Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics with emotional mayhem. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes traumatic loss, traumatic stress, supporting character death, a crying man, an inept messenger, reference to past losses, upset baby super-intellect, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before deciding if this is something you want to read.
US forces struck multiple military and civilian targets in Caracas and nearby cities, and captured Maduro. Here’s what we know at this point.
Sovereign countries are not supposed to violate each other's borders or leadership, outside of properly declared war; and that's largely about defense because war of aggression is also forbidden at this time. But people have largely quite caring about those rules, which is a growing problem.
Some more random excerpts from the script books, currently going through season 2.
(At the present time, I've taken pictures of pages in the book and haven't transcribed it. Sorry for lack of legibility/accessibility! I will try to type them up later.)
Like prying open a crypt, even the narrowest crack of the lid released a sharp, mellifluous tang, potent enough to make your eyes water. (Jennifer Hope Choi, No Vacation Is Complete Without a Cooler Full of Gimbap, Chicago Reader, August 2020)
But above all, and to give a bacchanalian grace to this truly masculine repast, the captain produced his mellifluous keg of home-brewed nectar, which had been so potent over the senses of the veteran of Hudson's Bay. (Washington Irving, The Adventures of Captain Bonneville)
At the same moment the door of the room below opened, and the captain's mellifluous bass notes floated upstairs, charged with the customary stimulant to his wife's faculties. (Wilkie Collins, No Name)
(click to enlarge)
Origin: early 15c, 'sweet as honey, pleasing, sweetly or smoothly flowing' (of an odor, a style of speaking or writing, etc), from Late Latin mellifluus 'flowing with (or as if with) honey,' from Latin mel (genitive mellis) 'honey' (related to Greek meli 'honey;' from PIE root melit- 'honey') + -fluus 'flowing,' from fluere 'to flow' (Online Etymology Dictionary)
Mellifluous comes from two Latin roots: the noun mel, meaning 'honey', and the verb fluere, meaning 'to flow'. These linguistic components flowed smoothly together into the Late Latin word mellifluus, then continued on into the Middle English word mellyfluous, before crystallizing into the adjective we employ today. As it has for centuries, mellifluous typically and figuratively describes sound, and is often at the tip of the tongues of writers who proclaim that a voice or melody is smooth like molasses (molasses, like mellifluous, is a descendant of the Latin mel). But mellifluous can also be used to describe edibles and potables, such as wine, with a pronounced note of sweetness. (Merriam-Webster)
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
I've never kept pigeons, but I can say I've cultivated them.
I live in New York City, and it's pigeons wherever you go. You can't avoid them, and it's disappointing most people don't take the time to look at them, pay attention to them, get to know them. They're remarkably congenial, to the point of being accurately called friend-shaped. Which in no small part comes from them mostly being feral domesticated animals, originally kept by people for a variety of reasons from food to companionship who then got let out into the urban wild when people decided they didn't want to take care of them anymore. But it's easy for pigeons to remember what people are there for, when people stop to take the time. If you've ever had your pupils dilated at the optometrist's, I highly recommend finding a pigeon in some sunlight and taking in the genuinely dazzling iridescence of their feathers.
During the worst of 2020, when there were a lot fewer people around the neighborhood, pigeons would often come to my window, mostly to hang out on the AC unit. A nice place to stop for a while. Not thinking much of it, I started leaving seeds out for them, and they learned soon enough it was more than just a place to stop. I liked seeing them, and they liked the seeds, so I'd keep replenishing the tray outside. There were a few months in there - not many, but a few - that I'd get a seven AM wake-up call from the local birds who wanted to be fed, and those birds were the best alarm clock I've ever had. Certainly the sweetest. With few reasons to get out of bed in the morning, it was a nice feeling that one of those reasons was for small animals who were happy to see me.
I'd also take bike rides to get out of my apartment in the afternoons to get some fresh air, and there's a nearby park corner where it didn't take too many days of bringing seeds for a flock of pigeons to recognize me and fly on over whenever I'd come by. But even before they recognized me on sight, they were quick to trust to eat out of my open hands. Very soft feathers, and very warm bodies under the feathers. Some people gave me grief about it. Some people gave me shit about it. A few people, mostly under the age of ten, were delighted and thrilled to get some birdseed of their own and give feeding the pigeons a try themselves. Even if those kids hadn't ever come by, I'd have kept up with it as long as I was doing the rides. I'd seen worse behavior from them, and I didn't need to explain myself. The pigeons didn't rely or depend on me. They weren't my responsibility. They were simply my genuine pleasure.
The world reopened, people moved back into the neighborhood, the tray stopped getting stocked with seeds, I started going to a nearby gym, and my phone serves as my alarm clock. But I still sometimes carry birdseed around, in case there's a chance for another moment with the birds.
I’m not even a fiber artist, but when I see a whole ass loom for $200 OBO part of my brain is like “but for $150 I could be”. Someone needs to talk me out of this. lol
Apparently I should qualify this is a Nilus Leclerc floor loom.
I would have to be sedated to keep me from lunging on that offer.
Okay, but it has some damage. And needs a lot of love surface wise. I can obviously see the broken treadle and bottom board. But I have access to a woodshop. I also have a basement that it would fit in…
Like… I could do it but would love some eyes on it that know what else might be wrong or $$$ to fix.
Owwww. Calling @caveate, loom restorer in progress…
My own thoughts are that this is really significant and kind of baffling damage. Wtf happened to the treadle support bar? To that fourth treadle? Yes it’s quite plain wood and can be replaced, but this loom has been so badly treated that even if the moving parts move and fiddly bits like the ratchet are not worn down, I don’t trust the loom as a whole to be square. I am also concerned some beams could have developed faults which will split during use.
If you already have a woodworking hobby or you want to get into that (as a whole separate hobby before you get into weaving), there are parts of a good loom here. The heddles look promisingly not-rusty and it’s a solid brand with lots of support available. But you’ll have to refinish and rebuild a huge amount of it first.
It’s very doable. A lot of what I’m seeing, damage-wise, is surface only. Lots of sanding, but the expensive parts look intact and good. If it were me? I’d jump on it.
I’d love to see more pictures of the mechanisms, like where the treadle attachments pull on the harness frames. I’d also like to see if there’s a ratchet & pawl setup on both the front and back or if one is missing/is a friction brake. The broken treadle is easy to replace with a piece of new wood, same with the broken treadle support beam. The damage to me looks like someone stood on the beam and then the treadle got broken afterwards, possibly by grabbing it to move or lift the loom.
What’s going to cost the most with this from the pictures? Tools. Things like a saw for cutting the replacement wood pieces, a wrench or socket set to take the treadles off, that kind of thing. Labor, this is going to be a lot of labor, this is going to take a LOT of sanding and other refinishing to get it in ready to work condition. You’ll learn the insides and outsides of how it works in the process though which is very good if you’re going to weave on it for a long time.
Thank you fiber artist side! I knew you were around here! That is a lot of good information. I have access to saws, sanders, lathes and the like through work so the cost there is sandpaper (and so, so much labor). I have socket wrenches and the like just begging for a task.
For the price, or what I can maybe bargain them down to, I’ll probably do it! I suspect they inherited this and something heavy that was also inherited got shoved under it for storage and womp womp.
If I get overly tired of the task (recognizing my health issues), I can always donate it to the department if it comes to it. Let the new fiber arts emphasis work on it (or even just help me fix it for the cost of access).
I’m not even a fiber artist, but when I see a whole ass loom for $200 OBO part of my brain is like “but for $150 I could be”. Someone needs to talk me out of this. lol
Apparently I should qualify this is a Nilus Leclerc floor loom.
I would have to be sedated to keep me from lunging on that offer.
Okay, but it has some damage. And needs a lot of love surface wise. I can obviously see the broken treadle and bottom board. But I have access to a woodshop. I also have a basement that it would fit in…
Like… I could do it but would love some eyes on it that know what else might be wrong or $$$ to fix.
I’m not even a fiber artist, but when I see a whole ass loom for $200 OBO part of my brain is like “but for $150 I could be”. Someone needs to talk me out of this. lol
Apparently I should qualify this is a Nilus Leclerc floor loom.
I’m not even a fiber artist, but when I see a whole ass loom for $200 OBO part of my brain is like “but for $150 I could be”. Someone needs to talk me out of this. lol
I keep thinking I will have more brain to post about stuff but it keeps not happening, even with 2 weeks of vacation (back to work on Monday *sob*), so here are some brief thoughts about a variety of things:
- Miami Mika!!! Hopefully he is also Milano-Cortina Mika because after the bullshit snub of Jason Robertson by Team USA (in favor of JT Miller??? REALLY??? I've watched him play - badly (he's injured) - all season so idk what Bill Guerin is thinking there [I can see a role for Trocheck, who seems like a slightly less egregious choice to me than Miller, but still pretty bad, and I like Trocheck), I am in the bag for Sweden (or Finland) and hope Team USA doesn't even make the medal round.
- Speaking of hockey, I finally watched Heated Rivalry and I enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried a little, I predicted many lines of dialogue because I have written similar fic, and I'm probably one of the few people who wished for more hockey in the gay hockey show. I don't feel feral about it like most of fandom, but I kind of didn't expect to. It was lovely, though, and I'm glad it exists. Also, Connor Storrie needs to play Alexander the Great in something, or, since I texted devildoll immediately with that thought and she replied, "Achilles," he should definitely play Achilles in something. I am just saying. I would like to see ( minor spoiler )
- The Stranger Things finale. Without spoilers, I liked it. I have quibbles but overall I found it emotionally satisfying. Also, while I appreciate Joe Keery and love Steve Harrington's arc, I have never found him particularly hot, per se, but ( spoilers )
- I'm enjoying season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love Percy as a character and narrator, and I just enjoy spending time with him and his friends. ( spoilers )
- The Muppet Show returns!!! This is not a drill!!! I AM EXCITE!!!
I’m on the train back to Chicago and the conductor sounded so tired as he asked us not to stand in the areas between cars because we’re on a track that doesn’t officially exist. Magnus Archives Night Vale nonsense.
The reality is that between the trains are vestibules that can gap open or pinch shut and injure you if the train takes a really tight curve, and the track is a super tight curve so they keep it off official maps to prevent its use. Due to a derailment last night, traffic into Chicago is slow and we have to use it anyway. It still verges on the ridiculous but having accepted my role as chaos magnet means I live the life of a surrealist fictional podcast character.
Exactly seven weeks later and here I am on a train for the first time since then. We are passing through Goshen, Indiana, when we draw to a halt and the conductor, a different conductor but in the same weary tone, announces, “Good morning, passengers. We are stopped.”
He heaves a long sigh.
“Unfortunately we have had a ‘near miss’ and almost hit a car at a crossing. No one is hurt, thank goodness, but we now have to inspect the train to make sure everything is in order.”
Like the train might have taken psychic damage and he definitely did.
Chaos magnet. There’s no other explanation.
I have an explanation for the second incident. If the engineer (the train driver) thought the train was about to hit something, they would probably throw the brakes into emergency and get behind something solid. Note, putting the train brakes into emergency will technically make the brake application as hard as possible but it probably won’t meaningfully make the train stop any quicker, it will still take a fair amount of time/distance to stop.
However, according to the operating rules that most railroads use, if you make an emergency brake application, you have to inspect the train for any damage before resuming travel. Stuff like a load shifting or possibly the brake rigging getting jammed up and locked in place. Not that you would necessarily expect something like that to happen but you need to make sure for safety.
Oh, that makes sense! I didn’t notice a sharp slow/stop but I figured he didn’t have time, and I wasn’t bracing for it since I didn’t know a brake was coming. But if it’s that sort of slowing mechanism, it’d make sense they’d slow gradually, and also need inspection. Very glad nobody was hurt, in any case.
I’m on the train today in fact, headed up to see Hodag. The trains I took in Europe went pretty smoothly, so perhaps the weirdness is only American trains, or it has faded with exposure. That said, there’s still time for this journey to get weird, either today or when I head home tomorrow afternoon.
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crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by prompts from 
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devildoll immediately with that thought and she replied, "Achilles," he should definitely play Achilles in something. I am just saying. I would like to see ( minor spoiler )
