(no subject)

[lettered]

Y. Effusive, embarrassing, and possibly kinda scary amounts of gratitude to romanyg for paid time. You're awesome with the love and make lj a cooler place to be, and not just for the random fairy gifts on the doorstep!

A. And: I'm back! For good this time I think. I helped my brother move to Gainsville, Florida--I'd never been to FL. Or Mississppi or Alabama. It's humid in Houston, but Florida is SWIMMING in it. Seriously, if you can't hold your breath for long times underwater, don't go to Florida. I nearly Wicked Witched of the West'ed.

Y. Ask a question, any question about me, about fandom, about fic, about lj, about you, about oompas or hatracks or zits or finely carved small foxes, and I'll answer to the best of my ability. Unless I don't feel like it; then you're screwed. But no, really, I want to play! *blows breath on window and draws heart with fingers*

! ZOMG thank you again romanyg!

Comments

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

What are your thoughts on:
a) driftwood sculptures, especially when they are scultped back into trees?
b) RPS
c) the likelihood that anything ever TRULY dries out in FL
d) you, me, or any combination there in
e) stuff on my cat? Dot com?

[my_daroga]

I am in awe of your questions.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

a) I've never seen driftwood turned back into trees. In fact, the only driftwood sculpture I know is Al Rollings, a guy who sells his art in the part of Michigan where I stay. And dude, I think he's awesome. Mostly he makes wood into birds and fish, and I really like that element because birds and fish are a part of wood--but not in that way. I think I like the birds the most though because they tie the birds to the fish.

b) Kita has an icon that has JM saying, "Suck my RPS'ing cock", and she used it once in answer to the question, "what are your thoughts on RPS?" I pretty much am in line with that answer. I don't think it's right to send those kind of stories to the people they're written about, but other than that the personalities they present to the world seem like fair game. Those personalities aren't they're real personalities, and I prefer RPS that's more fantastic than an attempt to be realistic. For instance, RPS set in the past or where one character is a hooker or something to me is just fun hot crack. It's not meant to be anything world shattering that makes you realize new things about the "people"--because they're characters, not people.

c) Negative percentile? Stuff that's not in Florida thinks about Florida and gets wet. Kinda like me and DB.

d) I like your icon. Also, there's something you said about me on southernbangel's love meme a bit ago about how I don't take stuff seriously unless it needs to be taken seriously, and I wanted to say I like that about you too, and I like how that colors our interactions on lj. I can talk to you about eating pony cookies but then you'll produce stuff like that Connor fic and my brain just goes to town on it. So often both in RL and online, there's a group you talk to about "serious" thinky stuff and a group you have fun with, and it bugs me. I like how I feel like you can take either and not be all, huh?

e) I want my brother to put his cat on it, but I don't think I could convince him to put stuff on the cat. He'd be worried about hurting him, when really you can cover that cat in cockroaches and he'd just say, "yum!"

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

e) Stuff on my cats makes me laugh, because you know as soon as the flash hits, the cats scram and things are flying. He could cover the kitteh with packing peanuts?

d) srsly, I like that I can be silly and thinky with some people. Some on my flist are all of one only, but the ones I like best are the ones that are SMART and HILARIOUS. (Or at least enjoy the funny.) ♥

a) See, the trick is to make the driftwood LOOK like driftwood. There's the artistry. The art comes from picking it up and just selling it. Maybe you could glue a squirrel or an owl to it and sell it at a roadside stand. (And ooh, neat link!!)

[my_daroga]

A. FL is hell. I can't believe I lived there for three years. What was I thinking? Stupid boys. Anyway. I'm so glad I'm out.

Y. Why are you so awesome?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

A. Me too.

Y. My mom! And right back atcha! *yay cd!*

[kita0610.livejournal.com]

HIHIHIHIHIHI.

Uhm. That is all.

*pouncetackleglomp*

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Me too! *crazy glee!*

And I hope you're feeling better.

[dlgood.livejournal.com]

1) Hope the move went well. Don't remember hearing much about your brother. Is he turning into a gator?

2) Do you drive? If so, do you have any special harrowing and/or wacky car driving experiences to share? What kind of driver are you. And, tangentially, how do you feel about fanfic references to Buffy as terrible driver? Is Bad Driver Buffy indicative of something, or am I reading too much into the phenomenon of people writing Bad Driver Buffy...

[tkp.livejournal.com]

1. It went well. My brother lived in Austin. He's an electronic musician; he's tall, kinda stoic-y, sandwich-voiced, and has dredlocks. His wife is getting a phD but she'd kill you if you called her a gator because school spirit makes her puke. My brother's not going to school yet because he's an undergrad (took some years off) and they won't give him money, and it's too expensive unless he's a FL resident. So I think he's getting a job.

2. I learned to drive at 16 like many Americans, but at home had to practice on a stick shift. I sucked with the automatic at school and still can't drive a manual. Because I sucked so much, my teacher was shocked I passed the driver's ed test she gave--the very first day, she had to tell me which was the gas and which was the brake. And after I started going, she had to tell me to "take the damn car out of reverse!"

After I got my license, I still tried to practice the stick shift a lot with my dad. My dad isn't scared of much--when hurricane Rita was coming straight for Houston, he shrugged his shoulders and played video games. But my dad? Was terrified of being in the car with me.

The first time I took the manual out alone, I got in a wreck. It was very minor and barely damaged either car, but I didn't drive again for 4 years.

At 20 I got an automatic because I had to drive to school. I've been driving it ever since, never gotten in an accident, and never had my dad tell me we were all going to die.

As for Buffy. I took her as a canonical bad driver, and never thought much about it beyond that. But in the last fic I wrote, I used the obvious metaphor for driving (and who gets to drive), which is of course sex. And in that scenario, she was a very competent driver, if a little fast and forceful (she's still much better at sex than driving though).

But I thought about it and realized someone with her coordination and reflexes just couldn't be that bad a driver, I guess because I think the reason I suck so much is I have incredibly slow reflexes, no coordination, and very little common sense when it comes to mechanical (gross mechanical, not machine mechanical things).

I'd add that because she is canonically such a bad driver, I tend not to read that metaphor into bad driver!Buffy in fic. It is, however, and interesting query.

[43100.livejournal.com]

S: YAYYYYYY paid time by other people!

E: Oo Florida. I'm in GA. Houston < 33 hometown. :D

X: Why do so many people think the sub-genre of horror/thrillers that is Dead Teenager Movies are lazy? Okay - so the plot is basically a bunch of teenagers being killed, but there's so much effort and work that goes into making people look like half of their head was chopped off with a motor! /random

[tkp.livejournal.com]

Houston is your home town? Generally I don't like it, but it'd be more fun with you here ;o)

I think the reason people, myself included, feel that way about Dead Teenager Movies is because I place importance on writing and concept over special effects. This is of course because I am biased towards content over aesthetic, and the few times when I'll take the latter at expense to the former is when the aesthetics are extremely pretty or creative, as in "The Cell".

But dude, you've opened my eyes to people's heads half chopped off by motors. I'll totally respect it more next time I see it. And all that fake blood! The ketchup it must take.

[stultiloquentia.livejournal.com]

Arooga! I did a DVD commentary for Stick Shift and blockquoted you. You know, in case it was a dream of yours to be blockquoted. Even by some hubristic and smutty-minded internet character who couldn't be arsed to follow proper MLA format.

For questions, I commend you to said commentary, though you needn't answer them all, nor any at length.

But before I go, I feel the need to glomp you. Brace yourself. WHOMP!!! Good. I feel better.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I got block quoted! That's...that's...you don't know what it means to me. *invisible tear* It was totally a dream I didn't know I had.

And oh, fabulous questions; I'll give your commentary more than a skim because it deserves it, and I have thoughts, Stulti; I have THOUGHTS.

That's not a glomp it's a whomp. HURAOUNCE! It's a hug, but also a hurrah, and a kind of bounce or pounce. Also, double-u.

[chrisleeoctaves.livejournal.com]

Questions...hmmm....
1. Who was the first person you friended on LJ and why?
2. Tell me about a squeeing fangirl moment.
3. You can have coffee with any actor from the Jossverse. Who would it be and why?
4. You can have coffee with any character from the Jossverse. Who would it be and why?
5. Tell me about a book you have read more than once.
6. A CD you never get tired of listening to.
7. The most satisfying part of writing is...
8. The most difficult part of writing is...
9. The perfect vacation is...
10. When is Best Souvenir gonna be finished, damnit!

whew.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

The hold-up on BS it totally due to her annoying lame-ass beta.

Which would be my annoying lame-ass.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

yay! Thank you for asking! I feel all loved and stuff!

1. a2zmom. I was posting Best Souvenir at ff.n. I posted a note at the bottom of one of the chapters that I didn't know anything about NYC, so feel free to correct. a2z reviewed, was very nice, and mentioned she was from NYC. On the next chapter, frustrated that people I'd brushed by in fandom for the last 5 years seemed to *know* each other and have some special place where they discussed things like fic and writing and the hotness of so and so, I asked whether anyone wanted to beta. Not so much because I really thought I needed one (I was really arrogant! Wait, still am) as because I really wanted to know a fan, have someone to talk about Buffyverse things with (how sad is that?) One person responded but I thought she was kind of illiterate, and I was terrified that I'd have to say yes or look like a hypocrite.

Then a2zmom contacted me and said, sure! So I sent her the next 8 chapters. I asked her whether there was any of her writing that I could see, and she said yeah, here, in her memories on lj. I read one of a2z's fics and thought it was pretty badass, but didn't like how because I was anonymous I couldn't have a little picture (icon). I had actually had a journal for a long time, but never used it because I didn't know how. So I finally remembered my password and looked into getting a little picture. And then I asked a2z if I could friend her and she said yes. *single, nostalgic tear*

2. I kinda screamed in the theatre when I saw Anthony S Head on the big screen in the new Woody Allen movie, "The Scoop".

3. I'm going to go with Amber Benson. I'd be utterly uncomfortable around any of the guys on the shows, because less face it, they're all utter hotties, and I don't do good with handsome men. I'd say SMG, but I think I'd have a similar shy factor with such a famous person because I feel like I'm taking up her time. Anyway, out of all the actors on the shows, AB always seems like the coolest rl person to me. I think we'd have a lot in common--what with her doing some writing and movie-making, which is right up my alley. Also, I'd totally do her.

4. Connor. I'd never keep up with the Scoobies' wit. Lots of other characters have no reason to be interested in me, and they'd just be like huh? Why do I have to have coffee with this girl? But S3-4 Connor--he's totally my woobie in that I feel like if someone just gave him a friendly moment of their time he'd've had it easier. And S5 Connor is such a boy, he feels almost familiar. Like a brother. Like a brother I'd want to do. He's kinda like Gunn that way. I'd have coffee with Gunn, too--esp. S5 Gunn who needs a little lovin'.

5. They Loved To Laugh, by Katheryn Worth. This is a little known young adult book with similarities to stuff like A Little Princess or Anne or Green Gables or Little House on the Prarie. It was written in 1944. It's about a city girl who gets adopted into a country Quaker family of 5 brothers, and they give her a really hard time, just like my brothers did. But she learns to fend for herself, and becomes one of them, and there's little romancey bits at the end that really push all my buttons.

6. I get tired of listening to every cd I've ever owned. Music really exhausts my brain. But one of my favorites is Rumors, Fleetwood Mack.

7. When I realize I'm a genius. No, I don't know how to describe it, really, but sometimes when I'm writing stuff just starts coming to me, and I don't know how it comes or why, but it just shocks me how good it is. It also happens sometimes when I'm in bed and thinking about why some part doesn't work, and then I think of how to fix it and it's better than I ever thought it would be.

8. Finishing things!

9. Going to Leland, Michigan, and getting to see family. But also getting some time alone without feeling like I'm imposing in someone's house, which I never get up there.

10. I dunno, I'm sorry. a2z has about 4 more chapters, and I'm playing with the next 8. But it's a very long story.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I am overjoyed you're back.

In Florida, there are large flying cockroaches. Nothing more needs be said.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I hate you.

[romanyg.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I have no questions to ask at the moment because I'm so behind, omg! And I've seen that you've posted a few times since.

I'll never catch up. *sigh*

[tkp.livejournal.com]

*strokes you* You're the bestest.

I respect you so much for keeping up with your flist like you do. I've utterly and completely given up. I think to give every post the amount of time I'd like to I'd have to cut my flist to 2 people.

[anelith.livejournal.com]

Question, question, you want a question...

I love talking about books with you so I'm going to throw a question about books your way. Recently I've read the following:

Vellum, Hal Duncan
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
Conrad's Fate, Diana Wynne Jones
The Oracle Queen, Lynn Flewelling

and the next book I'm planning to start is Rainbows End, Vernor Vinge.

Any overlap with your reading or tastes?

[tkp.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of any of those! But I looked them up...I think I told you before that I loved fantasy but kinda lost faith in it after reading too many bad books. I did start the George R. R. Martin series but am seriously burned out in the middle of the third book right now. Maybe I'll give some of these others a try--I recall hearing good things about Diana Wynne Jones in particular. I know you've recced other fantasy to me before...I have to go check and try to get back on the wagon again.

The Kavalier and Clay book looks really awesome; I'll definitely try that.

I just finished Flowers For Algernon, which I read in a day between trying to read The Brothers Karamazov (I got stuck in the middle). The other thing I've been reading is short stories by Roald Dahl, which are extremely interesting as previously I've only known him in a kids' book context. I'm not sure the stories themselves are all that great, but so many of them have similarities and common themes that I think they say a lot about Dahl as a person--and he's kinda creepy.

[a2zmom.livejournal.com]

I loved Kavilier and Clay! (Although I think the first half was much stronger). And artist!sis and I are likely the only two people on the planet who squeed when Raymond Scott was mentioned, I grew up listening to "Powerhouse".

[zibbycomix.livejournal.com]

I have a few questions for you: 1) If you could have one wish (without being able to wish for more wishes), what would you wish for?
2) If you could have any superpower or supernatural ability, what would you choose?
3) What do you think is your purpose in life?
Since I feel that I should answer my own questions to be fair, here they are:
1) I would wish to make other people happy.
2) I would wish to fly!
3) To be the best version of myself that I can be, and to make the world a better place.