horror fic recs
May. 11th, 2026 03:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snickfic posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
recthethingMade some horror fic recs! Miss Marple, The Thing, Apostle, Anaconda, The Descent, all here at my journal. :)
snickfic posting in recthething
Puzzle: Chairs!
May. 11th, 2026 06:02 pmstonepicnicking_okapiOne of my favorite ways to observe any holiday is with a jigsaw puzzle so yesterday, Mother's Day, I did this one. I bought it at the yard sale fundraiser for the music program boosters of Minor's high school (I got 2 for $1). I can't say I recommend it because the pieces don't lock very well at all (so one bump of a knee and your hard work is ruined). Nevertheless, it served its purpose. I did it in one sitting. 350 pieces. Artbox.
PWHL Trinket Trade Idea
May. 11th, 2026 03:01 pmolivermoss
In chat for PWHL games, people call the NHL the MNHL because if all women's sports need a W stuck in there, we're going to stick Ms into boy sports. This gave me the idea to do a logo edit to make buttons of. The lettering isn't perfect... (But don't ask how much it took for me to get it that decent) Most people wouldn't catch the reference, but I feel like making a logo edit (hopefully, maybe) somewhat explains the joke.
The main viewership for PWHL games are on youtube with a moderated chat, which is heavily shaping PWHL fan culture right now. MNHL, hocket, RTPTPP, negotiations, etc all come from there.
Also, at games people do trinket trades! I have some stickers and also a necklace with a glass pendant in Torrent colors that I've been given at events. I had planned to have items for the trinket trade at the pride game, but the project I started wound up being bigger than I could get done in time. I am still doing that project, but I am also working on a pin set because I've made lots of pins over the years. Pin designs, doing something I know how to do, what a concept. I have my own button maker, sized 1.25" I am working on some other designs as well.
I am fine with this being a joke only some people get, but at first glance how does the image read? I've got a long time before the
30 Days of Blake's 7 - Day 11
May. 11th, 2026 09:32 pmjulesjones Day 11: Best SFX / most woeful use of SFX
Best SFX: the Liberator. I love that ship. It is stunningly beautiful, especially that shot where it seems to be simply hanging in space. It was a genuinely alien concept, wonderfully brought to life. The team working on the new SFX that are an option on the Blu-ray did her proud with the new model work.
Most woeful use of SFX: There are a number of candidates. :-) Since we've been talking about Harvest of Kairos a lot, let's give an award to Brian the Spider for managing to not be the most awful thing about the episode. Unfortunately, the Liberator makes it into this category as well, at least in its "unconvincing cardboard cutout" incarnation. One of the nice things about the new SFX is that having built a new hero model, they also had the budget to film a lot more shots of the model than the original SFX team did.
Best SFX: the Liberator. I love that ship. It is stunningly beautiful, especially that shot where it seems to be simply hanging in space. It was a genuinely alien concept, wonderfully brought to life. The team working on the new SFX that are an option on the Blu-ray did her proud with the new model work.
Most woeful use of SFX: There are a number of candidates. :-) Since we've been talking about Harvest of Kairos a lot, let's give an award to Brian the Spider for managing to not be the most awful thing about the episode. Unfortunately, the Liberator makes it into this category as well, at least in its "unconvincing cardboard cutout" incarnation. One of the nice things about the new SFX is that having built a new hero model, they also had the budget to film a lot more shots of the model than the original SFX team did.
Daily Check-In: Day 11
May. 11th, 2026 04:15 pmmiscellaneous_section posting in writethisfanficHello!
Did you get some writing in today?
Did you get some writing in today?
- Yes
- No
- I thought about it here and there.
We did it! Also, OOF
May. 11th, 2026 07:31 pmthe_shoshannaToday the weather was absolutely gorgeous, sunny and mildly warm and a steady wind from the north -- and that last was important because today was our day to do a challenging hike along the north coast, and the last thing you want is a wind blowing you off the cliff!
We had another huge breakfast at the guesthouse -- honestly, I'm becoming less able to eat them as the week goes on. I'm just not used to either that much volume of food at breakfast, or that much dietary fat; fat is very filling! And today's omelet/scramble included the bacon I didn't eat yesterday. We asked for vegetables tomorrow, lots of veggies please. After that I think I may opt out of cooked breakfast entirely for a day or so, and just have muesli with fruit and milk; it's still got a lot of nuts, but that fat doesn't gorge me the way eggs and bacon do.
Anyway, after that we caught a bus up to the northwest corner of the island, to a ruin called Grosnez Castle. We weren't quite sure which way it was from the bus stop, but we got to chatting with a slightly older couple who had also gotten off the bus, and they were confident it was thataway, so off we all went. Except that we walked faster than them, and anyway they were going to be turning left/counterclockwise at the edge of the land to go geocaching, while we were turning right/clockwise to pick up a coastal trail. A few days ago we overheard a woman complaining to a group of friends that the trail she'd tried to follow had been really poorly marked and she'd ended up walking several kilometers further than she should have had to, but we found it pretty clear throughout the day; the path was always obvious, and there were occasional signs. The only problem was that sometimes there were a couple of possible paths and we weren't sure which one was best -- but I had downloaded a GPS app and loaded into it a trail from I think it was a Jersey Heritage site? Anyway it kept us on the extremely curvy and narrow.
We didn't bother exploring the castle ruin, because we wanted to get walking; we knew where we were hoping to end up but really weren't sure how long it would take us to get there. So off we went!
The trail was much like the cliff trails we were on in Wales last year: narrow, often only a yard or so from Certain Death but safe enough if you weren't stupid about it, with absolutely gorgeous views along the cliffs and out to sea, where we could see Guernsey and Sark (and probably Herm too) in the distance. And also France, but that's old hat to us by now. (I was amused to get a text from our mobile-phone provider informing me that I was now roaming on a French network, though!) We tromped along happily, admiring everything including our own stamina. There was a lot of up and down, as the trail wended its way through and around and down into the places where the sea has cut deeply into the land.
There are supposed to be a few puffins in that area, a small colony, but we didn't expect to see them, and indeed we did not. We did, however, see the giant statue of a pair of puffins that has been put up to mark their presence!
We had caught a 10:30 bus and started walking at 11:30, and at about 1:30 we arrived in the town of Grève de Lecq, which greeted us with perfectly salubrious public toilets, and a beautiful curving stretch of sand beach, and a very nice beachside cafe with outdoor seating. As I said to Geoff, that's my kind of hiking: rugged terrain, gorgeous views, crashing ocean waves, and a pub every two hours! We split a pint of Liberation ale (unfortunately no longer actually brewed on Jersey) and a piping hot plate of chips with a sort of chili mayo dip, and Geoff also bought me a bottle of water, because I hate the taste of the tap water at our guesthouse and had meant to bring an empty water bottle to fill along the way but forgot. (Look, I was managing all the logistics of getting us to the start of the hike, and keeping us on the right trail, and keeping an eye on the bus times to get us home again from various possible bailout points, and I did remember to bring the bag of trail mix. I dropped one stitch. And then I had a bottle of tasty water anyway!)
We headed out again at two, but fortunately only got about five minutes down the road before Geoff realized he'd left his camera on the table! So I waited while he went back for it; the waitress had kindly set it aside when she saw it had been forgotten. So Geoff ended up walking a bit further than me today, and accordingly has slightly greater bragging rights 😀
Anyway, from there we continued on the same kind of cliffside trail (and occasionally road), except that we made a small detour around a recreational shooting range that was flying the red flags that meant, according to all the signs, ACTIVE SHOOTING IN PROGRESS, DO NOT ENTER. We did not enter! We did see a couple of guys with bows as we skirted the edge of the restricted area, and a little further on we heard a fair amount of gunfire.
Right at the point where we detoured, we also stopped to look at some odd-looking sheep grazing in a field beside the road. Another couple of hikers were already there, looking at the sheep and chatting with the shepherd, a young man who was happy to tell us that they were an unusual breed called Manx Loaghtan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_Loaghtan); he said, and we could see, that they often had four horns, but Wikipedia says they sometimes have six! We definitely didn't see any six-horned ones. And a signpost next to the field he and they were in told us that the conical hill in the center of the field, on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, was an ancient hill fort, which had been fortified in various ways by multiple succeeding cultures and forces. So much history, just lying around everywhere!
We walked past many many potato fields, and startled several grouse out of the gorse as we walked by, and saw a tractor moving through a field and followed by a flock of hopeful gulls (or similar), and encountered a fair number of other walkers, either coming the other way or overtaking us. We don't generally overtake others, except for one older couple whom we leapfrogged a few times as we and they alternately stopped to rest, snack, or don or doff layers. Strange to think that we also qualify as an older couple now!
We made it to our ultimate goal, the evocatively named Devil's Hole, a deep crater and blowhole in the oceanside cliff, at about 3:15. Except that we weren't actually there yet; we had arrived at the Devil's Hole bus stop, from which we could get home, but the Devil's Hole itself was a ten-minute walk further on, steeply down through woods as we approached the edge of the water. Climbing back up was not fun ("ten minutes there, fifteen minutes back"), but the Devil's Hole itself was worth it: a wide and dramatically deep and dangerous hole in the rock, and fascinating to stare down into. A signboard warned onlookers that the ground beyond the constructed path and viewing platform was crumbly and unstable, adding, almost but not quite in these words, "Jersey Fire and Rescue rescues twenty or thirty people a year who try to climb down there and can't get back up, don't be a dumbass!" It was indeed sooooo tempting to hop the fence just to get a better look down the throat of the crater, but we generally try not to be dumbasses, so we did not. Sadly it was low tide, so the seawater was not crashing in the crater, but we could see it ominously slapping around at the bottom, as the waves washed the outer side of the rock.
There was also a big statue of the devil beside the path down, mostly cheesy but fun to see.
We slogged back up the path to the parking lot where the bus would stop, had about twenty minutes to sit and rest, and then the bus arrived that would take us back home! Excellent timing. Well, first it took us five or six stops further out, to the end of its route, and then it turned around and took us home.
You could not pay me to drive on these roads. The roadway was often barely six inches wider than the bus, and yet was a two-way road; several times either the bus or the oncoming vehicle had to brake hard, back up, and pull into some invisible but marginally wider spot -- or just into someone's driveway -- so that we could squeeze past each other. Truck drivers and oncoming buses often flipped their rear-view mirrors in to make more room. In the more rural northern part of the route, the bus driver often honked several times as he approached blind curves. If there was a bicyclist in the road, there would often be a line of several cars creeping along behind them, since it was rarely possible to get around them (and you couldn't pay me to bike these roads either). As an admiring and occasionally freaked out passenger, though, bus rides like that are pretty cool! Also, the bus we took home was a newer one, and it actually announced every upcoming stop both aloud and on an electronic screen, which was remarkably civilized compared to the way I'd had to carefully track our progress on previous bus rides so as to know where we were and when we should get off. It wasn't actually helpful, though, since we were going to the end of the line, the big main bus station in the center of town, so we didn't need help identifying it. But it's good to know that some buses, at least, have that system!
Rather than get home and then drag ourselves out again for dinner, on our way home from the bus station we stopped at a likely-looking pub that had outdoor seating and split a big order of fish and chips; a "coronation chicken tart" that turned out to be curried chicken salad on top of a flaky pastry, garnished with salad greens; and another pint of Liberation Ale. Then back to the room for collapsing, showering, and blogging. And here we are!
Spoiler: we did not get blown off the cliff.
We had another huge breakfast at the guesthouse -- honestly, I'm becoming less able to eat them as the week goes on. I'm just not used to either that much volume of food at breakfast, or that much dietary fat; fat is very filling! And today's omelet/scramble included the bacon I didn't eat yesterday. We asked for vegetables tomorrow, lots of veggies please. After that I think I may opt out of cooked breakfast entirely for a day or so, and just have muesli with fruit and milk; it's still got a lot of nuts, but that fat doesn't gorge me the way eggs and bacon do.
Anyway, after that we caught a bus up to the northwest corner of the island, to a ruin called Grosnez Castle. We weren't quite sure which way it was from the bus stop, but we got to chatting with a slightly older couple who had also gotten off the bus, and they were confident it was thataway, so off we all went. Except that we walked faster than them, and anyway they were going to be turning left/counterclockwise at the edge of the land to go geocaching, while we were turning right/clockwise to pick up a coastal trail. A few days ago we overheard a woman complaining to a group of friends that the trail she'd tried to follow had been really poorly marked and she'd ended up walking several kilometers further than she should have had to, but we found it pretty clear throughout the day; the path was always obvious, and there were occasional signs. The only problem was that sometimes there were a couple of possible paths and we weren't sure which one was best -- but I had downloaded a GPS app and loaded into it a trail from I think it was a Jersey Heritage site? Anyway it kept us on the extremely curvy and narrow.
We didn't bother exploring the castle ruin, because we wanted to get walking; we knew where we were hoping to end up but really weren't sure how long it would take us to get there. So off we went!
The trail was much like the cliff trails we were on in Wales last year: narrow, often only a yard or so from Certain Death but safe enough if you weren't stupid about it, with absolutely gorgeous views along the cliffs and out to sea, where we could see Guernsey and Sark (and probably Herm too) in the distance. And also France, but that's old hat to us by now. (I was amused to get a text from our mobile-phone provider informing me that I was now roaming on a French network, though!) We tromped along happily, admiring everything including our own stamina. There was a lot of up and down, as the trail wended its way through and around and down into the places where the sea has cut deeply into the land.
There are supposed to be a few puffins in that area, a small colony, but we didn't expect to see them, and indeed we did not. We did, however, see the giant statue of a pair of puffins that has been put up to mark their presence!
We had caught a 10:30 bus and started walking at 11:30, and at about 1:30 we arrived in the town of Grève de Lecq, which greeted us with perfectly salubrious public toilets, and a beautiful curving stretch of sand beach, and a very nice beachside cafe with outdoor seating. As I said to Geoff, that's my kind of hiking: rugged terrain, gorgeous views, crashing ocean waves, and a pub every two hours! We split a pint of Liberation ale (unfortunately no longer actually brewed on Jersey) and a piping hot plate of chips with a sort of chili mayo dip, and Geoff also bought me a bottle of water, because I hate the taste of the tap water at our guesthouse and had meant to bring an empty water bottle to fill along the way but forgot. (Look, I was managing all the logistics of getting us to the start of the hike, and keeping us on the right trail, and keeping an eye on the bus times to get us home again from various possible bailout points, and I did remember to bring the bag of trail mix. I dropped one stitch. And then I had a bottle of tasty water anyway!)
We headed out again at two, but fortunately only got about five minutes down the road before Geoff realized he'd left his camera on the table! So I waited while he went back for it; the waitress had kindly set it aside when she saw it had been forgotten. So Geoff ended up walking a bit further than me today, and accordingly has slightly greater bragging rights 😀
Anyway, from there we continued on the same kind of cliffside trail (and occasionally road), except that we made a small detour around a recreational shooting range that was flying the red flags that meant, according to all the signs, ACTIVE SHOOTING IN PROGRESS, DO NOT ENTER. We did not enter! We did see a couple of guys with bows as we skirted the edge of the restricted area, and a little further on we heard a fair amount of gunfire.
Right at the point where we detoured, we also stopped to look at some odd-looking sheep grazing in a field beside the road. Another couple of hikers were already there, looking at the sheep and chatting with the shepherd, a young man who was happy to tell us that they were an unusual breed called Manx Loaghtan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_Loaghtan); he said, and we could see, that they often had four horns, but Wikipedia says they sometimes have six! We definitely didn't see any six-horned ones. And a signpost next to the field he and they were in told us that the conical hill in the center of the field, on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, was an ancient hill fort, which had been fortified in various ways by multiple succeeding cultures and forces. So much history, just lying around everywhere!
We walked past many many potato fields, and startled several grouse out of the gorse as we walked by, and saw a tractor moving through a field and followed by a flock of hopeful gulls (or similar), and encountered a fair number of other walkers, either coming the other way or overtaking us. We don't generally overtake others, except for one older couple whom we leapfrogged a few times as we and they alternately stopped to rest, snack, or don or doff layers. Strange to think that we also qualify as an older couple now!
We made it to our ultimate goal, the evocatively named Devil's Hole, a deep crater and blowhole in the oceanside cliff, at about 3:15. Except that we weren't actually there yet; we had arrived at the Devil's Hole bus stop, from which we could get home, but the Devil's Hole itself was a ten-minute walk further on, steeply down through woods as we approached the edge of the water. Climbing back up was not fun ("ten minutes there, fifteen minutes back"), but the Devil's Hole itself was worth it: a wide and dramatically deep and dangerous hole in the rock, and fascinating to stare down into. A signboard warned onlookers that the ground beyond the constructed path and viewing platform was crumbly and unstable, adding, almost but not quite in these words, "Jersey Fire and Rescue rescues twenty or thirty people a year who try to climb down there and can't get back up, don't be a dumbass!" It was indeed sooooo tempting to hop the fence just to get a better look down the throat of the crater, but we generally try not to be dumbasses, so we did not. Sadly it was low tide, so the seawater was not crashing in the crater, but we could see it ominously slapping around at the bottom, as the waves washed the outer side of the rock.
There was also a big statue of the devil beside the path down, mostly cheesy but fun to see.
We slogged back up the path to the parking lot where the bus would stop, had about twenty minutes to sit and rest, and then the bus arrived that would take us back home! Excellent timing. Well, first it took us five or six stops further out, to the end of its route, and then it turned around and took us home.
You could not pay me to drive on these roads. The roadway was often barely six inches wider than the bus, and yet was a two-way road; several times either the bus or the oncoming vehicle had to brake hard, back up, and pull into some invisible but marginally wider spot -- or just into someone's driveway -- so that we could squeeze past each other. Truck drivers and oncoming buses often flipped their rear-view mirrors in to make more room. In the more rural northern part of the route, the bus driver often honked several times as he approached blind curves. If there was a bicyclist in the road, there would often be a line of several cars creeping along behind them, since it was rarely possible to get around them (and you couldn't pay me to bike these roads either). As an admiring and occasionally freaked out passenger, though, bus rides like that are pretty cool! Also, the bus we took home was a newer one, and it actually announced every upcoming stop both aloud and on an electronic screen, which was remarkably civilized compared to the way I'd had to carefully track our progress on previous bus rides so as to know where we were and when we should get off. It wasn't actually helpful, though, since we were going to the end of the line, the big main bus station in the center of town, so we didn't need help identifying it. But it's good to know that some buses, at least, have that system!
Rather than get home and then drag ourselves out again for dinner, on our way home from the bus station we stopped at a likely-looking pub that had outdoor seating and split a big order of fish and chips; a "coronation chicken tart" that turned out to be curried chicken salad on top of a flaky pastry, garnished with salad greens; and another pint of Liberation Ale. Then back to the room for collapsing, showering, and blogging. And here we are!
Éalú (2025)
May. 11th, 2026 03:11 pmpauraqueÉalú (Irish for "escape") is a puzzle game where you play as a mouse trying to find a way out of a diabolical maze. What caught my eye about it is that it's stop-motion animated—not digital art in the style of stop-motion, but actual video clips of physical hand-built rooms and models made of wood and wire.
It's a simple one-click interface where you just interact with things. The puzzles are, unsurprisingly, of a very concrete physical nature: Turn a handle in this room to change something in another room, or press buttons on a box to rotate a mechanism until things line up. Successful puzzle solves unlock doors to new areas. Thorough exploration is rewarded, as you may find clues to puzzles in distant rooms—but also punished, as seemingly innocuous and even attractive objects may instantly kill you and send you back to the start of the maze. (If you cannot handle the thought of the cute wooden mouse dying, do not play this game.) But you get unlimited second chances, armed with new knowledge each time you venture out again.
( cut for length )
Éalú is on Steam for $14.99 USD. It's advertised as taking 2-4 hours, which is probably about right. I completed it with all achievements (well, except the one achievement that's currently bugged) in a little under three hours, but I've played a lot of puzzle games. The price may seem high for the duration, but on the other hand, stop-motion animation is incredibly laborious, so I feel like it's fair to give some leeway for that, and I don't think it feels incomplete or needed to be more than what it is.
It's a simple one-click interface where you just interact with things. The puzzles are, unsurprisingly, of a very concrete physical nature: Turn a handle in this room to change something in another room, or press buttons on a box to rotate a mechanism until things line up. Successful puzzle solves unlock doors to new areas. Thorough exploration is rewarded, as you may find clues to puzzles in distant rooms—but also punished, as seemingly innocuous and even attractive objects may instantly kill you and send you back to the start of the maze. (If you cannot handle the thought of the cute wooden mouse dying, do not play this game.) But you get unlimited second chances, armed with new knowledge each time you venture out again.
( cut for length )
Éalú is on Steam for $14.99 USD. It's advertised as taking 2-4 hours, which is probably about right. I completed it with all achievements (well, except the one achievement that's currently bugged) in a little under three hours, but I've played a lot of puzzle games. The price may seem high for the duration, but on the other hand, stop-motion animation is incredibly laborious, so I feel like it's fair to give some leeway for that, and I don't think it feels incomplete or needed to be more than what it is.
Palestine
May. 11th, 2026 07:39 pmelisiIts Bisan From Gaza, This Is Life After 'Ceasefire'
~
BBC: Return of Palestine Marathon attracts thousands of runners
~
Resources for Palestinian Liberation
~
And a useful link for anyone wanting to contact politicians, national or local (about anything):
https://www.writetothem.com/
~
And finally, maybe this fits here too:
“There’s no hope for the future.” And that’s how they felt during the Atomic Age, during the World Wars, during the Enlightenment Revolutions, during thr plagues, during the Viking raids, during the fall of Rome.
Yet, we persisted.
CS Lewis had something to say about this <- excellent Tumblr post
~
BBC: Return of Palestine Marathon attracts thousands of runners
~
Resources for Palestinian Liberation
~
And a useful link for anyone wanting to contact politicians, national or local (about anything):
https://www.writetothem.com/
~
And finally, maybe this fits here too:
“There’s no hope for the future.” And that’s how they felt during the Atomic Age, during the World Wars, during the Enlightenment Revolutions, during thr plagues, during the Viking raids, during the fall of Rome.
Yet, we persisted.
CS Lewis had something to say about this <- excellent Tumblr post
huh?
May. 11th, 2026 02:55 pmtwistedchickSomewhere along the last few years my Introvert/Extrovert balance must have shifted to the left.
My doctor ordered a blood test that requires a 12-hour fast, so I did the fast, went to get the test first thing after I woke up, then went with the SU to our favorite deli, which was normally busy, and got home -- and I am completely exhausted. Too many people in too little time, also in too small a space. Yet this is the deli we've been going to since 1989, except that we weren't there for the last six years. The food is great, the wait staff is friendly and longterm -- I saw a couple of people who've worked there for more than a decade -- and it's a good place.
Yet I am feeling radically overpeopled, as if I'd had to sing an opera in the round, with no wings at the side of the stage to rest in.
Next time, one or the other; clinic or deli. Not both.
ETA: Also, I am having trouble with Etsy. It won't let me sign in with my always-used email, kitmason@gmail.com. And I can't contact Customer Service to ask them why this is happening because they are only contacted once you've signed in. Suggestions, anyone?
My doctor ordered a blood test that requires a 12-hour fast, so I did the fast, went to get the test first thing after I woke up, then went with the SU to our favorite deli, which was normally busy, and got home -- and I am completely exhausted. Too many people in too little time, also in too small a space. Yet this is the deli we've been going to since 1989, except that we weren't there for the last six years. The food is great, the wait staff is friendly and longterm -- I saw a couple of people who've worked there for more than a decade -- and it's a good place.
Yet I am feeling radically overpeopled, as if I'd had to sing an opera in the round, with no wings at the side of the stage to rest in.
Next time, one or the other; clinic or deli. Not both.
ETA: Also, I am having trouble with Etsy. It won't let me sign in with my always-used email, kitmason@gmail.com. And I can't contact Customer Service to ask them why this is happening because they are only contacted once you've signed in. Suggestions, anyone?
Well, minuses and pluses I suppose
May. 11th, 2026 07:30 pmoursinHaving spent a fair amount of time last week finally doing some prep for forthcoming talk on condomz - well, at least pulling together existing visuals from former presentations and digging up a few fresh items to create suitable slides - get message that advance bookings are being very laggardly (apparently a problem with event programme generally?) and they may have to cancel.
SIGH, though I feel this is not lost work and may very well come in useful at some time.
And of course they may not have to cancel, bookings may pick up I suppose.
In rather more cheery news, a little while ago I bopped off an enquiry to The Academic Press with which I published The Co-authored Volume, since I have not heard from them for many a year, and in spite of the fact that lo, 'tis over twenty years now since it burst upon the world, it is still in print. (And still getting cited, yay.)
And I must say their website was a bit of a nightmare to navigate and I ended up sending a plaintive message to a very generic enquiry email as I could not find any other relevant one to apply to.
Behold, I have heard from an Accounts person that they sent a cheque to Former Workplace in 2020 (hah!) which was never cashed, surprise - what between lockdown and the various staff upheavals I was not at all astonished to hear this - but they have now sent me a statement of the royalties accruing (a very modest sum) and asking for my bank details.
Which is better than a bat in the eye with a burnt stick, do admit.
(I am not sure whether the royalties match up to the amounts earned for the same work via the Authors' Licensing and Copyright Society over the same period, but I am not sure that I am massively motivated to check.)
Bundle of Holding: Atomic Robo (from 2021) & Atomic Robo New Era
May. 11th, 2026 02:17 pmjames_davis_nicoll
Nine complete .PDF graphic albums of the Atomic Robo comic series from Tesladyne LLC, plus the 2014 Atomic Robo RPG tabletop roleplaying game from Evil Hat Productions.
Bundle of Holding: Atomic Robo (from 2021)
Eight more albums of Robo's continuing adventures for an unbeatable bargain price.
Bundle of Holding: Atomic Robo New Era
A couple of links
May. 11th, 2026 06:52 pmelisiFrom reddit: Jameela Jamil challenges the idea that women are naturally submissive and obedient
Did you know that Private Eye has a podcast?
Main page and on YouTube. A lot of good commentary.
Did you know that Private Eye has a podcast?
Main page and on YouTube. A lot of good commentary.
Via Kerk
May. 11th, 2026 06:09 pmelisiWhen the President Declared Martial Law in South Korea!
In this video, Hana from Korea shares a "Survival Manual" from South Korea to the U.S.
From the "Silver Siege" tactics to the "Philosophy of Joy (Heung)," here is how ordinary citizens defeated the army and the elite cartel.
Don't trust the system. Don't wait for heroes.
Trust your neighbor and yourself.
In this video, Hana from Korea shares a "Survival Manual" from South Korea to the U.S.
From the "Silver Siege" tactics to the "Philosophy of Joy (Heung)," here is how ordinary citizens defeated the army and the elite cartel.
Don't trust the system. Don't wait for heroes.
Trust your neighbor and yourself.
6 to 7 by Nuis Bonno
May. 11th, 2026 07:04 pmreviews_and_ramblings
Rokuto and Nanami are childhood friends and lovers. Despite his cold personality, Nanami likes to be pampered, and his boyfriend thinks he is adorable. However, Rokuto notices that something feels off about Nanami and, without thinking, asks if he is hiding something. Nanami's strange behavior gets stranger...
My Rate: 7
6 to 7 (or Roku to Nana) by Nuis Bonno is a supernatural horror/psychological thriller BL. The "comforting domesticity" is essentially a facade for a much more unsettling story. The story centers on Nanami (7), a man who lost his lover, Rokuto, in a tragic accident. However, one day Rokuto suddenly returns, looking exactly the same and acting as if nothing happened. The "horror" stems from the fact that Nanami knows this thing is not human, yet he is so consumed by grief that he chooses to live with the entity anyway. Much of the tension comes from Rokuto’s non-human nature. He has no navel (as he wasn't "born"), and he struggles to mimic human social cues perfectly. There is a constant, creeping dread that "Rokuto" is just a predator wearing a familiar face. Readers often compare the vibe to The Summer Hikaru Died. It deals with an eldritch or "non-human" entity trying to understand human love and intimacy, which often results in body horror or psychological manipulation. As the chapters progress, the darker nature of the entity is revealed. Rokuto is driven by instincts that are decidedly not human, including scenes where he discovers others of his kind feeding on people. The horror isn't just in the monster, but in Nanami’s complicity. He is a "willing victim" who would rather live with a dangerous creature that looks like his dead boyfriend than face the reality of his loss. If you go in expecting a fluffy romance, you will be deeply unsettled. 6 to 7 is a disturbing, atmospheric thriller that explores the thin line between love and madness. Nuis Bonno’s clean art style actually enhances the horror by making the "wrongness" of Rokuto stand out even more against the mundane backdrop of their daily lives. This manga contains graphic imagery, body horror, and psychological themes that may be triggering for some readers.
Monday
May. 11th, 2026 08:42 amsusandennisWell, let's see... yesterday, Bonny came over, Noelle came by, Jackie got scammed.
Bonny brought her new hip down the hall - her apartment is the farthest from mine. Her news to share was that probably Friday, her refrigerator quit. I cannot understand why she would not have noticed but by the time she did, stuff was warm, ice was melting and she tossed everything out - or rather the maintenance guys did. What a PIA.
Noelle returned the Chromebook I lent her and brought flowers which was a lovely thought but the flowers are ugly and now I have to wait until enough time has passed that the flowers will have died and then return her vase. I think I have a work around, though.
Jackie sent a series of emails yesterday which I finally figured out was a scam but it was the I don't know how to work Amazon so I need you to buy a gift card and send it to my friend, thing. The is pretty much exactly what Jackie would do but... she has tons of close friends and family and would never ask me. Plus her note said her friend was dying of ovarian cancer and it was her birthday. No mention of Mother's Day. And she said all the stores were closed so she couldn't just go by one. Finally about an hour later, Jackie sent a note around that she had been scammed.
Meanwhile, I was actually in the middle of an Amazon buying spree so that was weird. All of a sudden I'm out of stuff or I want stuff. I felt like I ordered stuff all weekend but, turns out, it wasn't quite that much. I do have returns that need to get to FedEx sometime this week.
I have learned to swim in the sun. When the blinds are down, in the mornings, and the Sun is strong, you still get the glare but I have decided not to let it bother me. This morning, it was a killer but I still had a wonderful swim.
I track my swim on my Pixel watch that feeds into Fitbit. My health insurance company pays for Fitbit Premium. Fitbit Premium wants me to sign up with a health coach and do all kinds of ridiculous things. I managed to turn most of it off but... I haven't figured out how to turn off the AI critique of my swim. And now I'm kind of addicted to it. I have a good swim and I enjoy it so whothefuckcares what Fitbit has to say about it??? Turns out, I do! And today I found myself swimming a little harder in the middle of my run just to see if the stupid AI would notice. Of course it did. hahahah
Also now on my radar is the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program. My $349 a month Wegovy bill will go to $50. And July 1 is coming right up. My latest order gives me enough pens to get to July 1. But, of course, I have zero confidence that 1. the program will happen and 2. if it does, it will work as boasted. My doctor is all over it so at least I know that if it happens, I'll be included. In about 4 weeks, I'll need to decide if I want to wait and bet on the program happening when and how they say it will or if I want to spend $350 to ensure I'm covered until we know.
No big plans for today - actually I should go make that Amazon run and I might.
(My friend, Martha, wears yellow Crocs often. Saturday she asked me to make her a doll 'with yellow Crocs with jibbits!')
Bonny brought her new hip down the hall - her apartment is the farthest from mine. Her news to share was that probably Friday, her refrigerator quit. I cannot understand why she would not have noticed but by the time she did, stuff was warm, ice was melting and she tossed everything out - or rather the maintenance guys did. What a PIA.
Noelle returned the Chromebook I lent her and brought flowers which was a lovely thought but the flowers are ugly and now I have to wait until enough time has passed that the flowers will have died and then return her vase. I think I have a work around, though.
Jackie sent a series of emails yesterday which I finally figured out was a scam but it was the I don't know how to work Amazon so I need you to buy a gift card and send it to my friend, thing. The is pretty much exactly what Jackie would do but... she has tons of close friends and family and would never ask me. Plus her note said her friend was dying of ovarian cancer and it was her birthday. No mention of Mother's Day. And she said all the stores were closed so she couldn't just go by one. Finally about an hour later, Jackie sent a note around that she had been scammed.
Meanwhile, I was actually in the middle of an Amazon buying spree so that was weird. All of a sudden I'm out of stuff or I want stuff. I felt like I ordered stuff all weekend but, turns out, it wasn't quite that much. I do have returns that need to get to FedEx sometime this week.
I have learned to swim in the sun. When the blinds are down, in the mornings, and the Sun is strong, you still get the glare but I have decided not to let it bother me. This morning, it was a killer but I still had a wonderful swim.
I track my swim on my Pixel watch that feeds into Fitbit. My health insurance company pays for Fitbit Premium. Fitbit Premium wants me to sign up with a health coach and do all kinds of ridiculous things. I managed to turn most of it off but... I haven't figured out how to turn off the AI critique of my swim. And now I'm kind of addicted to it. I have a good swim and I enjoy it so whothefuckcares what Fitbit has to say about it??? Turns out, I do! And today I found myself swimming a little harder in the middle of my run just to see if the stupid AI would notice. Of course it did. hahahah
Also now on my radar is the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program. My $349 a month Wegovy bill will go to $50. And July 1 is coming right up. My latest order gives me enough pens to get to July 1. But, of course, I have zero confidence that 1. the program will happen and 2. if it does, it will work as boasted. My doctor is all over it so at least I know that if it happens, I'll be included. In about 4 weeks, I'll need to decide if I want to wait and bet on the program happening when and how they say it will or if I want to spend $350 to ensure I'm covered until we know.
No big plans for today - actually I should go make that Amazon run and I might.
(My friend, Martha, wears yellow Crocs often. Saturday she asked me to make her a doll 'with yellow Crocs with jibbits!')
Off Stage Love Side by Kamome Ooshima
May. 11th, 2026 06:10 pmreviews_and_ramblings
Five years ago, high-schooler Tomoya faked his age and tried to get laid at a gay bar. While the attempt failed, he never forgot the man he had encountered, Kei. After being told he was attractive by Kei, Tomoya went on to become a famous idol in the group INCITE. After an incident with a stalker, Tomoya got assigned a personal bodyguard, who turned out to be none other than Kei?!
My Rate: 8
Off Stage Love Side by Kamome Ooshima is a charming "Idol x Bodyguard" Boys' Love (BL) manga that successfully balances high-stakes celebrity drama with a sweet, fated-romance trope. If you are looking for a story where a childhood crush fuels a career in the spotlight, this is a top-tier choice. The story follows Tomoya, a popular idol in the group INCITE. Years ago, as a high-schooler trying to act tough, Tomoya snuck into a gay bar where he met Kei, a mature and alluring man. Though Kei turned him down (realizing Tomoya was underage), he left Tomoya with a parting compliment: "You’re plenty attractive." Those words became Tomoya's North Star, driving him to become the superstar he is today. Fast forward to the present: Tomoya is being targeted by a stalker, and the elite bodyguard hired to protect him is none other than Kei. Tomoya (The Idol) is outwardly cool and professional, but internally a total "fanboy" for Kei. His loyalty and long-term devotion are his biggest charms. Kei (The Bodyguard) is protective, stoic, and incredibly competent. He initially views Tomoya as just a client (and a kid from his past), but the professional boundaries quickly blur. It’s refreshing to see a protagonist whose idol career isn't just about fame, but about living up to a compliment from a man he admired. Tomoya’s "simp" energy for Kei is endearing rather than grating. Kamome Ooshima’s art is clean and expressive. She excels at drawing the contrast between Tomoya’s sparkly "on-stage" persona and his flustered, vulnerable "off-stage" self. There is a lot of satisfaction in seeing Kei actually be good at his job. The bodyguard aspect isn't just a background detail; it provides the necessary tension to move the romance forward. Despite the "adult" setting of their first meeting, the actual relationship is surprisingly tender. It deals with themes of recognition and being loved for who you are behind the makeup and the lights. If you’ve read many BL titles, you’ll recognize the tropes immediately (reunited after years, professional boundaries being crossed, etc.). It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it executes the formula very well. As a shorter series (or one-shot depending on the edition), some readers feel the transition from "protective bodyguard" to "romantic partner" happens a bit quickly, but the chemistry carries it through. Off Stage Love Side is a must-read for fans of reunion romances and protective character archetypes. It’s a feel-good story that focuses on how one person’s kindness can change the trajectory of another's life. Look out for the sequel/spin-off, Off Stage Love Love Side: Re, if you find yourself wanting more of Tomoya and Kei's domestic life after the main conflict!