Avatar

Si Creabis, Fit Redunda.

@copperbadge / copperbadge.tumblr.com

I am Sam, I do stuff. You can find my novels at my author website here! Looking for Radio Free Monday? I no longer run it but you can still find the form here.
Posts
Avatar

I'm going to be visiting New York for a few days later this year and one of the things I'll be doing while I'm there is attending a Broadway show. I didn't intend to; I wasn't looking at what shows were on, since Broadway shows are expensive and generally not really my bag. But I happened to discover from other sources that someone wrote a musical comedy about Operation Mincemeat that's currently playing.

And you know what? Fine, yes, I'm a nerd, but now we know what it takes to get me to pay for a Broadway show: a musical comedy about WWII counterinformation espionage involving a dead body.

So I am seeing the musical but it reminded me of how much I enjoyed the book about it by Ben Macintyre, and I decided to reread it. I forgot how entirely bonkers it is.

One of the guys involved invented competitive table tennis. His brother had a personal goal to taste cheese made from whale's milk. There's a guy named Chomondeley (pronounced Chumley). Everyone in the British military intelligence service wrote detective novels as a side hustle. A lot of this is 100% irrelevant to the actual narrative but I'm so glad it's included. What a wild ride.

#history#wwii
Avatar

Mitch Hedberg used to tell a joke that went, "You know how they say it's really hard to quit smoking? It's exactly that difficult to start flossing." and I think that holds true for running as well. But I got up and I did the thing! The graph is very different from yesterday even though I ran pretty much the same program (half mile walk, half mile running as much as possible, half mile walk) but I think it's because I had the mask on for the running today, which really does make a difference. I did a mile and a half in 27 minutes for a pace of 18:10 which isn't much improved over Wednesday but was way less painful.

Still tweaking the playlist -- it'll be an ongoing process but I'll stop posting once I get it a little more firmed up.

  • Robbie Williams - Party Like A Russian
  • The Kills - At The Back Of The Shell
  • Robbie Williams - Hot Fudge
  • You Suck At Cooking - Fighter Jet
  • OutKast - Back Up Plan
  • The Greatest Showman OST - The Other Side
  • Walk The Moon - Anna Sun
  • Hall & Oates - Rich Girl
  • Michael Penn - Denton Road (Accoustic)
  • The Greatest Showman OST - The Greatest Show

Denton Road is actually not a great walking OR running song but it's a song I really like, so putting it in as the song that basically comes on when I get to stop running is like a little treat to myself. :)

I've also discovered an interesting linguistic phenomenon -- I shared my running playlist with the person I'm dating, who is a bit older than I am, and they have since referred to it as a mixtape. Which is charming -- I'm old enough to remember mixtapes and they fully understand it's a digital playlist, but calling it a mixtape has a nice retro feel to it. I'm wondering if there's a generational divide between people who say mixtape, people who say playlist but recognize the term, and people who exclusively use playlist.

#sam runs
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
copperbadge

I have friends who live in my building, which is situated such that often the unit windows look out on other units; their recent solution to the issue of "sometimes I have to walk past a window half-dressed when I forgot to close the blinds" was to install some privacy film, which is a semi-clear vinyl film that you adhere to the window using soapy water. I thought it was a genius idea, and they very kindly let me use their installation kit after I bought some of my own. I think the result looks pretty awesome!

Dearborn is...less certain.

Avatar
copperbadge

Since installing the privacy film in the bedroom -- the images on the top left and the bottom -- I've been having wild-ass dreams.

I enjoy having more great natural light during the day, but I liked the idea of being more aware of sunrise and sunset too, so the blinds are up full time. There's a lot of light pollution in Chicago, so at night the room is brighter than it has been. I think it's messing a little with my circadian rhythm -- not in a bad way necessarily, it's just firing my neurons a little differently.

I occasionally have "sequential" dreams where the full narrative runs across several different nights; usually they're separated by weeks or months, but for the last two nights running I've dreamed I was attending an experimental theatre performance in a big dark warehouse. The performance has something to do with the use of light as a metaphor, and also it seems like the central actor is improvising the play based on audience reaction, like he's often out of character and just talking to us. It's odd how often my subconscious links narrative and light -- a recurring visual in my dreams is the use of beams of light to link elements or events of a known story together.

I don't see faces in dreams (they're always obscured or I'm just not looking at the person's face) but I wish I did, I feel like I know the actor. I wish I could remember more about the play itself because I wake up like "Damn I gotta learn how that ends" without remembering how it began. I'll have to try to fall asleep thinking about it and hopefully I'll get more tonight. :)

#dreams
Avatar

Dearborn doesn't often groom Polk or let Polk groom her, and they rarely curl up together now that they aren't kittens anymore, but it does crack me up how often they fall asleep with one of them just baaaaarely reaching out a paw to touch the other.

#dearborn and polk
Avatar

I forgot how seethingly I hate running!

I run because I hate it slightly less than any other form of physical activity and my hatred of running motivates me. I have exactly the three months needed to do a couch to 5K program before the 5K I signed up for, starting next week, so this week is the calibration period. I have to work out a playlist, and today I determined that yes, I do still need to run in a covid mask because I do still have exercise induced asthma and the mask is the only thing that helps.

I also need new running shoes. Running is a cheap activity, by and large, but the shoes are worth dropping some cash on.

Anyway I did the mile and a half in 28 minutes for a pace of 18:45. It's mostly walking at that pace, but that'll improve with time.

Playlist! Needs tweaking but for now:

  • Robbie Williams - Party Like A Russian
  • The Kills - At The Back Of The Shell
  • Robbie Williams - Hot Fudge
  • You Suck At Cooking - Fighter Jet
  • OutKast - Back Up Plan
  • Greatest Showman OST - The Other Side
  • Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
  • Staple Singers - Long Walk to DC
  • Greatest Showman OST - The Greatest Show
  • Ouran OST - Kiss Kiss Fall In Love (English version)
  • Walk The Moon - Anna Sun
#sam runs
Avatar

Every so often I see Chicago from a slightly different angle than usual and it just hits me right in the chest. It's not even that compelling a photo but the combination of the buildings and the sky struck me for some reason.

#chicago#architecture#landscape#skyline
Avatar
reblogged
snazzy-hats-and-adhd
Avatar
theconcealedweapon
Avatar
copperbadge

[ID: two social media posts; CNN says "With his handmade keychains that go for $5 each, this 8 year old boy raised $4,015 to erase the lunch debt of students from his school and six others." TheJoannaGraham replies, "8 year old goes months of manual labor so his friends, who are children, can afford to eat."]

The story is from five years ago but if people find it upsetting and want to help, I have personally researched All For Lunch, a small nonprofit in Georgia that partners with schools across the country to erase lunch debt. According to its tax filings it took in about $300K in 2023 (the latest year available -- this is normal, there's a lag in filings becoming public), and paid out about $230K of that in lunch debt erasure (also normal to keep some cash in reserve). Per its website, it also works with partner schools and districts to set up fundraising pages that target their local communities so that they can keep fundraising on a direct rolling basis to prevent further lunch debt.

People can also get involved in lunch debt and debt shaming activism. Districts and states are starting to sign legislation to prevent cruel policies that starve or shame children who can't pay. Searching "lunch debt shame [your region]" will provide information on local laws and policies (for example, Chicago Public Schools offers breakfast and lunch to all students for free, regardless of economic status). As federal cuts further threaten school lunch programs, supporting debt erasure and increased state or county government budgets for meal programs is a small, local action people can take when this kind of news feels crushing.

Avatar

Me making a pot of red sauce this morning: Damn, I'm out of passata. Well, I made it without passata for like a year, maybe it doesn't even really need it.

The Italian ancestors I do not actually have: *collective indrawn breath*

Me, tasting the sauce: Aw, that's disappointing. It really does add a nice bright sweet note, I gotta buy passata next time I'm shopping.

My nonexistent Italian ancestors: *screaming, cheering, football chants*

My actual Norwegian ancestors: But...vere is smoket fish please?

Italians: *stare at Norwegians*

Norwegians: *stare at Italians*

Me: oh my God I'll make anchovy bagna cauda next time.

Everyone: *screaming, cheering, beating each other with salted cod*

When you have ADHD, you're never truly alone in the kitchen.

#food#sam cooks#passata is pureed and strained tomato#on top of caramelized tomato paste and mushroom broth#it really adds depth to the pasta sauce
Avatar

I have friends who live in my building, which is situated such that often the unit windows look out on other units; their recent solution to the issue of "sometimes I have to walk past a window half-dressed when I forgot to close the blinds" was to install some privacy film, which is a semi-clear vinyl film that you adhere to the window using soapy water. I thought it was a genius idea, and they very kindly let me use their installation kit after I bought some of my own. I think the result looks pretty awesome!

Dearborn is...less certain.

#sam owns a home#dearborn and polk
Avatar
reblogged
thelaughingmuse
Avatar
radiofreemonday

Radio Free Monday (March 24, 2025)

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday for March 24, 2025! RFM posts links to peoples' personal fundraisers asking for community assistance, on both Tumblr and Dreamwidth.

Ways to give

Tractorgoth is raising funds to move to Texas. First they lost all their belongings in a hurricane, and now they're losing their temporary place to stay. Read more, reblog, and find the donation link here or go straight to their GoFundMe..

Sophygurl's chosen family is 3 humans and 2 cats, and they're dealing with multiple health issues and big bills. Donate to help them all stay safely together. Read more, share, and find the donation link here.

Forlorn-kumquat is asking for help with a friend's deductible for an inpatient rehab program. Read more, share, and find the donation link here.

Recurring needs

Transgendz is is struggling to keep itself and it's roommates afloat. One of it's roommates will start chemo to fight cancer. Meanwhile, transgendz needs help with food and rent. Read more, reblog, and find the donation link here.

Remy, who is multiply disabled, is currently experiencing homelessness after domestic violence. They're currently in a motel, which has taken up all their SSI; and their application for housing assistance was denied. They need funds to stay in the safe housing of the hotel while they await a court date. Read more, share, and find the donation link here.

Chingaderita is raising funds to cover a major roof repair. Their roof fell in, and while no one was hurt, the hole in the roof is making the mold worse. Both she and her partner have chronic pain, and while they're searching for jobs, they're currently unemployed. You can read more and support the fundraiser.

=====

And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. Post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form.

#radio free monday#charity#mutual aid#philanthropy#fannish community
Avatar
Anonymous asked:

If you don't mind the question: how old were you when you first realized you didn't want to have children (of your own), or did you always kind of know?

Difficult to say, to be honest, I just kind of never really had an interest in kids and the idea of being full-time responsible for a whole entire other person didn't appeal much. Now that I am encountering kids on a regular basis that's actually been reinforced because I love all three kids, I love babysitting them and seeing them grow, I want to be part of their lives, but I absolutely do not want to full-time raise them. To be clear, if asked, I would, because I do love them. And I'd do as good a job as I'm capable at it. But I wouldn't, you know, volunteer.

I read something on tumblr ages ago that I thought put it really well -- it was basically "For me, parenthood can't just be "not no"; it has to be a hard yes." I think it's important that if you want to be a parent you have to WANT TO be a parent, actively, because parenthood is a lot bigger and scarier than I think can be properly comprehended from the outside. And if you become a parent when you didn't want to, both you and the child are going to suffer for it. (This isn't touching on people who became parents and only then realized they didn't want children, that's a much more complex issue.)

Anyway, that's probably not a very satisfying answer, but yeah -- I think over the years it has become "It has to be a hard yes, and it's not for me."

Avatar

I was trying a new chocolate spritz cookies recipe which was a bit softer than my usual, and the "dromedary" shape came out of the cookie press okay, but the "scary Halloween cat" shape morphed into cats that maybe need to stop free feeding.

#food#cookies#sam cooks
Avatar
reblogged
levynite
Avatar
thestuffedalligator

Person with migraine aura today: Ow ow ow my head hurts and all I can see is TV static :(

Nineteenth century doctors describing migraine aura with the manic horror of a lovecraftian horror protagonist:

At first it looked just like the spot which you see after having looked at the sun or some bright object; I thought it might be an eyelash in the way, or something of that sort, but I was soon undeceived when it began to increase…

When it was in its height it seemed like a fortified town with bastions all round it, these bastions being coloured most gorgeously... All the interior of the fortification, so to speak, was boiling and rolling about in a most wonderful manner as if it was some thick liquid all alive. (Hubert Airy, 1856)

Avatar
faerytale-wings

This is infuriating because every doctor who has ever described migraine auras to me has done such an abysmal job I genuinely thought something else was going on. it took me years to get properly diagnosed.

If someone had shown me THIS!!!!!

literally just the one on the left! exactly that!!!

Avatar
copperbadge

Because it took me forever to find this out, FWIW these are known as "scintillating scotomas". I get them occasionally though mine arrive and depart without heralding headaches (they seem to be linked, for me, with blood pressure somehow)

If you start to see the scotoma in the center of your vision, sometimes you can head it off by taking aspirin, which will shorten the duration of the scotoma (and apparently may shorten the duration of a migraine as well but I can't speak to that).

To me, they look like carnations, only in neon and slowly whirling.

You are using an unsupported browser and things might not work as intended. Please make sure you're using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.