The Bluestocking. All gerbils welcome, must have own frou-frou skirt.

[Magpiecomplex]

New thread!

I looked up the etymology (i do love being able to do that)

www.etymonline.com/word/galosh

It seems the word can exist as a singular but in practice they'd be pretty hard to hop in.

Glosses = galoshes obviously. I think that was partly my fault, a misspelling that autocorrupt did its best with. Also crap proofreading.

Also apologies for previous post. My stream of consciousness fell into my tablet.

How very Bluestocking! I pop in to find that the current topic of conversation is.........galoshes!

Thank you for the etymology, Errol, that's always the first thing I want to know too.

Just the other day I was looking for something online and saw 'overshoes' i.e. galoshes! I can't remember where they were, so sorry, galoshophiles.

When I was a child I used to mistakenly associate unrelated words, so 'galoshes' and 'Galashiels' were somehow linked in my muddled little mind.

Galashiels: 'shiels', from an Old English word meaning huts or small houses, and An Geal Áth, it's modern name in Gaelic. I'd interpret that as 'The Bright Ford' from modern Irish, but I'm open to correction.
Interestingly, I read that it's known locally as Gala - Geal Áth - without the 'shiels'.

Also apologies for previous post. My stream of consciousness fell into my tablet.
Don't apologise, Cake - Streams of Consciousness R us.

As I've just proved!

always happy to read other Stockingers SofCs.

I don't seem to mind the cold too much - I'm sitting here wearing a skirt and t-shirt, and fluffy slippers. The heating is off, and I'm feeling cool but not cold. I hate feeling too hot, though - I prefer to sleep with a window open, unless it's too windy, but dh gets cold, so I have a fan I can use at night - and did use in the recent cold spell. And a summer weight duvet on the bed.

I'm with you on loving the etymology of words, @ErrolTheDragon - it's one of the reasons I'm enjoying studying Latin on Duolingo - seeing the words that have become the basis of English words.

I have a Latin O Level. Useful for understanding English and the romance languages. Rubbish for translating Latin.

Recruiter for interim role said the client will be in touch by the end of next week. Keeping me updated with the timeline is very good.

Recruiter for permanent role will be in touch with date and time for recruiter interview (likely next week but could be 3 March). This is good timing because it puts the interim start date back a week. It's possible I could get both roles, and obviously I would prefer the certainty of the permanent role.

If I do get the interim and start before the final interview/decision of the permanent role, I will come and ask advice if I'm also offered the permanent job. I have to take the first thing offered and then work out what to do.

My SoC: I have noticed that I spill tea on my expensive tops far too frequently and have sprayed Vanish on it this morning. This has created a bigger stain but it will handwash out. Do I remove the top and wash it today with one of the two delicate washing loads that are waiting for the towels to finish? In which case what do I wear? Or do I delay one of the loads till tomorrow? Or do I wear it and put it in the laundry to wash next week? I am not seeing anyone except DH who doesn't care (though he will be pleased if I wander around in just a bra - I won't wander around in just a bra). Why do I spill something within two hours of wearing something clean when I expected to wear this top tomorrow as well? Though obviously it will go in the wash tonight and not be worn tomorrow because it is stained.

When you (generic 'you') is wearing a striped/patterned top does the drip always land on the pale bit where it will show. Is it confirmation bias, you don't notice if it lands on a dark bit, or is the universe a wanker?

I've found putting the tiniest wee bit of washing up liquid on stains giving it a rub and then the usual wash gets them out. I used to dot the spots with the liquid detergent but I switched to powder to cut down on plastic. Trying to save money and cupboard space because the aforementioned boxes of power are huge...

HUGE!

Huge looks really weird in biglies.

Eta now it just looks weird in whatever.

Tea spills on just-put-on-tops! Now you're delving into the depths of La Condition Humaine, Myrtle! [employment issues? oh yes those too but...] * *I find that liquids have an uncanny way of landing on the very small bit of fabric between neck and the top of an apron😠

Meantime, what to wear, Myrtle? Was that the only clean top in the house??

You could wrap a bed-sheet around you and declaim lines from Julius Caesar?
Or do a series of classically-inspired Tableaux Vivants for Mr Walrus while the towel wash finishes?

This is where a woolly poncho comes into its own. Just saying.

Fauxdie.

Or Oodie for the posh amongst us.

The Galosh Lives!!

I don't have boxes of power. Of any size.

Imagine if you could go and buy power in the supermarket.

I mean, I know money buys power now, but at least the above would spread it around a bit.

Or a new streaming platform fantasy series, "The Boxes of Power", so far from Tolkien it's in another galaxy.

You're not thinking of batteries, are you?

We had a plug adaptor that was called, by the manufacturer, the (ahem) Tower of Power!! Although without all the exclamation marks. Everytime we had to mention it we had to pause, mentally prepare then say 'Tower of Power!!!' like the deep voiced voice-over guy. For example, 'Could you plug in the...'Tower of Power!!!'. The long winter evenings just flew by.

Reading the etymology of galoshes got me wondering if it had the same root as the Genus name for moorhens (which for some reason I have to say and even think in a cod Scottish accent) Gallinule. I don't think it does.

I always have to check I've used the word for words and not insects.

I like that new galoshes are transparent, so that people can protect and show off their ridiculously overpriced trainers. Thus absolutely confirming what fools they are.

Reading the etymology of galoshes got me wondering if it had the same root as the Genus name for moorhens (which for some reason I have to say and even think in a cod Scottish accent) Gallinule. I don't think it does.

The Latin name for moorhen Gallinula means 'little hen'.

'gallina' is Latin for hen and the 'ul' is a diminutive element.

Remember Caligula? That was a boyhood nickname. His family spent his childhood trooping around on campaign, as his father was a general, and his mother has a soldier's outfit made for him, including miniature versions of the standard-issue hobnailed military sandal, singular caliga, plural caligae. Diminutive of caliga = caligula.

The tops are all one colour. Often ivory. It looks really good on me, but stains like a bastard. Today's top is a beautiful forest green. But I have large norkage, so they form a shelf where drips drip. And I drink a lot of tea before 3pm. Then I stop, or I can't sleep.

Today's AI project is talking to ChatGPT and forcing it to fail even if you give it a file. So I am asking for pictures of female moose and lions with detailed descriptions and images added and it still fails!!!

Any other noticeable female fails in the Bluestocking AI gallery?

Also I've had to pay £18.99 for ChatGPT premium, so we have a month of ChatGPT AI fucking up creating depictions of the Bluestocking regulars to come 😁

And here is ChatGPT showing @Swashbuckled in action. I asked for all female pirates. We have missing hands, faces covered in hair and blurred, swords held like rifles and walking on water. That's an amazing crew you have!

I'm just imagining your requests @MyrtleLion .

'I'd like to see a half-shaved lion in the cheesiest garden ever.'

'Please show me a domesticated lion who's feeling so peaky he can't bear to look at the television, who's also very fond of tea & coffee.'

'Make an image of me visiting a friend.'

Asking for all-female anything is often ignored. And saying 'no something' means you get that something every damn time. On my AI, anyway.

Hmm sounds somehow familiar to the real world

Remembering my own failed attempts, I'll bet you asked for that lion to be watching the TV.

😂Yes, reading it back that IS life, isn't it?

Are women not even allowed to rampage around threatening to kill people without wearing ridiculous heels?

That's brilliant! I am actually asking quite simple questions

• create an image of a female moose and a female lion together.
• create an image of a female lion in a garden

I did!