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[personal profile] martasfic
The long-promised snow finally hit New York. The view from my window is under the cut, but suffice it to say: brrrrrr; and *boing* (worse than the cold it looks slippery).



They're promising up to two feet here but I got groceries delivered earlier so I'm well set to stay inside for a day or two. The Kid is up in Boston which is forecast to get hit even worse. But she also has her own Instacart order so shouldn't have to venture out even to the cafeteria if she doesn't want to. It's a good weekend to stay in and chill out. There's the only rub: it's costing me a weekend, and I was looking forward to getting out and having a bit of fun, even if just a movie or a sit-down meal at a restaurant. That doesn't seem in the cards. But I'm mentally a bit worn out anyway (nothing horrible, just too much work and stress and not enough fun and sleep), so maybe being compelled to stay in isn't the worst thing.

The big news in Minas Marta lately is I got a new laptop. It's clunky and heavy but with a case meant to last: good quality keyboard, strong screen hinges, all that. Which means it's taking some getting used to but ultimately I think it will handle the rough handling I put my machines through. In a typical move I renamed it something Tolkien, but in a less-typical step I reached for the First Age. One of those alternate elf-names I always found a bit offputting in Silmfic because it seemed a bit excluding (probably unintentionally): Makalaure.

What's this all about? For those of you not on Tumblr (which is all of you), I recently was musing about Maglor in LOTR-era Rivendell, being utterly raucous and uncouth after centuries spent traipsing through the wilds; and maybe having a hand in writing BIlbo's unfortunate Earendil song. It was a passing thought, but then someone made a (to my mind) unfair criticism that Maglor was a murderer so should we really imagine him having that domestic afterlife with Elrond of all people. Which just gave me the opportunity to dig a bit deeper into his story. (You can read the exchange here, if you're interested.) The bottom line, though, is I'm reminded that I like morally complicated characters with a good core buried very deep down that makes them still redemption-worthy, even if all the layers on top of that makes them redemption-difficult; there's the challenge, I guess. And while Maglor was never someone I thought a whole lot about, now that I have, he's kind of grabbed my readerly sympathies by the throat.

It makes me want to dust off that WIP about Maglor's and Maedhros's "fostering" of Elrond and Elros. Not promising anything. I'm still not sure I have the courage to not be all wishy-washy with a difficult story, but I'm feeling more driven to give it a try. Certainly it has me privately imagining quite a lot about him.  But that's where my head is, and so that's the name my new machine demanded for itself.

Anywho. Stay warm and safe if you're affected by this latest storm.

Date: 2022-01-29 08:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mrowe.livejournal.com
That's a lot of snow - something I'm glad to say we haven't seen yet this winter.

I'm actually on tumblr except I've pretty much stopped reading/posting, and only logging in to block the occasional pornbot.

I have a nuzgul bite on Elrond and family, but have been bravely resisting so far. I only need to look at my ongoing WIP to back off again LOL.

Date: 2022-01-29 12:42 pm (UTC)
shirebound: (Frodo Snow -- Rei/Mucun/Annwyn)
From: [personal profile] shirebound
A shiny new laptop, wooo hooo!

I was out back at 6 a.m. shoveling paths for Pippin (who of course hasn't left the bed yet), and I'm hoping the wind doesn't fill them in with more snow before she can use them. We got a lot of snow and I'll go out and measure it later when it finally stops.

Date: 2022-01-29 12:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] engarian.livejournal.com
Congrats on the new laptop. I like the name quite a lot. Hopefully the machine will hold up to your expectations and workload, and will help you for years to come.

Stay safe in your snow. Stay warm and enjoy your days off.

- Erulisse (one L)

Date: 2022-01-29 02:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cairistiona7.livejournal.com
Ooh, shiny! Congrats on the new laptop.

Seems like you're getting weather suitable for staying in and writing!

Date: 2022-01-29 08:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marta-bee.livejournal.com
Tumblr is a bit of a cesspool except for the people I like. Isn't everywhere? But Tumblr especially, I have to be a lot more vigilant being careful about who I spend time reading. Those people are a lot of fun, but the platform in general does seem to bring out a lot of the worse in human nature for a lot of people. The trouble is it also requires a lot less work to participate, so when I'm tired it's much easier to spend time there. It's kind of the junk food of social media, with all the easy comfort and long-term poor nourishment that implies.

Anyway. Would I be tempting fate if I asked for more about your WIP? I do understand not wanting to write about it, but I have to admit, you have my interest.

Date: 2022-01-29 08:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marta-bee.livejournal.com
I am so glad not to have to shovel! And not to have a dog I have to get to go out in this weather. If I had either, I'd probably be thinking seriously about living further south. Not that I wouldn't also love a dog to curl up with on a day like today. You stay warm, too, and hopefully your path doesn't get too snowed-over.

Date: 2022-01-29 08:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marta-bee.livejournal.com
So far it's holding up quite nicely. Mine never last longer than 12-18 months, both because I use my laptops for so much and also because I like a shiny new laptop so much. But I do think this one will seem new and solid for quite a long while. A good choice!

Date: 2022-01-29 08:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marta-bee.livejournal.com
Definitely! I'm itching a bit to be Out (whatever that means, but it's definitely good weather to stay in. I'm glad the electricity and heat and internet have held, so I can at least do it comfortably.

Date: 2022-01-29 08:35 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mrowe.livejournal.com
Not really a secret, it's been on AO3 etc for a long long time... and I'm sort of semi-stuck getting my act together and continuing it again after writing something else for a few years. I'm having to fight the story for every word - while I do know where it's going, but putting it down in an interesting way seems beyond me; I do actually want to write it, it has my interest and all, but everything evaporates as soon as I open a chapter.

Warning: it is very bleak (and can be found here, Unto the ending of the world).
Edited Date: 2022-01-29 08:36 pm (UTC)

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