The Rec Center #410
Hi all! This week we bring you coverage of ethics in Taylor Swift journalism, the Baldur’s Gate sex speedrunning community, and the death of Omegle. Also some lovely OFMD fanart, a grab-bag of multifandom fic recs... and some gentle reassurance about the current state of Tumblr as a platform. — Gav
new stuff
“A Dedicated Taylor Swift Reporter Faces Swift Criticism” by Madison Malone Kircher at the New York Times
USA Today just hired a Taylor Swift reporter (which…OK lol) named Bryan West. When he introduced himself as a fan, other journalists questioned whether it was ethical to cover your object of fandom—and Swifties questioned whether he was a big enough fan to do the job.
“Baldur’s Gate 3’s sex speedrunning community is in shambles now that the latest patch requires Lae’zel to actually like you” by Alessandro Fillari at MSN
“Moving forward, players must do more to demonstrate their strength and resolve to win her favor, and that means spending more time with her and being more of a reliable and honorable suitor.”
“Omegle creator on site’s shutdown: ‘What is right doesn’t always prevail’” by Ana Diaz at Polygon
Omegle, which shut down this week after 14 years, was a stalwart in many internet subcommunities throughout the 2010s, including some corners of fandom.
older stuff
“Disabled Music Fans Are Failed by Concert Venues and Ticketing Systems” by Nicole Rosiak at Teen Vogue
On the lack of accessibility for live music fans, and the ways nonprofits like Half Access and KultureCity are fighting to change that.
tumblr & beyond
OFMD fanart by warren-keplers-funk-band
“real screenshot from the house md nintendo ds game”
an all-timer stan account post.
“enough with the reader x fiction flooding every tumblr tag I Do Not want to be railed by that man”
literally the #1 reason to watch bad tv shows.
fanfiction
Just a grab-bag this week! Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“Cold Comfort” by Skitzofreak. 47K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Star Wars: Rogue One; Ship: Cassian/Jyn
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Alternative universe—different first meeting scenario between Cassian and Jyn, otherwise sticks to canon. They spend a fair amount of the story as strangers slowly getting to know each other while stranded together on an icy planet.
Rec: Characterization, action, spies, aliens, huddling for warmth, getaways, this manages to be incredibly tropey yet also just incredible.
Content warnings: Space racism, violence, mental health issues
“The Crucible” by Dreadnought. 148K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Captain America (MCU); Ship: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Recced by: buffer-overrun
Backstory: Captain America: The Winter Soldier made it easy to see Steve and Bucky as star-crossed lovers. Each man is transformed when the other comes back into his life: Bucky breaks through 70 years of Hydra brainwashing, and Steve seems to come into focus as a vivid and conflicted person instead of a stoic crime fighting automaton. Bucky has shockingly few lines in all of the MCU which leaves his interior life as the kind of lacuna that fandom cannot resist, and Bucky’s post-Hydra recovery is a recurring theme.
Rec: The level of trauma that Bucky has canonically experienced makes it hard to imagine how he could realistically get better, but that is exactly what this story takes on. The structure is really well done, with secrets from Bucky’s past revealed through the mechanism of his CBT work. I also appreciate how angry and self-destructive Bucky is, and that his improvement is modest and feels hard-won. When I was reading A Little Life, I kept finding myself thinking of this story and wondering what would have happened if Yanagihara had had Jude really engage with PTSD therapy in the way Dreadnought does with Bucky.
Content warnings: Discussion of past torture, canon typical violence, self-harm, suicidal ideation
“Under the Cotswolds Rose” by El Diablito_SF. 22K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Black Sails; Ship: James Flint/John Silver, Eleanor/Max
Recced by: anon
Backstory: A post-canon AU that re-imagines Eleanor’s Season 3 time in prison and Flint’s “death.”
Rec: A post-canon AU that’s in-character, beautifully written, and full of surprises.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence
“How to Make Love to Your Wife in 5 Easy Steps” by acernor. 7.2K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: 琅琊榜 | Nirvana in Fire; Ship: Mei Changsu | Lin Shu/Xiao Jingyan
Recced by: emily neal
Backstory: Nirvana in Fire is the show many Untamed fans turn to when they’re looking for more cdrama—less magic, but compelling characters and excellent political drama. Mei Changsu hides his real identity from his childhood best friend when he returns to the capital after being declared dead, because he knows Jingyan’s moral compass would value MCS’s life over vengeance and fighting for the Imperial throne.
Rec: When Jingyan lacks the, ah, inspiration necessary to get an heir, his wife talks Mei Changsu into giving her husband instructions while they get it on just out of sight. Mei Changsu’s machinations in the show play everyone like puppets, and it’s deeply satisfying to watch him get outsmarted by Jingyan’s wife.
Content warnings: Arguments could be made for dubious consent
“They Still Write Poetry in the Fifty-First Century” by golden_d. 1.9K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: Torchwood; Ship: Tosh-centric gen
Recced by: Chestnut_pod
Backstory: Torchwood was a spinoff of Doctor Who which followed five extremely dysfunctional people around Cardiff as they dealt with alien invasions of the (mostly) more minor but less kid-friendly sort. Tosh was the researcher/computer whiz of the bunch, a quiet and underappreciated genius.
Rec: Torchwood is mostly about the grimy and unpleasant side of alien-wrangling, so it’s special to find this lovely fic about connecting with alien poetry. Tosh’s hidden depths are on display, and the whole fic has a lovely calm atmosphere. It’s also extra-impressive when a piece of fiction has diegetic art in it that’s actually good!
Content warnings: N/A
And a podfic!
“The Phoenix and the Turtle (A Metaphysical Romance)” written by Quantum_Witch and Vulgarweed, read by Sex_in_spats. 2.5 hours, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Good Omens; Ship: Aziraphale/Crowley
Recced by: Nicole
Backstory: Over the millennia, the demon Crowley and the angel Aziraphale have gone from enemies to reluctant allies to lovers. This fic takes place during the 1500s, tracking the ways the two beings interacted with Europe at the time.
Rec: This is everything I love about podfics, historical fiction, and Good Omens. The recording includes strains of period music, the settings are vivid, and it captures the long and complicated relationship between Crowley and Aziraphale beautifully.
Content warnings: N/A
people need to start tagging for over-negotiated kink
— yaoi industrial complex 🔞 (@titilvating) October 21, 2023
FINAL THOUGHT
So…Tumblr. If you missed it, here’s the official language on the downscaling from Automattic/Matt Mullenweg. I’m writing something about this that we’ll include in the newsletter next week, but in the short term, it doesn’t seem like there’s any immediate worry that Tumblr is shutting down (boy how many times have I typed that phrase in the past decade lol) but as always, if you want a record of your stuff, download your archives. (You never know??) I’ll also share this reminder that Tumblr does have a paid option, since I have seen so many people express surprise learning this in the past two days! — Elizabeth