tryxchange

Humid overcast day, with sunlight filtering through - and a bit on the hazy side. In the mid to upper seventies, although felt warmer due to the humidity. I put on the A/C and installed the new reverse and inverse air window fan in the bedroom - which I'm hoping will help when it gets colder and they start blasting the heat. Now, it's not an issue. ( Read more... )

Also cleaned out the chemistry experiments in the fridge - basically transferred them to the compost bin, and the plastic to the recycling bin.
Didn't do a deep clean - I hurt enough, and that would kill my back.
Had lunch, which consisted of gluten free cheddar and chive "American Southern" biscuits (think American scones but puffy?) by way of Capulla's (an Italian Gluten Free Baking company). The biscuits are excellent by the way. Can't tell they are gluten free at all. (Turns out I didn't like biscuits previously because they had gluten - and made me sick.) Added proscuitto, cheddar cheese, and some English mustard, and it was a decent lunch.

Worked it off by going to the health food stores on Courteylou. Flatbush Coop and Frontier Health Food Store. I had an unexpected and somewhat toxic interaction at Frontier with an old guy that shelves things and advises people where to find stuff (he's always in my way, and I get a really bad vibe off of him every time I see him). ( Read more... )

The whole interaction left a bad taste in my mouth and rage in my heart at old farts, Turkish restaurants, people who are desperate enough to carry guns and gun manufacturers.

**

Spoke to mother, earlier, who regaled me with the story of a snake. They have poisonous snakes in Hilton Head, SC. She's also concerned about a Tropical Storm that is barreling in her general direction, but so far they are just sheltering in place.

Apparently one of her neighbors was watering plants in her garden and got bitten by a copperhead.
( the evils of gardening and snakes )

Apparently the neighbor tried to drive herself to the emergency room, got woozy, and ambulance came to her. It had bitten her foot. They couldn't give her the anti-venom because she was on blood thinners. But they monitored her, and it was okay - since it was a more mature snake (younger ones release it all at once apparently), and it was her foot. She also got fined by security - for pulling over, even though it was an emergency. At least they didn't tow her.

***

Dinner was mixed greens, feta, black pitted kalmata olives, falafal, tahini sauce, glazed pecans, apple cider vinegar/lemon juice. With iced unsweetened black tea (and lemon juice) for beverage. And gluten free vegan chocolate chip cookie for desert. ( Read more... )

The photo was obviously not taken today but several weeks ago, I just never got around to posting it until now.

1. Vaccines

Got the COVID vaccine after work. The New York Governor made it possible for everyone between the ages of 6-110 to take it for an expandable 30 day period, under an emergency order.

I scheduled it while at work for around 4:40pm, and ended up getting there early - so go it around 4:30pm. I got it today, in case there are any major side-effects. That way I have the weekend to get past them, not that I've ever had any outside of a sore arm. ( Read more... )

No, I didn't get either the Flu shot or the Shingles at the same time. My primary care begged me not to. I'm immune-compromised, so it's not a good idea. I tried to tell her that everybody else that I know of - has, but she was adamant. I could, I suppose, ignore her and do it anyhow - but I was afraid to - best not to take an unnecessary risk.

2. Take a photo of any book with your phone and have it instantly read to you - I keep seeing this weird app advertised on Facebook, in which you can take a photo of literally any book in a library or book store and automatically have it read to you.

Speechify reads books to you

Of course it does it in a monotone - but you can pick any number of digitized voices to do it.

I don't have any issues with having books read to me - my issue is that someone can willy nilly go to a book store or library, scan the book, and have it read to them for free? I don't know, that kind of screams copyright infringement? It's one thing if the writer is getting paid a royalty from the service...but what if they aren't?

3. Traveling Water Color Kit Another thing advertised on FB and Instragram that I'm resisting the urge to purchase: Tobios Travel Watercolor Kit, whomever is marketing this is doing an excellent job. I keep reminding myself - that this is not how I like to paint. I like to do it alone. In my apartment. With a large canvas. And room. Not in miniature. I have shaking hands, and no fine motor coordination - so can't do the miniature work well. I'm not a miniaturist, I tend to work better large? Big woman. Big hands. Big canvas.

But it is lovely for someone who wants a small traveling kit to wander about doing small stuff with?

Don't get it from Amazon - which apparently is selling knock-offs.

4. Shopping Went online shopping - via Talbots and Amazon - and picked up a few things on sale, including pjs, and a shawl.

( Read more... )

As an aside? For the most part, I hate or dread shopping. But I did find it weirdly comforting doing it online this week. I prefer online than in-store shopping. Sales clerks and other shoppers and the dressing rooms, plus hunting stuff makes me edgy.

I like it displayed. I have no patience for hunting through the racks. I'm not a good bargain shopper. My mother isn't a shopper. The appeal of hunting for things in stores is kind of lost on us? But hunting for things online shopping is fun - even if it's a bit like playing Russian roulette? Since I suck at returning things, and some places don't let you.

Debating buying a pair of Uno Black Sneakers from Amazon. I don't really need them. I have enough shoes. But does one ever really have enough shoes? Ponders.

5. Buffy Revival or Continuation (Because it's not a reboot! Got it?) I keep stumbling upon online fights over whether it's a reboot or a continuation or a revival...which is kind of amusing. Welcome to the Internet - where people fight over semantics incessantly.

Anyhow, the latest: Gellar Reveals more about Buffy's Comeback and Insists its not a Reboot (But it's a lot easier to call it a reboot.)

"In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sarah Michelle Gellar was asked about the Buffy reboot which is under no circumstances to be called a reboot. “There’s so little I can say about what we just shot,” Sarah explains. “I will say that it’s not a reboot. It’s a continuation of a world - the world of Buffy, if that makes sense. It’s picking up 25 years later in a world of Buffy. It’s equal parts incredibly thrilling but also it’s very nerve-wracking. People have been asking for this for so many years but everyone also has an opinion on how it should be done."
( Read more... )

[From what I've read - I don't think much of the original cast will return, outside of maybe one or two, and as either special guest stars or brief cameos...I think it's mainly a continuation of the world, with Gellar more in a Giles' role. The shift is the mentor/watcher will be Buffy herself. Which is also why - I don't think it will do that well or get picked up past one season? Because the fandom fell in love with the characters NOT the world? Joss sucked at world building. Star Trek, it's not. Also what was captivating was the dialogue and banter, the one liners, and the humor - also, sigh, the supporting characters. A good portion of the fandom did not watch for Buffy - they watched for everyone else. I know I did. Buffy did pull me in - but not Gellar, it was the writing, direction, and how Gellar played Buffy against and with the other characters. I've not liked her in anything else. And I didn't like books like Fray which were playing with the world - but didn't have the television characters in it. But hey, I could be VERY wrong about this? Just because it doesn't seem appealing to me...doesn't mean it isn't to other people?]

Environmental Good News from the US Resistance and Around the Globe

[Disclaimer: As always, good news is often in the eye of the beholder.]


1. The United Nations confirmed that the ozone layer is on track to make a full recovery by mid-century, crediting swift action and international agreements for sharply reducing the use of ozone-depleting chemicals and slowing the annual growth of the Antarctic ozone hole.

https://www.france24.com/en/environment/20250916-un-says-ozone-layer-is-healing-hole-could-disappear-within-decades?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40

2.California officials and industry insiders say the state is sticking with its goal of developing 25 gigawatts of floating offshore wind energy by 2045 despite expiring federal tax credits and Trump administration hostility.

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-09-18/despite-federal-setbacks-california-is-staying-the-course-on-offshore-wind?_hsmi=381366794#:~:text=The%20Trump%20administration%20canceled%20nearly,efforts%20to%20support%20wind%20development

3.The Iowa Utilities Commission approved a settlement that authorizes the largest utility-scale solar project in the state’s history.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18092025/inside-clean-energy-iowa-solar-potential/?_hsmi=381366794

4.In August, global electric vehicle sales increased 5% month-over-month and 15% year-over-year.

https://rhomotion.com/news/global-ev-sales-grow-by-5-m-o-m-and-by-15-y-o-y-in-august-2025/?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40

5.A landmark legal settlement will require a plastics facility in Pennsylvania to clean up the tiny plastic pellets — known as “nurdles” — that were found to be spewing out of its stormwater and wastewater pipes.

https://grist.org/solutions/plastics-settlement-pennsylvania-raccoon-creek-nurdles-styropek/

6.In the first six months of this year, the world built 64% more new solar energy capacity than it did in the first half of 2024.

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/global-solar-power-energy-installations-booming?amp%3Butm_medium=email&%3Butm_campaign=canary&_hsmi=381366794

7.After Trump administration cuts forced the popular climate.gov website to shut down, experts re-launched it independently to help boost climate literacy.

https://www.dw.com/en/fired-climate-scientists-crucial-extreme-weather-data-cut-us-president-donald-trump-v3/a-73977766

[It's a lot harder to regulate and censor the internet than it is radio or broadcast television channels. I'm grateful for that at least.]

8.A new nature preserve in Ohio will protect 3,000 acres of Appalachian foothills.

https://www.statenews.org/section/the-ohio-newsroom/2025-09-11/a-new-ohio-nature-preserve-protects-3-000-acres-of-appalachian-foothills?sh_kit=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40

9.EU lawmakers have given a final green light to a law that aims to slash the mountains of food wasted in Europe each year, and curb the environmental impact of fast fashion.

https://www.dw.com/en/eu-to-slash-food-and-fast-fashion-waste/a-73933529?ck_subscriber_id=2496857656

10. EV Realty, a San Francisco-based charging site developer, broke ground on what will be one of California’s biggest fully grid-powered, fast-charging depots for electric trucks so far.

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/ev-charging/ev-realty-funding-build-truck-depot-california?amp%3Butm_medium=email&%3Butm_campaign=canary&_hsmi=381203897
( for the rest of the 37 items )

Feeling much better today - so apparently I was right, and this may have been caused by medication. I've learned the hard way to police my own medication and not count on doctors and pharmacies to do it for me.
( health care crap - cut for TMI )

I actually could focus. And Breaking Bad thanked me for my clear and concise analysis of the work we'd done on our end.

So, I made myself useful. Took a few short walks.

Went home - and hunted for Gluten Free Cookie Dough - but none was to be had at the local Met Fresh. Damn them. Probably for the best. My blood sugar is happier without it. If I still want it by the weekend - I'll get some from the health food stores on Courteylou.

***

The news irritates me. And it's becoming harder to avoid.

Jimmy Kimmel is back on, and Disney has basically told Sinclair Media to go frak themselves, since Disney cares more about their liberal image and their subscribers than their affiliates who pay them next to nothing in revenues. [I honestly think it was the Disneys and Eisner who persuaded them to change their minds.] In reality - Sinclair Media is the problem (my mother's cousin pointed out that they were a major problem way back in 2014) and sigh, the FCC (who has been a problem since their inception - people thought they needed to regulate what was on television and the radio, kind of similar to what they wanted to do with the internet and keep trying to do, but fail miserably at - because it is the internet and global and the US didn't put restrictions in place quickly enough and it doesn't serve Google et al's best interests if they do). Both are both much harder to fight - because they are more hidden and insidious in some respects, and the FCC really doesn't care what you or I think. Sinclair - you could possibly go after the advertisers? But you'd have to find them first.

The FCC has always been a problem. People have been fighting censorship wars with the FCC since its inception.

George Carlin on the FCC in 1973

The difficulty with human rights and freedoms - is if you want yours, you kind of have to put up with people you despise getting theirs. It can't just go one way, that's not how it works. People don't seem to understand this? I keep trying to explain it to folks but they ignore me. I swear SSEAS is kind of viral.

More Carlin on Time and well everything - this may be the longest uninterrupted rambling routine I've seen.

He's among my favorite stand-up comedians. Controversial at times, and not always...ahem politically correct, but he makes me laugh for the most part for his word-play.

**

I got a comment from Ao3 on a Meta that I wrote over ten years ago, and can't remember that well. The comment:

"I find it interesting that you mentioned Clarissa's Lovelace, but not Pamela or Lord B. If we're going all the way back to Richardson, I think some discussion of Pamela and Lord B. is in order. Why do you think Lovelace and Lord B have such different arcs?"

I didn't respond - because as a general rule, I no longer respond to any comments on Ao3, regardless of the content. ( Read more... )