Dog Days of Podcasting Challenge

Really late but still awake; forgot my NPC name (Nyx); thanks to Nyx and Bathtub Mermaid for shoutouts; finished all panel renders for The Silent Heart webcomic; song: "All In My Tights" by Devo Spice feat. Carrie Dahlby & Chris Mezzolesta - https://thefump.com/music/song/all-in-my-tights

<p>What did you eat to dream that? Feedback Please? idjitcastpodcast@gmail.com</p> <p>The post <a href="http://nimlas.org/blog/oneidjit/wake-up/">Wake Up!</a> appeared first on <a href="http://nimlas.org/blog">NIMLAS Studios</a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-09.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2771" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-09.jpg" alt="DDOA-09" width="459" height="600" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-09.jpg 459w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-09-230x300.jpg 230w" sizes="(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2769-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-09-DDOA-Lantern-.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-09-DDOA-Lantern-.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-09-DDOA-Lantern-.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em>Lantern</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>The transformer outside gave a low, uneasy hum, faltering just long enough to make her pause with the mixing bowl in her hands. Then the lights blinked once — sharp, warning — and everything went dark.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://encaffeinated.ca/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-09-lantern/">Lantern</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today&#39;s NPC Prompts were:</p><p>Fantasy Setting, Ghost, Barber, Fallen Noble, Lawful Neutral, Optimistic, Slovenly, Mistaken for an Infamous Criminal</p><p><br></p><p>In the market district of the city, one shop is abandoned. The locals give the entrance of Canbree&#39;s Salon a wide birth. It&#39;s said that the owner was an infamous murderer. If only they knew the truth of the matter. Dulcinea Canbree is still willing to tell the tale, after all, she still inhabits her salon. It was her life&#39;s work after her father disowned her for a young love that didn&#39;t last. Why was she thought to be a murderer? A distant relative who shares many of Dulcinea&#39;s features framed her for the crimes. After conviction and execution, her spirit will not rest until her name is cleared. </p><p>Want to make a suggestion? Submit a form here: <a href="https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Reach out at <a href="https://105030353-833614104390253720.preview.editmysite.com/editor/Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker">⁠⁠⁠⁠Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>This project is for the <a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/pheme">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dog Days of Advent 2025⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.</p><p>Music is &quot;Air Prelude&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</p><p></p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-08.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2766" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-08.jpg" alt="DDOA-08" width="459" height="600" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-08.jpg 459w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-08-230x300.jpg 230w" sizes="(max-width: 459px) 100vw, 459px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2764-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-08-DDOA-Elves.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-08-DDOA-Elves.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-08-DDOA-Elves.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em> Elves. </em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>Her husband—“Santa” to the winking masses—sits in his study polishing spectacles, pretending not to hear. He hates this part. Always has. Kindness comes naturally to him. Old power does not.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://encaffeinated.ca/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-08-elves/">Elves</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Smoothy, Chili and Snoopy the Dogg by The Great Luke Ski https://thefump.com/music/song/snoopy-the-dogg

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2761" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071-1024x576.jpg" alt="DDOA-07" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-071.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2759-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-07-DDOA-Wander.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-07-DDOA-Wander.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-07-DDOA-Wander.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em> Wander</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>One by one, they step into the starlit desert. Their glow grows brighter as they move away, pale lights bobbing like will-o’-wisps across the dunes. She watches until they’re only a constellation of tiny sparks at the edge of sight.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://encaffeinated.ca/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-07-wander/">Wander</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-2755 aligncenter" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-06.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2753-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-06-DDOA-Ember-Spark.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-06-DDOA-Ember-Spark.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-06-DDOA-Ember-Spark.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em> Ember/Spark</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>The circle widens, ripples spreading, and the two species drift into a shared rhythm — some with hands, some with arms, all with joy. In their mingled glow, something ancient rises, older than language or gravity: the understanding that warmth is not bound to flame, and family not bound to form.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://encaffeinated.ca/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-06-ember-spark/">Ember/Spark</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2746" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05-1024x576.jpg" alt="DDOA-05" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-05.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2745-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-05-DDOA-Frost.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-05-DDOA-Frost.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-05-DDOA-Frost.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em>Snowglobe.</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>The lights above them pulse, soft as breathing. She remembers that first storm — the fear of the power failing, the scramble to secure the greenhouse domes, the way they’d worked side by side in the cold until dawn. That was when it began, really: not the flirtation or the laughter, but the quiet respect that came from surviving something together.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://encaffeinated.ca/">Mark, the Encaffeinated One</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-05-frost/">Frost</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today&#39;s NPC Prompts were:</p><p>Historical Setting, Rat-like, Doctor, Outlaw, Chaotic Good, Intelligence, Distracted, Ageless</p><p><br></p><p>The balance of scientific curiosity and morality is a delicate one. Most physicians will take choose science for the &quot;greater good&quot;, but Doc Wyrmstitch asked, good for whom. Donning his rat-like masks in the plague ridden alleys, the destitute know that &quot;The Rat Doctor&quot; is there to help, not to scrounge around for test subjects. Though his thoughts process faster than his namesake can scurry, he greets each patient with gentle kindness, respect, and compassion. His outspoken advocacy for the human rights of the poor and the sanctity of the deceased have sent him out of society in disgrace. As a result, he takes whatever supplies he can find, and damn the wanted posters that call for his arrest or death. It has been 80 years, and yet, somehow, The Rat Doctor continues to help those in need</p><p><br></p><p> Want to make a suggestion? Submit a form here: <a href="https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>Reach out at <a href="https://105030353-833614104390253720.preview.editmysite.com/editor/Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker⁠⁠⁠</a>This project is for the <a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/pheme" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠Dog Days of Advent 2025⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>.</p><p>Music is &quot;Air Prelude&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</p>

Woke up to find my MailCow instance wasn&#39;t running. - After several hours got it working Midnight the cat decided to come inside Song: [Decide! (Cat Song) by Joe J Thomas](https://thefump.com/music/song/decide-cat-song)

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2741" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04-1024x576.jpg" alt="DDOA-04" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-04.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2739-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-04-DDOA-Snowglobe.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-04-DDOA-Snowglobe.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-04-DDOA-Snowglobe.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em>Snowglobe.</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>The lights above them pulse, soft as breathing. She remembers that first storm — the fear of the power failing, the scramble to secure the greenhouse domes, the way they’d worked side by side in the cold until dawn. That was when it began, really: not the flirtation or the laughter, but the quiet respect that came from surviving something together.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-04-snowglobe/">Snowglobe</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today&#39;s NPC Prompts were:<br>Cyberpunk, Faun, Chaotic Evil, Brewer, Awesome Style, Menacing Aura, Trading Background, Sleepwalker<br>Pan is an intimidating cyborg. A tragic accident took their legs and left them severely scarred, so they decided to use their savings from their trading experience to get more effective, faun-like prosthetic legs, giving them a more other-worldly aesthetic. Their hobby of brewing took off with the locals and Pan took the name Barleymedes as a marketing stunt. However, when they sleep, the cerebral network that allows Pan to use their integrated prosthetics takes over, continuing to bottle their brews... and perhaps adding a little something extra... like nano bots. Perhaps that explains the cult like following of their brew. <br>Want to make a suggestion? Submit a form here: <a href="https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7">⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7⁠⁠⁠</a><br>Reach out at <a href="https://105030353-833614104390253720.preview.editmysite.com/editor/Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker">⁠⁠Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker⁠⁠</a><br>This project is for the <a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/pheme">⁠⁠⁠Dog Days of Advent 2025⁠⁠⁠</a>.<br>Music is &quot;Air Prelude&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2735" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03-1024x576.jpg" alt="DDOA-03" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-03.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');</script><![endif]--> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2734-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-03-DDOA-Orbit.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-03-DDOA-Orbit.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-03-DDOA-Orbit.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em>orbit.</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>Below her, ribbons of green and violet curl across the poles, shimmering like breath against the night. It’s not the first aurora she’s seen from orbit, but this one feels different — brighter, alive. She thinks of the Christmas lights her father used to hang along the eaves of their house, blinking patterns that never quite synced. He’d laugh every year and say, &#8220;Perfection’s overrated, sweetheart. Just make it shine.&#8221;</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-03-orbit/">Orbit</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Today I talk about why there was no episode yesterday, why the 1st episode came out on the second. Song: Where Have All The Tacos Gone? by Moneyshot Cosmonauts https://thefump.com/music/song/where-have-all-the-tacos-gone

<p>Today&#39;s NPC Prompts were:</p><p>Barista, Lawful Good, Performer Background, Good at Chess, Charming, No Sense of Time.</p><p><br></p><p>Inspired by a poem by &quot;The Bathtub Mermaid&quot; - If you happen to be at the cafe just before close, you will likely catch Celina Softshoe, dancing around the machines, making them gleam effortlessly as she sets the shop up for the next day. She is more willing to talk about the people that she sees each day than herself, but that attentiveness is part of her charm. If you want to get any information from her, ask her to a game of chess. Just don&#39;t plan to be anywhere for a few hours. It&#39;s very easy to lose track of time with her. </p><p><br></p><p>Want to make a suggestion? Submit a form here: <a href="https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7">⁠⁠https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7⁠⁠</a></p><p>Reach out at <a href="Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker">⁠Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker⁠</a></p><p>This project is for the <a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/pheme">⁠⁠Dog Days of Advent 2025⁠⁠</a>.</p><p>Music is &quot;Air Prelude&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</p>

Chris Moody : Chris A Moody Chats

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2727" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02-1024x576.jpg" alt="DDOA-02" width="698" height="393" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-02.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p> <!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');</script><![endif]--> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2726-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-02-DDOA-Hearth.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-02-DDOA-Hearth.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM2512-02-DDOA-Hearth.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is <em>hearth.</em></p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>Outside, the church bells strike midnight — exactly on time.</p> <p>Inside the café, the world softens around the edges. The espresso machine has gone quiet, its metal belly releasing one last sigh of steam. She wipes down the counter in slow, practiced circles. When she finishes, she pours herself a small mug from what remains in the pot — lukewarm, but still comforting — and brings it with her as she turns.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <ul> <li>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-02-hearth/">Hearth</a></li> <li><a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/">Dog Days of Advent</a></li> </ul> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects and Music are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Today&#39;s NPC Prompts were:</p><p>Horror Campaign, Dragonborn, Fibermancer, Chaotic Good, Funny, Slovenly, No Sense of Smell</p><p><br></p><p>Kardash &quot;Hooks&quot; Hookclaw sets up in any corner that will have them. A tavern or fighting hall is preferred. They have a raucous laugh and a twinkle of mischief in their eyes as manage to keep spirits high around them with a well said joke, or a light hearted prank. They will always make a crocheted present for the target of the joke. Though their clothing is always a bit shabby and stained, they never let it get to them. Sadly, they also have no sense of smell and often have to be told when it is time for them to bathe.</p><p><a href="https://www.resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker">⁠⁠</a></p><p>Want to make a suggestion? Submit a form here: <a href="https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7">⁠https://forms.gle/oSMMhMWpvZcLdGPK7⁠</a></p><p>Reach out at <a href="Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Resonantmoon.com/npc-matchmaker</a></p><p>This project is for the <a href="https://dogdaysofpodcasting.com/pheme">⁠Dog Days of Advent 2025⁠</a>.</p><p>Music is &quot;Air Prelude&quot; Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</p><p></p>

<p><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2723" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01.jpg" alt="DDOA-01" width="1080" height="608" srcset="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01.jpg 1080w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/DDOA-01-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /></a></p> <!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('audio');</script><![endif]--> <audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" id="audio-2722-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;" controls="controls"><source type="audio/mpeg" src="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-01-Advent-Clock.mp3?_=1" /><a href="https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-01-Advent-Clock.mp3">https://www.bathtubmermaid.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/TBM-2512-01-Advent-Clock.mp3</a></audio> <h3>Description:</h3> <p>Welcome to the Dog Days of Advent. I made a list of prompts, and wrote a bite-sized story for each one. They don&#8217;t live in the same universe, but they&#8217;re all a little off-kilter from what you might expect from holiday fare. And if you pay attention, you&#8217;ll notice that the last line of each story becomes the first line of the next. Today&#8217;s prompt is &#8220;clock.&#8221;</p> <h3>Excerpt:</h3> <blockquote><p>Time, for her, is elastic. Sometimes it stretches, gossamer-thin, like taffy pulled too far, and she can walk its length to touch the moment when her mother bent to kiss her scraped knee, or the instant she first realized she’d fallen in love. Other times it snaps tight and whips her forward, years ahead, where she sees a conversation that hasn’t happened yet, the face of a friend she hasn’t met.</p></blockquote> <h3 data-start="698" data-end="809"><strong>Episode Cast:</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/">Melissa A. Bartell</a></p> <h3>Links and References</h3> <p>Transcript: <a href="https://www.missmeliss.com/2025/12/fictionadvent-01-clock/">Clock </a></p> <h3>Credits:</h3> <ul> <li><em>The Bathtub Mermaid: Tales from the Tub</em> is written and produced by Melissa A. Bartell, and is recorded and produced using Audacity.</li> <li>Bathtub Mermaid blog header art was created by Rebecca Moran of <a href="http://remoran.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moran Media</a></li> <li>Sound Effects are from <a href="https://freesound.org/">Freesound</a> and <a href="https://uppbeat.io/">UppBeat</a></li> </ul> <h3>Contact:</h3> <ul> <li>BlueSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/melysse.bsky.social">@melysse.bsky.social</a></li> <li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/missmelysse">MissMelysse</a></li> <li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melysse/">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Mastodon: <a href="https://tenforward.social/@Melysse">@Melysse</a></li> <li>Email: <a href="mailto:missmelysse@gmail.com">missmelysse@gmail.com</a></li> <li>Or, leave a comment on this page.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>