Elizabeth Tasker

An image of the floor taken by the web cam. The stool where the web cam was sitting this morning is visible the background.

Sometimes bad things happen to good web cameras 😂😼

It’s not a handle: just a little rack for hanging something to dry. It came with the radiator.

A calico cat is sleeping on a suspended window bed, with one from paw extended over the edge.

Same window bed, same calico cat. Now lying on her side like a human would lie in a bed.

A #caturday as it should be enjoyed (by #NorahNeko).

Wow -- good tip! Thanks!

A metal plate with two caster wheels attached. This attaches to the bottom of the oil radiator (in the background) by a semi circular metal loop that goes between the fins and through two holes on the metal plate.

The fixed radiator, now with four working wheels.

My oil radiator has had a broken caster for… some years! It only just occurred to me that this might be easily fixable. And indeed, you can buy a new set of wheels designed to fit these radiators very easily and quite cheaply. The wheels are even better than the originals 😅

I can't help but feel as though all this heat over whether Nigel Farage was a racist bigot fifty years ago is a distraction from the same discussion the press and political class continue to dodge: That the party he leads, right now, is a, racist, bigoted, far-right political party.

A picture of "the book lover's advent calendar" promising "25 bookish gifts for readers". The picture shows a drawing of a cosy armchair near a Christmas tree and books scattered around the room. Plus a dog on a cushion.

The inside of the advent calendar, which folds open to reveal 25 small envelopes that fit bugger all.

Last year, I bought an advent calendar as a gift only to find it was the "empty" version.

Why this exists... is unclear. Since it was only a few dollars cheaper, it was probably no less disappointing.

This year, I filled this mf myself and I am PROUD. (Also, I had to resort to paperclips. Twice.)

A calico cat is curled in ball with pink toe beans on her back paw visible. She’s on my lap, on a heated blanket, partially tucked under the desk.

Desk accessory. #NorahNeko

A black and white cat stands and turns to look at the camera.

A calico cat turns her head to look quizzically at the camera.

It’s not Halloween. But somehow we feel… watched. #CasperCat and #NorahNeko spot the CatCam.

Work has given me a smartphone. It’s a basic model that isn’t on the market, knows what institute I’m at during setup, and automatically uninstalled/installed a set of apps 😳

I may keep it in the pipe access hatch under the kitchen.

Brand name is written on it 🙂 Weight is apparently 71g. Not nothing, but don’t really notice it in my wallet (makes the wallet a little fatter and rigid). It just arrived so I cannot yet attest to how much charge it gives (it claims about 3/4 charge).

A photograph of my hand holding a thin rectangular blue battery. It’s roughly the size of a credit card, although heavier. It has a cable for an iPhone built in.

I bought a slim battery in the Black Friday sales (…why do we have Black Friday sales in Japan?! …) that fits in my wallet. LOOK HOW SMALL!

I appreciate the potential of having extra phone charge on hand, although if it catches fire (as all recent flights have declared inevitable) then… regrets 😅

How can you say no to such a face?

Yes, let's hope. Ten years ago, I would have assumed sensible wording would prevent this affecting residents living in their properties. However, global anti-immigration sentiments makes me less certain that "collateral damage" of foreign residents wouldn't be seen as a feature rather than a bug.

#CasperCat still hides when I’m home, and paces around the tatami room when I’m out. However, today he went into the living room, found a box (with scratch pads inside), and had a wash. You can see him on the far left… along with clues as to how this peaceful scene ended 😼

外国人の不動産所有状況を一元管理、登記・国籍を登録…２７年度にも運用へ政府調整（読売新聞オンライン） - Yahoo!ニュース 政府は、外国人による不動産所有状況を一元的に把握、管理するデータベースを構築する方向で調整に入った。国籍を届け出る仕組みがないマンションの不動産登記などでは、国籍登録制度の導入を進める。不動産取得

This is... unfortunate... timing. The Japan Government is planning to create a database of properties that have been purchased by foreign citizens, with the plan to impose different real estate taxes. Ideally, this would only target overseas buyers and not residents, but I admit to concern.

The Japan Cat Network is running a fundraiser for "giving Tuesday", where all donations will be doubled. The JCN has volunteers who #TNR, foster, and provide medical care to stray kitties from kittens to terminal ill moggies, and I've called on them for advice during my own #catrescue many times.

A calico cat is curled up on a brown blanket on a bed with her paw over her eyes.

It’s a new day. But you can just say no. #NorahNeko

This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥

グッドラックMMX | JAXA「MMX」応援キャンペーン All aboard for departure in FY 2026! Messages of support for the Martian Moons eXploration mission, MMX

WHO WANTS TO GO TO PHOBOS? 🔭

OK, you can't 😐

BUT you can send a message to JAXA that will board the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft 🛰️ to make humanity's first round-trip to the Mars system, collecting a sample from Phobos and returning home in 2031.

Message collection until Jan. 18 🧪

a netflix advertisement shows a girl with a serious expression Alt: Wednesday Addams saying "I'll never apologize for trying to uncover a truth".

(Sends around a paper draft on asteroid sample analysis)

Colleague: You can't say "Breunnerite" anymore. Don't ask.

Me: 😳

Oh, maybe that's worth trying as a variant!

James Webb Telescope Ornament

Closeup of a sock with a knitted illustration of JWST

Jewelry set consisting of earrings and a pendant necklace with charms that look like the primary mirror of JWST consisting of 18 hexagons.

It's Small Business Saturday, so it's time to hype my stuff 😎

I’m Daniel, a product designer and jewelry artist inspired by space exploration and science ✨

My products range from socks to ornaments to jewelry. High quality because science deserves to be celebrated!

🔗 sciencesocks.com

🐡🧪🎨

A can of the soft drink irn bru beside a plate of baked beans and a meat pie.

A visit to the British Shop 🇬🇧 in Shibuya! It’s not that I passionate miss any particular food, but somehow it feels good to see the familiar favourites in a place where everyone else’s life experiences make your normal indescribably different.

I’m unsure whether instruction by #NorahNeko as to how to play in the cat tunnel is entirely helpful to #CasperCat 😹

I realised my potential error 😂

Look again 🙂

Why? 🧐

Someone warned me on mastodon too, and I decided it wasn’t worth the risk!

That is the plan for the difficult cat! (It’s why I brought him inside, as I have been his main source of food for the last three years.)