<sniffle> Just watched the last part of Casanova.
Now that's the sort of happy ending I love. I'm going to be sniffling for days...

I pandered to my inner 12 year old today. Schleich produces a wonderful range of realistic plastic models - animals, knights, smurfs <g> - and I've now got 4 of their horses on lay-by. I haven't really been a horsey-girl since I discovered pop-stars but the Schleich horses called to me. Meh, perhaps I'm hankering after a simpler time - I might pick them up and think "What the heck...?". If so, then I've got a niece who'd probly appreciate them. : )
But they are really lovely...

Gah, I'm fretting over the cubs' upcoming camp, not cos they're going to be away from me but cos they're going to be with people - kids - who don't have much respect for them. And the cubs can be oversensitive when they're wound up and tired. <sigh>
No, no - I'm only borrowing trouble, aren't I?
Gods, the preparation for it though! Everything has to be labeled, not to mention being found and cleaned ready for packing, or it has to be bought. I was trailing around the shopping centre, watching my money dwindle while the 'list of things needed' didn't seem to be getting any shorter. I think we have everything now, including runners (joggers) for the cubs which should be interesting cos they can't tie their shoe-laces by themselves yet. Not that I've made much effort to teach them - they always wear pull-on boots. So, guess what we'll be doing this weekend? Oh well, at least they can shower/clean themselves without help.
<huggle> Thank you, Soulsis, for the loan of the sleeping bags! The cubs love them - they've already tried them out. : )
I've organised with the cubs' father to drive us all into school on Wednesday, that'll stop us having to muck about with suitcases et al on the bus. Luckily Tuesday is a public holiday so I can spend the day stressing without being interrupted by having to take the cubs to and from school. Tch, is it any wonder I want to be 12 again?

Found this short comic on my favourite snarking site. So funny! Sparklypoos! <smirk>
It came from this site - check out the other comics, and the HP fan art. I'm still giggling over some of it.

Oh, this came from the same site...


Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

Awww... I like Lupin

LOL! Just heard on the Lenny Henry show:

Did you know Sagittarius has git in it?

I know a couple of Sags. Tee hee hee

I am outraged and appalled!
The cubs and I went into a big chain store today to have a look at the toys, as is our wont. The cubs pressed the buttons on everything, as is their wont, and... Bob the Builder had an American accent! For the love of National pride, why? Wasn't the degradation of Winnie the Pooh enough?
Grrr...
Anyway...

The cubs are moving into the gruesome little boy stage. We were looking at flower buds on an agapanthus and it was noted that, fully closed, they looked like birds' heads. Then I'm gleefully told that, partially opened, it looks like the bird's vomiting, and, fully opened, look, the bird's exploded!
... riiiight...

Saw the most amazing cloud-formation this morning as I was coming home from dropping the cubs at school. There was a back-drop of slate-grey rain clouds and in front of them was a series of white cumulus clouds. Startlingly white when the sun hit them; absolutely beautiful! It stopped me in my tracks.
I like clouds. : )

Hn, it's that awkward time in fresh produce where the Winter fruits are out of season and so are more expensive but the Summer fruits aren't in yet to take up the slack. Oh well, at least the Lebanese cucumbers - my Summer staple - are half the price they were last week.

In my dream a couple of nights ago I was chatting/traveling/hiding from lions with a group of people. One of the women tossed me a large plastic spool and mentioned something about our time together in the fabric mill. I knew what she was saying was true but the memories were so far back, so distant, I couldn't recall them with any clarity.
I've never set foot in a factory except to tour it, not in this life at least. I'm not saying for sure it was a past-life echo, mostly because before I went to bed I was watching a documentary on the history of photography. The programme included a segment about photography being used to bring to light the terrible conditions mill and mine children worked under at the turn of the 20th century. An interesting dream though, even so.

By golly, chapter 26 is tripping along nicely. Should have that finished soon.

Okay, well I didn't have dreams about rampaging frozen mutant cockroaches, or their sea-going relatives, but I did dream I was a music teacher at a school of yoga. : ) I was asked to demonstrate my musical ability, which made me pause because, you know, I wasn't really a musician, but when I sat down at a dinky little student's piano I found my fingers knew what to do and I was able to fumble through a simple piece well enough to make people think I was just a little rusty. <g>
See? Another dream about pretending...

Yay! Finished chapter 25 and already 2 pages into 26. This is the second-last story arc; once that's concluded there'll be one more event then it's on to the final bit. Woohoo! Not only that I've actually plotted out some future bits so I won't be stumbling about trying to string things together when I get there.

Why are children still taught the times tables up to twelve (1x1 - 1x12)? No denying it's handy but we don't really use base 12 anymore. Is it just to keep the 12x12 reference grid on the back of exercise books neat and square? I think it would be better to have them learn up to x15 as standard.

After putting it off for weeks I finally got 'round to starting the repairs to the M cub's blankie. The first part was easy enough - patching the bald spot in the wadding, tacking down the loose bits of material - but when it came to trying to attach the new cover there was frustration, and language that made the cubs gasp. I've tacked the new covers on and while the shark material is nice and smooth, the green is going to be puckered. Ah well. The effort will still be appreciated, I'm sure.

I'm watching the first part of Casanova, with David Tennant in the lead role. I'm really enjoying it, it's wickedly funny in places and DT's very good but I'm still not sure I can see him as Dr Who.

Couple of quiz things nicked from Joules.

Hee.


You are Dea dubiosa, the Goddess Sue. All
the power of heaven and earth is at your
command, which doesn't stop you from throwing
tantrums, or explain why we've never heard of
you before.


What Species of Mary Sue Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Er...


Which Slytherin Mary Sue Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

And this one was contrived - I just wanted to see where all the Snape questions led.


Which Slytherin Mary Sue Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Truly, Joules and I do have some interesting conversations on ICQ.
To set the scene: I was querying a word I'd used in SFSG, wondering if it could be considered too Terran for the setting. Joules agreed but as it was very late, and she was very tired she couldn't think of a suitable substitute...

Joules: Nah - brain go 'bampf'. Ask me tomorrow?
Lutra: LOL It's bampfed to the bahamas?
???<blink>???
Actually, 'bampf' is what Nightcrawler does when he teleports.
That's what I mean. Your brain's bampfed away.
... ah... right - undertandee a bit maybe...
nope - no Bahamas...
Maldives, yes
Lucky thing, sunning itself on the sand, being mistaken for a jellyfish...
<growl> My brain does NOTNOTNOT look like a jellyfish....
<smirk>
<THWAP>
<yip!> All right, it doesn't look like a jellyfish!
Though I have seen some washed up on beaches here that are reminiscent of brains. If brains were see-through and smooth.
My brain is neither see through nor smooth. Nor does it exist in only the four usually Terranly discernible dimensions.
Now that I can believe! <nods> Tardis brain. Yes. It's the only way everything can fit
Quite! Insult it at your peril!
<sarcastic quiver>
<eyebrow of dooom>
<snicker> What's it going to do? Come and get me?
<incline head> You think it can't?
....
Oh thank you, now I'm going to have nightmares about being pursued by a brain that doesn't look like a jellyfish!
... I hesitate to ask, but you think brains generally look like jellyfish?
<patpat> Keep taking the tablets...
Well, no, but it was the only washed-up-on-the-beach sort of thing I could imagine a brain looking like...

Conversations like this aren't really atypical, either. <g>

I've got 99 positive feedbacks on eBay. Now if just one of the three sellers that 'owe' me feedback would get off their lazy arse I'll get to 100. Dammit, I want my next-coloured star! <pout>

Hm, a 'for-sale' sign's gone up on the house across the road. I'd been wondering what happened to the little old lady living there, haven't seen her or her gorgeous old pale-blue ford for weeks.

Heh, my umbrella is the best anti-rain talisman I could have. If on overcast days I step outside without my large and inconvenient-to-carry umbrella I'm bound to get wet. However, if I do carry it, the sun will come out.

Lessons I have learnt:
The creases in a crumpled linen shirt will mostly smooth themselves out after the garment's been worn for half an hour. While this still doesn't make it look like you've taken the effort to iron your shirt, it makes it a little less obvious that the shirt's been lying on the floor for a month and was only picked up that morning cos there was nothing else clean to wear. <cough>

Oh! I've seen Orli-squee calendars! Not many of them - it looks like they're selling quickly - but... I want one! He's so cute <squinch>, lolling about trying to look all sexy and sultry, just like a big boy! <smirk>

And, I've finally found a solution to something that's been intermittently bugging me for months - how to make a red blood-cell shaped cushion. Yes, I've worked out how to do it. I'll need to attach and stuff the inner cylinder of material to the outer covers first before sewing on the proportionately wider outer band. The difference between the inner and outer bands should, in theory, pull the material down into a concave on both sides.
Ah, I can see it now, a lounge-room full of giant red blood-cells...

Woke up from a very detailed dream yesterday. I was at a beach, where I learnt that the young surfers communicated their desire to go to a different beach by executing particular moves on the sand. ie: a back-flip meant one place, a jump and spin another. I thought this was an odd way of communicating with bus drivers, even foreign ones, but no, it was to tell the waves where you wanted to go. I couldn't help thinking this wasn't a particularly safe way to travel...
Later I appeared to be trailing around after a blonde woman as she told me about her life. She set up a drum-kit on a breakwall and played 'til the sun went down. Then we went to Niki's new house by the sea for a party and sleepover. (Niki always seems to be doing well in my dreams. I wonder why? Perhaps she represents success? Anyway...) The cubs' father was there as well, but that wasn't as important as trying to explain to someone that it was fine to kill an icky, black, poisonous spider but they had to leave the beautiful garden orb alone.
The next morning, in a cafe, the blonde woman had dyed her hair red and was pretending to be a journalist - she asked someone to give her some 'news' to talk about to help the deception - while I somehow had given someone the impression that I knew all about medieval basketball and so found myself on a court, in a tunic, wondering what the hell I was going to do...

And last night's dream was just as detailed but I can't remember much of it at all besides trying to take a shower, on a bed, while wearing a veil... Very odd, and frustrating.

Chapter 24's finished and I've started 25. I'm making it up as I go, it seems, detailing things that really should have been included near the beginning but as I didn't think of them until now... <shrug> That's what rewrites are for.
And, there's no help for it - I'm going to have to sit down and puzzle out boring but necessary things like comparative rotations and travel times between the planets.
I also need a reasonable substitute word for 'porn'. Hm.

I growl at the retail push to introduce Halloween into Australia but damn I love the jack'o'lantern lolly buckets. I have one now - I got it from a 'Free with every purchase over $10' offer. <g> It really doesn't take much to make me happy.

Heh, the cubs' father finally had his 2 dead cars towed away.
And I've successfully got my phone number transferred into my name. Tch, cost me $50 <grumble> - what a rip-off! - but at least now I only have my own bills to look after.

Finished reading the Regency House Party book. It was quite interesting, taking a more historical perspective of the event than the television narrative which focused more on the emotional journeys of the individual participants. I'd like to see the series again, I really enjoyed it. I got terribly involved with teh drama. <g> Not sure I'd want to live in the era but it was a deuced interesting time.

The cubs' school is changing its uniform policy. As of next year, official school uniforms will be compulsory, not simply recommended. This is really annoying cos the 'official' uniform items are 3 times the price of the generic garments I can get elsewhere. I'm not sure the reasoning behind the move but I think sometimes the school board forgets that even though we're in an affluent area, not all of the families have commensurate incomes.
Ah well. I spoke to the principal about it and she mentioned there's a government scheme to help low-income families cover the cost. Going to have to look into that, I think.

I had a spare half-hour today so I indulged myself and watched the first episode of Cyber-City Oedo, subtitled. I've only seen the dubbed version before and the difference is amazing. There's no swearing, for a start, and I think because the vocal track isn't stuffed with profanity the story is allowed more time. It made more sense this time, at any rate, and it was more... lyrical. The ending's quite different as well. The dubbed version gave the impression that Sengoku was about to do something naughty for personal revenge but in this version it's more along the lines of crusading within the confines of his 'job'. I quite like Sengoku in this version, he seems to be more noble, less of a yob - though he's still a smartarse. <g>
I prefer the opening theme in the dubbed version, though, but so far that's the only thing I prefer. I'll have to see how the other 2 episodes rate.

Caught by accident the other night, half of a program about the Thomas the Tank Engine phenomenon. <g> The cubs were thrilled - they got to see the actual models used in the tv series - but what I found interesting was listening to Rev. W. Awdry (the original writer) snark about the 'business people' writing his characters into entirely improbable situations! Gosh, that sounds familiar...
Missed the part about the Thomas movie - would've loved to hear what he had to say about that abomination.

Nicked from Joules:

Your Harry Potter Sue by Riven-008
Your name
Your Sue's First Name	Kitty
Middle Name(s)	Rachel
Last Name	Everleaf
Hair	"silvery waves"
Eyes	"ruby"
Other Distinguishing Marks	you don't need any
House	Ravenclaw
Love Interest	Severus Snape
Number of Sporks Required	101
Quiz created with MemeGen!

Tee hee hee. Snape.
Ravenclaw? Nah, I'm too lazy for that.
There's a very funny mini-saga about the meme over at The Zone. Check in the comments for Tuesday, October 18. : )

My hair is fine, thin and weak but I like the colour. It's a genuine tawny, honey-blonde, and it glimmers in the sunlight...

At the cubs' school this afternoon we had the official launch of the 'You Can Do It!' program - a program designed to help motivate/educate children about the benefits of self-confidence and a positive self-image. (Sounds naff but having flicked through some of the literature it's actually a well-structured and useful curriculum.) It took place in the quadrangle between the classrooms, something that bothered me a little as it meant that everyone was going to be outside in the strong sunshine for 2 hours, but more importantly there were no chairs for the visiting parents! Yes, I'm a wuss, anyway...
Parked myself on the steps of the staff room, in the shade, and sat back with some trepidation to watch the events. I say trepidation cos I've learnt to be wary of the words '... and each class will be making a presentation...' Other parents will know exactly what I mean.
It was more entertaining than I could've hoped. <g> Each class did have something to say or show but it was all mercifully short and to the point. I got a little distracted though. There's 5 basic tenets of the 'You Can Do It!' program - Organisation, Confidence, Resilience, persistence and Getting Along - and the phrase 'never give up' kept cropping up. Cos of the way my mind works I immediately followed it, to myself, with 'never surrender' - Never give up, never surrender! being the catch phrase from the sci-fi show in the movie Galaxy Quest. And thinking of that reminded me of the movie's other well-known phrase 'By Granthar's Hammer..., which is of course what Alan Rickman's character is famous for. And thinking about Dr Lazarus led me to thinking about Snape which set me off on a whole new mental tangent... <g> Ah, I can keep myself amused for hours if necessary.
A paraolympian, Don Elgin, gave a talk about his experiences - and showed off his prosthetic leg, much to the morbid interest of some - then the kinder were divided into 4 groups and given a chance to take it in turns learning 'circus' skills, to whit (to whoo!) Devil Sticks, hoola hoops, Poi, and Diablo. It looked like everyone had fun with the activities and tell you what, some of those little preppies could keep a hoop going for ages!
Once that was over with we were given a demonstration of acrobatic/gymnastic skills by a very limber, very strong and beautifully muscled young man called Sergei the Magnificent. That was fun! And amazing - the range of movement he was putting his spine through made me wince! It was an undeniably sensuous performance though: even if the silver trousers and bare chest weren't enough some of Sergei's movements could only be described as caressing. It felt a little odd, having naughty thoughts about the star of the show while surrounded by children going oooh, aaah! : )
The afternoon rounded off with the local Mayor presenting the principal with a cheque for lots of money so we can have a brand-new sports ground made once the new school is finished, and then inside for tea and biscuits to while away the few minutes before the bell went and I could take the cubs home...
I hadn't really wanted to come along to the afternoon but I'm glad I made the effort. Sometimes being a conscientious parent can be fun...

Seeing as this old-style blog template doesn't have info-panes, I thought that every now and again I'd post a list of links of interest.
Today, it's a few web comics. (Unless stated, the links take you to the first comic.)

Sink or Swim: OMG, the tiger's got a mullet!
I've only just discovered this anthropomorphic comic but the archives go back to 2001. The story is patchy but potentially interesting, and the artwork is good, evolving from b/w to colour. There's a lot of characters, and so far (early 2002) no smut. Not sure I'm interested enough in furries to keep reading but I'll see how I go. It updates 3 times a week.
(Oh, that link's not the first in the archive, by the way, just something that made me giggle.)

Dominic Deegan: Oracle for hire.
Joules introduced me to this one. Kinda fantasy, revolving around a seer and his family and friends and enemies. B/W with the occasional colour panel, it's a complex story laced with humour and some truly awful puns. There's a little implied nudity and rudeness but a lot more violence.
I got sucked in to the story, to the point of not writing anything for two days while I caught up with the comic. <g> It seems to be more or less het but there's a few bishies I'd love to see slashed.
Updates daily.

The Order of the Stick.
Another recent discovery. A stick-figure rendering of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, complete with a useless, clueless bard, a homicidal halfling, a gender-indeterminate elf mage and references to character classes and bonuses. So, so funny!
Not especially violent, and there's been one reference to Dwarf sex. <g> Updates 3 times a week.

Sublunary.
A perpetual yaoi favourite - I get withdrawal symptoms when it's normally reliable updating schedule is interrupted. I love the artwork in this comic though the story can drag at times and there's not enough smut! Well, not enough smut to satisfy me. When there is smut though, it's explicit and beautiful.
Updates 3 times a week.

Avalon
It's interesting what you can find following links. Manga influenced dark-future, supernatural, vampires etc. There's a fair amount in the archives but the updating is sporadic by the looks of it. Not a particularly novel storyline, unfortunately, or characters, and the artwork is variable at best but there are some gorgeous individual panels that are a real treat. And it's stuffed full of bishies.
Some m/m smut (weeee! slave-fic!) and a little violence. It hasn't updated since the middle of September but I'll look in on it every now and again.

And a last one for now...
Alien loves Predator.
This is another one Joules introduced me to. Take Alien and Predator action figures, photograph then photoshop them into a comic strip set in New York and let the hilarity begin. Bizarre and sarcastic but very, very funny.
Updates once a week normally, but as the author has just become the father of twins don't expect the updates to be as regular as before. <g>

Yes, well. So that's what I do with my time when I should be writing...

Might do a list of blogs next time I get the urge to share my interests.
<g> I spose, like 'fridges and bookshelves, link-lists can tell you a lot about someone.

Ack! The cubs are off to camp in a few weeks! Good god on a stick, where's the year going?
Heh, the cubs brought home notices today, asking if there were any parents wanting to come along as well. Hah! Not on your life! Yes, I'll miss the cubs for the couple of days they're not here but not enough to want to tag along with them. : ) Besides, it's bad enough being a responsible adult on a day trip with a mob of the little horrors, I don't think I could handle three days!
Soulsis, do you have a couple of sleeping bags we can borrow, please?

The Smart Bitches had me cackling today with a post about '15 things that only happen in Romances'. The post itself was very funny (5. Laudanum will soothe the pain of anything from a minor headache to six bullets in one's left buttcheek. And it tastes like crap warmed over, but the taste is easily masked by tea. Weak tea. <snerk>) but the comments are hysterical!
I love this site - I take notes on the offchance I ever feel motivated to write a Romance...

Hee. Joules is thinking about popping over here, with Kai, for a holiday in a year or so. I'm sure the cubs and I will be able to find plenty of things to keep you entertained while you're here. <g>
Better get on with moving into a house not afflicted with CHAOS - Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome.

I've had an interesting day. Sort of. I was supposed to meet someone at the cubs' school this morning so I could give them some training in the library software but unfortunately they'd had a bingle last night and couldn't make it. I elected to stay anyway and get some work done instead of having to come back later in the afternoon. Ended up staying for 3 hours but plodded through a fair amount of cataloguing, including some niggly 'kits' bits and pieces. It was lunchtime by then so I ambled off to the nearby shopping centre and got something to eat (a bacon burger from a Golden Arches of Doom competitor. Normally won't touch them but I've been craving one for a couple of weeks so, meh.)
Then I decided to tackle the banks and see about getting a loan. My own bank was the least helpful, where I was told my loan application would 'almost certainly' be rejected. Why? Cos I'm on a government pension (single parent) and that type of income, apparently, isn't guaranteed. Oh yes, because nowadays an actual job is guaranteed stability and security. <sarcasm> So anyway, grumped out of there to try a couple of other banks. The first suggested I apply for a credit card cos they didn't lend as little as I needed, and the second happily let me fill in the forms for a personal loan...
I should hear back from them both in a few days though I'm not going to be holding my breath. Not being a customer of the other two banks won't work in my favour.

But something positive did happen today. My phone is under the cubs' father's name, and both our numbers appear on the same bill. Not a problem when we were a couple but I've been getting leary about dealing with it now we're separated.
I suggested I get my number transferred into my name - this means we'll be billed separately - then he can give me a little less 'housekeeping' each week and be wholly responsible for his own bill. Works for me! Works for him too, so that's what we'll be doing. One small baby-step towards Lutra's emancipation. <g>

I was browsing an insurance broker's site to get an estimate on contents insurance. Got to the end of the form and - for security or something - was asked to type the word I saw in the box. The word was SNAPE.
<rolling around laughing> Joules says it's a sign, but of what neither of us are really sure...

Awww. Discovered the rather endearing cockroaches I occasionally find about the house are actually a native species. (Second image down) I'm in two minds now about putting them in the freezer when I catch them, but then, they're native to Queensland not Victoria. They probly arrived in a bunch of bananas, that's how most Queensland creepy crawlies get down here.
They freak the cubs out, however, so I probly shouldn't let them have the run of the house...

Time for some pink stuff. I deserve it.

I didn't want to move house unless I could do it a: without getting into debt; and b: without having to rely on the cubs' father to make ends meet. After beating my head against those unrealistic expectations for a year I've finally admitted they're not practical goals. Unless I'm willing to stay where I am for an indefinite period (I don't think so!) I will need to get a loan to cover the bond and first month's rent, but after poking around some of the banks' online loan-calculators I believe I can borrow enough without the repayments crippling me.
Of course, this is assuming it doesn't all go arse up cos a dodgy credit history means no one will give me a loan. Oh well, if that's the case I'll just have to gird my loins and get the money the hard way, by saving. (Though I know from experience it's too easy to splurge when you've been consistently down about things for a while. You just know having that DVD/book/cutesy bit of anime kitsch will make you feel better.)
But no, I'm not going to get myself in a tizz about it all just yet. One step at a time...

However, continuing on in the vein of finally getting things done - I've made a pair of trousers! As always it's taken the imminent failure of my last remaining pair to get me moving but, lo, I now have serviceable dark-lilac linen trews, with pockets. Not only that but I'm 3/4 of the way through a more fun pair, made from a hot pink/pale red indian cotton tablecloth Soulsis found in an op-shop. <g> Once they're finished I can then choose to make up the lime/purple stripes (with fringes! Also from Soulsis) or the self-coloured green stars xmas material I picked up on sale last year. And then of course I've got 4 sarongs to make into tops. Astonishingly, some of these trews/tops will even mix'n'match!
Most won't but when has that ever bothered me? : )

Oh yes, almost forgot. In my dream last night I was traveling to meet a secluded community of friends (essentially the Islandkateers group) who now lived underground in a big, very comfortable not-quite-bunker. There was a fortress-like quality to the place - thick doors, security, wariness - but I was welcomed there. As I was visiting what was a new area for me I decided that I'd like to go out and have a look around. I was appalled at how much the train fare to the 'city' cost, and I was still dithering over whether it was worth the expenditure of not when I woke up. <g> Interesting, eh?

Mmmm... cheesegasm...
Made myself some cauliflower cheese tonight using a blue vein that was bitey enough to begin with but had matured (ie: been forgotten in the 'fridge for two weeks) into something like a stilton.
Bestest cauliflower cheese I've ever had!

Odd sort of dream this morning. Can't remember the exact details but there was an 'evil' residing in an animal. I had to kill the critter but it took a long, long time cos the thing kept resurrecting itself. When it was finally dead, I realised it'd infected another animal and I had to go through the whole process again.
Interestingly, there was an oriental-style mysticism overlying everything that happened in the dream. It didn't feel odd at all.

Standing in line at the bank yesterday I saw a man who obviously worked out in a gym. His pectorals muscles were so big it looked like his nipples had been pushed half-way to his armpits. Oh yes, very attractive.

Ahah! If you wait long enough all that you desire will be discounted. <g> Picked up a half-price copy of the book from Regency House Party, a program I thoroughly enjoyed when it was shown here last year. Fascinating read...

Words of wisdom Joules saw somewhere:

'Give me ambiguity or give me something else.'

Heh, I could live my life by that.

Chapter 23's finished - 24's started. : )

Our Government's decision to allow 'sample' GM canola crops to be grown here has been controversial to say the least.
"There won't be any cross-contamination, don't be silly!" scoffed the chemical company behind the tinkering, "Those irresponsible Greenies are just being alarmist..."
Well guess what...? >: I
Some will argue that the amount of GM material found in some of the regular crops (less than 1%) is negligible but dammit, it's there now. Thank you so bloody much, you conniving bastards.
</pissed-off rant>

... I did plan on mentioning some other, lighter things but I'm too fecking annoyed now...

Except this. This was fun.
(nicked from The Zone :)




.:Neptune:.

"You are a very passionate person, however,
this passion often remains hidden below the
surface. You have a great deal of compassion
for others and are always willing to help those
in need. You have a great generosity, sometimes
so great that you neglect yourself while giving
to others. You also have a stubborn side,
though, which serves to protect you from being
taken advantage of by those you help."


. : : Which Astrological Planet are You? : : . [10 Gorgeous Pics!]
brought to you by Quizilla

It's not often I'm traumatised by soft toys.
I saw one today, a sitting black and white cow. It was nice and soft, inoffensive - but wait, what's this tan thing sticking out of it's bottom...?
Aaaargh!
I pulled the thing and out popped an effing lion! The lion and cow were joined in the middle! I'm not sure what was more disturbing, that a predator and prey had been forced into this unnatural arrangement or the fact you can hide one animal up the others' bottom!
From what sick mind did this spring?!

Walking with the cubs to school today I glanced up at the overcast sky. The underside of the clouds were rippled like waves and for a moment it was uncannily like being under water. <g> And then the wind moved and they were just clouds again.

At the cinema with the cubs last night watching 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (fabulous movie, have I mentioned? Lose yourself in the patterns... wow... Where was I? Oh yes...) Christopher Lee's character - Wilbur Wonka - came on screen and both the cubs twitched.
"That's Count Dooku!" came almost simultaneous gasps. <g> Heh, I think that was the highlight of the movie for them.

Chapter 23 is almost done and I've finally touched on one of the Events that signals the beginning of the last story arc. Hoorah! This is a real milestone - when I first started writing SFSG this point seemed so far away. <g>

Soulsis found these! Aren't they cute? I'd love one! A little cave on wheels.

Awww... KittenKong brought a friend home. Very pretty dark-silver tabby longhair - possibly a full or mixed maine coon judging by her tail and ruff. Friendly, too, and quite young, even though she was as big as my full-grown KK. She had a collar, was in good condition, and has been recently neutered, but damn, if she is an MC what the hell is her personal staff doing letting her wander about at night? That could be up to a thousand dollars worth of cat!
Such a cutie though! She didn't come inside but she was happy to sniff my fingers and smooch up to the window frame when I cooed at her. <g> Heh, and I think she's also the only cat that KK hasn't seen off the property. : )

<sigh> I have a finely tuned molehill-mountain skill - I'm very good at getting myself into a flap about things that are either out of my control or might not happen at all.
There's a house coming up for rent in our street, just a few doors up. It's only 2 bedrooms, and expensive (though an average price for the area) but in a lot of other respects it's ideal. However, I'm giving myself anxiety attacks over everything from moving expenses, to switching the utilities over, to keeping the rent up to date.
See what I mean? I haven't even looked at the place yet.
But no matter what I do, money is a priority consideration. I like this area but it's horribly expensive, especially if you're a low income family. I have choices - there's always choices. The cubs and I can move to a cheaper area though there's no guarantee it'll be somewhere I like (and by 'like' I mean 'feel safe'); we can stay in this area and scrape by, or we can stay right where we are, which actually isn't too bad financially even though I'm really not happy. So which would I prefer? To be emotionally or financially constrained?
Eh, I shouldn't fash. I know that if something's meant to happen the means will be found. But still, I fret...

There's been movement on the building site at school over the holidays, but not that much. The concrete slabs are down and the some of the wooden frames have gone up but it doesn't look like a lot of work for two weeks. True, the slabs are huge but the semi-detached house being built nearby made more progress than that during the same time. What can I say? Private versus government contractors?

Wonderful dream last night - one of my rare 'flying' ones. I was alternately in a car, on a bike, or self-propelled, and I was exploring some fairly rustic countryside including a rescued old brick/thatched roof barn that had been the studio of an eccentric 18th century artist. I had a look inside - it was empty, huge, and in desperate need of restoration but I was thinking of the possibilities in having such a space to work with.
Heh, I'm pretty sure I know what prompted that dream...

I've had a good morning. The cubs were up before me and they made themselves breakfast - highly unusual but very welcome on a school morning. Popped in to the supermarket on the way home and atypically checked my receipt. Found I'd been charged the full price for something that was on special so I got a full refund which meant the item was free. Bonus! And then I get home and find a parcel from Joules waiting for me! <bouncebounce>
Gorgeous little otter figurine and an otter postcard from Becky Falls in Dartmoor; usable scraps of the electric-blue organza recently utilized in the Taylor household, plus a big piece of pinky organza (that'd been in bratling's room, hadn't it?); a bizarrely cute dangle-charm from Littlesaru which makes me laugh every time I look at it (thanks, Littlesaru!); about a fortnight's worth of turkish delight flavoured hot chocolate (longer if I ration myself <g>) and two packets of Strawberry Angel Delight! <bouncebounce> Ah, I could smell it as soon as I opened the parcel. Mmmmm... mine, all mine. Mwahahahahahahah!
Thanks, Joules! <huggle>

I got another present the other day, too. The cubs' father regularly asks friends of his that are traveling to bring back snowdomes/snowglobes to feed my obsession for tourist tat. His calligraphy teacher went to Honkers last week but apparently she couldn't find any snowdomes as such (which is daft, seeing as aaaaaallll the snowdomes available in European countries are made in China) but she did find something else globish. A palm-sized glass sphere that's been hollowed out and then painted with tigers on the inside surface. Really pretty; it's sitting next to my monitor, in front of the window. The light shines through it and the picture glows. I can handle this sort of tat, as well. : )

I was very brave the other day. The young huntsman that'd been lurking on the wall for a few days was sitting on the side of my monitor! Erk! But, I managed to catch it in an empty Pringles tube then put it outside. Not sure if I'd have been able to do that if a: it'd been a full-grown spider, or b: the container had been see-through. <shudder>

The DVD of Kingdom of Heaven is mere days away from being released in Australia. I will get it, of course, must keep up my Orli-squee library of works.
And, yes, freezeframe! Now I can have a really good look at the costuming details.

I'm taking the cubs to see 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' tonight after school, but right now I'm going to put the kettle on and have a hot chocolate...

Tried something different for dinner tonight (for myself, the cubs had omelets) - a vegetables/left-over rice bake thingy. Layered rice, sliced tomatoes, zucchini, and garlic with a cheesy sauce then wacked the lot in a slowish oven for, oh, ages. Wasn't too bad though it could've done with more and sloppier sauce, and perhaps some herbs or something mixed in with the rice. And maybe a splash of white wine, too. I'll remember that for next time.

Sat down with the cubs this afternoon to watch the live-action Thunderbirds movie on telly. Aside from Parker, Lady Penelope, a gloriously understated The Hood (Ben Kingsley) and some nifty vehicle SPFX, this movie was just silly. I wasn't sure what the director (Jonathon Frakes) was trying to do with it. Kids' movie? Teen movie? Comedy? Action? It ended up a banal hodge-podge of all of those things with no real depth, but more disappointingly this was another movie that used Blurs' extremely cool 'Song 2' (the 'woo-hoo' song) in the promos but not in the movie itself. False advertising, I say. <pout>
But the cubs enjoyed it, laughing themselves silly at the goofy sound effects in the fight scenes. Heh, each to their own.

I did have a few hours to myself yesterday. I nipped up to the op-shop where I found this for only $2. I'm always happy to add to my collection of history books.
When I got home I took the opportunity to catch up on some definitely non-cub-friendly anime. I knew nothing about Technolyze before I bought the first volume but it caught my eye cos I like the 'Dark Future' genre. This was very dark, very graphic, very stylish. There was no dialogue in the first episode until ten minutes in and the prologues of the nascent stories were told in jagged snippets of intermingled action. If I hadn't read the blurb on the cover I might have had trouble working out what was happening!
Actually, no I wouldn't... I'm familiar enough with the genre to have been able to piece it together without too much trouble. : )
The animation is interesting, gritty, almost sepia in sections but realistic which is my preferred style. The stories have started slowly, which isn't such a bad thing. Instead of being confused with a bombardment of characters and plot the slow unfolding means I have a reasonable grasp of the politics of the worldframe, a solid base to build on. I'll pick up the second volume when I can afford it.
And lastly, I don't much like techno but the opening theme is brilliant! I'll be downloading that as soon as I can find it. <g>

Joules is right - I have to be more disciplined if I want to be a real writer. I'm too easily distracted, too easily discouraged. So, I have to make myself write something of SFSG every day, even if it's only a paragraph, even if I don't feel like writing anything, and despite distractions. <nods> I can do this.

Did you get home safely, Alarice? Was the puppy pleased to see you? <g>

'Orgazmo'!
That was the movie we were thinking about, Soulsis. Hah! I love the internet...

Mwahahahahahah! The cubs' father is taking them out for the day. Cor, I might have hours to myself. What shall I do? Pay bills? Go op-shopping? Pay bills and go op-shopping? <g> Plot? Plan? Write? Not going to sleep this time, <disdainful sniff> or do housework.
I need a little space, I've spent every day with the cubs these holidays.

Last night Soulsis and her chicks came 'round. Caught the cubs offguard - I hadn't said anything about it - but they had fun. They like having 'the cousins' come to visit. <g>
Soulsis organised the visit cos neither she nor I could get to Alarice's official farewell thingy (she's going back to Adelaide this weekend. Waaah! <sniffle> ) and as Alarice was here for role-playing it was a good opportunity to say goodbye. We had barbecue ribs, and chicken wings, and chocolate! Mmmmm...
Travel safely, Alarice, it's been mucho fun having you here. Come back soon! : )

Egad, the cubs go back to school on Monday! Tch, I don't feel rested at all.

I looked in my 'lists' journal this morning and was surprised to see I hadn't listed anything since January this year. I've caught up a little now. I'm onto the yellow pages of the rainbow - very uplifting.
Hee, and I bought another notebook yesterday, one with a shimmery blue/aqua/silver cover. I'm going to use it to keep things like movie ticket stubs etc. as a tangible record of things the cubs and I do. I used to keep scrapbooks for the same purpose when I was younger - it's fun looking back at them. I've still got souvenir programs and newspaper articles from concerts, plays and ballets I've seen.
I sometimes suspect there's a neat and organised person lurking inside me, striving to cope with the chaos. That would account for the dismay I frequently feel when I look at my room/house/life, ne? : )

Nicked from Onna's lj:

<rolling around laughing>

You Are A: Bunny!

These adorable woodland animals are known for their fluffy cotton tail and shy disposition. Bunnies reproduce like crazy and are found all over the world. As a bunny, you spend your days hopping through fields and chewing on grass and leaves. Your cuddly, gentle appearance is irresistable!

You were almost a: Turtle or a Groundhog
You are least like a: Parakeet or a SquirrelTake the Cute Animal Quiz!

Woke up from a very detailed dream yesterday morning. I'd got talking to a man, an actor - tall, confident and attractive without being overwhelming. He was playing the lead in a play about 3 immigrant men (Chechnyans? Czechs?) living and working somewhere like London. Can't remember the play's name but it had a reputation for violence and explicit content, being hailed as a 'realistically gritty' drama. My new friend's character was the eldest of the trio, the amoral and casually violent ring-leader. He gave me an unnerving demonstration of the character's nature (basically forcing me onto my back) and I had to keep reminding myself that it was just a role he was playing. But for all that I quite liked him and we made plans to meet the following day.
I was at the theatre after the performance (not a big audience but it included a faintly alarmed/baffled Buddhist monk) waiting to meet him, feeling nervous with those first date anticipations... and then the alarm went off. Ah well. : )

Soulsis made me an anklet! It's pink, and its got dangling fishies! Oh, and she found me another sarong to make into a top! Gorgeous orangey-pink with... fishies! <g> She knows me so well.

The 'Wallace and Gromit' movie had a 'short' showing with it, featuring the psychotic penguins from 'Madagascar'. It was quite funny, and I love the sheen on the penguins feathers.

We had a brilliant thunderstorm last night! The biggest cracka-thoom shook the house and one of the clocks fell off the wall. Exciting! The cubs came scuttling out of their bedroom to huddle with me on the couch until it was all over. Puir things. <g>

After the successful My Favourite Book poll last year the ABC is now holding My Favourite Film. I've registered, and voted for 'Velvet Goldmine'. Here's what I said about it - in 25 words or less.

A gorgeous, sensual drama about a time when anything was possible. I get something new from every viewing!

Hee.
You can vote up to 10 times. I'm pondering my next choice - 'Kingdom of Heaven', 'Silent Running'...? Ah heck, I can vote for both!

Chapter 22 is finished! This was another one that took a long time to come together but it's done now. Heh, there's only 2 more 'events' to detail (one major, one minor) before the final story arc. Meep. The end is in sight. Then what?
The rewrite of course...
Applications for the position of beta-reader can be addressed to the author. <eg>

Hn. <glancing up into corner of the lounge room> The first huntsman of the season. Didn't see many inside last year - hope that doesn't mean we can expect twice as many this year...

The cubs and I have just spent a few days with Mum. Mum'd got it into her head that we were staying for 3 nights rather than the 2 I had planned - it threw her slightly. Ah well.
First thing we did was head up to the Healesville Trolley ride. Lots of people there (nice weather, middle of the holidays) and consequently I ended up perched at the very end of the last trolley, squished between the rear diesel engine and the none too secure rail. It's moments like that I'm uncomfortably aware - because of my size - the sorts of places I won't fit.
Anyway, we trundled off, happy and smiling and enjoying the sunshine and stuff, until we got to the middle of the hill just before the tunnel (steepest rail gradient in Victoria, apparently; 1:35). The very full trolley ground to a halt, unable to make it up the slope. The drivers conferred, the front trolley was uncoupled and went off to complete the journey leaving the rear one to have another go. The driver went back to a relatively flat spot so we could take a run-up. Twice.
No luck. Just as I thought we'd have to give up on the tunnel and go back to the station, the front trolley - free of passengers - came back down the track to give us a hand. We cheered when we finally made it through the tunnel...
It was fun on the way back though. It was all downhill and we rocketed along, and now I was at the front of the trolley, with nothing between me and the track save a couple of bits of timber. Weeeeeeee! With my hair streaming out behind me I wondered if this was what it was like being a figurehead...

The next day the cubs and I wandered around the village while Mum and her friend went to the gym. The cubs found an excellent model train magazine - which they've been poring over ever since - and I stocked up on biodynamic rice. One of the things I like about where Mum lives is that there's a lot of organic/biodynamic produce readily available. It helps of course that the Biodynamic Research Institute is just down the road I guess, but I don't have to go hunting for the goods there like I have to in the 'burbs.
Once Mum and Jean had finished exercising we all piled into Mum's little car and headed up to the Patchwork Teahouse in Warburton. Had a cup of tea and picked up a handful of cute buttons, and a few scrappy bits of material for one of the projects. Didn't spend anywhere near as much as I'd anticipated, which was a good thing.

Today, the last day, we met Soulsis and her chicks to go and see the Wallace and Grommit movie. It was fun, simplistic, with most of the really funny things happening in the background. Wallace's bookshelf holds titles like 'Waiting for Gouda' & 'East of Edam', and one of the stained glass windows in the church shows the angels blowing their horns and the three wise men blocking their ears. <g> The animation was a good as ever, there were lots of in-jokes from all over the place and a number of things that had the adults in the audience chortling. I was entertained the whole way through - and the bunnies drifting about during the credits were awfully cute.
After a drink in the nearby shopping centre, Mum dropped the cubs and I off at the station to catch the train home. So good to be home... for a change. Usually I'm pretty meh about being here but today it was different. I wonder why?
It's interesting, the more time I spend at Mum's the more I like the area. I asked the cubs what they thought it would be like to live there and the M cub replied 'peaceful'. By the tone of voice I'm not sure if that was a good thing or not. Eh well, if it's meant to be...

And, hah!, I've got a yellow kougra now, too. Not bad going, really: 4 kougras, 3 different colours.

<bouncebounce> Joules has finished a lemony PWP for the Gremlins and she's drawing Bruce!
An explanation, perhaps. Bruce was the resident gremlin in my new 'puter - Carli left the old one, cos it's switched off and no fun - and now they quite happily cohabit in the new one.
Anyway, as a 'thank you' to her gremlin Butch, Joules has intro'ed Bruce to him in a ficlet. Bruce is very nummy (well, there's no complaints from Butch - or Carli, for that matter) and the sketch of him is damn close to what I see in my head. Gorgeous! <g>

The fic, 'Stranger', is in Darkside the passworded section on Joules' Wavewrights site.
Mmmm... turkish delight and blue-skinned smut. Perfect... : )

I woke up this morning to hear: "Hi-yah! Hah! Eee-ah! <whump!>"
"Are you all right?" I called from my pillow.
"Yes!" the M cub giggled. "I was being a kung-fu ninja and I went into the wall..."
And a very good morning to you too, my lovely. <g>

Cubs and I went to Puffing Billy yesterday! And it was free cos Soulsis and Becca had given us a complementary day-pass that Becca had won in a raffle! I like steam trains, have I mentioned?
Good day for it, too - not hot, not cold, no rain - and we got there in time for the first trip out so it wasn't packed. The cubs insisted on sitting in the first carriage, as close to the engine as possible, but after the first bit of soot in their eyes they decided it might not be such a good thing. We went to Lakeside, a lovely leisurely hour-long journey, then disembarked and watched the engine steam off to its next destination before ambling up the hill to the Emerald Lake Park Model Railway. Happily spent ages in there, enjoying the (miniature) scenery while the cubs zipped about taking photos and asking the operator questions, then we went for a walk around the lake. Ducks, and ducklings, and the occasional splash of a fish! It's a beautiful spot, especially at this cooler time of the year when there's no crowds.
Caught the train back to Belgrave, sitting in the very last carriage this time, then I let the cubs loose in the gift shop. Happy cubs.
And I got a snowglobe! : )
It was a good day. Thanks for the tickets, Soulsis!

Ahah! I now have a green kougra. Only blue, yellow, white, black, pink, starry - and I think, cloudy - to go. Heh.

Nicked from Moosifer Jones' Grouch:

You are a Social Liberal (75% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (16% permissive) You are best described as a: Socialist Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid

... not sure what happened to the chart thingy that was sposed to go with the result. And couldn't be bothered fiddling with the code so, meh...

Last night - as I was dropping off to sleep - the last few paragraphs of SFSG coalesced in my mind. I finally know where it's going to end! Not only that but shortly afterwards the details of the post-script spilled forth... Lucky I have notepads and pens handy in my bedroom.

Gah, busy day today. The cubs and I zipped down to Chadstone early this morning to dive around completing all the piddling little tasks that needed to be done there before diving onto the bus to go to Box Hill. (Would've been less frantic if we didn't have plans for the afternoon, anyway...)
The M cub has a blankie, his favourite doona that was left behind by the previous tenants at our last house then claimed by him. It's very tatty after several years of continual use but he's resisted even the idea of doing anything other than sewing up the gaping holes. Unfortunately the covering material is so thin and frayed now it won't hold stitches anymore and something had to be done. Given the choice of having the thing fall apart and be unusable or get it recovered, sulky cub eventually saw reason and today we went material shopping. We wandered about the store (huge store, huge selection) with him turning his nose up at all my suggestions until he spotted a novelty print that was covered in sharks. I was very happy he'd found something he liked, truly I was, so I didn't squeak too much at the price - 6 metres at $10.95 per metre - but still... However, canny creature that I am I enthused quietly to him about having the sharks on one side and a nice, plain colour on the other. He bought it, and soon found a suitable green material (that was a quarter of the price. Phew.) He's been warned he'll be without his blankie for a couple of days once I start working on it but that's fine now cos he's got a really cool shark blankie to look forward to. <g>

So, after our busy morning we went to Penny and Sarah's for afternoon tea. A nice change of pace. Heh, though after the chocolate biscuits and cake the children's pace picked up for a while.
On the way home we had to walk past a Golden Arches of Doom and one of the cubs spotted the new toy range just starting. Squeeee! Neopets! At last! And Kougras are in the first batch released. I have a red one now - such a cute widdle kitty-face - hopefully I'll be able to pick up a couple more tomorrow before they sell out. Thank heavens you can buy the toys separately from the food!

Taking the cubs to Puffing Billy tomorrow. <g>

I quite like this time of year. The sun kisses rather than bites and the street is fragrant with fresias and jonquils. The prunus on our nature strip has exploded into gorgeous pale pink blossoms and the tangle of jasmine at the front of the house wafts a wonderfully sweet and uplifting scent as I wander past.
We've had a reasonable amount of rain too so it's easy to yank the weeds out of the paddock that's laughingly referred to as our backyard lawn. KittenKong loves this, of course, all those spots of freshly turned earth for her to paddle in. Such a help, my cat... : )

It's a clock!
He looks like he's been hexed! Bwahahahahahahahah!
Who in their right mind would place the hands bang on someone's nose?
<snerk> No, I won't be bidding.

Forgot to mention we also saw the preview for Corpse Bride yesterday - another Tim Burton animation. I'd like to see it but not sure I'd enjoy it. I'm unreasonably squeamish - and getting worse as I get older - and there were a couple of things in the preview that made my stomach churn. Not sure how I'll cope with an entire movie. <g>
Mind you... it does look good...

I hate being rushed, I really do.
I was all organised this morning to take the cubs to the movies - knew which bus we'd have to catch, what time we'd have to leave - then the cubs invited their father to come with us. Okay, good, he's got a car and instead of offering petrol money I can pay for his ticket cos it'll cost about the same as day tickets for the bus. I wanted to leave home at least an hour before the session start-time despite the cinema only being 10 minutes drive away, because I know what it's like there on tight-arse Tuesdays during the holidays.
<sigh> Cubs' father hadn't woken up from his nap (he worked last night) by the time the rest of us were ready to go. <mutterfume> Then he couldn't find his wallet, and he had to get some petrol a.s.a.p. on the way down there... All right, it wasn't too bad, we got to the place with half an hour to spare but I had to suppress a wave of irritation as I saw how long the queue was for tickets. Luckily I'd suggested sent the cubs' father to the supermarket for snacks while I lined up for the tickets. That saved a little time and I was still able to make a dash to the loo before the session started.

'The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl'.
Enjoyable, predictable fluff about how you shouldn't forget your dreams, or try to destroy other peoples'. It wasn't exceptional in any way but the cubs loved it if only for the sharks. Some of the Planet Drool sequences were very clever, however, the 3D bits weren't that amazing that they couldn't have been done just as effectively with standard CGI.
BUT that would have to have been the coolest space-ship ever! <g>

What did boggle me though was how much effort our Ministry of defense is putting in to (sneaky) recruiting. The rope thingies that delineated the ticket-queue had the MoD's email addie printed on them at regular intervals. There was also a large display-stand right next to the box-office stuffed with MoD pamphlets, and on top of the poles between the rope thingies were affixed smaller versions of the MoD poster-ads. All nicely designed to catch your eye as you wait in line. Tch. I wonder how much money changed hands over the right to monopolise this prime, youth-catching site.

Oh! Previews! Almost forgot...
'Chronicles of Narnia'! <big eyes> Ohohoh I want to see that! The armour, the scenery (visit New Zealand!), the pavilions! (There's something dreadfully romantic about a well-made and bravely decorated pavilion. Yes I have spent time living in one and it's not overly convenient but... le sigh...)
And something else, can't remember the name, but it had the same writer as 'Jumanji'. There was a clue - like to guess what it was about? Two boys find an ooooold board game in the attic. It's about space-travel and its perils...
The space-cadets amongst us will probly love it for the effects if nothing else.

Oh bother. Did I miss 'Talk like a Pirate' Day again?
Aarrr, that be a nuisance...

<grumblesigh> Just watched the last episode of Dead Like Me. One of the most original and darkly funny things I've seen for ages and it only goes for 2 seasons. I shall pout...

If a 'boar' is an uncastrated male pig, what's a castrated male pig called?
<thinking really hard> Aaargh, 'Animal Farm'? Isn't Squealer one?

If in doubt, google it...
Barrow, according to Wikipedia, is a castrated male pig.

And cos I don't entirely trust Wikipedia, just checked my faithful old Oxford Concise and yes, it's in there too.
Phew. Now I won't keep myself awake pondering it. : )

But here's something else that's been niggling at me for a few days. Something, a phrase, about infamous (in-famous) meaning even more famous than famous.
I can almost hear the inflection of the speaker's voice, and I can almost see their face but the full memory just won't surface. Tch.

Mmmmm... tried out a recipe for caramel popcorn today, given (verbally) to me by Mary, the other library volunteer at the cubs' school.
150g butter and 200g jersey caramels melted together and stirred until combined then poured over a quantity of popcorn ('bout 1/3 cup of kernels), mixed thoroughly then spooned into individual paper patty pans.
Mmmmm...
Not entirely sure how much popcorn I used cos I had to salvage the good bits from 2 batches. First batch was left on the heat too long and got a little singed, while half of the kernels in the second batch didn't pop. I suspect I should've used one of the cast iron pots to spread the heat a little more evenly. Ah well, I'll remember next time.
Not surprisingly the little dollops of caramelly goodness didn't last long.

Taking the cubs out tomorrow for our first official holiday event. We're going to see a movie, probably The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D... Could be worse - though I'd rather see the Wallace and Grommit movie. Next week, perhaps.

I finished devouring the Wraeththu books yesterday but before I start in on the niggles let me just say that I did enjoy them and I did become deeply and personally involved with them but that didn't stop me feeling somehow unsatisfied.
Of the three books, the middle one was my favourite. Like most middle bits of a trilogy it built on the foundations established (info-dumping!) in the first part and the narrative flowed smoothly around the central characters. This was were I really started to enjoy myself and my empathy kicked in.
The third book, however well it started, felt indulgent. I wasn't surprised at the central figure there - it made sense to follow-up his story, he'd been the catalyst for so much in the first 2 books - but, damn, I just wanted to slap him. I had very little sympathy for him, and the internalized melodramas as he 'found his way back to the path' seemed to go on and on and on. Not sure what was in the author's mind while she was writing this but as our hero and his companions lumbered along the chain of barely plausible events I found myself thinking there was a lot that could've been left out. One section in particular made no sense at all; the hero didn't learn anything there that he couldn't have learnt somewhere else and I felt it was included either as padding, or as another example of the wondrousness of the world. As if I needed any more convincing, tch. And if it was there to make up the wordcount those words could've been better spent on the denouement. The central drama, the underlying thing that had been dogging everyone right from the very beginning, was sorted out within a page. Convincing? I don't think so.
The epilogue however - as it were - I loved and it went a long way towards leaving me favourably disposed to the story. Yes, I'm a sook, but I adore hopeful, happy endings even if it's intimated there's a hard road ahead.

I greatly admire Constantine's use of language, I have very clear mental images of people and places because of it, and there were even words I didn't know! Always a treat having to drag out the dictionary when I'm reading. <g>
It was interesting, too, recognising themes in these early stories of hers that she examines again in later books. Love - both sides, the beauty and the ugliness; acceptance; redemption; and transformation - physical and spiritual. There was a lot in the Wraeththu Chronicles that called to me; it's not often I become so deeply immersed in something I'm reading that it affects my subconscious. Would I want to be Wraeththu? Hell, no, I'd be happy just to serve... <g>

(And in other news: I finished chapter 21! The rewrite of SFSG is going to be a lot of fun...)

I just can't imagine Sir and Lady Hat... you know... doing it...

Finished the first of the Wraeththu books. I'm still vacillating between a 'OMG!'kinGOOD!' response and '... oh come on... what?!'.
To be fair the negative outbursts don't last long before I'm sucked back into the story. I think this is the first time, too, that I've read a book that made exclaim out loud (in a good way) and almost miss my stop cos I was so engrossed. <g>
I'm having Wraeththu flavoured dreams, too. Not the characters/race but the world they've inherited. I am deeply, personally involved with the story - it's just a pity about the number of typos in this edition.

Grrr... The xmas goods have already been in the stores for a week now. So, so annoyed.

I keep forgetting to mention the cool stuff I've been gifted over the past couple of weeks. Penny found me a gorgeous aquamarine plastic tray shaped like a goldfish. There was a set of them on eBay a while ago I didn't get so receiving this was fabulous!
Soulsis has outdone herself, I think. A little flamingo cake decoration that wobbles; a bird-feeder shaped like a bunch of grapes (eee!) and 2 sarongs (dark pink/black with white fishies, and purple/black with pink geckos) that will make the best summer tops. : ) Happy? Oh, yes...

Last day of term tomorrow. Hoo-effing-ray.

Parent-teacher interviews this afternoon. Both cubs' teachers said they're happy with their standard of work but they could do more of it. Funny, we've been hearing that since they started school. They're more than capable of the work - the M cub for instance is coping with maths from the next grade level without too much effort - but neither of them like boring things like writing. Eh well, both teachers are working to find ways to motivate them, <g> including bribery. Though even that's not as effective as they'd hope. The S cub got a Storm Trooper stamp on the back of his hand for finishing some work but when his teacher asked him if he'd like another (ie: do some more work) he apparently said 'no, thanks, I've already got one...' <smirk> Not a lot of evidence of ambition in either of them just yet.

After being tantalised by fangirly droolings online I tracked down a copy of Storm Constantine's 'Wraeththu' omnibus. I'm not yet half-way through the first book and my first impressions are... mixed. On one hand the characters and worldframe are sensuously detailed and believable and I'm already forming emotional attachments and breathlessly wanting moremoremore!, but then again there's elements of the plot I'm finding a touch contrived and this tends to push me out of the narrative. This might aggravate me less as I go on with the story - from experience with other SC novels I know it's not going to improve - or else I'll be so enamoured of the characters I just won't care. : ) Either way, on some levels at least I'll enjoy the ride.

The cubs have rediscovered Thomas the Tank Engine, which is fine, but what lessons are they really learning from a series that hasn't essentially changed since the 1940's?

# Teamwork is important in getting the job done.
# Even if someone looks different it doesn't mean they're not useful.
# Females are willful but can be useful once they understand their place.
# Do as you're told or you'll be shut up in a shed.
# Don't complain or you'll be shut up in a shed.
# Expect to be blamed for things that aren't your fault.
# If you prove yourself really useful you'll get a new coat of paint.

Hm, I think there's something in that for all of us...

Chapter 21 is underway and I'm ignoring the fluffy-bunny's - predictable - suggestions about one or two of the characters. <sigh>

I had to try that one...([blink] wtf? David Hasselhoff gets a musical genre all to himself??)


You are a half-demon, you're scary, and like to take
advantage of people.


which half-breed are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

(I have, of course, corrected the appalling spelling and taken out the profligate question marks.)

Anyone surprised? Though I don't think I take advantage of people...

The half-fairy pic is... interesting. Sesshoumaru with wings? And... a tail...?

Blinkin' heck, it's cold again!
We've had a few balmy days (or barmy, depending on your views) where it's been humid and warm, and sunny enough to make me think I should drag out the sunscreen and hat, but now it's wet and cold again and likely to stay that way for a few days. I'm not complaining, the longer it takes for Summer to get here the better as far as I'm concerned!

School assembly is usually held first thing on Monday mornings and I make a point of attending cos there's always the chance that one of my cubs will get a 'Student of the Week' award, and then there's the likelihood I'll hear something vital about something the cubs have neglected to hand over a note about. Heh.
Assemblies normally take place on the quadrangle of grass inbetween the classrooms but when it's wet they happen in the multi-purpose room. Even if it's only a short assembly they always take longer when held inside. First, we have to squeeze everyone in there - that takes time, what with the territorial disputes over bottom space and not wanting to sit on the lino cos it's cold - and then because the students are sitting down, they're required to stand up for the National Anthem and sometimes that has to be done a couple of times because the talking, which isn't that noticeable outside, makes a huge racket in a small room and the principal objects. <sigh>
House points are awarded during assembly as well and this term it looks like Abbotsford (green), the cubs' house, will win. I was musing on house names and colours on the way home. The houses at the cubs' school are named after the streets bordering the school. My primary school only had colours (I was in green), while my high school had colours and the names of inspirational Australian women. I was in Bates, which was green, then there was Chisholm which was blue, Kenny - red, and I can never remember white's name. I do remember our school song though.

Come join with us your voices raised,
As of our school we sing her praise.
We'll cherish her dear name always,
We'll cherish her name always.
Our colours silver, blue and green,
Will always thrill us when they're seen.
Silver stands for friendship firm,
For friendship firm.
Green represents our pride in work,
And our intention not to shirk.
While blue reminds us of our loyal-ty,
Loyalty, love and devotion, to
The Pascoe Vale Girls' High School!

... yeah, I always thought it was dicky, too.

Chapter 20 is finished, finally and surprise, surprise I've got 21 mapped out before I start. Over 100k words now, too! :)

And finally, nicked from Talon's lj:


you are a half-fairy, a cute lovable creature who
likes to dance.


which half-breed are you???????
brought to you by Quizilla

Awww, so cute - (well, it would be if the link to the pic worked) - but why all the ???'s in the quiz name?

[Edit: Joules is very kindly hosting the quiz pic on her site so it can be seen regardless of what Quizilla is doing. Thanks! <hugs>]

<sigh> The things I do for my children...
I've now seen 'Revenge of the Sith' four times - twice was ample. But the cubs had a blast especially as there were fans in costume swanning about the cinema. We had an Imperial Guard, a Death Star Officer, Princess Leia (episode 4) and even - and this had the M cub in transports of delight - a Darth Vader. <g> I recognised a couple of people from my stint in fandom many years ago but I don't think they recognised me.
We saw a preview for Howl's Moving Castle! Eeeee! Bishiebishiebishie! With wings! Might drag the cubs along to see that.

Speaking of movies, the cubs' father is watching 'Chronicles of Riddick' at the moment. What a stupid movie. Necromongers? Is that like fishmongers? Bwahahahahahah!
Though Karl Urban still manages a certain amount of phwoarness in spite of the ugly haircut.

Heh, my favourite gaiboyz brought me back a couple of snowdomes from their trip to Sydney. :) One has an orange and white 3D model of the Opera House inside - it looks like a peeled prawn! So tacky, it's perfect!

I've just finished a mostly excellent book: Minette Walters - 'The Shape of Snakes'. I saw a documentary about its development and thought it sounded interesting so went and hunted it down. I'd not read anything else of Walters, though I've seen most of the programs made from her books, and I was enthralled. The story starts with an unusual death 20 years ago then jumps to the present day and the main character's search for justice. The story builds layer by layer with flashbacks in the form of correspondence, and not in chronological order either, it skips backwards and forwards over the 20 years revealing a snippet here, another puzzle piece there. Wonderfully done.
I wasn't entirely convinced by the perpetrator though and I was reminded of the author saying in the documentary that she was nearing the end of the story and she didn't know whodunnit yet! The lack of solidity showed, I think. I also thought one of the key characters was dismissed from the narrative too abruptly with a very weak explanation but that didn't impact with the story too much so it didn't niggle at me.
And then, at the very end, the reason for the main character's obsession with the case is revealed. Beautifully poignant, it made me sniffle and I immediately forgave all the quibbles. :)
I finished this book the day after I'd borrowed it from the library, I'll probly read it again before I have to give it back.

<snerk> The Prince Charming emoticon: :"D.
Think about it...
(Joules, was that a result of yours or my typo? I can't remember...)

I went to see 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' last night with Alarice! Man, when Tim Burton gets a world-frame right you can just sink into it...
I loved this movie right from the start and with only a couple of niggling quibbles I loved it all the way through to the end. It's not the same as the Gene Wilder movie - a different sort of creepy - but if my hazy memory serves this new version was closer to the book.
Now there's a question. I don't remember Charlie's father being in the first movie - was he in the book? Eh, anyway...
Ok, let me clarify that 'closer to the book' statement. The film is closer to the feel of the book, I think, but not the actual story. There were some noticeable omissions, changes, and additions and these combined to make it a less confronting retelling all told. Less confronting perhaps, but the lurking sense of insidious weirdness is wonderfully uncomfortable in places - something I've come to expect from Tim Burton.
Casting was excellent. The naughty children were all deliciously horrible - so were their parents - and Charlie was the quintessential nice-boy without being unnaturally sweet.
And Johnny Depp proves again that he can act as well as give good face. I'm going to see it again, and, oh, if anyone sees a model of the pink seahorse boat, please let me know. :)

Saw a promo for 'Goblet of Fire' amongst the trailers, too. Eeeee! Looks exciting!
But there was nary a glimpse of Snape in the split-second flashes. <grump> Maybe he'd be included if they made a trailer aimed at the, erm, older, more discerning viewer?

It was Father's Day today. Usually (due to lingering acrimony, admittedly) I'm pretty well organised to remember things like that but this year it snuck up on me. The cub who wasn't sick last week bought a couple of things from the Father's day stall at school but it wasn't until Wednesday that I gave any thought for a gift beyond the traditional Toblerone bar. In a catalogue I spotted a DVD set I thought the cubs' father might like so on Friday the cubs and I went shopping. The set wasn't on the shelves and after a very helpful sales person did some checking we found out it wasn't actually available. <sigh> The woman checked a little further and - hooray - they did have the individual volumes at only a few dollars more in total than the set. But, only volumes 1 & 3 were in store. <SIGH> The sales person suggested we try another store so we did and - hah! - not only did we find all 3 volumes but they were cheaper again.
And the cubs' father was pleased with his swag of gifts so all was well...

I don't often buy tinned soup cos it never tastes quite right but I saw one the other day that looked interesting. Pea soup with Australian Native Mint. Alas it wasn't all that interesting after all. When they said 'pea soup' they actually meant 'split (dried) pea soup' instead of the fresh, pretty green peas pictured on the label which was what I was expecting. Oh well, guess I'll just have to get a packet of frozen peas and blend that up with some stock and herbs instead. And sour cream... mmm...

I solemnly swear that from now on when I'm faced with a section in one of my stories that I'm hazy about I will spend some time plotting the section out rather than just forging ahead and hoping for the best. This will save me looking back at what I've done and thinking 'Well that sucks'. <g>

I was poking about on a MarySue Snark site and I found something that made me snigger. The HP!suethor admitted (in an author's note, in the middle of the text) that she knew the spelling was wrong but she couldn't be bothered looking it up lol <rolls eyes>. She'd used Expellimaris! as the supposed dis-arming hex and the snarking reviewer made the comment that the giant squid was very annoyed to suddenly find all the water removed from her home... <giggling> Ah dear, have to remember that one, it's got the potential to be an extremely annoying hex.

Ahah! I knew I'd seen Moaning Myrtle somewhere before. Heard her, rather, I recognised the voice. Shirley Henderson appeared in 'Topsy Turvy' as one of Doily Carte's soloists. Always pleased to have a mystery solved.

Counting down to the holidays and a fortnight of not getting up at sparrow's fart...

I couldn't keep my eyes open this evening so I had a nap after I'd sorted out the cubs' dinner. Not a proper lie-down nap, but a less comfortable reclining nap that ensured I didn't sleep for hours and hours.
I'm not sure where my brain was while I slept but seeing an indistinct shape looming darkly at me when I woke gave me a start. I twitched violently, the cat - the dark shape that had been sitting on my hip - went flying...
<g> KittenKong was most put out.

Speaking of cats.
I found this on OkapiPrincess' lj. Who doesn't love Cats in Sinks? <squinch> So sweet!

I've got the cutest pen.
The Very Special Kids organisation is fund-raising at the moment with a range of pink pig merchandise being sold at supermarkets and such. The bottom half of my pen is middling pink while the upper half is clear. Floating in the liquid is a sprinkling of rainbow sparklies and - a tiny pink pig! I couldn't resist. <g> Hopefully I can get one of the piggy-banks before they sell out.

Egad! Only 2 weeks 'til the end of term! Better pin the cubs down and make some plans...

Rakina's put up a couple of very funny little pieces on AFF - 'A Harry Potter Fanfic Alphabet' and 'A Second Hogwart's Alphabet'. I was laughing so loudly while reading them the cat kept meowing enquiries at me. <g>

I've decided I want to have my own copies of all the HP books but in the adventurous spirit of the true collector I'm not just going to gather the common paperback editions. Oh no. I'm going after the cloth bound special UK editions. They're not rare, precisely, but you don't trip over them in bookshops, either. Hee, the hunt is half the fun.

Oh, what the heck, one last link.
The Museum of Bad Art. Some of the 'collection' is simply boggling... And look, you can buy prints...

It took me a long, long time to accept that I was intelligent. Why? Because according to the standards used I was only an average student. This wasn't helped by the move to promote science and maths in girls' education. Which wasn't a bad thing in itself, not at all - feminist theory finally caught up with the curriculum and it was realised that it wasn't freakish for girls to like and be as good at science as boys. This was very liberating in a lot of ways for a lot of female students but given the emphasis that was being placed on the sciences while I was in high school I always felt less somehow than my brainy friends, because I was doing 'fuzzy' subjects.

With the benefit of hindsight I can see now that some of my teachers did recognise my intelligence - if they didn't I wouldn't have kept getting the 'could do better if she applied herself' comments on my reports - but I didn't think of myself as smart because I couldn't comprehend anything much beyond the basics of science. I loved biology and chemistry at first but once we started needing to use complex symbology in the formulas I faltered. I couldn't get my brain around the symbols, still can't, and as for physics? That might as well have been magic for all of my understanding!

Added to my lack of logical intelligence was the fact that I wasn't particularly good at 'art', which was the other end of the perceived 'success' spectrum. It wasn't just the brainy girls who were lauded at my school, it was the artists as well. I was no artist, I was no scientist, I kind of languished in the middle believing I wasn't very good at anything so why bother?

I was highly literate, though, and I could easily grasp emotional concepts and motivations, and I could draw cohesive conclusions from disparate pieces of information, but I didn't recognise this as important for many years and neither did anyone else in the school system, apparently.
I was stunned, and a little uneasy, when told by my English Literature teacher at the end of my disastrous year 12 that with my intelligence she knew I'd do well at whatever I set my mind to. What? Intelligent? Me? Nah... Of my five subjects that year I knew I'd failed two, and would be lucky to scrape a pass in the rest, and it was those final marks which determined our futures. I'd have nowhere near enough points to get into any tertiary institute - even if I had any idea of what I actually wanted to do. No, it was the service industry or clerical for me.

Of course I managed to disregard the bit about 'setting my mind to something' which, in the fullness of time, has proved to be absolutely true. <g> Now I can override the internal voice that tells me I won't be able to do something cos I'm not clever enough - once I'm clear on what it is I want to do, naturally.
Heh, 12 years of a torturous education ingraining a lack of confidence eventually nullified by one kind comment from someone I respected. Is there a moral to this? I dunno, perhaps 'Find something nice to say to even the dumbest kid and it might help them look beyond their perceived/self-imposed limitations'?
Gods that's insightful, isn't it? I could go into motivational speaking and make a fortune! If I had the slightest interest in doing something other than writing fiction... <smirk>