asakiyume | Entries tagged with covid19

I learned so much in the Amazon: one, that the river inhales and exhales: when it has breathed in deeply and its waters extend the farthest, tall trees are underwater and the fish feed on palm fruits. Maximum expansion is March. And then it exhales, shrinks-shrinks-shrinks, and temporary islands appear, and people rush out and take advantage of the 40 cm of rich soil the river has left to grow quick crops that can be harvested before the river rises and swallows the islands back up again. The river is at its lowest point in September--at which time you can walk to the island across from the pier where we got boats when we went out on the water (this is on a tiny tributary--one of our guides called it a creek--but it looked pretty big to us!)

I saw all the types of liminal houses: houses on stilts, floating houses, and house boats. Here is a floating house.

I have more stories to share (of course!) but we caught Covid (despite everything; we were vaxxed and masked to the max), so I'll probably still be a little scarce around here for a bit.

One more thing before I go: I loved how indoors and outdoors blended. Here's a coffee shop and bakery where we stopped on the way back from a bike ride:

All neighborhoods have these little landmarks. This broad, flat rock at the edge of mine has become very popular during pandemic times:

I see couples sitting here all the time. There's a woman who comes with a blind man; sometimes women-who-walk-for-exercise sit and chat here. Yesterday it was these girls, who said they didn't mind if I posted their picture--so I am!

Bless you, friendship rock.

Current Music: The Cat Empire: Brighter Than Gold

One amusing thing I noticed earlier in the pandemic was that chairs were popping up in odd places. First an office chair appeared in the middle of the neighborhood common. A little later a metal chair with a vinyl cushion on the seat and for back support appeared wedged below the railway bridge. "I'd like to get my picture taken there when I'm just finishing a run," I thought--it would be just perfect because it's often right around that spot that I end a run, and I'm tired.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of the chairs, so have some drawings from memory. Not to scale! The chairs are larger than they should be--and the office chair looks kind of like a monster.

And the most incongruously placed chair was a wooden chair perched atop the roof of what's called the Swift River Pavilion--Swift River because the school it's next to is called Swift River, and pavilion? I don't now: it's a roof supported by pillars, and underneath it are picnic tables and things. Sometimes little performances happen there.

Some of the chairs lingered longer than others. The one on the common was gone after a day or two, but the one by the railway bridge was there for over a month--but I never got my picture taken there!

So when I noticed that two chairs had appeared underneath the illuminated business sign at a busy (well, by B-town standards ... not that busy, really) T-junction, I vowed not to miss my chance. And the other evening Wakanomori obliged me. I still wish I could have sat in the other ones.

wooden chairs by illuminated office sign

Current Music: Academia da Berlinda: Tudo que é bonito

Every time I get to exchange friendly words with people, it's a shot of pure joy. Every time I get to be (safely) in proximity to people, it's a rush of euphoria.

( under here find a beautiful stallion )

( under here see me talking to some kids about my apples )

( under here see some stylish motociclistas )

Anyway.

This is how I satisfy my need for connection in a time of coronavirus.

Current Music: Blue Highway: Wondrous Love

You know when you photocopy something from a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy--you know how generations down from the master, the results get a little weird-looking? The image or text is shrunken, and bits have somehow ceased to transfer, and other bits get blobby, and maybe the whole thing is streaked or gray, or misaligned now? That's what my mind-on-pandemic-and-Trump feels like. In an effort to get back to the master copy, I've been doing things like ....

New chalk drawing! I copied the seal of New England Central Railroad, the freight line whose tracks I interact with all the time. NECR's storied history extends back to the distant year of 1995, when the former Central Vermont Railway got a name change after being sold by CN (Canadian National Railway) to RailTex, a transportation holding company specializing in short lines that five years later was itself sold and became part of RailAmerica--another transportation holding company specializing in short lines. (Thank you, Wikipedia!) (Now it's owned by Genesee & Wyoming, another short-line freight company .... Thank you, NECR website.)

Here is the seal:

And here is the chalk drawing:

... It is on the concrete by one of the places where NECR rests sidelined cars. A sign declares the town:

Sidelined cars, carrying "forest products"

Other things I've been doing include collecting Concord grapes from where they spill over the chainlink fence around the supermarket parking lot ...

And doing portraits of the apples from our apple tree ...

Current Music: Matsutoya Yumi: Haru yo, koi

Yesterday, Wakanomori and I climbed Mt. Sugarloaf, a loaf-shaped little mountain overlooking the Connecticut River.

Here is the pretty view of the river that you're rewarded with:

Doesn't the river look like such a great way to travel? All smooth like that. And the sumac in the foreground are as close to palms as New England gets.

After doing all that climbing, we rewarded ourselves by going to a little place right down on the river that Waka had discovered the other day:

The rocks stretch out into the water, and in some places, the water right beside them is shallow and silty (walking there is a very strange feeling--unnervingly soft, and each footstep sends up sparkling clouds of the silt, and you can see your footprints underwater), and in some shallow and smooth-pebbly... and then in others deep! You could dive in.

There were two groups of people enjoying the water besides us--some were Spanish speakers and some were South Asian looking, and everyone was very, very friendly and very relaxed, and there was music and just general pleasantness. One guy was walking on a rock near the deep part, and I said, "You should dive in!"

"Only if you ask me to," he said, which I thought was terribly gallant for a guy in his twenties to say to someone his mother's age.

"Oh, I couldn't--only if you want to," I said.

"How can you disappoint me like this?" he exclaimed.

"Oh, well then--do it!" I said, and he obliged, and came bobbing up afterward.

"Looking good!" I said.

"Lucky for you! My lawyer was already to be in touch if something happened," he said. I wasn't sharp enough to come up with a good comeback on the spur of the moment, so I just laughed.

Over where the water was shallow, there were underwater grasses growing. So beautiful. I didn't get a picture, but Waka did:

There were also little shiny-shelled beetles whirly-gigging around on the surface like tiny speedboats, and freshwater mussel shells, some of them practically nacre only.

We finished off the afternoon with an ice cream at this roadside establishment:

Their social-distancing exhortation signs used the special roadside-ice-cream-and/or-hot-dog-joint fonts that give off an old-timey vibe. It made me feel as if we'd fallen into a timeline in which the mask-wearing and social distancing started back in the 1950s. Alternative history.

Current Music: El Hadj N'Daiye: Ragajuma

The ninja girl made a poem by cutting up Trump's stimulus-check letter and rearranging the words and sentences. The result is excellent:

poem by the ninja girl, made by cutting up the stimulus check letter

poem by the ninja girl, made by cutting up the stimulus check letter

When I get a free moment, I've been enjoying the stories posted in the New Decameron project that Jo Walton organized, though there are so many that I've got bookmarked that I haven't had a chance to read yet. One I *did* read was Naomi Kritzer's "A Star Without Shine", which begins like this:

Once upon a time, in a very small kingdom, there was a king with one daughter. His wife had died, and he had not remarried. This is not the fairy tale where the king decides to marry his own daughter, don’t worry. This king was a completely different sort of terrible father: he believed that his daughter should earn his love, and nothing she did was ever good enough.

It continues with a companion cat, a wise villager, and an overall quirky, good feel I loved. Since I had also recently read and enjoyed Kritzer's "Little Free Library (totally charming story with an abrupt ending hinting at the possibility of more to come), I think I really should check out her novel.

In long-form fiction, I've got the ARC I mentioned last entry, A Sinister Quartet. Right now I'm on the first story in it, CSE Cooney's "The Twice-Drowned Saint," which is a giant subversion of the notion of angels and an angelic city, and what with its setup of desperate refugees required to make literal human sacrifices to enter (and then once in, the city is no picnic), it definitely has real-world resonances that you could call allegorical except that Cooney is more focused on *personal* drama--individual hopes, ambitions, and prices paid. At least so far--I'm only partway in. (And you can get a taste of the story via the Decameron Project: here.)

I'm also reading The View from Castle Always, by Melissa McShane. People seek out the castle when they need to go on a quest--it is getable-to from anywhere and opens onto anywhere--and leave with a chosen quest item. Unfortunately, our protagonist Ailanthe chooses an item, but then the castle doesn't let her leave. I'm curious to see where it goes--there's lots of potential. Right now the story is reminding me of any time I've ever tried an RPG-style video game: I get stuck at the very first level, unable to figure out how to advance.

Other things on my radar: Aster Glenn Gray's soon-to-be-released The Time-Traveling Popcorn Ball. I've read this story in beta, and it's *such* a great time-travel story, and great on friendship, sibling relationships, family hard times, and sense of place. Also, Sherwood Smith has a third Lhind story available--Lhind the Firebird. I'm still one behind: I enjoyed Lhind the Thief, but still have Lhind the Spy to catch up with.

( tenuously related story )

Here's a fun song with a cumbia beat: Josefa, by La Fragua Band.

Current Music: La Fragua Band: Josefa
Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/949234.html

Some time ago Mike Allen was looking for some more ARC readers for A Sinister Quartet (a quartet of novellas by CSE Cooney, Jessica Wick, Amanda McGee, and Mike Allen himself), and I expressed an interest, and so he put a copy in the mail for me.

And time went by, and the foursome did a reading (preserved on Youtube), each sharing part of their novella, and when that happened, I dropped Mike a line saying I really would read and review, but that the book still hadn't arrived yet--and he sent me the tracking number, and it looked like it had gotten as far as the nearby city of Springfield, but not managed to make it to my town.

No worries, we both agreed--it would come eventually. In the meantime, he sent me a digital ARC. About a week more went by, and still the package hadn't come. Still "in transit." I noticed that there was a 1-800 number you could call, so I decided to do that.

"If you haven't received mail for two days, press one," the recording said. "If you haven't received mail for three or four days, press two."

Well, we've been getting mail, so I didn't press either of those. The recording continued, saying that in this time of COVID-19, they're working with reduced numbers and under difficult circumstances, and that they're trying very hard to make sure that mail gets through, especially important things like people's medicines, but that there are some delays due to...

... And at that point I was overwhelmed by shame and sadness. What the hell was I doing?? I had an electronic copy of the book! Why was I calling? It would come when they were able to bring it! There were people waiting on medicine, for crying out loud! And I thought about the two young women at my local post office, so cheerful and friendly, how gradually protections were put in place for them--plastic screens and masks, but still how hard it is--people come in, people who need money orders, people picking up packages--me, mailing a package to Japan--and they're there, dealing with every person. And thought about how hard all of this is.

And I hung up the phone and instantly felt better.

And later that day, the package arrived.

Current Music: Manu Chao: Otro Mundo

One of the most adventurous things I've ever done was go to Timor-Leste, alone, and not just Timor-Leste, but Ainaro, a mountain town a half-day's journey from Dili, the capital. I'm proud of myself for that: I found an English-teaching organization that I could plausibly crash without inconveniencing them too terribly; I reached out, made an application, got accepted, saved money, and went.

My first night was spent in a hostel in Dili. I had gotten a private room, but I was so tense, knowing that the next morning I must successfully get on a bus to Ainaro, that there was no way I could settle. I came out into a common room where an Australian guy was sitting on a fake leather couch, having beer after beer, and watching cartoons on an old TV. He said something pleasant when I came in, and after that we just sat silently together, watching the cartoons. Just being in the presence of another human relaxed me.

I got on the bus successfully the next day--this entry talks about the trip and mentions Victor, the guy I traveled pressed against, because the bus was very packed.

As shelter-in-place has stretched on, the thing I've been thinking of, about that trip--something I didn't mention in that entry--was how soothed I felt to be body-to-body next to someone. It must sound strange. I know that in those sorts of situations on public transportation the world over people get assaulted or harassed, but that wasn't my experience. On the contrary, I felt as safe and cared-for a baby in a parent's arms. I know I was just a visitor and guest, but with skin pressed against skin, I had a literal, tactile connection, and it soaked in. I mean, I don't know how it was for Victor! But for me, something has lingered and never left.

That's something people are missing now. I think of people who are going through quarantine alone, not able to touch anyone ... it's terrible. But I think it's more than that, because I have a husband and a (grown) child whom I can touch and who can touch me, and yet I'm still craving something. My skin yearns to touch and be touched by others--acquaintances, friends, strangers.

Well. Quarantine won't last forever.

Current Music: Neko Case: Hold On, Hold On
Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/948943.html

We have gotten takeout three times since quarantine began. Each time, the dance has been different.

First time, the healing angel did the pickup: the restaurant had all the bags of takeout sitting out front, with names on them. The healing angel lit down, picked up our bag, and returned to our nest.**

Second time, I did the pickup. We placed the order and then the restaurant called when we could come and get it. They slid open a speakeasy-like slot and pushed the bag out onto a wide counter, and I reached up and took it.

Today, I did the pickup ... and this time I had to actually knock on the restaurant's inner door. A staffperson brought me my credit card slip to sign (this hadn't been necessary in the other two cases). We were both wearing masks but it was still surprising to be face to face with someone. I signed, left the slip on a bench, and the staffperson picked it up and left the bag there for me to take.

**speaking of nests, for many years UMass Amherst has had a falcon cam to watch as the peregrine falcons living at the top of the 28-story WEB DuBois library [third-tallest library in the world!] lay eggs, hatch young, and rear them to young adulthood. This year the female seems to be consorting with two males, both of whom are bringing her food as she sits on the eggs. It's a menage-à-trois! I thought of

osprey_archer's latest, The Threefold Tie.

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/946984.html

From Afropop worldwide:

A coalition of 20 Senegalese musicians teamed up to raise awareness about coronavirus and also raise funds for Senegal's Ministry of Health, releasing a remix of an old Youssou N'Dour tune.

IT IS AWESOME.

Watch on YouTube

In addition to being a great tune, I enjoy seeing the faces of all these artists--and also watching the murals grow.

The music is a guise, and now I'm reflecting it, and my reach is sharing these words with you.

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/946916.html

Things that are not that other thing

also sorta 2D

Back to 3D

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/946322.html

I'm putting this behind a cut because people have different bandwith for stuff. This is not a tragic story, but it's --well, like the subject line says. Poignant.

( There is a new assisted-living facility in my town )

It was a very salient image of our times.

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/945467.html

Wakanomori and I went for a walk in a place where water was bubbling up everywhere. I didn't have a camera, so he obliged me by taking this. You can hardly see that it's water, but it is--you can tell by the ripples (click through to see the photo bigger):

I loved the little pools of smooth stones, set in frames of leaves, all underwater.

The sound was beautiful too--he took recordings.

In other non-pandemic news, I finished reading Children of Ruin! Loved the ending; I'll try to share more on Wednesday. And I've been reading fun short things online, plus doing an excellent beta read.

Plus the marvelous CSE Cooney is doing an audio version of The Gown of Harmonies! She's created a home studio to do it in, just marvelous. So if we can get that out in the world, maybe we can reach a new audience and raise more money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. I'm thrilled and honored that she's doing this--it's a real donation of effort.

Love to one and all.

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/945288.html

Some days ago,

rachelmanija posted about supporting small, family-owned businesses in the LA area. One was a Filipino café, and the description Rachel gave of the yummy ube coffee cake.... mmmm.

So I ordered some, and my box came today!

Look at all the coffee cakes!!

Such a beautiful color! And the flavor is **delicious**. Wakanomori had made fresh coffee, so we actually ate our slices of coffee cake with coffee--as Stipulated By Law!

All that would have been a wonderful, satisfying experience. But then there was this note, and I just fell apart.

I want to save everybody, everything. Here is a link to Ninong's online shop.

(I'm aware that it's ironic that I'm supporting a café in LA when I'm on the other side of the country. But I'm supporting local businesses too, and the proceeds from The Gown of Harmonies is going to a local food bank. We're all one nation, all in this together, so I think it's all good.)

Current Location: Gregorio Allegri: Miserere mei
Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/945017.html

On Twitter, Aster Glenn Gray shared some chalk art from her neighborhood, and chalk art is something I love and something I think is really restorative and heartening, so when I had to give up watching Self-Made (with the aforementioned Aster Glenn Gray--though remotely of course) due to Wakanomori's need to use the bandwidth for teaching, I went outside and drew a phoenix:

Here's a detail

We'll rise from this.

I've been heartened by a number of encouraging posts from people on my friends list, but yesterday it was especially this one from

gaudior on how to handle a plague.

Current Music: Natalia Lafourcade: Soledad y el Mar
Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/944645.html

The Gown of Harmonies is now live!

All money raised will go to THE FOOD BANK OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, which serves the western Massachusetts counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire (my county), and Hampden (home of two cities with very high poverty rates: Springfield and Holyoke).

Many of you have probably read this story already, back when it came out in It Happened at the Ball, but if you know anyone who'd like a pleasant, novelette-length distraction of the balls-and-fairies sort, maybe consider sending it to them? You can know that your purchase will help people struggling in the current environment.

Here are the relevant links:

Amazon
Barnes & Nobel
Apple
Kobo

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/944482.html

I heard this story on BBC World News, but the online links I could find with the best images were from this Business Insider story by Kate Taylor.

The founder of ABC Bakery in Ho Chi Minh city found that thousands of pounds of red dragon fruit were going unsold out in the Vietnamese countryside because Vietnam had closed its borders with China, the main buyer. So this bakery began buying the fruits and using them in their baked goods:

pink baguettes

(photo: Kate Taylor)

pink buns

(photo: Angela Kao)

and dragon fruit cake!

(photo: Angela Kao)

Here's what red dragon fruit looks like, so you have an idea of where the color comes from:

(image from eBay)

These offerings have been wildly popular, and it's really benefited the local farmers.

Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/944028.html

I did her as a celphalopod, sort of. My thought was that her three legs were arms, and her arms were arms, and her long hair was also arms. But I gave her hands on her arm-arms. Why? I don't know.

Also here are some flying amabie to bless your day.

Current Music: Betty the Shark: Palm Tree
Crossposts: https://asakiyume.livejournal.com/943855.html

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Asakiyume mita

Entries tagged with covid19

inhale, exhale

friendship rock

chairs

being with people

latest adventures in chalk drawing

a fun afternoon

"experiencing an unprecedented pandemic"

Wednesday reading, plus an only tenuously related story & a song

a package

the touch of a stranger

takeout... and falcons

Senegalese artist Youssou N'dour and 19 others collaborate

casual resemblances

poignant

vernal stream

Ube coffee cake

a phoenix

It's here! Please share w/anyone needing a fairy tale pick-me-up

What to do with 66,000 pounds of surplus dragon fruit?

my amabie