Virtual Brush Box

Awareness of the outside world. “AI-Free. No AI was used in the research or writing of this book.” Front matter from Rope, How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization, by Tim Queeney (St. Martins 2025). That notice is a new one on me.

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Giving myself space to be cranky today. You may wish to come back tomorrow.

Today is Gotcha Day for Rodney, 15 years. Milton’s was Saturday, 11 years.

Last week, someone asked about Rodney’s origin story. I sent them a link to the “Horse Tales” article I wrote for Horse Illustrated in 2012, “The Horse Next Door.” [Clip: Rodney in Horse Illustrated]

That lead me to the related post, in which I said,

If I knew then what I know now, would I still would have bought him? In all honesty, yes. The entire time I was trying him out, something drew me to this horse. Which means either that I have a discerning eye for horseflesh and marvelous things may yet happen OR that I am an emotion-driven idiot who bought the wrong horse for the wrong reasons. Time will tell.

[In the Beginning] January 2012, emphasis added.

Well, it’s 13 years later. I think we have our answer.

[Gotcha Day, 10 Years and a Serious Lack of Shiny Rainbow Glitter Sparkles]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Whats happening in the art world? Do you have a favorite museum? A favorite artist? A craft we should know about? ISO ideas for Sunday headers.

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Goldwork is a form of embroider using metallic threads. String or Nothing: GOLD FISH!

All gold is kinda a lot. I’d say that’s point of working with gold. To be a lot.

Process Notes

Interior shapes

Redoing the letters to maximize interior space. [F is for Fuchsia]

Project Description [Colorwork Alphabet Introduction]

Previous Posts [Colorwork Alphabet]

Onwards!
Katherine

Worldcon is an annual convention for science fiction & fantasy that emphasizes books and fandom. This would be in contrast to the megacons, such as San Diego Comic Con, which lean toward movies and corporate involvement.

This year was Seattle Worldcon. I attended virtually. Since I do not enjoy panels as a method for presenting information, my membership was more by way of a gesture of support back when travel to the US was becoming problematic. [Foot Follow Up]

Therefore, I had a low bar for entertainment. I listened to lectures, popped by panels, and checked out the chat on Discord.

Thoughts & notes, in no particular order.

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First the venting.

If I have one commercially viable skill, it is to ask questions. In almost every interview, the person I’m talking with says, “That’s a good question.” Therefore, I have limited patience with folks who ask off topic, rambling questions.

I also immensely dislike folks who interject too much of themselves into the situation. If I’m listening to a session with Big Name, I want to hear that person. Unless you have a Hugo, STFU. This is not a new rant. [Clinic Report: Muffie Seaton]

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Advantages to virtual over IRL. Hoping from room to room. On phone, the ability to move around while listening.

Disadvantage. On desktop, reduced to staring at yet another screen. Movement even more limited than being in the hall.

Camera in back gives virtual folks a sea of heads. Camera in front blocks the IRL audience view.

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Pokemon Sleep, gamify your sleep habits.

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LUNA – Europe’s Moon on Earth

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Bridget Landry is a most excellent speaker, both informative and entertaining. I would watch her videos anytime. Seattle: GoHs.

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Start Times

On my Desktop, the convention app displayed the times in my timezone. On my phone, I used the Discord which gave times in PDT & in 24-hour time. So I had to remember which was which and whether or not I need to convert. In the afternoons, I had to do a double conversion from PDT & 24, which ended up being minus 10. Which was easy, as long as I remembered.

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Overall, I was not in the right head space for this. I want to be doing the thing, not talking about the thing. I want to be the one in the ring, not watching other people ride. I’m happy to talk about the thing, but as a break from doing the thing, not instead of. Ditto riding.

General Worldcon Links

Whatever: 20 Years of Science Fiction Conventions, Scalzi 2023

British Fantasy Society: Five Things I Wish I Knew Before I Attended My First Worldcon, pre Glasgow which was last year, but the advice gives a flavor of the event

Seattle Worldcon Links

Whatever: Brief Worldcon Report + an Anniversary Note, of Sorts, Scalzi, August 18, 2025

Rainbow War Blog: Seattle Day 6, Seattle Worldcon 2025 Day 1, Juan Sanmiguel, August 14, 2025

Lucina Press: Seattle Bound for WorldCon 2025, July 15, 2025. Blog Illustrator [Letter Art: Letters in Darkness]

Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog: Worldcon In An Age Of American Truculence, 12 April 2025

Creative Adventures: Seattle 2025: A Virtual Worldcon Experience. From an earlier post, “Knitting and crotchet were very common.” CA: Glasgow 2024: A First Time WorldCon Experience

The Library of Dresan: Worldcon 2025: Day One

Journeys & Words: What I Learned at Seattle WorldCon, Musings from a Writer Who Forgot His Own Advice

Nicola Griffith: Worldcon Report

It was not all books and badge ribbons. Grigory Lukim.com: When People Giggle at Your Name, or the 2025 Hugo Awards Incident

Previous Posts

Travel [Foot Follow Up, Morning Walk Stories]

Start [Notes from a Successful Saddle Seat Lesson]

MOPOP [F is for Fuchsia, F is for Fabric, Colorwork Alphabet]

Fiction, with the prompt Science Fiction Convention [Attending a Science Fiction Convention with an Alien Disguise, Fiction Fragment]

Coda

On a personal note. We’ve all seen the defensive response, Not All Men! a) obviously but, b) enough men, & c) way to make it about you. It hath been easy to sneer. I get it now. When I saw the title of the American truculence post, my first thought was Not All Americans! a) obviously but, b) enough Americans, including those in power, & c) way to make it about me.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Covid booster yesterday. The upcoming seasonal formulation will probably be more effective but, from what I have heard, likely to be less available. YMMV.

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Horse shows run …

.. from sunrise …

… to sunset.

Taken at the Hoosier Horse Park during the Indiana CDE in 2017. [Show Report]

Inspired to drag these from the depths of the vault by a photo exercise that suggests taking a photo every hour. Clearly, this was two hours rather than 12, but the idea is there. Searching for the article produced two links, both by Don Giannatti, with slightly different exercises and different photos. The exercise mentioned here is #9 in both articles.

Lighting Essentials: 25 DAILY IDEAS TO HELP RECOVER YOUR CREATIVITY (6-10), Giannatti 2023.

Medium: 25 Smart Photography Projects to Enhance Your Work: Part Two, Giannatti 2025.

Apologies if my Indiana photos are reposts. I coulda sworn I had used them. Can’t find any trace on blog nor in media library.

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Friend’s kid is heading back to college (waves hi!). I wonder what college is like with cell phones. Back in the neolithic, my entire floor shared one payphone in a booth on the landing. What is it like to be a text away from parents, from high school friends, from someone on the other side of campus? I’m not saying it was uphill both ways in the snow, just that the vibe was different without constant communication.

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I can’t believe we jumped the whole thing. Okay, I’m being snarky. Progress is progress.

Razzy
Hunt seat lesson
The Hunter Place
August 2025

Current record height. Two holes from the bottom.

Rodney &/or Milton may have jumped a low vertical or two back when we were doing crossrail classes. I can’t remember. Even so, it would have been a while ago. So, I’m calling this the high-water mark for the current iteration of my jumping career.

The height didn’t bother me. I may have registered the change but I figured Razzy would trot over, so it was all good. [Lesson and Thoughts Thereon]

What did get me was the approach. During the trot in, Razzy perked up, for a sensible school horse level of perk. I gave a small, internal Eeep! but kept my leg on and kept riding down to the fence. Yay me.

Previous jump, [So This Happened]

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Nutrena: Creative Reuses for Plastic Feed Bags. Hat tip to M.

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Ramsay
Stepping Stone Farm
Saddle seat lesson
August 2025

A kind schoolmaster is in the academy program until the end of the year. So, I’m learning what I can while I can. After all, as Bree says, “No one can teach riding so well as a horse.”

Ramsay knows all about going in a show bridle. I do not. So, I’m taking advantage of the opportunity to learn from an understanding horse, one who rewards correct effort and does not hold a grudge at my hamfistedness.

Do I need to know how to ride with a show bridle? Probably not. You can use one in academy classes but you don’t have to. But why not? Additional skills are good. Learning is good. New & different is good.

A school horse endures mistakes. A schoolmaster lets you know when you are doing it wrong.

Previous Double Bridle, Show Bridle Experience

George 1986. The horse’s owner brought home a beautiful set of bits from England. We looked flawless standing still. Moving, not so much. As for the reins, I barely touched them. [What’s In A Name]

Skippy 2017. It’s not double reins. I’m fine with those on a pelham. It’s having the second rein attached to the second bit that causes the agita. [Different Versions of the Same Thing]

“While I have ridden and shown with it, I am still in the Do No Harm phase. I don’t actually know how to use the the daft thing to influence the horse.” [Why I Am Not A Saddle Seat Genius, And Probably Won’t Be] 2018

Dottie 2019. “I decided that I felt more confident doing this with the work bridle … All the time learning to finesse the show bride had given me a clear idea of how I wanted to ride with the work bridle.” [Show Report: NACHS 2017, Riding]

Optimus, I think I had a lesson with Opt in a show bridle, circa 2019. If true, I did not mention it in the blog. OTOH, the blog says I used a show bridle in January 2024. I have zero memory of this, although I recall the show and the classes. Go figure. [Staying With The Series, Show Report]

“Coach Courtney called my hands gracious.” [Having A Light Touch] 2024

Onwards!
Katherine

Awareness of the outside world. Waves hi to SSF at Louisville. I’m not getting livestream this year. Smaller contingent & no guarantees on how much screentime your rider is going to get. [Vicarious Louisville 2024]

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Last week, Milton sound. Abscess reabsorbed? Cool. [The Year of the Foot]

Sunday morning, trotted in to breakfast.

Sunday afternoon, head-bobbing lame.

Foot in the bucket, my lad.

Meanwhile, on the other hoof, Milton is jettisoning the dead material from the previous abscess. His sole is involved, so it looks quite dramatic to the minions. He’s fine with it. Nice strong new sole underneath.

Blacksmith made (another!) unscheduled visit. Poked a hole in one hoof. Pared the sole on the other hoof. Scroll down for photos.

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Right hind, new abscess

Relief as soon as the area was opened.

Left hind, old abscess

The sole is even more startling IRL. We discovered the sloughing when my hoofpick slid between the layers. !!! Cue panic. One can think of so many reasons this would be a bad thing. It’s all good. He grew new foot before ditching the old.

Previous post with after-abscess photos, [Milton’s Foot Diagnosis Develops 2020].

Onwards!
Katherine