(this is the reading page title)

The general fund currently contains $25. Everyone is eligible to vote in this poll. I will keep it open at least until Saturday night. If there is a clear answer then, I'll close it. Otherwise I may leave it open at least a little longer. Here are your options...

"Babes in the Pineywoods" needs $25 to be complete. You could finish that one.

There are 2 unsold poems from the May 6, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl that could be opened for microfunding:

"Cause a Riot of Color"
[Evening of Wednesday, September 14, 2016]
Shiv welcomes Creamjeans and Bo-Art to Omaha.
263 lines, Buy It Now = $132

"A Lens of Ice"
Johan intervenes in a squabble and meets someone from the Triton Teen Center.
147 lines, Buy It Now = $74

Today is hot and steamy, not quite as bad as yesterday.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus the phlegmatic young fox squirrel.

I put out water for the birds.

I put out the flats of pots.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- We went to the Strawberry Festival.  On the way home, we stopped at Backyard Garden greenhouse and I picked up a flat of plants.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- I watered the flats of pots. 

EDIT 5/16/25 -- I was going to plant some African marigolds, but the wind started howling and I could see rain in the distance, so I brought everything back indoors.  Eh, at least the downdrafts made everything cooler.

I found a squirrel tail and a few tufts of fur, so I expect that the careless young fox squirrel became somebody's lunch.

EDIT 5/16/25 -- And now it's raining. \o/

EDIT 5/16/25 -- It rained off and on, then stopped.

I did a bit of work around the patio. 

I collected some microfauna and installed them in the cookie jar terrarium.

I planted 12 assorted yellow and orange African marigolds around the telephone pole garden.  Some of the seeds there are sprouting too.  :D

I've seen a male cardinal and a young fox squirrel.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today I planted the cookie jar terrarium. This fills "the green stuff" square in my 5-1-25 card for the Colors Fest bingo. See Part 1: Setup.

( Read more... )

Baby Is Healed With World’s First Personalized Gene-Editing Treatment

Instead, KJ has made medical history. The baby, now 9 ½ months old, became the first patient of any age to have a custom gene-editing treatment, according to his doctors. He received an infusion made just for him and designed to fix his precise mutation.

THIS is what gengineering is for. It's also why research into human genetics and gengineering is essential.

( Read more... )

Today is sunny, steamy, and hot. :P It's 86°F with a heat index of 92°F. I still have a bunch of things to plant, but I doubt I'll get much yardwork done in this weather. A beautiful day to stay indoors and write! Or possibly work on the in-progress terrarium with the fern. Tomorrow is supposed to be a little cooler.

I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two brown thrashers, and a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

I put out the 3 partial flats of pots and watered them, along with the strawberry towers.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It's currently 87°F with a heat index of 92°F.

I've seen several mourning doves, a female goldfinch, and a young fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I've seen a brown-headed cowbird.

The pink bergamot in the strip garden is blooming! :D I confess that I picked off the trumpets from an entire flower head and ate them all.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I assembled the cookie jar terrarium. \o/

I've seen a female rose-breasted grosbeak. :D No male, but one visited earlier in spring.

EDIT 5/15/25 -- I

Fossil tracks show reptiles appeared on Earth up to 40 million years earlier

The origin of reptiles on Earth has been shown to be up to 40 million years earlier than previously thought -- thanks to evidence discovered at an Australian fossil site that represents a critical time period. Scientists have identified fossilized tracks of an amniote with clawed feet -- most probably a reptile -- from the Carboniferous period, about 350 million years ago.


So exciting!  :D

This year during Three Weeks for Dreamwidth, I'm writing about goal-setting frameworks for goals_on_dw. Read Part 1: Introduction to Goal-Setting Frameworks, Part 2: The 1-3-5 Rule, Part 3: The 12-week Year, Part 4: ABCS (Achievable, Believable, Committed, Specific), Part 5: Backward Goal, Part 6: BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), Part 7: BSQ (Think Big, Act Small, Move Quick), Part 8: CLEAR (Collaborative, Limited, Emotional, Appreciable, Refinable), Part 9: Goal Pyramid, Part 10: Golden Circle, Part 11: GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Way Forward), Part 12: HARD (Heartfelt, Animated, Required, Difficult), Part 13: KPI (Key Performance Indicators, Part 14: MASTER (Measurable, Achievable, Specific, Transforming, Evolving, Relevant), Part 15: NCT (Narratives, Commitments, and Tasks), Part 16: OKR (Objectives, Key Results), Part 17: PACT (Purposeful, Aligned, Continuous, Tracked), Part 18: Tiered Goals, Part 19: Theme Word, Part 20: WISE (Written, Integrated, Synergistic, Expansive).


Part 20: WISE (Written, Integrated, Synergistic, Expansive)

WISE stands for Written, Integrated, Synergistic, Expansive. First, the goal must be written down to make it clear and committed. Second, it must integrate well with your overall ideals and strategy. Third, it must synergize with your other goals to maximize results. Fourth, it should promote big-picture thoughts to encourage growth.



( Read more... )

Today I took some pictures around the yard.  These are from the house yard and south lot.

( Walk with me ... )

From this old post that was referenced by rebeccmeister:

How to do anything in 6 steps
1. I listen (i.e., find out what the project is to be)
2. I think about it (make plans)
3. I get ready (gather tools and materials)
4. I do it!
5. I clean up
6. I celebrate


That's a very useful system that applies to most projects.