Poem: "The Struggle Against Overwhelming Odds"
Feb. 22nd, 2026 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the October 2020 Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from wyld_dandelyon. It also fills the "demons" square in my 10-1-20 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, an unprovoked attack, hellhounds, violence, gore, unexpected rescue, playing with prey, fatally injured opponents, minor injuries to main characters, awkward discussions, willing sacrifice, intimate magical healing, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
This microfunded poem is being posted one verse at a time, as donations come in to cover them. The rate is $0.25/line, so $5 will reveal 20 new lines, and so forth. There is a permanent donation button on my profile page, or you can contact me for other arrangements. You can also ask me about the number of lines per verse, if you want to fund a certain number of verses. So far sponsors include:fuzzyred,
355 lines, Buy It Now = $44.50
Amount donated = $10
Verses posted = 13 of 118
Amount remaining to fund fully = $34.50
Amount needed to fund next verse = $0.25
Amount needed to fund the verse after that = $0.75
( Read more... )
wyld_dandelyon. It also fills the "demons" square in my 10-1-20 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, an unprovoked attack, hellhounds, violence, gore, unexpected rescue, playing with prey, fatally injured opponents, minor injuries to main characters, awkward discussions, willing sacrifice, intimate magical healing, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
This microfunded poem is being posted one verse at a time, as donations come in to cover them. The rate is $0.25/line, so $5 will reveal 20 new lines, and so forth. There is a permanent donation button on my profile page, or you can contact me for other arrangements. You can also ask me about the number of lines per verse, if you want to fund a certain number of verses. So far sponsors include:
fuzzyred, 355 lines, Buy It Now = $44.50
Amount donated = $10
Verses posted = 13 of 118
Amount remaining to fund fully = $34.50
Amount needed to fund next verse = $0.25
Amount needed to fund the verse after that = $0.75
( Read more... )
Poem: "Embrace My Fate"
Feb. 22nd, 2026 10:39 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the October 6, 2020 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from librarygeek. It also fills the "How do you want to do this?" square in my 10-1-20 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, sorting through a lair acquired by combat, reference to past abuse, cursed artifacts, damned souls, worry, magical body modification, restraint for safety, awkward emotional discussions, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
librarygeek. It also fills the "How do you want to do this?" square in my 10-1-20 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, sorting through a lair acquired by combat, reference to past abuse, cursed artifacts, damned souls, worry, magical body modification, restraint for safety, awkward emotional discussions, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds Order
Feb. 22nd, 2026 09:41 pmysabetwordsmithI picked out what I wanted from John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds. This catalog has the Safe Seed Pledge, meaning everything is non-GMO/toxin-free. My partner Doug further notes that they have the best, easiest ordering system of all the catalogs we use. Call up the Smart Order Form and when you key in the product number, the rest autofills, tells you if it's still in stock, and lists the price. \o/ Somegeek earned their coffee today!
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Routine Colonoscopy Countdown.
Feb. 23rd, 2026 08:46 amleecetheartist It's prep time. T minus 3 days.
Meal 1. Gluten free rice bubbles and vanilla yoghurt and 2 mugs of white coffee.
On the upside, yesterday was the Perth monthly fountain pen enthusiast meeting, so we sat around and talked, drew, wrote and looked at each others' pretty pens and ink and drank coffee or whatever everyone else was drinking.
Finished reading Network Effect to Rob and Mum last night, and we all started a rewatch of the serial. We'd eaten a delicious Indian takeaway, as a farewell to interesting food for me for 3 days. Mmm Vindaloo.
Meal 1. Gluten free rice bubbles and vanilla yoghurt and 2 mugs of white coffee.
On the upside, yesterday was the Perth monthly fountain pen enthusiast meeting, so we sat around and talked, drew, wrote and looked at each others' pretty pens and ink and drank coffee or whatever everyone else was drinking.
Finished reading Network Effect to Rob and Mum last night, and we all started a rewatch of the serial. We'd eaten a delicious Indian takeaway, as a farewell to interesting food for me for 3 days. Mmm Vindaloo.
Poem: "The Spectrum of Your Being"
Feb. 22nd, 2026 05:51 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the September 1, 2020 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from librarygeek. It also fills the "How do you want to do this?" square in my 9-1-20 card for the I Want Fries With That! Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, a headless chicken running around, a fight with bit character fatalities, moderate injuries to a main character, messy medical details, an imprisoned demon, torture, binding magic, demonic healing, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
librarygeek. It also fills the "How do you want to do this?" square in my 9-1-20 card for the I Want Fries With That! Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, a headless chicken running around, a fight with bit character fatalities, moderate injuries to a main character, messy medical details, an imprisoned demon, torture, binding magic, demonic healing, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
Early Humans
Feb. 22nd, 2026 03:01 pmysabetwordsmithHomo erectus fossils in East Asia rewrite the timeline of human migration
A new analysis dates three Homo erectus skulls from central China to about 1.77 million years ago, making them the oldest securely dated hominin fossils in eastern Asia.
That older age shifts the arrival of early humans in the region back by roughly 600,000 years and compresses the timeline of how quickly our ancestors spread across Eurasia.
[---8<---]
The same layer holds stone tools and animal remains, tying the skulls to a specific moment nearly 1.8 million years ago rather than the younger dates long cited.
A new analysis dates three Homo erectus skulls from central China to about 1.77 million years ago, making them the oldest securely dated hominin fossils in eastern Asia.
That older age shifts the arrival of early humans in the region back by roughly 600,000 years and compresses the timeline of how quickly our ancestors spread across Eurasia.
[---8<---]
The same layer holds stone tools and animal remains, tying the skulls to a specific moment nearly 1.8 million years ago rather than the younger dates long cited.
Birdfeeding
Feb. 22nd, 2026 01:23 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cold.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows plus one female and two male cardinals separately.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I planted 3 peonies 'Sorbet Mixed' under the apricot tree. The mix includes white, light pink, and dark pink. These cost $14.98, so about $5 a root. That's a great bargain for peonies, which average $20-30 each and catalogs and the high end is downright exorbitant. So if you want peonies, look for cheap ones at home or garden stores this time of year. Due to the unseasonal warmth, the ground here is unfrozen, so I was able to plant them immediately. \o/
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I labeled and mulched the new peonies.
I put out a fresh cake of peanut suet.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I started the process of trimming dead stems from the wildflower garden, which is going to take a while.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden. I discovered a little wildflower putting up leaves, probably echinacea, possibly penstemon or something else.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- We hauled in the potting mix bags from last night.
I've seen a fox squirrel in the forest garden.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows plus one female and two male cardinals separately.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I planted 3 peonies 'Sorbet Mixed' under the apricot tree. The mix includes white, light pink, and dark pink. These cost $14.98, so about $5 a root. That's a great bargain for peonies, which average $20-30 each and catalogs and the high end is downright exorbitant. So if you want peonies, look for cheap ones at home or garden stores this time of year. Due to the unseasonal warmth, the ground here is unfrozen, so I was able to plant them immediately. \o/
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I labeled and mulched the new peonies.
I put out a fresh cake of peanut suet.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I started the process of trimming dead stems from the wildflower garden, which is going to take a while.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden. I discovered a little wildflower putting up leaves, probably echinacea, possibly penstemon or something else.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- We hauled in the potting mix bags from last night.
I've seen a fox squirrel in the forest garden.
EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Airchecks & Icons: Revisiting US Clear Channel History
Feb. 22nd, 2026 02:48 pmsoemandDriven by my interest in the influence of US clear-channel stations, I was curious what they actually sounded like back in the day. Thanks to archive.org, I found aircheck recordings that let me experience what is otherwise an ephemeral medium. Currently, I’m diving into a 1970 Top 100 countdown with DJ Bruce Morrow. Between the music and his quintessential New York accent, it’s a fascinating listen. Had I been born early enough to seek it out, I definitely would have been a fan.
Radio is, by its very nature, an ephemeral medium—a stream of data pushed into the ether, meant to be experienced in the moment and then lost forever. Unlike a book or a film, which are curated for the shelf, these broadcasts were 'disposable' culture. Finding these recordings on archive.org feels like intercepting a ghost signal; it’s a rare chance to catch a broadcast that was never truly meant to survive the night it aired.
Radio is, by its very nature, an ephemeral medium—a stream of data pushed into the ether, meant to be experienced in the moment and then lost forever. Unlike a book or a film, which are curated for the shelf, these broadcasts were 'disposable' culture. Finding these recordings on archive.org feels like intercepting a ghost signal; it’s a rare chance to catch a broadcast that was never truly meant to survive the night it aired.
Clicking into place
Feb. 22nd, 2026 08:37 amsusandennisMy foot still hurts but it hurts WAY less and is on the mend. It's always surprising to me, the absence after something has hurt for so long. It's like a little gift. Or a big gift, if you are my foot.
I love a little Hazelnut flavor in my coffee now and again. The other day, at Safeway, I picked up a small box of Hazelnut flavored coffee pods. I brewed one yesterday for elbow coffee. I think I knew this but had forgotten. Those Hazelnut pods are HAZELNUT!!!! I wanted a hint and they are like a tsunami. BUT I drink my coffee black so, honestly, only wash my mug once in a great while so this morning's coffee had the perfect hint of Hazelnut. Win?
This morning I got up and put the comforter and pillow cases into the washing machine and changed the sheet with the help of Biggie which made it, of course, way more of a chore but it is done. And the comforter will be done in another hour. My washer has this lovely heavy bedding function. It probably does nothing special but I love having it.
Then I went to the pool and had a wonderful swim.
I have nothing on the calendar this week at all. There are baseball games every afternoon on the radio. Yesterday, they had a 'new' announcer for a few innings. I thought we had all of the worst baseball announcers already but wait, there's more! This guy was, apparently, a Mariner pitcher for a minute just before the pandemic. He talks way too fast and says absolutely nothing interesting. It hurt my ears. He said that he would be on the TV broadcasts for some games this year. Fine by me since I mute those anyway. Geesh.
I have 20 more bunnies to make before Saturday. Shouldn't be a problem. There are 2.95 done already.
I have my good book to read and tons of stuff on TV. There is a new (to me) Dawn French comedy on Paramount+ called "Can You Keep A Secret". I have two more episodes to watch. It's kind of hilarious in a very Dawn French way. She gets me.
When my brother was here, we got rid of a lot of shit and shifted and organized the rest. I could not have done it without him and it's still reaping such rewards. It's just a joy to be able to find stuff, to easily put stuff away and to have it all look so nice. My utility room went from a claustrophobic mess to a joy and the storage room... perfection. Yesterday, I shifted some stuff around so easily. I do love this apartment. But even more so now.
When the closet got redone, I took down the cat cam since I moved their beds but now Biggie has a new spot so I think I need to put it back. EASY to do since it's just on the shelf in the storage unit with the correct cable and wall wart. Soooooooo organized am I.
I love a little Hazelnut flavor in my coffee now and again. The other day, at Safeway, I picked up a small box of Hazelnut flavored coffee pods. I brewed one yesterday for elbow coffee. I think I knew this but had forgotten. Those Hazelnut pods are HAZELNUT!!!! I wanted a hint and they are like a tsunami. BUT I drink my coffee black so, honestly, only wash my mug once in a great while so this morning's coffee had the perfect hint of Hazelnut. Win?
This morning I got up and put the comforter and pillow cases into the washing machine and changed the sheet with the help of Biggie which made it, of course, way more of a chore but it is done. And the comforter will be done in another hour. My washer has this lovely heavy bedding function. It probably does nothing special but I love having it.
Then I went to the pool and had a wonderful swim.
I have nothing on the calendar this week at all. There are baseball games every afternoon on the radio. Yesterday, they had a 'new' announcer for a few innings. I thought we had all of the worst baseball announcers already but wait, there's more! This guy was, apparently, a Mariner pitcher for a minute just before the pandemic. He talks way too fast and says absolutely nothing interesting. It hurt my ears. He said that he would be on the TV broadcasts for some games this year. Fine by me since I mute those anyway. Geesh.
I have 20 more bunnies to make before Saturday. Shouldn't be a problem. There are 2.95 done already.
I have my good book to read and tons of stuff on TV. There is a new (to me) Dawn French comedy on Paramount+ called "Can You Keep A Secret". I have two more episodes to watch. It's kind of hilarious in a very Dawn French way. She gets me.
When my brother was here, we got rid of a lot of shit and shifted and organized the rest. I could not have done it without him and it's still reaping such rewards. It's just a joy to be able to find stuff, to easily put stuff away and to have it all look so nice. My utility room went from a claustrophobic mess to a joy and the storage room... perfection. Yesterday, I shifted some stuff around so easily. I do love this apartment. But even more so now.
When the closet got redone, I took down the cat cam since I moved their beds but now Biggie has a new spot so I think I need to put it back. EASY to do since it's just on the shelf in the storage unit with the correct cable and wall wart. Soooooooo organized am I.
Vocabulary: Bricolage
Feb. 21st, 2026 10:28 pmysabetwordsmithSunday Word: Bricolage
bricolage [bree-kuh-lahzh, brik-uh-]
noun:
1 a construction made of whatever materials are at hand; something created from a variety of available things.
2 (in literature) a piece created from diverse resources.
3 (in art) a piece of makeshift handiwork.
4 the use of multiple, diverse research methods.
Definitely useful if you like upcycling.
bricolage [bree-kuh-lahzh, brik-uh-]
noun:
1 a construction made of whatever materials are at hand; something created from a variety of available things.
2 (in literature) a piece created from diverse resources.
3 (in art) a piece of makeshift handiwork.
4 the use of multiple, diverse research methods.
Definitely useful if you like upcycling.
Science
Feb. 21st, 2026 08:06 pmysabetwordsmithScientists just mapped mysterious earthquakes deep inside Earth
Scientists at Stanford have unveiled the first-ever global map of rare earthquakes that rumble deep within Earth’s mantle rather than its crust. Long debated and notoriously difficult to confirm, these elusive quakes turn out to cluster in regions like the Himalayas and near the Bering Strait. By developing a breakthrough method that distinguishes mantle quakes using subtle differences in seismic waves, researchers identified hundreds of these hidden tremors worldwide.
Scientists at Stanford have unveiled the first-ever global map of rare earthquakes that rumble deep within Earth’s mantle rather than its crust. Long debated and notoriously difficult to confirm, these elusive quakes turn out to cluster in regions like the Himalayas and near the Bering Strait. By developing a breakthrough method that distinguishes mantle quakes using subtle differences in seismic waves, researchers identified hundreds of these hidden tremors worldwide.
Banjo by Skywave: The Radio Roots of Maritime Bluegrass
Feb. 21st, 2026 04:18 pmsoemandU.S. clear‑channel AM stations had a surprisingly strong influence on the Maritime musical landscape. Anne Murray, growing up in Springhill, could pick up stations like WABC at night, and that polished American pop sound shaped her early musical style.
Other powerful U.S. stations carried different influences into the region. WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, brought bluegrass directly into Maritime homes, while WSM’s Grand Ole Opry broadcasts reached parts of Nova Scotia. This exposure introduced instruments like the banjo and mandolin — along with their distinct picking styles — well before local access to records or returning servicemen’s albums.
Not all parts of the Maritimes received these signals equally. The north shore of New Brunswick often sat outside the skip zone, meaning those U.S. broadcasts simply didn’t reach them. As a result, that region developed along different musical lines, shaped more by Acadian and Quebec influences than by the American country and bluegrass that took root elsewhere.
U.S. AM radio didn’t just entertain the Maritimes — it rewired the region’s musical genetics.
Other powerful U.S. stations carried different influences into the region. WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, brought bluegrass directly into Maritime homes, while WSM’s Grand Ole Opry broadcasts reached parts of Nova Scotia. This exposure introduced instruments like the banjo and mandolin — along with their distinct picking styles — well before local access to records or returning servicemen’s albums.
Not all parts of the Maritimes received these signals equally. The north shore of New Brunswick often sat outside the skip zone, meaning those U.S. broadcasts simply didn’t reach them. As a result, that region developed along different musical lines, shaped more by Acadian and Quebec influences than by the American country and bluegrass that took root elsewhere.
U.S. AM radio didn’t just entertain the Maritimes — it rewired the region’s musical genetics.
Forty Five pounds
Feb. 21st, 2026 01:44 pmbill_schubertI don't think I look like it but as of this morning I'm at 185 pounds, down from 230. That's a lot of stones. I've got ten more or so to go. A couple of weeks ago I was stuck at 190 and then the floor just dropped. I'm not consciously eating less and there is certainly a bit of junk food, mostly chocolate and cinnamon rolls, mixed in with the not quite enough protein. So, far from perfect. But still effective.
Two weeks ago I signed on with a company, Lifelong Mobility, a British guy with a small staff and a good, senior directed program. It does make a difference and will continue to do so if I keep it up. I've paid a bunch for a year and, like pickleball, need to get my moneys worth. And it is fun to do it with an English accent.
We voted today in the Democratic primaries. Pretty much an exercise in futility. We'll do better this November but I doubt will make any real headway. Still, it is an easy thing to do and the price is right.
Today is chilly but one only has to look at the forecast where my son lives, in Taunton, MA, to feel better. One to Two feet... FEET.. of snow. Fuck me. I've already turned the ceiling fans back on it was so warm yesterday. It's going to be 82 next Wednesday afternoon. The plants are sprouting. Spring is nearly sprung.
First day of MLS soccer season is today. So far we're undefeated. I can enjoy that until about 7:30 tonight. We're ranked solidly in the middle of the pack in our division with a pile of naysayers. And that is our supporters. I've paid for the year on Apple TV and will mostly enjoy it regardless.
I just did a bad thing. Looked forward in my calendar and saw Zoe's birthday. The Ides of March she would have been 16. It is something I compartmentalize and have now deleted from the future. But it is a bit of a punch in the gut:
Two weeks ago I signed on with a company, Lifelong Mobility, a British guy with a small staff and a good, senior directed program. It does make a difference and will continue to do so if I keep it up. I've paid a bunch for a year and, like pickleball, need to get my moneys worth. And it is fun to do it with an English accent.
We voted today in the Democratic primaries. Pretty much an exercise in futility. We'll do better this November but I doubt will make any real headway. Still, it is an easy thing to do and the price is right.
Today is chilly but one only has to look at the forecast where my son lives, in Taunton, MA, to feel better. One to Two feet... FEET.. of snow. Fuck me. I've already turned the ceiling fans back on it was so warm yesterday. It's going to be 82 next Wednesday afternoon. The plants are sprouting. Spring is nearly sprung.
First day of MLS soccer season is today. So far we're undefeated. I can enjoy that until about 7:30 tonight. We're ranked solidly in the middle of the pack in our division with a pile of naysayers. And that is our supporters. I've paid for the year on Apple TV and will mostly enjoy it regardless.
I just did a bad thing. Looked forward in my calendar and saw Zoe's birthday. The Ides of March she would have been 16. It is something I compartmentalize and have now deleted from the future. But it is a bit of a punch in the gut:
Birdfeeding
Feb. 21st, 2026 12:49 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly sunny and chilly.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I put out more birdseed in the hopper feeder.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I put out more birdseed in the hopper feeder.
I am done for the night.
