This is a master list of fan fiction from my old journal, illiterate , and this journal. If I'm posting it here, then it's not too shameful for public consumption. Oh, das Leben. Das leben am Internet. I am apparently the queen of the once-off.

( If those who cannot do, teach; then those who cannot write, write fan-fiction. )

Yesterday was my first Thanksgiving as a non-student. I was whining about having to work, and my co-worker B was like, "welcome to the blue collar." Yeah, okay, fine, but retail is a notoriously bad scene when it comes to having holidays off. Even so, having a break around most major holidays was a wonderful academic perk. That said, work was sort of nice yesterday. We ate a lot of candy and danced around a little bit. Everyone was in good cheer, then I drove home to my parents with J and we ate some turkey and drove home. Tonight we are going to eat Chinese food and watch a movie. Today I am doing research about knitting stores, which a secret project of mine, since I am sincerely considering opening one with money I don't have. No, seriously, it's going to be awesome. Anyway, I need to work on my Yuletide, but in the mean time, here are some great songs for you to listen to. Let's all be thankful for good music <3

"Get Up" by Washed Out -- My friend Ben said of this song, "if this shit doesn't get you laid then you may as well stop trying." I am inclined to agree with him. This whole album, Life of Leisure, is so fucking good; it's chill and hypnotic and yet it makes you want to move. In a sexy way. Pitchfork described Washed Out's sound as woozy, and I'm pretty sure Vaseline made an appearance in the review as well. They are so right.

"Poised and Ready" by Brendan Benson -- This song is frequently on the stereo at work. I love its steady beat, and Benson's drawn out, nasal lyrics. The music is cheerful as fuck, and there's something about it that makes me think I can brave the L train at rush hour if I have this song and great big headphones to listen to it on. On a different note entirely, "Poised and Ready" is totally a Draco Malfoy character song (/indie cred).

You take for granted / And take what you can grab / Foresake what's landed / Into your lap / You shake the hand / And take a stab.

"Hundred Hearts" by The Swimmers -- Lately I think The Swimmers are amazing. This is their second album, People are Soft, and it's a little bit like Passion Pit meets Clap Your Hands Say Yeah with maybe an ounce of something else thrown in there that I can't quite put my finger on (Tilly and the Wall?). Point being: this is the good shit. You'll want to put this song on while you hang around your room and talk to a pretty girl; it is exuberant and warming.

"You are the Blood" by Sufjan Stevens -- This one comes off of Dark Was The Night, which was released on February 17th, 2009. It is a compilation album produced by the Red Hot Organization, which was founded on the premise that even without a cure, AIDS remains a preventable disease and music is a great vehicle to raise money and awareness for it. 31 exclusive tracks were recorded by artists like Bright Eyes, the Decemberists, Feist, The National, Iron and Wine, Stuart Murdoch and many more... I think that this song in particular is magical. It is a lush marriage of orchestral arrangements and electronic music. "You are the Blood" is what listening to a palimpsest must be like, and the sudden shift in tone at 4:11 makes the nearly 11 minute song a brand new animal, suddenly lyrical and heavenly, a robot's melodic whispers to the cosmos. But there's more! At 7:43 the listener is treated to an unexpected piano solo. Hang on, dear friends, "You are the Blood" is a bumpy, thrilling ride.

"On Tour with Zykos" by Okkervil River -- A little bit Magnetic Fields, a little bit Bright Eyes, a little bit Neutral Milk Hotel... Okkervil River is my most recent discovery in the vein of totally whiny indie rock. This song, by the by, is gay as shit, and the lyrics deal with heartbreak and personal failure. Give it a go.

So, I wonder who you got your hooks in tonight / Was she happy to be hooked and on your arm? / Did she feel alive? / With her head all light?

Just watched the End of Time preview clip and I am all FJKDSHFJKHLDSJFkHDSLKJFHKDLS!!

OMG HI.

If you're at all like me, then you are probably judging me right now based on the fandoms I've written in, my livejournal layout, my grammar, certainly my userinfo and icons, and who I have friended (do we have friends in common?! lolz). If you aren't like me, then you're probably a really nice person! Which is great :)

Anyway, that's the funny thing about Yuletide, it gives you the opportunity to wish fulfill a little bit, and to look into someone's life and base your gift on the small amount you can learn about them -- pretty rad. So! Thank you for offering to fulfill my wish, you make this my favorite time of year even more than the eggnog does, and that's saying something. Looking at my requests, I'm sorry that I basically wrote you an essay about each fandom, but I'm going to re-post them here and talk a little bit about each one just a little bit more. I'm a pretty easy person to please, but it helps to be clear, right?

I am really not sure about Halloween. In theory, I'm a huge fan. At least, I used to be a huge fan. I like the whole costumes thing and the hanging out with friends thing and the general marauding thing, but in the long run, I think I'm sort of over Halloween.

Lately I've discovered something very sad: I cannot drink as much as I used to. This might not sound depressing to those of you who never drank very much, but ever since I started taking my medication at my current dosage I have been the biggest lightweight ever, and I almost always overestimate how much I can drink and then end up trashed and terrible feeling and I usually pass out but only after ORDERING A BUNCH OF GROSS FOOD.

The food thing (and the drunk thing) happens more frequently than I'd like to admit and it's somewhat disturbing. Mostly because I am apparently the type of person who wants Dominos, tater tots, chili, quesadillas, or A WALK THROUGH THE MCDONALD'S DRIVE-THRU (at the absolute very worst) when I am wasted. I swear to God, there was a time when I could hold my own and now if I have more than three drinks I am some kind of falling-over wreck that has to mainline Gatorade and salt the next day while avoiding cigarettes and people altogether. It's really not awesome.

Plus, since J isn't drinking I've been thinking a lot about my alcohol intake. Problem is, I actually really like alcohol. It's not just about getting drunk, as the kids do, it's also about liking the way alcohol tastes, and the general camaraderie that goes along with a collection of friends enjoying a drink or two (or eight) together. I suppose I could switch to seltzer, but wouldn't that make me a pussy? I dunno, guys. I am TORN.

I guess this leads me back to Halloween. At this point, I think it's pretty much a holiday for thin, pretty, singles who can hold their liquor and party with the express purpose of getting laid, IE: not yours truly. That said, I did have a nice time last night (minus today's raging hangover), and it sure beat last Halloween, which I spent in the ER at Cambridge Hospital, where they happened to treat me like a whore (read: UNCOOL), so there's that. Low standards: the key to a good time.

This morning J and I had brunch with my parents and it was stressful as hell. The siblings we speak to were present, along with my two nephews, who are both adorable. My niece, however, was sorely missed because she is at least marginally sane, unlike everyone else who was there. As we were preparing to go back to Brooklyn I had a whammy of a panic attack and managed to convince myself I was dying (typical). My grandmother is in the hospital, she has a blood clot in her lung, and she broke her hip about two months ago. It's been traumatic for my mother, who is suffering through the worst of it while her siblings twiddle their thumbs (a vice like family, ok?), and I'm just a mess knowing that she's having such a rough time. When i was finally calm enough to leave, I said goodbye and then as J and I walked away I started crying. Like, really crying and sobbing and all of that girly shit. I wish I could do more for my mother. I know that I should be home and visiting my grandmother, but my work hours are from 10 to 6, and it's a long drive home in rush-hour, so I find myself shirking what I feel are really familial duties. Someday I'll be a better daughter, I just need to figure out how to be a better person first. Which is not to say that I always feel this guilty, but I feel pretty guilty right now, OK?

ANYWAY.

Here are five Halloween costumes I wish I'd chosen, instead of squeezing my fat ass into a dress that didn't really fit

1. Swine flu - pig nose and ears, box of tissues, PJs.
2. A horrible person -- no costume, just an answer. IE: What are you? A horrible person.
3. You are a dog. They don't even fit.
   
4. A butcher -- it could have been funny, no really.
5. Ms. Frizzle

Oh, PS. I am still sort of amazed that I tried to convince yeats, elegantcrimes, and inthisapartment that we should hold a small-scale Harry Potter academic conference at this revolving storefront in Williamsburg. In February. J said, "I think what's most embarrassing about this is that you guys came up with a reasonable time-table." Anyway, stay tuned for news about "Harry Potter: Generations." Think two panels, costume contest, art auction, and many takes on butterbeer. 

Sigh. Will I ever grow out of this?

Title: Equally Damaged
Notes: The playlist offers POV suggestions, but you are welcome to ignore them. I wanted Harry’s songs to be messy, more rock&roll with folk influences. Draco’s are quieter, a little drawling, slower. I hope you enjoy, and maybe hear some new music.

I know that people frequently make mixes for certain pairings/characters/fandoms, and I was wondering if anyone knew of a "fandom mixes" community where people can post playlists and album art for whatever their chosen fandom-related theme is. A while back I was sort of putting together a Martha (from Doctor Who) mix, as well as some basic "character themes" for various DW people. Anyway, that entry is here.

This entry came about because right now I'm trying to put together a Harry/Draco mix, and I don't want the entire thing to be Placebo (ha-ha). Do you have any idea if there are other Harry/Draco mixes out there? THERE MUST BE. PEOPLE ARE OBSESSED WITH THIS PAIRING. Do YOU have a Harry/Draco mix? Maybe a playlist in iTunes that you write to?

SHARE WITH ME.

"Just a lock of her and a jar of her breath.
It might work this time, oh yes.
Hold your horses,
your tremors and glee,
all right? All right? All right.
She's gonna love me, oh yes she will.
Mix it in, keep an eye on the broth and your watch.
Sometimes the slow simmer turns into a boil.
I'm afraid it's the only way this can end"

WHERE IS THERE A GOOD H/D RECS COMMUNITY? I NEED TO READ LOTS OF POST-DH HARRY/DRACO RIGHT NOW AND I THINK I'VE READ ALL OF THE GOOD STUFF. PLZ HELP ME OUT, I AM DEPRESSED AND IN NEED....IN NEED OF WIZARDS FUCKING.


PS: I know I am a broken record who lately only posts ABOUT THIS, but seriously, I am THAT DESPERATE.

REALLY WANT TO SEE MY DESK AT WORK! 

( OMG CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE! CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE! CLICK CLICK CLICK OMG CLIIIICK MEEEE!  )

DIY Messiah by scoradh  is a pretty nice thing that I just read. It is a post-DH, canon compliant Harry/Draco fic. The author's summary is "Harry stopped hating Draco Malfoy on Bring Your Kids to Work Day." What I like about this story is that Draco is a kind of destitute number-cruncher (a common end-of-series trope, it seems) and Harry is a little bit floundering, and wholly disappointed with his life. The children of both men feature somewhat heavily, but in a realistic way. Furthermore, Ginny is a rather bitchy, sympathetically flawed character, who appears to be the kind of housekeeper that I am. I've discovered that I really like the reality-driven post-DH pieces that are around now. I never though I'd grow out of things like Silvia Kundera's Double Dare, but lo-and-behold! I like that cold comfort of Grown Up Wizards a little bit more now. Although, I'll admit with glee, that on some days there is absolutely nothing better than Underage Wizards Fucking, and anyone who was ever in Harry Potter fandom knows that for certain. Or at least understands it to an extent.

In the effort of full disclosure, you should know that I discovered this fic on the H/D In Unusual Careers rec list, which is a lovely resource. I note with some pride that my dear friend and neighbor yeats has a story included. Do you have any favorite post-DH Harry/Draco fics? I am always in the market for more, in particular stories in which Draco is an accountant. I haven't a clue why, but for some reason it just makes sense to me.

Umfrage #1467233 public restrooms: a hate story
Open to: Alle, detailed results viewable to: Alle, participants: 15

How do you deal with public restrooms?

My favorite place to use the bathroom is:

This poll came about because I am working in the midst of a construction site. This is because of my job. I will explain later. But there are three serious reasons why this poll is here:

1. I peed in a non-working toilet yesterday. In the dark. I should have known better.
2. MY PEE IS STILL IN THAT TOILET.
3. I have a very weak stomach (Jewish, foolish).

THE "i've always wanted to tell you" MEME

C'mon, just do it. I'm a glutton for praise/punishment/people accepting that I exist. You can follow the link above, or just click here.

My perfect day involves:

• being home sick.
• reading "Snarry Games" fic all day.
• having sex.
• reading more snarry.
• never getting dressed fo'realz.
• this livejournal icon.

Yay for perfect days! Have some recs:

The Sleeping Prince by who_la_hoop This is from Snarry Games 2008, and it is utterly fucking brilliant. It is absolutely an Epilogue-What-Epilogue fic, and I adored it. The voices are spot on, the relationship development is perfect, and I absolutely adore anything involving de-aged Snape. Adorable! Really worth the 40,000 word read. I know that everyone isn't into Snarry, but I think this story is far more than just a 'shipper fic.

This piece of fan-art sent me on a happy flight of fic-bunny fantasy. So lovely!

Rapture by mia_ugly Oh good God! I loved this story so much. The style is so beautiful, and it is a truly well-crated love story. The language is oddly Nabakovian (picnic, lightening), and I became entirely invested in the storyline. I'm a huge geek for time travel, which this story has, as well as charming!awkward!persistent!Harry, something I also happen to love. Anyway, check it out, it's just such a nice read.

Anyway, I have so much more to read, so more recs to follow. I haven't forgotten about you, femmequixotic! 

I'm pretty sure my A/C is about to break, and when it does, I'm going to have a VERY SERIOUS last straw moment and probably lose my shit.

Today's post is about EXCITING PURCHASES AND A MORAL DILEMMA.

I guess a little bit of background is required. Ahem. One of my workmates also works at Anthropologie. You may not know this about me, but I adore Anthropologie. I think it's one of the best things ever, but since I've been trying to save money, and have a lot more expenses now than I did in college, I haven't shopped there in almost a year. Anyway, I was thinking about buying a new bag for fall, since I picked up a bunch of shifts for the next two weeks. I told my co-worker this, and she told me that I could use her employee discount if I wanted to. Her employee discount is 40%!!! which is INSANE, considering how much Anthropologie costs. She even said that I could use it right then and there on the internet. So we signed on the website, she wrote in her code, and I bought four beautiful things for what was nearly the full cost of one (pictures to follow). Here's the thing: I very quickly memorized her code, and wrote it down in my notebook. Can I use it again without asking her? Or is that IMMORAL AND BAD? On the Anthro website it says that the code is for "employees, family, and friends," and I clearly fall into the friends category (kind of). I'm inclined to think that if I'm even worried about it then it would be unethical for me to use her code without her permission, but still, it's not as though she'd ever know or get into trouble if I did. WHAT DO YOU THINK?? 

Here are my purchases: