Wounded, Old, and Lecherous

Cat in ORD, being quietly heroic about how her wife keeps fucking greying out at her.
Sorry. Y'all can't have her, I grabbed her first. I'll share, but I'm keeping her.

Have had three app'ts and a Nexray. Ppl keep telling me to take deep breaths. Hilarious.

Wiscon was great, and I feel like the panels I did went well and were worthwhile, although 5 panels over 2 days left me feeling like I didn't get to really get immersed; I didn't go to anything I wasn't on, there were several people I hugged but didn't get to talk to, and I was so incredibly tired the whole weekend and my throat hurt like hell and I kept waking up coughing, which I attributed to my lingering cold. Somehow I managed to magically overlook that I was sufficiently over said cold to have spent the weekend before hiking, including walking to the top of Dome Rock.

So then I said goodbye to everyone, packed my stuff, went to Benet's, and crashed.

... And woke up coughing and retching four times in the night, despite glugging down some antihistamine and cough syrup when it started.

I'm allergic to mold. Viciously. And Madison, being on two lakes plus whatever else goes into these things, has a thundering black mold problem.

The last couple of times I've been to Madison have been okay, one being WisCon 36 which was warm and dry and the other being October, but after Wiscon 35 I had the horrible awful allergies of doom and eventually changed my ticket and left early after coughing so hard I badly strained a rib. Which is incredibly painful, btw, and having done it once I'd do almost anything not to do it twice.

So I kind of freaked out.

So then I texted Cat and she came and got me and we went to breakfast and then to Nelle and Izzy's so I could nap on the sofa surrounded by air purifiers, and I got worse, and started having actual trouble breathing, and so Cat called Aeroplan and changed our tickets so I could go home the next day and she could stay an extra day to escort me.

And I cried a lot, which was ill-advised, but. And we went for supper with Benet so I could at least say goodbye and the pizza place was full of spores and we finished our pizza and Cat noticed that my lips were turning kind of white and we went to urgent care, where they put me on a nebuliser and gave me a prednisone scrip and an inhaler and I went back to Nelle and Izzy's and lay miserably propped up on the sofa until Cat got us packed and we headed for the airport.

And Chicago had a ground-stop on and we were delayed a bunch leaving and the Dane county regional airport has carpets. Which have spores. So I was back to shallow panting and trying hard not to think about how this would be going if I weren't prednisoned and albuteroled to the gills, because when your lips are already a fetching shade of white around the edges is not the time for panic attacks.

Apparently it was for a VIP, the pilot said Air Force One. I must really like Obama. That extra ninety minutes sitting over a rug full of death was unutterably awful, but I forgives.

So we got into, and eventually out of, Chicago, and my Favourite Ex came and picked us up and we had pho and I came home and crashed hard, but not as hard as Cat, who is now and forever my superhero.

Seriously people, she spent 36 hours basically making sure I kept breathing. She made me let her spend the money to change both tickets. She kept Ian and Rayne and Andrew updated. She made me go to urgent care and didn't give me shit when I did that Canadian thing about how I couldn't pay out of pocket for medical care it would ruin us and never be reimbursed and just get me home I'll go to the clinic and she got my stuff from Benet's and did all the packing and bear-led me home and sympathised with me when I bitched about the prednisone and held my hand when I felt like I might die and now that I can spare the energy to notice I begin to realise how fucking awful this has been for her. Please send her ALL the love ever in comments. She is my Captain Marvel forever.

Other awesome people: Nelle, Izzy, Benet, Ian (by phone from Toronto where he's working his ass off at CUPE50), Gibbs.

So now I'm home, and I'm on all the meds, and I'm still not breathing right. Plus my chest and face are full of crap, but hey, now I feel like I have pleurisy, instead of like I'm being smothered.

It sucks, but I'll take it.

I don't know what my future holds wrt Wiscon. I was semi-ok in the hotel this time, but this keeps getting worse; I'm not acclimating, I'm getting more sensitive.
I don't know what I'm going to do about the fact that people I love very much live in Madison, either. There must be some safe period to visit in. Maybe.

I'm not thinking about it right now. I'm not thinking about much. All I'm really thinking about is breathing.
Later, I might ask for advice. Right now, I don't think I can deal with it.

Yes, I have totally utterly quit smoking again. Horrible junkie that I am, even I can recognise the line between 'this might kill you someday' and 'this might kill you some day this week' is crossed.

It was a wonderful WisCon. It was worth everything. Later, I want to do some panel writeups, but right now all I can do is lie here and breathe, and watch Cat sleep.

ETA and then things went a bit South again and we went to the walk-in. So now I'm also on Advair and have instructions not to do things. FML. I'll just sit here and pant, then, shall I?

Back, or trying to be, this time with a playlist.

In which we put paid to the notion that Marna only listens to SRS MUZIKS. Because I like pop music. I like pop music a lot. So here are my favourites from the slightly over three decades of pop music released since I began to like it.

With a hat-tip to Jarrow's awesome vid Give It Up, which everyone should go watch Right Now.

Dance Your Ass Off (Shameless Pleasures) 378MB, zipped, please comment if you grab it..

Alison Krauss & John Waite: Missing You

The Bangles: Going Down To Liverpool

The Bears: Aches and Pains

Berlin: Sex (I'm A...)

Blue Peter: Don't Walk Past

Bryan Ferry: Slave To Love

Cheap Trick: I Want You To Want Me (Live)

Cobra Starship: Good Girls Go Bad

Coldplay: Viva la Vida

Cyndi Lauper: Iko Iko

Cyndi Lauper: I Drove All Night

Depeche Mode: Shake The Disease

Devo: Working In A Coal Mine

Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians: What I Am

Eric Carmen: Hungry Eyes

Fall Out Boy: My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)

Fleetwood Mac: Second Hand News

Flesh For Lulu: I Go Crazy

A Flock Of Seagulls: I Ran

fun.: Carry On

Gene Loves Jezebel: Desire (Come And Get It) (12 Inch Remix)

Giorgio Moroder & Philip Oakey: Together In Electric Dreams (Extended Remix)

The Go-Go's: Our Lips Are Sealed

The Go-Go's: We Got The Beat

The Go-Go's: Head Over Heels

Gowan: Moonlight Desires

Hey Ocean!: Big Blue Wave

The Hit Nation: Too Much Time On My Hands

INXS: Need You Tonight

Jane Siberry: Mimi On The Beach

Jann Arden: Could I Be Your Girl

Jimmy Eat World: Electable (Give It Up)

Joe Jackson: Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Live)

LaTour: People Are Still Having Sex

Madness: Our House

Marc Cohn: Walking In Memphis

Marillion: Kayleigh (Single Version)

Martha And The Muffins: Echo Beach

Michael Penn: Someone to Dance With

Moxy Früvous: The Drinking Song

New Order: Shellshock

Nicki Minaj: Starships

The Northern Pikes: She Ain't Pretty

Oingo Boingo: No One Lives Forever

OK Go: A Good Idea At the Time

P!nk: God Is a DJ

The Payola$ (with Carol Pope): Never Said I Love You

Prince: Raspberry Beret

The Proclaimers: King Of The Road

Psychedelic Furs: Pretty In Pink

Pukka Orchestra: Rubber Girl

Pursuit Of Happiness: I'm An Adult Now

Rihanna (with Fall Out Boy): Shut Up and Drive

Rough Trade: High School Confidential

Sarah McLachlan: Building a Mystery

The Spoons: Old Emotions

Starship: We Built This City

Steve Winwood: Back In The High Life Again

Supertramp: Take The Long Way Home

Suzanne Vega & Joe Jackson: Left of Center

The Thompson Twins: Hold Me Now

Violent Femmes: Blister in the Sun

54-40: I Go Blind

ETA: It became apparent while I was playing this over supper that I had missed some Very Important Songs. Have a CanCon Supplement, 32MB

Barenaked Ladies: Pinch Me

The Be Good Tanyas: Light Enough to Travel

Bruce Cockburn: Lovers In A Dangerous Time

The Lowest Of The Low: Rosy and Grey

Tom Cochrane & Red Rider: Good Times

Crying Shame: Wild Strawberries

I have a room. I have a schedule. Subject to permission from the room owners, we're running from 1pm to 6pm.

Schedule will be posted from next rest stop; please check back this evening.

Tentative schedule below. If you have conflicts with your assigned time, please let me know asap.

1:00 - hagiologic
1:30 - alasbabylon
2:00 - elucidate_this
2:30 - riverlight
3:00 - raven
3:30 - crowgirl13
4:00 - silsbee
4:30 - zeenell
5:00 - spuffyduds
5:30 - fairestcat

If you're already all dressed up when you come to be made-up, please bring a towel to protect your clothes.

I have facewash so we can start with a fresh clean face; if you have some you love, please bring it. Otherwise it's body shop tea tree.
If you wear moisturiser, bring that too.

I have disposable applicators and nascara wands and sponges and alcohol for brush-clearing; nevertheless, if you are getting a cold or otherwise might be contagious, please tell me. You'll still get makeup, I'll just know to be extra careful about brushes.

I got some little hair-decorations, flowers and whatnot; I don't do hair but these are giveaways.

And in conclusion: SQUEE!

Which lasergirl has named "Berry Vesuvius". Or Berry Besubius. Or Bear is Dubious. It's sort of half-dumpling, half crumble. Or something. Looks like Ye AntiChrist, is very quick and easy, tastes excellent.

4 C frozen berries
1/2 C maple syrup (or 1/8 C sugar) (optional)
1 capful vanilla

Combine in a large, oven-safe pot and simmer on low until completely thawed and bubbling. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F and combine in a bowl:

2 C all-purpose flour
1 T Magic baking powder *
1 t cinnamon
1/4 C brown sugar (optional)

When the dry ingredients are mixed, add 1/2 C milk and 1/2 C water (or a full cup of water for vegan) and mix. You may need up to another 1/2 cup of liquid to get all of the dry ingredients wet. When you have a thick, lumpy dough:

(This is the only tricky bit: work fast and don't let the dough get hit by any amount of cool air or it will be really heavy)

Make sure that the oven is up to heat and the berry mix is bubbling briskly,
Pour the dough into the berries
Get it into the oven immediately
Leave it to cook uncovered for 45 minutes (which should give you time to eat supper)

Serve alone or with ice cream, or with a dollop of maple butter on the crust.
If you omit the sugar and syrup the texture will be different, but it's still good.

*Baking powders seem to vary; if you use a different one and this comes out heavy or full of airholes, experiment: a bit more, a little less... increments of 1 teaspoon seems to work best.

... About fangirls who would like to like makeup but don't quite know what to do with it.

If I brought my full makeup kit to MJ and/or WisCon, would people like me to do their faces before the dances? I've taken two courses in, and have some experience with, theatre makeup and I can do anything from super-subtle to smoky/pinup/sexpot to full on glitter machine. Subject to panel assignments at WisCon and roomies' needs at MJ, I'm willing to spend 2-3 hours each time on this, which is 8-12 faces.

I can do basic FX work as well, but this must be pre-negotiated as I will need to bring quite specific stuff and I may need to send you shopping.

I am also willing, if asked, to talk about what I am doing while I do it.

If enough people express interest that I do pack the whole kit, I will purchase a packet of disposable mascara wands and also one of disposable eye-makeup applicators, for safety, though I am also happy to guide people in buying their own mascara.

Please feel free to repost, etc.

Please note that I think compulsory makeup and compulsory feminine display are abominations. This offer is for people who would enjoy this, and this comment section is not your space to vent about how much you loathe makeup or girliness. I don't loathe it. I enjoy it. I'm a femme, and I don't feel like being beat up for it.

ETA: somehow I'd missed that sparkymonster and a few other people already do this at WisCon. Am reaching out to them to make sure I'm not stepping on their thing and see if I can join them. Will update.

ETA2: I'm an idiot. You absolutely do not have to identify as a fan*girl* to have makeup! Makeup for all as wants it!

Quoted entirely, in the midst of a very interesting and useful post on transliteration of Arabic,

T.E. Lawrence ... in a 1926 exchange with his proofreaders...

Q: I attach a list of queries raised by F. who is reading the proofs. He finds these very clean, but full of inconsistencies in the spelling of proper names, a point which reviewers often take up. Will you annotate it in the margin, so that I can get the proofs straightened?

A: Annotated: not very helpfully perhaps. Arabic names won't go into English, exactly, for their consonants are not the same as ours, and their vowels, like ours, vary from district to district. There are some 'scientific systems' of transliteration, helpful to people who know enough Arabic not to need helping, but a wash-out for the world. I spell my names anyhow, to show what rot the systems are.

Q: Slip 1. Jeddah and Jidda used impartially throughout. Intentional?

A: Rather!

Q: Slip 15. Bir Waheida, was Bir Waheidi.

A: Why not? All one place.

Q: Slip 20. Nuri, Emir of the Ruwalla, belongs to the 'chief family of the Rualla.' On Slip 23 'Rualla horse,' and Slip 38, 'killed one Rueli.' In all later slips 'Rualla.'

A: Should have also used Ruwala and Ruala.

Q: Slip 28. The Bisaita is also spelt Biseita.

A: Good.

Q: Slip 47. Jedha, the she-camel, was Jedhah on Slip 40.

A: She was a splendid beast.

Q: Slip 53. 'Meleager, the immoral poet.' I have put 'immortal' poet, but the author may mean immoral after all.

A: Immorality I know. Immortality I cannot judge. As you please: Meleager will not sue us for libel.

Q: Slip 65. Author is addressed 'Ya Auruns,' but on Slip 56 was 'Aurans.'

A: Also Lurens and Runs: not to mention 'Shaw.' More to follow, if time permits.

Q: Slip 78. Sherif Abd el Mayin of Slip 68 becomes el Main, el Mayein, el Muein, el Mayin, and el Muyein.

A: Good egg. I call this really ingenious.

1 pkt Knorr Vegetable soup mix.
4 C water
1 large can beans, 6-bean mix or great northern or whatever sounds good.
2 large potatoes, cut into 1" pieces.
Dash of cumin, handful of tarragon, handful of onion flakes.

Combine, bring to a boil, let simmer until potatoes are soft. Could certainly add some veggies, frozen or not. Is improved by sitting on low, if you happen to do it early.

Spinach, chopped fine. Fresh, frozen, canned...
1-2 onions, sauteed until clear in a large pan.
Vegetable broth.
Garam Masala paste or powder.
Sweet or Maharajah or Rogan Josh paste or powder.
Vindaloo paste or powder, if you like super hot.

3 T oil or ghee if using curry powder
1 T ground cumin.

Paneer or sauteed mushrooms or diced lamb stewed in broth or diced chicken, sauteed in lemon juice.

Add curry, cumin, and oil if needed to the onions. Add equal parts of each curry paste or powder.

Add the spinach, and broth to cover. Let it all simmer until the spinach is soft. Puree with a stick blender, or mash, or do neither, as you prefer.

Add paneer/mushrooms/meat.

Serve over rice.

If I ever don't make this at Christmas I think fairestcat will leave me.

Pastry: use whatever short-crust pastry recipe you like or find one on the internet or buy Tenderflake piecrust or tart shells if you like. I am not the boss of your pastry!

When I make my own shells I use a mason jar or teacup or mug to cut them and I bake them in muffin tins.
I think putting the tart shells on a cookie sheet would let them brown too much.

But anyway, you have either tart shells or a bottom piecrust, just sitting there. Set your oven to 375F.

Layer your tarts or pie with:

A layer of blanched sliced almonds.
A layer of sliced pear, skins on.
Small dabs of butter scattered on the surface
Small dabs of brown sugar, also scattered. With the butter, this forms a glaze.
A gentle dusting of cinnamon.
Fresh blackberries, or thawed ones with the liquid drained off. Blueberries work as well, and raspberries probably would too.

Bake 30 minutes for tarts, 50 for pie.