Chocolate

Dec. 7th, 2025 02:28 pm
filkferengi: (Default)
[personal profile] filkferengi
I like chocolate. From this first principle, interesting adventures derive [themselves]. I used to favor Hershey's Kisses, but the logistics of fiddling with tiny wrappers during an arthritis flare were an obstacle. Then I hit upon the bag of milk chocolate chips as my delivery vector of choice; direct chocolate hit, chocolatier taste, no fiddly wrappers - what's not to like?

When they're not to be found, that's what. Over a couple of weeks, due to scarcity, my sweet spouse went to more than one store, for me. Then, last week, there were none to be found anywhere. He brought me a bag of Kroger's store brand and a bag of Ghirardelli. While not as chocolatey and with more beat-up looking chips, the Kroger was still an acceptable alternative. Ironically enough, the Ghirardelli bag combined being significantly more expensive with larger chips. My spouse called the chocolate taste "understated." I called it "nonexistent." Nothing like paying more for less flavor.

This week, relief was in sight, as he returned home victorious with the desired chocolate. Those first chips after a week of deprivation were intensely pleasurable. [I may have to do extra walks this week, weather permitting.]

As I went towards the fridge this afternoon, in anticipation of more chocolate chip goodness, I heard music in my head. I'm a filker; this isn't exactly a surprise. Bill & Gretchen Roper have an excellent song on the subject, "My Husband The Filker." As I let the tune play out to see which one it was, "Sha bop, sha bop" flowed into "I Only Have Eyes For You", a decidedly apt tune for chocolate on an overcast winter afternoon.

R.I.P. Leslie Fish

Dec. 2nd, 2025 01:31 pm
filkferengi: (Default)
[personal profile] filkferengi
A member of the Bujold list requested a more detailed obituary.  This'll do to start.

Leslie Fish was a deeply complex person, with so many talents and interests, Diderot and the Encyclopédistes could have followed her around for a lifetime and still not kept up. Nimble fingers and nimbler mind, a sheer, stubborn persistence in living her life on her own terms [smokes, booze, & all], let's just say, Leslie and Piotr would've understood each other all too well. Opinionated and cantankerous, yet none more encouraging and supportive in a song circle or more generous in mentorship. Whether the topic was breeding cats [with thumbs!] or politics, restoring heritage fruit trees or the latest in technology, space or fantasy, just keeping up was sheer fun. Leslie was always a challenge and a delight; knowing her was a privelege and an honor.

I urge you to seek out her music, on youtube, bandcamp.com, and elsewhere, and let her speak for herself.

P. S. Links:  https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=leslie+fish and https://lesliefish.bandcamp.com/
denise: Image: Me, facing away from camera, on top of the Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome (Default)
[staff profile] denise posting in [site community profile] dw_news
Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means [staff profile] karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.

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