firecat | Network

Lunch Lurch
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 4
Word count (story only): 1045
[Midday of Friday, 10 November of 2017]

:: During Jules’ lunch break, he receives an urgent call. His decision will cost him, no matter which choice he makes. Part of the Lodestar arc in the Polychrome Heroics Universe.

Back to part one
On to part thee

“Hey, what are you in the mood for?” A teenager stood near the breakfast bar crowded with bundles of silverware, trays, and mugs. “We’re working at max capacity right now, so I’ll set up your tray then brave the quick movements near the stove, then bring back your meal. Like a lunch counter without written order tags or receipts,” she joked.

“Oh. That makes--” Jules paused as the teen shimmered in place. She now held a tray, silverware, a glass of water, a small plate with two wedges of lemon, and a pair of folded cloth napkins. “Whoah. That’s a speedster skill I’ve never seen before! I’m Jules, by the way.”
( Read more... )

Current Mood: aggravated

atherleisure

I finished the knitting for an 1892 tea cozy from Weldon's Practical Knitter earlier this week and then made it up tonight. I've been wanting a tea cozy for awhile. It was between this one and a 1940's one that the V&A has online. I decided to go with the Weldon's one. Got to justify the purchase of the books somehow, right? I even had the colors of yarn called for by the pattern - heavyweight blue and lightweight pink. The blue was a free skein of worsted weight yarn I got years ago and never knew what I was going to do with. The pink is leftover from the 1930's Eleanor sweater I made a few years ago.

I used the whole skein of blue. When I finished the 68 rows that I think the pattern meant to call for (it only said 34, but I think it must have meant 34 on each side), the pieces weren't quite 8" like the pattern said, but I didn't have enough yarn to make them longer. I used the rest of the partial ball of pink yarn too so this was a really good stash-busting project. The 78 rows were a little over the 9" called for by the pattern, but it just means it has a slightly larger frill. I did not put ribbons on it. I usually do just what the pattern calls for when making costume pieces, but for something practical around the house, I don't feel quite as committed to historical accuracy. I don't need a beribboned tea cozy in modern life.

It fits my teapot perfectly.

morebutterflys posting in

smallbatchicons

sovay

My poem "Gramarye" has been accepted by Not One of Us. As indicated by the title, it bears some influence from Susan Cooper. The rest was influenced by anger and the sea. I am coming up on twenty-five years as a published author and it started with this pocket-sized black-and-white 'zine. I always encourage writer-type persons of my acquaintaince to send them fiction and poetry.

I regretfully conclude that I am not the target audience for Elizabeth Myers' Mrs. Christopher (1946) when its its banger of a premise—whether the three witnesses to the shooting of a blackmailer will turn in their benefactor of a little old lady who pulled the trigger when the reward is £500—plays out as a Christian thought experiment of forgiveness and love in which there is no suspense after all except for the punch line of the verdict. Its tempted witnesses are not psychologically unbelievable and their different circumstances are drawn in well-written detail, but taken all together they feel like a rigged deck. I am not sure whether I should try the film it was adapted into, Marc Allégret's Blackmailed (1951). On a shallower note, the author had an incredible face in her short life. I am glad to read that she bonded with Eleanor Farjeon.

Well, actually, there are quite a few noir thrillers told from the perspective of a woman, but Elisabeth Sanxay Holding's The Blank Wall (1947) may have been my first, too, through its screen translation of Max Ophüls' The Reckless Moment (1949), and I like the cover choice of Jo Cain's New York Harbor (c. 1940) a lot.

Current Music: Jim Ghedi, "Old Stones"

siliconshaman

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Current Mood: accomplished

mecurtin posting in

fandom_checkin

This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Sunday, May 3, to midnight on May 4 (8pm Eastern Time).

Poll #34561 Daily check-in poll

Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 4

How are you doing?

I am OK
1 (25.0%)

I am not OK, but don't need help right now
3 (75.0%)

I could use some help
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans live with you?

I am living single
1 (25.0%)

One other person
0 (0.0%)

More than one other person
3 (75.0%)

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.

chazzbanner

Yesterday I listened to a Rosebud podcast interview with Rose Boyt, novelist, photographer and great- granddaughter of Sigmund Freud, daughter of the painter Lucian Freud.

No reason to mention this, except she was a friend of the band Rip Rig + Panic, and singer Neneh Cherry. They're on the list I'm developing for my next listening project 'new music punk post punk.'

'Only' 29 left in my current listening project 'new music between 1971 and punk.' I've been slack, it's taking longer than it should.

I took another look at my 'movies watched' list. I have indeed watched To Catch a Thief, and Charade.

Thelma Ritter was in Rear Window. She never won an Oscar, but was nominated a record six times for Best Supporting Actress. I might make this a project, to watch all six if I can find them. One is All About Eve, another 'I've seen so many clips' film. Others: The Mating Season, With a Song in My Heart, Pickup on South Street, Pillow Talk, and Birdman of Alcatraz. I know I've seen Pillow Talk.

She also was The Misfits; I will not watch that.

-

rmjwell

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shadowkat

Tried "Widow's Bay" on Apple + and it's okay? Kind of mildly amusing, and mildly scary? The first episode wasn't all that compelling. But I may try a few more.

It's a Stephen King style horror - but kind of styled as a comedy? Absurdist comedy? Reminds me of Plurbist (which is apocalyptic horror absurdist comedy). Both are on Apple.

Some example lines from Widow's Bay?

Mayor: Have you heard of the Sea Hag?
Old Crochety Town Story Teller (sings the ditty of the sea hag)
Mayor (at the end of the creepy song): So uhm, how does she kill you exactly?
Old CTST (aka Stephen Root): She crawls into your bed and sits on your face.

Or

NY Times Writer: So, did you have cannibalism in your town's history?
Mayor: No, no that's just a story, I don't know where you got that idea.
Writer: It's on a framed news story in your historical society (he turns to point to the large framed story and exhibit - they are standing in the historical society.)

****

Read the following blurbs on social media this past week:

If you are in a reader's slump, it may be for other reasons:

* Your brain is overwhelmed and can't handle any more information.
* The books aren't fitting your mood.
* That's not the book your brain wants to deal with right now.

Or? You just don't like those books and need to find a different source for recommendations, preferably not twenty-somethings getting money off of providing marketing content for books geared towards twenty-somethings?

If it were like the 1990s again - with no cell phones, doom scrolling, social media...what is the first thing you'd do?

Go to the movies. Seriously - cell phones ruined movie theaters for me. [Not that they didn't have issues to begin with - but give people a little computer or computer on a watch that they can talk to, text in, and play with? Forget about it.]

tielan

The ABC's of me.

A. Age: nearly 50

B. Bed Size: Double

C. Chore You Really Dislike: Washing Up

D. Dogs: I like them, but I prefer to live with cats.

E. Essential Start to Your Day: A cup of coffee (small latte, one sugar) is nice

F. Favorite Color: Blue

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: 5'4"

I. Instruments You Play: I've played piano, flute, and tuba. I'd kind of like to learn violin and oboe, but who has time?

J. Job: IT Systems Analyst

K. Kids: No. I'm not childfree - love my nieces and nephews - but I never had a partner and that was the dealbreaker for me.

L. Live: I liked their first few albums. Haven't heard of them since the 90s. (Yes, I know this is not what the question is asking, but I don't quite know how to answer.)

M. Mom’s Name: Nope.

N. Nicknames: One, two, many, lots.

O. Overnight Hospital Stays: Once for the yeeterus. I have been very healthy otherwise.

P. Pet Peeve: People who think that because they haven't done anything evil, they haven't benefited from anything evil.

Q. Quote From A Movie: I have many, but can't think of any right now. The one that's coming to mind is Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? and that leads to The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

R. Right or Left Handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two full sisters, three stepbrothers (two on mum's side, one on dads), and a half-brother.

T. Time You Wake Up: Right now, six hours after I went to sleep. That can manifest as 3am (like last night, after falling asleep around 9pm) or at 6am if I stay up until around 11:30pm.

U. Underwear: Cotton, mostly, although I really liked the elastane 'no underwear lines' but they don't make them like they used to. The first set I bought back in 2009 have lasted 15 years, the ones that I bought back in 2022 are already losing their stretch.

W. What Makes You Run Late: Finishing a task that wasn't completely done the first time on the way out.

X. X-Rays You’ve Had: Lots of ones for the teeth and jaws. One for a broken fingertip. One for possible issues with the foot. And probably a bunch of others that I don't remember.

Y. Yummy Food You Make: Just about everything? There are somethings that are distinctly less tasty, but they're usually home experiments, and I just didn't put enough of the spice/acid in.

Z. Zoo - favorite animal: I haven't been to the zoo in ages. But probably the flamingos. The pink is just amazing.

If any of the words don't work for you, choose a different word that uses the same letter. That way the meme changes and evolves as it travels around.

thewayne

This is pretty cool. A startup founded by a former NASA engineer has created a device for extinguishing fire with infrasound: super low frequency sound waves that literally push the oxygen away from the fire, denying the fire of one of the things that it needs for combustion!

It's safe to be around when it's in operation as it doesn't destroy or deplete the oxygen in the area, i.e. you won't asphyxiate, and being low frequency it won't damage the hearing of people or pets. In the video there's a demonstration of the device in use on a simulated oil pan kitchen fire, which it extinguishes in under 30 seconds.

There are a lot of unanswered questions, such as will it activate again if the fire reignites, what are long-term maintenance requirements, what about furniture, mattress, or electrical fires, crosswinds, etc. So far, the company hasn't released any specifics as to how its testing is being conducted, nor have any units been released for third parties to verify testing conditions or parameters.

The company also hopes that the unit could be used to fight wildfires, such as mounted on the front of bulldozers. It's working with one California wildfire agency to see if such testing can be done.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/05/startup-says-sound-waves-can-replace-fire-sprinklers-experts-arent-so-sure/

ranalore

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Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Location: the state that consumes the most sugar and it shows

bad_machinery_feed

Posted by John Allison

https://badmachinery.com/comic/2026-05-04/

https://badmachinery.com/?post_type=comic&p=2832

It’s not unusual to be greeted by an older male associate asking not how you are, but which roads you took to arrive at their home. Do not ask me to explain this. It is not in my make-up. Well, genetically it is 50% of my makeup based on all data I have to hand.

https://badmachinery.com/comic/2026-05-04/

https://badmachinery.com/?post_type=comic&p=2832

possibilityleft

I can't believe it's May already, this year is flying by.

*****

( books! )

annabeth_roses posting in

fandom_icons

More variety than just the Eleventh Doctor this time. :) Still mostly Eleven, though, I think. Also some humorous icons with text added at the bottom.

Teasers:

here @ my journal

china_shop posting in

sid_guardian

Zhao Yunlan sprawled on a couch, grinning at his phone. The background shows a purply sky with stars. Text reads "Slo-Mo Rewatch. Guardian - half an episode per week @ sid-guardian.dreamwidth.org."

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 15, up to 23:56

Summary
Cong Bo hacks into the university CCTV and hits paydirt when he sees Shen Wei use dark energy and talk to a smoke messenger from the Regent. Cong Bo goes to Zhao Yunlan and threatens to expose Shen Wei and the SID. The Apology Scene!!! Shen Wei has taken off his glasses; Zhao Yunlan sprawls barefoot on a barstool. Also, Zhao Yunlan has a plan: Lin Jing remotely wipes Cong Bo's hard drive, and Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan pay Cong Bo a visit, showing him the error of his ways and inviting him to join them. Zhu Jiu is still wounded and still holding a grudge against Zhao Yunlan. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei celebrate their success with a toast (water), and Shen Wei explains his power. Zhao Yunlan attempts a do-over of his request for compensation last episode, and this time he gets it right by asking Shen Wei to tidy his not-very-messy flat. Changcheng writes in his diary. In the SID lab, Zhao Yunlan contemplates groping the Hallows again, but Shen Wei catches him and offers a better strategy for finding the missing two Hallows. Zhao Yunlan takes him out for a meal (no drinking!), which tragically happens off-screen. Zhu Hong is drunk and crying because Zhao Yunlan doesn't want her; Da Qing and Guo Changcheng offer comfort. The next morning, an old man arrives in Dragon City, nearly gets hit by a delivery van, and is rescued by a solicitous Changcheng. They meet again a few minutes later, whereupon the old man asks for directions to 4 Guangming Rd. Dun-dun-DUNNN!

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan getting cosy in Zhao Yunlan's flat.

Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan getting cosy in Zhao Yunlan's flat.

Quote
Da Qing to Zhu Hong: You're good in all aspects. You have a special physique that can provide a promising talent: warm in winter, cold in summer.

Detail
I love that when Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan toast having dealt with the Cong Bo threat, Zhao Yunlan as well as Shen Wei is drinking water.

Also, I don't think I've registered before that Cong Bo was also spying on Ya Qing and that this had constrained her movements. (I'm impressed she didn't just kill him!)

Questions
Any thoughts about Zhao Yunlan's changed hairstyle? (Is it why Zhu Hong is drinking?) Do you think Zhao Yunlan had forgotten about the banner cam, or he just hadn't come up with a way to take it down without admitting he'd put it there in the first place? When Shen Wei sees the smoke filtering through the blinds, he immediately summons his blade: who or what does he think it might be? What is Zhao Yunlan's first thought when Cong Bo shows him the blackmail material? How do you feel about Cong Bo and his motives? What's your favourite thing about the apology scene? Do you like Cong Bo's apartment? After the averted-Hallows-groping scene, does Zhao Yunlan take Shen Wei out for street food, or do they go somewhere nice? (How date-like is it??) What was your first impression of the Regent? Does he deliberately target Changcheng (and if so, what does this say about his information networks in Haixing)?

Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

And here is our schedule -- if you can, please sign up to host a post!

vilakins

I forgot to post last night, so it's now the 4th here.

Day 3: Favourite female character

It's hard to pick a favourite as they're all good in their different ways. Jenna is sensible, pragmatic, and tough; Dayna lively and determined, and Soolin cool and logical - like Avon should have been in season 4. But I'll pick Cally as she was so wonderfully fierce at the start and her telepathy fascinated me. It's such a pity that they softened her down into the crew nurse; she would have given them an awesome tactical advantage that was hardly used.

All the questions are on Tumblr.

Current Mood: awake

asakiyume

One thing I'd wanted to do on this trip is make asaí (or in English we write it açai, from the Portuguese, because Brazil is the major exporter) juice. It's a good physical effort, but the whole thing went faster than I thought it would. It was me, my tutor's older brother, and her mom doing it, with her doing the videography and photos :-)

The first step is to soak the asaí berries. Here they are with hot water poured over them.

Then you pound them! The pounder was made by my tutor's mother from palo de sangre, bloodwood, which really does bleed red sap when you cut it (and is a lovely deep red color when carved). You pound until the pounder makes a sound like a boot pulling out of the mud when you lift it. At that point it's pounded enough. My tutor's brother and I took turns with this ;-)

Watch on YouTube

Then you pass that mash through this sieve, which is called cuechinu in Tikuna, and was also made by my tutor's mom.

passing the berries through the cuechinu (cernidor, strainer)

And then you further strain it through a very fine strainer. The hands belong to my tutor's mom:

passing asaí through the finest strainer

And then ... you can drink it :-) I had mine with sugar. Looking very pleased with myself BECAUSE I WAS.

maevedarcy

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aurumcalendula

暴锋雨 | Sharp Downpour (2026):

( Read more... )

harlow_turner_chaotic_ace posting in

su_herald

Xander: There's nothing *to* say. You saw two hundred insects, you Gonzoed, anybody would have.
Wendell: They're not insects. They're arachnids.
Xander: They're from the Middle East?

~~S1E10: "Nightmares"~~

The Sunnydale Herald is looking for a new editor. Contributing to the Herald is a great way to get your Buffy on! Find out more.

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Your Ice Cold Heart and Those Hellish Eyes (Buffy/Spike, E) by Harlow_Turner (MadeInGold)
Buffy and the Slayer, Season 4 (Spike/Buffy, T) by SunnydaleSentinel
Buttfucking (Angelus/Spike, G) by Laqt15

[Chaptered Fiction]

Bleeding Sun, Chapter 3 (Spike/Drusilla, Spike/Buffy, M) by victorfreakenstein
Bound by the calling | Fuffy , Chapter 27 (Faith/Buffy, E) by vampireslayerr (mongoosekiramman)
just a waffer theen portal, Chapter 6 (Spike/Buffy, G, Star Trek Discovery xover) by flootzavut
Snapshots of a Crypt with a White Picket Fence, Chapter 2 (Spike/Buffy, T) by TheRogue704
Fresh nights ahead, Chapter 17 (Multiple ships, E) by Red Cowling she they (Redtheseer)
Over My Dead Body, Chapter 1 (Faith, DCU xover, T) by

Eternally Yours, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Joan963z
Against Our Will, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only) by sweetpie
Valentine's Day Switch, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Kazfox
just a waffer theen portal, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, G) by flootzavut
Every Crumb, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, G) by cd85, Em_Kayelle
Seducing the Slayer, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten
Buffy and the Slayer, Season 4 , Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Sunnydale Sentinel
Un-Doomed, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, NC=17) by elements

Wrong, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Kazfox
Lost and found, Chapter 25 (Buffy/Spike, R) by JSBirsa
just a waffer theen portal, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, G) by flootzavut

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: more cangelus for the soul... or lack thereof (Angelus/Cordelia, not worksafe) by rabbitmotifs
Gifset: The sun sets, and she appears. (Spike/Buffy, SFW) by kaizsche
Fanvid: 🎵If I leave - Mitski. It’s so crazy Mitski wrote this song about tara and willow (Tara/Willow, SFW) by arentyounaturallybuffbuff
Gifset: FAITH LEHANE ✦ Enemies (Faith, SFW) by charmedslayer
Gifset: BEST OF BTVS: Xander Harris — Season Six (Xander, SFW) by clarkgriffon
Gifset: The Summers Sisters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer - 5x08 (Buffy & Dawn, SFW) by inadvertently-biblical

[Recs & In Search Of]

“Buttfucking” by Laqt15 recced by spangel-fanwork-marathon

[Fandom Discussions]

the way Anya didn’t even get a proper death in the finale. by inadvertently-biblical
I love the difference between Buffy earlier and later seasons by itzz-evie
giles' magician hat and cape by thread-bare-theoretician
Sunnydale High School had no dress code by anathemagerminabunt-blog

The 10 Happiest Moments From the Comics by CandidateHefty329
S3 Ep: Helpless - The Slayer Test by Andro_Polymath
Fanfic recommendations of different slayers? by ILoveReading_811
Buffy and cherries 🍒 by ceecee1909
does garlic have any effect on vampires? by Substantial_Monk4430

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maevedarcy posting in

smallbatchicons

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siria

That Duke Ellington Guy
ER | Carter, Gen | ~1600 words | Episode tag for 1.11, 'The Gift'. Thanks to

sheafrotherdon for audiencing.

(Also on AO3)

( 'I never thought to talk to her about music. I don't even know anything about music.' Carter, and Mary Cavanaugh, and her legacy. )

shipperslist

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shadowkat

Question a Day Meme - May:

1. Have you ever contributed to something being crowdfunded? Was there an incentive to do so?

No. Although I did contribute to an acquaintance's Go Fund Me for cancer treatment once or twice. (She died, so it's not like it necessarily worked? But I guess it helped keep her alive a bit longer...)

2. Have you heard of the ‘Language of Flowers’, published in 1884? Victorian Britain and America were caught up in the concept in the 19th Century. Do you know the secret meaning of any flowers?

Yes, I've heard of it. I don't remember any of it.

3. Have you ever traced any of your family tree?

Yes, I fell down the genealogy rabbit hole a few years ago - traced it back to the 1600s in the Americas and Britain. Got bored. And forgot most of it. That of course didn't prevent various extended family members from doing it? The most famous person I'm related to - appears to be Eisenhower - 9th cousin nine times removed. (See? That's genealogy.)

I'm not sure how accurate most of it is? There's a couple of countries that were good at preserving records of well, just about everybody, and the records weren't destroyed in bombings. Also they weren't in danger of people tracking them down to kill them or enslave them.

Britain, Ireland, and their descendants in the US. Also the Mormons. So if you are British, Irish, British-Canadian, Scottish, or Mormon - you can probably trace it back fairly easily. Germany? Not so much, it was brutally bombed during the first and second World Wars, as was France and a good portion of Western Europe. We also had a lot of records changed or destroyed because of the Holocaust and the Nazis. Scandinavia didn't tend to keep records of anyone who was well not of a certain class.
And good luck hunting accurate records of ancestry if you are Black or Native American descent - those records were destroyed on purpose in the US or altered to protect people from being found and enslaved or killed by armed militias.

****

It's a beautiful but chilly day for spring. In the 40s, looks like the 60s.
Comfortable indoors for a change - in the low 70s. Lots of green outside my window. And blue sky, with streaks of cloud cover. I'm battling a headache and irritability. Have two scheduled doctor's visits next week - PT (vestibular) and lab work, then a doctor's appointment (virtual) the next week and somewhere in there - I have to plug in X-rays. I'm tired of doctor's appointments - I don't think I've had a week off from any of them in a while. I need a vacation from waiting for doctors and going to work.

Making my way slowly through This Kingdom will Not Kill Me - which isn't the book's fault. I can only read it in snatches at home. I can't cart it around with me - it's a hard cover book. It's interesting because it is employing the unreliable narrator tactic. The narrator thinks they know everything about the world they are in and the people in it - because they read the book it's based on? But alas, they don't and get quite a few things wrong. The writer's are slyly commenting on how fans misinterpret the stories they love and read over and over again. Thinking they know everything about it. Or that their interpretation is the correct one. Or their memory of it is right. (It's not, people are human and fallible.)
I may have to re-read the book when I finish it and stuff is revealed.

My reading slump has more to do with system overload than anything else.
But it is what it is.

**

I'm up to date now on From - ie, I can't be spoiled any longer. It's an interesting set-up, but I'm not sure I trust the writers not to go for the shiny/creepy Twilight Zone ending in S5. (ie. Everyone dies and a whole new batch of people enter the town to struggle. I've seen this trope done a few times before. Usually that's how it ends. No one gets out and it just keeps rinsing and repeating itself in an endless frustrating loop.) Maybe I should stop now?

On the other hand, I'm curious. So will probably keep watching until the end. I want to see how quickly they figure out the latest plot development?

ysabetwordsmith

Why the U.S. struggles to track heat deaths and protect people from extreme temperatures

A new analysis has revealed that the United States cannot reliably count heat deaths or identify who must act when temperatures turn dangerous.

That failure can turn a clear forecast into a patchy response, leaving protection to depend on local records, budgets, and authority.

TL;DR -- People don't give a shit.

However, there are things that any individual, organization, or town can do about this even in the absence of effective government or societal action.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

calimac

The Power of the Dog (2021)

An article on the best movies on Netflix said that this was "not just one of the best movies on Netflix right now: It’s one of the best movies ever." Unfortunately it turned out to be great only in the sense that some of those "great novels" I had to read in literature class were great, i.e. totally wretched.

The main characters in this one are a pair of brothers who are cattle ranchers together in Montana (played by New Zealand) in the 1920s. One of them, Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a hard man. Though they've worked together for decades, he considers his brother George (Jesse Plemons) to be something of a wimp. George is sweet on the widow lady (Kirsten Dunst) who runs a cookhouse where the ranchers often eat. Phil doesn't think much of her, the more so as her late husband had committed suicide, which Phil evidently considers a rather wussy thing to do. As for the widow's teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who has artistic leanings, Phil thinks he's a total pansy. This is all played out as if it were written in neon signs.

George is incredibly awkward courting the widow, the more so after they suddenly up and get married, which George doesn't even tell Phil about until afterwards. Uh-oh, there's trouble ahead, forced on the story by the contorted plot. I stopped watching at this point and consulted the Wikipedia plot summary, which I'd previously avoided. Yup, there's trouble ahead. I'm glad I didn't have to watch any more of this tortured pretentious mess.

olivermoss

* I regret to inform you that pink hens are now problematic

* Plans for today cancelled by a combination of heat and needing to wash my activewear / UV protecting clothing. Also, my alternate plans for today would involve going too near the building that was hit. Weather should be much cooler tomorrow.

schneefink

I was distracted last week because of exciting RL things and completely forgot about April recs. The first missed monthly rec post in over two years >.<

So, a quick one. I gave a short powerpoint presentation on my SGA fandom nostalgia in a Discord server recently (I joined SGA fandom almost twenty years ago, wow) and that reminded me of some SGA crack classics.

The Epic Tale of Rodney & John, Two Girl Scout Cookies In Love (The Pix or it Didn't Happen Remix) by

Krim
0.4k + comic, John/Rodney, explicit cookie porn
Summary: Cookie porn, crumbs, strong language, extreme crackiness. Very image-heavy. No spoilers.
Why I love it: This is exactly what it sounds like and it's glorious. A classic.
Tragically I couldn't find a working link to the podfic/-video version by busaikko anymore, please let me know if you have one.

Stargate: Atlantis - The Post-Trinity phenomenon by

iibnf
List of post-Trinity fics
Summary: [These are all McKay/Sheppard unless otherwise noted. This is not a list of recommendations, you can take it as a thematic list, instead. What I'm looking for is the classic Post-Trinity Mean John/Woobie Rodney concept, not other stories that may be set after Trinity but don’t deal with that particular issue.]
Why I love it: The Lemon Chicken Ratings list. A masterpiece.
Sadly a quick check showed that many links are no longer working, unsurprisingly, but even the list on its own is very much worth reading.

The Eternally Unnamed by

lavvyan
John/Rodney, crack
Summary: Ketchup!John/Pea!Rodney: "Ketchup and peas don't go together."
Why I love it: Lavvyan has written a ton of beautiful crack but this might be my personal favorite.

I have a word document with links to SGA fanworks that's 14 pages long. I'm sure many links sadly don't work anymore but now I'm tempted to go through them again, reread a few more stories, maybe rec some... Always too much to read and not enough time.

krzeslicko posting in

allbutromance

Hello!
Everyone has been matched and should get their assignments soon. If you can't wait, you can see who you matched with on your ao3>Assignments>All But Romance Fanwork Exchange 2026

If you don't see your assignment/have questions about it for us to pass to your recipient/received two or more assignments, let us know. Remember, don't let anyone know who you're creating for! If you have questions for your recipient, email us (allbutromance@gmail.com)

This year we're allowing assignment swaps. If you don't vibe with your initial assignment, or like a different one better, you're welcome to email us or comment here (comments screened), stating you'd like to swap, alongside your current assignment, your ao3 handle, your email (if you're commenting anonymously) and the number of the Pinch Hit you'd like instead. If you don't state you want to swap, you'll get both assignments, with the second one counting as a Pinch Hit.
The deadline for the swapped assignment is the same as your initial assignment, so August 2nd.
The minimum you have to meet stay the same (fic 2k, art at least a detailed lineart).
Swapping will not count as a default.

-------------------------------------------

Below, you'll find a list of Initial Pinch Hits - works in search of a creator. If you'd like to claim any of them, email allbutromance@gmail.com or comment below, including which Pinch Hit you'd like, your ao3 handle and your email (if you're commenting anonymously).

If you'd like to see the details of the Pinch Hits, click on them to expand

Initial Pinch Hits

CLAIMED ~~IPH#1 (fic)~~ ~~Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005), Breaking Bad, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) LINK~~

IPH#1
Request 1 by GerardWayisSexah
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005)

Sokka & Zuko (Avatar) Ozai & Zuko (Avatar) Ursa & Zuko (Avatar) Azula & Ozai (Avatar) Azula & Iroh (Avatar) Iroh & Ozai (Avatar) Bato & Hakoda (Avatar)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

General DNW: alternate setting AUs, miscarriage/abortion, non-canon typical amounts of gore, bleak endings, crackfic, physical abuse, non-con/dubcon, explicit sexual content (up to M-rated is OK), real world religion/politics, minor/adult relationships, character/village/clan bashing [exception for Ozai], depression or suicide

~~Fandom-specific DNW: Ursa depicted as an unambiguously bad or negligent mother, Avatar comics canon, references to Legend of Korra canon regarding the origins of the avatar and bending.~~

Fandom: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins

Haymitch Abernathy & Katniss Everdeen (THG) Rue & Thresh (THG) Katniss Everdeen & Thresh (THG)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

~~Fandom-specific DNW: not interested in any fic set past the first book timeline-wise~~

Request 3
Fandom: Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021)

Jinx & Silco (Arcane: League of Legends) Jinx & Vi (Arcane: League of Legends) Ekko & Jinx (Arcane: League of Legends) Jayce & Mel Medarda (Arcane: League of Legends)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

~~Fandom-specific DNW: any references to season 2 canon or events, anything implying a sexual component to the relationship between Jinx and Silco. Co-dependence is okay.~~

Request 4
Fandom: Breaking Bad

Marie Schrader & Skyler White (Breaking Bad) Brock Cantillo & Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad) Jesse Pinkman & Skyler White (Breaking Bad) Hank Schrader & Walter White (Breaking Bad) Jesse Pinkman & Walter White (Breaking Bad)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

Ideas/prompts:
What if Walt and Jesse ended up go-karting together?

Fandom-specific DNW: depiction of Walt as misunderstood good guy or narrative justification of his more heinous actions (i.e. murder, attempted murder). It's okay if Walt justifies these things in his head or another character makes excuses for him. Depiction of Skyler as nagging or bitchy for no good reason.

IPH#2 (fic, art) Heated Rivalry (TV), Project Hail Mary (2026), The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells LINK

IPH#2 Details

Request 1 by In_Flagrante_Delicto
Fandom: Heated Rivalry (TV)

Shane Hollander & Rose Landry Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike & Jackie Pike

Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

Likes:
- Exes being friends! I'll like anything about Shane and Rose being friends post break-up!
- Shane and Hayden friendship!
- The Closet. How does Shane relate to Hayden and Jackie with the spectre of homosexuality looming over him? Does he feel alienated? Jealous? Something else?

DNWs: sexual content requiring an explicit rating (discussion is fine), unrequested fetish content, omegaverse/mpreg, major character death

Request 2 by In_Flagrante_Delicto
Fandom: Project Hail Mary (2026)

Ryland Grace & Rocky Ryland Grace & Eva Stratt Ryland Grace & Ryland Grace's San Francisco Students Ryland Grace & Carl
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

Likes:
- aroace Grace! (Whether he knows that or not)
- Grace & Stratt's relationship! He's her right-hand man! Her science lapdog! Her silly rabbit! ("Does she call you that?" "No.")
- Outsider POV on Grace & Stratt! It's very funny to me that everyone apparently thinks they're sleeping together
- Grace & Rocky being best friends! Doing science together, talking about weird human biology, watching movies, or just hanging out

DNW: sexual content requiring an explicit rating (discussion is fine), unrequested fetish content, omegaverse, major character death (canon deaths are fine)

Request 3 by In_Flagrante_Delicto
Fandom: The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells

Dr. Mensah & Murderbot (Murderbot Diaries) ART | Perihelion & Murderbot Murderbot & Perihelion Crew (Murderbot Diaries) Murderbot & Pin-Lee (Murderbot Diaries) Murderbot & Dr. Ratthi (Murderbot Diaries)
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

Likes:
- Anything exploring MB & ART's QPR/secret third thing/mutual administrative assistance. I like it when they're deeply weird about each other
- Sex/romance repulsed MB. MB realising it does have to watch the sex scenes in Sanctuary Moon. Let that construct learn to set boundaries for it's comfort!
- Outsider POV on MB & Mensah. What do people on Preservation think about Mensah's new construct bodyguard?
- Pin-Lee being an amazing lawyer. MB & Pin-Lee being each-others clients and what that means for them
- Ratthi & MB hanging out! Ratthi introducing MB to all the fun things to do on Preservation!

DNW: any fic where MB is not aro/ace in some way, sexual content requiring an explicit rating, unrequested fetish content, omegaverse, permanent major character death (but canon-typical temporary character death is ok)

CLAIMED ~~IPH#3 (fic, art)~~ ~~The Pitt (TV), RWBY, Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch LINK~~

~~IPH#3 Details~~

Request 1 by Kamemor
Fandom: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch

Molly (Rivers of London) & Thomas Nightingale Abigail Kamara & Thomas Nightingale Peter Grant & Thomas Nightingale Thomas Nightingale & Alexander Seawoll
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

General likes: casefic, platonic relationships, hurt/comfort, aro ace characters, odd friendships not necessarily explored in canon, mentor-mentee dynamics, friendship fluff, mysteries and other plot-heavy fics

DNW: any sexual content, non-canon ships, anything ignoring that Nightingale is canonically aromantic asexual

Specific prompts: I love any and all of the friendships Nightingale builds in the modern day (and his longer-lasting ones like Molly) and would love to see anything exploring those relationships and how they've changed him for the better, the Folly gang getting into trouble and shenanigans on a case is always good fun, domestic shenanigans in the Folly are endearing, in a completely different direction I'd love to see Nightingale come up against something that's actually a threat to him and end up dealing with some sort of consequences while the others worry about him, stories about Nightingale's trauma and how that affects him and his relationships is also good, and basically pretty much anything Nightingale-centric would be marvellous

Request 2 by Kamemor
Fandom: The Pitt (TV)

Melissa "Mel" King & Frank Langdon (The Pitt) Melissa "Mel" King & Trinity Santos & Dennis Whitaker (The Pitt) Victoria Javadi & Melissa "Mel" King & Trinity Santos & Dennis Whitaker (The Pitt) Melissa "Mel" King & Trinity Santos (The Pitt)
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

General likes: casefic, platonic relationships, hurt/comfort, aro ace characters, odd friendships not necessarily explored in canon, mentor-mentee dynamics, friendship fluff, mysteries and other plot-heavy fics

DNW: any sexual content, any ships (canon or non-canon, background or otherwise), unsympathetic approaches to any characters (i.e. Santos and Langdon are Both great and one doesn't have to be put down to appreciate the other)

Specific prompts: I love the idea of aroace Mel so anything exploring that would be incredible, basically anything in which Mel has a nice day (or indeed a bad one that then ends with people looking out for her), fics exploring Mel's autism and how it affects her work and her life and how her friends/colleagues have adapted to her needs, an exploration of how her early-days friendships with folks like Santos and Whitaker and Javadi could evolve, her getting to be a history nerd with Langdon and finding other shared interests with the others... Basically anything Mel-centric would be ideal

Request 3 by Kamemor
Fandom: RWBY

Penny Polendina & Ruby Rose Qrow Branwen & Ruby Rose Qrow Branwen & James Ironwood James Ironwood & Winter Schnee Qrow Branwen & Robyn Hill James Ironwood & Penny Polendina James Ironwood & Ruby Rose Robyn Hill & James Ironwood Robyn Hill & Ruby Rose
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

General likes: platonic relationships, hurt/comfort, aro ace characters, odd friendships not necessarily explored in canon, mentor-mentee dynamics, friendship fluff, mysteries and other plot-heavy fics, canon-divergence AUs exploring optimistic what-ifs, fight scenes

DNW: any sexual content, non-canon ships, unsympathetic/villain takes on Ironwood

Specific prompts: friendship fic featuring Ruby and Penny and their endearing dynamic, anything exploring the complicated messes Qrow and Ironwood make of all their interpersonal relationships (including with each other) despite caring So Much, exploration/worldbuilding set in Atlas during vol7, what might have happened if Robyn had been brought into the loop earlier, training and mission shenanigans during vol7, aroace Ruby and/or Penny, anything exploring Ironwood's disabilities

IPH#4 (fic) Tales of Asteria (Video Game), Tales of the Rays, Tales of Hearts (Bandai Namco Video Games), Tales of Zestiria, Tales of the Rays: Recollection (Video Game), Tales of Xillia (Video Games), Tales of Berseria LINK

IPH#4 Details

Request 1 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of Asteria (Video Game)

Edna & Eizen (Tales of Asteria) Fractured Elle Mel Marta Who Was Victor's Companion & Victor (Tales of Xillia)Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, Victor and Elle not being related as fractured selves, Eizen not having his bad luck curse, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested and non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Requested characters perma-dying; Edna being infantilized: it's okay to allude to Eizen doing this to her, or for other people to be confused by her appearance, for putting examples, but I don't want it treated as a matter of fact: Edna's an adult by the time she appears in the story. Exception obviously if it is a fic actually set in her childhood.

Opt-in: I have read all of Rays's and Asteria's main stories (and many of the events). Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 2 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of the Rays

Ix Nieves & Mileena Weiss Gefion & Mileena Weiss First Ix Nieves & Gefion & Phillip Biqe Reston
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, the tampering Third Ix suffered during exoflection being erased, including removing his anxiety, Mileena not being an exoflection AU, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Rays' original cast perma-dying (but canon perma-deaths are fine); Third Ix reciprocating Mileena's canonical romantic feelings.

Opt-in: I have read all of Rays's and Asteria's main stories (and many of the events). Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 3 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of Hearts (Bandai Namco Video Games)

Hisui Hearts | Jadeite Hearts & Kohaku Hearts Kohaku Hearts & Hisui Hearts & Lithia Spodumene Creed Graphite & Fluora Spodumene & Lithia Spodumene
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, Kohaku and Hisui not growing up together, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Requested characters perma-dying; Kohaku/Shing and any hint to it being a romantic endgame.

Opt-in: Mobage like Rays and Asteria. Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria. Also Hearts DS canon.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 4 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of Zestiria

Edna & Eizen (Tales of Series) Edna & Eizen & Zaveid (Tales of Series)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, Eizen being born without his bad luck curse, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Requested characters perma-dying; Edna being infantilized: it's okay to allude to Eizen doing this to her, or for other people to be confused by her appearance for putting examples, but I don't want it treated as a matter of fact: Edna's an adult and actually older in this game than her brother was in his. Exception obviously if it is a fic actually set in her childhood.

Opt-in: Zestiria the X, Alisha DLC, manga and novels. Mobage like Rays and Asteria. Crossovers with other Tales worlds, except for Crestoria and Luminaria.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 5 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of the Rays: Recollection (Video Game)

Haze Cesario Idafield & Elnath Perusha & Kodama Atwood Haze Cesario Idafield & Elnath Perusha
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, Kodama not having the life experience of being a wastelander or 棄民, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Reco's main cast perma-dying (canon perma-deaths are fine).

Opt-in: Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 6 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of Xillia (Video Games)

Fractured Milla & Milla Maxwell Victor & Julius Will Kresnik Victor & Ludger Will Kresnik Fractured Milla & Milla Maxwell & Muzét Fractured Milla & Muzét (Tales of Xillia) Elle Mel Marta & Victor Fractured Elle Mel Marta Who Was Victor's Companion & Victor (Tales of Xillia)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, The Trial Never Existed AU for X2, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Ludger/Lara Mel Marta and any hint to it being a romantic endgame (not to confuse with Victor/Lara, which is OK to reference); The Elle that Ludger travels with during the game being reinterpreted as his daughter: confusion from other characters is okay, but her father will always be Victor; Victor and his eight-years-old daughter having a non-familial relationship.

Opt-in: Mobage like Rays and Asteria. Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria. Also manga adaptation.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

Request 7 by maulester
Fandom: Tales of Berseria

Edna & Eizen (Tales of Berseria)
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

DNWs (click to reveal):

Non-Tales crossovers; Luminaria and Crestoriaverse; Songfic; AUs involving high alteration of the setting and big changes in characterization (Coffee shop and other mundane AUs, Edna not being a malak, her brother not having a blessing of bad luck, etc. Obviously fix-it fic and canon divergences are ok); "Fixing" disabilities (unless it happens to be canon); Severe and real illness; Rule 63/Genderbending; Random Character/Ship bashing; Unrequested non-canon romantic relationships; Reader/Insert fic and focus in new OCs; LGTBQIA+ phobia uncontested and approved by the narrative/other characters (internalized exception OK); Pregnancy/children OCs; Cheating/infidelity; Non-canon pet names.
Request specific DNWs (click to reveal):

Eizen and/or Edna perma-dying; Edna being infantilized: it's okay to allude to Eizen doing this to her, or for other people to be confused by her appearance, for putting examples, but I don't want it treated as a matter of fact: Edna's an adult by the time the game happens. Exception obviously if it is a fic actually set in her childhood.

Opt-in: Mobage like Rays and Asteria. Manga and novel verses. Crossovers with other Tales worlds except for Crestoria and Luminaria.

Aromantic and/or asexual interpretations, and how that changes the characters' perception of the world and relationships, are welcome. QPRs as well.

My list of general likes and specific prompts is in the letter as an optional read, because I love these and I'll like anything so long as it doesn't hit personal DNWs. Please create something that brings you joy, and thank you for your time!

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://maulester.dreamwidth.org/1441.html

IPH#5 (fic, art) Twin Peaks (TV 1990), Dishonored (Video Games), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984) LINK

IPH#5 Details

Request 1 by NervousAsexual
Fandom: Twin Peaks (TV 1990)

Dale Cooper's Doppelganger & Albert Rosenfield (Twin Peaks) Gordon Cole & Albert Rosenfield (Twin Peaks) Tamara "Tammy" Preston & Albert Rosenfield (Twin Peaks) Dale Cooper & Albert Rosenfield & Harry Truman (Twin Peaks)
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

general likes in letter. treats are welcome.

I Like Albert. Probably that is obvious. I really like Albert's love for humanity not stopping him from being a salty asshole. I love when he gets whumped on, whether that's emotionally or physically or what have you. I opt in to darker stuff, especially if you decide to go with Doppel!Coop.

DNWs
AI-generated works
ABO
secondhand embarrassment
misunderstandings of the third-act-breakup type
two-sided love triangles
mundane AUs

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://tildytwo.dreamwidth.org/307.html

Request 2 by NervousAsexual
Fandom: Dishonored (Video Games)

Corvo Attano & Samuel Beechworth (Dishonored)
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

general likes in letter. treats are welcome.

I think Samuel should get a turn getting whumped on, you know? Apparently I am just really into sad old men.

DNWs
AI-generated works
ABO
secondhand embarrassment
misunderstandings of the third-act-breakup type
two-sided love triangles
mundane AUs

Dear Creator Letter (optional): https://tildytwo.dreamwidth.org/307.html

Request 3 by NervousAsexual
Fandom: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension (1984)

Perfect Tommy & Dr. Sidney "New Jersey" Zweibel (Buckaroo Banzai) Buckaroo Banzai & Perfect Tommy (Buckaroo Banzai)
Medium: Art Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

general likes in letter. treats are welcome.

I love the fanon of Perfect Tommy being kind of a mess, whether that's an addiction of some kind (alcohol? Drugs of some kind or other? Sex?), a personality disorder making his social life painful, or pretty much anything else you can think of. I like his attachment to Buckaroo, especially when it causes a little jealousy toward the newest Cavalier.

DNWs
AI-generated works
ABO
secondhand embarrassment
misunderstandings of the third-act-breakup type
two-sided love triangles
mundane AUs

IPH#6 (fic) おっさんずラブ | Ossan's Love (TV 2016), Zootopia (Disney Movies), Witch Watch (Anime), ドラえもん | Doraemon (Anime 2005) LINK

IPH#6 Details

Request 1 by nohitsdeeptracksonly
Fandom: ドラえもん | Doraemon (Anime 2005)

Gouda Takeshi | Gian & Honekawa Suneo & Minamoto Shizuka Honekawa Suneo & Minamoto Shizuka
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

totally open to treats!!

general likes:

definitely a big stickler for canon compliant! i'm not against au fics but would rather they were changes that can still stay in the original setting. love when characters know each other better than themselves. and when they point out little habits or know routines <333 also a big lover of found family!

general dislikes:

first and second pov, nsfw, adopting a kid, becoming parents, high school au, coffee shop au, mpreg, polyamory, cheating

i think that shizuka, gian and suneo are such an underrated trio. there are so many times when we see the three of them together without nobita and i can't help but wonder what they could possibly be talking about. i love the idea of gian and suneo being shizuka's best support squad and supporting her with anything. and although shizuka is portrayed as kind and gentle most of the time, i'd love to see her rougher side with them! you could totally write them as their canon ages, but i'd love a fic where they're in high school or during the adult life we see sometimes in the anime.

i feel like shizuka and suneo are super underexplored together. if we consider nobita, gian, shizuka and suneo as a group, nobita and gian have got heart, while shizuka and suneo have the common sense. i'd love to see the two of them doing stuff that they can't do with the others. maybe shizuka is someone that suneo can talk fashion with. or maybe shizuka is able to honestly rant and complain about her life (and awful piano lessons) with suneo in a way that she can't with her girl friends. i'm not sure if any of these thoughts are very helpful but they're just little things that i enjoy! like i said with shizuka, gian and suneo, although you can write them as their canon ages, i'd also enjoy anything of them in high school or during their adult lives.

Request 2 by nohitsdeeptracksonly
Fandom: おっさんずラブ | Ossan's Love (TV 2016)

Arai Chizu & Maki Ryouta
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

totally open to treats!!

general likes:

definitely a big stickler for canon compliant! i'm not against au fics but would rather they were changes that can still stay in the original setting. love when characters know each other better than themselves. and when they point out little habits or know routines <333 also a big lover of found family!

general dislikes:

first and second pov, nsfw, adopting a kid, becoming parents, high school au, coffee shop au, mpreg, polyamory, cheating

these two have so much respect for each other and i loved the way they bonded in the series over the unfortunate fate of crushing on haruta. we definitely got great moments of them throughout the show, but i'd love to have more! it'd be great to see them hanging out or doing something completely removed from haruta. maybe they're discussing work gossip with each other that haruta feels totally left out of. honestly just let your mind run! i'd love anything that involves these two getting to be buddies.

Request 3 by nohitsdeeptracksonly
Fandom: Zootopia (Disney Movies)

Pawbert Lynxley & Nick Wilde
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

totally open to treats!!

general likes:

definitely a big stickler for canon compliant! i'm not against au fics but would rather they were changes that can still stay in the original setting. love when characters know each other better than themselves. and when they point out little habits or know routines <333 also a big lover of found family!

general dislikes:

first and second pov, nsfw, adopting a kid, becoming parents, high school au, coffee shop au, mpreg, polyamory, cheating

okay these two barely talked to each other so this is a major hear me out, but i think that zootopia 2 totally missed out on giving them more interactions. personally, i find there to be no way nick didn't know how shady the lynxleys are, especially since the big family knew to stay out of their way. i feel like it would be so interesting if nick and pawbert have talked before—back when nick was still a crook—and i'd love a fic about that. or! i would love a canon divergent fic where it wasn't judy splitting off and going with pawbert and gary but instead, judy with gary and nick with pawbert! nick would be so suspicious of pawbert, but he's suffering through it for judy's sake. no need to stick to these ideas, just a few prompts that i thought of!

Request 4 by nohitsdeeptracksonly
Fandom: Witch Watch (Anime)

Kazamatsuri Kanshi & Wakatsuki Nico
Medium: Fanfiction - Freeform

totally open to treats!!

general likes:

definitely a big stickler for canon compliant! i'm not against au fics but would rather they were changes that can still stay in the original setting. love when characters know each other better than themselves. and when they point out little habits or know routines <333 also a big lover of found family!

general dislikes:

first and second pov, nsfw, adopting a kid, becoming parents, high school au, coffee shop au, mpreg, polyamory, cheating

i love nico and kanshi's friendship so much and how they are literally just stupid together. fics about the time when they were childhood friends would be so much fun. not even just young kids, but in the more teenaged time before nico headed over to live with morihito. i love how throughout the series they're just silly together with their yt channel or magic. any fic with that kind of energy would be great!

maevedarcy

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

princessofgeeks

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

ysabetwordsmith

Today is partly sunny, windy, and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/3/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/3/26 -- I planted the lantana in a pot and the lady's mantle in the strip herb garden.

EDIT 5/3/26 -- I planted the ice plant in the mauve pot and put it on the old picnic table.

The weather has turned cloudy with howling wind. >_<

EDIT 5/3/26 -- I planted the hoary vervain in the wildflower garden.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.

EDIT 5/3/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

vivdunstan

Having finished rewatching the BBC 1988-1990 Narnia TV series we are now happily starting to watch the extended making of documentary covering the full thing. Just learned about the beaver actors constantly falling over in the Scottish snow, and having to be rescued by dedicated “beaver retrievers”.

krzeslicko posting in

allbutromance

We'll begin matching shortly. Will let you know when the assignments go out.

loganberrybunny

Public

Tawny Pipit (1944)
Comedy | Letterboxd 3.1/5 | IMDb 6.6/10 | BBFC U

Directed by and starring Bernard Miles, this is a gently satirical wartime comedy, one which is redolent of a vanished age both of British society and of British film-making. The 1944 production date intrudes awkwardly occasionally, notably in a scene involving a visiting Soviet servicewoman, but for the most part this concentrates on the need to preserve the eponymous rare birds that have been discovered nesting in the village. It's all rather cosy and simplistic, but if you're in the mood for that then this should do the trick. ★★½

Current Mood: relaxed

trobadora

I've been commenting a bit over at

polyamships's NSFW 3 weeks 4 dreamwidth posts, and I thought I'd bring some of that over here, because I had more to talk about that wasn't about poly, but more about writing in general.

On the "current favorite poly ship" question I mentioned a ship that's been on my mind all through April - an original trio from an old origfic WIP I last worked on in 2018, and that took over significant parts of my brainspace again this April.

I'd been reading through my old origfic WIPs because March was the month when I suddenly had a lot of inspiration again for the sort of thing I used to write a lot of, back when I regularly wrote origfic - and then this one really hit me hard again.

The basic concept is a clan feud coming to an end when one side is brought down by a third party, and what happens between the survivors and their former enemies. The ship is a V, with siblings from one side and the third from the other. (Side question: am I the only one around here who likes V-shaped ships? They seem to be pretty unpopular in fandom.)

I wrote a significant chunk of this in 2017 and early 2018, and then didn't touch it again until 1st April this year, for reasons I'm not entirely clear on, though falling into Guardian and cdramas in general probably played a part. *g* I have almost 60k now - but I guess if I ever do finish it in any meaningful way, it'll probably be at least 200k. What I have at the moment is basically the minidrama version: all the dramatic interpersonal moments; everything else more or less sketched in. To pull it off to full effect would take a lot of work! And maybe one day I'll manage that work - I do want to; I just don't have the time or energy I'd need. But in the meantime I've been having a lot of fun just adding more to that world and those characters' arcs.

I mean, really, a LOT of fun. My writing in April looked like this:

Writing stats April 2026: FFFX 12.82%, High Adrenaline 47.84%, poly OW 38.87%, other 0.46%

Writing stats April 2026: FFFX 12.82%, High Adrenaline 47.84%, poly OW 38.87%, other 0.46%

It's a very rare month when my writing is so concentrated on so few stories! But I had two unrevealed exchange stories to work on, where extensions gave me a lot more time to expand, rewrite, edit and improve - that got a lot of my focus. And then the rest of my brainspace got taken over by that WIP.

And then I was wondering how often that sort of thing happens to other people. So here's a poll for you:

Poll #34550

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 12

View Respondents

What's the longest time you stopped working on a WIP before getting back to it?

View Answers

less than 1 year
2 (18.2%)

1-2 years
3 (27.3%)

3-5 years
2 (18.2%)

6-10 years
0 (0.0%)

11-20 years
4 (36.4%)

more than 20 years
0 (0.0%)

What's your longest time between starting and finishing a story?

View Answers

less than 1 year
2 (18.2%)

1-2 years
3 (27.3%)

3-5 years
2 (18.2%)

6-10 years
1 (9.1%)

11-20 years
3 (27.3%)

more than 20 years
0 (0.0%)

How often do you get back to older WIPs?

View Answers

never - I finish it at once or not at all
3 (25.0%)

rarely
4 (33.3%)

often - I regularly poke at old WIPs, and finish some on occasion
5 (41.7%)

always - I never abandon anything for good
0 (0.0%)

it's more complicated than that (see comments
0 (0.0%)

I just want to tick a tickybox!

View Answers

ticky
7 (100.0%)

box
5 (71.4%)

tickybox
5 (71.4%)

Current Mood: thoughtful

quillpunk

so various things:

i had to bow out of High Adrenaline (again) even though i got an extension.
despite defaulting on AU5k, i did actually end up posting my gift fo rmy official recipient, as the delays went on so long. so i wrote a 5k SGA, John/Todd fic for that, which was very fun
i've signed up to Id Pro Quo

also, fun fact, i have completed writing a 50k Teen Wolf fic! i haven't posted it yet, because for once i'm actually giving editing a shot (i don't tend to edit my fanfics, because it isn't fun and my fanfiction is for fun) but since it's my longest ever completed work, i'm putting in the effort. it's really slow going, though. i'm like 2k into it orz.

i also got hbo max just to watch The Pitt (it's my new comfort show!) and i will write fic for it. i so will. one day.

beccaelizabeth

Today I tried some builds for Wrath but remain baffled by how they're supposed to work and pretty sure some of them don't work any more. I mean the last one I tried shouldn't have worked but apparently enough patches ago it let you stack CHA bonuses on your AC, which is silly.

I have honestly been playing mostly spellcaster main characters for so long that AC is an mystery I know not of
which probably explains why they keep dying a lot
but works fine all the way up to Core.

Unfair builds seem to involve choosing a myth and building backwards, and if you're just not willing to play any of the evil myths then there's veeeeeery few builds on the internet that I have found. Azata that wins seems tp be right out. Lich is highly recommended. Blech.

I also relistened Doctor Who Seasons of Fear.
I liked the plot with Grayle well enough, but I'm less enthusiastic about the arc plot with Charley.
The Doctor saves lives all the time, focusing on this one specific time it breaks the universe seems... like Charley gets special rules just for her, but the no fun way.

It's still Doctor Who though so it's more interesting than most of the things I am failing to stay focused on.

Not a very focused day.

badly_knitted

Title: Unappetising
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Author:

badly_knitted
Characters: Daniel Jackson.
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Setting: None.
Summary: Daniel has never been impressed with the standard MREs.
Written Using: the dw100 prompt ‘Food’.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Stargate SG-1, or the characters.
A/N: Triple drabble.

( Unappetising... )

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: my desk

tyger

So today I took the shelf I had in the vice out, so I could flip it and do the other side!

Only to find that the cloth I'd put in between it and the vice has... left a mark. :| Whole bunch of shirt-texture there, plus some fibres got stuck. Sooooo it looks like the shelves are gonna have to cure before I can do that, which is uh. Not ideal! May have to change the approach, or if nothing else this will take WAY longer than I expected.

Didn't get any of the other shelves painted either, but that's because it was raining enough that uh. Drying wasn't a thing that would happen very well. Particularly not the one on the outside, which did in fact get rain on it. Alas, the weather! Can't exactly do much about it!

Other than that... fried my brains a bit looking at more tech stuff. I dislike this part of the process immensely, but I've gone through it enough times I'm kinda resigned to it being a thing, too. ^^;; Also went for a short walk with Mama this afternoon, after the rain had mostly cleared up.

Alas A won't be able to come over tomorrow - she's got An Cold, and doesn't expect to be feeling better tomorrow. But maybe Tuesday! Hopefully, anyway, but we'll see how she's feeling, yes. >:

Current Mood: annoyed
Current Location: Birthplace

badly_knitted

Title: Melodramatic
Fandom: FAKE
Author:

badly_knitted
Characters: Dee, Ryo.
Rating: PG
Written For: Challenge 500: Amnesty 50 at

drabble_zone, using Challenge 467: Time.
Setting: After Like Like Love.
Summary: The workday is dragging for Dee.
Disclaimer: I don’t own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.
A/N: Double drabble.

( Melodramatic... )

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: my desk

vivdunstan

Watching “Sam & Ade Go Birding” again. They’re in Somerset, at RSPB Ham Wall by Glastonbury. And Martin is gobsmacked when I tell him it’s just 15 miles away from his childhood home village as the crow flies. He’s just said Glastonbury was like on the other side of the world 😜

In practice anything over 5 miles away was a massive distance for him. Whereas we regularly had to drive 50 miles from my childhood home, including to get to the nearest railway station. Blooming Beeching ...

badly_knitted

Title: Diplomacy
Author:

badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Jack.
Rating: PG
Written For: Challenge 915: Serious, at

torchwood100.
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Ianto is not happy with what’s being asked of him.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.
A/N: Double drabble.

( Diplomacy... )

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: my desk

aurumcalendula

Some trivia from the 'No One Gets Out of Here Alive' commentary:

( Read more... )

susandennis

Sometime yesterday the crew arranged the outside terrace furniture. It was all kind of piled together from when they did a big landscaping a month or so ago. Now it's all back the way it is for the Summer. Next they will bring out the cushions. I'm guessing they are shooting for this week. It's supposed to be very warm today so they will have complaints.

Old people LOOOOVE to complain - especially about stuff they used to control and now no longer do. When they had their own homes, they did it this way... When they hired their own services, they made sure...

Bonny and Joan both get newspapers delivered. The security staff does the door deliveries. And, according to Joan and Bonny, they NEVER get it right. Sometimes they leave it on the floor. Now, in fairness, neither Joan nor Bonny can pick up shit from the floor easily. So I made them signs taped to their shelves in English and Spanish asking that the newspapers be left on the shelves. This has worked flawlessly.

HOWEVER, yesterday at Elbow Coffee they were both bitching because they leave the paper vertically when they should leave it horizontally. WTF??? I give up. I'm going to train myself to ignore all complaints except mine which, of course, are always valid.

This is NOT a complaint. I weigh myself on my Wyze scale every morning. It sends the data to Fitbit and the weight then goes to Trendweight.Com where I can easily see progress and trend. The Wyze to Fitbit transition is true but nearly every single day, a 10th of a pound is lost between Fitbit and Trendweight. It amuses the heck out of me and I appreciate the gesture. If it added a 10th of a pound, I'd be using the pant off of both of them for false data manipulation. If that is not a thing I'd make it one. ha!

The Mariner game started late thanks to The Big Eunuch celebration and so ran late. They played great until the end of the game when they made not one but two stupid and, turns out, fatal, errors and lost it in the 10th. They deserved to lose. And, honestly, I blame The Big Eunuch. And just love using that nickname.

Today's game starts at 1. And, at least my favorite announcer is doing the color.

Our pool has 4 lanes and today there were swimmers in 3 of them! That's as crowded as I've ever seen it.

Tomorrow is the Bonny to the hospital at 0 dark 30. Should be fun.

Oh, I finally got into the new MyChart. I had to verify with a text about fiftybigillion times but I finally got it done, got my brother access, set up my notifications - never call me and never send me snail mail. My money says within the next week, I'll get a letter in the mail and at least one robo call welcoming me to the system. MyChart is now Epic and Epic says 'come link all your accounts at this umbrella site!!!' I got the one linked but, of course, the new one is listed as a non-linker. Thanks for that help.

Also the software now offers up no way to change your password. At one point I was allowed to set a passkey but, there does not appear to be any way to use it. And two factor authentication goes to both my email and my phone number with no way to change it.

They have some details to work out but the funniest one is this...

Those are ALL the options. Seems like they might want to think about adding at least one more.

Now I think I'll go brush my teeth and then watch my Sunday morning Tia Watson YouTube update.

itsanonyx posting in

your_favourites

Okay, if needed I can't extend this Challenge so I decided to go with a (hopefully) easy Challenge that we already had in 2016: Animal

Just icon your favorite Animal. :D If said Animal is part of any fandom you're allowed to go with those too. So - for example - you can go with Sonic the Hedgehog if Hedgehogs are your favorite Animals. <3 Of course you can go with Stock only too if this was easier for you. :o) Everything goes as long as it's classified as an Animal. :o)

Please NO Magical Creatures (like Dragons) since there are no proof that they really existed. Only Animals with clear proof that they really existed. (And, yes, I count Dinosaurs there too because we have proof of them. :D)

Giraffe by

emmatheslayer | Cat by

thesleepingbeauty | Tiger by

tinny | Dolphin by

sandy79

* You may icon 2 different Animals in this challenge (in case you cannot decide which one is your absolute favorite).
* You may enter up to 4 icons (ICON+URL).
* Please submit your icons as new posts to this community. Every member has posting access.
* Please no animations or x-rated icons. Everything else is allowed.
* Icons must fit DW standards (< 60kb, 100x100 px).
* Tag your entries with challenge number and your username, or I can do it for you.
* Please put a description in your entry which Animal you picked.
* Please ask questions if you have any.

* DEADLINE: Sunday, May 17th 2026 (04pm Central European Time). [countdown]

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Shakira - Zoo

itsanonyx posting in

your_favourites

* Vote for the best THREE (3) ICONS in order of preference (f.e. 80, 66, 57). Voting is weighted, meaning first place gets 3 points, second place gets 2 points, third place gets 1 point.
* Don't vote for yourself or ask anyone to vote for you.
* Voting ends in two weeks, at the end of the next challenge.

( Voting: Challenge #235 - B/W with Favorite Color [Special Challenge] )

Please vote in comments, comments are screened.

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: Shakira - Zoo