elanya

Hi all! Rising from the dead to direct you to my Yuletide Reveals post if you are interested in things I have written!

It's been a big busy year for me - I officially started my Collections Manager position at work, we moved into a house, Jola died.... Ups and downs, I guess. 2020 is looking to be busy and hectic as well, as things never seem to really slow down at work. We are working towards a big revamp of our public spaces (at least) in the next few years and are jumping into planning mode for that, and I have a lot of stuff to do with that. Especially after our exhibit person leaves in April (at the latest). She's delightful and has done so much good for our office culture that I will be very sad to see her go, though her husband is not working in Ottawa, so even if her contract wasn't ending I can't imagine she'd stay here.

I am hoping to keep up better with writing in the new year - I have so many ideas and so little time, as always. I'm hoping to get signed up for Chocolate Box this week though, so I guess stay tuned for that if you're interested? And meanwhile I will see about finishing off a few lingering things from 2019.

I finished a wingspan shawl before the new year, though! other than end weaving and blocking. So... yeah.... now my 'to-be-blocked pile of shawls is about 4 deep :x But we have more space in the new house, so I am hoping I can get that worked out if I get some good mats.

I also joined... one and a half more games? Maybe? One of them (monster of the week) may not be continuing, and the other (Changeling) I can't actually attend the scheduled sessions for so am mostly doing stuff around the edges, but of course I adore both my new characters and my head of full of ideas for them! but also my old characters.... so many stories, so little time :3

So 2019 is upon us.

I'm not super looking forward to going back to work next week, but it does feel like I've had a real break, and I'm glad it's only a three day week ahead of me.

Jola is getting a CT scan next Sunday. She seems fine but the swelling is not getting any better, and is, if anything getting worse. She's on some pain meds that seem to help - I haven't seen her limping much except right in the morning or in the evening before they get refreshed, or if I cave and take her on the too-long walk she demands. She's been a bit more sookie lately, but only for her. However we confirmed over the break that she has been peeing in the basement, generally when she can't get someone to take her out, and are looking for a solution o she can let us know when she needs to go. Probably we'll try the old 'bells on a rope by the door' trick, which she used to know and should be easy enough to go back to.

Maze is okay. I need to take a urine sample to *his* vet at some point soon, but its so friggin *far*. I think my best bet would actually be to walk it down after work some day and then bus home from there. I'll let him out of kitty jail after the tree is down and general Christmas Debris put away. Every time I think I'm doing better with his boxes I find out that I am not, so, uh, I really need to do better. At least (other than the ego table), the other things we thought were him are *not* him. However this means that the toilet in the downstairs bathroom is leaking :p

In non-pet news, I did basically no knitting over the break, even though I'm really pretty close to finishing my shawl and super close to finishing my headband. I *did* do a ton of writing, which was nice. After not really feeling it, I got very into the yuletide spirit when it came time to help the tag-mod team with story checking. I finished my assignment and wrote two treats, and everything seemed pretty well received, with a bunch of comments on everything. I'll do a separate reveals post. I also did noms for chocolate box... I talked to Nary and Longpig and we decided to nom and request a bunch of Diablotin stuff, even though really we'd just be writing for each other if we get matched to it. I'm excited! I should do my signups...

What else, hmm. I'm not really much one for resolutions or anything like that, but I have some general goals. I'd like to write more, and journal more. I want to focus on some more original fiction, but I also just want to make time more consistently for writing. Writing everyday would be great but I'm not sure its reasonable or not. Maybe? Maybe I can start carrying a writing journal and just writing... whatever in it. Release myself form the idea that it needs to be coherent or complete or relevant. Just anything. Maybe I'll use the journal Nary got me for my birthday for that. I started poking at a bigger project yesterday but I have no faith in my own staying power there, so we'll see. It's all good practice, right? I also finished an AW fic I started before yuletide and posted it, which also feels like good momentum.

How are you all, internets world? Any fun projects planned for the new year?

Also, does anyone know any good ways to crosspost form DW to pillowfort yet?

Hello internets! I live!

I was going to just pop in to do an update about how Jukebox went (wonderfully), but I realized I probably have other things to day as well.

But I'll start with jukebox. I got THREE GIFTS :D And all were really excellent and well tailored to my likes and interests :3 Two written pieces and one art (by someone who I think must have done art for literally everyone who asked for it, not near enough o_O).

In no particular order (they really are all excellent):
Two Point Five Megabytes Across A Quarter Million Miles (617 words) by AlexSeanchai
Chapters: 2/2
Fandom: 250000 Miles - Patty Griffin (Song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Additional Tags: Near Future, Science Fiction, Implied/Referenced Homophobia
Summary:

SEEKING ADVENTURE? ROMANCE? THE GREAT UNKNOWN?

The American Tau Ceti Company seeks venturers to Lán Hǎi!

The Kǎilíng sets sail from East Tsukishi Port on 30 June 2047—be aboard!

This has Complicated Family stuff that is both painful and liberating. I really enjoyed the perspectives offered in the two chapters, though my sympathy lies with the second.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (6 words) by AlTheAlchemist
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Culling of the Fold - The Decemberists (Song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Additional Tags: Blood, Art
I just love this. Best title. Whelp, someone's got to do it :x

His White Hause-Bane (2369 words) by Edonohana
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Twa Corbies (Traditional Song)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary:

I rode to the castle, thinking to ask for directions to put me on my way and hoping for an invitation to dine with the lord and spend the night, for the day was very cold. Perhaps it was my hopeful thoughts of mead and hot meat that distracted me, or perhaps it was something else. But I had dismounted before I realized that there was something strange about the place, and was almost at the doors before I knew what it was.

There was nothing else in sight. No other homes, no fields, no orchards. Nothing but the castle, rising from the mud like a great white tooth.

This is just a really wonderful take on the song, and a nice creepy faery tale to boot.

As for things I wrote, one full length fic for my assignment, and then three drabbles as treats, both of which seem better received. Such is a writer's life!

Traps for Troubadours (3459 words) by Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Music, Musicians, Band Break Up, Partying, Crossroads Deals & Demons
Summary:

We have a chance to make it big.

"What will you do to make it happen?" Kana asks me.

I don't think she's going to like the answer.

Crusade (100 words) by Precisely_Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Blood Under the Bridge - Frightened Rabbit (Song)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Trauma, Crusades, Drabble, Good versus Evil
Summary:

Empathy can be a fleeting thing, and comfort hard to find.

Undermine (100 words) by Precisely_Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Build That Wall (Zia's Theme) - Darren Korb (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Insurrection, Conspiracy, Construction, Drabble
Summary:

There's more than one way around a barrier.

Vows (100 words) by Precisely_Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Rusalka Rusalka / Wild Rushes - The Decemberists (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Original Male Character/Rusalka
Characters: Original Male Character(s), Rusalka (Rusalka Rusalka)
Additional Tags: Marriage, Sea Monsters, Regret, Curses, Horror, Drabble, Canonical Character Death
Summary:

To have and to hold...

As for other things to natter about... I finished a couple of pairs of socks a few weeks ago, and now have only one real project on the go. I started some handwarmers at larp but I was doing them on the fly and don't really know if I want to finish them or not. I've been reading on the bus, too, so I haven't really started anything new, just working on the one shawl. I did start a new long-term weaving project, which someday will be a scrap blanket. I wove one strip basically in an afternoon after I got the loom warped, but what will take longer is amassing the scraps! Gotta knit more socks I guess, oh well :V

Speaking of things ending, Diablotin 3, which we started playing in October 2014, ended last Sunday. I'm gonna miss it for sure, though there has been some talk of another game to replace it, and the eventuality of Diablotin 4 in another year or so, or in a few years... we;ll see :3 Meanwhile I still have Fuck Squad and YOAW and Larp! SO basically I ca't really complain even though I haven't really quite accepted that its done ;_; My Character had a pretty good ending - she got married, she works for the emperor, and she got to take down the final boss with a ridiculous amount of damage. She's got a better relationship with her family, who are all themselves doing better, with the exception of her sister who got stuck as the guardian to a semi-sentient extra-dimensional gate. But it's only for a few years, and we can visit :3 It was at least a good and satisfying ending, if it had to end ;_;

I feel like I had other nattering to do but I can't remember what, and I wanted to start working on my fic for the Throk Zine (Scorpius!), so I think I might go grab a snack and do that.

Written last night...tfw when you are too tired to actually hit 'post' but your tab saves your entry for you :V

Today was a weird day - I wasn't at my regular work, and got to mess around with a bunch of collections stuff in preparation for a huuuuuge transfer! Which is closer and closer to happening. My hands are all scratched up though. But it meant leaving home later and also getting home earlier, but a lot of moving stuff around in between.

I feel like I was going to talk about something specific, but now I forget. This is why I never write entries unless they are mundane' this was my day!' sorts of things.

All my games continue to be awesome. I am getting a character portrait commissioned for Korivan, who is my cannibal hobgoblin, and I've got the sketch now and I'm super excited for it! I really liked the artist's style (zuzaarti on tumblr), and I found them by looking for other D&D character commissions >.>

I think I am done my chocolate box fic! I had to remind myself that it is a relationship exchange and does not actually *require* smut ;p I think my fic is different from the prompts but also it hit a looot of their likes so I hope they enjoy it!

Uh, uh uh... what else. I bought snow shoes and then all the snows went away and have not come back in sufficient quantity to shoe in :(so we'll see whether that was a reasonable purchase or not :V

What else, what else.... Maze has been out and about around the house more often, and Sierra is.. growing more accustomed anyway. It means he's been engaging in typical kitty shenanigans like destroying baked goods and trying to drink mouthwash and such. People here have not been prepared to *actually* live with a cat, so that's been fun! I'm also out of the habit, so it's an adjustment all around.

Annnnnd....I guess that's all for now :3 Bed time!

All the adulds dyed their hair tonight!

I refreshed my green streak, Longpig refreshed her usual teal and magenta, and Wererogue was convinced to give it a shot and it looks to have turned out a cool dark pink! He wanted teal originally but it didn't bleach out very light and had a lot of orange tones, and Longpig didn't think it would work all that well. I'm not sure he is super happy with it, but it will grow out and we can get the bleach better and try for teal another time.

I also started my yuletide, finally! So far so good :)

I'm tired, so this will eb brief. but it will *be*!

I finished a fic! Technically I 'finished' it yesterday, but I did some revision today and I think it is better for it. I'll post tomorrow, as it is for a tumblr 'event' (Voltron!). It's even smut! I hadn't written anything since August, and nothing smutty since April, I guess. It feels longer :o

I did some more dyeing, finishing up with my walnuts. I now have the stuff for dad's scarf, and I can wind that and warp my loom as soon as the darker skein is finished drying. I think I might have made the skein that is supposed to be lighter a little *too* dark, and it may lose contrast in some places.... hopefully it sill still look good as a houndstooh. I also dyed a skein for socks, which turned out a lovely dark golden brown. I know the pattern I want to use if I can get ahold of it....

And tonight I went to a local friend's graduation party - she is now a doctor of philosophy too (history)! It was cool, though I think I almost completely failed to interact with people I didn't already know. I ate many (too many) snacks, and am stuff very full. But it was nice to go out. I still have such complicated feelings about my own degree. She is doing a much better job on following up/following through, and I wish he luck making her career!

Naughty naughty, I know...

I'm waiting for my anitvirus to tell me that a program is safe to install, even though I know it is :p

A Big Thing is happening at work after literally years of negotiation! It is exciting!

My hair is green! Well, part of it... ( (image below cut) )

Tonight is poutine and kitting!

Someone left me kudos on this story form Jukebox a few years ago and it reminded me how much I love it. I think this might be one of the best stories I've come up with, though probably the actual writing could be improved in some areas:

Embers Just Waiting for Breath (7306 words) by Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Fire in the Head - Sharon Knight (Song)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Original Characters
Additional Tags: Bards, Storytelling, Songs, Bechdel Test Pass, Fae & Fairies, Ordeals, Faustian Bargain, Madness, Megaliths, Rituals, Fire, Pilgrimage, Folklore
Summary:

Efa goes to the Giant's Chair
To make a Feyre pact...

I keep forgetting yesterday was Monday :P

And I have a dentist appointment on Thursday. It's a weird week.

It was a weird day at work! I was chasing information around and attending impromptu meetings and calling people and stuff and *whew*! Busy.

I posted my galra mini exchange fic, not sure what I'm writing next:

Army of One (1063 words) by Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Haggar/Sendak (Voltron)
Characters: Haggar (Voltron), Sendak (Voltron), Zarkon (Voltron)
Additional Tags: Power Dynamics, Loyalty Kink, Medical Procedures, Implied Torture, Offscreen Dismemberment, Implied Eye Trauma, PG-13 is hard >.>
Summary:

Sendak has failed his emperor, and is prepared to face the consequences. Haggar, however, doesn't want to see such a loyal underling wasted.

Today was a mixed bag. The strawberries I bought were crappy (sour, watery, and/or overripe), but they had cheap brownie bites at loblaws.

I managed to Do Things at work and not just waste time terribly, but I didn't get all the things I wanted to done, and I am still having trouble making myself work.

The weather was shitty - rainy and humid followed by warm and humid.

After dinner was just an awful stress pile and I'm still grumpy despite leaving the house for a bit.

I went to the mall and didn't buy too much ridiculous crap. I did get a birthday present for Nugsy, which was the goal.

I am trying to think of an idea for a pirate and ghost story anthology (submission deadline is July 7), which you might think would be second nature, but I'm getting bogged down in historical acts and I haven't even thought of a good idea yet :p

Probably at least part of my grumpyness is impending bees. also my tiredness. Time for bed I guess.

It was Sunday!

There was Diablotin, which was great! And then tonight I was Instigated to write a Terrible Voltron Story. It's kind of crack and also kind of not. Probably no one is going to really read it, it's uh, a little niche ;p

You can read it if you want to though! Why would I deny my beloved internet friends ;p

Sex Pollen Cave (1868 words) by Measured_Words
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alfor/Zarkon (Voltron)
Characters: Alfor (Voltron), Zarkon (Voltron)
Additional Tags: Sex Pollen, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Blow Jobs, Power Bottom Zarkon, Choking, Kissing, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Strength Kink, Everything on Altea is Trying to Kill You, Consensual Sex Pollen, maybe crack maybe not
Summary:

There is a cave on Altea. There is something in the cave that Alfor needs to make the Black Lion. He asks Zarkon to help him get it... but there's just one little catch.