News & Views: Exiled from my own abode edition

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

1. In their infinite fuckery, the building decided to shut off the electricity in the apartment for 9 hours (giving us much less than 24 hours' notice) so I was a vagabond today, going from the YMCA to Barnes & Noble to the public library. But now I am back at home. And the power's on! Yay! And none of our food seems to have spoiled. Double yay!

2. I am contemplating signing up for a 10k in November. This would go across the Bay Bridge (across the Chesapeake Bay) and it's the only of its kind (they close the bridge). Can I do it? It's twice the length I've done before. I am debating whether to sign Minor up with me. I think running across the bridge would be cool but I have to do it in 2 hours or they scoop me up in a wagon (shame, shame!).

3. I have had more than a few impulse buys lately. Mostly collage stuff. Hallowe'en washi tape I actually like! Those seashell stickers I wanted but they were out of them last time. When I start getting stuff, it leads to wanting MOAR! Capitalism is a disease, m'dudes.

4. Got a great book at the library: It came from the closet: queer reflections on horror [ed. Joe Vallese]. Each essay is on a specific horror film so I think that will be good to give me some ideas of things to watch for Hallowe'en.

5. My respect for Margery Allingham is growing (author of the Campion detective novels). She really does far-fetched plots very realistically. I'm listening to The Mind-Readers right now.

6. I was looking at tarot card decks at Barnes and Noble and there were FOUR entire shelves of them (!!!). I was overwhelmed. I didn't have the focus to look at even half of them. Fannishly, I noted: Good Omens, Jane Austen, Marvel, Edgar Allan Poe, The Nightmare Before Xmas. There were at least 4 color-your-own designs. Really, I had to walk away and I'll come back with a plan for deciding.

Let's finish May strong, okapi, go, go, go!

15 MAY: Chocolate Chip Day: What’s the best recipe you know of with chocolate chips?

I like chocolate chips on almost anything (ice cream!). But the original tollhouse recipe is good.

16 MAY: BBQ Day: What’s the best kind of barbeque?

Where I am from (South Carolina, USA) this is a Thing. Like first of all 'barbeque' means 'pulled pork' and the kind of sauce we make it with is mustard-based but in North Carolina they have tomato/ketchup-based sauce and so the baby Jesus does not love them as much.

17 MAY: World Hypertension Day: What gets your blood pressure up? Of late, the boys have been pushing my buttons pretty regularly. Like last night Minor remembering an assignment but realizing he lost the instructions--at 9 pm.

18 MAY: International Museum Day: What’s your favorite museum? National Gallery of Art (DC) I absolutely would love to go to the British Museum and the V&A and of course the Sherlock Holmes museum if I ever make it Across the Pond. Any museum with Bellas Artes in the name is cool, too.

19 MAY: Take your Parents to the Playground Day: When’s the last time you and your parents (or you and your children or both) were at a playground?

It's been a while. Even Minisculus is too old.

20 MAY: World Bee Day: Have you ever been stung by a bee?

Not that I remember. We have a lot of stinging creatures (yellow jackets, wasps) A hornet got me once.

21 MAY: International Tea Day: What’s your favorite kind of tea and your favorite thing to eat with tea? Twinnings Ceylon Orange Pekoe. I like to have some kind of pastry with it. A scone or similar beast is best.

Comments

[debriswoman]

Ooh…I have crossed that bridge by car, decades ago, followed by breakfast at a Denny’s. We also travelled through/ across the bridge-tunnel :-)

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Nice! I did sign up last night. Just me, not Minor. I figure it's my dream not his.

[debriswoman]

That’s great :-) Sorry about your temporary banishment from home, by the way

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

😁
Thank you! Apartment living is always something.

[spiralicious]

Hurray for no spoiled food!

That is a lot of tarot cards to choose from. You are wise to come up with a plan. This plan should also include a budget as the decks are going to vary wildly in price and whether or not you want a book with it (some decks come with books, some don't). Another thing to consider is storage. Not all decks come with a storage box. My steampunk deck for example, it came in a large box that contained it's book and the deck, but the deck was just in a cardboard wrapper to keep the cards from rattling around. Learn from my mistakes.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Very good point. I don't need a book. But I will think about storage.

[spiralicious]

Good luck :)

[dr_zook]

Ugh, nine hours without electricity-- that's harsh! I hope there are no hiccups in the wake.

I had to walk away and I'll come back with a plan for deciding. - That's a very clever way! What's your solution?

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It was okay!

Yeah, I have to think about price and what kind of design I like. Probably a lot of online research 🤣 dw friend brought up a good point below about the box too. I want a storage box 🎁

[kitarella_imagines]

See when you wrote 'signing up for a 10K' I immediately assumed it was a challenge where you have to write 10K of fanfic. I thought 'oh that's a lot of words.'

Then it dawned on me you meant running! Going outside into the real world where I daren't go 😅

Good luck!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

haha! Yeah that would be a challenge! I did sign up for the race! I have about 5 months to whip myself into shape!

[kitarella_imagines]

Oh you are brave! I probably can't run 10 metres.

Good luck!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you!

[write_out]

That books of essays on horror films sounds like something I'd enjoy, so I'm adding it to my list!

I love Twinnings tea but haven't tried that particular one yet. Another thing to add to my ever-growing List. :)

Go you on that 10k! That's awesome!

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

It's good. They are talking about some films I never saw, so I am also adding to my Hallowe'en watch list.

The one I like (and honestly it's the only tea I really love) is in a dark orange box. Ceylon Orange Pekoe. I will drink a cup of green tea every now and then or some manzanilla if I'm sick, but otherwise, it's this.

Thank you!

[smallhobbit]

All the best for the 10k. That's a real challenge.

[stonepicnicking_okapi]

Thank you! I know. I am drawn to this crossing the bridge idea and so that's the draw. We'll see if I can do it. It will keep me training this summer.