Toby Atkin-Wright

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Auroral Corona

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Posted by rkmilholland

https://somethingpositive.net/2026/01/01/january-1-2026/

https://somethingpositive.net/?p=1286

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https://somethingpositive.net/2026/01/01/january-1-2026/

https://somethingpositive.net/?p=1286

Today I got to visit a dear friend I hadn't really spoken to in six months. A lot has happened, to both of us. It was great to catch up, but also exhausting, to try to take all that in and explain what's been kind of a slog of a time at work particularly.

I left just in time to walk Teddy...or so I thought. D kindly came to pick me up because I'd lost track of time a bit and it was getting a little late. But when we got to his house, it was quiet and there was no answer. Turns out it was a misunderstanding and they were there, but maybe it wasn't so bad that I didn't have to spend half an hour being dragged around by a labradoodle.

I made dinner, just pasta and sauce but I was glad to use up some of the vegetables that need using. Weird to do it myself, without D, but I'm glad I could give him a break on a rough day.

Then, because a transgym person is coming around tomorrow to pick up the weight bench I inherited from another Misfit and don't use any more -- it was incredibly useful while I was still actively recovering from my broken ankle, but now I can walk to the gym and that gives me a lot more and better options. I'm so excited to have some space back in the room where I work (even if it's also taken up with protest paraphernalia for now, the trestle table, tea urn and related supplies we take with us).

The minute, the very minute, I flipped down on the couch after I finished wrestling with wrenches, contemplating a beer, I got an email from my mom saying they were ready to talk. I hadn't been expecting to hear from them today and still don't know if I forgot her saying they'd call on New Year's Day or if she forgot to tell me, but it worked out. I had a surprisingly pleasant and coherent conversation with them.

And then I had a beer.

And now it's bed time.

The Long Back Yard

So. Thursday. Grey and on-and-off snow showers. Yes, that means I now have a icy driveway with a coating of snow.

I went to bed more or less at my regular time, and got up more or less at my regular time. Tali came to keep me company while I sat with the Happy Lite, and after breakfast, all three of the cats hustled me back to Steve's office, with three very high tails: Oh, Good! Mom's gonna work!

Breakfast was -- all together now! -- oatmeal with peanut butter and chocolate chips (Note to self: get more peanut/almond butter). Lunch was chicken in butter masala over rice with grapes on the side (Note to self: get more chicken breasts). Before anybody gets too excited the sauce came out of a jar, but I quick defrosted the chicken and browned it, so, yay! Cooking.

I had to name a ship and a Scout Archivist team, so I only wrote about 700 new words, though part of that was:

"Is that humor?"

Jen Sin thought for a moment. "Do you know? I'm not certain."

Next up is putting away dishes, washing pots 'n pans and writing some notes for the next section of Agent of Change. I'll post a link when it's up.

How's everybody doing today?

‘At the end of his description of the first contact, in a locked file, Father Yarbrough ... wrote of you, “I believe that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Today I may have looked upon the face of a saint.”’
‘Stop it. Leave me something.’ [p. 298]

Audiobook reread on a lazy Boxing Day -- perhaps inspired by the excellent Jesuit priest in Snake-Eater. I first read this novel in 1997, when it was a submission for the Arthur C Clarke Award (which it won): some thoughts from an informal review back then. I hadn't reread since 2007, and was surprised at how much I remembered -- mostly about the humans, rather than the Runa and the Jana'ata.

The audiobook is splendidly narrated by David Colacci, who manages a huge range of character voices. Listening to the novel gave me a better appreciation of its structure: the pacing, the braided timelines, the suspense. ( Read more... )

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251231.html

What created the Waterfall Nebula?

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251231.html

2026 accounting set up. Got sidetracked on the swapping out of files by the recollection that Dead River was supposed to have delivered oil yesterday and?

That didn't happen.

Called, and the dispatcher is temporarily unavailable, and someone will call me back. Staved off a panic attack by stripping the bed and putting the sheets in to wash. Tali came to sit on my lap, and assured me that she'd go get oil for me, just as soon as she got in all her scheduled naps. Won't do to get behind schedule.

So, I'm guessing I should finish with the files, then heat up my leftovers, and hope somebody calls me back, or yanno, just sends an oil truck.
#
The oil truck has arrived, and the young lady in charge has knocked on the door to make sure that "This is the house, right?"

And another praise well-earned, the young lady did not bring her truck down into my still slidey drive, but parked across the top. While she was minding the hose, the mailman came by, so I put on my ice grippers and my jacket. By the time I was ready to brave the tundra, she was coming back with my receipt and my mail -- "Oh, no!" she said. "I didn't want you to have to do all this. You stay safe, and stay warm!"

The home office at Dead River couldn't exactly tell me why my oil has not been delivered on schedule, but they sent their A Level to fix it.

For whomever was wondering about the price of oil -- Mary Carol?

268.1 gallons #2 heating oil @ $3.299/gallon. $884.48.
#
Files changed out. 2026 accounting set up and awaiting entries . Desk put into neatness, and the dining room table, too. Remade the bed. Dishwasher doing its thing.

I am a tired woman, and I have a glass of wine in hand.

I either will or will not stay up to usher the old year out. I'm hoping that the Accounting Department sends us something akin to Mad Delm Theonna for 2026, because the Gods They know, we're gonna need that kind of energy on our side.

Tomorrow, as has been my habit for many New Year Days, I intend to begin as I mean to go on. Which means I will be writing.

Possibly I will watch a movie, tomorrow. I had thought I would do that this evening, but, yeah, I'm too tired to be patient with a movie.

Everybody stay safe; if you're partying, be careful. Oh, hell, be careful even if you aren't partying.

I'll see you tomorrow.

"It's past my bedtime," angelofthenorth said, "why isn't it midnight yet???"

V said they'd have to go to bed soon too (it's about the usual time for them to do that).

I told them about how when I was a kid and whined to stay up on New Year's Eve, I'd see Dick Clark and the countdown and fireworks and everything, and then my parents would send me off to bed...at 11pm in our time zone.

So we're doing the same thing now; close enough, it's now new year for my online pals in Germany and Switzerland and the Netherlands and Sweden and Norway, happy 2026!

angelofthenorth got out the Bucks Fizz, I delivered a glass upstairs to D who was about to get in the shower.

I've been in my pajamas since I made dinner (soup! accidentally keeping up with tradition for new year's eve), and I am looking forward to seeing an old friend for the first time in months tomorrow and catching up on what's going on in their life.

Posted by John Kovalic

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