Reading

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is cloudy and mild. It rained a little last night.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/22/25 -- I started planting irises but only got one in the ground before it started drizzling again. However, there's a third 'Midnight Treat' purple iris in a bag meant to hold two, so that's awesome.

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Current Mood: busy

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Education

The Learning Grove

As part of my ongoing series about reimagining education, I want to try something slightly different today. For this one, we will imagine that what I’m calling “The Living Curriculum” is already implemented, and I wil describe one aspect of it. For the sake of this exercise, we will need to suspend our disbelief for a littl while, and put aside questions of how we get from where we are now, to this mildly utopian imagining. The point is not to lay out a perfect plan of how to achieve an ideal education system, but rather, to explore a vision of what such a system might look like.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Nature

New study finds exercising outdoors is 'superior' to the gym or city: 'Our brain loves nature'

A major finding is that exercise in nature provided far greater mental benefits than urban and indoor environments, with participants reporting much higher levels of joy, calm, satisfaction, and optimism after working out in the outdoors.

On a physiological level, researchers measured that the participants’ heart rates dropped more quickly after a walk in nature. Additionally, heart rate variability, which shows how well the body’s nervous system goes into recovery, was 20-30% higher than the indoor walk.

Participants also reported lower levels of anxiety, irritation, and boredom after exercising in nature. Boredom levels actually increased after walking indoors, the researchers shared.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is partly sunny and hot.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

EDIT 9/21/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/21/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/21/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 9/21/25 -- I watered the old picnic table, irises, patio plants, and a few more around the house yard.

EDIT 9/21/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, septic garden, telephone pole garden, and a few of the savanna seedlings.

Cicadas and crickets are singing.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

Cyberspace Theory

Protect your peace: How to avoid disturbing content on social media

Social media platforms are designed to maximize engagement, not protect your peace of mind. The major platforms have also reduced their content moderation efforts over the past year or so. That means upsetting content can reach you even when you never chose to watch it.

You do not have to watch every piece of content that crosses your screen, however. Protecting your own mental state is not avoidance or denial.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Creative Jam

The September

crowdfunding Creative Jam is open with a theme of "Journalism." Come give us prompts, or choose some for your own inspiration.

What I Have Written

From My Prompts

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9/20/2025 Inspiration Trail

It was clear before dawn and stayed cool til I left, an almost perfect morning. A front had come through a few days ago and I was hoping it had brought warblers but it did not to this trail, at least. What it probably did bring were four new arrivals: a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a Hermit Thrush, and zonos, two White-crowned Sparrows, which I don't often see there, and two flocks of Golden-crowned Sparrows. We weren't expecting the sparrows for several more weeks. Interestingly, just after I texted U and Chris about the zonos I saw U's email that she'd had a Golden-crown on her suet that morning. I guess they are really here. ( The list: )

Also fun were several coveys of California Quail; last visit I neither heard nor saw any at all. The first flock was just down slope from the crest, so I stayed there quite a while as the sun rose and the Quail foraged quietly. As often there was a small cottontail with them.

Current Mood: busy

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Neurodiversity

The Science Finally Catches Up: New Research Confirms ADHD as an Evolutionary Advantage, Not a Disease

For over three decades, I’ve been saying what the medical establishment didn’t want to hear: ADHD isn’t a disease, disorder, or defect. It’s an inherited trait that served our hunter-gatherer ancestors well for hundreds of thousands of years—and continues to benefit many people today. Now, groundbreaking research is finally proving what I’ve long called the “hunters in a farmer’s world” theory.

The latest study, published in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society B just a few months ago, provides compelling experimental evidence that people with ADHD traits are superior foragers. Using an ingenious online berry-picking game, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania discovered that participants who scored high for ADHD characteristics consistently outperformed their neurotypical counterparts at gathering resources—exactly what we’d expect from evolved hunters suddenly dropped into sedentary, agricultural societies.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Books

Author outfits old pickup truck to be traveling banned bookstore: 'A rolling rebellion in the Deep South'

The work she’s doing now? Converting a rusty 1940 Ford pickup truck into a traveling banned bookstore. She calls it “The Banned Wagon.”

“I was originally thinking of opening a regular bookstore, but after the fight over banning books in Fairhope, I was inspired to go this route instead,” Fugett shared with the Alabama Political Reporter.

Her goal with The Banned Wagon is to put banned and challenged books “back into the hands of the people who need them the most.” That includes LGBTQ+ youth, and other marginalized communities. But Fugett also knows that everyone needs access to books that challenge their worldview.

This is a replicable tactic for dealing with censorship.

Another option is to stash diverse titles in Little Free Libraries, in BookCrossing, in any swap shelf you see, and so on. Poke a bigot in the eye, share banned books! Here are some ideas.

Current Mood: busy

Entry tags:

Birdfeeding

Today is partly cloudy and mild. It rained a little yesterday, enough to leave small puddles in the road, but the ground is still bone-dry here. Further predictions for rain continue to fluctuate wildly, but hopefully we'll get some more eventually.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I watered the old picnic table, patio plants, irises, and a few others around the house yard.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, septic garden, telephone pole garden, and a few savanna seedlings.

EDIT 9/20/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

Cicadas and crickets are singing.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

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Philosophical Questions: Society

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

Has social media been a net positive or a net negative for our society? Why?

( Read more... )

Current Mood: amused

Entry tags:

Books

10 Queer Pirate Books for Talk Like a Pirate Day

Ahoy, mateys! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and we be celebratin’ with a heapin’ pile of queer piratey books we fished up outta Davy Jones’ locker. Aar, I be shuttin’ up now, so as not to be subjectin’ ye’ll to more of me aaaatrocious pirate talk. The contributors to this here list be: Nina Waters, Dei Walker, Terra P. Waters, theirprofoundbond, Rascal Hartley, Linnea Peterson, Neo Scarlett, and Sebastian Marie.

Current Mood: busy

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Today's Adventures

Today we went to the Autumn Fest in Marshall. It was an evening event, and the day had cooled off considerably, so it was quite pleasant. We were lucky to miss the rain there -- it rained a bit at home and we drove through several showers. This event continues on Saturday and Sunday if you want to catch it, and it is well worth attending if you're in Illinois this weekend looking for something to do.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

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Birdfeeding

Today is partly cloudy and warm.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 9/19/25 -- I did a bit of work around the yard.

I picked half a dozen groundcherries.

EDIT 9/19/25 -- I watered the irises.

EDIT 9/19/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

The sky has clouded over, air is cooling a little, and I heard thunder. I'm not sure it'll amount to anything, though.

EDIT 9/19/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: drained
Current Music: Sweeps - lean back and look at the stars

Entry tags:

gaming

(no subject)

I am still enjoying Silksong and I will continue playing, but for now I need to put it aside. I'm getting way too stressed out, and since I usually play in the evenings, that's right before bedtime. I've even been taking my Garmin off when I play because it senses the rise in heart rate when I'm in these arena battles or boss fights. Tonight I'm going back to South of Midnight, which I was playing before we left on vacation. I was enjoying that a lot - good story, good gameplay, very engaging, likable player character, giant talking catfish.

I understand the why of Silksong being as challenging as it is, but I also don't think I need to keep banging my head against it every single night. I appreciate the reasons, and I enjoy a difficult game - I did Hyper Light Drifter at 100%, got most of Owlboy, Hollow Knight's Path of Pain, etc. I need a break :D

In other news, the replacement power box for the tower should be here today. We'll take down the dented one and if everything goes as planned (LOL) we'll only be offline for an hour while we swap over all the equipment. We'll need to run out to Home Depot tomorrow for bolts and anything else we might wind up needing, but with me assisting, it should go pretty quickly.

My neighbor now has one more chicken, making five. She keeps apologizing to me for how they roam into my yard, but I enjoy watching them scratch around, and they aren't hurting anything.

And I have noticed the weather station nearby that was reporting negative amounts of humidity has either been repaired or, more likely, replaced.

Current Mood: busy

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Follow Friday 9-19-25: J-pop

Today's theme is J-pop.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: accomplished

Entry tags:

food,
recipe

Corncob Broth

I finished making the corncob broth. \o/ It tastes delicious -- delicate, slightly sweet, summery, sunny, with notes of corn and grass. This is sooo much better than regular vegetable broth! If you dislike vegetable broth, this is well worth a try. I now regret every corncob that I tossed straight onto the compost pile. Also I'm annoyed that I only discovered this at the end of the season.

I started with this recipe for inspiration. This time I used the 6 corncobs that I had, some dried onion chips, about 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns, and three large sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.

Anyhow, I filled a tray of large ice cubes because I want to try this in stir-fry sauce to add volume. I got three cartons that are about 1 1/2 cup each, plus a big one that is probably about 4 cups and suited for crockpot use. I expect it will work anywhere I would normally use regular vegetable broth, possibly also chicken broth.

Next time I make this, and there will be a next time, I will make it in a large crockpot as usual. I'll use a quartered onion, and I might throw in something else. I suspect that lemongrass would work great, and celery or celery leaves might. Broths are flexible; you can toss in whatever you have or like. With a large crockpot I can get a great deal of broth with minimal effort.

Current Mood: accomplished

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Recipe: "Three Sisters Succotash"

I made this tonight. It's a summer favorite, so I wanted to write up our version.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: accomplished

Entry tags:

food,
personal

Today's Cooking

Today I made Three Sisters Succotash. I want to write up my version because it's a bit different than the Iroquois-inspired one that I started with.

Then it occurred to me that I had half a dozen fresh corncobs, so I am making corncob broth to see if that's any good.

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9/18/2025 Lower Packrat Trail

I'd kind of planned to go sit on the bench at the top of Lower Packrat for a while, but the succumbed to the lure of possibilities at Jewel Lake (despite the chipping/occ chainsaw noise). I found nothing terribly exciting there, a Warbling Vireo and a Townsend's Warbler, but the Red-breasted Nuthatches were surprisingly numerous and loud, and when the sun came out the activity exploded. I heard a Swainson's Thrush and two Western Flycatchers on the way, and possibly a Wilson's Warbler, though just one chip so I did not report it. Surprise of the morning was two Northern House Wrens... ah, just twigged to why they were right there. Stacks of brush are perfect habitats for NHWR, I saw this a few years ago up in the eucalyptus grove along Nimitz Way, and the chipping operation has not gotten as far as the road across from the Lake. The wrens were buzzing loudly and even singing a bit. But those lovely piles won't be there long. ( The list: )

Rain has disappeared from the forecast, big surprise.