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Lots of sad and serious things in the news today, but I don't really know how to talk about all of that this point. All I can say about the Detroit incident is that I'm going to focus on the positive and be glad that the bomb didn't go off, it's a Christmas miracle, etc.

I was really tense all day, but Christmas went reasonably well. Sam says hi )

So: what was your favorite present, and/or what did you do today?


Oh, P.S. I put up A Very Shelfy Christmas, Part 1 yesterday.


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24 December 2009 @ 04:44 pm
Previously on The Secret Life of Dolls: A lot of stuff happened.

So: Christmas in Shelfia, with a bit of catch-up from the Compocalypse. We Two Kings of Númenor Are )


(To be continued. Part two: Serafina. Part three: Anna.)


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Current Mood: busy
 
 
24 December 2009 @ 11:08 am
Pleasantly busy day, it looks like. Howling winds outside, actually, but sunnyish, so that's fine.

Have to wrap presents later. I hate wrapping presents. I mean, I do an okay job of it in the end, and I like presents to be wrapped, but it usually involves me wrestling with a large, fragile sheet of shiny paper for about fifteen minutes.

Still have to take certain pictures. TLB went missing earlier this morning, but was eventually located. I would rather not discuss how the tableshelf ended up covered in maple syrup.

Lizzie's McAfee trial ran out, so I was like, the hell with this, I'm putting AVG on. So now I'm having to do all the scans and setups and whatever, but I hear it's better anyway.

(I am really glad it has a rootkit scan, because isn't that what Sony put on its CDs for a while there?)

For those of you keeping track on the Aromaleigh front, Wish is really pretty with Damask. It's a similar look to Chloe/Amelie, but more pink and less peach.

My feet are killing me, which suggests to me that I need new/better shoes, or some kind of comfort-inducing insert (although those "I'm Gellin'!" commercials make me want to slap someone). I actually want to go buy me some Chucks with my next round of book money, although I doubt those will have any kind of support. Hm. I just want some of those because I rarely get more formal than sneakers, but Chucks are an ever-so-slightly more sophisticated aesthetic than scuffed tennis shoes, you know? And you can customize them! I kind of want to make a purple plaid. I do not see any way to order a foot massage, however.



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24 December 2009 @ 12:01 am
A few things of interest (or not):

The Christmas village on the back of our piano


A less artistic overhead shot

A darkened street

My festive sleeve, which I managed not to set on fire or trail through the dip (you can also see my moonstone ring)




@alliancesjr: @cleolinda This makes me think of pre-1960 attitudes towards women and body parts. One of these days you're going to show us an *gasp* ANKLE

@cleolinda: @alliancesjr http://twitpic.com/uvgzt  

@queenanthai: @cleolinda You HOOR.


Lucy at the party

What I got at the swap:




The little china cup is actually a strainer that goes in the large cup; that's a wooden spoon sitting in it. The three teas are jasmine, green, and black, and there are little compartments in the box for the teas and the metal strainer. All of this is pleasing to me, particularly since I've been drinking my tea out of a coffee mug.

And for those who asked about "movie that will be made of certain book I was buying," I gave Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (movie version to star Natalie Portman), plus a guide to zombie survival.


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Current Mood: sleepy
 
 
23 December 2009 @ 02:16 pm
Very tired--like, "sleepy" tired, not "verge of a nervous breakdown" tired. Maybe it's just because there's been a lot of holiday-related running-around lately, which is fun. And I've been eating out more, which means I'm drinking soda, which means I'm getting more caffeine than I should, which means I'm not sleeping very well at night. All I know is, a friend called yesterday and thought something was seriously wrong, because I sounded completely out of it. I woke up a bit late and didn't take my meds on time this morning, so now I have a headache, etc., which I'm hoping will go away by the time I go out to the Christmas swap party tonight. Speaking of which, I am still trying to find my boots (just short black boots to wear under my jeans, nothing huge), because I would really like to wear those. Also, I have very nearly talked myself into wearing a dark blue top with crocheted sleeves that are a bit... princessy. Eh, I will claim they are "festive."

First, a few Avatar links, since that's what the last entry was about. And thanks for such a civil and thoughtful discussion over on the Avatar entry. It took 360 comments for someone hostile to finally show up and inform me that I am a prejudiced, touchy-feely liberal. After the all-time high of cleoloindaisgay, this was a fairly disappointing flame.

James Cameron Reveals His Quest to Build More Perfect CGI Boobs. Unfortunately, I read this before I saw the movie, so I spent the whole thing staring at Neytiri's goods, curious to see if such a paradox as a CGI nip slip could possibly occur. 

EW on Avatar: Does story matter? "Titanic is Shakespeare compared to Avatar." ICE BURRRRRRN.

James Cameron Planning 'Avatar' Trilogy, Director Tells MTV News. Yeah, I told you.

‘Avatar’ could get nine Oscar nominations. I don't know if I'm just more mature mellow as a person now than I was circa Titanic, but I think I would manage not to claw my eyes out if it won something huge. I don't know--maybe my Zoe Saldana love is helping me hold on.

The "Moff's Law" link going around: RT @ebertchicago To people who say "Just enjoy! Don't analyze!" This speaks eloquently for me: http://j.mp/4XAkBR.

Meanwhile (alert alert alert): today's 50% off sale at Aromaleigh is the Eye Lustres section Quick reviews of the ones I like )

Speaking of color: Colorstrology. Something about birthdays and colors and Pantone sponsorship, I don't know, but it's interesting. December's color is Pagoda Blue, and the 14th turned out to be Green-Blue Slate: "Complex, quick-witted, expressive." "You are expressive and funny and people like it when you entertain them" in particular made me laugh. DANCE, HUMOR MONKEY!


Speaking of which, I am so behind on Secret Life. Oh God. The Christmas/catchup installment looks like it's going to be in three parts now. Dammit.



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Current Mood: sleepy
 
 
Pünktlich zum Jahresende die 35. Ausgabe von [info]babbling_de. Es gab wieder viele Einsendungen, für die ich mich bedanken möchte, und zwar bei diversen Anonymäusen, [info]blakkmollie, Cass, [info]dawnerah, [info]fornoch, [info]lythaa, [info]pantoffeltier, [info]ratasbona, [info]x_hellfairy_x und Yoru!


Zur letzten Ausgabe gibt es wieder Fanart von [info]kuschelmetal, die uns schon "Dumbledores und Voldemorts Arme" bescherte, wovon mein persönlicher Favorit diese hier ist:





Zwei mehr hinter dem Cut )

Ich wünsche euch allen frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch. Wir sehen uns im nächsten Jahr mit neuen Zitaten aus den Tiefen der schlimmsten Fanfics.

Eure

Chili





Yoru
Link


,,Entlich! Hi,Hi, Ha!" Beganng Oroschimaru.

~*~

Der rothaarige wurde von einem Gereuch im Gevüsch unterbrochen.


[info]blakkmollie
Link


"Es tut mir Leid, aber Lena und ihre Tochter hatten einen Autounfall. Ihre Freundin liegt im Komma. Ihrer Tochter geht es soweit gut."

[info]fornoch
Link
Titel:


Harry Potter und die Gefahr von hinten.

~*~

Hedwig knabberte noch einmal liebevoll an seinem Ohr und dann flog sie aus dem Fenster hinaus gegen die Mittagssonne.

~*~

Als seine Augen sich langsam dran gewöhnten, sah er zwei Gestalten halb Tod in Fesseln liegen, als er eine von denen erkannte, wollte er sofort lossprinten und die Fesseln losreißen und sie mitnehmen, es war Hermine, die er sofort erkannte.

[info]lythaa
Link


Sie runzelte entschlossen die Tür und schwang sich über die Rückenlehne der Sitzreihe vor ihr.


Wa wa wa was )
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Current Location: im Komma
Current Mood: elegant
Current Music: Telefon-Leute
 
 
20 December 2009 @ 05:25 pm
So I just saw Planet of the Cat People (P.S. They're Blue) in 3-D, and then Brett the Vet and I went out for Moe's. (They have a whole salsa bar!) Short version: A large portion of my readership is going to kick my ass.

Long version: MASSIVE SPOILERS )


ETA: What the HELL? Hospital: Actress Brittany Murphy dies at age 32.



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Current Music: The sound of 500 people defriending me
 
 
19 December 2009 @ 05:46 pm
Oh my sweet God have mercy. I decided that I would rather not go to prison )

By the way, remember this story?

Meanwhile, on the way home from our last excursion of the day, we dropped by my grandmother's to bring her some more ornaments. On the way out, I stopped to play with a--I don't know, I guess you'd call it a banner? It kind of looks like a long flat bell pull? I don't know. She has it hanging on her front door, and it's this tan-colored strip of fabric with little decorated felt Christmas trees, edged with shiny gold rickrack. "I loved this when I was a kid," I told her, shaking it a little so the bells would jingle. "Ruth made that," my grandmother said warmly. "She really liked arts and crafts. She made all of this herself, every bit of it. Even the tassels. She sewed everything on it there--the sequins, the little ornaments, she even put the pearls on the trees. She's dead now."

I managed not to crack up until I got to the car. My mother couldn't understand why I was doubled up in the passenger seat crying with laughter. I'm not sure I understand it myself.

This year, I got pictures of it:


 


And now, I flop.

P.S. I still want a foot massage really, really badly.



(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

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19 December 2009 @ 02:00 pm
OMG HAVE BOOK FOUR. Will have a swanky cover image for you when I get it. The cover looks weird and blurry on the product review page, but sometimes Lulu does that and it will look awesome and not at all blurry when you actually get it!

Also, if you type in "HOHOHO" at checkout, you get twenty percent off. THAT'S A LOT OF PERCENT. It's more than ten, that's for sure.

Omnibus is being worked on steadily.
 
 
18 December 2009 @ 06:11 pm
So. Tired in a very lazy, self-indulgent way. I don't know if it's the holidays or the birthdays or what, but I've got to get over this dragginess--however pleasant it might be at the moment--at some point. I am, however, going to see Avatar on Sunday, and am working on some kind of zen meditation to rope off my EXTREME WEARINESS of the hype I've been hearing for an actual, literal year about how this will CHANGE THE WAY MOVIES ARE MADE. I don't know which way they mean, but if involves 3-D becoming the standard movie format I'm going to be pissed off, because it gives me headaches like whoa, and keep in mind that I have to balance those damn glasses on top of my real ones. I'm afraid to ask what other ways they might mean, because so far, "Huge effects spectacle with an overly familiar story and clichéd dialogue," "The nation divided into warring tribes of Fanboys and Haters," and "Would you like fries with your topless Neytiri figure?" kind of seem like business as usual.

@cleolinda: RT @flickchart: Director Michael Mann said of AVATAR: "There's before this movie, and after this movie."

@cleolinda: RT @flickchart: Spielberg quoted on AVATAR: "The last time I came out of a movie feeling that way was the first time I saw Star Wars."

@cleolinda: People, you realize now that I'm not going to be impressed unless Avatar delivers orgasms AND hot fudge sundaes. Knock it off.

@cleolinda: @jamevph The only thing more obnoxious than the hype would be if the movie actually turned out to be that good.

@cleolinda: @gorgeousnerd Oh, I mean, I'm going on Sunday, and I'm going to try to be zen about it and set all of that aside.

@cleolinda: Although I do wonder--"Doomed romance on the Titanic" is an easy sell. "Giant blue cat people do... something," I don't know.

@cleolinda: It could be the Second Coming, but I don't know how well it might actually do. Interesting to see how it shakes out.

@lilithsaintcrow: @cleolinda "Giant blue cat-love on the doomed Titanic! It's a sure thing!"

@cleolinda: @lilithsaintcrow Aw, man, giant blue cat-love screeching in the back of a Model T, do not want.

Then, from [info]gfrancie: I Hate James Cameron, but I Love His Movies. Yeah... that's probably going to be me Sunday afternoon, after I recover from my 3-D headache. I will hate myself for liking it after being battered with hype for TWELVE SOLID MONTHS, but I also feel like it's intellectually dishonest to blindly hate something just for the sake of hating it. Meanwhile, I don't even know if there will be anything Not to Be Spoken Of, but I wouldn't count on it. Also, I'm still not sure if The Lovely Emily and her husband were kidding about painting their faces blue or not.



(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

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Current Mood: hungry
 
 
16 December 2009 @ 07:02 pm
First of all: my mother and I are trying to decide on an e-book reader to get for my stepfather. His main problem is visibility--we hit on this as an alternative to large-print books, in that any book can become "large print" if you can adjust the font size. Portability is less of a factor, therefore--if one reader is larger than the other, that might actually be a bonus for us. I hear the Nook is sold out and kind of got crappy reviews along the lines of "Wait for the 2.0 version," but Mom thinks she might be able to get one anyway (she has Ways). On the other hand, the Kindle has a lot of advantages that I am vaguely aware of, but it's also got screwy DRM issues where it won't let you do things with, you know, the files you bought and paid for. So she says it would be nice to be able to have the e-books on the reader and the computer, DRM issues would be really frustrating, etc. So 1) ease of use and visibility for someone who is not a tech-head and 2) minimal DRM foolery, those are our main criteria. I know nothing about e-readers, except that I have the Stanza app on the iBella and don't ever use it. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Second: [info]padawansguide needs a new host for her site, the movie-focused The Costumer's Guide (where I had tons of fun a couple of years ago trying to help identify all 60+ Marie Antoinette costumes. Good times); in particular, she says, "I would like at least 5-10 GB of disk space and at least 150 or more GB of bandwidth a month. With no weird [usage] caps they don't tell you about!" We discuss a couple of options at that first link, if you have any ideas.

Third, and not a question: New trailer for Iron Man 2.


(
Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

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15 December 2009 @ 01:18 pm
Bear with me as I lead into this, because I have some philosophical ramblings about beauty products that guys (i.e., people who do not wear makeup and may not understand the appeal of cosmetics) may find interesting.

So. I have gift cards to Sephora, and also a promotional code from their newsletter that expires today, and then three free mini lip glosses as a birthday promotion, therefore: it's economy-boosting time. My on-and-off obsession with makeup, as previously documented here, is somewhat peculiar, given that I wear very little of it. I mean, number one: I don't leave the house much. I have sensitive problem skin, so there doesn't seem to be any point in irritating it with the constant application and removal of makeup that no one's going to see, you know? What I really love is trying out different colors, because if I wear anything, it tends to be eyeshadow and lip gloss--I really need to wear foundation and concealer, but honestly, when I do, all I look like is someone very obviously wearing foundation and concealer, so I figure the flawed natural look is preferable at that point, and I'll just have fun with my favorite eyeshadow palettes (Hard Candy's Suede and Star). Hence the recent fixation on Aromaleigh, because the samples are so cheap that I can play all I want, and I'm hearing from other patrons that their face powders do a really good job of blending and disappearing, so I'm going to get samples of those and see if I can finally achieve the no-makeup makeup look ("Like you, only better!").

As for why girls--some girls--get so obsessed with makeup, even someone like me who rarely wears it, I can tell you very simply: Yes, but it's a badass lavender )


(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

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15 December 2009 @ 01:16 am
Okay, here's what's going on. Nikki and I are cracking down hard and almost done with the print version of Book Four. It will be up VERY VERY VERY SOON, I'm hoping within the next couple of days. I just checked Lulu's holiday shipping deadlines, and if you live in the states and use ground shipping (and we can get the book posted by tomorrow, which is my hope, but Nikki and I are both very busy so we are going to do our best), you will get the book by Christmas. If you use expedited shipping, you have until Dec. 18th to order. If you use express shipping, you can order until Dec. 21st.

I don't know that the omnibus will make it out in time for Christmas, but we're going to try really hard to at least make it available by the express shipping deadline. We still need to bang out the special features and cover for it.

Speaking of special features, the print version of book four will include "Cooking With Ice Cream: An Erotic Recipe Book", full of fun and exciting things you can make yourself if you ever decide you want to have a meal influenced heavily by aliens. YOU NEVER KNOW.

ALSO: 10% OFF ON ALL OF MY BOOKS UNTIL DECEMBER 30TH

Lulu has a promotion going on right now, if you enter the code "HUMBUG" at checkout, you will receive 10% off on any of the books from now until December 30th! Which is a pretty nice thing for them to do, I think.
 
 
14 December 2009 @ 08:44 pm
So. Today. Thirty-one. I was depressed (not about the number itself) and that was stupid but there it is.

(Also, the day started out really crappy. "PUT HIS ASS ON THE PHONE!")

I will say, there is one thing I feel very strongly about on birthdays, and that is: it is very important that you blow out all your candles in one breath, for thus shall you have good luck all the next year! Which is why I get UTTERLY CHAGRINED when people put the same number of candles on the cake as you are years old, because when you're seven that's awesome, but when you're thirty-one, that's just basically a giant NO LUCK FOR YOU. I just don't have the lung capacity to deal with those kind of numbers, people. "Can we just get two candles in the shape of a 3 and a 1?" I asked desperately. So after I explained why I wanted fewer candles, we compromised and just put them on my piece:

I'M A REBEL )

So it was a quiet day; we had just my grandmother over for lunch rather than any kind of Entire Family thing. I don't know. I'm just getting to be a huge baby about not wanting to do anything for my birthday--what I want to figure out is what I feel so bad about. What is it that I actually want that I'm not getting? I'm throwing myself a giant pity party, but what's the occasion? Because you can't go about fixing a problem, about getting what you want, if you don't know what that is. And I just don't know.

Anyway. I'm still slowly replacing my music collection--I might be able to recover it when I'm sure I can afford to take Betsy into the shop after Christmas shopping is done, but I'm not counting on it--so I went and bought my two favorite Pretenders songs, "Night in My Veins" and "Love Colours." Coincidentally, I got that CD for my--16th birthday? I think that's the one it was. I wore that CD to pieces, which is why I can't rip it to Lizzie now. So, fifteen years later, here we are on iTunes.

Something else I bought on a whim off eBay just happened to arrive today, and I am counting it as a birthday present to myself because it is pretty much the best thing ever. Seriously, I think opening the packet and taking it out was the only thing that made me laugh all day. I paid the princely sum of $13.13 for it, and it will be a long time before I am able to work it into The Secret Life of Dolls, but you will die, all of you will absolutely die when you see it.


(Zomg e-book! The Annotated Movies in Fifteen Minutes: Wizards!)

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