It's my very first LJ poll! And it's for something totally boring!

Okay, American LJ friends who use cell phones: which company should I go with? Traditionally I don't use my cell phone often because I don't really like talking on the phone, so I'd go for the lowest rate plan, the prices of which all seem to be fairly similar across the board, so I'm looking for more in terms of good coverage and customer service, I think.

Poll #1480799 Help.
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 11

My kingdom for:

Since Community is my new favourite show ever, here are some text icons. Yay!

Preview:



( 12 text, 3 animated )

I'm no good at writing reviews or episode thoughts in any coherent manner, and I'm always late to watching the show anyway, but I just want to say this:

( Not really spoilery, but cut just in case anyone didn't know what 2x04 is about )

Originally written as comment!fic for the_muppet, this is speculation about what the boys will be doing instead of attending Expo this month. Composed entirely of silly fluff and contains not a shred of truth.

*
( Untitled )

NOOOOOOOOOO! I just found out Neil Gaiman is coming to town, but I won't be here! Gnaaah! *cries*

Has anyone read Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union? I feel like someone on the f-list has mentioned it before but I can't remember who... Anyway, I loved Kavalier & Clay, so I picked up this one right away when I saw it was on sale, and, well, it's a bit slow going (and not really all that uproariously funny as its reviews claim). I should say Chabon writes gorgeously; he's just wonderful at crafting beautiful sentences and images, but I'm almost halfway through the book and I feel like absolutely nothing is happening. Like, is there a plot? Because it's not very, um... there. So, I'm getting quite bored with it actually and wondering if it's worth continuing?

A GIANT, HEAPING PILE OF LOVE AND THANKS to the wonderful f-lister who gifted me 12 months of paid LJ time and more icon space than I can shake a stick at! I don't know that she would want to be named, but she (obviously) knows who she is and how appreciative I am! *massive hugs*

And now, icon hunting! Whee!

I think all the Merlin fans on my f-list know Colin was taken to hospital a couple days ago but thankfully came out okay, though I still feel a little anxious about him and need him to be well taken care of, hence today's drive-by drabble. Thank you to the_muppetfor not looking at me funny when I foisted this on her without warning. :)

( Untitled )

Title: Five Times Colin Fell In Love With Bradley (the Bradley James version)
Summary: (See above.)
Rating: PG-13
Word count: ~ 7,300
Disclaimer: Everything contained herein is purely fictional, and should be taken seriously by absolutely no one.
Notes: A million thanks to jandjsalmon for looking this over for me and putting her stamp of approval on it. Special thanks also to the_muppet, who's been an endless font of patient encouragement, and without whom this fic wouldn't exist.


( It all began with a decapitated snake head... )

[FOX Hates Your Guts With Every Single Inch Of Their Being; Possibly Looking To Re-Cast 'Futurama']

Noooo.

To be fair, a) kudos to FOX for bringing Futurama back in the first place, and b) it's not totally confirmed yet that they're replacing the voice actors, so I'll hold off on the wailing and gnashing of teeth for the time being. But it should go without saying that re-casting would be a monumentally no good, horrible, bad idea. Ergh.

Title: Miles to Go Before I Sleep
Rating: Sorta Naughty
Summary: Convicted and incarcerated after the war, Draco is unexpectedly given a new lease on life.

Chapter: Dead Drop
Chapter summary: Draco completes his mission; Ginny has a mild existential crisis.

A few weeks ago I was complaining about how difficult it is for me to write good kissing scenes. So, naturally, to get myself over this little hurdle, I went and wrote porn instead. Whatiswrongwithme.

Having never written porn before, this misguided endeavour unsurprisingly also proved very difficult (I might have said 'hard' there, but then I'd just be setting myself up for a Michael Scott joke), and I don't know if I'll do it again because I'm pretty sure I've run out of hotness-related words. Plus, I could just barely get over myself going 'TEEHEE' every time I typed anything vaguely sexy. I mean, I'll read fandom smut any chance I get, but writing it myself pretty much just gave the 12 year old in my head free license to titter madly the whole time. UNHELPFUL, emotionally stunted self.

I bow down to those of you who make smuttination seem so effortless and awesome.

Dear Fashion,

This little joke you have going -- you know, the one where you're passing cummerbunds off as skirts? Is it time to retire that yet?

Because I've been searching high and low for the past six months for a nice, modest denim skirt of reasonable length, and all your shills keep throwing at me are these wee scraps of cloth that barely suffice as wristbands, let alone properly cover up a person's bum. I mean, sometimes, all I want to do is bend over and tie my shoe without mooning everyone, you know? That's not too much to ask, right?

Yeah, so, let's just put all this unfortunate buttcheekery behind us and let me have my normal skirt, okay? Okay. I'm glad we had this chat. Love you too.

Title: Leave
Summary: As far as decisions went, this either ranked as the stupidest thing he'd ever done, or the most inspired.
Characters/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~1,400
Notes: A giant heap of thanks to the fabulous nbaeker for all her help and input.


( Leave )

I have two one Dreamwidth invite codes to give out, so if you or anyone you know would like to get in on that action, give me a holler.

Unrelatedly, I hate writing kissing scenes. Sometimes they are necessary, and most of the time they are an exercise in wretchedness. I can make people banter until the cows come home, but get them less than one foot away from each other and my muse runs screaming. Blargh.

Title: What Ails You
Summary: In which Arthur is sick, whinges a lot, chivvies Merlin into a serious conversation, and talks of forever.
Characters/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur, pre-slash
Rating: PG
Word Count: ~2,500
Notes: Thank you to the lovely, inimitable casspeach for reading this over for me and for being the Inigo Montoya to my vocabulary-challenged Vizzini.

( What Ails You )
 

So, it was my LJ's one year anniversary yesterday. To celebrate I have treated myself to a new header. Heh. Check out the pretty, ladies.

The weather's been absolutely sweltering this past week; just looking out the window gives me a headache. Who wants to trade weather? Deep freeze sounds good right about now.

Also. Would anyone be willing to take a look at Merlin/Arthur fic for me? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Title: Three Little Words
Summary: Arthur gives Merlin a promotion. It comes with somewhat dubious benefits.
Characters/Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: References to 1x04 The Poisoned Chalice
Word Count: ~1,500
Notes: Many thanks to humbuggirl for always being lovely, enthusiastic and helpful whenever I ask her to read these things for me. This fic is for jandjsalmon, who needed a little pick-me-up.


( Three Little Words )