Flew back in from Providence yesterday. I had a really good time, and I’ll try to post about it this weekend. I’m tired, and I miss Providence already, but it’s kind of good to be home. Catch you all later.
Author Archives: vulpine
Starry Wisdom Pilgrimage 2019 edition
A little over 400 minutes til I head off to Lovecraft country. Bags are packed, work away messages are setup to go into place as I leave for the airport. I'm probably over packed, but I've only got one carryon and one bag to check. Then I get to New York around midnight, and the fun really begins.
I'll probably be rambling on Facebook for the trip, as usually I'm not bringing any electronics besides my phone, my Kindle, and a bluetooth speaker. No laptop or tablet, so any writing I do will via phone, plus I'm trying to disconnect.
So here's to the magic of vacations, to visiting favorite parts of the country, to seeing my tentacled peeps, to getting in some ocean time, and exploring history. *clinks virtual glass* I'll be back in a week and change, don't break the internets without me.
Yog-Sothoth Neblod Zin, Nephren-Ka nai Hadoth.
Vulpine
I'll probably be rambling on Facebook for the trip, as usually I'm not bringing any electronics besides my phone, my Kindle, and a bluetooth speaker. No laptop or tablet, so any writing I do will via phone, plus I'm trying to disconnect.
So here's to the magic of vacations, to visiting favorite parts of the country, to seeing my tentacled peeps, to getting in some ocean time, and exploring history. *clinks virtual glass* I'll be back in a week and change, don't break the internets without me.
Yog-Sothoth Neblod Zin, Nephren-Ka nai Hadoth.
Vulpine
Almost time to visit Providence
By this time next week I'll be in Rhode Island. Friday is flying up to
NYC, Saturday will be commute and various Connecticut adventures. Then
Providence will be my base of operations for the next 10 days. Much
like my last visit, will be a mix of book hunting, historical foo, and a
convention full of quirky folks, specifically NecronomiCon. This is the big event of the cultist
calendar this year, and the thing I've been looking forward to all year.
But I'm just a little worried, it's been a really rough month mood wise. Not going to go into details, trying to not dwell too much on what my brain meats are throwing at me. But yeah, worried about a major crash while out of town, like what happened during the Alaska Cruise a few years ago. We'll see, this is different. Even if I do crash out, I can hermit in my hotel with books and take out. I'm intentionally not bringing a bunch of electronics, so I'll have some degree of disconnect. Plus, Providence is well, Providence. Weather will be cooler than Texas, fresh seafood, and a very nice bookstore to distance ratio. So while I may have issues, I won't have volumes.
So a little over 125 hours til I'm winging my way north. I still have to pack and plan stuff, deal with a work week, and the other mundanities of life. Work especially will be challenging, but I just have to keep in mind that Cthulhu has my back, and in short order I'll have time away. Come on Friday!
But I'm just a little worried, it's been a really rough month mood wise. Not going to go into details, trying to not dwell too much on what my brain meats are throwing at me. But yeah, worried about a major crash while out of town, like what happened during the Alaska Cruise a few years ago. We'll see, this is different. Even if I do crash out, I can hermit in my hotel with books and take out. I'm intentionally not bringing a bunch of electronics, so I'll have some degree of disconnect. Plus, Providence is well, Providence. Weather will be cooler than Texas, fresh seafood, and a very nice bookstore to distance ratio. So while I may have issues, I won't have volumes.
So a little over 125 hours til I'm winging my way north. I still have to pack and plan stuff, deal with a work week, and the other mundanities of life. Work especially will be challenging, but I just have to keep in mind that Cthulhu has my back, and in short order I'll have time away. Come on Friday!
Author Cheerleading: William Meikle
Was about to write a down in the dumps post, but lets try being more positive. Lets talk about an author pal of mine who I've been binge reading for the last few weeks.
If you like your fiction weird, full of references to Scotland and Newfoundland, often sweary, and generally just fun as heck, I recommend William Meikle. He's one of those authors who can write in bloody near any genre. From noiresque detectives, to giant monsters, to occult history, to emotionally charged 'haunted places' and more. He's even got a golf course mystery (I haven't read it yet, but if anyone could get me to read about golf, it's William.) My personal favorites are when he takes Hodgson's famed spookbuster, Thomas Carnacki out for a spin with new adventures of all colors and kinds. (followed shortly after by his Sherlock tales). In fact, to be a tad heretical, I prefer his voice to Hodgson or Doyle's.
So, are you curious ? Maybe a smidge? Sign up for his mailing list and you get three free ebooks. Or follow the link on his site to 99c ebooks and choose from a pretty darn huge selection. He also has dead tree editions and audiobooks if your tastes lean that way. Come on, give it a try.
https://www.williammeikle.com/
If you like your fiction weird, full of references to Scotland and Newfoundland, often sweary, and generally just fun as heck, I recommend William Meikle. He's one of those authors who can write in bloody near any genre. From noiresque detectives, to giant monsters, to occult history, to emotionally charged 'haunted places' and more. He's even got a golf course mystery (I haven't read it yet, but if anyone could get me to read about golf, it's William.) My personal favorites are when he takes Hodgson's famed spookbuster, Thomas Carnacki out for a spin with new adventures of all colors and kinds. (followed shortly after by his Sherlock tales). In fact, to be a tad heretical, I prefer his voice to Hodgson or Doyle's.
So, are you curious ? Maybe a smidge? Sign up for his mailing list and you get three free ebooks. Or follow the link on his site to 99c ebooks and choose from a pretty darn huge selection. He also has dead tree editions and audiobooks if your tastes lean that way. Come on, give it a try.
https://www.williammeikle.com/
Genealogy is what you make of it.
I had a random Lovecraftian thought explaining my quirkiness. From Dad's side of the family I get a smidge of Innsmouth blood, we do come from Massachusetts and spent most of of the 19th century in nautical pursuits. But from Mom's side there seems to be a link to the ghoul cults of old, probably related to the tunnels underneath Green Wood Cemetery, or maybe that bunch in Red Hook. The two strains conflict with each other, explaining the screwy brainmeats as well as my love of the ocean, yet my lousy swimming skins. Or my claustrophobia mixed with a curiosity about tunnels, caves and other subterranean oddness.
So what does that make me? Well a mix of Deep One and cannibalistic cultists, wouldn't that make me a Sea-Ghul ?
Yes, this is a shaggy dogfish pun ;)
So what does that make me? Well a mix of Deep One and cannibalistic cultists, wouldn't that make me a Sea-Ghul ?
Yes, this is a shaggy dogfish pun ;)
Here comes the weekend
Been a couple of days since my sad post. The Fourth wasn't much better,
I'm not the most patriotic person in the world, and I honestly felt very
alone, but I didn't want to deal with the traditional crazies that come
out to play. Plus it was bloody hot, and my apartment parking gets bad
on the 4th, since the fireworks and festival in town are a few blocks away.
So I stayed home, read a bit, watched a bunch of movies, and generally
felt blah. Slept better than I had before, even with the fireworks, and
got up for today's WFH day.
The plan was to take advantage of the quiet day and people taking long weekends and work on project stuff. That didn't happen, lots of virtual walk ups asking for help. I did manage to get a few things done, but nothing like I planned. Oh well. At least the day/work week is done. This weekend is Spider-Man flick, and I'm not sure what else. A few chores. Try to avoid bookstore runs, since next week is Half Price Books coupon a day thingie. So better to save on my book addiction and splurge next week (I also get paid next Friday).
So yeah, it's the weekend, thank Cthulhu. And I have no idea where to go with this post, so I'll wrap it up. Have a good night folks.
The plan was to take advantage of the quiet day and people taking long weekends and work on project stuff. That didn't happen, lots of virtual walk ups asking for help. I did manage to get a few things done, but nothing like I planned. Oh well. At least the day/work week is done. This weekend is Spider-Man flick, and I'm not sure what else. A few chores. Try to avoid bookstore runs, since next week is Half Price Books coupon a day thingie. So better to save on my book addiction and splurge next week (I also get paid next Friday).
So yeah, it's the weekend, thank Cthulhu. And I have no idea where to go with this post, so I'll wrap it up. Have a good night folks.
The Internet is broken, and I’m not doing so good myself
Ok, most of the internet isn't broken today, just mostly Facebook here
at Château Innsmouth. But it sounded like a good subject. Because,
I'm honestly not doing so hot. Strap in, this will probably be long.
First, a friend of mine had a major heart attack the other night, he's in critical care as they try to get him stable enough for surgery. We met online, fellow weird bookhounds, and I got to meet him in person last year in Providence. So I'm more than a little worried about him. If you could spare prayers/good thoughts/whatever for a friend of mine, I would appreciate it.
Second, the apartment complex Château Innsmouth is currently in is going through crazy levels of change. Last Friday I left home for lunch, and by the time I got back there were new signs up with a new complex name. Later on that afternoon I got a note in my door about how we've been bought, and stuff will change, but we'll like it. So far we've been giving a new website that fails to load correctly, an email about how to setup autopay, where autopay doesn't work, so yesterday I walked over with my checkbook. I had to wait in line to pay, because there were issues with everyone's rent, seems those not on autopay/email notification got screwed up rent amounts. But when they pulled me up on their system, it was the correct amount, so they got a check. Was also told about all the 'Great changes' coming to the apartments. Please Cthulhu, let them ignore me til my lease is up. Everything is pointed to them trying to turn this into 'luxury' or 'premium' apartments, when this is just a middle of the road place to live. Glad I already planned to move.
Third, My anxiety is really bloody high. Tomorrow is a day off, but it's also a stressful day (fireworks while pretty, are loud...and I live less than a mile from where my town launches them). I think I'm hooking up my white noise generator to an amp, or I'll be up later than planned. I'm working Friday, but from home. I've got a lot of stuff to do, I should have worked the full shift today, but when they said 'down tools at 2pm' I didn't argue. So Friday I'm hoping I'll be mostly left alone and able to focus on my projects. We'll see.
On the plus side, I have over 36 hours of down time, I have food, I have books, I have movies. And I have no where I physically have to be til Saturday afternoon (assuming nothing requires me to go to the office or datacenter). I'm going to see the new Spider-Man flick with friends, which I'm vaguely dreading, i finally got around to watching the first one, and I had to fast forward...a lot. I don't do embarrassment well, and a 15 year old superhero who wants to prove himself is going to be full of embarrassment. Hopefully a couple of years will settle things a bit. But I really prefer my superheroes to be at least old enough to drink. But on the other tentacle, the actor really gets the attitude of Spider-man in the action scenes. And I really want to see the credits scenes. I'm really hoping for a clue as to the next set of MCU flicks.
And in the time it's taken me to write this, it looks like the internet has been fixed. I'm dragging tired. I may make it an early night tonight. Well early for not having to get up tomorrow for work. Time to finish this post though. Ciao.
First, a friend of mine had a major heart attack the other night, he's in critical care as they try to get him stable enough for surgery. We met online, fellow weird bookhounds, and I got to meet him in person last year in Providence. So I'm more than a little worried about him. If you could spare prayers/good thoughts/whatever for a friend of mine, I would appreciate it.
Second, the apartment complex Château Innsmouth is currently in is going through crazy levels of change. Last Friday I left home for lunch, and by the time I got back there were new signs up with a new complex name. Later on that afternoon I got a note in my door about how we've been bought, and stuff will change, but we'll like it. So far we've been giving a new website that fails to load correctly, an email about how to setup autopay, where autopay doesn't work, so yesterday I walked over with my checkbook. I had to wait in line to pay, because there were issues with everyone's rent, seems those not on autopay/email notification got screwed up rent amounts. But when they pulled me up on their system, it was the correct amount, so they got a check. Was also told about all the 'Great changes' coming to the apartments. Please Cthulhu, let them ignore me til my lease is up. Everything is pointed to them trying to turn this into 'luxury' or 'premium' apartments, when this is just a middle of the road place to live. Glad I already planned to move.
Third, My anxiety is really bloody high. Tomorrow is a day off, but it's also a stressful day (fireworks while pretty, are loud...and I live less than a mile from where my town launches them). I think I'm hooking up my white noise generator to an amp, or I'll be up later than planned. I'm working Friday, but from home. I've got a lot of stuff to do, I should have worked the full shift today, but when they said 'down tools at 2pm' I didn't argue. So Friday I'm hoping I'll be mostly left alone and able to focus on my projects. We'll see.
On the plus side, I have over 36 hours of down time, I have food, I have books, I have movies. And I have no where I physically have to be til Saturday afternoon (assuming nothing requires me to go to the office or datacenter). I'm going to see the new Spider-Man flick with friends, which I'm vaguely dreading, i finally got around to watching the first one, and I had to fast forward...a lot. I don't do embarrassment well, and a 15 year old superhero who wants to prove himself is going to be full of embarrassment. Hopefully a couple of years will settle things a bit. But I really prefer my superheroes to be at least old enough to drink. But on the other tentacle, the actor really gets the attitude of Spider-man in the action scenes. And I really want to see the credits scenes. I'm really hoping for a clue as to the next set of MCU flicks.
And in the time it's taken me to write this, it looks like the internet has been fixed. I'm dragging tired. I may make it an early night tonight. Well early for not having to get up tomorrow for work. Time to finish this post though. Ciao.
Sunday’s Cultist is Full of Frustration
Ugg, not a good day. Got texted by my credit card company, my primary card
was used to rent $50 of Redbox stuff. Did I want to dispute the charge? I
said something rude in a barbarous tongue and sent back yes. Then tried
to get back to sleep. Got up. ate some breakfast, decided to wait on calling
them back and got out of the house for a book raid. Got a couple of random
books, mostly was an excuse to get out of Château Innsmouth, and to enjoy
the fact it's not sunny out. Came home, called the fraud department, dealt
with a nice, if terrifyingly perky rep. Card is cancelled, new one will be
here in 3-5 business days. Went ahead and moved all the upcoming autopays
to a different card. *sigh* Hope this is the end of a stressful week,
not the foreshadowing of a worse one.
Merry Shortest Night of the Year (Northern Hemisphere edition)
It's finally going to start to get darker again. Thank Cthulhu. Sadly,
it won't get any cooler for 3 months. Darn it. Been a mixed week.
Some good stuff at work, some soso stuff. After a lot of thinking, and a
discussion with my fellow admin, I decided that I'll be in the office 3 out
of 5 days most weeks, vs the single day. I'm pretty non-social as it is,
and not leaving the house on that regular a basis would probably be a bit
much. Of course I regret it every night coming home, between the heat and
the traffic it runs me over.
On a happier note, I have a plan for a 2020 trip. Thinking about visiting LA for a long weekend. The HP Lovecraft Historical Society (which I'm a card carrying member of) is based in LA, and I'd like to see the HQ building and see the gang in their native habitat. Plus there are a few bookstores I'm told I need to visit, some Jack Parsons related places to visit (JPL tops the list, I know Dad would have wanted to go as well). I'm also thinking of staying a night onboard The Queen Mary not to be a wannabe ghost hunter, but for the history (ok, a little for the ghosts). Plus there's plenty of historical foo out there. I'm not going to do the big tourist things, no Empire of the Mouse or Hollywood blvd or such for me, even if I want a lightsaber on occasion *wink*. No real plans for when the trip will happen. I was thinking after the new year at some point, but with moving around that time we'll see, with PTO and fundage. But should be fun.
So, that's about it for right now. I'll catch you all later.
On a happier note, I have a plan for a 2020 trip. Thinking about visiting LA for a long weekend. The HP Lovecraft Historical Society (which I'm a card carrying member of) is based in LA, and I'd like to see the HQ building and see the gang in their native habitat. Plus there are a few bookstores I'm told I need to visit, some Jack Parsons related places to visit (JPL tops the list, I know Dad would have wanted to go as well). I'm also thinking of staying a night onboard The Queen Mary not to be a wannabe ghost hunter, but for the history (ok, a little for the ghosts). Plus there's plenty of historical foo out there. I'm not going to do the big tourist things, no Empire of the Mouse or Hollywood blvd or such for me, even if I want a lightsaber on occasion *wink*. No real plans for when the trip will happen. I was thinking after the new year at some point, but with moving around that time we'll see, with PTO and fundage. But should be fun.
So, that's about it for right now. I'll catch you all later.
Late night rambles.
Staying up later than I usually manage. I'm tired, but I'm jittery. So I'm futzing around, realized there was a work server that alerted last night due to low space during a backup, then recovered...but I didn't want to get texted in the night, so I threw a bunch of space at it. (New backup routine, and I haven't quite figured out how much space it will need, darn needy databases). I'm also upgrading a home VM to the latest Ubuntu server available, because I am a nerd.
To be honest, I don't want to go to sleep. Last night's anxiety dreams were very unpleasant, even though I don't remember details. So I'm avoiding sleep. Eventually I'll crash, but not for a while. I have plans for tomorrow (finally going to see the new Godzilla flick), but there's no time frame...so hopefully I can just sleep in once I crash. We'll see.
But for now, more comfort soup, some silly TV, and geekery. Then book and bed and hopefully dreams of tentacles and Caroline Munro ;)
To be honest, I don't want to go to sleep. Last night's anxiety dreams were very unpleasant, even though I don't remember details. So I'm avoiding sleep. Eventually I'll crash, but not for a while. I have plans for tomorrow (finally going to see the new Godzilla flick), but there's no time frame...so hopefully I can just sleep in once I crash. We'll see.
But for now, more comfort soup, some silly TV, and geekery. Then book and bed and hopefully dreams of tentacles and Caroline Munro ;)