Boo

[seraphflight]

I guess everyone's forgotten me, it's so long since I updated this thing. That's okay. I've probably forgotten you, too.

I've quickly read through the last few entries. My "new" job is now my ex-job, and has been for a long time. I now have another new job, and I've been there quite some time already so it's not really new at all.  It can be challenging sometimes, but also fun. I'd retire tomorrow if I could afford that, but wouldn't everyone. To be fair, I suspect that when I do eventually retire in a few years time that I'll genuinely miss my job role, and it really can be fun sometimes. I have a new colleague who's over-enthusiastic and full of bright ideas, which is all a bit exhausting. And irritating. Hopefully she'll calm down as the weeks tick by and she gradually learns that nobody gets promoted from this role so she might as well cool it with the career climbing. Jump through all the hoops you want, there's nowhere better to land, not in this role and in this place of employment.

I also re-read my previous scepticism about the (then unscreened) TV series of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I've now seen Season One - I had to import it on DVD from America - and loved it. I'm looking forward to Season Two when it's finally available.

I've not added much to my AO3 site. One day, perhaps. Would anyone want to read that old stuff, though? Time has moved on.

Has anyone watched The Strain? While it sticks closely to familiar vampire tropes in many ways, it's entirely contemporary, and I like the new-style monsters. Their forked tongues, being so huge, would have surely distort their human hosts necks though. I mean, just where are they hiding those things when they're not flinging them towards their victims?  Hogwarts' caretaker as the van Helsing-type character is wonderfully grouchy.

The Ship is interesting, too. Illness has annihilated most people, and those who survive are either ill or desperately trying to survive. Meanwhile, one lone American navy ship gives itself the task of saving the world - of course. It's macho patriotic nonsense, but fun.

My love affair with YouTube continues unabated. I love that anyone can have a go at being a film maker, even using amateur kit. I've a few channels that I enjoy. I still enjoy the cottage core fantasy, but figure that most of it's faked, and that those who have bought land and live in remote and rural idylls are also loaded in order to afford their banks of solar panels, 4-wheel drives, their endless supply of quality DIY tools and lumber for their various building projects, food, health care, good outdoor clothing, new boots etc. The list goes on. It has to, as every video demands a new adventure of one sort or another.

Right now I'm re-reading Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls. I've not read it for many years. It reminds me of being a teenager. Sure the plot has holes, but it's an engaging read. Before this book I read Crime and Punishment, not the classic of that title but a saga about a family of London gangsters. I've already forgotten the author's name. It's not one I'll read again but it was okay, if a bit long-winded sometimes.

Comments

[mumsisdaughter]

Hello stranger! Don't fret about the long absence: it's always fun to read your posts because they are full of interesting things. I'm no good at updating my personal journal. I never posted regularly but a sudden change in my life brought lots of things to a stop (if you go to it you'll understand).

I heartily recommend retirement; over thirteen years for me. As many folk say, 'I don't understand how I found the time to work!'

Oh yes, the AMC series of IwtV is so powerful it takes my breath away. I know that it bears little resemblance to the book but the changing of era and Louis's ethnicity works, doesn't it? Even Daniel as an older man, redoing the interview works. All the actors love the books and are doing their utmost to give us the right kind of LxLxC drama. I had already spotted Jacob Anderson as he played Inston-Vee Vinder in Doctor Who. His Louis has just the right emotional balance and (three cheers for the scriptwriters) shows how Louis changes throughout his life. Leaving the best till last, Sam Reid is the perfect Lestat for me. What an actor! He remembers the filming of 'Queen of the Damned' in Australia and that led him to read the books and in turn led him into acting. The role of Lestat is one he has always wanted to play. I love his voice.

Thanks for the recs for The Strain and The Ship. I'll look for them. I'm watching the German series Dark atm. Scary stuff about missing children who have slipped through time. That sounds very Young Adult fiction but it isn't. Terrifying.

Madly knitting also as I have become a surrogate Grandma. The daughter's ex has remained close to her and the whole family. He and his lady had a little girl six weeks ago. Suddenly, I feel young again, haha. Life goes on, hey?

[seraphflight]

I read your most recent post and, as I wrote there, I can only offer my sympathies for your loss.

I would encourage you to return to your journal, though. This may seem the height of hypocrisy, considering my own long absence.

Congratulations on the expansion of your family. Families take so many forms nowadays, don't they. Congratulations on being able to knit, also. My own efforts in this area are fairly catastrophic. I should blog about it sometime.

[lisette_laviolette]

Hi


Oh Im sure everyone would be delighted to read your old stories. Fanfiction is awesome.

I also work on my previous work and post on a regular basis.

See you soon.

[seraphflight]

Hi, and welcome to my little corner of this place.

Fanfic/RPG can be a lot of fun. I used to RPG heavily, and found it so much more fun than endless doomscrolling on social media.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> I guess everyone's forgotten me, it's so long since I updated this thing. <<

Welcome back! It's great to see people getting more involved with DW. If you feel like you've forgotten things, you might like resources on using it:

getting_started

reddit_refugees

"Twitter Exodus"

Recurring posts are good for anchoring your main topics. Most folks consider a blog "active" if it has at least one post a week. Several is average, daily is high activity. Less than once a month, people may think it's abandoned and not read it. So recurring posts help maintain activity and interest.

>> I've not added much to my AO3 site. One day, perhaps. Would anyone want to read that old stuff, though? Time has moved on.<<

People do still read older fic sometimes, especially if it gets recommended. I still get comments on Love Is For Children (both on DW and on AO3).

>> My love affair with YouTube continues unabated. I love that anyone can have a go at being a film maker, even using amateur kit. I've a few channels that I enjoy. <<

That's awesome. You might think about making that one of your regular topics here. Lots of folks love YouTube but not as many recommend channels or vids. I try to find a list of channels to match my weekly Hobbies post. Last week's was on Board Games. I make heavy use of Board Game Geek's video archive to research games before I buy them, and a lot of those come from YouTube. There are people who make a habit of unboxing, reviews, playthroughs, etc. Very useful.

>> I still enjoy the cottage core fantasy, but figure that most of it's faked, <<

Well, it depends on what you're looking at -- and for. Some people just want to fantasize, and that's fine, it's no more harmful than reading Tolkien or fairytales. Quite a lot of people love the aesthetic of it, which is also fine, especially if they're also into browsing antique stores or making their own crafts. The results are often kitsch but I've seen some very pretty things too. Some people want to do homesteading, and may not care for the fantasy approach. But some are in the middle, where they are trying to figure out what attracts them to the fantasy and which bits of that can feasibly be replicated. Chickens? Are not glamorous. But if you're willing to put in some work, you can have a gorgeous flower garden. You can learn to knit or crochet and make tea cozies, or learn to sew and make a gathering apron. You can buy a sun hat, they're always useful. I just bought a safari hat because it has a chin strap, and now the wind fairies cannot steal my hat! \o/ If you're into art, then for considerably less effort you can make a fantastic place to sketch or paint en plein air, just like historic artists did. Monet's water lilies, Van Gogh's sunflowers? Totally growable.

>> and that those who have bought land and live in remote and rural idylls are also loaded in order to afford their banks of solar panels, 4-wheel drives, their endless supply of quality DIY tools and lumber for their various building projects, food, health care, good outdoor clothing, new boots etc. The list goes on. It has to, as every video demands a new adventure of one sort or another. <<

Eh, it depends on the person. If there are people filming fantasy cottagecore, there must be people shooting "Look, I made a coldframe for $2 with all salvaged materials!" too. Some people are into gadgets and buying things, others are extremely frugal. If you want to see something a bit more pragmatic, but still beautiful to look at and fun to read, browse the homestead magazines. My favorites including Mother Earth News, Backwoods, and Self-Reliance.

https://www.getrichslowly.org/magazines-and-websites-about-homesteading-and-self-sufficiency/

https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/what-are-the-best-homesteading-and-off-grid-magazines.334108/


I have 2 acres in central Illinois. I call my approach laissez-faire permaculture. Much of it looks like a jungle most of the time, but that's okay, the wildlife loves it. Parts of it are more refined, with little gardens scattered around, so it's possible to zoom in and see some real storybook moments, like when the peonies are blooming or birds are nesting. I'm not much for fancy new things, well except for plants. I got a T-shirt that says, "Life is short. Buy the plants." :D I like cooking, especially with whole foods. My yardwork clothes are the last stop before the ragbag. So what if I have to pin the pants because the elastic is shot? Nobody's going to see it but me, my partner, and the birds.

Country life is what you make of it. I was raised by hippies and Mom's Depression-era grandparents, so I have pretty good skills at making-do even if not as much as they did. I like being able to wander through the yard and put things in my mouth. I really like being able to find and use raw materials. Autumn leaves become mulch and pot liners. Branches become vine supports and firewood. Flowers can become bouquets, crowns, or salad. And so on.

I took a set of pictures around the yard:
Photos: House Yard and South Lot
Photos: Savanna and Prairie Garden
Photos: Flowerbeds

You might also like DW communities where people often share descriptions and pictures of nature:

gardening

common_nature

birdfeeding

Re: Thoughts

[seraphflight]

Thank you so much for your helpful reply. I've been away from this place for so long, I didn't really expect to receive much of a response, if any. People soon wander off if a blog looks abandoned, don't they, and something else is only a swift mouse click away. So I really appreciate the time an effort your put into your reply to me, a total stranger.

I've spent most of my adult like in large towns or cities, but get away to the countryside when I can. It's the best way to recharge the psychic batteries, for want of a better term. My dream is to escape the confines of built-up areas once I've reached retirement age and I'm no longer so constrained by the need to be near my work.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Thank you so much for your helpful reply.<<

*bow, flourish* Happy to be of service.

>> I've been away from this place for so long, I didn't really expect to receive much of a response, if any.<<

There are still plenty of folks on Dreamwidth. Use the Interests page to find some who share your favorite topics, or look for communities there.

>> People soon wander off if a blog looks abandoned, don't they, and something else is only a swift mouse click away. <<

True. That's why I suggested recurring posts.

Often people will do a weekly or monthly update post summarizing their activities and another about their favorite topic(s). You like cottagecore, so consider that as a recurring post where you could post the latest videos or pictures you have found. Gods know we could use something cheerful to look at, that's probably why it's popular.

Then there are the kind of recurring posts where you just copy the text into a new post on the relevant day. You might like my Good News or Cuddle Party ones. Feel free to borrow the text or adapt your own; people usually describe their own furnishings for a cuddle party.

>> So I really appreciate the time an effort your put into your reply to me, a total stranger. <<

I like encouraging people to use DW. The more activity, the better it is for everyone. And I meet interesting folks that way.

>>I've spent most of my adult like in large towns or cities, but get away to the countryside when I can. It's the best way to recharge the psychic batteries, for want of a better term. <<

Absolutely. Humans need nature. Also you can use it to practice skills you may need later.

>> My dream is to escape the confines of built-up areas once I've reached retirement age and I'm no longer so constrained by the need to be near my work. <<

Excellent plan. You can find a lot of rural or small-town places that are way cheaper than a city.

There are also intentional communities like ecovillages where they tuck the buildings close together so they can save most of their land for gardens, wilderness, etc. Some welcome guests and/or offer workshops. You might like their aesthetic:

https://www.earthaven.org/

https://www.dancingrabbit.org/visit-th/

Do consider taking up hobbies that will be helpful toward your goals. If you want to get away from built-up areas, you'll need to do more for yourself. Sewing, knitting or crochet, woodworking, gardening, keeping chickens or bees, etc. are all useful. Some things like cooking and home repairs are really necessary. Some sort of food preservation is highly advisable, but you have a choice of methods. Maybe look for classes or workshops on these skills that you could take on your country trips. You can build the life you want, one piece at a time.

I looked up cottagecore for fun. Most of the dresses made me laugh -- they look like cake toppers! OMG no, you will wind up covered in burrs. But some people clearly looked up (or bought a historic pattern for) the kind of dresses that homestead women actually wore. Very practical. However, much of the nature scenery is totally valid. Nature is good for people, even just pictures of it.

I'm kind of surprised not to see garden follies. They're the ultimate in romantic whimsy.

https://www.bi-gardenantiques.com/newsletter/garden-follies-american-sculpture-part-ii/