Daily Happiness

Apr. 22nd, 2025 10:22 pm
torachan: ryu from kimi ni todoke eating ramen (ramen)
[personal profile] torachan
1. I had another work from home day. I'm about halfway caught up with my email and fully caught up with teams. Tomorrow I've got a couple meetings, so I've got to go in to the office, but I might work from home again on Thursday to finally catch up on everything.

2. When Carla was out today she stopped at Uncle Tetsu's, a Japanese cheesecake chain. They have a sakura cheesecake right now and we had some after dinner tonight and it was sooooooo good. I normally prefer New York style cheesecake to the Japanese fluffier style, but this was really good consistency and the sakura flavor was amazing.

3. I finished playing The Plucky Squire. Overall it's a pretty fun game, but it is not just a straight action adventure game. There are a bunch of (frankly not that fun) mini games for the boss fights and stuff where you have to play other styles of games and that is not what I signed up for. Like for one character's boss battles you play a Mike Tyson style boxing game, for another it's a rhythm game, and for the third it's a Puzzle Bobble type. Then there are some stealth sequences where you have to sneak past enemies who can kill you instantly if they sense you, and if they sense you there is no way to run to escape, even if you're close to a place you could get away. You're just instantly dead. And the final battle is a space shooter type. The good thing is that if you die in a boss battle you can sometimes restart partway through, not all the way at the beginning, and the stealth sequences have multiple checkpoints and you'll respawn there rather than back at the beginning. But I would still have preferred not to have that "variety" in my action adventure game. Still is a fun game, though. But if you suck at those types of games it might ruin it for you.

4. I finished editing all my Disney Japan pics, so hopefully I can get the last day's posts written up later this week.

5. Jasper is just so handsome.

torachan: (Default)
[personal profile] torachan
When I last left off, we had just checked out the big gift shop at the Fantasy Springs hotel and were exploring the land while waiting for our return time for the Peter Pan ride.

More DisneySea adventures! )

Purrcy, bees

Apr. 22nd, 2025 10:02 pm
mecurtin: face of tuxedo tabby cat Purrcy looking smugly happy (purrcy face)
[personal profile] mecurtin
#Purrcy was both happy and regal, sitting in my seat on the sofa with the sun coming the skylight on it. See how he smiles at me in Cat!
#cats #CatsOfBluesky

Purrcy the tuxedo tabby is lightly curled on a brocade cushion, looking at the camera with ears alert, whiskers spread wide and white, eyes light green and pupils just slits. He is clearly very happy, as sunlight shines on the cushion and most of him.

Purrcy the tuxedo tabby is lightly curled on a brocade cushion, looking at the camera with ears alert, whiskers spread wide and white, eyes light green and pupils just slits. He is clearly very happy, as sunlight shines on the cushion and most of him.




I sat out on the porch to eat breakfast today, and the local hive of feral honeybees was awake, buzzing about looking for nectar. The crabapple flowers are opening, so they seem to have their timing just right. The carpenter bees were also out, inspecting the eaves. It was really good to have that 1/2 hour, even though it was so late in the morning (I had errands to run before my stomach was ready for breakfast) that I didn't see or hear any migrants.

Learning languages through fandom

Apr. 23rd, 2025 01:40 am
dividedbyblue: Swan (Default)
[personal profile] dividedbyblue
I can safely say that I learned English by reading fanfiction. Xena fanfiction, back when the internet was young. Now, in the mid 2020’s, I find myself at a similar crossroad.

For a long time, I’ve been wanting to learn Spanish. But it wasn’t untill about a year ago now, in which I’m watching a Spanish telenovela with a sapphic couple, that I feel the same motivation I felt back in the day to learn a new language. About a year ago, I decided I wanted to be able to read Spanish fanfiction stories, so I set out to learn Spanish. Some daily Duolingo studying combined with a few other apps later, I can say that I’m now at a point where, with looking up words, I can read Spanish fanfiction. This is amazing.

It is amazing that fandom can have this impact and motivate you to learn a new language. I’m still on my language journey with Spanish. Though I understand it somewhat, I’m far from speaking the language. But the love for the language is something I owe to fandom and my love for sapphic ships. I’m excited to continue on this language journey.

Daily Check-in

Apr. 22nd, 2025 05:29 pm
starwatcher: Western windmill, clouds in background, trees around base. (Default)
[personal profile] starwatcher posting in [community profile] fandom_checkin
 
This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Tuesday, April 22, to midnight on Wednesday, April 23. (8pm Eastern Time).

Poll #33023 Daily Check-in
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 19

How are you doing?

I am OK.
10 (52.6%)

I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
9 (47.4%)

I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans live with you?

I am living single.
7 (36.8%)

One other person.
8 (42.1%)

More than one other person.
4 (21.1%)




Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
 

We're the talk of the town

Apr. 22nd, 2025 04:33 pm
sovay: (Claude Rains)
[personal profile] sovay
Apparently if permitted to sleep for nine hours, my brain presents me with a cheerfully escapist dream of meeting Dirk Bogarde at a film festival and then spending the rest of the afternoon perusing his library and forgoing dinner in favor of sailing, which was probably more my idea of a good time than his, but I like to think if I hadn't woken when I did, he'd have introduced me to Anthony Forwood.
inkcharm: (Default)
[personal profile] inkcharm posting in [community profile] fandom_icons
CANON: MCU. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
CHARACTERS: Sam Wilson | Captain America (Anthony Mackie).
ADDITIONAL INFO: 80 Icons.
CREDIT TO: [community profile] inkonic


HERE @ [community profile] inkonic

(no subject)

Apr. 22nd, 2025 10:41 pm
marina: (:D happy Gracie!)
[personal profile] marina
Well, it's been 2 weeks since my last post, so here's an update.

mentions of health issues )

*

In job news, something pretty huge and happy-making has happened???

One of the 4 companies I interviewed with has gotten back to me (after like 7 stages) to say they want me to work for them and they'll send me a contract offer in the next few days (which is standard). Fingers crossed, nothing certain until papers are signed etc, but. BUT.

It's been over a year, and finally I have a job offer.

At least one company wants to pay me a decent salary with all the nice perks and everything.

Now, if I had no other offers and was not in the running for any other position, I would take this one IN A HEARTBEAT. I would take it and be SO GRATEFUL.

But since I am still somehow in the process with 3 other companies, I'm in the weird position of mentally wondering which one I'd choose if they were to make me an offer.

Company #2 - I've finished all the interviews, and they're supposed to get back to me tomorrow on whether they want to check my references, which usually takes 1-2 days and is more of a formality. There's good reason to assume that if they say yes to me tomorrow they'll make me an offer next week.

Company #3 - I'm doing my final interview with them on Thursday, a big presentation, and after that they'll let me know if they're interested, no reference checks. If they want me they'll just make an offer.

Company #4 - the actual company of my heart, that all other considerations aside I would probably choose to work for because I love their product so much - I'm doing my final interview with them on Monday (next week). Of course they have the WORST HR process, so I actually have no idea what their next step is and whether there's something else they'll want to do before deciding yay/nay after Monday.

Now I'm mostly stressed because Company #1, that's already told me they want me, will probably try to pressure me to finalize a contract with them before Company #4 has a chance to decide whether they want me, sigh.

All of these potential roles are so good. None of them are "I can live with that" compromises. All of them are amazing, it's more a question of specific types of amazing, and of course I ideally want the combination that works best for me.

It is utterly surreal to be in this position after a year and 2 months of being unemployed. UTTERLY SURREAL.

But you know, maybe all the other companies will reject me and only Company #1 will remain, which will still be perfectly fine and even great.

Or maybe I somehow manage to fuck up this whole thing and will be left with nothing ////o\\\\ IDK it's just too good to be true at the moment.

Phew. Deep breath. The next 2 weeks will be continued stress, especially since I have a big presentation on Thursday and on Monday, but then... then. I don't know. Maybe, just maybe. *fingers crossed*

TV Tuesday: Being Seen

Apr. 22nd, 2025 12:53 pm
yourlibrarian: FemaleHeroes-liviapenn (OTH-FemaleHeroes-liviapenn)
[personal profile] yourlibrarian posting in [community profile] tv_talk

Laptop-TV combo with DVDs on top and smartphone on the desk



What does representation in television mean to you? Do you find representation important? When did you feel represented in a TV show?

(no subject)

Apr. 22nd, 2025 01:52 pm
likeadeuce: (Default)
[personal profile] likeadeuce
DC, Open (2844 words) by likeadeuce
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Challengers (Movie 2024)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Art Donaldson/Patrick Zweig, Art Donaldson/Original Female Character(s), Patrick Zweig/Original Male Character(s)
Additional Tags: Tennis, Missing Years, watches and other status symbols, Patrick Zweig's POV, tashi haunting the narrative
Summary:

Patrick is trying to get his tennis career together when he runs into Art again at a tournament in Washington, DC.

Are they so back, or is it so over?

If anyone could use a morale boost

Apr. 22nd, 2025 05:17 pm
rydra_wong: Lee Miller photo showing two women wearing metal fire masks in England during WWII. (Default)
[personal profile] rydra_wong
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/04/protests-erupt-across-the-uk-after-supreme-court-ruled-against-trans-rights/

Many many pictures.

Also, more protests yet to come, apparently, with ones scheduled for Oxford and Cambridge.

More signs of spring

Apr. 22nd, 2025 12:15 pm
ribirdnerd: perched bird (Default)
[personal profile] ribirdnerd posting in [community profile] common_nature
I saw my first garter snake and two snapping turtles near my local pond.
ashlyme: Picture of me wearing a carnival fox mask (Default)
[personal profile] ashlyme

 
We went out Saturday to try and clear our heads a bit. We plumped for Allesley. It's quite close to the city centre and there's a holloway there; I've just read Macfarlane, Donwood, and Richards' book on the subject. Plus there's a tried-and-tested pub there that does an excellent cheeseboard. 
 
A quick delve in Oxfam yielded an early 70s street-map/guide to Coventry and a copy of A. L. Lloyd's FOLK SONG IN ENGLAND. Then out to Allesley. The church (All Saints) is a mixture of Early English, Norman, and 1860s restoration in dull pink sandstone. The rebuilt spire looks a bit askew crowned with a pennant weathervane. They're leaving part of the churchyard clear to cut a turf maze. I'll go back and wander that when it's done.
 
Behind All Saints there's a ridge and furrow field, auburn earth ridged by medieval ploughing; the blackthorn there is still creamy with flowers. A rippled red path takes you into the holloway. You walk uphill past domed fields (oaks misty with new leaves; russet molehills; a horse grazing by a distant fence); an annex of the churchyard; a dead and cropped tree like a signpost. The lane itself isn't very deep; we found old bricks in the soil from a previous paving. I stepped in horseshit and didn't mind - it felt like home. There was a floral scent in the lane, sweet like elder or May, but neither of those were in flower yet and it wasn't the blackthorn; I don't know if you can call that a haunting.
 
We got into The Rainbow ahead of the showers to find a Bank Holiday beer festival on; so worked our way through several different ales as well as various cheddars, walnuts, grapes, and bread. I can't say we came back with clear heads but we didn't regret it. 
 
Currently reading George Ewart Evans' ASK THE FELLOWS WHO CUT THE HAY, a history of Suffolk farming and village life. Good, if a bit of a trudge in places.
 
 


(no subject)

Apr. 22nd, 2025 08:39 am
aurumcalendula: gold, blue, orange, and purple shapes on a black background (Default)
[personal profile] aurumcalendula
As of the other day, Reading the Remnants now has a complete fan translation! I enjoyed both the main story and the extras and I'm hoping more people will check it out!

Lately my executive function's been non-cooperative for things that aren't reading. I'm hoping to make more progress on the timing stuff I've been helping with this week/weekend (I'm kinda embarrassed about how long this installment's taking me).

Renee O’Connor at a local Comic Con

Apr. 22nd, 2025 01:02 pm
dividedbyblue: Xena (Xena)
[personal profile] dividedbyblue
When I saw that Renée O’Connor was a guest on an upcoming comic con in my country, I knew I had to be there. I don’t know if she’s ever been here before, but it’s definitely the first time I've heard of one of the Xena stars attending a comic con here. I’m so excited! I’ve been a lifelong Xena fan, and even though I currently only watch an episode now and then, the impact the series had on me is significant.

In my youth, when the series aired, I was pulled in by the portrayal of strong women, by the fantasy setting, by the chemistry between Xena and Gabrielle. I was unaware of the subtext when I started watching, but once I got to the online fandoms and fanfiction, I quickly caught up. I spent so many hours reading fan stories, making Xena drawings, and watching fan-made music videos. While my youth was challenging in various ways, Xena offered a safe space, a place of joy, of escape. I will be eternally grateful for this show and how it made my youth so much better.

Now, while being at the end of my thirties, I finally get the chance to meet an actress who played one of the iconic stars of this show. For the first time ever, I booked myself an autograph and a photo with an actor. I will be nervous, and it will probably feel a bit unreal, but I’m so looking forward to this.

Battle on, Xena (and Gabby).

Daily Happiness

Apr. 21st, 2025 08:52 pm
torachan: palmon smiling (palmon)
[personal profile] torachan
1. I worked from home today, getting a fair amount of catching up done. Unfortunately I forgot that I also had to double check all my stores' budgets for next month today so that did take some time away from the email and teams catch-up, but I should be able to focus more on that tomorrow. (Probably will mostly work from home tomorrow, too.)

2. We bought a sweater for Alexander for his birthday and even though his birthday is not until next week, gave it to him yesterday so he could try it on and see if it fit, and it was a little big so we said we'd be happy to go exchange it. I was just thinking to exchange it whenever we next go, but there was availability today and Carla felt like going to Disneyland, so while I had to stay home and focus on my email backlog, she went and exchanged the sweater and had a nice morning at DCA. She managed to find all the rest of the hidden easter eggs there (eventually with some help from an online guide) and took pictures, but I'm just going to include those with our next trip post rather than make a separate one. They had Lightning McQueen and Mater ones which are super cute, though.

3. We bought a stereo for the garage and it arrived today. As all modern stereos do these days, it also has bluetooth capability to connect to your phone, but she mainly wanted it for playing actual CDs. Her current CD rack is overflowing, so we need to get another and then move the CDs out to the garage so she can have them out there with the stereo. Nice thing is, unless you're standing right by the door or window, even with it turned up pretty loud you really can't hear much from outside. Amazing what insulation can do!

4. I love the look on Ollie's face here, but he was even cuter before I turned on the light and came in. It wasn't dark but was dim enough that he was really well camouflaged in the box!

The Wheel of Time disaster.

Apr. 22nd, 2025 02:02 am
dividedbyblue: Sappho, as depicted by John William Godward (Sappho)
[personal profile] dividedbyblue
For quite a long while Amazon's The Wheel of Time has been on my list of series to watch. I've never read the books, but the tv-series was praised and it also featured a sapphic pairing, which is always a reason for me to be interested in a show/film. However, being on Twitter in another wlw fandom, I couldn't see past the hurt and angry tweets that this show is another one in the long list of shows that kills one of its wlw characters. Seemingly, as the producers talked about Siuan's death, making it feel like it was done for shock value only, and even deviated from the books where this didn't happen. This makes me think of the Killing Eve series (which I haven't watched yet either, but I know the ending), where they went with the same idea, killing a lesbian character that stayed alive in the books.

Death and torture being written in a show/ movie for shock value always puts me off the entire series. It was the reason I stopped watching Game of Thrones. It just became too much. I know script writers and producers often say that there must be drama in order to keep an audience engaged. Or, taken from mouth of a tv-star in another show I watch "Happiness doesn't sell". Maybe it doesn't, for a lot of people. But for a lot of people it does. Don't get me wrong, I like to see dramatic events and plot twists, curves in stories, but I also like to see happiness. And I like to see a couple battling all odds, suffering much but having a happy ending, something that gives hope and strength. Everyday life is not always how we'd like it, so fiction is a nice escape. Or so it is for me. And yes, I like to see happiness. I like to see a couple getting something that in real life is not always there for us.

I don't think I will be watching The Wheel of Time. I'm getting tired of these kinds of 'cool shocking plot twists'. I might give Killing Eve a try at some point however. I've read the first book and it intrigues me, I'm willing to see how the show translates the story. But man, when do these showrunners ever learn? It sometimes feels like the early 2000's all over again.

Daily Check-in

Apr. 21st, 2025 05:56 pm
starwatcher: Western windmill, clouds in background, trees around base. (Default)
[personal profile] starwatcher posting in [community profile] fandom_checkin
 
This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Monday, April 21, to midnight on Tuesday, April 22. (8pm Eastern Time).

Poll #33018 Daily Check-in
This poll is closed.
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 24

How are you doing?

I am OK.
12 (50.0%)

I am not OK, but don't need help right now.
12 (50.0%)

I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans live with you?

I am living single.
8 (33.3%)

One other person.
10 (41.7%)

More than one other person.
6 (25.0%)




Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
 

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