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Apr. 20th, 2026 07:03 amI went to a dance class offered in collaboration with the Pride org yesterday.
I was the only one who showed up. So, it was just me and the instructor.
On the one hand, I'd hoped to see some people I knew. Or at least meet some new people.
On the other, it was basically a private lesson, which is kind of cool. It was jazz-inspired dance style, in contrast to the Latin stuff I have learned previously.
Will anything I learned stick? Probably not. But considering my coordination and balance are very poor, it's helpful to think of different ways of moving, even if just for a brief time. Might be helpful.
I kind of hadn't wanted to go; I'd been like "ugh, I don't wanna". But, well, I'd made a commitment, put it in my calendar, and so (to me) I had to go. So I went.
It was fun. I probably would have also had fun if I'd stayed home and watched a movie instead. But the dance class was probably more intellectually stimulating.
I was the only one who showed up. So, it was just me and the instructor.
On the one hand, I'd hoped to see some people I knew. Or at least meet some new people.
On the other, it was basically a private lesson, which is kind of cool. It was jazz-inspired dance style, in contrast to the Latin stuff I have learned previously.
Will anything I learned stick? Probably not. But considering my coordination and balance are very poor, it's helpful to think of different ways of moving, even if just for a brief time. Might be helpful.
I kind of hadn't wanted to go; I'd been like "ugh, I don't wanna". But, well, I'd made a commitment, put it in my calendar, and so (to me) I had to go. So I went.
It was fun. I probably would have also had fun if I'd stayed home and watched a movie instead. But the dance class was probably more intellectually stimulating.
Stuff I've been reading lately
Apr. 16th, 2026 10:04 pmHere is a list of some stuff I've been reading lately:
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi. True crime about the search for a serial killer who operated in Florence, Italy in the '70s and '80s. This case - or rather, the investigation - is absolutely batshit. And glancing at more recent developments, it managed to get even more batshit after this book was published.
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. About a pair of con artists in Dickensian England who set out to swindle some rich people. I'm not very far into it, but so far I'm really enjoying the story. I've already seen the Korean film adaptation, The Handmaiden, and really enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes.
Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow. I'm only about 1/3 into this, but it's really interesting so far. It discusses a lot of stuff about the internet (and other things) that I've noticed and seen discussions about but never had laid out in such an approachable way. Like, the business practices always went over my head; why the hell would a company deliberately make their product worse, and how could making their product worse make the company more money? It still seems crazy to me, but at least I'm kind of grasping it now. The writer's style is very flippant, and that's kind of grating at times, but it's not a deal breaker.
Going to read next: Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti, the f/f romance novel about two rival authors of gothic fiction. It's on one of the goodreads challenge lists, so I figured I might as well tackle it next.
The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi. True crime about the search for a serial killer who operated in Florence, Italy in the '70s and '80s. This case - or rather, the investigation - is absolutely batshit. And glancing at more recent developments, it managed to get even more batshit after this book was published.
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. About a pair of con artists in Dickensian England who set out to swindle some rich people. I'm not very far into it, but so far I'm really enjoying the story. I've already seen the Korean film adaptation, The Handmaiden, and really enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes.
Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It by Cory Doctorow. I'm only about 1/3 into this, but it's really interesting so far. It discusses a lot of stuff about the internet (and other things) that I've noticed and seen discussions about but never had laid out in such an approachable way. Like, the business practices always went over my head; why the hell would a company deliberately make their product worse, and how could making their product worse make the company more money? It still seems crazy to me, but at least I'm kind of grasping it now. The writer's style is very flippant, and that's kind of grating at times, but it's not a deal breaker.
Going to read next: Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti, the f/f romance novel about two rival authors of gothic fiction. It's on one of the goodreads challenge lists, so I figured I might as well tackle it next.
(no subject)
Apr. 13th, 2026 10:02 pmA new bookstore opened up here this weekend.
It's an independent bookstore specifically for romance novels.
I took a look while I was downtown. It's nice; a little small, but a decent selection given the space, and they do have room to expand the selection by switching up the layout a bit. Everything is divided up by subgenre (contemporary, sports, dark, etc).
Also, they do carry M/M and F/F romance, so there is that. It's mixed in with everything else, rather than having its own section; you'll have to look in the Sports section for your Heated Rivalry and so on. I kind of enjoy that, but I kind of don't; on the one hand, filing it by subgenre treats it the same as everything else. On the other hand, it makes browsing a little less efficient if I know that I want something gay but don't have any other parameters in mind.
I picked up a F/F regency while I was there; Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti. Not sure if it'll be any good, but the premise sounds fun (the protagonists are rival authors of gothic fiction).
I'm a little unsure whether this place will actually be successful; Fort Mac is small, and I don't know if we have the base to sustain a regular indie bookstore, let alone one with a specific genre focus. But I hope it'll do well.
It's an independent bookstore specifically for romance novels.
I took a look while I was downtown. It's nice; a little small, but a decent selection given the space, and they do have room to expand the selection by switching up the layout a bit. Everything is divided up by subgenre (contemporary, sports, dark, etc).
Also, they do carry M/M and F/F romance, so there is that. It's mixed in with everything else, rather than having its own section; you'll have to look in the Sports section for your Heated Rivalry and so on. I kind of enjoy that, but I kind of don't; on the one hand, filing it by subgenre treats it the same as everything else. On the other hand, it makes browsing a little less efficient if I know that I want something gay but don't have any other parameters in mind.
I picked up a F/F regency while I was there; Ladies in Hating by Alexandra Vasti. Not sure if it'll be any good, but the premise sounds fun (the protagonists are rival authors of gothic fiction).
I'm a little unsure whether this place will actually be successful; Fort Mac is small, and I don't know if we have the base to sustain a regular indie bookstore, let alone one with a specific genre focus. But I hope it'll do well.
(no subject)
Apr. 12th, 2026 09:57 pmGahh, I found out that my favourite concealer was discontinued, so I had to find a substitute.
It was Benefit Bo-ing cream concealer in shade #1; what I really liked was that it was full-coverage and long-lasting. Hell, it was marketed as industrial-strength, and yeah it did work pretty well.
I picked up Marcelle CC Colour + Corrector in shade Fair. This one is a stick rather than in a pot. I think I actually prefer the stick format; it's a bit tidier than the pot, a bit easier to apply. And I think (though I'm not sure) that the shade is a better match for me. But the formula itself remains to be seen - will have to test it more before I'm sure whether it's a good replacement.
Liquid concealer seems to be more popular these days, but honestly, I've tried it before, and it never gives me the kind of coverage that I want. Like, sure, if I was using it for under-eyes, then yeah I would want something sheer. But as a colour corrector that needs to last all day? No.
Stuff like this is an exception to my policy of not adding anything new. I might have an excess of eye makeup, but I've generally not had an issue with experimenting too much with base products. Once I find the right one, that's all I'll use. The only issue is when it... well. Gets discontinued.
It was Benefit Bo-ing cream concealer in shade #1; what I really liked was that it was full-coverage and long-lasting. Hell, it was marketed as industrial-strength, and yeah it did work pretty well.
I picked up Marcelle CC Colour + Corrector in shade Fair. This one is a stick rather than in a pot. I think I actually prefer the stick format; it's a bit tidier than the pot, a bit easier to apply. And I think (though I'm not sure) that the shade is a better match for me. But the formula itself remains to be seen - will have to test it more before I'm sure whether it's a good replacement.
Liquid concealer seems to be more popular these days, but honestly, I've tried it before, and it never gives me the kind of coverage that I want. Like, sure, if I was using it for under-eyes, then yeah I would want something sheer. But as a colour corrector that needs to last all day? No.
Stuff like this is an exception to my policy of not adding anything new. I might have an excess of eye makeup, but I've generally not had an issue with experimenting too much with base products. Once I find the right one, that's all I'll use. The only issue is when it... well. Gets discontinued.
(no subject)
Apr. 10th, 2026 11:01 pmI tried an onigiri for the first time today. It was kind of meh.
Then again, it was from the grocery store rather than a place specializing in Japanese cuisine.
Would try one again, though. From a different place.
I did like the seaweed wrap, at least.
Then again, it was from the grocery store rather than a place specializing in Japanese cuisine.
Would try one again, though. From a different place.
I did like the seaweed wrap, at least.
(no subject)
Apr. 9th, 2026 07:07 pmBrain is mush, head is empty.
+ Snow is finally melting a little. There is still a lot of it though. I hope that the large amount we got this winter will like, moisturize the ground and ensure it will be a less smokey summer.
+ Boss wants me to think about my time off requests for the summer. Ma'am, I am still recovering from Easter break, give me a minute here. (I don't think I'm going to go anywhere, but I will take some time off. 2 trips so far this year and 1 more planned for autumn is enough.)
+ Did some OT today. I received a really gnarly project that needs to be done by tomorrow afternoon and just, ugh.
+ I'm really enjoying my new pen and keep finding excuses to write with it. A while back someone gave me a journal, and I never bothered with it much because the prompts are really hokey, but now I've been writing in it just for an excuse to use my Jinhao82 and my fancy purple ink.
+ Received a letter from Melusine. Have not had time to read it yet. Maybe tomorrow during lunch.
+ Have been reading many good books lately. A post will hopefully follow when I'm less tired. (...Well, maybe)
+ I'm thinking about getting into Postcrossing. Does anyone have experience with it that they'd like to share?
+ Snow is finally melting a little. There is still a lot of it though. I hope that the large amount we got this winter will like, moisturize the ground and ensure it will be a less smokey summer.
+ Boss wants me to think about my time off requests for the summer. Ma'am, I am still recovering from Easter break, give me a minute here. (I don't think I'm going to go anywhere, but I will take some time off. 2 trips so far this year and 1 more planned for autumn is enough.)
+ Did some OT today. I received a really gnarly project that needs to be done by tomorrow afternoon and just, ugh.
+ I'm really enjoying my new pen and keep finding excuses to write with it. A while back someone gave me a journal, and I never bothered with it much because the prompts are really hokey, but now I've been writing in it just for an excuse to use my Jinhao82 and my fancy purple ink.
+ Received a letter from Melusine. Have not had time to read it yet. Maybe tomorrow during lunch.
+ Have been reading many good books lately. A post will hopefully follow when I'm less tired. (...Well, maybe)
+ I'm thinking about getting into Postcrossing. Does anyone have experience with it that they'd like to share?
I had a four-day weekend, but it was not restful at all. It was split between doing Chores/Tasks, and Familial Obligations. I made a cake over the course of two days. (It was a very good cake, will post about it later when I have a moment, but. Well. It was a very labour-intensive cake.)
Today I did my taxes and washed the car and got the second round of my hepatitis vaccine and did more chores.
Next weekend the parkade is getting cleaned, so on the Saturday everyone's vehicles have to be out from 8-6. Usually they do this on weekdays, but unfortunately not this time. I signed up for a workshop at the library that ends at 1; beyond that I don't know what I'll be doing. ...Maybe I'll just park my car at the grocery store, walk back to my place, and then go pick it up after the cleaning is done.
The local cinema has been closed for several months due to renovations. They're reopening soon and I will hopefully be able to catch Project Hail Mary, which I've wanted to see ever since I'd heard it was getting an adaptation. [/looks at schedule] ...Uhh. I'll have to squeeze it in somewhere.
I dropped off some novels at one of the Little Libraries. Currently I have a "2 out, 1 in" rule, because previously I was picking up too many things. In my defense, there were lots of good choices. ...Anyway I picked up Station Eleven and will hopefully read it some time in the next few months.
I have something going on every weekend this month, and it's all Fun Stuff That I Want To Do (coffee meetup, dance class, yoga class, etc) but also thinking about all of it kind of makes me feel tired.
Today I did my taxes and washed the car and got the second round of my hepatitis vaccine and did more chores.
Next weekend the parkade is getting cleaned, so on the Saturday everyone's vehicles have to be out from 8-6. Usually they do this on weekdays, but unfortunately not this time. I signed up for a workshop at the library that ends at 1; beyond that I don't know what I'll be doing. ...Maybe I'll just park my car at the grocery store, walk back to my place, and then go pick it up after the cleaning is done.
The local cinema has been closed for several months due to renovations. They're reopening soon and I will hopefully be able to catch Project Hail Mary, which I've wanted to see ever since I'd heard it was getting an adaptation. [/looks at schedule] ...Uhh. I'll have to squeeze it in somewhere.
I dropped off some novels at one of the Little Libraries. Currently I have a "2 out, 1 in" rule, because previously I was picking up too many things. In my defense, there were lots of good choices. ...Anyway I picked up Station Eleven and will hopefully read it some time in the next few months.
I have something going on every weekend this month, and it's all Fun Stuff That I Want To Do (coffee meetup, dance class, yoga class, etc) but also thinking about all of it kind of makes me feel tired.
[Fountain pens] State of the collection
Apr. 3rd, 2026 02:17 pmThe new fountain pen that I'd ordered came in today, and I'm pretty happy with it!
It's a Jinhao 82, medium nib, in light blue (very light blue; it's kind of a "snow blue", almost white). It came in this afternoon, and right away I cleaned it out and inked it up and started working on a fic. It writes very nicely! I was worried the medium nib would be a bit too fat; the lines are slightly thicker than my other pen but not bad. I also tried underwriting a bit, and that looks good too.
Weight is about 20g with cap; 12g without cap/unposted. The only other pens I've tried so far are my Kaweco Sport (12g) and a borrowed Pilot Metropolitan (26g). I found the Metropolitan much too heavy and uncomfortable for me to use it much at all, and the Kaweco is too small for extended writing, but so far the Jinhao is perfect for what I want it to do. The balance is quite nice.
The twist converter is much more to my taste than the squeeze converter on the Metropolitan that I borrowed, as well. As for the Kaweco sport - I've opted not to get a converter for that one, because the capacity is very small. I'm sticking with cartridges on that one for now and will probably refill them eventually.
I've inked it with Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu, a lovely purple ink. I picked it up when I was in Edmonton as there isn't anywhere in town that sells ink. It's really nice, good dry time; I haven't had any issues with smudging so far (a concern for me as a left-hander). Might pick up other Iroshizuku ink in the future, though I'll stick with this one for now.
The reason I decided to go with the Jinhao 82 is because they're a very similar style to the Sailor Pro Gear Slim. I really like the look of the PGS, but since there isn't anywhere in town to buy one in person (thus check the feel of it and maybe even try it out), it made sense to get a Jinhao as they're very budget-friendly. I'm really happy with it so far. It's still possible that I might get myself a PGS in the future; there is an Occasion coming up that might be a suitable situation to get myself a Fancy Pen. But I will have to think about it for a bit as the PGS is the very opposite of budget-friendly.
Originally, I'd planned to take the Jinhao to work, but on second thought, I'm going to keep it at home. I've started working on a fic with it, so I might as well keep it where the Fic Things Happen. Maybe the Kaweco will go to work instead - it might be more suitable for that, anyway, as I do lots of writing but only in small amounts at a time.
Current inventory:
+ Jinhao 82 - light blue + silver trim, medium nib, converter
+ Kaweco Sport Classic - green, medium nib, cartridge only
+ 1 Pilot Iroshizuku Ink - murasaki-shikibu/medium purple, 50ml
+ 4 packages Kaweco cartridges: Palm Green, Royal Blue, Caramel Brown, Summer Purple.
It's a Jinhao 82, medium nib, in light blue (very light blue; it's kind of a "snow blue", almost white). It came in this afternoon, and right away I cleaned it out and inked it up and started working on a fic. It writes very nicely! I was worried the medium nib would be a bit too fat; the lines are slightly thicker than my other pen but not bad. I also tried underwriting a bit, and that looks good too.
Weight is about 20g with cap; 12g without cap/unposted. The only other pens I've tried so far are my Kaweco Sport (12g) and a borrowed Pilot Metropolitan (26g). I found the Metropolitan much too heavy and uncomfortable for me to use it much at all, and the Kaweco is too small for extended writing, but so far the Jinhao is perfect for what I want it to do. The balance is quite nice.
The twist converter is much more to my taste than the squeeze converter on the Metropolitan that I borrowed, as well. As for the Kaweco sport - I've opted not to get a converter for that one, because the capacity is very small. I'm sticking with cartridges on that one for now and will probably refill them eventually.
I've inked it with Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu, a lovely purple ink. I picked it up when I was in Edmonton as there isn't anywhere in town that sells ink. It's really nice, good dry time; I haven't had any issues with smudging so far (a concern for me as a left-hander). Might pick up other Iroshizuku ink in the future, though I'll stick with this one for now.
The reason I decided to go with the Jinhao 82 is because they're a very similar style to the Sailor Pro Gear Slim. I really like the look of the PGS, but since there isn't anywhere in town to buy one in person (thus check the feel of it and maybe even try it out), it made sense to get a Jinhao as they're very budget-friendly. I'm really happy with it so far. It's still possible that I might get myself a PGS in the future; there is an Occasion coming up that might be a suitable situation to get myself a Fancy Pen. But I will have to think about it for a bit as the PGS is the very opposite of budget-friendly.
Originally, I'd planned to take the Jinhao to work, but on second thought, I'm going to keep it at home. I've started working on a fic with it, so I might as well keep it where the Fic Things Happen. Maybe the Kaweco will go to work instead - it might be more suitable for that, anyway, as I do lots of writing but only in small amounts at a time.
Current inventory:
+ Jinhao 82 - light blue + silver trim, medium nib, converter
+ Kaweco Sport Classic - green, medium nib, cartridge only
+ 1 Pilot Iroshizuku Ink - murasaki-shikibu/medium purple, 50ml
+ 4 packages Kaweco cartridges: Palm Green, Royal Blue, Caramel Brown, Summer Purple.
(no subject)
Mar. 26th, 2026 07:25 pmStill in the process of deciding what to do with my computer - the one whose hard drive died earlier in the week. (Well, I'm pretty sure it's dead.)
If I do end up getting something entirely new, I'm not sure what kind of specifications I should look for. Typically I get the most beefed-up laptop that I can afford and then run it until it dies. This previous one lasted seven years, and the one before that lasted ten and a half. So, I guess you could say I had expected to get about three more years out of this thing. (And it was running totally fine until a few days ago!)
...Come to think of it, if I just replace the hard drive, I'll also have to do research on that because it's not like you can just buy any old drive and plop it in and expect it to work, right? It's never that simple. :Va
Right now I'm using the small notebook with Linux Mint installed on it, the one I use for travel. And like... it's fine, I do love it, but definitely not optimal for extended everyday use, since it's pretty tiny.
If I do end up getting something entirely new, I'm not sure what kind of specifications I should look for. Typically I get the most beefed-up laptop that I can afford and then run it until it dies. This previous one lasted seven years, and the one before that lasted ten and a half. So, I guess you could say I had expected to get about three more years out of this thing. (And it was running totally fine until a few days ago!)
...Come to think of it, if I just replace the hard drive, I'll also have to do research on that because it's not like you can just buy any old drive and plop it in and expect it to work, right? It's never that simple. :Va
Right now I'm using the small notebook with Linux Mint installed on it, the one I use for travel. And like... it's fine, I do love it, but definitely not optimal for extended everyday use, since it's pretty tiny.
Yuu. Fic writer & book lover. M/Canada.