she turns 101 today
ᓇᓪᓕá…ᑎᑦᑎáŠá•†á‘¦ á–„á± áŠá‘•á’ᑦᓯáŠá–…, á…ᓪᓗᒥ 101-á’¥ á…á‘á…á•á‘•á•‹á••á‘¦!
Happy Birthday!!
from @JSavikataaq’s account on twitter
Category: Festival
Happy Valentine’s to those who celebrate
It’s capitalism in a pink bow, but it means something to some people.
The Happily Married Song
They say that it’s a sin to boast/well God can strike me dead/’Cause even when my day is toast/I got you in my bed/For skin and conversation/and comfort most serene/for dirty jokes and body work and everything between.
The years how they are passing/passing by the score/But I could never love you less and long to love you more/Champion, companion, conspirator and friend/As we were in the beginning, so we’ll be at the end.
This is a song of celebration to sing at weddings or as part of a Valentines or anniversary celebration.
well… what to say about this. Well, I wrote it for Tom and Peggy for a wedding anniversary of theirs back in the oughts and I’ve sung it at every wedding I’ve attended since I wrote it (three, I’ve been to three) with varying results. The response I got at the last two made it all worthwhile, because even though I wrote it for a cishet couple, it was very definitely and specifically written so that it will work for gay and non-binary couples, including couples who get dragon wings for wedding presents, although I don’t imagine asexuals will want to do anything but rewrite the lyrics at the first opportunity, although I do not specifically call out sex, just everything g-rated that happens with couples in bed. Good things this sucker’s not copyrighted honh? Mess with the lyrics all you like.
Also, I really can’t imagine mOm and pOp not understanding that this is pretty much always for them too. SNERRRRKKK must go off in corner and gently squonkface. Missed Maudlin Monday by that much.
I did an art called Festive Season #3
All the “Festive Season” arts are going to be the same – exactly the same digitized snowflakes, but the colour banding is going to be different and I put digital glitter on some of them. Don’t worry, it’s extremely tasteful, because glitter IRL is Satan prancing like an ex in his undies through your engagement garden party, and the digital stuff stays the heck where you put it.
So I went to https://www.misha.studio/snowflaker/ (select grid) and then you get a grid like the foregoing of snerflerks, all different degrees of pointiness. Then I grabbed it with Grab, fired it up in paintbrush (thus the ENTIRE lack of subtlety.) I believe that it’s striking in a ‘what the hell kind of pride flag is that anyhoo?” sort of way. The snowflakes you select will be different. Who’s a special snowflake? Why all of us, all of us, my dears.
I’m wanting to train crows. It is a sad blemish on my character.
All I want to do is eat cinnamon pizza and drink tea.
We got IHOP takeout for breakfast. I have actually had a pretty productive day – three more pieces of mail. I won’t say they’re letters, they’re art like, you know, that thing up there at the top of the post, aka Festive season #3.
Ratrunners
A ratrunner is someone who drives around too fast late at night. Because of the orientation of my bedroom window – faces west – I’m listening to the ratrunners on Kingsway. Sometimes it’s a Kawasaki or similar, blasting down the hill at what sounds, from the wound up noise, like they’re doing about a ton and a bit. There are lots of crosswalks and the roadway isn’t straight, and it’s just a terrible idea.
Anyway, they were out last night, and they are usually worse on weekends.
Despite it all, I practiced good sleep hygiene. Instead of playing on my computer or brO’s phone, I did my evening routine and then slept. Woke up at 3 on the nose, so that’s 7 hours of sleep, and I only woke up to roll over and curse the ratrunners.
@see_starling on twitter made this over four years:
Looks like a sixer’s favourite blankee!
Another fic came into my mind almost as soon as the last one was done. This one will be about the quarantine, and snow.
And, from Cory Doctorow, and who knows where besides, Kate Bush as a bat in 1978:
and isn’t the costume the sweetest hoot I looked for 20 minutes on the internet for a photo credit and gave up, fuck you uncaring universe, I try to give credit but the internet has eaten the attribution just as surely as names wear off headstones
Paul’s 71st bday
We ordered from L.A. Sushi, and it was really good, and we all broke up into smaller conversational groups, Katie and Keith and Paul and Jeff and I, and we marvelled that I bought a 70th birthday party card for Paul 6 months early, and then forgot to give it to him, and then dropped it on the ground outside his apartment yesterday so he almost didn’t get it AGAIN, but Jeff fetched it. Then I told him I hadn’t signed it and he’d have to sign it himself just to prove receipt and he got a good laugh out of that.
Earlier I had a panic attack at the Pier (the smell from the creosote after I took the N95 mask off literally made me hyperventilate – I didn’t learn until AFTER we left that the fucking pier is STILL ON FIRE and will remain so until the last of the creosote is burned) and ran away from Paul (because I needed to get home and he wouldn’t get in the car because he’d run into a friend on the street) and took a cab home, but I managed to calm down enough to go back out again for supper, and I’m glad I did because Alex was delightful playing Minecraft and it was really really really good to see the kids. I bought beer and drank a lot and guess what, no bad result today.
Massage this afternoon. I know it’s crazy, but if somebody doesn’t touch me I’m going to die, so wish me luck and I’ll have my best masks with me.
It’s been really shitty around here, but I feel a bit better today and the AQI is down under 160 for the first time in a week. The sky is SO OPPRESSIVE – it’s just horrible. Even so Jeff is helping things stay on an even keel, and we try to get out to get a little sun.
There’s a little more visibility, but we’re wrapped in a grey blanket of smoke and dirt. LATER… 170 is the AQI, my head is starting to hurt again, and damn I do not want to leave the house.
nothing on the fic today
Later, it was a lovely massage, and I stayed masked the whole time.
Mike is now 53
Ha ha and the only reason I know this is one of the other people on the Skype party announced it. As usual I left before Brian C and Jim E showed up.
Keith and Paul and Katie and Jeff also attended.
RIP Olivia de Havilland, died yesterday in Paris aetat 104
sorry about the radio silence
Basically I started drinking beer when I got there, stopped around 7 pm, started having kidney grit again around 2 am, peed into a cup at one point because I couldn’t make it from the trailer to the house, and man, continence is A WHOLE THING of beauty and you really appreciate it when you don’t have it. I woke Jeff up around 6:30 the next morning and we talked it through, whether we wanted to leave in case I got worse, ended up getting the 9 o’clock ferry, more or less, and was greeted by an exceedingly noisy Buster.
But kidney grit aside….
We had an awesome time, can’t say how much, it was balm for my soul. And Jeff is of much the same mind. Brought a PILE of guest gifts mostly to indicate how grateful I am to have access to a miniature Baumfest. Anyway why take flowers? I brought vegetation of a different kind. Also a plaque showing Percy Saltzman saying Tonight’s forecast: low standards, alcohol and poor decisions. I thought Al was about to lose his mind when he saw that. I also brought them four capshields with hardware.
Drank beer ate fishburgers and other food, listened to the waterfall – they have a WATERFALL you can hear FROM THEIR YARD listened to their incredible playlist on spotify and around ten I got to sleep in their extremely comfy trailer in the side yard. I FELL IN LOVE with that trailer, it’s incredible me-sized.
IT WAS FUNNE!
This little exchange on the internet may NOT GO AS PLANNED for grandpa but he’ll be dead when his grandson eulogizes him as ‘the man who really accepted my sexuality’ LOLOLOLOL
Colston statue
The statue of a people thief was thrown into the water in Bristol and then some witty mofo edited the wikipedia article of the person commemorated
I have to tell you, the video of Colston getting ripped down and tossed into the bay was the best thing about yesterday, except Tammy getting to town.
We’re going to Chambar this afternoon. GAL’S GOTTA EAT
all you people gots stand this far apart
Buda Mendes for Getty Images – Christ in Rio lit up to look like a doctor
U/Kekefuch on Reddit took this shot from their balcony in New West. The heart made of lit-up windows can be seen from RC Hospital.
Chief Madeek’s Yodito
this is just a test (bones of a new song)
This is just a test!
No, of course not.
You don’t have to.
You don’t need to say it.
Not if you don’t feel it.
You embody it, that’s all.
The way you hold me
kiss me
pass me pepper
bring me coffee
(five long beats) disagreeeeee with me
throw popcorn at me
throw your arm around me
This is just a test!
(Think that clunky 80’s 86 bpm dance beat)
Just a test
In all the fuss and fury
Just a test
of modern life it comes
Just a test
no speed but hurry
Just a test
no percussion but taiko drums
when performing romance
Just a test
a pirouette or two
Just a test
you line out a paraph (note, you can pronounce it either way, I prefer
second syllable emphasis)
on your paragraph
mess it up
with a pedestrian ‘I love you’
Now maybe once in fifteen
Just a test
years I get those magick words
Just a test
Mostly unforeseen
Just a test
it comes out like a blurt
Just a test
I get to wondering
Just a test
Is it really real
but I’m a materialist baby
I’m all about the way you make me feel
extremely horn and reed-intense instrumental, including a bass line that makes you want square up conga style and wend your way through the neighbourhood
This is just a test!
No, of course not.
You don’t have to.
You don’t need to say it.
Not if you don’t feel it.
You embody it, that’s all.
The way you hold me
kiss me
pass me pepper
bring me coffee
(five long beats) disagreeeeee with me
throw popcorn at me
throw your arm around me
This is just a test!
obviously I updated it. The instrumental part is coming along fine, it will all be kazoos very pleased with it so far. Only 13 more songs to write for the end of the month ha ha
My concert went well
The Tapioca Song singalong and recording beforehand went reasonably well, but I was sweating my god.
The concerts were recorded and livestreamed. I will provide links if and when I find out what they are. John Seghers has indicated he’ll provide wav files recorded from the board, which would be nice. BUT I HAVE TO EMAIL HIM FIRST hint hint I have to remember that.
Paul sat in the back and provided comment afterward. He said my stagecraft has improved and I was entertaining as hell. Also, and he was really surprised, he is used to being the first person who hears a new song (sometimes it’s Mike, but 90% it’s Paul) and he DID NOT KNOW I had learned the Lousy Cutters on dulcimer and so sat with his mouth hanging open, which was fun to hear about afterward. I COULD SEE CINDY SINGING ALONG FOR HALF OF MY STUFF IT WAS AWESOME. Also, there was some guy in the audience – new to me, youngish by filk standards, who started smirking as soon as I fired up Alexios and laughed aloud repeatedly so goodie.
I played Way up in the Sky, (everybody laughed in the right places and the ONE PLACE I WANTED TO GET A LAUGH made the whole room shout with laughter – such a lovely feeling – the line is “The sun’s hot (semi longish pause) … don’t touch it”, Gelis and Nicolas, Zero-G (the Bed), Dishing with Joyce, The Friend who Gave Me This Ukelele, The Lousy Cutters, The Anarchist Parade Marshall, An invocation to my ancestors, Alexios the Murder Hobo, Pardon me is that stool taken, and possibly one other song that currently escapes. I had a good time and it really showed, according to BL Chiffon, whom I ran into along with Frank Hayes in the Con suite after. Also I said, “I play the song of my people” and blasted the slide whistle and cracked everyone up.
I forgot to take my meds so that probably explains why I was sweating like a pig. I took them late, apparently suffered no problems.
I AM THE TOASTED MASTER.
In an hour I have to do a seminar.
I have a long long day ahead but I et my brekky and I’ve had my coffee and I’m ready to go more or less.
Vanessa Cardui’s concert was fantastic. Her song “Made it” which is an intense family history song that is completely a true story made me want to hug my fOlks and brother so damned hard you have no idea, and her song from Data to Spot was SO WONDERFUL I must obtain a copy for Jeff. She sang in OCCITAN F’CHRISSAKE don’t let anyone tell you that filk isn’t educational. Anyway wonderful guitarist and vocalist. Her only song not self written was about the Molasses Flood of Boston and despite the horror we all laughed.
AND I wrote and delivered a land acknowledgement which covered all the territory I could. I didn’t use the word unceded because this is their land, and I’d prefer to just call it what it is, stolen, if I have to.
I live upon and come to you from the shared lands of the Sto:lo and Coast Salish, and we are gathered now on the lands of the Coast Salish, Duwamish and Puget Sound Salish peoples. May our time together at Conflikt 13 be a living memorial to the values of sharing and community, and to our deep appreciation for the beauty of this land and its first peoples. May we especially honor the frogs and all the creatures of the wetlands, the salmon and all the creatures of the ocean, the wolves and all the creatures and plants of the forests, the elders and the children in all their beauty, and all the remaining Sasquatches. Dear ones, let us make a memorable festival, and let us be thankful.
Poor Paul
Paul picked up a minor infection and so all of the delicate balance of stuff that has to happen for his bday celebration on Sunday is toast. On the plus side that means Jeff can go to Victoria but blerg. I need to make sure I contact everyone to cancel, even people I might not have been expecting to show up. Jim and Jan are coming anyway, but they are always welcome!!!
Paul didn’t sound good on the phone last night. He’s under a doctor’s orders, though, he went straight for the antibiotics.
Keith’s back from Ireland today.
October 2004 now complete
I’ve copied everything over to WordPress.
I was a different person then.
A worker was trimming roses at New West Quay yesterday and I got some to take home. We had a lovely walk, and I got a teensy bit of shopping in.
Paul’s 70 next month; we’re having a shindig at his place. I have a short list of people to call to invite. He wants sushi and something in the Instant Pot so that will be easy to wrangle. I’m slowly assembling a list of things to do.
It’s been four years since I stopped talking to Sandy. I miss her, but not enough to pick up the phone or email her. She’s still plugging away at Red Deer according to social media.
It’s been almost 18 months since I quit facebook. I’m good with that.
I didn’t realize I’ve actually quit church three times now. I’m not going back and this time I think it took.
Weird to review 2004.