Nonfiction
Apr. 4th, 2026 04:02 pmDaniel A. Bell, The Dean of Shandong: Confessions of a Minor Bureaucrat at a Chinese University:( Who goes Party? )
Fashion and Intellectual Property, ed. David Tan, Jeanne C. Fromer, & Dev S. Gangjee: ( around the world )
Rebecca Solnit, The Beginning Comes After the End: Notes on a World of Change: ( hope in the ashes )
Nicholas Buccola, One Man’s Freedom: Goldwater, King, and the Struggle over an American Ideal: ( one of them was right )
Blake Scott Ball, Charlie Brown’s America: ( Peanuts )
John J. Sullivan, Midnight in Moscow: A Memoir from the Front Lines of Russia’s War Against the West: ( we lost )
Greg Grandin, America, América: A New History of the New World: ( recommended )
Srdja Popovic with Sophia A. McClennen, Pranksters vs. Autocrats: Why Dilemma Actions Advance Nonviolent Activism: ( thinking about resistance )
Sendspace
Apr. 4th, 2026 11:56 amLately, though, I can't log in - and they are not responding to emails or requests for a new login.
I think the download links are still working (for now), though I suspect this is a harbinger of a platform about to die.
So, I guess I have a question for the ether - anyone else having a similar problem? And anyone have recs for a platform, reasonably priced, where I can host downloads that won't infect people with malware or ads?
podcast friday no saturday
Apr. 4th, 2026 01:43 pmNo Gods No Mayors' "Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich Romanov" is about a gay Romanov failson who sucked and eventually got blown up (spoilers), and it's very funny for everyone except maybe the thousands of peasants who got trampled to death at Tsar Nicholas II's coronation. It's worth listening in particular for the intro, which talks about mayoral candidate Shayne McKinney, who is running in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and is also a vampire. And a landlord. And look, he is not a good guy but a great deal of fun can be had.
On a lighter note, a new-to-me podcast is Bill & Frank's Guilt-Free Pleasures, which is a music podcast that takes deep dives into earwormy songs that are actually great and you don't need to feel bad if you like them. Because of the ages of the hosts, their musical touchstones are more or less the same as mine, and they're also Canadian, so their radio and MuchMusic experience is roughly similar to what I listened to at the same age. I listened to a few of their episodes recently, starting with the one about "Fairy Tale of New York" to just make sure they had good opinions, but the one I just finished was "Crowded House: "Don't Dream It's Over" (with Dave Kitchen)" It's one of those songs that I don't often think about and yet the second I hear the opening notes, I'm like, oh, this is a banger. I really love the analysis of the little details of the music, which is not something that I really pick out on my own but the second they explain it, I realize why it works as well as it does. They have a bunch of episodes with overly emotional power ballads, which I am a sucker for, so I'm excited about working through the backlist.
Testimony of Mute Things by Lois McMaster Bujold
Apr. 4th, 2026 12:30 pm3/5. I picked this up because A meal of Thorns had a great episode on Paladin of Souls, and I was like ‘oh yeah, damn, that book did slap.’ And then like a fool I picked up this recent novella instead of rereading PoS.
This is fine. It’s a capsule story set much earlier in the timeline, which means a much younger and less seasoned Pen is solving a murder. A perfectly serviceable hour of entertainment, well-observed and characterized, but not much more than that. Kind of made me sad, actually. You could get an interesting podcast episode out of the Penric stories as a whole. There is some theology stuff to chew on there, and some gender stuff and some parenting stuff. But most of the entries on their own? No.
Continually being rediscovered....
Apr. 4th, 2026 05:04 pmIt's like the fact that anyone has studied it just gets erased from the record?
24 scientists contribute a preprint on Neuroanatomy of the clitoris:
The clitoris is one of the least studied organs of the human body. The detailed anatomy of the clitoris is challenging to address through a gross dissection, as most of its parts are embedded internally, surrounded by pubic bone and several pelvic organs.
Helen O'Connell and colleagues, 2005, Anatomy of the Clitoris?
O'Connell does feature in the citations, I see. Along with various other scientists who boldly went where no man....
Because one does rather want to enquire 'Least studied BY WHOM???'
Take it away, Lil Johnson:
I feel that this is sort-of related: Founder of ‘orgasmic meditation’ company gets nine years in prison in forced labor conspiracy" - a bit more on What the Hell is Orgasmic Meditation: What to know about the controversial practice of ‘orgasmic meditation’:
“One rule of thumb when exploring sex-positive spaces might be to ask: ‘Is someone getting rich from this?’” says Dr Anouchka Grose, a writer and psychoanalyst in London. “If the answer is yes, there’s a distinct possibility that money is more important to the organizer than your wellbeing.”
Or any spaces, really.
Fancake's Theme for April: Arranged Marriage
Apr. 4th, 2026 09:09 am
Can I just tell you how many times I looked at the word "marriage" while making this banner and posting theme announcements and just being deeply unsure that's really how it's spelled? Like I'm still not sure. What is that "i" even doing there? What are we doing here?
Anyway,
If you have any questions about this theme, or the comm, come talk to me!
The Friday Five on a Saturday
Apr. 4th, 2026 04:46 pm- Do you like the look of your country's currency (bills and coins)?
Yes, I do. I still don't live the plasticky feel of the new bills - they don't fold very well - but grudgingly concede that they are far more durable. - Regardless of their actual value, do you like bills or coins better?
I like the UK's coins. Especially the £2 coin, it's very pretty and has a pleasing weight in the hand. A shiny new coppery 2p piece is also quite attractive. - What is your favorite foreign currency? And why?
Euros. You can use them in so many countries. And they're also very pretty. - Do you collect coins or bills? Elaborate.
Not formally, I haven't got an organised folder or anything. But I do try to save a few coins/bills from trips to other countries as souvenirs. - Do you think human society could make do completely without money? Explain.
No. I think the sheer number of us and the vast variety of goods and services we use as individuals would make a bartering system very cumbersome. And it is still useful sometimes to conduct transactions in cash rather than card.
Six coats down... at least one more to go...
Apr. 5th, 2026 02:09 amAll I can say about these endless coats of paint is it IS getting better each coat. Just. Not by as much as I'd like, sigh.
I've got enough for another round of everything in the paint cup, but the actual tin is only half full now, so no WAY is it doing the bookshelves as well. :/ I'll save it for the skirting boards, for sure. Maybe the door, once it gets replaced, if there's enough.
Which means I have to get more paint! AGAIN! I do not want to get more paint again, but alas.
Other than that I did very little today. I did nap in the sun for an hour or so this afternoon, that was great. (Then the sun went down behind the hill, so no more sunbeam alas.) It's cold now it's dark though, but look! I'm going to sleep! Even though it's only just after 2! Good job, self, very sensible decision.
What If AU bingo
Apr. 4th, 2026 10:51 am| People with Disabilities | Royalty | Movie/TV Fusions |
| High School/College | WILD CARD | Fake Relationship |
| Magic | Ocean | Holiday Mythology |
Books Received, March 28 — April 3
Apr. 4th, 2026 09:25 am
Seven books new to me. Five fantasy, two science fiction, of which at least three are series.
Books Received, March 28 — April 3
Which of these look interesting?
The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen (April 2026)
6 (35.3%)
Nobody’s Quest by Alyssa Day (June 2026)
3 (17.6%)
This Wild Wanting by Sophie Gonzales (November 2026)
2 (11.8%)
The Killing of a Chestnut Tree by Oliver K. Langmead (November 2026)
5 (29.4%)
Mark of the Warrior by Fonda Lee & Shannon Lee (October 2026)
6 (35.3%)
The Frozen King by Pari Thomson (Ocober 2026)
1 (5.9%)
Wolfpack by Rem Wigmore (April 2026)
5 (29.4%)
Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)
Cats!
13 (76.5%)
The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Nightmares And Illusions
Apr. 4th, 2026 02:37 pmTitle: Nightmares And Illusions
Fandom: The Fantastic Journey
Author:
Characters: Fred, Scott, Varian.
Rating: PG
Spoilers/Setting: Riddles.
Summary: Scott is trapped beneath a fallen ceiling beam, but although Fred tries to help him, there seems to be nothing he can do.
Word Count: 950
Content Notes: Nada.
Written For: Challenge 511: Beam.
Disclaimer: I don’t own The Fantastic Journey, or the characters. They belong to their creators.
Animorphs
Apr. 4th, 2026 09:36 amI'm a little worried that Disney might make them sugarcoat some things, since at its heart the whole point of Animorphs is basically "war is bad and destroys lives," and it doesn't exactly pull punches on that front. But, you know, I'm willing to be cautiously curious at this point.
On a related note, I still have all of my books from the series. They were one of the things that I pulled out of storage when I moved recently. Maybe I should do a re-read...
OTW Board Meeting, April 18, 2026
Apr. 4th, 2026 12:50 pmThe OTW Board will be holding its next public meeting at 01:00 on April 18, 2026 UTC (what time is that for me?).
This meeting will be held in the Board Discord server. The server will have a team of moderators and a set of rules (including question rules) and community guidelines. The server will remain open even after the meeting, but the channels for meeting and asking questions will be read-only. Board will be posting replies to questions that do not get addressed during the scheduled meeting two weeks after the meeting in the server’s #questions-answers channel.
The agenda will include:
- Decisions made since the last public board meeting
- Updates to Board roadmap
- Updates to Organizational Culture Roadmap
- Updates regarding internal complaint and conflict systems
- Any other business (Questions & Answers)
Prior to this meeting, there is an opportunity to ask questions in advance to be answered as part of the meeting. This allows anyone who wishes to ask the Board questions, whether they will be able to attend the meeting live or not. Board will also accept questions during the meeting.
Questions submitted to this Google Form will be accepted up to three days before the meeting begins or until 50 questions have been submitted. At that point, the form will be turned off. You need to be logged in to a Google account to submit a question. In the future, these rules may be amended as needed.
Further information will be available in the OTW Board Discord server.
March 2026 Reading Wrap-Up
Apr. 4th, 2026 01:48 pmNo TBR. No structure. No 'I will read X books this month.' Just vibes, mood shifts, and whatever my brain decided it could focus on that day.
And somehow... I finished five books.
🌱 March Intentions
📖 Read gently
🎨 Create something small
🧡 Protect my energy
😴 Rest often
📝 Simplify tasks
Looking back, March really did lean into these. The reading wasn't forced, creativity stayed small and manageable, and I gave myself permission to rest without turning it into a failure.
📊 By the Numbers
Books read: 5
Average rating:3.9 ⭐
A very solid, quietly successful month - especially coming out of February's one-book energy.
⭐ Standout Vibes
Not a single overwhelming five-star this month, but a strong run of *consistently good* reads - the kind that keep you engaged without wrecking you emotionally (which, honestly, was exactly the energy I needed).
📚 Everything I Read
Ali Hazelwood - Loathe to Love You ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to Happiness ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Alison Maloney - Life Below Stairs ⭐⭐⭐½
Seanan McGuire - Beneath the Sugar Sky ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nancy Warren - Mosaics and Magic ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A genuinely chaotic mix of romance, nonfiction, cosy mystery, and portal fantasy - which feels very on-brand for an unplanned reading month.
🧭 Reading Mood
March felt like a recovery month
After February's lack of focus, I found myself:
Picking up whatever held my attention fastest
Letting go of books without guilt
Leaning into comfort, familiarity, and lower-pressure reads
No overthinking. No forcing it. Just following the thread of 'does this work for me right now?'
And it worked.
💬 Mini Thoughts
Ali Hazelwood continues to be ridiculously readable - perfect for getting out of a slump
Beneath the Sugar Sky scratched that slightly surreal, emotional fantasy itch
Mosaics and Magic delivered peak cosy mystery vibes
Life Below Stairs was interesting, but didn't quite grip me the same way
Bill Bailey was exactly the kind of gentle, thoughtful nonfiction I needed this month
🌱 Final Thoughts
March didn't need structure to be successful.
It just needed permission.
Permission to read inconsistently. To follow moods. To enjoy books without turning them into a checklist.
And somehow, that led to one of the most balanced reading months I've had in a while.
If February was about softness, March was about trust.
Let's see what April brings.
Roundup
Apr. 4th, 2026 12:43 pm👟 Got bamboozled into a family jogging excursion yesterday, around 1 hour for 5.5 km. Sisters jogged throughout, Dad and I alternated between walking and jogging, and Mom walked throughout. I'm still struggling to maintain a Zone 2 pace; my sisters kept saying I needed to slow down but then I'd get antsy. I can't maintain the pace that feels right to me without going out of breath 🫠 Cardio, you are as cursed as you are necessary.
🩸 I'm an estimated 2 days away from bleeding, but my uterus decided to violently remind me of its presence last night by cramping. I usually have cramps that get a wince or slight grimace but then they quickly go away. Last night's cramps had me writhing in bed. Which isn't saying much because I'm aware my pain tolerance is relatively low. But still! Heated up my microwavable beanbag pillow then plonked it on my abdomen. That was enough to get things settled down enough so I could sleep. Still no blood as of this morning, so my uterus was just being a bitch.
🤖 Do my eyes deceive me? A Voltes V Blu-ray release in the year of our Lord 2026??? As a Filipino weeb, I am vibrating in excitement!
Close call
Apr. 3rd, 2026 11:53 pmI don't know what was wrong with this exam table. I mean I'm just lying on my side so they can press the sound transducer to my chest and all four limbs go painfully numb for the entire exam. Did you know looking down from the top the tricuspid valve looks a lot like the mouth of Tremors worms.
I already have the report back. I have grade 1 diastolic dysfunction and mild tricuspid regurgitation which can lead to breathlessness with exertion (yes that's true) But that's exactly what the report said 9 years ago so I guess the good news is my heart is in relatively good shape and my ejection fraction is where you want it to be.
I wrote a thing for
Title: In the Garden of Memory
Summary: Alone in the circus, Kinger retreats to the one place he still feels whole but is that enough?
Rating: teen
Notes:Written for the allbingo prompt of golden bells and for spikesgirl58’s six word challenge. The six words were Damaging, Male, Special, Rain, Gentle, & Mark
( The story is under here or at the above link. It's The Amazing Digital Circus )
forget the hangover, skip straight to the cure Hazbin Hotel
Well Met J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth Legendarium & Related Fandoms/ The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth
The Visitor Torchwood
Checkmate The Amazing Digital Circus
Bigger Than Expected FAKE
Love Potion The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Kitten Conundrum Torchwood
Complex Problems The Fantastic Journey
Episode 5: Playback — anomaly_2004 UglyDolls
An Alternative Arrangement The Owl House
Five Times They Didn’t Share A Bed, and One Time They Did Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (TV 1980)/ Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
who cares (i'm fine) The Amazing Digital Circus
Wondering Why? The Professionals
because love can burn like a cigarette Arcane: League of Legends
turns out it was that easy, baby (or: Charlie’s post-nut clarity saves the day) Hazbin Hotel
Acquainted. Hazbin Hotel
I Vow to You the Sun and Moon Legends of Avantris
'Sex' is a Word of One Sound Cabin Pressure
Aizawa Shōta, Pro Hero: Eraserhead 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Chance Meeting Torchwood
this time, it’ll be sweeter Arcane: League of Legends
Secrets in the Shadows Hazbin Hotel
The Proper School for a Healing Witch The Owl house
Guess What? MCU
Just A Little Crush Primeval
Needs of the Many Teen Wolf
Glitter always shimmers in the limelight
Apr. 3rd, 2026 10:26 pmThis morning was marked by the municipal pruning of trees on our street. When the racket moved far enough around the block to become merely obnoxious, I went back to listening to byways of Flanders and Swann. In the afternoon Hestia saw a cardinal in the yew and almost went through the glass.
I recognize that midlife m/m amid the mussel beds of North Wales is the single most stereotypical choice I could make out of this year's lineup for Wicked Queer, but I am still seriously considering On the Sea (2025). It would be a sure bet if I didn't have to think about parking at the MFA.
I would like the next week to involve much less talking to doctors. None would be an ideal.