There's this adorable cat that always comes up to me when I pull into my parking spot, and it doesn't have a collar and I really want to steal it, but it doesn't look unhealthy or starved or anything, so it's probably got an owner. *sadface* Max needs a friend! He gets lonely without me. Truefax.

Anyway, I've been really lamesauce about posting lately. But I finished my fic for queenbitchfest in time! I was maybe high when I wrote the ending, but so far no one has noticed. Now I just have my charity fic to finish (yes, still!) and my holiday exchange fic to write. It's so hard to write when I could be playing Puzzle Fighter, is the thing. Siiiigh.

Here's a meme, so that I'm not totally useless, and also because I know y'all want to know allll about me.

( Hi, my name is Bob, and I work at my job. )

And that reminds me--time to go finish that post-apocalyptic future fic posted at queenbitchfest OMGOMGOMG.

musicboxgirl tagged me, and I haven't posted in ages and I don't want to do any more data entry right now, sooooo.

PHABALLOLOGY

THE RULES: Once you have been tagged, you are supposed to wipe out my answers and supply your own. After, choose at least 10 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If you were tagged, it's because I want to know more about you.
Love,
Andrea ♥♥

Let others know a little more about yourself! Re-post this as your name followed by "ology".

( marcia, marcia, marcia! )

I'm supposed to tag people, but I need to go home now, so oh well. Stay tuned for Halloween pics. I've seen some of me as Lady Gaga and they are freaking AMAZING. I've never been so happy with how a costume turned out. People told me they didn't realize it was ME in the costume. I do look really different with blond hair.

Plus, bonus surprise costume of awesomeness on Saturday night, which you will all find vastly amusing and, I suspect, understand a lot more than the people at the party did.

Today on the way to work, I listened to this past week's podcast of This American Life, which was actually an old episode called 'Books that changed my life.' I really liked the episode and you should all go download it for free (yay free shit!), but it got me thinking about which books have changed my life. So obviously, I made a list.

5 Books That Changed My Life

(in no particular order)

1) Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
This was the first book I read that I really truly studied and teased out as many meanings as I could from it. It's also the book that introduced me to psychoanalytic readings and to my mentor in college, Lisa Ruddick, who I was half in love with, but mostly her brain and her talent and her hilarious lack of desire to read Durkheim. I've read Mrs D so many times, there are entire sections I could quote. It's not a long book, but it's so beautifully written, both entrenched in the late Victorian era and all the historical and cultural mores of that time and place, but also transcendent of all of that, because at its heart it's about people's desire to cling to their illusions even as the world/society/culture itself forcibly strips them away. It's also about the ways in which people, particularly women, but others as well, participate in their own oppression in a last-ditch effort to maintain a crumbling world view that, while regressive and oppressive and oftentimes horrible, also somehow brings comfort and guidance in a fast-changing world. I think this is something I really connect to, because I like to know my place in the world and how I relate to others; I like to be in control of that, even if being in control actually means giving up autonomy for the benefit of understanding my place. Here's my favorite part:

It was her life, and, bending her head over the hall table, she bowed beneath the influence, felt blessed and purified, saying to herself, as she took the pad with the telephone message on it, how moments like this are buds on the tree of life, flowers of darkness they are, she thought (as if some lovely rose had blossomed for her eyes only); not for a moment did she believe in God; but all the more, she thought, taking up the pad, must one repay in daily life to servants, yes, to dogs and canaries, above all to Richard her husband, who was the foundation of it--of the gay sounds, of the green lights, of the cook even whistling, for Mrs Walker was Irish and whistled all day long--one must pay back from this secret deposit of exquisite moments, she thought, lifting the pad, while Lucy stood beside her, trying to explain how.

How beautiful is that? Moments like this are buds on the tree of life... secret deposit of exquisite moments... and she's talking about this every day thing of reading a phone message and how that simple thing basically encapsulates her entire life, and how she both revels in it (exquisite moments) and is oppressed by it (bows beneath the influence) and how it makes her feel thankful for her own oppression (one must repay in daily life) because after her act of rebellion (Clarissa said she would buy the flowers herself) it gives her a sense of her place in the order of the world, which she needs because she has to believe in something, if not God, and she's chosen to replace God with this cultural paradigm of Victorian British culture and history. I guess I just really relate to that.

...anyway. Moving on.

( More rambling about books. )

...omg that was so much writing. And way too much information. How uncomfortable have I made all of you, now?? HA. Well. Tell me the 5 books (or just 1, whatever) that changed your life. (I'm telling you stories. Trust me.)

PS - Just got my netbook OMGOMGOMG.

fakeplasticsnow demanded that I talk about the following topics:

+Labels
+Originality
+Adam Lambert
+Legacy
+Motivation

And then I believe if you'd like, I'm supposed to give you five words as well, or something.

( Labels | Originality | Adam Lambert | Legacy | Motivation )

ETA: Click on the cut for a larger version, you guys, and NOTE THE POSITION OF HIS LEFT HAND. I am pretty sure he's touching his dick. I. Yeah, I don't know, but I think he is.

( Adam Lambert accidentally my life, the end, all arguments are invalid. )

Today is going to be a GOOD DAY, people! I am going to get grades in. And write. And make webpages. And watch PROJECT RUNWAY and DEXTER and omg, it's way too much awesome to handle. And I WILL get my debit card in the mail today. I WILL. I believe. Or something.

Tomorrow there will be a picspam. After the week we've had, we seriously need it. But for now, to get me in the writing mood, give me some drabble prompts (pairing and topic, like a word or whatever), and I will attempt to write you something. (Yes, I will take popslash, but if you asked for JC, be prepared for him to be failcats.)

xoxo

Firstly, my brilliant sister, dersprokket, has had another essay published in Salon and you should all go read it and leave comments about how awesome she is and things: Excuse me while I stick my head in the toilet. She's going to write about coming to see American Idols Live the Kraddison Show with me and my mom next week (OMFG NEXT WEEEEEEK!!!), so if people like her enough in Salon, they might pick up the Idol essay.

Secondly, iferion asked for 5 songs I think Adam Lambert should cover, and then dontpanic4242 asked for 5 duets Adam and Kris could sing together, so I made a mix. I also included 5 songs Kris should cover, even though no one asked for it. What's wrong with you people? WHERE IS THE KRIS LOVE? He is like an adorable sex muppet! He deserves love, too. And by love, I mean a list of songs I think he should cover.

(This list was greatly restricted by my music collection, just so you know.)



( Awww yeah, I even made art. Because I'm at work, and I have photoshop, and it almost looked like I was working on website shit! )

1. 5 fannish things? I'm not sure how this is supposed to work. I think you give me a fannish topic and I reply. Like, "Top 5 songs Adam Lambert should cover" and then I give you my answers? Or something? I think? Whatever, just do it. I don't want to stuff envelopes. Give me something else to do.

2. Had an awesome weekend. On Friday I want to the 80s One Hit Wonders sing along with soylahtayplease and had a lovely time. Did you know that the song with the "don't you get fresh with me" thing is actually about a pimp going to jail and then trying to convince the singer to be his next hooker? YEAH ME NEITHER. Wow, the 80s. You were kind of crazy. But awesome.

3. For those of you who follow my twitter, sorry about Saturday. Um. If it makes you feel any better, it took me like half an hour to send that message. I kept forgetting what I was writing in the middle.

4. MAD MEN WAS AWESOME OMGOMGOMGOMG. ( Spoilers!!!!!!!11!!!!11! )

5. Missed ABDC. I might be missing it all season, if it's always on at the same time as Mad Men. Hmmm.

6. I think that's it. I'm boring today. I saw a bunch of people recommending my fic over at the rec post on ontd_ai and I was really flattered, especially since I've only written like 3 things. Whenever I see stuff like that, it always makes me want to write more! It's just nice. And damn it, I wanted to do recs today but I have so much work :( Tomorrow, maybe. We'll see. Stupid work.

For some reason lately I've been having a lot of conversations with people about fic; which fics of ours people like vs. which ones WE like, which ones get recc'd and commented on most, and how that corresponds with our own perception of our writing. And then the other day when I started working on my Idol recs list, I realized I could actually search for a URL and see how many people had tagged that URL and read their notes on it. COOL, right?

As some of you (*cough*wendy*cough*) might know, there is one particular fic of mine that I wrote over two years ago that people STILL comment regularly on. Like, at least a couple times a month, but sometimes I'll get a whole rush of comments on this fic. So I decided to look up the URL, and sure enough, out of all my fics, that one has the most tags.

It's not the fic you think. It's the fucking Manny fic! OF COURSE IT IS. Not Chicagoland. Not any of my other J2 or popslash fics that are actually good pieces of writing with good characterizations. No, it's the ridiculous one about mannies and sex shops and the word 'dildo' a million times.

So, the meme! Your mission: using the delicious "search url" function, find/discuss the following:
1. Your fic with the most tags (easiest if you first do a search of your username to narrow it down)
2. Your fic with the least tags
3. Your favorite fic
4. The fic you wish you'd never posted
5. Best/worst "notes" that delicious people wrote on 3 & 4.

( Manny and the Beast, aka, the Curse of the Dildo Fic That Wouldn't Die. )

Well, I'm stuck at the front desk bored out of my mind because the receptionist went home sick. So! I will take drabble requests. AI8 or popslash. Give me a pairing and a prompt, and I will write you something (hopefully) fabulous.

In other unrelated topics, how did the weekend go for y'all? I pulled my glut again (pain in the ass, literally, ugh) but worse this time. On the bright side, mitcharf took me to Magnolia to make me feel better, although I suspect it was really so he could gossip about all his exploits in Attempting to Be Brian Kinney. Still, free gingerbread pancakes = A++.

Okay, give me prompts! I am so ready.

Okay, here are the pictures you guys asked for last night. Because I am lazy, I am not going to pretend that I remember or am willing to go back and check who all asked for what. I think I got them all though.

( Lots of the cat. And books. And one of me looking about 14. )

Anything else you want pictures of? I'm about to go to Castle Greybeard to check on the Other Cat, so I will happily take pictures of someone else's house. HA.

So I'm doing this very annoying thing, wherein I have to create 100-word bios for the professors in my department. And I'm sure it's completely useless and no one will ever look at these, but whatever. I have to do it. Distract me. Here's a meme, especially for all the new people on my flist who have no idea what they've gotten themselves into.

ASK ME ANYTHING
Ask me anything you want. Anonymous comments will be turned on for the shy folks. It can be as simple as "Where do you live" (for people who didn't bother to read my userinfo) or as complicated as "why are you such a bitch, yo?" Anything you want to know, and I will answer honestly. IP tracking is OFF. Go for it. I won't even know who you are.

You comment must be in the form of a question, or like Alex Trebek, my favorite Canadian, I won't be able to accept it and I will be totally smug about it, too.

DO IT. SAVE ME FROM THE BIOS OMG.

So, I only have my kind of shitty phone camera, but I'm bored. Tell me shit to take pictures of in my apartment etc, and I will do my best to comply.

DO IT.

While I resist the urge to mess around with my fic instead of waiting patiently for my beta, I think we should play Top Fives!

This is sort of like five things, only better, because it allows me to be lazier. Give me a Top Five topic and I will attempt to reply in an entertaining fashion.

Example: Top five books.

Better example: Top five Things Chris Kirkpatrick Wish He Could Say to JC Chasez without Breaking His Poor Kitty Heart

Best example: Top five ways for Gokey to die in a fire.

DO IT. Before I get itchy fingers and start editing unnecessarily!

PS - Someone tell me who got kicked off SYTYCD, please!

So musicboxgirl gave me the following topics:

Britney!!
Dance
Lynncest
Joe Jonas
Crack!fic

And I am supposed to say what I think about them, I think? And then give YOU topics should you so desire. I'm too lazy to find the actual rules, so let's just pretend that's what it is.

( You asked for it... now you're gonna get it. )

Meme, because I will need intermittent distraction this afternoon:

Everyone has things they blog about. Everyone has things they don't blog about. Challenge me out of my comfort zone by telling me something I don't blog about, but you'd like to hear about, and I'll write a post or comment about it. Ask for anything: latest movie watched, last book read, religious leanings, thoughts on yaoi, favorite type of underwear, graphic techniques, hairstyles, sports, etc.

I will just do comments. No one wants to hear even MORE of my opinions via post. Heh.

What the hell. I haven't done anything fandomy in a while so here, let's get back into it with a meme. Stolen from everyone.

For those unfamiliar, first you pick a letter. Then you pick a fandom (or a crossover) and a character or pairing. For example, P is for Phonography, Britney/JoeJoBro (Teerlove). In turn you'll receive a drabble/ficlet of some kind.

Fandoms: popslash, pophet, teerlove (jobros, hsm, emerald cove, camp rock, etc), gossip girl & rpf, cw rpf, nightrunner, american idol, skins, the tudors...and what the hell, let's throw in harry potter and star wars rpf for old times' sake. Oh, and you can suggest a fandom that's not on my list and I will give it a shot, but no promises on quality.


A:
B: is for boyfriends, Justin/JC (popslash), brighton_girl
C: is for candy, Jensen/Jared (cw rpf), wendy
D: is for drag, Ryan/Sharpay (hsm), balefully
E:
F: is for frenetic, JC/Chris (popslash), sylum_tru
G:
H: is for hands, Jared/Jensen (cw rpf), popmusicjunkie
I: is for invidious, Harry/Draco (HP), (ccmom
J:
K: is for King, JoeJo/Zefron (teerlove), lerah99
L:
M: is for Magic Ron Weasley/Nick Jonas (HP/JoBros), musicboxgirl
N:
O: is for ocean, Chris/Lance (popslash), why_me_why_not
P: is for picture, Joey/Britney (pop), leobrat
Q: is for Quiff, K-Jo/Zefron (teerlove), th_esaurus
R: is for records, JC/Chris (popslash), musiclover03
S: is for Sleep, JuC (popslash), wutendeskind
T: is for truth, JuC (popslash), brighton_girl
U: is for uninvited, Chuck/Dan (gossip girl), seedyapartment
V: is for vindicated, Ashley Tisdale/Britney, (teerlove), call_me_loca
W: is for water, Chad/Ryan (HSM), lazy_daze
X: is for x-ray, Joey/Lance (popslash), kira_j
Y: is for yo, Justin/Britney (popslash), llamabitchyo
Z:

Okay let's do this. Firstly, ( everything you ever wanted to know about sex but were too afraid to ask. )

*

And then why_me_why_not gave me these 5 things to talk about:

1. nsync
2. chicago
3. state capitals
4. music
5. shiny fridays

( nsync )

( Chicago )

( state capitals )

( Music )

( shiny fridays )

First thing first, the answers to yesterday's meme:

01. Rich boy, poor boy. Cupboards, secrets, and high school drop outs. Harry/Draco
02. Babylon, ice cream, and nipple rings. Justin/Brian, Queer as Folk
03. Nature and motherhood and whales. JOSHLYNN
04. Cherub tattoo. Lynncest
05. Backhome boys. Jensen/Jared, NO ONE GOT THIS WHAT??
06. They bicker like an old married couple. Sirius/Remus, also shocked that everyone didn't know this.
07. His heart bleeded when she cheated. Justin/Britney, my denim OTP
08. He had to learn to call them motorbikes. Ewan/Hayden, Star Wars RPF, don't judge me.
09. King of Thieves, King's Champion Alanna/George, Tortall
10. She's too smart to be fetching his dry cleaning. Donna/Josh Lyman, West Wing
11. Crying and sex, they're all about it. JC/Chris, which you'd only know if you'd read the Many-Wooded Houses or whatever that series is called about 3928253 times like I have.
12. Everyone is bisexual, but especially aliens and admins. Jack/Ianto, Torchwood
13. It's a good thing he refused to dance. Elizabeth/Darcy, you are all failcats.
14. She won't divorce and he won't cheat. Starbuck/Apollo, BSG
15. You make me come...plete. Willow/Tara *hearts*

Second thing, I am making a recs list for someone who has only mostly read JuC thus far, and I would like your suggestions!

Thirdly, Friday is shiny! Today I think we will look at the Spring line from Urban Outfitters, ( because their clothes are so trendy and expensive and I have only bought 2 things from them, ever, but I like looking. )

Fourthly, I now think that Beau must be shipping JC/Ryan (from Quest). Because yes.

Because I am bored.

Pick up to 15 OTPs.
Describe them in less than 15 words.
Have your flist guess the OTP.

Now, I don't really do OTPs. So uh. We'll just give it a shot. Like JM, I'm going to screen comments so you can't cheat, because clearly, you're all a bunch of cheaters.

01. Rich boy, poor boy. Cupboards, secrets, and high school drop outs.
02. Babylon, ice cream, and nipple rings.
03. Nature and motherhood and whales.
04. Cherub tattoo.
05. Backhome boys.
06. They bicker like an old married couple.
07. His heart bleeded when she cheated.
08. He had to learn to call them motorbikes.
09. King of Thieves, King's Champion
10. She's too smart to be fetching his dry cleaning.
11. Crying and sex, they're all about it.
12. Everyone is bisexual, but especially aliens and admins.
13. It's a good thing he refused to dance.
14. She won't divorce and he won't cheat.
15. You make me come...plete.

So, yesterday? Yesterday I was fine. Yesterday I got through the entire day without crying and I wrote and I wrote and I did absolutely no work at work and I discussed chicks with dicks via email. Yesterday I was fine.

Today I am a mess.

Today I am convinced that the 8000 words I wrote for Big Bang are a beautiful 8000 words that only make sense to me and are therefor useless. Today I miss Dan and I can't even think his name without crying which I absolutely cannot do because I'm at work and I don't have my own office and I don't like for people to see me cry. Today I am not really okay at all :(

On the other hand, it's supposed to get "cold" here today. Like, maybe all the way down to 30! So people are freaking out in advance.

I need to be distracted, is what it comes down to. So let's do that meme where you can ask me any question about any subject I might know anything about. Want to know something about my personal life? How did I end up so awesome? Why am I always making up stupid words? What do I think of RAHMBAMA?

Ask.