Day 30: Whatever tickles my fancy

...and I end the meme one day late, surprising absolutely nobody. :D

I want to go out with a big finish, so let me present to you: (mostly) sexy male geeks performing an ode to a font to the tune of one of the catchiest songs of last year!




...something about how sexy doesn't always translate across gender lines should go here, except I think most of those guys pulled it off pretty well actually. What can I say, I have a type (lol, inadvertent pun) and these guys push those buttons. AND THAT ONE GUY'S MUSTACHE. WHO CAN PULL OFF SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THIS ERA? IT'S LIKE A WORK OF ART. You'll know which one I mean.

So, I hope you've all enjoyed this month-long trip through memeland with me. I had fun! Now I'll go back to my usual randomly spaced, non-daily meme style. (and everyone sighs in relief.)

Day 29: Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days

I hope I get laid at some point in the next 365 days. If it can be with someone I like and am attracted to as much as I was to Ben, that would be even better.

I hope I can keep writing with some regularity, because it kills me when the words don't work right.

I hope my parents don't get kicked out of the Salvation Army, and I hate that that's a valid fear for me to have now. It would be so shitty of the SA to cut my parents loose when they've given ten years of their lives to the stupid institution, when my father wrecked his health because of it (well, because of 9/11, but he wouldn't have been anywhere near Ground Zero if he hadn't been an SA officer), when my mom is breaking her back trying to run the corps on her own because Dad's sick and DHQ won't send her anyone to help. Fuck the Salvation Army, is my sentiment at this moment, but if my fears are realized then fuck them so much harder.

I hope I can make it down to 160 pounds. If I can fit into a size 14 by summertime I'll be delighted.

I hope my dreams keep being fun and fandom-oriented, because I've had some good ones so far this year.

My plans... I plan on enrolling at Wells College for the Fall 2010 semester. I plan on finishing my Associate's at CCC first. I plan on passing all my classes with excellent grades so I get a lot of financial aid. I plan on not falling back into stupid, bad habits, and maybe even cultivating smart new ones. I plan on trying new recipes and reading new books and watching new movies and finding new things to like.


Speaking of new things to like, this tousle-friendly hair care stuff is pretty awesome. I just want to keep touching my hair!

I still haven't done my Western Civ homework. I have the information I need, I have the most basic part of the assignment done, I just don't give enough of a fuck about George Sand to paraphrase from her Wiki page for two pages, and I don't care enough about anyone else in this chapter to write about them instead. I do get brownie points for writing about a woman anyway. (Yeah, that's a pseudonym.) Yay for playing up to my feminist teacher?

I'm just too tired to do it now. :/

Day 26: My week, in great detail
Day 27: My month, in great detail
Day 28: My year, in great detail

This is what I have a Livejournal for. I update EVERY FUCKING DAY. You already know what's happened this week/month/year in more detail than I can muster up now. So I'm not going to do these days.

I hate working with raw meat but my dad suckered me into starting dinner tonight, which is meat pie. I don't really like meat pie-- I'm not overly fond of anything that's mostly meat aside from like, actual steak or chicken. Ground beef is so disgusting to handle. Plus the onion made me cry because I can't cut things underwater. And I almost skinned my finger trying to peel potatoes. Whine, whine, whine.

I have been getting good reactions to my Chuck fic, so that's nice. I'm the first person to ever write the pairing, so I don't have anyone to compete with yet. It makes me look better when there are no comparisons. And I did something new on the Wii Fit today, the Rhythm Parade, which was silly enough to make me laugh as I was doing it. I'm trying to make the conscious decision to be in a good mood. It's... kind of working, I guess.

I really want to do drugs today and I'm not sure why. I get the urge every now and again, and today just seems to be a "let's go robotripping" kind of day. I was going to ask to go to Walmart to get shampoo and conditioner and to replace the Midol that Rachael used the last of yesterday, but I know if I do I'll probably get Robotussin too. It can wait until the desire to trip passes.

That "very doable" list from yesterday isn't even half done, and I am not too fussed about it. I can't help that I'd rather read a novel than my Western Civ book, and I'd rather write fanfic than a biographical sketch of somebody who's been dead for two hundred years... and I can do the audiofic when my parents are both preoccupied with TV downstairs. It's way too awkward when there's a chance one of them will hear me... it's awkward enough when my sisters walk in within minutes of my finishing reading one. I am so obvious when I'm doing something I don't want my family to know about. Except drugs, I'm good at hiding those.

I am very displeased with Farmville right now. I tried to plant my field three times today and for some reason it just won't register the fact that I've done it. So annoying.

Day 25: My day, in great detail

Today I woke up at something like 7am because my cat was being a dick. I think I got up and fed him, but I could have just dreamed that. I know I went back to sleep, because I had a dream about fashioning little animals out of my long hair that then came to life, so I had little dogs and seals following me around... it was bizarre. I woke up for real around 11 and didn't actually make it up out of bed until 11:30 because having a netbook means I can check LJ and my email without getting up. I abuse that fact so much.

( You really probably don't care about the boring details of my life, so let me cut it and save you the time. )

( and here is where Chuck and Heroes came on )

And... honestly, I'm going to finish reading The Sign of Four and maybe read some fanfic and then go to bed, so here ends the overly detailed description of my day. I'm sorry to all of you who actually read the entire thing. xD

Day 23: A YouTube video




Day 24: Whatever tickles my fancy

Today starts off Porn Battle IX! This is the first Porn Battle I've actually left prompts for, and I am going to do my damndest to actually answer some prompts too, even if they're just tiny little pornlets that aren't worth reposting at my fic journal. I've been trying to finish this stupid original story for three weeks now, so some fandom-based smut should hopefully knock me out of my months-long writer's block at least a little bit.


...and I should really be asleep because I have class in eleven hours and it's going to take me ages to fall asleep and oh, I should probably set an alarm before I go to bed. That would be a good idea.

Day 21: A recipe
Sunday Chicken. My mom has taken this recipe from me and now makes it pretty much weekly, which makes it less awesome, but it's still quick and easy and yummy.

Recipe serves 6

* 1 1/2 lbs pasta (We usually use small shells, but you can use any kind)
* 4-6 Tbsp unsalted butter
* 4-6 Tbsp oil (use the oil that the sun-dried tomatos are packed in)
* 4-5 chicken breasts (raw), cut into cubes
* 3 Tbsp minced garlic
* 1/4- 1/2 C lemon juice
* 1 C black olives, chopped or sliced
* 1 C sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced
* 2 C baby spinach
* 1/2 C chopped parsley
* Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a large sautee pan, melt the butter & oil over medium heat.
Add the chicken & cook until done.
Add the garlic & cook for 1 minute.
Add the lemon juice, olives & sun-dried tomatos, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the spinach, it'll wilt a lot.
When the pasta is done cooking, drain & add to mixture. Toss well.
Add parsley & parmesan just before serving.


Day 22: A website

I don't know if any of you have been following it, but I've been reading the Prop 8 Trial Tracker, and it just got into some serious stuff today. They got to put one of the lead people behind the Yes on 8 movement on the stand... the amount of objecting the defense lawyers did was almost as crazy as the witness. In the wake of so much depressing political shit (I'm looking at you, Massachusetts and the Supreme Court), watching this trial unfold is keeping my hope afloat.

Day 20: A hobby of mine

You all know that I allegedly write fanfiction. There's no recent proof of this phenomenon, but it's happened in the past and some people thought I was pretty good at it and I genuinely enjoyed doing it while I had any inspiration to work with. I also record audiofics for other people because I don't like my own fic enough to read it out loud I'm pretty sure no one would download it if it was mine and if I do someone else's I know for sure at least one person will listen I think it's a lot of fun and people say I've got a good voice for podficcing, so why not put that to use? I've done two audiofics this week, Second Chances by perdiccas (Heroes, Sylar + Luke, PG) and Bargain by karaokegal (House MD, House/Chase, NC-17), and I have three more to do for brighteyed_jill before I start class on Monday. (Why so many? Because I auctioned them off for hope_in_sight. If I hadn't been gone for a lot of the time auctions were going up on help_haiti I would have offered some there as well.)

Anyway, making audiofic is something I can do even if I have not a single well turned phrase in my head, so it's kind of my primary way of participating in fandom now. Which is kind of sad, but. Whatever. It's something that not many people are doing, especially not in Heroes fandom-- and I don't think anyone's ever done it in BBT fandom so I might accost a couple of good writers and ask if I can audiofic their stories, you know, once I have the ones I'm working on now done.

...so hey, since I missed the boat on help_haiti directly, if anyone wants an audiofic from me? Make a donation to Doctors Without Borders, send me some kind of proof, and I will do whatever story you want (with authorial permission if you're not the author)-- any rating, any length, any fandom (and I'll even watch an episode of it if I don't know it to make sure I get the names right). $5 will get you up to 2000 words (about 10 minutes), $10 will get you 4000 (that's about 20 minutes), extrapolate along those terms to figure out how much it'll be if for some insane reason you want me to read your NaNo novel or Big Bang epic or whatever.

This link will take you to every audiofic I have ever recorded except for one original piece that nobody ever listened to anyway. So... if you like, consider it?

I really, really love when I read a fic that's so good and chest-wrenchingly emotionally stirring that I get a stupid grin on my face that won't go away. Like, I am having a physiological reaction to this fanfiction and I don't even mean that in a sexual way! okay, maybe that way too BUT MOSTLY THE SMILING

Just, wow, there are a couple of stunningly good writers in Chuck fandom and I just spent, um, three hours or so reading imkalena's fic and getting aching cheeks from this stupid fucking smile I can't make go away because goddamn, yes, this is what I am looking for, fucked up and complicated and fundamentally world-changing relationships and really there isn't much of a reason to smile until the end except reading something really well done is enough of a reason to smile sometimes.

I don't even know, I should be asleep, or at least not ranting semicoherently about fic.

Just, if you are interested in Chuck/Casey at all, go read Dirty Work (all three parts) and I hope it makes you as happy as it made me because it made me really, really happy.


....oh, I just realized that Day 15 of the 30 day meme was probably supposed to be "a fanfic" and not "a fanatic". LAWL. So consider this my official meme response fic rec?

Day 19: A talent of mine

I have been reading tarot cards since I was 15, and I am pretty good at it. I have spent more than one Halloween off in one corner of a party doing tarot readings for anyone who asked for one. I've offered them on this journal a couple of times. I even offered them for hope_in_sight.

I'm always interested in finding out how well my predictions hold out for people, so hey, if I've done a tarot reading for you, could you let me know if it was accurate at all or if it was way out in left field? Were you happy with what you got, and if you paid for it do you think the price was fair? I'm not going to turn it into a business or anything, but it's nice having references when people ask. xD


...yes, I know the icon is using different cards. I still think it's funny. :P

Day 14: A non-fictional book

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan is a must-read for anyone who eats food. His other books, The Botany of Desire and In Defense of Food are both excellent also, but mostly you just have to find The Omnivore's Dilemma and let it make you think about the stuff you choose to ingest.


Day 15: A fanatic

...uh, what even? I don't keep any fanatics on retainer or in my Delicious or anything, so I'm just going to skip this one...


Day 16: A song that makes me cry

Jordan Hill - Remember Me This Way

Yeah, it's the song from Casper. Don't even lie, you cried too, I know you did.


Day 17: An art piece

( my favorite sculpture )


Day 18: Whatever tickles my fancy

Owl City - On The Wing

Breathe and I'll carry you away into the velvet sky
And we'll stir the stars around
And watch them fall away into the Hudson Bay
And plummet out of sight and sound
The open summer breeze will sweep you through the hills
Where I live in the alpine heights
Below the Northern Lights, I spend my coldest nights
Alone, awake and thinking of...the weekend we were in love

I am floating away
Lost in a silent ballet
I'm dreaming you're out in the blue and I am right beside you
Awake to take in the view
Late nights and early parades
Still photos and noisy arcades
My darling, we're both on the wing, look down and keep on singing
And we can go anywhere

Are you there?

Day 13: A fictional book

Storm Front, by Jim Butcher, is the first book of the (currently) eleven book long series of the Dresden Files. I recommend the entire series, but you gotta start at the beginning, right? Harry Dresden is Chicago's only wizard-for-hire, and it is not an easy job to hold. He's a thoroughly entertaining main character, and the recurring characters that pop up through the series are all pretty awesome (especially Thomas, yay for vampires). There are some pretty big differences between the TV series based on the books and the books themselves, and while they're both a lot of fun, the books are better.

...I'd go into more detail but I can't remember the cases specific to each book. Just go read it!



I had weird, intense, kind of scary dreams about Lucifer coming after me. When is Supernatural coming back and why can't I dream about Castiel instead of Lucifer, huh? I demand better dreams in the future! The dream also involved a 3D movie that screwed up people's minds and reprogrammed them... it was unfun.

Today I have to do everything I didn't do yesterday... which is pretty much everything I had listed except meeting with Alice. Okay. I can do this... I just need lunch first.

Day 11: A photo of me taken recently



Is thirty seconds ago recently enough?

Good night, internets. ♥

Day 10: A photo of me taken over ten years ago



I believe this was exactly ten years ago. If anyone objects I'll rustle up an older pic. xD

Day 7: A photo that makes me happy


:D

Day 8: A photo that makes me angry or sad


Forest fires make me :(

Day 9: A photo I took

Day 6: My biggest pet peeve

The one thing that annoys me most is when my sisters are blatantly and unrepentantly disrespectful to my parents. Even if they don't like how my parents do things, they should shut up and be grateful that they get almost everything they ask for, they've never been abused, they will always be loved even when they're dipshits.


Watched Heroes with Mom just now. Not quite sure how I feel about where it's going... but it's always nice to see Zachary Quinto minus a shirt. :D

Day 5: My favorite quote

"Life is hard-- but tasty."
-Frida Kahlo

One of the few things I really took away from my therapist in Plattsburgh is this quote. I feel like I should pick something longer or more personally meaningful, but if it wasn't this then I would have quoted Eliot, and no one wants that to happen.


I'm going to do something I only very rarely do and recommend a fan soundtrack. Jugulate is an Inglourious Basterds FST, about Fredrick Zoller falling in love and Shosanna decidedly not doing that. Every single song in this is solid gold. If you liked the movie, get this soundtrack. If you didn't like the movie, get it anyway. If you never even saw the movie, get it anyway, okay, I am not joking when I say I completely freaking love this.

Tomorrow I am not sure whether I will be getting things outside of the house done, because the weather is supposed to be totally crappy. I have to pick up my scrips, deposit a couple of checks, mail a couple of DVDs, hopefully get into Camillus and see about a new pair of glasses (which I don't need, but it would be nice to get them), and... nope, everything else is inside the house, that's good. :D

I am thinking about jacking tiptoe39's excellent New Year's resolution. Hers was to do three things out of a list of four things every day. I think I'll be a little easier on myself and go three out of five: writing, cleaning, cooking, exercising, and reading (either for school or out of a book, fanfic doesn't count). I could probably keep up with that... even if I only managed two today. Um.

Day 4: My favorite book

This? Is hard. My immediate reaction is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, but I just re-read that recently and I didn't even make it past So Long and Thanks for All the Fish in the series. I could go a little more hardcore sci-fi and pull out Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, which is pretty mindblowing and phenomenal, but I don't know if it's really my favorite. I could go artsy and say it's If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho by Anne Carson, which is my favorite book of poetry but not my favorite book of all time.... or I could be edgy and pick one of my favorites by Palahniuk.

No, if I'm going with my favorite of all time, I am going to own up to my YA lit mindboner, name-drop Francesca Lia Block, Dianna Wynne Jones, and Garth Nix in the leadup, and tell you all once again that you should read So You Want to Be a Wizard and the rest of the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. Every single time I read those novels, something chokes me up with beauty, something twists that part of me that responds to happiness by crying, and something makes me want to make the world work better because, yeah, entropy and heat death and everything ends, but we don't have to just roll over and let things go to hell, we can make the world a better place and it doesn't even take magic to do it. And how many books make you feel something like that any more?

Day 3: My favorite television program

The one show that brings me the most joy most regularly is The Big Bang Theory. It just makes me happy in a way no other show can match. The one I anticipate the most during the week is probably Fringe.

I would elaborate, but I'm watching the end of Return of the King and it's kind of got me totally enthralled. Frodo and Sam are so hardcore.

Eight to fourteen inches expected here by Sunday night. Total accumulation expected in Auburn? One to three.

I'm thinking maybe we should wait and drive to Albany Monday morning, and I can take the six o'clock train to get to Syracuse around ten. It would give them time to plow the Northway... and after watching Ice Road Truckers at Mandy's, I'm all sketched out about driving on snowy roads. xD

Today I got to the Cornerstone Bookshop, where I purchased World War Z and a new series starter from Robert Asprin. I love stupid puns, so I really love the Myth series, and I'm up for goofy fantasy right now. :D Yay books.

I also finally got the Indian food I've been striving toward this whole time. :D Veggie samosas and chicken tikka masala. It was awesome.

I spent some time at Dennis's, then Kelly and I brought Kristin home and went to Frank's house, where I watched most of Road to Guantanamo, got jumped on by both his pit bulls, and got confused by about half an episode of Lost. A lot of my day was spent in the car or watching TV, actually. I'm going to spend my time on the train on Monday writing, because I have not really had the chance lately and it's a habit I need to reassert in my life. I was writing so much this time last year, I can manage finishing something every week.

It's not a resolution, it's just a decision I'm making that's close to the beginning of the year... >.>

The next day of the meme!
Day 2: My favorite movie



The Princess Bride is the single most complete movie ever. It's got true love, pirates, royalty, a battle of wits to the death, magic, giants, rodents of unusual size, sword fighting, revenge, snappy dialogue, a handsome hero, a beautiful heroine, loathable villains, and did I mention true love?

Other movies that make the top of my list: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, Stranger Than Fiction, Beauty and the Beast.