What I'm Doing Wednesday
Oct. 29th, 2025 03:50 pmbooks
The Dharma of Healing: The Path of Liberation from Stress, Pain, and Trauma by Justin Michelson. 2025. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you have a history of anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, etc. I did hate the introduction, but I loved the rest of it. I've done all but the last couple of the guided meditations, too. A++, will absolutely reread.
Italy in the Central Middle Ages: 1000-1300 by David Abulafia et al. 2004, so it's dated scholarship, but there are some interesting tidbits.
healthcrap
Sooo, last week's whining turned out to be the worst IBS flare I've had in over a decade. I didn't know it could cause insomnia! THEN! Friday I failed to add one of my psych meds to my pill box & only realized it YESTERDAY! :facepalms forever: That only added to the existing nausea and insomnia from last week. Grrrr! ( cut for mention of weight maintenance issues )
yarning
I missed yarn group Sunday due to the IBS/withdrawal nausea. Spent the time crocheting another cat stitch scarf and reviewing Yuletide canon. Monday I did a long photoshoot of the 15 items that I just listed in my shop. (So many cat toys! -- just in time for Kitten Academy Sekrit Santa to go live, woot!) Also, this soft acrylic scarf is for sale (as well as matching one in a burgundy, ivory, and grey wool-blend):

I'm holding back on making more cat stitch scarves until these two sell, unless someone commissions one in other colors, frex. Meanwhile, I have all this yarn that I'm impatient to use, and I just don't know what to make with it. Suggestions welcome! Maybe more winter hats for donation? IDK. I also am on the verge of making an S3 Lestat art doll, except I need some good reference images, esp for the scars. If I do a wire armature, he can even hold a tiny microphone. Hmmmm...
etsy
also, etsy's CEO is stepping down and a different board member, I forget her name atm, is stepping up. May she undo the stupid decisions the soon-to-be-former guy made.
#resist
THIS weekend! #50501: Disappeared in America Weekend of Action — a national mobilization to protect immigrants, expose corporate complicity, and honor the lives lost in detention. Includes protests at Home Depots, Freedom Vigils & invokes el Día de los Muertos in an actually appropriate way.
Hurricane Melissa
Stronger than Katrina! When it hit Jamaica, Melissa had surface level winds gusting up to 252mph, 185mph sustained. I don't yet know where to link to donate that isn't the Red Cross, but dear gods. Wind like that, to say nothing of the surge, isn't survivable. Please consider donating to relief operations once they unfold. (Marco Rubio says US forces are there helping dig out so relief can arrive.)
EDITED TO ADD: WAYS TO DONATE TO JAMAICA RELIEF, from
minoanmiss:
https://projectdynamo.net/project-dynamo-preparing-to-deploy-rescue-team-supplies-to-jamaica-immediately-after-hurricane-melissa/
https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/
That said, I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween! It's Fall here at last, temperature-wise, and finally time to put a blanket back on the bed. I hope you're all doing well! <333
The Dharma of Healing: The Path of Liberation from Stress, Pain, and Trauma by Justin Michelson. 2025. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you have a history of anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, etc. I did hate the introduction, but I loved the rest of it. I've done all but the last couple of the guided meditations, too. A++, will absolutely reread.
Italy in the Central Middle Ages: 1000-1300 by David Abulafia et al. 2004, so it's dated scholarship, but there are some interesting tidbits.
healthcrap
Sooo, last week's whining turned out to be the worst IBS flare I've had in over a decade. I didn't know it could cause insomnia! THEN! Friday I failed to add one of my psych meds to my pill box & only realized it YESTERDAY! :facepalms forever: That only added to the existing nausea and insomnia from last week. Grrrr! ( cut for mention of weight maintenance issues )
yarning
I missed yarn group Sunday due to the IBS/withdrawal nausea. Spent the time crocheting another cat stitch scarf and reviewing Yuletide canon. Monday I did a long photoshoot of the 15 items that I just listed in my shop. (So many cat toys! -- just in time for Kitten Academy Sekrit Santa to go live, woot!) Also, this soft acrylic scarf is for sale (as well as matching one in a burgundy, ivory, and grey wool-blend):

I'm holding back on making more cat stitch scarves until these two sell, unless someone commissions one in other colors, frex. Meanwhile, I have all this yarn that I'm impatient to use, and I just don't know what to make with it. Suggestions welcome! Maybe more winter hats for donation? IDK. I also am on the verge of making an S3 Lestat art doll, except I need some good reference images, esp for the scars. If I do a wire armature, he can even hold a tiny microphone. Hmmmm...
etsy
also, etsy's CEO is stepping down and a different board member, I forget her name atm, is stepping up. May she undo the stupid decisions the soon-to-be-former guy made.
#resist
THIS weekend! #50501: Disappeared in America Weekend of Action — a national mobilization to protect immigrants, expose corporate complicity, and honor the lives lost in detention. Includes protests at Home Depots, Freedom Vigils & invokes el Día de los Muertos in an actually appropriate way.
Hurricane Melissa
Stronger than Katrina! When it hit Jamaica, Melissa had surface level winds gusting up to 252mph, 185mph sustained. I don't yet know where to link to donate that isn't the Red Cross, but dear gods. Wind like that, to say nothing of the surge, isn't survivable. Please consider donating to relief operations once they unfold. (Marco Rubio says US forces are there helping dig out so relief can arrive.)
EDITED TO ADD: WAYS TO DONATE TO JAMAICA RELIEF, from
https://projectdynamo.net/project-dynamo-preparing-to-deploy-rescue-team-supplies-to-jamaica-immediately-after-hurricane-melissa/
https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/
That said, I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween! It's Fall here at last, temperature-wise, and finally time to put a blanket back on the bed. I hope you're all doing well! <333
A-Z fic meme, as seen all over my friends list
Oct. 29th, 2025 01:54 pmRules: How many letters of the alphabet have you used for [starting] a fic title? One fic per line, 'A' and 'The' do not count for 'a' and 't'. Post your score out of 26 at the end, along with your total fic count. (Using whichever fic I feel like when there are options. God. I feel like I could have just done crossovers...)
X & Z don't have titles. I shall have to fix this. 24/26, and 291 works. Nice!
(If any links go to the wrong fic, let me know and I'll fix it.)
- A And Sinister, X-Files/Greek myth (just trust me) It's perilous to bargain with dark women at crossroads.
- B Bad News on the Doorstep, Highlander/Marvel Hopefully, they're going to get along. Maybe like a bar afire.
- C Cherries In Winter, Victor/Victoria In the winter of 1935, soon to be 1936, Andre Cassell's club has a new opening act.
- D Double Vision, Marvel (various canon) Steve Rogers learned his guilt-trip glare from his mother. It can have interesting effects.
- E Exemptions and Indulgences, Highlander/Discworld I AM AFRAID YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.
- F Fire In The Hole, Highlander/X-Files/Buffy Possibly the weirdest part of Mulder's night so far -- and it said a lot about the whole thing -- lay in the wolf being the one that tried to get out of his way to let him shoot the basilisk again.
- G A Game of Cat and Cat, Highlander/Blood Ties Two acquaintances from the court of Henry VIII, five hundred years later: who's playing with whom?
- H Hot Pursuit, due South/Highlander Law enforcement officers can't resist hot pursuit. 800 year old FBI agents are no exception to this rule, especially when it's a Mountie in a speeding carriage chasing a wolf through Chicago.
- I The Innocent Sleep, Highlander New Year's Eve at Joe's bar. Written for Amireal's International Nap Day challenge.
- J Joe Dawson, BAMF, Highlander/Stargate SG-1 https://archiveofourown.org/works/763847
- K Kindred Spirits, Highlander/Leverage Rebeca learned about cons from one of the best.
- L Life Cycles, Marvel Sometimes 'daddy's girl' isn't a description so much as a warning label.
- M Mismatched Pieces, Marvel/Highlander (Opportunities 'verse) Very few targets survive the Winter Soldier.
- N Not To Plan, X-Files/Stargate SG-1 The second stupid thing the goons did was throw Mitchell in the same cell with Krycek.
- O Open(ing) Doors, Leverage Game and negotiation theory suggests that opening up and vulnerability can in fact lead to the best mutual outcomes. Grifters use their own apparent vulnerabilities to achieve their aims. Mix well, stir, and add an angry Eliot Spencer, who grifts quite well for a
hitterretrieval specialist. - P Parched, Highlander Blood cleans off a blade so easily, really. Some days it's dry and difficult work. Other days it's as easy as running that blade through a man. This morning, though -- this morning was easy, both the killing and the aftermath.
- Q Quiet Breaks, Numb3rs Ian hasn't talked to either Eppes brother since they hunted down a black box together. He's been a little busy with this.
- R Respite, Buffy/X-Files Two heroes sorely in need of a vacation run into each other. They also run into tea, cocoa, conversations about vampires, and really good pancakes.
- S The Scent of Salt and Wood, Rivers of London/Forever Kissing a perfect stranger in an alley is unusual behavior for both of them.
- T Time Upon A Once, Amber Chronicles/Wizard of Oz/Fairy tales A thorny tale of 1 missing prince, 2 princesses, 2 cats, 3 witches, and a silver bird. Some overlap possible among categories; partridge in a pear tree not included. Drinking while reading not recommended.
- U Unanswered Riddles, Riddlemaster of Hed She woke in the night knowing that her doom had missed her by an hour at most... and that it was still waiting for her. So Lyra got up, and packed, and went to meet it.
- V Vintage Appreciation, Forever Knight/Southern Vampire books (Charlaine Harris) Two vampires discussing rare vintages.
- W White Horses and Tails, Nero Wolfe/Highlander Saul Panzer never forgets a face, or where and when he saw it. Connor MacLeod has lived, and done business in, New York City for two centuries, off and on. In combination, that can lead to a problem.
- Y You See Two Geek Geniuses and Several Computers, Leverage/Warehouse 13 They were in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.
X & Z don't have titles. I shall have to fix this. 24/26, and 291 works. Nice!
(If any links go to the wrong fic, let me know and I'll fix it.)
Seasonal things, mostly
Oct. 29th, 2025 03:27 pmI keep forgetting to share this link snagged from Bluesky a week or so ago: "Starbucks didn’t invent them. But it’s possible that Tori Amos or a Midwest grandma did".
The leaves are well and truly coming down now. There are still plenty on some trees--browning and crumpling--but the ground is drifted with them. (One of the downsides of having the outdoor spaces around the condo handled by a company: the leaves will probably all get gathered/raked/blown, rather than being left for winter habitat for critters. >.<)
We've had a few spots of rain in the last week or so, although nothing really major...and now we have a special weather statement for rain and strong winds on Hallowe'en. The timing. Possibly it'll clear up (or at least ease up) enough that trick or treating won't be miserable. (There are local social media reports of seeing parents demanding that Hallowe'en be rescheduled, but most people I actually know are cheerfully reminiscing about snowsuits and raincoats always being part of their costumes as kids.)
Our approach for the last couple years, at least, has been to simply leave out a bowl of treats and check on/refill it periodically, which will be much more feasible if the wind isn't threatening to simply blow it away. :/ (This year I was annoyingly sensible and said we should make sure to get treat offerings that I actively don't want, because blood sugar, etc. So we've done that.)
The leaves are well and truly coming down now. There are still plenty on some trees--browning and crumpling--but the ground is drifted with them. (One of the downsides of having the outdoor spaces around the condo handled by a company: the leaves will probably all get gathered/raked/blown, rather than being left for winter habitat for critters. >.<)
We've had a few spots of rain in the last week or so, although nothing really major...and now we have a special weather statement for rain and strong winds on Hallowe'en. The timing. Possibly it'll clear up (or at least ease up) enough that trick or treating won't be miserable. (There are local social media reports of seeing parents demanding that Hallowe'en be rescheduled, but most people I actually know are cheerfully reminiscing about snowsuits and raincoats always being part of their costumes as kids.)
Our approach for the last couple years, at least, has been to simply leave out a bowl of treats and check on/refill it periodically, which will be much more feasible if the wind isn't threatening to simply blow it away. :/ (This year I was annoyingly sensible and said we should make sure to get treat offerings that I actively don't want, because blood sugar, etc. So we've done that.)
emotional support dyeing?
Oct. 29th, 2025 10:43 am
A test batch to see how the colors come out. Next I start measuring out and doing this more systematically.
Three-ply handspun wool yarn.
Write Every Day: Day 29
Oct. 29th, 2025 05:28 pm"…if you have a fear of failure, you’re never going to learn how to cook. Cooking is one failure after another. That’s how you learn. You’ve got to have what the French call ‘Je m’en foutisme’, or ‘I don’t care what happens.’ The sky can fall, and omelettes can go all over the stove… If you’re not going to be ready to fail, you’re not going to learn."
– Julia Child
My day 29: I added 558 words to a WIP. And then the sun was out, so I went for a walk along a shared pedestrian/mountain biking trail through the trees. (Posting this a bit earlier because my sister's coming over for Fringe tonight. :-)
The tally
( Tally )
Day 27:
Day 28:
When you check in, please say what day(s) you’re checking in for. You can join in or take a break at any time; you’re always welcome back. And please let me know if I’ve missed you.
One more possible birthday gift
Oct. 28th, 2025 04:40 pmIf by any chance you read my book Traitor, the final book in The Change series, a review anywhere would be fantastic. It doesn't have to be positive or appear literally on my birthday.
Sherwood and I managed to release it on possibly the second-worst date we could have, which was October 2024. (The worst would have been November 2024). So a little belated publicity would be nice. I'd be happy to provide a review copy if you'd like.

Sherwood and I managed to release it on possibly the second-worst date we could have, which was October 2024. (The worst would have been November 2024). So a little belated publicity would be nice. I'd be happy to provide a review copy if you'd like.

Fic title meme
Oct. 29th, 2025 12:21 amFrom all around my flist, last seen at
facethestrange's:
How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, 'A' and 'The' do not count for 'A' and 'T'.
I picked my favourite title for each letter, not necessarily my favourite fic:
A - Absent Heart (But My Body is Here)
B - A Bitter, Better Truth
C - A Cruelty of Harpies
D - Darkness Spilled Before Our Bed
E - Echoes Woven Into Light
F - Farshalah'kiah for the Modern Orion Woman
G - Glass on the Ground
H - Hindsight From the Dinner Table
I - In This Fading Hour
J - none
K - Kreisverkehr
L - Listen (it's late, it's late, but listen)
M - Make Answer to the Clock
N - Not To Be Repeated
O - Out of the Water
P - Pull/Recoil
Q - Quiet Bower
R - R'lyeh Is Not an Empty House
S - Summer's Turns
T - A Thread as Red as Blood
U - (un)forced, (un)happy
V - Volcano Day
W - Why Should You Linger
X - none
Y - none
Z - Zone F: Fandom Primer
You can tell I have a preference for a certain style of title, LOL!
The most represented fandom here is, unsurprisingly, Guardian (with 6 titles); second is Griimm with 3. My most-written fandom (Doctor Who) only has 2 on this list; either my title preferences have changed or Guardian inspires me for better titles. *g*
And the missing X and Y are probably not surprising, but I didn't expect J! I guess I'll have to do something about that at some point ... *g*
How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, 'A' and 'The' do not count for 'A' and 'T'.
I picked my favourite title for each letter, not necessarily my favourite fic:
A - Absent Heart (But My Body is Here)
B - A Bitter, Better Truth
C - A Cruelty of Harpies
D - Darkness Spilled Before Our Bed
E - Echoes Woven Into Light
F - Farshalah'kiah for the Modern Orion Woman
G - Glass on the Ground
H - Hindsight From the Dinner Table
I - In This Fading Hour
J - none
K - Kreisverkehr
L - Listen (it's late, it's late, but listen)
M - Make Answer to the Clock
N - Not To Be Repeated
O - Out of the Water
P - Pull/Recoil
Q - Quiet Bower
R - R'lyeh Is Not an Empty House
S - Summer's Turns
T - A Thread as Red as Blood
U - (un)forced, (un)happy
V - Volcano Day
W - Why Should You Linger
X - none
Y - none
Z - Zone F: Fandom Primer
You can tell I have a preference for a certain style of title, LOL!
The most represented fandom here is, unsurprisingly, Guardian (with 6 titles); second is Griimm with 3. My most-written fandom (Doctor Who) only has 2 on this list; either my title preferences have changed or Guardian inspires me for better titles. *g*
And the missing X and Y are probably not surprising, but I didn't expect J! I guess I'll have to do something about that at some point ... *g*
FIC: scale to feather, skin to skin (Guardian: Ya Qing/Zhu Hong) [M]
Oct. 28th, 2025 11:43 pmI just realised I never posted this here - written for
gavilan in this year's
guardian_wishlist:
scale to feather, skin to skin (997 words)
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Ya Qing/Zhu Hong, Zhu Hong & Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Zhu Hong, Ya Qing
Content tags: Yashou transformation, non-human sex, Post-Canon, Post-Fix-It, Enemies to Lovers, background implied Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Summary: Ya Qing, half-transformed, had feathers down the side and back of her neck. They covered her shoulders and arms, curving along the sides of her bare breasts.
scale to feather, skin to skin (997 words)
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Ya Qing/Zhu Hong, Zhu Hong & Zhao Yunlan
Characters: Zhu Hong, Ya Qing
Content tags: Yashou transformation, non-human sex, Post-Canon, Post-Fix-It, Enemies to Lovers, background implied Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Summary: Ya Qing, half-transformed, had feathers down the side and back of her neck. They covered her shoulders and arms, curving along the sides of her bare breasts.
And Now For Some Light Relief
Oct. 28th, 2025 09:45 pmRules: How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, ‘A’ and 'The’ do not count for 'a’ and ’t’. Post your score out of 26 at the end, along with your total fic count.
I pinched this one from
thisbluespirit (though I've seen it since all across the f-list) and started from my most recent fic and worked backwards snagging the first instance of each letter.
A - Another Day, Another Disaster (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley, Adam & The Them)
B - Between Stimulation and Reaction (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alex Hardison, Eliot Spencer/Sophie Deveraux, Eliot Spencer/Others)
C - Cola, Bleach and Other Dangerous Chemicals (Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn, Cassie Cain, Joker)
D - Done Deal (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alec Hardison)
E - Eilean a 'Cheo (Rivers of London, Beverley Brook/Peter Grant, Abdul Haqq Walid, OCs)
F - Four Meals (Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley)
G - Gold Standard(The Thing in the Tunnels Wants Rather More) (The Thing In The Walls Wants Your Spare Change, Caro, Aly, Dragons)
H - Hiding in Plain Sight (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
I - If Wishes Were Spaceships (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel/Hera)
J - Joined By The Westering Wind (Pacific Rim, Rayleigh/Mako)
K - Knives Out of Context (Leverage, Parker/Alec Hardison)
L - Like the Arms of the Ocean (Birds of Prey, Cassandra Cain & Harleen Quinzel)
M - Midnight Special (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Mr Quinn)
N - No Happy Ending (Forest 404, Pan/Daria)
O - Of Salt and Candles (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley)
P - Practical Arrangements and Practical Jokes (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzman/Abby Yates)
Q -
R - Robots Need Hugs Too (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Alana Maxwell)
S - Someone You Couldn't Lose (Ocean's Eight, Daphne Kluger/Debbie Ocean/Lou Miller)
T - Taking The Shine Off The Stars (The Mummy, Ardeth Bay/Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell)
U - The Universe Is Drifting Apart (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzmann/Patty Tolan)
V - A Voice From The Stars (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Mr Cutter)
W - Weapon of Choice (James Bond Movies, Bond/M, Bond/Q, Bond & Moneypenny)
X -
Y - You Wear It Well (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
Z -
23/26 from 200 fics on AO3. Unsurprisingly no Q, X or Z - I did wonder if I might have a Q somewhere, but if I do it must be a drabble or comment fic that never got archived. I thought it was going to be a much worse turn out as after a strong start there was a lot of repetition in first letters but my Wolf 359 fic did me a solid with I, R and V after nearly two pages of nothing but Cs, Ls, Ms, Ss and Ts it felt like.
I pinched this one from
A - Another Day, Another Disaster (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley, Adam & The Them)
B - Between Stimulation and Reaction (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alex Hardison, Eliot Spencer/Sophie Deveraux, Eliot Spencer/Others)
C - Cola, Bleach and Other Dangerous Chemicals (Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn, Cassie Cain, Joker)
D - Done Deal (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alec Hardison)
E - Eilean a 'Cheo (Rivers of London, Beverley Brook/Peter Grant, Abdul Haqq Walid, OCs)
F - Four Meals (Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley)
G - Gold Standard(The Thing in the Tunnels Wants Rather More) (The Thing In The Walls Wants Your Spare Change, Caro, Aly, Dragons)
H - Hiding in Plain Sight (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
I - If Wishes Were Spaceships (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel/Hera)
J - Joined By The Westering Wind (Pacific Rim, Rayleigh/Mako)
K - Knives Out of Context (Leverage, Parker/Alec Hardison)
L - Like the Arms of the Ocean (Birds of Prey, Cassandra Cain & Harleen Quinzel)
M - Midnight Special (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Mr Quinn)
N - No Happy Ending (Forest 404, Pan/Daria)
O - Of Salt and Candles (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley)
P - Practical Arrangements and Practical Jokes (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzman/Abby Yates)
Q -
R - Robots Need Hugs Too (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Alana Maxwell)
S - Someone You Couldn't Lose (Ocean's Eight, Daphne Kluger/Debbie Ocean/Lou Miller)
T - Taking The Shine Off The Stars (The Mummy, Ardeth Bay/Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell)
U - The Universe Is Drifting Apart (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzmann/Patty Tolan)
V - A Voice From The Stars (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Mr Cutter)
W - Weapon of Choice (James Bond Movies, Bond/M, Bond/Q, Bond & Moneypenny)
X -
Y - You Wear It Well (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
Z -
23/26 from 200 fics on AO3. Unsurprisingly no Q, X or Z - I did wonder if I might have a Q somewhere, but if I do it must be a drabble or comment fic that never got archived. I thought it was going to be a much worse turn out as after a strong start there was a lot of repetition in first letters but my Wolf 359 fic did me a solid with I, R and V after nearly two pages of nothing but Cs, Ls, Ms, Ss and Ts it felt like.
October recs: 4x Vorkosigan AUs
Oct. 28th, 2025 05:30 pmCanon divergence AUs are my favorite genre of Vorkosigan Saga fics, here are some I enjoyed a lot.
( 3 series with additional children and 1 isekai )
( 3 series with additional children and 1 isekai )
Skim, words by Mariko Tamaki and art by Jillian Tamaki
Oct. 28th, 2025 10:24 amIt's 1993 and Kimberly Keiko Cameron (aka "Skim" because she's not [idk, the reference doesn't really land for me—like skim milk? so, not skinny? not white?]) is sixteen and goes to an all girls school in Canada. She's learning to practice Wicca, has a cast on her dominant arm, a crush on her drama teacher, and doesn't seem to like her best friend very much.
Ah, teen angst. Rendered here in a flat, sketchy greyscale with a lot of attention to faces and hair, which makes the main characters easy to identify, especially as the smooth, delicate rendering of Skim's face evokes ukiyo-e, a style of Japanese art popular during the Edo period (1615–1868). It makes her stand out and even seem out of place, like something from another era. It's an interesting contrast to the swoopy bangs and hoop earrings of her peers, all of whom appear to be white.
The story's pretty low key for its content—an inappropriate flirtation, the suicide of a popular girl's ex-boyfriend, the tension between Kim's divorced parents, a growing realization of what it means to be queer—and the central interest is the conflict between Kim and her best friend, though it's not clear if they're growing apart or were never really suited for each other, and being in love in a way that makes it feel like it might destroy you. It's clear it's slowly destroying the teacher, even as Kim seems blissfully unaware of this, a disparity that's handled with skill and that hints at the full size of the adult world while simultaneously rendering the hyper-specific compressed world of a teenager, allowing both to be true.
Contains: f/f; teacher/student romance; frequent references to suicide (including jokes) following one off screen; use of gay slurs.
Ah, teen angst. Rendered here in a flat, sketchy greyscale with a lot of attention to faces and hair, which makes the main characters easy to identify, especially as the smooth, delicate rendering of Skim's face evokes ukiyo-e, a style of Japanese art popular during the Edo period (1615–1868). It makes her stand out and even seem out of place, like something from another era. It's an interesting contrast to the swoopy bangs and hoop earrings of her peers, all of whom appear to be white.
The story's pretty low key for its content—an inappropriate flirtation, the suicide of a popular girl's ex-boyfriend, the tension between Kim's divorced parents, a growing realization of what it means to be queer—and the central interest is the conflict between Kim and her best friend, though it's not clear if they're growing apart or were never really suited for each other, and being in love in a way that makes it feel like it might destroy you. It's clear it's slowly destroying the teacher, even as Kim seems blissfully unaware of this, a disparity that's handled with skill and that hints at the full size of the adult world while simultaneously rendering the hyper-specific compressed world of a teenager, allowing both to be true.
Contains: f/f; teacher/student romance; frequent references to suicide (including jokes) following one off screen; use of gay slurs.
yes, well, that would explain it
Oct. 28th, 2025 11:42 amGeoff and I have been watching Red Dwarf, which neither of us have seen since the 80s. It's very . . . 80s, but we're very much enjoying it! We've almost finished the second series.
Last night I dreamed that Rimmer managed to fix a radiator on board the space ship, and decided that this achievement was so staggeringly, impossibly transhuman that he was clearly a superhero; showed up in a full-on supersuit complete with self-waving cape (no wind required); and announced that henceforward he should be addressed as "Captain Radiancy."
Then I woke up and found that it was three a.m. and yesterday's flu and COVID shots had me running the usual moderately significant fever.
I still think that Rimmer wanting to be called "Captain Radiancy" isn't out of character, though!
Last night I dreamed that Rimmer managed to fix a radiator on board the space ship, and decided that this achievement was so staggeringly, impossibly transhuman that he was clearly a superhero; showed up in a full-on supersuit complete with self-waving cape (no wind required); and announced that henceforward he should be addressed as "Captain Radiancy."
Then I woke up and found that it was three a.m. and yesterday's flu and COVID shots had me running the usual moderately significant fever.
I still think that Rimmer wanting to be called "Captain Radiancy" isn't out of character, though!
Write Every Day: Day 28
Oct. 28th, 2025 08:07 pmYou've got to work on something dangerous. You have to work on something that makes you uncertain. Something that makes you doubt yourself. You shouldn't feel safe. You should feel, "I don't know if I can write this." That's what I mean by dangerous, and I think that's a good thing to do. Sacrifice something safe.
– Stephen Sondheim
My day 28: Still taking it easy-ish. I spent writers' hour and some of the morning writing meta comments, so that's my writing for the day. And then I tried out some Youtube how-to-art videos for kids (results), and now I'm going to rest. Hoping to get some actual fic-writing in tomorrow. 🤞🤞
The tally
( Tally )
Day 26:
Day 27:
When you check in, please say what day(s) you’re checking in for. You can join in or take a break at any time; you’re always welcome back. And please let me know if I’ve missed you.
monday poem #333: Sam Sax, "Ode to Those Who Block Tunnels and Bridges"
Oct. 27th, 2025 09:18 pmOde to Those Who Block Tunnels and Bridges
teach us there can be movement
in stillness. in every broken syllable
of traffic a syllabus that says
while you are suffering we are all
going to be unwell—let us
instead distill business as usual
down to the speed of a tree eating
light. as usual, business is built
from freight trains and warships
even when ‘it’s just coffee.’
these bridges should only connect
the living, so when the living turn
again toward death worship
it’s time to still the delivery of plastics
and red meats to the galas of venture
capital. to reject our gods if they are
not the gods who teach us all that comes
from dirt returns to it holy—
the holiest word i know is no.
no more money for the endless
throat of money. no more
syllogisms that permission
endless suffering. no more.
and on the eighth day of a holiday
meant to represent a people
fighting occupation my teachers
who stretch a drop of oil into a week
of light take each other’s arms
across eight bridges of this settler colony
singing prayers older than any country
as the chevron burns in the distance.
o stilted vernacular of life—
o pedagogs of the godly pausing—
what mycelia spreads its speaking
limbs beneath the floors of our cities.
the only holy land i know
is where life is. in the story
i was taught alongside my first
language it takes god six days
to make the terrible world
and on seventh day he rested
and on the eighth we blocked traffic.
— Sam Sax
originally published in Poem-a-Day
teach us there can be movement
in stillness. in every broken syllable
of traffic a syllabus that says
while you are suffering we are all
going to be unwell—let us
instead distill business as usual
down to the speed of a tree eating
light. as usual, business is built
from freight trains and warships
even when ‘it’s just coffee.’
these bridges should only connect
the living, so when the living turn
again toward death worship
it’s time to still the delivery of plastics
and red meats to the galas of venture
capital. to reject our gods if they are
not the gods who teach us all that comes
from dirt returns to it holy—
the holiest word i know is no.
no more money for the endless
throat of money. no more
syllogisms that permission
endless suffering. no more.
and on the eighth day of a holiday
meant to represent a people
fighting occupation my teachers
who stretch a drop of oil into a week
of light take each other’s arms
across eight bridges of this settler colony
singing prayers older than any country
as the chevron burns in the distance.
o stilted vernacular of life—
o pedagogs of the godly pausing—
what mycelia spreads its speaking
limbs beneath the floors of our cities.
the only holy land i know
is where life is. in the story
i was taught alongside my first
language it takes god six days
to make the terrible world
and on seventh day he rested
and on the eighth we blocked traffic.
— Sam Sax
originally published in Poem-a-Day
(no subject)
Oct. 27th, 2025 08:53 pmThe best thing I've seen about the Louvre heist.
And Neal Caffrey would never. A daytime smash and grab? No panache.
And Neal Caffrey would never. A daytime smash and grab? No panache.
AO3 Alphabet Meme
Oct. 27th, 2025 04:10 pmAll the cool kids are doing it, so I guess I will too:
B. the bells are going to chime--My Fair Lady, Eliza/Colonel Pickering post-movie
C. Currency--Star Wars/Babylon 5, Han and Chewie take a job carrying cargo to a place so far out in Wild Space they've never even heard of the Empire. Or the Jedi.
D. The Desert Between--Reboot, Spock/Uhura, and vulcan worldbuilding
E. Essential To Your Own--TNG, Data/Geordi
F. Family Matters (The Things Inside Remix)--BSG, Dee is on Pegasus, finding her place. A Six is on New Caprica, learning what she doesn't know. Lee Adama is a Cylon prisoner, but this is not his story. A New Caprica AU.
G. The Genetics Factory--Criminal Minds/Stargate, In Detroit, homeless addicts are turning up dead. But there's more to the case than meets the eye, and the BAU finds themselves looking for something they don't understand. For Derek, it gets personal.
H. The Heart's Desire--Rivers of London, Abigail has earned her right to become a practitioner of magic. Now, the training begins.
I. Interview with the Robot--Fandom for Robots
J. Just Like Old Times--Stargate SG-1, Teal'c and Daniel, on an adventure.
K. Kitty and Georgy (The Healing Old Hurts Remix)--Pride and Prejudice, Kitty is often ill, but she is determined to live her best life anyway.
L. Little Ship Lost--TNG, On a routine mission, a wormhole opens up near Enterprise, and a ship pops out. It's challenging to rescue people who don't trust you.
M. Matters of Perspective--TNG, Picard and Guinan post Time's Arrow
N. Not Place, But People--Enterprise, The older Enterprise wasn't destroyed after all. When it limps back to Earth, Trip finds Lorian and invites him home to meet the family.
O. The Offer--Vorkosiverse, An AU where Aral didn't survive Mad Yuri's Massacre, but his sister did.
P. Pale Battalions--SG-1, Teal'c goes home after a glorious battle in Apophis' name.
Q.
R. Revenge of the Zillo Beast--Star Wars, Mace and Anakin have killed the Zillo Beast every way they can think of in different time loops. Maybe killing the Beast won't solve the problem?
S. Schoolwork--DS9, Jake misses his dad, now he's with the Prophets, but he still has his friends, his family, and his career.
T. Third Chance--Star Trek, AU, This isn't the first time Ro has had to start her life over, nor the first time she's had to deal with people who don't like or trust her.
U. Undiscovered Stars--Star Wars/Star Trek, Just how far out in the Unknown Regions was he, Lando wondered, that they didn't use hyperdrives?
V. Vast Beyond Knowing (The Details Remix)--Star Wars. Anakin, Luke, Rey. The desert taught them much. But not everything.
W. Wachet Auf--Rivers of London, In 1940, Nightingale has to catch a Nazi spy armed with a magical device. In 2016, Nightingale and others fall into a magical coma, and Peter Grant must figure out why it happened and how to end it.
X. X is for Xenophobia--SG-1, Little Jake Carter knew all about people who Weren't Like Us.
Y.
Z.
22/26, not bad. Interesting that I have X but not Y; from looking at other peoples' lists, it's usually the other way around. (If I'd done more Stargate Alphabet Soups, I might have filled in the missing letters.) I have, by the way, written 264 fics in approximately 110 fandoms over the course of almost 20 years. (Some fandoms are squishy, and it depends how you count them.)
How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, ‘A’ and 'The’ do not count for 'a’ and ’t’. Post your score out of 26 at the end, along with your total fic count.
A. Anatomy of a Secret--Jadzia Dax in the Reboot universe.B. the bells are going to chime--My Fair Lady, Eliza/Colonel Pickering post-movie
C. Currency--Star Wars/Babylon 5, Han and Chewie take a job carrying cargo to a place so far out in Wild Space they've never even heard of the Empire. Or the Jedi.
D. The Desert Between--Reboot, Spock/Uhura, and vulcan worldbuilding
E. Essential To Your Own--TNG, Data/Geordi
F. Family Matters (The Things Inside Remix)--BSG, Dee is on Pegasus, finding her place. A Six is on New Caprica, learning what she doesn't know. Lee Adama is a Cylon prisoner, but this is not his story. A New Caprica AU.
G. The Genetics Factory--Criminal Minds/Stargate, In Detroit, homeless addicts are turning up dead. But there's more to the case than meets the eye, and the BAU finds themselves looking for something they don't understand. For Derek, it gets personal.
H. The Heart's Desire--Rivers of London, Abigail has earned her right to become a practitioner of magic. Now, the training begins.
I. Interview with the Robot--Fandom for Robots
J. Just Like Old Times--Stargate SG-1, Teal'c and Daniel, on an adventure.
K. Kitty and Georgy (The Healing Old Hurts Remix)--Pride and Prejudice, Kitty is often ill, but she is determined to live her best life anyway.
L. Little Ship Lost--TNG, On a routine mission, a wormhole opens up near Enterprise, and a ship pops out. It's challenging to rescue people who don't trust you.
M. Matters of Perspective--TNG, Picard and Guinan post Time's Arrow
N. Not Place, But People--Enterprise, The older Enterprise wasn't destroyed after all. When it limps back to Earth, Trip finds Lorian and invites him home to meet the family.
O. The Offer--Vorkosiverse, An AU where Aral didn't survive Mad Yuri's Massacre, but his sister did.
P. Pale Battalions--SG-1, Teal'c goes home after a glorious battle in Apophis' name.
Q.
R. Revenge of the Zillo Beast--Star Wars, Mace and Anakin have killed the Zillo Beast every way they can think of in different time loops. Maybe killing the Beast won't solve the problem?
S. Schoolwork--DS9, Jake misses his dad, now he's with the Prophets, but he still has his friends, his family, and his career.
T. Third Chance--Star Trek, AU, This isn't the first time Ro has had to start her life over, nor the first time she's had to deal with people who don't like or trust her.
U. Undiscovered Stars--Star Wars/Star Trek, Just how far out in the Unknown Regions was he, Lando wondered, that they didn't use hyperdrives?
V. Vast Beyond Knowing (The Details Remix)--Star Wars. Anakin, Luke, Rey. The desert taught them much. But not everything.
W. Wachet Auf--Rivers of London, In 1940, Nightingale has to catch a Nazi spy armed with a magical device. In 2016, Nightingale and others fall into a magical coma, and Peter Grant must figure out why it happened and how to end it.
X. X is for Xenophobia--SG-1, Little Jake Carter knew all about people who Weren't Like Us.
Y.
Z.
22/26, not bad. Interesting that I have X but not Y; from looking at other peoples' lists, it's usually the other way around. (If I'd done more Stargate Alphabet Soups, I might have filled in the missing letters.) I have, by the way, written 264 fics in approximately 110 fandoms over the course of almost 20 years. (Some fandoms are squishy, and it depends how you count them.)
A(o3)lphabet
Oct. 27th, 2025 08:29 pmThe alphabet meme from lots of places (title stolen from
dhampyresa.)
Rules: How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, ‘A’ and 'The’ do not count for 'a’ and ’t’. Post your score out of 26 at the end, along with your total fic count.
A: Assuming Shape, Young Avengers, 4k Sarah Altmann gen
B: Building for the Future, Castlevania (TV), 2k Hector & Isaac post-canon
C: Claw Out Your Eyes and Devour You, Hades 2, 1.4k ~Scylla/Melinoe
D: Drawn To You, Hockey RPF, 7.4k Robert Bortuzzo/Beau Bennett soulmate&prostitute AU
E: Etho's Escort Service From Hell, Hermitcraft, 1.5k Etho & Cleo
F: Forget-Me(-Not), The Gardener's Hand, 0.8k Alizhan & Thiyo missing scene
G: Go About Your Business, Act As If You're Free, Phoenotopia: Awakening, 2.1k Lisa & Bart post-canon
H:
I: In the Dream Grove, Dice Disasters, 1.9k Jasmin & Cody
J:
K: Kadavo, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, 1.8k Rex missing scene
L: Loop One Alliance, Life Series, 8k Impulse-centric Double Life time loop
M: Memories Of a Life Not Lived, Life Series/Hermitcraft, 1.5k, Cleo & Etho
N: Next Time Bring Candles, Food, 5.2k, SGA, Teyla&team gen
O: Only a little, The Bright Sessions, 6.6k, Adam & Damien canon divergence AU
P: Potato Blossom Magic, Dream SMP, 0.4k Techno&Phil sex pollen
Q:
R: Ritual of Cooperation, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, 14.1k Johannes & Zangetsu missing scene
S: Sitting by the Tree, Killjoys, Dutch & Johnny gen
T: Things That Make You Think Different, Steerswoman, 2.7k Steffie gen
U: Uncut Gems, The Fire's Stone, 3.8k ~Darvish/Aaron time travel
V: Various Ways to Victory, Life Series/Hermitcraft, 1.8k Pearl & Scar post-Secret Life gen
W: What Needs to Be Done (To Make a Difference, Hermitcraft/Hotguy Comics Zine, Pearl missing scenes
X:
Y:
Z:
20/26 with 126 works.
Rules: How many letters of the alphabet have you used for starting a fic title? One fic per line, ‘A’ and 'The’ do not count for 'a’ and ’t’. Post your score out of 26 at the end, along with your total fic count.
A: Assuming Shape, Young Avengers, 4k Sarah Altmann gen
B: Building for the Future, Castlevania (TV), 2k Hector & Isaac post-canon
C: Claw Out Your Eyes and Devour You, Hades 2, 1.4k ~Scylla/Melinoe
D: Drawn To You, Hockey RPF, 7.4k Robert Bortuzzo/Beau Bennett soulmate&prostitute AU
E: Etho's Escort Service From Hell, Hermitcraft, 1.5k Etho & Cleo
F: Forget-Me(-Not), The Gardener's Hand, 0.8k Alizhan & Thiyo missing scene
G: Go About Your Business, Act As If You're Free, Phoenotopia: Awakening, 2.1k Lisa & Bart post-canon
H:
I: In the Dream Grove, Dice Disasters, 1.9k Jasmin & Cody
J:
K: Kadavo, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, 1.8k Rex missing scene
L: Loop One Alliance, Life Series, 8k Impulse-centric Double Life time loop
M: Memories Of a Life Not Lived, Life Series/Hermitcraft, 1.5k, Cleo & Etho
N: Next Time Bring Candles, Food, 5.2k, SGA, Teyla&team gen
O: Only a little, The Bright Sessions, 6.6k, Adam & Damien canon divergence AU
P: Potato Blossom Magic, Dream SMP, 0.4k Techno&Phil sex pollen
Q:
R: Ritual of Cooperation, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, 14.1k Johannes & Zangetsu missing scene
S: Sitting by the Tree, Killjoys, Dutch & Johnny gen
T: Things That Make You Think Different, Steerswoman, 2.7k Steffie gen
U: Uncut Gems, The Fire's Stone, 3.8k ~Darvish/Aaron time travel
V: Various Ways to Victory, Life Series/Hermitcraft, 1.8k Pearl & Scar post-Secret Life gen
W: What Needs to Be Done (To Make a Difference, Hermitcraft/Hotguy Comics Zine, Pearl missing scenes
X:
Y:
Z:
20/26 with 126 works.