Why is it always a Wednsday when I remember to blog? Like, I briefly wasn't even sure what day it was, but I was thinking "Gosh, I have some stuff I want to talk about" and lo and behold it is Wednesday.

Weird.

Anyway, I didn't do much reading since the last time you and I talked. System Collapse by Martha Wells came up on audio book and I nabbed it. Everyone has already read this book, but I will say that I spent the whole time that I was listening to it comparing the way it played out in my head to how it felt watching it. And I have feelings and observations about that, but, as I have said previously, I am going to save those thoughts for spaces, like conventions, where I can ask the room if they are okay with spoilers. I don't want to have to get a good spoiler font for DW or put everything under a cut, though, perhaps, eventually, I will. 

I also read a few random (and I do mean random, as in anything that my library had volume one of) manga. As always, if you would like to read any of my thoughts on those, you can find them over on my manga blog: https://mangakast.wordpress.com/

My latest anime obsession is something I'm coming to (as usual) somewhat late to the game. I've been watching Apothecary's Diaries. Apothecary's Dairies is just my speed. Crimes get solved, life continues in the Forbidden City. I mean, it's sometimes more harrowing than that, but there is a certain satisfaction in this--as in many murder mystery shows--of SOLVING the crime. These days just accomplishing something vaguely positive seems like a huge win, you know?

Which is probably why I've started doing crossword puzzles again. When times are difficult or I'm processing a lot of grief and sadness, I do crossword puzzles. My wife had a subscription for years to Penny Games or whoever it is that does all the crossword puzzle booklets and so we have a huge pile of them around the house. 

Before  you get too concerned, my grief and sadness is existential for the most part. Politics is devestating on the daily. That's MUCH of it But, as I have posted here my brother in law also is dealing with kidney cancer. What you may not know is that one of Shawn's work colleagues recently lost her battle with liver cancer, and TWO of my friends--one so close that we consider her part of our extended family--are dealing with other types of cancers. (Universe? You can stop with the cancer storyline. Also four people is four too many, thank you very much. If we're doing some kind of season finale, let's have a very special episode about why kindness matters instead, okay? You can be as heavy-handed as you like on that one, Universe!)

We are also dealing with a kitty who has been peeing outside of the box. The only good news in that department is that, having been to the vet to rule out a UTI, we discovered that she has some tiny crystals in her urine and this might actually be what is bothering her. Since this is our bitey cat, Rhurbarb, we assumed she was stressed. She and Willow still don't exactly get along and I know that there is some mutual bullying going on. Anyway, it's not EXACTLY good news to have discovered that she has crystals in her urine, but since shifting the cat food to a specially formulated kidney food and putting out several other spots of water, she does (at least according to our new web cam) seem to be using the box appropriately. 

Unfortunately, it's a box we'd rather not have on our first floor as it is in a bathroom that is immediately outside of the dining room. Mason, reasonably, finds it especially gross because it's within feet of his usual chair. So, we are strategizing about other places that might work that wouldn't require a trip to the basement. When we thought this was psychological ONLY, we figured that Rhubarb might be nervous about getting trapped in the coal room, which is where we currently have all of our boxes. We have since positioned one in a more open space and, while watching that spot with the web cam, we did see just how hesitantly she tried that box out. She'd clearly rather not go to the basement to pee. Since the first floor only has the one bathroom, we're still cogitating. We are considering placing a small box on the landing of the stairs to the basement, but that's generally a tricky spot as it's where our sidedoor is and the stairs are already narrow--and are used for hauling laundry up and down. But, we aren't giving up. We're willing to try an fail until we find a solution. 

And it's super encouraging that Rhubarb is already showing more willingness to go in ANY box, even if it's currently in a place we'd really rather not have one.

I also continue to learn about convention running through my work on the Gaylaxicon programming committee. It feels good to volunteer about something I care about, though I am, of course, worried that people won't go and that we'll have done all this for nothing, our GoHs will cry, etc., etc. I asked Bluesky why they go to conventions, if they still do. What's the draw? An award? A particular guest? Nearness? A particular activity (like gaming or crafting or cosplay)? How do you find out about conventions?

If you want to answer that question for me, too, I'd love to hear your answer.

Also, did you read anything good lately?