The Magnus Archives: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues [...] by shinyopals
Jan. 2nd, 2026 10:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
birdylion posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
fancakeTitle: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work
Fandom: The Magnus Archives
Pairings/Characters: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims; OC management advice blogger, OC internet commenters
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 43626 words
Creator Links:![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
shinyopals
Theme: crack treated seriously, epistolary, no canon required, outsider pov
Summary:
I've recently been unexpectedly promoted to lead a department in my organisation, wrote the anonymous emailer.
As there was no one working here when I arrived, my manager, who is head of the organisation, had promised me the choice of my own assistants. However, without warning, he simply presented me with an additional assistant. This new assistant’s first act on his first day was to let a dog into the office. It took several hours to catch and clean up after this dog and it has only been downhill from there. I admit I'm not entirely sure what to do with this assistant now I'm stuck with him. I'm hoping you have some advice?
Kind regards,
New Manager
Abigail Bailey runs a successful management advice blog. One frequent contributor is from a workplace with some... issues.
Reccer's Notes:
Content Notes:
Fanwork Links: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work on ao3
Fandom: The Magnus Archives
Pairings/Characters: Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims; OC management advice blogger, OC internet commenters
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Length: 43626 words
Creator Links:
Theme: crack treated seriously, epistolary, no canon required, outsider pov
Summary:
I've recently been unexpectedly promoted to lead a department in my organisation, wrote the anonymous emailer.
As there was no one working here when I arrived, my manager, who is head of the organisation, had promised me the choice of my own assistants. However, without warning, he simply presented me with an additional assistant. This new assistant’s first act on his first day was to let a dog into the office. It took several hours to catch and clean up after this dog and it has only been downhill from there. I admit I'm not entirely sure what to do with this assistant now I'm stuck with him. I'm hoping you have some advice?
Kind regards,
New Manager
Abigail Bailey runs a successful management advice blog. One frequent contributor is from a workplace with some... issues.
Reccer's Notes:
The Magnus Archives is a horror audio drama in which the main character starts a new position as archivist in an organization named Magnus Institute that specializes on investigating strange/magical phenomena. Very soon, strange things start to happen to him too. Also, it turns out that his workplace itself is ... not what you could call safe.
This story starts with the idea that the main character writes to a management advice blog about the strange things about his workplace, and becomes a regular writer. The fanfic is told in the form of this advice blog as it could appear on the internet: We get the mails he writes in, and the bloggers answers, and also the comment section. It's hilarious, but also it's taken so seriously as the story progresses and gets darker.
As an outsider POV, it really brings out how horrible the whole Magnus Archives story really is. It also shows very well how the story starts so inconspicuous and then boils the characters in horror like a lobster it a pot - and in this fanfic, the character doesn't event write to the advice blog about what's actually happening (because of secrecy), only the workplace safety circumstances. It's such a fascinating outsider POV.
Since it doesn't expect any canon knowledge, it can be read fandom-blind. Even without fandom-knowledge it's a hilarious and tragic advice blog story and in my case, it was my intro to the story, which I listened to after finishing this fanfic, so it was great advertisement for The Magnus Archives. (Note that it contains out of context but significant spoilers if you're going in fandom blind. For me this added to the re-read factor of the fanfic.)
This story starts with the idea that the main character writes to a management advice blog about the strange things about his workplace, and becomes a regular writer. The fanfic is told in the form of this advice blog as it could appear on the internet: We get the mails he writes in, and the bloggers answers, and also the comment section. It's hilarious, but also it's taken so seriously as the story progresses and gets darker.
As an outsider POV, it really brings out how horrible the whole Magnus Archives story really is. It also shows very well how the story starts so inconspicuous and then boils the characters in horror like a lobster it a pot - and in this fanfic, the character doesn't event write to the advice blog about what's actually happening (because of secrecy), only the workplace safety circumstances. It's such a fascinating outsider POV.
Since it doesn't expect any canon knowledge, it can be read fandom-blind. Even without fandom-knowledge it's a hilarious and tragic advice blog story and in my case, it was my intro to the story, which I listened to after finishing this fanfic, so it was great advertisement for The Magnus Archives. (Note that it contains out of context but significant spoilers if you're going in fandom blind. For me this added to the re-read factor of the fanfic.)
Content Notes:
- depictions of outrageously bad workplace safety
- (canon-typical) dysfunctional interpersonal relationships
- lighter on the actual supernatural horror than the original canon
- out of context (but significant) spoilers if read fandom blind
Fanwork Links: Ask an Exec: How to Navigate Cultish Colleagues, Soul-Stealing Bosses, and the End of the World at Work on ao3
vriddyFeeling a lot more confident and happier now that Narumi also showed up. It's surprising how much easier I find it to write such a little clown of a character.
...perhaps because I, too, was actually a clown all along? 😮🤡
Warm as life | Kaijuu No. 8 | Kafka/Reno/Narumi, Reno/Iharu, Kafka/Hoshina | 3.8k words (WIP, 2/7) | rated M
Summary: The new threat posed by No. 9 weighs heavily on everyone. Under these circumstances, emotions run high and what starts as a way of relieving stress can easily bloom into unexpected feelings. Some people find that easier to admit than others.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
...perhaps because I, too, was actually a clown all along? 😮🤡
Warm as life | Kaijuu No. 8 | Kafka/Reno/Narumi, Reno/Iharu, Kafka/Hoshina | 3.8k words (WIP, 2/7) | rated M
Summary: The new threat posed by No. 9 weighs heavily on everyone. Under these circumstances, emotions run high and what starts as a way of relieving stress can easily bloom into unexpected feelings. Some people find that easier to admit than others.
Read it on Dreamwidth or AO3.
White-Eyes by Mary Oliver
Jan. 4th, 2026 02:51 amconulyIn winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird
with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us
he wants to go to sleep,
but he's restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds
from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.
So, it's over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he's done all he can.
I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—
thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird
that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.
****
Link
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird
with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us
he wants to go to sleep,
but he's restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds
from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.
So, it's over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he's done all he can.
I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—
thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird
that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.
Link
2026 Disneyland Trip #1 (1/1/26)
Jan. 1st, 2026 10:07 pmtorachanThe forecast was saying the afternoon would be clear, but we were still expecting some rain in the morning, but while there was some on the drive down, it had stopped by the time we got there.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Challenge 502: Sand
Jan. 1st, 2026 08:53 pmteaotter posting in fan_flashworksOur new challenge is:
As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.
Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Saturday, January 10th. No sign-up required.
Mods will tag your work with fandom and challenge. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name.
All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.
You can view stats forfan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details.
Also, keep an eye out for the nextffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)
SAND
As always, you can interpret the prompt literally or figuratively, in whatever way works for you.
Each work created for this challenge should be posted as a new entry to the comm. Posting starts now and continues up until the challenge ends at 4pm Pacific Time on Saturday, January 10th. No sign-up required.
Mods will tag your work with fandom and challenge. When you've posted entries to three consecutive challenges, you will earn a name tag, and we'll go back and tag all your previous entries with your name.
All kinds of fanworks in all fandoms are welcome. Please have a look at our guidelines before you play. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact a mod. And if you have any suggestions for future challenges, you can leave them in the comments of this post.
You can view stats for
fan_flashworks entries and search and filter them via the Community Report and Creator Report. See our FAQ post for more details.Also, keep an eye out for the next
ffw_social post, which will go up in the next couple of days. If you haven't joined the ffw_social comm, it's never too late to come and check it out. (Posts are locked, which means you have to join to see them.)Admin: Challenge closed
Jan. 1st, 2026 08:50 pmteaotter posting in fan_flashworksThe Amnesty challenge is now closed. Here are the entries:
Anywhere But Here Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Finding Happiness, bybadly_knitted
Washing and Clean Challenges: Women's Soccer RPF: Fanfiction: Laundry Day, byinfinitum_noctem
Rumour Challenge: Babylon 5: Unfounded Rumors, bybadly_knitted
Thirst: Guardian: fanfic: Look and Feel, bychina_shop
The Last Word Challenge: Babylon 5: Sacrifice, bybadly_knitted
Solitary Challenge: Babylon 5: On The Outside, bybadly_knitted
Role Reversal Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Healing The Healer, bybadly_knitted
The Other Side Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Far Side Of The Island, bybadly_knitted
Fragile: Call the Midwife: Meta: Fragility, bysmallhobbit
Trapped Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Earthquake, bybadly_knitted
Fight Challenge: Babylon 5: Illegal Actions, bybadly_knitted
It's a Trap!: Stargate Atlantis: Fanfiction:Echo of a Memory, bylucy_roman
Sign Challenge: Babylon 5: Separate Pages, bybadly_knitted
Waiting Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Unexpected Rescue, bybadly_knitted
School : BtVS : icons : SHS, byhighlander_ii
Ice Challenge: Winnie-the-Pooh: Fanfic: Winnie-the-Pooh's Icy Day, bysmallhobbit
Circle Challenge: S.W.A.T.: Fan Fiction: Together, bydarkjediqueen
Choices Challenge: Babylon 5: The Only Way, bybadly_knitted
Memory Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Healing The Healer, bybadly_knitted
Cream Challenge: Torchwood: Fanfic: Self care, bym_findlow
Weather Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Bad Weather, bybadly_knitted
Candles + Marathon: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fanfic: Misunderstood, byveronyxk84
Not What It Looks Like Challenge: Spooks (MI5): Fanfic: All I Want For Christmas, bysmallhobbit
Memory Challenge: Babylon 5: Traitor, bybadly_knitted
Clean: Your Mum Does the Washing: Poetry: The World According to, byteaotter
science: Stoker: Podfic: no longer human (the nothing that can’t hurt us), bybluedreaming
Congratulations tobluedreaming, who earned 12 Challenge Streak, 12 Posted Works, Brave New Fandoms, 10 Fandom Spread, The Yulegoat, Female Characters, and Governor of Gendom!
\o/ \o/ \o/
Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.
The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.
In September, when we announced the new reports, we confirmed our plan to wait a couple of months and then remove the challenge tags from the comm. That time is NOW.
This is a reminder that the challenge tags will be going away TODAY.
New challenge coming right up!
Anywhere But Here Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Finding Happiness, by
badly_knittedWashing and Clean Challenges: Women's Soccer RPF: Fanfiction: Laundry Day, by
infinitum_noctemRumour Challenge: Babylon 5: Unfounded Rumors, by
badly_knittedThirst: Guardian: fanfic: Look and Feel, by
china_shopThe Last Word Challenge: Babylon 5: Sacrifice, by
badly_knittedSolitary Challenge: Babylon 5: On The Outside, by
badly_knittedRole Reversal Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Healing The Healer, by
badly_knittedThe Other Side Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Far Side Of The Island, by
badly_knittedFragile: Call the Midwife: Meta: Fragility, by
smallhobbitTrapped Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Earthquake, by
badly_knittedFight Challenge: Babylon 5: Illegal Actions, by
badly_knittedIt's a Trap!: Stargate Atlantis: Fanfiction:Echo of a Memory, by
lucy_romanSign Challenge: Babylon 5: Separate Pages, by
badly_knittedWaiting Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Unexpected Rescue, by
badly_knittedSchool : BtVS : icons : SHS, by
highlander_iiIce Challenge: Winnie-the-Pooh: Fanfic: Winnie-the-Pooh's Icy Day, by
smallhobbitCircle Challenge: S.W.A.T.: Fan Fiction: Together, by
darkjediqueenChoices Challenge: Babylon 5: The Only Way, by
badly_knittedMemory Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Healing The Healer, by
badly_knittedCream Challenge: Torchwood: Fanfic: Self care, by
m_findlowWeather Challenge: The Fantastic Journey: Fanfic: Bad Weather, by
badly_knittedCandles + Marathon: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Fanfic: Misunderstood, by
veronyxk84Not What It Looks Like Challenge: Spooks (MI5): Fanfic: All I Want For Christmas, by
smallhobbitMemory Challenge: Babylon 5: Traitor, by
badly_knittedClean: Your Mum Does the Washing: Poetry: The World According to, by
teaotterscience: Stoker: Podfic: no longer human (the nothing that can’t hurt us), by
bluedreamingCongratulations to
bluedreaming, who earned 12 Challenge Streak, 12 Posted Works, Brave New Fandoms, 10 Fandom Spread, The Yulegoat, Female Characters, and Governor of Gendom!\o/ \o/ \o/
Thank you to everyone who participated! You're now free to post your entries to your journal or wherever else you'd like. If you're archiving on AO3, you can add your work to our fan_flashworks collection there.
The Community Report and Creator Report will be updated shortly with the entries from this round. See our FAQ for more details.
In September, when we announced the new reports, we confirmed our plan to wait a couple of months and then remove the challenge tags from the comm. That time is NOW.
This is a reminder that the challenge tags will be going away TODAY.
New challenge coming right up!
Daily Happiness
Jan. 1st, 2026 08:30 pmtorachan1. It was rainy this morning but I managed not to get rained on. When I woke up, I could hear the rain and was not looking forward to going out in it for my morning walk, because then I'd get my shoes wet and have to wear wet shoes later, but I looked at my phone and the weather app said it was supposed to stop raining in five minutes and be dry for at least half an hour and it did and it was! I did get dripped on a bit by trees, but that was fine. And then later in the morning we went to Disneyland and it rained on the drive down, but stopped by the time we got there and was dry all afternoon and evening. We're still supposed to get some more rain here and there over the next few days, but at least it seems to be more sporadic.
2. We had a really nice time today at Disneyland. The rain helped keep people away (especially in the morning), plus although it's still officially the holiday season through the weekend, the crowds are just not as wild as they were in the lead-up to Christmas.
3. The shopping center where the newest Tokyo Central is in Irvine formerly had a Persian market called Super Irvine. I had originally assumed they went out of business or something and that's why the space was for lease, but it seems like the property owner had wanted to completely raze the building and start from scratch, and the Super Irvine just moved to a new location, which just opened a couple months ago. We watched a video walkthrough recently and it looked really neat, so we've been wanting to check it out. There are a bunch of Persian shops in Westwood, which is very close, but nothing this huge (and because it's so large, it has a lot of other international stuff as well as just Persian). Irvine is just a short drive from Disneyland (especially on a day like today with no traffic), so we decided to go down there before going home, and had a lot of fun checking it out.
4. I don't really do resolutions, but there are a couple things I want to do this year. One is to try doing a wider variety of things. I like routine and it's very easy to get stuck in a rut and do something familiar, whether it's going to the same places or eating the same foods, but there are so many other things I want to do also, so I want to try and change that. So we'll probably go to Disneyland less often this year, but we go ridiculously often, so even if we go only 2-3 times a month that's still, objectively speaking, a lot lol. And it was nice today; we hadn't been in two weeks, and it felt fresher and less like just doing the same old thing.
The other thing I want to do this year is get a tattoo. I have wanted to get a tattoo forever. I have always thought they were cool and wanted one, but the problem is I don't have any strong feelings about what I want. Maybe something cat or dragon related. Maybe something rainbow/queer. idk. I have to think about it. But I'll be fifty this year and it seems like a good time. Also I find the whole process really overwhelming, in terms of finding someone and the design phase, etc. Anyone who has tattoos and has advice/suggestions about anything, please feel free to comment!
5. I wish Gemma wasn't always so suspicious of me, but she is very cute when she's suspicious.
2. We had a really nice time today at Disneyland. The rain helped keep people away (especially in the morning), plus although it's still officially the holiday season through the weekend, the crowds are just not as wild as they were in the lead-up to Christmas.
3. The shopping center where the newest Tokyo Central is in Irvine formerly had a Persian market called Super Irvine. I had originally assumed they went out of business or something and that's why the space was for lease, but it seems like the property owner had wanted to completely raze the building and start from scratch, and the Super Irvine just moved to a new location, which just opened a couple months ago. We watched a video walkthrough recently and it looked really neat, so we've been wanting to check it out. There are a bunch of Persian shops in Westwood, which is very close, but nothing this huge (and because it's so large, it has a lot of other international stuff as well as just Persian). Irvine is just a short drive from Disneyland (especially on a day like today with no traffic), so we decided to go down there before going home, and had a lot of fun checking it out.
4. I don't really do resolutions, but there are a couple things I want to do this year. One is to try doing a wider variety of things. I like routine and it's very easy to get stuck in a rut and do something familiar, whether it's going to the same places or eating the same foods, but there are so many other things I want to do also, so I want to try and change that. So we'll probably go to Disneyland less often this year, but we go ridiculously often, so even if we go only 2-3 times a month that's still, objectively speaking, a lot lol. And it was nice today; we hadn't been in two weeks, and it felt fresher and less like just doing the same old thing.
The other thing I want to do this year is get a tattoo. I have wanted to get a tattoo forever. I have always thought they were cool and wanted one, but the problem is I don't have any strong feelings about what I want. Maybe something cat or dragon related. Maybe something rainbow/queer. idk. I have to think about it. But I'll be fifty this year and it seems like a good time. Also I find the whole process really overwhelming, in terms of finding someone and the design phase, etc. Anyone who has tattoos and has advice/suggestions about anything, please feel free to comment!
5. I wish Gemma wasn't always so suspicious of me, but she is very cute when she's suspicious.
My Yuletide Stories
Jan. 1st, 2026 07:17 pmrachelmanijaI wrote three stories this Yuletide. The first two won't make much sense if you don't know the canons. With the third, all you really need to know is that mushi are magical creatures and Ginko solves people's mushi-related problems.
28 Years Later
Memento Mori. Dr. Kelson creates his masterpiece.
I really liked the movie, which is extremely different from the first one (also extremely different from the second, which I don't care for) and also extremely different from the brilliant trailer, which introduced me to the astonishing recording from 1915 (!) of actor Taylor Holmes reciting Kipling's poem "Boots." It's a post-apocalypse movie that's partly a coming of age story, partly an action/horror movie, and partly a beautiful and moving drama about life, death, and remembrance. And then there's the last two minutes, which are basically parkour Trainspotting.
I actually matched on The Leftovers, but I liked the 28 Days Later prompt so much that I wrote that instead.
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Hunger. Both Lessa and Kylara are Searched for Nemorth's final clutch.
I just really enjoy writing in this canon. I love the dragons and McCaffrey created a lot of very interesting characters even if she often ended up not knowing quite what to do with them.
Mushishi
A Turn of the Wheel. Ginko encounters an unusual mushi in a village known for pottery.
Mushishi is an incredibly beautiful anime and manga with a dreamy, wistful atmosphere. I saw a prompt for mushi infesting a piece of pottery and could not resist. This story was also inspired by having recently visited Japan in the summer, a time of year I very much do not recommend for a visit if you can possibly avoid it. It's like living in a sauna. Now imagine doing a kiln firing in that sauna.
28 Years Later
Memento Mori. Dr. Kelson creates his masterpiece.
I really liked the movie, which is extremely different from the first one (also extremely different from the second, which I don't care for) and also extremely different from the brilliant trailer, which introduced me to the astonishing recording from 1915 (!) of actor Taylor Holmes reciting Kipling's poem "Boots." It's a post-apocalypse movie that's partly a coming of age story, partly an action/horror movie, and partly a beautiful and moving drama about life, death, and remembrance. And then there's the last two minutes, which are basically parkour Trainspotting.
I actually matched on The Leftovers, but I liked the 28 Days Later prompt so much that I wrote that instead.
Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Hunger. Both Lessa and Kylara are Searched for Nemorth's final clutch.
I just really enjoy writing in this canon. I love the dragons and McCaffrey created a lot of very interesting characters even if she often ended up not knowing quite what to do with them.
Mushishi
A Turn of the Wheel. Ginko encounters an unusual mushi in a village known for pottery.
Mushishi is an incredibly beautiful anime and manga with a dreamy, wistful atmosphere. I saw a prompt for mushi infesting a piece of pottery and could not resist. This story was also inspired by having recently visited Japan in the summer, a time of year I very much do not recommend for a visit if you can possibly avoid it. It's like living in a sauna. Now imagine doing a kiln firing in that sauna.
OFMD: Thistle Teach ‘Em by sweatervest
Jan. 1st, 2026 09:05 pmkingstoken posting in fancakeFandom: Our Flag Means Death
Pairings/Characters: Crew of the Revenge, Israel Hands/Roach (it's tagged this, but it's very blink and you miss it)
Rating: T
Length: 2182 words
Creator Links: sweatervest
Theme: crack treated seriously
Summary: A single artichoke appears onboard the Revenge, and Izzy Hands is nowhere to be found. Naturally, the crew draws the most logical conclusion.
Reccer's Notes: The crew finds a single artichoke on the Revenge and draw the very erroneous conclusion that Izzy has been turned into a vegetable by a sea-witch. This is delightfully funny, as the crew try to protect the artichoke from getting eaten, among other things. It very much fits in with the silliness of season 1 of the show.
Fanwork Links: AO3
Pairings/Characters: Crew of the Revenge, Israel Hands/Roach (it's tagged this, but it's very blink and you miss it)
Rating: T
Length: 2182 words
Creator Links: sweatervest
Theme: crack treated seriously
Summary: A single artichoke appears onboard the Revenge, and Izzy Hands is nowhere to be found. Naturally, the crew draws the most logical conclusion.
Reccer's Notes: The crew finds a single artichoke on the Revenge and draw the very erroneous conclusion that Izzy has been turned into a vegetable by a sea-witch. This is delightfully funny, as the crew try to protect the artichoke from getting eaten, among other things. It very much fits in with the silliness of season 1 of the show.
Fanwork Links: AO3
and ice cream castles in the air
Jan. 1st, 2026 08:30 pmmusesfoolI hope you all had a lovely New Year's celebration and started the year off the way you wanted.
I did a bunch of cooking yesterday - rice balls to eat at dinner (since I can no longer stomach eating at midnight, pun intended) and then the Smitten Kitchen orange cranberry buns, which were supposed to do an overnight rise in the fridge so I could have them for breakfast this morning (pics). Sadly, I did not find that they rose at all overnight and in fact they stayed cold for a long time before I finally baked them. They did puff up nicely in the oven and they are tasty, but I don't know why I never have success with sweet things rising overnight in the fridge - bread and pizza have worked fine for me, but this is like the third time I've tried overnight sweet rolls of some sort and it's always the same. Anyway, the recipe makes 12 so I have 3 in my freezer for future!me to enjoy at a later date. I still have a fuckton of cranberries in the freezer though, so I'll probably make them - or the scones - again soon.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this, but if you go see Marty Supreme, keep an eye out for my nephew! He's an extra in a scene in a pool hall (I think?). He got recruited when he was out at a bar with friends one night - a casting agent told him he had the right look (like he was from the 50s) for a movie she was casting, and he eventually got to be in it! He's pretty tall, so he might stand out, idk.
In other things I keep meaning to mention, on Christmas, my sister opened up a couple of bottles of wine, and we found a red that we actually liked! It's called "Clara's Red" by Keuka Spring Vineyard in upstate New York (Finger Lakes region). It's on the sweet side for a red, and tasted like it was 85% of the way to already being sangria and had no musty basement smell or taste at all! Their 2021 Reisling was also really good, and she opened another of their white wines (I didn't make note of the type), which also tasted good. (Lest you think I was off my face on wine on Christmas, I only had a sip of each because my stomach was basically empty, which is a whole other thing - they somehow had not thought to provide anything for me or my other nephew for breakfast despite knowing we would be there? Idek. Eventually I had a couple of mini waffles [generally breakfast for Baby Miss L when she is there], but it was not enough to be drinking on.) Anyway, I wanted to put it here so I remembered it if I need to buy wine any time soon, and also as a recommendation in case any of you want to try a new wine.
*
I did a bunch of cooking yesterday - rice balls to eat at dinner (since I can no longer stomach eating at midnight, pun intended) and then the Smitten Kitchen orange cranberry buns, which were supposed to do an overnight rise in the fridge so I could have them for breakfast this morning (pics). Sadly, I did not find that they rose at all overnight and in fact they stayed cold for a long time before I finally baked them. They did puff up nicely in the oven and they are tasty, but I don't know why I never have success with sweet things rising overnight in the fridge - bread and pizza have worked fine for me, but this is like the third time I've tried overnight sweet rolls of some sort and it's always the same. Anyway, the recipe makes 12 so I have 3 in my freezer for future!me to enjoy at a later date. I still have a fuckton of cranberries in the freezer though, so I'll probably make them - or the scones - again soon.
I can't remember if I've mentioned this, but if you go see Marty Supreme, keep an eye out for my nephew! He's an extra in a scene in a pool hall (I think?). He got recruited when he was out at a bar with friends one night - a casting agent told him he had the right look (like he was from the 50s) for a movie she was casting, and he eventually got to be in it! He's pretty tall, so he might stand out, idk.
In other things I keep meaning to mention, on Christmas, my sister opened up a couple of bottles of wine, and we found a red that we actually liked! It's called "Clara's Red" by Keuka Spring Vineyard in upstate New York (Finger Lakes region). It's on the sweet side for a red, and tasted like it was 85% of the way to already being sangria and had no musty basement smell or taste at all! Their 2021 Reisling was also really good, and she opened another of their white wines (I didn't make note of the type), which also tasted good. (Lest you think I was off my face on wine on Christmas, I only had a sip of each because my stomach was basically empty, which is a whole other thing - they somehow had not thought to provide anything for me or my other nephew for breakfast despite knowing we would be there? Idek. Eventually I had a couple of mini waffles [generally breakfast for Baby Miss L when she is there], but it was not enough to be drinking on.) Anyway, I wanted to put it here so I remembered it if I need to buy wine any time soon, and also as a recommendation in case any of you want to try a new wine.
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Snowflake Challenge 2026: 1
Jan. 1st, 2026 07:40 pmmusyc
The icebreaker challenge!
*waves* Once again, I started off last year with a fairly regular posting and then disappeared for a few months. Really, it's what I do. I've declared a clean slate, starting fresh, etc and so forth.
Nothing's really changed in my online/fannish life since last year. Oh, except this past December was the final year of D/Hr Advent. I decided that fifteen years was a very good run for a fest, and it was time to end it. Things went well, and a lot of people said some very nice things to me about it, which made me a little teary-happy.
In personal news, I am now on both an anti-anxiety med (citalopram) and an ADHD med (atomoxetine). The citalopram has done great things for the anxiety, and I'm very satisfied with the results of it. For one example, my blood pressure was only a few points away from normal the last time I was at the dentist. For somebody who normally runs 20 points higher in a medical office (white coat syndrome!), that's practically a miracle.
I'm not especially pleased with the atomoxetine, but I assume the anxiety is most likely why my NP wanted to try me on a non-stimulant first. It hasn't really helped with any executive function, but I told myself to try it for at least four months. We're creeping up on that at the end of January, so I'll be talking to her again.
Otherwise, I did finish my personal goal of reading books last year, which was excellent! Final recap posting to come.
Cats are all doing well - Gidget was diagnosed with high thyroid and is now on medication, and Cinders had to have a few teeth removed - including one of her fangs, which has just made her resemble Toothless even more. XD Cecil is getting very spoiled about indoor life, even though he insists he is still a stray and not domesticated. Unless you have rotisserie chicken. XD And Maggie is diagnosis: fat. The youngest cat is most definitely the heaviest.
Looking forward to diving back into DW!