Reading

As a child, with your mind on the horizon, over corpses, to the prize you kept your eyes on

Happy Friday! We've almost made it through the week! It's going to be a somewhat busy weekend, as we're going to be going today for Jess' postop and then tomorrow, I have to go to the Silver Spring Farmer's market, and be back for game at noon.

This week has been busy at work, and I'm not really sure why. No real theme, just busy. My low number this week was 45 calls. The rest of the week, I was in the 50s.

Then, I did some actual work, taking the dog for his walk, and then taking all the trash out. I totally succumbed to being a putz and driving the bags to the dumpster. The dumpster was super full, so I'm glad I did, because I needed to kind of loft the bags into the dumpster, and if I'd carried those fuckers all the way down there, my arms would have been noodles.

I think I forgot to mention, but I got new glasses. Actually kind of old glasses. I went back to my Zenni and reordered the frame I really liked in my new prescription. They're the most comfortable glasses I've ever had. The area that was breaking out because of the old glasses is drying up some. I'm hoping if I continue putting lotion on it, it'll fully dissipate. Now if only that worked for my upper lip and chin. Fucking grown up acne is bullshit.

More of my packages came yesterday, and I now have a lovely espresso colored henley shirt, and Jess has a vest and coat.

Oh! I got the best winter coat from Snow Country Outerwear! https://www.snowcountryouterwear.com/ It's heavy and and fits amazingly. Last I saw, they were talking about a cold wet winter here, possibly starting in December.I need to get some gloves, but mostly I'm good for winter. (And coincidentally, cruise.)

And on that note, time to start getting myself together so we can head to Sibley. We don't have to be there til noon, but we're leaving early. Everyone have an outstanding Friday!

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ATLA: Heat, Wait, Steep, Repeat by Haicrescendo

Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender
Pairings/Characters: Zuko, Iroh, the GAang in the background
Rating: G
Length: 2,889 words, 19min 30s
Creator Links: Haicrescendo
Theme: Food & Cooking, character development, family, families of choice, going home, missing scenes,

Summary:

[Zuko’s greatest failing, not his only but just one that stands out the most in a very long list, is that he’s never known quite what he had until it’s gone. Or, on the opposite hand, he covets the things that don’t matter, that seem to matter so much at the time and turn out, in the end, to be something that Zuko’s made up in his head.

And then Zuko finds, of all things after it all, that he misses Uncle Iroh’s tea.]

Or,

Zuko screws up his life and in the process of fixing it, figures out some tea wisdom along the way.

Reccer's Notes: This story is so beautiful and gentle. I absolutely love seeing how Zuko's growth and character development is mirrored with his finally learning to make a decent cup of tea. Plus the neat detail of how he despite learning from and trying to emulate his uncle, he makes it his own way. Zuko and Iroh's relationship is lovely in this too. Just an all around lovely story. klainelynch does a beautiful job with the podfic as well

Fanwork Links:
Heat, Wait, Steep, Repeat
and the Podfic both on AO3

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: Bamberg

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Alien: Earth 1.07

In which it's very useful to know the numbers of pi by heart. Or eye.

( What have you done? )

Under a headstone, sister, I'm dying to see you, my friend

Well, that completely upended our plan for today. Jess' doctor had to squeeze in an emergency surgery, and their post op moved from today to Friday. It'll be at noon with the PA, but that's okay. I cancelled my day off for today and moved it to tomorrow, and with it being at noon, it won't require us to drive down the night before. And, three day weekend!

So, work as normal today. Whoo. It's okay.

Had confirmation that my bosses are scheming on my behalf. Big boss Amanda mentioned that she had her annual review, and that she was talking me up (again) to her boss. I asked if there was something I should know. She said that she didn't want to say just yet, but that they don't want to lose me. So yeah, there's something going on behind the scenes.

I am having the twin needs to clean the fridge out, which will make my back hurt, and mean that I have more trash to take out and my growing claustrophobia at how much shit we have in the house. I feel like I'm not keeping up my end of the deal.

I may Actually put a bunch of the bags and boxes in my car and drive them to the dumpster to make my life easier. It might be faster, too.

Weed is awesome. I took the sleep THC tablet again last night. IT behaved just the same. I woke up a couple of times, but I fell right back to sleep, and feel moderately rested. The sister Pain gummies have been helping Jess with the pain a lot, so that's been good, too. These are all from Curio Wellness. They have a line that's specifically formulated to help with various things, and so far, it does what it says on the tin.

Okay, time for me to get myself together. Everyone have an outstanding Thursday!

Current Music: “Cha Ge”

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Mo Dao Zu Shi; Chen Qing Ling: Tea Preferences by CQL Sects - a Headcanon, by watch-grok-brainrot

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi; Chen Qing Ling
Pairings/Characters: Gen; M/M; Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian; Jin Zixuan, Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Nie Mingjue, Nie Huaisang, Jiang Fengmian, Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, Lan Xichen, Lan An, Lan Wangji
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 1,209 words
Content Notes: No Archive Warnings Apply, arrant pedantry, Author Showed Her Work, Food Porn, gastrotravelogue, tea nerdery, Tumblr work
Creator Tags:
headcanon, the untamed 陈情令, cql, mo dao zu shi, mdzs, wei wuxian, lan wangji, nie huaisang, jin zixuan, wen qing, nie mingjue, wangxian headcanon at the very end because that's what i'm here for, tea, i really like tea, heicha, oolong, white tea, green tea, dragonwell, my ramblings, qi is a thing for some tea drinkers

Creator Links: (AO3)

Haoppopotamus; (Instagram)

haoppopotamus; (Tumblr)

watch-grok-brainrot (formerly ~~wangxianbunnydoodles~~)
Theme: Food & Cooking, Cultural Differences, Meta, Research, Worldbuilding

Summary: Since watching ep 3 for the first time (i.e. january), this has been knocking around in my brain. In ep 3, we see JZXuan waltzing into the same inn as the Yunmeng Trio, booting them, and then rejecting “bad tea”. Ever since, I’ve watched a lot of tea being poured in CQL. It got me thinking, what kind of tea would different sects prefer and what would different characters drink?

Reccer’s Notes: In which Haoppo uses her tea connoisseurship as a vehicle for characterization and worldbuilding (and invites her imaginary friends to illustrate and share her interest.) For the likes of me (with no claim to Asian cred by birth or upbringing, and whose blunted sensory range reduces almost all tea to hot leaf juice), this serves as a window into an unfamiliar area of interest and body of cultural reference frames (the idea that tea might possess qi, not necessarily related to its flavor, was a new one on me—but of obvious importance to cultivators.)

Fanwork Links: Tea Preferences by CQL Sects - a Headcanon

(The original post, preserved on the Wayback Machine, includes a beautiful and apropos GIF header: Tea Preferences by CQL Sects - a Headcanon (~~wangxianbunnydoodles~~)

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admin: theme reminder

Theme Reminder: Food & Cooking

Photograph of steel spoons and spices in a dramatic setting with added text that gives it the look of a gourmet magazine cover: September 2025. Food & Cooking, at Fancake. Steel teaspoons are arranged in an elogated oval to suggest a fish, with the bowls acting as scales and some of the handles left visible to create the fins and tail, giving the creature a spiky appearance. The concave bowls are dusted with a powdery orange spice for color and one spoon at the front of the fish is filled with a coarse black spice to create an eye. The fish is on a black surface with a rough texture and around it are three skinny green peppers, a mound of salt, a mound of orange spice, and a dipping bowl filled with a clear amber liquid.

When the summer dies, severing the ties, I'm with you always, always

It's Wednesday! We're almost halfway through the week! Well, technically I'm fully halfway through the workweek, since I am off tomorrow to take Jess to their 1 week post op. We're spending the night in DC again since their appt is at 10. To be sure that we got there on time, we'd have to leave super early with both Baltimore, then DC morning traffic. I'd rather just be sure that we get there on time without making me anxious.

The hotel was very nice last time, so I'm expecting a good trip. I don't know if Jess is getting her drains out yet. They're still draining a bit more than they usually like to take them out. But we'll see. If we have to go back in a week, that's what we'll do. But hopefully they behave.

We're both excited to see the results. Jess is nervous about the bandage and drain removal as some people have mentioned that it's unpleasant. I'm sure it'll be okay. They can squeeze my hand if it hurts. They did say that they may cry when they see the new flat chest. It's pretty striking, even with padding and nipple bolsters on.

After we get home, the dog goes for his grooming, and we figure out dinner. I've been really bad about cooking. I haven't cooked a damn thing since Jess' surgery. We've eaten out. I've just have not been sleeping great, and have been very tired.

Today, I feel pretty good right now. I tried a gummie that's made specifically to make you sleep, and boy howdy did it work. I fell asleep fairly quickly, and while I woke up a couple of times to pee, I went right back to sleep. It was lovely.

All my shit is scheduled to come tomorrow, though who knows if it will. I'm looking forward to seeing it all in person. There's one blouse from Universal standard that I'm especially interested in. They have a pretty good sale going on.

Okay, time for me to go forth and take a nice shower. Everyone have an excellent Wednesday!

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: Stephanie Mills - I Never Knew Love Like This Before

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Book Log: Rogue One

I bought Alexander Freed's novelisation of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story back when the movie first came out and I was fannishly excited over it, but I didn't read it. I think it's because most of the time novelisations don't really work for me, either by overexplaining what I prefer to be open, or going for characterisation choices that I disagree with. This novelisation does both! But enough time has passed, and Andor has opened the world further into its own thing, that I can process the novelisation as a product of a specific point in time.

Also, good thing I didn't read it back then because it completely undoes my missing scene fic, in the usual ways that crack me up, eg. my thinking that the timeline as seen didn't make emotional or plotworking sense in order to accomplish all the things that film needed to do during the Yavin 4 interlude, but the movie script, and from there the novelisation, disagreed with me.

The novelisation itself was interesting, and I suppose scratches that itch for world details and setting the scene. But its blank spots are funny, eg. Cassian really has nothing going on emotionally, except (1) mission and (2) Jyn, with the second point overtaking the first pretty quick; no insight into Chirrut's headspace at all, since he only gets the one scene (where he dies) since everything else is given to Baze, I think due to limitations in being able to flesh out the Guardians of Whills lore; Bodhi really does not get his due for what he actually did and sacrificed in order to get the plans out. The movie's already a little waffly on the last part, and I get that the story is wholly Jyn's, but... the novelisation's Jyn is not the movie's Jyn either. The broad strokes of the character are the same, but the novelisation (and the script's?) Jyn is way angrier, conflicted and traumatized that movie!Jyn's heartbroken stoicism. So there's that! But I did like the imperial bureaucracy and Orson Krennic parts, which I suppose are not difficult to get wrong.

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feather and glass

Chapter Fifty-Five of 'Feather and Glass'- No Time to Breathe

( Read more... )

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due South: Hungry Like the Wolf, by Wagnetic

Fandom: due South
Characters/Pairings: Diefenbaker
Rating: Gen
Length: n/a (artwork)
Content Notes: may induce donut cravings!
Creator Links: Wagnetic on AO3
Theme: Food and cooking, Happy endings, Crafts, Textiles

Summary: A bag featuring Dief and the imminent demise of some donuts.

Reccer's Notes:
I will never stop reccing this! An excellently crafted bag with a felt appliqué of Dief about to enjoy a stack of donuts. It's so good, and a perfect likeness of Dief with a "donuts incoming" gleam in his eye!

Fanwork Links: Hungry Like the Wolf

Current Mood: anxious
Current Music: Mets vs Padres on tv

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a 2-run bomb from brett baty

Last night at this time, I was on what ended up to be a 90 minute (or more - I left after 90 minutes) call with other shareholders in my building to discuss options for complying with local law 97, which is all about reducing carbon emissions. It was informative, though as usual, the people running these meetings are bad at it it, and 2 people basically monopolized all the Q&A time with very specific-to-them concerns instead of applicable-to-all-tenants stuff, but at least nobody accused the board of being racist for muting them, which is what happened the last time I joined a building-related zoom call. Still only about a quarter of the people who live here showed up, which I find inexplicable considering the financial considerations involved. While no final decision was made, it seems like there will be a recommendation to take one of the incremental measures while continuing to explore the more expensive (but not the ludicrously expensive most expensive) options. So we'll see how that goes. If it helps my apartment not to turn into a sauna going forward, I am interested!

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Baby Miss L is still trying to finalize her Halloween costume, but as with last year, there may be multiple outfits as she has a very full social calendar. She has gotten better about school, too - apparently she waves hello to everyone as she enters, and I imagine they all appreciate her attention. *g* I have also started compiling a list of books to buy her for her birthday and Christmas, which I guess I'll start shopping for soon.

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I complain about work fairly often, but today I learned that 1. they've confirmed that our insurance will cover covid jabs for everyone who uses it, and 2. they're giving us 2 extra paid holidays this year since both 12/26 and 1/2 fall on Fridays. So I know I have it pretty good despite...everything happening in the world to try to ruin public health and nonprofits.

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I can't remember if I posted about the very addictive phone game I recently downloaded, but after several lelvels where the only way to advance was to spend money to get helpful items, I deleted it. I can't be spending that kind of money and I am definitely the kind of person who needs to defeat the puzzles, even though I can see they are specifically designed to not be beatable without those helpful items. It's one reason I don't gamble or play "real" video games - I tend to get feverishly obsessive about winning and neither sleep nor money matter to me in that state. *hands* At least I know this about myself? Idk, but it felt good to delete the game even though I am still craving it.

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The Mets snapped their losing streak on Sunday and still control their destiny in terms of a wild card spot, but given how poorly they've played for so long, this series with San Diego feels like a playoff game already. We'll see if they can hold the early lead. ....and now Lindor goes deep! <333

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admin: poll: theme

Round 179 Theme Poll

Poll #33623 round 179 theme poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 102

Pick the next theme of fancake:

Mystery & Suspense
37 (36.3%)

Platonic Relationships
31 (30.4%)

Uncommon Settings
34 (33.3%)

Current Mood: sad

Raindrops keep falling on my head....

RIP Robert Redford. A fantastic run of movies especially in the 70s as an actor, later as a director never made an uninteresting movie, founded a film festival of several decades running, and to the best of my knowledge never abused his fame and status and instead used both to help others.

Watch on YouTube

We're leaving the city, so this is farewell, goodbye Seven Sisters and Saint Jezebel

We survived Monday! Good Lord we were busy. The phones didn't stop coming until like 3pm, and then they picked up again after an hour. It was impressive. I ended up doing 57 calls, which is a lot when I also had to fill a couple of slots.

Yesterday, my dress came in. It's not quite the same color as it looked on the site, but it looks very nice, and I actually like the color better. More Russet orange and less bright orange. As per everything I've gotten from Universal Standard, the clothes are soft and well made. The fabric is substantial, but not hot.

I realy love my nightgown/robe combo. I am 100% going to wear it on the balcony wth fuzzy slippers and maybe fleece lined leggings, depending on temperatures. The highs are usually around 54, which is just fine with me. I am tempted to get a robe for Jess. It seems like they're a little more chilly without 10+lbs of insulation on their chest, which makes total sense.

They're continuing to heal well. Fairly mild pain as long as they're taking it easy. They're still napping frequently, but that's good for them. Tomorrow night, it's back down to DC for their follow up appointment on Thursday. It's going to be a busy day, as Yoda has grooming at 2. (we should be back about 12:30pm from Jess' appointment.

I continue to be Alaska focused. I've watched a ton of info on the ship. We're sailing on Holland America on the Konigsdam. We're getting into Seattle 2 days early, then taking the 6pm train up to Vancouver. Then, over to our hotel, where we'll have a quiet night, spend a day exploring Vancouver. The next morning, someone from the hotel will collect our luggage, and off we shall go.

Things to do between now and then:

Passports. To be done as soon as Jess feels able.

More clothes. Not too many. And I think from here on out, I'll be waiting for Black Friday sales.

Break in these freaking hiking shoes. The arch is very high, and I'm still adjusting. Otherwise, they're very comfy.

Okay, Time to get myself together. I need to boil some eggs for breakfast tomorrow. Today I have bratwurst and sauerkraut to make me happy. Everyone have an outstanding Tuesday!

Current Mood: charmed

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Stargate Atlantis: A Supermarket in California

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairings/Characters: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Rating: Mature
Length: 7,571 words
Creator Links: whateverrrrwhatever on AO3
Theme: Food & Cooking

Summary: John decides that California doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

It's an AU where John Sheppard inherits a supermarket right next to Cal and meets Rodney McKay, physics professor. They kiss. That's it, that's the fic.

Reccer's Notes: This is an *almost* complete AU, shot through with wonderful location details, wherein John is a veteran who spent time in Antarctica and Rodney is a professor at Berkeley. In a series of snapshots, John inherits a run-down local market, decides he likes the neighborhood, and sets about making a place for himself. Then one day, an "unnecessarily dramatic" (as described in the tags) Rodney walks through the door.

This was one of the first SGA AUs I read and it stayed with me. I truly enjoyed following John as he problem solved; first the store, then Rodney. (Spoiler: the solution is snacks.)

Fanwork Links: Story on AO3

(no subject)

Rosie is getting married tomorrow, so today was the last class for a fortnight. She was going on annual leave after our class finished, and was such a happy mood. So, while she was still evil!Rosie, she was being so while full of joy which was lovely to see. The class got her a signed card, which she seemed touched about, then she was off, checking out of work to do some last minute wedding prep.

I was also at the doctors this morning ( cut for medical stuff )

We did a craft fair on Saturday gone. Sadly, it wasn't the best attended, and we only made a profit of £35 after paying for the table. But, that was £35 more pounds than we'd had that morning, and stock was sold, which was great. Even better, the organiser offered us a regular spot at the makers market in our town. Funnily enough, that happens in the same hall we use for weight management class, on the third Saturday of each month. So, that's this Saturday coming, where hopefully, more people turn up and more stock will be sold. And if it's quiet, I've told James I'll sneak away and leave him to it and have an hour in the gym *g*

We also went to see the new Downton Abby film on Friday. The clientele amused me as the screen was full of ladies carrying in their glasses of wine, but they were all so excited, it made for a lovely atmosphere, especially as nearly every seat was full. ( cut for spoilers )

The autumnal reaper, the stains of this creeper will last, the shine and the sham entangled

And we're back to Monday and I for one, am not ready at all. I'm very tired, and a little sore. Plus, over the weekend, I forgot to get my Ambien, so I went without last night and had a somewhat rocky night, though 10mg of THC definitely helped.

Jess is doing well, continuing to be tired, but minimal pain. They may have overdone it a bit, because their one drain had a surprising amout of fluid in it. So they'll take it easier and see if that lessens it.

Yesterday was surprisingly busy. I'd made an appt to get my roots touched up, so I did that. It went very well. I definitely will keep doing it that way. SO much easier than trying to do it myself. I've been using Madison Reed's Savona Scarlet, which gives me a really dark intense red. Add in some cherry chestnut Overtone conditioner, and I'm very happy with the color.

After that, I ran down to a church parish to pick up their spaghetti dinner. Not terrible, but not wonderful either. The salad dressing was excellent, though. The ravioli was a touch dry and the sauce wasn't great either. The cannoli was really tasty, which redeemed a lot.

Then, I relaxed for a few minutes before running to Aldi for a small grocery run. Two walks for the dog in the middle of that and I was wiped out and hurting. Which was when I realized that I completely forgot my Ambien.

In between, I piddled around online, nothing exciting. I did get a couple of shirts, which will hopefully be coming soon. My orange dress is due to come today, so I'm looking forward to seeing that.

But in the meantime, work. We're bound to be crazy today, and I'm going to have two days of emails to go through. Whoo.

I need to make some eggs for breakfast, and then I shall go forth and maybe make the bratwurst I got. It was meant to be for dinner, but they were out of the second type of sausage, so they will be for lunch/snack.

Tonight, I'm going to try out our new Mickey Mouse waffle iron, I think. I have breakfast sausage, so I'm thinking about making those up and doing breakfast for dinner. It's been a while since I made waffles.

And on that note, I better get cooking. Everyone have an awesome Monday!

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: Bamberg

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To start the week with

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finished its third season, and you may have deduced from the fact I didn't review the remaining episodes that for me, it did not take a turn for the better. The Ortegas episode was probably the most, in lack of a better term, Trekian, not to mention the long awaited one with a focus on Ortegas beyond "I fly the ship", but it shares with far too many ST: SNW episodes the way it is just incredibly derivative, of both other franchises and earlier ST. And the series finale chose to pick my least favourite DS9 plotline and scenario, sigh. To complete my turn to an old grouch, the feeling of this season as Star Trek: The Rom Com didn't help, either. Anyway. I'll always have Discovery and Prodigy in terms of new ST that manages to unite both affection for the past AND originality and the courage to try out new paths and characters.
*****

Given the daily horror show that is the news, it's all the more important to find joy in fannish things, so I was delighted to discover this new Sense 8 vid. Now there was a show celebrating joy and diversity:

Sense 8

Voice in my Throat

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And on another joyful note: Yuletide nominations have started!

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a path of stones and thorns

Chapter Thirty of 'A Path of Thorns and Stones'- The Geas

( Read more... )

Current Mood: satisfied
Current Music: Eagles vs KC on tv

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looking at the spot

My original plan was to make pork chops with peach butter for dinner tonight, but then no peaches arrived with my grocery order, so I did a quick pivot to pork chops in lemon-caper sauce (NYT gift link) and they are delicious. I think it would also be very good with chicken if you don't eat pork (or eggplant, which seems to be my veggie substitute for meat these days, though it is more labor-intensive).

Anyway, I substituted a half-cup of chicken broth with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar for the wine and forgot to add the flour until I'd already added the broth, but it all turned out all right. Definitely recommended!

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In other news, I've had Saja Boys' Soda Pop stuck in my head all day. "Tom's Diner" vanquishes it briefly but then it returns. It's a cute song! Very catchy! I'd like to not have it in my head all day!

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