Texts From Superheroes
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monday poem #337: Mary O'Malley, "The Lie"
Feb. 2nd, 2026 09:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
heresluckThe Lie
The lie that a protester shot dead by ICE
in Minneapolis was a terrorist, the lie
that killers set loose on their own cities
are victims, the lie that a poem is a gun.
A poem is not a gun, though a poem
from the pen of Akhmatova or Neruda
or Mandelstam, not one of whom ever
to my knowledge fired a shot, might
in certain conjugations of the stars
lodge in the heart and spread out
across mountains and borders
across languages and the sea and you
can't shoot it down, or lock it up
or alter its pixels. It is played
on the hollowed reeds of dead bones.
A poem like that is a bomb.
— Mary O'Malley
from The Irish Times, 31 January 2026
The lie that a protester shot dead by ICE
in Minneapolis was a terrorist, the lie
that killers set loose on their own cities
are victims, the lie that a poem is a gun.
A poem is not a gun, though a poem
from the pen of Akhmatova or Neruda
or Mandelstam, not one of whom ever
to my knowledge fired a shot, might
in certain conjugations of the stars
lodge in the heart and spread out
across mountains and borders
across languages and the sea and you
can't shoot it down, or lock it up
or alter its pixels. It is played
on the hollowed reeds of dead bones.
A poem like that is a bomb.
— Mary O'Malley
from The Irish Times, 31 January 2026
fic roundup: January 2026
Feb. 2nd, 2026 09:57 pmgreetingsfrommaarsThis is actually partially a roundup for November/December, sort of, because it includes the recs I was holding in reserve out of an abundance of caution for exchange anonymity. Also, the 2026 round of Bloody Hearts Bingo has just started!
And What a Privilege it is to Love by climbingvines, Straytease
Omegaverse and idolverse AU with established Eunkwang/Minhyuk, where idol groups are also packs. The fic incorporates pack stuff into the in-universe kpop industry, and I was surprised by its straightforwardness about groups with members who have had a scandal and left the group (but remain in the pack, here). I like the added omegaverse layer to the main relationship and to Eunkwang being a leader.
( and more for Ateez, DC )
So You Want To Participate In A Fandom Exchange by silveradept
I'm including this one on its own because it's not a fic, strictly speaking. A clear guide to nominations, signups, pinch hits, and more! I would have found this really helpful if I'd known about it before the first time I joined such an exchange.
[ BTOB ]
And What a Privilege it is to Love by climbingvines, Straytease
Omegaverse and idolverse AU with established Eunkwang/Minhyuk, where idol groups are also packs. The fic incorporates pack stuff into the in-universe kpop industry, and I was surprised by its straightforwardness about groups with members who have had a scandal and left the group (but remain in the pack, here). I like the added omegaverse layer to the main relationship and to Eunkwang being a leader.
( and more for Ateez, DC )
[ Resources ]
So You Want To Participate In A Fandom Exchange by silveradept
I'm including this one on its own because it's not a fic, strictly speaking. A clear guide to nominations, signups, pinch hits, and more! I would have found this really helpful if I'd known about it before the first time I joined such an exchange.
posting to clear the earworm
Feb. 2nd, 2026 08:46 pmlannamichaelsI have had this song stuck in my head on and off for days upon days, so here is a post to maybe make it go awayyyyy
-Lovers in a Dangerous Time
(also randomly having johnny are you queer in my head but at least that one can be banished if I try hard enough)
Saw 2 am
Feb. 3rd, 2026 10:10 amrattfanWe're back. Sometime in the early morning, according to my landlord, who had to take exercise down all eight flights of steps. So sometime later than the predicted 2 am. Around 2 am I put the rats' cage back in usual spot and closed up, basically assuming they had gone to bed by then [they had]. The full moon was right in the centre of the view, Rob and Leece, so it wasn't very dark at all. In fact the light was quite amazing. Couldn't sleep, so sat there and watched a bright light move, wondering whether it was a satellite. Not an aircraft, so for me at least a genuine UFO.
Got to sleep some time after that. It's quite some years since I had to get through a night like that without aircon. First World problems, I know. Many years ago I was in another apartment during a run of 40^C days and only a fan. It being the January holidays, my rat Ari and myself spent the time collapsed on the floor. He got daily cold baths to help, I took cold showers. Ari slept on the bathroom tiles. The temp got down to around 21^C last night. Eventually. I'm just flaked out from the insomnia.
As we say hereabouts, well, at least it's not as hot as yesterday!
Got to sleep some time after that. It's quite some years since I had to get through a night like that without aircon. First World problems, I know. Many years ago I was in another apartment during a run of 40^C days and only a fan. It being the January holidays, my rat Ari and myself spent the time collapsed on the floor. He got daily cold baths to help, I took cold showers. Ari slept on the bathroom tiles. The temp got down to around 21^C last night. Eventually. I'm just flaked out from the insomnia.
As we say hereabouts, well, at least it's not as hot as yesterday!
2/2/2026 Tilden Nature Area
Feb. 2nd, 2026 04:08 pmmrkinchChris had to be elsewhere, so I met U at the Memory/Upper Packrat trails junction and got to walk Upper Packrat for the first time in five months! (I could do it when I come there alone, but I'd have to walk up Cañon Dr to my car, both dangerous for me and very annoying for drivers on that narrow road.) It looked and sounded like Spring, and while not as much fun as yesterday, we had a good time. ( The list: )
The Fox Sparrows are back! Or at least passing through again. OTOH we heard no warblers at all, although merlin suggested Wilson's Warbler. Soon, but not yet.
The Fox Sparrows are back! Or at least passing through again. OTOH we heard no warblers at all, although merlin suggested Wilson's Warbler. Soon, but not yet.
Second of the second.
Feb. 2nd, 2026 08:42 pmhannahDinner plans shifted about halfway through cooking: I'd planned to make boxed macaroni and cheese with some vegetables added in, but the vegetables ended up smelling so good, I ditched the cheese. Sauteed onions, garlic, and herbs with rapini and canned tomatoes might've taken well to the cheese sauce, but I'm pleased at how it came out just the same.
My new plan is to make boxed macaroni and cheese with double the cheese sauce at some point in the future, and feel absurdly luxurious for being able to do so.
My new plan is to make boxed macaroni and cheese with double the cheese sauce at some point in the future, and feel absurdly luxurious for being able to do so.
(no subject)
Feb. 2nd, 2026 08:36 pmkradeelavthree shows i did the main logos for a few years ago are coming out on netflix \o/
don't actually care about netflix itself but getting to that level of visibility is a long way from where $org was. wild to be there to see it happen all the way.
also i had the most absurdly kind thing happen today where an unnamed euro sales agent (i work with sales a lot and get along with them fabulously) literally sent me a video recording of him saying how grateful he was that he never has to chase me down / that i treat his team well, via my boss. (an extra kind gesture, since now my boss knows too).
T_T i always do try to go above and beyond for the international folks considering they get done dirty a lot but damn. kind of thing that genuinely warms my jaded heart...
don't actually care about netflix itself but getting to that level of visibility is a long way from where $org was. wild to be there to see it happen all the way.
also i had the most absurdly kind thing happen today where an unnamed euro sales agent (i work with sales a lot and get along with them fabulously) literally sent me a video recording of him saying how grateful he was that he never has to chase me down / that i treat his team well, via my boss. (an extra kind gesture, since now my boss knows too).
T_T i always do try to go above and beyond for the international folks considering they get done dirty a lot but damn. kind of thing that genuinely warms my jaded heart...
Daily Check-In
Feb. 2nd, 2026 06:00 pmstarwatcher posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandom_checkinThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Monday, February 2, to midnight on Tuesday, February 3. (8pm Eastern Time).
Poll #34176 Daily Check-in
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 30
How are you doing?
I am OK.
19 (63.3%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
11 (36.7%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single.
13 (43.3%)
One other person.
12 (40.0%)
More than one other person.
5 (16.7%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
2025 Books
Feb. 2nd, 2026 04:46 pmspiraliciousIn 2024, I overwhelmed myself with the number of reading challenges I was doing, was in 5 book clubs at one point, and was trying to keep up with tracking things on Beanstack and Good Reads. And while I met my reading goals, I could not keep up with tracking things all the places and I didn't claim a lot of challenges I actually finished.
Because of all that, in 2025, I stepped back and only tracked my reading on physical book tracking booksmarks (just title, date finished, & number of stars), was only in one book club, and didn't join any year long challenges. (I did do the summer bookopoly reading challenge for July only, the library card bingo challenge for September only, and the Unwrap A Great Read challenge for December only hosted by my local library.)
I managed to read more than I have in years.
Here is what I read in 2025. A couple books might be missing from the list.
graphic novels
Lumberjanes Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Kanesha C. Bryant, & Julia Madrigal
The Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way & Gabriel Bá (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes Vol. 19: A Summer to Remember by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh
Graceling (graphic novel adaptation) by Kristin Cashore, adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green (Pub Grub Book Club)
Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith & Boulet (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes Vol. 20: End of Summer by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Gus Allen, Alexa Bosy, & Kanesha C. Bryant
The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge (Pub Grub Book Club)
My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book 2 by Emil Ferris
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic vol. 16 by Paul Allor, Toni Kuusiste, Heather Breckel, Jeremy Whitley, Ted Anderson, Andy Price, Tom Zahler, & Agnes Garbowska
Paper Girls #1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (Pub Grub Book Club)
Check Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
Escape From St. Hell by Lewis Hancox
Heartstopper vol. 4 by Alice Oseman
Mamo by Sas Milledge
Brooms by Jasmine Walls (Pub Grub Book Club)
Suitor Armor volume 1 by Purpan
I am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki & art by Yoshi Yoshitani
Slaughterhouse-Five; or, the Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (graphic novel adaptation) by Kurt Vonnegut, adaptation by Ryan North & illustrated by Albert Monteys
Rainbow vol. 1 by Sunny & Gloomy
Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley, art by Cassio Ribeiro, & lettering by Nikki Foxrobot
Pulp by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
Space Boy vol. 1 by Stephen McCranie
We are not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath (Pub Grub Book Club)
Delicious in Dungeon vol 1 by Ryoko Kui
Check Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Backflash by Mat Johnson & art by Steve Lieber (Pub Grub Book Club)
Suitor Armor vol 2 by Purpah
Fall Through by Nate Powell (Pub Grub Book Club)
The Mushroom Knight vol. 1 by Oliver Bly
Heavy Vinyl vol. 1 by Carly Usdin & Vakueva & Flores & Nalty
Monstress Book One by Marjorie Liu (Pub Grub Book Club)
Leap by Simina Popescu
Mall Goth by Kate Leth
Eight Billion Genies (complete collection) by Charles Soule & Ryan Browne (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges
Lumberjanes: The Shape of Friendship by Lilah Sturges
Garbage Night: The Complete Edition by Benji Lee
Final Cut by Charles Burns
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All vol. 1 by Sumiko Arai
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All vol. 2 by Sumiko Arai
non-fiction
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson (updated edition 2021)
The T in LGBT by Jamie Raines
The Art of Drag by Jake Hall & art by Sofie Birkin, Helen Li, Jasiyot Singh Hans, & more
GuRu by Rupaul
fiction
The Black Girl Survives This One edited by Desiree S. Evans & Saraciea J. Fennell
Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai
The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (Unwrap A Great Read)
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher (Unwrap A Great Read)
Stuck With You by Nathan Burgoine
Bad Dreams in the Night by Adam Ellis
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks
children's
Monstrous: The Lore, Gore, and Science Behind Your Favorite Monsters by Carlyn Beccia
Death & Sparkles Book 1 by Rob Justus
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating & illustrations by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
Halloween and Day of the Dead Traditions from Around the World by Joan Axelrod-Contrada & illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
Digestion the Musical by Adam Rex & illustrated by Laura Park
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford
Shark Week: Everything You Need to Know (Discovery) by Martha Brockenbrough
The Constitution Explained! The Bill of Rights: Guaranteeing Liberty by Janey Levy
You Rule! Create Your Own Country (Lonely Planet Kids) by Scott Forbes & Emma Laura Jones
Cool Sleeping by Alex Kushowski
How to Build Your Own Country by Valerie Wyatt
Moomin The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Volume 1 by Tove Jansson
New Year Traditions Around the World by Ann Malaspina
Moomin The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Volume 2 by Tove Jansson
comics
The Batman Chronicles no. 7 winter 97
Because of all that, in 2025, I stepped back and only tracked my reading on physical book tracking booksmarks (just title, date finished, & number of stars), was only in one book club, and didn't join any year long challenges. (I did do the summer bookopoly reading challenge for July only, the library card bingo challenge for September only, and the Unwrap A Great Read challenge for December only hosted by my local library.)
I managed to read more than I have in years.
Here is what I read in 2025. A couple books might be missing from the list.
graphic novels
Lumberjanes Vol. 18: Horticultural Horizons by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Kanesha C. Bryant, & Julia Madrigal
The Umbrella Academy Volume 1: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way & Gabriel Bá (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes Vol. 19: A Summer to Remember by Shannon Watters and Kat Leyh
Graceling (graphic novel adaptation) by Kristin Cashore, adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green (Pub Grub Book Club)
Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith & Boulet (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes Vol. 20: End of Summer by Shannon Watters, Kat Leyh, Gus Allen, Alexa Bosy, & Kanesha C. Bryant
The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge (Pub Grub Book Club)
My Favorite Thing is Monsters Book 2 by Emil Ferris
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic vol. 16 by Paul Allor, Toni Kuusiste, Heather Breckel, Jeremy Whitley, Ted Anderson, Andy Price, Tom Zahler, & Agnes Garbowska
Paper Girls #1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Cliff Chiang (Pub Grub Book Club)
Check Please! Book 1: #Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu
Escape From St. Hell by Lewis Hancox
Heartstopper vol. 4 by Alice Oseman
Mamo by Sas Milledge
Brooms by Jasmine Walls (Pub Grub Book Club)
Suitor Armor volume 1 by Purpan
I am Not Starfire by Mariko Tamaki & art by Yoshi Yoshitani
Slaughterhouse-Five; or, the Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death (graphic novel adaptation) by Kurt Vonnegut, adaptation by Ryan North & illustrated by Albert Monteys
Rainbow vol. 1 by Sunny & Gloomy
Navigating With You by Jeremy Whitley, art by Cassio Ribeiro, & lettering by Nikki Foxrobot
Pulp by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
Space Boy vol. 1 by Stephen McCranie
We are not Strangers by Josh Tuininga
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath (Pub Grub Book Club)
Delicious in Dungeon vol 1 by Ryoko Kui
Check Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu
Backflash by Mat Johnson & art by Steve Lieber (Pub Grub Book Club)
Suitor Armor vol 2 by Purpah
Fall Through by Nate Powell (Pub Grub Book Club)
The Mushroom Knight vol. 1 by Oliver Bly
Heavy Vinyl vol. 1 by Carly Usdin & Vakueva & Flores & Nalty
Monstress Book One by Marjorie Liu (Pub Grub Book Club)
Leap by Simina Popescu
Mall Goth by Kate Leth
Eight Billion Genies (complete collection) by Charles Soule & Ryan Browne (Pub Grub Book Club)
Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges
Lumberjanes: The Shape of Friendship by Lilah Sturges
Garbage Night: The Complete Edition by Benji Lee
Final Cut by Charles Burns
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All vol. 1 by Sumiko Arai
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All vol. 2 by Sumiko Arai
non-fiction
This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson (updated edition 2021)
The T in LGBT by Jamie Raines
The Art of Drag by Jake Hall & art by Sofie Birkin, Helen Li, Jasiyot Singh Hans, & more
GuRu by Rupaul
fiction
The Black Girl Survives This One edited by Desiree S. Evans & Saraciea J. Fennell
Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
We Contain Multitudes by Sarah Henstra
What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer
The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisashi Kashiwai
The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen (Unwrap A Great Read)
Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher (Unwrap A Great Read)
Stuck With You by Nathan Burgoine
Bad Dreams in the Night by Adam Ellis
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks
children's
Monstrous: The Lore, Gore, and Science Behind Your Favorite Monsters by Carlyn Beccia
Death & Sparkles Book 1 by Rob Justus
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating & illustrations by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
Halloween and Day of the Dead Traditions from Around the World by Joan Axelrod-Contrada & illustrated by Elisa Chavarri
The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons
Digestion the Musical by Adam Rex & illustrated by Laura Park
Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet by Geo Rutherford
Shark Week: Everything You Need to Know (Discovery) by Martha Brockenbrough
The Constitution Explained! The Bill of Rights: Guaranteeing Liberty by Janey Levy
You Rule! Create Your Own Country (Lonely Planet Kids) by Scott Forbes & Emma Laura Jones
Cool Sleeping by Alex Kushowski
How to Build Your Own Country by Valerie Wyatt
Moomin The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Volume 1 by Tove Jansson
New Year Traditions Around the World by Ann Malaspina
Moomin The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip Volume 2 by Tove Jansson
comics
The Batman Chronicles no. 7 winter 97
tea review: nighty night extra
Feb. 2nd, 2026 04:31 pmspiraliciousTea Month 2026: Tea 8
Tea Review
Name: Nighty Night Extra
Brand: Traditional Medicinals
Type: herbal
Tea bag
Notes:
This one surprised me in a good way. One, it actually tasted good. This brand and Yogi both have vague proprietary blends listed in the ingredients of all their medicinal teas and I obviously don't know what is in either of those blends, but they tend to add a flavor that I find very off-putting that is similar between the two brands. It was not noticeable in this one. Two, I was not expecting it to help. It's primary ingredient is valerian root, which typically doesn't do anything for me. I don't know if it was this particular blend of things or if I was actually tired enough that any warm cup of tea while reading before bed might have put me out, but it was the most restful night of sleep I've had in over two years.
Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7
Overall Rating: 4 stars (bonus star for sleep)
Tea Review
Name: Nighty Night Extra
Brand: Traditional Medicinals
Type: herbal
Tea bag
Notes:
This one surprised me in a good way. One, it actually tasted good. This brand and Yogi both have vague proprietary blends listed in the ingredients of all their medicinal teas and I obviously don't know what is in either of those blends, but they tend to add a flavor that I find very off-putting that is similar between the two brands. It was not noticeable in this one. Two, I was not expecting it to help. It's primary ingredient is valerian root, which typically doesn't do anything for me. I don't know if it was this particular blend of things or if I was actually tired enough that any warm cup of tea while reading before bed might have put me out, but it was the most restful night of sleep I've had in over two years.
Rate
Appearance: 7
Aroma: 7
Flavor: 7
Overall Rating: 4 stars (bonus star for sleep)
hotels
Feb. 2nd, 2026 06:31 pmchazzbannerThis post is inspired by yesterday's talk on the Rosebud "extra" episode. :-)
When I was growing up, my family went on short camping vacations in northern Minnesota, and on long camping trips in the U.S. and Canada.
Very rarely there was occasion to stay in a motel. One was in northern Minnesota, a famous occasion because little chazz said, "Look, Mom, a bud." A bed, not a sleeping bag! Other than that, hmm, in Corinth Mississippi? (I'm not sure why.) And we stayed in a motel with kitchenette in Winnipeg, when we visited an elderly Norwegian-born cousin. There may have a been a time or two more.
I can't say when I first stayed in a hotel, but it was certainly in Minneapolis, when my dad was here for an event of some kind. The hotels no longer exist: the Curtis, and the Sheridan. I remember saying to friends that this was the SheriDan, not the SheraTon! Apparently it started out as a residential hotel, according to this article.
Later I remember stopping by the St. Paul Hotel where my parents were staying. Was it when I was in college? I remember my mom telling me I could drink water from the bathroom sink, as it was 'artesian well water.' The hotel has is now restored and more or less upscale. I had dinner there with catsman when we saw Ian McKellen in Richard III at the Ordway, right across Rice Park, downtown St. Paul. Here's a photo of the St. Paul from a Tourist Day, behind the cut. ( Read more... )
Queens Hotel, London. LOL what can I say? I've talked about it here often enough here. :-)
Probably the first fancy* hotel I stayed in was the Hilton and Towers in Chicago, when I tagged along with linguists to their annual convention. It was the first time I used a keycard!
*the St. Paul Hotel was not, at that point, fancy
-
When I was growing up, my family went on short camping vacations in northern Minnesota, and on long camping trips in the U.S. and Canada.
Very rarely there was occasion to stay in a motel. One was in northern Minnesota, a famous occasion because little chazz said, "Look, Mom, a bud." A bed, not a sleeping bag! Other than that, hmm, in Corinth Mississippi? (I'm not sure why.) And we stayed in a motel with kitchenette in Winnipeg, when we visited an elderly Norwegian-born cousin. There may have a been a time or two more.
I can't say when I first stayed in a hotel, but it was certainly in Minneapolis, when my dad was here for an event of some kind. The hotels no longer exist: the Curtis, and the Sheridan. I remember saying to friends that this was the SheriDan, not the SheraTon! Apparently it started out as a residential hotel, according to this article.
Later I remember stopping by the St. Paul Hotel where my parents were staying. Was it when I was in college? I remember my mom telling me I could drink water from the bathroom sink, as it was 'artesian well water.' The hotel has is now restored and more or less upscale. I had dinner there with catsman when we saw Ian McKellen in Richard III at the Ordway, right across Rice Park, downtown St. Paul. Here's a photo of the St. Paul from a Tourist Day, behind the cut. ( Read more... )
Queens Hotel, London. LOL what can I say? I've talked about it here often enough here. :-)
Probably the first fancy* hotel I stayed in was the Hilton and Towers in Chicago, when I tagged along with linguists to their annual convention. It was the first time I used a keycard!
*the St. Paul Hotel was not, at that point, fancy
-
2026 Snowflake Challenge #4
Feb. 2nd, 2026 03:09 pmspiraliciousChallenge #4: Rec The Contents Of Your Last Page
Any website that you like, be it fanfiction, art, social media, or something a bit more eccentric!
My online footprint is not nearly as fun as it used to be. Basically, I visit here on DW, my library website, Subeta, YouTube, Buzzfeed & mental floss for quizzes, and canihazcheeseburger for memes (mostly cats and Tolkien Tuesday). Outside of researching and trying to see if dead crafting sites from the 2010s are still functional, that's it.
Subeta is a 21 year old browser based pet adoption game. Think neopets, but snarkier, you have a human avatar you can dress, and they know their core user base are adults. I am coming up on my 11th (12th?) Anniversary of playing there. I have 12 pets. The game can be as social as you want it to be and enough activities, you could spend hours each day playing outside of events. My favorite things are wizard questing, curating my pets' treasures, creating outfits and scenes for my human avatar, and gentech experiments.
As for events, the site just had it's new year's event from the 1st until the 18th. You earn new years tokens by questing or from random events. There is a shop that while open year round, only takes new years tokens as currency. The Snowtapult is open. This normally happens from December 21st until whenever Survival starts in February. Basically, there are something like 80 different kinds of snowballs you can buy with in game money and fling at other users, each with unique effects that temporarily show up on their human avatar. I have slowly been working for the maximum achievement for this for years. Coming up is one of my favorite events, which is Survival. It's a 2 part event. One part is "kissing" other users to earn candy hearts, which are one of the many in game currencies. The other part is "biting" and being bitten by other users to get infected with zombie virus' to collect the different wearable zombie skins. There are more details, but those are the broad strokes.
Dungleon is a Wordle mechanics dungeon crawl based game. You can play once a day. You have to figure out what creatures occupy the dungeon before you run out of guesses. It's a lot of fun.
YouTube Recs I spend possibly too much time on YouTube, mostly watching reddit reaction videos or long form video essays and podcasts. I also have several unfinished youtuber recs post in progress, so what thought I would do was make a list of YouTube channel recs that I feel should be be recommended, but I don't think I have recced anywhere. (I did include if they were primarily short or long content video creators, but most do both.)
( Read more... )
Any website that you like, be it fanfiction, art, social media, or something a bit more eccentric!
My online footprint is not nearly as fun as it used to be. Basically, I visit here on DW, my library website, Subeta, YouTube, Buzzfeed & mental floss for quizzes, and canihazcheeseburger for memes (mostly cats and Tolkien Tuesday). Outside of researching and trying to see if dead crafting sites from the 2010s are still functional, that's it.
Subeta is a 21 year old browser based pet adoption game. Think neopets, but snarkier, you have a human avatar you can dress, and they know their core user base are adults. I am coming up on my 11th (12th?) Anniversary of playing there. I have 12 pets. The game can be as social as you want it to be and enough activities, you could spend hours each day playing outside of events. My favorite things are wizard questing, curating my pets' treasures, creating outfits and scenes for my human avatar, and gentech experiments.
As for events, the site just had it's new year's event from the 1st until the 18th. You earn new years tokens by questing or from random events. There is a shop that while open year round, only takes new years tokens as currency. The Snowtapult is open. This normally happens from December 21st until whenever Survival starts in February. Basically, there are something like 80 different kinds of snowballs you can buy with in game money and fling at other users, each with unique effects that temporarily show up on their human avatar. I have slowly been working for the maximum achievement for this for years. Coming up is one of my favorite events, which is Survival. It's a 2 part event. One part is "kissing" other users to earn candy hearts, which are one of the many in game currencies. The other part is "biting" and being bitten by other users to get infected with zombie virus' to collect the different wearable zombie skins. There are more details, but those are the broad strokes.
Dungleon is a Wordle mechanics dungeon crawl based game. You can play once a day. You have to figure out what creatures occupy the dungeon before you run out of guesses. It's a lot of fun.
YouTube Recs I spend possibly too much time on YouTube, mostly watching reddit reaction videos or long form video essays and podcasts. I also have several unfinished youtuber recs post in progress, so what thought I would do was make a list of YouTube channel recs that I feel should be be recommended, but I don't think I have recced anywhere. (I did include if they were primarily short or long content video creators, but most do both.)
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