Siobhán Greaney (Shivers)

@billgoats@bitbang.social Found another article about Melanie Buggey and her swim with more delightful quotes/insights: https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/the-impossible-feat-nanaimo-woman-swims-across-strait-of-georgia-in-record-time-12688937

@tefferbear Having so much experience of this right now. Close family sudden hospitalisation - cousins I've not spoken to in ages/aunts and uncles I barely know are flying in (one literally) with offers of support, help, listening ear, dinner cooking, lifts - whatever's needed. It's so heartening in an otherwise shitty time waiting on medical news.

@lenatrad Adding a couple of hashtags here that might catch some Galweigans #MastoDaoine #NUIG #UoG

@FourT4 @Natasha_Jay Just re-read that novel (Amongst our Weapons) last week as the next novel in the series was finally out in paperback. Thanks for the visual!

User: marzipanandminutiae "They are indeed purple, But one thing you’ve missed: The concept of “purple” Didn’t always exist. Some cultures lack names For a color, you see. Hence good old Homer And his “wine-dark sea.” A usage so quaint, A phrasing so old, For verses of romance Is sheer fucking gold. So roses are red. Violets once were called blue. I’m hugely pedantic But what else is new?" 3/6

User: squeeful "While this song makes me merry, Tyrian purple dyes many a hue From magenta to berry And a true purple too. But fun as it is to watch this poetic race The answer is staring you right in the face: Roses are red and violets are blue Because nothing fucking rhymes with purple." 6/6

User: ineptshieldmaid "My friend you’re not wrong About Homer’s wine-ey sea! Colours are a matter Of cultural contingency; Words are in flux And meanings they drift But the word purple You’ve given short shrift. The concept of purple, My friends, is old And refers to a pigment once precious as gold. By crushing up molluscs From the wine-dark sea You make a dye: Imperial decree Meant that in Rome, to wear purpura was a privilege reserved For only the emperor!" 4/6

(continued ineptshieldmaid post) "The word ‘purple’, for clothes so fancy, Entered English By the ninth century Why then are voilets Not purple in song? The dye from this mollusc, known for so long Is almost magenta; More red than blue. The concept of purple is old, and yet new. The dye is red, So this might be true: Roses are purple And violets are blue" 5/6

@Ciaraioch I would subscribe to this alternate timeline history lesson series.

@agowa338 Yes on zoom in. Good old Lorem filler text.

@agowa338 Interesting! The two blues I could see even from the preview picture that there was a lighter and darker though it is subtle, but the orange ones I saw as block / single colour until I had it open in full and my eyes adjusted.

@agowa338 Sorry I got distracted this morning - the thread continues and mentions that point, but then someone's follow on tumblr post counters it talking about purpura.

@Koochulainn Jaysus only 2 weeks till Sixmas eve!

@Mog Yes such a lovely idea to do the audio books - new or old both have charm - I like the Stephen Briggs ones cause he really gets Terry but the new penguin ones with the different actors are great too. Love a Discworld re-read - and hearing them out loud there are so many jokes I didn't get first or second time reading on the page.