To Cry About

This year during Three Weeks for Dreamwidth, I'm writing about reading as a way of becoming an expert in a given subject.


Part 1: Introduction to Becoming an Expert

Previously I posted about "How to Get Good at Anything." That touched on "The 3 Book Rule to Become An Expert." The premise is that, if you have read just three books on a subject, you know more about it than the general level of knowledge. You don't know as much as a professional should, but you know enough to answer about 80% of questions on the matter. This is enough to be useful to most people regarding most issues in that area. The really complicated or difficult stuff can be left to the professional level of experts.




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Today we went to the Spring Fest in Charleston. It was drizzling, but not enough to discourage us.

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Today's theme is Metal.


addme_fandom  -- Addme Fandom
Find friends who share your fannish obsessions.
[Active with multiple posts in April.]

beautifulmechanical  -- Beautiful Mechanical
Do you love music? We do, too.
[Active with multiple posts in April.]

creativity  -- Make It, Build It, Dream It. Creativity.
Sharing creative projects and ideas.
[Somewhat active with last post in June 2025.]

onesongaday  -- One Song A Day
Do you love music? So come share, listen & enjoy.
[Active with multiple posts in April.]

vkotd  -- V系お勧め
A community for sharing songs by flamboyant Japanese rock/metal bands.
[Active with multiple posts in April.]

scabrous (SKAB-ruhs) - adj., covered with scales or scabs; hence, very coarse or rough; hence, disgusting, repellent; hence, dealing with suggestive, indecent, or scandalous themes; difficult, thorny, troublesome.


In botany, this lacks the negative connotations, and it is used heavily to describe things as diverse as tree bark, fruit, and squashes.

Today is sunny and hot, with fluffy white clouds in the sky.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I took some pictures around the yard.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I refilled potting soil into the hollow logs at the front of the log garden.  Then I planted a 4-pack of white impatiens in the holes.  

I put the flats of plants outside to get some sun.

I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches plus a male cardinal.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I watered the impatiens and flats of plants.

I've seen a starling at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I potted up four green sweet basil plants and one purple ruffles basil, then watered them.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- We hauled the new bag of grass seed out of the car.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I sowed grass seed in the big bare patch at the west edge of the south lot.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- We hauled out the tape hose and the new sprinkler head.  There is not enough hose to reach the grass patch, and with the low water pressure that we have, the spray only covers about 6 feet wide.  *sigh*

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I planted a small trough pot with orange mint, mojito mint, and apple mint.  There is room for one more mint there.

EDIT 4/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I watered the grass patch using the watering can.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
 

This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...

* Commented on "Gratitude Journaling" in journalsandplanners.

* Commented on "just create - beard edition" in justcreate.

* Posted "Books" to lgbtqiapluswriters.

* Commented on "Just One Thing" in awesomeers.

* Posted "Birdfeeding" in birdfeeding.

Here are the character notes for "No Faster or Firmer Friendships."

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Today is Earth Day. Here are some ideas to celebrate it.

These are the character notes for "When You Learn to Read" Part 2: Bolivar Family.

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This poem is spillover from the August 5, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from dialecticdreamer, rix_scaedu, and jake67jake. It also fills the "Somebody at the Door" square in my 8-1-25 card for the Crime Classics Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the Big One thread of the Polychrome Heroics series. It is the second in a triptych, between "Where You Find Light" and "No Faster or Firmer Friendships."

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