Birdfeeding
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 14:01![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithToday is mostly cloudy. It rained again at some point last night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a mourning dove.
I heard the owl hooting all night too. :D
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I put out a fresh suet cake and refilled the hopper feeder. Sparrows have been mobbing. There is now a starling in addition to the mourning dove, but he isn't trying to squeeze in there either -- he knows he is outnumbered.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
It is 5 PM. The sun has recently set but the sky is still fairly light.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a mourning dove.
I heard the owl hooting all night too. :D
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I put out a fresh suet cake and refilled the hopper feeder. Sparrows have been mobbing. There is now a starling in addition to the mourning dove, but he isn't trying to squeeze in there either -- he knows he is outnumbered.
EDIT 1/10/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
It is 5 PM. The sun has recently set but the sky is still fairly light.
I am done for the night.
Tampopo (1985)
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 11:54runpunkrunA quirky, stylish, and emotional Japanese movie about food, a woman determined make the best ramen she can, and also, in its own way, a Western, as a handsome drifter rides into town, starts a (noodle) bar fight, and shakes up the complacent townsfolk. This was wild and wonderful. It mainly focuses on the owner of the ramen shop—the titular Tampopo—and the band of weirdos she accrues to help her improve her cooking and her business, but while it's doing that it also weaves in short vignettes about the ways other people connect with, and through, food. Recommended!
Contains: lingering shots of food and people eating, first person dentistry (root canal), a murder, two fistfights, some of the weakest bullying I've ever seen on film (almost hilariously so), and a sex scene that incorporates—among other things—live prawns.
Contains: lingering shots of food and people eating, first person dentistry (root canal), a murder, two fistfights, some of the weakest bullying I've ever seen on film (almost hilariously so), and a sex scene that incorporates—among other things—live prawns.
Tech Woe
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 14:35oracneThe new DVD/BluRay arrived today! Great service from Best Buy! It arrived before today's watchalong! I could tell pulling it out of the box that it is much nicer than the cheap-ish one that I returned.
However, my research was somehow incorrect and it is not multi-region for DVDs. It worked fine with an American DVD. I haven't tested the BluRay yet - I think I only have one, that came packaged with a DVD of the same movie.
I did not scream. I get a sticker, right? Because I didn't scream or cry?
Possibly the DVD region can be hacked, but I don't have the right sort of universal programmable remote to do that. A problem for another day.
So it's back to the little old tv and portable player to watch British DVDs. Sigh. It's not the end of the world.
However, my research was somehow incorrect and it is not multi-region for DVDs. It worked fine with an American DVD. I haven't tested the BluRay yet - I think I only have one, that came packaged with a DVD of the same movie.
I did not scream. I get a sticker, right? Because I didn't scream or cry?
Possibly the DVD region can be hacked, but I don't have the right sort of universal programmable remote to do that. A problem for another day.
So it's back to the little old tv and portable player to watch British DVDs. Sigh. It's not the end of the world.
[ SECRET POST #6945 ]
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 14:36case posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #6945 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 54 secrets from Secret Submission Post #992.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
[ SECRET SUBMISSIONS POST #993 ]
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 14:31case posting in fandomsecrets[ SECRET SUBMISSIONS POST #993 ]
The first secret from this batch will be posted on January 17th.
The first secret from this batch will be posted on January 17th.
| RULES: 1. One secret link per comment. 2. 750x750 px or smaller. 3. Link directly to the image. More details on how to send a secret in! Optional: If you would like your secret's fandom to be noted in the main post along with the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. If your secret makes the fandom obvious, there's no need to do this. If your fandom is obscure, you should probably tell me what it is. Optional #2: If you would like WARNINGS (such as spoilers or common triggers -- list of some common ones here) to be noted in the main post before the secret itself, please put it in the comment along with your secret. Optional #3: If you would like a transcript to be posted along with your secret, put it along with the link in the comment! |
![[admin post]](//www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/entry/admin_post.png)
Admin Post: Membership PSA
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 14:16![[admin post]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/entry/admin_post.png){kind=small}
gywomod posting in getyourwordsoutAll Writers: If you are not on the 2026 Writers list, we have not received your pledge. You MUST PLEDGE before requesting membership access to the DW community.
Check your email or DW inbox.
If there is a problem with your pledge, we have attempted to contact you. This private contact will have more information about what you need to do to be a GYWO 2026 Writer.
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Pledging closes end of day on Jan 15, so please act quickly to make sure you have the access you want!
If you have not pledged,
you MUST PLEDGE before
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Pledge Form = Membership.
No Pledge Form? No membership.
Check your email or DW inbox.
If there is a problem with your pledge, we have attempted to contact you. This private contact will have more information about what you need to do to be a GYWO 2026 Writer.
New to Dreamwidth?
There are some Dreamwidth users who requested membership, but we have not received a completed pledge form for those usernames. Some of these users have a new journal, have not confirmed their email address with Dreamwidth, or don't have any public posts on their journal, which means we have no way to contact you with questions! Please check for your username on the 2026 Writers list. If it's not there, fill out the GYWO 2026 Pledge Form (available at the linked post).
Looking for Access to the Dreamwidth Community?
If you want access to the GYWO Dreamwidth community (the main hub of Get Your Words Out) and have already pledged, please make sure your membership request has been approved or that you have accepted a member invitation sent by a moderator. You have access to the GYWO DW community if your name appears in the Members list (scroll to the bottom of the page and look under “Members”) and/or if you can see the post at this link.
If your name is not on the profile-generated Members list and if you cannot see the linked post, please check to see if you have an invitation to accept or request membership. (You also should have received an email from us with the same links.)
Looking for Access to the Discord Server?
Make sure you updated your server nickname to include your GYWO username. More information about our Discord server and changing your nickname is available here.
Pledging closes end of day on Jan 15, so please act quickly to make sure you have the access you want!
you MUST PLEDGE before
requesting membership to the DW comm.
Pledge Form = Membership.
No Pledge Form? No membership.
2026 Splatterpunk Award Nominees
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 18:39![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
file770_feedThe 2026 Splatterpunk Award nominees were announced January 10. The awards honor superior achievement in the literary sub-genres of Splatterpunk and Extreme Horror fiction. In addition, the J. F. Gonzalez Lifetime Achievement Award honors individuals who have made a significant impact on … Continue reading
Fossils
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 12:34ysabetwordsmithWhy Earth’s earliest animals left little trace behind
Spicules, tiny mineral needles that stiffen sponge tissue, drop into seafloor mud and can persist for ages. When early sponges lacked these needles, the fossil record would mainly show empty space and a few ambiguous chemical traces. Many of the rocks that capture early animal life formed during the quiet stretch just before the Cambrian explosion. Geologists call this interval the Ediacaran, the last Precambrian period with large, soft animals, and they mark it on official time charts. In those layers, sponge bodies are hard to spot, so the debate has leaned heavily on genetics and chemistry.
( Read more... )
Spicules, tiny mineral needles that stiffen sponge tissue, drop into seafloor mud and can persist for ages. When early sponges lacked these needles, the fossil record would mainly show empty space and a few ambiguous chemical traces. Many of the rocks that capture early animal life formed during the quiet stretch just before the Cambrian explosion. Geologists call this interval the Ediacaran, the last Precambrian period with large, soft animals, and they mark it on official time charts. In those layers, sponge bodies are hard to spot, so the debate has leaned heavily on genetics and chemistry.
( Read more... )
#footscraygoose by facingthenorthwind
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 13:38mythicmistress posting in fancakeFandom: Original Work
Pairings/Characters: Original Characters, Original Soulmate Goose
Rating: T
Length: 4,278 words
Creator Links: facingthenorthwind(spacegandalf) at AO3
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously
Summary: Biosecurity officers have identified and captured a lesser white-fronted goose in Footscray, Victoria. Due to the biosecurity risk to Australian bird life and the poultry industry, the bird is not permitted to remain in Australia and will be humanely destroyed.
Reccer's Notes: This fic was brought to my attention in a Discord server. I found it too hilarious NOT to share here. Also points for having accurate details according to the Australian server member who linked it.
Fanwork Links: #footscraygoose on AO3
Pairings/Characters: Original Characters, Original Soulmate Goose
Rating: T
Length: 4,278 words
Creator Links: facingthenorthwind(spacegandalf) at AO3
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously
Summary: Biosecurity officers have identified and captured a lesser white-fronted goose in Footscray, Victoria. Due to the biosecurity risk to Australian bird life and the poultry industry, the bird is not permitted to remain in Australia and will be humanely destroyed.
Reccer's Notes: This fic was brought to my attention in a Discord server. I found it too hilarious NOT to share here. Also points for having accurate details according to the Australian server member who linked it.
Fanwork Links: #footscraygoose on AO3
Science
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 12:28ysabetwordsmithHuman brains emit light and glow in the dark, revealing our mental state
All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed excess energy. The phenomenon is so subtle – roughly a million times dimmer than the threshold of human vision – that researchers call it ultra-weak photon emission (UPE).
Oh look, scientists have "discovered" the aura of life energy. Now go figure out how people detect it without tools, because humans have been drawing and writing about that for ages.
All living tissues give off photons as excited molecules shed excess energy. The phenomenon is so subtle – roughly a million times dimmer than the threshold of human vision – that researchers call it ultra-weak photon emission (UPE).
Oh look, scientists have "discovered" the aura of life energy. Now go figure out how people detect it without tools, because humans have been drawing and writing about that for ages.
Check-In Post - Jan 10th 2026
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 18:28badly_knitted posting in get_knittedHello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.
Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?
There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.
This Week's Question: What are your crafting goals for 2026?
If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.
I now declare this Check-In OPEN!
Monopoly 01.2026 - Sign up Reminder
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 18:01prisca posting in fandom_empireThere are still about 24 hours left until the challenge starts.
Sign up now
sign up post
If you are looking for some extra fun (and some more points), you might want to sign up for the additional team challenge.
info and sign up here
Sign up now
sign up post
If you are looking for some extra fun (and some more points), you might want to sign up for the additional team challenge.
info and sign up here
Nominations Queries 1 (Winter 2026)
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 11:01littlefics posting in seasonsofdrabblesHello, we have a few nominations queries at this time. If you were one of the nominators of these tags, we would appreciate your help!
UPDATE: All clear!
UPDATE: All clear!
Gachiakuta (Anime): Could the nominator clarify if "Soul within a Vital Instrument" is a specific canonical character, or an original character?Kemutai Hanashi (Manga): We're having some trouble confirming that "Tachibana Ririko" and "Tsukiyama Tamaki" exist. Could the nominator point us to where they appear in canon?The Serenade of Spring Thunder: We're having some trouble confirming that "Rindou" and "Shisui" exist. Could the nominator point us to where they appear in canon?わたしは壁になりたい | Watashi wa Kabe ni Naritai | I Want To Be a Wall (Manga): We're having some trouble confirming that "Gilbert" and "Hanazono Take" exist. Could the nominator point us to where they appear in canon?
This is so cool Ephemeral pebble art videos
Saturday, January 10th, 2026 10:18feng_shui_houseDistracting myself from ReaLife I google wandered and found this.
Cat Portrait made from Pebbles (a commenter noted that they thought it was actually reversed film of deconstructing the portrait, which makes perfect sense. But thinking it's actually built up this way makes it magical.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGZnIiPePoI
Then I found more about the artist. I now want to make art from rocks. For some years I've been tumbling rocks I salvaged from landscape rocks I removed because I wanted GRASS, not rocks to trip on and skin my knees. On my 3rd tumbler now- I've spent more on tumblers and grit than even semi-precious rocks would be worth and mine are just rocks in various shades of white, gray and brown. BUT they are shiny. :^)
The artist creates ephemeral art from pebbles.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_3pEBVIFnK/?hl=en
https://theinspirationgrid.com/pebble-picasso-incredible-stone-mosaics-by-justin-bateman/
Cat Portrait made from Pebbles (a commenter noted that they thought it was actually reversed film of deconstructing the portrait, which makes perfect sense. But thinking it's actually built up this way makes it magical.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGZnIiPePoI
Then I found more about the artist. I now want to make art from rocks. For some years I've been tumbling rocks I salvaged from landscape rocks I removed because I wanted GRASS, not rocks to trip on and skin my knees. On my 3rd tumbler now- I've spent more on tumblers and grit than even semi-precious rocks would be worth and mine are just rocks in various shades of white, gray and brown. BUT they are shiny. :^)
The artist creates ephemeral art from pebbles.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_3pEBVIFnK/?hl=en
https://theinspirationgrid.com/pebble-picasso-incredible-stone-mosaics-by-justin-bateman/