Much Love, Very Little Hate--
In some ways, fandom and LJ haven't been well-pleasing me in the last few days; there's a point at which all the frustrations and upsets and anger and criticisms in everyone else's lives hits critical, and while reasonable on an individual level, collectively it becomes a din that drowns the joy one might take in one's own life, pasttimes, and sharing same. At that point it pays to be reminded to refresh one's Flist and move along, move along. And if that doesn't work, and the teeth are still gritted, the eyes still rolling, then it's time to shut down the computer and step away, at least for the night.
But all that aside, I've been putting off noting some really wonderfully sweet things, generally due to the fatigue brought on by those words up there. *points up*
Fanart!
One of my deepest fannish desires, and one that only a smattering of people know about (well, until now), is that I am captivated by the notion of fanart to accompany my fanfic. Asking for it seems wrong, so on the whole, I'm left to look longingly (and silently) in the direction of artists and those writers who are lucky enough to inspire artwork. I have no idea how one does that; I can't draw, and I don't think I've ever really caught the eye of a fanartist/manipper/what-have-you. Until just recently, I've had four stories illustrated, and all five of those illustrations were done at my request for a 'zine I was editing, the pool of talent being a small circle of artists and writers I knew IRL who were part of the larger 'zine project. Other than that, I've had dear, sweet cinzia occasionally draw me things of her own volition (unrelated to my fic, mind you) -- but half the time she goes all shy and doesn't want to share them with everyone -- and a few other wonderful people have gifted me with their own gorgeous art via the mail/in person over the years. (I mean, who wouldn't love to be faced with the terrible challenge of how to frame the pretty Angel/Demon combo, or where to keep the handmade VigBean sketch, the watercolour landscape, the scrapbooked pop-up cards, etc., or -- horror of horrors -- where to hang caricatures of Viggo and Sean?) ^_^
Regardless, while I have, on occasion, been gifted with lovely pieces that I cherish and you will never, ever pry them out of my hands, so don't even try, my spontaneous fanart kink goes largely unscratched. *woeface*
However, much to my unending joy and excitement, empy both gave me the bunny that resulted in Skytten, and surprised me the other day with an illustration to go with it! *bounces* So there is now an illustration at the end of the fic, or you can go here to check it out and tell her how fantastic and brilliant and wonderful she is. *squeezes her tight* (Be warned, however, that the illustration is spoilery for the end of the fic, if that's going to be a concern.)
I just... I cannot describe the levels of glee I'm experiencing over this one. Thank you, empy! ♥
The VDSA (LOTR Slash Division) Project:
You'll have to forgive me for not mentioning this earlier, but I only actually stumbled on it (close to) after the fact, in my capacity as an editor of middleearthnews, and clicked mostly out of curiosity, expecting absolutely nothing other than some possible content for the newsletter. (Psst. Note to organizers, or friends of organizers, or whatever: if you drop us a line, middleearthnews will announce/list projects like this from signup all the way through to reveal; we'll be especially happy if you send us an announcement for signups, then a general reminder or two, and then an announcement for the reveal itself. *taps side of nose* Sadly, we still have not managed to get the Palantir under control, so we haven't quite mastered the art of seeing all. Not yet. We're working on it. ^_~)
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and completely bowled over to find that some very kind soul had left me a sweet message in the Valentine's Day Secret Admirer (LotR Slash Division) Project! It made my day. Made my week. ...Well, really, it's made my month. ♥
And, I mean, I didn't even know about this whole thing. Complete and utter accident that I even stumbled on it. Regardless, though, I suspect one of you. *eyes* Whomever you are, thank you. *hugs tight* You're a sweetheart for thinking of me, and I'm incredibly flattered. (I'm supposed to be flattered, right? It wasn't a backhanded sort of, "Dude, shut up about how much work you do, will you? God. We're bored. Go back to talking about the squirrels on your roof and writing pr0n," right? ^_~)
Random Snippets from This Evening's Chat Wot Make Me Smile:
caras_galadhon: And lo, I am home.
savageseraph: You are.
caras_galadhon: Rejoice, my subjects!
[Nothing happens.]
caras_galadhon: ...So you're telling me there will be no rejoicing? Is that what you're saying? I worked all night for NO FANFARE? THIS IS NOT FAIR! WOE AND STUFF!
savageseraph: *applauds wildly*
caras_galadhon: Hee. Thank you.
***
caras_galadhon: [NB1] seems to be a poison, hmm? You either drink her down and become permeated by her nastiness, or you spit out the mouthful and swear off her.
savageseraph: Heh. Something like that, yes.
1. I seem to be having a Greek week. First Barb was on about "between Scylla and Charybdis," and now I've decided on "NB" for Odysseus' "Nobody" when he was faced with the Cyclops. Hell, maybe it's just a big ol' Odysseus week. ^_^ This tickles me somehow.
***
caras_galadhon: OMFG. OMFG, I am HOME and it is NINE and TORCHWOOD is already available!
savageseraph: Hee.
caras_galadhon: ...Sorry. Minor sidenote. *cough* And OMFG, OMFG, it will take me like TEN minutes to [obtain in a completely legal fashion]. Holy fuck. I just... I think I'm going to cry. It's so beautiful!
savageseraph: *patpat*
caras_galadhon: Oh my god! It's full of GAY! ^_~ [Ed: Um, that was supposed to be a lame reference to 2001, yes.]
savageseraph: *snorts*
[There is more talking about non-Torchwoody things.]
savageseraph: Hee. Have a good night and enjoy your Big Gay Show.
Anyway. I got home from work before 9pm tonight, which was great (especially after being at work until 20 mins to 10pm on Monday due to volume of paperwork alone), I have not had to bring any unmarked papers with me, Torchwood was available as soon as I logged on (so I can watch it before I crash, YAY), and tomorrow I not only go in search of the March issue of Men's Vogue and pick up Another Purple Thing That Is Like One I Bought For Someone Who May Be Reading This And Doesn't Get To Know What It Is Yet But It Was Really Cute And In Retrospect I Decided I Needed One Too, but I am going to have precious centimetres snipped off my hair in the name of evening out the ends! I mean, we're talking about going from a length that brushes the seats of chairs when I'm sitting to... OMG! maybe the small of my back! ...Fetch me my smelling salts. I fear I may faint. ^_~
But before I do, I'm going to go enjoy my Big Gay Show. *G*
But all that aside, I've been putting off noting some really wonderfully sweet things, generally due to the fatigue brought on by those words up there. *points up*
Fanart!
One of my deepest fannish desires, and one that only a smattering of people know about (well, until now), is that I am captivated by the notion of fanart to accompany my fanfic. Asking for it seems wrong, so on the whole, I'm left to look longingly (and silently) in the direction of artists and those writers who are lucky enough to inspire artwork. I have no idea how one does that; I can't draw, and I don't think I've ever really caught the eye of a fanartist/manipper/what-have-you. Until just recently, I've had four stories illustrated, and all five of those illustrations were done at my request for a 'zine I was editing, the pool of talent being a small circle of artists and writers I knew IRL who were part of the larger 'zine project. Other than that, I've had dear, sweet cinzia occasionally draw me things of her own volition (unrelated to my fic, mind you) -- but half the time she goes all shy and doesn't want to share them with everyone -- and a few other wonderful people have gifted me with their own gorgeous art via the mail/in person over the years. (I mean, who wouldn't love to be faced with the terrible challenge of how to frame the pretty Angel/Demon combo, or where to keep the handmade VigBean sketch, the watercolour landscape, the scrapbooked pop-up cards, etc., or -- horror of horrors -- where to hang caricatures of Viggo and Sean?) ^_^
Regardless, while I have, on occasion, been gifted with lovely pieces that I cherish and you will never, ever pry them out of my hands, so don't even try, my spontaneous fanart kink goes largely unscratched. *woeface*
However, much to my unending joy and excitement, empy both gave me the bunny that resulted in Skytten, and surprised me the other day with an illustration to go with it! *bounces* So there is now an illustration at the end of the fic, or you can go here to check it out and tell her how fantastic and brilliant and wonderful she is. *squeezes her tight* (Be warned, however, that the illustration is spoilery for the end of the fic, if that's going to be a concern.)
I just... I cannot describe the levels of glee I'm experiencing over this one. Thank you, empy! ♥
The VDSA (LOTR Slash Division) Project:
You'll have to forgive me for not mentioning this earlier, but I only actually stumbled on it (close to) after the fact, in my capacity as an editor of middleearthnews, and clicked mostly out of curiosity, expecting absolutely nothing other than some possible content for the newsletter. (Psst. Note to organizers, or friends of organizers, or whatever: if you drop us a line, middleearthnews will announce/list projects like this from signup all the way through to reveal; we'll be especially happy if you send us an announcement for signups, then a general reminder or two, and then an announcement for the reveal itself. *taps side of nose* Sadly, we still have not managed to get the Palantir under control, so we haven't quite mastered the art of seeing all. Not yet. We're working on it. ^_~)
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised and completely bowled over to find that some very kind soul had left me a sweet message in the Valentine's Day Secret Admirer (LotR Slash Division) Project! It made my day. Made my week. ...Well, really, it's made my month. ♥
And, I mean, I didn't even know about this whole thing. Complete and utter accident that I even stumbled on it. Regardless, though, I suspect one of you. *eyes* Whomever you are, thank you. *hugs tight* You're a sweetheart for thinking of me, and I'm incredibly flattered. (I'm supposed to be flattered, right? It wasn't a backhanded sort of, "Dude, shut up about how much work you do, will you? God. We're bored. Go back to talking about the squirrels on your roof and writing pr0n," right? ^_~)
Random Snippets from This Evening's Chat Wot Make Me Smile:
caras_galadhon: And lo, I am home.
savageseraph: You are.
caras_galadhon: Rejoice, my subjects!
[Nothing happens.]
caras_galadhon: ...So you're telling me there will be no rejoicing? Is that what you're saying? I worked all night for NO FANFARE? THIS IS NOT FAIR! WOE AND STUFF!
savageseraph: *applauds wildly*
caras_galadhon: Hee. Thank you.
***
caras_galadhon: [NB1] seems to be a poison, hmm? You either drink her down and become permeated by her nastiness, or you spit out the mouthful and swear off her.
savageseraph: Heh. Something like that, yes.
1. I seem to be having a Greek week. First Barb was on about "between Scylla and Charybdis," and now I've decided on "NB" for Odysseus' "Nobody" when he was faced with the Cyclops. Hell, maybe it's just a big ol' Odysseus week. ^_^ This tickles me somehow.
***
caras_galadhon: OMFG. OMFG, I am HOME and it is NINE and TORCHWOOD is already available!
savageseraph: Hee.
caras_galadhon: ...Sorry. Minor sidenote. *cough* And OMFG, OMFG, it will take me like TEN minutes to [obtain in a completely legal fashion]. Holy fuck. I just... I think I'm going to cry. It's so beautiful!
savageseraph: *patpat*
caras_galadhon: Oh my god! It's full of GAY! ^_~ [Ed: Um, that was supposed to be a lame reference to 2001, yes.]
savageseraph: *snorts*
[There is more talking about non-Torchwoody things.]
savageseraph: Hee. Have a good night and enjoy your Big Gay Show.
Anyway. I got home from work before 9pm tonight, which was great (especially after being at work until 20 mins to 10pm on Monday due to volume of paperwork alone), I have not had to bring any unmarked papers with me, Torchwood was available as soon as I logged on (so I can watch it before I crash, YAY), and tomorrow I not only go in search of the March issue of Men's Vogue and pick up Another Purple Thing That Is Like One I Bought For Someone Who May Be Reading This And Doesn't Get To Know What It Is Yet But It Was Really Cute And In Retrospect I Decided I Needed One Too, but I am going to have precious centimetres snipped off my hair in the name of evening out the ends! I mean, we're talking about going from a length that brushes the seats of chairs when I'm sitting to... OMG! maybe the small of my back! ...Fetch me my smelling salts. I fear I may faint. ^_~
But before I do, I'm going to go enjoy my Big Gay Show. *G*