what may or may not be hard reality

Little wordings that made me smile while I was reading my Ecology textbook.

"Malaria parasites, for example, infect mosquitoes during one life stage as a means of getting from one human to another. Or, perhaps, they use humans to get from one mosquito to the next." p. 10
Because it's too easy to think it's always about us...

"Whether a rabbit runs fast or not is irrelevant to evolution. All that matters is whether fast rabbits leave more offspring, perhaps because they are more likely to escape foxes. One presumes that foxes would prefer to chase slow rabbits, but, alas, by catching the slow ones, they end up favoring the reproduction by faster ones." p. 119

"Kettlewell recaptured moths by attracting them to a mercury vapor lamp in the center of the woods or to caged virgin females at the edge of the woods. (Only males could be used in the study because females are attracted neither to lights nor to virgin females.)" p. 122

"So 10¹⁸ g is a trillion (10¹²) metric tons, a quantity called a teraton (TT). Numbers on the order of 10¹⁸ are generally reserved for astronomy and the federal budget, but we'll use teraton here as a unit of measure to keep the number of zeros to a minimum." p. 486-487

~The Economy of Nature, 6th edition, Robert E. Ricklefs

Hero of the Day:

TeraCopy

And it doesn't look much for the world. A simple little copying program. And I'm not much for having added program for every single function just to spite Windows. There are a lot of things Windows performs perfectly adequately for my needs. However, copying is NOT one of them. And I've made the mistake of searching for backup programs, which keep offering me online backup, and automatic crap whatever that I don't need. What I need is a simple "no to all" button, that is mysteriously omitted from the replace? box.

Just a few months ago I finally went and bought myself one of those extra harddrives, where I keep all my large files. But I still have some 25 GB of My Documents that I use frequently and that interact with the Internet, meaning that a lot of files there are constantly added into the 350+ different folders. And then when I wanna back this up, I either have to "replace all" on the little USB drive, which takes a loooooooong time, and is annoying just on principle, or I have to say 'no' for every single file that already exists. And that's some 40 000 files. However, today, instead of ripping my hair out, I just for the heck of it ran a google search for "no to all", and up popped this little program. And it WORKS (so far. I've had it for the last 45 minutes). It has a "no to all" button. So while it still takes a good 20 minutes or so, it's nowhere NEAR the head-meet-wall pain of Window's way.

Thank you, TeraCopy!

Quote of the Day:

"I love you. In unguarded moments."

~Nottingham to Pezzini, Witchblade - 1x08 - Thanatopis. Isn't that the best line? I feel like I wanna make it my mission this summer to write 10 drabbles/fics, all different pairings, with that as title/first line/summary. Also, Witchblade is such a *bloody awesome* show. Long periods pass that I don't watch it, and then I get back into it and I love it so damn much.

Another reason that I love Laurie King. I learn things!

Quotes of the Day by way of Words of the Day, the yield of the first 180 pages of The Language of Bees:

( freshet, mezuzah, neophyte, quiescent, apiarist, pietá, engender - definitions and quotes from the book )

Quote of the Day:
"That finale was so bad that the letter L refuses to be associated with it anymore and it is now just called The Word."
~DorothySnarker

Word.

( Spoilery finale comments under here. )

However, regardless of the quality, there *was* a show. It could have been handled differently (BETTER), certainly, but the fact remains that the show existed. For 6 years there existed a show almost exclusively about lesbians, that had amazing talented beautiful actresses in it portraying women who love other women. And that's pretty darn awesome.

Quote(s) of the Day:

With a bit of backstory: I finally gave in and got a twitter. For the longest time I refused to get one because I had the sinking feeling that I did not need yet another thing online to follow. But when I realized I would have missed the following had I not had a kind friend who alerts me when things happen on twitter that I should know about, I gave up and gave in (and I'm ashamed to admit that the process took about 30 seconds). Janina Gavankar twittered the following last night (Gah! What idiot decided that posts wouldn't get a proper time-stamp until they've been up for 24 hours?):

4pm: "Yaaay! Christina Cox is in town! Time for the funs! For those who don't know: http://tinyurl.com/at4bqz"

8pm: "now we r going 2 get walked on by tiny thai women! Fyi: this is not a couple's thai massage, not that there's anything wrong w that! ;)"

~Janinaz on Twitter.com

And even though she specifies that what I'm assuming is the two of them (though really, I guess she could be getting Thai massages with any random person she is not coupled with...) are not a couple, the fact that she un-bidden associates in those terms at all tickles my fantasy, and I feel more than ever compelled to write that Teldy/Mehra fic I never finished last year... Yay!!! (And if anyone has yet to see the awesome interview that Christina and Janina did last year, for the love of goddess, click her tinyurl up there!!)

Anyway. So I have a twitter, and it's here: Twitter.com/fallonash if anyone wants to look at a blank twitter page. I'm so unlikely to ever update it, I'm quite fond of LJ, thank you very much, and am not looking to scatter myself over more online places.

However, if anyone wants to recommend me cool twittering peeps I should be following, or has one of their own, please link me!

Quote of the Day:

"You think I'm not aware of that I'm living the first line of my obituary right now?"

~CJ to Danny, The West Wing - 7x11 - Internal Displacement

So I haven't entirely honored my promise to myself that I would watch the episodes in order. I watched this one tonight because Annabeth Gish is in it, and the line above happens early in the episode, and it sort of struck a chord with me, because I am someone who's done pretty much nothing with my life. I've barely even done anything worth putting on my resumé, let alone on my obituary.

These later episodes are really beautiful. I remember watching some of them the first time around, and it was something of a gradual transition, but the contrast of watching the early episodes, when the White House is brightly lit, and messy, and people are running everywhere, to these late season 7 ones, where the colours are darker, and the pace is slower, and CJ is so much calmer and compared to early CJ she really has grown into being the President's chief of staff. And she's so beautiful, I love the darker hair. She has this amazing presence. (Also, there needs to be fanfic on her with Margaret, Kate, and Liz Bartlet, in that order.) And Annabeth was amazing. Gosh, the two of them in the same room... Thank you, TV! (Gillian/Annabeth/Lucy, Emily/Eva/Lisa, and now Allison Janney/Annabeth... wow.)

( some screen-caps under here of CJ and Annabeth )

Quote of the Day:

Calleigh: "Let me tell you something. People who fail an insanity defense are five times more likely to get a life sentence, than those who just simply admit they're guilty."
Suspect: "Bla bla bla INSTANT!CONFESSION. It was wrong. I know."
Calleigh: "Incidentally, so are my statistics. Frankly, I haven't a clue which way the jury will rule."

~CSI: Miami - 5x01 - and *damn*, she's AWESOME! Incidentally, the reason she did this is because the suspect is claiming insanity brought on by something Natalia Boa Vista had said to him earlier, and Calleigh is now doing everything she can to not put Natalia under fire. Damn, they have chemistry in this ep! Suddenly I can see why people are writing Calleigh/Natalia for reasons other than them being the only two women on the show. Yay Calleigh/Natalia!!

Quote of the Day:

"I don't understand it either. She and I share that. There are a lot of things that she and I don't understand."

~Tina Fey in response to a reporter asking for a comment on Sarah Palin saying she didn't understand why Tina Fey was named Entertainer of the Year. It takes just a moment, and then it's *brilliant*. Definitely a put-down, but you can't call her on it because she's self-deprecating at the same time. Gosh, I love Tina.

And a poll! A Very Important Poll:

[Poll #1330027]

So, skip=360 later... eek. Home, sweet home!

Agreeing to start New Years Eve with a 5K race wasn't one of my brightest moments, but it was nice to get outside and see the sun.

Double-Quote of the Day:

"We're the ones facing the damn camera, bitch."
~Gillian Anderson to Amanda Peet in the X-Files bloopers. Heeeee!!!

Scully: "In the tissue, there were traces of a drug called [bleep] me."
Mulder: "[bleep] me? I know that drug! Here we go, that's what I'm talking about!"
~Gillian and David mess up, also from the bloopers. Heeeee!!!

Quote of the Day - good news and bad news, but really, the so-called bad news wouldn't have been news to be bad unless there had been for the good news. So anyway...

"Had dinner with our favorite LadyCops last night, Christina Cox and Liz Vassey.  Both are working hard.  While we were together we talked about what’s next for our favorite “undercover” lovers on LadyCops for 2nd Season.  It’s going to be a blast, with some cool guest stars lining up to play hot cops and pesky perps, as well.

Our DVD is finished, but we are not going to be distributing until after the New Year – as it’s all part of the negotiations for 2nd Season.  Sorry about that.  We want to get our stuff out to you guys as fast as we can."

~Nancylee via 3WayTV.tv

OMG Yay!! More LadyCops in the 2nd season!!!! OMG Yay!! DVD is finished!!! Grrr Arrggh, how will I ever last until *after New Year*??? *whiiiiine* But over-all, awesome!! There *is* a DVD, and one way or another I *will* get it at some point. Delays be damned, I have to believe that.

And a meme from michellek: Go to your calendar and find the first entry for each month of 2008. Post the first line of it in your journal, and that's your "Year In Review".

January: 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!
February: I've been behind watching episodes, so first here is last Sunday's ep.
March: You know, that time of the year, yet again.
April: In Puerto de la Cruz there's a lovely botanical garden.
May: Thank you, CuteOverload, for posting the most awesome picture ever.
June: So apparently femslash has its own day now.
July: So I'm home again, and have been since late Friday/early Saturday.
August: I'm still pretty much dead to the world.
September: So Jane Doe a decent action film, but so far (12 minutes in) it's got some of the dumbest stuff ever.
October: OMG Cameron suffering from post-traumatic stress??
November: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to fyca!!
December: Hmm... So the X-Files movie is finally out on DVD!!

In conclusion; boy was my year mostly boring according to that review...

Spurned Quote of the Day:

"Cornwell, 52, has never before discussed their marriage with a mainstream U.S. publication. She did talk about it this year with The Advocate, a gay magazine, and she has spoken with the British press. She considers her sexual orientation enormously private."
~USA Today's article on Patricia Cornwell

Tsk. Just face it, USA Today, she didn't pick you first. Or second. Or anything. Get over it, and stop trying to sound important.

Other than that decent article, although mainly due to PC's quotes, no thanks to the writer. Having never met the woman I have no idea why it is that most interviewers seem to have a certain amount of dislike for her, but it's subtly there this time as well. From her work and interviews she seems extremely driven, intelligent, thoughtful, and rich. IE quite awesome. I need to get the new book...

There are many things to love about New Zealand, but I just found something at the supermarket that is just plain WRONG. Liquorice bar with chocolate inside. A LIQUORICE BAR WITH CHOCOLATE. There are so many things wrong with that I can't even begin to wrap my head around the concept. Chocolate and liquorice are two very awesome things that are so awesome that it is just fundamentally WRONG AND IMPOSSIBLE for them to co-exist within the same universe/edible item. It's like an unstoppable force and an immovable object. They can exist separately, but not together. (It's a trick question, is the answer - oh Lena Headey, how I love you). I love chocolate. I love liquorice. BUT NOT TOGETHER. I bought one. I ate one. I tried it. IT WAS SO CREEPY. Properly salted liquorice will so be the first thing I buy when I step off the plane at home...


Amusing Moment of the Day:
1 - Oh look, they have sheep shearing shows here, cool. Shame we missed it by 5 minutes...
2 - moments later; hmm, I guess the dogs are barking because the track goes so close to the main house.
3 - moments after that; hmm, wonder why that man is yelling...
4 - WHOA!! *jumps out of the way to avoid getting mowed down by 7 sheep, 3 sheared, 4 still wooly that take off running down the road*
5 - Huh. Guess that's why he was yelling... *watches man on 4-wheeler tear down the road after the sheep with two barking dogs running alongside*

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

Gosh, I don't think I've ever literally laughed until I cried before...

I saw My Fair Lady at the Opera House Friday night, a wonderful Christmas present from my aunt, and it was fantastic. I've loved the movie with Audrey Hepburn since I was a child, I had a tape with it recorded off the TV, and practically wore it out, but I had never seen the stage version before. Hadn't really had any desire to, a lot of my love for the movie (or so I thought) was tied in with my love for Audrey Hepburn. Turns out I had just as much fun (if not more) seeing it on stage. The music is beautiful, and I realized I still knew pretty much all the words, and recognized all the instrumental parts, too. They've done a somewhat new translation, and changed the location, and updated a lot of the time-particulars, while still keeping with the traditional costumes and such. A lot of it was very tongue-in-cheek, and absolutely hilarious. Good, good, good.

You know that scene where Higgins takes Eliza to the races, and she proceeds to tell people about her suspicions regarding the untimely passing of her aunt in the fanciest English she knows? It's funny in the movie, but in this particular stage version it was absolutely hilarious. It never ended. Her monologue just kept going and going and going, perfect dead-pan delivery, until I was, quite literally, crying from laughing so hard. And hearing the sniffling around me, I don't think I was the only one.

Also very much awesome about this particular stage version was the presence of a drag queen in the homeless ensemble. I wouldn't know about other stage versions, but I don't remember one from the movie. A tall muscular guy in a skimpy skirt and wild wig, looking very much at home in the outfit, wonderfully effeminate. She always danced the girl's part whenever the ensemble were separated into girls and guys, and even got lucky a few times with sophisticated men in high shiny hats and capes. It was awesome!

And Pearce. Wonderful Pearce. The costume design sketch I posted yesterday doesn't do her justice at all. She was androgynous, went by Pearce as opposed to the movie's Mrs. Pearce (although the program lists her as Mrs. Pearce, but she was never referred to by that, ever, so I feel very free to disregard it, I never would have known if I hadn't read the program), also somewhat younger, and absolutely gorgeous, held her head high (not at all frumpy as in the sketch), and had really great chemistry with Eliza. Mmm, fanfic. I really should write some. She dressed in high-waisted pants with suspenders and a strict white shirt, hair in a tight knot, and also dressed all her maids in skimpy little black-and-white outfits, and seemed to quite appreciate their appearances.

Fantastic fantastic show! Yay!

Finally, an L-Word Quote of the Day:

Kit: "Once, I gave a blow-job to a horn-player."
Gang: *stunned looks*
Kit: "So I could get a line of cocaine!"
Helena: "And afterwards, how did you feel?"
Kit: "High."

~The L Word - 4x07 - Lesson Number One

Quote of the Day:

And the worst effect of the writers's strike? The fact that it really isn't going to have that much effect on lesbians on television, because the writers don't actually put lesbians on television!

~Sarah Warn of AfterEllen.com in this weeks edition of Who Thought THAT Was a Good Idea?

Word! More lesbians on television!

Snagged from mylittleredgirl:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open it to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next four sentences after that in your LJ with these instructions: No digging for your favorite book - it has to be the nearest one.
5. Tag five people. ('cuz I'm doing it without being tagged, and I'm not all that into tagging)

I literally had them lying side by side in front of me, they just arrived in the mail (yay!). So you get two quotes for the price ($0.00!) of one.

Both are by Radclyffe, the first is Love & Honor, and the second is Tomorrow's Promise.

"She wore loose white cotton drawstring pants and a matching ribbed tank top. Her shoulders and arms were bronzed from the sun, sharply etched with muscle from her workouts in the kickboxing ring. Her hair was down, and there was a dab of brilliant blue pigment on her shirt, just above her left breast. There were circles under her normally vibrant blue eyes, though, and Cam caught sight of something moving in their depths, something dark and wounded."

""Not if it means I have to move," Tanner replied in a husky voice. After a moment, she rolled onto her side and sighed in mock exasperation. "If it must be done, I'll do it." She loosened the snaps and zipper with one hand, managing to kiss Adrienne at the same time."

Now, if those aren't the very epitome of lesbian romance I don't know what is. (if I were straight Harlequin would probably be my favourite genre. *shudder*)

Quote of the Day:

"ELLE: Do you ever splurge on lingerie?
Ellen: I don't buy the stuff - it's either my wardrobe person or Portia. I've bought lingerie for Portia, but I have no idea what it costs - I don't pay attention.
ELLE: Let me ask you this - boxers or briefs? Thongs or granny underwear?
Ellen: Well, isn't there an in-between? I don't like granny, and Portia loves thong underwear, but that to me is so uncomfortable. I like thongs on people, but I don't want to wear one!"

~ELLE Magazine Nov -07, interview with Ellen DeGeneres (it's a great article, I recommend it)

Thank you so much, ELLE Magazine, and Ellen, for the imagery. It shall live on in my head for a long long time.

...is a Quote of the Day!

Seen on the wall of the teacher's (or is it teachers'? Teachers?) lounge:

A cigarette shortens your life 2 minutes.
A bottle of wine shortens your life 4 minutes.
A work day shortens your life 8 hours!

Happy work day, everyone!

I love Laurie King:

"The final stages of the edit process are the time for ruthlessness. Pens and cigarettes are snatched out of the hands of fiddlers, heads remain unscratched, looks and gazes and pauses remain unexchanged, falling like dominos to the all-clearing editorial pencil SO THE BLOODY CHARACTERS CAN GET ON WITH IT, ALREADY!"

~ Laurie King's blog - Touchstone copyedit (4)
Now go read the entire lovely thing!

Also, does anyone here watch Without a Trace? I used to, for the first two or three seasons, but then it changed time slots on me and it became a nuisance to catch it, and also, I was getting a wee bit tired of Jack Malone and his Horatio-esque antics. Anyway, I was wondering what pairings ever were canon? I've come across Sam/'any other male agent'-fic, but I have no idea which ones are just fic, and which ones are based in canon. By the time I left I think they were hinting at something between her and Martin, but I didn't stick around to find out. So does anyone happen to know?