Heh, well the cub has decided he doesn't want to go to the wedding after all. Not a problem for me, really, I'm feeling decidedly dodgey. Had an extra 5 hours sleep today and I'm still bone-weary - and craving salt and carbohydrates! Gah, even asked the cubs' father to bring me home some take-away from the Golden Arches of Doom tonight! I must be ill... : )

<bites nails> Joules has started the next 'l/L chapter!

185 stars finished and I've cut out all the hexagons needed. : ) Very pleased...
Now, do I finish putting all the stars together before I baste the paper into the hexagons? Hm, I think so, let's get one job completely finished before starting the next.

(nicked from the Meeces' Hole:)

So... I can summon lightning with superhuman strength, have impenetrable skin and am protected from twisted plans... No evil overlord can take me on <BG>

Ahah! And with those superhero powers you'll need a superhero costume! Now, let's see.. what goes well with green and purple with spangly fringing? (Cos that's my - ActionOtter's - costume, and we can't clash, the villains would laugh...)

Ow, ow, my throat hurts... I know when I'm genuinely not feeling the best cos I become even clumsier than normal, my patience and tolerance evaporates and my language becomes - um - freer than usual in front of the cubs. : )

One of Rik Mayall's series, Believe Nothing, has just started showing here and it's hysterical. Far, far funnier than anything else I've seen of his, and a lot of it has to do with Michael Maloney's character, the faithful retainer, Albumen. His relationship with his employer is not at all subtle.
<eg> In tonight's episode, Prepare to Meteor maker, Adonis Cnut (Mayall's character), Albumen and the female lead are in a hot-air ballon (don't ask). Cnut orders his man-servant to 'go down' and Albumen immediately drops to his knees in front of his master and says - hoarsely, hopefully - 'Oh sir, does this mean we're friends again?' <rolling around laughing>
Of course, that's not what Cnut means at all though there's a beautiful little pause where we're left in no doubt that that's been the case in the past. The show is peppered with moments like this and I love it, looking forward to next week's ep. : )

Took the cubs clothes shopping after school - what fun! They're going to a wedding on saturday and they've got nothing to wear that isn't made of fleecy or t-shirt material. : ) But what to get them? What's suitable for 8 year old boys to wear to a wedding? (The last wedding I went to was my own, I think, and that was medieval so no help there.) Settled on a pair of reasonable trousers and bright shirt each, that'll do, at least they'll be clean and unchewed!

(And speaking of clothes...) Hee, I've got an old seersucker tablecloth that Soulsis found - it's bright purple and emerald green check (3 inch squares). Do I dare make myself some trousers out of it? I really need some new ones and let's face it, my clothes rarely look 'good' so I may as well go for 'idiosyncratic'!... : )

(And about the monkeys? Don't worry, it was just me parrotting what I'd seen on last night's Life of Mammals episode. <bg> Though as the grazing monkeys are herbivores they're probably very tasty...)

[suspicious look] aijin, why this sudden interest in monkeys? Is this some kind of research? Saiyans are a variety of ape, not monkey. As for eating monkeys... [fastidious shudder]... I think I might draw the line there. Too much like cannibalism...

Well I only managed to get a page of 'Dancing' done but more importantly I know where this chapter is heading now (thanks to Joules for letting me bounce ideas : ) and I've been making notes as I go for the second draft.

Yesterday, Niki gave me a Richard Scarry book in german, and today I sat down with the cubs and we had a look at it. I studied german for a couple of years ages ago and it was encouraging that I could puzzle out some of the text from remembered words. Of course, the bright, clear illustrations didn't hurt either. <g> ('OK, the children are playing with marbles so I guess that word underneath the picture means... marbles.)
I think I got my first Scarry book when I was four and I remember spending hours poring over it by myself. Learnt a lot of vocab from that and my Dr Seuss illustrated Dictionary. I've still got them, tucked away in the garage, they're two of my childhood books I haven't passed on to the cubs. : )

Did you know that infants are protected in baboon society so it's not unusual for an adult baboon, who's feeling threatened, to grab a baby because they know they're not going to be attacked while they're holding it. Smart, eh? And there's tribes of baboons that live near the soda lakes in Africa that have learnt in the past few years to catch flamingos. And there's a species of grazing monkey in Africa that lives in huge 'herds' but because they spend so much of their time sitting down, their sexual characteristics (ie: dominance, virility, social standing etc) are displayed on their chest rather than their hindquarters. Oh, and the bigger the social groups monkey species congregate in the bigger their brains tend to be... I think there's something in that for all of us.

(... yes, I'm sure monkeys are delicious - though that would depend to a degree on what they eat... : )

I think I've finally worked out what's been bothering me about the Thomas the Tank Engine movie.
It's like really bad fanfic, where the author has some great (they think) ideas or is attempting an unlikely cross-over, and all the way through they seem to be madly justifying what happens even though the new ideas just do not mesh with the original story!
I can't believe how badly this movie sucks, or how much it still pisses me off after all this time. What was the reasoning behind the 'additions' I wonder? Was it purely an attempt to make the product more palatable for the US? Was it an effort to 'revamp' the program? Whatever the reason, it didn't work and Britt Allcroft should be forced to watch this crap for hours on end for letting it happen...
Just because a show is designed for little kids (and train-mad older kids <rolls eyes>) doesn't mean you can skimp on the quality of storyline. Even if the kids don't pick up how bad it is, spare a thought for the poor adults who have to sit and watch it with their offspring...

The cubs' father approached me this morning while I was ferreting around for school clothes and asked with a smile if I could remember what we were doing this time ten years ago. Oh, I remembered even though the memory had been overlaid with more relevant bits of information. November 5 is our anniversary - we would've been together 15 years in total.
I still find myself wondering if the marriage could've survived if I'd made more of an effort, but honestly, I don't think it would've, not without me continuing to suppress great chunks of myself. If I'd been completely honest with myself beforehand it's unlikely we would've gotten married anyway, but then I wouldn't have had the cubs... Heh, it's not like the time was wasted.
Sometimes I think it'd be nice not to be on my own but - I have a life, I don't need a partner...

The four-day weekend was very slack, ultimately, the only time the boys got out of their pyjama's was on sunday, when we went swimming, and yesterday when we <gasp> left the house. : )
First, we went to Penny and Sarah's for lunch then sat and watched 'Spirited Away'. (Or rather, Penny, Sarah and I watched the DVD while the cubs played in Sarah's room.) Very interesting movie with a fascinating, detailed world-frame. The animation was pretty good too, though there were times the lead character looked way too much like a monkey. : ) I'd like to see it again sometime.
When we got home from that in the late afternoon, Soulsis came and picked the cubs and I up and we went to Niki's place for dinner. I am so glad the bratlings are all of an age to play more or less harmoniously together now - Niki, Soulsis and I were left pretty much in peace! Very nice, and I sewed some more stars together - I've now completed 174. : )

Well I was sposed to get straight back to 'Dancing' but distracted myself with some more Dystopia. Far too easy to do! Heh, but once I get started it'll all tumble together pretty quickly.

So - the cubs and I cleaned up their room today, including sorting out their shelves (but not the soft toys). Took a couple of hours but we got rid of a few bags of stuff and cleared their floor. Of course, now it's covered in train-track and is still a death-trap for the unwary... <g>

(nicked from the Meeces' Hole:)

It's Cup day on Tuesday (yes, one of Melbourne's public holidays is because of a horse race)

Now, I knew this. (At least, not that it was Tuesday, precisely, but that Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday.) Dick Francis set one of his books there and did a bit of B&E while everyone was busy <g>

Yes, that happens quite a lot, so I hear. : )

I need sausages! ...

...or haddock! (haddock sausages? <shudder> No, hang on, that'd make them fish fingers. With tartare sauce or fresh lemon juice - and chips! Mmmm.... Where was I? Oh yes...)

There's a completely new fic bubbling and I'm not sure where it could go, into which universe. Though, I guess it doesn't need to slot into anything else, it could work as a stand alone like Cat-house Ellis. (But then, that universe is only loosely defined - the fic wouldn't be entirely out of place there. Hm...) Plus Cloudie's next chapter is nagging to be written, as is the Dystopia songfic. But I'm not doing any of that until I've written some more Dancing - be silly to let that slide now it's so close to being finished.
Actually I don't need more time to write all this I just need to be more organised with the time I have. Or be able to type faster, that'd work too. : )

Awww! Sammi's cat, Ginger, has had kittens! 2 tabbys, 1 dark and 1 light ginger. So cute! <squinch>

Okapiprincess has run away for a week - which is good, she deserves a break - but I don't think she's got computer access. Poop. Oh well, have fun, Okapi!

Yay! And I've read the first couple of pages of Joules' next First Light chapter and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for snippets. : )

The cubs and I went swimming this afternoon, which was lots of fun as always (except for the getting them out of the pool and dressed part - which is never fun). Anyway, once we got home I invoked my authority in an attempt to have something other than Thomas the Tank Engine and said it was my turn to choose something to watch. Suprisingly, the cubs agreed, though they vetoed Moulin Rouge because there was a picture of people kissing on the front. <sigh> So we watched Singin' in the Rain instead. : ) The cubs appreciated the slapstick, squealed at the (minimal) romantic stuff and watched 'Make them laugh' half a dozen times, lauging uproariously each time. <g> Heh, just cos their father thinks musicals suck doesn't mean that they will...

The next Dystopia chapter is ready to go and should be posted sometime soon (thank you, Joules!), and the next 'l/L (Joules, with a little bit from me) Vengeance pt 1 is already posted. Not bad for a fairly quiet week, I think.

The results of the Amazing Kiss art competition that onna and Joules entered... (scroll down and click on the fanart link.)
3 entries and onna won, rightly so, it's a beautiful pic, but what's this chibi crap that came second?

'Poor is the man whose pleasures depend on the permission of another.'

Is that an actual quote from somewhere or just something Madonna wrote? Just watched her 'Justify my Love' clip. That's so tacky. : ) I love it, makes me giggle...
Oooh cool! Timewarp from the Rocky Horror Picture show! I have fond memories of this - the form 6's performed the musical when I was in form 3 (I think). First time I saw a real girl in a real corset. <g> Created an indelible impression...
LOLOL! Alex the Seal! Well, Our lips are sealed - the Bangles.
(I'm watching a video-clip show, just in case anyone was wondering.)
Ok, if the next song is crap I'll go to bed...
Yes, it's crap - off to bed now. <g>

Were swap cards purely an Australian 70's thing, or did other countries have them? Silly of me, I know, but I've been browsing ebay and come across a few sets of old swap cards on auction. Gods, just the sight of them brings back such strong memories from my primary school years it's like I can still feel the cards in my hand. I think swap cards were one of the first things I obsessed over. Had some lovely ones, lots of horses and foals, (cos I was pre-pubescent and that was what I was into) flowers, cats.. typical stuff really. Wonder what happened to mine?
Heh, I grew out of them - do I really want to go back there?

<happy sigh> Anime night tonight. My yaoi-set brain is coming up with all sorts of scenarios for the 'issues' Orphen has with his old teacher (though I'll be stunned if it turns out they're not related somehow). Vash's nose is still really cute and Legato appeared in the previews for next weeks ep. : )
Last night I began watching Legend of the Demon Womb. I'm just confused now, this is sposed to be the sequel to Legend of the Overfiend but it seems more like an AU. The reviews I've read of it haven't shed much light either. Eh.

Listening to lyrics from recent Indie (youth culture) songs and it seems the messages haven't changed much at all over 3 decades. Does each generation have to have their own versions of 'rebel' songs? The music changes but the words are the same... I'm sure there's something deeply philosophical I could say about that if it wasn't too much like hard work ordering my thought. (<g> Yes, that was 'thought', singular, not a typo; it's late, I'm tired and distracted... : )

Hee, the next 'l/L chapter is underway.
Poor Ry... <eg>

Tch, I know that pets/owners can come to resemble each other but what about gremlins/victi - er, hosts? I ask because it seems that Carli, my computer gremlin, is a pack-rat and she hates having her pretty-shiny's deleted! : ) I tried telling her clearing out the temp internet files meant there'd be more room to move... I'm not sure she's convinced so I'll continue the job later, when I'm offline and her freezing the 'puter only means I have to reboot, not reboot and log-on and restart IE and ICQ etc. : )

Aaarrrgh!! I grew to loathe that song when it was popular, though now it has a sort of feel-good, quirky nostalgia about it. But it's a pity that particular song did so well, in a way, cos it overshadowed some of the other excellent work the band did.
('Do, do, do the funky gibbon!'... I don't know - are they pretty? <smirk>)

There are aspects of Ancient Roman society that completely suck but I'm still intrigued by the period, still feel very comfortable and at home with it. <dreamy sigh> I'd still love a house with an atrium...

Hey, we've got a long weekend! It's Cup day on Tuesday (yes, one of Melbourne's public holidays is because of a horse race) so the school's having a curriculum day on Monday. Neat! It's great when a mini-holiday sneaks up on you this.

Good to hear that all went well with Ripley, Talon. : )

(nicked from the Meece's hole:)

Hang on! You mean things aren't upsidedown in Aus...??? <BEG>

Well you could always come down for a visit and see if you get dizzy from all the blood rushing to your head... <g>

(nicked from The Zone and the meeces' hole respectively [if not respectfully : ) ...] )

Joules:...my soft toy snowy owl has an elastic wriststrap so it will just about perch on his arm (and what fun that was! Could I get the bloody thing to sit properly? As Kai pointed out, it's bats that hang upside down, not owls!)...

Goodtwin: ...(and you missed the obvious answer - it's an Australian owl...) <eg>...

Hoi!! Those 'land down-under' upside-down jokes are wearing a bit thin, y'know! <ponders> Though, does that mean Australian owls in UK zoos would hang upside-down while the Aus bats in the same zoos would perch on top of the branches?
... my brain hurts...

I don't like Hello Kitty so why have I gone soppy over a kitty plushie? Is it because of her pink dress and fairy-wings? Tch...

Love the neko ears, Talon! >^_^<

Re gibbons: ... er, no I've never eaten one but I'll try anything once. : )

The teacher of one of the cubs is getting married weekend after next and (brave soul) she's invited her class to the ceremony. My cub doesn't want to go cos there's going to be kissing and other yucky stuff... <rolls eyes>

Woohoo! This next Dystopia chapter is nearly finished! All being well it should be posted over the weekend sometime. Then I'll have to make sure I spend some time on 'Dancing' next week or I'll be nagged. : )

(and no, I don't think gibbons are good to eat... : )

(refer previous post:)
Ah, but 2 with short hair compared to what - 13? - with long hair? That argues good odds for a common factor. : )

<rolling around laughing>
Just got this in an email - had to post it... (Thanks, Penny!)

Shamus and Murphy fancied a pint or two but didn't have a lot of money. Between them, they could only raise the staggering sum of 50 pence.
Murphy said "Hang on, I have an idea." He went next door to the butcher's shop and came out with one large sausage.
Shamus said "Are you crazy? Now we don't have any money left at all".
Murphy replied "Don't worry - just follow me." He went into the pub where he immediately ordered two pints of Guinness and two glasses of Jamieson Whisky.
Shamus said "Now you've lost it. Do you know how much trouble we will be in? We haven't got any money".
Murphy replied, with a smile "Don't worry, I have a plan. Cheers!"
They downed their drinks. Murphy said "OK, I'll stick the sausage through my zipper and you go on your knees and put it in your mouth".
Said and done, the barman noticed them, went berserk and threw them out. They continued this, pub after pub, getting more and more drunk all for free.
At the tenth pub Shamus said "Murphy - I don't think I can do any more o'this. I'm pissed and me knees are killin' me!"
Murphy said "How do you think I feel? I lost the sausage in the third pub."

Hm, the second part of Cathouse Ellis is on hold for the moment while the next bit of one of the Dystopia arcs gets written...

Did you know that gibbons have ball and socket joints in their wrists rather than hinge joints like every other primate (including us)? This means they can pivot from the hands rather than their shoulders and makes them incredibly agile and acrobatic moving around in the tree tops.
Gods I love David Attenborough's programs...

(nicked from earlier:)

I can't see that these have anything in common...

Umm... They've all got long hair? (I think - I'm not familiar with all of them.) And aren't quite a few of them tragic figures in some respect? Either in canon or implied?
Just a thought. : )

<grin bounce> After reading some AU X-files fanfic - where Krycek was a merman - Joules has been toying with the idea of a Zaabon/Radittsu pic along similar lines.
She teased me today by showing me the first half of the illo, the Zb part. It's going to be gorgeous!

Was watching Trigun last weekend and found myself going all gooey at a point where Vash's eyes were shown in close-up. Thought it'd be really cool to have a pic of that on my wall. I told Joules, who promptly unearthed half a dozen vidcaps for me. : ) Heh, now all I need is a printer. I also thought it'd make a brilliant display having a series of similar pics grouped together - can you imagine it? All those anime eyes? Mmm.... Anyway, I thought that maybe I could try doing some myself, eyes are the one thing I have no trouble drawing, manga style, but also that'd it'd be nice to find pics of my favourite characters. Two that sprang to mind immediately were Iason Mink from AnK, and K from Gravitation. It was then I realised that, apparently, I've got a thing for blonde semes... <g> Well, in anime at any rate.

The cubs and I are staying home today - a mental-health day. We woke up late (an hour late) and were all very cranky and miserable so I decided to sod school, sod everything we obviously need a rest. Yes, my conscience is pricking at me cos I was supposed to be a classroom helper this morning but I just couldn't face it...

<blinks> One of my cubs informed me I had to go to 'Mummy School' so I could learn how to tickle him properly.
...huh??

D'oh!
Happy birthday, Alarice! : )

Hah, finally...
The next part of Serving Ms Brown is posted. I've been thinking about posting/advertising the link on some other sites but if I do that then I'll have to make an effort to update regularly. It's one thing being casual about updates when it's basically your friends reading, quite another to be that unprofessional with strangers.

<g> Joules has more or less convinced me to finish off Cat House Ellis next. Makes sense, it's only a two-parter, and I did say I was going to clear some of the backlog before the end of the year...

<shiver> Gods I love spring in Melbourne - it's turned cold again.

Oh great, Joules <faintly> bratling's got the tank all ready for the new member of the family. How nice... <shudder> I will want to see photos though, even though I know it'll make my skin crawl. Heh, nothing like morbid curiosity! : )

Hee, and I'm basting the paper pieces into the last lot of diamonds, then I'll be able to start making up the remaining stars. <g>

(commenting on previous post:) Yep, I think you're right. It's wonderfully bolstering being able to show snippets to someone and find out there and then if you're on the right track. : )

The cubs and I went to Scienceworks on sunday. There was hardly anyone there - it was great! No jostling to see the exhibits and cos it wasn't crowded the clingy cub didn't freak out - it was loads more fun. And there was some great new exhibits too, specifically one called 'Earth's Fury' which was all about earthquakes, and tsunamis and meteors. Very cool. : )

Heh, Joules and I have pretty much finished the next 'l/L chapter... it's a good'un, I think. Didn't take very long either.

(nicked from Joules blog:)

[horribly tempted to do the Dance of Joy...]

... please don't...
I mean, I'm very pleased for you that you now know what Radittsu sounds like but...
<thinks> On the other hand, it could be amusing to watch! <smirk>

<happy squeak> Thank you for the little rattie miniatures, soulsis! They look terribly cute perched there on my monitor. : )
(Oh, and mum did have them with her, she found them in her suitcase while she was in Queensland. Tch... )
Yes, my mum's home and I had to give the car back.
Gonna miss the little purple beastie...

<blinks> Aside from one and half chapters, the first draft of 'Dancing' is pretty much sorted.
How did that happen? Last time I looked there was loads left to do... I mean, there is loads left to do but it's mostly the expanding and tweaking and such. <g> Not that it's going to be a massive tome by any means. Put it this way, if Joules' 'First Light' and my 'Dancing' were both lobbed at your head, the first would probly knock you out, the second might get your attention... <smirk>

You know you're a grown-up when you pass on the opportunity to get a piercing cos you'll probably need the money for petrol. Tch.

I don't want a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles backpack, do I?

... er...

Delicious, apparently, if a little fishy... <bg> Polar bears love them. : )

Did you know the differences between sealions and seals is that the sealions have vestigial external ears (seals don't) and that their hind limbs are still able to point forward to they can sort of walk? (Seals' hind limbs point backwards.)
Isn't that interesting?
The cubs and I found that out from an episode of David Attenborough's Life of Mammals...

<giggling>: Onna, I think you've outdone yourself! I'm caught between being warm fuzzy about it and squicked! : ) Hee, yeah, see if you can facet the eyes, Onna, that'll make it even creepier! (Thank you for the code, Joules.)

Woohoo! Finally got one of the missing 'Dancing' chapters done and I've now got a clear idea of how to put it together. Progress at last!

Is it just me or does Bryant - one of Mattel's My Scene dolls - look like a very young Doyle?

Tch, it's not just my cubs that won't eat their greens, KittenKong won't eat the green coloured biscuits in the 'turkey, cheese and vegetables' cat food mix.

Really felt like I earned my money today in the library (yes I know it's voluntary), very busy and <pleased with self> I found out how to input sets of books into the database - so where you've got multiple copies of the same book, you don't have to individually type each one up. It's always good when you can make sense of what the manual says.

<sigh>The cubs got a new Thomas the Tank Engine DVD today but they had to give up a trip to the movies for it. Kind of pleased about that actually, not really interested in seeing Finding Nemo again.

Had a look at some Lego today... Princess Leia in her slave-girl costume, done as a Lego figure is very disturbing. (click on the maginifying glass logo thing next to the main pic for a closer look at the horror : )

Aaarrgh! Joules has come up with a plot twist for the upcoming Zhaneer segment in the AC and she won't tell me! Wants to 'see my reaction fresh'. Tch, rotten thing...

<peeking under the desk> Aww! ^~^ She's so cute when she does that!

Hey, well done, Onna! <bg> See, life doesn't always suck... (could you pass me that half-full glass, please?)

(nicked from Joules' blog:)

This is so true...

My inner child is ten years old!

The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether
I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost
in a good book, or giggling with my best
friend, I live in a world apart, one full of
adventure and wonder and other stuff adults
don't understand.


How Old is Your Inner Child?
brought to you by Quizilla

Right, that's the two applications for the library course sent off - next step is going to the open nights on campus and checking out what subjects I can actually do next year.

The cubs really really really want to go to a drive-in theatre, but of the 4 in Melbourne that are still open, 2 are too far away, 1 is in a suburb I wouldn't go to without an escort and the other isn't showing any children's movies. Oh well, I'll keep an eye on it - they're more likely to have kids movies during the holidays.

_tra ^{la la la} _laaa!

That's me singing Joules' praises. Why? Cos I've been stalled on 'Dancing' for ages and a suggestion from her has got it all going again. That and her specialist knowledge has stopped me being wildly fanciful about something I know nothing about. <g>

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

*prods Lutra* Still want to see scans or pics of some of your quilt stars. *nudge nudge*

Just the stars? Without being joined together by the hexagons?
<g> Okay, I'll make a selection and talk to the cubs' father about scanning a pic.

Ack! I thought I'd managed to get out of doing classroom work this term - no one asked me if I wanted to do it - but I've found out that they've just transcribed last term's list, so, yes, I am 'volunteering' for it this term.
<sigh> Oh well, it's only 4 mornings out of lots and I'll know better next year than to volunteer for anything other than library work...

<speechless>...

<shudders - peeping at The Zone through my fingers> Ack! Not in a squillion years could I contemplate having something like that in my house!
... though the blue is quite pretty...

Another weekend gone, another weekend closer to the orgy of consumerism that is Xmas.
Cynical? Moi?

The cubs and I went to Soulsis' this weekend. It was fun - all the brats more or less played nicely and I keep forgetting how refreshing it can be having another female around. We stayed overnight too cos I didn't have to have the car back at a particular time. Gonna miss this car when I have to give it back to mum.

Soulsis sent me a url for one of those 'find your schoolfriends' sites. I registered and went browsing - found only one other girl from my last year, and another one who left in form 3. I can't contact them cos I'm not a paid-up member, which isn't that much of a problem, I've passively managed to avoid keeping in contact with people I knew when I was younger, (I don't know why).

Plans for this week: send off the application for the course, get at least one chapter of 'Dancing' finished and maybe tackle the front garden - or one bed of it at least <sigh> Optional extras (if I'm industrious and disciplined and actually get something done) make a start on the Dystopia songfic and do some more for Ms Brown.
Heh, sounds like a plan...

You know, I thought we'd gotten past the cubs' years long obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine, but they've been studying transport at school this term which of course means talking about trains...

(nicked from Talon's blog:)

Awww!


You are Form 3, Unicorn: The Innocent.

"And The Unicorn knew she wasn't meant to
go into the Dark Wood. Disregarding the advice
given to her by the spirits, Unicorn went
inside and bled silver blood.. For her
misdeed, the world knew evil."

Some examples of the Unicorn Form are Eve
(Christian) and Pandora (Greek).
The Unicorn is associated with the concept of
innocence, the number 3, and the element of
water.
Her sign is the twilight sun.

As a member of Form 3, you are a curious
individual. You are drawn to new things and
become fascinated with ideas you've never come
in contact with before. Some people may say
you are too nosey, but it's only because you
like getting to the bottom of things and
solving them. Unicorns are the best friends to
have because they are inquisitive.


Which Mythological Form Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Damn! I was aiming for Sloth...


Which deadly sin do you represent? (Angel Sanctuary Pics)
brought to you by Quizilla

I trotted off to the city today to go to a 'Meet the Experts' talk at the museum - 3 research scientists talking about a voyage they've just completed where they studied the fauna in a small area of deep-sea. Very interesting, informative and fascinating. There's some weird stuff lives down there. One of the questions asked was if they'd found anything that had the potential to be a commercial catch. The answer - thank all the gods - was no. Deep sea critters can live for a long, long time and it can take decades for them to reach sexual maturity, removing the breeding pool (usually the only ones big enough to eat) does horrible things to the species. Take orange roughies for instance. 20 years ago the biggest catch was 50,000 tonnes a year... now it's only 3,000 tonnes and the fish aren't showing any sign of recovering their numbers any time soon. Not only that but deep-sea trawling is indiscriminate and destructive. The equipment breaks up habitats and unlike fishing in shallower waters, nearly everything that comes up to the surface is already dead due to the changes in water pressure. There's no throwing the little ones back so they can grow up and breed...
Sure deep-sea fish is good for you but the way it's harvested is unconscionable.

Walking through the park after the talk I spotted a possum. OK, it wasn't at it's most interesting, basically a furry lump asleep in the fork of a tree, but it's always a thrill seeing wildlife.
And speaking of wildlife, we had a frog in the kitchen this afternoon; one of these I think. No idea how it got inside, or where it came from, but it was very cool seeing it. Frogs are scarce nowadays. Housemate and I managed to save it from KittenKong and I put it outside in one of the damper areas of the garden but I'm beginning to think I should have kept it and taken it down to specialist pet-shop down the road, or given the Friends of the Frogs organisation a call. At least this frog was native to Victoria - a lot of green tree-frogs end up transported down here from Queensland, and they get released into the wild. Not good for them or our own frog population...

It was strange going out without the cubs today. My boys are very bright (literally, their hair colour is amazing and they're so lively) they make a great shield. People's attention is automatically drawn to them and I can amble along in relative anonymity. Felt kind of vulnerable without them. Heh, guess I should get out on my own more often.

The final count for the stars was 163 - and I've cut out enough material for the remaining 40 needed. Heh. : ) Probably won't have the stars finished by November, the deadline I set myself, but at least now I have everything I need to finish the project. (Except for the borders sashes, wadding and backing... but that can wait.)

Finally finished my latest AC chapter... I think. Damn it was a hard one to get out. I have to thank Joules for all her invaluable help though, this chapter wouldn't have gotten finished at all without it. <glomps Joules>
Now I really need to get back into 'Dancing' if I'm going to have the first draft completed by the end of the year...

(nicked from Okapi's lj:)

ISFJ - "Conservator". Desires to be of service and to minister to individual needs - very loyal. 13.8% of total population.

Take Free Myers-Briggs Personality Test

Your type is: ISFJ
Introverted (I) 67.74% Extroverted (E) 32.26%
Sensing (S) 53.33% Intuitive (N) 46.67%
Feeling (F) 58.82% Thinking (T) 41.18%
Judging (J) 51.52% Perceiving (P) 48.48%

Oh, forgot to mention... took the cubs swimming last saturday morning and to my surprise one of them is actually swimming! It's not graceful or even coordinated but it's still hands and feet off the floor moving through the water. : ) They had their first official swimming lesson of the term last week - something must've clicked. <g>

Mum's in Queensland for a couple of weeks and I've got the use of her car while she's away. It's so, so good not having to organise my life around the cubs' father and whether he needs the car for work (or his social life). It's a sort of freedom, I guess.
And I've got the application and course information for one of the colleges, waiting on the second one now.

(nicked from Talon's blog:)

Heh...


Morpheus


?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

(nicked from the meeces' hole:)

hmm. This wasn't much of a surprise to me - am I being obvious, or did you get the colour you said you liked best in question 1, Lutra?

No, Goodtwin, I chose my current favourite colour - as opposed to pink. <g>
(Well, pink's one of my favs just not top of the list right now - that's purple...)

Busy busy weekend. The cubs and I went swimming yesterday morning, then they helped me clean up before my mum came 'round. After she got here we four trooped down to the local cinema for fast-food and to see 'Finding Nemo' (again). Mum stayed overnight - which was fun in itself - and this morning I drove her out to the airport while the cubs' father took them to a birthday party at the St Kilda Adventure Playground. On the way back from the airport I spent a little time playing (and paying, heheheheh) in a material shop before I had to pick the cubs up.
Hoiked my babies out of there so we could dive across to housemate's annual Meccano Club exhibition, which - going by the the excited (and loud) exclamations - the cubs' enjoyed. : ) So much so they happily kept themselves elbow-deep in their meccano for the rest of the day...
So... I haven't finished my next AC, or Ms Brown - though 'An Honourable Request' is being posted tonight (?, Joules?), so that's something I guess.

Heh, and it's take 2 with the background colour for the quilt. : ) I got some more material today, a nice plain sort of grape colour, which should be right this time. The material I originally got was too bright a shade, and mixed with all the other busy brights of the stars it was a bit much. This grape colour is nice and understated, it should work well. I'll have to go through the stars again and sort out what's going to stay. The good thing is that some of the colours I couldn't use with the bright purple will go nicely with the grape, but I'm almost certain to loose some others in exchange. Eh, I've got enough bits of material now to make up enough stars, I think - and then I just have to decide how it's all going together. <g>
Have I mentioned I've probably got enough material to think about making a start on the next project?

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

... is anyone really surprised? Pity about the spelling though...


You are Pink!


What colour are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

And gods, Onna, your's and rat's story has made the fluffy bunny go all starry-eyed... <g>

(yelled in an unconvincing german accent:)

Uzi 9mm!!

While the cubs and I were cleaning up today they found an old CD of mine, vintage 1991. They wanted to listen to it but didn't get past the first song, a track called 'I'll be back' by Arnie and the Terminators... (the above is the opening line). Anybody else remember this?
My cubs listened to this one piece of music for 30 minutes straight while they acted out a Laser Tag scenario to it. 30 minutes. I think they've got a damn cheek whinging about me playing 'Go with the flow' 3 times in a row!

This kitten is very cute! I had the first version book-marked for ages, but this is better. She purrs when you tickle her tummy with the mouse, and meows when you touch her forehead! ^~^

<pleased> I chased up some information today about the Library course I want to do. Haven't heard back from my first choice but found out that my second choice is being held at a campus that's only 10 minutes away not at the campus I had to get to last time which is 30 minutes drive or over an hour by public transport. My second choice is now my first choice and there should be an application/enrolment form in the mail to me shortly. : )

<blinks> There's a bloody mouse living inside our lounge-room heater! I've just seen it behind the glass. Tch, no wonder KittenKong spends so much time staring intently at the fire. Oh well, I guess as long as there's no smell of singed mouse hair...

I'm so sorry to hear that Ken's course of treatment hasn't worked, Joules.
: ( Sending happy thoughts for the success of the next lot.

Heh, Alarice has joined The Zone. <g> Just remember, sweetie, you don't have to read it all at once!

I've finished the AC side-story, 'An Honourable Request', that'll be posted soonish, and I'm determined to have finished my next chapter by the end of the weekend. I'll have to be really determined though cos Mum's coming over on Saturday afternoon. then staying the night so I can drive her to the airport on Sunday. The cubs are going to a birthday party on Sunday as well... Busy busy busy. : )

Heh, all being well I'll be enrolling to start a Library Technician's course next year - just part-time, one maybe two subjects a semester, that'll be enough to keep me amused. It's something I've been considering for a while, more so since doing the volunteer work at the school library.
I actually started the course <mumbling> fifteen years ago, but had to stop when I got pregnant. I did mean to get back to it but time, and brain-space, evaporates when you're looking after young children and almost a decade has gone past since. It'll be easier (and more fun) to start from scratch I think, do the whole course again rather than try and get credits for what I've already done. I'm looking forward to it. : )
Back when I first started the course, 'Computers' was one of the subjects, with setting-up and using a database being a major part of the study. Be very cool if they still do that, I've had a great idea about what to catalogue this time round. Not books or videos - which is what I did last time - but characters. If I remember rightly we needed at least 20 items to put into the database - can easily come up with 20 of my own characters, over a variety of universes, without any trouble!
<g> I have to thank Joules for the idea though, she's mentioned once or twice (usually in exasperation) that she needs to catalogue her phone-book's worth of characters so she can find their details quickly, rather than trawling through old stories and getting distracted re-reading!

It's not often a piece of music, or a song, gets to me enough that it inspires a story. The last one was Depeche Mode's 'I Feel You, 2 or 3 years ago, that lead to a Professional's fan-fic, 'Good Intentions', but there's a song on the Queens of the stoneage CD that's been haunting me. Today I finally let 'Go with the flow' have it's way with me and now there's another Dystopia fic pending. : ) Not only that but I've got an extraordinarily clear image of the central character and where they're heading. Tch, I think I've impressed myself...

And the side story's almost finished! <g>

Woohoo! Way to go, Joules! 41,000+ wordcount so far for First light! Dang, this book will make a formidable weapon when it's published - I wouldn't want to be smacked in the face with something that size! <smirk>

Tch, and it's At Home with the Braithwaites...

Heh, the AC sidestory is well underway. Still haven't thought much about the things I should be doing at this point in time. : )

If ballet is the 'Universal language of Dance' then I must be dyslexic. I was watching the ballet boys Swan Lake and loving it but also finding in places I had no clue what was going on. <g> Not having a clear understanding of the original story might not have helped either (hee, that'd have to be some sort of record wouldn't it? Studied/loved ballet for 13 years without ever having watched a full performance of Swan Lake?)
Anyway there were some wonderful moments in this ballet. The choreographer has fun sending up 'traditional' ballets (though the costumes in that section were gorgeous!) and watching a m/m pas de deux was fascinating. Not to mention the feathery trousers of the swans and the lead swan's beautiful back! <dreamy sigh> I'll be watching this again. : )

I should go to bed now...

We've got the program Living with the Braithwaites showing here at the moment and next week the lesbian couple are having a Bollywood wedding!
<excited squeak> If I ever get married again I want one of those! Ooh, the colour! Oooh the tinsel!

Well, yes, okay I've finished my next 'l/L chapter, it's just a shame it's not actually in sequence. Heh. <hand to forehead> But one must go with the inspiration, mustn't one?
Right, what shall I do now? (she says carefully not looking at the pending chapters of 'Dancing') <wrinkles nose> I really should get on with my next AC but I'm procrastinating - (what a surprise) - it's a tricky one.
Okay, if I do that then I can write the side-story while it's still fresh and bubbling.
Tch, I am not going to mention haddock, or sausages, at this point...

Good luck with the test, Onna!

(nicked from The Zone:)

Lutra, go check your mail. And remember you should never, ever issue anything remotely challenge-like... [evil grin]

... I shouldn't should I? <shaking head> Just cos I said I wasn't going to go looking for Barbie-slash didn't mean I necessarily wanted anyone else to go looking for me!
Uh, thanks anyway, sinam. <not sure whether to laugh or shudder>

The next part of Serving Ms Brown has finally been posted. Now the fun starts...

Cubs are back to school tomorrow - I really should ring the agent and arrange a time for the rental inspection, get that over with. <pout> Don't wanna! Sometimes it's a pain being a grown-up...

A lot of the time in my dreams I find there's something that prevents me from opening my eyes properly - the light's too bright, I'm so tired I can't keep my eyes open etc. I realised today why this happens. My bed is under a north-facing window, the thin, white venetian blinds block the view but not the light - I must be squinting in my sleep and it's transferring to my dreams! <g>
In my dream last night I was given 3 bolts of material, 1 grass green and 2 egg-yolk yellow, really lovely! I was just on the point of ringing Soulsis to see if she could get the bolts home for me when I woke up.

(re: Trigun) I'm starting to love this series (the introduction of Wolfwood doesn't hurt : ) but I have to say I think that Merrel's weaponry is just silly...
Vash has such a cute nose! ^~^

<smirk> Cartoon Network is advertising a Barbie movie - Barbie of Swan Lake (or something). It's making me giggle cos I've recently watched the ballet boys Swan Lake and I can't help imagining a kind of yuri flavoured ballet... <eg>
(I have no doubt there's Barbie slash out there but damned if I'm going to go looking for it! : )

Oooh! Trigun's starting...

Oooh! <big eyes> Lookit the wonderful banner Onna did for me! And the pretty scroll bar colours! <happy glomps all 'round>

The cubs' invisible friends, Jim and Tom, have outstayed their welcome. Fetching invisible drinks and food is one one thing, giving them invisible baths is another...

Heh, I'm sposed to be concentrating on current projects, so what do I do today? Make a start on a future 'l/L chapter and plot out an AC side-story, that's what. <g> Ah, I love it when inspiration strikes. : )

The cubs' father and I took them to one of those 'Family Entertainment Centres' today, the ones where your money magically disappears from your pocket...
It was fun though, both of the cubs had a round of mini-golf, one had a session of laser-tag with his father and we all went on the dodgems. I really enjoyed that, I think there's far more skill involved in driving so you don't get bumped!

<g> Heh, yeah, coding from scratch is fun!
If - when - I get around to putting my own website together it'll have this little note somewhere on the homepage:

This page lovingly hand-crafted by Lutra. (No, I'm serious! I typed everything up on notepad. : )

The macros are a triffic idea though, especially for those spacer thingies...

I am very ready for the cubs to go back to school. How do I know this? I've spent the past couple of afternoons squirreled away in my bedroom basically ignoring my children. Tch, such a bad mother. : )
We only managed to get a third of the things on our 'holiday activities' list done, but it's not been too bad. We went to the Aquarium yesterday - so crowded! - but it was still fun and I had enough cash to get the cubs a couple of soft toys they've been after all year, (a[nother] plush shark which is half the size of a cub, and a plush stingray - which is a third the size <g>) and for myself I got the last 'coral scene' bouncy ball in the set.

I don't think I'm ready for next term though, not the least because we've got another rental inspection looming. I don't want to cope right now, I'll just bury myself in one of my universes/play rooms...
(Tch, I know this craving for chocolate is just a reaction to stress and if I did go and get some I know I wouldn't enjoy it. Might be time for an apple.. no, wait! I've got some fresh strawberries - they'll do! : )

Flux, the next joint Dystopia is stampeding along nicely - good to see - then I have to think about the next AC, it's kind of an important one.
And in the meantime, Joules is making great strides with First Light (even though she may not feel like it at times <g>) I'm watching, open-mouthed in amazement as it unfolds. Damn impressive! When I grow up I want to be a writer just like her! : )

'Cell Mates' my latest Dystopia chapter has been posted in the Darkside. <GLOMPs Joules for the html> Blimey she's so fast with the coding! : ) Must be all the practise she gets - there's an awful lot of stuff on the Wordwrights site...

<happy squeak> I picked up volume four of BeBop today - and it was still on special even though they had the old, full price on the cover. Hee!
And speaking of happy squeaks, the cubs and I spent ages today squeaking over the Ham-ham merchandise we stumbled across in Toys'r'Us. My xmas wish-list is filling up rapidly...
Browsing the anime section today I noticed DVD's of this. It's appealing for some reason - I don't know why, and I'm awfully tempted to pick up some Card Captor Sakura DVD's as well...
Also today I got another ID tag for kittenkong. Fish shaped, gold coloured aluminum engraved with her name and my phone number. She doesn't like it, it jingles against what's left of her previous tag. Heh heh heh. Cope, cat!

Been pondering about what I'm going to do over the next term. I think I might try and clear up all the stand-alone and one-off fics I've got lurking about. There's a few; the 2nd part of 'Cathouse Ellis', 2nd part of 'Leaving Home', Mahrayne's backstory, my first ever slave-fic <smirk> (though that needs a lot of work to get it anywhere near the standard I write at now : ) There's a couple more I can't quite remember. Heh, should be fun.

The cubs and I might be going to the Aquarium tomorrow. The water rats' enclosure is open to view now! Yay! And I might be able to pick up the last of the bouncy ball coral 'scenes' so I'll have all of them. : )

Hee, that's that Dystopia chapter done. What shall I do next? Sooo much to choose from. Oh dear, I'm not good with decisions.
Right, Ms Brown next... then I'll think about what to do after that.

Was chatting to Soulsis today about the past weekend, specifically about Alarice's scarf and how that sort of became a communal project, and Soulsis had an idea. At our next weekend we can organise a communal crafty thing - she suggested a mosaic. Everyone (who wants to be involved) can bring a plate to smash... (<chortling> Actually, that sounds really funny given the Australian tradition of 'bringing a plate' to an event. Usually that involves bringing food to share, not a plate to smash...)

Reading snippets of the next 'l/L as they're being written...
Eeep! Poor 'lestrel!

Hee, this past weekend will go down in Islandkateer history as 'The Weekend of the Scarf...' <bg> How many scarves were started? And what traumas were involved? <giggling> The craft shop in Casterton did very well out of us!
(Oh, Islandkateer is the term coined for the people who attend these weekends away because the first three events were held on an island. <g> We've had 5 weekends so far and it's been nearly always the same group each time.)

Right, goals for this last week of school hols: at least one portion of Ms Brown - it's starting to get interesting now; possibly my next AC - though there's no hurry for that just yet (it's slated to come after Joules' next one but she doesn't know when that's going to be done); and maybe the first part of another Dystopia arc? (How many arcs does this make now? 5? 6? Heh in 3 years I've gone from not knowing what to write to wondering if I'm going to have time to get it all down! <g>) I'm not going to attempt any more of <dramatic reverb> The Novel until the cubs are back at school - I need to be able to concentrate on that.
Oh, and I want to clean my room and go visit OkapiPrincess.
Yeah, should be able to fit that in between keeping the cubs amused...

Tch, I don't 'alf fancy some toasted camembert and tomato sandwiches right now. Might have to go to the supermarket.

Back... again...

Silly, Lutra. Overspent and got sunburnt. Tch. Yes it wasn't exactly hot but it's still a dumb idea to sit outside for a couple of hours without a hat. My nose is not only cute but very, very pink... : )

Just spent a couple of days with friends at a place called Casterton, about 5 hours drive from home. (Yay! Road trip!) A very quiet couple of days, but relaxing. Didn't seem to do an awful lot other than eat and chat, and play Yahtzee, combat scrabble and Killer Bunnies but it was good. : ) We stayed at an old pub there, which was nice and cheap (Alarice, did you say there was sposed to be a ghost at the Albion? It got very spooky in my room on Saturday night before I went to bed... but it could've been my imagination, I don't like mirrors at the best of times...)
It was great catching up with people again, and meeting new family members. <bg> Baldur is so cute for a dog. Heh heh heh.
And yes, I think the emblem carved into the hillside looks more like Thor's Hammer than the Baden Powell Youth symbol...
The cubs missed me, though, they were all over me when I got home, and fortunately they're still at an age where they'll be satisfied with a lolly-pop as a present.
Thank you, Niki, for the lift!

Okay, 1 more week of holidays for the cubs... what shall we do, I wonder? I know what I'd like to do.. it involves several hours alone in close communion with my computer. <eg>
Oh well, we'll have to wait and see, ne?

Tch, just remembered... I had a dream last night that Martin Shaw wrote a 'mary-sue' type novel.. very strange...

Back... Tired, very tired...
Was fun though, the cubs and Nana and I did a lot of cool things; Trolly ride, Healesville Sanctuary, fish&chips by the river... (details when I can be bothered : ) Didn't get a chance to write anything, dammit - alone-time is nigh impossible to find when we visit my mum - but there's something potentially interesting bubbling in my imagination atm... Doesn't look like I'm going to get much of a chance to post anything for a few days yet either. <grumble>
My cat missed me though, she was very glad to see me. : )

Soulsis found me some very cool café style curtains - they've got tropical fish and coral on them! <bg> and Niki gave me a small glass trinket dish thing shaped like a blowfish! Very cute. : )

You know how I've already cut out the 400 or so hexagons I need from the background material for my quilt? I'm not sure now that I want that colour at all. No biggie, the bits'll get used in something else - I already have some ideas...

<big eyes> I've just read the latest Haadri chapter. Eeep!

[*nuzzling kiss, enfolds hab'lan in soft, white wings*... back - missed you, aijin...]

Heh, got this in an email today. (Thanks, Pete!)

Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

ceehiro

Interesting, ne? : )

<scowl> Bloody elves... housemate's watching 'Fellowship of the Ring'...

Yay! Got all the housework done (except for mine and the cubs' room but I'll cope) and managed to finish the second part of Taunt! Didn't get a chance to start the next Ms Brown installment but I'll see how I go tonight. Be nice if I can get that posted before I go.

Checked the weather report tonight and it's supposed to be 27 degrees tomorrow! Ick! That's at least five degrees above spring average. : ( And I watched a program last week that was saying our (Australia's) rain patterns are being pulled off-course by changing weather patterns in Antarctica. It means we'll have consistently less rain for gods know how long - a permanent drought.
(And I understand how you feel about the eight-legged freaks, Joules [have you heard the theory that spiders aren't native to our planet? I'd believe that...] it's getting to the time of year I carefully scan a room before entering so I don't wet myself when I catch sight of the spider. I've already spotted a couple of smallish ones in the garage. <shudder> Goodtwin do not think about visiting Aus during the warmer months...)

Okies, I've cut out all of the hexagons from the material and I'll cut out the paper inserts while I'm at mum's. That'll keep me busy. I only need to get another 60-70 centimetres of material (3 'fat quarters' for those in the know : ) and I'll have all I need to finish the stars. Mum and I are planning on visiting a couple of patchwork shops in the next day or so! Tee hee hee...

Well that was relatively easy. In two hours this evening I cut out 310 of the 406 hexagons. Heh...
And the cubs and I cleaned the loungeroom this afternoon. I'd like to have all the cleaning done before the cubs and I go away - it's always nice to come home to a clean house.

I finally got a copy of a CD I've wanted for months Queens of the Stone Age 'Songs for the Deaf'. I've listened to it a few times already and apart from a couple of uninspired thrash-metal pieces it's pretty bloody good. The track I bought the CD for ('You think I ain't worth a dollar...'') is sex on a stick for me. Hard and fast? Yeah, baby! There's another couple of tracks I really like, 'God is in the radio' and 'Gonna leave you' but it's been 'Go with the flow' I've been humming all day.
<g> The cubs say they like the CD as well even though they kept telling me to turn it down...

(nicked from Talon's blog:)

<smirk> The uke-bunny obviously isn't in ascendancy at the moment.


What Yaoi Stereotype Are You?
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Protean Player

Ah, you are one of the most common yaoi stereotypes. You're hot and you know it, as does most of the population. With such good looks and mad skillz, who are you to deny any percentage of humanity from being able to have you? This is why your kind tend to swing both ways, if you know what I mean *wink*. Also, while you prefer to be seme, you've been known to be uke when the situation calls for it. Just as long as everyone's having fun and enjoying themselves. Protean Players are also amongst the friendliest of the yaoi stereotypes, and the most outgoing. You aren't afraid to speak your mind or jump right into things. Be careful, though, because your rep may come back to bite you on the ass if you ever settle down with a steady lover. It'll be hard for you to even LOOK at another person without making your significant other think youre foolin' around behind their back. Is it your fault you're so damn sexy?

Likeliness of being seme: 80%
Likeliness of being uke: 20%
Some fellow Protean Players: Yohji and Schuldig (Weiss Kreuz), Gojyo (Saiyuki), Sano (Rurouni Kenshin), Touga (Shoujo Kakumei Utena), Duo and Zechs (Gundam Wing) [and the ningen...]


Heh, just found out - by accident - the anime series the visuals for the 'Corporate Sex Slave' clip came from. It's a 3 part OAV Boku no Sexual Harrassment (thanks for finding the url, Joules!). I'd really like to see this sometime; I'll put it on my list.

<sigh> distracted distracted distracted - so much I could be doing...

Joules is writing her next AC as I type. It's a goodun! <g>

Arrrrrr! Happy talk-like-a-pirate day, me hearties! Aarrrr! <g>

We're getting shown Dr Who at the moment, right from the beginning. The cubs are enjoying it, but they're waiting for the colour eps... <rolls eyes>
And my fav doctor? John Pertwee, without a doubt!

Can I stop now? It's the last day of term and I spent 2 and a half hours in the library this morning shelving scads of returns and pulling out a box load of books for next term's main topic. I did much the same yesterday as well - no wonder my shoulders hurt...

Ah, holidays. Nice for some. I'm not whinging, really I'm not. I enjoy not having to get up early and being able to do fun things with my cubs, I just miss having time to myself. Heh, like I've never said that before! (refer previous 'pre-holiday' posts!)
As it is I'd like to get the next Dystopia chapter finished by sunday, and the next installment of Ms Brown up cos I'm not going to be able to do much writing in the following week. The cubs and I are going up to my mum's for a few days, then the day after we get back I'm (theoretically) off for a couple of days with Soulsis and friends. The second week of the holidays looks to be equally busy but hopefully I'll be able to get something done.

I've finally managed to buy the background colour material for my quilt. Need to wash that then I can happily spend an afternoon giving myself arthritis in the thumb while I cut out 403 little pieces. <g>
Oh, and I'm up to 165 stars... : )

Big cheers and hugs for Joules too! She's managed such a lot this week - including some stuff she was meant to be doing. <eg>

This article about Australian males' sensibilities made me giggle.

An ex of mine has turned up in 3 dreams over the past few weeks. Very unusual - I have no idea why...

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

I've not had much exposure to Edward Gorey but what I've had brought me out in a cold sweat...


You will be smothered under a rug. You're a little
anti-social, and may want to start gaining new
social skills by making prank phone calls.


What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?
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Heh...


What kind of sex scene do you write?
brought to you by Quizilla

This answer to the question of number of participants made me giggle though:
As many as I can manage before it hits catastrophic pronoun confusion.
See? There's a very good reason I avoid multi-player lemons. <g>

(nicked from the Mousehole:)

The new computers arrived in the office today - [snip] - worst of all - it has AOL pre-installed!!!! I'm not sure if my reaction (spitting, crossing fingers at it) was a little OTT...

No, that sounds perfectly reasonable, Goodtwin. I'd not want any of that invasive crap anywhere near me either... : )

The car's working well, still needs a few things done before she's perfect but at least she's not purring like a sick kitten anymore.

Hm, I'm about to start the final chapter of 'Dancing'. That's a deceptive statement, though; it'll be the end chapter I'm working on, not the last of the final draft. There's still 2 of the earlier chapters to write yet, and I realised I've only been focusing on one of the story threads so far. Need to work in the others and get some depth and texture happening. But, on the whole, this thing is coming together well enough.

Also started the second part of Taunt. I like having more than one thing going at a time, saves me getting bored. (Though not too many things at once cos then I don't do anything because I can't decide where to start! <g>)

The cubs have gotten into a show, an anime, called Crush Gear Turbo. It's got the usual cast of characters, including the token females, the blonde, brooding good-guy bishie with issues and the brunette, brooding bad-guy bishie with issues... <smirk> Actually I can too easily see the two bishies together but I think that would make it shota. Hmm... (You want names? Sheesh don't ask me, I have enough problems with english names... : )
There's a lot of (for me) unanswered questions about this series though. Like how the hell do they control their gear? It's not explained and it's frustrating, grrr. I want details, dammit!
The cubs of course, are not bothered by things like that, they're just concernced with the good-guys winning... <sigh>

We got the car back today and I've managed to do almost a complete chapter for 'Dancing'. : ) Yes, not bad for a monday...

<pout> LJ won't let me post a comment so I can't show how clever I am...

Talon, Majic is Orphen's sidekick, er, apprentice and he's kinda cute in a big-eyed way. He's voiced by the same actor who does Shinji from that mecha thing.. tch, what is it? Ah! Neongenesis
<smug smirk> It's not often I can actually answer an enquiry about an anime character. : )

Soulsis, I love the idea of bed canopies and draperies but there's this little part of me that can't help thinking they're the perfect place for spiders to hide.

'Taunt' is now posted in Dystopia (thank you, Joules, for doing the coding!) and I keep forgetting to mention, Talon, that you might be familiar with another version of the central character.
And Serving Ms Brown has been updated...

Eeuuwww! Onna, that doesn't sound good! : (

Hopefully we'll have our car back tomorrow...

It occured to me that I can probably blame my phobia about robots on Dr Who. That stuff was scary when I was five!

<swearing quietly> The cubs' father got a phone call yesterday from our new estate agent. Apparently the owners have switched agencies, which means we'll be having an inspection soon, probly in the middle of the sodding holidays. <grumblegrumble> The good news though is that the new agents have stated their intention to chase the owner about getting this place up to code. <sigh> I could do without the hassle right now.
So anyway, I'm putting out the call for volunteers to come and help me with the garden... : )

I dreamt a story idea last night, really interesting stuff. In my dream I considered 3 ways to handle it, as a children's story, as general fiction or as erotica...
<g> I've decided to try it as a children's story.

I didn't walk anywhere today, it was great!

Finished my next Dystopia chapter. It's... interesting. Felt very dislocated afterwards - that sometimes happens when I get too deeply involved in the story. Should be posted soon though.

Given that I understand anime is stuffed full of symbols etc:
In the opening credits of Trigun, I assume there's a reason why the wall behind Vash is shot out in the shape of wings?
... and Orphen really is a honey, though everyone else still reminds me of Blythe dolls...

I feel the need to hunt down all the teenage Gohan action figures I haven't got - which is most of them seeing as I only have the Great Saiyaman one. <sigh> I definitely need a 'puter desk with shelves, lots and lots of shelves...

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

Lutra, what colours/patterns are you using for your quilt? Is the colour scheme random like a charm quilt or are you working specific colours/patterns to make secondary patterns when they are pieced together?

The original recipe was for a random selection of different coloured stars with single colour hexagons to link them - but when have I ever made something exactly as the recipe/pattern dictates? <g>: Ideally I'd like to use the brighter coloured stars to make a big rainbow graded spiral in the centre but I don't think I'll be able to, not a true, circular spiral anyway. Marking it out roughly it seems I'll end up with more of a flattened-into-a-square sort of circle, which I don't like all that much. The other thought I had was to make a series of smaller, same colour spirals out of the brights and fill in the gaps with the darks. That could work... hmm...

Soulsis, I'm delighted that 'becca wants to be a goth but you do realise I won't let her be one of those miserable 'down' goths, don't you? Who says you can't wear black and be cheerful? tee hee hee...

(nicked from Okapi's LJ:)

Hah! And I didn't cheat neither! : )


Rohirrim


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

Speaking of horselords, Joules found me this... <happy grin>

He he he... I had beetroot for dinner last night...

YAY!! Joules has finished the 'Demons' mini-series! Awed and amazed... five parts in under a week! <thinks> Though the first part is actually mine. Eh, whatever, it's good! Go read it when it's up or I'll set Lin on you...

The cubs were watching Transformers yesterday and they were rather puzzled. It wasn't an ep like any of the others they'd seen so far, it didn't have any of the ususal elements, no good-guys versus bad-guys as both sides struggle to collect the minin-cons. It was one of those rare eps where one of the sub-plots is addressed. I told the cubs this was a good thing. Not sure if they believe me, but hey, they're only 8.

Hn, there's new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys on the shelves over here. Which is good, I have a soft-spot for the Tidja Nidjas, but it makes me wonder why they've been re-released. Has the cartoon been revamped? That's usually why merchandise from these old shows turns up.
The 6" action figures are very good, though, I'm going to have to get them. : )

The cubs outdid themselves on the bus yesterday. One of them was about to barge onboad but was pulled back by his brother with a hissed: 'Don't get on yet, let the ugly lady on first.'
I growled at him and he apologised with the cutest grin saying he gets 'ugly' and 'old' confused... <head in hands> Fortunately the lady in question wasn't bothered...

[Mahou shojo? <big eyes> Ooooh, I love magic girl stories! 'Ultra-kawaii pink Crystal Star-chan, transform! In the name of all things fluffy, I will punish you!' <giggling at hab'lan's reaction...>]

Aaaaargh, gods! Now it's the Sailor Moon theme!
(I have seen precisely 1 episode of that show - enough to imprint the music on my brain if not all the words... <whimper> ... though the lavender-haired one is kinda cute...)

<bg> I'm dead impressed! Joules has finished the fourth chapter of the 'Demon' series and started on the final one. Heh, maybe I should feed her ideas more often...
Nah, cos then she wouldn't do her work and Ken would get cross and not let her play with me anymore... : )

Okay, we've heard back from the mechanics - the repairs will cost a little bit less than worse-case but it's still a hefty sum. Fortunately they'll take a part-payment and we'll have 28 days to pay off the rest. It's do-able, if it makes things a little tight (-er than normal).
Be nice to have the car back, I'm definitely over the novelty of taking 2 bouncing, energetic cubs to and from school by public transport.
Imagine, if you will:

'Why are there so many grandfathers and grandmothers on this bus!?'
'What's that smell?
I don't want a girl sitting next to me!'

... all said at top volume, naturally. <head in hands>
Hopefully we'll have the car back on monday...

Why do I have the Marine Boy theme playing in my head?

Heh, looks like there's a good chance the mini-series - the inaugural fic for the LLB - will be posted in its entirety on the weekend! Neat, eh? You'll have to wait 'til then, I'm afraid, but IMHO it'll be worth the wait... <bg>

Doing the bus thing is less fun when it rains - and we haven't heard back from the mechanic yet... that doesn't bode well.

The cubs and I had a look in a pet shop tonight on the way home from school. They had puppies (feh!), no kittens but piggles and ratties! <soppysmile>
And some clown fish... So, so pretty. Ah, one day, maybe.

I've started my next Dystopia chapter - this is the first part of one of the new story arcs.
The cubs are on holidays end of next week, I'd like to have that and the next AC finished, as well as at least another chapter of 'Dancing'.

Congratulaions, Talon, on your anniversary, and, onna, for first, attempting to learn Japanese, and second making a good go of it. : )

<bg> Joules is currently working on the third part of the mini-series. This is so much fun - imaginations spanging off in all directions!

Well that wasn't too painful.
Got up half an hour earlier so we could catch the bus in time and got to school 10 minutes earlier than we normally do. The only downside is my shoes aren't the best for walking and I'm all... sweaty from the exercise. Ick. <g>

The 'Bouncy Egg' experiment has concluded - messily.
It was lucky we had more than one egg to play with though; one burst when a cub tried to draw a face on it and another burst when the other cub dropped it before he was ready. But the third egg sufficed. : ) We found out that it could be dropped from as high as 15 inches before it stopped bouncing in favour of going splat. The left-over skins felt, and looked, like chalky, burst balloons. The eggs hadn't gone off at all, sitting in the vinegar, but I wouldn't want to eat them.
Now the cubs want to do an experiment involving plasitc bags, antacid tablets and water. Stay tuned...

Goodtwin emailed me this Tacky Trek funny. (The original series is my favourite part of that particular merchandising monster. : )

(nicked from Onna's blog:)

I rolled around laughing at this!
Heh, I have to write it now...

Your Anime Life by kazoku
Your username
Gross income of creators	$958,403
Genre	Apocalyptic
Your role	Monster Of The Day
Your secret	You were a prince/princess in your past life.
Will you save the world?	No, your love interest ends up doing it.
Created with quill18's MemeGen!

... has to be a tentacle monster... a purple tentacle monster... <smirk>

<wince> Well... the car is at the mechanics and it's worse than we thought.
Poop : (
Oh well, think of all the exercise I'm going to get walking the cubs to and from the bus stops... (Why yes, that glass *is* half-full! Why do you ask?) : )

Ack! I need sunglasses - I'm being blinded by all the lightbulbs going off...
Oookaaay.... as seems to be the norm, a single idea has sparked off an entire worldframe for Joules and myself. This short series of fics should be lots of fun!
Hee, what was that I was saying before about loving the creative buzz? : )

Tch, knew I forgot to mention something...
My 'Swan Lake' DVD arrived today!
Mmmm... ballet boys... <bg> Looking forward to watching it!

<smirk> I'm getting better at lemons...
I've finished the Hokochu fic - Joules seems pleased with it. : )

Right, a 'Bouncy Egg' update:
The 3 vinegared ones are all well and truly turgid <giggle> now and their skins are soft and squidgy. Interestingly the vinegar doesn't taste very vinegary anymore - I assume that's either because of a chemical reaction with the calcium or something to do with osmosis and why the eggs are swollen.
The first part of the experiment is due to end tomorrow, and then the fun part - seeing just how bouncy the eggs are - can start.

I'll be taking the cubs to school on the bus tomorrow - I can't really justify keeping them home for another day. With any luck the car will be fixed in the next couple of days and we can get back to what passes for normal. <sigh>

Ok, I'm in a better mood now.
Couldn't get online at all last night <glares in direction of housemate> so couldn't update Ms Brown or my blog but worse it meant Joules was delayed uploading her latest chapters. Sorry, sorry... : (

But the next part of Serving Ms Brown is up now.
I've decided to try and update this fic every Sunday – should be interesting to see how I go having a regular deadline - and next week's bit should see the beginning of The Plot. : )

I've finished 156 stars and got enough bits for another 14 – then I've run out of material! Not literally, of course, I've easily got 2 square metres of fabric stashed in the garage, but I'll have used up all of the material I've bought especially for the quilt.
Come early November I'll have been working on this project for a year, I'd like to have all 203 stars finished by then.

It's not been a bad week though, I got another chapter of 'Dancing' sort of finished; I'm half-way into my next AC and 2 pages into Joules' Hokochu story. Next week I'd like to have that finished, plus the AC and maybe make a start on one of the new Dystopia plot arcs. <g>

It was Father's day on Sunday, here in the Antipodes.
In the morning the cubs gave their father the presents they'd bought at the special stall held at school on Friday - the cub who was home sick that day asked his teacher, at my suggestion, to buy some things for him so he wouldn't miss out. The cubs also decorated a picture frame for their dad and we put some photos of them in it for him. All the presents were well-received, I think, including the CD soundtrack to 'Brazil' I'd found him. Then we went to meet my mum, brother, his partner and his kids for lunch. While we were waiting to catch the train I couldn't resist buying the DBZ bubble-gum I saw and the cubs were very impressed with the bubbles I blew. : ) They couldn't quite get the hang of it though...
Lunch was all right, I spose. We went to a pizza restaurant, La Porchetta (they've branches all over the place) and while the food was cheap it wasn't that great. Afterwards we all went on the trolley ride in Healesville. You remember this? The open coaches that rattle and vibrate over a track that's slowly being restored? It was fun! I enjoy that ride...
When we were done there we all trooped back to my mum's to watch the video footage my brother had shot of the kids and mum and his parter and <shudder> me. : ) All of the brats were screaming with laughter watching themselves, it was very amusing.
The cubs' father came and picked us up from the station but unfortunately, on the way home, the car pretty much packed it in. Our own fault really, we've neglected her horribly, kept putting off the much needed service in favour of paying the rent, buying food etc...
So anyway, the cubs are staying home today because the car's not working.
Yes, if I was a selfless sort of creature I could've gotten up early and taken them to school on the bus, or rung someone to see if we can get a lift but honestly I couldn't be buggered. I figure missing one or two days of school now isn't going to adversely affect their chances of getting into the university of their choice and I enjoy a day off as much as they do. : )

Ah, and here's the heritage seed program I watched this evening...
Some of those beans have brilliant names and I'm tempted to grow the silverbeet, even though I never eat the stuff - it's so pretty! <g>

Ahh! Gods I love inspiration! There's nothing quite like the buzz generated by creative energy.
I got almost 5 pages of my next AC done today, and yet another Dystopia plot arc is formed and ready to go. Weeeee!

I had one of the cubs home today as well. We got as far as his classroom when he told me he was feeling weird and could he go home? He didn't get physically sick during the day but I do think something wasn't quite right. He stayed quietly in his bedroom, reading, then sat with me watching telly for a little while before his father and brother came home with the latest Golden Arches of Doom Nemo toy.
We'll see how he goes overnight, I guess...

'Bouncy Egg' update:
The vinegared eggs are now soft to the touch, they've increased in size and become turgid. (Isn't that a cool word? One of my favourites.)

Oooh! <big eyes> I've just seen the Dexter's Lab episode that Joules was raving over a while ago. I can see why! Phwoooaar! Now that's a bishie-villain! (Didn't catch his name, too busy ogling the thigh-high boots and groin guard <bg> [<licks lips> It's very similar to the one you wear, hab'lan...]) Lovely hair too – pity about the voice...
Interesting to see a different style of drawing to what's standard in Dexter's Lab - an homage to animé perhaps? : )

I was watching a gardening program today and they did a story on a heritage seed farm here in Victoria. Going to go hunting for their website in a moment, I'd love to get hold of a catalogue so I can acquire seeds for some of those gorgeous old varieties of vegetables! : ) (Golden beetroot, stripey tomatoes.... mmmm....)

(nicked from Joules' blog re spiders:)

... I swear this house becomes Bug Central in September...

Oh, you don't want to be in Australia from around October to March then. That's when the huntsman [WARNING: site contains nasty big pictures of nasty big spiders - I couldn't bear to give it more than a cursory glance!] spiders come inside to get out of the heat... <shudder> I loathe those things...

[<nuzzle grin> 'Claiming' was probably not the most appropriate word, aijin, it was used more as an expression of preference than anything else... ]

That's something I've been meaning to ask... where did the notion of 'claiming' come from anyway? I assume it's fanon, not canon?

<giggling> Okapiprincess found another gem...

The cubs' father and I had a talk and unless something miraculous happens financially it looks as if we'll be having the joy of each others company for at least another year. Hn, fine, that also means the housemate stays as well. Oh well, less upsets for the cubs I spose, and a chance for me to get my finances into order.

Feeling a bit chuffed with myself today - I did my very first bit of solo Dewey cataloguing in the library : )

...aaand almost finished another chapter of 'Dancing'!

Do you know that if you cut up fresh strawberries, sprinkle them with sugar then leave them for a couple of hours you get a lovely strawberry syrup forming in the bottom of the bowl... mmm....

<g> On her lj, Valkyrie initiated a first-come-first-serve lolly scramble.
Not confectionary, no... eye-candy!
Just so's you know - I have publicly claimed Hijau, and 'lestrel and Botan, so there! <smirk>

My feet hurt.
Went on the excursion to the Immigration Museum today. It wasn't too bad, all told, even though the clingy cub was having hysterics cos our 'group' wouldn't keep together... <sigh>
I know it doesn't help when I lose my temper at him but it's so frustrating sometimes. Ah well...
I'd like to go back to the Museum, sans chibis, and have a proper look around – I'll put it on my list along with the Aquarium, Australian Gallery, Victoria Museum etc etc. <g>
When we were done there we all trooped off to the Botanical Gardens for lunch, which gave the brats a chance to run off some of their energy before going back to school. We arrived back just after 3 and I was able to take the cubs home early; except we didn't go home, we went to the local shopping suburb and had milkshakes and a look around before catchig the bus home (the cubs' father had the car.)

And now an update on the 'rubbery egg' experiment:
One day on and all of the vinegared eggs have had a layer of something peel off (protective coating perhaps?); one of the eggs is losing the colour of its shell in parts and another one is developing cracks; the vinegar they're all sitting in is sort of frothy on top.
6 days to go. : )

Hee, just got word from the guy I bought the Swan Lake DVD from – my cheque's cleared and he'll be sending my goodie on shortly. <mmmm... ballet boys...>

[.. those sporks look rather nasty, aijin, I think I'd rather have a pointy stick...]

Why are there no girl Transformers?
I asked the cubs and they gave me a look and said 'Because it's a boys show...' Well, der, Mum, der...

On the kitchen bench we currently have 1 glass of water and 3 glasses of vinegar - they all have whole, raw eggs floating in them. Why? We're performing one of the experiments from the cubs' '101 Cool Science Experiments' where you demonstrate how vinegar can disolve minerals, in this case, calcium. The shells are sposed to disappear in a few days and what's left of the eggs becomes rubbery enough to be bounced...
Why do we have 3 eggs in vinegar? One for each of the cubs and 1 for me! <g>

Hee, the next AC and Dystopia chapters are bubbling nicely, as is Ms Brown.. though it's Dancing I'm sposed to be concentrating on. : )

Okapiprincess sent me this Lord of the Rings article... still giggling...

<burps>: A kilo of roasted chicken wings is probly not the best thing to eat for dinner...

Okapiprincess gave me a computer! <g> ... well, the box and a mouse, but hard-drives and keyboards aren't exactly hard to come by. The plan is to set that up as my online machine and let the cubs have this one allll to their little selves. (Oh, and Okapiprincess also gave me a sachet of posh cat food for KittenKong that she conned some unsuspecting marketing company out of - tee hee hee - and the Golden Arches of Doom Nemo toy she found. <happysqueak>)

Ok, I've dobbed myself in to go along on the school excursion to the Immigration Museum on wednesday. A moment of weakness I assure you. Oh well, it should be interesting, it's a place I've been trying to get to since it opened a couple of years ago and the cubs love it when I get involved in things at school. : )

Did a couple more pages for 'Dancing' today... Heh, not good pages but it's a framework to build on and it's 2 more pages than there was yesterday.