In which I am even more random than usual
Mar. 24th, 2010 09:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jadesfireHappy Ada Lovelace Day! Head over to the website here and check out some of the awesome women in technology and science. I haven't had much of a chance to do proper reading around yet, but I heard Maggie Aderin-Pocock on Desert Island Discs a few weeks ago and was instantly smitten. She's an astronomer, an instrument maker and a communicator (brilliant article by her here) as well as sounding like an all-round lovely person. If I get a chance later on, I'll add her to the map on the Finding Ada website :)
Otherwise, it's another dull, grey morning here, which is making me long for spring to actually get going. On the other hand, one of the consequences of that will be the clocks going forward this weekend, and I'm not that keen to lose an hour's sleep :S
I've been trying to work out if I haven't been posting because I've got nothing to say, or if it's because I've got too much to say and can't work out how to cram it all into one post. You know what it's like when your head is all full, and everything gets mangled when you try to write it down?
So what *have* I been doing? Well, last week we went to hear Melvyn Bragg give a lecture on the history of the Royal Society, which was as much about the present as it was the past. One of the great joys of living in Oxford is hearing clever people talk in beautiful surroundings, and the Sheldonian is as grand as they come. We managed to get good seats, directly opposite the podium, and the amplification was pretty good. The subtitle of the lecture was "notes from an amateur", although of course, he's far from that. Entertaining and wide-ranging and generally a good night out was had by all.
Over the weekend we did house-type-stuff that I'll talk about when I can, and took a trip up to Stowe Landscape Gardens, which is one of our favourite National Trust properties. The weather and my hip held out (although I was aching badly by the time I got home) and generally a lovely time was had by all. Things have become a little more stressful as the week goes on and as they tend to, but in general, things are good.
Also, we discovered that if we moved the furniture around in our very small living room, we could divide it into a 'living' area and a 'dining' area, which means we can keep the table up all the time. The difference is incredible, and I'm feeling much happier about the flat today.
One slightly disconcerting note is that I'm more or less up to date at work. I mean, I have odds and ends that I'm mopping up, but if I can concentrate today, by 7pm when I leave here, I'll have done...well. Everything. I'm starting to get nervous about what I've forgotten.
Fortunately I have lots of other things to keep me going, and most awesomely of all, I've been writing. My inspiration dried up completely about this time last year, and although I've put out dribs and drabs since then, the urge to write went away almost completely. Ironically, since starting to crochet last November, I've found the urge returning (oh, get your minds out of the gutter :P) and have three or four WIPs that I don't actively hate right now. \o/ The relief is incredible, and at this rate, I should have my![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
help_haiti fic done soon.
Which reminds me, please could someone point me in the direction of good White Collar fic? I'll take OT3 but, as usual, would prefer Gen. I'm gradually reading my way through the AO3 collection, which is pretty good, but would love to find some proper 'caper' stories or episode-style fic. Yeah, yeah, I know, I've lit the landing lights for the flying pigs already...
What about the rest of you? Everyone okay out there?
Otherwise, it's another dull, grey morning here, which is making me long for spring to actually get going. On the other hand, one of the consequences of that will be the clocks going forward this weekend, and I'm not that keen to lose an hour's sleep :S
I've been trying to work out if I haven't been posting because I've got nothing to say, or if it's because I've got too much to say and can't work out how to cram it all into one post. You know what it's like when your head is all full, and everything gets mangled when you try to write it down?
So what *have* I been doing? Well, last week we went to hear Melvyn Bragg give a lecture on the history of the Royal Society, which was as much about the present as it was the past. One of the great joys of living in Oxford is hearing clever people talk in beautiful surroundings, and the Sheldonian is as grand as they come. We managed to get good seats, directly opposite the podium, and the amplification was pretty good. The subtitle of the lecture was "notes from an amateur", although of course, he's far from that. Entertaining and wide-ranging and generally a good night out was had by all.
Over the weekend we did house-type-stuff that I'll talk about when I can, and took a trip up to Stowe Landscape Gardens, which is one of our favourite National Trust properties. The weather and my hip held out (although I was aching badly by the time I got home) and generally a lovely time was had by all. Things have become a little more stressful as the week goes on and as they tend to, but in general, things are good.
Also, we discovered that if we moved the furniture around in our very small living room, we could divide it into a 'living' area and a 'dining' area, which means we can keep the table up all the time. The difference is incredible, and I'm feeling much happier about the flat today.
One slightly disconcerting note is that I'm more or less up to date at work. I mean, I have odds and ends that I'm mopping up, but if I can concentrate today, by 7pm when I leave here, I'll have done...well. Everything. I'm starting to get nervous about what I've forgotten.
Fortunately I have lots of other things to keep me going, and most awesomely of all, I've been writing. My inspiration dried up completely about this time last year, and although I've put out dribs and drabs since then, the urge to write went away almost completely. Ironically, since starting to crochet last November, I've found the urge returning (oh, get your minds out of the gutter :P) and have three or four WIPs that I don't actively hate right now. \o/ The relief is incredible, and at this rate, I should have my
help_haiti fic done soon.Which reminds me, please could someone point me in the direction of good White Collar fic? I'll take OT3 but, as usual, would prefer Gen. I'm gradually reading my way through the AO3 collection, which is pretty good, but would love to find some proper 'caper' stories or episode-style fic. Yeah, yeah, I know, I've lit the landing lights for the flying pigs already...
What about the rest of you? Everyone okay out there?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 10:26 am (UTC)ETA - also she has a few White Collar recs (http://china-shop.livejournal.com/tag/white%20collar%20rec). Again, can't speak to the quality, but she's generally pretty discerning (she rec'd me once ;)).
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 10:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 11:31 am (UTC)If I watched White Collar I would write you genfic, but as it is, all I know about it is that several people on my flist watch it, and that it's a telly show. *shrug*
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 11:40 am (UTC)Hee, I appreciate the thought anyway :)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 11:46 am (UTC)Is it easter yet?!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 02:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 02:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 02:32 pm (UTC)Thanks :)
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-24 06:46 pm (UTC)I'll let you know if I spot any others. Oh and a white collar bigbang is starting up soon. Maybe something good will come out of that,
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-25 02:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-25 10:32 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-26 05:16 am (UTC)oh wait! There's this one! It's gen and spot-on for characterisation and makes me laugh
http://celli.dreamwidth.org/1026199.html
by
Title: Prime Suspect
Fandom: NCIS/White Collar
Pairing: none (or BYOSubtext)
Rating: PG
Spoilers: general for both series
Words: ~800
Summary: The one where Gibbs interrogates Neal Caffrey.
http://travels-in-time.livejournal.com/184610.html
Title: Communication
Spoilers: For the pilot only
Rating: Very mild PG
Word Count: 546
Summary: Five years of birthday cards
My notes: it's OT3 technically but much more about a character-study of Neal.
http://archiveofourown.org/works/68000
You Ruined Everything (In the Nicest Way)
jmtorres, gen, 9.5k words
Summary: A story of missed connections, in which Peter doesn't know what to say, Neal doesn't seem to want to hear it, and Elizabethan translation proves vital.
my notes: not a case-fic and not quite a character study, but more an exploration of a possibility. This fic makes me go 'wow'. Really excellent.
http://halcyon-shift.livejournal.com/568728.html
That One Time, With That Thing
Summary: Pre-series, ~those~ bonds, 1-0: Neal's accidentally working for the mob, Kate is probably considering a new client list, Mozzie's waiting for The Man and The Man is a little more amused than it should be.
Rating: G - Gen
Words: ~10,800
my notes: This, however, is much more of a case-fic. Really good grasp of characterisations and motivations, I think. Plus, hey, it's actually gen :)
http://halcyon-shift.livejournal.com/573169.html
Title: Four Cups of Tea (and a waffle iron)
Summary: Mozzie and Elizabeth bond over tea whilst Peter, Neal and Hughes find themselves in the middle of the worst timed robbery ever.
Recipient: [profile] kira_bouviea
Rating: PG
Genre and/or Pairing: Gen
Spoilers: Series
Word Count: ~4,100
Thank you: [personal profile] mitchy, [personal profile] sabaceanbabe and [dreamwidth.org profile] dragonfly for the betaness of awesome!
Notes: Conforms to Tzikeh Standard Spelling ;)
my notes: casefic, I like Hughes's role in this one. Don't remember much more than that without rereading...
http://archiveofourown.org/works/9757
The Zombie Story
by Giglet, 1649 words
Summary: In which Peter is a big damn action hero, Elizabeth pwns Brooklyn, and Neal ruins a pair of very nice Italian shoes. Pre-OT3.
my notes: there's a coda somewhere but I can't find the link, oops. Also, this is a zombie story and I'm actually reccing it! I think the sky might be falling. (Basically, there are zombies but it's not apocalyptic. And the crew is badass. So not scary to me.)
I love AOOO for a lot of reasons, but it's really blasted annoying that I cannot c&p anything remotely like a header....
So that's what I have bookmarked that isn't intensely OT3.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-03-26 09:16 am (UTC)I do like that AO3 lets you bookmark things, though - very handy for keeping track and doesn't fill up my Delicious account too much :)