A weird pairing in my sleep
May. 15th, 2025 11:11 pmI had a dream last night which was Brad Colbert (from Generation Kill)/Clarissa Harlowe (from the 18th century novel). This made sense in my dream, not so much to my waking self...
Oops, have not posted for some time...
Mar. 6th, 2025 09:29 pmOver a month, in fact! I'm fine, but a bit swamped. I plan to make a proper status report post soon, because it will soon be half a year since I moved to the farm.
Meanwhile, I ought to properly thank![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
garonne for her lovely FotH gifts to me in the Candy Hearts Exchange! ♥ As for me, I wrote the pre-Keith/Ewen/Alison fic A Lady at the Gate for sanguinity. And she, of course, wrote for garonne.
I also just have to tell you about a hilarious conversation between two teenage girls that I overheard on the bus today. Among other things they were talking about some classmate who was going to study math and computer science at university. Opined one of them: "That is for real the most vile thing I have heard in my entire life!" (You can substitute some trendy teenage word for "vile", I have no idea what it would be in English.)
They spoke further on the topic of some boy they hated at school, and had some quite creative things to say.
Girl 1: "I hope he burns his tongue every morning!" (Presumably on his coffee or tea?)
Girl 2: "I hope he never finds his personal style that he feels comfortable in!"
Which would never have occurred to me as a curse.
Meanwhile, I ought to properly thank
garonne for her lovely FotH gifts to me in the Candy Hearts Exchange! ♥ As for me, I wrote the pre-Keith/Ewen/Alison fic A Lady at the Gate for sanguinity. And she, of course, wrote for garonne. I also just have to tell you about a hilarious conversation between two teenage girls that I overheard on the bus today. Among other things they were talking about some classmate who was going to study math and computer science at university. Opined one of them: "That is for real the most vile thing I have heard in my entire life!" (You can substitute some trendy teenage word for "vile", I have no idea what it would be in English.)
They spoke further on the topic of some boy they hated at school, and had some quite creative things to say.
Girl 1: "I hope he burns his tongue every morning!" (Presumably on his coffee or tea?)
Girl 2: "I hope he never finds his personal style that he feels comfortable in!"
Which would never have occurred to me as a curse.
A fawning dedication
Nov. 20th, 2022 10:37 pmI already posted this to cahn's salon, so I figured, why not share it here as well, since I went to the trouble of typing it up... This is a great example of the 18th century fawning dedication, discovered while researching fencing for a fic. Though with rather more, um, typographical embellishments than most.
***
To the Right Honourable,
WILLIAM
Earl Mariſchal,
Lord Keith and Altrie, Great Mariſchal of the Kingdom of Scotland, and Heretable Keeper of the Regalia of That Kingdom, etc.
MY LORD,
HAVING of late Diſcovered the Short and Eaſy Method of Fencing, contained in the following Sheets, and which I am perſuaded, will be found by Practice, to be as Uſeful as it is New; I was not long a making Choice of your Lordſhip, as the Perſon to whom I ought in Juſtice to offer It.
For not to mention, at preſent, your Lordſhip’s many Perſonal Endowments, which I the more willingly forebear, leſt I should be thought too much interested therein, not only upon account of that Great and Juſt eſteem, which I have always had for your Lordſhip, but alſo (and which is indeed my greateſt Honour) with reſpect to my near Concern in, and Relation to, your Lordſhip's most Ancient and Noble Family. [...]
That therefore the moſt Noble and Ancient Family of the KEITHS may be Preſerved and Flouriſh, not only for Seven Hundred, but Seventy times Seven Hundred Years; nay even to the CONSUMMATION of all Things, is the most ſincere Wish, and hearty and fervent Deſire of,
My Lord,
your Lordſhips
Obedient and moſt
Humble Servant,
Will. Hope.
***
As you can see, Hope has taken full advantage of the possibilities of Capitalization, ALLCAPS, and italics. You can't see it, because there are limits to my efforts, but he has also made artistic use of changing font size and variation in indents. Alas that he has not discovered the bold style and the font change.
cahn's salon, so I figured, why not share it here as well, since I went to the trouble of typing it up... This is a great example of the 18th century fawning dedication, discovered while researching fencing for a fic. Though with rather more, um, typographical embellishments than most. ***
To the Right Honourable,
WILLIAM
Earl Mariſchal,
Lord Keith and Altrie, Great Mariſchal of the Kingdom of Scotland, and Heretable Keeper of the Regalia of That Kingdom, etc.
MY LORD,
HAVING of late Diſcovered the Short and Eaſy Method of Fencing, contained in the following Sheets, and which I am perſuaded, will be found by Practice, to be as Uſeful as it is New; I was not long a making Choice of your Lordſhip, as the Perſon to whom I ought in Juſtice to offer It.
For not to mention, at preſent, your Lordſhip’s many Perſonal Endowments, which I the more willingly forebear, leſt I should be thought too much interested therein, not only upon account of that Great and Juſt eſteem, which I have always had for your Lordſhip, but alſo (and which is indeed my greateſt Honour) with reſpect to my near Concern in, and Relation to, your Lordſhip's most Ancient and Noble Family. [...]
That therefore the moſt Noble and Ancient Family of the KEITHS may be Preſerved and Flouriſh, not only for Seven Hundred, but Seventy times Seven Hundred Years; nay even to the CONSUMMATION of all Things, is the most ſincere Wish, and hearty and fervent Deſire of,
My Lord,
your Lordſhips
Obedient and moſt
Humble Servant,
Will. Hope.
***
As you can see, Hope has taken full advantage of the possibilities of Capitalization, ALLCAPS, and italics. You can't see it, because there are limits to my efforts, but he has also made artistic use of changing font size and variation in indents. Alas that he has not discovered the bold style and the font change.
Today's algorithm fail
Oct. 20th, 2021 04:08 pmOn the Goodreads page for Red Love by Alexandra Kollontai, a 1923 novel about a woman trying to follow her socialist ideals after the Russian Revolution, while finding that the patriarchy sucks and so do the increasingly authoritarian and bureaucratic tendencies of the communist party, the website suggests that readers might also enjoy the similar book Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. *boggles*
I mean, maybe Goodreads considers that both are criticisms of communism, but...from very different directions...
I mean, maybe Goodreads considers that both are criticisms of communism, but...from very different directions...
Various unconnected things
Sep. 5th, 2021 09:27 am1) Signal-boost: regshoe will be hosting a read-through and discussion of Flight of the Heron, so if you've been thinking about maybe reading it, now is the time! : )
2) It's amusing to me that the OED entry on "influencer" has quotes ranging from 1664 ("The head and influencer of the whole Church.") to 1866 ("Honour is one of the most powerful influencers of human nature.") but no more recent ones. Well, I guess they just haven't time enough to update. Compare the ngram. I wonder what the peak in the 1670's was about?
3) I started reading A Desolation Called Peace, but there's so much about the war with the aliens, in which I am not particularly interested so far. I just wanted more Mahit and Three Seagrass. I mean, they're there, too, but... Should I go on or not?
regshoe will be hosting a read-through and discussion of Flight of the Heron, so if you've been thinking about maybe reading it, now is the time! : )2) It's amusing to me that the OED entry on "influencer" has quotes ranging from 1664 ("The head and influencer of the whole Church.") to 1866 ("Honour is one of the most powerful influencers of human nature.") but no more recent ones. Well, I guess they just haven't time enough to update. Compare the ngram. I wonder what the peak in the 1670's was about?
3) I started reading A Desolation Called Peace, but there's so much about the war with the aliens, in which I am not particularly interested so far. I just wanted more Mahit and Three Seagrass. I mean, they're there, too, but... Should I go on or not?
Badly written porn
May. 24th, 2021 07:25 pmBy link-hopping starting from a post of oursin's (no surprise), I found some terrible porn, which I am now posting for your amusement! It is from the book Memoirs of Rose Bellefille, or, A Delicious Banquet of Amorous Delights! Dedicated to the Goddess of Voluptous Pleasure, and her soul-enamoured votaries (1828).
Here is a quote from an 1885 review of it: "This is an insipid, tiresome book—the language stilted, overloaded and fulsume, frequently interspersed with French words; the narrative monotonous, and lacking interest. [...] The reproduction of a few lines will justify the strictures advanced above. Rosa, dressed in male attire, is eloping with a gentleman from her academy at Hammersmith:
oursin's (no surprise), I found some terrible porn, which I am now posting for your amusement! It is from the book Memoirs of Rose Bellefille, or, A Delicious Banquet of Amorous Delights! Dedicated to the Goddess of Voluptous Pleasure, and her soul-enamoured votaries (1828).Here is a quote from an 1885 review of it: "This is an insipid, tiresome book—the language stilted, overloaded and fulsume, frequently interspersed with French words; the narrative monotonous, and lacking interest. [...] The reproduction of a few lines will justify the strictures advanced above. Rosa, dressed in male attire, is eloping with a gentleman from her academy at Hammersmith:
Velocitous as our speed was, we had not proceeded half a mile before—propulsive pruriency stimulating the energy of procreant zeal—the members of inoculative union stood erect in impatient condition for active duty! my inamorato, with one hand thrust into my swelling bosom (in celestial ramble over my bubbies) and with the other, removing le culottin-empéchement, (the close-breeches obstruction,) inserting his finger up the temple-porch prepared the the (sic) venereous agent within for immediate sacrificial offering! placing himself procumbent with his shoulders against the back, and his toes stretched against the front of the chaise, and I putting myself, Buttock over him, in an incubative attitude &c."
I had not expected this...
May. 18th, 2021 09:30 pmMy most popular scientific article has about twice as many hits (14 000) as my most popular AO3 fic, at 7,500 hits! *boggles*
This article is a collaboration with two biologists from 2016, and not a pure maths article, which would have a tiny amount of hits. Ha ha, I barely do research anymore, but it's nice to know I've had some impact...
This article is a collaboration with two biologists from 2016, and not a pure maths article, which would have a tiny amount of hits. Ha ha, I barely do research anymore, but it's nice to know I've had some impact...
How did I not realize this until now?
Feb. 26th, 2021 08:57 pmAbout 15 years ago, I discovered my favorite outdoors garment: the Ventile anorak (or smock, as anoraks seem to inexplicably be called in the UK). I ordered one from the small Scottish company Firemore, which sadly seems to be out of business now. I measured myself, sent them my measurements, and they sewed me a smock to order. I wear this garment pretty much every day: it is light, windproof, reasonably rainproof since it's so tightly woven, large enough that I can layer sweaters underneath in winter unless it's really cold, and does not have the unpleasant crinkly quality of Goretex-like jackets. But since it's pure cotton and I wear it so much, it does wear out, and I've gone through three of them by now (I think). So, the model is called the Glenmore smock. Glen More, or the Great Glen, is where most of Flight of the Heron is set. : D How did I not realize this until now??
I was sad when I saw that Firemore had disappeared, but luckily there seems to be another company (Hilltrek) selling similar clothes. I guess I will order their Braemar smock when my current one wears out (but obviously I should have done so before Brexit...)
I was sad when I saw that Firemore had disappeared, but luckily there seems to be another company (Hilltrek) selling similar clothes. I guess I will order their Braemar smock when my current one wears out (but obviously I should have done so before Brexit...)
I am getting health problems from coronavirus isolation, but not actual coronavirus: I have aches and pains in my hands from too much computer work, and also, all the running I did to avoid those aches has given me what Wikipedia tells me are called shin splints in English? I mean, they're not terribly bad, because I stopped running as soon as I felt them, but I have a hard time judging when I can go back to running, or not. Advice welcome.
I'm also trying dictation software, but it's hard, because apparently my thought process when writing is dependent on typing. /o\ I'm also recording sound files sometimes instead of writing emails. I do want to share with you the hilarious result of using the dictation software, and then my mom calling me, and the software picking up the Swedish instead:
NT dog manusha doing is 50 this country since if there is Mr. Boston I'm so sorry I didn't see you madames meant cheesecake man yeah
Cheesecake, man! Yeah.
In other news, I have 16,000 words so far on my new fic, which is chock-full of UST and promises to be as long as the one I already posted. But! I am glad to say that other authors have also been busy writing Flight of the Heron fic:
When the Fighting is Over (4750 words) by Garonne is a post-canon fix-it story which begins with Ewen in France and is full of beautifully written longing.
At Ruthven Barracks (3299 words) by regshoe is a missing scene early in the book where Ewen begins to realize the cost of war.
In the beginning of December last year, there were 8 works posted in the fandom. Now there are 21. : D
I'm also trying dictation software, but it's hard, because apparently my thought process when writing is dependent on typing. /o\ I'm also recording sound files sometimes instead of writing emails. I do want to share with you the hilarious result of using the dictation software, and then my mom calling me, and the software picking up the Swedish instead:
NT dog manusha doing is 50 this country since if there is Mr. Boston I'm so sorry I didn't see you madames meant cheesecake man yeah
Cheesecake, man! Yeah.
In other news, I have 16,000 words so far on my new fic, which is chock-full of UST and promises to be as long as the one I already posted. But! I am glad to say that other authors have also been busy writing Flight of the Heron fic:
When the Fighting is Over (4750 words) by Garonne is a post-canon fix-it story which begins with Ewen in France and is full of beautifully written longing.
At Ruthven Barracks (3299 words) by regshoe is a missing scene early in the book where Ewen begins to realize the cost of war.
In the beginning of December last year, there were 8 works posted in the fandom. Now there are 21. : D
WTF, search engine fail...
Mar. 16th, 2020 04:50 pmOn searching for "can the Oich be forded" in DuckDuckGo, as in, can you reasonably cross the River Oich on foot without a bridge (obviously for fic research), the search engine assumes that I actually want to search for "can the rich be forced". And it's not about the rich being forced to pay their taxes. No, all the results are porn. *boggles*
Er, that is not what I wanted. Although an actually relevant result was probably too much to hope for...
Er, that is not what I wanted. Although an actually relevant result was probably too much to hope for...
Me versus Jordan Peterson
Nov. 6th, 2018 07:00 pmJordan Peterson: Woman! You can best serve society by marrying one of the working-class men so that he won't become a menace to society from sexual frustration.
Me: Er, I prefer to unionize with them instead and get rid of economic inequality.
Jordan Peterson: Aaah, a Marxist, deliver me from evil!
Me: Actually I'm a syndicalist?
Jordan Peterson: A Marxist, I tell you! The walls of my home are covered in Soviet art so that I will never forget the horrors of socialism. Aaah, it haunts me.
Me: Good! May its spectre wander the halls of your house.
Me: Er, I prefer to unionize with them instead and get rid of economic inequality.
Jordan Peterson: Aaah, a Marxist, deliver me from evil!
Me: Actually I'm a syndicalist?
Jordan Peterson: A Marxist, I tell you! The walls of my home are covered in Soviet art so that I will never forget the horrors of socialism. Aaah, it haunts me.
Me: Good! May its spectre wander the halls of your house.
Two things that are not like each other
Aug. 14th, 2016 09:45 pmI was distributing "join the union" flyers for my syndicalist union today. A woman in her fifties takes a flyer and says: "Oh, I used to be a member! But now I give money to the Salvation Army instead; it's enough to give to one organization, I think."
I managed not to start giggling until after she had walked away.
I managed not to start giggling until after she had walked away.
"My boyfriend got mad at me when I skeletonized a dead cat on the stove in our apartment!"
I guess we all have our geeky interests. *g*
I guess we all have our geeky interests. *g*
A compliment to me, sort-of
Apr. 18th, 2016 10:55 amRecently a reply to one of my debate articles contained the words: "too many people are listening to [insert Luz' real name]".
Ahahaha. I will take that as a compliment, although actually I suppose he's talking about my branch of the environmental movement in general.
Ahahaha. I will take that as a compliment, although actually I suppose he's talking about my branch of the environmental movement in general.
WTF, English?
Aug. 14th, 2015 01:29 pmWhy on earth does the word "sanction" mean both "official permission/approval" and "penalty for disobeying a law"? Those are almost opposite meanings...
A linguistic challenge
Feb. 6th, 2015 11:50 pmGuess (without searching the web) the scientific subject whence these specialist phrases come: "subgynoecial innovation" and "succubously inserted".
Not what I meant
Dec. 4th, 2013 02:46 pmToday at work when I was typing up an document where I needed a graph, I googled "latex picture" in order to get instructions on how to use the picture environment in the LaTex typesetting language. And then I blink at the screen, wondering why there are suddenly half-naked people on it. *facepalms*
Buck in space!
Aug. 12th, 2012 12:53 amOh hey, Leslie Nielsen as a starship captain in 1956! Although sadly the movie looks truly horrible. Anyway, now I want Bob, Buck, and Caroline in space. *g*
Gah, I have a miserable cold, and apparently this is the kind of thing I amuse myself with. That and listening my way through lots of WWII radio news clips to find the right ones to use in a podfic project.
Gah, I have a miserable cold, and apparently this is the kind of thing I amuse myself with. That and listening my way through lots of WWII radio news clips to find the right ones to use in a podfic project.
Am checking out the fic on the AO3 for C J Cherryh's Foreigner series, and was disconcerted by it for a weird reason. I've been listening to the books as audiobooks (the reader is awesome!), which means that I have no idea how all the alien names and words are spelled. It turns out that they are not spelled at all the way they were spelled in my head, and this interferes with my enjoyment of the fic, because I have to mentally edit the names in the text. It's like everyone has suddenly been re-named. Huh.
Zombies and differential equations
Aug. 26th, 2011 02:10 pmI'm currently writing a computer lab assignment in MATLAB for a course in differential equations I'm teaching on this fall, and I'm letting the students model a zombie epidemic based on this article (yes, that was apparently published in a serious journal). It's fun to write a math assignment that contains the sentence "discuss the fate of humanity under a zombie epidemic". *g*
