Updatery
Feb. 13th, 2026 02:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mergatrudeReading: January was the month of abandoned books. It's probably more reflective of my and my current state of mind than the fault of these authors, but getting my brain to engage has been a struggle.
It's February now, and I finally managed to get through This Is How We Lose the Time War by dint of listening to it on the bus. I feel that it could've benefited from two readers with more distinctively different voices, but other than that...it was a very chewy story, and I had to take a break afterwards so I could process it.
Now I'm trying to listen to To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers, but mostly my brain is too tired to do more than listen to soothing music.
Watching: Dude has been making me watch Rick & Morty from the 2nd season. Only watchable in small doses. /o\ We've also nabbed my sister's box set to watch the extended editions of Lord of the Rings, plus the fun documentaries and bonus material, and we both agree they make a hell of a lot more sense than the theatrical releases and now I completely understand the LotRPS phenomenon.
No gaming to speak of.
Crafting: I'm trying to finish the blue cabled sock yarn and I'm so close but I overdid it and borked my thigh. I'm looking into an e-spinner but they're pricey. I also (perhaps rashly) promised to knit a jumper (sweater) for my brother to replace his favourite (navy with a fair isle yoke). I've not really done much colourwork, but the sleeve cuff looks good. Sadly, I decided the size was wrong and am going to have to undo it all, unless just go back to the cuff and fudge the increases from there.
Other stuff: Work is shit. I'm looking into when I can afford to retire, but I still have a couple of kids to support.
The weather has been stupidly hot. We had a string of days that were in the 39C - 41C range, and then we finally got a smidge of rain. Not nearly enough, but it filled our rainwater tank at least.
It's February now, and I finally managed to get through This Is How We Lose the Time War by dint of listening to it on the bus. I feel that it could've benefited from two readers with more distinctively different voices, but other than that...it was a very chewy story, and I had to take a break afterwards so I could process it.
Now I'm trying to listen to To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers, but mostly my brain is too tired to do more than listen to soothing music.
Watching: Dude has been making me watch Rick & Morty from the 2nd season. Only watchable in small doses. /o\ We've also nabbed my sister's box set to watch the extended editions of Lord of the Rings, plus the fun documentaries and bonus material, and we both agree they make a hell of a lot more sense than the theatrical releases and now I completely understand the LotRPS phenomenon.
No gaming to speak of.
Crafting: I'm trying to finish the blue cabled sock yarn and I'm so close but I overdid it and borked my thigh. I'm looking into an e-spinner but they're pricey. I also (perhaps rashly) promised to knit a jumper (sweater) for my brother to replace his favourite (navy with a fair isle yoke). I've not really done much colourwork, but the sleeve cuff looks good. Sadly, I decided the size was wrong and am going to have to undo it all, unless just go back to the cuff and fudge the increases from there.
Other stuff: Work is shit. I'm looking into when I can afford to retire, but I still have a couple of kids to support.
The weather has been stupidly hot. We had a string of days that were in the 39C - 41C range, and then we finally got a smidge of rain. Not nearly enough, but it filled our rainwater tank at least.
The Listeners - Maggie Stiefvater
Feb. 12th, 2026 10:29 pmtroisoiseauxRead The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater, better known for writing YA fantasy (my best beloved, the Raven Cycle, among others); her first novel for adults, this is fantasy-tinged historical fiction, set in the early days of the U.S.'s involvement in WWII, at a luxury hotel in West Virginia— famous for its "sweetwater" springs, believed to have healing/magical properties— which has been requisitioned by the government for the white-gloved detention of Axis diplomats and their families. I am... not entirely sure how I feel about this book? I enjoyed it, in a no brain cells, just vibes kind of way, but I did actually have a few brain cells on the clock and so there are some narrative choices I'm still chewing over, not entirely sure about the taste. It reminded me of Amor Towles' A Gentlemen in Moscow, for the obvious similarity of "life in a luxury hotel during a historical turning point" and in the way it wears its historical setting lightly, more interested in developing its (admittedly interesting) characters: the hotel's capable general manager, local-girl-made-good June Hudson; the FBI agent in charge of a surveillance operation at the hotel, who has tried to distance himself from his own West Virginia roots; the nonverbal, autistic daughter of a Nazi attaché (...yeah). I had, in A Gentlemen in Moscow, been struck by a sense of something near-supernatural in the protagonist's luck; in this one, the magic is real, as is the magic ex machina of the ending. ( ... ) On the other hand, this reminded me less of Kate Atkinson's Transcription than I'd expected, although having skimmed the Wikipedia page for Transcription, it turns out that I remembered way less of that novel than I thought I did, so possibly a moot point. (My point is that I feel like there was less espionage than advertised.)
(no subject)
Feb. 12th, 2026 09:01 pmofearthandstarsThe Endangerment Finding has been revoked.
This is just another enormously sad moment in the history of this country — and for science, for democracy, for the millions of people who will be affected by climate change in the years to come.
Although kudos to whomever entitled this article.
Potential outcomes - possibly taking years to unwind.
My heart hurts.
(no subject)
Feb. 12th, 2026 08:36 pmflemmingsThe recycle got picked up. At 5:30 of course, but at least it was same day. And because it's seven weeks post-solstice it was still light out so I could see the guys had left my bin lying on its side, blocking the sidewalk. So I went out and rescued it and dragged it back up the path, and a nice guy walking his dog asked if I needed a hand. I thanked him and said I was OK, but if he hadn't had a curious energetic pup to handle I might have taken him up on his offer, and let him heave the thing back onto the snowbank.
I miss the city guys who always pushed the bins back to the edge of the yard.
However it seems-- fingers crossed-- that my bar fridge has come back to life. I treat it very gently just in case, but not having to tackle the stairs pre-meds is a great relief.
And Monday is a holiday, so I must get a shop in before then.
I miss the city guys who always pushed the bins back to the edge of the yard.
However it seems-- fingers crossed-- that my bar fridge has come back to life. I treat it very gently just in case, but not having to tackle the stairs pre-meds is a great relief.
And Monday is a holiday, so I must get a shop in before then.
Poem: "Stones and Woods"
Feb. 12th, 2026 06:13 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It is posted here in thanks for nsfwords helping with website updates. It belongs to the series Hart's Farm.
( Read more... )
nsfwords helping with website updates. It belongs to the series Hart's Farm. ( Read more... )
10trueloves: mask
Feb. 12th, 2026 06:02 pmsenmutAO3 Link | The Morning After (300 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Birds of Prey
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dinah Lance
Characters: Dinah Lance, Barbara Gordon
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Birds of Prey Vol. 1 - 1999-2009]
Summary:
Dinah reached across the bed to find it empty. The transfer assist was already stowed, and the bed was cold. She sighed softly to herself, knowing she could not actually complain. Just because they had chosen to go to bed together, to take another step in their partnership didn't mean the demands on Oracle were any less.
She got up, carefully stowing her costume into the duffel bag, then slipped into her gym clothes, with a shirt that said "Certified Wildcat" on it. She wondered if that particular honorary uncle would be up in New York or working on the new gym he was opening down here today.
It would be easier to spend the morning after punching things, after all. Dinah just wasn't ready to decide if this was serious, if she was strong enough to share a hero's life again.
"You really are a piece of work, Junior. Should've thought of that before you seduced her last night," she muttered to herself.
Once she had her tennis shoes tied, she grabbed the bag and headed out of the bedroom, listening to the tap of keys as she got closer to Oracle's workspace. Really, what the hell had she been thinking? Barbara was closer to Roy in age, she was always handling some fire or other, and … Dinah didn't live a peaceful life.
"Give me five to get some vital connections made for Mr. Terrific, and we can grab breakfast," Barbara called over her shoulder, not really looking at the woman that had almost convinced herself this was a mistake.
Almost.
The offer of such a domestic moment after what they had shared hit Dinah in the pit of her stomach, before she grabbed her courage.
"I'll go see what's appetizing," Dinah said, putting the bag down to stay.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Birds of Prey
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dinah Lance
Characters: Dinah Lance, Barbara Gordon
Additional Tags: Triple Drabble, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis, [Birds of Prey Vol. 1 - 1999-2009]
Summary:
It's the morning after, and doubt hits.
The Morning After
Dinah reached across the bed to find it empty. The transfer assist was already stowed, and the bed was cold. She sighed softly to herself, knowing she could not actually complain. Just because they had chosen to go to bed together, to take another step in their partnership didn't mean the demands on Oracle were any less.
She got up, carefully stowing her costume into the duffel bag, then slipped into her gym clothes, with a shirt that said "Certified Wildcat" on it. She wondered if that particular honorary uncle would be up in New York or working on the new gym he was opening down here today.
It would be easier to spend the morning after punching things, after all. Dinah just wasn't ready to decide if this was serious, if she was strong enough to share a hero's life again.
"You really are a piece of work, Junior. Should've thought of that before you seduced her last night," she muttered to herself.
Once she had her tennis shoes tied, she grabbed the bag and headed out of the bedroom, listening to the tap of keys as she got closer to Oracle's workspace. Really, what the hell had she been thinking? Barbara was closer to Roy in age, she was always handling some fire or other, and … Dinah didn't live a peaceful life.
"Give me five to get some vital connections made for Mr. Terrific, and we can grab breakfast," Barbara called over her shoulder, not really looking at the woman that had almost convinced herself this was a mistake.
Almost.
The offer of such a domestic moment after what they had shared hit Dinah in the pit of her stomach, before she grabbed her courage.
"I'll go see what's appetizing," Dinah said, putting the bag down to stay.
Update: 2026 & 2027 Plans
Feb. 12th, 2026 09:29 pminkvoices posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
be_compromisedHi All, we’ve been doing some planning for events in 2026 - and for our upcoming 15th birthday in 2027! Read on if you’d like some things to look forward to…
For this year (2026):
- All The Things Friday (ATTF) has been revived and runs throughout the year on the comm discord
- Fic Book Club has been revived and runs throughout the year on the comm discord
- Mini promptathon of love and joy is now live on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- We’ll of course be doing a big summer promptathon (late July/early August to end September) on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- a small virtual con: planning is underway, this is likely to also be in summer and on the comm discord
- halloween trick or treat prompt challenge (October) on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- end of year secret santa fic exchange (sign ups usually start of October) on AO3 with some sign up details required on dreamwidth (no account needed)
In 2026 to be ready for 2027:
- By popular vote, we’re planning a Remix Exchange (dates TBC but in 2027). If you’d like to take part you’ll need to have written a minimum of three fics with Clint and/or Natasha in them and at least one of those must feature both Clint and Natasha, so if you haven’t already then 2026 is your chance! (A remix is essentially fanfic of fanfic; for a remix exchange you write fanfic of someone else’s fanfic, and someone writes fanfic of yours. As an example, this is what we did in 2022.)
- And we’ll be planning a zine on the comm discord, celebrating 15 years of our community, clintasha, and Clint and Nat as characters. We aim to have this ready for the 15th birthday at the start of May 2027.
In 2027:
As well as the above and our usual events, and potentially another, larger virtual con if this year goes well, depending on time and volunteers we’re also looking at doing:
- A big MCU rewatch (or at least the ones with Clint and Nat) throughout the year, on the comm discord
- A ‘15 Challenge’, involving writing 150, 1500, or 15,000 words. Or 15 x 150 words, or… you get the idea! Likely with organisation on dreamwidth (no account needed) and/or AO3
Have fun and celebrate with us on discord, tumblr, dreamwidth, and AO3 (Community: be_compromised tag and Collections)! <3
For this year (2026):
- All The Things Friday (ATTF) has been revived and runs throughout the year on the comm discord
- Fic Book Club has been revived and runs throughout the year on the comm discord
- Mini promptathon of love and joy is now live on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- We’ll of course be doing a big summer promptathon (late July/early August to end September) on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- a small virtual con: planning is underway, this is likely to also be in summer and on the comm discord
- halloween trick or treat prompt challenge (October) on dreamwidth (no account needed)
- end of year secret santa fic exchange (sign ups usually start of October) on AO3 with some sign up details required on dreamwidth (no account needed)
In 2026 to be ready for 2027:
- By popular vote, we’re planning a Remix Exchange (dates TBC but in 2027). If you’d like to take part you’ll need to have written a minimum of three fics with Clint and/or Natasha in them and at least one of those must feature both Clint and Natasha, so if you haven’t already then 2026 is your chance! (A remix is essentially fanfic of fanfic; for a remix exchange you write fanfic of someone else’s fanfic, and someone writes fanfic of yours. As an example, this is what we did in 2022.)
- And we’ll be planning a zine on the comm discord, celebrating 15 years of our community, clintasha, and Clint and Nat as characters. We aim to have this ready for the 15th birthday at the start of May 2027.
In 2027:
As well as the above and our usual events, and potentially another, larger virtual con if this year goes well, depending on time and volunteers we’re also looking at doing:
- A big MCU rewatch (or at least the ones with Clint and Nat) throughout the year, on the comm discord
- A ‘15 Challenge’, involving writing 150, 1500, or 15,000 words. Or 15 x 150 words, or… you get the idea! Likely with organisation on dreamwidth (no account needed) and/or AO3
Have fun and celebrate with us on discord, tumblr, dreamwidth, and AO3 (Community: be_compromised tag and Collections)! <3
Extinction
Feb. 12th, 2026 03:21 pmysabetwordsmithPlant extinction risk rises as garden databases remain divided
Botanic gardens have amassed one of the world’s largest living reserves of plant diversity.
A new study demonstrates that fragmented data systems have kept that global collection from functioning as a single, coordinated safeguard against extinction.
At a moment when plant loss is accelerating, the information needed to act often remains locked inside incompatible databases, limiting the very safety net designed to prevent disappearance.
I have mixed feelings about this. A unified body of knowledge is certainly easier to use -- but it's also easier to damage or destroy. Right now, the government is a major threat to information that it dislikes. So having that information scattered around in places that aren't easy to reach all at once can offer a kind of protection.
Botanic gardens have amassed one of the world’s largest living reserves of plant diversity.
A new study demonstrates that fragmented data systems have kept that global collection from functioning as a single, coordinated safeguard against extinction.
At a moment when plant loss is accelerating, the information needed to act often remains locked inside incompatible databases, limiting the very safety net designed to prevent disappearance.
I have mixed feelings about this. A unified body of knowledge is certainly easier to use -- but it's also easier to damage or destroy. Right now, the government is a major threat to information that it dislikes. So having that information scattered around in places that aren't easy to reach all at once can offer a kind of protection.
Mini Promptathon of Love and Joy 2026
Feb. 12th, 2026 09:09 pminkvoices posting in be_compromisedAs voted for on the comm discord, we’re back with a mini promptathon!
What is this? It’s like the big summer promptathon, only a shorter version. It's a fun, no-pressure event where you can post zero to as many prompts as you like, zero to as many fills as you like, and join in the squee or just quietly enjoy the fun.
Why ‘love and joy’? Originally this annual mini event was Valentine’s themed, but it’s grown to include International Fanworks day, celebrating various new years, and getting back into the swing of things. We welcome themes in prompts and/or fills of romance, valentines, galentines, friendship, supporting each other, celebrations - but mostly, the point is that this is a little celebration of fandom love and joy.
Banner art by Loar Tev
TIMELINE
Now: we're open for prompts
Friday 20 February: you can start leaving fills (and continuing prompting)
Midnight (whatever your timezone) Sunday 15 March: promptathon is finished and we make a masterlist
HOW TO PLAY
1. Leave your prompt in a comment to this Dreamwidth post. Please post each prompt in its own separate comment. Prompts can be anything. You can re-use prompts from past events if you like, whether they were filled or not. You can leave as many prompts as you like. (Yes, seriously.)
You don’t need a Dreamwidth account - anonymous comments are enabled. If you comment anonymously please consider including your online handle(s) in your comment so we can credit you for prompts and gift fills to you.
2. You can post fills for prompts at any time from Friday 20 February by replying in a comment to the prompt. The subject line of your comment should be: FILL: title, rating.
At the start of your comment please include:
> Title
> Your online handle(s) (if you don't have a dreamwidth account)
> Rating (ie film ratings or AO3 style ratings)
> Any warnings OR you can say ‘choose not to warn’ (think about the AO3 warnings or take a look at our comm guidance if you’re stuck)
You can post your entire fanwork in the comment if it’s short enough AND/OR you can post your fanwork anywhere else on the internet and post a link to it in your comment.
Following these guidelines 1) makes it easier for people to find your fills during the event as a one-stop shop, and know what they’re clicking on and 2) makes it a LOT easier for your mods to create a masterlist at the end, without missing any of your fills. Thank you!
There’s no length requirement on fanworks submitted and you can create any type of fanwork. You can fill as many prompts as you want, and prompts can be filled multiple times by whoever wants to fill them. If you don't manage to finish your fill during the event, please do still share, it just won't be counted in the masterlist.
3. Sharing the joy! If you post your fill on tumblr, tag #be_compromised or #clintasha, or @ the comm tumblr and we'll reblog. If you’re posting on AO3, we have a ‘Community: be_compromised’ tag. And we'll post a masterlist of all fills on dreamwidth and tumblr after the event.
RULES
1) Our community rules apply to this event and everyone taking part in it. You do not need to be a member of our community or have a dreamwidth account (or any other specific account) to be involved.
2) As in the community rules, all fills must have a rating and a warning/'no warning applies'/'choose not to warn'. Consider including a warning for spoilers of any media that's been released in the last 6 months or so; not everyone has Disney+ or can get to the cinema.
3) We ask for fills to contain at least a mention of Clint and/or Natasha in some way because we love them, but the whole, wide Marvel Universe is yours to play in. We welcome other characters and pairings (and threesomes or moresomes).
Thank you!
If you have any questions please comment in the 'Questions' thread at the top of this post or contact a mod - inkvoices, CloudAltas aka franztastisch, and gsparkle. You're also very welcome to join us on discord and tumblr.
<3
What is this? It’s like the big summer promptathon, only a shorter version. It's a fun, no-pressure event where you can post zero to as many prompts as you like, zero to as many fills as you like, and join in the squee or just quietly enjoy the fun.
Why ‘love and joy’? Originally this annual mini event was Valentine’s themed, but it’s grown to include International Fanworks day, celebrating various new years, and getting back into the swing of things. We welcome themes in prompts and/or fills of romance, valentines, galentines, friendship, supporting each other, celebrations - but mostly, the point is that this is a little celebration of fandom love and joy.
Banner art by Loar Tev
TIMELINE
Now: we're open for prompts
Friday 20 February: you can start leaving fills (and continuing prompting)
Midnight (whatever your timezone) Sunday 15 March: promptathon is finished and we make a masterlist
HOW TO PLAY
1. Leave your prompt in a comment to this Dreamwidth post. Please post each prompt in its own separate comment. Prompts can be anything. You can re-use prompts from past events if you like, whether they were filled or not. You can leave as many prompts as you like. (Yes, seriously.)
You don’t need a Dreamwidth account - anonymous comments are enabled. If you comment anonymously please consider including your online handle(s) in your comment so we can credit you for prompts and gift fills to you.
2. You can post fills for prompts at any time from Friday 20 February by replying in a comment to the prompt. The subject line of your comment should be: FILL: title, rating.
At the start of your comment please include:
> Title
> Your online handle(s) (if you don't have a dreamwidth account)
> Rating (ie film ratings or AO3 style ratings)
> Any warnings OR you can say ‘choose not to warn’ (think about the AO3 warnings or take a look at our comm guidance if you’re stuck)
You can post your entire fanwork in the comment if it’s short enough AND/OR you can post your fanwork anywhere else on the internet and post a link to it in your comment.
Following these guidelines 1) makes it easier for people to find your fills during the event as a one-stop shop, and know what they’re clicking on and 2) makes it a LOT easier for your mods to create a masterlist at the end, without missing any of your fills. Thank you!
There’s no length requirement on fanworks submitted and you can create any type of fanwork. You can fill as many prompts as you want, and prompts can be filled multiple times by whoever wants to fill them. If you don't manage to finish your fill during the event, please do still share, it just won't be counted in the masterlist.
3. Sharing the joy! If you post your fill on tumblr, tag #be_compromised or #clintasha, or @ the comm tumblr and we'll reblog. If you’re posting on AO3, we have a ‘Community: be_compromised’ tag. And we'll post a masterlist of all fills on dreamwidth and tumblr after the event.
RULES
1) Our community rules apply to this event and everyone taking part in it. You do not need to be a member of our community or have a dreamwidth account (or any other specific account) to be involved.
2) As in the community rules, all fills must have a rating and a warning/'no warning applies'/'choose not to warn'. Consider including a warning for spoilers of any media that's been released in the last 6 months or so; not everyone has Disney+ or can get to the cinema.
3) We ask for fills to contain at least a mention of Clint and/or Natasha in some way because we love them, but the whole, wide Marvel Universe is yours to play in. We welcome other characters and pairings (and threesomes or moresomes).
Thank you!
If you have any questions please comment in the 'Questions' thread at the top of this post or contact a mod - inkvoices, CloudAltas aka franztastisch, and gsparkle. You're also very welcome to join us on discord and tumblr.
<3
So many lovely things!
Feb. 12th, 2026 04:04 pmriverlight Here's a list of lovely things in my life right now:
- Job: I had a second-round interview for a job yesterday, and I think it went really well! I both desperately need and want a new job (the City of Boston ended my contract with about a week's notice due to budgets, but even despite that, I've been underemployed since I left Harvard, two years ago). This would be a job that I'd be very good at, that I'd enjoy (from everything I can tell), and that would be paid very well… the trifecta! I should hear later this week.
- Moving: If I get this job, I have to (and get to) move to NYC. Sister C and I lived in the city together for a decade, as some of you may remember; when we bought a house together in our hometown in CT, we left and moved back to the tiny rural area where we grew up. I've loved living here! I have a beautiful little house, and my mom and siblings are all within a five-to-15 minute drive. I've joined the Fire Department, and a local choir, and am assisting the Registrar of Voters, so I actually know people and have friends here, which has never been true before. I'm not at all relishing the logistics of uprooting my life here and moving back to Manhattan. But: that said! Turns out, when C. and I were living there before, I was pretty severely depressed the whole damn time, in a way which drastically impacted my quality of life. I knew I was depressed at the time, but I didn't know just how much it was constraining me. Now that I'm finally properly medicated, it's remarkable how much energy and enthusiasm and curiosity I feel about life; I'm just happy to be alive these days. So I actually am kind of looking forward to living in the city as the person I am now… I'll probably be much more capable of doing things like going to museums and concerts and the park and dating and… etc. I'm actually super excited.
- Singing: Also if I move to the city I'll try to re-join the excellent choir I sang with before. It's a very high level choir, near professional though it's about half amateurs, and I haven't found anything comparable here in CT. I can't wait.
Speaking of singing—I recently auditioned for a church gig (the freelance singer's bread and butter) and got the job, which is very exciting. The musical director is incredibly well-trained—someone who has actually made music her profession, in a way I haven't actually encountered outside of, like, people who went to Juilliard. During the audition, she stopped me in the middle of singing and basically gave me a mini voice lesson in how to breathe, and the change in my vocal quality and power was immediate. And then today when we were talking about the job, she basically analyzed my voice in a way that I haven't had a teacher do since—oh, college, which was 20 years ago. "You're not a second soprano," she said (which I knew—I just sing sop 2 in my other choir because that's what they need.) "You're a lyric soprano, maybe even a dramatic soprano, and you've got an instrument you're vastly underusing." Which is fascinating to me. Several of the things she's said to me ("You need better breath control," and "Your sight-reading skills are okay but need improvement") are things I'm well aware of, so it makes me inclined to think she may well know what she's talking about. Which. What does this mean for me? I haven't had formal vocal training since—again—college, with the exception of like three voice lessons one summer. I know a lot about music compared to your average person because I love it, and I've sung with a lot of choirs, but compared to professional musicians, I know next to nothing. I don't know why A440 and A415 are different. I don't know what the difference is between Baroque and Romantic music when it comes to performing. I'm a good amateur, and yeah, I get paid for singing, but I'm still just that—a good amateur. It's interesting to contemplate the idea that if I put in the effort I could improve the quality of my voice. To what end, I have no idea—I'm in my 40s, and even if I weren't, being a gigging musician is not the life I want—but then again, why should I know what the end is? I'm looking forward to working with this woman, in other words. It's gonna be an education. - Birds and animals. I've been feeding the birds, and so I have a congregation of wonderful black-jacketed juncos living around me. And since we have two feet of snow on the ground, every time I go outside I see all the wonderful little animal feet-prints. It makes me so happy.
Birdfeeding
Feb. 12th, 2026 01:18 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and chilly. Most of the snow has melted away, leaving only a few small patches.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I refilled the hopper feeder. I've seen a large flock of sparrows.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I put out a fresh peanut suet cake and more birdseed.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I saw a male cardinal at the fly-through feeder.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
I refilled the hopper feeder. I've seen a large flock of sparrows.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I put out a fresh peanut suet cake and more birdseed.
EDIT 1/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I saw a male cardinal at the fly-through feeder.
I am done for the night.
landline, Reporting for Duty, Diamond and Misty
Feb. 12th, 2026 01:15 pmasakiyumeLandline
From the age of three until I went to college, I lived in the same town. We moved house once, but our telephone number stayed the same. When technology moved from rotary dial to push-button, I came to know the sound of that phone number by heart. I could "sing" it.
Even after I and my siblings left home, my parents stayed in that house and kept that number. My mother died, but my dad stayed in the house--with that number. He got a cell phone, but kept the landline too.
Now he lives elsewhere, closer to me and one of my siblings. That house has been sold, and the landline disconnected. But I still call it from my own landline from time to time just to hear the push-button tune. So far, the number hasn't been reassigned.
Reporting for Duty
Reporting for Duty is the English-language title of a Brazilian comedy cop show on Netflix, in which a gentle, laid-back guy from a sleepy district gets reassigned to be police chief in a mafia-plagued central Rio precinct. It's pretty hilarious so far. The second episode, "Good Cop, Better Cop," sees the new police chief, Suzano, and the precinct's second-in-command, Mantovani, interrogating a suspect. "Let's do good cop, bad cop," Mantovani suggests. Suzano agrees, and they go in. Mantovani offers the suspect water. Suzano follows with "Some lemonade? A soda? A cold beer?"
Mantovani is getting more and more flabbergasted. When Suzano offers a charcuterie board, Mantovani asks if she can have a word with him. Turns out he didn't recognize her good cop as good cop. "If you're more comfortable being the good cop," she begins, but he says no no no, he can do bad cop. He storms back in. "You think you're getting coffee? Well no! No coffee because the coffee machine is broken!" [established earlier in the episode]. "And no massages, either, except for maybe shiatsu for your health." --And he proceeds to massage out the guy's tensed muscles.
It's a very cute show, and the guy who plays Suzano's sidekick who's come with him from his old precinct has a style of Brazilian accent I really like and have only heard from a guy who teaches ancient Tupi on Instagram.
Diamond and Misty
One of Wakanomori's former students is married and keeps chickens now. He gave W a quartet of eggs, and the carton comes with this cute label that lets you write in what chickens laid the eggs. Ours were laid by Diamond and Misty.
From the age of three until I went to college, I lived in the same town. We moved house once, but our telephone number stayed the same. When technology moved from rotary dial to push-button, I came to know the sound of that phone number by heart. I could "sing" it.
Even after I and my siblings left home, my parents stayed in that house and kept that number. My mother died, but my dad stayed in the house--with that number. He got a cell phone, but kept the landline too.
Now he lives elsewhere, closer to me and one of my siblings. That house has been sold, and the landline disconnected. But I still call it from my own landline from time to time just to hear the push-button tune. So far, the number hasn't been reassigned.
Reporting for Duty
Reporting for Duty is the English-language title of a Brazilian comedy cop show on Netflix, in which a gentle, laid-back guy from a sleepy district gets reassigned to be police chief in a mafia-plagued central Rio precinct. It's pretty hilarious so far. The second episode, "Good Cop, Better Cop," sees the new police chief, Suzano, and the precinct's second-in-command, Mantovani, interrogating a suspect. "Let's do good cop, bad cop," Mantovani suggests. Suzano agrees, and they go in. Mantovani offers the suspect water. Suzano follows with "Some lemonade? A soda? A cold beer?"
Mantovani is getting more and more flabbergasted. When Suzano offers a charcuterie board, Mantovani asks if she can have a word with him. Turns out he didn't recognize her good cop as good cop. "If you're more comfortable being the good cop," she begins, but he says no no no, he can do bad cop. He storms back in. "You think you're getting coffee? Well no! No coffee because the coffee machine is broken!" [established earlier in the episode]. "And no massages, either, except for maybe shiatsu for your health." --And he proceeds to massage out the guy's tensed muscles.
It's a very cute show, and the guy who plays Suzano's sidekick who's come with him from his old precinct has a style of Brazilian accent I really like and have only heard from a guy who teaches ancient Tupi on Instagram.
Diamond and Misty
One of Wakanomori's former students is married and keeps chickens now. He gave W a quartet of eggs, and the carton comes with this cute label that lets you write in what chickens laid the eggs. Ours were laid by Diamond and Misty.
FANFIC: bloodless (Monstress)
Feb. 12th, 2026 07:40 pmqueenslayerbeeA bit later in the day but I remembered this time añdlsfj.
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The wool fell off Maika's eyes long ago; she knew Tuya intimately, the way you're bound to when someone cracked open your chest cavity and burrowed a place for themselves within your very bones, blood, and viscera.
Their moves would have an echo, a ripple effect, in your body (in your life); betrayal became an old ache, disappointment a shadow that had long followed her from a tender age. The wounds they left scabbed over, scarred; but for Maika, herself no longer so tender, duplicity grew tedious, predictable, wearying —no longer remarkable, or worth the hurt; let alone the absolution.
Title: bloodless.
Fandom: Monstress.
Pairing: Maika Halfwolf/Tuya.
Summary: written for the prompt: "any, any, i may think of you softly from time to time but i'll cut off my hand before i ever reach for you again" in the Three Sentence Ficathon.
Word count: 100.
read more
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The wool fell off Maika's eyes long ago; she knew Tuya intimately, the way you're bound to when someone cracked open your chest cavity and burrowed a place for themselves within your very bones, blood, and viscera.
Their moves would have an echo, a ripple effect, in your body (in your life); betrayal became an old ache, disappointment a shadow that had long followed her from a tender age. The wounds they left scabbed over, scarred; but for Maika, herself no longer so tender, duplicity grew tedious, predictable, wearying —no longer remarkable, or worth the hurt; let alone the absolution.
