arduinna

I made it to Georgia.

Left HK in the middle of a Typhoon 8 (IDK what it was, but they started cancelling Monday flights, so it sounded pretty serious). Reached Istanbul on time as per schedule.

Istanbul was redoing their airport last time I came through here in 2022. It is the headquarters of Turkish Airlines which services a large chunk of Eastern Europe and Western Asia (and Africa, and all the major world centres).

It's freaking HUGE. And shiny. And new. But there are not enough seats, signposts, or information about what to do and where to go and what needs to be done. And nobody could tell me if I was too late to make my flight, so I didn't really have time to look at everything, although I really wanted to...

Sometimes I have to remind myself that almost everything I can get in a major airport, I can find back home in Sydney, home-made and better quality.

Made the flight to Georgia, got off, met the driver who took me to the place where the tour group was today.

( after 36 hours in Georgia )

cupcake_goth

The Vampire Masquerade Ball weekend was fantastic! My outfit was everything I'd hoped for.

To what will be the actual shock of everyone who knows me, I didn't go to Powell's. I waffled about it, because Powell's, but I haven't finished the stack of books I bought there last year. On the suggestion from someone on FB, the Renfields and I went to Black Cat Frozen Custard, which is a spooky-themed frozen custard place. It was lovely, but we weren't there for the custard, we were there to go to Conspirators Coffee Lounge, which is a coffee speakeasy hidden in the custard shop. You have to know the password to whisper to one of the staff at the custard counter. You enter via a door hidden behind a wardrobe, and step into someplace that looks like a reading room in an antique occult library; velvet chairs, (fake) candles everywhere, curiosity cabinets, a spiral staircase to another section, and so on. We were there strictly for vibes, but to our joy the coffee (and chai and matcha) were delicious!

The ball itself was wonderful. So many pretty people, guests and performers alike! If you are on IG, check out the one for the VMB. One of the performances was an aerialist who, instead of using silks or straps, used metal chains. She was wonderful to watch, but I felt they sympathetic need to coat myself in arnica.

Of importance to jengalicious: I saw your ex and his ladyfriend, but had no interaction with them. However, I can say that my all-white outfit was far better than theirs (I could tell he made her outfit by the usual last-minute construction flaws that were visible across a darkened room), and that he looks like the result of Baby's First Necromancy Kit. I took petty glee in both of those things.

---

Yesterday I woke up with a terrible migraine. See, this is why I make sure I schedule a recovery day after an event, because I know my body hates me. Ugh.

---

I may have figured out next year's VMB outfit. The white coat I wore for this year also comes in B&W stripes! All I'll need to do is remove that lace trim, add metal buttons on the front, and have the Madwoman in the Attic add pockets. Oh, and decide what color skirt and (sleeveless!) blouse I'll wear with it.

amiserablepileofwords posting in

eggbug_writes

Girls who hear high tones

iamrman posting in

scans_daily

Words and pencils: Dan Jurgens

Inks: George Perez

Prysm finds herself in the lost world of Skartaris.

( Read more... )

ranunculus

Ok, I'm currently a little obsessed with dahlias. I got the seeds for the ones I grew this year on a whim. Growing them and getting to see the wonderful diversity of colors and forms is a bit addictive. That means I need to get rid of lots of duplicate dahlias that I have.
Here are two of the most recent plants that I'd like to keep. I love the graduated colors of the yellow one, but what makes it stand out is the fringed ends to the petals. In the second picture I love the tiny pink fringed collar against the bright red.

I'm keeping the above dahlias, but I have the following to give away once they go dormant this fall (after the first frost). Let me know if you want one or more.

( Pics )

rocky41_7 posting in

books

We're back at the Earthsea Cycle with book 5: Tales of Earthsea. This book is a collection of short stories set in Earthsea, crafted as a kind of bridge between books 4 and 6.

Friends may recall that the last book, Tehanu, was not my favorite of the series, although I appreciate what Le Guin was doing. In Tales of Earthsea, we get the best of both worlds in a sense--a return to the fantasy adventure themes of the original trilogy combined with Le Guin's updated views on gender and roles. Like Tehanu, Tales of Earthsea is no longer really children's fiction. Sex, substance abuse, child abuse, and various other mature themes are much more present here than in the original trilogy. These later Earthsea books read like they were written for the then-adult fans of the original trilogy, and I think it works well.

In each of the five stories of Tales of Earthsea, Le Guin is introducing us to elements of Earthsea society not seen before in the series: How women ended up being excluded from wizardry, a young man with the ability to become a wizard (the magical aptitude) who decides he wants another sort of life for himself, a wizard of Roke who misuses his power and chooses not to return although he is invited to, a woman who wants to study at Roke but is refused. In this way, Le Guin gives much breadth to the world of Earthsea by introducing these stories outside the "mainstream" Earthsea narratives.

I respect that Le Guin doesn't just try to retcon the sexism written into the earlier Earthsea books--instead, she really tries here to reckon with how the women of Earthsea manage it, how they get around it, and how it hurts them. The resultant picture feels realistic, up to and including how frustrating it is to watch women be excluded from the school of Roke despite having helped found it.

She continues with her theme of unexpected heroes--protagonists who are average people from little nothing towns on little nothing islands who despite expectations prove themselves capable of great things, which is always fun to watch.

We get backstory on several things present in the original trilogy, like the founding of the school and some history of Ged's first teacher, Ogion, which was great fun (and once again I am screaming clapping cheering as the specialist boy in all of Earthsea Ged makes a cameo).

A very enjoyable read overall, and I feel properly enthused and excited for the next book.

troyswann

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Current Mood: indescribable

kakkoi posting in

style_system

hello! i've been working on layout for a bit, and while i've got most things i want done the way i want it, i'm having issues with the way a poster is displayed on the read page

~~ignore the padding, i'll be fixing that~~, but is there any way to get the "posting in" to not display on the reading page, and have it just show the entry poster and the community?

using tabula rasa - plain, and this is the current base layout and the code regarding posters and user pics looks like this

shipperslist

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dancing_serpent posting in

c_ent

Welcome to Topic Tuesday! Right away I want to stress that discussion posts are always welcome to the community, you don't have to wait until a Topic Tuesday rolls around, and then maybe be disappointed by the current topic of discussion. Whenever you want to talk about something, please simply make a separate entry to this comm, no matter the week, the time, or the topic. All right? *g*

The topic I picked for today is Memorable Supporting Characters. This is another prompt from the Bluesky suggestion list. What are your memorable supporting characters in dramas/movies? Are they memorable because they were great, or because they were so bad? Why do you like/hate them?

As usual, if you want to talk about spoilers, please use one of these codes to hide them.

or

cyberghostface posting in

scans_daily

( Bane's origin )

mallorys_camera

My virtual tax instructor lists his hobbies as "horror movies" and "video games." So, I guess I'm in the right tax class.

I was surprised by how many of the other students had thick accents and names most mainstream Americans would find difficult to pronounce. I guess H&R Schlock employment is a well-known step on the ladder that leads to the dizzying heights of the American dream.

The class wasn't as bad as I feared it might be. Spying on those differently accented students was actually quite interesting. And Microsoft Teams turns out to be an efficient tool.

###

Afterwards, I met up with Belinda whom I mostly avoided all summer because she voted for Trump, and after Brian died, my tolerance in general went wayyyyyy down.

I informed Belinda that I would not be TaxBwana-ing this coming year.

And she said, "Well, then, I'll go to H&R Schlock and tell them I want you to do my taxes. I trust you."

Which I guess is flattering.

We had lunch at the falafel shop in Rhinebeck where all the movies stars go when they come to Rhinebeck. (A surprising number of movie stars come to Rhinebeck.)

And then we drove up to an apple stand just north of Valatie.

I'm not sure from whence comes Belinda's fixation on this particular apple stand; it is not remarkable in any way. But the drive through rural Dutchess & Columbia Counties, past fields of sunflowers and corn, and patches of scrub woods, was lovely. It was a crisp, sunny day, distinctly autumn. The leaves on the trees in those woods have not yet begun to turn—I guess because there was so much rain this year? The color changes of leaves is more related to tree hydration than to temperature changes.

There was a cunning little distillery in the corner of the apple stand, so multiple opportunities for ArtPhotos™!!!

That last photo is not an apple stand ArtPhoto™, but a photo from Italy sent me by the real-life Daria with the note, On our walks, four of ‘em, every time we saw a cat Brian would stop and snap a pic, “for Patrizia.”

It made me sad...

Though I must say, I am simply filled with admiration & awe for the real-life Daria for staying her mountain course, keeping to the adventure!

Under similar circumstances, I probably would have hopped the next train to London, spent my remaining days abroad huddling inside the British Museum, ruminating on what a hideous failure I am.

###

Speaking of cats, the kiskas brought me the corpse of a very large mouse this morning.

They were very proud!

I showed the corpse to Icky who stared at me like, What do you expect me to do about it?

Well, you're the fucking landlord, Icky. Figure it out!

Finally, he mumbled, "I guess I should start setting traps in the basement again."

I guess you should!

iamrman posting in

scans_daily

Plot: George Perez

Script: Roger Stern

Pencils: Dan Jurgens

Inks: Ty Templeton

Matrix's psychic link with Superman accidentally causes them to terrorise Smallville. Meanwhile, Intergang are still out to get Lois Lane.

( Read more... )

vendettadays

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Current Music: Free - Rumi, Jinu, EJAE, Andrew Choi

elwendell

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james_davis_nicoll

Doctor Catherine Coldbridge travels to darkest Texas in quest of her long-lost husband, Frank Humble... so she can kill the unkillable man.

The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh Rountree

sasheneskywalker posting in

enemiestoloversex

Just a reminder that all assignments are due on September 15th at 10:00 p.m. UTC.

When posting your work, please double-check that:
- You’re posting it to the enemiestoloversex2025 collection.
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If you need a little extra time, you may request a 3-day extension by emailing the mods at enemiestoloversexchange@protonmail.com

Once you’ve finished your assignment, please consider taking on a pinch hit. We still have several open and would be very grateful for the help!

We hope everyone is having fun working on their creations, and we can’t wait for the reveals!

marcicat

It's back-to-office Tuesday! ::weeping:: (If even ONE person calls it 'back to work' I do not know if I will be able to control myself.)

Things I would like to have today:
*I have NEVER empathized more with Murderbot's desire to have a one-second delay on Every Single Thing that I say. I am 100% the "panicking, can't think. work on instinct. instincts bad" Spiderman panel.

Things I am likely to actually have today:
*Free food! And you know, that's nice too.

lobelia321

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nomelon

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icon_uk posting in

scans_daily

In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

There are about a half dozen, deeply concerning, US political points I could make on healthcare and vaccines alone (to pick a subject at random), but I suspect you don't me to raise them.

British bargain-bin-Trump-wannabe Farage, appeared in front of a committee in the US Congress, it did not go well for him, though it has to be noted that the UK media did not cover the excoriation bit much, which is a shame.

Those missing Star Trek Prodigy may (or may not) be consoled at knowing there is a new animated Trek in town, albeit one with a rather different target audience, "Star Trek Scouts" . I can't wait for TrekCultures "Ups and Downs" on THIS one! :)

And this weekend JemCon seemed like a good time to release the new synthwave re-recording of "Glitter and Gold"

A new LEGO Batman video game from Traveller's Tales is coming!!

iamrman posting in

scans_daily

Writer: Roger Stern

Pencils: Tom Lyle

Inks: Bob Smith

Starman fights a super-powered hitman named Deadline.

( Read more... )

dine

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sovay

I wish merely to register my pleasure that when I went looking for the uncredited actor playing the dean of the law school in the early scenes of Winterset (1936), I found that Murray Kinnell had the kind of Wikipedia biographer who includes short reviews with their subject's stage and screen resume. "An unusual role for Kinnell as a derelict one-time gentleman; the film opened in July 1931." "'No man is a hero to his valet', as Kinnell's character in this murder mystery could testify." "Kinnell as yet another butler, though this time with an unexpected flourish." I am much more used to finding this kind of partisanship on social media: with no prior attachment to an actor whom I did not notice previously in a handful of pre-Codes, just its enthusiasm makes me want to see these lovingly noted small parts even when a non-zero quantity of Charlie Chan seems to be involved. I hope Kinnell would have appreciated his future, however microscopic fandom.

Current Music: Neko Case, "Wreck"

ase

I intended to read the Hugo novella nominees, even after I realized I'd missed the voting deadline, but the "read novellas" brain was sidetracked by other stuff until after Worldcon had come and gone. So that didn't happen.

Instead, I reread Murderbot, as one does, and ran through a Victoria Goddard reread of her Greenwing and Dart novels, and also picked up a couple of the related 2024 shorter stories I hadn't gotten to. I think Goddard's revised her intentions about the series a lot since the first novel, or she's learned some things about writing, or both. I also wonder if it's a characteristic of Goddard's writing, or of cozy fantasies, to recap events a lot; it makes for a repetitive experience when rereading, especially if doing a marathon reread.

I also picked up an insufferably cute, extremely entry level cross-stitch kit in August, completed it before the labor day weekend, and now I'm making good on three year old threats to Get Into Cross Stitch. I spent late last week and the weekend splitting my attention between organizing a generous embroidery floss gift / hand me down, and actually doing the project of the week(s), a bookmark kit. Some of the gifted threads have wraps that look like a pre-2000 style, so I've inherited not just E.'s foray into needlework, but possibly E.'s mother's or grandmother's. Or a successful goodwill trip; the mysteries are many.

The Goddard marathon and adventures in fiber arts ate the vacation time I had put in for last week, but at least thread organization was compatible with rewatching chunks of The Expanse. "Oh, I'll put on something for background," I said. "I can stitch and watch." Ha, not quickly or consistently, not without getting much better at cross stitch. But I can watch a screen while sorting and cataloging thread - success!

I also pushed the first episode of B5 on a friend who also enjoys The Expanse, and she liked "Midnight on the Firing Line" enough go on to "Soul Mates". (I offered a highlights watch, she said she wanted the full experience. Will report back if/when she makes it through "Infection".) I cannot imagine why I thought someone who liked a 21st century SF/F epic with lots of geopolitical tensions and protomolecule shenangians flipping over the table would enjoy Babylon 5, a late 20th century SF/F with lots of geopolitical tensions and the Shadows actively wedging a hydraulic jack under a table leg. Yes, that's sarcasm, I am quite happy I have talked another person into watching B5.

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Arduinna

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February 2023

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Network

Georgia

shoot back holy water like cheap whiskey

Eternal Sapphtember #344

Girls who hear high tones

Teen Titans (1996) #9

Dahlias

Recent Reading: Tales of Earthsea

Out of Office

changing how a journal shows entries are posted in a comm?

link: Exoticism is not an excuse

Topic Tuesday - Memorable Supporting Characters

Absolute Batman #11

Staying the Course

Adventures of Superman #457

FFFX 2025 Letter

I Was Wrong

The Unkillable Frank Lightning by Josh Rountree

Works due in one week!

workaday AAAAAAGGGGHHHHH

FIC: Desert Prince REDUX. Fascicle the Fifth

May have to change my username

Mod Post: Off-Topic Tuesday

Starman (1988) #15

when ideas fail, words come in very handy

A wreck of possibilities, a volatility of stars

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February 2023

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