Happy Birthday, Joules!

(<blink> Whoa, that's bright...)

Have a great day! : )

Hot, tired and grumpy. Time for an update.
It was 37.C today, 35 yesterday. Though I can't complain, I spose, we've had a run of really soft Summer days recently; temperatures between 21 and 26. Quite acceptable. Should start winding down to Autumn now, though there's likely to be at least one more hot spell before then.

Grrr... Our caring sharing government - who fancies itself a benevolent dictatorship Pater Familias who only wants to gently guide its errant children in the right direction cos we've got such silly notions about Democracy and Free Thinking - is making noises about changes to the Office of Film and Literature Classification. The Censor, in other words.
The Government apparently wants to dismantle the independent body and make Censorship its own responsibility. It's been speculated that this is because of pressure from some right-wing 'family' groups wanting less rude things appearing in our cinemas.
I know I'd not welcome input from our 'Leaders' about what I can and can't watch. Especially when our 'Leaders' are being openly influenced by minority groups not known for their tolerance or open-mindedness. >:( Bloody cheek.

Just read an interesting wee book by Emma Thompson: her diary of the 65 days of filming for Sense & Sensibility. She didn't go into any great depth but it was amusing, if not as 'wickedly honest' as the blurb promised. There were a few giggles though, a couple of smirks, but no scandalous revelations about her co-stars (except for a mention of Hugh Grant's little problem in LA.)
But now I want to see the movie again, and reacquaint myself with Colonel Brandon. Hee.

Housemate had 'Gundam-something-or-other' on the telly last night. I don't pay it much attention, except to notice the occasional, soulful bish, however, last night's episode cracked me up.
To set the scene: one of the bad buys has been caught and he angsts on about how he killed one of the good guys cos <hand to forehead> 'he killed my brother'. Annoying (good-guy) female exclaims in disbelief:
'You knew Kira!!!!??' (Implied OMG!!! dramatics. <sigh> and I couldn't be arsed checking the character's name, anyway...) At which point I rewrote the script in my head.

Her: You knew Kira?!
Him: Only Biblically.
Her: ... what?
Him: <sigh> Nevermind...

<g>

I've joined Yaoi Daily. Oh dear, this place is a time sink if ever I've seen one. <evil smirk>
I tried to d/l some manga but Carli (my 'puter gremlin) chucked a mental and froze FireFox. Overwhelmed by smut, she was, poor thing. She's obviously a visual creature cos written smut poses no problem at all... : )

Hah! The (probably only first) tweaking of chapter 1 has garnered an extra 300 words. Hah! I might even crack 200k by the time I'm done. Long, long way to go, though I'm sure tweaking 37 chapters won't take as much time as it took to write them initially. Eh, we'll see. I'm giving myself a schedule of a.m's: SFSG - p.m's: anything else that catches my attention, including a tentative start on the next novel. Hee, could be fun...

I really like gum trees. Sometimes, when the sun's shining full on them, the leaves flash silver or gold, and I worked out why. The light shines through the leaves of Euro trees but tends to be reflected from Australian species. (Conservation of moisture, an' all that.) I love the dappled effect you get from some of the Euro trees in Summer but the sparkly gums...? Just beautiful...
And on the way to school the other day I noticed something else. Don't know the exact species of eucalypt but the bright yellow-green clusters of new gumnuts stood out amongst the darker green of the long, gracefully curved leaves, both contrasting nicely with the coral red of the branches' new growth. I pointed it out to the cubs but I'm not sure they have the same appreciation for colour and form that I do - though that can be learnt. I used to think Australian plants were ugly, dusty, scraggly things, until I returned to England for a short while and experienced Euro plants in their native habitat. Only then could I begin to appreciate the unique beauty of the Aus natives in their natural environment. Does that make sense?
Coincidentally, it was around that time I began to take an interest in conservation and the 'Green' movement. Though perhaps it was no coincidence at all.

(Nicked from Rakina, several days ago: )

Tame? Tame? Hmph.

L	Luxurious
U	Unnatural
T	Tame
R	Relaxing
A	Ambitious

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

(And Ambitious? Certainly, but not in the status-conscious house-car-job-money way. Neither do I want to rule the world - too much like hard work. Just so we're clear, mm'kay?)

As I was putting the rubbish out this evening I saw a cloud shaped like a hare running flat out. It made me laugh cos it was a 'Weeee! Look how fast I can go!' movement, rather than an 'Aaargh! Something's trying to eat me!' movement. <g>

I made a cheesecake yesterday, a proper baked one. Having never made one before I thought it was about time I made the attempt. It was mostly successful; it tastes right and the texture, while a teensy bit wet, isn't far off what I'd consider to be a 'good' cheesecake. A smidge less moisture next time should fix that. The cubs informed me it wasn't the best cheesecake they've tasted but it was still good, and they still scoffed three pieces each. <eyebrow> High praise, I'm sure.

<chuckling> Watching the news tonight I heard about a sprinter training for the upcoming Commonwealth Games being told by his coach to 'run as if you've stolen something'. : ) It worked; he won his heat.

Hee. Joules has uploaded her reworked site and there's three of my new Snucius ficlets (and a Snupin!) in the passworded, adult-rated section. Who'da thought? Harry Potter slash on Joules' site... <eg>
However, the first three chapters of SFSG have been beta'd (thanks, Joules!) now so I need to get back to work. : )

Yay! Joules has started beta'ing SFSG for me. Not surprisingly she's picked up a lot of inconsistencies, cliches and niggles, but that was expected. I wasn't going back and editing earlier chapters as I sorted out or firmed up some of the more nebulous ideas I had there at the beginning. It's good though, <nods>, very good - going to be a much better, tighter story for her efforts. : )

Hee. Been spending a fair bit of time here, in the Harry Potter Essays community. Some interesting points discussed and argued, with evidence from the books put forward as proof. <g> What it comes down to, I suppose, is that you can read what you want into the story and if you look hard enough you'll find canon to support your theory. Though, given the depth some of these contributors are going to I'm wondering if they're reading too much into the books, perhaps giving the author too much credit. I don't think JKR is a particularly skilled writer; great world-builder, but... I sometimes get the impression she's written herself into corners, or is looking out over gaping plot holes. How do I know? Cos there are times I experience the same wincing cringe I get when I cock-up in my own fics, when I've cobbled something together that should cover the discrepancies... as long as no one leans too heavily on the joins. <g>

Fanfic sniggers: 'Weeping man-meat'
Can't remember where I found that but to be fair, it was a satire. I'd be howling if I found it in a serious fic.

And I found this fabulous HP fan-artist! I've spotted some of Brevisse's work used in lj icons and been intrigued. Anyway, through a link of link I got to her site. It's mostly Snarry and some of it so, so funny! F'rinstance - "Fandom Snape v. Canon Snape" (Multiple panel comics; scroll down) has had me giggling like a lunatic for over a day now. And "Halloween costume" - which, to my shame took me a little time to understand at first - is giggleworthy, too. Oh, and "In Which..." is just lovely; sweet and poignant, straight from canon, sort of. (I really, really need a printer... and a spare bit of wall to stick things up on...)

Ack! Just over 3 weeks and we're at the end of this - very short - term!

And so it came to pass that the CrossDressing!Ron plot-bunny thundered down upon me like an enraged rhinoceros. I beheld it in all its spangled glory and saw that it was good...
... and I think I can make it plausible, too. Hee. : )

In my parents' house it was always 'Don't read at the table'. Here, it's 'Don't get food on the books'. <g>

I forgot to mention that a good proportion of the National Gallery's corridor floors are made out of glass. Tempered glass, I don't doubt, but it still made me nervous. Glass isn't for walking on. I stuck close to the edges and hung on to the rails so that if any of the panels cracked under my weight I wouldn't plunge to my death...
And of course Penny was wearing a skirt so the glass floors made her uncomfortable for a whole 'nother reason. True, the panels were mostly frosted but there were regularly spaced thumbnail size patches of clear glass as well. We could plainly see the tile pattern on the floor below, so chances were someone looking up would get an eyeful. Hn. Not the best design choice for flooring, I'd say...

<g> I recently got myself a set of poi and I've been playing about with them a little. It's harder work than I would've thought, I worked up a sweat today even though I only spent a few minutes practicing. And it's trickier than it looks, trying to keep the things twirling parallel. But fun! I need to get hold of some decent tutorials so I can learn to do some tricks without braining myself. Those tennis balls hurt when you whack yourself at speed. : )

Nicked from a friend of a friend:

Mmmm... pancakes...
('Date a Swede'? That' really, really funny after the dream I had the other night.)

You Should Date A Swede!

You're a romantic, albeit an understated and practical one. It's more about a steady partnership for you, not unrestrained falling Your Swede will give you the unwavering love you crave While making up some mean pancakes and meatballs on the side!

Which Foreign Guy Should You Date?

And a recently discovered comic. Two Lumps. Whoever writes this knows cats. <g> (Link is to the most recent strip but go back to the beginning, it's a lot of fun. : )

I saw a fridge magnet that said:

"I am the pink flamingo on the great lawn of life..."

<g> I quite like that...

Well. For someone who wasn't going to be writing any HP fanfic I've not done too badly these past few weeks. Aside from that first, original, Snupin I wrote for the Master and The Wolf challenge thingy at the end of last year there's now 3 more ficlets ready to go up at The Zone when the new site's running. Hee. : ) Another Snupin and two parts of a three-part Snucius. Naturally, there's a third part of that to follow - and another longish Snupin planned, and a shortish one. (And possibly another ficlet that doesn't star anybody in particular but is the follow-on thought from something I saw on a HP community.) Then we'll see what happens, see if I'll have managed to burn out the (mild) obsession.
But then, someone made a comment on their lj that there wasn't enough CrossDressing!Ron stories. I quite agree, and I await the plot bunny with interest.

I've just finished reading Half Blood Prince for only the second time since it was released. Of course, I'm more favorably disposed towards the fandom now but even so it's better the second time 'round - not quite so many "Oh...what?!" moments. <g> The plot seems to hang together a little better now, and there's some very interesting snippets I've garnered about some of the characters. Stuff I missed the first time I galloped through the book. Yerrsss... interesting indeed.

I think I've got the beginnings of a sequel to SFSG. Oddly enough it came to me in a dream. : ) There's not a lot to go on at the moment but there were a few ideas that [ping]ed during the development for SFSG that weren't used. They'd fit quite nicely into the sequel though. Something to make notes on and ponder for a bit.
Heh, and the next novel I'd planned is stirring in the primordial sludge of my imagination. From a very basic outline it's expanding into something, hopefully, kinda interesting.
And I'll get to dip again into the huge list of typos I've been collecting. Some of those pseudo words make the best alien names...

Penny and I traipsed into the city yesterday to have a browse around the National Gallery. (No link; too tired to look it up.) That place is huge! I think we only got to see half but that's fine, by the end of the day I was culcha'd out, and it means we can happily go back another time to have a look at the rest. I'm taking a sketchpad next time - there's a wonderful Flemish altar screen from the 16th century and it's loaded with costume details!

Oh yes, really tired now. I'm yawning hard enough to put my jaw out. Again.

(Quoted from Onna in the previous post's comments:)

"Wonderful news about the first draft completion! It is a BIG load off your mind, yeh?"

Thank you! But actually, no, not as much as I would've thought. It's great to finally reach the end of the story but now it's a case of: right, right - that was fun but now I have to work. <g> I haven't finished with it yet anyway, not really, not until after the rewrite/s, and even then... It's quite exciting really. : )

I've been observing high-school boys cos my cubs will be there in a couple of years and I'd like some idea of what I'm in for. In a word - shaggy. Or shaggy combined with hair gel for that fashionably tousled look. <shakes head> They never would've got away with that in my day.
And my goodness some of these boys are tall! It's like walking through a forest of uniforms.

Good gods, I do believe I've actually finished SFSG!
37 chapters and just over 180K words. <shakes head> I'd never have believed it possible a year ago - not only finishing something this big but that it'd be this big at all. <fuge g>
It's taken just over 11 months, and would have certainly taken longer without Joules' encouragement (and nagging, when it was warranted <g> ). So now I'm having a little drinkie to celebrate - even though it's still only early afternoon - but I'll probly have some more tonight after the cubs are in bed.
And then? And then I'm going to play about with some frivolous Snupins and Snucius' while Joules (gently) rips this first draft to shreds in preparation for the rewrite. : )
I really should get on with the timeline soon though, I think I'm going to need it...

I made some peach chutney! Even 'raw' (ie: freshly made) it tastes very yum. Sort of peachy, and vinegary and caramelly gingery. Mmmm... Going to be even better in a month or two. : ) I think I shall have roast pork to celebrate the opening of the first jar.

Well, Nanny McPhee was better than I expected - after I schooled myself to ignore the Victoriana. Terribly predictable, awfully maudlin in places but engaging none the less. The leads, including the children, were quite capable but it was the performances of the support cast that I enjoyed the most. Definitely more laughs there than from the slapstick. There was one character who was deeply horrible and I could only stare in appalled fascination at her pink cottage with its pink and floral and PINK interior. <g>
The cubs had fun but have no desire to see it again; there was no steam train, you see...
BUT, in the previews:
Oh, dear gods above. They've remade Lassie.
<head->desk> Why?!

Nicked from all over the place (and because I'm procrastinating writing what is ultimately a very important chapter):

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

You see many things through the eyes of a child. Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded. You cherish all of the details in life. Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things.

How Is Your Inner Child?

Yep, absolutely. : )

Your Hair Should Be Purple

Intense, thoughtful, and unconventional. You're always philosophizing and inspiring others with your insights.

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

And I'd agree with this, too.

You Are Rain

You can be warm and sexy. Or cold and unwelcoming. Either way, you slowly bring out the beauty around you. You are best known for: your touch Your dominant state: changing

What Type of Weather Are You?

Speaking of rain, it's been raining gently off and on all day. The cubs and I dawdled on the way home so we could play leaf-racing in the run-off in the gutters. That was so much fun! We were absolutely soaked by the time we got inside.

And lastly...

You Should Get A Butterfly Tattoo

Girly and funky For you, tattoos are a thing of beauty - not toughness

What Tattoo Should You Get?

Nah, not a butterfly. I like the idea of an SPQR, or a barcode. But a barcode of what? My favourite book perhaps? Favourite CD/DVD? Favourite biscuit? Alcohol? A particularly bizarre sex-toy?
I couldn't just make up a barcode, no, it'd have to mean something...