A mostly-free day
Jun. 7th, 2025 10:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rmc28I'm playing an ice hockey game tonight in Cambridge, a charity fundraiser between Warbirds and Tri-Base Lightning. But until then I have a strangely unscheduled day. I might sleep or read or something.
I could post about what I've been up to lately!
Work:
- spoke on a panel about effective 1:1s, it seemed to go well
- played my usual Senior Tech Woman role for a colleague's recruitment panel, and am happy that our preferred candidate has apparently just accepted. (a frustrating number of timewasting applicants more or less obviously using LLMs to write their applications and generate their free-text statements on suitability for the role; I really resent having to wade through paragraphs of verbose buzzword bilge to ... fail to find any evidence they actually know how to do the job)
Hockey:
- KODIAKS WON PLAYOFFS on the bank holiday weekend oh yes they did. So proud of the players, and definitely earned my share of reflected glory managing the team this season and running around half the weekend. League winners, Cup winners, Playoff winners, promotion to Division 1 next season, utter delight.
- Very much an Insufficient Sleep weekend, we topped off the playoff win with a night out in Sheffield, I got back to my hotel as the sky was getting light, good times.
- Kodiaks awards evening last night: lots of celebration of the hard work and lovely camaraderie of this group of players, A and B teams both. I got to announce and hand out the B team awards, and I received a really nice pair of gifts for me as manager: a canvas print of a post-final winners photo, and a personalised insulated travel mug (club logo and MANAGER on it). I love this team.
- I'm still enjoying also playing with Warbirds, and have now been to a few summer Friday scrimmages run by Tri-Base. I went to a couple of Friday scrims at the end of last summer and felt everyone was very kind but I was pretty outclassed. I'm pleased to feel like I'm keeping up a bit better now after training a lot harder this last season.
- I trained three days in a row this week (Warbirds Monday, Haringey Greyhounds tryouts in Alexandra Palace on Tuesday, Kodiaks Wednesday) and that was Too Much and I was pretty sore Wednesday evening and Thursday. Rest days are important even if I am much improved in fitness compared to this time last year.
Other:
- I did a formal hall at my old College! Using my alumna rights and having a nice evening hanging out with old friends (who were the ones to suggest the plan). Good times, will do again but probably not this term.
- I had an excessive number of books out from Suffolk libraries that needed returning, so I did a flying visit to Newmarket by bus last Saturday, this turned out to be the cheapest/quickest way across the county border. I managed to stick to my resolution not to borrow any more physical books but slipped and fell on the "withdrawn books for sale" stand. Managed to only come home with four.
- I did a little indoor cricket the Friday before playoffs (it's now finished due to exam period), and some nets practice last Sunday, but I keep being too busy to actually play any of my team's games. I'd like to do more nets practice though, that was intense but also felt like I was beginning to improve.
- I did a little table tennis with Active Staff but that's also now suspended for exams. I'm considering getting a cheap set of bats and balls for me and the family to go use at the local rec ground, or in the free indoor tables at the Grafton Centre.
Coming up: my summer is full of ice hockey camps and tournaments (Prague, Hull, Sheffield, Biarritz) and my old club Streatham have just announced all their summer training sessions will be "Summer Skills Camps" open to all interested WNIHL players, so I'm looking at going to London regularly again in July and August.
current fandom events
Jun. 6th, 2025 11:51 pmsvgurl![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fandomcalendar post). Sign-ups close on July 7th. sunshine_revival is a community set to revive the Sunshine Challenge, a companion to the snowflake_challenge, that will run through the month of July.allbingo is running a Pride Fest through the month of June. There are premade cards or you can create your own based on the available prompts. justmarriedexchange, a marriage-themed multifandom exchange for marriage tropes of all kinds: convenient, accidental, undercover, arranged, forced, etc, is open for nominations until June 10th, 11:59PM UTC.land_of_art is a landcomm challenge for graphic lovers. There are two teams and the first round is in progress and will continue until January 18th, 2026. Sign up for a team HERE.fourormore, a community to promote and celebrate ships with four or more people, is running a Bingo Event. Cards will given until December 31st. smallfandomfest is open for prompt claiming for its Small Fandom Fest. Submissions may be posted until July 31st. fancake's theme of the month is: female relationships. Click on the banner below to learn more! :)
[pain] today's articulation
Jun. 6th, 2025 11:53 pmkaberettA significant part of the problem is that we only start saying "all pain is in the brain" (or "the tissue isn't the issue" or whatever) to people with complex or chronic pain.
And there's a good reason for that! It's the same reason that I need to have a much more detailed idea of the fine detail of what an atom is and how it behaves than the vast majority of the population, for whom the Bohr model is perfectly adequate!
... and we need to explain that, we need to explain why we don't tell people with simple acute pain that All Pain Is In The Brain -- it's not because it's any less true for them, it's just that for most people most of the time they don't need to worry about that level of detail. But if you don't explain that, it sure do sound a lot like "your pain isn't real (unlike those people over there)".
Lies-to-children. That. That thing. That's a thing I need to explain.
Made in Korea by Jeremy Holt (2022)
Jun. 6th, 2025 12:47 pmpauraqueNext up for Pride Month media, I read Made in Korea, a graphic novel about an android called Jesse who is purchased by a childless couple to be their daughter. Both the author Jeremy Holt and the illustrator George Schall are nonbinary (they/them).
I had mixed feelings about this one. On the positive side, I really liked how the themes of identity and coming to know oneself were explored. Jesse's story is at least partly a metaphor for transnational adoption (Holt is an adoptee) and also resonates with more general feelings about not being the child your parents expected and needing to grow out of their narrative about you. Gender identity is directly addressed, which I love to see in an android story! It bugs me when androids uncritically accept a binary gender role based on the anatomy they're built with, even when the story digs into their personhood and free will in other ways. This book does not assume that an android built to look anatomically female is a girl, nor does it assume that if androids existed they would all be built with binary anatomy!
The major aspect that did not work for me was the plot element of ( a school shooting. (cut for content) )
So there was a lot that I liked, but also a pretty big section of the narrative that seemed totally out of place and mishandled. I don't regret reading the book and I think some aspects will stick with me in a good way, I just wish it had kept the focus on its strengths.
I had mixed feelings about this one. On the positive side, I really liked how the themes of identity and coming to know oneself were explored. Jesse's story is at least partly a metaphor for transnational adoption (Holt is an adoptee) and also resonates with more general feelings about not being the child your parents expected and needing to grow out of their narrative about you. Gender identity is directly addressed, which I love to see in an android story! It bugs me when androids uncritically accept a binary gender role based on the anatomy they're built with, even when the story digs into their personhood and free will in other ways. This book does not assume that an android built to look anatomically female is a girl, nor does it assume that if androids existed they would all be built with binary anatomy!
The major aspect that did not work for me was the plot element of ( a school shooting. (cut for content) )
So there was a lot that I liked, but also a pretty big section of the narrative that seemed totally out of place and mishandled. I don't regret reading the book and I think some aspects will stick with me in a good way, I just wish it had kept the focus on its strengths.
Tags:
Numamushi by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh
Jun. 6th, 2025 09:09 amjames_davis_nicoll
A foundling boy raised by a great snake becomes intrigued by a reclusive calligrapher living near the river snake and boy call home.
Numamushi by Mina Ikemoto Ghosh
Catch-Up Book Post
Jun. 5th, 2025 12:52 pmqueenluaBeen a while since I bookblogged here, huh? This isn't EVERYTHING, but this post already took me fucking hours to type up, so, let's get into it—
Jhereg by Steven Brust
Mickey7 by Ashton Edward
Both of these books were romps, though the former is the more compelling overall package.
( Jhereg )
( Mickey7 )
That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell, and Universal Salvation by David Bentley Hart (DNF, 48%)
Honest to God by John A.T. Robinson (DNF, 54%)
Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thích Nhất Hạnh (DNF, 24%)
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright
Look, to tip my hand, I'm in the (very!) early phase of writing a weird fantasy/historical/pastiche-y novel that dares to ask questions like "damn what was it like to be The Greatest Haterliest Poaster Of All Time" and also "what if Martin Luther was a chick" and "what if Martin Luther was two people instead of one" and "what if those peoplekissed failed to kiss" and "what if Martin Luther were a radical pacifist on top of all the other crazy shit he was doing" and "what if sacred music was actually efficacious and had geopolitical implications" and so on. I blame Lyndal Roper specifically for presenting a portrait of Martin Luther so vivid and intriguing that I could not help but go patently insane over him thereafter.
The logical next step for researching such a novel would be to read up on the theology and history of that period, because even if I'm VERY heavy on the pastiche aspects, it's nice to understand the historical context and some contemporaneous sources/writings for the period of history I'm interested in, if only for riffing purposes, yaknow.
Alas, however, I'm a magpie with no self-control, and thus easily beguiled by Every Other Book I Trip Over On The Way To The Stuff I Should Actually Be Reading, which is how I wound up with this grab-bag of rather more contemporary theology.
All of which I am entirely unqualified to properly evaluate, to be clear, as someone who's variously identified as "Southern Baptist," "Christian agnostic," "deist," "Quaker," "neopagan," "animist," and "some weird woo bullshit syncretic thing ig, sorry it's cringe I know" at various points in my life. But that sure won't stop me from prattling about 'em on my blog.
( That All Shall Be Saved )
( Honest to God )
( Living Buddha, Living Christ )
( Surprised By Hope )
Aside: all of these books felt pretty repetitive. Something to do with the genre, I guess? No way to theology-y people to feel like they've gotten your point across without restating it three different ways? IDK.
ANYWAY. I should probably quit dicking around with these books for a bit, since, y'know, novel. I gotta read more Martin Luther himself and also probably some John Calvin. (Alas this means my copy of Kosuke Koyama's Five Mile an Hour God will likely remain mostly-unread on my shelf. Did I mention I'm a magpie. Books pile up in my home whenever I get on a weird pseudo-reasearch-y kick, and I am blessed with an indulgent partner who just keeps buying me more bookshelves instead of telling me to cut it the hell out, which is very sweet of him, but also I could really use someone to stop me before I commit more Irresponsible Spending Crimes... though I saw someone the other day comparing book-buying to wine-buying, e.g. hey it's valid and normal to let some of them age in the cellar & have more than you'll be able to drink; you want to have good wine when the time is right! and UNFORTUNATELY this is very effective for allowing me to continue in my profligate ways. RIP me.)
...okay yeah I couldn't find any way to fit Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik into all of this. Spinning Silver was very good, but I don't have much to say! The primary romance was a total nothingburger, but that's fine because mostly the book is about Miryem girlbossing her way through Rumpelstiltskin and that shit totally rules. I would like to read several more books about moneylenders Being Incredibly Good At Their Job. The book gets a bit bloated and flabbier as it goes along (though the parts with secondary-girlboss Irina and horrible little man Mirnatius can stay; those bits were great) but never enough to knock it down from the "very good" tier. Fairytale retellings aren't normally my thing but this one was solid.
Jhereg by Steven Brust
Mickey7 by Ashton Edward
Both of these books were romps, though the former is the more compelling overall package.
( Jhereg )
( Mickey7 )
That All Shall Be Saved: Heaven, Hell, and Universal Salvation by David Bentley Hart (DNF, 48%)
Honest to God by John A.T. Robinson (DNF, 54%)
Living Buddha, Living Christ by Thích Nhất Hạnh (DNF, 24%)
Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church by N.T. Wright
Look, to tip my hand, I'm in the (very!) early phase of writing a weird fantasy/historical/pastiche-y novel that dares to ask questions like "damn what was it like to be The Greatest Haterliest Poaster Of All Time" and also "what if Martin Luther was a chick" and "what if Martin Luther was two people instead of one" and "what if those people
The logical next step for researching such a novel would be to read up on the theology and history of that period, because even if I'm VERY heavy on the pastiche aspects, it's nice to understand the historical context and some contemporaneous sources/writings for the period of history I'm interested in, if only for riffing purposes, yaknow.
Alas, however, I'm a magpie with no self-control, and thus easily beguiled by Every Other Book I Trip Over On The Way To The Stuff I Should Actually Be Reading, which is how I wound up with this grab-bag of rather more contemporary theology.
All of which I am entirely unqualified to properly evaluate, to be clear, as someone who's variously identified as "Southern Baptist," "Christian agnostic," "deist," "Quaker," "neopagan," "animist," and "some weird woo bullshit syncretic thing ig, sorry it's cringe I know" at various points in my life. But that sure won't stop me from prattling about 'em on my blog.
( That All Shall Be Saved )
( Honest to God )
( Living Buddha, Living Christ )
( Surprised By Hope )
Aside: all of these books felt pretty repetitive. Something to do with the genre, I guess? No way to theology-y people to feel like they've gotten your point across without restating it three different ways? IDK.
ANYWAY. I should probably quit dicking around with these books for a bit, since, y'know, novel. I gotta read more Martin Luther himself and also probably some John Calvin. (Alas this means my copy of Kosuke Koyama's Five Mile an Hour God will likely remain mostly-unread on my shelf. Did I mention I'm a magpie. Books pile up in my home whenever I get on a weird pseudo-reasearch-y kick, and I am blessed with an indulgent partner who just keeps buying me more bookshelves instead of telling me to cut it the hell out, which is very sweet of him, but also I could really use someone to stop me before I commit more Irresponsible Spending Crimes... though I saw someone the other day comparing book-buying to wine-buying, e.g. hey it's valid and normal to let some of them age in the cellar & have more than you'll be able to drink; you want to have good wine when the time is right! and UNFORTUNATELY this is very effective for allowing me to continue in my profligate ways. RIP me.)
...okay yeah I couldn't find any way to fit Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik into all of this. Spinning Silver was very good, but I don't have much to say! The primary romance was a total nothingburger, but that's fine because mostly the book is about Miryem girlbossing her way through Rumpelstiltskin and that shit totally rules. I would like to read several more books about moneylenders Being Incredibly Good At Their Job. The book gets a bit bloated and flabbier as it goes along (though the parts with secondary-girlboss Irina and horrible little man Mirnatius can stay; those bits were great) but never enough to knock it down from the "very good" tier. Fairytale retellings aren't normally my thing but this one was solid.
various sizes of joy
Jun. 5th, 2025 11:11 pmkaberett- On Tuesday, I picked a kohlrabi. The stem itself got eaten at the plot; the leaves I brought home to cook and eat subsequently rather than compost them. I stuck them in a glass of water to keep them going while I work out what exactly it is I want to do, and -- they are stunning. I am enjoying them so much every time I go past them: dark blue-tinged green leaves, pink-purple stems and veins (the cultivar is Azur; I do not currently have photos but will attempt to get my act together tomorrow.)
- I have four spikes of ginger, one thoroughly unfurled into leaves, and at least one more thinking hard about it. I do not expect to wind up self-sufficient in ginger but I am very much enjoying the experiment.
- a word you've never understood (Prophet, 9k words). I did not read it all in one gulp -- I paused to take notes -- and I'm now on my second read through, which could in theory be more of a gulp but mysteriously I seem to be taking more notes and also remembering that I wanted to shake the internet for more information about the experience termed "aftersensations", for Book Purposes. (Also I think I've lured another person into at least starting the book...)
- Asparagus for lunch! Still in season; still delicious.
- My house once again contains Large Quantities of hazelnuts and pecans. I Monch.
Stuck
Jun. 5th, 2025 03:08 pmfayanoraBeen kinda stuck in a weird way concerning my latest book, book 7. The Dalia arc part needs more planning out, same with the other arcs in the story. Struggling with planning, emotionally I want to write, not plan. Usually if I get stuck on one arc, I skip to another. But none of the other arcs are in the "writing" stage, they're all in the "needs planning" stage.
Because of the emotional side of this issue, attempts to plan go by very slowly and with difficulty. So it's basically me being stuck.
Maybe a long walk where I can think and plan would help. Problem is first the heat, then even when the heat isn't an issue, I tend lately to do "can-boxing" walks, IE checking these boxes on garbage cans that returnables are supposed to go in, and raiding them for more money.
I hate being stuck on writing.
Because of the emotional side of this issue, attempts to plan go by very slowly and with difficulty. So it's basically me being stuck.
Maybe a long walk where I can think and plan would help. Problem is first the heat, then even when the heat isn't an issue, I tend lately to do "can-boxing" walks, IE checking these boxes on garbage cans that returnables are supposed to go in, and raiding them for more money.
I hate being stuck on writing.
What's Making Me Happy Today: Cloudward, Ho! ep. 1
Jun. 5th, 2025 12:39 pmdelphiCloudward, Ho! is the newest Dimension 20 campaign of actual-play D&D with its classic cast of comedy improvisers. This one is an aeronautical adventure set in a steampunk universe, about a motley crew who set out on a quest in search of a lost continent and the expedition that disappeared before them. The first episode just came out yesterday, and I really enjoyed it!
( Some Notes About the Premise (Moderate Spoilers) )
I'm looking forward to seeing where the campaign goes from here! Anyone else watching or planning to watch?
( Some Notes About the Premise (Moderate Spoilers) )
I'm looking forward to seeing where the campaign goes from here! Anyone else watching or planning to watch?
Things
Jun. 6th, 2025 12:03 amvassBooks
Finished Jazz Money's how to make a basket. Mostly I liked it. Some of the concrete verse didn't work for me, but that's a me thing, not a problem with the writing.
The book's main theme seemed to be time travel: back before her land's invasion or back to her father's childhood or simply travelling minute by minute; the wish to change the past and the impossibility of doing so.
( more )
After readingskygiants' review of KJ Charles' Death in the Spires I remembered that I had bought a copy of that when it came out and hadn't read it yet. Read it.
( more )
Games
I hear that Long Live the Queen is getting a followup game, Galaxy Princess Zorana! I'm excited. (Long Live the Queen itself is current on 70% discount on Steam if anyone reading this might be interested in a fun visual novel game. It's pretty and pink and really astonishingly lethal.)
Slay the Spire: I did a few daily climbs. I'm finding them more fun than the regular runs at the moment.
Tech
Still working on the laptop. In the meantime I bought a webcam and plugged it into my desktop so that I could still attend Telehealth appointments. Got complimented on how I looked: turns out that a room with better lighting, and a better-positioned camera, really do make a difference. Go figure.
Household
My laundry area now has a shelf above the washing machine. I took the opportunity to do some decluttering of that area, and it looks much nicer now. So nice that now I want to paint the wall behind it. /o\
Weather
It's fucking freezing.
Links
Cats
Currently headbutting my hand while I'm trying to type.
Finished Jazz Money's how to make a basket. Mostly I liked it. Some of the concrete verse didn't work for me, but that's a me thing, not a problem with the writing.
The book's main theme seemed to be time travel: back before her land's invasion or back to her father's childhood or simply travelling minute by minute; the wish to change the past and the impossibility of doing so.
( more )
After reading
skygiants' review of KJ Charles' Death in the Spires I remembered that I had bought a copy of that when it came out and hadn't read it yet. Read it.( more )
Games
I hear that Long Live the Queen is getting a followup game, Galaxy Princess Zorana! I'm excited. (Long Live the Queen itself is current on 70% discount on Steam if anyone reading this might be interested in a fun visual novel game. It's pretty and pink and really astonishingly lethal.)
Slay the Spire: I did a few daily climbs. I'm finding them more fun than the regular runs at the moment.
Tech
Still working on the laptop. In the meantime I bought a webcam and plugged it into my desktop so that I could still attend Telehealth appointments. Got complimented on how I looked: turns out that a room with better lighting, and a better-positioned camera, really do make a difference. Go figure.
Household
My laundry area now has a shelf above the washing machine. I took the opportunity to do some decluttering of that area, and it looks much nicer now. So nice that now I want to paint the wall behind it. /o\
Weather
It's fucking freezing.
Links
- Petition: Justice for Kumanjayi White. (Police killed a young disabled Warlpiri man outside a supermarket in Alice Springs.)
- Why I Revealed My Kink On Television: Meghan Cherry, a Seattle comedian, on her recent audience appearance on Game Changer. (Some of her own comedy work can be found here.)
Cats
Currently headbutting my hand while I'm trying to type.
I had a tiny little tense moment last night
Jun. 5th, 2025 09:41 amjames_davis_nicollWhen a woman looked around her for her husband, who had been right behind her on the stairs but was now nowhere to be seen. I was very worried I was facing a repeat of the time not too long ago when I spent an hour looking for a missing patron.
The missing husband turned out not to have been behind his wife on the stairs after all, so mystery solved. The missing patron I spent that hour looking for was found once I thought about where she had to be to have not been found where we looked: row H or J, somewhere near seat 26.
The missing husband turned out not to have been behind his wife on the stairs after all, so mystery solved. The missing patron I spent that hour looking for was found once I thought about where she had to be to have not been found where we looked: row H or J, somewhere near seat 26.
The Witch Roads (The Witch Roads, volume 1) by Kate Elliott
Jun. 5th, 2025 09:11 amjames_davis_nicoll
An arduous journey in a prince's entourage offers a courier escape from immediate, judicial danger, at the cost of an entirely different assortment of dangers.
The Witch Roads (The Witch Roads, volume 1) by Kate Elliott
NDP display firm resolve
Jun. 5th, 2025 09:04 amjames_davis_nicoll Pursuing their vow to bring down the government, NDP ... do nothing of the sort.
I wonder if they got phone calls from voters expressing their displeasure at the prospect of an election so soon after the previous one?
I wonder if they got phone calls from voters expressing their displeasure at the prospect of an election so soon after the previous one?
multifandom questionnaire pt 1
Jun. 4th, 2025 11:03 pmsvgurlI found this via vriddy: maevedarcy adapted a fandom questionnaire and made it more multifandom friendly - Questionnaire: 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl.
I'm going to do it by parts, 12 at a time. :D
Current fandoms and personal connection:
1. How did you first discover your main fandoms?
My original main fandom was Smallville and I had always seen the ads on TV and I started watching a few seasons in because I love Superman and well, my sister was into it at the time, so I figured why not. I found Smallville fandom by chance when I was reading fic for other fandoms and then stumbled across Livejournal when I was googling Clark Kent/Oliver Queen, realized that there was very little fic, and decided I was going to write my own.
With the MCU, I watched The Avengers, started shipping Steve/Tony, and checked out what was out there. While I've read a lot of fic, I didn't start writing it until I began to participate in exchanges. It really helped me get out of my comfort zone.
I don't know if I have a "current" fandom but my main interest these days is 9-1-1, the procedural about first responders that is on ABC. It was one of those shows that had been on my "to watch" list and I'd seen some gifs on Tumblr and I finally watched it when it was seven seasons in.
With Smallville, it was definitely mostly about Superman and on a shallow note, I had a crush on Tom Welling. And as I said above, I got involved in fandom because barely anyone else was writing the ship I was newly into. It's funny - I got a comment on one of my Clark/Oliver fics a few days ago and that person was all "you're carrying this ship" and to be told that in 2025 is not what I would've had on my bingo card but it kinda delighted me anyway.
The MCU I got into because "The Avengers" was the big thing and once I found a ship I liked, I had to look for content. The timing was perfect too because Smallville had ended and while I was still into it, it was nice to have something fresh to grab my attention.
As far as 9-1-1, I'm hit or miss on procedurals but it always did look fun. When I found out that one of the main characters recently realized they were bisexual, it finally pushed me over to check it out.
3. Can you recall a moment when you realized you were more than just a casual fan?
Probably when I started writing all the fic? It wasn't surprising for me - I tend to get obsessive and am either all or nothing when it comes to ... anything really.
4. How has your interest in fandom evolved over time?
I still love it but I am more careful these days about how I participate. I got into all sorts of fandom drama during my first run and it's something that I try to avoid. I was young, but also old enough to know better and I definitely was more than a little naive. Nowadays, I prefer to stay on the edge and keep my circle close and tight.
5. Is there anyone in your life that shares your passion for fandom?
In my real life, no. That's what DW and Tumblr are for! I was really lucky that one of my mutuals on Tumblr, who I was friendly but not close to, does really love 9-1-1 too so I have had someone to talk with about my newest obsession. Otherwise, getting into a new fandom/ship, especially one as big, would've been more awkward.
6. How does your fandom inspire you in your everyday life?
Weirdly, I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I'm sure it has, especially since there are some things I have learned about via people I've met online but nothing stands out right now.
7.Does the fandom influence your personal style, hobbies, or interests?
No, it's probably the other way around. I've definitely been introduced books and media through fandom that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, if that counts.
8. Can you share a personal story related to your fandom that you cherish?
I don't know how personal it is, but I used to have this one song that I specifically associated with Clark/Oliver - "Everything" by Michael Buble" - and then for my birthday, one of my Livejournal friends made me a fanvid to that song, when she didn't even ship them, and it literally meant everything to me.
9. What valuable lessons have you learned from being part of fandom?
Oh, plenty. I think it taught me the importance of not trying to force yourself to be something or someone you're not, because it will backfire. Being edgy for the sake of it is also not cool. Seems obvious, but it really isn't. Also, there are also tools to curate your experience and it is up to you to use them, more so now than ever.
10. Have you met any of your closest friends through a fandom?
No. My real life and fandom life are very separated (I'm private and paranoid), but I do have some people here and Tumblr that I've known for a long time and I have extra fondness for them in the same way I do about the people I see in real life.
11. Are there any rituals or traditions you enjoy before new releases related to fandom?
I don't think so. Sometimes, I like to refresh my memory of what happened before, with my favorite clips or reading some summaries, but I wouldn't say that's a tradition or ritual because I'm not very consistent.
12. If you could introduce someone new to fandom, how would you describe it to them
I'd probably say it's passionate fans who have come together over a shared love of a particular type of media and they enjoy spending time discussing, creating, and engaging in works about it. Depending on how that goes, I would try to explain fanworks and shipping and the like.
vriddy: maevedarcy adapted a fandom questionnaire and made it more multifandom friendly - Questionnaire: 72 Multifandom questions to ask a fangirl. I'm going to do it by parts, 12 at a time. :D
Current fandoms and personal connection:
1. How did you first discover your main fandoms?
My original main fandom was Smallville and I had always seen the ads on TV and I started watching a few seasons in because I love Superman and well, my sister was into it at the time, so I figured why not. I found Smallville fandom by chance when I was reading fic for other fandoms and then stumbled across Livejournal when I was googling Clark Kent/Oliver Queen, realized that there was very little fic, and decided I was going to write my own.
With the MCU, I watched The Avengers, started shipping Steve/Tony, and checked out what was out there. While I've read a lot of fic, I didn't start writing it until I began to participate in exchanges. It really helped me get out of my comfort zone.
I don't know if I have a "current" fandom but my main interest these days is 9-1-1, the procedural about first responders that is on ABC. It was one of those shows that had been on my "to watch" list and I'd seen some gifs on Tumblr and I finally watched it when it was seven seasons in.
#2-12
2. What was it about the fandom(s) that initially captured your interest?With Smallville, it was definitely mostly about Superman and on a shallow note, I had a crush on Tom Welling. And as I said above, I got involved in fandom because barely anyone else was writing the ship I was newly into. It's funny - I got a comment on one of my Clark/Oliver fics a few days ago and that person was all "you're carrying this ship" and to be told that in 2025 is not what I would've had on my bingo card but it kinda delighted me anyway.
The MCU I got into because "The Avengers" was the big thing and once I found a ship I liked, I had to look for content. The timing was perfect too because Smallville had ended and while I was still into it, it was nice to have something fresh to grab my attention.
As far as 9-1-1, I'm hit or miss on procedurals but it always did look fun. When I found out that one of the main characters recently realized they were bisexual, it finally pushed me over to check it out.
3. Can you recall a moment when you realized you were more than just a casual fan?
Probably when I started writing all the fic? It wasn't surprising for me - I tend to get obsessive and am either all or nothing when it comes to ... anything really.
4. How has your interest in fandom evolved over time?
I still love it but I am more careful these days about how I participate. I got into all sorts of fandom drama during my first run and it's something that I try to avoid. I was young, but also old enough to know better and I definitely was more than a little naive. Nowadays, I prefer to stay on the edge and keep my circle close and tight.
5. Is there anyone in your life that shares your passion for fandom?
In my real life, no. That's what DW and Tumblr are for! I was really lucky that one of my mutuals on Tumblr, who I was friendly but not close to, does really love 9-1-1 too so I have had someone to talk with about my newest obsession. Otherwise, getting into a new fandom/ship, especially one as big, would've been more awkward.
6. How does your fandom inspire you in your everyday life?
Weirdly, I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I'm sure it has, especially since there are some things I have learned about via people I've met online but nothing stands out right now.
7.Does the fandom influence your personal style, hobbies, or interests?
No, it's probably the other way around. I've definitely been introduced books and media through fandom that I wouldn't have thought of otherwise, if that counts.
8. Can you share a personal story related to your fandom that you cherish?
I don't know how personal it is, but I used to have this one song that I specifically associated with Clark/Oliver - "Everything" by Michael Buble" - and then for my birthday, one of my Livejournal friends made me a fanvid to that song, when she didn't even ship them, and it literally meant everything to me.
9. What valuable lessons have you learned from being part of fandom?
Oh, plenty. I think it taught me the importance of not trying to force yourself to be something or someone you're not, because it will backfire. Being edgy for the sake of it is also not cool. Seems obvious, but it really isn't. Also, there are also tools to curate your experience and it is up to you to use them, more so now than ever.
10. Have you met any of your closest friends through a fandom?
No. My real life and fandom life are very separated (I'm private and paranoid), but I do have some people here and Tumblr that I've known for a long time and I have extra fondness for them in the same way I do about the people I see in real life.
11. Are there any rituals or traditions you enjoy before new releases related to fandom?
I don't think so. Sometimes, I like to refresh my memory of what happened before, with my favorite clips or reading some summaries, but I wouldn't say that's a tradition or ritual because I'm not very consistent.
12. If you could introduce someone new to fandom, how would you describe it to them
I'd probably say it's passionate fans who have come together over a shared love of a particular type of media and they enjoy spending time discussing, creating, and engaging in works about it. Depending on how that goes, I would try to explain fanworks and shipping and the like.
mugged by a magpie
Jun. 4th, 2025 11:34 pmkaberettPicture me: sat on the sofa, opposite the French doors, vaguely paying attention to what was going on at the bird feeder, mildly amused by the extremely ungainly magpie.
The magpie that inspected the water bowl (that someone had thrown off its stand) and the feeder (that was empty) and the me (on the sofa) and Came To A Decision.
It did a tiny hop-skip-flap over and landed, very deliberately, on the workbench just the other side of the glass. It turned its head from side to side to get a good look at me from both eyes.
And then, having glared at me, it started yelling.
And kept yelling until I was up off the sofa and clearly heading for the door, whereupon it retreated to a safe distance, i.e. the garage rooves, and Continued Observing.
I sorted out the water dish. I got the crates of Misc Birdseed out of their cupboard. I sorted out the feeder. I sorted out the other feeder.
I went back inside.
Some time elapsed.
Eventually I got sufficiently puzzled about why the magpie hadn't come back yet to actually notice that I'd left the crates of seed out, and their cupboard door open.
I heaved myself back off the sofa.
I returned the seeds to their cupboard, and shut the cupboard's door. I returned myself to the sofa, shutting the patio door behind me.
Not terribly long after that, the magpie returned, and drank, and nibbled suspiciously (I had changed which food was in which feeder position), and appeared satisfied at least to the extent of not yelling any further...
... right up until the squirrel showed up to claim a portion of the restock.
I am absolutely delighted to have made this neighbour's acquaintance.