I Have No Idea What I'm Doing

Old lady on Tumblr - so am still finding my way around. Love writing fanfic - Call the Midwife is my current muse, and in particular Delia and Patsy (all of it is on AO3). Some personal crap posted too - mainly about equality and rights and science and nerdy stuff (along with all the pupcake of course!)

[asecretlove]

political stephen is sexy stephen.

[the-old-bird-rockbird-deactivat]

God no, political Stephen gets on my nips, even if I largely agree with him. I have to mute him around election time!

[missouiser-deactivated20210926]

Reblogging in the hope that I remember “gets on my nips” because that is one of the better phrases I have heard this year.

[my-little-yellowbird]

I know, right?? Anyone that thinks Brits are reserved and stodgy hasn’t actually talked to a Brit.

[the-old-bird-rockbird-deactivat]

Do people really think Brits are reserved? Serious question.

[my-little-yellowbird]

It’s the stereotype we get in film and literature–the Repressed Brit (e.g. Darcy, every British butler ever, half of the DA character list). Of course, it’s about as invalid as the Vulgar American (with the obvious exception of those painted orange).

[thinkbusbythink]

Yeah - the rainy weather isn't a myth. That's why we’re famed for a “green and pleasant land”  it's also why we always talk about the weather - it's so unpredictable.

We can be full on and unreserved - except when it comes to talking about our personal feelings.  Get us on public topics and it's all systems go. Especially when the gin is flowing!

We don't have bad teeth either!

[tlpursuit]

@captainhollysheet

WW2 au.

[thinkbusbythink]

This is awesome - and I haven't forgotten the fic! Just a bit distracted by leaving work and packing!

[lapizsilkwood]

me : *sees a gifset about a scene I like*

Oh yay I will reblog it !!

me : *looks at every gif* me : *sees a typo*

Nevermind…

[thinkbusbythink]

You are not the only one! I'm exactly the same

[ithelpstodream]

[cookie-sheet-toboggan]

so is Victory

[ashermajestywishes]

LOVE TRIANGLE

[bsparrow]

Don’t forget Truth (Coming Out of Her Well to Shame Mankind)

[justrollinon]

This must be why the Trump administration hates them all 

[acciowine]

The Four Horsewomen of the Trumpocalypse.

[krustybunny-deactivated20221129]

I’ve never reblogged anything so quick

[deliamount]

Okay so in honour of the (hopefully temporary) departure of three beloved characters on CTM. I vote we play a lil game

Reblog with your favourite scene/line of theirs. Your reaction when you first watched it, and/or your reaction to it now. And why you love it so much

Let’s all relive their talent together 

[hospitalcorners]

Delia: “you wanna see Anita Ekberg in that fountain just as much as I do”

Don’t we all…

Such a cute, domestic little scene - loved it 😍

[reeseswlw]

Delia: We dont like cake.

Same deels

[annatheawkwardlesbian-deactivat]

When Delia moves into Nonnatus and her and Patsy sit on the bed and just laugh and they’re so happy and it makes me so happy! “I’ve waited so long to sit under the same roof as you.”

[deliabusbgay]

Oh there are so many to choose from.

“But you’ve gone so mad with the lacquer, I could pull out every curby grip and the beehive wouldn’t budge” - the whole kitchen scene was so amazing, probably the closest we’re going to ever get now to seeing a happy domestic playful bliss between them.

[awkwardly-romantic]

When they grab hands and dance with their foreheads pressed together at the Gates 😭😍😭 gets me every damn time. Just let our vintage lesbians live happy lives alright?

[thinkbusbythink]

"I think I'll just go and read my book,"

That kitchen scene was so well done. They AREN'T the perfect couple - they have to work at their relationship just like any couple does. But it was the nuance in all of it, from Delia's tremulous voice to Patsy closing her eyes, knowing that she has hurt her. Add to that the juxtaposition of the deliriously happy moment they had on Delia's arrival and the pain is amplified all the more.

The following scene in the bedroom where Delia is so supportive is just as good but I love this scene because it really kicks you in the feels.

Dammit - CtM will not be the same without them

[lapizsilkwood]

Patsy x Delia || Parallels

[thinkbusbythink]

Just love this. So many parallels. (Still feel a bit robbed that we won't see any more of them) :(

[tlpursuit]

The candid photo taken from @thinkbusbythink‘s Tea series.

[thinkbusbythink]

Amazing! Utterly flattered that you’ve drawn something out of my fic! And it’s just gorgeous too

[thinkbusbythink]

Reblogging as I referred to the Christening Tea in my latest tea fic and @lapizsilkwood couldn't find it. Thanks once again to the talented @tlpursuit !

[my-little-yellowbird]

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

@thinkbusbythink asked me what I thought of the au pair storyline.

-OMG IF THEY MANUFACTURE SOME SORT OF ROMANTIC CONFLICT WITH THIS THAT DAMN OCEAN WILL NOT BE ENOUGH OF A BARRIER TO KEEP ME FROM BEATING DOWN THE DOORS OF CASTLE TURNER 

-remember back when I asked you all about how Shelagh has certainly pushed beyond her vow of poverty (one to go–next series, Shelagh stages a coup!)?  An au pair kind of smacks of a financial entitlement.  Of course, that could be jealousy talking.  I will admit to breaking the tenth commandment regarding a neighbor’s au pair (and cleaning lady… and gardener).  

-have the Turners become, with their shiny new castle and an au pair, the nouveau riche of Poplar?  

-do we really need another character?  Even a minor one?

-If the Turners are getting an au pair, that does seem to point us in the direction of Shelagh being available to work more, which will take her out of the home and put her in the working world, which is my preference

-how common were au pairs, really, in 1963 Poplar?  I would more likely believe a Mrs Penney in the background character.

As always, my opinion only. What’s yours?

[thinkbusbythink]

I am very dubious of this development.  I don't think there's any danger of a romantic entanglement, whether serious or in jest, unless Tim gets infatuated with the au pair.  

My problem is with the whole motherhood thing.  Shelagh was desperate for a baby, couldn't have one and then adopted the gorgeous Angela.  Last season was miracle pregnancy!

Now they have two young children.  This is 1963.  I just can't imagine Shelagh choosing to go to work over being a stay at home mother.  The only reason my mum worked when we were kids was because they couldn't afford for her not to. (Prior to her falling pregnant she was a draughtswoman for the Ministry of Works and earned more than my father).  And that was the 70s - a decade later when things really were moving forward.  

It's great that Shelagh is working but is she really that ahea of her time? I would have a better time accepting her returning to work part time - but then, that wouldn't justify the cost of an au pair.

Oh well - interesting times.  

[miss-ute]

THANK YOU 😭😭

[thinkbusbythink]

Bryony Hannah, Emerald Fennell and Kate Lamb have all done outstanding work with their characters.  Sister Mary Cynthia’s mental health issues were so sensitively done.  Patsy and Delia’s relationship was completely believable and I became totally invested in them.

I feel a bit robbed because I only discovered Call the Midwife last year.  But I am glad I found it.

More importantly, I have made some real friends through writing again.  So there is much to be grateful for.

Anyway - I I'll write the characters I know in my head so well for as long as people want to read about them.

[rocket-sith]

Reblog if you write fic and people can inbox you random-ass questions about your stories, itemized number lists be damned.

[awkwardly-romantic]

Got for it! 💕✨💕

[thinkbusbythink]

Always!!!

[thinkbusbythink]

Writing to stave off the sadness! I wrote this before yesterday's news and was going to wait and post it as I wanted to do part 2 of Anniversary Tea, but I wanted to put some fic out there. I am working on pt2 of Anniversary Tea next, and then Convergence. I will write pupcake for as long as I'm inspired (so if anyone has any short story challenges they want me to have a stab at, do let me know!)

[stuffnubitaloves]

I always had a feeling that kiss was too good to be true…

[thinkbusbythink]

To be totally honest, I had my suspicions when Emerald tweeted after 6.2 saying that she’d had fun with the role.  It sounded like she’d already made up her mind to leave.

Oh well - bring on the pupcake!!!

[thinkbusbythink]

This is so true (but very British!!)

[nellie-oleson]

@mrv3000 said:

                                                                                                                                #i think a lot of people truly don’t understand the editing process  #like…they expect to plunk something out and ta da! perfect words ready for sale #it’s a bit sad that the whole betaing process for fanfic has gone to the wayside   #it was a great way to get writers into the mindset of wanting to improve   #i mean it’s not pleasant to find out what you thought was brilliant really isn’t    #but it’s GOOD to go through that process   #now a lot of times it seems like people get offended if flaws are pointed out   #and you just cannot think like that if you want to be an actual writer   #i mean one who wants to do more than post fics on ao3    

And I just wanted to say that I love the whole editing part. I love rereading a paragraph one-million times and discovering that there is an entire fucking word missing on reread one-million and one.

I love when I’ve been staring at something I don’t really like but can’t articulate why and suddenly the thing that is wrong makes itself known.

I love betas. Everyone should have one or six. Betas should not just be for grammar.

I love when betas are all ‘this is garbage, fix it.’ I want to know. Please tell me about the garbage. About the dialogue that is crap. About the sentences that just don’t have the right rhythm. About the character that has slipped into OOC land. About the giant plot holes. All of it.   

I mean, I kind of hate that it takes forever to get the editing right, but I hate it more when I reread something I wrote and I can tell right away that I didn’t spend enough time with it. I hate thinking that it could have been better.                                                

[pellucidthings]

Yeeeeessssssss!!!!!!!!!! <3<3<3<3

My favorite line from @gabolange in beta mode (I mean, once we’ve gotten past the “this is garbage, fix it” stuff) is always, “you could post this if you want, and people would like it. But if you wanted to make it better…” FINE! Challenge accepted. :D

[sincerelybluevase]

on that note: when can we expect some more fanfics from you? ;)

[pellucidthings]

Haha, well the flip side of the beta process being awesome is that it’s also time consuming. But I’d rather take a while to get new things out if it means I’m really happy with how they ended up. :)

[my-little-yellowbird]

I know not all writers like the “kill your darlings” theory of editing, but I really like the experience of finding a way to say something with as few words as possible ( not *here* obviously!). The idea of a beta has always appealed to me, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have a few people help me step back and see how I can make something better. I could definitely benefit from more. Since I started writing several years ago, after an embarrassingly long hiatus, I’ve learned that after I “finish” something, I need to walk away for a bit, give my subconscious time to process before I post. Then I’ll go back and edit (or add) more.

[thinkbusbythink]

I ALWAYS recommend a beta - and once you find a good one, KEEP THEM!!!! I love editing, but you have to set out your stall straight away. It's not just about reading something through and picking up typos. It's about saying when it's crap or (my beta's personal favourite) 'you've missed an opportunity here'. The trouble is that if you ask for a beta, you have to understand what you want. It's not an ego stroke. It's there to improve and strengthen the story. And it's a great way to see how your story is viewed by someone else. Something really obvious to you may actually be really obtuse. I write and I edit. I like to do both because I learn from the experience both ways. Oh and I definitely advocate @my-little-yellowbird 's advice of walking away for a bit. Never post the second you've hit that last period!

[thinkbusbythink]

Every time I read something like this, I just love scientists more and more. They sourced their data, checked and verified before publishing figures - unlike certain other events I'm sure we can all recall.

[kellymacdonalld]

[tlpursuit]

I drew something. I just want them to be happy.

[thinkbusbythink]

Needed this. They should be happy!

Amazing work as always