emotionally attached to fictional characters

Counting down to ball number one!!!

2026-05-23T11:39:02Z

tick tock tick tock

I am in Versailles! The last few weeks have been an absolute blur of attempting to coerce my ideas into becoming reality, some of which worked and some of which did not.

Tonight is the first ball, starting in about 5 hours. Cat is finishing up some hand-sewing, and I am recovering from the absolutely delicious breakfast supplied by the hotel. If you are ever in Versailles, I highly recommend Le Louis Hotel Versailles Chateau.

First time being in Versailles in high season. It's quite warm, and I'm amazed at how many people are running around everywhere. This hotel is just down the street from the chateau, and you can see the Golden Gates shining in that very warm sunshine.

I'll be meeting with milotziherself in an hour or so. Coincidentally, she is staying at this same hotel! Very much looking forward to it!

I need to mention my wig before I post some pics of it - You know how back in the day the wigs got incredibly elaborate? Women were sporting ships and bird cages in their wigs? (Think the Queen in Bridgerton) Well, I had an idea for my wig that I feel is in the same vein, but different. :D

My sweet cat, Oyster, who passed away in January, will be coming along to all the balls with me!

I love the way the wig turned out. I also love that the person who created Oyster out of felt chose eyes that will follow you as you move around. His expression is so like my dear cat - he would have been equally surprised and a bit nervous if he had actually stowed away in my wig. I think he is adorable in there, and I am hoping it will be a conversation starter, as I will be solo at 2 of the balls.

My gowns!
I shared the blue, blue lace, and white pieces in my last post, and it is complete now. I will be wearing it tonight, along with the silver slippers from that post.

Honestly, time has gotten away from me so much that I haven't even tried it on yet. Hopefully, that breakfast won't wreak too much havoc on my stays and me!

I'll post some pics of it later. But meanwhile, please enjoy this picture of my new undergarments!

Oh, and that pink wig? That was just one of my ideas that didn't work all the way out. I tried styling it for Cat to wear tonight, but ran into Not Really Knowing How to Do That, lol.

But first, a pic of my first attempt. I like the woven hair in front, but I needed more hair and didn't have any that matched.

This is the pink version, since I had plenty of hair. The braids in front were for weaving the hair like in the first picture. The front looks pretty good, but I got stumped on how to do the back. Oh well! We figured something out for tonight :D

Omg I think I forgot to show y'all the shoes! Nephew J Squirrel painted some Marie Antoinette portraits on them, and then I painted the rest to hopefully look like fabric. Whatcha think? I love them. The second ball is in honor of MA and will be held at the Trianon, which was her fave hangout.

Finished shoes, with my choker.

More to come! Milotzi is here now, and we've put her to work sewing a couple of engageantes! lol

*also stitching stomachers at dreamwidth

Oh balls.

2026-05-14T02:18:15Z

Here is what is up with ol' mywitch.

I am obsessed/swamped with getting ready for Les Fêtes Galantes. I leave on the 21st and there is a lot yet to do.

One thing I have learned about myself in this process is that I have a lot of creative ideas! And that I don't know how to accomplish 98% of them! My answer to that seems to be buying all the necessary supplies and staring at them.

Balls!

Yes, ballssss!

2 extra balls. (insert filthy joke here)

Let me tell you about them in the order they will happen. Oh, and incidentally, they are all back-to-back: May 23, 24 and 25.

The first ball isn't held at or affiliated with Versailles, but it is un fête hosted by @lv_rxl and will be held at l'Hôtel de Bouillon.

I will wear my blue gown and silver slippers.

I decorated a pair of silver shoes I just (ahem) happened to have with some huge Temu jewels. I was in Arizona and asked Sis4 to help me attach. Bro5 thought the jewels should be sort of curved so they would fit the shoes better. I agreed, and when he came back with a sledgehammer, I choked a bit. But he used the handle to set the jewels against, then pounded them with a regular hammer, and it worked like a charm.

Mind, my $23 dress form is very trim, so the dress hangs off it. Also, the stomacher is still just a plan. And the pink will be white. The petticoat, which is being sewn by my pal Cat right now, will look something like this.

Eek, Cat is literally at the door. More to come!!!

*also eating cake at dreamwidth

Look Look Look!

2026-05-05T06:39:39Z

at this beauty!

Thank you so much digthewriter for this wonderful art! I love imagining post-war Severus letting his colorful side shine! You're a gem.

Dig's Awesome Snape Art

You should be able to access it with the link above, but if you are lazy like me, just look in the cut. :D

👀

*also peeping the goodness at dreamwidth*

Speeding toward me in May: Les Fêtes Galantes!

2026-04-06T02:44:28Z

Dearest Ladies and Lords of Live Journal Land,

I apologize for not getting back to everyone on comments. As always, please know I appreciate you and them so much! I am simply freaking obsessed with my Bucket List trip to France. I've wanted to go for ages, and now it is only weeks away, and I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day!

Since I retired I've been planning this trip specifically to attend Les Fêtes Galantes.

I've spent months researching gowns, panniers, stays, petticoats, wigs, the Rococo period, painters like Watteau and Fragonard, as well as learning more about Marie Antoinette. (She never said the thing.) I started a sensible diet (and eventually even started doing some exercise). Since July I have lost quite a bit of weight (yay!). I shall continue to do my best to lose some more, since it is my lifelong dream to have a waist.

Under the cut are some things that have inspired me on this journey. Let me know what you think!

The back pleats are actually called Watteau pleats, after the artist. More on him in a bit!

This is the very lovely and very talented astadarling, whom I follow obsessively on instagram, showing how one actually gets ready in one of these gowns!

https://instagram.com/p/DRCzN24kb_C

Jean-Antoine Watteau

Watteau's paintings inspired a style of painting in the 1700s called fête galante and were dreamlike depictions of beautifully-dressed aristocrats at play in lush parkland settings. The ball I will attend is named after this style.

Fragonard

Next time: Getting my ticket and figuring out what I am going to wear!

Also putting on my wig at DreamWidth

Happy Birthday fawkesylady394 and chienne_folle

2026-03-25T04:06:51Z

Dearest fawkesylady394and chienne_folle, I hope both of you had a day that was delightful and satisfying in every way!!

These drawings are ancient history, but I hope they will be fun to see again all the same :D

Snape and Spock - separated at birth?

*also serving cake at dreamwidth

My Very Short Love Affair with Monsieur Châtelaine

2026-03-24T07:48:24Z

A very intense twelve-ish hours.

We met while I was in Arizona, in early March. It was about 10 in the morning when this handsome stranger walked onto the property, unannounced. He walked toward me and looked me right in the eye. His were a beautiful green.

He was thin. Very thin. Skeletal even. I could see nearly all his bones, yet he was still so handsome.

His belly was huge. I checked to see if he was an expectant she, but no. I fed him several times throughout the day, and he ate like it was his last day on earth.

I had work to do, but he kept near me. He looked less well each time I looked at him.

Some of you may remember my sister's evil dog, who used to attack all my pets. Well, the bitch attacked my new love.

I was so angry. I chased her off, picked him up, and settled him in a box in the car. He wouldn't stay. He insisted on being on my lap and I didn't mind at all.

The ER Vet in Chandler was one of the nicest I have ever been to (and believe me, I have been to a lot). Almost an entirely female staff. The doctors and vet techs worked in the center of a really big room. The cages for the animals waiting for care were all on the perimeter of the room. There were couches facing them so that people could stay with their loved ones while awaiting treatment.

The vet told me that he was suffering from numerous things, including feline infectious peritonitis. She didn't think he would last the night regardless of care. So, you know what comes next.

The room was really lovely and calm. I fed him treats, which he gobbled down.

When the time came, he passed with a mouthful.

***

M. Châtelaine got his name because I so loved his beautiful markings; they reminded me of a châtelaine.

A châtelaine is a fancy clip that 18th-century through Victorian women hung from the waistband of their skirts. Ornamental, with chains from which they would attach all kinds of things they might need handy: small scissors, a needle case, a small perfume bottle, a key, a thimble, a tiny notebook, whatever was necessary.

I got this one from my pal DE to wear to Versailles. I managed to break it already, lol.

Voilà my boy's châtelaine!

I loved this little lad. He was a sweet companion and he left a hole in my heart when he left. I am so glad I could be there with him on his last day, and I know my crew of cats and dogs up there in the only heaven I believe in happily welcomed him into the family.

*also cutting onions at dreamwidth

iHola Brujas!

2026-03-17T07:25:46Z

I haven't left Arizona yet, so I am roasting. Wednesday looks like it will be the first day of 100º F. A great time to get gone. It's March. It's never 100º in March. Climate be changin' yo.

I'm pleased to say that my mental health is better than it has been in a long time! I'm trying to prioritise the things I want to do (that for whatever reason I just don't do). Such as engaging with friends, replying to comments, finishing artwork, and posting here! and there!*

I'm curious how you feel about Mexico, as in, do you or would you go there?

View Poll: Would You Go To Mexico?

I feel like I am putting my heart on the line a little bit, eek!, but I'm just throwing this out there...
Would anyone (or lots of anyones) possibly be interested in going there sometime?

A group of us, like a tiny Harry Potter Convention! Meet online friends in person! Talk about HP whilst sipping margies on the beach! Do crafts! Eat the best tacos! Enjoy fresh fish and shrimp! Write or draw or collaborate or brainstorm, or anything, really!

See...Bro6 has 2 really nice beachfront condos in Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) that sleep 12-15 people between them. (Puerto Peñasco is located at a point that sticks out into the sea at the very tip of the Sea of Cortez.) It's basically from parking to condo to patio to sand to sea. And the beach is never crowded.

I do realize that the world is in shambles right now and that we could all be involved in World War III as early as tomorrow morning, but it can be fun to have something to dream about and look forward to, just in case we do survive. :)

Obviously, the timeline would be pretty far out - for planning and all that jazz. But do let me know what you think!

*also posting at Dreamwidth

🎶Oh holy night...

2026-03-12T02:57:16Z

...can you believe that I'm po-oh-oh-ohsting..?🎶

Hey fam, wassup?

I am once again in Mexico, this time to pick up my car. I got it yesterday and it looks amazing!

Then it naturally got very dusty overnight and some seagulls left a few gifts on it, which I tried to clean off, but in the next pic you can see that the windshield is still a mess.

Bro#6 and I went to the beach to take this beauty shot:

A few moments later I got the car stuck in the sand, because I listen to NO MAN! Rowr!
A nice hombre came up and helped us get unstuck and Bro#6 was cranky for hours afterwards. LOL

There is so much more to report, all those things in the poll from before and also my One Day Love Affaire and Serious Prepping for the Ball. Where is my fairy godmother when I need her?

I am driving back to AZ in the morning and will be back to CA a few days later.

I hope every one of you are happy and doing well 🩷

*also talking cars over at dreamwidth

Happy (late) Birthday Ron Weasley!

2026-03-03T02:49:16Z

You little redheaded scamp! How old are you now? Wait - don't tell me. You'll always be 14 in my mind :D

fun fact:

Ronald Weasley is an anagram of "Lose Wand Early". :P

Besties, I just got back from Mexico. I brought my car down to get it painted and have the body work cleaned up. I managed to get a big ol' scrape whilst in the Costco parking lot. Oops. I was very excited because the guy had the exact paint I have always wanted a car to be and the price was Very Good Indeed.

Took the Amtrak back to L.A. When it's ready I'll take the train back and go pick it up.

Here are the Regular Shots of the Beach I seem to always post after a trip.

sunrise

sunset

swiftly flow the days...

*also waiting for Molly to frost the cake over at dreamwidth

Happy Birthday!

2026-02-24T08:47:03Z

Happy Birthday themightyflynn!!!

I hope it was lovely and full of delicious and satisfying things!

💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜💜🎂💜

BroNumber1

2026-02-20T09:18:50Z

Since so many of you let me know you were interested in whatever I wanted to write about, I am going to start with BroNumber1 and his cancer diagnosis. How fun!!

He is a really experienced and talented ballroom dancer (trophies almost as tall as me!) (I'm really not tall). He's lived in Las Vegas for close to 40 years. He loves it there because there are a lot of places to go ballroom dancing.

He is 16 years older than me, and he has always looked out for me. We still talk pretty frequently, and at first, all he would say was that he had an issue with his prostate. Recently, he admitted that it's cancer. I had heard some family rumors that he was not going to treat it, which upset me. When we next spoke, he said he wasn't going to treat it because there was nothing to do but watch it and see if it gets worse. (Conveniently, my friend DE was also recently diagnosed with very low-risk prostate cancer, and he gave me all the details.)

Whew. However, there are still a couple of things that have been watched for years and that are overdue for removal: Jackass1 and Jackass2.

See, BroNumber1 is a bit of a pushover. Because of being nonconfrontational, he has a horrible roommate: Jackass1. This twat actually burned down BN1's condo a couple of years ago. Once it was all fixed up again, my passive BN1 let that careless firebug move back in. Not only that - he let another guy move in as well.

I am convinced they treat BN1 like a chump. He's always told me it's fine, but it looks like he is ready for those creeps to GTFO. So, Dr MyWitch and Nurse BroNumber5 are scrubbing up.

I'm looking into what it takes to legally oust squatters in Vegas. (There was talk of rifles and shovels and the desert at night, lol, but in the end, we decided that's not it.)

The one cancer is stable. Time to eradicate the human cancers. Cut deep and as thoroughly as possible, and pray they don't ever come back. I really want BroNumber1 to be able to relax in his own home.

this made me chuckle:

Thanks for reading!
xoyourwitch

*also studying law at Dreamwidth

hello my whimsical bitches!

2026-02-18T09:30:41Z

Popped in here to tell you guys that I appreciate you and am glad you are here! Your fics, your comments, your posts, your friendship - it means the world to me.

I'm going to be here more often. I know I've said it before but this time this time this time - well, I'll do my best.

I'm very excited because my seamstress is coming over tomorrow night to talk about my robe à la française gown. This whole ball deal is starting to feel really real!

I've had some difficult things these last few months, but I am feeling a bit better now. Let me know if you would rather:

View Poll: Let me know!

And now, please enjoy my new favorite song, from Qveen Herby!

*also feeling some type a way at Dreamwidth

Fuck That

2026-02-15T01:07:06Z

Today I saw notifications from livejournal that both therealsnape and kellychambliss had posted. And somehow, I knew.

lash_larue is gone.

I haven't been here in so long that I didn't even realize she was in hospital. Knowing she passed with love around her, and with the messages you all sent, is a comfort. How I wish I had checked in and been part of that.

Lash was so funny and so wise and so generous and so kind. When I lived in Dublin, she sent me an amazing, short, and hilarious book: Fuck That - An Honest Meditation. I just pulled it from my shelf and reread it, remembering how much it has helped me when I was struggling, in Dublin and at other times. Reading it felt like a hug from Lash, letting me know that she knows I care and that she cares back.

There is comfort, too, in the messages we shared, in reading her amazing, wonderfully written stories, and her always delightful and/or incredibly helpful comments.

(from Frater Contemno, Frater Diligo by lash_larue)

Oh dear Lash, you will be missed. 💔

*also chopping onions at dreamwidth

Snowflake Challenge Day Four

2026-01-08T00:53:00Z

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!

I always check out this youtuber - Micarah Tewers. She is hilarious, adorable, possibly an actual Barbie-come-to-life-by-magic, and a truly amazing seamstress. Please enjoy this delicious amuse-~~bouche~~ -cerveau!
(approx 1 minute)

Snowflake Challenge Day Three

2026-01-06T06:46:10Z

Write a love letter to fandom. It might be to fandom in general, to a particular fandom, favourite character, anything at all.

Dear Fandom,

I send my eternal thanks for inviting me into a space where Professor Snape does not have to bleed out on the floor of the Shrieking Shack.

Always,
yourwitch

LiveJournal May Not Be Around Much Longer!

2026-01-06T05:26:01Z

A couple of other folks have mentioned this in their posts, but it bears repeating. The following is a Bluesky thread on the whys of it all and includes possibilities for archiving your journal or any events you moderate.

At any rate, it is an interesting read!

https://bsky.app/profile/rahaeli.bsky.social/post/3mbebicdmkc25

As well as our personal journals, it would be a shame to not archive the many fests and other events we have here.

If you have any trouble with the link, let me know. I can screenshot it for you.

EEK! Spread the word!

Snowflake Challenge Day Two

2026-01-05T06:14:05Z

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

This is Oyster. So named for his shiny gray coat and the little white pearl on his chest.

Oyster and I have been together for nearly 15 years. Together we've lost all our other pets. It has left both of us with visible scars.

We remember with affection and sometimes tears: Oyster's brother Neptune, and our other cats Bobi Fett, and Bruiser. Also our dogs Sammy, Tina Sparkle, Molly, Mrs. Beasley, and Honey.

We hope we have each other 🩶🩶🩶🩶🤍🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶 for a long time to come!

Snowflake Challenge Day One

2026-01-04T02:52:13Z

I'm very excited about a Snowflake Challenge. I am going to eat them all!

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

I can't wait to attempt this because it sounds really fun, and low pressure. I am hoping to slip back into fandom. I've been mostly away for the last two years, but I am ready to jump back in with both feet!

I'm a little old lady that you would never guess reads smut on the bus. I still madly love the Harry Potter fandom and have been lurking/participating since late 2015.

I am fond of drawing fanart, usually pairing that bastard Severus Snape with whomever else is on my mind that I feel like torturing that day. lol

I love to make new friends :D and I want to hear all about your fandoms, your favorite fic recs, and your rarest of rare pairs!

Check it out here!

Hello Young Lovers!

2026-01-04T01:08:18Z

Happy 2026 to you all! I hope it is significantly better than last year.

A lot has been going on, but nothing too dramatic.

Oh I crashed my car yesterday, that was a bit dramatic. 100% my fault, no injuries, insurance it handling it all. I've been meaning to take it down to Mexico for ages, so now I can get body work done at the same time as I get it painted. That kinda feels like a win.

I got a ticket to Les Fêtes Galante in Versailles in May. No one else I know was able to get one, sheer luck on my part. This year they are throwing a second ball into the mix, the night before. Two balls in a row, that is a bit nuts, LOL, but I'm IN.

Here's a litte treat someone sent me. LOL

I'm going to go check out the Snowflake Challenge and the Bun in the Oven Fest. Wish me luck on actually doing something!

* also wishing a Happy New Year over at dreamwidth

Scurvy: for when life doesn't give you lemons

2025-11-22T12:27:03Z

Hey hey hey, how is everyone?

I'm gonna just put stuff under some cuts cuz I'm feeling spammy today. :D

HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY my_thestral!!!! Put this in your eyes!

So, the Patti Smith concert finally happened!

Wow, was it fantastic. She was energetic and sounded great. I was in the back row, but the venue was fairly small, so great view, awesome experience!

Redondo

The audience was ancient, lol, and so I fit right in. From the back, it was amusing to see folx trying to make their phones work and take pics and videos. One lady managed to get her flashlight going and blinded a dozen people. Getting older is so fun!!!

We (my pal Cat and I) stayed at the Golden Gate Hotel, in Union Square, really close to the venue.

Small, super cute. I was delighted by the headboards that reminded me of 18th-century Europe.

The hotel has ghosts, allegedly!

(I'm kind of scared of ghosts, after an unsettling night, alone in a hotel in Cairo. But that's a story for another day.)

The hotel has a cat named Skittles. Friend!Cat went to the lobby to fill our water bottles and Skittles!Cat followed her back up to the 4th floor. She came into our room and didn't seem to want to leave, so we shut the door and went to bed. The delightful little thing slept on my feet.

We decided she was there to keep the ghosts away, and was on my bed to make me feel safe. It worked! Woke up to this:

I HAVE TO PEE.

Naturally, she has an instagram.

It rained all the drive up to San Fran and half the way home.
Los Angeles is having what I think they call an Atmospheric River, and we've had rain every day for about a week. We love rain here!

*I'll be sleeping with the lights on over at dreamwidth as well

Nov. 11, 2025

2025-11-12T08:05:01Z

My Dad passed away on this day in 2010.
On Veterans Day that year and this year.
This is from my memories posts on Facebook. I thought y'all might like it. :)

To my Dad, who made Nazi POWs peel potatoes for US Army troops in Georgia, my Uncle Larry, who was there when Pearl Harbor was attacked, my favorite Uncle Roger, who was at Iwo Jima, and my brother Edward Cullen, who sparkled like a vampire in his uniform - thank you, Veterans and military folk, for serving and protecting!

It was a bit weird having a blurry, black and white Dad, but he was pretty cool. ;)

*also celebrating our veterans at Dreamwidth

Oct FirewhiskeyFic Reveals are up!

2025-10-13T23:38:14Z

So I shall repost mine here. :)
Check it out; it is allegedly funny!

The Jack Frost Show: Four Former Hogwarts Professors Go on a Talk Show

*also ghosting this, er I mean posting this, at Dreamwidth

⚜️⚜️⚜️Quel surprise! Je suis encore ici!⚜️⚜️⚜️

2025-09-07T04:08:33Z

How is everyone doing out there in LiveJournalton?
Ha, that reminds me, I saw one of those Your Name Is things about Bridgerton.
ahem
Lord or Lady
your last drink + ton
the first part of your street + shire
That makes me ~~doxable~~ er, I mean: Lady Peach Seltzerton of Druryshire

Anyway...
I've been away for ages, so here are some ~~bullet~~ fleur de lis points of what has been going on:

⚜️I've not yet connected with the guy who is going to build my VSP (is that even what it is called? I can't remember...) I need to get on it, so my porn can flourish on AO3 as god intended.

⚜️Nephew J Squirrel had a piece in a show, the 53rd annual national juried exhibition of works on paper. There were a lot of great things there, but of course I loved his the most. A pencil drawing of a model he had drawn a week before in one of his classes. Here is a poorly taken photo of it.

⚜️Back around the end of June, I got some Mounjaro and tried it out. I only lasted 5 weeks, but hammered through it till that last week. I was nauseous and plagued with bad heartburn. One night the hb was so bad that sometime before it woke me up shrieking, some stomach acid had gone ahead and crept into my lungs. I felt immediately weak, and was coughing my lungs out again.
I saw my doctor soon after, and she said the pneumonia was back. Again! Unreal. That took me a couple of weeks to shake, and none of it was pleasant. I did manage to lose 15 pounds, though, but I don't know if it was worth all that.

⚜️I got a call from the BMW dealership where I bought my pre-owned car in 2016. They said there was a recall and they needed to replace some dohickey, I don't remember what. I had just driven back from AZ, and my car - well, it looked absolutely horrible. The inside isn't too bad, but the exterior took a beating in AZ last year. Paint peeling all over, etc, etc. I was so embarrassed to bring it in.
But I did, and they gave me a brand spanking new loaner car. It was so different that it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to drive it. Lots of convenient new tricks, it had.
I went to pick mine up the next day, and they had frikken detailed it. No charge. It hadn't looked that good in years! It turned out to be a really nice experience after all. :D And, whatever that thing was works now!

⚜️You may or may not recall that I'd sent some sample scripts to this company that was looking, that they acknowledged receipt, but didn't go any further. I was recently introduced to another part of their company that was looking for content. They told me what things were popular with them at the moment and invited me to pitch something. So I did, they asked a bunch of appropriate questions, I answered, and they said they would get back to me. Which they have not, as of yet. Then I heard about a writing test they have, so just for fun, I took it. They said they'd received it but were swamped with tests at the moment. LOL. So perhaps I shall stick to drawing.

⚜️More recently I went to the Garment District in downtown L.A. - such a fun place to go! My friend Cat, who happens to be a seamstress, came along. We looked at all kinds of fabrics and laces and I started kinda getting an idea about my ball gown. BALL GOWN! OMG! lol, it's so fun to even think about.

⚜️Saw &Juliet with some friends. It was a hugely enjoyable show. Great music, amazing dancing, awesome sets. There was a strong feminist bent to it all, and I really, really enjoyed it!

⚜️Oyster has been to the ER vet twice and the regular vet once in the last 2 weeks. He seems to be on the mend. He had a really bad UTI, and his insulin dosage was off. He is on the mend now. Although he is so suspicious of me, as I always hijack his meals with shots and medications. Last of the antibiotics today, so hopefully he will trust me again soon.

⚜️A couple of days ago, I booked a hotel in Versailles for 6 nights. I got a long stay because for 20+ years I have been dreaming of being there and just wandering through les jardins all day for days and days!

⚜️I got a couple patterns and several books about how to make a robe à la français*. I have a sewing machine and some muslin so I'm ready to roll. Almost. One more thing I want to finish up first.

I hope you are all finding ways to have fun and enjoy your life as the United States continues to dissolve into a puddle of steaming hot tyranny. Reading fanfics is the answer! I just know it is!

Love y'all,
xoxoyourwitch

* une robe à la francaise

P.S. Wait till you see the wigs!! 🤣

*also saying salut over at Dreamwidth 🩵

les trés riches heures de masorcière

2025-07-12T09:39:46Z

Hello Most Beauteous and Beloved! I am feeling fairly Frenchy this evening. :D

Have you seen this? It's Sara Pascoe, an English comedian, writer and actress who is hilariously on point.

I (once again) thought I was past the pneumonia bs after a month-long series of antibiotics really did the trick! A week later I was back to crackly chest and epic cough. Taking something new now and after just a couple days, I feel great! Light yer candles that it lasts this time!

Here's some things that have been going on in mywitchland:

Thingy the first: I splurged like a loon on a steampunk creation. It was built by a gem of a guy (steamhead on youtube) in England, and it cost a bloody fortune, but I love it like my own sweet child. He calls it a Luminescent Epizoescope, but I call it my Steampunk TV. It's incredibly big! It's a digital photo frame that will play whatever you have on a thumbdrive or camera card. A great way to look at vacation photos, lol. Last Sunday, NJS and his gal happily watched pics from a trip to Jordan in 2009.

There are 9 videos on steamhead's youtube page that go through the making of it. He is charming and they are pretty interesting if you like that sort of thing! Click here to check em out!</a>

Thingy the second: This should have probably been first, lol. I am retired! I haven't found any work in my field since 2023 so I have felt retired for a long time but now it is official! I even have a tiny little pension check to prove it!

Thingy the third: Being retired, I decided to make a bucket list. I have 3 things on there and I hope I can do at least one of them. The one I'm currently focusing on is Les Fêtes Galantes, which takes place in the Palace of Versailles. One must wear clothes from the baroque era. I've wanted to go for ages, but having it on a list makes it seem more possible. I am now currently obsessed with baroque fashion and outrageous wigs :D

My sweet lil kitty Oyster doesn't want to eat much. He just got over a UTI. He is diabetic and I can never tell if he feels well or not. He is 14 now, and I've never had a cat live this long before, so I can't tell if he is depressed or ill or just older. Anyway, I'm gonna go try to get him to eat something so I can give him his insulin.

Bonnes nuits mes amies! Gros bisous à tous!

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*🦋💎🩵❀✲mywitch✲❀🩵💎🦋*
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* Letting them eat cake à la Dreamwidth aussi

Oh, one more thing! I wanted to get a professional account here again, so I messaged Frank the Goat.
He said: You should get in touch with my colleagues in the Support Service (https://www.livejournal.com/support/submit/) -- they can advise you regarding the available options :)
I did, filled out a short form and they gifted me 5 months. Worth a try if anyone is interested!

WARNING WILL ROBINSON! flails arms

2025-06-30T03:16:53Z

Verushka70 posted this on Dreamwidth and I am spreading the word to my peeps! We have to look out for each other

This helpful warning of a comment scam being perpetrated by bots in fic comments on AO3 was originally posted on tumblr by allthingswhumpyandangsty.

I'm copying/pasting it here verbatim; original post linked above.

" just a heads up to my fellow writers out there that AO3 is currently fighting off bots commenting on people’s works to tell them that AO3 will delete their fics “due to the works being deprecated”, and the deletion will affect their accounts unless the authors delete the fics themselves first. IT IS A SCAM. AO3 will NOT delete your works. please do NOT fall for these bots! I’ve been told the reason why these bots are doing this is due to copyright infringement issue where they’re trying to steal your works (possibly to train AI but this is just a guess) ‼️‼️‼️and once you deleted your fics, it will be either very difficult or impossible for you to claim ownership of your own fics when they were already deleted.‼️‼️‼️

a reminder that AO3 will never contact you through your comments section (in case they claim to be one of the moderators). AO3 will only contact you through your email address which you use to register your account, and it will be from AO3’s official handle. not some sketchy ass @

so if you get a comment telling you you should “delete your works to protect your account because AO3 is doing blah blah blah” report that comment. don’t delete your works.

PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THESE SCAM. AO3 IS NOT DELETING WORKS. DO NOT DELETE YOUR WORKS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CLAIMS THEY KNOW SOMETHING. "

I am not sure why allthingswhumpyandangsty mentions 'copyright infringement issue' - maybe they meant IP infringement? "Copyright infringement" is something fandom and fic are often accused of - despite falling under Fair Use.

AIs trying to vacuum up fanfic in order to "train" AIs, along with tricking the authors into deleting the fics, only to later plagiarize them... I'm not sure what that is called, other than plagiarizing and scamming. Is that copyright infringement, or intellectual property theft, or both? I'm not familiar with the legal aspects, other than what I've read in fandom spaces re: Fair Use.

*also appearing on dreamwidth