this could be the very minute, I'm aware I'm alive

[seren_ccd]

So, I saw someone asking on their journal who is the best fandom people have ever been involved in. I'll be honest, I've only this past year really gotten involved in fandom and visited multiple comms and read the meta and so on.

But, I have to say, hands down, THE best fandom I've come into contact with is the McCoy/Chapel folks over at mccoy_chapel and on my flist. They are kind, they are supportive, they kill me dead with their creativity and writing/artistic skills and are just plain lovely.

What are some other ones that you've enjoyed?

Other things making me happy include:

1. My new layout! I've never used an originally customized one before and I love it.

2. The earrings I'm currently wearing. I went digging in my jewelry box this morning and found my silver manatee earrings I bought eons ago in Florida.

3. It's raining and while I'm not keen on walking into town in it, it smells gorgeous and we do actually need it.

4. This recipe -

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur - I found it here.

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I was nervous and only used 2 Anaheims; I would go for 3 or 4 next time for a more moderate but still gentle kick)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

I actually serve it on rice instead of the pita. And you can honestly add more veggies, I've added red and yellow bell peppers, one carrot, and mushrooms. It's just a really good one-pan dish.



5. These fellas.












Happy Wednesday!

Comments

[vega-ofthe-lyre.livejournal.com]

I seriously love our little McCoy/Chapel group so much! I feel guilty that I haven't done much for that pairing in awhile (and that what I produced is not the most stellar anyway, eek), but that community is just so lovely and dear to me ♥

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

I know! Everyone's so nice and fun to chat with, and the stuff folks write just makes me smile.

and that what I produced is not the most stellar anyway, eek

Psh. I'm totally going to ignore this little statement and remind you of the story you wrote in which I was so freaked out for Chapelm I was literally crouched in front of the computer screen. Don't go into the dark, Christine! Don't go into the dark!!!!

[izzyfics.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I was not the only one doing that for that story.

[pathstotread.livejournal.com]

Aside from fic, I wouldn't consider myself as really being IN McCoy/Chapel fandom, but I found Star Trek XI as a whole to be a wonderful, active, welcoming fandom for a newbie like me. And I'm really enjoying Doctor Who S5 and its fans (S5 haters/RTD and Tennant purists can bite me, though).

I'd say historically my best fandom was when I first got into Battlestar Galactica and by extension Lee/Kara. It was just a wonderful moment in time, and I felt so creative and so connected with what was going on in the fandom world. It went to hell in a handbasket later, but for a while there it was pretty freakin' great.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

So have I! The Star Trek Ship Wars was incredible. It was more of a love-in than a 'war'. The fic and art has been amazing and people are really, really nice.

I've really enjoyed a lot of the Doctor Who love this season, too. I just avoid the Tennant!uberfans and the Amy!dissers completely.

Ah, BSG. I'll be honest and say that I haven't seen any of the episodes yet. I was moving around a lot when it started and by the time I was settled, it was practically over. It's definitely on my list of shows to watch.

[pathstotread.livejournal.com]

I didn't really get involved in the Ship Wars thing, but I loved participating in the Kink Meme while it lasted, and I made a lot of really good friends through that, plus shared squee and discussion. Last summer was so much fun thanks to that.

Yeaaaah, I just like to pretend that people who hate on Amelia Jessica Pond don't exist. Sorry, people. Sorry that you're so wrong. And I enjoyed/liked (wouldn't say loved) Tennant's Doctor, too, but a) Matt Smith is SO WONDERFUL and b) it's time to let it GO, ALREADY.

Though I have many many many issues with how BSG ended up, I still maintain that S1 and a lot of S2 is some of the best television I've ever seen. And even when it went off the rails storywise, I continued to adore the cast. So I recommend it on that basis alone. :D

[aj.livejournal.com]

ST IS SO ADORABLE AND I LOVE THEM AND THEIR MADE UP ADORABLE AND CUTE FACES.

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

THEY MAKE ME SOOOO HAPPEH! I'm currently doing my Big Bang outline and I'm getting so excited about writing them again. *bounces*

[izzyfics.livejournal.com]

I love the McCoy/Chapel subset of the fandom too (of course), but also was drawn into fandom by the kink meme that was. The explosion of fic that came from it was a sight to behold and eventually brought me to the awesome McCoy/Chapel pairing and the fun people who create for it.

I'm hoping that this will happen again with the next movie and that we'll have a real casting of Chapel instead of our fantasy ones. Though speculation is fun too...

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

Oh, the kink meme was incredible! Half my stories came from there, I think.

I'm really hoping they bring back Chapel, I'd love to see her in the next film.

[lullabymoon]

The McCoy/Chapel section is the best fandom I've been in as well. I was in BSG for a while, and made some great friends but it could be awful cliquey at times and luckily I left before all the wank happened. The only other fandom I have been properly in was a subset of Harry Potter that mostly remained wankfree but it was mainly in a forum ans not quite as friendly as yous all are! :D

Oooh Earings!

Also, I like the layout!

[seren-ccd.livejournal.com]

The McCoy/Chapel folks are just absurdly nice. :D I've read in the Harry Potter fandom, but never got involved in any of them, they all seemed very big.

(I'm wearing the earrings agains today!)