Godwinning all over the Firefly reboot
Mar. 19th, 2026 04:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sabotabbyI feel guilty every time I post about something shallow and trivial. However, I enjoy shitposting and we could all use the distraction. The way I distract myself is being spicy in fannish communities.
If you have emotional attachments to a certain cancelled sci-fi show and its creator, skip this post.
Still with me? Okay.
So I want to propose a new TV show for you. It's set IN SPACE in the far-flung future, think gritty space dystopia, think found family, think QUIPS and BANTER and BIG DAMN HEROES.
Our heroes are the crew of a spaceship. They dress in snappy black and silver uniforms. They're all played by white guys and women, most with blond hair, all of them extremely fit and attractive. They have a cool logo that looks great on merch. Their ships are very cool looking and the best in the galaxy. They stand up for the common man.
They are fighting a snivelly and sinister enemy, a vast galactic conspiracy that is secretly pulling the strings behind every bad guy of the week. Maybe they turn out to be, IDK, some kind of lizard alien or something.
By the way in case you're getting ideas about historical analogies here, I should make it clear that the first officer on the heroes' ship is a Jewish woman and the heroes don't commit any genocides on screen. In fact, one of them has a speech about how violence is bad in the first episode! They are shown to be very against war crimes in fact, it's the antagonists who are doing all the war crimes.
Now, a poll:
If you have emotional attachments to a certain cancelled sci-fi show and its creator, skip this post.
Still with me? Okay.
So I want to propose a new TV show for you. It's set IN SPACE in the far-flung future, think gritty space dystopia, think found family, think QUIPS and BANTER and BIG DAMN HEROES.
Our heroes are the crew of a spaceship. They dress in snappy black and silver uniforms. They're all played by white guys and women, most with blond hair, all of them extremely fit and attractive. They have a cool logo that looks great on merch. Their ships are very cool looking and the best in the galaxy. They stand up for the common man.
They are fighting a snivelly and sinister enemy, a vast galactic conspiracy that is secretly pulling the strings behind every bad guy of the week. Maybe they turn out to be, IDK, some kind of lizard alien or something.
By the way in case you're getting ideas about historical analogies here, I should make it clear that the first officer on the heroes' ship is a Jewish woman and the heroes don't commit any genocides on screen. In fact, one of them has a speech about how violence is bad in the first episode! They are shown to be very against war crimes in fact, it's the antagonists who are doing all the war crimes.
Now, a poll:
Poll #34385 Which would be less bad?
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 1
Which would be better, if this show concept HAD to exist?
View Answers
Depicting the protagonists doing war crimes
1 (100.0%)
Not depicting the protagonists doing war crimes
0 (0.0%)
Returning to a WIP last touched in 2026
Mar. 19th, 2026 08:50 pmextrapenguinOver the past few days, I've rediscovered my drawerfic, All That is Solid Melts into Air (currently at ~65k). RotS canon divergence, TCW/Prequel Trilogy. I thought it was great, so I immediately went and bugged the author for an ending.
As it currently is, I'd written the setup for the grand climax, had notes for the grand climax, and had written a ~700-word epilogue chapter.* Why, then, was a I blocked?
I realized it was a matter of pacing. I could have hopped straight into the climactic battle, sure, but that would have been unsatisfying. I knew, instinctively, that I needed something in between to make the transition less abrupt, but not exactly what I needed to write to build the tension and anticipation. Now I have an idea for the necessary two scenes in there, after which I can write ~3 scenes of climactic space-and-ground battle, plus ~4 shorter scenes of wrap-up before transitioning into the epilogue chapter.
* I find epilogue chapters very useful if you're posting chapter by chapter and also want reactions to the climax. Usually, reader comments on the final chapter are less about the contents of the final chapter and more about the fic in its entirety, which can be a bit of a bummer if you did something cool in there and wanted to see people's reactions.
As it currently is, I'd written the setup for the grand climax, had notes for the grand climax, and had written a ~700-word epilogue chapter.* Why, then, was a I blocked?
I realized it was a matter of pacing. I could have hopped straight into the climactic battle, sure, but that would have been unsatisfying. I knew, instinctively, that I needed something in between to make the transition less abrupt, but not exactly what I needed to write to build the tension and anticipation. Now I have an idea for the necessary two scenes in there, after which I can write ~3 scenes of climactic space-and-ground battle, plus ~4 shorter scenes of wrap-up before transitioning into the epilogue chapter.
* I find epilogue chapters very useful if you're posting chapter by chapter and also want reactions to the climax. Usually, reader comments on the final chapter are less about the contents of the final chapter and more about the fic in its entirety, which can be a bit of a bummer if you did something cool in there and wanted to see people's reactions.
New K-9 fic: Vigil (Ren)
Mar. 19th, 2026 07:31 pmvriddy300th fic posted on AO3 :D
(overall, I mean. Not just for K-9!!!!!!!!!! ;D Not yet 😌)
We've seen multiple times in canon now how Ren always waits for teenage girls to wake up after they get involved in Sin-related incidents usually way bigger than they are. Even if she has nothing to say, even if she knows her encouraging words won't be enough. She waits, says something kind, doesn't mind if she gets talked to rudely, then goes on her way, back to her work trying to fix all this.
Another thing I like to do when I'm tired of thinking about K-9 directly (haha as if) is trying to analyse the story structure, how information gets drip-fed to us, what kind of information. What questions are raised, which ones get answers, what new questions those bring up. I am enchanted. May I write such fascinating stories with fascinating casts when I grow up :D <3
Vigil | K-9 | Ren | 300 words | rated T
Summary: Ren always waits for the girls to wake up at the hospital afterwards, like no one did for her.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
(overall, I mean. Not just for K-9!!!!!!!!!! ;D Not yet 😌)
We've seen multiple times in canon now how Ren always waits for teenage girls to wake up after they get involved in Sin-related incidents usually way bigger than they are. Even if she has nothing to say, even if she knows her encouraging words won't be enough. She waits, says something kind, doesn't mind if she gets talked to rudely, then goes on her way, back to her work trying to fix all this.
Another thing I like to do when I'm tired of thinking about K-9 directly (haha as if) is trying to analyse the story structure, how information gets drip-fed to us, what kind of information. What questions are raised, which ones get answers, what new questions those bring up. I am enchanted. May I write such fascinating stories with fascinating casts when I grow up :D <3
Vigil | K-9 | Ren | 300 words | rated T
Summary: Ren always waits for the girls to wake up at the hospital afterwards, like no one did for her.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
The Friday Five for 20 March 2026
Mar. 19th, 2026 03:19 pmanais_pf posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
thefridayfiveThese questions were suggested by melagan.
1. What was the reason you began a Dreamwidth or LiveJournal account (or both)?
2. How many DW or LJ communities do you subscribe to?
3. Do you have a favorite community or one you check out often to see what's new?
4. How did you pick your user name?
5. If you could change your user name, would you?
The following bonus questions are brought to you by the fact that I (anais_pf) have been unable to access any page of LiveJournal for more than a week (and therefore cannot post to The Friday Five there):
6. If you have a LiveJournal, are you currently able to access it?
7. Do you have any information about why one would be unable to access LiveJournal?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
melagan.1. What was the reason you began a Dreamwidth or LiveJournal account (or both)?
2. How many DW or LJ communities do you subscribe to?
3. Do you have a favorite community or one you check out often to see what's new?
4. How did you pick your user name?
5. If you could change your user name, would you?
The following bonus questions are brought to you by the fact that I (anais_pf) have been unable to access any page of LiveJournal for more than a week (and therefore cannot post to The Friday Five there):
6. If you have a LiveJournal, are you currently able to access it?
7. Do you have any information about why one would be unable to access LiveJournal?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
From Gut Bacteria Up to the Brain
Mar. 19th, 2026 02:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
in_the_pipeline_feedHere’s the other cognition/aging/Alzheimer’s paper that caught my eye. In a similar way to the work I highlighted yesterday on proteins released by the liver affecting the blood-brain barrier and overall brain function, this one is finding another external signal, from from an unexpected direction.
The authors studied the intestinal microbiomes of mice as they aged, and found that species that produce medium-chain fatty acids become more and more prevalent. Then a complex series of events start taking place: these metabolites are ligands for the human GPR84 protein and can drive inflammation in myeloid cells through that activation. This in turn weakens the neural traffic through the vagal system, and this loss of “interoceptive” signaling to the brain leads to a decline in hippocampal function. Impaired memory, in other words.
Now that’s one that I wouldn’t have seen coming, but as the paper shows in its references, there are a number of other reports pointing in this microbiome/memory direction. Now overall, the signal/noise of microbiome work is not as high as it should be, but papers like this new one are an important step in shoring up such hypotheses, trying to bridge some of the “by some mechanism that we haven’t figured out yet” gaps. It’s not that new and interesting ideas have to eliminate all of those leaps, but if you have to invoke that sort of thing too many times you’re asking for trouble. Here’s how you avoid that (hint: it involves an awful lot of work).
One experiment done here was to house very young (two-month old) mice with old (18-month-old) ones, which led to exchange of microbiome species between the two cohorts and an equilibrium that looked quite a bit more like the old ones. This didn’t seem to have any real effects on physical health and energy levels (or even things like exploratory behavior), but the short-term and long-term memory task performance of the young mice declined. To control for social effects, the team tried things like direct faecal microbiome transplants from the old mice into the young ones, and this recapitulated the memory effects all by itself. Meanwhile, co-housing gnotobiotic (germ-free) mice of both age groups did not affect the memories of the younger ones. Similarly, treating regular groups of young and old mice with two weeks of antibiotics also restored memory task performance in both cohorts.
And yes, the aged germ-free mice also performed much better on memory tests than the ones with typical microbiomes, so all of these results point in the same direction. There appears to be a gut microbial factor that impairs memory in older mice. Looking at the bacterial species that were present across different ages, Parabacteroides goldsteinii looked like the top candidate. (That one has already been the subject of a great deal of microbiome work in humans, as that link will show) Colonizing either germ-free or post-antibiotic mice with this species alone brought on the memory trouble, but this effect could not be demonstrated with other species that increased with age, nor with some that showed no real change as the mice aged.
Looking at the brains of the impaired mice, it appeared that neuronal function was disrupted in the hippocampus and in several areas known to be involved with sensory processing. A weird and interesting result was that many of the neurons involved in the vagus nerve’s gut-to-brain connections express the TRPV1 vanilloid receptor. Chemogenetic silencing of this receptor gave memory behavior similar to the aged mice, while activation of it seemed to restore function in the elderly cohort. That extended even to such low-tech methods as giving the mice capsaicin as a TRPV1 agonist (!) Other gut-responsive signals such as CCK or GLP-1 showed improvements in the presence of added agonists, although their underlying levels were not changed with aging and/or P. goldsteinii infection.
Further experiments showed that (as mentioned above) medium-chain fatty acids produced by those bacteria seem to be the actual signal driving these effects. Oral administration of things like decanoic acid and 3-hydroxyoctanoic acid were enough to affect cognition by themselves, and demonstrated effects along the whole causal chain the above work had laid out (vagus nerve activation and the sensory and hippocampal brain regions). These are known to be ligands for GPR84, and the team showed that mice with inactivating mutations in that receptor were immune to the effects of added medium-chain acids and showed delayed onset of memory trouble in general as compared to wild-type mice. The receptor is largely found in myeloid cells (macrophages, monocytes, and neutrophils) and ablating these also restored memory function (demonstrated through a set of bone-marrow experiments).
This looks to me like a very solid paper where the authors have tried to shore up every step of their hypothesis. Inflammation-driven defects in interoceptive signaling truly does look like a cause of memory decline in mice: but does it work that way in humans? You can bet that work is going on as we speak to find that out, but this pathway fits in very well with the overall idea that inappropriate inflammation is a driver of age-related brain dysfunction. But I have to say, we weren’t looking for it first in the gut rather than directly in the brain! There’s clearly a lot of work to be done here, and direct pharmacological intervention in these interoceptive pathways could really be beneficial. Starting with more hot sauce, given those capsaicin results? Try it today!
why don’t more companies try to retain key employees with raises?
Mar. 19th, 2026 05:59 pmaskamanager_feedA reader writes:
My brother-in-law works for a company of about 600, with branches of 80 or so in several cities across North America. His department had three employees who served their branch in an HR-type capacity. One employee moved, leaving only him and his manager to handle their caseload. This was okay. Then the manager left.
The branch managers called my brother-in-law in and told him that he was now the acting manager but there would be no pay raise “at this time” but they appreciated his work and knew he could handle this opportunity. While the caseload on him went up, he was able to shift work to other branches so there were no late nights or long hours. Still, he was now in charge of a large branch’s department.
He immediately started looking at other employment opportunities and after four months has secured a better position elsewhere.
Had they offered up an initial pay bump of $10,000 or so, I wouldn’t even be writing this letter. But why do companies not think to raise the salaries of employees under these sorts of conditions? (Even good workplaces?)
Now, old company has to:
• Go through a hiring process (cost #1)
• Bring in a temporary manager from another branch (cost #2)
• Train someone who is new to the organization (cost #3)
• There’s likely a hidden cost I haven’t thought ofMeanwhile they lost someone who was considered strong enough to become head of their department with a title bump but not strong enough to get a pay bump.
I continue to be perplexed.
They underestimate people’s willingness to leave. They know people can leave; they just don’t think the person will go through the hassle of doing it.
This is obviously absurd; people leave jobs all the time. But employers often overestimate their own power in these situations.
The other thing that’s often at play is that the employer doesn’t really care that much if the person does leave. They figure if that happens, they’ll hire someone new — which they will. And yes, the costs involved in doing that (all the ones you laid out, plus the opportunity costs there are from having someone new who will take a while to master the job) usually exceed the amount of the raise they’d need to give to retain the person, so from that perspective the math doesn’t add up.
Plus, if they end up having to replace the exiting employee with an external hire, they’re probably going to have to pay the external hire more than they were paying the person who left — because a new hire coming in off the street is far less likely than an internal hire to accept “we’re hiring you for a manager job but paying you for a level below that because the money isn’t there right now.”
For what it’s worth, it’s possible that they didn’t want to hire your brother-in-law into the manager job permanently and just intended for him to be the interim fill-in while they searched for the permanent hire (which is why he was just acting manager). If that’s the case, well, they got the interim job covered at no extra cost to themselves for a while, and they might not care that much that now there’s turnover in his initial role.
Mostly, though, it’s that they figure they can exploit people and so they do.
The post why don’t more companies try to retain key employees with raises? appeared first on Ask a Manager.
(no subject)
Mar. 19th, 2026 11:33 amolivermossThe *other* hockey romance book series becoming a TV show has finally dropped a trailer
I am going to watch at least the start of it, we'll see how long I last. I do want to see sexy hockey scenes, but I don't know if I'd enjoy anything except those bits. I am glad the show got so delayed and it didn't come out right when Heated Rivalry did. There may be some people trying to compare them / pit them against each other, but it will be at least way less intense.
I am going to watch at least the start of it, we'll see how long I last. I do want to see sexy hockey scenes, but I don't know if I'd enjoy anything except those bits. I am glad the show got so delayed and it didn't come out right when Heated Rivalry did. There may be some people trying to compare them / pit them against each other, but it will be at least way less intense.
Childhood Trauma Motifs (Cookie Run)
Feb. 12th, 2026 06:03 pmbedesYou know how Shadow Milk has many childish mannerisms and ways of thinking? How he has many themes and motifs that deal with play, such as plushies, stick puppets, and arts and crafts?
Have you even seen those drawings made by children who have been through trauma or abuse, and who were asked to draw the situation or person that hurt them?
Did you know that, in the original text, Shadow Milk calls Pure Vanilla a "doll" instead of a "puppet"?
And have you heard that children with trauma often recreate their trauma while playing with dolls to process it?
Have you even seen those drawings made by children who have been through trauma or abuse, and who were asked to draw the situation or person that hurt them?
Did you know that, in the original text, Shadow Milk calls Pure Vanilla a "doll" instead of a "puppet"?
And have you heard that children with trauma often recreate their trauma while playing with dolls to process it?
Riku's Character Design Change
Jan. 17th, 2026 05:57 pmbedesNow, if I were writing the Kingdom Hearts series, I would make it so that Riku cut his hair while undercover at the Organization, so that his hair would grow out again and go down to his upper back by the time Dream Drop Distance comes around. Instead of cutting it short and then associating his longer hair with "Dark Riku" and his flawed past and such.
I mean, the writers can do whatever boring shit they're doing too I guess. All I'm saying is that every time a queercoded male villain is made to cut his hair during his redemption arc, an angel loses its wings.
Jan 22nd update: My feelings on this matter have only intensified since learning that the sole reason that Riku's hair was changed was because ""fans"" kept complaining about it.
I mean, the writers can do whatever boring shit they're doing too I guess. All I'm saying is that every time a queercoded male villain is made to cut his hair during his redemption arc, an angel loses its wings.
Jan 22nd update: My feelings on this matter have only intensified since learning that the sole reason that Riku's hair was changed was because ""fans"" kept complaining about it.
When I say I don't like PVP, I Mean It
Mar. 19th, 2026 11:06 amarmainaThere is a very frustrating thing that occurs when I say that I don't play or like PVP games and that's for someone to follow up with stating their particular game of choice 'isn't that bad' rather than just letting me be, it gets exhausting.
The only time I have ever played and enjoyed PVP is in closed circuit games where it's a lobby of just yourself and your friends and you're just goofing off with no real stakes or losses. Like old deathmatch arenas and fighting games with friends. There's no ranks, no stakes, and no progress to loose. Or the occassional 'party game'. And even then, I can only put maybe an hour or two into it and then I'm disinterested.
I am not 'great' at video games, I have to fail an awful lot to be any decent at it and even then I'm only mediocre. I'm fine with this. Failure on its own doesn't bother me. What bothers me is loss of progress and my teammates being upset with me because I fumbled. This only amplifies when PVP is involved. When it's free for all pvp, then it's frustrating because I'll just get no where because most people are better than me and I'll make no progress and have to sit through more and more matches just to meet bare minimum requirements to progress. Or if it's not match based but still solo PVP, the whole act of playing it feels on a razer wire because I could loose progress at any time and then what even is the point? And if it's team matches, then I have the anxiety of failing people in the team.
In parties of 4 it gets very easy to see who the weak link is, and because of the nature of PVP, people are very unkind to failure. People will claim that they're okay with it, but I hear it, I hear them trash talk their teammates when they're not up to snuff. Never giving space for people to learn or just be bad at something for a while until they get better at it. And they think that this doesn't effect the other people around them. I know what you all think of people that play poorly, and I play poorly, why do you all think that kind of talk would have no impact on me? So every time I loose in a team I think of how they would think of me, how they're angry at my failure, how they wish I weren't playing so they wouldn't be 'stuck' with someone so bad at the game. I am okay with failure, (unless I loose progress but that's it's own vector) but some people really, really are not. And in PVP, the need for success amplifies even more so than in co-op games because people's ranks are on the line. Take all that anxiety I already get with high stakes team play and then add the element that you're now also playing with other people, and that all gets amplified.
The only PVP I've been able to tollerate is ones with a strong PVE element which has only been possible in Gambit in Destiny 2, and World vs World in Guild Wars 2. Because in these I can largely focus on the PVE part and not the PVP part. Gambit's PVE is really important, so being good at that helps the overall match and I don't feel like a complete failure. Guild Wars 2's World vs World is a little less PVE intensive but the PVP part is handled by being in large swarms, so my personal failures don't stand out and I don't have people in chat yelling at me. More importantly, both games do not result in me loosing progress if I die. I can die dozens of times without penalty. That being said, if I could play those games without touching the game modes at all, I absolutely would. I only played those modes for certain progress requirements, not because I enjoyed them.
And then there's the matter that I just don't enjoy it. Sure I could triple up on anxiety meds and maybe not feel like my chest is caving in when I play a PVP game, but it's also just not enjoyable. Why waste my time on the potential that I might feel a high with certain big stakes when I could, instead, play a game I actually enjoy playing without the crushing weight of anxiety. So not only is it anxiety inducing, it's also just not my idea of fun.
So all that said, it gets really exhausting, when I say I don't play PVP and someone still tries to sell me on their PVP game. 'Oh it's not that bad', 'Oh I don't usually like pvp but'
I DON'T LIKE PVP!!
FULL STOP!!!
IT IS NOT FUN FOR ME!!!
STOP TRYING TO SELL ME ON YOUR PVP GAME!!!
Stop trying to apply your perception of mild aversion being the same as my intense level of discomfort and anxiety I have around the game type. What might be 'not that bad' for you, is still pretty dang bad for me and I'm tired of it being brushed aside like my discomfort and ability to enjoy it a all isn't even a factor worth incorporating.
The only time I have ever played and enjoyed PVP is in closed circuit games where it's a lobby of just yourself and your friends and you're just goofing off with no real stakes or losses. Like old deathmatch arenas and fighting games with friends. There's no ranks, no stakes, and no progress to loose. Or the occassional 'party game'. And even then, I can only put maybe an hour or two into it and then I'm disinterested.
I am not 'great' at video games, I have to fail an awful lot to be any decent at it and even then I'm only mediocre. I'm fine with this. Failure on its own doesn't bother me. What bothers me is loss of progress and my teammates being upset with me because I fumbled. This only amplifies when PVP is involved. When it's free for all pvp, then it's frustrating because I'll just get no where because most people are better than me and I'll make no progress and have to sit through more and more matches just to meet bare minimum requirements to progress. Or if it's not match based but still solo PVP, the whole act of playing it feels on a razer wire because I could loose progress at any time and then what even is the point? And if it's team matches, then I have the anxiety of failing people in the team.
In parties of 4 it gets very easy to see who the weak link is, and because of the nature of PVP, people are very unkind to failure. People will claim that they're okay with it, but I hear it, I hear them trash talk their teammates when they're not up to snuff. Never giving space for people to learn or just be bad at something for a while until they get better at it. And they think that this doesn't effect the other people around them. I know what you all think of people that play poorly, and I play poorly, why do you all think that kind of talk would have no impact on me? So every time I loose in a team I think of how they would think of me, how they're angry at my failure, how they wish I weren't playing so they wouldn't be 'stuck' with someone so bad at the game. I am okay with failure, (unless I loose progress but that's it's own vector) but some people really, really are not. And in PVP, the need for success amplifies even more so than in co-op games because people's ranks are on the line. Take all that anxiety I already get with high stakes team play and then add the element that you're now also playing with other people, and that all gets amplified.
The only PVP I've been able to tollerate is ones with a strong PVE element which has only been possible in Gambit in Destiny 2, and World vs World in Guild Wars 2. Because in these I can largely focus on the PVE part and not the PVP part. Gambit's PVE is really important, so being good at that helps the overall match and I don't feel like a complete failure. Guild Wars 2's World vs World is a little less PVE intensive but the PVP part is handled by being in large swarms, so my personal failures don't stand out and I don't have people in chat yelling at me. More importantly, both games do not result in me loosing progress if I die. I can die dozens of times without penalty. That being said, if I could play those games without touching the game modes at all, I absolutely would. I only played those modes for certain progress requirements, not because I enjoyed them.
And then there's the matter that I just don't enjoy it. Sure I could triple up on anxiety meds and maybe not feel like my chest is caving in when I play a PVP game, but it's also just not enjoyable. Why waste my time on the potential that I might feel a high with certain big stakes when I could, instead, play a game I actually enjoy playing without the crushing weight of anxiety. So not only is it anxiety inducing, it's also just not my idea of fun.
So all that said, it gets really exhausting, when I say I don't play PVP and someone still tries to sell me on their PVP game. 'Oh it's not that bad', 'Oh I don't usually like pvp but'
I DON'T LIKE PVP!!
FULL STOP!!!
IT IS NOT FUN FOR ME!!!
STOP TRYING TO SELL ME ON YOUR PVP GAME!!!
Stop trying to apply your perception of mild aversion being the same as my intense level of discomfort and anxiety I have around the game type. What might be 'not that bad' for you, is still pretty dang bad for me and I'm tired of it being brushed aside like my discomfort and ability to enjoy it a all isn't even a factor worth incorporating.
March Meta Matters Challenge, Second Writing Prompt
Mar. 19th, 2026 12:34 pmyourlibrarian posting in marchmetamatterschallenge
Hello everyone! It's time for another writing prompt!
Do you think it's more likely that meta would be preserved and read if it were regularly included in other fanwork challenges? Would you take part if you had the chance?
Writing new meta this month is optional. If you do write something though, share a link to it in a future check-in post!
A Bookshop.org Discount For You!
Mar. 19th, 2026 01:22 pmduckprintspressRemember our list of our most anticipated 2026 releases?
Some of these books are now out, some are not, but regardless – if you’re as excited for any of these titles as we are, and you want to either buy them or pre-order them, I’ve got a deal for you!
Purchase any of these print books through our Affiliate Shop List, use code BSO15 to save 15% off the price!
This deal is ONLY good on print books (not e-books!), applies only to the list price (as in, doesn’t stack with other discounts), and the coupon is good NOW through April 1st 2026 (no foolin’!). You just have to make sure you use our affiliate link and get the book(s) you want through the list!
This is part of a pilot program that Bookshop.org is running to support affiliate shops like ours that utilize their list-building features. I’m pretty curious to see where they’re going with this program, and also am curious to see, like, if any of y’all use the coupon! So check out the books, save a little money, and get your queer read on.
(no subject)
Mar. 19th, 2026 10:22 amgreghousesgfNot much going on here. I had a lot of really bad dreams last night. At least that pain in my side has gone but I'm still worried about it coming right back when I get off these meds.
Shadow Milk "Mommy Issues" Cookie Confirmed
Feb. 1st, 2026 04:56 pmbedesBut jokes aside, I’m pretty sure that The First Cookies are the Beast’s “mothers” in the same way that God is “the father”. It’s meant to mean that they are their creators in a religious context, not their literal parents. Especially since The First Cookies were once witches that are now in cookie form, and witches are very clearly worshiped as religious figures. (Shadow Milk even refers to them as “gods” quite blatantly.)
The implication is intended to be that The First Cookies made the Virtues when they were witches — thus, why First Milk is still a human when depicted with Fount of Knowledge.
Anyways, Shadow Milk’s creator being a healer and his other half being a healer and the Beast he’s arguably closest to being a healer is so funny because that freak has never healed from anything in his LIFE
The implication is intended to be that The First Cookies made the Virtues when they were witches — thus, why First Milk is still a human when depicted with Fount of Knowledge.
Anyways, Shadow Milk’s creator being a healer and his other half being a healer and the Beast he’s arguably closest to being a healer is so funny because that freak has never healed from anything in his LIFE
updates: trailing spouse, problems you don’t see firsthand, and more
Mar. 19th, 2026 04:29 pmaskamanager_feedHere are three updates from past letter-writers.
1. What to do about serious problems you never see firsthand (#2 at the link)
Great advice and so many great responses – thank you! it is indeed nonprofit early childhood education, with infant, toddler and preschool classrooms. I got two big things from this conversation – I am indeed not crazy, this is a solvable problem. And I got some strong language for how to name what is going on and try to shift things next time.
Here is what I ended up doing this time: With this director there had been a previous situation where I had looped in the supervisor, and the director was upset, why hadn’t I talked to her, she thought we had a good relationship, gone behind her back, etc. and it didn’t help much and I had to do relationship repair to get back to a good coaching relationship. This time, I sent her this: “I wanted to share some thoughts and see what you think. I’m sending this just to you so we can think this through, and see what the next steps might be. There are two things that most concern me . . .” With a “we’ll figure it out together” tone, I objectively detailed my concerns, especially how serious it was that there was the fear of retaliation from the other staff, and acknowledged how hard it must be to follow through when you don’t see it, and how can we brainstorm to get the data she needs to act?
I didn’t get a response to the email, but the next time I was there the problematic staff was gone. Apparently the director met with her and she walked out. So win for this classroom, but we still have some big challenges in our agency.
Out of the answer and comments, I also got a realization and some questions – coaching, at least how my agency does it, is a strange space. I have responsibility but no way to enforce accountability. I have goals as a coach, but if directors won’t back me up and hold people accountable, nothing changes. And if their supervisors won’t either, it’s even more impossible. And I really don’t understand why as a culture my agency is not willing to deal with ineffective or inappropriate directors and teachers. Part of it is chronic struggles with staffing. (To answer one question, no, we never go out of ratio. We will pull a director or admin into a room rather than do that. You don’t even step out for a bathroom break without someone stepping in.) I’m curious what coaching and quality improvement looks like in fields other than education.
Early childhood care and education in the U.S. is struggling so much. Families can’t afford care, we can’t pay teachers enough, and public funding is being cut like crazy. Many states had quality improvement initiatives begin in the 1990’s and 2000’s to address it with increased qualifications for teachers and state money to support it, but with the states I’m involved in, the updated quality improvement standards have decreased, probably because of the very desperate lack of more highly qualified teachers. We are going back to unregulated underground child care for many families.
2. Am I ruining my life by moving for my spouse’s job? (#5 at the link)
I wanted to share an update a couple of years after writing my original letter about whether to move for my spouse’s career. I ultimately agreed to move because of how difficult it is to find a job in my spouse’s field and the quality of life benefits of the new city. Thankfully, a couple months after arriving I found a local job in a different industry with decent pay, flexibility, and benefits.
The hardest part has been the hit to my ego and sense of identity. I was very good at my previous job and, in many ways, it was my imperfect dream role. But it was a public-sector position in an organization that has become much less stable under this presidential administration, and my broader field has taken a decimating hit. My current job is unrelated, and sometimes I miss being seen as an expert rather than just another small part of a large system. I’ve been working on separating my sense of self-worth from my job, but that transition has certainly been hard. One upside of watching the upheaval in the field I once loved from afar is that it’s made it easier not to dwell on what my career might have looked like if I’d stayed.
As the professional landscape has changed, my parents have stopped telling me I made a terrible career decision and instead now criticize the move itself. That’s been tough, but with time, grief, and therapy I’ve started to make peace with the personal side of it and stop letting it drive my anxiety about my career.
Life looks different than I expected a few years ago, but many of the things within my control are going well. My spouse and child are thriving. I miss our old city, but I’m also enjoying the new one and the opportunities it brings.
3. Can I advise my boss not to hire a contractor? (#4 at the link)
I took my concerns about Jane (the contractor who couldn’t do her job but was well liked) to my boss and he said he appreciated my honesty. He also felt that the things Jane was struggling with could be taught but that she’d built strong relationships at the company and that kind of thing couldn’t be taught. Jane was hired.
It became clear to me that Jane’s “good relationships” were the result of her sharing privileged information, over-promising, and gossiping. Jane also began to backstab and exclude all the other women on the team. Before her trial period was over, I took my new concerns about her behavior to my boss, who promised to speak with her and asked me to give her another chance.
Some time later, we received an email from HR (not our boss) that Jane had been fired. My boss now insists I am part of all hiring committees.
I’d like to leave this update here, but honestly the team has not recovered from Jane’s toxic behavior. The factions she created to pit against each other have not dissipated and there is anger and confusion around her firing. There’s also lingering suspicion that maybe Anna is actually a slacker, Betty is actually a bully, and Connie is actually unreliable and Jane was the only hard working, honest, and dependable woman on the team.
HR isn’t about to tell us why she was fired so we’ll never really know what happened. When it comes up, all I can do is counter rumor with my personal experience (i.e., “I’ve never had a problem with the quality of Anna’s work” — a strategy I know because of your great advice on other letters, Alison!). I don’t expect the team to recover until each and every one of us has moved on to a new job.
Wishing everyone a drama-free workplace!
The post updates: trailing spouse, problems you don’t see firsthand, and more appeared first on Ask a Manager.
(no subject)
Mar. 19th, 2026 01:14 pmalicevangeline in today's episode of why i'm leaving the state.
"https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-auto-inspections-316/70793455".
NH said 'we don't wanna do annual auto inspections anymore.'
An inspection company sued and said, 'guys, that's in violation of the clean air act.'
NH court said 'oops you're right, we should resume inspections'
so now the state is like 'hold up hold up but what if we don't wanna'
New Hampshire has filed for a waiver with the EPA regarding emissions testing, but a decision from the EPA could take up to 18 months.
"https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-auto-inspections-316/70793455".
State of New Hampshire asks federal court of appeals to pause order telling state to resume auto inspections
in other words:NH said 'we don't wanna do annual auto inspections anymore.'
An inspection company sued and said, 'guys, that's in violation of the clean air act.'
NH court said 'oops you're right, we should resume inspections'
so now the state is like 'hold up hold up but what if we don't wanna'
New Hampshire has filed for a waiver with the EPA regarding emissions testing, but a decision from the EPA could take up to 18 months.
Plural Shadow Milk Headcanon
Jan. 17th, 2026 04:52 pmbedesSystem: OSDD-1b (lacks amnesia between alters). Unaware that they are a system. They all believe that they are Shadow Milk, who has different “mindsets” he takes on.
Shadow Milk Cookie: Current host. Originated as a protector, now a persecutor. Initially split when Fount was attacked by the angry mob depicted in Dominion of the Beasts 2.
Fount of Knowledge: Ex-host and core. Infrequent solo-fronter, occasional co-fronter.
Young Shepherd Cookie: Syskid and innocence-holder. Only fronts when by himself. Initially split during their imprisonment in the Silver Tree, partially to make up for the system’s lack of a childhood.
Shadow Milk Cookie: Current host. Originated as a protector, now a persecutor. Initially split when Fount was attacked by the angry mob depicted in Dominion of the Beasts 2.
Fount of Knowledge: Ex-host and core. Infrequent solo-fronter, occasional co-fronter.
Young Shepherd Cookie: Syskid and innocence-holder. Only fronts when by himself. Initially split during their imprisonment in the Silver Tree, partially to make up for the system’s lack of a childhood.
Brain exercises
Mar. 19th, 2026 12:58 pmalchemicinkSince I'm on a temporary fic writing break, I've been filling some time by playing more word games and such. (The Merriam Webster website has a whole section dedicated to games and quizzes that I've just started exploring.)
I figure it's a good idea to keep stretching my brain muscles. Maybe I'll be less absentminded when I get to be an old lady...
On the other hand, last night I forgot (for the first time in ages) to wash my makeup off before going to bed. So... maybe these aren't helping me at all 😂 (but they are fun)
I figure it's a good idea to keep stretching my brain muscles. Maybe I'll be less absentminded when I get to be an old lady...
On the other hand, last night I forgot (for the first time in ages) to wash my makeup off before going to bed. So... maybe these aren't helping me at all 😂 (but they are fun)
Recent Reading: What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
Mar. 19th, 2026 06:00 pmwrongquestions_feedIt's been a long time since I read a novel by Ian McEwan. Some combination of his dwindling reputation among readers in my general vicinity, and plot descriptions that I found unappetizing kept me away from an author who was once one of my gateways to literary fiction. What We Can Know, the 2025 novel through which I've chosen to become reacquainted with McEwan, is a potent reminder of the skill
Shot # 9
Mar. 19th, 2026 08:39 amsusandennisSince I intend to take these shots every Thursday from now until I die, it does seem kind of silly to track the number. I'm still on .25mg. And I have 3 shots left. On April 7, I have a video visit with my Doctor to check in and get a new prescription - for the same dosage or for more mg's. The latest news I can find says that there will be a trial of Medicare coverage of Wegovy in July. I'm not betting the ranch but it would be nice to save some $. But, since it's dependent on the government, I'm not holding my breath.
We only had 6 people for volleyball which usually is not enough for fun except for today, we had just the right 6 and it was great fun. There is often a tech question for me. Things the other players hear about and don't have anyone else to ask. Today's was "What does end to end encryption mean?" I love their questions and I love that they are interested enough to ask.
I spent most of yesterday out of sorts but today is a different day and my sorts are back. And I intend to keep them.
This morning I'm off to Goodwill. They don't open until 10 so it's too early to leave, plus, except for my robe, I'm naked so not really appropriate clothing. I might stop at Uwajimaya and/or Met Market on my way home. I have a list for Goodwill but mostly I hope I don't end up with a car full o' stuff that I don't have room for here. Seattle Goodwill is always a hit or a miss - rarely an in between.
Guess I'll go get dressed and organized and then hit the road.
We only had 6 people for volleyball which usually is not enough for fun except for today, we had just the right 6 and it was great fun. There is often a tech question for me. Things the other players hear about and don't have anyone else to ask. Today's was "What does end to end encryption mean?" I love their questions and I love that they are interested enough to ask.
I spent most of yesterday out of sorts but today is a different day and my sorts are back. And I intend to keep them.
This morning I'm off to Goodwill. They don't open until 10 so it's too early to leave, plus, except for my robe, I'm naked so not really appropriate clothing. I might stop at Uwajimaya and/or Met Market on my way home. I have a list for Goodwill but mostly I hope I don't end up with a car full o' stuff that I don't have room for here. Seattle Goodwill is always a hit or a miss - rarely an in between.
Guess I'll go get dressed and organized and then hit the road.
Orchard Bees
Mar. 19th, 2026 04:02 pmbookscorpion posting in common_natureThis morning I went to check out the big insect hotel near the canal and I was just in time to catch a whole bunch of male European orchard bees who I am fairly sure had just hatched (the females will hatch a little later in the year).
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Wednesday What I'm...
Mar. 19th, 2026 12:00 pmreeby10Reading
- Read some more of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. It largely seems to be just a collection of little stories, which are interesting, but it does feel like slow going.
- Read some more of Demon Fish by Juliet Eilperin. The stuff about shark calling was very interesting, especially because I was surprised to have not heard of it before!
- Ficwise, I'm all over the place. Read quite a bit for Private Property and Never Let Me Go, with some PondPhuwin RPF in the mix. Currently rereading a JunDylan fic again because I needed some comfort food lol
- The roommate and I finished MuTeLuv. I enjoyed the Dew in Japan story, though once again, the het romance did not work for me. But the SurfJava story was just as good as everyone had been saying! Possibly my favorite one in the bunch. It was nice to see Surf getting to do more than he did in Head 2 Head, as well as Java playing a much less pathetic character. (I just had to ignore that this was supposed to be the OhmLeng story...)
- The roommate and I started watching Century of Love. The production value is a bit iffy, but Daou and Offroad are delightful so far. Very interested to see where it's going.
- The roommate and I watched more of Running Man Thailand. Well, attempted. Idk what's going on, but the app we stream it through keeps freezing up a few minutes in and won't load anymore. It's just for this show, none of the others we watch there, but it's happened on episodes 2, 3, and 4! We're waiting for episode 3 to make it to youtube so we can actually finish it.
- The roommate, best friend, and I watched the latest episode of Cat for Cash. Very sweet episode! And Winny did show up just like I'd seen spoilers for, which was kind of sad considering he and Satang recently broke up. So this is their last role together. We'll see if he shows up in any other episodes.
- The roommate, best friend, and I watched the latest episode of Duang With You. It's getting steamy! I was surprised that kind of scene was happening already, which makes me wonder, especially with the preview for next week, if things are going to start falling apart for them.
- The roommate, best friend, and I watched the latest episode of Only Friends: Dream On. Some machinations happening that seem to be heading in interesting ways, both positively and negatively. Looking forward to more of the fallout. Especially with Rome seeming so disappointed with Raffy's choices, which didn't even work out for him.
- The roommate, best friend, and I watched the latest episode of Yesterday. I am refusing to believe Lalit is dead lol But ooh, Kelvin! I hope he goes insane over thinking Vier's dead. The preview for next week is very puzzling in that regard though...
- The roommate, best friend, and I watched the latest episode of My Romance Scammer. And it all comes tumbling down! Poor Tim and poor Pai, they really went through it. Excited to see how they manage to rebuild things!
- Still making my way through the LYKN tour videos.
- Started on my fic for songkranexchange . Not sure if I love the concept, so we'll see if I finish it or try something else.
- Wrote more on the omegaverse ArmTae fic. I think maybe I'm about halfway through? Maybe? They're taking their sweet time...
- I took my laptop to the cafe to write on Saturday, but it ended up not being charged and they don't have outlets, so I worked on Japanese since the roommate had her workbook with her! I practiced hiragana, which was honestly a lot more longhand writing than I've done in a long time lol
“what’s it all for / you better live now / before the grim reaper come knocking on your door”
Mar. 19th, 2026 08:52 amlarryhammerHoly crap, how did I only notice this AFTER posting yesterday’s links?!? The people who brought us Krill Waves Radio posted at the start of last April a 1-hour mix of skeleton shrimp to headbanging to instrumental metal, under the Kriller Waves Radio label.
People. They just invented Brinecore. As an April Fools joke.
And it RULES.
---L.
Subject quote from Let’s Go Crazy, Prince and the Revolution.
People. They just invented Brinecore. As an April Fools joke.
And it RULES.
---L.
Subject quote from Let’s Go Crazy, Prince and the Revolution.
let’s talk about times when you said the exact wrong thing at work
Mar. 19th, 2026 02:59 pmaskamanager_feedA reader writes:
I had an awkward moment the other day with a client and it made me think that others have probably made similar mistakes, and it could be fun to hear from everyone.
I’m a lawyer and working with a client preparing to testify about their innocence after being in jail for decades. I was in the prison working with him earlier this week, and he was doing really great work, and as feedback I kept telling him he was “killing it!” As in, “You’re killing it!” And, “Great job killing it!” Alison, he’s unfairly in jail for murder and has been his whole adult life. I know that, and yet for the life of me Could. Not. Stop. Saying. It.
In my subsequent reflection and shame, I realized others must have similar stories of just saying the absolute wrong thing to the wrong person at work. If you’re ever thinking of a call for stories, I bet these would be good!
By all means, let’s have at it in the comment section!
The post let’s talk about times when you said the exact wrong thing at work appeared first on Ask a Manager.
Narcissus 'Snipe'
Mar. 19th, 2026 03:42 pmpuddleshark
Unexpected sunshine & an even more unexpected 15 degrees C. The pots I planted up with randomly-chosen bulbs last November are starting to reveal some of their secrets!
( Read more... )
Today's Doonesbury Say What
Mar. 19th, 2026 09:32 amthewayne"I think a president should not have learning disabilities, okay?... Gavin Newsom admitted that he has learning disabilities, dyslexia -- everything about him is dumb."
-- Trump
"We have a smart president, whereas in the past we've had dumb presidents."
-- JD Vance
So let's see. We have a governor who has overcome a learning disability to become very high achieving, versus someone with, as far as we know, no learning disability who has achieved very little and instead chosen to do nothing except bully, extort, rape, molest, steal, threaten, belittle, insult, and I could go on. And we also have a lackey who changes political positions with the slightest change in the wind. Said lackey who also failed to learn from his predecessor that he's likely to get thrown under the bus the moment that the going gets tough for his boss.
Truly a pair made for each other.
-- Trump
"We have a smart president, whereas in the past we've had dumb presidents."
-- JD Vance
So let's see. We have a governor who has overcome a learning disability to become very high achieving, versus someone with, as far as we know, no learning disability who has achieved very little and instead chosen to do nothing except bully, extort, rape, molest, steal, threaten, belittle, insult, and I could go on. And we also have a lackey who changes political positions with the slightest change in the wind. Said lackey who also failed to learn from his predecessor that he's likely to get thrown under the bus the moment that the going gets tough for his boss.
Truly a pair made for each other.
performance options
Mar. 19th, 2026 10:17 amkareilaGot the syllabus for the next symphony season today. The only evident choral works are the Mozart Requiem in October, the Messiah in December, and Holst's Planets in May. Nothing that I haven't done before. Also I would much rather be in the audience for the next Planets performance instead of waiting in the wings to sing the difficult high notes for Neptune and missing out on the rest of the piece entirely. So. I am entertaining other options.
The obvious one is to go back to handbells, especially since our church's handbell group hasn't had enough participants to perform for a couple of years now. If I'm not rehearsing with the symphony on Monday nights, I'm free to rejoin the metro handbell group that I've gigged with in the past. They will definitely want me back if I'm available.
There's also another high level choir that is holding open auditions over the next few weeks. I've heard them perform once before and they're very good. So I'm going to see if they're interested in me. But I don't know yet what their rehearsal schedule is if they are.
Meanwhile, Robby has expressed tentative interest in joining the symphony chorus himself, since the last time he did any large scale singing was in college, and it was the Mozart.
The obvious one is to go back to handbells, especially since our church's handbell group hasn't had enough participants to perform for a couple of years now. If I'm not rehearsing with the symphony on Monday nights, I'm free to rejoin the metro handbell group that I've gigged with in the past. They will definitely want me back if I'm available.
There's also another high level choir that is holding open auditions over the next few weeks. I've heard them perform once before and they're very good. So I'm going to see if they're interested in me. But I don't know yet what their rehearsal schedule is if they are.
Meanwhile, Robby has expressed tentative interest in joining the symphony chorus himself, since the last time he did any large scale singing was in college, and it was the Mozart.
Plant: Photos: Original: Umbrella Plant
Mar. 19th, 2026 02:59 pmsmallhobbit posting in fan_flashworksTitle: Umbrella Plant
Fandom: Original
Rating: G
Length: 5 photos and some text
Summary: Like its owners, our umbrella plant is unconventional
( Umbrella Plant )
Fandom: Original
Rating: G
Length: 5 photos and some text
Summary: Like its owners, our umbrella plant is unconventional
( Umbrella Plant )
Poet's Corner: The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes & Beloved...by Elizabeth Acevedo
Mar. 19th, 2026 10:58 amstonepicnicking_okapiThe Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
He did a lazy sway. . . .
He did a lazy sway. . . .
To the tune o’ those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
O Blues!
( Read more... )
Beloved, Or If You Are Murdered Tomorrow by Elizabeth Acevedo
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
He did a lazy sway. . . .
He did a lazy sway. . . .
To the tune o’ those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
O Blues!
( Read more... )
Beloved, Or If You Are Murdered Tomorrow by Elizabeth Acevedo
Unusual Names - Now With More Porn!
Mar. 19th, 2026 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedYou know what’s better than unusual names? NOTHING!
And here are some of the names on my list:
Gus:
Ellen & Philip:
Georgia:
Try not to call your friend Georgia "Gorgia" from now on. JUST TRY.
Dallas:
Way to OWN that line spacing, baker.
Sophie & Reilly:
Oh, the irony. It's a two-fer!
???
Is this a real name? Please let this be a real name. If only so I can imagine someone saying, "Well, I should head over to the preschool to pick up my Porn."
Or, "Would you ask the babysitter to watch Porn for me?"
Or, "Hey, Mom, I posted pictures of Porn on your Facebook page!"
Or, "Thanks to Porn, I haven't slept in a week and my house is full of stinky diapers."
[gigglesnort] Yep, it's official: someone needs to at least name their dog/cat Porn, STAT.
***
Um, so I had more cakes to post, but I seem to have completely derailed myself with the Porn thing.
(Bet all you cubicle workers know what I mean, EH? Heyoooo!)
So here, let's just go out with a bang:
(Or did we do that already?? [Ok, Ok, I'll stop.])
I guess the lawyers insisted.
(And I can't even tell you what they renamed Piglet.)
Thanks to Andi V., Amadie H., Bryar, Jennifer A., Mark B., Rich G., Holly S., & Rachel F. for helping make today's post especially classy. (POOP AND PORN 4EVA!!!)
*****
P.S. Here's a (hilarious) reminder that English is almost as confusing as these cakes:
P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Couple questions about tagging etiquette
Mar. 19th, 2026 10:01 amprobablynotbees posting in newcomersEDIT: Thank you all for the guidance! I think I've got a pretty good understanding now.
Hello all!
I'm very new to Dreamwidth (showed up with the latest wave of Tumblr ex-pats) but thinking about using it to post some of my media-criticism thoughts that I've been collecting in a private journal for the last year or so.
However, I want to make sure I can tag these appropriately, so I have some questions.
1. What's the etiquette for posting tagging discussion of a piece of media that paints it in a negative light?
On Tumblr, it's often considered rude to bash something in its main tag, so if I wanted to make a post criticizing the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'd tag it something like #mcu hate so that it doesn't show up in the main #mcu tag where people are trying to enjoy their thing.
(I'm primarily asking because I have some quite critical pieces about Harry Potter.)
2. Does Dreamwidth allow users to block tags? Is this something I should anticipate when tagging entries?
On Tumblr I'd tag something like #eating disorder / to hide it from people who are avoiding that topic, including the slash so that the tag isn't searchable (on my own blog or in general). Is that a thing here?
I think that's all I've got for now, but I'll probably think of more later.
Hello all!
I'm very new to Dreamwidth (showed up with the latest wave of Tumblr ex-pats) but thinking about using it to post some of my media-criticism thoughts that I've been collecting in a private journal for the last year or so.
However, I want to make sure I can tag these appropriately, so I have some questions.
1. What's the etiquette for posting tagging discussion of a piece of media that paints it in a negative light?
On Tumblr, it's often considered rude to bash something in its main tag, so if I wanted to make a post criticizing the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I'd tag it something like #mcu hate so that it doesn't show up in the main #mcu tag where people are trying to enjoy their thing.
(I'm primarily asking because I have some quite critical pieces about Harry Potter.)
2. Does Dreamwidth allow users to block tags? Is this something I should anticipate when tagging entries?
On Tumblr I'd tag something like #eating disorder / to hide it from people who are avoiding that topic, including the slash so that the tag isn't searchable (on my own blog or in general). Is that a thing here?
I think that's all I've got for now, but I'll probably think of more later.
What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed
Mar. 19th, 2026 09:05 amjames_davis_nicoll
John Maraintha wanted to rebuild his life. Instead, he was marooned on a backwater world in the middle of a first contact crisis.
What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed
