Look! I remembered to post before December started this year!

Hello, friends! It's about to be December again, and you know what that means: the fact I am posting this actually before December 1 means

karzilla reminded me about the existence of linear time again. Wait, no -- well, yes, but also -- okay, look, let me back up and start again: it's almost December, and that means it's time for our annual December holiday points bonus.

The standard explanation: For the entire month of December, all orders made in the Shop of points and paid time, either for you or as a gift for a friend, will have 10% of your completed cart total sent to you in points when you finish the transaction. For instance, if you buy an order of 12 months of paid time for $35 (350 points), you'll get 35 points when the order is complete, to use on a future purchase.

( The fine print and much more behind this cut! )

Thank you, in short, for being the best possible users any social media site could possibly ever hope for. I'm probably in danger of crossing the Sappiness Line if I haven't already, but you all make everything worth it.

On behalf of Mark, Jen, Robby, and our team of awesome volunteers, and to each and every one of you, whether you've been with us on this wild ride since the beginning or just signed up last week, I'm wishing you all a very happy set of end-of-year holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and hoping for all of you that your 2026 is full of kindness, determination, empathy, and a hell of a lot more luck than we've all had lately. Let's go.

Current Mood: pensive

Normal sort of Saturday

Despite not having gotten to bed until almost 4:00 am this morning, I made it up at 9:00 to breakfast, have coffee, shower and dress, and make it to my Al-anon meeting.

The meeting was quite good, and s usual S gave me a ride to the diner afterward. I had my usual bacon, egg, and cheese on an English muffin, and iced coffee.

Came home by bus afterward, it was cold but tolerable.

I went to the Starsky and Hutch episode watch and chat, made it for the last 10 or so minutes of the episode, which was Huggy Bear and the Turkey.

We ended a bit earlier than usual because Matsir had to go out. So I went to the bedroom and took an hour nap.

Then at 7:00 I Teamed the FWiB, we talked for an hour and a half. Then I puttered online a bit, and finally ent to the bedroom and played solitaire until pet feeding time.

Christie is still eating well. This is a good thing.

I am thinking about renting the download of Midnight Cowboy from Amazon, I've always wanted to see it. I have actually read the book.

I heard in the Zoom that fan artist/filker Leslie Fish is in hospice. I didn't know much about her, though I recognized the name, but someone on Facebook posted about her having become an awful person, so I was intrigued. I looked her up on both Fanlore and Wikipedia, and found my answer mostly on Wikipedia, apparently she was very anti-trans, and some of the things she was quoted as saying were pretty sickening. I'm sort of sorry I looked, but I suppose its better to know.

So that was the day. I haven't eaten anything since the diner but I had a glass of eggnog, and that may sustain me til tomorrow. (I did have a mandarin too) Or I may eat a snack later. Tomorrow I shall have my Thanksgiving leftovers.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. My meetings and the people there.

3. The Starsky and Hutch fandom.

4. Wikipedia and fanlore.

5. Eggnog.

6. Christie is eating well.

Entry tags:

Frustrated Again

(Mood: Intense. Frustration. Hurt. Angry. Angsty. Genre: Heavy Emo Rock/Screamo. Minor key. Heavy distorted guitars with great basslines and banging the hell out of the drums. Need Fritz, Jayce, Tom, and Razz to bring the emotions I feel and transform it into a heavy song. I need this release.)

( Lyrics under this cut )

An intense banger of a song. I love how they did the music playing, and how Fritz tackles the pre-choruses. His screams are top notch. I'm so thankful to these OCs of mine.

Entry tags:

thinking aloud

(no subject)

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Current Mood: excited

Entry tags:

Thunder Shaman, by Ana Mariella Bacigalupo

We were trawling the used section of a local bookstore, as we do, when we found a 2016 anthropology book from a uni press about a machi (shaman) of the Machupe in Chile named Francisca Kolipi. The back cover mentions “how she remade history through multitemporal dreams, visions, and spirit possession” and our ears pricked. Multi? Multi? (Or rather, cultural forms of personhood/selfhood that have nothing to do with mainstream America’s presumption of singlethood as the default norm, but that’s a mouthful?) so we flipped through, and how convenient, this was on page 4:

This multitemporality is expressed through machi’s unique ability to share multiple relational and individual personhoods with beings from different worlds and times and through machi’s inherent ambiguity, which allows them to cross boundaries. Like many indigenous people (Oakdale and Course 2014; Strathern 1992), Mapuche persons are multiple. They expand their personhood by incorporating aspects of others in a variety of contexts. At the same time they condense those aspects into a concrete, singular person with a fixed destiny. Machi complicate this process because they are never singular persons. Minimally, those who are machi are double persons: humans permanently inhabited by a machi spirit who preordains them as shamans and shape their everyday lives and actions. By virtue of their shamanic destiny, machi are simultaneously collective ancestral persons and historical individuals whose personhood is embodies in material objects and living entities (Bacigulupo 2010, 2013, 2014). Machi also share this personhood with spirits, animals, and deities in diverse ways during both ordinary and altered states of consciousness. In trance, machi can become multiple beings at once—simultaneously shaman and spirit, human and divine.”

How refreshingly straightforward! For once, I don’t have to wade through a lot of “the individual perceives herself to be” or “she thinks she is,” it’s just a blunt: they are double/collective persons. Sweet!

I bought it for reference. Business expense, baby!

Do you have ao3 😢 With official Lucifer encounters, lately I’ve been experiencing Sensual and artist

https://www.tumblr.com/cultkinkcoven/801559793914511360

I currently do not yet but I have been debating creating one more and more lately. ............ maaaybbbeeee

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Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: Right Here
Current Music: Cosmonautica OST by Chasing Carrots

Entry tags:

Mental Self-Care for Autistic People

Notes on Self-Care for Autistic People by Dr. Megan Anna Neff

Mental Self-Care

Internalized Ableism

Some signs of internalized ableism include:

Doubting your abilities due to being autistic
Apologizing for acting neurodivergent
Masking
Internalized Stereotypes

Try to notice and challenge these thoughts as they come up.

Embrace Stimming

Stimming has many benefits.

Helps you focus
Provides control, homeostasis, comfort, and security
Feels soothing due to brain chemistry
Satisfies sensory seekers

Regulate Emotions Through Movement

Rhythmic movement like dancing, pacing, jumping, or skating helps to release pent-up energy, put you in touch with your body, and feel more grounded.

Identify your values

List your top five values, or search for an online "values card sort" such as this one. Living in sync with your values promotes positive mental health.

Engage in Your Special Interests

Some positive effects:

Reduces stress
Helps with emotional regulation
Helps you to feel more energetic and grounded
Can help you bond with others over shared interests

Professional Help

Building Your Health Care Team

Find professionals experienced with autistic patients.
Get recommendations from local autistic communities
When receiving healthcare, be open about your sensory sensitivities, pain, medication history, and any side effects
Write down a list of concerns before your appointments and refer to them during, so you don't forget anything
Ask to record audio of your appointments if you need help remembering
Make sure you are scheduling regular health check-ins and medication management appointments
Learn about treatment risks and benefits and work with your providers to make informed decisions

Seeking Therapy

Many autistic people do well with
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may be less effective for autistic people. The following alternatives may be a better fit:
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Find a neurodivergent-affirming therapist that won't treat autism as a disorder to "fix," who can help you with issues such as internalized shame and neurodivergent trauma.
Consult with your doctor or psychiatrist about managing co-ocurring conditions with medication
Work with your therapist to develop healthy coping strategies
Find and engage with a supportive neurodivergent community, whether online or in-person

Neurodivergent-Affirming Providers

The following are "green flags" (good signs) which may help you identify the right care provider:

Identity-first language. "Autistic Person" rather than "Person with Autism"
Statements affirming neurodiversity and respecting neurodiverse identities
Mentions of using an intersectional framework
Emphasizing your autonomy, choice, and agency in treatment
Offering accessability options such as flexible scheduling, sensory accomodations, and alternative communication methods

Red Flags

Here are some signs that indicate a provider may not be for you.

ABA - Applied Behavioral Analysis
Pathologizing language like "Autism Spectrum Disorder"
A focus on "fixing" you by curing autism or trying to make you more neurotypical

Online Resources

Current Mood: pensive
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House
Current Music: Lou Reed, "Waiting for My Man"

Entry tags:

It's tough all over.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday at the annual Buy Nothing Day gathering at the home of my grad school classmates E & G. Yes, they're doing all right aside from G's back, but:

Their kid hasn't launched.
E has noticed that the younger generation is facing hurdles that would be ridiculous if they weren't enraging.
E observes that the job market, even in the tech industry, is ass. Welcome to America, nerds.

Yeah, all those bullet points sound awfully familiar. Aside from being a transgender lesbian sadomasochist, I'm them. On the one hand, it feels good not to be alone. On the other, damn, I wish things were going better for them.

There was a table full of young trans adults. That's right: E & G have at least one trans kid. I wish I could claim responsibility, but I haven't been in their lives enough for that. Good on E & G for being decent about it.

Classmate L's son, who was dubbed the Widget right around the time of his birth, is over 30 with a kid of his own. How does this keep happening? Yeah, I know how it happens, but you know what I mean. L's ex, who also went to school with all of us, has been all over the local raver & Burner events for years. I resisted the temptation to mention him.

Oh: there was one dude there who I thought had done something absolutely unforgivable long ago. I need to find out what is, or was, up. Luckily, E proposed coffee.

Got my early evening date cancelled due to date's illness. Le sigh. Did not go out because, honestly, I didn't feel like it. I'm not adjusting well to the cold & dark this year.

Current Mood: chipper

Really fast

Stayed up too late with

mashfanficchick, need to get to bed now. My meeting was cancelled because no one could get the key, so I spent the day with

mashfanficchick

We met at Citifield because the Mets were having a 50% off sale on team merch. Ze bought presents, I bought a Christmas ornament.

Then we went back to zer place, and found that the grceries ze had ordered delivered had apparently been stolen before we got there. So after resting awhile we went to Stop and Shop by bus, where I got milk and eggnog.

It was cold and windy and late, so we took a Lyft back. Had a snack, then watched the first two episodes of Heated Rivalry, a hockey romance. Lots of fun.

Then I Teamed the FWiB on my phone while we got inner ready, Thanksgiving leftovers.

Then we just hung out for a long while and had dessert.

Finally I Ubered home and here I am.

Gratitude List:

1. The FWiB.

2. Friendsgiving.

3. Warm apartment, even though its still too warm.

4. My meetings and the people there, even when we have to cancel.

5. Talked to the Kid briefly.

6. Good food.

Falling once, falling twice

Posted by Nekomiko, Wandering_Leprechaun

https://archiveofourown.org/works/74921701

by Nekomiko, Wandering_Leprechaun

Secret cutscene unlocked, post bad end PMH

This is the connection between Pluck My Heartstrings and Celestial Meridian.

Words: 3467, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Series: Part 4 of Castle Faz

Fandoms: Five Nights at Freddy's
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Categories: Other
Characters: Sun (Five Nights at Freddy's), Moon (Five Nights at Freddy's), Eclipse (Five Nights at Freddy's), Roxanne Wolf (Five Nights at Freddy's)
Relationships: Sun (Five Nights at Freddy's)/Reader, Moon (Five Nights at Freddy's)/Reader, Eclipse (Five Nights at Freddy's) & Reader
Additional Tags: Angst and Tragedy, Songfic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/74921701

Entry tags:

tired post.

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28/11 LUVKRAFT vs. KUTULU

Posted by Xanaduum

https://grantmorrison.substack.com/p/2811-luvkraft-vs-kutulu

Previously in Luvkraft vs. Kutulu – having squeezed themselves awkwardly into human bodies, two monstrous, amoral beings from beyond time and space, must now make their way from point A to point B down a street in the everyday world…with predictably hilarious consequences!..

LUVKRAFT vs. KUTULU

PIC: GM 2025

Chapter Six

A SHORT WALK TO A BOOKSHOP

Passing through a hinged flap that rattled and rang then sealed in place behind us, and, although still limited to three dimensions of space and one claustrophobic time direction, we entered a new and more expansive volume, crammed with steaming forms and hurtling constructs. Electrical beacons mounted on tall poles emitted urine-coloured radiance, to match the plated transparent facades of the hollow solids erected either side of a central throughfare occupied by wheeled conveyances, carts of some kind, it was hard to be certain. Everything was so stolid and slow-moving, so steeped in linear unfolding process, we might have been sunk in glue.

https://grantmorrison.substack.com/p/2811-luvkraft-vs-kutulu

Entry tags:

tv:miscellaneous

2560 / Murdaugh: Death in the Family; Slow Horses, S5; This Is Going to Hurt

( Murdaugh: Death in the Family )

( Slow Horses, S5 )

( This Is Going to Hurt )

Friday, November 28 - Book Quotes

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Current Mood: grateful

Happy Thanksgiving

It was a pretty good, though laid back day.

I got up at 8:30 and put the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the TV for Middle Brother to watch. I watched most of it too, I will admit. It was pretty good, though the coverage could have showed more of the parade itself.

We had breakfast, and I had coffee, and then eventually I took a shower and washed my hair and dressed.

The Kid called and we set up when we were going to meet at the diner. She and her boyfriend weren't eating with Middle Brother and me because they were going to his parent's family dinner.

After the parade was over, I tried to play Alice's Restaurant on the computer (from Youtube) but the computer did not cooperate. I finally had to finish it on my phone because the computer completely gave up. It seems OK now, knock wood.

Then we played a random CD I happened to have, and by complete coincidence, just as it finished The Kid called and said we should head to the diner.

So we Ubered over and got seated, and ordered. I got the complete turkey dinner, Middle Brother got his favorite, a cheeseburger and French fries smothered in ketchup.

The Kid and her boyfriend showed up and sat with us and we talked for about 15 minutes, then they left. We were ready for dessert by then, so we ordered and had that.

The Kid had brought a large tarte that she baked, and we bruoght that and my leftovers home by Uber again.

Middle Brother was slightly sick from overeating so I made him wait a half hour, which we spent listening to music on Pandora on the computer. Then we had small slices of the tarte, as he was feeling better by then and I thought it was only fair that he try his niece's homebaked tarte.

Then I took him back to the group home. 44 bus to Jamaica, train to Hicksville. We missed a train, but the next came pretty soon, and it allowed time for the person from his group home to get there to meet us.

Which she did, right on time, and then I turned around and, after a stop n the restroom, came home the same way, train to Jamaica, 20 bus home.

It was 8:00 by then and I Teamed the FWiB for about an hour.

And then I puttered online, and at 10:00 fed the pets. Christie seems right back to her old self again. I am so glad.

And now it's time for bed.

Gratitude List (double for the day)

1. The FWiB.

2. The Kid.

3. Middle Brother and his group home.

4. Thanksgiving.

5. My friends.

6. My extended family.

7. My cancer was easily operated on and removed.

8. My pension money came today (on a holiday? Go figure...)

9. The Long Island Railroad.

10. The weather was nice today.

11. Christie seems well again.

12. Good food at the diner.

Current Mood: curious
Current Location: the living room of the Devil Girl House
Current Music: Dream Academy, "Life in a Northern Town"

Entry tags:

sleep

what to do with a long weekend

I have slept for eleven out of the last twenty-four hours, and now that I think about it, thirteen out of the last thirty hours. I mean, I haven't been staying up really late or getting up really early since last week. What's going on?

Edited to add: no happy lamp today because I slept well past sunrise. Also, I've only had one cup of tea today. Gosh, that may explain everything.

Entry tags:

promo

holiday loveee

✨ holiday love meme 2025 ✨
my thread here
you know the drill: comment with your username (any and all social media platforms welcome!) and people will anonymously reply to your thread with bits of encouragement, well wishes, declarations of undying devotion, etc.

always have so much fun with this one!!

Entry tags:

!free for all day

Thursday, November 27 - Free for All

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Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag

Entry tags:

thanks

Thankful Thanksgiving Thursday

Today being (US)Thanksgiving, I will try to extend this back over the last year, more-or-less. I am thankful for...

Having survived what is now almost 13 months here in the Netherlands, making this my second Thanksgiving here. (And my fifth without Colleen, for which I am NOT thankful, but sad.)
Finally having gotten the kitchen and other parts of the house re-stocked to a useable level, if not exactly where we left off.
220V house wiring, for electric kettles, other appliances, and vehicles.
Frame.work.
Having successfully signed up for health insurance and gotten reasonably-priced health care. Including for the cats, who don't have insurance.
While I'm on that subject, a vet who makes house calls.
Having, with N, started our (required for immigration) business, and thanks mainly to N's book, actually made some money at it.
Living in a country that has both good public transit, and excellent bike paths (which work just fine for mobility scooters).
(Tin)Lizzy and Scarlett-the-carlet, our folding mobility scooter and micro-car respectively.
Fuzzy blankets. NO thanks for whatever health problem makes me feel cold in the evening no matter what the ambient temperature.
Finally getting screen rotation working on my Frame.work convertible laptop. Whether it's automatic depends on the window manager, and possibly the phase of the moon. But it should be usable.
Walks, and occasionally st/rolls.
Compression socks. (No thanks for the condition they're supposed to improve.)
Hydrocortizone ointment.
The filk community.

Last year's Thanksgiving entry is mostly still applicable, but a few plans for what was then the coming year have, predictably, gone by the wayside again, and my health isn't holding up as well as I would like. I'd be thankful for executive function if I had any. I'll be thankful for good drugs once we get my BP and psych meds figured out.

Again, happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it. (That includes us, but we're having the feast on Saturday to accommodate j's school schedule. Including the annual American Thanksgiving celebration in Leiden,)

Entry tags:

My Emo Rock Band member OCs were introduced to my ridiculously silly rave song about a card game...

I'm going to insert this very amusing story that was written out last night. It's so good LOL, but it's also very lengthy. So I'm splitting it up into different parts.
--------
( I was really laughing while reading and writing all the way through. Open the cut to read Part 1. )