Birdsong of Shaker Way by Ann-Margaret Lim
Jun. 11th, 2025 01:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conulyEvery day is perfect, if
when you wake, you hear birds
in the garden, in the yard. Birds
up and down, ushering in one more day
in all the houses on Shaker Way. Birds
on telephone lines, light posts. Birds
twit, twittering on trees
hailing fellow birds
with a nod of beak—gray kingbird;
top-hatted, streamertail
tuxedoed, doctor bird—
busy-bodied hummingbird
tucking in, out, of pink, red ixoras
punch-drunk in love. Birds
preening for, chatting up other birds—
the oriole, the grass quit, in mid-song
on the lawn, in a dance of birds
an all-day-long conference of bird;
red-headed woodpecker
—drummer boy, or girl bird
in this daily symphony of birds
—an orchestra on Shaker Way
in serenade of each perfect day with birds—
from the very first mockingbird
heralding, in solo warble
one more day, filled with birds—
brightened, lightened, trilled by birds:
precious, diamond-throated
sweet song, miracle-toting birds
the-gift-of-day-is-here birds.
Bird, bird, bird. Hello bird.
You lift me up bird.
You sing the day beautiful, bird.
***********
Link
when you wake, you hear birds
in the garden, in the yard. Birds
up and down, ushering in one more day
in all the houses on Shaker Way. Birds
on telephone lines, light posts. Birds
twit, twittering on trees
hailing fellow birds
with a nod of beak—gray kingbird;
top-hatted, streamertail
tuxedoed, doctor bird—
busy-bodied hummingbird
tucking in, out, of pink, red ixoras
punch-drunk in love. Birds
preening for, chatting up other birds—
the oriole, the grass quit, in mid-song
on the lawn, in a dance of birds
an all-day-long conference of bird;
red-headed woodpecker
—drummer boy, or girl bird
in this daily symphony of birds
—an orchestra on Shaker Way
in serenade of each perfect day with birds—
from the very first mockingbird
heralding, in solo warble
one more day, filled with birds—
brightened, lightened, trilled by birds:
precious, diamond-throated
sweet song, miracle-toting birds
the-gift-of-day-is-here birds.
Bird, bird, bird. Hello bird.
You lift me up bird.
You sing the day beautiful, bird.
Link
Trying to rapidly finish Prodigy, on Season 2
Jun. 10th, 2025 08:38 amconulyRok continues to be the best at everything, and deserves all the hugs. Though I remain baffled how ST thinks they can on one hand have post-scarcity nearly everywhere (including, one presumes, in places just outside of the Federation where they can easily abscond with probable Federation citizens) and also have seedy underbellies everywhere as well. The problem is that they never actually worked out how it all works, and I think the only solution is to ditch the idea that even the Federation really has no currency and is totally post-scarcity. Everybody has their basic needs met, I'll agree is supported by the writing. Anything past that, no.
Anyway, Rok's friend in her tragic backstory was clearly no more able to leave that situation than she was and though I can see there's too much plot for that to happen in canon I really hope they could rescue him.
Speaking of tragic backstories, I cannot believe a. that Dal tried to say his was the worst and b. his version of being "the worst" absolutely skips past the part where ( Read more... ) But seriously, dude, you grew up as a slave on a mine full of child slaves. It's not a situation people get into because their life was just so great beforehand. If everything was hunky-dory, none of you would've been targeted in the first damn place. You all have a terrible backstory, you don't need to prove it!
Moving on, Murf continues to also be the best, but ffs, can somebody get him an AAC? Or a whiteboard, at least? Teach him sign language? This is a solved problem even in the real world, surely Starfleet can figure it out!
Nothing to say about Jankom, he's just there. *shrug* And I feel kinda ditto about Zero, tbh. I mean, I like them, but....
Ma'Jel, between her cool hair and her increasingly consternated expression as the turbolift got more and more crowded, is clearly not one of the most unemotional Vulcans out there. (I don't care what Vulcans say, the opposite of "logical" is not "emotional", it's just "illogical".) I feel like she and our darling T'Lyn would have a lot to talk about.
The adults on the ship - this show is clearly trying to walk a fine line between keeping them competent and allowing the kids to run circles around them. I'm not sure it always works, but I appreciate the effort, and also I appreciate how they were careful to make it clear that the adults, whether they're being strict or a bit Too Much, are only acting the way they do because they're sympathetic. (Frankly, all the kids could stand to appreciate their new situation a bit more - except Rok, she already gets it - but I understand why they're struggling a bit.)
( Gets a bit spoilery )
**************
( Ugh, the news )
Anyway, Rok's friend in her tragic backstory was clearly no more able to leave that situation than she was and though I can see there's too much plot for that to happen in canon I really hope they could rescue him.
Speaking of tragic backstories, I cannot believe a. that Dal tried to say his was the worst and b. his version of being "the worst" absolutely skips past the part where ( Read more... ) But seriously, dude, you grew up as a slave on a mine full of child slaves. It's not a situation people get into because their life was just so great beforehand. If everything was hunky-dory, none of you would've been targeted in the first damn place. You all have a terrible backstory, you don't need to prove it!
Moving on, Murf continues to also be the best, but ffs, can somebody get him an AAC? Or a whiteboard, at least? Teach him sign language? This is a solved problem even in the real world, surely Starfleet can figure it out!
Nothing to say about Jankom, he's just there. *shrug* And I feel kinda ditto about Zero, tbh. I mean, I like them, but....
Ma'Jel, between her cool hair and her increasingly consternated expression as the turbolift got more and more crowded, is clearly not one of the most unemotional Vulcans out there. (I don't care what Vulcans say, the opposite of "logical" is not "emotional", it's just "illogical".) I feel like she and our darling T'Lyn would have a lot to talk about.
The adults on the ship - this show is clearly trying to walk a fine line between keeping them competent and allowing the kids to run circles around them. I'm not sure it always works, but I appreciate the effort, and also I appreciate how they were careful to make it clear that the adults, whether they're being strict or a bit Too Much, are only acting the way they do because they're sympathetic. (Frankly, all the kids could stand to appreciate their new situation a bit more - except Rok, she already gets it - but I understand why they're struggling a bit.)
( Gets a bit spoilery )
( Ugh, the news )
Hello there!
Jun. 9th, 2025 08:13 amgimmighoulcoins posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
addme_fandomName: Rascal
Pronouns: He/Him
Age Group: I'm in my early 30s - please only add me if you're 20 or older!
Country: USA
Subscription/Access Policy: Very general fandom posts are public, whereas things that are access only are probably more along the lines of "mini-essay pondering a bigger subject through the lens of fandom" or a fanwork idea I'm not quite sure about yet, but what to share to a degree.
What I chat about: Fandom and hobbies are probably what I'll most frequently chat about, but I also love getting analytical and waxing philosophical about life - often through looking at fandom things. I find it fun, and my shared reflections tend to be more neutral-to-positive. When it comes to fandom specifics, I love writing fanfic and AUs, and exploring ideas for those, and a character deep-dive is one of my favorite things! I also just like sharing the enthusiasm I have for my favorite things, fandom or otherwise.
I'm looking to connect with people who: Want to talk and share their enthusiasm, too! I'm a chatterbox who really wants to extend his fannish social circle - I'm a househusband who sometimes ends up with a lot of free time and I'd love to spend more of it engaging in fun talk! I'm also looking to connect with people who are open-minded and accepting, and not interested in anti culture or other fandom discourse.
Main Fandoms: Pokemon has been my forever fandom, ever since Pokemania hit the States. I kind of fell off in the GBA/early DS era (Emerald and Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, specifically) but got back into it in a big way since and have never left. I'm mainly into the games, but I have a lot of fondness for the early seasons of the anime, and I've really been enjoying the new Pokemon Horizons series? I'm really behind on it, though. My other main fandoms are Disney Duck canons - a lot of 'em, but I'm especially fond of the 2017 DuckTales reboot, Darkwing Duck, and the various comics - and Fraggle Rock, which I discovered well after its time but I love - and now it has a reboot, too, and I also love that!
Other Fandoms: Delicious in Dungeon, In Stars and Time, Steven Universe, Dimension 20's Fantasy High, The Muppets, Sonic the Hedgehog (games, the movies, and the IDW comics - though I'm super behind on the comics), Zeddy Zi's Ramshackle, Lilo & Stitch, Tangled, Ratatouille, and a lot of other animated movies... Oh! And Phineas and Ferb is back and ngl, I'm kinda losing my mind over that. Such a fun show, I love its themes of creativity
What I create for Fandom: Fanfic! And occasionally icons, but mostly fic. I've really been getting back into it lately.
Other Hobbies: Reading, bracelet weaving, Dungeons & Dragons... I'm starting to get into art and I'm trying to get into cooking as more a hobby than housework. I also love collecting! Currently, I collect bookmarks and merch of Meowth from Pokemon.
Pronouns: He/Him
Age Group: I'm in my early 30s - please only add me if you're 20 or older!
Country: USA
Subscription/Access Policy: Very general fandom posts are public, whereas things that are access only are probably more along the lines of "mini-essay pondering a bigger subject through the lens of fandom" or a fanwork idea I'm not quite sure about yet, but what to share to a degree.
What I chat about: Fandom and hobbies are probably what I'll most frequently chat about, but I also love getting analytical and waxing philosophical about life - often through looking at fandom things. I find it fun, and my shared reflections tend to be more neutral-to-positive. When it comes to fandom specifics, I love writing fanfic and AUs, and exploring ideas for those, and a character deep-dive is one of my favorite things! I also just like sharing the enthusiasm I have for my favorite things, fandom or otherwise.
I'm looking to connect with people who: Want to talk and share their enthusiasm, too! I'm a chatterbox who really wants to extend his fannish social circle - I'm a househusband who sometimes ends up with a lot of free time and I'd love to spend more of it engaging in fun talk! I'm also looking to connect with people who are open-minded and accepting, and not interested in anti culture or other fandom discourse.
Main Fandoms: Pokemon has been my forever fandom, ever since Pokemania hit the States. I kind of fell off in the GBA/early DS era (Emerald and Diamond/Pearl/Platinum, specifically) but got back into it in a big way since and have never left. I'm mainly into the games, but I have a lot of fondness for the early seasons of the anime, and I've really been enjoying the new Pokemon Horizons series? I'm really behind on it, though. My other main fandoms are Disney Duck canons - a lot of 'em, but I'm especially fond of the 2017 DuckTales reboot, Darkwing Duck, and the various comics - and Fraggle Rock, which I discovered well after its time but I love - and now it has a reboot, too, and I also love that!
Other Fandoms: Delicious in Dungeon, In Stars and Time, Steven Universe, Dimension 20's Fantasy High, The Muppets, Sonic the Hedgehog (games, the movies, and the IDW comics - though I'm super behind on the comics), Zeddy Zi's Ramshackle, Lilo & Stitch, Tangled, Ratatouille, and a lot of other animated movies... Oh! And Phineas and Ferb is back and ngl, I'm kinda losing my mind over that. Such a fun show, I love its themes of creativity
What I create for Fandom: Fanfic! And occasionally icons, but mostly fic. I've really been getting back into it lately.
Other Hobbies: Reading, bracelet weaving, Dungeons & Dragons... I'm starting to get into art and I'm trying to get into cooking as more a hobby than housework. I also love collecting! Currently, I collect bookmarks and merch of Meowth from Pokemon.
Well, I read the news
Jun. 9th, 2025 08:33 pmconulyOr, anyway, I glanced at the headlines and oh fuck no. Can I just go back to bed, and somebody wake me when things improve?
Kick the TWICE Can Down the Road
Jun. 8th, 2025 05:24 pmlovelyangelWith my computer and photography budgets for 2025 getting blown out of the water, I’ve looked to cut back in other areas. I had originally planned to use my Electrify America credits (like 700 free kWh remaining) before they expire in August to take a road trip to SF – but I killed that idea.
One big unknown in the 2025 budget was what I might end up spending if TWICE went on tour this year. My budget let out a sigh of relief when the group recently announced the schedule for their THIS IS FOR World Tour, Part 1. Part 1 allocates the last half of 2025 for stops across Asia and Australia. This means that Part 2, for the Americas and Europe, won’t be until 2026. I kind of expected this as major U.S. stadiums are dedicated to American football in the fall and winter. For 2026, I’ll budget for one or two visits to concert cities in the U.S.
One big unknown in the 2025 budget was what I might end up spending if TWICE went on tour this year. My budget let out a sigh of relief when the group recently announced the schedule for their THIS IS FOR World Tour, Part 1. Part 1 allocates the last half of 2025 for stops across Asia and Australia. This means that Part 2, for the Americas and Europe, won’t be until 2026. I kind of expected this as major U.S. stadiums are dedicated to American football in the fall and winter. For 2026, I’ll budget for one or two visits to concert cities in the U.S.
Day 4 Continued: In Which my outline is almost complete
Jun. 8th, 2025 07:03 amgrimmrowTen more chapters to go. I'm so damn excited. I'm about to write my first book, then series. Ahhh, so exciting.
Wrote ten more chapter outlines plus two interludes. I need to write the first interlude which should be texts between characters. I have 5 more chapters to go. We're at the climax of book 1. Then I need to actually write the rough draft and everything. I'm fucking excited, I can hardly believe it. I can pants fanfiction, but I cannot pants original ideas. I need to world build and such.
Luxaren Allure is the name of the femslash jrpg styled game I was playing. Worth playing, it makes me wants to write and make a game myself. I might when I can afford a better laptop.
EDIT;
My outline is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just need one more interlude, I'll add it in a few or not add it at all. I'll figure it out. This is an amazing feat. I'm so proud of me.
Wrote ten more chapter outlines plus two interludes. I need to write the first interlude which should be texts between characters. I have 5 more chapters to go. We're at the climax of book 1. Then I need to actually write the rough draft and everything. I'm fucking excited, I can hardly believe it. I can pants fanfiction, but I cannot pants original ideas. I need to world build and such.
Luxaren Allure is the name of the femslash jrpg styled game I was playing. Worth playing, it makes me wants to write and make a game myself. I might when I can afford a better laptop.
EDIT;
My outline is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just need one more interlude, I'll add it in a few or not add it at all. I'll figure it out. This is an amazing feat. I'm so proud of me.
Day 4: I did it again. I wrote something
Jun. 8th, 2025 05:28 amgrimmrowInstead of writing fanfic, I ended up writing a ten chapter outline for my book. I need to write another fifteen chapters. I'm stopping at chapter 25. Then I'll have at least six other books to write afterward. Eitherway I feel accomplished and should really get some sleep. :D No seriously, sleep would be good for me but I'm going to write another five chapters.
I can't wait to get this eliptical so I have an excuse to get up in my chair more often. I need a good bath. Argh.
And I played a video game for the first time in a long time, a femslash one called something important. I forget. Just know it's really good. The only line that's annoyed me so far is 'I'm not a princess.' Like it makes no sense to the situation to say it. lol It's okay to be a princess or prince type. long as you aren't bratty in a bad way.
Anyway, five more chapters. Then I can start on my rough draft in a few days or save it for the challenge I wanted to do. And it's daylight. Okay, I'm happy. See you guys later.
I can't wait to get this eliptical so I have an excuse to get up in my chair more often. I need a good bath. Argh.
And I played a video game for the first time in a long time, a femslash one called something important. I forget. Just know it's really good. The only line that's annoyed me so far is 'I'm not a princess.' Like it makes no sense to the situation to say it. lol It's okay to be a princess or prince type. long as you aren't bratty in a bad way.
Anyway, five more chapters. Then I can start on my rough draft in a few days or save it for the challenge I wanted to do. And it's daylight. Okay, I'm happy. See you guys later.
Returning to fanfic in order to hone my writing skills
Jun. 7th, 2025 07:03 pmgrimmrowI spent four years not writing. Now suddenly I'm back into writing and I am very rusty. So, in order to get this challenge off the ground: I'm returning to writing fanfiction and original story shorts so I can get back into my emotive writing. I miss how well things used to flow before. How well written I was. I had a writing habit that's hard to get back into again.
I made a community specifically for my fanficsscwritesfic
My fandoms include: sailormoon
supernatural
buffy the vampire slayer
final fantasy viii
final fantasy vii
final fantasy tactics
final fantasy x and x-2
final fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XV
Silent Hill
Resident Evil (Games and Films)
The Vampire Diaries (Books and Television Series)
The Twilight Saga (I'm Pro Jacob/Bella)
Mr. Robot
Until Dawn
J-Squared (J2)
Lisa Frankenstein(2025)
Riverdale
X-Men (Film Franchise)
Naruto
Fatal Frame (Likely Rei and Kei fanfics. also the twins, Miu and Mayu)
Stephen King Universe (Likely IT and a few others)
And that's it. I'm not very pop cultured, because I don't know anything recently besides Lisa Frankenstein. If you're interested in following my community, then please do so. I will also be taking requests in the near future. <3
I'll update around 1 or 2 in the morning with writing I've gotten done today.
( more personal mumbo jumbo )
I made a community specifically for my fanfics
scwritesficMy fandoms include: sailormoon
supernatural
buffy the vampire slayer
final fantasy viii
final fantasy vii
final fantasy tactics
final fantasy x and x-2
final fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XV
Silent Hill
Resident Evil (Games and Films)
The Vampire Diaries (Books and Television Series)
The Twilight Saga (I'm Pro Jacob/Bella)
Mr. Robot
Until Dawn
J-Squared (J2)
Lisa Frankenstein(2025)
Riverdale
X-Men (Film Franchise)
Naruto
Fatal Frame (Likely Rei and Kei fanfics. also the twins, Miu and Mayu)
Stephen King Universe (Likely IT and a few others)
And that's it. I'm not very pop cultured, because I don't know anything recently besides Lisa Frankenstein. If you're interested in following my community, then please do so. I will also be taking requests in the near future. <3
I'll update around 1 or 2 in the morning with writing I've gotten done today.
( more personal mumbo jumbo )
✨ Books I Want to Read for the First Time ✨
Jun. 7th, 2025 10:28 pmbooksbardsandbaselines There’s something quietly thrilling about reading a book for the first time. The promise of it! The mystery! The potential for a new favorite, or a story that gently rearranges something in your heart. This little list is full of books I’ve never read—some well-loved by others, some quietly intriguing, all of them patiently waiting their turn.
✨ Books I Want to Read for the First Time ✨
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari – Sweeping, smart, and just the right amount of “what is the meaning of human existence anyway?”
Beach Read by Emily Henry – Sharp, swoony, and bookish. I’ve heard it’s romcom gold with emotional depth.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – A cultural touchstone I somehow missed. Time to meet Katniss and cry about it.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune – Whimsy, queer joy, and found family. Basically tailor-made for me.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid – Old Hollywood, scandal, sapphic love—yes yes yes.
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman – Quiet, sad, and hopeful. I want to give Eleanor a cup of tea and a hug already.
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree – Cosy fantasy comfort food. An orc opens a coffee shop and heals? My serotonin thanks you.
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers – Philosophical sci-fi with gentle worldbuilding. Like a deep breath in book form.
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – Slow-burn magic and ethereal beauty? I want to vanish into this book like a puff of circus smoke.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – Brooding mansion, ghost of a glamorous first wife, and creeping dread? I’m intrigued and slightly nervous.
What’s a book you’ve never read but always meant to? Or one that you were late to but ended up loving? Let’s share our literary blind spots 💛
JFC what is it about Greeks?
Jun. 8th, 2025 08:49 amconulyA shocking number of people will blithely tell us all about the book they read, in English, on an English-language subreddit, and never tell us that they didn't read it in English. I can only catch so many of them - if they don't say "English isn't my first language" or make any obvious foreign language errors then I'll never know. (Some of them say "I read this in my own language" and then don't tell us what that language was.)
Most of these people, if prompted, will tell you what language they read it in. Three times now, I've had to ask twice because they refused to answer the question in a useful way, and every time that person has been Greek.
I thought it was a little funny the second time, but three times is the start of a worrying pattern, especially as it's not at all the most popular not-English language posted there. Maybe there's something going badly wrong with their school system?
(And, sidenote, even if you're certain it was translated from English you still ought to tell us the language it was written in. At least in theory this can help us weed out false positives, although I may be expecting too much of fellow commenters to that subreddit.)
***************
( Read more... )
Most of these people, if prompted, will tell you what language they read it in. Three times now, I've had to ask twice because they refused to answer the question in a useful way, and every time that person has been Greek.
I thought it was a little funny the second time, but three times is the start of a worrying pattern, especially as it's not at all the most popular not-English language posted there. Maybe there's something going badly wrong with their school system?
(And, sidenote, even if you're certain it was translated from English you still ought to tell us the language it was written in. At least in theory this can help us weed out false positives, although I may be expecting too much of fellow commenters to that subreddit.)
( Read more... )
