garryowen: (trek kirk ouch!)
[personal profile] garryowen posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Star Trek AOS (Reboot)
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/inappropriateness, hints of Kirk/Spock
Rating: Teen +
Length: 3,235 for the fic, 23 minutes for the podfic
Creator Links: [livejournal.com profile] insaneidiot [archiveofourown.org profile] reena_jenkins
Theme: Working Together

Summary: The crew of the Enterprise is subjected to a compulsory seminar on Inappropriate Workplace Behavior, and Jim Kirk finds this to be particularly challenging.

Content notes: In addition to Kirk being inappropriate in the ways one might expect from canon, the seminar leader is stereotyped in a way that might be considered offensive.

Reccer's Notes: I'm reccing both the story and the podfic here because the story is only on LJ, and the writer does not seem to be active anymore. The podficcer, however, is still around, and the pod is hosted on AO3, which may be more accessible for some. It is also the way I first encountered this story.

Now that we have all that out of the way, I can gush about how hilarious this story is because Jim Kirk + Starfleet bullshit is fertile territory, and I always laugh really loudly when listening to the podfic. Jim is so deeply wounded by any attempt to rein in his obnoxiousness, inappropriateness, and mouthiness. The best thing about this fic, though, is Jim's relationship with his crew. Throughout the seminar, we see the dynamics play out, and it becomes clear that the seminar was put together for a very different kind of workplace and a very different kind of crew. As Jim puts it: "All the team unity and 'synergy' exercises in the universe aren’t going to build real trust or strong relationships amongst a crew."

As you might expect, Jim gets kicked down a couple notches by the seminar leader, but the tables turn in an unexpected way by the end of the seminar.

Reena, as usual, does a wonderful job with the podfic.

Fanwork Links: Wrote the Book fic at LJ and Wrote the Book podfic at AO3
full_metal_ox: A gold Chinese Metal Ox zodiac charm. (Default)
[personal profile] full_metal_ox posting in [community profile] common_nature
Taken on 9 June 2024 at 07:21 US Eastern Daylight Time:



Taken on 27 June 2025 at 19:46 US Eastern Daylight Time:



Taken on 27 June 2025 at 19:47 US Eastern Daylight Time:



Taken on 2 July 2025 at 19:43 US Eastern Daylight Time:



This gradually took shape across the parking lot from a local Asian fusion restaurant over 2024; between recovering from Hurricane Ian and the COVID quarantine, changing hands, and changing formats (from the mid-century Cantonese-American the original owners had served for forty years to a pan-Asian combination of sushi, ramen, and Chinese), they’d spent the previous couple years uneasily gaining their bearings.

The garden’s proximity to the street, along with the lack of any obvious receptacle for offerings, makes it clear that this is an ornamental rather than devotional site. (A Web search indicates the presence of a local Buddhist temple, but the address is a private residence, and home worship services are for who they’re for, not for curiosity-gawking spiritual tourists.)

My guess is that the white-flowering shrubs are Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), aka Confederate Jasmine, Chinese Star Jessamine, and Trader’s Compass, native to warm regions in South and East Asia, and widely planted in the Southeastern U.S. The flowers’ heady indolic fragrance is prized in perfumery, but I’m afraid I haven’t the right sensory range to enjoy them.

vital functions

Jul. 6th, 2025 10:20 pm
kaberett: Trans symbol with Swiss Army knife tools at other positions around the central circle. (Default)
[personal profile] kaberett

Reading. Burch + Penman, McMillan-Webster, Wells, Davies + Jones, Hwang Carrant, Keynes + Aidley )

... all of which adds up to more pain-related reading than I felt like I'd managed this week, huh, I thought I had tripped and fallen entirely into Murderbot and EatYourBooks indexing but apparently not!

Writing. A response to the EHRC consultation, which was... several thousand words. A very, very brief response to the Pathways to Work green paper consultation ("I am too disabled to manage doing this properly. These charities are speaking for me. Please fucking listen to them.")

Watching. The first half of Fantasia, with the toddler, with my hand held through all the scary bits to reassure me, apart from the bit that was SO scary that we had to get up and distract ourselves until it was over. Which had absolutely not been flagged as one of the scary bits, and which was the deep-sea-origins-of-life section.

(I had not watched the film since primary school, I don't think? And between then and now I have played a bunch of orchestral music, for most of that time on the violin but latterly as a French horn. It turns out that when I'm not distracted by playing a completely different part, I have incredibly intense sense-memories of several of the pizzicato sections early on...)

Another Murderbot episode. (I continue Indignant.)

Another Farscape episode, this one Taking the Stone (S02E03), which I think was firmly back to early season one levels of incoherence.

Tragically we have not managed The Old Guard 2, because I have had too much migraine and there have been SO many things Happening, but... maybe this week???

Cooking. Several new things! Four from East, leaving me at 41/120 recipes still to make (two of which are "probably won't happen" for reasons of "grapefruit" and "matcha"); of those this week's meal plan includes two (aubergine larb with sticky rice; Vietnamese coconut pancakes). I appreciated the reminder that fried new potatoes are tasty, and A is notably into the chargrilled summer vegetable salad, though I was not a fan of the faff and think I prefer smitten kitchen's charred corn succotash.

Approximately zero faff was salt lassi, and A is now aware that this Special Treat is available; low faff was a cherry clafoutis with fruit from the plot, which I overcooked a bit but, hey, I do in fact like caramelised crunchy bits.

Eating. FIRST BATCH OF DESSERT GOOSEBERRIES ARE RIPE. A tiny handful of Sugar Magnolia sugarsnap peas. Misc jostaberries. RASPBERRIES. And also supermarket strawberries, because we have hit the stage of the summer where they're down to £5 per kilo :)

Growing. I have been doing small bits of harvest and failing to get support structures in for the beans and tomatoes. The outdoor tomatoes have tomatoes on. The squash are coming along; I put more squash seeds in, on the grounds that they're super late but might still do anything; I have not managed to kill all of the chillis; the pepper has flowers.

Harvested lots of dried peas for sowing next year. Am attempting to develop Plans that might actually let me have a full bed of broad beans and a full bed of peas in the interests of getting Reasonable Quantities of them. If the council doesn't tell me I'm not allowed the abandoned plot next door--

I could get so much done if I could coax myself out there for even an hour a day but the agoraphobia is saying No, annoyingly. Gonna try to get A to chase me out more this week.

Culinary

Jul. 6th, 2025 07:32 pm
oursin: Frontispiece from C17th household manual (Accomplisht Lady)
[personal profile] oursin

No bread made for reasons.

Friday night supper: I was intending having penne with bottled sliced artichoke hearts, except did not appear to have these in store cupboard: did a sauce of blender-whizzed Peppadew Roasted Red Peppers in brine instead.

Saturday breakfast rolls: basic buttermilk, 50:50% strong white/white spelt flour, turned out nicely.

Today's lunch: diced leg of lamb casseroled in white wine with thyme with sweet potato topping, served with buttered spinach and what really were quite tiddly juvenile baby leeks vinaigrette in a dressing of olive oil, white wine vinegar, and wholegrain mustard.

james_davis_nicoll: (Default)
[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


Can the American King's uncanny military genius best an enemy so cunning the enemy loses every battle?

The Steel, the Mist, and the Blazing Sun by Christopher Anvil

(no subject)

Jul. 6th, 2025 01:25 pm
oursin: Brush the Wandering Hedgehog by the fire (Default)
[personal profile] oursin
Happy birthday, [personal profile] tree_and_leaf!

Connexions (21)

Jul. 6th, 2025 11:06 am
the_comfortable_courtesan: image of a fan c. 1810 (Default)
[personal profile] the_comfortable_courtesan
How the place was doing

It was concluded that this fine weather was entirely settled in, and that they could proceed with some confidence with this plan of taking old Mr Mamber on a jaunt out to Marashaylles. Pa said that the old man had revealed that had known those parts in his youth, and 'twould be a pleasure to him to visit the countryside once more, could it be managed.

So, there was arranging with Uncle Sam for the hire of one of their most commodious carriages, and there was the acquisition of one of brother Ben’s latest most comfortable and up to the mark invalid carriages, that he had quite specific designed for travellers. And of course there was Ma, making up a fine pique-nique basket to sustain 'em –

Jessamy and William looked at one another as they loaded it into the carriage and remarked, that sure they need not be in any fears of starvation, did there come some accident of breaking down upon the road in their return!

For they were both going too. William had tactfully put it that it would be most useful instructive to him to be able to converse with one that had been Pa’s mentor in good practices, when what was in his mind was that it would be prudent to be on hand to push the invalid carriage! While Jessamy had remarked that 'twould be a fine opportunity for her to go see how matters were getting along at Marashaylles, quite informal –

Pa quite saw the sense in that! Well, had she not come about to consider that good practices were not confined to questions of domestic administration?

Now they were at the almshouses – very neat and well-kept, a pleasure to look upon – and William lifting Mr Mamber into the carriage – and greetings, and no, this was not Patience, that was the nurse, this was Jessamy, that was now about the business of the manufactory.

Did she not have a look of her mother!

They settled down, and Pa was very particular over ensuring Mr Mamber was comfortable, and so they set off, hesitantly at first through the bustling streets of the City, but at last out onto the open road into Kent.

O, 'twas an excellent fine day to be bowling along a good road, bound on a jaunt into the country!

And there was Mr Mamber, displaying every sign of delight at this excursion, looking out of the window and declaring that 'twas a deal of a while since had come this way, but recollected this or that landmark – had not that coaching inn been there an entire age? – was those over there not what they called oast-houses for the hops?

Pa remarking on how much better the roads were these days – and the construction of carriages much improved as well –

So it went on, until they came to Marashaylles. They drove up to the house, and disposed the carriage in the stableyard, and Joey Smith uncoupled the team and went see about 'em in the very proper fashion that was expected of one that had a place at Jupp’s, relative or no. Jessamy minded on that there should be a fine cask of ale or so indoors in the pantry, went to ensure that she was not mistook, then drew a mug for Joey.

When she came out Pa and William were carefully lifting Mr Mamber into Ben’s fine chair and making sure he was comfortable.

Mr Mamber was exclaiming upon the sweet scent of the blossom, and the song of the birds, and la, were there tears in his eyes?

William came over to convoke with Jessamy as to the most convenable ways they might take him, and where they might halt to have their pique-nique. She – very proud of it! – showed him the map of the estate, adding that sure at present they were still coming about to bring it into being what it should be, had been sadly neglected, did not anticipate to have any great crops this year, but we should see – but did they follow these tracks, there and there, would not have any trouble. Pointed out the little rise in the plum orchard, that she fancied would make a very pretty place to take their rest and have their nuncheon.

Her brother nodded and grinned at her, saying good practices! at which she dug him in the ribs, before he went back to make sure he took the handles of the chair afore Pa could, Pa still being in reminiscent converse with Mr Mamber.

Mr Mamber took a little concern that Jessamy was going to be roaming around all by herself – her brother and father snorted a little at this, for was she not entirely the like of her mother, the figure of a Dahomey Amazon warrior? Moreover, had not her brothers taught her somewhat of the pugilistic art? And anyway, 'twas unlike there would be any about that was not entire licensed to be here and would know who Miss Wilson was.

So his frets were soothed, and they set off along the track. Jessamy went back to see how Joey did – still attentive to the nags to ensure they had not picked up stones or such – enquired as to was he provided with any snack, at which he grinned. Replied that his ma might not be a cook the like of Euphemia but had put him up a nice nuncheon of bread and ham &C.

That was all settled, then. She took a quick look around the parts of the house that were at present in use – the kitchen, the chambers that were now turned into offices, &C – but no-one was there.

Now she could go walk about and see how the place was doing.

No signs of slovenliness! Everything neat – no tools left about, cuttings swept up into piles –

While the birdsong was indeed very pretty, she had had concerns about birds – but observed that nets had been laid over the berry-bushes most like to be raided

Could see where glasshouses and frames were already well under construction.

Did not resist a little skip in her step as she went through into the walled apple orchard –

Oh!

That was not Mr Simcox, the manager that had come with so many impressive recommendations, or any of the others – a blackclad figure –

That turned and said, why, Miss Wilson, did not anticipate to see you here the day – had the desire to make a quick visit before I return to Oxford –

Jessamy made a little dip and ventured a conventional condolence upon Lord Peregrine’s bereavement.

He sighed. Has laid a great burden upon me – never anticipated to be the heir – but do you tell me how matters come along at the manufactory. Have not had the least opportunity to come see how they are.

They went sit upon a fallen trunk. She described how they had already commenced upon clearing that plot of land of his – pulling down the warehouse that was in a quite parlous state – already setting about preparing the foundations –

He said sadly that had hoped to come visit with his friends, show 'em about, but alas – after a brief pause added, Would you care for a little luncheon? Here I have this packed up for me – asked Miss Jupp for advice on trains – next thing is, she has that all writ down for me, and says, here is Miriam provides you with some snack, is most put about you did not mention this beforehand, 'tis a poor simple repast from what she had upon hand – and there is a good deal of it –

Jessamy could not help a small splutter of laughter. Then said, would not spoil her own appetite for the pique-nique she had in prospect, explaining how she came to be there herself.

Though when he unwrapped it, she said mayhap she would take just half of one of Miriam’s apple turnovers –

Birds came to peck about for crumbs.

Jessamy ceased her account of how matters went with Roberts and Wilson’s superior preserves and pickles, to say, but he was returning to Oxford to continue his studies as he had intended?

Lord Peregrine groaned. Oh, I am returning so that I may finish the final term and take my degree, but apparently 'tis not suitable for the heir to the Marquess of Saythingport to mew himself up in a college with fusty old tomes, must go about in Society – so I must decline my fellowship and go conduct myself according to this new station.

Jessamy recalled how very enthusiastic he had sounded about his future course – quite the like of Ben talking about engineering or Patience about nursing! – what was the word – a vocation.

O, how dreadful! she burst out. La, 'tis as if in some tale in the penny parts, that here I was, had been brought up supposing myself the child of Pa and Ma, going out about the family business, and then comes one to say, no, you are really a great lady, that has been hidden like King Arthur with Sir Ector to protect you from enemies, but now you must take up your true position in society. I cannot fathom that anything could be more tiresome. Live the life of a lady indeed! – a deal of you must not do this but you must do that – being very proper – chaperones – law, here is my cousin Gert, will shake her head and sigh over the life that her old schoolfellows Chloe and Bella lead –

You are not constrained to your working at the manufactory?

Not in the least! Had to quite fight with my family over it – had been fascinated since childhood – oh, I daresay I could go be a cook in good service like Ma or Miriam, but the business called to me.

Much about the like. I wonder does the swineherd who is told he is the rightwise king wish to stay with his pigs! But it must be done.

They looked at one another with sympathy.

In the distance someone was calling her name.

There is my brother goes summon me –

They stood up.

Might I come visit the manufactory?

Of course you can, you are part-owner, and welcome, are you able.

She turned to wave farewell as she passed through the orchard wall.

full_metal_ox: A gold Chinese Metal Ox zodiac charm. (Default)
[personal profile] full_metal_ox posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: DC Universe; Sandman
Pairings/Characters: Gen; Morpheus, Alan Scott, Tomar-Re, Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, OCs by the billions (including Reader?)
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 297
Content Notes: Nothing icky happens, but the story references Neil Gaiman’s Endless mythos;(1) dream transcript.
Creator Links: (Website): https://leighwoosey.co.uk/; (Instagram) [instagram.com profile] leighwoosey; (LiveJournal) [livejournal.com profile] woogledesigns; (Twitter) [twitter.com profile] Leighwoosey

Theme: Working Together, Action/Adventure, Gen, Just Plain Fun, Non-AO3 Fics

Summary: One for Sandman fans: I had a dream of Morpheus, who saw an invasion of earth that would go through the dreaming to reach target. Morpheus, who foresaw the plan even as it was being dreamt up by the aliens, was obligated to mount a defense. He recruited two sleeping Green Lanterns, one of Alan Scott of Earth and one Tomar-Re.

Author’s Notes: People are always telling me to keep a dream diary, this is a concession.

Reccer's Notes: Raw dream content notoriously tends to be some-assembly-required narrative material, but in a 29 August 2010 LiveJournal post(2), Woosey described this downright jackpot he received from Dreamland: a cool premise complete with plot, grand spectacle, a firm grounding in the canon lore (note the smooth incorporation of the various Elseworlds Batman scenarios), implicit invitation to the audience (what would you have been doing during the Big Event?) and a clear if haunting resolution. The title is my own [livejournal.com profile] metaquotes header.

Fanwork Links: We could be heroes, just for one night, by Leigh Woosey.

(1) Note that some commenters envisioned Morpheus from The Matrix.

(2) The entry has since been deleted; archived here: https://web.archive.org/web/20170821194033/https://woogledesigns.livejournal.com/69811.html
sovay: (PJ Harvey: crow)
[personal profile] sovay
I screamed in dismay in the middle of the night because I had just seen the news that Kenneth Colley died.

I saw him in roles beyond the megafamous one, of course, and he was everything from inevitable to excellent in them, but it happens that last week [personal profile] spatch and I took the excuse of a genuinely fun fact to rewatch Return of the Jedi (1983) and at home on my own couch I cheered his typically controlled and almost imperceptibly nervy appearance aboard the Executor, which by the actor's own account was exactly how he had gotten this assignment stationed off the sanctuary moon of Endor in the first place, the only Imperial officer to reprise his role by popular demand. In hindsight of more ground-level explorations of the Empire like Rogue One (2016) and Andor (2022–25), Admiral Piett looks like the parent and original of their careerists and idealists, all too human in their sunk cost loyalties to a regime to which they are interchangeably disposable, but just the slight shock-stillness of his face as he swallows his promotion from frying pan to fire would have kept an audience rooting for him against their own moral alignment so long as they had ever once held a job. It didn't hurt that he never looked like he'd gotten a good night's sleep in his life, not even when he was younger and turning up as randomly as an ill-fated Teddy-boy trickster on The Avengers (1961–69) or one of the lights of the impeccably awful am-dram Hammer send-up that is the best scene in The Blood Beast Terror (1968). Years before I saw the film it came from, a still of him and his haunted face in I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)—smoking in bed, stretched out all in black on the white sheets like a catafalque—crossbred with a nightmare of mine into a poem. Out of sincere curiosity, I'll take a time machine ticket for his 1979 Benedick for the RSC.

He played Hitler for Ken Russell and Jesus for the Pythons: I am not in danger of having nothing to watch for his memory, as ever it's just the memory that's the kicker. No actor or artist or writer of importance to me has yet turned out to be immortal, but I resent the interference of COVID-19 in this one. In the haphazard way that I collected character actors, he would have been one of the earlier, almost certainly tapping in his glass-darkly fashion into my longstanding soft spot for harried functionaries of all flavors even when actual bureaucracy has done its best for most of my life to kill me. I am glad he was still in the world the last time I saw him. A friend no longer on LJ/DW already wrote him the best eulogy.

[pain, food] victory!

Jul. 5th, 2025 11:30 pm
kaberett: Trans symbol with Swiss Army knife tools at other positions around the central circle. (Default)
[personal profile] kaberett

I have finally successfully got my head around when the local supermarket reduces the prices on its pastries, which means that we are now well-supplied for doing a batch of pistachio croissant strata to get us most of the way through the coming week. It is not going to be a tomorrow (Sunday) morning breakfast, though, because we have half a cherry clafoutis from this morning, made using allotment cherries.

Read more... )

July Theme - Hobbies and crafts

Jul. 5th, 2025 09:52 pm
peaceful_sands: butterfly (Default)
[personal profile] peaceful_sands posting in [community profile] bitesizedcleaning
This month's theme is Hobbies and Crafts - I remember thinking that it would be hard to quantify exactly what a month of bite-size work on this theme will look like last year. I don't know about everyone else, but I certainly found plenty of things to tackle.

For those of you seeking ideas, some of the things you might want to work on include: clearing and making the space you work in more conducive to productivity, organising supplies, organising currently underway projects, organising unstarted projects, dealing with finished projects, weeding out unwanted supplies/projects. If you are a collector or a sports participant, it might be sorting/cleaning collectibles or equipment of whatever description. Anything goes this month to suit the needs of your hobbies.

For my perspective, I have multiple hobbies and crafts that I dabble in, each with their own supplies *and their own clutter*, so over the course of the month, my first goal is to retrieve some of my crafting spaces - my dining room table is clutter filled which stops me painting, my crafting chair upstairs is filled with none crafting related items, leaving nowhere there for me to sit and my scrapbooking project is split between a variety of boxes in a variety of locations. As the owner of way too many books, a fight with my book storage is always an ongoing process, and as someone who has so many different hobbies and crafts I always seem to be in need of sorting through ongoing projects to decide which ones can I make progress on quickly/finish easily?

After that who knows what's next... depending on how long each of the above tasks take, I might also allocate some time to trying to finish some almost finished projects.

Let us know what your plan is for the month and keep us posted with your progress.

looking for a link/website

Jul. 5th, 2025 02:43 pm
redbird: closeup of me drinking tea, in a friend's kitchen (Default)
[personal profile] redbird
Sometime in the last couple of months, someone posted a link to a site that had interesting looking shirts made of linen, for lower prices than most places charge. I forgot to bookmark it. Can anyone point me to it? or to something else that fits that description, even if you didn't see it here?


Edited to add: A the shirts were less expensive than I expected, which is a large part of why I'm interested. Those may have been sale prices, I don't remember.

Also, the were made of either linen or a linen blend, not "line".
oursin: Photograph of small impressionistic metal figurine seated reading a book (Reader)
[personal profile] oursin

Is it OK to read Infinite Jest in public? Why the internet hates ‘performative reading’

You know, I was completely unaware that 'The Internet' hated upon this (whatever it is) until I came across this article and I think we are probably well into a realm similar to journo constructing a phenomenon on the basis of '6 people I spoke to in the wine-bar last week'.

Or maybe I just don't do TikTok and am missing this, but in my experience, few forms of social media are entire monoliths, what?

Why shouldn't people read in public? They're not doing it AT other people, honestly.

Can't help thinking that those who get aerated at people reading on public transport or while sitting quietly in a restaurant or coffee-shop are very likely those who think you should 'rawdog' long planeflights, sad gits.

Okay, these days I am pretty much always reading on ereader when out and about, so nobody can see what I'm reading. But back in the day I have read a lot of things that I daresay some miserable so-and-so would have considered 'performative', like Remembrance of Things Past on the Tube.

And among other things Marx and Rousseau on the train when I was commuting in from suburban Surrey.

Which phase of my life I was reminded of by a review headed 'A darker side of Lawrence Durrell' - I was not aware that there was any other side, actually - I habitually got in the same compartment of the same train each morning and there was the same young man making his way veeeeery slowwwwly through the volumes of The Alexandria Quartet. Months and months of Balthazar.

primeideal: Wooden chessboard. Text: "You may see all kinds of human emotion here. I see nothing other than a simple board game." (chess musical)
[personal profile] primeideal
I'm not really a horror person but I kickstarted this anthology to support short fiction presses, it would definitely count for bingo, and I was going to send a submission anyway so why not. If that sounds familiar it's because it is. While I don't have a story in this book, I did find more highlights here than the last anthology!

My favorite story was "The River's Revenge," by Jen Mierisch, about monstrous two-headed eels appearing in the Chicago River and wreaking havoc. It's a delightful mix of humor with horror.
 
“We might get to name it, huh?” Suki said. “How about Wriggly Field?”

Was that a smile? “I’m thinking Muddy Waters,” Ron said.

“No, wait! I’ve got it. Eel Capone.”
***
Last night, Suki had gone to Navy Bier, the closest bar to the Chicago Sun-Times office and therefore its reporters’ logical happy-hour spot. It was incredible how much gossip you could overhear while nursing a Scotch and scrolling Instagram.
Yes, the location mentioned on Wabash Avenue is real, and yes, you should look it up after you finish the story. Lest you worry that this is mere one-sided political ranting, be assured that the the RL Mayor Johnson makes a cameo to be like "everything is fine and under control" when everything is not fine or under control, Chicago's political machine is a thing. ;)

All of the authors are people who currently and/or formerly have lived in and around Chicago, so all the little place names and bits of local color were great. In the first paragraph of "Pedal to the Floor into Darkness," K. A. Roy shows off both the very Midwestern dialect of using "pop" for any generic soft drink (where other parts of the country might use "cola" or "soda,") and the obvious double entendre associated with Lake Shore Drive.
The first thing you need to know is that my sister died when I was fifteen and she was nineteen. Story goes that Lisa was driving too fast through the bendy part of Lake Shore Drive, you know the one, smack dab between Grand and LaSalle. She took that s-curve doing seventy, like she was running from something in her rearview mirror. Spun out. Hit the median like a spinning top, front passenger bumper crumpling like a stomped pop can. It was past eleven, which if you’ve ever driven down LSD at night, with all the lights and the trees and city on one side, the lake on the other, is something you never forget.
"Lives Matter," by Jotham Austin II, is set in Hyde Park, on the South Side. Over the decades, Chicago has been de facto very segregated; the North Side is predominantly white, the West Side Hispanic, and the South Side black. The University of Chicago (where Barack Obama was once a law school professor) is in Hyde Park, which is a comparatively affluent and highly-educated area amidst the surrounding South Side. I know and love this area, and Austin brings out the little details (the Carl Von Linné statue!) Turns out he's also a UChicago professor and specializes in electron microscopy!
 
Walking slow. Crossing 55th street. Down Lake Park toward MSI. Fast walking. Sirens scream in the distance. Stopping under the Metra station bridge. Stopping to catch my breath. Think.

Bigmom’s maxims reciting in my head. Pull that hoodie down, so you can hear and be heard. Show respect. Yes sir. No mama. No talk back. If you can, send an SOS text.

"A Good Kid," by Nick Medina, is about a Lego nerd and the mysterious murals in his neighborhood.
The shapes and sizes didn’t matter. The colors didn’t either. Whether he ended up with twenty 2x2s, thirty 1x1s, an equal mix of 2x3s, 1x4s, and 1x2s, or any other of the seemingly infinite combinations he could pull from the box, he trusted his fingers to build something worth bragging about.
There are several stories that lean into themes of discrimination and police brutality, etc. What I liked about this one was that it acknowledged the horror of, even in a great city in the wealthiest country on Earth, there are still people killed by violence that wasn't targeted at them, just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. There aren't easy fixes, but it's good to acknowledge that the police aren't just cartoon villains being evil for evil's sake, they're responding to real forces.

Speaking of police brutality, though. "Body Cam" by TJ Cimfel is an excellent use of form. It starts as a contrast between the supernatural horror of an unexplained Something, and the mundane horror of police officers manipulating evidence at black ops sites. We see an officer slowly watching a timestamped loop of bodycam evidence from a fatal incident three months prior, and at first it just seems to be bad guy cops trying to suppress the truth. Then it gets weird. A great example of what you can do with text that you can't necessarily do in another medium.
 
It’s at this point the impound lot camera footage jellies, smears to gray. A nebulous conspiracy has naturally formed around this. The CPD got ahold of the impound lot’s drive, wiped out Jackson’s involvement. Like there isn’t enough incriminating footage as it is. Besides, Campos had nothing to do with that. Not that he’s above such moves. Hell, those moves are why they hire him.

He could only stonewall for so long. The prying journalists and their relentless FOIA requests. The family, crying on the news every other day. Woke mobs spitting vitriol outside City Hall, shutting down traffic in the Loop. All of it so tiresomely predictable, so tiresomely effective.
"Lucky Charms," by Sandra Jackson-Opoku, depicts an interaction between the eighteenth and twenty-first centuries. A kid overhearing an "as you know, Bob" conversation for the readers' benefit is a little annoying, but what I like about this is that it doesn't just depict contemporary people reacting to something from the past (including an allusion to "Leprechaun in the Hood," and if I have to know that that is a thing that exists, then so do you), but also characters from the past trying to make sense of the present.
 
Suzanne heard a rumble from the other direction, the stomp of marching feet. She turned to see a group from the opposite end of the road approaching in military formation. They were men and women in identical blue clothing carrying weapons and see-through shields.

One voice was magnified by the large cone he carried. “This is an illegal gathering. You are not allowed to advance beyond this point. You must disperse. I repeat, you must disperse.”

Suzanne could differentiate the groups by what they carried—their signs, their weapons, their manner of movement. Could these be the Yankees and British at war once again?

 
Not every story was a winner for me, but overall, I think if you love Chicago as much as I do, you'll probably find something to like in here!

Bingo: Published in 2025, Five+ Short Stories, Small Press, presumably will still be Hidden Gem for a while (the Kickstarter e-books just came out, so right now no one has rated it on Goodreads yet!)

Wild Cards checklist

Jul. 5th, 2025 09:35 am
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[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll
This is much easier for Martin's New Voices series....

Read more... )
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[personal profile] james_davis_nicoll


Four works new to me. One is SF, two fantasy, and the magazine (which I have not yet looked inside) likely both. Two of the novels are series novels, one does not seem to me.

Books Received, June 28 — July 4



Poll #33326 Books Received, June 28 — July 4
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 35


Which of these look interesting?

View Answers

FIYAH No. 35: Black Isekai published by FIYAH Literary Magazine (July 2025)
18 (51.4%)

Aces Full edited by George R. R. Martin (November 2025)
2 (5.7%)

Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn (March 2026)
6 (17.1%)

The Damned by Harper L. Woods (October 2025)
3 (8.6%)

Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)

Cats!
29 (82.9%)

(no subject)

Jul. 5th, 2025 12:44 pm
oursin: Brush the Wandering Hedgehog by the fire (Default)
[personal profile] oursin
Happy birthday, [personal profile] stillsostrange!

Connexions (20)

Jul. 5th, 2025 10:06 am
the_comfortable_courtesan: image of a fan c. 1810 (Default)
[personal profile] the_comfortable_courtesan
Very agreeable to work thus

Clorinda looked very fondly across the breakfast-table at Leda and said, la, here she had been training up quite the contriver that she dared say would one day step into her own shoes!

Fie, 'tis a day will never come – was entire 'prentice work – but one could see the poor lady felt somewhat cast out into the chilly winds like unto a shorn lamb, even was she left this very comfortable competence. Did not say in so many words but we could apprehend that the ladies in her locality are inclined to be cattish – Mrs Mitchell goes confirm that from matters her maid let drop – And – Leda leant over to help herself to a mutton-chop in the style of General Yeoman’s cook – I could see Maude Coggin’s fingers quite itching to furbish her up a little – would look very well for good dressing – and sighing that was constrained by the restrictions of mourning.

Clorinda grinned as she buttered a pikelet and then considered upon the choice between various of Roberts and Wilson’s superior preserves. But a very sensible woman – did not sit about wringing her hands or hearkening to the gentlemen in the town that I am sure would have been entire delighted to be leant on, but came seek advizers that did not have a dog in the fight.

Tut, Lady Bexbury, that is an exceeding vulgar metaphor!

Dear Matt – Quennells are quite the pillar of probity – and young Mr Q assures me that the late Mr Brackley’s stockbrokers have the most excellent reputation, that Sebastian confirms. Has Mr Abrahams had any insights into the prospectuses yet?

Has been very scathing concerning the ones he has so far looked into! Are the fellows investing their own tin they are like to come to a very sorry state.

They smiled at one another. Sure, thought Leda, it was very agreeable to work thus. How far she had come from hardened Bet Bloggs of Seven Dials. O, Bet had been loyal to her friends, but had not had these, these wider sympathies that Leda had come to from knowing and loving Clorinda. Had learnt that one might be soft and gentle without being weak.

But while it was indeed agreeable to help so amiable a lady as Miss Kirkstall, there were still rogues in the world a deal worse than the fellows offering her business propositions and one dared say in due course their hand and heart. She sighed. Clorinda raised her eyebrows.

O, I was just a-thinking of this nasty business I am looking into, over finding out shameful secrets and then extorting over 'em.

Very nasty, agreed Clorinda. And on the subject of shameful secrets &C, one observes that Blatchett and his parasite Mortimer Chellow have been absent from Society this considerable while. Belinda tells me they have been much seen about racecourses, where doubtless the company is less fastidious.

They both groaned, for though the immediate threat of any damage to Bella Beaufoyle’s reputation had been scotched, there was still the feeling that there was a powder-keg might yet come about to explode, and moreover that there might be other, mayhap even worse, scandals pertaining to Blatchett could come to light.

And that beastly creature Linsleigh is still prowling about the vicinity of Naples, one must wonder what he is about, or mayhap these days is entire the dilettante

Leda rested her chin in her hands and looked at Clorinda. Did not that beastly creature offer to reveal some scandal about you, before was obliged to flee the realm?

Clorina coloured a little. O, poo-poo, has Sandy been a-gossiping? A matter of some paintings from my youth, of a somewhat improper nature, that are now stored very secret at Nitherholme by dear Sallington –

I should like to see those!

Naughty creature!

But, Leda went on, for would not be distracted, is there aught that might bring you into trouble in this way?

Clorinda did not dismiss this concern lightly. She put on a sober face, looked thoughtful, and glanced over at her desk, where Leda knew that, in a well-concealed secret drawer, were miniatures of her daughter Flora as a child, and certain letters that she could not bring herself to destroy.

I think, she said at length, all is secure – you have give me quite excellent advice, my love! – and sure, I never went about to conceal what I had been, and 'tis so long ago that 'tis almost a romantic tale. There is a little fear for Flora and Hannah’s secrets – but indeed, the one I am in most worry for is Josh. O, I fancy he is exemplary discreet over his liaison with Julia Humpleforth, minds on her reputation, but these matters of saving badgers and foxes – for feelings about the right to hunt &C run very high – did it come about revealed concerning his interference in hunts -  

Leda reached across the table to clasp Clorinda’s hand. La, I have seen that Josh can tame Nat Barron, that now believes 'twas entire his own prudent notion to eschew badger-baiting at Abbetts’ ring. And is ever cautious, has learnt somewhat from his Aunty Clorinda, I fathom, from seeing him in court that time presenting as one with his head entire in the air –

Clorinda smirked a little. Josh, that has quite the keenest eye!

Indeed, one saw that Josh Ferraby might appear a dreamer, but that was because his attention was very acutely upon some matter that others did not note.

But, my love, you go be a little evasive –

Leda wrinkled her nose.  I am to go call upon this fellow Vohle, in my guise as Larry Hooper, desiring him to make a daguerreotype that I may send to my aged aunt, to provide an excuse for looking about his premises, and I am a little concerned that he may penetrate my disguise. You have remarked as to how artists of your acquaintance will note resemblances &C –

Even does he find you out a woman, he will, I fancy, suppose that you are one that chooses to go thus for your own reasons – will not know who you are.

Somewhat reassured, Leda rose and went to kiss her beloved, afore setting off to Covent Garden, and Marie Allard’s house, where she was wont to metamorphose into Larry.

There she found the most unusual sight of Marie sitting quite at her ease, looking positive doating at the child Binnie teaching the dog Pompey some trick or other.

Followed Leda up to where she was wont to transmogrify, to convey that she had excellent good news – not merely that here was Binnie’s Ma, continued to show Dorcas’ pious convert, and had obtained work scrubbing, one might have a little confidence this would last – but that she had been in some dilemma about obtaining schooling for Binnie.

And would you believe it? There is one lately comes take refuge with Molly Binns at Dolly Mutton’s, that was a governess afore her wretch of an employer ruined her, and is quite delighted to take up her old occupation.

Why, that falls out exceptional! Leda contemplated Larry in the pier-glass and fancied he would do. Enquired did Marie ever have daguerrotypes made –

Marie snorted and said, she was not obliged to go tout for trade! These days 'twas all personal recommendation.

What, do these fellows confide over their brandy, do you seek a lady that has a fine fierce hand with the lash, can do no better than Whipping Marie

More like, they go mutter to Dumaine or other knowing fellows, do you know of any lady that will do such-and-such –

Sure there must be tales that Dumaine could tell!

But Dumaine, they both nodded and agreed, well knew the worth of discretion.

So Larry went about his business to Vohle’s studio, that did not seem to be doing anything in the way of bustling trade at this hour, and found the fellow there busy at making up stereoscopic slides, that he slid into a drawer when he observed that he had a customer.

Larry’s tale was, that the aged aunt in the country that had brought him up, was in a great anxiety to see that he was well, but he could by no means quit Town and travel to visit her, 'twas quite out of the question. So had the thought that sending her his picture, taken quite from the life, would surely reassure her that he was in health.

Vohle, a short darkish foreign-looking fellow that nonetheless had a marked Cockney note in his speech, looked Larry up and down and remarked that indeed he was a fit young chap.

So he discoursed on about the procedure and had Larry stand thus and so with the light falling in such a way, and must not move, and went fiddling-faddling about with the machinery of the thing, did not seem in particular to make very close examination of Larry himself: while acute observation took in the place and where there might be secret hiding nooks.

Then there was waiting about for the thing to be fixed and mounted – Larry wandered about, picked up a stereoscope, and blushed at what it showed. So the production of saucy pictures was, it seemed, proved upon Vohle?

Vohle, while his hands were busy about the task, and without looking at Larry, said did Mr Hooper ever have an interest in earning a little extra at any time, he saw he was a fellow of very pleasing figure – should strip well –

Saw he had seen somewhat of the other business that was about here – and the matter of it was, there was often commissions came – and at present had one upon hand – a gentleman had a fancy to a series of tableaux of a lady of ripe charms and experience that goes about to initiate a promising young fellow into amorous delights

Say you so!

One could perchance imagine somewhat of the like, had one examined certain of the volumes upon Clorinda’s shelves! But did not suppose Vohle had any apprehension of what would be revealed – sure there were those had quite the taste, one heard, for the presentation of Sapphic amorous delights, but doubted that was required here.

So Larry looked rather shocked, and said, would have to think on’t – extra tin was ever useful –

But would be returning here discreet when Vohle was absent, to have a good poke about!


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Elise Matthesen

April 2025

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