Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...
Feb. 6th, 2026 10:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
green_knight… or, you can play THAT on a violin?
Two Set Violin are enormously talented performers; they put the fun into classical music, they take the time to explain things, and they’re always having a lot of fun playing.
And the best thing: I have a ticket for Sunday, March 15! I missed snagging a ticket when the first batch was released because I wanted to check availability and blam! sold out.
This time I logged on as soon as I got the e-mail and while the best seats have already gone (not that I can afford them), there was still a pretty good choice.
I, err, may be a bit of a fan.
(Yes, I have a lot of half-drafted posts that I mean to finish, a lot of other things on my plate, and never enough time; I read some of my flist but not all, and I am trying to tame a lot of things that got left undone for years.)
Two Set Violin are enormously talented performers; they put the fun into classical music, they take the time to explain things, and they’re always having a lot of fun playing.
And the best thing: I have a ticket for Sunday, March 15! I missed snagging a ticket when the first batch was released because I wanted to check availability and blam! sold out.
This time I logged on as soon as I got the e-mail and while the best seats have already gone (not that I can afford them), there was still a pretty good choice.
I, err, may be a bit of a fan.
(Yes, I have a lot of half-drafted posts that I mean to finish, a lot of other things on my plate, and never enough time; I read some of my flist but not all, and I am trying to tame a lot of things that got left undone for years.)
podcast friday
Feb. 6th, 2026 07:06 amsabotabby There's a lot of good stuff on the podcast feed this week, but look, we all have to be Elbows Up these days or whatever, even though Canada is a fake country, because it's better to be a fake country with healthcare than a fake country with crushing medical debt. So I must proudly wave the flag when Behind the Bastards notices and recognizes an actual Canadian bastard, as they did this week with Romana Didulo, Queen of Canada (Part 1, Part 2).
Her Majesty is not a successful cult leader by American standards; she basically ruined the lives of a few dozen people and hasn't directly killed anyone that I know of, though in terms of indirect deaths through encouraging the spread of covid, she's likely ended at least a few lives. She's a fascinating study, though, in Why People Believe Batshit Things Against Obvious Evidence and Logic, and she's worth learning about for that alone. This is an obvious mentally ill person with no charisma, elevated to fame by some rando on the internet, and enabled by a media ecosystem that considers all opinions equally valid unless they're left-wing opinions. In a better society she'd be given the help she so obviously needs; in ours, her worst tendencies were encouraged and rewarded.
Of course, this is all ancient history from the early 2020s and is of no instructive value now. Just, y'know, interesting to listen to.
ETA: I am remiss in not mentioning that there's a third part to come next week. I had like 10 minutes left in the second episode and did not realize there was MORE ROMANA to come.
Her Majesty is not a successful cult leader by American standards; she basically ruined the lives of a few dozen people and hasn't directly killed anyone that I know of, though in terms of indirect deaths through encouraging the spread of covid, she's likely ended at least a few lives. She's a fascinating study, though, in Why People Believe Batshit Things Against Obvious Evidence and Logic, and she's worth learning about for that alone. This is an obvious mentally ill person with no charisma, elevated to fame by some rando on the internet, and enabled by a media ecosystem that considers all opinions equally valid unless they're left-wing opinions. In a better society she'd be given the help she so obviously needs; in ours, her worst tendencies were encouraged and rewarded.
Of course, this is all ancient history from the early 2020s and is of no instructive value now. Just, y'know, interesting to listen to.
ETA: I am remiss in not mentioning that there's a third part to come next week. I had like 10 minutes left in the second episode and did not realize there was MORE ROMANA to come.
Follow Friday 2-6-26
Feb. 6th, 2026 12:40 amysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
followfridayGot any Follow Friday-related posts to share this week? Comment here with the link(s).
Here's the plan: every Friday, let's recommend some people and/or communities to follow on Dreamwidth. That's it. No complicated rules, no "pass this on to 7.328 friends or your cat will die".
Fancake Theme for February: Inept in Love
Feb. 4th, 2026 08:16 amrunpunkrun posting in fandomcalendar
fancake is a thematic recommendation community where all members are welcome to post recs, and fanworks of all shapes and sizes are accepted. Check out the community guidelines for the full set of rules. This theme runs for the entire month. If you have any questions, just ask!
Reading Wednesday
Feb. 4th, 2026 06:45 amsabotabbyJust finished: Nothing.
Currently reading: Changelog by Rich Larson. Whenever I mention Rich Larson to normies, they go, "Who?" Whenever he comes up among writers, the discussion invariably includes the adjective "underrated," which is a bit weird for someone who's kindasorta won an Emmy. It's absolutely true, though. He's prolific af and everything I've read by him so far is an absolute banger.
Changelog is a short story anthology. It's all cyberpunk, a lot of it set in the same cyberpunk future, spanning from Niger to Nuuk, wildly inventive and beautifully written. There are obvious Black Mirror and Love, Death + Robots (the Emmy was for an episode of that adapted from one of his stories) but the cyberpunk aspect of it is mostly backgrounded to focus on character.
It's hard to pick a favourite because there's not a single weak link here, but the standouts so far are "Animals Like Me," which is about a young gig worker recruited to do motion capture work for increasingly disturbing AI-generated children's animation, "Quandary Aminu vs The Butterfly Man," which is about a low-level gangster targeted by a genetically modified assassin that only lives for about a day and a half but is otherwise nearly unstoppable, and "Tripping Through Time," which is the most hopeful story I have read in forever (positive; I don't normally like hopeful stories).
Currently reading: Changelog by Rich Larson. Whenever I mention Rich Larson to normies, they go, "Who?" Whenever he comes up among writers, the discussion invariably includes the adjective "underrated," which is a bit weird for someone who's kindasorta won an Emmy. It's absolutely true, though. He's prolific af and everything I've read by him so far is an absolute banger.
Changelog is a short story anthology. It's all cyberpunk, a lot of it set in the same cyberpunk future, spanning from Niger to Nuuk, wildly inventive and beautifully written. There are obvious Black Mirror and Love, Death + Robots (the Emmy was for an episode of that adapted from one of his stories) but the cyberpunk aspect of it is mostly backgrounded to focus on character.
It's hard to pick a favourite because there's not a single weak link here, but the standouts so far are "Animals Like Me," which is about a young gig worker recruited to do motion capture work for increasingly disturbing AI-generated children's animation, "Quandary Aminu vs The Butterfly Man," which is about a low-level gangster targeted by a genetically modified assassin that only lives for about a day and a half but is otherwise nearly unstoppable, and "Tripping Through Time," which is the most hopeful story I have read in forever (positive; I don't normally like hopeful stories).
Minor operations; testing new serving path
Feb. 3rd, 2026 10:25 pm![[staff profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user_staff.png){kind=small}
mark posting in ![[site community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/comm_staff.png){kind=small}
dw_maintenanceHi all!
I'm doing some minor operational work tonight. It should be transparent, but there's always a chance that something goes wrong. The main thing I'm touching is testing a replacement for Apache2 (our web server software) in one area of the site.
Thank you!
Yugioh: YGO Rare Pairs Mini Bang - Artist Claims Open! (Feb. 2-6)
Feb. 2nd, 2026 07:38 pmpendulumscale posting in fandomcalendarDescription: ygorarepairs is a mini bang event that focuses on rare pair ships for all Yugioh series (including crossovers), open to writers, artists, and image & video editors.
This year's mini bang is in regular bang order. Authors have drafted fics for their chosen rare pair. Artists will claim at least 1 fic to use as inspiration for fanart. Partners will collaborate and share their fanworks together during the posting period for this event. Please read our specifications page for more details about expectations for event works.
Claims for the 2025-2026 mini bang are open!
Artists can see summaries and complete the claim submission form here:
https://docs.getgrist.com/forms/nmJe1ZZzHoDu1qWfkKNGeM/10
Artists can see summaries and complete the claim submission form here:
https://docs.getgrist.com/forms/nmJe1ZZzHoDu1qWfkKNGeM/10Dates (see Schedule for more info):
Signups: Nov 1-Nov 30 (writers may start immediately)Check-in #1 (writers only): Dec 21-23Check-in #2 (writers with claim pitch): Jan 30-Feb 1- Claims: Feb 2-6
- Claims assigned: Feb 7/8
- Artist WIP share: Feb 20-21
- Check-in #3 (all participants): Mar 6-7
- Posting prep: Mar 12-14
- Posting: Mar 15-Apr 4
Festivids!
Feb. 2nd, 2026 12:52 pmstarladyFestivids went live on Saturday! I have still not watched most of the vids because I was at an Alex Pretti memorial bike ride on Saturday and then at some transit activist events on Sunday and I am trying to also do an Escapade premiere, but what I have watched has been great. And I got a great gift vid!
Really there can never be enough Star Trek: Prodigy vids as far as I'm concerned, and this one is full of great character moments and team/found family feels.
I myself made two Festivids this year, which means I'm already at 100% above my vid production for 2025, so I am very happy about that.
[VID] Find Your People (9 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek: Prodigy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gwyndala (Star Trek), Jankom Pog, Dal R'el, Zero (Star Trek), Rok-Tahk, Murf (Star Trek), Hologram Janeway (Star Trek)
Additional Tags: Crew as Family, Fanvids
Summary: You can't go it alone, everybody needs help
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek: Prodigy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gwyndala (Star Trek), Jankom Pog, Dal R'el, Zero (Star Trek), Rok-Tahk, Murf (Star Trek), Hologram Janeway (Star Trek)
Additional Tags: Crew as Family, Fanvids
Summary: You can't go it alone, everybody needs help
Really there can never be enough Star Trek: Prodigy vids as far as I'm concerned, and this one is full of great character moments and team/found family feels.
I myself made two Festivids this year, which means I'm already at 100% above my vid production for 2025, so I am very happy about that.
"None of Us"
Feb. 1st, 2026 10:07 pmsajia_kabir First they came for the sex workers, and I said nothing, for I was a good woman.
Then they came for the strippers, and I said nothing, for I was a good woman.
Then they came for the bellydancers, and I said nothing, for I was a good woman.
Then they came for the romance novelists, and I said nothing, for I was a good woman.
Then they came for me, and my virtue did not protect me.