tag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027Aeärwen's CornerFiction, Fan Fiction, and other sundriesaearwen22020-09-24T02:18:56Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:156631Two Quick Questions2020-09-24T02:18:56Z2020-09-24T02:18:56ZVoiceplay - I Can't Help Falling In Love With Youcuriouspublic0I am starting to become active in posting new (to my readers) fanfiction content for LOTR. And so I would like to poll those of you who still read my feeds to DW and LJ:<br /><br />1. Would you guys prefer I post the full stories/chapters here, or would you rather I post links to where I have posted the stories otherwise?<br /><br />2. If you guys prefer the links, would you prefer a link to the FFN posting, or would you prefer the link to my private LOTR fanfiction archive on Yola?<br /><br />Thanks in advance to any and all who reply.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=156631" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:1562452020 Snowflake Challenge #1 & #22020-01-03T18:28:57Z2020-01-03T18:32:40Zawakepublic0#1: Introduce yourself<br /><br />I am a retired housewife/mother/caregiver with two cats (one indoor and one outdoor) and three kids (one older daughter and twins - one boy and one transgendered daughter.) While I have been writing fan fiction for a goodly share of my life - even back in the day before such a thing actually WAS a "thing - I write primarily nowadays in the Tolkien fandom. I also dabble at writing original fantasy fiction with aspirations of getting published someday. I live in Paradise (Central Coast of California) and have done since I was 10. I crochet gifts sometimes for family and friends, have been known to do beading on occasion, have done macrame and Chinese paper cuts. I am also a musician - and over the course of my life, I have played (with varying levels of competency) piano, violin, flute, recorder, classical guitar and taiko. <br /><br />My hair is silver, my backside overloaded with lead, and I hear I'm in my "golden years." I think they call that "heavy metal" - but I'm not sure...<br /><br />#2: In your own space, talk about your fannish history. <br /><br />Oh boy!<br /><br />I started, as a kid, 'shipping John Steed/Emma Peel in The Avengers. I really got into fan fiction, however, with The Pretender, and wrote a long series of behemoths that picked up that series from where it was dropped and brought it to a conclusion (some 600k words later overall.) I burned out and took a two year hiatus from writing after the deaths of my parents, then came back to writing in the Lord of the Rings fandom. I've remained more or less active there ever since, although I've dabbled in other smaller fandoms along the way: Broadchurch and Dr. Who principally.<br /><br />Knowing that DW is having problems cross-posting, I'll be putting this on my LiveJournal blog as well.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=156245" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:156080Another Milestone Crossed2019-06-27T15:20:37Z2019-06-27T15:20:37ZJames Newton Howard - The Nutcracker and the Four Realms - Main Themethoughtfulpublic0Well, I'm now officially a "Senior Citizen"™; I turned 65 yesterday.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/156080.html#cutid1">Musings and Miscellanea under the cut for those who would rather not.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Ya know, I really don't feel a whole lot older than I did before - and yet, I do. I'm 65, and a widow; two facts of life I had never considered I'd ever be. Now, I need to look forward and not back - I'm a Senior, but I got plenty of life left.<br /><br />Time to get to it.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=156080" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:155700A Quick Note2019-04-12T17:22:38Z2019-04-12T17:22:38ZMiddle Earth Orchestra: Galadriel's Mirrorsadpublic4Just a quick note to those whom I have no other contact outside LJ: my husband of 41 years died midday Wednesday. It was not unexpected, but I had thought I had just a little more time; but it was quick, quiet and merciful in that he just... stopped. After 9 months in nursing care/hospital, he was evidently ready to move on.<br /><br />That afternoon, my daughter Súl and I drove out to one of the more local areas of California wildflower "super-bloom". The breeze was gentle, the meadowlarks were singing their little hearts out, and the scent of lupin was SOOO sweet. It was a great way, and a good place, to begin the process of accepting my new reality. I'd like to think that, after 9 months of being bedridden and unable to do for himself at all, Bill tagged along for the ride and enjoyed the view with us. I'd insert a pic of what we saw, but both LJ and DW are less than transparent on how to do that now. Sorry about that.<br /><br />Anyhoo, if I go silent and dark for a while, you guys know what's up. I'm dealing, and I'll be back... eventually.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=155700" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:155602In Memory of a Walnut Tree2018-12-14T23:04:32Z2018-12-14T23:20:44Zsadpublic0I now have a small inkling of what Celeborn must have felt after Galadriel and Nenya left Lothlórien. There is a tree-shaped hole in my world now, and I’m surprised to find myself genuinely grieving.<br /><br />When my parents bought this property over 50 years ago, it came with an OLD, mature and heavy-bearing English walnut tree. In good years, it could produce – all on its own, mind you – over two hundred pounds of nuts per year. It stood a proud thirty-plus feet tall and was a lush green. It was the cornerstone of our homestead, and I’ve had it in my life for most of my life.<br /><br />Long story short, California has suffered a devastating drought for many years, and that drought has hit this area particularly hard. Many trees – not just nut trees – have succumbed to the drought. We tried to water this one, but evidently our efforts were just not sufficient to its needs, or to the needs of the daughter tree that had sprouted about ten feet away and my dad allowed to grow.<br /><br />The daughter tree died about five years ago – and finally broke off at ground level and fell in a storm with high winds this past winter, barely missing taking out dog houses and fences, and falling short of taking out my garage by maybe a foot. My daughter and I understood the message the Universe was sending us – especially since the mother tree, which had tried desperately to survive, had turned up its toes abruptly in September. That message was: “I can be merciful once. You need to take care of this NOW.”<br /><br />Not exactly a message to ignore. Especially when a couple of friends told me that (1) the tree was leaning; (2) the ground was beginning to buckle and rise; and most importantly (3) if it fell in the direction it was leaning, it would take out my fence, the fence of 3 neighbors and at least two storage sheds. The tree had to go – it was dead, and no amount of wishful thinking was going to resurrect it.<br /><br />Yesterday, I found a service who could do it within a budget that had already been cleaned out by needing to replace my car’s transmission. These guys will take payments, and asked a reasonable fee, given they didn’t need to haul it away. FWIW, Angie’s List for the win!!<br /><br />That said, however, there will be no chipper for my old friend tree. The tree service isn’t going to judst haul it away to the landfill, or take it to a shredder. I have friends who want the wood for firewood and bonfire wood – beneficial uses for people I know and love. They will clean up the mess on the ground, and get hours of enjoyment from it. My tree will do one last service.<br /><br />But the back corner of my property will be empty. And I will be sad for many days to come. Before the guys came, I went out and said goodbye, and shed my tears.<br /><br />RIP old friend. You were steadfast and tall and so generous with your nuts, and you shared so many of my celebrations and needs for a shoulder to cry on. You will be missed.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/155602.html#cutid1">Update on Aearwen's life otherwise - scroll by if not interested.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />So there you are. Been a busy last couple of days, but at least I don't have to worry about my tree harming my property or the property of others anymore. The wind can blow through the leaves of the avocado trees that line my driveway, and I don't have to cringe in dread. <br /><br />Life is good, it says in the fine print. For now, I agree.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=155602" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:155212Fanfiction: I Dhaerlend Dadui - The Second Great Journey - Prologue2018-09-12T19:57:17Z2018-09-12T19:57:17Zpublic0Just a quick note to inform you all that I am going to start posting the lynch-pin story to the entire IDD!verse series. You will be able to find it at <a href="http:bennasaearwen.yolasite.com/idd1.php">I Dhaerlend Dadui</a>. I did post this to both FFN and AO3, but only as a teaser to bring folks to my webpage. Further chapters will ONLY appear at my personal site.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=155212" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:154987Definitely Going Dark For a While Now2018-08-16T05:02:21Z2018-08-16T05:02:21Zcrushedpublic3I got a call from the hospital tonite; my husband has been re-admitted to the ICU with extremely high CO2 numbers, spiking fevers, and unresponsiveness. I will be talking to Hospice sometime tomorrow, as he finally sometime yesterday or today has expressed a wish to come home one last time. I will see it done, if at all humanly possible.<br /><br />My daughter and I have been preparing ourselves to the extent we could for this, but there really ISN'T any way to prepare for this, is there? We've been married 40 years - he will leave a huge hole in my world.<br /><br />I'll see you folks on the other side of the dark tunnel I'm in. Until then, hug your loved ones tightly. Time is not our friend.<br /><br />Namasté.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=154987" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:154647Confessions2018-08-15T02:58:16Z2018-08-15T02:58:16Zpublic0I am going to start posting some of the finished LOTR fics that sit on my hard drive, but probably only to my personal archive. That way I can keep better track of when and what I've posted. What's more, as an incentive for folks to visit over there, I will be posting some "spoiler" fics in my "I Dhaerlend Dadui" story-verse, as well as (perhaps) beginning to finally post that monster itself. IDD and the spoiler stuff, as well as everything else from here on, will be posted nowhere else.<br /><br />Today's offering: <a href="http://bennasaearwen.yolasite.com/confessions.php">Confessions</a> - Celebrían discovers a memento that exposes Elrond's secret shame. This tale is a direct sequel to "In The House Of Elrond" and "Memento", but takes place long after both.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=154647" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:154544New LOTR story (I think...): Memento2018-08-15T00:45:41Z2018-08-15T00:45:41Zpublic0I am posting one of the stories I have long since finished but, for some reason, never bothered to post anywhere before. However, from now on, I will probably be posting only to my private archive, and not to FFN or any of the others. It will make it very easy for me to keep track of what I posted and when I last did. I do have a few things that should be put out there - and as a treat for those who visit there, I will start posting what are in essence "spoiler" fics in the <i>I Dhaerlend Dadui </i> story-verse.<br /><br />This one, in fact, is a direct sequel to <i>In The House Of Elrond</i>. As it isn't already on FFN, or AO3, it may not have gotten any exposure. But enjoy...<br /><br /><a href="http://bennasaearwen.yolasite.com/memento.php">Memento</a><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=154544" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:154195Going Silent For Now2018-07-31T20:29:29Z2018-07-31T20:29:29Zpublic0This is especially for those whom I don't have friended on Facebook.<br /><br />My husband is back in the hospital for the seventh time this calendar year with sepsis, this time aggravated by congestive heart failure as well as not tolerating the antibiotics any longer. He is not doing well - has been in for a week with no real discernable improvement. He is both physically and cognatively failing badly.<br /><br />This is just to let you all know that I'm probably not going to be very active anywhere until things settle down - one way or the other. I have a fair support system, so I'm managing - barely. I'm in a fragile place, however, as Bill & I have been married for over 40 years. This is very hard to watch.<br /><br />If any of you have, or know anybody who has, diabetes - please!! Do NOT let them ignore it, or brush off advice on eating right and/or other things recommended. Diabetes is a killer. It's the underlying cause of my hubby's problems now. Talk to them, don't let them get away with not doing all they can to mitigate. You do NOT want them - or you, if it's you - to go through what Bill has been through in the last three years.<br /><br />Anyhoo. That's it. I'll be back when life, in it's infinite complexity, calms down enough that I can be more functional again.<br /><br />Laters, all.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=154195" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:153943Life Of Late - and Other Quibbles2018-06-01T18:17:20Z2018-06-01T18:17:20Zpublic1<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/153943.html#cutid1">I will understand if you want to scroll past this, honestly. If it weren't my life, I would just as soon scroll by myself, frankly...</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Can I resign as a grown-up human? Huh? Please? All I want to do lately is crawl into a hole and pull the hole in after me and vegetate for a day or three. Instead, I'll just smile and keep on going.<br /><br />*Sigh*<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=153943" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:153702Not Whimpering This Time - Much...2018-03-06T03:24:07Z2018-03-06T03:24:07Zpublic0<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/153702.html#cutid1">A Long-winded recounting of recent events in the Aeärwen Family household. Scroll on past if you so desire - no harm, no foul.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=153702" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:153381*Sigh*2018-01-28T20:43:54Z2018-01-28T20:44:17Zcrushedpublic0Hubby's back in hospital - pneumonia this time. Amazing how, in less than 12 hours, he can go from pretty much normal to needing an ambulance. <br /><br />I'm wrecked.<br /><br />Laterz.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=153381" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:153212One Last Whimper, I Promise2018-01-09T05:59:20Z2018-01-09T05:59:20Zdepressedpublic0<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/153212.html#cutid1">Yet another medical-related whimper/rant - scroll on by with my blessings if you don't want to read.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />With luck, that's the last one. You're allowed to grouse at me if I do it again.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=153212" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:152866A Small Rant2018-01-08T01:46:18Z2018-01-08T01:46:18Zpublic0<span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/152866.html#cutid1">Totally understandable if you just scroll past this.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Sorry. Just had to get that out. Thanks for listening for those who read the rant, and apologies to those who'd rather not hear such things. Hopefully I won't be in this state again for a good long time.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=152866" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:152619This Is How Things Go For Me Nowadays...2017-12-11T20:33:57Z2017-12-11T20:35:18Zpublic2Just a note for anybody wondering just what it is that has me so emotionally & psychologically depleted:<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/152619.html#cutid1">If you don't want to read me rant about my DH's health, please scroll by - no harm, no foul.</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br />Okay. I've got it out of my system. <br /><br />Have a good day, all...<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=152619" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:152484It Isn't the Same2017-12-03T04:24:34Z2017-12-03T04:24:34ZNone at the momenttiredpublic0This is one of several LOTR fics that have sat completed on my hard drive that I somehow managed never to post in a public forum. As are most of my LOTR fics, this one fits into my vision of "how things went" that I call my IDD!verse.<br /><br /><span class="cut-wrapper"><span style="display: none;" id="span-cuttag___1" class="cuttag"></span><b class="cut-open">( </b><b class="cut-text"><a href="https://aearwen2.dreamwidth.org/152484.html#cutid1">It Isn't the Same</a></b><b class="cut-close"> )</b></span><div style="display: none;" id="div-cuttag___1" aria-live="assertive"></div><br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=152484" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:152256Crawling out from under my rock...2017-11-29T23:30:12Z2017-11-29T23:30:12Zpublic0Yes, I am still upright, breathing, and ambulatory - contrary to popular notions to the contrary. What's more, I'm actually starting to write again, so I thought it might be a good time to post a heads-up that I'm gonna be a little bit more active. At least for a while. <br /><br />My Muse is actually getting down to work on IDD again - much to my relief. It's a huge project that is approaching the denoument stage, and I'd like to be able to type The End on that one. As it is, some of the bits I'll be posting I wrote quest a while ago but only posted to the online LOTR writers' workshop Lizard Council. Since they hold no "spoilers" for anything unpublished as yet (like IDD) I've no idea why I didn't give them a wider audience. <br /><br />As it is, IDD is one of two novel-length LOTR fics I'm still working on in that particular !verse, and the one on which so much else depends. I want it finished in the worst kind of way, believe me! I also realize I need to continue posting my The Pretender unfinished fic as well - readers there have been pretty patient. Time for me to come out from that rock I've been hiding under for a while now.<br /><br />Part of the reason I've been so quiet is because I'm dealing with an invalided husband, whose health is only now starting to kinda-sorta level off a bit. He's been in and out of hospital more times than I can remember now in the last two to three years, coming close to outright dying the last few times. This is a tall (he was once 6'3") and BIG, strong man who is now bent to 6' and needs a walker to move around. He has a chronic infection as the result of NOT doing what he was supposed to about his diabetes, compounded with an occasional MRSA flare-up. Sciatica has made it impossible for him to drive a car or even get up & down out of chairs easily. For a while, I was desperately worried he was going to lose at least one leg - and he's still fighting that battle (and maybe, in a teenie little way, winning.) <br /><br />Lesson to be learned there: if you get a diagnosis of diabetes, do NOT ignore it or the advice given. That disease is horrible, if not kept in control from Day 1!!!<br /><br />Not knowing when and/or if his health would take a sudden nose-dive that would land him in the ICU yet again can be very taxing on a spouse or support person/family. And the current health care/financial end of things here in the US and in our household is far less rosy than it was "back when". Luckily, my own health continues to lumber on without many large hiccoughs. I have my problems, but (knock on wood) I can continue to steer myself clear of needing ANY prescription drug regamines (much to my Dr's chagrin - he very much wants me to take a statin because my cholesterol level is borderline and BP meds because my BP is borderline, only to have me simply say, "no." I refuse to become a client of Big Pharma, tethered to my pharmacist & giving them blood money every month or so.) I'm good with vitamins, Tylenol for pain (with hydrocodone only for when things are SO bad,) and suppliments.<br /><br />So anyway, that's what I've been up (or down) to, and now you know that you'll be seeing me more often. Don't say I didn't warn you... :D<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=152256" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> commentstag:dreamwidth.org,2017-04-10:3017027:377Okay, so I'm on Dreamwidth now...2017-04-10T17:34:49Z2017-04-10T17:34:49Zthoughtfulpublic10While I'm not entirely certain I'm going to leave LiveJournal, I've set up this account to mirror LiveJournal in case things go to Hell over there. If you want, please friend me over there so I can find you guys again.<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=aearwen2&ditemid=377" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments