What month is it, anyway?

[lydamorehouse]

 Apologies for the long silence.

I've mostly just been keeping on keeping on, as they say. I'm still regularly going to my mutual aid place, the Food Communists. Their work continues apace, although Monday was fairly quiet, as such things go. By yesterday, the pace had picked back up, but they're closing today and tomorrow due to renovations at the church they work out of. So I have two days completely off! What will I even do with all that time? She asks, looking around at housework she's ignored for almost two months.

I'm still doing the school patrol (M-W) and mosque watching too. Although, at the mosque we have switched to evenings (and every day of the week) during Ramadan at the request of the imam. I have not been standing outside every single night of the week, however. I signed up to be the point person on Fridays and Saturdays, but am otherwise trying to let other people fill the slots. We are getting some help from neighborhoods outside of our own, so it's looking a little less sparse than the last time I reported, by all accounts. 

I'm noticing some cautious hope during the school patrol, too. More moms are willing to bring their very little (pre-school aged) ones with them when they come to meet elder siblings at the bus stop. Very heartening. It does feel like the cloud is lifting finally.

I'm starting to be able to write a little bit again, which is lovely. naomikritzer and I started working on something together that has lit a fire under me. We'll see what, if anything comes of that, but it's been nice to feel inspired again. Hopefully, that will bleed into the Boy. net sequel (and it should. I tend to be like that. Writing anywhere seems to mean writing everywhere. I am, apparently, polyamorous in my wirting style--I have more to give than to just one project!)

We woke up today to dense fog. Shawn was actually telling me that she hoped it would last all day, because she really wants to go for a walk in it s she can pretend we live on heather-strewn moors.

How've you been?

I guess it is Wednesday? I have nothing of note to mention in terms of things I've read. I've been listening to an extremely boring podcast about the Roman Empire--it's exactly my speed right now, but it's run by a university and I have notice a distinct lack of salacious factoids about what the Romans got up to... ah, well. It helps me get to sleep and that's really what I am using it for.

What about you? Listening to or reading anything fun?

Comments

[profiterole_reads]

I'm glad things are slightly improving.

A collab between Naomi and you sounds exciting! Especially if it also inspires you on Boy.net 2. <3

[lydamorehouse]

Thanks! Yes, hopefully, I will be all around inspired! So far today, however, I have apllied for a job that I will maybe blog about (it's as a life model for University of Minnesota art students!)

[profiterole_reads]

That sounds fun!

[sartorias]

Listening to KJ Charles while doing the daily trudge. Enjoying!

Very glad things are slightly less horrible, maybe?

[lydamorehouse]

Defintely less horrible?

Since it sounds like you're curious, there was an ICE sighting just this morning in an adjactant neighborhood that I watched go through my Rapid Response Signal Group. I was also stalked very deliberately during my school patrol by a drone--though that is less clear if that was ICE or just some annoying drone enthusist who didn't like that I was taking pictures of their hobby (I will write a blog about that later today.) My understanding is that a lot of the activity has moved out to the less well-organized (and redder) suburbs.

KJ Charles! Fun! She seems really popular with a lot of my friends. I might have to take the plunge and read one of hers.

[sartorias]

Rachel Manija Brown, who was out there visiting a week ago, described her experiences over lunch yesterday. She was saying that the ICE creeps had slimed out to the suburbs for that very reason.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I'm noticing some cautious hope during the school patrol, too. <<

Progress! A higher circle of hell is better.

naomikritzer and I started working on something together that has lit a fire under me. <<

How exciting!

>>We woke up today to dense fog. Shawn was actually telling me that she hoped it would last all day, because she really wants to go for a walk in it s she can pretend we live on heather-strewn moors.<<

It's cloudy and wet here in central Illinois. I've gotten a start on spring planting. I put out a few peonies. My willow cuttings arrived and I have them in water or potting soil on my planter indoors. I've been moving volunteer daffodils (done) and snowdrops (nowhere near done) from the parking lot to more hospitable places. I've been taking pictures too. The first crocuses are blooming!

>>What about you? Listening to or reading anything fun?<<

I'm currently reading Scholarly Pursuits from duckprintspress. We just finished watching Season 3 of Lower Decks.

Re: Thoughts

[lydamorehouse]

I loved Lower Decks! I really need to sign back up to Paramount +. I've heard really great things about the new Starfleet Academy. Have you seen any of it yet?

I can't believe you live somewhere where there is so much already growing and in bloom! Here in Minnesota March is an ugly season of snirt (snow-dirt) and re-appearing garbage (which had been deposited some time before or during snowfalls.) It's the least pretty month in Minnesota? I am very fond of April because that's when we start to see snowdrops and crocuses. Or, my personal favorite, bloodroot.

And yes as I said above I will take a slowdown, especailly compared to how things have been hear previously!

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I loved Lower Decks! I really need to sign back up to Paramount +.<<

:D

>> I've heard really great things about the new Starfleet Academy. Have you seen any of it yet? <<

I've only seen the trailers. They're online if you look around. We're waiting for the first season to be complete before we watch it. Based on the previews, it's a mix of things I like and things I don't. So I'll watch the first episode or few to see how I like it.

I still wish Star Trek would do a series set in a colony. That's where the real trouble seems to hit -- all the times a ship came by and everyone was dead or possessed by parasites or whatever. It'd even be cheaper because you could reuse the same sets without having to make all new ones.

>>I can't believe you live somewhere where there is so much already growing and in bloom!<<

It's not actually supposed to be. When I was little, this was Zone 5a. It started snowing in late November or early December, and we saw the ground again in March. Then it shifted to 6a, and by now is likely 6b -- the last map I saw put us right on the border. :/

Now snow falls occasionally, but it only lasts a week or two if there's a cold snap at the same time. This year, the honeybees emerged in mid-February, which is insane. That's at least a month or two early. Confused by my bright coat, some of them buzzed around wanting to pollinate me. I had to explain that I was not a flower. The crocuses started blooming a few days later, then the snowdrops.

>> Here in Minnesota March is an ugly season of snirt (snow-dirt) and re-appearing garbage (which had been deposited some time before or during snowfalls.) <<

I've seen that, although the garbage effect hasn't appeared for years due to the loss of snowpack.

>> It's the least pretty month in Minnesota? <<

We call March "the Moon of Mud Everywhere."

>> I am very fond of April because that's when we start to see snowdrops and crocuses. Or, my personal favorite, bloodroot. <<

Bloodroot is beautiful. We don't have it in our yard, but it's up at my parents' place along with Dutchman's breeches, trillium, shooting star, spring beauties, bluebells, and wild phlox. I love all the spring ephemerals. I've got a few bluebells and trilliums here. Also celadon poppy and Solomon's seal.

>> And yes as I said above I will take a slowdown, especailly compared to how things have been hear previously! <<

Yeah. America is dangerous nowadays, which is sad and frustrating.

We have a lot of immigrants around here. The Hispanic folks have been around for ages, but in recent decades we've gotten more from the Middle East and Africa. They put up stores and restaurants that we frequent. We've been shopping in the nearest small city but an African-owned grocery opened closer to home, and they had pigeon peas! I often get excited when I see things that I've only read about. I worry about our immigrants nowadays. I don't want to lose them.

[sabotabby]

Ooh I'm excited for you and Naomi to collaborate.

[lydamorehouse]

It is not actually our first time! We wrote a short story together long ago that appeared in Tales of the Unanctipated called "The Long Walk."

[offcntr]

I just discovered the podcast "Once We Were Spacemen." Nathan Filion and Alan Tudyk, talking about work, life, Firefly. I'm four episodes in and they've already had Jewel Staite and Gina Torres on, and I sometimes have to stop throwing pots because I'm laughing so hard my hands shake.

[lydamorehouse]

Oh that sounds absolutely delightful!

I'm not sure I had a chance to tell you, but there is a potter who also volunteers with me at the Food Communists named Wendy. (Her studio: https://www.functionalheirlooms.com/.) I think of you a lot whenever I am working with her, espeically since one of the other folks who works there is a tall, beared guy named... Frank.