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Pretty Terrible

Pop Culture Criticism by Natalie Luhrs

September 30, 2019

Weeknotes 10 – 2019-09-30

The RSS feed for the site is broken and I don’t know why; it was working find right up until last week. It is a mystery to me and not one I’m going to spend a lot of time digging into.

I managed to go into the office every day last week–for the first time since mid-August, at least. It was good to be able to manage to do that, even if it did mean that I spent an awful lot of the weekend napping.

Reading/Watching/Listening

This week, I read Gideon the Ninth and lo, it was good. The voice is phenomenal and the plot mostly holds together. It is the first book in a planned trilogy with the second volume out next May.

Been watching a lot of random television–the “Science” Channel, HGTV, and DIY mostly.

Thinking about buying the Untitled Goose Game because who doesn’t want to be a horrible goose?

Work

I started working on outlining a few existing processes with an eye towards simplifying and streamlining them. It was a nice change from dealing with people wanting their projects authorized as quickly as possible. Although I did have to field multiple calls from the controller in Hungary about a bunch of iPhones and laptops.

On a more positive note, one of my colleagues in Spain sent me a picture of his adorable 4 month old baby–he’s gone out on paternity leave for a month; they get two months in Spain and he’d taken the first month after his son was born. Can I just say how freaking humane that is–especially compared to what folks in the US get?

Making

I kind of went on a fountain pen and ink (mostly ink) bender this week.

The following inks have been added to my collection or are en route:

  • Vinta Mermaid Green Sirena, Blue Floss Perya, and Aegean Armada
  • Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo
  • Sailor Shikiori Chushu and Shimoyo
  • Colorverse Able and Miss Baker
  • Kyo No Oto Hisoku
  • Sailor Ink Studio 130, 223, and 243

In terms of pens, the most interesting ones I acquired are a TWSBI Eco-T, a Pilot Metropolitan, and a Pilot Decimo Vanishing Point. The Eco-T is a bit of a dry pen and it needs a darker and wetter ink than what I’ve put in it (Vinta Sirena). The Metropolitan is an incredibly pleasant surprise and I can see myself picking up a few more of these as they’re fairly inexpensive. The Vanishing Point hasn’t arrived yet, and it was the splurgiest pen I bought. I’m hoping it’ll be a good pen for work and I’m planning on putting either Chushu or Shimoyo in it.

Medical

The only thing that went on last week was a visit with my primary care doctor. Which was a nice change of pace. The goal with my primary care is to keep everything as stable as we can while trying to figure out my guts. Still no updates from my GI doctor, despite me sending an email and leaving a voicemail. I’ll be in the practice’s office tomorrow for an appointment with their nutritionist and I’ll try to follow up in person then. I’m not patient and I really need a paracentesis.

Productivity

I, uh, ordered my Hobonichi for next year. That counts, right?

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Filed Under: Weeknotes Natalie Luhrs

About Natalie Luhrs

I'm a lifelong geek with a passion for books and social justice.

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Comments

  1. alexeigynaix says

    September 30, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    If it helps: I read you via Feedly and the last several posts all seem to have turned up in the expected manner. So whatever broke in the RSS, it isn’t broken across the board.

    • Natalie Luhrs says

      September 30, 2019 at 1:56 pm

      That is helpful—thank you!

  2. Sunita says

    September 30, 2019 at 6:17 pm

    I read your blog a couple of different ways. I haven’t checked newsbeuter, which is what I use for linux, but when I put your URL into The Old Reader (my other feed reader), it pulled up the last 5 posts including this one. So it’s not broken across the board.

    Tsuki-Yo is one of my favorite colors. I haven’t used it in a while but it was my main ink for ages. It looks good in every width. I like the Eco a lot, and you’re right about the Metropolitan. I didn’t find it as comfortable to write with as some other pens (I have a non-standard grip), but the nib is great. You can swap nibs among Metros, Preras, and other low-priced Pilots, which is a great feature.

    And ordering your Hobo definitely counts!

  3. Natalie Luhrs says

    September 30, 2019 at 10:43 pm

    @Sunita, How weird–the problem may just be confined to my feedreader, Newsblur. I may need to re-evaluate my choice of feedreader. Do you have a subscription to The Old Reader?

    I ended up up swapping out the Sirena for Tsuki-Yo in the Eco and it’s like a whole new pen. I have entirely too many pens inked up right now but I can’t help myself, so much pretty. I do try to use a different pen every day for my paper journal and I often only fill the pen halfway with ink, to minimize waste.

  4. Sunita says

    October 1, 2019 at 7:19 am

    Yeah, I have a subscription. I think it’s $10 or $20 a year? I can’t remember, but I like it because the Android app syncs reliably with the web version.

    Oh, and this post came up on Newsbeuter too, so I think you’re right that it’s a problem with Newsblur.

    I have way too many pens inked and *don’t* use them enough, and then they dry out. I have three drying out from 2-day cleanings as we speak. I never learn …

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Hello! I’m Natalie Luhrs. I write about books and culture and whatever else strikes my fancy. I have so many opinions.

I was a nominee for the Best Fan Writer Hugo in 2017.

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