Libre, but also gratis
August 8, 2022 3:00 AM Subscribe
Like speech 🗣 and beer 🍺 (and some intersections thereof) this thread is confusingly free 🗝.
Brought to you by the Free Thread Foundation™️. Enjoy!
Brought to you by the Free Thread Foundation™️. Enjoy!
Now that is a pretty sunrise!
Too much cloud cover for the meteor shower this morning. I saw a few... planets?
I'll take what I can get.
Have a happy week, folks.
posted by TrishaU at 4:37 AM on August 8, 2022
Too much cloud cover for the meteor shower this morning. I saw a few... planets?
I'll take what I can get.
Have a happy week, folks.
posted by TrishaU at 4:37 AM on August 8, 2022
A man walks into a bar and says to the bartender, 'will you give me a free beer if I show you a good trick?' The bartender says, 'show me the trick.' So the man pulls out a guinea pig who starts squeaking The Stars and Stripes Forever. 'That's worth a beer' the bartender says, handing it over. The man finishes the beer and says, 'will you give me another if I show you a better trick? The bartender says, 'sure.' So the man pulls out a frog and a tiny piano, and the frog plays and sings Rocket Man, just like Elton John. Another man, who had been sitting at the other end of the bar, jumps up and says, 'I'll give you $1000 for that frog!' The first man says, 'it's a deal' and takes his money. The bartender says, 'I can't believe you sold that frog so cheap. You could have made millions with it.' The man says, 'nah, the guinea pig is a ventriloquist.'
posted by Bee'sWing at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2022 [13 favorites]
posted by Bee'sWing at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2022 [13 favorites]
Still unbearably hot out and even though tomorrow has as best of a chance of rain as we've yet had it comes with the cost of being even steamier and unbearably humid.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:22 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm here to advertise the picnic we're having in Prospect Park this Saturday, come hang out if you're around NYC :)
posted by wesleyac at 5:25 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wesleyac at 5:25 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Never ask me if I'm free next weekend; I'll spend all week wondering what that means, and then how I'd know it when the time comes.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:53 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:53 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's been hot AF here in Ontario for the past week and I am so over it, and I speak as a native Southerner.
posted by Kitteh at 6:14 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 6:14 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I met a microbiologist this week. He was much bigger than I would have thought.
blatantly stolen from elsewhere
posted by backseatpilot at 6:25 AM on August 8, 2022 [16 favorites]
blatantly stolen from elsewhere
posted by backseatpilot at 6:25 AM on August 8, 2022 [16 favorites]
Backseatpilot thank you - I needed that
posted by obfuscation at 6:39 AM on August 8, 2022
posted by obfuscation at 6:39 AM on August 8, 2022
I just joined an amateur autopsy club. Tuesday is "Open Mike Night."
posted by DreamerFi at 6:47 AM on August 8, 2022 [30 favorites]
posted by DreamerFi at 6:47 AM on August 8, 2022 [30 favorites]
I started HRT (estrogen) 10 days ago. Over the weekend, I bawled my eyes out watching episode 6 of The Sandman ("The Sound of Her Wings"). It's one of the best single issues of the comic, and it was just a perfect adaptation to TV. And then, of course, I realized that the hormones really truly were working, and I cried more.
Good crying.
posted by explosion at 7:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [13 favorites]
Good crying.
posted by explosion at 7:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [13 favorites]
In the past I have posted a lot of nasty drawings of a lot of nasty people here.
How about something completely different?
I also paint, and the paintings I do are very, very different from the portraits I have shown here.
That is all.
Facebook link
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 7:10 AM on August 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
How about something completely different?
I also paint, and the paintings I do are very, very different from the portraits I have shown here.
That is all.
Facebook link
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 7:10 AM on August 8, 2022 [7 favorites]
The word shouldn't be "camouflage".
It should be " ".
I was voted “Least likely to succeed” by my High School class.
I hate my teaching job.
posted by blob at 7:11 AM on August 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
It should be " ".
I was voted “Least likely to succeed” by my High School class.
I hate my teaching job.
posted by blob at 7:11 AM on August 8, 2022 [6 favorites]
Fruit in my orchard is often free, but the price is time.
I was intrigued by the idea of a black apricot in a catalog many years ago, bought a skinny little twig of a tree, and lo, behold, five years later today, I harvested four tiny, mostly purple skinned fruits. They are indeed beautiful.
posted by birdsongster at 8:08 AM on August 8, 2022 [15 favorites]
I was intrigued by the idea of a black apricot in a catalog many years ago, bought a skinny little twig of a tree, and lo, behold, five years later today, I harvested four tiny, mostly purple skinned fruits. They are indeed beautiful.
posted by birdsongster at 8:08 AM on August 8, 2022 [15 favorites]
....So. Huh.
The powers that be in my community garden have approached me to ask if I'm interested in being a co-chair. I'm a little uneasy about the title, but I'm probably doing a bunch of the duties involved already - so I've asked if maybe we can make that a "vice-chair" instead?
...The duties in question will probably be no more than Actually Showing Up And Doing Shit, and since I live precisely 55 seconds' walk from the garden (I timed it once) that shouldn't be an issue. But we'll see.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:26 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
The powers that be in my community garden have approached me to ask if I'm interested in being a co-chair. I'm a little uneasy about the title, but I'm probably doing a bunch of the duties involved already - so I've asked if maybe we can make that a "vice-chair" instead?
...The duties in question will probably be no more than Actually Showing Up And Doing Shit, and since I live precisely 55 seconds' walk from the garden (I timed it once) that shouldn't be an issue. But we'll see.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:26 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
I had a vice chair once, got me into all sorts of trouble.
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:30 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:30 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
I just won't stand for that sort of thing!
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:30 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:30 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Because it's FREE
some crunchy chunky gittar
lotsa hair
posted by winesong at 8:39 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
some crunchy chunky gittar
lotsa hair
posted by winesong at 8:39 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
We went to see Church of the Cosmic Skull last night, first time for indoor live music since the Before Times. They were amazing. See them live if you can!
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:01 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:01 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cool paintings, Phlegmco(tm) - I like the one with the drips + the bubbles.
(Also enjoy your vicious, Searlesque caricatures. Are they all in one place somewhere?)
posted by Rumple at 9:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
(Also enjoy your vicious, Searlesque caricatures. Are they all in one place somewhere?)
posted by Rumple at 9:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I was sick over the weekend and am now frantically finishing art essays for a client, so rewarding myself with breaks everytime I finish turning 300 words of art bosh into 100 words of still coherent art bosh.
I have decided to take up beading as yet-another-hobby, finding myself absolutely captivated by the modern beadwork appliques and embroideries of Native American artists, and dreaming of doing tiny weird appliques of things around me. There is a very stylized local beading thing which has a specific colour palette and beautiful work, but again also not that ethnic group, so I am wondering what I will end up making that feels mine.
I have also been commissioned by a small child to make a Hello Kitty applique first, so possibly that is all I will get done because beading is intense.
Here is a wolf piece I have been staring at all day in wonder.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 9:14 AM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
I have decided to take up beading as yet-another-hobby, finding myself absolutely captivated by the modern beadwork appliques and embroideries of Native American artists, and dreaming of doing tiny weird appliques of things around me. There is a very stylized local beading thing which has a specific colour palette and beautiful work, but again also not that ethnic group, so I am wondering what I will end up making that feels mine.
I have also been commissioned by a small child to make a Hello Kitty applique first, so possibly that is all I will get done because beading is intense.
Here is a wolf piece I have been staring at all day in wonder.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 9:14 AM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
thanks for sharing the art Phlegmco(tm) I got my art on yesterday! slowly finishing up a piece I started in the late Cretaceous or thereabouts...I didn't take a pic but maybe will get around to that and share later...
also I arted yesterday!! yay!! and did some yard work, and some reading. best type of Sunday. (and zucchini boats for dinner yum)
posted by supermedusa at 9:15 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
also I arted yesterday!! yay!! and did some yard work, and some reading. best type of Sunday. (and zucchini boats for dinner yum)
posted by supermedusa at 9:15 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I feel like I found it here on the blue (though I can't find the post) but I've been loving this podcast on the history of Western Literature. I really thought I'd only listen to one or two episodes but I'm on episode 42 now (finally at Roman lit!) and it's still just amazing. I listen while doing yard work, and it makes the work fly by.
posted by heyitsgogi at 9:43 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by heyitsgogi at 9:43 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
I completed an adventure game this past weekend called An Airport for Aliens Currently Run by Dogs. If anyone remembers the Tomb Raider shaggy dog story I posted awhile back, this game is by the writer of that Twitter thread, Xalavier Nelson Jr.
It is a very funny game, though a little repetitive, and it contains plenty of good boys and girls. If you do play it, please give the golden who runs the Toilet Paper and Banana Store extra pets for me.
posted by May Kasahara at 9:57 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
It is a very funny game, though a little repetitive, and it contains plenty of good boys and girls. If you do play it, please give the golden who runs the Toilet Paper and Banana Store extra pets for me.
posted by May Kasahara at 9:57 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
A sex worker comes up to me and says “Give me $20 and I’ll do anything you want.” “Here,” I say. “Paint my house.”
This joke brought to you by the partner of a man who is attempting to paint his entire two-story house left-handed, having hurt the shoulder on his dominant arm on Day One of the project.
And then, of course, I realized that the hormones really truly were working, and I cried more.
Huh! I knew mine was working when I didn’t feel like crying anymore! Although I’m taking it for perimenopausal issues and shouldn’t assume everyone who says “HRT” is (as many confusing Google search results have taught me). Now progesterone, that is a different deal altogether. I am taking it for ten days a month. Instant crying. I’m going to talk to the doctor about it. But overall HRT (maybe I should say MHT?) has been an absolute blessed miracle in my life. I feel SO GOOD. So good!
And I too have been getting my art on! I am at a point where I’m still so new that every time I finish a painting I have basically doubled my skill set, and it’s such a thrill. I’m amazed at how much better I am than I was two months ago. It’s great when other people think it’s good, but it’s really just kind of an extra—the main event is me marveling at myself.
posted by HotToddy at 10:00 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
This joke brought to you by the partner of a man who is attempting to paint his entire two-story house left-handed, having hurt the shoulder on his dominant arm on Day One of the project.
And then, of course, I realized that the hormones really truly were working, and I cried more.
Huh! I knew mine was working when I didn’t feel like crying anymore! Although I’m taking it for perimenopausal issues and shouldn’t assume everyone who says “HRT” is (as many confusing Google search results have taught me). Now progesterone, that is a different deal altogether. I am taking it for ten days a month. Instant crying. I’m going to talk to the doctor about it. But overall HRT (maybe I should say MHT?) has been an absolute blessed miracle in my life. I feel SO GOOD. So good!
And I too have been getting my art on! I am at a point where I’m still so new that every time I finish a painting I have basically doubled my skill set, and it’s such a thrill. I’m amazed at how much better I am than I was two months ago. It’s great when other people think it’s good, but it’s really just kind of an extra—the main event is me marveling at myself.
posted by HotToddy at 10:00 AM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
The bartender says, 'I can't believe you sold that frog so cheap. You could have made millions with it.' The man says, 'nah, the guinea pig is a ventriloquist.'
Jerry Reed turned that joke into a song in which he does musical impressions of other big name country music artists. Because it's a Jerry Reed song, Jerry loses in the end, but isn't dragged in front of a judge for once.
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:02 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Jerry Reed turned that joke into a song in which he does musical impressions of other big name country music artists. Because it's a Jerry Reed song, Jerry loses in the end, but isn't dragged in front of a judge for once.
posted by The_Vegetables at 10:02 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
I started listening to a SF audiodrama this week: Wolf 359. It's well-written, well-acted, and well-paced, with nice compact 25-minute episodes. In four days, I'm already up to episode 20. It's about the tiny crew on a very remote space station, who slowly realize that the people who sent them out there had maybe nefarious purposes, and the crew definitely doesn't have all the information they need to survive.
Recommended if you're into that sort of thing.
posted by suelac at 10:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Recommended if you're into that sort of thing.
posted by suelac at 10:03 AM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
This is probably only going to be good for today (August 8th) -
1. Pull up Google.com .
2. Do a search with "cat" as the single search string.
3. On the right side of the search results, you will see a box with pictures of cats - and you will also see an orange circle with a paw print in it. Click on that circle. Then click anywhere else you like on the screen.
You're welcome.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:12 AM on August 8, 2022 [18 favorites]
1. Pull up Google.com .
2. Do a search with "cat" as the single search string.
3. On the right side of the search results, you will see a box with pictures of cats - and you will also see an orange circle with a paw print in it. Click on that circle. Then click anywhere else you like on the screen.
You're welcome.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:12 AM on August 8, 2022 [18 favorites]
I keep meaning to post an Ask about other examples of the “free as in” construction that are (a) actually in use, and (2) equally self-explanatory. Free and open source software is often “free as in puppy,” for example (requiring a commitment to ongoing care and cleanup of messes), and “free as in piano” literally came up on Ask a few weeks ago (the thing itself is free, but it has negative value due to other acquisition costs). What else have people seen?
posted by fedward at 10:18 AM on August 8, 2022
posted by fedward at 10:18 AM on August 8, 2022
Click on that circle. Then click anywhere else you like on the screen.
Imma touch tha googly
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:20 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Imma touch tha googly
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:20 AM on August 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
Jessamyn recently made a comment about how she views her new job as head mefite and it made me laugh so I made tshirt and sent it to her (with her blessing).
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:44 AM on August 8, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 10:44 AM on August 8, 2022 [9 favorites]
I had been griping about the abysmal state of research into my rare diseas, finally got to the point where I can analyze the data on my own... and the data accompanying the antisense oligonucleotide paper that everyone was so excited about a few years ago is garbage. Absolute garbage.
posted by Soliloquy at 10:54 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Soliloquy at 10:54 AM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Does anyone enjoy being sweaty? There was a series of books I read years ago where the protagonist occasionally would describe some form of exercise and how it really got good when the sweat started. I hate sweat, always have, and am sweaty right now, which means grumpy, too.
posted by maxwelton at 12:39 PM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by maxwelton at 12:39 PM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
If I’m unavoidably sweaty while doing nothing because it’s so hot there nothing to be done, no that sucks. But sweaty during vigorous exercise I enjoy? Absolutely, love it.
posted by obfuscation at 12:45 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by obfuscation at 12:45 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Does anyone enjoy being sweaty?
Yes, I do. I enjoy humidity too!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on August 8, 2022
Yes, I do. I enjoy humidity too!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:48 PM on August 8, 2022
I am sure that eating Scotch Bonnet hot sauce would lead to sweating. Might be worth it, though.
posted by Bee'sWing at 12:57 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Bee'sWing at 12:57 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Does anyone enjoy being sweaty?
I paid to sit in a sauna yesterday, and was like, well, this isn't great. Then after ~15 min the sweating began, and I was like oh yeah that's the stuff.
posted by Gorgik at 1:01 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I paid to sit in a sauna yesterday, and was like, well, this isn't great. Then after ~15 min the sweating began, and I was like oh yeah that's the stuff.
posted by Gorgik at 1:01 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I walked around in the muddy riverbed at the northern end of the Savage River Reservoir yesterday. I never got near the water because the mud got too soft and squishy and I didn’t want to lose a shoe and/or break an ankle.
But it was really neato and I might go again before the weather cools off.
The area is so wide and flat and surrounded by mountains that it looks like an arena in Shadow of the Colossus.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:15 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
But it was really neato and I might go again before the weather cools off.
The area is so wide and flat and surrounded by mountains that it looks like an arena in Shadow of the Colossus.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:15 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Great site, thoroughburro! I'm going to peruse it for tips on making a smoked pepper sauce. I don't grow peppers, but I want to recreate a sauce that was made by the owner of a restaurant I used to go to in another city. I know it included garlic and "vegetables" (onions and garlic?) and had some smoke flavor, but that's about all. I tried making it once before but couldn't get the fermentation working. I'm ready to take another whack at it.
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:21 PM on August 8, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:21 PM on August 8, 2022
very exciting thoroughburro! we are growing some jalepenos and plan to pickle and maybe also playing around with making salsa. fun!
posted by supermedusa at 2:35 PM on August 8, 2022
posted by supermedusa at 2:35 PM on August 8, 2022
Fuck Trader Joe's. They opened a new store near me and I've applied for a p/t job there twice; once before they opened, and once since. Both times they declined to consider my application and there's still a big "Now hiring!" banner up. I guess there are lots of people better qualified than me to stack vegetables.
Also this weekend I went to a terrible cookout. THERE WAS NO BEER. I repeat: there was no beer. The hosts are known to be drinkers, so if it was BYOB, they forgot to tell us. Even worse, before I knew THERE WAS NO BEER I reached into a cooler to get one and someone says, "Hey, those are mine." NO SHARING. Jeezus god, it was the least hospitable cookout I've ever been to. (Why did we show up empty-handed? We didn't. We brought wine that we handed to the host and never saw again.)
posted by scratch at 3:49 PM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
Also this weekend I went to a terrible cookout. THERE WAS NO BEER. I repeat: there was no beer. The hosts are known to be drinkers, so if it was BYOB, they forgot to tell us. Even worse, before I knew THERE WAS NO BEER I reached into a cooler to get one and someone says, "Hey, those are mine." NO SHARING. Jeezus god, it was the least hospitable cookout I've ever been to. (Why did we show up empty-handed? We didn't. We brought wine that we handed to the host and never saw again.)
posted by scratch at 3:49 PM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
(Also enjoy your vicious, Searlesque caricatures. Are they all in one place somewhere?)
Rumple
Funny you should ask.
Here are some of them. I have other albums in my profile as well:-)
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 5:13 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Rumple
Funny you should ask.
Here are some of them. I have other albums in my profile as well:-)
posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 5:13 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I updated my family budget last night.
YTD Spending:
21.3% - Healthcare (insurance plus out-of-pocket)
18.7% - Savings
16.8% - Housing
No other category above 10%. Yes, I realize savings is not really spending, but since the money is not available for beer and concerts, I consider it "spent" for budgeting purposes.
That healthcare cost is not sustainable, especially since it's only going to go up as we keep getting older. And I have subsidized corporate insurance.
posted by COD at 5:19 PM on August 8, 2022
YTD Spending:
21.3% - Healthcare (insurance plus out-of-pocket)
18.7% - Savings
16.8% - Housing
No other category above 10%. Yes, I realize savings is not really spending, but since the money is not available for beer and concerts, I consider it "spent" for budgeting purposes.
That healthcare cost is not sustainable, especially since it's only going to go up as we keep getting older. And I have subsidized corporate insurance.
posted by COD at 5:19 PM on August 8, 2022
I've been following off-and-on Inside Russia, and it seems that he feels like things are really changing, and he's sort of freaking out a bit. Yesterday's Fear Is Growing [37m55s, with no chat just message, prayer at the end] was really hard to watch because he had so much he wanted to express and was feeling so bound up by what he feels allowed to say. Today's Big Brother Getting Bigger [~30m is the message, after that is chat responses] seems like he's had a chance to digest what he wants to say a bit better, and he lays out a groundwork for how things have changed in ways you won't expect.
posted by hippybear at 5:21 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 5:21 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I learned about the free WLED software that makes LEDs do fun things, and last week I soldered up a few LEDs with wires and flashed some Wemos D1 chips and suddenly I have Dancing Lights on my desk! The "Candle" animation on an 8-by-6 LED panel looks like a flickering fire when it's facing away from me, so before winter I might wire it up inside a decorative lantern for wintertime comfort. And so cheap when I shop on AliExpress!
posted by wenestvedt at 6:02 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:02 PM on August 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Nothing is free.
Even you typing that cost some energy expenditure across the inter webs.
posted by hippybear at 6:38 PM on August 8, 2022
Even you typing that cost some energy expenditure across the inter webs.
posted by hippybear at 6:38 PM on August 8, 2022
Yep, NOTHING is free;-)
Not only the energy cost, but I'm at (remote) work, so my employer has paid me to type these words and those above.
posted by dg at 7:27 PM on August 8, 2022
Not only the energy cost, but I'm at (remote) work, so my employer has paid me to type these words and those above.
posted by dg at 7:27 PM on August 8, 2022
The boss makes a dollar
While I make a dime
That's why I shit
On company time.
posted by hippybear at 7:28 PM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
While I make a dime
That's why I shit
On company time.
posted by hippybear at 7:28 PM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
Yes, I do. I enjoy humidity too!
I'm gonna need a negative favorite button.
In more serious news, I rescued a bunch of office plants that were near death and have been slowly and mostly successfully bringing them back to life. One of those plants is a crown of thorns, which is doing fine-ish even though someone was overwatering it and screwed it all up. My new method of putting it near the window and forgetting it is there is paying dividends, and I just happened to see this cool flower growing out of a flower on it. Neat-o!
posted by Literaryhero at 7:34 PM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm gonna need a negative favorite button.
In more serious news, I rescued a bunch of office plants that were near death and have been slowly and mostly successfully bringing them back to life. One of those plants is a crown of thorns, which is doing fine-ish even though someone was overwatering it and screwed it all up. My new method of putting it near the window and forgetting it is there is paying dividends, and I just happened to see this cool flower growing out of a flower on it. Neat-o!
posted by Literaryhero at 7:34 PM on August 8, 2022 [4 favorites]
Back in May, inspired by this post, I ordered a chiltepin pepper plant, but because the nursery had a minimum 6 plant order, i ended up with six different kinds of peppers, all growing (or struggling) on my partly-shaded balcony. The habanada plant is starting to show fruit! The chiltepin and others are starting to flower but no fruit yet.
In June, my dog (shown here on instagram stealing peas from a vine) died. He was a good little weirdo.
Today I put in an adoption application with a dog rescue organization. I'm not totally decided whether it's time to meet a new dog, but it couldn't hurt to apply, right?
posted by moonmilk at 8:08 PM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
In June, my dog (shown here on instagram stealing peas from a vine) died. He was a good little weirdo.
Today I put in an adoption application with a dog rescue organization. I'm not totally decided whether it's time to meet a new dog, but it couldn't hurt to apply, right?
posted by moonmilk at 8:08 PM on August 8, 2022 [5 favorites]
Sorry for your loss.
Losing a dog is about the worst thing that happens to us over and over. Why do we live longer than our good dogs…
We had to put down our best girl a few months ago. And now we have a new 3 month old puppy of terror. It’s awesome.
posted by Windopaene at 9:39 PM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Losing a dog is about the worst thing that happens to us over and over. Why do we live longer than our good dogs…
We had to put down our best girl a few months ago. And now we have a new 3 month old puppy of terror. It’s awesome.
posted by Windopaene at 9:39 PM on August 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
So the community garden powers that be say that yeah, we can call me a vice-chair, but it may be overall wiser to have a more parliamentary approach anyway. The chair was herself just sort of thrust into the position last year in an act of desperation ("Hi, I'm new and I wanna help!" "Oh THANK GOD we need someone to be the chair, you do it!" "....Uh....okay?") and things are a bit loose; so we may be better off with a group leadership model anyway, with each of us taking on Pet Projects and then regularly coming together to talk shop overall. I've already said that I'd totally be down for being in a steering committee there, no question.
As for what's growing in the garden...I stop over every day after work to check up on things, give my plot a shower and also water the group container tea garden. (I started that thing, it's my baby.) I lost two developing tomatoes when I got too aggressive re-staking the plant, but it's got two more brewing and the plant's growing further so I may get more. I also have the two Roma tomato plants and a cherry tomato bush that are brewing more things themselves. And the peppers are also coming along - the jalapeno gave me two peppers already, and it's got three more just about ready to pick - the wax pepper has a couple things brewing, and the bell pepper plants each have one pepper brewing. And - the eggplant which did nothing but sit in the soil for two months is finally starting to grow and put out new leaves, so I may get something out of it after all.
I've done the most with the tea garden - the mints need a lot of pruning, and once I took the trimmings and made a batch of fresh mint ice cream. And the lemon verbena got turned into two batches of this delicious canteloupe-and-lemon-verbena sorbet.
Now if we could somehow figure out a way to make it easier to pick the grapes off the community vine (I got a good quart this past weekend, but had to crawl behind one of the raised beds and under a rose bush to do so) we'd be in business.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:31 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
As for what's growing in the garden...I stop over every day after work to check up on things, give my plot a shower and also water the group container tea garden. (I started that thing, it's my baby.) I lost two developing tomatoes when I got too aggressive re-staking the plant, but it's got two more brewing and the plant's growing further so I may get more. I also have the two Roma tomato plants and a cherry tomato bush that are brewing more things themselves. And the peppers are also coming along - the jalapeno gave me two peppers already, and it's got three more just about ready to pick - the wax pepper has a couple things brewing, and the bell pepper plants each have one pepper brewing. And - the eggplant which did nothing but sit in the soil for two months is finally starting to grow and put out new leaves, so I may get something out of it after all.
I've done the most with the tea garden - the mints need a lot of pruning, and once I took the trimmings and made a batch of fresh mint ice cream. And the lemon verbena got turned into two batches of this delicious canteloupe-and-lemon-verbena sorbet.
Now if we could somehow figure out a way to make it easier to pick the grapes off the community vine (I got a good quart this past weekend, but had to crawl behind one of the raised beds and under a rose bush to do so) we'd be in business.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:31 AM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
EmpressCallipygos - have you considered picking grapes the way the hedgehog do?
posted by moonmilk at 7:42 AM on August 9, 2022
posted by moonmilk at 7:42 AM on August 9, 2022
Would that it were hedgehogs we've been seeing in the garden....
(In other possibly related news, we're going to be talking to the restaurant next door about going in on a second visit from the exterminator.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:57 AM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
(In other possibly related news, we're going to be talking to the restaurant next door about going in on a second visit from the exterminator.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:57 AM on August 9, 2022 [2 favorites]
More like a "martini", which differs from an actual martini in that it's a way for someone to just drink straight gin but look fancy / less like a hardened alcoholic....
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:43 PM on August 9, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:43 PM on August 9, 2022
"My job is to STFU and do paperwork" is how I think about my job too.
In other news, after like over a month of minor drama as to whether or not it could/would be able to happen, I am having the third date(?!) with the crush on Saturday after all. I'm not exactly expecting romance, but we'll see how it goes.* It involves a long car drive to the location and back and some interaction with my parental units (god help me) who provided the extra free tickets, but hopefully not TOO much of that last bit. Fingers crossed.
* Which is to say, hopefully not involving a trip to the ER this time. Though given the distance involved, I wouldn't rule out some kind of car trouble and/or traffic snafus. I note that I took mine to SpeeDee today and it got a full checkup and a metaphorical lollipop/IRL oil change. Traffic is likely to happen, but oh well...
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:28 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
In other news, after like over a month of minor drama as to whether or not it could/would be able to happen, I am having the third date(?!) with the crush on Saturday after all. I'm not exactly expecting romance, but we'll see how it goes.* It involves a long car drive to the location and back and some interaction with my parental units (god help me) who provided the extra free tickets, but hopefully not TOO much of that last bit. Fingers crossed.
* Which is to say, hopefully not involving a trip to the ER this time. Though given the distance involved, I wouldn't rule out some kind of car trouble and/or traffic snafus. I note that I took mine to SpeeDee today and it got a full checkup and a metaphorical lollipop/IRL oil change. Traffic is likely to happen, but oh well...
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:28 PM on August 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
This is the funniest thing that's happened to me in awhile.
I've been having intermittent problems with my car battery dying. I rarely drive and I've learned that it tends to discharge after a few months - or years - of not driving.
I've been shuttling it between the battery store and my mechanic over and over, trying to get the battery charged or the alternator checked or any answers as to why, even after I jump the battery with my little car-battery charger I have no power steering, no ABS, and all the dash warning lights are on.
After a 3-day ordeal trying to get AAA to tow the car from the battery store to the mechanic (another funny story there) so they could check it out, the mechanic called and said, "there's nothing wrong with your battery or your alternator, they're both fine." I was puzzled and the mechanic said they could do some more extensive testing and let me know if there was any unusual draw on my battery.
They called me after the testing and said, "there's no unusual draw, there's no reason that your battery would die so quickly." I said, "OK, I'm just trying to sell the thing, I'll pick it up tomorrow."
The mechanic called back less than an hour later and said, " we've been testing the wrong car. We have another Mazda3 here, same year and we've determined that both its alternator and its battery are great."
I ROFLd.
Today they actually tested my car and called to say that the battery/alternator in mine are in even better shape than the other 2012 Mazda3.
Today when I went in to pick it up I announced, "I'm here for a Mazda3, I don't care which one, they're all good!"
And when the guy pulled the car out of the garage he came into the waiting room and said, "Are you picking up the Mazda3?" I said, "I'm picking up A Mazda3." He said, "it's blue," and I said "I like blue," and drove off in my car.
posted by bendy at 7:49 PM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've been having intermittent problems with my car battery dying. I rarely drive and I've learned that it tends to discharge after a few months - or years - of not driving.
I've been shuttling it between the battery store and my mechanic over and over, trying to get the battery charged or the alternator checked or any answers as to why, even after I jump the battery with my little car-battery charger I have no power steering, no ABS, and all the dash warning lights are on.
After a 3-day ordeal trying to get AAA to tow the car from the battery store to the mechanic (another funny story there) so they could check it out, the mechanic called and said, "there's nothing wrong with your battery or your alternator, they're both fine." I was puzzled and the mechanic said they could do some more extensive testing and let me know if there was any unusual draw on my battery.
They called me after the testing and said, "there's no unusual draw, there's no reason that your battery would die so quickly." I said, "OK, I'm just trying to sell the thing, I'll pick it up tomorrow."
The mechanic called back less than an hour later and said, " we've been testing the wrong car. We have another Mazda3 here, same year and we've determined that both its alternator and its battery are great."
I ROFLd.
Today they actually tested my car and called to say that the battery/alternator in mine are in even better shape than the other 2012 Mazda3.
Today when I went in to pick it up I announced, "I'm here for a Mazda3, I don't care which one, they're all good!"
And when the guy pulled the car out of the garage he came into the waiting room and said, "Are you picking up the Mazda3?" I said, "I'm picking up A Mazda3." He said, "it's blue," and I said "I like blue," and drove off in my car.
posted by bendy at 7:49 PM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
This evening I sent an email to my boss, the owner of the construction co, who recently purchased a new building we will be moving into soon. In the email, I made a proposal to paint some large paintings for the office (actually, to draft some ideas for him to look at). It may have been crazy, since my usual process is not to finish painting projects, or not very often anyway. But, I painted a horse for his wife last year that went over extremely well. And I figured it was worth a shot. I am nervous he will say yes. But also, it would be pretty cool. Also quite stressful.
posted by Glinn at 8:35 PM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Glinn at 8:35 PM on August 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
Glinn: I don't know if this helps but the only way I finish anything is if I have a deadline. If you're being commissioned for paintings make sure you have a deadline.
posted by bendy at 9:03 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by bendy at 9:03 PM on August 10, 2022 [1 favorite]
Another backyard critter pic. This one isn't off the motion-activated game cam I have mounted on the porch downstairs, I took it in person in the back yard while having a staredown with a doe who wanted to munch the wrong bushes. I was prepared to look the other way while she was working on the salmonberries but when she headed for my neighbors' much cherished blueberry patch, just as the berries are getting ripe, I had to intervene. Except apparently I was not enough of a threat to cause her to flee.
Eventually I succeeded in dissuading her from the blueberries only by turning the hose on her. I can't help but feel I am not getting the appropriate amount of respect from visitors to my yard this season.
It's hard to get too worked up about it, though, because it was one of those magical Southeast Alaska days where the sky was the kind of deep blue we rarely get, the sun was bright, and there was just the right amount of lively breeze blowing in off the water. Perfect days are rare in most climates but especially so around here.
What's extra nice is that I am not currently answerable to anybody but myself and I feel like I accomplished quite a bit last week so I am not feeling the least bit guilty about taking it easy this week. Ah, summer..
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:05 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
Eventually I succeeded in dissuading her from the blueberries only by turning the hose on her. I can't help but feel I am not getting the appropriate amount of respect from visitors to my yard this season.
It's hard to get too worked up about it, though, because it was one of those magical Southeast Alaska days where the sky was the kind of deep blue we rarely get, the sun was bright, and there was just the right amount of lively breeze blowing in off the water. Perfect days are rare in most climates but especially so around here.
What's extra nice is that I am not currently answerable to anybody but myself and I feel like I accomplished quite a bit last week so I am not feeling the least bit guilty about taking it easy this week. Ah, summer..
posted by Nerd of the North at 9:05 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
I have found a new doctor. Both times I've seen her so far we went over my appointment time because we were having such a good conversation (about autism and gender identity).
I've really lucked out with finding a therapist and a GP who are knowledgeable about these things, and just as interested as I am.
I'm just so excited and happy to, at the age of 50,be discovering these huge fundamental things about myself. How did it take me so long to figure out I'm autistic?
How did I not realise that most people can deal with ignoring ambient noise so they can have a conversation? Most people can go into a coffee shop they've not been in before?
Maybe my childhood (and current) obsessions with halleys comet / cheetahs / aquariums / dolphins /dogs/ microscopes etc was a tiny clue?
Or the fact that I struggle to interact with more than one person at a time? That I used to shut down at parties, just stop talking and looking at people? That my right hand is constantly (and I mean constantly) twitching in time to whatever musical brainworm I've got going on?
Now, when I'm in a supermarket and feeling overwhelmed I conjure up a musical loop I enjoy, and just let my hand do its thing, dancing and tapping and shuffling my feet. It's so soothing and helps me cope with the sensory overwhelm.
It's a new experience making myself not care what others think.
The gender stuff is different. I've always known I'm what I am, it's just that now I have a (rather unsatisfactory) set of labels for it. Non binary? Gender fluid?
It's not been necessary for me to to be "out" before, but suddenly gender identity is a topic of dinner table conversation among my friends and I find myself wanting to "well, actually..."
posted by Zumbador at 9:29 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
I've really lucked out with finding a therapist and a GP who are knowledgeable about these things, and just as interested as I am.
I'm just so excited and happy to, at the age of 50,be discovering these huge fundamental things about myself. How did it take me so long to figure out I'm autistic?
How did I not realise that most people can deal with ignoring ambient noise so they can have a conversation? Most people can go into a coffee shop they've not been in before?
Maybe my childhood (and current) obsessions with halleys comet / cheetahs / aquariums / dolphins /dogs/ microscopes etc was a tiny clue?
Or the fact that I struggle to interact with more than one person at a time? That I used to shut down at parties, just stop talking and looking at people? That my right hand is constantly (and I mean constantly) twitching in time to whatever musical brainworm I've got going on?
Now, when I'm in a supermarket and feeling overwhelmed I conjure up a musical loop I enjoy, and just let my hand do its thing, dancing and tapping and shuffling my feet. It's so soothing and helps me cope with the sensory overwhelm.
It's a new experience making myself not care what others think.
The gender stuff is different. I've always known I'm what I am, it's just that now I have a (rather unsatisfactory) set of labels for it. Non binary? Gender fluid?
It's not been necessary for me to to be "out" before, but suddenly gender identity is a topic of dinner table conversation among my friends and I find myself wanting to "well, actually..."
posted by Zumbador at 9:29 PM on August 10, 2022 [2 favorites]
Zumbador - an actor friend of mine is going through some of the same stuff for different reasons; he recently saw a neurologist and just learned, in his late 40s, that he has had undiagnosed cerebral palsy his whole life. (Albeit a very mild case; it only affects one of his hands.) This was a total curve ball for everyone; I did a show with him and have hung out with him and his wife several times, and never noticed anything was amiss. He actually posted something on Facebook last year about how he has been "hiding a disability" all this time and how he was finally going to look into what was behind it, and everyone who commented (including me) said "shit, I had no idea." And...this was the diagnosis.
When he shared his diagnosis, the reactions were also fascinating - a lot of people were all sympathetic and said they were sorry for him, but his attitude was more like "oh, I'm fine, I'm more relieved I finally know why my left hand has been so weird all this time."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:02 AM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
When he shared his diagnosis, the reactions were also fascinating - a lot of people were all sympathetic and said they were sorry for him, but his attitude was more like "oh, I'm fine, I'm more relieved I finally know why my left hand has been so weird all this time."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:02 AM on August 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
Traffic is likely to happen, but oh well...
Updated to add HAHAHAHAHAHA, we just got offered MORE free tickets for another show for the same night, 2-ish hours away from the first show and at 7:30 (other one gets out around 4:45). Very technically if there's no traffic snafus we can make both if there's speeding and no time out for meals, so we're going to give it a shot, but we'll see...
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:13 PM on August 11, 2022
Updated to add HAHAHAHAHAHA, we just got offered MORE free tickets for another show for the same night, 2-ish hours away from the first show and at 7:30 (other one gets out around 4:45). Very technically if there's no traffic snafus we can make both if there's speeding and no time out for meals, so we're going to give it a shot, but we'll see...
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:13 PM on August 11, 2022
So last year my office decided to have a "summer barbecue" party. We weren't able to actually cook things, so they catered everything, but we still had a lively game on the basketball hoop and we rented a Mr. Softee truck and a popcorn machine for a couple hours and there was a cornhole tournament and it was so good that we had a couple of party crashers, even.
This year we got the permits to cook, so we decided to go even bigger. We bought life-sized lawn games, we bought a popcorn machine (I worked in a movie theater so I'm taking this over), the Mr. Softee truck is back, and two guys slept in their offices last night so they could man the smoker to smoke some pulled pork all night.
We eat in an hour and a half. My office is just above the door to the space outside where the smoker is going and it is starting to smell AMAZING in here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:43 AM on August 12, 2022
This year we got the permits to cook, so we decided to go even bigger. We bought life-sized lawn games, we bought a popcorn machine (I worked in a movie theater so I'm taking this over), the Mr. Softee truck is back, and two guys slept in their offices last night so they could man the smoker to smoke some pulled pork all night.
We eat in an hour and a half. My office is just above the door to the space outside where the smoker is going and it is starting to smell AMAZING in here.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:43 AM on August 12, 2022
I am of the opinion that all office barbecue events should have Jarts involved. Just to sort things out a bit.
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on August 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 10:20 AM on August 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
"You have insulted my TPS report!! I demand satisfaction. Jarts at dawn!"
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:41 AM on August 12, 2022
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:41 AM on August 12, 2022
i would like to report that national mine, michigan, near marquette, reported the year's first frost at 35 degrees this morning
posted by pyramid termite at 4:15 PM on August 12, 2022
posted by pyramid termite at 4:15 PM on August 12, 2022
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posted by Ghidorah at 4:26 AM on August 8, 2022