♥

The troubles they might get you down, if you get lost you can always be found

stillskies — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 06:20:50 GMT

Pertinent rules for basketball, separated by the NBA rules (which are more lax and forgiving) and FIBA rules (which are not). FIBA is what Japan uses for their rules.

The Rule	NBA	FIBA
Game Length	4 12 minute quarters	4 10 minute quarters
Time between quarters	Q1-Q2 & Q3-Q4 2 minutes, 10 seconds	Q1-Q2 & Q3-Q4 2 minutes
Half-time Length	15 Minutes	15 Minutes
OT Length	5 Minutes	5 Minutes
Number of Personal Fouls	6	5
Shot Clock Time	24 seconds	24 seconds
Shot Clock Reset	Ball touches rim	Ball touches rim
Back Court Violation	8 Seconds	8 Seconds
Time Outs Allowed	6 60 seconds, 1 20 seconds per half	1 60 seconds in first 3 quarters, 2 60 seconds in 4th quarter
Who Can Call a Time Out?	Player with ball	Coach on a dead ball

Modified from here.

Everybody get up, it's time to slam now, we've got a real jam goin' down

stillskies — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 04:04:11 GMT

If you are not paying attention to Kuroko no Basket, feel free to skip this post because I will be talking about things that are only really interesting to me. XD;;

ANYWAY.

So, for the past... month? two months? I've been trying to work out Teikou's plays and positions. Some are pretty obvious, while other's aren't. What I'm really trying to puzzle out, though, is how a team of five individuals can beat an actual team every time. I know that the Miragen are supposed to be ridiculously amazing and what not, and that's sort of the point of the series, but. Anyone who watches or plays basketball knows that you need to have some element of teamwork, unless you're playing 1-on-1, which I think was probably what the Teikou strategy was. (Reminiscent to the chapters where Kagami and Aomine went at it while the rest of the teams just... sort of hung out on the side.)

Anyway. Positions. There are five positions in basketball for offense and five for defense. With Teikou, I'm assuming that their typical defense strategy was man-to-man, so there's really no need to diagram that.

Half Court

Now, this is what a half-court looks like (when drawn by me, so please forgive the lack of spatial accuracy. And the horrid blocks). The orange line with the circle in the middle of it at the top is half-court. The circle is where the tip off occurs at the beginning of the game and at the beginning of half-time.

The Five Offensive Positions

At the top is the point guard (PG or 1). This is the play maker/strategist. This is a beast of a role to play because you have to be aware of the entire area and every player. Hilariously, this is usually played a shorter player.

To the left of the PG is your shooting guard (SG or 2). This is your best shooter. Usually, they have fairly consistent accuracy with outside shots.

To the right of the PG is your small forward (SF or 3). This is usually your best driver and your strongest all around player - they can make shots from the outside, they can drive into the paint and score, they can shoot from the top of the paint... Basically, they can shoot anywhere.

On the bottom left is your power forward (PF or 4). They play a similar role to the SF and the center but down at the bottom of the key. They are the bread and butter of shooting from the inside and in the middle range. (Incidentally, this is the role I played.)

On the bottom right is your center (C or 5). This is usually the tallest player and a beast in the paint and at the bottom of the key. They make your backboard layups, as well as do the rebounds and put backs.

Teikou - Before Kise

Before Kise joined up, it was pretty obvious who played what: Akashi was the PG, Midorima the SG, Aomine the SF, Haizaki the PF and Murasakibara the C. Pretty simple and easy. Each fits the roles perfectly. (I'm aware Kuroko isn't here... I'll get to him.)

Teikou - After Kise

Now, I have Kise as the SF here because of his play style, and it's more than likely that he and Aomine (who I have as the PF) were switched around at Akashi's discretion. Aomine likes to make his fights up close and personal, so realistically, PF or SF are both positions he could play, but, from canon, he likes to drive, and as PF you don't have many opportunities to do that.

Kuroko

Kuroko is interesting. He doesn't fit any of the traditional roles. A good passer would generally be at the top of the key in the PG position when necessary, but Kuroko doesn't possess the basic skills necessary. His dribbling is crap, he can't shoot from inside, let alone the outside, and he doesn't drive (until Seirin, but this is Teikou). The best position for him, then, would be SF, but he doesn't stay in the general range. He's all over the place, so a different type of play would have to be adapted for when Kuroko is on the court.

So yeah. Of course, this is all speculation, but I thought it might be helpful to... someone? Maybe? And if I used any terminology you don't know or understand, let me know. I'll explain it. (I may make a term post later.... >.>)

It's for the best we get our distance

stillskies — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 20:19:55 GMT

Once upon a time, I used to offer drabbles/fics around the holidays. Now, considering how much of a procrastinator I am, and the fact that I have a hard time writing anything that doesn't inspire me, I'm still working on requests from 2009.

Needless to say, I shall not be offering drabbles/fic this holiday season.

However, I am doing another Advent Calendar this year, which I haven't done since 2008. (This year's theme is Hikaru no Go.) I am also offering holiday cards - simply leave your name and address in the screened comments below.

Now, I'm also going to do something a little different this time around. Instead of offering my writing, I'm going to offer graphics. I'm not sure how many people are aware of this, but my graphics journal, cloudy_graphics, sort of went up a little while ago. I haven't really done any real sort of advertising for it, nor have I really been letting people know it's around, but I figure that it's probably time to do so. Which reminds me, please watch the comm if you want to see when I update (y'know, if you want to...).

So, check out the Advent Calendar, drop me a comment for a card, and mosey on over to cloudy_graphics to request an icon or FO image or banner of any sort (feel free to let other people know; I don't have a problem making requests for people I have yet to meet ♥).

This is my way of saying "happy holidays" and to try to ease myself back into the fan community, as I've been a lurker for far too long.

♥Sherri

you and i get so damned dysfunctional we start keeping score

stillskies — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:07:26 GMT

Totally late to the party, but hey, at least I showed up! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my newest blogging thing (because I'm trying to live up to the more activity thing):

{Take the 100 Things challenge!}

What is this, you ask? ~~It's an excuse for me to spam the hell out of your friendslist, that's what.~~ This is a challenge that asks people to blog about 100 things - it can be any topic, it can be a mix of things, whatever. Just blog 100 things.

To cut the spam on your reading page/f!list, I'm going to do 20 posts of 5. (The first one will be forthcoming soon. Like, in the next two hours or so.) And my topic? Books, Movies & Shows! please note: shows can be TV shows, anime, or stage.

So, join me as I inflict my peculiar, eclectic taste on the world. ♥ Also? These will be public posts, so feel free to point people my way. I'm all for intelligent debate on things, but keep the wank in your room.

disclaimer: if there is anything trigger-y in any of the recs, I will make an effort to post a note about it at the beginning of the entry; the synopsis and reviews themselves will be trigger free, though.

And she'll take all you ever had

stillskies — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:55:08 GMT

Just a quick PSA: I've gone through and unfriended a few people and communities. The reasoning for this is pretty simple:

• I'm rarely ever on LJ, so I'm just cluttering up people's profiles
• I don't really post about fandom anymore, and there are a lot of people that I have fell out of contact with, or only knew through fandom, and I don't feel comfortable talking about personal matters with since I hardly know them
• We no longer share fandoms
• You haven't updated in over a year

If I've unfriended you, please unfriend me as well. If you feel like I have cut you unjustly, or you think you might want to be friends outside of fandom, let me know. I'm all for re-evaluating. If you're only here for the fic, I'm over at AO3. Please follow me there.

For everyone who has been cut, it's been a blast. ♥ I wish you all the best things ever in life and fandom.

once upon another time

stillskies — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 05:46:28 GMT

Deathmatch is over, and I can finally do my own reveal. And if you haven't picked me out, yet, I am going to be so severely disappointed in you. Seriously. So, for those who haven't yet guessed, I was kyoji kagami.

The name was actually kind of amusing to me. Once my teammates and I had decided on a name, we immediately started looking for pseudonyms who wore white suits. XD Ogata would have been way too obvious (and I don't much care for him, despite the porn I've been writing, oh god why), but I absolutely love Get Backers and always had a soft spot for Kagami. Getting my pseud was relatively easy.

Now, on to my entries.

For rounds 2-5, I wrote the multi-chaptered Everybody Talks (Or, That Incident With The Shirt). For the finals, I wrote a series of ten drabbles, put together an FST, made 100 icons, and called it Everyone Loves Hikaru... And Hikaru Loves Everyone. for those just interested in the drabbles, they are also over at AO3.

Everybody Talks is the Hikaru/Akira story from Disconnect. This had been started ages ago, but then I lost steam. I knew where I wanted it to go, and how it would end, but I sort of just... lost motivation for it, I guess? Maaya had proposed a co-write for it, but then I was lazy and forgot to tell her I had finished the section, which I guess was good, because I already had a framework for the challenge.

I found it hilarious that very few people realized the connection. I mean, there are areas where dialogue is lifted, because I wanted to write the scene from Hikaru's POV, but to keep it with the continuity, I needed the dialogue. What really amused me was that someone had said in a comment that they really wanted to know what was going on with Yashiro. And I'm like, can I pimp Disconnect? Can I? And then I realized it would totes give me away, so.

Anyway. Themes! How did I work them in?

Round two: salty the cup of salt that Hikaru tossed into the curry.
Round three: umami ramen is supposedly savory. I, however, am taking this on the word of others, as I do not eat ramen.
Round four: sour Hikaru and Akira's relationship souring before the tournament in Seoul.
Round five: sweet the entire chapter was sweet, but more specifically, Ashiwara's sweet tooth.

For finals, I wanted to do something different, hence the multimedia. Maaya and I were talking over dinner about different ideas I could do. I had a vague thought of what I might have wanted to do because of a conversation that was had in chat about someone (I forgot who) saying they like Hikaru as the fandom bicycle. While Maaya and I were tossing ideas out, that one came out, and went from there.

It was a hassle finding images for Ogata/Hikaru, let me tell you. Same with Mitani/Hikaru. I was like, seriously? JUST GIVE ME A PICTURE.

The drabbles were probably my favorite part, though, although I feel a bit ashamed for writing some of those pairings. Although I seriously think that Ogata/Hikaru is hot hot hot, which makes me feel dirty. And not in the good way. Well. In the good way, and then in the bad way.

Theme!

Finals: metallic The handcuffs from the Ogata drabble.

That all being said, I want to thank everyone who read and voted and participated, especially my team, because they were awesome. ♥

Public Service Announcement

stillskies — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:24:04 GMT

So, I finally caved. I'm stillskies on Dreamwidth. Add me? ♥

Dear NPT Author~

stillskies — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:17:56 GMT

Dear NPT author,

Hi! How are you doing? Hopefully, you're nothing like me, because at this point, I would be flailing and freaking out about what I'm going to write. Well, fortunately, I'm here to make things easier for you. Or more difficult, depending on your definition and whether or not I can be coherent enough to put my thoughts into words.

Let's take it request by request, shall we? Take what I say with a grain of salt, unless I say I don't like it. These are just things I'd love to see in fandom in general.

First, we have Hikaru no Go. This is a fandom that is very dear to my heart. I'm a generally common participant on blind_go, so I have read fantastic fics for this series before. I'm sure you're up to the challenge. ♥

The characters I have requested are Ashiwara Hiroyuki, Saeki Kouji, Hong Su-yeong and Ko Yeong-ha. I am not adverse to relationship fics; in fact, a whole lot of the Ashiwara/Saeki fics out there belong to either me or my wife. ^^;; That being said, I also really enjoy introspection fics. I want to know what makes the character tick. Why are they playing Go? How do they react to Touya Kouyo's second heart attack? What is their family dynamics like? Do they have siblings, or are they an only child?

In regards to relationship fics, I cannot deal with Yeong-ha/Su-yeong as a pairing, but as a close friendship... That's different. My preferred pairing for Yeong-ha is Yashiro, but he's not on the list, so. With relationships, even close friendships, there are different things I want to see. With Saeki and Ashiwara, how does Saeki deal with his relationship and Morishita's study group? Does he tell Morishita-sensei? Does he keep it a secret? How about Ogata? What troubles does Ashiwara have to face if/when Ogata-sensei finds out? Su-yeong and Yeong-ha... How does their friendship start? Does Yeong-ha tutor Su-yeong before he becomes pro? Are they introduced by An Taeson? Or perhaps they're getting ready for an international tournament, and someone that Yeong-ha is interested in is going to be there, and he needs Su-yeong to play translator?

Possibilities are endless. Mostly, I just want something new that hasn't been done before, something with depth. Hell, it could even just be one long scene for all I care. ♥

Next, we have Dragon Age. The characters I've requested are Hawke, Anders, Shale, and Zevran. I've played all of the games, including the DLC, so I'm good with whatever. I have a few nitpicky things, though: first, I don't like female!Hawke, unless she's with Isabela. Anything that has to do with the end of II that has Anders regretting what he's done is a no no. Whether or not Justice was the main motivating factor is irrelevant; he made a choice, and the Anders I love doesn't regret it. Zevran the indiscriminate man-whore is a disservice to the character. Hawke/Merrill. Enough said.

Now, onto what I like. I love Awakenings!Anders, and think it would be hilariously awesome if he met Zevran. Perhaps the Warden Commander was in a relationship with Zev in Origins, and Zev comes to visit. Or anything with Ser Pounce would be lovely. One of Zev's Antivan Crow assignments would be fantastic, or exploring his brief time with the Dalish. Shale. Shale is fantastic and awesome and anything with Shale post-Origins would be absolute love. Perhaps her trip to Tevinter with Wynne. Did they succeed? Hawke is a special one. There are different aspects to each relationship (except Merrill) that I love, but I like m!Hawke/Anders best. F!Hawke/Isabela is nice, as well, and Hawke/Fenris is... okay so long as Fenris doesn't act all moody the entire time. Mostly, though, I love Hawke's relationships with Varric and Aveline. The friendship between them is one of the things that makes the game for me.

Now, we're on to Yami no Matsuei. Characters here are Tatsumi Seiichirou, Watari Yutaka, Muraki Kazutaka, and Mibu Oriya.

I'd really like something on why Watari doesn't have a set partner. XD Maybe they couldn't take the experiments? Or 003 kept getting jealous. Muraki... What was he like before Saki? Was he always this screwed up, or did Saki screw him up? What is his relationship with Oriya? Is it a relationship of equals, or does Muraki hold all the cards? With Oriya... Why does he stay? Was being owner of the club what he really wanted? Or did he not have a choice? Tatsumi is probably my favorite character, and I'd love to see how his relationship with Tsuzuki breaks. I'm not a fan of the Tatsumi/Tsuzuki pairing, so I'd rather see the partnership itself. What was the final breaking point?

Pairings I like are Muraki/Oriya and Tatsumi/Watari, but aren't necessary. I'm a fan of conflict in these relationships, though.

So, that's it. Hopefully, I didn't make things harder for you. ^^;; I'm sure I'll love whatever it is you end up writing for me, anyway. ♥ After all, I love all three fandoms in different ways.

♥Sherri

Why do they keep trying this?

stillskies — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 20:29:45 GMT

Originally posted by von_questenberg at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy. fyi

Originally posted by a_white_rain at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy. fyi

Originally posted by de_nugis at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by tahirire at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by ltlredhairdgirl at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by why_me_why_not at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by apiphile at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by alizarin_nyc at More signal boosting for Internet Privacy.

Originally posted by dameruth at It Never Ends...

Originally posted by jjpor at It Never Ends...

Originally posted by abbyromanaat Signal Boost

Originally posted by clocketpatchat Signal Boost

Originally posted by calliopes_penat CISPA is the new SOPA

Originally posted by spikedluv at CISPA is the new SOPA

Originally posted by velvetwhip at CISPA is the new SOPA

Here's their next move: The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, or CISPA, would obliterate any semblance of online privacy in the United States.

And CISPA would provide a victory for content owners who were shell-shocked by the unprecedented outpouring of activism in opposition to SOPA and Internet censorship.

The House of Representatives is planning to take up CISPA later this month. Click here to ask your lawmakers to oppose it.

SOPA was pushed as a remedy to the supposed economic threat of online piracy -- but economic fear-mongering didn't quite do the trick.

So those concerned about copyright are engaging in sleight of hand, appending their legislation to a bill that most Americans will assume is about keeping them safe from bad guys.

This so-called cyber security bill aims to prevent theft of "government information" and "intellectual property" and could let ISPs block your access to websites -- or the whole Internet.

Don't let them push this back-door SOPA. Click here to demand that your lawmakers oppose CISPA.

CISPA also encourages companies to share information about you with the government and other corporations.

That data could then be used for just about anything -- from prosecuting crimes to ad placements.

And perhaps worst of all, CISPA supercedes all other online privacy protections.

Please click here to urge your lawmakers to oppose CISPA when it comes up for a vote this month.

Thanks for fighting for the Internet.

-Demand Progress

The Rise of Frankenburger

stillskies — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:51:14 GMT

I love animals, and we can talk about animal rights until the cows come home, but the fact remains that people want meat. Research is coming out that we don't need as much meat as we consume, but most people ignore that. So, how do we meet demand while being nice to animals? That's where "in vitro" meat comes in. It has the potential to solve the supply and demand problem while still being a more sustainable option than factory farming. But is it a realistic alternative? Sadly, in vitro meat may never catch on because of what it is, what it looks like, and how it tastes.

First, though, let's talk about the perks of in vitro meat. According to Kenneth Krause, the environmental benefits could be huge. Rather than cutting down rainforests and destroying natural habitats to make room for agricultural pastures, we would only need to keep a handful of livestock for cells. We would also be able to cut down on the use of feed and genetically altered corn. After all, as Rose Prince says, there's no need to feed something growing in a tube. Perhaps most important is the impact that in vitro meat will have on animals themselves. If we don't need to mass produce meat to get to grocery stores, then the abhorrent practices of factory farms won't be necessary. Animals will be able to be treated with respect and dignity, rather than crowded into pens with barely any room to move. Captain Planet would be proud.

There is already major skepticism from consumers, however. The very idea of eating something referred to as "Frankenburger" definitely curbs my appetite. Not only is the phrase off-putting, but the very look and taste of in vitro meat leaves much to be desired. Current prototypes of the test tube meat are pinkish-yellow. Aside from the unappetizing appearance of the meat is the flavorless taste. We're used to a rich taste in our meat, even when unseasoned.

Scientists say they can fix that, though. They are currently trying to fix the color by recreating situations that produce myoglobin, the thing that gives meat that juicy red look. In regards to taste, well, that's what artificial flavoring is for. Add some essence of meat to the Petri dish, and voila! Instant meaty flavor. And the missing nutrients that can't be recreated in a lab? Easily added during the growth process.

The problem with this? Consumers. How many people will be willing to eat something that they can't paint as natural and not tampered with? After all, the average American consumer loves to delude themselves about most aspects of their life, and with the "eat healthy, eat organic!" movement that's making its way around, we also love to pretend that our food is healthful. Even when it comes from a box. It doesn't matter that most foods are tampered with and lose whatever nutritional value they may once have contained the second they go into mass production. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt; it is an art form in the United States.

Where do we go from here? In vitro meat isn't simply an idea that may or may not come to pass. PETA is offering $1 million for synthetic chicken. The deadline for that is June 30, 2012. That's only a few months away. Bob Batz, a food journalist and member of the Association of Food Journalists, interviewed a group that is researching and growing beef earlier this year; they expect to have their financer eat it no later than October. It looks like there will be synthetic meat out and about before the end of the year.

Can in vitro meat be sold without grossing people out? I don’t know, but it looks like we'll be finding out. Personally, I would never touch it. With the information that is currently out, it doesn't look to be any healthier than real meat, and I made my peace with eating animals years ago. I fully embrace my food denial. Who knows, though? Maybe this is the new big thing. Be informed. Make a decision. That's all we can do for now.

♪Are you going to wait for your sign, your miracle? Stand up and fight♪

stillskies — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 04:09:27 GMT

Originally posted by hostilecrayon at GRAH MOTHER FUCKERS, GRAH

Originally posted by angearia at National Protest Against the War on Women

Originally posted by gabrielleabelle at National Protest Against the War on Women

Horrified at the latest encroachments on the rights and freedom of women in the US?

Do charts like this freak you the fuck out?

(Source)

Are you pissed off that your access to birth control is under attack? Or that some politicians are trying to enforce vaginal ultrasounds before abortions? Or that Santorum thinks your sex and body are his business? Starting to feel like we've taken a huge step backward in terms of women's advancement?

THEN PROTEST!

I know some people (understandably) don't have a Facebook, and this thing doesn't appear to have an off-FB site, but please take a look-see at THIS.

The deets:

On Saturday, April 28th, there will be a National Protest Against the War on Women.

This protest will be at every state capitol, plus D.C.

This organizing page has the links to each states' page (on the right sidebar, click "see more", and scroll down).

I'm not the organizer of any of these events. I'm just another pissed off woman who's planning to attend.

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful

stillskies — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:01:02 GMT

I've seen this floating around (*cough*measuringlife and reddwarfer*cough*), so I'm hopping on the bandwagon.

The 'they're so domestic and stuff' meme!

Give me a pairing and I will tell you:

Who is the big spoon/little spoon?
What is their favorite non-sexual activity?
Who uses all the hot water in the morning?
What they order from take out?
What is the most trivial thing they fight over?
Who does most of the cleaning?
What has a season pass in their DVR?
Who controls the netflix queue?
Who calls up the super/landlord when the heat’s not working?
Who steals the blankets?
Who leaves their stuff around?
Who remembers to buy the milk?
Who remembers anniversaries?

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why

stillskies — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:55:55 GMT

So, it is time for the sixth annual Who Wants a Holiday Card? post. ♥ I promise to actually get them out in a reasonable time frame this year.

Leave a comment here with:

Also, if you want a specific holiday, leave that, too.

If you don't live in the US, don't fret! I'll still send you a card! ♥

Reply here now!

Comments are screened, so don't worry. And I won't sell your information to unauthorized dealers.

Dear Yuletide Author~

stillskies — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 03:14:11 GMT

Sorry this is so late! This is my first time doing Yuletide, so I wasn't quite sure what this letter is supposed to contain.

Let me just say thank you thank you thank you! I'm sure that I'll absolutely adore whatever it is that you do. ♥ I'm really easy to please, actually.

As for story direction... I'm a bit of a slut for dark stories and character studies. The more ambiguous the ending, the better. I'm not adverse to happy, but my requests tend to have lots of happy in them already.

Whatever inspires you, though. Again, not very picky.

xxxHOLiC

This is probably my absolute favorite fandom, and Yuuko is a pet character of mine. I will admit to a bit of nit-pickiness in her characterization. She needs to have just the right balance between booze-hound and know-it-all.

I'm a big fan of Doumeki/Watanuki/Himawari. Especially how it all falls apart at the end. Himawari backstory is always welcome, as is Yuuko-before-she-was-Yuuko. There's a story there, and I have yet to see it done well.

Gohou Drug

This is one of the fandoms where I love happy go lucky crack. ♥ The more Kakei and Saiga, the better. Also! If you have any desire to do so, I absolutely love Kakei+Yuuko. Crossovers in this series tend to be crack, so a serious take between the two would be lovely.

Rikuo backstory is also a plus.

Fairytales

Retellings are ♥. As are what happens after happily ever after. The darker the better. I also would be interested in seeing the Disney version intersect with the darker version of the fairytale.

Strong females fighting their fate are also a plus in retellings. ♥

PetShop of Horrors

I want Leon to find D. I want them to explore their issues because there are bound to be a lot. Smut in this fandom is wonderful if done right. ♥ Bonus for random!Pon-chan and Tet-chan. I love those two.

I would also love to see more Jill. Maybe Jill at the end of the series. Her reaction to Leon deciding to traipse around after D. Maybe she's jealous, maybe she understands. Maybe she thinks that Leon is out of his mind. Regardless, Jill gets little love, and the more love she gets, the better.

Hopefully I helped a little? Basically, dark moody atmosphere character study retellings. ♥

Thank you so much and good luck!

♥Sherri

And I'm tired of being all alone, and this solitary moment makes me want to come back home

stillskies — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:24:36 GMT

MEME TIME!

As a writer, I have written many a fic in many a fandom. Some of them, I write more often than others, but this doesn't mean that I don't love the fandoms I've dabbled in! So, pick a fandom - any fandom that I have written in - and request a drabble. The drabbles will be in the comments. The fandom can be one that I'm prolific in, or one that I've only written a single drabble for.

The catch? I can't have written anything for it in the last year.

To make it easy for people who don't want to hunt down what I've written in the last year, the series that are ineligible for this meme are: xxxHoLiC, Hikaru no Go, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Final Fantasy X-2, Final Fantasy XIII and Dragon Age 2.

If you're not sure I've written it before, request it anyway. I'll let you know if I don't know it. ♥

Mississippi Personhood Amendment

stillskies — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:51:06 GMT

SOAP BOX TIME! You have been warned.

Originally posted by james_nicoll at Mississippi Personhood Amendment

Originally posted by soldiergrrrl at Mississippi Personhood Amendment

Originally posted by twbasketcaseat Mississippi Personhood Amendment

Originally posted by gabrielleabelleat Mississippi Personhood Amendment

Mississippi is voting on November 8th on whether to pass Amendment 26, the "Personhood Amendment". This amendment would grant fertilized eggs and fetuses personhood status.

Putting aside the contentious issue of abortion, this would effectively outlaw birth control and criminalize women who have miscarriages. This is not a good thing.

Jackson Women's Health Organization is the only place women can get abortions in the entire state, and they are trying to launch a grassroots movement against this amendment. This doesn't just apply to Mississippi, though, as Personhood USA, the group that introduced this amendment, is trying to introduce identical amendments in all 50 states.

What's more, in Mississippi, this amendment is expected to pass. It even has Mississippi Democrats, including the Attorney General, Jim Hood, backing it.

The reason I'm posting this here is because this is an attack on women under the guise of protecting a life. Personhood USA is trying to take us back in time where a woman's body was simply an incubator.

So if you sometimes pass on political action because you figure that enough other people will do something to make a difference, make an exception on this one. It's getting little to no coverage, but Personhood USA is growing. They were on the ballot in some states last year (Colorado being one of them, but they lost horribly) and they'll likely begin to appear in your state.

If there is ever a time to donate or send a letter in protest, this would be it.

What to do?

- Read up on it. Wake Up, Mississippi is the home of the grassroots effort to fight this amendment. Daily Kos also has a thorough story on it.

- If you can afford it, you can donate at the site's link.

- You can contact the Democratic National Committee to see why more of our representatives aren't speaking out against this.

- Like this Facebook page to help spread awareness.

Aye mirror images and when we kiss, they're perfectly aligned

stillskies — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:41:45 GMT

Anyone want to chat? I'm bored and trying to write a paper, but cannot seem to concentrate. Any distraction would be most welcome. ♥

I changed my AIM username. Ping me at stillskies. ♥

The years go by and time just seems to fly, but the memories remain

stillskies — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:42:03 GMT

So, I just did a massive friends/community cut.

If you were cut, it was because we just didn't talk, or I found myself skipping over your entries, or I felt we didn't have anything in common anymore. Or your journal hasn't been updated in forever. It's nothing personal - I'm just trying to make my life a little more manageable. If you think you were cut on accident, please let me know! ♥ Comments here are screened.

This is also a chance for people to defriend me. If you feel that we don't mesh, or we just don't talk, or whatever other reason, go ahead and defriend me. No hard feelings. ♥

If I've defriended you and you're cool with that, please go ahead and defriend me, also.

It was a fun ride, guys! Maybe we'll come across each other in new fandoms. ♥

So many things were left unsaid, it's hard to let you go

stillskies — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:51:41 GMT

Just a quick heads up in case you were wondering who this stillskies was that's showing up on your f!list. This is the user formerly known as doumeki. Finally went and renewed my paid account and decided to rename.

So. ♥ Don't unfriend me?

We may only have tonight, until the morning sun you're mine, all mine

stillskies — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:56:42 GMT

So, this is the requisite OMG HOLIC ENDED!!!!!!!!!!eleventyone11 post.

So, I think I may be the only person in fandom who liked the ending. There are many reasons why I liked it, which I will get in to later, but. I kind of figured that something like this would happen. I gotta say I didn't see the Doumeki in the last few chapters being Shizuka's (because I can't call him Doumeki anymore) great-grandson. I kind of figured that it was probably his son. There were a few things about that Doumeki that struck me as off. I heavily favored a new Doumeki over CLAMP forgetting what Shizuka was actually like and reverting his personality back to what it used to be.

I liked the ending because it felt right. There is no way for Watanuki to be free from his wish - let's face it: Yuuko is dead. While reincarnation is entirely possible in this universe (hello there, Eriol!), we don't know how long the process took from Clow's natural death. The cycle can't be 'die-reincarnate.' There has to be a period of years in between. For Watanuki to be freed so easily, it would demean the meaning of his wish, I think.

To so easily say that he can give everything up without truly giving it up wouldn't mean anything. He has to lose everything before he can truly be free. By the time xxxHOLiC ends, he's lost Shizuka, Himawari, Kohane, obaasan.

That isn't to say that I don't think he'll ever be free - we saw that Yuuko could leave the shop, so I kind of figured that he would eventually be able to leave it. But not until everyone he would have known had died. After all, Kimihiro doesn't age. If he was to step out when he was 70 and ran into someone he knew from high school, or someone who's wish he helped grant for Yuuko, do you think it would have been possible for him not to react? Even a tightening of the face could have given him away.

Now, Shizuka getting married. Am I the ONLY one who saw the Shizuka/Kohane hints towards the middle of Rou? The whole arc with the girl who wanted to be with Shizuka was where I saw it. In my mind, it was Kohane he married. It makes sense to me that

oo1) he would get married
oo2) he would marry someone who knows Watanuki

Why, you ask? Because he'll never leave Watanuki. He's proved this, time and again, that he won't let Watanuki be lonely. Shizuka is a smart guy. He knew that he wouldn't be able to be with Watanuki forever, so he had to find a way around it. Hence the marriage.

With Kohane, she loves Watanuki, albeit in a platonic manner. She also wouldn't want him to be alone, and she understands the bond between Watanuki and Shizuka. Furthermore, I think that she's been in love with Shizuka for years.

Of course, I don't think that their relationship would be loveless. After all, I don't think that Shizuka could truly be with someone that he didn't care about, and he does care about Kohane. He's kind of been her pillar and her mentor. He understands what she went through, and she understands that he loves Watanuki more than he cares about himself.

Also, for the kids/grandkids/great-grandkids to be able to enter the shop they would need a wish. In order to protect Watanuki from himself, they would need magic. Kohane and Shizuka both have magic - strong magic. The egg is the embodiment of Shizuka's wish - he's just reluctant to grant it.

Granted, I'm talking about the kids and marriage like it's solely for Watanuki's benefit. It's not. Shizuka can't be expected to wait forever. Just like Himawari couldn't wait forever, though with her, there were probably other issues than just the person she loved's semi-immortality and inability to actually go anywhere.

So, the ending fits. It works for me much better than Tsubasa's ending. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a few fic ideas I want to work on. >) ♥

I found God on the corner of First and Amistad where the west was all but won

stillskies — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:18:04 GMT

So, I have a question. It's one that I've asked and have been asked, and it's something that people have different views on.

Is morality dependent upon religion, or is it independent?

There is a forum that I've been participating in this past week, and I'm finding that many people seem to think that it is, in fact, something that you need religion for. However, if you look at it that way, then that means that 1) anyone who isn't religious is then immoral and 2) anyone who doesn't subscribe to your religious ideals is immoral.

Because of those two facts, I think that morality is independent. That isn't to say that there aren't people who develop their moral compass by the passages written in the Bible/Torah/Q'ran/etc.

Which, of course, leads to another question:

Is there a universal moral code?

I think that the majority of what a person deems as 'moral' is weighed against harm. Killing someone causes harm - to the person being killed, to the family and friends of the deceased, etc - so, therefore, I believe that it is immoral. My Christian and Jewish friends believe it is immoral because God said that 'thou shalt not kill.' All of us come to the same conclusion - killing is wrong - we just got there via different means.

Of course, killing is an easy example. Take something more debatable: homosexuality. Is it moral or immoral? The Bible says that it is immoral. The way I view it is that there is no harm being done to anyone else, so why should they care what goes on in my bedroom? Therefore, I think it is moral.

This is a point that I've been arguing recently. I find it hard, however, to have a discussion with someone who is so indoctrinated in their religion who interprets it is immoral. There is no arguing with them - they won't listen to what another person has to say because it is so fully ingrained in their minds that they are right because God says this.

This isn't to say that all Christians are like this. I have several friends who identify with Christianity as their faith, and they have a completely different interpretation. They believe that God's love is universal - He loves all of His creations equally and without reserve. They do not believe that homosexuality is immoral.

So then, why is the morality between the people who will not listen and the people who believe in their faith as something that promotes love so vastly different? Is it because of interpretation? And if so, which is right? Can anyone even make that call?

I don't think they can.

Again, this is something that I've been thinking about for a while, and I would love thoughts and what not. This is not meant to offend anyone - if there is something that offends you, please let me know. I will do my best to re-express the sentiment in a less offensive way.

I'm leaving this as public - if you have friends that you think would want to weigh in on this, please direct them here. Just keep in mind that this is a civil discussion. I will not tolerate name-calling/bigotry/prejudice/etc in my journal.

Too long, too late, who was I to make you wait

stillskies — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:14:18 GMT

So.

This. Is why the whole marriage equality issue is important.

If you're on my f!list, than you know that I was in the ER a little while ago. Fortunately, they allowed Maaya to go with me, but that was just courtesy. They would have been well within their rights to not allow her in because she's not related, nor are we married.

It's just ridiculous.

But this couple had all of the fail safes in place - fail safes that the proponents of keeping marriage equality from becoming a reality state is enough to get the benefits [at least, from a medical standpoint] denied.

So. Blog it. Twitter it. Facebook it. Hell. Myspace it.

Feel free to discuss and what not. I'm leaving this post unlocked so that it comes up easily in searches.

Here are a few other links related to this:

The Swivet
The National Center for Lesbian Rights
C Smith

♥

Get the girl who just walked in but she thinks you suck

stillskies — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:56:40 GMT

Oh hai thar. Regular f!list, please to be disregarding this post. ^^;;

THE ONE AND ONLY NEVER WAS KINK MEME

Anonymously post a pairing & a kink. This is open to all pairings and all kinks. You don't like the pairing or the kink? Don't read it..

Anonymous will fill it. By anonymous, I mean someone else, not me.

There will be absolutely no wank ~~unless it's the good kind~~ because I'm not prepared to deal with eljay drama llamas, mmmkay?

Other Things of Great Import

→ If you request one, try to fill one, kk?
→ If it's not your cup of tea, don't come crying to me. I told you not to read it.
→ Here is a list of kinks to get you started.
→ Since this is a kink meme for an rp, feel free to RP the kink.

Format because I'm a control freak, deal with it.

Please put the pairing in the subject whether you're requesting or filling, that way people can skip the ones they want, and it makes things easier to find.

Most importantly, however.

Have fun!

It started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope

stillskies — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:02:43 GMT

Since I've gotten my first initial shipment of Christmas merchandise [gift cards and actual greeting cards, because clearly September is totally acceptable to start putting this shit out], I have decided that 'tis the season and all that jazz.

Third Annual Holiday Drabble/Fic Request Post

If you're new here, or a lurker, the rules go like this:

Rules
oo1. Reply to this post by December 1st, 2009 following the super simple format provided below.
oo2. You may request up to two [2] series and/or pairings/characters. Provided underneath the submission form are the fandoms and characters/pairings I write for your reference.
oo3. Provide at least three [3] prompts - whether or not all three will be used is a different story, but I want to be able to at least write one.
oo4. Please do not expect long epics. Drabbles/fics will be anywhere from 500 words - whatever I feel necessary to tell the story.
oo5. If the series is still going, please mention up to what chapter you've read. Some people keep up with scanlations, others only keep up with their language releases. I don't want to accidentally write a spoiler in for you. Altenatively, if the series is done, I will assume you've read all chapters, and everything becomes fair game.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I request two, does that mean I'll get two?
No. See below for more details.

So, I can totally, like, request Kinomoto Touya/Touya Akira and you'll write it?
No. I have the right to refuse certain pairings. I don't mind crossovers or AU, but there are some pairings that I will not break up because I totally believe that they belong with the person I ship them with. At most, you may get both characters in the fic, but it will likely be gen.

I want [insert character] from insert series, but they're not on your 'will write' list. Will you write them for me?
Unfortunately, if a character does not appear on my 'will write' list, I will most likely not write them. I just don't have a comfortable enough grasp on the character to do that. But request them anyway. I may feel like taking on a challenge, or I just forgot about them when making the list.

I requested two fics, and I only got one. What gives?
Please understand that I do have a life, and will do my damndest to write both requests, but if you requested a character/pairing I don't write, and I couldn't find a way to write them in gen, or I may have just run out of time. I suggest putting the one you want most on top, and one you won't be too disappointed with not getting as your second request.

This isn't f!locked this year. Can I pimp it to my friends, even if they aren't on your f!list?
Yes, you can. ♥ If you think that they'd enjoy it, then please do. I like meeting new people. But please do keep in mind that people that I know will have writing priority. I'm going to do my best to write for everyone who requests, even if it's a simple 500 word drabble, but I will account for the unexpected, and if some people's requests don't get written, it will most likely be people I don't know.

How do I know what you've read up to?
After the characters/pairings, there will be an indicator of where I've read up to.

Simple, right? the faq was added after complaints from people last year. Here is the request format:

If you are requesting two, then, leave them both in the same comment.

Series and Characters/Pairings I Will Write

[Bakuman] Mashiro, Takagi, Takagi/Miyoshi, Miyoshi, Miho, Mashiro/Miho, Eiji, Fukuda up to most recent scanlation
[Bleach] Ichigo, Ishida, Kyouraku, Ukitake, Kyouraku/Ukitake, Yumichika, Ikkaku/Yumichika, Isshen up to most recent scanlation
[Buffy the Vampire Slayer universe] Buffy, Xander, Willow, Giles, Willow/Tara, Willow/Oz, Spike, Buffy/Spike, Spike/Xander, Joyce, Giles/Joyce, Giles/Ethan, Xander/Anya, Wesley/Fred, Illyria, Faith, Angel[us] up to most recent compilation release of season 8; have not read any of angel: aftermath
[Card Captor Sakura] Sakura, Sakura/Syaoran, Syaoran, Tomoyo, Yukito[/Yue], Touya, Touya/Yukito, Nadeshiko, Fujitaka/Nadeshiko, Nakuru[/Ruby Moon], Eriol, Keroberos, Spinel, Eriol/Kaho complete
[CLAMP School universe] Nokoru, Suoh, Akira, Nokoru/Suoh, Akira/Utako, Utako, Kentarou, Takeshi, Kentarou/Takeshi, Erii, Erii/Kotobuki complete for all series
[Dolls] Seiju up to most current scanlation
[Final Fantasy VII - Crisis Core] Zack, Zack/Cloud, Sephiroth, Angeal, Genesis up to niebelheim
[Final Fantasy X/X-2] Tidus, Rikku, Yuna, Tidus/Yuna, Paine, Paine/Rikku, Auron, Jecht, Auron/Jecht, Gippal, Baralai, Gippal/Baralai, Nooj both games complete
[Hikaru no Go] Hikaru, Akira, Hikaru/Akira, Ashiwara, Saeki, Saeki/Ashiwara, Yashiro, Yeong-ha/Yashiro, Akiko, Kouyo/Akiko complete
[HunterxHunter] Gon, Killua, Gon/Killua, Kurapica, Leorio, Leorio/Kurapica up to last released scanlation
[Kingdom Hearts I/II/re:Chain of Memories/358-2 Days] Kairi, Sora, Riku, Riku/Sora, Axel, Roxas, Xemnas[/Xehanort], Xigbar[/Braig], Zexion[/Ienzo], Xigbar[/Braig]/Zexion[/Ienzo], Axel/Roxas, Namine completed i/ii/re:com/days
[Kyou Kara Maou] Yuuri, Wolfram, Yuuri/Wolfram, Shouri, Murata/Shouri, Gwenadal, Konrart, Gunther, Gwendal/Gunther, Josak, Konrart/Josak anime only - complete
[Lawful Drug] Kazahaya, Rikou, Saiga, Kakei, Rikuo/Kazahaya, Kakei/Saiga up to last released scanlation
[NANA] Hachi, Hachi/Takumi, Takumi, Nana, Ren, Nana/Ren, Shin, Reira, Shin/Reira, Nobuo up to most recent scanlation
[Pet Shop of Horrors] D, Leon, Chris, Pon-chan, T-chan, D/Leon up to volume 5 of shin pet shop
[Prince of Tennis] Tezuka, Fuji, Tezuka/Fuji up to most current scanlation of new prince of tennis
[Princess Princess/Kakumei no Hi] Yuujirou, Tohru, Yuujirou/Tohru, Mikoto, Megumi, Mikoto/Megumi, Makoto, Tachimachi, Shinmei, Tachimachi/Shinmei up to second scanlation of pararevo
[Tokyo Babylon/X] Subaru, Hokuto, Seishirou, Seishirou/Subaru, Kakyou/Hokuto, Yuzuriha, Kusanagi/Yuzuriha up to last released scanlation
[xxxHOLiC] Watanuki, Doumeki, Himawari, Yuuko, Clow/Yuuko, Doumeki/Watanuki/Himawari up to most recent scanlation

If there is a series that I have written previously, and it's not up there, request it, and I'll let you know if I'm still writing for the fandom. Likewise for characters/pairings. AUs and crossovers are all good, too. ♥

So, request away!

God I just want to lay down, these colors make my eyes hurt

stillskies — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:55:08 GMT

blind_go fics are up!!!!!!!!! You know the drill, yes? If you don't, here's a recap:

oo1. Go, read the fics.
oo2. Post a comment to this post when you think you know which one I wrote.
oo3. Win a drabble! if you pin me down

Simple, huh? Good.There is also a new post on kifu_archive where the authors give a hint as to their identities. We're trying to make it easy on you. ♥

Get guessing! ♥ comments are screened, btw