#aug 24

[5rcane]

[msbarrows]

Yeah Anno 1800 is still controlling my brain and eating most of my free time (and some time I should be using for other things, like sleeping). Which means I've once again been skipping out on doing my daily posts, so grrrr at myself since I find having them personally useful (such as for double-checking when I last served something so I don't produce chili out of the freezer twice in one week sort of thing; I'd be fine with that but the brother prefers more variety).

And now I've once again gone a full week since I last posted, and apart from "played Anno 1800, crocheted a little" most days are a blank. At least it's the same save I was working on a week ago so I'm well past any danger of needing to restart from scratch? I'm in a weird mode with it where my income is almost always in the red, but I'm regularly selling excess stuff (some of it pretty valuable) to the NPC traders, and since those are blink-and-you-miss-it spikes of positive income, my actual money on hand has been climbing steadily despite being 'in the red'. I'm now up to almost 30 million in game, and seem to finally be turning the corner to actually earning positive revenue occasionally.

Let's see how much of the last week I can reconstruct:

Aug 20 - Chili and tortilla chips. There may have been a side salad.

Aug 21 - Pretty sure I did potato salad, corn on the cob, and hamburgers. Unless this and yesterday were reversed.

Aug 22 - Divided up a little under 10 lbs of mixed ground beef & pork my brother had bought, into 1 and 1.5 pound amounts in (flattened) freezer bags to freeze. Since there was still leftover tortilla chips, I made a taco salad for supper as a way to also use up the less-than-a-pound of ground meat left.

Aug 23 - Dug out some of the leftover lamb and lamb stock from the freezer and made a barley pottage with it, with carrots and peas mixed in for a veg. Barley and lamb is an awesome combination.

Aug 24 - Pizza for supper.

Aug 25 - Partially cleaned the upstairs bathroom. Did pasta and meat sauce and a Greek style salad for supper.

Aug 25 - Ran and put away three loads of laundry. Baked a loaf of oatmeal bread, except substituting Bob's Red Mill 5-Grain Hot Cereal for the oatmeal; it's also rolled grain, and I wanted to see how it would come out (delicious - had some a bit ago with my evening pills).

Supper was beef curry, barberry rice, and some mixed veggies sauteed in toasted sesame and olive oils.

-

Oh, and some time during the week I hit the 1/3 point with the green acrylic scarf, took a look at how much yarn remained in the ball, and decided it was unlikely to result in a long enough scarf for its excessive width. Frogged it and started over, doing the same pattern but based on sets of three stitches instead of four. It's working out as a much more scarf-suitable width now.

[chillypepperhot]

The Moon illusion is the name for this trick our brains play on us. Photographs prove that the Moon is the same width near the horizon as when it's high in the sky, but that's not what we perceive with our eyes. Thus it's an illusion rooted in the way our brains process visual information.

Lastnights moon

Source Me laf@ilyF ❤️

[selfheals]

Jul to Dec 24

Gigs: Luke Kidgell (solo), Bambi Thug, Caravan Palace, Sleep Token (solo)

Films: Deadpool 2, Alien: Romulus, Pulp Fiction, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Speak No Evil, The Substance, Silent Men, Terrifier (1, 2 & 3)

I met K, an American woman who I had been speaking to on WhatsApp since the start of the year, in person. From the start I clarified that I was interested in dating and creating good memories together, and not yet ready for a long-term relationship. We hung out in person a few times, including a lovely picnic date at the local botanic gardens. It was inevitable that our contrasting desires would cause fallout, though I didn't anticipate being called abusive. That one threw me off for a couple weeks. I'm still not certain how I could have communicated more clearly with her.

I spent August with my new kitten (Misha!!!!!!!!!), catching up with friends, horse-riding, and studying towards a certificate (Animal Welfare in the Clinic) to help me re-enter the veterinary field.

To put Misha into words feels diminutive. He is as cuddly a cat as ever I could desire, with the typical playfulness of an energetic and naïve kitten. He and Wookiee don't yet get along, due to the current difference in temperaments and Misha's tendency to stare. Wookiee hasn't been overly stressed as previously shown by her habit of overgrooming her tummy.

I hoped to acquaint myself with the Beltane Fire Society to be involved as a Torchbearer for Samhuinn Fire Festival, but the/my energy wasn't right. There is always the option to return for future Beltanes and Samhuinns.

In early November, I encountered C again on a dating app and 'tapped' him to see what would happen. We started talking again, then hanging out in person to watch movies (Terrifier series). Eventually, I asked what caused him to stop speaking to me in winter 2023, a conversation I'd put off for the entire year to date. He told me he was scared he had hurt me (he had, but what good would sharing this accomplish?) and the anxiety of doing so again kept him from contacting me. Since we had this conversation, which I believe to be honest, we've been speaking much more often. The only disappointment I carry is that he wants to remain friends. Had I known that night at his would have been the only night, I would have behaved differently, adventurously.

B and I have continued to keep in close contact, meeting regularly to watch F1 and spend time together. It remains open, wholesome, caring... honest. For my birthday, I received a touching card from him, which I have deliberately kept (I usually recycle them).

In October, I had a small but impactful accident while horse-riding. I was driven by fellow riders to hospital to check for cranial bleeds (none). In the days following, I was less prone to hesitation, deciding then was the time to confess attraction for my crush, A, who didn't feel the same. It wouldn't feel right to call this a 'knockback' because it brought me peace of mind that I could move on, dedicate my energy, time and affections to people who may return it.

I've been on other dates with a dozen or so other guys, only one of which has bourn what I so far think will be a lasting connection: T.

T is a bearish guy in his 30s who I started talking to in November. His music taste overlaps with mine, he's into cinema and gaming, and we seem so far to truly appreciate each other's company. We went on five dates in the same number of weeks and I thoroughly enjoyed each. He's recently single (since October) and going to therapy sessions; I tread lightly with the memory of K still quite fresh in mind.

Throughout the year, it's been made clear to me that (the majority of) my friends have 'sided' with me following the split with my ex-husband and ex-boyfriend. A few centrists remain, enjoying the occasional company of both in turn. It's unfortunate that A's behaviour last Halloween had such an impact on their general standing in the group - however, not my monkey, not my circus. Time will tell if the wounds of our tumultuous relationship heal in a pleasant way.

My mood overall is the highest I can recall it ever being. I haven't felt the need to contact Melanie, though I have been meaning to write her a letter of thanks to let her know I'm alive, healthy and as close to happy as ever. I'm conscious that the way I approach problems and react to setbacks is different now, logical. I see this as positive, but I'm aware others may see it as cold or blunt.

Now, I personally feel more ready to enter a long-term relationship with someone, but I'm not actively seeking this. Indeed, I tire of dating apps and suspect the majority will soon disappear from my phone - Tinder was uninstalled this morning, four others remain.

This year, I want to challenge myself socially to be more spontaneous and visit new places (namely, Pipeworks in Glasgow). I'm starting a new job as a veterinary receptionist in mid-January. I booked my ticket for Download and will be camping with A (yet another 'A'). If I can afford it, I hope to go on holiday with friends again.

2024 taught me that I am capable of so much more than I give myself credit for. I will keep pushing my comfort zone in 2025, always reflecting on what I have done, am doing, will do to learn from past mistakes and prevent future ones. I owe myself success.

[underatedwords]

if oasis comes back tomorrow,, the country will come to a standstill 👀

[mistfunk]

Mistigram: AdeptApril has taught us with this #ANSIart screen that today is Weather Complaint Day! They say that everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it, so if there are any evil geniuses out there waiting to test their weather machine, today's the day to fire it up! (Or maybe you already did?)

[5rcane]

[velvetwyrme]

Surprise ;)!!

I decided to schedule this post randomly as well, so whenever it posts will be a surprise to me too! (Written May 9th 2023)

[msbarrows]

GDI, once again I thought I was just a day or two behind and yeah, NO. Try almost a week. I blame BG3, CP77 and NMS for bludgeoning my brain and dragging it off into a locked room full of shiny content.

Reconstructing what I can remember since the last post on the 21st, didn't do much apart from cooking meals:

Aug 22 - Made fettuccine noodles from scratch (go me!) and froze half for a future meal. Served it for supper topped with a ground pork based meat sauce and chopped green onions.

Aug 23 - Baked a big pan of zucchini bread. Made a salad, oven fries, and fish burgers for supper.

Aug 24 - Cooked a couple of hot Italian sausages and served them with buttered boiled potatoes, yellow beans, and fried zucchini slices.

Aug 25 - Cooked a couple of hamburger patties and had them with french fries and corn on the cob.

Aug 26 - Went for a walk. Ran a load of laundry. Grabbed the last of the premade pizzas out of the freezer for supper.

[intermundia]

can you believe they filmed these on the same day

[m340700]

[leepackett]

"You're fucking shameless, man," Lee replied, throwing a handful of hay at his friend. He was right though. Lee would choose dropping into his parents house to tuck into the feast she was always cooking any day over Taco Bell. Even high. It was a perk that came with having a mother who's soul purpose was to look after the pack. "But of course she is. Just don't be weird like last time."

“We could go to Taco Bell,” Peter supplied. The old leather wallet that hung halfway out of his bluejean pocket was thin with lack. A fiver and his ID, maybe a stained business card from an illegitimate business he'd changed the name of sixteen times. It was flimsy and far from full, so Taco Bell was about all he could afford. Lee, however…

“Unless you think your mom might be cooking something up?” Peter forced a believable yawn and rolled his neck until it cracked. He flexed his fingers so they would pop too. “It’s really no difference to me, but I would feel bad is all. If she set you a plate…” He tilted his head back to look up at Lee, but the sun that silhouetted him was blinding. Peter pulled a long piece of hay from the tightly wound bale and stuck it between his teeth, which tasted like nothing as he chewed.

[askarsjustsoswedish]

Flashing Gifs // Happy 48th Birthday / Grattis på födelsedagen Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård! (25 Aug ‘76)

These darker, more twisted characters give me an opportunity to howl that primal scream and let it out, which I rarely do in everyday life. (x)

[5rcane]

Texting her GF

[yeehawpim]

Hey y'all! I’m gonna be going to zine.harvest's 🍎Zummer Zine Zocial🍎 on Saturday August. 31!

(2390 Brunswick St, Vancouver) (FREE PARTICIPATION/ENTRY) (10am-4pm)

Come say hi and trade some zines mayhaps!🤠