Zou's playroom

books
The Art & Science of Happiness by Swami Mukundananda. 2025. Mix of science and religion. Some interesting texts, but a lot of "come to Krishna", which was not really a surprise.

All His Spies: The Secret World of Robert Cecil by Stephen Alford. 2024. Interesting bio. Good job including the women. A very negative view of Elizabeth I. (I've never read a positive view of her that wasn't the shallowest of surveys.)

currently reading The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 5: c.1198 - c.1300 by David Abulafia (Editor), et al. 1999. A slog through ecclesiastical history before it gets to more interesting stuff.

dirt
The volunteer catnip is blooming! And growing 2 new stalks! That means I can collect the seed and plant more. The leaves are the largest I've ever seen on catnip, nearly 3 inches long. The peperomia red stem in the terrarium is taking over. I found more thrips in the rattlesnake beans, dammit, and sprayed them yesterday. Also did a hard prune of another jade plant because it was falling over due to the weight of its leaves. Still on the verge of buying a tiny orchid but haven't done it yet. Maybe in the next grocery run? We'll see.

( healthcrap & food )

yarning
Didn't make it to yarning AGAIN, thanks to a migraine. I've managed to make a bunny arm, which is nothing in the grand scheme of crocheting. I want my motivation back. It doesn't even have to be yarning, it could be anything, anything at all. I just am so unhappy sitting here feeling crummy. I'm not even motivated to repot the plants that need it because it's hot outside...and it isn't even 95F yet. Augh. /o\

media
I caught up on Murderbot and I mostly love it! Even though I have the attention span of a gnat and had to pause it every few minutes. (I am so bad at visual media!)

#resist
June 19: Juneteenth Protest
June 27: Stonewall Anniversary Protest
June 24 to 30: McDonald’s Boycott
July 4: Independence Day Boycott and Silent(?) Protest
July 17: the next big demonstration (in honor of John Lewis, who died 7/17/2000), per Axios.

I hope you're all doing well! <333

( books: Adams, Das, Oliver, Nhat Hanh, Cogman, Mukundananda )

dirt
The tiny thaumatophyllum that previously had root rot has finally produced water roots, yay! Two new rattlesnake beans have sprouted. I continue not buying a tiny orchid after the last 3 died, even though I really want to try again. Lemon tree is growing. The terrarium plants are all growing, some at speed. Some of the sphagnum moss has turned green and I can't tell if it's coming back to life or is just algae. Or both. And the ginger shoot has become a leaf, yay!

healthcrap
Yay, I'm now officially on monthly allergy shots, again, after having had to start over. ( cut for discussion of intended weight loss ) Today is a major trigeminal neuralgia flare, so I waited hours for meds to kick in. Fun times. And now I've had an afternoon snack of Brussels sprouts, so hopefully I'll feel better soon.

#resist
Today I read on Substack that one of the Walmart heiresses posted a full page ad in the NYT in support of the June 14 protests. It would be nice if that translated to better working conditions for Walmart employees...but I suppose it's something?
June 14: Nationwide No Kings Day Protest, Pope Leo's address in Chicago (which will be livestreamed)
June 19: Juneteenth Protest
June 27: Stonewall Anniversary Protest
June 24 to 30: McDonald’s Boycott
July 4: Independence Day Boycott and Silent Protest

Happy news: San Antonio elected it's third woman and first out lesbian mayor this past week, despite massive racist GOP opposition. (Unhappy news, the nonwhite woman running for city council I voted for lost to a GOP-funded white woman.)

I hope all of you are doing well! <333