минус две проблемы

May. 15th, 2026 06:13 pm
clair_argentis: (Default)
[personal profile] clair_argentis
Я в общем сегодня утром, перед работой, ходил в поликлинику промывать ухо. Бывает у меня время от времени такое, что приходится идти промывать. Дело на три минуты, зато потом супер-мега-эффект! сидя в офисе, я слышу, как ползают червяки под землёй, и как паучки плетут свою паутину! охренительные чувства!
Не буду вдаваться в свои мучения последнюю неделю перед этим, оно меня достало просто ужасно. Я пытался решить проблему специальным спреем, который мне однажды рекомендовала одна врач (во время осмотра перед вакцинацией), и не сказать, чтоб спрей оказался совсем бесполезным, он чуть-чуть облегчил ситуацию. Но чисто как основное средство он, конечно, не работает. И я просто страдал несколько дней, вместо того, чтоб пойти к лору и промыть несчастное ухо.

Однако этого мне показалось мало на сегодня.
Точнее, как. У меня назрел поход к стоматологу по причине образовавшейся дырки, но ситуация с ухом вносила некоторые сложности: я понимал, что два источника дискомфорта в башке я не потяну. Поэтому, когда ухо освободилось, я стал звонить своему стоматологу. Смутно надеясь, что сегодня он найдёт для меня окошко, и не придётся откладывать эту историю на понедельник.
К счастью, окошко нашлось. К счастью-2, с остальными зубами вроде бы всё нормально, а то ведь я давненько не проверялся, как дурак, и мог ожидать глад, мор и дождь из жаб. Однако каким-то чудом зубы уцелели - кроме того, пострадавшего - но и его спасли, залатали.

Хорошая выдалась пятница, напряжная, но плодотворная.

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 15

May. 15th, 2026 09:03 pm
vilakins: (vila gan)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 15: Character who didn’t get enough screen time

Gan, of course! In Breakdown, the so-called 'Gan' episode, he only got nine lines. We should have seen more of his quiet strength and goodness. Though I know some people think he was a violent person controlled only by his limiter - and there's a case for that - I see him as a salt-of-the-earth type.

Jenna also should have got more screen time and away missions. It made sense to leave the pilot on board, but she deserved more action, as she showed in Bounty.

All the questions are on Tumblr.

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 14

May. 14th, 2026 10:01 pm
vilakins: (vila avon hand)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 14: Character you relate to the most

There are two for different reasons.

Avon (in S1 and S2) for being introverted, independent, resentful at being ordered around, contemptuous of sheer stupidity (I channel his snark about our local and national government), and a geek somewhat lacking in social skills. Not that I'd want to know him.

Vila for being anxious and sensibly scared. Seriously, I'd have been terrified; he's much braver than I am because he can function despite the fear. I also enjoy wordplay and board games. To me, Vila does react to that life in a much more believable way than the others, and I would want to know him.

All the questions are on Tumblr.

RIP (Read in Progress) Wednesday

May. 13th, 2026 02:22 pm
silversea: A woman typing at a typewriter (Typing)
[personal profile] silversea posting in [community profile] booknook
Happy Wednesday! Are you keeping up with your reading? Falling behind?

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 13

May. 13th, 2026 10:10 pm
vilakins: (liberator)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 13: Favourite guest character

I'll pick three: Bellfriar and Gambrill from Killer for being interesting, fully realised characters whose reactions to and acceptance of Blake showed that there are many good people in the Federation, and Jarriere from Gambit for sheer charm, eccentricity, and his complete ease with Servalan.

All the questions are on Tumblr.
clair_argentis: (Default)
[personal profile] clair_argentis
Ещё что хочу сказать насчёт фоток. Красные цветы в солнечный день - это всегда нечто ужасное, если снимать телефоном - будет просто плоское пятно, если небольшим фотоаппаратом - тоже не без приколов, но вот я наконец догнал, как это снимать, чтоб цветок не превращался в невнятное пятно. Нужно в настройках затемнять как следует, типа занижать экспозицию, причём не стесняться с этим.

В смысле, при ярком освещении и так понятно, что её понижают, просто для красных цветов надо это делать ещё сильнее.



DSC07222-1
rocky41_7: (Default)
[personal profile] rocky41_7 posting in [community profile] booknook
Title: How to Love Your Daughter
Author: Hila Blum
Translator: Daniella Zamir
Genre: Fiction, family drama

The other book I finished during my voyage through the southwest was How to Love Your Daughter by Hila Blum, translated from Hebrew by Daniella Zamir. This was book [checks notes] #17 from the “Women in Translation” rec list. It’s about an estranged mother and daughter; as the mother peers through the windows of her adult daughter’s house from across the street, she ponders what went wrong in their formerly loving relationship.

How to Love Your Daughter is a cerebral kind of novel that swims back and forth between Yoella’s present, desperately reaching after the daughter who’s walked out of her life, and Yoella’s recollections of raising Leah.

The twists and turns of their relationship are subtle, almost too subtle. Both characters come off slightly neurotic, fussing about every minor interaction and seeming, to me, to invent problems where none really existed. In the end, it’s not so much a long-deteriorating relationship, which is what I expected, as it is Yoella making one decision that forever alters Leah’s perception of her.

“No one warned me my love could destroy her,” Yoella says about Leah at one point and that’s the core of it. Yoella adores her daughter, almost beyond reason. And it’s that very willingness to put Leah above everyone and everything else that eventually pushes Leah away from her, which is such a perfect tragedy.

I saw another review that said this book was both too long and too short, and I think there’s some truth to that. There are drawn out middle sections which don’t necessarily add much, but the ultimate break and subsequent efforts at reconciliation by Yoella don’t get as much room to breathe as might have benefitted them.

However, the ending is an exquisite microcosm of the tension of the whole novel, leaving you wondering about unreliable narrators and perceptions. Some people felt that Yoella gets off too easy—I would recommend rereading the section where Leah talks to Yoella about her reality/fantasy of Dennis writing her a letter.

I don’t know that either Yoella or Leah comes off as really sympathetic here, but they do come off very human, full of flaws and self-justifications and irrational reactions. And maybe sometimes it’s just human nature to create a tragedy where there didn’t have to be one.



Replicating an artist works

May. 13th, 2026 09:04 am
queervanilla: (Shocked Pluto)
[personal profile] queervanilla posting in [community profile] art
I'm a beginner artist and I really, REALLY, REALLY like how the artist Itousa does colors. I would really like to replicate the same thing in my works but what level of color theory do I need to pull this off.

Examples Under Cut )
clair_argentis: (Default)
[personal profile] clair_argentis
Я думаю, время принести очередных цветов из Ботанического сада.

Многие из этих фото существуют не ради художественной ценности, а потому что ужасно интересные разновидности тюльпанов, и это я ещё поздно пришёл, большинство успело отцвести.



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смотреть )

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 12

May. 12th, 2026 07:34 pm
vilakins: Both versions of Travis (two-faced)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 12: Favourite villain

I'd say Servalan, but she outstayed her welcome in S4; I got heartily sick of her.

So it's Travis, and I've grown to like both versions. He was a little more complex in S2, especially Gambit.

All the questions are on Tumblr.
clair_argentis: (Default)
[personal profile] clair_argentis
Переобул я вчера машинку.
Сперва всё было нормально, я выехал с работы и проехал значительную часть пути, как вдруг - дзинь! проверьте давление в шинах. Я проехал ещё немного, чтоб найти укромное место, запарковался в каком-то дворе и померил давление. Оказалось, что в заднем левом колесе оно реально снижено. Я подкачал его, и думаю - ну здорово, в багажнике у меня зимние шины, их надо завезти в гараж, но в гаражах дорога не для слабонервных, ямищи там такие, что ого-го. Если что не так с шиной - я её там и угроблю. Звоню, значит, мастеру - спрашиваю, чего делать. Он говорит - едь ко мне.
Ну, я развернулся и поехал обратно.
Приезжаю, мастер снял колесо, всё проверил - говорит, с ним вообще нормально всё. Выспросил меня детально, как было, что я намерил. Обследовал эту шину вдоль и поперёк - ничего.
Ну что, поставил на место, я перезагрузил кнопкой параметры давления в шинах, вроде ничего.
Доехал до дома - нормально.
Заехал в гаражи, через все супер-ямы, вернулся домой - нормально.
Сегодня тоже всё ок.
Поистине странная фигня, и ладно бы глюк системы, у меня раз было такое - я ехал по трассе, и тут этот вот дзиннь! давление в шинах. Но тогда это был глюк компьютера - я встал, померил давление, всё было нормально, я перезагрузил параметры и дальше всё было ок.
Но тут же реально на одном колесе давление было ниже.
Короче, дурдом.
Пока вроде бы никаких сюрпризов не происходит, будем наблюдать.

Book review: Ninefox Gambit

May. 11th, 2026 06:50 pm
rocky41_7: (Default)
[personal profile] rocky41_7 posting in [community profile] booknook
Title: Ninefox Gambit (Machineries of Empire #1)
Author: Yoon Ha Lee
Genre: Fantasy

I went out of town for my little sister’s graduation this weekend and finished two books on the trip! The first was Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee, a fantasy-in-space story about a young infantry captain who has the soul of a famous traitor embedded into her mind to assist with a tricky military campaign.

I nearly had to eat crow on this book because I’ve said so many times I prefer when SFF books just dump you into their world rather than giving you an expositional primer, but Ninefox Gambit really tested my commitment to that. The first third of this book is a whirlwind of terms, practices, and concepts that not only are never explained, but for which the context is nearly nonexistent. I think you simply have to accept being confused to enjoy this one, which is why many reviews did not.

Semi-related, this may dress itself up as sci-fi, but it is fantasy. This is a magic system. A magic system that makes use of mathematics, but a magic system nonetheless. Accepting that going in will make dealing with the practical jargon much easier.

All that said, I ended up really enjoying this one, and I do plan to read the next two in the series. There’s just oodles of machinations and scheming and recontextualizations that I think are great fun and the end payoff was worth sticking with it.

As is the case with any story of this nature, our resident omnicidal traitor, Jedao, eclipses the book’s actual protagonist, Cheris. It’s just hard for our young, inexperienced infantryman to be as engaging as someone with as much history and baggage as Jedao. But I do think Cheris holds her own and doesn’t become just Jedao’s shadow. Additionally, Jedao, who is the most tactically brilliant mind the empire ever produced, gets plenty of opportunity to shine without making Cheris look like an idiot in comparison, which is a difficult needle to thread as the author. Furthermore, Cheris comes into her own more over the course of the book, which makes sense for her rapidly expanding level of experience.

Jedao is great fun to poke at and learn about, though I won’t say too much here to avoid spoilers. I hope we get to hear more from him in the next books.

Lee tees up the next book perfectly here without ending on a total cliffhanger. Nevertheless, I’ll be getting my hands on book 2: Raven Stratagem as soon as I can.



про оверпостинг

May. 11th, 2026 12:32 pm
clair_argentis: (Default)
[personal profile] clair_argentis
Говорят, что для хорошего развития блога или канала нужно много и регулярно постить контент, но мне кажется, когда постов слишком много - это начинает работать в минус. Я когда-то читал один канал, там было очень много классного (война, политика, социалка, история, военная история, иногда песни даже были красивые), но с ним было так, что пропустишь два дня - а там уже 350 постов непрочитанных. А когда их 500, 600, и ты понимаешь, что скорее всего там много интересного, и жаль просто скепйнуть в конец - в итоге они накапливаются до того, что ты уже не хочешь туда заходить, это просто непосильная задача.
Скорее всего, рассчитано не на таких фиалочек, кто не может взять и перелистнуть в конец, и не париться.
Но каналы с умеренным количеством постов я регулярно читаю или просматриваю, а такие, где 100500 непрочитанных образуется за пару дней - нет.

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 11

May. 11th, 2026 09:55 pm
vilakins: Blake (blake)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 11: Best SFX / most woeful use of SFX

I'm not sure about the best, but I now have the S1 and S2 Blu-rays, and I'm really liking the new optional special effects. They're not obviously in-your-face new, just a lot better and seamlessly added, e.g. planets with atmospheres, more realistic starfields, and the shots of Space Command in particular were impressive, with pursuit ships on patrol.

The worst for me has always been the painted backdrop when Blake teleported to the asteroid in Voice From the Past - so amateurish, and also unnecessary as he could have just appeared in the building. I'm looking forward to seeing what they've done with that (despite mummified Travis) when I get to S2.

All the questions are on Tumblr.

Gray Catbird

May. 10th, 2026 09:40 am
pauraque: patterned brown and white bird flying on a pale blue background (Default)
[personal profile] pauraque posting in [community profile] common_nature
After spending the winter along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Gray Catbirds are back in Vermont!

gray bird with dark cap perches on top of a suet feeder with suet on its bill

They're named for their characteristic nasal "mreeennnh!" call that sounds like a cat impatient for dinner. They're related to mockingbirds and can also mimic other birds' songs and miscellaneous noises, but unlike mockingbirds which tend to perform an imitation several times in a row clearly, Gray Catbirds do a chattery stream-of-consciousness jumble of bits and pieces of different things.

The all-gray plumage with a darker cap makes them easy to recognize. In this photo you can also see a glimpse of the rust-red undertail coverts. Males and females look alike. Their bills are black; this one's looks mottled because it's got suet on it. We've had two in the yard lately which are both very into the suet, and they will fly in and rudely body-check the other one off the feeder if they feel like it.

Drafts - "Instinct"

May. 10th, 2026 09:31 am
ofearthandstars: A photo of a journel, pen, and cup of coffee. (writing)
[personal profile] ofearthandstars
Perhaps it is the first step
across a dark, yawning chasm
or the feeling of hanging, lightly,
surrounded by nothing
(to catch you),
surrounded by everything
(to catch you),
leading you to focus on the breath
rushing through your lungs,
the landscape, flowing
through your bloodstream.
Read more... )

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 10

May. 10th, 2026 10:47 pm
vilakins: (oh bum)
[personal profile] vilakins
Day 10: Least favourite episode

Again, I can't just pick one, so I'll go by season.

S1: The Web is pretty dire with the Decimas and the head in a jar.
S2: Voice From the Past has mummy Travis with a googly eye, and Le Grand; need I say more?
S3: Harvest of Kairos and Moloch because of the appalling misogyny.
S4: Power because of the same woman-hating writer and Animals for many reasons including Justin and the creepy age difference with Dayna.

Did you think I'd pick Orbit or Blake? They're not among my favourites because of the storyline, but they're well written, Orbit in particular - I do enjoy the Avon and Vila team working so well together for the last time before the shuttle sabotage.

All the questions are on Tumblr.

30 Days of Blake's 7 - day 9

May. 10th, 2026 01:23 pm
vilakins: (lark)
[personal profile] vilakins
I forgot to post last night again, so it's the 10th here already.

Day 9: Least favourite season

Definitely season 4. There's no real coherence or aim (until Pylene-50, which provides a small arc), Avon is unbalanced (and Paul Darrow's performance OTT), most writers unfamiliar with B7, having maybe watched an episode or two (according to Michael Keating who disliked the season), and in the case of one writer, appallingly sexist. Plus, there is far too much Sleer; I got sick of the sight of her.

Perhaps they should have renamed it Avon's Failed Heists and called it a spin-off.

Ironically, the icon is from a sexist-bastard-written S4 ep.

All the questions are on Tumblr.
full_metal_ox: A gold Chinese Metal Ox zodiac charm. (Default)
[personal profile] full_metal_ox posting in [community profile] common_nature
I’m assuming he’s been a formative influence for a lot of people in this community.
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