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Gender Census 2025
Aug. 4th, 2025 03:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pauraqueIt's that time of year again...
The survey takes five minutes* and is open until August 30th.
* Theoretically, unless the questions give you an existential crisis and you spend longer than that staring into space.
The 2025 Gender Census is now open!
This survey is open to anyone, in any country, of any age, whose experience of their gender doesn't fit tidily into the strict binary of female/male. It seeks broad statistical data about the language we use to refer to ourselves in English, e.g. pronouns, identity words, titles. The results will be made public for use in activism, self-advocacy, business and academia.
The survey takes five minutes* and is open until August 30th.
* Theoretically, unless the questions give you an existential crisis and you spend longer than that staring into space.
Books
Aug. 4th, 2025 12:07 pmsnickficAt long last I have been reading again! A tiny bit, mostly on airplanes!
Wild Spaces (2023), SL Coney. A boy's grandfather unexpectedly moves in and disrupts the boy's contented family life; also the boy might be turning into a monster.
I hated this! Unreservedly! This has pretensions of being literary, the kind where nobody gets a proper name except the dog, and the focus is entirely on small, sad family drama seen through the eyes of someone too young to correctly interpret all the details. The fact that the grandfather eventually turns out to be a shapeshifting eldritch horror who murders the boy's parents and his dog did not make me like it any better. Then the boy, who inherited the eldritch shapeshifter gene, murders his grandfather and reflects he is now alone in the world, an inhuman monster with only a transforming revived dog for a companion. Okay!!!
Deeplight (2019), Frances Hardinge. Born and orphaned on one of hundreds of islands who used to worship sea gods until the gods all killed each other a few decades prior, youngster Hark is determined to save his friend(?) Jelt from himself, the law, criminals who are rightfully angry with him, and being transformed into something unimaginable, all whether Jelt wants to be saved or not.
On one hand, I found the toxic friendship at the center of this story pretty difficult to read. Jelt is such a manipulative asshole, and there was so many points where I just wanted to get Hark away from him. OTOH, the execution is very strong, and I think it's probably a really good theme for kids to read about and think through, so A+ there.
But really what I am here for and the reason multiple people have recced this to me is the stuff with the sea gods, and friends, that stuff is very good. The gods when they lived were all enormous, all different, all awesome and horrible in their own unique ways, and I loved everything about them and how they played into the story. Hardinge's worldbuilding never disappoints, and it's fantastic here while also tying into bigger themes that feel very salient. But mostly: fucking amazing eldritch horrors.
In terms of sheer joy the story brought to me, this is probably now my second favorite Hardinge after Cuckoo Song.
Wild Spaces (2023), SL Coney. A boy's grandfather unexpectedly moves in and disrupts the boy's contented family life; also the boy might be turning into a monster.
I hated this! Unreservedly! This has pretensions of being literary, the kind where nobody gets a proper name except the dog, and the focus is entirely on small, sad family drama seen through the eyes of someone too young to correctly interpret all the details. The fact that the grandfather eventually turns out to be a shapeshifting eldritch horror who murders the boy's parents and his dog did not make me like it any better. Then the boy, who inherited the eldritch shapeshifter gene, murders his grandfather and reflects he is now alone in the world, an inhuman monster with only a transforming revived dog for a companion. Okay!!!
Deeplight (2019), Frances Hardinge. Born and orphaned on one of hundreds of islands who used to worship sea gods until the gods all killed each other a few decades prior, youngster Hark is determined to save his friend(?) Jelt from himself, the law, criminals who are rightfully angry with him, and being transformed into something unimaginable, all whether Jelt wants to be saved or not.
On one hand, I found the toxic friendship at the center of this story pretty difficult to read. Jelt is such a manipulative asshole, and there was so many points where I just wanted to get Hark away from him. OTOH, the execution is very strong, and I think it's probably a really good theme for kids to read about and think through, so A+ there.
But really what I am here for and the reason multiple people have recced this to me is the stuff with the sea gods, and friends, that stuff is very good. The gods when they lived were all enormous, all different, all awesome and horrible in their own unique ways, and I loved everything about them and how they played into the story. Hardinge's worldbuilding never disappoints, and it's fantastic here while also tying into bigger themes that feel very salient. But mostly: fucking amazing eldritch horrors.
In terms of sheer joy the story brought to me, this is probably now my second favorite Hardinge after Cuckoo Song.
Women's Soccer RPF: Fanfiction: These Moments Matter
Aug. 4th, 2025 03:00 pminfinitum_noctem posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fan_flashworksTitle: These Moments Matter
Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF
Pairings: Hope Solo/Kelley O'Hara
Characters: Hope Solo, Kelley O'Hara
Rating: G
Length: 104 words
Summary: Hope misses being on the field sometimes, but these moments matter more.
( Read more... )
Fandom: Women's Soccer RPF
Pairings: Hope Solo/Kelley O'Hara
Characters: Hope Solo, Kelley O'Hara
Rating: G
Length: 104 words
Summary: Hope misses being on the field sometimes, but these moments matter more.
( Read more... )
Courses - July/August 2025
Aug. 4th, 2025 04:36 pmsmallhobbitFutureLearn
Imagining York (University of York)
Taking various time periods in York's history and looking at them from a sociological viewpoint. The details of the time were interesting, but while I accept that people's behaviour was affected by society etc, I think some of the suggestions were reading back more modern ideas. And using a wealthy woman in a particular social stratum as an example really isn't representative of the majority of the population.
Italian for Beginners - Part 5 (Open University)
Some things are making more sense and I'm working things out reasonably well, even though it's all very basic, so I'm pleased with my progress.
Myths of the Mongol Empire (Nat Tsing Hua University)
This was a very interesting introduction to the Mongol Empire and in particular its beginnings with Chinggis Khan. Although I had taken a previous course looking at the past nomads of the Mongolian steppes, I knew very little about the Mongol Empire. Well worth doing.
OpenLearn
Women Transforming Classical Music
Primarily aimed at musicians, it was worth taking to consider the wealth of musical contribution, mostly unacknowledged by women composers and seeing some of the problems in performing them for an audience.
Exploring Data: Graphs & Numerical Summaries
I was interested in this from the viewpoint of maybe sharing data to do with the charity I volunteer with. Although it really only touched on this, being more on interpreting graphs and also scientific use of data it was good for exercising my brain.
Imagining York (University of York)
Taking various time periods in York's history and looking at them from a sociological viewpoint. The details of the time were interesting, but while I accept that people's behaviour was affected by society etc, I think some of the suggestions were reading back more modern ideas. And using a wealthy woman in a particular social stratum as an example really isn't representative of the majority of the population.
Italian for Beginners - Part 5 (Open University)
Some things are making more sense and I'm working things out reasonably well, even though it's all very basic, so I'm pleased with my progress.
Myths of the Mongol Empire (Nat Tsing Hua University)
This was a very interesting introduction to the Mongol Empire and in particular its beginnings with Chinggis Khan. Although I had taken a previous course looking at the past nomads of the Mongolian steppes, I knew very little about the Mongol Empire. Well worth doing.
OpenLearn
Women Transforming Classical Music
Primarily aimed at musicians, it was worth taking to consider the wealth of musical contribution, mostly unacknowledged by women composers and seeing some of the problems in performing them for an audience.
Exploring Data: Graphs & Numerical Summaries
I was interested in this from the viewpoint of maybe sharing data to do with the charity I volunteer with. Although it really only touched on this, being more on interpreting graphs and also scientific use of data it was good for exercising my brain.
S.W.A.T.: Fan Fiction: Could Do Anything
Aug. 4th, 2025 09:54 amdarkjediqueen posting in fan_flashworksTitle: Could Do Anything
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Fandom: S.W.A.T.
Relationships: Donovan Rocker/Molly Hicks
Tags: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: It was going to be forever.
Word Count: 3,655
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Fandom: S.W.A.T.
Relationships: Donovan Rocker/Molly Hicks
Tags: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: It was going to be forever.
Word Count: 3,655
[August 10 out of 20] FFXII
Aug. 4th, 2025 07:37 amthe_paradigm posting in sweetandshortTitle: In the Confusion
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Characters: Penelo, Vaan, Basch
Rating: Gen/PG
Prompt: Beginning
Word Count: 215
Summary: The first time Penelo meets the "traitor"--up close and personal. Spoilers through the Dreadnought Leviathan (first run-in).
( In the Confusion )
Fandom: Final Fantasy XII
Characters: Penelo, Vaan, Basch
Rating: Gen/PG
Prompt: Beginning
Word Count: 215
Summary: The first time Penelo meets the "traitor"--up close and personal. Spoilers through the Dreadnought Leviathan (first run-in).
( In the Confusion )
life is more than sexual combustibility
Aug. 4th, 2025 09:32 ampensnestYesterday was Fruit Day. Beast and I picked
—small plums from the tree next to the patio
—tiny plums from the tree next to that
—large golden plums, possibly greengages, from one of the trees FIL planted. The big purple plums, while a fabulous colour, are not at all soft, and the medium-sized turning-red plums are still rock-like, so they stayed on their respective trees.
—blackberries from the front. I had picked another bowlful from the back garden on Saturday, and frozen them. It's good to have blackberries.
I then cut up the golden plums, stewed them briefly, froze them, and cut up the small plums, ditto. For such a lot of plums they did not take up much space—I have put them in bags inside small boxes, to freeze into blocks, at which point I will reclaim the boxes.
I have used the leftover juice to try and make kombucha, mixed with green tea. We shall see.
Then I made a blackberry and apple crumble. We had some of it for tea.
*
We finished watching Sense8 last night. I am so pleased that the creators had enough notice and were given the space/time to produce a film-length final episode to wrap up a bunch of plot, and indeed to provide an unexpected and very generous dollop of fanservice. I've enjoyed watching this show. The premise is unusual and very well done, and all eight of the core group are interesting in different ways. I like their besties, too. In fact, I cannot point to any one character as my favourite, nor as someone I don't care for. But I do think the prolonged sex scenes were a bit much—not that I object to sex, but when precious little *happens* in a scene apart from writhing nakedness, lingering on it lovingly for long enough to make a proper cup of tea feels like a glitch in the story telling process.
Still. I've reached to point of looking for fic. Does anyone have any recommendations? Has anybody written any plot-without-porn, perchance?
—small plums from the tree next to the patio
—tiny plums from the tree next to that
—large golden plums, possibly greengages, from one of the trees FIL planted. The big purple plums, while a fabulous colour, are not at all soft, and the medium-sized turning-red plums are still rock-like, so they stayed on their respective trees.
—blackberries from the front. I had picked another bowlful from the back garden on Saturday, and frozen them. It's good to have blackberries.
I then cut up the golden plums, stewed them briefly, froze them, and cut up the small plums, ditto. For such a lot of plums they did not take up much space—I have put them in bags inside small boxes, to freeze into blocks, at which point I will reclaim the boxes.
I have used the leftover juice to try and make kombucha, mixed with green tea. We shall see.
Then I made a blackberry and apple crumble. We had some of it for tea.
*
We finished watching Sense8 last night. I am so pleased that the creators had enough notice and were given the space/time to produce a film-length final episode to wrap up a bunch of plot, and indeed to provide an unexpected and very generous dollop of fanservice. I've enjoyed watching this show. The premise is unusual and very well done, and all eight of the core group are interesting in different ways. I like their besties, too. In fact, I cannot point to any one character as my favourite, nor as someone I don't care for. But I do think the prolonged sex scenes were a bit much—not that I object to sex, but when precious little *happens* in a scene apart from writhing nakedness, lingering on it lovingly for long enough to make a proper cup of tea feels like a glitch in the story telling process.
Still. I've reached to point of looking for fic. Does anyone have any recommendations? Has anybody written any plot-without-porn, perchance?
Multiple recs posts of mostly small fandoms
Aug. 3rd, 2025 10:58 pmdoranwen posting in recthethingA few years I created a database to organize my fanfics, stocked it with about 1800 fics from a handful of fandoms (mostly small ones), and then got swamped with things and put it on hold. Tonight I've finally caught up with the fandoms in it* and updated all of the lists, and thought it might be good to link them here in case someone hasn't seen the posts before or wants to revisit them now that I have added nearly 350 fics to the lists.
You can find them all linked at my master recs post. All lists indicate which ships are major in the fic, if any, and I mark a few additional things that may be helpful.
Fandoms currently included:
as well as a smattering of recs from tinier fandoms (mainly movies). Fandoms with fewer than 30 fics in my database (such as Speed) are in a "Tiny fandoms" post, and there's a post just for crossovers as well.
In order to keep maintenance to a minimum, I don't include all the themes with the main posts above, but I generally include them with any post made on request. Themes tagged cover everything from tropes to grammar (I tag anything that isn't third person past tense) to story ending (positive, sad/unhappy, etc.) to AO3's archive warnings. If you want or need to be spoiled about everything, follow the directions on that post to request a custom recs list and I'd be happy to make one for you.
* The only fandoms not updated are the two FBI shows, because I haven't watched past S3 of the main show and S2 of the Most Wanted one. Someday, perhaps…
You can find them all linked at my master recs post. All lists indicate which ships are major in the fic, if any, and I mark a few additional things that may be helpful.
Fandoms currently included:
- Alphas
- FBI (CBS show)
- FBI: Most Wanted
- Fried Green Tomatoes (book & movie)
- Push
- Speed
- The Matrix
as well as a smattering of recs from tinier fandoms (mainly movies). Fandoms with fewer than 30 fics in my database (such as Speed) are in a "Tiny fandoms" post, and there's a post just for crossovers as well.
In order to keep maintenance to a minimum, I don't include all the themes with the main posts above, but I generally include them with any post made on request. Themes tagged cover everything from tropes to grammar (I tag anything that isn't third person past tense) to story ending (positive, sad/unhappy, etc.) to AO3's archive warnings. If you want or need to be spoiled about everything, follow the directions on that post to request a custom recs list and I'd be happy to make one for you.
* The only fandoms not updated are the two FBI shows, because I haven't watched past S3 of the main show and S2 of the Most Wanted one. Someday, perhaps…
I aten't dead
Aug. 3rd, 2025 09:39 pmrivendellroseI'm still alive and have once again remembered that I have a journal here! And... oh dear, it looks like it's been about a year since I last posted. Um. Very basic updates are called for, I guess.
I did indeed eventually recover my sense of smell after my bout with Covid last summer, which was very nice. Shortly after that, the Squidling started kindergarten, and we had a bit of a chaotic start to the year as his teacher had... not so much actually read his IEP. Oops. Got that resolved, things calmed down mostly, to the point where we (very optimistically) adopted a dog, who we named Astro, from a local rescue... and then everything went all to hell. The Squidling loves dogs, it turns out, but is too impulsive and, frankly, unwilling to adhere to rules, to actually behave well with a dog in the house, and the chaos of having a dog (who was both younger and more high-energy than we'd been lead to believe...) meant that he never got the calm down-time at home that was required to help him function moderately well at school. Due to that and a few other issues, we eventually made the sad decision to return Astro to the rescue.
(Astro is fine: he went into the care of a very experienced foster family who had a foster-fail dog of their own, with whom Astro immediately became best friends, and at last check they were so happy running around the yard together and then sleeping all over the people's furniture together that we're crossing all available appendages that they foster-fail with Astro, too. One sticking point of his time with us was that while he liked people fine, he really wanted a dog friend full-time, and that was never going to happen with us.)
Anyway. Kindergarten didn't go great. Squidling did not like school much, because he is super impulsive and unwilling to follow instructions, and he and his teacher butted heads basically all the time, and... things did not go well, anyway. The good news is, he loved his resource teacher, Ms. A, and likes many of his classmates, and still loves learning and reading and all that, so we're hard at work with his therapist and his resource teacher on plans to develop the good sides of things, and hopefully get him some medication to help him with his impulse control (in addition, of course, to non-medication methods like helping him think ahead and give rewards for good behavior, etc.).
Summer has been pretty good, with a friend and her kiddo visiting from out of town a good part of last month, and then a big week last week where we went to Point Defiance Zoo, then met up with several of Squidling's classmates and their families to watch the Blue Angels from a local park, and then a day of hanging out and going fun places with his grandparents the next day. Tomorrow he starts his second week-long day-camp of the summer, and they are prepared with strategies learned from his first day camp of the summer (as are we), so hopefully things will go well... and at the end of the month we'll get back to school!
I did indeed eventually recover my sense of smell after my bout with Covid last summer, which was very nice. Shortly after that, the Squidling started kindergarten, and we had a bit of a chaotic start to the year as his teacher had... not so much actually read his IEP. Oops. Got that resolved, things calmed down mostly, to the point where we (very optimistically) adopted a dog, who we named Astro, from a local rescue... and then everything went all to hell. The Squidling loves dogs, it turns out, but is too impulsive and, frankly, unwilling to adhere to rules, to actually behave well with a dog in the house, and the chaos of having a dog (who was both younger and more high-energy than we'd been lead to believe...) meant that he never got the calm down-time at home that was required to help him function moderately well at school. Due to that and a few other issues, we eventually made the sad decision to return Astro to the rescue.
(Astro is fine: he went into the care of a very experienced foster family who had a foster-fail dog of their own, with whom Astro immediately became best friends, and at last check they were so happy running around the yard together and then sleeping all over the people's furniture together that we're crossing all available appendages that they foster-fail with Astro, too. One sticking point of his time with us was that while he liked people fine, he really wanted a dog friend full-time, and that was never going to happen with us.)
Anyway. Kindergarten didn't go great. Squidling did not like school much, because he is super impulsive and unwilling to follow instructions, and he and his teacher butted heads basically all the time, and... things did not go well, anyway. The good news is, he loved his resource teacher, Ms. A, and likes many of his classmates, and still loves learning and reading and all that, so we're hard at work with his therapist and his resource teacher on plans to develop the good sides of things, and hopefully get him some medication to help him with his impulse control (in addition, of course, to non-medication methods like helping him think ahead and give rewards for good behavior, etc.).
Summer has been pretty good, with a friend and her kiddo visiting from out of town a good part of last month, and then a big week last week where we went to Point Defiance Zoo, then met up with several of Squidling's classmates and their families to watch the Blue Angels from a local park, and then a day of hanging out and going fun places with his grandparents the next day. Tomorrow he starts his second week-long day-camp of the summer, and they are prepared with strategies learned from his first day camp of the summer (as are we), so hopefully things will go well... and at the end of the month we'll get back to school!
Jigsaw puzzle
Aug. 4th, 2025 12:20 amsilver_chipmunkGot up around 10:30, had breakfast and coffee, and showered and dressed. Went over to visit Sue, and borrow a cup of sugar because the hummingbird feeder was nearly empty. I think there's something wrong with it, but there's nothing I can do but fill it often.
Anyway, hung with Sue a bit, but then she had to get ready to babysit for her grandkids. I came back and made the humming bird nectar.
Linda came by and said she was going in to Newfane to get Betsy a jigsaw puzzle since they finished the one we were working on. I asked if I could come and she said yes so I grabbed my purse and met her at the car.
The store where she got the puzzle is where Herlan Liquor used to be. I'm surprised the Liquor store closed, and I don't know where there's another in the area. Oh well.
We picked out a puzzle and I gave her $5 towards it. It is a cute drawing of the Maid of the Mist. 1000 pieces.
We came back to the cottage. I decided to go to the Starsky and Hutch creative work session, so I did. I filled the hummingbird feeder during one of the 20 minutes writing breaks, but I got a little writing done.
We ended about 6:30, so I killed time til 7:00 when I Teamed the FWiB.
After we'd been on a while, Linda came by and gave me a slice of the most delicious banana blueberry bread, and aske if I wanted to join her and Betsy watching the sunset. I said I'd be down in a bit.
Then the FWiB and I had technical difficulties, he couldn't hear me, I logged out and logged back in and it was OK. But I really, really need a new computer.
Anyway, I said goodbye and went to join Betsy and Linda on the bank. The sunset was a bust though. So we ended up going to Betsy's cottage to do the puzzle. Sue joined us after getting back from babysitting. I called Middle Brother, he's fine. Went to see a Long Island Ducks baseball game.
We worked on the puzzle til a bit after midnight and then we broke up for the night. I came back to my cottage and had dinner!
And now I'm doing this. Tomorrow I do an Instacart order.
Gratitude List:
1. The FWiB.
2. My cousins.
3. The Starsky and Hutch fandom.
4. Got some writing done.
5. Hummingbirds are fed.
6. The cottage.
Anyway, hung with Sue a bit, but then she had to get ready to babysit for her grandkids. I came back and made the humming bird nectar.
Linda came by and said she was going in to Newfane to get Betsy a jigsaw puzzle since they finished the one we were working on. I asked if I could come and she said yes so I grabbed my purse and met her at the car.
The store where she got the puzzle is where Herlan Liquor used to be. I'm surprised the Liquor store closed, and I don't know where there's another in the area. Oh well.
We picked out a puzzle and I gave her $5 towards it. It is a cute drawing of the Maid of the Mist. 1000 pieces.
We came back to the cottage. I decided to go to the Starsky and Hutch creative work session, so I did. I filled the hummingbird feeder during one of the 20 minutes writing breaks, but I got a little writing done.
We ended about 6:30, so I killed time til 7:00 when I Teamed the FWiB.
After we'd been on a while, Linda came by and gave me a slice of the most delicious banana blueberry bread, and aske if I wanted to join her and Betsy watching the sunset. I said I'd be down in a bit.
Then the FWiB and I had technical difficulties, he couldn't hear me, I logged out and logged back in and it was OK. But I really, really need a new computer.
Anyway, I said goodbye and went to join Betsy and Linda on the bank. The sunset was a bust though. So we ended up going to Betsy's cottage to do the puzzle. Sue joined us after getting back from babysitting. I called Middle Brother, he's fine. Went to see a Long Island Ducks baseball game.
We worked on the puzzle til a bit after midnight and then we broke up for the night. I came back to my cottage and had dinner!
And now I'm doing this. Tomorrow I do an Instacart order.
Gratitude List:
1. The FWiB.
2. My cousins.
3. The Starsky and Hutch fandom.
4. Got some writing done.
5. Hummingbirds are fed.
6. The cottage.
Original Fiction; writing-prompt-s: A Reasonable Proposal, by sleeplessspell.
Aug. 3rd, 2025 08:15 pmfull_metal_ox posting in fancakeFandom: Original Work; ![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
writing-prompt-s
Pairings/Characters: F/M; King Aerlin the Third of Aelren (OC)/Lady Mirena of Lirenthal (OC); various matchmaking OC courtiers
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 1,409
Content Notes: Tumblr fic; court intrigue; the Power of Pragmatism; possible Reality Subtext.
Creator Links: (Tumblr)sleeplessspell
Theme: Marriage of Convenience, Competence, Enemies to Lovers, Original Work, Politics, Women Being Awesome
Summary: A king who doesn't really want to and isn't able to run the kingdom properly catches wind of a noble woman who wants to kill him to take over and he realizes she is extremely competent so he decides to propose to her to save everyone the hassle and they have a surprisingly healthy relationship.
Reccer's Notes: Another hit-and-run gem from prolific Tumblr authorsleeplessspell; it’s complete as it stands, but Tumblore has a way of snowballing in transmission; this may be worth keeping an eye on.
Fanwork Links: A Reasonable Proposal, bysleeplessspell from a prompt by writing-prompt-s.
Pairings/Characters: F/M; King Aerlin the Third of Aelren (OC)/Lady Mirena of Lirenthal (OC); various matchmaking OC courtiers
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 1,409
Content Notes: Tumblr fic; court intrigue; the Power of Pragmatism; possible Reality Subtext.
Creator Links: (Tumblr)
Theme: Marriage of Convenience, Competence, Enemies to Lovers, Original Work, Politics, Women Being Awesome
Summary: A king who doesn't really want to and isn't able to run the kingdom properly catches wind of a noble woman who wants to kill him to take over and he realizes she is extremely competent so he decides to propose to her to save everyone the hassle and they have a surprisingly healthy relationship.
Reccer's Notes: Another hit-and-run gem from prolific Tumblr author
Fanwork Links: A Reasonable Proposal, by
WIP Big Bang/WIP Reverse Bang 2025 Round: Changes To The Schedule & FAQ
Aug. 3rd, 2025 07:37 pmpenaltywaltz posting in wipbigbangSo the other mods and I had talked about tweaking the schedule when I realized Check-In #4 was supposed to go live August 6th, which is less than two weeks after Check-In #3 had ended so that made no sense. We had planned on doing it for the 2026 round but I'm going to institute the changes now.
Basically, we are getting rid of Rough Draft check-ins, and substituting Check-In #4 for that. We are moving Check-In #4 to the end of August, and this check-in is open to everyone. WIPBB writers and WIPRB artists as well as the WIPBB artists and WIPRB authors are allowed to check in during Check-In #4. Basically it's still optional, but this will give us a better idea of if you're ready to post or if you have any questions.
Posting Claims dates are going to stay the same, but this round for WIPRB participants, we are asking that if you are simply submitting your finished art and not getting a fic for it you pick a September or early to mid October posting date; if you are getting fic for your art, we want those later dates to be available so fic writers will have time to write the fic and get it beta read (optional but recommended).
We will have a "Final Check-In" of sorts that will be open during the entire posting period (September 8th to January 1st, which is when I will close the form). Basically, the Final Check-In is a form you will fill out with the link to your bragging rights post on Tumblr or Dreamwidth (or, if you are a WIPBB artist or a WIPRB writer who is not posting your own bragging rights, a link to your Tumblr, Dreamwidth or AO3 post). This is important, as it lets us know you have finished your project for WIPBB/WIPRB.
We also made edits to the FAQ that were going to go into effect in the 2026 round, but I am posting it this round since it's easier to copy/paste everything instead of just tweaking little bits. They are now pinned on the Tumblr and Dreamwidth blogs.
Monday, July 28: The Denver Zoo - Tropical Discovery
Aug. 3rd, 2025 07:30 pmmistressofmusesMy favorite part of the Denver Zoo is the Tropical Discovery building. It houses most of the reptiles and amphibians at the zoo, as well as the fish. There are a few other animals in Tropical Discovery as well, but for the most part it's my cold-blooded friends.
I was very taken with the teeny tiny mushrooms on the branch. (And of course, the teeny tiny frogs.)
Vietnamese mossy frog. It sure is!
Spotted ray. :) And a spotted fish.
Posing nicely for a closeup.
Monkey frogs. They look so serious!
Golden frogs. They're very endangered in the wild, so glad to get to see them here.
So cute!
I love how unique all of their markings are. None of them look the same!
King cobra. :)
Intense eyes.
Gaboon viper. This one made me laugh, because Alex was looking at it and then said "It's weird that he has his head under a leaf." I looked for a second and said, "Wait, his head is the leaf!" Camouflage be camouflaging!
A few resident mammals. Capybaras! (They are very friend-shaped.)
And a monkey!
One of my favorites. It looks like a little dragon!
Upside-down jellies, and the prettiest opal fish.
Not a "good" picture, but it made me laugh. The instant I got my camera up, he spun to look at me, haha.
Such a stunning pattern on this guy!
Pretty angel.
I know lionfish are pests, but damn they're pretty.
Clownfish and anemone.
Nice big eastern diamondback.
Absolutely massive alligator snapping turtle. This guy standing up like this is between four and five feet tall! (Shortly after this there were several kids who came up and were very excited to get their pictures taken in front of the turtle.)
Boreal toads! :D They're native here, but very endangered in Colorado. The Denver Zoo does a lot of conservation work with them, and has done several big releases of captive-bred populations into the mountains.
(I shared that field note at Roxborough where someone said they'd seen a boreal toad on the trail there (cute!), but they're rare enough it seems more likely they saw a woodhouse toad.)
This is Maple. She's a baby pancake tortoise! Another endangered species, and it was quite exciting when she hatched this year.
Komodo dragon! SO BIG!
Serious side-eye.
Lake Titicaca frogs, my beloved weirdos. (Extremely endangered, glad this is one of the few facilities that has a breeding population!)
I'm glad we spent a decent amount of time going through. The way we typically loop through, this building comes toward the end of our visit, and we often have to rush through the last bits of it as we approach closing time. It was nice to do it toward the beginning... even though it wound up being most of the day!
Hopefully we'll go back fairly soon to catch the things we missed on this trip.
I was very taken with the teeny tiny mushrooms on the branch. (And of course, the teeny tiny frogs.)
Vietnamese mossy frog. It sure is!
25 more pictures:
Spotted ray. :) And a spotted fish.
Posing nicely for a closeup.
Monkey frogs. They look so serious!
Golden frogs. They're very endangered in the wild, so glad to get to see them here.
So cute!
I love how unique all of their markings are. None of them look the same!
King cobra. :)
Intense eyes.
Gaboon viper. This one made me laugh, because Alex was looking at it and then said "It's weird that he has his head under a leaf." I looked for a second and said, "Wait, his head is the leaf!" Camouflage be camouflaging!
A few resident mammals. Capybaras! (They are very friend-shaped.)
And a monkey!
One of my favorites. It looks like a little dragon!
Upside-down jellies, and the prettiest opal fish.
Not a "good" picture, but it made me laugh. The instant I got my camera up, he spun to look at me, haha.
Such a stunning pattern on this guy!
Pretty angel.
I know lionfish are pests, but damn they're pretty.
Clownfish and anemone.
Nice big eastern diamondback.
Absolutely massive alligator snapping turtle. This guy standing up like this is between four and five feet tall! (Shortly after this there were several kids who came up and were very excited to get their pictures taken in front of the turtle.)
Boreal toads! :D They're native here, but very endangered in Colorado. The Denver Zoo does a lot of conservation work with them, and has done several big releases of captive-bred populations into the mountains.
(I shared that field note at Roxborough where someone said they'd seen a boreal toad on the trail there (cute!), but they're rare enough it seems more likely they saw a woodhouse toad.)
This is Maple. She's a baby pancake tortoise! Another endangered species, and it was quite exciting when she hatched this year.
Komodo dragon! SO BIG!
Serious side-eye.
Lake Titicaca frogs, my beloved weirdos. (Extremely endangered, glad this is one of the few facilities that has a breeding population!)
I'm glad we spent a decent amount of time going through. The way we typically loop through, this building comes toward the end of our visit, and we often have to rush through the last bits of it as we approach closing time. It was nice to do it toward the beginning... even though it wound up being most of the day!
Hopefully we'll go back fairly soon to catch the things we missed on this trip.
video game(s) status report::
Aug. 3rd, 2025 09:41 pmmuscle_wizard[x] Finish Great Ace Attorney 1
[ ] Finish LoZ: Breath of the Wild
[ ] Play Great Ace Attorney 2
Additionally:
[ ] Meet all Princesses in Slay the Princess
[ ] Start Sorry, We're Closed
[ ] Finish Dragon Quest III HD
A little gaming log, playing games on my shelves and beating the games I started over the last year or two. Ideally I want to write out some reviews or summary of my experiences - because it's always on my mind but slips away. Setting the intention here o/
Belatedly saw the news about the Final Fantasy: Tactics re-release coming in September. I haven't played it since I was a kid but remember loving it, to this day Agrias is one of my top lady knight crushes.
[ ] Finish LoZ: Breath of the Wild
[ ] Play Great Ace Attorney 2
Additionally:
[ ] Meet all Princesses in Slay the Princess
[ ] Start Sorry, We're Closed
[ ] Finish Dragon Quest III HD
A little gaming log, playing games on my shelves and beating the games I started over the last year or two. Ideally I want to write out some reviews or summary of my experiences - because it's always on my mind but slips away. Setting the intention here o/
Belatedly saw the news about the Final Fantasy: Tactics re-release coming in September. I haven't played it since I was a kid but remember loving it, to this day Agrias is one of my top lady knight crushes.