So, I saw Star Trek: Into Darkness tonight. I read some review by someone who basically went on and on about how it didn't live up to the first one, and how the script had no tension, and how unnecessary it was to tie it to the original movies in any way anymore, because the first one already did that, and so on.

( Yeah, whatever dude.Collapse )

I have now plotted out Gryphon Precinct. I need to write a short story, finish editing a novel, and probably do some revisions on The Project That Cannot Be Named (Yet) before I can actually start writing it, but I now know the plot, and it's gonna be great, if I do say so myself.

Okay, that's a bit immodest, but -- well, things are gonna get shaken up a bit. There were already two changes to the status quo in Goblin Precinct, one as part of the plot, and one at the very end of the novel, and there's a lot more shakeups to come -- along with the usual mysteries, intrigue, magick, politicking, and character stuff. We'll learn some stuff about Danthres, too.

Enough teasing. Back to the grind............

Some stuff about me from A to Z:

A - Age: 44.
B - Bed size: Double, though I try to get a King when I'm in a hotel.
C - Chore you hate: Cleaning the litterbox, which is why that's Wrenn's job. ;)
D – Domestic Animals names: Scooter (dog), Jezebelle, Rhiannon, Sterling (cats).
E - Essential start to your day item(s): Coffee!
F - Favorite color: Red.
G - Gold or Silver: Silver.
H - Height: 5'8"
I - Instruments you play(ed): Recorder, various bits o' percussion.
J - Job title: Writer/Editor.
K - Kisses or hugs: Yes, though if I had to choose, I'd go with hugs.
L - Living arrangements: A three-bedroom apartment in the Bronx occupied by self, girlfriend, roommate, and the animals named in D.
M - Mood: Generally happy.
N - Nicknames: KRAD, Bongo Boy.
O - Overnight hospital stays other than birth: None, thankfully.
P - Pet Peeves: People who don't think shit through (which, sadly, is most people). People who use "between" to refer to more than two things (which, sadly, is also most people).
Q - Quote from a movie: "I don't know, I'm making this up as I go." Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Lost Ark.
R - Right or left handed: Right.
S - Siblings: Biologically, I'm an only child. However, Laura Anne Gilman is my sister by another mister.
T - Time you wake up: 6-8 hours after I go to sleep, whenever that is.
U - Underwear: Briefs.
V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussels sprouts, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower.
W - Ways you run late: Almost invariably due to the screwups of other people. I'm compulsively on time.
X - X-rays you've had: Plenty of dental ones, and my ankle once when I sprained it as a kid.
Y - Yummy food you make: Fried chicken, broiled lamb chops, tomato sauce (from scratch), pork braised in milk, "kitchen sink" casserole, chicken soup, some other stuff.
Z - Zoo favorite: Tigers!

revisited by this strange anxiety I get whenever I prepare for a trip. I have no idea what it is but I don't like it and nothing seems to make it better. I'm not sure if it's rooted deeply in the money woes or the hoarding ones but it's something.

Speaking of hoarding the house didn't get anywhere near as clean as it should have. I wish I had just said I'm not teaching this summer and had time to really just clean and throw because it would take that long but points up to the money woes.

My memory ones are getting bad too. It's like nothing sticks. Sigh.

But mostly this post is to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a_big_apple and anguisel. Hope you had a great day.


This will probably be the last declutter for a while since I won't be home for some time.

Declutter Day 79 item tossed - Computer box why kept - Yes I still had one left. I forgot about it. Why tossed - Recycle because it’s huge and in the way

Title -- Memory Scoop
Author-- cornerofmadness
Fandom -- Psycho-Pass
Disclaimer -- not mine, Gen Urobuchi owns all
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- Shinya Kogami
Timeline/Spoilers -- set within episode 13
Word Count -- 263
Warning -- none
Summary -- He’s surprised to learn he can still worry
Author’s Note -- written for fanfic_bakeoff. New anime for me (about halfway in). Not sure I’ll be writing much for it but it had a few things it wished to say.

( Memory ScoopCollapse )

Title -- Misfit Family
Author-- cornerofmadness
Fandom -- Psycho Pass
Disclaimer -- not mine, Gen Urobuchi owns all
Rating -- teen
Characters/Pairing -- Shusei Kagari
Timeline/Spoilers -- Set early in the series
Word Count -- 307
Warning -- none
Summary -- His family is made up of misfits
Author’s Note -- written for fanfic_bakeoff. New anime for me (about halfway in). Not sure I’ll be writing much for it but it had a few things it wished to say.

( Misfit FamilyCollapse )

Was talking to a girlfriend the other day and the subject of Actor Guy came up (okay, I brought him up). "I'm over it," I said, trying to sound blase, and I was struck at how unconvincing I was, even to myself. Shit, I'm totally not over it, I realized.

So annoyed about that. I'm feeling a little burned still from the whole thing and not interested in getting into any sort of dating situation. Part of it may be that I haven't had time to even think about attempting to have a love life again. But yeah, after the last two relationship flame-outs, I'm not exactly eager to give it another go. It requires so much energy -- and when the break-up happens, even more energy.

I suppose that's why hooking up with Mr. Drama is convenient. Last month, just after I learned I was losing my job, I was invited by Mr. Drama to be his guest at a movie premiere. Turned out it was a movie he'd worked on, and it was part of a showcase at the Newport Beach Film Festival, with a big party afterward. So I threw on a cute dress and went, eager for a night out after the shitty week I'd had.

I got to sit with Drama in a prime section of the theater roped off for cast and crew, and was introduced to the director and other crew members. The movie was pretty good -- not gut-bustingly hilarious, but solid enough to get picked up for distribution by a studio, and enough that I was impressed by Mr. Drama's work. Like a good supportive friend should, I whooped and hollered and clapped for him when they introduced him to the audience at the post-screening Q & A, and took pictures of him posing with the movie's poster in the theater lobby. In the parking lot, the director introduced Drama to the film's headliner, Jean-Claude Van Damme, who complimented Drama on his skills. He spotted me hanging back behind Drama, smiling sheepishly. The Muscles from Brussels stepped towards me.

"Hello, lady," he said, looking into my eyes. Hello "lady"?! What is he, Jerry Lewis? He was leaner and taller than I expected (as in, not shorter than me), and sort of leathery.

Anyway, we shook hands, and the three of us took a picture together. Drama and I posted it to Facebook, where we both got tons of "Likes". We went to the afterparty, giddy from the celebrity encounter, and loaded up on free food and drinks. The party was a zoo -- it was celebrating the entire film festival, and it seemed like every Real Housewife-type in Orange County was there, along with packs of men all dressed in a uniform of dark designer jeans, untucked dress shirt open at the collar, pointy shoes and sunglasses hanging off the backs of their carefully gelled heads. It felt like a casting cattle call for the Bravo network. Drama and I spent a lot of time people-watching and making snarky comments. Most of the action was outside in the chill night air, so he insisted on lending me his blazer. We made our way to a private room for those who'd worked on the movie and their guests. There Drama introduced me to some of the producers, the director's wife and the music supervisor, and we had a blast just chatting it up with them. At one point someone asked how Drama and I met.

"Oh, we're just friends," he said quickly. Ouch. Not that I have any wish to be more, but geez, did he have to say it so fast? It's not like I'm Frankenstein. Despite that, I felt like I was making a good impression, and he told me as much.

"You were the perfect date! You made the whole night even better, because it was obvious you were having a good time, and you laughed during the movie, and talked with everyone, and they all liked you. Thank you, thank you so much for coming," he said, and continued to thank me effusively, even after we went to grab a midnight snack at a diner. In turn, I thanked him for inviting me on the most fun night I'd had in a long time, and for making what started out as a horrible week (You're fired!) much better.

I have to say, the whole night made me a little sad. Before the movie screening, I listened as several of the actors from the cast laughed and joked in the row behind me. Something about their conversation sounded really familiar, and then it hit me -- it was like countless conversations I'd heard between AG and his actor friends. It wasn't the subject matter so much as the undercurrent of trying to be as funny and entertaining as the next guy (which isn't as exhausting as it sounds -- it's actually really stimulating). That, and the socializing with a bunch of film creatives totally reminded me of him. It had been such a long time since I'd been around so many entertainers (and I work at a movie studio). I always had so much fun when I was with AG, and I missed it. It also reminded me that I could be a good date for someone. I know I was a great date every time I went out with AG to some social setting, and it was nice to find I could still hold my own.

Maybe that's why I ended up sleeping over at Drama's house afterward. No sex, actual sleeping (though there was some making out and cuddling involved). It was really rather nice. Neither of us are interested in each other romantically, but there's a certain comfort in being able to be with each other as if we were. Friends with minor benefits?

Of course I'd love to be in a real relationship, but that requires so much. If I can get a periodic make-out session with Drama, I think that'll be enough for now.