In Absentia Luci

Flist, I have a very important question.

2019-12-28T04:52:42Z

For my next layout (dreamWidth), do I want a Honeydukes theme or a Madam Puddifoot's theme? IRL, I would hate and avoid Madam Puddifoot's, but Valentine's Day is coming, after all (and I did find a heart confetti gif instead of snow for the background...)

So, flist, what will it be: sweets or tea?

Also, if anyone has a copy of an animated HP mood theme they can upload for me, I will love you forever!

Effing finally.

2017-03-19T22:34:19Z

After more than a day of trying to upload the images, here (finally) are my entries for the Quotables challenge at tv_universe:
+[1] Twin Peaks
+[1] Parks & Rec
+[1] Game of Thrones
+[1] Orphan Black
+[1] Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Master Post: 2016 Advent Calendar

2016-12-01T05:02:06Z

December 01: Livejournal Layout: Paige's Ugly Sweater
December 02: Animated Mood Theme: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
December 03: Mix: Christmas Candy
December 04: Icons: WWE Female Superstars: Ugly Christmas Sweaters
December 05: Fic: Labyrinth: Under The Tree
December 06: Headers: Doctor Who Christmas
December 07: Icons: TV Christmas Episodes
December 08: Fic: Labyrinth: Christmas Traditions
December 09: Mix: The Naughty List
December 10: Icons: WWE Christmas
December 11: Mood Theme: Sims 3 Moodlets
December 12:
December 13:
December 14:
December 15:
December 16:
December 17:
December 18:
December 19:
December 20:
December 21:
December 22:
December 23:
December 24:
December 25:

Promo Time!

2016-10-18T01:39:22Z

It's promotion time! If you're looking for fun communities to inspire your muse, come join us at lands_of_magic (sci-fi/fantasy/horror/supernatural fandoms), tv_universe (tv fandoms), a_war_of_roses (historical and period fandoms), and gameofcards (multi/any fandom). To sign up, just click on any of the graphics below.

The Winter Court really needs you!

I can't think of a subject line to save my life.

2016-10-11T03:15:45Z

This week has been very bad for me (oh dear God, it's only Monday!). Beside my regular mental illness, I'm now fairly sure I have at least a mild case of PTSD. I'm not one for triggers, but given what's been going on with Trump, keep reading at your own risk.

So, if you've been around a while- which I don't know if any of you have long enough- you may remember that while I worked at Claire's when I was 21 there was an incident. I was young and hot and it was Christmas and I was pretty high on myself because I was an Assistant Manager well on my way to becoming the youngest Store Manager in the district. I was being groomed to potentially be put into the international management program. I wanted to run a store in England, Ireland, or France. It was Christmas time, and the store was busy. I was firmly in my niche as the "pop goth" girl, and I was wearing a red and green plaid pleated mini skirt, combat boots, and a Christmas t-shirt. I was just doing my job when I felt something rubbing against my leg. I didn't pay it much attention- my calf is just about little kid height, and kids are always all over Claire's. Then it got more insistent. And higher. I looked down. There was a man on his back/side, looking up my skirt. The touch on my calf was the brim of his baseball hat, and the touch on my knee/almost my thigh was his hand.

I had no idea what to do. I broke away as fast as I could and ran behind the counter. I told the girl that was there that she had to go out on the floor, and I had to stand there. I couldn't go in the back because there was only me and the other girl, and, you know... Christmas (Store Manager was in the back on break). I couldn't stop shaking, but when I'm the most anxious/afraid I'm either a total wreck or I'm over the top friendly/smiley/thank-you-please-come-again. As soon as the manager came back I told her I had to go on break immediately but didn't tell her why. When I came back I managed to tell her, but by that time she had inadvertently made things a million times worse.

The name tags at Claire's purposely do not actually have names on them. They only say "Associate," or "Assistant Manager," etc. because it's usually females- usually young, attractive females- who work there, and the world is awful and they know it's not unlikely that those young girls may be approached by not nice people. So while I was on break the phone rang. My manager answered, and the man who called asked if he could speak to the Assistant Manager. My manager (who I loved, but who was a total ditz) just said, "Oh, Mary's on break, but I can tell her you called." So now he knew my name. After I explained what had happened she felt horrible, but the damage had already been done. He called again before the mall closed that day and asked me if I always didn't wear underwear to work (I was wearing a thong). I had to call my dad in tears and explain everything and ask him to come walk me out of the mall and follow me to my car when my shift was over.

The man called the store over and over. It went on for weeks and months. At one point my car was vandalized at the mall- it was written all over in lipstick (mostly "bitch" and "I love you"), but there was no proof to link it to anyone. Eventually the calls stopped, but I can only think he got arrested for something else or died if SVU has taught me anything. Later that year was when my dad died, so my brain had to choose crises, I guess, and I convinced myself for years that this was just a kind of weird thing that happened and not all that serious.

And then Trump happened. And it wasn't just what he said. Maybe it was just so much bullshit just building up and building up, like Nate Parker plus Trump. But seeing people excusing what he said or just not seeing anything wrong with what he said? Like WOMEN excusing him? Something happened to me. I literally snapped. I started having flashbacks of what happened to me. I couldn't do anything but stop and stare and watch what I had spent so long convincing myself wasn't that big a deal. I remembered everything. I just sat there and shook and watched it and cried and I can't stop. It's like a gut punch now. I'm so stuck now between so desperately wanting to try to express how wrong it is to accept that bastard's statements as anything but sexual assault and wanting to dig myself into a hole and disappear forever because people I'm supposed to love and trust are being so completely medieval and CHILDISH. Like, Donald Trump says sexual assault is okay, but Hillary did her job as a court-appointed legal defender! How very dare she! I fucking hate Hillary. But you know what else I hate? Being scared to walk to my own damn car. And let me repeat, I was assaulted in a CROWDED, BUSY SHOP FULL OF PEOPLE. MEN LITERALLY FEEL ENTITLED TO TAKE WOMEN WHENEVER, WHEREVER THEY WANT. There were children, lots of children in that store. It did not stop that man at all. That is the culture of Donald Trump. That is what is wrong with his words. But it seems like no matter what I say, I cannot make some people understand this.

I don't know if I can even explain the utter humiliation of sitting in a police station and explaining to a detective all of the nasty, disgusting, perverted things a stranger said and did to you, especially sitting there with your parents. Having to describe exactly what you were wearing- especially your underwear- and wondering if the cop even cares or is just the one stuck taking your statement. Or even worse if he thinks you deserve getting- as our dear presidential candidate so delicately put it- grabbed by the pussy because you wore a mini skirt and a thong to work.

I know that I'm lucky that things never got any worse for me. Sometimes it's hard for me to even consider what happened to me as sexual assault (I think for me, it's the aftermath- the calls and the references and the heavy breathing, etc that makes it sexual for me) because I know there are a lot of women who have been through so much worse. And I am so, so sorry for anyone who has ever been hurt in that way. Please know that I love all of you, flist.

TVU Challenge: Casting Call

2016-04-05T01:05:07Z

Character Name: Lucretia Griswold
TV Show: Penny Dreadful
====

Lucretia Griswold, a new character on Penny Dreadful played by Lucy Griffiths

» WHY I CHOSE LUCY: To me, this name brought to mind a character that is not necessarily modern, and since Lucy played Marian on Robin Hood so absolutely flawlessly she was my first choice for Lucretia. Also, full disclosure, she's my first choice for everything because I love her and she's perfect. She can play sweet and innocent but also incredibly strong and independent, and I think her look is perfect for a show like Penny Dreadful ~~I'm saying she's pale, okay?~~

» ON THE CHARACTER: Lucretia Griswold was never content to stand still and look pretty like her contemporaries, and after a disastrous meeting with the man her father would have her marry, she ran off and away from her priviledged and sheltered life. On her adventures (which, amazingly for a single girl in Victorian London, do NOT involve prositution) she meets and befriends John Clare, an interesting man whose physical deformities mask a sweet and tender soul.

Full size

TV_Universe: HeadCanon Challenge

2016-03-16T18:24:10Z

Lucas Gottesman from Pretty Little Liars

01: OTP and why?
HANNA MARIN, ALWAYS AND FOREVER! Besides the fact that they are absolutely the cutest things ever together, lots of times my headcanons are either inspired by or encouraged by the actors' actions and interviews, and since just this afternoon I saw an interview where Brendan Robinson was asked, "Will his [Lucas's] life ever be complete without Hanna?" and he answered, "I don't think so." And so my heart melted, and- though anyone who was in liarsland with me would think it impossible- I started shipping it even harder. Like, thank the TV gods for season 6B... so many opportunities for plot bunnies. Plus, they're adults now, so it's not as creepy to write smut now!

02: brOTP and why?
I don't know. I feel like Lucas is too much of a lone wolf. Even though he and Caleb were kind of chummy in high school, I feel like Lucas is more the kind of person to have acquaintances rather than friends. He waits to find quality friendships and is super okay to be alone if it means that he doesn't have false friends and time wasters in his life.

03: NOTP and why?
Anyone but Hanna. I know I'm supposed to write two sentences on this, but I feel like the manifesto I wrote for question 01 should count for this too.

04: First moment you knew you liked this character and why?
From his very first appearance. Hanna is my favorite PLL character, and he was introduced through her storyline, so I was generally inclined to like him. Then he went on to just be, like, the prototype for a nice guy, and he genuinely cares about Hanna, and he's so super cute in such a kinda nerdy, unassuming way... Plus, this exchange sealed the deal for me:

Lucas: The Homecoming Queen is leaving the dance early? Isn't that like Han Solo abandoning the Millenium Falcon?
Hanna: Nominee. And I honestly have no idea.

05: Favorite line from this character and why?
Oops. I should learn to read ahead. Besides the Star Wars reference, his whole first scene is amazing. He's at a True Love Waits kind of club's meeting, and he's being forced to participate in "sexercise" and try and turn down Hanna's advances. He has a whole long speech (that I don't remember verbatim), but it includes lines like, "I have the upper body strength of Screech," "I don't need to know how to rebuff the advances of a genetic splice between Barbie and Shakira," and "I spend my weekends playing Wii. Alone."

06: Favorite scene for this character and why?
Probably during the Dance-A-Thon episode after Hanna gets dumped, and he's just there to hold her and comfort her. And after watching the season 6B marathon today, I have to say absolutely any interaction between him and Hanna in season 6. And when he comes to visit Hanna in the hospital and kisses her. AND ANY TIME HE'S WITH HANNA, OKAY?!?

Oh, and the scene where he gets drunk and picks a fight with Hanna's boyfriend because it's hilarious.

07: One way in which you relate to this character and why?
He's a nerd and kind of an outsider. Plus, he's okay being by himself. He's a sweetheart.

08: Something this character does/has done that embarrasses you and why?
Not a damn thing. I love him, and though he's a dork, it's pretty much the dorkiness that makes him so adorable.

09: Teddy Bear or Troublemaker and why?
Teddy Bear. Let me love him and hold him and tell him that everything will be alright. He is too precious for words.

10: One thing you would like to see happen to this character?
Hanna takes him up on his offer to fund her start-up, she stays in Rosewood which causes a rift with and eventual split from Jordan, and then oops! They just fall into bed together. Forever. And they get married and have perfectly adorable little liar babies.

Lita from WWE

01: OTP and why?
Lita + Kane= 4EVA. Let's see why... they were married in canon, they were parents in canon, they worked- and looked- so fucking well together, and because I'm a selfish bitch, and she's my favorite female wrestler and he's my favorite male wrestler.

02: brOTP and why?
In my headcanon (in which she and Kane are still together), she hangs out with Sara, Undertaker's wife, a lot. They'd be sisters-in-law, and I feel like they'd have a unique understanding, both being married to the completely batshit insane Callaway brothers. I also feels like she hangs out with Stacy Kiebler a lot, since Stacy's the one she confided in on the episode of Raw when she found out she was pregnant.

03: NOTP and why?
Trish Stratus. They could not hate each other more. Plus, there is NO coming back from calling Lita chubby after her pregnancy.

04: First moment you knew you liked this character and why?
I loved watching her wrestle from the very start, but I really fell in love with her when she was a guest trainer on the first season of Tough Enough. She talked about how she had never watched wrestling growing up and how she'd always felt like it was "rednecks fake-punching each other." Which is how I'd always felt until I really started studying the sport. She was so very open about how this was NOT what she had always wanted to do with her life, and I thought that was so brave- especially since she was (and still is, IMO) THE greatest female wrestler at the time.

05: Favorite line from this character and why?
Probably her wedding vows when she married Kane. That whole relationship was so over the top in a way that can only truly be pulled off by WWE, and her vows included calling Kane a "vile, horrible man with no soul," and of course, my favorite line of all...

06: Favorite scene for this character and why?
Her wedding to Kane. When the two of them got together my fangirl heart exploded into a million rainbows, and the wedding was so ridiculous with Kane in a white tux walking down the ramp/aisle to a piano and cello arrangement of his entrance music (which I love by the way and am sorely tempted to use when/if I ever get married), Lita in a black dress and combat boots, Trish interrupting (wearing lingerie for absolutely no reason whatsoever), Matt trying to save Lita and ending up with a Tombstone off the stage... it was WWE magic at its best.

07: One way in which you relate to this character and why?
TOTAL. FUCKING. BADASS. Lita is the total embodiment of never giving up no matter the odds but never being one of those annoyingly positive, preachy people who just makes everyone roll their eyes. Lita was never (or at least very seldom) in-your-face or provocative or arrogant, but you just looked at her and knew she would mess you up if you crossed her.

08: Something this character does/has done that embarrasses you and why?
We'll just pretend that there was never a wrestler named "Edge," okay? And she certainly never celebrated Edge's championship win by joining him for a "live sex celebration" in the middle of the ring on Raw.

09: Teddy Bear or Troublemaker and why?
Porque no las dos? Lita was an amazing Babyface (wrestler speak for "good guy"), and she drew incredible heat as a Heel ("bad guy"). It doesn't matter. She's the best ever, no matter what.

10: One thing you would like to see happen to this character?
One more match! One more match!</chant> I would so dearly love to see her come back even for a one-off special match. Last year at Wrestlemania she expressed interest in a Team Bestie (her and Trish Stratus- who were bitter rivals in the ring but BFFs IRL) vs. Team Bella match, but my dream match would involve Lita and Paige. I don't care whether they're fighting or teaming. I love them both so much. I'd also love to see her in the ring with Becky Lynch, who I genuinely feel has the skills to be the next Lita (whereas Sasha Banks is the next Trish Stratus, and Paige is the female Stone Cold Steve Austin. Obviously).

Sandor Clegane from Game of Thrones

01: OTP and why?
Sansan (Sansa Stark/Sandor Clegane), forever and ever. They're Beauty and the Beast, and they're perfect, and I love them, and if they don't end up as canon, I will cry ~~but not be surprised at all.~~

02: brOTP and why?
Stranger, his horse. Or Arya Stark. I would watch a whole show of just Arya and Sandor bickering as they slowly cross the countryside.

03: NOTP and why?
People, honestly. Sandor has such contempt for, like, 99% of the human race. I think the only person he likes is Sansa. And of course, in my headcanon, he's so deeply cynical on the outside because he so desperately wants to love and be loved.

04: First moment you knew you liked this character and why?
When he cleaned up Sansa's face after Joffrey hit her (or had her hit, I forget which). Even though he was technically still doing Joffrey's bidding, this was the first hint of him having a conscience.

05: Favorite line from this character and why?
"Fuck the city, fuck the kingsguard, fuck the king." Besides the fact that I bet most of the TV audience was thinking the same thing, that line was Sandor asserting himself and saying enough is enough and that he was no one's dog anymore.

06: Favorite scene for this character and why?
Either when he covered up Sansa after Joffrey had her stripped in the middle of court, or when he cried telling Arya about how he didn't do enough to save Sansa. My favorite scenes of his are when he actually lets the good in him shine through and when he does what he knows is right rather than what he's been commanded to do.

07: One way in which you relate to this character and why?
~~I am also a giant with half of my face burned off.~~

I honestly don't think I do. We are not very alike, the Hound and I.

08: Something this character does/has done that embarrasses you and why?
Um... he can come off as a little rapey, though I think that was mostly in a deleted scene. Also, that whole chicken scene that the internet seemed to go nuts over? I thought it was so incredibly stupid.

09: Teddy Bear or Troublemaker and why?
Oh, Sandor... so much both. Canonically, he's definitely a troublemaker (or, in ridiculous special snowflake Tumbler speak: ~problematic~). He's a killer, he clearly lusts after a girl who- yes, is underage by today's standards- and he's drunk almost constantly. BUT HE'S SO CUDDLY! All he wants is love!

10: One thing you would like to see happen to this character?
To be alive? I mean, I think it's a pretty open secret that he's not really dead, but... yeah. I need him to still be alive. Because who else is going to save Sansa? WHO?

Animation Shop Tutorial

2016-01-19T21:34:17Z

So, sanalith asked how to make animated sig tags, and I told her I would PM her details on how to use the program I use. But as I started typing, I knew it was way too much for a PM. So I ended up making a full-blown (I think) tutorial. Hopefully this will help someone.

PS- Click on the images for full size.
PPS- I hope this doesn't come off as condescending. Shannon mentioned using terms a 5yr old could understand, so I hope this works...

Okay, first things first: I use Jasc Animation Shop 3.05, which is a free download. It may be called a free trial when you open it, but as you can see from the screecap, my free trial has been expired for years now and it still works.

Just click on the start button and you'll get the workspace screen. If you already have the screen caps/images you want to use ready for the .gif, click on the Animation Wizard button in the top left corner.

After that, the Wizard screens will pop up. First is the size option. I always edit my images before hand so that they're all the right size (it keeps things from getting wonky, especially with the aspect ratio), so the easiest option is the one at the top (Same size as the first image).

The next asks for the canvas color. I don't even know what that does because I've always just used transparent.

If your images are different sizes, the Wizard asks you where you want the smaller images to, but like I said, I always edit the images before hand to take care of any wonkiness. There's also an option to scale the frames to size, but that tends to lead to weird ratio issues.

The next screen asks if you want to loop the animation or make it a one-time thing (.gifs generally repeat) and how quickly the frames should go (frame rate). If I have no idea I usually set that at 10, then check the animation to see if it looks right. I'll show you how to change it if it's not a few steps down.

Next, it will ask you to upload the images you want to use in your animation.

It's pretty much like any program where you open images.

And when you're done it looks like this:

Once you load your images and hit next, the frames of the animation will pop up in the main workspace.

To check how the .gif looks, click on View → Animation.

It will pop up in a separate window.

In my case, the animation was moving too slowly, so I had to decrease the frame rate (if it had been moving too quickly, I would have increased the frame rate). But first, I have to make sure that all of the .gif will be changed and not just the first frame. To do that, go to Edit → Select All.

To change the frame rate, go to Animation → Frame Properties. There will be a little pop-up that lets you change the frame rate/Display Time. I accidentally deleted that screencap with my first example, so here's a wild Jem appearing.

Back to the original .gif- if you look at the bottom of the frames, you can see the D number went from 10 to 2.

When you get your animation working the way you want it to and it looks good, save it. It starts out the same as saving any other image.

But then it pops up with a whole bunch of weird stuff. The first is how optimized you want your .gif. Basically, since this program is older, it's taking into consideration the fact that a big file (basically all of .gifs today) would have taken a thousand years to download before. But since technology has advanced, I always just keep the optimization turned all the way up.

It'll show you the optimization progress.

Then, it will show you the difference between the original and the optimized. If you keep the optimization bar all the way at the top, there should be little to no difference in the two images (though the optimized one does end up kind of grainy sometimes).

The next screen basically asks you if you're okay with the file size. The only time I even pay attention to this is when I'm trying to make an animated icon since LJ has the file size limits. Most of the time I just hit Next because I'm not going to change anything.

After that, you're done! New .gif created!

If you intend to take an existing .gif and kind of reverse engineer it (instead of using your own images/screen caps), there's a few extra steps.

First, find the .gif you want to use and save it. After that, instead of hitting the Animation Wizard button, click on File → Open and choose the .gif you want to use.

It will pop up frame by frame like a .gif made in the Animation Wizard.

To make sig tags, you'll need to edit each of the frames individually (whether to resize or add text or whatever), so select all of them.

After the frames are selected, right-click on any one of them. It will give you a drop-down menu. Click on Save Frames As...

It will give you options for saving. The easiest thing is to just use the default options because it will automatically name the frames as FileName 01, etc.

Once you've saved all the frames, you can open them in your photo editing program and do whatever you want to them. When I make sig tags this way, I end up resizing/cropping and adding text. Once all of the frames are edited the way you like, pop them back into Animation Wizard (bonus, you already know the right frame rate because it's the same as the original .gif) and make your animated sig tag!

I hope that helped. If it didn't but you think the program looks good, here's a Youtube tutorial. I didn't watch it, but hey, it was the first result when I Googled the program, so it must be pretty good.

Books I've Read This Year (2016)

2016-01-03T00:49:10Z

1. Father Gaetano's Puppet Cathechism by Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden
2. Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy
3. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill
4. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Lust's Latinum Lost (And Found) by Paula M. Block
5. Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe
6. Love Life by Rob Lowe
7. The Devil's Advocate by Andrew Neiderman
8. The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming
9. Sick In The Head by Judd Apatow
10. Pretty Little Liars* by Sara Shepard
11. Flawless* (PLL #2) by Sara Shepard
13. Perfect* (PLL #3) by Sara Shepard
14. Unbelievable* (PLL #4) by Sara Shepard
15. Wicked* (PLL #5) by Sara Shepard
16. Killer* (PLL #6) by Sara Shepard
17. Heartless* (PLL #7) by Sara Shepard
18. Wanted* (PLL #8) by Sara Shepard
19. Twisted* (PLL #9) by Sara Shepard
20. Ruthless* (PLL #10) by Sara Shepard
21. Stunning* (PLL #11) by Sara Shepard
22. Burned* (PLL #12) by Sara Shepard
23. Crushed* (PLL #13) by Sara Shepard
24. Deadly* (PLL #14) by Sara Shepard
25. Toxic* (PLL #15) by Sara Shepard
26. Vicious (PLL #16) by Sara Shepard
27. Ali's Pretty Little Lies (PLL Prequel) by Sara Shepard
28. Sage's Eyes by VC Andrews
29. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
30. Christopher's Diary: Secrets of Foxworth by VC Andrews
31. Christopher's Diary: Echoes of Dollanganger by VC Andrews
32. Petals on the Wind* by VC Andrews
33. If There Be Thorns by VC Andrews
34. Seeds of Yesterday by VC Andrews
35. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
36. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
37. The Bling Ring by Nancy Jo Sales
38. The Night of the Solstice* by LJ Smith
39. Heart of Valor* by LJ Smith
40. The Hunter (Forbidden Game #1)* by LJ Smith
41. The Chase (Forbidden Game #2)* by LJ Smith
42. The Kill (Forbidden Game #3)* by LJ Smith
43. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
44. Dead Until Dark* by Charlaine Harris
45. Living Dead In Dallas* by Charlaine Harris
46. Club Dead* by Charlaine Harris
47. Dead To The World* by Charlaine Harris
48. Better Than New by Nicole Curtis
49. Dead As A Doornail* by Charlaine Harris

inabsentialuci @ 2015-09-16T18:26:00

2015-09-16T22:25:55Z

If you're not already a member of tv_universe, you should be. Click on the graphic above to join, and let them know that I sent you!

Come join!

2015-08-31T17:42:51Z

Hey, guys! Do you like landcomms and/or TV? Come join my team at tv_universe! Click on the graphic above, sign up for Team Bunny Ears, and remember to say that you heard about the comm from me!

Books I've Read This Year:: 2015

2015-01-14T04:39:55Z

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone* by JK Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* by JK Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* by JK Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* by JK Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix* by JK Rowling
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince* by JK Rowling
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows* by JK Rowling
8. The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer by Jennifer Lynch
9. Yes! My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of WrestleMania by Daniel Bryan
10. A Game of Thrones* by George RR Martin
11. A Clash of Kings* by George RR Martin
12. A Storm of Swords* by George RR Martin
13. A Feast For Crows* by George RR Martin
14. A Dance With Dragons* by George RR Martin
15. Asphodel by Lauren Hammond
16. Toxic by Sara Shepard

I made stuff.

2014-07-29T18:01:29Z

So, I realized that I had "make sig tags for myself" and "Seven Sins/Seven Virtues" both on my To Do list, so I killed 2 birds with one stone. Under the cut are 2 sigtags for each of the 7 Deadly Sins (plus an extra Wrath). I didn't intend to use so many cartoons, but the ones that popped into my head were too perfect not to use.

» » Pride: Sterling Archer (Archer) & Quinn Morgendorfer (Daria)

» » Envy: Zelena (Once Upon A Time) & The Misfits (Jem and the Holograms)

» » Gluttony: Home Movies & Cupcake Wars

» » Lust: The Vampire Diaries & Robin Hood

» » Wrath: Paige (WWE) & Stephanie McMahon (WWE)

» » Greed: Quark (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) & Tatiana (America's Next Top Model)

» » Sloth: John McGuirk (Home Movies) & Trent Lane (Daria)

NEW COMM!!!

2014-05-09T03:58:44Z

Come join lands_of_magic, an interactive challenge community based on the television shows Once Upon A Time and Once Upon A Time in Wonderland. There are three teams, fairy_tale_land, nvr_nvr_land, and w0nder_1and, and Round 1 will begin May 23. Don't be late for this very important date!

Along with sanalith & ricksilsa, I am beyond thrilled to announce a new landcomm based on ABC's Once Upon A Time and Once Upon A Time in Wonderland! If you love those shows, please come sign up for the comm (click the picture to go to the sign-up post). There are about a billion ways to earn points, and we even have a pre-round challenge for early members to get a jump start on earning their team points!

Go join ~~Team Wonderland~~ now!

Rosewood, PA 19010

2014-02-12T00:03:33Z

Okay, so... I had to write some letters for a challenge at liarsland, and I thought I'd post them here instead of my fic journal just because they're not actually fic. And they're pretty terrible.

So, please to enjoy:

Dear Hanna,
As amusing as I found your statement last season about the last book you read being The Very Hungry Caterpillar (and believe me, it cracked me up- I even Tweeted about it), it's good to see you branching out and actually reading something more verbose than the nutritional information on the side of a box of pasta. Listen, I know every popular girl thinks it's cute to be dumb, but it's not. Keep reading; intelligence is sexy as hell. I'm sure that hot detective (who for sure knows the age of consent in Pennsylvania) appreciates a ready mind. And if we've learned anything, it's that the impossibly young officers of the Rosewood PD love dating high school girls. Given your current A situation, having a pet detective could only be a help.

Also, he's way hotter than Caleb. Get it, girl.

Dear Spencer,
JUST. STOP. I really need you to cut it out with the rogue shit. When has it ever gotten you ahead? When has your Veronica Mars shit ever lead you to A? Of all the girls, it seems like you're the most likely to go off the freaking rails following some theory. IT HAS NEVER HELPED. Remember, like, last week, when Emily was all pissed off at you? It's 'cause you had to go off on your own and do what the other girls specifically said not to. Seriously, I get it. I'm Type A, too. But just cool it with that shit. Be a team player for once. Please.

Guys. Seriously, guys. Remember how Mona Vanderwaal stalked, threatened, and tried to kill her classmates, like, last year? You think it's a good idea to just let her come back to school? And, Rosewood PD, DO SOMETHING FOR ONCE! Stalking is a crime. So is attempted vehicular homicide. And hit and run, come to that. Why is Mona in school instead of jail?

And seriously, you aren't the slightest bit worried about the girls she tormented? They're still acting secretive and cagey- you know, HOW THEY ACTED WHEN THEY WERE BEING STALKED- and you don't even ask if anything's going on? Or even think that maybe an attempt at a heart to heart with them after a horrific event might be beneficial? The entire town of Rosewood wins "Parent of the Year."

Oh, and by the way, I love them to death as a couple, BUT ARIA IS SCREWING HER TEACHER AGAIN, AND IT IS SUPER, SUPER OBVIOUS.

PS- Pastor Ted is obviously exempt from this rant because he is awesome.

I just.. I can't even... my heart...

2014-02-11T02:54:03Z

GUYS.

SERIOUSLY. GUYS.

GUESS WHO'S THE NEXT INDUCTEE INTO THE WWE HALL OF FAME?!?!?!?

*
*her

Books I've Read This Year:: 2014

2014-01-03T02:28:05Z

1. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
2. The Diary of Olga Romanov by Helen Azar
3. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
4. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
5. Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
6. Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
7. Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D. (Reality of Amy Dumas)* by Amy Dumas
8. The Goblin King by Shona Husk
9. Journey Into Darkness by Michael Chiappetta
10. The Goddess Test* by Aimee Carter
11. Goddess Interrupted* by Aimee Carter
12. The Goddess Inheritance* by Aimee Carter
13. Joyland by Stephen King
14. The Hunter (The Forbidden Game #1)* by LJ Smith
15. The Chase (The Forbidden Game #2)* by LJ Smith
16. The Kill (The Forbidden Game #3)* by LJ Smith
17. Phantom* by Susan Kay
18. The Hunger Games* by Suzanne Collins
19. Catching Fire* by Suzanne Collins
20. Mockingjay* by Suzanne Collins

Once Upon A Time Season 2 Finale Review

2013-05-30T22:52:47Z

Okay, this is my submission for onceuponaland's Finale Recap challenge. I'm leaving it posted here instead of at the comm because there is A LOT of swearing (I can't help my feels), and no swearing's like the #1 rule at the comm. Also, I am in a ton of pain and on a ton of pain meds, so this might actually be way meaner and/or less coherent than I originally intended. Plus, I somehow managed to mention a good number of my other fandom obsessions. There are a lot of images, and I made all of them (non-gif) except the ones I noted underneath. The reaction gifs are all from Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 just because they felt appropriate. Oh, except one that's of Graham Norton, one from 21 Jump Street, and one from- I think- The Vampire Diaries.

So, without further ado, please to enjoy...

Okay, most of this is from memory of watching it live, but let me say that I accidentally(?) deleted this episode from my DVR and had to watch On Demand to refresh my memory. ABC On Demand sucks. I already watched all of the commercials. It's not fair to make me watch them all again. Also, I'm still mad at you for not instantly renewing Bunheads and for killing Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.

First, it should be known that I have a huge problem with the fact that the show does not have a theme song and opening titles sequence. Yes, Mark Isham's score is gorgeous, but four chords is not an appropriate theme song. Hell, even the Castle theme is longer, and that's practically a ringtone! Seriously, nothing sets up a show like a great theme song and title sequence. Think of Buffy, Game of Thrones, and ANY Star Trek. Literally any of them.

Okay, well, maybe not Enterprise, but...

If I had my way, Once Upon A Time would begin something like this:

Horowitz and Kitsis- a fan made this. A non-professional fan. I'm sure he'd let you use it. Just comment on his youtube, guys. This is a killer intro.

Now, on to the death of my dreams. I mean, "Straight on Till Morning." BTW, can we all join hands across America to get the proper spelling of "'til" back? A till is a cash register, kthxbye.

Okay, so... we pick up on the Jolly Rodger where Hook's all brooding and Smee's all like, "blah blah blah..." I don't know. I hate Smee, so I kind of tune him out.

And, wow, isn't just lucky for the sake of our story that Bae ends up on his common-law stepfather's pirate ship? Weird how that worked out...

Also, baby!Bae, please get a haircut. There is little I detest more than shaggy hair on males. This is also the point where I let out a very ladylike squeal at seeing Julian Morris's name.

Hook learns Baelfire is Rumple & Milah's kid, and he tries to convince Bae to stay. Bae's all, "Dude, you're a pirate," and Hook's like, "But look at how sexy I am."

And Bae loses his argument to the power of the almighty guyliner and is treated to as much of "A Pirate's Life For Me" as they could get away with without people complaining (any more) about no Captain Jack on OUaT.
(not by me)

Meanwhile, back in Storybrooke, Henry has graduated from needing a babysitter and now needs an armed guard. He's playing on what has to be the world's most depressing playground while Granny patrols.

And then this happens:

But then Charming and Snow tell him that Bae ~~fell down the rabbit hole again~~ is dead. And to be serious for one minute...

Oh, bb, Gold, let me hold you and love you and make everything better!!!!!

So, the poor man is just told that his only living family, who he moved heaven and earth to find, is dead, and the first thing Charming can think to do is:

Which leads to...

Cut to the mines where we see Greg, Tamara, and Hook. Question: WHY DOES NO ONE BOARD UP THESE FREAKING MINES?!?!? NOTHING GOOD EVER HAPPENS HERE!!!! And we're supposed to believe that all the fairy dust has been collected, so, residents of Storybrooke, if you don't want bad shit to continue happening, BOARD UP THESE FUCKING MINES ALREADY!!!!!!!!!! Not that that stops you. You idiots just go snooping around and have to get rescued by Archie. Who then has to get rescued by Emma.

Which reminds me, where has Pongo been this season?

Anyways, back in the mines Tamara is all like, "I'm crazy and want to die for my cause." She sounds like a Sanguinista from True Blood or Melisandre from Game of Thrones.

Greg asks Hook if he's willing to die to get revenge on Rumplestiltskin, and Hook's all, "uh... yeah... totally." And every person in the audience goes,

But the Greg & Tamara Crazy Train has left the station.

Seriously, what is the point of Greg and Tamara other than to annoy me? Do the serve a purpose, or are they just the big bads? They're always after pesky moose and squirrel.
(not mine)

Then there's a commercial, and then there's a shot of Regina's bad-ass boots, which I'm sad I don't have a screencap for because so far this season they're the most interesting thing I can find about Regina. The Charmings come home and are all like, "So... Gold's gonna let the town explode." Henry, for some strange reason, gets upset about dying. Helpful Regina brightens his day by explaining that he won't die. Just be abandoned.

And then Hook shows up, and the most magical thing to happen all season happens.

And then he pulls a gun on him. Oh, Charming... you had me at

But Hook's like, "Look, I can tell you where the crazypants twins are hiding." And Charming's like,

Oh, but Charming... My sweet summer child... you believe Hook. Really? Let's examine: 1). he's a pirate... no other reasons to not trust him are really needed. You're sweet to trust him, though. That will certainly never, ever come back to bite you in the ass. After that, Regina comes up with a plan to put off the destruction of Storybrooke, and you can tell she's being serious because the strings start to swell and the ~emotional music starts to play. Then Hook says something that reminds me of Jaime Lannister, and I look at the clock to see how long until Game of Thrones is on.

No, not that one! Though... also accurate. This one:

Ugh, and then they cut to Smee again, where he whines and is still pretty useless. The Lost Boys are coming for Bae, and Smee wants Hook to give him up because apparently whoever the Lost Boys answer to is pretty awful. As the head Lost Boy, who looks like Lancel Lannister (and again, I look at the clock to see how long before Game of Thrones starts), checks the Jolly Rodger, we see that one of Hook's hands (deckhands, not hand hands) looks a hell of a lot like Rico Suave. I don't have a screencap of that, sadly. That would have been epic.

The Lost Boys search for Bae and make some pretty scary? threats to Hook about ripping off shadows, etc, but Lancel the Lost Boy does make a pretty internet-ready statement.

But after finding no one, the Lost Boys leave and we, the audience, see Bae somehow chilling in the ceiling. WHY DO VILLAINS SEARCHING FOR SOMEONE NEVER CHECK ABOVE THEM?!?! Seriously, the person they're looking for is ALWAYS in the ceiling,trees, etc. Bae is grateful to Hook and decides to trust him. Again, I say: That will certainly never, ever come back to bite you in the ass.

After that touching scene, we see the Dwarves break into Gold's Pawn Shop looking for Sneezy's stein. Remember her:
(not mine)

Yeah. Her. After I got over the shock of the Blue Fairy actually doing something, I started paying attention again. Apparently, she found out how to bring people's memories back, and the Dwarves want Sneezy to remember who he is before he dies. Aaaw... so precious. Grumpy gives another vial of the stuff to Gold for Belle, because, apparently no one likes Lacey except Gold, and everyone wants Belle back.

Gold takes the vial but still looks like he doesn't have a single fuck to give. After that, all the Dwarves leave to restore ~~terror of impending death~~ memories to Sneezy. Before the next commercial break we're treated to a few shots of Charming and Hook pulling up to the Cannery with the earth shaking under them.

Guys, can we talk about this? I've seen better choreographed camera shake/actor lurching on Star Trek. And the CGI this season is out of control bad. Like, Primeval or Doctor Who bad.

Like, SyFy Movie bad.

*sigh*

After the commercial we cut back to Bae on the Jolly Rodger where Hook is buttering him up by saying something about Bae having the sea inside him ~~No, that was his smelly pirate hooker mother~~. This, of course leads to:

Then we have a long, boring-ass explanation of Bae and Rumple's whole history. It's like Season 1 for Dummies, only more boring and useless. If you need to be reminded of what happened between Rumple and Bae, just buy the DVDs or Google it. All I could think of was:

But thankfully that scene was over soon enough.

Only to be followed by more of the Greg & Tamara show.

Hook and Charming are looking for the crazypants twins, and I kind of forget what happens... My notes just say, "Charming. For real."

Basically, Charming gets shot (it's only a flesh wound) and he and Hook somehow let Tamara and Greg escape with most of the beans, though Hook's managed to snag one which he promises to share with all of Storybrooke. Oh, that's what my last note was about.

Back in the mines, Regina has decided to sacrifice herself by doing... something with the ~~Dilithium crystals in the warp core~~ magical paperweight.

It's mildly tear-jerking. Until she goes on again about not being the Evil Queen. Bitch, yes you are. You did horrible things. You reveled in being the Evil Queen. Deal with it. Maybe you want to be not evil now, but that doesn't make you not the Evil Queen. You can't change overnight, Regina (or with the clunky dialog they've given you all season)!

Meanwhile, back at the Pawn Shop, Gold and Lacey are having a Let's-Get-Drunk-for-the-Apocalypse party. But then Lacey spills and tries to use Bae's baby blanket to wipe it up, and Gold's finally like, "It's been fun causing chaos and kicking letches' asses with you, but I have to bring Belle back before you ruin my priceless family heirlooms." He picks up a sack with the remnants of the chipped cup in it and magics it back together (why did he not do this before? WHY, WRITERS? I WANT A REAL FUCKING ANSWER!)

Gold pours a not-at-all-obviously not whiskey shot of blue liquid into the chipped cup, and has Lacey drink it.

Aaaaand... BELLE'S BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And then, of course, Robert Carlyle does this, which makes my heart break and makes me want to hold him and cuddle him and let him cry on my shoulder.

And then Rumbelle do this:

Which, should make me squeal in delight, but I learned long ago that despite all claims to the contrary, THERE WILL NEVER, EVER BE A HAPPY ENDING ON THIS FUCKING SHOW!!!!!

I want to be happy, but ~~life has killed the dream I dreamed~~ I know better by now. Still:

Back at Granny's about 3 people who don't want to die and would like to go back to FTL are gathered to discuss strategy. A strategy that should be as simple as 1). Throw bean, 2). Jump into another dimension. But since Emma's discovered that Regina will die if she keeps doing her thing with the magical paperweight, suddenly everyone thinks it's a bad idea to just let her do it. They all go, "Hey, let's open a portal, like we did with the wraith!" Because that's super-easy and obviously is the only option. But, hey, full circle back to the first episode. Emma doesn't want Henry to not have his mother and doesn't waste yet another opportunity to throw growing up alone in her parents' faces. It's really Snow who convinces everyone, though.

Emma "convinces" Hook to give them the magic bean, and the Charmings happily trudge back to the mines where they plan to throw a dangerous magical object into a void.

You know, like the wraith.

The wraith that escaped into the VOID THAT IS STILL FAIRYTALE LAND!

THE FAIRYTALE LAND YOU SPENT HALF THE SEASON IN, SNOW AND EMMA!

That void.

So, yeah, totally cool to just throw our hazardous magical waste somewhere that's not here. Not here isn't an important place.

Also at this point we realize that getting tricked by pirates must be genetic for the Charming family.

Back onboard the Jolly Rodger... well, here's a recap.

Honestly, I was too mesmerized by Hook's chest hair to really pay attention to the scene. Though, bb!Bae's performance was really good. I wish he was the spin-off instead of Wonderland. But maybe he'll be back more since he's stuck in Neverland after all.

After a commercial break we're back on the Jolly Rodger.

So Hook gives Bae to the Lost Boys. Then we're back in Storybrooke where people are running for their lives as the forest comes back all around them. Which makes me wonder why all of Storybrooke hasn't been clued in on the whole bean thing. Seriously, there were like three people in Granny's. Back in the mines, the Charmings are all like, "Don't die, Regina!" but then they realize Hook tricked them and didn't really give them the bean.

So then they realize they're all gonna die, and Emma finally calls Snow and Charming "Mom and Dad," and, okay, I did cry then.
(not mine)

But when Regina's magic started failing, I knew exactly what was coming even though it took them forever to get to it. I don't even ship Swan Queen, but even I was like, "JUST TOUCH HER ALREADY!!!!" Because we know that Emma's magic + Regina's magic = magic magic. Again, full circle from the first episode. Teamwork makes the dream work. And all the Swan Queen people are all like,

Then there's a few gratuitous shots of Gold.

Not complaining.

Back in the mines, everyone's so busy celebrating that they don't notice Henry's nowhere to be found. Which is odd, since I did. And I hate Henry. You'd think Henry's two moms might be a little more observant. And then...

Oh, good, Tamara!

Said no one, ever.

Greg and Tamara smuggle Henry away and tell him that he's super important. Shocker, special snowflake Henry is some kind of super special project for Home Office. They jump off into a bean portal with him and vanish.

Which, of course, means that Greg and Tamara will be in Season 3.

Meanwhile, Belle and Gold just happen to be taking a stroll right where the Charmings are lamenting the disappearance of Henry. Hook's all like, "You guys can totally use my boat. I'll let you have the bean, too." And everyone's all like, "Sounds like a plan, pirate who has betrayed us multiple times just today!" And Hook pulls the bean out of what must be one purse of an extensive purse collection. So everyone's all ready to go, and Gold says he knows how to find Henry, and then this happens.

And then this happens:

And then this happens:

Which, of course, leads to this:

But then this happens:
(actually mine. Impressed?)

Surprise! Those three characters we haven't mentioned in weeks are still here! And so is Neal!

And then everyone onboard the Jolly Rodger (Storybrooke edition) gets sucked into the portal, but that's not even the weirdest part. Back in Neverland, the Lost Boys have Bae, and they're all like, "Is this who he's looking for?" (they all put the emphasis on "he," as if to remind all of us stupid audience members that we don't know who "he" is yet). But then one of the Lost Boys unfolds a drawing and it's not Bae, it's Henry, and...

*cue dramatic music*

*End credits*

To sum up all of that yammering?

The challenge calls for a score out of ten, so I'm gonna go 5. Not great, not bad... just average. :/

Books I've Read This Year:: 2013

2013-01-13T04:01:55Z

1. Definitely Dead* by Charlaine Harris
2. All Together Dead* by Charlaine Harris
3. From Dead To Worse* by Charlaine Harris
4. Dead and Gone* by Charlaine Harris
5. Dead In The Family* by Charlaine Harris
6. Dead Reckoning* by Charlaine Harris
7. Deadlocked* by Charlaine Harris
8. Rose Madder by Stephen King
9. The Phantom of the Opera* by Gaston Leroux
10. Stay by Allie Larkin
11. A Game of Thrones* by George RR Martin
12. A Clash of Kings* by George RR Martin
13. A Sword of Storms* by George RR Martin
14. A Feast for Crows* by George RR Martin
15. A Dance With Dragons* by George RR Martin
16. Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris
17. The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory
18. Mommy's Little Girl by Diane Fanning
19. A Romanov Fantasy by Frances Welch
20. What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones
21. What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know* by Sonya Sones
22. Christine* by Stephen King
23. The Journals of Eleanor Druse: My Investigation of the Kingdom Hospital Incident* by Eleanor Druse (Stephen King)
24. Pretty Little Liars* by Sara Shepard
25. Flawless (Pretty Little Liars #2)* by Sara Shepard
26. Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3)* by Sara Shepard
27. Unbelievable (Pretty Little Liars #4)* by Sara Shepard
28. Wicked (Pretty Little Liars #5)* by Sara Shepard
29. Killer (Pretty Little Liars #6)* by Sara Shepard
30. Heartless (Pretty Little Liars #7)* by Sara Shepard
31. Wanted (Pretty Little Liars #8)* by Sara Shepard
32. Twisted (Pretty Little Liars #9)* by Sara Shepard
33. Ruthless (Pretty Little Liars #10)* by Sara Shepard
34. Stunning (Pretty Little Liars #11)* by Sara Shepard
35. Burned (Pretty Little Liars #12)* by Sara Shepard
36. Crushed (Pretty Little Liars #13) by Sara Shepard
37. Deadly (Pretty Little Liars #14) by Sara Shepard

P.I.M.P.

2012-07-07T12:26:58Z

ouat_stamping, a stamping community for ABC's Once Upon A Time is now accepting applications! It's run by me and sanalith, so go sign up now! :)

OH, AND ALSO:

GO JOIN TEAM SWAN AT onceuponaland!! Team Swan is in need of some awesome, dedicated members, so just go here and apply for Team Swan! And when you do, mention that I referred you- you'll already be earning points for Team Swan! Round 3 starts July 13, so hurry! ♥

THIS.

2012-06-26T00:07:45Z

Competition tiemz

2012-05-10T21:50:22Z

Listen to wclv.com around 8:30EST tonight to hear my choir. The competition starts at 8, and we're 2nd. The official story is 8:30 since each choir gets 20 minutes, plus 10 in between groups, but I'm guessing with opening remarks, etc, we'll be on closer to 8:45.

Wish me luck. ♥

Friends cut

2012-02-08T18:06:39Z

I don't know how to put this delicately, but I feel like I need to make a pretty drastic friends cut. If I haven't commented on your journal recently (or ever) and you haven't commented on mine, if the only thing we have in common is a comm that one or both of us isn't a member of anymore, or if there isn't and never has been any kind of real connection between us, I'm going to be removing you from my list. I'm at a point where I feel like my friends need to actually be my friends and not just some people I kind of know from somewhere. I have nothing against any of you; I just feel the need for more privacy.

xx,
M

Stamping Master List

2012-01-25T17:32:45Z

animation_rate

bsdracula_stamp

burton_beauties

eliteofthefleet

gameofcards

gleestamps

hh_stamping/hogwartsishome

hogwartshallows

keira_rate

ladies_of_court

ouat_stamping

onceuponaland

phantom_rate

pottergirls

princesse_stamp

repostamping

slugandjiggers

I claimed HERMIONE GRANGER/SEVERUS SNAPE at slug & jiggers
...I was also stamped with a 9" Yew, Phoenix Feather wand but lost that stamp when my computer crashed :(

starfleet_stamp

tudors_stamp

inabsentialuci @ 2012-01-23T21:07:00

2012-01-24T02:07:33Z

I KNOW I'VE UPDATED A HUNDRED TIMES TODAY BUT YOU MUST TUNE INTO "HOUSE CRASHERS" RIGHT NOW!!! MY COUSIN ('S HUSBAND) IS THE LEAD CONTRACTOR ON THIS EPISODE!!!

YAY FOR HURST CONSTRUCTION!!!!