mallorys_camera

It is still possible to file taxes on paper, by mail. I have an online account, and the government suggests filing online. The easiest way would be to use Turbotax (or the HR Block equivalent). I am peeved by how much lobbying both of those companies did to make it hard for people to file for free. I would not qualify for the free filing anyway, I'm just mad on principle.

https://fortune.com/2023/04/17/taxpayer-advocates-irs-free-electronic-tax-filing-system-intuit-hr-block-spent-millions-lobbying-against/

princessofgeeks

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Current Mood: thoughtful

stonepicnicking_okapi

Thanks to

whimsicalmeerkat for introducing me to Bob Hicok.

buddy hicok

loganberrybunny

Public

349/365: Larch Wood Farm, Kidderminster
Click for a larger, sharper image
Yes, I know about Robert Jenrick's defection from the Tories to Reform, which has been all over the news today, but I can't stand the man regardless of party so I'll move on quickly! Much more enjoyably, I had a free morning and so was able to go into Kidderminster for a buffet breakfast at Larch Wood Farm. Fortunately I was hungry, as shown by the fact that I had a black pudding with each of my two helpings! The bacon was particularly succulent this time, though the sausages were a tad underwhelming. Decent beans and hash browns, good fried eggs, acceptable mushrooms. Overall, pretty solid.

Current Mood: full

soemand

Thanks for the kind music recommendations earlier — genuinely some great finds. It even sparked a chat with my manager today about how the mass‑market music scene in Canada acted as a gatekeeper for so long, shaping what people heard and what stayed hidden. Funny how a few good tracks can open up a whole conversation about culture and access.

minoanmiss

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Current Mood: anxious

anais_pf posting in

thefridayfive

These questions were written by

frieliegh.

1. If you could change one life-changing event in the life of someone important to you, would you?

2. Which do you think is easier to do, being friends for many years, or being life partners for many years?

3. Have you ever walked away from someone you considered a friend?

4. If you had to choose between telling the truth and hurting a friend or lying and making them happy, which would you choose?

5. Which would you rather hear--the truth which will hurt, or the comforting lie?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

rolanni

The Long Back Yard:

Thursday. Got up at 5:30, because that's when I woke up.

Rained all day. Except for short breaks for PT homework, and eating lunch, doing one's duty the cats, and moving laundry from the washer to the dryer to the bed, I spent all day on Catalinc Station. Wrote about 2,100 words, WIP stands at something more or less like 132,000. And I still haven't gotten to The End.

Speaking of laundry. I was just now sitting on the bed, pairing up my socks, under Rookie's close supervision, when he stood up, grabbed a sock off my lap and headed west with it. I did catch him before he took it down to the cellar.

The spine doctor's office called today to gather information ahead of tomorrow's visit, and I'm feeling encouraged. The person I was talking to actually listened and asked follow-up questions that actually followed up on what I'd said.

So, I'm about done for the day, excepting a look at the email to see if there's anything I have to answer. If not, I'll read for a while, grab a sandwich and a glass of wine and call it day.

Tomorrow's going to be V. Cold at the ocean, but I believe I will time my trip so I have time to swing by the Actual Ocean and breathe in some salt air.

And that? Is all I've got. Writing being boring like it is.

What did y'all do today?

Oh! I am remiss in saying that the heated foot pads are awesome and I don't know how I lived without them.

decemberthirty posting in

addme

Hello, all! I know I'm a little late to really consider this a new year's post, but here I am looking to meet a few new people nevertheless.

About me:
My name is Katie. I'm 47 years old, and this summer will mark my 25th year of journaling on LJ/DW/both.

I'm a writer by profession, primarily of literary fiction with occasional book reviews for variety. I live in Philadelphia with my partner of 27 years (she's a high school physics teacher). We have a pair of eight-month-old kittens named Oscar and Zorro. I'm the oldest of three sisters in a pretty close-knit family. My sisters have five kids between them, and being an aunt is basically my favorite thing.

I love books and am always reading. Favorite authors include E.M. Forster, Marilynne Robinson, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lauren Groff, Andrea Barrett.... The list could go on and on. I also love the outdoors and learning about nature. I've been a birdwatcher for years; more recently I've gotten into things like butterflies and insects, reptiles, wildflowers, and more. In summer, my favorite thing is finding wild orchids. My partner and I like to travel, and when we do, I use it as an opportunity to learn about the amazing variety of nature in other places.

In case you haven't already guessed, I'm a very introverted person. I spend most of my time at home, where I keep myself busy writing, reading, or in the kitchen. I like cooking, baking, and food preservation, and I'm always working on some sort of kitchen project or trying to teach myself a new skill.

About my journal:
My journal began as a place for me to keep track of my reading, and that's still the subject I write about most often. Other frequent topics include the interests mentioned above: writing, nature, cooking and baking. I tend to post more about what I'm thinking than about what I'm doing at any given time, although I do sometimes use my journal to keep track goals or record projects that I'm working on. I often include photos. I would say I post about once a week...but realistically it's probably a bit less than that.

If you're looking for a friend who comments on every single post, I'm probably not the right person for you. I do like to interact and I always read my friends page, but I prefer to comment only when I have something worth saying. Also, I've found over the years that I don't mesh well with extremely prolific posters. Once a day is fine, but if it's more than that I have trouble keeping up.

My journal is friends-locked for privacy, but I will be happy to add anyone who's interested in checking it out. And I won't be offended if it turns out that it's not your style.

Say hello if you think we'd get along!

conuly

in which two teens independently fall into a toxic mud puddle and develop mind-reading abilities. Spoilers, they're not the only ones!

They're at a family reunion, and one person mentions that there have been a few breakins, how odd, because all the broken-in houses had security systems. And as they mention that, everybody in range automatically thinks their PINs. This, of course, is how the (telepathic!) thief had broken into the houses in the first place.

Ever since then, every time I've had to enter a PIN or a password anywhere, I've carefully also thought some other random letters or numbers. It's a silly habit, which I only developed long after I outgrew poking around closets for Narnia and had nearly outgrown poking around closets for secret passageways, and it wouldn't really deter a mind-reading thief for very long, but I still do it. If there ever is a telepathic malefactor in close proximity to me, at least they'll have to to try a few different codes to use my bank card!

******************

( Read more... )

minoanmiss

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Current Mood: pleased

minoanmiss

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Current Mood: amused

ffutures

Another article I forgot to link to when I uploaded it several years ago - a scheme to build a huge pyramid, monument and tomb in London, from the Strand Magazine April 1903

https://forgottenfutures.com/library/monument/monument.htm

If I'd ever completed Forgotten Futures 12 one of the adventures would have started with the reconstruction of this monument after an interstellar war, and an eventual interplanetary hunt for Mad Empress Margaret, the theoretically dead empress of the Anglo-Saxon Empire who built the thing and was responsible for several projects that were somewhat dubious, such as changing the tilt of the Earth's axis to give Britain a better climate.

rachelmanija

Brom was a fantasy illustrator before he started writing his own books. They all contain spectacular color plates as well as black and white illustrations, which add a lot to the story.

Krampus opens with a prologue of the imprisoned Krampus vowing revenge on Santa Claus, then cuts to Santa Claus being chased through a trailer park by horned goblins, one of whom falls to his death when Santa escapes on his sleigh drawn by flying reindeer.

But he left his sack behind, which is promptly picked up Jesse, who just moments previously was considering suicide because he's basically a character from a country song: he's broke; his wife left him, taking their kid with her, and she's now with the town sheriff; Jesse never had the music career he wanted because of poor self-esteem and stage fright, AND he's being forced to do dangerous drug smuggling by the crime lord who runs the town with help from the sheriff. Santa's sack will provide any toy you want, but only toys; Jesse, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, uses it get his daughter every toy she's ever wanted, so now his wife thinks he stole them and the corrupt sheriff is on his ass again. And so are Krampus's band of Bellsnickles, who also want the sack because it's the key to freeing Krampus...

This book is absolutely nuts. The tone isn't as absurd as the summary might make it sound; it is often pretty funny, but it's more of a mythic fantasy meets gritty crime drama, sort of like Charles de Lint was writing in the 80s. Absolutely the best part is when Krampus finally gets to be Krampus in the modern day, spreading Yule tidings, terrorizing suburban adults, and terrifying but also delighting suburban children.

nanila posting in

awesomeers

It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

princessofgeeks

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Current Mood: curious

cahwyguy

In October, I kicked a can down the road, but I’m staring at the end of the road with no further ability to kick it. So I need some advice.

My main laptop is an HP Envy 17 purchased in 2018. Here are the specs:

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz 1.99 GHz
Installed RAM 12.0 GB (11.8 GB usable)
Storage:
- C: 238 GB SSD SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDJTNG-8310A,
- D: 932 GB HDD HGST HTS721010A9E630
Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce MX150 (2 GB), Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 (128 MB)

I’m currently running Windows 10 in Extended Support. I have my documents directory pointing to my D: drive. I absolutely DO NOT want Windows Backup or OneDrive. I don’t want to story my files in the cloud, and I already have a strong backup scheme through Acronis (my D: drive is backed up to the Acronis Cloud daily; I backup to offline USB drives weekly). I have replaced my battery once due to swelling. My current system is suitably fast, and I have loads of software I like. My current system has a CD-ROM (which new systems don’t have), and I have 3 USB-A and 1 USB-C ports (most systems don’t have that many ports these days). I don’t know the health of my current C: drive (SSDs have a fixed lifetime).

Here’s the question: I’m going to have to move to Windows 11. Should I…

Upgrade my current system to Windows 11, and then replace my hard drive with a 1 TB SSD. I’d probably get our laptop repair shop to add the new drive. I’m nervous about doing the upgrade — I might get them to do that as well. This is an example of the “devil you know” route, but I’m also upgrading a system that is 7 years old.
Purchase a new Windows 11 system. This is a more laborious and expensive route, as I would then want to update a bunch of software as well (WordPerfect, PaintShopPro, Roxio) to current versions, and some software might be unavailable. Things probably will break (including some software I depend upon). I’d no longer have an internal CD-ROM, and I’d have fewer ports. The upside is that the hardware would be new and would likely last longer.

The biggest fear in upgrading is Windows Backup. I’ve been told that Windows 11 turns this on by default. I made that mistake once: Windows Backup then changes your %DOCUMENTS% path to a hidden OneDrive directory on your C: drive, which it then mirrors to the cloud. This is bad if you have a small C: drive, and if you do things wrong, you lose files when you turn it off. Luckily, I had a full backup from that day. I want my files locally, on a separate data drive from my C: drive. Supposedly, you can turn off OneDrive, and Windows Backup. I’d like to avoid that mess. I have no idea of the upgrade process tries to turn it on. I’m sure a new setup would turn it on; I’d have to turn it off and change the DOCUMENTS path before loading files and more programs.

So, great Internet brain: Should I upgrade or get a new system?

This entry was originally posted on Observations Along the Road as 💻 Horns of a Dilemma: Upgrade or New / Windows 11 by cahwyguy. Although you can comment on DW, please make comments on original post at the Wordpress blog using the link to the left. You can sign in with your LJ, DW, FB, or a myriad of other accounts. Note: Subsequent changes made to the post on the blog are not propagated by the SNAP Crossposter; please visit the original post to see the latest version. P.S.: If you see share buttons above, note that they do not work outside of the Wordpress blog.

oursin

This is being one of those weeks when I'm not sure if Mercury is in retrograde or in the opposite of retrograde, if there is an opposite.

In that some things are going unwontedly smoothly and unexpectedly well, and other things not, and plans being thwarted, etc.

E.g., further to the expeditious renewal of my library membership, I was going to boogy on down to the relevant institution to pick up my card and do a spot of light research (I think I may have copies of the books I need to look at but they are not in any of the places where I would anticipate them to be). However, it is chucking down rain in buckets, I think I will leave this until a drier day. Dangers untold and hardships unnumbered is one thing, sitting around with wet shoes in an airconditioned reading room is another.

However, in connection with the research, I remembered that Elderly Antiquarian Bookdealer/Bibliographer had mentioned to me a Person who has come up as Of Interest, and I thought I would see whether they are still around, and apparently they are at the latest report though nearly 90. And not only that, last year, why was I not told, there was published a limited edition from a small press of various of their uncollected writings, including an essay on the very person. This is something I would have bought anyway had I known it existed.

And lo and behold, I ponied up for this hardback, limited edition etc: and got a massively discounted price in their winter sale calloo callay.

On the prehensile tail, I managed to break a soup bowl at lunchtime. Fortunately not containing any soup.

yarnofariadne

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Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Animal Crossing: New Horizons

soemand

I’m looking to shake up my playlist with something wonderfully odd or delightfully unexpected 🎧✨

An ask, consider posting in the comments your quirkiest, strangest, most fascinating music recommendations—I’m hunting for sounds that surprise, confuse, or completely captivate.

Current Music: You tell me!

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Every Day Above Ground

January 2026

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Page Summary

lauradi7dw - How retro am I?
princessofgeeks - another rewatch of Episode 5, Heated Rivalry
stonepicnicking_okapi - Poet's Corner: Building a Joke by Bob Hicok
loganberrybunny - Breakfast time (well, not now, but...)
soemand - Tak for det!
minoanmiss - Well here we go, Bostonians
anais_pf in thefridayfive - The Friday Five for 16 January 2026
rolanni - The writer writes
decemberthirty in addme - New year, new friends
conuly - When I was a kid I read a Sleator book
minoanmiss - Two Good Movies
minoanmiss - Fun reading
ffutures - Forgotten Future - A Scheme for a Great National Monument
rachelmanija - Krampus, by Brom
nanila in awesomeers - Just One Thing (15 January 2026)
princessofgeeks - fandom today: meta topic
cahwyguy - 💻 Horns of a Dilemma: Upgrade or New / Windows 11
oursin - Pluses and minuses
yarnofariadne - Snowflake Challenge #8
soemand - 🎶🎼🎵

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Style: Fresh Cotton for Crisped by timeasmymeasure

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Page generated Jan. 16th, 2026 01:10 am

Mallory's Camera

Network

How retro am I?

another rewatch of Episode 5, Heated Rivalry

Poet's Corner: Building a Joke by Bob Hicok

Breakfast time (well, not now, but...)

Tak for det!

Well here we go, Bostonians

The Friday Five for 16 January 2026

The writer writes

New year, new friends

When I was a kid I read a Sleator book

Two Good Movies

Fun reading

Forgotten Future - A Scheme for a Great National Monument

Krampus, by Brom

Just One Thing (15 January 2026)

fandom today: meta topic

💻 Horns of a Dilemma: Upgrade or New / Windows 11

Pluses and minuses

Snowflake Challenge #8

🎶🎼🎵

Profile

January 2026

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