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[Nov. 7th, 2009|08:38 am] |
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my name is rayna, i'm 17, a senior in high school, and live in rhode island. i decided to start a new journal just because i thought it would be fun to look back on this year come springtime! i am currently in search of colleges so this may be a space to rant, but other than that, i usually to update pretty regularly about completely random things that are going on, usually with pictures because i tend to carry my camera wherever i go. i love reading and commenting and can normally find common ground with anyone, so don't be afraid to add! |
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| So bad it's hysterical |
[Nov. 7th, 2009|05:40 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  amused | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Voltaire - Almost Human | ] |
Still holding off on the concert report until I get the pics from ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) doombuggie, but this is the opening act.
Yes, this song was performed. There was a cover of "Beth" by Kiss as well.
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| into the mist.... |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|09:04 pm] |
Werd count: 3,276
I feel bad stopping, and part of me says that I can keep going, but the smarter part of me recognizes that I've just hit the wall and anything further I end up writing will be crap. So I'm gonna lay off and go play some video games. Tomorrow is another day. And I want ice cream. Also, I keep picturing Brian as Josh Duhamel instead of Paul Walker, and this is a real problem. Really.
Still working on my list, if anyone feels like throwing a dog a bone. Anyone? |
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[Nov. 6th, 2009|09:44 pm] |
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hello ladies & gents! my name is ashley and i'm 20. i live in cincinnati, which means i'm a bearcats and bengals fan. i post random stuff A LOT. my friends page doesn't move enough :( so i'm looking for a lot of people to add. britney spears, sunshine, the gossip girl cast, football season, chipotle, kim kardashian, facebook, mascara, diet coke, forever 21, glitter and bright nail polish are some of my favorite things. my last.fm is here, if anyone is interested in our music compatibility. i'll add anyone! |
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| oh damn |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|08:12 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Voltaire - Almost Human | ] |
Can't seem to wake up.
Concert account will come when I get pix from doombuggie.
I sleep more. |
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| Moral of the story: Don't Lie |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|08:30 pm] |
So, for a while, my grandmother (who is in her mid-80s) has been in and out of the hospital. It started when she fell in her kitchen and scrapped herself up pretty good. Since then she has claimed to have fallen in her apartment several times - each time ending up in the hospital.
It turns out that this was a lie. She had not fallen and she was just using the hospital to get attention from her family.
Okay, a little background. My grandmother has always been a little bit, no, scratch that...a lot manipulative. She has always been the first person to lay a guilt trip on somebody. It wouldn't matter how many times you visited with her or went over to see her, it would never be enough. And while you were visiting, you would be treated to all the gossip about everyone else - even people you didn't know. This talking behind other's back has cost her a friend that she had had for 25 years, but that is another story.
This leads to now, with her being in the hospital. While in the hospital she starts not only playing up the "can't walk" thing (yet refuses a wheelchair) but also starts telling falsehoods of neglect to the nursing staff. This leads to the staff calling in a caseworker from the state. She lied and said that her family never checks on her or visits her.
Grandma is assigned the caseworker and the woman calls all grandma's children (one being my mother). She tells my mother, my aunt and my uncle that grandma needs round the clock care and that they have 24 hours to figure out what to do with her.
Well, my aunt lives in a cramped trailer over 2 hours away, my mother is nursing a broken knee and is in the process of moving and my uncle - well, he has frickin' power of attorney over grandma, which is why he checks on her damn near ever day. But Grandma lied about people visiting her, so therefore the state thinks that the family is neglecting an old woman. This despite the fact that my uncle and my cousin, D, check on her on a daily basis and my other cousin, W, drives her around.
So, due to all her lies, she no longer can go back to her apartment. The apartment where she had a lot of freedom to do what she wanted to do and all the independence to do it. Now, the state is going to send her right from the hospital to a nursing home. One in which she has to be signed in and signed out and they dictate the schedule.
Well, I hope that she is satisfied with what her lying has given her in the end. I am quite sure that it was not her expected outcome. I can just shake my head at the situation. She didn't want to go to a home when the family asked her before, and now, she will probably end up in the same one where she committed her own mother. Irony, this has it.
So, the moral of the story is: don't lie. See, people will find out and it will come back to bite you (even if it takes a while). I wish I had sympathy for her, but knowing what a liar she is...it may seem awful of me, but I just don't.
I am sure the family can fight the state on the case of neglect to get her back into her apartment, but you know, she has so many of us burned out and just burned now, that I don't know how many of us give a damn. Hell, maybe in the nursing home she will have whatever she wants now - people who she can talk trash to about other people and the opportunity to bitch to us how she is being treated. I hate to say it, but I don't recognize this woman any longer and I really don't like who she has become. |
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| "but the door hasn't swing shut yet" |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|04:53 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | home from starbucks | ] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  creative | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | gin playing ff12 | ] |
Whew! So going to Starbucks appears to agree with me. I've managed to get over two thousand words written today, and it was on "Marmalade". Hurrah for that. ^_^ Dunno if I'll write more, but I intend to try. Also, Tay helps me think of more tropes and cliches and such, which is a bonus. <3
Man, I wanna be done with "Marmalade". It's cute but I'm ready to be finished. I'm only up to the part right after Jimmy bites it, dammit. But things are a little truncated, since Dean can read minds (not everyone's, but Cassie's mother was wide open), and they have Dom and Brian on the Hunt as well, so it won't take them as long in my AU as it took them in canon. Plus there will be no Dean fucking Cassie. =.=;;
Gin's playing FF12 now, so I should get on trying to write. ^_^ Here I go, wishing myself luck!
*crosses fingers* |
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| Final Reminder for Bookshops |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|10:37 pm] |
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http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/final-reminder-for-bookshops.html A quick reminder (as I was just asked) that today is the day that the bookshop Graveyard Book party reports have to be in to Harper Collins. By 9 pm PST.
http://files.harpercollins.com/Mktg/HarperChildrens/PDF/GraveyardContest_rules.pdf are the rules and info for those who lost them.
Hi Mr. Gaiman,
I was disappointed today to read you won't be part of the judging for The Graveyard Book contests. My not-wealthy, middle-of-nowhere bookstore just sent in its entry, and something we're concerned about is the fairness of judging.
For example, independent bookstores like Powell's (I'm sure you know) easily have enough money and are in a convenient enough location to ask you to come at one time or another. Against stores like that, who were able to put more money into their parties, we stand little chance.
I don't think that it's a lost cause for us; we were very creative. I'm just nervous to know you won't be judging. Can you tell me whether you think the judges will take things like size and location of bookstores into account? It would make me sleep a little easier until the results are announced.
Tusen takk,
Allison
Well, per the rules, the judging is based on:
(i) Overall creativity of the Party, as demonstrated by the invitations, signage, decorations, activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
(ii) Customer attendance and response (i.e., enthusiasm, costumes, participation).
(iii) Ability to capture and represent the spirit of The Graveyard Book.
...specifically to reward creativity, and not the ability to outspend other shops. (That was also why the party had to actually be at the bookshop, and not at another location.)
I asked my editor, Elise Howard, and she said,
Gosh, yes. Here's what we think is happening. We are looking at all the entries. On Monday, we'll send you the best 11, from which you will choose the Grand Prize Winner. The rest will get the first-prize package. So the short answer is that you ARE helping to choose.
The longer answer is that we will be very fair and will consider creativity, which includes work done with available resources, along with pure execution. (Don't you think? We haven't done anything yet; still waiting for more entries to come in.)
...which means that
a) I was wrong and will be the ultimate judge, from the shortlist. (Damn.)
and
b) everyone's on a level playing field.
Does that help reassure you?
PS -- Widgett's Graveyard Book Dessert competition winners have been announced over at http://www.needcoffee.com/2009/11/06/graveyard-book-dessert-challenge-winners/.
This one had NOTHING to do with me at all. But lor' the winning desserts look tasty... |
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| Cubicle of Unfathomable Awesomeness! |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|06:26 pm] |
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http://cuteoverload.com/2009/11/06/cubicle-of-unfathomable-awesomeness/ http://cuteoverload.com/?p=34605 We’ve all seen them, envied them: They are the Cubicles of Unfathomable Awesomeness, beacons of style in the soulless sea of the modern workplace. Is your cubicle unfathomably awesome? Look for these tell-tale signs:
- Multiple pages from the Cute Overload Page-A-Day Calendar, the only calendar specially formulated to melt away those stressful brain cells.
- The almost-nearly-completely-as-cool calendar for the ASPCA!
- Pen. (Pens rock!)
- Telephone with more buttons than the Millennium Falcon.
- Web browser open to Google Analytics, bringing instant karmic enlightenment to statistics junkies.
And the crowning touch, the crème de la cool…
Cool pup + cool job = cool you, Ayumi S.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: Calendar, Pups       |
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| Puppy Dog Eyes, Definish of |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|03:43 pm] |
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http://cuteoverload.com/2009/11/06/puppy-dog-eyes-definish-of/ http://cuteoverload.com/?p=33914 “So-called ‘puppydog eyes don’t exist!” you say. “PROVE IT” you say. “Prove it with photography from various Sender-Inners!”
OK then. Here goes:
CASE CLOSED!
Maverick the Anatolian Shepherd Dog by Kristin S. Black and white pup eyes look up by Amanda M. Irish Setter pupples by Paige P. Snow puppydog eyes by Amanda G. Bailey M. sent us puppy Stuart’s eyes. “Higgs Waking Up” is the work of Aurélia M. Jack the Pup is by Phoebe E., and finally, Gavin the Bernese Mountain Dog Puppulence is by Corliss. Final pup added last minute: Beagle mix by Martha P. 
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: Pups       |
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| We’re Not Even Touching This One |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|01:18 pm] |
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http://cuteoverload.com/2009/11/06/were-not-even-touching-this-one/ http://cuteoverload.com/?p=34452 Sometimes, truth is funnier than fiction, so here’s sender-inner Kimberley H.:
This is little baby Rufi, our four-month-old chihuahua. He loves a bit of warmth, so when Nick my boyfriend called me from the bathroom to “show me something cute” I was initially a bit unsure… then lo and behold what do I see but Rufi nestled in the warm underwear nook!
Ew!
![[Can't touch this MCHammer clip]](http://cuteoverload.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/doh.jpg?w=500&h=500 "[Can't touch this MCHammer clip]")
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: Gee-ross!, Pups       |
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| Just WOW |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|02:26 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  enthralled | ] |
Concert was epic.
Voltaire is a Messenger of Fate.
More later. |
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| Note to self: Nights are for sleeping, Days are for Being Awake. |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|05:09 am] |
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http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/11/note-to-self-nights-are-for-sleeping.html Still trying to get back onto a diurnal schedule. (And, I should add, failing.)
Maddy and I started watching the new season of Sarah Jane Adventures tonight, which seems back on form after a dodgy second season.
Many amazing things waiting for me when I got home -- I still haven't gone through them all yet -- but today's mail brought me a copy of the Fantagraphics Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons book. Three glorious volumes. I wrote the introduction to Volume 2, and thus got it for free. (If you're curious, there are many Gahan Wilson Playboy cartoons up at this website. There's a Gahan Wilson virtual museum over at http://www.gahanwilson.com
And, of course, although I posted it before, it bears repeating that you can watch the film that Steven-Charles Jaffe made of the "Dark and Silly Night" comic Gahan and I did for art spiegelman and Francoise Mouly's Little Lit at the New Yorker site, or here:
And if I'd been here for Hallowe'en I would have posted it here then. Which reminds me, The Graveyard Book party season is over. Over thirty independent bookshops had Graveyard Book parties (The ABA's Bookselling This Week reports on thirteen of the parties -- and the shops -- at http://news.bookweb.org/7149.html.) The very best one of all will get me in their shop doing a signing in December and, looking at these thirteen, I am very glad I am not any kind of a judge for the awards.
My only hope is that the shop that wins will be somewhere warm. But most of the places on the party map will be just as cold by December as my house. (Vague and only climate-based relief that HarperCollins said No to Alaska in the rules mingles with vague and selfish disappointment that they also said No to Hawaii.)
It looks like the CBS Sunday Morning profile on me is going out this Sunday, the 8th, 9:00-10:30 AM, ET. According to this website:
Correspondent Serena Altschul visits author Neil Gaiman -- the tender-hearted master of the macabre -- whose books, including Coraline and The Graveyard Book have topped best-seller lists for 25 years.
.. which left me wanting to go "I am NOT a tender-hearted master of the macabre, I am in fact VERY SCARY INDEED," but I suspect I would convince nobody.
Thrilled to see that Odd and the Frost Giants was listed as one of Amazon.com's Best Books of 2009. While I was in China The Graveyard Book was listed as one of the ALA's teens top ten for 2009 as well, an award voted on by over 11,000 teens. (And I made it onto the list with lots of other good people.)
Also, Fragile Things was awarded the French 2010 Les Grands Prix de l’Imaginaire Award for translated short fiction. My thanks to the judges, but mostly to the translator, who in this case is the incredibly talented Michel Pagel. If I ever look good, do well, sell books or am popular in a foreign country, it's because of the translators, and they never get enough thanks or acclaim. And I think I'll post the cover here, because I never have.  I am becoming hooked on http://curiousexpeditions.org. I was extremely disappointed by the news on the current status of Argleton in Lancashier, especially so since I was hoping to buy a house there. I was going to move to Chako Paul City in Sweden instead, but appear to be the wrong gender and orientation. So probably I'll stay home.
(Hmm. You know, posting that French book-cover reminds me that there are some really beautiful new covers out there right now, especially from Poland and Russia. I know for I have signed them for people. I'll try and get some nice clean examples to put up here.)
And finally, a link to Joanne Leow's blog. It was lovely to see her again, four years on, when I went to Singapore - it was a great interview, and you can watch us chatting about writing, what I'm currently up to, signings, and why I don't write the same sorts of things twice in a row, at the Primetime Morning site: here's part 1 and part 2.
...
Dear Mr. Gaiman,
I was wondering if you would be so kind as to mention an upcoming art auction on your blog. The art auction is “art for hearts”. It is an auction of artwork donated by children’s illustrators such as Korky Paul, Lynne Chapman and An Vrombaut. Most of the artwork is original although there are also some signed digital prints and screen prints too.
All proceeds from the auction will be donated to help fund research by the transplant team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Transplanted organs do not have the same life expectancy as non-transplanted organs and the transplant team is looking at finding ways to combat this.
Full details of the auction are available to view at http://art-for-hearts.blogspot.com
It will run on Ebay for a week starting on the 2nd of November. To locate the items people will need to type "art for heart" into the search area and choose "Art" or "books" for items.
Many thanks,
Kristine Stacey
You're welcome. I think this link has everything for sale in the auction: http://shop.ebay.co.uk/scrawldog/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686 |
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| a faint outline hung there, of a silver key |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|10:02 pm] |
Werd count: 395
I'm not done with my lists, but I've got enough to post now. There may be some overlap here, which is only natural. Some of these may be in the wrong list, though I tried to be careful about that. Some of these are things I've already written, and some are cliches or kinks that I will never write, but put down here for the sake of thoroughness. (Although I certainly would've never thought I'd write mpreg, so I guess I shouldn't discount anything.) So! If you can think of any kink, cliche, or trope that I left off (anything, not just for SPN), please, please let me know. I'm trying to make this as comprehensive as possible and I only have one brain. ^_~
( Lists are in alphabetical order. )
Come on! Help me out! I know there's at least some kinks that I'm forgetting, and probably other stuff too!!! (I'm not putting scat on the list - that's the one thing I don't even want to think about and I don't consider it sexual, even though I know it is for some people. *shudders*) Don't make me beg!! ^o^;;;;
Eta: Gah! I forgot "bondage", "handcuffs", and "underage"! How does this happen?! See, people (I know that someone other than me must be reading this), this is why I need help! Consider this to be me begging! |
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| Thursday - Het & Other Slash |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|12:24 am] |
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http://community.livejournal.com/crack_impala/242502.html HET
Fire Ship
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) july_july_july | Dean/Jo | NC-17 | dub-con, character death
"I don't feel anything different."
Really dark and poignant. A great illustration of the way they fit together and break apart so nicely.
OTHER SLASH
All-in
maskedfangirl | Castiel/Patrick | NC-17 | Spoilers for 5x07
An angel and a warlock sit down for a friendly game of poker...that gets a little more than friendly.
A very nicely done coda to this episode that explores a vibrant and complex connection between these two characters. |
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| yo! |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|08:03 pm] |
NAME: Michelle
AGE: 20
INTERESTS; I like mythology, folklore, legends-- any story rife with history and culture. I really love astronomy and psychology; socionics is a branch of personality psychology and it is AWESOME. Music, technology, science, books, art....I have been interested in everything but economics and politics at one point or another.
HOBBIES; Playing piano and lounging about in hot tubs with a book. When it is warm out I love wandering outside in the woods or in towns/cities (not New York sized cities though, they freak me out) and exploring; biking or boating are cool too. I like to write and create art, in lieu of that I find something else to alter....whether that merely be rearranging my room. Work and school, also-- I'm a Psychology and Archeology student, currently unemployed as well as waiting to begin winter semester as a transfer student. Looong wait, it has been 3 months and about 1 to go still.
LOOKING FOR; I'm not terribly discriminating. No spam? Intolerance and bigotry make me pissy?
ANYTHING ELSE; Well, my favorite television shows are Merlin, Doctor Who, and Sherlock Holmes (Granada...Jeremy Brett is awesome). Battlestar Galactica (reimagined) is probably the best show ever, though it isn't my favorite. I love reading intelligent yet beautiful writing, such as Oscar Wilde; I also really like Tolkien and Conan Doyle. Classic rock (CCR, Blue Oyster Cult, Metallica, Boston, etc) is just gorgeous, but oftentimes nothing can beat a good piano concerto. The Shining is the best movie ever. LOL Now that I have bombarded you all with a string of slightly unrelated information....... ;) |
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[Nov. 5th, 2009|07:34 pm] |
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i know i probably have some of you added but i like new friends. i'm jac. i'm 17, i live in massachusetts. i really wish we could rewind back to halloween right about now. i'm a vegan, but no worries, i'm not one of those psycho ones that wants to kill non-vegan/vegetarians. i'm in love with edward scissorhands and i've currently got ashlee simpson's albums on repeat. add me si tu quieres because me gusta amigos |
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predatory
![[Can't touch this MCHammer clip]](http://cuteoverload.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/doh.jpg "[Can't touch this MCHammer clip]")
mellow
