REC: <lj user

First: happy birthday, scribbulus_ink!

Second: there's a new comm, pies_and_sherry, to thank McKay for organizing snupin_santa. If you've enjoyed any of the stories and art posted to the fest, please do hop over and tell her so.

Third: there are a lot of nifty drabbles and art posted there already. Most of it isn't unlocked as of this typing, so keep checking back over the next couple days to partake of the feast.

Fourth: I have a drabble over there (RL/SS, 100 words)...

Fifth: ... but what I really adore is schemingreader's Stumbling, which is Tonks/Lupin and Lupin/Snape. Tonks's parents are delightfully grounded ("You like girls, Dora," Andromeda said acidly. "What are the chances that you would go for a depressed, middle-aged male werewolf when everyone you've ever dated before has been a tough little witch with an earring somewhere other than her ear?"); I adore cranky-but-not-whiny Lupin giving Snape grief ("I need to know why Dumbledore trusts--trusted--you--and why everyone thinks you're such a brilliant Occlumens when you wear your heart on your sleeve this way--"); and it's got a lovely balance of bitterness and hope.

on evite les miroirs...peut-etre

Led hymns at church this morning. The theme of the service was "forgiveness"; Marguerite led a discussion about Ford's pardon of Nixon as the "Story for All Ages." Rebecca's sermon included the line, "Forgiveness is giving up hope of a better past."

I'm at work, but this is ok. Some chores are easier to tackle after-hours (e.g., scrubbing out the microwave), I'd be stuck in stadium traffic if I were to try going home right now, and the hours I'm putting in will pay for the bottle of prosecco or Clicquot I'm going to pick up on the way. The hours I'm putting in tonight and tomorrow will go into the bathroom renovation fund. Also, I like the work -- as I was telling the BYM, scripting case studies is not too far removed from my favorite part of role-playing (the character-creation phase).

Other good things:

Received a surprise email from dkolodji - "The Stepsister" was runner-up for the inaugural Dwarf Stars Award.

A nice review of both the "The Stepsister" and the anthology at Roswila's Dream & Poetry Realm.

Just had cucumber-avocado sushi for elevenses. I remain elated that supermarket sushi is now mainstream.

Accomplished a fair amount of cooking and cleaning over the past two days, including a pan of carrots for Room in the Inn, another pan for home, roast beef with onions, cornbread stuffing with mushrooms, and chicken with orange sauce.

Getting paid for a freelance project within a week (from a vendor who usually takes longer).

Janet Wyman's Secrets, Lies, Gizmos, and Spies: A History of Spies and Espionage. This is my favorite kids' book at the moment -- good design, nifty anecdotes.

It's rainy, but it's also 66 F. It felt very good to be outside this morning. The dog agreed.

I was looking for something else...

...and heaven knows I don't need one, but the Power Squid Surge Protector amuses me anyway...