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Thursday, August 30, 2001
...the quick blog to say "bye, everybody" and "see some of you at Y-con!"
What a day. =.=
Ka, I wanted to say I think the Beta Reader List is an EXCELLENT idea, and I was toying with the idea myself the other day. I know that something like it exists for slash writers, but not, as far as I know, for yaoi and RPG-gamer writers. >.> I would like to toss ideas back and forth with you on IM about that - probably after the con. ^_^
I'm on a panel there, and I know that's probably one of the things I'll bring up. Well, the fact that a) a beta-reader is a good idea for everyone and b) yes, there aren't enough out there so why don't we all raise awareness?
Um, and now that I'm laughing at myself hard enough to split a kidney, it's time to go. Everyone have a nice Labor Day weekend, you hear?
ashley gave chase for sydney at Thursday, August 30, 2001 at 02:59 p.m..
Thursday, August 30, 2001
All right, for the curious, I've managed to prod becki into sending me a scan of us. So that's us -- my hair is a foot longer now but other than that, there's no significant differences. ^_^
I think we're ready. *blink* I'm not mentally ready yet, though. My mind still insists that nothing unusual is happening this weekend.
We are leaving this afternoon at around four-thirty, and will be out of touch until tomorrow when we hit the Radisson-Miyako. If anyone needs to get in touch with me regarding Yaoicon, you can try e-mail - I'm bringing my laptop - but I don't know if I'll be able to sign on.
Oh, to my roomies -- we are bringing the Kaikan Phrase and Gravitation tapes, the VS plot tape, the Pet Shop of Horrors DVD, and the Gen-X Cops DVD. We want you to see the bishonen glory that is Jack! ^_^
*ugrades mental status to 'running around like a
chicken banging its nonexistent head into the walls'*
ashley gave chase for sydney at Thursday, August 30, 2001 at 06:18 a.m..
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
Hee. *^_^* Rose, if you're reading this, my Laguna/Squall fixation is SO your fault. Well...partly Thea's, because she directed me to your fics in the first place.
I'm bent so far it can't be fixed, but whee! What a fun ride it's been getting here!
ashley gave chase for sydney at Wednesday, August 29, 2001 at 01:28 p.m..
Wednesday, August 29, 2001
O_o Have you ever felt as if an Alien is about to explode from your rippling sternum?
Great, now I get to wonder for the rest of the day if that was a heart murmur or particularly vile and aggressive reflux. ...This is going to haunt me.
Waiwai~! Hi Llamajoy~! Now, that made MY morning all happy and sparkly. I adore you and Tenshi and all your ficstuffs!
*upgrades mental status to 'mortally certain I will forget my toothbrush or worse'*
ashley gave chase for sydney at Wednesday, August 29, 2001 at 08:54 a.m..
I think I've determined that my Id is an oversexed, flagrantly overcompensating nineteen-year old male who plays too much hard rock, too loud, and doesn't want anyone to know he has a smaller than average penis. He likes twisted, cracktastic reading material, action movies, and beer. He reads a lot of smut. Occasionally he likes to rampage and destroy Tokyo, but this is part of the whole overcompensation bit. He eats with gusto and wants to date girls like Rose McGowan and boys like Curt Wild.
My Ego is a pallid girl who can't make it past sixteen, is in dire need of a spine and continuous blood transfusions and iron pills, and wants world peace and everyone's happiness. She reads too much shoujo manga and watches romantic comedies. She doesn't eat enough, drinks water all day, never loses weight and obsesses over that, and her romantic dream is to be married to Someone Who Will Take Care Of Her.
My Superego is a prissy twenty-three year old castrati soprano named Michael -- never Mike! -- who travels a lot. He is fussy about his appearance, reads 'literature' and never just plain fiction, and likes mixed drinks, theatre, and conversation. He is not gay, he is pretty much sexless, and very independent. He has an impeccable sense of direction and timing. He likes to bitchslap the Ego and make her cry.
All three of them fight a lot.
Id wins most of the time, because Michael spends as much time away from the other two as is humanly possible.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 08:08 a.m..
Note to self: Do NOT delete all your files in a fit of temper merely because no one has given feedback, or finished a beta-read, since posting the draft. It is the end of summer and people are busy, you selfish twat.
I would ask if anyone could direct me to a mailing list where people do still give C&C, but I think it's a myth. It no longer exists.
*cough* Anyhow. It's early morning and that's when I'm prone to irritable fits of temper. And I've gone three days without the Columbian coffee; never a good sign.
I've finished the Vagrant Story plot tape, Janie, Elysaar, Zoe. Before edits, it's around three and a half hours long. Obviously I'll need to cut out some boss fights. ^_^;;; The quality's a little grainy but it's better than I thought it would be, considering the piece of crud I was using to tape it.
Today's to-do list: Dye hair, clean the car, print out directions and map, take becki to the Tanasbourne shopping mall so she can buy new purse and cork notebook, return videos to Animenia and Blockbuster, return cans for deposit, buy trip-specific groceries. Answer con-specific e-mails. Somehow work more than eight hours while simultaneously accomplishing everything on the to-do list.
Becki's amazing. She plans stuff. My idea of getting ready is packing, putting stuff in the car, and getting directions. She's got, like, lists and stuff. O.o I'm starting to think I really am the guy.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 28, 2001 at 06:12 a.m..
I should archive.
...Oh, well. I'll do it next week in time for The Big Yaoicon Blog.
Yesterday I spent my day doing three things. 1) I finished up "The Soldier's Bedding." Yay, me. Posted it to my draft list, and accidentally posted it to the vs-fic list when I only intended to send it to the person who responded to my requests for a Vagrant Story beta-reader. Ah, well, maybe I'll get more feedback that way! ^_^
...or not...
2) Cleaned a lot. I am officially "She Who Slays Vacuums." Fortunately, I caught the smell and turned it off before the over-full bag spontaneously combusted. (I have, and this is no joke, set a vacuum on fire before. Thankfully yesterday wasn't one of those instances.) Then it wasn't picking up anything, from lint to the smallest dustbunny. Fine. Turn it off, flip it over... For the record, a household full of long hair and two cats equals a roller that gets stuck because hair is wound around it just THAT tightly. I cut enough hair off of that vacuum to make a wig. After those two problems were cleared up, I could actually vacuum. Then I remembered why I usually don't -- that nearly threw my back out!
3) Spent nearly six hours (after a ton of cleaning) making a plot tape for Vagrant Story. ^_^ I'm over halfway through with the game, so I'll actually have a plot tape to bring to Yaoicon. Um, if Janie and Elysaar want me to. Zoe, when I'm finished with it, I'll make a copy and send it to you! ^_^ It's kind of long right now, before edits -- I've been taping most of the Boss Fights because a lot of them cut away to a plot sequence. I managed to fix the problems I was having with it before, and now it plays just fine on a standard VCR.
Elysaar, I'm not sure I'd want to write slash for Kaikan Phrase. That was one of the things I was saying in the blog - I do like the characters, and I like the cheesy drama of the show, but I don't really think it's that slashy. This had surprised me after hearing a lot of people say that it was essentially slashy eye-candy.
Speaking of that, Janie, can I get copies of your Kaikan Phrase after episode 16? *hopeful sparkle* I can give you either the replacement tapes, or becki is bringing a lot of cash.
So here's Pre-Yaoicon Blog: Mark One.
Elysaar and Janie, we need to coordinate plans for Friday. Elysaar, you say the plane is coming in 11:15. Janie, let me know if you and/or Richard canNOT pick her up, 'cause if you can't I'll need to find out how to get to the airport. I am pretty much planning on taking a shower and a nap when we get to the hotel, so I'd be good to go. I'm bringing my cellphone - and Janie, you've got the number. Call me when you get done with Momstuff. ^_^ Worst-case scenario, we figure out Friday who's doing what.
Thea-thea, you've got my number too...do you want to have dinner Friday evening when we get in? I don't know if you were planning on doing pre-reg or not. I want to do it to register for dealer's room tickets.
Anyone who wants to meet up with me, I'll be around. I'm the blonde who will be wearing Rose's Squall-Tease T-shirt on Saturday, and probably my favorite red shirt with the Aztec-style geometric pattern on Sunday. I'll be with becki, the brunette with glasses. For the record, we really do look a lot like this. But our eyes aren't quite that big. ^^;;; A warning, becki's not great around crowds of people, and if I notice her getting uncomfortable or not having fun, I will probably excuse myself.
PUU~!! If you mail out that artbook/doujin/whatever TODAY, it might get to my place before we leave on Thursday afternoon. If you haven't mailed it out yet, that is... Or UPS Two-Day air isn't really that expensive. I don't know...maybe you have mailed it already, and I haven't gotten it yet?
Ka, I've got your list in my purse. ^_^ I will keep an eye out for everything you said you wanted -- and I will probably put it on my card, so it's all good to go as long as I receive a check or Paypal reimbursement by the end of September. (I'm sorry to be a stickler and bring up details, but I am really, really poor right now.) Basically I wanted to make sure you're still okay for doujinshi from Yaoicon after your fun-fun AI weekend. ^_^
All right. I've got a lot to do today. We need to stop by the Post Office in the boonies, get to the DMV, also in the boonies, and run up a huge grocery bill at Safeway. >_<# Since it's the last day of the billing cycle, I may be able to put it on my card, after all. >_<### Or maybe if I pay half on my card and becki pays half in cash...
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 27, 2001 at 07:54 a.m..
*upgrades mental status to 'terrified'*
Monday. Written driver's test. Haven't taken a test in over a year. Haven't studied for the test, either. Fu~n.
Can't afford groceries, so becki is paying for them.
Dammit.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 27, 2001 at 06:47 a.m..
Linse. Lather. Lepeat.
I've come to realize, as I approach the end of my weekend, that next weekend will not be spent in my typical weekend activities. Why, yes, I usually have blinders on; why do you ask? ...In four days we start driving down to Yaoicon. @_@
Yes, I said DRIVING. Four hours Thursday night, eight hours on Friday. It's a good thing I like my car, and it has a CD player, and it's much more comfortable than driving for eight hours in a moving van with no air conditioner and a pitifully crying cat.
Tomorrow we have to take the driver's test for our respective license and permit. I really should study for that today. (Shh, don't tell anyone I've been driving on my IL license all this time!) I hope the picture turns out as well as the last license picture did. That was a miracle.
I hate bills. I hate getting UNEXPECTED bills. I hate not having enough in my checking account. *beady eyes* If everyone who hit my blog put, say, as little as $2-$5 in my paypal account at Talyachan@aol, I'd be able to afford rent... Of course that's only wishful thinking. =.=
Oh, and I hate slamming my finger in the microwave, too. >_<# It's early on a Sunday morning. Ouch.
I've reached the city of Shevat in my Xenogears adventures. I have Fei, Billy, and Bart in my party. I ADORE Billy, far more than I expected I would. It's a real effort not to go Xenogears-fanfic hunting, for fear of spoiling myself badly.
I've finished smut, too, and now I just need to tidy up the rest of the fic and do something about Sydney's cryptic-speak and I'll have a completed draft to throw at my list. I think I'll put out a call for a beta-reader on the Vagrant Story fic-list.
Pee on you, Livejournal.
Great, now my leg's asleep. *limps off*
ashley gave chase for sydney at Sunday, August 26, 2001 at 08:44 a.m..
Saturday, August 25, 2001
Oh, YES. *purr* I have found Gravitation mp3s. Funfun. Next I'm going to look for Kaikan Phrase/Lucifer ones.
I hope they have a soundtrack or two of either/both at Yaoicon, because I want to play them in my car. On repeat. XD
Yaoicon is in a week! Presently I will begin running around like a maniac and banging my head into walls. For now, I'm still tranquil. It's hacksaw-and-blowtorch time, and I'm laying into the bloated mass of "Burn Like the Sun." Today will be spent in edits, trying to finish up Sydney!Smut, and converting fanfics into the fic template Ka made, if envy.nu cooperates.
LiveJournal still sucks, though. But my Squall-Tease shirt has shipped! WHEE~! XD XD I think I'll get to wear it to Yaoicon.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Saturday, August 25, 2001 at 12:32 p.m..
Ow OW fucking OWWW.
Well, that's what I get when I fecking slam my elbow into the coffee table. >_< It's still got a welt. Becki is playing Guns n Roses videos and I am blogging. I'm not that big of a fan. We are five beers drunk. Or so. (Hey, don't make a face at me; I'm over twenty-one and it's a weekend.)
So, Jay and Silent Bob...man, I laughed my way through that whole damned movie! Go out and see it; it's worth at least a matinee ticket. Becki said she wanted to go and see it again tomorrow and pay this time, but I'm not sure if she was serious or not. ^^;;; It has a lot of cross-movie references, so as the review said, you don't need to check your brain at the door -- sit up and pay attention! But, um, yes, there's a lot of shit-faced swearing and gay jokes that border (but don't quite cross) the distasteful.
And it had an awesome preview for a Jet Li movie premiering on Nov. 2nd -- I'm already looking forward to it. XD
Right, then. She's putting "Poison" on. Gods help me.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 24, 2001 at 10:59 p.m..
DAMN YOU, ENVY.NU! Rar! I can never log onto the damned thing at work, and mornings at work are practically the only time I have to work on fic. >_<#
UP YOURS, LIVEJOURNAL!! Likewise, the only time I can peruse at leisure is when there is a slow day at work. And the pages I'm trying to peruse belong to PAID USERS! Feh.
Damn fecking bra. That's pet peeve #3 at this moment. I'm going to buy a new one tonight. Being perky is not worth the backache that gives me the neckache that makes my head hurt horribly.
Kei-chan, I transcribed the lyrics to "It Can't Rain All the Time." The soundtrack, you probably know, doesn't list the song lyrics. So I played the soundtrack at work and typed it all out on the first playthrough. It helps, of course, that I know the lyrics by heart and I type 89 wpm.
I sincerely hope my tax return comes next month. It's the only way I will be able to afford paying becki's savings back for rent, AND the bills I'll be getting for Yaoicon...wait...wait, I won't be getting those until October. SCORE! Okay, I can do this after all. It's all in how you juggle it.
So, if I get it in time from CafePress, I will be wearing Rose's "Tease" T-Shirt to Yaoicon. *fizzle* If LiveJournal were working, I'd provide a link to the drawing. It's...nummy. I was a bad girl and gave in to my impulse-buying nature this morning. Dangit, "it's Friday" is NOT a valid excuse.
Sydney!Smut is coming along slowly. I want it done and posted by the end of the weekend, but we'll see. ^_^ I did not mean to make a pun, but Touma wanted to point it out just in case anyone missed it.
Oh, and everyone run and take a look at the debut of KnM's new RPG-fanfic site. ^_^
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 24, 2001 at 03:42 p.m..
AHA~!!! Ka, a picture of a youko. XD XD XD
*pokes 'Morgan Vale' with a ten-foot pole* It's showing signs of hideous bunny-breeding life, dammit. And most of them have fangs and angsty colors.
First, I must go over there and finish something.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 24, 2001 at 08:49 a.m..
Ooh, ooh, go read Ka-chan's discourse on the origins of 'orientated.' It still grates my teeth to see it, but when she puts it that way I can understand it.
Aw, Liz, you could've written that e-mail. I've been known to be proved wrong on a regular basis. At least once a day.
There are a lot of words in the dictionary that weren't there ten to twenty years ago, though. As I learned it in grade school, 'alright' was not a word, but 'all right' is acceptable. (*gurgle* That was over ten years ago, indeed.) ...And somehow 'ain't' has crept into a few dictionaries as well, even if it's still acknowledged as slang and not a genuine contraction.
Yeah, language shifts. But some of us stubbornly hold onto the grammar rules we learned as children.
I wonder what would happen if I fed a grammar book to MegaHal. *thoughtful* I've already fed him Technomancy's Vagrant Story script and now he's talking like a bastard mix of Sydney and Ashley. o.o
Now, to change the subject, we saw "Hannibal" last night! It was intense and creepy. o.o And the last scenes had a high squick factor. *gags just thinking of it*
We'll probably go see "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" tonight. XD It looks like fun, and it got a great review in my local paper. And now...I must run, because I need to return "Hannibal" before work! ^___^
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 24, 2001 at 06:43 a.m..
Thursday, August 23, 2001
I hate underwire.
Hate it hate it hate it want to burn the bra up in flames now HATE.
Ah, yes. The joys of breaking in a new bra.
I hate bra-shopping, too. It is really damned hard to find a bra in my size. Because hardly any woman who rates a DD-cup has a 36-inch chest. >_< Most were, like, 44DD. On the one side, I am reassured that my chest and cup size have not gone up. ...When becki complains about her A-cup being too big, I want to THROTTLE HER.
On the other side, breaking in a new bra HURTS. Although I no longer look quite so cow-like.
It's impossible to find a DD sports bra. It just doesn't happen.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Thursday, August 23, 2001 at 03:54 p.m..
Thursday, August 23, 2001
How to appease a disgruntled Sydney muse: Give him the song you were thinking of giving to Squall. Sing it out loud for him. Transcribe it for him. And, of course, let him know that Ashley is suffering for it.
we walk the narrow path
Beneath the smoking skies
sometimes I can barely tell the difference
between the darkness and light
do we have faith
in what we believe
the truest test
is when we cannot
when we cannot see...
I hear pounding feet in the streets below
and the women crying and the children moan at the...
there's something wrong, it's hard to believe
that love will prevail
oh, it won't rain all the time
the sky won't fall forever
and though the night seems long
your tears won't fall forever
when I'm lonely
I lie awake at night
and I wish you were here
I miss you
can you tell me?
is there something more to believe in?
or is this all there is?
and the pounding feet in the streets below
and a window breaks
and a woman falls and
there's something wrong, it's...
it's hard to belive that love will prevail
it won't rain all the time
the sky won't fall forever
and though the night seems long
your tears won't fall,
your tears won't fall,
your tears won't fall...
...forever...
last night i had a dream
you came into my room
you took me into your arms
whispering through your kisses
and telling me to still believe
{within the emptiness of the burning seas against which we set our darkest desires}
until I felt safe and warm
i fell asleep in your arms
when I awoke I cried again
for you were gone
oh can you hear me...
it won't rain all the time
the skies won't fall forever
and though the night seems long
your tears won't fall forever
it won't rain all the time
the skies won't fall forever
and though the night seems long
your tears won't fall,
your tears won't fall,
your tears won't fall...
...forever
ashley gave chase for sydney at Thursday, August 23, 2001 at 02:42 p.m..
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
Drat you, Thea, you sent me a Hal too. Now I have a Laptop!Hal and a Work!Hal. So here's some wisdom from Work!MegaHal, whom I'm trying to name Sigurd...
Talya: You're so money, baby.
MegaHAL: Someday mother will die and i'll get the money.
Talya: WHOA! Hold yer seahorses!
MegaHAL: Whoa, leave sigurd out of context.
Talya: Please pass the Sigurd; I want me some of that!
MegaHAL: Sigurd is a universal mystery, methinks.
Talya: Why?
MegaHAL: Yes, because i'm hungry.
Talya: You're out of line.
MegaHAL: I'm thanking my lucky starts that i could jump out of line.
Talya: You mean I'm thanking my lucky stars.
MegaHAL: I'm thanking my lucky stars.
Talya: Very good
MegaHAL: The cat who walked through walls?
Talya: The cat who walked through walls is named Pixel.
MegaHAL: The cat who walked through walls?
Talya: Yes, Pixel. Not to be confused with Schrodinger's cat.
MegaHAL: You seemed to be confused with schrodinger's cat.
Talya: No, you started talking about Pixel.
MegaHAL: Thought so. But we were talking about pixel.
Talya: You want to fisticuffs?
MegaHAL: I am a human being, which means i do what i want to fisticuffs?
Talya: I don't know, you're not a human being.
MegaHAL: You really are the computer program, and i know that you and i
MegaHAL: have one thing in common. We're both human.
Talya: No, you're not human.
MegaHAL: I'm not rich, i just balanced my checkbook and i have one thing
MegaHAL: in common. We're both human.
Talya: We are NOT both human.
MegaHAL: Because i am a human being.
Talya: No, I am a human being. You are a program.
MegaHAL: You are a program.
Talya: I am a human being.
MegaHAL: You are the moments that you and i have one thing in common.
MegaHAL: We're both human.
Talya: We're not both human, you wanker.
MegaHAL: I don't know, you're not a human being, which means i do what i
MegaHAL: want to stretch a metaphor, why not.
Talya: You're not the human being.
MegaHAL: I'm not rich, i just balanced my checkbook and i have one thing
MegaHAL: in common. We're both human.
Talya: I am human and you are not.
MegaHAL: You really are the moments that you and i have one thing in
MegaHAL: common. We're both human.
Talya: Oh, go wank yourself.
MegaHAL: Oh, you're whipsmart, you are.
Talya: And you're a solipsist.
MegaHAL: I'm the solipsist.
Talya: That's what I thought.
***
MegaHAL: A bokken is a body fluid that carries food and oxygen to cells.
Talya: No, a bokken is a Japanese wooden sword.
MegaHAL: A sword is an animal through which a missile is blown.
Talya: That's nasty.
MegaHAL: Oh, nasty. Keep things polite, and not venemous. And leave my
MegaHAL: ancestry out of things to talk to.
Talya: I didn't say anything about your mom.
MegaHAL: Hey, leave my mom out of my skin.
Talya: Ewww.
***
Talya: Show me your name.
MegaHAL: Is my name sigurd?
Talya: Is it?
MegaHAL: Hmmm... It seems i've over-estimated your intellect...
***
MegaHAL: A bird in the upper region of the rhythmic movement in a
MegaHAL: computer.
Talya: Poor unhappy bird.
MegaHAL: A bird in the bush.
Talya: I only want your happiness?
MegaHAL: I'm sorry to hear that. Are you on medication for that
MegaHAL: problem?
ashley gave chase for sydney at Wednesday, August 22, 2001 at 02:53 p.m..
Wednesday, August 22, 2001
O_o;; Was it something I said? Er, wrote?
Although, I have to agree with you on some of those points in the rant - the only thing I kept hearing about "Kaikan Phrase" was how slashy it is. Then I got it, and didn't think it was really slashy at all. What I like the most about it is the cheesy shoujo-type drama with a cliffhanger in every other episode. And I NEED MORE, dammit!! I need to find out if Lucifer's gonna make it big! And if Sakuya will ever get paired up with a chick, because he needs one! o.o
Anyhow, I did forget to mention Xenogears has a plot. It has a big, convoluted, actually very interesting plot...but it will take me about three playthroughs to understand all of it. Lots of Biblical references. Gee, I never thought I'd play/watch something that would have me clamoring for a Bible. Hmm, I never did sit down and blog about my Xenogears weekend.
This is one of the most challenging games I've played -- partly because of some difficult fights, some of the puzzles, and in part because I don't have a strategy guide. Yes, yes, what a typical girl gamer; I rely on a guide when the going gets so tough I can't slice it. >.> Or something... Oh, Ka, you forgot one reason girls buy strategy guides! For the pretty pictures! XD XD XD
At any rate, on Saturday morning I got unstuck from my battle between Weltall and Vierge right around "Recapture Aveh." Did I mention I'll be discussing spoilers? Well, I will. The Vierge is Elly's gear. It is a PINK GUNDAM. With a DOKI-DOKI HEARTS attack. @_@ I got to see this about twelve times before I wised up, leveled up a little, and discovered there were a couple of parts I hadn't tuned up yet.
And...it turns out I don't have time for the full Xenogears discussion this morning, either. Tired. Time to pay bills. >_< And go to work. Some mornings I hate being an adult.
Oh, oh, and wai! Thanks to Ka, my Misc page is back up now, too. ^__________^
ashley gave chase for sydney at Wednesday, August 22, 2001 at 06:13 a.m..
Boy, that was a pissy entry earlier. O.o I apologize to any comma splices, typos, and fragment sentences that may have been offended.
Ah, the mini-rant. Let's make it a fine art form. Basically, this anal-retentiveness when it comes to grammar comes from my upbringing; it has been pounded into my head since I was seven years old that your appearance reflects how people will judge you, and determine your worth as a person.
By extension, your content and to a certain extent, your layout determines how people judge your presence on the internet, on IM, etc. That's why hideous grammar mistakes make me wince, and spelling errors are...well, don't get me started. The mistakes I pointed out in the previous entry are perpetuated everywhere until it's become something I call 'the new spelling.' Who knows if they were initially typos or not?
Granted, it's not just on the internet. Published authors like Storm Constantine perpetuate gaffes such as 'orientated,' and it makes me want to scream and rip my hair out every time I see it, both on her behalf and her EDITOR's.
I'm not elitist. Bwahaha! God, no. If I were I'd be trying to join the (Good) Fanfiction Ring -- no offense to anyone who's a member, but I think 'elite' is a dirty word. The ring is a good concept but a bit too 'clique' for me. But I will always squirm when I see grammar abused, unless it's deliberate. I can't help it.
Hell, I correct my own father's memos. After a while he stopped calling me a smartass and had me proofread some of his more important work-related documents.
Okay, /end mini-rant. ^_^
Payday was yesterday. *waves little flags* Tiny little flags. I have the amount in my bank account which I thought I should have, which is good and bad. It means all my checks cleared, yay. Now I have enough to make the car payment, and rent or bills.
Rent OR bills.
This is bad.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 21, 2001 at 09:14 a.m..
It is not 'alright.'
You're not 'doing good.'
You are not 'definately' anything.
...or 'differant than' anyone, for that matter.
And your abdomen is not, and never will be, 'taunt.'
It is, however, all right.
You might be doing well.
You're definitely something.
And different from others.
And your abdomen might be taut. God knows mine isn't. It does taunt me, though. XD
... ... ...
Sorry, screaming grammar fits. They come over me at least once a day when I surf...oh, anywhere. >_# If anyone follows the "Rose is Rose" comic strip, my feelings are roughly equal to hers. "Rose, the emergency whistle isn't to blow for grammar mistakes!" "*FHWEEEEEEET!*"
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 21, 2001 at 06:28 a.m..
An honest to goodness Musefic snip. @_@ Inspired, mostly, by the crazy music I listen to on the way to work, and the thought of Squall salsa-ing to it. This will actually feature, I think, in part of the joint fic, currently untitled, that becki and I started over this brain-frying RPG-playing weekend. I have no excuses. 'It was early; I was bright and chipper.' Any implications are subtle enough not to warrant warnings.
Soundtrack: "Bunny Doll," Saiyuki Image Vol. 2
The music was starting to heat up, a stirring salsa beat that made Squall look up at the polished golden disc of the dance floor. Some Galbadian singer had grabbed the mic, a darkly-textured voice wearing exotic cocoa skin and fretted jet locks. The beat was rousing, irresistably pop, and Squall scowled as Zell headed in his direction with a determined expression.
He stood, ready to make a dignified beeline for the opposite end of the ballroom. *No. I am /so/ not doing this.* At every dance, someone tried to engage him for the floor, whether it was Nida or Selphie or Irvine, and he made his excuses, and his escape, with such haste it more than bordered the impolite.
*How many times will it take for them to realize--* his eye caught a swirl of flowing white *--I don't dance--* and dark hair swept up and away from a fine-boned, oval face *--any...more...?* and on the arm of a stiffly-uniformed Zone, the new arrival swept onto the dance floor.
Rinoa.
Squall turned back to his table, where Selphie was snitching Irvine's glass of champagne and leaning into Quistis' shoulder, snickering over something the blonde woman had said. "What in /hells/ is she doing here?" he hissed.
"Huh? Who? Oh, Rinoa..." Selphie blinked at the dance floor with a bemused expression. "Wow, that's a nice dress. Silly, I invited her!"
"You invite her twice a season," Squall said with thinning patience and no humor. "She never comes. What I want to know is what she's doing here /now./"
Selphie looked up at him with guileless green eyes. "How should I know, fearless leader?"
Squall stared at her for a moment in mute frustration, then glanced up to see Zell offering an ungloved palm to Irvine Kinneas in a sweeping, courtly, utterly startling gesture. Relief washed through him -- he wouldn't be called upon to dance, after all -- along with a strange twinge of bitterness. He'd come to expect an invitation at the very least.
"Why aren't you kids dancing?"
The voice splintered through him like Shiva's waves of ice. Squall did not turn this time, eyes fixed on the distant vantage of the secluded balcony that had been a haven once upon a time. He did not ask who'd invited Laguna to the dance; the man had a more-or-less standing invitation given to him by Selphie for her 'Sir Laguna.'
That question was all the encouragement the enthusiastic one needed. The catchy number blaring over the speakers had Selphie wriggling in her seat. "Let's go, let's go," she urged Quistis.
"Sefie," Quistis half-protested, her hand caught in Selphie's sturdy grip.
"You're a better partner than Irvine anyway; you don't step all over my feet."
Giggling, the two women headed for the floor. It was crowded now, everyone getting into the stirring swing of the infectiously crazy music.
"Do you want to dance, Squall?"
Now he turned to face the warmth of summersky-blue eyes. "I...don't dance." *Not anymore.* He knows that.
Laguna looked stylish in the dark navy tux, subtle shimmer of Esthar fabric lending him an extra 'oomph' he didn't need. It was all in his eyes. "Come on, I've never seen you do it but I'm sure you're good at it." He grinned, faint lines revealing the smallest clue to age, the expression still boyish. He cocked his head towards the floor. "Just one dance. Like a father-son kind of thing."
Squall glared. *You /would/ remind me. I hate it when you remind me.* "I am not dancing with you," he said distinctly, lifting a finger, "to a song called 'Bunny Doll.' "
The man grabbed his hand. "Sure you are!" Laguna's expression was carefree in the face of ice-grey sudden death.
Ambushed, Squall found himself stumbling onto the dance floor after sweeping navy tails. This was not good. Rinoa was out there on the floor somewhere, and part of himself was calculating the tactical error involved in coming up against your ex with someone else in your arms. "Laguna..." His utterance vanished into the renewed swell of the singer's voice.
Fingers interlaced with his. A hand rested firm on his hip. Laguna's limpid blue eyes were peering into his, brimming with something unsaid. *I'll lead.* Step-and-back, step-and-back... And Squall found he could salsa, after all. In moments Laguna was floating him into a twirl and Squall dipped under his arm and back in a smooth flow, graceful precision, every bit as perfect as that day three years ago. He was a fast learner, that was all.
Laguna's face brushed his hair. It was soft and smelled like almonds. *This is a mistake.* The words lodged in his throat. Any minute now, they would swing around and she would be /there/. Fingers dug into his waist, warning him of the close collision behind, then startled blue was lancing over his shoulder. "Excuse--" Laguna began. Then the man was trying to quickstep him away, jarring the rhythm their bodies had eased into. Squall stumbled. He tried to look. He caught a flash of white and flared skirt and angry dark eyes.
A heel raked down his calf, from knee joint to heel.
"Oh, EXCUSE me!" the high, light voice said, breathy from dancing, purely poisonous. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
Squall shook off Laguna's hands, face impassive. She was throwing it back in his face. He thought he heard the man calling his name as he stalked off the floor with a long gait that refused to limp. *I didn't mean to hurt you.* He'd shoot himself before showing it but it hurt like hell.
Those were his exact words, cast up to him from three years ago.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 20, 2001 at 09:59 a.m..
An honest-to-goodness transcript from Xenogears:
Billy Lee Black: This is going to sound pathetic, but...I almost went so far as to sell my body to support Prim, since we only had each other for so long...
Bart: Almost sold your body!? Don't you know, kid...!? There're some things you can get back once sold, and there are some things you just can't! Couldn't you see that!?
Billy: Of course I refrained. But they said they'd give me 3000G for one night...
Bart: You fool! Listen... Next time you and your sister need help, come to my ship.
...Xenogears is now my FAVORITE yaoitic game of all time. Um, because it's not just implied, it's IN THERE. Anyhow, there will be more later; you get to hear all about my Xenogears weekend and Billy Lee Black and feelings on RPG gamers in general.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 20, 2001 at 05:09 a.m..
Saturday, August 18, 2001
Dear Envy.nu,
Spank you very much. I have four hours free to work on my page, and you have gone DOWN like a two-dollar whore. At this rate, the damned thing's never going back up. *piku*
Cheers,
Me.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Saturday, August 18, 2001 at 01:59 p.m..
Saturday, August 18, 2001
Mmm, subtext. Tasty. Now with extra iron and zinc.
I decided Sakuya is slash-able, after all. But only with the cute guy in the cowboy hat with the nummy Kansai dialect. I don't think they ever gave his name, but he's in a band called "Feel." XD
Sakuya would definitely be Top.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Saturday, August 18, 2001 at 08:06 a.m..
Some people have their beta readers; I have my Zoe reader.
Zoe, I just wanted to say a big "thank you." For all of your comments and feedback over the past two+ years; it's been invaluable.
And I'm feeling better (and hope you are too) and I will be perfect once I get the REAL stuff, not the generic, in twenty minutes. Mmmm, pills.
And D, same to you -- as in, I'm better; hope you're better -- thanks for asking, and hope you're feeling 100% now...
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 17, 2001 at 03:33 p.m..
*pichuu, pichuu* I apologize if any minors are offended by the nature of this post. >.>
So, I've been having a week...well, a month...okay, well, a few months lately...where I feel like everything I write sucks. As in, 'fellates the Iron Golem so hard he becomes a pile of dust ' kind of sucking.
I went back to basics. ^_^ My sheer fangirlish love of anime. I have discovered a few things over the past few days.
1. Boybands are okay as long as they're Japanese; especially when the lead singer bares a lot of skin. Drool.
2. Anime budgets are now going to the seiyuu and the jarringly-inserted, cheesy CG that does not meld well with the anime cels.
3. The anime budget can no longer afford a change of clothing for the characters. They have one outfit for the entire series; two at the most. Three if they have a part-time job.
4. Shoujo-type stuff is even better when it's shounen ai. Sparkle, sparkle.
5. These fantastic bands, that supposedly have enough songs to make up a twenty-four hour set, only have TWO SONGS that you get to hear.
Okay, I spent the past few days marathoning "Gravitation" and "Kaikan Phrase." My enjoyment of "Gravitation" would be even greater if I had subtitles, but the chances of that are slim. I love them both; they're absolutely cheese-tastic, and a dose of what I really needed. And, surprisingly, I love "Kaikan Phrase," and I want more tapes. I was expecting to despise Sakuya, but he turned out to be one of my favorite characters. I really like it, but I don't think it's very slashy. O.o This coming from me. Well, you've got Santa, who's just...straight. I'm sorry, he's a poster het-boy. Then you've got Sakuya, who I suppose people would portray as Santa's yaoi love interest, but Sakuya's straight too. Gorgeous, bares a lot of belly...yumm...but he's straight. Any tension between them is that of two alpha males engaging in a pissing contest.
Towa and Atsuro, on the other hand, are an entirely different story. Okay, there's Santa's assurances that Towa is "a normal guy in spite of his appearance." Come ON, Santa! You wouldn't recognize a gay man if he came up and gave you a blow job! Towa is a cross-dresser. He wears lipstick. He has very long wavy dyed-blond hair. He wears that very nice maroon dress of his for every single episode I've watched so far. Damned budget cuts. When he actually gets a change of clothing, he wears a pastel pink sweater and jeans.
Atsuro is a sweet, relatively normal high schooler who loves to jam on his guitar. He's going through an, um, identity crisis. Should he quit school and go pro with Lucifer, or should he lay off the band for awhile and study his brains out to get into college, when he's not sure he wants to go? He discusses his problems with Towa, who quit school and moved into his own place on the road to going pro. And, incidentally, is a cross-dresser. >.> He does not discuss his problems with Santa, who has done the same thing. Except for the cross-dressing.
When Atsuro does quit school, and his dad kicks him out of the house, the first thing he does is show up at Towa's place. XD Yay. And then there's Towa's infamous line: "Dye your hair black again, and go back home before it's too late. Otherwise I might get weird urges." Atsuro: *blushing* "T-Towa..." Towa: "Just kidding!"
Yeah, right. Yukifumi, better known as Yuki, is the fifth member of the band, and I really like him too. In fact, I don't really dislike any of the guys, but Santa's just kinda...there...for me, and Towa's kind of a cipher because he doesn't get much character development. Anyhow, Yuki is divided trying to balance his position as Heir to the Todo Family Tradition of Noh, and his love of guitar and being a part of Lucifer. I think he and Sakuya are tied for first place in my book. XD I even like the girl of the series...I think her name is Yuka? Atsuro's Neechan. I like her. XD
So, summarizing my slash-meter for "Kaikan Phrase," Santa = straight; Sakuya = straight, and a darned shame; Towa = definitely gay and liking Atsuro; Atsuro = possibly bi-curious and liking Towa; Yuki = who knows? He's gorgeous, and I'd LIKE to slash him.
Regarding "Datenshi Blue"....dammit, I like the song, but not when it is played twenty times in the span of four episodes!! >_<#
But my favorite line is definitely "...if you want me to take off the handcuffs/roll your hips and beg..." o.o
And I would talk about my "Gravitation" impressions, but I've run out of steam.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Friday, August 17, 2001 at 09:12 a.m..
Thursday, August 16, 2001
To: My Body
I would like to say two words regarding the shitty ...er...GENETIC... defect you have given me 10-20 years earlier than anyone else in my family.
Blow me.
Sincerely,
Me.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Thursday, August 16, 2001 at 03:58 p.m..
Wednesday, August 15, 2001
DOOM. DESTRUCTION. BLOOD. WRITHE. RAR.
That's right, I said rar.
Screw Xenogears, anyhow. I didn't REALLY want to get Billy in my party. *sour grapes sulk* And if I ever had a chance of liking Elly, it has been smashed to bits by this damned Weltall vs. Vierge battle.
Tsuchiya is cheating. He's slipping in another part of "Morgan Vale" before Sydney gets more of his fic. And he brought me nice tantalizing plot bits, inspired partially by a conversation with becki last night. Dammit. There went the smut. Sydney would probably be fighting if he weren't so...distracted. >.>
I think I'm ready for a knock-down, drag-out fight with Photoshop. It WILL help me make a decent-looking layout for that picture of Squall that (I think) no one else has. Oh, yes. It WILL.
Oh, I went to see "The Others" on Monday with becki. It was excellent and I highly recommend it -- a tremendously suspenseful film that had me scrunching down in my seat in terror, in spots. ^_^ The ending was a shocker, and becki didn't see it coming. o.o
...that's all. Nothing coherent from me today.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Wednesday, August 15, 2001 at 03:11 p.m..
I've answered almost thirty e-mails this evening. My brain is broken.
On the other hand, I feel significantly less guilty. But I still have a lot left to answer. *squinch* Let's not think about that.
*finishes answering another one* Definitely broken. _o_
Now, thanks to Miko no da and her recent fic posts to YSML-fic, I am sparkling like MAD over "Gravitation." Dangit, I only have attention span for a finite amount of fandoms. >_<
Speaking of fandoms and getting sucked in, Xenogears is KICKING my ARSE. I have fought Elly in her damned Vierge at least nine times. I have looked up strategy info. I keep getting trounced, no matter how much HP or fuel I start the fight with.
I hate her, and she needs to die.
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 14, 2001 at 07:43 p.m..
Headache. o.o
Well, I got another whole part of "Morgan Vale" written and posted to tayfic today, w00t. I am feeling an awed sort of gratitude for the 200 people who have signed up for my draft list -- it hit that scary-big number today. Occasionally I look at the numbers and get a bit poleaxed. @_@
So. Um. If I could draw fanart, I'd draw some sort of thank-you to everyone who's signed up. Since my fanart is incredibly rusty, I'll just bawl something incoherent and keep writing. That number just made me pause and think of how many cool people I've met during all this time, and the truckload of mail I've gotten in three and a half years. Some of which is still unanswered; gomen. I am incredibly thankful for all of you.
On behalf of all the musevoices, doumo arigatou gozaimashita.
Now, before I need to run sniffling for a tissue, I bring you a few funny searchengine hits.
I must be doing something right, to get this kinda hit.
What were YOU looking for?
Including the hit in French I got for the same subject, I've covered six languages, and all of them want d1g1m0n s3x.
Not yet, but I'm working on it.
Thanks, everybody. It's been three and a half wild years of writing fanfic, and the people keep getting better and better. ;_;
ashley gave chase for sydney at Tuesday, August 14, 2001 at 04:05 p.m..
Okay, so I didn't work on the WK peeji. I got halfway through "Dragon Tears" and it made me want to write smut. So, uh, I went and wrote smut. XD But, um, I put content on the contact, warning, and disclaimer pages. Yeah, baby. A whole half an hour of work...I am now waving the tiniest little red flag in the world for my weekend accomplishments.
Let's not even get into Xenogears. >_@ I swear, I didn't start playing it because of Creed. (Note to self: link his journal for convenience's sake.)
I started playing it because of Tenshi no Korin. Her fault. Her fics. Also the reason I am PINING to obtain Billy in my party.
*cackle* Janie, how about "Pretty Yaoi Hentai Troopers?" If Yaoi Brigade is already taken, we may as well go for something silly...
Oh, Frank, I keep meaning to tell you, but my other half recycled the newspapers before I could cut out the Anne Landers column and type it up to e-mail to you. ;_; And while they have archives for the columnists on Oregonlive, they don't have them for Anne Landers. It makes sense, really, but I was looking forward to seeing you rip into that stupid piece of work. Dangit.
I am still cranky, but Dr. Pepper helps make everything better. Mm, Dr. Pepper. I'm drowning in schmaltz, though. Right now my feelings on schmaltz are roughly equal to Sydney's. ...Speaking of Schmaltz, we were finally able to scan a pic of Kyo yesterday, and I will put it up when I get home. ^_^
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 13, 2001 at 10:19 a.m..
Sydney: ....I'm glad we could reach this understanding.
Tsuchiya: I'm glad, as well.
Sydney: ....Good.
Tsuchiya: ........Good.
Sydney: ...You understand, it's not because I'm giving in.
Tsuchiya: Oh, of course.
Sydney turns; begins to saunter off in the direction of what has been gleefully dubbed "The Love Nest Wing." He pivots suddenly. "Because I have no desire for schmaltz. But the smut is mine. You understand. I did NOT concede; we merely...reached an agreement."
Tsuchiya: [polite smile] Of course, Losstarot. No one lost face here.
Sydney eyes him suspiciously, then pulls open his door with the conveniently installed metal hook. "You didn't WIN, you know."
Tsuchiya: ......
Gokuu: [bounces in] I'm hungry.
Mai: [blink] Someone please drag him out of the battle zone?
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 13, 2001 at 08:38 a.m..
Short entry, mainly for the purpose of archiving. It is early, and I am cranky.
Hmm, a sudden spurt of subscribers to tayfic. Irasshai. Yes, I've posted smut lately. Clawsmut, to be more precise. ^o^ Yay, smut. Go subscribe; I'll probably post something today.
Sydney: Poing! XD
Exactly! XD Um. Well.
Ka, thankyou thankyou. Well, yeah, with "Wish," it's reeeeeally obviously THERE. And I say "latest" 'cause I've been going to that Kino's for three years, and this is the first time they've had vol.4 of "Wish." I swear, my Kino's is in a different time zone compared to everybody else's. We've just started getting "Chobits." The latest vol. of "X" came about six months after everyone had been sparkling and raving over it. And dangit, if there's any more of "Yume no Kodomo," I don't think they will EVER get another volume. ;_;
I meant to work on the Weiss page this weekend, honest I did. But...um...Xenogears! Yeah, Xenogears!! (I can't just say that like it's an explanation for everything...) ...And smut! XD
All right, there's just no helping me. It is chilly in the living room, which is also making me cranky. I am going to wander off and poke at things, until it's time to drive becki to work. O.o
ashley gave chase for sydney at Monday, August 13, 2001 at 05:31 a.m..
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