He is still asleep!

 One of my tweets got quoted by the BBC!

FEBRUARY

Throughout February bushfires raged in south-eastern Australia, destroying entire towns and devastating communities.

The fires were the deadliest in history, claiming more than 200 lives.

On 09 February maenad_au wrote: "Whoa. Just found out that friends who moved to Kinglake lost their home but were among the 'lucky ones' who got out alive."

BBC News - 2009: the year on Twitter

I was linked to 13 signs your relationship is doomed via Shakesville. It was soo funny, I just had to do a point-by-point take-down. Yet more relationship advice that relies on tried gender stereotypes and assumed mono-heterosexuality. Woot?

1. You're a lot smarter than he is: Um... One of the things LM says He loves about me is my smarts. Now, He is ridiculously smarts, too, and probably smarter than me, but there's plenty I know about that He doesn't. One of the best things about our relationship are the stimulating conversations we have.

2. Residual immaturity: He is a gamer. I watch cartoons (Transformers! AstroBoy!). We both read comics. ZOMG our relationship will fail!!!11

3. Differing opinions on A) Meal responsibility and B) Palate: This one I'll concede. Couples need to find a routine that works for them. (LM does most of the cooking, I do most of the dishes. It works)

4. Grooming/bathing/hygiene take a back seat: I haven't shaved my legs in a very long time, nor do I intend to. I shave my under-arms in summer, because it's more comfortable. Legs? No. Never.

5. Girl-cations/Man-cations: If I want my space, I'll take it. If He wants His space, He'll take it. That makes us work

6. TV in the bedroom: When we first started dating, we slept in the lounge with the TV. I still love snuggling up to watch one of our favourite shows.

7. Having rugrats: This I'll agree with. Except the part about sex life going after having children.

8. Using the bathroom in each other's presence: I have to quote LICD. How do you know you're in love? “If you can picture her pooping and still want to have sex afterwards, you’re there.”

9. King-size beds: We will have a bed that suits us, thanks all the same.

10. Half-truths to girlfriends: No, I don't tell my friends every detail of our fights. That would be a serious breach of trust!

11. A drastic change in appearance: I just said to LM this morning "I want to do my hair purple or purple and turquoise, what do you think?" He thinks it will look good :P

12. Momma's boy or Daddy's little girl: Possibly. Depends on the relationship you both have with both parents.

13. "Oops, I mean ..." moments: Um... Never happened to us, not sure on this one.

This entry was originally posted here. Comment here or over there with Open ID. Comments

Experiments in brevity

• 07:39 I have the PC! ha! Now I can upload holiday pics to flickr #
• 08:06 Wondering why I'm having trouble with playing my cameraphone vids. Either the vid gets played without the sound or there's sound but no vid. #
• 10:45 Editing photos on flickr. #
• 15:49 I iz a crazy person for grocery shopping and dragging it home on foot in this weather. #
• 17:40 being taken down by a nanna nap... #
• 18:46 Green ink - What you need to know ping.fm/bMrhi
  #
• 20:30 Brickvention - The Australian Lego Convention. 24-25 Jan in Melbourne! ping.fm/FJWm9 #
• 21:13 Unless OH's legs heal extremely fast, I think we'll be having another NYE at home. We haven't had a NYE out in years. Meh. *shrug* #
• 21:16 According to @Klout, @_Soliloquy_ is a Twitter connector. What kind of Twitter user are you? bit.ly/8q1gyk #
• 21:17 Hating the hot hot weather when there's no beach across the road. :[ #

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You know, I forgot to mention that I finished my Buffy rewatch shortly before Christmas. Go me!

Endings can be strange. I remember when I got to the ending of Xena, I was devastated by the series ending. It didn't help that Friend in Need was sub-par (Despite the fact that I got to see Gabrielle in a samurai outfit). I just didn't want the show to end.

Buffy's different, though. When Chosen ends, I just feel content. Happy. Like I just reached the end of a journey, and I know it's the end and that's okay. The show feels finished, and I sit back and enjoy the afterglow.

I don't want more canon. Fanfics, sure. That's different. The Buffyverse canon ends with Buffy's smile for me. I guess that's why I'm not fond of AtS S5 and why I have no desire to read the comics. Because that's all on the level of fanfic for me. Nice to have, possibly interesting. But my canon spans from Welcome to the Hellmouth to Chosen. We get seven amazing years that run the gamut of themes and conflicts and developments and characters...by the end of year seven, it's done.

In that way, the end of Buffy is much like the end of Babylon 5. It's just right. It's where the story is supposed to end. I don't need more.

*hugs BtVS*

Experiments in brevity

• 15:01 I haz returned safely from Sydney excursion. OH however is hobbling up to the doctor to have his horribly red and blistering feet seen to. #
• 18:59 OH's Three Degree Sunburn on Xmas Eve on Flickr - Photo Sharing! ping.fm/cJpeS #
• 23:28 Demi Moore's lawyers threaten Boing Boing over photo analysis blog post. IMHO it's absurd to call it slander. ping.fm/fozE4 #
• 23:36 Family fed. Tap is fixed. Some photos are up on flickr. Nothing's unpacked. Tired and going to sleep. Good night. :) #

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I was reading an interesting article on Pop Matters about Glee being a little bit racist. I largely agree with the article, but I found the comments a bit disheartening.

I feel like sending a memo out that it's okay to like shows that are problematic in regards to race, gender, queer, or other issues. Really. Really really. You can like a show and still recognize that it's racist/sexist/homophobic/whatever. Liking a show is a subjective evaluation. It's not "right" or "wrong". It just is.

But just cause you like something, doesn't mean that there aren't problems with it. Hell, every show ever made has problems with it. It's not a reflection on the quality of the show. Just on how the show stands up in the social issues department.

Now, for some people, racism and sexism and such in shows can be a deal-breaker. Personally, I'm not very tolerant of too much sexism (hence, why I don't watch much TV). It's not me being stubborn or anything. I just don't like things that are overladen in sexism. Don't make me pull out my ice cream analogy again! It affects my enjoyment in a bad way.

If it doesn't affect yours, that's swell. No, really. Have at it and love the show for all its worth. But recognize that being an enjoyable show =/= free from racism and other issues. When those issues are being discussed, they're not trying to tell you that you're bad or wrong or OMGracist! for liking a show. They're just discussing some of the problematic parts of it.

I guess the summed-up short of this here rant would be: When race/gender/class/queer issues are discussed critically in regards to a show you like, resist the urge to run in to defend it just because you like it. The enjoyability of the show isn't up for debate. What's being discussed is on a whole other plane. Take it as such.

Progress by Band

Disco Pistol
Rolemodels
Want Take Have
The Duloks

Prologue

I never wanted to be a singer, other than buying all the Jem and the Holograms / Misfits dolls and enjoying that cartoon. It was all a happy coincidence....!

I did have a boyfriend at the time who was a proper musician (could play guitar and write his own songs and was also in the process of being signed to Warners for a bazillion $$) and we used to haunt Camden and all the trendy Britpop bars and gigs and clubs.

It was at the infamous Club Skinny that Romo Svengali Kevin Wilde spotted me dancing on a table in a teeny zip up skirt and asked me if I'd like to sing in a band. I said "Yes!" and the next day was in a rehearsal studio in (you've guessed it) Camden.

If I had to be honest, I'd admit that a big reason I agreed to be in the band was that I was jealous of my lovely boyfriend. He made being in a band seem so effortless and everyone we hung out with was either signed or being wooed by about 500 labels. He also used to write songs about me.! So my ego was in the lovely naive phase of "I can do anything!"

You can see a very young me for a milli-second in this video... My boyfriend was the blond singer.

I remember that on this day, he had read a letter in my bag saying that I'd been seeing a guy called Darren from Uni...We managed to sort it out but it was awful. And I continued to do awful shit like that to him throughout our long relationship. Ugh. Disgust myself!!

Being a singer in my OWN band just exacerbated my bad behaviour. At first my boyfriend would write lovely songs about me, and then at the end he wrote angry pissed off songs about me. I remember when we finally finished he likened me to a cancer...ouch!!

tbc.....

You know, during my time in Buffy fandom, my opinion of Joss, the man, has been all over the map. Sometimes, I think he's a fucking genius. Other times, I think he just had the good fortune of hitting all the right notes with Buffy and making a cult hit...but that his actual talents are largely overrated.

Likewise with his feminism. I happily embrace Buffy as a largely feminist series (with a few missteps, but hey). However, the rest of Joss' repertoire isn't as impressive. AtS is awfully anti-feminist a lot of times, Penny got fridged in Dr. Horrible, Firefly's up in the air, and my opinion on Dollhouse varies depending on which episode I'm watching.

So, for those of us who aren't still away doing holiday stuff, let me do a fairly informal poll on it.

Just a note that this is a poll about a real person. If you don't have a high opinion of Joss, please feel free to say as much. But please, please avoid crossing the line between "I don't like him" and "He's the devil incarnate who kills and eats babies in his spare time". Not liking him = okay. Bashing him = not.

( Poll is under the cut, guys! )

Lemme post the links before I forget. Yep.

Standard disclaimers:

1. Trigger Warning! Links deal with rape. Click with care.

2. I don't always agree with everything in the links. I'm just linking.

3. If there are comments, give them a read-through. They're often interesting.

( Links under el cut )

Okay, let me be all self-indulgent and navel-gaze a bit on my most recent fic, Into Morning. It's very metaphor-y...and I like metaphors...so...

Really, it's my most pretentious fic since Lotophagi. Though I give myself props for not using an obscure reference to Greek mythology in the title this time.

( Needless to say...this be spoilery )

Usually I can't wait for a year to be over, however this year I actually kind of wish it would last a little longer. 2009 was a pretty wild ride in some respects. Up and down but always forward.

Started the year in with my best friend at the ghetto, which was awesome. Discussing dreams, making plans and laughing, a lot. Had some extremly interesting experiences in the ghetto, a place I am actually very glad I lived in. I know it wasn't the nicest place in the world but it was where I needed to be to learn what I needed to learn to move on. Living in between junkies, drug dealers, a drug lab and a man who slept in a tent at the front door is one way to learn you can look after yourself. I am glad a couple of people actually saw the ghetto though because some of the stories I have - if I didn't live there, I wouldn't believe. It was the weirdest place I have lived in to date.

I put down the foundations to do the things for my brother I always wanted to do but wasn't in a position to before now. We got a place in Coburg and spent a few months settling in. Matt's made amazing progress in such a short time and I am really proud of him. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes in him over the next year and to seeing him be a happier person. Seeing the people I love be happy, is probably one of the things that makes me happiest in the world.

I applied for a job in the field I want my career to be in and am currently waiting to hear whether or not I got it. It's working with children and their parents who have had a bit of a rough time of it, facilitating their contact so they can build a relationship back up from the rubble that currently exists. It's my foot in the door to child protection sort of stuff and my way out of administration.

I started the year in a counselling degree however was having a lot of back troubles and couldn't sit in the class. I went to switch to online however I looked around a little and saw that open uni had a new course up online - behaviour studies, which means my degree is now a BA Behavioural Studies - Psych major, criminology and human resource management minors. Absoutely perfect because it is the degree I always wanted to do but never existed. I am also scheduled to do my training and assessment course in February so I will be able to use all of my administrative/office experience to get a job teaching and get out from behind a desk.

When I finish my degree I want to do one on one psych sessions with abused and neglected children to give them the things their parents cant. I want to use my criminology studies combined with psych to move into forensic psychology - assess offenders for fitness for trial and other court related things. I am doing the human resource management studies just because it's an area I have enjoyed working in and having that experience formalised with a qualification will help me in the future when I run my own business. I would also use it to do some random ad-hoc change management consultancy work because that's the area of HR I love the most.

I've also met some or got back in touch with some pretty awesome people over the past year as well. Some of them were in my life for a short time, some are still there but all taught me something. There are reasons as to why I've segregated myself over the past couple of years which aren't appropriate for a public journal entry, but I am really looking forward to my theme of next year - 'reconnect'.

I am looking forward to reconnecting with old friends, staying in touch with new ones, and just basically reconnecting with life again. A couple of years ago I decided I wasn't going to do new years resolutions as such, I would see what my life lacked over the past year and make that the theme for the next - starting with random and boy did that year live up to it. Followed by relax - getting there! next year.. reconnect - see you there.

Title: Into Morning 3/3
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: Will dreams of another life with a woman he's never met. His reality, though, is decidedly less pleasant.

Author's note: What did I tell you? Yep! Done! If I may be allowed to toot my own horn, this is one of my favorite things I've ever done, and I'm so happy with how it came out. It's the most Spuffy thing I've ever done. I hope you enjoy. :)

Story started here.

The title and the phrases in the cut tags all come from "The Answer" by Sarah McLachlan.

( You'll still be burning so bright... )

Title: Into Morning 2/3
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: William dreams of another life with a woman he's never met. His reality, though, is decidedly less pleasant.

Author's note: As promised! Chapter Two! The final chapter is still being polished up, but expect it soon. First part is here....

Enjoy. :)

( So I can wash this from my mind... )

Title: Into Morning 1/3
Pairing: Buffy/Spike
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: William dreams of another life with a woman he's never met. His reality, though, is decidedly less pleasant.

Author's note: Merry Christmas! Okay, this was gonna be a one-shot, but I decided it works better in three parts. And the next two parts are still being edited. But I wanted to post at least the first part on Christmas for you guys. :)

I very much promise the next two parts will be soon to follow. They're finished. They're just not polished. So we're talking a couple days. Anyway, the entire thing is fairly short - 5,000 words. And it's very different for me. I know the summary is vague and possibly off-putting, but trust me on this. I won't let you down!

I hope you enjoy, and thanks for being patient on the last parts.

( For the night has been unkind... )

Christmas Eve I bathed with a rotund Satsumo Santa and liberal lashings of Uluru Shower Gel. (Not to be confused with Uhura  )

It was a fine exotic orangetastic experience. Uplifting and mystical at the same time...

Christmas day I bathed with a Creamy Candy Bubble Bar / Mr Butterball Ballistic and almondy globs of Snowcake Shower Gel. I smell of candy floss and vanilla and sweets and almond...If I could eat myself I would. (That sounds horrifically self satisfied, but I'd rather you took that as a lascivious sentence if you're planning to judge me.)

After all the rushing around the UK this December, having some holiday downtime with the products has restored my vitality and reminds me why I love working at Le Lush.

I am a Bath Addict.

• iPod Touch 8gb
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Kit
• Sultan Ambre by Serge Lutens
• Warm boots
• New pillows!
• New duvet, sheets and pillowcases
• Earrings
• Electric toothbrush

I am so spoiled!

This has been the best Christmas EVER! No arguments, lots of love and good teary emotional moments. I *finally* get the importance of family and love and fidelity and putting in and all that stupid emo stuff. I feel content and not on the run..no dramas, no sticky phone calls, no wistfulness, no missing anyone. Just happy. Long may the real true happy Christmases roll.

I'd just like to say that I *loved* the Christmas Dr Who..!! Gallifrey! Time Lords! It was quite wonderful...much goodness. An embarrassment of riches! A deep satisfied sigh.. I have been waiting ever since Eccleston for Time Lords!! The Time Lords are back! The Time Lords are back!