1) Apparently, pain in childbirth is a good thing, because, as far as I can tell, it shows women what's what. WTF? Who the hell would suggest that?

Wait, hang on:

Dr Denis Walsh, associate professor in midwifery at Nottingham University, said pain was a "rite of passage" which often helped regulate childbirth.

He said it helped strengthen a mother's bond with her baby, and prepared her for the responsibility of motherhood.

... Oh, I see.

2) On a considerably happier note: ♥Happy goths!♥



That makes me so, so happy. ^_^

* Where "recently" = within the last six months or so

I've been busy! Until relatively recently I'd forgotten how much I love making stuff; it appears I have rediscovered it with a vengeance. :P

Note: Some of the things I'm posting were originally gifts. If the people whose gifts they were would rather they weren't posted, that's cool, just let me know. :)

OK, so, first, things that are made from ( epoxy resin! )

Secondly, then - felty fangirling! ( YAY FOR CHIBIS )( . )

As some of you may know, I work in a psychology department, and as such, from time to time I take part in experiments. Yesterday, for example, I got to wear a net of electrodes on my head and push buttons while having salt water dripped on me from a pipette for half an hour. I got six quid and some delicious caek for my trouble.

Today I did another one. This time I had my hair smeared with... well, they said it was EEG gel but it smelled suspisciously like lube. Then they gave me small electric shocks to the wrist for almost two hours and at the end I got paid absolutely fuck all!

... OK, there are people out there who'd pay good money for that kind of treatment, but still...

Anyway, have a meme, which comes via nuclearsugars:

Meme rules: Reply to this meme by yelling - or typing - "Words!" and I will give you five words that remind me of you. Then post them in your LJ and explain what they mean to you. Or explain in the comments. Or not at all. The choice is yours.

( My answers )

If you want to play, request words in the comments!

OK, this is me 'fessing up.

On Sunday I went to see Bruce Springsteen. It was my fourth time seeing Bruce Springsteen, because I am a huge, huge fan. Look, The Boss is a fucking legend and to anyone who disagrees I say HANDBAGS AT DAWN. ^_^

( Cut for extended fangirling and download linkage )

So hey flist, what time is it where you are? It's 12.25am here.

And I can't sleep, despite being very tired.

So now I am sitting at the computer trying to read fic or something and there are MOTHS trying to get in through the glass of the window and - moths are my nemesis, you see, my mortal enemy, so I am a bit freaked out.

Ugh

Moths

ETA: OK, so seriously, when I first started typing this there were two and now there are seven. They know. They wait. They will take me.

My dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Due to your highly unexpected and most graciously received reaction to my last work, I have prepared for you another etching. Once again, I am delighted to present another thrilling chapter in the adventures of the London-based Phoenix Society, an elite organisation dedicated to the pursuit of learning, the invention and creation of steam-technologia to be used in the betterment of the human race, and the eradication of the dark and nefarious deeds undertaken by the infamous Ministry of Evil.

Here we are privileged to be offered a glimpse into the important scientific research that takes place behind the doors of Mr Lupin and Mr Black's private laboratory. While the exact details of the research, and the part that each gentleman plays in making their many great discoveries, is heavily veiled, one is certain that the work they do is vital in the struggle against the enemies of Britain and her allies.

An important announcement! Let it be known that ladies suffering from a frightened disposition, hysterical frigidity, or any other maladies of the nerves should not view the etching, as it depicts a scene which may be found scandalous to those of good breeding.*



( View the wonders! )
* It's got cocks in it

WWHHHHHAAAAAAAARGARBL. I spent like ALL of yesterday trying to make a gif that I still haven't finished and it looks shit. Have this one instead (the animation already existed but I whacked the text on it):

( Cut for flashy-flashy; I swear it went slower than this originally )

Also, should have posted this yesterday. No story behind this, except that I can't get it out of my head at the moment.

The Shins - New Slang - Click to download

Fuck this heat, man. It's so warm I can't think straight or get anything done. I just want to sit outside and drink mojitos and maybe swim but NOOOOO I have to be in my OFFICE, FUCK IT

This is an email that has just been sent to the entire department:

As the problem regarding the world-wide shortage of Ether shows no signs of being resolved, [science store area] will no longer be stocking it.

This makes me happy in a really silly way; it is inherently steampunk, y/y?

Check it, I changed my layout: fera_festiva. (I didn't make it, no no, but nonetheless AWESOMESAUCE)

Also! I have two more Dreamwidth codes; would anyone like one?

Even if you are really busy right now and you think you don't have time to read a fic or whatever, you should still go and read minnow_53's fic Baby Dear. I am hesitant to give you any details for fear of spoiling it, so I will merely repeat what the header says: this is AU and James/Lily (although the focus isn't on the pairing). Seriously, though, even if that doesn't sound like something you'd read, you should read this. Trust me on this one.

UNO: OMG OMG you guys, spacefragments drew me some H/D art! Look look look! I love this piece (and not just because it's for me); the unresolved sexual tension, already one of my all-time favourite things, seeps off it like heat. Thank you spacefragments, you are awesomesauce in the extreme! ♥

DUE: Track of the week: Bellowhead - Frogs' Legs/Dragons' Teeth. Instrumental, steampunkish modern folk, although that doesn't do this justice. Bellowhead, for the record, rank as one of the best live bands I have ever seen. I highly recommend them.

TRE: There is no way to ask this without coming across like I'm fishing for gifts or sounding a bit mad or something, so I'm just going to ask. Did anyone send me a package through the post that I haven't thanked them for? Because the post office have lost something that's for me, that should have arrived around my birthday, and I don't know what it is! D:

QUATTRO: I've just eaten a chocolate Mini Milk. I have just discovered that Milk Milks have only 31 calories! Therefore you can eat like twenty goddamn Mini Milks if you want.

CINQUE: There is no cinque.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let it be known that I, Fera J. Festiva of the county of East Sussex, have composed an illustration, depicting two members of the esteemed Phoenix Society of London.

The etching was composed using a Photo-Shop, a fascinating device that can be attached to one's difference engine and thusly used in the pursuit of artistic endeavour.


( The etching can be found beyond )

Firstly, your Track of the Week (why yes, I am determined to keep on with this):

The Misfits: Where Eagles Dare - Click to download

No reason for this one except that it's a bloody great song, both defiant and joyful.

Secondly, you may be interested to know that I have started an archive of all my icons, which can be found here. It's one post, rather than lots, because I hardly ever make icons. All are gankable as long as I'm credited. (And I'll take requests if you like... making the odd icon is fun.)

That's all - you can go back to your drinks.

1) I can't fucking draw. Specifically, I can't fucking draw Remus Lupin. He looks drastically different every time I try - like, I try my best to give him the same features each time, but he still ends up looking like an entirely different person. In his current incarnation, he looks a bit like a cartoon version of the Tenth Doctor, only with longer hair. I don't know how this happened. This is really annoying. Grr.

2) On a separate note, does anyone happen to know if Amazonfail was ever resolved, or cleared up or whatever? Because I need to buy an external hard drive, and I did buy one off Play.com, but their delivery company are so utterly fucktardedly useless that I never got it, and I don't really want to order off them again. But I also wouldn't want to spend any money with Amazon if they're still a bunch of fuckwits also.

3) Gonna try and write some Uberwank this weekend. It's still ongoing (and I have written tons of later chapters!) but for whatever reason I just don't care as much this time round, so it's taking me a while to do. (And to paraphrase Spinal Tap, I think I'd be more bothered if I weren't under such heavy sedation.)

1) Thank you to everyone for the happy birthday wishes! I had a lovely weekend. Later (or possibly tomorrow) I'm going to do a picspam of my party, because the costumes were so awesome. :D

2) Speaking of birthdays, I must pimp the wonderful gifts I received:

• lefaym wrote me the gorgeously tender and smutty Respite, an accompaniment to my piece, Rain Street. Go read it! It is gorgeous and sexy and lefaym's characterisation of the boys is, as always, absolutely spot-on. Go! Go now!


• matt_writer/scemo wrote me the slightly mad unsettling funny PARALLEL LIFESTYLES, or rather, NOT PARALLEL LIFESTYLES. Go check it out!


• I also got an amazing IRL gift from o_deanna:

( What could it be? )

Thank you all so much. ♥

3) Meanwhile, I find myself sorely tempted to sign up for rs_games. However, I have never taken part in a fest before, and I've got way too much on as it is, and what if I came last out of everyone, and anyway it would mean I'd have to put other stuff to one side (there are all kinds of birthday things I have promised people, and I haven't even begun them yet - I'm getting worse and worse!), and these are all excuses because actually I'd really like to take part, and I find having to work to a prompt is easier than having to come up with stuff from nowhere, so it would maybe be a good way of kickstarting my muse a bit? Eep. IDK.

OK, I signed up. This will either be epic win or epic fail. I am already bothering the mods with awkward questions. Oh dear. XD

4) IT IS TOO HOT HERE.

5) Merlin continues to be awesome. I watched two episodes last night - the one where Merlin goes all sweaty and says "faster, go faster", and the one with Isaac from Heroes in it. *fapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfapfap* Anyway, so I realised why it's so good, and that is because it is basically Knightmare, with added gay and pretty and signficantly fewer annoying, stupid children. Therefore it is awesome y/y.

(Also, virtually every time Arthur speaks, my brain follows his line with "Is that what you call it". Go on, try it, it almost always works.)

All my icons in one post, because I don't make enough to be worth making a new post every time.

All are stealable (with credit, just in case anyone else sees them and wants to know where they came from). ^_^

( Read more... )

So I have watched the first three episodes of Merlin (moar coming soon, LoveFilm tells me) and OH MY GOD, IS THIS THE MOST HOMOEROTIC FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT SHOW EVER OR WHAT?

It also brings the lolz. It's a bit shit in places, but in the same way that Doctor Who is a bit shit - in other words, not shit enough that you care, but shit enough to bring the lolz and be deeply enjoyable.

Also lolarious: JAMBO FROM HOLLYOAKS PLAYING AN EVIL KNIGHT

I now require Arthur/Merlin porn. (Does anyone know of any good fic? I don't know where to start.)

ETA: Also, any Potterverse pr0n where any character uses "Merlin!" as an exclamation during shagging has just been ruined for me, because I will from now on find myself thinking, "Wait, what's he doing here?" Crossovers: do they exist?