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| I made this black cocoa loaf cake yesterday, and followed it exactly as written despite some skepticism, which turned out to be warranted, because the middle of the loaf collapsed as it cooled. Even as I was measuring out 1 TBSP of baking powder(!!!), I was like, this seems excessive, but maybe it's because the cocoa is so alkalinized??? So I might cut that back slightly to 1.5 or 2 tsps if I make it again, which I might, because the flavor is good, despite all that baking powder. I didn't bother with the ganache since I don't have room in the fridge for the cake. But it would also disguise that kind of collapse, so if I were serving it to other people I probably would make it. It's been gray and cool since last night, but it hasn't rained yet, so I've been able to keep the windows open. I did have to use the AC a couple times last week, especially to sleep, and I'll put it on again when necessary, but it was nice just using the fan last night. Anyway, work remains busy, the world is on fire, but the Mets stay winning! Gotta take the little joys while you can... * | |
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Forrest: Whoever he was, the guy was big.
Graham: Strong, too.
Riley: Whoever... Or whatever.
Walsh: I'm not interested in guess work, gentlemen. Call me old-fashioned. I like results. This report reads like a child's riddle book. Agent Finn, tell me something good. My implant?
Riley: The implant works. Hostile 17 can't harm any living creature, In any way, without intense neurological pain. We'll bag it.
Walsh: Yes, you will. Dismissed.
~~The Initiative~~
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Legados dos Sobrenaturais: Landon Kirby A Fênix Mutante ( Fanfic LGBT), Chapter 8 (Portuguese, Multiple Crossovers, M) by Roxenazuliano
- Hold Fast the Thread, Chapter 23 (Giles/Faith, BtVS Ensemble, M) by SchrodingersKatInABox
- Shadows of Paternity, Chapter 4 (BtVS Ensemble, Angelus, M) by Noctiluna (Wynterstorm), Wynterstorm
- today doesn’t count, Chapter 19 (Spike/Buffy, Dawn, M) by modestlobster
- One Track Mind, Chapter 11 (Multiple Crossovers, E) by TBJRomeo
- Shadow Over Hellmouth, Chapter 135 (BtVS & AtS Ensembles, E) by Tuxedo_Mark
- The Slayer From Another Dimension, Chapter 5 (BtVS & AtS Ensembles, M) by alsmith786
[Images, Audio & Video]
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[Fandom Discussions]
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Amilyn: Ooh. Ah. Ow. Ooh. Ooh. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ooh. Ugh. Ah. Ah. Uh. Uh.
~~Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
[Chaptered Fiction]
- The Plan, Ch. 21 by NotYourGrave (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Solemates, Ch. 8 (COMPLETE!) by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- For Research Purposes, Ch. 3 by shekissedmedead, William Pratt (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- The Worst Hope, Ch. 4 by TwilightChild (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Strong Anthropic Principles, Ch. 26–31 (COMPLETE!) by acekoomboom (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
[Images, Audio & Video]
[Reviews & Recaps]
[Recs & In Search Of]
[Community Announcements]
[Fandom Discussions]
[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]
Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!
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| 1) We only spent one day in Portland, and M had to nurse her feet after all the walking required the day before. So K and I went to see the International Rose Test Garden which was supposed to have hundreds of rose varieties which were expected to be in bloom by mid-May. While some clearly were, the beds were hit and miss with many varieties not yet available. What roses were in bloom however were attractive to see and some of the blooms were huge. The garden itself though was smaller than expected. Nonetheless despite the overcast day and the difficulty with parking, the visit to the park was worthwhile as it's overall a great feature of the city. We drove up to the top of the hill for the trees and the view, though none were in a spot where we could park and take pictures. ( Read more... )Anyhow, discussing the cards made us discuss the Star Wars series as K had recently watched Ahsoka but found it confusing. I told her this seemed inevitable to me because so much of the meaning in the series comes from it being a stealth 5th season of Rebels. So we started watching. M really liked Hera and Chopper. K liked making the connections to what came later in Ahsoka. My partner and I had rewatched S4 before seeing Ahsoka so it would be fresh. But I hadn't seen the first 3 seasons for some 4 years or so. I found it really picked up speed quickly, and I my favorite thing was the mentor and apprentice relationship between Ezra and Kanan. The first time around I'd seen it mostly from Ezra's viewpoint since we're in it for much of the series. But this time I was seeing it from Kanan's and really liked how well done this was. And while most of it was in the writing I also liked the animation and the small gestures and expressions. It was quite rich and certainly had a long arc. We got all the way through S2 during the trip and it made me want to see S3 through as well. I remember how tense I found it watching the season finale the first time around because it seemed quite possible anything could happen. 3) The time since my return has been something of a headache. My partner's sister had a roof leak which damaged a mattress in the room where he stays on his visits. The roof has been patched but reroofing will take place soon. In the meantime he is planning to leave for Ohio around the 25th. After discussion we decided to have him take his current bed to Ohio as a replacement. (She has already removed the damaged mattress but the box spring is ok). That means a new bed on our end. ( Read more... )4) In less important news, my 3 water weights arrived, 2 while I was away and the last after. The laggard proved not to be worth the wait. While my partner tested out the first two while I was away this third one has a poor design that had it leaking within an hour. I contacted Amazon to return it and they refunded me and told me not to bother sending it back. I re-ordered a second copy of the smaller weight instead. 5) We've signed back up to Apple+ and so are going to pick up new seasons of things and try out some new shows. So far we've started up the latest seasons of Slow Horses, Mythic Quest, and Pachinko and are trying out Buccaneers and Your Friends and Neighbors. This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 3  | |
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| I used decaf to make coffee granita last night, and I had it for dessert this evening along with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, and it seems to have worked out all right - no late evening side effects of caffeine that I can feel. And I think it's better later in the day as a treat than as my morning coffee, because I eat it so quickly and also it's sweet. I don't put any sugar in my regular coffee, but granita requires it so it doesn't freeze solid. I used vanilla sugar but can't really detect the vanilla (or, rather, differentiate it from the vanilla in the whipped cream).
Also, they were on sale, so I bought a pack of paper plates and they made cleanup after cooking so easy that I remembered why I used to use them regularly back before I had a dishwasher. My plan to replace my dead dishwasher is to try the 4th of July sales - Friend L is going to join me at the store to see if the model I want (Bosch) actually fits in the space I've got (and if it goes on sale - it did not for Memorial Day, that I saw, but maybe I don't need the more expensive/top-of-the-line model? It's just that it has something that will allegedly turn the machine off if it senses a leak, which seems like a good thing to have, especially when you live in an apartment above other people and are responsible if any leakage causes damages below you). Anyway, July is a three-paycheck month, which gives me some leeway for paying most of it off ASAP and not increasing my credit card debt any more than I have to.
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| CNN Aired An Exclusive Live Broadcast of the Broadway Play: Good Night and Good Luck - adapted for the stage from the film of the same name. The reason they aired it is made clear upon the airing - at the very end, Edward R Murrow, the CBS News See it Now broadcaster who famously took on McCarthy, during the Black List and McCarthy Hearings, stands front and center in front of a screen displaying multiple screens of the news. He states in a halting speech, enunciating each word, with a slight tremor to his voice, "we've seen what happens when power goes unchecked, that's not the question before us now, the question is - what will you do about it?"I was thinking as I was watching it live on MAX (I no longer have access to CNN), that evil is like a spider, sitting in the dark corner of the room, smoking a cigar, wih a red top hat and tails smirking. And asking in a whisper of a voice, low and barely audible, "what do you want?" And indicating with a smile - "come into my parlor my dear and I shall give it to you, with a price of course". It's insidious, and shadows egos. Self-importance. Self-righteousness. Power. Fame. Fortune. Wealth. Beware the righteous, and the self-important, and most of all the arrogant and narcissistic hunting awards and acknowledgment and power. I don't know what I personally can do to check the power or stop it. I've been pondering it. I can write, I can post, I can draw, I can paint, I can do my job at a public agency. And I can hope people listen. People aren't very good at listening? Have you noticed that? Too busy thinking about themselves or what they are going to say next or how they'll respond. Too filled up with thoughts to hear...ones that lie outside of their own minds and brains. I tell people a story and they tell me their own back again, and mine....slides off unheard, lost somehow within theirs? The meaning gone. And they tell me theirs and I tell them my own, and it happens all over again from the other side - with their story being lost. I did social group therapy once - and we were for the most part forced to listen, but everyone tended to flounder at it. Either they'd ask pointed questions, correct the person's choice of words or syntax or speech (which isn't listening by the way - it's judging, and helps no one), interrupt, direct the conversation to themselves, provide advice, try to fix whatever it was, dismiss it as already solved or playing the victim, but seldom did they listen. And once on a fan discussion board - we fell into a discussion about writing carefully, and I thought - no that's not the problem here or not that alone, we also need to learn how to read carefully. And people don't? Too busy reading quickly, flying through or past the text, to see it clearly let alone truly comprehend it? Now, for example, raise your hand if you just skimmed this passage and oh so many others? Be honest? How many have you skimmed, jumping over words and phrases and reacting to a sentence here or a paragraph there - but not seeing the whole? I know I do. Try a little experiment, if you will? Read just one paragraph of a post, or the unhidden bit. Then take a moment, and read the rest later, has your opinion of it changed? We live in an age of content overload, and we surf and read and look at so many things simultaneously. Texts fly by. Our memory of them fleeting or garbled. And more often than not - people just read blurbs. If I post something with information below a "cut tag" - how many will read what's below the tag, and just respond to the top of the post? Losing the point of it. Or respond to the post, without reading the comments below? We don't read carefully - and most mistakes are made because of it. They were on the discussion boards. 90% of the arguments online are the result of "miscommunication" or the inability to politely ask for clarification prior to snarking, judging or condemning. I think the flaw in the human brain is a tendency to assume everyone thinks the same and perceives things the same? When no one does? And well...a failure to communicate as a result? ** You'll have to excuse me, I'm exhausted. But the weather is shifting, and I'm hurting less all of a sudden - which means the arthritis isn't being pinged by the human weather vane. I'm also frustrated with my fellow humans. And perhaps with myself and my own limitations. And a touch depressed, no more than a touch, as a result. But hey at least I don't hurt as much as last night. So maybe the back brace is helping? It's a warm spring evening. The sky has cleared of clouds, and it's sliding towards dark, from twilight. Nine PM on the East Coast. But I can still see puffs of cloud moving slowly across the pale blue sky, lit from within by moonlight. Our swiftly turning planet in the vacuum of space, surrounded by stars and galaxies which far too many of us take for granted as we bumble upon it babbling and gurgling at one another as is our way.  | |
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SPIKE: I'm in. Everybody okay with that?
LOOSE-SKINNED DEMON: Ante up.
BUFFY: You play for kittens?!
SPIKE: So, who's gonna advance me a tiny tabby, get me started? Come on, someone's gotta stake me.
BUFFY: I'll do it! What, you thought I was just gonna let that lie there?
~~BtVS 6x05 “Life Serial”~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- Belated Calvary (Angel & Kate, Cordelia/Doyle, G) by InsaneTrollLogic
- phone calls (Willow & Buffy, Giles & Buffy, T) by mistyintherivers
- Faith: Overboard (Buffy & Faith, Faith/Connor, Buffy/Connor, T) by StrangeBint
- For you, the living, this mash was meant (pre Drusilla/Spike/Buffy, T) by tenderjock
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Cultivating Chaos, Chapter 21/? (Giles & OCs, Spike/OFCs, M) by BunnyQuill
- The Ex-Files: Charming, CA, Chapter 10/? (Buffy & Dawn, Buffy/Jax, Sons of Anarchy xover, G) by Viwiel
- today doesn’t count, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, M) by modestlobster
- Red Xandra: Season One, Chapter 38/38 Complete! (Xander, Ensemble, T) by Kickaha
- Faith No More, Chapter 5/? (Buffy/Faith, M) by QuillBard
- The Bar at the End of the World (Totally edited. Duplicats deleted), Chapter 8/8 (Buffy, Spike, multiple xovers, not rated) by RoseWineGoddess
- Mystical Girl, Chapter 18/20 (Buffy/Damon Salvatore, TVD xover, G) by Aya1600
- Anti-Hero, Chapter 7/14 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Willow25
- undone with you, Chapter 8/8 Complete! (Buffy/Giles, E) by guin_ramble, TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)
- Soldiers of the Light, Chapter 15/? (Buffy/Spike, E) by sandy_s
- [French language] Le test de grossesse, Chapter 6/6 Complete! (Buffy/Spike, G) by MissKitty28
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Textposts: BTVS textposts Vol. 3 (ensemble, worksafe) by no-resolution
- Gifset: BEST OF BTVS: Buffy & Joyce — Season Two (worksafe) by clarkgriffon
- Gifset: Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 22 | “The Gift” (worksafe) by flarky
- Artwork: buffy (the vampire slayer) (worksafe) by salamandertoast
- Crafts/Poster: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer poster I designed myself (ensemble, worksafe) by isaacjanaya
- Gifset: “You’re not my homeland anymore So what am I defending now?” (Tillow Vs Calendiles, worksafe) by sunnydalelibrarian
- Textposts: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Text Posts 10 (Cordelia, Angel, Spike, Buffy, worksafe) by ofteaandsparrows
- Vidlet: calendiles rolling in the deep 2 (Giles/Jenny, worksafe) by deathlyscar
- Gifset: “You still my girl?” (Buffy/Angel, worksafe) by anjelia3
- Artwork: here’s a Fuffy sketch (Buffy/Faith, worksafe) by ornitharts
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| Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup A comic tale of a writer taking off into fantasy romance for a break. And to escape her frustrating job. Her notion of a heroine hits the actual heroine, who is middle-aged, a widow, and the mother of two children trying desperately to protect them. ( Read more... ) | |
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| Snagged from various places, mainly svgurl: 72 questions to ask a fan(She says fangirl - but I just took Gender Identity Training (web module) this week and it kind of goes against the grain to use gender exclusive as opposed to gender inclusive language at the moment.) Also, the Good News Report... As always, good news is often in the eye of the beholder, but hopefully something makes you smile, outside of the link to the fan questions. Which I may or may not try to answer at a later date. I'm weirdly private about my fandoms. 1.Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers ‘overwhelmed’ Exclusive: Melbourne team demonstrates way to make the virus visible within white blood cells, paving the way to fully clear it from the body. Via the Guardian "Exclusive: Melbourne team demonstrates way to make the virus visible within white blood cells, paving the way to fully clear it from the body." 2. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka sues Alina Habba, alleging ‘false arrest and malicious prosecution’. Alina Habba's criminal case against Ras Baraka collapsed quickly. Now, the tables have turned, and the Newark mayor is suing the prosecutor. Via Democracy Docket3.Judge says some migrants sent to an El Salvador prison must have a chance to challenge their detention. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide hundreds of migrants sent to CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, the opportunity to challenge their detention and removal. The ruling is related to deportations ordered under the Alien Enemies Act. Via NBC NewsThis doesn't apply to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Salvadoran man whose deportation became a focal point of Democratic resistance to Trump's immigration policies. 4. The Trump regime has returned a Guatemalan man who was improperly deported to Mexico, obeying a federal judge’s order. Via Politico5. More than a century after the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, one of the most horrific episodes of racial violence in U.S. history, the city’s mayor announced a $105 million reparations package on Sunday. It is the first large-scale plan committing funds to address the impact of the atrocity. Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols on Sunday unveiled a $105 million reparations plan for the descendants of the Tulsa race massacre — the deadly 1921 attack by a white mob on a Black neighborhood. ABC News Via NY Times( the rest ) | |
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Oz: The monkey's the only cookie animal that gets to wear clothes, you know that?
Willow smiles brightly.
Oz: You have the sweetest smile I've ever seen.
Oz: (continues down the hall) So, I'm wondering, do the other cookie animals feel sorta ripped? Like, is the hippo going, 'Hey, man, where are *my* pants? I have my hippo dignity!'
Willow laughs.
Oz: And you know the monkey's just, (with a French accent) 'I mock you with my monkey pants!'
~~What's My Line? Part 2~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
[Chaptered Fiction]
- With Sprinkles, Chapter 61 by dogbertcarroll, Narsil (Xander, multiple crossovers, M)
- Becoming, Chapter 6 by ElsieHopea (Buffy, Teen Wolf crossover, M)
- The joining of souls, Chapter 23 by Ondeline (Buffy, Tolkien crossover, not rated)
- Red Xandra: Season One, Chapter 35 by Kickaha (Xander, Ensemble, T)
- Saturday, Chapter 3 by PetraMustafina (Buffy/Spike, E)
- Corrigendo Tabulam, Chapter 66 by lyrical_echoes (Willow/Tara, not rated)
- Twelfth Labour, Chapter 13 by xaeyrnofnbe (Angel/Spike, T)
- Chasing the Light, Chapter 21 by CloudSeeker (Angel/Lindsey, E)
- The Blood Of A Slayer, Chapter 6 by Cosmic__Cowgirl (Buffy/Giles, E)
- Buffy and the Slayer, Season 1, Chapter 10 by SunnydaleSentinel (Buffy & Dawn, T)
- Raise of the Hellmouth, Chapter 7 by SidneyPrescottFan (Buffy/Faith, Batwoman and Supergirl crossover, M)
- The Sunnydale Imp, Chapter 42 by Bloodredtiger (OC & Scoobies, not rated)
- Shared Skin, Chapter 8 by Sting99 (Buffy/Faith, E)
- The Bar at the End of the World (Totally edited. Duplicats deleted), Chapter 7 (complete!) by RoseWineGoddess (Buffy, Spike, multiple crossovers, not rated)
- Used to Bite People, Now I’m Tracking IPs with Buffy Bloody Summers, Chapter 5 by Fangellic (Buffy/Spike, M)
- today doesn’t count, Chapter 16 by modestlobster (Buffy/Spike, M)
- The Willow Factor, Chapter 3 by fatalfae, MadeInGold (Buffy/Riley, T)
- Mystical Girl, Chapter 16 by Aya1600 (Buffy/Damon, The Vampire Diaries crossover, G)
- Moonlit Roads, Chapter 6 by Noctiluna (Wynterstorm), Wynterstorm (Xander/Eric Northman, True Blood crossover, M)
- Buffy: Nineteen Years Later, Chapter 1 by Jordietheshortie9012 (Scoobies, G)
- Chez Willy, Chapter 1 by Petite_Laitue (Willy, G, in French)
- Willow's Dream, Chapter 1 by tbssparkle (Willow/Tara, E)
- love's the death of peace of mind, Chapters 1-3 (complete!) by Skyson (Buffy/Giles, E)
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| The Mets lost a game yesterday they should have won, but I guess it doesn't matter that much because they took the season series from the Dodgers, which means if they are both divisional winners and meet in the NLCS in October, the Mets will have home field advantage. I mean, it would have been nice for them to win on a day when both Atlanta and Philly lost, but I guess you can't have everything.
Anyway, staying up for the previous games in the series (they were out in LA) caught up with me and I couldn't keep my eyes open last night, so I ended up going right to bed at 8:30. It wasn't even fully dark yet! But I slept through till 4:15, got up to use the bathroom, and then slept through again till my alarm went off at 8:15, so I guess I really needed it. I had a lot of dreams, but the one that stuck with me was something where I was already in the hospital visiting someone, and the doctor was like, "we need to talk about your appendix, it needs to come out!" And I was like, "that's news to me since I haven't had an appendix since 1976!" (truth!) And she was like, "what?" and I was like, "what?" and then the dream moved on - I don't remember anything else.
There's really not a whole lot else going on. Work is busy - our CFO keeps trying to steal me away from my boss, but like, there's nothing in Finance for me to do? My main job is board support, and that belongs either in legal or the CEO's office, so...*hands* I guess if something ever happened to my position I might consider trying to transfer, but I just don't see how that would work. No one is indispensable, but no one else in this organization does what I do (and frankly, no one else wants to). If a new CEO comes in and has different ideas, that could be a problem, but I'm trying not to think about that too much. There are closer threats to my job right now. *gestures at everything*
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Introducing ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png) seasons_of_fandom, an interactive fandom challenge community/landcomm that allows you to create work for any fandom you can think of! We were previously lands_of_magic, a name we ran under for over 10 years, but we figured we needed a facelift and a name change since it has been a long time since we had only focused on fantasy fandoms. We welcome TV, movies, books, games, music, anime, celebrities... almost anything goes! We have all kinds of challenges- writing, graphics, games, and some challenges that are miscellaneous fanworks! This round we'll also be trying out monthly drabble and icon contests.
We have four wonderful teams- The Spring Court, The Summer Court, The Autumn Court, and The Winter Court.
Sign-ups for new members start today, and though our first round under our new name doesn't start until August, we will have two challenges open before the round officially starts. To sign up, all you have to do is read the rules and fill out the survey here.
We look forward to seeing you there! | |
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Xander: No one is judging you. It's understandable. Spike is strong and mysterious and sort of compact but well-muscled.
Buffy: I am not having sex with Spike! But I'm starting to think that you might be.
~~Intervention~~
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Fake It 'Til You Make It, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Cazzy
- Agape, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms
- Back to the Light, Chapter 14 (Crossover with Dr. Who/Torchwood, Fr18) by MountainKing
- Buffy Slays, Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by violettathepiratequeen
- Woke Up In Love, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms
- Fleur Ephemere, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Maxine Eden
[Fandom Discussions]
Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!
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PHILIP: Do either of you know anything about the key?
ANYA: Nope, but it sounds demony to me. I don't hold with that demon nonsense.
(picks up a basket of muffins and holds it toward Philip)
ANYA: Muffin? I cooked them myself.
~~Checkpoint~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Arrive Before the Birds - ch. 16 by EverythingElse (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) COMPLETE!
- The Deadly Poet’s Society - ch. 7 by Annie Dolnar (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
- Toward a New Unknown - ch. 1-2 by abismos (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Strong Anthropic Principles - ch. 24-25 by acekoomboom (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Things I Can't Spell - ch. 9-10 by Cazzy (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- The Demon With No Name - ch. 6 by Cazzy (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)
- Rewind the Rebound - ch. 3 by Tikiriaaa (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Mile Markers and Blood Moons - ch. 8 by JamesMFan (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Solemates - ch. 7 by Maxine Eden, ClowniestLivEver (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Anti-Hero - ch. 8 by Willow25 (Buffy/Spike, R)
- The Plan - ch. 20 by NotYourGrave (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Artwork: HAPPY PRIDE by shaesinflames (Buffy/Faith, worksafe)
- Artwork: Happy Pride Month! by jackalb0nes (Fanged Four, worksafe)
- Artwork: Been busy prepping for hellmouth con so here’s a happy pride doodle by blue-star-charmer-art (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)
- Artwork: Failwife by peixe-art (Faith, worksafe)
- Artwork: 🤖🤖🤖 by garscrucible (Warren, worksafe)
- Artwork: Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Elizabeth The Severe by elizabeththesevere (Spike, worksafe)
- Icons: Angel — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S02E14 (1998) by slashericons (Angel, worksafe)
- Icons: Drusilla — Buffy the Vampire Slayer, S02E13 & S02E14 (1998) by slashericons (Drusilla, worksafe)
- Icons: like or rb if you save by editshit (Buffy, worksafe)
- Collage: hacker girl turned witchy powerhouse 💻🔮 by just-turned-aesthetic (Willow, worksafe)
- Collage: collage of a girl who saved the world (a lot) 📁 by just-turned-aesthetic (Buffy, worksafe)
- Moodboard: lesbian faith lehane by courtillyy (worksafe)
- Moodboard: wesley x lilah by courtillyy (worksafe)
- Moodboard: polyam greyrose autigender demigirlflux fred burkle by courtillyy (worksafe)
- Moodboard: wesley x fred x gunn by courtillyy (worksafe)
- Meme: the silly Angel/Angelus thing feels like it was made for this meme by aphony-cree (Angel, worksafe)
- Gifset: buffy the vampire slayer, 6x07 “once more, with feeling” (2001) [parallels with] star trek strange new worlds by redcheekdays (ensemble, worksafe)
- Gifset: SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR & ELIZA DUSHKU as BUFFY SUMMERS & FAITH LEHANE S03E14, “Bad Girls” by horrorwomensource (Buffy/Faith, worksafe)
- Gifset: Buffy Summers + Outfits (16/∞) by clarkgriffon (Buffy, worksafe)
- Gifset: spot the difference [anti Spike] by sulietsexual (Spike, worksafe with canon violence)
- Gifset: I really love angel season four for the plot. The plot: by gothamstreetcat (Wesley/Lilah, mildly NSFW)
 
[Reviews & Recaps]
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| I really hate to give up on a book, but sometimes, there are too many other tempting things on the horizon to keep ploughing through an active read in the hopes it gets better. Today I put aside Luck in the Shadows by Lynn Flewelling. While I would have liked to have gone all the way to the end before making a judgement, there just over 9 hours still to go on the audiobook and the book has simply not given me enough to power through that. At nearly 9 hours in (about halfway) my overall feeling towards this book is indifference. Towards the plot, towards the characters, towards the setting. It's very generic fantasy and just doesn't give much to bite onto outside of that. The first half of the plot has some fun adventure elements, but when the mentor-figure, Seregil, becomes incapacitated partway through, the youthful protagonist Alec is simply not enough to carry the story. The second half of the story is more political intrigue, and I can't help but compare it to The Traitor Baru Cormorant which I'm also currently reading, and that comparison does Luck in the Shadows no favors.
Seregil and Alec's escapades are fun, and it's interesting to see the creative ways they go about their tasks, but for me it's not enough to make up for the lackluster plot and detailed but unremarkable worldbuilding. There's a disappointing dearth of women in the story, although one of the fantasy kingdoms in which the second half of the story takes place has been ruled by a succession of queens for centuries. There is some casual queerness in the story which I liked, but when I looked for more reviews on this to help me decide if it was worth pressing on, I learned (SPOILER) that Alec and Seregil become a couple later on. Given that Alec is barely sixteen at the start of this book, and Seregil is a middle-aged man, I'm just not here for it. This is the first book of a series (the Nightrunner series), but my general feeling on series is that it's a cop-out to rely on later books to make up for weaknesses in earlier books. Particularly here, where each book gets longer, the author is asking for me to take a lot on trust that this story will get better with time. I really wanted to like this book, as I really want to like all fantasy novels, but it's just not worth the amount of time investment needed. Also, in general, not looking for stories about adults falling in love with teenagers. Disappointing, but there are other things to move on to. | |
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| 1) Just returned from a road trip from Portland to L.A. Almost had a hitch at the very start when it turned out my partner couldn't take me to pick up the car until 12:30 and the pickup had been scheduled for noon. I figured, not a big deal, right, to move it to 1 PM? Tried doing so with the 800 number since I couldn't seem to alter the reservation (and the local office usually can't be reached). I was told that if the car wasn't picked up by soon after 12 it would no longer be available. That sounded ridiculous, so I went to the office in person. Yup, no problem at all to move it to 1 PM. They told me I couldn't prepay for the pickup since it had to be tied to a specific vehicle. I then asked if I could add the pre-paid fuel and tolls since the Chicago dropoff meant it wouldn't even cost me much more than if I did it myself. No but I could do that online. In fact, I couldn't. I was never offered the option. Despite all this had no trouble with the pickup on the day, nor the drive up other than rain all the way. And I did rather like the light that would flash if someone was coming up on my left or right side to alert me to possible blind spots. The other thing was that as soon as I'd sat in the rental the service agent let me know to ignore the constantly signaling "maintenance warning" light. They had just gotten it back from the dealership and nothing could be found wrong with the car. ( Read more... )The flight was definitely unfun. I had a middle seat and was very tired from a poor night's sleep followed by a 3 hour drive. I tried resting for an hour but gave up and watched Wicked on the in flight panels. I thought it was fine, certainly big budget, some nice dance routines and performances. I was surprised to realize it was only Pt. 1 of the story. I guess it was a good spot to end it to get the audience back in for the sequel. ( Read more... )2) It took me a while but I did catch up on Pillowfort posts. Here at Dreamwidth though one can't scroll back longer than 2 weeks, which was skip=350. So there may be posts from from the 21st I can't see. That said I'm having to skim through a lot because it's a ton of posts and I have things to catch up on now that I'm home again. More on that later. 3) Yesterday was unpacking, laundry, and refrigerator triage before today's weekly shop. I thought I was shockingly tired yesterday given that Monday night I had the most sleep since before the trip and the general stress was over. I even wondered if I was coming down with something but I feel ok today too, just...tired. 4) One nice bit post-trip is that I still had some of K's curry pretzels which she gifted M and me with. People love them so much she was urged to make it a side hustle but she said she didn't have the time for that, and preferred getting to relax rather than have a second job when she came home. She made some to order for Christmas sales a few years ago and said she didn't want to go through that twice. 5) Usually my partner complains that he never has time to watch his TV stuff because he has so little viewing time, and when he does have it we watch things together. My being away is clearly helpful on this front as he's looking forward to some of our joint viewing again 😉 This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6  | |
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ANDREW: Does Buffy know?
XANDER: She didn’t take her phone.
ANDREW: Incommunicado.
WILLOW: Well, we’ll tell her as soon as she gets back.
DAWN: Let’s not.
WILLOW: What? Dawn, she has to know.
DAWN: I know. Just not right away. (beat) Guys, when Mom appeared to me she said—
WILLOW: Dawnie…
DAWN: No, please. She said something about Buffy and I’m thinking… I’m just not so sure Buffy will be happy for me.
~~Buffy Season 7 Episode #134: "Potential"
~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- Let go (Buffy/Faith, T) by Jinxgirl
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Never Ch. 1-7/7 (COMPLETE) (Buffy/Spike, G) by Nixiet
- Cupid’s Match Ch. 1/11 (Buffy/Faith, M) by Fictiongods
- The Night We Met Ch. 13 (Spike/OC, M) by TheSadPoet
- Faith No More Ch. 4 (Buffy/Faith, M) by QuillBard for Blazinwolve
- Make It Stop Ch. 13/13 (COMPLETE) (Buffy/Spike, M) by TheSigyn
- Arrive Before the Birds Ch. 16/16 (COMPLETE) (Buffy/Spike, M) by EverythingElse (CherryGlowSticks)
- Double Date Ch. 15 (Buffy/Giles, E) by Rippertish
- splinter Ch. 6 (Buffy/Kendra/Faith, M) by jetgrl
- Shadow Over Hellmouth Ch. 134/194 (Buffy/Tara, E) by Tuxedo_Mark
- Littered with pinholes, my skin still moves up and down with the shifting of my dreaming blood Ch. 1 (Angel/Giles, G) by willieverlearnbass
- today doesn’t count Ch. 13 (Buffy/Spike, M) by modestlobster
- Welcome to Hellmouthland Ch. 9 (Faith/Tara, M) by MalkMcJorma
- Keep Me Here Ch. 10 (Buffy/Faith, E) by thisyearsgrrl
- The Sunnydale Imp Ch. 39 (Ensemble, unrated) by Bloodredtiger
- Hold Fast the Thread Ch. 21 (Faith/Giles, M) by SchrodingersKatInABox
- First Day of My Life Ch. 1 (Buffy/Faith, E) by hayley128
- Arrive Before the Birds, Chapter 16 (Buffy/Spike, E) by EverythingElse
- Scenes From a Session, Chapter 15 (Buffy/Spike, E) by In Mortal
- Float, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Grief Counseling
- A New Dawn, A New Day, Chapter 1-5 (Buffy/Spike, E) by gwennie
- Things I Can't Spell Ch. 8 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Cazzy
- Scenes From a Session Ch. 15 (Buffy/Spike, E) by In Mortal
- Dead Poet's Inheritance Ch 7 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Soulburnt
- The Zeppo In Time Ch. 18 (Buffy/Spike, E) by CheekyKitten
- Strong Anthropic Principles Ch. 23 (Buffy/Spike, E) by acekoomboom
[Images, Audio & Video]
[Reviews & Recaps]
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| Today, I wandered through the Urban Farm at the foot of Manhattan, in Battery Park. I also sat in the park on a chair on the grass beneath the trees, watching children play. It was a beautiful day, with a slight haze, most likely from the Canadian Wild Fires in the North.  It was a frustrating day, so I needed a break from it. As tempting as it is to regale you all with the details? I'll refrain. Some bad news? Dochawk, you may or may not remember him from the ATPO_BTVS and ATS Fan Discussion Board? His two female cousins were victims of the flame-thrower attack in Boulder, Colorado. ( Read more... )I'm trying to ignore the news for the most part - but keep stumbling upon it, whether I want to or not. Thank you, information age. Been comforting myself by watching and listening to James Marsters Q&A's on youtube. I have a serious crush on that actor. I have crushes on several actors. Cillian Murphy is another one, so too is Hugh Jackman, Robert Downy Jr, David Tennant, Claudia Black, also Juliet Landau, Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Viola Davis, Angela Basset, Jonathon Groff....I am notorious for actor crushes. Marsters said something interesting in regards to a question about Whedon and separating art from the artist. ( Read more... )Been rewatching Buffy as a comfort show - and it still holds up, and rather well at that. I just saw I Only Have Eyes for You - it's an episode that airs late in S2. I'd forgotten most of it. And forgot how good it is. The first few times I'd seen it - I hadn't thought much of it, but now, it resonates in a different way? The writers are commenting on multiple things - and it subverts various tropes. It's actually surprising the network let them do it - back in the 90s. ( spoilers for those who never saw it, is there anyone? )*** I didn't sleep well last night. Ached. And I ache now. Digestive issues, I think? Although did many things in the hopes of counter-acting them. My failing was giving in and having ice cream (Malawi Coffee and Rose Almond both Indian flavors and locally made). I did everything else right - baked salmon with zuccini and summer squash, and lots of water. Oh well, it is what it is. Hopefully I can get the restless legs to calm down enough to sleep. Here's a nice photo to round out this long rambling post.  | |
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| Catburglar of the Constellations by John C. Wright Starquest book 3. Spoilers for the earlier books ahead. ( Read more... ) | |
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| Work was nuts today, especially since I was out on Friday and some of my cow-orkers apparently just waited around for me to come back instead of sending an email themselves. Plus I had 2 committee meetings (unusual - we try not to do that unless we absolutely can't avoid it) but luckily 1 only lasted 15 minutes, so I was able to knock out the minutes in about a similar amount of time. *g*
Yesterday I roasted some ears of corn, and ate 2 for lunch and then scraped the other 3 into a big bowl and the added some crumbled up bacon, 2 pints of really beautiful grape tomatoes, some little pearls of fresh mozzarella, a sliced vidalia onion, and some salt and pepper, oregano, basil, rosemary, and thyme, and dressed it all with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Delicious! I will make some orzo to add to it for lunch over the next couple of days and I am looking forward to it.
I also finally hit upon a good way to cook hotdogs without a grill - in the broiler. I don't eat them very often but a couple times during the summer I get a craving, so when they go on sale, I sometimes snag a pack and some soft, cheap buns to eat with them. Of course, since I have the palate of a 5-year-old, I still prefer ketchup on my hotdogs, but since I live alone, there's no one here to judge me. *g*
*The Dodgers, not the Mets. Sigh.
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| Last night I finished The Twilight Zone by Nona Fernandez, book #9 from the "Women in Translation" rec list. This book was translated from Spanish by Natasha Wimmer. The Twilight Zone is a nonfiction book, part memoir, part investigative journalism piece by Fernandez, first published in 2016. It concerns Fernandez's study of and memories of growing up under the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile. The author is haunted by the traumas of the regime, both those she experienced firsthand and those she heard about from others, and the book in some ways feels like an exercise in simply trying to reconcile those feelings. Fernandez's book is of course very specific to the Chilean experience, and yet core parts of her incisive commentary about both the absurdity and the cruelty of autocracies rings true around the world. The exercises the regime goes through in its constant quest for self-preservation are both ridiculous and brutal, feelings Fernandez captures in her title. The surrealist sci-fi hit show of the 70s fits very well as a metaphor for the often-flailing yet eminently dangerous police state. Fernandez does an excellent job of using her prose to say things not neatly spelled out in words. I was reminded of reading The Things They Carried in high school, and how revelatory it seemed to me at the time how the author could use the style of prose to suggest a character's mental disarrangement without simply saying he was deranged. Fernandez's prose stood out to me in a similar way—how she uses the structure of her words to capture the feelings at play. Equally compelling is the obviously copious amounts of research Fernandez put into her work. She portrays herself as a woman consumed by a quest to find answers about this regime, and it comes across in her work. Names, dates, places, timelines — Fernandez has clearly put in the leg work to piece together the final days of the highlighted victims of the regime as much as can be done. However, the book never comes across like a textbook. Fernandez ably weaves her research into a compelling narrative. Neither does she ever seek to blur the line between the facts and her imagination—she keeps a clean line between what she knows and what she wonders, or imagines. Nevertheless, the questions and suppositions that populate Fernandez's mind feel regrettably natural for anyone in the aggravating circumstances of a mendacious autocracy. She does an excellent job of showing how crazy-making it is to live under such a government, where you are constantly being lied to in direct contradiction of visible facts, and yet there seems to be nothing you can do but either accept the truth or taste the knuckles of the regime. I really enjoyed this read. It breezed by and I can absolutely see what a national treasure Fernandez is as a writer! I would love to see if more of her work has been translated into English; she has a wonderful voice. | |
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| Yes, it's that time again - for the weekly Good News Report from the American Resistance and it's Global Allies in the War against Fascism, Cancer, Disease, and Climate Change, or just trying to fight for kindness and general well-being overall. As always, mileage may vary on what is good news, or good news may well be in the eye of beholder. You can also call it the Hope Report if you prefer. Whatever floats your boat, as my father used to say. ( the Good News Report )*** Reading: When Leaders Attack Judges as Enemies, the Global Authoritarian Play Book and How to Stop It | |
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Lindsey: So this place works for you?
Drusilla: Oh, yeah. (She moves one hand in a circular motion above Darla's body) Grandmother is very pleased with it. - I can tell. - Aren't you, Grandmother? (Leans down over Darla) My daughter.
Lindsey: Can she hear you?
Drusilla: (Turns to him) She's dead.
Lindsey: Oh - of course.
Drusilla: Shh, just for now.
~~Reunion~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
- LUCKY (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Wolfbitch
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Heroes, villains and Slayers, Chapter 10 (Multiple Crossovers, BtVS Ensemble, T) by Stand_with_Ward_and_Queen
- Hold Fast the Thread, Chapter 19 (Giles/Faith, BtVS Ensemble, M) by SchrodingersKatInABox
- today doesn’t count, Chapter 12 (Spike/Buffy, Dawn, M) by modestlobster
- Inside Man//Чоловік, що всередині, Chapter 3 (Spike/Buffy, BtVS Ensemble, Angel, E, Ukrainian) by Uraniya
- Should I Stay or Should I Go, Chapter 1 (Multiple Crossovers, BtVS & AtS Ensembles, M) by ShipsBL
- Visiting Limbo (Complete) (Spike/Buffy, Dawn, E) by Soulburnt
- The Pryce of Tyme, Chapter 11 (Buffy/Spike, BtVS & AtS Ensembles, NC-17) by Joan963z, Ragini
- The Deadly Poet’s Society, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, BtVS Ensemble, PG-13) by Annie Dolnar
- Dawn Pratt, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, BtVS Ensemble, PG-13) by Orange Wombat
- i slithered here from eden (just to sit outside your door), Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, Dawn, BtVS Ensemble, PG-13) by Vicky Pirena
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Artwork: DEAD THINGS (Spuffy, mostly SFW) by miehczyslaw
- Memes: Spike as text posts (Spike, SFW) by dawnmist-sky
- Artwork: Peep the new pfp I made at like 2 this morning (Spike, SFW) by bl00dy-brass-knuckles
- Meme: Last one of these and also the most nonsensical (Not What I'm Called: Spike, SFW) by tiaragloryart
- Fanvid: Angel & Wesley | I take what I can get (SFW) by bacinaru94
- Image: Couple of icons right there. When Buffy met Claire. (SMG & Kathryn Newton, SFW) by dotthings
- Artwork: happy pride months 2025!! (Buffy, Giles, Implied Spangel, SFW) by probablypixel
- Images: I just noticed Jonathan has really small ears (Jonathan, SFW) by garscrucible
- GIFs: Me normal about Spuffy never. Spuffy forever. How can you not look at them. They are so in love. (Spuffy GIFs, SFW) by lilacsandorangeblossoms
- GIFset: BEST OF BTVS: Buffy & Cordelia — Season Two (SFW) by clarkgriffon
- Artwork: "giles, hurry up! you definitely wanna get down here for this!" (Scoobies & Giles, SFW) by officialrapunzelfitzherbert
[Reviews & Recaps]
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WILLOW: Xander, we should go with Giles! He could get in trouble!
XANDER: Oh, he's gone, uh, it's, he's gonna be alright. He's like super librarian, y'know? Everyone forgets, Willow, that knowledge is the ultimate weapon.
~~Never Kill a Boy on the First Date~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
[Chaptered Fiction]
- Dusk's Haven, Ch. 7 by TwilightChild (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)
- Two's Company, Ch. 6 by Serenitey (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Troubling Deaf Heaven, Ch. 17 by JuneCurry (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Multiplicity, Ch. 24–25 by simmony (Buffy/Spike, R)
- i wanna be bad, Ch. 3 by goodbyetoyou (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Strong Anthropic Principles, Ch. 12–17 by acekoomboom (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Dawn Pratt, Ch. 1 by Orange Wombat (Buffy/Spike, G)
- Shadows on the Wall, Ch. 1–2 by zinjadu (Buffy/Spike, R)
- Hearts a Mess, Ch. 11 by splendidchapette (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Things I Can’t Spell, Ch. 6–7 by Cazzy (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Fluer Ephemere, Ch. 1 by Maxine Eden (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)
- Out of Dodge, Ch. 1 by VeroNyxK84 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
- It's a Hellmouth After All, Ch. 1 by Dusty, bookishy (Buffy/Spike, PG-13)
[Images, Audio & Video]
- An attempt at the Doublemeat Palace Official Uniform Hat by amberkendslacy (worksafe)
- Gifset: Spike + Outfits by clarkgriffon (worksafe)
- A sketch of Faith by moonfruito (worksafe)
- A Willow/Oz gifset by starryeyesxx (possibly NSFW, mild sexual situation)
- Jagged Little Slayer, a BtVS fanvid album in progress by periru3 and Tafadhali (0)
- moodboard: bigenderflux lesbian faith lehane by courtillyy (worksafe)
- Screenshots captioned by hal-1500 (Giles/Jenny, worksafe)
- Spike by inkgioo (implied Buffy/Spike, worksafe)
- A Giles/Jenny drawing by mistyintherivers (worksafe)
- Screenshots captioned by saivanmarly (the Trio, worksafe)
- Gifs captioned with text posts and tweets by saivanmarly (Andrew, Willow, Buffy/Spike, other characters, probably worksafe, one sexual situation but no nudity)
- Digital drawings of Spike and the artist by secretshifter-desperate (worksafe)
- A masterpost of graphics by slurping-up-grass (multifandom post, Buffy, Spike, Scoobies, Faith, Willow, worksafe, artist is asking for a blingee login)
- A Bronze coloring book page (in a multifandom post) by songbiirdss (worksafe)
- two twinks, one strap by stitch-away (NYPD Blue crossover, Eddie/Dio Morrisey, smut, not for minors)
- Webweaving: screenshots captioned with Richard Siken's poetry by theloopus (Buffy/Faith, brief sexual reference)
- Meme: Peak sibling dynamic by tiaragloryart (Spike & Dawn, worksafe)
- Different color moodboards for Angel plus a bonus Angelus by wishverse-angel (worksafe)
[Reviews & Recaps]
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[Fandom Discussions]
[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]
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| Marianne Kuzujanakis: Book Review: “Take Joy” by Jane Yolenit is so important to understand that writing is a way of thinking and existing, and not just an act of doing Kelly Hayes: From Aspiration to Action: Organizing Through Exhaustion, Grief, and UncertaintyIt’s easy to pass judgment on ourselves and each other for what we’re “already doing” or failing to do. But as an organizer, I’m concerned with what might motivate or allow people to act differently. Sasha Chapin @ Sasha's Newsletter: How to like everything more: on the skill of enjoymentIn my experience, high-level enjoyment, like a sport, is composed of many interlocking micro-skills that must be trained individually, but which reinforce each other. This is not how enjoyment is taught—the only tip people typically receive re enjoyment is to “be mindful.” I think this is a suggestion to adopt what meditators call “one-pointed focus,” a form of concentrated, narrowed attention on a small portion of conscious experience. It’s a mediocre suggestion for a couple of reasons. First, this is hard to do well, even for seasoned meditators. Second, it is far from the only enjoyment-producing mental motion. Liz Neeley @ Liminal: Week 19: What now & what’s next in science and higher ed Everything is terrible, but I brought you some plums. | |
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| Haven't accomplished much this weekend. It's been cool, and mostly overcast anyhow. I did spend a lot of time looking out on the treetops outside my living room window, and listening to actor podcasts. The news, sigh. I don't know about you? But it is depressing me. And kind of makes me route for a sizable meteor, a tornado, or a green dragon to take out Washington, DC. Never felt that way before. I'm actually terrified of reading the news. Is it just me or has the world just gotten scarier since technology took off? Bad techies. Life would have been so much better if we paid techies and marketing folks fifty cents an hour or very little at all, and sanitation workers, tree planters, forest rangers, and climate change scientist more. Reviews1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler : I finished this on Friday. It took me forever, and I'm not sure I'd recommend reading it now? It's a science fiction novel about the consequences of climate change, with the federal government selling off lands to corporations resulting in societal collapse in the year 2025. A group of hardy and diverse souls decide to walk north to find land, jobs, or a place to live and pick up people along the way. Butler focuses on community building and kindness of strangers. While there is violence earlier in the novel, towards the end, it is less so. The novel ends in the year 2027, and the next one Parable of the Talents begins in 2032, with flashbacks. There's a romance, between the 18 year old heroine and a fifty-seven year old man in the novel that I found kind of odd, considering I'm fifty-eight. Also the novel was published in 1992, and takes place in 2025-2027, so... Some of the things in the novel she gets right about the future - we do have the beginnings of climate change. California is suffering from heat waves and wild fires. We do have an insane federal government that is trying to cater to corporations. What we don't quite have yet is slave labor, keep in mind this is Octavia Butler - and most of her novels tended to focus on slave labor, mainly because she was an African-American Female Science Fiction Writer in the 20th Century. Also, Butler doesn't quite understand state government. So, she gets an alarming amount right, but also quite a bit wrong, which gives me hope at least, if only a smattering. It's a scarier book now than I think it was when it was originally published. And perhaps a more timely one. I recommend but with the caveat that it is unnerving, and disturbing in spots. I have the sequel, but am taking a break from it. It was slow going. I may like it once the current administration in DC is gone. Not sure I can read more of it now - hits a little too close to home and I'm terrified enough by the news. 2. Murderbot - started watching on Apple + and it's better than expected. It seems to follow the novels rather closely and Alexander Starsgaard is pitch perfect casting for the Murderbot. It's funny in places and charming in others, just like the novellas were. Murderbot is adapted from the novella All Systems Collapse along with the other novellas in the Murderbot series by Martha Wells, which were initially published as e-books and audio books several years ago. It has a widely diverse cast, and focuses on a group of hippie research scientists/geologists who purchase a cheap refurbished security protocol bot to take with them to a planet for a research expedition. The Corporations who control the rim planets they are visiting, require that they take a bot with them, so they take the cheapest available, Murderbot. Murderbot - which is what the Bot calls itself, the government name is security unit, has hacked into its own system and basically watches television most of the time, when it doesn't save the stupid humans. We see most everything from its perspective. It has a rather funny running commentary, and we get parodies of space operas as the television shows it's become invested in. (Murderbot reminds me uncomfortably of AI, to be honest. ( Read more... )3. Andor S2 - I've seen one episode. It was good. Took a little while to get into, but well paced. It kind of throws you into the heart of the action without much lead in. And much like the previous season, there is a lot of hoping about between story threads and characters. Took me a little while to figure out where the characters were and what was going on. It's a series about the beginning of the Rebellion against the evil Corporate Empire, and I'm not certain it's the best series to watch now? Hits a little close to home in spots. Such as the bad guys discussing how they need to get a mining planet that specializes in silk clothing, to provide them with it's rick minerals for energy and fusion. The trick is to get the people to rebel, and they can invade and take over. And I'm thinking, this reminds me a lot of what is currently happening in the US government at the moment. I think I would have enjoyed this episode more if Kamala Harris had won or Obama was still President, just saying. As it is, it was giving me the heebie jeebies. I do like the series, however, so will continue with it. *** Currently reading: * Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt, which is about an old cleaning lady at an aquarium who befriends a giant Pacific Octopus. I was told this was a happy book, or comfortable and funny read by folks online. They asked to rec happy or funny or comfort reads, and a lot of folks rec'd this one. ( Read more... )On the Kindle. * The Fair Folk by Su Bristow "It’s 1959. To eight-year-old Felicity—who lives on a dying farm in England—the fairies in the woods have much more to offer than the people in her everyday life. As she becomes more rooted in their world, she learns that their magic is far from safe. Their queen, Elfrida, offers Felicity a gift. But fairy bargains are never what they seem. As an adult, Felicity leaves for university. Unfortunately, books are not her only company at Elfrida and Hobb—the queen’s constant companions—wield the ability to appear at any time, causing havoc in her new friendships and love life. Desperate, Felicity finally begins to explore the true nature of the Fair Folk and their magic. Her ally, the folklorist Professor Edgerley, asks, “What do they want from you?” The answer lies in the distant past, and in the secrets of her own family. As the consequences of the “gift” play out, Felicity must draw on her courage to confront Elfrida, and make the right choice. Interwoven with traditional stories and striking characters, The Fair Folk poses questions about how we care for our children, our land, and our love-hate relationship with what we desire most." Reading in large paperback. Well-written and deliciously creepy in places. *. And almost done with the audio book version of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, the sequel to The Six of Crows. ( Read more... )Heavily references Slavic and Eastern European Myths and Folklore, which I find nicely innovative, most things are Western European Folklore. | |
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| The news keeps pissing me off. I need to stay away from it for a while - and stop sneaking peaks at it from time to time. There's apparently a lot of protests planned today in NYC, and a lot happened on the 27th. I'm no where near them - I live in largely residential area, with lots of trees outside my window and I work at the tip of the Financial District a stone's throw from Battery Park and the Ferries. The protests are in Midtown and the upper West and East Sides of Manhattan, where the tourists and the rich live. Some sad news, just learned legendary comic book writer Peter David died at the age of 68. While writing a series of Spike comics for IDW, he coined or gave the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series character of Spike, his last name. William Pratt - it was a two-pronged inside joke. Prat means fool in British, and it is also the real name of screen legend Boris Karloff - William Pratt, who was a British Gentleman known for playing monsters. The television creators of the series loved the idea so much they kept it. But David is actually best known for his award winning runs writing for Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, X-men, and various others. ( Read more... )He died of various long-running health issues, and complications resulting from kidney disease. In addition, as many may already know, Loretta Swift dies at 87. Best known for the role of Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan from M*A*S*H. She was in the pilot of Cagney and Lacey, but they wouldn't let her out of her MASH contract, so the part was replaced by Sharon Glass. ** Found on FB, not sure if it will post or not.  If you can't see it? It's an ad in the want ads of a paper, that states, ( Read more... )Helen Gilbert of Unitarian Universalist Society: Nooo don't hurt the green dragon. Me: Better yet? Can we convince the green dragon to fly over the White House and/or Marlago Bay instead? (With the caveat that the military refuse to kill it. Hands off the dragon, folks.) Off to bed. I meant to write reviews, but I don't feel like it. Here's another picture instead. Hopefully it will post, no promises.  | |
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| Recs update! ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) unfitforsociety has been updated for May 2025 with 13 story recs and 2 vid recs in 3 fandoms: ✭ 12 Batfamily✭ 1 Star Wars✭ 1 Avengers vid and 1 Star Wars vid*** I bought some string cheese a couple weeks ago on sale and today I breaded and fried it into mozzarella sticks. So good to eat! So messy to clean up after! I slept poorly again last night - I had to shut the window while it was raining, and I don't know if it's the barometric pressure that's been giving me these headaches, but I don't like it. At least this cool rainy weather meant I made it all the way through May without turning on the AC. It looks like I will probably start needed it next week though. Last year, I signed up for the thing where they charge you the same amount each month to smooth out the ups and downs, which I've grown to prefer to the $110 swings in my electric bill come summer. In other news, I learned that there really is a cocoa shortage and I'm not imagining it. So I'm glad I stocked up from King Arthur. Unfortunately, the bag had a small tear in it, so everything in the box it shipped with was covered in a fine dusting of cocoa powder. 🤨 But I washed it all and transferred the cocoa into a ziplock so it's all nice and tidy now. *** | |
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WILLOW: Um ... Buffy, I-I know you're still getting back on your feet after...
BUFFY: Lying flat on my back?
WILLOW: Yeah. Uh, but there's some money stuff we're gonna have to talk to you about.
BUFFY: Okay ... so you're telling me I'm broke?
WILLOW: Not yet, but ...
TARA: Money's definitely becoming an issue.
XANDER: As in your being almost out of it.
BUFFY: But I haven't spent any money. I was all ... dead and frugal.
~~BtVS 6x04 “Flooded”~~
[Drabbles & Short Fiction]
[Chaptered Fiction]
- The Sunnydale Imp, Chapter 35/77 (Buffy, OC, not rated) by Bloodredtiger
- Draugadrottinn:, Chapter 13/90 (Tara/Willow, E) by VladimirHarkonnen (TheLightdancer)
- You Make Slaying Fun, Chapter 12/? (Buffy/Spike, E) by cosplayermadness
- today doesn’t count, Chapter 10/148 (Buffy/Spike, M) by modestlobster
- The Order of Chaos, Chapter 11/11 COMPLETE! (Buffy/Faith, M) by StakeAndEggs
- undone with you, Chapter 7/8 (Buffy/Giles, E) by guin_ramble, TheScholarlyStrumpet (equipoise)
- Primal, Chapter 8/8 COMPLETE! (Buffy/Spike, E) by eevol76vamp
- Twisted Vine, Chapter 11/? (Buffy/Giles, E) by Sdhuskerfan
- Visiting Limbo, Chapter 12/13 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Soulburnt
- Hold Fast the Thread, Chapter 12/? (Giles/Faith, M) by SchrodingersKatInABox
- The Zeppo In Time, Chapter 17 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by CheekyKitten
- Things I Can't Spell, Chapter 6 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Cazzy
- I'll Return to You In Time, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Penny1880
- Slayer and savior book one: neverland nightmare, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Jonas
- Sojourns in Heaven, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by elements
- I Spy, Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Geliot99
- Rebehold the Stars (Love from the Other Side of the Apocalypse), Chapter 21 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Asokatanos
[Images, Audio & Video]
- Artwork: Connor sketch for greensword101 based on their AU (worksafe) by artsying-ifer
- Artwork: pushing my fred-bear propaganda (Fred Burkle, worksafe) by lottieshaunas
- Artwork: [Drawing of Warren Mears] (worksafe) by garscrucible
- Artwork: trying to learn how to draw these freaks (Buffy, Spike, worksafe) by theguest2
- Gifset: WILLOW ROSENBERG + up-dos (worksafe) by clarkgriffon
- Artwork: [Drawing of the Trio] (worksafe) by garscrucible
- Gifset: [Buffy/Angel from ep. Graduation Day] (Buffy/Angel, mildly NSFW) by anjelia3
- Artwork: Digital comm for my bud greensword101 of Spike (worksafe) by betasuppe
- Artwork: very fond of this particular comics-exclusive duo (Spike, worksafe) by xaeyrnofnbe
- Artwork: I can hear Dru giggling through this sketch… (worksafe) by clever-creature
- Artwork: I think they would’ve served just about everything dressing up as hilson (AU Willow and Buffy, worksafe) by pzyii
- Artwork: [Drawing/Manip of Warren] (worksafe) by garscrucible
- Artwork: trying to figure out s7 Willow’s hair for the comic (worksafe) by yarboyandy
- Text posts: The last of my Buffy textposts :( (Giles, Faith, Buffy, Sprusilla, worksafe) by ihavenoconsistentinterests
- Artwork: sprusilla based on real events (worksafe) by maccadot
- Text posts: buffy + text posts pt 2 ✦ BTVS text post memes ✦ (Buffy, worksafe) by calendials
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| 28. When was the last time you wore flip-flops (Zories/thongs)? I don't tend to like them? They hurt my feet. I have high arches (kind of like Barbie), and I live in NYC which just....isn't conducive for thongs. Folks wear them. But city living and thongs don't quite go hand in hand. This is for folks who drive everywhere or live near the beach. That said, I have a pair. And I last wore it? At the beach in Martha's Vineyard over seven years ago. 29. Do you like mustard? What type, and what do you put it on? Yes. Grey Poupon or hot mustard. Although depends. I prefer fries with mustard. And mustard on a hamburger, hot dog, or in potato salad. I am not a mayo fan. 30. It’s the International Day of the Potato! What is your favourite way to eat potatoes? My mother's potato salad, which had some mayo, mustard, and sweet pickles along with onion. Also fried - either french fries or hash browns 31. It’s Clint Eastwood’s birthday – have you seen any of his films? Do you have a favourite? Way too many. Hmm...The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or maybe Two Mules for Sister Sara with Shirley McLaine. JUNE: ( Read more... )Now, I'm ahead. Yay. ** While listening to Schmactors this morning (they were discussing Madonna's music for some reason or other...) and one of the actors loved Madonna's music and the other didn't. And it reminded me of how I'd gotten into fights years ago with people over Madonna. I'm not involve with either individual any longer. One moved away and I barely see them on Facebook, the other, alas is dead (may they rest in peace). We didn't break up over Madonna. So no worries on that front. Guess which side of the fight I was on? ( Read more... ) | |
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