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From Cracked: Five Reasons Pop Culture is Run by Fan-Fiction. Very interesting article!

musesfool has some interesting thoughts on what it means to be "in" a particular fandom. Lately I've been feeling like, even for the shows I'm most interested in ATM, I'm not technically "in" their fandoms, because I'm not producing/commenting/doing anything other than lurking. I am a lurker by nature, but it's still a little weird to me to be so into a few TV shows but to have no fic ideas/no desire to make icons or anything else. Hopefully it is just a phase!

Flist, how is everyone's week going so far?

Signal boost: help_japan. My thoughts are with everyone there!

So I've been so proud of myself for posting every day so far this month, but I'm going out of town tomorrow and I won't be back till Tuesday night. I might post from the wedding but honestly I hope I'll be too busy to - if I do post it will probably be about how I have no friends! Sad, and hopefully not true, so anyway, look for me next Wednesday with any luck!

The book I am reading: The Red Herring Without Mustard, by Alan Bradley (A Flavia de Luce mystery!), The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot and Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson.

The book I am writing: Right now I'm trying to write Artie/Claudia Warehouse 13 fic...and it is hard. I can pretty much guarantee that it will never see the light of day. But I'm also pondering a post-S2 finale fic that might eventually...we'll see. I really like the idea of Claudia and Pete having a BSG-marathon of mope-itude.

The book I love most: How do people even answer this question? I will choose instead to answer this question:

Favorite book so far this year:
The Passage, by Justin Cronin, and the Distant Hours, by Kate Morton (see, I can't even pick one book for a question like that.

The last book I received as a gift: Unseen Academicals, by Terry Pratchett, for Christmas because it's finally out in Mass Market Paperback and I love my shelf of Discworld books.

The last book I gave as a gift: I guess it was I Like You, by Amy Sedaris, which I gave to my brother's girlfriend for Christmas. But I am going to share my Flavia library book with my mom as soon as I'm done with it; does that count?

The nearest book on my desk: The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett.

Title: Five Holidays the Leverage Crew Celebrated Together
Written for: unavoidedcrisis in the leverage_sesa challenge
Rating: PG
Warnings: None
Summary: In which Parker likes parties, Eliot is confused, and Hardison, Sophie and Nate just go with it.
Word Count: ~3,000
Author's Note I picked this up as a pinch hit but I want to apologize for how long it took me to finish it - RL and computer issues combined to make my life hell!

( ReadCollapse )

...I'd hoped to break 100, but I got pretty close, and this only includes books I read for the first time, so a count including rereads would probably be more than 100...anyway, that's my goal for 2011!

( The booksCollapse )

Yuletide authors have been revealed! (...y'all already know this, but whatevs.)

I wrote: Introduction to Escapology for epshlan, which is Community gen, with hijinks and the dean celebrating National Bubble Bath Day. I really enjoyed researching a ridiculous holiday for the plot, but it was a bit of a bear to write, since I couldn't really see a way around writing it in the style of an episode, which was a first for me.

Also, I just realized that I never posted about the fic I wrote last year:
Fall Forever, which is Discworld, Watch-centric with most of the Ankh-Morpork characters and focusing on Angua and Carrot's wedding. So. Just for the record.

Expect my year-end book post sometime tonight or tomorrow. And I'm three episodes into Warehouse 13 and really enjoying it so far!

2011 is ok in my book, at least on day 2.

( That year end meme that everyone's doing:Collapse )

That was fun! Also, in writing it I was glancing over last year's entries...and they are almost all boring rants. I will try to move away from that this year, because if even I am bored by my own experiences...they are too boring to inflict on y'all. More interesting/positive things to come, brain willing!

As Dean Pelton from Community would say, "Merry Happy!"

I am currently suffering from a condition best described in Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching novel The Wee Free Men, which I will paraphrase instead of transcribe because I only have the audiobook:

Wentworth (small child) is wailing because he has so many sweets in front of him, and as soon as he picks one he realizes that if he picks and eats it he isn't eating a different sweet, and the agony of too many choices breaks his brain.

THIS IS HOW I AM FEELING ABOUT YULETIDE. As always, it is epically fantastic, but I am paralyzed by the fact that there are what feels like billions of stories I want to read. I've realized this year (although I received some very nice presents!) that Yuletide is a huge part of what makes Christmas (and especially Christmas day) special and wonderful for me.

Naturally, I read the story written for me first, and it is absolutely PERFECT and AMAZING and WONDERFUL and lots of other scarily brilliant things in all caps.

It is: Class A Equipment. It's from Mira Grant's Newsflesh Trilogy and it's just spectacular. I cannot say enough good things about this story, so if you have read Feed you should absolutely go quickly and bask in the joy that is this story.

I hope you are all having lovely Saturdays!

I think I need a nap

Thank you so much for volunteering to write in one of the fandoms I requested!

( My letterCollapse )

Hi Flist! How's tricks?

Today I was walking my dog and thinking about an LJ entry I wanted to write about some media I've consumed lately, and as usual my brain interpreted the entry as written and posted, rather than just written in my head (as it does. This is why I almost never update.) when I thought, wait a second, I'm babysitting tonight (...for the same kids I spent nine hours with today. I got to go home for an hour and a half and almost cried when it was time to come back) and that will be the perfect time to actually write an entry! So, yays.

On to actual things that might be of interest, rather than the inside workings of my weirdo brain.

I saw Red yesterday and loved it! I went mostly because my mom wanted to see it, but it was really great! If I'd known Mary Louise Parker was one of the leads I would have been psyched, but she was so absent from the trailers! Anyway, it was delightful, and the internets have FAILED ME, because there is basically no fic. How is this possible?? I can only hope that will change. I thought I had spoilery things to say, but oh well.

I just finished Robin McKinley's newest book, Pegasus, and I do have spoilery thoughts for this one. Nonspoilers first though: I didn't love it. That being said, new Robin McKinley is very much a treat, and though this one won't approach Sunshine, Blue Sword and Spindle's End at the top of my list, it was still a very enjoyable read. Classic McKinley, so lots of tangents and likeable characters, etc.

( Now to spoilersCollapse )
I'll definitely read Pegasus II (though lord knows when it will come out) but in the meantime I'll cross my fingers for more future Sunshine's and Chalice's and short stories like Hellhound and Pool in the Desert.

The book I read right before Pegasus, however, I ADORED. It was All Clear, by Connie Willis. It's the second part of the story that began in last fall's Blackout, which I also really, really enjoyed. I've read some reviews critical of the decision to split the book into two volumes, but I didn't really mind. I reread Blackout before I read All Clear, which was definitely the right call, and the ending didn't really bother me. It wasn't a cliffhanger, but sometimes cliffhangers are worse!

( A couple of spoilers for both booksCollapse )

I've got it on audiobook as well (...it's like 24 hours, good lord) but I'm going to start listening soon, because I want to still be in the story. If you are at all interested in World War II, or are a Connie Willis fan, I could not recommend these books more strongly!

If you want to talk about any of these things, I am full of more words! Also, anyone read any good books lately??

Yay y'all, yuletide is open for nominations!!

I nommed:

Leverage
Terry Pratchett - Discworld
Mira Grant - Newsflesh series
30 Rock
Robin McKinley - Spindle's End
Robin McKinley - Damar series

I'm not sure I really understand the new qualification process...if I nominated something and it went through, does that mean it's eligible? I hope so! I would really like to write Leverage for Yuletide!

:D :D :D Hooray for Yuletide!

Watching Dora with the kids I'm babysitting - Dora and Boots are "using their imagination" to tell a new ending to the 3 Little Pigs, complete with little red riding hood, Jack and the bean stalk and others. I love teaching them young that fanfiction is awesome!

Also, I kind of want to nominate the usbourne "That's not my..." series for Yuletide. I want to know what happens at that mouse's house when the bear fights the mermaid or the train gets hijacked by the fairy. And why can't the mouse ever remember which is his until he notices a characteristic like a fluffy tail, instead of realizing that it's completely the wrong color? Dissociative amnesia? Alcoholism?

I imagine him with a long-suffering butler who tries to impose some form of order while the mouse runs around all batshit insane. And the dragon gets sick of its owner mistaking it for uglier dragons and just starts eating bitches.

Update on Dora: every scary thing they meet is a "NICE _____" Snore. Though I should have guessed it when the wolf doesn't eat any of the pigs and then goes home because the pig with the brick house was so brave. Moar eating, plzkthx.

I guess I should be glad we aren't watching iCarly, like last night?

Posted via Journaler.

Flist! It has been too long! But my life is terminally boring, so there's nothing really thrilling to say.

I overbooked myself last night (which I never do!) so had to pick which family to cancel on. I shrewdly chose the family with a 10 year old and a 7 year old - two of the most self-sufficient kids I know - so that I could sit for a new family. I didn't want them to think I was flaky!

...

The children screamed the ENTIRE night. And the older one decided he liked me enough to demand that I hold him, but not enough to stop shrieking in my ear that he wanted his mom. Every time one would start to calm down the other would ramp up and set his brother off again. WORST CHILDREN EVER.

FAIL, self. Should have chosen the kids you didn't have to feed, bathe, change and put to bed, all while they yelled like someone was murdering them.

I'm babysitting right now but the baby's asleep so I'm counting down the minutes and crossing my fingers that she stays that way till her parents get home!

How's tricks, flist?

Posted via Journaler.

Is about to send me into a rage coma. With their fucking DTA nonsense and my Tivo not working and I just want to scream and gah! Adios, post-yoga zen mood. Hello, totally useless customer service people and major fail and rage wrapped in a shiny, TV-less bow.

RAGE.

I'm gonna go find some more wine now.

To say I am going on vacation! Tomorrow!

I'm going out to Park City, to see friends and ski and generally be awesome. It will be so glorious to not wipe asses and smell like baby food. I am psssyyycccched!

So, anyway, mini-hiatus (what? I've been around! Promise. Reading, just failing at commenting/posting) until next Friday.

:D

I had things to say about snow! In Atlanta! And subsequent power outages!

I had other things to say. In fact, I had other things to do today. All of that has been eclipsed by one simple fact:

A KID I BABYSIT FOR GAVE ME STREP THROAT

The little shit. I feel like I've been run over by three trucks and then run through a washing machine. And I know exactly who it was, and it's particularly unfair because I spent that entire night glued to the anti-bacterial gel because this kid is for reals not potty trained very well. It was revolting and requiring of sanitizing. But still! Sickliness. And of course I'm allergic to penicillin. Way to go, body.

DO NOT WANT.

Thank god for Robitussin and the chicken soup my mom made me. But still.

Do. Not. Want.

So some things have happened since I last made a real post (ok, and one thing I forgot about!) and I thought I would share.

Last night around midnight I said screw it and went to lay down in the guest bed at the people's house where I was babysitting. Five minutes later I heard the garage door open and thought “Yes! I get to go home soon!” But that was not to be. It was the guy who drives these people and their friends around when they are drunk (yes they have way more money than they know what to do with) and he was waiting for them.

So we ended hanging out for about 45 minutes, talking about skiing and movies and Atlanta, and it was really nice! So he got my number and suggested dinner sometime this week. I am pleased, because he is quite cute and also I was not super awkward! Even when I finally figured out that he was hitting on me! So proud.

In other exciting news, I had a pseudo job interview on Friday that went well! The woman lives in the neighborhood and basically said she would try to find me a job at the company she works for, even though she didn't have anything that fit me. But who knows what will happen with that!

Also, the TV in the kitchen is about 5 seconds ahead of the TV in the den, and it is currently driving me INSANE. Yes. the solution is probably to turn off the superbowl in here, as I'm certainly not watching, and turn on some music. But that involves getting up! And knowing that someone will come back in and turn it on soon. Woe. And I wanted the Saints to win. Woe again.

Note to self: Yes, Zombieland is hilarious and not scary, but it is still full of the pop-up scary thing that so disturbs you. So, watching it alone in an enormous house when it's dark outside...probably not your best idea ever.

On a more annoying note: What the fuck is wrong with some people?

For instance: Mom A. She asks: "How long can you stay on Saturday?" (I got there at 10) I say, because I'm a masochist: "Until 4:30!" She arrives home at 4:29 and cheerfully tells me about how she sat at Starbucks for an hour and a half knitting and freezing because she was wearing short sleeves but "didn't want to come home and mess everything up!" Meanwhile I am this close to strangling her older child and telling the younger one that she doesn't exactly need me to make the ponies dance around while she talks to them. PEOPLE. Come home! Jesus.

And Mom B. "What time should I be there on Saturday night?" I ask. She replies that 5:30 would be good. Around SEVEN THIRTY, she and her husband finally leave. Meanwhile, the kid, who had a crazy busy day, is dozing in his bed. I finally get some food into him, but of course around 7:30 he is bouncing off the fucking walls. I had to carry him upstairs and throw him at his bed.

Of course my mom is shocked when I announce that I don't want kids - but why would I voluntarily sign on to do a job for free that right now I charge $15 an hour for?? Yeah, I'm a masochist, but I'm not INSANE.

Anyways. I'm waiting for these parents to roll in, wasted, around 12:30. Then I can wake up tomorrow and do it all over again!

PS flist: at the first house I had to explain what was going on with the anatomically correct Breyer horse (stallion) and I want to throttle all of the Breyer people for making me endure that with a three year old. SO UNNECESSARY.