Rec Lists for SNK, XMFC, The Untamed
May. 22nd, 2025 12:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unrelaxing posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
recthethingOver time I've made a few rec lists for friends and never thought to share them with the wider fandom, so I thought it would be nice to do that and post it here!
An SNK (specifically Levi/Eren) rec list from Aug. 13 2022 with 40 recs, split into CANON, CANON DIVERGENCE, REINCARNATION and ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.
Example recs:
Grown To Be Wild by graves | T, 4k | Hanahaki. Eren wakes hours before dawn with his hands tearing at his throat.
Pinecones by ShamelesslyPoetic | G, 5k | While Eren is wandering in the forest, he meets a short, dark, handsome soldier and immediately falls in love.
10 X-Men: First Class (Charles/Erik) fics under 1000 kudos, posted on Apr. 30, 2022 (some of these stories have since gotten 1k kudos).
Example recs:
Kiss and Tell by pearl_o | T, 2k | It's been a long time since Charles and Raven were able to sit down and really talk to each other, but the awkwardness of the occasion is lessened by a lot of red wine and comparing notes on something they have in common - namely, what Erik was like in bed.
Kintsugi by xtinethepirate | E, 49k | When Charles had told Hank there would be a time when they would all be together again, he hadn't meant immediately. In Charles’s mind, that indeterminate time was something more along the lines of “in a few months or a year, once Erik realized what a colossal ass he had been and Charles had stopped wanting to punch him again.”
An MDZS Fic Sampler with 16 fics, with a subsection of fics specifically where the Wen Remnants survive, posted on Apr. 22, 2020.
Example recs:
Seldom All They Seem by fahye | 24k, E | He bows to Wei Wuxian, sword in hand, sleeves falling properly. Wei Wuxian bows in return, and the sect leaders begin the opening courtesies, and for all of ten minutes Lan Wangji is under the impression that he is betrothed to a boy who is perfectly normal and acceptable apart from an unfortunate tendency to fidget with his clothes. That impression does not last.
Operation Old Men by chiharu | 17k | An ill-fated parent teacher conference reunites Jin Ling's wayward uncle with Sizhui's father. AKA: A matchmaking disaster as told by Jin Ling, Sizhui, and Jingyi.
An SNK (specifically Levi/Eren) rec list from Aug. 13 2022 with 40 recs, split into CANON, CANON DIVERGENCE, REINCARNATION and ALTERNATE UNIVERSE.
Example recs:
Grown To Be Wild by graves | T, 4k | Hanahaki. Eren wakes hours before dawn with his hands tearing at his throat.
Pinecones by ShamelesslyPoetic | G, 5k | While Eren is wandering in the forest, he meets a short, dark, handsome soldier and immediately falls in love.
10 X-Men: First Class (Charles/Erik) fics under 1000 kudos, posted on Apr. 30, 2022 (some of these stories have since gotten 1k kudos).
Example recs:
Kiss and Tell by pearl_o | T, 2k | It's been a long time since Charles and Raven were able to sit down and really talk to each other, but the awkwardness of the occasion is lessened by a lot of red wine and comparing notes on something they have in common - namely, what Erik was like in bed.
Kintsugi by xtinethepirate | E, 49k | When Charles had told Hank there would be a time when they would all be together again, he hadn't meant immediately. In Charles’s mind, that indeterminate time was something more along the lines of “in a few months or a year, once Erik realized what a colossal ass he had been and Charles had stopped wanting to punch him again.”
An MDZS Fic Sampler with 16 fics, with a subsection of fics specifically where the Wen Remnants survive, posted on Apr. 22, 2020.
Example recs:
Seldom All They Seem by fahye | 24k, E | He bows to Wei Wuxian, sword in hand, sleeves falling properly. Wei Wuxian bows in return, and the sect leaders begin the opening courtesies, and for all of ten minutes Lan Wangji is under the impression that he is betrothed to a boy who is perfectly normal and acceptable apart from an unfortunate tendency to fidget with his clothes. That impression does not last.
Operation Old Men by chiharu | 17k | An ill-fated parent teacher conference reunites Jin Ling's wayward uncle with Sizhui's father. AKA: A matchmaking disaster as told by Jin Ling, Sizhui, and Jingyi.
new pet peeve
May. 21st, 2025 10:22 pmarchersangelpeople who call any black & white cat a "tuxedo" cat.
according to wikipedia;
there are other bicolor patterns & the article has a couple of charts to understand the difference between them.
like most pet peeves it is a bit nitpick-y, but that's just the way some are.
according to wikipedia;
To be considered a true tuxedo cat, the feline's coloring should consist of a colored coat, with white fur limited to the paws, belly, chest, throat, and often the chin - sometimes the tail. Tuxedo cats can appear to have goatees due to the black coloration of their mandible, lower jaw, and chin. White muzzles or a white coloring on their faces are a common attribute of tuxedo cats.[6] Most tuxedo cats are also "black-mask cats" with a complete white blaze, a common name for felines who, due to their facial coloration, look as if they are wearing a black mask over their eyes, and often over their entire head. The ideal color distribution is symmetric, and the white areas are of modest size and limited to the desirable areas.
there are other bicolor patterns & the article has a couple of charts to understand the difference between them.
like most pet peeves it is a bit nitpick-y, but that's just the way some are.
Free Comic Book Day 2025: The Amazing Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe #1
May. 21st, 2025 07:12 pmlaughing_tree posting in scans_daily
I wrote all of the Venom captions, and then Joe wrote all of the Spider-Man captions and Charles wrote Eddie's captions. And then we all collaborated a little bit on the OTHER CAPTIONS. -- Al Ewing
( Read more... )
Lake Lewisia #1254
May. 21st, 2025 05:40 pmscrubjayspeaksAs not every community hosted a church, so too were they not all protected by a church grim. Increasingly, households had to be communities of their own, and so their first dead had to take on the role of guardian. That often ended up being an ill-fated houseplant, leaving homes protected against danger and sorrow by fierce countertop basils or aggressive window violets.
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LL#1254
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LL#1254
LB is Moving! Take Our Stuff
May. 21st, 2025 08:08 pmlb_leeMori: welp, our new shrink got ratfucked by Trump, even though we only got him last month, which means we have to go hunting a new one and start the whole training process over again while moving. This means we are eager to clear our plate of other distractions ASAP!
First: Wanna help us move? We will be moving on the last weekend of May--most likely Sunday, June 1 because our other three roomies move on May 31 and we don't want the front door to become a clown car. Are you available? Are you willing to lug boxes and get treated to dinner afterward? We would appreciate you (especially if you have wheels)!
Second: FREE STUFF GIVEAWAY (long as you cover shipping)! We have a couple books free to good homes:
Okay, back to trawling my health insurance website for potential new shrinks!
First: Wanna help us move? We will be moving on the last weekend of May--most likely Sunday, June 1 because our other three roomies move on May 31 and we don't want the front door to become a clown car. Are you available? Are you willing to lug boxes and get treated to dinner afterward? We would appreciate you (especially if you have wheels)!
Second: FREE STUFF GIVEAWAY (long as you cover shipping)! We have a couple books free to good homes:
- Sweet Abilene, a M/FTM porno comic by the great E.K. Weaver. Sweet Abilene is a spin-off of their webcomic Shot and Chaser, so you can get a good idea of the art and main characters! It's great! We want other people to love it!
- Festival of the Bones II: What Is Remembered Lives, an anthology of ancestor worship stories and poems edited by the Writers Egbe of Ile Orunmila Oshun. We fed it through the bookscanner, which means this book can now be liberated! (The PDF will be uploaded once we get it OCRed.)
- this page of MPD for You and Me (original)
- two spreads of the queer trans multi wedding in LB Goes To Alaska (prints made to look like the originals in a sketchbook, which include marginalia and green colored pencil underdrawing that are erased from the comic). You can see a photo of one of them here. One spread shows Zyfron and Mystics doing their wedding smooch and first dance; the other shows the wedding dance afterward. These spreads inspired the name of the art show they were framed for, "Love is for all of us." If you need high-res images of the pages in question, just ask!
Okay, back to trawling my health insurance website for potential new shrinks!
there's a good chance he hit it further
May. 21st, 2025 07:32 pmmusesfoolToday was chilly and rainy - it was hard to get out of bed, were I was so cozy and warm. Part of me was like, is it May 21st or March 21st? I like it being cooler at night, but I'm so tired of all the rain.
I was supposed to go into the office yesterday, but my meeting got moved to tomorrow on Zoom, so I didn't have to go in. Luckily, my boss understands that I'm much more productive at home, and doesn't demand my presence more than once a month or so (if that). It's just been stupidly busy with the search committee stuff, though she and I are getting ourselves through it by clinging to the idea that once the search firm is on board, there will be significantly less of that work on our plates. *fingers crossed*
Meanwhile, I read another book:
What I've just finished: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano, the second book in the series. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't think too hard about any of it - just keep it light and breezy - because otherwise it's very hard to believe some of the things the characters choose to do.
What I'm reading now/next: Probably the next book in the series, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, since I don't want to lose momentum (okay, I did lose momentum between books 1 and 2 - I had 2 open in a tab for weeks before I actually settled into reading it; sometimes all I want is Batfamily, which is still my main interest in fic-reading these days, for whatever reason).
*
I was supposed to go into the office yesterday, but my meeting got moved to tomorrow on Zoom, so I didn't have to go in. Luckily, my boss understands that I'm much more productive at home, and doesn't demand my presence more than once a month or so (if that). It's just been stupidly busy with the search committee stuff, though she and I are getting ourselves through it by clinging to the idea that once the search firm is on board, there will be significantly less of that work on our plates. *fingers crossed*
Meanwhile, I read another book:
What I've just finished: Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano, the second book in the series. I enjoyed it, but I couldn't think too hard about any of it - just keep it light and breezy - because otherwise it's very hard to believe some of the things the characters choose to do.
What I'm reading now/next: Probably the next book in the series, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, since I don't want to lose momentum (okay, I did lose momentum between books 1 and 2 - I had 2 open in a tab for weeks before I actually settled into reading it; sometimes all I want is Batfamily, which is still my main interest in fic-reading these days, for whatever reason).
*
Day 1583: "The ultimate betrayal."
May. 21st, 2025 02:38 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
wtfjht_feed1/ Trump warned House Republicans that failure to pass his tax and spending bill would be “the ultimate betrayal.” Trump demanded immediate passage of the bill – which would make his 2017 tax cuts permanent, eliminate federal taxes on tips and overtime wages, cut Medicaid by tightening work requirements, and reduce clean-energy tax credits created under the Inflation Reduction Act – “to show the American people that they’re serious about ‘promises made, promises kept.’” Trump also warned that GOP holdouts “wouldn’t be a Republican much longer” if they vote against it. Despite the push, several Republicans continue to resist, citing rushed negotiations, lack of bill text, and opposition to a $40,000 cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. Members of the House Freedom Caucus have also objected to the weaker Medicaid work requirements and the delayed rollback of green energy tax credits. The Congressional Budget Office, meanwhile, said the bill would add $2.3 trillion to the deficit over ten years, which under current law would trigger automatic spending cuts starting in 2026. Medicare could face cuts of up to 4% annually, totaling nearly $500 billion over a decade, unless Congress intervenes. Economists have also warned that eliminating taxes on tips and overtime – both subject to payroll taxes – could weaken Medicare’s long-term funding by reducing its primary revenue source. Separately, the bill’s changes to Medicaid, including the new work requirements and cuts to state financing methods, could cause nearly 9 million people to lose coverage. That would put added pressure on Medicare, which covers 13 million Americans who rely on Medicaid to pay premiums and out-of-pocket costs. As of now, the House Rules Committee has been meeting since 1 a.m., but hasn’t advanced the bill. Republican leaders, however, say a vote could still happen as soon as today, though Speaker Mike Johnson hasn’t formally scheduled one. (Politico / CNN / New York Times / Washington Post / Bloomberg / NBC News / Wall Street Journal / Axios / Washington Post / The Hill)
- The Senate unanimously passed the No Tax on Tips Act. Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, brought the bill to the floor, where no senators objected to its passage by unanimous consent. The bill creates a tax deduction of up to $25,000 for cash tips reported to employers. It applies to workers earning $160,000 or less. The bill now heads to the House, where Republicans are considering whether to pass it as a standalone bill or fold it into the broader tax package they’re working on. Estimates suggest the measure could reduce federal revenue by $110 billion over 10 years. (Axios / The Hill / USA Today / NBC News)
2/ The Justice Department moved to dismiss police reform agreements in Minneapolis and Louisville – days before the anniversaries of the killings that prompted them. George Floyd was murdered on May 25, 2020; Breonna Taylor was killed on March 13 the same year. The Biden-era DOJ found both departments engaged in unconstitutional policing and negotiated court-enforceable consent decrees. The Trump administration, however, claimed that the findings were flawed and the agreements “would not be in the public interest,” calling the reforms “factually unjustified” and a form of “federal micromanagement.” Both cities, meanwhile, said they will move forward with the proposed reforms, including limits on use of force, improved officer training, and independent monitoring without Justice Department oversight. (ABC News / NPR / Reuters / New York Times / NBC News / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios)
3/ Trump used a televised Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to push false claims that White Afrikaner farmers are facing a “genocide.” Trump dimmed the lights and played video clips showing chants of “Kill the Boer,” then waved printouts of articles, saying they showed “death, death, death.” Ramaphosa, who was visibly uncomfortable, denied the claims and said that the video “is not government policy,” while his agriculture minister added: “We have a rural safety problem, not genocide.” South African police data shows 12 farm-related murders last year, including both farmers and workers, with no racial breakdown and no evidence of systematic targeting. Trump, meanwhile, granted refugee status to 59 White South Africans this month while cutting aid and restricting protections for nonwhite asylum seekers. (New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / Bloomberg / Politico / NPR / Axios / NBC News / CNN)
4/ A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration “unquestionably” violated a court order by deporting eight men to South Sudan without giving them time to object. Judge Brian Murphy said the men were given “roughly 24 hours” notice, mostly outside business hours, making it “impossible” for them to contact lawyers or prepare a challenge. “I don’t see how anybody could say these individuals had a meaningful opportunity to object,” Murphy said. The flight carried men from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and South Sudan, and landed in Djibouti after leaving Texas. Of the eight on board, only one was a South Sudanese citizen. Nevertheless, the Department of Homeland Security called the deportees “monsters” and accused Murphy of trying to “dictate the foreign policy and national security of the United States.” Murphy, meanwhile, threatened contempt proceedings and ordered officials to determine whether the men can still be granted due process. (Washington Post / New York Times / Wall Street Journal / ABC News / CNN / Politico)
The midterm elections are in 531 days.
✏️ Notables.
-
The Defense Department accepted a luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar for use as Air Force One. Trump had pushed for the $400 million gift, calling it a “great thing,” as delays have slowed delivery of Boeing’s new presidential jets. The Air Force will oversee retrofitting the Qatari plane to meet security and operational standards, though details remain classified. Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about security, whether accepting the plane is legal under the Constitution, and the cost of converting the 13-year-old jet, which experts estimate could exceed $1 billion. The aircraft will eventually be transferred to Trump’s presidential library. (Politico / Axios / NBC News / New York Times / Washington Post / ABC News / CNBC / Bloomberg / Wall Street Journal)
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The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into Andrew Cuomo over allegations that he lied to Congress about his role in a July 2020 New York state report on COVID-related nursing home deaths. The investigation began about a month ago following a renewed referral from House Republicans, which came after the DOJ dropped corruption charges against Mayor Eric Adams – Cuomo’s rival in the New York City mayor race. The investigation is being handled by the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, which is now led by former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro – a longtime critic of Cuomo. (CNN / Wall Street Journal / Axios / NBC News / Reuters / New York Times)
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The chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ordered intelligence analysts to rewrite an assessment that contradicted Trump’s claim that Venezuela directs the criminal gang Tren de Aragua. Emails show Joe Kent told analysts on March 24 and April 3 to revise the report so it could not be “used against” Trump or Gabbard. The original assessment, dated February 26, found no credible evidence linking Venezuela’s government to gang operations in the U.S. (New York Times / Reuters)
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What We Weading Wednesday - I Live!
May. 21st, 2025 05:31 pmwhite_asterThings have been Problematic and Upsetting on the real-life employment front, which has sapped my ability to do many things for the past month or so while I've both been very busy and also constantly feeling like I'm not doing the right thing with my time. But I have been reading! Let's just skip over all those books and get back to the current reads, shall we?
Currently Reading: Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland
This is a bit of an exhausting book, because the main character is very exhausting. He talks constantly, is just a hyperactive weasel of a person who is both selfish and also incredibly funny. For me, that takes some doing, as I usually do not find such characters endearing at all. But this book manages! Right now, he has managed to steal something and is making that Everyone Else's Problem because his Everyone Else is a bunch of pirate buddies who likewise find him exhausting but weirdly endearing and who desperately want to sell the something he stole. So there is seafaring and sea serpents and old lovers who'd like to toss him overboard and his own witchy good luck to contend with. I have to read this in small doses, but am enjoying it.
Just Finished: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Second in a series about a very interesting world where instead of mechanical technology, the world's leaned hard into engineered organics, mutated plants and animals, and reagents pulled from the massive leviathans that annually crawl out of the sea. Within this the main characters are investigators sent to figure out a murder of an Imperial officer, and find as they unravel the mystery that it of course reaches much further than one guy in a locked room. I wouldn't suggest reading this before the first book, but it's a great continuation of the series and gives more worldbuilding and characterization of both the main investigator characters. Highly recommend!
Up Next: I think I need to read something self-helpy, just to help my brain stop this worry-train it's on. I've pulled Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil by Stephen Batchelor back off my shelf and think that's up next - IIRC, it was a good book about digging into bad states of mind. Also, I've become a fan of Kimberly Lemming's light-hearted but well-constructed fantasy romances, and I've got That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human on my shelf in Libby.
Currently Reading: Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland
This is a bit of an exhausting book, because the main character is very exhausting. He talks constantly, is just a hyperactive weasel of a person who is both selfish and also incredibly funny. For me, that takes some doing, as I usually do not find such characters endearing at all. But this book manages! Right now, he has managed to steal something and is making that Everyone Else's Problem because his Everyone Else is a bunch of pirate buddies who likewise find him exhausting but weirdly endearing and who desperately want to sell the something he stole. So there is seafaring and sea serpents and old lovers who'd like to toss him overboard and his own witchy good luck to contend with. I have to read this in small doses, but am enjoying it.
Just Finished: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett
Second in a series about a very interesting world where instead of mechanical technology, the world's leaned hard into engineered organics, mutated plants and animals, and reagents pulled from the massive leviathans that annually crawl out of the sea. Within this the main characters are investigators sent to figure out a murder of an Imperial officer, and find as they unravel the mystery that it of course reaches much further than one guy in a locked room. I wouldn't suggest reading this before the first book, but it's a great continuation of the series and gives more worldbuilding and characterization of both the main investigator characters. Highly recommend!
Up Next: I think I need to read something self-helpy, just to help my brain stop this worry-train it's on. I've pulled Living with the Devil: A Meditation on Good and Evil by Stephen Batchelor back off my shelf and think that's up next - IIRC, it was a good book about digging into bad states of mind. Also, I've become a fan of Kimberly Lemming's light-hearted but well-constructed fantasy romances, and I've got That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human on my shelf in Libby.
2504 / Fic - The Old Guard
May. 21st, 2025 05:25 pmsiriaPeriod, Full Stop
The Old Guard | Nile and Andy, Gen | ~1500 words | Thanks tosheafrotherdon for betaing.
(Also on AO3)
( Nile and Andy talk about bleeding, and not dying. )
The Old Guard | Nile and Andy, Gen | ~1500 words | Thanks to
sheafrotherdon for betaing.(Also on AO3)
( Nile and Andy talk about bleeding, and not dying. )
Health: Dental Milestone
May. 21st, 2025 04:17 pmdewlineI filed my application for coverage under the federal dental insurance plan yesterday.
Finally.
Finally.
See inside the USAF's newest 747 jet, courtesy of Qatar
May. 21st, 2025 02:10 pmthewayneYep, we now have a new jet. The decision came from Upon High to accept the "donation", and it is now parked in San Antonio while the Air Force and Boeing decides what to do with it.
Would you like to know what a tricked-out 747-8 looks like after it took four years to plan and refurbish? Look no more, just click on the link below!
https://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-boeing-747-plane-trump-air-force-one-photos-interior-2025-5
Apparently Secretary of Defense Otis Hegseth (shout-out to the Andy Griffith Show) gave the order to accept the offer. It isn't in the below Newsweek article, but SecDef Otis said that the donated plane's remediation should be done in a way that should not "unduly impact" the delivery of the two new AF1's on order from Boeing and due to be delivered around 2029.
ROFLMAO!
One of the things delaying that delivery date is the difficulty in getting workers screened for their security clearances. And now there's a THIRD 747 that's going to require a massive refit before it can be put into service for use as an Air Force One that is going to further strain that clearance chain. Not to mention they still have to maintain the TWO EXISTING AIR FORCE ONE 747s!
Yeah, it won't unduly impact the delivery of the ordered planes in the slightest. And to quote Wayne's World, monkeys might fly out of my butt.
https://www.newsweek.com/hegseth-update-qatar-jet-trump-air-force-one-2074837
And remember, they're making government smaller and more efficient and saving money!
Would you like to know what a tricked-out 747-8 looks like after it took four years to plan and refurbish? Look no more, just click on the link below!
https://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-boeing-747-plane-trump-air-force-one-photos-interior-2025-5
Apparently Secretary of Defense Otis Hegseth (shout-out to the Andy Griffith Show) gave the order to accept the offer. It isn't in the below Newsweek article, but SecDef Otis said that the donated plane's remediation should be done in a way that should not "unduly impact" the delivery of the two new AF1's on order from Boeing and due to be delivered around 2029.
ROFLMAO!
One of the things delaying that delivery date is the difficulty in getting workers screened for their security clearances. And now there's a THIRD 747 that's going to require a massive refit before it can be put into service for use as an Air Force One that is going to further strain that clearance chain. Not to mention they still have to maintain the TWO EXISTING AIR FORCE ONE 747s!
Yeah, it won't unduly impact the delivery of the ordered planes in the slightest. And to quote Wayne's World, monkeys might fly out of my butt.
https://www.newsweek.com/hegseth-update-qatar-jet-trump-air-force-one-2074837
And remember, they're making government smaller and more efficient and saving money!
Wednesday Greetings from Connecticut!
May. 21st, 2025 03:48 pmlydamorehouse Shawn and I have arrived in Connecticut for our son's graduation FROM COLLEGE (I know. I also don't know where the time went.) I will detail the entire trip, but per usual and since it is Wednesday, I will first bore you with my reading.
This week was slower than last, but I finished up what is currently available of Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle: Mammoths at the Gates and The Brides of High Hill. Of the two, I think I enjoyed Brides a little bit more because it flips the classic horror story of the imperiled bride and adds fox spirits. Plus, while Brides has all the magical Chinese-influenced characters and mythos, it has a slightly more Western storyline? The plot is plotty in the ways that Western readers, like myself, are familiar with. I loved all of these novellas, to be clear, but I think the people for whom When The Tiger Came Down the Mountain has been a favorite, this one should also work for them in a similar way.
Then, because I was unable to download one of the murderbot books I hadn't read yet (Exit Strategy) right away, I started on an audio book from 2016 which kind of fits the vibe of the current crop of Hugo nominees,davidlevine 's Arabella of Mars. It's a Regency SF book in the same way that A Scorceress Comes to Call is a Regency fantasy. It's a shame, in a way. I think that David was ahead of his time. This book (which I'm only 34% of the way into) is to science fiction what romantacy is to fantasy. It's kind of high personal drama, low stakes and I'm super into it.
Okay, so the rest of my life....
We set off on the road on Sunday. Sunday was our big push across country to Valparasio, Indiana. Shawn still has some remaining relatives in Indiana, namely her stepsiter Karen and her husband Don. I was not looking forward to dinner with them because we had been assaulted by dozens of pro-Trump signs as we drove across country and Don is... at BEST a libertairan of the sort who listens to Rush Limbaugh. But, he was mostly on good behavior, I think due to being exhausted from an extended bout of pneumonia. But, we still managed to have one interaction that was typical of him. Don is from the Chicago area originally and Catholic, so thinking this had to be a safe subject, I asked him what he thought of the new pope. He said, "Fine, except he's a Communist." I gave him my best "??" face and then said, "Uh, isn't that the point of Catholicism? What with the feeding of the poor and sharing of loaves and fishes?" Which, did, at least, give him pause.
Monday we drove from Valparaiso to Youngstown, OH. On this trip we did a bit of sightseeing as is our wont. Shawn picked up a brochure that suggested that there were some things to be seeing in Amish country, spectifically Middlebury and Shipshewana, IN. We never actually made it to Shipshewana, as it happened, because we found a lot to explore in Middlebury, specifically this lovely little park called the Krinder Gardens
Image: Me (left) and Shawn (right) all smiles in the gardens
This little garden was genuinely charming, and I always love getting off road to see something new and/or interesting.
Image: Lovely, weird bird sculpture in the garden
This being spring, we also got a chance to see a ton of lovely flowers in bloom.
Image: these one flowers I love (which I also grow in my own garden), but whose name I have blanked on.
So, that was fun. We saw a lot of horse drawn buggies, of course. My favorite thing about those was watching the horses very expertly knowing which stalls belonged to them in various parking lots. We even saw one buggie go into a... gas station??? (Shawn noted that the driver got out to fill a gas can, so probably fueling a generator or something. Not, as I'd hoped, gassing up the horse.)
We ate a rather boring meal at a place that advertised itself as Amish-inspired. Alas, it was only SLIGHTLY inspired. But, still, it was nice to have a sitdown meal before heading out for more hours of driving.
Yesterday, we drove from Youngstown, OH to Milford, PA. The very Milford where Daimon Knight used to hold his famous worskhop, where we spent the night in an actual MOTEL. The lady behind the counter there was a little bit... "Are you sure you don't want an extra bed?" but I refrained from pointing out that we'd hardly be sinning in that bed since we're quite legally married. But, the motel was actually very charming and I think attracts a lot of queer folks? There were some men on motorcycles who were extra friendly to us in a very 'family' way, if you know what I mean. I'm sure that lady behind the counter has a lot of disapproving to do.
Then, this morning we did the rather short hop between Milford and Middletown, CT, where we will be for the next several days as we pack up Mason's dorm and watch him get his diploma. I shall try to post pictures and such BEFORE next Wednesday, but I guess we'll see how well I manage that.
What about you all? Do anything fun this week? Read anything new, exciting, or good?
This week was slower than last, but I finished up what is currently available of Nghi Vo's Singing Hills Cycle: Mammoths at the Gates and The Brides of High Hill. Of the two, I think I enjoyed Brides a little bit more because it flips the classic horror story of the imperiled bride and adds fox spirits. Plus, while Brides has all the magical Chinese-influenced characters and mythos, it has a slightly more Western storyline? The plot is plotty in the ways that Western readers, like myself, are familiar with. I loved all of these novellas, to be clear, but I think the people for whom When The Tiger Came Down the Mountain has been a favorite, this one should also work for them in a similar way.
Then, because I was unable to download one of the murderbot books I hadn't read yet (Exit Strategy) right away, I started on an audio book from 2016 which kind of fits the vibe of the current crop of Hugo nominees,
davidlevine 's Arabella of Mars. It's a Regency SF book in the same way that A Scorceress Comes to Call is a Regency fantasy. It's a shame, in a way. I think that David was ahead of his time. This book (which I'm only 34% of the way into) is to science fiction what romantacy is to fantasy. It's kind of high personal drama, low stakes and I'm super into it. Okay, so the rest of my life....
We set off on the road on Sunday. Sunday was our big push across country to Valparasio, Indiana. Shawn still has some remaining relatives in Indiana, namely her stepsiter Karen and her husband Don. I was not looking forward to dinner with them because we had been assaulted by dozens of pro-Trump signs as we drove across country and Don is... at BEST a libertairan of the sort who listens to Rush Limbaugh. But, he was mostly on good behavior, I think due to being exhausted from an extended bout of pneumonia. But, we still managed to have one interaction that was typical of him. Don is from the Chicago area originally and Catholic, so thinking this had to be a safe subject, I asked him what he thought of the new pope. He said, "Fine, except he's a Communist." I gave him my best "??" face and then said, "Uh, isn't that the point of Catholicism? What with the feeding of the poor and sharing of loaves and fishes?" Which, did, at least, give him pause.
Monday we drove from Valparaiso to Youngstown, OH. On this trip we did a bit of sightseeing as is our wont. Shawn picked up a brochure that suggested that there were some things to be seeing in Amish country, spectifically Middlebury and Shipshewana, IN. We never actually made it to Shipshewana, as it happened, because we found a lot to explore in Middlebury, specifically this lovely little park called the Krinder Gardens
Image: Me (left) and Shawn (right) all smiles in the gardens
This little garden was genuinely charming, and I always love getting off road to see something new and/or interesting.
Image: Lovely, weird bird sculpture in the garden
This being spring, we also got a chance to see a ton of lovely flowers in bloom.
Image: these one flowers I love (which I also grow in my own garden), but whose name I have blanked on.
So, that was fun. We saw a lot of horse drawn buggies, of course. My favorite thing about those was watching the horses very expertly knowing which stalls belonged to them in various parking lots. We even saw one buggie go into a... gas station??? (Shawn noted that the driver got out to fill a gas can, so probably fueling a generator or something. Not, as I'd hoped, gassing up the horse.)
We ate a rather boring meal at a place that advertised itself as Amish-inspired. Alas, it was only SLIGHTLY inspired. But, still, it was nice to have a sitdown meal before heading out for more hours of driving.
Yesterday, we drove from Youngstown, OH to Milford, PA. The very Milford where Daimon Knight used to hold his famous worskhop, where we spent the night in an actual MOTEL. The lady behind the counter there was a little bit... "Are you sure you don't want an extra bed?" but I refrained from pointing out that we'd hardly be sinning in that bed since we're quite legally married. But, the motel was actually very charming and I think attracts a lot of queer folks? There were some men on motorcycles who were extra friendly to us in a very 'family' way, if you know what I mean. I'm sure that lady behind the counter has a lot of disapproving to do.
Then, this morning we did the rather short hop between Milford and Middletown, CT, where we will be for the next several days as we pack up Mason's dorm and watch him get his diploma. I shall try to post pictures and such BEFORE next Wednesday, but I guess we'll see how well I manage that.
What about you all? Do anything fun this week? Read anything new, exciting, or good?
My brain is in a strange place today
May. 21st, 2025 01:50 pmthewayneNot feeling good, and my brain is having a field day.
I'm reading my ebook sales newsletters and came across the following description: "...A police officer, a sharpshooter, and a Marine band together to survive in this high-octane series starter..."
So you've got the cop and the sharpshooter driving down the road in a beat-up Trans Am, followed by a bus of Marine musicians performing Sousa....
:-)
This is honestly how my brain initially interpreted that blurb. I really need to re-re-re-watch Police Squad and the Naked Gun movies.
I'm reading my ebook sales newsletters and came across the following description: "...A police officer, a sharpshooter, and a Marine band together to survive in this high-octane series starter..."
So you've got the cop and the sharpshooter driving down the road in a beat-up Trans Am, followed by a bus of Marine musicians performing Sousa....
:-)
This is honestly how my brain initially interpreted that blurb. I really need to re-re-re-watch Police Squad and the Naked Gun movies.
as supplies run low
May. 21st, 2025 11:58 amsolarbirdI’ve been checking hardware stores the last couple of weeks, mostly because there are things I need, but a little because I’m watching their stocks fall.
Smaller hardware stores are having a harder time covering the stock gap than larger ones. That makes obvious sense; they have less to begin with, so the duplications and outright gaps are more clearly visible. Hand tools in particular are getting pretty thin on the ground at this point; screwdriver bit replacements – well, lots of particular varieties are no longer available. Stuff like that. It’s been a multi-week process, not all-at-once – though it will probably look that way in retrospect.
Today, though, I had a somewhat more pointed experience.
Yesterday, Home Depot had 34 of a particular China-made mini circular saw available. It’s inexpensive because it’s corded; it’s from WEN, who make very basic but generally adequate enough kit for people on a budget. A chonkier Ryobi, perhaps. And last night, they had 34 of these saws available for store pickup or delivery.
This morning, when I woke up, they had 17.
An hour later, they had 15.
I was going to buy this with credit union rewards points, but it seems that was going to take too long. So I shelled out the cash, buying it immediately instead. It’s not a big deal for me, we’re still within our current tight budget this month.
So now they have 14.
Maybe that big drop was a one-off, a fluke – an organic surge, rather than someone grabbing a set for their employees while they could. Maybe Home Depot’s remaining 14 are enough that they’ll still have 10 in another month.
Or maybe it was scalpers. I don’t know how quickly these things sell, as a rule.
But that… that was a surprise.
Most people won’t notice stock thinning, I don’t think. Not quickly. I don’t have a reason for that other than recent experience shows that most people don’t notice a single goddamn thing until it punches them, personally, in the face. They to go get a thing, and it won’t be there, and then they notice.
A lot more people are probably pretty close to that moment of noticing.
They’ll notice it even more when their Medicare gets its $350 billion dollar cut.
It’ll be a moment of awareness, a moment of panic. It won’t last long – the fascist noise machine will do everything it can to patch it over – but it’ll be there.
Are you ready to take advantage of that? Particularly with your Trumpy relatives?
Maybe you should be.
Posted via Solarbird{y|z|yz}, Collected.
