Around the Long Fire

We’re joined by Autumn from Ornate Stairwells to talk about our top ten first watches of 2025 which somehow became eleven movies for each of us. We were going to do this on the most recent Ornate Stairwells (covering AI: Artificial Intelligence!) but we didn’t get around to it despite four hours of podcasting! After that, Em and Niamh do our usual check ins about what we’ve been up to over New Years holiday.Things Discussed: Autumn guests, Top 11 First Watches of 2025 (Niamh’s list, Em’s list, Autumn’s list), Niamh’s Yule, Hololive card game, Be Pretty and Shut up!, tiktok, Trans/Rad/Fem, moving thoughts, Lick My Wounds, Decades OldSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me Next episode: The Iliad, book 13, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

It’s the last episode of the year and the week of Christmas and the hosts have a bad case of senioritis. Niamh is fully checked out. Em wishes she was checked out but has to keep working. We do the damn pod anyway, because we’re professionals. Things Discussed: home purchasing over?, phone adventures, the Odyssey trailer, no episode next week, health discomfort, Yule celebration, Nodame Cantabile, busy life, Umamusume, a surprise announcement?See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 11, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Em is under the weather and Niamh continues to work on getting that house in this shorter, sleepier Long Fire. We still have plenty of other things to talk about around our saga this week, though, so I hope you pull up a log and listen for a while.Things Discussed: Niamh’s home buying adventures part 2, Angel, Berserk, tabletop games, reading, Nana, anime statues, Turn A Gundam, Umamusume, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 11, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Em was out of town on a work trip and Niamh had some very big life events happen so we decided not to read this week but instead yap about what’s been going on. Em did spend 5 hours on a plane reading, however, so she has a lot of book to catch up on.Things Discussed: Em in Texas, Nia’s big announcement, Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America, fancy meals, cocktail thoughts, UmamusumeSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 10, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

We read more Iliad and then talk a lot about the holiday both good and bad. Gay shit. Horses. Normal ALF stuff.Things Discussed: weather and work woes, Thanksgiving depression, childhood energy levels, Home Alone, Naked Acts, good Thanksgiving stuff, Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers: A History of Lesbian Life in Twentieth-Century America, Umamusume, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: free talk, we decided after this episode was recorded

We’re back with more saga, and some odds and ends chat on Thanksgiving eve. Em was definitely a little over-exhausted, so excuse the shorter episode and angst about it on behalf of (one of) the hosts.Things Discussed: Saddlecreek records, recovery time, Mint redebut, Nerissa birthday, Cece birthday, health updates, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 9, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Somehow this episode is in large part about Gundam? Very funny considering we didn’t even know that Niamh would be guesting on GGP this week, out on Wednesday at patreon.com/abnormalmapping for $1 a month! Also, usual saga/horse/manga/movies talk.Things Discussed: vamping, The Man Who Wasn’t There, The Golden Compass, Lessons of Darkness, Nodame Cantabile, Turn A Gundam, GGP Talk at Large, Gundam Card Game, Umamusume, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 8, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Totally normal episode of Around the Long Fire. Definitely not feeling weird about publishing this one.Things Discussed: birth control, Gundam, card games, Vivienne Westwood X NANA, fashion, Umamusume updates, The Princess Diaries, life updates part 3, Pondering Pootan, Cecilia ImmergreenSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 7, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

We’re back to the Saga and chatting about that and the things we’ve been up to: horses, card games, and movies! Please enjoy the episode.Things Discussed: Game Changer, Umamusume, Poker, Chicago ICE Update, ASMR Studio Visit, Hololive card game, Sonatine, Connor’s Japan TripSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 6, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Em’s back from her trip and we talk a lot about Chicago, since we didn’t do a ton of other things. Next week we’ll return to the Iliad!Things Discussed: Cecilia Immergreen, Em in Chicago, Galloping Ghost, Umamusume: Beginning of a New Era,  Umamusume the game, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 5, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

It’s the week before vacation and everyone’s got senioritis. Thankfully the sagas are here being very enjoyable, and we chat a lot about reading and podcasting in this breezy edition of ALF.Things Discussed: Em’s final podcast, IBO, Tehanu and Earthsea, NANA, Umamusume, Road to the Top, Gunpla, Hololive card game, podcast plansSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Free talk! Chicago trip 2!

The sagas are pretty good this week, and we try not to let life get us down, so this all in all is a quiet, pleasant episode of chit chat. Please enjoy!Things Discussed: mid-00s fantasy epics, Hunter X Hunter, NANA, anime takes, Divey vs GGP, gacha check in, Chicago news, health check inSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 4, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

Sorry for the short episode again, health and mental health are pretty low right now. Hopefully things will pick up in a few weeks!Things Discussed: Straight culture, Umamusume, vtuber stuffSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 3, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

A shorter episode this week as we begin the Iliad and have a bunch of podcast work to do after we record, we manage a nice solid hour on both the book and other stuff. Mostly horse girls and food. Y’know, the basic needs. Things Discussed: The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Wuthering Heights, Umamusume, Vodka,  Green Yuri, Cooking Talk, See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 2, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

We begin our largest book yet as we read the overly long introduction to The Iliad and talk a little bit about our time with this book before the podcast. Then, the usual yapping. Em has gotten increasingly horse-pilled. Niamh’s seen the heart of the cards.Things Discussed: bookmark habits, day off activities, Gundam Build Fighters, movie recommendations, Pokemon cards, mental health, book update, new gaming horizons, Persona 5 The Phantom X, Umamusume (game and Beginning of a New Era), Arknights, Infinity Nikki (if you point out Em mixed this up with Yume Nikki she’s going to time you out for an entire day in the discord) See the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, book 1, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

A one and done for this small book of magic and esoterica, but we manage a pretty good discussion out of it anyway! This was a pleasant break of an episode before we climb the mountain for our final book this season.Things Discussed: ritual and magic/spirituality, Hololive chess, scheduling, Gundam X, robots, K-Pop Demon Hunters, A Safe Girl to Love, trans stuff and feminism, Wuthering Heights, GarfieldSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Iliad, introduction, from The Iliad, Homer, trans. Emily Wilson (W. W. Norton & Company)

We finish the saga, reflect on some books, compare horses and mermaids, and much more on this action packed episode. Things Discussed: Nodame Cantabile, Umamusume, A Safe Girl to Love, Guinea Pig 4: Mermaid in a Manhole, Do You Know Who Jackie Is?Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia, The Book of Evil Spirits, L. W. De Laurence (Martino Fine Books)

Somehow our boy Cu has managed to turn a gay story even gayer this week, but we soldier on undeterred. We’re just cool and strong like that.Things Discussed: What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine; Poker Face season 2; ripping CDs; Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist; music scenes; Vive L’Amour; a trip to the zoo; Guinea Pig 3: He Never Dies; vtubersOpening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts X to the end from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

A surprise week off due to medical stuff but we’re back with more murder, lots of books, horse girls, and vtubers! Things Discussed: Umamusume Pretty Derby: Road to the Top; Nodame Cantabile; Detransition, Baby; the ren faire; The Blue Fox, galloping ghost gaming, purses, card pack meta, Guinea Pig 2: Flower of Flesh and Blood, Alien Autopsy, All For One, Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, part IX from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)

A long episode mostly because Em has started watching movies again. But we have a good time chatting about all sorts of stuff, including the Táin!Things Discussed: FFX metaphysics, DAPs (that’s MP3 players for normal people), Yo Gabba Gabba show, KPop Demon Hunters, The Double Life of Veronique, Red Rooms, Guinea Pig: Devil’s Experiment, Cece and Raora’s 3D debuts, manga corner, the circus!Opening music for this book is Ferdia’s Song and Gae Bolga by HorslipsSee the show schedule here! This’ll tell you which versions of books and which sections of those books we’re reading each week.Niamh podcasts on Export Audio with Ghost Divers and Ornate Stairwells. Fae posts on bluesky at foxmomnia.exportaud.io and on twitter @foxmomnia Em hosts Abnormal Mapping and Repertory Screenings on abnormalmapping.com and also is the Pokemon Master of Ceremonies on The Great Gundam Project. She posts on bluesky at shirokumahi.me and on twitter @em_being Next episode: Táin Bó Cúailnge, parts VII through VIII from The Táin, trans. Ciaran Carson (Penguin Classics)