the sunshine home for the bewildered

• 21:25 Fourth Kind not so great. Kinda failtastic actually. #

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1. I loved today's Wondermark. Don't miss the mouseover!

2. I also loved this super cute picture of a puppy!

3. And this capcha fail.

4. The past few days I've been really good about working on transferring lyrics from my old site to my new site (if you're new to my journal, I've been moving stuff from this old site to this new wiki-based site) and today I decided to compare and see how much I still have left to go...only 350 romaji and 250 translations! And that's all from eight artists + the Digimon lyrics (which were separate, but are now just going to be mixed in because if people want to search just for Digimon, there are category tags). I really feel like I might get this done someday! After over two years of this, it was just feeling like no matter how much I worked on it, it was never going to get done. I think (hope) seeing the light at the end of the tunnel will help keep me on track with working on it every day.

5. I also did other productive stuff yesterday! Always something to be happy about.

Today I am lacking in topic again, but do not fear for tomorrow I am 75% likely to go to a Hip Hop Dance taster session at the gym and I'm sure that'll give me plenty of material to waffle. Incidentally I am so very much not hip hop material it's almost untrue, so it should be a bit of a surreal experience.

So - it's bonfire night. Huh. Had I been home I'd have seen some fireworks as I live less than 5 minutes from the town display but I'm not hugely fussed at having 'missed' them.

Aside from anything else I was walking home from the gym and texting Allegra (OK, often stopping to text as I have neither the coordination nor the spatial awareness to text and walk at the same time) with silly limericks and insulting Matt Di Angelo and stuff. She's part way up the M-something travelling back *up* from south of London having travelled *down* there today this morning. Funeral. Yeah.

Tomorrow is work colleague Lucy's partner's dad's funeral. And also the day they were meant to be picking up the keys to their first shared house. So that's a day of positives and negatives for her. I'm missing Lucy, she's been off this week and will be off next (because of preparing for the move and moving, organised before her partner's loss) and I need my partner in suffering and planning back. So much can be said with a shrug and an eye roll! Also when she comes back I don't have to log onto her computer to check things any more which means I don't have to type her password which is 'I love {partner's name}' which is good. Because I don't. I think that by and large he's a bit of an arse.)

Back to the fireworks. One of our cats doesn't like them. The other is completely unflustered by them and continues to sleep on Henry like a puppy or a baby, lying on his back with his paws in the air and a blissful expression on his face. This is the same cat I was muttering about on Twitter a few weeks ago who regularly falls out of my (upstairs) bedroom window. Silly thing.

The best firework display I ever saw was when I lived in Northampton where every August they had/have a balloon festival. You could go there 6am and 6pm and watch the balloons ascend (6am was amazing, because otherwise it was very quiet and still and just the roar of the {things that make hot air balloons go up that I can't think of the name of} and these huge multicoloured balloons rising into the sky. Anyway! - if you were there for the 6pm take off on the Saturday night if you stayed until 10pm (there were stalls and food and stuff of course) then there was also a fireworks display. So Henry and I found a quiet-ish spot and the summer evening and just lay on our backs on the grass and watched fireworks go off in the night sky. Beautiful.

1. The Weekly Jump stuff seems to be coming earlier and earlier. I already did One Piece last night as usual, and did Bleach and Naruto early this morning. I have started Bakuman as well, but they said it wasn't as much of a hurry, so I could go to sleep and do it when I wake up, which is good, because I'm kind of falling asleep here. XD But it's still nice to have almost all of that out of the way.

2. I was productive in other areas last night, too! I finished reading my 60th book of the year! (Wow, compared to twenty books last year, and eleven the year before!) I translated two very short doujinshi, half of a one-shot, and a couple pages of Saint Young Men. I wish I'd gotten more done, but I was also traslating the Jump stuff as well, so.

3. We had super delicious grilled chicken and rice last night. OMG it is the best evar.

Title: Naruto: Takigakure no Shitou Ore ga Eiyuu Datteba yo!
Author: Kusakabe Masatoshi
Number of Pages: 222 pages
Book Number/Goal: 60/75 for 2009
My Rating: 1.5/5

Naruto and the gang are on a mission to escort the head of Takigakure Village back home, but not long after they arrive, the village falls under attack. Kakashi has been called back to Konoha, so it's up to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura to save the day.

I'm a big fan of Naruto, but this was really boring. Part of my problem was that this was set really early on and so it felt weird going back to when they were younger. I forgot how clueless Naruto was about everything and how annoying Sakura was with her Sasuke obsession (though unsurprisingly, she hardly had any role in the story, especially once the fighting got going). But mostly it was just a boring story that didn't need to be 200 pages long. :p

I read it in Japanese, but it's also been released in English under the title Mission: Protect the Waterfall Village! (The link above goes to the English version on Amazon.)


Mooch from BookMooch.

Yuletide Signups are Now Open!

I haven't signed up yet as I'm still trying to decide what to request and what to offer. I have thirty possible fandoms to offer, but I know I don't want to offer that many. I'm going to whittle down the list and keep the others in mind for Treats.

In going through the list again, I saw so many books and manga that I have on my to-read lists and was like "damn it, I wish I had gotten around to reading that this year!" There were also a couple things (Skim and Flygirl) that I really wish I had held on to after reading them, because I would have offered to write them, but I don't feel comfortable doing so without access to the source material. (I used to feel that way about a lot of manga, too, but now that I have discovered where to download stuff, it's not so much an issue.)

I think my request list right now is Aoi Hana, Glee, Koukou Debut, Modern Family, Paradise Kiss, and Psyren. Obviously two of those have to go.

Probably the one I'm least sure about is Koukou Debut, because what I really want is an AU in which Haruna and Mami realise they're in love and Yoh realises he's gay. Like, seriously, I love the story the series actually did give me, but when it started out with Haruna and Mami being tomboy softball players and Yoh offering to be Haruna's fashion coach, I just really wanted it to go in a different direction. XD But I doubt that's the sort of thing people will be signing up to write, so maybe I'd just be wasting my time with that one.

I'm wibbling on Modern Family, too. I'd like to see fic about Manny, but I don't really have any ideas.

Also check out dark_agenda, a comm whose purpose is to encourage more people to write non-white, non-English-language sources.

But if you think I shouldn't the same rights as a straight person, you're a bigot. Pure and simple.

She said it better.

Last Sunday, telesilla and I went to our favorite "special occasion" restaurant for a belated (because someone might have been at DragonCon) anniversary dinner. It's ironic in the "like people trying to keep you from having your wedding day" sense, because one year ago today, a majority of California voters decided that my marriage shouldn't be valid. This year, it happened in Maine (and you can't exactly blame the black folks for this one).

I've seen a lot of blog comments today about how it's counter-productive to say that people who vote against marriage equality are bigots. And it probably is.

But here’s the thing:

It doesn't matter.

If you vote against marriage equality, then in practical terms, it doesn’t matter to me whether you’re Fred Phelps or whether your best friend/co-worker/son/daughter/second cousin twice removed is gay. I don’t care if you’re a Catholic, Baptist, Mormon, Orthodox Jew, or Muslim. Because from where I sit, the result is the same: you believe that my relationship with the person I’ve been with for five years, the person I moved 3,000 miles to be with, the one who goes out at 3 AM to get ginger ale and crackers for me because I have stomach flu, the one who’s held my hand and been there while I’ve dealt with my mother’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease—you’re telling me that because that person is the same gender as I am, our relationship is less valid and less worthy of respect than that of a man and woman who met in Las Vegas, got drunk and decided to get married in front of an Elvis impersonator.

To me, it's irrelevant whether you did so because you believe that God ordained marriage to be between one man and one woman, or because you think the state shouldn't be involved with marriage, or because you're worried about what to tell your children, or because you think two men having sex is icky and gross. What matters to me is that you've taken a conscious, deliberate action to say that I, personally, do not deserve the same shot at being happy with the person I love that any straight person does. Your reasons for choosing to make my life more difficult and more painful are much less important to me than the fact that you've made that choice.

If you're standing on my neck, I'll worry about why you'd do something like that later. My first priority will be getting you to stop standing on my neck.

My preview, featuring an excerpt from Make the Devil Feel Surprise is here. *bounces* Just another ten/eleven/twelve days!

I toyed with the idea of putting up the playlist/soundtrack, but in the end, I just didn't have the energy to tidy it up and then upload it somewhere. Hopefully I will by the time Big Bang goes live.

Still didn't make 500, but closer today than yesterday, so I feel good about that. I'm glad I decided not to try to make myself stick to one fic, because I've started working on a More Than One Answer futurefic focusing on Joe and Dylan and Christina's daughter. I swear, every time I try to get away from the Keptverse and write something a little more cheerful, I get another bunny.

I had another Keptverse dream last night that was more weird than anything else, in that "WTF subconcious?" way. The only part I remember were that like so many of my nightmares, my old high school was featured prominently, and that there was a real problem developing with excessive inbreeding among the slaveowning classes of the Empire. I suspect that last bit is poisontaster's fault.

856 / 15000 words. 6% done!

Sorry, this one's topic is probably just going to be 'me' and 'random' because I'm a little knackered and unable to think of an actual subject to pontificate about.

Today's work environment included me emailing Roses (who I am renaming Allegra, just so you know) with the simple sentence: 'do you think she'd notice if my head exploded?'. Normally I try not to be too bitchy about work and colleagues (except Management, who deserve it) because goodness only knows I am irritating to them too I'm sure. But one colleague in particular tries my patience something chronic. What's very very irritating is that she *can* be lovely, understanding and pleasant. Unfortunately what she normally is is selfish, childish and entitled. With a side order of martyred.

So that's that bitchiness.

Good things today - Talking to Allegra and Dylan, remembering to be a friend and ask how they were and not just expect them to tell me. Also - Curry. And triple chocolate chunk butter shortbread. And coming home from the gym to sausages (97% meat) and chips. I do have to say that the SlimFast drink which was my breakfast was not a highlight of the day, but the fact that I had that rather than something else is good.

I exercised. Went to my first step class in around 6 months, and my first one at the new gym I joined. (They have a steam room so hot your nails sweat! And it has eucalyptus oil in the steam which, though I can't smell it, means I can really really breathe after being in there. Aside from the sharp lack of breath caused by the post-steam room cold shower. Urgh!) I didn't fall off the step and could do everything and keep up. Next time I need to exercise harder (I'm a great one for conserving energy, even in exercise classes) and maybe take the step up one level/block/height.

But now I can't move much, even without factoring in the large ginger cat who's been asleep on my right arm for the entirety of this entry.

1. I had one of the best doughnuts I've ever had last night. It was a glazed buttermilk bar. Still warm. Soft and moist on the inside. Crispy on the outside. OMG. Seriously. Best thing ever.

2. It was really foggy last night. I loved it. It's still kind of foggy and overcast now, too. :)

3. I got stuff done last night!

I have a an album post I should do, and I still need to do those last three letters of the alphabet meme, but instead here are some songs I can't stop listening to right now. Some I've probably recced before, but some are new.

Coldplay - Viva la Vida
Coldplay seems like they're one of those love them or hate them bands, but I'm not really either. I like a few songs and am bored with most of their stuff. But omg this song. I could seriously listen to this one song forever and never ever get tired of it. I can't explain what makes me love it so, but it's one of those songs that makes me want to bounce around whenever I hear it. (It's a good "waiting in line/at the bus stop" song because of that!)

Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
This is her new single and wow. I think I love it more than anything on The Fame, though it took a couple listens to really get hooked. Reading friendsfriends the other day I saw someone's post that said something like "Explain the difference between Lady Gaga and Madonna" and it was obviously meant to be derogatory in that "we already have Madonna, so why do we need Lady Gaga" sort of way (which I see a lot about Coldplay, actually; "Why do we need Coldplay when we already have Radiohead?"), and I just have to say, I don't understand that thinking at all. Yes, Lady Gaga is similar to Madonna in a lot of ways, but THAT'S GOOD. It means MORE MUSIC THAT I LOVE. XD There is no bad here.

Mika - Blame It On the Girls
This is off his new album and has quickly become my favorite song of his EVER. Even more favorite than Grace Kelly, which is saying a lot. But seriously, it's just so, so, so catchy.

The Killers - Four Winds
This is a Bright Eyes cover and I like it way better than the original. Which I had not actually heard before this, but I went and listened to it on youtube and while it was good, I just really like this better. This is a little more upbeat, and I like Brandon Flowers's voice better than Conor Oberst's.

The Killers - A Dustland Fairytale
This is from Day & Age and it's not one that immediately burrowed its way into my brain, but after seeing them live, I went back and listened to a few Day & Age songs I'd skimmed before and this was one of them. And since then it's totally taken hold of me and won't let go. I don't know how I missed it before, because it totally sounds like it should have been on Sam's Town.

My Chemical Romance - Famous Last Words & Welcome to the Black Parade
I put these two together because I don't really have anything to say about them individually, just that they are always my go-to songs when I'm not sure what I want to listen to at the moment or where I want to start my random playlist from. They're also really great for karaoke.

Billy Joel - My Life
I recently rediscovered this song, which I loved as a kid as the theme song to one of my favorite shows, Bosom Buddies (which is totally something I would have nominated for yuletide!). I love the tune, I love the lyrics, and I love how it always makes me think of that show.

Gelugugu - Anpanman no March
This is an awesome, awesome, awesome punk cover of a kiddie anime theme song. It is seriously one of the best things I've ever heard.

Brahman - You Don't Live Here Anymore
I have really been enjoying Brahman a lot lately, but this is one in particular that I just keep coming back to over and over again. It's apparently a cover of a song by a late '70s/early '80s English band called The Fans. But enough of them and more of Brahman! Who are a Japanese punk band with a vocalist whose style of singing makes him nearly incomprehensible in both Japanese and English (though slightly less so in Japanese). I love these guys so much.

Getting near the end! Soon I will actually be reading and reviewing stuff other than SGA again. XD

Day 23: Sleight of Hand

Like Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat by curia_regis 2/5
5300 words. When they discover alien ships heading towards Atlantis, Rodney has yet another brilliant plan to save them. Unfortunately, this plan goes horribly wrong.
( Another one without an ending... )

Imagine Whirled Peas by flyakate 2/5
1300 words. In which there are failed magic tricks, peanut butter and naps. Or, John and Rodney, Supportive Uncles and Master Babysitters.
( Cute. )

Day 24: Open Season

Good Hunting by skinscript 3/5
8700 words. Atlantis sends teams to compete in the once in a generation Pegasus fighting competition Shaur'Atan. Once there, it's open season and everyone gets more than they bargained for.
( Neat idea, though the ending was rushed. )

Daytime Drama by hyperfocused 1/5
9500 words. Will hero pilot John Sheppard accept the offer to start a new life as soap opera hunk Shep Johnson? Will "Atlantis!" wunderkind Rodney McKay (Rod Ingram/Meredith Ingram/series co-writer) finally win his first Zeddy? Will they find love, on-screen or off? Tune in past the cut to find out.
( Ridiculous and offensive. )

Who am I and what have I done with Ruth? I've cooked two nights in a row, which is kind of unusual, but even more unusual is that each of those nights have featured new recipes.

Tonight it was Spanako-Quesadillas (Spinach Pie Quesadillas). Now I love me some spanakopita, but when it comes to phyllo dough (even the pre-made kind) I kind of throw up my hands because it's too fussy and fiddly. So as soon as I saw this recipe, I wanted to make it.

It's really really good. I made it with larger totillas than she suggested and ended up with three quesadillas, one of which was a tad over stuffed. For some reason, she doesn't actually tell you what to do with the spinach so I chopped it up into fairly big pieces.

I kind of wanted to see if they reheated or were good at room temp, but Nancy had a hungry so that'll have to wait for another time.

• 20:18 Dear Retail America: It's the twelve DAYS of Christmas, not the twelve WEEKS of Christmas. Plz take note. #
• 20:19 Also, looks like my brainy thing may be Dissociative Seizure Disorder. Am being referred to neurologist. #
• 20:26 @KalCobalt I AM Christian & I'm annoyed. Well, the commercialization's offensive anyway, but they could at least wait till the leaves fall. #

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I'm already behind, but I'm not sweating it too much. I'm thinking of coming up with a loose schedule for writing, recording, and gaming. I'd planned to record last night, until I realized that I probably shouldn't be using my theater voice at 10:30 on a weeknight.

I did want to clarify something: the issues I had after the warnings debate are mostly my issues. No one said, "You shouldn't be writing this." I'm the one asking myself what it means that I like to write about power disparities and consent and pain and pushing limits. And I'm the one who needs to stop overthinking it and work on telling the stories I have to tell.

525 / 15000 words. 4% done!

(This post is almost entirely phoebesmum's fault, just so you know.)

Sushi - (NB I am aware there seems to be some sort of sushi vs sashami terminology debate but no one has ever explained the difference to me and everything I talk about below has been sold to me as 'sushi' so that's what I'm going to say, sorry.)

Hands up who likes sushi.

Hands up who likes the sushi you get from Tesco or M&S or similar.

Hands up people who make their own sushi (I'll be coming round for your addresses later so you can teach me/feed me!).

I *love* sushi. But I like it to have raw fish which the supermarkets here don't do, it's all mackerel and tinned tuna and soft cheese (seriously, soft cheese in sushi - why?!).

Which is why one of my life's ambitions is to have *proper* sushi, made by and for Japanese people. Not Westernised. (I nearly had some a few weeks ago when I was in London but I looked at the menus and realised I probably wasn't allowed to go in and ask for one of everything so didn't. I had Chinese instead because that was an all you can eat buffet and therefore I *could* have one of everything!)

Of course this means that in theory at some point I'm going to have to experience wasabi. Which I normally avoid like the plague. Largely because spicy/hot things have a tendency to burn off my taste buds, leaving me unable to taste anything for some time. Since sushi tends to be fairly subtle in taste wasabi kinda defeats the point for me.

I'm also weird (amongst my friends, who to give them their dues are vegetarian, but who have a theoretical understanding of the appeal of fish-based sushi) in that I like the sushi that has the fish eggs on/in it. Little things which go *pop* in my mouth and give me a flood of taste? Sign me up!

... well that was random wasn't it?!

1. I have now read 59 books this year! (And am almost done with While I still don't think I can make 75, I think I will be able to make 70. I have a stack of short books here on my desk to choose from.

2. Including the $150ish we already had set aside, we've now reached $450 towards Carla's new computer (over halfway!), thanks to the CD sales. :D We should get the balance of the financial aid money this week, so we can put in a little from that, and then a little every week from whatever I make, and I think we'll definitely have enough saved up to get it by Christmas.

Title: Transgender History
Author: Susan Stryker
Number of Pages: 190 pages
Book Number/Goal: 59/75 for 2009
My Rating: 3.5/5

A better title for the book would be Transgender History in the US, as there's barely any acknowledgement that other countries exist, much less that there might be trans people living there. It's also really short. The last forty pages are notes and such, and the first thirty are defining terms, so only 120 pages are actually devoted to the topic at hand. But for what it is, it's a pretty good read. While focusing primarily on white trans people, it does include PoC fairly often and acknowledges their contributions (which is frankly better than I expected when I saw it was published by the now infamous Seal Press).

Oh, and one thing I really didn't like was that it was written in a sort of textbook form, with lots of insert boxes. I hate those, because you either have to stop reading in the middle of something to read them, or you have to remember to come back to them at the end of a section/chapter.