( FNL 4.5 - The Son )

Man, I think I"ve forgiven them for Season 2 entirely! Just this single episode made this show worth renewing for three more seasons!

The final book of the Hunger Games trilogy will be published August 24, 2010. Yay! I wonder what it'll be called. REVENGE OF THE MOCKINGJAY. :)

I'm going to see "New Moon" this weekend. Heaven help me! I had a helluva good time watching "Twilight" because it was so cheesy and lame, so I expect an equal amount of entertainment from this one. This link is making the rounds, but it's worth it: Why Breaking Dawn Must Be Made Into a Movie. (SPOILERS for all the ridiculous happenings of Breaking Dawn). I haven't read any of the books, but when Breaking Dawn came out I couldn't resist reading all the spoilers and fuss about it, and as loltastic as it sounded in book form, it is even more hilarious to picture it on screen, in living color. (or undead color, hahaa... SORRY.) It will be the epic, horrible, wonderful movie event of our time.

... get your asses here so I can fangirl you.

Let's discuss just how much today sucks. It's been pouring rain, making my commute quite treacherous. This morning is my annual evaluation at work. Oh, and right now I have vicodin-level cramps, yet I have to be on my feet and perky and super-smart during the evaluation.

Yeah. Tonight I'll need a big ol' pity party.

Before I forget, I'll end on a lighter note. Someone mentioned yesterday that the Salahis (the White House crashers) are totally Ellen and Saul Tigh. Especially her. Hee!

Apologies for not posting for a bit … (and taragel, you are very sweet to check in on me!) I’ve been busy with traveling (my first solo trip with a toddler, eep!) and also evaluating my relationship to LJ etc. (as I do every year when it comes time to renew my paid account)

Anyway, I’m back and here’s a really, really long post!

Books
OK, some book-related things I have rarely, if ever, done before. I went to the Strand with jaydk on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and … I didn’t buy ANYTHING. I wasn’t even tempted to buy anything. (OK, I was a little bit tempted to buy the DVD of “ Casablanca ” for $6.00 but … I figured that’s something that’s probably not going to go out of circulation any time soon!)

ALSO, a first for me, in that I have started getting rid of books I haven’t read. Since I’ve been toting around The Quincunx to various living arrangements for something like fifteen years, I finally figured out that I am probably never going to read it. And therefore it is merely collecting dust on my bookshelves. I also finished the first book of Bernard Cornwell’s “Warlord Chronicles” (the ‘realistic’ novels he wrote about King Arthur) and decided that I wasn’t interested in reading the next two. So I just got rid of those too! I am kind of amazed with myself, actually because while I have no problem stopping mid-book for library books, once I buy something I always feel compelled to read it (and finish it.) I can’t tell if this is a sign of maturity or simply of fatigue? Either way … declutter is proceeding apace!!

( Brief reasons why I didn’t love The Winter King )

Anyway, I read through the end of the first novel, and decided that instead of reading further, I would get my King Arthur fix from Gillian Bradshaw’s brilliant Arthurian trilogy and from the incomparable Rosemary Sutcliff.

***

In other news of books I DO like … asta77, strangerface and taragel have all informed me that Jamie Bamber auditioned for the role of Jaime Lannister in the HBO pilot of “A Game of Thrones.” Now, as much as I love Jamie Bamber (and as often as I try to spell his name as Jaime!), I don’t really see him in that role; Nikolaj Coster-Waldau just looks more like a medieval warrior-type to me (and also, I don't like Jamie Bamber with long hair that much!) However, I agree with strangerface that he’d make a great Renly, or perhaps in a total volte face from his good-guy role as Lee Adama, he might be very good as Peter Baelysh too. Hee! (Seriously, if this turns into a series, and they cast Jamie Bamber and Ray Stevenson in this, they will basically have my undying loyalty and maybe joint rights to my firstborn child :P)

***

TV
I’m still basically just watching “Friday Night Lights” and nothing else and now I’m through the end of season 2. ( Spoilers for all of Season 2 … )

At least I have season 3 to look forward to now!!!

Speaking of DVDs, Season 2 of “Mad Men” is now on $15 on Amazon (or at least it was a couple of days ago when I ordered it!) and all four seasons of “Farscape” are now $57.99 there. I am really tempted! (Vade retro, Satanus Scorpius!)

***

So, I hope everyone is doing well! I am attempting to slowly catch up on all that has happened on LJ in my absence so there may be some weird, ex-post-facto comments from me!!

Perhaps being done with AIWWOW has given me a false sense of having tons of free time, because there are certainly a ton of things I should be doing right now, but I feel like I have all the time in the world to procrastinate.

So, if anyone feels like indulging and/or entertaining me, this post is officially the ~Every Meme Ever~ post.

You know, the anonymous confessions meme, the "ask me anything" meme, the "ask me why I love you" meme, the fanfiction meme going around now where you tell me what fic of mine you like best (or worst!), the anonymous writing feedback meme, etc. Actually, let's make that the anonymous writing concrit meme, since I assume if you really wanted to tell me positive things you would've already done so on the fic post(s).

I don't think I've ever made threads for myself on any of those big public memes, so have at me now, whatever you want to say. (Or else I may just resort to playing with the whoopee cushion strangeandcharm sent me all night. -.-)

I was very amused that the new This American Life had a story about Chick-Fil-A. Speaking... this morning I swung by my usual location to get breakfast on the way to work. (Yeah, I know, fast food breakfast, but chicken biscuits are so very good.) For some reason, the drive-thru took over ten minutes, twice as long as usual. I asked the manager at the window, and she just shrugged. Definitely not the usual CFA service! When I got to work I sent a complaint via their online form. Said that I didn't need coupons or a personal note from the store manager - I just wanted to let them know. Then, of course, I felt guilty for being one of those people who only gives negative feedback. Ah, well!

I also got annoyed with UPS today. On Friday, I ordered several sweaters from Old Navy, using the free shipping option. I was quite impressed to check the tracking this afternoon and learn that they were already on the truck for delivery. Quite fast for the "slow shipping"! Got home, but no package on my doorstep. When I checked the tracking number, it said that "Recipient declined delivery and requests reschedule." Huh? I wasn't even here to decline anything! I called their 800#, which just took me through an automated tree, so I called a local UPS Store to see if they had any suggestions. They told me to call again and say "Agent" at each prompt (a helpful tip for any of you who also have problems.) The woman I finally spoke with told me to put a note on my door to leave it at the leasing office tomorrow. Sigh. In the past, they've always just left packages on the doorstep and never required a signature.

In sillier news: I learned today that the hot items on my 6th grade girls' Christmas lists are Guess? jeans and neon-colored clothes. Yes, this neon, the kind that was popular... when I was in 6th grade. My god, it's 1985 again.

Anyway. Linkspam?

-- In sad news, The Onion informs us that The Office Ends As Documentary Crew Gets All the Footage It Needs.
-- Slashfilm asks, is it illegal to watch bootlegged movies online?
-- The AJC has a neat story about a local couple who adopted five siblings.
-- Salon asks us to respect celery, plus some recipes.
-- Techblog has a very cool video of what the Earth would look like if it had Saturn's rings.
-- Patrick Stewart has written an amazing essay about growing up with domestic violence.
-- Some interesting meta on the nature of film criticism and how Michelin stars are awarded.
-- When the world ends, you might want the ten best post-apocalyptic survival vehicles.
-- Even though the grammar is technically correct, I giggled at a CNN story unintentionally implying that Obama is a cannibal.
-- Making the rounds: a new blog listing every phrase written on Bart Simpson's blackboard.
-- Here's a new website with as many palindromes as you could ever want!
-- And as a cartography aficionato, I got a big kick out of this gallery of unusual maps.

P.S. I have now posted every day this month. Yay, NaBloPoMo!

Don't hate Katee just because she's beautiful.

( low quality screen captures but still very pretty! )

Today being "Cyber Monday" I went to Gap.com again to try to order some jeans that I wanted which were out of stock last time I checked. But, silly me, upon further investigation, it turns out that the size I need wasn't out of stock, it actually DOESN'T EXIST. ( me complaining more )

ANYWAY. For those who don't feel like reading all that crap I just wrote, here are some unrelated video links. I've been rewatching "The Big Bang Theory" and am once again endeared by Sheldon's friendship algorithm and Sheldon finding the perfect seat at the movie theater. Oh Sheldon, never change!

Also, I feel that "Modern Family" isn't being pimped enough around here, which is too bad because it's HILARIOUS. So here are clips. It's almost all Cam and Mitchell because I love them the mostest, but I threw in some love for Phil too.

Cam and Mitchell go to Costco, discuss Casablanca

Cam and Mitchell introduce their new daughter

Cam and Mitchell join a Mommy & Me group

Jay asks Cam and Mitchell if they think he's attractive

Cam and Mitchell go to the gas station; Also, Cam is dressed up as a clown

Phil explains the ABC's of real estate

Admit it, you LOL'd.

So... is there anyone who's NOT frantically trying to finish a fic right now? Between the Big Bangs and the Ghetto Nano, I have the feeling everyone's pretty much swamped, and, erm, no one is available to beta my karathracelives fic. But, if anyone WERE so available, I would be ever so grateful? It's quite short!

I read the following discussion on Fandom_Wank, and it amused me greatly:

- He [Snape] doesn't have to be a good person to be a good character. I hate his fucking guts, but he was still a pretty awesome character. Lots of meaty contradictions.

- This is pretty much me and my relationship with Gaius Baltar right here. I wonder if the BSG fandom woobiefies him as much as HP does Snape?

- Oh hell yes. Something like 70% of the BSG fanfics I've seen are Baltar schmooping around until he realizes that Apollo/Adama/the author avatar TOTALLY UNDERSTANDS HIM and then they run off and cuddle or some shit. At least 10% of the remaining fics are the exact same formula, only the woobie is Gaeta.

Ahaha! CLEARLY I've been missing out on a goldmine of badfic. Any recs?

I DO think I've observed something of a Cavil in Leather Pants phenomenon among some of the hard-core Cylon-fen, but that's another post. *g*

Hey look, Misha remembers me. XD

kristenjackle: Holy crap just spoke to misha! He says hello to @stickymint and tracy

( Anyway, more Tweets from today. Includes a spoiler but I've whited it out. )

Omg captainpixie POSTED THE MINI!CAS/MISHA PHOTO OPS. fjkdlsjfksdl MOST ADORABLE THING IN THE WORLD. Detailed report is here and here.

More reports: indehed, deeptown_girl, hils (pics here and here), littlehollyleaf, absdax (part 2 and twitpics), emerald_embers (pictures) (Some of these posts contain spoilers.)

Saturday stuff here.

Last week I took drabble requests, and here's what I came up with!

( The sparkly shoes. )

( A morning jog during S2.0. )

( The Presidential Sofa. )

( Two ficlets set in the 'Reality and Immortality' universe. )

I got a phonecall from the panel and THEN THE FIRE ALARM WENT OFF. fml. :P Hid in the bathroom to keep listening, lol, so I sort of heard his voice!

( Tweets! )

( Pictures )

P.S. Uploaded the audio file of the panel [wma, 10 mb]. (MF mirror)

Meimi132: Once again, I missed the first 5 minutes. I'm sorry. You still got bout 40 mins of awesome. http://www.mediafire.com/?3zjdjjymhly

azdaja_dafema transcribed their panel.


Last updated Nov. 30 at 2:17 pm EST. More in the Sunday post.

So, I could happily wipe out the seven intervening episodes, but I'm quite into both 9.01 'Savior' and 9.09 'Pandora'.

( cut for thoughts )

Title: And I Will Walk On Water (18/18)
Characters: Dean and Castiel, Sam
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Descriptions of torture and non-con.
Word Count: ~11,200 (~122,600 total)
Summary: In which the end isn't really an end at all.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17

( Dean woke in the middle of the night to Castiel's body covering his and Castiel's voice whispering urgently into his ear, "Dean. Dean, wake up." )

Wow, two more days of November and NaBloPoMo. Posting every day has been easier than I remembered from last time. Not all of my entries have been great, but those still count! Last week, daybreak777 did a Delurking Day, which reminded me that I haven't posted one of those in a long time. So, I'd love for everyone to answer these questions, even if I've known you for a long time. :)

1. Hi! Tell me about yourself in ten words or less.
2. How did you find my LJ? :)
3. Most hated word in the English language?
4. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?
5. Who would play you in the movie of your life?
6. What's your most unusual/bizarre phobia?
7. What is one thing that's popular on your friendslist, but you just don't like it?
8. Tell me about the coolest website you've visited lately.
9. What's one thing that has made you happy in the past 24 hours?
10. What's one thing that has annoyed you in the past 24 hours?
11. What is one holiday gift that you really want but probably won't get?
12. Time for warm fuzzies! Pay a compliment to one or more of the following people:
-- someone else on LJ
-- someone you know in Real Life
-- someone famous

( My answers. )

A miracle occurred! I watched an episode of Smallville Season 9 and enjoyed it! :D :D :D :D

Yes, Pandora. \o/ I didn't love it, but I enjoyed it, and I may even have Things to Say about it. When I can wipe the grin off my face and compose them...

Woot! Yay for me! I think this is the first ep since 9.1 that I haven't found predominantly excruciating.

Let me guess? Fandom hated it, right? LOL.

I'll admit that I probably would've forgotten about this year's CNN Heroes program if not for Neil Patrick Harris tweeting about it last week. I just remembered to tune in, and after only 25 minutes, I'm already quite teary. These people and their stories are amazing. Now I just need to figure out how I can help.

The awards ceremony is on CNN right now, and it'll be rebroadcast at midnight and 3am. If you have the time, do tune in! Or just read the stories on the website that I linked above.