2009/10 round-up: Fic of the Year + meme
And the award goes to...
Title: Sentimental Reasons
Author: Frostfire
Fandom: Casablanca
Pairing: Sam/Rick
Length: 16570 words
Rating: High R/NC-17
Summary: "France and I have never had any major arguments that I can remember."
Link: http://archiveofourown.org/collections/yuletide2009/works/34711
Notes: This story is wonderfully written and has been universally declared by commenters to be firmly part of the Casablanca canon. It plants the seeds of Sam and Rick’s friendship and extrapolates on their lives prior to Ilsa Lund’s re-appearance, offering an extended denouement and resolution for those who wondered how Louis and Rick’s beautiful friendship developed post-film. For me, these final scenes work less well than the first three-quarters of the story, which paints such a lovely picture of Depression-era New York and Sam’s steadfast attachment to Rick and, later,the circumstances of their little flat in Marseille; however, because the unfolding story of Sam’s selfless and heartbreaking struggles with both his love for Rick and the not-quite-jealousy-not-quite-love ambiguity of his feelings towards Ilsa is so wonderfully, sympathetically written, it’s impossible not to hope-against-hope for a happy ending. I can’t recommend this story enough: I strongly urge you to read it.
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2009
What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Got a stamp in my passport for travel outside the EU; I was almost more excited about this than I was about the rest of the holiday.
What countries did you visit?
Turkey with the girls and Italy with lord_jagged.
What date(s) from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
20th August: U2 at Don Valley, Sheffield. Beyond awesome.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
The usual colds and sniffles. I skillfully avoided Swine Flu, but was lulled into a false sense of security by a Boots pasta salad, which then gave me food poisoning.
What was the best thing you bought?
The best thing I had bought for me was definitely the Wii and WiiFit, which is currently languishing in the garage due to lack of a TV at uni. The best thing I bought myself was, rather boringly, my black coat from Monsoon which, though expensive, has kept me toasty warm all winter.
Where did most of your money go?
Necessities like food and drinkies. Om nom nom. And probably other people’s Christmas and birthday presents, which it’s always nice to put a bit of money aside for.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
U2, holidays, starting the MA, Eddie Izzard in October, Christmas.
What song will always remind you of 2009?
‘Sexy Bitch’ and ‘When Love Takes Over’ by *shudder* David Guetta... purely because they were played rather a lot on our holiday in Turkey. Also, ‘An Awful Lot of Running’ by Chameleon Circuit XD.
Compared to this time last year (2008), are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Just as happy as last year, because I absolutely refuse to let one year of academic bleurgh get in the way of the important bits of the rest of my life.
ii. Thinner or fatter? Thinner, or at least I was, before I came home to Christmas dinners and Quality Street.
iii. Richer or poorer? Considerably poorer.
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading for pleasure, ie. books NOT ABOUT ARCHIVES.
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Faffing and procrastinating.
How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve was spent baking a cake and playing charades (during which lord_jagged managed to make my mother mistake the Eiffel Tower for a member of the KKK); Christmas Day involved opening of presents, eating too much food and watching David Tennant hold back his manly tears of Time Lord angst; Boxing Day was sales shopping and a lovely evening at lord_jagged’s involving the best sloe gin evar.
What was the most embarrassing thing that happened to you in 2009?
Colossal drunkeness, culminating in my almost passing out in the toilet of an indian restaurant. Curse you, sangria-before-5pm.
Did you fall in love in 2008?
Even more so :)
How many one-night stands?
None, I’m happy to say.
What was your favourite TV program?
THE THICK OF IT. Also, the box-set of Supernatural has been awesome.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Learn to love your inner (and outer!) leggings.
What kept you sane?
lord_jagged and Mum and Dad.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No one I can think of off the top of my head.
What was the best book you read in 2009?
There were two: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson and The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Death Cab for Cutie, Elbow, Ian Dury.
What did you want and get?
A place on the MA and, rather more out of reluctant necessity, a room in Halls. But at least it isn’t damp!
What did you want and not get?
Umm... real life Doctor inna real life TARDIS?
What was your favourite film of this year?
In The Loop - there are no words to describe the awesome. Special mention also to Zombieland for Tallahassee (and Bill Murray!!) XD.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 22 and I went for a gorgeous meal with lord_jagged.
What three things would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having finished the epic Rome fic by now :(
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Returning to a debate recently taken place in my lj: “Malcolm or Jamie, Malcolm or Jamie? It’s like Daddy or chips.”
What political issue stirred you the most?
Anything but MPs’ expenses.
Who(m) did you miss?
lord_jagged, Mum and Dad, the girls.
Who was the best new person you met?
Every single person from MARM: such a fab bunch of people, it feels like I’ve known them all for years even though it’s only been three months.
What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
‘Don’t put off til tomorrow something which you can do today... unless soup club is about to convene, there’s a party to go to, a hangover to be cured, fic to be read, fic to be written, or Supernatural to watch instead.’
What quote can be used to sum up your year?
“Throw those curtains wide / One day like this a year’ll see me right.” - ‘One Day Like This’, Elbow.
2010
Will you be looking for a new job in 2010?
Probably, depending on my finances once dissertations are finished, caminos are completed and travels have hopefully been had.
Will you be looking for a new relationship?
As last year, I hope not! More than happy with the one I have, thank you
New house?
Thanks to Mum and Dad’s generous offer of me moving back home before travelling/camino-ing, probably not.
What will you do differently in '10?
I will do all my work WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE DEADLINE.
New Year's resolution?
See above.
What will you not be doing in '10?
That’s a bit of an abtract question. There are many things I won’t be doing in 2010, such as: giving blow-jobs to camels, tattoo-ing Bruce Forsyth's likeness onto one of my arse cheeks, and (MOST IMPORTANTLY) voting Tory.
Any trips planned?
London in January for a placement at the National Gallery; London again in March for TNA visit; Fethiye/Istanbul in the summer (fingers crossed!); St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Frances in October.
Wedding plans?
Nope.
What's on your calendar?
On my calendars are the thoughts of Edward Monkton, Gene Hunt and his many words of wisdom, and David Tennant in a variety of garish suits. Important dates will be: London placement 11th-22nd January, Derren Brown 2nd March, birthday on 22nd April, end of taught part of course on 7th June, and dissertation deadline 17th September.
What can't you wait for?
The end of the MA: it’s far too much like hard work and feels far too removed from the real world.
What would you like to see happen differently?
No pulling all-nighters to meet deadlines, though frankly I’m not optimistic.
What about yourself will you be changing?
My clothes, frequently. Every day, in fact.
What happened in '09 that you didn't think would ever happen?
A number of much-loved slebs died, making me feel suddenly very old.
Will you be nicer to the people you care about?
I’ll certainly try; they deserve to be treated nicely.
Will you dress differently this year than you did in '09?
MOAR DRESSES. The Monsoon sale helped this become a realistic goal.
Will you start or quit drinking?
Well, I certainly won’t be quitting. The life of a tee-totaller isn’t one I’m yet (or ever likely to be) ready to embrace.
Will you better your relationship with your family?
I’ll make every effort not to let time spent at home with them turn me into a sulky fifteen-year-old, however difficult this may be.
Will you do charity work?
Er, are we counting CND? Yes.
Will you go to bars?
Certainly.
Will you be nice to people you don't know?
Yes, of course.
Do you expect 2010 to be a good year for you?
Yes, I hope it will be.
How much did you change from this time last year till now?
Not much, but enough.
Do you plan on having a child?
Er, no.
Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now?
They’re all lovely, so yes.
Will you be moving?
Yes, Leicestershire-wards, and then who knows?
What will you make sure doesn't happen in '10 that happened this year?
Piss-poor financial management leading to personal banking fail.
What are your New Years Eve plans?
A night in with lord_jagged.
Will you have someone to kiss at midnight?
I should certainly hope so :)
Wish for 2010?
To be happy, and for everyone I care about to have a wonderful year.
Happy new year, everyone! x
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