I've already used the small table we set up in the basement a couple of days ago to do some sewing (I repaired a dress of Aria's) but since then it's been taken over by Violet as a staging area for the short animation videos she likes to make on my phone. I should have foreseen that I guess. When I use the table for puzzles I'll be working on a felt puzzle mat so it won't really be a problem because I won't be leaving the puzzle out all the time, but it's slightly annoying to have to clear off the table before I can use it.
I've already used the small table we set up in the basement a couple of days ago to do some sewing (I repaired a dress of Aria's) but since then it's been taken over by Violet as a staging area for the short animation videos she likes to make on my phone. I should have foreseen that I guess. When I use the table for puzzles I'll be working on a felt puzzle mat so it won't really be a problem because I won't be leaving the puzzle out all the time, but it's slightly annoying to have to clear off the table before I can use it.
Meta just acquired a Chinese-founded AI startup for $2B. Here's why that matters
Dec. 30th, 2025 03:36 pm
A darling of the artificial intelligence startup scene was just acquired by Meta — capping off a year of intense competition between U.S. tech giants vying for dominance of the world's most coveted technology.
Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of the late John F. Kennedy, dead at 35
Dec. 30th, 2025 03:17 pm
Environmental journalist Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of the late U.S. president John F. Kennedy, has died. She was 35. The environmental journalist revealed in November that she had acute myeloid leukemia
Scientists have uncovered an extensive underwater vent system near Milos, Greece, hidden along active fault lines beneath the seafloor. These geological fractures act as pathways for hot, gas-rich fluids to escape, forming clusters of vents with striking visual diversity. The discovery surprised researchers, who observed boiling fluids and vibrant microbial mats during deep-sea dives. Milos now stands out as one of the Mediterranean’s most important sites for studying Earth’s dynamic interior.
This is fascinating, but it is not surprising. Most seams leak. If you want to find vent systems, identify underwater faultlines and check them for leaks.
I fed the birds. There was a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches perched in the forest garden waiting to be fed. :D
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 12/30/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 12/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 12/30/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.
The canons are "17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future" - Jon Bois, House of Hollow - Krystal Sutherland, James Hoffman's Coffee Videos (Web Series)/Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft/"A Study in Emerald," "Tower Wizard" - Bluesky, True Detective - season one, World War Z - Max Brooks.
Don't need to know canon
"17776: What Football Will Look Like in the Future" - Jon Bois. I only know this canon from Yuletide stories, and all I really know is that in the very far future, it's a post-scarcity world where everyone is immortal. It reliably produces lovely stories that feel kind of like the more personal/emotional xckd comics. Here is another one.
What Rock Collecting Will Look Like in the Future. Funny, bittersweet, cool worldbuilding; I was surprised and delighted to learn that fordite is real!
James Hoffman's Coffee Videos (Web Series)/Cthulhu Mythos - H. P. Lovecraft/"A Study in Emerald." All you need to know is that a coffee guy reviews coffee online, and this is him reviewing eldritch coffee.
I'm ranking 5 coffees from beyond this world (literally). "I feel a bit as if the coffee tasted me and not the other way around." Hilarious, dead-on coffee notes, dead-on Lovecraft; makes me want to try some of the coffees despite the risk of growing gills or being possessed by Elder Gods.
Tower Wizard - Hourly updates on the life of a wizard who lives in a tower, like "The little cat plays with a leaf. The wizard carefully checks that it's not a dangerous reagent, then returns it to the little cat." His best friend is an ex-paladin, and they eat a lot of interesting food. That's it, that's all you need to know.
Ruins and Roads. A charming original fantasy story, magical and cozy and bittersweet.
True Detective - season one. All you need to know to read this story is that Rust and Marty used to be cops, and they were both seriously injured when they reunited to investigate a weird case that might or might not have supernatural elements.
burned in kind. An outstanding post-series casefic and get-together with a flawless Rust voice, A+ hurt-comfort, and a creepy maybe-supernatural maybe-not case. If you know the series, this is 100% not to be missed; if you don't, you might still really like it as a standalone spooky mystery with excellent characterization.
World War Z - Max Brooks. You just need to know that there are zombies.
little stone. Zombies in 9th century Latvia! An atmospheric story about grief and loss in a time far from us; the protagonist's emotions are raw and vivid. Note: child death.
Need to know canon
House of Hollow - Krystal Sutherland
You Live in a Hollow House. Creepy, unsettling horror with an excellent use of color and image embeds.
Meeting Halfway. Creepy, unsettling horror with a touch of sweetness.
04SEP25: Eeb Allay Ooo (???, 20??) -- Netflix
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05SEP25: The Materialists (???, 2025) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
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11SEP25: Maria (???, 20??) -- Netflix
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12SEP25: Patience (???, 20??) -- Wilton's Music Hall
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19SEP25: Spinal Tap 2 (???, 20??) -- Greenwich Picturehouse
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25SEP25: Mindhorn (???, 20??) -- Netflix
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27SEP25: Iphigenia in Tauris (Gluck) -- Blackheath Halls Opera
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![]() May I Ask For One Final Thing? |
Here are the final episode counts of the shows I watched this season. (Previously: Anime Tracker Autumn 2025)
( All the Shows, Below This Cut )
Warning: This poem is dark science fiction along the lines of ecological horror.
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Green Party settles with commission over exclusion from federal leaders' debate
Dec. 30th, 2025 01:49 pm
The federal Leaders' Debates Commission says it has settled with the Green Party after the party vowed to challenge its removal from the spring election debates.
Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs facing strangulation, assault charges
Dec. 30th, 2025 01:28 pm
New England Patriots star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is facing strangulation and other criminal charges in connection with a dispute with his former private chef, police said.

The Northwestern Health Unit has confirmed a case of measles in the Kenora area of northwestern Ontario, in a year that saw an alarming rise in cases in Canada and the country lose its measles elimination status.
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05NOV25: Puccini and Bernstein, Parliament Choir -- Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street
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06NOV25: The Boys in the Band (Mantello, 2020) -- Netflix
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07NOV25: Bugonia (Lanthimos, 2025) -- Greenwich PictureHouse
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13NOV25: Frankenstein (del Toro, 2025) -- Netflix
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20NOV25: Clueless (Heckerling, 1995) -- Netflix
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21NOV25: Time (Luxmuralis, 2025) -- Old Royal Naval College
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28NOV25: Pillion (Lighton, 2025) -- Greenwich PictureHouse
( Read more... )Great article by Adam Mars-Jones about going to Cannes to see 'his' film
29NOV25: Wake Up Dead Man (Johnson, 2025) -- Greenwich PictureHouse
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I think I’m going to crochet a couple rows on this rug to calm my brain down and then lay down for an hour.
Merry Crisis to all who celebrate!
[Edit: “Family Christmas™️” has gone off fairly well. I still have a headache, but at least I’m having it in a dim, quiet environment? Food was delicious, at any rate.]
24. When did you first realize that life is short? Many times over the last couple of years.
25. What is the most insensitive thing a person can do? Being insensitive can vary depending on the people involved and the situation, so it's pretty much impossible to say that one particular piece of insensitivity is the most insensitive possible.
26. What can someone do to grab your attention? Bump into me.
27. What do you usually think about on your drive home from work? I don't have a job to drive to or from. I don't remember what I used to think about when I did.
28. What’s one downside of the modern day world? The fact that someone like Trump was able to get himself elected as the president of the US.
29. What simple fact do you wish more people understood? Words have consequences.
30. If you could do it all over again, would you change anything? There are things I wish had happened differently, but who's to say that my changing anything would have led to better outcomes?
That said, I've zero plans to try reading In Search of the Irish Dreamtime (2016), the monograph published between them, which Mallory intended as part two to Irish. One reasonable-sounding book is plenty as rehabilitation.
2. Because the Taproot Video collective will sunset as of 31 Mar 2026, I've acquired a copy of Annie MacHale's Three-Color Pickup For Inkle Weavers (selfpub, 2021). I understand just enough to follow along, though not to implement. MacHale's explanations are straightforward, and she includes clear illustrations of the effects she describes, with examples of variations.
(Taproot's website doesn't admit to its imminent shutdown, which seems irresponsible. They've sent an email to their past customers.)

A new search for the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 aircraft is underway, more than 10 years after the Boeing 777's mysterious and baffling disappearance.
