Saturday, April 18th, 2026 07:04 pm
Years ago, the local chain of ice cream parlors called JP Licks* used to have Coconut Almond Lace ice cream in their rotation of non-dairy specials. It was based on coconut milk, as was right and proper, and it might have been my favorite** non-dairy ice cream ever. Then they took the good stuff out of rotation. Lo, for 7 long years, every time "Coconut Almond Lace" was among the monthly specials, it was a snare and a delusion made with real cream. (WHY? JP Licks seemed to be getting better at vegan treats overall. Hempity Hemp Hemp*** can fade into deserved oblivion.) Then a couple of days ago, I walked into the store in search of a raspberry lime rickey and discovered the good stuff was back!

I'm sure it will vanish at the end of the month, because that's what happens with flavors of the month, but I hope it won't vanish for years again. I had an unpleasant medical procedure this afternoon, with needles, so Redbird got me ice cream on the way home. With some for the freezer, just in case.


*JP=Jamaica Plain
**Jenni's chocolate pudding flavor tastes amazing, but contains enough coffee to be a migraine trigger. Alas.
***Hemp milk ice cream with crunchy toasted hemp seeds, just like it sounds. Alas.
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Saturday, April 18th, 2026 08:46 pm

Posted by languagehat

Songdog was over here today and mentioned a Turkish-American friend whose given name was Ebru; intrigued, I looked it up and discovered that it means ‘ebru (marbled paper, handmade in a variety of styles by artisans using traditional techniques),’ with this surprising etymology:

From Ottoman Turkish ابرو (ebru), a clipping of Classical Persian ابر و باد (abr-u-bād, literally “cloud and wind”); earlier texts employ the simpler ابری (abri, literally “cloudy”), a term that is still in use.

I hope it’s true, because it’s very charming indeed. (You can see an example of the marbled paper at the link.)

Saturday, April 18th, 2026 11:32 pm

Posted by Teresia Gray

Coldplay hasn’t checked in on the woman caught having an affair at one of their concerts. And, honestly why would they?

TMZ managed to see Kristin Cabot out and about this week. They had to ask about the moment where she was caught on camera with Andy Byron. It feels like the entire world saw the clip and her life basically went left at that moment. During Coldplay’s show in Boston, the two got shown on the Kiss Cam and quickly tried to get out of frame. Unfortunately, the video made its way to social media, and that was that. Now, TMZ is asking the questions.

Saturday, April 18th, 2026 11:30 pm

Posted by Teresia Gray

Donald Trump’s administration is currently dealing with a legal case surrounding those illegal deportations. However, things are about to get weird in court.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg was in the midst of a criminal investigation into Kristi Noem and deportation flights. Politico reports that a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the latest efforts to hold the administration accountable. This is the second time that the investigation has been blocked by an appeals court panel.

Saturday, April 18th, 2026 06:44 pm
I have often read single-person biographies where the biographer is very obviously in love with their subject; I have also occasionally read have also read Couple Biographies where the biographer is really invested in the romance between their subjects plural. Ilyon Woo's Master Slave Husband Wife is a really great, thoughtful, thorough exploration of a particular moment in the history of American slavery around the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and the defiant abolitionist movement. It is also very definitively a love story that Woo believes in with her whole heart and is ready to champion all the way to the end, which I honestly think is quite charming even when I myself looking at the evidence was sometimes like "well, I too would like to believe that all through their many years together William and Ellen Craft were indeed fully and romantically on the same page and had each other's backs about everything, but I think it's possible there are other interpretations of some of these events and that in many cases we simply can't know for sure --"

The Big Headline about Ellen and William Craft, the story that made them famous and that the first part of this book recounts in detail, is their daring escape North from slavery in 1848: Ellen disguised herself as an extremely sickly white gentleman who needed her loyal slave with her at all times, and in this guise they managed to navigate 19th-century public transit all the way from Georgia to Philadelphia. They themselves wrote a book about this, which I do plan to read, because it sounds extremely cool and romantic and indeed everyone they met as they made their way from Philadelphia to Massachusetts was like "that's extremely cool and romantic!" and promptly pulled them onto the abolitionist lecture circuit to general wild applause. Ellen, in particular, had major abolitionist propaganda value for forcing empathy out of white people. She was often billed as the White Slave (a label that she did not enjoy.)

Being an escaped slave on the abolitionist lecture circuit was obviously pretty dangerous in 1848 but not as dangerous as it was about to become. In 1848, the Fugitive Slave Laws up north were pretty toothless and unenforceable. In 1850, in an attempt to staple the rapidly-fracturing country back together, significantly stronger laws were passed that essentially forced abolitionist states to cooperate with returning escaped slaves to their masters. Ellen and William Craft, who had so publicly escaped in a way that was very cool and also very embarrassing for the slave states through which they passed, inevitably became one of the first major test cases as to whether Massachusetts would indeed fulfill its Obligations to the South.

Woo writes a compelling narrative, but more importantly she does a really wonderful job balancing that narrative with the complexity of the broader context; from the opening chapter, where she ties the Craft's escape in 1848 with the 1848 revolutionary movement in Europe, I already knew I was in good hands. She does occasionally I think overuse the Ominous Foreshadowing Chapter Ending, but as nonfiction author sins go that's a minor one. She says that at one point in the text that as part of telling their full story she wants to complicate the idea of a happy ending, but it's very clear that in her heart she wants the Crafts to have been very in love and very married all throughout their long and interesting lives, and who can blame her for that?
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 11:55 pm

Around the beginning of March (before I started lifting! it's okay, I promise I am monitoring all of this responsibly <3) I had a couple of weeks where I didn't manage to do as much stretching of my hips as usual. Whereupon. my left leg. pitched a tantrum. So I have been grumbling along with sciatic-nerve pain for the last month and a half, and getting on with life around it because, you know, pain, watcha gonna do.

... this morning, on the way to Acquire Breakfast, it blessedly, unpleasantly, emphatically twanged -- and there ensued several whole hours wherein it didn't hurt.

Tragically I then resumed sitting on the sofa in order to poke at computer some more, and despite position shifting......... yep, it retwanged itself.

I Am Doing My Stretches. :|

Some good things nonetheless:

  1. brief respite from The Grumpy Nerve
  2. we arrived at coot nest #1 when it was still in shade, and hung around long enough for the sun to hit it; whereupon the grown-ups Stood Up and the BABIES went on ADVENTURES. at one point a mallard with went by with her four tiny fluffy ducklings! and then subsequently More Coots! and all the Egyptian goslings are happily pootling about in the water, now, and several of them have discovered that they can go ZOOM under said water :)
  3. there is on the way to the coots a very dramatic tulip, which I have been watching with interest: it's lily-flowered, with very pointed petals, and started out almost entirely white with just a tiny splotch of red at the tips of the petals. it's now got red feathering along all the edges of all of the petals and it's delightful.
  4. bakery treats: v pleasant savoury pastry thing, Bred Puddin, cardamom bun. also enjoyed nibbling some of A's ridiculous raspberry brownie cruffin Situation.
  5. we made a trip to the Household Waste Recycling Centre! I did not acquire a weights bench! ... A did acquire a scooter. for scooting. with The Child. therefore: we successfully got multiple things Out of the house, and the thing that has come in is Not My Fault. (and will make the Child very happy!)
  6. ... turns out that doing lots of stapling hurts less when I actually activate muscles all the way down my back than if I just sort of mash my joints...
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 04:29 pm
Today we went up to Arthur for the Third Saturday Bazaar at the Otto Center.

Read more... )
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 04:26 pm
T; Sense and Sensibility (novel); Marianne/Colonel Brandon, 10250 words.

Marianne Dashwood was well aware, however much she feigned not to notice, of the wonder and tentative hope with which all around her seemed to observe her behaviour since their return to the cottage at Barton.

Perception and Satisfaction

(For [archiveofourown.org profile] Jen_814 in [community profile] fffx)
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 04:20 pm
PG-13; B:tVS/I, Frankenstein (2014), Buffy/Adam. Post-canon, 2,800 words.

Buffy trailed the guy carefully, keeping her distance, avoiding looking directly at him to avoid triggering the normal instinct that frequently warned people that they were being watched, and yet was not surprised to follow him around a corner only to discover that he had completely disappeared.

Creature of the Night Seeking Dark Alley Meet-Cute

(For [archiveofourown.org profile] UnhinderedDreams in [personal profile] candyheartsex)
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 06:16 pm
The Personal Hygiene Intimacy Meme



Personal hygiene is just that - personal. By the time we've come to a point in our lives where we notice that the concept exists and we should be prudent about it, we can take care of ourselves. There are also many practical reasons why we don't involve other people in this process. We're not too keen on showing off parts to be cleaned that are private in most contexts, and there's definitely an ingrained aversion to showing so much soft, fleshy skin. Hot water or a sharp razor could spell dangerous with a capital D should they come into the hands of someone with a vendetta against you. No need to be extra vulnerable.

So, if you're involving another person in your cleansing routines, it must be someone you trust. Not only that, but it's most likely someone you're comfortable with and likely at least somewhat open to being intimate with. You may not be dropping all your clothing in front of them, but it's still you opening yourself up to touching and closeness unparalleled in more "usual" moments.

Established and burgeoning couples (or not-so-couples) can bond through this showing of care and good faith. Will you like being pampered and find the attention endearing? Or will things go terribly, terribly wrong?

...you never should have let them near that shaving cream.

  • Comment with your character and preferences.
  • Smut is not required. Mention if you want/don't want it.
  • Reply to others and use the RNG.

Read more... )
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 06:07 pm
This is your check-in post for today. The poll will be open from midnight Universal or Zulu Time (8pm Eastern Time) on Saturday to midnight on Sunday (8pm Eastern Time).


Poll #34494 Daily poll
Open to: Access List, detailed results viewable to: Access List, participants: 4

How are you doing?

I am okay
2 (50.0%)

I am not okay, but don't need help right now
2 (50.0%)

I could use some help.
0 (0.0%)

How many other humans are you living with?

I am living single
2 (50.0%)

One other person
1 (25.0%)

More than one other person
1 (25.0%)




Please, talk about how things are going for you in the comments, ask for advice or help if you need it, or just discuss whatever you feel like.
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Saturday, April 18th, 2026 04:02 pm
Intro/FAQ

My check-in: Finished this revision pass of the longfic, woohoo! (She says optimistically, knowing FULL WELL she's likely to rewrite tomorrow what she rewrote today.) Woot woot!

Day 18: [personal profile] sanguinity

Day 17: [personal profile] badly_knitted, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] cornerofmadness, [personal profile] dswdiane, [personal profile] goddess47, [personal profile] luzula, [personal profile] sanguinity, [personal profile] sylvanwitch, [personal profile] the_siobhan, [personal profile] trobadora

Day 16: [personal profile] badly_knitted, [personal profile] carenejeans, [personal profile] china_shop, [personal profile] cornerofmadness, [personal profile] dswdiane, [personal profile] goddess47, [personal profile] sanguinity, [personal profile] sylvanwitch, [personal profile] the_siobhan, [personal profile] trobadora, [personal profile] ysilme

When you check in, please use the most recent post and say what day(s) you’re checking in for. Remember you can drop in or out at any time, and let me know if I missed anyone!
Sunday, April 19th, 2026 12:01 am
So I did end up going today, though more cause mum announced (last night) that I was ‘going no matter what’ which kinda meant I didn’t have a choice.

The new sfx came this morning, so I took that with me and read some of the reviews. The cover of the issue is about Stranger things tales of 85, plus the issue has stuff on From (which I need to watch) and some horror things. The teaser for the next one has Lestat (I still need to watch Interview).

Once I was in town I went straight to the record store and didn’t have too much luck. It had been open since 8 and I got there after 10 so I wasn’t surprised the BMTH album had gone (and they didn’t even get the Pokémon one). It wasn’t a total loss though, I did get the Doctor Who one, which was a red vinyl of The Rescue.

The Smiths had Star Wars cards which surprised me so I got some, along with some cheap sweets and drink.

Then I went in the art gallery. Third floor was closed to prep for a new exhibit and some other rooms seemed closed off too alas, but there was a nice photography one on the top floor and I saw my fav painting that they have (this one). What surprised me though was seeing there was a Picasso and a Van Gogh in the regular collection.

(Speaking of art we’ve been watching something about japan every week night, one ep had cute deer! And mum saw the great wave painting and loved it which was sweet)

I didn’t go anywhere else really but from a cancer charity shop I got a bake off apron, Fairy Tail dvd, Agatha Christie book and hellfire duvet set.

At the cinema I had waffle fries and read some of the sfx.

I ended up seeing The Magic Faraway Tree and The Mummy which were both wildly different. One was U and the other was 18.

But first trailers. A fair few were ones I’d seen but new to me were
Charlie the wonderdog: looks fun enough, basically a dog gaining powers cause of aliens and so saves people (plus there’s an evil cat)
Hitpig: trailer felt too short to come up with proper thoughts but it looks nice
Ice Cream Man: First time seeing the trailer and… eh. I don’t think I’ll see it. (Kids killing adults causa something in ice cream just doesn’t sound appealing)
Evil Dead Burn: wasn’t too sure what to make of trailer but then I’ve not seen Evil Dead fully before so…

Other stuff was standard current horror film trailers: Passenger (not the new one sadly), Obsession, Backrooms (yay Backrooms twink!), Hokum (a new trailer, which is better at selling it). I’m probably gonna see all of those.

And now film thoughts. Under a cut as always.

Read more... )

That ends month 9 of the pass. Ironically I’ve seen 9 films during it, which is the most I’ve done in a month. (Also with these last 2 I’m over 20 for the year already which is crazy when you think most ray I’d be lucky to hit 5 the whole year).

Month 9: March 20th - April 20th
20: Project Hail Mary
2: They Will Kill You, Ready Or Not Here I Come
4: Arco, Super Mario Galaxy (3D)
13: Exit 8, Undertone
18: The Magic Faraway Tree, The Mummy

Obviously my fav of these was a Project Hail Mary but most of them are all pretty strong. I feel They Will Kill You is the only real weak link and even that was still entertaining enough.

Next cinema trip should be Hokum or maybe the Sheep Detectives or both (but I would like to see Hail Mary again too)

I have, belatedly, watched the next Doctor Who ep in my run (Resurrection Of The Daleks) but thoughts on thwt will come later cause I’ve happend enough and yawning.
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 06:50 pm
I accompanied [personal profile] adrian_turtle to an MRI facility, where she had an MRI with contrast, which hopefully will help her current neurologist figure out better medication for her seizures. Like many people, Adrian finds the contrast medium unpleasant, which is at least part of why she wanted company.

Afterwards, we went to JP Licks, where I got us both ice cream. They have non-dairy coconut almond lace ice cream this month, and there's now a pint of that in our freezer.
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 10:00 pm
From Egypt’s Nile to Portugal’s Douro, these five luxury river cruises deliver stunning views, immersive stops, and all the perks of a world-class hotel—just on the water.
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 04:52 pm
It is not uncommon for me to sit on a poem for years and years before posting it, because I collect poems and only have 30(ish) spots per year. I've had this one in the file for long enough that I have it saved in multiple places, but it never does get less evocative or relevant; it's also fascinating to me how different it is from both his earlier and later poetry, while also using language in such a recognizable way. Is Richard Siken in favor with the internet again? I honestly don't care, but I've always liked his poetry, including back when he was a tumblr fandom darling. This is not really a tumblr fandom poem, but it sticks with me.

Landscape with a Blur of Conquerors )
Saturday, April 18th, 2026 02:50 pm
Let's begin with this: Inequality produces worse health and mortality outcomes for everyone, but it hasn't been noticed until now because for several decades, advances in medicine managed to get close to balancing the ledger.

Sports betting, and prediction markets in general, aided by mobile apps and Internet betting, have made it very easy for people who are susceptible to problem gambling patterns, or those who don't have the money to gamble, to gamble far more than they want to.

Conversion "therapy" doesn't work to produce the results it claims to, or desires to. Instead, it continues to traumatize and blame, rather than help.

People who are impressed by buzzwords and corporate bullshit tend not to be as good at doing their jobs, according to some Cornell research. And the difficulty potentially is that those who are impressed by such BS tend to hire and promote people who are similarly so, which compounds the problem.

The insistence on seeing someone while chatting to them makes no sense to someone who can't see, and yet, their sighted friends seem to believe that if they can't see them, something is seriously wrong.

People are not ideologies. People have ideologies, and when you treat people as things, well, Esmerelda Weatherwax has things to say about that.

Victories, setbacks, and other strange things )

Last for tonight, The Archive of Our Own officially ended its status as a beta piece of software. This doesn't change anything, not really, but it does mean that AO3 believes it's out of beta (but definitely not releasing on time.)

The collection of artifacts a billionaire put together and was good about making sure people could see and engage with has been broken up and sold to various other private collectors, because one of the truths of our world is that capitalism always likes to collect important things, and doesn't always share or allow access to them for people. And it's not just billionaires, of course, People who have amassed a collection of historic finds with their metal detectors sometimes sell their collections as well, rather than making them part of a national or regional collection. Or at least letting them have first crack at anything they want to have.

(Materials via [personal profile] adrian_turtle, [personal profile] azurelunatic, [personal profile] boxofdelights, [personal profile] cmcmck, [personal profile] conuly, [personal profile] cosmolinguist, [personal profile] elf, [personal profile] finch, [personal profile] firecat, [personal profile] jadelennox, [personal profile] jenett, [personal profile] jjhunter, [personal profile] kaberett, [personal profile] lilysea, [personal profile] oursin, [personal profile] rydra_wong, [personal profile] snowynight, [personal profile] sonia, [personal profile] the_future_modernes, [personal profile] thewayne, [personal profile] umadoshi, [personal profile] vass, the [community profile] meta_warehouse community, [community profile] little_details, and anyone else I've neglected to mention or who I suspect would rather not be on the list. If you want to know where I get the neat stuff, my reading list has most of it.)