Promotion: Rec-Cember
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rec_cember! This new community, created by goodbyebird, is celebrating December with a month-long reccing fest. Come and join me if you want to share some fanwork recs during December. :D
Rec-Cember - the month long multi-fandom reccing event. Let's recommend some fanworks! Let's appreciate and comment on those fanworks!
rec_cember . intro . sign ups
rec_cember! This new community, created by goodbyebird, is celebrating December with a month-long reccing fest. Come and join me if you want to share some fanwork recs during December. :Drec_cember . intro . sign upsWatching The Adventures of Superman
Nov. 19th, 2025 06:37 pmjames_davis_nicoll"Could it be that (Superman) hides behind the darkest disguise of all? Could it be that he is a woman?"
"(...) What made you ask that?"
"Because he has compassion. He aids people in trouble. He helps the weak. "
It is possible the bad guy in The Secret of Superman has issues.
"(...) What made you ask that?"
"Because he has compassion. He aids people in trouble. He helps the weak. "
It is possible the bad guy in The Secret of Superman has issues.
More updates
Nov. 19th, 2025 02:45 pmoyceterHallo all! I keep meaning to post updates, but then I get distracted. Anyway, thankfully CB flew back home mid-October, and we have been having "fun" with the US medical system since then. He luckily has very few side effects from the stroke, mostly limited to very mild paralysis on one side of his face (people have not noticed unless it's been pointed out) and some weirdness with taste. The annoying thing has been trying to get medical appointments and figure out what to do, as some doctors have been more helpful than others. Also, dealing with insurance sucks.
[food] breadferences
Nov. 19th, 2025 09:26 pmkaberettAt the weekend we made a mildly unusual detour to a fancy local bakery; one of the things they had on the shelves about which I went "oooh" was fig, hazelnut & anise bread. So that flavour combination (plus some spelt) was went into the oven this morning!
The way bread normally works around here is that I make it, via the Ritual Question of Do You Have Any Breadferences (Bread Preferences). To facilitate this call and response, A List of our Usual Options, doubtless to be added to. Suggestions welcome. :)
( Read more... )
30 in 30: Dragonriders of Pern
Nov. 19th, 2025 02:05 pmsenmutAO3 Link | To Care For Them (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dragonriders of Pern
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: F'nor [Dragonriders of Pern]
Additional Tags: Drabble, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Summary:
F'nor leaned back against Canth, watching Brekke and Wirenth in a moment of unguarded love between them. Ever since the near-tragedy at High Reaches, there had been a fragility to dragon and rider alike, yet F'nor could see the healing.
He and Canth had beseeched Ramoth to allow Wirenth to be here despite her known antipathy for more than two junior queens, and the matriarch had insisted of course her daughter should return.
Soon, he would need to focus on F'lar's need to tackle the Red Star. For now, he and his brown had a duty to Wirenth and Brekke.
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dragonriders of Pern
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: F'nor [Dragonriders of Pern]
Additional Tags: Drabble, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies
Summary:
In a world where the queen flight ended less tragically...
F'nor leaned back against Canth, watching Brekke and Wirenth in a moment of unguarded love between them. Ever since the near-tragedy at High Reaches, there had been a fragility to dragon and rider alike, yet F'nor could see the healing.
He and Canth had beseeched Ramoth to allow Wirenth to be here despite her known antipathy for more than two junior queens, and the matriarch had insisted of course her daughter should return.
Soon, he would need to focus on F'lar's need to tackle the Red Star. For now, he and his brown had a duty to Wirenth and Brekke.
Bundle of Holding: Yeld 2E
Nov. 19th, 2025 01:59 pmjames_davis_nicoll
This new Yeld 2E Bundle presents the 2024 Second Edition of The Magical Land of Yeld, the all-ages tabletop fantasy roleplaying game from Atarashi Games about young heroes (called Friends) finding their way home.
Bundle of Holding: Yeld 2E
(no subject)
Nov. 19th, 2025 04:39 pmturpsHot winter spice Ribena is delicious stuff. I'm always thrilled when I see it back in the shops, and I may have had three mugs already today.
All much needed though, as it's so cold and last night and this morning snow came down big time, and was lying, too. I looked like some kind of yeti by the time I'd walked to class this morning, and my feet were soaked, as my trainers were no match for the snow. I was the only person at class for ages, and Rosie was on the verge of cancelling when another guy turned up. At that point we had a talk and decided as we'd both done the talk for today previously, we could skip that and just do the exercise section.
Then three other people turned up, all but one old timers, so we kept with the plan and just had the activity part of the session.
I was offered a lift home by one of the guys in class, but as I told him, I didn't mind getting some extra steps in walking home, plus, my big coat was soaked, and I didn't want to get his car wet. I'm glad I went though, I was considering not doing so, especially when my friend texted saying she wasn't coming, but in the end it was a good session, even if it was shorter than expected.
And ha, talking about my big coat. I posted on Insta stories this morning and Kayleigh has just seen the post, and messaged telling me off for going out without a winter coat. But I told her I was wearing my winter coat, but because it's a bit big now, it wasn't covering me to my neck. But getting told to put my coat on by my baby sister, it amused me.
Now, I'm going to have a lobster bath, I've been looking forward to it all day.
All much needed though, as it's so cold and last night and this morning snow came down big time, and was lying, too. I looked like some kind of yeti by the time I'd walked to class this morning, and my feet were soaked, as my trainers were no match for the snow. I was the only person at class for ages, and Rosie was on the verge of cancelling when another guy turned up. At that point we had a talk and decided as we'd both done the talk for today previously, we could skip that and just do the exercise section.
Then three other people turned up, all but one old timers, so we kept with the plan and just had the activity part of the session.
I was offered a lift home by one of the guys in class, but as I told him, I didn't mind getting some extra steps in walking home, plus, my big coat was soaked, and I didn't want to get his car wet. I'm glad I went though, I was considering not doing so, especially when my friend texted saying she wasn't coming, but in the end it was a good session, even if it was shorter than expected.
And ha, talking about my big coat. I posted on Insta stories this morning and Kayleigh has just seen the post, and messaged telling me off for going out without a winter coat. But I told her I was wearing my winter coat, but because it's a bit big now, it wasn't covering me to my neck. But getting told to put my coat on by my baby sister, it amused me.
Now, I'm going to have a lobster bath, I've been looking forward to it all day.
Wednesday there was SNOW
Nov. 19th, 2025 03:52 pmoursinWhat I read
Finished The Golden Notebook - had a few comments about Lessing and blokes and plus ca change and allotropes of excuses in yesterday's post.
Decompressed with a Dick Francis, Slay-Ride (1973), which is the one set in Norway - period at which The War, resistance, Quislings etc still hangs heavy over them - not a top specimen of his, I spotted Dodgy Person very early on (but maybe protag does not read thrillers....).
Then got a jump on the next volume in the Dance to the Music of Time reading group, Temporary Kings (#11), which is the one set at some kind of cultural conference in Venice.
Also the latest Literary Review.
On the go
Continuing to dip in to Some Men in London 1960-1967.
Was agreeably surprised by the arrival of my preordered Cat Sebastian (had forgotten it was due), After Hours at Dooryard Books, which is being v good so far.
Up next
Latest Slightly Foxed.
Tags:
james_davis_nicoll
Civilization has crashed, humanity may be virtually extinct, but library books must be returned to their proper facility!
The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse, volume 2 by Haruo Iwamune (Translated by John Neal)
Choosing Health Insurance: Preventive Care [US, healthcare, Patreon]
Nov. 19th, 2025 05:52 amsidereaCanonical link: https://siderea.dreamwidth.org/1886696.html
Hey, Americans and other people stuck in the American healthcare system. It's open enrollment on the state exchanges, and possibly through your employer, so I wanted to give you a little heads up about preventive care and shopping for a health insurance plan.
I've noticed from time to time various health insurance companies advertising themselves to consumers by boasting that their health plans focus on covering preventive care. Maybe they lay a spiel on you about how they believe in keeping you healthy rather than trying to fix problems after they happen. Maybe they point out in big letters "PREVENTIVE CARE 100% FREE" or "NO CO-PAYS FOR PREVENTIVE CARE".
When you come across a health insurance product advertised this way, promoted for its coverage of preventive health, I propose you should think of that as a bad thing.
Why? Do I think preventive medicine is a bad thing? Yes, actually, but that's a topic for another post. For purposes of this post, no, preventive medicine is great.
It's just that it's illegal for them not to cover preventive care 100% with no copays or other cost-sharing.
Yeah, thanks to the Obamacare law, the ACA, it's literally illegal for a health plan to be sold on the exchanges if it doesn't cover preventive care 100% with no cost-sharing, and while there are rare exceptions, it's also basically illegal for an employer to offer a health plan that doesn't cover preventive care.
They can't not, and neither can any of their competitors.
( So any health plan that's bragging on covering preventive care?.... Read more [2,270 words] )
This post brought to you by the 220 readers who funded my writing it – thank you all so much! You can see who they are at my Patreon page. If you're not one of them, and would be willing to chip in so I can write more things like this, please do so there.
Please leave comments on the Comment Catcher comment, instead of the main body of the post – unless you are commenting to get a copy of the post sent to you in email through the notification system, then go ahead and comment on it directly. Thanks!
Hey, Americans and other people stuck in the American healthcare system. It's open enrollment on the state exchanges, and possibly through your employer, so I wanted to give you a little heads up about preventive care and shopping for a health insurance plan.
I've noticed from time to time various health insurance companies advertising themselves to consumers by boasting that their health plans focus on covering preventive care. Maybe they lay a spiel on you about how they believe in keeping you healthy rather than trying to fix problems after they happen. Maybe they point out in big letters "PREVENTIVE CARE 100% FREE" or "NO CO-PAYS FOR PREVENTIVE CARE".
When you come across a health insurance product advertised this way, promoted for its coverage of preventive health, I propose you should think of that as a bad thing.
Why? Do I think preventive medicine is a bad thing? Yes, actually, but that's a topic for another post. For purposes of this post, no, preventive medicine is great.
It's just that it's illegal for them not to cover preventive care 100% with no copays or other cost-sharing.
Yeah, thanks to the Obamacare law, the ACA, it's literally illegal for a health plan to be sold on the exchanges if it doesn't cover preventive care 100% with no cost-sharing, and while there are rare exceptions, it's also basically illegal for an employer to offer a health plan that doesn't cover preventive care.
They can't not, and neither can any of their competitors.
( So any health plan that's bragging on covering preventive care?.... Read more [2,270 words] )
This post brought to you by the 220 readers who funded my writing it – thank you all so much! You can see who they are at my Patreon page. If you're not one of them, and would be willing to chip in so I can write more things like this, please do so there.
Please leave comments on the Comment Catcher comment, instead of the main body of the post – unless you are commenting to get a copy of the post sent to you in email through the notification system, then go ahead and comment on it directly. Thanks!
Only a little bit behind - Early November 02025
Nov. 18th, 2025 10:48 pmsilveradeptGood day. Let's begin with 144 hours of DDR to make a record.
Early hominids appear to have not only used tools, but passed that knowledge down through the generations. Which will evolve the understanding of the earliest ancestors of the human species, as science is wont to do.
If you haven't received a flu vaccine for this year, it might be a good idea to do so, even if the protection might not be ideal because of a new mutation showing up after the formulation had been decided.
The complete history of the nation must be preserved, and that means a lot of places are trying to keep and digitize the collections of Black newspapers and broadsheets they have in their collections.
Also, Dick Cheney is no longer able to create a more terrible world, having died at 84 years of age. If his name is invoked from here on out, it should be as a warning not to do what he did.
( There's more inside, about people who have made cruelty the point and disclaim any responsibility of care for what they've created. )
Last out for tonight, an eyesore with a bad caricature and Randian-libertarian messaging is now providing a better message, since the land and the billboard were bought by the local Native nation.
And research now suggests that humans do instinctively work to help each other, rather than passively watch others be hurt, especially in emergency situations.
(Materials viaadrian_turtle, azurelunatic, boxofdelights, cmcmck, conuly, cosmolinguist, elf, finch, firecat, jadelennox, jenett, jjhunter, kaberett, lilysea, oursin, rydra_wong, snowynight, sonia, the_future_modernes, thewayne, umadoshi, vass, the meta_warehouse community, little_details, and anyone else I've neglected to mention or who I suspect would rather not be on the list. If you want to know where I get the neat stuff, my reading list has most of it.)
Early hominids appear to have not only used tools, but passed that knowledge down through the generations. Which will evolve the understanding of the earliest ancestors of the human species, as science is wont to do.
If you haven't received a flu vaccine for this year, it might be a good idea to do so, even if the protection might not be ideal because of a new mutation showing up after the formulation had been decided.
The complete history of the nation must be preserved, and that means a lot of places are trying to keep and digitize the collections of Black newspapers and broadsheets they have in their collections.
Also, Dick Cheney is no longer able to create a more terrible world, having died at 84 years of age. If his name is invoked from here on out, it should be as a warning not to do what he did.
( There's more inside, about people who have made cruelty the point and disclaim any responsibility of care for what they've created. )
Last out for tonight, an eyesore with a bad caricature and Randian-libertarian messaging is now providing a better message, since the land and the billboard were bought by the local Native nation.
And research now suggests that humans do instinctively work to help each other, rather than passively watch others be hurt, especially in emergency situations.
(Materials via
adrian_turtle, azurelunatic, boxofdelights, cmcmck, conuly, cosmolinguist, elf, finch, firecat, jadelennox, jenett, jjhunter, kaberett, lilysea, oursin, rydra_wong, snowynight, sonia, the_future_modernes, thewayne, umadoshi, vass, the meta_warehouse community, little_details, and anyone else I've neglected to mention or who I suspect would rather not be on the list. If you want to know where I get the neat stuff, my reading list has most of it.)
30 in 30: Forgotten Realms
Nov. 18th, 2025 06:39 pmsenmutAO3 Link | A Shared Lunch (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Drabble, Domestic Fluff
Summary:
Drizzt had set the basket of food and jug of cider on the table, then gone back to his room to clean up, thinking he had plenty of time.
He came back to find Alustriel already dividing the portions onto plates, the cider poured (and likely warmed by her spells).
"I thought it was my day to treat us with our lunch? And you are early."
"My last appointment sent her regrets, and why should I not help? You hunted it, in a fashion, and this is me preparing it."
He kissed her, smiling in the kiss.
"You spoil me."
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Drabble, Domestic Fluff
Summary:
They trade off who handles lunch
Drizzt had set the basket of food and jug of cider on the table, then gone back to his room to clean up, thinking he had plenty of time.
He came back to find Alustriel already dividing the portions onto plates, the cider poured (and likely warmed by her spells).
"I thought it was my day to treat us with our lunch? And you are early."
"My last appointment sent her regrets, and why should I not help? You hunted it, in a fashion, and this is me preparing it."
He kissed her, smiling in the kiss.
"You spoil me."
[embodiment] ... ha
Nov. 18th, 2025 10:52 pmkaberett"Ugh," I thought, "why am I feeling weirdly migrainey? My Next Phase Of The Menstrual Cycle is very much not due for like another week? I've been weirdly super regular basically since it reasserted itself post-surgery?"
... TURNS OUT that I had lost track of time a bit and I'm not a solid week early at all, it's a whole two days. This Means Some Things:
- ... still super regular by my pre-surgical standards,
- I will not be at the worst stage of my cycle during Significant Travel next week, and LAST BUT VERY MUCH NOT LEAST
- the migraine is still in fact very clearly associated with hormonal changes even when I'm not expecting them, take THAT Headache Is The Second Most Common Form Of Psychosomatic Pain ~statistics~ (and ongoing anxiety).
And lo, the song of the Mybug was once more heard in the land....
Nov. 18th, 2025 03:57 pmoursinNot OK? Booker winner Flesh ignites debate about state of masculinity
No, really, you don't say? Can it be that - once again, or perhaps, still MASCULINITY IS IN CRISIS?
Does it not sound as though the author goes in for 'dumb, dark, dull, bitter belly-tension'? (Sigh.)
I am sorry to discover that an excoriating retrospect on John Fowles with particular reference to The Magus by DJ Taylor in the latest Literary Review does not appear to be fully accessible online, chiz, chiz -
[E]ach of his novels when stripped of its fashionable appurtenances - The Magus, for example, is rife with Jungian animas - is ultimately about male entitlement.... the books are all about men expecting to get the things they want and being mortified by their absence.
....
[A] series of exercises in what Maurice Bowra called 'the higher bogus'.
I recently had the apercu, following my re-reading of The Golden Notebook, that besides being about the themes that Lessing found readers took from it - The Woman Question, the crisis of the Left at the period, mental health - surely it was also about Crisis of Masculinity/Men R Terribly Poor Stuff (I think Dame Rebecca remarked on that in her critical essay on younger woman writers). Which they were expressing/excusing largely in Freudianism terms (so many of them in analysis or had been). Wonder if current deployment of The Neurodiversity Plea is the current allotrope of He Couldn't Help It Because Reasons Beyond His Control (I suppose at least these do not blame Mummy, unless you are into to the What She Did That She Shouldn't When Pregnant narrative....).
I note that there was a BBC programme last night on the 'manosphere': young men who have drifted towards misogynist influencers – and finds them lonely, heartbreaking and on ‘semen retention journeys’ to control their sex drives. They sound rather sad and confused. (And historian is appalled at the persistence of a panic drummed up by an early C18th quack....)
Am trying to think of period when one could reliably say that masculinity was not in (some kind of) crisis.
