Reading

Entry tags:

Ravel and Haydn

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, we have two musical pieces from two very different composers.

( Thoughts on Ravel: String Quartet in F major, and Haydn: String Quartet Op 64, no 2 )

Entry tags:

Unwanted Water, a Misbehaving Phone, and Delicious Food

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, we have something new. It's a piece that DB will be performing with the orchestra, but he's dividing it into movements. As you will see if you continue reading, I have quoted one of you and also linked to an entire entry, as I thought he might find it interesting, which he did.

( Thoughts on Tchaikovsky: Symphony n.1 Winter Daydreams )

I honestly thought I wouldn't have much to say today, and was going to fill today's entry with some interesting things I found on Mastodon. Unfortunately, life had other plans. I was in my room writing on my computer when I suddenly heard water dripping near the furnace. It was almost eight o'clock at night, which would mean nothing to me, but my parents go to bed early, and Mom was especially tired. I felt horrible doing it, but I had to go up to her floor and wake her. As I did so, I noticed that the ceiling on that floor was leaking, too. Mom came down with Joanie, which was odd, as Joanie almost never comes down here, and she helped Mom clean up the mess. Fortunately, it wasn't that bad. Mom then went upstairs and spoke with D and A. Apparently, there is something wrong with their toilet. We knew something was going on, because there was water on the ceiling on Mom's floor, but we figured we could call in a plumber next week or so to figure out what was going on. For now, she shut off the water to their toilet and I'm sure she'll be calling tomorrow to have him come and fix the problem. What I don't understand is that they literally just put in a new toilet up there last week! Anyway, at least things are dry now. There is never a dull moment around here. And Mom and I were finally going to work together on making some food and doing the laundry (it's not set up, so I can't do it on my own). Sometimes, I honestly feel as if the composers of the great operatic tragedies are writing our lives. I hope they give the reins to those with much lighter tastes in the future. Where is Haydn when we need him? Actually, I've never heard his operas, only his classical works. That should be quite an adventure, and my first time listening to a full work in German!

Yesterday, I had my own problems with technology and wrote the following on both Mastodon and Reddit.

"I just updated my iPhone SE 2020 to IOS 26. For the record, I am a totally blind Voiceover user. At any rate, it forced me to create a passcode and wouldn't let me select an option not to do so. Then, when I was able to log into the phone and go to the section that would allow me to turn the passcode off, it asked for my passcode. I entered it. Then, it asked for the password for my account. I plugged in my keyboard via the adapter and although it seemed to let me enter the text box, no matter what I did, it wouldn't accept my keystrokes for the password. It just made a sound when I tried to type, as if I weren't in the field. I have done this before with this same setup. All other functions worked. I then tried it with my bluetooth keyboard with the same result. I do not use a touchscreen to type. I always keep my phone free of passcodes and touch id, because I wouldn't be in a situation where I would need either. Finally, I was able to do it using the touchscreen, by going over every single letter, until I found the one I wanted, pressing it, then repeating the cycle for all of the characters of my password, plus having to switch to numbers. Has external keyboard accessibility been lost in this version of IOS? I must assume that I won't be able to enter my iCloud (not that I use it) or anything else that requires my Apple password normally either. If I am wrong, please tell me how I can fix this horrible problem!

As a side note, I am thinking of getting an SE 2022 (I don't want anything newer since I don't want a large phone). Perhaps, I should ensure that it's running IOS 18. If so, what was the last itteration of it? Was it 18.5?"

Luckily, I eventually received answers to two of my questions. The last version of IOS 18 is 18.7.3. More importantly, the reason I was having this problem in the first place is that there is now something called single letter navigation. I love it in Windows (especially when viewing files and programs), but I have never seen it in IOS. Apparently, it is turned on by defult, and I have to press VO-Q to turn it off. Then, my keyboard should work properly in these situations. For other VoiceOver users, this is not the same as left+right arrow. That is more of a general Quick Nav (their term, not mine).

In much happier news, I spent several hours writing filler entries for November and one or two for October as well. All are about music. But the one from 17 NNovember is quite different from the typical sort and some of you may enjoy it, particularly if you have pets. I also added some music to entries that I already published, since I realised that I forgot to do so.

The food adventures continue. For lunch, Mom made me a game hen, which I always love, so that put me in a marvellous mood for the rest of the day. Tonight, she ordered pizza, but since she chose a place that I don't like, I decided to try something new. I love Nisan ramen soups, Cup o Noodles, and noodle dishes, but I am not against trying other brands, either. I love Lipton, for example, but they are entirely different from the above. I found something called Nongshim Savory Bowl Noodle, Beef Flavor. One of the reasons I was hesitant to try it is that, many brands say things such as "fill with water to the line", but then, the line isn't made tactile, so I have no idea how much water to add! This was one of them. But at least one site specified at least one and one half cups, so I was able to follow that, thank goodness! As for the taste, it wasn't bad. There was a very slight spicey note to it, but while I usually run from anything hot, this was so mild that even I could eat it without difficulty. I think I'll buy it again, or at least see what else they make.

Entry tags:

Haydn and Handel

(Catchup - 11 December 2025)

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, I have some wonderful music for you that was sent to me on MSN Messenger via Escargot by DB, of course. My response to him was via e-mail.

( Thoughts on Haydn: String Quartet Op 64, no 4, and Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba )

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A Very Scotish Entry

(Catchup - 11 December 2025)

Hello, Dear Readers. Today's entry may seem a bit confusing with all of the dates. DB sent the first to me via our usual e-mail, and the others on two separate days via Escargot messages. I am combining them because of their Scotish theme. The last two I replied to as a single e-mail in any case.

( Thoughts on An Orkney Wedding, Farewell To Stromness, and Tam O'Shanter )

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Turning the Tables

(Catchup - 11 December 2025)

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, I have something rather unusual for you. Normally, DB gives me music. But this time, I gave him some!! It all started when I was browsing Mastodon and read about something called Pet Classics. This is a programme in the UK that is designed to help keep pets calm during the fireworks for Bonfire Night. I had quite an adventure and also listed my favourites from the show, as well as a few interesting things I learned while listening to it.

( Pet Classics, Composers Anecdotes, and an Interesting Discovery )

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A Little Classical and a Little Opera

(Catchup - 11 December 2025)
Hello, Dear Readers. Today, I have something interesting for you. It is a review of a classical piece, but my fellow opera lovers will immediately be drawn by the title and with good reason. The two are related. Here, DB and I discuss this, plus which classical pieces were written by composers primarily known for their operas.

( Thoughts on Bizet: L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1 & Suite No. 2 )

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A Bit of Music from Khachaturian

(Catchup - 11 December 2025)

Hello, Dear Readers. I don't usually combine pieces from different days, but since these were by the same composer, and since a tiny bit of the previous conversation continued into the second one, I will.

( Thoughts on Aram Khachaturian: Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia, Sabre Dance, and Masquerade suite )

I think that made for an interesting entry and something a little different.

Phoning it in

I've had right much pain in my right hand mostly when I play pickleball and it usually goes away in a day or so, but sometimes it is extremely painful. And it is always a little bit painful. So I made an appointment with the hand doctor long time ago and it finally came up today. Turns out he's a pickleball player too so he understands. My thought was that I just had arthritis and there wasn't much I could do about it. But he is tracked down to what he thinks it might be more likely which is the ulnar nerve in my elbow. So he gave me a shot. If the shot works then we've identified what the issue is and if not we've also identified what the issue is. So my right hand and my right arm from my oboe down is almost useless. I'm dictating this on my phone because I tried to type it in my right end. Fingers just do not operate correctly.

The doctor was a great one and we had good conversation and among other things he said oh you have a little bit of arthritis. But turns out I don't have all that much. Interesting.

Other things going on. I got it in email from Jennifer Alex's, new wife and she asked if we wanted to have the two granddaughters, Lillian and Laurana(AKA Juliette) to come out to Texas to visit us in April. So they're going to come out and we got a few things in order to make that happen. Dana has what will be their bedroom completely full of Dana stuff as in in the floor is completely covered and there is no way to walk into the room. So she has a ton of work to do before we can get a bed to go in there. And then we need to find a suitable bed. They're only going to be here for 3 days I guess four nights so it's not a huge commitment but it should be really fun.

Laurana is going to college next year. Not sure where she's going. We've actually never had too much of a relationship with him because neither of us talk on the phone. Either Dana or I don't much on the phone and it's pretty hard to establish any kind of relationship by texting. So this is a real opportunity to create a relationship with both of them. And it's very nice of Jennifer to think of doing that. But there's lots of things to think about. We do not normally do things like that. We are so sedentary and set in our ways but it should be interesting and it is after all only 3 days.

Other than that, things are fairly quiet here. Beaux is entirely well and Toby is nearly well. They have both been sick for nearly 2 months now. Coughing and sneezing and trying to clear their post nasal drip out. It's actually been fairly dramatic but I think they are both nearly over all of it and back to just being normal dogs. It's very nice. Beaux is just as perky as he could be. It's hilarious. And we have a great time going on walks. He loves his walks.

Dana is doing fairly well and I have not yet killed her cardiologist. There is still potential for that. He still thinks he should be running the world and it would be easy if it was just me, but of course Dana wants to let him do more than I think he should be doing so if I get overly involved, I'm really being too controlling. The whole thing is just very difficult. He wants to run all kinds of tests and put her on drugs and I think less is better. But I can't direct it. I have to form a coalition and that does not appear to be happening very well so I just have to stand by and pick up the pieces later on. That part is more than a little frustrating, but at least at the moment she's doing well.

Bladder Rocks

Yep, that's Biggie's Latest Adventure. The vet did an ultra sound and you can see one big one. She was surprised that Biggie didn't have any symptoms. It should be painful but while he considered it an indignity and annoyance to go the vet, he's not showing any signs of pain. But taking him off the medicine and back on to Very Expensive Prescription Food turned out to be the best option. We go back in 4 weeks and do another ultra sound. Unless he shows distress or can't pee and then we go back immediately. And, even if all goes smoothly for 4 weeks, if the rock is still there, probably surgery. Again.

Both Biggie and Julio like the expensive food, very much. so there's that. Do not tell Biggie, tho. but Temptations are a thing of the past. As are lickables. I bagged up the food and treats. I'll take them to the cat food bank.

The vet gave me some food samples. And I stashed some cans away when I switched them last year. So I've got enough on hand til the Chewy order gets here. I hope. All I've got now is canned stuff. No kibble, no treats but, hopefully, the Chewy order will be here soon.

Why in the heck did I not remember to get some grated parmesan when I went to the store to get the grated cheddar??

Also today I have a pain in the leg. It's in the middle of the thigh of my left leg. The right leg is usually the one that hurts. And this is a very weird pain plus a fair amount of weakness. The chairs at the vets are all really low to the ground and I was not sure I'd ever be able to get out of them once I sat down. It feels like if someone were to massage my thigh really hard, it would fix it. Hopefully it will fix itself today. I can at least walk around the halls here safely as they all have nice railings.

I was downstairs yesterday before the festivities but they had already lined up all the chairs. It was a weird sight.

It looked very different and couple of hours later. It was really fun to watch the parade. The employees dressed up either in costume or in really nice non-work clothes and they merrily high 5'd the old people. And, according to accounts, had a marvelous time. Very fun.

The Timber Ridge dog park is like a dog pond today but the rain has kind of stopped a little. All around us there are massive floods. The interstate is closed just north of here due to a giant mudslide. We're breaking water records all around.

I need to get a load of laundry started.

ugh

Nooooooooo !!!!!!!!!

Entry tags:

Thoughts on Writing and Artificial Intelligence

Hello, Dear Readers. Today, I am going to share something that I wrote on Mastodon. It's not my usual shared links that I write there, but a bit of my own musings, inspired by an article.

"I wrote the following after reading this article. I directed my words to the author, not realising at first that the person to whom I was replying was merely sharing the work. Still, I will post it here, on my own timeline, because it is something about which I feel strongly. The link to the original article is below, followed by my commentary.

https://sightlessscribbles.com/the-colonization-of-confidence/

Most of what I read, from poetry to fiction, was written in the nineteenth-century or earlier, with some being from the early twentieth. Most is British, with some ancient classics and a very small number of American works included for good measure. I find modern writing, full of political correctness, obscenities, bizarre jargon, corporate and sports speak (e.g. game changer, level up, scale up/down/back), abbreviations for everything (e.g. info, veggies, celebs), misused words (e.g. pivot, curate), etc. to be extremely annoying at best and terrible and immature at worst. But this was an interesting article.
I don't hate artificial intelligence. But I do think that there is a huge difference between working with it and letting it do the work for you. I use Novel AI, not for publishing, but for fun. I am very familiar with its quirks and annoying phrases, and when I see them, I erase them and add my own words. In fact, the last part of the first section, "nothing to do with... and everything to do with..." made me laugh, not because it was funny in any way, but because that's one of those sorts of things it would write, just like the silver bells or "he said, his voice ((insert annoying and unnecessary description i.e. barely a whisper, raspy, a low rumble, etc). I found many other such phrases here as well. Sadly, most are part of a normal style of writing, but they have been used so much by machines that they immediately make me think of such when I read them. I prefer proper grammar and am not one for slang or poetry that doesn't actually sound like poetry. But I draw the line at things that sound as if they were written by a machine. I can also still write on my own and have no confidence issues, so I had difficulty in understanding some of this. Novel AI is enjoyable to use, but it will never take the place of my actual imagination and words, and when I do write things for the public, be they entries on Dreamwidth or posts on Mastodon (not merely shared links), I never use any sort of program to aid me in composition.

I also use artificial intelligence for things that have absolutely nothing to do with writing. For instance, I use it for research (always checking the links for myself once they are provided), to read product labels and directions via ocr, to describe the scene around me, etc. Not all such software and services are bad. It's all in how they are used. For those who truly wish to improve upon their own writing, I highly recommend reading good literature and paying attention to the grammar, word choices, etc. of the author. This cannot be taught or learned by artificial intelligence of any sort.

Having said all of that, I'm glad you created your group. It sounds like a great place for those who need it, and really, any group of writers and those who appreciate their work is a great thing."

What about you? How do you feel about artificial intellligence, either in writing or in other areas of life? Do you use it for other things? One thing that I forgot to mention is that I have no desire for such things to invade my personal space. I have no need for it to summarise my documents, help me write e-mails, etc. nor do I want it snooping on what is in my computer in general. I do, however, use it to clean up ocr errors in texts that I download from the Internet Archive, particularly with regard to my Italian and music theory textbooks. In the one case, I am learning the language and don't want to learn things incorrectly. In the other, there are charts and musical notation that was ruined during the conversion to text, so I would like Perplexity to explain it to me in a verbal manner.

Time to eat

I stopped tracking my eating for a bit since I was still losing weight. But today it is kind of the reverse. I need to level off the weight trajectory. I'm down to 193.6 which is still maybe 15 pounds before I'm intending to stop but the rate, which should be maybe half a pound a week, has been more like half a pound every other day. So I'm going to track my food for a few days and be sure I'm getting enough.

I'm still playing pickleball and have about as much energy as I've had in the past (but I do move better, not being quite so heavy) so I'm not too worried. And there are really no other issues to be concerned about so I'm not going to spend too much time on it. But I seldom eat an entire dinner. We build up leftovers that don't get eaten much during the day either. Just not too much desire to eat. What the drugs are supposed to do.

Regardless, I'm getting to my goal briskly.

Meanwhile, I saw that Robert Plant and his latest entity will be in Austin in March. Checked the tickets and found that after parking and consumables it would end up costing over $700 for the concert.

When I lived in New York city I saw groups like Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention and Steppenwolf for $10 per concert.

I really like and respect Robert Plant but I've been investing Dana's social security money each month and the future cost of that concert works out to be about $2500 in our ten year time line.

Or I could just watch it on YouTube the next day.

Sigh.

Legs and back

My legs and my back are very whiny these days. There are three things causing this. 1. I'm old. 2. I'm fat. and 3. I'm lazy. The first one is absolutely not fixable. The second one is fixable but the sacrifice is not worth the fix to me. I'm not at all interested in changing the way I eat or what I eat.

But, there's a slim chance I could make inroads on the third one. Godknows I have the resources right here at my finger tips. My swimming laps is not really worth that much. I don't use my legs much at all and I don't swim fast enough or tight enough to even move the needle on the cardio scale. It's better than sitting on the couch but only marginally. I need to walk and stretch and walk and stretch. There are miles of weather controlled, flat walking trails literally outside my door. There is an entire gym of fancy equipment a short walk away.

Yesterday, I conscientiously walked away more than usual. I made extra trips downstairs to the lobby area and went the long way round on a few of them. I clocked maybe a third more steps than usual. Today the plan is to spend 30 minutes in the gym. 15 on the elliptical and 15 on one of the bikes (which are more chairs with pedals). I'm convinced I have the motivation to do this today. Tomorrow it may be gone but today, I'm going to do it.

This afternoon is the employee Christmas party. As is the Timber Ridge tradition, the employees gather in the back dining room by department groups. The residents line up on either side of the hallway between that dining room and the large meeting room. Then the employees parade through the cheering residents. It sounds cheesy and it is but also a big crowd pleaser with employees and with residents. Of course the employees get the afternoon off, a big party with music and dancing, a box of homemade Christmas cookies and... a cash bonus. So they are looking forward to it the most.

I woke up at 2 and had a bit of a problem getting back to sleep but then did and slept right through to 7 which is way late for me so now it's 9 and I have yet to even get out of my PJs. So I'm going to do that now!

Entry tags:

friday 5,
questions

Friday Fives for November

Hello, Dear Readers. Here are the Friday Fives for November. I may do these on their actual day, or as now, for the whole month. These and more can be found at the

thefridayfive community. I wish to thank

supernutjapan for reminding me and inspiring me to do these.

The Friday Five for 28 November 2025
These questions were originally suggested by [livejournal.com profile] the_heartless.

1. What were some of the smells and tastes of your childhood?
Mom's Coffee, bagels, Mom's tomato sauce, bleach (when the school was cleaned), clean clothing, potato pancakes, baked chicken.

2. What did you have as a child that you do not think children today have?
Cassettes, vhs tapes, a landline telephone, a Franklin Language Master Special Edition (talking dictionary), Teddy Ruxpin and other talking dolls that told stories via tape.

3. What elementary grade was your favorite?
Fifth. My fifth grade teacher was the one who introduced me to, and made me love, writing.

4. What summer do you remember the best as a child?
I'm not sure.

5. What one piece of advice would you give to your younger self, and at what age?
See above.

The Friday Five for 21 November 2025: TV Time
These questions were originally suggested by [livejournal.com profile] heartovmidnight.

1. What's your favourite TV network?
I don't have one, since I don't watch television. I use Youtube and the Audio Vault.

2. If you could create your own channel, what would it be?
Audio, not video, and all sorts of great radio dramas, comedy, full operas, nature shows, etc.

3. What TV show did you watch as a child, that you wish they would bring back?
Bewitched.

4. What show have you always hated, and wonder why they ever made such a dumb show?
Most modern things, especially reality tv.

5. What TV show's seasons would you buy on DVD?
I hate dvds, as they are not usually accessible. If I can get away with things on vhs, I do. But usually, I just download things from Youtube or Audio Vault. I know I did want to watch something they didn't have, but I forget what it was.

The Friday Five for 14 November 2025
These questions were originally suggested by [livejournal.com profile] alysonl.

1. What's one of the nicest things a friend has ever done for you?
Probably bought me something.

2. What's one of the nicest things a stranger has ever done for you?
I don't know.

3. What is a trait in another person that you instantly admire, and that draws you to him? (grammar corrected)
Honesty.

4. What is a trait in another person that instantly repels you, and prevents you from forming a close relationship with him? (grammar corrected)
Meanness.

5. Time to vent: tell us about something rotten someone has done to you.
One boyfriend broke up with me via e-mail. We were both quite young, and he did apologise many years later when we happened to see each other online.

The Friday Five for 7 November 2025
These questions were originally suggested by [livejournal.com profile] newagebastard.

1. What’s harder to live without, chocolate or alcohol?
Alcohol, though I can live without both.

2. Does the colour yellow remind you of anything?
No. I am blind and have never seen colours. I heard that the sun is yellow, though, and so are the potatoes that I love.

3. Who most annoyed you last week?
Mom. It was just silly things, though.

4. Do you have a cutesy romantic nickname for your partner (or previous partners)?
No. I'm not into that sort of thing. I might say Honey, Darling, Dear, or perhaps Sweety, but that's about it.

5. What is your favourite Stephen King movie?
I'm not really one for films. But I love The Dark Tower series of books, and also, oddly enough, Eyes of the Dragon, since it was so different from anything else he has ever written.

Entry tags:

New Friends, Reading Entries, and Fascinating Documentaries, Plus a New Tool for The Blind

Hello, Dear Readers. First, I would like to welcome anyone to whom I have granted access today, as well as any new friends who may find me. As promised, I went over your entries today. It was surprising and sad to see how many of my subscribers haven't posted in months or even years, or have perged their accounts. Regardless, I left comments on many entries today, usually from no earlier than October, though there were a few exceptions, mostly for those who either posted very little from then to now, or who hadn't posted since the summer. I seriously considered unsubscribing from one journal due to the obscenities used. I'm not one for such language, and even though I fully respect the rights of people to do so in their own journals (particularly when they are protected entries), I really do wish that such people would either write a warning in their profile about it or in specific entries. I was also quite surprised at another friend's use of such language, given her age. I suppose I have to keep remembering that those in their seventies now are part of the Woodstock generation, when such things began to be acceptable. The sorts of seniors I generally think of are older now, and who knows how much longer they'll be around? In any case, Dreamwidth's division of readers is confusing, so that I sometimes miss when new people subscribe to my journal and consequently don't grant them access until I eventually see them in one of the lists. Now, I will be checking my e-mail for comments, new subscribers, etc. as I intend to spend more time here in the future, both reading and writing.

Joanie made her spair ribs and all of us loved them. Mom surprised us with Stouffer's Maccaroni and Cheese. I enjoy many types, from frozen to freeze dried, to homemade and fresh, but Stouffer's is among the best. I also tried the Barefoot Cabernet Sovignon, in order to compare it with Cavit's version, and I find that it's gentler and smoother. I like both, but I might prefer the barefoot. I definitely enjoy Cavit's Pinot Noir. I love fruity and sweet wines, but naturally, they don't go with everything. I can handle an off dry, but nothing truly dry. I also tried a Riesling that I fell in love with recently. I forget who makes it, but it may be Barefoot again. Naturally, I enjoy Sutter Home Moscato, but they also make Fre, which I also like, so I'm not surprised. I'm not crazy about the Pink Moscato, though. I will need to research the brand on that one.

I was going to listen to Don Pasquale tonight, but I became involved with Dreamwidth. If it were any other opera, I would gladly read the libretto and do so, but this is the only full one with Schipa in it, and I really want to be awake and alert for it. I'll try again tomorrow. I also have Il trovatore that I'm considering. Sadly, there is no full version with Gigli in it, though I did find one with his rival, Lauri Volpi. Fortunately, Tamagno didn't spoil me rotten with this one, though I did enjoy the arias he sang from it. After that, I must figure out what to listen to. I only have two more Donizetti ones left (Norma, and La favorite), and one more bellini (La Cenerentola). The rest are all verismo by Puccini. If anyone knows of other bel canto or Romantic operas recorded during the 1950's or earlier, please let me know. Just to give you an idea of what I have listened to so far, these are my reviews on the Old Opera subreddit.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OldOpera/

For those who may not be aware, audio description is when someone describes the visual scenes, usually in a film, documentary, etc. though it exists in theatres as well. Regardless, there is now a wonderful tool called Omni Describer that can analyse and automatically create descriptions for films. Obviously, manmade descriptions are better, but they also require people to wait and hope that, at some point, someone will describe a given film. This way, someone can choose any film from Youtube or even on his computer and have it made accessible fairly quickly. Naturally, the longer the video, the more time it will take to process. Sadly, sometimes, it doesn't work at all, and I receive errors that say the model is overloaded, but usually, it works again after awhile. I've watched several documentaries that way. Below is the main page of the developer, with links to Omni Describer, as well as its help file.

https://audioses.com/en/yazilimlar.php

One of the most fascinating documentaries that I have seen lately is called Japan's Secret Water garden. It is narrated by David Attenborough but is unlike any other documentary from him that I have ever watched. It is very relaxed, and while it definitely features animals, it is really a balance between one family's life in a village and the animals and plants that live there. It also offers a fascinating glimpse into a very traditional and amazing way of Japanese life that, surprisingly, many young people are returning to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kby5hAt7ktE

Now, I think it's time for some cold water, a shower, and some relaxation. I will post to Mastodon later. For those of you who are there, you can find me at dandylover1@someplace.social.

Entry tags:

Tags, Fashion, Food, and Furry Friends

Hello, Dear Readers. I was going to start with music, until I remembered that I hadn't reviewed DB's latest piece yet! Ah well Today was mostly spent on Dreamwidth. I never fully understood how tags worked here. Even before joining the Fediverse, my idea of them was similar to theirs in that I would write one and people would then search for it as a keyword and find my entries tagged with it. Unfortunately, the concept is quite different on Dreamwidth. Here, tags are mostly used by authors to organise their writing. So if I wanted to find a specific post, or if someone were already viewing my journal, I/he could go to tags and fine said entry. But to my knowledge, there is no way of simply doing a site-wide search for a keyword and finding it. If I am wrong, please let me know. Regardless, over the years, I accumulated a ridiculous amount of tags, many of which were used for only one entry and/or didn't relate to the main themes of my posts. Those with free user accounts are allowed a maximum of 1,000, and I kept reaching that level. Yesterday, I decided to perge all of the unnecessary ones. This took many hours, as I had to click on ones that I wasn't sure of (I ignored the ones relating to various composers or to blindness or technology, for example), see which entries were associated with them, then delete them if desired. I also changed the tags on several entries, for instance, just writing food, instead of specific types. Now, I can proudly say that I have only 569 tags of this writing. I might delete a few more, or even add one or two, but this is a far cry from the over 860 that I started with, which was still better than my original 1,000!

All of that aside, it was very interesting reviewing my older entries. I actually like them far more than my more recent ones. I really miss my journies into dandyism, wit, Edwardian fashion, and nineteenth century literature and grammar. I must begin them again, since they make me truly happy. As an example, take this old entry on fabrics. It is absolutely fascinating!

On Fashion and Fabrics

https://dandylover1.dreamwidth.org/13005.html

Recently, I sent an e-mail to my mother that I may or may not have written about here. In any case, I am hoping that some of you can help me with this, since it's slightly visual. For those who don't know me well, I am a woman but am strictly interested in men's attire and am seekingan Edwardian suit. I also have no time for modern materials in reproductions. Eventually, I wish to own formal and semi-formal clothing. But now, I am seeking informal daywear for regular use when going out. Please tell me if this modern suit is, in fact, a lounge/sack suit and if it is actually Edwardian in style. I am providing the letter in its entirety both for those who are curious and for comparison.

( I Think I Found A Suit )

The food adventures continue. We were supposed to have Italian chicken breast on Sunday, but we received the food from our Egyptian friends, so had that instead. Last night, Mom told me we were having spare ribs, but she made the chicken. No matter, it was absolutely fantastic! It came from Omaha Steaks and was pre-seasoned. The instant I tasted it, I knew it would be perfect made into chicken parmesan with mozzarella sticks. Joanie made her yellow potatoes again, rounding out the meal for me, since I don't eat salad. Mom will be putting all of this into our regular rotation. Tonight, we are going to have the ribs, which I have eaten many times and love.

Since the cold weather is continuing (it is December, after all), I just made myself a delicious mint hot chocolate! I always make it with milk (whole, naturally), since I don't really like hot chocolate made with water. What makes this one special is that it comes from a brand called Grounds and Hounds. They are devoted to helping dogs in need, and twenty percent of all orders go toward a local (to the buyer) shelter. All of their coffees, hot chocolates, and merchandise are dog-themed as well, so if you or yourself love dogs, this is a great way to buy gifts and help them at the same time. They are bounbd to have many sales at this time of year. This is the hot chocolate section. For some reason, the mint one isn't listed right now. It could be a holiday, limited edition, which they often release, so it's worth signing up to their e-mails. (Note: I am not affiliated with them. I just love their products and cause.)

https://groundsandhoundscoffee.com/collections/hot-chocolate

Now, it's time for me to read some of your entries and comment on them if I have something to say.

Timing

On Thursday, Biggie has a vet appointment at 9:30. Volleyball ended at the regular time this morning (8) and I stopped and picked up mail on my way home and then had coffee and breakfast and farted around on a few websites and then got up to look for my earbuds then back down again for more internetting and now it is 9:25. So... I think, Thursday, I'll have ample time to get there without being rushed or late.

I still haven't found the ear buds. I've had them out and charged them up within the last couple of months but even in the case, the damn things are so small, they can easily hide nearly anywhere. I guess a grid search will have to happen today.

And I'm going out. Shredded cheese and Amazon returns.

Amazon Prime video lets you add subscriptions to other streaming services. Initially, I thought this was cool. Especially when Apple+ won't let me sign on, much less give them money. I was able to see all the Apple+ I wanted via Prime. So, when the black Friday sales hit, I grabbed some deals. Turns out not to be the great deal in all cases. The HBO/Max you get via Amazon Prime is NOT their entire catalog. That was a bit of a blow. Ditto with AMC+. On the up side, both are monthly so I can cancel any time but still. Had I known, I'd have gotten the HBO/Max special via their website where you do get everything they offer. AMC+ doesn't matter. There's only one 6 episode show I wanted to see - "The Assassin". I'll watch it and cancel the subscription and know better next time.

Today is cookie day. Every year volunteer bakers all over Timber Ridge make all kinds of cookies and take them down to the meeting room. Then they are distributed into boxes with each box getting about a dozen and a half home baked cookies. They will be handed out to each employee tomorrow at the Employee Christmas Party. I signed up to help put cookies in boxes. I also volunteered to help dispose of any that get broken. I'm a giver.

But, I'd better get dressed first.

Random Monday

I had a, mostly, online friend who died a few years ago. He was Jewish and always bitched incessantly about Jesus music this time of year. He always acted like it was an unexpected insult. It amused me every year. Now when I hear background Christmas music, I think of him. I'm pretty sure that would piss him off.

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I think I'm a fairly good communicator. I try to consider my audience and how they might receive what I'm trying to convey whether it is in writing or orally. This journal is a great test. I am surprised how often I totally miss the mark. I can tell by comments when the point I was trying to make landed somewhere off in never never land. It's humbling.

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I am soon to be 77 years old. Multiple times a day, nearly every day, I find myself thinking 'when I get old, I will...' or 'I'm never doing that when I get old...' And then I find the brake pedal and realize, doh!

Out in the wild, people drop dead of 'natural causes' every day at ages much younger than 77. Of course, here at the cult, where the average age is mid-80's, I'm quite young. I'm pretty sure that's how my perspective gets skewed.

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I am out of shredded cheese. Not out out but close to out and I use that stuff on everything so this needs to get remedied. I might wait until tomorrow when the house cleaner is here. Or Bonny usually goes to the QFC on Mondays because that's when the new flowers come in and she does love her fresh flowers and she could grab me some cheese.

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I've had my swim. I need to empty the dishwasher and probably get dressed. Oh and make the bed. And then...

Entry tags:

Great Food, Switching Phones, and a New Number

Hello, Dear Readers. Let's start today with some lovely music.

( Thoughts on Haydn: String Quartet No.53 Op.64 No.5 Lark )

It's another ridiculously cold day, but I have the space heater on in my room, so I'm dealing with it. Of course, we do have real heat in the house, but they never keep it as warm as I like. I like it anywhere from seventy to seventy-four, but they always keep it on sixty-eight, though I've even seen it get as low as sixty-five here. Regardless, I had a wonderful breakfast today. During the week days, I usually take care of my own breakfast (if I have any) and lunch. But on the weekends, one of my parents will make something. Today, Joanie made her famous French toast, and it was delicious. She usually makes hot chocolate, but I like mine made with milk, not water, so I made my own. It's actually a mint hot chocolate made by Grounds and Hounds, the same company that makes the wonderful coffees and donates twenty percent of all orders to local shelters to help dogs. (Sadly, I've never found a company like this for cats.) I always buy from them at least three or four times a year, just to help the animals. Once I added a teaspoon of sugar, the drink was excellent. We've had a few more food adventures as well. Two nights ago, Joanie made quesadillas. At first, I had one with just blended cheese. Then, I tried one with chicken. Both were wonderful. I hadn't had them in a very long time. Last night, we had rib eye steak and yellow potatoes, also called new potatoes. These are very small and taste absolutely wonderful. I hadn't had them in awhile, but all of us loved them. Originally my next sentence was about the Italian chicken breast we were due to have tonight, but just as I was writing this entry, Mom called me upstairs so I could try a gift left for us by some very dear friends of ours. They are Egyptian, and I love their cooking. This time, it was chicken, rice, and potatoes. I had some for lunch, and then came up and had more for dinner. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do that or just stay down here and eat my own food, but the temptation was too great. D made us all laugh by eating four helpings of rice! A even commented that his brother had more of an appetite than he, which is extremely unusual. But while they ate the food, other than the above, they didn't really enjoy it. That means more for me next time, whenever that will be.

I am thinking of switching from Android back to IOS. I know that someone of you aren't great lovers of technology, so I will put this behind a cut.
( Considering a Phone Switch )

Regardless, all of this has led me to sign up for a Google Voice number. With my A15, I can use Google Messages, which also has a website, though it's very annoying. But iPhones only work with iMessage, so I would have to either switch keyboards or switch my keyboard from Windows to IOS in order to respond to any texts sent to me. This way, I can receive messages on both of my phones, and respond there or on my Toughpad with Windows. Anyway, since this one uses Georgiana Brummell for the name, I can give it out to everyone. If anyone here wishes to contact me, my new number is 201 589-1890. I will also be putting it in my profile. It's probably better for you to send me a text if I don't know your number, since I don't answer if I don't recognise the caller. Of course, I am also still available on MSN Messenger at dandylover1@escargot.chat.

I have more good things to tell you, but they will have to wait for the next entry, as this one is already quite long. But I will apologise to all of you, yet again, for not reading your entries, especially when you are kind enough to red mine. I will start doing so this week. I need to balance Dreamwidth and Mastodon, where I post a lot, though obviously, the content is very different.

Another tough day in Texas.

Beaux appreciates life as much as any being I know.