(no subject)
Jun. 27th, 2017 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nansliceI want to write some totally id-y fiction full of supernatural romance and power imbalances and then those power imbalances being flipped. Which means maybe I should do Camp NaNo? Is anyone planning on participating in Camp NoNo this July? Is this a terrible idea? Someone either enable or talk sense into me lmao.
EDIT: Altho I can also just write AUs instead of working on original fiction, even though gosh I really need to start working on original fiction again, like dang, me. :\a
EDIT: Altho I can also just write AUs instead of working on original fiction, even though gosh I really need to start working on original fiction again, like dang, me. :\a
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Jun. 27th, 2017 07:33 amelainegreyYesterday's weather did tick up a bit warm, but the blessedly low humidity still made for a pleasant walk at the lake after work. We took the western side of the loop trail at Seaforth from the boat launch parking to where the high water stopped us from going any further. The waters swirled around the trunks of trees, and the evening light reflected up into the canopy: a hall of green and gold. Carrie is still spooky around the sound of slapping waves (thanks to ski boats and jet skis in that reach of the lake) but she's getting more confident. She was also certain there was something she wanted to chase as we headed back to the car and dragged Christine along. She's such an odd mix of confidence and startlement.
I'm feeling less confident in my ability to weed up the stilt grass. In the sun, it seems, it spreads and crawls, and i don't think i can get all of it easily. I whacked some last evening in frustration, knowing it just leads to even lower growth and a seed set in the fall. I know a growing percentage of the yard is mown stilt grass, the winter greens fading, and even where we had lush clover is being replaced by another unruly grass (although i don't know what that one is).
By the way, just to give a scale, crab grass is well behaved compared to some of these grasses. We've got that, too. What i really want is for the native Dichanthelium species to take it all back. Doing what i can to further that goal.
Christine is changing elephant handling protocols. It's rough on her, scaring her as she goes through this period of instability with management. I trust that it will settle back down, noting her awareness and capacity despite the instability.
I'm feeling less confident in my ability to weed up the stilt grass. In the sun, it seems, it spreads and crawls, and i don't think i can get all of it easily. I whacked some last evening in frustration, knowing it just leads to even lower growth and a seed set in the fall. I know a growing percentage of the yard is mown stilt grass, the winter greens fading, and even where we had lush clover is being replaced by another unruly grass (although i don't know what that one is).
By the way, just to give a scale, crab grass is well behaved compared to some of these grasses. We've got that, too. What i really want is for the native Dichanthelium species to take it all back. Doing what i can to further that goal.
Christine is changing elephant handling protocols. It's rough on her, scaring her as she goes through this period of instability with management. I trust that it will settle back down, noting her awareness and capacity despite the instability.
Meanwhile...
Jun. 26th, 2017 11:44 pmowlmooseThis past weekend was super and fabulous. I was fortunate enough to be able to snag four tickets to Hamilton for this past Friday, and I invited justira and ![[twitter.com profile]](http://twitter.com/favicon.ico)
kaytaylorrea to join me. They both came into town, justira with their partner in tow, and the four of us had a great time not just at the show, but hanging out in SF.
Friday's show was a matinee, so we grabbed a quick lunch beforehand, then an early dinner after. The show was just as wonderful the second time, and in some ways I feel like it was better -- when I went in April, this particular troupe had been together for less than a month. Now that they've had two more months to work together, the ensemble gelled more, and I saw more nuances in some of the performances. I also saw a couple of different actors, in particular a different Angelica, and although her voice wasn't quite as powerful, I loved the acting choices she brought to the role. Another thing I noticed overall is just how funny this performance was -- this particular cast plays up the humorous moments in the songs and the choreography in a way I found really effective.
All three of my co-attendees loved the show as well, despite bringing very different levels of familiarity with it (one who has listened to the album a million times, one who'd never heard the music but read all the lyrics in advance, and one coming in almost completely cold), and it was fun to talk about how their various expectations colored their watching experience.
On Saturday,justira and I met up with forestofglory to wander the Ferry Building and Farmers Market. We noshed our way through, one of my favorite ways to eat breakfast in the city, including some breakfast ice cream at Humphry Slocombe (taking advantage of the lack of line). After that I met Kay for a Giants game; our boys lost (not unsurprisingly; the team is TERRIBLE this year), but we still had fun. Then we all (minus forestofglory, who had a prior engagement) gathered at my place for more chatting and hanging out until far too late, chattering about fandom and everything else under the sun, driving poor T to distraction I'm sure. I was particularly happy to see how well everyone clicked, considering that my two guests didn't really know each other before the weekend. There's nothing better than introducing two friends and watching them develop a quick rapport. :)
As Kay said a couple of times over the weekend, our parents were wrong: always make friends with strangers on the Internet. Sure, there's a risk, as people are always a risk, but the rewards are one thousand percent worth it.
justira and justira with their partner in tow, and the four of us had a great time not just at the show, but hanging out in SF. Friday's show was a matinee, so we grabbed a quick lunch beforehand, then an early dinner after. The show was just as wonderful the second time, and in some ways I feel like it was better -- when I went in April, this particular troupe had been together for less than a month. Now that they've had two more months to work together, the ensemble gelled more, and I saw more nuances in some of the performances. I also saw a couple of different actors, in particular a different Angelica, and although her voice wasn't quite as powerful, I loved the acting choices she brought to the role. Another thing I noticed overall is just how funny this performance was -- this particular cast plays up the humorous moments in the songs and the choreography in a way I found really effective.
All three of my co-attendees loved the show as well, despite bringing very different levels of familiarity with it (one who has listened to the album a million times, one who'd never heard the music but read all the lyrics in advance, and one coming in almost completely cold), and it was fun to talk about how their various expectations colored their watching experience.
On Saturday,
justira and I met up with forestofglory to wander the Ferry Building and Farmers Market. We noshed our way through, one of my favorite ways to eat breakfast in the city, including some breakfast ice cream at Humphry Slocombe (taking advantage of the lack of line). After that I met Kay for a Giants game; our boys lost (not unsurprisingly; the team is TERRIBLE this year), but we still had fun. Then we all (minus forestofglory, who had a prior engagement) gathered at my place for more chatting and hanging out until far too late, chattering about fandom and everything else under the sun, driving poor T to distraction I'm sure. I was particularly happy to see how well everyone clicked, considering that my two guests didn't really know each other before the weekend. There's nothing better than introducing two friends and watching them develop a quick rapport. :)As Kay said a couple of times over the weekend, our parents were wrong: always make friends with strangers on the Internet. Sure, there's a risk, as people are always a risk, but the rewards are one thousand percent worth it.
Linkspam: new DW communities, fannish/geeky, misc.
Jun. 27th, 2017 12:54 amumadoshiNew DW Communities
![[dreamwidth.org profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
drawesome is "a friendly community of fan-artists who enjoy drawing. We hope to inspire and motivate each other to practice and hone our drawing skills in a stress-free, supportive environment."
comicsroundtable is "a fannish community for comics discussion, reviews, and general chat."
Fannish/Geeky Things
Neat Twitter thread on Wonder Woman costuming, written by a costume designer.
"Wonder Woman Actor Says Chief Is Actually a Demi-God". [io9]
"Dungeons & Dragons Wouldn’t Be What It Is Today Without These Women".
"More Murderbot Adventures from Martha Wells". [Tor.com]
Miscellaneous
"Disney Princesses Reimagined Years Later As Queens By Daughters And Mothers". "The main idea was to portray the relationship between a true mother and daughter as the same princesses a generation apart to show the similarities, the features that are alike." (Related ~10-minute YouTube video, which I haven't watched.)
"Report Finds Diverse Movies Outperform White Ones At Every Level".
"Declawing: A new study shows we can’t look the other way".
"Host a Silent Reading Party in 7 Easy Steps". [Book Riot]
"Why Honeybees Are The Wrong Problem To Solve".
"Invention Saves Wildlife From Drowning in Swimming Pools".
"Sitka artist designs slinky dress from 20,000 salmon bones".
"How I use comic books as a learning tool in my social studies classroom". [March 2016]
On Atlas Obscura:
--"Most of the World’s Bread Clips Are Made by a Single Company".
--"Jupiter Is Even Weirder Than We Thought".
--"Laurel Dinosaur Park: This dig site outside D.C. is known for its exceptionally high density of baby dinosaur fossils and dinosaur eggs".
--"The Wartime Spies Who Used Knitting as an Espionage Tool".
drawesome is "a friendly community of fan-artists who enjoy drawing. We hope to inspire and motivate each other to practice and hone our drawing skills in a stress-free, supportive environment."comicsroundtable is "a fannish community for comics discussion, reviews, and general chat."Fannish/Geeky Things
Neat Twitter thread on Wonder Woman costuming, written by a costume designer.
"Wonder Woman Actor Says Chief Is Actually a Demi-God". [io9]
"Dungeons & Dragons Wouldn’t Be What It Is Today Without These Women".
"More Murderbot Adventures from Martha Wells". [Tor.com]
Miscellaneous
"Disney Princesses Reimagined Years Later As Queens By Daughters And Mothers". "The main idea was to portray the relationship between a true mother and daughter as the same princesses a generation apart to show the similarities, the features that are alike." (Related ~10-minute YouTube video, which I haven't watched.)
"Report Finds Diverse Movies Outperform White Ones At Every Level".
"Declawing: A new study shows we can’t look the other way".
"Host a Silent Reading Party in 7 Easy Steps". [Book Riot]
"Why Honeybees Are The Wrong Problem To Solve".
"Invention Saves Wildlife From Drowning in Swimming Pools".
"Sitka artist designs slinky dress from 20,000 salmon bones".
"How I use comic books as a learning tool in my social studies classroom". [March 2016]
On Atlas Obscura:
--"Most of the World’s Bread Clips Are Made by a Single Company".
--"Jupiter Is Even Weirder Than We Thought".
--"Laurel Dinosaur Park: This dig site outside D.C. is known for its exceptionally high density of baby dinosaur fossils and dinosaur eggs".
--"The Wartime Spies Who Used Knitting as an Espionage Tool".
Semi-regular political linkspam: Call. Your. Senators.
Jun. 26th, 2017 06:03 pmowlmooseThis is it folks, this is the big one. I don't need to tell you that, I suppose, but here we are. Even in California, where my Senators are firmly No-votes and leaders in the resistance, there are things we can do to stand up and fight -- here's a short to-do list for anyone who lives in a state with two Democratic Senators.
A few links on healthcare:
And other things:
A few links on healthcare:
- Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey went through the bill, line by line, to point out some of its more terrible effects.
- Politico reports that the Senate Democrats will be playing hardball. Placing our calls in support of this tactic is one of the important things that blue-staters can do.
- With the urgency of our desire to kill this bill, I've seen a resurgence of the desire to call Senators from other states. Here's a good Twitter thread on the importance of NOT doing that, tempting as it may be, especially when there's evidence of Astroturfing from the other side. I know it's scary, but this time, fighting fire with fire would do more harm than good.
And other things:
- The Brookings Institution put out a scathing editorial on voter suppression in the United States, a good overview of recent court decisions with some damning statistics.
- The Associated Press published a report on the effects of gerrymandering, and it's not pretty.
- It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that the Democrats lost the special election in Georgia's 6th Congressional District, and in fact the narrow loss continues the trend of being competitive in districts that ought to be safe GOP, but given how much effort and money we poured into that district, it's also understandable that people were disappointed. But the rush of pundits and BernieBots to blame Nancy Pelosi for the loss is both a headscratcher, and almost unbearably stupid. Charles Pierce explains why.
- And maybe before you get too invested in demonizing one of the most powerful women in the Democratic party, maybe you should consider who is in the trenches, doing the actual work in places like the Georgia 6th.
- Meanwhile, another Congressional special election flew completely under the radar: the South Carolina 5th. The Republican won that seat as well, but by an even smaller margin. This is not a seat that any polls suggested ought to be competitive, and the Democrats spent almost no money here. This ought to scare the GOP; we'll see if they heed the warning.
- Maryland and the District of Columbia have sued Donald Trump for violations of the emoluments clause and other conflict of interest laws.
So I've literally just clocked out of Oxenfree
Jun. 26th, 2017 11:06 pmspindizzySpoilers, I guess? I am about two hours in and have just played a game for Clarissa. Also, uh, caution warning for stuff that is also probably spoilers DO NOT CL
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(no subject)
Jun. 26th, 2017 05:29 pmnanslice( weight stuff )
I went to Torrid yesterday (so glad I have a local store!) and bought clothes and I might have plurged a little and ( materialism yay! )
This weekend was a complete bust, writing-wise. :( We had home repairs and stuff to do and I just didn't have the time. I'm going to try to get something written/posted tonight but we'll see. I'm going to do writing sprints and see how it goes. ;3; If anyone's interested in doing writing sprints with me, hit me up on discord: nanners#7965
I went to Torrid yesterday (so glad I have a local store!) and bought clothes and I might have plurged a little and ( materialism yay! )
This weekend was a complete bust, writing-wise. :( We had home repairs and stuff to do and I just didn't have the time. I'm going to try to get something written/posted tonight but we'll see. I'm going to do writing sprints and see how it goes. ;3; If anyone's interested in doing writing sprints with me, hit me up on discord: nanners#7965
Oh what a gorgeous day
Jun. 26th, 2017 01:19 pmelainegreyOn the back porch because it's a California like day with low humidity, mild temperatures, and blue blue skies. Hmm, i could probably dry the towel load outside today.
The weekend was pleasantly spent. The local library seems to have switched to Overdrive for eBooks (or i found their Overdrive link) so i did some casual reading. We had a pleasant bit of thrift shopping after a late brunch out on Saturday. There was a fellow selling Adirondack-ish furniture at the circle in Pittsboro, and we finally stopped and asked after the pieces. We've been talking about a bench for the back glade
I made tamales, which i was certain were failures but were, actually, just fine. The Great Northern beans turned out ok despite using the "rapid soak" shortcut. The pickled peppers i put in the squash weren't too hot (indeed, perhaps a bit bland). The amount of salty veggie bullion in the masa was not really noticeable after cooking. The masa wasn't stale, even though my nose kept saying it was.
One thing i wasn't worried about was that i used processed coconut oil instead of the traditional lard. (I didn't fluff it up first, though.) It's the first time i've used coconut oil: it seems like a lovely replacement for the Crisco i grew up with. And then there's the thought of tropical tamales made with unprocessed coconut oil. Fish filling? It's been ages since i made tamales: i should do it again soon.
Meeting for Business did not need a lunch dish -- or such was asserted. Never trust someone who thinks their meeting agenda is short. I drove home pondering how i would clerk at this meeting. I was quite hungry when i got home.
I harvested the russet potatoes. There was a little wireworm damage, and they weren't as big as grocery store potatoes, but there's a good pile. I'm a little disappointed because i will need to use these damaged ones earlier instead of letting them keep. (I probably cleaned them all up too well, too. I know the advice says let the dirt dry and brush it off, but i want to see the pretties!)
The weekend was pleasantly spent. The local library seems to have switched to Overdrive for eBooks (or i found their Overdrive link) so i did some casual reading. We had a pleasant bit of thrift shopping after a late brunch out on Saturday. There was a fellow selling Adirondack-ish furniture at the circle in Pittsboro, and we finally stopped and asked after the pieces. We've been talking about a bench for the back glade
I made tamales, which i was certain were failures but were, actually, just fine. The Great Northern beans turned out ok despite using the "rapid soak" shortcut. The pickled peppers i put in the squash weren't too hot (indeed, perhaps a bit bland). The amount of salty veggie bullion in the masa was not really noticeable after cooking. The masa wasn't stale, even though my nose kept saying it was.
One thing i wasn't worried about was that i used processed coconut oil instead of the traditional lard. (I didn't fluff it up first, though.) It's the first time i've used coconut oil: it seems like a lovely replacement for the Crisco i grew up with. And then there's the thought of tropical tamales made with unprocessed coconut oil. Fish filling? It's been ages since i made tamales: i should do it again soon.
Meeting for Business did not need a lunch dish -- or such was asserted. Never trust someone who thinks their meeting agenda is short. I drove home pondering how i would clerk at this meeting. I was quite hungry when i got home.
I harvested the russet potatoes. There was a little wireworm damage, and they weren't as big as grocery store potatoes, but there's a good pile. I'm a little disappointed because i will need to use these damaged ones earlier instead of letting them keep. (I probably cleaned them all up too well, too. I know the advice says let the dirt dry and brush it off, but i want to see the pretties!)
Because I love the Affordable Care Act, even with its flaws.
Jun. 26th, 2017 08:48 amhavocthecatwendelah has been a nurse for 32 years and knows her shit: Go here and see these links for helping to fight for the Affordable Care Act. Yes, it's flawed, but it's a far cry better than what they're looking to replace it with. I have many strong, personal feelings on health care and the medical system right now and don't want to dump them on you, so I'm going to disable comments and make a more upbeat post soon. If you want to talk about the ACA or health care, or any of the other interesting political things that
wendelah has linked to, please let the focus be on her post. :)So I took a running jump into the Steam Sale!
Jun. 26th, 2017 12:18 pmspindizzyI have sure FAILED SOME WILL SAVES! Go me.
The short list of what I picked up:
I also picked up Framed on my tablet becausereadingtheend doesn't usually play video games but did mention this one as one she's tried. It's noir style, completely textless, and you re-arrange animated comic book panels to get the protagonist safely from one end of the page to another without getting arrested, shot, or falling off a skyrise. I've not finished it, but it's pretty fun so far! (thebaconfat, squeemu: it is a little bit our aesthetic, so it might be worth checking out on youtube to see if you like the look of it! Also I know I recced Phoenix Wright to you literally five years ago, but it's on android/ios now if you wanna check it out!)
Has anyone else fallen victim to the Steam sale? What got you? Anyone got any recs?
The short list of what I picked up:
- Triple Town — I described it to Lex as a super-complicated version of 2048, and I don't think I'm wrong! You place objects (grass, bushes, trees, bears...), and when you get three together it schloops them all together into the square of the last one you placed. This is the part that is foxing me. I can get as far as "Okay, I want this stage one thing to end up here" and then I can't quite map it to where I want the higher stage ones to be. IT'LL BE FINE, I CAN LEARN.
- Oxenfree — The trailer looks fucking terrifying. Like "genuinely don't want to play this in a room on my own" levels of scary, because I am a wuss and horror games are not my forte. But rionaleonhart played it and said smart things about it, so I am gonna give it a go! It looks like it has siblings, and that is always a good way to get me into your game.
- Long Live The Queen — I actually bought this direct from the developers a while ago but I've lost the installation file and the links in my email don't work, so rebuying it for cheap. The goal is to keep a princess alive for a full year to her coronation, and I have managed it once. Every other time she has died horribly and I've got a cute little picture to commemorate it. It's a skill-building visual novel? And I usually end up putting a notepad file next to my game screen to track what skills I need to get on which story track. LET'S SEE HOW IT GOES THIS TIME.
- Abzu — This is incredibly soothing and I didn't read the blurb before I bought it so I have no idea what's actually going on.
chirart played it a while ago, I think? And I remembered it sounding like Journey, but underwater, and there was maybe a shark friend and terrible controls. So I have straight up just been guessing what the hell is going on ("... Am I dead? Oh! No! It's the scifi future! Maybe I'm a conservationist and that's why I'm bringing back all of the sharks? A OH GOD SHARK ATE MY ROBOT FRIEND! ... I think I just made an amoeba out of my soul and it turned into killer whales and rejuvenated the seascape.") even though I could just look it up and know. Lex did specifically ask me if I knew what was going on in this game, and I may have confused him when I said no. But it's mostly peaceful! Swimming around! Seeing all the fish! Maybe being a scifi future priestess/conservationist!
- The Sexy Brutale — So, you're locked in a mansion/casino at a houseparty, everyone is wearing masks, and the staff are trying to kill everyone. Also if someone with a mask sees you it will fly off their face and do something to you which looks really scary so I always flee before they can get me. Also you can travel through time to try to prevent those murders. I have solved one (1) murder so far, and it's really stressful but I am intrigued and want to know what the hell is going on! Plus the art style is... Unusual... (The second trailer is the best one, if only for the line "I think we've all seen enough. No murders happening here.")
- Avian Attorney — Birds being lawyers and punning horrifically in nineteenth century France. This is gonna go great.
I also picked up Framed on my tablet because
thebaconfat, squeemu: it is a little bit our aesthetic, so it might be worth checking out on youtube to see if you like the look of it! Also I know I recced Phoenix Wright to you literally five years ago, but it's on android/ios now if you wanna check it out!)Has anyone else fallen victim to the Steam sale? What got you? Anyone got any recs?
"Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius"
Jun. 25th, 2017 06:44 pmredheadedfemme
4 of 5 stars
This is the eighth book in the October Daye series. I actually skipped ahead to this one because I'd heard so much about it, and despite my not having read some of the previous books in the series, it doesn't disappoint. Seanan McGuire has a nice, flowing prose style, with little to no infodumping, and does very well at revealing only what you need to know at any given moment. This avoids slowing the story down, and inspires trust in the reader. You know the twists are coming, but in the meantime, you've got a bang-up story to enjoy.
What's outstanding here, however, is the worldbuilding, the characterizations, and the relationships. The world of Faerie existing concurrently with our modern world is a staple in urban fantasy, to the point of become cliche, unfortunately. However, few urban fantasy writers dive as deep into Faerie as McGuire. (I would say the only author to match her is Laurell K. Hamilton, but Hamilton's Faerie is much more pornified.) Toby's world is rigorously thought out and explored, with all its implications and potential (and real) nastiness. (Such as the racism exhibited towards changelings, for example.) This is a world that has left a deep mark on its protagonist, a world where Toby has suffered and has the scars to prove it.
Toby herself, as the central character, is just lovely. She's deeply loyal to her friends, and if in the past she had a habit of charging off half-cocked, she's making a conscious effort to slow down and think. She's also working on accepting help from other people, in particular her boyfriend Tybalt. The foundations of her relationships and family--both her blood family and her found one--are dragged into the open and examined here, and like everything to do with family, the results are sometimes messy. Not all hurts can heal, and not all things can be forgiven. All of these little ins and outs of the people in this book are fascinating, and (as so many people have said) the Luidaeg is a delight. She can scare the piss out of Toby, and does, but Toby loves her anyway, and does something for her that will obviously have major repercussions going forward.
This book is smartly plotted and paced, and very satisfying. Urban fantasy, as a genre, is not as popular as it used to be, and for good reason: in past years, the market was glutted with it, and a great deal of it was not so great. (I know, as I read quite a lot myself.) But this series is superior, and definitely a keeper.
(no subject)
Jun. 25th, 2017 05:13 pmtheharlotofferelden I sorta feel that xfiles fic must be loaded with weird kink and other shenanigans but I'm hesitant to browse for fear of crippling disappointment.
Like im pretty sure Mulder made out with a furry in one episode. P sure that's canon. And Scully watched u guise Scully watched.
Like im pretty sure Mulder made out with a furry in one episode. P sure that's canon. And Scully watched u guise Scully watched.
Fic: In the End She Got What She Wanted the Most (FFVII: Lucrecia/Vincent, Lucrecia/Hojo, M)
Jun. 25th, 2017 12:27 pmsarasa_catTitle: In the End She Got What She Wanted the Most
Characters: Lucrecia/Vincent, Lucrecia/Hojo, Chaos, Grimoire
Rating: M
Series: FFVII Original Game, Dirge of Cerberus
Tags: Dysfunctional Relationships, Lack of Communication, Extramarital Affairs, Pregnancy, Science, Power Dynamics, Sex
Summary: Fifty one-sentence snapshots of Lucrecia's thoughts about Vincent from the moment the meet until she says goodbye.
.
Fic: The Sin of Inaction Has Old Roots (FFVII: Vincent & Grimoire Valentine, G)
Jun. 25th, 2017 10:54 amsarasa_catTitle: The Sin of Inaction Has Old Roots
Characters/Pairings: Vincent Valentine, Grimoire Valentine
Rating/Type: G
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Prompt #23 - Deadly Sin: Sloth atffvii_100
Read here: https://ffvii-100.dreamwidth.org/158586.
Characters/Pairings: Vincent Valentine, Grimoire Valentine
Rating/Type: G
Word Count: 100
Challenge: Prompt #23 - Deadly Sin: Sloth at
ffvii_100 Read here: https://ffvii-100.dreamwidth.org/158586.