hail mary

May. 18th, 2026 09:05 pm[personal profile] melannen
melannen: Commander Valentine of Alpha Squad Seven, a red-haired female Nick Fury in space, smoking contemplatively (Default)
I went to see Project Hail Mary over the weekend, because I was already pretty deep in the fanfic, and space pretty so it seemed worth catching on the big screen. (I can't remember the last time I went to see a new release on the big screen, but it's been A While.)

It was very pretty! It was very good! I love all the characters! It was exactly the movie I (and based on the reception) a lot of the world needed right now. What if our big problems were things that weren't our fault. But what if we could fix them anyway, just by taking a leap of faith. What if we were strong enough to do what we need to do. What if it was okay that we aren't usually very strong. What if we were so so so so loved loved loved and the power of friendship saved the galaxy and romance never came into it.

I have written a ficlet:

Not All Earth Humans Dumb (just this one) (632 words) by melannen
Fandom: Project Hail Mary (2026)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Ryland Grace & Rocky
Characters: Ryland Grace, Rocky (Project Hail Mary)
Additional Tags: Missing Scene, Fix-It of Sorts, First Contact, The Hail Mary (ship), Humor
Summary:

Rocky's second, slightly calmer tour of the Hail Mary paused for a moment, and for only a bare moment longer Grace was thankful for the chance to catch up. Then the regret started.



I want to write more fanfiction but I am currently getting tripped up on the fact that - other than the characters and space being pretty - what I like most about it is the space travel stuff, the hard SF that I was so ready for, the centrifugal gravity and exobiology based on real known planets and all that stuff - but the plot does not. Sustain that. The plot is pure full-on fairy tale logic that falls apart the moment you try to put any pressure on it from another direction. (...so is a lot of the "hard SF" science.) And this is not necessarily a weak point! The fairy tale plot is why it was the movie I needed right now. And it's not like "nothing hangs together if you think too hard" is that rare in classic hard SF either tbh. But augh. What I want to do about this movie right now is think too hard about it constantly :P

Possibly the book fills in some of the gaps in the movie, though I have a vague recollection that part of why I didn't read it before now is reviews talking about how it doesn't hold together real well either, so I am not counting on it. Also I currently have fifteen library books checked out, including one about the importance of sunlight, one about how animals perceive sound and communicate with it, one about the inner lives of octopi, one about the ecologies of viruses and one about life in the deep sea, and I should probably read at least some of them first. Instead of more PHM fic. :P

But this does feel like the first time in a while a fandom has grabbed me hard enough to be one that really sticks, and also has enough fic already to sustain that, and it *is* about time for that - it's been four years since MCYT. I am trying to be Smart this time and keep track of fics I like while I read them instead of assuming I will come back around and remember, but, uh, we'll see how that goes.

Inspired by

May. 18th, 2026 05:28 pm[personal profile] firecat
firecat: red panda, winking (Default)
A team of narrators did an impeccable podfic of one of my stories! It’s a crossover between Star Trek: The Next Generation and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[Podfic] Dreamer in the Dark by celli_pods, contributor-sky (deepestbluesky), KtInSunshine, peasina, semperfiona_podfic (semperfiona), sisi_rambles, vexbatch pods (vexbatch), with (poemreads), xia_pods

Daily Happiness

May. 18th, 2026 05:35 pm[personal profile] torachan
torachan: a kitten looking out the window (chloe in window)
1. I had a WFH day today so that we could take the car in to hopefully finally get the window fixed. They said it might be ready to pick up this evening, but it's already 5:30pm and they haven't called, so I doubt it's happening.

2. The other day I got an email from our favorite neighborhood pizza place saying they were doing some sort of collab and would be having butter chicken pizza from the 15th through the 25th. I kept checking the website and while other locations listed it as available, the two near us did not, so we walked over the other night in hopes of getting some, but it had all sold out. Toay we went over right when they opened at 11am and were able to get a couple slices each. It's so good! Hopefully we can get it at least once more before it's gone.

3. We got our primary ballots filled out and I took them over to the dropbox today. Really hope we don't end up with two Republicans in the governor's race, but at least it's looking like the second one is polling low enough that even with the five million Dems splitting the vote, we should at least see a Democrat vs Republican race in November. Fingers crossed! (And maybe smomeone can get some legislation in to end the jungle primary system or, even better, to do ranked choice.)

4. Chloe's keeping an eye out.

Is there life out there?

May. 18th, 2026 08:11 pm[personal profile] beebalm
beebalm: (Default)
My journal is still really new (like 3 weeks old lol) but I’ve honestly had way better luck meeting people here than I originally thought. I’ve several on my reading page now that are at least semi active and I genuinely enjoy reading y’all’s posts.

Not that I don’t already love the little circle I’ve found so far, it’s just that my reading page gets pretty slow sometimes lol. I still feel like I’m only seeing this tiny little pocket of DW though and there has to be way more active people floating around that I just haven’t found yet.

I think what I’m looking for most is journals that feel personal and alive. People talking about their actual lives, interests, fandoms, hobbies, nature, daily observations, culture, random thoughts, photography, long rambly posts, whatever. I really miss that feeling of actually getting to know people over time like the old days of LJ. I’m definitely open to friendships growing beyond just commenting on entries too if we genuinely click, too.

How do y’all usually find new people these days? Communities? Mutuals?

Also if anybody knows journals you think I’d click with based on my own entries/interests and who are open to meeting new people/making new friends, I would genuinely love suggestions because I’m trying to branch out a little more.

Thank youuuu <3

1: Crazy Boys Join Forces

May. 18th, 2026 07:47 pm[personal profile] lb_lee
lb_lee: Rogan drawing/writing in a spiral. (art)

Ch. 1: Crazy Boys Join Forces

Summary: When shit gets bad for LB, a friend of theirs steps in and changes everything.
Series: Crazy Boy Diaries (personal autobio; explanation here)
Word Count: 6500
Notes: The winner of the May fan poll, and the official start of the Crazy Boy Diaries!
Content Warnings (contain spoilers!)
Content warnings for sexual assault, hallucinations, homelessness, performing sex for laundry privileges, haranguing and slapping, paranoia, self-loathing, and lots and lots of crying,

Dramatis Personae:


We are multi (AKA: multiple personalities). Here’s what you need to know for this book:
LB Folk (we share a body):
AnnaAnna: the “real” girl, the name D knows, and a creation of narrative convenience. Teenage girl.
RoganRogan: pain-eater, hates Jeff’s guts. Teenage boy.
GigiGigi: the invisible one. Ten-year-old girl.
MirandaMiranda: another “real” girl, thinks Jeff is amazing. Teenage girl.
SneakSneak: cheerful little superhero. Preteen.

Other-Bodied (“Real”) People:
the family: our younger brother, parents, etc.
Jeff: Miranda and Anna’s shitty boyfriend. 21.

Spring, Junior Year: Rogan Rogan

It’s before class, on the first floor by the lockers, and my little brother wants me to jerk him off.


Initial Pinch Hits: 1-7

May. 18th, 2026 01:15 pm[personal profile] infinitecrabs posting in [community profile] doodle4doodle

We have 7 initial pinch hit, which are requests that came out of the matching process without artists. Below is a list of participants who need creators, a link to the ao3 app with their request details, and a summarized list of their requested fandoms. To claim a pinch hit:

  • please comment below with your AO3 name and the pinch hit number & name you want to claim
  • (Optional) Tell me if you are swapping the pinch hit for your current assignment.
  • All comments on this post are screened

These pinch hits are due on the normal assignment due date of June 17, 8:00 PM PDT (countdown).

Pinch Hits

  • IPH #1 - CLAIMED
  • IPH #2 - facethestrange - ao3 app link - 绅探 | Detective L, Crossover Fandom, 镇魂 | Guardian - priest. 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018), 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018) RPF
  • IPH #3 - jaclynhyde - ao3 app link - Tales of Vesperia, 第五人格 | Identity V, How to Survive Camping, Creature Kitchen, DCU (Comics), Metal Gear
  • IPH #4 - CLAIMED
  • IPH #5 - pleasantwasteland - ao3 app link - Doctor Who (1963), Crossover Fandom, Doctor Who (2005)
  • IPH #6 - SuccessiveSymmetry - ao3 app link - Star Wars Legends: Republic Commando Series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Dragon Age, Red vs. Blue
  • IPH #7 - Ushkya - ao3 app link - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

Assignments for Doodle 4 Doodle 2026 have now been sent out! Please comment on this post or the screened mod post if...
  • You can't find your assignment on your AO3 Assignments page
  • You were assigned a fandom, character, or ship you didn't offer. Do please check to see if you matched on Creator's Choice of Doodle or Recipients OCs first!
  • There are any other questions about your assignment, or questions that you'd like to ask your recipient. Comment screening has been enabled for this post.
Your assignment is due on June 17, 8:00 PM PDT. (countdown to when assignments are due)

Assignments!

If you'd like a refresher on the minimum requirements for the exchange, or how defaulting in D4D works, please see these sections below! Very briefly:


As I mentioned in yesterday's post, after I ran matching, everyone was matchable on offers! However, some recipients did not have a potential giver. Those recipients will be going out as initial pinch hits. That post will be up shortly!


julesjones: (Default)
Day 18: Favourite Liberator moment
Day 18: Ideas that should have been used more

So. Many. Options for the original question. And they don't even all involve Avon and/or Blake. I'm going to answer the new version from [personal profile] vilakins instead.

One thing I would really like to have seen more of was Cally's telepathy as something other than "taken over by alien of the week". It's used occasionally in situations where it's obvious just how useful it is as a way to give a silent warning to the others.  In Bounty:

CALLY [V.O., telepathing] Guards! Don't speak or make a sound. [Blake quietly crouches beside her, and they watch as the guards confer and then depart.]

CALLY My reflexes are dull. They almost fell over me before I heard them.

BLAKE I've forgotten how useful telepathy is.

CALLY Oh, I must practice that, too.

Yes, Cally, you must. Presumably you did, given that in Star One a telepathic warning stops Avon getting caught by a horde of not-hairy aliens and he manages to catch Travis instead. It isn't the only other example of telepathy being useful, but there seems to be a lot more screen time devoted to "Cally is taken over by aliens because she is a telepath".

summerofhorrorexchange: silhouette of killer (Default)

Nomination reminders


  • We DO NOT accept nominations with "/" ships. All character groupings must be nominated with "&". For example, we will not accept "Timon/Pumbaa (The Lion King 1994)"; please nominate "Timon & Pumbaa (The Lion King 1994)" instead. If you have nominated a "/" ship, please edit it to have "&". (You can still request ships as part of the optional details of your request.)
  • Please disambiguate your nominations. This means putting the fandom after your nomination in parentheses, as in the example above.
  • If your nominations are lingering, you should also doublecheck the nomination guidelines to be sure you're using the correct format.


Nomination queries



  • Yellowjackets: Nominator(s), is there a more specific label you could use for The Team? And can you confirm whether The Wilderness is a character or a form of relationship?
  • Any nominations for the following fandoms: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XII, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Nominator(s), if your tags haven't been approved, please edit to specify whether you mean any group of characters (Any & Any) or Solo: Any. If your tags have already been approved, please let us know here, and we can make the change for you to make these either Any & Any or Solo: Any Character.
  • Carrier Wave - Solo: Infected (Carrier Wave): Nominator(s), is this Any Infected Character, or is it a group nomination?
  • Left 4 Dead - Solo: Special Infected (Left 4 Dead): Nominator(s), is this Any Special Infected Infected Character, or is it a group nomination?
  • Are You Afraid of the Dark? - Solo: Monster of the Week: Nominator, just to check, is this Any Monster of the Week, or is there a specific character known as Monster of the Week?
  • Five Nights at Freddy's - Solo: Possessed Animatronics: Nominator, do you want this as a group relationship tag or a solo character nom for Any Possessed Animatronic?

Photo cross-post

May. 18th, 2026 02:05 pm[personal profile] andrewducker
andrewducker: (Default)


Bath time is going as well as can be expected.
Original is here on Pixelfed.scot.

Music Monday - D

May. 18th, 2026 07:50 pm[personal profile] badly_knitted
badly_knitted: (B & W 9)
 
And so I continue my music selections, even though as expected, I'm just picking them for myself at this point.

Starting this one with one of my favourite Oak Ridge Boys tracks. Richard Sterban's delicious bass tones take the lead for this one. What a voice!



One of the best of the current bands, this was the first track by Midland I ever heard, and I still love it.



The Judds' harmonies have always been beautiful.



Probably my favourite by Mary Chapin Carpenter. A great one to dance to.



K.T. Oslin was always underrated



Whatever happened to Travis Tritt? Here's 2 minutes of song ending with 4 minutes of what sounds like the most fun a bunch of great musicians can have.



Does anyone other than me remember Steve Young? This one's from the first of his albums I bought.



And a little Chet Atkins to finish with. I so wanted to play guitar like Chet, but I'm all thumbs.




Birdfeeding

May. 18th, 2026 01:49 pm[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
Today is cloudy, mild, and wet. It has varied between light rain, pouring rain, and "the air is water" outside. We need the rain, though.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen any.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder, and a few small birds.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 5/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

It's still drizzling on and off.

I am done for the night.
ysabetwordsmith: Jump gate showing diamond ring of light (blueshift)
This poem came out of the May 2026 [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] siliconshaman. It also fills the "wait" square in my 5-1-26 card for the Greek Myth Fest bingo. This poem belongs to the Blueshift Troupers series.

Read more... )

painful joints today.

May. 18th, 2026 10:58 am[personal profile] serafaery
serafaery: (Default)
Packing up to head out, got Ta's package together and ready to mail, cooked all the foods, getting dressed and packed now.

Just wanted to vent for a moment, that omg my hands hurt. :(

The arthritis in my hands has not been quite as bad lately, but suddenly in the last three or so days it's been really extra painful.

I'm guessing this is due to increased activity. Since I've been less depressed, I've been doing a ton of cleaning, I've been biking and doing yard work and more silks, just a lot more activity with my hands.

I feel like turning 50 was so, so painful because I hit a place where I realized the pain I was experiencing in my feet and hands and back (and to a lesser extent, hips and shoulders and knees) is untreatable and permanent, and the best I can hope for is to not make it worse too fast.

And I was kind of hoping that by now I would have found some sense of stability and acceptance with it.

But I am still grieving, and still learning to live with sudden increases in pain.

(I am also headachy today, not a good feeling when trying to celebrate anything.)

I used to absolutely adore birthdays, and I am so grateful that so much of my life was spent enjoying them.

Now they are just, markers of new levels of pain.

It's okay, it's that whole "over the hill" feeling, what was best is in the past, and of course I have things to look forward to, but it won't be the same, especially physically.

I keep thinking about my grandfather's crippled hands and cringing. I only learned while typing up my grandmother's book that it was caused by arthritis. I had always assumed - because my family had so much shame around talking about anything sensitive, so we never talked about anything important or meaningful that had any chance of being at all painful or embarrassing - he was in some sort of horrible accident, related to the inorganic chemistry jobs he had during the war. (He held 11 patents in his time as an inorganic chemist.)

There's no way for me to know if I will end up like him or not, but days like this are extra scary.

I have to take all of the art out of the back of my car before I go pick up Tyler and I am dreading it a bit. Maybe Joshster can help me.

sigh.

And the pain just reminds me of all the things I've lost (ice skating, rock climbing, running, partner dancing) that were so important to me, and all the things I am bound to lose at some point that make life worth living (aerial silks, hiking, my work), and it's hard to feel anything other than sad and afraid.

Music Monday

May. 18th, 2026 10:36 am[personal profile] muccamukk
muccamukk: The PresAux team hug Murderbot, who looks confused. (Murderbot: -hugs-)
G Flip & The Beaches: Lez Go! (Live)

I already posted the lyric video for this, but it's even more fucking wholesome live. It really shows off Jordan's voice; she and G Flip sound amazing together.
ysabetwordsmith: Damask smiling over their shoulder (polychrome)
This week, the poetry of Polychrome Heroics is on sale for half price from Monday, May 18 through Sunday, May 24. This series is superhero fantasy. It features themes of heroism, coming of age, diversity, identity kink, family of choice, friendship, and cultural engineering. Sale prices range from $5 to $319, so hopefully there will be something for everyone.

Prices on open epics are locked at the time of opening; however, if anyone wants to donate to open epics and buy poetry, spending $100 will get you the quarter-price rate on the new poems, regardless of the rate on the open epic(s) you support. There are no open epics at present, so you may open one if you wish.

We are repeating the special discount for purchases of $100 or more, in which you get poetry at 25% of its original price instead of 50%. (Note that this increases the amount of poetry you get, rather than reducing the amount of money spent; the point is to get this stuff off of my desk. Yes, I can afford it.) That size of donation also makes you a k-fan which comes with some other perks, like a year-end collection of a poetic series. If several folks want to bundle their orders to make the $100 threshold and have one person send it all, that's okay; you'll get the discount and I'll list all your names as donors, but you'll have to decide amongst you who gets the k-fan credit. If you host a pool, please close it the day before the sale closes, so you have time to collect funds and turn them in on time.

Some of the poems are in sequence of related action, so in places there are prerequisites before a poem can be published. They can be sponsored at any time, just might have to wait for publication until something else gets posted first. Those are marked accordingly. I have also made lists of poems which unlock sequels, and poems which have prerequisites.

Linkback perk: The following poems have verses left to reveal. Boost the signal for this half-price sale and tell me which poem you want to extend.
"A Sense of Weather Changes"
"The Loving Embrace of Night"
"Generations of Cooks Past"
"Homefree and Clear "
"One Bite at a Time"
"Mishpocha"
"Changing Your Nature"
"Besa"





About characters and storylines: The storylines feature multiple characters, so if you want poems about ONE specific character, look closely. The thumbnail descriptions here give some indication who features in each poem. The storyline pages are adding precise, complete information about which characters appear in each poem. If you need more than what's already visible, you can ask me.

About timing: If you want maximum choice, shop early. We usually send a batch of things to my father near the end of a sale, and those poems will be posted as I have time.

About pools: Yes, you can combine your funds with other prompters to get the quarter-price rate. Yes, you can combine your funds with other prompters to buy a bigger poem. Yes, you can offer to match donations by other people. However, the wordsmith is not also a math whiz! After several attempts to find a way that I can work with pools and matches, I have concluded that this is over my head. (I did figure out how to avoid generating fractional pennies, though: all initial prices are now whole dollars, which means they cut evenly into halves and quarters.) So if you want to host a pool or a match, make a post for that in your blog or other venue, then comment here with what you're doing and include a link to wherever the discussion will be. You figure out the poems, you collect the funds, and when stuff is fully funded, you send me the money and the list of what it's for. Then I'll post the goodies. Please close the pool in time to collect donations by the end of the sale, so I can start posting pool poems no later than the day after the sale.

Before placing your order, please check this sale page to see what is still unsold! I will try to update the page as things sell, and it's likely to be the case that some poems will be marked SOLD before appearing in posts. People often buy things in batches, which means that selling gets ahead of posting. Also sometimes people ask for the same thing at the same time, so that not all overlaps are preventable. If you have alternate instructions in case you request something that has just sold, please include that in your message; otherwise I'll email you back and ask what you want to do.


Poems that unlock sequels: "Your Emotional Abilities"

Poems that have prerequisites: "A Beautiful Paradox"





FOR SALE
18 poems, $3,322 ÷ 2 = $1,661
prices from $5 to $319



BROKEN ANGELS (2 poems, was $323, sale price $161.50

"A Proper Community Is a Commonwealth"
Story Date: Mid-February, 2016
Summary: Boss Blaster watches Pressnall Pocket Neighborhood go from a site plan to a community with new residents.
329 lines, was $165, sale price $82.50

"Play Off the Energy of the Crowd"
Story Date: Saturday, June 18, 2016
Summary: Shiv takes up Boss Blaster's offer to treat him at the food trucks.
316 lines, was $158, sale price $79


KRAKEN (3 poems, was $154, sale price $77)

"The Frequent Passage from Hand to Hand"
Story Date: April 2002
Summary: Kraken appreciates BookCrossing.
56 lines, was $20, sale price $10

"Filled with Things You Don't Know"
Story Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Summary: Marjane works on library decor and gets a new assistant.
98 lines, was $49, sale price $24.50

"Lágrimas da Floresta Tropical"
Story Date: Monday, November 17, 2014
Summary: Pinion and Camberhawk team up with Kayapó forest guardians to stop a logging incursion.
170 lines, was $85, sale price $42.50


RUTLEDGE (5 poems, was $867, sale price $433.50)

"Nothing Like Looking"
Story Date: Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Summary: Aria visits Rutledge as part of Many Paths Up the Mountain.
466 lines, was $233, sale price $116.50

"Your Emotional Abilities"
Story Date: Saturday, May 30, 2015
Summary: Amethyst gives Johan some ideas about accommodations that might help cope with his current challenges.
366 lines, was $183, sale price $91.50

"Shag Carpet Cuddles"
Story Date: June 2015
Summary: The Vermont Shag Carpet Cats love snuggling with people.
19 lines, was $10, sale price $5

"A Beautiful Paradox"
Story Date: Friday, June 5, 2015
Summary: Johan loses his temper
259 lines, was $130, sale price $65
Available for posting after "Your Emotional Abilities" has been sponsored and published.

"Learning New Skills"
Story Date: Sunday, June 12, 2016
Summary: Wrenley Immen teaches her new neighbor about gardening.
311 lines, was $311, sale price $155.50
Double price for research.


OTHER POLYCHROME POEMS (8 poems, was $1978, sale price $989)

"The Four Marks of True Repentance"
Story Date: Monday, August 13, 2013
Summary: Three former child soldiers move to America.
953 lines, was $477, sale price $238.50

"When Everyone Around You Has Theirs Bowed"
Story Date: Sunday, April 6, 2014
Summary: Therapy for men's genital injury tends to focus on loss, but Marvis Willing knows the proud history of eunuchs.
304 lines, was $152, sale price $76

"Let's Go on This Journey Together"
Story Date: Monday, September 29, 2014
Summary: After breaking his arm, Linus gets a lot of support from his friends.
638 lines, was $638, sale price $319
Double price for research.

"Hear a Thousand Stars Singing"
Story Date: Night of Sunday, October 25, 2015
Summary: Fascinated by the idea of becoming a robonaut, Quain takes up stargazing.
28 lines, was $15, sale price $7.50

"Far Stronger Links"
Story Date: Friday, September 4, 2015
Summary: A coworker's loss inspires support at work.
515 lines, was $258, sale price $129

"Aim a Little Above It"
Nagi deals with a young man who tries to rob her.
260 lines, was $130, sale price $65

"Formidable Tasks of Adaptation"
Story Date: Sunday, March 20, 2016
Summary: Denim has had enough of her parents' shit.
359 lines, was $180, sale price $90

"Upholding It, Wherever Found"
Story Date: Thursday, November 3, 2016
Summary: Gail Somerville works for Interpol, but feels increasingly uncomfortable with it.
256 lines, was $128, sale price $64

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