Vacation Mode

So the world's gone to hell, and I just can't take it. Congress stole the PBS funding that they previously approved. The fascists continue to kidnap people and deport them to who knows where. CBS canceled Colbert and claims they're going to kill the entire show just for "financial reasons." And Malcom-Jamal Warner just died by drowning. Fuck.

The news is horrible, and I don't even care that MAGA are upset about the Epstein files. Prove that you hate Trump now by not voting for Republicans anymore! Otherwise I don't give a crap. And apparently there's some meme going around about a CEO caught cheating that involves a Coldplay song? I don't know and I don't care to find out.🤷 Me being all Lucille Bluth on it...

So anyway, I'm on vacation from work and I'm gonna just write my Madness fic and try again to do a Sherlock Holmes chronology like I started years ago. I had hoped to go see some more plays and movies, but most of the ones I want to see won't come out until August. At least Peacock will have The Phoenician Scheme on Friday so I can rewatch it.

Recover

I worked on July 4th. I need that holiday pay, after all. I avoided the news so I wouldn't be depressed about that fucked up bill passing Congress. Fuck Murkowski. Fuck all of them that voted for it despite pretending to criticize it. They fall in line, like we have an actual king.

I heard late in the day that there was flash flooding in central Texas, around Kerrville. I'm not familiar with the Hill Country, but I'm sad for all the victims and the girls still missing. There probably won't be federal assistance in the aftermath, due to FEMA being gutted. So awful.

I need a break, a rest. That's why I've been escaping into Holmes and writing again. I have some vacation time planned and there's a book fair coming up even if I can't afford to buy much. Trying to enjoy some of life even as the world careens into disaster. Nobody can live in stressed-out survival mode forever.

I still heard some fireworks going off last night, and my family will celebrate together this weekend. Try to regroup I guess before moving on. Have a happy holiday if you can.

Visit in 1884

Well here's a throwback. After looking at "The Speckled Band" again, I did some more writing about Helen Stoner. This is another partial chapter from DIM, my unfinished Sherlock Holmes romance novel. I would say this is from Chapter 21, when Holmes has decided to visit Helen Stoner in New York.

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Fandom: Sherlock Holmes

Story: Deeper in Memory, partial Chapter 21

Pairing: Sherlock Holmes/Helen Stoner 

Warnings: G, unresolved sexual tension

Sweltering Summer

Political news has been devastating and exhausting, what with the Supreme Court's odious decisions and the horrendous bill going through Congress. They're trying to pass it by July 4th. Plus the whole Israel-Iran war erupted while Gaza continues to be devastated. Stupid Trump just made the whole thing stupider.

I'm glad that Pride marches around the world were especially defiant.

Meanwhile I've been shopping at thrift stores to try to save money, but it's harder to find clothes that aren't from Shein or cropped to be tiny or otherwise weird-looking. At least Ross stores actually have Petite sections, instead of jumbling everything together.

I forgot to review the Holmes play I saw at Stage West in June. I found the first act kind of slow and hard to get into, but it improved in the second act. Oh, and also Holmes and Watson dance together for one scene! :) Overall, I think the show should have been called "The Playboy Prince" after all because the souffle was a small plot point, very late in the show. At least I got better seats and close up photos of the stage set.

Meanwhile, I saw that Mattel released a She-ra Barbie doll, and it sold out quickly. I couldn't have bought it anyway, as I already splurged on the Lego Nook Book. Gotta save money.