Life Viewed Through an Amber Focus

Since people are still letting off fireworks at 1:15 in the morning and I can't sleep through it, I have been doing some maintenance.  I hadn't linked all of the chapters of Three Hour Tour properly and that's done now.  Gave it a tag, too since it's going to be going over ten chapters.  I've also got a small list of fics that haven't been put on my Master Fic List so I'll be updating that here in the next couple of days.  I have to find what I did with it, but I also have a .pdf file of That Which One Cannot Do Without that I need to add to the downloadable files.  And I have a list of fics that need to be put up at Teaspoon still.  I meant to not let that get so far behind, but it always seems to happen.  Not that I've written too much this year (some of them are from 2010).  I need to finish linking Repercussions.  And quite possibly Vortex as well.  LJ is not being particularly nice to me, either.  It keeps signing me out.

I found the most gorgeous picture of Christopher Eccleston, shoulder length hair, and blue, blue, blue eyes shining bright.  I am going to keep it for a banner.  I have in the back of my mind that there may be a sequel to Leap of Faith called Lover's Leap, so I may save it for that.  Or if I ever expand on Unfinished Business, the crossover fic I did for then_theres_us with Rose, Claude from Heroes, and Eleven, I might use it for that.  I just don't know yet.  New fics really aren't on my agenda.  Finishing up all the unfinished ones is my agenda.  Oh, well, it is good eye candy for now and no I'm not going to share because I want it to be exclusive to whatever banner I eventually use it for.

I've also cleaned off the top of my dresser and my Doctor Who and Torchwood action figures and TARDIS money bank now have most of it to themselves.  Gwen still keeps ending up on her back.  I am starting to think it is a character trait.  Astrid likes to fall down a lot, too.  They did as bad a job on Astrid as they did on the new River Song doll.  Which is saying something.  The only reason I have Astrid is she came as part of a set.  She hangs out in the background with Sarah Jane and Five.  I will have to do an action figure picspam one of these days.

Today was one of those days where everything just seemed to go right.  The sun was shining, the tulips were in full bloom, the kids were getting along, the other drivers on the road were not stupid and incompetent (not even the ones in the high school parking lot) and I wrote like a fiend.  I almost feel guilty as my entire f-list seems to have a case of down in the dumps.  *HUGS f-list*

I'm still working on that chapter of Leap of Faith but I should definitely finish it tonight and then hopefully I will be able to finish the Noir fic tomorrow.  It is lovely to be making serious writing progress.  I really hope I can finish the Noir fic as T gets his tonsils out Friday and then I'm not sure how much time I'll have to write.  He may sleep the day away, but I'm going to push to finish before that.

I was watching Castle and he was looking up Netflix on his phone so he could look up a movie some girl was in called Slumber Party Zombies.  This movie does not actually exist.  I looked it up.  Raise your hand if you did too.  But that's okay because I got 28 Days Later in the mail today for Zombie Fridays.  I haven't seen it since it came out and that was before I knew who Christopher Eccleston even was.  I know he's the quasi-bad guy in this.  It gives me mixed feelings, but I guess I've seen him in enough roles playing an ass since Doctor Who that I can put up with one more without it affecting my overall opinion of him, right?  Knowing me I will find his character sexy in ways I should not.  The dude in GI Joe springs to mind.

You know, I've gone 3 days without seeing Badger in anything.  Somehow that seems wrong.  He's been in everything lately. 

This whole LJ being up and down, up and down is seriously starting to get on my nerves.  Probably because this week it's more down than up.  It's terribly frustrating when I'm seriously in need of a distraction.

I've been watching the US version of Being Human.  At first I thought it was a bit lame, a pale shadow of the original, but somewhere around episode four or five it started to get good.  Although it follows some of the same storyline it's starting to set itself apart from the British version, which it would have to do with so many more episodes in a season.

Aiden (Mitchell) is probably a more sympathetic vampire character.  Josh (George) isn't quite as neurotic as I'd like him to be, and Sally (Annie) is okay, but she's definitely no Leonora Critchlow.  I'm pretty sure she's wearing the exact same outfit.  They seem to have really rushed her ghostly abilities.  They've introduced Nora (who I think is supposed to be Nina) and I like her quite a bit, but she doesn't rock quite the same way (yet).  Since Nina is my favorite character on the original, I hope this one gets a bit more bravada and spice.  But despite it all, it's becoming as addictive as the original.  Never would have thought that would happen.

I've also been watching Indian Cooking Made Easy.  I'm definitely going to try making Naan bread.  It's like $4 for 4 pieces at the grocery store and we love it and the recipe is incredibly simple and like 50 cents to make.  It shouldn't be that hard, it looks easier than making pita bread and that's dead easy.  I'd make Kulfi, too, if it didn't require constant stirring for 50 minutes.  Actually I still might try making it once, but have everyone take a turn at the stirring.  I think it might be fun to add a few more Indian dishes to the menu.  The extent of my Indian cooking before has been tandoori chicken.  They had some lamb burgers that looked divine.

Not really much going on here.  Still struggling with the chapter of Leap of Faith that I'm on.  I think I may just scrap it all and start over.  I hate to bin that many words, but it's just not working right for me.

I started swimming again.  We've been twice now.  The first time I did 13 laps.  I was really surprised.  I figured since I hadn't been in the pool since October I'd be utterly out of shape, but I did that  1/4 mile easily.  The second time I went I did 15 laps, again easily.  I won't push too hard too fast.  I doubt I'll ever do the 40 laps again (3/4 mile), but I woud like to do 26 laps (1/2 mile).  I'm just really afraid to push and mess up my knee again.  So far there has not been any pain after swimming and I would like to keep it that way.  I've also started walking again.  I've gone twice.  Once just to the end of the block and back and then a couple days later, all the way around the block.  I also am taking the stairs properly again without pain.  I hope by summer to be back to walking a mile a few times a week.

I still have some things lingering from the flu that I had for many weeks.  Just congestion and a lot of tiredness.  I have to sleep a lot more (just not tonight apparently).  I still have a low grade fever, but everything else is gone.  I just decided I needed to get on with my life and maybe the exercise would help bolster my immune system.  It seems to be helping.

I guess that's enough of a ramble for now.

Dear LJ,

Please fix your rich text editor. HTML is too much work when I am sick.

No love,

Me

In other news, I appear to have developed a new habit of watching Appocalypse-type movies on Netflix streaming every Friday night/wee hours of Saturday morning. They do not even have to be good, although I would prefer it if this were so. Of all of the not so good ones, there is only one I have actually abandoned in mid-watch. It was called Monsters and it was boring as all get out. That night I watched a romantic movie with Alyssa Milano instead. Not actually with Alyssa Milano, though that might have been fun, but starring her. And Christopher Gorham. It was cute. And not at all Apocalyptic.

The majority of these Appocalypse type movies have been killer viruses that turn everyone into zombies. I do not particularly like the graphicness of zombies, yet I seem to be drawn to this genre lately with a ridiculous amount of intensity. I do not know what this says about me. Except maybe that I feel like I am continually battling viruses from hell and perhaps am moving through my life in a zombie-like state the last several weeks. Um...so maybe I do know what this actually says about me. It could be worse. At least it's "only" the flu and not the killer zombie virus from hell. Though that might be slightly preferable at this point. I'm kidding. I think.

For those keeping score:

Killer snot monster from outer space: 327
Me: 3

I watched the DW thingy today. Um...scary and interesting, but also, been there, done that. Find an original thought please, SM, because all these corridors look the same to me (classic Who reference FTW).

Stuff the first:  Exercise

Saturday I swam 40 laps in 65 minutes.  We had the entire pool to ourselves the whole time we were there.  This is my kind of awesome exercise paradise.  I wore the knee brace but kicked on several laps to see how it felt.  It felt okay.  No exercise on Sunday.  I did not want to strain things and honestly I was a total space cadet yesterday so driving did not appeal.  Today we got into the pool at 4:15 and family swim was over at 5.  We were late getting there.  It wasn't too crowded, just a few people and the lap lane was vacant.  I swam 30 laps today in 40 minutes (took the last five for the hot tub).  I did not wear the knee brace and I kicked freely.  Free-style kick is okay.  Whip kick is NOT (things should not snap, crackle and pop in your joints, plus ouch) and will likely never be okay again.  I would not know as I will not be trying it on purpose again in my entire lifetime, thank you very much.  It did not hurt afterwards, just during that one kick of the whip kick.  Favorite life guard was on duty today.  That always makes it better.

Second Stuff:  Writing

I wrote 3,037 words if you count the words "chapter one."  3, 035 if you don't.  On the original story.  Go me.  We will see if this continues.  We will not hold our collective breaths.

Stuff C:  Cleaning

Scrubbed the bit behind the kitchen sink between the back splash and the sink.  You know, the part that gets gunky if you ignore it for a couple of weeks.  Cleaned the outside of the toilet tank where all the dust has been collecting, like it does if you ignore it for several months.  Did other boring things like slaved over a hot crock pot (dumped beef roast in, seasoned, set timer), made instant organic potatoes and green beans from a can for dinner.  Thought about vacuuming, but it hurt my head so I stopped before I could do anything like...actually vacuuming.  Did pick up all the papers that have been accumulating on the floor between the bedroom door and the closet.

Stuff # 4:  Fanfic Writing

Decided I will work on Leap of Faith tomorrow so it will stop mocking me.  (Figures I will probably spend all day watching BSG instead, but maybe if I put it out there in the universe, I'll actually do it.  Maybe I can do both.)

Fifth Stuff:  Getting Better

Still on the tail end of the sinus infection/cold/fluish thing I had.  The worst of it seems to be over, but I am still on antibiotics for several days.  Past history has proven if I stop too soon I get sick again right away.  I still think my flu shot had a little to do with the fluish symptoms that came along with this, though.  I don't care what they say about the likelihood of that.  History proves lots of things and I always get sick after a flu shot.  This one was likely worse because it had H1N1 in it (swine anti-flu, or whatever, as well as regular).

And...I think that about does it.

*uses new thoughtful looking Amy icon by nidoqueens*

1.  Looks like Body Language is going to end up being four chapters instead of three.  I know, big surprise.  Why do I even bother putting a number after the slash instead of a question mark?

2.  Is it totally wrong to root for the bad guy in G.I. Joe if the bad guy is played by Christopher Eccleston and wearing what is quite possibly an Armani suit?  And it fits like that?

3.  I should never be left alone with the chipmunks version of Funky Town.  It should just not happen.  Ever.  You would have thought my family would have learned that by now.

I had three dreams last night that I remember. Two were Rose/Jonathon dreams, one of which will make it into a future chapter of A Sky Without Zeppelins (plotty, not smutty) and one of which will be better slotted into A Sky Without Stars (really, really plotty with a smidgeon of creative smut).

The third dream was about David Tennant. He had announced that he wasn't going to quit Doctor Who after all, that after filming the specials (which I realize he is still in the middle of) he simply couldn't bear to leave the show and had signed on for three more years. With a sizable bribe Matt Smith was given the option of either stepping down for those three years and taking over the roll in 2013 when he was a bit older and more seasoned, or a guaranteed contract as one of the Doctor's companions for the next three years. He chose companion.

And also, Stephen Moffat had been offered control over a show in America (so he's not even in the same country as DW)  that was going to pay him five times what he could make on Who and so Russel T. Davis was back in charge and had a clause in his contract saying no serious angsting was allowed for the first two of those three years. And there would be a giant crossover to the parallel world in a massive three parter that occured so we got to see Rose and Ten2 living happily ever after.

Why, yes, I do rearrange things to my liking in my sleep. Why do you ask? *grins*

I finally finished reading Disheveled. My brain feels entirely too full, but it was so worth it. I'm going to let it sit in there for a day or so before I write anymore of the review. I did find my opening paragraph though and I think I know more or less what I'm going to say for the rest of it, it's just a matter of wording it. I should be finishing up the one on Used to Be Brilliant today. That is such a good fix-it fic. Gives me Donna squees.

I think I will finish up the next chapter of Zeppelins some time today. It's at 3000 words and will likely finish around 3500 to 4000, depending on how long they choose to drag out the lovemaking. The whole chapter is smut. Well, I say whole chapter. They do actually talk a little bit between rounds. So most of the chapter.