Pupdate and proof of life

[rthstewart]

I know. I know. Work continues to be off the rails and I won't be back until regular writing until retirement. I did sign up for the Narnia Fic Exchange, so watch this space. I spend a month in Yellowstone and between wishing I was still back there and my bout with Covid in March, whatever brain cells I had left are not firing in full.

Thorin, my beloved Corgi, has degenerative myelopathy; his last days are coming very, very soon.
In the meantime, we have a new addition, Kili -- which should be pronounced as something other than how I heard it in the Hobbit movies, but whatever. Kee-lee. She's a tiny Pembroke Welsh Corgi and adorable in the way that only puppies can be. Our 6th dog, second Corgi, and first puppy. LOL. Kili is a menace and, to my regret, appears to be smarter than all our previous dogs combined.


Tiny Kili in a pasta bowl weighing out on a kitchen scale at 9 lbs 8 ounces.


Kili sharing a dog bed with a very unenthusiastic Thorin Corgishield.


Kili lying on her back and being so adorable she would stop traffic.




I'm on Blue Sky, not threads or insta. Still lurking on Tumblr but really bad at it (still) and on Discord. I'm rthstewart everywhere including gmail.

So drop a line with your own proof of life, let me know how you're feeling about the 2024 US presidential election, Gaiman, antis, and your latest focus.
I am vaguely hoping that a Harris presidency may inspire me as the Obama presidency did. It launched my return to fandom and, in this case, Narnia fic. I was so full of hope and optimism then -- foolishly assuming we had transcended gender and racial differences. I know, I know. Don't laugh.
But I've not felt hope in a long time. I'll also leave you with this brilliant reminder of November 5, 2020.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[gingicat]

I'm glad you're still alive. I'm so sorry to hear about your dog.

I'm posting a lot of political encouragement at tigergingicat.

I think I've said this before, but your Narnia stories are basically second canon for me.

[rthstewart]

And FOLLOWED. Huzzah. And thank you for remembering the Narnia stuff, which is where this stage of my life, and this pseud, began.

[petra]

Good to hear from you! I am still drowning in Star Wars, except for when I emerge to rant about politics.

Condolences to the family on the unavoidable obsolescence of Thorin.

[rthstewart]

Rant rant. The Ds are doing their best to fuck it up over the VEEP. i can't believe I'm following Rick Wilson and the Lincoln Project yet here I am.
The Force is strong with you. Ride that wave and cherish it!

[writerkit]

Yay, you still exist! And poor Thorin; it is very sad when we lose animals.

I have wandered into DS9 fandom and also discovered fanfiction exchanges, so I've done a LOT of fic writing. (My main series is not on the scale of Stone Gryphon as yet but I'm probably headed there eventually.) And gotten a Tumblr because apparently that's where DS9 fandom is hanging out and I want to bat AUs at people.

[rthstewart]

So I've gotten super into Strange New Worlds and watched some of Lower Decks. I keep wanting to like Discovery and its so convoluted I really can't keep it straight. I really need to see what this new series of Michelle Yeoh's is. It's so wonderful to find a new obsess... focus. I mean focus.

[writerkit]

I very much want to get into Strange New Worlds and I want to get through enough of Discovery to get to the part Strange New Worlds jumps off of before I do that and Discovery is... as you said, convoluted.

The new Michelle Yeoh thing is, as far as I can tell, Section 31 but girlboss.

[brokenallbroken]

Glad to hear you are still around and mostly okay! Condolences on Thorin. His exploits brought joy to many.

Not much is going to move me from a Vote Blue No Matter Who stance. I'm glad to see the base energized and enthusiastic. Been avoiding Gaiman news and antis (Strikethrough survivors unite!), and my current focus is "it's too hot to focus on anything but The Big Sports Event". How did you feel about the Opening Ceremonies?

[rthstewart]

I didn't see them as we were acquiring Kili that day and she has consumed ALL brain matter not devoted to Thorin and work (which actually puts me in deficit). I am old enough to remember the Savoy winter games in 1992 and watching them and realizing, huh, well that's weird. And a friend said, it's very French. So the Paris opening ceremonies are very French! Because I'm SHOCKED. SHOCKED. Because they are in FRANCE! Designed by a French person! In French! With French talent!

All the faux outrage over blasphemy of the last Supper when it was specifically a reference to a PAGAN god, who is the father of the River Seine where the ceremonies where held AND in homage to the pagan origins of the games themselves? Way to show your cultural illiteracy you morons. That they would even be thinking of an homage to the Last Supper is ridiculous. France is one of the most secular countries in Europe (maybe the world?) Just ask the Muslim girls who wish to cover or partially so in school.

And I mean come on,


This is NOT remotely the last supper of Jesus Christ. And da Vinci was certainly not of the stripe of religion as these wingnuts.

Ahem.

And as for the vote blue no matter who, yeah, I was there and my 25-year old social democrat was decidedly not interested in a Biden ticket. I was positive the Dems would fuck it up. And instead, they didn't. My email had been unrelentingly terrible for weeks with prognostications of the doom of Biden and I have been really depressed about it all for the better part of a year. But they've surprised me and among the white dudes being considered for Veep, I'm content with all of them though Shapiro has the most baggage. Like a lot of people, I've fallen in love with Walz. Buttigieg has been great but I'd rather seem him continue as he has and eviscerate Fox news hosts. He's never won a state-wide race. Ahem. I've been watching WAY too much political social media.

[brokenallbroken]

They didn't show the Bacchanale on the live broadcast, I don't think. I don't remember seeing it. But yeah, not every vignette of people at a long table is a Last Supper reference. It was, overall, a very French show. They weren't going to let anyone forget where they were and why FRANCE IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED COUNTRY EVAAAAAAAH!

I know nothing about any of the VP candidates. I have the same reservation about Buttigieg as you do, which is also my same problem with Bernie and Liz Warren - they can do more where they already are.

[fenchurch]

So very sorry to hear about Thorin... Kili looks absolutely adorable, though. I really miss having a Corgi, but my husband is so incredibly allergic to them.

I'm still mostly hanging out on FB these days, but have started a new campaign to try to actually post here and on LJ on a more regular basis.

[rthstewart]

HUH. I was sure I'd responded two days ago. Woops. Well first HELLLLOOO FEN and I do see that you are trying to post more on DW and I will try to respond in kind. I don't really do FB or Threads or Insta. I have been using Blue Sky more.

[grey_wonderer]

Sorry to hear about Thorin. I shall hope that there’s more time left than expected because all of us Pet people always want more time.

The new puppy is adorable! And who knows maybe the puppy will bring a bit of of life and joy for Thorin Once he adjusts.

It’s good to get proof of life so basically consider this mine. I’m still here now and again once in a while totally randomly. I don’t do much except work, sleep, eat too much, and to my cats. Haven’t really written anything much and at least 100 years or so. Inspiration doesn’t seem to come and when it does it doesn’t stay long enough to Complete anything.

As always I am worried about the presidential election but very impressed with vice president Harris’s Hit the ground running strategy. I really hope that she is the solution to the problem. She is definitely moving in the right direction at the moment.

Good to know you’re still alive. : )

[rthstewart]

CATS at least are good. Food too and yeah Harris's teams strategy was super effective. Inspiring even. When I heard the news I almost cried because I was certain they would fuck it up. Instead I've now again become an eternally online person checking every latest up and down. Also not helpful but such is the way of it. Harris isn't perfect (and who is?) but what is really exciting is seeing these D governors take center stage and let people get to know them. And it is wonderful to have someone who is not Old.

[yalumesse]

I'm so sorry about Thorin! I have a pet who's not quite on her last days yet but it's coming, and it hurts the heart so much <3

I'm ignoring bad news entirely to maintain my sanity, but some of the American news isn't so awful nowadays so I'm cautiously listening now and then. Hope is very very VERY important!

Nice to see you again :)

[rthstewart]

And you. And I'm sorry for the upcoming loss. Today is our last day together. Today is a little better than yesterday and he's managed to haul himself into the kitchen for a sausage. But degenerative myelopathy only leads to one terrible place and we don't want to get that far.

[yalumesse]

All the hugs, friend <3

[pru]

unlurking to offer my condolences on Thorin. echoing what another said here that your Narnia stories are my canon and I miss your writing.

crossing my fingers today on the vp pick and actually really refreshed that we only have less than 100 days to watch this campaign unfold.

[rthstewart]

Well since you posted, we now have Walz, who has been inspired and inspiring. I'm watching and political news in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last 6 years. I really need to detox. And thank you about the Narnia stories. I have one started for the NFE! And feel horribly guilty about working on it given the work I also have. And Work requires a lot of mental bandwidth. I won't be able to pick up regular posting again until after I retire which will be another year or 2.

[pru]

then I cheer for your retirement!

[katharhino]

Well Hi! I don't know if you'll remember me at all, because I came late to reading your fics, and haven't written fanfic outside of Austen fandom, a long time ago. But here I am.

I am feeling more hopeful about Harris/Walz than I have in my entire adult life of voting. And I didn't expect to be! I was resigned to voting Biden!

The outrage machine has been working overtime through the Olympics. It's embarrassing, honestly.

[rthstewart]

OFC I remember you! And your family, dogs and stained glass! Yes, far more hopeful to be sure. JOY has become one of their main themes and it is working. I just saw a T huge ad buy in Georgia that is minuscule compared to other states which is leading pundits to conclude that, having bought out the election commission, they are hoping on a no certification and litigation strategy. The ABA has been pushing for lawyers to be more aware of the ethical obligations in election cases and ofc a number of the lawyers from 2016 have been disciplined or disbarred.

I remember someone saying about the Ds that given all the institutional disadvantages they suffer, they have to work twice as hard and get WAY more votes to even tip the scales.

[katharhino]

Sadly our dogs both died a couple of years ago. They were 13, and it was time, but it's really hard when they go. We accidentally acquired three indoor cats in the meantime. They're cuddly and delightful but I do miss the dogs.

People are saying Vance was a terrible choice as VP candidate, but I'm convinced he was selected because he lacks even the principle that Pence showed. Bleh. I'm torn between super hopeful, and really scared, because I think they're planning on chaos and possible violence.

I never believed this about the scales being tipped, until I started to learn more about the techniques being used, and the recent history of how it's been done, and now I see it. The Rs definitely game everything they can.

[svgurl]

It's good to hear from you! I'm so sorry to hear about Thorin. Killi is very cute.

I was always going to vote Blue but I was genuinely skeptical/worried about Biden this time around and I'm feeling better about Harris/Walz. Hoping they can bring the party around and to the polls in November. So far the response seems strong and positive, for the most part.

[rthstewart]

Hope. Joy. Dare I say optimism? What ARE these weird feelings?

[adaeze]

So sorry to hear about Thorin.

Still lurking, currently surrounded by suitcases ready for a silly-o-clock start tomorrow. I need a holiday to recover from the stress of organising it, which I am convinced is orders of magnitude worse than last time I crossed the Atlantic (we haven't been further than Orkney since Little Star burst into our lives).

[rthstewart]

wait wait. I didn't know... are you coming this way? I need to go look at FB.

[adaeze]

Mostly to California, with very brief stopovers in Philadelphia with friends (where we are now) and even more briefly in New York in just under two weeks. Currently admiring the local groundhog population.

[archersangel]

So drop a line with your own proof of life, let me know how you're feeling about the 2024 US presidential election, Gaiman, antis, and your latest focus.

late to this kind of thing, as usual.
nice to hear from you, sorry about your dog.
i'm not into any shows, or movies right now. i recently signed up with (joined?) a library & am reading a bunch of e-books (never thought i'd be reading books electronically).