then there are blackbirds

fandomaid is doing a buy it now fundraiser to support those affected by Typhoon Haiyan (donation information here). Since I'm usually terribly slow about filling fic requests*, I've offered 3 sets of up to 25 icons here (A:TLA, Saving Face, Love Actually, Star Trek Reboot, or non-fandom).

*Speaking of which, I am still working on the treat meme prompts. My writing-brain is slow to start, ugh.

Seeing as my highly-elevated neighborhood came through unscathed, I'm planning on trekking to Chinatown/the Lower East Side with some friends to volunteer tomorrow! We're looking to join CAAAV's relief efforts, but I know there are tons of other hurricane response initiatives. A highly incomplete list of links:

+ NYC Service
+ NY1: ways to help relief efforts
+ NYCares disaster response

Plus, some (semi-belated) information via fb:
( Brooklyn )

( Queens )

( Manhattan )

( Bronx )

Feel free to drop more in the comments!

» Bidding for help_for_ephemere closes on July 21, 21:00 GMT! A handy list of offers with no bids and offers with only one bid can be found here. Go check out the shinies! deepad is offering a spork post which promises to be extremely entertaining, for example, and there are a number of art and crafts type things as well. My offer for icons is here.

In other news:

» wistfuljane has a great Jeremy Lin linkspam!

» Via yifu, check out avatar_ladyfest!

» eid_ka_chand has announced its 2012 fanworks challenge!

Someday I will have enough energy to do more than drive-by blogging again, but in the meantime: help_for_ephemere is open for offers, and is also accepting donations!

This is a fundraiser to benefit ephemere, with the aim of supporting her in the wake of her losing her job, home, and good relations with her family due to homophobia. The idea of this fundraiser was conceived by friends of ephemere, and is being run with her permission. Funds will go to rent, utilities, food, and medical bills.

I'm offering an icon set, but there are lots of other items up for auction. Go forth and browse and signal-boost!

Internets! Hello! Am still about 50% MIA and more than usually incoherent, but I just wanted to remind you all that today is the last day to officially sign up for Kaleidoscope, so if you want to make something and get something in return, now is the time to make your picks!

Also, yes I have spent too much time stalking the current signups list dear artists and vidders, if you have the time and are interested in any of these fandoms, please consider signing up! We really appreciate the offers that everyone has already made, but there is still a fairly large gap between offers and requests. /shameless overexcited begging

&hearts &tea; &sparkles;

-- because of course I am flailing about offline while everybody is being thinky and brilliant on the internets. :P

A few #YesGayYA links, more for my reference at this point than anyone else's:
» oyceter: Diversity in YA. I particularly love this post because I sort of... don't see the point of people arguing over a single "best" or "winning" solution for a thorny multi-level problem, when really what is needed is to tackle it at every level, community and individual, in whatever ways are possible.
» deepad: In which I am derailing and contrary and also unsupportive of the Market, because (among her many other points) while having/establishing a baseline of identity representation is important, I also don't believe it is enough. (I remember being grateful for Memoirs of a Geisha the first time I read it; I wouldn't wish such a feeling- for such a book!- on any East Asian immigrant child arriving and growing up here after me.)
» colorblue goes further into hierarchy dissection here.
» ephemere: Just business, because- well. Yes. *is incoherent*

Since I am likely to continue flailing about offline and being sporadic on the internets, have a signal-boost while I'm here: ephemere is taking pre-orders for Kandila, a calligraphy poembook! If you have not seen her calligraphy or art, GO AND OGLE FORTHWITH BECAUSE IT IS MADE OF MUCH GLORIOUS.

... er. All excitement aside, I don't want to constantly spam you guys about Kaleidoscope, really! It's just that there are things that slip my mind (and new posts rolling out) every time I signal-boost. ><;

Anyway:

» If you're interested in making icons or banners for Kaleidoscope, you can submit them here at the graphics challenge post!

» If you'd like to signal-boost or just want to see what shiny things people have come up with, check out the Promotional Graphics & Templates post!

» We've also posted a Nomination Addendum for those who are mulling over their choices and/or are confused by our wording.

Addendum to last post: Kaleidoscope nominations are currently open! If, like me, you are having trouble deciding on your picks, you can check out the list of currently nominated fandoms here; littlebutfierce also has a nomination strategizing post. ;)

» yifu kindly agreed to host Potluck #3, which is now open for submissions! The theme is fruits and the deadline is August 31.

» In other news, I have been eaten by work and training and socializing and basically keeping on top of ALL THE THINGS- which has once again left me behind on internet obligations. ><;;; However! Weekend is upcoming, I will be catching up very soon. I don't expect I'll be around these parts very much beyond those for... er, a while, so: &hearts!

The deadline for Potluck #2 has been extended to May 31! You can drop submissions at the link. Hopefully this gives more people the opportunity to participate! All signal-boosting is appreciated. :3

Other nice things: littlebutfierce's 3w4dw love meme! Thank you for my thread, as;dlkfj. I will spam you guys when I have recovered sufficient brain to string words together &hearts

(azuire, I will get to your picspam! As soon as I manage to actually... remember my camera, orz.)