Musings

A collection of things I find interesting.

[wingkink]

btw it's so fucking stupid you can be anxious physically in your body even after you've decided mentally you don't care. I'm supposed to be in charge here

[closet-keys]

it's sad to me that cis people never apply their "loved one with a wanted-pregnancy" script to medical transition. like cis people often indicate they don't know how to react to hearing about medical transition, but a huge portion of that social script is directly applicable.

tell someone "congratulations!" tell them "I'm so happy for you. I know you've been trying for a really long time." ask them "do you need help with anything?" throw them a party with loved ones where you all give them some gifts in acknowledgement of how expensive it is. celebrate how far along they are. take photos with them so they have a record of being loved while their body changes. allow them to voice fears and doubts and anxieties about how it'll go, and reassure them that they'll get through the intense medical procedure coming up & you'll be there for support no matter what. let them tell you about the gross parts and laugh together. really listen to them when they talk about how amazing and profound it is that the human body can do this. share in their excitement for beginning a new stage of their life.

If there are complications, comfort them and help them navigate what's next. If they lose access suddenly due to finances or criminalization, treat it like a miscarriage and hold them while they grieve.

[songsinthedaylight]

Yeah, that would be good.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA Laser Terminal enhances views during Artemis II mission

Millions of people watched the historic launch of Artemis II and were captivated by the mission's 10-day journey around the moon as NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen ventured farther into space than any human before. Part of the public's ability to experience the mission in high-definition was due to laser communications.

Laser, or optical, communications systems use invisible infrared light to transmit more data in a single downlink than traditional radio frequency systems. During Artemis II, NASA tested an optical communications system to demonstrate the benefits laser communications can bring to future human spaceflight missions to the moon.

The optical terminal, a payload attached to the Orion spacecraft's exterior, marked the first time laser communications supported a crewed mission at lunar distance. The terminal collected and transmitted high-definition video, flight procedures, photos, engineering and science data, and voice communications to Earth over laser signals when the spacecraft had line of sight with ground terminals.

"Access to high-resolution imagery and other scientific data during dynamic science mission phases is a game changer," said Dr. Kelsey Young, Artemis II lunar science lead. "It means faster insights, better science decision-making to support the crew as they're completing science exploration, and a mission with a more integrated science presence. It felt like we were right there with the crew, and it maximized the lunar science impact of the mission as it allowed for a more productive crew science conference the morning after the flyby."

During the about 10-day journey, the laser communications system exchanged 484 gigabytes of data between Orion and Earth, roughly equivalent to 100 high-definition movies compared to the capacity of standard radio frequency systems. The crisp, clear photos of Earthset, Earthrise, and many of the other mission images were downlinked over the Orion Artemis II optical communication system's laser links. The terminal also was able to transmit data to the Orion capsule, delivering information to the crew.

Artemis II's primary communications support came from the Near Space Network and Deep Space Network, NASA's traditional radio frequency systems. At lunar distances, with the current processing structure, these systems were limited to single-digit data rates in the megabits per second range. When the optical system was in use, the Orion crew module established multiple 260 megabits per second downlinks, surpassing many of its demonstration goals.

On Earth, NASA ground station telescopes at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and White Sands Complex in New Mexico were selected for their high-altitude, dry environments to ensure a strong link between Earth and the optical terminal aboard Orion. These stations collected the bulk of Orion's optical signals, hitting a record of 26 gigabytes of data received, downloaded, and transmitted to mission control in under an hour—enabling faster data transfer than most home internet capabilities.

In addition to NASA's two main ground stations, Orion also downlinked data to a newly developed site at the Australian National University Quantum Optical Ground Station at Mount Stromlo in Canberra, Australia. After several years of technical support, subject matter experts from NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, worked with the university to build and demonstrate a lunar-capable optical telescope leveraging affordable parts developed by commercial industry.

Throughout the mission, the Australian site achieved dual-stream video with Orion for more than 15.5 hours, contributing to NASA's "Live Views from Orion" feed, which enabled millions of viewers to follow Artemis II milestones. The ground station successfully downlinked the terminal's highest possible data rate of 260 megabits per second, proving that commercial, off-the-shelf parts can be leveraged to decrease the cost, time, and difficulty required to assemble optical ground stations.

"Space communications isn't just about moving bytes, it's about delivering the images, the video, and the voices of the crew that bring a mission to life," said Greg Heckler, SCaN's deputy program manager for capability development. "With the optical payload, we were able to watch astronauts embark on their journey in near real-time. Those moments gave us a breathtaking new view of Earth and revealed the crew isn't just a team, but a family."

As NASA pushes the boundaries of human exploration, the successful use of laser communications demonstrated faster data transfer, offering a glimpse into options for future agency missions.

Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the moon for scientific discovery and economic benefits, building the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

TOP IMAGE: The Orion capsule showing the Orion Artemis II Optical Communications System (O2O). O2O was developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts. Credit: NASA

LOWER IMAGE: The solar eclipse captured from a camera mounted on one of the Orion spacecraft's solar array wings during the Artemis II crew's flyby of the moon's far side. Credit: NASA

[coral-polypsicle]

this guy I was traveling with once told me that when he’s super super hungover, his cure is to take a Sad Monkey Banana Shower, ie. sit down in a really hot shower and eat a banana “like a sad little monkey in the rainforest”. this came up because at the time we were hungover to the point of barely being able to speak or stand, and the mental image that conjured (his naked ass on the floor of the shower eating a banana) was so funny I almost puked again, but once I realized he wasn’t fucking with me, I was like sure, fine, why not, I’ll try the Sad Monkey Banana Shower. and you know what? he was right. emotionally and physically healing. you sit on the floor of the shower and feel bad for yourself about how shitty you feel and how poor your choices were and you eat your wet banana verrrryy slowly like a sad little monkey in the rainforest and when you’re finally able to stand and get out of the shower you do miraculously feel better. honestly it almost pissed me off how well it worked

[fucking-relax]

when you find yourself in Panic Mode and you got to get yourself out, or just feel like a change of pace right now, some steps to follow:

signal for Rest and Digest by sipping some water

purposefully inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, exhale for 3 seconds

shock your system by holding an ice cube in your mouth and focus on melting it until it's gone. remember to purposefully breathe.

move, stretch, and unclench your body where it aches to release the panic you hold

[torstherapy]

[dykeselfcest]

it is unfortunate that there's no reason for most people to remember high school chemistry because the best analogy I have found for "the amount of energy that it takes me to initiate a task, which can be higher than the amount of energy it takes to actually complete the task" is "activation energy" and it's not precisely perfect but

yeah. and you can even include "thing that reduces the barrier to doing the task" as a catalyst/enzyme

anyway. unfortunately this does not actually clarify anything for the average person. but #ToMe it works

[songsinthedaylight]

I use this language all the time, it’s been really helpful.

[inkfox]

can’t focus on work. can only think of that one lesbian poem about chivalry

[inkfox]

oh god. oh fuck

[aquilacalvitium]

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

Write it badly or it'll never be written

[aquilacalvitium]

Please keep interacting with this post because when I come to tumblr to procrastinate, this shows up again in my notifications and guilts me into writing again

[likedaylighht]

Photos taken less than an hour apart btw

[cowboyadjacent]

my favorite brennan and aabria bestieism screenshots from on a bus <33

[songsinthedaylight]

I’d like to add this gem.

[a-gay-poptart]

I have found the best ally

Straight and cis people will say that they are allies, but you will NEVER measure up to my dentist.

Me: "Hey, is it ok if I can change my name on my info from [DEADNAME] to Sai?"

Random woman that I wasn't even talking to in the chair next to me: "Honey, if that's the name you had at birth, [DEADNAME] is your only name."

My dentist, very slowly turning her rolley chair towards the woman: "Shush."

Random woman: "Excuse me?"

Destist: *closes privacy curtain while staring bullets at the lady*

Me: *pissing myself laughing*

My dentist while changing my name in my info (reminder that English is not her first language, she immigrated from Russia): "There, Sai, you have pretty boy teeth. Smile and make all girls swoon."

Me not having the heart to tell her I'm not transmasc but I'm Agender, and still pissing myself laughing: "Thank you [DENTIST NAME]."

[jovialspecter]

Rb to have pretty chosen gender teeth. Smile and make all girls swoon.

[earhartsease]

transcendental hygienist

[redmegarex]

@brosser-les-dents

[brosser-les-dents]

😆😆😆 Brush your teeth to have pretty chosen gender teeth.

[majestictortoise]

puttering around the house is an underrated form a self-care. make some tea or coffee. put on a podcast. sort the mail. tidy some pillows and fold some blankets. start the laundry. thaw some soup. just casually wander around aimlessly doing little things to make your space and life a little nicer. who cares if you get distracted or only do a little. you aren't being productive. you're puttering.

[songsinthedaylight]

Looking forward to my weekly Friday evening post work putter.

[steadynightruins]

Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch hugs the Orion spacecraft “Integrity” after reuniting with it in the well deck of USS John P. Murtha following their splashdown.

[songsinthedaylight]

I probably would have too. This is such a sweet photo

[dimension20memes]

I kissed the brick before I threw it.

Textpost credits @fairylilies & @bettsfic

[caffedinotte-deactivated2018020]

not to be a nerd but it’s so crazy how he (Bernini) really did that from cold hard stone……. truly a spectacle, truly breathtaking, an honor to behold

[dontgetmadgetmaddie]

I think you should know he was 23 when he finished this and the ass gets a lot of attention but the hand on Persepina’s side/tummy is also exquisite

[assignedfaggatbirth]

before i saw the caption I knew that HAD to be bernini.

I try not to make sweeping statements but I think there’s a case to be made for bernini as the greater sculptor there’s ever been.

here’s his bust of costanza bonarelli

here’s apollo and daphne from the front, where she’s mostly human

from the back, where she’s mostly tree

and details

[bogleech]

this is the one art form I genuinely just cannot get my brain to accept as real. I’ve watched sped-up videos of it being done, read about it, seen in-progress marble statues and I still just can’t get it to sink in or stick. My mind doesn’t want to believe that any person has ever been able to start with a big block and break little bits off of it until it looks like a finely detailed person. At some point it has no recognizable shape and they still know where and how deep they should take a chip out of it that’ll still be the right decision 50,000 fucking chips later?!?

[butteredtoastcrumbs]

The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa has a hidden skylight for gold rays of actual light to shine down on their expressions and clothes and clouds.

[kogiopsis]

Hi yes I have been there and seen all of these IRL and I have some more pictures to share:

Insanely detailed feet with veins from “Aeneas, Anchises, and Ascanius”

Another foot from the same statue because a) he textured underside of the foot and the folds of skin in the arch and b) can you see the light coming through the thin marble between the toes?

One of the mouths of Cerberus from “The Rape of Prosperina”.

Prosperina/Persephone’s facial expression and HAIR TEXTURE

Hades’ hair as well - this man was entirely too good at making CURLS out of ROCK.

A (poorly lit) close-up on the tree textures from “Apollo and Daphne”.

Hand, sling, and rock from “David” which I think deserves to be at LEAST as well-known as Michelangelo’s. Saw them two days apart and I prefer Bernini, honestly.

Facial expression from “David” - I just love the character in this so much.

Kind of a weird angle but look at the texturing on the sling pouch!!!

We also got to see one of Bernini’s earliest works (possibly his very first) in the Uffizi; it’s not currently on display, unfortunately, but look at this:

Forgive the poor photo quality but. He was 14 when he carved this. FOURTEEN.

Man was a straight-up wizard.

In conclusion: if you get the chance to visit the Borghese Gallery in Rome (which has the most Bernini sculptures gathered in one place), do it. The “Ecstasy of St. Theresa” is in a church a short walk away from there, too, and well worth a visit. There are also several more Berninis in churches around Rome which can be visited for free or for a nominal donation! Just… be smarter than we were and make sure you’re not trying to visit them on days they have services.

[cricketcat9]

I agree, with a degree in art history, can’t wrap my brain around it either. It

’s definitely WIZARDRY.

[songsinthedaylight]

😮

[cakesexuality]

I've been disabled for almost 29 years. Here's what I've learned.

Tablets sink and capsules float. Separate out your tablets and capsules when you go to take them. Tip your head down when taking capsules and up when taking tablets. Liquigels don't matter, they kinda stay in the middle of whatever liquid is in your mouth.

If your pill tastes bad, coat it with a bit of butter or margarine. I learned this from my mom, who learned it from a pharmacist.

Being in pain every day isn't normal. Average people experience pain during exceptional moments, like when they stub their toe or jam their finger in a door, not when they sit cross-legged.

Make a medical binder. Make multiple medical binders. I have a small one that comes with me to appointments and two big ones that stay at home, one with old stuff and one with more recent stuff.

Find your icons. Some of mine include Daya Betty (drag queen with diabetes), Stef Sanjati (influencer with Waardenburg syndrome and ADHD), and Hank Green (guy with ulcerative colitis who... does a bunch of stuff). They don't have to be disabled in the same way as you. They don't even have to be real people. Put their pictures up somewhere if you want; I've been meaning to decorate my medical binders with pictures of my icons.

Take a bin, box, bag, basket, whatever and fill it with items to cope with. This can be stuff for mentally coping like colouring books or play clay or stuff for physically coping like pain medicine or physio tape.

Decorate your shit! My cane for at home has a plushie backpack clip hanging from the end of the handle and my cane for going places is covered in stickers. All of my medical binders have fun scrapbooking paper on the outside. Sometimes, I put stickers and washi tape on my inhalers and pill bottles. I used my Cricut to decorate my coping bin with quotes from my icons, like "I've seen enough of Ba Sing Se" and "I need you to be angrier with that bell".

If a flare-up is making you unable to eat or keep food down, consider going to the ER. A pharmacist once told me that since my eye flares can make me so nauseous that I cannot eat, then I need to go to the hospital when that happens.

Cola works wonders for nausea. I have mini cans of Diet Pepsi in my coping bin.

Shortbread is one of the only things I can eat when nauseous. Giant Tiger sells individually-wrapped servings of shortbread around Christmas or the British import store sells them year-round. I also keep these in my coping bin.

Unless it violates a pain contract or something, don't be afraid to go behind your doctor's back to get something they are refusing you. I got my cardiologist referral by getting in with a different NP at my primary care clinic than who I usually saw. I switched from Seroquel to Abilify by visiting a walk-in.

If you have a condition affecting your abdomen in some way (GI issues, reproductive problems, y'know) then invest in track pants that are too big. I bought some for my laparoscopy over a year ago and they've been handy for pelvic pain days, too. I've also heard loose pants are good for after colonoscopies.

Do whatever works, even if it's weird. I've sat on the floor of the Eaton Centre to take my pills. I've shoved heating pads down my front waistband to reach my uterus.

High-top Converse are good for weak ankles. I almost exclusively wear them.

You can reuse your pill bottles for stuff. I use my jumbo ones to store makeup sponges and my long skinny ones to hold a travel-size amount of Q-Tips.

Just because your diagnostics come back with nothing, it doesn't mean nothing is wrong. Maybe you were checking the wrong thing, or the diagnostic tool wasn't sensitive enough. I have bradycardia episodes even though multiple cardiac tests caught nothing. I probably have endometriosis even though my gynecologist didn't see anything.

You can bring your comfort item to appointments, and it's generally a green flag when someone talks to you about it. I brought a Squishmallow turkey (named Ulana) to my laparoscopy and they had her wearing my mask when I woke up. I brought a Build-A-Bear cat (named Blinx) to another procedure and a nurse told me that everyone in the hall on the way to the procedure room saw him and were talking about how cute he was. Both of those ended up being positive experiences and every person who talked to me about my plushies was nice to me. If you don't feel comfortable having it visible to your provider during the appointment, you can hide it in your bag and just know it's there, or if you're in a video appointment, you can hold it below frame in your lap.

Get a small bucket, fill it with stuff, and stick it in your bed (if you have room for it). I filled a bucket with Ensure, juice boxes, oatmeal bars, lotion, my rescue inhaler, etc. in October 2023 in anticipation of my laparoscopy and I still have it in my bed as of January 2025.

If your disability impacts your impulse control (e.g. ADHD, bipolar disorder), you should consider setting limits around your spending -- no more than X dollars at a time, nothing online unless it's absolutely necessary, and so on. Or, run these purchases by someone you trust before committing to them; I use my BFF groupchat to help talk sense into myself when I buy stuff.

Feel free to add on what you've learned about disability!

[jackalwedding]

If you have memory problems, brain fog, or executive functioning issues, it doesn’t help how many hints, coping mechanisms, and tools you learn if you can’t remember what they are, or muster the brainpower to choose which one to use. Make a flowchart, a list of if-then statements, whatever you need, and print out copies of it and stick them up around your house in places where you find yourself being the most incapacitated (bed, couch, etc) so when you need it most, all you have to do is look over at it and boom- past you already figured out what you might need in this scenario and the answer is there!

this is my own flowchart I made for managing executive dysfunction and task initiation with ADHD. It’s *really* complicated so might be too overwhelming for some folks, I just like it like that myself because it’s thorough! I have this printed out in multiple places around my home that I tend to get stuck.