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conulybut they really need to.
**************************
( All of these links have been sitting around for ages, so they may be a bit old )
( All of these links have been sitting around for ages, so they may be a bit old )
my fireworks display.
Jul. 4th, 2026 06:31 pmgorgeousnerdi used to pay some attention to july 4th because i like fireworks (in a controlled setting done by professionals), but that urge died years ago. so have a post instead.
1. happy birthday to my older sister, who i will be seeing not today because nobody in my family wants to leave the house. but i’ll see her soon.
2. dan and phil have a tradition of posting a pizza mukbang at different eras of their life, and they posted their third one today. their first one was difficult because it was right after the interactive introverts tour/right before dan’s giant hiatus. the second one, as the intro to the terrible influence era, was so much better, but this third one might be the best yet? it’s bridging their initial hard launch era with their impending hard launch tour, and they’re very chill about things generally
but the thing that’s really worth mentioning is that phil casually dropped that, not only was the “the whiskers are smudged in pinof 1 because they smooched” theory so beloved by phandom correct, he had footage? that he put on his youtube channel? unlisted??? ( more context. )
3. and if that wasn’t enough, my chemical romance played a song in glasgow that they’ve never played live before! literally right after the mukbang went up! the song was ambulance and it comes from the conventional weapons singles, which is the fragments of the pre-danger days abandoned album they shared right before they broke up after danger days. (there’s also a post-danger days abandoned album called paper kingdom, which is where war beneath the rain comes from.)
( my chemical romance emotions. )
4. the kitchen has the beginning of an ant infestation, so i’m going to clean while i listen to my chemical romance. bye for now.
1. happy birthday to my older sister, who i will be seeing not today because nobody in my family wants to leave the house. but i’ll see her soon.
2. dan and phil have a tradition of posting a pizza mukbang at different eras of their life, and they posted their third one today. their first one was difficult because it was right after the interactive introverts tour/right before dan’s giant hiatus. the second one, as the intro to the terrible influence era, was so much better, but this third one might be the best yet? it’s bridging their initial hard launch era with their impending hard launch tour, and they’re very chill about things generally
but the thing that’s really worth mentioning is that phil casually dropped that, not only was the “the whiskers are smudged in pinof 1 because they smooched” theory so beloved by phandom correct, he had footage? that he put on his youtube channel? unlisted??? ( more context. )
3. and if that wasn’t enough, my chemical romance played a song in glasgow that they’ve never played live before! literally right after the mukbang went up! the song was ambulance and it comes from the conventional weapons singles, which is the fragments of the pre-danger days abandoned album they shared right before they broke up after danger days. (there’s also a post-danger days abandoned album called paper kingdom, which is where war beneath the rain comes from.)
( my chemical romance emotions. )
4. the kitchen has the beginning of an ant infestation, so i’m going to clean while i listen to my chemical romance. bye for now.
Painted on.
Jul. 4th, 2026 09:12 pmhannahThe day started with planes over the Hudson and tall ships on the river, and ended with fireworks to the west and thunderstorms to the north. There's still some noises I think are explosions but could be thunder. I'm not going back up to check; I've had enough excitement for the day.
It was amazing to look and see the thunderstorm to the north, as dark as night when the rest of the sky was just in the evening. It was uncanny to see a stealth bomber, where all I could think was it looked like someone had cut a piece out of the sky. From my windows, it's night all over now. Fewer fireworks this year than others, but many more tall ships - which I think might be the way to go from here on out. But with more sunscreen next time.
It was amazing to look and see the thunderstorm to the north, as dark as night when the rest of the sky was just in the evening. It was uncanny to see a stealth bomber, where all I could think was it looked like someone had cut a piece out of the sky. From my windows, it's night all over now. Fewer fireworks this year than others, but many more tall ships - which I think might be the way to go from here on out. But with more sunscreen next time.
The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
Jul. 4th, 2026 09:10 pmconulyNot like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
******************************************
Happy 4th of July
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Happy 4th of July
Links: Questioning assumptions
Jul. 4th, 2026 05:05 pmsoniaFrom the Plantation to the Thicket: Juneteenth, Black Freedom, and ‘Marronage’ in Texas by DaLyah Jones.
Problematic Authors: Can We Separate the Art from the Artist? by Naomi Jacobs. "In chronological order here is what we know about these problematic writers." Content note: Some of your favorite authors might show up on this list.
How playgrounds reinvented childhood by Frank Jacobs.
A solar farm was built to make energy, but the ground beneath the panels quietly began doing something no one planned for by Carlos Albero Rojas.
Language learning methods that actually work #1: The binge.
Kruunuvuorensilta, the new icon of Helsinki.
[P]rior to 1865, many Afro-Texans reclaimed their sovereignty and autonomy well before the federal government acknowledged their basic humanity, though there’s a dearth of centralized information about Black placemaking in Texas from this time. This reclamation was called “marronage”—a term borrowed from French for this act of antebellum self-emancipation.
Problematic Authors: Can We Separate the Art from the Artist? by Naomi Jacobs. "In chronological order here is what we know about these problematic writers." Content note: Some of your favorite authors might show up on this list.
How playgrounds reinvented childhood by Frank Jacobs.
Playgrounds helped transform childhood from participation in public life into preparation for adulthood. From now on, childhood would be supervised and sanitized, zoned into a designated area and limited to a sandbox. No more pirate play on the Mississippi — for better or worse.
A solar farm was built to make energy, but the ground beneath the panels quietly began doing something no one planned for by Carlos Albero Rojas.
These two sites were different by design. Instead of bare gravel or closely mown grass, the panels were raised higher off the ground, leaving room underneath for something to grow.
Then the builders did something unusual. They carefully chose native grasses and wildflowers and planted them right under and around the rows, hoping to rebuild the habitat that used to be there and to hold the soil and water in place.
Language learning methods that actually work #1: The binge.
Speaking as a linguist who has read the literature on second language acquisition and understands 4 languages, I’ve always maintained that Duolingo is a trap; it will keep you spinning on wheels and feeling as if you’re learning a language, but you can spend infinite hours on it and fully gold a tree and you’ll get nowhere. [...]
When in reality, what you should have been doing is to spend all day browsing memes on French Instagram, or playing Animal Crossing in French.
Kruunuvuorensilta, the new icon of Helsinki.
The new Kruunuvuorensilta bridge connecting Korkeasaari and Kruunuvuorenranta is the longest, tallest and longest-standing bridge in Finland – and it is also globally exceptional as bridges of this size have not been built for the sole use of public transport, pedestrian traffic and cycling. The bridge thus becomes an interesting attraction not only due to its size, but also due to the advanced traffic thinking behind its design.
Clothes
Jul. 4th, 2026 11:36 pmcosmolinguistThe other day, as so often, I found myself not knowing what I thought until I'd written it down. But this time I wrote it down into a group chat. And, while normally I'd delete those thoughts as not the place for this chat, this time I didn't for some reason.
Part of what I said:
My local pre-/non-top surgery cohort is dwindling so much lately. I'm so happy for everyone but feeling even more keenly how poorly my clothes fit me sometimes...
Today I went to the local plus-size clothes swap which, after being a highlight for us for it turns out at least two years (photo storage on my phone has gone bonkers lately so it tried to tell me something from EMF 2024 was among my "most recent" photos, and in there I'm wearing a shirt that I got from one of if not the first of these clothes swaps we went to), felt very different today.
I was mostly going to return Xena's blanket and toy that had been left here on the first Day of Chaos. I was very grateful that this event we were both going to was happening today anyway prevented me from having to make a special trip yesterday. But I also had a pair of trousers to take for V, who'd bought them and been disappointed that they didn't fit right. I figured I'd have a pile of stuff myself but, looking through my bedroom, there was hardly anything. This hadn't been the case in the two years of our irregular attendance at this semi-regular clothes swap, which happens every few months.
I found it surprisingly emotional -- I'd spent almost all of my adult life with a pile of clothes somewhere that were unusable for some reason: maybe they just needed mending that I couldn't either do or afford, maybe I didn't really like them because my mom bought them for the person she thinks I am instead, maybe they didn't fit any more, maybe I just didn't want them but struggled to get rid of them, especially when I stopped being a size 12 and started needing "plus" sizes at all (thanks venlafaxine!)... All of these are reasons that made me feel bad, so having to keep looking at or stashing away these unsuitable items of clothing felt kinda like a punishment. This extended beyond clothing, to say the least, but clothes were always a central part of this misery during my married life. Which was all of my adult life really, until the last few years.
Not all of my stuff made it from the house I had to buy, but my clothes were still such a source of misery that I was so grateful when V offered to help me put them in my new bedroom here. I chose the bedroom I did largely because of its built-in wardrobes along one side of the wall and the drawers all along another. All this space, just for me. For my stuff. It was overwhelming, and I needed help. Partly to decide what's best to put where, but mostly to listen to me as I took each item out of a suitcase or Ikea bag, smoothed out some of the wrinkles, and had all of my feelings about how it had gotten to me. They knew and were happy to provide that support. It was a lifesaver.
In the five and a half years since, so much has changed for me: in gender presentation, in access to new clothes, and in access to mending and alterations that help me refine what I want, what's worth keeping around.
I've moved in with someone who can mend and make alterations to my clothes -- when I first started wanting button-up shirts for the summertime in my job, the ones I could get that fit me otherwise were too tight around my wide hips, which led to the double-whammy of internalized anti-fatness and gender dysphoria; V suggested increasing the little tiny side slit at the bottom of each side which would make the bottom of the shirt less tight across my hips -- and also made it lie flatter as seen from either the front or the back -- and that was a lifesaver. They've cut the sleeves off a bunch of my t-shirts as testosterone has made me into a sweatmonster who's much more comfortable, especially in the gym, if my armpits are not covered.
V has also lent me their amazing online shopping skills so when I need new clothes, I can just ask them for help and they've found me the most perfect stuff, whether that be my navy and forest-green suit or the most ordinary tank tops to wear to the gym like I have on now. And I've been able to afford new clothes as I need them, including when I realize that things that felt like a burden didn't have to be endured any longer.
I've settled into a gender presentation that has taken away almost all of the stress I used to feel about clothes -- I felt it now, just touching things at the clothes swap today. I know a few trans women who delight in the fabrics, patterns, colors, and other options that are available to them in women's clothes that were not before. And I know cishet guys who bemoan the paltry few options, especially for colors, on offer for them and they make a point of seeking out more interesting options. Almost all of this feels like a burden that I could not wait to lay down. Growing up, I'd get told off for how I sit or moved because it'd wrinkle my dress, while I was suffering in polyester; meanwhile my brother would be considered equally smartly dressed in the khakis and knitwear that he could wear every day.
A little more than a year ago, I said on social media:
I went on a work trip today in a polo shirt and chinos, I really have started to dress like my dad.
But it's funny: this wasn't my dad's work clothes (that was sweaty t-shirts and dirty jeans), this is his weekend/leisure clothes. This was my dad's "having a nice time" clothes: not work and not chores. More like "grilling some hamburgers" or "going to Bakers Square and then the mall."
No wonder I associate this kind of clothes with good things.
It's true! I still think of that when I "dress up" at all for in-person work (working from home I am the most disgraceful slob, usually for the comfort of not having to wear a binder). And I do still associate those clothes with good things.
All of this has meant that I'm currently not really lacking for anything, clothes-wise. And I don't actually want much either -- even having taken a little bag of stuff to the clothes swap today, there wasn't anything I was excited by there. (What came closest was the kind of textured, often horizontally-striped for some reason, polo shirts with pockets that my grandpa wore every day of the year for as long as I knew him. It was delightful to see what were clearly a few from the same person, but it was a person a bit bigger than me and V and I have developed a policy of not taking anything too big for us as people bigger than us will generally struggle so much more to access clothes. And for all that I was happy to see them, I'm not actually in need of such shirts.)
I did come home with one thing -- a bright red linen cropped button-up shirt, with white buttons and stitching -- but even that felt kinda marginal.
I put it on and thought this would be a much better shirt after top surgery. I'm still struggling to internalize that as a thing that can happen to me; I'm trying to take on what D always says when this comes up, which is to assume that the outcome you want is possible and take the steps needed to get there... I'm not explaining this very well, it sounds good when he says it. Clearly shows my failure at having internalized this so far, heh. But I was despairing when that first attempt at an appointment didn't happen because of time zones, and now even though I've had that appointment and filled out the paperwork and heard nothing back, not even an automated e-mail. We're working under the assumption that there's something that's holding up the next step, which we're also trying to sort out, which D researched and I chose and paid for (ugh, my first private healthcare here) but again I was told I'd hear within two weeks and it's actually two weeks today and again I've heard nothing. It's hard to feel -- not intellectually understand but really feel -- like any progress at all has been made. But still. When I was collecting things for the clothes swap, there was one pajama top I was about to chuck in to the giveaway pile, because I don't feel comfortable in it, but then I thought to myself that I probably would love it after top surgery. So for now it stays in my room. So I guess some part of my brain is starting to feel more like this is a thing that's going to happen.
It's not specifically a queer clothes swap, but of course I ran into a bunch of people I know from queer club (and even one from transgym!). One of whom I found something that seemed so Him that I wanted to make sure he'd seen it. They said thank you, they had seen it, and "if it was just one size different, and if I had a flat chest!" He was very matter-of-fact about this which I appreciated -- it's what I strive to cultivate myself -- and I tried to respond with the same energy.
But it's rough sometimes, to think about all this stuff in a room full of clothes and strangers.
Links: Autistic screener and some tech links
Jul. 4th, 2026 03:48 pmsoniaRAADS–R test for autistic adults. Free and anonymous. As usual, I get "kinda?" results.
Your [Android] phone is about to stop being yours.
Normalization of Deviance by Dan Luu
How building an HTML-first site doubled our users overnight by Alistair Davidson.
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Simple HTML by Terrence Eden.
British Columbia, Time Zones, and Postgres by Christopher Winslett.
Who it’s for: Adults (16+) who suspect they may be autistic, were missed earlier in life, or relate to autistic traits.
Length: 10–30 minutes
Statements: 80
Purpose: To identify patterns in four areas related to autism traits in adults.
Your [Android] phone is about to stop being yours.
Starting September 2026, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID.
Normalization of Deviance by Dan Luu
Have you ever mentioned something that seems totally normal to you only to be greeted by surprise? Happens to me all the time when I describe something everyone at work thinks is normal. For some reason, my conversation partner's face morphs from pleasant smile to rictus of horror. Here are a few representative examples.
How building an HTML-first site doubled our users overnight by Alistair Davidson.
It is not acceptable to bounce users on old browsers, users with bad network connections, users using assistive technologies. Certainly not from a monopoly public service. A lot of hype and noise is pressing us to extend the cowboy, wild-west phase of the software industry’s expansion. We should set that aside, and take ourselves seriously as a mature industry. Build a web application that works on a playstation portable on a 3G connection - if you do, it will work for all your users, and it will still work 30 years from now.
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Simple HTML by Terrence Eden.
Go sit in an uncomfortable chair, in an uncomfortable location, and stare at an uncomfortably small screen with an uncomfortably outdated web browser. How easy is it to use the websites you've created?
British Columbia, Time Zones, and Postgres by Christopher Winslett.
On March 8, 2026, British Columbia moved their clocks to a year-round Pacific Daylight Savings Time. In March, they did the spring forward one hour with their clocks to UTC-7, but they won't fall back to UTC-8 in November. Going forward, the UTC offset for America/Vancouver timezone is permanently UTC-7. [...]
If you stored timestamps in a UTC-based column for British Columbia-based appointment in 2026 and beyond, your November through March appointments may be off by an hour!
the brain is not so separate from the body
Jul. 4th, 2026 07:04 pmadrian_turtleI was just looking at my DW with thoughts of posting about today's unpleasantness, when I realized my last post was from the inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit and people might want to know what happened. The short answer is that they discovered I was on more meds than I really needed. I had been taking 3 different anti-seizure meds, because I started with one that worked ok, then added more when "ok" wasn't quite good enough. When things were going well, I tried reducing or eliminating the medication I had started most recently. It didn't occur to me or my doctors to try getting rid of the one I tried first. It had such a dramatic effect when I started taking it more than 20 years ago...I went from counting absence seizures in terms of "per day" and started counting "per month." My migraines eased up considerably. I lost about 30% of my intelligence, and started having a new and different flavor of depression, but it felt entirely worth it.
Without it, I feel so much smarter! Patterns just jump out at me. I can read music again. I can read Hebrew again. I can do sudoku puzzles, crosswords. Maybe I'll even try jigsaws! I can read the title of a book even when it's upside down!
Without it, I feel so much smarter! Patterns just jump out at me. I can read music again. I can read Hebrew again. I can do sudoku puzzles, crosswords. Maybe I'll even try jigsaws! I can read the title of a book even when it's upside down!
Maps Release: Greater Northshore Bike Connector, MEGAMAP 2.1.4
Jul. 4th, 2026 03:20 pmsolarbirdIf you’re on a pre-2.1 map: Release 2.1.0 was massive, filling in large swaths in the south end. You absolutely want this update to catch up.
Full list of changes with this release:
- EXTENDED: 228th Ave SW bike lanes in Esperance extended west to 80th Ave W. (Both maps)
- ADDED: 80th Ave W sharerow markings between 220th SW and 228th SW in Experance. The combination of this and the above add improve connections to Mountlake Terrace Light Rail Station. (Both maps)
- ADDED: The Bike/Ped multi-use path (plus bridge-only buffered bike lanes) on 145th from Shoreline South light rail station west to Corliss Ave in Shoreline has officially opened and joins the map. (Both maps)
- CORRECTED: 5th Ave NE bike lanes in Shoreline on the east side extend two-thirds of a block further than previously indicated. This has been adjusted. (Both maps)
- CORRECTED: When adding the bike lane extension on 124th Ave NE north of 116th in Kirkland, I just extended the existing lines up rather than marking them as barrier-separated lanes, which they are. (They’re up on the sidewalk level.) Thanks to to @amberhu-uw for the heads-up! (Both maps)
- WARNING ADDED: Construction is underway on upgrading bike lanes and sidewalks on 80th Ave NE in Kenmore, so a construction warning has been added. (Both maps)
All permalinks continue to work.
If you enjoy these maps and feel like throwing some change at the tip jar, here’s my patreon, and here’s Angela’s Kofi. (I’m her wife, so it gets to me.) Patreon supporters get bonus map variants, like pre-sliced printables of the Greater Northshore and 0% compression versions of the MEGAMAP. Plus, I can be open to requests for special edits.
Enjoy biking!
Posted via Solarbird{y|z|yz}, Collected.
Fourth of July
Jul. 4th, 2026 10:37 pmelisiHappy Saint Elizabeth of Portugal Day. 😘
For the Americans, a history short that popped up in my suggested:
(Although I think something went wrong with the embed. Here is the direct link: What did ordinary British people think about the American Revolution?)
For the Americans, a history short that popped up in my suggested:
(Although I think something went wrong with the embed. Here is the direct link: What did ordinary British people think about the American Revolution?)
Audio
Jul. 4th, 2026 04:39 pmysabetwordsmithPodfic Feedback Toolbox: 5 ways to give great podfic feedback
In podfic meta discussions, it periodically comes up that some people want to leave feedback on podfic but just aren't sure what to say. This post is an attempt to give some new ideas to anyone who would like to expand their repertoire for expressing their thoughts about podfic. It is not meant to pressure listeners to leave feedback if they don't feel comfortable with that. Hopefully it will work more like a toolbox, providing tools that people can use to help them accomplish their pre-existing goals more easily and successfully.
In podfic meta discussions, it periodically comes up that some people want to leave feedback on podfic but just aren't sure what to say. This post is an attempt to give some new ideas to anyone who would like to expand their repertoire for expressing their thoughts about podfic. It is not meant to pressure listeners to leave feedback if they don't feel comfortable with that. Hopefully it will work more like a toolbox, providing tools that people can use to help them accomplish their pre-existing goals more easily and successfully.
Nobody's perfect - SecUnit Fraser story
Jul. 4th, 2026 05:34 pmpetraNobody's perfect (588 words) by Petra
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: due South, The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benton Fraser & Ray
Characters: Benton Fraser
Additional Tags: Episode: s02e12 Some Like it Red, Alternate Universe - Murderbot Diaries Fusion, Genderfuck, Undercover as a Human Woman
Series: Part 11 of SecUnit Fraser
Summary:
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: due South, The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Benton Fraser & Ray
Characters: Benton Fraser
Additional Tags: Episode: s02e12 Some Like it Red, Alternate Universe - Murderbot Diaries Fusion, Genderfuck, Undercover as a Human Woman
Series: Part 11 of SecUnit Fraser
Summary:
Fraser goes undercover at a single-gender academy.
Decisions, decisions
Jul. 4th, 2026 04:05 pmpetraOpen to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 18
What should I do tonight?
View Answers
Go see fireworks with partner & friend as planned
1 (5.6%)
Stay home and cuddle the cat who will be stressed out
17 (94.4%)
Economics
Jul. 4th, 2026 02:06 pmysabetwordsmithNew Law Will Protect Kids’ Lemonade Stands After State Employees Were Caught Demanding Fees
If it can be believed, state house Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), had the issue brought to his attention after the local health department in his district demanded that some children pay repeated fees to run their lemonade stands.
The parents reached out to Cavitt, who introduced common sense protections for the classic child-run, non-alcoholic beverage stand, and it passed overwhelmingly in the state house.
Bluntly put, if you want children to grow into diligent working adults, you must not stifle their efforts to earn money by working. Similarly if you want them to inhabit the brick-and-mortar world, instead of video game worlds, then you must allow them to accomplish things outdoors. What children need protection from is exploitation by adults.
If it can be believed, state house Representative Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), had the issue brought to his attention after the local health department in his district demanded that some children pay repeated fees to run their lemonade stands.
The parents reached out to Cavitt, who introduced common sense protections for the classic child-run, non-alcoholic beverage stand, and it passed overwhelmingly in the state house.
Bluntly put, if you want children to grow into diligent working adults, you must not stifle their efforts to earn money by working. Similarly if you want them to inhabit the brick-and-mortar world, instead of video game worlds, then you must allow them to accomplish things outdoors. What children need protection from is exploitation by adults.
Song acrostic meme from Tumblr, where my username is longer
Jul. 4th, 2026 02:42 pmpetraSo you want to know what the music in my head sounds like, huh? Here you go. I can sing basically all of these from memory, or, in one case, hum it.
[A Little] Priest - Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, Imelda Staunton & Michael Ball - I put this song on the first mix CD I made for my partner of 20+ years as fair warning of what he would end up listening to if he hung out with me for very long. He was entertained as well as weirded out. Warning: cheerful cannibalism.
Everyone Hates His Parents - William Finn, Falsettoland Off-Broadway Cast, Chip Zien, Danny Gerard, et al. -- I desperately want someone to vid this for approximately every single one of my fandoms.
Thousand Grandmothers - Holly Near - This one makes me cry consistently. A song of hope and defiance for people who believe in the power of women who have been through it and are still going.
Rolling Home - John Tams, performed by John Tams and Barry Coope - I have never performed this with backing music, only a capella, so the actual guy who wrote it performing it with electronic piano hits really weirdly. That aside, I love this song in the folk-processed version I know.
A Better Son/Daughter - Rilo Kiley - Everyone who has parents who are not right in the head needs this anthem.
Lift Every Voice And Sing - James Weldon Johnson & John J. Johnson - I will never sing this again without thinking ofrubynye and crying. Happy July 4th to absolutely all of the people in my country.
Everything Possible (2024 edition) - Rev. Fred Small - I love this song's message of love and hope, and this updated version includes nonbinary folks (like me) so it is an extra win. I first learned of the lyrics change when Rev. Small spoke at my friendbuggery's UU church. Warning: makes me cry.
Music In My Mother's House - Stuart Stotts, arr. J. David Moore, Bella Voce Women's Chorus - My mother taught me to sing, and I have sung this song at mothers' funerals and wept like a baby.
A Chat With Your Mother (The F-Word Song) - Lou & Peter Berryman, sung by Lou Berryman - I am not from Wisconsin, but I was raised on their music. Very silly. Never have I ever sung it to a group of teenagers who swore at me. You can't prove it.
I Dreamed A Dream - Alain Boubil & Claude-Michel Schönberg, Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Cast, sung by Ruthie Henshall - Since a friend pointed out to me that this is the best setting for the lyrics of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- cannot unhear. Also, I imprinted hard on this musical as a wee person.
The Gun Song - Stephen Sondheim, Assassins Off-Broadway Cast, Terrance Mann, Patrick Cassidy, et al. - It's been stuck in my head off and on since before I went to Buffalo withhannah and we saw a sketch of the relevant building in a museum. I can't imagine why it won't go away these days.
Roslin and Adama - Bear McCreary, Battlestar Galactica (2003) soundtrack - I have written so much fiction to the BSG soundtrack it isn't funny. This one is the lone instrumental, and it doesn't even have hurdy-gurdy, so far as I can tell.
Eternally Hard (Best Cock on the Block) - Seeing Bitch and Animal in concert was one of my first "Oh, hey, gender! Really truly not binary!" awakenings, and they crack me up, so I am cheating like anything to get this song, one of my favorites, into the list. Worth logging into Youtube for.
[A Little] Priest - Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, Imelda Staunton & Michael Ball - I put this song on the first mix CD I made for my partner of 20+ years as fair warning of what he would end up listening to if he hung out with me for very long. He was entertained as well as weirded out. Warning: cheerful cannibalism.
Everyone Hates His Parents - William Finn, Falsettoland Off-Broadway Cast, Chip Zien, Danny Gerard, et al. -- I desperately want someone to vid this for approximately every single one of my fandoms.
Thousand Grandmothers - Holly Near - This one makes me cry consistently. A song of hope and defiance for people who believe in the power of women who have been through it and are still going.
Rolling Home - John Tams, performed by John Tams and Barry Coope - I have never performed this with backing music, only a capella, so the actual guy who wrote it performing it with electronic piano hits really weirdly. That aside, I love this song in the folk-processed version I know.
A Better Son/Daughter - Rilo Kiley - Everyone who has parents who are not right in the head needs this anthem.
Lift Every Voice And Sing - James Weldon Johnson & John J. Johnson - I will never sing this again without thinking of
rubynye and crying. Happy July 4th to absolutely all of the people in my country.Everything Possible (2024 edition) - Rev. Fred Small - I love this song's message of love and hope, and this updated version includes nonbinary folks (like me) so it is an extra win. I first learned of the lyrics change when Rev. Small spoke at my friend
buggery's UU church. Warning: makes me cry.Music In My Mother's House - Stuart Stotts, arr. J. David Moore, Bella Voce Women's Chorus - My mother taught me to sing, and I have sung this song at mothers' funerals and wept like a baby.
A Chat With Your Mother (The F-Word Song) - Lou & Peter Berryman, sung by Lou Berryman - I am not from Wisconsin, but I was raised on their music. Very silly. Never have I ever sung it to a group of teenagers who swore at me. You can't prove it.
I Dreamed A Dream - Alain Boubil & Claude-Michel Schönberg, Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Cast, sung by Ruthie Henshall - Since a friend pointed out to me that this is the best setting for the lyrics of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- cannot unhear. Also, I imprinted hard on this musical as a wee person.
The Gun Song - Stephen Sondheim, Assassins Off-Broadway Cast, Terrance Mann, Patrick Cassidy, et al. - It's been stuck in my head off and on since before I went to Buffalo with
hannah and we saw a sketch of the relevant building in a museum. I can't imagine why it won't go away these days.Roslin and Adama - Bear McCreary, Battlestar Galactica (2003) soundtrack - I have written so much fiction to the BSG soundtrack it isn't funny. This one is the lone instrumental, and it doesn't even have hurdy-gurdy, so far as I can tell.
Eternally Hard (Best Cock on the Block) - Seeing Bitch and Animal in concert was one of my first "Oh, hey, gender! Really truly not binary!" awakenings, and they crack me up, so I am cheating like anything to get this song, one of my favorites, into the list. Worth logging into Youtube for.
Birdfeeding
Jul. 4th, 2026 12:36 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy, muggy, and hot. Yesterday's rain never arrived, but there's more chance today too.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds. Honeybees are busy carrying water to the hive.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two starlings, a mourning dove, and a male cardinal in the forest garden.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I watered tree seedlings in the savanna.
Queen Anne's lace and frost asters are blooming in the savanna and prairie garden. Purple echinacea and yellow coneflower are blooming in the wildflower garden. Wild bergamot is blooming in several places in the prairie garden. The first few cosmos are blooming in the north notch of the prairie garden. :D
I hear thunder to the south, I can see rain to the northwest, and we're starting to get a downdraft. I don't know if the promised rain will actually arrive, though. I hope so. We need it because the ground is drying out from the heat, even as humid as it's been.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
It drizzled earlier, just enough to wet the leaves and make small puddles in the road.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I went outside to watch distant fireworks for a while. There were well over a dozen shows in view. :D The storm didn't bring much water but did drop the temperature to near-comfortable level.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds. Honeybees are busy carrying water to the hive.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two starlings, a mourning dove, and a male cardinal in the forest garden.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I watered tree seedlings in the savanna.
Queen Anne's lace and frost asters are blooming in the savanna and prairie garden. Purple echinacea and yellow coneflower are blooming in the wildflower garden. Wild bergamot is blooming in several places in the prairie garden. The first few cosmos are blooming in the north notch of the prairie garden. :D
I hear thunder to the south, I can see rain to the northwest, and we're starting to get a downdraft. I don't know if the promised rain will actually arrive, though. I hope so. We need it because the ground is drying out from the heat, even as humid as it's been.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
It drizzled earlier, just enough to wet the leaves and make small puddles in the road.
EDIT 7/4/26 -- I went outside to watch distant fireworks for a while. There were well over a dozen shows in view. :D The storm didn't bring much water but did drop the temperature to near-comfortable level.
I am done for the night.
US Politics: I want Trump's speech today
Jul. 4th, 2026 12:25 pmpetraPresident Donald Trump’s clearly stated commitment to making a 2-hour speech outside today should be upheld despite the parade-canceling heat and oncoming thunderstorms. Is this not Our American President, who stares down eclipses? Is this man -- no mere man, but truly a Strong Man -- not indicative of the true might of the American experiment in all its antiquity? Should he not dare Jove and Jehovah to strike him down in order to get his message to his people? It’s only going to be 101 degrees Fahrenheit and a little rainy. His great postal service works in worse conditions all the time; why not the commander-in-chief?
(Everybody responsible for the logistics of the situation who didn’t vote for him should be allowed to do their jobs in air-conditioned comfort. Peons like sound engineers and cinematographers don’t represent America; they exist merely to serve.)
But TRUMP. TRUMP PROMISED. So many proud Americans came to see him speak! How can he disappoint our nation on her 250th birthday? Lady Liberty is hanged on his every word!
(Unrelatedly, if you’re in DC, don’t go outside during or after the fireworks – the National Park Service has warned that the air conditions will be absolutely godawful.)
(Everybody responsible for the logistics of the situation who didn’t vote for him should be allowed to do their jobs in air-conditioned comfort. Peons like sound engineers and cinematographers don’t represent America; they exist merely to serve.)
But TRUMP. TRUMP PROMISED. So many proud Americans came to see him speak! How can he disappoint our nation on her 250th birthday? Lady Liberty is hanged on his every word!
(Unrelatedly, if you’re in DC, don’t go outside during or after the fireworks – the National Park Service has warned that the air conditions will be absolutely godawful.)
US Politics: Irish Step Dance community tells Florida AG to piss up a rope
Jul. 4th, 2026 10:36 ampetraThis story about the Irish Step Dance community rallying together to allow the 1 (one) trans competitor in a national competition to compete, despite the Florida Attorney General being a dickhead transphobe, made me tear up.
His argument is that all real women should be allowed fair competition, which is ironic, because that's my argument, too. He's just defining his categories incorrectly.
His argument is that all real women should be allowed fair competition, which is ironic, because that's my argument, too. He's just defining his categories incorrectly.
1SE for June 2026
Jul. 4th, 2026 01:23 pmnanilaVery late, this video. But it has Humuhumu drawings in it, and snippets of garden flora and fauna.
I got back from DC this morning. The trip home was the smoothest flying experience I've had in a long time. I guess no one leaves the USA tye day before Independence Day. Both flights weren't even half full. I walked out of the airport, got on the shuttle bus to the car park, and was driven with a grand total of one other person to our cars.
I've had a grand total of about 9 hours’ sleep since Tuesday. It was also 9000 degrees in DC. Okay, touching 40 C, but with the humidity it was “feels like 45 C” which is just brain-meltingly hot. Discovering that the DC metro is air-conditioned may have caused us a disproportionate amount of joy. I think it was a successful work trip but only time will tell.