Daily Happiness
Jun. 20th, 2025 10:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
torachan1. Finally after all week feeling like each day should be Friday, it's really Friday!
2. Today actually wasn't too bad at work and wasn't a long day. Though I didn't end up getting to everything I wanted to get done, so I had to push a lot of things till Monday. They're not urgent things, so it's fine, but I feel like Monday is going to end up with a lot of things, especially since I have a meeting in the afternoon. But so far I have nothing scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, so hopefully one or the other can be a catch up day if I need it.
3. This is an irresistible spot for cats. A canvas bag on top of a plastic bin, which is itself on top of a pile of other bags, on top of a blanket, on top of a chest. Plus it's got a nice view of the sidewalk!
2. Today actually wasn't too bad at work and wasn't a long day. Though I didn't end up getting to everything I wanted to get done, so I had to push a lot of things till Monday. They're not urgent things, so it's fine, but I feel like Monday is going to end up with a lot of things, especially since I have a meeting in the afternoon. But so far I have nothing scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, so hopefully one or the other can be a catch up day if I need it.
3. This is an irresistible spot for cats. A canvas bag on top of a plastic bin, which is itself on top of a pile of other bags, on top of a blanket, on top of a chest. Plus it's got a nice view of the sidewalk!
2025 Disneyland Trip #42 (6/18/25) Pride Nite
Jun. 20th, 2025 10:33 pmtorachanThis is the third year they've had an official Pride Nite at Disneyland. With only two dates each year, it's on a smaller scale than most of the other events, but still a lot of fun and I just love being there at the park when almost everyone (even many of the cast members working that night) is queer.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Fiction
Jun. 20th, 2025 05:48 pmrivkatSarah Langan, Pam Kowolski Is a Monster!: ( self-obsessed in the apocalypse )
Stephen King, Never Flinch:( Holly Gibney )
Shannon Chakraborty, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: ( piracy and magic )
Olivie Blake, Gifted and Talented: ( for fans of Succession )
Ai Jiang, A Palace Near the Wind: Natural Engines: ( marriage and conquest )
John Scalzi, When the Moon Hits Your Eye: ( moon made of cheese )
M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven: ( white women's guilt )
Emily Tesh, The Incandescent: ( magic school administrator! )
Stephen King, Never Flinch:( Holly Gibney )
Shannon Chakraborty, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: ( piracy and magic )
Olivie Blake, Gifted and Talented: ( for fans of Succession )
Ai Jiang, A Palace Near the Wind: Natural Engines: ( marriage and conquest )
John Scalzi, When the Moon Hits Your Eye: ( moon made of cheese )
M. L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven: ( white women's guilt )
Emily Tesh, The Incandescent: ( magic school administrator! )
Daily Happiness
Jun. 19th, 2025 10:20 pmtorachan1. They announced the amounts for our biannual bonus and the pre-tax amount is a little higher than last time. Not sure what the take-home amount will be, but I'll find out next Friday. (The day after my birthday, so that's a nice present.)
2. For some reason this week has felt so long. Like every day I've felt like it must be Friday. Even Monday! And now tomorrow is finally Friday! I'm excited about that. Taking next Thursday off for the aforementioned birthday, so it will be a short week, too. (And then the week after that I get that Friday off for 4th of July, so two short weeks in a row!)
3. Tuxie looks so contented.
2. For some reason this week has felt so long. Like every day I've felt like it must be Friday. Even Monday! And now tomorrow is finally Friday! I'm excited about that. Taking next Thursday off for the aforementioned birthday, so it will be a short week, too. (And then the week after that I get that Friday off for 4th of July, so two short weeks in a row!)
3. Tuxie looks so contented.
Daily Happiness
Jun. 19th, 2025 02:34 amtorachan1. Tonight was Pride Nite! Had a lot of fun. Pics and post to come tomorrow as it is much too late to do tonight.
2. Special delivery!
2. Special delivery!
What I'm Doing Wednesday
Jun. 18th, 2025 05:59 pmsagebooks
The Art & Science of Happiness by Swami Mukundananda. 2025. Mix of science and religion. Some interesting texts, but a lot of "come to Krishna", which was not really a surprise.
All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil by Stephen Alford. 2024. Interesting bio. Good job including the women. A very negative view of Elizabeth I. (I've never read a positive view of her that wasn't the shallowest of surveys.)
currently reading The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 5: c.1198 - c.1300 by David Abulafia (Editor), et al. 1999. A slog through ecclesiastical history before it gets to more interesting stuff.
dirt
The volunteer catnip is blooming! And growing 2 new stalks! That means I can collect the seed and plant more. The leaves are the largest I've ever seen on catnip, nearly 3 inches long. The peperomia red stem in the terrarium is taking over. I found more thrips in the rattlesnake beans, dammit, and sprayed them yesterday. Also did a hard prune of another jade plant because it was falling over due to the weight of its leaves. Still on the verge of buying a tiny orchid but haven't done it yet. Maybe in the next grocery run? We'll see.
( healthcrap & food )
yarning
Didn't make it to yarning AGAIN, thanks to a migraine. I've managed to make a bunny arm, which is nothing in the grand scheme of crocheting. I want my motivation back. It doesn't even have to be yarning, it could be anything, anything at all. I just am so unhappy sitting here feeling crummy. I'm not even motivated to repot the plants that need it because it's hot outside...and it isn't even 95F yet. Augh. /o\
media
I caught up on Murderbot and I mostly love it! Even though I have the attention span of a gnat and had to pause it every few minutes. (I am so bad at visual media!)
#resist
June 19: Juneteenth Protest
June 27: Stonewall Anniversary Protest
June 24 to 30: McDonald’s Boycott
July 4: Independence Day Boycott and Silent(?) Protest
July 17: the next big demonstration (in honor of John Lewis, who died 7/17/2000), per Axios.
I hope you're all doing well! <333
The Art & Science of Happiness by Swami Mukundananda. 2025. Mix of science and religion. Some interesting texts, but a lot of "come to Krishna", which was not really a surprise.
All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil by Stephen Alford. 2024. Interesting bio. Good job including the women. A very negative view of Elizabeth I. (I've never read a positive view of her that wasn't the shallowest of surveys.)
currently reading The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 5: c.1198 - c.1300 by David Abulafia (Editor), et al. 1999. A slog through ecclesiastical history before it gets to more interesting stuff.
dirt
The volunteer catnip is blooming! And growing 2 new stalks! That means I can collect the seed and plant more. The leaves are the largest I've ever seen on catnip, nearly 3 inches long. The peperomia red stem in the terrarium is taking over. I found more thrips in the rattlesnake beans, dammit, and sprayed them yesterday. Also did a hard prune of another jade plant because it was falling over due to the weight of its leaves. Still on the verge of buying a tiny orchid but haven't done it yet. Maybe in the next grocery run? We'll see.
( healthcrap & food )
yarning
Didn't make it to yarning AGAIN, thanks to a migraine. I've managed to make a bunny arm, which is nothing in the grand scheme of crocheting. I want my motivation back. It doesn't even have to be yarning, it could be anything, anything at all. I just am so unhappy sitting here feeling crummy. I'm not even motivated to repot the plants that need it because it's hot outside...and it isn't even 95F yet. Augh. /o\
media
I caught up on Murderbot and I mostly love it! Even though I have the attention span of a gnat and had to pause it every few minutes. (I am so bad at visual media!)
#resist
June 19: Juneteenth Protest
June 27: Stonewall Anniversary Protest
June 24 to 30: McDonald’s Boycott
July 4: Independence Day Boycott and Silent(?) Protest
July 17: the next big demonstration (in honor of John Lewis, who died 7/17/2000), per Axios.
I hope you're all doing well! <333
Fly By Night, by Frances Hardinge
Jun. 18th, 2025 08:14 amrunpunkrunHereditary rule, little gods, and the power of the printed word in a world very much like early 18th century England, only not. But this is really the story of a fatherless girl and her Horrible Goose as they spy, steal, and blackmail their way through a world still recovering from, or possibly on the edge of, civil war.
I got a bit bogged down in the middle where there were too many guys (gender specific) that I didn't care about having problems that I also didn't care about, but Hardinge's wonderful descriptive writing carried me through. She is so good at writing, you guys (gender neutral), and this has some especially brilliant descriptions of water and the various sounds it makes:
Contains: child harm, probably; animal harm; "gypsies" for some reason.
I got a bit bogged down in the middle where there were too many guys (gender specific) that I didn't care about having problems that I also didn't care about, but Hardinge's wonderful descriptive writing carried me through. She is so good at writing, you guys (gender neutral), and this has some especially brilliant descriptions of water and the various sounds it makes:
There was no escaping the sound of water. It had many voices. The clearest sounded like someone shaking glass beads in a sieve. The waterfall spray beat the leaves with a noise like paper children applauding. From the ravines rose a sound like the chuckle of granite-throated goblins.And that's just the beginning. Every time she describes water, it's doing something different, a combination of words you've never before seen put in that order, but after a moment's thought it's obviously perfect. Her character work is excellent, too, though the POV of this book could best be described as "distant third person omniscient," and not really in a good way.
Contains: child harm, probably; animal harm; "gypsies" for some reason.
Daily Happiness
Jun. 17th, 2025 09:01 pmtorachan1. The curfew was fully lifted downtown.
2. Long meeting day ended a couple hours earlier than scheduled. (So rare.)
3. Jasper is the cutest* and he knows it.
*All cats are the cutest.
2. Long meeting day ended a couple hours earlier than scheduled. (So rare.)
3. Jasper is the cutest* and he knows it.
*All cats are the cutest.
2025 Disneyland Trip #41 (6/16/25)
Jun. 17th, 2025 06:15 pmtorachanLast night was just a quick after-work trip while waiting to pick up Carla at the airport, so I didn't do a whole lot but I did have a nice dinner!
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Daily Happiness
Jun. 16th, 2025 11:20 pmtorachan1. It seems like there was a lot more foot traffic in Little Tokyo today, so hopefully our sales will pick up this week. And this afternoon they announced the curfew has been pushed back to 10pm from 8pm, so we can keep the store open till nine.
2. Carla is home safe and sound.
3. I had a nice dinner at DCA tonight before picking her up from the airport. Very warm and muggy this evening, though, which I could have done without!
4. Neighborhood Watch! Gemma is on top of it.
2. Carla is home safe and sound.
3. I had a nice dinner at DCA tonight before picking her up from the airport. Very warm and muggy this evening, though, which I could have done without!
4. Neighborhood Watch! Gemma is on top of it.
Things Coming Out Next
Jun. 16th, 2025 01:49 pmmarthawellsStoryteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology
Out in ebook and paperback on July 1. My story is "Data Ghost"
https://bookshop.org/p/books/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology/a74b320486117220?ean=9798992595406&next=t
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology?sId=e0bafab6-32a8-4ffb-9436-2dcda473349c
Edited by Julie C. Day, Carina Bissett, and Craig Laurance Gidney. Stories by Martha Wells, Andy Duncan, C.S.E. Cooney, Nisi Shawl, Mike Allen, Alaya Dawn Johnson, CL Hellisen, Maya Deane, Rocío Rincón Fernández, Theodora Goss, Getty Hesse, Starlene Justice, Amelia Mangan, Michael Yuya Montroy, Marisca Pichette, KT Wagner.
Sixteen new stories from some of today's most renowned authors. All inspired by the master storyteller Tanith Lee.
Drowning cities and unicorns. Burning deserts and forgotten gods. Golems, elf warriors, and inner-Earthers. Alien lifeforms and museum workers. Ancient plagues and the future of humanity. The familiar and the fantastical. Each story in this anthology is both unique and compelling: from fairy-tale retellings to romance-tinged high fantasy, from nihilistic horror to gripping science fiction. Immersive, wide-ranging, and sublime, Storyteller features worlds and characters that are sure to travel with you long after the last page has been read.
***
Short Story: "Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy" by Martha Wells
will be available on Reactor Magazine on July 10
Illustrated by Jaime Jones
Edited by Lee Harris
Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover...
***
Summer of Science Fiction & Fantasy: Martha Wells in conversation with Kate Elliott
https://www.clarionwest.org/event/summer-of-science-fiction-fantasy-martha-wells-in-conversation-with-kate-elliott/
July 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT
The Clarion West Summer Reading Series will be held virtually and streamed live over Zoom during the Six-Week Workshop.
Join us for our final event, a conversation between Martha Wells and Kate Elliott!
This event will begin with a conversation between Martha and Kate. There will be time to take questions from the audience. Participants will be able to submit questions in the webinar.
***
The New Yorker announced "Platform Decay" will be the next Murderbot novella. No word on publication date yet.
***
Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology For Seattle Worldcon 2025
https://grimoakpress.com/products/grimoire-a-grim-oak-press-anthology-for-seattle-worldcon-2025
My story is a fantasy called "Birthright" which is reprint that's not currently available anywhere else.
***
Queen Demon, the sequel to Witch King, second book of the Rising World, is up for preorder and will be released in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover on October 7.
From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.
Dahin believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs' Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there's something he isn't telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.
Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?
And can he trust his companions to do what's right?
Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/queen-demon-martha-wells/21751501?ean=9781250826916
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/queen-demon-martha-wells/1146167707?ean=9781250826916
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/queen-demon
Audiobook Libro.fm https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781250291981-queen-demon
Bakka-Phoenix (indie bookstore in Canada): https://bakkaphoenixbooks.com/item/3Czr8TaWU9-_fwJ25ytSCw
Out in ebook and paperback on July 1. My story is "Data Ghost"
https://bookshop.org/p/books/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology/a74b320486117220?ean=9798992595406&next=t
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/storyteller-a-tanith-lee-tribute-anthology?sId=e0bafab6-32a8-4ffb-9436-2dcda473349c
Edited by Julie C. Day, Carina Bissett, and Craig Laurance Gidney. Stories by Martha Wells, Andy Duncan, C.S.E. Cooney, Nisi Shawl, Mike Allen, Alaya Dawn Johnson, CL Hellisen, Maya Deane, Rocío Rincón Fernández, Theodora Goss, Getty Hesse, Starlene Justice, Amelia Mangan, Michael Yuya Montroy, Marisca Pichette, KT Wagner.
Sixteen new stories from some of today's most renowned authors. All inspired by the master storyteller Tanith Lee.
Drowning cities and unicorns. Burning deserts and forgotten gods. Golems, elf warriors, and inner-Earthers. Alien lifeforms and museum workers. Ancient plagues and the future of humanity. The familiar and the fantastical. Each story in this anthology is both unique and compelling: from fairy-tale retellings to romance-tinged high fantasy, from nihilistic horror to gripping science fiction. Immersive, wide-ranging, and sublime, Storyteller features worlds and characters that are sure to travel with you long after the last page has been read.
***
Short Story: "Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy" by Martha Wells
will be available on Reactor Magazine on July 10
Illustrated by Jaime Jones
Edited by Lee Harris
Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover...
***
Summer of Science Fiction & Fantasy: Martha Wells in conversation with Kate Elliott
https://www.clarionwest.org/event/summer-of-science-fiction-fantasy-martha-wells-in-conversation-with-kate-elliott/
July 30 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm PDT
The Clarion West Summer Reading Series will be held virtually and streamed live over Zoom during the Six-Week Workshop.
Join us for our final event, a conversation between Martha Wells and Kate Elliott!
This event will begin with a conversation between Martha and Kate. There will be time to take questions from the audience. Participants will be able to submit questions in the webinar.
***
The New Yorker announced "Platform Decay" will be the next Murderbot novella. No word on publication date yet.
***
Grimoire: A Grim Oak Press Anthology For Seattle Worldcon 2025
https://grimoakpress.com/products/grimoire-a-grim-oak-press-anthology-for-seattle-worldcon-2025
My story is a fantasy called "Birthright" which is reprint that's not currently available anywhere else.
***
Queen Demon, the sequel to Witch King, second book of the Rising World, is up for preorder and will be released in ebook, audiobook, and hardcover on October 7.
From the breakout SFF superstar author of Murderbot comes the remarkable sequel to the USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling novel, Witch King. A fantasy of epic scope, Queen Demon is a story of power and friendship, of trust and betrayal, and of the families we choose.
Dahin believes he has clues to the location of the Hierarchs' Well, and the Witch King Kai, along with his companions Ziede and Tahren, knowing there's something he isn't telling them, travel with him to the rebuilt university of Ancartre, which may be dangerously close to finding the Well itself.
Can Kai stop the rise of a new Hierarch?
And can he trust his companions to do what's right?
Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/queen-demon-martha-wells/21751501?ean=9781250826916
B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/queen-demon-martha-wells/1146167707?ean=9781250826916
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/queen-demon
Audiobook Libro.fm https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9781250291981-queen-demon
Bakka-Phoenix (indie bookstore in Canada): https://bakkaphoenixbooks.com/item/3Czr8TaWU9-_fwJ25ytSCw
Another Murderbot interview
Jun. 16th, 2025 08:42 ammarthawellsIn ‘Murderbot,’ an anxious scientist and an autonomous robot develop a workplace-trauma bond
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-06-13/murderbot-episode-6-alexander-skarsgard-noma-dumezweni
Leading a TV series is a first for Dumezweni, who has previously been cast in smaller roles. She wasn’t convinced by the initial pitch at first because sci-fi hasn’t traditionally had a lot of major roles for actors of color.
“Usually I’d come in and play the receptionist,” she says. “I love to watch sci-fi. But I wondered: Who am I going to be in this sci-fi world?”
However, once she learned more about the world and the character, the actor changed her mind.
“It was an absolute joy to discover that there was nothing that Chris and Paul had to change to make it representational,” Dumezweni says. “It’s lovely not to have to fight for people’s positions in the world based on their skin color.”
ETA: Wanted to add this one real quick from BlueSky:
Vestal Magazine: Noma Dumezweni -- Off Canvas
https://www.vestalmag.com/noma-dumezweni
Set in a near future where the line between machine and human is increasingly blurred, Murderbot explores themes of identity, autonomy, and what it truly means to be alive through the eyes of a self-aware security android. Adapted from Martha Wells’s beloved The Murderbot Diaries novels, the series blends gripping sci-fi action with sharp, witty humor. At the heart of the story is Noma Dumezweni’s portrayal of Dr. Ayda Mensah, the thoughtful leader of a pacifist civilization struggling to uphold her community’s ideals amid a universe dominated by corporate greed and political tensions. Noma brings to the role a grounded strength, embodying the delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism as her character wrestles with the burdens of leadership and moral compromise. The parallels between Noma and Ayda run deep: both choose to lead with heart, courage, and conviction. “Your head will try to talk you out of that feeling of expansion. It will tell you, ‘You can’t do this,’” Noma says. “Trust your body, trust your instinct. Your body knows the truth.” That instinct and bravery have guided her career, from becoming the first Black actress to portray Hermione Granger on stage, a landmark moment for representation in theater, to winning two Laurence Olivier Awards and becoming a beacon of inspiration for a new generation of actors. Like Ayda, Noma has forged a path not only of leadership, but of quiet, transformative power.
Lovely photos in this!
Daily Happiness
Jun. 15th, 2025 09:32 pmtorachan1. I walked up to the neighborhood grocery store this morning thinking to buy some roast beef for a sandwich for lunch but on my way there I remembered they have grills out in the parking lot on the weekend and sell sandwiches and meat there. I was worried it might be cash only and I didn't have cash, but they take your order and you just take the order sheet inside and pay at the register, then pick your food up outside, so I got a tri-tip sandwich and it was so good. It was also huge, so I had half for lunch and half for dinner. Planning to get it again next weekend when Carla's back so we can split it.
2. Speaking of which, Carla will be home tomorrow night. Her flight's getting in around 9pm, so I am going to head down to Disneyland after work and then down to the airport after that (she's flying into the airport in Irvine because it's much more chill than LAX).
3. The Little Tokyo store was able to open up today with no issue. I doubt there were a whole lot of customers, and the curfew is still in effect so we have to close at 6:30pm until that's lifted, but I'm very glad we were able to open and that there was no damage to the store (not even any graffiti, apparently). I'm going to stop by tomorrow and check things out, since I don't have any meetings or anything planned for earlier in the day.
4. All tucked in!
2. Speaking of which, Carla will be home tomorrow night. Her flight's getting in around 9pm, so I am going to head down to Disneyland after work and then down to the airport after that (she's flying into the airport in Irvine because it's much more chill than LAX).
3. The Little Tokyo store was able to open up today with no issue. I doubt there were a whole lot of customers, and the curfew is still in effect so we have to close at 6:30pm until that's lifted, but I'm very glad we were able to open and that there was no damage to the store (not even any graffiti, apparently). I'm going to stop by tomorrow and check things out, since I don't have any meetings or anything planned for earlier in the day.
4. All tucked in!