I simply think you should not have to buy things you have already bought. I know that theoretically, “entropy exists”—sure. And yeah, yeah, “material objects degrade, especially through repeated use, so you might have to replace them from time to time.” (Whatever you say, all right.) And I guess “it might be unfair to expect telecomm companies to maintain 7 year old software, they have to sunset the programs and reassign maintenance resources at some point”—I mean, yeah, fine. Fine! I guess, fine. Sure, fine.
I still don’t want a new phone though.
I just took in my family’s 1958 Singer sewing machine in for a tune up. They had it for a week, did about 12 different things they never fully explained to me, oiled it and lubed it and replaced some bits—and it works like it absolutely did not work beforehand. It doesn’t want to eat my fingers anymore, just cheerfully sews straight lines when politely asked.
I know that a sewing machine is not a cell phone, but I feel like that set the standard here.
I simply think you should not have to buy things you have already bought. I know that theoretically, “entropy exists”—sure. And yeah, yeah, “material objects degrade, especially through repeated use, so you might have to replace them from time to time.” (Whatever you say, all right.) And I guess “it might be unfair to expect telecomm companies to maintain 7 year old software, they have to sunset the programs and reassign maintenance resources at some point”—I mean, yeah, fine. Fine! I guess, fine. Sure, fine.
We report: there is a lunar corona tonight, and this is the first time we are able to observe one so closely. When it is a solar corona, even the darkest of sunglasses cannot help us see it. We feel just fine watching the moon; we only have to accept that it is looking back.
Man, I like plants so much. for something that doesn’t move in any way you can see or appreciate except in the aggregate, they are nevertheless so very alive.
For example, I was potting the second generation of clippings from my pothos plant yesterday and felt a profound sense of satisfaction. I know houseplants are not exactly difficult to keep alive, given their intended purpose, but I started my collection in 2022. The pothos plant is 4 years old, it already has a first generation cutting growing on one windowsill, this will be the second.
Or even take my spiky dracaena and rubber plants, also from 2022. I took this picture in January 2024:
Two years later?
I realize this is much more dramatic and interesting with human children, or even pets. But I have a tree that is taller than I am, a spiky plant wider than my head, and three generations of trailing vine in my apartment, so I would like the mark the occasion.
A naked eye 3D pterosaur installation at Shanghai Natural History Museum
(The guide is describing the exhibit and talking about the various “flying dinosaurs” and their appearance through history as they emerge from the fossil displays)
This is so cool. I’ve been to a LOT of natural history museums and have never seen anything so creative and also what a terrific way to demonstrate a possible mode of and reason for flight evolution.
I’m sure there are! However, I’m a bit off fic these days—though I am currently reading Esther Yi’s Y/N. (Named after the fan trope of writing self-insert “your name” fic, it’s delightfully insane.) But really, I just have too many books to get through before the library claws them back.
That said, if someone’s doing something really weird, or ambitious, I do like knowing about it. I recently read the “Isaac Chotiner interviews the guy who runs the lottery in Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’” fic, and that was fun—I just don’t have a lot of appetite for more traditional fanfiction.
The thing is that The Pitt is quite competent as a show—clever with its framing; paces character development and reveals well, within mostly-coherent narrative arcs; manages to create genuine emotional beats; still leaves the door open for future narrative while ending in a satisfying way (in case it wouldn’t be renewed). I’m not saying it’s the most revelatory thing I’ve watched in recent memory! It’s just solid, competent television.
Which….when something is solid and competent, I don’t really find fic necessary. I can admire the thing as it is, and I have no interest in more. (Well—unless there’s something completely new and different it’s bringing to the table. I’m always interested in that.)
Whereas, the universe of medical television shows also contains House, which I watched about 5 episodes of with my mouth open in faint horror as I contemplated being general counsel for Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. I can imagine many, many, fic ideas for that, and most of them start with OIG showing up.
Would you be interested in fic recs for The Pitt? There’s some very good writers.
I’m sure there are! However, I’m a bit off fic these days—though I am currently reading Esther Yi’s Y/N. (Named after the fan trope of writing self-insert “your name” fic, it’s delightfully insane.) But really, I just have too many books to get through before the library claws them back.
That said, if someone’s doing something really weird, or ambitious, I do like knowing about it. I recently read the “Isaac Chotiner interviews the guy who runs the lottery in Shirley Jackson’s ‘The Lottery’” fic, and that was fun—I just don’t have a lot of appetite for more traditional fanfiction.
I really, sincerely do think that one of the most interesting topics to think about is the clash of material culture with The Arts. For example: I’m watching a ballet right now, so I’m thinking about the romantic, flowing tutu vs. the stiff material of the pancake tutu. To understand this as more than just a random stylistic choice, you have to understand a hundred years of ballet fashion and general fashion history; the difference between tulle, gossamer, gauze and organza; and also 750 approximate other qualities, from budget to number of dancers to intended aesthetic to what an ignoramus audience member (like me) is going to assume when you show them the two dancers side-by-side.
I love thinking about The Arts as something rare and rarefied, untouchable, but suspect it’s largely about budgets. I like thinking about that too.
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