Old guitar sounds fabulous
Oct. 10th, 2025 11:20 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
metafilter_feedWhat a 180 year old Martin sounds like (SLYT)... The guitarist is Nicholas Hosford. The guitar was built in 1842.
(Part of this post is about envy in that I will never be able to play that well.)
Happy Friday, everyone!
(Part of this post is about envy in that I will never be able to play that well.)
Happy Friday, everyone!
weekend open thread – October 11-12, 2025
Oct. 10th, 2025 11:07 pmaskamanager_feed
This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand.
Here are the rules for the weekend posts.
Book recommendation of the week: The Sisters Weiss, by Naomi Ragen. The daughter of a strict ultra-Orthodox Jewish family rebels against the expectations of her parents and community, to mixed results. (Amazon, Bookshop)
* I earn a commission if you use those links.
The post weekend open thread – October 11-12, 2025 appeared first on Ask a Manager.
Challenge 494: Brilliant
Oct. 10th, 2025 04:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teaotter posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fan_flashworksOur new challenge is:
As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.
Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Monday, October 20th. No sign-up required.
Mods will tag your work with fandom and challenge. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name.
All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.
You can view stats forfan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details. (Three cheers for treonb! *\o/*)
Also, keep an eye out for the nextffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)
BRILLIANT
As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.
Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Monday, October 20th. No sign-up required.
Mods will tag your work with fandom and challenge. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name.
All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.
You can view stats for
fan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details. (Three cheers for treonb! *\o/*)Also, keep an eye out for the next
ffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)Admin: Challenge closed
Oct. 10th, 2025 04:32 pmteaotter posting in fan_flashworksThe Garden challenge is now closed. Here are the entries:
Sherlock Holmes (ACD): Fanfic: Autumn Gardening, bysmallhobbit
Torchwood: Fanfic: A Place To Relax, bybadly_knitted
Ducktales (2017): Fanart: The Garden of Selene, byinfinitum_noctem
due South: Fanfiction: Fraser's Garden, bylucy_roman
thunderbolts: fanfic: the beauty of dangerous things, byfadedwings
S.W.A.T.: Fan Fiction: Garden Party, bydarkjediqueen
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fanfic: Uncle Spester, byveronyxk84
no fandom : icons : gardens, byhighlander_ii
Torchwood: Fanfic: Somewhere that's green, bym_findlow
Game Loading: Fanfic: in sleep (a corolla), bybluedreaming
No Fandom: Junk Journal Pages: Cycles, bydrabblewriter
Scream Park: fanfic: roll with it, byteaotter
Guardian: fanfic: Retreat, bychina_shop
\o/ \o/ \o/
Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.
The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.
Next challenge coming right up.
Sherlock Holmes (ACD): Fanfic: Autumn Gardening, by
smallhobbitTorchwood: Fanfic: A Place To Relax, by
badly_knittedDucktales (2017): Fanart: The Garden of Selene, by
infinitum_noctemdue South: Fanfiction: Fraser's Garden, by
lucy_romanthunderbolts: fanfic: the beauty of dangerous things, by
fadedwingsS.W.A.T.: Fan Fiction: Garden Party, by
darkjediqueenBuffy the Vampire Slayer: Fanfic: Uncle Spester, by
veronyxk84no fandom : icons : gardens, by
highlander_iiTorchwood: Fanfic: Somewhere that's green, by
m_findlowGame Loading: Fanfic: in sleep (a corolla), by
bluedreamingNo Fandom: Junk Journal Pages: Cycles, by
drabblewriterScream Park: fanfic: roll with it, by
teaotterGuardian: fanfic: Retreat, by
china_shop\o/ \o/ \o/
Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.
The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.
Next challenge coming right up.
When Mike Johnson follows Mitch McConnell's example with Merrick Garland
Oct. 10th, 2025 10:32 pmmetafilter_feedAP Headline: Democrats could have a slight shot at flipping a US House seat in Utah under a new congressional map. What good will that do when Mike Johnson can refuse to seat them, like Adelita Grijalva (Who?)
(Posted here instead of the green since the question is kinda rhetorical)
(Posted here instead of the green since the question is kinda rhetorical)
Guardian: fanfic: Retreat
Oct. 11th, 2025 11:10 amchina_shop posting in fan_flashworksTitle: Retreat
Fandom: Guardian (TV)
Rating: G-rated
Length: 733 words
Notes: Much thanks totrobadora for read-through and feedback on an earlier version. <3
Tags: Gen, Da Qing, Napping spots, Very mild crossover
Summary: Hidden in the dim reaches of the SID library, behind stacks of old case files, is a portal.
( Retreat )
Fandom: Guardian (TV)
Rating: G-rated
Length: 733 words
Notes: Much thanks to
trobadora for read-through and feedback on an earlier version. <3Tags: Gen, Da Qing, Napping spots, Very mild crossover
Summary: Hidden in the dim reaches of the SID library, behind stacks of old case files, is a portal.
( Retreat )
Scream Park: fanfic: roll with it
Oct. 10th, 2025 01:58 pmteaotter posting in fan_flashworksTitle: roll with it
Fandom: Scream Park (mods: you can use the board game tag if we have one)
Challenge: Garden
Length: ~300 words
Note: Scream Park is a fun board game where you're putting together a haunted house using the bits and pieces of previous haunts, and then trying to lure VIPS to come see what you've done.
Summary: It's a half-hour to opening, and things are still going wrong.
( Read more... )
Fandom: Scream Park (mods: you can use the board game tag if we have one)
Challenge: Garden
Length: ~300 words
Note: Scream Park is a fun board game where you're putting together a haunted house using the bits and pieces of previous haunts, and then trying to lure VIPS to come see what you've done.
Summary: It's a half-hour to opening, and things are still going wrong.
( Read more... )
The worst part of October is over
Oct. 10th, 2025 10:23 pmschneefinkI wrote my accounting/financial reporting exam yesterday, I'm so glad that's done. I'm cautiously optimistic but I'll find out in 6-8 weeks.
That means now I have time for all the things I wanted to do, especially fannish things! ...I thought and immediately felt overwhelmed because there's so much. In addition to playing more Silksong (and after that, Hades 2) there's books I want to read and things I want to watch, and fic I want to read and posts and fanworks I want to comment on and things I want to post and people I want to chat with and fic I want to write, and that's not even mentioning all the chores I've been putting off and RL social things. At least it's a better kind of stress ^^
That means now I have time for all the things I wanted to do, especially fannish things! ...I thought and immediately felt overwhelmed because there's so much. In addition to playing more Silksong (and after that, Hades 2) there's books I want to read and things I want to watch, and fic I want to read and posts and fanworks I want to comment on and things I want to post and people I want to chat with and fic I want to write, and that's not even mentioning all the chores I've been putting off and RL social things. At least it's a better kind of stress ^^
No Fandom: Junk Journal Pages: Cycles
Oct. 10th, 2025 02:14 pmdrabblewriter posting in fan_flashworksTitle: Cycles
Fandom: None/original
Rating: G
Length: 3 junk journal pages
Summary: Hope in the cycles of democracy, justice, and progress.
Note: Quotes are adapted from a political coping conversation with ChatGPT. (I'm worried about getting hate for this, but I have to be honest. I would never claim something an AI wrote, least of all prose, as mine, but these lines were really meaningful for me in a time when I've been dealing with a ton of anxiety over current events.)
( Read more... )
Fandom: None/original
Rating: G
Length: 3 junk journal pages
Summary: Hope in the cycles of democracy, justice, and progress.
Note: Quotes are adapted from a political coping conversation with ChatGPT. (I'm worried about getting hate for this, but I have to be honest. I would never claim something an AI wrote, least of all prose, as mine, but these lines were really meaningful for me in a time when I've been dealing with a ton of anxiety over current events.)
( Read more... )
Recent readings: A stab at reading seasonally for Hallowe'en
Oct. 10th, 2025 03:41 pmumadoshiIt's a Friday off and I got some manga work done, so here's a bit of book-logging:
Her Halloween Treat (Tiffany Reisz) is a straightforward, enjoyable romance that has almost nothing at all to do with Hallowe'en. It takes place when the female lead is home for her brother's wedding, and his partner has always wanted a Hallowe'en wedding, so they're having a themed costume Hallowe'en wedding. It's also the female lead's birthday, but they checked with her and she's fine with it, so there's no drama there. Nothing of what I've just written is at all spoilery for the main plot or emotional arcs or anything.
The Drowning House (Cherie Priest) is almost not a ghost story at all--the supernatural elements are something else--but ghosts flicker around its edges. I enjoyed it, although there's a piece of the story that I feel the epilogue was intended to shine a light on and...it didn't do that. (Alternatively, that wasn't the author's intention, but if so, I feel like it should have at least nodded to that specific thing? Or something?)
Specifically [ROT13], gur rcvybthr vf n tyvzcfr onpx ng gur '50f jura gur gjvaf ner cynaavat gb xvyy jung'f-uvf-snpr, naq vg qbrfa'g fnl nalguvat nobhg jul Zef. Phycrccre (arneyl) frag ure fvfgre gb ure qrngu, be vs fur npghnyyl zrnag gb qb gung, naq qbrfa'g tvir nal uvag gung gung'ftbvat gb unccra, vagragvbanyyl be bgurejvfr. Vg'f whfg na vagrenpgvba orgjrra n cnve bs fvfgref jub qba'g ernyyl trg nybat nf gurl cercner gb qb gur guvat gurl'ir qrpvqrq arrqf qbvat.
It's one thing that I'm not really a horror reader but read the occasional horror novel anyway, and quite another that I'm deeply squeamish about eyes (and just about everything to do with eyes) and yet after someone recced it, I bought The Eyes Are the Best Part (Monika Kim) a while ago when it popped up on sale...and then proceeded to actually read it this week. This book is very clear from the cover alone that it involves cannibalistic eyeball consumption in loving detail. It is not the book's fault that I am 1000% not the intended audience and yet read the whole thing in one sitting anyway when really I should've just read the rec (whenever that was) and not bought the ebook, sale or no sale, never mind read it. (But I don't begrudge the actual sale, however much an on-sale ebook purchase actually helps an author.)
Now I'm taking a bit of a break from trying to read ~seasonally~ and am a few chapters into KJ Charles' All of Us Murderers.
I've also finally finished Daniel Sherrell's Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World, which is...fine? I forget if I've actually mentioned that this book is a letter to a future child Sherrell may or may not ever have (a question he's wrestling with the ethics of), talking about the climate catastrophe and his work as a climate activist and how he tries to fortify himself and find meaning in the face of it all and what he hopes to learn/pass on to any child he may one day have.
Her Halloween Treat (Tiffany Reisz) is a straightforward, enjoyable romance that has almost nothing at all to do with Hallowe'en. It takes place when the female lead is home for her brother's wedding, and his partner has always wanted a Hallowe'en wedding, so they're having a themed costume Hallowe'en wedding. It's also the female lead's birthday, but they checked with her and she's fine with it, so there's no drama there. Nothing of what I've just written is at all spoilery for the main plot or emotional arcs or anything.
The Drowning House (Cherie Priest) is almost not a ghost story at all--the supernatural elements are something else--but ghosts flicker around its edges. I enjoyed it, although there's a piece of the story that I feel the epilogue was intended to shine a light on and...it didn't do that. (Alternatively, that wasn't the author's intention, but if so, I feel like it should have at least nodded to that specific thing? Or something?)
Specifically [ROT13], gur rcvybthr vf n tyvzcfr onpx ng gur '50f jura gur gjvaf ner cynaavat gb xvyy jung'f-uvf-snpr, naq vg qbrfa'g fnl nalguvat nobhg jul Zef. Phycrccre (arneyl) frag ure fvfgre gb ure qrngu, be vs fur npghnyyl zrnag gb qb gung, naq qbrfa'g tvir nal uvag gung gung'f
It's one thing that I'm not really a horror reader but read the occasional horror novel anyway, and quite another that I'm deeply squeamish about eyes (and just about everything to do with eyes) and yet after someone recced it, I bought The Eyes Are the Best Part (Monika Kim) a while ago when it popped up on sale...and then proceeded to actually read it this week. This book is very clear from the cover alone that it involves cannibalistic eyeball consumption in loving detail. It is not the book's fault that I am 1000% not the intended audience and yet read the whole thing in one sitting anyway when really I should've just read the rec (whenever that was) and not bought the ebook, sale or no sale, never mind read it. (But I don't begrudge the actual sale, however much an on-sale ebook purchase actually helps an author.)
Now I'm taking a bit of a break from trying to read ~seasonally~ and am a few chapters into KJ Charles' All of Us Murderers.
I've also finally finished Daniel Sherrell's Warmth: Coming of Age at the End of Our World, which is...fine? I forget if I've actually mentioned that this book is a letter to a future child Sherrell may or may not ever have (a question he's wrestling with the ethics of), talking about the climate catastrophe and his work as a climate activist and how he tries to fortify himself and find meaning in the face of it all and what he hopes to learn/pass on to any child he may one day have.
"I bet I can do better tomorrow"
Oct. 10th, 2025 06:10 pmmetafilter_feedSister Marion saw no contradiction between her vocation as a nun and her love of competitive running. "God expects us to live our lives to the fullest," she said in a 2010 video interview, "and if I was meant to be an athlete, I guess I should work at it." She found she could meditate more deeply while running than while kneeling in a chapel. Nor did she apologize for enjoying her life. from Marion Irvine, the 'Running Nun' Who Won Races in Her 50s, Dies at Age 95 [WSJ; ungated]
Today only -- Oct 10th -- big ebook sale.
Oct. 10th, 2025 10:37 amstarwatcher posting in ebooksTill "midnight." Still no clue to which midnight.
Filter genres and/or booksellers at top of page.
https://earlybirdbooks.com/deals/best-ebook-deals
Kathy Griffin returns!
Oct. 10th, 2025 03:46 pmmetafilter_feedKathy Griffin: My Life On The PTSD List is Kathy's 21st (or maybe 22nd) comedy special. The nearly two hour set comes after years in the wilderness after being literally cancelled by the US government over a photo she took, and she has a lot to say about her experiences and of course lots of celebrity gossip. Content warning for language and detailed suicide attempt description. Through the lens of comedy, of course.
If you like Kathy, here's a playlist of all her specials.. Nearly 30 years of celebrity gossip and Kathy's humor.
If you like Kathy, here's a playlist of all her specials.. Nearly 30 years of celebrity gossip and Kathy's humor.
"Maybe the AI tools should be trustworthy?"
Oct. 10th, 2025 03:29 pmmetafilter_feedHelp define the next chapter of Canada's AI leadership. Canadians, weigh in on what you think our AI strategy and priorities should be (h/t Halifax Examiner, from which I took the title of this post). You can also email ised-isde@ised-isde.gc.ca.
open thread – October 10, 2025
Oct. 10th, 2025 03:00 pmaskamanager_feedIt’s the Friday open thread!
The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions that you want to talk about (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to take your questions to other readers.
* If you submitted a question to me recently, please do not repost it here, as it may be in my queue to answer.
The post open thread – October 10, 2025 appeared first on Ask a Manager.
Robot works at speed of 100 bricklayers could soon be building homes
Oct. 10th, 2025 01:43 pmmetafilter_feedRobot that works at speed of 100 bricklayers could soon be building homes. Developers of a speedy, spider-like robot named Charlotte believe it could be building homes on Earth within years, and eventually further lunar exploration.
Game Loading: Fanfic: in sleep (a corolla)
Oct. 10th, 2025 06:07 ambluedreaming posting in fan_flashworksFandom: Game Loading - Long Qi
Mods please use the f: book (category) tag
Rating: T
Length: 100 words
Content notes: mild blood reference
Author notes: The title is from A God Asleep in a Garden by António Ramos Rosa, translated by Alexis Levitin. (extra rambles)
Summary: Midnight interlude during the Collapsed God arc.
( Read more... )
Mods please use the f: book (category) tag
Rating: T
Length: 100 words
Content notes: mild blood reference
Author notes: The title is from A God Asleep in a Garden by António Ramos Rosa, translated by Alexis Levitin. (extra rambles)
Summary: Midnight interlude during the Collapsed God arc.
( Read more... )