Life imitates Carpenter once more
2026-05-12 19:20![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
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People keep describing things as "mask off" but this is just getting ridiculous.
Previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously.
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olivermossPWHL Detroit is confirmed. PWHL Vegas has gone from well sourced rumors to leaked. PWHL Hamilton is teetering on the edge between rumored and leaked. All the sourcing being accurate so far means that San Jose being the 12th and final team is very likely.
One reason this is interesting is that it points to a division/conference system and reduced travel being what's guiding this expansion. Well, that and which arena controllers will play ball. Most arenas are paid for and technically owned by the city, but a lot of control/profit goes to team ownership. (Here in Portland we have the Gold Standard of bad deals where if you buy a soda at a rock concert at Moda, profit even from that goes to the Blazers ownership. The Blazers! The only thing surprising about the Blazer's coach recently getting arrested is that I thought they all had infinite legal protection! I didn't think we could arrest any of them!) Edmonton, Dallas, and probably Denver and a few other cities, fell through because the main team's ownership can rent space to the PWHL but can't own the teams outright at this time. (Ten bucks says that both the Red Wings and the Kraken ownership have rights of first refusal on the PWHL teams they share space with)
Arenas paid for by tax payers can't be used for optimal returns for the cities because billionaires can only make some money out of the deals, not all of the money. And people are mad at the PWHL about it, saying they need to change their ownership model, rather than than being mad at the bad deals their city approved. (Again, I live in the city with the worst arena deals, a Live Nation venue being built against the clear wishes of the citizens, but I am angry at the right people... and also if the current Moda remodel funding bill gets cut to necessary HVAC and structural work only I will take a victory lap because I *have* been engaging people one on one to explain how fucked the deal is and comparing it to the actually decent deal Seattle has for CPA)
Anyway, not to defend a guy who is so rich that he committed to funding the PWHL for ten years whether or not it made any money because the entire cost of the league, salaries to travel to space rental, is a rounding error in his bank account, but changing the ownership model at this point would be bad for the league.
Also, at a point it looked like a done deal that we were going to let the Blazers take $600mill from Portland's climate fund to remodel Moda to increase the amount of box seats and high end experiences, reducing overall capacity. We were poised to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into them reducing the amount of seats and making tickets less financially accessible to Portlanders. Fortunately, enough people have screamed about it that it's looking less certain. Now the Blazers are threatening to leave Portland. And I'm like... promise? Pretty please? I will help you pack! I never want to hear/see the words RIP CITY again as long as I fucking live. (The NBA is currently also expanding, Seattle is making a new team... so... move to where? Fuckers ain't got nowhere but here and they need to start acting like it.)
tldr: One reason the PWHL is hype is that they create additional revenue and economic activity for existing city investments. With the ten-year funding commitment it's a negligible risk - very solid reward proposition, if the people who control city assets are willing to play nice
One reason this is interesting is that it points to a division/conference system and reduced travel being what's guiding this expansion. Well, that and which arena controllers will play ball. Most arenas are paid for and technically owned by the city, but a lot of control/profit goes to team ownership. (Here in Portland we have the Gold Standard of bad deals where if you buy a soda at a rock concert at Moda, profit even from that goes to the Blazers ownership. The Blazers! The only thing surprising about the Blazer's coach recently getting arrested is that I thought they all had infinite legal protection! I didn't think we could arrest any of them!) Edmonton, Dallas, and probably Denver and a few other cities, fell through because the main team's ownership can rent space to the PWHL but can't own the teams outright at this time. (Ten bucks says that both the Red Wings and the Kraken ownership have rights of first refusal on the PWHL teams they share space with)
Arenas paid for by tax payers can't be used for optimal returns for the cities because billionaires can only make some money out of the deals, not all of the money. And people are mad at the PWHL about it, saying they need to change their ownership model, rather than than being mad at the bad deals their city approved. (Again, I live in the city with the worst arena deals, a Live Nation venue being built against the clear wishes of the citizens, but I am angry at the right people... and also if the current Moda remodel funding bill gets cut to necessary HVAC and structural work only I will take a victory lap because I *have* been engaging people one on one to explain how fucked the deal is and comparing it to the actually decent deal Seattle has for CPA)
Anyway, not to defend a guy who is so rich that he committed to funding the PWHL for ten years whether or not it made any money because the entire cost of the league, salaries to travel to space rental, is a rounding error in his bank account, but changing the ownership model at this point would be bad for the league.
Also, at a point it looked like a done deal that we were going to let the Blazers take $600mill from Portland's climate fund to remodel Moda to increase the amount of box seats and high end experiences, reducing overall capacity. We were poised to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into them reducing the amount of seats and making tickets less financially accessible to Portlanders. Fortunately, enough people have screamed about it that it's looking less certain. Now the Blazers are threatening to leave Portland. And I'm like... promise? Pretty please? I will help you pack! I never want to hear/see the words RIP CITY again as long as I fucking live. (The NBA is currently also expanding, Seattle is making a new team... so... move to where? Fuckers ain't got nowhere but here and they need to start acting like it.)
tldr: One reason the PWHL is hype is that they create additional revenue and economic activity for existing city investments. With the ten-year funding commitment it's a negligible risk - very solid reward proposition, if the people who control city assets are willing to play nice
Good Omens S3
2026-05-12 18:53elisiSo, tomorrow is Good Omens Day. I don't know how to feel. To be honest, I kept forgetting it was happening.
I'm sad that this lovely show now has such a dark shadow cast over it. I'm sad that we only get 90 minutes instead of 6 episodes, all thanks to NG being a monster. I hope that the victims somehow manage to get closure and some kind of recompense. And it feels ridiculous to care about a TV show in the light of what he did.
So I debated a lot over whether to watch.
In the end, I think what swayed me was the fact that it was Terry Pratchett's family who intervened and managed to salvage a 90 minute special out of the axed 6 episode season. And - like with Buffy (or any of Joss' shows) - the people involved (actors, director, crew etc) were not responsible for the actions of the creator.
But, it's a difficult calculation, and I understand anyone who has added it all up and come to a different decision. I don't know if I will write about it, guess it depends what the story does.
My hope is that it manages to do what Serenity did for Firefly - tell a complete story and wrap everything up, rather than be something clearly cut down and rushed. (I loved S2 of OFMD, but you could tell how they were speed-running certain parts.)
Honestly, all I want is a happy ending. That's it. 🏡 For everything else, there is fic.
I'm sad that this lovely show now has such a dark shadow cast over it. I'm sad that we only get 90 minutes instead of 6 episodes, all thanks to NG being a monster. I hope that the victims somehow manage to get closure and some kind of recompense. And it feels ridiculous to care about a TV show in the light of what he did.
So I debated a lot over whether to watch.
In the end, I think what swayed me was the fact that it was Terry Pratchett's family who intervened and managed to salvage a 90 minute special out of the axed 6 episode season. And - like with Buffy (or any of Joss' shows) - the people involved (actors, director, crew etc) were not responsible for the actions of the creator.
But, it's a difficult calculation, and I understand anyone who has added it all up and come to a different decision. I don't know if I will write about it, guess it depends what the story does.
My hope is that it manages to do what Serenity did for Firefly - tell a complete story and wrap everything up, rather than be something clearly cut down and rushed. (I loved S2 of OFMD, but you could tell how they were speed-running certain parts.)
Honestly, all I want is a happy ending. That's it. 🏡 For everything else, there is fic.
Birdfeeding
2026-05-12 13:45ysabetwordsmith posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
birdfeedingToday is mostly sunny and warm.
I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a gray catbird.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a white dogwood in the forest garden.
I put a jug over it and mulched around it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I covered and mulched around a previously planted persimmon seedling.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the westernmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will get sown with seeds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a persimmon tree along the north edge of the forest garden, covered and mulched it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will also get sown with seeds. The easternmost one is meant to be the middle path and kept mowed, although I will also sow that with grass and clover seed rather than wildflowers or native prairie grasses.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the long east-west strip where the Monarch Butterfly Seed Mix will go. This also contains flowers that bees love, and that strip runs near the bee tree. :D
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I raked the notch at the north edge of the prairie garden where I'll sow flower seed later.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the eastmost of the north-south paths, which is meant to stay mowed as the cross-cut path across the prairie garden. And that's all five of them done! \o/ *goflopnow*
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a gray catbird.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a white dogwood in the forest garden.
I put a jug over it and mulched around it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I covered and mulched around a previously planted persimmon seedling.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the westernmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will get sown with seeds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a persimmon tree along the north edge of the forest garden, covered and mulched it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will also get sown with seeds. The easternmost one is meant to be the middle path and kept mowed, although I will also sow that with grass and clover seed rather than wildflowers or native prairie grasses.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the long east-west strip where the Monarch Butterfly Seed Mix will go. This also contains flowers that bees love, and that strip runs near the bee tree. :D
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I raked the notch at the north edge of the prairie garden where I'll sow flower seed later.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the eastmost of the north-south paths, which is meant to stay mowed as the cross-cut path across the prairie garden. And that's all five of them done! \o/ *goflopnow*
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
Birdfeeding
2026-05-12 13:44ysabetwordsmithToday is mostly sunny and warm.
I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a gray catbird.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a white dogwood in the forest garden. I put a jug over it and mulched around it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I covered and mulched around a previously planted persimmon seedling.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the westernmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will get sown with seeds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a persimmon tree along the north edge of the forest garden, covered and mulched it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will also get sown with seeds. The easternmost one is meant to be the middle path and kept mowed, although I will also sow that with grass and clover seed rather than wildflowers or native prairie grasses.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the long east-west strip where the Monarch Butterfly Seed Mix will go. This also contains flowers that bees love, and that strip runs near the bee tree. :D
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I raked the notch at the north edge of the prairie garden where I'll sow flower seed later.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the eastmost of the north-south paths, which is meant to stay mowed as the cross-cut path across the prairie garden. And that's all five of them done! \o/ *goflopnow*
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a grackle, and a gray catbird.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a white dogwood in the forest garden. I put a jug over it and mulched around it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I covered and mulched around a previously planted persimmon seedling.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the westernmost of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will get sown with seeds.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I planted a persimmon tree along the north edge of the forest garden, covered and mulched it.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the middle of the north-south strips through the prairie garden which will also get sown with seeds. The easternmost one is meant to be the middle path and kept mowed, although I will also sow that with grass and clover seed rather than wildflowers or native prairie grasses.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the long east-west strip where the Monarch Butterfly Seed Mix will go. This also contains flowers that bees love, and that strip runs near the bee tree. :D
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I raked the notch at the north edge of the prairie garden where I'll sow flower seed later.
EDIT 5/12/26 -- I raked the eastmost of the north-south paths, which is meant to stay mowed as the cross-cut path across the prairie garden. And that's all five of them done! \o/ *goflopnow*
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
сар-мат! сар-мат! шай-бу! шай-бу!
2026-05-12 21:05selengaНи одного флага до конца войны: World Athletics отклонила предложение МОК о допуске белорусов на турниры
Всемирная легкоатлетическая ассоциация официально отказалась выполнять рекомендацию Международного олимпийского комитета о возвращении белорусских спортсменов на международные турниры под их национальным флагом
https://censor.net/ru/n4002739
*
Банки Германии блокируют счета россиян
https://censor.net/ru/n4002852
Канада подписала Конвенцию о создании комиссии по репарациям для Украины
Канада стала первой страной за пределами Европы, подписавшей Конвенцию о создании Международной комиссии по вопросам компенсаций для Украины
https://censor.net/ru/v4002798
*
Взрывы прогремели в российском Оренбурге. ВИДЕО
Ранее власти региона заявляли об опасности БПЛА и режиме "Ковер" в аэропорту Оренбурга
https://censor.net/ru/v4002766
*
Две РЛС, склады и пункты дислокации рашистов поразили СБС на Донетчине. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002736
Уцелевший россиянин снимает результат прилета: "Вот тела трех парней лежат. Там два выгоревших. БК въ#бывает". ВИДЕО 18+
https://censor.net/ru/v4002768
Оккупант снял на видео уничтоженную группу соратников после удара украинской РСЗО. ВИДЕО
Украинская реактивная система залпового огня нанесла удар по колонне российских штурмовиков на мотоциклах в Донецкой области. Оккупанты сосредоточились на небольшом участке дороги, после чего по ним был нанесен удар.
На обнародованных кадрах один из российских военных снимает как минимум 10 ликвидированных штурмовиков
https://censor.net/ru/v4002639
Украинский наземный дрон-камикадзе взрывает здание с оккупантами в Константиновке. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002854
Украинский FPV-дрон влетел в толпу оккупантов на Донецком направлении. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002589
*
Россия потеряла стратегический Кидал в Мали: отступление войск стало ударом для Кремля
Вывод российских подразделений из Кидала на севере Мали стал серьёзным репутационным поражением для Москвы и продемонстрировал ослабление её влияния в Африке
https://censor.net/ru/n4002465
*
путин похвастался "самой мощной" ядерной ракетой "Сармат", которую обещает поставить на вооружение рф уже 5 лет...
https://censor.net/ru/n4002863
Всемирная легкоатлетическая ассоциация официально отказалась выполнять рекомендацию Международного олимпийского комитета о возвращении белорусских спортсменов на международные турниры под их национальным флагом
https://censor.net/ru/n4002739
*
Банки Германии блокируют счета россиян
https://censor.net/ru/n4002852
Канада подписала Конвенцию о создании комиссии по репарациям для Украины
Канада стала первой страной за пределами Европы, подписавшей Конвенцию о создании Международной комиссии по вопросам компенсаций для Украины
https://censor.net/ru/v4002798
*
Взрывы прогремели в российском Оренбурге. ВИДЕО
Ранее власти региона заявляли об опасности БПЛА и режиме "Ковер" в аэропорту Оренбурга
https://censor.net/ru/v4002766
*
Две РЛС, склады и пункты дислокации рашистов поразили СБС на Донетчине. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002736
Уцелевший россиянин снимает результат прилета: "Вот тела трех парней лежат. Там два выгоревших. БК въ#бывает". ВИДЕО 18+
https://censor.net/ru/v4002768
Оккупант снял на видео уничтоженную группу соратников после удара украинской РСЗО. ВИДЕО
Украинская реактивная система залпового огня нанесла удар по колонне российских штурмовиков на мотоциклах в Донецкой области. Оккупанты сосредоточились на небольшом участке дороги, после чего по ним был нанесен удар.
На обнародованных кадрах один из российских военных снимает как минимум 10 ликвидированных штурмовиков
https://censor.net/ru/v4002639
Украинский наземный дрон-камикадзе взрывает здание с оккупантами в Константиновке. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002854
Украинский FPV-дрон влетел в толпу оккупантов на Донецком направлении. ВИДЕО
https://censor.net/ru/v4002589
*
Россия потеряла стратегический Кидал в Мали: отступление войск стало ударом для Кремля
Вывод российских подразделений из Кидала на севере Мали стал серьёзным репутационным поражением для Москвы и продемонстрировал ослабление её влияния в Африке
https://censor.net/ru/n4002465
*
путин похвастался "самой мощной" ядерной ракетой "Сармат", которую обещает поставить на вооружение рф уже 5 лет...
https://censor.net/ru/n4002863
But the neiges d'antan melt and stir dull roots with spring rain
2026-05-12 19:10oursin(Mix and shake that metaphor and pour it over ice and serve it up with a wee paper umbrella!)
Somebody today on Another Site was mourning the Old Days on LJ which made me think of:
All the various Old Days in my life on and offline which were by their nature transient -
- but that transient didn't mean that they didn't have lasting effects/influence.
(I will spare dr rdrz accounts of various short-lived initiatives I encountered among the archives and in the course of Mi Researchez which nonetheless echoed down the years.)
Also that even had things not fallen out the way things did with LJ (hiss, boo, etc) by now it would almost certainly not be the same experience as it was in the 00s - people would have come, people would have gone, our interests and energies would have changed....
So we would probably be nostalgically regetting the glory days before [whenever].
I’m too disabled for my company’s retreat
2026-05-12 17:59askamanager_feedA reader writes:
I just started working for an all-remote company who announced an in-person retreat not long after I was hired. (And after I specifically asked during the hiring process if any travel was required and was assured it was not, but anyway…) I am disabled (albeit not visibly), so travel is a struggle but usually doable, and the vibes I got from leadership were “you better have a really good reason for not attending.” I was still early in my probation period, wanted to make a good impression, so I sucked it up and agreed to attend.
The retreat is coming up, and leadership has been infuriatingly coy about details, but the more they share, the more I realize this is going to be a nightmare and I physically cannot do most if any of the “fun” team-building activities. In another situation, I would pull out at this point, but my plane ticket was nonrefundable and my reputation is still on the line. I am anxious, frustrated, and just generally upset about the whole thing.
I’m meeting with my manager this week to basically disclose my disability and explain I will be sitting a lot of stuff out.
Any advice you could provide, about this conversation with my manager, how to survive the trip, how to handle questions about why I am not participating, how to professionally communicate to leadership that accessibility extends far beyond just booking accessible hotel rooms, anything would be so helpful.
This sucks, I’m sorry.
I would start with this: “As more info has been shared about activities at the retreat, I’m realizing I won’t be able to participate in most of it, and possibly none of it, because of a disability. Having to field lots of questions about why I’m not able to participate obviously isn’t a comfortable situation to be in. Would it make sense for me to skip this one and attend in the future if they’re more accessible?”
Or if you’d prefer to attend at this point, despite the situation they’ve created: “As more info has been shared about activities at the retreat, I’m realizing I won’t be able to participate in most of it, and possibly none of it, because of a disability. Can we talk about what the logistics will be since I won’t be able to do X, Y, and Z?” They may be caught off-guard and not have a good answer on the spot, so if there’s a way you’d prefer to handle it, offer that up (like “I’d be happy to attend the potato sack race and cheer from the sidelines, but for the afternoon of zip-lining, I think it would make sense for me to stay back at the hotel” or whatever you’d ideally want to do).
If you go and get questions from coworkers about why you’re not participating, it depends on how much you’re comfortable sharing. Anything like the following would work:
* “Bad back, can’t!”
* “Medical stuff, I hope you have fun though!”
* “My doctor would kill me.”
* “Medical restrictions, but it looks fun!”
If you’re breezy and matter-of-fact about it, most other people will be too. But if you encounter anyone who’s determined to “fix” the problem and find a way for you to participate (which can be well-intentioned or can just be someone who’s a busybody), you can shut that down: “Oh, I appreciate it, but this is the safest option for me so no thank you.” … “I don’t want to get into medical stuff at work, but there isn’t actually a way to make it safe for me. Go have fun, I’m fine!” … and if necessary: “Truly, no.”
I’d also recommend talking with HR to explain the situation and ask that they ensure accessibility is given more consideration in the future. It sounds like this possibility wasn’t on anyone’s radar at all, and it needs to be. Sometimes that happens when a company has never done a retreat before, or with a new and growing company that is brand new to having to consider the diverse health needs of a workforce. If they’re large and have been around a long time and have done in-person retreats before, this is a lot more startling. But either way, they need to get it on their radar now, and I’m sorry you have to be the messenger.
The post I’m too disabled for my company’s retreat appeared first on Ask a Manager.
В Румынии начался саммит "Бухарестской девятки"
2026-05-12 21:08selengaНа встрече ожидаются генеральный секретарь НАТО Марк Рютте и президент Украины Владимир Зеленский. Мероприятие проходит в Румынии с участием лидеров стран региона.
Первым в столицу Румынии прибыл президент Польши Кароль Навроцкий.
Его встретил президент Румынии Никушор Дан во дворце Котрочень, где состоялись двусторонние переговоры. Оба лидера будут совместно председательствовать на саммите.
Также запланированы отдельные встречи лидеров стран Северной Европы. Основное внимание будет сосредоточено на вопросах безопасности, координации действий и поддержки Украины.
Формат "Бухарестской девятки" был создан в 2015 году для укрепления сотрудничества в сфере обороны.
В него входят девять стран Центральной и Восточной Европы
https://censor.net/ru/n4002859
Первым в столицу Румынии прибыл президент Польши Кароль Навроцкий.
Его встретил президент Румынии Никушор Дан во дворце Котрочень, где состоялись двусторонние переговоры. Оба лидера будут совместно председательствовать на саммите.
Также запланированы отдельные встречи лидеров стран Северной Европы. Основное внимание будет сосредоточено на вопросах безопасности, координации действий и поддержки Украины.
Формат "Бухарестской девятки" был создан в 2015 году для укрепления сотрудничества в сфере обороны.
В него входят девять стран Центральной и Восточной Европы
https://censor.net/ru/n4002859
maggie33Mom is sick again. Or rather – she’s still sick, just not with the same thing. That previous illness triggered another flare-up of her autoimmunological disease. It was so bad one day that I thought she would end up at the hospital, but thankfully she got better the same evening. *sigh of relief*
One other thing happened in RL that made me rather busy lately. Which means I’m so behind on everything drama related. But I did watch some things.
Enemies with Benefits
The first two episodes were wonderful – cute, funny and sexy. Jan is great, JingJing is great, they’re both gorgeous, and their chemistry is fire, too. And their kissing is very hot. 😊
Only Friends Dream On
Episode 11 was fine. I liked Rome & Raffy the most, of course. And one other spoilery thing (see below).
Tua and Arnold continue to be sweet together.
And I like Fluke a lot, but Pete is such a lousy villain. Is he supposed to be Boston of this season? Because, wow, he’s not even close to Boston’s... well, everything.
And I don’t know why but Jack and Dean still don’t do it for me as a messy and complicated exes-to-lovers-to-exes-to-lovers couple. And I love Earth and Mix. But something here isn’t working for me. Maybe if they leant more into Dean being a smug jerk, and Jack being darkly possessive and obsessed? And does the teaser for the finale try to imply that Jack and Dean won’t end up together? Because I don’t believe that at all.
And, as always, I have two interesting trailers to share with you. The first is for a Chinese BL drama (which already started airing, I just didn’t have time to check it out yet), and the second for a Thai GL drama, which starts airing on May 29.
One other thing happened in RL that made me rather busy lately. Which means I’m so behind on everything drama related. But I did watch some things.
Enemies with Benefits
The first two episodes were wonderful – cute, funny and sexy. Jan is great, JingJing is great, they’re both gorgeous, and their chemistry is fire, too. And their kissing is very hot. 😊
Minor spoilers here.
Aww, there are already feelings. It’s clear that Wine started crushing on Lal earlier, before Lal even talked to her. But Lal wasn’t very far behind in catching feelings, too. They are both very cute with their crushes.Only Friends Dream On
Episode 11 was fine. I liked Rome & Raffy the most, of course. And one other spoilery thing (see below).
Spoilers reside here.
Top and Mew again, yay!!! Being happy and cute together. ❤️ And I liked that lovely talk Mew and Jack had about giving a second chance to someone who hurt you.Tua and Arnold continue to be sweet together.
And I like Fluke a lot, but Pete is such a lousy villain. Is he supposed to be Boston of this season? Because, wow, he’s not even close to Boston’s... well, everything.
And I don’t know why but Jack and Dean still don’t do it for me as a messy and complicated exes-to-lovers-to-exes-to-lovers couple. And I love Earth and Mix. But something here isn’t working for me. Maybe if they leant more into Dean being a smug jerk, and Jack being darkly possessive and obsessed? And does the teaser for the finale try to imply that Jack and Dean won’t end up together? Because I don’t believe that at all.
And, as always, I have two interesting trailers to share with you. The first is for a Chinese BL drama (which already started airing, I just didn’t have time to check it out yet), and the second for a Thai GL drama, which starts airing on May 29.
tarlanx posting in c_entTitle: Pear Blossoms in Spring
Author: Tarlan (tarlanx)
Fandom: Yin Yáng Shi | The Yin-yang Master (Movies - Guo Jingming)
Pairing/Characters: Bo Ya/Qing Ming
Rating/Category: PG SLASH
Word Count: 1085
Summary: It is Springtime in the city and Qingming needs time to heal after the battle with the Serpent.
On AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/84733851
Author: Tarlan (
tarlanx)Fandom: Yin Yáng Shi | The Yin-yang Master (Movies - Guo Jingming)
Pairing/Characters: Bo Ya/Qing Ming
Rating/Category: PG SLASH
Word Count: 1085
Summary: It is Springtime in the city and Qingming needs time to heal after the battle with the Serpent.
On AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/84733851
Politics
2026-05-12 12:04ysabetwordsmithContemporary Dual States: Israel, US, Russia, China, Turkey, etc.
As Fraenkel explained it, a lawless dictatorship does not arise simply by snuffing out the ordinary legal system of rules, procedures, and precedents. To the contrary, that system—which he called the “normative state”—remains in place while dictatorial power spreads across society. What happens, Fraenkel explained, is insidious. Rather than completely eliminating the normative state, the Nazi regime slowly created a parallel zone in which “unlimited arbitrariness and violence unchecked by any legal guarantees” reigned freely. In this domain, which Fraenkel called the “prerogative state,” ordinary law didn’t apply.
( Read more... )
As Fraenkel explained it, a lawless dictatorship does not arise simply by snuffing out the ordinary legal system of rules, procedures, and precedents. To the contrary, that system—which he called the “normative state”—remains in place while dictatorial power spreads across society. What happens, Fraenkel explained, is insidious. Rather than completely eliminating the normative state, the Nazi regime slowly created a parallel zone in which “unlimited arbitrariness and violence unchecked by any legal guarantees” reigned freely. In this domain, which Fraenkel called the “prerogative state,” ordinary law didn’t apply.
( Read more... )
should you tell your boss you’re taking a mental health day?
2026-05-12 16:29askamanager_feedA reader writes:
I work in a healthcare-adjacent job with a pretty generous leave policy. When folks are going to take a sick day, it’s our practice to drop a note into Teams and say, “Not feeling well, taking a sick day, contact X about Y if it’s urgent, see you tomorrow I hope.” Sometimes folks will add a bit more info — saying they have a migraine or they caught the flu going around, etc. — but there’s nothing along the lines of needing to justify it to your manager or your team. If you’re sick, you’re sick and you take your leave.
What I’m wondering about: quite often younger employees will specifically note that they are taking a mental health day when they call (or rather, message) in sick. Is that advisable? I’ve spoken with peers about this and they were also taken aback by the (mostly) Zoomers who often do this and felt that it’s an overshare.
On one hand, I appreciate that they are taking care of themselves and I suppose it’s nice to normalize self-care around mental health, especially since we work in an adjacent field. On the other hand, it seems like an overshare to me. I’ve had my struggles with mental health and totally support people using PTO however they want. But it seems … weird to share this info. Does “mental health day” mean you are dealing with suicidal ideation (or similar) or it’s just been a rough month? If you took a mental health day on Monday, do I need to treat you with kid gloves on Tuesday? What if there’s a tough conversation that needs to be had, or a ton of work that needs to be done quickly? I would hold back on doing that if it was a person’s first day back from something like bereavement leave. But if it was after a physical sick day, I’d assume that the person is back in the office and prepared to carry on as usual.
Do managers owe it to employees, especially more junior ones, to say, “Hey, you never owe an explanation about PTO, and sometimes saying ‘mental health day’ can read a little unprofessional, even if it shouldn’t”?
You can read my answer to this letter at New York Magazine today. Head over there to read it.
The post should you tell your boss you’re taking a mental health day? appeared first on Ask a Manager.
Hugo novellas, part 1 (of presumably 2)
2026-05-12 09:01cahnHi happy somewhat delayed Hugo season!
I have been flirting with the novels but I guess my attention span these days is novella-sized, so that's all I've managed to get through so far.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom) - On a starship where the inhabitants manage the long travel by recording their minds and swapping out bodies, a detective wakes up in another body and must investigate a murder, not just of a body but also of minds... I liked it! It wasn't super deep, and I was a bit side-eying the nod towards a potential ship at the end given what we know, but there was a lot of fun worldbuilding and yarn (knitting is both a character point and a minor plot point). I loved Ruthie and John, my faves.
The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Del Rey US; Del Rey UK) - A fairy tale where Celia, the youngest of the Grand Duke Veris' three children, deals with the aftermath of the summer war with the magical faerie-like summerlings and the fallout in her own family while navigating her own heritage.
I really really liked this one, actually. I just think Novik matches up very well with what I want, thematically, and of course her writing is great. There was one character I was like, well, this is obviously the most interesting character, and was pleased that the author was not uninterested.
What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire; Titan UK) - I always like Kingfisher's writing but I think I can get a tiny bit tired of it? So I read the first of these, What Moves the Dead, a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot but then didn't feel like I needed to read any more in this series. Then I read this one and I enjoyed it but felt like I'd already kind of read it? Alex Easton, the narrator of these books, is a sworn soldier (with ka/kan pronouns) in the fictional country of Gallacia. Ka helps investigate odd horror-ish events... so, yeah, that was the plot of both of them. This one is set in the US. I guess the difference is that
I have been flirting with the novels but I guess my attention span these days is novella-sized, so that's all I've managed to get through so far.
Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite (Tordotcom) - On a starship where the inhabitants manage the long travel by recording their minds and swapping out bodies, a detective wakes up in another body and must investigate a murder, not just of a body but also of minds... I liked it! It wasn't super deep, and I was a bit side-eying the nod towards a potential ship at the end given what we know, but there was a lot of fun worldbuilding and yarn (knitting is both a character point and a minor plot point). I loved Ruthie and John, my faves.
The Summer War by Naomi Novik (Del Rey US; Del Rey UK) - A fairy tale where Celia, the youngest of the Grand Duke Veris' three children, deals with the aftermath of the summer war with the magical faerie-like summerlings and the fallout in her own family while navigating her own heritage.
I really really liked this one, actually. I just think Novik matches up very well with what I want, thematically, and of course her writing is great. There was one character I was like, well, this is obviously the most interesting character, and was pleased that the author was not uninterested.
Spoilers!
I am of course talking about Veris here. From Argent's POV he seems like a run-of-the-mill homophobe, but even though Celia kind of thinks so too, she also sees that he actually doesn't particularly care about the gay thing, he just cares very very much about having to be very very careful as he has had to be his whole life (in other ways). So I really liked that characterization which I thought was quite interesting (much more interesting than if he had just been a regular homophobe), and I loved that he came back at the end and was able to redeem himself a bit. And then of course the recurring theme of "let's save everyone, not just the people we love," which I always adore, and also I absolutely positively adored how the whole family figured themselves out and came together. I am SUCH a sucker for that. I really loved how Novik had such empathy for each one of them, and understood that sometimes people can be jerks (and in fact each of them behaves badly at one point or another) but it doesn't mean that's the entirety of their character.What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher (Nightfire; Titan UK) - I always like Kingfisher's writing but I think I can get a tiny bit tired of it? So I read the first of these, What Moves the Dead, a couple of years ago and enjoyed it a lot but then didn't feel like I needed to read any more in this series. Then I read this one and I enjoyed it but felt like I'd already kind of read it? Alex Easton, the narrator of these books, is a sworn soldier (with ka/kan pronouns) in the fictional country of Gallacia. Ka helps investigate odd horror-ish events... so, yeah, that was the plot of both of them. This one is set in the US. I guess the difference is that
Spoilers for both books
in the first book they destroyed the fungus, and in this book, they saved the organism, yay! In both books it was very clear that Kingfisher's sympathy was with the non-human character, so it was nice for it to end well for it here.TV Tuesday: Is That Who They're Supposed to Be?
2026-05-12 11:15yourlibrarian posting in tv_talk
TV has always glamorized characters, even those who weren’t supposed to be while denying jobs to people who look like what they are.
What does "normal people" mean to you when it comes to television? Which shows and/or characters succeed at portraying "the normal life"? And what are clichés that you dislike seeing about supposed normalcy?
245 Doctor Who series 7 icons
2026-05-12 11:39annabeth_roses posting in fandom_icons245 Doctor Who icons from Bells of St. John, Rings of Akhaten, Cold War, Hide, Journey to the Center of the TARDIS, The Crimson Horror, The Name of the Doctor, and some more The Snowmen icons.
All Eleventh Doctor with several of him & Clara in the same icon. Also Eleven and River. This was literally the "Eleventh Doctor batch."
Very image heavy.
Teasers:
here @ my journal
All Eleventh Doctor with several of him & Clara in the same icon. Also Eleven and River. This was literally the "Eleventh Doctor batch."
Very image heavy.
Teasers:
here @ my journal
"As though I had wings", by Mary Oliver
2026-05-12 11:23med_cat posting in greatpoetryI feel my boots
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want
to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.
From "Starlings in Winter by Mary Oliver
(viaminoanmiss , with many thanks)
trying to leave the ground,
I feel my heart
pumping hard. I want
to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.
From "Starlings in Winter by Mary Oliver
(via
minoanmiss , with many thanks)3w4dw: Too Cool for Skool
2026-05-12 19:40adoreGreetings, friends. Today for 3weeks4dreamwidth I bring you not a Kingdom of Knuffel avatar, but a Wild Knuffel. Wild Knuffel are adoptables made by users, for users! Anyone who wants to try their hand at art and use the Knuffel base to draw on can create one, and submit them for release. Once released, other users can adopt them.
Here's one made by user HanafuruLove. When I told her that I'd adopted him, she saw that I'd named him 'Too Cool for Skool' and she found that hilarious
It's possible to click on the preview box above if you're curious about seeing him in his full glory (all the details HanafuruLove added to him!) or if you want to try feeding and playing with him. I love his tattoos, piercings and of course, his skateboard. The expression on his face speaks volumes
3weeks4dreamwidth I bring you not a Kingdom of Knuffel avatar, but a Wild Knuffel. Wild Knuffel are adoptables made by users, for users! Anyone who wants to try their hand at art and use the Knuffel base to draw on can create one, and submit them for release. Once released, other users can adopt them. Here's one made by user HanafuruLove. When I told her that I'd adopted him, she saw that I'd named him 'Too Cool for Skool' and she found that hilarious
It's possible to click on the preview box above if you're curious about seeing him in his full glory (all the details HanafuruLove added to him!) or if you want to try feeding and playing with him. I love his tattoos, piercings and of course, his skateboard. The expression on his face speaks volumes
