Reading

Current Mood: relieved
Current Music: nothing now

Infrastructure.

About thirty one hours, all told, between water shut-off and hearing the pipes fill back up. Sputtering, struggling, deeply welcome. I made use of other buildings' bathrooms during the days and last night I managed a two-bucket scrub that did a decent job of getting my skin cleaned off. My hair, not so much, which is one of the bigger reasons I'm really looking forward to a shower tonight.

Last night, I realized I was getting ready to wash the dishes on reflex, and ended up feeling a little lost for a few minutes. Now they're all cleaned and the water I'd saved and didn't drink is still going to get drunk, but it's gone into the kettle so I don't have to draw more out of the taps - something that seems appropriate right now. Not getting "new" water, but using water I'd already gathered. Because in part, I know right now I can get more if I need it. But I've already gotten this, so I don't need to protect it. Just use it.

Entry tags:

fanfiction-the pitt

The Pitt Fan Fiction: "Moments of Reflection (reflected in your eyes)"

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

Archaeology Research

https://xkcd.com/3129/

The academic archaeology establishment is suppressing my breakthroughs because of the disruption it would bring to their prepared-core flake-based toolmaking industry.

https://xkcd.com/3129/

Entry tags:

Photos: Apple Blossoms (5/6/25)

I realized, as I looked back at my photo posts, that I never posted any photos of the apple blossoms! Granted, I was still wearing a walking shoe/boot at this time (and if I recall correctly, it was soaking wet all the time), so I couldn’t take any walks through the orchard, but the apple trees in front of the house blossomed nicely. Here are just a few pics from the early days. (All were taken on 5/6/25.)

( 8 more back here )

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The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Aug 14)

I didn’t have to do any shopping this morning, but I did go to the bank for my aunt and got in a walk around the park while I was downtown. I dropped off a book at the library on my way to visit my aunt and talked to the librarian about it (and picked up another book). I did a load of laundry (washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed dishes, took Grant for a walk, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I visited mom, read some fanfic, finished the Kindle cozy and started another, and read more about Hatshepsut. (I have already concluded that this is not a book I’m going to be able to just sit down and read through. My plan is to read a little bit each day, and read something light in between.) I also received another GC (the Bakery) for my birthday! And tomorrow is breakfast with my used bookstore friends to round out the celebration.

Temps started out at 63.5(F) and reached 88.7. Today was supposed to be the first in a string of (supposedly) cooler days. o_O

Mom Update:

Mom was doing better than yesterday, but not great. ( more back here )

Entry tags:

Murderbot promptfic from Tumblr

Cross-posting a couple of ficlets I wrote for Tumblr prompts earlier in the week.

***

1. A prompt for Murderbot and Gurathin undercover in the Corporation Rim. Originally posted here.

( 1000 words or so )

2. A request for de-aged Gurathin. Originally posted here.

( About 1100 words )

2025 OTW Board Voting Now Open!

Posted by Aditi Paul

https://www.transformativeworks.org/2025-otw-board-voting-now-open/

https://www.transformativeworks.org/?p=266374

The election has opened!

Every OTW member who joined between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, should have a ballot by now. If you didn’t get one, please check your spam folder first, then contact us via our contact form. If you are unsure whether your donation was made before the deadline, please contact our Development and Membership Committee by using the contact form on our website and selecting “Is my membership current/Am I eligible to vote?”

The election will run through August 18, 2025, 23:59 UTC; check this time zone converter to find out what time that will be for you.

https://www.transformativeworks.org/2025-otw-board-voting-now-open/

https://www.transformativeworks.org/?p=266374

The Friday Five for 15 August 2025

This week's questions were suggested by

aforkintheroad.

1. What is your favorite experience in your life so far?

2. What motivates you to keep going every day?

3. Where do you want to go in life? What do you want to accomplish?

4. Is there anything that you regret? Do you try to change it?

5. What is your most cherished gift you have received? Why do you cherish it so much?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

WorldCon has Loaded (ISH)

They seem to have fixed the technical issues (*knocks on wood, scratches a stay, turns around three times*) and I have gone to several panels! Both a virtual one of Nigerian authors and a filmed one of an in-person panel.

ETA: Both 10:30 panels I want to see either not streaming or not with sound.

ETA2: Caught the back half of one 10:30 panel (idk if the other one ever worked), and the sound was back for most of the noon panel, though it dropped out completely ten minutes from the end. Folks attending have been amazing with posting running notes to the discord, linking to works mentioned by the panellists.

Entry tags:

Photos: More Pumpkins & Flowers (with bonus Grapes)

More pumpkins! (These pics were taken on a couple different walks.)

These two look like the pumpkin is forming even before the flower does.

~*~

( more back here )

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Wednesday, Aug 13)

I had a chiropractic appointment and a pedicure this morning. I chose a light teal polish, though it looks like a brighter blue on. Still, this is the summer for experimenting with different colors on my toes, so I’m okay with it.

I hit Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I also picked up Chinese for my lunch.

I did a load of laundry (mom’s that she sent home with me; got it washed, dried and folded to go back to her tomorrow), hand-washed dishes and did a load in the dishwasher, took Grant for a short walk, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered.

I visited mom, started two Kindle cozies (finished one), and started the Hatshepsut biography.

Thanks so much for birthday wishes from

goss,

mific,

scriggle,

tarlanx, and

tozka.

Temps started out at 70.5(F) and reached 86. That I saw. It had to be hotter than that, but the clouds had started rolling in before I got home. In fact, the temp dropped two degrees the short time I was home between downtown and visiting mom.

It was so hot downtown, but just as I was pulling out of town, dark clouds rolled in. I drove through rain on the way to the garage to pick up Grant (another story), some of it quite heavy. And then it stopped, but the roads were wet. It was also wet at the garage, and about a third of the way home from there, and then dry pavement. We were supposed to get some rain later in the day, but we only got enough at our house to get everything wet. Meanwhile, the garage got a second storm and Pip said he thought they might have gotten over two inches because it came down so hard and fast.

Mom Update:

Mom was not doing great. She was lying on her bed after having a dizzy spell when I arrived. ( more back here )

Current Mood: dirty
Current Music: Monday Morning - Death Cab for Cutie

Never learned how to stay.

Starting tomorrow morning, my building won't have water for at least 48 hours. This isn't a surprise; I found out about it a couple weeks ago. They're replacing the water tank, which is one of the better reasons for that kind of disruption, and I'm fairly certain it's said to be at least 48 to keep people from getting impatient and disruptive around 2PM on Friday. I've been told Saturday morning at the latest, and I can live with that. Unpleasantly, but I can live with it. I'm filling up water bottles for drinking, a bucket for the toilet, and setting my biggest bowl in the sink for flatware. Figuring out where local bathrooms are and how to at least wipe myself down in my apartment a couple times.

In planning it out, the biggest things seem to be wiping myself down, keeping my hands clean, and brushing my teeth. The usual routines can't be followed and it's making me deeply aware of how I follow them, down to each small step. I'd recommend giving it a shot. Just to be that conscious of it all.

WorldCon 404 Not Found

So technical issues have taken out the Seattle WorldCon streaming platform, all recorded panels didn't get recorded, and no streaming panels are currently being broadcast. (Apparently some of the earlier streams happened? I missed them.)

The first half a day just got wiped out.

So glad they committed to expanding the virtual experience due to people not being able to attend for Politics reasons. It's off to a flying start.

ETA: It did start working about half way through the fourth panel slot.

ETA2: Panel slot five has video but not sound.

ETA3: No audible sound on the Martha Wells q&a. Giving up for the day.

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Wednesday Reading Meme & Books 85 - 88 of 2025

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Lord of the Silent (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters, The Sound of Broken Glass (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie, Kidnapped in the Kitchen (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley and Through the Evil Days (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming.

What I am Currently Reading: I just finished a book last night so haven’t started another one, but I’m hoping it’ll be the book I requested on a whim, The Woman Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney. (Yes, I requested it while reading the last Amelia Peabody book.)

What I Plan to Read Next: Uncertain. I do have another library book out, but I might actually read one of my own books first.

Book 85 of 2025: Lord of the Silent (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)

This book is so good!! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this very much and am giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

Book 86 of 2025: The Sound of Broken Glass (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

This book was so good! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this very much and am giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

Book 87 of 2025: Kidnapped in the Kitchen (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

This book was okay. ( spoilers )

I'm starting to get tired of this series, but I also have the need to know what happens, so I'll most likely continue with it. Unless I forget about it when the two new books come out in the fall (there is one left to read that is already out). I'm giving this one three hearts.

♥♥♥

Book 88 of 2025: Through the Evil Days (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

This book was (mostly) good. ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book right up until the author cut out my heart at the end; I’m deducting a heart because it still stings.

♥♥♥♥

Where the fuck is my life going?

I am still here! <3. I'm just so seriously middle-aged, I've got everything on the boil rn. But I'm here if anyone needs me and still contributing to fandom in all the ways I can. You can also reach me at all the places you've always reached me--or other me, or any of the mes you may need.

Things I have enjoyed/am enjoying lately include:

* Killing Eve - I know, I'm super late to Killing Eve, but my sister loves loves loves it and so she asked me to watch it and so I'm watching. First two seasons obviously the best IMO, but she's asked me to see it through so I'm seeing it through.

* Strange New Worlds - its like 100% actual Star Trek! Also it's so fannish - like, look, there are episodes where I can tell the entire reason for the plot is to make sense of one weird moment in ST; TOS and you know what: I RESPECT YOU!! I SALUTE YOU!! YES, GO AHEAD AND FIX THAT ONE MINOR PLOT POINT in TOS, I AM YOUR AUDIENCE, I TOTALLY SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE, GET DOWN WITH YOUR BAD SELF. Also, honestly, I will never be tired of Pike cooking, which is a bizarre characterization that I didn't see coming and which nobody I'm trying to pimp to this show ever believes until they see it. Also I would die for Number 1 and La'an. Also Pike cooks with cast iron and open flame in a spaceship. Really: I salute you, show. I am glad you are back! (Especially since no more Disco.)

* Bridgerton/Queen Charlotte - late to QC also, after watching Bridgerton, and thought it was actually really a notch above Bridgerton. (Which I did enjoy - I mean, I respect their commitment to the pleasure principle.) Glad to be caught up there.

* House - yes, yes, I know, I'm really kicking it like it's 2004 around here, but Tiberius, now a teen, had seen bits of it on the interwebs and was like, "Mom, do you know anything about this show House?" and I was like YESSSSS. YESSS I DOOOOO, and your aunt made a great vid of it! Whereupon I showed him astolat's "Bukowski" and we settled in for a watch/rewatch: we like to have a show we're watching together. He's into Trek also so we watched Discovery and Lower Decks and we'll watch SNW as a family now its back, but there's a lot of House to go through and that's a nice option too.

(Side note to those of you who don't have teens: what I did not expect is that Gen Z basically is getting culture in bursts of 10 seconds or less. He's seen literally BITS of House. He will tell me "I know that song--or well, I know 7 seconds of that song." Remember how there would be kids who wouldn't read a novel, they'd just watch the movie? My students now are like--THAT MOVIE IS TWO WHOLE HOURS? I seriously fear for the future, it makes previous claims of attention span deterioriation look PREPOSTEROUS. Holy shit. I swear, I spend so much energy trying not to be too judgy! But I am very judgy! Then again: this moment, this decade, really provokes judginess!! )

(Additional side note: Tiberius is super eye rolly because since middle school all the girls he knows are like "Wow, your mom is SO COOL," --because of course I am! I am really fucking cool, plus I helped to found the AO3 and all of that, so I am a high school rock star, and Tiberius is like, "please God save me from this hell" lol. Cause honestly there really is nothing worse than having a cool mom, I do get that, but I tell him he'll appreciate it later, when I'm dead.)

Thread Meeting

https://xkcd.com/3128/

Hey, so did you ever finish your video series about Cassie and the caterpillar morph? I loved the first three, but never ... no, sorry, I get it, this isn't the place. Sorry! Sorry.

https://xkcd.com/3128/

Entry tags:

ficlist

Battle Battle Battleship (and Battlesheep)

I created 20 things, 19 fics and one art. Highlights of my participation in battleship this year are writing the first fic in the archive for Big River and the first english fic for The Embers on AO3, and my first time writing for those as well as for Barnum, the 'His wife has filled his house with chintz...' tumblr meme and See Your Love.

Something new this year was breaking down the 'creator's choice of fandom' into a bunch of subsections which helped me really feel like I was writing for specific request and I had a lot of fun with 'creator's choice of musical' (Barnum and Big River) and there were some people who tailored their various CCOF requests specifically for things like disabled character prompts (which I jumped on to write Covert Affairs and See Your Love). Another nice change for this year was the archive warnings (Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con and Underage Sex) were part of the prompt form so it was easy to see who'd opted into what so I'd know how to tailor things to people's requests better.

Big River - Miller/Hauptman
- Winding Your Way Summary: The river winds its way, unabated. (300 words, rated G, river pov ficlet for my favorite musical)

Barnum - Coleman/Stewart/Bramble
- Pulling the Wool Over the Prince of Humbug. Summary: There might be a sure-as-shooting sucker born a minute, but Charity was definitely born the minute in between. (444 words, rated G, I always loved how Charity canonically hoodwinked Barnum.) There's an amazing version of Barnum on youtube here, originally broadcast by the BBC in '86 starring Michael Crawford and has some delightful live recording flubs.

Charmed:
- The Same Stars, the Same Window, a Different World. Summary: Chris dies. And then he lives. (1,971 words, rated T- how many times has Chris' "death" in s6 and what happened next been written? Well, here's one more!)
- watching from the sidelines while being in the game Summary: Sometimes the contradictions were just too hard to bear. (662 words, rated G - Chris (pre his identity being revealed angst)

Covert Affairs:
- Coffee and Camaraderie. Summary: A bit of coffee and a lot of camaraderie makes the day a bit better. (400 words, rated G, just some nice Auggie and Annie banter)

DMBJ:
- A Flower, Not in the Hand nor in the Bush. Summary: As far as kidnappings went, Xie Yuchen rated this one two out of ten stars. (350 words, rated T, Heihua)
- A Touch of Frost in the Air Summary: It was a night like many others and a conversation they'd had before.(600 words, rated T, Heihua post-movie and Xiazi's eye issues)
- Paying for a Moment's Inattention. Summary: Everything had been going so well which was never a good sign. (1511 words, rated T, Heihua and a tomb raid that goes awry)
- An Inconvenience About to be Averted. Summary: It was only a slight hiccup to the evening's plans. (323 words, rated G, Pangzi just wants to make dinner for his boys)
- Oh for Those Lazy Days. Summary: Retirement suited Wang Pangzi. (300 words, rated M, lazy days (in bed) for the Iron Triangle)

余烬之上 | The Embers (TV)
- Toward the Dead, Into the Light. Summary: Whenever Liao Siyuan had needed his brother, Zhibai had always been there for him. Even Zhibai's death didn't stop that. (449 words, canonical character death, weird and trippy like the start of the show)

His wife has filled his house with chintz - jjbang8 (Photograph)
- Midweek Matinee. Summary: It's the tennis instructor this time. An excellent choice, if she does say so herself. (429 words, rated E, a combination of voyeurism and a twist on the just who is keeping it real here)

The Magnificent Seven (TV)
- The Invisible Enemy. Summary:There were some enemies that you couldn't win against. no matter how good a fighter you were. (700 words, rated T for Period-Typical Homophobia, Vin standing up for himself)

MDZS:
- fraught and frightful. Summary: An unexpected ambush, a surprising result. (1,460 words, rated M for violence - ambushing the Yiling Laozu, always a good idea)

Original Work:
- A Flame by Any Other Means Will Smoke as Sweetly. Summary: Just because Schmeckle couldn't make his own flame didn't mean he couldn't create it some other way. (513 words, rated G - a dragon and his bar mitzvah!)
- Baa Baa Battlesheep. Summary: Baa baa battlesheep, have you any battles? (art of the battleship I crocheted)

See Your Love (Taiwanese Drama)
- Music and Messes Summary: Jiang Shaoping, Yang Zixiang, and a moment in the kitchen. (320 words, rated G - just a sweet little Jiang Shaoping/Yang Zixiang moment)

Sherlock Holmes (Downey films)
- The Miscalculation. Summary: As it turned out he hadn't taken everything into consideration. (800 words, rated G, Watson whump)

Stargate Atlantis
- Those Who Stayed. Summary: For some, their time on Atlantis was brief. But for others.... (350 words, rated G, major character death - newcomers to Atlantis and those who never leave)

The Untamed
- To Embrace the New. Summary: Long ago the Burial Mounds had been a verdant place. Now, nothing thrived within its wards. Or, at least, nothing had.... (400 words, rated T, Burial Mounds POV my beloved)

As gifts, I got one ficlet for Red Devil and Heroine Su, to touch softly by treescape. Summary: The Red Devil loves as she fights—merciless and unyielding to any who stand in her way.

and one adorable art (based off some battleship lore that was happening during the game: [art] Donut Teapot - Donut Time by embraideryart (embraidery).

and two podfics made of things I'd written (both <10min):
Charmed - Prue Diligence by buries. Summary: There was someone paging through the Book of Shadows, someone who piqued Prue's interest. (fic, originally written for 2024's Yuletide is here)
The Old Guard - Food of the Ages by wilfriede0815. Summary: If Nicky was going to try to bake baklava for Andy, he was make sure he did it right. (fic, originally written for 2020's Battleship is here)

and one other thing of mine was podficced for someone else (25min):
MCU- [Podfic] The Time With The... by sisi_rambles. Summary: The five times Steve and Bucky lied about what they faced during the War and the one time they told the truth. Aka the five times they trolled the Avengers and one truth that enabled them to get away with it. (Fic, originally an avengers kink meme fill, is on AO3 here)

Podficcers are amazing, all three were done just perfectly, and I loved my other two gifts as well.

Entry tags:

The Day in Spikedluv (Tuesday, Aug 12)

I hit Walmart and the Dollar Tree while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park.

I did two loads of laundry (both washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed dishes, baked and cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, scooped kitty litter, and shaved. I grilled steak for Pip’s supper.

I visited mom and finished the Clare Fergusson book.

Temps started out at 68.0(F) and reached 92.3. The temps should be a tad lower after this (low- to mid-80s for a few days) before dropping to mid-70s. We’ll see if that holds.

Mom Update:

Mom was very tired today. ( more back here )

Current Mood: contemplative

Entry tags:

That MCU Meme

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

Current Mood: lethargic
Current Music: Unobstructed Views - Death Cab for Cutie

No verse.

2.3 miles in 30 minutes today. That plus getting up early left me fairly tired most of the day, but in a way I don't mind because it feels good. It helped me stop feeling upset, too - I keep thinking I don't need a career counselor or coach, especially not the ones I've met, because it always strikes me as unhelpful and impractical compared to doing the work of finding a job.

What I really don't like is feeling like I have to get upset and agitated to talk and voice my concerns, and if anyone has any suggestions, I'd welcome them.

I'll say something else good about the day, though, which was small but positive: turning off all the notification settings on my Brooklyn client's phone, and managing to get a fair number of double-bagged planes of glass out for recycling. Hopefully the next batch of planes will be out next week.