#ask bender

[hjbender]

Hey Bender, what was that writing program you recently posted about that was an alternative to google docs? My computer died today and when i get a new one i think i wanna make a switch to something that DOESNT have the authority to spontaneously lock me out of all my work and train Ai by stealing it

Proton! Specifically, Proton Docs, which is currently a feature of Proton Drive. Pretty much exactly like Google but without the bullshit.

I've been using Proton Mail for a while now, but for the longest time there was no real alternative to GDocs, especially in terms of accessibility across multiple devices (PC, phone, etc). Now there is, and I'm really happy about it. Give it a try and see if it works for you.

[softpadawan]

what do you think of kanan+maul or ezra+maul?

I am here for it, let me tell you. Maul/Kanan, Maul/Ezra, Maul/Kanan/Ezra, queue up Queen’s I Want It All because I certainly do.

Maul whispering lurid enticements into Kanan’s ear? “Your skills are lacking for a Jedi of your years. I can show you how to make up for it,” he says as he gently slides his hands over Kanan’s shoulders? Yes, please.

Maul seducing Ezra closer and closer to the Dark Side and turning him into his obedient little pet? Or kidnapping an unwilling Ezra and keeping Kanan as his blinded hostage in order to prevent Ezra from escaping because Maul swears to execute Kanan if Ezra makes a wrong move? Unf ♥

I’m here for all the angsty, darknasty stuff as well as the G rated stuff, too. Like Kanan and/or Ezra teaming up with Maul and pulling him just a leeeettle bit closer to the Light. Or Maul actually opening his heart(s) and learning to love because of Ezra, forgetting his lifelong plan of vengeance and embracing a new path, a new purpose. I have at least four (4) fic ideas where something like this happens and they’re almost all platonic, so I guess you could say that, like Kanan and Ezra’s relationship, I love the dynamic of these three characters whatever form it takes.

I really wish there was more Kanan/Maul art, though. And Maul/Ezra art, for that matter. One of my first-ever explicit artworks for Rebels (drawn in October 2020) started out as a threesome between Maul, Kanan and Ezra, but I eventually cut out Maul entirely (better than cutting him in half lol) and just focused on the Jedi.

I also have one (1) Maulezra fic under my belt with plans to eventually write more someday. You can read it here on AO3; please mind the tags and warnings. It’s dark, dubcon, and very, very explicit.

So yeah, I’m definitely down for Maul/Kanan and Maul/Ezra. Great characters with complex and fascinating (and tragic) backstories, put them it a bottle and shake ‘em up and I’ll drink that juice like I’ve been stranded on Tatooine for a month 🍹

[hjbender]

Hi, I have a copy of Operation Salvation part 1 but can't find part 2 or 3 anywhere, can you point me to the other chapters? I should have bookmarked it when I the chance, I'm an idiot!

Hi! As far as I can tell, there's no existing copy of Operation Salvation hosted online anywhere, but I know I have a copy from my personal fic archive. Let me see what I can do.

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that I have the fic. It's safe, it's preserved, it's backed up.

The bad news is that the HTML is totally FUBAR and quotations and apostrophes aren't displaying in rich text.

Translation: It's gonna be a bitch to get this thing reformatted to a point where it's legible.

Sliver of hope: I've already got a draft of the first part uploaded to AO3. All I need now is the time—okay okay, the motivation, the motivation is what I really need—to get this thing edited and made postworthy.

[hjbender]

saw all your carl sagan posts and remembered a music video that made me cry back in the day

enjoy

https://youtu.be/zSgiXGELjbc?si=U2jcumSWYJAlWVdX

God this is beautiful. Thank you.

[hjbender]

I'm so sorry that you're going through these horrible things. Is there anything we can do to help? Would perhaps donations help you? I know that the cost of living in the US is very high, especially when something bad happens. Many people here appreciate you very much (probably more than you think) and would definitely support you without hesitation. That's the least we can do. Take care of yourself and reach out to your loved ones if things get too much. You don't have to go through this alone

(You don't have to answer if the ask makes you uncomfortable)

It's so kind of you to offer help, thank you. I appreciate it tremendously.

My post was a little vague; I'm self-conscious about airing my personal struggles, so perhaps I gave the impression that I'm still suffering. But I'm very happy to say that the worst appears to be over. I'm getting the help I need for the medical emergency I had on the 13th*, and the situation with my partner's job situation is resolved. Like, miraculously. It exceeded my highest hopes. Whatever good vibes everyone was sending me last week, I received them in full. I can't thank you all enough. I feel like asking anything more would be too much. I'm alive, I've got a roof over my head, a car that works, and renewed hope. I'm still trying to find my new "normal", so I'm not yet back to enjoying my hobbies, but let me tell you, receiving email notifs about nice comments on my fics and posts and art when I was Going Through It™ was like finding tiny glittering diamonds in a world that had turned to pure shit. I'm very grateful for those precious distractions.

Thanks so much for reaching out and for caring. I'm supremely grateful ☆♡

*It was stress. I was dying from it, physically and mentally. But I'm on meds now and I'm seeing a new fantastic doctor who, in addition to my primary health concerns, is also helping me manage a recently-discovered but quite common gene mutation, and the medication I'm receiving for that is surely going to help me even more.

[hjbender]

Seeing Deadpool & Wolverine reignited my X-Men interest so I went pursuing AO3 and discovered Die Cast. Let me tell you, the thought of Remy with feline mutant characteristics, all grace and agility and *fangs*. THANK YOU for bringing that idea forth into the world.

Oh man, I'd almost forgotten about Die Cast! For the past few years I've been meaning to go in and do some light editing and give it some kind of conclusion, even if it's in the form of bullet points and excerpts, because I pretty much had the whole thing planned out before Life stepped in and started beating my shit with a pipe. But regardless of all that, I'm really glad you managed to find that fic and I'm even happier that you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for that, and also taking the time to send me an ask. It's brightened my entire week 🌞

[hjbender]

Hey, just wanted to say hi. You're one of my favorite Good Omens fic authors from way back on the Good Omens Archive and lj. Back when it was just a book fandom and fairly small at that. I don't even remember which specific fics made me fall in love with your writing. I just remember that after a certain point you became one of those authors who I knew if the fic was by you, it would be good. Anyway, you and vulgarweed, and irisbleu are as much a part of what I think about when I think about the book Good Omens as Pratchett and Gaiman are. And you're as much people I feel the need to thank for helping me figure out who I am, and to become a kinder and better person than I would have become if that book and its fandom had never crossed my path. I just want to say thank you.

Oh my goodness. Thank you for such a lovely note, my friend. I hadn't thought of lower_tadfield in years, but oh boy, those were some great times! Just reading those usernames brought back a deluge of fond memories. The fics, the art, the icons, the conversations—what an experience! I'm so happy to be counted among those memories, especially yours. I'm fortunate and grateful to have been a part of the Good Omens community back then—and in a way still am, thanks to wonderful people like yourself.

Thank you again for this unexpected tidbit of joy you've put into my inbox! 🐍💕 I hope you have an ineffably awesome week!

[hjbender]

I’m bad at tumblr and haven’t used it since I was a teen, so I’m sorry if this isn’t the place to do this. That being said, is there any chance of you uploading the rest of your Ghost Rider fics to AO3? I really enjoyed those and I can’t seem to find them now. I know the fandom is kinda dead, but there’s gotta be more than me who would appreciate seeing those again, I think. If there’s a reason you haven’t, that’s fine, I understand. Thank you for your awesome work over the years!

Hey, no problem, thanks for reaching out to me!

Yeah, my website updated its PHP software a few months ago and the eFiction software I used to run my personal archive is no longer compatible with it, so the archive won't run anymore. The eFiction software hasn't been updated in years and may be on the verge of dying out altogether; I've noticed a lot of the old web archives that used to run on eFic have pretty much all migrated over to AO3.

In any case, I have all my stories backed up on my hard drive and I've been meaning to offload some of them to AO3, and this was the perfect reminder for me to do that. I'll start moving some of the smaller fics over in the next week or so before finishing with the large ones!