InterNutter

Indie writer seeks audience with an audience. Paying customers welcome. [pronouns: ze/hir] Daily free stories happen because it is an excellent counter to Writers' Block.

Burpengary East http://www.cmweller.com 12151 posts

I love Fridays

I don't have to go anywhere. Except, I need to go and get almond milk at some point in my immediate future. And sometime tonight, we might go out for a little bit of a feast.

But other than that, I can take my firkin time, today.

I can chill.

Last night, I went to see the latest Predator movie and... the saddest evaluation for it is that they took a step forward in having capable women in there who know how to handle themselves in a sudden battle situation.

[SPOILERS HO]

Also:

  • Interesting that they kept Science Gal(tm) in the winnebago while Team Loony was giving Standard Blonde Wife an interesting time, thus missing an opportunity to pass the Bechdel test.
  • Interesting that Standard Blonde Wife spent most of her screen time dealing with assorted invaders in her home and never, apparently, leaving the house
  • Interesting that they trotted out the "Autism is a step up" horseshit without even trying to justify the downsides as advantages
  • Interesting that the chosen representative for Autism is still a small white boy when Autism happens across the board
  • Interesting that they only narrowly avoided the "Black guy gets it first" trope, but only because some "stoner" kids got it first as a demo for how Alien Tech Is Dangerous
  • Interesting that the POC and mentally disabled were the heroes who did all the literal self-sacrificing so the straight white hero could be in prime position to take the fight to the enemy

So they made A step forward. A teeny tiny baby step in the general milieu of gigantic leaps for representation literally everywhere else. I get it, though. It's hard to appease the man-children and appeal to the greater swathe of millennials at the same time.

...cue outraged whining about how the latest Predator movie "ruined [someone's] childhood" because now the women are self-rescuing.

Wow. Now I have a whole bunch of Tropes I Despise to talk about in my Wordpress account. Yay?

Challenge #02074-E250: Mob's Rule

“You’re right. Anger can be useful, and your wrath is something to be feared. But if I am to burn in this fire, I WILL take you down with me.” -- Anon Guest

The corrupt ruler scoffed. "And how will the likes of you propose to defeat me? You're weak. Powerless. Unarmed. I can kill you with a gesture and most of the idiots out there will applaud me for it."

"You did just call everyone watching you 'idiots'," she pointed

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Dumb Little Mistakes

Of all the bad things that could happen to a technophilic writer, the worst has to be a hand injury.

Especially one as daft as this one.

In the process of scooping up carrot stubs, I ran the side of my index finger along the edge of a knife that was just sitting there. It didn't hurt, so I didn't think I had hurt myself, and it wasn't bleeding even after I'd chucked the carrot stubs.

Squeeze finger just to check. Yup.

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Challenge #02073-E249: Audio Only

It went plonk, it went kablooey, it went shhhh, and it went blink.

But most importantly, it went whushhhak. -- Anon Guest

Sound was all that was left. The darkness was absolute, and Phel's ability to feel was impaired by the chemicals that the enemy had forced into hir system. Ze learned quickly how the Zebnaki pirates sounded when they moved, and also learned to avoid them. They had patterns of movement, too, and it helped.

Phel made it all the way

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Fargnax!

I have a lot of stress. Most of it is self-inflicted. And worse, I can't do shit about it.

  • The expert recommended more tests.
  • Mayhem doesn't want to do them.
  • I finally triple-checked Sweet Child of Mine and started posting it on AO3. It is a rough beast of a whump fic. Be warned.
  • I'm still watching Adapting in slush pile limbo. So far, it's in a state of not being looked at.

I should go with the most likely scenario, but.

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Challenge #02072-E248: In the Stars

It's amazing how flaming balls of gas, billions of lightyears from Earth, can have such an impact on human existence. -- Anon Guest

It was mathematics. Geometry. Therefore it had to be as true as the four humors. Cassius watched as the Greek made notes and drew lines between symbols. It was, ultimately, a star-shaped drawing inside a circle, and some other intersecting lines.

"What are the omens?"

"The empire's displeasure continues. You will not rise yet," said Sophus the Prognosticator. "The

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I Need a Cure

My anxiety is in rare form this morning. We're seeing an expert about Mayhem's digestive issues, today.

There's a high likelihood that said expert will recommend irreversible invasive surgery and I am prepared to fight like a tiger about this.

And I am terrified - absolutely bone-deep terrified - that I will somehow fail and legal shit will get involved on all of this.

I have to think of this in a Best Case, Worst Case, Most Likely Case scenario.

Best Case:

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Challenge #02071-E247: What it Was, What it is

"It's a family heirloom." -- Knitnan

Those four words, unfortunately, did not answer the question. It was old, Kelly could tell that much. It had been through much, if the uncleanable burn scars and dents were any indication. It plausibly had moving parts, but now they were mangled or rusted or fused shut. Whatever its original purpose was, it was now, effectively, a work of art.

"I get that it's old. I just wanted to know what it is. Or was. It

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Once More Into the Breach...

Mayhem is, once again, feeling poorly. Though he has apparently been suffering for three days, he decided not to mention anything until this morning. Showing a timing worthy of the typical Monday-itus.

He did throw up, though, which is my usual bar to pass for staying at home. Same with a fever.

Good luck for me - he's seeing an expert in digestive issues tomorrow, so we should get some form of resolution this time. Huzzah. And if we don't get a

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Challenge #02070-E246: Noncogniscent, Noncommissioned Officer

How did Stabby (from Challenge #02032-E208) get his rank? -- さむらいでわない

Shipwide notice, said the message that went to all the crew. Any further referral to ship's equipment by any name is unauthorised. Only registered crew with names, ranks, and files in the ships' staff listings are permitted to be referred to by name, nickname, or rank.

Evidently, Captain Thork'z had grown tired of the Human crew chatting about 'Stabby', the altered vacuum-bot roaming the halls. Also as evident was the fact

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Taking a Day

I'm having a selfish day, today. I am looking after myself. I have no set schedule and I'm getting to things as I please.

About the only thing that needs to get done is my Instant. Which will be happening, but I plan on taking my time and having fun with it.

Other than that, I am doing all the nothing my heart desires.

I will:

  • Finally listen to the latest episode of The Adventure Zone
  • Have a truly indulgent bubble bath
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Challenge #02069-E245: And in This Labyrinth

[All libraries are connected, including bookshelves in homes. This is why book lovers like to keep their books in darker and quiet places. They know that not all Travelers can handle light.] -- Anon Guest

There is an ancient chain of logic that leads to the inevitable. Knowledge is power. To know is to have an advantage, yes, but there is more than one form of power... Power can become mass. Play around with Einstein's famous equation and one can convert energy

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Teething Troubles

Yesterday, just after I dropped my Instant, our new connection to NBN dropped. Like unto a stone.

Just. In the middle of finally enjoying myself with time to spare, the internet just shut off. Attempts to contact my Beloved about this were ignored - the phones still work, but 'work' is a negligible term when any messages are unanswered.

It looks like our service provider isn't to blame, but rather the new modem we got is faulty and service can be restored

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Challenge #02068-E244: Wrong Kind of Rescue

{Character 1 kicks down door and fires RPG (or equivalent)}

(To person 2): "I got your text." -- TheDragonsFlame

When Laise was done screaming, and Thor had put down his guns, she recovered enough breath and wits to yell, "Thor, what the actual fuck?"

"You said you needed a rescue."

Laise checked her phone. Only one of her messages had got through thanks to the shitty, shitty local internet. "Damn it..." She took another calming breath. "We're lucky I always get the

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Good news, Bad news, Meh news

Good news: We're finally connected to the NBN so I can upload my random crap with a clear conscience... maybe.

Bad news: I had to be offline for a majority of yesterday because these transfers can NEVER be smooth.

Good news: It's all working now.

Bad news: I now have zero excuses to not send Adapting off to Baen Books.

Good news: I finished Sweet Child of Mine, which is a mega whump fic that needs a good beta.

Bad news: Because

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