fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
Electricity Dancing Naked in public Dumped Accidental sex
Violent Behavior Helplessness Why Heroes Make Bad Boyfriends 69 Self-Pity
Crossdressing Wet dream FREE SPACE Oral sex love / lust spell
Praise Fantasies Experimentation Taking It Slow Make-up sex
Dramatic proposal Ethical Sluts Harems Gratitude fuck Love at first sight
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
I swear, I've had wins this year, but right now I'm currently on day... 5 of COVID and feeling crappy.  I'm on Paxlovid right now (day 2 of that) and my throat isn't as sore as it was last night/this morning, when it felt like there was acid coating my soft bits, but I'm in intense pain and still cannot muster the energy to even shower, so, as one can guess, I'm not really feeling up to going to work, either.

There's no reason for me to start this post in this way, but I'm sick and miserable so y'all get some of that before I list wins.

Pseudo-win:  I got accepted into grad school!

Unfortunately, grad school is ridiculously expensive, a thing which I could not see until after class selection, so that's not happening this year.  Hopefully soon.

Win:  I have been (aside from 2 days of sickness), consistently journaled in my 2 ongoing journals this year.  I have been focusing on a theme of expansiveness and finding joy and taking rest when I want it and not just when I need it.  That's actually been very good for me this year.  So far, aside from these last days of COVID, I've been able to handle things so much easier and calmer than before.
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
Well, I had voted for the Happy Place choice during the poll, so I thought I'd combine the two (more or less) with five things making me happy.
  1. Tarot/Astrology.  Admittedly, these are not, strictly speaking, interchangeable, but they do seem to go together a lot for myself and other people.  I've been getting very much into tarot over the 2023 year (so many decks I bought in my day), and deepening my study into astrology (not incredibly deeply, but deep enough to be learning).  I've been paying attention to synchronicities and coincidences a lot and things have been wild.
  2. Tumblr.  I swore I would never return here, but once Twitter died, I realized that I missed the community and fandom nonsense.  Incredibly, I've found it easier to casually scroll and leave at any time, and also much more fun and calming than Twitter ever was for me.
  3. Rest.  As I've mentioned, I recently read Rest Is Resistance and that has been so formative and informative for creating my own rest practice, especially when dealing with my unnecessarily stressful day job.  By actively taking time to rest and deciding to not do things, I've typically ended up with more energy for the things I enjoy and been able to stop feeling guilty when I don't have the energy.
  4. Previous Loves.  This is kind of a catch-all category of listening to music I used to love, doing old fandom stuff, and just allowing myself to do things that I used to really like.  I've been curating my playlists and just taking the time to really sit with things that I like and let go of things that are no longer serving me.
  5. Writing.  My oldest love, but I've been very careful about not working on things I don't want to work on and allowing myself to actually not work on things when I don't want to work.  Somehow, I've ended up doing more writing than I usually do, even during the week.

fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
The newest thing I've been particularly obsessed with hasn't been so much fandom related as it is life-related.

At the beginning of the year, I read the book Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey, and it has been so inspiring and life-changing, especially after I burned out pretty spectacularly by the end of last year.

I know I won't be able to do it justice, really, but the message of rest and intentionally taking the time to rest without the expectation of increased productivity after has been mind-blowing for me.  Learning to divest from grind culture and actively say "no" to things that would impact my resting time and state is so challenging, and yet already, I've been so much calmer and more balanced and found it easier to tap into my own feelings and thoughts without getting swept away by them.

I really can't recommend it enough.
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
I have only one (1) thing going on that actually Needs Doing, because it was due last year, but beyond that, I am blissfully free.

So far, I have written a bit for the upcoming Bruce/Dick Week prompt "Batkids Matchmaking" and a lot for prompt "Bat-God Bruce", the latter of which super got away from me and is now close to 4,000 words!
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
How would you describe your sense of humor? Can you give an example?
Old and weird.

I grew up on Marx Brothers, screwball comedies of the 1930s/40s, Rocky Horror, Muppets, lots of stand-up comedy (Bill Cosby, George Carlin were two very big influences, but also we had a local radio station who used to do about 5-10 minute segments of different comedians at 5pm), and later found Mystery Science Theater 3000 as a young college student.  My dad used to do stand-up bits as a teen and young adult and my mom and her dad were huge readers, so jokes, riddles, and puns/wordplay were huge parts of my childhood.

What's the best compliment you ever received?
I can't think of the best best right now, but I know the most recent that feels best is the following on a fanfic I recently posted:

“blew my pussy straight off”

Truly, my life's goal has been achieved.

What question do you have that nobody has been able to give you a good answer to?
What is the problem with being "justice sensitive"?

("Too justice sensitive" is not only a thing I, too, have been called, but found that many autistic folks get labeled and like, um, yes?, that's not actually a problem, why aren't neurotypicals MORE justice sensitive???)

Can you describe your personal style?
In terms of clothes, I'm usually eclectically comfortable.  If it's cozy and fun, I'll wear it.

What is the most recent silly thing you did?
I don't quite remember, but I'm sure it was something to make my mom laugh.  Probably a really terrible pun.

What situation is sure to make you cry?
Anger.  Like, physical body-shaking rage is almost a guarantee to make me start crying, especially if I can't yell/rant my way out of it.  (Like, at work, when my managers are again terrible, and I have to not unleash hell on them because reprisals.)

What do you think people pretend to like when they really don't?
Sex.  I'm kidding.  I would guess diets.  So many people seem to pride themselves on keeping them or are constantly chastising themselves or others for not adhering to them, but my man, y'all can't be enjoying yourselves on those.  Eat, friends, eat!

What obscure interest do you have?
Ancient Sumerian meat ritualsKidding, sorry.

I guess the closest thing to an obscure interest I have is concept albums (albums that tell an entire story, like Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick" 1 & 2, or Queen's "Queen II" or Eagles "Desperado" or "Hotel California") and old, mostly-unloved, low budget sci-fi movies of the 1950s.

What's something that you believe that most other people don't?
I... I don't know?  I don't know how to answer this.  The inherent sacredness of existence?  Hope?  Santa Claus?

What's a situation when you look back you should have gone ahead and done it?
Gone to the Hollywood party I was invited to by the random guy at the Highland mall who gave me his rosary bracelet, instead of going on what turned out to be a very boring date.  I'll bet that would've been fun.

What is the last thing that you totally overreacted to?
I never overreact to anything!  How DARE you imply such a thing!!!

Probably the panic over misplacing something that I found about a week later.  Thanks, house-gremlins!

What's the story behind your greatest treasure?
I have so many  I was going to go with my obtaining the Super Dictionary (not really involved, I found someone selling a copy online and bought it), BUT I do have a walking stick that my favorite cousin carved himself and gave to an artist friend of his, and, when I was meeting/visiting with them both, the artist gave it to me as a memory of them both, and I just !!!  I love that thing.  It's almost as tall as I am, but WHATEVER

What was an experience you didn't think much about at the time, but it ultimately made you a stronger person?

TW/CW:  Pet Death!!
.
.
.
I'd say, of all the ridiculous learning-type experiences that I've had, most of which I've really thought too much about at the time, probably the feeling of holding my cat on my chest and cuddling him when he passed away.  There was sadness, yes, but there was laughter and gentleness and security and peace.  I'm sure that's helped me and will help me for any future passings.

What's your favorite daily routine?
Coming home from work and venting about it.  But, if I wasn't working, it'd be being able to sit and rest during the day.

What's your favorite form of entertainment?
Music.  I love reading, I love writing, but I even do those things with music playing, so I'd have to fall back on that as my definite favorite.

What's your knowing just enough to be dangerous story?
Hmm, probably my current position at work.  Not so much my job duties, but the fact that, for some reason, people seem to find me a person with whom to share their frustrations and take into confidence, so I know SO many things that go on/have gone on around work, and, while I'm not really dangerous to my coworkers, that makes me incredibly dangerous to my bosses, because I remember things, I take notes, I connect dots, I investigate, and I do not forgive transgressions.

If you were to devote your life to art, what type of art would that be?
Writing.  It's my first love (creatively-speaking), and I'd love to be able to do it all the time without worry.

What's the most uncomfortable situation you've ever found yourself in?
Every single day at work.  It's hella toxic.

What's the most difficult thing that you still do each day?
Go to fucking day job.

When I say it is TOXIC, I mean like a fungus spore.

What's something that when you were learning it, you thought you'd never use it, but in reality, you ended up using it a lot?
I don't know.  Most of the things I use were things I figured would be important for me, and the things I end up using a lot that I didn't figure would be important were things I was literally never taught (like figuring percentages, or balancing checkbooks, or cooking, or...)
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
You know, I was trying to think of what kinds of things I like and would like recommendations or gifts of and, for a while, I couldn't think of anything.  I was a little stuck because I know I'm picky particular about things I like in terms of reading and art and such.  But then I thought, what if I expanded my ideas of what fandom-related things there are out there, and suddenly, I had ideas.

I am feeling very called to music and its intersection with fandom right now.  But also, since I basically live within the floating timeline of DC Comics, I'm also super interested in any canon recs for various parts of canon that maybe aren't or haven't been as well-known as others.

Recommendations Wishlist:
  • Soundtracks (movies, shows, comics, etc.);  I'm a big fan of, like, Prince's Batman album, or the Batman Forever soundtrack, or the musical It's A Bird It's A Plane It's Superman! for example
  • Concept albums/Story Songs (Thick as a Brick, The Wall, Tommy, etc.);  Love me some concept albums, things that tell a story over an entire record or song are so my jam
  • Unique comic events (miniseries, AU/Elseworlds, Imaginary Stories, etc.); Doesn't even have to be strictly DC Comics related, though that's always my first love; I've been getting very much into indie comics and experimental comics
  • Comic-inspired/media tie-in novels/novelizations (DC's Inheritance, Last Sons, Final Crisis, No Man's Land, etc.); I cannot get enough of comic stories in novel/prose form
  • Comic Histories/Philosophies/General Academic-type nonfiction (The Caped Crusade, Soul of the Dark Knight, Is Superman Circumcised?, etc.)

Honestly, I'm just in such a mood for odd and unique fandom things, anything would be super cool!
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
My main goal is basically to guide myself by my 2024 equation as shared in my newsletter.

I do have a few minor goals, though:
  • Write for joy and enjoyment
  • Read what calls to me from my own library
  • Rest easy and rest often
  • Advocate for myself
  • Say "no" until called to do otherwise
I'm feeling pretty good about these.


fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
(this is a very serious post and I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist that headline)

Finally, after about a decade of trying to figure out why NaNo, the one time the rest of the world (more or less) cares about writing, is always not only the one time of the year that I write LESS, but also seems to actively depress me about writing, I did it.
 
I figured it out.
 
Every year, I see the same things:  people going on about how great NaNo is, how excited they are to go back to a novel, how thrilling it is to be surrounded by writers and old friends and meet new friends, and how everyone tries to make space for new writers, and all that.
 
And every year, I either can't work up the enthusiasm or find it actually stifling to try and create during NaNo.  At first, I thought it was the word count, but I've won before.  Then I thought it was the novel structure itself, but I've done that before, too.
 
But I figured out it's actually NaNo, not me.
 
See, all the messaging is talking about how this, now, is the time when you can do whatever you want in a story.  When you take charge of your writing life and put real life on hold for your dreams and use one month to do something you've never done before (sometimes, this same message even if you've done NaNo before).
 
But, I don't.
 
I write all the fucking time.
 
All year.  Every day.
 
Not that I actually put down words every day, god knows.  I've gone months without physically writing down anything.
 
But I'm always thinking of stories.  I'm always working on characters.  I'm always writing in my head, even if not anywhere else.
 
And I think that's the problem.
 
NaNo is geared to be a once in a year thing.  Yes, even with their "Now, What?" months.  Even with the Camp NaNo months.  Even with their new ability to set goals year-round.
 
The way NaNo is marketed is that you don't write all the time.  You do have A story to tell, and THIS is your chance to do it.
 
But I have so many stories.  And they're constantly mutating and changing and writing and rewriting themselves every single day.
 
I literally cannot afford to wait for a once-a-year event to "tell my story."
 
Because it's always happening.
 
And I don't know what I'd do if I really held off for a sanctified time.
◾ Tags:
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
Fic or Treat
[community profile] ficortreat

Fleet Sparrow's Door


DW username: [personal profile] fleetsparrow

Light is on for: Anybody and everybody!  (and no bodies, for the disembodied among us)

What's in the Bowl?
  • Ficlets (200+ words)
  • Memes
  • Cat pictures (of my own cats)
  • Photos of incredibly and/or embarrassingly destroyed freight
  • Random trivia
  • A single tarot card pull, with photo (choice of deck)
  • A single oracle card pull, with photo (choice of deck)
  • A COMPLETE SURPRISE FOR YOU AND ME BOTH
Let Me Know:
  • Fic prompts (fandom, characters (limit 2, for my sanity's sake), ships, quote/idea)
  • Meme prompts (mostly, like, what types of memes you like (pics, text, etc.))
  • Big Cat, Little Cat, or (perhaps, to be wild, if you dare) BOTH CATS???
  • How much damaged freight can you stomach?
  • Tarot deck request
  • Oracle deck request
  • If you really want a surprise, just leave a "TRICK OR TREAT", and you'll get what you paid for
Other info:  The only things I won't write are sounding, watersports/scat, birth scenes; everything else is free real estate.

Fandoms I'm best with:Tarot Decks on offer:
  • DC Comics (new only; may update if I find my old one)
  • Universal Monsters
  • Infinity Tarot
  • Disney Villains
  • Sugar Skulls
  • Mystical Medleys
  • Tarot of the Haunted House
  • Tarot of the Gnomes
  • Way of the Panda
  • Tarot of the Pirates
  • Everybody's Tarot
  • Housewives Tarot
  • Pulp Tarot
  • Vice Versa Tarot
  • Weird Cat Tarot
  • Tarot of the Vampires (old)
  • Tarot of the Vampires (new)
  • Tinsel Town Tarot
  • UNSOLICITED DECK PIC (choose this if you truly Do Not Care what deck I use; it may not be one listed)
Oracle decks on offer:
  • Divinimation
  • Dream Your Joy
  • Affirmations of the Fairy Cats
  • Fantasma Oracle
  • Wisdom of the Oracle
  • Wishcraft Oracle
  • Everybody's Oracle
  • Fairy Dust
  • Pride Oracle
  • Happiness Oracle
  • Oracle of the Strange Forest
  • Joyful Inspirations
  • UNSOLICITED DECK PIC: ORACLE EDITION (choose this if you truly Do Not Care what deck I use; it may not be one listed)

If you have another request, feel free to leave it, too!  I have approximate knowledge of many things~
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
What were your top 5 fandoms for 2022 based on the amount of time you interacted with them?
1.  DC/Batman
2.  Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
3.  Mystery Science Theater 3000
4.  The Darkside Detective
5.  Sherlock Holmes
 
What were your top 5 fandom spaces (Discord, Twitter, etc.) you experienced fandom in terms of time spent?
1.  Twitter
2.  Discord
3.  ...
4.  That's it.
5.  Tumblr???
 
What are the top 5 things you did to contribute to fandom in terms of time? Did you write? Comment? Send positive energy into the universe? Create art?
1.  Wrote tons of fic!
2.  Like, so much fic.
3.  At least 5 fic.
4.  Commented!
5.  And still have too many to read....
 
What were your top 5 most appreciated fandom contributions?  (Note:  I'm going off AO3's kudos stats here.)

I'd do a Top 5 tweets, but me and Twitter aren't getting along right now, so....
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
 I have quite a few goals for this year, but I'll just list my main fannish ones:
  • Write only things I enjoy
  • Finish my posted WIPs
  • Do my writing classes this year
  • Hit my 75,000 word goal for the year
  • Have fun!
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
(No, you didn't miss one; I'm only doing them sporadically.)

First off, can I say that I'm not thrilled with omegaverse, AND YET, I have now written so much of it.  I think about it all the time.  Although, whenever I do write it, I typically try to subvert some things from it.

Anyway, I always say I don't know what my favorite things are, aside from like, slice of life, humor, found family, etc.  And then there's kinks....

Let's just say, I have too many to count by now.
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
My main personal wins from last year:
  • Didn't quit my job in anger
  • Finished many fics
  • Hit my word count goal
  • Hit my reading goal
  • Survived
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
I love polls.  They're probably my favorite ting, polls and quizzes.  I cannot get enough of them!

Here's a lovely poll for you all (and for me, to help me, because I cannot be helped myself):

Poll #28236 Fleet, Do The Things!
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 15


What should I prioritize tomorrow?

View Answers

Finishing the FFFX pinch hit!
1 (6.7%)

Day job work, duh!
6 (40.0%)

Sleeping. All the sleeping.
6 (40.0%)

Reading something fun!
1 (6.7%)

Crying. So, so much crying.
1 (6.7%)

OK, but after that, what should I do?

View Answers

Sleep.
3 (20.0%)

Write!
7 (46.7%)

Cry some more.
0 (0.0%)

Watch something funny.
1 (6.7%)

IDK, man, just, like, vibe.
4 (26.7%)

fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
The List:
1. A favorite character
2. Something that makes you laugh
3. A bookshelf
4. A game or hobby you enjoy
5. Something you find comforting
6. A TV show or movie you hope more people will watch
7. A piece of clothing you love
8. A thing from an old fandom
9. A thing from a new fandom

I can answer all 9 in basically three photos (except maybe the game, but the hobby I enjoy is writing, so I think it counts).

In this first photo, I have a favorite character (Dick Grayson as Nightwing in his first costume a.k.a. Discowing); something that makes me laugh (HIM, because his evil joyous smile makes me smile); my bookshelf (well, a corner of one); something I find comforting (the smell of white musk); and things from old and new fandoms (HIM and Discowing, again).
A photo of part of a bookshelf on which sits a perfume bottle of White Musk, a Funk Pop of Dick Grayson as Nightwing in his first costume, and a Funko Soda figure of HIM from Powerpuff Girls.



In this second photo, I have another bookshelf and my little magnetic Vodka Mutini plush, because, yes, I am Homestuck trash (oh, and there is a game here! Blacksad for the Nintendo Switch (which I haven't played yet, but still).):
A photo of another part of a bookcase with books, a magnetic plush of Vodka Mutini from Homestuck, along with a blurry image of Blacksad the game.

This last photo is of some new jewelry I have:  A ring!  Which I love, because I've always loved rings so much, and my new writing bracelet of calligraphy jasper (a.k.a. elephant jasper, among other names):
A photo of a pale hand showing off a silver ring with a blue stone and a bracelet of calligraphy jasper beads (also known as elephant jasper).
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
Ah, the things I wish canon would add.  Like making Dick Grayson canonically queer!  Like letting Tim and Kon make out be queer and alive at the same time (and also make out, why not)!

TBH, I think my strongest canon change would be that every superhero is queer to some degree.  I mean, come on, they run around in tights around muscle-people all day.  They're an all-night Pride parade, dammit!

DC, LET ME HAVE THIS!!!!
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
 Oh man, I have a lot to scream about re: fandom.  I could start with the pervasive and permissive racism that goes on in here, unchecked and unchallenged.  I could go with the fact that apparently reading comprehension is for losers and that nuance is deader than the proverbial doorknob.  I could go on with the strange pro vs. anti wars that are going on now, far, far worse than the wank of days gone by.

But honestly?  I think I'm just going to scream.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
I'm not gonna lie, DC is (much like Marvel), a nightmare to jump into.  They're constantly resetting their own universes, having multi-title crossovers, and generally fucking up their own canon for so-called excitement.

My advice:  You wanna do the DC?  You start with wikis.  Comic panels and wikis are great places to learn the history of comics and characters.

"But Fleet!  I want to read current comics and get into things NOW, and also I hate happiness and good things in life."

Yeah, yeah, I hear ya.

Start with the all-ages comics.

Don't you roll your eyes at me!  I know you're a big person now, but hear me out:

All-ages comics are fun.  They're funny.  They're goofy, but they also have a lot of heart and great interpersonal dynamics.

Read Batman Knightwatch.  Read the Batman & Scooby-Doo team ups.  Read the graphic novels (word on this:  definitely start with trades if you want to get the history and backstory of any currently running comic, too.  It's cheaper in the long run and they're all RIGHT THERE for you to read).  Read Batman: Wayne Family Adventures on Webtoons.  There's really good stuff out there if you want it.

And, if you're so desperate for broken people doing fucked up things to each other and not talking about dick until it's too late, by all means, jump into the newest Batman issue or whatever.

But don't say I didn't warn you.
fleetsparrow: Drawing of Bear in a Batman costume, in her identity Bat-Bear. (Default)
Hello all!

So, for my Fannish Fifty, I'm going to be doing 50 fanfics of my favorite characters.  They'll all probably be similar, but who cares?  It makes me happy!

Let's see if I can actually do it.

February 2026

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