One day, things will get less random

[jadesfire]

It's been an odd couple of weeks. I didn't go to work much of last week, thanks to an understanding manager and a vicious little cold, and I have this week as holiday. I have so far spent it dossing around the house, drinking the wrong tea, typing while surrounded by upside-down sofas, listening to men in a pub plan a hit job and having a nose-bleed. Oh, and writing. Lots of writing. And talking to wailing at miss_zedem on Yahoo messenger. Honestly, that woman's talked me down off the ledge with stories enough times to earn some kind of special negotiator's medal. My sga_genficathon story is in the final beta stages, and I know where my tardis_bigbang story is going now. Of course, I'm moderately terrified by how much people have written on their sgabigbang stories already, but I'm not going to let it bother me. Much. *bites fingernails*


I skipped back to =100 on my flist and read what I could, but my brain is like a hyperactive butterfly at the moment, so I should go back and comment at some point. I know things are bad in my head right now, because when we were driving to the in-laws' on Tuesday, I heard a song and thought 'that would make a good Martha vid - I wonder how I would do that?' Leaving aside the eyebrow raising idea that I could actually grasp the software well enough to do it, I have never had the urge to make a vid before in my life. It could just be that I've been watching, thinking and reading about them more lately, but I think it's also distraction activity - I tend to start new projects when I feel like this, only to abandon them two days later. Still, I'll keep it on the back-burner, because you never know...

I owe 3 people stories, which I will get to today, I promise, and I'm going to book a ticket for Godspell (hoorah!). There is ironing to be done, I need to re-watch some Torchwood, check up on some Big Bang modding stuff and I might do some more baking. I made cinnamon and raisin cookies (yes, cookies - an adapted version of a Star Wars Cook Book recipe, that I chose solely because they're called 'Wookie Cookies'. What?) on Monday, and they turned out beautifully. So much so that my mother-in-law, who doesn't like cinammon and had a stomach upset - ate a tiny little bit, said 'hmmm' and then ate the rest *beams*

My current good (if scatty) mood is definitely thanks to a lovely day yesterday with miss_zedem. The rain held off, which is a miracle in Cardiff, so we wandered round and she pointed out all the filming locations to me, in Cardiff and Penarth, helped me with some Welsh for a fic I might record and deconstructed the English language with me while we drank, ate and giggled our way round the city. Although we did reach the serious and fandom-changing conclusion that all new fanfic writers should be issued with a dictionary, a grammar/punctuation guide and an anatomy textbook. Honestly, it was a good job we were sitting at the back of the bar...

So, list for the day, while my brain is working:
- Beta edits to sga_genficathon
- Stories I owe people (2 done, 1 to go)
- Check Tardis Big Bang account.
- Start Artist promos again. - put off til Monday
- Prod at SGA Big Bang ideas to see where they want to go/recheck prompt list
- Start top sekkrit project at last (yes, Chrys, I have your notes ;))
- Ironing
- Article proposal (finally!)
- Tidy flat
- Check all fic deadlines (meep) Meep Meep
- Check if we can buy a new hoover* Yup, we're getting a Henry. Yay!
- Rec list for all the cool stuff I've read/seen lately
- Baking. (ETA: Do not burn raisins, do not burn raisins...) Banana cake is in the oven.
- Record a fic while it's quiet here (ETA: ie not when the washing machine is going *facepalm*) Not going to happen until my voice starts working again...
- Buy milk With clothes. Go me!
- Make bread
- Take painkillers before cramps get too bad Ow. OW OW OW OW
- Get dressed.

*Ours finally died on Monday after a long illness, during which I would have been better off sucking up the dust with a straw. It turned into a rather odd conversation:
Me: The hoover just broke!
Other half: Woo hoo!
Me: I know! Yay!
OH: Now we can buy one that actually works!

...we don't get out much...

Huh. Maybe I should do that last one first. I should certainly do it before I go to buy milk, I think.

I have deliberately been resisting memes lately, to try and wean myself off, even though there have been some cool ones doing the rounds. I like the 'played by' one particularly - it's fascinating to see what people think everyone looks like :) But I'm going to carry on resisting...I'm going to try to carry on resisting...probably...

Have I missed anything exciting since I took the comms off my watch-list? And how are you all, anyway? Hope the sun is shining on you as brightly as it is on me :)

Comments

[unfeathered]

Hello, miss 'yes, I'll say I'll beta your fic and then disappear off the face of the earth'... *g*

Did you get my email???

(Oh, and I'm off to a meeting in a sec, so if I disappear myself, that's why)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Hey, Cardiff may be a long way away, but it's still on the planet as far as I know ;) I actually did beta-ing on the train, so only need to type up the notes.

Sorry about that...*sheepish look*

[unfeathered]

*sighs with relief* That's all right then! I just got worried 'cos you hadn't replied at all and you weren't around here...

[sepia-words.livejournal.com]

Glad the cold's cleared up a bit. Are the upside-down sofas part of a very special typing ritual? Or the victims of the pub-based hit-men? *g*

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*snort* the sofas were because we were at my in-laws' helping lay new carpet in the living room. I retreated to the kitchen, where the furniture was living while they put the carpet down, and had my own little barricade for privacy :)

The hit men one was just surreal - they'd had more than a few, and were trying to work out the best way to bump off kids o_O Very, very odd...

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Although we did reach the serious and fandom-changing conclusion that all new fanfic writers should be issued with a dictionary, a grammar/punctuation guide and an anatomy textbook.

Preferably issued with extreme violence in many cases...

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

Re: Your hoover.

My old one died last year, my mother killed it when she came over. I was happy about that for about a day since it meant new machine that actually sucks! But I came back the next day, my aunt had dropped off her old one and now I another one that doesn't quite suck. Granted, it was better than the old one, but the nozzle has a tendecy to come off, which is just BAD when you're pulling the thing around the house, and suddenly, hey! I've got a handle but the rest of the machine is not there!

OTOH, it was free...

[sepia-words.livejournal.com]

Hee! Around exam time, my friends and I tend to make a lot of elaborate plans for either blackmailing or seducing the examiners. Fiendish plotting for its own sake is all kinds of fun.

[miss-zedem.livejournal.com]

Although we did reach the serious and fandom-changing conclusion that all new fanfic writers should be issued with a dictionary, a grammar/punctuation guide and an anatomy textbook. Honestly, it was a good job we were sitting at the back of the bar... *g* It was an important conversation, and we didn't in any way sound like a couple of nutters...

Start top sekkrit project at last *guilty look* Yes, I need to do something about that as well.

I owe 3 people stories Am I one of them? *hopeful look* I can't remember if I gave you a prompt, but I'd like to see some good!fic.

Oh and I totally recommend the cookies btw ;)

[pwcorgigirl.livejournal.com]

I now seriously want a cute little vacuum cleaner with a happy face on the side. What I have now is a Dirt Devil, which does a pretty good job on the carpet, but seriously, who would name a household appliance "Devil"? (I'm sure that's how the cat thinks of it, because he gets a massive case of Crazy!Eyes and Big!Tail every time I turn the thing on.)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* Nice big books so you can get a long trajectory out of them...

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*snort* The handle is less use without the rest of the machine... Free is good, but sometimes it's nice to have the justification to buy something, well, nice. I'm quite looking forward to getting the Henry - they're good hoovers and I'm in favour of anything that smiles at me :)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

It was an important conversation, and we didn't in any way sound like a couple of nutters...
No, not at all, of course not. Although it was probably a good job it was a bench seat, as I think I would have fallen off a normal chair. Several times. :D

I figure mine's the first part of the project, so I'll get us going and we'll take it from there. First I have to read the notes O_O ;)

Ah, sorry, hon. These are stories I'm beta-ing - I read them on the train home after I'd finished mine. And you've already got goodfic from me - there's only so much I can churn out at once :D

Glad you like the cookies! yay!

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

Aren't they cute? They're the first choice for professional cleaning outfits over here, because they're small enough to haul round, but nice and powerful. I have high hopes that the rug in the living room may actually be clean for the first time, well, ever!

There's 'kitchen devils' as well, who make very good knives etc, but no, it's not the most obvious name for helpful household appliances, is it?

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what I had in mind, yes...

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

I have got to get Yahoo Messenger. I keep missing out on all the interesting stuff. *pout*

I'm glad the cookies turned out well, they sound awesome. And a day in Cardiff with Z, yay!

Although we did reach the serious and fandom-changing conclusion that all new fanfic writers should be issued with a dictionary, a grammar/punctuation guide and an anatomy textbook.

This should be mandatory. Possibly applied at high velocity, for some.

I love Henrys. We have one at work, which the cleaners use. I've had to haul it out on occasion as wel - it's a surprising amount of fun towing around something that's always grinning at you.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

You should absolutely get Yahoo messenger - all you need is a Yahoo email address. It runs through the email programme, so is handy for people like me who can't install MSN at work :) Although Z and I have been known to have entire conversations in smilie form, so you've been warned...

The cookies came out just right, and I'm going to make banana bread once I scrape burnt raisin off the saucepan *roll eyes*

Henrys are awesome - they're a bit heavy, but at least they actually suck up dirt, which we could kind of use at this point *eyes the rug guiltily*

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Ah! I already have a Yahoo email address, but I might get another, because I tend to get a lot of unsolicited messages while I'm offline. Annoying ones, at that.

Edit: . . . come to think of it, I could probably use my regular e-mail, since that goes through Yahoo.

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

You need to be using Yahoo Mail Beta, with the tabs and stuff. Then chat loads automatically. You can add contacts etc the same as any messaging programme. I'll look out for you!

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm in my account (beta version), but I see no chat. Will e-mail you my Yahoo addy.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

You paid for your milk with clothes? (sorry, I'm tired and read it that way and then laughed hysterically. I need more coffee)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*shakes head* Go drink coffee, woman! Although I can see how you got there...

And thanks for the email, BTW. I'm almost there!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I went and got another mugful.

I hope the email made sense, I haven't been at my most coherent lately (which worked conveniently for my crack!fic challenge, but not for much else)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

*grin* It was great, thanks. I've left some of it, but tweaked other bits. Just waiting for Z to get back to me - honestly, you'd think her work would know that fic is FAR more important - then I'm good to go. FINALLY!

*passes donut to go with coffee*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yay for donuts and YAY for being (almost) good to go!

For the most part I don't work enough to have it interfere with LJ and writing, but every so often I look at my inbox and see plotbunnies sitting ontop staring at me.

(And let me mention that bursting out laughing during a staff meeting because you've just written 7 cliché crack ideas into a single sentences (instead of taking the notes as you were supposed to be doing) involves a wee bit of quick explaining)

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

...yeah, I can see how that would be a problem :D

I am banning myself for even considering other stories at the moment. Once the Genfic is done, I've got the sekkrit project and 2 Big Bangs, which are MORE than enough to keep me going for a few lifetimes. I don't dare look at more *closes eyes to type*

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you had such a lovely day yesterday!

I would make Wookie Cookies based solely on the name, too. It's a nice bonus that they were so tasty! :)

I have had the urge to *plot*/outline fanvids many times, and have done it once or twice, but I have a given a couple of people standard orders to shoot me if I start making serious noises about learning to vid. It would be one of those things I do to distract myself when other projects or responsibilities are getting too heavy, like you're describing, I think. And it would guarantee that I would get zero sleep ever again.

But! I'm glad there are other people who take one for the team and make gorgeous vids for us to enjoy!

I taught myself how to edit files in Audacity today. I can now do noise canceling, add silence, delete extraneous time, layer tracks, fade in/out, and save as an mp3! Not sure how this is going to be useful, but maybe eventually...

[jadesfire2808.livejournal.com]

I've been making Wookie Cookies for years - they're usually choc chip cinnamon, but worked well with raisins instead.

Vidding is something I think I'm going to stay away from - maybe when the next Sweet Charity auction comes up, I'll buy someone to make it for me :)

Good grief - any chance you could teach me to do all that? (not joking...) I can record, stop, delete seconds I don't want, and export as an MP3, but that is absolutely it. Sounds like you're ready to turn pro! ;)

[rustydog.livejournal.com]

I found the video tutorials on this page to be the most helpful. They're really just moving screen captures of the user manipulating his screen, while he explains what he's doing. I watched them all and then just took a recording I had made of my niece, tried out things to clean it up, and imported a piece of music to practice adjusting the audio tracks, moving them around in relation to each other and fading parts in and out. There's also a "trim" button at the upper left that will cut away everything outside of the part you select, but you probably wouldn't need to use that.

I feel silly saying "let me know if you have questions" since I've only done the stuff once, but maybe we can figure things out together. :)

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

I'm quite looking forward to getting the Henry - they're good hoovers and I'm in favour of anything that smiles at me :)

LOL!! Yes, I checked out that link and it's a cute little thing! :D