* Balcony (girl, you gotta)
* Paint windows
* Repay loan (0/2)
* Clear room & set up desk
* Invite friends over
* Invite family over
* heating cables + lights
* Hang framed pictures
* 12 baths (1/12)

* Trip mom
* Hiking somewhere pretty
* Dentist
* One month of daily meditation (0/30)
* Yoga x 40 (0/40)

* Ten rec posts (1/10)
* Four icon posts (1/4)
* Re-up spankulert icons to dw
* At least twelve entries into Community Thursdays (01/12)
* Finish up starterpack.
* Complete fifteen games (0/15)
* Steam game completion to 35% (start at 27%)
* Steam NO BUY for the year (DLCs exempt)
* 5x5 board games (0/5)
* Fifteen physical books (00/15)
* Three fan-mixes (0/3)
* Oi! remember picspams?? (0/3)
* Paint ten figs (0/10)
* Finish five Procreate pieces (0/5)
* ONE vid damn you, just do it dot gif
* Run a couple of icon challenges (0/2)
* rec_cember

New Years Book Meme Via flamingsword:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Turn to page 126
3. The 6th full sentence is your life in 2026

hah my closest book was Nghi Vo's Mammoths at the Gates, which ends at 120 pages.

"I stared down into it, no lights burning at its heart, no voices raised in song, while Rencki tried to call up the shuttle to Kiskol."
Slow Gods by Claire North.

Well, um. That sounds bleak? 2026 really needs to be nicer to me.

Positive note, I do like the writing.

+ I'm going back to work tonight, just to sleep on board so I can get cracking nice and early before everybody else arrives. It'll probably be freezing but hopping in bed wearing wool should sort that out. Right now I am of course procrastinating to the max. I have not packed a single item yet. At least my packages have been collected, the laundry and washing up done, and I've bought the necessities. The plan was to finish early so I could have a nice bath? *sighs at self* Man, you'll love that bath. Make that bath happen!

eta ugh my dad gave me anxiety about whether the key would be there, so now I won't be going on the boat until tomorrow and I'm grumbly about it. I wanted stuff to be ready dammit.

+ One thing I did finish is my holiday quest list in Dreamlight Valley, most important of all lolol. Gotta get those holiday decoration items, so I can boot it back up next December and once again not actually get around to decorating all that much. But it does make Kid Me happy still, wandering around with Belle and Wall-E, the most low stakes gameplay there is, collecting pretty holiday items. (they did actually sneak in an extra holiday thing that started after New Years and I'm cranky about it.)

+ I should also do my big yearly tarot spread, but I may not have the brains. Maybe I'll just lay them out and take pictures for later.

+ Letterboxd's In Memoriam tribute this year really hit me in the feels. We lost some lovely creatives.

+ Discord is hosting a survey to see what you think of them adding AI bullshit here. Feel free to stop by and tell them nope.

+ Snowflake Challenge #5
In your own space, create a list of at least three things you'd love to receive, a wishlist of sorts. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it and include a link to your wishlist if you feel comfortable doing so.

1. I'd love to see more people share things that bring them joy in their journals, no matter how small. We gotta grab what we can.
2. If you can't quite think of something shiny to share atm: memes are fun!
3. And if anyone has shared something that has brought you joy, please tell them so <3
(sneaky 4. but please do tell Discord to go fuck themselves with their AI bs.)

+ Challenge #4: Rec The Contents Of Your Last Page
Any website that you like, be it fanfiction, art, social media, or something a bit more eccentric!

Our lovely renay has been doing Intergalactic Mixtape, and there's so much goodness linked, and so many great books talked about. Big Recommend. The 2025 Reading Recap is also up at ladybusiness.

+ Once again, it's not Friday, but it is More Joy Day, so fanart recs it is! This time, for K-Pop demon Hunters. ( Read more... )

+ And another thing for More Joy Day: fandomtrees reveals is in two days, on the 10th 17th. I'm on my way now to snoop around for stockings!

+ Haute & Freddy released a new music video. First song of the year for me :D We've been getting so many joyful queer multi-fandom vids to Pink Pony Club, and deservedly so; I really feel this tune's more than capable of being a stand in.

+ Mwhaha this totally qualifies as a Community Thursday, that's one down for 2026 *fistpump*

senmut's post at cultivativity about considering why you make what you make and what you enjoy about it, made me think of icons and text. The more icons I made, the less text they had, because I'm straight up terrible at text. Best outcome to hope for is it doesn't actively make the icon look like crap. But text is fun though! I'd really really like to make a return to being a bit more of a smartass in my iconning. And get some more quotes in there! Maybe that'll be my iconning resolution for the year?

As a reminder to myself: ( icons slathered with text )

+ Before I forget: My (lackluster) StoryGraph 2025 Reading Wrap-Up:( Read more... )

+ Snowflake Challenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!

Working at sea, I can't have any pets and that is the saddest thing, woe me. However, in delightful news, my dad has turned into a complete dog dad. He's wheeling them around in a stroller when they go to the mall!

Here's their official 2025 Christmas pic!


And then my brother has two big floofs, but I could only find a picture of one. This is Luke (Leia is missing in action):


+ My new memory foam pillow felt way too hard and high when I went to bed last night, but this morning I woke up to a soft, fluffy cloud. I may just have to wedge it under my back for a couple of minutes to warm it up in the evening (my bedroom is an icebox and I like it that way).

+ Did my Mystery Box challenge for retro_icontest, the color being orange, and obviously that means Scully and her royal mantle of hair!




H E R E at spankulert <3

( It's not quite Friday anymore, but have some X-Files fanart recs anyways. )

That's it, that's the post.

+ Two days into the new year, two episodes into season 1 of The X-Files. I know we all agree Gillian Anderson is hot stuff, but are we talking about it enough?? Also, I remember being very annoyed at Scully's reluctance to believe in the supernatural as the show went on, given how much she'd experienced by then, but WOW does she have the patience of a saint in the beginning. Mulder is lucky he's cute. Also also, they really did smoosh these two together like a pair of dolls they wanted to kiss right from the start. Shippers must have been eating the wallpaper by episode five.

Can't wait for less UFOs, more bizarre horror cases.

+ Went to the local mall with my mom today, and I am now the proud owner of a 50% off memory foam pillow. Fingers crossed I vibe with it.

+ While my mom was looking for things for her calendar, I happened to spy a shiny new hardback of Mona Awad's Bunny, with funky pink bunny endpapers and sprayed edges. And so, silly me, with the goal of reading my damn physical books, came home with yet another physical book. Le sigh. At least I'm 98% sure I will vibe with this book something fierce.

+ Just did the final tagging for the last check in post of rec_cember. I'll be tallying the recs and fandoms covered tomorrow but spoiler: it's A LOT. If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend having a look at the tag set. We got a really good variety.

+ Stranger Things has finally ended. I feel like they yanked Nancy out of the fic I recommend a couple of days ago and shoved her in there, and that was endlessly amusing. I just sat there squinting at it for a minute, going full headtilt. They very much indulged in a lengthy wrap-up that some will hate and others appreciate very much *cough* fandom *cough*. The final battle was extremely 80s. Also, what was the costuming department smoking? ( I am saving this quote for later. )

+ It's Snowflaking Time yay!


#1 The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.

Just going to nab my sidebar intro real quick: Spoiler-adverse. Migratory fandom gopher. Vids occasionally, but never finishes. Also nursing a PhotoShop addiction. #1 fandom is awesome ladies.

Honestly just hope to see more people around ♥ (195 comments on the challenge post already, so that seems very likely lol) Not sure if the Create A Challenge Challenge is rolling around again, but if so, I am plotting.

I'm running a Fallout icon battle here. You can sign up with caps until midnight tomorrow (I've supplied plenty to choose from but any s1 or 2 caps will do), but join in any time after.

Our boos deserve more icons!

+ snowflake_challenge is a month long happening starting Jan 1st. Blog, tidy up your journal, meet new people. Always a good time, especially if you're looking to get back into the swing of things.

+ goals_on_dw is a great place to find various challenges to carry with you into the New Year (colls' Fannish 50 is a really fun one!)

+ comicsfanfiction has a great post up: Looking for Other Communities to Post to?

+ There's a Heated Rivalry community now: gamechangerhr.

+ Guesss who managed one. whole. icon post. it's a meee.

01-04 stranger things
05-08 good trouble
09-15 wheel of time
16-16 babylon 5
17-25 comics
26-28 pluribus
29-41 interview with the vampire




H E R E.

( Year In Fandom meme )

+ I thiiiink I'm up to date on my comment replies? My inbox turned into a right mess with all the holiday emails thrown in, sorry if I've skipped over you.

+ Tis the time for End of Year Lists, and I enjoyed Every Sapphic Book I Read This Year by Lesbiature.

+ I actually spotted the Beehive Books illuminated version of Carmilla in a local bookshop! I didn't know their fancy editions were becoming that widespread. I backed their very first kickstarter back in the day, happy to see they've expanded. Their editions are works of art. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a sale so I can snap it up.

+ Finally installed Vegas Pro 22 I got from Humble Bundle, and there were separate ticky boxes for Vegas Pro and Deep Learning Model. I'm assuming that's their AI bullshit? If so, GOOD. Maybe I'll venture into discord again, most vidders have abandoned ship here and I'll very likely be in need of moral support. These gay vampires won't leave me alone and I may just have to do something about it. (this is 98% likely to never result in a finished vid, my track record is very conclusive)

+ Big shoutout to lgbtrainbow for letting me do one icon at a time. Such a fun but also easy way to go about iconning. Though I now have three colors laying in wait for when they come back around lol. I am ready to pounce. Please join us and icon All The Gays.
(I may actually have an icon post before the year ends whee)

In the meantime I've written up not one but two tutorials based on earlier PSDs, because once again I'm having to re-learn how to make icons 🫠

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Rec-cember Day 29
Stranger Things
love is a battle i can win by palmviolet (24,653 words). Christmas 1994. Nancy faces her fears. The sense of found family and friendship in this <3 (also another Christmas fic yay)
She taps the end of her ballpoint on her lip and looks idly around the terminal. The bank of seats she’s sitting on is empty. But as she watches, actually, someone comes down to sit a few seats away from her. It’s a woman, short-haired, in men’s trousers and a collared shirt. She’s got sharp eyes and freckles dusted over her cheeks; the shirt, open at the throat, shows off the hint of warm brown collarbones.

She doesn’t sit for long. Soon enough she spots someone entering the terminal and she jumps to her feet, the sort of raw delight emanating off her that’s hard to look at. She rushes forward and embraces the person. Another woman. And it’s 1994, and the world’s come a long way, but not long enough for them to kiss here in public, but Nancy can tell that they want to. She can just tell. And she doesn’t know where this sense came from, where she learned it or when. How does she know? How does she know that’s what they want to do?

Not because she’s felt that way herself. She remembers the few times she and Jonathan were apart for any length of time, the way she’d feel itchy and unsettled the whole duration and yet still strangely reluctant to see him return. She wouldn’t kiss him in the airport, though she’d kiss back if he kissed her. It was a problem of knowing neither how to live with him nor how to live without him; it was a problem they all experienced with each other, moving away from New Hawkins in dribs and drabs as they did. Joyce calling Jonathan four times a day and forgetting the time difference, waking them just as they went to bed. Nancy doing the same to Mike and Holly, just in the mornings.

She checks her watch. It’s eleven twenty-eight; she puts her notebook away and gets her things together, passing the two women on her way out, and she has to avert her eyes. She can’t look at them. Her cheeks are furiously hot.

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Rec-cember Day 28

The Dark Is Rising
Watch for the Greenwitch by Selden (2,448 words). I never did manage to do my Dark Is Rising re-read this year, but at least there was fic. A different turn for Jane, this. (and a bonus delight to see sharp_teeth mentioned in the notes)
In the light from the bonfire the Greenwitch rose up, tall and ragged against the sky, like something from long ago. Not the fine past of the grail, of long spears and iron, thorny, intricate poetry and patterns. Not even the past, thought Jane, of neat sharp flints laid out on red velvet under museum lights, axes and arrowheads. Something older, like rough rock, the rings of yellow lichen spreading out through the years like ripples from a stone thrown into still water.

My favorite thing about birthdays is emotional blackmail, so my birthday wish is you watch the pilot for Interview With The Vampire.

If you already have, my wish is you post about your Christmas tree if you have one. I'd love to hear about your favorite decoration - especially if it's old or you made it as a kid! - see a picture even.

Love y'all ❤️

Not to be pedantic, but I wouldn't say Will is a wizard or a sorcerer; surely this is warlock territory.

Also, sitting on a shiny new icon that a) I can't upload because it's for an icontest, and b) I'll have to delete another before uploading, well. *sullenly kicks rocks*

( spoilery for 5x06 )

I wasn't a big fan of the first four episodes, but these two have been very entertaining indeed. Cool visuals! Emotional payoffs! Two thumbs up.

+ I was going to do my yearly 5 icon slots as a gift to myself, and it turns out 550 is a hard limit and I can't have any more. No fair. I got DW money some other way but boo.

+ Fallout is apparently back! I watched both episodes yesterday and enjoyed them. We're getting more zany vault culture and I'm here for it. Also a delightful actor appearance, big plus there.

+ Absolutely fell behind on rec_cember. My brain has been Tired from being social every day. I do have a few more planned, fingers crossed they actually happen?

+ Christmas Eve was an absolute success. The food was lovely, everyone was healthy and in good spirits, and since there were no kids we took our time and opened one package at a time. I finally have a working vacuum again \o/ A foldable foot bath, and a ginger preserve I'm quite excited to try out. Some creams, tea, and a gift card for RITUALS. All useful things.

+ Joined my brother in picking up my dad from the airport earlier. Now to figure out what will happen for my birthday, then my friend's birthday the day after, and THEN New Year's. I'd like a nap tbh.

Alas, no rec_cember entry today, buuuut...

I know tons of you are deep in the Heated Rivalry hole. Did you know a kinkmeme was happening? And a SECOND kinkmeme? Now you do!

GQ has an article out with some rather saucy images.

I've spotted some icons by wickedgame here, and a whole batch by maevedarcy here.

Lastly, I'd recommend using the Explore/Site and Journal Search feature; I haven't seen DW be this vocal about a show for ages. I'm sure you'll find fellow fans to chat with.

Go forth and be fannish 🥳

+ Had an extended family dinner today and got to listen to my lovely aunt and cousin talk about how great ChatGPT is, how she's using it to plan a girl's trip to Italy, and how helpful it'll be for writing the speeches at my grandmother's funeral. Fucking shoot me into outer space strapped to a rocket.

+ Got to see the latest Avatar movie at the cinemas. My least favorite of the three, lacking the genuine awe and beauty of the world. What they did try just felt forced, and one character in particular should have been left to die in the second movie ugh.

+ Big plus for the cozy and hazily lit curtain fic promo trailer thingy they did before the movie. IYKYK. Kinda made me wish I had an ear to the ground in that fandom still.

+ I think I've successfully broken through my iconning block!! Shout out to dysfunctional vampires and dysfunctional lesbians.

+ BIG psa: Apple shifted Pluribus to air on the 24th, two days earlier than usual. I'll have to get up extra early to see it before 2 Nøtter Til Askepott, because if not I'll be thinking about it and wanting to all day lol. It's been such a good series for me to watch? There's this whole thing where there's two wolves inside of me, one appreciating the thought and care put into every decision, and how slow it's allowed to move, the second wanting to pick into every detail and tear through it. Both enjoyable in different ways!

I have watched every episode a minimum of twice. It may be my new comfort watch show?¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️
Rec-cember Day 22
Pluribus ( I'd say spoilery for last week's episode. )

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️
Rec-cember Day 21

Killing Eve
baby, be gentle (it's my first time) by seabisquit (15,923 words). Eve being perfectly Eve, Vilanelle being perfectly Vilanelle, and the two of them being defenseless in the face of that.
So this is it. She’s going to kill Villanelle, and this is how it happens. To hell and fuck with everything that had happened. Their sort of half-truce in Scotland. Their agreement to not let things be boring. She is going to take that pretty, slender throat between her hands and squeeze her like a rubber chicken. “You are absolutely the stupidest, most selfish, most infuriating person I have ever met.”

“Oh, you flirt.” Villanelle smirks. She takes a few steps forward, hands on her hips.

“I’m going to—” Kill you, her brain completes. The words won’t come out of her mouth, stopgapped by rage, leaving Villanelle a wide opening to slip through.

“You’re going to what, Eve?” She sighs in a derisive voice, sticking out her bottom lip in a mockery of a pout. “Spank me? Have I really been that bad?”

The word spank grinds everything to a halt within Eve. It hits a switch in her, killing the rising steam in her stomach. Of course she can’t kill Villanelle. That would be silly and short-sighted. But spank her?

It could be just as effective and tremendously less permanent.

“Yes.” Eve says with bland finality. And oh, the way that word wipes the condescending smirk off Villanelle’s face and replaces it with surprise. To accentuate her point, Eve drops behind her onto the bed, sitting on the edge with her hands on her knees.


This makes for two fic recs featuring the holidays and two featuring spanking so far. Taking bets on which is gonna take the win *g*

+ Been doing a poor job of lighting my Christmas incense, but I remembered today and the place smells cozy.

+ Know what you need right now? Funny animal pictures. Know where to find a whole gallery of them? Right here! Delighted to find there's an annual Comedy Wildlife Photo contest.

+ Humble Bundle is running a package with Vegas Pro 22, Sound Forge Pro 17, Music Maker 2024, and movie Studio 2024 Suite. The minimum is €48.56, and it supports the World Central Kitchen. Annoyingly, I cannot for the life of me find whether or not I can avoid the fuck out of Vegas' AI features (preferably deleting them entirely), but I've been missing a video editor for ages now. I know I never finish my vids, but definitely not if I'm missing the software.

+ Speaking of bundles: there's a Wholesome Snacks games bundle! And I know we could all use a wholesome snack or two. So I'll do a tiny giveaway, just comment which game you'd like and I'll do a random draw.

On Your Tail - You are Diana, a young detective who is obsessed with uncovering the small town's secrets. By day, you enjoy the cozy life, by night, you use stealth, observation, and deduction mechanics to secretly follow suspects and gather clues to crack the case!

NAIAD - An ethereal and meditative river journey game! You embody Naiad, a curious water spirit who awakens in a remote spring and embarks on a long, winding journey down a mysterious river to the sea.

Spirittea - After accidentally drinking mystical tea, you gain the ability to see and interact with mischievous spirits. Your job is to restore and manage an old spirit bathhouse, serving the quirky spirits, gathering resources, and building relationships with the fully voiced townsfolk, all while trying to solve the local town mystery.

Little Known Galaxy - A colorful cozy space adventure and life simulation game where you manage a spaceship and explore the galaxy. You take on the role of a new captain and work with your crew to improve your ship, explore new planets, and solve the mystery of an ancient relic.

SUMMERHOUSE - A small-scale, extremely zen building game and a love letter to lost summer afternoons. There is no management, no goals, no combat, and no failure states. You are invited to simply sit back and doodle whimsical castles, cozy cottages, and romantic ruins in tiny diorama settings.

+ I've just re-downloaded Disney Dreamlight Valley to see what the holiday decor is like. I am going to Christmas to the max dammit (says the one not bothering to decorate her own damn apartment). Also picked up a DLC for Rimworld and CK3 now that the holiday steam sales started.

+ My brother invited me out to help decorate their tree yesterday though! And both the cats vocally and physically greeted me. They live in constant Stranger Danger, making it extra heartening whenever they don't run for the hills.

+ It's not pouring rain outside hallelujah, this is a sign I should go buy butter chicken, isn't it? And find some holiday costumed Pokemon on the way, you say?