Challenge 233: birthday
Mar. 19th, 2026 09:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thesleepingbeauty posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
your_favouritesAlice in Wonderland x4
One of my favorite birthdays was when I turned 7 years old, so I used Disney’s Alice Wonderland to remember that day. ♥️
I helped set up the floral decor || I helped setup the table with snacks
I made a wish and tried my cake || then I had a very nice nap afterwards
( links )
One of my favorite birthdays was when I turned 7 years old, so I used Disney’s Alice Wonderland to remember that day. ♥️
I helped set up the floral decor || I helped setup the table with snacks
I made a wish and tried my cake || then I had a very nice nap afterwards
( links )
Topics for talk March
Mar. 20th, 2026 12:20 ampattroseTopics for talk:
Things I Need/Want to Control
I like being in control of myself and realized that if I can control myself, I wouldn't need as much help from other people. ĂŚ like taking care of my own destiny.
Things I Need/Want to Control
I like being in control of myself and realized that if I can control myself, I wouldn't need as much help from other people. ĂŚ like taking care of my own destiny.
90 discussion questions.
Mar. 20th, 2026 12:17 ampattrose90 discussion questions.
1. When were you most outside of your comfort zone?
When I have to talk about things that bother me.
I'm not crazy with this focusing on myself all the time.
1. When were you most outside of your comfort zone?
When I have to talk about things that bother me.
I'm not crazy with this focusing on myself all the time.
March Not quite 365 days questions
Mar. 20th, 2026 12:13 ampattroseMarch, not quite 365 days, questions.
20. Was learning a new language part of your education when you were at school? Can you still remember any of it?
Yes, I took two years of Latin. And no, I don't remember any of it. I wish I had taken something more beautiful. I'm terrible at languages. I’m not even good with English.
20. Was learning a new language part of your education when you were at school? Can you still remember any of it?
Yes, I took two years of Latin. And no, I don't remember any of it. I wish I had taken something more beautiful. I'm terrible at languages. I’m not even good with English.
Round 37: 20muses - challenge 07 random [art] prompts
Mar. 19th, 2026 09:43 pmthesleepingbeauty posting in retro_icontest
Occurrence.
Mar. 19th, 2026 10:54 pmhannahIn DC, safe and well-fed on ramen, my friend and I waited for the bus to her place. I looked around in the full night of a city I’ve rarely been to, in a neighborhood I’d never visited, and couldn’t shake an odd feeling.
Then it hit me, and I had to say, “Holy shit.” I’d needed a specific spot for something in a novel, and it’d looked familiar because she’d taken me to a spot just around the corner.
It wasn’t quite deja vu. More likes dream where you know the building already, even though you’ve never been.
Then it hit me, and I had to say, “Holy shit.” I’d needed a specific spot for something in a novel, and it’d looked familiar because she’d taken me to a spot just around the corner.
It wasn’t quite deja vu. More likes dream where you know the building already, even though you’ve never been.
(no subject)
Mar. 19th, 2026 05:06 pmshadowkatDoing laundry finally. No one was down there - so it's easy. Always easier when no one is downstairs.
The internet was annoying me again today. Probably best not to vent about it? Venting about the internet on the internet never ends well?
A weird side-effect of both the Buffy Revival being cancelled and my Buffy re-watch - is the oddest desire to write fanfic? Except fanfic that takes place 25 years after the series ended. Not sure there's anywhere to really share it? The Buffy fandom is pretty much dead on DW and Ao3. But that's okay, I can just write it in my head.
I've finally broken the reading slump - and found a book I want to sink into and devour whole. It's taken...quite a few books? I think it's more of a mood thing than a book thing? I'm in the mood for a certain story trope and writing style - specifically one that sparks my own creative/story telling juices. The book that's currently engrossing me is Inheritance by Illona Andrews - the writers wrote it as a serial on their blog during the pandemic, and have now self-published it.
It's engrossing. Does remind of a video game at various points.
Here's the synopsis - it's convoluted, but I like convoluted world building and plots that are close to impossible to summarize.
( Read more... )
Illona Andrews is possibly among the very few writers in which I've gobbled up everything they've written. There's a handful of others. Jane Austen, I did for the most part. James Joyce. William Gibson. Anne McCaffrey - I read just about everything she wrote. Courtney Milan - up to a point. I usually just read one series of the writers and nothing else. Neil Gaiman - I read way too much of - mainly because people kept rec'ing him to me, and I kept thinking - I should like this. Why don't I like this more than I do? I finally realized: It's because his characters lack emotional resonance and feel a bit like ciphers, and all the work is put into the world-building.
Illona Andrews does a good job with four or five story tropes that I love:
* Enemies to Partners to Lovers trope
* Problem solving and working collaboratively to do it, figuring things out logically
* Blending myth and science
* Questioning authority and social systems
* Survival in the midst of impossible circumstances
It's hard to articulate what I like sometimes. I'm not sure I did it well there.
This may come as shock to folks - considering I spend all my time reading and writing - for a living and for pleasure or so it seems? But neither come easily. Never have. Never will. ( Read more... )
Off to bed. Friday finally. I don't know about anyone else? But it's been a long and cold week. I'm ready for spring. Good think it allegedly starts tomorrow - at least per the calendar. Weather wise? It's up in the air at the moment.
The internet was annoying me again today. Probably best not to vent about it? Venting about the internet on the internet never ends well?
A weird side-effect of both the Buffy Revival being cancelled and my Buffy re-watch - is the oddest desire to write fanfic? Except fanfic that takes place 25 years after the series ended. Not sure there's anywhere to really share it? The Buffy fandom is pretty much dead on DW and Ao3. But that's okay, I can just write it in my head.
I've finally broken the reading slump - and found a book I want to sink into and devour whole. It's taken...quite a few books? I think it's more of a mood thing than a book thing? I'm in the mood for a certain story trope and writing style - specifically one that sparks my own creative/story telling juices. The book that's currently engrossing me is Inheritance by Illona Andrews - the writers wrote it as a serial on their blog during the pandemic, and have now self-published it.
It's engrossing. Does remind of a video game at various points.
Here's the synopsis - it's convoluted, but I like convoluted world building and plots that are close to impossible to summarize.
( Read more... )
Illona Andrews is possibly among the very few writers in which I've gobbled up everything they've written. There's a handful of others. Jane Austen, I did for the most part. James Joyce. William Gibson. Anne McCaffrey - I read just about everything she wrote. Courtney Milan - up to a point. I usually just read one series of the writers and nothing else. Neil Gaiman - I read way too much of - mainly because people kept rec'ing him to me, and I kept thinking - I should like this. Why don't I like this more than I do? I finally realized: It's because his characters lack emotional resonance and feel a bit like ciphers, and all the work is put into the world-building.
Illona Andrews does a good job with four or five story tropes that I love:
* Enemies to Partners to Lovers trope
* Problem solving and working collaboratively to do it, figuring things out logically
* Blending myth and science
* Questioning authority and social systems
* Survival in the midst of impossible circumstances
It's hard to articulate what I like sometimes. I'm not sure I did it well there.
This may come as shock to folks - considering I spend all my time reading and writing - for a living and for pleasure or so it seems? But neither come easily. Never have. Never will. ( Read more... )
Off to bed. Friday finally. I don't know about anyone else? But it's been a long and cold week. I'm ready for spring. Good think it allegedly starts tomorrow - at least per the calendar. Weather wise? It's up in the air at the moment.
Some slightly terrifying and exciting news that I thought was a practical joke at first.
Mar. 19th, 2026 09:49 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
thebloggess_feedThis was supposed to be a post all about new book releases you should check out this month but then I got sidetracked because I’M GOING TO BE ON THE TODAY SHOW. At first I thought this was a practical joke because I’m never asked to be on things like this but turns out itContinue reading "Some slightly terrifying and exciting news that I thought was a practical joke at first."
Returning to a WIP last touched in 2023
Mar. 19th, 2026 08:50 pmextrapenguinOver the past few days, I've rediscovered my drawerfic, All That is Solid Melts into Air (currently at ~65k). RotS canon divergence, TCW/Prequel Trilogy. I thought it was great, so I immediately went and bugged the author for an ending.
As it currently is, I'd written the setup for the grand climax, had notes for the grand climax, and had written a ~700-word epilogue chapter.* Why, then, was a I blocked?
I realized it was a matter of pacing. I could have hopped straight into the climactic battle, sure, but that would have been unsatisfying. I knew, instinctively, that I needed something in between to make the transition less abrupt, but not exactly what I needed to write to build the tension and anticipation. Now I have an idea for the necessary two scenes in there, after which I can write ~3 scenes of climactic space-and-ground battle, plus ~4 shorter scenes of wrap-up before transitioning into the epilogue chapter.
* I find epilogue chapters very useful if you're posting chapter by chapter and also want reactions to the climax. Usually, reader comments on the final chapter are less about the contents of the final chapter and more about the fic in its entirety, which can be a bit of a bummer if you did something cool in there and wanted to see people's reactions.
As it currently is, I'd written the setup for the grand climax, had notes for the grand climax, and had written a ~700-word epilogue chapter.* Why, then, was a I blocked?
I realized it was a matter of pacing. I could have hopped straight into the climactic battle, sure, but that would have been unsatisfying. I knew, instinctively, that I needed something in between to make the transition less abrupt, but not exactly what I needed to write to build the tension and anticipation. Now I have an idea for the necessary two scenes in there, after which I can write ~3 scenes of climactic space-and-ground battle, plus ~4 shorter scenes of wrap-up before transitioning into the epilogue chapter.
* I find epilogue chapters very useful if you're posting chapter by chapter and also want reactions to the climax. Usually, reader comments on the final chapter are less about the contents of the final chapter and more about the fic in its entirety, which can be a bit of a bummer if you did something cool in there and wanted to see people's reactions.
The Friday Five for 20 March 2026
Mar. 19th, 2026 03:19 pmanais_pf posting in thefridayfiveThese questions were suggested by melagan.
1. What was the reason you began a Dreamwidth or LiveJournal account (or both)?
2. How many DW or LJ communities do you subscribe to?
3. Do you have a favorite community or one you check out often to see what's new?
4. How did you pick your user name?
5. If you could change your user name, would you?
The following bonus questions are brought to you by the fact that I (anais_pf) have been unable to access any page of LiveJournal for more than a week (and therefore cannot post to The Friday Five there):
6. If you have a LiveJournal, are you currently able to access it?
7. Do you have any information about why one would be unable to access LiveJournal?
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!
melagan.1. What was the reason you began a Dreamwidth or LiveJournal account (or both)?
2. How many DW or LJ communities do you subscribe to?
3. Do you have a favorite community or one you check out often to see what's new?
4. How did you pick your user name?
5. If you could change your user name, would you?
The following bonus questions are brought to you by the fact that I (anais_pf) have been unable to access any page of LiveJournal for more than a week (and therefore cannot post to The Friday Five there):
6. If you have a LiveJournal, are you currently able to access it?
7. Do you have any information about why one would be unable to access LiveJournal?
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!
Media Roundup: On the Mend (I hope)
Mar. 19th, 2026 11:53 amforestofgloryI’ve been sick for the last week or so which meant there was a lot of time to sit around reading but I didn’t have a lot of energy to write things up. But now I’m doing better so have a media roundup! (This isn’t everything I read while sick because some of it I didn’t have the energy to write up, and also I’ve been slowly reading Batman: No Man’s Land and if I write something about it, I’m going to do so after I finish the whole story. )
Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi— For kiddo’s school book club. This is so not my kind of book and I wouldn’t have read it if the kiddo hadn’t insisted. I just find contemporary books with political themes really really stressful! So this book about a Syrian-American boy in 2016-2017 was really not my cup of tea. So I think it was doing ok at being the book it wanted to be, but that book is not for me. Also the whole book was in poetry, and I don't think that actually added much – but also I’m not really a poetry person.
Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton by Ryan North and Mike Norton— Since I've been reading a lot of superhero stuff an algorithm showed me this, and it's got a cute dog and is written by Ryan North so I thought I'd check it out (What has Ryan North been up to since Squirrel Girl? Maybe I should find out. Maybe I should reread Squirrel Girl)* This was a bit darker than I was expecting! And did really feature the elements of North’s style that I remember enjoying alot (witty dialogue and certain wacky over the top-ness) Though still mostly a sweet story. (Content note: abusive training/animal harm, animal death, children in peril)
Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks and Lumberjanes: Campfire Songs— These are single issue Lumberjanes stories by a bunch of different writers and artists. I enjoyed the variety! I think my favorite story was the one that had Last Unicorn vibes (Look I watched that movie a lot as a kid)
Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges, polterink, et al— Lumberjanes original graphic novel – this was honestly a little disappointing, I didn’t feel like it really captured the vibe of the original comic. It did not help that this was one of those graphic novels with a very limited color palette (black, white and green) and I really missed the colorfulness!
Lumberjanes: The Shape of Friendship by Lilah Sturges, polterink, et al— Another lumberjanes graphic novel – I liked this one a lot better. It probably helped that my expectations were lowered after the first one but I do think it was a better story overall as well.
The Ribbon Skirt: A Graphic Novell by Cameron Mukwa— A middle grade graphic novel about Anang, a two-spirit and nonbinary Anishinaabe kid, who wants to wear a ribbon skirt to an upcoming powwow. This is very sweet! There are talking turtle spirits! There’s also Anang’s friend who is uncomfortable with Anang’s identity and kinda transphobic about it as heads up
* after writing this I did look up what Ryan North has been up to, some library holds have been placed. Also I noticed that he has PDF’s of all of his academic papers available on his website and I think that’s very charming and helpful of him.
Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi— For kiddo’s school book club. This is so not my kind of book and I wouldn’t have read it if the kiddo hadn’t insisted. I just find contemporary books with political themes really really stressful! So this book about a Syrian-American boy in 2016-2017 was really not my cup of tea. So I think it was doing ok at being the book it wanted to be, but that book is not for me. Also the whole book was in poetry, and I don't think that actually added much – but also I’m not really a poetry person.
Krypto: The Last Dog of Krypton by Ryan North and Mike Norton— Since I've been reading a lot of superhero stuff an algorithm showed me this, and it's got a cute dog and is written by Ryan North so I thought I'd check it out (What has Ryan North been up to since Squirrel Girl? Maybe I should find out. Maybe I should reread Squirrel Girl)* This was a bit darker than I was expecting! And did really feature the elements of North’s style that I remember enjoying alot (witty dialogue and certain wacky over the top-ness) Though still mostly a sweet story. (Content note: abusive training/animal harm, animal death, children in peril)
Lumberjanes: Bonus Tracks and Lumberjanes: Campfire Songs— These are single issue Lumberjanes stories by a bunch of different writers and artists. I enjoyed the variety! I think my favorite story was the one that had Last Unicorn vibes (Look I watched that movie a lot as a kid)
Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges, polterink, et al— Lumberjanes original graphic novel – this was honestly a little disappointing, I didn’t feel like it really captured the vibe of the original comic. It did not help that this was one of those graphic novels with a very limited color palette (black, white and green) and I really missed the colorfulness!
Lumberjanes: The Shape of Friendship by Lilah Sturges, polterink, et al— Another lumberjanes graphic novel – I liked this one a lot better. It probably helped that my expectations were lowered after the first one but I do think it was a better story overall as well.
The Ribbon Skirt: A Graphic Novell by Cameron Mukwa— A middle grade graphic novel about Anang, a two-spirit and nonbinary Anishinaabe kid, who wants to wear a ribbon skirt to an upcoming powwow. This is very sweet! There are talking turtle spirits! There’s also Anang’s friend who is uncomfortable with Anang’s identity and kinda transphobic about it as heads up
* after writing this I did look up what Ryan North has been up to, some library holds have been placed. Also I noticed that he has PDF’s of all of his academic papers available on his website and I think that’s very charming and helpful of him.
Orchard Bees
Mar. 19th, 2026 04:02 pmbookscorpion posting in common_natureThis morning I went to check out the big insect hotel near the canal and I was just in time to catch a whole bunch of male European orchard bees who I am fairly sure had just hatched (the females will hatch a little later in the year).
( Read more... )
( Read more... )