The Library

Oh, hai, Monday morning. It's too early to be chipper, really, but I'm in a good mood. I spent two days in Bonn meeting my bestest friends whom I've missed so much! We strolled over the Christmas market, drank mulled wine until I couldn't see straight, and I spent a small fortune on presents. I miss Bonn. I miss my friends. I want to move back! My friends approve wholeheartedly. :)

Even better, I was barraged last night with inspiration for drabbles for the prompts I missed on adventdrabbles. Mwahahahaha. Expect to be spammed! :D

And! When I logged on to LJ just now, I saw that my hp_yule_balls was posted! It's Bill/Charlie, and the summary and warnings sound scrumptious.

Hmm, what to do first, read yummy fic or write drabbles?

Wheeeeeeeeee!

1. My Snarry Swap fic is almost done! I wrote part 11 and 14 today (End!), and now only need to add 12 and 13. Which is the smut and the morning after. :) 31,700 words so far. My poor betas.

2. Went to the post office again. This time, it was open. I sent off three books - one book that I sold, and two books as prezzies. Now sit and wait for the squee. :)

3. Oh, and I managed to buy books from Torquere Press after all. The problem solved itself by Saturday morning - when two of the books in my shopping cart weren't available anymore, and three others (those three that I really wanted) were back at their full price so that I kicked them out of the cart. *sniff* But voilà: Torquere Press can ship six paperbacks. But not 11. Well. Their loss.

4. I'm again full of squee - and trying to resist a horrible temptation. Today, I was able to squirrel some more money away. What with that money and interest, I've got enough to buy a plane ticket to New Zealand and (depending on the price of the ticket) pay for two or three weeks' stay in backpackers. I'm tempted. Horribly tempted to do just that: buy a ticket, hop on the plane, and spend some more time in NZ.

Hey, I could actually go to Hamilton! I could go and talk to Sarah in person! Given that she's the one I want to browbeat ... ahem, convince to supervise my PhD, that would be great.

Tempted. Seriously tempted.

5. Pimpage! Lots and lots of pimpage!

santas_lap started posting today!

adventdrabbles starts tomorrow!

Posting at hp_yule_balls starts tomorrow as well! The modly people liked my fic, btw. I hope that my recipient will, too. :)

And last but not least: hds_beltane sign-ups open tomorrow!

*bounces in anticipation of the ficcage to come*

1. The numbered-post posting, I mean. I like lists. :)

2. My Snarry Swap fic is progressing nicely. Added about 3k today. And a bit of solo smut. I'm at a total of 24k now, and half-way through my outline. The old outline. Today, I added #14 to the outline. But that's a bit of an epilogue, so it doesn't count.

3. Thought about writing a sequel to my hp_yule_balls fic. Probably should wait until it's posted.

4. Talking about the hp_yule_balls fic: it's due tomorrow and still needs a title. *ponders*

5. The other day, I once more came across an old post of jodi_payne on torquere_social. In that post she said that she and chrisowen are working on a fifth Deviations novel. It will be set after the series, will be novel-length, and mostly about Phan. I am full of squee.

6. I won a book! In a contest over on torquere_social I won one of tc_blue's contests. I wished for Matchmen, Ltd. Finished the first story. More squee. I think I've found another TP author to fangirl over. Which is brilliant. I love having authors I can buy blindly. :)

7. I went to the post office just now to mail a bunch of books. The post office was closed. Because it's Friday afternoon. For some reason, I was still on Thursday. Stupid post office.

8. On the way back, while I was waiting at a stoplight, I saw the add for a horse show. There was a bunch of white horses in it, and the pale images of a boy and a girl. My reactions to the add went something like this:
a - Oh, pretty horses!
b - Something is wrong with that add.
c - Hey, that boy looks a bit like the Scorpius from hp_cross_fest!
d - The girl looks like a stupid bint.
e - There ought to be a good-looking, dark-haired older gentleman with glasses next to the boy.
f - Think you're reading too much HP fanfiction?
g - No, bunny, GO AWAY!!!!
h - Oh, it's green.

9. Remember my Assessment Centre report? A week ago, I had another appointment with a Minion and I got to read the Top Sekkrit Report that psycho-man wrote. It said almost exactly the same things that I wrote in that post. And then the Minion offered to xerox it for me. Top Sekkrit. Uh, yeah.

10. I discovered a new writer on fictionpress, too. The name's Qui, or qui_te. Will stalk journal now.

Hehee, I can’t believe I forgot to post this! Oh, man. Seems my memory isn’t all that good after all, eh? To start from the beginning:

I passed my M.A. finals in July but haven’t been able to find a job. Crisis, and all that. So, being unable to pay such trifling things like rent or health insurance from no income, I applied to The Tax Payer to give me some money. They were very gracious and did so, but before they did, I had to attend the “Assessment Center” (say, is that a genuine English word, or another fabulous German creation like “Oldtimer”? [you guys would say vintage car]). There, psychologists observed and studied me to help me find my strengths and weaknesses, and to discover how they could help me find a job.

Certainly very nice, only, you know, I’m quite aware of my strengths and weaknesses and I know how to write a CV in MS Word. But I had to go, and so I went. And now here it is:

( The Assessment Center: An Adventure in Five Days )


Oh, well. It was worth the experience. Even if only to realise that there are still people who have no idea how to use a computer. And that there are also people who would never willingly touch a book. It was surreal.

Nine days until the written exam.

I don't feel so good.

It's not so much worry about the exam. I think I did everything I could do, and all that's left is trying to get as many of my notes into my head as possible. No, the written exam isn't the problem. It's just about everything else.

For one thing, I'm stuck in the middle of an insurance war (at least, that's what it feels like). Two insurances salesmen - they call themselves consultants, though - are trying to get my money for an insurance that would pay me a pittance in case I should become unable to work. I've already got one, but that's tailored to students, and soon I won't be one anymore. So Consultant B suggested another company. Of course, Consultant A isn't too pleased, who sold me that students-thing, and tells me exactly the opposite of Consultant B. Which leaves me confused and not sure what to do. Perfect timing, gentlemen!

The other thing is, I finally managed to hunt down the Irish lecturer, so that now I know what I will be examined on in my oral exam. Problem, the last time I spoke Irish was before I went to NZ - almost three years ago. I have now about a month to relearn that language and prepare 30 lessons in my textbook for the exam. And Irisch is an awful language to learn. It begins with the fact that absolutely nothing is pronounced the way it's written.

But, remembering my old adage of "don't get scared - get organised!" I made a study plan, neatly separating my week, with slots for Irish, Middle Welsh, Fantasy Literature, NZ Literature, Shakespeare on Film, Orientalism, and Romanticism. If I can manage to study Irish four hours twice a week, I should be fine.

And I even left a day for writing in my plan! So, barring a nervous breakdown due to too much Irish, I should manage to have hp_sas fic done in time. Yay!

( Status Report: Temperature )


( Status Report: Thesis )


( Status Report: Writing )


Also done today:

Ordered book from Amazon.com this morning as b-day present for Sandra. Then decided to order myself b-day present from Amazon.com as well. Yes, I'm buying myself birthday presents. I don't often buy myself things, so I indulge on Christmas and for my birthday. ^__^ Ordered Prisoner and Sandstorm by Megan Derr. And then couldn't resist and bought Regency too. ^__^


Then I read The Deathly Hallows in Script Form and laughed my head off. Brilliant!

"Characterisation: [Takes an extended break]"

LMAO.

Highly recommended for everyone annoyed with DH.

Yeah, I know, DH is long past, but just last week I had to re-read the bloody book twice. For the thesis. You don't know how annoying the book can become until you've been forced to read it several times in one go to try and make sense of it. Once I'm done with thesis I never, ever want to have to read DH again!

Now I'll go and see if I can find good fic to read.

It's been snowing last night and this morning! Of course, the result was that the bus was about 40 minutes late this morning, but hey! I haven't seen this much snow for ages! It doesn't usually snow where I live, and if it does, not this much. ( more squeeage and pics )

I'll be at my father's this evening for dinner. I think I'll walk there. ^__^

The Kiwis got there first - nineteen minutes ago, according to my watch - and the rest of the world will follow.





And because it's tradition (and a list, squee!) I've got a couple of Resolutions:

Resolution Number One
Finish thesis, translate Middle Welsh text, cram Modern Irish grammar and vocab, study five topics for English finals (Renaissance drama, Gothic novel, Victorian Poetry, New Zealand Literature, 20th Century British English Fantasy Literature), study three topics for Comparative Literature finals (Orientalism, Shakespeare on Film, Romanticism in Europe), pass finals, AND DON’T PANIC!!

Yeah.

And then find a job.

Resolution Number Two
Keep up going to the gym. At least twice a week, better be three times.

Resolution Number Three
Comment on the things that I read. I don’t review often, mostly because I’d like to leave more than “Great fic,” but writing intelligent comments takes time and I’m lazy. However, I, at least, appreciate just knowing that people read what I write, and I suppose that other writers think the same, so I’ll be commenting more often.

Resolution Number Four
Write. A lot. I never stick to my plans, but plans are good, so here we go:

I’d really like to finish at least three of my Harry Potter WiPs – Just a Fantasy, Advent Mystery, and An Evening’s Entertainment. I really like those stories. They’re good stories. They deserve being finished.

Originals have priority, though. I want to see if I can write something that’s all mine and good enough that people will read it. The plan is to finish the three short stories first and then try one or two of the novel-length fics.

If I can decide on which one, that is. Because I’ve got tons of ideas, some of which I’ve been carrying around with me for years (like my were-cat story, which is about ten years old). I went through my old files the other day, and I think that I have now about 12 novels lined up. ( And I’ve got a plan! )


Okay, now I'm off to make a list (yay!!) of cocktails for tonight!


And, for nostalgia's sake: Welcoming 2008

Dear flist and everyone else:





HAPPY CHRISTMAS!



Art mady by erlkoenig. I had to borrow because I can't draw for my life. Hope you don't mind, Markus!

Dear brain,

Please stop coming up with "cool new ideas" for fic. I'd like to have the chance to finish a story before you give me five new ones. I'm overworked as it is and you're not helping at all.

Thank you.

I feel much better than I did Friday. I suppose three nights of 8-10 hours of sleep and no thesis were all I needed.

But not all hours of sleep were peaceful. I think I was a little feverish during some of those. And I was wondering ...

Some time ago, I read someone arguing that Harry/Scorpius could become "the new Snarry." Me no agree, but I like both pairings, so whatever. Thing is, I decided the ship needs a name. Typing Harry/Scorpius is too difficult. What's better? Harrius? Scarry? Scorry?

Though, with Harry/Scorpius being the new Snarry and all, I thought the ship name ought to be parallel. Meaning last name of older partner first and first name of younger partner second.

Potter + Scorpius = Posco.

Sounds like a brand of dogfood.

Eh, I guess Harry/Scorpius won't replace Snarry. The name's not nearly classy enough. ^-^

... as in royally pissed off.

Thesis is progressing at glacier speed. And is getting too long again, which is Not Good. As a seasonal bonus I've been struggling to not come down with a cold for the last six days. Looks like I finally had to admit defeat today.

I just want to crawl back to bed and sleep for a week.

Or read fics. On that note, my hp_yule_balls fic has been posted: Until We Meet Again. It's Harry/Teddy and I loved it. Very different in tone to what I usually read. I still love it. Teddy had some absolutely brilliant lines! Usually when Harry got maudling. I love the writer for it, and I loved the mods for posting it just when I began feeling like shit. It really cheered me up.

Also, the fic I wrote for yule_balls has been posted. My recipient liked it very much - going by her squees - and I got a lot of very nice comments. Made me want to jump into the next fest, drapery_snarco, but with deadline of thesis looming ahead I don't think I'll have the time or energy to write another long fic. And I know it will be long because I can't write short fics.

Now back to bed, and as soon as I feel better I really need to rec maderr's originals 'cause they're brilliant and made the past week so much better.

Seriously. I do. Usually after having read either lots of Snarry fics or a fic that made a special impact on me.

Though it's not only Snarry. The other night, I had a positively indecent dream: Harry, Al, James, and Teddy lived together and were shagging like mad bunnies, in all combinations. I blame it on Traditionalist by the_minx_17 and Pride, but most definitely on The Evil Devil Child and the Perfect Gift.

But last night, I dreamt Snarry. ( And it was a really interesting dream, with a bit of bonding and creature thrown in )

And then I woke up, with a creature in my head and the desire to write a story for it. So I've begun to work out what the creature is, where it comes from, why the bonding/claiming thing etc. I think this is the one creature fic that I will have to write. I might even have an idea, post-DH too, that includes the dream.

Ah, but: when to write it? Time is short.

Update on my life. Heh.

I had a very busy week. Last Tuesday, I started writing my thesis. Finished introduction on Wednesday. Rewrote whole thing on Saturday. Still don't like it. Argh. Began theory stuff on narrator yesterday. It's okay. Doesn't go with intro, though. Double argh.

Anyone of you well-versed in narratology and Harry Potter? I'd love to have someone to bounce off ideas and discuss things and analyses etc. None of my friends knows enough about Harry Potter to be much of a help.

Last Thursday, I wrote smut. Not as much as I had planned but smut. I even like it. And now I worry that it's boring, or something. Usually, when I write and like what I did, it's no good. We'll see. Also, smut's not finished, so I'll be spending this Thursday making one character do the other. When that's finished, I only need a good ending - making girlfriend a definite ex - and I'm done. Yay! starry_nights88, if your offer to do the SPaG beta is still on, I'll gladly accept! ^-^

Saturday, I went to the birthday party of a friend I hadn't seen in years and got smashed. Had trouble driving home the next day. And the night ... eh, I'd better write an f-locked entry fot that. *grins*

Perhaps more interesting: Hamilton! For those new to my LJ: that's where I spent last year. Hamilton, New Zealand. I'm still homesick. First chance I get and I'll be back there. *nods*

And now I'd better stop procrastinating and get cracking. Must write "narrator" today. *would prefer to write smut*