(no subject)

I really don't think I should be left unamused. I mean, there's a reason I try really hard to not get bored--to keep bad things from happening. Becuase today, for some reason, I was bored and started throwing Hershey's kisses at the other clerks. No good reason--well, I did want them to have chocolate. But I also wanted to see them jump up and scream at projectiles falling from above and landing on their keyboards.

That was really fun. I don't pull off innocent well, though.

Yes, all of you, breathe a sign of relief that you don't work with me.

Anyway, I'm amused to realize I'm understanding about thirty-five to forty percent of what clients say in Spanish these days. Before anyone gets delusions regarding the width and breadth of my intelligence, it's not all that hard. Everyone asks for only a few specific things. I need to know about ten verbs to get through the day. Traer, trabajar, poner, tocar, saber, querer, and necessitar are the biggies. Though I got all excited when I recognize a conjugation I remember, especially if it's in a context that I can remember learning it. I feel like I'm back in college, staring at the teacher in horror when she decided all the class needed to be conducted in Spanish. Except this time, give me a few minutes, and I might just know what the hell is going on.

But it *is* fun to see improvement. Though I make Cynthia gripey when she translates for me, since when I'm not under pressure to understand, I can just listen and take my time translating to myself. So if they go on at length, I can usually figure out what the problem is in a generalized and sometimes specific sense. Then she tells me to buy some damn tapes already so she can stop having to get up and come over to tell me what's going on.

See, this is sort of funny. For years now, I thought I was pretty much incapable of learning a foreign language, due to my utter horrifying failure at Finnish, despite five months there. And when I say that, I mean, horrifying. I could *read* it at probably the first grade level, I could write it sometimes, but it was all passive. Otherwise, forget it. I couldn't even begin to figure out how to make it work. Individual words I knew--sentence structure, okay, had issues, but could figure it out. But speaking it killed me every time. Just dead in the water. And forget understanding.

But. Apparently, it takes absolute frustration, repetition, desperation, gripeyness, and some creative grammar. Who knew?

I suppose it makes sense. I'm always at my best when pushed, stressed, or on a time limit of some kind. By pushed, I mean, someone standing behind me and kicking very hard until I move. Kind of like a mule, but cuter. I hope. Not that this is a surprise to anyone who has even a passing acquaintance with me in all my not-moving glory.

Hmm. I'm a boring person. But I don't mind. I get to throw chocolate at people in my spare time.

Anyway. Entertainment center is working. DVD and VCR hooked up. So far, satellite filtered through VCR is beyond me. No idea why. Very bitter about this. Okay, not very. But kinda displeased in a very passive way.

I'm still thinking on life changing decision things--when I get the nerve to talk about it, I'll blather on forever and ever and ever. It's not a matter of jinxing it, though you know, now that I think about it, I do have that weird feeling that if I talk even a little, everything will fall apart--I mean, look what happened with that damn job. Which still hurts, though not as much, since TVs soothe the endless pain and all, and DVDs even moreso. I think a new Jaguar would just melt it away completely, but I don't see that in the cards.

To get off the subject. Let's talk about recs.

Recs

Indestructible, part 1 and part 2, BY ragingpixie in which no one grow at all, there's h/c, Justin is a total martyr, and Brian has pretty bruises. This is why I love her. This is why I want to marry her when I grow up. Provided it's legal and someone promises to get me a mixer at the wedding. And not a crappy mixer. I mean the big, heavy duty, gourmet-class, stainless steel ones that make you cry they mix so well.

Hmm. TMI.

Next up!

Teacher!Fic by rachelanton73 and blaurosen

Part 10
Part 11

And.

Method by xoverau, RPS, Gale Harold/OMC, Gale/Randy. Hey, here's a thought. Is there a standard for pairings in RPS on names and order? Yes, you can tell I spent time in Trek--we did it by rank and order of appearance, and we were told when a new show started how it was going to be. Which I found soothing. I like authority.

And this fic is *hot*. Just go checking.

And do we have an RPS for QaF archive yet? I'm unsure about the good manners of reccing a story under friendslock. For the record, it was hot and *good*, and one day, I swear, chica, I'll actually leave a comment and not just goggle from afar.

Places

I'm sure everyone's read these, but for those who missed, really, you *should*. Just for the amusement value.

The 2004 Commandments by dexfarkin, for fanfic writers.

Ten Fanwhore Commandments by acadine, responding.

They both amused the shit out of me on agreement and disagreement, but this made me giggly like a drunk schoolgirl on a hit of e.



dexfarkin
Also, if you are writing male and female gay relationships or about gay culture, do a little
homework. Because right now, most of the ones you write are not. You’ve transgendered. Badly. Gay men would beat up the men you write for their lunch money.

acadine
5) Thou shalt recognize that slash is weird psychological/emotional/only very occasionally sexual porn for women, gay men, and our allies (hah hah), that really has nothing to do with real life gay men, women, or chihuahuas, and leave it the fuck at that, on both sides.

I mean, *really*. Do we need to start disclaiming that, no, we are *not* writing PSAs these days? Blah blah offend, whatever. I don't get offended by bodice-ripper romances anymore, because I *get* the fantasy element going on there. So if I can survive reading about the umpteenth Blonde, Big Breasted, Short Virgin who suddenly falls miraculously in love with the Viking ass that kidnapped her from her loving, sweet (read; weak) fiancee who was saving their love for marriage before impaling her on his manly sword, shaft, spear, what have you, in a situation that sits on my ick-lines regarding real life consent....

And I ask you, who the hell came *up* with the euphemisms? I don't mind them (except spear? *shivers*), but I'm getting bitter that women just don't have the same breadth of words for their genitalia. Flower is creepy, jewel is weird, mound of venus sounds like something you'd bury a pet in after making a sacrifice for that goddess or something, and frankly, I am beginning to think that part of the reason I left het was that using heat and warmth to describe the pubic region on a consistent basis was getting embarrassing. Can we take a vote and make up a word? I don't care what word. Just a word, dammit, that doesn't involve temperature.

Yeah. I'm blocked on a fic again.



Offness. My sister is getting married in April after living in sin with her fiancee for over two years and having a child. My grandmother is faint with shocked relief. I have to wear a bridesmaid's dress. I'm wondering how thankful I should really be.

And hwmitzy! Got the package, and thank you, darling. *hugs* It's wonderful. Child sends his love and appreciation and has left chocolatey fingerprints on my keyboard and almsot spilled. *g*

*edited to add author's name, since I forgot. *g*

Comments

[ragingpixie.livejournal.com]

Love for you. Even if you did not say who the fic was by.

Everyone will know anyway, because I am all the rage.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I'm really not.

[juteux.livejournal.com]

Yes. You are.

[ragingpixie.livejournal.com]

Your icon! You told me you made one!

LOVE

[ragingpixie.livejournal.com]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

You're funny.

[flyingtapes.livejournal.com]

Hee. You amuse me so.

[xoverau.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the reccing. It means a lot to me. *smile*

[acari.livejournal.com]

Oh my, QAF RPS. I always said that I'm not interested in RPS when I'm all about the show but... *runs off*

Also, there's no rule about the name order. Just pick what sounds prettier to you. RPs people are anarchists. *snorts*

One of these days when I have more time I'll add half of your friendlist. Must not add QAF people. Flist already unmanagable.

[ratcreature]

Not that I know Finnish, but I think for people having another European language as first language it might be harder, because it's not even the same broad language family (well I think it shares a relation with Hungarian, but not with the others), while most of the others are at least indo-germanic in origin. I never tried to learn a non-indo-germanic language, so I can't really compare, but for me the similarities in grammar and vocabulary always are a big help, so if that's not there I'd expect it to be even harder. Also I heard Finnish really has a lot of cases and other complicated grammar, otoh, when I started to learn Spanish I found the grammar very logical and quite regular. Far more regular than French for sure, especially the verbs (though maybe I'm biased, three years of French in school and one in college, and I still couldn't really talk in that language, and since then have forgotten most, so I like to blame it on French being difficult, instead of me being lazy and untalented... ;)

[wrenlet.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I was always told it should go in order of who tops/who bottoms, though maybe this is bleedover from my days in anime fandom, when 1) that was a totally rigid structure and you got flamed if you fucked it up and 2) top/bottom roles were frequently assigned according to height. No lie. Doujinshika will frequently Vastly Emphasize Height Differences to make sure you get the point. It's a thing.

Of course, the top/bottom dynamic gets less meaningful when there's the potential for switching and whatnot, and have I mentioned my theories on the Economy of the Orgasm in Slash?

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Yes, all of you, breathe a sign of relief that you don't work with me.

Dude? Chocolate landing unexpectedly before me? I'd be singing your praises! *g*