Updates, films, and things
Apr. 24th, 2026 05:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peasinaHi everyone,
There’s a wonderfully educational new Pokémon Botany video out from Matthew Gaston!
If you haven’t seen his others, you can find them here:
- Botanist Explains All Grass-Type Pokémon
- Botanist Explains Pokémon Berries
Mushroom Update
My mushrooms are unfortunately no more. I’m disheartened, as I tried hard to help them grow and give them the conditions they needed, but without purchasing expensive, specialised equipment, it just wasn’t happening (at least not for this particular type of mushroom.)
The blue oysters didn’t grow at all until I raised the humidity considerably by keeping them under a clear plastic sheet and standing them above a tray of damp perlite. My humidity gauge confirmed I’d hit the 85-95% range they needed, and after a week, they finally started to grow, and I was excited. I could only fan the air inside the bag manually however, which I did about four times a day, but according to my research that’s not enough — blue oysters need a constant flow of oxygen, which can be achieved indoors via a special tent with vents and tubes and all that stuff. As too much CO2 had gathered in the bag, the blue oyster’s heads never developed. Eventually the tips of their white stems just shrivelled inward and they died.
The pink oysters continued to improve with the increased humidity, though they remained mutated and tiny. I kept at it, but eventually some flies got under the sheet and… well, they ruined everything. The mushrooms were still growing, but with every day that passed the number of flies crawling around inside the grow bag increased. Once mould started to grow on the underdeveloped mushrooms, I knew there was no saving them.
Overall, I enjoyed learning about oyster mushrooms and what they need to thrive, what they’re supposed to look like, and how generally cool they are, but I don’t think I’ll try cultivating them again. It was a lot of work, heartbreaking to watch them struggle, and also a big waste of money (even without the extra stuff I purchased along the way, the bags of mycelium alone were quite expensive!)
For now, I’m seeking places I can buy exotic or unusual mushrooms and enjoy them via eating them ^^ I’ve already found one shop a short drive away that has a cool selection of imports, and have already made two mushroom soups with them, so that’s a win!
15 Films in April
I mentioned in my last journal that I wanted to try to watch 15 films in April, and I’m doing well so far! I got distracted from my pre-made list of films after watching Prometheus, which made me want to watch the rest of the Alien films (I’m still working on that). With seven evenings until the end of the month and 5 films remaining, I feel I can do it.
My progress slowed since last weekend, as I’ve been spending every evening working on a Prometheus podfic series and also listening to more of the Murderbot audiobooks. I’d been hoping to finish all of Murderbot before Voiceteam starts (1 May) as it’s always a popular fandom in podfic circles and I’m allergic to spoilers (but also have FOMO), so I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep to my movie goal AND Murderbot goal, but we’ll see.
Films I’ve watched so far:
1. Her
2. Thor: Love & Thunder
3. Prometheus
4. Passengers
5. Ad Astra
6. The Old Guard
7. The Old Guard 2
8. Gravity
9. Alien Covenant
10. Alien Romulus
My favourites were Prometheus and Gravity! Has anyone else seen these? What did you think?
Other Stuff
I'm hoping to put together a March and April event roundup soon, but I’ve hardly worked on anything recently. That will change once Voiceteam starts, but it’s interesting how my fannish energy seems to go up and down so much these days and is and usually wholly based on what events I’m participating in at the time.
Tomorrow I'm being interviewed as part of a research study on ASMR. I did an online survey a while ago and was invited to be interviewed based on my answers, so that's exciting. The study is looking at whether a Highly Sensitive Person (something I hadn't heard of before the survey, but is apparently a Thing and a thing that I might also be) is more likely to consume ASMR content and why, which is awesome. I can already foresee me talking their ear off now I get the chance to share my ASMR thoughts with someonne, especially with how it's changed since developing tinnitus, and I can't wait to read their findings once they're available!
I hope everyone is doing well 🧡🧡🧡
There’s a wonderfully educational new Pokémon Botany video out from Matthew Gaston!
If you haven’t seen his others, you can find them here:
- Botanist Explains All Grass-Type Pokémon
- Botanist Explains Pokémon Berries
Mushroom Update
My mushrooms are unfortunately no more. I’m disheartened, as I tried hard to help them grow and give them the conditions they needed, but without purchasing expensive, specialised equipment, it just wasn’t happening (at least not for this particular type of mushroom.)
The blue oysters didn’t grow at all until I raised the humidity considerably by keeping them under a clear plastic sheet and standing them above a tray of damp perlite. My humidity gauge confirmed I’d hit the 85-95% range they needed, and after a week, they finally started to grow, and I was excited. I could only fan the air inside the bag manually however, which I did about four times a day, but according to my research that’s not enough — blue oysters need a constant flow of oxygen, which can be achieved indoors via a special tent with vents and tubes and all that stuff. As too much CO2 had gathered in the bag, the blue oyster’s heads never developed. Eventually the tips of their white stems just shrivelled inward and they died.
The pink oysters continued to improve with the increased humidity, though they remained mutated and tiny. I kept at it, but eventually some flies got under the sheet and… well, they ruined everything. The mushrooms were still growing, but with every day that passed the number of flies crawling around inside the grow bag increased. Once mould started to grow on the underdeveloped mushrooms, I knew there was no saving them.
Overall, I enjoyed learning about oyster mushrooms and what they need to thrive, what they’re supposed to look like, and how generally cool they are, but I don’t think I’ll try cultivating them again. It was a lot of work, heartbreaking to watch them struggle, and also a big waste of money (even without the extra stuff I purchased along the way, the bags of mycelium alone were quite expensive!)
For now, I’m seeking places I can buy exotic or unusual mushrooms and enjoy them via eating them ^^ I’ve already found one shop a short drive away that has a cool selection of imports, and have already made two mushroom soups with them, so that’s a win!
15 Films in April
I mentioned in my last journal that I wanted to try to watch 15 films in April, and I’m doing well so far! I got distracted from my pre-made list of films after watching Prometheus, which made me want to watch the rest of the Alien films (I’m still working on that). With seven evenings until the end of the month and 5 films remaining, I feel I can do it.
My progress slowed since last weekend, as I’ve been spending every evening working on a Prometheus podfic series and also listening to more of the Murderbot audiobooks. I’d been hoping to finish all of Murderbot before Voiceteam starts (1 May) as it’s always a popular fandom in podfic circles and I’m allergic to spoilers (but also have FOMO), so I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep to my movie goal AND Murderbot goal, but we’ll see.
Films I’ve watched so far:
1. Her
2. Thor: Love & Thunder
3. Prometheus
4. Passengers
5. Ad Astra
6. The Old Guard
7. The Old Guard 2
8. Gravity
9. Alien Covenant
10. Alien Romulus
My favourites were Prometheus and Gravity! Has anyone else seen these? What did you think?
Other Stuff
I'm hoping to put together a March and April event roundup soon, but I’ve hardly worked on anything recently. That will change once Voiceteam starts, but it’s interesting how my fannish energy seems to go up and down so much these days and is and usually wholly based on what events I’m participating in at the time.
Tomorrow I'm being interviewed as part of a research study on ASMR. I did an online survey a while ago and was invited to be interviewed based on my answers, so that's exciting. The study is looking at whether a Highly Sensitive Person (something I hadn't heard of before the survey, but is apparently a Thing and a thing that I might also be) is more likely to consume ASMR content and why, which is awesome. I can already foresee me talking their ear off now I get the chance to share my ASMR thoughts with someonne, especially with how it's changed since developing tinnitus, and I can't wait to read their findings once they're available!
I hope everyone is doing well 🧡🧡🧡
no subject
Date: 2026-04-24 06:52 pm (UTC)Good luck with the interview, the study sounds fun :D
no subject
Date: 2026-04-25 11:15 am (UTC)