The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Jan 21)
Jan. 22nd, 2026 07:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spikedluvI switched my morning around and left home an hour later than usual. In that hour I put a chuck roast in the crock pot and did some online fandom things. I went with the Cinnamon Orange tea again this morning. Downtown I hit Price Chopper, then went to my chiropractic appointment.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
THEN I went to McD’s and got some writing done; ~700 words, which is less than the last couple days, but it’s not nothing, so \o/
I picked the dogs up on my way home (my winter schedule for picking up the dogs has been different than usual because I tend to not want to go back out and get them if it’s cold or snowy), where I put groceries away and walked them (I had on so many layers!).
I prepared lunch for all of us (including Midnight who was howling for more food – he’ll sometimes eat very little on a day, then be starving the next day, and apparently blaming me for it), though I planned to take mine with me.
I hit the post office and filled my gas tank on the way to visit mom (where I ate my lunch). When I got home I took the dogs for another walk (and fed Midnight yet again; apparently today was a day when he wanted all the food *g*).
I also did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes (why does it seem like dirty dishes just sort of keep appearing?), checked on Midnight’s dry food and water dishes (this is where I normally say ‘scooped kitty litter’, but there was nothing to scoop, probably because yesterday was a day he didn’t eat much), and paid a bill online. When Pip got home we went for another walk.
One nice thing was I received a set of tea bag coasters that I’d ordered. With sunflowers on them!! (I tried to link to them, but apparently they are sold out so it won’t even link to the item so I can show you.)
ETA: Forgot to mention that I watched one of my fave HGTV programs, Fixer to Fabulous!
Temps started out at 9.0(F) and dropped exactly 2 degrees to 7.0 before I left the house. The high I saw was 25.5. We had a tiny bit of snow late afternoon, big fat flakes, but not enough to accumulate, thankfully.
The bad news is that I’ve been concentrating on the low temperatures we’ll be having (overnight lows in the negatives and highs in single digits) and Pip informed me that we’re in for a big snow storm Sunday. 3-5" during the day, 3-5" overnight, and an additional 1-3" Monday. DNW!!!
Mom Update:
Mom was doing okay when I saw her. She was tired. And cold. She used a heavy blanket when she’s in her recliner, but I suggested she turn her heat up. (She has it set at 70, but her living room felt cool even to me, and I generally overheat.) She ate lunch while I was there. I got her mail and wrote out a check that I put back in the mailbox, stripped her bed, and brought home her laundry. I also opened one of her protein drinks, because I’m handy that way. *g*
She’s looking forward to company tonight, a woman she knows from the village who just recently found out that mom was sick. She called her yesterday to ask if she could come visit. So that’ll be nice for her.
ETA: I later learned that Sister A and Ian also visited her.
Interesting Links for 22-01-2026
Jan. 22nd, 2026 12:00 pmandrewducker- 1. Changing gender in the UK involves a legal declaration that you will live as the gender you are changing to. With legal consequences if you don't.
- (tags:law UK gender transgender LGBT )
- 2. Prolonged air pollution linked to increase of incurable muscle-wasting diseases
- (tags:pollution disease )
- 3. Six key takeaways from the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (cover-ups leading to patient deaths)
- (tags:scotland hospital OhForFucksSake death )
- 4. MAGA's 'Manifest Destiny' Coalition Has Arrived - "It's up to us to keep pushing for the orderly governance of the world via American imperialism"
- (tags:usa politics OhForFucksSake )
- 5. Comic-Con Bans AI Art After Artist Pushback
- (tags:ai art comics )
- 6. Anti-trans 'data vandalism' damages scientific research, study finds
- (tags:LGBT research bigotry transgender gender )
- 7. When the United Kingdom annexed a north Atlantic island (and what they might do with it)
- (tags:scotland uk politics history funny )
3 Sentence Ficathon, part three (all B5 fixit edition)
Jan. 21st, 2026 11:44 pmsholio9. More scenes from a Babylon 5 fixit AU.
I ended up doing a number of additional prompt fills from the same universe as this fill (#4 in the previous post, major series spoilers).
( 1000 words or so of fixit snippets from the same post-canon AU )
10. And while I'm keeping the spoiler stuff confined to its own post, another B5 spoiler fixit AU based off "War Without End."
( Under this cut here )
I ended up doing a number of additional prompt fills from the same universe as this fill (#4 in the previous post, major series spoilers).
( 1000 words or so of fixit snippets from the same post-canon AU )
10. And while I'm keeping the spoiler stuff confined to its own post, another B5 spoiler fixit AU based off "War Without End."
( Under this cut here )
Community Thursdays
Jan. 22nd, 2026 12:15 amysabetwordsmithThis year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...
* Posted "How to Restart When You've Fallen Off Your Goals" in![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
goals_on_dw.
* Continued checking and responding to Wishlist posts insnowflake_challenge. See my Granting Wishes post.
* Made my 3 nominations for the Rose and Bay Awards: Other Project incrowdfunding. Nominations are still open through January, so if you haven't made yours yet, we could sure use more! Boost your favorite crowdfunded projects and patrons from 2025.
* Posted "How to Restart When You've Fallen Off Your Goals" in
goals_on_dw. * Continued checking and responding to Wishlist posts in
snowflake_challenge. See my Granting Wishes post.* Made my 3 nominations for the Rose and Bay Awards: Other Project in
crowdfunding. Nominations are still open through January, so if you haven't made yours yet, we could sure use more! Boost your favorite crowdfunded projects and patrons from 2025.
Links: Minnesota general strike, and how to help
Jan. 21st, 2026 10:04 pmsoniaThere is a general strike called for Friday January 23 in Minnesota. Stay home from work if it feels right, and definitely don't cross any picket lines, including the electronic ones of shopping at big corporations like Amazon, etc. (if you can avoid it).
From my union:
"This is a verified page fundraising support for the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and Working Partnerships' 2026 rapid response effort to meet the needs of impacted union members, worker center members, and their families..."
https://workingpartnerships.betterworld.org/campaigns/support-impacted-union-families
Here is how you can help:
Posts bynaomikritzer
How to help if you are outside Minnesota.
She covers a variety of topics, including how to start preparing for if and when this shit comes to your home state, and the suggestion to talk About immigration, and make it clear you think it’s GOOD.
If you are in Minnesota.
From my union:
"This is a verified page fundraising support for the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO and Working Partnerships' 2026 rapid response effort to meet the needs of impacted union members, worker center members, and their families..."
https://workingpartnerships.betterworld.org/campaigns/support-impacted-union-families
Here is how you can help:
Posts by
naomikritzerHow to help if you are outside Minnesota.
She covers a variety of topics, including how to start preparing for if and when this shit comes to your home state, and the suggestion to talk About immigration, and make it clear you think it’s GOOD.
If you are in Minnesota.
How to Restart When You've Fallen Off Your Goals
Jan. 22nd, 2026 12:14 amysabetwordsmith posting in goals_on_dwHOW TO RESTART WHEN YOU’VE FALLEN OFF YOUR GOALS
If you’ve fallen off your goals, welcome to being a real person.
It happens to everyone, including the women who look like they have it all together. The difference is not that they “never fall off.” The difference is that they restart faster.
If you’ve fallen off your goals, welcome to being a real person.
It happens to everyone, including the women who look like they have it all together. The difference is not that they “never fall off.” The difference is that they restart faster.
Superpowers
Jan. 21st, 2026 10:49 pmysabetwordsmithIn this case, gizmology and super-intellect. I went to high school with guys like this.
Poem: "A Scarf of Stars"
Jan. 21st, 2026 10:29 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills "The Milky Way" square in my 1-1-25 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest. It has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred.
"A Scarf of Stars"
In winter,
on a moonless night,
the Milky Way shimmers
like a scarf of stars
wound around
night's black neck.
fuzzyred."A Scarf of Stars"
In winter,
on a moonless night,
the Milky Way shimmers
like a scarf of stars
wound around
night's black neck.
Art
Jan. 21st, 2026 09:53 pmysabetwordsmithpattrose made fanart for Love Is For Children as part of the snowflake_challenge. :D ( Read more... )
Just books
Jan. 21st, 2026 09:58 pmcornerofmadnessbecause no one, not even me, cares that the heat is almost out again at work. Dad's like you've been saying this for a decade. Because it's true every winter. Let's never fix a thing at my school.
Though yesterday was strange. I was walking in the hall of my building when a young lady says 'I love your hair.' I thank her, pleased. 3 seconds later....was she on the phone with someone else? she's not one of MY students. Why did she say that? My hair is awful. Literally my entire life I was bullied for what my hair was like. I find it hard to accept praise for it.
Also I'm on a fanfic reading hiatus until I clear off the half dozen library holds.
What I Just Finished Reading:
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Vampire Hunting - hated this
Queen in Comics! By Emmanuel Marie - not a bad prose/graphic novel mix little bio. How, I don't know, but I had no idea Freddie was raised in the Zoasterian faith
Werewolf at Dusk and other Stories - David Small - three short stories, illustrated by Small.
What I am Currently Reading:
A Curious Kind of Magic - so far an interesting not-quite-cozy mystery
Sugar and Vice - oh look another baker cozy mystery, this one set in Florida. Even with the eye rollingly stereotypical amateur sleuth this is sort of fun.
What I Plan to Read Next: La Grand Familia and Zombie Day Care and the library books including one on Sally Ride and one Alison Bechdel who did Fun House. I hope this is better than that thing. (I needed a book about a character who does pilates. This graphic novel has that)
Though yesterday was strange. I was walking in the hall of my building when a young lady says 'I love your hair.' I thank her, pleased. 3 seconds later....was she on the phone with someone else? she's not one of MY students. Why did she say that? My hair is awful. Literally my entire life I was bullied for what my hair was like. I find it hard to accept praise for it.
Also I'm on a fanfic reading hiatus until I clear off the half dozen library holds.
What I Just Finished Reading:
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Vampire Hunting - hated this
Queen in Comics! By Emmanuel Marie - not a bad prose/graphic novel mix little bio. How, I don't know, but I had no idea Freddie was raised in the Zoasterian faith
Werewolf at Dusk and other Stories - David Small - three short stories, illustrated by Small.
What I am Currently Reading:
A Curious Kind of Magic - so far an interesting not-quite-cozy mystery
Sugar and Vice - oh look another baker cozy mystery, this one set in Florida. Even with the eye rollingly stereotypical amateur sleuth this is sort of fun.
What I Plan to Read Next: La Grand Familia and Zombie Day Care and the library books including one on Sally Ride and one Alison Bechdel who did Fun House. I hope this is better than that thing. (I needed a book about a character who does pilates. This graphic novel has that)
Snow
Jan. 21st, 2026 08:11 pmysabetwordsmithmoonhare posted a lovely picture of snow, and a very amusing still life of "Snow Predicted." It got me thinking that occasions would make a great theme for still life in general.good news: health
Jan. 21st, 2026 08:01 pmredbirdThere's more evidence that the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of Alzheimer's disease: two more natural experiments (in which people were offered the vaccine based on date of birth or where they lived). One of them comparED the older Zostavax vaccine with the newer Shingrix: https://erictopol.substack.com/p/spotlight-on-the-shingles-vaccineagain
As the blogger, Eric Topol says, "If this vaccine was a drug and reduced Alzheimer’s by 20%, it would be considered a major breakthrough for helping to prevent the disease! But as a vaccine, it hasn't reached any sense of being a blockbuster"
As the blogger, Eric Topol says, "If this vaccine was a drug and reduced Alzheimer’s by 20%, it would be considered a major breakthrough for helping to prevent the disease! But as a vaccine, it hasn't reached any sense of being a blockbuster"