Retrieve the Kraken!

Hi, all my folks who have some experience with symbology or tattoos (or both)...

My sister and I are looking to get matching sister tattoos. We are representing both sides of our family: English-Irish and Norwegian. The tattoo design we have in mind at this point incorporates the Viking Vegvisir compass and an Irish sister knot. I just want to check in with people if they know if this is a legit sister symbol in Celtic knotwork. The most prominent ones I have found are this one or variations on the theme.

Another option I like is this one, but I'm leaning toward the three-pronged knot just because I've always liked sharp, defined edges.

Thoughts? Tips?

I am posting to apologize for a comment I made during Leviosa's Sunday panel on Adversarial Relationships. In response to the topic of canon HP characters currently being re-imagined as people of color and/or marginalized sexual and gender identities, I attempted, poorly, to discuss the ways this might make fandom experience difficult for individuals who use fandom as a way to set aside the weighty societal issues they face every day. I don't remember the exact wording of what I said and won't attempt to recreate it here, but after extensive soul searching and discussion with a close friend, I realize to my shame that my comments were entitled, naive, insensitive, and inappropriate.

The comment was supposed to be about the fans who don't want to view their fandom activities through the lens of social or political justice, who want to leave all of it outside when they go in, for whatever reason. But it definitely didn't come out that way. Instead it sounded as though I think issues of race, identity, and under-representation don't belong in fandom at all. Issues of discrimination in any form belong in the fandom, full stop. They are already there. People's discomfort with such topics is unimportant because discomfort doesn't dictate what must be acknowledged, and also very important because it is this inherent discomfort that must be addressed. It was not my intention to insult anyone, but that doesn't really matter either: as a white cis woman, I had no place making such a point in this way.

I wanted to discuss the importance of fandom as a safe and enjoyable space, which it is for me, but that really is the kicker, isn't it? As long as discrimination and under-representation are ignored in fandom, it isn't a safe and enjoyable space for everyone. The weighty social discussions keep getting shunted aside. We keep fostering ignorance of the problem.

I love fandom and I want it to be a place people want to be a part of. The re-imagining of canon characters is exciting, and the added bonus is that it brings societal discussion easily into the "safe space" fandom has created, rather than allowing it to continue to be viewed as a threat to the fandom experience. The more fans are exposed to something they fear or distrust, the faster they learn that they don't need to fear it, and the faster we bring it back home into everyone's safe space. Which is where it has always belonged anyway.

I made a mistake, and I'm very sorry for my comments. I'm trying not to shy away from these discussions because avoidance is currently the norm, and I don't think it's a good idea to avoid these topics. This dialogue needs to occur so that a lasting and constructive understanding can also occur.

But obviously I need more practice in how I approach the discussion. So I will continue to work at it. Thank you for your patience with me.

Okay, so this fic is Getting Finished. I'm so done with this constant waffling, letting the writer's block win. Just so everyone is aware, there is a massive edit going on in preparation to transfer this story over to AO3 in the near future. I am 20 chapters into that. I would love to have the entire thing done by the time I head to Leviosa Con in July (anyone else going to be there? ^_^ ) but that's too optimistic. I'm predicting anywhere from 5 to 7 more chapters, depending on how each one pans out. A rather momentous shift occurred recently in regards to one of the characters, which I will talk more about when I get to it, but it could add a little more meat to the story, so, there we are.

Title: The Road (31/?)
Author: rurounihime
Rating: hard R when all is said and done.
Pairing: H/D
Summary: In the midst of a disintegrating war, Harry awaits the arrival of the Order's last hope.
Warning: violence, character death, spoilers for all seven books. This fic is now AU because of Deathly Hallows. At the risk of much silliness, I have discovered that there are apparently DH spoilers in this story from the beginning.
Disclaimer: The HP characters and most of the spellwork do not belong to me.

**ETA: THIS CHAPTER HAS RECEIVED ITS FINAL EDIT**

Previous chapters


( Chapter 31: Strategists and Sirens )

Everyone, I have a friend from my elementary school days whose family is in dire straits. They have been homeless for a couple months now, she, her partner and their three children, living out of their car, which is not in the best shape. They've gone through the official channels, including CPS, and are on multiple housing lists in the Sacramento, CA area, but have had no luck getting housing. Both parents are work-capable, and drugs are not involved. Both Tashina (my friend) and Steven have appealed to their families for help with even just one of the children, and have had no takers. They are now seriously considering putting their children into the foster system.

I've started a gofundme account for them here. Please, anything you can spare will help. Tips on housing in the area, job opportunities, people renting out rooms... I think if they had a home base, they would be able to find their feet again.

Interesting stuff going on at my professional journal... ^_______^

Now, I love Cas and Dean, don't get me wrong. BUT.

Arthur. And Eames.

This one is SO theirs.

GO VOTE!

And a long time coming they are!

Okay, so. Now joining The Fandom Zompocalypse Fic & Art List, we have:

~ 4 new fandom sections (!!!!): Avengers (fic & art), Inception (fic & art), Top Gear (fic) & The Walking Dead (fic list)

~ new community/list links sections for the Harry Potter and Supernatural RPF fandoms

~ new fic links (1 in Merlin BBC, 2 in Dawn of the Dead)


Holy crap. KEEP IT COMING, PEOPLE. (To submit fics/art/etc for this list, please go HERE and follow the submission instructions.)