Imaginary Gardens

I'm really looking forward to watching Stardust when it comes out. Not just because, having read the book, I know the story's good, or that the actors in it are good (DeNiro, for one, and McKellen as narrator, for another - and OMG Peter O'Toole!), but also because through Neil's blog I've been able to see the film through the whole process of becoming.

In the interest of pimping this film to you all, here's the old webpage for the film, which, in the words of Niel Gaiman, contains: "a few video interviews with me, some answers to Stardust questions, Stardust wallpaper and even a do it yourself Charles Vess colouring thing (which is much too much fun)."

He's not kidding on the digital colouring things.

Today's project: rough and final drafts of emails for profs, requesting yet another batch of letters of rec. *sigh*

Link of the day: Tiggy Malvern's Slash Fiction


ETA: I don't know why, but I seem to be finding inspiration in CD song titles, itching to make a series using them. Angels and Airwave's "We Don't Need to Whisper" gives: ( Read more... )

which gives me a Firefly, River-centric theme.

Audioslave's "Revelations" gives:( Read more... )

which gives me a OUaTiM, Sands-centric** theme.

Then lacesforalady's challenge of using select bits of Billy Idol's White Wedding:( Read more... )

gives me nothing but the urge to write something that fits. (Though possible either without that last one, or with it as an epilogue.) Maybe OUaTiM- or River-musings.


* Neil Gaiman, Blog 04/21/06
** "To quote a popular Sunnydale phrase, 'duh'." - Spike, BtVS

I need a rumpled!Mort icon, as I seem to be doing a whole icon-mood-theme based off SW.

That said, I've spent all weekend in bed, including Friday afternoon. Mostly sick and headachey, though somewhat better now.

I've spent my time finishing NeonDaisie's, aka neondaisies, Fractured Secrets, then moving onto OUaTiM territory with her amazing (and still realistic) More Than Eyes Alone Can See, and it's sequel, More than Life. She's got PotC fics out too, apparently as incredibly long as these, under her other user name (rythmteck)

Please, for the love of puppies, if you like long, well-written stories with realistic people and situations, read her's!

(Apparently there's some extra smutt scenes in More than Life, but I'll email a request for them once I've finished the fic, along with copious amounts of praise.)

PS: Got this in a Fwd:

A recent scientific study found that women find different male faces attractive depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle For example, when a woman is ovulating she will prefer a man with rugged, masculine features. However when she is menstruating,she prefers a man doused in petrol and set on fire, with scissors stuck in his eye and a cricket stump shoved up his backside.

Glee!!!


* Neil Gaiman 03/02/03, on Quotable Neil

I was going to post a bunch of cool stuff, but my floppy won't open on this computer anymore, for some reason. There were fic rec's and YouTube links and... *sigh* I`ll try to get them back, in the spirit of procrastination.

First, though, here's a list of nautical terms, incase anyone (being me) is tempted to write anything...nautical. Right. active_apathy's recommended a word game, which I remember playing in English class. A post on fanficrants describes how to go about getting your fictional character out of the closet, and what to keep in mind for good storytelling.

( Fic recs below. )

( As for YouTube, the ones I remember are: )


* PotC: DMC

...the internet ate my post. Let's try this again.

I've been meaning to post a list of the songs I've been hearing here on the radio which most probably haven't made it across the pond.
So here's a whole bunch of YouTube music videos. ( Read more... )


Undying love to Neil Gaiman for the following lines:

And sometimes this Blog is just a diary, or a reminder. You forget the things you were certain you would always remember, especially the tiny things, and all too often they're the things that matter.

I love this man.

evadne_noel's posted a new Once Upon a Freakin' Time, this time revolving around the new death-eater's masks. With Lockhart. *squee*

Annie Lenox's Why just struck me as having a perfect bit for Sands. (Although that just may be thew current obsession speaking.)

I may be mad
I may be blind
I may be viciously unkind
But I can still read what you're thinking


* "American Pie", Don McLean

Do you know how hard it is to write a personal statement and juggle with requirements when you're freezing in an office with no bathroom and a really bad chronic whistler?

Aaaaargh!!!

Have, however, found a promising fic based on OUaTiM. Alas, there's just one chapter, one year old.

Found an even more promising (and indeed, written) fic, called Sands Through the Hourglass by Scarlett Burns (volta1228). Chapter 38 seems to be down, but it seems to be really, really good (if not widely read). Have saved a lot of chapters for later.

ETA: The chapters are at her website and on ff.net


* The Last Continent, TPratchett

FedEx just delivered my diploma, in it's original red envelope, because my parents couldn't find one big enough.

It's mangled. It bloody hurts to look at. Knowing that my diploma, more-than-thrice-stamped and ultra-signed, having passed through more hands than a questionable-content home-made cigarette, is nestled inside doesn't make me feel better.

It's like the Canadian and Spanish governement, and now FedEx, have taken turns spitting on my diploma.


ETA: Mom called. She was very bitchy confrontational. Obviously, neither her calling and nor my picking up happened at a good time for either of us.

Going home now. Specifically under bed covers. Taking floppy, now with fics** and pics***, for company.

PS: Made various versions of a Capn Sparrow icon, but they're in another computer, so no Jack for you. (Sorry. Will rectify.)


* Dead Man, Big George.
** Cracking of a Fragile Eggshell Mind by Mayor Tokey (Secret Window and Once Upon a Time In Mexico crossover) and chapters 39-44 of eustacia_vye28's Next of Kin (which is most fantabulously written).
*** The one's I've already linked to from Rotten Tomatoes.

Due to this metaquote, I'm sorely tempted to either a) plead for or b) make an icon saying: "Sith: the heineken of villains". How do people make those snazzy text icons? Mine always come out so drab...

Speaking of metaicons, lovely twirlgrrl ganked my "And now, more ocotopus" icons. Yay!

( The GRE thinks I'm stupid )

Yesterday I listened to hindi music reread a bit of Siubhan's Star Wars (i.e. Maul) fics. Good god does that woman write exceptionally well. I think she's soley responsible for my appreciation of the Sith apprentice. Come on, go to her Fanfiction site and read "Blessed are the broken" or "Requiescat" and try to disagree.

Note: I could have sworn she was the one to write the fic of Obi meeting Maul years later, finding him a martial arts teacher walking about with a cane. Hmm... Wrong, I seem to have been. Off I am to www.dmeb2.net, this fic to find.

( In which I rewatch PotA and mock it incessantly. )

I meant to say a while ago that every single episode of Grey's Anatomy has made me cry so far. That's just not bloody fair. Also, I love their music choice, even if it's presence is a bit too strong in the episodes, detracting from the events. La Femme Nikita beats everyone's ass on best music in a TV show. Note that Nikita is number 7 in this Top Kiss-Ass TV Femmes.

By the way, an interesting tidbit from Wiki: "Following the [La Femme Nikita's] cancellation, long-time viewers mounted an extensive campaign to get the series back on the air. Although the "Save LFN" effort was not the first to successfully use the internet to rally fans and renew a cancelled series (that honor goes to the viewers of Roswell, who did so one year prior), it became notable for its size and inventiveness. "

See, browncoats, it's possible.

Did you know that, according to Wiki, "movie tickets in India are among the cheapest in the world (the average ticket costs US$0.20; in comparison, the average ticket in the US in 2005 cost US$6.41)." I do now.


* Reserved "for child molesters, and people who talk at the theater", according to Firefly's Book.

* As in, things making bloody sense and not ignoring the order of the universe.

Watching National Treasure and am actually enjoying NCage. It seems like the Mandolin-grime is washing off. I really do like him as an action guy, and the movie's puzzles are interesting yet easy to follow. (I get hopelessly lost with intrigue.) In fact, although there's a notable lack of hot monks, I think I'm enjoying this more than The DaVinci Code.

Naturally enough, I'm still in my dressing gown and havne't investigated postgrad programs or watched Momo*.

Sweet, sweet procrastination.

I once read a metaphor about faith, I think, which spoke about a bird flying in a dark and empty room, passing a window just once and seeing thelight. I've googled, but obviously combinations of "bird", "room", "light" and "dark" are not very helpful.

I have, however, finally found Rogues Gallery of quotes. Yay! It stems from the equally interesting home page. Sweet.

And while I enjoy Blackadder quotes and quotes, I as yet have no idea who Blackadder is, exactly. Ditto for Eddie Izzard. I know them by reputation, but as Niska would say, reputaion is "people talking, gossip, it's not... to hold, touch it, you can't."

Firefly shooting scripts

H2G2 walkthrough solution for us wimps who don't take kindly to frustration.

cleolinda is at it again with her Movies in 15 Minutes. Joy of joys.

Fettes Brot has a cute singer (lower right). Watching them live now. They do funky German language covers. (Currently: "Don't worry, be happy").

* MEnde, anyone? Never-ending Story? We've had this book (Momo) at home for ages and I've never felt like reading it.

Yes, I'm back, dear little internet void. I have a lot of things to recount, so settle in. Here, let me get that buckle - aha! Trapped!

Warning: Long post

I can only recall as far back as Saturday, so here's the week in short recap:

Apparently am not developing allergies because, guess what, that one-week sneezing fit? A cold. Yip. Now everyone else is infected too. Ahaha! So basically a pretty miserable set of days.

I don’t know anyone with whom I’ve been in physical contact who’s ill. All the sick people I know live on the internet and phone lines... Lookit, there’s my brother, who was ill. I spoke with him on the phone. Jo, also sick, sent a message. Even Neil’s down with a cold. Is this some sort of new version of e-virus? I get it, not the computer? Blah.

( Read more... )

Now, for the TV and Movie commentaries, spoilers included:

( Read more... )

I’m reading Coraghessan Boyle’s short story collection Descent of Man and particularly like “Bloodfall” which describes in realistic detail what it might be like to have blood fall from the sky one day in a downpour. The little humorous twist at the end, not so funny. I mean, it’s all eerie and everything, and then you get scatological humour falling from the sky in wet paddies. Eugh.

Read some of Scarygoround up until May 12 or thereabouts. Have totally abandoned Get Fuzzy, Pearls Before Swine and Spot the Frog (over here) for ages. Not to mention of all the fics that I’m waiting to be updated over at ff.net. (Mostly just Survivors by Whistler84 in the TV: Angel section.) Yes, sometimes the site actually does have gems. Although not many, and the crap you have to wade through to get to them, not worth it.

Someday I’ll make a list of decent websites and fics for various fandoms and post. (And vids too.) Some of those stories are copy/paste and save material. (Of which the Sith Academy, Knight Moves, Journeys and Survivors jump to mind. I realize this’ll mean very little to anyone else, but in time, dear void, all will be clear.)

Go read darthmaligna’s parody on a Weird Al song, SW style, and Evadne Noel's A New Hope BBE. Time well spent. (Of course, am horrified to think that that’s the motto of a commercial, but thankfully can’t recall which.)

And here’s a metaquote I promised to share with Jo:

( Jesus vs. Buddah )

Typed up some old stuff for HManual, but didn't work on any actual chapter. Although the thing is a bit more organized. Or chaotic, but with a touch of class. Like if you fall over into the banquet table but manage to wipe your face with a napkin. What I'm trying to say is: small mercies this crazy thing has some sort of plot. Here's Chap 2.

( Chapter 2: Enter Secondary Character (With a Grudge) )