Welcome to fire season

Nov. 8th, 2025 03:58 pm
fred_mouse: A hazard sign that says "WARNING! The Floor is Lava" in a pool of lava with the text "The Floor Is Lava!" (lava)
[personal profile] fred_mouse

Four sodding big helicopters have just gone overhead. Checking the emergency website, Wireless Hill (the whole parkland) is on yellow alert.

This isn't that early for fire season -- reasonably sure that the fire bans start in October, but it sure feels early.

Photos from Cyprus

Nov. 8th, 2025 07:55 am
nanila: me (Default)
[personal profile] nanila
20251108_083428
[Breakfast terrace view. Hire cars have red number plates.]

I didn't have much of an opportunity to research Cyprus before I arrived. Nicosia, the host city of the conference I just attended, is divided between Greek and Turkish Cyprus. The hotel I booked - and all I did was select the cheapest one on the conference accommodation list because it’s close to the venue - is only a couple of blocks from the Green Zone, the UN policed buffer that separates the two halves of the island. It is clear to see as soon as you go around the side of the hotel. Many shops are boarded up (though the flats above them are still occupied), their gates rusted and facades crumbling.

20251107_130632
[Crumbling gracefully.]

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[Crumbling less gracefully.]

A few stalwart businesses keep their doors open.

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[Bold claim: “Cyprus: Irresistible for 9000 years”]

Just a couple of blocks away are shiny new high rise buildings and attractive public spaces. You could, as a tourist, choose never to stray from the wide boulevards and safe pavements.

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[Eleftheria Square by day.]

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[Walking below Eleftheria Square at night.]

Google maps certainly didn't believe I should do that, taking me on a different path to the conference venue every day, past an entirely new set of cats.

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[Noble guardian.]

There are cats *everywhere*. Food and water are left out for them on the street corners and in vacant lots. They are even more prevalent at night.

20251105_191117
[The Gang.]

I must have spoken to 15 different people after arriving before I encountered a Nicosian Cypriot. The first Cypriot I met was giving a talk in the firzt session I attended who of course lives in London, not Cyprus. He recommended the meze restaurant (see below). The food here is incredible. I've tried something new every day.

Georgian food.

20251104_193302
[All of these bean paste / beetroot things are nice, but the ones in the middle are fried aubergine wrapped around walnut paste and I could have eaten about thirty of those alone and been very happy.]

Meze.

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[This was about a quarter of the way through the meal, and they kept bringing dishes. Far too much food for two people, although PhD student and I made a heroic effort. Those little fried courgette strips on the far right were my undoing.]

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[Dessert.]

“Healthy eating” restaurant.

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[This may look heavy / oily but it was not. The pastry was delicate and crisp and the feta inside was like a little fluffy cloud. Amazing.]

Even the breakfast at my otherwise average hotel was delicious.

20251105_073448
[The little roll covered in sesame seeds has a sort of olive pate in it which is *chef's kiss*. I had one every morning.]

In summary, 10/10, would come back to Cyprus to Eat All The Things.
sholio: murderbot group from episode 10 (Murderbot-family1)
[personal profile] sholio
I was too busy to notice when it happened, but [community profile] trickortreatex revealed authors this morning, which means I can 'fess up to my (not at all predictable) ToT offering.

The Preservation Harvest Festival (4989 words) by Sholio
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Murderbot & PreservationAux Survey Team (Murderbot Diaries)
Characters: Murderbot (Murderbot Diaries), Dr. Mensah (Murderbot Diaries), Dr. Ratthi (Murderbot Diaries), Dr. Gurathin (Murderbot Diaries), Amena (Murderbot Diaries)
Additional Tags: Halloween, Holidays, Trick or Treating, Friendship, Bonding, get loved idiot
Summary: Murderbot vs. Halloween.
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Posted by Emma Saven

Accountability is something that should be taught at an early age, from when we color on our parents' white walls, to when we arrive home after our set curfew. We learn from early on that actions have consequences, whether that might be getting our crayons taken away or not being allowed to go to Lilabelle's 16th birthday extravaganza! However, it's no surprise that some kids (or in this case, young adults) are better at taking accountability than others…especially when those actions have a negative domino effect on the people around them.

This family decided to switch insurance companies, but among their request, they were asked to provide their 19-year-old son's Driver's Ed Completion Certificate. When the father contacted the company in an attempt to get the certificate, they told him he was not eligible for it, as he didn't complete the online portion! Keep in mind, this cost his parents over $700 to even partake in. His excuse was that it was pointless, an excuse that will now cost his parents an extra $13 a month on their insurance plan. So we wonder what his response will be when they inform him that all those amounts will be deducted straight out of his allowance…Maybe then he'll reconsider the definition of pointless

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Posted by Lana DeGaetano

If you're lucky, you will work or have already worked in an office that provides you with snacks, beverages, and sometimes, meals. The office snack basket is always stacked to the brim with your favorite sweet and savory treats, the fridge can barely be closed because of how many cans of Coca-Cola are stuffed into it, and you feel, at the very least, satiated because of your employer. If it isn't reflected in your salary, at least it's reflected in non-dairy coffee creamer, right? Right…

Though this grub is all for the taking, that is usually exclusive to your time in the office. Employers aren't looking to finance your grocery bill at home, and honestly, this employee greed ruins the snack system for the rest of their coworkers. We all want to see a fruitful array of food and beverages when we clock in at 9 AM sharp, but all it takes is one bad apple to put a stop to that.

The employee in this next story is caught stealing two gallons of milk from the office refrigerator, and higher-ups have a meeting about it. Apparently, this is not the first theft by this employee, but rather one of many, from not only this specific employee, but also from others. Scroll to read.

cornerofmadness: (Default)
[personal profile] cornerofmadness
in the pouring rain at night at 65 miles per hour all I can hear is Jack Burton saying I never drive faster than I can see...and it's all in the reflexes.

So I had to give two of the bone tests today and it left me leaving later than I wanted to get to Athens for the writers meet up (i.e. me and MKF) and from there on to Marietta so it's about 80 miles of highway from here to there. Ah well I'm here, alive and well and apparently only a handful of doors down from Eddie Munster and several wrestlers who are all guests at the Marietta Monster Mash. It should be fun (and it starts an hour later than I thought so I should find something to do in the morning. I wouldn't mind going to Jeremiah's but the onstreet parking for that coffee shop sucks it hard)

And the lady I talked to last night did me a favor. I have a mini suite with two couches AND at the con rate of 70$ and she introduced me to the con's showrunner (guess she liked me)

Let's do fannish friday

Starting with my review of Hazbin Hotel's 3rd and 4th episodes

under here because 98% of you aren't into the fandom and it got long because I got excited )

And I wrote a story for [personal profile] spikesgirl58's challenge and yes it IS spoilery for Hazbin S2E3

Title: No Matter How Strong, I'm Gonna Take You Down

Summary: Anthony knows it’s either him or his father and he will do what he has to. The aftermath isn’t all he expected

Notes: Major spoilers for S2 Episode 3 and Angel’s backstory. Definitely watch the episode first.

Written for spikesgirl58’s 6 word challenge. The words were Harmony, Abort, Drug, Muddled, Slippery, & Apathetic

Also written for the allbingo prompt of I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. over my life and the lyrical titles bingo challenge for the prompt an angry song. I chose Dinner at Eight by Rufus Wainright

Story under here or at the above link )

And all the fandom recs will have to wait maybe til tomorrow. It's quite late.

Fandom Fifty: #36

Nov. 7th, 2025 08:03 pm
senmut: 3 blue seahorse shapes of varying sizes on a dark background (General: Seahorse Triad)
[personal profile] senmut
2011 - I don't remember much of this year. It's the last year at the Evol Empire, first year at the lab... so a lot of change.

Thor - Do I have issues with the myth breaking? Yes. But as a superhero movie goes, it was a fun romp. (Personal opinion, the Thor franchise is a bit weaker overall than some of the others).
Captain America: The First Avenger - I loved this one. It's the only one of the CA movies I unilaterally love.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - OH HELL YEAH. Even having a bunch of actors that I don't usually care for in it could not kill my love of this! And yes, I did watch the originals, but still love this modern take on it.
War Horse - Still uncertain why I chose to watch this, but wound up enjoying the wandering tale greatly.

Green Lantern - On the list because, much as I love Hal, I despised this movie so much in the first 15 minutes I stopped watching it.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon - The novelization was better, and it spawned epic AUs from me and my co-writer at the time.
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Posted by Bar Mor Hazut

While interviewing for a new job, one hears a lot of strange requests that they don't quite know how to deal with.

We've heard of job candidates given assignments that are basically doing the job for the company, and we've heard of people being interviewed on Zoom while the hiring manager was vacationing in Thailand. You never know what or who you will be meeting when you land an interview for a new job, but one thing is for sure – the possibilities are endless.

The job candidate in the story below experienced what we think is a first, because we have never heard of this type of request. After their first round of interviews, the hiring manager asked them to send in a "thank-you video" to the team to express their gratitude and reiterate their interest in their role. The job candidate thought this was a weird request, so they politely declined, only to be told they cannot proceed with the hiring process without the video. 

How would you rate this request on the scale of weird interview moments? Keep scrolling to read the full tale and share in the comments below.

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Posted by Etai Eshet

You know the feeling when an appliance or a smoke detector just refuses to stop beeping and shut up? For this one unlucky lawyer, it was just that but not from a microwave or coffee machine. Unfortunately for her, it's the best-friend-turned-colleague who never quite evolved out of middle school. Somewhere between the cold coffee updates and TikTok marathons in the open-plan wasteland, the younger version of this friendship slid into the Twilight Zone. Once, sharing secrets meant late-night sleepovers and cautionary tales about teachers. Now, it's a barrage of toilet confessions and ponytail betrayals, all delivered with the urgency of a courtroom emergency.

30 in 30: Forever Knight

Nov. 7th, 2025 06:16 pm
senmut: Lacroix and Janette together (Forever Knight: Lacroix Janette)
[personal profile] senmut
AO3 Link | Lessons In Living and Death (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forever Knight
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Janette DuCharme
Additional Tags: Drabble, Introspection, Canonical Character Death
Summary:

Janette, reflecting over lessons



Lessons in Living and Death

There had been a time when Janette had been certain she knew just what life, and death, were all about. She could have all of the pretty things she wished, craft games to entertain her, and enjoy Nick's company.

Then he arrived in her city after a long absence, and things began falling apart. From his near-killing of their creator to his wanton embroilment in human policies and lives, Nick was upending every rule of her existence. His partner and his love interest alike added to the chaos.

Meeting Robert changed everything.

Losing him was a bitter lesson of loss.

[ SECRET POST #6881 ]

Nov. 7th, 2025 06:53 pm
case: (Default)
[personal profile] case posting in [community profile] fandomsecrets

⌈ Secret Post #6881 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.


01.



More! )


Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 00 pages, 00 secrets from Secret Submission Post #982.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
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Posted by Jesse Kessenheimer

Companies love to preach about their amazing office culture and a thriving workplace environment, but when it comes to planning something more complicated than the annual pizza party,  suddenly there's far less enthusiasm coming from the higher-ups. A data analyst called out her HR department's morale-destroying plan when they signed her up to be the new unpaid lead for their culture-boosting protocols. All without asking, they threw her name at the top of the list to take on an enormous amount of extra work, but she put her foot down, refusing to take on any additional workload without consulting her direct manager first. 

This out-of-pocket HR team didn't like that. 

Apparently, the morale boost they were looking for wasn't coming from the bottom of their hearts, but from whatever leadership podcast they most recently heard. Clearly, they missed the point, and this office employee wasn't about to triple their daily workload without seeing that effort reflected on their paycheck. You know what is an excellent morale boost in the workplace? More money in your pocket every month.

earthspirits: Art by Larry Fanning (snow wolf)
[personal profile] earthspirits posting in [community profile] historium
Fandom: Dark Shadows (1966) 
Main Characters: Dr. Julia Hoffman, Gerard Stiles, Daphne Harridge, Barnabas Collins, Eliot Stokes. Other DS characters also feature in this story + an original character.
Relationships: Gerard / Daphne and Julia / Barnabas
Eras: 19th Century, 20th Century + Parallel Timeline
Title: Midwinter
Rating: Mature
Word Count thus far: 1,923
Note: This story features some spoilers for DS 1970 / 1971 storylines.
Trigger Warnings for Chapter 1: Angst, reference to grieving + brief references to past deaths, blood and gore.
Summary: In 1971, Dr. Julia Hoffman stumbles across a portal while walking in the woods. Swept into a future parallel world, she finds sanctuary at Collinwood. To her dismay, she soon learns that the Collins family of this reality is under siege. An ancient enemy seeks to destroy them, and it's up to Julia to help defeat it.

Link: archiveofourown.org/works/73731971/chapters/192254016

 

[embodiment] notes various

Nov. 7th, 2025 09:35 pm
kaberett: Trans symbol with Swiss Army knife tools at other positions around the central circle. (Default)
[personal profile] kaberett

mild anaemia )

The other topic is Physio, and specifically a bunch of the stuff I've been doing courtesy of the (NHS) Lower Limbs Class I've been intermittently going to since the summer; I am finally managing to add Doing This Stuff Once A Week (Not At Class) into my routine, and in addition to just getting better at the exercises themselves I have noticed repeatedly this week that I'm finding getting up from e.g. being sat on the beanbag much easier.

a little more on exercise )

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Posted by Emma Saven

We thought the worst thing any employee could hear from someone of higher office power is that 'you're replaceable!'…But imagine hearing 'You're replaceable and they're worth an extra $20k than you are…' We can't blame this senior designer for refusing to train her new replacement after discovering she is set to earn $20k more than her for the exact same position, but minus the 8 years of experience! Especially when the main reason she resigned in the first place was a result of her company's unwillingness to grant her a much-deserved raise, after all she had contributed to the company.

Sure, she is required to brief her on what is currently going on regarding her work and clients, but it is not her job to stick around, perfecting her replacement, when her company clearly doesn't value her at all! She may not be able to control their reasoning, competitive market-shmarket…, but what she can control is her reaction. So deep breaths, head held high and walk out that door the same way you walked in…without looking back, except this time, you've learnt a thing or two about loyalty

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