asakiyume: (feathers on the line)
[personal profile] asakiyume
Where do migratory birds have their home?

Below are just three screenshots from a series of 16 photos on the Instagram account of somadifusa (Laura Ortiz), of murals she and the tattoo artist Azul Luna (Instagram account azulunailustra) painted in Bogota, Colombia.

I'm captivated by these images both of traveling swallows, some bearing backpacks and baskets, some with shells on their back like hermit crabs, and of hearts that are also nests, or that morph into shells, or sprout flowers and eyes. "Home is where the heart is," or the heart makes the home.

They write [my clunky translation--see the link at the end to see their original]
I have seen swallows nest in dark passageways, in airports, beneath bridges, in the palm of a hand and in the center of a star. Their wings travel kilometers, crossing the scars of the earth, their free flight reminding us that to migrate is not a crime and that frontiers are imaginary.


art by Somadifusa and Azulunailustra

art by Somadifusa and Azulunailustra

art by Somadifusa and Azulunailustra

art by Somadifusa and Azulunailustra


They conclude their post with a Spanish translation of a poem they believe is by Emily Dickinson, but there's absolutely no sign of it in English, and no sign of it in Spanish, either, except their post. Very strange... Please let them not have been taken in by an AI hallucination... please let there be some other explanation

Original post on Instagram
musesfool: !!!! from Middleman (!!!!)
[personal profile] musesfool
I swear, sometimes I think my oven is some kind of black hole or something, because sometimes the laws of physics seem to weirdly not apply. Yesterday, as planned, I made teriyaki meatballs. Because I don't understand how the recipe author got 28 meatballs out of 16 oz of ground meat, I had 32 oz of ground chicken, from which I made 28 ping pong ball sized meatballs. I baked 16 meatballs on one tray at 400°F for 20 minutes. It was the only tray in the oven. FOURTEEN out of the 16 were at least at 170°F when I took them out of the oven (generally I aim for 165° for fully cooked ground chicken) and checked with my instant read thermometer. TWO were at 143°F. They weren't even next to each other! Just 2 random meatballs that somehow didn't cook to the same temperature as EVERY OTHER meatball on the same tray in the same oven. I mean, I know ovens can have hot spots, so does my oven somehow have cool spots? Less hot spots? I mean, what the actual fuck???

*

synagogue alternatives

Jun. 16th, 2025 02:08 pm
cellio: (Default)
[personal profile] cellio

My synagogue is being acquired [1] and this was the final nudge to find an alternative. This past Shabbat they cancelled our services in favor of the other place, so I went to Beth Shalom, which I last visited during Pesach. Beth Shalom is a large congregation, which is a little challenging for this introvert, but I assume that if I go there regularly I'll gradually meet people and maybe even be able to learn their names.

Their service is uplifting and pretty efficient. They're Conservative, so they include a lot of things that my current (Reform) congregation doesn't do, but it didn't make the service that much longer. I will need to practice the Hebrew in some unfamiliar sections so that I can sing the songs with them; I was kind of singing this time, hitting maybe one word in four and faking the rest. (I know how to read Hebrew; I'm just slow.)

I had not noticed that they had designated this week as Pride Shabbat until the rabbi spoke. I mean yes, I saw some pins and rainbow talitot and stuff, but I saw those the last time I was at Beth Shalom too, so that's just ordinary support/visibility stuff. And there'd been some signs outside, but I hadn't noticed dates. In other words, they integrated the already-welcome queer community into the Shabbat service, honoring people without replacing the whole service with a bunch of creative readings. (Temple Sinai's Pride Shabbat feels more like a poetry slam; Shabbat barely makes an appearance.) I haven't been to a bar or bat mitzvah at Beth Shalom yet, but I imagine it's the same idea there: celebrate together in the context of Shabbat. Conservative and of course Orthodox synagogues tend to prioritize the community, and Shabbat itself, integrating celebrations into the whole instead of carving them off as separate things as Reform is wont to do. It's refreshing.

They have a kiddush lunch every week, which is presumably the best way to meet and get to know people. During Sukkot I went there and ended up in a lunch conversation with another Babylon 5 fan who was explaining the show to a third person. (I haven't seen the fan again yet, alas.) This week I couldn't stay because we had a friend coming, but there'll be a next time and probably soon.

There was a passing comment about the senior rabbi's upcoming sabbatical. I don't know more than that, and I'll want to have a chat with him before, or as part of, joining there, but it's not urgent. There is also an associate rabbi who I like so far; I plan to soon start going to a weekly class he teaches. While exploring their web site I discovered that both rabbis have blogs, which I'm now subscribed to.

Beth Shalom, not unusually, does not publish their dues expectations; you need to have a conversation with someone. Large old congregations with large old buildings tend to have high dues, which I might not be able to afford, especially if they don't have the concept of an individual membership. It can be worked out I'm sure, but it's a little awkward and embarrassing to have that conversation, and I wish I had some data going into it. Oh well; we'll get there. The high holy days (the one time a year when this really matters) are not for a few months yet.

Rodef Shalom (the synagogue Temple Sinai cancelled services for) puts their services on YouTube, so I skimmed that service yesterday. I knew they were having a guest musician, Dan Nichols, as part of celebrating their rabbi's retirement. I knew from a past Dan Nichols visit that he leans toward creative songs and less liturgy (more of a concert than a service), but I was still surprised by what I saw. How do you have a Shabbat morning service that goes almost two hours and not do Kri'at Sh'ma or the T'filah?! By caring I am a minority in the Reform movement, I know, and while this is extreme, it's also a hint of where Rodef Sinai is going. It's time to be elsewhere.

[1] This is not how the leaders characterize it, but I have seen some of the sausage-making and I stand by this description.

Round 176 Theme Poll

Jun. 16th, 2025 08:46 am
runpunkrun: combat boot, pizza, camo pants = punk  (punk rock girl)
[personal profile] runpunkrun posting in [community profile] fancake
Poll #33259 round 176 theme poll
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 87

Pick the next theme of fancake:

Books & Writing
28 (32.2%)

Protest & Revolt
23 (26.4%)

Working Together
36 (41.4%)

Creators Revealed!

Jun. 15th, 2025 11:47 pm
firebatvillain: Drawing of a hand in darkness, holding a ball of fire. (Default)
[personal profile] firebatvillain posting in [community profile] bitesizedfandomsex
Creators have been revealed! Thank you to all the participants and pinch hitters.
 

This was our second year running this exchange, and we really appreciated all the work everyone, new and returning, put in!
 
For future iteratons, to help us grow this exchange, we'd love to hear your feedback below (anon is enabled). Feedback of any kind is welcome, but we are particularly interested in hearing about one topic:
  • Art Medium. This was our first year allowing art as a medium. For those who made use of this option as a recipient or creator, any feedback would be appreciated.
Thank you for any feedback you choose to give, and thanks again for a great Bite-Sized Fandoms Exchange 2025.

See you next year!
 
Bite-Sized Mod Team

(no subject)

Jun. 16th, 2025 05:07 am
[syndicated profile] apod_feed

How different does sunset appear from Mars than from Earth? How different does sunset appear from Mars than from Earth?


mific: (Natasha)
[personal profile] mific posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America, The Avengers
Characters/Pairings: Natasha Romanov/Maria Hill, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers, James 'Bucky' Barnes/Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson, Nick Fury, Phil Coulsen, various MCU characters
Rating: Mature
Length: 04:21:03 (41,322 words)
Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence, abuse of children by the Red Room, recollection of past pet death
Creator Links: Quietnight on the Audiofic Archive, Quietnight on AO3, notcaycepollard on AO3
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Families of choice, Time travel, Fix-it

Summary: The fall is longer than Natasha expects.

It’s tears cold on her face, teeth bitten all the way through her lip and the taste of copper in her mouth; she’s falling and falling and then, bracing for impact—she wakes up.

Reccer's Notes: This is one of my favourite podfics by one of my favourite podficcers, and it's a tour de force. It's a long story by notcaycepollard that puts right Natasha's death with the soul stone - instead of dying she's sent back in time to the moment in her Red Room training she most regrets, and from that moment lives her life anew and, with her knowledge of the first time around, is able to fix the worst, most tragic disasters and losses of canon. It starts with Natasha rescuing her sister trainee black widows from the Red Room, plus Bucky the Winter Soldier who's there as well. There's a lovely, slow-burn relationship with Maria Hill in the story, but the key relationships for Natasha are with her sisters, aged from a four-year-old to teenagers when they escape, and the podfic's centre is the found family they create. The fix-it aspects are enormously satisfying and Quietnight's reading is, as ever, nuanced and fluent, beautifully performed - including all the Russian names and words, and a pleasure to listen to. An epic story and a wonderful podfic, stirring and heartwarming, and infinitely better than canon.

Fanwork Links: when i die i’ll sacrifice (more than enough for the afterlife) on the Audiofic Archive, and on AO3
(the fic is the first in a series of three stories)

gotta love the kids keeping score

Jun. 14th, 2025 07:27 pm
musesfool: a loaf of bread (staff of life)
[personal profile] musesfool
I knew it was coming, but I'm still sad about Chris Kreider getting traded to the Ducks. He's been my favorite since Lundqvist retired, not just because I liked his play but also because I thought it was unlikely he'd get traded. *hands* After this past season, I understand blowing it all up, but it's still sad. He definitely had some signature moments in a Rangers uni, and I will miss him.

In other news, this morning, I made this baked oatmeal and it's good, but probably needs a little more cinnamon? Or maybe some allspice? Hmm... It'll be nice for breakfast over the next few days. Next weekend I'll make banana bread since I now have a bunch of bananas, since i needed one for this recipe. (It was either applesauce or bananas, and I'm more likely to eat/use the bananas, so...)

And then this afternoon, I made this pizza dough, which turned out well, but took a full hour to double in size, despite what the recipe says, so dinner was later than planned. I topped it with some mozzarella and this white sauce. it was good! (Pictures here.)

Tomorrow, I'll be making teriyaki chicken meatballs for lunch for the week. Right now, every surface in my kitchen is covered in drying dishes, which is the real annoyance of the dishwasher not working.

*
garryowen: (leaves)
[personal profile] garryowen posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Star Trek AOS (Reboot)
Pairings/Characters: Nyota Uhura
Rating: G
Length: 1866 words
Creator Links: [archiveofourown.org profile] danahid
Theme: Female relationships

Summary:

I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map.

There are rules of diplomacy that you have been trained to follow. There are realities that you have been educated to expect. You are poised and dedicated and intelligent and professional, and there are horrors in the universe that you don’t want your sisters to know. There are false maps to terrible places that you don’t want your sisters to follow. You know that you can’t protect them from everything, but this you can protect them from for a little while longer.


Reccer's Notes: I am partial to stories that explore why people join Starfleet, and this is an excellent example. While the story talks about Uhura's motivations, it also explores her relationship with her younger sisters. She is both inspiration and protector to them, and she's very aware of her role.

This story takes on both the promise and sacrifice of going beyond traditional roles. Yes, Uhura accomplishes so much, but those accomplishments come at a cost, a cost she doesn't want her sisters to know about because she wants them to find their own way.

Danahid's writing is always exact and meticulous and beautiful, and this story is no exception. There's so much in these 1800 words, including a beautiful ending.

Fanwork Links: How to Write Letters Home to Your Sisters

Hey AI — hands off my em-dash

Jun. 14th, 2025 02:03 am
firecat: damiel from wings of desire tasting blood on his fingers. text "i has a flavor!" (Default)
[personal profile] firecat
My fave is the semicolon; however, I refuse to cede em-dashes or any other punctuation marks to ChatGPT.

These attacks on the em dash — a ChatGPT hyphen? How very dare you! — have in turn blazed across social media spaces populated by the kind of folks who will tell you, unprompted, that they have a favorite punctuation mark and what it is. (It is very likely the em dash.) — https://www.salon.com/2025/06/11/ai-cant-have-my-em-dash/

Summer Plans

Jun. 13th, 2025 08:25 pm
summercomfort: (Default)
[personal profile] summercomfort
Whelp, school is officially over, so I guess it's time to start Doing Summer. Spouse has finally gotten a job again! That pays actual money! This means that they're commuting to work most days of the week, tho, which does impact summer schedule flexibility, etc.

Anyway, there's some immediate work to do tonight/this weekend:
- write WASC update, catch up on emails, submit the belated WASC update
- fold and sort laundry
----> go thru Miss Rutabaga's clothes and clear out the stuff that's too small
- clean out the car and sort out all the detritus there
- do some more sorting/purging!
----> Move some of the comics from living room bookshelf to the bedroom bookshelf
----> Move some of the extraneous boardgames onto the living room bookshelf
----> Create Craft Area bookshelf in the living room
----> Decide what to put in newly cleared dining room bookshelf Leave it to Spouse
----> take photos and list the Large Devices that we no longer need
- Father's Day this Sunday!

And then next week, we have camping mid-week and Miss R doesn't have summer camp, but will be good time to work on:
- Anthology stuff: finish Anthology comic, put together everything, draw Anthology cover
- Maybe start work on the taiko drum?
- Maybe do a big batch of tie-dye?

After that comes 2 weeks of summer camp, and then 2 weeks of travel, and then 3 weeks of summer camp, before school starts again. Things I want to do:
- maybe draw July 4th comic again?
- finish some fic wips, I think
- get next Asian American court case comic drafted

SGA: Walk Beside Me by Rachel500

Jun. 13th, 2025 08:16 pm
mific: (Teyla serious)
[personal profile] mific posting in [community profile] fancake
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: Gen. Teyla Emmagan & Sam Carter, Evan Lorne
Rating: Teen
Length: 8824
Content Notes: canon-typical violence, minor character death
Creator Links: Rachel500 on AO3, ArwenLune on AO3, ArwenLune on Audiofic Archive
Themes: Female relationships, Action/adventure, Friendship, Women being awesome

Summary: When a diplomatic mission is interrupted by the Wraith, Sam and Teyla wrestle their personal demons to work together and find a way back to Atlantis.

Reccer's Notes:
This is set soon after Sam Carter comes to Atlantis to replace Elizabeth, and both she and Teyla initially grapple with her new role. Teyla, unlike John and Rodney, had no prior knowledge of Sam Carter and can't help missing Elizabeth and not fully trusting Carter. Then a mission goes badly wrong and they're thrown together, and have to find a way through their feelings as they deal with the dangerous situation. It's a gripping read with interesting character explorations and a satisfying ending. There's also a podfic version, excellently read by ArwenLune.

Fanwork Links: Walk Beside Me on AO3
And the Podfic, read by ArwenLune

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