Recommendation: Luck, be a lady - due South fancomic by gjdraws
Jan. 2nd, 2026 01:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
petraThis due South comic is flippin' brilliant, and I don't just say that as someone who loves the way the artist draws RayV looking at Fraser.
( Other things I liked about it )
Ahem.
Give it a go. It's short! It's cracky! It's pretty!
And I have the right icon for it.
( Other things I liked about it )
Ahem.
Give it a go. It's short! It's cracky! It's pretty!
And I have the right icon for it.
December Language Roundup
Jan. 2nd, 2026 12:12 pmlebateleurThese have turned into more of a record of how duo keeps resetting my progress in these courses rather than my progress itself. On the other hand, it is interesting to have a record of how that enshittification plays out month over month, as 30+ minutes of daily practice each month results in less "progress" through each lesson that I'd recorded the month before.
Chinese — Finished 1/9 of Rookie Unit 8; legendary through Rookie Unit 3
Dutch — Finished 1/2 of Explorer Unit 3; legendary through Rookie Unit 6
Gaelic — Finished 1/3 of Explorer Unit 14; legendary through the Explorer Unit 10
Hindi — Finished 4/5 of Unit 1; backburnered to focus on the letters
Indonesian — Finished Explorer Unit 17; legendary through Explorer Unit 10
Japanese — Finished Trailblazer Unit 4; legendary through Traveler Unit 20
Korean — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6; legendary through Rookie Unit 5
Latin — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6
Manx — Finished lesson 9 of the Loayr Gaelg 2 textbook
Welsh — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6; legendary through Rookie Unit 3
これで以上です。
Chinese — Finished 1/9 of Rookie Unit 8; legendary through Rookie Unit 3
Dutch — Finished 1/2 of Explorer Unit 3; legendary through Rookie Unit 6
Gaelic — Finished 1/3 of Explorer Unit 14; legendary through the Explorer Unit 10
Hindi — Finished 4/5 of Unit 1; backburnered to focus on the letters
Indonesian — Finished Explorer Unit 17; legendary through Explorer Unit 10
Japanese — Finished Trailblazer Unit 4; legendary through Traveler Unit 20
Korean — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6; legendary through Rookie Unit 5
Latin — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6
Manx — Finished lesson 9 of the Loayr Gaelg 2 textbook
Welsh — Finished 1/3 of Rookie Unit 6; legendary through Rookie Unit 3
これで以上です。
January Buddy Assignments
Jan. 2nd, 2026 02:29 pmsiberian_angel posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
thestoryinside
The themes for January are:
THRILLER // NON-FICTION // FEMALE AUTHOR
You must choose books with these genres and themes for your buddy. If you think you might not have books in your TBR pile that fits this month's choices, please let your buddy know.
You can find your buddy's TBR lists here.
royalblue31 & monkiainen badfalcon & siberian_angelmiscuartosamores & killercahill fred_mouse & yourivy You have until the 5th to choose your partner's books.
The Day in Spikedluv (Thursday, Jan 1)
Jan. 2nd, 2026 06:09 amspikedluvHow is it 2026 already?!! Happy New Year to you all. I hope it’s a safe, healthy and joyous one for all of us.
I did not go downtown today, just spent a very lazy day at home doing minimal chores. I hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. Pip's supper was leftovers, so I didn't even have to cook!
Disappointment of the day (really, yesterday, but it carried over), was discovering that there is garlic in the dip mix I use to make the spinach dip. I never noticed before, so must be years ago it didn't bother me like it does now. It's not enough to burn my mouth like that yummy hamburger did a while back, but it is enough to make me pause when I'm going back for seconds *coff* thirds.
I tried the Green tea today. At first I was like, this is my kind of tea (very weak), but by the time I finished my first cup I thought it might be even too weak for me! o_O After the first cup (this was not a tea bag I could reuse; in fact, I left it in the cup the whole time and the tea still tasted weak to me) I went back to my favorite tea that I keep in the house, Tazo’s Zen (which is green tea, bright lemongrass & crisp peppermint).
I read more in my book and watched-watched more Secrets of the Zoo.
Temps started out at 12.2(F) and reached 19.1. It was windy again; Pip actually had to go out and blow out the trails again because they'd been blown in with snow. There was a little bit of sun, though!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded good when I talked to her. She has nothing much to report. *g* Sister A was with her when I called and my brother had called earlier, so she is receiving visitors and calls, which is nice.
I did not go downtown today, just spent a very lazy day at home doing minimal chores. I hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. Pip's supper was leftovers, so I didn't even have to cook!
Disappointment of the day (really, yesterday, but it carried over), was discovering that there is garlic in the dip mix I use to make the spinach dip. I never noticed before, so must be years ago it didn't bother me like it does now. It's not enough to burn my mouth like that yummy hamburger did a while back, but it is enough to make me pause when I'm going back for seconds *coff* thirds.
I tried the Green tea today. At first I was like, this is my kind of tea (very weak), but by the time I finished my first cup I thought it might be even too weak for me! o_O After the first cup (this was not a tea bag I could reuse; in fact, I left it in the cup the whole time and the tea still tasted weak to me) I went back to my favorite tea that I keep in the house, Tazo’s Zen (which is green tea, bright lemongrass & crisp peppermint).
I read more in my book and watched-watched more Secrets of the Zoo.
Temps started out at 12.2(F) and reached 19.1. It was windy again; Pip actually had to go out and blow out the trails again because they'd been blown in with snow. There was a little bit of sun, though!
Mom Update:
Mom sounded good when I talked to her. She has nothing much to report. *g* Sister A was with her when I called and my brother had called earlier, so she is receiving visitors and calls, which is nice.
The Magnus Archives: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues [...] by shinyopals
Jan. 2nd, 2026 10:28 ambirdylion posting in fancakeTitle: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work
Fandom: The Magnus Archives
Pairings/Characters: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims; OC management advice blogger, OC internet commenters
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 43626 words
Creator Links:![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
shinyopals
Theme: crack treated seriously, epistolary, no canon required, outsider pov
Summary:
I've recently been unexpectedly promoted to lead a department in my organisation, wrote the anonymous emailer.
As there was no one working here when I arrived, my manager, who is head of the organisation, had promised me the choice of my own assistants. However, without warning, he simply presented me with an additional assistant. This new assistant’s first act on his first day was to let a dog into the office. It took several hours to catch and clean up after this dog and it has only been downhill from there. I admit I'm not entirely sure what to do with this assistant now I'm stuck with him. I'm hoping you have some advice?
Kind regards,
New Manager
Abigail Bailey runs a successful management advice blog. One frequent contributor is from a workplace with some... issues.
Reccer's Notes:
Content Notes:
Fanwork Links: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work on ao3
Fandom: The Magnus Archives
Pairings/Characters: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims; OC management advice blogger, OC internet commenters
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 43626 words
Creator Links:
Theme: crack treated seriously, epistolary, no canon required, outsider pov
Summary:
I've recently been unexpectedly promoted to lead a department in my organisation, wrote the anonymous emailer.
As there was no one working here when I arrived, my manager, who is head of the organisation, had promised me the choice of my own assistants. However, without warning, he simply presented me with an additional assistant. This new assistant’s first act on his first day was to let a dog into the office. It took several hours to catch and clean up after this dog and it has only been downhill from there. I admit I'm not entirely sure what to do with this assistant now I'm stuck with him. I'm hoping you have some advice?
Kind regards,
New Manager
Abigail Bailey runs a successful management advice blog. One frequent contributor is from a workplace with some... issues.
Reccer's Notes:
The Magnus Archives is a horror audio drama in which the main character starts a new position as archivist in an organization named Magnus Institute that specializes on investigating strange/magical phenomena. Very soon, strange things start to happen to him too. Also, it turns out that his workplace itself is ... not what you could call safe.
This story starts with the idea that the main character writes to a management advice blog about the strange things about his workplace, and becomes a regular writer. The fanfic is told in the form of this advice blog as it could appear on the internet: We get the mails he writes in, and the bloggers answers, and also the comment section. It's hilarious, but also it's taken so seriously as the story progresses and gets darker.
As an outsider POV, it really brings out how horrible the whole Magnus Archives story really is. It also shows very well how the story starts so inconspicuous and then boils the characters in horror like a lobster it a pot - and in this fanfic, the character doesn't event write to the advice blog about what's actually happening (because of secrecy), only the workplace safety circumstances. It's such a fascinating outsider POV.
Since it doesn't expect any canon knowledge, it can be read fandom-blind. Even without fandom-knowledge it's a hilarious and tragic advice blog story and in my case, it was my intro to the story, which I listened to after finishing this fanfic, so it was great advertisement for The Magnus Archives. (Note that it contains out of context but significant spoilers if you're going in fandom blind. For me this added to the re-read factor of the fanfic.)
This story starts with the idea that the main character writes to a management advice blog about the strange things about his workplace, and becomes a regular writer. The fanfic is told in the form of this advice blog as it could appear on the internet: We get the mails he writes in, and the bloggers answers, and also the comment section. It's hilarious, but also it's taken so seriously as the story progresses and gets darker.
As an outsider POV, it really brings out how horrible the whole Magnus Archives story really is. It also shows very well how the story starts so inconspicuous and then boils the characters in horror like a lobster it a pot - and in this fanfic, the character doesn't event write to the advice blog about what's actually happening (because of secrecy), only the workplace safety circumstances. It's such a fascinating outsider POV.
Since it doesn't expect any canon knowledge, it can be read fandom-blind. Even without fandom-knowledge it's a hilarious and tragic advice blog story and in my case, it was my intro to the story, which I listened to after finishing this fanfic, so it was great advertisement for The Magnus Archives. (Note that it contains out of context but significant spoilers if you're going in fandom blind. For me this added to the re-read factor of the fanfic.)
Content Notes:
- depictions of outrageously bad workplace safety
- (canon-typical) dysfunctional interpersonal relationships
- lighter on the actual supernatural horror than the original canon
- out of context (but significant) spoilers if read fandom blind
Fanwork Links: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work on ao3
vriddyFeeling a lot more confident and happier now that Narumi also showed up. It's surprising how much easier I find it to write such a little clown of a character.
...perhaps because I, too, was actually a clown all along? 😮🤡
Warm as life | Kaijuu No. 8 | Kafka/Reno/Narumi, Reno/Iharu, Kafka/Hoshina | 3.8k words (WIP, 2/7) | rated M
Summary: The new threat posed by No. 9 weighs heavily on everyone. Under these circumstances, emotions run high and what starts as a way of relieving stress can easily bloom into unexpected feelings. Some people find that easier to admit than others.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
...perhaps because I, too, was actually a clown all along? 😮🤡
Warm as life | Kaijuu No. 8 | Kafka/Reno/Narumi, Reno/Iharu, Kafka/Hoshina | 3.8k words (WIP, 2/7) | rated M
Summary: The new threat posed by No. 9 weighs heavily on everyone. Under these circumstances, emotions run high and what starts as a way of relieving stress can easily bloom into unexpected feelings. Some people find that easier to admit than others.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
[Challenge #475] BtVS / Spike — Misunderstood
Jan. 2nd, 2026 10:30 amveronyxk84 posting in 100wordsTitle: Misunderstood
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author:veronyxk84
Characters/Pairing: Spike
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: some coarse language
Word count: 100 (Google Docs)
Spoilers/Setting: Set in S5, during ep. 5x17 “Forever”.
Summary: Spike honours Joyce in his own way.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created for fun and no profit has been made. All rights belong to the respective owners.
Challenge: #475 - Resolve
Crossposted:fan_flashworks, My journal
—
( READ: Misunderstood )
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author:
veronyxk84Characters/Pairing: Spike
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: some coarse language
Word count: 100 (Google Docs)
Spoilers/Setting: Set in S5, during ep. 5x17 “Forever”.
Summary: Spike honours Joyce in his own way.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction created for fun and no profit has been made. All rights belong to the respective owners.
Challenge: #475 - Resolve
Crossposted:
fan_flashworks, My journal—
( READ: Misunderstood )
25 recs in 18 fandoms
Jan. 2nd, 2026 10:23 amchoirwoman posting in yuletideEnchanted Forest Chronicles, Floris (TV), The Court Jester, Piranesi, Miss Marple, Dragonriders of Pern, Lord Peter Wimsey, Columbo, The Princess Bride, The Secret Garden, Chalet School, The Goblin Emperor, Irn Bru Snowman Ads, Dark Is Rising Sequence, Murdle, Tiny Bookshop & Untitled Goose Game, Flower Fairies, Baby Shoes Never Worn. Here, at my blog.
Just One Thing (02 January 2026)
Jan. 2nd, 2026 08:07 amnanila posting in awesomeersIt's challenge time!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Go!
Upcoming exchanges & events!
Jan. 1st, 2026 09:02 pmscintilla10I signed up for rarefemslashexchange! Very happy with my assignment, currently enjoying canon review. :D
I'm thinking of signing up forcandyheartsex, too! Is anyone else planning to do this one? Only 300 word minimum! I try not to have too many simultaneous open exchange assignments for myself, but this feels within reach. :D
Buuuuut alsoseasonsofdrabbles will be running a round in January-February. I love drabbles, so this is tempting too! But three assignments (even ones with short minimums!) seems like it would be overwhelming, so I might stick to treating for this one.
Finally,fandomtrees is seeking help creating gifts (2 for each recipient) before reveals, which are currently scheduled for Jan 10. If you're inclined to check it out, there's a handy spreadsheet of needy trees linked at this post!
Are there other exchanges, bingos, or similar challenges you're participating in that are coming up soon?
rarefemslashexchange! Very happy with my assignment, currently enjoying canon review. :DI'm thinking of signing up for
candyheartsex, too! Is anyone else planning to do this one? Only 300 word minimum! I try not to have too many simultaneous open exchange assignments for myself, but this feels within reach. :DBuuuuut also
seasonsofdrabbles will be running a round in January-February. I love drabbles, so this is tempting too! But three assignments (even ones with short minimums!) seems like it would be overwhelming, so I might stick to treating for this one.Finally,
fandomtrees is seeking help creating gifts (2 for each recipient) before reveals, which are currently scheduled for Jan 10. If you're inclined to check it out, there's a handy spreadsheet of needy trees linked at this post!Are there other exchanges, bingos, or similar challenges you're participating in that are coming up soon?
The sum of ourselves - DCU story, co-written with Té
Jan. 2nd, 2026 01:02 ampetraThe sum of ourselves (468 words) by Petra, Teland
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Roy Harper & Koriand'r & Jason Todd
Characters: Roy Harper, Koriand'r (DCU), Jason Todd
Additional Tags: Nostalgia, Crack, Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Canon
Summary:
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Roy Harper & Koriand'r & Jason Todd
Characters: Roy Harper, Koriand'r (DCU), Jason Todd
Additional Tags: Nostalgia, Crack, Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths Canon
Summary:
Red Hood and the Outlaws sit around chewing the fat after their first successful mission.
The great callipgyian spheres - sonnet for minoanmiss
Jan. 2nd, 2026 12:05 ampetraThere is no stagnation in the heavens;
They spin on, shedding their light, as we watch.
So too, below, change both kneads and leavens,
Now squashing flat, now lifting heart and crotch.
The dearest lover's touch, once memorized,
Arouses in absentia, but its shade
Can't match the novel zing of lust surprised.
The chaos factor that brings us arrayed
To catch new paramours, or woo the caught,
Is lightning flash astonishment that's chased
In renewed union and a clinch red-hot,
With new-found passion or love long-embraced.
So bring to bed good novelties and play,
That you may keep love fresh, as dawn starts day.
* * * * *
Many happy returns of the day, dear heart!
They spin on, shedding their light, as we watch.
So too, below, change both kneads and leavens,
Now squashing flat, now lifting heart and crotch.
The dearest lover's touch, once memorized,
Arouses in absentia, but its shade
Can't match the novel zing of lust surprised.
The chaos factor that brings us arrayed
To catch new paramours, or woo the caught,
Is lightning flash astonishment that's chased
In renewed union and a clinch red-hot,
With new-found passion or love long-embraced.
So bring to bed good novelties and play,
That you may keep love fresh, as dawn starts day.
* * * * *
Many happy returns of the day, dear heart!
New HR comm
Jan. 2nd, 2026 04:20 pmmificWhat I said in my last post? Today is not that day...
There's now a DW comm for Heated Rivalry and the Game Changers series.
gamechangerhr - the profile page has several resources and events listed, like a big bang organised via tumblr.
And I did locate a Hollanov discord - here's an invite.
There's now a DW comm for Heated Rivalry and the Game Changers series.
gamechangerhr - the profile page has several resources and events listed, like a big bang organised via tumblr. And I did locate a Hollanov discord - here's an invite.
2025 Reading Roundup
Jan. 1st, 2026 10:18 pmlebateleurLast year was a bit of an unusual reading year for me. My fiction:nonfiction and new read:reread ratios were unusual, as was the fact that I read either very long books or very short books, and nothing in between. And virtually all of my reading was in English, which is outside the norm for me.
How many books read in 2023?
In 2025, I read 101 books cover-to-cover, i.e., I read every chapter, glossary, index, author’s note, etc. in the volume.( Read more... )
Number of in-progress books as of December 31:
I currently have 110 books tagged as in progress LibraryThing, and about half a dozen going this week.
What do you want to read in 2026?
There was something I was super excited about just the other day, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was now. Without doubt, it will occur to me at 3:00 am in the morning, at which time I will update this entry. I definitely want to read Adrienne Mayor's Mythopedia: A Brief Compendium of Natural History Lore.
Happy New Year, everyone!
これで以上です。
How many books read in 2023?
In 2025, I read 101 books cover-to-cover, i.e., I read every chapter, glossary, index, author’s note, etc. in the volume.( Read more... )
Number of in-progress books as of December 31:
I currently have 110 books tagged as in progress LibraryThing, and about half a dozen going this week.
What do you want to read in 2026?
Happy New Year, everyone!
これで以上です。
My Yuletide Stories
Jan. 1st, 2026 07:17 pmrachelmanijaI wrote three stories this Yuletide. The first two won't make much sense if you don't know the canons. With the third, all you really need to know is that mushi are magical creatures and Ginko solves people's mushi-related problems.
28 Years Later
Memento Mori. Dr. Kelson creates his masterpiece.
I really liked the movie, which is extremely different from the first one (also extremely different from the second, which I don't care for) and also extremely different from the brilliant trailer, which introduced me to the astonishing recording from 1915 (!) of actor Taylor Holmes reciting Kipling's poem "Boots." It's a post-apocalypse movie that's partly a coming of age story, partly an action/horror movie, and partly a beautiful and moving drama about life, death, and remembrance. And then there's the last two minutes, which are basically parkour Trainspotting.
I actually matched on The Leftovers, but I liked the 28 Days Later prompt so much that I wrote that instead.
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Hunger. Both Lessa and Kylara are Searched for Nemorth's final clutch.
I just really enjoy writing in this canon. I love the dragons and McCaffrey created a lot of very interesting characters even if she often ended up not knowing quite what to do with them.
Mushishi
A Turn of the Wheel. Ginko encounters an unusual mushi in a village known for pottery.
Mushishi is an incredibly beautiful anime and manga with a dreamy, wistful atmosphere. I saw a prompt for mushi infesting a piece of pottery and could not resist. This story was also inspired by having recently visited Japan in the summer, a time of year I very much do not recommend for a visit if you can possibly avoid it. It's like living in a sauna. Now imagine doing a kiln firing in that sauna.
28 Years Later
Memento Mori. Dr. Kelson creates his masterpiece.
I really liked the movie, which is extremely different from the first one (also extremely different from the second, which I don't care for) and also extremely different from the brilliant trailer, which introduced me to the astonishing recording from 1915 (!) of actor Taylor Holmes reciting Kipling's poem "Boots." It's a post-apocalypse movie that's partly a coming of age story, partly an action/horror movie, and partly a beautiful and moving drama about life, death, and remembrance. And then there's the last two minutes, which are basically parkour Trainspotting.
I actually matched on The Leftovers, but I liked the 28 Days Later prompt so much that I wrote that instead.
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Hunger. Both Lessa and Kylara are Searched for Nemorth's final clutch.
I just really enjoy writing in this canon. I love the dragons and McCaffrey created a lot of very interesting characters even if she often ended up not knowing quite what to do with them.
Mushishi
A Turn of the Wheel. Ginko encounters an unusual mushi in a village known for pottery.
Mushishi is an incredibly beautiful anime and manga with a dreamy, wistful atmosphere. I saw a prompt for mushi infesting a piece of pottery and could not resist. This story was also inspired by having recently visited Japan in the summer, a time of year I very much do not recommend for a visit if you can possibly avoid it. It's like living in a sauna. Now imagine doing a kiln firing in that sauna.