Eurgh. Don't like cheap Easter chocolate - it's gritty. <shudder> But some of the wrappers are so pretty. It's not a complete waste, though, I get the wrappers while the cubs will happily eat the crap.
(Awww. The S cub's just produced some 'wrapper art' of his own. He's fashioned a small human suffering from yellow fever [gold wrapper] covered by a blanket [red wrapper]... I knew the Horrible History/Science series would be beneficial. : )

<g> Following Joules enthusing about the Nights at the Circus stage play (March 31 on her blog) I hunted down a copy of Angela Carter's novel at my library. Interesting, very interesting, even though I'm having to read it in increments - the Victorian setting is... off-putting. Pfft, 'off-putting', hell, it makes me hiss! But anyway, I'm intrigued to see where it goes. Is Fevvers a hoax or not?

One book I've had no trouble reading though, is Circus of the Damned, the third in the Anita Blake: vampire arse-kicker series. I'm not sure why I'm reading these, to be honest. Crime fiction is my equivalent of brain-candy Romantic drivel but I don't like horror at all and this series is kind of a fusion of the three genres. One out of three shouldn't be enough to keep me reading, but I'm intending to finish the series even though the conclusion of Circus felt like a cop-out. Eh, perhaps I'm a literary masochist, or just stubborn. Actually, no, it's probly laziness. The books are easy to read, they don't tax my brain and they keep me distracted while waiting for/traveling on buses. I'll read the fourth anyway and then see how I feel.

Sometimes I like discomfiting my children, if not shocking them outright.
I treated myself to a copy of Spiderbait's video clip compilation DVD; and one of my favourite tracks is a subtle little number called Fucken Awesome. <smirk> One cub has to leave the room when it's playing, he just can't cope with the language... but I really like this track, it's fast and boppy and unlike the majority of other songs that are riddled with profanity, it's happy, not angry. No matter, there's other tracks the cubs do enjoy and will watch over and over again. I'm slowing making inroads into expanding their musical tolerance...

This would have to be my favouritist line in a fan fic ever:
"Severus had taken to a magic-less life like a trout to international finance..."
<rolling around laughing> It's a quote from an excellent and very funny snarry, 'Fourth Year' by Calligraphy. There's an awful lot of good HP fanfic out there, more than I ever would have suspected. I've been having such fun! <g>

Almost half-way through the rewrite now, as well, all thanks to Joules for the betas. : )

Monster trucks. I just don't get it. <scratching head> Is it... is it like grotesquely huge breast implants? Repulsive yet you can't take your eyes off them cos they're so weird?

I'm reading through Jane Austen's Guide to Dating (Lauren Henderson; 2005). The author has compiled a list of 10 dating 'principles' that constantly pop up in Austen's stories. The author says that after consulting (having foisted on her) dating 'manuals' and advice that not only needlessly complicated the process of finding a mate but turned everything into adversarial powerplay, she found herself turning back to Austen's simple, common-sense notions of over a century ago - back to a time when divorce wasn't an option so one had to be more selective in one's choices. : )
It's amusing, though some of the sweeping generalisations make my lip curl, and Henderson very deftly uses examples from the novels to illustrate the principles as well as modern-day anecdotes from her friends and family to demonstrate how it all works in real-life.
Amusing an' all as it is I can't see myself using the advice with any regularity though. I'm not likely to 'date' anymore, but you never know, I might meet someone nice in the retirement village to hold hands with after a suitable amount of time strolling about the elegantly manicured gardens. One wouldn't want to appear too forward, would one? <g>
(And on a side note: I keep meaning to read something of Austen's. I've seen a few of the dramatisations and loved those but the prose is harder to decipher than Dickens. Admittedly, the only attempt I made on one of the novels was when I was pregnant and therefore only had half a brain, but still, it'd be easier now, surely?)

Joules has finished Band 3, another of her Alternate Oedo stories, and it's fabulous! Had me cackling aloud in places, and I definitely want "I'd rather be eaten alive by weasels..." (© to Joules, of course) on a t-shirt! Says it all, really. <snerk>

I joyfully perform The Dance of the Returning Vegetables! Brussel sprouts and asparagus are coming back into season! : )

Had some good wee bits of luck today. The supermarket had finally got 'round to restocking the organic coffee I like, but that wasn't the lucky bit. There was no price on the shelf - though I know it generally retails for around $8 - neither did the item register at the, um, register. After standing around for a couple of minutes trying to get a response from the front desk, the cashier eventually shrugged his shoulders and put the coffee through for $1. Bonus! And there was some more luck after school. On our way home the cubs generally indulge in a daily taste test at Trampoline Ice Cream. Earlier this week one of the lovely staff gave them both a small cup of ice cream for free. Very sweet of her, I thought, but tonight when we stopped in to buy the cubs' weekly cone's worth of numminess, she gave me a free cup as well! Lychee and Lime sorbet... <swoonthud> Just delicious. Needless to say, under these circumstances, the cubs and I are happy to continue our patronage.

Got to see "Howl's Moving Castle", at last. The artwork was beautiful of course (bishiebishiebishie!), but the story left me wondering if I'd missed something. It made sense in an overall sort of way but the detail was patchy in places. Admittedly I was watching the dubbed version - and we all know how true-to-the-original those are, especially for something that's going into general release - but it smacked of squishing and pushing things around to suit a more 'Western' viewpoint. <scowl> Why can't they just translate the bloody things as they are? There's no need for all this... tinkering...
I'll watch the subbed version sometime, see if I can glean any more sense from that.

I'm about a third of a way through the SFSG rewrite - which sounds more impressive than it actually is. Or perhaps I'm just frowning at my dithering again. Though it seems to be getting easier.
Once again big [huggles] to Joules for her invaluable help betaing. <g>

I see that the Goblet of Fire DVD is finally on sale here. <pout> Can't afford it yet, oh well.
I'm reading Order of the Phoenix though (for only the second time - it's much better on a reread) and I can't help envisioning Dan Radcliffe's inevitable chewing of the scenery. Attractive poppet but really not the best of actors. Ah well, bless; I'm sure he does his best.

Hee, so yes, Penny and I went to the Closing Ceremony. It was fun, though the evening had a bit of a rocky start, a slight communications mishap. Penny thought I'd invited her daughter as well, though in fact I only had 2 tickets. Likely my fault, I was too excited to be coherent, I suspect. <g> Anyway, not really a problem as it transpires, the cubs' father was happy to look after Sarah as well. And because I'm slightly obsessive about ensuring there's plenty of time to get somewhere, Penny and I still made it to the MCG early enough to have a leisurely picnic and a look around before finding our seats.
And there was a pleasant surprise! Free tickets - I thought we'd probly be up with the gods... Not at all! 12 rows from the front, almost directly underneath the VIP box! Impressed? Oh yes...
I don't like being in amongst a mass of people but a happy, boppy audience of 80,000 is vastly different to your xmas shopping crowd. There was a great, communal vibe that only got stronger as the evening progressed. The remodeled MCG is a good venue, too. It's well organised and sign-posted and there's toilets everywhere. Very important. I went there years and years ago and I remember it was a bloody long trek to the loo!
The Scared Weird Little Guys were the warm-up act and they were extremely good, very funny. They sang some of their own stuff ('Old MacDonald had a farm' to the tune of 'Teen Spirit' <snerk> ) and taught us some simple choreography and lyrics for later in the program. The highlights for me though were the arena-wide, co-ordinated camera flash (so bright!), the mexican wave camera flash, and the world's largest ping-pong match. <g> The audience in the Southern Stand vs. the audience in the Northern stand batting an imaginary ball between us. There is nothing quite like 40,000 people gleefully bellowing 'POP' when it's their turn to 'volley'.

The main program began with some footy practice. The lads jogged around for a bit then did some hand-passing and kicking while the mascots and cheer squads cavorted on the sidelines... Yerrss, I rolled my eyes at that, then snickered aloud when the boys were joined by ballerinas in football team coloured tutus. In the Opening Ceremony we had a flying tram, in the Closing Ceremony there was a giant football hoisted aloft. <sigh> But things only got better from there on in.
The music was great - Ben Lee, Bodyrockers, Paul Kelley, John Farnham, amongst others - and the fireworks were spectacular. Unfortunately, at times there was so much going on with all the dance groups it was easy to miss details of what was happening. The big screens were very handy for some of it, showing those of us not able to see the arena floor in its entirety, how the performers spelled out 'I [heart] M', and a fuge representation of Dame Edna's glasses. <g> That was the bit Soulsis was in - 1000 purple wigged Edna's waving LED lit gladioli. I spotted Soulsis amongst the masses, too, thanks to the big fake flower she was wearing.
D'oh, almost forgot to mention the Bollywood performance, which was wonderfully sparkly and bouncy. Lots and lots of well-drilled and enthusiastic dancers doing their thing while a parade of giant Indian Icon thingies paraded around the edge of the circle. : ) marvelous! I think it'd be so cool to go to the Opening Ceremony in New Delhi in 2010.

The evening had to end though, so after the performances and congratulatory speeches the MCG slowly emptied out. There were so many people it was slow going making our way back to the railway station, and the train we squeezed into was horribly overcrowded, but for all that everyone was good-willed and helpful and there were no problems.
It was a great night, all told, and made me wish I'd made more of an effort to actually go to the Games.
Thanks for the tickets, Soulsis!
<g> And thank you for the Edna glasses...

Weee! I'm going to the Closing Ceremony! Soulsis - as one of the artistes - got tickets! <excited> Why am I excited? Cos in the closing ceremony the host country for the next games puts on a little show and the next host country is India! <big eyes> I wonder if there'll be elephants...?

I read 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' for the first time in decades. Very interesting to see how it compares to the films. For instance, there's moralising conflict in the first movie that wasn't in the book. That was taken out of the second movie but another type of moralising conflict was added instead. Also, single sentences in the book became entire scenes in the first movie but were again whisked away in the second. The children are given Nationalities in the first movie but not mentioned in the book, and Willy Wonka is a whole lot weirder and subtly wrong in the second movie than either previous incarnation (though the Gene Wilder's version is definitely more comic).
I can see why the squirrels were replaced with geese in the first movie (much harder to animate) but I'm glad they were back in the second movie - so cute! I noticed that a few of the changes made in the first movie were carried over to the second but on the whole the second movie is much closer to the original book, despite the addition of back-story. <g>
I really, really like that movie. Soulsis leant us her copy of the DVD and if it hadn't been for the cubs nattering at me while I was watching I would've sunk as deeply into it then as at the cinema.
Patterns, patterns, patterns! Can't help wondering what it's like in Tim Burton's mind if that's how his internal visions translate to the screen. Wow. And I definitely want a copy of the soundtrack; that just gets better with listening.

I thought I caught a mouse the other day. I thought I was very clever. That was until I went to release the wee beastie outside only to find it had somehow sidled out from inside the cardboard tube despite both ends being - I assumed - adequately covered. Hmph. Tricksy things, mice.

KittenKong is getting used to Soulsis' dog, at last. Instead of running away and hiding under the neighbour's house the past couple of visits she's grimly, stubbornly, stayed inside. And she's held her ground when confronted with an exuberant puppy, even though said puppy just can't seem to tell the difference between a happy, playful cat and a pissed off, touch me and you die cat. <g> Her language chip needs updating, obviously.

Well, here's a couple of bits from the meme that I managed to miss:

Five things I'd never wear again.

Black. I realise now it makes me look jaundiced, not deep.
Grey. A dreary colour that brings me down, man.
Beige. <shudder>
Polyester. Gah, I hate that stuff!
Leg warmers. I used to wear them legitimately, when I was dancing, but no, never again.

Five favourite toys.
Tee hee hee.
That I'm willing to mention: Computer. Snowdomes. Slidey pens. Poi. Material.
And some toys that I look forward to playing with (ie; when I get them) : digital camera. Lap-top 'puter. A proper CD player. Interesting bed. New house.


<sigh> Back when I was writing the first draft of SFSG there were a number of places/plot things I skimmed over with the intention of getting back to them 'later'. Well, 'later' is 'now' and my blitheness has come back to bite me on the arse. Still, I'm working through the rewrite considerably faster than the first draft.

Soulsis was out on one of her supa sekrit excursions today, and it being the holidays, I looked after her boys. Well, I say 'I looked after them' but that's not strictly true. I looked in on them and the cubs occasionally, put food down in front of them a few times, but for the most part they didn't need much looking after at all. 4 boys can share an Xbox quite happily for several hours...

I finished Ritual of Proof - didn't take long. Okay, I've read worse drivels, but I've also read much, much better sci-fi. I think this was proposing to be some sort of amalgam but it's essentially a Regency Romance. It was set on another planet, true, and the gender stereotypes were reversed but it still had all the characteristics of a bodice ripper including the 'Top Slice' of society; dashing about the countryside in dramatic storms; and the gently-reared children (boys in this case) of well-connected families being sought and fought over.
It was... all right. The plot was as contrived and thread-bare as I'd expected and there was some mystical shit later on that made me roll my eyes, but it wasn't as self-harm inducing as other drivels I've had the misfortune to delve into.
I don't know that I'd recommend it but if you like that sort of thing... <shrug>

The SFSG rewrite is hardly powering along but it's getting done. I have to keep reading backwards and forwards to confirm details, which ultimately isn't a bad thing - it's quite an interesting story, if I say so myself. : )

An interesting meme that Joules nicked from somewhere:

What was I doing ten years ago?

Freaking out that omigod I'm a mother, and, and I've got to look after these little humans and god-on-a-stick they need so much more effort than a cat...! (<g> I'm perfectly serious - I didn't take to motherhood like a duck to water, no, it was more like a duck to liquid bitumen.)

What was I doing one year ago?

Much the same as I'm doing now: writing, ignoring the housework, marveling at how much my children have grown, grumbling about my living conditions but not actually making much effort to move.

Five snacks I couldn't live without.
Um...
Tea. Tea is a food group all on it's own.
Cheese. I can go for months without chocolate but deprive me of cheese for any length of time and I get nasty.
Sugar. Hi, my name is Lutra and I'm a sugar-addict...
Chocolate Swiss roll. A special treat, really, but sometimes I've just got to have some. It's Bodie's fault.
Sushi. Oh yes, I could happily snack on sushi until I make myself sick. Haven't managed to do that yet but everyone's got to have a dream.

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen. (and a tip from Soulsis: this is a brilliant song to focus on if you've got something else cycling over and over in your head cos it's got a definite beginning, middle and end.)
Singing in the Rain - (tappity tappity tappity splash!).
Go with the Flow - Queens of the Stoneage.
Wonderwall - Oasis.
King Henry - Steeleye Span. This is a wonderfully lusty song to sing at the top of your voice when you've a few ciders under your belt. It's even better if there's twenty of you.

Five things I'd do if I was a millionaire.
Just a millionaire? Not a multi-millionaire? In which case I'd buy a house for the cubs and I, and furnish it; get a house for my mum if she wanted; ditto soulsis; give money to sundry charities and friends while having enough left over to guarantee an income for a couple of years and go on a t'riffic holiday to the UK.

Five things I like doing.
Writing. Eating. Sleeping. Reading. Thinking about writing.

Interesting, ne?

And finally, some fanfic snerking.
"... lathed a nipple into hardness..."
<blink> Bwahahahahahahah! Ouchies! I've seen lathes, I know what they can do...

Condoleeza Rice. It struck me tonight while watching a news item about her that bunny ears wouldn't look out of place...

The only picture of the flying tram that I could find. The accompanying article's not bad either, but not as good (snarky) as this one. <snicker> (Oh, so that's what the duck was about? Ah, that makes a smidge more sense now.)
I did enjoy parts of the Opening Ceremony though, basically the parts where I wasn't cackling, or cringing, or just staring, bemused and saying: wtf?
There was some world-class waffling from the presenters and at first glance I swore the Welsh athletes were naked! They weren't, alas, it was their beige uniforms that confuddled my eyes.
The fireworks looked deuced impressive though. Melbourne was awash in cordite last night. Very festive, I'm sure...

Hee, yes, I had fun with my mum. We went op-shopping, and patchwork shopping. I came back with loads of material I don't need for my stash and some very pretty Chinese tea cups I found - 4 for $2. I also found a lovely handmade ceramic bowl for only $1.50. The glaze is essentially sand-coloured, not something I normally look at twice, but it's got a beautiful shape. It'll make a very nice serving bowl.
Mum bought me an electric kettle for my birthday (as I requested) and I bought the cubs new electric toothbrushes. Neat ones, too; the holders look like mechs. Cubs were pleased. : )
Not sure that I'm all that happy to be home but I'm certainly glad to be back in my own bed. My mum's couch is hell on my back. <g>

Niki leant me Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys. What a fabulous story! I laughed, I was infuriated, I was squicked. Going to get my own copy, I think. Definitely worth a reread.
As a special 'treat' I got myself a copy of a recommended Drivel, Dara Joy's Ritual of Proof. I haven't been game to open it yet, not immediately after Anansi Boys at any rate. I want to savour the afterglow of that a wee while longer before I bludgeon my sensibilities with Romance, even recommended Romance. : )

A quote I heard on the telly while at my mum's:
"A crooked cop: a friend, a lover, a brother..."
Gosh, I thought, how progressive! Incest on a prime-time Aussie soap?!
Nah, just a poorly worded advert. Tch.
And this one, from a breakfast cereal commercial:
"It doesn't matter what's behind you - it's what's inside you..."
<splutter> Bwaahahahahahahahah! Taken out of context that's very suggestive. <snigger> Maybe I should watch commercial telly more often?

... a flying tram.
Bwahahahahahahahah!
I'm watching the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games... More later. I don't want to miss a moment of the good taste...

Oh, and yes, I had fun at my mum's, thanks. : )

(That link up above is for an ordinary, ground tram - I'll see if I can find a pic of the mystical flying tram once the ceremony's finished.)

Happy birthday to me,
it reached 38 degrees...

(Hey, it scans!)
Yes it was hot today, though not unexpectedly. It's usually hot (if not stupidly hot) around my birthday.
So, last night the cubs and their father presented me with a cream cake - mmmm... - and a pair of very cute cards the cubs had made. ("This mech was going to wish you happy birthday - but the pilot had to eject!" <giggling> And, "Hope your birthday's a ... <cliché bomb explodes> Blast!" <g> What can I say? They spend a lot of time playing Spy vs. Spy and Mech Assault...) Where was I? Ah yes.
Anyway, that was lovely, and today Soulsis kidnapped me (and the cubs) and took us 'round to Niki's. Lots of good conversation and evil food. Soulsis gave me a pair of chicken salt and pepper shakers (incidentally, a pair I'd looked at on eBay and really liked but decided not to bid cos I already had a few things outstanding) and then she plunked a packet of marzipan down in front of me and said I had to imagine it was a Ham-ham! <rolling around laughing> She didn't quite get time to make it... Funnily enough, Niki also handed me a packet of marzipan. <g> I like marzipan, oh yes I do. She also gave me a packet of Jelly Bellys, a lovely card and a purple tin! Oh, almost forgot the fishy glass dessert dish from Soulsis as well... : )
Best of all though was I got to nap uniterrupted in air-conditioned comfort. <eg> I suppose it's indicative of, I dunno, something, that I get more enjoyment from an afternoon snooze on my birthday than a wild party. But then, I never really was a party girl, so there you go.
Thank you, Soulsis and Niki! <huggle>

(Ah good, the cool change has come through. Should be able to sleep well enough tonight...)

Last day of term. Woohoo. I'm knackered... Spent the morning tearing around paying bills and picking up groceries; dived home long enough to unload then tore out again to get down to the school in time for the end of term assembly.
<sigh> The principal suggested the preppies sing their song again and while everyone else smiled, in my mind I was shouting 'Noooooo!' Yes, I was a prep parent once, I can remember that swell of pride at seeing your sprog up on stage for the first time but by year 5 you're over it. Or perhaps I was just having a cynical day... : ) But, I got through the second rendition of Oscar Organised without screaming. Amazing how pleasantly distracting thoughts of Snupin can be. Heh, and people probly thought that goofy grin was cos the preps were cute.

Penny gave me 3 sets of plastic grapes! And a box of gorgeous beaded fake fruit and berries. <g> The raspberries glisten: they look delicious.
I bought myself another present, too, a big tin of assorted licorice. Mmmm. I'm hiding that from the cubs. So mean.

My local fabric shop is having a sale; I picked up some wonderful black and white linen material for my (proposed) Snape plush. Actually I got 2 pieces of black, one of which is slightly heavier and coarser than the other and will be great for the outer robes. There's more than enough white, too, for Balian's 'good' shirt. <g> So satisfying having projects to look forward too.

I'm running away to my mum's for a few days next week. The cubs are looking forward to that cos they'll be having boys' time with their dad. Just them, and the Xbox. <rolls eyes> As long as they get outside at least once a day and eat the fresh fruit I'll leave for them I shouldn't be returning to a house full of gaming-zombies...

I know when I'm reading something good cos I'm not mentally editing as I go. Just as learning to teach ballet meant I couldn't watch a performance anymore without critiquing, being a writer means I can't just simply read a story. This isn't a bad thing by any means; I'm learning more now from what I read. With good work I'm half-consciously studying/comparing style and language use - with bad work I'm reinforcing my knowledge of what can and can't be done with words. So, in conclusion, even godawful crap serves a purpose.
My, aren't I a little ray of sunshine this morning? <g>

Moving right along...
This is a completely evil site. Cat owners will know precisely what I mean. <snerk>

The chapter 4 rewrite is turning out to be tricksy, very tricksy. It might've helped if I'd been a little less vague when I initially wrote the thing. Eh well, there's deep satisfaction in coaxing out a better product.

Hee. I bought myself an early birthday present today from an opp-shop. I've seen a lot of casserole dishes with lids shaped like chickens but this one was a duck, a very handsome green duck, I might add. It spoke to me; I couldn't leave it behind. It was expensive, though - $12 - far more than I would normally consider paying for anything from an opp-shop but as I'd been willing to pay 5 times that amount for a brand new one I didn't think it was too bad. The glaze inside is perfect, too, I don't think it's been used at all. Not that there's any guarantee I'll use it either, but it's attractive enough to be decorative.
Plus I picked up a pair of lovely mauve flannel pyjamas very cheaply. They won't fit me at all but that doesn't matter, I only bought them for the material.
And I'm now the proud owner of two kilos of sun-dried and marinated tomatoes! Mwahahahahah! They were on special at the supermarket - less than half price. I wonder how long it will take for me to finish the jar? I can almost certainly guarantee that very few will actually be used in cooking - I'll probly just snack on them as they are.

David Attenborough's new series on insects is fascinating, in a creepy sort of way. So interesting to watch, but I always feel itchy by the end. : )

Russian Ark has been on my 'to see' list for a long time. I borrowed a copy from the library the other day and finally sat down to watch it. Absolutely intriguing, if incomprehensibly... Russian in places. Still, the 'making of' documentary in the bonus features went a long way towards filling in the gaps. Now that I've got a clue I'd like to watch it at least once more before I have to return the DVD, see if it makes a more complete sense with a second viewing.

The cubs and I watched the HRE's Atlantis for the first time in probably over a year. Aside from a couple of cliché<cough>trademark HRE moments, I'd forgot how much I enjoyed this movie. It remains one of the few HRE name-brand productions I respect.
And damn those Atlanteans are an attractive people...

Parent-teacher interviews today, hooray. I deliberately arranged the interview times to be quite late so the cubs could go into the After School Care program - which they enjoy - but also so I could have a couple of extra hours to myself in the afternoon (to pet my new duck <g> ).
The cubs' father came with me - another reason for the later timeslots - and we were both pleased with what the teachers had to say. Both cubs seem to be happier and more settled this year. They're interacting a little better with their classmates and there's less overall friction. They're also both more inclined to have a go at sports which is great to hear, though they're still not overly inclined to finish class work on time. Heh, that's a criticism that's carried all the way through from Prep. But, their teachers are happy with them; the cubs are more than capable, academically, and their reading, comprehension and spelling are very good. I knew that already but it's nice to have it confirmed.

The rewrites of chapters 1-3 were relatively easy but 4 is undergoing a major overhaul after I had a [ping]. The extra detail is definitely needed, though; it'll define and deepen a couple of the characters.

Dagnabbit it's hot again. <grump>

"I really must get off my arse and get on with SFSG..."
The irony of that statement is, of course, that I need to stay on my arse to carry on with the task. Very awkward typing while standing...

And so another school Twilight Sports fades into memory. Haven't missed one yet - something to be proud of, I suppose. As is now traditional we had fish and chips for dinner in the park before the event, then the cubs had fun participating, happily running first and second last in their year level heat. In the team 'novelty' events, one cub's team came second, and the other's fourth, which meant they both had a 'placing' ribbon to pin on their shirts along with the non-placing 'well done' ribbons.
As always I avoided the 'Mum's' race (pfft, yeah right, I'm going to run in front of people) but, <soppy grin>, the M cub offered to run for me so I could have a ribbon as well. (He wasn't allowed to but it's the thought that counts.)
And Penny, bless her, gave us a lift home afterwards. Most grateful - we got in the door around 9 instead of closer to 10. : )

<sigh> I miss my piggle; she died a couple of days ago (old age). I miss her enquiring/demanding shrill whistles and how she'd brazenly sniff KittenKong when the cat stuck her nose in the cage. Sure the piggle was psychotic but she was company while I did the dishes. Eh well...

Egad, only one more week of term left.
I'd like some cooler weather now, please.

Tee hee hee.
IKEA is having a competition/promotion thing where (I think) you win something if you can guess correctly if something is worth more or less than a related IKEA product. There's posters and billboards all over the place with stuff like "Does this pair of thongs [flip-flops, for non-Aussies] cost more than this IKEA shoe rack?" There's one though, that had me gasping with laughter.
"Does this Boyband [CD] cost more than these four knobs?"
Oh gods, cacked myself laughing - and I'm quite sure that was an entirely deliberate pairing. <g>

The rewrite inches onwards. Took me a day to sort out one paragraph of Very Important Details. I knew what had to be said, I just couldn't seem to phrase it in such a way it would make sense to anyone else. But, it's done now and I can forge ahead.

Would stubbornly forcing yourself to read/finish badfic indicate a tendency to self harm? Just wondering...
Joules - after one of my typos - has come up with a word to describe what you do to your brain when you read badfic. Crusie: a cross between bruise and curse. : )
Tch, and I've yet to read a convincing Evil!Dumbledore, or even a plausible EvilDeedsForTheGreaterGood!Dumbledore. Give it up, people, it's like turning Harry into an angsty girl, or making Snape a hidden fluffy-bunny who only needs luurve to release his true nature. <gackshudder> He's not misunderstood, he's a bad-tempered, grudge-bearing bastard who nevertheless will do what he has to and not expect anyone to thank him for it. </rant> I think I might forego trawling for fic for the moment and concentrate on my own...

The cubs' father had a colonscopy the other day. He was very twitchy beforehand because he'd recently nursed two patients who consequently died from complications of the procedure.
Before he left for his appointment with Doom he gave me a verbal list of what he wanted done with his possessions. I told him he could write it all down properly when he got home. : )
As it was, he got the all-clear; there's nothing nasty lurking in his bowel. Well, nothing nastier than normal.

Happy Birthday, Joules!

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

Have a great day! : )

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

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

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

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

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

<g>

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

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

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

(Nicked from Rakina, several days ago: )

Tame? Tame? Hmph.

L	Luxurious
U	Unnatural
T	Tame
R	Relaxing
A	Ambitious

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicked from a friend of a friend:

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

You Should Date A Swede!

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

Which Foreign Guy Should You Date?

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

I saw a fridge magnet that said:

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

<g> I quite like that...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

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

How Is Your Inner Child?

Yep, absolutely. : )

Your Hair Should Be Purple

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

What's Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

And I'd agree with this, too.

You Are Rain

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

What Type of Weather Are You?

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

And lastly...

You Should Get A Butterfly Tattoo

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

What Tattoo Should You Get?

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

Heh, well, the first part of the epilogue is now chapter 36 and I'll continue on with the actual epilogue next. Tch, shouldn't be surprised though, should I? Not given how this thing has mushroomed as I've been writing. <g>
Fifteen chapters and 50k words. Hah!

Cubs and I dragged ourselves into school this morning so I could sort out their booklist. We've left the bulk of the stuff at school but brought home the pens and pencils etc; so I could label them. Wot fun. But, it's done now, plus I've got some ham for sandwiches tomorrow. All I have to do now is dig out their lunchboxes and sort out their uniforms. Cor, I'm approaching organised (from a distance, cautiously...)
What was disturbing though was going into the school grounds and immediately being beset by a dragging sense of ennui. Cripes, the school year hasn't even properly started yet and I'm bored with it.

The cubs asked if they could have fish'n'chips for dinner tonight, and I said certainly, but we wouldn't be able to go and see a movie after school tomorrow. They deliberated for a while and decided they'd like to see the movie instead. So, all being well we'll be trotting off to see Nanny McPHee. (Narnia was the preference but the only session we could get to was at 6 p.m. Far too late for a weeknight.)

Fanfic snickers from two different sources:

"Bullocks!" Ron swore..."

Moo! and...

"[She had]... eyes like honey..."

Is that crystalised honey, or the runny stuff? Either way it's going to drip down her face and make a horrible mess. <snerk>

Very odd dream while I was napping this afternoon. There were spiders, huntsmen, gathering on a window at night. About 11 of the things, all different sizes. I watched them cautiously and realised there was sort of a spidery-standoff happening. Then one of the biggest ones, a female, snatched up a piece of black fabric - the cloak from a Star Wars action figure - and dashed off. Carnage ensued, though I didn't see much of it, just got the impression of all the critters converging and racing. <shudder> Got distracted by something else in the dream and when I got back to the spider there were 3 left, 2 injured ones doggedly trailing the original female, determined to get the scrap. I could only assume it was wanted it for nesting.
... unless it was a symbol of spider royalty and would allow the wearer to claim dominion over the world of Arachnia!
No, that's just silly.

Chapter 36 is moving along; going to be longer than I'd first thought but, meh, that seems to be standard for SFSG.
And yesterday I had a solid [ping] about another idea that's been simmering in the background. Looks like that might be ready to start soon. Convenient, eh?

[pissing self laughing] And I don't even like pirates! Well, OK, pirate chic is good. Especially on Johnny Depp. Or Adam Ant. But not pirates per se.

Pirate ninjas now - that's different. Arrrh Soh...

My pirate name is:

Mad Morty Read

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even through many pirates have a reputation for not being the brightest souls on earth, you defy the sterotypes. You've got taste and education. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

Chapter 35 is finished - on to the epilogue, now. Hee. Current wordage is 175k, that's 10k more than Half-blood Prince. (I checked, just so I could get some idea of the size...)

Regarding air-conditioning, Onna, I've only lived in one rental house that had any, and it was expensive to run. My Mum has a/c in her unit now, but there's no shade there and she can't cope with the heat anymore. a/c is becoming the standard here down South but it wasn't for many, many years and I'm still leary about saying it's an essential. (Vicious cycle: a/c uses a lot of electricity, the production of which contributes to global warming and higher temperatures, necessitating more a/c). With better designed houses - with proper insulation and building to suit the climate - it shouldn't be needed.

Nicked from Rakina:

My pirate name is:

Black Jack Bonney

Like anyone confronted with the harshness of robbery on the high seas, you can be pessimistic at times. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

I liked the Hamlet question - this answer particularly:

"Yes, but it was only a small flaw in an otherwise brilliant work of... err.. that is... ARR!

<giggling>

Oh good, a cool change...
It reached 43 today - second hottest January day on record, or something. It was 36 inside and the ambient heat meant that everything was hot to the touch - it made trying to find somewhere cool to lounge a bit difficult. And of course the heat brings the huntsman inside. I spotted a moderately sized one lurking around the piggle's cage last night. These things always appear in pairs, so I was on guard for the other one. Sure enough, in the toilet this morning, I tugged on the paper and an effing huntsman shot out from inside the roll! Ack! This one was too big even for my newfound bravery with spiders to cope with, so I called in reinforcements. Housemate was quite happy to catch the thing and spirit it away for me. (And later in the afternoon the original, smaller one appeared when I moved the piggle cage - but I caught that one on my own.) But now I'm twitchy, expecting more spiders to appear, jumping at sudden movements in my peripheral vision...
But, the change has come through and its only 24 inside now. Hoorah. Should be able to sleep well enough anyway.

A few months ago Alarice introduced me to A2 milk which she said contained a particular type of protein and was more beneficial. I was skeptical, but, I've been trying it for the past few weeks and I see what she means. I can even drink the full-cream version without getting a runny nose and a gluey chest, and when I've had to use 'normal' milk the change is noticeable. It does taste different to regular milk, but not in a bad way. The only quibble I have is that it's not certified organic, but I can live with that.

This 'HP obsessed' quiz was nicked from Rakina. (Sorry about the extraneous information that came with it - too brain-fried to trim.)

Harry & Ron You scored 70% knowledge and 55% obsession!

"Now, if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed, before either of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed. Or worse, expelled!" "She needs to sort out her priorities." You are neither obsessed nor oblivious about the magical world, but your knowledge is obviously higher than average. You have a healthy interest in all things Potter, but it's nothing to worry about. Your keen intellect and natural curiosity make you a force to be reckoned with. You can't be expected to pay attention in Binns' class every lesson when you have Quidditch matches and girls on your mind! Just be forewarned - Hermione won't always be able to finish your essays for you. She has enough going through that frizzy head of hers!

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 33% on knowledge You scored higher than 0% on obsession

Link: The Harry Potter Obsessed Test written by ack_attack on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

A fair summation, I think...

One of my new year determinations was to not whinge about stuff I couldn't change, like the weather. Even so...
Blinkin' heck it's hot!
Mid-thirties today, mid-thirties yesterday, and low-forties forecast for tomorrow - all this in a house with a metal roof, no insulation and no air-conditioning. <whimper> I'm watching news reports of blizzards in Moscow and feeling quite envious.
Sun's gone down now and the temperature's dropped a little, but the cicadas have started up and they're matching the decibel level of my housemate; ie: loud enough to drown out the telly.
Last night wasn't too bad, there was a moderate cool change with showers and thunderstorms, and a good stiff breeze to blow through the house. Air's barely moving tonight though - not looking forward to trying to sleep.
The piggle, bless her, has finally got the hang of the bottle of frozen water. I caught her this afternoon, reclining over the thing, using it like a pillow. <g> Very cute.

Sat down with the cubs this afternoon and watched Big Trouble in Little China, one of my favourite movies. Cubs got right into it, gasping and laughing in the right places, and not needing to ask many questions about what was going on. <g> I thank anime for their knowledge of demons/spirits and supernatural doings.

(Just checked my weather pixie at The Zone... 29.C. I don't think it's going to get much cooler tonight.
Hm, 'puter's running a bit hot too - better keep an eye on that...)

Picking away at the theoretically penultimate chapter of SFSG. It ain't 'alf dragging its heels. I've roughed it out in long-hand but as I'm tweaking as I transcribe its taking about as much time as it would for me to write from scratch. Heh, no matter, I've got my 'holy heck I've finished!' bottle of alcohol tucked away ready for when I do actually finish the thing.

(Cubs have just told me they thought they saw some lightning earlier. Figures. Oh well, as long as the temperature drops I don't really care...)

<blink> No idea why but my bookmarks have disappeared. Very annoying.

Chinese New Year is approaching so Box Hill is awash in red and gold plastic. Hee! I was very restrained - I only bought two things. I love Asian tat.

The cubs' father is studying Japanese calligraphy. He wants to do a banner that reads 'Sex; Death; other people's money' (long story) but is having trouble with the kanji. Any suggestions?

Rakina tagged me for a meme. Evil cow. : )

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're any good, but they must be songs you're really enjoying now. Post these instructions in yourLiveJournal along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they're listening to.

... I don't think I know seven people...
So anyway, no specific tags, but feel free to play if you wish.

1: Wonderwall - Oasis. (I regularly sing myself hoarse with this one. I do so like a band who plays in my key...)
2: Go with the Flow - Queens of the Stone Age.
3: Gimme danger - Iggy Pop. (I listen to this version cos the one I really, really want - Kurt Wild from Velvet Goldmine - isn't available. It's still a great, emotive track, though.)
4: We're much preferred customers - Disassociatives. (Dreamy, trippy, just bloody wonderful.)
5: God put a smile on your face - Coldplay.
6: Ibelin - Kingdom of Heaven soundtrack.
7: Cloud Age Symphony - Last Exile; opening track.

Hn. Interesting. I would've thought my playlist was generally harder. Eh, catch me on another day and it'll be different.

I was pondering slash fic and wondering how long it's been a convention to mush a pairing's name together? (ie: Harry/Snape = Snarry, Spike/Buffy = Spuffy etc. [<snerk> Thanks, Mags...] ) I assume it's more prevalent in fandoms where the names are a bit more ordinary, I mean, Qui Gon/Obiwan = Goniwan? : ) I think it's fairly recent, too; I can't see it having being applied to one of the original (television) pairings. Spirk? Kock? <titter>

Back from a few days at Mum's. Heh, I actually feel like I've had a break this time. We were busy, but no one got too gribbly (and I don't mean just the cubs) and we had fun. Mum drove down and picked us up then I drove us out to the Healesville trolley ride. <g> Not overly crowded today, nor wet or too hot. A lovely, pleasant trip, and cos I wasn't sitting jammed up next to someone I wasn't forced to interact and so was able to spend twenty or so blissful minutes alone in my mind, contemplating Snupin smut.
While we were there the cubs spent most of their tooth money on quite nice pull-back models of (guess what?) steam trains. Happy cubs, followed by a quiet afternoon watching Fruits Basket - which Mum didn't get at all. <g>

Monday morning, while Mum was in her exercise class, I took the cubs swimming; or rather, I watched them splash about in the water while I roughed out a short fic. Then we trekked out to the Trestle bridge - a longer journey than I remembered - and after the cubs had frolicked about up there for a little while we were all ready for lunch. Stopped in at the only shop in Powell Town, a milk-bar/general store/pub, where I had a really nummy burger sandwich. (It was sposed to be a steak sandwich but they'd run out of steak. Eh, didn't matter, I just wanted red meat.) After we got home I napped while the cubs watched I, Robot, and then it was time for dinner...

Tuesday was a full day. Up early, ready and out the door before 9.30 a.m. - something of a miracle. We drove out to Coal Creek Heritage Village, somewhere the cubs wanted to go cos there was an old steam engine they could explore. I've never been to the place and it's been years since Mum was last there - and her navigational skills are on a par with my own. I found myself driving along a very long, very straight dirt road. "I don't remember this..." said Mum, helpfully. Fortunately that detour only took us a little bit out of our way and we still got to the Village in under an hour and a half.
Coal Creek is a construct. As the mining towns in the district closed down and died, notable buildings were rescued and brought to the present site: a courthouse, railway station, Masonic hall, Mechanic's Institute hall, doctor's residence/surgery, smithy, bank, school house, shops, studios, miners' and farm dwellings. Restoration is ongoing and while it's nowhere near as flash or big as something like Sovereign Hill, or as pricey, but it still makes for a fascinating visit. Mum refused to come with us into the short - and very damp - exhibition mine tunnel, but alas that was my only brush with the comfortable underground. The mine tour's been closed for a while.
The cubs loved the engine, a 'K' class 2-8-0 (hah! I know what that means, now!) and had a great time clambering all over the cab. I had fun poking around the carriages and Mum quite happily spent half an hour talking to the volunteer guide.
There was a dearth of tourist tatt which was probly just as well cos I was running out of money by then, but I did splash out and buy a bottle of peppermint cordial. Very interesting. All you can really taste is the sugar syrup base but it leaves your tongue tingly and cool, and there's a lovely, lingering minty aroma. Mmmm...
Finally, after 4 hours, we prised the cubs out of there with promises of food. We ended up taking another completely different route home - that still had little to do with the actual route planned on the map - but at least there was no dirt road this time and we still made it home in less than an hour and a half.

So that was yesterday.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the cubs managed to lock themselves in Nana's bathroom. <rolls eyes> She has a sliding door; it was slammed shut too vigorously and came off its runners. Cue cubs wailing about being left in there to die!! Oh, teh drama. I didn't bother telling them that, as I was bursting to go to the loo I certainly wasn't going to let a jammed door get in my way for very long. However, the cubs were very prettily grateful when we all worked together and they were liberated. <sigh> Dramaqueens - no idea where they get that from...

Snaffled from Rakina:

Hee, and I wasn't even trying to skew the results...

Only have a little patience and all that you desire will find its way to eBay...
Late in 2004 I saw a calendar of patchwork craft which had a gorgeous Autumn leaf quilt inside. I wasn't going to pay full price ($15) for one pattern however, so I waited for it to be marked down, like most calendars are in the new year. Two months in and it still hadn't been discounted, and then it - and all the other remaining calendars - disappeared. I was miffed, but philosophical.
I was recently browsing eBay and found a back-issue of a patchwork magazine which had that exact same quilt featured on the cover. <g> So I finally have the pattern - and some other neat stuff besides - at about a quarter of the original price. Happy? Oh yes...
(I've also got a user-friendly book of doll-making which has a nice, simple calico doll with a moderately shaped face. <beg> Balian and Snape plushies are one step closer.)
(I also had an idea today that a jellyfish mobile would be neat. If I make them out of light and floaty material they'll drift in the air quite nicely.)

Chapter 34 is finished and I've got notes ready for 35. <bounce>
I'm a little bit over my ideal schedule but not by much.

The cubs were out with their father this afternoon so I decided to listen to some of my music, for a change. I dragged out the Oasis: Morning Glory CD, which, for various reasons I haven't listened to for ages. MG was something I played a lot while I was writing Pros fiction and it was giving me the strangest emotional flashbacks. <g> It's not made me any more likely to dip into the fandom again, but it was an interesting experience.

And when I'd finished with that I put on my Jimmy Sommerville's Greatest Hits and started rockin' 'round the lounge room to some gay pride/angst. The cubs came home soon after and asked, incredulous, what was I listening too? One cub declared he didn't like wee Jimmy's voice at all, which I took to be an unsubtle hint for me to stop playing the CD. I smiled sweetly and replied that it was a perfect opportunity, then, for him to go and play in his room, wasn't it? He went. <eg> The other cub hung around, but he had his nose buried in the latest Horrible Science and didn't make a sound.
To their credit, the cubs don't get pouty anymore when I occasionally insist on watching/listening to something they're not particularly interested in. Heh, they're growing up, I guess.
Speaking of growing up... I've decided that as we're going to Nana's for a few days, it'd be nice for the cubs to have their own money instead of begging from me. They haven't managed to earn any pocket money yet but I've inadvertently stockpiled all their baby teeth for the past year or so cos I'm never organised enough to put just one or two teeth out for the tooth fairy. Anyway, there's a glass of water on the bench tonight, holding seventeen teeth. <g> That's a big load for a little fairy. Might need a squadron to deal with 'em - or just one tooth ogre.

Hee, the cubs are really enjoying Fruits Basket. We've got official wallpapers in circulation on the 'puter now. Today, it's Haru, yesterday was Ayame, day before was Kyou. <g>

Yes!
Got the afternoon to myself so I trotted off to see Goblet of Fire (again). Organised myself so I'd get there in plenty of time, even so I missed an earlier bus but that wasn't a problem cos I still had loads of time, right? Hmph. The session times had been changed so instead of being 30 minutes early - with consequently enough time to get something to eat - I bought my ticket just as the session started. Fortunately I was in my seat a few minutes before the feature began, but I don't like being rushed - or hungry.
Anyway, it was marvelous (again), what with CAPSLOCK!Harry and Narky!Ron. <g> But I think I've worked this particular obsession out of my system now - won't need to see it in the cinemas again. Perhaps. Unless I get a hankering for pavillions...

Links! Lots of links...

First: My brother has some of his original music available online. You can listen for free or download for a small cost. (Though Joules tried the music links and they weren't working, so I don't know <shrug>. And yes, that's his picture - the wild and crazy guy. : ) (Stop sniggering, you in the back! You know who you are... <g>)

Next: A really, really, reeeaaaally cute site!
Cute Overload. Guaranteed to make Joules shudder. Have a browse through the categories - lots of pics to make you go awwww... (Or retch, depending on how you feel about cute widdle animals.)

Finally: Discovered this site while I was housesitting for Niki, in one of her excellent crafty magazines. Promptly forgot about it but remembered it today, then of course couldn't remember the name so had to Google 'plush toast'. You'll see what I mean...
My Paper Crane. See if you can find the Tampon Dolls ™.

I'm nesting again - my brain is exploding with crafty/homemakery ideas. Which is fun, but I'm not organised enough to do much more than make notes at the moment. I seem to be focusing on wallhangings and cushions. I'm feeling the need to decorate my space, and fabric is something I can work with. : )

A long, long time ago (nigh on 20 years. Eep.) Alarice introduced me to Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry trilogy. Had a hankering recently to reread it but that meant I had to buy new copies (or rather, second-hand from eBay) cos my originals are buried in the garage, probly never to be seen again.
I've read this series a lot, it's one of those that I return to on semi-regular basis. I love it - Kay is one of the best world-builders ever in fantasy fiction. And he can tell a dang good story. The FT was his first publication, I think, and it pulls in all sorts of mythos into the story - but it's convincingly woven. His later works are better though, in that respect, because they're all original, even more convincing worlds.
He's an emotive writer, too, without being manipulative. The first time I had this series I made the mistake of reading them on public transport to and from work. Heh, you do get some funny looks when you're sniffling loudly - or downright howling - in the peak-hour crush. <g> Overt displays of emotion can be disturbing for your fellow travelers.
But anyway... It's been long enough since my last reread that even though I was able to sink comfortably back into the world from the first page I'd forgot some of the finer plot details. I'm having a wonderful time rediscovering them...

The cubs' father, recognising the incipient signs of 'forced proximity' psychosis, has agreed to look after the cubs tomorrow afternoon so I can run away for a few hours. : ) I'll probly go and see 'Goblet of Fire' again, oh, and pay the bills and do sensible shopping. But I'll be doing it on my own.

<happy grin> The cubs and I went to see Narnia yesterday.
Eeeee! Now that's what I call an encampment! Oh yes and the rest of the movie was marvelous, too, but eeee! Pavilions! : ) I need more tents in my life, obviously...
I thoroughly enjoyed Narnia, it was a beautiful realisation, so close to what I see in my mind when I read the book. (And dammit, I have to get to New Zealand one day. Centaurs come from there. They do. I heard the kiwi accents...) The children were all well cast - didn't you just want to pick Lucy up and cuddle her 'till she squeaked? - and the merging of CGI and live-action was believable.
And the tents, ah yes, the tents...
I got very teary throughout, starting right from the beginning when I was empathising all too strongly with the evacuation situation, all the way through to the little bit in the end credits. Soppy? Perhaps, but there was so much there to pull at me. Wonderful.

Hm, okay, so 34 might not be the final chapter. I'll almost certainly need at least one more before the epilogue, but that's fine, it's necessary detail.

Made the Yule cake today. Should've made two! It smells divine and judging by the little bits I've picked off the top, it's yummy, as well. : ) Going to be difficult putting it away for 6 months. (Sorry, Soulsis, I used wheat flour but I'm sure there's plenty of recipes for gluten-free lurking about.)

<evil smirk> I've been getting sneak previews of Joules' Band 3. (Yes, yes, BentenYOURS - I'm only looking...)

Finished Fruits Basket, thanks, Onna! Boy, that family's got issues, and some of the previous generation could've done with a few 'positive parenting' tips administered with a brick. Hmph.
It was a wonderful series - even though I was threatening to smack Tohru if she said 'sorry!' one more time. The story's continued in the manga, you say? Tempting, very tempting...

The cubs finally talked me in to watching The Polar Express. Was that ghost hobo supposed to look like Sean Bean?
While I can appreciate the technical wizardry that went into creating the movie, the people (including the elves) were ever so creepy. (And those elves were all Red Caps, don't think I didn't notice.) The animated body movements were nice and smooth - even the over-the-top comic-booky characters of the train's crew - but the faces just didn't work like faces are supposed to. It was offputting - I kept expecting them to morph into something horrible. Well, more horrible than they already were.
Fortunately, unlike the previous train movie they got their paws on <shudder>, the cubs don't seem intent on watching this one over and over and over.

Happy Birthday, Onna! (Have to confess that I didn't remember all on my own; I've just read Joules' blog... <g>)

It's blissfully quiet. Cubs are in bed (asleep); housemates are noticeable by their absence; telly's off... Niiiice
Under normal circumstances the lack of noise at night would make me twitchy but this is the holidays and I haven't had any time alone for sodding days. So right now... this is nice.

And pink stuff! <bounce> Got a parcel from Joules this morning; it had 2 packets of pink stuff (piiiink stuuuuf) and a CD of some music. I believe I have Adrian to thank for that? : ) Thanks, Adrian!

Chapter 33 is finished. One more chapter, then the epilogue and I'm done! Definitely going to have alcohol on hand for that.

The lounge room looks a bit tidier, but only because the xmas decorations came down today. I'll make an effort to remember to put them back up for MidWinter this year. I'm sure the cubs won't object; that coincides with their birthday.
Speaking of (the Southern Hemisphere) Yule, I've got all the ingredients I need to make the Yule cake. Probly do that in the next couple of days then it can sit quietly in the dark somewhere and mature for the next few months.
And dammit, I'm going to have marzipan and fondant icing when I decorate. Don't care if I'm the only one who eats the stuff - that only means I can scoff all the unwanted bits. See? <taps temple> Method in my madness...
(I'm not going to froth at the mouth, either, about the hot cross buns already appearing in the shops. <grump> It's only bloody January...)

I can't say I truly have many weaknesses, things that I simply cannot resist, but one of them is smallgoods - preserved meat products. There's a European delicatessen opened up in my local shops. I went in there today and was treated to tastes of half a dozen different types of hams. So yummy! Freshly made, no preservatives - so much nicer than the plastic crap the supermarkets sell. Worth the expense, definitely. And then there's the range of bizarre East European lollies that I have to try sometime.
I picked up a small slab of smoked and cooked bacon, and a jar of pickled mushrooms. Haven't tried the mushrooms yet but admittedly I mainly bought them cos the jar is really pretty. If the contents are nice, too, then it's a bonus.

Cubs and I managed to spend 6 hours at the shopping centre yesterday. It wasn't that hard to do, actually, not when we took the time to leisurely browse the toy shops, and have lunch, and go see a movie.
Valiant opened yesterday. The cubs wanted to see it cos there was a steam train in the preview. (They're not thorough, they're just obsessed. <g>) I liked this CGI animation for a lot of reasons. True, it wasn't as cutting edge as something like The Incredibles but it had a very British sort of charm. It was chock full of WWII movie stereotypes, including the comic evil Germans (falcons); the plucky little hero; the good-natured roughnuts; the fussy 'University' chap, and the dodgy character who joins up to avoid trouble elsewhere but turns out to be as noble and good-hearted as any of 'em. Not highly original - not after the amount of WWII movies I've seen - but it was clever. The parody of recruitment propaganda movies was particularly funny. And interestingly, there were no American characters.
I was very pleased with myself, though, I managed to pick most of the voice cast without too much effort. Very nice to hear Tim Curry working again - he makes such a wonderful villain - and cos this was British, Eyecandy McDrooley was allowed to speak in his normal accent. So cute!
I'll say one thing about the movie though; the pigeons' movements were played for laughs but whoever animated the falcons had obviously spent a lot of time watching real birds. They were convincing; I loved watching them.

Nicked this quiz from Rakina:

INTP - "Architect". Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 3.3% of total population.

Free Jung Word Choice Test (similar to MBTI)
personality tests by similarminds.com

Well, my worlds exist primarily to be understood, and what better way to gain understanding than to build them yourself? Tra la la...

Ah yes, one last thing. Odd dream the other night. Don't remember much of it except the ending in which there was a lot of running around and chasing throughout someone's home. I think someone was trying to stop someone else getting married (or equivalent) but I took matters into my own hands by plunging a spear into a bowl. Not that anyone noticed the highly symbolic action straight away, but I woke up as I was planning to explain to them the significance, and point out that the deed was now done and they had to live with it. : )
Oddly enough, I'm not sure that remembering the rest of the dream would have that bit making sense within context. Eh. It's my subconscious and it'll confuse me if it wants to.

Back home after a nice relaxing few days at Niki's. Back with my own computer, my own favourites list, my own cat (who apparently spent a lot of time sleeping underneath my computer chair...) and my earplugs. Oh gods, my earplugs - remind me never to leave home without them! The cubs just talk and talk and talk...
Not having my favourites list handy certainly made me realise what sites I'd actually make an effort to visit considering I had to either remember the URL or google them. There was an awful lot I was happy to leave until I got home. Mind you, I've caught up with them all now.
I got to watch my 'Kingdom of Heaven' DVD while I was away (le sigh...) and the first 12 episodes of Fruits Basket. Thank you, Onna! <tacklehug> I love it! That's the biggest percentage of bishies I've ever seen in any anime. I just get giggly over one then the next is introduced and I squee again. Current favourites are the Cat and the Cow. And the Rat. And the Dog. And the Dragon. <silly grin> I may have a problem...
Haven't met the Snake yet and I've already been warned off him. <smirk>
But anyway, I laughed a lot over the 12 eps and was mildly surprised at how easy they were to watch. (I mean, I sat through 12 in one sitting and would've watched more except that Niki came home.) Thanks again, Onna!
(One question though: if being hugged by a member of the opposite sex activates the Sohma curse, how do they procreate?)

Almost finished part 2 (of 3) of the snucious smut - and still trying to overcome the tentativeness with which I approach lemons.

There's new rebel cola posters appearing around town. At first glance it looked like someone was crowbarring the lid off a toilet, causing it to spray forth its nasty brown contents. On closer examination I discover that it's in fact David Hasslehoff opening an abnormally large bottle of the stuff. Riiight... And since when has The Hoff been cool? Or is this some retro, kitchy geek cool that I'm completely misunderstanding? <sigh> I'm just not hep to the jive anymore... : )

The good thing about stupidly hot days (40+ degrees) is that they make hot days (30+ degrees) seem not that bad. : )

... and some recent misreads:
An advert for the new CD, 'Walk on Waiter'. It was of course, 'Walk on Water'.
Here's a good one, glimpsed in a listing of local xmas events. 'Our Holy Reindeer'. Gosh, how... seasonal... Though it was actually a reference to a church, 'Our Holy Redeemer'. I prefer my version...

I've been scoffing so many of the lovely fresh beans from Niki's garden I've given myself stomach aches. <g> Completely worth it - they're delicious!

Bit of an interesting day today. Cubs and I went for a walk this morning up to the shops. I'd forgot how hilly this area is but it wasn't a long slog so I didn't feel like I was dying. <g> Had a wander around the small and mostly closed shopping area, grabbed a few things and wandered back with me pointing out old residences of mine and their dad's. When we got back, Sully, Niki's cat, was really agitating to go outside. He has a small run in the backyard and I was going to pop him in there but he wouldn't let me put his harness on, and he growled at me when I went to pick him up so I attached the lead to his collar, thinking it was only a short distance, what could go wrong? Heh. His collar broke, and he was off. Aaargh! I couldn't catch him so I decided to leave the door open and hoped he'd come back when he was hungry. I kept an eye on him over the next couple of hours, watching him have fun basking in the sun and rolling in the dirt. Grrr... Penny and Sarah dropped by for afternoon tea and I related my tale of woe - and then I got a message from Niki saying she was on her way home, a day early. B'ghack!! (That's a chicken squawk, by the way) Oh no! Sully was still outside! Niki would see what a lousy house-sitter I was!
<g> She just shook her head when I told her and said: 'He's still in the backyard? He usually just disappears...' Okay, didn't feel quite so bad now.
Anyway, long story short, Niki got her days mixed up but was happy for us to stay on another night, and she retrieved her rotten cat before she headed off again. So, the cubs and I are going home tomorrow, as planned. It's been fun, and Niki found me a very pinkly tacky flamingo garden ornament. <smirk> I love it - it's made of wood, with bamboo legs and its head is on the end of a looong bit of flexible metal so it bobs up and down in the breeze... Thanks, Niki!

Almost forgot. Stumbled over this - Bunny: the book of random. So funny! ... in a bizarre sort of way. (Make sure you read the title of each page as well as the comic itself; that's half the joke, I found.) Haven't had a chance to read all of it but what I did had me cackling out loud. GoodTwin, I think you'll enjoy this. Joules didn't. <g>

<smirk> Is it significant that as the new year ticked over I was writing smut? Setting the trend perhaps?
Nah... : )

Time was, not so long ago, when I would've thought it tragic not to be going somewhere or doing something on New Year's Eve. Now? Meh. I was online, I wasn't alone. <g> Would've been nice to have a little bit of alcohol though.
It was very quite here last night. The cubs' father took them down to the beach for the celebration so it was just me, the cat and the dog. Poor Jenna. There weren't very many fireworks to be heard, fortunately, but after the first one she was waiting with her nose pressed against the back door! She shot inside and then was quite content to stay in all night.
Cubs were soooo tired when they got home around 1 a.m. they went straight to bed and didn't even quibble when I said they couldn't read for a little while. We all woke up late this morning.
(It was interesting - when the cubs' father dropped them off he mentioned that this was like a dress rehearsal for when we're in separate houses. If so then I can't foresee a problem for me.)

New Year's Determinations? One or two vaguely sensible ones plus finishing SFSG within two weeks and seeing it in print by the end of the year. We'll see how we go. : )

Happy Arbitrary Calendar Change, everyone!