I would choose eloquence and being a good public speaker. Often, I feel like I have all these thoughts that are just waiting for expression, but I can't find the words and/or don't have the nerve to say them. I think having this ability would relieve a lot of frustration.

Title: Invasion
Author: bookish_brownie
Word Count: 1222
Rating: PG-13, for Dondo and his actions and implications
Summary: The merriment in her eyes was underscored by a glittering rage and sharp satisfaction (CoC, 158). What made Betriz and Iselle seek humiliation for Dondo dy Jironal?
Author's Note: I've been fascinated with the Lady Pig scene since the first time I read The Curse of Chalion. Of all the descriptions Bujold could have chosen, she chose "glittering rage and sharp satisfaction." It made me wonder what was going on behind the scenes to make Betriz so angry. I hope that I've done the backstory some justice. A few lines of dialogue are taken directly from page 159 of my edition of the book.

( Invasion )

I feel normal!! On Thursday, my doctor prescribed me a birth control pill to help get my cycle under control. I'm not sure if I've been on it long enough to be able to attribute my better mood to it, but I don't care. I'm so relieved!

...is the longest week ever!

I want to be done. Sunday cannot come soon enough.

I cannot wait for this week to be over. I have had an awful past few days. I have lots of work to do, and one other person and I are in charge of organizing a big party for our dorm.

( Cut because of possible health TMI )But I have to believe that things will get better.

I'm totally getting into the holiday spirit. I know it's only the beginning of November, but stores are starting to be decked out and holiday ads are on tv. Today I've been listening to "Winter Song" and I had a Starbucks peppermint mocha. I watched a Thanksgiving episode of "Hank." I changed the layout of my LJ to a pretty, holiday-inspired theme. I really love the holidays, so I'm happy to see the season gearing up, even though I think it takes over everywhere too early.

11 days until Star Trek comes out on DVD!

136 days till my birthday!

Title: The Sweetest Thing
Author: bookish_brownie
Rating: G
Word Count: 1488
Summary: Post-DH alternate universe. Remus remembers his first kiss with Dora while their family gathers to celebrate Christmas.
Author's Notes: This fic is rather unseasonal, but I actually wrote most of it for last year's metamorfic_moon Pink Christmas Advent; I'm only almost a year late. It takes place in 2023, and is in the same world my story All Is Well , which I wrote for another metamorfic_moonevent. In this AU, Remus and Tonks have three children, Teddy, of course, (25), Maura (22), Rhiannon (Rhia) (17).

 

( The Sweetest Thing )

 

There's a story by Poe called "The Imp of the Perverse." I don't remember much about it but the take away message is that of some guy listening to a little voice in his head that convinces him to do something that he knows very well is incredibly stupid. I just really like the title and use it to refer to people's particular vices. It works for many different things, any sort of irrational addiction that one cannot seem to stop.

Mine is procrastination. No matter how many times I get stressed out over a paper that I'm finishing at the last minute and tell myself that I'll do better next time, it still happens. Oddly enough, it only happens with papers; I'll do reading in small increments throughout a week or even be a few classes ahead, but I can't seem to do it with writing. I think it maybe a form of subtle self-sabotage; I don't want to do it, but I can't get out of the cycle. I'm doing a little better this year, but not great.

For example, I'm still finishing a paper that's due by midnight (and I have numerous other things to do this afternoon). It's not so bad when I'm writing, but it takes me so long to hype myself up to write that I get myself in trouble. AHHHHHHHHHH!!! I know it's my fault, and I have been trying. I just feel that there are lots of internal forces that I'm fighting, and I'm not even sure what they are.

Oh, well, I will do better. I can't give up the hope of that. I must. There are no buts about it, and I know I can do what I set my mind to.

I have to go to class and then finish the paper.

ETA: The imp is alive and well, but a little over a page. Just do it! (sorry, talking to myself) Arrhrhrhrh!!!

ETA 2: I finished with significant time to spare, but it was too close. I really need to get my act together.

ZACHARY QUINTO IS GOD!!!!

No, I have not turned into an overly obsessive fangirl. Zachary Quinto actually is God. Well, he played God on an episode of Joan of Arcadia (season 2, episode 7, to be exact). I was watching a few old episodes on YouTube, and I am so happy that I did. He was God as a videographer for a TV station or something. It was so awesome! He was scruffy, and his hair was mussed. I was bouncing up and down in my seat when I saw him.

I'm still so excited about it!!!!!!!!!! (I am easily amused.) The role was better than a creepy serial killer (the latest episode of Heroes really was too much, even though I guess Sylar was in character). And it's equal to a pointy-eared, logical alien.

SO MUCH FUN!!!

p.s.- This is my 100th LiveJournal entry; I think that's pretty cool.

p.p.s.- Happy Halloween!

I made a goal to read 75 books this year. I think may achieve it; I have to read nine more books (and finish 6) by December 31 at 11:59 PM. It's getting a little tight, but I think it could happen.

 

( Cut because I've read a lot of books )
My favorite books so far this year have been by Lois McMaster Bujold, 16 of whose books I've read. I'm so glad that I discovered her because she is too awesome and talented for words. I want to be her when I grow up. My favorite books of hers that I've read are The Curse of Chalion and Ethan of Athos. I'm really looking forward to finishing her Vorkosigan Saga in anticipation Cryoburn, which is supposed to come out next November. My least favorite book has been Waiting for the Barbarians; I don't care if Coetzee has one won (I don't know why I did that) the Nobel Prize for literature, I still really disliked that book.

Well, I have work to do, and I should do it so I have time to complete books. 

This is an awesome question! I can't choose just one so I'm going to list my top five.

1. Lupe dy Cazaril (The Curse of Chalion)- He would have lots of interesting stories to tell (although I'm sure a lot of them would not be suitable dinner table conversation). I think that he would be polite to any date because he's used to court manners. He's just an all-around wondeful character.

2. Remus Lupin (Harry Potter)- see above; he and Cazaril are very similar. But the date must not take place on the evening of the full moon or the day after. You could probably also count on Remus to pull a mild, funny prank or tell an amusing story.

3. Aragorn/Estel/Strider etc. (The Lord of the Rings, especially the Viggo Mortensen version)- He could pass a whole evening introducing himself and listing all his names. He's the perfect kingly, chivalrous figure; he would also have lots of stories and ancient lore to tell.

4. Spock (Star Trek 2009 Zachary Quinto version)- I'm sure I would be intimidated to talk with him, but intelligence is attractive. I'd be happy just to listen to him expound on various scientific theories (and to look at him ;) )

5. Miles Vorkosigan (Vorkosigan Saga)- He would be sure to amuse and to keep the conversation moving. I'm not sure he could sit still through a whole dinner, but his antics , charm, and charisma would always entertain.

Title: In the Sight of the Gods
Author: bookish_brownie
Word Count: 6912 so far
Rating: PG so far, some may be PG-13
Summary: A collection of mostly unrelated ficlets and one-shots for the Curse of Chalion.


1. Chapter 1: Inheritance
2. Chapter 2: Inference
3. Chapter 3: Injunctions
4. Chapter 4: Inhale
5. Chapter 5: Indication
6. Chapter 6: Injury
7. Chapter 7: Iniquity
8. Chapter 8: Indisputable
9. Chapter 9: Interludes
10. Chapter 10: Invasion

I've been doing well with eating more healthfully and working out this week. I was starting to notice negative changes in my body because of poor health habits, but I'm reigning myself back in. I only missed working out on Tuesday and Wednesday this past week; I always feel so good when I'm done that I want to make sure I fit in gym time, even when I'm busy and stressed. Eating healthy foods is harder, but I am trying (intermittently).

I think it's time to start my birthday countdown. I am ridiculously fond of my birthday. I really countdown all year, but I think it's okay to start the days because it's less than half the year away; actually, it's five months from today. And it's my last big one for a while. I'm turning twenty-one. I don't know why I'm so excited about it, except that it's my last bar to "adulthood." I suppose I'm looking forward to having my first legal drink, but I'm really not interested in alcohol or getting drunk and waking up with a hangover the next day. Well, it's another year older and that's excitement enough.

151 days to go!

There are no words. I found a Harry Potter/Mulan Crossover in which Albus Severus Potter is paid to marry Mulan, and then a whole bunch of weird stuff happens at the end. It was written so ridiculously that I thing it may be deliberately bad, but it was still amazing, in a horrifying way. There are a whole bunch of other crossovers, but that one stuck out to me.

Title: A Sense Sublime
Author: bookish_brownie
Word Count: 1406
Rating and Warnings: PG; pure, unashamed fluff
Summary: Remus and Tonks share a quiet evening. OOTP era.
A/N: This story is over a year old. I forgot about, but I've spent some time lately tweaking it. The title is from a poem that I mention briefly in the story, "Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey..." by William Wordsworth; it's always struck me as a very Remus-esque poem.

 

( A Sense Sublime )

I don't like being in charge of things. I know it's good to practice having responsibility over a project or other people, but I still don't like it. I know I signed up to be President of my house. It's just that things are not going well. Our membership shrunk drastically from last year, our student group status has been downgraded, no one's attending our events to try and encourage more people to get involved, few people in the house are volunteering.

And I don't know how to lead them. I've never led anything. I don't know how to lead meetings or delegate tasks or inspire people to want to get stuff done. I feel like I'm in over my head, and I'm worried that the house that I love very much is going to continue to fall apart.

Plus, I have so much reading and other work to do. I have a paper due on Thursday that's not going very well. I can't do all the reading I need to complete and work on that. I can't stop thinking about how in two weeks it's going to be hell week in which I have 3 papers and a presentation. I keep reading and writing, but there's always more. I think that next semester I have to take fewer reading and writing centered classes.

This post hasn't been very cheery, but I'm going to dinner soon; hopefully, I'll feel better after that. 

Title: Interludes
Author:

bookish_brownie
Word Count:1520
Rating and Warnings: PG, gratuitous kissing :)
Summary: Betriz and Cazaril meet several times throughout a day; fluff ensues.

 

 

( Interludes )

 

Today is the two year anniversary of my first posted fanfiction. A lot has happened in those two years, both in real life and fiction-wise. I first got into fanfiction because I was really upset about Remus' and Tonks' deaths in Deathly Hallows. I did not realize how vast the fandom already was. I devoured all the stories about them that I could find, and I then realized that I could write as well as read them.

I really didn't know what I was doing when I started. I'd like to think that I've learned a little since then. I have expanded into a few other fandoms, but I will always have a special love of Remus/Tonks. I used to write Star Wars and Lord of the Rings fanfiction (before I knew it was called fanfiction) when I was about thirteen, but I only started writing seriously when I became involved with the Harry Potter fandom.

I have incipient dreams of one day being a published novelist. I know my writing's not nearly good enough right now (although we do live in world where Stephenie Meyer can get published), but I credit fanfiction with opening my creativity to new original ideas.

I can't believe it's been two years already. I hope to writing fanfiction for years to come.

I love my shiny new default icon. Strider/Aragorn/Elessar/... was my first literary love, and I still think he's an amazing character, but I'd forgotten how much I adore him. Remus, Cazaril, and more recently, Spock have taken the top spots in my list of favorite fictional men, but Aragorn will always be special. I'm having my parents bring up my Lord of the Rings books and DVDs that I haven't read or watched for years when they visit this weekend, and I'm excited.

One of the main reasons for my nostalgia is that I'm PMSing really badly. I've always had bad PMS symptoms, but it's particularly horrible this time. Yesterday I was really hyper and irritable; today I'm very sad and have already cried several times for no real reason. Earlier, I walked past someone who was crying and had to fight really hard to hold back choking sobs. I also have bad cramps and other stomach problems. All in all it was a nasty day.

But it was mostly redeemed by my new icons and this post in the spock_uhura community. It's a gagreel from Star Trek 2009, and it is one of the most hilarious things I have ever seen. I've watched it three times and it hasn't lost its charm. It makes me more impatient for the DVD to come out on November 17.