#nattering on

[itsclydebitches]

I finished Squid Game Season 3 (which I enjoyed), but I'm honestly surprised by the number of fans upset over, specifically, their faves dying and claiming that losing [character] is an example of bad writing. Did we forget that Squid Game is a member of the Death Games genre? I fully expected all the players to die in the same way I'd expect the main couple to get together at the end of a Romance. To do otherwise would be a betrayal of the inherit promises of the genre, in this case that these games are truly deadly and those running them will do everything within their (enormous, honestly overwhelming) power to ensure all but one kicks the bucket in the name of entertainment. Thus, going into Season 3 I really only had two questions:

1. When/how will everyone die? (That's criticism I think holds a lot more weight: I understand the frustration that certain faves didn't make it longer and, as a result, get more screen time.) 2. Will Gi-Hun win again and, thus, live? +Bonus in the final episode: Will the unexpected arrival of the coast guard disrupt the games enough to allow for more than one winner?

Other than that... I'm honestly not sure what people expected. The message of Squid Game always revolved around individual morality and the games themselves were presented as so larger-than-life that the idea of Gi-Hun truly dismantling it all seemed ridiculous. Heroic and necessary in the attempt, but unlikely, to say the least. Personally, I think the collective efforts leading to the destruction of that one facility AND the reveal that the games sill exist (because poverty and the exploitation of the poor still exists) AND Gi-Hun sending the message that individuals can and should and will treat others kindly, leading to a ripple effect among those he's met that ultimately changes all their lives for the better... that's as uplifting as this genre is ever gonna get. Gi-Hun was never going to save everyone in that game because that's not how the genre works, but his efforts did help numerous others and put the emphasis on the worth of our choices, rather than an implausible (if satisfying) dismantling of the entire system so that everyone can live Happily Ever After. They were never going to live - I'm actually surprised at how many did live, like No-eul and the Front Man - but Squid Game's message hits harder because of that element of realism in an otherwise ridiculous premise. They didn't live but their choices still mattered.

[chase-solidago]

Today my barista complimented my hair, AND I met a couple queer folks at a seed exchange, who went out of their way to gender me correctly from ‘hello!’. Like, were immediately on board with “here’s my business card with my legal name, but you can call me chase”. We talked pawpaws and everyone was genuinely asking questions about the work I do? With interest? People want to hear things I have to say??? Sounds fake but ok

I am trying to get better at taking care of my hair and making it look good

[quickwitter]

Sunday Seven

Kamala Harris is following me on Twitter! Also, Kathy Griffin (?). Weird world we live in when you can mouth off your opinion, and tag people in power. I’m a big proponent of the Family Case Management Program for the folks in the caravan.

The Roommate demolished the ceiling and one of the walls in the downstairs bathroom this morning. Holy shit, he discovered the biggest rat’s nest ever behind that wall. Rodents had dragged in hay, cat food cans, all kinds of crap over the years, we aren’t sure how. Then they ate most of the pink fiberglass insulation, which can’t have been good for them. 94 years ago I think all building here in the canyon back then started with some heavy drinking, until someone had a great idea! Then everyone scrambled to make it happen. No nails? Okay we’ll use string and spit. :) They were weekend hangout for drinkers and hunters so never intended to be around nearly 100 years later. Codes, schmodes, no building inspetor will come up here to check! It turns out that the wall was built wrong — shocking! There’s no base plate which explains the ease with which the rodents had access to the house. plus the last contractor left big gaps in the woodwork. Argh! Plus, half the studs are not attached to anything? Even though Roomie didn’t touch the exterior wall, you can see outside clearly through holes in the existing wall. He’ll rebuild all of this in the next few days, I hope, and that’s a good thing.

Oh, and the paint colors I chose for the house don’t work. The main color is too dark, the batten color is too close to the main color, the light  accent color is great, but the dark accent is too dark. I’m also going to be stenciling under the big 2-1/2 foot eaves we have here and that’s okay so far. I bought stencils on Etsy and am looking forward to their arrival.

In addition to the Roommate demo-ing the bathroom; Tony, a metal scrap guy came for everything metal we could give him including a huge fridge (no one could remember why it stopped working), a smaller fridge because we already have two dorm sized friges + plus a full sized + a huge deep freeze. That’s a lot of chilling for a couple of casual grocery shoppers. My cleaning lady was also here helping to organize the guest room so we have a place to put my friend when she arrives on Friday from Australia. The house is more a mess now than when the day began, but we got a lot done despite the mess that remains.

Now that the fridge is out of the garage, the roommate is reorganizing the space, he has a LOT of tools. He’s been trying to work around a packed garage and it’s been frustrating as he hasn’t been able to find anything. Now he has about half the space that will be totally HIS. I can get rid of more too, which will make it a functional space. Slowly, all of this is starting to come together. Finally.

Something in the demo, dust, or sweat is giving me a rash. I’m itchy all over and feel like I have a sunburn on my face.

Where did the weekend go? Seems like a nanosecond ago that I was excited that it was Friday and I had the whole weekend ahead of me to get things done. Now I’m back looking Monday in the face Oy!

[quickwitter]

You’re given a random day off of work, what do you do with your free day? 

I’m self-employed so a day off is my choice and a day without pay, always. I try not to have too many of them.

Ironically, I took yesterday off to focus on something non-work related.

It wasn’t a complete success as the plumber was here in the morning, and he’s fighting with the Roommate over $$$. It’s their fight over work that was done and not paid for years ago when they were roommates. I’m steering clear of the issue.

I had my friend and old cleaning lady here helping me to organize this weird space in my house, that I’m starting to believe used to be an outhouse entered from outside the house, and which I may pull into the bathroom in a re-model if I can swing the cost.

I'd not realized that my introductory period for cable had ended oops! and awoke disconnected from the world. I drove to the local café which serves the interesting combination of American/Mexican/Ethiopian food (it’s owned by two beautiful Ethiopian sisters) and reconnected. I spent a couple of hours sitting outside with my laptop enjoying Shrimp Fajitas and the mild winter weather we’re having. By the time I ambled back, the internet was back up and running and the house was much cleaner. :)

In the middle of the day a neighbor came by unannounced with her daughter who is doing a school report on peafowl. They were looking for feathers and information about the birds, and I was happy to show them around. The daughter was in maybe 4th grade and super excited about feeding the birds - one. seed. at. a. time. 

Later, the Roommate was convinced that one of the cats had been killed by a coyote, and he was a little miffed at my wait and see attitude. He panics a couple of times a week. I’ve been here 20 years, Ive exhausted my ability to be panicked 24/7/365. It’s not that I don’t care about my animals, but so many false alarms have made me reticent to get worked up without proof. The cats were all fine.

I’m going in for surgery tomorrow, so I’ve been anxious this week and maybe all of these distractions were really a good thing?

If I’m going to REALLY take time off, I get the hell out of town and stay there fr as long as I can afford it. :)

[quickwitter]

Sunday 7 on Monday morning

Rolls of fencing - A neighbor texted me and said I have fencing to give you. For free and I’ll deliver it. Perfect.Okay. So, he comes by and does just that. When he’s leaving he says - Hey I saw a picture of you on FB with hair and I have to tell you, it stopped my heart. I have no response to that, but I was surprised.

Flirty Butcher - I hired a friend to come here on Saturday to clean the house in case this guy moves in upstairs. With this respiratory thing, I have no stamina to clean the house myself, so while it’s been organized it’s not clean, and I hate that. I mentioned the butcher was back, and she asked if he had worked at a gas station before becoming a butcher? I burst out laughing, how would I know? She asked his name? I don’t know. Turns out that one of the butchers flirted with her back when he worked at a gas station. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same guy. I love to photograph butchers when I travel because they tend to be cocky sons of bitches and they will ALWAYS let you take their picture. Also, I have a yard full of edible animals that are ethically raised, pastured, antibiotic free (never believe people who claim their birds are organic unless they can show you certification - it’s a whole another dog and pony show, it’s expensive and takes ages to get certification in the US. I guarantee you 99%+ of these people are NOT certified organic)

Old Man Cat - has reappeared after a week away, none the worse for wear. I awoke to him drooling on my bald head and rubbing against it about 2am Saturday morning. Last night he was gone again. So like a 16 year old.

Barking Dogs - My dogs sleep all day and bark all night. I hate it and am not sure how to curtail the barking. If there’s something to bark at, by all means, if not SHUT UP! How do I teach that?

Turkeys wanting cat food - I wake up every morning to chirping turkeys wanting cat food. This started as I gave dried cat food to the peafowl who sleep in the oaks out front — their diet is higher in protein than chickens. The turkeys were sleeping in a pen at the time and none the wiser. Now the turkeys have taken over their own tree and have co-opted the cat food feeding. They are so damn entitled that they peck the door and yell for food as soon as they depart the tree in the morning.

Roommate - I haven’t heard back from the potential roommate. My neighbor who recommended him says he’s moving in, but not as far as I know. We haven’t discussed anything. I showed him the place and found out over the weekend when FB recommended him as a friend that his last name is Simpson.

Dog Love - I never realized before having my first dogs, in my 40s, that you can just bust your heart wide open, drop all walls and love them to death, they can handle it. How is it that you can learn more about love from dogs that you can from people? I’m typing this laying on the floor exhausted after wrestling with my dog Siri. She kicked my ass but I was laughing so hard at her puppyish antics, that I had tears running down my face and couldn’t see very well.

[abigailspinach]

TAG GAME!

Thank you for tagging me @oathkeptroxas and @adamantineheart!

Last Song: What the Water Gave Me - Florence and the Machine

Favorite Color: Green except sometimes purple and sometimes black. Ruby Red as an accent note in my quilts. But Green is the go to.

Currently Watching: I just watched the 2022 movie "The Outfit." Love a single room twisty turn-y movie. A tailor tries to survive the night when mobsters crash his shop.

And I'm going to rewatch Season 1 of The Interview with a Vampire. Jacob Anderson! He's an ingénue, a romantic hero, a pimp, a liar, pretentious, beautiful, and a little shit all at the same time. The accent work!

Currently Reading: I reread Troubled Magic by Sharon Shinn. The last new book was "The Everlasting" by Alix E. Harrow. I'm going to start "The Blue Castle" for Tumblr book club.

Current Obsession: So I saw My Fair Lady at the Symphony and I'm like... damn... little baby Fiona Gallagher would have love this. Fiona and Eliza have much in common. I must write it up. I'm now trying to match musical to Gallagher.

Currently Working On: Fixing up the sewing table. I have a charity quilt to finish.

Last Google Search: corn bread cookie recipe

[abigailspinach]

for the simple asks to bolster ask culture -1. What's your blog title from? / 13. what's something you learned recently? / 17. do you believe in luck and superstition?

Blog Title - I wanted some sort of blog name home to Abigail Pent (a fave awesome lady scholar wizard spirit talker) from Gideon the Ninth but a lot were take and I didn't want to copy cat so it's also an homage to Emily Spinach, Alice's pet snake.

2. Nifty comes from the word magnificent.

And Christopher Plummer was dubbed in Sound of Music.

3) I am not superstitious but I am a little stitious. Like no, I don't really believe in most superstition. But like... walking under a ladder would give me the wilies.

And I think there is something to karma and what you put into the world can come back to you. Not in a 1:1 ratio cause we all know awful people living charmed lives and great people who just get slammed with bad luck. But like... in the way sometime you do something nice and it comes back unexpectedly.

Or when my dad died I had just stared a new job where literally all four of us had on the main team had either lost a parent in the last 12 months or one lady who also lost her dad at 26 just like me. We were team grief and it was nice in a way. Alone in a city of strangers, just been there maybe 6 weeks when he passed, and they were so compassionate and kind.

""You asked me to Green Gables just because you are sorry for me." "I am sorry for you. Because you've shut out life...and now life is shutting you out. Stop, it, Katherine. Open your doors to life...and life will come in." "The Anne Shirley version of the old bromide, 'If you bring a smiling visage to the glass you meet a smile,'" said Katherine with a shrug. "Like all bromides, that's absolutely true. Now, are you coming to Green Gables or are you not?" "What would you say if I accepted...to yourself, not to me?" "I'd say you were showing the first faint glimmer of common sense I'd ever detected in you," retorted Anne."

[0rph3u5]

looking to the heavens for a meta-language

some kind of sign

for the truth to have a chance to penetrate, to reveal itself