Once more with Yuletide...
Oct. 28th, 2025 07:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
settiai![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
yuletide_admin opened up requests for everyone to see earlier today.I pulled them up in the app and have bookmarked anything and everything that I feel as if I could even potentially try to write a treat for. It's... a lot. Which isn't unexpected considering the ridiculous number of offers I made sight unseen, but still.
Seriously, it's 240. And these are just the ones that I really felt that I could write without trouble. There were definitely more if I'd added the ones that I felt a bit iffy on.
I'm going to do my best to get my assignment(s) posted early so that I can A. pick up some later pinch hits (as the odds are high at least something that I could write will show up) and B. try to pull off some treats. We'll see how that plan plays out. I wrote 10 fics for Yuletide in 2023, and I'd love to try to beat that number.
And Now For Some Light Relief
Oct. 28th, 2025 09:45 pmglindaI pinched this one from
thisbluespirit (though I've seen it since all across the f-list) and started from my most recent fic and worked backwards snagging the first instance of each letter. A - Another Day, Another Disaster (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley, Adam & The Them)
B - Between Stimulation and Reaction (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alex Hardison, Eliot Spencer/Sophie Deveraux, Eliot Spencer/Others)
C - Cola, Bleach and Other Dangerous Chemicals (Birds of Prey, Harley Quinn, Cassie Cain, Joker)
D - Done Deal (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Parker/Alec Hardison)
E - Eilean a 'Cheo (Rivers of London, Beverley Brook/Peter Grant, Abdul Haqq Walid, OCs)
F - Four Meals (Good Omens, Aziraphale/Crowley)
G - Gold Standard(The Thing in the Tunnels Wants Rather More) (The Thing In The Walls Wants Your Spare Change, Caro, Aly, Dragons)
H - Hiding in Plain Sight (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
I - If Wishes Were Spaceships (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel/Hera)
J - Joined By The Westering Wind (Pacific Rim, Rayleigh/Mako)
K - Knives Out of Context (Leverage, Parker/Alec Hardison)
L - Like the Arms of the Ocean (Birds of Prey, Cassandra Cain & Harleen Quinzel)
M - Midnight Special (Leverage, Eliot Spencer/Mr Quinn)
N - No Happy Ending (Forest 404, Pan/Daria)
O - Of Salt and Candles (Good Omens, Aziraphale & Crowley)
P - Practical Arrangements and Practical Jokes (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzman/Abby Yates)
Q -
R - Robots Need Hugs Too (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Alana Maxwell)
S - Someone You Couldn't Lose (Ocean's Eight, Daphne Kluger/Debbie Ocean/Lou Miller)
T - Taking The Shine Off The Stars (The Mummy, Ardeth Bay/Evy Carnahan O'Connell/Rick O'Connell)
U - The Universe Is Drifting Apart (Ghostbusters, Jillian Holtzmann/Patty Tolan)
V - A Voice From The Stars (Wolf 359, Doug Eiffel, Hera, Mr Cutter)
W - Weapon of Choice (James Bond Movies, Bond/M, Bond/Q, Bond & Moneypenny)
X -
Y - You Wear It Well (Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers/Maria Rambeau)
Z -
23/26 from 200 fics on AO3. Unsurprisingly no Q, X or Z - I did wonder if I might have a Q somewhere, but if I do it must be a drabble or comment fic that never got archived. I thought it was going to be a much worse turn out as after a strong start there was a lot of repetition in first letters but my Wolf 359 fic did me a solid with I, R and V after nearly two pages of nothing but Cs, Ls, Ms, Ss and Ts it felt like.
Putting the "Ha!" in Halloween
Oct. 28th, 2025 01:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
cakewrecks_feedYou guys, this Sunday is Halloween! And you know what that means, right?
Yep: Time to get our hands on some cake.
Finger-licking bad.
Or I suppose we could sink our teeth into some...er...
[blinking]
...never mind.
Just keep your eyes off this pumpkin cake, if you please:
Thank you.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around this design:
Ow.
Oh, I know! Maybe it's a window pane!
*gigglesnort*
Ahem.
I did wonder why Frank there had no nose, but then I realized:
That's why.
Yep, you could say it's as plain as the dong on his face.
Come to think of it, this bakery really should reevaluate their staff:
'Cuz that's one broomstick that should be swept under the rug.
You know, for being too hard to handle.
Not to mention stick-y.
And so, my friends, in conclusion:
Haa!
And...
EEN!!
Thanks to A.F., C.C., Linda L., Donna S., Patrick M., Dana, Jeremy C., & Kelsey N. for the tricky treats.
*****
P.S. Here's a (hilarious) reminder that English is almost as confusing as these cakes:
P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Fannish Stuff
Oct. 27th, 2025 08:10 pmsettiaiOne thing down, a million to go.
I'd originally thought about trying to watch last week's Critical Role after work today now that I have some timestamps to avoid, but I was exhausted by the time I made it back to the hotel. So instead I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight, get a proper night's sleep, and then plan on watching it after work tomorrow. We'll see how it goes?
Yuletide is going to require me to do some fandom re-familiarizing before I start properly writing anything, so I'm going to hold off on starting that until at least the weekend. I have the source(s) at least, so that helps, but finding both the time and the headspace to re-[redacted] everything that I need to re-[redacted] will probably need to wait at least a little while.
Deep Breaths
Oct. 27th, 2025 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedHey, you know what? I think we could all use a nice, relaxing post. Something safe, easy, and appetizing. Something that brings to mind happy places...
...and happy things.
So clear your minds, my friends, and let's think about happy little butterflies...
And cheeky little monkeys...
And sleepy little kittens...
And warm, friendly faces...
And, of course, giant, chocolate-dipped beetles:
See? All better.
Thanks to Claudia D., Dawna Z., Kimberly S., Tiffany, Lisa H., Brittany J., & D.L. for the breather.
*****
P.S., Speaking of relaxing things, remember when fidget spinners were a thing? Because I found the upgraded, double-duty version:
Stainless Steel Spinner Ring Set
You get all 3 of these pretty spinner rings for $12, and the reviews say they're especially great for teens. These are an awesome way to keep your hands busy without being super obvious.
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Yuletide Assignment
Oct. 26th, 2025 12:25 pmsettiaiI had no idea what to expect, so it caught me a little by surprise, but that's definitely not a bad thing. That's part of why I tend to offer a ridiculous number of fandoms for this exchange so that I have no way of knowing what I'm going to get for my assignment. I managed to trim it down a little from the 111 fandoms that I was originally going to offer, but the number didn't go down all that much.
It's one of the many, many, many fandoms that I threw in my bucket list because knew I'd be able to write almost anything for it but would definitely need a canon review first, as it's been a while. So, you know, it looks like that's going to be something I need to do in the next few weeks.
Sunday TREATS: Halloween
Oct. 26th, 2025 01:22 pmcakewrecks_feedYou know when you go to a haunted house, how there's the usual super scary corpse-undertaker-chasing-you-with-a-blood-covered-chainsaw section? And across the parking lot there's the happy-hayride-pumpkin-patch-and-face-painting-with-the-kids section? That's where you'll find today's Halloween Sweets. Today there's nothing to be scared about, except overdosing on cuteness!
Not to mention sweetness.
By Rebecca of Sugar Creations
A cake covered in candy? I can handle that.
How luscious is this caramel apple cake? It looks so real I'm tempted to take a bite just for authenticity's sake.
I'm trying to be scared by this spooky graveyard cake, but ... nope! Too cute! See the wee little jack-o-lantern?
Hmmm, speaking of jack-o-lanterns maybe I'll try to carve all of mine out of cake this year, because a) smaller odds of accidentally stabbing myself again, and b) tastier leftovers!
Now this is a happy cake!
Made by Cake Central member preciouspjs
These monsters don't want to eat your entrails, they just want to see you smile! Love the different textures of 'fur.'
Ok, this next cake is by far the absolute cutest thing I've seen all day:
By Jen's Cakery
And that includes those newborn hedgehog pictures that are going around the internet and also my own children.
If some awesome person delivered these amazing cookies to my house, I would ban everyone from eating them, and display them as decorations instead. All year long.
It's never too soon to introduce the kids to Halloween, and not just because that means more free candy for you! (No, actually that's a good enough reason.)
SO CUTE! Look at the tiny droplets of blood on the vampire's fangs!
Now, if you are not delighted by this cake and its vivid colors, bats silhouetted by the moon and baby grand piano, you might be a Halloween Scrooge.
(Coincidentally, if you are looking for a great Halloween movie, rent A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey, because that was the scariest shiz I've ever seen.)
The more I look at this cake, the more I'm floored by the details:
Tiny bones and fallen leaves. Itty bitty bats with fangs! Haphazardly hanging shutters! And so well-done too. I've never seen skeletons and gravestones looks so gosh darn adorable.
And finally, can you make it past the fearful fondling tentacles and eerie eyeballs of this cake? Beyond the ghostly guardian, over the circular sentinels, through the clingy cobwebs and up the slimy staircase to the haunted mansion?
Go on, try it. I double dare you.
Yeah, you go on ahead...
I'll uh, just be over here getting my face painted.
Happy Sunday!
*****
P.S. Are you making Halloween Treat bags this year? Because I found the cutest set:
Halloween Goody Bag Set: 40 Bags & Stickers
I love the designs, especially the cat & the skull!
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Database maintenance
Oct. 25th, 2025 08:42 am![[staff profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user_staff.png){kind=small}
mark posting in ![[site community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/comm_staff.png){kind=small}
dw_maintenanceGood morning, afternoon, and evening!
We're doing some database and other light server maintenance this weekend (upgrading the version of MySQL we use in particular, but also probably doing some CDN work.)
I expect all of this to be pretty invisible except for some small "couple of minute" blips as we switch between machines, but there's a chance you will notice something untoward. I'll keep an eye on comments as per usual.
Ta for now!
Fannish Stuff
Oct. 24th, 2025 10:10 pmsettiaiWe'll see how it goes?
I've gotta admit, one of the biggest things that annoys me about Critical Role is their refusal to add content warnings of any type even now that they're prerecording. It made sense when they were properly airing live prior to 2020, because that just wasn't possible, but now? It would help a lot of people to at least have an option to know in advance that an episode was going to include common triggers. They gave warnings for the Divergence miniseries, so it's definitely possible for them to do. They just don't do it most of the time.
Let's see...
I finally managed to get my Yuletide sign-up done earlier this afternoon. It took a lot longer than I was expecting, but I got it in a few hours before the deadline so that I still had time to go back and make a few small edits before they closed. So that's a relief at least. I'm having a few regrets about not trimming down my list of offers a bit more than I did, but that happens every year, so it's not exactly something new.
The Dragon Age Reverse Bang's deadline is Sunday, so my artist and I are both hurrying to get everything finished. My brain's a bit mush right now despite me napping after work, because A. I slept like crap and B. I think that I might be coming down with something, so I think that I'm going to go to bed in a bit so that I can plan on getting up early and curling up with my laptop to spend tomorrow writing until I get this ever-growing monster of a fic done.
Dear Yuletide Writer(s),
Oct. 24th, 2025 12:44 pmsettiaiMy AO3 account is
Treats are always appreciated but never expected. 💕
First of all, relax! I'm far from being picky, and I can pretty much guarantee that I'll love whatever you decide to write me. These are nothing but guidelines for you to take to heart or ignore to your heart's content. Also, hey! You're writing me fic! In a tiny(ish) fandom that I adore! That's automatically a good reason for me to love you, no matter what. So, please, keep that in mind. Trust me, you can pretty much do no wrong. ♥
That said, I thought that I'd elaborate a bit on my eight requests in case, like me, you're the type of person who likes to have something to work with. If you're not that type of person, it's totally fine with me if you skip over anything/everything that I've included in this letter. Feel free to use and/or ignore as much of this as you want.
( General Likes/Dislikes )
( Gargoyles (Cartoon) )
( Home Alone (Movies) )
( Hornblower (TV) )
( Peacemakers (2003) )
( Stealing Fire - Jo Graham )
( Titanic (1997) )
( The Wild Robot (2024) )
( The Witch Wolf (Webcomic) )
No matter what, please don't stress out about writing for me. I'll love whatever you give me, so don't worry. Write what makes you happy, and I can guarantee that I'll be happy in return.
When The World Ends, Blame The Ninja Deer
Oct. 24th, 2025 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedYou know how sometimes we like to zoom in to see all the wrecky details?
Well, it turns out sometimes we should zoom OUT.
Take this wedding cake, for example:
While I think you'll agree that finger-smeared "camouflage" is a true wonder to behold, there's no way for you to fully appreciate the entire artistic "tableau" - the one hinted at by that snippet of caution tape in the background - until you zoom out a ways:
I'll forgive the balloons, the little boot vases, and even the toy tractors - but two plywood boards balanced on a used tractor tire? That's time to take a stand, people. And burn it.
And, ok, since you insist:
Whoah, whoah, whoah. Where did those tiny deer come from?!
No, seriously, did you see any tiny plastic deer in those first two photos? 'Cuz I didn't.
Wait.
I just thought of something:
What if the deer were wearing camouflage?
{***}
That sound just then?
That was your mind being blown.
Many thanks to Anony M., who also provided a photo of the bridal party, but I've decided to protect the identities of the guilty. After all, any bridesmaid forced to wear a camo dress with a neon orange petticoat and cowboy boots has suffered enough, don't you think?
*****
P.S. I don't think I'll ever be OK with tires as cake stands, but they DO make pretty awesome travel mugs:
Stainless Steel Tire Travel Mug
The lid even has a hub cap! Ha! Great reviews, too.
******
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Critical Role
Oct. 23rd, 2025 11:55 pmsettiai( Rambling under the cut. )
ETA: In retrospect, I was definitely having a mild panic attack for a while there, so I've apparently found a fun new trigger. A friend is sending me some very specific spoilers and timestamps about last night's episode, so I'm going to try it again when I can go in prepared. It's not as bad as it initially seemed, but the way it was handled was definitely... not great.
Yuletide Letter 2025
Oct. 23rd, 2025 05:21 pmtptiggerSome general stuff: I really love found family, friendship fic, hijinks, case fic, special powers (if you hadn't guessed from my fandoms!), teens that are Too Bright for Their Own Good (Five is... like that), platonic affection, extremely competent characters doing their thing (think Leverage the show as competence porn), and bonding fic. I gave a lot of plotty prompts, but feel free to give me a good character story too.
Things I don't much like: sex, violence (canon typical is fine if it serves the plot), other people's identity headcanons, stories that are basically romance as the plot, plots that can be resolved if the characters would just talk to each other! I'm also not a big fan of modern AUs, coffee shop AUs and the like. (AUs that are "what if something else happened in canon" are fun and I adore them.) Real world politics are too much right now.
( The Tomorrow People (all versions) )
( Dark Matter (TV 2015) )
( Power Rangers Ninja Storm )
( Wonka (2023) )
SPAAACE!!!
Oct. 23rd, 2025 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedIt happens to the best of us: Sometimes, you just run out of room.
The test of a true wreckerator, however, is how creatively you manage to soldier on in the face of seemingly insurmountable icing borders.
Ok, so maybe they're not all that insurmountable.
In fact, here are a few more tried and true tactics employed by wreckerators everywhere:
The Nose Dive:
(Cartoon bomb noises optional.)
The Double Stack:
Now with extra ellipses!
The "Round Abound:"
The color choice is what really sells it.
The Second Time's the Charm:
Also known as the "Maybe No One Will Notice."
The Cliff-Hanger:
"Y! Hold on, Y! I can't...you're...you're slipping! Y!! NOOOoooOOOOooOOO!!"
Ahem.
And finally, my personal favorite:
The "Stop, Walk (Away), and LOL."
Thanks to Leigh M., Brenda S., Holly H., Ariel F., Victoria M., Mike S., Jenny B., and Lauren L. for really exploring the studio space. Before we're done here, you'll all be wearing gold-plated diapers.
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Fannish Stuff
Oct. 22nd, 2025 08:42 pmsettiaiD&D starts in about ten minutes, so that's going to take up the right of my night. Tomorrow, I have to finish up my Yuletide letter and sign-up whether my brain likes it or not. It's taking forever because I'm requesting multiple new fandoms this year, so I'm having to write those sections of the letter from scratch, but I'm running out of time so I've gotta get it finished.
Then I desperately need to finish my fic for the Dragon Age Reverse Bang by Saturday at the latest. It's due on Sunday, and both my artist and I are scrambling to finish up. The fic's one of those ones that decided to keep growing and growing on me, as isn't uncommon with that fandom, which hasn't exactly helped.
Come on, brain. Cooperate for just a few days. Please?
Halloween Tips
Oct. 22nd, 2025 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedThe big day is coming, people, so before you hit the streets to go trick-or-treating, here are some useful "guidelines" for having a safe and scream-worthy night:
Never accept rides from strangers.
Especially if you see fingers hanging out of the trunk.
Wear reflective clothing:
Or just something so unbelievably hideous that people won't be able to NOT notice you. You know, like Crocs and a Speedo. (As a bonus: EVERYONE will want your picture!)
Watch out for roving gangs of lower-case Ms:
They're vicious this time of year. VICIOUS.
If you're trying to scare someone, don't yell "Boo!" It's not scary enough.
Instead yell, "SCARY BOO!"
It also helps if you throw spiders at them.
Never assume you know what someone's costume is.
One person's Elvis is another's Dracula, and you really don't need that kind of awkwardness.
"I vant choo to stay off of my blue svade shoos! Muah! Ah! Ah!"
ALWAYS SAY "THANK YOU."
Even if they give you crap candy like generic lollipops and little bags of candy corn*:
*Actual candy we will be giving out on Halloween. Plus little boxes of Milk Duds. Y'all come by, y'hear?
And try to look grateful when you're saying "thank you," too - not like this:
"This is my happy face."
Lastly, and mostly importantly...
BEWARE THE TOILET PAPER TERROR:
He also goes by "The Spirit of Gasses Past."
Thanks to Carly T., Leah K., Catherine S., Chryss A., Kris D., Chris B., Brianna M., Denil B., & Jennifer G. for really wiping the floor with these wrecks.
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
Royally Wrecked
Oct. 21st, 2025 01:00 pmcakewrecks_feedRemember that cake with a perfectly drawn Gerber Baby on it that was supposed to be a Gerber daisy?
Yeah, I love that one.
So needless to say, my day has just been made by this "Princess Crown":
So. Not. Kidding.
And according to Anthony N., his sister Gia is actually terrified of clowns, so this "did not go over well." Awww. Poor Gia! Doesn't she know that Mr. Demon McFangs there just wants to play?
With her entrails?
*****
I don't know about you guys, but when I get something unexpected in the mail, I can't WAIT to open it.
Well, unless it's a bill. Or junk mail. Or suspiciously soggy*.
Anyway, the point is, I think it's basic human nature to want to know what's inside a mystery container. To explore! To learn! To find potential new sources of money/fame/candy! C'mon, it's the basic premise of birthday parties, Christmas, and that whole Pandora-and-her-box thing.
Case in point: if someone handed you a large padded envelope and asked you to "please put this on my cake," and you were, you know, someone who makes cakes, would you...
A) Open the envelope to see what your customer wants printed on the cake
OR
B) Scan the OUTSIDE of the envelope and print that on the cake?
Survey says...
The answer is "Crystal Image Big Prints" clear!
Many thanks to Monica S., who reports she got this gem of a response when she complained:
"You never told me to look in the envelope."
Anyone else suspect this baker gets a lot of wrapping paper for Christmas?
*"Suspiciously Soggy" should totally be a band name. Make this happen, people.
*****
P.S. That reminds me: I don't know how often you mail stuff, but shouldn't it be in a prettier envelope?
Designer Poly Mailers, 10X13, 30PK
So cute! And they cost less than $9 for 30, dang.
*****
And from my other blog, Epbot:
