Disqus - Latest Comments for intransigentia

Re: The End of This Road

Auntie Thetical — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 12:11:15 -0000

(\_/)
( •,•) ♥
(")_(")

Reading Shakespeare's Sister was part of my feminist awakening, and while I've changed names several times and been quiet for long stretches, I've been along for the most of the ride. Thank you for everything you've done.

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 15:17:59 -0000

How about some more pictures?

Horse pics:
https://www.instagram.com/p...

Moonrise and sunset on the prairie:
https://www.instagram.com/p...

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 17:41:09 -0000

Oh hey, if we're doing Shaker Thumbs - I have a thumbs up too. Icaridin or Picaridin-based insect repellents. It's an alternative to DEET that was recently approved for use in Canada, and I am super impressed:
* it has barely any smell
* it lasts longer
* on me at least, it seems to work better than DEET

I tried it a couple weeks ago, to attend an outdoor wedding at a lake. I didn't get a single bite until sometime the next day. I don't think they had fogged for mosquitos because the dragonflies were out in force. The true test will be next week - yesterday when I went horse visiting, I used DEET repellent, and it worked just kindof ok, and not for particularly long. Next week I'll try the new stuff and report back.

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 14 Aug 2019 11:41:05 -0000

Hi Shakers, I visited my friend's horse yesterday, so just in case you need one, here is the soft nose of a horse who is doing the closest thing a horse can, to smiling (off-camera, she is receiving scritches in a Very Good Spot)

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:30:32 -0000

Spent all weekend (and in Canada it's a long weekend) in basically paradise, and without wifi. I am so sorry, and so angry, to be coming back to this.

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:59:35 -0000

Also - the friend who looked after my cat while I was away did a great job of gaining my shy boy's trust, and sent some great pictures. Look at V being so proud of having caught Da Bird: https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 09:53:49 -0000

Hi Shakers, a serious thing and a fun thing
1. Serious- 41 and moving into the land of zero fucks. Some stuff happened this weekend that made me realize, I actually have my shit together more than I give myself credit for - I have broken out of a long cycle of making the same mistake over and over. On to a whole new series of mistakes I guess!
2. Would you like to see some fat fashion, some of which is me-made? Here you go - I attended an industrial music festival last weekend and here are my outfits.

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Me-made skirt - my own design

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Nothing me-made this day, but awfully pleased with my hair and makeup

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Me-made dress

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Me-made vest

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:52:24 -0000

Thanks everybody for the great reading suggestions - that was something I was going to ask as well.

I would like to Shaker Thumbs some things.

1. The Zoom Groom cat brush from Kong. (Or any off-brand similar thing) It's a kindof nubbly-rubbery-silicony thing, and while I haven't had much success with it for long-haired cats, it seems to be some kind of magic for short-haired cats. First of all, it seems to be really enjoyable for them. My current cat, V, flops on the ground and lies there purring with blissfully kneading curled paws. My xMIL's dearly departed Miss Kitty used to find hers, and sit by it yelling, until somebody would come brush her. Second, it works really, really well to lift out loose hair and dander. Third - and this is brilliant - you can use the non-bristle side to groom your furniture and carpets and it lifts the fur off them just as well as off the cat.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

2. Lysol Laundry Sanitizer - I decided to try it because i don't know what my neighbors put in the shared laundry (and that makes my skin crawl a little), and the washing machine often leaves an unpleasant smell on my clothes. My clothes came out of the washing machine NOT smelling like the nasty gasket on the washing machine door (which I'm sure has something festering in it despite my attempts to clean it). After several loads, the smell of the door gasket was decreasing too. There's also something about how the fabric feels now, that my fingertips interpret as smoother and cleaner.

Re: Taking a Break

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 22:42:29 -0000

I am so sorry you're so unwell. Is it ok to say I'm proud of you for taking care of yourself? That's the closest (but not quite right) word. I hope something gives. In the best possible way.

Re: World of Shakescraft

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 16:01:05 -0000

Not crafting but crafting-adjacent: my apartment is now unfucked enough that I don't feel guilt at the thought of putting some time aside to do fun things in it - like crafts!

Which is good, because there's an industrial music festival coming up July 25-28 and I feel like (spoilt teenager voice) I have nothing to weaaarrrrrr. Which is not *factually correct*, but addressing the feeling will be fun.

Re: We Resist: Day 908

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:47:09 -0000

OK I have a question that I feel kindof silly asking... you can serve in the US military without already having citizenship?? How does that even work?

Re: Good Things

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 12:52:51 -0000

And things just got still better! One of the three barbecues on Saturday was work-adjacent, and I guess there were so many appetizers and so much main course, that nobody ate much dessert. So today the leftover desserts are by the coffee maker!

Re: Good Things

Auntie Thetical — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 12:25:17 -0000

Kindof a mix of Good Things and Self Care: This last weekend was supposed to have been ridiculously busy. A concert Friday night; three barbecues/picnics on Saturday; and an all-day extended-family gathering at my Sweetie's mom's place on Sunday. The number of these events that I decided to attend was zero. Instead, we had a low-key movie night on Friday; on Saturday my Sweetie headed off to All The Events, but I had a day of quiet and solitude, and then felt energized on Sunday to do a big unfucking of my apartment. Not only did I get to do that thing where I took a bath, then dried off with a freshly laundered towel, then got into a bed with freshly laundered bedding while wearing freshly laundered jammies, I also felt like the state of my apartment was not-shameful enough that I could call in building maintenance to do some minor repairs, so I did, and they came and fixed things!

Re: Question of the Day

Auntie Thetical — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 22:51:11 -0000

There's a meme that keeps popping up on my Facebook, that acquiring craft supplies, and actually crafting, are separate hobbies, and while I enjoy the former, I really excel at the latter. I have come to realize that some of my fabric stash, I really just have because having it gives me pleasure.

Re: Daily Dose of Cute

Auntie Thetical — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 16:43:26 -0000

I am ashamed to report that I have been a bad cat-mom. Back when I lived with a husband and two cats, it was the long-haired cat (who stayed with my husband) who actually needed brushing, but V, who is short-haired and keeps his coat in tip-top shape on his own, would always interrupt and demand to be brushed too. I figured it was just the attention he liked, and left the cat brush behind when we moved out.

Turns out he wanted brushing attention specifically. I bought a brush the other day, kindof an impulse purchase - and he loooooves it. And since brushing started being a thing that happens, he has started being more affectionate.

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 11:49:26 -0000

Summer colds can go to hell. Fuck, all colds are welcome to join.

Re: Throwback Thursdays

Auntie Thetical — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 18:43:53 -0000

Here I am on what had started as a spring vacation - April 22, 2009
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: Trump's Massive Purge of Undocumented Immigrants Is Back On

Auntie Thetical — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:20:46 -0000

https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Re: Shaker Gourmet

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 19:14:45 -0000

@Charlie - thank you so much!

Re: Shaker Gourmet

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 13:04:38 -0000

Also not exactly a recipe I'm looking for, but food ideas solicited please: I have decided to move my diet in a vegetarian direction - definitely not eating mammals, definitely not giving up fish/seafood, on the fence about birds. I've been in the habit of eating in the cafeteria at work, but very often, the only protein they have is meat, and I need protein for lunch or I crash mid afternoon. I don't feel up to making my own whole lunch, but maybe I could bring my own protein, and supplement with things from the cafeteria, like salad or whatever. I am soliciting ideas for non-meat protein foods that require a minimal amount of prep time, and can just be grabbed and thrown into a bag in the morning on the way out the door. So far, I have thought of cheese, and hardboiled eggs. What else? Are there vegetarian versions of those prepackaged pepperoni sticks? Other ideas?

Re: Shaker Gourmet

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 12:28:26 -0000

The other day my girlfriend and I tried making Flan from a box mix we picked up at a Mexican import store. Neither of us understand much Spanish, but enough that we could see that the Spanish and English instructions were subtly different. And the instructions in both languages seemed to rely on background knowledge we didn't have - do you pour on the caramel syrup right after you pour the flan into molds, or once it's cooled? We may or may not have done it correctly, but it tasted great.

Re: OMG SHOEZ

Auntie Thetical — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 16:50:39 -0000

I am feeling like maybe I need to back away from my love of cute and unusual shoes.

The entryway to my apartment was a big mess (not only because of shoes but they weren't helping), and I had misplaced something pretty important that I thought was probably in that general area, so one of the things I did to clear the area out was throw all the footwear I don't actually wear very much, into a blue Ikea bag, and then put the bag in another room to deal with later. I filled that bag to overflowing. (In my defense (lol), it was the smaller size blue bag, and it was a pair of giant platform boots that overflowed it.)

Remaining on the shoe rack: My Docs, a couple pairs of Birkenstock sandals, and one pair of cute semi-dressy flats.

I'm sensing a pattern in my shopping behaviour in general: I like to buy colourful, frivolous things, but I'm realizing I don't actually *use* them, the pleasure is mainly in *having* them. What I actually wear and use, and what feels "like me", is comfortable (even when extravagant), and almost always black. I think this is a useful thing to have learned about myself.

Re: Open Thread

Auntie Thetical — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 11:28:01 -0000

It sure is a Monday, and I have a fantastic (actually not fantastic) summer cold.

Re: Shaker Gardens

Auntie Thetical — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 17:05:25 -0000

Not my garden anymore but: when my husband and I split up last summer and had to sell our house, I found a friend to rehome my prized peonies, because the the thought of the new owners not appreciating them, or neglecting them, or digging them up, made me sad.

I got a text the other day, some of them took a while to come up this spring, but they are all thriving now.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

The one with the arrow pointing at it is the one she thought didn't make it, but there it is! Usually it takes about three years for a peony to get well established and bloom well, so the blossoms on the red one are particularly exciting.

Re: World of Shakescraft

Auntie Thetical — Sat, 29 Jun 2019 15:35:16 -0000

Lots more ideas of things I want to make. Still no making.