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[personal profile] shadowkat
Somewhat sleep deprived - got about four hours, and was up half the night, partly due to high blood sugar, and partly due to the inability to shut my mind and body off? But, considering the previous four days - I had seven and forty-five minutes worth of sleep per day, not too bad. I've discovered that I feel better - mind body - when I sleep.

Question a Day Meme for July:

6. Ivy climbing over a wall can act as an impressive natural air conditioner, absorbing heat from the sun and cooling internal temperatures by as much as 7.5C/45.5F. Do you like ivy plants?

Yes? But I don't have a green thumb, and tend to kill plants. So I refrain. There's plenty outside though.

7. Today, on the seventh day of the seventh month, the Japanese celebrate the Star Festival (or Tanabata). For one day only, wishes, hopes, poetry and dreams are written onto colourful streamers and tied to trees. What would you write on a streamer today?

Let there be rainbows?

8. Artemesia Gentileschi was born today in 1593 – an incredibly famous artist in her time, she is only now becoming better known. Have you ever seen any of her works?

I think so? I had to look her up, but her paintings are familiar. Particularly the one featured in the New Yorker. (I've been to a lot of art galleries and museums in my lifetime, but I can't always remember the names of the artists. I live in NY, and in the 1980s, I spent a summer in London, during which time - I hand wrote a lot of papers in art museums (they were cool and quiet and not that far from where we were staying) - my favorites were the National Gallery and the Victorian & Albert. This was before computers and lap-tops, all we had was an electronic typewriter, white out, and pens.

The Guardian article on her - shows some of her paintings

****

Today was in the mid 80s(20sC), but felt like the 90s (30sC) with the humidity, which was around 80-90%. It was akin to walking through a sauna.
Occasionally it would rain. The air hung heavy, and I found it hard to breath? So I didn't take any long walks today.

Debating taking Friday off - but honestly, it's supposed to be a nice day, and I'm more likely to take a long walk at work than at home?

I need to schedule a dental appointment, a mammogram, and alas a hair cut.
(I'm procrastinating for various reasons not worth going into.) It requires scheduling around work - although work does provide four hours for cancer screening.(Just need to provide proof of it).

The towels and pillow I ordered from Brooklynlinen arrived. I got two waffle bath towels, and two waffle hand towels in blue. They are very soft, and light weight. Different from what I'm used to. And a Marlow Pillow - which is adjustable, and suppose to be cooling and provide more support for better sleep. I'm hoping it helps with the insomina - and neck issues.

Hopefully the pre-assembled book shelf that I bought on sale at Wayfair, and is allegedly being delivered on Tuesday will arrive without incident, and without me - having to be home to receive it. (They called today - thinking I was a business, uhm no, I ordered it for my home. Not for business purposes at all. (I wonder if this is a New York thing? People keep thinking I'm a business, I am not a business.) I don't buy furniture for my workplace, construction/design/and engineering services change orders - yes, furniture, no.)

For dinner - I picked up some sushi. I'm doing it with a light salad, I think. I don't feel much like cooking.

***

Working my way through Remarkable Bright Creatures and wondering what all the hoopla is about it? It came recommended by folks on a book site on FB as a comforting read (it's not), and it's highly rec'd on Smart Bitches. Also been highly rated elsewhere. I've found it to be plodding, and I'm struggling to get through it. Been doing a lot of skimming. And the characters - are beginning to annoy me, the writer does all sorts of things to keep the characters from connecting and finding out stuff. It's beginning to feel rather contrived, and frustrating. I can feel the writer struggling to bring them together - and not quite knowing how.

Also it meanders and rambles a lot. There's a lot of repetition and navel gazing, and internal whining. I don't find it comforting at all. Yet, alas, I can't give up on it? I want to see how the writer resolves it? Also I keep trying to figure out why folks recommended it as a comfort read/happy book?

I'm in a bad reading slump folks. I need a book with good witty/quippy dialogue, and suspense, a page turner. And I'm not finding it? (Well except for the Graphic Audio Dramatizations of Illona Andrews Kate Daniels books (9 and 10), which I'd forgotten the plots of - for the most part.)
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[personal profile] shadowkat
A little Good News from the American Resistance and it's Global Allies.

It's been a stressful "news" week for some of us, so I think we deserve it? Honestly, our media is annoyingly negative at times, isn't it?

Disclaimer: As always, mileage may vary on the good news listed below, and good news along with everything else is often in the eye of the beholder.

To the tune of ... All I Really Need is a Little Good News

1. The Miccosukee Tribe partners with the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation to protect environmentally significant lands.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/15/miccosukee-tribe-florida-wildlife-corridor-foundation

2.A coalition of civil rights groups plan “Good Trouble Lives On” demonstrations on July 17 honoring John Lewis’s legacy and opposing authoritarian rule.

https://www.citizen.org/news/good-trouble-lives-on-national-day-of-action-builds-on-momentum-against-authoritarianism-fight-for-civil-rights/

3.Citing “irreparable deprivation of…First Amendment rights”, a federal appeals court upholds a previous ruling that Louisiana public schools will no longer display the 10 Commandments in classrooms.

https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/federal-appeals-court-rules-against-louisiana-law-requiring-public-schools-to-display-ten-commandments-in-every-classroom

4 - 8 are basically courts striking down Federal actions that are considered unlawful )

9.The U.S. Navy will no longer perform research testing on cats or dogs
[I didn't know they were doing it? At least they stopped.]

https://www.military.com/daily-news

10.In honor of pride month, elected officials host a “Love Is Love” concert at Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., to oppose the administration’s agenda to change the venue’s programming. [That's kind of ballsy, considering how Trump took over the Kennedy Center.]

https://www.npr.org/2025/06/23/nx-s1-5442561/kennedy-center-pride

11. DE, MD, and NJ join a multi-state lawsuit against the presidential administration over its plan to redistribute firearm devices previously seized by the government due to their dangerous nature.

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/maryland-new-jersey-delaware-federal-firearm-case-gun/?intcid=CNR-01-0623

12. ID: A federal court extends a temporary restraining order preventing local law enforcement from arresting or detaining anyone based on their immigration status.

https://www.acluidaho.org/en/press-releases/judge-extends-block-on-anti-immigrant-law-in-idaho-preventing-enforcement-statewide

13.Japanese researchers, led by Prof. Hiromi Sakai, at Nara Medical University have developed a universal artificial blood—a hemoglobin-based oxygen‑carrier encapsulated in a protective shell, derived from expired donor blood.

Read more... )

14. VA’s election for lieutenant governor demonstrates how ranked-choice voting can strengthen voters’ voices in our electoral system.

https://fairvote.org/virginia-elections-show-value-of-ranked-choice-voting/

15. ME extends ranked-choice voting to gubernatorial and state legislative elections.

https://www.pressherald.com/2025/06/18/ranked-choice-voting-expansion-in-maine-sent-to-gov-mills/

16. Maryland's 2026 budget includes bills that will increase green energy, lower prescription drug costs, and prevent federal immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations.

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-new-laws-2026-budget-taxes/

17.Communities across the U.S.—from Port Arthur and Austin, TX to Lake County, IL and Boston, MA—celebrated Juneteenth, commemorating the end of U.S. slavery.

[We even had signs celebrating it in my apartment building, and workplace takes it off as a State Holiday.]

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/port-arthur-s-juneteenth-sunrise-service-20383530.php

https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/lake-county-sheriff-celebrates-juneteenth-baldwin-20391414.php

https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/6/20/24451593/jaylen-brown-boston-celtics-community-741-performance-dorchester-boys-and-girls-club

18.Conservative advocates for AI guardrails won, revealing the influence of a segment of the GOP that has come to distrust Big Tech. They want states to remain free to protect citizens against potential big tech harms, whether from AI, social media or emerging technologies. [Keep in mind that conservatives traditionally are State rights advocates and do not want big government. AI would annoy most conservatives - more so than liberals, actually.]

https://www.mississippifreepress.org/how-a-gop-rift-over-tech-regulation-doomed-a-ban-on-state-ai-laws-in-trumps-tax-bill/

19.Chris Kluwe is running for the state legislature in California.

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2025-06-18/huntington-beach-activist-chris-kluwe-planning-state-assembly-district-72-run

[More and more social justice activists are running for elected positions.]

20. Flutes for Fido: Volunteers play music to soothe shelter animals. A 12-year-old keyboard player founded a nonprofit that recruits other musicians to give live performances in animal shelters.

https://apnews.com/article/animal-shelters-music-therapy-dogs-cats-badd87be4e39500e77c9230ad28ab9d4
the rest of the thirty behind the cut )

Hopefully you all found something in that list that cheered you? If not? Here's a flower:


shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
Yes, it's time again for the weekly good news report bringing hope and sanity to all or at least attempting to do so? Seriously, the media (in all its forms (Social media in particular) makes it difficult at times). I've inserted a filter for my own mental and emotional health (it's manual, since the automatic ones elude me).

As always, good news is often in the eye of the beholder, and mileage may vary on this.

1.The Senate Parliamentarian had blocked some even worse provisions
Read more... )

2. The sell of Public Lands and the ban on state regulation of AI were both removed from the Bill by the Senate - there was a lot of push back, and the Senate removed them by majority vote.
Read more... )

3. California Gov. Gavin Newsom filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Fox News, accusing host Jesse Watters of defamation by falsely claiming that Newsom lied about a phone call with President Donald Trump during the dispute over the use of the National Guard in Los Angeles. A demand letter from Newsom's lawyers says if Fox News doesn't "issue a formal retraction and on-air apology," the lawsuit will proceed. Read more... )

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gavin-newsom-targets-fox-news-787-million-lawsuit-rcna215522

4.A carbon-negative concrete made from seawater and bacteria just outperformed cement in strength tests

Read more... )

https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxU78tkZBbdOCYup4qav0DavcF1FfwbrVZ?app=desktop

5.The largest 100% supportive housing development in LA opened! 600 San Pedro is a 17-story mixed-use building with 302 units, all designed for people in interim housing transitioning to permanent housing. Read more... )

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/biggest-homeless-housing-facility-in-los-angeles-opens/

6.A new Colorado law includes requirements that dozens of cities provide multilingual ballots during local elections, bridging a major gap in access for voting in those races.

https://boltsmag.org/colorado-language-protections-in-voting-rights-act/

7.The British government plans to extend a ban on bottom trawling to around 30,000 square kilometers across 41 marine protected areas.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/uk-seeks-extend-ban-bottom-trawling-fishing-english-seas-2025-06-08/

8.Kendrick Lamar quietly funds college tuition for 25 Black students from Compton—identities revealed after four years. During a UCLA graduation ceremony, a student emotionally shares: “I wouldn’t be here without a scholarship from an anonymous donor… now I know it was Kendrick Lamar.” Media later uncovers he secretly funded full tuition for 25 students from Compton, where he grew up. The beauty in this is he did it w/o broadcasting across social media. Someone else shared the blessings he gave.

9.In a historic first, a Southern Ute Tribe member was elected to chair the Colorado water policy board.

https://coloradosun.com/2025/05/28/southern-ute-tribal-leader-colorado-water-board-historic-first/

10.Kseniia Petrova, the Russian scientist who spent four months in detention after failing to declare scientific samples she was carrying into the country, was freed on bail from federal custody by a magistrate judge in Boston.

https://archive.ph/FeSOQ

12. The FDA just approved a long-lasting injection to prevent HIV.

https://www.wired.com/story/fda-finally-approves-lenacapavir-preventive-hiv-treatment-gilead/?utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIR_Daily_062125_PAID&bxid=5bd670ae2ddf9c619438d7ca&cndid=25074173&hasha=a22cdf50ee78026aeb03bece73c2433c&hashc=7a2950363f4b90b1881ae76c68d24551846eea9063b67a6a14e9fa39bc419e40&esrc=OIDC_SELECT_ACCOUNT_PAGE

the rest of the 30 items )

There's more, but I got tired and want to do other things.

So how about a picture of flowers from yesterday's walk?

July Question A Day Meme.

Jul. 5th, 2025 10:29 am
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
1. The Delphinium or larkspur is a tall plant with pink, blue, purple or white flowers. Shakespeare called it ‘lark’s-heel’. Butterflies love it, but it’s very toxic if eaten by humans/animals. Do you have any poisonous plants you recognise in your garden or nearby?

Not that I'm aware of? I also don't forage, because I don't recognize plants well enough to do so? While there are gardens around me, and plants and trees? I don't plant or take care of them. The gardening gene skipped me and landed on my brother.

2. Do you still use your local library?

No. Haven't done so in years. (One of the side-effects of working for an evil library reference company - it kind of jaded me.)

I do have library card. But I have a library in the basement of the apartment complex, free books in the foyer, many books I've not read in the apartment and on the Kindle, plus little libraries everywhere (free book depositories in stores and outside apartment complexes and houses), plus two book stores in walking distance, and magazine subscriptions.

3. Have you ever worn a hairpiece, wig or clip-on hair extensions? Do you know anyone who does?

No. But, yes, I know many people who do. When I was kid the lady down the block did. And my mother owned a wig once - she didn't like, so she got rid of it. And I've known a lot of co-workers who do. I couldn't - it would drive me crazy.

4. Have you ever played Pickleball?

Nope. Know people who have. No interest in it. I don't like sports with balls. I can't figure out where the ball is, and usually feel like it is coming right at me.

5. Do you have a favourite gemstone?

Not really? Maybe an Emerald or a Sapphire?


***

July 4th

Yesterday was low-key. I watched television, read, talked to my mother on the phone, texted Wales, took a few walks around the neighborhood. Watched the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks on television - mainly because they are ten miles away from me - if that, or about a twenty minute subway ride. (I just don't do crowds, and didn't feel the need to see them in person.) But I could see the Macy's Fireworks Stand set up from the pier on Thursday walk at lunchtime - at work. And was curious to see what they did this year.

Also, I could hear them. I'm in close enough proximity that I can hear the fireworks.

It is illegal to buy, sell, and/or personally to set off fireworks in New York City for well obvious reasons. People do it anyway. But either they are successfully cracking down on it, or people grew tired of annoying their neighbors and all the pets in the area? Because they weren't that bad last night, or prior nights. They only went until maybe a 11 pm in the area. (It could have been professional fireworks outside of Macy's - there's Statue of Liberty and Governor's Island - and those are about ten miles west of me, if that - I'd hear them. And Macy's was over at 10 pm on the dot. Honestly, New Year's was far worse.

Macy's was kind of "cleverly" passive aggressive politically speaking? All the performers were Black people, and it was mainly R&B or Pop. The American Song-Book was all sung by POC. And the voice over was - while we're still struggling, we have to focus on what we've been through and where we've been, and how far we've come - we have a lot to celebrate and we can still dream for a better future for us all.

In direct contrast to The Capital Forth - which mother tried to watch and bailed early on - she said is was heavily "country" and not good country. Mother despises Country Music. I told her that country music tends to be heavily conservative and far right (basically it tends to be redneck music and if it isn't careful, it will be considered fascist, and not survive). I think a lot of country musicians (who aren't far right or fascist) are fighting that image, and/or threw up their hands, gave up, and just crossed over to pop or folk - Taylor Swift did, Jelly Roll is, as are others, like Dolly Parton.

(no subject)

Jul. 2nd, 2025 08:52 pm
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
1. Texted my brother today, we're at least in agreement on most television shows. We both loved The Bear to little bitty pieces, and agree with The Atlantic Review which states as it's heading, Thank God for The Bear, this is the television show we all needed. "I can forgive The Bear almost anything, because it’s one of the few shows on television now still willing to wrangle with the mess of being human—with what it means to try to live differently."

The Bear was renewed for a fifth season. Yay.

I'm admittedly in the minority? (not on the Bear, it's very popular). As apparently is my brother. Perhaps we're related after all? Neither of us could get into or liked Severance (which is insanely popular with thirty and twenty-somethings), we're on the fence with Murderbot, and so-so on Foundation, it's pretty overwrought, although very pretty overall.

He asked about the Buffy Reboot, and I regaled him with my knowledge on it - then realized, damn, I'm like a frigging info-dump on some things, aren't I? Hope it's not too annoying?

2. Crazy Org is being amusingly and charmingly passive aggressive towards our current political situation, and in some ways aggressive when it needs to be. (It took the DOJ to court and won.) As I told my brother, say what you will about Crazy Org - it's a tough old agency, and much like the city it resides in - it can stand up in a fight, and mostly win.

This was how it ended an email regarding the upcoming fourth of July holiday:

"A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), The Declaration of Independence
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[personal profile] shadowkat
1. I feel I need to explain in detail how a Bill becomes a Law in the United States. Since a lot of people think now that the Senate passed the Big Beautiful (more like Butt-Ugly) Bill - it will now go to the House and voila, signed into Law. Uh, no, this is not how it works, folks.

But wait, another lawyer did it for me! To the tune of I'm only a Bill, just a little old bill...via School House Rock, which oversimplified it.

How A Bill Becomes a Law by Anne P. Mitchell

First and foremost: In order for a bill to be sent to the president to be signed into law the House and the Senate MUST pass *identical* versions of the bill!  This is what we are seeing happen right now with the budget bill, the House originally passed their version and sent it to the Senate. The Senate made massive changes to it, then voted on that changed version just now, so now it goes back to the House. If the House makes ANY changes, then it goes back to the Senate for them to either vote on or make additional changes.

Here is How a Bill Becomes a Law )

The process gives me hope. It did have a lot gutted from it. Also the Senate added 800 billion to the national debt. Meanwhile various States are in the process of passing laws to withhold federal taxes, since the federal government is not representing them in a fair and reasonable manner.

2. What is in the Big Butt-Ugly Bill aka the Big Beautiful Bill that the Senate Passed? (Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder apparently?)

Here's What got in and What got cut from the Big Butt-Ugly Bill

It went from 1000 pages to 940 pages.

In the bill: what stayed in the Bill )

On the Medicaid Cuts, what got in and got cut out of the bill:
Read more... )

What is left out of the bill or was cut:

Public land sales
what they were trying to do and why it was cut )

Excise tax on wind and solar, State AI provisions (The Senate stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence (AI). )

For a more precise and total breakdown? Go HERE - The link is NY Times article via remove pay wall.

This tells you exactly what the Senate removed from the bill, changed, altered and left in and why.

Note they removed everything that wasn't budgetary related and broke the rules.

Example?

Measure to limit court contempt powers

The parliamentarian rejected a measure in the bill that would have made it harder for courts to enforce lawsuits against the Trump administration. The measure targeted preliminary injunctions and temporary restraining orders issued by federal judges against Trump’s executive orders and other directives. MacDonough argued that limiting courts’ ability to hold Trump in contempt violates Senate rules.

Go HERE for complete list of no-gos that can't be in the Bill at all

Note, it's still a controversial bill.

3. Want a way to help either in the US or out of the US?

We The People Defend provides information on how.

It's a non-profit site that provides emails with contact information, and instructions on how to go about contacting Senators, White House, Congress, Etc.

You don't have to do everything or anything at all. There's no pressure. But it helps explain how the law works and how to help change what is going on in a pro-active way.

So far, folks have managed to change a lot of things by doing this, so it is working.

If however, you are too pissed off like myself to rationally call and explain in a calm manner, you might want to hang back for a bit or do something else?

4. [ETA: Folks? Be mindful of my blood pressure and please knock off the defeatist talk or keep it out of my journal. I get we're all worried, scared and angry. But it does nobody any good, including you. And I honestly have enough troubles sleeping as it is. I'm on medication for anxiety. So be mindful and keep it to yourselves?]

Actually, Jay Kuo states all of this better than I can - so I'm reposting his words below:

"Folks, some real talk.
Read more... )

What he said.

Battleship Overflow Letter

Jun. 30th, 2025 03:06 pm
sheliak: A ship with decorated sails and elaborate prow, on a turbulent river. (ship: bilibin)
[personal profile] sheliak
I wasn't going to have one of these, but AO3 didn't have room to list my AFIRB and AFYCFB fandoms and my DNWs in the same box, and I didn't want to play favorites so here's a letter. This is going to be messy and will not have my usual formatting past the likes and DNWs sections.


DNWs
    General DNWs:
  • Time loops (including both stable time loops and Groundhog Day style time loops)
  • Rape/noncon
  • Hopeless endings
  • Unrequested setting-change AUs (as opposed to canon divergence, which is pretty much always welcome)
  • Porn without plot
  • Mundane AUs
  • Omegaverse
  • Hanahaki
  • Soulmates
  • Characters begging to come/for sex acts
  • In art: genitalia

  • DNWs specific to 7 Seeds
  • Ango playing a major role (mention is fine).

  • DNWs specific to Akatsuki no Yona:
  • Yona/Hak, except as part of Yona/Hak/Soo-Won or Yona/Hak/Jae-ha.

  • DNWs specific to Chronicles of the Kencyrath:
  • Jame/Tori as a central part of a story, except as requested.
  • Harm to bonded creatures (e.g. Addy, Jorin, Drie's fish; also applies to original character creatures).

  • DNWs specific to the Dark Crystal universe:
  • Original Skeksis, urRu/Mystic, or UrSkek characters. (Original characters of any other species are fine, as are "nothing to work off of but the name, but the existence of an UrSkek/Mystic/Skeksis by this name is canon" characters.)

  • DNWs specific to Six Ages:
  • Any variant of the "Are Elmal and Yelmalio the same god or not?" mess.

  • DNWs specific to Star Trek: Rihannsu:
  • The Rihannsu becoming or evolving into the Romulans of TNG.

  • DNWs specific to Star Wars:
  • Jedi Order or Council bashing - I have a lot of affection for them, both as people as and a a culture/institution.
  • Tattooine Slave Culture (the specific fanon).
  • The Mando'a conlang, or Mandalore stuff in general.

  • DNWs specific to Werewolf: The Apocalypse—The Book of Hungry Names:
  • For art: the protagonist of the game in human form.
    DNWs specific to X-Men:
  • The Phoenix Force being portrayed as an intrinsically evil being.
  • Trevor Fitzroy.
  • Selene, the Shadow King, or Mojo playing a large role (exception: if I'm requesting Spiral, Mojo is okay then).
  • Any romantic pairings involving Empath.
  • Ororo/T'Challa--please don't even mention the marriage, even to say they're divorced.
  • Mutant!Moira.

    Battleship Tag DNWs
  • ABDL
  • Abusing Heat Suppressants
  • Accidental Knotting
  • Age Regression/De-Aging
  • Assgasm or Nogasm
  • Awkward Boners
  • Belly Kink
  • Biological BDSM AU
  • Boot Kink
  • Breast Expansion
  • Breeding Kink
  • Cheating/Infidelity
  • Cigarettes
  • Cock Warming
  • Come Inflation
  • Coming In Pants
  • Coregasm
  • Dry Humping
  • Eating disorders
  • Edging
  • Glory Hole
  • Hanahaki
  • Heat/rut
  • Hole Training
  • Inflation
  • Knotting
  • Makeover
  • Objectification
  • Omega/Omega
  • Omegaverse
  • Omorashi
  • Oral Knotting
  • Piss Enema
  • Plugged in Public
  • Red String of Fate
  • Rimming
  • Ruined Orgasm
  • Serial Killers
  • Sexting
  • Spanking
  • Somnophilia
  • Soulmate-Identifying Marks
  • Submission Pissing
  • Time Loop

Likes
    General Likes:
  • Time travel, including: time travel fixit; time travel with the glorious angst of knowing you're overwriting your future to give the past a chance; time travel that results in forming new kinds of relationships with people, like becoming friends with someone who was an enemy in the old timeline.
  • Seers (in the absence of predestination) who know what may happen and use that knowledge cleverly.
  • Strict honor codes.
  • Worldbuilding.
  • Alien POV.
  • A sense of wonder.
  • Loyalty.
  • Characters temporarily putting aside their weapons or sources of power as a show of trust.
  • Best enemies, who might kill each other someday but fundamentally respect and trust each other, perhaps more than they do their nominal allies. Rivals and enemies becoming friends, or allies, or lovers, or swearing loyalty to one another.
  • Kneeling. Physical gestures of loyalty or affection.
  • Unexpected mercy. Mercy in general, too.
  • Heroism in desperate straits, characters choosing to be heroic even in a dystopia or doomed world.
  • Magical abilities/superpowers in daily life.

  • Time Travel Likes
  • Time travel fixit.
  • Time travel with the glorious angst of knowing you're overwriting your future to give the past a chance.
  • Time travel that results in forming new kinds of relationships with people, like becoming friends with someone who was an enemy in the old timeline.
  • Crack pairings that suddenly make perfect sense due to time travel!
  • Characters gaining a new perspective--on other people, history, themselves, etc.
  • Characters who were neglected in canon getting to shine, including but not limited to those characters using their knowledge of the future to achieve great things.
  • In action series, characters using their future knowledge to become totally badass (especially when it's a female character doing this).

  • Worldbuilding Likes:
  • Culture! I really love a piece that gets into the POV of the culture it's depicting.
  • Family structure. How do people see their relationships? Which ones do they prioritize?
  • Craft details!
  • Clothing, cloth, fibers, weaving, spinning... Also jewelry. Who wears it? What does it indicate (e.g., gender, status, ...?)
  • Architecture, how homes and public buildings reflect a culture.
  • Food! What do people eat? How do they store food for the times when they can't farm/hunt/forage for more? Do they trade for food?

  • Hurt/Comfort Likes:
  • Leaders slowly earning the trust of traumatized people who have every reason to fear the worst from the world in general and possibly them in particular.
  • A character is disparaged by their own allies, but an unlikely person (such as an honorable enemy or captor) recognizes their excellence and tells them so.
  • I already mentioned unexpected mercy, but it goes here too: I love a buildup of fear and then relief, mercy from someone who (as far as the character knows) has absolutely no reason to be merciful.
  • Characters who have no mercy for themselves, but can have it for others, or whose friends and lovers disagree with their self-judgement.
  • Characters pushing themselves to their limits and beyond, and others being there to catch them when they do.
  • Characters going to great lengths to help one another.
  • The less-hurt person also being in some distress, and struggling with it, and perhaps taking comfort in their own ability to help others.
  • Characters who are convinced that they don't matter and no one cares learning that actually someone does care and does think they matter.
  • Rescues! Rescues where the rescuee is convinced no one's coming, implacable rescuers overcoming terrible obstacles to save their friends/lovers.

  • Art Likes:
  • Pen and ink. Watercolor. Charcoal.
  • Use of light and shadow.
  • Limited color palettes can be very lovely!
  • Flowing lines.
  • Stained glass, decorated pottery, tapestry, art that evokes any of these.
  • Pixel art.
  • Body language.
  • "Royal ease" position, when appropriate (for gods and rulers).
  • Favorite artists: John R. Neill, Ivan Bilibin, Leo & Diane Dillon, Alphonse Mucha, Thomas Canty, James Gurney, Jan Pospíšil, Michelle Lockamy. On the comics side of things, Dave Cockrum for character designs & clothing, John Byrne for body language, Alan Davis, David Aja (his Scarlet Witch covers especially).


Any Fandom I've Requested Before [Fic]
1: Any Character I've Requested Before (AFIRB)
Any & Relationship I’ve Requested Before (AFIRB)
Any / Relationship I’ve Requested Before (AFIRB)

Medium: Fic

Tags:
Teaching/Mentorship
Time Travel Fix-It
Unexpected Mercy
Grief/Mourning
Hurt/Comfort
Interactions with Gods
Katabasis
Loyalty
Memories
Mirrors
Exhaustion
Blood
celestial
Experimental
Apocalypse
Mental Link
Shapeshifting
Dimension Travel
Peggy Sue Time Travel
Fealty/Devotion

For this fandom, you can see my other exchange letters, the fandom's tag on this journal, or my Everything page on the app for old prompts.

List of Fandoms (... I'm probably leaving something out):
7 Seeds
A Matter of Profit - Hilari Bell
Age of Apocalypse
Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Bleach
Books of the Raksura
Casey Jones the Union Scab - Joe Hill (Song)
Cat-Eye Willie Claims His Lover
Chronicles of the Kencyrath
Crossover Fandom (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy x Star Wars Legends, Star Trek: DS9 x X-Men Comics, Chronicles of the Kencyrath x War Gods, X-Men Comics x Age of Apocalypse, Dark Crystal comics x Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), Transformers Generation One x Transformers Shattered Glass
마왕의 고백 | The Dark Lord's Confession (Webcomic)
Dreaming of Sunshine
Glorantha (sometimes as RuneQuest)
Heartstrikers Series - Rachel Aaron
Heer Halewijn (Traditional Ballad)
Homestuck (only the Eldritchfuck Roseworld AU from FFA)
John Barleycorn
King of Dragon Pass
Liavek
Long John Moore (Traditional Song)
Marvel Comics/Marvel 616 (X-Men, always)
Mesopotamian Mythology
Monstress
묘령의 황자 | Mystic Prince (Webcomic)
Naruto
New Mutants (Comics)
Original Work (mostly femdommy het, some gen with mostly similar power dynamics)
Otoyomegatari | The Bride's Stories
Planet of the Dragons - Richard Brightfield
Revolutionary Princess Eve (Webcomic)
SCP Foundation
Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind
SCP Foundation
Star Trek: Crossroad - Barbara Hambly
Star Trek: Rihannsu
Star Trek: The Entropy Effect - Vonda McIntyre
Star Trek: Various Authors
Star Wars Legends: Republic (Comics)
Star Wars: All Media Types
The Dark Crystal tie-in comics
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
The Sun Sword - Michelle West
Transformers (Skybound 2023)
Vespertine Series - Margaret Rogerson
The Vicars of Lower Squashby - Jared Pechacek
Vampire: The Masquerade
Warhammer (also as FFA Warhammer AUs )
X-Men (Comicsverse) (sometimes as Marvel 616/Marvel Comics)
Yona of the Dawn

Any Fandom I've Created For Before [Fic]
Ships:
1: Worldbuilding (AFICFB)
1: Any Character I’ve Created For Before (AFICFB)
Any / Relationship I’ve Created For Before (AFICFB)
Any & Relationship I’ve Created For Before (AFICFB)

Medium: Fic

Tags:
Hurt/Comfort
Antiques and Relics
Arranged Marriage
Bets & Wagers
Blood
body of water
Bodysharing
celestial
Dimension Travel
Dragons
Enemies to Lovers
Exhaustion
Experimental
Fealty/Devotion
Forehead Touching
Found Family
Grief/Mourning
hair petting
Hand/Wrist Kisses
Historical Fashion
Huddling For Warmth
Hurt/Comfort
Interactions with Gods
Katabasis
Loyalty
Medical Exam
Memories
Mental Link
Mirrors
Peggy Sue Time Travel
Politics
Polyamory
POV Outsider
rococo
Role Reversal
Scar Kissing
Second marriage
Shapeshifting
Sharing Clothes
Teaching/Mentorship
Time Travel Fix-It
Unexpected Mercy
Wings

List of Fandoms (complete going by AO3 posting; see [archiveofourown.org profile] sheliak for characters/ships):
A Matter of Profit - Hilari Bell
Aladdin (Cartoon 1994)
Amalgam Comics
Astronomy (Anthropomorphic)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005)
Battleship Exchange
Bleach (Anime & Manga)
Books of the Raksura - Martha Wells
Chronicles of the Kencyrath - P. C. Hodgell
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Elemental Logic - Laurie J. Marks
Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Girl Genius (Webcomic)
Homestuck
Mrs. Pollifax - Dorothy Gilman
Naruto (Anime & Manga)
New Mutants (Marvel Comics)
Original Work
Otoyomegatari | The Bride's Stories
Oz - L. Frank Baum
RuneQuest (Roleplaying Game)
SCP Foundation
Seven Kingdoms: The Princess Problem (Visual Novel)
Six Ages (Video Games)
Star Trek - Various Authors
Star Wars - All Media Types
Star Wars Legends: Republic (Comics)
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci - Diana Wynne Jones
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
The Heartstrikers Series - Rachel Aaron
Warhammer 40.000
Watersong - Mary Caraker
X-Men (Comicverse)
Yuri's Palace (Webcomic)
天使のたまご | Tenshi no Tamago | Angel's Egg (Anime)

Crossover Fandom (Transformers x Transformers Shattered Glass) [Fic]
Any Shattered Glass Decepticon(s) (Transformers Shattered Glass) & Optimus Prime (Transformers G1)
Any Shattered Glass Decepticons (Transformers Shattered Glass) & Ratchet (Transformers G1)
Combaticons (Transformers G1) & Megatron (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Combaticons (Transformers Shattered Glass) & First Aid (Transformers G1)
Combaticons (Transformers Shattered Glass) & Protectobots (Transformers G1)
Elita One (Transformers G1) & Shockwave (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Jazz (Transformers G1) & Soundwave (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Jazz (Transformers G1)/Soundwave (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Optimus Prime (Transformers G1) & Starscream (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Optimus Prime (Transformers IDW) & Shockwave (Transformers IDW Shattered Glass)
Optimus Prime (Transformers IDW)/Shockwave (Transformers IDW Shattered Glass)
Ratchet (Transformers G1) & Soundwave (Transformers Shattered Glass)
Hook (Transformers Shattered Glass) & Ratchet (Transformers G1)

Medium: Fic

Tags:
a brief respite
abduction/kidnapping
Alternate Universe
Angst
at gunpoint
Bathing/Washing
beaten up
Carrying
Catching Collapsing Character
Collars
Crying
Dimension Travel
Exhaustion
Facial Scars
Forced Marriage
Forced Bonding
Gentle touches
Getting to Know Each Other
Helping Character Walk
Hiding Illness/Injury
Hospitalization
Huddling For Warmth
Hurt/Comfort
Identity Reveal
Kindness
Loyalty
Manhandling
Marriage Hunt/Chase
Memories
memory sharing
Mind Control
Non-Consensual Body Modification
Non-Human Genitalia
non consensual drug use
On the Run
Poison
Portals
POV Outsider
Power Dynamics
Pre-Relationship
Promises
Protectiveness
Reluctantly Accepting Comfort
Rescue
respect
Responsibility
Restraints
Reunions
Robots
Role Reversal
Running Away
Scar Kissing
Scars
Secret Identity
Sentient Places
Shapeshifting
Shock/punishment collar
Soulbonds
Stabbing
Stocks (or pillories)
Teamwork
Temporary Character Death
Tenderness
Touch-Starved
trapped together
Trust
Unexpected Mercy
Vulnerability
worsening illness
Wound Tending

DNW clarification for this fandom: I'm fine with referenced past noncon for this prompt, just nothing between requested ships!

Fandom notes: I don’t have strong feelings about seeker trine fanon, empurata outside of IDW (in IDW I like the angst/whump of it) or Soundwave’s exact relationship to his casssettes. Follow your spark.

I am 100% okay with continuity soup for G1, and I like both canon Shattered Glass universes but also tend to like continuity soup Shattered-Glass-As-Generic-Multiverse.

However, for the ships where I specified IDW Optimus and SG IDW Shockwave, I do strongly want IDW—their histories there are a big part of why I want those characters to interact!

Prompts, general:
- The SG Autobots are terrifying, so I’d be very into the SG Decepticons being terrified of the nice Autobots when they meet them!
- I love the id factor of having to rescue the sweet mirrorverse good guy versions of your enemies from the horrifying mirrorverse versions of your friends.
- Also the idea of having to impersonate your evil self (with advice from your not-evil not-enemy kinda-prisoner, who has a much better idea of how your evil self acts)!
- I'm up for super tropey over the top scenarios—fell into the AU, got mistaken for your evil self and received their war prize? Find out that your friends are evil here because you see them torturing your enemy and now you have to save them? That kind of thing.
- It's really fun when Decepticons are scared of the medics to me, and that'd make extra sense if they're really scared of their evil counterparts.
- I'd be into as much whump as you like here as long as it's followed by rescue and/or h/c!

Prompts, Megs + Combaticons
- Okay, how would the whole “reprogrammed to be loyal to G1 Megatron” thing work with encountering an AU version of Megatron?
- I'm super into the slave coding mind control trope, both as whump with an evil "master" and as a justification for slavefic h/c tropes with a good guy in charge.
- I’m certain SG Megatron would be horrified by this situation… and wouldn’t that be surreal for the Combaticons?
- (And I am also amused by the idea of the professional soldier Combaticons meeting the Fun Pub SG Decepticons & realizing that this is a resistance movement run by academics. How are they not dead! … Wait, why do they object to the idea of them dying?)

Prompts, IDW1 Optimus + IDWSG Shockwave
- So both IDWSG and IDW Shockwave suffered empurata and shadowplay, but the shadowplay had opposite effects—SG Shockwave is still nice, just even more emotional. Knowing what he could’ve become if it had worked as intended would be traumatic! Horrifying! (… Boggling, given the claim to logic and then the black hole thing!)
- For Optimus: this is the friend and mentor he couldn’t save, who faced a horrible fate for trying to work within a broken system and who then turned into a terrifying enemy. And here he is, having suffered something similar but come through it far more like the person he used to like/admire/love…
- And meanwhile from Shockwave’s point of view: this is the ex-friend who betrayed him and did that to him! The enemy he’s been fighting against ever since! (And sure this Optimus has his flaws but he’d be horrified at his SG self.)
- And both of them could expect the worst from a version of their enemy/friend who has good reason to hate them.

Sun Sword - Michelle West [Fic]
Ship:
Elena Tamaraan/Telakar (Sun Sword)

Medium: Fic

Tags:
Enemies to Lovers
Femdom/malesub
Role Reversal
Unexpected Mercy
Rescue

Prompts:
- Their situation at the end of the series? Straight out of my id. He’d had the upper hand in their dealings before that, but he also set things up so that when he was mind controlled she’d have the chance to magically enslave him before he killed her. (And then he does say that he wants her dead for that—but this is after he had a very clear choice between killing her and this situation, and he chose to be magically enslaved!)
- It is so gloriously fucked up and I want so much more. I love femdommy power dynamics and I love the whole thorny implications of him putting himself under her power even though he knew he’d want her dead afterwards. I would really just like to roll around in those implications.
- How did he decide what he was going to do? How do they manage with each other afterwards? Their whole plotline seemed like setup for something, and I'm really curious about what...
- I’m also really into them saving each other's lives.
- There are also parallels between what Telakar did with Elena and what Isladar did with Kiriel—obviously those are very different relationships, of course, and Isladar has a grand plan—but it's there.
- I love all the emotional weirdness with the demons, and the ways that despite being alien some of them do clearly care for specific humans.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse — The Book of Hungry Names [Art]
Ships:
1: Podge (Book of Hungry Names)
1: Nin (Book of Hungry Names)
1: Elton Dey (Book of Hungry Names)
1: Melodie Palys (Book of Hungry Names)
Nin & Podge (Book of Hungry Names)
Nin & Melodie Palys (Book of Hungry Names)
Melodie Palys & Podge (Book of Hungry Names)
Elton Dey & Podge (Book of Hungry Names)
Elton Dey & Nin (Book of Hungry Names)
Elton Dey & Nin & Melodie Palys & Podge (Book of Hungry Names)
Elton Dey & Melodie Palys (Book of Hungry Names)

Medium: Art

Tags:
Werewolves
Shadows - Freeform
Animal Transformation
City Lights
Cuddling & Snuggling
Gardens and Gardening
Ghosts & Spirits
green - Freeform
Huddling For Warmth
Ice
Ink
night sky
Non-Sexual Intimacy
Occult
Plants
Play Fighting
Rain
Rainbows
Roses
Shapeshifting
Sharing Food/Drinks
Size Difference
Sleepovers
sorcery
Sparring
Spring
Storms
Summer
Swimming
Texting

Prompts:
- Feel free to take any tag as a prompt.
- Nin texting/typing/typoeing in wolf form on her giant keyboard.
- Podge with his plants
- Melodie being cheerful with her sister's skull
- Elton's magic and books (and his decorating sense)
- Cleaning up the barrows
- Podge on Rosemary Street, Nin in her woods, Melodie in the barrows—something with them and their places and maybe the spirits there
- Spirit dealings! Any chiminage scene would be amazing, or just a werewolf looking skeptical at a spirit.
- Any two or more pack members cuddling in wolf form. (I have wanted this since I first played the game. Wolf cuddles. Please!)
- You can include the protagonist in wolf form if you like, but I DNW them in human form. (No preferences on their wolf appearance though! Want them to be green for that tag? Go ahead.)
- Daphne and Black Tarn are pack members too (well sometimes), you can include them if you want.



Art references (for all the characters I nominated—included Daphne and Black Tarn just in case):
Daphne Clear
Black Tarn (homid/human) and Black Tarn (lupus/wolf)
Elton Dey (homid) and Elton (crinos/hybrid war-form)
Ashley Nin (homid) and Nin (hispo/mostly-wolf hybrid form)
Melodie Palys (homid) and Melodie (crinos)
Podge (Patrick Hodge) (homid) and Podge (glasbro/mostly-human hybrid form)

William Taylor (Traditional Ballad) [Art, Fic]
Ships:
Captain & Sally | Sarah (William Taylor)
1: Sally | Sarah (William Taylor)

Medium: Art, Fic

Tags:
Blood
body of water
Exhaustion
Guns
Historical Fashion
Loyalty
Memories
POV Outsider
rococo
Sharing Clothes
Teaching/Mentorship

Prompts
- I love the song’s progression from a relatively straightforward “young woman crossdresses to follow her lover to war” song to murder ballad to a job offer.
- I’m curious about the captain’s POV on all this.
- I love where the song leaves the protagonist (at least in my favorite versions, with the captain giving her a military command and possibly also her own ship) and I’d like to see more of her post-canon.
- Was her original plan to go home, get married, and return to normal life? Did she change her mind about that before finding out William cheated on her—did she find that she liked being a sailor—or was it that after killing him she couldn't return home, or realized she was no longer the person who wanted to?
- I’d also love to see more of her interactions with the captain–in some versions he’s an antagonist to begin with, but by the end he’s 100% on her side and it’s really fun.
- Artwise: Sarah/Sally looking dashing in a sailor’s uniform or scary with guns, taking aim at her ex, her during that naval battle where her shirt malfunctions, her and the captain sitting down for a conversation, or take any art-suitable tag as a prompt.

Links to three versions:

Willie Taylor sung by the Longest Johns
https://thelongestjohns.bandcamp.com/track/willie-taylor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r--_hQ3ATUQ

William Taylor sung by Robin & Barry Dransfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cuf2hRVkpuM

William Taylor sung by Bill Jones
https://billjonesfolkmusician.bandcamp.com/track/william-taylor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51_JoDabqtk





Letter link for requests
https://sheliak.dreamwidth.org/129520.html

Icon — Runaway to the Stars

Jun. 30th, 2025 09:39 pm
sheliak: Handwoven tapestry of the planet Jupiter. (Default)
[personal profile] sheliak
Tail end of the month, didn't icon, busy with Battleship signup, so: have a single icon of Talita from RTTS being relatable. (Text could use some work, ah well.)
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
25. It’s Global Beatles Day! What song comes into your head when you think about the Beatles?

At the moment? Here comes the sun


26. Do you love the sunshine or prefer to stay in the shade?

Shade, I'm not a sun bather. But I do need sunlight. And it does depend on how hot it is - and whether it is winter, spring, fall or summer.

27. Do you own any pairs of sandals, or do your feet remain covered in hot weather?

I own multiple pairs - but they have a slight heel and for the most part arch support? I have high arches, and can't really wear flat shoes comfortably.

28. Which is your favourite - white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, silver or platinum jewellery?

White Gold - less issues with tarnishing and skin issues. Although not into jewellery and rarely wear it. I don't like to wear things around my neck, ankles, wrists, fingers or in my ears - it gets in my way.

29. How often do you take photos?

Fairly often - depending, and usually outside of plants, flowers, trees, places. I don't of people - I hate photos of myself so am careful not to take them of others very often, or without their permission for the most part. Also not of many living things - because animals don't stay still for them - also I don't have a telescopic lens or the right camera for taking photos of animals. If I ever get up the money and courage to go to Africa on Safari - I will need to invest in a better camera, and learn how to use it. Or find someone who can - and can share the photos with me free of charge.


30. “A cold in the head in June is an immoral thing” (L M Montgomery, Canadian author, born 1874). Have you had a cold in the head so far this year?

Yes, COVID. I was out sick and miserable for a week.


***

Friday Five

apparently this week's was into nudity or being naked and our comfort with it? )

This that and the other thing...

Jun. 29th, 2025 04:16 pm
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
1. Macs are not the best when it comes to saving files or organizing electronic files, or finding them later. PC's are better for that as is Windows Operating system. But Macs have less viruses and last longer.

I have both - Mac laptop at home, PC desktop at work. I flirt with getting another PC desktop for home, but I like the Mac virus protection better for home use and firewall. However, I need to get a new Mac and I don't want to. They are expensive.

2. Been fighting a sick headache all day long, no idea what is causing it. High blood pressure? (I took it - it's high, so took the diuretic which makes me woozy to bring it down). The weather? Blood sugar? Menopause? God knows. [ETA: It's better now - combination of headache (a generic excedrin), benedryl, and blood pressure diuretic, plus water, and a brownie. Seems to have done the trick.]

Also got off the computer and watched Poker Face on Peacock instead. Poker Face is basically Rian Johnson's take on Columbo, with Natasha Lyon playing the detective. Read more... )

I recommend for anyone who likes episodic detective stories, with a parlor room mystery style. Also Natasha Lyon. It's currently on Peacock in the US.

3. I think I figured out why I hate conflict and arguing with folks online or off - it's because it brings out the worst in me? I don't like hurting people. Or tit for tat. I don't like getting condescending. Or cursing. Or fighting. It makes me physically ill. It raises my blood pressure. It tightens my chest cavity. And it causes anxiety.

Some people get off on it, I think? But I never have. It's why I realized I couldn't be a litigator - I didn't like fighting with people. And negotiations often fell in that category as well. I don't like arguments.
I never have.

Every time it happens - my hands shake so badly, I can't type. I lose sleep. And I feel ill. I'm a writer not a debater. It's probably why I didn't become a practicing attorney. I know how to debate - but I hate doing it.

4. Meant to work on my novel this weekend - sent the info to myself and everything, but alas, I just couldn't. No bandwidth capacity - me, not the computer. Frustrating, that. At this rate - it will never be completed, or so it seems. I have all these ideas, but no physical bandwidth to get them out and in writing.

In other writing related news? I got a positive comment on a Buffy fanfic (No Regrets") that I wrote ages ago, and posted on Ao3, I didn't respond back. I learned my lesson with Ao3, don't respond to comments (positive or negative) or add any new posts - or they will find me and attack me with emails about freezing my account and taking down my stuff and how I'm not following some arcane and incredibly difficult to understand rule or other. Much better to stay quiet. But it was a nice comment.

"That was a very profound read, really interesting in depth look at what becoming human might mean for Spike into Will.
Also seeing Buffy's own thoughts on the changes in her life
I like the way that you ended it, no neat bow, but with perhaps a friendship to continue and a bit of a nostalgic laugh also."

I still get kudos from that page from time to time, which makes me think maybe I'm touching people with my writing in a good way? That I'm reaching folks that I've never met and somehow making their lives a little better, or giving them something to connect to, or making them think a little bit differently about something? I think that's all any of us want to do sometimes, is just find a way to connect with one another, and obtain a positive emotional response? To share the love? And to some degree the pain - at least to the point in which it makes us feel less alone, and connected to something bigger? To know there's someone else somewhere out there wherever they may be that feels the same way we do about this?

Life can feel very lonely at times. Read more... )

I think art and culture often connects us - in a good way. Television shows, music, concerts, live theater, movies, books, readings, dance, and sporting events. A way to come together and discuss things that bring us joy. But all of that can also divide. Humans are complicated organisms after all.

5. I watched some television shows.

Finished The Bear S4. The Bear does for restaurants what The Pitt does for the ER, except it has more family interaction and really delves into the individual characters deeply. Also has quite the cast - three to four members of it - have taken off since the series aired. And multiple members have gotten Emmys. Season 4, unlike the previous seasons, is really comforting and provides a sense of closure for multiple character arcs - each of the characters manages to resolve the main issue plaguing them since the beginning of the series. I may re-watch it from the beginning in July. It's not long. Just 10 episodes per season. First season had 8. And each episode is about 30 minutes. They aren't long episodes. But jam packed with information and character development.

Shows how much you can do in a short period of time.

Read more... )

Andor - is unfortunately not as good. And I love science fiction and Star Wars (it was my first real fandom, well next to the Monkeys at any rate, and Batman and Robin, which I'm not completely sure counts). It is a different genre. But it is, alas, far too political for its own good - and a lot of time is wasted on plot mechanics, with the characters getting a bit lost in the shuffle. Read more... )

It's on Disney + in the US, and I don't recommend if you have brain fog, are depressed by the current political situation (and seriously who isn't?) and not really a devoted Star Wars fan?

I'll stick with it, but I may wait a bit.

OAAAAAASIIIIIIIIIS

Jun. 29th, 2025 10:32 am
snickfic: Liam Gallagher at Earl's Court 1995 (Oasis Liam 2)
[personal profile] snickfic
IT'S HAPPENING. YOU GUYS IT'S HAPPENING. After literal months of dragging my feet due to a pet health situation, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and bought my plane tickets. To be fair to me, that did take several hours of thinking and comparing, because I'm also going to Slovenia to see friends, so I had to consider three one-way legs vs nested round-trips, plus see what day was cheapest to leave and come back within various other constraints, etc. BUT I HAVE THEM. AND I LEAVE IN LITERALLY THREE WEEKS AHHHHH.

Friend I'm going to the concert with told me all her friends are jealous because none of them could get tickets. 😇😇😇 I've seen photos of big Oasis displays over in the UK. Sounds like the hype is huge, can't wait to see it for myself.

In celebration, here's some top-notch Oasis content I've come across recently:
Noel calling into TalkSports, 6/27. On one hand, there's been basically zero official promo (unless you count a really slickly produced video advertising their exclusive Adidas line, which I do not???). On the other hand: Noel randomly calling into a sports radio show every so often. He seems in SUCH GOOD SPIRITS here omg, constantly referring to Liam as "our kid," winding up the hosts, being silly, and cheerfully declaring that it's "too late to back out [of the tour] now."

‘Liam had been drinking all night. Noel was not in a great mood’: photographers pick their best Oasis shot (The Guardian). Some fantastic quotes in this.
Bands – especially ones with a pretty boy singer or a female singer – can get really nervous that the singer gets all the attention. Noel was never like that. He said: “You’ve got to use the assets you’ve got.” -- Kevin Cummings

Are you fucking kidding me. Just when you think you've finally seen all the best/weirdest quotes from Noel about Liam... there's always more.
We were booked on the same flight, but the band were in club class and me and the hack were in goats-and-chickens. Liam came back to say hello. He was a garrulous guy, even pre-fame. He was standing at the back of the plane having a beer and this woman came by huffing and puffing with some kids and Liam offered to look after one of them. He pulled down one of those seats the flight attendants sit on and had the girl on his lap and chatted to her. After the tales I’d heard, I’d thought I was about to spend a few days with a nutcase. But he was sweet as a nut. -- Tom Sheehan

🥺🥺🥺

And in conclusion, a performance of the song that got me into Oasis, from 1997 near the peak of Oasis mania:

Noel gets so into the prechorus that he sings along with Liam even though he's not at the mic at the time, Liam looks like he's having a religious experience during Noel's guitar solo and then does a little dance, Noel looks like he's having a difference kind of experience during the solo... Top notch stuff.
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
I saw this quote on Facebook from a social activist that I've been following, which stated:

"Do less of passing on your fears to people."

And I thought, if less people did this? I wouldn't have social anxiety or a lot of other anxieties for that matter - most of which have been thrust onto me by other people. People can be scary.

This quote is also apropos for the episode of Buffy that I re-watched this week, entitled (per Hulu) Gingerbread, S3 Episode 11. I think it's 11. It's not an episode that I remember fondly, and have been known to skip it on past re-watches. Mainly because it focuses on a recurring theme in horror/supernatural fiction - which is well - the witch hunt. It's been explored in a lot science fiction series as well, from Invasion of the Body Snatchers to the The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" (a classic Twilight Zone Episode). And historically with the Salem Witch Trials and the Holocaust - where a group of people become scapegoats and people hunt them down and kill them as if they are demons or animals with no worth. I'm not fond of the theme - because, well, I find it frightening and incredibly frustrating, not to mention annoying, especially right now. I'd rather not think about it or watch it. Out of sight, is out of mind, right? Well unfortunately not always.

Also, I remembered Gingerbread being somewhat cliche and eye-rolling in places. (It's not. I was mistaken.)

I was surprised by how cleverly written this episode actually is, and how it manages to involve all of the main contracted cast, with the exception of Faith (who isn't a lead cast member and recurring).

It manages to take a well-known fairy tale and flips it on its head, in a way no one else has done before or since. What if the villains in the fairy tale were in reality the protagonists or victims, and they weren't what they seemed?

spoilers for well anyone who hasn't seen the show in the last 25 years and still wants to...when do spoilers expire anyhow, probably never? )

I found this episode, like all the other episodes in s3, to date rather well - and to cross-over well into the modern age, in that we've always had this problem. And it is an universal one. People get afraid of something or someone - and feel the need to tell everyone else about it - to share this anxiety or fear. Right now it's immigrants - and the fear that the immigrants will take away their jobs, their homes, and their way of life. Irrational as this fear is, they believe it is a real threat and they must fight to make sure it doesn't happen by any means necessary.

I once had a frightening debate with a poster named peasant in my journal way back in 2017. Peasant, a Brit, was convinced that the evil immigrants were coming to take away their job, home, and everything they held dear, and they had to stop them. That the evil socialists would help the evil immigrants. Fascism was better in Peasant's view than the alternative. And Capitalism was the best approach, everyone was happier under that. Peasant was terrified of socialism. Peasant's political views scared me, not just the views themselves, mind you, which were scary in of themselves, but the fact that someone actually thought that way? That they had demonized a group of people in their head to that extent. An otherwise rational and from what I saw kind person who cared about animals, gardened, etc - felt like this? That scared me. Peasant scared me, not the immigrants. I was afraid of Peasant. And I'm not an immigrant - my ancestors came to the United States in the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s, both my parents, grand-parents, and for the most part great grandparents and great great grandparents are US Citizens. I was afraid for the immigrants, Peasant hated, and the their view that fascism was the better choice. That scared me. So badly, that I eventually blocked them from my journal.

Fear divides people and unites people - it also starts wars, and kills millions. It causes debilitating anxiety.

Peasant in attempting to pass their fears on to me, much like Joyce does to the other adults in town including Willow's mother - caused me to block them and ended our correspondence.

Another example? JK Rowlings fear of transgender has resulted in various people distancing themselves from her, and book stores no longer selling her books and removing them from their shelves. I don't see them at all in area book stores any longer. She has been deemed a lost cause, and repeals people with her hate and fear, and her attempts to pass it on to other people. Even those who agree with her, such as Musk, have attempted to reign her in on Twitter (aka X).

Passing fear on to others - may be rewarding in the short term, but it isn't in the long term. It did Joyce no favors - at the end of the episode, it is implied not shown by Buffy that Joyce has retreated to her gallery, and (potentially her booze), appalled at her actions, and her friends have disassociated themselves from her. This is shown with wry humor in the episode, but at the same time - as a kind of twisted morality lesson? Not to take things at face value, to question fears, and to try not to instigate a lynch mob.

Buffy Reboot.

Jun. 27th, 2025 09:47 pm
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[personal profile] shadowkat
More news on the Buffy Reboot, per Vanity Fair Interview with Gellar at a Film Festival in Italy (Seriously that actress is living the life of a multi-millionaire - I personally think they pay television actors far too much.)

"Gellar was convinced to step back into the vampire slayer’s shoes by Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, whose pitch forms the basis of the show. “For so many years, I said no to a possible return of the series,” she said. “I didn’t want to reintroduce something we had already seen. I waited for the right time to come. Then Chloé, a big Buffy fan, proposed the project to me, and I accepted. The gestation was long. It’s been three years, and we’re still working on it.” But soon filming will begin.

The star, who will be joined in the series by young actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong, revealed some details about the series as well: “It will be lighter than the last few seasons of the original. We will try to find a balance between new and old characters. My dream is to bring back everyone who has died, but space will have to be made for new stories as well.”

“One of the surprising aspects of Buffy is that it’s always been a crossover series,” Gellar added. “We’re trying to figure out how to modernize the themes of the series, especially what it means to feel like an outsider in a world dominated by social media. What we want to explore are the space-time boundaries that affect society today.”

[It was a short interview.]

From what I've been seeing from Instagram (I follow various Buffy actors), and who has reached out to Gellar, and is still friends and in contact with her - not to mention the actors seen going to fan conventions recently [no, I've never been to a fan convention - I don't do conventions - rather have a colonoscopy to be honest], together, my guess is that we will most likely see the return of the following:

Spike (Marsters is more than open to it and close with Gellar), Cordelia (Chase has a Cordelia podcast, where she watches shows as Cordelia more or less), Oz (Green has been going to Buffy conventions again), Darla, Drusilla (Landau has a rewatch Buffy podcast), Tara, Joyce, Wesley Wyndam-Price (Denisof is available and I'm certain Hannigan pitched it to Gellar), and possibly Angel (Boreanze did state on social media he would not be opposed to revisiting the character and has been attending conventions again) and Willow (Hannigan has been doing a charity thing with Gellar). It's unlikely Giles will return, but possible. I know Chase, Benze, and Landau reached out. And Gellar is suddenly openly friends with Hannigan again. Also Marsters has been losing weight, looks great, and keeps alluding to it.

Who I do not think will reappear is Xander (Brendan is persona non gratis at fan conventions (he was barred), and no one is in connection with him or wants to be, also the character did not age well, new viewers don't like him at all - basically he was cancelled just like Joss Whedon was, but for different and more severe reasons (which you, trust me, really don't want to know about - I wish I didn't - it makes it hard to watch Xander now) ), Warren (he'll stay dead), Dawn (they won't recast - if Trachenberg had lived - she'd be in it, definitely but not now, which is tragic), not sure about Jenny Calendar. Doubt we'll see anyone but Angel, Spike, Wes, and Cordy from the Angel show. Also she wants to make room for new characters.

While that's great? I've mixed feelings. Lighter tone - not sure about, Buffy worked well with a combination of light and dark, and slanting towards humorous horror.

But, she's probably right to swing away from some of the darker content in the series.

I have a feeling it may be more episodic in nature and less serial, which the series kind of became in later seasons.
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
I read this week in some psychology posting that it was more than okay not to be okay at the moment. In fact feeling awful right now, with a sense of dread - means you are most likely a caring empathetic human being and struggling with human failings. If this is the case? Than I'm clearly a caring empathetic human being - because I've been feeling kind of awful for several months now?

What helps? Watching comfort shows, avoiding dingbats, avoiding bad news (as much as possible), trying to eat healthy, and focus on the positive.

As always, good news is often in the eye of the beholder - so mileage may vary on it?

our fight appears to be mainly in the courts... )

***

The below isn't necessarily good news, but it is a necessary explanation of a recent Supreme Court ruling, since a lot of folks think it trumps or undoes some of the good news above, it doesn't. It may reframe it or change it, but it doesn't undo it. Trump didn't necessarily win, nor do the Republicans, also this issue has been hanging around for a while now. And it may just bite the Republicans in the ass down the road.

While it is entertaining to watch amateur lawyers debate what the recent Supreme Court decision on Birth Nationals and Injunctions is, it's also annoying - so below is an actual lawyer, who specializes in legislative, Constitutional and Administrative Law - has to say about it (and no, it's not me):

WHAT TODAY'S SUPREME COURT DECISION ON UNIVERSAL INJUNCTIONS AND BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP MEANS by Anne P. Mitchell

First, and most importantly, it does NOT UNDO BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP! And really that was never what it was about, as I've said before. (In fact here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16sATn6TcJ/)

This was *always* a universal injunction case dressed up in birthright citizenship clothing. It was and is about universal injunctions. And that is on what the Supreme Court just issued its opinion.

In the case, Massachusetts issued a universal injunction (applies to everyone similarly situated) against the birthright citizenship executive order; the Supreme Court is saying the injunction should have only applied to the plaintiffs in the case.

Here is what the Supreme Court *actually* said:
Read more... )

Sigh, here's a pretty picture of flowers..


shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
The temperature dropped outside. It's now in the 70s. As Breaking Bad put it - night and day outside today.

At work, I ran into a neighbor in the lobby of my building (it's all Crazy Org).

He saw me, first. Told me this was his last day - he was retiring. (I honestly thought he was retired. He is definitely older than me.) We pass all the time in the laundry room and elevator - he lives across the hall from me with his family. He has a dog, and a neurodivergent son, who I think has either Touretts or Ausbergers?

Apparently he was a legal investigator for one of the agencies in Crazy Org since roughly 1993. I was somewhat envious - it sounded more interesting than editing legal documents and financial analysis and negotiations. I'm admittedly bored and frustrated at the moment. It's making me cranky? Well that and struggling with sleep, lingering chest congestion, and brain fog.

Below is a photo of Crazy Org today, standing tall against a gray sky.



It was bound to happen - that I'd run into a neighbor as they are retiring, considering Crazy Org employs over 75,000 New Yorkers.

I took a walk at lunch - it was mild, pleasant even, and overcast - also the last day of school in New York, apparently, so not that many tourists wandering about mucking up the works. Or many bikes for that matter.

And I saw a wild turkey in Battery City Park. Breaking Bad and I decided that the turkey probably escaped from Staten Island via the Ferry. [ETA: Where the turkey came from was/is a joke. We've no clue. We were just joking that it escaped a farm in Staten Island and came by ferry. (Which didn't happen). And since the photo is horrible - no I did not approach the wild turkey.]

bad photo of a turkey )

Other than that the day was slow. So slow, I worked on my novel, played with spreadsheets, and played on my phone. Art History Major is off to see her family in Ohio.

***

Some good news?

The Senate Parliamentarian managed to take a hatchet to the Big Shitty Bill. Apparently you can't just add everything you like to a reconciliation bill which is meant to balance the government's budget. It's basically an accounting bill - that gets quickly passed because it's needed to balance a budget. They tried to add a bunch of stuff that had zip to do with that to the bill, which is in violation of the Senate's rules.

Parliamentarian removes medicaid cuts from Reconciliation Big Beautiful Bill

Violations Continue to Mount on Big Beautiful Bill

As one commentator aptly put it - adding the things the Republicans did to the Bill would be akin to balancing your household budget and adding a fancy new car for yourself.

For those who have raised valid concern following the Parliamentarian rulings knocking out some of the worst aspects of the GOP’s budget bill, Thune has reiterated no overruling.

***

R.I.P Bill Moyers

"Legendary journalist Bill Moyers has died at age 91. Moyers was the former White House press secretary under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and leaves behind a distinguished legacy in American journalism. Over five decades, he became known for his in-depth interviews and thoughtful documentaries on programs such as Bill Moyers Journal and Now with Bill Moyers. A champion of public broadcasting, Moyers received more than 30 Emmy Awards, nine Peabody Awards, and the National Humanities Medal for his contributions to civic discourse. Rest in peace, Bill."


shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
1. How do we overthrow a dictatorship?

Apparently by hiring a bunch of extremely smart constitutional law attorneys and judges who can give the dictatorship just enough rope to hang itself, while at the same time protecting the rest of us. It's highly more productive than how they overthrew the Nazi's in WWII, which didn't exactly end well for anyone - it resulted in an extremely high cost of human life - which we can all agree that we do not want to repeat at any point. [Note the Star Wars approach - we do not want. Star Trek yes, Star Wars no.]

I'm following a bunch of constitutional and immigration attorneys of FB, and they are amusing me to no end, also keeping my spirits up.

My favorite is Ann P. Mitchell - whose an attorney based out in California, and is quite logical. Also, she was at one point asking people for a humane way to get rid of katydids from her garden, which further endeared her to me.

Per Mitchell:
The Government asks a Judge to put a Stay in the Kilmer Abrego-Garcia case - to basically save the federal government from itself - since it may suffer irreparable harm completely of its own making )

That's the long one, here's the gist: A federal judge in Tennessee just denied the government’s request to keep Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia locked up while it appeals his release. Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. upheld the magistrate’s order to free Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month, while he awaits trial on human smuggling charges (fake charges cooked up by the Trump administration).

FB is finally paying me back for joining it back in 2008 to follow political issues and social justice. Who knew?

2. So, the Mayoral Primary race resulted in an upset, of sorts?

"This was supposed to be former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s fifth act, his triumphant return to New York politics after a long stint in the wilderness. Instead, New York City delivered an electoral shocker by choosing a socialist Muslim immigrant as its Democratic mayoral candidate, immediately making Zohran Mamdani the front-runner in this heavily Democratic city.

And it wasn’t even close. With 93 percent of the precincts reporting as of this morning, Mamdani leads Cuomo by over seven percentage points."

It was 44% to 38% this morning.
commentary and concern over the evil Republican Candidate )

3. Now, I know why the heat is zapping me.

If you are on any of these medications - the heat will affect you more than most.

Heat affects everyone, but did you know some medications cause patients to have a higher intolerance to heat?

Be sure to increase hydration and decrease full exposure to sun if your medication is on the list. [I have three on the list - it's my high blood pressure medication - it means I'm intolerant to head now. Lovely.]



4. Big Beautiful Ugly Bill - the Budget Bill that the Trump Administration wants passed by July 4.

Per Anne P. Mitchell:

"Senate parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has struck down the clause in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' that tried to hamstring the courts from holding defendants (read as "Trump and others in his administration") in contempt. (Ironic as Trump clearly holds the courts in contempt.)
Remember when I told you that clause would never have passed constitutional muster anyways? (That's also incorporated in my pinned post.) Meaning that *had* it passed, the courts would have struck it down faster than you can say "nice try". But it's good that they won't have to deal with those shenanigans, as they already have their plates full with holding the rule of law against the onslaught that is the Trump administration.
Parliamentarian MacDonough held that the clause, along with some others, including withholding the already-approved funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the larger cuts to SNAP, violate the Byrd Rule. You see, budget reconciliation bills, such as the Big Beautiful Bill, only need a simple majority to be passed, which is *why* the BBB was introduced as a budget reconciliation bill.
BUT, the Byrd Rule says that any budget reconciliation bill must deal with, and *only* deal with, you know... *the budget*. No policy items dressed up as budgetary items allowed! Sneaking policy into a budget reconciliation bill so that the policy only needs a simple majority to be passed and enacted, rather than a 60+ vote majority of the full senate, is a no no. And so the Parliamentarian has told the Republican senators "No, no."

Senate Parlimentarian's No List - 12 Things Struck from the Big Beautiful Bill per the Hill

excerpts )

Off to watch my soap. I'm trying to get my living room lower than 80 degrees and failing. I'm not sure if I need another A/C or if I need to get a new one. The one in the bedroom - is keeping the bedroom at whatever temperature I set it. So I may require two. But I'd rather not.

Oh well, the heat wave is breaking tomorrow. NYC is not set up for blistering heat. It's used to milder temperatures - it's like London in that respect.

More June Questions...and memage

Jun. 24th, 2025 08:31 pm
shadowkat: (Default)
[personal profile] shadowkat
The heat (it was 101 degrees today, and tonight has not dipped past 95 degrees with a high barometric pressure, and moderate air quality) - resulted in a sick nauseous headache by the time I got home, which is still lurking in the background. I felt dizzy, wiped out and off. Most likely the hangers on from my bout with COVID last week.

So instead of walking the fifteen to twenty blocks to the voting place, which is about a twenty minute walk in the heat, not helped by my sciatic nerve, I copped out. I feel really bad about it. But it is what it is. It's not like I have anyone I really want to vote for anyhow. I really did not like any of the people running. I'd landed on one, but I wasn't happy with the choice. I'll vote in the actual election - possibly by mail. This has taught me to try mail in voting from now on.

Heat and menopausal bodies are not mixy things. I also think my blood pressure was a bit off. I took the additional meds, it's seems to have leveled off a little now.

21. What is your favourite salad dressing?

Right now, it's usually lemon juice. I rarely use it. But if I do use it - I live olive oil and vingear, or Cesar Salad Dressing (with anchovies flavoring it).

22. Have you owned an aquarium or had a pond in your garden/backyard?

Don't have a backyard. So no on the pond. Parents had a lagoon for a bit.
And brother has a pond in his backyard, but not sure that counts? I owned an aquarium when I was a child - but not since then, too high maintenance.

23. Where is your favourite holiday destination – have you been more than once?


Don't really have one? I grew up with the view that you go somewhere different every year. I go to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (it's a nice island off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia, that has sandy beaches, and is large enough to have a town, etc. It's not a small island.) But I only go to visit my mother, previously my parents, whom I'm exceedingly close to.

24. In 1911 French couturier Paul Poiret held his infamous 'The 1002nd Night' costume ball to launch his “Parfums de Rosine", the first signature scent linked to a design house. Have you a favourite scent?

I am allergic to most perfumes, unfortunately. They give me headaches. But I do like Lavender - doesn't bother me. (Note - most people with scent allergies or who are sensitive to perfume, have no problems with lavender for some reason or other). I also like lemon or citrus, euclyaptus, and pine.

Cinnamon now makes me sneeze. And Vanilla can make me queasy at times, weirdly.

I adore the scent of coffee.

***

More on what comforts me?

Songs or musicians that I find comforting?

* Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, The Magnetic Stripes, Sand Sheff, Bruce Springsteen, The Beatles, Sondheim's Into the Woods, The Stones, David Bowie, Janis Ian, Suzanne Vega, Joan Jett and the Runaways/ also that other band - basically anything with Joan Jett, Brenda Carlyle, the Indigo Girls,
and Pink Floyd

Mostly Folk and Classic Rock, also classical music - anything by Yo Yo Ma, or John Williams movie themes. I have a fondness for Gershwin and Jazz. Jazz reminds me of my Dad, who adored it, that and Frank Sinatra.

**

Smartbitches tempted me to buy another couple of books on Kindle, both were a $1.99. Went to get the first one, Hench, only to discover I'd already purchased it a year ago and forgotten about it. At least Amazon will inform me, other places aren't as considerate.

***

A picture of the fountain outside my workplace. It's finally working. No, no one was climbing into it. They can't without hurting the flowers. It's not a swimming fountain.




People were threatening to open up fire hydrants today - which is illegal. The city parks and the city has fountains folks can play in.

(no subject)

Jun. 24th, 2025 04:00 pm
snickfic: (Buffy laugh)
[personal profile] snickfic
- Of course now I want some kind of Brokeback/On Swift Horses crossover. Maybe like mid-60s, Jack runs into happily partnered Henry and Julius and they listen to his woes and fuck him.

- On related note, sure wish On Swift Horses would get onto streaming! Like for free with subscription, not just VOD like it is now.

- Some highlights from the very serious Oasis discussion forum:
Liam looked especially handsome in the video for 'Don't Go Away'. Elegantly wasted.

Why does it matter [what Noel looks like]? Being pretty is Liam's job.


- The Dead Meat Podcast is covering the entire Saw series, movie by movie. I am so excited. First episode of Hot Saw Summer is here. I have already rewatched Saw II in preparation for the next episode, which comes out tomorrow.

- I am eyeing the Terrible Temperature Troubles flash exchange, although I really shouldn't, because I still need to beat my Hurt/Comfort Ex bus pass into shape, and I have to Summer of Horror treats to work on. Meanwhile I'm also tempted by Battleship, which I said I'd never do again...
snickfic: (Dawn)
[personal profile] snickfic
Planet Terror (2007). A very silly, pulpy exploitation movie starring a bunch of recognizable people fighting a zombie apocalypse. This is very much the thing that it is. Gross, inappropriate humor, a child shoots himself in the head. Rose McGowan is really hot, but the whole thing is soured by her RL history with Weinstein, who produced. Tarantino cast himself as a would-be rapist in his buddy's film. There's a lot of ehhhhhhh here, is way I'm saying.

I didn't hate watching it, but nor do I need to watch it again.

--

Brokeback Mountain (2005). Two cowboys herd sheep on a mountainside and start a decades-long affair. I got to see this at the theater for the 20-year anniversary, yay. It was pretty good! Heath Ledger was fantastic as Ennis, and the scenery was gorgeous.

That said, I had a lot of quibbles. Truthfully, realistic drama is not my genre even when you make it gay, so feel free to chalk most of my complaints up to that if you want.

That said, there were two key transition points that felt really abrupt and underdeveloped (the first time they have sex, and the reunion after four years apart). I also feel like either Gyllenhaal didn't get enough to work with, or he did not do a great job at working with what he had. It felt like the whole movie Ledger was showing and Gyllenhaal was telling. Ultimately, though, I think my main problem with this movie is I just about never vibe with the "decades of vignettes" drama subgenre. It always feels like the story is spread too thin, and it does here, too.

I do see the criticism about this being too much about tragic gays or whatever. There's no such thing as the universal queer experience, and no one work can capture What It Means To Be Queer, but even so this feels like a particularly narrow and bleak perspective.

Overall probably won't become one of my favorites, but I'm glad I've finally seen it.

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