No sir...

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:19:31 GMT

creatore_magico is taking commissions and he drew me Ten with Donna and Martha in front of the TARDIS. *flails*

So that has been my happy this week. How is it only Tuesday? I'm guessing this week may not be good for head space.

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:50:05 GMT

Le sigh. How is it Sunday night already. Achievement of the weekend has been catching up on my sleep and submitting my harry_holidays fic. I am quite happy with it and it could have a sequel at some point. Now to start playing around with my yuletide fic. I have a bit to play with so I'll see.

Planning to catch up on Merlin tonight which is just what I need and maybe a couple of episodes of Blackadder. Katie McGrath was in the first episode of the Queen on Channel 4 this evening along with Emilia Fox. It was actually quite good as well as being very pretty.

Ho hum. What a dull life I've been leading.

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:38:25 GMT

I'm off to LGBT conference today and will be returning on Sunday.

As it's in Cardiff, I'm hoping that I might get some time to go on Who/Torchwood place spotting, even if it's just going to Roald Dahl Plass. So don't break the internets when I'm gone.

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:45:31 GMT

My head is so fail-y at the moment. I swear my brain is leaking out of my ears. I will think of stuff to say whilst at work on the bus and then completely forget until the middle of the night.

But my yuletide assignment came. I just need to find my hook and I think I will be fine. But to my mystery author:

ILU. Whatever you do is amazing.

Tamora Pierce - Tortall series
I especially love George and Liam (the Shang Dragon), so would love to see a fic set away from the Palace featuring them or just not set in the world of nobility (so with the Bazhir or K'miri or just in the Lower City will be amazing). But no pressure! I'm happy with slash/het/gen so please don't feel you have to crowbar romance or any particular pairing into the fic. Just no character bashing please! To add to my sign up details, please don't feel you have to write any of this. Pre Lioness Rampant, with Buri and Thayet would also be awesome. So when I said any character, I meant it.

Tamora Pierce - Circle of Magic series
Post Will of the Empress fic would be just made of win. Or fic set between the two quartets or between the Circle Opens and WotE. Just go with the plot bunnies with this fandom. No preferences on pairings or lack thereof.

Make it or Break It
Anything would be amazing in this fandom. Go crazy. I would love to see what happened to Sasha to make him just disappear out of the gymnastics world.

Noel Streatfeild - Ballet Shoes
I would love to see what the Fossils were doing post Ballet Shoes after Gum returned. I would love anything in this fandom

Golly. He's gone a bit mental. But Rusty is really playing up with the falling apart of the Doctor!God. Less bashing us over the head with your atheist agenda. Kthxbye. And the Master. That looks very interesting. I can't wait till Christmas to see more.

There was more but whatevs.

ETA: Fic will be posted when I have time to edit it a little.

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:15:41 GMT

It's that time of year when I need to start writing cards. If you wish to have a Christmas/seasonal card and your address has changed from previous years, please leave it in comments. Or if I don't have your address. Comments are screened and check this tag to check previous addresses held.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:18:29 GMT

1. Submitted my yuletide sign up. Just waiting for my confirmation email now.

2. Will be posting my ownficfest here in the next couple of days.

3. I will also be making a Christmas card post as well.

4. The two minutes silence today was very well observed. I appreciate being able to have a time to reflect as I missed watching the main services on Sunday.

5. I have a mental health day booked for next week. And I need it just to stop and recoup.

6. Birthday greetings to lkaet

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:25:15 GMT

Happy birthday to schmoo999 and happy belated birthday to softrock.

I saw one of my best friends from school last night. I hadn't seen her in ages and it was lovely to spend some time with her. Plus her fella is less of a drip than the others.

I haven't watched this week's Merlin but it looks like people were on the whole pleased.

For the Fallen - Laurence Binyon

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:34:58 GMT

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill: Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres.
There is a music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncountered:
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables at home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

Remembrance Sunday lets us remember the fallen. It's not about the rights or wrongs of the combat in which they fell. It's about knowing that there are families who have lost fathers and mothers, sons and daughters and brothers and sisters. The fallen don't choose to die.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end they remain.

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:26:38 GMT

1. yuletide sign ups have started. I'm still deciding on my fandoms. I have at least one given but I'm still deciding on the others. But this is one of my favourite time of the year.

2. Good grief. I feel like I spent all day in meetings today. But I did have lemon cake with my tea this morning. Nom nom nom.

3. Fireworks going off outside my window but am still dithering about going to a proper display. I'm going to be shattered tomorrow after work but will be out and about on Saturday. Maybe just looking at the pretty from my window with a glass of wine in my jim jams.

4. Went to see Fantastic Mr Fox. I was disappointed in it as an adaptation but as an animation, - it was very cool. It was light and fluffy but with some major fetish fuel for the furries.

5. *yawns* Thank fuck it's Friday tomorrow.

6. Is there someone on my flist good with layouts? If so, can you design me one and I will offer some kind of exchange. I feel like a change but don't understand stylesheets.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:00:15 GMT

Got back yesterday from the annual Halloween weekend away. (Can it be called annual now on the grounds that it's happened more than once?) We went to Cadhay House which was so beautiful and just outside Ottery St Mary. It was pure Weasley country and despite just having 200 year old china just lying around, it was such a lovely weekend.

Photos to follow when I get round to sorting through them from my phone.

The Magical Amount A Rita and Lockhart fic. Rita walks the line of being bitchy and being snarky and Lockhart is just a tosser and it's just funny.

I have some more fics left to read in my tabs but that will have to do for now.

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:35:16 GMT

Happy birthday to tudorrose1533 and nessaja82. Hope you both have good days.

I'm off to Devon for the weekend, so everyone have a good weekend and don't break the Internet :)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:10:42 GMT

Happy birthday to abbeydale and bexpotter. Hope you both had good days.

Two fic recs for tonight before I go to bed:

One More Minute Non-con, dub-con and chan. So, if any of those trigger you or aren't for you don't read this. Because this is a fic that really lingered with me and I can't explain how it made me feel. I just kept thinking about and it was a little unnerving.

The Detectives at Number Twelve Winky - centric. Yes, the house elf. The style reminded me of the The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency with the way it's established. But it just made me smile.

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:22:49 GMT

Happy belated birthdays to erikdesoir, loony_moony and missmonkeydust. I'm sorry I was crap and failed to send you wishes on the day.

But I have been a bit of a social animal this week. I went to an event on Wednesday in Brixton that was the launch of the Remembering Olive Morris collection. My mum knew her in the70s as they were in the same Black Women's group and she sounds like she was awesome. She died of cancer at quite a young age and there was a lot of the old school crowd there.

I also went to see Sister Act on Thursday and it was a lot better than I expected. It's a different animal to the film - none of the music is the same but it was very funny and I liked how they used the set.

More union meetings yesterday but am looking forward to LGBT conference next month, where I will be taking up a seat on the National committee, Not sure how I managed that.

Now I have more recs:

Tears and Daggers Marietta Edgecombe's version of OotP. This is quite an interesting looking at OotP and I actually felt quite sorry for Marietta. She's trying to do what she sees fit and just muddling through.

A Selection of Souls Souls, to a Dementor, are like chocolates in a box. Each taste reflects the essence of a particular soul. I've never read a fic from a Dementor view point and it's a very interesting look at Dementors or at least this particular Dementor.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe A very nice little look at the relationship between the Patil twins, set during PoA with a cameo from Professor McGonagall.

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:59:28 GMT

I am so glad it's Friday. I am so tired, I just want to sleep for days.

But yesterday was my final exam. 3 and 3/4 hours burbling about utter rubbish and let's just hope I pass. and if I do, I will be a graduate by Christmas!

This Is Not A War Story Luna centric fic. Luna fought in the war but she's not a soldier. She doesn't define herself by that and I liked how there was a real sense of self that came through.

Majesty. Professor McGonagall meets Queen Elizabeth II. It shouldn't work but it does. You see a human being behind the Queen and McGonagall is well drawn. Gold star for this one!

A Prudential Light Pride and Prejudice fic. Charlotte Lucas centric and I thought this was brilliant. Charlotte is really fleshed out in this.

Life and Death Being Human - Annie centric. Quite a nice little look of Annie's changing views on life and death during Season 1. I quite liked the way she saw Mitchell and George differently in the way they viewed their 'problems'.

Kingdom Come New!Who Martha Centric. Set mainly during Human Nature and Family of Blood. I love Martha and this shows her taking her own title of Doctor and realising that she needs to find her own way.

The Mighty, Mighty Kmetkos. First - Make it Or Break It fic and secondly good fic at this. Looks at Emily and Chloe and it's a really sympathetic view of Chloe. She gets a bit of a short shift in canon but I have new love for her now.

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:52:10 GMT

Happy birthday to maple_clef and wildesidewalker. I hope you both had good days.

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:35:19 GMT

Happy coming out day. Although, I wonder how happy it can be. Reading some people's coming out stories (such_heights and adjectivemarcus off the top of my head) makes me realise how lucky I am. My parents were remarkably all right with me coming out as bi. Being 'out' has helped me get a lot more involved in my trade union activities (including speaking at my first two conferences!) and slowly becoming more politicised. It's helped my articulate my slight disenchantment with the Labour party at the moment and I have to strongly consider who I will be voting for in the next elections. So yeah.

No Shame Art from Team Canon and it feels like you're intruding on a private moment. Nd watercolours!

Once Upon a Dream Harry/Luna. Luna is very cute in this with enough flights of fancy to make me grin and there's a retelling of Arabian nights in Harry's dreams.

The Prisoner's Remorse Remus Lupin, Gellert Grindelwald (with implied Remus/Sirius and Dumbledore/Grindelwald). I have no words as to how to describe this. It's all about betrayal and war and it's aftermath.

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:58:50 GMT

Happy birthday to goddessvicky!

Les Yeux du Loup Team AU. Normally I don't like the whole trope of the wolf being a separate being but this author played with it and I feel that worked. I nearly didn't read this fic but I'm glad I did.

Clouds and their Linings Team AU Any fic that brings in a concept of Golden Lining days is awesome and the fact that this whole fic took place in Kew Gardens and just felt lovely is adorable.

The Seeker's Keeper It's a murder mystery with Quidditch and feels a little like an Agatha Christie novel. It just made me smile.

Back for the Fight Neville centric fic. It's his view of what happened during DH and it just reminded me why I love Neville so much.

Good grief. I am so glad it's Friday. I think if I sit somewhere comfy, I'll fall asleep.

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:03:19 GMT

Portrait of a Young Man Team Canon. Pure fluff. This fic made me just smile an smile. It's juts fluffy and sweet and made me a little giddy.

echoing around me Team Canon. This on the other had is a lot more poingnent.

Happy birthday to llassah!

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:55:07 GMT

Happy belated birthday to jamesly. Sorry I'm a bit late.

My exam yesterday went all right. I didn't dry up during my my presentation and although I hate to think what I was doing to my grammar during the free speech bit, I was a bit deflated by the end. Just a sense of "Is That it?" But by the time I had finished, I couldn't to hp_uk_meetup because by the time I would have got there, I would hardly have time to see anyone before having to come home. Fail. But I did go to CAMRA's beer festival last night and had yummy cider and hog roast.

rs_games and ownficfest have both started posting so some fic recs!

Focus Remus is very private and quiet and I like how he seems to be overshadowed by Sirius and to a lesser extend James and Lily. He says in it that he knows that he'd essentially be almost beige if he hadn't gone to Hogwarts and ended up friends with the others. Plus a pirate eye patch which is very sweet. (Team Canon)

don't leave me now, close at the edge of my end team AU art, It made my heart ache a little when I think of how things could have gone if there was a little bit of trust.

Best Served Cold (Lucius/Sirius, Sirius/Draco) NC-17 AU with some dub con. In this, you still have Sirius not being able to see shades of grey when exacting his revenge against the Malfoy family. So yummy darkish fic.

Recondita armonia. Educating the Black Sisters do not go to plan. Oh goodness. I have no words as to how wonderful this is. All three Black sisters are so well rounded out and the coda at the end made me want to weep. Andromeda and Narcissa sort of meet again but they are their own people and break ut from their upbringing in their own way.

The Perfect Blue Sky Dr Who/HP crossover with hints at Harry/Draco and the Doctor and Draco friendship. Oh my word this is wonderful. Pansy in this is adorable and this is a post war fic pre epilogue and it was meta textual universes and *sighs*. It was light and just wonderful. If there's one you read, read this. It's post Season 4 of New!Who and it shouldn't work but just does.

There's more at the comms for both but these are the ones that have really stuck with me so far.

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:07:49 GMT

Why am I still awake? I was yawning all the way through today and I'm still not in bed. I've been pootiling around and half revising German grammar and preparing for my oral on Saturday. Woe.

Happy birthday to ethuil. I hope you've had a good day.

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:14:38 GMT

Fic recs:
Love Steals Us From Loneliness Coda to Episode 2 of Merlin and makes up for the lack of Morgana.

2 fluffy little kisslets both Merlin. Strawberry Fields (Morgana/Gwen/Merlin) and Dancing Lessons (Gwen/Morgana).

The Supervisor's Tale (HP gen). Just how did a new translation of The Tales of Beedle the Bard by Hermione Granger make it into Muggle bookstores? Minerva McGonagall explains.

The relationship between Merlin and Arthur has reverted a bit but not all the way back to what it was between them in the first one or two eps of season 1. And I think the main problem with interpersonal relationships is that the format is still very "Monster of the Week" as opposed to having character driven episodes. SO a lot of the character moments do feel a bit tacked on (and although I think Gwen/Arthur is rather sweet, could the kiss be any cheesier? I mean romantic music and a convenient slant of sunlight. Come on.)

I do enjoy the programme but I think for me to love it, I think there need to be more overreaching story arcs mixed in with the Monster of the Week episodes because at the moment, it almost feels like they're hitting the rest button after each episode.

And on a completely different note, I know a lot of you are having a shitty/stressful time of it lately and I'm thinking of you.

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:09:22 GMT

Quickly before my internet dies again, happy birthday to multiclassgeek.

And I am ashamed to say that I have been reading a lot of Babysitter's Club fic in the last few days. I haven't read anything amazing but does anyone have any good fic recs/pimps? I don't even know if there's an active fandom. *flails a little*

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 22:20:26 GMT

Happy birthday to pinkbutterflies. I hope you had a lovely day.

Today was absolutely mental at work. I came so close to punching someone on the nose. Grr. But I restrained myself and threw a wobbly out of sight. If 3 people are all telling you the same thing, there's no point shouting at them. So I was particularly unimpressed. I've had a nice glass of wine with some yummy chowder for dinner and feel a lot better. *looks at music* Relevant music is relevant.

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:54:52 GMT

Eid mubarak to those coming to end of Ramadan. And happy birthday to nyourdrms.

Fic recs.
How We've Grown. Coda to 2.01 so spoilers.
Scents on the Wind. Narnia fic and Hwin centric (as in the mare from The Horse and His Boy). It's just very sweetly written and feels like a missing scene from canon.
And a fun Merlin/Torchwood crossover. Rebirth. No spoilers for Season 3 of Torchwood or Season 2 of Merlin.

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:44:23 GMT

Happy birthday to melusinahp and midnitemaraud_r. I hope you both had lovely days.

My uncle's obit was in the paper today. If anyone is interested, it's here. It was quite funny being at the funeral and realising how many 'work' people were there. Logically, I always knew he wrote plays but he was never one to bang on about it.

I had a lovely afternoon with sillyshy. We had lunch and we watched. I squeed and made slashy comments.