It Was Worth A Wound

AO3 SCAM

There's been a number of people reporting over on the AO3 subreddit that they're getting messages like this posted in the comments shortly after posting new fics.

The AO3 team are NEVER going to try and contact you about TOS violations via the comment section (or about anything else for that matter)

Don't click any links. Report the accounts involved (which might claim to be things like "LucySupport"), delete the message and move on.

For a few months I've been wanting to incorporate more of my paper-based hobbies into my everyday. These include various bullet journals, a glue book, binding greeting cards into keepsakes, reading books (of course), colouring books, and solo tabletop RPG's (I just impulse bought four of them). Other things I want more time for: watching movies, writing more regularly, crocheting, learning a language, improving my penmanship, a backlog of small household jobs that take 5 - 30 minutes each, and potentially starting a self-publishing project.

I watched a YouTube video about something I guess is a trend somewhere online, about assembling an "analog bag," which to me seems like a toddler's busy bag, for adults, crammed with so much "just in case" crap it seems ridiculous. But it did inspire me to try to put a fence around my mindless phone-use (I don't scroll much, I don't use the kinds of apps that encourage that), but I do play two brainless games, watch a lot of Youtube, look up answers to every question I have the second it springs to mind (I know some of you are too young to remember, but there was a time when you'd wonder something and then not be able to find the answer that minute, or even that day. Sometimes you sought out a person with expertise to ask. A lot of times it was trivial and you just forgot about it. I think this was a better way to live, outside of settling bar bets).

So I'm not going to do the impossible, like "No phone all month, ever!" But I do think there are ways I can limit mindless phone use, and bring some of these other pastimes to the front of mind.

*out and about, phone goes in bottom of purse/bag. Easier to reach should be a small notebook and pen (to jot down those things I want to look up later), a book or magazine to read (in waiting rooms, in the parked car waiting for a kid I'm picking up somewhere), maybe a small crochet project.

*at home I need to make some rules or routines that will encourage me to do some of these paper-based things instead of picking up my phone. I can put a colouring book/pencils in the TV room to colour while half-watching things. Same with a crochet project bag. I can make a grab bag out of all my little household jobs and pull one each weekday to complete.

*or maybe it would be fun to have theme days. Journaling Mondays, Glue Book Tuesdays, TTRPG Wednesdays, etc. I could double up some of these things with listening to the language I want to learn, catching up on podcasts, or listening to music.

*rules for the phone at home: no watching things on the phone, only listening. Podcasts and music can be set to play while the phone is out of reach, but in bluetooth distance, so I can listen with a speaker or headphones but not be tempted to fiddle with the phone itself. Use the laptop for things I might usually do on the phone, such as correspondence or doing information searches, only at set times of day (nothing is really as urgent as it seems when the phone is in my hand).

*assembling kits, baskets, bags, containers, etc, for each type of project. So if I want to do an hour or two of glue-booking, I have the book, paper, glue, scissors, and other supplies all in one container that I can move to a workspace (my desk or the dining table), then easily return to the container at the end of the session so everything's not everywhere all the time. One of the reasons I don't do more of these projects is that they create a "mess" and require some sprawling, and rather than have to deal with cleaning it up and putting it away, I just don't even start.

*if I decide to do the publishing project I need to set aside dedicated, lengthy blocks of time (essentially whole work days) and protect that time so I can focus. Possibly plan to do the bulk of the work in a neutral space--even more neutral than my home office--where I won't be distracted or interrupted (or feel guilty about other things I "should" be doing).

Who's with me?

John is already heading to the door.

As he passes, Sherlock the tiniest look of complicity flashes between them. They’re up to something, and this is part of the plan.

Primarily based on these images

But also because I want Holmes and Morticia to speak French, and for him to fence with Gomez, and teach the kids about poisons and criminals

Holmes folded down the top of the newspaper he was reading so he could see me. “A letter from whom?”

“Not sure.” I turned it over to study it as best I could. The envelope was thick and expensive, postmarked from America. The ink was rich and black, and it smelled unexpectedly floral, with an odd sulphuric note underneath. “Looks to be a woman’s writing, I’d say.”

“If you would.” He held out a pale hand. I passed him the envelope and he neatly sliced it open with his pocket knife. A single page slipped out onto his breakfast plate. He unfolded it with a flick of his wrist, then smiled. “Ah! Morticia.”

“Morticia?”

“Addams. She is my second cousin.”

I was immediately intrigued, for Holmes so rarely talked about his relatives. It had taken several years after our meeting for him to bring up the subject of his elder brother, who lived and worked barely an hour’s walk away. I wasn’t surprised that a second cousin in America had gone unnoted until now.

“Unusual names run in the family, I see.”

Holmes smirked. “Her grandmother was my great-aunt Séraphine, who met and married a quite singular gentleman named Algernon Frump while travelling. They settled over in the States many years ago, and dear Morticia now resides there with her husband.”

“Why does she write you?”

“She is arranging a sort of family reunion on All Hallow’s Eve. Apparently it has been far too long since we have all seen each other.”

“How long is that?”

“Several years at least. It was certainly before you and I met.” 

“And will you oblige her?”

“I suppose I will.” He folded the letter and placed it neatly back in its envelope, tucking it into his inside pocket. “You’ve been angling for a holiday, my boy. Would this satisfy you?”

“Wouldn’t it be terribly rude?” I asked, startled. “She has invited you, not me.”

He tutted. “Nonsense, Watson! Morticia knows we live together, of course.”

“How?”

“She will have read your book.”

“Oh! Well that is kind of her. But a family reunion, Holmes, I am not—”

Thirty two seconds later, Sherlock's phone was ringing. He rolled his eyes and picked up.

"Where are you?" Mycroft asked, anxiety plain in his voice.

"I... Baker Street. I'm fine."

A very confused, heavy silence followed.

"You're... fine?"

"Yes. Old age must be taking your hearing."

Mycroft didn't pay the jab any mind.

"Why did you say that?" He asked instead, referring to the text message.

"I just wanted you to know," Sherlock replied simply, glad that at the moment Mycroft couldn't see the color rising in his face. "Don't make a big deal out of it, Mycroft."

Mycroft sighed deeply.

"You're going to be the death of me, little brother."

"Don't ever forget it," Sherlock answered, smirking as he ended the phone call.

What's the first "big news story" you remember from when you were a kid?

It's something I love to ask mixed-aged groups sometimes because I think it's really interesting to see the responses. I've gotten answers from the Olympics of [whatever year] to Watergate to more recent stuff from my niblings.

John hugs me when I’m in my mind palace.

I don’t tell him I know…