All right, I had a request to do some spn_j2_bigbang stuff. I read three and didn't get any recs and by then I really wanted something shorter, so I read a couple of old ones I had tagged on delicious for ages (I really like being able to reverse sort). And wow, the one rec I did find is one of those rare stories I'd rate higher than a 5+ if I could. So awesome.

Into His Hand by drvsilla 3/5
50,500 words. JR Ackles is a professional bullrider at the top of his game. He's got one thing on his mind: winning the championship belt buckle and the right to call himself the best in the world. His unwavering dedication and focus is finally put to the test in the form of JT Padalecki, an up-and-coming rider new to the professional ranks, who has his sights set on winning the PBR finals - and Jensen. Cowboys ride and get by on grit and tough determination - the question facing Jensen is if they have to do it alone.
( Reads sort of like a modern day, happy ending Brokeback Mountain. Interesting look at cowboys, but it never really hooked me. )

The Learning Curve at Wakefield High by aynslee 2/5 - Didn't finish
22,200 words. When Jared accepts the job at Wakefield High, he expects the usual problems: lazy students, meddlesome parents, and an air conditioner that barely functions in the Texas heat. But he doesn't expect his biggest problem, which comes in the form of his new boss - Principal Jensen Ackles.
( I love school AUs in theory, whether they're about students or teachers, but in practice they're often not my thing, so while I was hopeful when I bookmarked this, I'm not terribly surprised that I didn't end up finishing it. )

Receiver by dotfic 3/5
21,700 words. In the wake of the events of "Fresh Blood," Sam and Dean find a hunt: a family whose youngest child has a monster in his closet. The Winchesters know exactly how to deal with monsters, but this hunt is a little too familiar. Sam starts to unravel while Dean's show falters.
( Felt like it could be an episode...but one of those episodes I don't like quite as much. Too much emphasis on family/brothers and too little on horror. )

Skinning Schrodinger's Cat by lyra_wing 3/5
3500 words. Sam travels back in time to try and fix things.
( This is one of those rare fics that actually reads *better* after further canon, rather than getting jossed. )

My Mother Was a Tailor by traveller 5/5 Recommended
2800 words. She checks her lips in the bronze mirror, makes sure the red is even and not bleeding out at the edges; she makes a pout and gets a blurry kiss reflected back. She dabs a little perfume on the beauty mark on her cheekbone, wets her hands with the pitcher and smoothes her hair.
( Wow, this is so very, very cool. Love the writing, the atmosphere, the ambiguity. Should absolutely be read without spoilers. )

( Spoilers )

Today I love Yotsuba&!, an awesome and hilarious manga by Azuma Kiyohiko.

I discovered Yotsuba&! last year and fell instantly in love. It's so bizarre but in a very realistic way. Each chapter is a separate story about four-year-old Yotsuba and some new discovery of hers. Supporting cast includes her adoptive father, his friend, the three neighbor girls and their mom, and a couple friends of the neighbor girls.

I think Yotsuba may be one of the most realistic children I've ever seen in manga. She believes things unquestioningly, comes to all sorts of odd conclusions, has a large vocabulary that she doesn't necessarily understand fully, and cracks herself up with stupid jokes.

Here's an example from a chapter I'm reading now:

Dad: Do you know how they make milk, Yotsuba?

Yotsuba: *thinks* Cows...I think?

Dad: Cows, huh? What do they do with the cows?

Yotsuba: *thinks hard* Squeeze them.

Dad: ...The whole cow?

Yotsuba: I don't know! I don't know! >:0!

A few minutes later...

Yotsuba: Maybe milk coffee is from black cows?

Dad: Hmm, so then regular milk is from white cows?

Dad: What about strawberry milk? There's no such thing as red cows.

Yotsuba: That's blood! Cow blood!

Dad: That's kinda scary.

The one thing I hate about it is that it's a really fast read and new volumes are only published once every nine months or so. Today I just finally got vol. 7, though. Unfortunately not only the dollar shelves, but only $4.50, so still a good discount from buying new. (I think my love of Book Off will be another post!)