needy trees
Dec. 29th, 2025 06:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
queenslayerbeeThere are some giftboxes that need to be filled over fandom trees, including my own! So take a look at the spreadsheet and see if there's any prompt that catches your eye :P
queenslayerbee
Book 119, 2025
Dec. 28th, 2025 10:36 pmchez_jae
Death at the Mistletoe Market: A Cozy Christmas Murder Mystery (Christmas Cozy Mysteries by Rebecca BrodyMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
View all my reviews
Finished an ebook: Death at the Mistletoe Market by Rebecca Brody. Not sure why that was the title; the market was called the Pinewood Hollow Christmas Market. Eh.
Emma Hartley is a local crafter, knitting scarves, mittens, etc and selling them at the local Christmas market. She loves everything about the market, from her fellow vendors to the seasonal music and the cheerful customers. Emma’s tranquility is broken when Gerald, the manager of the market, announces that he is considering selling it to an outside company known for snapping up small, local markets and turning them into cookie cutter markets that lose their local flair. When Gerald is found murdered in the market’s storage shed, one of the vendors who had argued with him is arrested for the crime. Emma is certain Frank is innocent, and she begins to question others with ties to the market to see if anyone else had a motive. She is aided by her BFF, Lily, and Mark, a man Emma thought was a new vendor only to learn he’s a PI who was hired by the woman who still owns a 20% share in the market. When Emma’s prying leads to her being threatened, everyone warns her to back off. Emma, however, won’t rest until she clears Frank’s name and finds out who really killed Gerald.
Characterizations were okay. The story started out decent and kept it up until late, when it seemed the author lost the plot. Towards the end, when Emma and a few others were checking out the storage shed where Gerald was killed, she got a text from one of the suspects, asking her to meet at the market office in half an hour. Emma agreed (letting the others know) and drove there. But, if they were at the storage shed, they were already at the market! Oof. Finally, the last chapter kept blathering about so-and-so going to prison for the crime, but the person named REPEATEDLY in that last chapter, was not the killer! I wanted to contact the author and ask if she forgot who the killer was.
Favorite lines: Sometimes you had to take risks.
Started out as a four-star, dropped to three, but after that ending, I can’t justify scoring this higher than a two.
(no subject)
Dec. 28th, 2025 06:15 pmdustbunny105My yarn winder broke TAT
I'm not even sure what's wrong with it. All the gears are connected. A screw came loose and I had a heck of a time getting it open to fix that but, I mean. That's fixed. But the doggone thing's still not turning properly.
Tbf, it was a cheap gizmo and it showed its cheapness. Still, it worked so well until now. I'm not tossing it yet, just in case I can get it figured out. But I went ahead and bought a new one anyway. Still nothing very expensive but it's a well enough recommended brand and the design looks like it'll be easier to work with.
My main issue is that I was caking all my yarn to make it easier to store as well as use and obviously I had to stop that partway through. Not that I would've been able to get it all into my yarn chest anyway. I didn't even realize how much I had outside of the chest until I started trying to work out the logistics of getting it all in. Most of it fit, at least. As for what's left, I've currently got it next to the chest in tote bags. So much for breaking my yarn embargo to celebrate the new year, I'll say that, lol. Maybe-- maybe-- by the end of January. End of February is more likely. Seriously, what was past-me planning to do with all this??
I'm not even sure what's wrong with it. All the gears are connected. A screw came loose and I had a heck of a time getting it open to fix that but, I mean. That's fixed. But the doggone thing's still not turning properly.
Tbf, it was a cheap gizmo and it showed its cheapness. Still, it worked so well until now. I'm not tossing it yet, just in case I can get it figured out. But I went ahead and bought a new one anyway. Still nothing very expensive but it's a well enough recommended brand and the design looks like it'll be easier to work with.
My main issue is that I was caking all my yarn to make it easier to store as well as use and obviously I had to stop that partway through. Not that I would've been able to get it all into my yarn chest anyway. I didn't even realize how much I had outside of the chest until I started trying to work out the logistics of getting it all in. Most of it fit, at least. As for what's left, I've currently got it next to the chest in tote bags. So much for breaking my yarn embargo to celebrate the new year, I'll say that, lol. Maybe-- maybe-- by the end of January. End of February is more likely. Seriously, what was past-me planning to do with all this??
My fandomtree
Dec. 28th, 2025 08:14 pmkingstokenI realized I never got around to promoting my own ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomtrees, so here it is. I'm asking for anything other than icons (fic, art, podfic, etc), and the fandoms I'm asking for are: The Great Mouse Detective, Sherlock Holmes (both Granada and the Rathbone films), Our Flag Means Death, Dead Boy Detectives, Doctor Who, and podfic for any fandom I've written for.
fandomtrees, so here it is. I'm asking for anything other than icons (fic, art, podfic, etc), and the fandoms I'm asking for are: The Great Mouse Detective, Sherlock Holmes (both Granada and the Rathbone films), Our Flag Means Death, Dead Boy Detectives, Doctor Who, and podfic for any fandom I've written for.and mid the shadowy throng.
Dec. 28th, 2025 11:11 pmgoodbyebirdRec-cember Day 28
The Dark Is Rising
Watch for the Greenwitch by
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif){kind=small}
sharp_teeth mentioned in the notes)In the light from the bonfire the Greenwitch rose up, tall and ragged against the sky, like something from long ago. Not the fine past of the grail, of long spears and iron, thorny, intricate poetry and patterns. Not even the past, thought Jane, of neat sharp flints laid out on red velvet under museum lights, axes and arrowheads. Something older, like rough rock, the rings of yellow lichen spreading out through the years like ripples from a stone thrown into still water.
Time
Dec. 28th, 2025 10:18 amchamomilekatydidI’ve been playing through this game series called Class of '09. I read that the game developer made the game to mock others and that the game ended up with a large LGBTQ+ fan base (I will talk about this game series and MySpace in the future). An anime was also released, which is what I think spurred all of these recent thoughts. I’ve felt sad for a while. I think about how much time has passed. There are so many younger years and moments that I won’t get back...times with music, fashion, tv shows, technology, etc. I understand what nostalgia is, and how it comes up during periods of uncertainty and stress. However, I think it's exacerbated by the fact that I never got to experience those younger years as myself. I didn't get to have typical girl moments during those years. Instead, I was confused, dysphoric, and anxious.
I tried to reconnect with others on Facebook and Instagram. It's been okay, but I've noticed that fewer people share their thoughts or photos on Facebook. It just feels like everyone is so much more isolated. Maybe it's the way social media has changed with the algorithm. It could also just be that we've all gotten older and don't feel the need to be on social media 24/7 (I certainly don't, I share a post every month or two). From the people I've added, a good amount have had kids, or look older. It's a reminder of how much time has passed...time that I won't get back.
I can still enjoy my iPod, and my old music, channel surf, watch older tv shows, wear my skinny jeans, but I won't get those younger years back.
I tried to reconnect with others on Facebook and Instagram. It's been okay, but I've noticed that fewer people share their thoughts or photos on Facebook. It just feels like everyone is so much more isolated. Maybe it's the way social media has changed with the algorithm. It could also just be that we've all gotten older and don't feel the need to be on social media 24/7 (I certainly don't, I share a post every month or two). From the people I've added, a good amount have had kids, or look older. It's a reminder of how much time has passed...time that I won't get back.
I can still enjoy my iPod, and my old music, channel surf, watch older tv shows, wear my skinny jeans, but I won't get those younger years back.
Hundred Line update
Dec. 28th, 2025 07:54 pmcaramarieH and I finished the initial run of The Hundred Line together, but he’s less available now so I started the next runthrough on my own. I thought he’d be sad if I did a Darumi-heavy route without him, so I very deliberately did not-that, while not knowing anything else. ( I think this is the Coming of Age route? )
(no subject)
Dec. 27th, 2025 08:41 pmdustbunny105Can you guys believe that the new year is next week? What even is the onward march of time?
Tbh, I've been trying to wean myself off the idea that the start of a new [insert human calendar construct here] has to mean anything significant, as far as goals and life changes are concerned. I've not been terribly successful. There's just something so satisfying about matching new with new. It feels cleaner, somehow. And, of course, we're socialized to regard the start of a whole new year as an almost magical time.
I suppose if I were truly dedicated to fixing the part of my brain that rides or dies by the calendar, I'd deliberately eschew New Year's resolutions or goals that hinge on it. Buuut even the thought of doing that makes me feel physically ill-- I'm not even joking when I say typing that preceding sentence made my fingers go numb-- so I'm gonna have to just be nice to myself about this one. And, I mean, come on. It is kinda funny if I make "stop basing habits on human constructs of time" a New Year's resolution, yeah? I think it's kinda funny.
All this to say that I've been thinking about what goals I want to set for the year ahead. And I'm reeeally trying to narrow them down this year. I've got a bad habit of making everything I want to do a goal, which just overwhelms me to the point that I don't accomplish much of anything. It doesn't help that I tend to get too ambitious with a lot of things and then ruin things for myself. Still haven't fully grown out of that gifted kid mindset, in spite of my ongoing efforts. I might look at everything I would like to try to accomplish and then fold groups of those things into broad categories of goals. Y'know, "try more crafts" and "read more" kinds of items. Or else maybe write all those things out and rank them, then pick the top five as goals. Then whenever I mark something off the list, I can rotate in a lower-ranked item from the initial list. Up to a point at least. Something else I've been trying to get through my head is that not everything I want to do necessarily needs to be treated as a goal. If anything, that mentality is probably what overwhelms me, since I then unconsciously treat all those many things as more or less equally important.
But anyway, where are you all at as far as the end of the year? Are you giving it meaning in your life or is it just another day for you? I'm curious where everyone else stands.
Tbh, I've been trying to wean myself off the idea that the start of a new [insert human calendar construct here] has to mean anything significant, as far as goals and life changes are concerned. I've not been terribly successful. There's just something so satisfying about matching new with new. It feels cleaner, somehow. And, of course, we're socialized to regard the start of a whole new year as an almost magical time.
I suppose if I were truly dedicated to fixing the part of my brain that rides or dies by the calendar, I'd deliberately eschew New Year's resolutions or goals that hinge on it. Buuut even the thought of doing that makes me feel physically ill-- I'm not even joking when I say typing that preceding sentence made my fingers go numb-- so I'm gonna have to just be nice to myself about this one. And, I mean, come on. It is kinda funny if I make "stop basing habits on human constructs of time" a New Year's resolution, yeah? I think it's kinda funny.
All this to say that I've been thinking about what goals I want to set for the year ahead. And I'm reeeally trying to narrow them down this year. I've got a bad habit of making everything I want to do a goal, which just overwhelms me to the point that I don't accomplish much of anything. It doesn't help that I tend to get too ambitious with a lot of things and then ruin things for myself. Still haven't fully grown out of that gifted kid mindset, in spite of my ongoing efforts. I might look at everything I would like to try to accomplish and then fold groups of those things into broad categories of goals. Y'know, "try more crafts" and "read more" kinds of items. Or else maybe write all those things out and rank them, then pick the top five as goals. Then whenever I mark something off the list, I can rotate in a lower-ranked item from the initial list. Up to a point at least. Something else I've been trying to get through my head is that not everything I want to do necessarily needs to be treated as a goal. If anything, that mentality is probably what overwhelms me, since I then unconsciously treat all those many things as more or less equally important.
But anyway, where are you all at as far as the end of the year? Are you giving it meaning in your life or is it just another day for you? I'm curious where everyone else stands.
🥳
Dec. 28th, 2025 03:05 amgoodbyebirdMy favorite thing about birthdays is emotional blackmail, so my birthday wish is you watch the pilot for Interview With The Vampire.
If you already have, my wish is you post about your Christmas tree if you have one. I'd love to hear about your favorite decoration - especially if it's old or you made it as a kid! - see a picture even.
Love y'all ❤️
If you already have, my wish is you post about your Christmas tree if you have one. I'd love to hear about your favorite decoration - especially if it's old or you made it as a kid! - see a picture even.
Love y'all ❤️
Various Links 12/22-12/27
Dec. 27th, 2025 06:24 pmsenmutBack on, I think, the correct day. (Look, Thursday was a Sunday, Friday was a Monday, today is a Sunday, tomorrow is supposedly a Sunday)
~ North American Indigenous Santa Dance - video, performer is known as "Powwow Santa"
~ Cat figuring how to get in out of a vase - video
~ Frame-slowed, colorized Victorian snowball fight - video
~ The LGBT bookstore saves a man - text, untranscribed, mention of self harm and suicidal ideation (old post, but I reblog when I see it to remember what FAMILY is)
~ Knitted wedding dress - photos and text
~ Trumpeteer gets an unexpected accompaniment - video, sound needed
~ Stonehenge Solstice Cat art - picture
~ North American Indigenous Santa Dance - video, performer is known as "Powwow Santa"
~ Cat figuring how to get in out of a vase - video
~ Frame-slowed, colorized Victorian snowball fight - video
~ The LGBT bookstore saves a man - text, untranscribed, mention of self harm and suicidal ideation (old post, but I reblog when I see it to remember what FAMILY is)
~ Knitted wedding dress - photos and text
~ Trumpeteer gets an unexpected accompaniment - video, sound needed
~ Stonehenge Solstice Cat art - picture
not being extremely into D&D, I still stand by this *firm nod*
Dec. 27th, 2025 09:33 pmgoodbyebirdNot to be pedantic, but I wouldn't say Will is a wizard or a sorcerer; surely this is warlock territory.
Also, sitting on a shiny new icon that a) I can't upload because it's for an icontest, and b) I'll have to delete another before uploading, well. *sullenly kicks rocks*
( spoilery for 5x06 )
I wasn't a big fan of the first four episodes, but these two have been very entertaining indeed. Cool visuals! Emotional payoffs! Two thumbs up.
Also, sitting on a shiny new icon that a) I can't upload because it's for an icontest, and b) I'll have to delete another before uploading, well. *sullenly kicks rocks*
( spoilery for 5x06 )
I wasn't a big fan of the first four episodes, but these two have been very entertaining indeed. Cool visuals! Emotional payoffs! Two thumbs up.
(no subject)
Dec. 26th, 2025 09:07 pmdustbunny105For some reason-- probably because I was so tired, lol-- it didn't occur to me last night that I should go to bed early. Instead, my mind was set on staying up until a time when I'd usually go to bed. I still slept pretty well but didn't wake up feeling refreshed as I'd so foolishly expected. Ah, well. Maybe if I sleep well enough tonight, I'll get that refreshed feeling tomorrow instead. I could certainly use it. I tore my room apart trying to figure out where I'd put some things the last time I reorganized and where I'd put a couple of gifts for one of my nephews. Found exactly none of those things, btw. So I need to find all that as well as put the place back together. Which I meant to do today but, well. Obviously, I did not.
Fic recs
Dec. 27th, 2025 01:05 pmcaramarieSome recs, mostly from ficinabox!
as long as i can breathe (i can't let go of you again) by beta_babelfish (Dreamcatcher: Deja Vu MV, Yoohyeon/Jiu, 5.2K)
Time-loop variant interpretation of the MV. I thought it was very cool!
let the summer breeze talk to us by Kalcifer (SDR2, Komaeda/Hinata, 2K)
Post-canon fic that did a really neat job with the merging of Kamukura and Hinata.
wave goodbye to the end of beginning (Alice in Borderland, Chishiya & Kuina, 2.1K)
A ‘missing scene’ for these two – just a lovely little character piece.
love can make you come alive (or take your life away) by withhardshipease (Death Note, Misa/L, 10.4K)
Canon divergence where Misa and L bond over sweets late at night; a fun read, and I enjoyed the author’s take on Misa a lot.
Frightening Things (White Christmas, Jo Youngjae/Yu Eunsung, 1.9K)
My gift fic fromkoreanfandomsex! I enjoyed it muchly ♥ Loved the Eunsung POV.
ficinabox!as long as i can breathe (i can't let go of you again) by beta_babelfish (Dreamcatcher: Deja Vu MV, Yoohyeon/Jiu, 5.2K)
Time-loop variant interpretation of the MV. I thought it was very cool!
let the summer breeze talk to us by Kalcifer (SDR2, Komaeda/Hinata, 2K)
Post-canon fic that did a really neat job with the merging of Kamukura and Hinata.
wave goodbye to the end of beginning (Alice in Borderland, Chishiya & Kuina, 2.1K)
A ‘missing scene’ for these two – just a lovely little character piece.
love can make you come alive (or take your life away) by withhardshipease (Death Note, Misa/L, 10.4K)
Canon divergence where Misa and L bond over sweets late at night; a fun read, and I enjoyed the author’s take on Misa a lot.
Frightening Things (White Christmas, Jo Youngjae/Yu Eunsung, 1.9K)
My gift fic from
koreanfandomsex! I enjoyed it muchly ♥ Loved the Eunsung POV.Rec-cember #3: My gifts!
Dec. 26th, 2025 11:38 amimpala_chickI hope everyone who celebrates had a Happy Solstice and a Merry Christmas!
I'm super late reading theficinabox collection but I did want to rec the gifts I received, because they are amazing.
✰Terms and Conditions (The Lust Blinded Remix, Sam/Bucky (MCU) byscintilla10, rated Explicit
I was so excited to get a remix of one of my own fic! This is from Bucky's POV - they still get hit with sex pollen and have sex, and then they have a bunch of awkward debriefs after, and then they actually communicate and get together by the end! But it was so fun to see the little twists Scintilla added in and soak in Bucky's pining and suffering for a bit. Also the slight D/s of it all!!
✰Touch Me, Freeze Me, Lose Me, Sam/Bucky (MCU) by LifeofMystery
This fic combines two tropes I love - sex pollen/aphrodisiacs and whump involving Bucky's time as the Winter Soldier. Sam is patient and kind and lovely in this, plus I love the bit of backstory we get about Bucky.
✰[Podfic] Like I'm Born to Be, Gen, KPOP Demon Hunters, by CollectedNoun
This is a podfic of a fic about the women who didn't make it into Huntr/x, and there is some fascinating world building and such distinct personalities! The podfic itself has great pacing and is fun to listen to. Surprise singing at the end!
✰A Night to Remember [Logic Puzzle], Kyle/Max/Liz (Roswell New Mexico) byscintilla10
A logic puzzle!!!!! This is one of the reasons I love fic in a box, because you can get such unique mediums. This is my first logic puzzle gift, and the clues are packed with fun details that bring a whole story to life :D I'm still stuck on one part but I'm determined to figure it out.
I also received fantastic fic fromyuletide and the Sense8 Holiday exchange! Authors have not been revealed yet.
✰real enough, Will/The Whole Cluster (Sense8), Rated Explicit
This takes place immediately after season 1, featuring Will experiencing but not processing bisexuality! Also Wolfgang and Lito are downright filthy in this which I appreciated.
✰slide on over, Max/Tristan/Avery (Doctor Odyssey), Rated Gen
SUPER freaking cute and so in character. Also I love that this author gave some backstory regarding the weird fancy medical equipment on board and turned it into OT3 bonding.
I'm super late reading the
ficinabox collection but I did want to rec the gifts I received, because they are amazing.✰Terms and Conditions (The Lust Blinded Remix, Sam/Bucky (MCU) by
scintilla10, rated ExplicitI was so excited to get a remix of one of my own fic! This is from Bucky's POV - they still get hit with sex pollen and have sex, and then they have a bunch of awkward debriefs after, and then they actually communicate and get together by the end! But it was so fun to see the little twists Scintilla added in and soak in Bucky's pining and suffering for a bit. Also the slight D/s of it all!!
✰Touch Me, Freeze Me, Lose Me, Sam/Bucky (MCU) by LifeofMystery
This fic combines two tropes I love - sex pollen/aphrodisiacs and whump involving Bucky's time as the Winter Soldier. Sam is patient and kind and lovely in this, plus I love the bit of backstory we get about Bucky.
✰[Podfic] Like I'm Born to Be, Gen, KPOP Demon Hunters, by CollectedNoun
This is a podfic of a fic about the women who didn't make it into Huntr/x, and there is some fascinating world building and such distinct personalities! The podfic itself has great pacing and is fun to listen to. Surprise singing at the end!
✰A Night to Remember [Logic Puzzle], Kyle/Max/Liz (Roswell New Mexico) by
scintilla10A logic puzzle!!!!! This is one of the reasons I love fic in a box, because you can get such unique mediums. This is my first logic puzzle gift, and the clues are packed with fun details that bring a whole story to life :D I'm still stuck on one part but I'm determined to figure it out.
I also received fantastic fic from
yuletide and the Sense8 Holiday exchange! Authors have not been revealed yet.✰real enough, Will/The Whole Cluster (Sense8), Rated Explicit
This takes place immediately after season 1, featuring Will experiencing but not processing bisexuality! Also Wolfgang and Lito are downright filthy in this which I appreciated.
✰slide on over, Max/Tristan/Avery (Doctor Odyssey), Rated Gen
SUPER freaking cute and so in character. Also I love that this author gave some backstory regarding the weird fancy medical equipment on board and turned it into OT3 bonding.