rydra_wong (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rydra_wong) wrote2025-07-23 07:41 am
rydra_wong) wrote2025-07-23 07:41 am
Entry tags:
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-22 10:19 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-22 10:19 pmEntry tags:
Book 37 - Carl Hiaasen "Hoot"
Book 37 - Carl Hiaasen "Hoot" (Macmillan)
Dare I say it? This book was a 'hoot'! This is a fun read with wonderfully developed characters that still offer ruminations for deeper thought. Three middle school youth band together to protect a species of endangered owls from corporate expansion and their neglectful attitude toward the environment in their rush to expand. It offers food for thought about resistance to corruption, care and protection for the environment and encouragement for those who think they might not be able to take a stand. The book is well written and reads fairly quickly as Hiassen combines intimate knowledge of the Florida landscape with wit and insight. A wonderful and worthwhile read!
Dare I say it? This book was a 'hoot'! This is a fun read with wonderfully developed characters that still offer ruminations for deeper thought. Three middle school youth band together to protect a species of endangered owls from corporate expansion and their neglectful attitude toward the environment in their rush to expand. It offers food for thought about resistance to corruption, care and protection for the environment and encouragement for those who think they might not be able to take a stand. The book is well written and reads fairly quickly as Hiassen combines intimate knowledge of the Florida landscape with wit and insight. A wonderful and worthwhile read!
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-21 09:21 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-21 09:21 pmEntry tags:
Book 36 - Graham Swift "Last Orders"
Graham Swift "Last Orders" (Picador)
This is Swift's Booker Prize-winning novel from 1996, and for me it is a re-read. Some have noted similarities between it and Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, but that does not detract from its quality which has been evident in Swift's writing since his earlier success with Waterland (a novel that was short-listed for the Booker). While I found it a bit slow at first, it eventually evolved into a captivating tale of English working-class families in the four decades following WW II. When Jack Dodds dies suddenly of cancer after years of running a butcher shop in London, he leaves a strange request--namely, that his ashes be scattered off Margate pier into the sea. None could be better be suited to fulfill this wish than his three oldest drinking buddies--insurance man Ray, vegetable seller Lenny, and undertaker Vic, all of whom, like Jack himself, fought also as soldiers or sailors in the long-ago world war.
The narrative start is developed with an economy that presents (through the characters' own voices, one after another) the story's humanity and depth with a minimum of melodrama. The group is uncomfortable at first as evidenced by weak and self- conscious jocular remarks when they meet at their local pub in the company of the urn holding Jack's ashes; but once the group gets on the road, in an expensive car driven by Jack's adoptive son, Vince, the story starts gradually to move forward, cohere, and deepen. The reader gradually learns why it is that no wife comes along, why three marriages out of three broke apart, and why Vince always hated his stepfather Jack and still does--or so he thinks. As you might expect there are stories shared with topics like tales of innocent youth, suffering wives, early loves, lost daughters, secret affairs, and old antagonisms. There is even a fistfight over the dead on an English hilltop, and a strewing of Jack's ashes into roiling sea waves that will draw up feelings perhaps unexpectedly strong. Graham Swift is able to avoid artificiality by listening closely to these lives and presenting realistic voices that share stories of humanity with the proverbial ring of truth. If you have seen the film version, then you will know these characters, but if you have not, I totally recommend this novel forst.
This is Swift's Booker Prize-winning novel from 1996, and for me it is a re-read. Some have noted similarities between it and Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, but that does not detract from its quality which has been evident in Swift's writing since his earlier success with Waterland (a novel that was short-listed for the Booker). While I found it a bit slow at first, it eventually evolved into a captivating tale of English working-class families in the four decades following WW II. When Jack Dodds dies suddenly of cancer after years of running a butcher shop in London, he leaves a strange request--namely, that his ashes be scattered off Margate pier into the sea. None could be better be suited to fulfill this wish than his three oldest drinking buddies--insurance man Ray, vegetable seller Lenny, and undertaker Vic, all of whom, like Jack himself, fought also as soldiers or sailors in the long-ago world war.
The narrative start is developed with an economy that presents (through the characters' own voices, one after another) the story's humanity and depth with a minimum of melodrama. The group is uncomfortable at first as evidenced by weak and self- conscious jocular remarks when they meet at their local pub in the company of the urn holding Jack's ashes; but once the group gets on the road, in an expensive car driven by Jack's adoptive son, Vince, the story starts gradually to move forward, cohere, and deepen. The reader gradually learns why it is that no wife comes along, why three marriages out of three broke apart, and why Vince always hated his stepfather Jack and still does--or so he thinks. As you might expect there are stories shared with topics like tales of innocent youth, suffering wives, early loves, lost daughters, secret affairs, and old antagonisms. There is even a fistfight over the dead on an English hilltop, and a strewing of Jack's ashes into roiling sea waves that will draw up feelings perhaps unexpectedly strong. Graham Swift is able to avoid artificiality by listening closely to these lives and presenting realistic voices that share stories of humanity with the proverbial ring of truth. If you have seen the film version, then you will know these characters, but if you have not, I totally recommend this novel forst.
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-21 09:14 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-21 09:14 pmEntry tags:
Book 35 - Grayson Perry "Playing to the Gallery"
Grayson Perry "Playing to the Gallery" (Penguin Books)
A genuine attempt at an accessible work on understanding contemporary art for the average person, by one of Britain's more accessible and popular contemporary artists. I like Grayson Perry and his work, and I have a lot of time for anything he wants to say on this (and several other) subjects. I find myself nodding along to a lot of what he writes here, and he does raise some thought provoking points.
However, somehow it doesn't add up to more than the sum of its parts. There is no great overarching vision here, just a series of interesting points well made, so it ends up lacking a little coherence overall. Also, he is still very much an insider to the art world, so sometimes what he says seems to lack a little insight into what those who are truly on the outside might feel (lots of talk about making money out of the art world, and thinking about what curators value in a work etc; quite minority interests, even for other artists that don't exist in that rarefied strata) But, worth a look, not least for his humorous sketches that litter the book, and manage to capture some aspects of contemporary culture pretty neatly.
A genuine attempt at an accessible work on understanding contemporary art for the average person, by one of Britain's more accessible and popular contemporary artists. I like Grayson Perry and his work, and I have a lot of time for anything he wants to say on this (and several other) subjects. I find myself nodding along to a lot of what he writes here, and he does raise some thought provoking points.
However, somehow it doesn't add up to more than the sum of its parts. There is no great overarching vision here, just a series of interesting points well made, so it ends up lacking a little coherence overall. Also, he is still very much an insider to the art world, so sometimes what he says seems to lack a little insight into what those who are truly on the outside might feel (lots of talk about making money out of the art world, and thinking about what curators value in a work etc; quite minority interests, even for other artists that don't exist in that rarefied strata) But, worth a look, not least for his humorous sketches that litter the book, and manage to capture some aspects of contemporary culture pretty neatly.
lycomingst (lycomingst) wrote2025-07-19 09:56 pm
lycomingst) wrote2025-07-19 09:56 pm(no subject)
This week's questions were suggested by bindyree.
1. Name five favorite movies.
Laura (Casablanca is, of course,a given), The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy, Paddington 2, The next one I see that surprises me.
2. Name four areas of interest you became interested in after you were done with your formal education.
Travel, history, crocheting, cats
3. Name three things you would change about this world.
Everybody gets fed, everybody goes to school, everybody gets to vote.
4. Name two of your favorite childhood toys.
I was just about books and reading.
5. Name one person you could be handcuffed to for a full day.
I don’t think that would be feasible since I have to go to the bathroom so much.
I noticed the other day that the kitty litter I buy went up three dollars.
1. Name five favorite movies.
Laura (Casablanca is, of course,a given), The Avengers, The Bourne Legacy, Paddington 2, The next one I see that surprises me.
2. Name four areas of interest you became interested in after you were done with your formal education.
Travel, history, crocheting, cats
3. Name three things you would change about this world.
Everybody gets fed, everybody goes to school, everybody gets to vote.
4. Name two of your favorite childhood toys.
I was just about books and reading.
5. Name one person you could be handcuffed to for a full day.
I don’t think that would be feasible since I have to go to the bathroom so much.
I noticed the other day that the kitty litter I buy went up three dollars.
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 09:28 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 09:28 pmEntry tags:
Book 34 - Greil Marcus "Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads"
Greil Marcus "Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads" (Faber & Faber)
Whether you like Greil Marcus or not, the book is like a poetic metaphor, and as such should be read that way. At times it is overwhelming due to the intensity of the words, as well as difficult due to the images it composes, but always delightful, like savouring a Rimbaud poem. Metaphorically speaking, it is a mind expanding drug.
But and here is the caveat, if you're not a die-hard Dylan fan, you might find it quite boring. Above all, I recommend listening carefully to Highway 61 Revisited and Bringing It All Back Home in their entirety before reading the book. Being a Dylanesque devotee, I can only recommend.
Whether you like Greil Marcus or not, the book is like a poetic metaphor, and as such should be read that way. At times it is overwhelming due to the intensity of the words, as well as difficult due to the images it composes, but always delightful, like savouring a Rimbaud poem. Metaphorically speaking, it is a mind expanding drug.
But and here is the caveat, if you're not a die-hard Dylan fan, you might find it quite boring. Above all, I recommend listening carefully to Highway 61 Revisited and Bringing It All Back Home in their entirety before reading the book. Being a Dylanesque devotee, I can only recommend.
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 09:14 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 09:14 pmEntry tags:
Book 33 - Fyodor Dostoyevsky "Notes from Underground"
Fyodor Dostoyevsky "Notes from Underground" (Everyman's Library)
For the first half of the book, the author appears to be on one long rant using the irritable, abrasive, and antisocial main character who rambles on about his philosophy and thoughts on life. Although this unnamed character is an educated and supposedly intelligent man, he comes across as a paranoid loner who despises Russian society.
The second half of the book is composed of the narrator sharing various stories from his life that illustrate how alienated he is from the world. The narrator is quite dislikeable, and I found his bitter and vengeful stories exhausting. I was very happy to reach the end of this book.
Luckily this was a short book of less than 200 pages, although its’ density and unpleasant subject matter made it seem much longer. I made the mistake of choosing a short book in the hopes that this would mean an easier read and I have since read that Notes From Underground is considered one of his most difficult reads. I’m not sure I would have been able to complete the read if it had been in a different format rather than the short installments that I read much as one would take a twice weekly dose of medicine. I’m not here to judge whether this is a great literary achievement, I rather suspect it is, but it is also a difficult read that I had trouble understanding, and I am glad to be done with it.
For the first half of the book, the author appears to be on one long rant using the irritable, abrasive, and antisocial main character who rambles on about his philosophy and thoughts on life. Although this unnamed character is an educated and supposedly intelligent man, he comes across as a paranoid loner who despises Russian society.
The second half of the book is composed of the narrator sharing various stories from his life that illustrate how alienated he is from the world. The narrator is quite dislikeable, and I found his bitter and vengeful stories exhausting. I was very happy to reach the end of this book.
Luckily this was a short book of less than 200 pages, although its’ density and unpleasant subject matter made it seem much longer. I made the mistake of choosing a short book in the hopes that this would mean an easier read and I have since read that Notes From Underground is considered one of his most difficult reads. I’m not sure I would have been able to complete the read if it had been in a different format rather than the short installments that I read much as one would take a twice weekly dose of medicine. I’m not here to judge whether this is a great literary achievement, I rather suspect it is, but it is also a difficult read that I had trouble understanding, and I am glad to be done with it.
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 08:59 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-19 08:59 pmEntry tags:
Book 32 - Stuart Jeffries "Everything, All the Time, Everywhere: How We Became Postmodern"
Stuart Jeffries "Everything, All the Time, Everywhere: How We Became Postmodern" (Verso)
Our current time is an era marked by opinion, in which there seems to be no room for objectivity. We find ourselves immersed in what has been defined in political theory since the 1970s as "postmodernism," an era marked by social and artistic movements that sought to subvert established hierarchies and traditional values through humour, provocation, irony, and nihilism. But neoliberalism crossed the roadmap of postmodernism, finding in this new era of irreverence fertile ground for establishing an individualistic society governed by the free market. Today, we seem convinced that there is no alternative.
Stuart Jeffries traces the origins of postmodernism and neoliberalism to understand their roots and the impact they have had on the world. He reveals the contradictions of a society that, in its struggle for individual freedom, has fostered the rise of new totalitarianism. A fascinating book, whether you are into history , philosophy or just curious, and hence has my recommendation.
Our current time is an era marked by opinion, in which there seems to be no room for objectivity. We find ourselves immersed in what has been defined in political theory since the 1970s as "postmodernism," an era marked by social and artistic movements that sought to subvert established hierarchies and traditional values through humour, provocation, irony, and nihilism. But neoliberalism crossed the roadmap of postmodernism, finding in this new era of irreverence fertile ground for establishing an individualistic society governed by the free market. Today, we seem convinced that there is no alternative.
Stuart Jeffries traces the origins of postmodernism and neoliberalism to understand their roots and the impact they have had on the world. He reveals the contradictions of a society that, in its struggle for individual freedom, has fostered the rise of new totalitarianism. A fascinating book, whether you are into history , philosophy or just curious, and hence has my recommendation.
shewhomust (shewhomust) wrote2025-07-21 03:31 pm
shewhomust) wrote2025-07-21 03:31 pmChampagne with the Freemasons
On Wednesday we went to what the Wine Society calls a 'walkaround' tasting. We don't often do this: the format offers the chance to taste wines from the Society's current list in an informal way, but it's quite an expensive way to sample wines which don't greatly excite us. Not necessarily bad value, but not good value for us. We look out for tastings which play to our interests (the most recent of these was the Languedoc Roussillon tasting eighteen months ago). Wednesday's tasting was in Durham, though, which should be encouraged; and it had a theme of sorts, "Wine Champions", wines which have scored highly in the Society's internal tastings. I was unconvinced, especially because it was on a Wednesday (quiz night), so the logistics were complicated, but durham_rambler was keen, and hope triumphed over experience.
Bearing those caveats in mind, it was a fun evening. It helped that the venue was the Masonic Hall, a building which I have passed many times but never entered. We walked there, retracing to a large extent the route we had taken home from the Gala, pausing halfway to sit on a bench in the Riverwalk to eat our sandwiches and enjoy the view of the Castle and Cathedral, and arrived just after the start time, without getting too hot and sticky doing so. We were shown into the downstairs hall, a large light room with decorative modern stained glass windows, and a door at the far end opening onto the garden. We headed for the table to the left of that door, where our wine - we started with the champagne, it seemed only polite - was poured for us by The Other Quizmaster (Retired), this, it turns out, being his day job. We took our glasses out onto the patio, and enjoyed the view of the racecourse (and eavesdropping on other participants, who can't have been all that local, because they all seemed to be discussing whether that could possibly be a race course; we didn't tell them what had been going on there last Saturday). This was a pleasant way to spend an evening; the wines were almost irrelevant.
( Nonetheless, for the record: )
We had booked a taxi to take us from the tasting to the Elm Tree, which worked smoothly for us,though the taxi firm may have been confused. We arrived at the pub to discover that since we had not been there early to snaffle a table, we were reduced to squeezing onto the end of one occupied by our friends and rivals from the Physics department. Since neither team was at full strength, this wasn't really a problem. We did not do well in the quiz, but I don't think our performance was impaired by wine: there were just too many questions about things we didn't know (sport, mostly).
durham_rambler was keen, and hope triumphed over experience.Bearing those caveats in mind, it was a fun evening. It helped that the venue was the Masonic Hall, a building which I have passed many times but never entered. We walked there, retracing to a large extent the route we had taken home from the Gala, pausing halfway to sit on a bench in the Riverwalk to eat our sandwiches and enjoy the view of the Castle and Cathedral, and arrived just after the start time, without getting too hot and sticky doing so. We were shown into the downstairs hall, a large light room with decorative modern stained glass windows, and a door at the far end opening onto the garden. We headed for the table to the left of that door, where our wine - we started with the champagne, it seemed only polite - was poured for us by The Other Quizmaster (Retired), this, it turns out, being his day job. We took our glasses out onto the patio, and enjoyed the view of the racecourse (and eavesdropping on other participants, who can't have been all that local, because they all seemed to be discussing whether that could possibly be a race course; we didn't tell them what had been going on there last Saturday). This was a pleasant way to spend an evening; the wines were almost irrelevant.
( Nonetheless, for the record: )
We had booked a taxi to take us from the tasting to the Elm Tree, which worked smoothly for us,though the taxi firm may have been confused. We arrived at the pub to discover that since we had not been there early to snaffle a table, we were reduced to squeezing onto the end of one occupied by our friends and rivals from the Physics department. Since neither team was at full strength, this wasn't really a problem. We did not do well in the quiz, but I don't think our performance was impaired by wine: there were just too many questions about things we didn't know (sport, mostly).
smallhobbit (smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-18 01:41 pm
smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-18 01:41 pmEntry tags:
The Friday Five - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Today's![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thefridayfive questions:
5. Name five favourite movies.
Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, The Sting, The Italian Job, The Fifth Element
4. Name four areas of interest you became interested in after you were done with your formal education.
History, Crafting, Astronomy, Battlefields
3. Name three things you would change about this world.
Greater respect for all people; greater care for ecology; a true desire for peace
2. Name two of your favourite childhood toys.
My teddy bear, which I still have, my collection of zoo animals
1. Name one person you could be handcuffed to for a full day.
Please no!
thefridayfive questions:5. Name five favourite movies.
Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, The Sting, The Italian Job, The Fifth Element
4. Name four areas of interest you became interested in after you were done with your formal education.
History, Crafting, Astronomy, Battlefields
3. Name three things you would change about this world.
Greater respect for all people; greater care for ecology; a true desire for peace
2. Name two of your favourite childhood toys.
My teddy bear, which I still have, my collection of zoo animals
1. Name one person you could be handcuffed to for a full day.
Please no!
smallhobbit (smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-17 12:04 pm
smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-17 12:04 pmEntry tags:
Sunshine Revival Challenge #5
Journaling prompt: Be a carnival barker for your favourite movie, book, or show! Write a post that showcases the best your chosen title has to offer and entices passers by to check it out.
My chosen subject is Sir Matthew Bourne's New Adventures productions.
No surprise to my regular readers!
For those who aren't: these are dance productions based on classic ballets (Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker), films (Edward Scissorhands, The Red Shoes), play or opera (Romeo & Juliet, Car Man) or books (The Midnight Bell). There are a few more, but I haven't seen them (yet!)
They aren't traditional ballets, but do use some ballet moves, as well as modern dance. The key thing is the story which is told and which requires no prior knowledge. These are the dance version of fanfic or fanart, taking the original stories but changing them in interesting ways.
Details can be found here: New Adventures
And you can find out more of my thoughts using my tag: Matthew Bourne
Here's my bedroom walls:
My chosen subject is Sir Matthew Bourne's New Adventures productions.
No surprise to my regular readers!
For those who aren't: these are dance productions based on classic ballets (Swan Lake, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker), films (Edward Scissorhands, The Red Shoes), play or opera (Romeo & Juliet, Car Man) or books (The Midnight Bell). There are a few more, but I haven't seen them (yet!)
They aren't traditional ballets, but do use some ballet moves, as well as modern dance. The key thing is the story which is told and which requires no prior knowledge. These are the dance version of fanfic or fanart, taking the original stories but changing them in interesting ways.
Details can be found here: New Adventures
And you can find out more of my thoughts using my tag: Matthew Bourne
Here's my bedroom walls:
lycomingst (lycomingst) wrote2025-07-16 02:22 pm
lycomingst) wrote2025-07-16 02:22 pm(no subject)
The other night I stayed up until dawn watching Agents of Shield season 4. It had alternative reality and they know my sweet spot. I couldn’t stop. But I noticed something about my tv. It was so dark that I couldn’t even see who was hitting who.
I moved my smaller tv in from the living room. I don’t watch in there because the electronics are on the floor until I spring for a table. So I hooked it up and yes, my other tv is dying of creeping dark. Testing it involved sorting out about 5 remotes. And then finding the one I needed on the kitchen counter where I randomly put it down as I was to and froing.
I’m debating buying a new, cheap Roku tv.
I moved my smaller tv in from the living room. I don’t watch in there because the electronics are on the floor until I spring for a table. So I hooked it up and yes, my other tv is dying of creeping dark. Testing it involved sorting out about 5 remotes. And then finding the one I needed on the kitchen counter where I randomly put it down as I was to and froing.
I’m debating buying a new, cheap Roku tv.
cmcmck (cmcmck) wrote2025-07-16 05:34 pm
cmcmck) wrote2025-07-16 05:34 pmA walk to the Weald Moors
We went for a walk on the other side of town for a change. One side of us is hill country and the other side is moorland- the Shropshire Plain. The nearest moorland to us is known as the Weald Moors.
We walked out via Apley and its very fine pool.
The blackberries are starting to fruit even since last week when they were still in flower:
( More pics! )
We walked out via Apley and its very fine pool.
The blackberries are starting to fruit even since last week when they were still in flower:
( More pics! )
oracne (oracne) wrote2025-07-14 11:00 am
oracne) wrote2025-07-14 11:00 amEntry tags:
Readercon 2025
I’ll be at Readercon 34 this weekend after spending most of the last couple of weeks doing massive re-reads.
If you’ll be there, please feel free to stop and say hello! My schedule is below.
If you’ll be there, please feel free to stop and say hello! My schedule is below.
The Works of P. Djèlí Clark
Salon I/J Friday, July 18, 2025, 1:00 PM EDT
Andrea Hairston [moderator]; Leon Perniciaro; Rob Cameron; Tom Doyle; Victoria Janssen
Our Guest of Honor P. Djèlí Clark rounded out his first decade as a published author with a Nebula and a Locus for his fantasy police procedural novel, The Master of Djinn, and both those awards plus a British Fantasy Award for his monster-hunting novella Ring Shout. His short story “How to Raise a Kraken in Your Bathtub” is short-listed for the Hugo this year. As a History professor at University of Connecticut, he investigates the pathways leading from West African storyteller/poets (griots, a.k.a. djèlí) to the American abolitionist movement. Help us celebrate the works of our honored guest!
The Purposes of Memorable Insults in Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Salon I/J Friday, July 18, 2025, 5:00 PM EDT
Storm Humbert [moderator]; Anne E.G. Nydam; Charles Allison; Ellen Kushner; Victoria Janssen
Some of the most quotable lines in science fiction and fantasy are zingers. Wit can do a lot to build a character, a world, and a universe, and has the ability to either support or undermine reader expectations. This panel aims to explore and elaborate on the use of wit—and especially takedowns—in literature, exposing how a verbal jab can serve as more than just a punchline.
Moving from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing
Salon G/H Friday, July 18, 2025, 7:00 PM EDT
Victoria Janssen [moderator]; Cecilia Tan; Jedediah Berry; Sarah Smith; Steven Popkes
It’s becoming increasingly common to hear of authors whose self-published work was so successful that they were picked up by a traditional publisher. But what of the authors who have gone the other way, by turning their backs on traditional publishing and going into self-publishing? Panelists will survey the varying reasons for making this transition, how authors have navigated it, and what this might say about the state of publishing overall.
Kaffeeklatsch: Victoria Janssen
Suite 830 Friday, July 18, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT
The Works of Cecilia Tan
Salon I/J Saturday, July 19, 2025, 12:00 PM EDT
Victoria Janssen [moderator]; Charlie Jane Anders; Laura Antoniou; Cecilia Tan (i)
Our Guest of Honor, Cecilia Tan, has a publication history that spans Asimov’s, Absolute Magnitude, Ms. Magazine, Penthouse, and Best American Erotica, among others. Writer and editor of science fiction and fantasy, especially as they intersect with erotica and romance, she is also the founder of Circlet Press, an independent publisher that specializes in speculative erotica. Her own writing earned a Lifetime Achievement for Erotica in 2014 from Romantic Times magazine. She also contributes to America’s other pastime, baseball, in her role as Publications Director for the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). Come hear our panel discuss Cecilia’s many talents and accomplishments.
Un-Kafkaesque Bureaucracies
Salon I/J Saturday, July 19, 2025, 7:00 PM EDT
Victoria Janssen [moderator]; Alexander Jablokov; J.M. Sidorova; Laurence Raphael Brothers; Steven Popkes
In fiction, bureaucracies are generally depicted as evil in its most banal form, yet many of the actual bureaucracies that shape our lives exist to protect us from corporate greed. How can—and should—we tell other stories about bureaucrats and bureaucracies, particularly as the U.S. stands on the precipice of disastrous deregulation? And might fantasies of bureaucracy (such Addison’s The Goblin Emperor and Goddard’s The Hands of the Emperor) be the next cozy subgenre?
The Endless Appetite for Fanfiction
Create / Collaborate Saturday, July 19, 2025, 8:00 PM EDT
Kate Nepveu [moderator]; Claire Houck/Nina Waters; Laura Antoniou; Victoria Janssen
In an article of the same name (https://www.fansplaining.com/articles/endless-appetite-fanfiction), Elizabeth Minkel discussed how “2024 was the year [fanfic] truly broke containment—everyone seemed to want a piece of the fanfiction pie, leaving fic authors themselves besieged on all sides.” Attempts to steal and monetize fanfic proliferated, as did reviews treating living authors as distant and unreachable. What do these trends say about larger changes in attitudes toward stories and creators? How can fans of all kinds nurture supportive connections to authors?
lycomingst (lycomingst) wrote2025-07-13 08:08 pm
lycomingst) wrote2025-07-13 08:08 pmEntry tags:
(no subject)
The Friday Five
1. What was the most sick that you've ever been?
I used to get terrible sore throats when I was young. They got worse every year. The last time I got delusional. When I could afford it I had my tonsils out and I swear I didn’t have a cold for 10 years.
2. What disease are you afraid of getting?
Lyme disease.
3. Are you a big baby when it comes to taking medicine/shots for your illnesses?
No.
4. Is going to the doctor really THAT bad?
Yes.
5. Would you have the flu twice a month if you were paid $1,000 for having it?
Maybe for $10,000 but I don’t come cheap.
1. What was the most sick that you've ever been?
I used to get terrible sore throats when I was young. They got worse every year. The last time I got delusional. When I could afford it I had my tonsils out and I swear I didn’t have a cold for 10 years.
2. What disease are you afraid of getting?
Lyme disease.
3. Are you a big baby when it comes to taking medicine/shots for your illnesses?
No.
4. Is going to the doctor really THAT bad?
Yes.
5. Would you have the flu twice a month if you were paid $1,000 for having it?
Maybe for $10,000 but I don’t come cheap.
lycomingst (lycomingst) wrote2025-07-13 11:23 am
lycomingst) wrote2025-07-13 11:23 am(no subject)
We’re having a spate of hot days, 100F/37C, then it will cool down. The mobile home park had to shut down the water on Friday as something broke. The system is old and a piece needs replacing and it needs hunting down.. Management had to choose between no water and telling everyone to keep a faucet open to regulate the pressure. They decided on the latter one which is painful to anyone who lived with drought. But better than no water.
I have strawberries ripening, actually strawberries. I have to hang pots on the fence because those I had in pots on the ground got munched on. I keep them there as decoys. The tomatoes are soso. I think I watered too much. Or this type doesn’t grow as tall as I am used to. But the cucumber has a flower on it and soon I will have a round, light green ball of a cucumber.
Even the butterfly bush plant I got from the Arbor Day Society is growing and I thought I killed that.
I have strawberries ripening, actually strawberries. I have to hang pots on the fence because those I had in pots on the ground got munched on. I keep them there as decoys. The tomatoes are soso. I think I watered too much. Or this type doesn’t grow as tall as I am used to. But the cucumber has a flower on it and soon I will have a round, light green ball of a cucumber.
Even the butterfly bush plant I got from the Arbor Day Society is growing and I thought I killed that.
jazzy_dave (jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-13 05:13 pm
jazzy_dave) wrote2025-07-13 05:13 pmEntry tags:
Book 31 - Carlene Bauer "Frances and Bernard"
Carlene Bauer "Frances and Bernard" (Chatto & Windus)
A fictional love story told through letters, “inspired by” the real life correspondence of Flannery O’Connor and Robert Lowell. Since I know virtually nothing about either of these writers, I had no issues with what was true or not in this novel about two intelligent people who can’t find a way to make their relationship work.
The author described the theme of the book to Publisher’s Weekly as “what happens when someone effusive, passionate and grandiose {Bernard} gets involved with someone tough-minded, cranky and aloof {Frances}.” While Bernard is instantly likeable and Frances seems cold in comparison, once his manic depression becomes problematic, Frances’ reticence to become romantically involved with him becomes more understandable and my sympathies switched to her side. Here are a couple of quotes to give you an idea of the heartbreaking nature of their relationship:
Bernard, in a letter to Frances: “I love your suspicion--it means your mind is always sharpening itself against the many lies of the world--but right now it is killing me. So I am going to ask you to write me a letter convincing me that you believe me. You do not have to tell me that you are in love with me, and you do not have to tell me how you feel about me. You have to write and tell me that you believe I love you.”
Frances, in a letter to a friend: “He will call four separate times at work; I can’t answer it the first three times, and the fourth time, when I pick up, he’ll say: “Why didn’t you pick up before? You’re Florence Nightingale, you’re supposed to pick up. I could be bleeding on a field in Turkey.” We laugh, it’s funny, but the fact remains: He has called four times in a row in a span of five minutes. . . It makes me want to hide from him sometimes in embarrassment--I have maybe a tenth of his energy, and I often wonder when he will realize that he’s in love with a slug. Whirlwinds can’t love slugs. They need other whirlwinds, don’t they? Or mountains.”
I finished this book over a month ago and it’s stayed with me and I would even consider re-reading it, which I, on the whole, never do. A good satisfying book that I will certainly will reread at some point.
A fictional love story told through letters, “inspired by” the real life correspondence of Flannery O’Connor and Robert Lowell. Since I know virtually nothing about either of these writers, I had no issues with what was true or not in this novel about two intelligent people who can’t find a way to make their relationship work.
The author described the theme of the book to Publisher’s Weekly as “what happens when someone effusive, passionate and grandiose {Bernard} gets involved with someone tough-minded, cranky and aloof {Frances}.” While Bernard is instantly likeable and Frances seems cold in comparison, once his manic depression becomes problematic, Frances’ reticence to become romantically involved with him becomes more understandable and my sympathies switched to her side. Here are a couple of quotes to give you an idea of the heartbreaking nature of their relationship:
Bernard, in a letter to Frances: “I love your suspicion--it means your mind is always sharpening itself against the many lies of the world--but right now it is killing me. So I am going to ask you to write me a letter convincing me that you believe me. You do not have to tell me that you are in love with me, and you do not have to tell me how you feel about me. You have to write and tell me that you believe I love you.”
Frances, in a letter to a friend: “He will call four separate times at work; I can’t answer it the first three times, and the fourth time, when I pick up, he’ll say: “Why didn’t you pick up before? You’re Florence Nightingale, you’re supposed to pick up. I could be bleeding on a field in Turkey.” We laugh, it’s funny, but the fact remains: He has called four times in a row in a span of five minutes. . . It makes me want to hide from him sometimes in embarrassment--I have maybe a tenth of his energy, and I often wonder when he will realize that he’s in love with a slug. Whirlwinds can’t love slugs. They need other whirlwinds, don’t they? Or mountains.”
I finished this book over a month ago and it’s stayed with me and I would even consider re-reading it, which I, on the whole, never do. A good satisfying book that I will certainly will reread at some point.
smallhobbit (smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-13 03:32 pm
smallhobbit) wrote2025-07-13 03:32 pmEntry tags:
Sunshine Revival Challenge #4
Journaling: What is making you smile these days? Create a top 10 list of anything you want to talk about.
In no particular order. Feel free to ask about any of them, I might even create a post about some of them next month.
1 - The Ferret A creation of my own, based in the Sherlock Holmes (ACD) 'verse. A song and dance mustelid.
2 - Werewolf!Lucas Another of my creations. Based in Spooks (MI5) where Lucas North is now a werewolf, and continues to work for Section D in both human and vulpine forms. This is a party-loving werewolf, who likes to look smart.
3 - Cake I have already posted about cake for Challenge #2
4 - Families at church. We have a lot of engagement with local families, and apart from baptisms, we also have a toddler group and after-school club, a youth group, occasional Saturday activity mornings and in a couple of weeks we're running a Teddy Bear's Zipwire.
5 - Getting engrossed in my cross stitch while listening to something on the radio on my headphones. Perfect for shutting out the rest of the world.
6 - My To Be Read list which is once more threatening to fall off the shelf and onto my head when I'm asleep.
7 - My total inability to resist the urge to 'complete' a list. Recently I found two music programmes on the radio which have a number of series, going back several years. So, of course, I need to listen to them all (or at least the interesting majority) over the next year.
8 - The thought ofno_true_pair main challenge (with 8 characters) sign up coming next month.
9 - The fact that the skirt I bought some years ago and rarely wore still fits and was perfect to wear today in the heat.
10 - The sheer wonder of creation - how the sun is changing its poles between North and South; all the amazing galaxies out there (points vaguely in all directions at once).
In no particular order. Feel free to ask about any of them, I might even create a post about some of them next month.
1 - The Ferret A creation of my own, based in the Sherlock Holmes (ACD) 'verse. A song and dance mustelid.
2 - Werewolf!Lucas Another of my creations. Based in Spooks (MI5) where Lucas North is now a werewolf, and continues to work for Section D in both human and vulpine forms. This is a party-loving werewolf, who likes to look smart.
3 - Cake I have already posted about cake for Challenge #2
4 - Families at church. We have a lot of engagement with local families, and apart from baptisms, we also have a toddler group and after-school club, a youth group, occasional Saturday activity mornings and in a couple of weeks we're running a Teddy Bear's Zipwire.
5 - Getting engrossed in my cross stitch while listening to something on the radio on my headphones. Perfect for shutting out the rest of the world.
6 - My To Be Read list which is once more threatening to fall off the shelf and onto my head when I'm asleep.
7 - My total inability to resist the urge to 'complete' a list. Recently I found two music programmes on the radio which have a number of series, going back several years. So, of course, I need to listen to them all (or at least the interesting majority) over the next year.
8 - The thought of
no_true_pair main challenge (with 8 characters) sign up coming next month.9 - The fact that the skirt I bought some years ago and rarely wore still fits and was perfect to wear today in the heat.
10 - The sheer wonder of creation - how the sun is changing its poles between North and South; all the amazing galaxies out there (points vaguely in all directions at once).