raven | Reading

Fandom: Mo Dao Zu Shi
Pairings/Characters: Gen; Lan Xichen & Lan Wangji; Lan Xichen & Wei Wuxian; background Lan Wangji/Wei Wuxian; background past Lan Xichen/Jin Guangyao; Lan Xichen, Lan Wangji, Wei Wuxian, Jin Guangyao (in past anecdote)
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 2,495
Content Notes: No Archive Warnings Apply, eating one’s feelings, food as mnemonic trigger, innuendo, mourning, snarky food criticism
Creator Tags: Post-Canon, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Xichen Week 2020
Creator Links: (AO3)

dragonofeternal, (Dreamwidth)

dragonofeternal, (Tumblr)

dragonofeternal

Theme: Amnesty, Food & Cooking, Family, Post-Canon, Trauma & Recovery

Summary: Food can do more than just feed- it nurtures the soul and the bonds between people.
In which Lan Xichen briefly leaves his seclusion to taste Wei Wuxian's cooking and awakens warm memories of meals long passed.

Author’s Notes: For SetsuntaMew.

<3 For my lovely wife, who inspired this when we talking Xichen feels over spicy Korean BBQ.

Reccer's Notes: When Lan Wangji checks up on Lan Xichen in his seclusion, Wei Wuxian comes along—bringing his idea of a care package. Despite Wangji’s apprehension, the Fires Of Yunmeng Cooking prove just the thing to help his despondent brother come to terms with his complicated feelings about fellow Yunmeng boy Jin Guangyao—prompting memories of their adventures (and meals) together.

(An added bit of poignancy is that Lan Xichen is being served this bittersweet nostalgia by a man who now bears Jin Guangyao a family resemblance.)

Fanwork Links:
The Spice of Life by

dragonofeternal
Collections: Lan Huan Protection Squad.

settiai

The news broke a little while ago that Rob Reiner and his wife were found dead in their home.

Based on several articles, it looks like it's being investigated as a possible (or maybe probable would be the better word?) homicide.

Current Mood: sad

magicrubbish in

iconthat

Moana 2 , Miss peregrine's home for peculiar children , Damsel , Logan , Late night with the devil

( URLs )

Current Mood: cheerful

aurumcalendula

ClaireBell episode 7:

( spoilers )

My predictions based on the overall series trailer and the novelization:

( spoilers and speculation )

asakiyume

A mutual on Mastodon shared this mind-blowing Youtube video about creating a dress based on the earliest surviving version (1564) of the ballad "Greensleeves." It was fascinating for all the details about Elizabethan dressmaking (and also food--there's a verse about food, too; 18 verses in all). The way the expert creators researched their piece of the overall outfit (silk smock, crimson stockings, pumps as white as milk, gown of grassy green), the decisions they made (e.g., in the whole inventory of Elizabethan garments, there is no extant silk smock or record of one, so they interpreted the lyric as meaning a linen smock embroidered with silk), and then the techniques used to create the items were just fascinating.

So here's that video--long! But worth it, I thought. There are guinea pigs with ruffs! It was filmed at a stately home in Dorset!

Watch on YouTube

They also made a music video--also long! (almost 10 minutes), in which you can seen Lady Greensleeves gradually acquiring her costume while still rebuffing the suitor. Here's a link.

Current Music: Greensleeves!

musesfool

Humble Bundle's got a bunch of Adrian Tchaikovksy's books on offer here, if you are interested. I haven't read any of these ones, so I got them all (for $18) but I have liked sci-fi stuff I've read by him (even if he is way too into bugs for me).

I am attempting to clear out my fridge and freezer in order to lay in baking supplies for all the Christmas baking, so today I used up 2/3 of a bag of blueberries and made this blueberry muffin cake. It's very good, and very easy. I still have about a pound and a half of cranberries in there that need to get used up, so I'll probably be trying some orange cranberry rolls or make those scones again, or possibly both. *g*

Today I packed up my gifts for my co-workers (jars of candied pecans, as there were no nut allergies when I polled them) and also a bag of "prizes" for whatever games are happening at this party on Tuesday (a couple of candles, a cute notebook, a little book of pasta recipes, some holiday soaps) and a couple of extra gifts in case someone bails on the secret gift exchange (another candle, a travel mug), so we'll see how it goes.

It actually did snow last night and this morning, and if it does that again on Tuesday, I'm staying home, but for now the weather looks clear.

*

Current Mood: productive
Current Music: Mr.. Big Stuff - Jean Knight

falena

This is not a fandom I was much obsessed with. The tv show was all right, in its early seasons at least, eminently watchable. Not something I've ever wished to revisit. However I remember enjoying some of the fic back in the day.

Only one has withstood the test of time. needs must by thatotherperv. 98K Harvey/Mike. Extremely explicit. When Grammy needs an upgrade in care, Mike knows that the usual one-off gig as a paid submissive won't be enough. He takes a job he's been refusing for a while - a long-term, full-time contract. He expects his client to be a sadistic asshole. He expects not to like it. He's wrong on both counts. It's an AU where Mike is a prostitute. Dom/sub. Now, BDSM is totally not my cup of tea, but this fic does such a great job of explaining this dynamic that I could totally see the appeal. Also, everything is perfectly in character. And there's lots of plot (the first two seasons are basically re-written, IIRC). And emotional growth. Plus, it comes in podfic form too, read by the crazily-talented dodificus. I lost count of how many times I listened to this story and every damn time it grabs me by the throat and never lets me go for the whole 11 hours of it.

I quite like Donna/Harvey as a pairing, unfortunately it was never very popular in the fandom. I remember being so happy when I found this little gem: Happy To See Me by Zinnith (I originally had bookmarked on LJ, just to give you an idea of how old some of my fic recs are; it was easy enough to track down in the Ao3 too, though). Great character voices and lovely, lyrical prose.

The Pitt

One of the aspects that made the previous Dom/sub story work for me was how explicit and detailed the kink negotiation was. That reminded me of an excellent fic that hinges on that very concept in this fandom: Red Light, Green Light by avocadomoon. Now, it's avocadomoon, the BNF author for Kingdon, so I don't think I have to say more. Her fic are consistently the ones with the highest number of hits on the Ao3 for a reason. Anyway, for my DW friends who are not into the Pitt, this story features Mel and Langdon becoming friends-with-benefits. I'm making this sound boring. It's so much fun. I always giggle when I re-read certain parts.

settiai

The Joining Exchange, a Dragon Age exchange focusing on Grey Wardens that just started this year, went live a little while ago. I got not one, not two, but three lovely gifts this year!

First up is Something Out Of The Ordinary, set during Dragon Age: Inquisition and featuring Alistair/Cullen Rutherford/Female Surana. 23,267 words.

Next is L’Hymne à L’Amour, set prior to Dragon Age: The Veilguard and featuring Antoine/Evka Ivo. 3,142 words.

And then there's in on it, set after Dragon Age: The Veilguard and featuring Antoine/Ashur | The Viper/Evka Ivo/Tarquin. 1,539 words.

Current Mood: excited

falena

This is a sci-fi romance? Space opera, I think, technically. I know, it sounds weird as a combo, but it totally works. One of my all-time favourite m/m romance books. It's not a big surprise, when you learn it started out as original fanfiction on the Ao3. I'd actually read it back then and liked it. When it was published I bought it just because I was happy to be able to support one fanfic writer, thinking I wouldn't get much out of the book since I'd already read it...Boy, was I wrong. The worldbuilding had been increased a lot, adding a lot of politics. well, intergalactic, alien politics, but still messy human politics at its core. And I adore politics when it is a) fictional b) integral to the plot c) well-written. ANyway, at its core it's a tropetastic love story, (arranged marriage!There was only one sleeping bag! Grump/sunshine pairing). I adore these two characters. Blurb from GoodReads

While the Iskat Empire has long dominated the system through treaties and political alliances, several planets, including Thea, have begun to chafe under Iskat's rule. When tragedy befalls Imperial Prince Taam, his Thean widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with Taam's cousin, the disreputable Kiem, in a bid to keep the rising hostilities between the two worlds under control.

But when it comes to light that Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and that Jainan himself may be a suspect, the unlikely pair must overcome their misgivings and learn to trust one another as they navigate the perils of the Iskat court, try to solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war... all while dealing with their growing feelings for each other.

Is the new Prince Kiem Here To Stay?. 1.6K. Exclusive interview by Hani Sereson Jainan/Kiem. Outsider's POV. This is written as a newspaper article (by a canon journalist). Soooo IC and a lot of fun. It's a perfect epilogue, imho.

And Indeed There Will Be Time. 5.4K words. Jaina/Kiem, explicit. a little of what happened in those three days after they were rescued from the mountains. The sex scenes in the books are fade-to-black, so this awesome fic author took it upon themselves to give us some hot smut that can slot perfectly into canon. :D

The Pitt

Let Me by baeksoolatte. 6k words. Mateo Diaz/Cassie McKay, explicit.

“I heard from Dana,” Cassie says after a beat, voice light but with an edge like she’s tossing a grenade wrapped in ribbon. “Apparently Victoria Javadi has a crush on you.”

Mateo groans. “Jesus.”

“She says you don’t date coworkers.”

“I don’t,” he says, glancing at her. “But if I were going to… date one…”

Cassie looks at him sidelong, smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I know.” She doesn’t say no. She never says no. “Mateo, it’s not a good idea.”

This my faveourite rarepair in the fandom. There are 9, NINE stories in the tag at the Ao3. I weep. This pairing has so much potential! Age gap. Hot, jaded older woman, super hot younger man. They are friends in canon. This fic explores the potential between them so beautifully. Gah. I want more!!

skygiants

On a lighter Parisian note, I read my first Katherine Rundell book, Rooftoppers, which I would have ADORED at age ten but also found extremely fun at age forty!

The heroine of Rooftoppers is orphan Sophie, found floating in a cello case the English Channel after a terrible shipwreck and adopted by a charming eccentric named Charles who raises her on Shakespeare and Free Spirited Inquiry. Unfortunately the English authorities do not approve of children being raised on Shakespeare and Free Spirited Inquiry, so when they threaten to remove Sophie to an orphanage, Charles and Sophie buy themselves time by fleeing to Paris in an attempt to track down traces of Sophie's parentage.

Sophie is stubbornly convinced she might have a mother somewhere out there who survived the shipwreck! Charles is less convinced, but willing to be supportive. On account of the Authorities, however, Charles advises Sophie to stay in the hotel while he pursues the investigation -- but Sophie will not be confined! So she starts pursuing her own investigations via the hotel roof, where she rapidly collides with Matteo, an extremely feral child who claims ownership of the Paris roofs and Does Not Want want Sophie intruding.

But of course eventually Sophie wins Matteo over and is welcomed into the world of the Rooftoppers, Parisian children who have fled from orphanages in favor of leaping from spire to steeple, stealing scraps and shooting pigeons (but also sometimes befriending the pigeons) and generally making a self-sufficient sort of life for themselves in the Most Scenic Surroundings in the World. The book makes it quite clear that the Rooftoppers are often cold and hungry and smelly and the whole thing is no bed of roses, while nonetheless fully and joyously indulging in the tropey delight of secret! hyper-competent! child! rooftop! society!!

The book as a whole strikes a lovely tonal balance just on the edge of fairy tale -- everything is very technically plausible and nothing is actually magic, but also, you know, the central image of the book is a gang of rooftop Lost Kids chasing the haunting sound of cello music over the roof of the Palais de Justice. The ending I think does not make the mistake of trying to resolve too much, and overall I found it a really charming experience.

zero_pixel_count

Alright, on this occasion I'm just going to link to the tumblr post I made yesterday because frankly it needs the images.

It has been two years since I finished and posted prompt #2, and #3 is still in progress.

This is so frustrating, why am I like this?

celli

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

dolorosa_12

( Cut for discussion of antisemitic violence and a mass shooting )

hunningham

Book tokens
My mother gave me a book token for my birthday and I am enjoying the spending of it so much. This year I did not buy online, but went to local bookshop (Waterstones) and spent some happy time looking, and browsing, and reading before making a selection of some books I had never heard of before.

I have come home with The Wall by Marlen Haushofer and O Caledonia by Elspeth Baker. Both wonderful. Happy serendipity. And there's rather a lot of book-token left.
I was expecting advice about lifting heavy weights.
I read Casey Johnston's blog She's a Beast Johnston is a weight lifter, and the standard column is about protein powder, or the importance of eating well, or bracing your core. Or some such.

But a couple of weeks ago, she surprised me with a column on How to read more and yes, it's about reading more and rediscovering the joys & delights of reading, and social media distractions vs bookbookbook. Recommended.
Lets take a fairy-tale and beat it to death
I'm listening to *Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower* on audible. This is a delight. A witch has imprisoned the princess at the top of a tower, with a monster on each floor and - as a treat - a dragon with diamond scales on the ground floor. The princess waiting for a prince, and twenty-four princes have indeed come to rescue her and they have one by one been crunched up by the dragon. (Princess Floralinda had to put her fingers in her ears because the noises are quite horrid). So she just has to rescue herself. She has the world's most unsympathetic & sarcastic fairy as a reluctant accomplice - "That’s another creature you’ve killed simply by having no brains, which makes anyone with brains feel as if it isn’t worth the headache of having them.”

dolorosa_12

I've spent this morning at the pool, then fixing hooks to the living room wall from which to hang more string lights (the latest batch were made by hand in Shetland and each light is contained in a little glass, cork-stoppered bottle filled with tiny pieces of sea-glass), and now finally have a bit of spare time in which to write and catch up on Dreamwidth. It's a beautiful, crisp, clear wintry day, and I think Matthias and I will go out for a walk to take in the silvery-blue sky — and I might light the wood-burning stove for the first time this season.

Yesterday I had my final two classes for the year at the gym, which went well, as I was full of energy and determination. I've now been doing them both — power pump (basically lifting weights to music) followed by zumba (the cheesiest dances you can imagine, to the cheesiest music you can imagine; now that it's the lead-up to Christmas the trainer has added her warm-up routine set to a medley of Christmas songs that includes — I kid you not — an EDM-rap remix of 'The Little Drummer Boy') — for three years. The result of this is that I'm very strong, and my endurance and ability to dance in time with music without making mistakes (which have always been reasonably good) are satisfactory, but I still dance like a gymnast. I think I'm stuck with this for life. The hips don't lie, and in spite of it being twenty-plus years since I was a gymnast, some things never leave you, and therefore my hips don't move.

I also finally accepted reality and decided that (in spite of my usual track record) I will leave my contributions to Yuletide this year to my main assignment, plus the one treat I've already written. Usually I aim for at least four fics in the main collection, but I can't say that many of this year's prompts are really calling to me, and I don't think forcing things for the sake of arbitrary personal goals is going to result in decent writing.

That has left more time for reading, although the fact that I got so obsessed with one book this week that I reread it five times in succession (and then I reread it a sixth time yesterday) meant that I've only finished one other book this week: Night Train to Odesa (Jen Stout), a British freelance journalist's memoir of her time in Ukraine during the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion, and the various ordinary people forced to do extraordinary things (in the military, as civilian volunteers, in culture and the arts, over the border in Romania helping the first wave of bewildered and traumatised refugees) that she met. It's a well-told account covering ground with which I'm already familiar from other similar memoirs — raw emotions, injustice and atrocities, people rising with ingenuity, stamina and resilience to meet the moment because the only other option would have been to lie down, surrender, and cease to exist as free people of an independent nation — but I appreciated the features that made it unique. These included Stout's background (a journalist from Shetland who spoke fluent Russian and actually spent the first month of the war on a journalism fellowship in Russia — a surreal experience), and her familiarity with Ukraine (she had spent a lot of time there before, and has a particular love for Kharkiv city, and the frontline Donbas regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, and writes about their landscapes, urban architecture and people with deep affection).

I'm also making my way — for the first time — through The Eagle of the Ninth (Rosemary Sutcliff). Sutcliff is a glaring gap in my reading, and I'm on such a Roman Britain kick that I felt now was a good time to remedy it. Her books seemed like an appropriate winter reading project (the elegiac tone, the stark, austere landscapes), and I'm enjoying this first foray immensely, and wondering why I never tried them before now! (I have a vague memory of being given one book or the other in childhood and finding the dearth of female characters offputting, and that initial impression is probably the culprit for it taking me this long to pick them up.)

( Another December talking meme response )

I hope you've all been having relaxing weekends.

full_metal_ox in

fancake

Fandom: Green Hornet (1966 and 2011 versions), Batman (1966), Al Hirt (musician), Bruce Lee
Pairings/Characters: Gen; Britt Reid | Green Hornet, Kato, Bruce Wayne | Batman, Dick Grayson | Robin, cameo by Beatrix Kiddo | The Bride (Kill Bill), Black Beauty is practically a character, right?
Rating: General Audiences
Length: 3:03
Content Notes: Rapid flickering image shifts; earworm hazard.
Creator Links: (Instagram)

Dorodigital; (YouTube)

Dorodigital
Theme: Amnesty, Crossovers & Fusions, FANCAKE IS FIFTEEN, Fandom Classics, Fanvids, Older Fandoms, Underloved Works

Summary: What started out as an attempt to learn flight of the bumble bee on the trumpet evolved into a fascination with the green hornet theme song. Although the show featured one of my favorite Martial Artist ..Bruce lee..the main attraction for me was the frentic trumpet solo performed by another hero of mine Mr. Al hirt. This song was also used in the motor cycle scene in kill bill. I was delighted to learn that they were making a movie version in 2011 starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou..Alas there could be only one Bruce lee as well as one Al hirt. However I decided to perform this cover in tribute to Al and Bruce...Enjoy

Reccer's Notes: Two great tastes that taste great together: against a montage of thrilling stunts and snappy dialogue, trumpeter Ricardo Dowridge multiplies himself into an orchestra to celebrate his musical and martial heroes.

Fanwork Links:

Watch on YouTube

One man’s Green Hornet.mpg, by Ricardo Dowridge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8UVF7tkdRw

Current Music: Inherent in the subject.

yuletidemods in

yuletide_admin

The DEADLINE is getting closer and closer!

At deadline time - 9pm UTC on 17 December - your Yuletide assignment must be posted (published, not a draft!) to the Yuletide collection as a complete work.

Before then, we need your help, Yuletide! We have an outstanding pinch hit (#121) for the fandoms:
SMPLive
Roughhouse SMP
Mirai SMP - XYouly
Highcraft (Web Series)

See details here. Please email us at yuletideadmin@gmail.com if you can help, and spread the word if you have friends who might be interested. This pinch hit is due at 9pm UTC on 19 December.

More pinch hits will be advertised at

yuletide_pinch_hits, especially after 9pm UTC on the 17th.

Additionally, we love beta reader volunteers! You can connect with writers at this post by filling out a Google form, or you can join the Discord and keep an eye out for beta requests advertised by members with the Hippo role.

Good luck to everyone facing down the deadline!

full_metal_ox in

fancake

Fandom: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Oingo Boingo
Pairings/Characters: Gen; background F->M (Emily ->Victor); Jack Skellington, Bonejangles, and the whole Halloween Town and Underworld crews.
Rating: Teen and Up
Length: 4:22
Content Notes: canon-typical death, undeath, decay, dismemberment, creepy-crawlies, monsters, and Body Horror.
Creator Links: (YouTube)

DylanWhitesChannel (formerly ~~weareactualsize~~
Theme: Amnesty, Crossovers & Fusions, FANCAKE IS FIFTEEN, Fandom Classics, Fanvids, Older Fandoms

Summary: Oingo Boingo's "Dead Man's Party" mashed with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "Corpse Bride." All copyrights held by original owners. Happy Halloween.
(HD re-edit from my weareactualsize channel)

Reccer's Notes: Although this repost is dated 27 October 2014, the original on White’s now-defunct previous channel dates from circa 2010. This fusion is a relentless tour-de-force of music synced to visuals synced to lyrics; Danny Elfman’s having scored both movies creates a certain built-in compatibility, and Oingo Boingo’s Halloween anthem makes for an Elfman trifecta.

Fanwork Links:

Watch on YouTube

Dead Man’s Party, by https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndhDaEqjKAc

settiai

I started this past Thursday night's episode of Critical Role before crashing at the break because I desperately needed sleep as I knew that work would be hell on Friday. And then, to the shock of no one, I didn't manage to finish the episode yesterday because work was, in fact, hell.

So let's pick up again now that it's properly the weekend, shall we?

As with previous posts about the current campaign of Critical Role, this will be a combination of quotes, random thoughts, and some speculation. And it's obviously full of spoilers (albeit vague ones in places).

( Spoilers under the cut. )

Current Mood: accomplished

runpunkrun

We have these envelopes I use to half-assedly organize coupons. After our local Kroger analogue recently remodeled, I had to rename some of the envelopes because they dissolved the "natural" section—where I did most of my dairy-free, gluten-free shopping—and moved those products around the store.

So now the "deli & meat" envelope has "dairy & non-dairy" added to it, which amuses me every time I get it out because "dairy & non-dairy" encompasses everything in the universe.

Profile

raven

raven@ao3

November 2025

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Page Summary

full_metal_ox in fancake - Mo Dao Zu Shi: The Spice of Life, by dragonofeternal
settiai - RIP Rob Reiner
magicrubbish in iconthat - Challenge 199: Film Fandom Fest
aurumcalendula - (no subject)
asakiyume - The Greensleeves Project
musesfool - do you think i can afford to give you my love?
falena - Rec-cember Day 13 : Suits
settiai - The Joining Exchange
falena - Rec-cember Day 12: Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell
skygiants - (no subject)
zero_pixel_count - (no subject)
celli - things I'm doing/sleep I'm getting
dolorosa_12 - No words are adequate
hunningham - 3 Book-related things
dolorosa_12 - Wild motion
full_metal_ox in fancake - Green Hornet; Al Hirt; Bruce Lee; Batman (1966): One man’s Green Hornet.mpg, by Ricardo Dowridge.
yuletidemods in yuletide_admin - Posting; Pinch Hit; Betas
full_metal_ox in fancake - The Nightmare Before Christmas; Corpse Bride: Dead Man’s Party, by Dylan White
settiai - Critical Role: Campaign 4, Episode 9
runpunkrun - there are two kinds of products in the world

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Resources: Am i brave enough?

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philosophy supernatural nude

still crazy after all these years

Reading

Mo Dao Zu Shi: The Spice of Life, by dragonofeternal

RIP Rob Reiner

Challenge 199: Film Fandom Fest

(no subject)

The Greensleeves Project

do you think i can afford to give you my love?

Rec-cember Day 13 : Suits

The Joining Exchange

Rec-cember Day 12: Winter's Orbit by Everina Maxwell

(no subject)

(no subject)

things I'm doing/sleep I'm getting

No words are adequate

3 Book-related things

Wild motion

Green Hornet; Al Hirt; Bruce Lee; Batman (1966): One man’s Green Hornet.mpg, by Ricardo Dowridge.

Posting; Pinch Hit; Betas

The Nightmare Before Christmas; Corpse Bride: Dead Man’s Party, by Dylan White

Critical Role: Campaign 4, Episode 9

there are two kinds of products in the world

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November 2025

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