O Sun, when shalt thou fuck off?

[extrapenguin]

Today was a bleh day, just like Monday and Tuesday. It's the lingering effects of my annual summer insomnia, I guess, compounded by not achieving anything of note.

I feel like I'm making word choice flubs much more often while writing now than in December. I burned my fingers with my gaiwan. I'm fucking exhausted but know I won't be able to sleep because of the fucking traffic noises and the fucking sunlight. (Dixing where???) Not even the knowledge that I have 5kg of strawberries, kitchen curtains with dinosaurs on them, and a notebook that reads "Notes from Outer Space" on the cover can cheer me up. In conclusion: bleh. I ate a bunch of vitamin supplements in case that's the problem, and the 5kg of berries should contain a bunch of micronutrients, but idk what's causing/excacerbating this. Could it please go away, I have stuff to do kthxpls?

But hey, as of the end of July, 56 people have subscribed to me and I have published 92799 words onto AO3. Spaceship rental has another almost 20k in there (so I get over 100k from there, whoo!) though I need to think a bit more about how to connect the dots between the segment that spans from start to current-words-marker and the segment that I wrote out of order.

To procrastinate, I started a sequel to Fate's True North. Goals are for the cuteness to radiate out of the page and for Shen Wei to lose his virginity very thoroughly.

Communal lunch was roujiamo with meat on a stick on the side, since Wang Zheng's concept of a proper meal was ordering an entire boar and tearing into it, and there was only that much talking down of her one could do. Everyone was staring at Zhao Yunlan doubtfully, but afraid to say anything even if they'd like to.

Before he could tease them about their sudden tongue-tiednesss, a familiar crackle of dark energy surprised him. "Veifþrkehtkvezdrk! Welcome! We weren't expecting you."

Shen Wei always held his head a bit downcast as the Envoy, but the small smile was still visible. "I have received information on the Mountain-River Awl."

"That's the next Hallow," Zhao Yunlan explained to his team. He considered how to act around his soulmate in a professional context. The window for a welcome kiss had passed, but an arm around the shoulders would still fit and be less fraught than an arm around the waist. He cautiously slung his arm over Shen Wei's shoulders. Shen Wei leaned into it fractionally. Good. "We ordered food; Brother Black is welcome to eat it."

"Thank you." Shen Wei took one of the skewers and the opportunity to discreetly shuffle closer to Zhao Yunlan. In between bites, he explained, "The Dixing archives contain some descriptions of the Awl's usage. It can be used to strip the energy body out from the physical body and give it a form, creating a ghost of sorts."

Comments

[forestofglory]

I'm sorry you are having trouble sleeping, and not feeling great. I hope things get better soon.

What a lovely snipet. I'm glad you are writing more in the soulmates AU. (I had to look up what roujiamo is, but it looks very tasty. And I was amused by Wang Zheng's meal planning skills here.)

[extrapenguin]

The days are getting shorter, and it's cooled down here, so it's getting better all the time. I just happen to be one of those suckers who has, like, reverse SAD and gets all mentally unbalanced in summer.

Soulmates AU (...or perhaps better described as Dixingese: the Conlang AU?) is a happy place where everything is currently sunshine and cuddles and giving people food as an expression of "I love you". It's a very happy place to be, as evidenced by the number of kudos part 1 has. :P

[clevermanka]

Goals are for the cuteness to radiate out of the page and for Shen Wei to lose his virginity very thoroughly.
So you're gonna wind up getting me to read a soulmate AU after all, aren't you. Yeah, I can feel it from here already. It's fine. I'll be fine. *laugh-cry emoji*

[extrapenguin]

Ha! Indeed, I am evil, and while part one is T-rated, I have received several comments to the effect of the cuteness seeping off the page and also you liked the snippet I posted here earlier. >:D

[clevermanka]

[jo_lasalle]

You have kitchen curtains with dinosaurs on them? <3

I'm sorry the summer is fucking you around like that. I feel you on the no sleeping, if not strictly for summer reasons here. I've been having the "messing up words" thing too in a similar way and it's driving me a little nuts.

I am very much looking forward to more cuteness leaping off the page!

[extrapenguin]

You have kitchen curtains with dinosaurs on them? <3
Yes! They started their life as a kids' bedsheet, and later on mom turned them into curtains. They're light blue with smiling cartoon dinosaurs and the text "big dinosaur" on them. They are the very best curtains ever and they always make me smile.

I went to sleep at 10pm like a good penguin yesterday - and ended up blarghing in bed for an hour after waking up, which is quite an underachievement even for summer me. I think it's the room layout encouraging bad habits in me; when I move out, the bed will be in the furthest corner from the door to discourage sleep recidivism.

As for the cuteness, I have figured out how to adapt the mirror girl plot into a soulmates 'verse! And also gotten an idea for the narrative structure of a part 3, though it'd contain a major bit that wouldn't necessarily fit in with the capstone I've planned. (Though the capstone is also a major left turn from the cuteness into fraught worldbuilding. It is very nice worldbuilding that I want to showcase at some point! It just is a tonal change and also would be long and I definitely want to get spaceship rental done before I start.)

[jo_lasalle]

I think it's the room layout encouraging bad habits in me; when I move out, the bed will be in the furthest corner from the door to discourage sleep recidivism.

Not to pry, but I have a) both insomnia myself and b) terrible spatial imagination, so this made me curious: the position of the bed in relation to the door has an effect on how well you manage with the sleeping?

As for the cuteness, I have figured out how to adapt the mirror girl plot into a soulmates 'verse!

YAY! :DD

Though I actually also support focusing on your longfic before you get dragged into plot complications of something that was supposed to be cute and light. (I do know that happens...)

[extrapenguin]

Not to pry, but I have a) both insomnia myself and b) terrible spatial imagination, so this made me curious: the position of the bed in relation to the door has an effect on how well you manage with the sleeping?
It's actually about getting up! It's currently too easy for me to just fall back into bed after getting up, since it's only like two steps from the door and four from the sink. In the previous place, I had to walk more and I might have occasionally lied down on the kitchen floor, but I got up much faster from the kitchen floor than from the bed.

Though I actually also support focusing on your longfic before you get dragged into plot complications of something that was supposed to be cute and light. (I do know that happens...)
Eh, it's more "if soulmates for 91% of the population, how does mirror girl plot?" and then I recalled platonic soulmates exist in my take, so. It's romance, but the soulmates for both are elsewhere. Also I need some actual case stuff to give rhythm to the adorable cute fluff and Shen Wei being given a guided tour of sex.

[isis]

Oh, I feel you on that summer insomnia. And I live way further south than you, so I don't have nearly as much diurnal difference from season to season! If I lived at much higher latitude I don't think I could cope with either the long long summer days or the long long winter nights.

[extrapenguin]

My favorite season is November because it's cold and dark! I could live in an eternal loop of September to March without any problems. I just loathe summer with every fiber of my being because 1. too bright 2. too hot. The long winter nights, OTOH, are lovely.

[rheasilvia]

Oooh, I'm so jealous you still have tasty strawberries! Our season for the good ones is long past, alas... and I am glad to hear about Spaceship Rental. :-)

It sucks you're having trouble sleeping and are feeling bleh in general, though. Bleh. I hope it does go away, and soon!!

[extrapenguin]

Finland is Very Obsessed about strawberries! That said, it's definitely the end of the season, which was delayed by the cool May. We don't usually have open-field strawberries in August!

The days are getting shorter, so the sleep situation should start righting itself. Hopefully that'll be reflected in fic output and coherence.

[rheasilvia]

Finland sounds like my kind of place! I LOVE strawberries. They are my absolute favorite! But I do insist on the tasty varieties, and this year the crop was very small and I did not get my fill.

Hopefully that'll be reflected in fic output and coherence.

I hope so!!!

[extrapenguin]

Finnish farmer's market strawberries are very tasty! You should definitely move here. ;)

[phyrry]

I'm sorry summer is being so rough on you. Go away, sun! Bring back the night! (I'm a little concerned I'm going to melt in this heat, argh.)

But hurrah for a sequel!

[extrapenguin]

I would absolutely move to Dixing if I could! Eternal darkness? Sign me the fuck up!

The nights are returning, and the sequel and spaceship rental are getting written. No promises about the schedule yet; the sequel feels like it'll be more meandery than Fate's True North was.

[phyrry]

Same, I've always wanted to move to the Underdark and Dixing has less creepy monsters. (Although I'm going to add some, hah!)

No worries, it happens when it happens. ♥️

[umadoshi]

The insomnia sounds wretched. ;_; I hope you're able to get some decent sleep soon.

[extrapenguin]

The nights are thankfully getting longer all the time! I just wish I could live in an underground bunker. The bright evenings are wreaking havoc on my already night-owl tendencies: if it's bright, I don't get tired at all.

[tinny]

Oi, I find it kind of funny how Finnish people react to Summer - everyone seems to hate it. ;) I am sorry it is affecting you this negatively, though. I hope it'll get better soon - Autumn is around the corner already anyway.

Also: yay for Shen Wei losing his virginity. I approve. ;D

[extrapenguin]

everyone seems to hate it
IF ONLY. No, all the media is all "Yay, +30°C will come pamper us! Nooo, cold air will ruin summer!" and the average Finn wants it to be at least +25°C. 'Tis only I who slink in the shadows, hissing at the Sun, envying the Dixingians for their darkness and the penguins for their cold.

Shen Wei will lose his virginity and have a good time at it! That I decree.

[tinny]

Hmmm... I probably know non-average Finns, then! :) I have two more on my flist, and both hate it when it's over 15C, and one of them also complains when it's light out at all, like you.

I was misled to believe they are normal. ;D

*throws confetti at your fic*

[extrapenguin]

:DDD I am not alone! And the days are getting cooler and shorter all the time, yay.