Pinch Hitter Prompts 2025

Nov. 16th, 2025 05:11 pm
yuletidemods: A hippo lounges with laptop in hand, peering at the screen through a pair of pince-nez and smiling. A text bubble with a heart emerges from the screen. The hippo dangles a computer mouse from one toe. By Oro. (Default)
[personal profile] yuletidemods posting in [community profile] yuletide_admin
Every year, well over a hundred pinch hitters take on extra assignments. Many of these pinch hitters are signed up to Yuletide, with an assigned writer and recipient from the start. Some are not!

Though these supporting pinch hitters are not guaranteed a gift, we'd like to make it a possibility. On this post, we're collecting prompts from the pinch hitters who are not signed up to Yuletide, so that others may give them treats.


To writers
Please consider writing a treat for a pinch hitter! See instructions for how, where, and when to post a treat. Full-length gifts for pinch hitters are welcome in the Main collection.


To pinch hitters
If you are signed up to Yuletide this year, this post does not apply to you, but we still hope you enjoy your gift(s).

If you are not signed up to Yuletide this year but you have claimed or posted a pinch hit, please comment to this post with your requests! Please limit yourself to Yuletide-eligible fandoms, but you can ask for more than 8 different fandoms.

Yuletide 2025 tag set on AO3
Tag set as a browser app

You can treat your comment as a Dear Writer letter, with likes and prompts, or include a link to a letter. Either way, please include the following information when you comment:

-your AO3 name
-your requested fandoms [please format the fandoms exactly as they are in the tag set if possible]
-your requested characters

and, optionally, ideas for what you would like to receive, DNWs, and/or (a) link(s) to other places where you have written about what you would like. You're welcome to comment on mini-challenge posts!


Thank you, pinch hitters! And thank you to anyone on the lookout to pick up a pinch hit - we will post them at [community profile] yuletide_pinch_hits throughout the exchange.



Schedule, Rules, & Collection | Contact Mods | Participant DW | Participant LJ | Pinch Hits on DW | Discord | Tag set | Tag set app

Please either comment logged-in or sign a name. Unsigned anonymous comments will be left screened. And specifically, if you would like to get a treat, we need your AO3 name so we know whom to give it to!

Yuletide 2025 Beta Readers

Nov. 15th, 2025 08:54 pm
yuletidemods: A hippo lounges with laptop in hand, peering at the screen through a pair of pince-nez and smiling. A text bubble with a heart emerges from the screen. The hippo dangles a computer mouse from one toe. By Oro. (Default)
[personal profile] yuletidemods posting in [community profile] yuletide
It is time once again to organize beta readers for Yuletide! Beta readers can check your fic for style, language issues, canon compliance, specialized knowledge of various kinds, and making sure the whole thing makes sense. Being a beta reader yourself is a fun way to contribute to Yuletide--even if you're not writing a story!

If you're interested in beta reading somebody else's story, fill out the form HERE It will ask about what fandoms you are willing to beta for, as well as other kinds of expertise you're willing to offer. Note that you will need to enter an email address, which will be visible to other users, but we will hide this information after Yuletide 2025 is over. After you've filled out the form, you'll get an email containing your responses and a link you can use to edit your answers.

If you need a beta, check the spreadsheet HERE. All responses will be visible in the tab "Form Responses." We’ll be copy-pasting information from there into the other tabs as we’re able to make them easier to find. Find someone offering the kind of help you need (make sure it's not your recipient!) and contact them directly. If no one is offering what you need, you can also comment anonymously on this post to see if someone can help, or you can sign onto the Yuletide Discord and contact a hippo.

If you’re asking for a beta, it can often be helpful to be clear about what types of feedback would be helpful to you. Examples could be that you’re looking for thoughts on characterization and story structure; or you'd particularly like feedback on whether your story successfully avoids topics your recipient doesn't want; or maybe you specify that you would like a check of spelling, punctuation, and grammar (SPAG) but are specifically not interested in feedback on wording choices.

It’s also courteous to ask your beta reader if they would like to be credited when you post your fic, and if so, how. Some people appreciate public thanks in an author’s note, while others may prefer not to be named.

If you have any questions, comment on this post or email the mods at yuletideadmin@gmail.com. (The beta post is an unofficial aspect of Yuletide. Mods had time to put it up this year, but we don’t mean to take it over, so we hope a non-mod participant can put it up in 2026.)

Whether you're volunteering as a beta, or considering future coordination, we appreciate you a lot! Thank you for helping out.

Also please feel free to share any tips you may have about what makes a good beta experience (either as a beta or when seeking a beta's help).

New Year's Resolutions 2025: Round-Up

Nov. 14th, 2025 11:19 pm
morbane: uletide mod image of guinea pig among daisies (Yuletide)
[personal profile] morbane posting in [community profile] yuletide
We opened the New Year's Resolutions 2025 AO3 collection on 1 January and closed it on October 24 when Yuletide assignments went out.

This year's collection had 25 works total (mostly fic - but not all), in:

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Alien (Prequel Movies 2012 2017)
Barely Lethal (2015)
Betrayal at Krondor (Video Games)
괴물 | Beyond Evil (TV)
Brave (2012)
Creep (Movies 2014 2017)
For All Mankind (TV 2019)
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom - Halsey (Album)
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (Video Game)
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
The Secret Garden - Simon/Norman
Slow Horses (TV)
승리호 | Space Sweepers (2021)
Star Wars - All Media Types
Star Wars: The High Republic: Phase I - Various Authors
Strange Way Of Life (Short Film 2023)
Super Powereds - Drew Hayes
Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀 (TV)
Transistor (Video Game)
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - Natasha Pulley
Winslow Boy (1999)
ヲタクに恋は難しい | Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii | Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (Anime)

Thank you to everyone who contributed a make-up story, to people fulfilling other personal challenges, and to everyone who simply felt inspired.

Click this details tag for more information about the works, in reverse order posted.
hearts still burn the same (1244 words) by thewomanupstairs
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Strange Way Of Life (Short Film 2023)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sheriff Jake/Silva (Strange Way Of Life)
Characters: Silva (Strange Way Of Life), Sheriff Jake (Strange Way Of Life)
Additional Tags: Body Worship, Injury Recovery, Possessive Behavior, "love is a game and i'm playing to win" vibes
Summary:

Even with having so much time between then and now to think on it, Jake was never able to answer the question of whether the pain of being with Silva outweighed the pain of being without.



Hairy situation (1001 words) by Fiore01
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Brave (2012)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Elinor/Fergus (Disney: Brave), Elinor & Merida (Disney)
Characters: Elinor (Disney), Merida (Disney), Fergus (Disney: Brave)
Additional Tags: Domestic Fluff
Summary:

The guilt of what she had done still hit her hard.



after the end (1366 words) by computational
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 괴물 | Beyond Evil (TV)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Han Juwon/Lee Dongsik (Beyond Evil)
Characters: Kang Minjung (Beyond Evil)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Grief/Mourning, Flowers, Han Juwon Loves Lee Dongsik (Beyond Evil), Domestic Han Juwon/Lee Dongsik (Beyond Evil), Canonical Character Death
Summary:

A year after everything, Lee Dongsik starts talking to plants. Juwon listens, and learns.



What's Built To Last (2795 words) by platinum_firebird
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Alien (Prequel Movies 2012 2017)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Katherine Daniels/Walter
Characters: Katherine Daniels, Walter (Alien Series)
Additional Tags: Fix-It, Post-Canon Fix-It, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Specifically Walter, Alien Planet, New Planets, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Holding Hands, Healing, Developing Relationship, Grief/Mourning
Summary:

After surviving the death-trap of Planet 4 together, Walter and Daniels make a start on the cabin by the lake.



borage and soapweed and arnica (2166 words) by Pure_Anon
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Secret Garden - Simon/Norman
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dr. Neville Craven & Mary Lennox
Characters: Dr. Neville Craven, Mary Lennox (The Secret Garden)
Additional Tags: Men Crying, Angst, Complicated Relationships, Hopeful Ending
Summary:

Neville stumbled out blindly, uncaring, unthinking of where he would go, only knowing he could not remain in Lily’s garden with its atmosphere of oppressive joy, a place where he was so clearly not wanted.



Houston (1027 words) by crazykookie
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: For All Mankind (TV 2019)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Margo Madison & Aleida Rosales, Margo Madison & William "Bill" Strausser, Margo Madison & Wernher von Braun
Characters: Margo Madison, Aleida Rosales, William "Bill" Strausser (For All Mankind), Wernher von Braun
Summary:

Houston, NASA, and the years of Margo's life



[Art] Riddle Chest (0 words) by Hekachoc
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Betrayal at Krondor (Video Games)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Owyn Beleforte & Gorath
Characters: Gorath (Riftwar Saga), Owyn Beleforte
Additional Tags: Art, Humour, Riddles, Crack, Banter, Meta


Becalmed (575 words) by Age or Wizardry
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Llewyn Davis
Additional Tags: time loop (implied), questioning the efficacy of timeloops as a tool for changing behavior, doing something with the movie's references to The Odyssey
Summary:

The purpose of a time loop is supposed to involve the person realizing they're in one.



Coffee Talk (20088 words) by C-chan
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: ヲタクに恋は難しい | Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii | Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (Anime)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Momose Narumi/Nifuji Hirotaka, Nifuji Naoya/Sakuragi Kou, Kabakura Tarou/Koyanagi Hanako, Momose Narumi & Nifuji Naoya, Kabakura Tarou & Koyanagi Hanako & Momose Narumi & Nifuji Hirotaka & Nifuji Naoya & Sakuragi Kou
Characters: Momose Narumi, Nifuji Naoya, Nifuji Hirotaka, Koyanagi Hanako, Kabakura Tarou, Sakuragi Kou
Additional Tags: References to Coffee Talk (Video Game), Coffee Shops, Marriage Proposal, Plans For The Future, Collab Cafés, anime and gaming references, Canon Compliant, Community: smallfandombang, Canon pregnancy
Summary:

After watching Narumi play Coffee Talk, Naoya is inspired to open a café that specifically caters to an evening crowd. In order to get an idea of what's out there, he invites Narumi to visit various cafés with him to better understand the coffee scene outside of the [off-brand Starbucks] chain in which he's currently employed. (Narumi... maaaayyyyy use this as an excuse to take him to various collab cafés and get more of the collectable goods, but hey! They're still technically cafés, right?) Oh, and also, Naoya is planning on proposing to Kou after beating her at a video game, despite being the worst gamer ever. Which means Narumi needs to find a way to help him out. Too bad that Hirotaka's clearly not working on the same excuse.

Expect a lot of café culture, tons of nerdiness, and the occasional burst of romance and introspection as Narumi helps her future little brother in law make his dreams come true.



At the Threshold (5150 words) by edwardianspinsteraunt
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Winslow Boy (1999)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Robert Morton/Catherine Winslow
Characters: Robert Morton (Winslow Boy), Catherine Winslow, Desmond Curry
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Kissing, Vulnerability, questionable decisions, Confessions (of various sorts), semi-resolved sexual tension, Angst with a Happy Ending, past Catherine Winslow/John Watherstone
Summary:

Catherine learns earlier of Sir Robert's sacrifice - a discovery that has surprising results.



go down with the ship (880 words) by facingthenorthwind
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars: The High Republic: Phase I - Various Authors, Star Wars - All Media Types
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Hedda Casset, Burraga Agaburry
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Book: Star Wars: The High Republic: Light of the Jedi - Charles Soule, Hedda Casset Lives, Survivor Guilt
Summary:

The staff had suggested that the bridge crew who had been so miraculously rescued by the Jedi meet their rescuers, which Hedda would have been far more enthusiastic about had she been able to have any peaceful sleep or feel anything except the crushing guilt of being alive. The least she could have done was go down with her ship. The least she should have done.



Mr. Campbell Goes to Washington (1941 words) by MehitableCressens
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Super Powereds - Drew Hayes
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alice Adair/Nick Campbell
Characters: Alice Adair | Legacy, Nick Campbell (Super Powereds), Blaine Jeffries | Zero, Sean Pendleton | Wisp
Additional Tags: Humor, Las Vegas Wedding, Politics, Missing Scene, And they plotted happily ever after, Family
Summary:

A wedding between subtlety majors was going to result in multiple subtle plots being advanced, whether they be for amusement or to begin taking over Washington. Blaine Jeffries really, really wished that Scotch was on menu when Nick Campbell came over to "network."



Sick Day (1318 words) by Rodo
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 승리호 | Space Sweepers (2021)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Captain Jang Hyun Sook, Kang Kot Nim | Dorothy, Tiger Park | Park Kyung Soo, Kim Tae Ho (Space Sweepers), Bubs (Space Sweepers)
Additional Tags: Sick Character, Post-Canon
Summary:

“I think Kot-nim’s sick,” Bubs said.



and everybody's mother's child is going to spy (to see if reindeer really know how to fly) (2566 words) by Morbane
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Barely Lethal (2015)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Liz Larson/Megan Walsh
Characters: Liz Larson, Parker Larson, Megan Walsh
Additional Tags: Fluff, Christmas Fluff, Feelings Realization, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Winter
Summary:

Sure, Liz had expected Megan to be all in on Christmas: especially on getting to experience it as Megan, not just 83. But in at least one aspect, Megan was already one step ahead.



Duet() (610 words) by Hekateras
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Transistor (Video Game)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Red/Sybil Reisz
Characters: Red (Transistor), Mr. Nobody | Man Inside Transistor, Sybil Reisz
Additional Tags: During Canon, Canon Compliant, Obsession, Canon-Typical Tragedy, The Process, unusual formatting
Summary:

With every blow she strikes, the Empty Set sings back to her with her own voice.



Worth Staying For (1240 words) by Hekateras
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (Video Game)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dys/Sol (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist)
Characters: Dys (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist), Sol (I Was a Teenage Exocolonist)
Additional Tags: male!Sol, During Canon, Angst, Hopeful Ending, Glow Month, angsty fluff, Hugs, Kissing under the Void, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:

Dys has come to say goodbye, but Sol is nowhere to be found.



a space, a drop, a cloth (the comfort of frailties in me) (6238 words) by saturni_stellis
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: David Bowman/HAL 9000, David Bowman/Frank Poole
Characters: David Bowman, HAL 9000, Frank Poole
Additional Tags: Angst, Blood and Injury, Masturbation, Canonical Character Death, Voyeurism, extremely dubious voyeurism tbh, Watching Someone Sleep, Robot/Human Relationships, Robot Feels, Unhappy Ending, but also..., Ambiguous/Open Ending
Summary:

Hal processes at lightning speed, but what can only seem like a second in human time, can feel like an eternity to him. After all, he can record, replay and recount every single miniature motion of someone’s expression, someone’s words and the cadence of their voice.



Colors of a Melody (1439 words) by Bodldops
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Watchmaker of Filigree Street - Natasha Pulley
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Keita Mori/Thaniel Steepleton
Characters: Keita Mori, Thaniel Steepleton
Additional Tags: Synesthesia, Slice of Life, Keita Mori's inherent resistance to asking for nice things
Summary:

Thaniel did tell Keita about being able to see sounds - he just didn't think that comment would be remembered. As if Keita hadn't been planning for this for decades.



the furthest stars came thundering at the door (4461 words) by thisbluespirit
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Winslow Boy (1999)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Robert Morton/Catherine Winslow
Characters: Robert Morton (Winslow Boy), Catherine Winslow
Additional Tags: Yuletide Treat, Edwardian Period, with World War I approaching like the down express, Trains, Smoking, Post-Canon, Scandal
Summary:

Catherine and Sir Robert find themselves on the same train, but travelling in quite different directions.



Mr. Lamb and the Wolf (1441 words) by Calacious
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Creep (Movies 2014 2017)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Aaron (Creep), Josef (Creep)
Additional Tags: Kidnapping, Drugging, Post-Canon, Alternate Ending, bound and gagged, Threats of Violence
Summary:

Instead of killing Aaron, Josef decides to take him.



These Cloudy Skies Are Not Forever (3713 words) by Wu_Ya_Zui
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀 (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rou Fu You | Làng Wū Yáo/Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn, Mutsu Ten Mei | Mù Tiān Mìng/Rou Fu You | Làng Wū Yáo, Mutsu Ten Mei | Mù Tiān Mìng/Rou Fu You | Làng Wū Yáo/Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn
Characters: Ryouga | Líng Yá, Rou Fu You | Làng Wū Yáo, Mutsu Ten Mei | Mù Tiān Mìng, Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Season/Series 01, Fluff and Angst, Sick Character, Character Study
Summary:

Shang Bu Huan falls sick from a cold, and Lang Wu Yao awkwardly helps Mu Tian Ming take care of him while Ling Ya sits back and enjoys the show.



Her joe (5331 words) by featherxquill
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Slow Horses (TV)
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jackson Lamb/Diana Taverner
Characters: Diana Taverner, Jackson Lamb (Slough House)
Additional Tags: Femdom, very mild foot worship, Face-Sitting, Shameless Smut, Banter, Lamb scrubs up well, Lamb has a priase kink and he's exactly as happy about that as you'd expect, Yuletide Treat
Series: Part 1 of The Lady and the Tramp
Summary:

Diana Taverner's admiration for Jackson Lamb's intelligence is matched only by her disgust for his appearance and general air of filth. When Lamb agrees to go undercover for her, however, he gets a new suit, has a shower and is given a shave and haircut, which complicates matters somewhat. Since he's going to be her joe, Diana visits his undercover hotel room digs. They review files and speak of country matters.



How to Pop the Question (1470 words) by atamascolily
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀 (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Ken San Un | Juǎn Cán Yún/Tan Hi | Dān Fěi
Characters: Ken San Un | Juǎn Cán Yún, Tan Hi | Dān Fěi
Additional Tags: Marriage Proposal, Relationship Advice, Humor, Fluff
Summary:

Uncertain how to ask Dan Fei to marry him, Juan Can Yun draws on the wisdom gleaned from his travels with the One-Eyed Impaler, the Enigmatic Gale, and the Edgeless Blade.



Know the Newspaper’s (Not) Always Right (262 words) by YellowMagicalGirl
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Hopeless Fountain Kingdom - Halsey (Album)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Luna Aureum, Solis Angelus, Original Photographer, Original Reporter
Additional Tags: Canonical Character Death, Background Character Death, Gun Violence, Newspapers, Epistolary, Song: Now or Never (Halsey), i wrote this intead of studying, Biased Narrator, Deleted Scenes, specifically deleted from another fic of mine, the narrator of the scene was pro-cop enough that it hit a DNW
Summary:

A newspaper article detailing the shootout from "Now or Never".



Genre Savvy (1431 words) by atamascolily
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀 (TV)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rin Setsu A | Lǐn Xuě Yā/Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn
Characters: Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn, Rin Setsu A | Lǐn Xuě Yā
Additional Tags: Metafiction, Fun with Tropes, Fourth Wall, Humor, Parody, There Was Only One Bed, Frank discussion of sex
Summary:

Lin Xue Ya knows how to please his audience.



Enjoy! And if a treat grows out of control this Yuletide, it has a home when the main event is over.

ingredients household

Nov. 9th, 2025 12:16 pm
ailelie: (Default)
[personal profile] ailelie
I did not set out to be an ingredients household. It started because I realized yonks ago that if I have a snack on-hand, I will snack on it, regardless of hunger. So, to not do that, I stopped buying snacks (most of the time; sometimes I'll get a specific craving). This has led to me just....not buying premade stuff.

Last night, I realized I was craving hot chocolate. So I got out a saucepan, mixed some unsweetened cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and water with a whisk until boiling. Then I added some oat milk and heated it up to temp while whisking. 

A couple weeks ago, I wanted popcorn. So I got out a skillet, heated some oil, tossed in a test kernel, and, once it popped, tossed in the rest of the kernels and covered the skillet with a lid. 

If I want something, I make it, make the effort to go out and get it, or I get over wanting it.

But this does mean, if you come to my place and I have store bought snacks on hand, there's a 95% chance I bought them specifically for you.

(The other 5% being a specific craving or needing or having recently needed the snack item for cooking. Like pretzels for pretzel salad or potato chips for soup).

Leaky Ceiling

Nov. 7th, 2025 05:59 pm
ailelie: (Default)
[personal profile] ailelie
So. My ceiling leaked. I panicked and called for immediate water mitigation. After a quick search (at about 2 or 3 in the morning), I sent a message to CWF.

They came out. I hired the guy.

They did a fantastic job. Everyone who saw or heard about what they did told me it was complete overkill, but I liked being *sure* that my ceiling wasn't moldy or weakening. I've had a ceiling fall, just inches from crashing over my body. I did not want to risk that.

What I did not know: mitigation would require cutting 4 large holes in my ceiling. They would not fix those.

Oh, they had a division that fixed the holes, but that was a separate service and fee.

Fixing my ceiling (they bundled in re-painting my ceiling in my living room, hall, and kitchen) would cost over $4,000. I said 'no.' I'd live with the holes first.

Today, I got the bill for the water mitigation. $2,700. Paying with a credit card is going to cost an additional $82.

I feel so incredibly foolish.

Cat dream

Nov. 7th, 2025 12:17 pm
ysobel: (kitty with fish)
[personal profile] ysobel
The first cat in the dream was a shorthair tortie -- mottled black and orange. Jumped onto my lap and then right shoulder, and demanded scritches. A kid nearby asked if it was a boy cat or a girl cat. My first reaction was "I don't know" but then I realized I did know because torties are 99% female. (The way I explained it in the dream was "orange boy cats can be all orange or orange-and-white, but not orange-and-black", which happens to be largely true IRL too. (Technically a boy cat that's XXY and heterozygous for this trait could be orange/black, but XXY is rare and only about half of them have a mix. But I didn't go into that.)

Then a big fluffy black cat jumped onto my left leg and swatted at the first cat, as if to say "my turn now". He was wearing little black "saddlebags" containing little foil bags, plus a note saying "feed me", so I opened one of the packets for him. It had a moist puck of wet food, and he chowed down quite happily.

There was an orange girl that, even in the dream, looked a lot like my former girl Monkey. She was lounging in an open drawer, and next to her was a skein of yarn the same color as her, which I snagged to bring home.

There was a sleek black cat lounging on the top level of a cat tree, well out of reach for pets but supervising. Not sure if boy or girl; somehow I knew that the fluffy black was a boy and the orange was a girl, but this one had no vibes.

And lastly there was a calico, white with patches of black and reddish orange and also yellowish orange; the oranges were slightly metallic looking. She reminded me of koi fish. Very pretty, but I didn't get a chance to pet her.

(This was an excellent dream and I'm glad I remembered so many details 💜)
pumpkinkingmod: (pic#8274963)
[personal profile] pumpkinkingmod posting in [community profile] trickortreatex
Creators are now revealed, and you can continue enjoying the collection here.

The final tally on the treat sheet was 79 out of the starting 225 -- that puts us just shy of reaching tier 2 (75 remaining). That's still a very good percentage, so cheers to the valiant treaters!

Thank you everyone for another wonderful Trick or Treat!

Saving this link

Nov. 5th, 2025 11:27 pm
ailelie: (Default)
[personal profile] ailelie
I need to remember to review this post when picking out some books for a nieph: https://stackedbooks.org/ya-horror-comics/

Call for Volunteers 2026

Nov. 5th, 2025 02:34 pm
tjs_whatnot: (Default)
[personal profile] tjs_whatnot posting in [community profile] snowflake_challenge

It’s coming up at that time of the year again and we wanted to let you know that the Fandom Snowflake Challenge will be happening again in January. We are very excited about hosting another round! To make the upcoming round as awesome as it can possibly be we are looking for volunteers to help us out! Here are the details on what the requirements and expectations of volunteer mods are for you to consider.

Requirements and Expectation of Volunteer Mods


General Volunteer Requirements:


All volunteers will have the opportunity to help us mold the challenges by helping come up with what challenges we offer and when we offer them. 


Volunteers must be willing to interact with a lot of people who have different interests and levels than you and some of them, you might be the only interaction they receive. You must be able to offer support and encouragement or alert other mods to the need. 


We have 4 levels of involvement that can fit most people's availability. 

1) Poster and First Comment Responder

2) Comment Responder

3) Other Site Organizer 

4) Graphics


Poster: We have 19 posts scheduled (15 challenges, one introduction, one meet the mods, one wrap up post and the friending meme.) You can sign up for only one if you'd like, or more if you're able. 


Responsibility of  Poster: create the post using the template provided. Seek feedback if you'd like. Post into the community, and then notify us in the mod community so we all know it's there.  Then you are the first responder to that post. You don't have to answer every comment or read every post after. But you'll be the one getting the notifications as the challenge progresses so you'll have the sole responsibility of cheering on the stragglers.


Second Responder, Third and (hopefully) Fourth Responder Responsibilities

✔️Help poster respond to comments on the community post (we get an average of 150 participants per challenge) 

✔️Take turns commenting on each post of our participants. 

✔️Communicate with other volunteers throughout the month.


Other Site Organizers Requirements


We need volunteers familiar with other fandom spaces that aren't Dreamwidth if we want to have a presence in these spaces. This will require adapt each Dreamwidth post to making a post on your site, which may include fixing links, removing or altering HTML, sharing a small quote and linking to the Dreamwidth post, tagging appropriately, and/or removing or altering images to your site's specifications. You should be prepared to post the above 19 posts listed under Dreamwidth Poster and you should also be prepared to make additional posts as needed on your site to share any applicable graphics, share your site specific tags, or otherwise interact with your site participants. 


Depending on your site, you may need to keep track of a tag, reply to comments on your post, keep track of reblogs, keep track of direct messages, or otherwise monitor your site for participant entries. You need to interact with participant entries in some way, such as commenting, reblogging, Liking, or whatever is possible on your site. Ideally, each site should have an additional volunteer (or volunteers) to help with posting and commenting on your site which might involve creating site specific templates, communicating outside of the Dreamwidth mods community, and other mod duties (like answering asks, checking an inbox, or maintaining a community.

 


Graphics:


We'd love to have someone with graphic abilities to help us create some banners and icons. Only requirement other than making awesome pretties is to supply the coding needed to post it.


It really is a lot of fun, made more so by the inclusion to as many people from as many fandoms and spaces as possible. 




(no subject)

Nov. 4th, 2025 11:41 pm
ysobel: (Default)
[personal profile] ysobel
Had a birthday, so did an Excursion to several of the local places that give free stuff. Some of them are good for a month, but it's funner to do it on the day. Sushi place has a big wheel you can spin; I got chopsticks (nice ones, not the disposable ones), which was funny because I'd also purchased lunch for takeout (they do an amazing calamari) and they asked if I needed chopsticks, to which I said no because we had some at home, and then they brought me to spin the wheel... I also got ice cream and an Insomnia Cookies deluxe, and the person also gave me a purple pen and a sticker.

Am I ridiculous for getting excited about free stuff? Probably. Do I care? Nah. The benefit of getting older is shedding the fucks you would otherwise give.

I also got myself a tuxedo cake from Costco. I'm not going to eat it all myself, that's more cake than I can eat, but dang is it good.



Other things:

Went to a concert Sunday, Itzhak Perlman and a klezmer group, doing a tour as a 30th anniversary celebration of the PBS special In The Fiddler's House. It's my first time seeing Perlman doing a non-violin-solo classical-music concert, but also he's fricking 80 and probably enjoys not having to be the only person onstage.

I finally got around to signing up for Apple TV, and started watching Murderbot. (I've read the books already.) Is very good. I haven't finished the Doctor Whos yet (mid season 2), and I have to do so much shit for my mom's situation that I can't allow myself to just watch tv all day.

(I've lost access to mom's MyChart because it turns out proxy access expires and has to be renewed, but mom can't log in -- not just at her internet-less home but literally anywhere; they introduced 2FA that sends a code to the email address she can't access because google wants 2FA to the cell phone that doesn't get texts -- and can't seem to call anyone other than me. I don't know if they take verbal permission given over the phone anyway. This whole situation is ughhhhh.

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