elanya

ugh, I am not feeling great today so I'm having a day off of cycling and weight lifting. It's spitting outside, so I would have normally not cycled anyway. I would have driven to the gym and done the weight lifting, but I have a headache and I feel sick and my limbs and back hurt, so maybe I could just not.

I have lost another half stone, to a total of 3.5 stone, ie 49lb (approx 25kg) and I am continuing with the diet (though I'm eating more and slowing down atm.) It seems more and more likely that by the end of June I will be too small for my nice blue belly dance dress. So, I have been busy combing the charity shops for skirts and making bedlah to wear instead.

The black one is the right size for me now, and I can pair it with a black trumpet skirt and be dramatic. This is the one I was making for the heavy metal solo that we still haven't decided music for.

This silver and African wax print set is uncomfortably small for me atm (and also not finished) but the possibility is that it will be the right size (and finished) in June. I would pair this with a layered white skirt that I also found at a thrift store.

This would require me to buy or make a white power-mesh thingy to cover my stomach, because I am not going out there with my stomach out (I possess a black one already.)

I am however very encouraged by the fact that Soheir Zaki (RIP) seems to have had many different colours of bodystocking which she paired to her outfits, so I have a good role model for refusing to let it all hang out :)

And if the black set becomes too big for me before then, I can just sell it. There are a lot of plus sized dancers out there who never get catered to by anyone, who would probably like a new set.

Doing belly dance costuming on a budget by making it yourself is the way to go if you don't want to drop £200 or more at a time for a professionally made set, and while I'm changing shape it would be stupid to buy anything really nice. The downside is that everything looks very hand-made. The upside is budget, but also that I am learning all sorts of new sewing techniques as I go.

Title: Parenting Problems
Fandom: Torchwood
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Ianto, Twins, Flufflets.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1322
Spoilers: Nada.
Summary: Teaching the twins to be gentle and considerate is an uphill battle.
Content Notes: None needed
Written For: Challenge 514: Gentle.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Torchwood, or the characters.

( well over six months after I went, finally finishing off this section of the travelogue! )

It was an amazing country - an amazing tour - and I'm so glad I went. The tour was expensive, yes, but also very educational and thoughtful, with a focus on female-led businesses and organisations. I've put a deposit down on Bali for a quick trip in October later this year, and I would like to do either their Caribbean trip early next year or their Ecuador/Galapagos Islands tour in May next year, but: a) finances, b) long haul travel, c) the Caribbean trip starts and ends in Puerto Rico and the question of visas, etc., weighs heavy on my mind.

Title: curious little pink thing
Fandom: Kirby (series) + Project Hail Mary (2026), as a crossover between the two. Please tag as Kirby and Project Hail Mary (film) respectively, mods 🥺
Rating: PG-13
Length: 2557 words
Content notes: Part of the same AU as theseworks, but like. Is an AU of that AU where Project Hail Mary happened prior to Kirby and the Forgotten Land's events. Also ALL of this silliness is taking place post-Star Crossed World so pls don't yell at me about Star Crossed World spoilers if they come up. I swear this fic was finished just today and not started during the amnesty!

As for actual content warnings: Rocky swears a couple times and so does Mahoroa lol. And kinda blatant spoilers for PHM due to the premise.
Author notes:So the premise of this fic may have happened purely because the AMC Theatres location I went to when I first watched PHM had these little claw machines with Kirby figures......... and then after the movie I thought "oh hey this movie would be perfect with Kirby involved because they have similar hopeful vibes :)"

Written for: The prompt Gentle for Fan Flashworks.
Summary: Long after Grace dies, Rocky decides to seek out one of the refuges of what remains of humanity, and instead meets the universe's pink puff of a hero and his weird family.

--
( Read more... )

Anyone for mail?

Title: Paying a Price
Rating: R
Warnings: Hate Crimes, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Sexual Assault (brief not wholly depicted), Homophobic Slurs
Fandom: Heated Rivalry
Relationships: Ilya Rozanov/Shane Hollander
Tags: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: Ilya coming out put pulled Shane into the spotlight too without ever having come out himself. He pays the price.

Title: Appearances Can Be Deceptive
Fandom: Miss Marple
Rating: G
Length: 748 words
Summary: Miss Marple may be gentle, but this should not be taken for granted.

( Giles Featherstone knew the type )

Title: Gently in the Darkness
Author: lucy_roman
Fandom: Inspector George Gently
Rating: Teen and up
Summary/Warnings: George and John are stranded at night. Death fic.
Pairing: George/John
Word Count: 507

( Gently in the Darkness )

Title: Close to You
Fandom: Criminal Minds
Pairings: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss
Characters: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Emily Prentiss
Rating: G
Length: 174 words
Summary: Emily has quickly become JJ's person, and JJ wants to be the same for Emily.

( Read more... )

dear co-workers,

there is no need to text or call after 5 pm to schedule a meeting that is two weeks away (I already sent you my boss's availability and am holding those times, which I told you) or ask to be emailed some documents that 1. you should already have by nature of your position, and 2. you don't need to look at until tomorrow anyway. nothing is on fire! there is absolutely no reason this could not have waited until tomorrow.

no love,

me

*

I just feel so unspeakably worn down right now.

The ABC's of me.

A. Age: nearly 50

B. Bed Size: Double

C. Chore You Really Dislike: Washing Up

D. Dogs: I like them, but I prefer to live with cats.

E. Essential Start to Your Day: A cup of coffee (small latte, one sugar) is nice

F. Favorite Color: Blue

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: 5'4"

I. Instruments You Play: I've played piano, flute, and tuba. I'd kind of like to learn violin and oboe, but who has time?

J. Job: IT Systems Analyst

K. Kids: No. I'm not childfree - love my nieces and nephews - but I never had a partner and that was the dealbreaker for me.

L. Live: I liked their first few albums. Haven't heard of them since the 90s. (Yes, I know this is not what the question is asking, but I don't quite know how to answer.)

M. Mom’s Name: Nope.

N. Nicknames: One, two, many, lots.

O. Overnight Hospital Stays: Once for the yeeterus. I have been very healthy otherwise.

P. Pet Peeve: People who think that because they haven't done anything evil, they haven't benefited from anything evil.

Q. Quote From A Movie: I have many, but can't think of any right now. The one that's coming to mind is Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? and that leads to The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

R. Right or Left Handed: Right.

S. Siblings: Two full sisters, three stepbrothers (two on mum's side, one on dads), and a half-brother.

T. Time You Wake Up: Right now, six hours after I went to sleep. That can manifest as 3am (like last night, after falling asleep around 9pm) or at 6am if I stay up until around 11:30pm.

U. Underwear: Cotton, mostly, although I really liked the elastane 'no underwear lines' but they don't make them like they used to. The first set I bought back in 2009 have lasted 15 years, the ones that I bought back in 2022 are already losing their stretch.

W. What Makes You Run Late: Finishing a task that wasn't completely done the first time on the way out.

X. X-Rays You’ve Had: Lots of ones for the teeth and jaws. One for a broken fingertip. One for possible issues with the foot. And probably a bunch of others that I don't remember.

Y. Yummy Food You Make: Just about everything? There are somethings that are distinctly less tasty, but they're usually home experiments, and I just didn't put enough of the spice/acid in.

Z. Zoo - favorite animal: I haven't been to the zoo in ages. But probably the flamingos. The pink is just amazing.

If any of the words don't work for you, choose a different word that uses the same letter. That way the meme changes and evolves as it travels around.

Hey, I have actually read a couple of books!

what I just finished
First Witches Club by Maisey Yates, which was cute and fast but relentlessly heterosexual. It's about 3 women whose husbands have left them coming together to learn that magic is real. The community building is nice. This is kind of a beach/airplane read, but it was the first new-to-me book I was able to stick with in a while.

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong, which I enjoyed quite a bit. It's kind of a picaresque about Tao, the titular fortune-teller, and the friends she meets along the way. It's pretty cozy, but things do happen in it.

what I'm reading now
Saint Death's Daughter by CSE Cooney, which I am enjoying. It's as if The Locked Tomb and Flora Segunda had a sunshiny necromantic daughter. I wouldn't have thought you could make necromancy twee, but Cooney sure does try.

what I'm reading next
Likely Saint Death's Herald, the sequel to the above. And then in just over a week, Parade of Horribles comes out and I will be reading that immediately.

*

I can't remember where I first heard about Russian buttercream, but I finally decided to try it out to see how it works. It is super simple: you whip 2 sticks/226g of room temperature butter until it is pale, add a pinch of salt and a tsp of vanilla, and then whip in a can of sweetened condensed milk a quarter of the can at a time. I knew it would be sweet (though not quite as sweet - or gritty - as American buttercream), and I knew it might have a caramel type of taste, so I chose to try these brown sugar/cinnamon cupcakes that are supposed to be filled and topped with salted caramel. Needless to say, I did not bother with all that. The cupcakes are not too sweet and the cinnamon helps cut through the sweetness of the frosting, so I think it works as a pairing.

The frosting did curdle, though (pic). I think maybe whipping it so long (I had to do it for more like 14 minutes than 5 - 7 to get it light) raised the temperature too much. There are tips on how to fix it, but since it was just an experiment and no one else is going to see them, I didn't bother. The frosted cupcakes are in the fridge, and I'm sure that will help. If you're looking for a super easy, pipeable frosting, this could be the one for you!

I also made myself a plate of nachos for dinner, and they were delicious but super messy, so not the best idea when I eat dinner on the couch every night.

*

A week ago I got back from Japan where I was a guest at HALCon, an annual SF/F convention held in the Kawasaki International Center, and it was awesome. (Though right now I am still dead from jet-lag.) The convention itself was great, I walked to so many cool people, and was treated to so much good food. The Japanese edition of System Collapse translated by Naoya Nakamura had won the Seiun Award, and they presented me with that, which was also awesome.

Afterward we went down to Kamakura, which was the seat of the first Shogunate, and saw the Great Buddha https://www.kotoku-in.jp/en/ and two other Buddhist temples, one in a bamboo grove, and a huge Shinto Shrine. It was an incredible trip and I'm so glad I went.



Tour dates for Platform Decay, the next Murderbot novel:

https://us.macmillan.com/tours/martha-wells-platform-decay/

Creator: innitmarvelous_og
Title: Queen Susan the Gentle
Fandom: The Chronicles of Narnia
Characters/Pairings: Susan Pevensie
Prompt: Challenge 514: Gentle
Word Count/Medium: 5 icons
Rating: None
Warning: None
Summary: Five icons featuring Susan

Our new challenge is:

GENTLE

As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.

Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Sunday, 10th May. No sign-up required.

Mods will tag your work for fandom. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name, as well.

All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.

You can view stats for fan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details.

Also, keep an eye out for the next ffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)

The Amnesty challenge is now closed. Here are the entries:

Gravity Challenge: Star Trek Prodigy: wallpaper: without you by my side by lilly_c
Apart Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Set Apart by badly_knitted
Rainbow Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: After The Rain by badly_knitted
Face Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Facing The Future by badly_knitted
Play Challenge: Heated Rivalry: Fan Fiction: New Games by darkjediqueen
Rainbow Challenge: The X-Files: wallpaper: Caught me off guard by lilly_c
Rainbow: Kirby (series): fanart: colorful flight by ecto_one_spengler
Open Challenge: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fanfic: Open Book by badly_knitted
Oops! Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Forgotten by badly_knitted
Oops!: Kirby (series): fanart: the mess by ecto_one_spengler
Games: The Witcher: Fanfiction: The Witcher's Hand by infinitum_noctem
Fragile Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Fragile As Hope by badly_knitted
Sleepless: Viola come il mare: Fanfic: Tearing Down the Wall by veronyxk84
Drive: Reborn As The Villain President’s Lover: Fanfic: and another more distant summit by bluedreaming
Locked Challenge: Torchwood: Fanfic: Behind closed doors by m_findlow
Joke Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: No Laughing Matter by badly_knitted
Plant: Original: Collage: Aberglasney Gardens - The Ninfarium by smallhobbit
Performance Anxiety Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Religious Icon by badly_knitted
Obstacle: Wiseguy: fanfic: the same deep water as you by teaotter
Warmth challenge : Marvel Comics : icons : filter by highlander_ii
The Other Side Challenge: Babylon 5: Fanfic: Irrational by badly_knitted
Mystery Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Fascinating Mystery by badly_knitted
Plant: Collage: Original: Growing Cress by smallhobbit
Garden Challenge: FAKE: Fanfic: Magic Garden by badly_knitted
Win or Lose: The Professionals: Fanfiction: When I'm Losing I'm Winning by lucy_roman
Fragile: Wiseguy: Fanfic: It takes all that I have just to cry for help by teaotter
Welcome + Looking Back (Amnesty): Kirby (series): fanart: Thank you. by ecto_one_spengler

Also, congratulations to those who earned badges and name tags this round:

teaotter claimed the Streak Assist.

\o/ \o/ \o/

Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.

The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.

Next challenge coming right up.

Title: Thank you.
Theme: Welcome / Looking Back (for the current Amnesty)
Fandom: Kirby (video game series) - particularly Kirby's Return to Dream Land and Kirby and the Forgotten Land.. (Mods please tag as Kirby.)
Rating: PG
Content notes: The Magolor depicted here is from a Kirby AU of mine where he wasn't a villain to begin with. Also, spoilers for Kirby and the Forgotten Land as well as scattershot spoilers for other games.
Artist notes: The most involved of my works - ironically, due TO work I didn't actually. Finish this until today. And I may have also had some itnernet issues at the same time... Yeah. I hope it's enjoyable anyway!
Summary: On the day of Kirby's first birthday spent in the New World, his unofficial older brother thanks him for their years of friendship.

(DUE TO RUSHING THIS I WILL RETROACTIVELY ADD THE ALT TEXT)

 

( Read more... )

 

Title: It takes all that I have just to cry for help
Fandom: Wiseguy (tv)
Content notes: Missing scene from Loose Cannon; very definitely spoilers.
Challenge: Fragile
Length: ~750 words

Summary: But that’s why he came here, isn’t it?

( Read more... )