what may or may not be hard reality

In honor of the spring equinox I decided that winter was over and cracked my bedroom window open just a tad yesterday, and will, barring a severe late-spring cold snap, not close it until the fall equinox. The air was a little chilly when I woke up this morning, we still get close to freezing degrees at night, but the windows face east so it gets warm quickly as soon as the sun rises, and accompanying the chilled air was the sound of birds singing outside, which made it well worth it. How I've missed not-winter.

Argh!, though. OpenOffice ate one of my fics! The last time I had it open was a few days ago, and I had to turn the computer off the non-correct way (I have some trouble with stand-by mode, sometimes it gets stuck half-way, never goes to stand-by, but I can't bring it back either, and so I have to press the Key of Doom for 3 seconds and power off). And since I know this occasionally happens, I never point it to stand-by without making sure all my documents are saved first. And this happened, and then the next time I turned the computer on it asked me if I wanted to restore the documents that had been open, and knowing that I'd saved them I said no. And yesterday, a few days later, the entire document is missing from the computer. How can it do that??? The other two documents I had open were where they were supposed to be, and were just fine. I had a back up, but it was a couple of weeks old, and I'm missing a bunch of editing, and two scenes. Grrr.

New random 'of the Day:' category:
Random Screen Cap of the Day (click to enlarge):



Caption that one, people.

I'm so sad about Natasha Richardson. The Parent Trap is one of my favourite films. I remember taking my little sister and her best friend to see it for my sister's birthday, and we all fell in love with it. She has such a warmth to her in all the roles I've seen her in. RIP. :(

Apparently there are no lefties on my flist so far, although three righties wear their watches on their right wrist. But I guess we compensate for beating the statistics on the left/right thing by being overwhelmingly queer instead.

Saw Better Off Ted. Funny enough show. A little spazzed out and all over the place, like it's 20 minutes of promos cut together, but it's a pilot, and I'm guessing it gets better once they settle in. I don't know that I would keep watching it if Portia wasn't on it, but she is, and so I will definitely keep watching. The characters are crazy, but lots of fun, and I bet they can be lovable after a while, and I'm looking forward to seeing where they take it!

( A few screen caps of Emily from Monday's CSI: Miami, due to popular demand )

So spring is on it's way (even if it doesn't much feel like it looking at the massive amounts of snow outside), and that requires a spring layout. New background, new f-only banner, new default icon. It's a lot lighter than my old one, and the default icon is downright sappy (seriously, it's *that* hard to find a picture of Vicki/Christina (NOT Barcelona) in sunlight. It's spring, and all I'm asking is some sunlight. It shouldn't be that hard.), and the entire thing still requires a bit of tweaking, but that'll have to be tomorrow. I'm tired. I think I might have to move the mountains down and try to find some more sky, because the line sort of disturbs the flow of the page.

Anyway, fallon_ash!!

Or click here for a post with more text, and let me know if ya'll will stop reading my posts if the new background makes them illegible.

Now I know this has been all over the place, but I'm so excited I wanna post about it too! Wanda Sykes Came Out as Gay and Married at the gay rights rally in Vegas yesterday! Yay!! I've liked Wanda for a long time, because, you know, she's insanely hilarious, and pretty cute, too, and I knew that she was probably gay, but there is a difference between thinking you know something, and actually hearing them say it. There really is a difference. I'm all for people being allowed to live their lives without intrusion, and nobody should ever have to come out if they didn't want to, but the truth still is, with the world looking the way it does today, every out voice counts, and it makes a difference. I've been smiling all day. Good for her!!!!

Watch it here:

Fortis IQ Blackboard Watch For Math Nerds With Money

OMG I WANT. I sort of want. I almost kinda want. That is, I would have wanted if it had been just a little more nerdy. The idea is frickin' *brilliant*, but it's just a little too basic to be, you know, Superior Nerd Material. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are all straight up regular numbers, or plain simple addition/subtraction. 6 is standard division, but at least there's only one of that. 12 and 3 are both degrees. Couldn't they have been a little more diverse? It's been a few years since I took any math classes, but I remember it being a *wee* bit more difficult than this. And I realize it's a tiny tiny clock face, but couldn't they have thrown in some binary, maybe an equation or a teeny-tiny matrix, you know, stuff that looks difficult and nerdy? Or like someone suggested in the comments, an LCD face that one could re-write, now that would be totally awesome. Still, if the price had been about 1/20th of what it currently is, and I hadn't bought a new watch just this summer, chances are I would have gotten this one. Good on them for the initiative!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to fyca!! (And this was supposed to have gone up yesterday, but I didn't finish the rest of that post, so you're getting this a few hours after the fact here, but it should still be Nov 2 in America...) I have no idea where you are, or what you're doing there, or if you have internet access at all, since you couldn't be bothered to let me know, but anyway, happy birthday.

I'm still pretty much dead to the world. The wedding was Saturday, preparations Friday, and The X-Files - I Want to Believe in the evening (I'm gonna try to write some on that later, if I can reassemble my brain enough), sleep and afterparty on Sunday, and meep. So tired. It was all a whole lot of fun, but I'm still exhausted.

So far I've spent the day on the couch, drinking hot chocolate and watching Christina's episodes of Earth: Final Conflict. So-so series, but then sci-fi has never been my genre of choice (of course, neither has vampire shows, and look what Blood Ties did to me). However, her last episode *made me cry*, dammit. A crappy sci-fi show, and it *made me cry*. Bastards. They ( spoiler for 4x06 - Take No Prisoners ). At least I've only had to watch her die twice (well, or possibly 4 times, but when she played an evil alien who dissolved I was sort of ok with that, and then she played Jeanne d'Arc, and that's sort of the point, being true to history, and all). Not like Annabeth, who pretty much died in every friggin' movie she was in. Bah.

And I have the perfect crossover pairing. Vicki Nelson/Sara Pezzini. They're both broken and distrustful, trying to make it better for those who can't do it for themselves, and they're both fate's bitch with dark magic and the supernatural being drawn to them like crazy. I've ordered the Witchblade DVDs now that they're finally out (yay!) and I can't wait to get acquainted with the show again. It's such an awesome show. I wish I was a better case-fic writer...

You know how smaller towns often have a distinctive smell? Farming communities smell like manure and diesel fumes, some towns have a sewer plant and smell, well, like sewer, some towns have a paper factory and smell like rotten eggs sulfur, some places have ocean harbors and smell like salt and rusty metal hulls, and so on and so forth. And while all these smells eventually smell like home to the people who live there, they're still not overly awesome smells.

My town? Has a coffee bean roasting plant. Right in the middle of the town. And also a river. So on the bad days it smells like river sea weeds (although still like home). But on the good days, like today, the entire town smells like fresh coffee. And it's totally awesome.

In other news, does anyone who watched Firefly remember how Inara and her clients are referred to each other? Does it go through some organization, or do they call her up, and do they even have phones, or e-mails, or anything like that? How do they communicate? I can't for my life remember...

Yay!!! And about darned time. I've had my fall layout since, well, since last fall, and I've been wanting a new one since Christmas. But alas, no time (and also no real inclination or inspiration). However, I finally managed, although the spring idea? Failed. But there is Christina! I'm still using the same style, but new colours, new f-only banner, new default icon, new background (and I took that picture myself at the botanical garden weekend before last - still gotta post a batch of the pics I took that weekend, I borrowed my father's camera, and boy, is it awesome). Anyway.

Journal is here: fallon_ash

and a text-heavy post is HERE. (do the colours work for longer reading? - not that I seem to be posting much in the way of fic these days, but I do hope to be posting some again one day. With a new obsession there's always some new inspiration, and I have been writing a lot lately (for the first time in AGES, it feels like, and it feels wonderful), although nothing that's ready to be posted. Yet.)

I just posted an insanely long comment on AfterEllen, in response to a post that widely generalized gay men and lesbians, about the importance of recognizing that stereotypes do exist while not treating people according to stereotypes (I should say I don't think the poster did anything wrong, except maybe assuming that people understood the meaning of the phrase 'in general'...). I just reckoned I'd put enough thought into it to warrant posting it here as well. (It's written somewhat defensively, being in favour of stereotypes didn't feel like the popular opinion on that particular thread, which isn't to say that I support stereotypes, I just think it's important to admit that they often exist for a reason.)

( ~1000 words, under here )

So the last time I did this, it turned out pretty well. Sore throat went away after a couple of days, and no harm was done. Of course I woke up this morning, day of the next night orienteering race, with the mother of all sore throats. I didn't, however, feel otherwise bad at all. So running I went, and while there were no freezing degrees today, there was a whole lot of rain, and the forest was up to my knees in water most of the time. And now my throat is even worse, and I'm starting to feel a bit feverish. Argh.

So I had ice cream with a lot of Southern Comfort on top, and started to feel a little bit better. Talking didn't hurt so much, but swallowing is still a frickin' pain. Literally. Ouch.

However, what the liquor started, Baby Mama proceeded to finish!!! OMG!! The trailer is here! (How long has it been here? How have I *missed* it???) And it's awesome. And ooooh, it's soo good in so many ways (or maybe I'm tipsy), but watch it, people, watch it!! (And if this has already been all over your flist, you know you wanna watch it one more time.)

Argh. Damn you, embed code, why won't you work?? Anyway, go HERE instead, where you can watch the trailer in really awesome hi-def!

(eta: there are just SO many things to love about the trailer!! Maura Tierney! Sigourney Weaver! Romany Malco! The birthing classes lady with the Priestess Leah accent!! Tina! Amy! *squeee*!!!)

You know you're a small-town person when...

...you think spending 7 minutes stuck in rush hour traffic crossing a bridge is the end of the world. (Literally. We were like 'We must never take the car out during rush hour again! OMG! This is an absolute catastrophe!' and it was 7 minutes.)

And a Horribly Terribly long Meme, from evil_leela, because I'm bored.
( lots and lots of questions and answers under here... )

My teeth have moved over night. Like, actually moved. I woke up this morning, and my upper and lower jaw teeth were no longer aligned, and I can't bite down properly. It's terribly disturbing. Doesn't hurt, or anything, it just doesn't fit at all. When I bite down my teeth touch in two places, the very front (where the upper front teeth feel like they're too far back, and therefore the lower front teeth doesn't fit behind them), and the third molar on the right on, just two of the tips brushing, where I'm pretty sure they didn't use to. Yesterday I could grind my teeth, if I felt the urge. I kinda wanna blame the fact that I flossed last night, something I'm really terrible at and usually forget, but last night I did, and now my teeth have moved. Suggestions, anyone? I hate having to go to the dentist, it's expensive, and they never do anything anyway.

Quote of the Day:
Lindsay: "[Bla bla bla murder]"
FBI dude: "You sound like you're reading from a phone book."
Lindsay: "You want an interpretive dance?"
~Lindsay Boxer - Women's Murder Club - 1x10 - FBI Guy

Bwahaha!! (partly at the title of the episode, partly at the quote.)

Other than that, the latest episode mostly made me sad.

( Teeny tiny spoilers... )

Then I read Tammy Lynn Etheridge's post about the rules of nature, and got even sadder. She has a way with words, that one.

However, then I saw the Best. L Word. Picture. Ever. It's from the party on Sunday, and it's the Best. Ever. Srsly.
( Click here to see it. Really. Click! )
And then head over to Queerty (where I found this one!), AfterEllen, or DorothySurrenders to see some more!

So running a night-orienteering race in early January, freezing degrees, ankle-deep in snow, hail flying horizontally on the wind, while feeling the first touches of a cold, might not be the smartest thing in the world, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun!

Quote of the Day:

"Let him kiss me wit da kissus of hiz mouf--
  for yer love be moar delitefool den cheezbugers. Srsly."

~ Song of Solomon 1 - LOLcat Bible

*Whew*. Skip=180 later and I'm starting to get caught up.

Home rocks. So does Christmas at relatives', but still, my own bed is very awesome. Is it ok to be a slave to materialism if you are aware of it, but simply have no desire to end it?

In summary:
- Audrey Hepburn may possibly be the most beautiful woman ever.
- I may have a teeny tiny crush on the Richardson sisters (Natasha and Joely - no coincidence that I've seen both of them make out with women on TV in the last week).
- Pearce (of My Fair lady, who in the movie went by Mrs. Pearce, but on stage last night only as Pearce) is way cooler as a gorgeous androgynous butler-type than a stern maternal matron (Eliza/Pearce fic wouldn't be terribly wrong, would it?). 
- I love Radclyffe's writings.
- Ellen's sitcom is pretty darn hilarious.
- I hate Veoh TV. I also hate that I need it so much there's no chance I'd get rid of it.
- Sleep may be the best invention ever.

Aaaaiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Michelle Paradise's Worst Date Stories Video Blog

So does the world love me or hate me? I'm not entirely sure. On the one hand, Sarah Warn just posted the Most. Amazing. Vlog. Ever. OMG. Sarah, and Lori, and Karman, and Jill, and Dara, and Michelle, and Marnie. All in one room together, acting out hilarious Worst. Dating-Stories. Ever. Which is a total dream come true. It's insane how much I love these vloggers. (The only sad thing is that Sarah & Lori stay behind the camera way too much.) Which gets us to the Universe Hate MEEE!!! part. I'm leaving in about three hours. For the entire week. And the video isn't downloadable. ARGH! It's there, and I've seen the beginning, and I can't save it, and now I gotta leeeeeave, so I can't watch it over and over and over. Instead I gotta think of it, over and over and over, while not watching it. Way to be patient and happy while away for the holidays.

Either way, this brings me to the purpose (if at all there is one) of the post. I'm off for Christmas. I'll be back in about a week, or so. Take care, everyone. Christmas cards are on their way (yes, actually, sorta, kinda), and will not arrive in time for Christmas, but slightly later. Ahem.

Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!

(oh, and I'll be checking in, and such, but not all that much. e-mail me, or leave a comment if there's something on your mind)

Urgh. So I didn't sleep all that much last night, because there were things that needed to be done, and, naturally, I was the only one who could do them. So I get home from work, drink a cup of warm milk to unwind, and figure I can nap for an hour, or two. I've barely put my head on the pillow when the phone rings, (of course, but really, people usually don't call me when I'm sleeping (unless it's 7am, and it's from work telling me they need me)). And it goes on like that. In one hour I got 4 phone calls, and twice the doorbell rang. ARGH! I finally gave up on sleep, because I was pretty much wide awake, and watched the latest episode of We're Getting Nowhere instead, and, naturally, in the last hour, there hasn't been a single peep out of the world, not even e-mail. Why, world, why??

However, Jill is back on We're Getting Nowhere this week, so all is right with the world. Seriously, two weeks ago when she wasn't around, things were not right with the world. I love Karman, and Dara, and Bridget was hilarious and adorable, but it was not the same without Jill. I had no idea I was that attached to her. (In comparison, I re-watched that first episode that was only Jill and Karman, and that did not feel right either. It's amazing how attached I've gotten to all three of them.) Bridget is a lot of fun, though, I'll definitely be watching her vlog come spring! Yay with so many vlogs! And Dara/Karman/Jill taking on The L Word. I can't wait. OMG. It's like, it's the best thing that could ever happen. Seriously.

And also, how can you fail to know that Ellen is a lesbian? Like, seriously? A boy I'm acquainted with was standing next to me yesterday as I booted up my computer, and I've got a sweet little wallpaper of Ellen & Porta wrapped around each other at some red carpet or other, and the conversation went something like this:

dude: "Who are they? Oh, that's Ellen DeGeneres!"
me: "Yep!"
dude: "Who's the other chick?"
me: "Her girlfriend!"
dude: "Huh?" (I do think he actually just didn't hear me, the room was noisy)
me: "Her girlfriend!!"
dude: "She's a lesbian?!?"
me: "Totally."
dude: "I had no idea!"
me: "Uh. Well. She is!"

Like, I guess it's a good thing that Ellen is known way above and beyond her sexuality, but still, for someone who is so very out, how do you miss that? I can understand having no idea about Jodie, or Sarah Paulson, or even Portia (maybe even Melissa Etheridge), but where does one learn who Ellen is without that somewhere telling you she's a lesbian? Good on you, unknown reporting source!

eta: Seriously? How much do I love Jill? And Karman? And Dara? My heart is a little broken because I'm not gonna see them for an entire month. :(

Happiness is...

...finding your Lucia kit (dress, red sash, thick white stockings) ironed and ready for use in the seldom-used closet at the end of a long stressful day, when you need it by tomorrow morning.

Seriously, the universe is smiling at you. Yes, you. Go look! Now!

CuteOverload: smile flock