Spring Has Sprung!

Hello, world!

It’s been a nice week so-far, especially considering improvements with my sciatica. I wrote an article to capture some of my thoughts regarding pain, frustration, and chronic illness, which was published in Publishious, and which you can read in this week’s newsletter.

The MLIS work continues to go swimmingly, especially due to a relaxed three-week period where the assignments are milder. I expect it to pick up again toward the end of the semester, but we’ll see. I’ve already begun to look into PhD programs, but life is complicated, and moving someplace in the United States solely for a PhD seems… well, a bit lame.

PhDs are the only aspect of our education system that sometimes still function properly, in that there are a fair few that are fully funded for all accepted applicants. There’s no way in hell I’m paying for a PhD, thankyouverymuch. I expect it to be tuition-free with a stipend, teaching experience, and health care. But, even with all that, due to the cost of living in places wealthy enough to have universities that do offer such terms, it would be difficult to find a place to move that would work. Maybe it really will come down to my moving to Germany? >:D

Still, we’ll see what the next couple of years bring. Right now, my focus is on finishing this second Master’s program and hopefully getting some experience working hands-on in a library system (feel free to comment if you’ve got a sweet library job you can throw my way).

I’m working away at my novel still. I’ve been making slow but pleasing progress on it. I’ve finished some other projects, so I should have some more time and creative wit to devote to it in the next few weeks. My goal of an 80k draft seems dead-on for the end of May!

Articles

Frustrated By My Pain, I Changed My Life

Your emotions are a guide, and listening to them changes everything.

DIY Home Theater Hacks & Essentials for the Perfect Setup

An overview of everything you need to think about when creating a home theater!

Want a Home Theater? Start with the Projector!

Everything you need to know to buy the best projector for your budget.

Electric or Manual? Screening Projector Screen Options

Everything you need to get started planning your home theater screen!

The world

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has some uplifting things to say about climate change, especially showcasing all the possible things that we could still do to offset the damage that’s currently taking place.

Unfortunately, rich countries actually need to lead these efforts. Despite the Biden administration’s promise to do just that, he signed into existence the terrifying new Willow drilling project in Alaska. This hasn’t been the first environmental-related political shenanigans that we’ve seen from this administration, and it won’t be the last, but it’s dispiriting to say the least.

There’s an interesting trend in architecture that’s focused on ways to construct more environmentally-stable buildings purely out of wood. We’re not talking bungalows, here, but mid-range towers and even skyscrapers. These are not only stable, safe, functional buildings… they also provide environmental support by avoiding carbon production in the growth of the materials. Even new technologies for building materials can’t match what we can do with natural materials, if those materials are engineered to suit our needs.

Meanwhile, in the world of Covid-19, “The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates that long covid will add as many as 22 million individuals to the #US population of #disabled people. … Surveys show the Social Security Administration still denies many applicants, which studies have linked to stereotypes about disabled people as “conning the system.””

Finally, all of you probably know that I hate cars, and despise larger vehicles… a perspective that’s backed up by just about every conceivable branch of science. But designs for big trucks and SUVs is getting increasingly terrible, and causing an ever-greater loss of life.

I want to write about all these issues more in the near future. If there are particular sources that you’d like to share on any of them, please comment!

The sunny side of life

For Ostara, the Spring Equinox, we dyed eggs using tumeric and boiled cabbage, and then Katie made the most incredible “birds’ nests” out of brioche dough. As of the 23rd, we’re officially in Spring, here!

Here’s one heck of a great laugh for your day. A friend shared this with me, and I couldn’t stop chuckling the whole time.

Alright, that’s it for this week, friends. Feel free to tell me about your week, share photos and stories in the comments if you feel like it!

Otherwise, go easy! And, if you can’t go easy, then go as easy as you can.

~Odin