@copperbadge / copperbadge.tumblr.com
Polkadot used the tortilla blanket to make herself a kitty burrito.
[ID: Two images of Polk the Tabby; in the first she is crouched on the cushion of an orange sofa, burrowing her way under a bunched-up blanket printed to look like a tortilla. In the second, the tortilla blanket is still bunched up but Polk is now fully underneath it, only her tail sticking out.]
Got a package in the mail recently from @memprime who turned my Shivadh Pride flags into buttons and magnets! They look pretty awesome and seem quite durable.
I've got to figure out a way to hand some of them out to folks, though I imagine if I went to Pride with a big sack of them they'd go pretty quickly. :D Even if you're not a fan of the books, that's still the Chicago star looking pretty fantastic.
[ID: A photograph of my kitchen table, on which sit several loose buttons and a few bags of buttons and magnets as well, all with the "Shivadh Pride" logo -- a spiky six-pointed star, either in orange or Pride flag colors, on either a blue or rainbow background.]
I’m enjoying how when everyone fled to Tumblr from Twitter, we were very concerned and posted a lot of handy guides to Tumblr Community Practices and warnings about what to do if a Twitter immigrant doesn’t understand the rules.
And now we’ve got refugees from Reddit on the way and we’re all sitting on the hillside watching their trucks kick up dust as they roll down the road in the distance, looking at each other, saying “Yeah...I been to Reddit. Hell, I got a sister married a Redditor. No need to worry, they’re about on Tumblr’s level. They know the score.”
Heyy, Redbubble approved my store! You all should be able to access it here:
That link will take you to a page that displays the sticker for each flag; if you want to see all the other products for sale, you can click here.
I put the design on anything I felt wouldn't look odd, and the blue flags have a few more products because I could put them on a blue background. I have no idea if that will blend properly, the blue flag on what should be an identical shade background, so take that into account when purchasing. I just did the designs I happened to have so if there's a flag you'd like to see that's not there, let me know and I can probably whip one up.
In the meantime, happy stickering!
New flag in the store! By request, Pan colors star with Demi flag. While I like the design of the original Shivadh Demi flag, I also really love the way the triangle interacts with the star in this one!
Would Eddie and Gregory's wedding ceremony have any sort of mini-coronation for Eddie to officially make him King Consort, or would that just be a thing that happens automatically or a document for Gregory to sign, with no ceremony at all? I assume since he's not the king he wouldn't get his own ceremony, but I wonder if he might get a moment for Gregory to give him some sort of crown-like headpiece at their wedding. (I'm anon, so obviously —and in the spirit of this whole book series— this is a free idea if you don't have it in there currently but like it.)
Oh yeah, there is A Plan!
So, Eddie and Gregory have three weddings -- first the hippie non-legal California wedding for Eddie's family, then the small, private ceremony where they sign the ketubah (the Jewish marriage contract) for Gregory's family, then the big public "parade wedding" to satisfy the Shivadh love of pageantry and allow Gregory to leverage a public event for some political ends. The Parade Wedding is much later than the other two and the only one I haven't written yet (it's in October and I'm stuck back in August right now), but the idea is that after the vows there's a small coronation ceremony where Eddie receives his crown as King Theophile.
I'm still working out details, such as who's going to crown him, but it's definitely in my notes when I get that far along in the book. Right now I'm favoring either Gregory (poetic, romantic, but difficult as he's a groom) or their newly adopted daughter Joan (making her feel like a part of things as the very new child in the situation, but also she's a child and Gregory's trying to limit her exposure until she's a little older). I can't deny Jerry would be the funniest option, and as vizier it technically could be his actual facts job. If Jerry does it he's definitely breaking out his fake Evil Goatee from the Eurovision national final again.
I am working on the book, albeit slowly. It's just...big and complicated, and life since late April has also been big and complicated. But the parade wedding is the next big emotional beat, so I'll get there sooner or later!
Me at the beach party, hanging out with friends in the water...
Me: yeah, I forget how into social media people are. I've had like two, three people I just met ask me if I'm on Instagram. I just say I don't have social media. It's mostly true.
Literally Everyone: that's a pick up line.
Me: I...what?
Everyone: Asking if you have an Instagram is like a super casual gentle way of showing interest.
Me: I...guess I need to make a note to get an Instagram.
I am on a journey of self-discovery that apparently includes discovering what an intensely oblivious dumbass I am.
To be clear for all my fellow surprised people in the notes, this was a community Pride event so it might be a Chicago thing and/or a queer thing, and either way I think the question is probably somewhat situational. But I was shocked half because I don't get picked up very often and half because usually I goddamn notice when it's happening.
I did give one person my number but I'm not sure if they were interested in me or just in the fact that we were having a nice chat about backpacking and they want to start a backpacking group. I suppose I'll either get a date or a date to go backpacking, so win win really.
FWIW, the one person I did give my number just texted me and it's backpacking! Romance is fleeting but the beauty of nature is eternal. But also the backpacking group is on Instagram so I now have to get one anyway.
Took a nap yesterday afternoon and woke up to Dearborn contemplating the universe and taking her job as guard cat very seriously.
[ID: A photograph of Dearborn the tortie taken straight-on, as if the person taking the photo is lying down and she is sitting on him (which is true). She is sitting upright in the Second Favorite Quilt, gazing into the middle distance, ears slightly askew. She looks thoughtful and possibly a little annoyed.]
The Evening World, New York, March 16, 1908
[ID: A clip from a newspaper from 1908 reading “Sea Serpent Chases Vessel In Kindly Style” followed by “This monster is real amiable sort of freak, just keeping pace” and “Has very wide smile.”]
Had to do it.
[ID: The image from above, cropped and edited, so that it now reads “This user is real amiable sort of freak” instead of “This monster”.]
But do the royals ever connect the dots on Bucks song Drum solo shower
I love Buck but he is the most 26 year old ever to be 26. He is almost as clever as he believes himself to be and not nearly as subtle. (No offense to any 26 year olds reading this, I'm not classing you in with Buck, I'm just saying that the average mid-twenties man is not as clever or as subtle as he thinks.)
The very first time Michaelis heard the song he went poker-faced because he immediately knew it was inspired by if not directly about him and the issues he'd had with the sound bleeding from the rehearsal room into his shower. With "Young Prince" it was different because Caleb actually was pretty subtle and he didn't know Caleb personally at the time, but he knows Buck by the time he hears Shower Drum Solo.
So he knew that the fact that it was ostensibly about sound bleed but also about jerking off in the shower was either just Buck being young and impulsive and sex-obsessed or Buck having a thing for him. If the former, he'd grow out of it, and if the latter, well, that's quite flattering but also something he will grow out of, and given they're both in relationships already, unlikely to become an issue.
The real question is what Michaelis does with this information, in terms of trolling Buck ruthlessly while pretending he doesn't know. There are few things in life that give Michaelis as much joy as tweaking the younger generation by pretending to be frustratingly ignorant about things that don't matter. :D
While I was on jury duty my mother sent me a package of treats from Zingerman's, a Michigan-based deli and bakehouse that we like because they have reasonably priced and interesting gift baskets. One of the things in the basket was a loaf of banana bread, which I'm not very enthusiastic about (I'm not a big fan of sweet non-yeasted breads) but it was a nice thought.
My favorite part is that the banana bread comes wrapped in special banana-print paper and sealed with a banana-label style sticker.
[ID: A photograph of the sticker in question, an oval blue sticker with a yellow circle on it; inside the circle is a banana in ruffled sleeves, beaming and throwing one arm up in the air enthusiastically, above the word "ZING" for Zingerman's. It looks like a label you'd peel off a banana.]
Good morning everyone, and welcome to Radio Free Monday! Ways to Give: mikhyel and its partner are moving out of a bad situation and into a much better place, but the move is proving more expensive than anticipated; they're raising funds for pet vaccination, new IDs including name changes, and car registration. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. Anon linked to a fundraiser for obaewankenope, who is raising funds to cover food and other bills; you can read more, reblog, and find giving information here. thelongestway linked to several fundraising linkslists for Ukrainian aid after Russian invasion forces destroyed a dam that is wreaking havoc on a number of population centers and will eventually likely lead to loss of water supply for the region; you can read more and find giving information at instagram here or read more, reblog, and find giving information here or or here (both at Tumblr). happinessisntfun is raising funds to help cover their cat Angus's stomatitis surgery; he's having a full mouth extraction surgery in early July and they're working to raise at least a few hundred dollars to help cover the $5.5K surgery. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. Recurring Needs: gwydion linked to a fundraiser for Veronica and Kurtis, friends who have secured housing but are low on cash they've been using to survive to this point; they still need to raise $3000 before move-in to help cover deposit and living expenses in the meantime. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. rilee16 is raising funds to cover bills and rent that their roommate is unable to cover after giving them no notice he would not have the funds; they are still short after having made a payment to the electric utility to keep the power on. You can read more, reblog, and find giving information here. gwydion's friend Karrin is running a fundraiser for a cat rescue; it's a no-kill shelter and most cats are fostered until adopted. Karrin would like to host a "game day" fundraiser, but needs funds to purchase the board/card/etc games for people to play. You can read more and support the fundraiser here. And this has been Radio Free Monday! Thank you for your time. You can post items for my attention at the Radio Free Monday submissions form. If you're new to fundraising, you may want to check out my guide to fundraising here.
Saw a little jar of PINEAPPLE mustard at Dollar Tree today. Thought of you.
I'm torn because on the one hand my initial reaction is still "P....pineapple mustard?" in a horrified voice, but also I know that fruit mustards have been a thing for centuries, so like...in theory it's probably not bad? At least if the people know what they're doing. Pineapple is citrusy and sweet, which are flavors that go well with mustard, just...seems a bit acidic.
I have a little jar of Key Lime Mustard that I got a while back, and I'm too scared to open it. :D
Are you a “I don’t check my notifications. I have 2538 unread emails” mentally ill and/or neurodivergent person or a “ I have to check all my notifications because that little red bubble in the right corner of every app fucks with my vibe” mentally ill and/or neurodivergent person?
Por que no los dos?
I have almost all notifications turned off completely (work email and a handful of text messages are the only exceptions) but I also cannot have anything unread so the second I open an app I read every new thing immediately. This combines the oblivious inefficiency of not knowing what’s going on ever with the obsessive inefficiency of having to read it all the second it hits my eyes.
Me at the beach party, hanging out with friends in the water...
Me: yeah, I forget how into social media people are. I've had like two, three people I just met ask me if I'm on Instagram. I just say I don't have social media. It's mostly true.
Literally Everyone: that's a pick up line.
Me: I...what?
Everyone: Asking if you have an Instagram is like a super casual gentle way of showing interest.
Me: I...guess I need to make a note to get an Instagram.
I am on a journey of self-discovery that apparently includes discovering what an intensely oblivious dumbass I am.
To be clear for all my fellow surprised people in the notes, this was a community Pride event so it might be a Chicago thing and/or a queer thing, and either way I think the question is probably somewhat situational. But I was shocked half because I don't get picked up very often and half because usually I goddamn notice when it's happening.
I did give one person my number but I'm not sure if they were interested in me or just in the fact that we were having a nice chat about backpacking and they want to start a backpacking group. I suppose I'll either get a date or a date to go backpacking, so win win really.
"Is there some way I can check you out without it being weird" is what I assume the subtext for the insta ask is. (Speaking as someone who is professionally oblivious here.)
Yeah, it makes complete sense actually when you consider it -- it's a low key way to communicate that's less invasive than Facebook and less politically charged than Twitter, and less invasive than getting a phone number. Once I parsed through people wanting to get into that situation with me, it seemed pretty logical. It was just the freeze of "oh shit a very important missed social cue" combined with the blue screen of "but...they asked me, that doesn't happen."
Like, I'm not someone who used to get a lot of phone numbers in bars. Granted I wasn't generally trying to, but also I've been told I'm a little intimidating. Sort of nice end to the week really, a little boost to the ego.
Me at the beach party, hanging out with friends in the water...
Me: yeah, I forget how into social media people are. I've had like two, three people I just met ask me if I'm on Instagram. I just say I don't have social media. It's mostly true.
Literally Everyone: that's a pick up line.
Me: I...what?
Everyone: Asking if you have an Instagram is like a super casual gentle way of showing interest.
Me: I...guess I need to make a note to get an Instagram.
I am on a journey of self-discovery that apparently includes discovering what an intensely oblivious dumbass I am.
To be clear for all my fellow surprised people in the notes, this was a community Pride event so it might be a Chicago thing and/or a queer thing, and either way I think the question is probably somewhat situational. But I was shocked half because I don't get picked up very often and half because usually I goddamn notice when it's happening.
I did give one person my number but I'm not sure if they were interested in me or just in the fact that we were having a nice chat about backpacking and they want to start a backpacking group. I suppose I'll either get a date or a date to go backpacking, so win win really.
Me at the beach party, hanging out with friends in the water...
Me: yeah, I forget how into social media people are. I've had like two, three people I just met ask me if I'm on Instagram. I just say I don't have social media. It's mostly true.
Literally Everyone: that's a pick up line.
Me: I...what?
Everyone: Asking if you have an Instagram is like a super casual gentle way of showing interest.
Me: I...guess I need to make a note to get an Instagram.
I am on a journey of self-discovery that apparently includes discovering what an intensely oblivious dumbass I am.
Long time reader here, bad at tumblr. I noticed a while back that your Shidvadhverse could easily be a modern AU of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Barrayar series, and with this latest revelation that King/Emperor Gregor(y)‘s parental figures had a longstanding booty call I can no longer keep silent. Have you read Barrayar? If not, you would probably enjoy it … but I’m not sure I should recommend for fear of over-influencing your future stories! (Jerry=Ivan, Eddie=Miles(?), Simon=Simon, etc…)
Yeah, a couple of other people have mentioned that! That Jerry resembles Ivan and there's a Gregory who's the ruler. Being fair to Jerry and Ivan, they both belong to a stock character type with a very long history in literature. :D
As far as I'm aware, it's pretty much coincidence. I tried reading Bujold many years ago, but I didn't get very far and my memory of the one book I started is minimal (I'm not sure which one it was). Aside from the fact that it had Miles Vorkosigan as the protagonist, mostly I remember being profoundly frustrated with the book in general, and I know I didn't finish it.
I doubt it's the book's fault; my relationship to the classics of SFF is turbulent. I had similar frustration with The Left Hand Of Darkness, which I did finish but begrudgingly, and more recently the first Murderbot book, which I didn't finish but did get most of the way through. It's strange because when I bond with a genre novel I really bond with it, but they seem to be few and far between and I'm not entirely sure why.
In any case I don't think we need to worry -- given I'm behind on reading books I know I'll enjoy, I don't think I'm going to be returning to Bujold anytime soon. :D
I’ve messed around with AI a little, because I like to understand a thing when I’m formulating opinions on it and I’ve found the best way to do that is to climb into the thing and start pushing buttons. I’ve been unimpressed with ChatGPT; its fiction chops are oddly saccharine, and of course you can’t trust the nonfiction it spits out because everything it says needs to be fact checked. It claims it can’t “lie”, only misinterpret data from the sets it was trained on; devs call the misinterpreted data “hallucination”.
Part of what I was testing was whether it could competently do my job, so that if my boss starts asking about it, I can give him a decent report. I asked it for biographies of a few wealthy people I’ve researched in the past, and it spat out some respectably generic information that was mostly correct. However, most of the people I research now are not like “so rich I’m famous for it” levels of wealthy, and harder generally for me to find information on, as I assumed it would be for ChatGPT.
So I thought I’d see what it could do with someone more middle class, and asked it for a biography of Sam Starbuck.
What it returned was like what you would get if you told me “Write a flattering biography of yourself and don’t worry that I’ll be fact-checking anything you say.” It was mostly true, but it hyped up my achievements as an author in ways that I would consider not entirely honest, and said I was also a professional editor and that I had led prestigious writing workshops in the past. That’s plain untrue, but I can see where it would be making that assumption, because my author bio sounds like a lot of other, more famous peoples’ author bios, and I would guess it just pulled in some of their verbiage for color.
But the wildest part of the bio was that it named three of the novels I’ve written. Or rather, it named two novels I’ve written and one novel that I definitely have not. It said I was the author of a novel called “Like Clockwork”. Just in case I had written a fanfic titled “Like Clockwork” and forgotten about it, I checked AO3 and also asked ChatGPT for a plot summary of Sam Starbuck’s “Like Clockwork”. And sure enough it hallucinated a multi-paragraph summary of an entire novel I’ve never written, on AO3 or anywhere else. (It was not a good summary. Very Generic YA SF Thriller.)
ChatGPT is very good at one thing: apologizing. When I pressed it about where it found the data it couldn’t say, when I asked why it had made up the plot summary it couldn’t tell me, when I asked if it could show me source links or data it drew on to create “Like Clockwork” it of course would not. But it always said it was sorry…
Anyway, my best theory from googling is that every year there are roughly nine million news stories about how Starbucks Coffee’s holiday cups are back “like clockwork”.
I suppose I should be glad the novel’s title isn’t Unicorn Frappucino.
The Clockwork Espresso is clearly the title of the novel in which Jerry investigates a murder.
AHAHAHA. The Clockwork Espresso, by A Lady, starring Count Girolamo, an Italian nobleman and amateur detective.
Mr. Badge, did you go to jury duty with anime hair?
Actually I kinda had Guy Fieri hair -- my hair has darkened as I've aged, so I bleach now before dye, and it's been a while since I dyed or cut it. Right now I've got dark roots with bleached tips where the dye has all washed out, so I look a bit like a surf bro.
I also predominantly wear floral-patterned camp shirts (basically Hawaiian/Aloha shirts) either on their own or over t-shirts, so I definitely stand out. I mentioned to some friends that I felt weird in the jury box because all of the attorneys and most of the witnesses spent a lot of time talking seemingly directly to me, and I suspected the attorneys had told the witnesses to speak to me because I'm easy to spot. My friends replied "So you are the anime protagonist of the trial?" and I couldn't really disagree.
My parents don't like it when I come home with non-natural hair, so I try not to dye it right before going home; I'm seeing them this coming week, but after I get back from Texas there's a bottle of pink dye waiting for me. :D
Heyy, Redbubble approved my store! You all should be able to access it here:
That link will take you to a page that displays the sticker for each flag; if you want to see all the other products for sale, you can click here.
I put the design on anything I felt wouldn't look odd, and the blue flags have a few more products because I could put them on a blue background. I have no idea if that will blend properly, the blue flag on what should be an identical shade background, so take that into account when purchasing. I just did the designs I happened to have so if there's a flag you'd like to see that's not there, let me know and I can probably whip one up.
In the meantime, happy stickering!
