Be Gentle"
"Emodox"
"The Result of Your Own Bad Behavior"
"When Warmth and Gentleness Are Needed"


Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from June 3. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.

This session's donors include: [personal profile] librarygeek and [personal profile] janetmiles. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 3 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.


The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.
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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-27 02:26 pm

Birdfeeding

Today is cloudy, muggy, and hot.  It's been raining off and on.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio. 

The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming.  :D


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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-27 12:34 am
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Native American

NDN Netcasts 

Online news from various tribal people.

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ysabetwordsmith ([personal profile] ysabetwordsmith) wrote2025-06-27 12:15 am
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Follow Friday 6-27-25: Hiking

Today's theme is Hiking.

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