From London to Bethlehem, services and festivities to mark the holiday cheer are in full swing.
Yuletide!
Dec. 25th, 2025 08:39 amWhat a great thing to wake up to in my part of the world - the Yuletide archive is open! (Usually here in Germany it's noon before that happens.) Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, and peaceful holidays for everyone. I will do my annual pic spam later, but for now, here are the two lovely Foundation stories I got, both Demerzel-centric, the former from her pov, the second from Cleon XXIV's - last season's Day, in other words - , and both superb in their characterisations.
Remembrance (3416 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Foundation (TV 2021)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Characters: Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021), Hari Seldon, Cleon XXIV
Additional Tags: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, mix of book and tv series canon
Summary:
standard deviation (4805 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Foundation (TV 2021)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cleon XXIV & Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021)
Characters: Cleon XXIV (Foundation TV 2021), Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021)
Additional Tags: Character Study, Artificial Intelligence, Complicated Relationships, Mother-Son Relationship, Loyalty, Yuletide 2025, Yuletide Treat
Summary:
Remembrance (3416 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Foundation (TV 2021)
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Characters: Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021), Hari Seldon, Cleon XXIV
Additional Tags: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, mix of book and tv series canon
Summary:
Demerzel wanted to scream back at him, to explain how this was all his fault, Cleon the First damning them all to this nightmare fate that none of them could escape.
But she said nothing, and walked away. Like she always did.
standard deviation (4805 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Foundation (TV 2021)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Cleon XXIV & Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021)
Characters: Cleon XXIV (Foundation TV 2021), Demerzel (Foundation TV 2021)
Additional Tags: Character Study, Artificial Intelligence, Complicated Relationships, Mother-Son Relationship, Loyalty, Yuletide 2025, Yuletide Treat
Summary:
He can’t get a rise out of her, and can never push hard enough that she pushes back. Human mothers eventually raise their voices, yell back, get upset. You can fling hurtful words at a human mother. But as far as he can tell, it never lands with Demerzel; there’s no heart there to twist the knife into.
(Relationship study for what slowly went wrong between Cleon XXIV and Demerzel. Spoilers for all of season 3.)
Front-runner to be Bangladesh PM returns after 17 years in exile
Dec. 25th, 2025 06:44 amTarique Rahman, who has lived in London since 2008, arrives weeks before pivotal elections are held.
Watch: Moment robbers rip ATM from inside Texas store
Dec. 25th, 2025 12:56 amThe White Settlement Police Department is searching for two suspects.
Where is Santa now? Trump answers kids' Christmas calls to Norad tracker
Dec. 25th, 2025 12:41 amNorad got some help from President Donald Trump as it marked its 70th year tracking Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.
Eleven arrested over mass shooting in South Africa tavern
Dec. 24th, 2025 09:31 pmPreliminary investigations revealed the motive could be linked to illegal mining turf wars, police said.
"hold my hand, we'll push that cloud away" (leann rimes)
Dec. 25th, 2025 01:59 amWishing you and yours a peaceful season and a lovely holiday ♥

"put a little holiday in your heart
it'll put a little shuffle in your step
give you a song that you can sing
with a melody you can't forget
and if you want to join in a little harmony
to keep the world from tearing apart
you know where to look
you gotta put a little holiday in your heart"
--leann rimes

"put a little holiday in your heart
it'll put a little shuffle in your step
give you a song that you can sing
with a melody you can't forget
and if you want to join in a little harmony
to keep the world from tearing apart
you know where to look
you gotta put a little holiday in your heart"
--leann rimes
(no subject)
Dec. 25th, 2025 12:26 amOn the plus side, it is 2359 on the 24th, and all of the Chrimbo stuff is upstairs and ready and everything. We did it! We couldn't stop Christmas from coming, it came!
Here's some stuff from today:
Woke up and did fairly leisurely breakfast, while chatting with Alys and Charlie and mom. We had time to play a game of Moonshine, which I lost spectacularly, and then it was Off To The Shops, for last minute christmas shopping and also groceries.
We started with a couple of Very Large presents for dad, which necessitated me forcing mom to take a photo of me so I could send it to Shaenon Garrity, as life imitated art. I sure was a replica of Tip from the first storyline of Skin Horse, minus the gender-inappropriate pink angora sweater. (I was instead wearing a very gender appropriate Maya Kern skirt with pumpkins on it)
The presents were so large that we went straight home to swap the car out for those and collect Jonny!!!!! who is going to be doing Chrimbo with us this year. I'm excited about it! It's been ages and ages since we've had a brother at Christmas, and Jonny!!!!! is better than most. (He's one of the drama department teens mom adopted when I was in high school, who moved back to Maryland and joined the Gay Man's Choir of Washington like a year before mom did. It's great that they've gotten to spend a lot more time together!). Then mom and Jonny!!!!! and I went out to get the groceries, which was extra charming because he and I basically entered into a mini-contest of who could be more helpful at any given moment.
Ah, oldest daughter syndrome. <3
We got home, where Charlie put away the groceries and did some preliminary reorganization of the pantry, which badly needs it (I believe he plans to do more on the 26th). Then we ordered some Thai food for dinner (Chinese would be more traditional, but my parents have not yet located a good Chinese place, to everyone's sadness) and taught Jonny!!!!! how to play Moonshine. I did much better, but Jonny!!!!! still clinched the win.
Somewhere along the way "the kids" (a phrase I use ambiguously --using it exclusively like this, I mean just the people younger than me, if I use it inclusively, it's also me and Jonny!!!!!) watched Once Upon a Mattress, which was fun to hear in the other room.
We all finished wrapping presents, and then dad called for the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas to us over the phone --he's working at the hospital overnight tonight, meaning I haven't actually seen him since getting to MD. To be fair, I arrived at piss late last night (I think my train was delayed by almost 2.5 hours altogether, most of it at the front end...I got on around 1525 for a train that was supposed to depart at 1337.). So he was in bed already, and then left for work well before I got up. I'll see him tomorrow!
Alys read Charlie the last two chapters of The Woman Who Rides Like A Man, with mom and I happily eavesdropping and fucking around mindlessly a bit. We're all very excited listening to Charlie make predictions since he didn't know the Alanna books at all before Al started reading them to him! Then it was time for evening chores and putting away the dishes and stuff, and just before bed, Santa showed up to fill the stockings! I helped with that, and off we went.
To write words, remembered at the last minute, and now I am cozy and warm. Time to find them sugarplums, because apparently the morning sibling gossip time starts at 0630. I am obviously complaining about it and equally obviously, am probably just fine with it. We'll see how I feel tomorrow morn.
Goodnight and be well!
~Sor
MOOP!
Here's some stuff from today:
Woke up and did fairly leisurely breakfast, while chatting with Alys and Charlie and mom. We had time to play a game of Moonshine, which I lost spectacularly, and then it was Off To The Shops, for last minute christmas shopping and also groceries.
We started with a couple of Very Large presents for dad, which necessitated me forcing mom to take a photo of me so I could send it to Shaenon Garrity, as life imitated art. I sure was a replica of Tip from the first storyline of Skin Horse, minus the gender-inappropriate pink angora sweater. (I was instead wearing a very gender appropriate Maya Kern skirt with pumpkins on it)
The presents were so large that we went straight home to swap the car out for those and collect Jonny!!!!! who is going to be doing Chrimbo with us this year. I'm excited about it! It's been ages and ages since we've had a brother at Christmas, and Jonny!!!!! is better than most. (He's one of the drama department teens mom adopted when I was in high school, who moved back to Maryland and joined the Gay Man's Choir of Washington like a year before mom did. It's great that they've gotten to spend a lot more time together!). Then mom and Jonny!!!!! and I went out to get the groceries, which was extra charming because he and I basically entered into a mini-contest of who could be more helpful at any given moment.
Ah, oldest daughter syndrome. <3
We got home, where Charlie put away the groceries and did some preliminary reorganization of the pantry, which badly needs it (I believe he plans to do more on the 26th). Then we ordered some Thai food for dinner (Chinese would be more traditional, but my parents have not yet located a good Chinese place, to everyone's sadness) and taught Jonny!!!!! how to play Moonshine. I did much better, but Jonny!!!!! still clinched the win.
Somewhere along the way "the kids" (a phrase I use ambiguously --using it exclusively like this, I mean just the people younger than me, if I use it inclusively, it's also me and Jonny!!!!!) watched Once Upon a Mattress, which was fun to hear in the other room.
We all finished wrapping presents, and then dad called for the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas to us over the phone --he's working at the hospital overnight tonight, meaning I haven't actually seen him since getting to MD. To be fair, I arrived at piss late last night (I think my train was delayed by almost 2.5 hours altogether, most of it at the front end...I got on around 1525 for a train that was supposed to depart at 1337.). So he was in bed already, and then left for work well before I got up. I'll see him tomorrow!
Alys read Charlie the last two chapters of The Woman Who Rides Like A Man, with mom and I happily eavesdropping and fucking around mindlessly a bit. We're all very excited listening to Charlie make predictions since he didn't know the Alanna books at all before Al started reading them to him! Then it was time for evening chores and putting away the dishes and stuff, and just before bed, Santa showed up to fill the stockings! I helped with that, and off we went.
To write words, remembered at the last minute, and now I am cozy and warm. Time to find them sugarplums, because apparently the morning sibling gossip time starts at 0630. I am obviously complaining about it and equally obviously, am probably just fine with it. We'll see how I feel tomorrow morn.
Goodnight and be well!
~Sor
MOOP!
Networking and Net Growth (part 2 of 3)
Dec. 24th, 2025 11:04 pmNetworking and Net Growth
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 3
Word count (story only): 1311
:: Cassie’s landlord gave her a rent increase which will make her homeless. Her medical needs and food allergy makes the standard dormitory living and communal meals in homeless shelters a nightmare rather than a temporary solution. Word spreads, and… Gentle fiction for the December 2025 prompt event, with great thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
Only two days after leaving the doctor’s office, Cassie’s phone rang every five minutes for half an hour. With her hands finally set in the bracers, she could answer on the third ring of the seventh call. “Hello?”
“Cassie! I was starting to worry,” Doctor Brian Mitchell began. “What did I interrupt?”
“I had to wash the wrist braces,” she grumbled. “They didn’t dry the first time, and I’ve been running up and down to the laundry room to check on them, because I can’t not be answering chat questions for work, but I also can’t afford to have the braces stolen.”
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 3
Word count (story only): 1311
:: Cassie’s landlord gave her a rent increase which will make her homeless. Her medical needs and food allergy makes the standard dormitory living and communal meals in homeless shelters a nightmare rather than a temporary solution. Word spreads, and… Gentle fiction for the December 2025 prompt event, with great thanks to the reader who suggested it. ::
Only two days after leaving the doctor’s office, Cassie’s phone rang every five minutes for half an hour. With her hands finally set in the bracers, she could answer on the third ring of the seventh call. “Hello?”
“Cassie! I was starting to worry,” Doctor Brian Mitchell began. “What did I interrupt?”
“I had to wash the wrist braces,” she grumbled. “They didn’t dry the first time, and I’ve been running up and down to the laundry room to check on them, because I can’t not be answering chat questions for work, but I also can’t afford to have the braces stolen.”
( Read more... )
Seasons' Greetings 2025 (Gregorian)
Dec. 24th, 2025 09:52 pmI think that I've said this elsewhere: whatever you're celebrating or otherwise observing at this time of year, I hope that the Occasion(s) will be kind to you and yours.
Leaving it at that for tonight.
Leaving it at that for tonight.
Coulda, Shoulda, but Didn't
Dec. 24th, 2025 09:31 pmI am not doing brilliantly at getting things done. I still need to finish holiday cards, for example. And, in particular, I need to find where I put the stamps I am sure I have.
I also need to finish finalizing some travel plans. There are tickets to various events that I need to buy, too.
And I am nearly out of clean clothes.
I could, theoretically, be getting some of this done tonight. But, I think I am going to prioritize the book I’m in the middle of.
I also need to finish finalizing some travel plans. There are tickets to various events that I need to buy, too.
And I am nearly out of clean clothes.
I could, theoretically, be getting some of this done tonight. But, I think I am going to prioritize the book I’m in the middle of.
Another beautiful winter day.
Dec. 24th, 2025 05:55 pmI spent the whole day fixing up the road from last night's 2 inches of rain. Lots of digging out ditches for the first two hours and then three hours of work on the culvert near the main gate. Dad put the 30" (?, it is big) culvert in around 1965. At that time the neighbor took a bulldozer into the creek and cleaned out all of the vegetation. No one would be allowed to do that these days, but back then no one noticed. As time went by willow, blackberry and cottonwood trees grew up, dramatically slowing the flow of water below the culvert. Above the culvert silt slowly began building up. And up. Then the willow and cottonwoods started to fall. They weren't sick, they were just old. That blocked the exit of the culvert where even more silt built up. About eight years ago I realized there was a crisis with the culvert. Water had to first go down to reach the culvert, then up on the other side to exit. Donald and I spent two days fighting our way down into the stream with a chainsaw and clearing out dead wood. It helped, some. Since then I've been down there several times, each time clearing more. Today I mostly cleared willow that had regrown into the creek, once again making it impassable. Last week a huge very dead old cottonwood finally fell on the road right over the culvert. We have been watching that tree just waiting for a windstorm to jiggle it a little.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Yesterday's walk in pics.
Dec. 24th, 2025 05:28 pmYesterday's trip up Red Barn Creek to work on trail maintenance was lovely. Kinda wet, but lovely.
You may remember that I went off with some of the folks from the Grace Hudson Museum ( https://www.gracehudsonmuseum.org/ ) to pick Dogbane, sometimes called Indian Hemp. At the time I didn't post a picture of the plant. Here is a clump of Dogbane growing -in- the creek. There is a small green bit of grass coming up through the clump. This is the right time to harvest these plants, the stems will need to dry before use, but the plant is dormant.
You may remember that I went off with some of the folks from the Grace Hudson Museum ( https://www.gracehudsonmuseum.org/ ) to pick Dogbane, sometimes called Indian Hemp. At the time I didn't post a picture of the plant. Here is a clump of Dogbane growing -in- the creek. There is a small green bit of grass coming up through the clump. This is the right time to harvest these plants, the stems will need to dry before use, but the plant is dormant.
( Read more... )
Happy holiday party?
Dec. 24th, 2025 07:57 pmAlison’s "best holiday date story of all time" (below), which has inspired its own fanfic!
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