So I guess Team AU won! Apparently it was ridiculously close though, and I think that's very fair - I admit I didn't keep up with everything that was posted, but from what I did see the standard was equal on both teams. So well done to everyone who was involved.

Anyway, reveals are up, so I guess I get to talk about my piece, finally. My entry was All possible worlds: Five movements in an endless cosmic dance. The version that was posted on the comm was originally posted smaller than intended, so I've reposted it under the cut at full size (and as such, warning: BIG).

( Also: warning for artsy rambling. )

Hello all! I'm back - what did I miss? What's the gossip? (I've looked over the flist, obv, but you might want to link me to anything of interest in case I didn't spot it.)

Before I get on with other things, I need to wish a very happy birthday, belatedly, to my darling mushroom18. I'm so sorry I wasn't here to send you good wishes on the day. I hope it was a wonderful one anyway. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

So. I'm back from Wales now, rather soggy still (it pissed it down the entire time and yes I am British why do you ask) but considerably more relaxed than before I went. We spent the week sitting around in the cottage we rented, reading books and watching DVDs (amongst other things we watched the first eight episodes of Death Note, which I enjoyed very much), and occasionally venturing outside to go and eat bara brith and welshcakes in teashops.

( Here are a few other things we did... )

I also need to do a post regarding my entry for rs_games now that the reveals are up, but I'll do that later when I've had time to think of anything interesting to say about it. :D

First things first - I want to say a big public thank you to vickythefluffy, who sent me the most amazing Modern Toss unbirthday card in the post. For no reason other than she saw it and thought I would like it, which I do. I also need to thank o_deanna for the letter, which cheered me up considerably at a time that I greatly needed it. Both of you, thank you so much. ♥

Next up, I thought you might want to see ( my Halloween costume... )

Next, ( the answers to that pairing meme from the other week )

Finally, for the next week I will be doing something alone the lines of this:



... So I won't be around (assuming we don't have internet access). See you when I'm back.

I should start by saying that this post isn't aimed at anyone I know on here. It's utterly about getting this off my chest - because I don't seem to be able to get this through to the people who need to hear it.

( Cut for angry feminist rampage )

Three things I wish to draw your attention to:

1) A reminder that if you would like to play merlin_bingo this week, the current signup post is here! Please play, it's great fun.

2) If you would like to receive a Christmas card/tacky seaside postcard from me, leave me your address in this post!

3) I posted a meme about pairings here (at the top) but only got one prompt; moar please! Or not, whatever. :-/

Fucking knackered right now and brain falling out of ear so I'm going to bed. Sorry for recent lack of posts - stress, tired, not feeling it right now.

I have been miserable and sad and depressed these last few days. However, today I found these, which made me LOL and squee enormously; this helped somewhat.





Also, I started reading the Roger Lancelyn Green version of the Arthurian legends (King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table). It's pretty good, although I'm finding it confusing because the Arthur in the book more or less is the kid from the Disney film, and I can't help but read Merlin as the guy from that TV show I haven't STFU about recently, which is, uh, yeah.

Also, when Arthur marries Guinevere, Merlin makes placecards for the Round Table. Gold placecards. No joke.

So, as I have probably mentioned before, I'm writing my MSc thesis on the discourse of intelligent design, and as such I'm currently reading and analysing a lot of rage-inducing material. Thankfully, some of it - in addition to being rage-inducing - is pretty fucking funny, so I have decided to share it with you.

I present to you Adam naming the animals:


source

Aw! What lovely animals. There's a lovely parrot, and a nice bear, and a funny horse, and a happy behemoth - wait, what.

I love the behemoth so much. It reminds me of the large plastic dinosaur-shaped slides, often surrounded by an inexplicable aura of dog shit, that I would be forced to go and play on when I was a kid and we'd stop at a Little Chef so that my poor harrassed parents could drink the worst coffee in the world, and it would be drizzling and the drone of the A38 would ring in my ears as I repeatedly climbed the thing and skidded miserably down its unyielding purple back.

I'd also like to share the following quote, which I think speaks for itself (emphasis is mine):

The Bible is clear that representatives of all the kinds of air-breathing land animals and birds were present on the Ark. A technical term used by some creation scientists for these kinds is baramin—derived from the Hebrew words for created kind. Within these baramins is all the information necessary to produce all current species. For example, it is unlikely that the Ark contained two lions and two tigers. It is more likely that it contained two feline animals, from which lions, tigers, and other cat-like creatures have developed.

Source

There is not enough *facepalm* in the world.

Firstly, via everyone, a meme that looks like fun:

Name a fandom you know I'm familiar with, and I will tell you:

1. OTP
2. Runner-up pairing
3. Honourable mention(s)
4. Crack pairing(s)
5. Ship everyone else seems to like, but I don't.

Secondly, here are my answers to the Top Fives Meme from the other day the other week fucking ages ago actually. Oops.


( Top five het ships )
( Top five things that I think JKR really nailed in Deathly Hallows )
( Five people Tonks should have hooked up with )
( Top five endings that should've happened in Harry Potter )
( Top five children´s books heroes )
( Top five crossover OTPs )

Based on a conversation I had with ms_treesap last night over gchat about her hamster, and how hamsters in general are evil geniuses masquerading as cute fluffy things:


( Tribble is the hamster's name, btw - awesome or what? )

1) So, those who ever look at my Twitter will already know that I spent all day Friday cooking, as I was involved in doing some of the food for the Underlord's sister's wedding. (It was delicious, thankyouverymuch.) Normally I wouldn't bother posting up this kind of thing, but the place they held the reception was so incredibly, epically made of WIN that I will be picspamming tomorrow or whenever I get around to it. :D

2) Because of the wedding I haven't even seen Merlin 2.02 yet, but ( spoilers abound )

3) However, on a happier note and on the subject of Merlin, the signup post to play Merlin Bingo for episode 2.03 is here, and no I'm not going to stop pimping this one because it's a bit awesome. :P

4) Even with all the cooking and panicking about outfits and things pre-wedding, I managed to get my rs_games assignment finished and submitted. \o/ I don't know that I'll ever take part in something like this again, because oh my christ it was stressful, but it was definitely a good fandom experience. Posting starts on October 1st, and I hope there will be lots of interest and support and voting for Team AU because we are the best for all the lovely fic and art. :P

5) Speaking of RS Games and of HP fandom in general, let this be my official notice that I haven't remotely forgotten about, or given up on, the HBP Uberwank. It's just had to take a bit of a back seat of late, due to other fandom commitments (both old and new) and real life stuff (the aforementioned wedding, working on my thesis and so on). I hope this doesn't come across as protesting-too-much, either. It is still there and will be finished, just very slowly.

6) Finally, this is wonderful and beautiful:



Sleep tight.

1) If you want to play merlin_bingo for the first episode of the new series, sign up today! Go on, play, I promise it'll be completely awesome.

2) Is anyone else having trouble with their syndicated feeds? Because I just realised that none of mine have shown up on my flist in the last week. Like, none of 'em.

3) Subject line means nothing, the phrase just popped into my head and I found it amusing. I am, as we are all aware, easily amused.

4) I am going to spend the weekend a) buying underwear and b) frantically trying to produce something worth submitting for RS Games. What are you planning?

Following on from yesterday, two more bits of Arthur-and-Morgana silliness.

( Noogies )

( A political alliance )

Quick ten-minute doodle, marker pen and photoshop. As far as I can recall, it isn't specified (in the show, I mean) when Morgana became Uther's ward, so she and Arthur might not have known each other as children, but whatever. I have four brothers and sisters; the idea wouldn't leave me alone. :D



I am also tempted to draw them asking Uther if they can have a rabbit.

(Also: in the legends, they really are brother and sister, and they actually do fuck. I wonder how the BBC will handle that one. DNW DNW DNW)

OK, so if I ran it, would anyone be interested in playing

Merlin Bingo

... when the new series starts?

It works like this: you sign up, get sent your own individual bingo card with stuff like "silly hat" and "dragon talks in riddles" and "gay moment" and "explosion" on it, and then when you watch the episode you tick them off if they happen, and if you get a row then you win

Fabulous Prizes!

Anyone? I think this would bring epic LOLz, but I suspect the more people playing it the more fun it would be. :]

Please say you'll play - the sparkledongs compel you!

OMFG MERLIN SCREENING.

Naturally, spoilers abound, so let's just cut the whole thing, yeah? Warning: longpost is LONG.

( Près des remparts de South Bank, avec mon ami, o_deanna, J'irai danser la Séguedille et boire du Manzanilla, avec mon ami, o_deanna... )

Epic review post from the screening will be up later, as soon as I find myself able to calm down enough to write anything coherent. \o/

1) Tomorrow I travel to London to meet o_deanna (OMFG squee!) and go to the BFI Merlin Premiere (also OMFG squee!); I am convinced that something disastrous will happen, because my life is kind of like that. Still, squee!

2) Oh god how did this happen I am not good with money. I accidentally lots of money. All on Japanese goods including Hello Kitty wine glasses, a spotlit display cabinet for collectables, and a Death Note handbag. Oh dear. (My excuse is that the awesome little Japanese store in Brighton is closing down, but still, that was probably a bit excessive.)

3) Now trying to draw for rs_games. It is making me rage slightly because I can't think of anything to draw; as is well-known, I deal mostly in satire and LOLz so trying to come up with things that have any substance is a little trying for me.

4) As I haven't done this for a while: Track of the Week!

I want you to imagine, if you will, that you're getting married. And in a moment of having faith in humanity, you decided not to have formal speeches or anything but instead to allow anyone who wanted to do so to get up and say something nice about you. However, you had forgotten that you had invited mad, alcoholic Uncle Bill; mad, alcoholic Uncle Bill gets up, hogs the microphone, and delivers a rambling, incoherent and frankly terrifying stream-of-consciousness tirade that unsettles you and really puts a blight on the whole day. Also, you live in a musical.

In my view, this describes exactly the following song.

William Shatner - You'll Have Time - click to download

5) My hair has gone all weird. I look like Knuckles the echidna. :-/