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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 11:46 pm
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 11:03 pm
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 10:51 pm
The house has been either entirely too cold or very pleasant, and no middle ground. There's been a fire all day, and it has helped a lot. One of the big issues we have is concrete floors, and it's slick and keeps the cold really well. Perfect for summer. Awful, terrible, no good, and bad for winter.
But I do have house shoes that supposedly are arriving tomorrow? I'm fine if they show up Monday though. I don't really like how the USPS has to deliver packages on Sundays.
The upcoming months are already filling up. I'm going to be busy so many weekends!
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 09:54 pm
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 10:19 pm
Today started off really well! Woke up and decided, hey, that fic recced on bsky looks good, I should read that! Then I watched a vid! All before I even got up to feed the cat!
Then I saw the news, and that's enough said about that.
I had some good fic-writing thoughts while I was on my walk, and hoped to have a chance to something up, but alas. I did check off all the major items on my to-do list today (and one of them was re-starting a huge project that I've been procrastinating for decades while the project scope snowballed) and found a book online I thought I'd have to travel to see (a family tree/history put together by a distant cousin).
The fic I was thinking about is a hockey story I've wanted to write as a second chances romance for more than a decade, but thought it was too big for my skill level. My skill level won't grow if I don't write it, and I'm mostly just writing it for me, anyway. These days my brain doesn't want it to be second chances, and therefore it's no longer a romance, but I'm kind of interested in poking to see what it does want to be.
Definitely did too much, but the choices continue to be not overdoing and never making progress or staying within my known limits, which hasn't been working out well.
Then I saw the news, and that's enough said about that.
I had some good fic-writing thoughts while I was on my walk, and hoped to have a chance to something up, but alas. I did check off all the major items on my to-do list today (and one of them was re-starting a huge project that I've been procrastinating for decades while the project scope snowballed) and found a book online I thought I'd have to travel to see (a family tree/history put together by a distant cousin).
The fic I was thinking about is a hockey story I've wanted to write as a second chances romance for more than a decade, but thought it was too big for my skill level. My skill level won't grow if I don't write it, and I'm mostly just writing it for me, anyway. These days my brain doesn't want it to be second chances, and therefore it's no longer a romance, but I'm kind of interested in poking to see what it does want to be.
Definitely did too much, but the choices continue to be not overdoing and never making progress or staying within my known limits, which hasn't been working out well.
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 09:15 pm
Year End Reading Meme for 2025
How many books did you read this year? Any trends in genre/length/themes/etc?
102!
Themes - eh, mostly sci fi, fantasy, and history.
What are your Top 3 books that you read this year?
The world is too big and full of books for just three!
Fiction:
Return of the King – yeah, yeah, we know, Tolkien is great, but like, I didn’t realize that this book was going to be so full of the heartfelt need to rest and respite after war and suffering and babe, I loved that. Excellent conclusion of the trilogy.
Lent by Jo Walton – The first half of this novel is a history of Girolamo Savonarola up to his death, and the second half of the book is about what happens after he dies. It’s phenomenal and weird and I loved it.
The Fortunate Fall by Cameron Reed – I’m fresh off this one and I found it a fascinating look at memory from a cyberpunk future that almost and didn’t happen.
Nonfiction:
The Power Broker – yeah, this book was 50 years old last year and I read it and it explained New York and also gives a reasonable look back at how American politics developed. It's also just masterfully written and makes other books look lazy and slow about their level of research.
The Other Olympians – Michael Walters - My god, transphobia is literally just recycled Nazi bullshit. Literally, just, it’s Nazi rhetoric about gender roles! This book makes me so happy for trans people in the past and also women’s athletics and also I hate Nazis with new and enduring facets after I read this book. Why could you not just let people be happy, you fucking fascists.
The Revolutionary Temper – Robert Darnton – Slow history! Watch society slowly build up from thinking of their king as the ultimate source of justice to the ultimate impediment to justice. Love it.
What's a book you enjoyed more than you expected?
Conclave – a very simple thrillers style novel but really pleasant to read and added a lovely depth to the film.
Which books most disappointed you this year?
Into the Drowning Deep – because I had hopes. But the worst book I read and finished this year was Mercenary Librarians.
Did you reread any old faves? If so, which one was your favorite?
Misethere – I seem to be re-reading this one annually! I also re-read The Goblin Emperor and the Murderbot Diaries
What's the oldest book you read?
Persuasion by Jane Austen
What's the newest book you read?
Of Monsters and Mainframes
Did you DNF (= did not finish) any books?
The Familiar – Stupid love interest
What was your predominant format this year?
Audio, at 42% - which makes sense, my eyes are getting tired
What's the longest book you read this year?
The Power Broker – So long that almost all of it was read in 2024
What books from your TBR did you not get to this year, but are excited to read in 2026?
Hm, Pass – Maybe I will return to this question.
Did you reach your reading goal for this year (if you had one)?
Yup, and exceeded.
(Adding this question myself) What author did you read the most?
Dorothy Sayers! I read 8 books by her this year!
How many books did you read this year? Any trends in genre/length/themes/etc?
102!
Themes - eh, mostly sci fi, fantasy, and history.
What are your Top 3 books that you read this year?
The world is too big and full of books for just three!
Fiction:
Return of the King – yeah, yeah, we know, Tolkien is great, but like, I didn’t realize that this book was going to be so full of the heartfelt need to rest and respite after war and suffering and babe, I loved that. Excellent conclusion of the trilogy.
Lent by Jo Walton – The first half of this novel is a history of Girolamo Savonarola up to his death, and the second half of the book is about what happens after he dies. It’s phenomenal and weird and I loved it.
The Fortunate Fall by Cameron Reed – I’m fresh off this one and I found it a fascinating look at memory from a cyberpunk future that almost and didn’t happen.
Nonfiction:
The Power Broker – yeah, this book was 50 years old last year and I read it and it explained New York and also gives a reasonable look back at how American politics developed. It's also just masterfully written and makes other books look lazy and slow about their level of research.
The Other Olympians – Michael Walters - My god, transphobia is literally just recycled Nazi bullshit. Literally, just, it’s Nazi rhetoric about gender roles! This book makes me so happy for trans people in the past and also women’s athletics and also I hate Nazis with new and enduring facets after I read this book. Why could you not just let people be happy, you fucking fascists.
The Revolutionary Temper – Robert Darnton – Slow history! Watch society slowly build up from thinking of their king as the ultimate source of justice to the ultimate impediment to justice. Love it.
What's a book you enjoyed more than you expected?
Conclave – a very simple thrillers style novel but really pleasant to read and added a lovely depth to the film.
Which books most disappointed you this year?
Into the Drowning Deep – because I had hopes. But the worst book I read and finished this year was Mercenary Librarians.
Did you reread any old faves? If so, which one was your favorite?
Misethere – I seem to be re-reading this one annually! I also re-read The Goblin Emperor and the Murderbot Diaries
What's the oldest book you read?
Persuasion by Jane Austen
What's the newest book you read?
Of Monsters and Mainframes
Did you DNF (= did not finish) any books?
The Familiar – Stupid love interest
What was your predominant format this year?
Audio, at 42% - which makes sense, my eyes are getting tired
What's the longest book you read this year?
The Power Broker – So long that almost all of it was read in 2024
What books from your TBR did you not get to this year, but are excited to read in 2026?
Hm, Pass – Maybe I will return to this question.
Did you reach your reading goal for this year (if you had one)?
Yup, and exceeded.
(Adding this question myself) What author did you read the most?
Dorothy Sayers! I read 8 books by her this year!
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 08:31 pm
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
I've never kept pigeons, but I can say I've cultivated them.
I live in New York City, and it's pigeons wherever you go. You can't avoid them, and it's disappointing most people don't take the time to look at them, pay attention to them, get to know them. They're remarkably congenial, to the point of being accurately called friend-shaped. Which in no small part comes from them mostly being feral domesticated animals, originally kept by people for a variety of reasons from food to companionship who then got let out into the urban wild when people decided they didn't want to take care of them anymore. But it's easy for pigeons to remember what people are there for, when people stop to take the time. If you've ever had your pupils dilated at the optometrist's, I highly recommend finding a pigeon in some sunlight and taking in the genuinely dazzling iridescence of their feathers.
During the worst of 2020, when there were a lot fewer people around the neighborhood, pigeons would often come to my window, mostly to hang out on the AC unit. A nice place to stop for a while. Not thinking much of it, I started leaving seeds out for them, and they learned soon enough it was more than just a place to stop. I liked seeing them, and they liked the seeds, so I'd keep replenishing the tray outside. There were a few months in there - not many, but a few - that I'd get a seven AM wake-up call from the local birds who wanted to be fed, and those birds were the best alarm clock I've ever had. Certainly the sweetest. With few reasons to get out of bed in the morning, it was a nice feeling that one of those reasons was for small animals who were happy to see me.
I'd also take bike rides to get out of my apartment in the afternoons to get some fresh air, and there's a nearby park corner where it didn't take too many days of bringing seeds for a flock of pigeons to recognize me and fly on over whenever I'd come by. But even before they recognized me on sight, they were quick to trust to eat out of my open hands. Very soft feathers, and very warm bodies under the feathers. Some people gave me grief about it. Some people gave me shit about it. A few people, mostly under the age of ten, were delighted and thrilled to get some birdseed of their own and give feeding the pigeons a try themselves. Even if those kids hadn't ever come by, I'd have kept up with it as long as I was doing the rides. I'd seen worse behavior from them, and I didn't need to explain myself. The pigeons didn't rely or depend on me. They weren't my responsibility. They were simply my genuine pleasure.
The world reopened, people moved back into the neighborhood, the tray stopped getting stocked with seeds, I started going to a nearby gym, and my phone serves as my alarm clock. But I still sometimes carry birdseed around, in case there's a chance for another moment with the birds.
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
I've never kept pigeons, but I can say I've cultivated them.
I live in New York City, and it's pigeons wherever you go. You can't avoid them, and it's disappointing most people don't take the time to look at them, pay attention to them, get to know them. They're remarkably congenial, to the point of being accurately called friend-shaped. Which in no small part comes from them mostly being feral domesticated animals, originally kept by people for a variety of reasons from food to companionship who then got let out into the urban wild when people decided they didn't want to take care of them anymore. But it's easy for pigeons to remember what people are there for, when people stop to take the time. If you've ever had your pupils dilated at the optometrist's, I highly recommend finding a pigeon in some sunlight and taking in the genuinely dazzling iridescence of their feathers.
During the worst of 2020, when there were a lot fewer people around the neighborhood, pigeons would often come to my window, mostly to hang out on the AC unit. A nice place to stop for a while. Not thinking much of it, I started leaving seeds out for them, and they learned soon enough it was more than just a place to stop. I liked seeing them, and they liked the seeds, so I'd keep replenishing the tray outside. There were a few months in there - not many, but a few - that I'd get a seven AM wake-up call from the local birds who wanted to be fed, and those birds were the best alarm clock I've ever had. Certainly the sweetest. With few reasons to get out of bed in the morning, it was a nice feeling that one of those reasons was for small animals who were happy to see me.
I'd also take bike rides to get out of my apartment in the afternoons to get some fresh air, and there's a nearby park corner where it didn't take too many days of bringing seeds for a flock of pigeons to recognize me and fly on over whenever I'd come by. But even before they recognized me on sight, they were quick to trust to eat out of my open hands. Very soft feathers, and very warm bodies under the feathers. Some people gave me grief about it. Some people gave me shit about it. A few people, mostly under the age of ten, were delighted and thrilled to get some birdseed of their own and give feeding the pigeons a try themselves. Even if those kids hadn't ever come by, I'd have kept up with it as long as I was doing the rides. I'd seen worse behavior from them, and I didn't need to explain myself. The pigeons didn't rely or depend on me. They weren't my responsibility. They were simply my genuine pleasure.
The world reopened, people moved back into the neighborhood, the tray stopped getting stocked with seeds, I started going to a nearby gym, and my phone serves as my alarm clock. But I still sometimes carry birdseed around, in case there's a chance for another moment with the birds.
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 05:27 pm
I needed a novel to round out my holiday reading, so I picked up "Mr. Rowl" by D.K. Broster (who wrote part of the Gay Jacobite Extended Universe). I'd read a couple reviews, but they were long enough ago that I remembered the following:
1. There are no gay Jacobites.
2. Because it's set during the Napoleonic War.
3. One of the characters (Raoul des Sablière) is a French officer who is a prisoner of war in England.
4. Everyone is very worried about their honour.
5. Readers of my acquaintance ship the French prisoner with an English dude.
6. The ladies are cool.
So I go into the book and immediately meet Raoul, and start looking for whoever I'm supposed to ship him with.
I meet Sir Francis, who is a handsome English Lord who Does Not Like Raoul. This seems like it's probably who I'm supposed to ship.
Except! Sir Francis is immediately a controlling dick to his fiancée. I have pretty generous shipping goggles, when need be, but I don't think anyone could read Sir Francis as being a controlling dick because he wants to be with Raoul. He's just a dick. He is very worried about his honour, though, so it did seem somewhat likely that he might still be the one.
No, one character being a dick has not slowed fandom down before. But isn't usually 100% my thing. So then I was feeling a little sad that I wasn't going to be into the pairing my friends like.
However, as I got farther into the book, and Sir Francis became even more of a dick, I was like, "This is going to be one hell of a redemption arc!" But also doubt.jpg. Also, also, wow, it's funny to have mostly aligned ships with someone, then have them be ride or die for something that's rapidly turning into a NOTP for me.
Finally, I broke and looked at AO3, and figured out I'm supposed to ship Raoul with some guy who has not yet showed up, as of 20% of the novel.
Which is a relief. Because I quite like Raoul, even if he has the Broster characteristic of being slightly silly about his honour, and he deserves better than Sir Francis, who is a dick.
1. There are no gay Jacobites.
2. Because it's set during the Napoleonic War.
3. One of the characters (Raoul des Sablière) is a French officer who is a prisoner of war in England.
4. Everyone is very worried about their honour.
5. Readers of my acquaintance ship the French prisoner with an English dude.
6. The ladies are cool.
So I go into the book and immediately meet Raoul, and start looking for whoever I'm supposed to ship him with.
I meet Sir Francis, who is a handsome English Lord who Does Not Like Raoul. This seems like it's probably who I'm supposed to ship.
Except! Sir Francis is immediately a controlling dick to his fiancée. I have pretty generous shipping goggles, when need be, but I don't think anyone could read Sir Francis as being a controlling dick because he wants to be with Raoul. He's just a dick. He is very worried about his honour, though, so it did seem somewhat likely that he might still be the one.
No, one character being a dick has not slowed fandom down before. But isn't usually 100% my thing. So then I was feeling a little sad that I wasn't going to be into the pairing my friends like.
However, as I got farther into the book, and Sir Francis became even more of a dick, I was like, "This is going to be one hell of a redemption arc!" But also doubt.jpg. Also, also, wow, it's funny to have mostly aligned ships with someone, then have them be ride or die for something that's rapidly turning into a NOTP for me.
Finally, I broke and looked at AO3, and figured out I'm supposed to ship Raoul with some guy who has not yet showed up, as of 20% of the novel.
Which is a relief. Because I quite like Raoul, even if he has the Broster characteristic of being slightly silly about his honour, and he deserves better than Sir Francis, who is a dick.
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 08:09 pm
Not quite the Wrap Up for 2025 – I got busy the last few Wednesdays so I am making an effort to post about the books I finished before the end of the year!
What I’ve Read
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Xing Book Club – This was blast from the past, and one that held up amazingly. The beginning was every so slightly slow but also set up the world very well. I felt like Katniss is weirdly charming – she has so little concept of the world as a trustworthy place or people as kind, and that calculation serves to save her life in the Hunger Games. The ending of this book, with her beginning to understand what her approach has cost Peeta, is wonderfully sensitive and ambiguous.
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) – A very pleasant medieval murder mystery that is solved by a clever protagonist in favor of a humanist and quite funny resolution. Brother Cadfael is a well traveled Welsh brother in an English Benedictine abbey in 1138, when one of leaders of the order takes it into his head that they need the bones of a saint to make their abbey a really hopping spot. This book was published in 1977, and features a fairly liberal mindset towards the medieval caste system and a deeply humorous Welsh disrespect for the English. I picked this up as a break on the recommendation of![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
oldshrewsburyian (over at tumblr, but I see there’s a DW name and I think it’s the same person!)
A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – Oh, I really felt excited about the book that this wasn’t! I really thought there would be natural history in it! To be fair, the author’s interviews make it clear that she’s going for an Indiana Jones-inspired plot, and she’s very much accomplished that!
However, it’s not as funny or charming as Indiana Jones, and I would not pick up an Indiana Jones novel. The structure of the book impeded my enjoyment – the narrator is an elderly version of the main character writing her memoirs, but the main plot is a rollicking adventure where the younger character is doing field research in a rural foreign country and uncovering black market dragon schemes. This results in the author functionally interrupting the interesting plot and deflating the narrative tension to offer Her Humble Opinion on her younger self’s actions. If I needed distance from an unlikeable younger version of the character, this would be a good break. However, the older version of the character is snide, bigoted, defensive, and Not Like Other Girls. The effect is charmless and kludgey, and makes me lament that the young promising character we meet in the past grows up into this unpleasant arrogant person.
Anyone who reads my book ramblings on the regular will have picked up that I am vastly irritated when authors deflate their carefully constructed tension or have unsatisfying pacing. So, please feel free to try this book and see if it works for you.
Misethere by Astolat – I had to do a lot of rather stressful family socializing the last few weeks, so re-reading a past favorite! A wonderful story about someone too clever by half and the Witcher that loves him.
What I’ve Read
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Xing Book Club – This was blast from the past, and one that held up amazingly. The beginning was every so slightly slow but also set up the world very well. I felt like Katniss is weirdly charming – she has so little concept of the world as a trustworthy place or people as kind, and that calculation serves to save her life in the Hunger Games. The ending of this book, with her beginning to understand what her approach has cost Peeta, is wonderfully sensitive and ambiguous.
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters (Edith Pargeter) – A very pleasant medieval murder mystery that is solved by a clever protagonist in favor of a humanist and quite funny resolution. Brother Cadfael is a well traveled Welsh brother in an English Benedictine abbey in 1138, when one of leaders of the order takes it into his head that they need the bones of a saint to make their abbey a really hopping spot. This book was published in 1977, and features a fairly liberal mindset towards the medieval caste system and a deeply humorous Welsh disrespect for the English. I picked this up as a break on the recommendation of
oldshrewsburyian (over at tumblr, but I see there’s a DW name and I think it’s the same person!)A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan – Oh, I really felt excited about the book that this wasn’t! I really thought there would be natural history in it! To be fair, the author’s interviews make it clear that she’s going for an Indiana Jones-inspired plot, and she’s very much accomplished that!
However, it’s not as funny or charming as Indiana Jones, and I would not pick up an Indiana Jones novel. The structure of the book impeded my enjoyment – the narrator is an elderly version of the main character writing her memoirs, but the main plot is a rollicking adventure where the younger character is doing field research in a rural foreign country and uncovering black market dragon schemes. This results in the author functionally interrupting the interesting plot and deflating the narrative tension to offer Her Humble Opinion on her younger self’s actions. If I needed distance from an unlikeable younger version of the character, this would be a good break. However, the older version of the character is snide, bigoted, defensive, and Not Like Other Girls. The effect is charmless and kludgey, and makes me lament that the young promising character we meet in the past grows up into this unpleasant arrogant person.
Anyone who reads my book ramblings on the regular will have picked up that I am vastly irritated when authors deflate their carefully constructed tension or have unsatisfying pacing. So, please feel free to try this book and see if it works for you.
Misethere by Astolat – I had to do a lot of rather stressful family socializing the last few weeks, so re-reading a past favorite! A wonderful story about someone too clever by half and the Witcher that loves him.
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 06:10 pm
This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Saturday to midnight on Sunday (8pm Eastern Time).
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Poll #34041 Daily poll
This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 23
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 23
How are you doing?
I am okay
12 (52.2%)
I am not okay, but don't need help right now
11 (47.8%)
I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans are you living with?
I am living single
8 (34.8%)
One other person
9 (39.1%)
More than one other person
6 (26.1%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 07:00 pm
I keep thinking I will have more brain to post about stuff but it keeps not happening, even with 2 weeks of vacation (back to work on Monday *sob*), so here are some brief thoughts about a variety of things:
- Miami Mika!!! Hopefully he is also Milano-Cortina Mika because after the bullshit snub of Jason Robertson by Team USA (in favor of JT Miller??? REALLY??? I've watched him play - badly (he's injured) - all season so idk what Bill Guerin is thinking there [I can see a role for Trocheck, who seems like a slightly less egregious choice to me than Miller, but still pretty bad, and I like Trocheck), I am in the bag for Sweden (or Finland) and hope Team USA doesn't even make the medal round.
- Speaking of hockey, I finally watched Heated Rivalry and I enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried a little, I predicted many lines of dialogue because I have written similar fic, and I'm probably one of the few people who wished for more hockey in the gay hockey show. I don't feel feral about it like most of fandom, but I kind of didn't expect to. It was lovely, though, and I'm glad it exists. Also, Connor Storrie needs to play Alexander the Great in something, or, since I texted![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
devildoll immediately with that thought and she replied, "Achilles," he should definitely play Achilles in something. I am just saying. I would like to see ( minor spoiler )
- The Stranger Things finale. Without spoilers, I liked it. I have quibbles but overall I found it emotionally satisfying. Also, while I appreciate Joe Keery and love Steve Harrington's arc, I have never found him particularly hot, per se, but ( spoilers )
- I'm enjoying season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love Percy as a character and narrator, and I just enjoy spending time with him and his friends. ( spoilers )
- The Muppet Show returns!!! This is not a drill!!! I AM EXCITE!!!
*
- Miami Mika!!! Hopefully he is also Milano-Cortina Mika because after the bullshit snub of Jason Robertson by Team USA (in favor of JT Miller??? REALLY??? I've watched him play - badly (he's injured) - all season so idk what Bill Guerin is thinking there [I can see a role for Trocheck, who seems like a slightly less egregious choice to me than Miller, but still pretty bad, and I like Trocheck), I am in the bag for Sweden (or Finland) and hope Team USA doesn't even make the medal round.
- Speaking of hockey, I finally watched Heated Rivalry and I enjoyed it. I laughed, I cried a little, I predicted many lines of dialogue because I have written similar fic, and I'm probably one of the few people who wished for more hockey in the gay hockey show. I don't feel feral about it like most of fandom, but I kind of didn't expect to. It was lovely, though, and I'm glad it exists. Also, Connor Storrie needs to play Alexander the Great in something, or, since I texted
- The Stranger Things finale. Without spoilers, I liked it. I have quibbles but overall I found it emotionally satisfying. Also, while I appreciate Joe Keery and love Steve Harrington's arc, I have never found him particularly hot, per se, but ( spoilers )
- I'm enjoying season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I love Percy as a character and narrator, and I just enjoy spending time with him and his friends. ( spoilers )
- The Muppet Show returns!!! This is not a drill!!! I AM EXCITE!!!
*
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 10:58 pm
It's been a rough day.
( Just rough when geopolitical and systemic stuff is bad but also I'm exhausted and my tummy hurts. )
It wasn't all bad; here's three good things:
- angelofthenorth asked me how I feel about road trips and I love road trips and I'm excited to help her collect her stuff for her new flat next weekend.
D got his laptop working again, better than it was before! And we used it to do an online grocery order, it's nice to have that done.
Teddy got to visit our house! As we set off on our walk we went past our house, and he came right up to the door -- just like he did yesterday but unlike yesterday there were no children the size of him in our house so we could let him in. It was very fun watching him investigate -- he briefly tried to nibble a candle but V dissuaded him from eating the beeswax. He seemed to like our house and its people.
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 04:59 pm
This poem is spillover from the June 6, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from mama_kestrel. It also fills the "Main character has to use odds and ends to fix a problem" square in my 6-1-23 card for the Kinky and Unusual Situations Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Aquariana, Cuoio & Chiara, and Marionettes threads of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes reference to past injuries, reference to traumatic loss of teammates, volcanic activity, traumatic stress, human trafficking, surprise baby, moving to a new home, dramatic scars, attachment, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
mama_kestrel. It also fills the "Main character has to use odds and ends to fix a problem" square in my 6-1-23 card for the Kinky and Unusual Situations Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Aquariana, Cuoio & Chiara, and Marionettes threads of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes reference to past injuries, reference to traumatic loss of teammates, volcanic activity, traumatic stress, human trafficking, surprise baby, moving to a new home, dramatic scars, attachment, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 06:10 pm
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairings/Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Rating: Mature
Length: 11,604
Creator Links:![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
nevertheless_turtle
Theme: crack treated seriously
Summary: In Which Obi-Wan Kenobi is Shown Holofootage of His 12-Year Old Padawan in a Seedy Nightclub With The Chancellor of the Republic And Has A Proportionate Response.
Reccer's Notes: What I love about this fic is the way that Obi-Wan does put in a certain amount of forethought into his actions, but it just happens to be the wrong forethought. You can see where he's coming from and why it seems like the right idea at the time, and yet it still goes completely off the rails. :D Truly delightful.
Content note for discussion of child sexual assault but no actual sexual assault.
Fanwork Links: Just Go Kill Palpatine
Pairings/Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi
Rating: Mature
Length: 11,604
Creator Links:
Theme: crack treated seriously
Summary: In Which Obi-Wan Kenobi is Shown Holofootage of His 12-Year Old Padawan in a Seedy Nightclub With The Chancellor of the Republic And Has A Proportionate Response.
Reccer's Notes: What I love about this fic is the way that Obi-Wan does put in a certain amount of forethought into his actions, but it just happens to be the wrong forethought. You can see where he's coming from and why it seems like the right idea at the time, and yet it still goes completely off the rails. :D Truly delightful.
Content note for discussion of child sexual assault but no actual sexual assault.
Fanwork Links: Just Go Kill Palpatine
Sunday, January 4th, 2026 11:43 am
Title: Warm Shivers
Fandom: Biggles Series - W. E. Johns
Character: Ginger Hebblethwaite
Relationship: James "Biggles" Bigglesworth &/ Ginger Hebblethwaite
Theme Set: #10
Prompt: 04. Shiver
Rating: G
Word Count: 656
Spoilers/Warnings: Book: Biggles Sweeps the Desert (minor spoilers for the book), Platonic Touches, Head Injuries, Bruises, Missing Scene
Read on AO3.
Fandom: Biggles Series - W. E. Johns
Character: Ginger Hebblethwaite
Relationship: James "Biggles" Bigglesworth &/ Ginger Hebblethwaite
Theme Set: #10
Prompt: 04. Shiver
Rating: G
Word Count: 656
Spoilers/Warnings: Book: Biggles Sweeps the Desert (minor spoilers for the book), Platonic Touches, Head Injuries, Bruises, Missing Scene
Read on AO3.
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 04:20 pm
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Here is a VERY small sampling of photos of my Ella.
( Read more... )
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Here is a VERY small sampling of photos of my Ella.
( Read more... )
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 03:14 pm
Event: Platonic Rare Pair Flash
Event link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/platonic_rare_pair_flash/profile
Pinch hit link: https://autoao3app.firebaseapp.com/#/platonic_rare_pair_flash/user/redgear
Due date: Urgent - Tonight January 3, 2026 at 11pm MST.
Assignment Requirements: 300 words for fic, a sketch for art (varies by request)
Event link: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/platonic_rare_pair_flash/profile
Due date: Urgent - Tonight January 3, 2026 at 11pm MST.
Assignment Requirements: 300 words for fic, a sketch for art (varies by request)
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 04:06 pm
Challenge #1
The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.
I haven't actively participated in a fandom in a while (except for a drabble every now and then). Maybe I'm looking for ideas for new fandoms. Maybe I just want to see what other people are excited about.
Maybe I just want to do my part to keep communities strong here on DW.
My New Year's Resolution is to do a cheese quest this year. I have already tried three new-to-me cheeses so far. The best one was the white cheddar with dill. I will be journaling about all of the cheeses in a notebook and, perhaps, in my DW journal.
I post almost everything under lock as I'm a teacher in a hostile state, but I will probably add you.
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:46 pm
1. What’s the first thing you think of when you consider the year ahead?
A certain person will hopefully be gone and soon. You all know who I'm talking about.
2. What’s the weather like today (warmer or cooler than average)?
It's 69° F. So it's a beautiful January 3rd. This is pretty normal for Arizona.
3. There is a Wolf Moon tonight - it will be the fourth supermoon in a row. Have you seen a supermoon before?
I'm sure I have, but I can't remember for sure. I will check it out tonight.
A certain person will hopefully be gone and soon. You all know who I'm talking about.
2. What’s the weather like today (warmer or cooler than average)?
It's 69° F. So it's a beautiful January 3rd. This is pretty normal for Arizona.
3. There is a Wolf Moon tonight - it will be the fourth supermoon in a row. Have you seen a supermoon before?
I'm sure I have, but I can't remember for sure. I will check it out tonight.
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:25 pm
This is Dakota Rose. She is our 14 1/2 year old Labradoodle. She is such a mama’s girl. But we love her. We used to have another doodle named Lily Rayne. She passed away in early 2025. She was 15.
My favorite dog in fandom would be Diefenbaker from Due South.
Click on the photo to see a larger one.
My favorite dog in fandom would be Diefenbaker from Due South.
Click on the photo to see a larger one.
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 03:22 pm
Fossilized bones are revealing secrets from a lost world
Tiny chemical clues trapped inside ancient bones are revealing what animals ate, the diseases they carried, and the environments they lived in.
Researchers have uncovered thousands of preserved metabolic molecules inside fossilized bones millions of years old, offering a surprising new window into prehistoric life. The findings reveal animals’ diets, diseases, and even their surrounding climate, including evidence of warmer, wetter environments. One fossil even showed signs of a parasite still known today. This approach could transform how scientists reconstruct ancient ecosystems.
That which is small can still hold volumes. :D
Tiny chemical clues trapped inside ancient bones are revealing what animals ate, the diseases they carried, and the environments they lived in.
Researchers have uncovered thousands of preserved metabolic molecules inside fossilized bones millions of years old, offering a surprising new window into prehistoric life. The findings reveal animals’ diets, diseases, and even their surrounding climate, including evidence of warmer, wetter environments. One fossil even showed signs of a parasite still known today. This approach could transform how scientists reconstruct ancient ecosystems.
That which is small can still hold volumes. :D
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:35 pm
Today is partly sunny and cool.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled a trolley with sticks from the brushpile beside the driveway, then dumped that in the firepit.
I saw a flock of mourning doves in the ritual meadow.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled another trolley with sticks, then dumped that in the firepit.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled another trolley with sticks, then dumped that in the firepit.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night. It's 4:50 and still twilight, a big improvement over 4:30!
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled a trolley with sticks from the brushpile beside the driveway, then dumped that in the firepit.
I saw a flock of mourning doves in the ritual meadow.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled another trolley with sticks, then dumped that in the firepit.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I filled another trolley with sticks, then dumped that in the firepit.
EDIT 1/3/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
As it is getting dark, I am done for the night. It's 4:50 and still twilight, a big improvement over 4:30!
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 12:14 pm
( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 01:28 pm
Bad Brains
Your brain on revenge looks a lot like your brain on drugs—and there’s only one twisted way to get your fix.
( Read more... )
Your brain on revenge looks a lot like your brain on drugs—and there’s only one twisted way to get your fix.
( Read more... )
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 01:11 pm
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
This may just be my new favorite challenge.
Anyone who knows me, whether in offline life or from following me on social media, knows that I adore cats, all cats. This post could really get out of hand. So for today, I'm just going to present one of my favorite orange cats from the silver screen (there are others, and focusing on this one doesn't mean I love them less)...
Cat from Breakfast at Tiffany's!!!
Picspam incoming under the cut, but just a few short words about the movie for those who haven't seen it:
* Cat!!!
* Audrey Hepburn is fantastic as Holly Golightly.
* George Peppard is lovely as Paul Varjac, her love interest.
* Martin Balsam is hilarious in a supporting role, as Holly's Hollywood agent.
* Harry Mancini's musical score is terrific, and features the famous song "Moon River".
* This is a 1961 movie, so the music, the scenes of New York, and the whole aesthetic has a very early-60s vibe.
* Since it's Audrey Hepburn, the costume design/clothing is amazing.
* The party scenes are hilarious and spot on.
* And finally, BIG WARNING: this movie is one of the most racist films out there, with Mickey Rooney playing Holly's Japanese landlord in yellow face and giving us one of the vilest, most stereotypical and racist performances ever. Be prepared if you decide to watch.
And now back to Cat, under the cut.
( picspam under cut )
Previous Days
Day 1
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:25 pm
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
I suppose this is only fair, since one of them ( addresses me as 'pet' in game. )
これで以上です。
I suppose this is only fair, since one of them ( addresses me as 'pet' in game. )
これで以上です。
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 07:08 pm
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairings/Characters: Darth Maul & Darth Plagueis, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Maul
Rating: Mature
Length: 19,072 words
Creator Links:zuzeca
Theme: crack treated seriously, enemies to lovers, angst with a happy ending
Summary: In which Darth Maul applies for a loan, discovers a forgotten heirloom, experiments with space drugs, complains about his nemesis to a captive audience, and learns the value of bank fraud. Also love and friendship, but mostly bank fraud.
Reccer's Notes: A delightful story that starts with a cracky premise and takes it in an interesting direction. There’s a lovely exploration of Maul’s character and his relationship with Obi-Wan. It’s very funny with a heartwarming ending <3
Fanwork Links: Will Save the Galaxy for Better Credit Ratings
Pairings/Characters: Darth Maul & Darth Plagueis, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Maul
Rating: Mature
Length: 19,072 words
Creator Links:
Theme: crack treated seriously, enemies to lovers, angst with a happy ending
Summary: In which Darth Maul applies for a loan, discovers a forgotten heirloom, experiments with space drugs, complains about his nemesis to a captive audience, and learns the value of bank fraud. Also love and friendship, but mostly bank fraud.
Reccer's Notes: A delightful story that starts with a cracky premise and takes it in an interesting direction. There’s a lovely exploration of Maul’s character and his relationship with Obi-Wan. It’s very funny with a heartwarming ending <3
Fanwork Links: Will Save the Galaxy for Better Credit Ratings
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 06:16 pm
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
( Read more... )
Also snowflake related, but in the literal sense, we’ve had snow, which meany I didn’t go to the cinema today like I planned cause I was worried about the ice… so I prompted fell on the ice while walking back home from walking the pup. I’m mostly ok but hurt both my hands (my right has this… ache inside, the left has a finger covered in plasters from cuts and a blood blister near the wrist) which is annoying,
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
( Read more... )
Also snowflake related, but in the literal sense, we’ve had snow, which meany I didn’t go to the cinema today like I planned cause I was worried about the ice… so I prompted fell on the ice while walking back home from walking the pup. I’m mostly ok but hurt both my hands (my right has this… ache inside, the left has a finger covered in plasters from cuts and a blood blister near the wrist) which is annoying,
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 12:06 pm
Snowflake Challenge 2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
( Read more... )
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
( Read more... )
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 09:04 am
Here’s a round up of things I sewed in 2025! It was a good sewing year for me. This a lot of pictures so I divided it up into sections.
This year I got back into sewing garments for myself. Here’s some of what I made. (I don’t seem to have taken pictures of everything)
Jacket!
And I made three of these tunics but I only found pictures of two of them
I also made several shirts for the kid, but again didn’t photo document them very well. But here’s one picture:
I sewed a lot of clothing for my 18 inch doll! Mostly Tang dynasty inspired hanfu. I used this project to learn more about hanfu and also pattern drafting. I drafted all the hanfu patterns using a book and I feel more confident about pattern drafting now. (Maybe not confident enough to draft something for me)
Here’s the first outfit I made:
Then I decided I wanted to make a round collar robe for that hufu/crossdressing girl look. I started by making a jacket -- it took several tries to get the pattern right
All those versions really paid off though because my first try and a robe went perfectly:
Then I made a reversible robe – I wanted to do that open collar look I’ve been seeing in dramas
And here’s the second lined robe I made
I also did Tang Dynasty girl outfit:
And in not hanfu doll clothing I altered a pattern so I could make my doll a matching tunic to mine
I didn’t sew a lot of quilts in 2025 – I was working on other things. I did send two quilt tops to a friend to quilt and then finish those quilts though. Here some pictures:
I also sewed up a quilt top which I’d cut out all the pieces ages ago but then left sitting around for a while.
Here’s some in progress shots
And the finished quilt top :
I don’t have any specific goals for 2026 sewing, but I have several quilt tops in various stages of completion that I hope to work on. I also have another top for myself cut out, and some fun fabric set aside for other garment projects. And I have plenty of ideas for more doll clothing too!
Clothing
This year I got back into sewing garments for myself. Here’s some of what I made. (I don’t seem to have taken pictures of everything)
Jacket!
And I made three of these tunics but I only found pictures of two of them
I also made several shirts for the kid, but again didn’t photo document them very well. But here’s one picture:
Doll Clothing
I sewed a lot of clothing for my 18 inch doll! Mostly Tang dynasty inspired hanfu. I used this project to learn more about hanfu and also pattern drafting. I drafted all the hanfu patterns using a book and I feel more confident about pattern drafting now. (Maybe not confident enough to draft something for me)
Here’s the first outfit I made:
Then I decided I wanted to make a round collar robe for that hufu/crossdressing girl look. I started by making a jacket -- it took several tries to get the pattern right
All those versions really paid off though because my first try and a robe went perfectly:
Then I made a reversible robe – I wanted to do that open collar look I’ve been seeing in dramas
And here’s the second lined robe I made
I also did Tang Dynasty girl outfit:
And in not hanfu doll clothing I altered a pattern so I could make my doll a matching tunic to mine
Quilts
I didn’t sew a lot of quilts in 2025 – I was working on other things. I did send two quilt tops to a friend to quilt and then finish those quilts though. Here some pictures:
I also sewed up a quilt top which I’d cut out all the pieces ages ago but then left sitting around for a while.
Here’s some in progress shots
And the finished quilt top :
I don’t have any specific goals for 2026 sewing, but I have several quilt tops in various stages of completion that I hope to work on. I also have another top for myself cut out, and some fun fabric set aside for other garment projects. And I have plenty of ideas for more doll clothing too!
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:25 pm
+ Before I forget: My (lackluster) StoryGraph 2025 Reading Wrap-Up:( Read more... )
+ Snowflake Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Working at sea, I can't have any pets and that is the saddest thing, woe me. However, in delightful news, my dad has turned into a complete dog dad. He's wheeling them around in a stroller when they go to the mall!
Here's their official 2025 Christmas pic!
And then my brother has two big floofs, but I could only find a picture of one. This is Luke (Leia is missing in action):
+ My new memory foam pillow felt way too hard and high when I went to bed last night, but this morning I woke up to a soft, fluffy cloud. I may just have to wedge it under my back for a couple of minutes to warm it up in the evening (my bedroom is an icebox and I like it that way).
+ Did my Mystery Box challenge for![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
retro_icontest, the color being orange, and obviously that means Scully and her royal mantle of hair!
H E R E atspankulert <3
( It's not quite Friday anymore, but have some X-Files fanart recs anyways. )
+ Snowflake Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Working at sea, I can't have any pets and that is the saddest thing, woe me. However, in delightful news, my dad has turned into a complete dog dad. He's wheeling them around in a stroller when they go to the mall!
Here's their official 2025 Christmas pic!
And then my brother has two big floofs, but I could only find a picture of one. This is Luke (Leia is missing in action):
+ My new memory foam pillow felt way too hard and high when I went to bed last night, but this morning I woke up to a soft, fluffy cloud. I may just have to wedge it under my back for a couple of minutes to warm it up in the evening (my bedroom is an icebox and I like it that way).
+ Did my Mystery Box challenge for
retro_icontest, the color being orange, and obviously that means Scully and her royal mantle of hair! H E R E at
spankulert <3( It's not quite Friday anymore, but have some X-Files fanart recs anyways. )
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 10:41 am
Introduction Post * Meet The Mods Post * Challenge #1
Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.
Pets! We know them, we probably have positive associations with at least one type of pet, and they've appeared in our creative endeavors since time immemorial. Considering that, we felt that a challenge revolving around them would be appropriate.
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. Also, feel free to entice engagement by giving us a preview of what your post covers.
And please do check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on.
And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.
Remember that there is no official deadline, so feel free to join in at any time, or go back and do challenges you've missed.
Pets! We know them, we probably have positive associations with at least one type of pet, and they've appeared in our creative endeavors since time immemorial. Considering that, we felt that a challenge revolving around them would be appropriate.
Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. Also, feel free to entice engagement by giving us a preview of what your post covers.
And please do check out the comments for all the awesome participants of the challenge and visit their journals/challenge responses to comment on their posts and cheer them on.
And just as a reminder: this is a low pressure, fun challenge. If you aren't comfortable doing a particular challenge, then don't. We aren't keeping track of who does what.
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 09:12 am
Last month I read Beggars in Spain after sanguinity recommended it in the comments to a post I wrote in which I (once again) objected to the necessity of sleep. I enjoyed it — enough that I'm currently reading the sequel — but I do have one objection to it that I perceive as a major flaw.
The premise of the book, as laid out in the first chapter, is the existence of genetically modified people who don't need to sleep. And we do get that. But we also get these same people having a number of other useful genetic modifications, one of which is that they're effectively immortal[/1]. Plus we also get a society with more or less infinite free energy.
And this is something that I've seen in a lot of science fiction (Robert Heinlein and Kim Stanley Robinson[/2] do it a lot): The problems of aging and energy are so large that they easily overshadow any other issues you might want to address, so you hand-wave them away so you can look at the other issues. Unfortunately, I don't feel like the issues of aging and energy are waved far enough away in Beggars in Spain, so that the issue of sleeping or not becomes negligible by the time you're about a third of the way into the book. The fact that the genetic modifications that created the sleepless also make them effectively immortal pretty much completely overshadows the issue of them not needing to sleep: When one group of people have an expected lifespan of 75 or so and the other has an expected lifespan of infinity, what does it matter that the second group gets an additional 35% of infinity?
Now it's possible that Kress addresses this issue in the second and third volumes of the series (I'm only about 15 pages into the second book). Or it's possible that she decided that lack of need for sleep wasn't really issue she wanted to address at all. But based on the reason that sent me to the book and the premise presented in the first few chapters of the book, it feels like a flaw in the book.
[/1] In the role-playing community in the 1980s, we called this "limited immortality" — you live forever unless you get killed.
[/2] It felt awkward to write "Heinlein and Kim Stanley Robinson," but at the same time, I didn't feel at all comfortable that people would know who I meant if I wrote "Heinlein and Robinson," so I've a stylistic decision that Heinlein, Asimov, McCaffrey, et al. don't get to be mononymous in my writing just because they happened be the first (or one of the first) to become famous while having an uncommon (in America, at any rate) surname.
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 09:37 am
I hit Price Chopper and Agway while I was downtown. I picked up fixings for lasagna and lots of dog treats (that won’t last as long as they should *side-eyes Pip*).
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I hit the library when it opened in the afternoon to pick up a book (and got two for my efforts!), then also stopped at Stewart’s. We finished up the leftover beef veggie soup (that I made with the leftover chuck roast) for supper.
I added ~1,000 words to my fic forsmallfandomfest!! And I did it at McD’s! This is the first time I’ve gone back to McD’s in weeks! Possibly even months. (When was that time I was told the heat was fixed, only to show up and it was still freezing? That was the last time I was there.) The heat was not only working today, it actually got TOO hot at times, lol! But I wasn’t going to complain about that.
I tried the Apricot tea today. It wasn’t bad, but it won’t be one of my favorites. Why is tea so soothing when you don’t feel your best? Speaking of not feeling my best, I’m still in the drawn-out stuffed/runny nose stage with the fun addition of a sinus pressure headache from time to time. (I spoke to Pip’s employee who went to urgent care; he was diagnosed with a major sinus infection, so not exactly what Pip had. Weird that he got that, Pip got what he thinks is the flu, and I’ve got this half-assed maybe-a-cold thing going on. It seems like I have to have gotten what Pip had, so maybe the flu shot was good for something, in that it mitigated the symptoms?!! IDK)
I read both fanfic (and even left comments without procrastinating!!!) and from a book! I also watched more Secrets of the Zoo. AND I placed an online order with another Christmas GC, which included a pretty box to hold tea bags for myself!!
Temps started out at 12.9(F) and reached 30.7. Once it hit that high, at around 1pm, it turned right around and started going down again. At 3pm it was already 21.7. The temps drop so quickly this time of the year.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded good when I spoke to her. Sister A had visited her earlier (and pulled out another puzzle), which was nice. (Sister A’s visits will be curtailed when school starts up again on Monday, though.) She told me that eating was going okay, but she’s been relying on the protein shakes mostly. (Makes me wonder why she hasn’t made herself something like the instant mashed potatoes again.)
I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I hit the library when it opened in the afternoon to pick up a book (and got two for my efforts!), then also stopped at Stewart’s. We finished up the leftover beef veggie soup (that I made with the leftover chuck roast) for supper.
I added ~1,000 words to my fic for
smallfandomfest!! And I did it at McD’s! This is the first time I’ve gone back to McD’s in weeks! Possibly even months. (When was that time I was told the heat was fixed, only to show up and it was still freezing? That was the last time I was there.) The heat was not only working today, it actually got TOO hot at times, lol! But I wasn’t going to complain about that.I tried the Apricot tea today. It wasn’t bad, but it won’t be one of my favorites. Why is tea so soothing when you don’t feel your best? Speaking of not feeling my best, I’m still in the drawn-out stuffed/runny nose stage with the fun addition of a sinus pressure headache from time to time. (I spoke to Pip’s employee who went to urgent care; he was diagnosed with a major sinus infection, so not exactly what Pip had. Weird that he got that, Pip got what he thinks is the flu, and I’ve got this half-assed maybe-a-cold thing going on. It seems like I have to have gotten what Pip had, so maybe the flu shot was good for something, in that it mitigated the symptoms?!! IDK)
I read both fanfic (and even left comments without procrastinating!!!) and from a book! I also watched more Secrets of the Zoo. AND I placed an online order with another Christmas GC, which included a pretty box to hold tea bags for myself!!
Temps started out at 12.9(F) and reached 30.7. Once it hit that high, at around 1pm, it turned right around and started going down again. At 3pm it was already 21.7. The temps drop so quickly this time of the year.
Mom Update:
Mom sounded good when I spoke to her. Sister A had visited her earlier (and pulled out another puzzle), which was nice. (Sister A’s visits will be curtailed when school starts up again on Monday, though.) She told me that eating was going okay, but she’s been relying on the protein shakes mostly. (Makes me wonder why she hasn’t made herself something like the instant mashed potatoes again.)
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 02:04 pm
It's challenge time!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Tags:
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 06:36 pm
Title: my baby here on earth
Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
Characters: Emily Zhang, Frank Zhang
Prompt: "Memory"
Rating: Teen
Spoilers/Warnings: N/A
Summary: These are the things you think about before you go up in flames.
Read on Ao3!
Fandom: Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus
Characters: Emily Zhang, Frank Zhang
Prompt: "Memory"
Rating: Teen
Spoilers/Warnings: N/A
Summary: These are the things you think about before you go up in flames.
Read on Ao3!
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 12:08 pm
I stumbled upon this on Fedi and thought it could interest people around here =)
Folks are applying to the next round of Top-Level Domain creation (the .net, .com, , .social etc) to create .meow which would be run by a non-profit supporting queer organizations! So people could have a domain ending in .meow while helping with a good cause! The Kickstarter to fund the application is here, with lots of more detailed explanations (these folks have a Plan): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dotmeow/meow-next-round-gtld-application.
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 03:36 am
This poem came out of the October 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from wyld_dandelyon. It also fills the "Alone in the Woods" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Practical Magics and follows "Maybe She's Just Singing."
( Read more... )
wyld_dandelyon. It also fills the "Alone in the Woods" square in my 10-1-25 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Practical Magics and follows "Maybe She's Just Singing."( Read more... )
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Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 12:44 am
Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 01:06 am
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
Would a government run with algorithms, A.I., and statistics be better or worse than the government we have now?
Worse. AI can't even figure out how many fingers a hand is supposed to have.
"Dear Autocorrect: Not once have I ever meant ducking."
Would a government run with algorithms, A.I., and statistics be better or worse than the government we have now?
Worse. AI can't even figure out how many fingers a hand is supposed to have.
"Dear Autocorrect: Not once have I ever meant ducking."
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Friday, January 2nd, 2026 11:49 pm
Does anyone else in this group create their own planner? Not a BuJo, in that it's got a framework and elements of a commercially sold planner.
Friday, January 2nd, 2026 10:29 pm
(Whoever hellseries on AO3 is, this is for them, because it was their comment on https://archiveofourown.org/works/75916086 that made it happen.)
Edna St. Vincent Black Lightning Millay
Says the reader to the poet, “Your verse fine and wild
My attention has caught, and my senses beguiled”
Says the poet to the reader, “Are you going my way?
I am Edna St. Vincent Black Lightning Millay
You’ll not find me in found verse; the sonnet for me
Is the path of a poet determined to be free”
And she’ll pull you on behind
And down among the Muses you will ride
Some say that her love life is skid marks and swerves
But she’ll tell you in earnest it is Beauty she serves
She is changeable weather with a quicksilver soul
Edna St. Vincent’s not the kind you can control
But she writes like an angel with a devil’s sense of style
With heavenly precision and a wicked knowing smile
She says “They all will know some day
The name of Edna St. Vincent Black Lightning… Millay”
“Come down, come down, dear reader,” said the poetry patrol
“For they’ve taken young St. Vincent for the stealing of souls
She was speed racing Sappho, the Brownings, and Poe
Oh, come down, dear reader, to her final folio”
Now her body is broken and her breath is enjambed
She’s off to be the laureate of lays for the damned
But she smiles to hear you say
“I love you, Edna St. Vincent Black Lightning… Millay”
Vincent, by all opinions, could pour power into a poem
And take your breath and your heart before she took you home
Now too many poets — I won’t name names — they just came to play
They didn’t have a soul like St. Vincent Millay
She left us all longing, in spite of our pleas
But she reached out her hand and she left us with these
She gave us her visions, she gave us her poems
And the Muses swooped down to carry her home
And the name we still reverence today
Is Edna St. Vincent Black Lightning… Millay
Friday, January 2nd, 2026 11:09 pm
Just finished watching Heated Rivalry and am having a lot of feelings, as one does. Not entirely sure what some of the feelings are, just yet, but I think I'll spend some time this weekend poking at them to see if they're amenable to identifying themselves. It's so wonderful that this beautiful brilliant show exists and is creating so much joy at a time when it's so needed.
Right before this, we watched The Pitt, which felt like it was starting to rearrange me as a person in a really good way, and this might be a little, as well.
It's been so long since I've had a fannish conversation, so long since I've had a fandom, that I almost don't even know what to say about anything (not sure I ever did! mostly i just showed up and stuck around). Hopefully there will be plenty of conversations about both of them so I can join in sometimes :)
Right before this, we watched The Pitt, which felt like it was starting to rearrange me as a person in a really good way, and this might be a little, as well.
It's been so long since I've had a fannish conversation, so long since I've had a fandom, that I almost don't even know what to say about anything (not sure I ever did! mostly i just showed up and stuck around). Hopefully there will be plenty of conversations about both of them so I can join in sometimes :)
Friday, January 2nd, 2026 09:34 pm
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Friday, January 2nd, 2026 09:15 pm
This poem is spillover from the April 1, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from see_also_friend. It also fills the "Lagenlook / Layered Look" square in my 4-1-25 card for the Aesthetics Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Rutledge thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to see the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes a refugees, crying baby, religious unrest, language acquisition issues, emotional upheaval, crying man, reference to past tragedies, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
see_also_friend. It also fills the "Lagenlook / Layered Look" square in my 4-1-25 card for the Aesthetics Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the Rutledge thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to see the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes a refugees, crying baby, religious unrest, language acquisition issues, emotional upheaval, crying man, reference to past tragedies, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
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Friday, January 2nd, 2026 09:55 pm
Title: Scandalous! Puyo Breasts
Ratings & Warnings: A slime with boobs
Fandom: Puyo Puyo
Character(s): Blue Puyo
Summary: A Blue Puyo has been spotted with boobs!?
( Read more... )
Ratings & Warnings: A slime with boobs
Fandom: Puyo Puyo
Character(s): Blue Puyo
Summary: A Blue Puyo has been spotted with boobs!?
( Read more... )
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Friday, January 2nd, 2026 09:45 pm
Title: Momotchi Pet
Ratings & Warnings: Petplay
Fandom: Tamagotchi
Character(s): Momotchi
Summary: Momotchi wears a collar happily.
( Read more... )
Ratings & Warnings: Petplay
Fandom: Tamagotchi
Character(s): Momotchi
Summary: Momotchi wears a collar happily.
( Read more... )
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