Our suitcases sank from all the gold that we had earned from stories never to be told

[sovay]

The primary feature of my day was too much catbox and too little sleep, but choco_frosh came over in the evening and taught me how to tie a four-in-hand knot, so I have been sitting here at my computer periodically putting on and taking off a tie, which is surprisingly entertaining. I assumed I would find it more difficult. spatch points out that I can tie my own shoelaces, so where did I get that idea?

Have some songs I have been recently playing on repeat. I don't think they form a narrative, but human pattern-making could always prove me wrong.

Alvvays, "In Undertow"

What's left for you and me?
I ask that question rhetorically
Can't buy into astrology
And won't rely on the moon for anything

Auditorium, "Never Wrote a Diver a Poem"

Never killed a candle in a poet's home
Never let a digger retire
Never helped a builder learn the dirt's a liar

Austra, "Shoot the Water"

Shame is your name
And desperate things can measure it
Silence speaks for you

Long Neck, "Elizabeth"

West Milford, don't let on
I've been listening to the same three songs
And I swear I can hear you singing too

Lost Under Heaven, "Bunny's Blues"

Through all I've spoken, all that I've woken
Still you don't understand me

The Mynabirds, "Shouting at the Dark"

Go right ahead
You can cut me off at my knees
I'll find a new way to get back up

Sufjan Stevens, "Mystery of Love"

Like Hephaestion who died
Alexander's lover
Now my riverbed has dried
Shall I find no other?

Typhoon, "Rorschach"

And all this fiction makes me nervous
Turns out it was blood spilled on the canvas
We admired just like some Rorschach painting

I am back to having a terrible time doing nice things for myself. I am trying to talk myself into either watching a movie or reading a book. Or maybe just going to bed.

Comments

[thisbluespirit]

I am back to having a terrible time doing nice things for myself. I am trying to talk myself into either watching a movie or reading a book. Or maybe just going to bed.

I suspect it's a little late now, but do one of those things! Yes. It's v important.

[sovay]

I suspect it's a little late now, but do one of those things! Yes. It's v important.

Thank you for the encouragement! I re-read about three years of a webcomic, which was fun.

[asakiyume]

Haven't listened yet but I'm smiling at Austra--some years back I heard them via NPR I guess? And ended up liking their sound and getting a couple of songs. Plus, "Shoot the Water" is a great title.

Yeah, looking at the snippets of lyrics and the names of the bands and song titles, I'd say water is a theme.

In Undertow, Never Wrote a Diver a Poem, Shoot the Water, Now my riverbed has dried, Typhoon.

[sovay]

Plus, "Shoot the Water" is a great title.

I had it on a mix CD for years and never paid much attention to it, and then all of a sudden last month it snapped into focus and has been on near-constant rotation ever since. There are actually two songs by Alvvays that have been sticking with me; the other is "Archie, Marry Me."

Yeah, looking at the snippets of lyrics and the names of the bands and song titles, I'd say water is a theme.

I hadn't even made that connection, but the story I am (still! trying not to break it!) working on has a lot of water in it. Thank you for pointing it out.

[a_reasonable_man]

You've learned one of the four essential tie knots! Congratulations! The four-in-hand, as you've probably heard, is especially good for narrow ties and collars. I can teach you the half windsor (the little triangle) and, of course, the bow. I've think I've only worn a full windsor (a fat triangle) a couple of times; it's good for wide ties and collars. I've never worn an ascot, or tried one of those cool, newfangled knots, like the trinity. I also think, because it would be funny, that there ought to be a half-ascot.

[sovay]

You've learned one of the four essential tie knots! Congratulations!

Thank you!

I can teach you the half windsor (the little triangle) and, of course, the bow.

Sure. I would appreciate that. I could not figure out any of the others from reading instructions online, whereas being shown the four-in-hand three-dimensionally made surprisingly instant sense.

I also think, because it would be funny, that there ought to be a half-ascot.

Is there a reason it can't exist?