If you follow me for fannish reasons (e.g., Les Mis or Doctor Who or other things), you'll want to add me at mmejavert.

If you're not interested in fandom stuff, you'll want to add me at dantean.

The former has a lot of fanfiction right now; the latter has a lot of book reviews right now; both will probably see increased content in other areas shortly.

I might be going through my journal and reposting old entries such as my LM reviews and so forth, but no mass import.

This journal will stay as I have it, and I'll still be reading my friends page over here; some posts will be crossposted here but probably not all or many. New friends are encouraged to add me on dreamwidth rather than here, but I won't refuse you at either site.

I totally just had the best dream ever.

( With Guess Who in a starring roleCollapse )
Then I woke up. I am so sad this did not actually happen. :(

This entry was originally posted at http://mmejavert.dreamwidth.org/15238.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1809674/the-return-of-livejournal

I have turned off my automatic payments. It was because I had no money. But now because I'm too disgusted to keep going. You have 10 million unique US visitors a month, but you don't give a shit about them, because you want to become Livefacebooktwitter or some fuck. The comments to that article quite nicely explain the trouble.

I'm done with livejournal. You aren't getting more money from me. When I am in a financial position to do so, I'm buying paid accounts on dreamwidth instead.

To my lj friends: I'll be cross-posting here from either of my dw accounts (I have two) but probably not automatically. My dw accounts are open to comment with OpenID, which you can set up with your livejournal account.

I just ... you don't actually admit to public media that 10 million current customers aren't worth your time. That's Business 101. Your existent customers are your first priority. Keeping your customers happy generates word of mouth and more money. Keeping customers pissed off just generates bad press and less money. DUH.

I had many wonderful years of discussion on here, lj, but you fucked up too many times. My fic is already hosted over at DW, and eventually I will move my more-worthwhile posts over there as well. Or maybe I'll import them all. I don't know. But I do know that I don't want to continue generating page views and income for a site that doesn't care about my opinions, needs, or usage habits.

So after some chatter on tumblr a new ficfest comm for Les Mis fandom has been born.

almosthistoric!

The first fest is up and ready to go. Feel free to pimp it around. :D

Here's a silly little present to hopefully make up for the fact that you're stuck working overseas on your birthday.

http://mmejavert.dreamwidth.org/14067.html

http://davesgeekyideas.com/2011/12/02/doctor-who-battlestar-galactica-and-zelda-hockey-jerseys-now-available-for-a-limited-time/

I would KILL for either the Zelda or the Who one. OMFG. Goddamn being unemployed. D:

Pretty sure I'm the last person I know who hasn't seen the new Sherlock Holmes movie yet. :( Being poor and unemployed kinda sucks.

Today was mostly mediocre; I drove about 90 miles in total, got the new printer/scanner that I'd asked for, and now -- the best part of the day -- I am settled in the livingroom with a Bacardi Silver (stocking gift now that i'm a real grown up, apparently) and my computer and, most importantly, DOCTOR WHO. It's kind of cute so far, but I'm enjoying my Bacardi more at the moment.

If you guys DON'T follow the livejournal official communities, or don't read them regularly, please hear this.

Comment pages are totally redesigned. Do not BOTHER trying to load site-scheme comment pages if you are on a slow connection like dial-up, or if you are mobile. They have become so bloated that even on my extra-high-speed connection it took three times longer than usual to load. If you are a paid user with dozens or even over 100 userpics, you will be forced to scroll through all of them, full-sized, when you want to choose an icon on a site-scheme comment page. Let me tell you, I had to scroll down a LONG TIME just to find the end of my window.

Also, most importantly, if you are a member of a community that does fic memes/kinkmemes, roleplay in threaded comments, or basically uses threaded discussion with subjects in the comments -- you're screwed. Comment subject lines are GONE. Yes, you heard me. GONE. Previous comments will have subjects in bold at the top of the comment text, but the option is gone for all future comments.


...increasingly glad for my dreamwidth accounts now.

Good day!

I have sent out holiday cards as of TODAY to anyone who has given me their address and also permission to mail them things, OR who has posted their address on their lj with the intent of giving people blanket permission to send them holiday cards. I would love writing more cards to anyone who wants some more cheer in their lives, holiday or otherwise.

Everyone who is NOT giventofly37 who has a holiday-card post with their address in it may link it HERE on this entry if they wish a card from me that may/may not arrive before New Year's Eve. If you do not have a holiday card post with your address, you want a card from me, and you have not dropped your address with me before, please do so HERE. That link goes to my "would you like mail" post, just so I have addresses all in one place.

If I have your address but you have NOT given me blanket permission to send you mail, I won't send you a card unless you give me permission to. I know some people have issues about receiving mail from strangers and I don't want to push any buttons.


(Also, note that I sent cards as of FRIDAY DECEMBER 16TH. This means you're likely to get it prior to the 25th if you live in the US, but I can't promise that you'll get it before New Year's if you live outside the US. ♥ I will send cards again later if anyone else wants them to arrive probably in January. XD)

Two things, actually, but the first I have to research a bit.

1) I got a call from someone offering me a contract job. I have to listen to the message a couple more times because the woman spoke quickly and didn't clearly enunciate the company name (and I'm still fuzzy from just waking up) but a job's a job. Plus, the area code is unfamiliar, so let's hope that if this person found my résumé they are willing to accept that I live and work in central PA...

2)
I AM GOING TO NEW YORK ON SATURDAY
while I was sleeping, Student Life called me and told me to bring my $$ in, so I'm going to put some real person pants on and drive my arse over there pronto. Anyone who wants to meet up with me, I'm arriving in Bryant Park around 10:30-11am, more than likely will be heading to midtown to wherever Book of Mormon is playing to lotto, and then probably off to TKTS. After that, who knows, but I think I have to be back at Bryant Park ~7pm to get on the bus back home. Anyone who wants to meet me and needs my phone number lemme know. :D



Oh yes, and I didn't sprain my ankle. Thank god. I think I must've just pulled a muscle, because icing it and walking (gingerly) on it seem to've helped. I couldn't tell last night, though, because it hurt like a mofo.

http://mmejavert.tumblr.com/post/12146942313/how-to-decode-a-person-with-an-anxiety-disorder

Because I thought this was important enough to share, I'm not even hiding this under friendslock.

For anyone who does not know what anxiety disorders are like.

Yes, I suffer from anxiety disorder. It has been VERY bad in the past, and it's a lot better now that I've got some weapons in my armament, but many of this still applies to me.

It hits so close to home that I feel myself tearing up as I read this post. So I encourage EVERYONE to read it. Not just because I feel like this and you, presumably, are my friend -- but because there are a lot of us (anxiety sufferers I mean) out there who deserve respect, support, empathy, and love.

In better news ... the awesome bookstore in downtown Hburg is having a book sale and festival the weekend of November 11-13, and I'm pretty sure I want to go hang out one of those days and buy a bagful of $1/$2 books. >___> anyone want to meet me there?


Oh, and I have a Kindle again. :D (It is not an irresponsible waste of money, not when I use it so much.) I just realised that I never mentioned the lost-kindle problem again and I can barely tell the difference anymore. Hah.


I also got a call from Amazon about starting. So this guy Rich called me and asked if I was working day/night shift, and the first thing in my head was "um, didn't we sort this out at the application meeting?" but I said I was on night shift. He then said that the next starting date is November 4, BUT there's no night shifts available for that day, so... basically he was like "yeah we'll be back to you next week or the week after." Um, okay. I didn't expect to start until mid-November ANYWAY, but... you'd think if they were calling me about starting they'd've at least noted down when my shift was supposed to be? Oh well. A couple more weeks of boredom freedom.

Which means I can still write people letters! :D You can put your address here and I will send you one! The last batch have been mailed and I have a nice shiny new book of stamps, even.


I also bought some yarn -- there's a website that does daily deals for yarn and knitting supplies, and I got it today -- it is the most gorgeous laceweight alpaca in this bright fiery-red colourway. I can't wait to knit with it. I think I'm going to make a delicate stole. :D I've got almost 900 yards so I should be able to make it a decent width. One skein would make a gorgeous scarf, but since the deal was for two I can make a nice stole. Mmmmm. I need blocking boards though. Oh well, I'll worry about then if when I finish it.

There is a boy in my tai chi class who looks exactly like Enjolras. He's tall, maybe a shade over 6'. He's got thick, full hair, slightly wavy, gorgeously blond (but not white-blond), that frames his face and falls to just an inch or two above his shoulders. I got to gaze at him for a few minutes today without being thought creepy because it was his turn to give a wellness presentation (we all have to give one wellness presentation and write one 1-page wellness plan). Oh god, but he's gorgeous. His name is Weston and he doesn't look a day older than 19. His eyes are brilliantly blue and his is easily the best speaking voice in the entire class. His voice is slightly deeper and his facial features a bit on the strong side, but otherwise he is an exact match for the Enjolras who lives in my head.

I'm not just reaching for straws, here. This boy is utterly gorgeous. Normally he wears long shorts and band t-shirts and today he was wearing athletic sandals. We're all supposed to adhere to gym dress code (no jeans, sneakers, etc) but half the class doesn't bother and the instructor doesn't say anything about it either. Either way I, hem, definitely see no reason to skip any classes. :D

And ... as gorgeous as Jeremy Hays is (and as much as he is an exact personification of coloneldespard's Enjolras drawings!), my mental image of Enjolras doesn't have truly curly hair -- it's straight or slightly wavy, and it's definitely thick and luxurious. And I swear to god if I were five years younger I would definitely try to chat him up during class, but now I feel slightly weird considering he probably isn't older than 20, and I'm not really the type of girl to go after younger men. Although if I were--oh.

Anyone else want letters? :D (...please give me something to do?)


In other news, getting a job with Amazon is a pretty slow process. My application was successfully processed and they will "get back to [me] with a start date in a couple weeks." They had told me at the application/drug test session that it takes 3-4 weeks for Amazon to process on their end and get people started, so... here's hoping it's fewer weeks rather than more. In the meantime, I think I'm good re: unemployment since I get 26 weeks of it, and that should go through the new year unless I start this job. So I think I'm financially stable for the moment, if not in the greatest of shape -- I'll take stable over uncertain anyday.


Unrelated, I kind of love Google Books. I can get epubs/pdfs of books they have on full preview. So I can read things googlebooks offers without having to squint at my screen and fail at avoiding other distractions. YAY FOR KINDLE. (I download the epub and convert to mobi, rather than the pdf. I find epubs convert better than pdfs, and my Kindle's screen is generally too small for unconverted pdfs)

Apparently I have a pretty nice collection of adorable and/or pretty stationery-type note-cards. I keep forgetting I have them and sometimes pick up a new set, especially if they're only a few dollars.

So, does anyone want a letter? :) International addresses happily accepted.


(comments are, of course, screened.)

For the Temeraire fans on my f-list: Pre-order Crucible of Gold, the seventh book in the Temeraire series, due out 6 March 2012.

I am so excited AND I have an Amazon gift card that my bank card rewards points earned me that I have already ordered this! :D Especially since I've pre-ordered it for Kindle -- which unfortunately means I will not have it available for sharing unless Kindle-lending is allowed. I do eventually plan to get the whole series on Kindle, and when I do that means my paper copies will be available for someone to buy off me. ;) Not that I don't love paper books, it's just that I'm more likely to read anything if it's on my Kindle. It's lighter and easier to carry around and takes up SO MUCH LESS SPACE. At the moment I just don't have the luxury of keeping lots of stuff, even books, which is part of why I am so in love with my Kindle.


(this post needs a Temeraire icon. I shall have to get one or two. >___>)

...

Earlier today I read a news article about a bunch of CERN scientists who, in the course of their experiments, discovered that the results showed neutrinos moving faster than light. Einstein's theory of relativity posits that nothing can move faster than light. The CERN scientists put their findings out into the community and asked for other scientists to independently confirm/refute their findings. Only the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and Chicago's Fermilab actually have the facilities to test this. Some particle physicists are scoffing and insisting that it can only be measurement error or instrument error or some kind of mistake/misreading. After all, it's very difficult to detect and measure neutrinos in the first place -- they are very small and very non-interactive; after all billions of them go through our bodies daily and we don't even notice!

So I'm kind of looking forward to seeing if this can really be true, if this is going to further our knowledge of the cosmos and particle physics and so forth. Someone hypothesized that this happened due to the neutrinos "taking a shortcut through a different dimension" which could really be interesting if it's true, but god knows how that could be measured. And nearly all physicists are agreeing that even if the neutrinos WERE correctly recorded and therefore ARE generally capable of moving faster than light, it does not necessarily mean we are wrong about everything, that we now have to throw out Einstein's theory as being totally incorrect -- because Einstein's theory actually DOES work in explaining relativity and the cosmos. It's been proven over and over and over again. Just because one part of it was deemed to not be correct, it doesn't necessarily make Einstein wrong.

And all of that is being said because some dipshit on my facebook friends list -- who may/may not be in high school but I'm not bothering to find out right now, as I only friended her because of a game we mutually play -- posted an MSNBC (MSNBC?!) link discussing the findings and her comment? EINSTEIN WAS WROOONNNGGGG!!!

I just want to rant all over her facebook page. I doubt she knows a fucking thing about particle physics, theoretical physics, or how the LHC even works to produce these findings/experiments. d'oh. But, as I said, we don't know each other except through that stupid facebook game, so instead of ranting on the wall of somebody I don't even properly know about her ignorance, I'mma just going to post it here. After all, you people are apparently far more intelligent than she is. XD

ahem.

I am not sure how widespread the news is, but Central Pennsylvania is flooded. Badly. We are currently undergoing the worst floods since at least 1972. In other words, I have never experienced floods of this severity.

I am okay, if a bit trapped, and I believe everyone else I know around here is okay. That's the best news I could have, pretty much.

Hersheypark and its environs are underwater. I am stuck in my house because, as many of you know, I live halfway up a big hill, and the road at the bottom of the hill is mildly underwater. I say mildly because it's not something my car can handle but it's not nearly as bad as the flooding that killed two bison in Hersheypark's ZooAmerica, and destroyed the Pizza Hut, McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and diner at this little plaza about a mile or two from the park. The photos from the area are absolutely astounding. This is not something I really expected to happen here. Yes, the Susquehanna is a major river subject to flooding, but Hershey is farther east than I am from the banks of the Susquehanna and they got it worse. It looks pretty awful so I'm going to keep monitoring the situation. Obviously job hunting isn't possible until next week at the earliest since I can't really leave my house and I'm betting a fair number of the people I'd be contacting have similar problems anyway. At least I'm not like those poor kids stuck at a couple area schools who went to school in the morning yesterday and then the waters rose on so many roads that the buses could not take them out of school at the end of the day.

I don't have pictures because, quite frankly, I'm not going anywhere. But for the curious, here's a sampling of local pictures and news and info:

From PennLive, the Harrisburg newspaper's website comes a whole gallery:
http://photos.pennlive.com/4503/gallery/flooding_in_central_pennsylvania/index.html#incart_hbx

Lots of video and pictures:
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/54806/more-photos-from-wednesdays-ho.asp

The abovementioned Pizza Hut:
http://twitter.com/#!/iWitnessWeather/status/111770985543372802

An article from an Atlanta newspaper:
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/more-than-100k-told-1162982.html?cxtype=rss_news_81963

Pictures from Hersheypark and Knoebels, another amusement park north of here:
http://behindthethrills.com/2011/09/tropical-storm-lee-floods-knoebels-and-hershey-park/

The article on those poor bison:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/09/2_zooamerica_bison_drowning_in.html
(Side note: to the people blasting ZooAmerica for having to kill the animals humanely because of the flooding -- would you prefer they just drowned on their own and were left behind? The ZooAmerica staff loves their animals and takes great care of them, so shut the fuck up and the next time there's a flood, you people who complained will be the first ones we call to save all the animals, and then you can see how difficult it is.)


As of now most of the flooding rivers and creeks have NOT crested, so we're in for a few more days of this. Here's hoping the floods don't get too much worse.