Fandom Empire

Happy new year! How can 2026 only be a week old? It feels like Christmas and winter break was months ago.

Christmas was delightful, time away from work was delightful, new years eve games with friends was delightful, ending 2025/starting 2026 with the Stranger Things finale was delightful. I found it very satisfying--for me, it was a ten year wrap up that took care to feel wrapped up. I can picture a lot of happy lives for them all, but there's also still room for fics.

Less delightful is that Dad's pre-cardioversion echo showed a new heart problem, a ventricular strain, which often causes a-fib, which it has. And research seems to show that the two together lead to poor heart prognosis. And then on top of it, the valve that they repaired three years ago failed and is leaking again. Only when dad went to the cardiologist this week, he didn't ask questions and he says that the doctor didn't say anything about it, just that dad can decide to still do the cardioversion if he wants to. But why did that go from yes to can do it? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Part of his symptoms is memory issues, so has he forgotten parts of the discussion? Doctor appointments can have a lot of information given at once. I think mom is working on questions and maybe a second appointment to talk things over.

I started my new PsA med last weekend, which I'm excited and hopeful for. But in the meantime, while it builds in my system, it's barely better than no meds. Add in a delay on my estrogen and progesterone and I am sore, slow, tired, and sluggish. I had to take the afternoon off today because I didn't have the energy to move. Luckily the e&p came in, so I can pick it up tomorrow. I hope it helps.

I bundled some streaming together, added HBO, and am now paying less for 3 than I was for 2. \o/ Which means that I binged Heated Rivalry on Saturday, and again Tuesday night when trying to distract myself from Dad's health. I liked it a lot the first go around, but I really struggled with figuring out the timeframe for each episode and how little they used the names of most teammates. When I had it down for the second viewing, I liked it even more, and caught a lot more, too. A lot of the writers I follow have started writing HR fic, too, which I'm delighted by. There's a lot to catch and analyze--I really like Veronica Vee on Insta, who does deep dives into the directing and staging.

9-1-1 starts tonight, and I'm less enthused than usual. The first part of the season was rough, without a lot of character beats and without a lot of team bonding, and I really miss those aspects. Maybe things will be more even for this next set.

Tonight is also the premiere of The Pitt season 2, and I'm excited to watch that with the fam this weekend. Mel!!!!

There is a rally about ice/minneapolis/our town right now, just outside the library, and periodically there will be loud roars and cheers. It's pouring rain, so they're under our overhang instead of in the park, and I am curious about the turnout. But not curious enough to expend any energy walking to that side of the room, ha.

Let's see what I can accomplish tonight that requires little to no brain power or energy!