fiat lux, et cetera
Dec. 15th, 2023 10:44 pmSo what have I been doing with myself for the last week, since classes ended?
I've been playing a lot of Hollow Knight, a videogame about which more later, perhaps. It's got a pretty big open world to explore, lots of stuff to do, and a decent amount of backtracking but with better equipment so you get to feel powerful as you crush enemies and soar through obstacles that took a lot of work to get past the first time. It is both good and My Thing, which is nice.
I have not yet read the new Murderbot. It showed up right as finals etc were swinging into high gear, and ... I dunno, I haven't quite felt it. It's coming with me this week.
I have Christmased. Parcels are in the mail and should arrive this weekend or early next week. I like buying gifts for people, and buying The Right Gift for people, so it's nice to feel like that's a thing that's a part of my life again. (I also sometimes just start flailing with no idea, which is when you get [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. Sorry about that.)
Most importantly I have made my home a better place. I've been meaning to add more light in a vague way since last December, and in specific since mid-November. My sheets (a year and a half old) are also starting to disintegrate, which I Do Not Appreciate. Eventually it occurred to me that Ikea will sell me both of these things, and in fact I had a gift card from Rhonda my realtor that's been just hanging around for almost two years. So I ordered lights and sheets, and some random odds and ends, and various things for Erin, and now my living room has about twice as much light as previously.
It may not be ideal. The extra torchiere (with reading-lamp attachment) is great, but it doesn't provide any more light for the Book Corner. For that I got a pair of clip-lamps, clipped them to the bookshelves, and pointed them up-ish. I got the idea from a couple of lamps I used to have clamped to my headboard. Those took normal light bulbs. These use a small-base, and the bulbs I got from Ikea are optimized for more direct short-range light. This makes for some weird shadows and may be giving me a bit of a headache; I'm not quite sure yet. If so, hopefully "different bulbs" is all it'll take.
Today I've also been to Canadian Tire for additional misc: specifically, a new laser pointer and a sink plunger. I was going to just get new batteries for the existing red-dot but it turns out that a three-pack of batteries is $15, while a new laser pointer (with batteries) is under $5. I'll be mildly annoyed if I'm running through a laser pointer a month, is all. I really wish Mr Tuppert would play with non-battery toys, but mostly it seems that physical things just annoy him. In the case of the Catnip Fishy he'll attack, but things on strings get some "get that out of my face" batting (or mostly ignored if they're tossed towards him on the floor) and then he wanders away, sometimes at speed.
Also the bathroom sink has been draining slowly for months now. It's gotten bad enough that if you're washing your hands you have to turn the water off and let it drain, otherwise you're rinsing your hands through suds. And back when I'd bought this place but before I'd moved in, the stack below the bathroom sink evidently backed up and spat goop into the sink and onto the floor. (Mya, who was checking in twice a week for insurance reasons, was kind enough to deal with getting a plumber in to drill the stack.)
So I finally remembered to pick up a sink-plunger and Plunged The Sink. In the event it only took me a couple of backwashes out the overflow drain to remember that I needed to plug that for plunging to be effective. And whatever it was seems to be cleared!
As a bonus, I also picked up a small under-vanity caddy, so I can stop feeling like everything is just THROWN IN THERE WILLY-NILLY WITH NO ORGANIZATION. I'd still rather have a medicine cabinet, but this will do.
It is ... really nice to remember that I do in fact have some control over my environment and can make changes that improve it. I have a strong tendency towards Just Putting Up With It, whatever It might be. Being more proactive about things in general is good for me.
Tomorrow I'm heading up north to see Erin for a week and a half. It should be good: there's a new kitten, and a newish puppy who I've met a few times, and of course geese and chickens and pigs. I anticipate lots of dozing and snuggling and talking, and woodstove coziness and cooking of various things. I think it'll be good. Be nice to have the extended time, for sure.
Coming back on Xmas Day, and then ... no real plans until classes start up again on the ninth, I guess.
Keep warm. I miss you.
I've been playing a lot of Hollow Knight, a videogame about which more later, perhaps. It's got a pretty big open world to explore, lots of stuff to do, and a decent amount of backtracking but with better equipment so you get to feel powerful as you crush enemies and soar through obstacles that took a lot of work to get past the first time. It is both good and My Thing, which is nice.
I have not yet read the new Murderbot. It showed up right as finals etc were swinging into high gear, and ... I dunno, I haven't quite felt it. It's coming with me this week.
I have Christmased. Parcels are in the mail and should arrive this weekend or early next week. I like buying gifts for people, and buying The Right Gift for people, so it's nice to feel like that's a thing that's a part of my life again. (I also sometimes just start flailing with no idea, which is when you get [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. Sorry about that.)
Most importantly I have made my home a better place. I've been meaning to add more light in a vague way since last December, and in specific since mid-November. My sheets (a year and a half old) are also starting to disintegrate, which I Do Not Appreciate. Eventually it occurred to me that Ikea will sell me both of these things, and in fact I had a gift card from Rhonda my realtor that's been just hanging around for almost two years. So I ordered lights and sheets, and some random odds and ends, and various things for Erin, and now my living room has about twice as much light as previously.
It may not be ideal. The extra torchiere (with reading-lamp attachment) is great, but it doesn't provide any more light for the Book Corner. For that I got a pair of clip-lamps, clipped them to the bookshelves, and pointed them up-ish. I got the idea from a couple of lamps I used to have clamped to my headboard. Those took normal light bulbs. These use a small-base, and the bulbs I got from Ikea are optimized for more direct short-range light. This makes for some weird shadows and may be giving me a bit of a headache; I'm not quite sure yet. If so, hopefully "different bulbs" is all it'll take.
Today I've also been to Canadian Tire for additional misc: specifically, a new laser pointer and a sink plunger. I was going to just get new batteries for the existing red-dot but it turns out that a three-pack of batteries is $15, while a new laser pointer (with batteries) is under $5. I'll be mildly annoyed if I'm running through a laser pointer a month, is all. I really wish Mr Tuppert would play with non-battery toys, but mostly it seems that physical things just annoy him. In the case of the Catnip Fishy he'll attack, but things on strings get some "get that out of my face" batting (or mostly ignored if they're tossed towards him on the floor) and then he wanders away, sometimes at speed.
Also the bathroom sink has been draining slowly for months now. It's gotten bad enough that if you're washing your hands you have to turn the water off and let it drain, otherwise you're rinsing your hands through suds. And back when I'd bought this place but before I'd moved in, the stack below the bathroom sink evidently backed up and spat goop into the sink and onto the floor. (Mya, who was checking in twice a week for insurance reasons, was kind enough to deal with getting a plumber in to drill the stack.)
So I finally remembered to pick up a sink-plunger and Plunged The Sink. In the event it only took me a couple of backwashes out the overflow drain to remember that I needed to plug that for plunging to be effective. And whatever it was seems to be cleared!
As a bonus, I also picked up a small under-vanity caddy, so I can stop feeling like everything is just THROWN IN THERE WILLY-NILLY WITH NO ORGANIZATION. I'd still rather have a medicine cabinet, but this will do.
It is ... really nice to remember that I do in fact have some control over my environment and can make changes that improve it. I have a strong tendency towards Just Putting Up With It, whatever It might be. Being more proactive about things in general is good for me.
Tomorrow I'm heading up north to see Erin for a week and a half. It should be good: there's a new kitten, and a newish puppy who I've met a few times, and of course geese and chickens and pigs. I anticipate lots of dozing and snuggling and talking, and woodstove coziness and cooking of various things. I think it'll be good. Be nice to have the extended time, for sure.
Coming back on Xmas Day, and then ... no real plans until classes start up again on the ninth, I guess.
Keep warm. I miss you.