i'm grumpy
May. 13th, 2026 09:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dhampyresaNot only did the dreaded lurgy get worse again today, but I still can't read my fucking book. I bought it legally and everything, but nooooooooooooooo fucking DRM
Consensual and non-consensual internet cutoffs
May. 12th, 2026 01:16 pmrachelmanijaI have been offline more than usual lately because the internet is off at my house and I've been unable to reach anyone who is not an AI, which went about as well and efficiently as you can imagine. The AI has decided that I need a new router and is mailing it to me with instructions for how to install it myself, because God forbid a human be involved. If that doesn't work, who knows what the next step is. I am beginning to suspect the only humans at the company are the CEOs and shareholders.
Meanwhile, I decided that I am spending way too much time doomscrolling, both intentionally and non-consensually. Not only is everything horrible right now, but the minute you get online you're personally informed of every horrible thing that happened anywhere, big or small or in between. Did some random dude murder his entire family anywhere in the world? You'll be informed of it, complete with heartbreaking photos of the dead kids. Did a child commit suicide anywhere in the world? You'll hear about that too, also complete with the awful story and heartbreaking photos! And that's not even getting into politics and the upcoming end of the world. I don't think humans are mentally equipped to live like that.
So I installed ScreenZen on my phone. It's one of many apps that will block both apps and entire websites. (Sadly it does not have the ability to block words.) I blocked everything I doomscroll on. I highly recommend this! I still get the news, as 1) I get a news digest emailed to me daily, 2) people will tell me the news in person whether I consent or not, but at least I'm not constantly marinating in global misery that I can't do anything about. Also, I now have more time to be useful in ways that are actually possible.
The result is that I have read so many more books than usual. I am completely behind on reviewing, also as usual, but with more books involved now. Perhaps I will post a poll.
Meanwhile, I decided that I am spending way too much time doomscrolling, both intentionally and non-consensually. Not only is everything horrible right now, but the minute you get online you're personally informed of every horrible thing that happened anywhere, big or small or in between. Did some random dude murder his entire family anywhere in the world? You'll be informed of it, complete with heartbreaking photos of the dead kids. Did a child commit suicide anywhere in the world? You'll hear about that too, also complete with the awful story and heartbreaking photos! And that's not even getting into politics and the upcoming end of the world. I don't think humans are mentally equipped to live like that.
So I installed ScreenZen on my phone. It's one of many apps that will block both apps and entire websites. (Sadly it does not have the ability to block words.) I blocked everything I doomscroll on. I highly recommend this! I still get the news, as 1) I get a news digest emailed to me daily, 2) people will tell me the news in person whether I consent or not, but at least I'm not constantly marinating in global misery that I can't do anything about. Also, I now have more time to be useful in ways that are actually possible.
The result is that I have read so many more books than usual. I am completely behind on reviewing, also as usual, but with more books involved now. Perhaps I will post a poll.
But Won't I Miss Me, by Tiffany Tsao
May. 12th, 2026 11:08 amrachelmanija
This novel has one of the most off-the-wall premises I've come across. In a near-future world much like our own, women who get pregnant also conceive a "fetal mother." When they give birth to their baby, they also deliver the fetal mother, then fall into a coma-like sleep. The fetal mother rapidly grows into an identical clone of the original mother, then EATS HER. This process is called rebirth. The new mother has the original mother's memories and personality, but is also endowed with superpowers for the first five years of her child's life: she needs almost no sleep, has super strength and fast reflexes, is filled with energy, and finds all child care and domestic tasks endlessly fascinating and enjoyable. In short, the new mother is the woman that mothers are supposed to be.
The main character, Vivi, is terrified of rebirth, and sees it as death. This view is very stigmatized, but might be more widespread than society lets on. She's reluctant to get pregnant because of it. When she finally does, something goes wrong with her rebirth. She didn't get new mother powers. Instead she slogs along, depressed and alienated, trying to care for her infant while she's still physically impaired from the pregnancy and actually needs sleep. She and her husband end up breaking up over this, and Vivi moves to Australia to live with her uncle, who runs a hobbling business.
Remember I mentioned this is near-future? The world has actually decided to do something about climate change, and so drastically regulated energy consumption. Hobbling is altering old machines to make them low emitters. The low-emissions world is less lavish: planes are rarely used, long-distance calls are brief, and only the very rich have unlimited internet. It's an interesting take on a world whose future seems much brighter than ours, but whose present is more similar to our recent past.
Vivi and her family are Indonesian-Chinese, and their cultures (including Australian) play into the book much as the near-future setting does: it's pervasive and interesting and very specific, which makes a nice grounded base for the incredibly weird rebirth stuff.
But Won't I Miss Me is a weird, fascinating, ambitious book with a weird, fascinating, ambitious premise. Great social commentary and issues of identity. I didn't quite love the ending - it felt like it needed either more setup or more payoff - but the book is still excellent and very original.
What Do You Get The Person Who Only Wants One Thing?
May. 11th, 2026 08:41 pmrionaleonhartSome more Goes Wrong Show questions and answers from Tumblr!
Anonymous: If Robert could magically acquire one superpower, what would he choose? (Alternatively, if you could pick one for him, what would it be?)
Robert: I was offered one superpower of my choice.
Annie: Seriously? Lucky you! What did you choose?
Robert: I went for flight, in the end.
Annie: Oh, wow, flying would be amazing. Have you been flying around a lot, then?
Robert: What? No, of course not. I haven’t had a reason to use it yet.
Annie: Uh, what counts as a reason to use it?
Robert: (rubbing his hands together) Let’s see Chris cast Jonathan as Peter Pan now.
If I could pick one for him, maybe uncontrollable invisibility, because it would be funny. Suddenly turning invisible at random intervals is the last thing Robert wants; he’d promptly seek out ways to make himself impossible to ignore even when he’s invisible. The downside, of course, is that I’d have fewer opportunities to gaze upon his excellent face.
![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
the-red-thread-that-strangles: Would Robert prefer to be a butler or a maid, and how would he do in the role?
Both the butler and the maid are support roles and are therefore unsuited to the lead actor. However, the butler is often the culprit in murder mysteries, and the villain is an acceptable role. Therefore, Robert would prefer to be a butler.
Robert would not be a good butler, with his failures in the role ranging from ‘general clumsiness and speaking inappropriately to guests’ to 'outright attempt to usurp the master of the household’ depending on his mood. He’s good at dramatically welcoming guests to your manor, though, if that’s a task you’d like him to fulfil.
Anonymous: What if Cornley did a play that had so many woman characters that Chris decides it’s time for the guys to dress up? I feel like Max would be twirling his skirt at every possibility. Chris would be very serious about it and look really good. Robert would be very flashy and surprisingly good at moving in high heels. Dennis is so confused that Chris recasts him as the pet dog. Jonathan constantly gets his costume caught in the set.
You’ve got a lot of great suggestions here already! So I’ll mainly focus on how willing the male members of the drama society are to crossdress.
Max: happy to crossdress, thinks it’s funny. Definitely twirls his skirt and has fun strutting around the stage; you’re absolutely correct on that front!
Robert: absolutely happy to crossdress if the role is sufficiently major. Will complain that it’s degrading if he’s crossdressing for a minor role, but he doesn’t have any real objection to dressing up; he’s just using whatever excuse he can find to get a better part. Plays his female role with confidence and commitment, but he has some weird ideas about what constitutes believably female body language, and he refuses to shave his beard.
Jonathan: a little nervous, but willing to give it a try. Of course, in the end, he’s unable to get onto the stage. He sighs deeply. Why was he even worried? He should have known that nobody would actually see him dressed like this.
Dennis: confused and alarmed, assumes he’s made a mistake and picked up the wrong costume somehow. He’ll put on the costume if you manage to convince him it’s the correct one, but he’ll be on edge at all times, expecting Chris to scold him for being in the wrong outfit.
Chris: feels extremely uncomfortable when dressing as a woman, but he’ll do his best to push through it and put on a sincere performance. The look suits him, but his discomfort leads him to move and deliver lines a little awkwardly.
the-red-thread-that-strangles: It's Robert's birthday! No one (aside from Dennis, perhaps) has been able to forget about it, because Robert has been dropping increasingly clear "hints" about when it is and what he wants for the last several rehearsals. What do the other members of the Drama Society get him?
What Robert really wants is an audience for his four-hour one-man show, so that's how everyone is going to be spending the evening of his birthday. Most of the drama society will do other things for him in addition, though!
Dennis asks Robert what he'd like as a present. "I'd like you to learn your lines for our next play, ideally," Robert replies. Dennis tries really, really hard. He doesn't entirely succeed. But he tries really, really, really hard.
Robert insists on scheduling a life coaching session with Vanessa on the day. She tries to turn it down, saying that he shouldn't be working on his birthday; she's surprised, and a little touched, when his response is "Nonsense; I enjoy our sessions." She makes an effort to agree enthusiastically with everything he says during the session, and she gives him a generous tip.
Max gets Robert something that Max finds funny, maybe a novelty mug. Okay, I just went looking for theatre-themed novelty mugs, and I can now say with one hundred percent certainty that Max gets Robert a mug that says 'I AM NOT YELLING; I AM PROJECTING'. Robert interprets the mug as a sincere statement in support of his acting style and is deeply touched.
Jonathan gets Robert some sort of high-quality, practical accessory, like a nice tie or cufflinks.
Sandra initially assumed that just attending Robert's show would be enough of a present. When she sees Jonathan handing over his high-quality gift, though, she starts to feel she should probably have got Robert something else. She throws out the first thing she can think of that doesn't require her to buy anything: "I'll trim your beard for you." Robert seems pleased by the offer, oddly enough, although he backseat drives constantly during the beard trimming.
Trevor is going to be stage managing Robert's show, which he definitely feels is enough of a present, and he refuses to be guilted into doing anything else.
Annie gets tickets for Robert to see a comedic musical with her. They have a good time, although they'll both say afterwards that they felt there was 'something missing' from the production. This is a feeling that all members of the Cornley Drama Society experience when they watch theatre that doesn't go hideously wrong.
Chris gives Robert the lead role in their next play. Robert is ecstatic.
Anonymous: If Robert could magically acquire one superpower, what would he choose? (Alternatively, if you could pick one for him, what would it be?)
Robert: I was offered one superpower of my choice.
Annie: Seriously? Lucky you! What did you choose?
Robert: I went for flight, in the end.
Annie: Oh, wow, flying would be amazing. Have you been flying around a lot, then?
Robert: What? No, of course not. I haven’t had a reason to use it yet.
Annie: Uh, what counts as a reason to use it?
Robert: (rubbing his hands together) Let’s see Chris cast Jonathan as Peter Pan now.
If I could pick one for him, maybe uncontrollable invisibility, because it would be funny. Suddenly turning invisible at random intervals is the last thing Robert wants; he’d promptly seek out ways to make himself impossible to ignore even when he’s invisible. The downside, of course, is that I’d have fewer opportunities to gaze upon his excellent face.
Both the butler and the maid are support roles and are therefore unsuited to the lead actor. However, the butler is often the culprit in murder mysteries, and the villain is an acceptable role. Therefore, Robert would prefer to be a butler.
Robert would not be a good butler, with his failures in the role ranging from ‘general clumsiness and speaking inappropriately to guests’ to 'outright attempt to usurp the master of the household’ depending on his mood. He’s good at dramatically welcoming guests to your manor, though, if that’s a task you’d like him to fulfil.
Anonymous: What if Cornley did a play that had so many woman characters that Chris decides it’s time for the guys to dress up? I feel like Max would be twirling his skirt at every possibility. Chris would be very serious about it and look really good. Robert would be very flashy and surprisingly good at moving in high heels. Dennis is so confused that Chris recasts him as the pet dog. Jonathan constantly gets his costume caught in the set.
You’ve got a lot of great suggestions here already! So I’ll mainly focus on how willing the male members of the drama society are to crossdress.
Max: happy to crossdress, thinks it’s funny. Definitely twirls his skirt and has fun strutting around the stage; you’re absolutely correct on that front!
Robert: absolutely happy to crossdress if the role is sufficiently major. Will complain that it’s degrading if he’s crossdressing for a minor role, but he doesn’t have any real objection to dressing up; he’s just using whatever excuse he can find to get a better part. Plays his female role with confidence and commitment, but he has some weird ideas about what constitutes believably female body language, and he refuses to shave his beard.
Jonathan: a little nervous, but willing to give it a try. Of course, in the end, he’s unable to get onto the stage. He sighs deeply. Why was he even worried? He should have known that nobody would actually see him dressed like this.
Dennis: confused and alarmed, assumes he’s made a mistake and picked up the wrong costume somehow. He’ll put on the costume if you manage to convince him it’s the correct one, but he’ll be on edge at all times, expecting Chris to scold him for being in the wrong outfit.
Chris: feels extremely uncomfortable when dressing as a woman, but he’ll do his best to push through it and put on a sincere performance. The look suits him, but his discomfort leads him to move and deliver lines a little awkwardly.
What Robert really wants is an audience for his four-hour one-man show, so that's how everyone is going to be spending the evening of his birthday. Most of the drama society will do other things for him in addition, though!
Dennis asks Robert what he'd like as a present. "I'd like you to learn your lines for our next play, ideally," Robert replies. Dennis tries really, really hard. He doesn't entirely succeed. But he tries really, really, really hard.
Robert insists on scheduling a life coaching session with Vanessa on the day. She tries to turn it down, saying that he shouldn't be working on his birthday; she's surprised, and a little touched, when his response is "Nonsense; I enjoy our sessions." She makes an effort to agree enthusiastically with everything he says during the session, and she gives him a generous tip.
Max gets Robert something that Max finds funny, maybe a novelty mug. Okay, I just went looking for theatre-themed novelty mugs, and I can now say with one hundred percent certainty that Max gets Robert a mug that says 'I AM NOT YELLING; I AM PROJECTING'. Robert interprets the mug as a sincere statement in support of his acting style and is deeply touched.
Jonathan gets Robert some sort of high-quality, practical accessory, like a nice tie or cufflinks.
Sandra initially assumed that just attending Robert's show would be enough of a present. When she sees Jonathan handing over his high-quality gift, though, she starts to feel she should probably have got Robert something else. She throws out the first thing she can think of that doesn't require her to buy anything: "I'll trim your beard for you." Robert seems pleased by the offer, oddly enough, although he backseat drives constantly during the beard trimming.
Trevor is going to be stage managing Robert's show, which he definitely feels is enough of a present, and he refuses to be guilted into doing anything else.
Annie gets tickets for Robert to see a comedic musical with her. They have a good time, although they'll both say afterwards that they felt there was 'something missing' from the production. This is a feeling that all members of the Cornley Drama Society experience when they watch theatre that doesn't go hideously wrong.
Chris gives Robert the lead role in their next play. Robert is ecstatic.
Last week's media, a bit belatedly
May. 11th, 2026 03:29 pmumadoshiReading: I had a pretty good reading week--I read both Role Model and The Long Game, so I'm caught up on the Game Changers books until whenever the new one comes out, and read Platform Decay once my hard copy finally arrived on Friday night. (Tracking info put it in the city by last Sunday and it got delivered around 8 PM on Friday. WTF.)
I also read The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope.
And tomorrow All Hail Chaos (Sarah Rees Brennan, sequel to Long Live Evil) comes out! So that'll be my next read. (I'm going to get it in hard copy and also in ebook, and doing so will only cost a few dollars more than buying Platform Decay did in hard copy alone. Fucking book pricing.)
I also need to browse my manga collection and decide what to read next from it.
Watching: A few more episodes of Justice in the Dark, and we also watched ep. 1 of Witch Hat Atelier. (I read a volume or two of the manga quite a while ago, and remember essentially nothing about it.)
I also read The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope.
And tomorrow All Hail Chaos (Sarah Rees Brennan, sequel to Long Live Evil) comes out! So that'll be my next read. (I'm going to get it in hard copy and also in ebook, and doing so will only cost a few dollars more than buying Platform Decay did in hard copy alone. Fucking book pricing.)
I also need to browse my manga collection and decide what to read next from it.
Watching: A few more episodes of Justice in the Dark, and we also watched ep. 1 of Witch Hat Atelier. (I read a volume or two of the manga quite a while ago, and remember essentially nothing about it.)
Bare-minimum weekly proof of life
May. 10th, 2026 07:40 pmumadoshiThis is not a media-intake post, because my list of last week's media is upstairs on my computer and I'm on the sofa finally trying out the very small folding bluetooth keyboard I bought ages ago to maybe make typing on my phone a bit easier.
But hey, I live.
But hey, I live.
Fanfiction: Twice Shy (The Goes Wrong Show, Chris/Robert)
May. 10th, 2026 06:24 pmrionaleonhartI've been struggling with writer's block for the past couple of weeks, but I'm delighted to report that I am back on my bullshit.
Title: Twice Shy
Fandom: The Goes Wrong Show
Rating: 14
Pairing: Robert/Chris
Wordcount: 3,900
Summary: “Ah,” Robert says. “I may have left out a crucial detail. You do know I’m a vampire, don’t you?”
( Twice Shy )
Title: Twice Shy
Fandom: The Goes Wrong Show
Rating: 14
Pairing: Robert/Chris
Wordcount: 3,900
Summary: “Ah,” Robert says. “I may have left out a crucial detail. You do know I’m a vampire, don’t you?”
( Twice Shy )
salt over my skin.
May. 10th, 2026 02:23 pmgoodbyebird+ 🗣️ New Aldous Harding album. I repeat: new Aldous Harding album.
+ Retreated to my bedroom for a quiet space to finally get a post out. Brough my holiday incense leftovers and now everything smells amazing. There's just nothing else that smells this good to me.
+ Finally did one voluntary social call since coming home. Met my good friend K, the one I didn't get around to last free trip. It's always such a lovely time. Miracles of miracles, it was actually sunny and warm that day. (we've had two full days with white on the ground. This morning greeted me with a hail storm. ~MAY~)
We may be meeting up next week so I can finally see her new house. There's a bunch of springy lambs visible from her window!
+ Friend J got a new Guinea pig and is sending me all sorts of cute pictures and videos 🥰
+ Redid the pin badge banner on my bedroom door, for more springy vibes. ( Wish I had more floral pins, but I feel nicely covered when it comes to work and life vibes. )
+ The online store with the biggest selection of tarot decks and books announced they were shutting down, so whups there goes another shopping spree. I really did want to put a whole lot more time into my new decks first, but that's how it goes. I'll finally have my hands on the supremely queer and joyful Supernova Tarot though!! Absolute delight in a box, cannot wait.As well as Kate Forsyth's Plant Oracle. I'm just really craving florals and animals lately. But mostly it was new books, including a year long work book. So that'll be interesting to tackle. Structure would do me good.
+ I've officially sent in my resignation at work. Wish I could roll around in relief, but of course all I'm feeling is overwhelmed and stressed about having to find something new. Still better than the toxic soup I was drowning in.
Turned to my tarot for a small soothing work reading.
Ah yes, 8 of Swords, my second in line stalker card. Confronting inner barriers, awareness of self-limiting beliefs, a shift of perspective for potential liberation. And Death, the end of one phase and the beginning of another. Embracing inevitable changes. As the foundation I pulled The Hierophant: spiritual wisdom, tradition, embodying guidance and mentorship.
The next couple of days I did three one card pulls, and well, let's just say [it's the same picture dot jpeg].
small
a seed already has the energy to begin
and then takes time in the dark underground,
supported and nourished by the soil, the matrix.
to have a foundation, to root.
•
Peppermint can dispel the mental chatter that prevents us from being present. They can allow our minds to be cool and clear. Peppermint offers perspective on how we see ourselves and how we engage with the world, showing us a way through the many layers of selves around which we build stories.
Peppermint is an excellent ally for transition.
•
No amount of clarity or visualization is possible without distancing oneself from the noise of the world. It can be challenging to take ourselves out of the flood of distractions we deal with minute by minute.
Seek out a place of stillness to hear what you need; time to meditate.
All in all a clear message. To honor it, after I'm done here I'll be brewing myself a cup of peppermint tea and tidying a bit, followed by a bath using a small Aromatgerapy Associates bottle I know contains peppermint. Then hop in bed with the window open to feel the breeze and do a body scan meditation (extremely likely to be followed by a nap heh). Bonus, this matches up perfectly with the exercise for my current Embodied Ecosystems Tarot task.
+ Now, you'd think I was done playing with my cards? lol nope. I just recently received The Intuitive Goddess Tarot, and decided to do their seven card chakra spread. ( Sparing you all my card blather. )
+ We're still open for offerings and requests at 3W4DW Tarot Reading, for anybody who's been thinking about joining in.
+ If you've ever wanted to give paid time a try on Dreamwidth, or would just like to top up your account, please do put your name in the hat. Multiple donors have signed on, we'd just like you to get something nice while supporting Dreamwidth ❤️
+ Tonight I'll play some more with the Star Wars Icon Pass It On. Stop by and drop some images for us to play with and make some shiny icons ✨
+ Retreated to my bedroom for a quiet space to finally get a post out. Brough my holiday incense leftovers and now everything smells amazing. There's just nothing else that smells this good to me.
+ Finally did one voluntary social call since coming home. Met my good friend K, the one I didn't get around to last free trip. It's always such a lovely time. Miracles of miracles, it was actually sunny and warm that day. (we've had two full days with white on the ground. This morning greeted me with a hail storm. ~MAY~)
We may be meeting up next week so I can finally see her new house. There's a bunch of springy lambs visible from her window!
+ Friend J got a new Guinea pig and is sending me all sorts of cute pictures and videos 🥰
+ Redid the pin badge banner on my bedroom door, for more springy vibes. ( Wish I had more floral pins, but I feel nicely covered when it comes to work and life vibes. )
+ The online store with the biggest selection of tarot decks and books announced they were shutting down, so whups there goes another shopping spree. I really did want to put a whole lot more time into my new decks first, but that's how it goes. I'll finally have my hands on the supremely queer and joyful Supernova Tarot though!! Absolute delight in a box, cannot wait.As well as Kate Forsyth's Plant Oracle. I'm just really craving florals and animals lately. But mostly it was new books, including a year long work book. So that'll be interesting to tackle. Structure would do me good.
+ I've officially sent in my resignation at work. Wish I could roll around in relief, but of course all I'm feeling is overwhelmed and stressed about having to find something new. Still better than the toxic soup I was drowning in.
Turned to my tarot for a small soothing work reading.
Ah yes, 8 of Swords, my second in line stalker card. Confronting inner barriers, awareness of self-limiting beliefs, a shift of perspective for potential liberation. And Death, the end of one phase and the beginning of another. Embracing inevitable changes. As the foundation I pulled The Hierophant: spiritual wisdom, tradition, embodying guidance and mentorship.
The next couple of days I did three one card pulls, and well, let's just say [it's the same picture dot jpeg].
small
a seed already has the energy to begin
and then takes time in the dark underground,
supported and nourished by the soil, the matrix.
to have a foundation, to root.
•
Peppermint can dispel the mental chatter that prevents us from being present. They can allow our minds to be cool and clear. Peppermint offers perspective on how we see ourselves and how we engage with the world, showing us a way through the many layers of selves around which we build stories.
Peppermint is an excellent ally for transition.
•
No amount of clarity or visualization is possible without distancing oneself from the noise of the world. It can be challenging to take ourselves out of the flood of distractions we deal with minute by minute.
Seek out a place of stillness to hear what you need; time to meditate.
All in all a clear message. To honor it, after I'm done here I'll be brewing myself a cup of peppermint tea and tidying a bit, followed by a bath using a small Aromatgerapy Associates bottle I know contains peppermint. Then hop in bed with the window open to feel the breeze and do a body scan meditation (extremely likely to be followed by a nap heh). Bonus, this matches up perfectly with the exercise for my current Embodied Ecosystems Tarot task.
+ Now, you'd think I was done playing with my cards? lol nope. I just recently received The Intuitive Goddess Tarot, and decided to do their seven card chakra spread. ( Sparing you all my card blather. )
+ We're still open for offerings and requests at 3W4DW Tarot Reading, for anybody who's been thinking about joining in.
+ If you've ever wanted to give paid time a try on Dreamwidth, or would just like to top up your account, please do put your name in the hat. Multiple donors have signed on, we'd just like you to get something nice while supporting Dreamwidth ❤️
+ Tonight I'll play some more with the Star Wars Icon Pass It On. Stop by and drop some images for us to play with and make some shiny icons ✨
In which our heroine has trivial thoughts about Bonaparte (no, not that Bonaparte)
May. 10th, 2026 02:04 pmspiralsheepI can't decide which Caroline Bonaparte Murat is more of a mood:
her self-portrait as grieving Greek nymph widow with tits out for the lads;
or her mourning portrait as camorra crime-boss signing off a hit on her enemies... presumably by having them thrown into Mount Vesuvius.
And, yes, if it wasn't for his politics then one might suspect her (late) husband Joachim Murat was actually well-known physicist and Queen guitarist Brian May after having invested his fortune in constructing a time machine and travelling back to support Napoleon and become King of Naples.
Random Caroline Bonaparte fact, because three things make a post: she chose to employ a Welshwoman, Catherine Davies, (and her companion Mrs Pulsford) as third (under) governess for her children. Davies later published her memoir Eleven Years' Residence in the Family of Murat, King of Naples with a foreword by Achille Murat who was one of her previous governees.
her self-portrait as grieving Greek nymph widow with tits out for the lads;
or her mourning portrait as camorra crime-boss signing off a hit on her enemies... presumably by having them thrown into Mount Vesuvius.
And, yes, if it wasn't for his politics then one might suspect her (late) husband Joachim Murat was actually well-known physicist and Queen guitarist Brian May after having invested his fortune in constructing a time machine and travelling back to support Napoleon and become King of Naples.
Random Caroline Bonaparte fact, because three things make a post: she chose to employ a Welshwoman, Catherine Davies, (and her companion Mrs Pulsford) as third (under) governess for her children. Davies later published her memoir Eleven Years' Residence in the Family of Murat, King of Naples with a foreword by Achille Murat who was one of her previous governees.
What I Read in April 2026
May. 9th, 2026 10:23 pmtabacoychanel
Shen Tao, The Poet Empress (2025) This debut is not fucking around. You’re either going to cry ugly tears or peace out from boredom (I did both; I have a trick where if a book isn’t grabbing me I read the end first). Let’s start with the stellar cover design which blares: NOT ROMANTASY. It’s “village girl implausibly rises to the rank of empress” but it’s the very furthest thing from a romance. It’s a remorseless road paved with cruelty and torture, but the kind of bleak where you can see the flowers growing in the cracks of the cement iykwim? The most similar thing I’ve read is Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Avatar, which is much more wide-ranging in its concerns, but the core question is still “how to get close to an IRREDEEMABLE MONSTER in order to learn & exploit his greatest weakness?” I enjoyed The Poet Empress well enough but what made it stand out for me was it’ssteeped in Chineseness. By the time I closed the covers I could smell the plum wine and the sandalwood.
Ilona Andrews, This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (2026)(Maggie the Undying #1) How in the blue blazes is Ilona Andrews so insanely good at fight scenes?? I’m thinking specifically about the red-hot haze of berserker rage, which we see in the Kate Daniels series and we see it again here, and there is not an extraneous comma. Ordinary girl gets reincarnated into her favorite epic fantasy series?! Sign me the fuck up. Soooo I wanted this book to have me a in a chokehold, and it only did that in a few places. Bc it’s Ilona Andrews the worldbuilding is ofc super involved, but in a way that detracted from the immersive experience of reading it. My brain was overheating from unraveling the (overly intricate) plot. I was hooked from the moment I met the invincible swordsman, and then I kept running into roadblocks that sapped my interest. Betimes all the descriptions of minor characters’ eye colors made me feel like I was wandering through a video game.
It was an enormously pleasurable romp. No complaints about the central romance—I found it more compelling than the Kate Daniels romance—and I was charmed to revisit Andrews’ favorite hobbyhorses: Our heroine inhabits a highly inhospitable world? Check. Our heroine’s internal conflict is between independence and genuine romantic connection? Check. Our entrepreneurial heroine starts a small business (she sells scented soap) in a fantasy setting? Check. Our heroine, via her leadership qualities, accrues a retinue of dependents and/or children? Check. The found family/crew of misfits aspect was stronger here than in Sarah Rees Brennan’s “Time of Iron” series, which is the other recent isekai portal fantasy that it’s been garnering comps to.
Sarah Rees Brennan, All Hail Chaos (2026)(Time of Iron #2) Nobody does Attack Dog Boyfriend like Sarah Rees Brennan does Attack Dog Boyfriend. The two iterations in this book, Chaotic Evil (Key) and Lawful Good (Marius), both had me frothing at the mouth. The idea of abdicating your own judgment in favor of your beloved’s and declaring “I don’t have a moral compass, I just do what they tell me” is inordinately hot and also deranged. 10/10 I had a blast.
Brennan is as usual both heartfelt and gleefully silly. Rae’s POV was admittedly tiresome—just because you act like a Rich Bitch for isekai reasons does not make your behavior less reprehensible. I wanted to reach through the page and shake some sense into her. Rae continues to double down on her strategy of “fixing” everyone’s lives instead of, idk, showing some real vulnerability to the man she loves. Rae and Key have this in common, they think of themselves as disposable as far as the world is concerned. That cliffhanger! I’m on tenterhooks for Book 3.
Rachel Gillig, The Knight and the Moth (Stonewater Kingdom #1)(2025) Like going to a RenFaire stoned out of your mind. There’s a lot of romantasy being published these days and most of it is utter tripe, but this one is actually doing something. Unfortunately the thing it is doing outwore its welcome with me about halfway. I don’t regret reading it but had to stop and ask: Am I reading this in good faith? Or am I stockpiling ammunition against my sister?
My sister once attempted to summarize for me the plot of Rachel Gillig’s wildly successful One Dark Window. I wound up more confused than I was going in. My sister tends to have that effect. She counts Gillig among her faves so I felt a professional obligation to finish it so I could have a holistic impression of her taste and give her better book recs, but this book was slow to hook me. She meets the love interest—hates the insufferable git on sight, naturally. Antagonism ripens into attraction as he goes about defending her honor all unasked, yawnnn. My brain kept asking questions like “why is there no stigma against extramarital sex in a medieval setting?” which is a sure sign that I was not invested in what was happening. I will not be reading the sequel. Instead I will continue to publicly roast my sister.
idk how to title this
May. 9th, 2026 10:35 pmdhampyresaI have been dragging this stupid coughing sickness for forever. Feel even more useless than usual.
Spent today watching a bunch of Archaeology with Flint Dibble videos. Which lead me to encountering, in Debunking the Fake Historian Taking Over the Internet: Professor Jiang's Predictive History, the conspiracy theory that Hannibal Barca never existed (from the guy being debunked -- who also is fractally wrong aboutso many things omg "Why didn't [Hannibal] go back to Carthage and claim the kingship" because Carthage didn't have kings??????? they had suffetes and Hannibal did in fact become suffete, during which tenure he led several massive reforms, including ones that made Carthage less oligarchic).
I need to reclassify my entire ao3 account as "Fake Person Fiction", I guess.
Spent today watching a bunch of Archaeology with Flint Dibble videos. Which lead me to encountering, in Debunking the Fake Historian Taking Over the Internet: Professor Jiang's Predictive History, the conspiracy theory that Hannibal Barca never existed (from the guy being debunked -- who also is fractally wrong aboutso many things omg "Why didn't [Hannibal] go back to Carthage and claim the kingship" because Carthage didn't have kings??????? they had suffetes and Hannibal did in fact become suffete, during which tenure he led several massive reforms, including ones that made Carthage less oligarchic).
I need to reclassify my entire ao3 account as "Fake Person Fiction", I guess.
(no subject)
May. 9th, 2026 03:46 pmsummerstormThis week has been exhausting. Not because of anything active, but because of the way I've woken up every day. If it wasn't Ciri yowling, it was my sister talking loudly in the hallway at 10 am (which she'd give me hell for) and today it was Gorgug dry heaving on the floor. I almost went back to sleep yesterday, and today I did actually curl back up under the covers, though I never dozed again. I've been doing the bare minimum, which in fairness is more than my bare minimum was months ago, let alone years ago, but I would like to vacuum and mop my room, and I would like to have the strength to make coffee every day instead of resorting to energy drinks.
I've had zero games because the one consistent one, our DM is currently traveling, and I'm glad it's worked out this way, because the last time this happened I had to cancel on them, and I pride myself on being extremely reliable in this one aspect of my life.
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Edit: I'd been meaning to look up how you're supposed to drink soju, because I could not remember the one time I had it at a Korean BBQ restaurant (in Prague), and it turns out I've been using the right glass this whole time, purely by accident, because I found it on the dryer rack two weeks ago and was like, what the fuck, who used my shot glass (that I have never used myself nor seen in four years)? Turns out my mom used it to try to sprout a lettuce? I've also been sticking to (kind of) drinking with friends, because it's a fantastic boost for ttrpgs with no negative side effects because it's so little. I'm pretty happy with this whole thing. (I do not "shoot the first glass." I sip from one (1) glass and then move on to kombucha or an energy drink. Because sobriety is important to me.)
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Anyway, other than that, Hades 2 has eaten my life. It came out for PS5 at some point late last month, and I got it on April 27, because a friend gave me the money and because it's one of those indie games that's not eighty (80) whole ass bucks for years before it goes on sale. I was very overwhelmed at first, but learned quickly, and three days in, I put it on God Mode for no good reason and I've been coasting since. ( Rambling. )
I've had zero games because the one consistent one, our DM is currently traveling, and I'm glad it's worked out this way, because the last time this happened I had to cancel on them, and I pride myself on being extremely reliable in this one aspect of my life.
-
Edit: I'd been meaning to look up how you're supposed to drink soju, because I could not remember the one time I had it at a Korean BBQ restaurant (in Prague), and it turns out I've been using the right glass this whole time, purely by accident, because I found it on the dryer rack two weeks ago and was like, what the fuck, who used my shot glass (that I have never used myself nor seen in four years)? Turns out my mom used it to try to sprout a lettuce? I've also been sticking to (kind of) drinking with friends, because it's a fantastic boost for ttrpgs with no negative side effects because it's so little. I'm pretty happy with this whole thing. (I do not "shoot the first glass." I sip from one (1) glass and then move on to kombucha or an energy drink. Because sobriety is important to me.)
-
Anyway, other than that, Hades 2 has eaten my life. It came out for PS5 at some point late last month, and I got it on April 27, because a friend gave me the money and because it's one of those indie games that's not eighty (80) whole ass bucks for years before it goes on sale. I was very overwhelmed at first, but learned quickly, and three days in, I put it on God Mode for no good reason and I've been coasting since. ( Rambling. )
Star Wars Icon Praise
May. 9th, 2026 01:20 pmgoodbyebird( Very belated SW icons recs/praise for May 4th, but hey, SO MANY PRETTIES. You should take a look, trust. )
Some of these iconners and their pages are lost to the sands of time, but many are still right here on Dreamwidth, and there's loads more icons to choose from. Very much recommend stopping by their communities and digging through their posts, and remember: if you snag an icon, let them know ❤️
Btw the Star Wars Icon Pass It On will run throughout the weekend, come join in! icons for all your space faves :D
Some of these iconners and their pages are lost to the sands of time, but many are still right here on Dreamwidth, and there's loads more icons to choose from. Very much recommend stopping by their communities and digging through their posts, and remember: if you snag an icon, let them know ❤️
Btw the Star Wars Icon Pass It On will run throughout the weekend, come join in! icons for all your space faves :D
some horror fic recs
May. 8th, 2026 09:47 pmsnickficI've had these saved for two years. 🙈 They're good ones though, I promise!
Welcome Home by![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
tuesday, Anaconda (Movies), Terri & Sarone, 1.5k. In the aftermath of their escape, Terri is haunted by dreams. I love the slow creep of weird shit getting weirder and weirder, starting with the dreams of Sarone and the friendly snakes. There's this kind of delicious ambiguity around what exactly is happening to her, but I really like that, that it's this complex tangle of effects that can't be broken down into nice simple strands.
Rabbit Heart bytangentti, The Descent, Sarah & Juno, 5k. Instead of going caving, the group goes hiking in a Norwegian forest, or, a Ritual AU. I had never noticed how similar the setups are, but Sarah and Juno and the crew fit right in where the guys were in The Ritual. Both groups even fight a monster!The uncanny forest with its Loki and its ancient worshippers is ultimately just as hostile as the cave system, even if somewhat less claustrophobic.
remote by the sea byfullborn, Apostle (2018), Malcolm & Thomas, 900 words. The Prophet witnesses his God. The island grows. I love these two very different perspectives on what Thomas has become. It feels like Malcolm hasn't changed in the least, hasn't learned anything, is just projecting all his spiritual need onto a new object now. And then that POV flip to Thomas is SO good.
How Does Your Garden Grow byscioscribe, Miss Marple - Agatha Christie, Jane Marple, 3k. Miss Marple knew all about gardens. The art of growing things—all manner of things—was ancient. Often it was peculiar, as well. An eldritch body horror murder mystery, what a delicious combination of things. I had no idea Jane Marple folk horror was something I needed in my life, but I so did, and the horror plot is so creepy and great.
The Ship of Theseus Has Run Aground bypsychomachia, The Thing, 3k. MacReady survives the events of Outpost 31. At least, he thinks he did. What a great coda to the film. The central worry in the movie is, who ELSE is a shapeshifting alien, but this really gets to the heart of things: am I a shapeshifting alien? I really like how spare the writing is, stripped down to the essentials of each scene, and how that kind of accentuates the unease and paranoia. Great stuff.
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Rabbit Heart by
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Friday Five 5/8/26
May. 8th, 2026 11:57 pmbookofdanielvol21. What do you consider your current main fandom? (This can include hobbies and collecting. Anything you feel fannish about!)
For specific recent ones... I guess Expedition 33 (recently played/still working on post-game content), the Sabotage Studios game universe (currently including Sea of Stars and The Messenger), and Life is Strange (played and completed the whole series since January) would, almost by default, be the most notable recent additions.
2. What was your first fandom?
TMNT was probably the first really huge one for me.
3. Do you have any favorite headcanons or fan theories?
I really dig the idea of the "Tommy Westphall Universe" - the theory that through various crossover episode connections between shows, the ending of St. Elsewhere - that that entire series took place inside an autistic boy's mind as he looked into a snow globe - set off a chain reaction that led to probably at least half of every TV show ever, various movie franchises, and - arguably - real life itself also all take place in the boy's mind.
For personal headcanon stuff, one big one I have is simply booting the Burial at Sea DLCs out of my BioShock headcanon.
4. Have you ever created fanworks?
Nothing too serious, unless some super-crappy Final Fantasy fanart drawings I did as a teenager count.
5. Are you still active in any old fandoms?
Oh, totally. I'm a lifelong Three Stooges fan; TMNT is still cool; I've still never bothered to outgrow wrestling since starting watching as a kid in the late '80s... for general categories, stil a game junkie; have fallen off of movies the last couple of years but need to get back to them. Currently "rereading" Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories/Last Kingdom series, which I've been a big fan of for the last decade or so (I've already listened to the audio versions of the Warlord/Arthur trilogy, which is probably my very favorite Cornwell.
For specific recent ones... I guess Expedition 33 (recently played/still working on post-game content), the Sabotage Studios game universe (currently including Sea of Stars and The Messenger), and Life is Strange (played and completed the whole series since January) would, almost by default, be the most notable recent additions.
2. What was your first fandom?
TMNT was probably the first really huge one for me.
3. Do you have any favorite headcanons or fan theories?
I really dig the idea of the "Tommy Westphall Universe" - the theory that through various crossover episode connections between shows, the ending of St. Elsewhere - that that entire series took place inside an autistic boy's mind as he looked into a snow globe - set off a chain reaction that led to probably at least half of every TV show ever, various movie franchises, and - arguably - real life itself also all take place in the boy's mind.
For personal headcanon stuff, one big one I have is simply booting the Burial at Sea DLCs out of my BioShock headcanon.
4. Have you ever created fanworks?
Nothing too serious, unless some super-crappy Final Fantasy fanart drawings I did as a teenager count.
5. Are you still active in any old fandoms?
Oh, totally. I'm a lifelong Three Stooges fan; TMNT is still cool; I've still never bothered to outgrow wrestling since starting watching as a kid in the late '80s... for general categories, stil a game junkie; have fallen off of movies the last couple of years but need to get back to them. Currently "rereading" Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories/Last Kingdom series, which I've been a big fan of for the last decade or so (I've already listened to the audio versions of the Warlord/Arthur trilogy, which is probably my very favorite Cornwell.
