Plural Etiquette Questionnaire
2025-08-20 10:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mackerelgrayFrequently asked questions about how to talk to us!
Based on a list by Hungry Ghosts.
( Read more... )mackerelgray
Affordable Housing
2025-08-20 03:25 pmysabetwordsmithIn this all-women tiny home neighborhood, rent starts at $450. Residents want it to be a nationwide blueprint
Robyn Yerian, 70, used to live in a two-bedroom tiny home that cost just $57,000.
In 2022, she was yearning for more connection — as well as some “passive income.”
So she took some money from her retirement savings, bought a 5-acre plot of land in Cumby, Texas, and is now the landlord and community leader of The Bird’s Nest, an all-women tiny home neighborhood home to 11 women ages 60 to 80.
( Read more... )
Robyn Yerian, 70, used to live in a two-bedroom tiny home that cost just $57,000.
In 2022, she was yearning for more connection — as well as some “passive income.”
So she took some money from her retirement savings, bought a 5-acre plot of land in Cumby, Texas, and is now the landlord and community leader of The Bird’s Nest, an all-women tiny home neighborhood home to 11 women ages 60 to 80.
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
2025-08-20 03:08 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cooler. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered spaces to put the irises.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I planted a Dangerous Mood Bearded Iris (lavender standards with near-black falls) in the purple-and-white garden. I planted a Montmartre Bearded Iris (purple with yellow edges) and a Ziggy Reblooming Bearded Iris (yellow standards with burgundy-and-yellow streaked falls) under the maple tree.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the newly planted irises.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the old picnic table and the patio plants.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and septic garden.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden and some of the savanna plants.
Cicadas and crickets are singing. Fireflies are out.
As it is now dark, 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.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered spaces to put the irises.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I planted a Dangerous Mood Bearded Iris (lavender standards with near-black falls) in the purple-and-white garden. I planted a Montmartre Bearded Iris (purple with yellow edges) and a Ziggy Reblooming Bearded Iris (yellow standards with burgundy-and-yellow streaked falls) under the maple tree.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the newly planted irises.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the old picnic table and the patio plants.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and septic garden.
EDIT 8/20/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden and some of the savanna plants.
Cicadas and crickets are singing. Fireflies are out.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
Cuddle Party
2025-08-20 04:45 amysabetwordsmithEveryone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
Robotics
2025-08-19 07:41 pmysabetwordsmithWARNING: Do not watch with mouth full.
Robots race, play football, crash and collapse at China's 'robot Olympics'
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Reuters) - China kicked off the three-day long World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries.
Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services
Watching the evolution of robotics on a primitive planet is hilarious.
Robots race, play football, crash and collapse at China's 'robot Olympics'
BEIJING, Aug 15 (Reuters) - China kicked off the three-day long World Humanoid Robot Games on Friday, looking to showcase its advances in artificial intelligence and robotics with 280 teams from 16 countries.
Robots competed in sports such as track and field, and table tennis, as well as tackled robot-specific challenges from sorting medicines and handling materials to cleaning services
Watching the evolution of robotics on a primitive planet is hilarious.
Food
2025-08-19 07:44 pmysabetwordsmithBuild an Emergency Food Supply List
There are several ways to build an emergency food supply to stock a survival kit and a “bug out bag”. While you can purchase specialized food products or a self-contained emergency preparedness kit, these can be costly and wasteful.
Instead, you can simply assemble shelf-stable foods that you already buy or preserve at home. Many canned, dried, and pickled foods are quite suitable for use in an emergency kit.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
In particular, watch for sales. Anytime you see a shelf-stable food that you use, consider buying extra if feasible.
There are several ways to build an emergency food supply to stock a survival kit and a “bug out bag”. While you can purchase specialized food products or a self-contained emergency preparedness kit, these can be costly and wasteful.
Instead, you can simply assemble shelf-stable foods that you already buy or preserve at home. Many canned, dried, and pickled foods are quite suitable for use in an emergency kit.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
In particular, watch for sales. Anytime you see a shelf-stable food that you use, consider buying extra if feasible.
Weird Wereraptor Insights
2025-08-19 12:00 pmmackerelgrayWritten by Max Biscuit-Machina on August 19th, 2025.
hi! this is a completely unpolished brain dump of information about my experiences as a wereraptor, because it's too interesting to stay stuck in my drafts for days while I work up the executive functioning to edit it into a cohesive essay! you're getting the same lowercase rambling my friends get about my identity and you're going to like it!
( Read more... )American Meadows Order
2025-08-19 04:08 pmysabetwordsmithMy fall order from American Meadows has arrived. :D Now I just need the weather to break so I can actually get out to plant things. If you're still shopping, this nursery has some stock of fall bulbs left and some of those are on sale.
Dangerous Mood Bearded Iris (lavender standards with near-black falls)
Montmartre Bearded Iris (purple with yellow edges)
Ziggy Reblooming Bearded Iris (yellow standards with burgundy-and-yellow streaked falls)
Dangerous Mood Bearded Iris (lavender standards with near-black falls)
Montmartre Bearded Iris (purple with yellow edges)
Ziggy Reblooming Bearded Iris (yellow standards with burgundy-and-yellow streaked falls)
Birdfeeding
2025-08-19 02:38 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly cloudy and sweltering. It rained a little last night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I put out water for the birds. I've seen a male cardinal.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I watered the barrel garden and the old picnic table garden.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and the septic garden.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I put out water for the birds. I've seen a male cardinal.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I watered the barrel garden and the old picnic table garden.
EDIT 8/19/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and the septic garden.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
Poem: "He Who Whispers"
2025-08-19 04:24 amysabetwordsmithThis is the freebie for the August 5, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from siliconshaman. It also fills the "He Who Whispers" square in my 8-1-25 card for the Crime Classics fest. This poem belongs to An Army of One series.
( Read more... )
siliconshaman. It also fills the "He Who Whispers" square in my 8-1-25 card for the Crime Classics fest. This poem belongs to An Army of One series.( Read more... )
Earthquakes
2025-08-18 07:46 pmysabetwordsmithMyanmar’s massive quake hints at bigger earthquakes to come
The massive 2025 Myanmar earthquake revealed that strike slip faults can behave in surprising ways. Using satellite data, Caltech researchers found the Sagaing Fault ruptured more dramatically than expected, suggesting faults like the San Andreas could unleash even larger quakes than history shows.
Never assume that the worst thing you know about is the worst thing that can happen.
The massive 2025 Myanmar earthquake revealed that strike slip faults can behave in surprising ways. Using satellite data, Caltech researchers found the Sagaing Fault ruptured more dramatically than expected, suggesting faults like the San Andreas could unleash even larger quakes than history shows.
Never assume that the worst thing you know about is the worst thing that can happen.
Birdfeeding
2025-08-18 03:11 pmysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and sweltering.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few house finches and sparrows.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I've seen a hummingbird in the forest garden. I couldn't tell more detail than that, but presumably it is a rubythroat as that is the only kind typically found in Illinois. It may have been attracted to the water, or the robust colony of red salvia blooming in the barrel garden.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I did a more work around the patio.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I potted up 24 sweet cherry seeds.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I watered the old picnic table and the patio plants.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few house finches and sparrows.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I've seen a hummingbird in the forest garden. I couldn't tell more detail than that, but presumably it is a rubythroat as that is the only kind typically found in Illinois. It may have been attracted to the water, or the robust colony of red salvia blooming in the barrel garden.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I did a more work around the patio.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I potted up 24 sweet cherry seeds.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I watered the old picnic table and the patio plants.
EDIT 8/18/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
Monday Update 8-18-25
2025-08-18 02:03 pmysabetwordsmithThese are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Writing
Read "For the Many" by Beepbird
How to not build the Torment Nexus
Affordable Housing
Moment of Silence: Terence Stamp
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Robotics
Genetics
Birdfeeding
Crafts
Climate Change
Creative Jam
Philosophical Questions: Diversity
Today's Adventures
Early Humans
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 8-15-25: Indie
Affordable Housing
Celebrate Love Your Bookshop Day
Birdfeeding
Vocabulary: Unintended Sidequences
Conservation
Birdfeeding
Poem: "To Allow in More Light"
Hard Things
Affordable Housing has 26 comments. Robotics has 46 comments. Food has 34 comments. "Philosophical Questions: Looks" has 49 comments. "Incompetence, Sloppy Thinking, and Laziness" has 75 comments.
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
summerofthe69 is open! You can see the calendar here and the current themes are Kinky 69 and Tropefest 69.
There are no open epics at present.
The weather is still sweltering here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a mourning dove, a male cardinal, a fox squirrel, a skunk, and a bat. Currently blooming: dandelions, pansies, violas, marigolds, petunias, red salvia, verbena, lantana, sweet alyssum, zinnias, snapdragons, blue lobelia, perennial pinks, oxalis, moss rose, yarrow, anise hyssop, firecracker plant, tomatoes, tomatillos, Asiatic lilies, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, morning glory, purple echinacea, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, chicory, Queen Anne's lace, sunflowers, cup plant, gladioli, firewheel, orange butterfly weed. Tomatillo and pepper have green fruit. Tomatoes, cucumbers, ball carrots, and groundcherries are ripe.
Writing
Read "For the Many" by Beepbird
How to not build the Torment Nexus
Affordable Housing
Moment of Silence: Terence Stamp
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Robotics
Genetics
Birdfeeding
Crafts
Climate Change
Creative Jam
Philosophical Questions: Diversity
Today's Adventures
Early Humans
Birdfeeding
Follow Friday 8-15-25: Indie
Affordable Housing
Celebrate Love Your Bookshop Day
Birdfeeding
Vocabulary: Unintended Sidequences
Conservation
Birdfeeding
Poem: "To Allow in More Light"
Hard Things
Affordable Housing has 26 comments. Robotics has 46 comments. Food has 34 comments. "Philosophical Questions: Looks" has 49 comments. "Incompetence, Sloppy Thinking, and Laziness" has 75 comments.
summerofthe69 is open! You can see the calendar here and the current themes are Kinky 69 and Tropefest 69.There are no open epics at present.
The weather is still sweltering here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a mourning dove, a male cardinal, a fox squirrel, a skunk, and a bat. Currently blooming: dandelions, pansies, violas, marigolds, petunias, red salvia, verbena, lantana, sweet alyssum, zinnias, snapdragons, blue lobelia, perennial pinks, oxalis, moss rose, yarrow, anise hyssop, firecracker plant, tomatoes, tomatillos, Asiatic lilies, cucumber, yellow squash, zucchini, morning glory, purple echinacea, black-eyed Susan, yellow coneflower, chicory, Queen Anne's lace, sunflowers, cup plant, gladioli, firewheel, orange butterfly weed. Tomatillo and pepper have green fruit. Tomatoes, cucumbers, ball carrots, and groundcherries are ripe.
Writing
2025-08-18 12:14 amysabetwordsmithchina_shop has posted "Writing meta: What Middles Are For." It's an excellent essay about story structure.Read "For the Many" by Beepbird
2025-08-17 11:23 pmysabetwordsmithbeepbird has written "For the Many," a book about plurality / multiplicity. It is available at this post with links to download PDF or EPUB formats. I know I have a bunch of plural people in my audience, and I write about some plural characters such as Damask in Polychrome Heroics or Bruce-and-Hulk in Love Is For Children (The Avengers), so I'm always watching for good resources on this topic. Go read the book. It is very clearly written and includes many practical descriptions of how to achieve healthy multiplicity. Many of the suggestions are good people skills for living in other communal contexts too. It's good to read if you have plural friends, so you don't hurt them, because society affords them little or no protection. If you want to know how to do something, listen to someone who's been doing it a while -- not an "expert" who has never done it.
How to not build the Torment Nexus
2025-08-17 11:10 pmysabetwordsmithHow to not build the Torment Nexus
This week’s question comes to us from Will Hopkins:
When your job and healthcare depends on building the Torment Nexus, but you actually learned the lesson from the popular book Don't Build the Torment Nexus, how do you keep your soul intact and try to put less torment into the world?
I would add: when your survival requires a job, and most jobs involve building some form of Torment Nexus, be aware that your society is in the toilet, circling the drain. And it's not an accident for people to feel outright trapped in truly heinous jobs. That's what homeless people are for: so the boss can say, "Quit dragging your feet and build the goddamn Torment Nexus! Or do you want to be homeless?"
This week’s question comes to us from Will Hopkins:
When your job and healthcare depends on building the Torment Nexus, but you actually learned the lesson from the popular book Don't Build the Torment Nexus, how do you keep your soul intact and try to put less torment into the world?
I would add: when your survival requires a job, and most jobs involve building some form of Torment Nexus, be aware that your society is in the toilet, circling the drain. And it's not an accident for people to feel outright trapped in truly heinous jobs. That's what homeless people are for: so the boss can say, "Quit dragging your feet and build the goddamn Torment Nexus! Or do you want to be homeless?"
Book: Drafted!
2025-08-18 03:13 ambeepbirdI'm finally out of ebook formatting hell and have a workable version of the "assorted plural things written over the last few years" book! I may still go back and reorder one or two chapters, but it's good enough to chuck out there now.
For those who want it:
For those who want it:
Affordable Housing
2025-08-17 08:37 pmysabetwordsmithSmall Changes With Big Impacts in Dallas
On April 23, the Dallas City Council did something worth paying attention to.
They voted unanimously to approve a change to the city’s building code that allows up to eight dwelling units in three-story buildings under a modified version of the International Residential Code (IRC).
Multiplexes and small apartment buildings belong to the "missing middle" of affordable housing. They mix well with freestanding homes, particularly if you put them on the larger corner lots of a block. Imagine a block of mostly 2-3 bedroom houses with the corners holding a couple of small apartment buildings or multiplexes and a couple of bigger 4+ bedroom houses that could be for large families, sharehouses, boarding houses, etc. And some of those single-family homes could also have a garage apartment or a home business on the porch or garage. Such blocks exist in many of the towns near me, and they are awesome.
On April 23, the Dallas City Council did something worth paying attention to.
They voted unanimously to approve a change to the city’s building code that allows up to eight dwelling units in three-story buildings under a modified version of the International Residential Code (IRC).
Multiplexes and small apartment buildings belong to the "missing middle" of affordable housing. They mix well with freestanding homes, particularly if you put them on the larger corner lots of a block. Imagine a block of mostly 2-3 bedroom houses with the corners holding a couple of small apartment buildings or multiplexes and a couple of bigger 4+ bedroom houses that could be for large families, sharehouses, boarding houses, etc. And some of those single-family homes could also have a garage apartment or a home business on the porch or garage. Such blocks exist in many of the towns near me, and they are awesome.
Moment of Silence: Terence Stamp
2025-08-17 08:12 pmysabetwordsmithFamous actor Terence Stamp has passed away. He was best known for his role in two Superman movies ("Kneel before Zod!") but performed in many other roles as well.
Carry on the Work:
Acting -- how to articles from wikiHow
The Creative Writer's Ultimate Guide to Science Fantasy
How to Study Voice Acting: A Step-by-Step Guide
Carry on the Work:
Acting -- how to articles from wikiHow
The Creative Writer's Ultimate Guide to Science Fantasy
How to Study Voice Acting: A Step-by-Step Guide
