tag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607Serene of the Oakland SerenesIntrovert. Hippychick. Freak.serene2022-03-20T15:41:10Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1425540Spring!2022-03-20T15:41:10Z2022-03-20T15:41:10Z"She Used To Be Mine" earwormmellowpublic8My mom loved to say <cite>Spring is sprung, the grass is riz. I wonder where the flowers is?</cite> <br /><br />Pretty sure she was quoting a song or poem or something, but it will always be hers to me.<br /><br />Equinox was a few minutes ago as I'm writing this. I made eggs and spinach and potatoes for breakfast, and I may do nothing else all day. Or I may tackle my list.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1425540.html#cutid1">Cut for boring list</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />My dad wants some help with his website at 1. Other than that, if I don't want to do anything today, I don't gotta. I can just relax, try to figure out today's Semantle, and take the day as she comes.<br /><br />Happy Spring, y'all!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1425540" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1424941Small-town Saturday2022-02-12T20:07:34Z2022-02-12T20:08:28Zhappypublic4Most stuff in our small town isn't open every day. Lots and lots of places are Wednesday-through-Saturday. Many places are Saturday-only (or Wednesday-only, or by-appointment-only). Most places are closed Sunday. Most places are open Saturday.<br /><br />So Saturdays are the days we wander around, with James getting to mostly decide where we're going. And Sundays are the day we putter around the house.<br /><br />Today has been lovely so far. Let's see if I can remember the places we hit.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424941.html#cutid1">Much detail</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fekZDLlM93ZQL7oT1uMu_eZDEODSznKURDNHOu3e1JOPY32FdAnWHpUxu5AyGPPfPWbIzZrZgySILclifO9ptKl9faXY387vQJWmsiWk3Do2XnsFjMWqBpKlMqYr0pg8r0V74Q7DpeMdjjLALb46xgFqDUKKZH3Ga7j_fbU5zSAcDK1eZIejawfOZwZGd-pv864LkgTTOVEdzku7aK1JzMAkP63oXI2f0aLkaTshjDCIz8TAh30GN_iDUnOJJVamZcPoj5rBouXmudeLuu5LWFd9jH7K-sOtmbhrV9REniMzUD4QD-bGgTPVGl8viTWcPN-JkK1Mk5j5gB2NymcskxsVwj-NH2QANTk-gXZQ6AtMyV6lagVNnQYsLJbWFs-kfxEGWCnlWnzRtCNsUcLv6zQ9_vA5MwYpQ5Zyy2N4MZFIQG_PCSDdXD8Z3FfZfFLI0J9_tYtBfbmV36ZD3av0_mD4jIESIFgloSUhuvAuGSqW-1PY8Vo4ckCHbDCv8mvcpHOvtlYb_jmdo7JrBX-zO3-3qrq7SsM2oHdzH4Wco9e9GfUgO16kk8arZRf0pp36wcY9JGvxnb0B-Nd7pjM4isKyQrT9MkXzetAGuGIPZeX2X2Q5-6uSJ-I84UygTHcj8ydRdy5pAH4Xb76GivEyxDYhvdVoXhBwRth6KGATlTsokrgCCWwQXRGKGZ-gF0fP106vh_iN09q-PiAwgqo4ln4u=w1239-h929-no?authuser=0" alt="Stack of books, mostly cookbooks and a ukelele book" /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424941.html#cutid2">And THEN...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />And now I am sitting here, well-fed, well-exercised, and so happy to be where we are. Hope you all are well!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1424941" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1424787CN: Food2022-02-12T02:29:44Z2022-02-12T02:29:44Z"Least Complicated" earwormgratefulpublic13<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424787.html#cutid1">CN: Food</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1424787" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1424391So much happening!2022-02-11T04:15:16Z2022-02-11T04:18:03ZAntiques Roadshowhelplesspublic7I have fallen into the habit of posting my updates on Twitter/Facebook even though I prefer this place to those, in theory. Not sure what that's about, especially since there are enough family members and co-workers on Facebook that it keeps me from posting anything with any depth most of the time. And on the gripping hand (h/t Aahz, may his memory be a blessing), I don't get deep all that often these days.<br /><br />Anyway, lots and lots has happened since I was here last. Still miss my mom so hard that it's sometimes hard to move past it, but there are real patches of joy now, and that wasn't really the case at first.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424391.html#cutid1">House</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424391.html#cutid2">New Mexico</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424391.html#cutid3">Work</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424391.html#cutid4">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1424391.html#cutid5">Family</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Anyhow, there's a lot happening, and I want to share that with you, and to return to keeping an online journal if I can manage to find the follow-through to do that.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1424391" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1424323A poem2021-04-06T04:35:40Z2021-04-06T04:35:40Znostalgicpublic5The Last Vacation<br /><br />I picked you up that day,<br />after work,<br />the summer swelter bending the air<br />melting our hair,<br />our resolve<br />to keep trying <br />at least until September,<br />at least until then.<br /><br />I remember that trip in flashes,<br />the past a travelogue of our journey,<br />the aerial tramway a cheesy metaphor in the making,<br />too high and too scary for me,<br />but I took it anyway.<br />That's the story I tell most often;<br />the one about how I faced my fears.<br />You were on the tram. You do not appear in the story<br />when I tell it,<br /><br />and if you tell the story—<br />do you tell the story?—<br />you could tell them about the swimming pool<br />in the lesbian-owned hotel,<br />where you nearly drowned,<br />and I didn't even notice,<br />until it was almost too late.<br /><br />In the desert that summer,<br />we tried to outrun the sadness,<br />we honestly did,<br />with all the lust inside us,<br />with all the goodwill our friends<br />couldn't understand,<br />even as many times as we said the word<br />"amicable."<br /><br />Weeks later, when we both knew it was over,<br />I started to say "At least--"<br />And you pinched your mouth into a white line.<br />"Don't you dare. Don't you dare say,<br />'At least we had Palm Springs.'"<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1424323" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1424111Happy birthday, pameladean!2021-01-18T15:41:29Z2021-01-18T15:41:29Zpublic1Your books and your presence have made my world better, and I thank you. (Typo: I think you, which yes, I suppose so.)<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1424111" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1423633Days 25 through 30 of 312020-12-31T04:18:51Z2020-12-31T04:18:51Z"When He Sees Me" earwormtiredpublic1<strong>25 If you could receive a $1000 gift card from any store, which would you choose?</strong><br /><br />Zion market (pan-Asian, chiefly Korean, grocery store nearish me)<br /><br /><strong>26 It’s Thank You Note Day/Boxing Day. Do you write hand-written thank-you notes or do you thank people for gifts in some other way?</strong><br /><br />I don't receive a lot of gifts (because people who know me know I don't require them), but I do love and appreciate receiving gifts, and aim to send handwritten thank-yous for them when I get them.<br /><br /><strong>27 No matter what holidays you do (or do not) celebrate, do you have a good recipe for leftovers? Post it!</strong><br /><br />I have a couple: <br /><br />The day after every "roast holiday" we have hash, but it's not a strict recipe. I dice onions and potatoes in a tiny dice, then fry them up with tiny dices of whatever meat was roasted, butter, salt, pepper. Cook on medium low stirring infrequently until it's crisp and mostly cohesive. I like mine with a fried egg and usually a bit of sriracha. James likes his with ketchup.<br /><br />Leftover rice always gets turned into fried rice for breakfast, preferably kimchi fried rice, but if there's no kimchi (or no bacon), then just garlic fried rice. Again, I like this with a fried-in-sesame-oil egg and a squirt of sriracha.<br /><br /><strong>28 Do you usually make a special effort to thank someone who does you a favor? How do you react when you aren't thanked for going out of your way for someone?</strong><br /><br />I might make a little too big of a deal out of thanking people when they are nice to me, because it is very hard for me to accept that without making a big deal of it. I don't worry too much about being thanked myself, but sometimes I do notice and wonder if I should say something; I rarely do. My mom always said "give without remembering and receive without forgetting" and I have some of that ingrained in me, modulo my terrible long-term memory.<br /><br /><strong>29 Would you rather your life have a rewind button or a pause button?</strong><br /><br />Rewind.<br /><br /><strong>30 If you could change one bad habit you have, what would it be?</strong><br /><br />Oh, geeze, only one? Hmm. Let's say I would be better at keeping in touch with people I care about.<br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1423633.html#cutid1">All 31 questions if you want them</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1423633" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1421425Days 23 and 24 of 312020-12-25T03:27:51Z2020-12-25T03:28:29Zdepletedpublic1<strong>23 Do you think you will be making any New Year’s resolutions in January?</strong><br /><br />I don't make resolutions, but I am starting <a href="http://www.100rejections.com">a new project</a> on January 1st that will presumably last the whole year, so it's kind of the same.<br /><br /><strong>24 Do you prefer to receive money/gift cards or an actual gift?</strong><br /><br />An actual gift, even if it's super-cheap, free, homemade, or intangible. Even when I was dirt-broke, I felt this way. Money feels practical to me, and it's not a bad gift. I do appreciate it and all, but it isn't exciting in the way that something someone makes/does/buys especially for me is.<br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1421425.html#cutid1">All 31 questions if you want them</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1421425" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1421210Day 22 of 312020-12-22T17:33:17Z2020-12-22T17:33:17Z"Down by the River" (Indigo Girls)coldpublic0<strong>22. Are you a “peeker” about gifts, or do you prefer to be surprised?</strong><br /><br />Don't care. I love giving and receiving gifts, and I am TRULY TERRIBLE at keeping secrets, so I don't expect anyone else to, either.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1421210.html#cutid1">All 31 days if you want to play along</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1421210" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1420917Monthlies2020-12-21T20:39:18Z2020-12-21T20:39:34Znonemehpublic1Via <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://hobbitbabe.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://hobbitbabe.dreamwidth.org/'><b>hobbitbabe</b></a></span>: "<span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://redbird.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://redbird.dreamwidth.org/'><b>redbird</b></a></span> reminded me of the old LJ custom of listing the first line of the first post of each month, as a way to summarize the year."<br /><br />(Note: I'm ignoring intro remarks.)<br /><br />January: None<br /><br />February: None<br /><br />March: Thanks for the update.<br /><br />April: Some of us who are disabled and/or fat are worried we'll be denied access to scarce medical resources during the pandemic.<br /><br />May: On May 4th and 5th, mom and I planted a bunch of stuff in a square-foot-gardening box, and I'm going to start keeping a plant diary here.<br /><br />June: None<br /><br />July: None<br /><br />August: None<br /><br />September: My mind is all over the place today.<br /><br />October: Most days are... okay? <br /><br />November: Dear Momma Duck, Six weeks.<br /><br />December: Dear Momma Duck, I don't want to tell you about the details of my week.<br /><br />Well, that was depressing. But accurate.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1420917" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1420557Days 19-21 of 312020-12-21T19:52:10Z2020-12-21T19:52:10ZClassic holiday music station on YouTube Musicokaypublic0Later today, I will write a little about what's up with me and people I care about. Now, though, memeage.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1420557.html#cutid1">31 Days of December</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1420557.html#cutid2">All 31 if you want to play along</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1420557" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1420377Days 12-18 of 312020-12-18T17:02:52Z2020-12-18T17:02:52ZLinus and Lucyready for a breakpublic2<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1420377.html#cutid1">The 31 questions of December</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1420377.html#cutid2">All the questions if you want to play along</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1420377" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1420272Day 11 of 312020-12-11T22:23:15Z2020-12-11T22:23:15Z"Least Complicated" earwormtired but goodpublic111. If you could live in any TV show, which one would you choose?<br /><br />The West Wing, where the leaders are flawed, but both well-meaning and generally competent.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1420272.html#cutid1">12-31 if you want to follow along</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1420272" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1419982Goodness knows, I love a survey2020-12-11T03:34:00Z2020-12-11T04:07:52Zmellowpublic6I want to write, but I don't wanna think hard, as it's been a long and thinky day, so this survey from <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://julian.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://julian.dreamwidth.org/'><b>julian</b></a></span> via <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://wordweaverlynn.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://wordweaverlynn.dreamwidth.org/'><b>wordweaverlynn</b></a></span> looks to be just the thing. I think they're supposed to be done 1 per day, but I'm 10 days late, so here we go with the first 10.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419982.html#cutid1">Cut for length -- 31 Questions for December</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419982.html#cutid2">11 through 31 if you want to play along</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1419982" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1419494Wednesday on Wednesday, go figure2020-11-26T05:20:35Z2020-11-26T05:21:50ZForged In Fire in the backgroundtired but contentedpublic0Taking <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://kaberett.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://kaberett.dreamwidth.org/'><b>kaberett</b></a></span>'s lead and adding Cooking and Growing to this list.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid1">Reading</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid2">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid3">Playing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid4">Listening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid5">Watching</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___6" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid6">Cooking</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___6" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___7" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1419494.html#cutid7">Growing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___7" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1419494" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1418696Wednesday media consumption thingy2020-11-11T16:30:29Z2020-11-11T16:33:23Z"6 Inch" earwormblahpublic2<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1418696.html#cutid1">Reading</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1418696.html#cutid2">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1418696.html#cutid3">Playing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1418696.html#cutid4">Listening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1418696.html#cutid5">Watching</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1418696" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1417828Thursday is the new Wednesday2020-11-05T16:42:11Z2020-11-05T16:43:19Z"Little Dive Bar in Dahlonega" earwormtiredpublic6This is the first week I've felt mostly functional since mom died. Not doing a ton of reading/watching/etc., but more than I was.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417828.html#cutid1">Reading</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417828.html#cutid2">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417828.html#cutid3">Playing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417828.html#cutid4">Listening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417828.html#cutid5">Watching</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1417828" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1417207Wednesday media consumption thing2020-10-29T01:32:16Z2020-10-29T01:32:16Z"Alexander Hamilton" earwormhappy enoughpublic0Disclaimer: I have the attention span of a gnat lately, so anything I'm not super into may just be a function of my brain and not a statement on its quality.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417207.html#cutid1">Reading</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417207.html#cutid2">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417207.html#cutid3">Playing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417207.html#cutid4">Listening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1417207.html#cutid5">Watching</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1417207" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1416617Joyful things2020-10-25T01:57:59Z2020-10-25T02:00:08Z"Grow as we Go," Ben Plattokaypublic1I have cried a lot today, but there are joyful things, so that's what I'll focus on.<br /><br />In no particular order: <br /><br /><ul><br /><li> <a href="https://www.dodgepoetryfestival.org/">Dodge Poetry Festival</a> is online this year</li><br /><li> Work paid for me to go to <a href="https://a2mend.net/compounded-oppression-sisters-circle/">Compounded Oppression: Sister’s Circle</a> today</li><br /><li> Takeout Chinese food (we don't eat out much; joy is joy)</li><br /><li> We signed mortgage papers this week. Okay, I signed, but we own the house. Almost*. I am still in shock that I'm a person people will lend six figures to. Of course, I have an inherited house, so this is not purely because my credit, which used to be abysmal, is now what the mortgage person called "a solid B+/A-." It's also because the amount they're lending me is less than half what the house is worth.</li><br /><li> Tomorrow, I'm planning to go pick up the dim sum that we were going to have for my birthday (my mom went into the hospital that day so we postponed it until she could join us and she never came home), take it over to the outside mall near the kid's house, and eat it with her outside. It will be suboptimal, but it will be as great as things can be right now, and that's okay.</li><br /><li> I wrote some poetry and short fiction that I really like this week and last week, and that makes me happy.</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><br /><br />* My mom left me the house in trust. I have the option to not include it in community property in my state, but my mom made it as easy as possible for me to deal with the house when she died; I want to do the same for James and the kid. My brother (the trustee/executor) has been really busy, so he hasn't done the paperwork on the property transfer yet, but the mortgage guy is going to help, so that should happen fairly quickly now. We hope.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1416617" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1416347I don't know how long it's been...2020-10-21T16:48:50Z2020-10-21T16:52:47Z"If I Were Brave," Shawn Colvinnumbpublic8...since I did one of these Wednesday things. Hmm, let's see. Disclaimer: I have the attention span of a gnat lately, so anything I'm not super into may just be a function of my brain and not a statement on its quality.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1416347.html#cutid1">Reading</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___2" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1416347.html#cutid2">Writing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___2" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___3" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1416347.html#cutid3">Playing</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___3" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___4" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1416347.html#cutid4">Listening</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___4" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___5" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1416347.html#cutid5">Watching</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___5" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1416347" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1415482Friday Five on Saturday2020-10-10T18:27:58Z2020-10-11T13:48:04Ztik tok earworm: chicken wingsblankpublic0Via <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://redbird.dreamwidth.org/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[personal profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://redbird.dreamwidth.org/'><b>redbird</b></a></span>, who says "via various people, details of phrasing via <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=kazzanos'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png' alt='[profile] ' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='https://www.dreamwidth.org/profile?user=kazzanos'><b>kazzanos</b></a></span>."<br /><br /><strong>1) What is the oldest thing you own?</strong><br /><br />Not counting some fossils? Either a bracelet that belonged to my grandmother (if I still own it; haven't seen it in a while) or a glass dish of hers that may or may not be older than a couple photos I have of my mother and her family of origin from the 1930s. I think James probably owns some books that are older than that, but I probably don't.<br /><br /><strong>2) What is the oldest home you've lived in?</strong><br /><br />No idea, but this one was built in 1948/9, and I lived in a Victorian in the 1990s that seemed really old at the time.<br /><br /><strong>3) What is the oldest book you've read?</strong><br /><br />I've read bits of the Egyptian Book of the Dead, but read all the way through? Probably Beowulf or the Bible.<br /><br /><strong>4) What is the oldest electronic device that you still use?</strong><br /><br />I'm hard on stuff, so it doesn't stick around that long. Probably my phone, which is a few years old. <br /><br /><strong>5) What is the oldest work of art/architecture that you've seen?</strong><br /><br />Likely most of the stuff I saw when I lived in Spain (grades 4 through 7, lots of field trips to castles and museums) was older than anything I've seen in the US. I remember some frescos vaguely; lots of castles; lots of religious iconography. OH, wait. I saw/held an ancient statue similar to the Venus of Willendorf in an anthropology class once.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1415482" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1415011Status: holding2020-10-01T16:37:47Z2020-10-01T16:37:47Zsadpublic10<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://serene.dreamwidth.org/1415011.html#cutid1">CN: grief and boring paperwork</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1415011" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1414803Mom2020-09-23T03:15:03Z2020-09-23T03:15:03Zdumb pop music earwormlostpublic25My mom passed away this morning. I have never had a day that didn't have her in it. I am numb and sad and fine and scared and confident she would find some amusement (the dark kind) in the fact that she died from a mystery ailment and not the fucking coronavirus.<br /><br />There will be no services. If you want to honor my mom, find something you're not using anymore, and give it to someone who needs/wants it. That was her way, and she would get a kick out of that.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1414803" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1413850Meme from the gorgeous and talented wordweaverlynn2020-09-16T03:01:43Z2020-09-16T03:01:43Z"Rene and Georgette Magritte" earwormtired and sad but okaypublic2Answer each category with a SONG TITLE. No repeats and don’t use the internet (it's tempting but try not to). Go with the first song that comes to mind, change my answers to your own (can’t steal mine), and repost.<br /><br />Something To Wear - Itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, yellow polka-dot bikini<br />Something To Drink - Black coffee in bed (Squeeze)<br />A Place - Oklahoma (Rodgers & Hammerstein)<br />A Food - Chocolate Cake (Crowded House)<br />An Animal - Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog After the War (Paul Simon)<br />A Color - Blue (Joni Mitchell)<br />A Girl’s Name - Louise (Bonnie Raitt)<br />A Boy’s Name - A Boy Named Sue (Johnny Cash)<br />Profession - Fishing (Richard Shindell)<br />Day of the Week - Manic Monday (Bangles)<br />A Vehicle - Take me for a ride in your car-car (Peter, Paul, and Mary)<br /><br />Your turn!<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1413850" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-13:51607:1413178Fundraiser for Al's memorial2020-09-09T15:47:44Z2020-09-09T15:47:44Zpublic0There's <a href="https://gf.me/u/yxg9sb">a fundraiser</a> for <span style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif' alt='[livejournal.com profile] ' style='vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' width='17' height='17'/></a><a href='http://mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com/'><b>mac_arthur_park</b></a></span>'s memorial service, if you can afford to help and want to.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=serene&ditemid=1413178" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments