I ♥ my yuletide assignment SO MUCH!

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I am looking forward to a quiet, indulgent day. I had some unexpected side affects from the anesthesia yesterday but this morning I woke up headache free for the first time in – god, since I can't remember – and I plan to enjoy a long, lazy day of doing absolutely nothing!

Tomorrow wrisomifu begins. I am viewing this as not only an impetus toward writing but as an impetus to take at least ten minutes a day for myself, to do something I want to do. \o/! I am perusing the Yuletide list of nominated fandoms to see if there is something I feel I could write reasonably well and quickly – despite my squee of Thursday night, work does continue to present significant challenges and I do want to make sure I don't add any more to the stress side of the scale. Honestly, I wouldn't even be thinking about it this year but it's a chance to buy a "get out of jail free" card, and I hate to pass up on the opportunity, given I may be a very different place regarding work and opportunity to participate in future years.

::stretch:: I feel good today. Really, really good. This is a marvelous feeling. ::g::

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I freely admit to getting a bit giddy about the autumn and winter holidays. I love Halloween, and in addition to spending the weeks leading up to the day watching cheesy and/or classic horror movies, I love listening to vintage radio horror programs. Here are a couple of links, for those of you who may share my inclinations:

Vintage Horror Radio
Mercury Theatre on the Air (you can download the original broadcast of War of the Worlds, and Dracula)

I am browsing "Friends of Friends" because, really, I don't want to gnaw my arm off so I need some distraction and – OMG. Yuletide is offering amnesty this year.

This is where all of you need to jump in and remind me that I swore no holiday challenges this year.

Except. I could use wrisomifu to make myself do it. And – ohhh - rare fandom story!

Stop it, Susan. STOP IT.

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I'm restricted to a clear liquid diet today and 1) I'm tempted to gnaw off my own arm, I'm so hungry, and 2) if I never see - much less have to drink - another glass of apple juice I will be a happy woman.

However, there are still things making me happy:

1. GF. My GF sent me chocolates! ::g:: Halloween chocolates with little devil faces on them and chocolates with chili. ::sigh:: I cannot each them today but after the procedure tomorrow? THOSE CHOCOLATES ARE MINE NOM.
   
2. Wrisomifu. The comm had its introduction post and it was fun seeing why people were signing up and what they planned to do. There are some SPN folks and some Pros folks, and I got some hoo ya!s for CM. Just – fun, in a fandom pile-on kind of way.
   
3. Beautiful women. Dove is running a new commercial about natural beauty (the one with the singing?) and while I'm suspicious of their motives and find some of their "solutions" problematic (is it just me, or is holding self-esteem classes for girls attacking the wrong side of the problem? How about some classes for boys that teach them how to value and respect women? Rather than teaching girls to cherish themselves despite societal messages, how about we CHANGE THE MESSAGE?). … Where was I? Oh, yes – there is a positively stunning woman at the very end of the commercial, the very last one. I find myself stopping to watch the commercial every time just to get a glimpse of her smile.
   
4. Practical Magic. I love this movie. The characters make me happy (oh, the aunts!). The story is amusing. I love the house (I want to move in), the greenhouse plants, the spells – the frogs! The music! It is one of my favorite feel-good movies.
   
5. Eliot Spencer/Neal Caffrey. ::shrug:: Honestly, I don't feel a need to defend this – it's pretty and that's reason enough for me.
   
   This entry was originally posted at http://aerye.dreamwidth.org/323503.html. You can reply there or here. comments have been posted at that site.

I have been in an extraordinarily cranky mood these last few days, so I've tried to avoid posting anything in an effort not to spew omgihateyoufuckyoudie all over the internet. Today, in an effort to improve my mood, I'm going to post about some things that make me happy:

1. White Collar. Yes, I am among the hordes who instantly fell in love with this show. I am particularly fond of Peter Burke. A blessing on the house of the person(s) who had the foresight to nominate the show for Yuletide. I have joined the communities I've stumbled across, and I have an odd craving for a story wherein Burke is asked to step in to interrogate Dean Winchester, just because – well, just because. Also, Neal is pretty and June is fabulous (oh, the crush I had on Diahann Carroll as a child!).
   
2. GIP. I finally have my Hotch/Reid icon. ::points in appropriate direction:: Well, technically I'm not sure it was intended to be a Hotch/Reid icon, but it's totally Hotch/Reid in my head.
   
3. Wrisomifu. I found a prompt chart. I have a handful of prompts suggested by the flist¹ and one has already given me an idea for a Dean/Castiel snippet – well, an unrequited Dean/Castiel snippet, because Sammy + Dean = Susan's OTP. Um. Sorry? But I am watching estrella30's post requesting Sam/Castiel recs because yes, I will eat candy in that flavor.
   
4. Speaking of writing. I did write about 500 words last night, of Burke/Caffrey, but it is my usual angsty shit, so very unlikely to be finished and/or see light of day. Ah, yes, Susan. You can bring down the lightest of soufflés. The plus here is that I did feel the impetus to write something, and then actually did it, so – yay me.
   
5. Work. I'm working from home tomorrow for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture. Yes, I can work in pajamas. \o/!
   
6. To do list. Yesterday I had the Very Serious and Much Dreaded conversation I needed to have with my parents. Scratch that motherfucker off the list.
   
7. Contact joy. Several posts on my flist today filled me with vicarious happiness.
   
8. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. On my television tonight. I am six again.
   
   ¹Prompts still welcome!
   
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I love the Yuletide Tribute Vid - so reading this "making of" post by thingswithwings was really quite fascinating.

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I signed up for wrisomifu. One hundred words a day, beginning November first, which is next Sunday. I suspect I will do snippet type things – a few hundred words here and there – rather than try to create a single piece. But who knows – we'll see what happens when I open the laptop on Sunday.

But I need a list of keywords, or one of those prompt charts or something, to get the gears moving. I am sadly lacking in inspiration at this point. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for you ::g::), I'm not planning to post anything publicly – this is strictly an exercise for me – so if you are inclined to help by filling out the poll below you will have to view it as charity, like when you drop a dollar in the bucket and you have a vague sense of what it goes to pay for but you never really get to see the end result. Unless I'm particularly pleased with something.

You can toss anything at me but chances are I'm going to write what I'm most excited about right now, which is SPN and CM, so suggestions in those arenas would be most welcome.



Or you could point me to a chart. ♥

My newest favorite thing might be Matthew Gray Gubler, and his Twitter account. Also, new interview.

Misha Collins played Paul Bernardo. Paul fucking creepy Bernardo. Interesting the things you learn when you watch the previews on the How to be a Serial Killer DVD.

Btw, did you know rape was a pre-existing condition? I mean, WTF? WHAT. THE. FUCK? Quit fucking around Congress and give me some decent health care reform.

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I broke up with a WIP last night.

WIPs are sort of like girlfriends, right? I mean, as a rule, I don't date WIPs because they are high-maintenance, often have uneven temperaments, never call when they say they will and are rarely there when you need them. Give me a story that shows up on time and follows through, and I'm the happiest of girlfriends readers.

But occasionally I let myself get drawn in. Sometimes it works. On the other hand, sometimes the relationship goes on forever and ever and I think, "Next time! Next time I'll come away feeling satisfied!" But the next time never comes and suddenly I realize I'm on chapter whatever of infinity, and getting absolutely no pleasure from the story, and y'know, at that point, it's just time to break up.

tzikeh has a new trailer for Sherlock Holmes up on her journal. It makes me happy. All trailers for this movie make me happy. The only thing that will make me happier is the actual release of the movie. I make no secret of the fact that there are some fannish people I hope fall desperately in love with this movie, thereby ensuring many, many sexy, raunchy, hot lovely stories.

I'm in a cranky mood today. Viciously prickly. Odd scary dreams and too little sleep make Susan a dull, sullen girl. And there's no new SPN this week. And now I'm craving good JDM stuff but everything out there is stuff I've read a billion times, or WIP, or daddy!kink, or /Misha. Which – just no. What's a girl to do?

Buy candy corn, obviously.

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I have no internet. My cable modem died (or something died, anyway – I have a distinct lack of connectivity). Repair guy is coming on Friday – in the meantime, I'll check email from work but if I don't respond in a timely way (not that I am known for timely responses anyway), I have a note from the teacher Comcast. ::g::

The weekend was really quite lovely, in a cold, wet, rainy kind of way. Friday was filled with more doctors' appointment so there was much sloshing through the wetness, and damp bus rides. I was poked, prodded, irradiated, and subjected to ultrasound. No alien babies were found. There was hot chocolate. ::g::

The weather meant no corn maze on Saturday (sad), which means I still haven't snagged a bottle of apple butter for the year. I think I shall have to surrender and buy from the farmer's market next weekend. I trained (ow, ow, ow) and had breakfast and came home to a persnickety internet. After hours of trying to coax it to life, I gave up on work and spent most of the rest of the weekend snuggled in a blanket, with tea and cats and a book. It was a restful, if singularly unproductive, weekend.

I tried whole wheat pasta for the first time and found that I liked it. Also, following phineasjones's example, I discovered that you really can throw a handful of spinach leaves into almost anything and make it better. I roasted beets.

Skimming LJ this a.m., I see there are updates on stories dear to my heart. ♥♥♥! I am filled with anticipation and glee!

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THURSDAY HELLO LOVER

Sorry. I will try to let up on the OMG FOUR DAY WEEK glee soon. ::g:: But the fact is, today is my Friday, and although I have to work the weekend (shut up. I realize working the weekend means it is not, in fact, a four day week but) I don't even care because TODAY=THURSDAY=FRIDAY=\O/!!! I DANCE THE "I'M TOO SEXY FOR MY ASS" JARED PADALECKI ASS DANCE OF JOY.

Not to be confused with the Adam Lambert ass dance of joy, which as a rule I'm not into, but which is revealed to be undeniably...compelling...in sprat's vid.

Also, it is raining and the highs will stay in the forties. For the next week almost. This is super-charged-wonderful! The only thing that would make it better would be a freak cold front and snow. ::looks about hopefully::

Thursday also means The Sam and Dean Hour – yay, yay, yay! I rewatched last week's episode last night and can I just say ( SOON spoilers behind the cut )

We pushed a proposal out the door yesterday (which appears to be pretty solid in terms of our chances – yay!) and everyone has deserted the office today. It is nice and quiet and conducive to accomplishing things. Also, it may allow me to catch up on LJ and DW. And even Twitter – the attractiveness of which I begin to understand ever time I want to issue a barbaric yawp. (Just out of curiosity, is it possible to set up reading filters on Twitter? Or do I have to cold-bloodedly cut anyone I don't want to read on a daily basis?)

Enough frittering away of my time. I leave you with this thought:

WINCHESTER BROTHERS FTW.

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This is my second four-day week and it is already clear that this was an idea on par with – I don't know – sliced bread or home computers or the internal combustion engine. I.E., THIS WAS A BRILLIANT IDEA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, TAKE A BOW, SUSAN. Today is filled with doctors' appointment and assorted other life tasks, but I feel like I'm running ahead of the train, or at least in tandem with it, rather than frantically chasing it down the tracks. I'll put more hours in on Sunday, to be sure, but it's amazing how much more in control I feel.

Tomorrow is GF! ::handstands! handstands! handstands!:: It's supposed to be rainy and cool(er), so I'm going to try my hand at sage and pumpkin soup. I haven't quite decided what to serve with it though – I'm considering stuffing with veggie sausage – but foodies, suggestions are welcome! Just remember my cooking skills tend toward the lower end of the scale. (Although did I mention? I made the cake. The chocolate cake. It was yum.)

slinkling was in town last weekend, and in addition to sharing herself and the marvelous D and S with us, she brought me the bracelet she made for me. I supplied some of the beads; she supplied the rest, and all of the creativity. I love the colors, the pattern of the beads, the design – everything!



So, so pretty!

One of the things I will be doing today is shopping for new eyeglasses – my prescription has changed again and it's the perfect excuse for new frames. I have the notion to buy something in red. Or…retro. Something outrageous and bold. ::g::

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Via celli, from Slate.com. The Interactive Dan Brown Sequel Generator presents: A dS/SPN crossover.

A long-forgotten puzzle at the heart of New Orleans.
A shadowy cult determined to protect it.
A frantic race to uncover the Mounties' darkest secret.

The Invisible Mausoleum

When renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon [Sam Winchester] is summoned to Lake Pontchartrain to analyze a mysterious rune—etched into the floor next to the mangled body of the head docent—he discovers evidence of the unthinkable: the resurgence of the ancient cult of the Lucinati, a secret branch of the Mounties that has surfaced from the shadows to carry out its legendary vendetta against its mortal enemy, the Vatican.

Langdon's [Sam's] worst fears are confirmed when a messenger from the Lucinati appears at the French Quarter to deliver a grim ultimatum: Turn over the archbishop [his lover][his brother, Father Dean Winchester], or one cherub will disappear from the Sistine Chapel every day. As the city braces for disaster, Langdon [Sam] joins forces with the lithe and charming daughter of the murdered docent [Constable Benton Fraser, who first came to New Orleans on the trail of the killers of his father and, for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, has remained, attached as liaison officer with the Canadian Consulate*], in a desperate bid to crack the code that will reveal the cult's secret plan.

Embarking on a frantic hunt, Langdon [Sam] and his companion [the Mountie] follow a 900-year-old trail through New Orleans's most sacred libraries and exalted statues, pursued by a Norwegian assassin [demon named Alistair] that the cult has sent to thwart them. What they discover threatens to expose a conspiracy that goes all the way back to Sam Steele and the very founding of the Mounties.

[Also, there is pie.]

* OMG. I can't believe I forgot how this goes!

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Passing on link of fun-itude. Retro Halloween icons. Just in case any of you are as crazy about Halloween as I am. ::g::

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Van Morrison is coming to town. I want to go so bad I can taste it. But tickets start at $82 and go as high as $347. Alas, Mr. Wonderful Brilliant Irish Singer Man, I do not think I can afford you.

This is my first four-day week and – as anyone who knows me would certainly suspect – I'm having trouble with the seven a.m. start time. There is not enough coffee in the world, it seems. Or perhaps just too much OMGtired. I have a to-do list longer than my arm and I am feeling sulky.

And it's only Wednesday. Just think about the petulant head of steam I can work up by the weekend. ::g::

On the big, big plus side of YES, hopefully I will see VERY SPECIAL OUT OF TOWN GUESTS this weekend. \o/!

Holiday challenges are beginning to pop up everywhere and of course, I am feeling the heady pull. I may have to put a small post-it on my computer that says, "DO NOT SIGN UP FOR HOLIDAY CHALLENGES! NO, NO, NO!" Or words to that effect. ::g::

The Harney and Sons tea catalog arrived yesterday. I am poring over it in rapt awe. ::g::

And twenty-four hours to new SPN! Fly, little minutes – fly!

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So FINE. So ancastar and drlense have totally ganged up on me ( SPN 5.03 spoilers )

Our server is going in and out today, so my work day has been shot to hell. And there has now been just enough down time for the lazy slacker in me to take possession. I have another hour before I can slink away guiltily, although I really should be a responsible adult and try to get some work done.

So while I'm slacking – did y'all know that this season of Criminal Minds premiered this week? ( CM 5.01 spoilers )

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I wrote a long update last night that was filled with as much anxiety as it was information – an update on last weekend, which was just awful, awful bad, and just general, despairing, "what the fuck do I do" pondering about work and life and health and sobriety and work. I wallowed. It was fucking depressing, man.

Then an email sent me to LJ/DW, where there was news of new words in the UtB!verse from rei_c – (and they are brand new words, not even the words I linked to last week!) – and a chance to get in on watching some original writing-in-progress from astolat. I wrote back to china_shop, and this morning there was a new email from GF – who I will see on Friday! For dinner! At Zaytinya, one of our favorite places! And I thought about the fact that my four days per week schedule was approved. And autumn is coming. And one of the cherry tomatoes is turning red. And that despite my thorny nature, I have the World's Most Marvelous Girlfriend.

So I took a deep breath. Had some coffee. Came in early to work and knocked a few things off the to do list. And now the blue meanies seem not quite as blue nor quite so mean, and decidedly not so big. Manageable even.

And so you are spared the post! ::g:: Aren't you glad?

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Tiger balm is my friend. Tiger balm is my friend. Tiger balm is my friend.

So I just had a moment where I thought I was a complete idiot, and then it turned out I wasn't a complete idiot (although maybe still a minor-league idiot, but anyway). YAY. NOT AN IDIOT. THIS IS GOOD.

( Leverage: The Lost Heir Job )

I found another pair of boots (give it a second to load) that I love. Except these have heels, which are anathema to me, so I am doomed to admire them from afar. Still – they are rather marvelous, aren't they?

And while I'm passing out seals of approval, may I just note that the collective package that is Christian Kane these days is fine, fine, fine indeed? The hair, the arms, the eyes. Nice.

On Demand is showing season one of Dexter for free – I have been it playing in the background as I trudge through various accounting duties this weekend. If you haven't seen it and if you have access to On Demand, I highly recommend it. I loved the first two books (haven't gotten to the third and I don't think the fourth is out yet), and the first season of the cable series did an excellent translation job. It's funny and creepy and puzzling in just the right measure.

On Demand is also showing Being Human, and I've watched everything except the final episode, which I can't bring to myself to watch because then it will be over. Also good, with a mounting creepiness factor as the series goes on.

Can anyone point me toward a good recipe for chocolate cake? I have a sudden desire to make chocolate cake with ganache icing, but I want the cake to be really good and moist. And while I'm talking about food – this is just a reminder to ellen_fremedon that one of these weekends you and me and GF have to get together so that you can teach us how to cook greens. I promise not to set anything on fire.

REALLY.

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