It's aliiiiive!

[sirona_fics]

I feel like I've been holed up for the better part of the past three weeks, what with work and renovations at home that need supervising. Been spending all my time reading Arthur/Eames and stalking bookshop's epic fluff meme here and here, which is full of rainbows and sparkles and catboy!Arthur porn (yeah, IDK either).

Just watched the first two episodes of Sherlock and am saving #3 for tomorrow -- it is entirely made of amazing. For real, I've no idea how it's taken me this long to watch it; I was laughing like a fangirl maniac all the way through #1. Am in love with it already; I can now say with some confidence that I see what all the fuss is about. I adore high functioning sociopath Holmes (his words) and the banter and the huge amounts of GAY and pretty much EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. Am really looking forward to #3 tomorrow!

Went to get my hair coloured today, and maybe freshen up the cut a little. Ended up with half of it loped off. IDK why I'm upset about it; I've spent the last two years with v short hair, but now it had started to grow out a little, I'm kinda guarding it jealously. Oh well. It'll grow back soon enough.

In other news: prettypriestess. EMBER. EMBERRRRRRR. /poke poke poke We're gonna have to do something about our big bang. We're totally going to get caught with our pants down when they set a deadline one of these days, and I know that soleil_et_pluie's getting a little frustrated with us. I know we're both stupidly busy, and there's The Boy to keep in mind, but could we maybe do what we did in the beginning, maybe write 1K a day? It's not much, but it'll start us rolling forward again. I'm totally sleep deprived right now from getting up at 7.30am every morning for over a week (I don't much do mornings), and I start my MA classes again this Saturday, but I think 1K or so is manageable.

In some other news, Inception (the film and the fandom) seems to have kicked something loose again in my head. I've been devouring books on Jung and Social Psychology and Culture Studies and Philosophy and Semiotics (I did my undergraduate dissertation on the subject) and Postmodernism and Post-structuralism and just general social theory. I've been stockpiling them for years, hoping to get back into the subject which swallowed my BA degree because it was just that fascinating, and it's finally happened.

And so, as a result, I've made a decision. I don't know if it will ever come to fruition, seeing as my sister's pregnant and after living back home for three years, I'm going to have to dive head-first back into loneliness again if I do it, but. I can honestly say that it will Make Me Happy, maybe the first thing I've been this excited about in my personal life since I moved back home in 2007. I'm cursed with a brain that finds everything endlessly fascinating, and it's a real struggle to focus on something and work to forge a career/life in that direction, and this will give me the variety that I crave and can't live without.

It is this MA programme at the University of Edinburgh. Seriously, this is all I could ask for in my career choice for the rest of my life. Once I've done this, I could maybe do a PhD and end up teaching. I think it's probably the most fulfilling thing I could aim for at this point. There are some scholarships available, and I can do both programmes part-time so that I can afford to pay the fees myself. It's not like I'm married, or likely to be any time soon, so this is something I can do for myself. Not often that it happens.

I've still got at least a year to think about it; I'll probably be aiming for Admissions 2012, if we're all of us still here by then. So yeah. How's about that, eh? Inception has literally single-handedly given me my academic passion back. God bless you, Chris Nolan.

I'm going to post a To Write list tomorrow. FINALLY. I've been talking about it long enough, and I sort of want to keep it all straight in my head.

Also, have a little ficlet (that I wrote for the fluff meme I pimped earlier).

Inception
Arthur/Eames
R

Arthur has always considered jealousy to be an emotion forever destined to be foreign to him. He's never been able to understand what makes men growl and tug their girlfriends/boyfriends/wives/husbands closer, tucked in against their body as they glare painful death at the interloper. If he's honest, he always thought them a bit silly, no impulse control whatsoever, weak to their more primal side.

Which does not even begin to explain why he's about a hair's breadth away from shooting their new chemist through both kneecaps. He's never missed Yusuf more in his life; only the fact that his cat is having a litter and Yusuf's been worried sick about her for weeks prevents him from calling him up and demanding he come in and pull his weight for a change.

The brazen hussy bats his eyelashes at Eames again, and Arthur snaps. Being who he is, he snaps very precisely and with a maximum damage area.

"Mr Eames," he calls, and Eames jerks around to look at him. Arthur narrows his eyes in satisfaction as Eames' smug smirk fades and his face goes slack at hearing Arthur's bedroom voice (which he's very well acquainted with) in broad daylight, and in the middle of the warehouse.

Eames comes over to Arthur's work area without being asked, pupils already dilated and licking his lips unconsciously. Arthur doesn't take his eyes away from the chemist as he grabs hold of Eames' tie, drags him close and whispers in his ear.

He has never behaved so unprofessionally on a job before; he honestly can't think what's come over him when he quietly tells Eames to go in the bathroom, take off his pants and wait for him. Eames' hips snap forward almost unconsciously, and he pants a little in Arthur's neck. He nods jerkily, pulls back when Arthur releases his tie and walks stiffly to the small stall in the corner of the warehouse.

Arthur holds the chemist's eye as Eames passes without sparing him even a glance, completely focused on his goal. He raises an eyebrow slowly, making his point. The chemist scowls, but turns back to his work with a huff. Only then does Arthur allow himself to push away from his perch on his desk and follow Eames into the bathroom, to makes sure Eames is sufficiently aware that he's spoken for.

Comments

[their-darkness.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh. That was great. Really powerful for such a short fic. I loved it!

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

Yay, thank you so much! <3

[weeaboobs.livejournal.com]

we have got dates actually! HARD TO BELIEVE I KNOW.

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

OH GOD. We are such losers; I've been afraid of that, I must say. It's been like a month since we've managed to get to writing -- RL's been kicking ass and taking names. D:

How the hell did I manage to miss the deadline dates?! I've been ever so careful in checking! I suck so bad. DDD: It's unlikely that we'll have a complete draft by the deadline, but I swear we're going to get there v shortly even if I have to drag Ember in by her hair.

On the plus side, our artist has been in the loop from the start, and she's been working on some art already, so it should take less time to bring it together. Jesus, I have to get cracking with the writing.

[indira14.livejournal.com]

WHAT. WHAT IS THIS. You're ALIVE? :O

...
...
...Oh god, you are alive. ;___; I'm so glad~ Neither you nor prettypriestess ever really update anymore D: I was beginning to think I'd have to spam your Inbox/shot RL must be hard on you D:

And oooh. At the University of Edinburgh? Would that somehow be related to a ~Duke of Edinburgh~ program, I wonder? Because I'll be starting that at the end of the year.

Your studies on social theory really does sound fascinating. I'm serious, because I've been reading up quite a lot on non-fiction... ~stuff~ as well. XD Unfortunately for me, like you, I've been brain with a brain that finds everything fascinating. DX I swear, I even devour the most arguably boring books like they were pieces of candy >.>

Your Arthur is awesome - did I mention that? I think this is the first fic I've read that has Arthur get ~jealous~ in a believable way.♥ I can almost hear the way he says Mr.Eames. XD

I'm glad you've decided what you want to do for the future~ I hope it works out well for you. :D

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!! /glomps

I'm sorry I've been a pants correspondent! I've just been feeling so exhausted recently, and a little drained psychically. I'm starting to think that I might be mildly bipolar, but there's no way of diagnosing it where I am. Or it could just be SAD and hormones -- I just got my period yesterday and already my head's been shoved up my arse all day. D:

Also, never worry about spamming my inbox if I seem to have disappeared from the face of the earth, for real. I just didn't think I had anything worth saying until this week, that's why I haven't posted anything. As for Ember -- I've no idea what's happening with her these days, last I heard she had a vicious comparative religion paper to finish. WE ARE SO BEHIND ON OUR BIG BANG, IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY.

I don't think the Duke of Edinburgh programme is connected to the university -- I think I've heard of it before, is it something to do with military training? Tell me everything!!

Oh god, being born with an inquisitive brain is such a curse, right? It's fab to have someone to talk to about this! Most people think I'm either insane or just can't make up my damn mind. For fuck's sake, I read theoretical physics for fun! How is this my life I don't even. I went and got a book today of compiled lectures on the symbolism in fairy tales and archetypes thereof. Sounds fascinating and I can't wait to read it! It's more Jung, but I can't seem to stop devouring his work.

YAAAAAAY! Have I incepted Arthur into your brain? I have a theory that Arthur would be a total top in bed and Eames will be lapping it up. Eames likes belonging to someone, anyway. At least my Eames does. Makes him feel secure and wanted. As for Arthur getting jealous -- he's gotten used to waking up to Eames' furnace-like cuddles, and he's not going to give it up any time soon. I did another drabble, too -- it's over here.

♥

[indira14.livejournal.com]

Ugh, I would've replied earlier had my fingers not GONE OUT OF CONTROL. CURSES.

've just been feeling so exhausted recently, and a little drained psychically. - Oh god, it's okay bb♥ We can feel exhausted and physically drained together! Lol, college has been such a ~demanding~ boyfriend lately - a boyfriend that actually insists I study instead of fooling around. DX

And winter's that bad over there? D: But-- how can you not like winter? DDD: And ugh. You know, it's during the time of the month, to fucking eloquently put it, that I hate being a girl more than anything. Fortunately, mine are always pretty irregular - sometimes, I'll go over two months even without that cursed... curse I know what you're thinking, sirona. Get your mind out of the gutters XD *hands you bleach* But seriously, your period sound like a literal pain in the arse. D: But look on the shiny side: At list it's over now, right? 8D

I... was actually going to do that, you know. Spamming your Inbox, I mean. BUT, since you eliminated any possibility of that by ACTUALLY SHOWING UP (seriously, I was thinking, it is alive after I read this post), I took out my frustration on another friend who's been quite misanthropic lately by spamming HER inbox instead. So it's all good. Me very happy! :DDD

I hope her VICIOUS RELIGION PAPER went well, because lol, I know I would've gotten a zero and a admittance letter to the blasphemer's asylum. XD I'M NOT SHITTING YOU. XD

AND OMG, GET WORKING ON THAT BIG BANG SERIOUSLY. I WANT TO READ IT. *makes grabby hands* No, seriously, tell me what it's about, at least. Don't keep me AGONIZING over it. WHa have I ever done to you. TELL MEEEE~

s it something to do with military training - Military training? Military training? ROFL. You're just to funny, sirona. :'D Dude, have you ever seen me and my frail body? I'm tiny. No, really.This tiny. I'd probably fall several inches short of the min. height requirement and COLLAPSE and WHEEZE and die a PATHETIC DEATH halfway into the first of a hundred laps. The only thing I'd even be remotely good at is gun practice - and even then, I'm not sure my poor 3.6 cm wrist joint would be able to take it. So no, NO MILITARY FOR ME, SIR. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD BE PERFECT, ASSUMING THE TENACITY YOU'VE DEMONSTRATED FOR WRITING RIDICULOUSLY LONG FICS WITHIN A DAY OR TWO APPLIES TO EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE XD/capslocckkkkk

But, um, ignoring how I shall never be more than a twig in stature, Duke of Edinburgh is actually a recommendation program that comes in handy for scholarships. You have Art, Writing, Community Service and Sports (Badminton and Basketball) - and if you manage to complete all the levels, you'll get a recommendation - which, is important, since 30% of our scholarship hinges on recommendation. :/

For fuck's sake, I read theoretical physics for fun! How is this my life I don't even. - Lol, I know. It's just-- theoretical physics is fascinating. this is my accursed brain talking Hell, I even find Bio fascinating - I read up on atherosclerosis just because I can, read prolix historical fiction just because it's there, and compare how many dimensional axes there really are because-- we perceive things in three dimensions, Hawking says there are actually four and Brown says there are eight and--- I don't even know anymore. DDDDX

And symbology? even that sounds fascinating/shot Funny you'd mention that just as I finished writing a review for Lost Symbol. XD

Lol, sirona - your fic. <333 Eat first, fuck later - Oh Eames♥ You've definitely got your priorities mixes up XD And I'm so glad you agree that Arthur's a top. ;_; Most of fandom roll the other way, from what I've seen.

long comment is RIDICULOUSLY LONG, I'm not even kidding

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

Dude, winter is vicious over here; we get temperatures well below -10C! It's nothing like the Russian winter, of course, but we do get the weather fronts down from Russia in the north, and let me tell you, it's Not Pleasant. D: I miss the lovely, mild UK winters! )':

My period is ridiculously irregular if left to nature. Ever since I got it in the first place, I've sometimes skipped months. So I'm taking the mildest form of contraceptives, just to regulate the bugger (it's damn useful when your dad is an ObGyn). Thankfully, I'm not having any issues these days, apart from being a hormonal bitch every 28 days (like the rest of the female population of the world).

Re: Big Bang -- Jesus, okay, fine, I'll tell you already, just don't come crying to me when you get hooked and it's not done yet, okay? XDDD Here's the summary we've concocted: Ninjas IN SPACE! Join Soragakure's pirate ship captain, Uzumaki Naruto and his crew of misfits on an epic adventure, spanning whole galaxies as they fight to gain control of a viciously dangerous viral mainframe, parts of which are contained in the partly-cyborg bodies of nine men and women all over the known universe. Enemies become friends and friends become something more in a frantic race to outrun the unscrupulous Akatsuki organisation and the corrupt Alliance of space cities and steal a weapon that may mean the end of creation as they know it. Cool, huh? We have to hand it in by 14th Nov, so I'm spending today and tomorrow writing like a woman possessed, and hoping Ember will have the chance to jump in there and lend a hand! DDD:

Re: the military -- I have a strange relationship with it. See, there was this guy. (Yeah, yeah, I know, pathetic or what?) He was the most ridiculously smart person I'd ever met (at 15); he was two years older than me. (You can see where I'm going with this, yes?) Thing is, he graduated at the top of his class, with a bright future in any field he wanted to go into -- and then turned around and joined the military. For the longest time, I was so damn pissed at him, I thought he was throwing away his life, his future, and for what?? (You have to understand, the military over here is nothing like the Glorious US/UK Military that they base films on. In here, it's mostly 'do as we say, not as we do').

So yeah. In the years since, I've come to respect military men and women a hell of a lot, but there's still that vicious piece of personal history that sours my relationship with it. Yes, I was probably an ignorant kid that didn't know what she was about; it doesn't make any difference. You're quite right, though, I am a tenacious, stubborn biatch in pretty much any aspect of my life (that doesn't have to do with making myself happy -- in those aspects I tend to fail miserably).

So, after this rant, let me tell you that the Duke of Edinburgh scholarships sound brilliant. I still don't think it's anything to do with the University, though.

Re: dimensions -- actually, according to the latest string theory (Michio Kaku is a fucking god), there are twelve dimensions of reality. Read "Parallel Universes" by Kaku, I fucking swear by it. Have you watched "Through the Wormhole" with Morgan Freeman on Discovery Science yet? Fascinating stuff.

Re: Arthurrrrrr. Hmmmmm. I kind of see them switching, much as with any other pairing that I ship. I do not at all support the theory that Arthur is a Bottom, that he is exclusively the submissive partner, because were they watching the same film I was??? Arthur is a freaking BAMF!! Also, Eames is awesome. It's been months now since my phone's background has been anything but Tom Hardy.

[photoclerk.livejournal.com]

SO. I was planning on stalking you and then all I did was clock on ONE LITTLE THING and I saw this
"We're gonna run out of cake at this rate

We only had three bits and we didn't expect such a rush"
AND I FELL IN LOVE OKAY.
*friends*

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

THAT'S COMPLETELY NATURAL. EDDIE IZZARD HAS THAT EFFECT ON PEOPLE.

Stalk away, bb! ♥ /friends back

[prettypriestess.livejournal.com]

In other news: [info]prettypriestess. EMBER. EMBERRRRRRR. /poke poke poke We're gonna have to do something about our big bang. We're totally going to get caught with our pants down when they set a deadline one of these days, and I know that [info]soleil_et_pluie's getting a little frustrated with us. I know we're both stupidly busy, and there's The Boy to keep in mind, but could we maybe do what we did in the beginning, maybe write 1K a day? It's not much, but it'll start us rolling forward again. I'm totally sleep deprived right now from getting up at 7.30am every morning for over a week (I don't much do mornings), and I start my MA classes again this Saturday, but I think 1K or so is manageable.

UM. Um, I've been feeling kind of terrible about the whole collab since you finished it yourself, but omg. I totally missed this when you posted it and I am once more the worst collaber ever. D: Have I told you lately how amazing you are for finishing this? Because you totally are. Would you like an extra Christmas present or something? ;________; OMG, I missed your birthday, too. WORST FRIEND EVER.

Um, also, did you notice we've been LJ friends for about a year or something now? That's kind of impressive.

I also adore the Arthur/Eames fic at the bottom of this post. XD JEALOUSY. Always fun for fic.

[sirona-gs.livejournal.com]

You know what? It was the best collab I've ever been part of. (The fact that it's been my only collab so far doesn't make it any less true.) You have to stop worrying about it, bb! /snuggles RL gets in the way sometimes, there's no two ways about it. I only hope I've done the awesome rest of the story justice with the finish! (This has, in fact, been bugging me for some time. I really do hope it's decent enough, at least!D:)

Have I missed our anniversary? :D I probably have, too. Well, have some sparkly confetti anyway! ♥

ETA: Oh, sorry, sorry, meant to tell you -- idk if you've watched Sherlock yet, but today I read the most brilliant Sherlock/Good Omen Universe crossover EVER OMG. So natch I had to share with a fellow GO fan! Idk if you're going to like it, but I flailed for hours afterwards, so I thought I'd give you a heads up! It's here.

[prettypriestess.livejournal.com]

It's the best collab I've ever been in, too (I've done a few--never worked out. My RL friends have DRASTICALLY different writing styles and a much less obsessed handle on grammar/punctuation/spelling/etc.)

I've begun a bit of gushing in our BB notes in Google Docs (I didn't want to mess up the pretty, new, shiny, completely and totally formatted version of the actual fic), but I'm quite a bit ahead of the gushing because I'll stop typing in favor of just reading periodically, and then I'll see something that I absolutely MUST comment upon, and then realize I'm a bit behind, so I'll go back and try to re-comment on previous bits I really liked, and it's an endless vicious cycle of fail. D: Suffice to say, I really, really enjoy the parts of the fic after I had to dessert because I suck. <3

I'm not sure what our exact anniversary is--I'm sure it's in my comments somewhere, but I remember it being around Christmastime or New Year's or something because I wrote parts of the SasuNaru wedding fic around the time of an RL friend's actual wedding.

HM. I have heard about it, but I have not yet seen any of it myself. I think my grandparents have been recording it for themselves, and Grandma has good things to say. I'll try to catch it when I can, but until then, GO CROSSOVER OMG! <3<3<3<3<3