Music Thursday
Jan. 15th, 2026 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
muccamukkBased on how sad a lot of this album was, I had been wondering if William Prince was okay, but he sounds like he's doing well? This song is so pretty, anyway.
muccamukkBased on how sad a lot of this album was, I had been wondering if William Prince was okay, but he sounds like he's doing well? This song is so pretty, anyway.
Babylon 5 2x07 "Soul Mates"
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:19 pmsholioI rewatched this one tonight, mostly for the Timov of it all, but also ...
( Spoilers for the episode )
( Spoilers for the episode )
Fandom-dropping process, January report
Jan. 16th, 2026 01:45 amerinptahIt’s no longer the 15th of the month as I’m finishing this post…but I ran all the numbers on the 15th, so I’m counting it as a regular scheduled update.
I’ve finished one A-to-Z pass of “handing off and/or punting specific webcomics.” In total, that knocked a couple hundred fandoms off my list. Guess I’ll do another, go harder, and knock out a couple hundred more.
There was a point when I thought about starting a habit of “sweep the Unassigned Fandoms list for tiny underloved Christmas movies,” because sweeping for underloved webcomics was working well. Didn’t end up doing it regularly, though — I just got 12 movie fandoms with 1 fic each, and stopped there. So I dropped all of those in an afternoon. (In the years I was babysitting them, the most active of these fandoms came out with…a whole 2nd fic.)
I also dropped some Random Things that I picked up through the irregular process of “checked out a new canon, enjoyed it, went to see if there was any fic on AO3, found an unwrangled fandom with 1 work.” Stuff like Phoebe in Wonderland (2008), Gary and His Demons (Cartoon), or Her Voice is a Backwards Record – Ozy Brennan. They almost certainly won’t suffer if they stay unwrangled for a while.
(There’s still only one fic for Shadow Man – Melissa Scott…and it’s the one I wrote. Guess it’s depressingly safe to leave “the queer intersex revolution/romance where everyone’s on space drugs” unwrangled, huh.)
With bigger Random Things, when they’re active enough I don’t want to leave them unwrangled, I’ve been making the occasional post about “looking to hand off this fandom, will anybody take it?” Breaks up the monotony of the batches of webtoons, I think. And it’s had maybe a 50-50 success rate — not bad. I’ll keep at it.
…I did actually add 2 new fandoms since the last update. A couple fans wrote about the Toon Makers US Sailor Moon pilot for Yuletide 2025, so that has a fandom tag now, and I picked it up to go with the rest of the Sailor Moon fandom tree.
Then it came up in the “wranglers wanted” channel that Pet Shop of Horrors was unassigned. And how was I supposed to resist picking up PSOH? I love PSOH. That manga reread I just recently started will pair perfectly with a review of the existing PSOH tags.
So my current total number of fandoms is 1183. (The number of “fandoms that actually have any new tags to deal with right now” is 28.)
344 down, 733 more to go…
Snowflake Challenge 02026 #8: Process the Creative
Jan. 15th, 2026 08:35 pmsilveradeptWe're over the halfway line at ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
snowflake_challenge, and this challenge wants us to introspect about how we turn things out.
( Not exactly a process that has a lot of visible things )
snowflake_challenge, and this challenge wants us to introspect about how we turn things out.Challenge #8
Talk about your creative process.
( Not exactly a process that has a lot of visible things )
Daily Check-In
Jan. 15th, 2026 08:36 pmmecurtin posting in fandom_checkinThis is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Thursday, January 15, to midnight on Friday, January 16 (8pm Eastern Time).
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
Poll #34086 Daily check-in poll
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 23
How are you doing?
I am OK
14 (63.6%)
I am not OK, but don't need help right now
8 (36.4%)
I could use some help
0 (0.0%)
How many other humans live with you?
I am living single
10 (43.5%)
One other person
10 (43.5%)
More than one other person
3 (13.0%)
Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
[ SECRET POST #6950 ]
Jan. 15th, 2026 07:49 pmcase posting in fandomsecrets⌈ Secret Post #6950 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
01.
[The Use of Life]
( More! )
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 11 secrets from Secret Submission Post #992.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
friday
Jan. 16th, 2026 09:25 amtielanI woke up this morning at 6:15 when the alarm went off. Then I fell asleep again for another two hours. Which is unusual for my body.
I'm still feeling tired though, like I didn't get enough sleep.
We have someone coming around to talk to us about home battery options. It's not the 'lasts forever' kind of battery option that I wanted, but I'll take it for the moment just so I can learn a little more about battery options and also get something in place for the moment.
I'm still feeling tired though, like I didn't get enough sleep.
We have someone coming around to talk to us about home battery options. It's not the 'lasts forever' kind of battery option that I wanted, but I'll take it for the moment just so I can learn a little more about battery options and also get something in place for the moment.
The Friday Five for 16 January 2026
Jan. 15th, 2026 05:41 pmanais_pf posting in thefridayfiveThese questions were written by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
frieliegh.
1. If you could change one life-changing event in the life of someone important to you, would you?
2. Which do you think is easier to do, being friends for many years, or being life partners for many years?
3. Have you ever walked away from someone you considered a friend?
4. If you had to choose between telling the truth and hurting a friend or lying and making them happy, which would you choose?
5. Which would you rather hear--the truth which will hurt, or the comforting lie?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
frieliegh.1. If you could change one life-changing event in the life of someone important to you, would you?
2. Which do you think is easier to do, being friends for many years, or being life partners for many years?
3. Have you ever walked away from someone you considered a friend?
4. If you had to choose between telling the truth and hurting a friend or lying and making them happy, which would you choose?
5. Which would you rather hear--the truth which will hurt, or the comforting lie?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
New year, new friends
Jan. 15th, 2026 04:27 pmdecemberthirty posting in addmeHello, all! I know I'm a little late to really consider this a new year's post, but here I am looking to meet a few new people nevertheless.
About me:
My name is Katie. I'm 47 years old, and this summer will mark my 25th year of journaling on LJ/DW/both.
I'm a writer by profession, primarily of literary fiction with occasional book reviews for variety. I live in Philadelphia with my partner of 27 years (she's a high school physics teacher). We have a pair of eight-month-old kittens named Oscar and Zorro. I'm the oldest of three sisters in a pretty close-knit family. My sisters have five kids between them, and being an aunt is basically my favorite thing.
I love books and am always reading. Favorite authors include E.M. Forster, Marilynne Robinson, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lauren Groff, Andrea Barrett.... The list could go on and on. I also love the outdoors and learning about nature. I've been a birdwatcher for years; more recently I've gotten into things like butterflies and insects, reptiles, wildflowers, and more. In summer, my favorite thing is finding wild orchids. My partner and I like to travel, and when we do, I use it as an opportunity to learn about the amazing variety of nature in other places.
In case you haven't already guessed, I'm a very introverted person. I spend most of my time at home, where I keep myself busy writing, reading, or in the kitchen. I like cooking, baking, and food preservation, and I'm always working on some sort of kitchen project or trying to teach myself a new skill.
About my journal:
My journal began as a place for me to keep track of my reading, and that's still the subject I write about most often. Other frequent topics include the interests mentioned above: writing, nature, cooking and baking. I tend to post more about what I'm thinking than about what I'm doing at any given time, although I do sometimes use my journal to keep track goals or record projects that I'm working on. I often include photos. I would say I post about once a week...but realistically it's probably a bit less than that.
If you're looking for a friend who comments on every single post, I'm probably not the right person for you. I do like to interact and I always read my friends page, but I prefer to comment only when I have something worth saying. Also, I've found over the years that I don't mesh well with extremely prolific posters. Once a day is fine, but if it's more than that I have trouble keeping up.
My journal is friends-locked for privacy, but I will be happy to add anyone who's interested in checking it out. And I won't be offended if it turns out that it's not your style.
Say hello if you think we'd get along!
About me:
My name is Katie. I'm 47 years old, and this summer will mark my 25th year of journaling on LJ/DW/both.
I'm a writer by profession, primarily of literary fiction with occasional book reviews for variety. I live in Philadelphia with my partner of 27 years (she's a high school physics teacher). We have a pair of eight-month-old kittens named Oscar and Zorro. I'm the oldest of three sisters in a pretty close-knit family. My sisters have five kids between them, and being an aunt is basically my favorite thing.
I love books and am always reading. Favorite authors include E.M. Forster, Marilynne Robinson, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Woolf, Ursula K. Le Guin, Lauren Groff, Andrea Barrett.... The list could go on and on. I also love the outdoors and learning about nature. I've been a birdwatcher for years; more recently I've gotten into things like butterflies and insects, reptiles, wildflowers, and more. In summer, my favorite thing is finding wild orchids. My partner and I like to travel, and when we do, I use it as an opportunity to learn about the amazing variety of nature in other places.
In case you haven't already guessed, I'm a very introverted person. I spend most of my time at home, where I keep myself busy writing, reading, or in the kitchen. I like cooking, baking, and food preservation, and I'm always working on some sort of kitchen project or trying to teach myself a new skill.
About my journal:
My journal began as a place for me to keep track of my reading, and that's still the subject I write about most often. Other frequent topics include the interests mentioned above: writing, nature, cooking and baking. I tend to post more about what I'm thinking than about what I'm doing at any given time, although I do sometimes use my journal to keep track goals or record projects that I'm working on. I often include photos. I would say I post about once a week...but realistically it's probably a bit less than that.
If you're looking for a friend who comments on every single post, I'm probably not the right person for you. I do like to interact and I always read my friends page, but I prefer to comment only when I have something worth saying. Also, I've found over the years that I don't mesh well with extremely prolific posters. Once a day is fine, but if it's more than that I have trouble keeping up.
My journal is friends-locked for privacy, but I will be happy to add anyone who's interested in checking it out. And I won't be offended if it turns out that it's not your style.
Say hello if you think we'd get along!
When I was a kid I read a Sleator book
Jan. 16th, 2026 04:42 pmconulyin which two teens independently fall into a toxic mud puddle and develop mind-reading abilities. Spoilers, they're not the only ones!
They're at a family reunion, and one person mentions that there have been a few breakins, how odd, because all the broken-in houses had security systems. And as they mention that, everybody in range automatically thinks their PINs. This, of course, is how the (telepathic!) thief had broken into the houses in the first place.
Ever since then, every time I've had to enter a PIN or a password anywhere, I've carefully also thought some other random letters or numbers. It's a silly habit, which I only developed long after I outgrew poking around closets for Narnia and had nearly outgrown poking around closets for secret passageways, and it wouldn't really deter a mind-reading thief for very long, but I still do it. If there ever is a telepathic malefactor in close proximity to me, at least they'll have to to try a few different codes to use my bank card!
******************
( Read more... )
They're at a family reunion, and one person mentions that there have been a few breakins, how odd, because all the broken-in houses had security systems. And as they mention that, everybody in range automatically thinks their PINs. This, of course, is how the (telepathic!) thief had broken into the houses in the first place.
Ever since then, every time I've had to enter a PIN or a password anywhere, I've carefully also thought some other random letters or numbers. It's a silly habit, which I only developed long after I outgrew poking around closets for Narnia and had nearly outgrown poking around closets for secret passageways, and it wouldn't really deter a mind-reading thief for very long, but I still do it. If there ever is a telepathic malefactor in close proximity to me, at least they'll have to to try a few different codes to use my bank card!
( Read more... )
Mudlarking 80 - a circus and a bobbin
Jan. 15th, 2026 09:08 pmsquirmeliaI miscalculated and only gave myself just over an hour on the foreshore before I had to be elsewhere but perhaps that was just as well as it was cold.
This time I wore gloves underneath my plastic gloves and thicker socks under my wellies and that helped me to keep warmer.
There were plenty of tourists, both on the foreshore and staring down at me, which is why I prefer to avoid this bit at weekends, unless it's early.
I found my second glowstick, and also some sherds including:
Four pieces of Express Dairies Aster pattern
Brown piece of Dudson
Some delicious strawberries
Dunn Bennett & co
J & G Meakin
A mysterious piece that says “Drew” and “Circus”. Wondering if it could be from St Andrew St, Holborn Circus, but difficult to tell.
Also, what I think is a bobbin, possibly bone and possibly for lace.
(You need a permit to search or mudlark on the Thames foreshore.)
This time I wore gloves underneath my plastic gloves and thicker socks under my wellies and that helped me to keep warmer.
There were plenty of tourists, both on the foreshore and staring down at me, which is why I prefer to avoid this bit at weekends, unless it's early.
I found my second glowstick, and also some sherds including:
Four pieces of Express Dairies Aster pattern
Brown piece of Dudson
Some delicious strawberries
Dunn Bennett & co
J & G Meakin
A mysterious piece that says “Drew” and “Circus”. Wondering if it could be from St Andrew St, Holborn Circus, but difficult to tell.
Also, what I think is a bobbin, possibly bone and possibly for lace.
(You need a permit to search or mudlark on the Thames foreshore.)
Mudlarking 79 - leaf
Jan. 15th, 2026 09:05 pmsquirmeliaA brief lunchtime wander along the foreshore.
“Have you found anything?” I asked.
“Nothing much,” the mudlark replied.
I did find a leaf sherd though! It looked almost like it could be from Animal Crossing if it had a bite out of it.
(You need a permit to search or mudlark on the Thames foreshore.)
“Have you found anything?” I asked.
“Nothing much,” the mudlark replied.
I did find a leaf sherd though! It looked almost like it could be from Animal Crossing if it had a bite out of it.
(You need a permit to search or mudlark on the Thames foreshore.)
[#287] Lucky Discovery (The Fantastic Journey)
Jan. 15th, 2026 08:52 pmbadly_knitted posting in fandomweeklyTheme Prompt: #287 – Hot Water
Title: Lucky Discovery
Fandom: The Fantastic Journey
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: No.
Word Count: 1000
Summary: While scouting around after making camp, Varian finds an even better camping spot.
hopefully last political post
Jan. 15th, 2026 03:28 pmdani_meowsI set a timer that locks me out of Tumblr after 45 minutes as my stress has risen through the roof and I was beginning to feel hopeless.
And my overarching goal this year is to find joy.
And stressing out over my country to the point I can't function is giving them what they want. They want us afraid and helpless to quit protesting and crying out and voting in the midterms.
So mental health break today and tomorrow and then back to shouting and making it clear that this isn't right.
According to polls Republicans also Don't think Trump should take Greenland by force and another poll shows he's loosing support amoung the Gen z men. It's dropped 40 percent.
Here in my area of Florida, close to Tampa, in a region that overwhelmingly went for Trump, my neighbor is no longer flying his big black Trump flag and the pro Trump bumper sticker has vanished. Same thing with a few other areas that had pro Trump stuff still up in December. May they continue to open their eyes and help us keep Democracy.
In other news, I started listening to the full cast audio of Harry Potter and I'm enjoying it so far.
I'm debating going to the cinema to see the extended edition of Lord of the Rings in the theater. Seeing that 25 year in front of the signs though.
I'm old, Gandalf, I may not look it but I feel it.
I turn 42 in May. I have to schedule my first mammogram this year.
We have a freeze warning tonight brr.
And my overarching goal this year is to find joy.
And stressing out over my country to the point I can't function is giving them what they want. They want us afraid and helpless to quit protesting and crying out and voting in the midterms.
So mental health break today and tomorrow and then back to shouting and making it clear that this isn't right.
According to polls Republicans also Don't think Trump should take Greenland by force and another poll shows he's loosing support amoung the Gen z men. It's dropped 40 percent.
Here in my area of Florida, close to Tampa, in a region that overwhelmingly went for Trump, my neighbor is no longer flying his big black Trump flag and the pro Trump bumper sticker has vanished. Same thing with a few other areas that had pro Trump stuff still up in December. May they continue to open their eyes and help us keep Democracy.
In other news, I started listening to the full cast audio of Harry Potter and I'm enjoying it so far.
I'm debating going to the cinema to see the extended edition of Lord of the Rings in the theater. Seeing that 25 year in front of the signs though.
I'm old, Gandalf, I may not look it but I feel it.
I turn 42 in May. I have to schedule my first mammogram this year.
We have a freeze warning tonight brr.
Check-In Post - Jan 15th 2026
Jan. 15th, 2026 06:33 pmbadly_knitted posting in get_knittedHello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.
Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?
There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.
This Week's Question: What are your crafting goals for 2026?
If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.
I now declare this Check-In OPEN!
Reading Thursday (First Half of December)
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:08 ammuccamukkAKA, my Very Serious Holiday Break Reading List.
Flamer by Mike Curato
One of my professors (who's also a librarian) mentioned that they'd just gotten this for the library's graphic novel collection because it was on the banned book list yet again. So I picked it up, then left it on the mantel until school ended for the year.
Centred on a teenager in boy scout camp, the summer before high school starts, the story covers about a week of intense emotional turmoil. The Scouts had banned homosexuality, but were filled with homo-erotically charged jokes and behaviour from the boys, as well as overt homophobia, fatphobia and racism. Like the author, the protagonist is mixed race, chubby and gay, and none of those seem to him like they're going to lead anywhere good. He's looking forward to leaving the Catholic school system, where he got religious guilt on top of bullying, but afraid of the big public high school and future bullying. He's desperately in love/lust with his tent-mate, and terrified what might happen if anyone finds out he's gay.
The art is simple grey scale with occasional red and orange, and showcases the juvenile over-exuberance of the characters, and how every emotion is the most emotion anyone has ever felt. Not a whole lot actually happens in this story, but it does a wonderful job of showing how world-endingly monumental the mundane can be at that age, when everything you feel is going to be all you feel for the rest of your life. The specific experiences aren't something I dealt with at that age, but the intensity felt very familiar.
It's a well done story that I think would be very useful to teens and tweens going through similar situations, which I assume is why it's widely banned.
The Claiming of the Shrew by Lauren Esker
(Usual disclaimer about knowing the author.)
The reservation system worked! For those not following the Fated Mountain Lodge series, the previous novels have all depended on reservation system mishaps putting people in odd situations, but this time it worked! We're in business, baby! The hero does end up in the Honeymoon Suite because it's the only available room, but that's no one's fault but his.
This is probably tied with its sister novel, Joy to the Squirrel, as my favourite in the series so far, with the fully charged shrew (as in she can turn into a shrew) heroine ready to go out there and solve some crime! Even if she has no experience in solving crime. She's paired with the honeymoon-suit inhabiting trash panda private detective, who does know how to solve crime, but is definitely getting off to a slower start. And there also a theatre troop living in the woods. And a dragon. It's just really, really sweet and fun, with charming characters to root for, and largely pretty low stakes. I really appreciated having a disabled heroine, and how she worked with her disability as a shapeshifter. Absolutely this series at its best.
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold, narrated by James Lloyd
(sanguinity just read this, which made me want to read it again (third or fourth time through), so I did.)
I think Sanguinity does a better job of summing up what's great about this book, but to be brief: Caz, our hero, who has had the worst time of it, is my platonic ideal of an iron woobie. He's just trying to get through the day so he can catch a damn break in some hoped-for future, but unfortunately a variety of gods have other plans for him. Does he set out to save the kingdom? No! He sets out to have a nap, but the nap turns out to be on the other side of some serious political shenanigans, so off he goes. Like it or not. And he very much does not like it.
The book is an exercise in slowly ratcheting up the stakes, until the kingdom's fate rests on the fall of some beads, and just doesn't feel like it's going to work out. I really appreciate Bujold's ability to put the reader through it along with the characters. I also like how though there are heroes and villains (and some convincingly loathsome characters), no one's a panto baddie, who's just evil for the sake of the plot. The story is about corrupting influences, and power turning people into their worst selves, and how to fight back against that, which I appreciated.
I have some thoughts about the theology and world building, which will probably get their own post some day.
The Gifts of the Magpie by Lauren Esker
(Know the author, etc.)
The most recent Fated Mountain Lodge book, and the reservation system is... working! But several characters still accidentally get booked into the honeymoon suite, because why not? There were also some fun winter adventures on snowmobiles, and I really liked the set up for the next book's main character.
Unfortunately, that's about all that worked for me. ( slight negativity )
Flamer by Mike CuratoOne of my professors (who's also a librarian) mentioned that they'd just gotten this for the library's graphic novel collection because it was on the banned book list yet again. So I picked it up, then left it on the mantel until school ended for the year.
Centred on a teenager in boy scout camp, the summer before high school starts, the story covers about a week of intense emotional turmoil. The Scouts had banned homosexuality, but were filled with homo-erotically charged jokes and behaviour from the boys, as well as overt homophobia, fatphobia and racism. Like the author, the protagonist is mixed race, chubby and gay, and none of those seem to him like they're going to lead anywhere good. He's looking forward to leaving the Catholic school system, where he got religious guilt on top of bullying, but afraid of the big public high school and future bullying. He's desperately in love/lust with his tent-mate, and terrified what might happen if anyone finds out he's gay.
The art is simple grey scale with occasional red and orange, and showcases the juvenile over-exuberance of the characters, and how every emotion is the most emotion anyone has ever felt. Not a whole lot actually happens in this story, but it does a wonderful job of showing how world-endingly monumental the mundane can be at that age, when everything you feel is going to be all you feel for the rest of your life. The specific experiences aren't something I dealt with at that age, but the intensity felt very familiar.
It's a well done story that I think would be very useful to teens and tweens going through similar situations, which I assume is why it's widely banned.
The Claiming of the Shrew by Lauren Esker
(Usual disclaimer about knowing the author.)
The reservation system worked! For those not following the Fated Mountain Lodge series, the previous novels have all depended on reservation system mishaps putting people in odd situations, but this time it worked! We're in business, baby! The hero does end up in the Honeymoon Suite because it's the only available room, but that's no one's fault but his.
This is probably tied with its sister novel, Joy to the Squirrel, as my favourite in the series so far, with the fully charged shrew (as in she can turn into a shrew) heroine ready to go out there and solve some crime! Even if she has no experience in solving crime. She's paired with the honeymoon-suit inhabiting trash panda private detective, who does know how to solve crime, but is definitely getting off to a slower start. And there also a theatre troop living in the woods. And a dragon. It's just really, really sweet and fun, with charming characters to root for, and largely pretty low stakes. I really appreciated having a disabled heroine, and how she worked with her disability as a shapeshifter. Absolutely this series at its best.
The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold, narrated by James Lloyd
(
sanguinity just read this, which made me want to read it again (third or fourth time through), so I did.)I think Sanguinity does a better job of summing up what's great about this book, but to be brief: Caz, our hero, who has had the worst time of it, is my platonic ideal of an iron woobie. He's just trying to get through the day so he can catch a damn break in some hoped-for future, but unfortunately a variety of gods have other plans for him. Does he set out to save the kingdom? No! He sets out to have a nap, but the nap turns out to be on the other side of some serious political shenanigans, so off he goes. Like it or not. And he very much does not like it.
The book is an exercise in slowly ratcheting up the stakes, until the kingdom's fate rests on the fall of some beads, and just doesn't feel like it's going to work out. I really appreciate Bujold's ability to put the reader through it along with the characters. I also like how though there are heroes and villains (and some convincingly loathsome characters), no one's a panto baddie, who's just evil for the sake of the plot. The story is about corrupting influences, and power turning people into their worst selves, and how to fight back against that, which I appreciated.
I have some thoughts about the theology and world building, which will probably get their own post some day.
The Gifts of the Magpie by Lauren Esker
(Know the author, etc.)
The most recent Fated Mountain Lodge book, and the reservation system is... working! But several characters still accidentally get booked into the honeymoon suite, because why not? There were also some fun winter adventures on snowmobiles, and I really liked the set up for the next book's main character.
Unfortunately, that's about all that worked for me. ( slight negativity )
Star Wars: Your Heartbeat's a Countdown by always_a_slut_for_hc
Jan. 15th, 2026 10:31 amsinesofinsanity posting in fancakeFandom: Star Wars Clone Wars era
Pairings/Characters: All the Clone Commanders and the Jedi Council so:
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Depa Billaba, Quinlan Vos, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, CC-5052 | Bly, CC-2224 | Cody, CC-3636 | Wolffe, CC-1004 | Gree, CC-1010 | Fox, CT-7567 | Rex, Doom, Monnk, CC-8826 | Neyo, CC-1138 | Bacara, CC-6454 | Ponds
Rating: Gen
Length: 4,700 words podfic is 29min 10s
Creator Links: written by always_a_slut_for_hc
Podfic done by PolynomialPandemic
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously, angst (with a happy ending), crack, fix-it, humour
Summary: The Jedi Council was nervous. The Jedi Council was very, very nervous, so much so that the usual meditation-and-releasing-emotions-into-the-Force shtick had failed and High General Mace Windu had broken out the spotchka.
If anything called for drinks, it was discovering that your whole Order was sitting on a primed thermal detonator - well. More like a million of them.
Reccer's Notes: A bit less Crack-Treated-Seriously and a bit more Serious-Treated-Crackily. Starts out super funny, veers into heartbreaking, and then swings right back to being funny again. I love the attention to detail that makes every single character (and there are a lot) feel unique and in character even if they only get a couple lines. The Clone Commanders chat is also super fun and is a feature I've seen used before but never so well with so many characters.
Fanwork Links: your heartbeat's a countdown on AO3 and the podfic
Pairings/Characters: All the Clone Commanders and the Jedi Council so:
Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Depa Billaba, Quinlan Vos, Anakin Skywalker, Yoda, CC-5052 | Bly, CC-2224 | Cody, CC-3636 | Wolffe, CC-1004 | Gree, CC-1010 | Fox, CT-7567 | Rex, Doom, Monnk, CC-8826 | Neyo, CC-1138 | Bacara, CC-6454 | Ponds
Rating: Gen
Length: 4,700 words podfic is 29min 10s
Creator Links: written by always_a_slut_for_hc
Podfic done by PolynomialPandemic
Theme: Crack Treated Seriously, angst (with a happy ending), crack, fix-it, humour
Summary: The Jedi Council was nervous. The Jedi Council was very, very nervous, so much so that the usual meditation-and-releasing-emotions-into-the-Force shtick had failed and High General Mace Windu had broken out the spotchka.
If anything called for drinks, it was discovering that your whole Order was sitting on a primed thermal detonator - well. More like a million of them.
Reccer's Notes: A bit less Crack-Treated-Seriously and a bit more Serious-Treated-Crackily. Starts out super funny, veers into heartbreaking, and then swings right back to being funny again. I love the attention to detail that makes every single character (and there are a lot) feel unique and in character even if they only get a couple lines. The Clone Commanders chat is also super fun and is a feature I've seen used before but never so well with so many characters.
Fanwork Links: your heartbeat's a countdown on AO3 and the podfic