splix | Reading

I'm supposed to be switching to a new email service after deciding Proton's over the line and Tuta isn't looking too sweet either. I think I've found one, Aster, but I need to make an account to test it and so much depends upon that. So have I done that?

No. No I have not. I'm still trying to help out a nonprofit board deal with the PHP situation. I keep up their secondary site, a very pared-down wordpress, but their main site is a big thing with lots of custom plugins, wordpress, elementor—the works. And none of it updated since forever. The design house that hosts it, rightly, is saying they can't update the PHP but not saying that it's because it would break the entire antiquated mess. They're quoting $thousands and several months to make a new site, which is understandably choking the board. Hence emails like "if we get you the FTP password you asked for to finish cleaning up the site you keep up, can you do the PHP update for the other site?"

So, lots of time emailing explanations. Also, I'm not going to rescue them, other than to make some suggestions on possible ways they might approach this.

In between emails, a diversion into the active ingredients in PineSol, my old anti-mildew remedy from when we were living on the boat. It used to be pine oil; now it's just citric acid, so a soapy vinegar of strength. The scent of the old stuff was foul, but it worked. This new stuff smells like a bordello for dish detergents. Dunno if it works.

Then there was a small excursion out to the shop to cut an old contact lens case in half. I needed something small that seals well to hold just a small amount of the cat toothpaste the vet suggested. Last night when I first used it, as soon as I took the cap off the tube it came flooding out. Trying to hold an oozing tube, a toothbrush, and a confused cat was Too Much. Now I can put a dab in the lens case, then dip in the brush as it's sitting on the counter. And meanwhile the tube isn't getting contaminated by cat mouth.

I haven't updated the photos on my personal blog that I keep for family and close friends. That usually happens on Saturday and—oh look!—it's Saturday. Guess I'll do that next.

You know, instead of that email thing.

elayna

I have very much appreciated AO3 and knowing it is a site financed and run by fans and never going to be ceremoniously dumped for business/moralistic reasons. But also a little relieved that lately I haven't been feeling very fannish so have been reading books and am not too stressed about the anticipated downtime of 2-4 weeks. I'm feeling sorry for people who are in the midst of posting for Big Bangs, etc., so frustrating to be suddenly stopped!

I did sign up on SquidgeWorld (squidgeworld.org) in case I get a fanfic reading craving. I understand it's run on the basic AO3 code so should be easy to use.

mabiana has compiled a memories list of other fanfic sources, discussed in this post: https://mabiana.dreamwidth.org/1100545.html

I've also seen a bunch of links to alternate sites floating around Tumblr.

If anyone wanted to read something of mine, I'm happy to send a Word file.

I hope everyone is finding the fanfic they need to get thru this stressful time. The world seems so crazy right now, what a time to lose favorite reading material! Fingers crossed it's back up closer to the 2 weeks estimate.

recently_folded

Less than two years ago I did months of research, tried out various free accounts, wrote it all up on Pillowfort (~~gonna migrate those posts over here as soon as I have a moment~~ done, starts here). I've been using (free) Proton with ($12/yr) addy.io just fine since then.

So now half the internet blows up because the Proton CEO, previously revealed as MAGA, is now further revealed as an AI-psychotic. Assholes are one thing; security issues are an entirely different one. Having just browbeat a group I volunteer to run a wordpress site for into updating their PHP (see last week's internet blowup), I'm wearing down on security vulnerabilities.

( The rest... )

elayna

*sniff*

Chekhov was my favorite when I was a kid.

And as I sat down to write this, a friend texted that we have lost Patrick Stewart...OMG. Jesus, Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia, I had no idea. And he was 86, I hadn't realized he was that close in age to Koenig.

I have to spend some time processing that loss.

Um, Chekhov. I started watching Star Trek when it was airing in reruns on a local channel, 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon. I watched every day until I remember the time I turned on the TV, and from the very first looking at the screen, and the position of the Enterprise over the planet, I knew which episode it was. And decided that was probably good.

I always thought Chekhov was cute and amusing. I don't know whether I even knew there were 3 seasons, or that Chekhov wasn't introduced until the second, just that Chekhov was an inconstant presence so I was always happy when he was there.

I read Koenig's book Chekhov's Enterprise about the filming of the Star Trek: The Motion Picture and really enjoyed it. I remember it as a reflective and occasionally amusing exploration of gathering together again and returning to their characters and the process of making a movie.

And of course, he was fabulous as Bester in Babylon Five. I never saw much else of his work, maybe some small guest appearances, so how very nasty and calculatingly evil he could be was quite a surprise.

I am very sorry he is gone, though 90 is a pretty good age. He will live and be loved forever as Chekhov.

I wanted to get this written because I feel behind in FFs, but now I need to go process losing Patrick Stewart too.

mrshamill

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

Current Mood: busy

anais_pf posting in

thefridayfive

These questions were written by

cinnamontoast.

01. Name all the orange items in the room you are in.

02. What's your favorite fall treat?

03. What's your favorite Halloween candy?

04. What's your favorite scary/horror movie?

05. What are you doing on October 31?

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!

recently_folded

I take photos to share regularly with friends and family, as I'm sure a lot of folks do. And one thing they enjoy is when I walk around the neighborhood taking photos of holiday decorations.

This neighborhood used to celebrate with a lot of decor. Everyone had lights, luminaria, hanging lit lanterns, or even just lights wrapped around a deciduous tree trunk. And pumpkins and spooks and lights for Halloween. This was before the giant inflatable things, when decorating was a little more work than just buying something at the box store and plugging it in.

But when Trump came into office, I noticed that fewer homes were decorating. The neighborhood has had some comings and goings, but remains a mixed-culture, mixed-age place. In other words, its overall character, political and social, hasn't changed much at all. But there's been a steady decline in decorating. Last Christmas, there were perhaps half as many houses decorated as there were a decade ago—and I am including the lit trees you could see in the front windows.

But making a round to photo Halloween this year, oh, there wasn't much at all. There's one house that we call The House of Holiday Horrors for their crowded and creepy yard (my friend's toddler won't walk down the street when the Halloween decor is out); there's a couple very tasteful gardens made over into cemeteries with the obligatory skeletons reaching up from the earth; a handful of houses with various pumpkins out, artificial or not (you have to be careful with real pumpkins here because they make the moose sick and you get fined if caught feeding pumpkin to moose); one or two places with amusing tableaux constructed of plastic skeletons. And that was it. Looping through the condo development at the end of the neighborhood, there were as many early Christmas/winter decorations out as Halloween, and only a handful of each at that. They were outnumbered by the number of houses simply flying American flags.

Is it the politics and tribalism? Is it the conservative religious fervor? The worsening economic times? The general loss of hope as we face the effects of killing the planet for the benefit of the hyper-rich? I'm sorry we've lost the holiday sparkle. Here in the subarctic, we spend a lot of winter in the dark. And I feel as though things are much much darker this year.

elayna

When I like an actor, I will often try to see their other works. Generally casually, sometimes obsessively.

Chris Evans' new movie Sacrifice debuted on Netflix, and my sister and her kids come over most Saturdays to watch a movie, so I suggested it and sent the trailer. Looked like an interesting tense action-drama. They all agreed it was a good choice, and with also a girlfriend, we watched last week. Everyone seemed to have a good time and there was much laughter.

Only I felt a little tense, as I didn't think it was meant to be funny? Anyway, we were together again today, at a nearby apple farm, and it came up again, and the gf in particular seemed to have had a great time watching such a funny movie, it was hysterical! So I will feel okay that I made a good recommendation.

Hmmm... still not sure it was meant to be funny.

General plot description: Chris plays an actor who had a nervous breakdown after filming a movie set during Roman times. So nice brief flashbacks of him both in Roman gear and having a nervous breakdown while wielding a flamethrower. (Now I'm thinking Steve Rogers with a flamethrower, you know I am.) He thinks he's got it together (he hasn't) and attends an exclusive charity function, rich people supporting the environment. A group of ... volcano doomsday fanatics, I guess... invade the function, and take several people hostage to sacrifice to the volcano and prevent its eruption.

Definitely trying to provide some commentary on mental health, the environment, wealth, and religious extremism. Possibly in ways that are hysterically funny, but possibly not. I really have no idea how others will react. Not actually very action-y beyond the hostage taking and some attempts at escape. On Netflix, so if you already subscribe, free!

recently_folded

I saw that term in someone else's post about their farm share and had to chuckle. Yes, we subscribed to a CSA this summer as a trial thing and "produce situation" pretty much characterized our summer menus even though we run a vegetarian household all the time.

It felt as though the weekly shares were small, but it still took us the week or more to use one up, and that's even with freezing a fair bit of things like the greens. I still have an accumulated excess of small potatoes, tasty but way more potato carbs than we typically eat that quickly. The share did keep us nicely in lettuce we felt we could safely eat, especially pertinent after the commercial lettuce contamination events this summer made us quit buying supermarket lettuce.

But it seemed as though the stuff we got was what was left over from their farmers' market stall and thinning the rows: tiny carrots, 3 skinny battered leeks, two folded-over scallions, some tiny bolting celery, brussels sprouts smaller in diameter than my pinkie, so-called celeriac that was more celery root and was the size of said pinkie when peeled. Every week there was something that was so small that there was no use for it that felt consequential enough to be worth the bother.

We wanted to support this CSA because it's an agriculture teaching project of a local college and our state desperately needs more small agriculture. But at the price, we could go to the weekly farmers' market and spend as much on the pricey veggies there and end up with something we can use. It was interesting to sample what can be grown in this climate/soil, but we didn't really encounter anything new we felt we want to add to our own backyard garden, which provides frozen greens for most of the year and carrots for at least half, even after the slugs have had their giddy way with it.

It's winter here now, though. The farmers' markets have closed or moved indoors to sell off their remaining potatoes, eggs, meat, and fermented/preserved products—nothing we particularly need. I suppose we should look into that hydroponic lettuce place across town and treat (by which I of course mean "pay for") lettuce like the rare jewel it is at 62°N. And learn to make more salads with cabbage.

caras_galadhon

AO3 Name: Galadriel

♥ Treats are wonderful, and I'm grateful to receive them!
♥ My requests are Yuleporn, Crueltide, Season's Treatings, Yuletide Takes the Case, Interactive Fiction (IF), Chromatic Yuletide, and Wrapping Paper friendly.

Dear Yuletide Writer,

Whomever you are, I want you to know right off the bat that whatever you write for me, I will love it. I already do, because here you are, having signed up to write for a (possible) stranger in a rare fandom that we both share, and that is better than gold.

( A little about me... )
( Interview with the Vampire (TV 2022) RPF... )
( Colony (TV 2016)... )
( Flowers in the Attic - V.C. Andrews... )
( 19th Century CE Writers RPF... )

Thank you again, Yuletide Writer. I'm so very excited about the exchange, and I know I'm going to love whatever you write for me. ♥

Current Mood: excited
Current Location: The Leading Edge of Winter
Current Music: "Brutal Love" (The Vampire Lestat)

savageseraph

Dear Yuletide Writer,

First, let me say that I'm so happy to have you writing something for me that I don't get to see every day but wish that I did. Thank you in advance for that!

I know that my prompts lean toward the slashy and the sexy. I like slash, het (though not vanilla het), and femslash. If you’re writing either het or femslash, I like strong, capable women who own their own strength, intellect, and desire. Of course, I like that in men too. I like BDSM, though more in terms of power dynamics and less in terms of highly ritualized behavior.

However, I love interesting and complex characters and good stories above all else. Even when it comes to the sexy, the sorts of stories I like best are the ones that really get inside the characters’ heads, ones that go beyond the act itself and show how it impacts the characters or their relationship. If you want to see the sorts of things I write (and like to read), I'm also Savageseraph over at the Archive of Our Own.

This is not an exhaustive list, just some things that often tend to make me smile.

LIKES
Dirty talk
The seductive power of language
Power exchanges/dynamics
Kink
Surrender (even against better judgement)
Smart, strong, capable characters
Temptation
Bondage
Angst (but not at melodramatic levels)
RPF where there’s some bleedover between actors and their characters
NonCon (usually just in FPF, unless the fic is an AU, but no AU’s for this Yuletide)
DubCon (I’ve no objections to this in RPF.)
Non-vanilla/traditional characters/situations
Explicit-rated fics (though I do like story and character with my porn)
High Passion/Sensuality/Stakes
Sexual Tension
Tension between resistance and surrender
An edge of darkness/danger
Intensity (physical, emotional, and/or situational)

While this shouldn’t be perceived as a critique of items in the list, these are things I would prefer not to receive in my Yuletide Fic.

DO NOT WANTS
Watersports/Scat
Hurt/Comfort
MPREG
A/B/O verse
Overly sentimental or cloyingly romantic fic, schmoop
Domestic fic/curtain fic
Crackfic/humor
Social issue/political fics
Characters behaving OOC for their canon
No AU’s for the fandoms this Yuletide
Weak female characters
Feminization of male characters
Angst that becomes overly emo
Woobie fics
Fluff
Character death

And now, a bit about the fandoms I've requested for this Yuletide exchange.

Guild Hunter Series – Nalini Singh

I read this series at the start of 2019, but after I started, I mainlined the crap out of it because it hit so many of my kinks. It was romantic (but not sappy), dark and gritty, had angels and vampires, had epic worldbuilding and new and interesting supernatural world: what’s not to like. I really admire Singh’s management of story arcs across novels, her worldbuilding and her characters. I do like the pairings in the series a lot, so since I’ve asked for slash, it might be nice if the fics were set before the characters find their het mates.

What would I like for Yuletide? I’d love some Raphael/Dmitri back when they were both young and struggling with their griefs and becoming brothers-in-arms (and perhaps in beds). I love power struggles, and while there is abiding friendship and loyalty between them, they do clash over things. I wouldn’t mind angry sex between them or something to take the edge off after a battle.

Of course, we’ve had teases of a less-than-platonic relationship between Ilium and Aodhan all along, and if you'd like to give the boys some post-ARCHANGEL’S LIGHT sexy time I wouldn't object. Pre-ARCHANGEL'S LIGHT longing/angst (and perhaps more) would also be good. Were they intimate in the past, but Aodhan’s trauma that lead to his aversion to touch split them apart temporarily? While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.

Grimm (RPF)

For this fandom, I would not object to a threesome. However, I’d also be good with David/Sasha or Sasha/Damien. For RPF, I enjoy stories set during the filming and or promotion of the show/movie and seeing how character dynamics might spill over to interactions between the actors.

While I’m fine with non-con (dub-con is okay) and darker fics in FPF, I’d rather not have them in RPF Kink, however, is fine.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own (or their characters’) inner demons, so much the better.

The Mummy Movies- RPF

Many thanks to the person who nommed this particular fandom/characters. I love watching Isaac and Pascal interacting in videos I’ve seen online, and, well, I'm all for seeing that friendship edged up to something a bit more...non-platonic. ^_^

While I’m fine with non-con (dub-con is okay) and darker fics in FPF, I’d rather not have them in RPF.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own (or their characters’) inner demons, so much the better.

Ruinous Love Trilogy - Brynne Weaver

I have ALL THE LOVE for Brynne Weaver’s BUTCHER AND BLACKBIRD and LEATHER AND LARK. I am counting the days until February 11 when the next book releases. I love horror, so I love the ruthless and pitiless darkness of the story, which contrasts beautifully the love and loyalty and friendship and family. I also love the spiciness and kinkiness both books have. Did I mention that when I saw one of the kinks in Leather and Lark was pegging, I squeed?

I’d love either Sloane/Rowan or Lark/Lachlan. Or possibly a group scene with all of them. I’d be fine with Lark/Sloane and Rowan/Lachlan While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.

Candela Obscura – A Critical Role Webseries

I was very taken by the exchanges between Sean and Marion where Sean is wounded and Marion asked if Sean wanted to pee on it, and how that played out in the end when Marion is gravely wounded. The romantic/sexual play between them is delicious, and I'd REALLY love to see what happens after that scene above once the boys are safe and alone together. Guilty confession: I haven’t watched the last episode yet, but I will do so before Yuletide. While I love spice and some kink, I also like it when those things highlight the characters and their relationship.

I’m interested in the forces of attraction and repulsion, surrender and resistance. I love to see strong men/women struggling to have the upper hand physically, intellectually, and sexually over each other, and if that also involves wrestling with their own inner demons, so much the better.

Having said that, I read and write and enjoy lots and lots of things that aren't really represented in my fics, so I don't want you to feel boxed in. Write what you really love, what inspires you, and it will show in the fic. If you have any questions, you could bounce them off my writing partner

caras_galadhon.

I'm sure I'll love what you make for me, and I'm already looking forward to reading it!

anais_pf posting in

thefridayfive

1. How often do you attend live theater performances?

2. Local community theater or professional theater productions?

3. Which do you prefer: dramas or musicals?

4. Have you ever participated in a theatrical production, whether acting, singing or tech?

5. What was the last play or other staged production you attended?

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!

elayna

Things have changed so much in my life, and sometimes it feels like we're backsliding (or more accurately, that repressive people are trying to force us back), and I wonder how much we've really changed, that those forces sometimes seem to be making their mark, and it stresses me out...

And then an acapella band I follow, one that does a lot a lot of country songs, and they're covering a Shania Twain song, and I think, okay, next line is where they change the lyric to account for the fact that the singer is a male rather than a female...and they don't. Good for them! Also, they make a very cute couple.

PS. I’m told they are indeed a couple in RL. Too sweet!

Watch on YouTube

recently_folded

Well, time passes, doesn't it. I've been elsewhere but with the (tragic) demise of Pillowfort, I'm back at the enduring Dreamwidth.

I'd deleted this account in a frenzy of cleanup fallout from moving off of google and switching to more private and anonymized email accounts, but as it turns out, deleted wasn't in fact forever, my account remained on the servers, I flipped a switch to "active," and Bob was indeed my uncle.

I've debated pulling over some of my Pillowfort posts and then figured: why? Anyone from Pillowfort has seen them if they cared to; no one else here is necessarily interested. Even if I can get Tassel archive to work (it hasn't yet; I dunno), maybe I should just tuck that bit of history away on my backup drives and move along.

So now I need to look around, brush off the cobwebs and tidy things up, update it all, and set off to subscribe to some of the other Pfio refugees.

Also, this is the second morning there's been a skiff of fresh snow on the ground when the sun came up. So that's happening too.

elayna

I think I've talked about this before... I love going to arts and crafts festivals this time of year. Support very small businesses, admire beautiful or tasty products, usually with my sis and we have a good time chatting while looking.

A couple of years ago, I started thinking about a McShep AU, where they worked as vendors, not necessarily as competitors, except in the sense that the customers may buy more from one than the other. And it would drive Rodney crazy, because he would have such a well-polished patter, he'd be high energy, engaged, calling out to people as they walked by, working to make those precious sales. But John would just be lounging in his booth, giving a flirty smile and saying a casual, "Hi" and be doing just as well as Rodney.

I was at a festival this weekend and started thinking about them as the producers as much as the salesmen. There was a painter, which is an infrequent but not unknown type of artist, and I could imagine John as a very big brush stroke impressionist type painter, swirls of paint and different colors, the kind of art that one can stare at and see all kinds of meanings within. Like staring at the clouds in the sky, and falling into the universe.

And it would drive Rodney crazy (poor Rodney, I like him agitated) because he would look down a bit on art that he sees as just throwing paint at a canvas. Rodney's art would be much more precise and detailed and take a ton of time. Though then I thought, maybe he'd be one of those artists who would do portraits of people's pets, and they'd be absolutely adorable paintings which people would love, but Rodney would feel a bit insecure that even though he made a very good living, it wasn't really 'good' art. It would drive Rodney crazy that though his work was much more technically difficult, John's would be just as popular from the number of people buying from him.

Then one time, the festival would be in John's town, and something would go wrong, Rodney's car breaks down as he's packing up. John would be nearby and offer that he could stay overnight. Festivals always end Sunday night, it's a crap time to get auto service. Rodney would appreciate the offer and they both would have sold a lot, so could fit all their gear in John's car. They'd have dinner at a restaurant or maybe John would offer he's got food waiting at home. Conversation would be surprisingly companionable, and John would end up talking about his process. Rodney would be more impressed than he anticipated.

Events would proceed from there. :-)

What can I say? Thinking about fictional characters amuses me.

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Passions and Loathings

Reading

Look at me, not getting anywhere fast

Fannish 50 2026 #39: AO3

Email service providers ISTG

Fannish 50 2026 #38: Walter Koenig, RIP - omg, Patrick Stewart, RIP

Busy, busy adults

The Friday Five for 30 October 2026

The neighborhood is not festive

Fannish 50 2026 #37: Sacrifice

The produce situation

Dear Yuletide Writer (I Adore You Already...)

Dear Yuletide Writer...

The Friday Five for 23 October 2026

things have changed

Here we are again

Fannish 50 2026 #36: the arts and crafts festival AU

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August 2019

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