indie_games | Member Posts

We have almost reached the end of January! \o/ By now, most New Year's resolutions that are going to hit roadblocks or fail completely have already done so. About 95% crash and burn before the end of January. If you're still going, you've passed the roughest part. If you're having trouble or you've given up, there are options.

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Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

Gray wolves are hunting sea otters and no one knows how

On a remote Alaskan island, gray wolves are rewriting the rulebook by hunting sea otters — a behavior few scientists ever expected to see. Researchers are now uncovering how these coastal wolves adapted to marine hunting, what it means for land–sea ecosystems, and whether this ancient predator–prey relationship is re-emerging as sea otters recover.

My best guess is that the wolves prey on sea otters during brief times the otters come ashore. Maybe on ice, which can work rather like land, but there is a lot less ice now than there used to be. It's hard to image a less-marine-adapted predator catching more-marine-adapted prey actually in the water. Then again, if that's happening, it would push the otters to move into waters the wolves can't reach -- which is one way that semi-aquatic species become fully-aquatic species.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

The 2026 Rose and Bay Awards are still open for excellence in crowdfunding. Today and tomorrow are the last days to nominate your favorite projects and patrons. If you have not yet done so, please do that now.

The award period for eligible activities spans January 1-December 31, 2025.
The nomination period spans January 1-January 31, 2026.
The voting period spans February 1-February 28, 2026.

These are the handlers for the 2026 award season:

Art: gs_silva Nominate art! Vote for art! (4)
Fiction: fuzzyred Nominate fiction! Vote for fiction! (3)
Poetry: gs_silva Nominate poetry! Vote for poetry! (3)
Webcomic: curiosity Nominate webcomics! Vote for webcomics! (3)
Other Project: curiosity Nominate other projects! Vote for other projects! (3)
Patron: fuzzyred Nominate patrons! Vote for patrons! (3)

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny and cold.

I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/30/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I refilled the hopper feeder. Lots more sparrows out now.

EDIT 1/30/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I put more seed in the hopper feeder.

EDIT 1/30/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I saw a wren.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

alisx

I had a horrifying realization yesterday, when I was trying to explain to a bunch of law students who are almost all more than 40 years younger than I am, that what’s happening in America is not in any way normal. For example, Donald Trump’s weaponization of the DOJ to abuse the criminal legal process to extort a federal agency into submitting to his demands is a very reminiscent of the Saturday Night Massacre in 1973 (naturally I explained what that was), which was a cataclysmic political scandal at the time. In America 2026, it was Monday.

The realization was that, to these bright, curious, and — relatively speaking — politically engaged young people, all this is normal. They were almost all in middle school/junior high when Donald Trump got elected the first time. Trumpism and the to this point largely ineffective resistance to it has simply always been the way of the political and cultural world in America, since they began to become conscious of it in a concrete way.

Paul Campos on the legacy we’ve left.

Leave a comment.⁺

althea_valara

Snowflake Challenge: A flatlay of a snowflake shaped shortbread cake, a mug with coffee, and a string of holiday lights on top of a rustic napkin.

Challenge #15

How Did the Fandom Snowflake Challenge Go? Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it.

Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so. Also, feel free to entice engagement by giving us a preview of what your post covers.

I think it went well!

There are people I "know" on Dreamwidth from seeing them around places, that I don't get a chance to interact with much myself. Therefore, I find

snowflake_challenge delightful because it gives me an excuse to interact with them! And also, find new, interesting people to interact with! It really helps with the sense of community. I mean, even if I end up not interacting with a particular person for whatever reason, it's still fun to see the same names pop up all the time.

I'm a little saddened that things seemed to peter out towards the end of the challenge. I'm not sure if that was the challenge's fault itself, or if we all got tired due to +gestures at the world+. It's probably more of the latter.

I did miss the "make a fanwork" challenge, because in the past I've worked hard on that. In 2023, I made a Crocheted Carbuncle which took a heck of a lot longer than I expected BUT I DID IT, and last year I launched my Neocities site. Not sure what I would have done THIS year, but odds are I would have gone overboard again, lol. I know me.

I've said in the past that I feel mostly on the outskirts of fandom. This year, I feel like I've at least put a foot in the pool? I don't feel so disconnected as I have in the past, and a lot of that has to do with the good people at the Final Fantasy Old Folks' Home, plus being more active in making fanworks myself, and yes, also because of

snowflake_challenge. So I feel I've had a positive experience this year. Thanks, mods!

Current Mood: grateful

thewayne

Interesting development here, and it's very strange. Honestly, I'm having a hard time understanding it.

The murder happened in 2024. Mangione allegedly shot down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare while he was walking into a shareholders meeting (IIRC). It takes some time to develop a case, and they especially want to get it right in a very high profile murder case such as this one. The case wasn't finished and presented to the grand jury during Biden's term, so it came to Pam Bondi's group to finish it up, get the indictment (maybe the indictment happened during Biden's term, I don't remember) and take it to court.

And it would appear that Bondi's group screwed up.

Mangione was charged with two counts of stalking, a weapons offense and murder through the use of a firearm. And, according to the judge, the Federal stalking charges are incompatible with the weapons offense and the murder charge, and she had to dismiss them. Thus he is no longer eligible for the Federal death penalty.

From the Australian News article: "US District Judge Margaret M. Garnett in Manhattan said she dismissed the federal murder and weapons charges because they were legally incompatible with the two counts of stalking Mr Mangione faces."

From USA Today, which helps further clarify things: "U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi instructed the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty against Mangione last year. At the time, defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo said in a statement that the federal charges were brought by a "lawless Justice Department" that made a "political" decision to pursue death.

In the order dismissing charges, Garnett wrote that the murder through the use of a firearm and weapons charges required the element that the murder was committed "during and in relation to" another federal crime that is considered a "crime of violence."

Those charges were made on the basis of the stalking charges, which Garnett ruled did not fit the legal definition of a "crime of violence," noting that the legal standard was counterintuitive to the average person."

He will still face murder charges in the State of New York, which, having dealt with organized crime and gang violence for a very long time, is quite good at building solid cases and getting convictions. That trial has not been scheduled, apparently they decided to let the Federal trial resolve first. New York State does not have a death penalty: their Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 2004, in 2007 the State Legislature passed a law formally banning it. So it looks like life without parole is the longest sentence he could receive, whether it would be served in NY or at a federal pen would be a question yet to be resolved.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-31/luigi-mangione-murder-weapons-charges-dropped/106290600

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/30/luigi-mangione-murder-charge-death-penalty/88430898007/

ysabetwordsmith

Roll for resistance: How a fantasy game defended the commons

In 2023, the world’s most popular role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), faced a rebellion. This wasn’t brought on by imaginary goblins or dragons, but by its players.

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Current Mood: busy

vriddy

The few notes I took during my not-really-pacing-check aren't taking as long as the previous chunky edits to integrate (THANK GOD), which means I'm also speed-running through my Having Feelings About The Manuscript cycle... *sigh* I was taking a few notes for a post as I went (seeing how much better it is than before! happy feelings!) but I've already moved on from happy to things to be sad/disappointed about.

Audience: "Wow, you're about 70% into the manuscript and thinking it's bad? Is this where we're supposed to act surprised???"

Like, it does help to know that I literally go through this cycle every time whether writing or editing, but the feelings are still being felt and kind of suck regardless T_T

Here's what the voice at the back of my mind says:

You're enjoying the story because you can see that it's better "than before" but that doesn't mean it's good. It'll probably still look like baby's crappy first draft to someone coming in fresh. You've also had over 2 years to get used to the worst flaws, the ones that can't be fixed because they are load-bearing in the story.

Anyway!

As always the first couple of days were a bit rough while I adjusted to a new way of doing things. I've landed on: I take the written down squiggled notes I made and add them as comments to my Scrivener file (unless they're super straightforward/require 0 thinking, then I just make the change). Then I go through these comments scene by scene, deleting them as I integrate the feedback. In my BuJo I have many many little boxes for every scene that I can tick when I'm done :D Each chapter is about 4-6 scenes so it helps with giving a sense of progress and make the process feel a bit less overwhelming. I do love my ticky boxes.

Vaguely considering adding chapter titles because a few chapters would really benefit, but some others are more awkward and I don't know that I really want to have to find 10+ more titles /o\

I'm still writing ficlets here and there as a pressure valve from editing :D However, there's a mindset thing I'm noticing that I don't like at all:

Me about to write fic: "This should be FUN! If it's not FUN, then you failed!! :D"
Me about to write origfic: "This should be GOOD! If it's not GOOD, then you failed!! D:"

I don't like that. It should all be fun, like, I should always slip into writing mode with a lighter spirit. I don't want my own worlds to feel like a chore, full of associated pressure. So, something I'll definitely want to address, though I'm not too sure how yet.

ysabetwordsmith

This month's theme was "Short Forms." I wrote from 1:15 PM to 4 AM, so about 12 hours 45 minutes, allowing for lunch and supper breaks. I wrote 12 poems on Tuesday plus 15 later in the week.

Participation was down slightly, with 13 comments on LiveJournal and another 25 on Dreamwidth. A total of 9 people sent prompts. There were no new prompters.

Read Some Poetry!
The following poems from the January 6, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl have been posted:
"Beneath the Sea"
"Cakes and Ale"
"Decreases"
"Done to Perfection"
"Fight Less, Cuddle More"
Haiku for Natural Monuments of Japan
"Hemma Bäst"
"lacquerware poet"

"A Fountain of Energy" (Polychrome Heroics: Rutledge, October 7, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl)

Buy some poetry!
If you plan to sponsor some poetry but haven't made up your mind yet, see the unsold poetry list from January 6. That includes the title, length, price, and the original thumbnail description for the poems still available.

This month's donors include:

janetmiles,

fuzzyred, and Anthony Barrette. All sponsored poems from this fishbowl have been posted. There are 2 tallies toward a bonus fishbowl.

The Poetry Fishbowl has a landing page.

Current Mood: accomplished

ysabetwordsmith

Today's theme is Literature.

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Current Mood: busy

melannen

I got tagged into this on Tumblr but might as well give you lot a chance too.

Here's a list of all the WIPS I've touched in the last three years, listed by working title. The deal is that I write 100 words for every vote (no deadline.)

No, you don't get to ask for any more info, though I have talked about some of them before. The oldest one is about twenty-five; the newest was started for yuletide this year. There are 25 different fandoms involved, which is definitely part of the problem, yes.

Poll #34146

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 44

View Respondents

Which WIP?

View Answers

A novel example of three-factor, one locus sex determination in a Terrestrial chordate
1 (2.3%)

a shadow on snow
0 (0.0%)

All Men Raising
0 (0.0%)

Arha the Ninth
3 (6.8%)

Chappa'ai
2 (4.5%)

Cheris the First
3 (6.8%)

Children of Barrayar
5 (11.4%)

Clark Knows Better
1 (2.3%)

The #@%$^$ Coffeeshop Fic Fine
2 (4.5%)

Dyson Swarm
1 (2.3%)

The First Sedoretu of Ankh-Morpork
12 (27.3%)

The Hanahaki Protocols
1 (2.3%)

Hello My Name Is
1 (2.3%)

Hikarigakure
0 (0.0%)

I <3 Boobies ch 2
0 (0.0%)

If A Body Meet A Body
1 (2.3%)

I Was The Yiling Laozu's Concubine And All I Got Was This Gauzy Robe
5 (11.4%)

Kobayashi Gusu
0 (0.0%)

Necro-Gothic
0 (0.0%)

One Is One And All Alone
1 (2.3%)

Paris Lui-Meme Imite
1 (2.3%)

Peace love & Quebecois
1 (2.3%)

The Second Master of Yiling
1 (2.3%)

Slow Like Honey
1 (2.3%)

Something Rotten
1 (2.3%)

Tiger Burning Bright
0 (0.0%)

Untitled Shous Game
0 (0.0%)

The White Dynasty Does An Activism
0 (0.0%)

alisx

I never really “got” the Rokea as a kid — they were big and ugly and weird — but as an adult the whole premise of “what if Jaws had autism and was immortal?” is suddenly incredibly appealing. I too would like to walk into the sea and never return, thanks.

This is vintage old World of Darkness, so expect a bunch of weird race and sex stuff (including some way-too-casual references to rape). The example chronicle is also set in Australia and is nonetheless extremely, hilariously (white) American, right down to the fact that, while the majority of it is set on the Great Barrier Reef near Mackay (erroneously written as “MacKay”; it’s pronounced mh’KYE), like two scenes happen over two thousand kilometres away in South Australia??? And that’s two thousand kilometres by land, when the player characters are sharks and have to swim the long way??? That’s like the distance between New York and Houston, and would take like two months for a shark to swim there and back. Again, assuming they could swim on land, which they can’t. And this is all supposed to be time sensitive. Also, one of the main NPCs is a Native American Garou living as a visa over-stayer ( . . . oof) in Australia from the tribe-now-called-the-Galestalkers-you-can-figure-out-what-they-used-to-be-called whose ancestors are nonetheless implied in a vision to be Indigenous Australians? Not to mention I absolutely cannot believe that, even in the GRIMDARK 2000s of the WORLD OF DARKNESS that random Australian fishermen would conduct a mass illegal shark hunt all up and down the Great Barrier Reef. It’s a freakin’ national park!!! Killing wildlife here is illegal!!! Also like four people got attacked by sharks near Sydney last week alone and everyone was like, “Well . . . better not go swimming for a bit hey.”

Plus: Not even one single Harold Holt joke. Unforgivable. (Also, may the sea return him.)

Like . . . I know all this stuff can be hand-waved but it’s just such a hilarious mess on the surface for what is otherwise a pretty fun one-shot and it’s like . . . bless the OWoD. For reals. Like. I’m glad they’ve cleaned a lot of this stuff up in 5e (or even in W20) but, also. There’s such a well-meaning-but-oh-gods-dude-no-ness to the vintage stuff that makes it . . . kinda endearing, in retrospect? Big, wall-banging “let’s all work together to save the planet!!!” messaging and all.

Because, y’know. We should.