I Always Have Two Birthdays
My goodness, it feels like it's been a while since I've actually written anything of substance on here. Eek. In my defense, it's hot, I'm on vacation, I visited family this weekend, and I'm working on this sickeningly fluffy piece (again). Can Five really be fluffy? Romantic even? I'm not really sure but it seems like the plot bunnies are sure to make me try and have it happen. Plus, it's already two thousand words in so it looks like it'll be finished by today. *shrug*
I only have a few days left of my vacation but I'm not letting that bother me. For a couple of days, after the relaxation had settled down and I was starting to think of all the things I wanted to do in a week, I was starting to become anxious about going back to work even if I hadn't even reached the half-way point. It's hard just going on vacation for just one week, where you still feel the pressures of work somewhere distant, but being a rather new employee, I get minimal vacation hours per year. I'd love to just use up all of my time and take this whole week off as well but, as I had known before, I'm covering for my fellow co-workers at the Annex Thursday and Friday. Or, at least one of those days. But enough talk about work.
I visited my step-mother and her husband this week and found myself to be an extremely relaxed individual. I laughed freely and often, made fun of others, and almost choked on my corn during dinner because I was laughing so hard. They were also sweet and celebrated my birthday over a month late. My step-mother made me a gorgeous cake from scratch: two chocolate cake layers separated by a layer of cream and cherry preserves all covered in a vanilla frosting. I've mentioned the from scratch part, right? Yup, from scratch. I watched her make everything, except the cake layers, and saw all of the butter go into the frosting and the cream. At least I got to lick from the bowl, which she was greatly amused by. I sometimes forget that she never had children of her own (medical issues, I do believe) and most of the time I knew her, and from her husband's children, we didn't really make cake. Just the whole idea surprised me that she was so amused by the fact that I was licking the bowl. You're never too old to do that!
They were also generous when it came to my gifts (which is almost always the case). I received A Game of Thrones but, when I mentioned to it that I had already read it years ago, and still have my copy, they brought my downtown to grab the latest book, A Dance with Dragons instead. I also received Barbara Kingsolver's novel Prodigal Summer and Elizabeth Strout's Amy and Isabelle (thoughts on these, anyone? Strout's book looks interesting and the prose, upon first glance, looks wonderfully long and complex). Guess I have some reading to do. There's also a new rug and big pillow adoring my apartment now. Before that, I bought myself copies of DWM, DWI, Edge, and Games for my magazine fix. Yup, lots and lots of reading.
Other things I've done for my vacation is watch Miracle Day (still good), play video games (also good), and have somehow gotten myself back into an old fandom I lurked in for years. Of all the things I got out of watching it again, I realized how much my idolized female character was put down for being smart. Me thinks I'm not so happy with said fandom canon. I'm also two stories away from having a complete Five collection and, much to my chagrin, I doubt The Caves of Androzani will be re-released in NA anytime soon. Hey! BBC! Get with it!
Now, the only things left I really want to do with my vacation is to finish up this challenge for TTU (is there such a thing as too fluffy?) and throw care to the wind and do whatever the hell I want for the next 48 some-odd hours. If I stay up until four am and wake at one pm, so be it. If I see a matinee for the last Harry Potter movie by myself, hopefully avoiding the crowds, so be it. If I grab my latest ME2 Team Lithograph and framed it for my wall, then so be it. And, if I spend another $200 on a Big Finish subscription...well...so be it. :)
Like all vacations that have you doing nothing, I'm feeling as relaxed as I have in a long time. It's refreshing and, sometimes, a tad sad. I wish I had more time to spend, more time to use, more time to have but, like all humans, our time is limited in this adventure we call life and all I can do is make the most of it. For once, I think I'm doing ok.
Now, off to finish this ridiculous, and my first, Five fic. If I think I've got his voice down (which is so contrasting and full of opposites that I never know which one he is. His character, from the way I see it, is one of the more complex I've ever come across. It's been a delightful challenge) I'll be writing more, perhaps a small series. And I've even tossed around the idea of getting into some of my longer plot bunnies and reduce some of my other fandom duties. Oh, and I need to get on a writing quota for each day. Fifteen minutes a day is minimal, even if most of it could be done in my head. :)
Alright, back to writing. Then more video games. Then perhaps catch up on my flist and inbox (again and again and again). *is relaxed* I could get used to this.
I only have a few days left of my vacation but I'm not letting that bother me. For a couple of days, after the relaxation had settled down and I was starting to think of all the things I wanted to do in a week, I was starting to become anxious about going back to work even if I hadn't even reached the half-way point. It's hard just going on vacation for just one week, where you still feel the pressures of work somewhere distant, but being a rather new employee, I get minimal vacation hours per year. I'd love to just use up all of my time and take this whole week off as well but, as I had known before, I'm covering for my fellow co-workers at the Annex Thursday and Friday. Or, at least one of those days. But enough talk about work.
I visited my step-mother and her husband this week and found myself to be an extremely relaxed individual. I laughed freely and often, made fun of others, and almost choked on my corn during dinner because I was laughing so hard. They were also sweet and celebrated my birthday over a month late. My step-mother made me a gorgeous cake from scratch: two chocolate cake layers separated by a layer of cream and cherry preserves all covered in a vanilla frosting. I've mentioned the from scratch part, right? Yup, from scratch. I watched her make everything, except the cake layers, and saw all of the butter go into the frosting and the cream. At least I got to lick from the bowl, which she was greatly amused by. I sometimes forget that she never had children of her own (medical issues, I do believe) and most of the time I knew her, and from her husband's children, we didn't really make cake. Just the whole idea surprised me that she was so amused by the fact that I was licking the bowl. You're never too old to do that!
They were also generous when it came to my gifts (which is almost always the case). I received A Game of Thrones but, when I mentioned to it that I had already read it years ago, and still have my copy, they brought my downtown to grab the latest book, A Dance with Dragons instead. I also received Barbara Kingsolver's novel Prodigal Summer and Elizabeth Strout's Amy and Isabelle (thoughts on these, anyone? Strout's book looks interesting and the prose, upon first glance, looks wonderfully long and complex). Guess I have some reading to do. There's also a new rug and big pillow adoring my apartment now. Before that, I bought myself copies of DWM, DWI, Edge, and Games for my magazine fix. Yup, lots and lots of reading.
Other things I've done for my vacation is watch Miracle Day (still good), play video games (also good), and have somehow gotten myself back into an old fandom I lurked in for years. Of all the things I got out of watching it again, I realized how much my idolized female character was put down for being smart. Me thinks I'm not so happy with said fandom canon. I'm also two stories away from having a complete Five collection and, much to my chagrin, I doubt The Caves of Androzani will be re-released in NA anytime soon. Hey! BBC! Get with it!
Now, the only things left I really want to do with my vacation is to finish up this challenge for TTU (is there such a thing as too fluffy?) and throw care to the wind and do whatever the hell I want for the next 48 some-odd hours. If I stay up until four am and wake at one pm, so be it. If I see a matinee for the last Harry Potter movie by myself, hopefully avoiding the crowds, so be it. If I grab my latest ME2 Team Lithograph and framed it for my wall, then so be it. And, if I spend another $200 on a Big Finish subscription...well...so be it. :)
Like all vacations that have you doing nothing, I'm feeling as relaxed as I have in a long time. It's refreshing and, sometimes, a tad sad. I wish I had more time to spend, more time to use, more time to have but, like all humans, our time is limited in this adventure we call life and all I can do is make the most of it. For once, I think I'm doing ok.
Now, off to finish this ridiculous, and my first, Five fic. If I think I've got his voice down (which is so contrasting and full of opposites that I never know which one he is. His character, from the way I see it, is one of the more complex I've ever come across. It's been a delightful challenge) I'll be writing more, perhaps a small series. And I've even tossed around the idea of getting into some of my longer plot bunnies and reduce some of my other fandom duties. Oh, and I need to get on a writing quota for each day. Fifteen minutes a day is minimal, even if most of it could be done in my head. :)
Alright, back to writing. Then more video games. Then perhaps catch up on my flist and inbox (again and again and again). *is relaxed* I could get used to this.