because everyone needs a hobby

This journal is now friends only.

Banner to follow when I get my act together.

But OMG how did I miss this?!?!

X♥X ~ OPEN FANDOM & OPEN PAIRING KISS MEME ~ X♥X

Screw working. I'm writing snogging. Anyone have fandom requests?

ILU, cinnatart. Kiss memes are the keys to my heart, totally.

I just checked my regular e-mail and now I'm all grinning and happy, because I just totally got my form-letter birthday greeting from Keith Urban. I knew joining the fanclub was a good idea!

Dear [Obi],

Happy Birthday! Have a beautiful day!

God Bless,

Keith

*bounces*

What? I have Keith in my alarm clock, and he sings me awake every day. And, I'm going to see him in 5 days!

Dude, I so need a cowgirl hat.

I also need to run to work, since I switched shifts to be able to do stuff tonight.

I was at work this morning when my co-worker, V, put CNN on.  After a few moments, I realized they were talking about another school shooting, less than two hours from where I live, and much much closer to where my friend annaonthemoon lives.  In Amish country.

For several long moments, all I could do was stare at the TV.  Why? I wanted to know.  They're farmers, for the love of Mike.  These are little children.  They don't have MTV and trench coats, Nikes and the internet.

The monumental unfairness of it all just got worse and worse as reports came in.  He'd let everyone but the girls go.  He... damnit.

I almost cried then, and I'm nearly crying now.  Here's the link to the CNN page on what's happened.  Link.

According to one expert they interviewed on TV, there are 150 one room schoolhouses in Lancaster County.  Children ages 6-13, who have only been raised in familial and religious environments, whose biggest exposure to "the English" probably came from the tourists that flock to the area for quaint country charm and a bit of gawking that lets them escape the harsh cities and the complexities of our modern world.  Well now, I'd say the children in that school, those children who walk up to two miles each way to the same building their parents and grandparents probably went to... I'd say they've gotten one helluvah dose of what they've been missing.

I hate the human race just now.  Just a bit.

Have you voted in the Sorting Hat Awards?

You know, there's less than a day left to vote for me for your favorite stories.

I'm just sayin'.

hp_hardcore presents Hardcore Valentines! Click here to get your own!

*hearts* on you all, so very much!

Today has been one of those weird days, what with the snow finally stopping for good about mid-afternoon. The plough guys blocked me in, again, but the Mr freed Bessie the Bitchy Monte Carlo, so when the association decided to have us all move our cars so they could clear the parking spots, I could actually move my car. It's the little things in life, you know what I mean?

We rented movies while we were killing time until we could park the cars again. The Mr picked Doom, I picked Unleashed. I wanted Elizabethtown and he wanted Curse of the Were-Rabbit, but we had to settle since it seems everyone else in town had the same idea. *pouts*

The only part of Doom I payed attention to, btw, was the first-person shooter sequence. Because I used to rock the Wolfenstein 3D back in the shareware days, baby. =-)

Unleashed provided excellent distraction while I broke up Ron and Terry at vuja_de. Which is good, because I was crying at parts and feeling like a total loser for it. But then, I did create that Ron to be with that Terry and it wouldn't be any fun writing both parts myself. RPGs are wanky enough without me playing with myself, if you know what I mean. *waggles eyebrows in a dimmed and tired manner* Still, it was a harrowing experience, for me and partofmycharm, who is currently not speaking to me. I'll let him have his sulk for a while; he's earned it.

*is a prime-grade DORK*

Okay... I'm going to go pass the heck out. I have school in the morning, and then work after that. *yawn* I need to start sleeping like a normal person.

While I'm off breaking my Ron's heart in vuja_de, I found this beauty in my spam folder in gmail.

What? I'm good at distracting myself.

Anyhow, here it is:

SHY TO FCUK WITH UR SHORT GUN? L0NGER 3" INSTANTLY

is prison embarrass news somewhere?
tying miserable fly,
reply taught pretty money teach taught,
you young gym. black taught news side hard, servants bought news nothing.
few end raise? evening development my how happened?

Personally, I'm rather happy with my "gun."  I think the Mr. might be offended if I said otherwise.  Heh.

Right.  Back to RPG drawmah.

This post has taken me far too long to write.  I blame Sin City for being so damned bizarre. 

1) I totally can't resist the chance to get people to play with me.  *grins*  Go here and tell me what you think of me.  And no, you can't pick swear words or insults, so nyah!

2) It's been snowing here for about sixteen hours now, and I'm wondering if Mother Nature just doesn't need her Prozac dosage adjusted, because last week it was so warm, I left my coat at home most days. 

3) I've made a few changes recently and they've actually given me some spare time.  Time to write, time to relax, time to do my own thing.  Restructuring is a good thing, even if it's difficult sometimes.

4) I'm also trying out Deepest Sender.  It's nothing more than another nifty little toy, because Semagic works fine and dandy, but I kinda like being able to blog in my sidebar and then let my mind wander and surf without having another window open.

5) Also, how cute are those virtual gifts?

And now it's time to sleep the sleep of the sleepy fangirl what needs sleeping.

Done, done, done!

While in the throws of my icon-spree, I accidentally opened one of the image files that I'd done for the page I was designing to go on my pretty domain. And I was most effectively distracted liek whoa. In fact, I've spent almost all of the past day and most available free time this past weekend finishing up what I'd done. I made a community for my icons (iconobsessive), tweaked some pages, coded the five BILLION fics and drabbles I've done since the last time I had a site (a freaking year ago), and then argued with my FTP client and won... all to bring you:





Go on. Look. Read. Tell me if I've screwed anything up too badly. Have fun. Spread the word, because dude I'm proud of this baby.

I'll be over here, recovering from my coding orgy. Mmm... orgy.

I've got a high school reunion coming up, and a couple of us who've kept in touch have been on a yahoo mailing list, and I just joined another one. In trolling the past messages (What I've Been Doing These Past Years), I found one from a guy that I had a wicked crush on in the beginning of my Freshman year. And who I was friends with until the middle of my Junior year (long story that culminates in him with a slushy-icee-type-drink in his lap).

Apparently, he's the Messiah.

*blink*

See, he sent me an email through Classmates.com a while ago, with a link to his (now missing) webpage. And I laughed. And laughed. Because it's been 2000 years since anyone got a religion named after them, sweetcheeks, and he didn't name it himself. (Yes, I know about Gardnerian disciplines, but that just ruins my flow of though) In fact, to quote another former classmate upon hearing about the website: "I wouldn't follow that man out of a burning building!"

It's all over the internet. Go ahead and google it. People have even compared it to Scientology. (I don't want a google search to bring up my LJ)

Hey, it's not every day you find out you crushed on a genius-prophet-messiah.

Can I pick em, or can I pick em?

ETA: The Archived version of his web site. Whee!

(GIP! Thanks, nasturtium!)

I've been making icons for days and I'm having an absolute blast. I've got eleven more to do (I've done fifteen so far), and I should probably be done in the next few days, providing I don't get all OCD and start making more photo manips just to shrink them down to 100x100.

I need to get my butt in gear and go shower and dress for work... I can't be late any more, since I really can't afford to get fired just now. Not when we need a new bathtub, vacuum cleaner, carpet cleaner, and we still haven't bought the new washing machine yet.

What? I put Mr. Obi-1 in charge of it. Hence, it didn't get done. He's waiting for me to lose my temper and do it myself, because I won't let him spent $1200 on a portable washer. Something about gadgets and conversion kits and babbling that loosely translated means, "I found a nifty toy and I want it! Can I? Huh? Can I?"

Either way, I can't get fired, as I need to have a job thing so we can afford to buy these things. Because our vacuum is kaput. Too many of us long-haired freaks in the house, though I think it might have something to do with my having past-the-waist length hair for so long. I do shed like a yeti. And the cats periodically flirt with taking up bulimia as a full-time hobby, so my carpets need to be cleaned. Along with my older cat, who's taken to pinching a loaf in the most trafficked areas in the house when he feels neglected. Or wants to show us that he's not constipated any more.

We'd get him those kitty-grass things, but he ignores them until they die, then knocks it over and tracks dirt around the house.

And yes, the washing machine from Hell is still here. We've gotten very good at stacking the towels, so we only need three full-sized and one hand towel now. *eyeroll*

We also need to get my laptop fixed, but that's waiting until after DragonCon, when I'll hook up the freshly-built external HD that the spouse made me, back up my music, videos, pictures and fanfic, wipe away all traces of my not-entirely kosher software (and teh gay porn) and send the little laptop off to Dell with a gentle but firm command to "make it go."

If they don't fix it, I've got a can of coke with the laptop's name written all over it. I've got that warranty, too, you know.

Right. Time to go shower and dress.

Later!

Comment here with what you think an entry about me in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy would say. Then, copy and paste this meme into your own journal and ask others to do the same for you. If someone has not read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams, then force them to or at least explain the concept of towels.



I had way too much fun with this one already.

In other news, I'm off of work today, I still haven't changed out of my Jammies, my cat is curled up on the sofa pillow right at my shoulder and at the perfect height for me to lay my head on while she purrs and there was an update to an awesome Escaflowne fanfic WiP yesterday that I'm gonna read if I ever catch up on my f-list. Today is a good day thus far. Or, at least it will be, once I get more coffee.

Then I see things like these prom photos, linked by ardenal. (warnings for extreme bad taste, dresses that I suspect were made out of wall paper and one dude with red hair that must really love his girlfriend) The hubby suspects photo manips in some places... but I honestly don't put all this past some of the people around here.

*headdesk*

Now, I don't have children. And I may not ever, if Mr. obsessed1 and I don't get out of this condo and into a house... but if/when I do? I am never letting my daughter out of the house like some of those girls. It's a good idea to encourage your child to have a sense of identity (and I thought the sports team-inspired couples were -- while still tacky -- kinda cute), it's another thing to let a teenager dress like she's trying to be Lil' Kim. Or J. Lo.

Discuss.

If anybody needs me, I'll be cowering in a corner, bleaching my brain and contemplating a crusade against prom dresses that include pasties.

I'm due in at 2. The mall's 15 minutes away. I'll be leaving by 1:30.

Which means I'd better get my arse in gear and shower and all that. Employers seem to like it when members of their management staff show up dressed appropriately. And by appropriately, I mean not in baggy sweat pants and an over sized t-shirt, freshly stolen from the husband's dresser.

I was just talking to irana (who I'm seekritly in love with) about the LMOM on pervy_werewolf. I envy people who can write ficlettes every day for a month... me, I'd get distracted or blocked in the first week. (read: LJ is the ultimate in shiny objects and I can't resist RP with thenotoriousso4, because I'm seekritly in love with her too and we write beautiful prOn together)

But the thing is, I've got a lot of fics I want to finish. I wonder if it would work to take this month off of doing anything that wasn't directly related to creative writing? RP would count, but I'd need to do other fics as well. Finish my Harry/Draco, for starters. And maybe my Neville fic that's due in a week. Oh, and there is the matter of a certain historical fanfic novel that I need to finish, because I'm 2/3 of the way through and my block is slowly dissolving once more.

We'll see... but for now, I have to finish my coffee and get a move on that shower-make up-dressing thing. Oh, and maybe do something with my hair (I need a haircut so friggin bad!). I mean, I could just sort of leave it all knotted and manky (yay! fuckhair!), but somehow I don't think that would be a good idea...

Wow, I really want to be on time. This is so cool.

Wish me luck, guys!

Even I get annoyed with my self pity now and then.

So, how is everyone today?

Note to self: You are very alergic to something in Ben&Jerry's Half Baked Carb Karma ise cream. For future reference, Do not eat it again.

It was nummy. It was sweetened with Splenda. It was by those wonderful, wonderful men. I was oh so happy.

Until the cold-induced numbness on the roof of my mouth faded out and I realized my throat and mouth were so swollen I could barely breathe.

Damn. Walnuts and Snapple have nothing on the rapidity and severity of this bad boy.

I sent the hubby out for Benadryl (liquid), took the max dose, and now I'm sleeping while sitting up, but I can breathe again and I can actually use my voice again!

And on that note, I bid you all goodnight!

Have you read maggie_malfoy's Ever Fallen In Love? If not, then you really - and I mean really should.

It's in two parts (Part One - Harry) (Part Two - Draco), G-rated, and absolutely wonderful. If I were to summarize it, this post would be about as long as either of the two parts. Unrequited love, H/D. Read it, darlings, read it and spread the word!

annaonthemoon came out to visit again this weekend, and we went out to Philly to see this awesome band play. The band is The Queue ( http://www.thequeueband.com ) and I absolutely suggest you check them out. Their album is available by the song on iTunes, too. Or, when they play again in March, anyone in the Philly area could always come out for the night and hang with us. *hint-hint*

Anyhow, some pictures: ( Cut for manners and because they're kinda big )

These guys are like Ben Folds Five on krak. They rock my socks so hard.

That, and they're all really cool to hang with. (which means if you go with us, you get to meet them after the show!)

*ahem*

Good sweet heavens... I really should do some of that sleeping thing, since I have to leave for work in 5.5 hours.

deirdre_riordan says today is Cookie Amnesty Day. So, I give you:

An opening scene co-written with fireyhaze for a fic that died out on us, but I'm keeping around in case I can use it later on:

( In which Lunch is served and Ron uses Harry's name too often )

---

Another opening, this one written just by me, and since discarded as just not the way I want to start the angsty Snarry fic it was supposed to be for:

( In which Snape bitches about Harry and takes tea with a portrait )

---

Here's a fun one. Back when I first started playing with the idea of my founders fic that I worked on for NaNo (I got the idea more than a year ago), I wrote this introduction of Godric Gryffindor. Those who are on my Nano filter (and yes, I'm still working on it. The holidays are just getting in the way.) will get the biggest giggle out of this one, if only for the drastic difference (this is a long one):

( In which Gryffindor is cranky, drinks ale and thinks about the past )

---

And, finally... LotR fic. *headdesk* It would have been primarily Movie-verse with a smattering of what information I could glean from those who actually managed to make it through the books. I stopped when I realized most of what I was writing and plotting was based on fanon.

I can NOT believe I'm posting this!

( In which Legolas talks about nothing of great importance and I stop mid sentence )

---

There are others, too, including a Snarry PWP I had completely forgotten about until I just found it again tonight and a Snape/OFC Mary Sue that I actually finished a rough draft on, and I might clean up and post to mary_stew (yay! Shameless plug!).

Anyhow, I'm wired, so I think I'll get some writing done now. Tomorrow (today, really) is a day off from work, and I have to brave the malls for a few more gifts and stocking stuffers.

Censorship is bad, nasty and evil.

LJ-cuts, on the other hand are a wonderful, wonderful thing. For those of us with extensive friends lists and/or limited time online, un-cut posts make the f-list take longer to load and - quite honestly - more annoying to scroll through if the reader isn't in the mood to read about the color, texture and scent of today's belly button lint.

In order to spread the love of consideration and space conservation, I bring you the following quote from the LJ FAQ page on LJ tags. In order to have it actually show up here, I have inserted spaces after the < marks and before the >. When using the actual tags, those spaces shouldn't be used.

( What it is and how to use it )

If you want to break things down like I have here, you cut, /cut, then cut again. It keeps things all nice and neat and stuff.

( How can you judge when to use them? )

Learn it. Love it. Please.

---

It's not one particular person, and I know I've done it once or twice recently myself. But when it's a regular habit, it kind of sets one's teeth on edge. Please, guys? I don't care about the adult material, since I no longer surf from work and my friends and family know better than to read over my shoulder, but my finger is getting a cramp from paging down over and over and over again just to skip past posts I don't even want to read because I'm so irate by then. I have people friended because I want to keep up with them, but I'll be damned if I have to create a special no-cut filter just so I don't have to deal with this so much any more.