Snowflake Challenge #1

[brightly_lit]

Challenge #1

The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.


I'm a writer mostly, who is FINALLY getting around to trying to market my existing work. I'm super into gardening and preserving food. I'm also really interested in trying to close the circle of production and consumption. Instead of paying a lot of money for stuff and creating a lot of trash, I love things like composting, which takes the trash and turns it into something useful, which makes rich soil that can be used to grow food and cut down on my grocery bill.

The dream before I got to actually put some of these theories into practice was total self-sufficiency, but it turns out that's MUCH harder than it sounds. Still, being able to close that circle to any degree is fun and satisfying, and that's what I'm really into exploring these days, as well as going back to basics wherever it's feasible. There are modern conveniences that make life sooo much easier, but there are others that just seem to complicate things. I'm interested in finding and utilizing the old-school methods that make sense and don't take up too much time and energy, because they also tend to be a lot cheaper and more friendly to the environment. I write about this kind of thing a lot! And I play with it in reality a lot, too.

I was so disappointed this year with anime specifically, and tv in general, that I felt like maybe I shouldn't even participate in Snowflake this year because I have so little good to say about fandom-related things! We've mostly resorted to rewatching old favorites since we could hardly find anything new to enjoy. Then I realized, maybe I can use Snowflake to solicit recommendations from other participants! So please, pleeeease, give me your recs!! If the show/movie is old, that's great, too. Tell me your all-time favorites!

But also, I want to get back into blogging more generally! I did some in the middle of last year, then life went completely off the rails. I've been dipping my toe here and there lately on DreamWidth, then I realized Snowflake was about to return, and I thought that would be the perfect opportunity to get back into it!

Comments

[pronker]

I hear you on liking/needing/loving recs, so may I recommend the Star Wars TV series Andor with its two seasons completed last spring? It's fabulously plotted and acted, with one aspect that many mention as "getting them into Star Wars, where they weren't before": there's little about The Force in it. Honestly, perhaps 0.00001 percent. I hope life treats you well, and that Snowflake on Dreamwidth proves a lovely, relaxing way to blog, relax, and so on.

[brightly_lit]

Ah, thanks for the rec! I saw season one of Andor and LOVED it (though I'm still kind of traumatized, haha), then we started season two and nothing much was happening even two or three episodes in. Did you like season two as much as season one? Maybe I just didn't give it enough of a chance.

[pronker]

LOL at the comments about the first two episodes because many people said the same. Yes, I enjoyed all the season 2 greatly and the themes explored include family dynamics of Mon Mothma, especially how she rose to prominence within the rebellion, and the working relationship between Cassian and Luthen. Really, should you return to it, I believe you'll be satisfied. :D I'm over my Andor withdrawal now, but it was touch and go. ;)

[potentiality_26]

Good luck with the challenge!

[brightly_lit]

Thank you, you too!

[dancesontrains]

(Via the Snowflake post) Seconding the Andor rec!

These are all slightly older animes, but Mob Psycho 100? About a young boy with exceptionally strong psychic power and his fraudlent teacher. Goes from more spooky thing of the week style plots to very strong overarching ones as the seasons go by; it's also complete at three seasons, all with stunning artwork.

Also been rewatching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, still an absolute fave, along with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End s1 which is set in a more traditional European-style fantasy world and focused on a near-immortal elf mage after she was in a group of adventures that defeated the Demon King.

[brightly_lit]

MOB!! We just finished that one! What a show!! I see that you have good taste, so if you have any other recs for me, I'm all ears. :D

I watched the first adaptation of FMA back in the day and I guess my heart has decided that one is the definitive version; I couldn't get into the vibe of Brotherhood, but thank you for the rec!

We recently started Frieren. I've heard it starts a little slow but really gets going after about episode four? We'll pick that one up again now that you've said this.

[vriddy]

Always good to see you around :D Hope you find lots of delicious things to bite your fannish teeth into :D

[brightly_lit]

Thank you very much! Always good to see you, too. :-)

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I'm a writer mostly, who is FINALLY getting around to trying to market my existing work. <<

Go you!

>>I'm super into gardening and preserving food. <<

I do laissez-faire permaculture and a few other gardens. I freeze some things but not a lot.

>>The dream before I got to actually put some of these theories into practice was total self-sufficiency, but it turns out that's MUCH harder than it sounds.<<

True, but every little bit helps. I love reading homesteading magazines even though I can't do all the things.

>>There are modern conveniences that make life sooo much easier, but there are others that just seem to complicate things.<<

I use the Amish rule: "Before adopting any new piece of technology, first determine if it will do more harm than good. If so, do not adopt it." I just don't draw the line in the same place they do. I'm very glad I can shop in their territory and find things that don't break after 2 days.

>> Then I realized, maybe I can use Snowflake to solicit recommendations from other participants!<<

We're watching Love Death + Robots. It's hit or miss, but the good episodes are among the best science fiction of all time.

>>But also, I want to get back into blogging more generally!<<

Go for it! You might like Fannish 50.

Re: Thoughts

[brightly_lit]

How great that you can shop in Amish territory! I like that Amish rule. Would that our country as a whole used that rule. And the world.

Thanks for the recs -- I will check out Love Death + Robots, and also Fannish 50.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> How great that you can shop in Amish territory! <<

Arthur, Illinois is awesome. It's one of the nearby towns with a lot of events and promotes ALL of them.

>>I like that Amish rule. Would that our country as a whole used that rule. And the world.<<

It would save a lot of trouble.

>>Thanks for the recs -- I will check out Love Death + Robots, and also Fannish 50.<<

Yay!

[phyllite]

Hi! I’m dropping in from Snowflake! I can definitely sympathize with the desire to close the loop on sustainability. I especially think about it in my line of work, which feels incredibly wasteful at times. It’s admirable you're finding ways to give back to the environment and reduce waste. Good luck with marketing your work as well!

Admittedly I don't keep up with as much anime as I used to, but here are a few recs:

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (2024) - Takes place in 15th century Poland, where a boy discovers the truth in a world that accepts the Ptolemaic model and seeks to bring the theory of heliocentrism to light. It's historical fiction with a lot of liberties, but it makes for an excellent drama about the perseverance of the human spirit.

Older series I enjoy are Mononoke (2007) and Mushi-shi (2005). Mononoke has an avant-garde storytelling format that focuses on exorcising the darkness of humanity, filled with mystery and drama. In contrast, Mushi-shi has a similar stance where humanity coexisting with nature is largely the focus, but its episodes tend to be more slow-paced and contemplative.

Though if you've seen those already back in the day and liked them, the Mononoke movies recently came out as well. Currently, 2 / 3 of the trilogy has been released, with the last movie releasing this year. I think they should still be on Netflix, actually. The atmosphere is completely different since the movie’s protagonist is a different person from the anime, but I liked the execution.

And lately, I’ve been watching Gnosia (2025) while doing chores. This is a sci-fi drama that takes place on a futuristic space ship, and certain members of the crew have been infected with a deadly virus that compels them to turn against mankind. It’s essentially a deduction game of ‘Werewolf’ with similar mechanics. It's an adaption of a visual novel, so things apparently got condensed for the sake of having a streamlined plot, but I think they handled it pretty well!

Hope this year helps you find things to love!

[brightly_lit]

I'm curious about your line of work, if you feel like sharing. I definitely get you -- I temped for many years, and discovered how even some of the most seemingly innocuous/beneficial industries could be environmentally harmful. For instance, working at a publishing company, I was tasked with filling TWO DUMPSTERS with textbooks!! I do tend to feel like any effort to be more sustainable makes a real difference.

Thanks for the good wishes on marketing -- it's something I've never done successfully before, but at least I'm having fun trying! It felt like an impenetrable wall for so many years, but I'm finally seeing some chinks, and making some headway.

The only one of all your recs I've seen any of is Mushi-shi. I'm very excited to check out the rest!

Glad to meet you! May we have a fun and fulfilling Snowflake!

[phyllite]

I work in the pharma industry and mainly do lab work, so I am the person generating a lot of material waste firsthand due to the nature of the job. I understand why it's necessary to test samples under conditions that prevent contamination, but I feel like the amount of medical/biohazardous waste adds up to maintain our testing standards. (e.g., The use of single-use plastic tools ensures sterilization with a higher degree of certainty than methods like washing/autoclaving, but you end up throwing away an absurd amount of plastic!) I try to remain optimistic that we as a society have the capacity to develop better systems to handle our waste and preserve our environments given our rapid developments in science over the last few decades. And as you said, trying to contribute to sustainability on an individual level at least lessens some of the impact.

If you have a particular genre you like, feel free to let me know anytime! My coworker asked me for recs a little while ago, too, and it made me realize I watched quite a lot of anime during the 2010s since I was a student with a lot of free time, lol.

[brightly_lit]

Ah, I can imagine how much waste is generated if things have to remain perfectly sterile. I really hope you're right that humanity will utilize more sustainable approaches to waste and the environment going forward. There have already been so many incredible inventions in that area that don't seem to go beyond a prototype. It's weird that we live in a time when it's often somehow cheaper to produce something than it is to recycle it or come up with an effective way to reuse it. Hopefully that will change.

I'd love any rec you feel like giving! I do love a good romance, and I'm such a sucker for a good sports anime. Mostly, I guess I love anime with an original concept, or art anime -- I often like stuff that isn't popular but is just really good or arty, like Shadows House or Princess Tutu.

[abject_reptile]

My view is that overconsumption is at the root of everything, and I mean everything. People here spend a lot of time arguing about recycling - how we do it, what fines our municipality will impose for our not doing it properly, which bags we're allowed to use for organic waste, how unhappy everyone is about the new rules - and I think 'consume less'. Don't like enviro-fees? Consume less. Think recycling is a swindle? Consume less. Stop encouraging people to 'shop locally' and encourage them to 'shop less' (and ethically, which might not be locally).

[brightly_lit]

I'm right there with you on overconsumption, as well as what you mention -- that people get mad at any limitations on it or how its use and waste are handled. I guess all they see is their personal inconvenience, without taking into the account the reasons for the rules and why we recycle, etc. in the first place. I'm continually astonished by how little the general public understands how much our civic infrastructure does to contribute to a pleasanter existence for all of us, with usually minimal cost and inconvenience compared to what would happen if all that infrastructure wasn't in place.

[abject_reptile]

The trouble with certain aspects of civic infrastructure - garbage and recycling being perhaps the most egregious - is that we pay a lot more for a lot less and are punished (in theory) for not doing the 'more' that's required even though the infrastructure could and should be improved to make the 'more' possible. If we're serious about zero waste, it has to be doable with ease by everyone. For example - glass jars and bottles aren't collected here at curbside but it's against the bylaws to put them in the garbage. There's a fine. They must be taken to the recycle depot or the solid waste management depot. The former is 6 miles from me, the latter much further. I have no car. Even if I had one, that's not an environmentally friendly way to dispose of waste. The onus is on me when it should be on them. My garage is filling up with old electronics, glass jars, and styrofoam. Otoh, I live in an especially stupid and dysfunctional municipality and it would be a miracle if they ever did the right thing. XD On the whole, I think people are willing to do what's required if encouraged rather than punished but the muni has to meet them more than half way. Our property taxes are outrageous. They should be paying for more than roundabouts and bike lanes that no one uses.

[brightly_lit]

As I recall, you're in Britain? Yeah, I had no idea the number of arduous, nitpicky little civic rules Brits have to deal with until I watched Clarkson's Farm, which only goes into the ones for farmers, but they were excessive. A farmer would practically have to have a law degree just to keep in compliance. Here we're told it's best not to throw batteries or electronics in the garbage, but no one will keep track of it or fine you or anything if you do. Glass is perfectly fine to throw away here, though a lot of people choose to recycle. You just can't leave a derelict car on the street or expect your trash service to throw away anything that doesn't fit in a trash can (though sometimes they will).

[abject_reptile]

No longer. These days I'm on Vancouver Island. We're very serious about recycling (but not serious enough to have more depots or more items collected at curbside because...reasons). In theory they do bin checks from time to time but in reality the bylaw officers are overworked. Since the garbage and organics truck is automated the driver would never see what's in the bins. Therefore the fines are notional except perhaps as a deterrent. During the spring and summer months Wildsafe BC does neighbourhood inspections and can report garbage infractions (bins out too early and that sort of thing). But it's hard not to glance back at my childhood when the garbage men would take anything for a few bucks or to London where we had a rag and bone man (horse and cart) or to cities that have one day a year when you can put anything by the curb. I've come to the conclusion that double garages were created to store old crap that used to be taken away and isn't now. The cost for taking furniture items to the main depot just doubled so I expect we'll see more junk dumped on the backroads.

[unholyghost]

same on blogging a little last year then Life Happened 🤝 I wish you luck on getting back into it!

idk what kinds of anime you're into so I'm not sure exactly what to rec, but The Summer Hikaru Died is a gorgeous horror coming-of-age one set in a stifling small town! I also recommend Dan Da Dan for the amazing animation. typical shounen anime fanservice though, so view at your own discretion if that's not your cup of tea. on the shoujosei side of things, May I Ask For One Final Thing is a villainess type fantasy where the protag punches her enemies instead of the whole Noble Lady Mindgames thing so I rec that for a silly laugh.

[brightly_lit]

Yes, we're enjoying May I Ask for One Final Thing! So satisfying to see her finally give these jerks what's coming to them, lol.

I've been watching anime long enough that I no longer bat an eye at fanservice, but I heard mixed things about the story and writing of Dan Da Dan. What's your opinion on that aspect? My interest was piqued by that one, especially because it sounds like the relationship between the two main characters is cool and unusual, if it's the one I'm thinking of.

I will check out The Summer Hikaru Died. Thanks for the recs!

Good luck getting back into blogging to you, too.

[unholyghost]

I wanna preface my opinion with the fact that my standards for animanga I like are if I had fun and not if it's objectively "good", so that'll colour this. dan da dan's story is overall a fun time for me. it doesn't take itself too seriously and that's where the charm is for me because when it does get serious it hits so much harder. the best way I'd describe its vibe is a cheesy kind of tasteless B-movie/crackfic played straight with typical shonen tropes mixed in, so it's one of those things where you have to meet it where its at to enjoy it. that said, I'm not sure what you mean by cool and unusual, though?

no problem, I hope you enjoy it + thanks! ♡

[mywitch]

I've been getting into sustainability too! So many things I did not purchase last year, that I definitely would have before I changed my mindset. I hope you get a ton of great recs!

[brightly_lit]

Thank you very much -- my rec-hunt was quite successful!

Glad to meet a fellow fan of sustainability!