Calmer Vibes Chill Thread.

November 6, 2024 11:19 AM

Share something good or nice in here. Someone excellent win in your district? Kid or grandkid get a good job, or accomplish something hard? Maybe you found a welcoming, progressive group in your community? Maybe you'll enjoy A Post-Election Day Poem by Rebecca Faulkner, assembled from words sent in by the Reasons to be Cheerful community.

Or maybe you just need to watch a couple golden retrievers jumping into giant leaf piles.

There's still time to sign up for the end of year gift swap or join the holiday card exchange.

Please put your (extremely understandable) doom, hostility, anger, upset, fightiness and horror somewhere that is not here, thank you!

posted by Glinn to MetaFilter-Related at 11:19 AM (63 comments total)

Love the Goldens jumping in the leaf piles! Can watch that on repeat all day.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:23 AM on November 6 [4 favorites]

The woman who I worked with as Justice of the Peace, who won by five votes last time (2 years ago) was a problem, believed in a lot of conspiracy theory stuff and was a time-waster being very vocal about it at our abatement and civil authority meetings. I was also on the ballot this year (and won handily) but I told people that i didn't care who they voted for as long as it was NOT HER and she lost and in the very small pond of my town's abatement and civil authority boards, things will go much more smoothly.

Also I made kid ballots and had two contests: dragon vs unicorn (a tie, with one write-in for "pegasis") and winter vs summer (winter won handily) and kids seemed to enjoy that and the "future voter" stickers we gave them.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 11:29 AM on November 6 [51 favorites]

Headed north from Georgia on a train, so it’s nice and soothing to see some fall colors.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 12:29 PM on November 6 [6 favorites]

There were five (5!) mourning doves out on our deck this morning, along with the usual array of hummingbirds and finches, and the sun came out this afternoon and is poised to stick around for most of the rest of the day. I can't see many trees from our basically-downtown spot, except the ones on a couple rooftop decks of nearby buildings, but fall in the PNW is my favorite season, and sunny fall days are the best.
posted by pdb at 12:39 PM on November 6 [4 favorites]

2 of 3 kids are coming over for our weekly Survivor watch. There will be hopefully only brief catastrophising.
I made meatballs and a red sauce for pasta, garlic bread and rapini, and little individual chocolate cakes with a vanilla butter cream. That’s all I got. Sigh.
posted by chococat at 12:53 PM on November 6 [5 favorites]

I got a friend to start listening to the podcast The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week and when we get together on Friday we can share thoughts on why hammerhead sharks are “like that”.
posted by Karmakaze at 1:12 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

I love cats. And a beautiful, bedraggled queen found me a few months ago in need of a lot of food and a safe place to have kittens. So now I have 9 week old kittens who are extremely well socialized and beautiful terrorists. Cat tax: https://imgur.com/a/ALCXWGl

Imgur is weird, the pictures are all in the last week but get closer to today (and better) as you go down.

So if anyone in Iowa (hopefully Des Moines or Iowa City area) needs a kitten around thanksgiving, boy do I have some loving furballs. The only real bummer is I think the mom (who we call Mamma Mia) is extremely sweet and kind but doesn’t get along with my cats at all. We’re hoping it’ll get better but it has not so she may need a home too.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 1:13 PM on November 6 [11 favorites]

Hmm I dunno why that link doesn’t work. This one should. imgur

Anyway, they make me happy. (Yes, all will be spayed and neutered.)
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 1:19 PM on November 6 [4 favorites]

little individual chocolate cakes... That’s all I got.
That is enough! That sounds pretty great.
posted by Glinn at 1:29 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

It was chilly yesterday and today after the hottest October on record here. I'm looking forward to butternut squash pastas and pumpkin soups and all the other joys that come with fall.
posted by tofu_crouton at 1:53 PM on November 6 [2 favorites]

We bought a rainfall + handheld dual showerhead a few days ago and decided now was the time to get it installed. My friends, this is the biggest upgrade to my home in years. I actually genuinely dislike showering, I do it as fast as possible typically, while my partner loves long luxurious showers. Now? Now I get it.
posted by brook horse at 1:56 PM on November 6 [6 favorites]

yesss I love Stella's leaf jumps
posted by cnidaria at 2:06 PM on November 6 [2 favorites]

KEXP is playing hopeful and iinspiring music, if that is needed today.

KEXP.
posted by spinifex23 at 2:31 PM on November 6 [4 favorites]

Except for mother f'ing Andy Harris, Maryland showed up and did it's job! Blue Senate, almost all Blue House, and electoral votes to Harris.
posted by atomicstone at 3:14 PM on November 6 [10 favorites]

I passed my second ever kidney stone last night! All my other bits and bobs appear to be physically fine as well. Mentally, well, this is not the thread for that. But yay I endured my kidney stone. So I can endure other things too.

Also I got to vote for Alexis Mercedes Rinck here in Seattle and early numbers show that I have many neighbors in agreement.
posted by Mizu at 3:41 PM on November 6 [7 favorites]

I've managed to keep my house completely tidy for two full months. It's the only thing I've ever really struggled with but I had a breakthrough over the summer and I think I've finally got it figured out.
posted by phunniemee at 3:54 PM on November 6 [14 favorites]

I got a hug from my almost-15 year old this afternoon. Freely given. It was wonderful.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 4:09 PM on November 6 [19 favorites]

> I had a breakthrough over the summer

Is that a Sims plumbob?
posted by lucidium at 4:37 PM on November 6

WA state had some good outcomes, I am glad to be here.

I got an order of bulbs that I mailordered about two weeks ago, they arrived today, very timely indeed (type one, type two). To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow and all that.

Or maybe you just need to watch a couple golden retrievers jumping into giant leaf piles
Hooboy I actually did really need that. Thank you.
posted by missmobtown at 4:38 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

Is that a Sims plumbob?

Yep
posted by phunniemee at 4:54 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

Yesterday I listened to a bunch of Led Zeppelin. I know they aren't great humans, but I grew up with their music and it was comforting. Today I found a Spotify playlist (also not great humans) for 125 Led Zeppelin covers. Including several by unknown-to-me-until today Beth Hart, who has a great voice.

Also I watched this, which is hilarious. Todd In The Shadows, on "Soul Sister" by Train (who also have a actually good album of Zeppelin covers).
posted by Gorgik at 4:58 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

My tiny win is that we got the right people elected to my local school board (i.e. people who will not try to ban books, and who have actual experience and qualifications related to education). The school board recently discussed removing All Boys Aren't Blue from school libraries, but narrowly voted not to, so this gives me hope that we can continue down that path.
posted by extramachine at 5:05 PM on November 6 [7 favorites]

Oh hey I just noticed Stella and Mabel are yellow labs. But close enough. :)
posted by Glinn at 5:45 PM on November 6 [2 favorites]

Oh! We (MD) also enshrined a right to abortion in our constitution. Yay!
posted by atomicstone at 6:41 PM on November 6 [7 favorites]

a video I finished almost a year ago has finally gotten an official release. I suppose I'd categorize it as "shoegaze" but it's not afraid of melody and colour ...

MOVIELAND - "I Relate"
posted by philip-random at 10:50 PM on November 6 [3 favorites]

This references politics, but is hopeful, I promise:

So, in 2016 I was working at the International Rescue Committee, an organization which aids refugees worldwide and works to resettle some in the US. So the 2016 election was grim. But - the night we knew Trump won, a handful of Mefites reached out to me in Memail to ask "hey, I thought of you and the IRC when we learned Trump won. How can I donate to the IRC?" (I was able to bring that up during an all-staff meeting the following day at work, and it really helped cheer up some very grim people.)

This year, I'm working at a women's health clinic that does first-term abortions. And yes, yesterday was also grim. But - last night, my boss shared with me that we're seeing an uptake in emails from people asking "Hey, the election made me think of you; how can I volunteer as a clinic escort?"

THAT is how we are going to get through this. Mr. Rogers said that whenever we're faced with something scary, to look for the helpers, because they're always there. And he's right. I would also add: if and when you can, BE a helper. It can be something small - donating money to something, joining a letter-writing campaign, or even if you clean your house out, take stuff to a migrant shelter or a battered women's shelter instead of bringing it to Goodwill. No matter how grim it gets, there are always people who do these small things - and there are always small things you can do as well. Hope is not gone.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:56 AM on November 7 [15 favorites]

Was sitting in Penn North rail station after a long train ride, just looking on my phone.

Slowly, I become aware of a man singing "The Greatest Worker Of All" to the tune of Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All". He's got a great voice and making up lyrics that convey how awesome a friend is who works at the Dunkin' Donuts within the station.

It's so good, a bunch of us in the station stop whatever we're doing and watch the scene. When he's finished, we all clap. He smiles at the response, the Dunkin' employee is laughing, and all is well for a few moments.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:46 AM on November 7 [18 favorites]

I signed up yesterday to volunteer at the queer health clinic here in TX where I get all my local care (when I'm not out west for my job). They've been a beacon of light for the Alphabet Gang during my relatively short time here, and it's time I circle my wagons around my queer fam.

Also, I got invited to a gay men's naked yoga retreat this weekend, and I bought my ticket on Monday. Rarely have I been so glad for a spontaneous decision. I think we're all going to need the time to be stripped down and unguarded and vulnerable ... and safe.

I've been following the mutual aid group here for a while, but haven't quite found my "in" with them yet, as they've mostly been asking for money (which is the one thing I can't spare). But I know the opportunity will arise.
posted by mykescipark at 7:55 AM on November 7 [8 favorites]

Naturally, and as usual, my deepest sympathies to hearts that grieve and best wishes for love and peace to those who struggle with THE WEIGHT.

I am on my phone, and so can't run the title through translation to tell you where, but these are fireworks from a sea-side town in Japan from a couple months back that were just what I needed this morning.
posted by ob1quixote at 8:12 AM on November 7 [5 favorites]

I register people at my polling place and check them in. When there is a kid with them between like 3 and 12, I tease them about how old they are and if they are here to vote, too. Most of them are too shy to respond, but one little girl was so excited to tell me that she voted for Minnie in her class, but Bluey won. Next year she will be campaigning harder for Minnie! Another girl corrected me to say her sister is only 12 and cannot vote as that sister was trying to make her shut up. Then I guessed out loud that she was 6. She got all serious at me and said, "How do you know my age?!?". I told her I was just a good guesser, and that I would see her sister in 6 years and her in 12 years.

I must have registered at least 25 voters between 18-20 and I try to remember to congratulate each one in their first time voting.
posted by soelo at 8:14 AM on November 7 [9 favorites]

My rat Dash trying to crack a boiled egg

Dash squeaking as she's being stroked
posted by Zumbador at 8:19 AM on November 7 [8 favorites]

I ate beans last night and it made me happy. Really recommend the cookbook Smitten Kitchen Keepers.
posted by tofu_crouton at 8:53 AM on November 7 [2 favorites]

Non-political content now:

Someone posted about the Green Flag Guy recently on the blue and he's pretty adorable. I stumbled upon his stuff a while back and added him almost immediately. Basically: he's a dude who reads various wholesome stories on Reddit outloud, interspersed with clips of him running around in a park with a huge green flag in excitement. (he also has a series about reading and responding to "am i the asshole" stories with a red flag, but these are better.)

I ate beans last night and it made me happy.

Yay beans! (Says the Rancho Gordo stan.)

Sharing another simple meal: this is something I made a couple years ago and shared with my doesn't-like-to-cook roommate. He liked it so much, he asked for the recipe. (I'm trying to lure him into joining me in an apartment clean this weekend with the promise of a rerun.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:59 AM on November 7 [3 favorites]

if we are into dogs, it doesn't hurt to pull up an old Caribou video: "You Can Do It"
posted by ginger.beef at 11:24 AM on November 7 [2 favorites]

The city I work in approved a new bond to pay for earthquake renovations on our Central Library building!
posted by calgirl at 12:02 PM on November 7 [8 favorites]

I just got word today that our night manager is moving on in 2 weeks. we talked today about it for a little bit and actually got a little teary because I'm an emotional bastard.

the thing is I've rarely seen a cook who's improved themselves as she has, learned the job, proper procedure all that and pretty much trained herself.

going to miss you sky but you're better cook than most and I'm exceedingly happy this person is moving on with their life. going from a single mother with an unsure living situation a year ago to having their own place their own vehicle and confidence in their job.

I wish I could get my s*** together that fast.
posted by clavdivs at 1:11 PM on November 7 [9 favorites]

Following up on the clinic where I work - so, usually we get one or two volunteer inquiries a week. Today we got 14 in A SINGLE DAY.

(My hope is tempered by the fact that following up with them all is now part of MY job, wheeeeee)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:38 PM on November 7 [4 favorites]

On Election Day I took my 6 yr old granddaughter to the YMCA pool. It's an indoor shallow kid pool and she can stand up in all of it. There were no other kids in the pool. She's never had swimming lessons, it's too complicated to set up given her parents' and siblings' schedules. She loves the water, swam in the lake a lot over the summer. She can doggy paddle quite well. I tried to teach her to float, it wasn't happening. We were there for almost an hour and played and laughed a lot. Just before we had to leave I was floating and she said she wanted to float with me so I held her hand and she did it and she let go of my hand and floated on her own. She was so proud of herself! She looks a bit like a young Kamala and I was really hoping she would wake up the next day to find that someone who looks like her was going to be our next pres.
posted by mareli at 3:45 PM on November 7 [9 favorites]

I donated from across the country to Eugene Vindman, and he won his race, and I am really pleased about that.

Vindman first gained a national profile after he and his brother, Alexander Vindman, played a central role in Donald Trump’s first impeachment. The Vindman brothers, who both held senior roles on Trump’s national security council, were dismissed after raising concerns about the then president’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

...

Even though his history with Trump boosted Vindman’s prospects as a first-time candidate for political office, he did not mention that record much on the campaign trail, instead focusing on issues like abortion access and the potential overhaul of the civil service if Republicans won full control of Congress.

Other than that, I've seen hummingbirds two or three days this week. Every day that has a hummingbird in it is a good day.

Also, I got to read this lovely comment from Hot Pastrami about their daughter's Halloween and share it with a Halloween-loving friend. It's wonderful how many of my days are made good days by comments from MeFites.

Also also, the Explore kitten rescue cam has been fabulous for several weeks now. Yay kittens.
posted by kristi at 10:16 PM on November 7 [8 favorites]

I'd love to share an update to the AskMe about the kitten I found outside my bedroom window in September:

We kept him and named him Romeo (because he serenaded me! my usually-unsentimental husband came up with that), and he is a mostly adorable stinker who very much enjoys climbing things and pestering his big brothers.
posted by Sweetie Darling at 4:41 AM on November 8 [13 favorites]

Romeo is a handsome little guy!
posted by Zumbador at 4:48 AM on November 8 [5 favorites]

I made healthy banana muffins and they were so, so good
posted by EarnestDeer at 5:16 AM on November 8 [3 favorites]

I just got a confirmation that my next box o' beans is coming from Rancho Gordo's bean club. That's feeding into the general "I'mma hunker down and be domestic" vibe I'm in for this coming weekend; I was out of town last weekend, and while I did enjoy that, the house went to pot while I was out (especially since my roommate and I have been wandering around with thousand-yard stares since Tuesday night).

Planning on cooking up the entire pound of black beans I got as an add-on to the last box, and freezing them all for future dinners; some will go into a black bean and sweet potato chili this Sunday though. I'm also going to make this tortellini and squash slow cooker recipe tomorrow, as a reward for cleaning the snot out of the place; scrubbing the tub, vacuuming the baseboards, tidying up clutter that got strewn about, and maybe even throwing some stuff at the Buy Nothing group I've been meaning to get rid of.

There will also be some kind of cake. Don't know what kind yet. And maybe something to use up the last of the CSA apples that are starting to look a little tired.

Have been trying to sell the roommate on joining me; I find that kind of cleanup very grounding ("the world is chaos but my HOUSE is organized, dammit") and he's tentatively interested.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:34 AM on November 8 [2 favorites]

Oh hey I just noticed Stella and Mabel are yellow labs.

I was wondering when you would notice.

But close enough. :)

Just like French and English bulldogs maybe which are not that alike but they are all good dogs. I just wish they could live longer.
posted by y2karl at 7:04 AM on November 8 [2 favorites]

I am very excited for the release of Hot Frosty, which appears to be by all accounts the spiritual (if not literal) successor to my favorite Xmas movie of all, Snowmance.
posted by grumpybear69 at 7:10 AM on November 8 [2 favorites]

Gremlins is my favorite Christmas movie.
posted by y2karl at 7:18 AM on November 8 [1 favorite]

I bought some more fabric. I totally did NOT need to buy more fabric, but I did, and I'm going to make nice things like bags and dresses.
posted by Melismata at 7:32 AM on November 8 [5 favorites]

Kattullus posted a nice, very chill post about Tracey Thorne: Tides that take me away/ To a distant shore/ And I don't want to be saved. If you don't know her already, very much worth a lesson.

Our oldest kid has gotten his head turned around by Jazz in the last couple years, is hoping to go study it next year: in the meantime it's made me re-listen to all this music I last heard thirty-odd years ago and among them is "Love Supreme" by John Coltrane and... it's kicked me as hard as J.S.Bach. I don't have the language or knowledge to explain it but - it's a pinnacle I missed. It breaks molds and re-shapes them in a new way that, each time I hear it, makes me stop and pay attention. Which as close as I get to religious feeling
posted by From Bklyn at 7:37 AM on November 8 [7 favorites]

Holy CRAP the web site at our clinic is blowing up with volunteer inquiries, they have increased by over 1100%
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:17 AM on November 8 [8 favorites]

I planted (or, re-planted, moved to a better location) a little tree today.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:45 PM on November 8 [6 favorites]

Wasn't that by Margaret Wise Brown?
posted by y2karl at 2:39 PM on November 8

The lyrics to ""Reasons to be Cheerful, Pt. 3" by Ian Dury and The Blockheads—works for me! (As does just hearing the song "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick".)
posted by not_on_display at 7:57 PM on November 8 [2 favorites]

Made the winning play in my game a few days ago, and my teammate grabbed my hand and yelled "Thank you!" and was really vocal about what I did. A fair amount of the time sports is like needlepoint or knitting or crocheting for me. There's a pattern. There's a plan. There's something I'm trying to construct. There are way more moving parts and way less control, but when you create something beautiful that you can still picture in your minds eye later on laying in bed or daydreaming at work, it's really pleasing.
posted by cashman at 8:37 PM on November 8 [7 favorites]

I just cooked up an entire pot of black beans with lots of onion and garlic in the mix and the house now smells INCREDIBLE.

Most of it will be doled out into smaller containers and stashed in the freezer; I've just browsed through a whole lot of recipes that call for canned black beans and that's where most of these will go. I may also do some batch freezer prep, too, where I make up up freezer packs of things to go in the slow cooker or freezing blocks of single-serve casserole, so dinner after work gets easier.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:13 AM on November 9 [3 favorites]

I cleaned and accomplished so many things today. This is very unlike me! It’s satisfying, and I realized all these little jobs that had built up were not such a big deal at all.
posted by Glinn at 5:11 PM on November 9 [5 favorites]

This is the good stuff that's been happening to me.

When I was in New York in April I went to a play about the life of Puccini, the Italian opera composer. Interspersed with the story of his life, arias from his operas were performed. One of the singers was a young tenor, Garrett, who was absolutely incredible - his singing brought me to tears at one point when he sang E lucevan le stelle from Tosca. It was sublime.

I found his website, and I emailed to let him know how much I'd enjoyed his singing. We corresponded back and forth, and he let me know that he was joining an opera company in Florence, Italy. I asked him to keep me updated about his move. In the summer he let me know that he was performing the lead role in a condensed version of Gounod's opera, Faust, where he sells his soul to the devil. Aptly, this Devilish Pact was being staged on Halloween night.

So, having a few days owed to me at work, I booked a flight to Florence and a cheap tourist hotel. The weather was perfect - 24C (75F) sunshine during the day, a little chillier at night. I met up with Garrett and his fiancee a few times, I saw the sights of Florence (a most beautiful city), including Michaelangelo's incredible sculpture of David, the food and gelato was fabulous, I walked miles, and met some lovely people. I ate a risotto one evening for dinner, served with a teacup of mushroom broth, that was so incredibly delicious it was almost like that scene in When Harry Met Sally, as I moaned softly to myself with every mouthful. Luckily there was no-one at the next table.

The opera on Halloween night was absolutely superb and Garrett played the tortured Faust to perfection. I flew home the next day, with wonderful memories I will cherish forever.

This is stuff that is well outside my comfort zone - but life is about experiences and memories, and whenever I push myself to do something like this, the rewards are always immense for me.
posted by essexjan at 1:35 AM on November 10 [14 favorites]

Wow essexjan, how cool! I would watch a film about this story.
posted by Glinn at 6:05 AM on November 10 [1 favorite]

I cleaned and accomplished so many things today. This is very unlike me! It’s satisfying, and I realized all these little jobs that had built up were not such a big deal at all.

This often is me. Satisfiying to get it done, innit?

...tidying my office wasn't THAT bad after all, and I made short work of baking the applesauce muffins for the week's breakfasts. And then came the cookies - a good basic cookie recipe that happily accept whatever kind of kitchen-sink stuff you want to throw in. I had a trace bag of sliced almonds, some coconut flakes, and chocolate chips - there we go, I combined those three and went with an Almond Joy kind of vibe. It made just the right amount to have things to nibble over the week (and when my roommate came up from his turf downstairs in search of "a quick snack", and I offered those, he was chuffed).

I think the dried cranberries will go in some pumpkin bread next week.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:00 PM on November 10 [3 favorites]

A school somewhere in Durban has set one of my books as a reader for their students. That's pretty cool. Although I hope it doesn't put them off reading my books! (set reading in school is usually a bit of a vibe killer...)
posted by Zumbador at 12:37 AM on November 11 [2 favorites]

We went to dinner at a friend's last night. All four of us rode our bikes! Mrfeet had littlestfeet in a bike trailer and littlefeet was very proud of herself for riding all the way there on her balance bike. (She shared the trailer on the way back.)
posted by freethefeet at 1:59 AM on November 11 [4 favorites]

Just the dulcet tones of Dashner Design & Restoration's videos (YT), where mid-century modern and other furniture are meticulously and lovingly refinished.
posted by Drosera at 11:17 AM on November 12

Also I watched this , which is hilarious. Todd In The Shadows, on "Soul Sister" by Train (who also have a actually good album of Zeppelin covers).

Gorgik, thanks for this. A good laugh.
posted by Well I never at 5:52 PM on November 12

We kept him and named him Romeo (because he serenaded me! my usually-unsentimental husband came up with that),

My ex and I had a cat we called Little Alarm Clock because we found him in our backyard. The bedroom window was open, and he woke us up with his very loud mewing. He was a tiny kitten then.
posted by Well I never at 4:16 PM on November 13