*grumble*
6/2/26 13:19![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
goodbyebirdMitski is playing in London in May and I don't have enough internet to do so much as open the ticket site.
My plague of ill concert happenings, I swear.
My plague of ill concert happenings, I swear.
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goodbyebirdSlay the Princess?
5/2/26 23:30dhampyresaHas anyone played Slay the Princess? There appear to be two versions on Steam, which one should I get? Do you need any sort of reflexes or coordination at any point?
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Minor operations; testing new serving path
3/2/26 22:25![[staff profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user_staff.png){kind=small}
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dw_maintenanceHi all!
I'm doing some minor operational work tonight. It should be transparent, but there's always a chance that something goes wrong. The main thing I'm touching is testing a replacement for Apache2 (our web server software) in one area of the site.
Thank you!
Media Roundup: Working on The Graphic Novel Pile
1/2/26 11:23forestofgloryThis time I have nothing to talk about but things from my pile of graphic novels from the library. I picked up another set of holds, and then put in even more holds, but I’m getting to the end of things I want to check out so it's possible the pile will diminish eventually.
I read so many books in January, after so long of not reading very much. It’s nice but my brain sure confuses me.
Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge—I really liked this author’s other book, The Pale Queen, so I thought I’d look into other graphic novels he created. This one is good too! The same lovely art, cool world building and some nice found family feelings.
The Lost Sunday by Iléana Surducan—A sweet kids graphic novel inspired by fairy tales. It’s very short. As a non-christian I don’t love the association of Sunday with the day of rest, but it is otherwise lovely. The art is very fun, very expressive with good use of colors.
Gotham Academy, issues 1-18 by Becky Cloonan et al.— I was always going to love a story about plucky girl investigators at a boarding school who are friends with each other! The fact that this is set in Gotham and features appearances by members of the bat family is just a bonus. It’s got kinda a spooky vibe but it’s not really scary. I've been reading comics from the 90s, so it was fun to check out something more recent, and nice to have some different art styles. (I’m not really a fan of 90’s comic art styles even if the city scapes are good)
Mia “Maps” Mizoguchi is so much fun! She's clever and excitable and so enthusiastic about everything! I love her! I'm going to have to track down all the stories she appears in so I can read them.
Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman—A fun queer western adventure – I appreciated the author’s historical notes in the back. The subdued but warm color plate for this really added a nice touch.
Sanity & Tallulah, Field Trip,and Shortcuts by Molly Brooks—The first two of these were rereads, as I read them a while back and didn't remember them that well. These graphic novels are fun! Sanity and Tallulah are two girls living on a space station. They are friends with each other and have slightly madcap adventures. I also liked how this handled worldbuilding with each book showing a larger and more complicated section of Sanity and Tullaulah’s universe, especially the way the earlier books drop hints about the larger situation but you don’t fully see it until the third book.
I read so many books in January, after so long of not reading very much. It’s nice but my brain sure confuses me.
Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge—I really liked this author’s other book, The Pale Queen, so I thought I’d look into other graphic novels he created. This one is good too! The same lovely art, cool world building and some nice found family feelings.
The Lost Sunday by Iléana Surducan—A sweet kids graphic novel inspired by fairy tales. It’s very short. As a non-christian I don’t love the association of Sunday with the day of rest, but it is otherwise lovely. The art is very fun, very expressive with good use of colors.
Gotham Academy, issues 1-18 by Becky Cloonan et al.— I was always going to love a story about plucky girl investigators at a boarding school who are friends with each other! The fact that this is set in Gotham and features appearances by members of the bat family is just a bonus. It’s got kinda a spooky vibe but it’s not really scary. I've been reading comics from the 90s, so it was fun to check out something more recent, and nice to have some different art styles. (I’m not really a fan of 90’s comic art styles even if the city scapes are good)
Mia “Maps” Mizoguchi is so much fun! She's clever and excitable and so enthusiastic about everything! I love her! I'm going to have to track down all the stories she appears in so I can read them.
Stage Dreams by Melanie Gillman—A fun queer western adventure – I appreciated the author’s historical notes in the back. The subdued but warm color plate for this really added a nice touch.
Sanity & Tallulah, Field Trip,and Shortcuts by Molly Brooks—The first two of these were rereads, as I read them a while back and didn't remember them that well. These graphic novels are fun! Sanity and Tallulah are two girls living on a space station. They are friends with each other and have slightly madcap adventures. I also liked how this handled worldbuilding with each book showing a larger and more complicated section of Sanity and Tullaulah’s universe, especially the way the earlier books drop hints about the larger situation but you don’t fully see it until the third book.
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Someone stop this man!
31/1/26 23:31dhampyresaOver course of the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms the main character's name goes from "Dunk" to "Ser Duncan the Tall".
At this rate, the last episode will just be him introducing himself.
At this rate, the last episode will just be him introducing himself.
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ladybusinessThis week I learned about the Golden Poppy Award! I'd never heard of it before.
There's tons of categories, I made a direct dash to the Octavia E. Butler Award for science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
If you like reading multiple opinions of books, this may interest you! ( Read more... )
The California Independent Booksellers Alliance (CALIBA) presents the 2025 Golden Poppy Awards in recognition of the most distinguished books written and illustrated by creators who have made California their home.
There's tons of categories, I made a direct dash to the Octavia E. Butler Award for science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
- Winner: Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
- Kill the Beast by Serra Swift
- The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig
- Notes from a Regicide by Isaac Fellman
- Red City by Marie Lu
If you like reading multiple opinions of books, this may interest you! ( Read more... )
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I'm doing it anyways because damn the man.
30/1/26 15:22goodbyebirdSnowflake Challenge is wrapping up today and awww, they didn't do the Make A Challenge thing this round. You know what, it's happening, can't stop won't stop.
Sooo... Supernatural, ey? This is what happens when you get a giga-fandom! (same thing giving me HR vid songs atm; shouting I don't even go here at my brain to no avail.
SPN has 139 entries tagged. Looking over potential rivals, television is at 92, assemble! 102, buffyverse 90, music 103, rec: vid 83.
Or do I hard mode it and go for IWTV? *g*
When you are logged in and go to Dreamwidth (home page), scroll down and you can see your tag cloud.
Are there any tags you feel don't represent you very well now? Are there tags you feel should be there?
Go into your tags, have a look at the numbers, and make a plan for 2026 to be the year you whip that cloud into shape 💪
Sooo... Supernatural, ey? This is what happens when you get a giga-fandom! (same thing giving me HR vid songs atm; shouting I don't even go here at my brain to no avail.
SPN has 139 entries tagged. Looking over potential rivals, television is at 92, assemble! 102, buffyverse 90, music 103, rec: vid 83.
Or do I hard mode it and go for IWTV? *g*
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A young girl with eyes like the desert.
30/1/26 11:30goodbyebird+ Yesterday was rough. Just walking around vibrating, had a cry in the storage room, absolutely hated the feel of washing my hands. Extremely over-stimulated. People being around all the time, and complete disruption of routines will do that eventually, which I did not appreciate learning. Thankfully I got a full nights sleep after I dozed off - got a sleeping pill from my dad to help out, still my brain was trying to scrabble back awake several times before I succeeded.
Fishery is somewhat more decent yoday, god I hope that holds up. January is supposed to be prime fishing season 😤
+ Today is Festivids Go Live Day \o/ hopefully it opens up earlier in the day for me, I absolutely cannot allow myself shiny new vids late in the evening. I just get too worked up.
+ Discovered I'd left some small fandom icons behind atforsquares, including Borgen, so I have one more masterpost to put up before I move on to re-uploading the existing spankulert icon posts to Dreamwidth. Those random black images are really starting to piss me off.
+ Also toying with the idea of fiddling with my journal layout. Gotta admit I'm too old for the piddly font size at this point, le sigh. Could be better for mobile as well.
+ Decided that yes, I will make myself a mood theme when I get home, thank you very much. Probably IWTV, and just the top/base moods, as I'd like to incorporate s3 as well. Making gifs is absolutely not in my wheelhouse, but imma give it my all.
+ Ugh a mail about Susanne Sundfør concert happening when I'll be at sea. I am having a sulk about it. Raye is performing in Oslo a few days before I get home. My bad concert luck is not letting up boo.
Fishery is somewhat more decent yoday, god I hope that holds up. January is supposed to be prime fishing season 😤
+ Today is Festivids Go Live Day \o/ hopefully it opens up earlier in the day for me, I absolutely cannot allow myself shiny new vids late in the evening. I just get too worked up.
+ Discovered I'd left some small fandom icons behind at
forsquares, including Borgen, so I have one more masterpost to put up before I move on to re-uploading the existing spankulert icon posts to Dreamwidth. Those random black images are really starting to piss me off. + Also toying with the idea of fiddling with my journal layout. Gotta admit I'm too old for the piddly font size at this point, le sigh. Could be better for mobile as well.
+ Decided that yes, I will make myself a mood theme when I get home, thank you very much. Probably IWTV, and just the top/base moods, as I'd like to incorporate s3 as well. Making gifs is absolutely not in my wheelhouse, but imma give it my all.
+ Ugh a mail about Susanne Sundfør concert happening when I'll be at sea. I am having a sulk about it. Raye is performing in Oslo a few days before I get home. My bad concert luck is not letting up boo.
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Some links and such.
29/1/26 08:10goodbyebird+ Refrained from making this post until I had the icon that's been living in my head made and uploaded. (I have now opened my laptop two whole times this trip)
+ Fishery is still bad. People are here aalllll the tiiiime. I want to shove my face in a pillow and banshee shriek. I want to be in a small, slightly chilly and soundproof box. Absolute and utter isolation for one, please.
+ Adding to that, one of the crew has started sitting at my (usually empty) back table for meals, so now it's active conversation time on top of it all. And boy does she want to talk about how the solar flares are affecting her, and what are my thoughts on the aliens, she thinks they're friendly (watches yt about aliens every day). Girl, I know you know I'm into tarot, but we are Not The Same.
+ I'm not sleeping enough and it's not helping.
+ Did a silly and signed up for Fandom Trumps Hate. Do people still want icons at all time will tell 🤷🏻♀️ Offered IWTV, Pluribus, and WoT with the fandom ticky boxes, "You're welcome to request specific pairings, characters, or scenes from those three fandoms. I am also willing to do icons from the following comics: Absolute Wonder Woman, Thompson's Birds of Prey, Wilson's Poison Ivy, Galaxy The Prettiest Star, Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow, Far Sector, Abbott, Ahmed's Exiles." Should maybe have specified a number, but I figured I'd wait and see the bid amount to decide.
+ The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction.
On the surface, this feels like it should be a good thing: More fic readers means more people in fandom, right? Instead, I read post after post talking about how distant writers felt from these newer readers—how impersonal and lonely the act of fannish creation has become. Anecdotes where readers gush about a fic on Discord, but make zero attempts to connect with the author. Screenshots of fic titles or passages with no URLs—and captions like, “I wish I could tell the person who wrote this how incredible it is.”
+ To Fandom, With Love. (previously at Bitch Magazine, published 2020, now re-uploaded)
I also made friends through fanfic—actual, honest-to-goodness close friends. Comments on each others’ fics turned into email correspondences that began with exchanging headcanons about our favorite characters, and expanded into mutual care and support—often around issues we’d first broached anonymously in our respective works.
+ Neil Young trashes Amazon, gives his complete musical catalog to Greenland for free.
“Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president,” he wrote. “The president’s international policies and his support of ICE make it impossible for me to ignore his actions. If you feel as I do, I strongly recommend that you do not use Amazon. There are many ways to avoid Amazon and support individual Americans and American companies that supply the same products. I have done that with my music and people who are looking can find it in a lot of other places."
+ There is no such thing as other people’s children.
+ Talking Greatness to Death. On Ryan Coogler's sins and the kinds of performances that attract vampires.
+ Does anybody want me to do a lil tarot draw for them? I can do A World Without Shrimp (feeling as though something is missing from your life, this spread can help you identify what you're craving), or Five By Five (general idea of how things are going).
+ Dropkick Murphy's performing Citizen I.C.E. live in Paris. Enjoy!
+ Fishery is still bad. People are here aalllll the tiiiime. I want to shove my face in a pillow and banshee shriek. I want to be in a small, slightly chilly and soundproof box. Absolute and utter isolation for one, please.
+ Adding to that, one of the crew has started sitting at my (usually empty) back table for meals, so now it's active conversation time on top of it all. And boy does she want to talk about how the solar flares are affecting her, and what are my thoughts on the aliens, she thinks they're friendly (watches yt about aliens every day). Girl, I know you know I'm into tarot, but we are Not The Same.
+ I'm not sleeping enough and it's not helping.
+ Did a silly and signed up for Fandom Trumps Hate. Do people still want icons at all time will tell 🤷🏻♀️ Offered IWTV, Pluribus, and WoT with the fandom ticky boxes, "You're welcome to request specific pairings, characters, or scenes from those three fandoms. I am also willing to do icons from the following comics: Absolute Wonder Woman, Thompson's Birds of Prey, Wilson's Poison Ivy, Galaxy The Prettiest Star, Supergirl Woman of Tomorrow, Far Sector, Abbott, Ahmed's Exiles." Should maybe have specified a number, but I figured I'd wait and see the bid amount to decide.
+ The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction.
On the surface, this feels like it should be a good thing: More fic readers means more people in fandom, right? Instead, I read post after post talking about how distant writers felt from these newer readers—how impersonal and lonely the act of fannish creation has become. Anecdotes where readers gush about a fic on Discord, but make zero attempts to connect with the author. Screenshots of fic titles or passages with no URLs—and captions like, “I wish I could tell the person who wrote this how incredible it is.”
+ To Fandom, With Love. (previously at Bitch Magazine, published 2020, now re-uploaded)
I also made friends through fanfic—actual, honest-to-goodness close friends. Comments on each others’ fics turned into email correspondences that began with exchanging headcanons about our favorite characters, and expanded into mutual care and support—often around issues we’d first broached anonymously in our respective works.
+ Neil Young trashes Amazon, gives his complete musical catalog to Greenland for free.
“Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, a billionaire backer of the president,” he wrote. “The president’s international policies and his support of ICE make it impossible for me to ignore his actions. If you feel as I do, I strongly recommend that you do not use Amazon. There are many ways to avoid Amazon and support individual Americans and American companies that supply the same products. I have done that with my music and people who are looking can find it in a lot of other places."
+ There is no such thing as other people’s children.
+ Talking Greatness to Death. On Ryan Coogler's sins and the kinds of performances that attract vampires.
+ Does anybody want me to do a lil tarot draw for them? I can do A World Without Shrimp (feeling as though something is missing from your life, this spread can help you identify what you're craving), or Five By Five (general idea of how things are going).
+ Dropkick Murphy's performing Citizen I.C.E. live in Paris. Enjoy!
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Media Roundup: Bits and bobs
27/1/26 08:47forestofgloryWell I haven’t gotten very far with my pile of graphic novels from the library, and in fact I’ve put holds on even more of them so the pile is only getting bigger. But did finish enough things that it feels worth posting another media roundup.
Goat Magic by Kate Wheeler—Another graphic novel, this one with very cute goats. The art for this one was so cute and charming. I did feel a little bit frustrated with the politics, where there was some confusion about bad people vs bad systems. Also the romance kinda came out of nowhere (It didn’t help that I thought one of the main characters was like 12) Still a pretty fun book overall.
The Two Towers—Watched this with the kid and R, who as mentioned have recently finished reading the books. It’s fun to discuss the changes between the book and the movie with the kiddo! Also I forgot how good the armor details are in this! However a three hour movie with some chatting is a lot for me – at the end I was hitting sensory overload and needed to go sit somewhere quiet by myself for a while.
The Legend of the Demon Cat (2017)—I watched this movie with my group watch. It’s about a cat demon but also features Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi and various other historical figures. It was really good, though I’m having a hard time explaining why. It has a really big emotional range – some bits are creepy (and there is a bit of gore), some bits are sad, but some bits are really fun. And Bai Juyi’s character in this is great!
Unboxing Libby by Steph Cherrywell—My kid’s school is doing an optional book club, and this was the most recent book. I’ve been reading the books along with the kid and this is the third book this year. It’s about robots made to be kids toys who end up being used to simulate a human community on Mars. I really liked it! the friendship stuff was complicated and good!
Remember how I was all like “I guess I don’t read much original fiction anymore but I’m at peace with it” in my post about my 2025 media? Yet somehow I have read 10 books this month? They are mostly graphic novels which are quicker and easier for me, but still books are books. I don’t really expect to keep this up but it's nice for now.
Goat Magic by Kate Wheeler—Another graphic novel, this one with very cute goats. The art for this one was so cute and charming. I did feel a little bit frustrated with the politics, where there was some confusion about bad people vs bad systems. Also the romance kinda came out of nowhere (It didn’t help that I thought one of the main characters was like 12) Still a pretty fun book overall.
The Two Towers—Watched this with the kid and R, who as mentioned have recently finished reading the books. It’s fun to discuss the changes between the book and the movie with the kiddo! Also I forgot how good the armor details are in this! However a three hour movie with some chatting is a lot for me – at the end I was hitting sensory overload and needed to go sit somewhere quiet by myself for a while.
The Legend of the Demon Cat (2017)—I watched this movie with my group watch. It’s about a cat demon but also features Tang dynasty poet Bai Juyi and various other historical figures. It was really good, though I’m having a hard time explaining why. It has a really big emotional range – some bits are creepy (and there is a bit of gore), some bits are sad, but some bits are really fun. And Bai Juyi’s character in this is great!
Unboxing Libby by Steph Cherrywell—My kid’s school is doing an optional book club, and this was the most recent book. I’ve been reading the books along with the kid and this is the third book this year. It’s about robots made to be kids toys who end up being used to simulate a human community on Mars. I really liked it! the friendship stuff was complicated and good!
Remember how I was all like “I guess I don’t read much original fiction anymore but I’m at peace with it” in my post about my 2025 media? Yet somehow I have read 10 books this month? They are mostly graphic novels which are quicker and easier for me, but still books are books. I don’t really expect to keep this up but it's nice for now.
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