five questions

[rushthatspeaks]

From ursula. I get out of the habit of writing entries, and memes help get back into it. If you want questions, ask.

1. What is something you miss about Philadelphia?

There's a line of trees in front of the Bryn Mawr student center, used to be, anyway, and I assume there still is-- flowering plum interspersed with cherry. Every spring I'd go out while the blossom was setting and walk around barefoot for a while under the trees. There is nothing quite like walking barefoot on flower petals when they have fallen so thickly that they really are the major surface.

It turns out that this is not an easily duplicated experience, because it takes the correct mix of flowering trees, and the correct climate such that the ground isn't either frozen or muck, and the correct mix of public and private so it's reasonable to be barefoot in the area. I have come close to it a few times, but never the same, and I have considerable hiraeth for it whenever the cherry-blossoms set.

2. Tell us about a thing you made recently.

There hasn't been much. My health has not been good, and between mid-August and early October there was so much Major Life Stuff that no one in my family had time to sit down. (Mostly good, just very hectic.) I miss having the energy to cook, and I miss having time to knit. I've been writing reviews, I guess? I have caught a lot of Pokemon. We have a happy healthy child, though I take limited responsibility in that direction.

3. What is your favorite frozen dessert?

Baked Alaska, but I don't get it often. I made it once, with sovay and my friend T., from T.'s grandfather's cookbook (he is a famous food writer). We used Earl Grey ice cream from Toscanini's for a large baking dish and khulfi for a small uncaffeinated version and it was basically perfect. It is not a small job, though.

4. Unicorns, mermaids, or none of the above?

More often mermaids, because unicorns have a tendency to go Lisa Frank, which I find aggravating. Peter S. Beagle-style unicorns, or Cloisters-tapestry unicorns, sure. But more often mermaids, because even if they've been done as nauseatingly cute they don't tip over into twee nearly as easily.

In fact, though, and under all circumstances, sphinxes.

5. Tell us about an unexpected app on your phone or paper on your desk.

... I caved while traveling earlier in the summer and downloaded Lyft. Because it was either do that, wait like two hours for a taxi which might not actually deign to show up, or walk an unsustainable amount of distance in an unfamiliar city very late at night. I Googled 'ethical rideshare service [name of city I was in]' and came up bupkis. Having the Lyft app then proceeded to save me a great deal of time and effort when I got stranded in small-town Vermont on my way to Montreal last month, as the town was too small to have an actual taxi service. Since it saved me vast quantities of time, energy, and probably money twice in six weeks, I am reluctant to delete it, and at least Lyft is vaguely less evil than Uber. I have a forty-five minute rant about why Uber needs to be regulated severely, and if that puts them out of business, well golly gee whiz I guess they couldn't afford to run a cab company. Eighty percent of the rant also applies to Lyft, but at least Lyft doesn't go around acting like the sort of villain who monologues and twirls mustaches. There is so much Snidely Whiplash going on at Uber.

Recommendations for ethical ride-sharing services cheerfully accepted, as the Boston-area taxi-medallion racket also leaves much to be desired. Though it's still preferable to Uber, as are walking, not going, and literally setting fire to a small amount of money instead.

Comments

[ambyr]

I have a forty-five minute rant about why Uber needs to be regulated severely, and if that puts them out of business, well golly gee whiz I guess they couldn't afford to run a cab company.

I have delivered that same rant myself more than once, and my feelings on Lyft are similar to yours. I use them, when I must, but I will choose almost any alternative form of transportation over them. This puts me awkwardly out of sync with most of my social set (and I do cave and use ride-sharing when I'm going places with others who want to do so, justifying myself with the fact that at least I am not causing an extra trip to exist in the world). I am not convinced it is possible for an ethical "ride-sharing" service to exist--but I will spare you a reiteration of your own rant.

Oh, and I will take questions, if you like.

[rushthatspeaks]

1. Where does your DW username come from?

2. If you had to live somewhere other than the D.C. area, where would it be?

3. Tea, coffee, tisane, or none of the above?

4. Favorite color?

5. A book you've read that you really dislike?

[sovay]

If you want questions, ask.

Sure. I asked for questions from someone at the start of this latest round of meme, but I think their life ran them over and it did not happen.

I have come close to it a few times, but never the same, and I have considerable hiraeth for it whenever the cherry-blossoms set.

That sounds worth a spring pilgrimage to me. Perhaps your small child might also enjoy the sensation.

But more often mermaids, because even if they've been done as nauseatingly cute they don't tip over into twee nearly as easily.

There's definitely a strain of what I think of as "'80's fantasy mermaid" that works very poorly for me, but I am really enjoying the boom in the last few years of mermaids that are not only multiracial where the human parts are concerned but all-out deep-dive weirdness when it comes to the fish. And history coughs up this sort of thing all the time, which will always work for me.

There is so much Snidely Whiplash going on at Uber.

Amen.

[rushthatspeaks]

1. Your username is perfect, but if you had to change it/were signing up somewhere it was taken, what would you pick?

2. Single-tail or double-tail mermaids?

3. You seem to be reading a lot of detective fiction recently. Does it feel really different from SF/F?

4. What's something you know about the Boston area that you don't think a lot of other people have noticed?

5. What would you say your favorite restaurant is right now?

Love you so much.

[nineweaving]

I have considerable hiraeth for it whenever the cherry-blossoms set.

You're closer to the university now. I can show you all my trees.



This fine row is right across from the Viking-ship playground. In good years, the drifts are deep and soft, though only half of the blossom falls inside the railing, on the grass.

There are six new little Yoshino cherry trees by the art library, coming along nicely. Pink. Child-sized. Officially a Sakura Garden.

And there are some gorgeous flowering trees sitting on top of the underground stacks. You could walk on blossom on grass on stone on books. There's one little grove of three there that's like standing in a Tiffany lampshade.

Further afield, there's all of Mount Auburn...

Love,

Nine

[nineweaving]

Oh, and yes, questions please.

Nine

[rushthatspeaks]

I look forward to seeing the trees. That's really neat.

1. Listened to any good music lately?

2. If someone gave you the opportunity to direct one of Shakespeare's plays, which one would you want to direct?

3. Unicorns or mermaids?

4. Did you consider staying in the U.K. after finishing school there?

5. Did you always have your color scheme, or did it become apparent over time, or start at any particular point?

Love.

[starlady]

Spring is definitely Philadelphia's best season, and I didn't appreciate it enough while I was there.

I have made baked Alaska exactly once in my life, but I have very fond memories of the whole process, including lighting it on fire before we served it. Luckily, thanks to a Star Wars novel, I already knew that alcohol fires aren't actually very hot.

[rushthatspeaks]

I love the way alcohol flame burns blue! We didn't set our baked Alaska on fire, but that's a lovely idea.

[genarti]

I totally agree about Uber, and about Lyft. I had the Lyft app on my phone for a little while because it made sense to use it during an extended family vacation; I've since gotten rid of it, but I would be reluctantly willing to download it again at need. (In Montreal, the couple of times I've had cause to use a taxi service, I've used Téo. They at least seem better on a few fronts -- all electric cars! and company-owned cars rather than gig economy -- but I don't know if they're better on all the fronts I care about.) For Uber, though, I agree entirely with your list of preferences.

Also, khulfi baked Alaska sounds transcendent.

I would happily take questions!

[rushthatspeaks]

Ooh, good to know about Montreal, as I do wind up there on a not infrequent basis.

1. Where does your username come from?

2. What's your favorite climate?

3. Have you read anything really interesting lately?

4. Is working so much with and in French changing the way the inside of your head works?

5. What smell reminds you most of summer?

[landingtree]

Paddington's Baked Elastic is all I've ever known about Baked Alaska. The real one sounds excellent, I'll attempt it some Christmas.

Questions, please!

[rushthatspeaks]

Heh, I remember the Paddington fondly. The real one is well worth the effort, even though it has to be done over two days because you have to reshape the ice cream and then get it frozen very hard again.

1. What's your default icon? I really like the art style, and I don't recognize it.

2. Place in the world you'd most like to travel that you've not been?

3. Something good you read recently?

4. Mermaids or unicorns?

5. Favorite visual artist?

[liv]

I would like some questions, please.

[rushthatspeaks]

1. How did you decide on your scientific field-- what was it that caused you to think oh, this direction?

2. Heard any good music lately?

3. The place you most want to travel that you've never visited?

4. Favorite color?

5. If you could pick up any skill in an instant, what would it be?

[liv]

Thank you, those are excellent questions. Very much appreciated.

[boxofdelights]

I would like questions.

[rushthatspeaks]

1. I love the book your username comes from. How did you decide on the username?

2. When did you first read the book?

3. Been pleasantly surprised by anything lately?

4. What's your favorite place of everywhere you've visited?

5. If you had to eat one meal every day for the rest of your life, what would it be? (You eat normally except for that meal.)

[rachelmanija]

Gimme. ;)

[rushthatspeaks]

1. What's your favorite breakfast food?

2. Where would you most like to travel that you have never been?

3. Read anything great lately?

4. If you had the opportunity to teach a class in any subject, which subject would it be?

5. What's the best gift anyone has ever given you?

[skygiants]

We had one of those cherry trees in my front yard growing up, until a freak Narberth mini-tornado blew it away. I miss that tree.

I would love questions, although the way November is going I may not get around to them until December!

[rushthatspeaks]

1. Where does your username come from?

2. If I wanted to start watching K-dramas, which I may or may not wish to do, but I have a serious embarrassment squick which makes romantic comedies into minefields, what would you recommend?

3. How did you get into vidding?

4. Any pleasant surprises lately?

5. Favorite color?