semielliptical

I recently realized that I haven't posted here since April 2020, and decided to make one post in 2021. I made my first LJ post in December 2002, and while I have locked or deleted a lot of my earlier posts, it's personally satisfying to know that I made at least one post per year.

I haven't been completely absent from DW. I post and/or comment at bitesizedcleaning most weeks, and checking in with friendly people who are also working on cleaning and organizing helps me keep my physical surroundings in a semblance of order, which is a definite boost to my mental health.

I'm not feeling particularly fannish about anything right now, which is a drag. One of my substitutes has been reading more books than I had in recent years. I pick many of them from whatever is available at the little free libraries in my neighborhood, or the new book shelf at the public library. I think this has helped me read more because I don't feel bad about giving up on a title, or skimming a book that's not entirely working for me, and I move on to the next book more quickly.

Overall, I feel like my personal life is summed up with "I can't complain"; even though there are things I would like to complain about, I have been quite fortunate these last few years, and I expect I'll figure out ways of dealing with the setbacks.

The Homemade 2 Homemade exchange for 2020 is open! Last year's exchange was fun, well organized, and low-pressure. I will be signing up for this round as soon as I get myself organized. Consider joining me!


homemade2homemade is a community for geeky crafters to share their obsessions and talents!

Come join us for the third round of our gift exchange!
All sorts of geeks and crafters are welcome!

Sign up between January 22nd - February 8th, 2020
WELCOME!

snowflake_challenge Challenge #3: Pimp Your Favorite Communities, Fests or Challenges!

homemade2homemade: a "geeky craft exchange" that so far has had two rounds; I participated in 2019. It was a fun way to get motivated to try some different craft projects, and share the love of crafting. I highly recommend it if it runs again in 2020! Edited to add: It WILL be running again, yay! Look for sign ups at the beginning of February, according to tjs_whatnot.

bitesizedcleaning and unclutter have slightly different focuses, but both are small, supportive communities where anyone is welcome to participate and share approaches and/or struggles maintaining their living (or other) spaces. I find it helpful just to see the posts pop up on my feed as a reminder to do a little bit to make my home more pleasant to be in. And it's always great to have opportunities to cheer each other on!

Pretty much a repeat of last year. Maybe I could reinvigorate my fandom experience by looking for some other groups? Though it might be that this lack of change reflects my limited time and energy.

This vid was made a few years ago, but I only found it recently and have probably watched it 10 times in the last week. Women excelling in sports, throughout history!

Vid: Stamina
Vidder: runawaynun
Music: The Greatest, by Sia, featuring Kendrick Lamar



Also check out runawaynun's post about the vid, in which she identifies each clip, explaining the significance and linking to source videos, which has sent me down a few fun rabbit holes. Both the vid and the post show just how much runawaynun cares about her subject - I love it!

This Is Not a Drill is the latest episode of the great podcast Snap Judgment. The episode summary:

"On January 13th 2018, at exactly 8:07 in the morning, one text message turned the state of Hawaii into a state of emergency.

From panic and fear to acceptance and joy, Snap Judgment explores the 38 minutes when the people of Hawaii faced an incoming ballistic missile threat."

Like most episodes of Snap Judgment, it focuses on people's voices, not reporting the event. I found it quite moving and thought provoking to hear directly from the people who experienced this, including a woman who also survived the bombing of Hiroshima.

Day 6

In your own space, create a list of at least three fannish things you'd love to receive, something you've wanted but were afraid to ask for - a fannish wish-list of sorts.

1. Schitt's Creek: icons. I don't remember how to find icons anymore. Or maybe they're harder to find now? Anyway, David's facial expressions and Moira's wigs deserve to be on many amazing icons! As do all of the other crazy characters.


2. Elementary: long plotty casefic with Joanlock. Pining!


3. SGA: a vid to How the West Was Won by Tom McRae

I'm not really afraid to ask for these things, but asking for them does feel kind of pointless. Except maybe the icons for Schitt's Creek, since that's a currently active fandom.

Day 2

Rec at least three fanworks that you didn’t create.

Three from Yuletide 2018. Recs for the stories, and also for the source materials if you haven't read those!


Tea for Two by Bow
Fandom: North and South
"A moment alone after John and Margaret's marriage."
A romantic scene with vivid physical details that provides a glimpse of John and Margaret's happy, hard-working future.

If you're not familiar with North and South the 2004 BBC miniseries, available on Netflix in the US, is probably the most accessible way to give it a try. I also really enjoyed the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, which is available on Project Gutenberg.


Every Touch Until by Leidolette
Fandom: The Blue Castle
"Everyone deserves a little happiness before they die."
This brings up a practical question not addressed in the book, and while it's more sexually explicit than the source, it has the same lovely, earnest style.

The Blue Castle is by L. M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. It's a completely delightful wish-fulfillment story. The heroine, Valancy, is unhappy yet obedient, cowered by her restrictive relatives. Then she is diagnosed with a heart condition and believes she's going to die within a year, and decides to start doing exactly what she wants. If you can't easily find a copy of the book it's available at Project Gutenberg Australia.


a book in its place and a place for every book by xylaria
Fandom: The Steerswoman Series
"Rowan attends a sorting party."
After The Language of Power Rowan observes, and then becomes a part of, a book-sorting party. It's lovely to see a bit of Rowan's recovery, and enjoy the feeling of community as everyone works together to organize the Annex. With a little Rowan/Bel.

The Steerswoman series! Read these books! I don't read a lot of sf/fantasy these days, but I'm very glad I followed a recommendation to try these. Rowan is a Steerwoman, a loosely organized group of roving knowledge seekers/sharers who are trying to better understand the world they live in. There are four books in the series so far, and the author, Rosemary Kirstein, is working on the next. Even if you're wary of WIPs, I think the fourth ends at a good point, an intriguing but not too frustrating pause in the action.

If it weren't for podcasts like this, I would probably do much less housework. Anyone have recommendations for good listening? 

WAM days 23-26: just didn't happen. Partly due to being a little bit sick, or other excuses. Anyway! I will move on tomorrow.

Reading for the day Speak Up: Responding to Everyday Bigotry from the Southern Poverty Law Center. Lots of specific, practical examples. I appreciate that it includes "What Can I Do About My Own Bias?"

Days 19-20: not accomplished. I guess I needed a weekend break?

Day 21: accomplished. No sense in dwelling on the missed days!

Day 17: accomplished.

I can't explain why I found this so funny, literally ROTFL and scaring the cat:

Days 9-15: accomplished 4/7 days.

I have been terrified and saddened at the results of the election, and the news since then, both national and local. It's helped a little bit to have gotten through a family event, and to be back at home where I can more easily take action. In the unlikely event anyone in the US needs tips on how to get the attention of their congressional representatives, here's one good approach, though I would add if you're not currently up to making phone calls, it's obviously better to do something rather than nothing.

The days I missed on my writing project were a little bit due to post-election stress and fatigue, but honestly more about travelling and being sick. I intend to continue.

Day 7: accomplished!

And for those in the US who need one more reminder: