It's 4:00 AM, and I am on a Metalocalypse high.

Awesome Thing #1
I just came from the Boston show of the 2009 Dethklok/Mastodon tour.  It was my first major concert, and my first metal show.  I might've enjoyed it more if the acoustics were better, I admit... but otherwise, it was effin' spectacular!  Brendon was AMAZING on stage (I know, big surprise), the music videos were mind-blowing, and?  I actually headbanged.  Okay, so it's not like that's never happened before — but still.

Awesome Thing #2
Besides getting me a ticket to the show, which was already pretty freaking amazing of her (*glomps liek whoa*), feraltoki gave me a deluxe copy of the Dethalbum II.  Oh, and a Dethklok teeshirt... with the horse from "Thunderhorse," my favorite DK song!  *ded from glee*

Awesome Thing #3
dethepisode just opened, and we already have 21 watchers and members!  (It's mostly thanks to tod_hollykim helping us get the word out, so many thanks and cookies to her for that.)  Looks like this thing is gonna take off after all, and hopefully it'll be as fun and awesome as the_ginga and I have hoped it would be. :D

By the way, guys: check out the community layout (namely the header).  And let me know what you think.  Even if you're not an MTL fan (and I know most of you aren't), I think you'll be able to appreciate it.  I'm pretty darn proud of this thing, if I do say so myself. >_>

Awesome Thing #4
Less than two weeks till new Metalocalypse!!  ...No, seriously.  CAN. NOT. WAIT.

*bounces up and down*



Alright, it's late... so I'm going to wonder off to bed now.  I think I'm just tired enough that all this excitement shouldn't keep me from falling asleep.  But don't be surprised if I'm still just as buzzed and gleeful tomorrow.  :DD

I may try posting this to a couple communities, if I don't get sufficient response from my f'list.  But I thought I would try you guys first. :P

Here's the deal: I often angst about the lack of fic (or sometimes good fic) featuring my favorite pairings.*  But this morning I thought, why not do something about that?  So I've decided I'm going to issue a personal fic challenge to hopefully drum up some play for these pairings.  It may be a great success, or it may totally bomb and get no response whatsoever; but I guess I won't know unless I try.

The challenge idea is this: a fic depicting several cases of cliché extreme circumstances under which the characters might be likely/willing to hook up (anywhere from kissing to sex ...to a relationship).  I'm thinking of calling it "Not if You Were the Last Man on Earth."

I figured I'd give challenge participants a list of these scenarios to pick from, and they would have to use at least two or three.  But I'll need some help.  Here's what I've got so far:

• stuck in an elevator/other enclosed space
• locked in a store/mall or school building after hours
• on a deserted island
• last [or among the last] people on earth after a global disaster
• forced to kiss or do more at gun/knifepoint
• green card marriage
• ( more... )

Hmm... okay, I guess that's a lot already.  But I still wouldn't mind some more suggestions (especially because some of these are pretty similar).  Ideally, I'd like to have a long and varied list to choose from.

So if you can think of anything, please comment here — and if I like it, I'll add it.  ETA: You can also comment with thoughts/suggestions regarding stuff that's already on the list.  Oh!  And please feel free (and encouraged) to pimp this in your own journals, so there'll be suggestions from more people. :)

---

* For example, Michael/Toby from The Office, which I only just discovered but am already enamored with.

So, I don't how many of you out there actually watch The Office (judging by the fact that my last post didn't get any comments, probably very few).  And of those few, I don't know how many would actually read fic for it...

But, seriously?  Read this story!

Desperate Times, Desperate Measures (Michael/Toby, R/NC-17)

It's a pairing that's right up my alley, so I'm kind of shocked I never considered it before.  But even if that kind thing was far from my usual fare, this story would have made me a believer, I can promise you.

It's funny and sexy and sad... and all in all, absolutely wonderful.  You don't even have to know the characters that well to appreciate it; but if you do really know them, you'll be amazed at how spot-on this is.  This is what good writing — truly good writing — looks like.  And it would be a shame if more people didn't get the chance to appreciate it.

So, I just wasted a couple hours looking for/reading fic of Oscar/Andy from The Office — a pairing I didn't even know I liked (not until the idea got planted in my head earlier this week).  Ahh, procrastination...

I don't regret it, though; because, as it turns out, I don't just like but love these two.  They make me grin like a complete idiot. And that means I'm a very happy Supes right now. :D

In fact, on the off chance that anyone has recs, do feel free to share.  Fic is far better than washing dishes, anyway. :P

Just watched this week's Defying Gravity, "Fear."  ( Some minor revealing details )

On a related note: Nadia is kind of a bitch.  Hope that's not a spoiler for anybody. :P

ARGHH!!

My purse got stolen.  Just now, at Walmart.  Along with: my wallet (+ $100), my ID, my cell phone, my makeup case, and most importantly, a mini notebook with Azkatraz gift art and other sentimental value stuff in it.  And it was a brand new purse, too.

This sucks beyond all suckage. DDD:


Anybody wanna... I dunno, write (or draw) me something to cheer me up?  *sigh* No, I didn't really think so.

Heck, if you really do want to cheer me up, just a comment on any one of my previous posts would go a long way toward making me feel better.  I promise.

It seems that nearly everybody and their grandma has an original character (or several) these days.  I notice this on y!Gallery in particular.  And more and more, it makes me wonder: why don't I?

It's more than a general disinterest in OCs.  I admit, I find professional works of fiction by established writers* far more interesting than most original work by amateurs.  This is not to say that there aren't excellent writers in fandom... there are, and some of them are certainly skilled enough to produce original work well worth publishing.  But I'd still much rather read fanfiction than people's original stories, 90% of the time — no matter how good those stories are.

...Okay, sorry.  I'm getting off track.  I'm not much for original work, was my point.  But I'm warming up to it.  I won't get into that right now; anyway, that's not really the problem.

The thing is, what I love is other people's characters.  Characters from my favorite books, TV shows, moves... people like Gregory House, or Laura Roslin, or A.J. Crowley.  And when I even start to think about creating a character of my own, all the interesting personality traits that come to mind feel like I'm just borrowing them from the many works of fiction I've enjoyed.

Rebel?  Misanthrope?  Know-it-all?  Clever; straight-laced; snarky...  I've seen it all before.  I've liked it all before.  And trying to invent a personality that's truly different from the ones I already know and love?  Well, that just seems like it's gonna pale in comparison.

I mean, I don't want to create some replica of a Jack Sparrow or Buffy Summers, and just give them a different name.  But what else am I gonna come up with?  (On a side note: if I were trying to think up a Dethklok Klokateer — which seems to be the popular trend in MTL these days — I've no clue what trait I could possibly give them to make sure they can [realistically] survive longer than a week.  Other than astounding good luck.)

Maybe this is an imagination deficiency, who knows.  I mean, if I were already working with a plot, I could probably come up with some characters to fit the story; but otherwise, I just don't know.

Maybe it's all too much to bother with?

---

* Which includes movies and TV, mind you.

Well, I figured: what the heck.  Let's be less anal about this, and post before noon. :P


So, why do you think the male leads of some TV shows always seem to have such terrible first names?

Fox Mulder
Seeley Booth
Maddux Donner¹

(Why yes, I've gotten really into ABC's Defying Gravity² recently.  Shout-outs to anyone else watching this awesome show!)

But, seriously.  What were these guys' parents thinking?  "Let's toughen the kid up by getting him laughed at all through school"?  Then again, maybe that's exactly why (or a big part of why) these men turned out as well as they did.  Although, I guess Booth is the only one of them you would consider traditionally tough; but Mulder is very persistent, at any rate.³  And Donner is pretty decisive, I think, and certainly a good leader...

Anyway, I can't help but think that this use of bad first names must be intentional on the part of the shows' creators.  Because, they can't... not know, right?  What do you guys think?  If you've got your own take on this, please do share! :)

---

¹ I guess "Maddux" sounds really macho, if you think about it.  But... that only works if you actually are incredibly macho (and preferably not that smart).  It's like naming someone "Moose."

² And I'm really gonna need some icons of it, too.  Boy, howdy.
³ I have to be honest here, and admit that I haven't watched much X-Files.  But I want to, when there's time.

Quick thing I'd like to point out:

This is Toki Wartooth.  He has a fu manchu (named after this dude).  And not a biker or horseshoe mustache — like, say, what Hulk Hogan has.

To quote Wikipedia: while the latter has "vertical extensions grown down the sides of the mouth to the jawline," "the horseshoe is often confused with the fu manchu, which however is grown long from the upper lip only while the sides remain shaven."  In other words, only the top part of Toki's mustache should be attached to his face.  The sides of it hang free.

Some fanartists don't seem to get this, and insist on drawing him with a biker 'stache.  I really don't know why.  O.o

*sigh*  I really wanna do this thing...

Name a character and I'll tell you three (or more) some fact(s) about them from my own personal pseudo-canon.

...But I'm afraid there are just too many characters — even from my main fandoms — who I'd have nothing to write about. *facepalm*  Would it be lame of me to say, "Try this and I'll see if I can think of anything for that character"?  >_>

Also, other people should totally do this meme.  If you decide to, do let me know?

I'm bored, and this journal needs content... and yes, I'm still going to reply to all the comments on that HP contemplation post.  But for now, you guys get WIP artz.

Comment/critique as you wish.

( A Nathan, G )


Further random...

( Dethklok look-alikes? )



Also?  You guys.  Go do my two truths and a lie thing!

I mean... if you want to.  Or don't.  But it would be awesome if you did.  *bribes with candy*






Also also: I still do not have a Nathan [just Nathan] icon.  What gives?  O_o

Wow, a full-on Harry Potter post.  Been a while, huh?


( Cut for slight Half-Blood Prince spoilers.  Just in case. )

Any thoughts, guys?  Agree, disagree... don't know what I'm talking about?  I'd love to discuss this further.

Eh, why not?  This looks like fun...



1. I once ate an entire salad using a hair comb instead of a fork.
2. My father has turned down a nomination for president of a foreign country.
3. Back in Russia we had an exotic pet, which we couldn't bring to the States.

And another one, just for the heck of it.  (Shamelessly stealing the idea from mijan.)

1. The first phrase in English I ever learned was "Have you had your break today?"
2. I have had to repeat the first grade.
3. Me, my sister, and my other sister share a mom, but we're all from different marriages.



Ironically, jedipirate and I were just talking about this game earlier.  Or, more specifically, we were talking about an Oz fic where the game is featured.  If you're a fan of the show, you should absolutely take a moment and read this:

"Two Truths and a Lie" (Beecher/Keller, R; short) by Adastra.  It's angsty, maybe even a little heart-breaking... but it is gorgeously written.

What if all my post titles were, just, Monarch quotes?  I'll tell you, I'm tempted to try it.


So, I watched the second to latest episode of Eureka ("Insane in the P-Brane") yesterday.  I like the show, but... science-fiction can be astoundingly dumb sometimes, have you ever noticed?  Some quick ponderings on that fact to follow.*  You don't have to watch Eureka to know or care what I'm talking about — but if you do watch, there might be some spoilers...

( ...so I'd better cut. )

---

* I'll say right now that it's entirely possible I don't know what I'm talking about.  On the other hand, I do have a dad who's a high-level mathematician, and likes to talk about this stuff.  I also checked on Wikipedia to make sure I wasn't just spouting nonsense.  So... I hope I'm not?  But if you have an opposing argument, do share.

** Which is a real thing, as it turns out.

Okay, here goes...

A couple of you have recently friended me, most likely due to Azkatraz or LeakyCon.  Which is awesome.  But embarrassingly enough, I must confess that I don't fully remember who everyone is.  Beyond that, there are some of you who added me a while ago (whether randomly, or because we've met somewhere) and I just never added you back.

Heck, even if I have added you... I still wouldn't mind knowing more about y'all, and making sure I remember who everyone is. :P


#1 Reason to Fill This Out: I haven't added you back, and you'd like to encourage me to do so.

(Right off the bat, I can't promise I'll add you (though filling this out will make it MUCH more likely).  It's nothing personal, just that I try to only add journals I'm going to follow.  I'll still talk to you if you comment, and I hardly ever f'lock; so you're welcome to keep reading my stuff if you so wish.  If I do friend you back, how soon that happens will depend on how busy I am.)

#2 Reason to Fill This Out: I have you friended, but we don't know each other well... or you just feel like indulging me.  (Please do!)

(Yes, I'll admit it: some of you I've added back, but I don't remember for sure who you are/how we met.  I'm not going to say who, because it's embarrassing.  But that's why the more people fill this out, the better.)

( Survey below the cut! )


Please post the questions and your answers as a comment to this post.  To make everyone comfortable, initial comments will be screened; I won't unscreen them without your permission.

I'm in a good mood right off the bat today. :D

(Heck, I'm even in the mood to update my journal, without having an immediate need to do so.  How rare is that?)

Part of this is thanks to chatting with the_ginga yesterday, which really helped get me out of the funk I was in.*  Another part is that I saw one of my icons randomly being used by someone I didn't specifically make it for.  And it's unseemly how happy/excited this sort of thing makes me.  Enough for one of those lame, corny anime smileys, even:  ^________^;

I do wish the person had commented (or if they did comment, that I hadn't missed it); especially because I'm really curious how someone not on my f'list came across an icon I hadn't publically shared yet.  But since it is snaggable, and used with credit, it's all good.

Mostly, I'm just hyped to see it getting some use. *bounces*


Oh, and I might even get to go to the Adult Swim party at the Santo Party House in New York, next week.  Emphasis on "might," sadly, because I can't go unless I find (a) someone to take the bus or carpool with, or (b) a place to crash in NYC overnight...

But I did just post about this at capslokdethklok, checking to see if anyone from Massachusetts is going.  And because I'm in high spirits at the mo', my hopes are up.

&&&&

---

* That's not to say don't comment on that post.  It would still seriously help to talk about this with a few more people.

Metalocalypse people on my f'list... I know there's few of you, but you're there.  And I could really use you guys right now.

I'm having major doubts about the community I'm working on, dethepisode — the one I first posted about last summer.  I'm just not sure right now whether it's worth the effort, or if anyone will join, or if I'll be interested enough/have the energy to keep it running (especially if I don't find a co-mod).

But since the new season starts this fall — the time to make up my mind is now.


So, I'd really love someone to talk to about all this and hear your thoughts on the matter.  Sometimes that really helps, y'know?  I guess if you're not an MTL fan, but just a friend who wants to lend an ear or offer some advice, that would be great too. <3

Okay, this is a question for everyone.  Don't just fill out the poll; give me your thoughts.  Even if you don't know me — if you're reading this, I want to hear your opinion!


I've been thinking a lot about custom-made LJ styles* lately (since looking through many of them while working on dethepisode and st_games).  And I've come to the conclusion that there are way more great ones than I myself could ever possibly use.

I'll be honest: some of the default styles I've seen people using are a bit hard on the eyes; or at best, pretty boring.  Yet of those on my f'list, hardly anyone uses a custom layout — despite the fact that they're free, much prettier than the lj default styles, and usually a snap to install.

So, I want to know...

Poll #1419078
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 2

Do you use a custom layout* for your journal?

If you don't, why not?

If someone (say, me) offered to help you pick out/install/customize a layout, would you be up for that?

Would the offer of a matching header and/or icon help persuade you?

Obviously if you answered "yes" to the first question, you can skip the next three. :P

Anyway... don't just vote, comment!  Tell me what you think about this, and why you are for or against custom styles.  I'm really curious, guys.

---

* Let me be clear: when I say "custom layout" or "...style," I'm not talking about taking an LJ default theme (that's those ones you chose from when you go to customize your journal) and changing a few colors, or adding your own header/background.  I'm talking about a layout custom made to be of a higher quality, by someone with a keen aesthetic eye and professional coding skills.

Check out the stuff at mintyapple, for example, to see what I mean.

Check it out!  A post that isn't birthday greetings or a rant.  Don't ever say I don't come through on my promises. :P


So, this morning (or was it early this afternoon?) I got a brilliant idea on how to find the solution to a problem I've been having with the dethepisode layout.  And it worked!  I found the issue and fixed it, and now the layout is nearly perfect; just needs a few minor tweaks and a header.  With luck, the community will be up and running by mid-July. &&&

(Do feel free to tell me what you think so far.)

Then I spent the rest of the day playing helper fairy to various people who posted questions about the original layout (by gossymer).  Because she has this policy about not answering questions on layouts older than a week or two,* but not everyone — including myself, at first — seemed to realize this.

Some of these people had the same problems I had had; others just didn't know that they ought to be looking for help elsewhere.  So I thought it might be nice of me to point a couple of them in the right direction.  I even offered to help this one person with a certain rather unwieldy free hosting service, which I myself had much aggravation from last week.  (I sure hope that one doesn't come back to bite me in the butt.)


I tell you guys all this not to brag, but to say that while randomly helping others is all well and good... what I should have been doing today was working out the details of my hostel stay and booking a flight to San Francisco for Azkatraz.**

*headdesk*  And it's nearly July.  Way to be another day late on that one. :\

---

* Hey, I don't blame her.  Not every layout maker has time for individual questions (they're already taking a chunk out of their lives just to make the layouts); and there are plenty of communities on LJ where you can get coding help from the experts.

** Which, by the way, still has tickets left for only $130!  Anyone wanna go who's not already going?