I read tons of fic from lots of different fandoms. Then when I'm looking for the same fic again or get a craving for a particular kind of fic it gets kind of tricky to find what I'm looking for amongst all my links. I really appreciate Story and/or Genre search communities and am trying to compile as complete a list of them as I can. Here's the ones I know about:

DueSouth Genrefinders
DueSouth Storyfinders
HP - FictionAlley Park
QAF Get it Here
SGA Genrefinder
SGA Storyfinders
Star Wars
SPN Story Finders

I'm particularly in need of a Smallville search community, but I'd be grateful for a link to any currently active search community, no matter the fandom.

I've been seeing this 52 Books in 52 Weeks thing popping up all over and it got me to thinking about how I rarely read actual books anymore. It's almost all fanfic of late. So I'm making a conscious effort to try some real novels. I don't know if I'll get to 52 or manage one a week, but there's got to be some really good books out there I'm missing. I'm thinking a running list might help. So far:

March 2009

(01)Week 1: Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn - The problem with this one is that I just didn't give a rat's ass about Kitty. Stuff happened, but I can't really recall what or be bothered to care.

(02)Week 2: His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik - The first book in the Temeraire series and I am so glad I picked this one up. It was just charming. I've placed my order for the rest of the series and am anxiously awaiting their arrival. Hallelujah for grown up characters!

(03)Week 3: The Nymphos of Rocky Flats by Mario Acevedo - My total reaction to this one is just, 'meh.' I was expecting funny, but it fell flat. The mystery/detective work angle was pretty weak too.

(04)Week 4: The Wrecks of Time by Michael Moorcock - It's not bad but is very dated. In 1967, when it was originally published, it was probably a pretty interesting idea. Now days it's no surprise.

April 2009

(00)Week 5: No books. I read a lot of Due South fanfic.

(05)Week 6: Stargate Atlantis: Rising by Sally Malcolm - Just a novelization of the first episode of SGA, but it had some pretty good POV stuff and the author did have a really good grasp on the characters. You could tell she really is a big fan of the show.

(06)Week 7: Death of a Glutton by M.C. Beaton - Kind of the standard group of quirky people on holiday in a small town and one of them is killed mystery. I really like Hamish Macbeth and although I've read better mysteries, it wasn't a bad whodunit.

(00)Weeks 8 & 9: More Due South fanfic plus some Stargate Atlantis fic.

May 2009

(07)Week 10: Downtown by Ed McBain - Sort of wacky adventure through downtown New York. I enjoyed it. Not a lot in the way of engaging characters or intriguing plot, but there were plenty of clever turns of phrase and some pretty decent one liners.

(00)Week 11: More fanfic. And Amazon had a DVD sale.

(00)Week 12: Watched Battlestar Galactica's first season.

(08)Week 13: Ill Wind by Rachel Caine - This one follows the urban-fantasy/supernatural-tough-chick formula, but with a truly original execution. 1) It's weather wardens and djinn rather than vampires and werewolves--a brand new supernatural set up that works surprisingly well. 2) The main character wasn't a Mary Sue--at least not yet. I'll definitely pick up the next book in the series.

June 2009

They got a new firewall at work. It blocks LJ, which really, really sucks. I don't post much, but I do read a lot and comment some. Now I'm stuck trawling FF.net, one of the few sites that isn't filtered out as 'adult content' or 'social networking.'

The up shot is I've found a few stories I absolutely love that I probably never would have tried based solely on the description if I'd had anything else to do.

Shadows in Starlight by Vathara - It's a Rurouni Kenshin/Star Wars crossover. I know that sounds like it has to suck, but it was surprisingly brilliant. She managed to make the crossover work perfectly. It was so good, I've actually taken to SW fanfic and I don't even like SW that much. I still haven't seen the last two movies and probably never will watch them, but this one fic has sold me on a serious attachment to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I'm also really impressed with two WIPs by Marz1:

A Village Hidden in Hope - A Naruto/Star Wars cross that's very well written and quite addictive.

The Truth Decays - A Fullmetal Alchemist/Naruto cross that has nailed Edward's personality exactly.

After a long absense from FMA fandom, I'm finally getting back into it a bit. Yaoi is still my first love, but a couple gen fics I really like are:

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3537350/1/The_Book_of_Truth
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3628620/1/Alchemys_Child

Anyone have good recs for me? I haven't been keeping up the last couple years. I'm sure there's some gems I missed and some old favorites that could stand a reread.

Roy/Ed is a favorite but, like with the two above, gen fic is good too. I'm willing to give pretty much anything a shot. Really good writing can sell me on an idea that made me cringe to start with. The only thing I can't stand in fic unrelenting misery that drags on for ages without any glimmer of happiness on the horizon.

Just a snippet I did for Drabylon a few months back but forgot to post here.

Summary: Brian/Justin a few months post-513. Justin's had some time to think over this New York idea.

( Reconsidering )

I mentioned watching Queer as Folk three times in my last post. This time, I figured I should do something useful. (Useful or batshit insane, the jury is still out on that one.) So I took notes and so far I've come up with this:

timeline.xls

I start showing my brother season 4 this Friday, and I'll post the completed version as soon as we get through the last two seasons.

Updated: I added season 4 and the first part of season 5 to this. If anyone has any specific questions as to why I spaced things out the way I did, feel free to ask. I'd be happy to consult my notes and explain which evidence I'm giving priority and my reasoning as to why.

It's been awhile since I posted anything, so I thought I should say something to show I haven't completely abandonned this thing. So a few things I've learned:

( Queer as Folk: One of the Best Shows Ever! )

( Book Mooch: Very Nifty )

( Bizarre, Yet Brilliant, Fic Recs )

Babbling about my current musical selections. Thumbs up on NIN's Year Zero.

( Read more... )

Once again, I open my mouth, I get myself in trouble.

I had a bag of leftover chocolate I was bringing into work to pass around the office and walked passed my boss on the way in.

ME: Want candy. (Holding up the bag.)
HIM: Isn't that my line. You should know better than to offer a dirty old man candy.
ME: I meant figuratively not literally! (brief pause) No, wait, I meant the other way 'round. Literally, not figuratively.

Then I stomped up the stairs trailing the tattered remains of my dignity while he cackled in the lobby.

My mom bought a vacuum sealer so she could put steaks in plastic bags and suck all the air out so they don't get freezer burn.

My brother said: "She could have just used a plastic straw."

My reply: "I don't want mom sucking on my meat."

I tried to retract, but it just kept getting worse. I think I may have scarred myself for life.

This is pretty much going to be me bitching and moaning about my life, so you probably just want to skip it.

( Read more... )

By the by, regarding fic, still not abandonned, just on an indeterminate hiatus. I've got to get this work and lovelife business sorted first.

And, because I already posted my shoe woes, I must recommend my eventual solution:

CutesyGirl.com - The best shoe store ever!

My assistant at work is completely fucking useless (and kind of a closet racist). Not only do I have my work to do, I've got half of her work plus fixing all the stuff she screws up if I don't keep a really close eye on everything she does. I get home completely exhausted and incapable of anything more taxing than vegging out in front of the TV.

I've still got my post-its for the last few pieces of Life in Progress, but god only knows when I'll be able to write again.

On the brightside, I got the complete Queer as Folk for Christmas. I'd never seen it before and absolutely adored it--the first three seasons at least.

I can't write because I need new shoes. My favorite pair of black shoes broke. Literally broke. They're wooden soles:



The front two inches snapped off.

Now I desperately need new everyday black shoes. This past week I've been wearing 6" stillettos with all my black outfits--which is fine short term but I don't feel like pushing my luck for too long.

The past couple weeks I've been spending all my time browsing online for replacement shoes--a really time consuming process because I want something really specific. I want black open-toe slides with at least a 1/4 inch platform and 3-3 1/2 inch clog, square, or architectural heel, not a wedge--nothing too frilly or funky on the upper.

I think I might have to spend an obscene amount of money and get some shoes from: Zoccoli

... well. I lied. I had every intention of finally finishing the story, but my assistant retired and her replacement is a really, really slow worker and actually pretty thick. I'll try for early September.

I hate posting these excuse posts. I always feel like such an ass.

In the run up to DH (which was not overly impressive) I did read some rather nice HP fic.

( My HP Recs )

Got a reminder today that it has been awhile since my last post, just thought I should post a little status update.

The semester with Youth Lit and Usability Analysis was horrific. My professors were insane. Then, right before registration for summer semester I got this email saying, 'We're changing the graduation requirements to require fewer electives, if you want to graduate now we can put you on the graduation list.' My reply was of course, 'Hell yes. Put me on the list.' So as of April 28th I'm a proud (and relieved) graduate with a Masters in Library Science.

May I spent reveling in not being a student. I did my under-grad and grad work back to back right out of highschool. This was the first time in 21 years I've been completely out of school. Went on a lot of day trips and outings with friends and family--everyone was just amazed to see me there because so often I'd have to stay home to do homework.

June, we started budget meetings at work. This is the first time ever they've actually asked the police dept. what kind of money they need--so much scrambling around compiling figures on things we've never tracked in the past.

End of July we're having the final budget proposal. (There's also going to be much Harry Potter distraction taking up any and all free time.) I'm thinking I'm finally going to do the last few chapters of Life in Progress in August.

I was going to finish Life in Progress over Christmas break, but I've been sick all week and school starts again tomorrow.

Anyone have any good home remedies for post-nasal drip? If I could eat something without it all tasting like snot, that would be so wonderful.

Maybe I'll luck out and some of my classes this term will turn out to be easy. I'm taking Multicultural Youth Literature and Usability Analysis, so there is a chance one of my teachers will give me a break--it's not like the semester with Grant Writing and Cataloging where the subject matter automatically required a lot of work. (I'm working on a Masters of Library and Information Science, if anyone is curious.)

At work, things have been interesting lately. We're doing a statistical analysis type thing to assess how all the city departments are doing. The analysis part is a pain in the butt, but at the last meeting the Police Chief started his presentation by praising me by name to the Mayor--which is a big thing considering that I'm a lowly payroll clerk (there are only two jobs in the entire city government that make less money than I do).

But the really interesting thing was that on the way back from the meeting, I was there for a drug bust. It was like watching COPS, except live and in person.

Title: Life in Progress
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Roy/Ed or Ed/Roy + Al/Winry
Summary: Set post-anime series. Roy & Ed falling in love through everyday things. Not angst.
Chapter Summary: The Ball

( Chapter 13 )

Previous parts:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12

Title: Life in Progress
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Roy/Ed or Ed/Roy + Al/Winry
Summary: Set post-anime series. Roy & Ed falling in love through everyday things. Not angst.
Chapter Summary: Chit-chat at the office and elsewhere.

( Chapter 12 )

Previous parts:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11

Title: Life in Progress
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Roy/Ed or Ed/Roy + Al/Winry
Summary: Set post-anime series. Roy & Ed falling in love through everyday things. Not angst.
Chapter Summary: Six months later.
Notes: School's out till January 8th, I'm going to do my best to get this finished before then. This hasn't been so much as proofread... must get as much written as possible.

( Chapter 11 )

Previous parts:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10