urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force spark_force spark_force 2008-07-04T23:50:40Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:119585 2008-07-04T23:50:40Z 2008-07-04T23:50:40Z May your fireworks be bright, and your barbecue nicely charred. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:119329 2008-05-30T17:22:27Z 2008-05-30T17:22:27Z The OTW is doing a "personal fannish history" post for <span class='ljuser' lj:user='otw_onlinecon' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://community.livejournal.com/otw_onlinecon/profile'><img src='http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif' alt='[info]' width='16' height='16' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://community.livejournal.com/otw_onlinecon/'><b>otw_onlinecon</b></a></span>, so I figured I might as well share my own story. Kind of interesting for historical purposes, at any rate.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a> I actually know the approximate date I discovered fanfic, because I wrote it down in my diary at the time. It was 1997, or thereabouts. (I don't actually have the diary with me right now, so I can't say exactly.) <br /><br />"OMG," it said (essentially). "I found this website where people WRITE STORIES ABOUT MY FAVORITE TV SHOW*. It is SO AWESOME! *flail, flail*"<br /><br /> <font size="-2">(*My favorite tv show at the time = Power Rangers Turbo. Yes, this does indeed kind of reveal my age. :p)</font><br /><br />A few weeks later, I wrote again: "Okay, apparently there are TONS OF OTHER WEBSITES that have stories about this show as well. And LOTS OF OTHER SHOWS, too! It's called fanfic! It's really cool! How did I ever live without this before? I'm in love!" Etc., etc. <br /><br />And then I spent the next year or so devouring every little story I could get my hands on, no matter how crappy. (I have this theory that every fan goes through this stage when they first discover fic, where they'll read anything, good or bad, but that's a whole 'nother post.) And then I began to write. (Terrible, horrible Mary Sue stories-- I may possibly even hold the record for the most Mary Sues in one story, because at one point there were at <i>least</i> three different characters in this one that were essentially "me," and that I'd paired up with my favorite characters. Thankfully, I got over this stage fairly quickly, and never actually posted them anywhere.)<br /><br />Most of my fannish life at this point revolved around Fox Kids and Cartoon Network. Anything they were showing, I was watching. I even made a couple of my own websites (handcoded html!), one for a show called Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog, and one for Flint the Time Detective. (It was through the latter website that I made my first real fannish friend; we're actually still friends now, nine(?) years later, and I finally met her in person a couple years ago. Hi, Grace! I still need to reply to that email.) I also watched the X-Files, and wrote some fic collaboratively with a friend of mine during our lunch breaks at school. I think I still have that notebook somewhere. Again, it never made it off the paper it was written on, thankfully.<br /><br />Then I moved on to ff.net, in around 2000. Yeah, I know, it's called The Pit for a good reason, but I still have a lot of fondness for the place, because it's where I first posted my own fanfic-- a poem, based on Digimon. Looking back, I now realize how utterly terrible it was, but at the time people actually reviewed it! And appeared to like it! That was a pretty heady experience, and got me interested in actually sharing some of the other things I'd written. <br /><br />So I spent approximately the next four years on ff.net, some writing, but mostly reading. There was also some mailing list and message board action going on back then, but I was never really active in any of them; I was mostly a lurker, except for leaving reviews and all that jazz. I'm kind of a fannish butterfly, so I there's no way I could list all the fandoms I was active in back then (or even now), but the main ones were... oh, Digimon, Ronin Warriors, a bit of Gundam Wing, maybe some Yu-Gi-Oh. <br /><br />Then I started noticing people talking about this thing called Livejournal. People would say they'd written something for a challenge there, they'd have links to it from their profiles, that sort of thing. I'd wander over occasionally, read a fic or two, but then head back to ff.net-- I'd never been any good at writing a diary consistently, and while I'd tried having a blog over on blogger for a while, I'd posted maybe two entries and then forgot about it, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep up a blog for any length of time. Buuut... <i>everyone</i> was doing it, and I figured I ought to at least get one so I could give people reviews... <br /><br />...and from that point on, there was pretty much no looking back. Four years later, here I am! And very happy. Y'all are all pretty darn awesome people. <br /><br />I'm mostly into live action fandoms now, as opposed to anime/manga; the various forms of Stargate, NCIS, whatever else happens to have caught my fancy at any one moment (at this current time, it's <i>Chronicles of Narnia</i> fandom-- which has actually sent me back to ff.net, because the stuff there for Narnia is actually quite good; I have a recs post brewing, even. And plot bunnies nipping at the heels.) Knowing me though, there's no telling where I'll end up next...<br /><br /> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:119201 2008-05-08T05:33:26Z 2008-05-08T05:36:47Z Okay, you guys.<br /><br />You all need to go out, RIGHT NOW, and read Cory Doctorow's new book <i>Little Brother</i>.<br /><br />And I do mean now.<br /><br />Why? <br /><br />Because it's good. It's really really good. It's about freedom, and the right to privacy, and what happens when the need for the illusion of safety triumphs over the rights of the individual citizen. It's a good read, it's scary-plausible, and it'll make you want to go out and do awesome tech-y things and participate in flash-mobs and maybe even get excited to vote. <br /><br />It really is just that awesome.<br /><br />Plus? You can even read it online for free <a href="http://craphound.com/littlebrother/">here</a>; it's available under a Creative Commons license, like all of Cory's other work. That's where I just finished reading it; I plan to go out tomorrow and buy the hardcover. And <strike>possibly <a href="http://craphound.com/littlebrother/donate/">donate another copy to a library</a></strike> donated. <br /><br />So go. Read. And then share it with everyone you know.<br /><br />/pimp urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:118788 2008-05-04T04:41:09Z 2008-05-04T04:41:09Z I need an excuse to go see that again. Any takers? urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:118774 2008-04-28T03:29:14Z 2008-04-28T03:30:42Z So apparently I'm psychic? Or something.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00028ef4/"><img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00028ef4/s320x240" width="320" height="231" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Tiny text reads 43 out of 100; 1 in 4,640,415 chance.<br /><br />Anyone else feel like <a href="http://www.hexatron.com/psi/index.html">taking a shot at it</a>, seeing if it's rigged? urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:118302 2008-04-23T22:13:37Z 2008-04-23T22:18:38Z May I present to you, my offering for IPSTP Day: a translation of the first chapter of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ushio_to_Tora">Ushio to Tora</a>! It's a really fun youkai manga by Kazuhiro Fujita, I highly recommend it. Since it's a translation of someone else's work, I'm not going to be posting it to the main comm, but feel free to pass the link to this around.<br /><br />The first volume of the manga (as well as the next 32 volumes) can be downloaded <a href="http://mangahelpers.com/news/details/45">here</a>. I'll keep on translating it for as long as my interest holds out.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br /><br />Title page:<br />Ushio and Tora's Destined Meeting<br /><br />Page 1:<br />Shigure:<br />Youkai aren't visible to the naked eye, but they do exist.<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Because the spear our temple is dedicated to is actually the blessed spear of that famous youkai exterminator.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Hey dad... how old are you turning this year?<br /><br />Shigure:<br />47. Why do you ask?<br /><br /><br />Page 2:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Is that so... You've got 47 years of experience, and you're also the head priest of a temple... An adult like that....<br /><br />should NOT be preaching to his son every day and night about monsters!<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Ow ow ow ow ow<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Does this blessed "spear" really even exist?<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You've never even shown it to me once!<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Ri... right<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You senile old baldy. Stop telling tall tales.<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Who're you calling baldy!? You shrimp!<br /><br />Page 3:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />How dare you kick your own flesh and blood like that, bastard!<br /><br />Random old couple:<br />They're at it again<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Look who's talking! Calling me a baldy like that.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Take this! And this!!<br /><br />Shigure:<br />Shrimp! Shrimp!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Ow ow ow, what're you doing, baldie!<br /><br />Shigure:<br />You fool! Did you think a kid like you would be a match for your father?<br /><br />Sign:<br />Idiot son: Air out the old books in the cellar<br /><br />Shigure:<br />And don't do a half-assed job, Ushio!<br /><br /><br />Ushio:<br />I'm Aotsuki Ushio. My stupid yet strong dad is currently the head priest at this temple.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />ちっ<br />Damn.<br /><br />Page 4:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Our temple is pretty old-- apparently it's been around for about 500 years.<br /><br />That's why we have so many things in our cellar that parishioners* have given us or asked us to purify.<br /><br />footnote:<br />*Families that are affiliated with the temple. They give offerings as well.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />That's the reason Dad's always telling bogus stories.<br /><br />Geez, it's always "youkai" this, "spear" that!<br /><br />He's been going on and on and on about the same things ever since I was a kid...<br /><br />Okay...<br /><br /><br />Page 5:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Ouch. What was that?<br /><br />It's a... door<br /><br />Grr!<br /><br />I didn't know about this. Let's see if there's something... inside...<br /><br />Gah!<br /><br />Page 6:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Oww<br /><br />Aa...?<br /><br />Whoa~ I'm surprised there's a cellar here.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Something's there!?<br /><br />Page 7:<br /><br />Tora:<br />A human...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Uwaaaa! What the-- what the hell are you?<br /><br />Tora:<br />Geez... I finally get a human after 500 years, and he's a loudmouth.<br /><br />But, that's all right...<br /><br />Page 8:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Because only a human can pull out this spear...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Spear!?<br /><br />Could it be...<br /><br />That this is the youkai exterminator's spear that dad was talking about!?<br /><br />Tora:<br />What, are bakemono that rare now? In that case, I'll show you what a free bakemono can do.<br /><br />Take this spear out... brat!<br /><br />Page 9:<br /><br />Tora:<br />I've been stuck in this spot for the last 500 years by this annoying spear!<br /><br />No matter how much I struggled I couldn't take it out.<br /><br />This Beast Spear...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Beast... Spear...?<br /><br />Tora:<br />Didn't you know? This spear feeds off the human soul, slashing evil and stabbing demons. And this damn thing was stabbed...<br /><br />Well, enough about that. Hurry up and take it out.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />If... if i do that, what do you plan to do!?<br /><br />Page 10:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Heh! That's obvious!<br /><br />First I'll eat you, and then I'll drag the people in this area into hell just like I did in the past!<br /><br />Owwwwww<br /><br />Ow ow ow ow~~ what are you doing!!<br /><br />That hurts, you punk!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />"What are you doing," you say~~!? You think I'm stupid enough to let you go after saying something like that!!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Ow ow ow!<br /><br />Page 11:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Uwaa!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Owwwwwwwww~!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Shit, I'll r-remember this~<br /><br />I'll definitely eat you, bastard.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Oh, is that so. Then tell that to the next guy who comes along.<br /><br />Tora:<br />Ah~~ wait, wait!<br /><br />Ah~ come on! I got a little out of hand there, but I've waited 500 years for a chance like this...<br /><br />Well, how about this? If you take out this spear, I'll do anything you say! I know I'm a terrifying monster to humans, but I promise!<br /><br />Page 12<br /><br />Ushio:<br />And then once you get free, what will you do?<br /><br />Tora:<br />Well, first I'll eat you...<br /><br />Hey, hey!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Who in their right mind would let go a monster who only sees humans' lives as food?<br /><br />Tora:<br />Hey, hey, what's this "lifes"? You mean the ability to move, right?<br /><br />I won't eat you so you can keep moving! But other people are none of your concern!<br /><br />I'll do anything! If there's someone you hate or anything, I'll kill them!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Just go kill yourself!<br /><br />Page 13:<br />Dad--. I found the spear BUT SINCE WHEN DID IT COME WITH A MONSTER?!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />...Huh?<br /><br />Hmm.<br /><br />Letter:<br /><br />To Ushio<br />I've gone to the ocean to relax, do whatever you want again for another week.<br />P.S.<br />If you touch the chinese buns in the fridge, I'll kill you.<br />From Papa<br /><br />Ushio:<br />That senile old man! At a time like this!<br /><br />Page 14:<br /><br />Asako:<br />Man, what an ugly looking cloud! We'd better hurry home...geez!<br /><br />The report's due tomorrow, and I need to use those notes too!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Sure, you say it like that, but aren't you lucky to see Aotsuki-kun on a Sunday too, Asako!<br /><br />Asako:<br />W-wait a minute, who's happy to see who? Mayuko.<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Oh, then you aren't?<br /><br />Asako:<br />As if, who would!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />I'm happy. So then is it okay if I go after him?<br /><br />Asako:<br />Have, have at him!<br /><br />Page 15:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Huh? Why are you guys here?<br /><br />Asako:<br />What do you mean, "why"? I need to use those notes I loaned you too!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Yep.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Ah, geez, I forgot~<br /><br />Asako:<br />What d'you mean, you forgot!<br /><br />Asako:<br />You're always like this...<br /><br />Page 16:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Behind you!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />What?<br /><br />Asako:<br />Eek!<br /><br />Asako:<br />What the-- don't scare us like that!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Uh...<br /><br />Asako:<br />This is why you were such a pain when we were kids!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Ahaha, that surprised me!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />They can't see them!?<br /><br />Aaah!<br /><br />Asako:<br />What is it?<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />See a bug or something?<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You two really don't see anything?<br /><br />Asako:<br />What do you mean, "anything"!?<br /><br />Page 17:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />It... it's...<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Eek!<br /><br />Asako:<br />Stop messing around, moron!!<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />I don't mind.<br /><br />Asako:<br />That's right, hurry up and bring us our notes!<br /><br /><br />Page 18:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />That's strange.<br /><br />Why am I the only one who can see those things?<br /><br />Oi, monster, what'd you do to my eyes!<br /><br />You put some kind of spell on me to make me see illusions, didn't you!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Kukukuku.... hahahaha.<br /><br />Page 19:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Idiot, those are the bug and fish youkai that my youki called here!<br /><br />Tora:<br />In the 500 years I've been imprisoned here, my youki and my resentment have accumulated...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />What...<br /><br />Tora:<br />And that's what you released.<br /><br />My youki is flowing out, and pulling in all the low-class youkai in this area.<br /><br />You can see them sooner than other humans because you have been in contact with me.<br /><br />See for yourself. They'll become solid and attack people!<br /><br />Page 20:<br /><br />Girls:<br />Kyaaaaaaa<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Shit!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Ah, so the other humans here were women...<br /><br />It's useless. There's no way you can save them.<br /><br />It's your fault! You should never have opened this place.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />He's right. It is my fault!<br /><br />It's my fault that they...!<br /><br />Tora:<br />So you understand.<br /><br />But I could save them!<br /><br />Page 21:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Hehe... and I'd do it too, if this spear wasn't in the way...<br /><br />Heh. Looks like you do understand...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You'll get them for me...<br /><br />Tora:<br />I keep my promises...<br /><br />Page 22:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Uwaa!<br /><br />Page 23:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Tora: Hahaha... How dare you think you could make a fool of me...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Wha...!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />What about your promise? They're...<br /><br />Tora:<br />Who the hell would keep a promise to a mere human? Kekeke.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />That's dirty...<br /><br />Tora:<br />Why you--!!!<br /><br />Page 24:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Shit! He still has the spear...<br /><br />Tora:<br />That means...<br /><br />Tora:<br />It's the same... as that time...<br /><br />Tora:<br />The samurai that trapped me here 500 years ago...<br /><br />Tora:<br />Not again...!<br /><br />Aah.<br /><br />Aaaaa~!<br /><br />Page 25:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Uwaaaaaaa!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Outta the way!!<br /><br /><br />Page 26<br /><br />Tora:<br />I give up! I surrender!<br /><br />I'l get rid of the other youkai like I promised!<br /><br />So please forgive me!<br /><br />Hyaaaa!!<br /><br /><br />Page 27:<br /><br />Asako:<br />What the-- what are they!?<br /><br />Mayuko:<br />Ew ew ew, help!<br /><br />Asako:<br />Huh!?<br /><br />Page 28:<br /><br />Girls:<br />Aaaa!<br /><br />Tora:<br />Uwa! They're really coming. Those fish youkai are merging together into that huge thing!<br /><br />Eep!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You go first. I'll finish it off.<br /><br />Page 29:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Ri-- right.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Aaaaaaaah!<br /><br /><br />Page 31:<br /><br />Ushio:<br />The spear... it's told me everything...<br /><br />The spear was made two thousand years ago in ancient China for the sole purpose of exterminating youkai... the Beast Spear.<br /><br />It changes people's souls into power in order to fight youkai... therefore those who use it are changed into beasts.<br /><br />They change into a beast and become one with the spear... and become someone who lives only for killing youkai.<br /><br />Ushio: The samurai who trapped you was the same, right?<br /><br />Page 32<br /><br />Tora:<br />Yeah...<br /><br />Well, goodbye.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You didn't really think you were forgiven, did you?<br /><br />Tora:<br />But I killed the fish and bug youkai...!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Wrong.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Your 500 year old youki will still be drawing in other youkai for the time being, right?<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Then it's also your responsibility to get rid of them!<br /><br />Tora;<br />That's low... Owowowowow<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Oh, and trying to trick me wasn't?<br /><br /><br />Page 33:<br /><br />Tora:<br />Stupid human! In that case I'm going to haunt you, and as soon as I get a chance, I'm definitely going to eat you!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />There's no way I can let him go free. I'm definitely going to pound him with this spear someday.<br /><br />Tora:<br />Oi, shitty human!<br /><br />Ushio:<br />What, idiot youkai!<br /><br />Girls:<br />huh, what, no way<br /><br />Tora:<br />I still don't understand that "lifes" word you were talking about...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />You'll probably never understand it! And more importantly, it's irritating not having a name to call you...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Right! I'll call you Tora. (Your face looks like one...*)<br /><br />*Tora = tiger<br /><br />Tora:<br />Wha...! But I don't like it...<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Shut up! And what are you doing, anyways?<br /><br />Tora:<br />It's fine, it's not like other humans can see me. And more importantly, I don't like that name.<br /><br />Ushio:<br />Shut up. <br /><br /><br />End.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And now to get back to writing my paper... urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:118195 2008-04-18T17:53:46Z 2008-04-18T17:53:46Z Just a reminder, y'all, that International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant day is coming up again on the 23rd~ urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:117833 2008-04-17T00:51:40Z 2008-04-18T17:54:34Z Holy crap! My ceiling light just tried to kill me.<br /><br />Y'know those glass things that cover the light bulbs? Those thick, heavy glass things? Well, apparently when I switched out the light bulbs last week, I didn't put it back on properly or something. It stayed up for a week and a half, but suddenly tonight it decided it'd had enough, let go, and shattered all on the floor. I was sitting not a foot away. If I hadn't been sitting at my desk at an angle, actually, it would have pretty much got me right in the head. <br /><br />Gah. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:117573 2008-03-31T23:56:05Z 2008-03-31T23:56:05Z Quick short story rec: <a href="http://www.abyssandapex.com/200710-wikihistory.html?1">Wikihistory</a>, by Desmond Warzel. Hilarious.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.atrus.org/yokohama_dialect/">Yokohama Dialect</a>, a (parody) textbook for foreigners learning Japanese from 1879. Funny even if you don't know Japanese. <br /><br /><br />Speaking of Japanese, I seem to have taken it upon myself to practice by translating manga, whee. Should be done with chapter one of <i>Ushio to Tora</i> in a day or two, at which point I'll post the script. I'm enjoying myself a whole lot more than I expected... urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:117320 2008-03-29T00:11:08Z 2008-03-29T00:12:23Z OMG, I did NOT see THAT coming...! Bwahahahahahahaha! Oda-sensei, you are MADE OF WIN!<br /><br /><br />*howls with laughter* urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:117208 2008-03-19T22:06:13Z 2008-03-19T22:07:52Z <table width="350" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center"><tr><td bgcolor="#AABBAA" align="center" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><div>You are a dog</div></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#EEFFEE" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Arial; font-size: 12pt; border: 1px; border-color:AABBAA;"><div>Or maybe you are a mosquito, you certainly can't be human.<br /><br />The highest pitched ultrasonic mosquito ringtone that I can hear is <a href="http://media.ultrasonic-ringtones.com/tones/21101.mp3">21.1kHz</a></div></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#CCDDCC" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma; font-size: 12pt;">Find out which <a href="http://www.ultrasonic-ringtones.com/">ultrasonic ringtones</a> you can hear!</td></tr></table><br /><br />This is why I hate it when my grandparents turn the cable off without turning the TV itself off-- it whines at this really irritating high pitch that I can hear but they can't.<br />I can hear up to 17.7kHz just fine without turning my computer volume up at all. 19.9 I can hear if I turn it up about halfway. I can hear 21.1 if I turn it up all the way, though it's more of a pressure than a sound at that level. I'm using headphones, though. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:116768 2008-03-19T00:38:03Z 2008-03-23T13:37:57Z Does anyone want an <a href="www.a.viary.com">Aviary</a> invite? I've got <strike>five</strike> <strike>four</strike> <strike>three</strike> two left. So far I'm pretty impressed with the site. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:116533 2008-03-18T21:02:15Z 2008-03-18T21:07:59Z <center><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/ourescape/contentstrike.jpg?t=1205825918"></center><br /><br />For those of you who don't already know, there has been a strike scheduled for Friday, March 21st, 2008, during which we hope to have many members of LiveJournal provide LJ with absolutely <i>no content</i> for twenty-four hours. This means no posting and no commenting. If you post elsewhere and have it set up to be posted through a feed on LiveJournal, <i>don't do it</i>. Stay away from LiveJournal for <i>twenty-four</i> hours. That can't be too hard, can it? I know some of you are probably quite active on LiveJournal and will find it hard to stay away for an entire day, just as I will, but this is something that needs to be done, to show the people running LiveJournal that we're watching the changes they are making, that we're paying attention, that we're discontent, and that we want to be heard and taken in to <i>consideration</i>. We are not simply users who can be tossed to the side and ignored. We are the people who make up LiveJournal. Without us, without the content we create, without our words, our voices, our creativity, our participation, there would <b>be no LiveJournal</b>. This is a fact, and it needs to be realized and understood and then taken in to consideration when making decisions regarding the way that LiveJournal is run. The strike is only a few days away, so there isn't all too much time to prepare. While this is unfortunate, it isn't enough to keep this strike from taking place. It will take place, the <i>second</i> it is meant to, and it would be best to have as many people take part as possible. Please, spread the word. Spread it fast. There are only a few days to organize this. If you find that you care about LiveJournal or care about the people you interact with on LiveJournal or simply want it to remain a place where you can entertain yourself without constant censorship and money-hungry practices being thrown in without the consideration of those who use the service, <b>act now</b>. If you don't wish to spread the word, that is fine, but please: refrain from using LiveJournal on Friday, March 21st. Do something else for a change. It's for a good cause. (:<br /><br />For background on this strike and why it is being held, please read the following posts:<br /><a href="http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/394838.html">http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/394838.html</a><br /><a href="http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395310.html">http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395310.html</a><br /><br />To find out exactly when the strike begins and ends, depending on where you are located, please see this:<br /><a href="http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395125.html">http://beckyzoole.livejournal.com/395125.html</a><br /><br /><i>What's this about?<br /><br /> * It's about free and ad-free LiveJournal accounts being abolished for new members, ignoring the advice from the newly-formed Advisory Board.<br /> * It's about LJ staff trying to sneak this decision in under the radar, and when people found out, telling the users it was done 'to make the signup process less confusing'.<br /> * It's about LJ staff failing to apologize for trying to hide the facts from view and for lying about the actual reasons for their actions.<br /> <strike>* And finally, it's about the latest decision to hide certain user interests from the list of Most Popular Interests, some of them being fanfiction, bisexuality, sex and depression. This decision was not announced or explained in any way. Users found out for themselves.</strike></i>(ETA: Accorcing to <span class='ljuser' lj:user='m03m' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://m03m.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://m03m.livejournal.com/'><b>m03m</b></a></span>, this last one has been restored to its original form.)<br /><br />-Taken from the journal of <span class='ljuser' lj:user='m03m' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://m03m.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://m03m.livejournal.com/'><b>m03m</b></a></span><br /><br />AND ICONS TO SUPPORT THIS:<br /><img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/ourescape/icons/contentstrike/contentstrikeicon.jpg"> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/ourescape/icons/contentstrike/contentstrikeicon2.jpg"> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/ourescape/icons/contentstrike/contentstrikeicon3.jpg"> <img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y68/ourescape/icons/contentstrike/contentstrikeicon4.jpg"><br /><br /><br />*(The code to repost this announcement, should you choose to do so, can be found <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/lecollage/36317.html">HERE</a>.) urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:116363 2008-03-11T04:51:49Z 2008-03-11T05:00:24Z Gateworld: <a href="http://www.gateworld.net/news/2008/03/browder_discusses_mitchells_supe.shtml">Mitchell's superpower is getting beaten up.</a> And us h/c-ers love you for it, Mr. Browder. *g*<br /><br /><br />In other news: I am sick. Sick as a dog. Woke up like this on Saturday, and I keep coughing up really nasty crap, which I know none of you actually wanted to know, but I felt like sharing anyway. Thankfully it's spring break, otherwise I'd be missing a ton of classes. As it is I'm getting very familiar with my bed and the ceiling above it.<br /><br />I've been catching up with Naruto lately, starting aaaaaall the way from the beginning. I wasn't as far behind as I thought I was-- only a year and a half instead of three years, hah. I don't have much to say-- okay, well, that's not entirely true, I have a ton I could talk about but no energy to write it all up-- but I just want to go :( :( :( at you all. Also, <a name="cutid1"></a>why does there always have to be a prophecy? Geez. Way to TOTALLY FAIL with the foreshadowing, Kishimoto. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:116092 2008-02-20T02:06:42Z 2008-02-20T02:06:42Z So... tired...<br /><br />*totters over into a corner and falls over*<br /><br />I have a part-time job now. It's only for six weeks, and it's grunt work, but it pays pretty well. I hadn't realized until today exactly how difficult it was going to be to fit 20 hours of work in amongst my classes, though, but I'll manage somehow... just gotta keep focused on the money... *sigh* <br /><br /><br />Quick rec: <a href="http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2544224/1/CSI_Death_by_Chocolate">CSI: Death By Chocolate</a>. <i>A young man is found in the desert, having been drowned in chocolate. Who would want him dead, and what does he have to do with a reclusive chocolatier from London?</i> (CSI x Charlie and the Chocolate Factory xover)<br /><br />OMG SO AMAZINGLY AWESOME. This is one of those crossovers where you go, okay, there's no way this could work. AND YET IT DOES. Really, really well done. ♥♥♥ Y'all all need to go and read it, like, now! urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:115773 2008-02-15T14:48:06Z 2008-02-15T15:06:49Z <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/02/14/university.shooting/">6 shot dead, including gunman, at Northern Illinois University</a><br /><br />That's where my cousin goes to school. Thankfully, she's okay.<br /><br />ETA: Apparently my roommate's cousin goes there, too. She's okay as well. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:115279 2008-02-07T18:52:02Z 2008-02-07T18:52:02Z So, for anyone who's been, is Dragon*Con worth going to? I'm kind of in the area for the first time ever, and I probably won't be able to go to Comic Con again this year (*pout*), so I need to get my yearly con-going experience in somehow... Also, how fast do the hotels get filled up? Are they expensive? Anything else I should know before I even start thinking of going? urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:115097 2008-01-15T21:06:03Z 2008-01-15T21:07:45Z Meme snagged from <span class='ljuser' lj:user='bluebren' style='white-space: nowrap;'><a href='http://bluebren.livejournal.com/profile'><img src='http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif' alt='[info]' width='17' height='17' style='vertical-align: bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;' /></a><a href='http://bluebren.livejournal.com/'><b>bluebren</b></a></span>.<br /><br />Comment, and I will do all of these things:<br /><br />1. Tell you why I friended you.<br />2. Associate you with something.<br />3. Tell you something I like about you.<br />4. Tell you a memory I have of you.<br />5. Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.<br />6. Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.<br /><br /><br />...After all of which you are supposed to post this in your LJ. urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:114897 2008-01-15T04:28:34Z 2008-01-15T04:28:34Z Yep, it's me again. School started a few days ago so I've been kinda busy figuring out classes, figuring out the campus (which is MONSTROUSLY HUGE), etc. Everything looks good so far, and I like the roommate (another LJ-er/fanficcer, yay! I seem to have good luck with that sort of thing), so I'm pretty optimistic about this semester. Taking all required classes this time around, which I've been told can get pretty boring, but at least that'll get them out of the way. <br /><br />And in the meantime I've finally caught up with my flist, so if you see random comments from me showing up days after you posted, that would be why. (I had to go back ?skip=460! Geez, people.)<br /><br />------<br /><br />I know I've got several Dresden Files fans on my flist, so in case y'all missed it, here's the info about Butcher's new novelette 'Backup' coming out this Halloween, copied from the <a href="http://www.jim-butcher.com/news/000242.php">jim-butcher.com release</a>:<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br />------<br /><br />Backup is a novelette written by Jim Butcher and illustrated by comics legend Mike Mignola, best known for creating Hellboy. Its length is tentatively set at 80 pages, and it will be published this Halloween in two editions.<br /><br /> <i>Let's get something clear right up front.<br /><br /> I'm not Harry Dresden.<br /><br /> Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences--and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.<br /><br /> I'll be damned if I know how.<br /><br /> But then, I'll be damned regardless.<br /><br /> My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.</i><br /><br />So begins "Backup" a twelve thousand word novelette set in Jim Butcher's ultra-popular Dresden Files series. This time Harry's in trouble he knows nothing about, and it's up to his big brother Thomas to track him down and solve those little life-threatening difficulties without his little brother even noticing.<br /><br />------<br /><br /><br />I know I can't possibly be the only one who made an embarrassingly squeaky fan-girl squeal of JOY when I read that description. Right? ♥♥♥ urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:114497 2008-01-03T22:36:14Z 2008-01-03T22:36:14Z Going to be mostly incommunicado* the next few days-- I'm headed off to grad school. Wish me luck!<br /><br /><br /><br />*(emails will reach me but I probably won't reply, phone calls will reach me and I might reply) urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:114360 2008-01-01T05:17:58Z 2008-01-31T01:32:02Z and we'll take a cup o' kindness, yet<br />SG1, season 10, PG for kissing and mild OT5-ness; also mild D/V if you squint. 1250-ish words.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />So it happens like this: <br /><br />First, there's the unexpected storm: wet, windy and freezing, because apparently it's winter on this world as well. <br /><br />Then, the rope bridge across the river that's their only way back to the Stargate is knocked down, utterly destroyed by the raging winds. ("We could try to jump it," Vala suggests. "It's <i>fifty feet across,</i>" Daniel says. "Oh come on Daniel, Teal'c here could do it, don't you agree?" "......") <br /><br />So SG1's stuck on PX2-876 until either a) the weather clears up, and the SGC can send out a team to build a temporary bridge, or b) someone with a spaceship arrives and decides to save them. (Cam bets on the latter, personally; this storm doesn't sound like it's dying down anytime soon.)<br /><br />And <i>then</i>, as if it weren't bad enough already, the mission really goes to hell in fine SG1 fashion as the natives apparently come to the conclusion that since it started after they arrived, SG1 actually <i>brought the storm with them</i>. <br /><br />"This is all your fault, you realize," Daniel says to Vala, as one of the the villagers (tall, burly, with few apparent brains; Cam has dubbed him Sparky for reasons obvious only to him) yanks Daniel's hands forward and ties them there. <br /><br />"How is this <i>my</i> fault?" Vala yelps, squirming around to face him. <br /><br />"Oh, it's not," Daniel says, brightly; "I just felt like blaming someone, and you were the easiest target."<br /><br />Vala kicks him in the shins. Daniel makes a face at her.<br /><br />It degenerates from there. <br /><br />***<br /><br />Somewhere along the line, Cam decides, listening to the noise of Daniel and Vala's bickering falter and then start up again as if nothing had just happened, someone must have switched out his respected, highly intelligent, highly trained team members with a bunch of five year olds. <br /><br />Leaning forward to let the blood drip from his nose onto the floor instead of his clothes, he closes his eyes and fantasizes about locking them both in a room for a week and seeing which of them emerges victorious. It'd be great. He could sell tickets.<br /><br />The cell door clicks shut behind the guard, and a few seconds later Sam scoots over, proffering a handkerchief. Cam takes it and presses it to his nose, raising an eyebrow at her (and then quickly lowering it, because ow, that hurts). "You use handkerchiefs?" he asks nasally. <br /><br />"Kleenex falls apart," Sam says, shrugging. <br /><br />"You're such a Girl Scout," Cam says, and she socks him in the shoulder.<br /><br />"And you should stop antagonizing the guards."<br /><br />The door is barred shut, they're thoroughly tied up, Cam is due to be sacrificed in the morning to appease the storm gods, and they're completely lacking in entertainment, so Sam and Cam start a rousing game of tic-tac-toe in the dirt floor of the cell. <br /><br />Fifteen minutes later, Cam is loosing twelve to zero ("Hey, I swear that last one was a tie!") when Teal'c rises up like a behemoth to loom menacingly over Daniel and Vala, apparently fed up with their antics. He doesn't say anything, but one look at his face and the two finally, <i>finally</i> shut up.<br /><br />***<br /><br />An hour later Cam glances at his watch (not knowing what it was, the natives hadn't bothered to take it away), and blinks in surprise. <br /><br />"Eleven fifty-six," he says, into the silence. <br /><br />His team just looks at him. Cam resists the urge to hit his head against the wall.<br /><br />"Guys. It's almost midnight." Still no response. "Today is December thirty-first? <i>New Year's Eve?</i> Ringing any bells here?" He waves his hands vaguely. <br /><br />"Isn't that the holiday with all the kissing?" Vala asks.<br /><br />Daniel feels compelled to respond, of course. "Well, <i>technically</i> yes, but in fact the tradition dates back to 153 B.C.E., when..." <br /><br />"Aaaand he's off," Cam mutters under his breath, using his race track announcer voice and making a little zooming motion with his hands. Sam hears him and covers her mouth with her hand, trying not to smile.<br /><br />A minute and fifteen seconds later, Cam holds up his hand. Or hands, actually, seeing as how they're tied together. "Guys," he says. Daniel ignores him and keeps talking. <i>"Guys,"</i> he tries again. Still nothing.<br /><br />"Hey!" he shouts. That gets their attention, and the guard's too, and Cam waits till the guy he's dubbed Sparky stops looking in at them before continuing. "Thirty seconds," he says. <br /><br />"You're not seriously going to..." Daniel says, trailing off as Cam gazes down at him over his nose.<br /><br />"Yes, I damn well am," Cam says; "I had plans for tonight, but since it's Vala's fault we're stuck here--" ("Hey!") "--we'll just have to make do with doing this here instead." He looks pointedly back at his watch. <br /><br />"But it's just--"<br /><br /><i>"Ten."</i> Cam says, glaring. "Nine. Eight." And okay, it does feel kind of silly sitting here (here being both here, in the cell, and here, on an alien planet where they probably didn't even celebrate New Year's), counting down from ten, with the four of them looking on in silence. "Seven." But hell, when had he ever let silly stop him? <br /><br />"Six. Five." Cam falters-- is that Teal'c's voice he'd heard, joining in? Cam glances at him, quickly, and sees Teal'c smile. <br /><br />"Four. Three." And that's Sam and Vala joining in, Sam's voice suspiciously bright with amusement, but still strong. <br /><br />"Two." Daniel rolls his eyes, but finally joins as well, a faint smile on his face.<br /><br />"One." Cam smiles goofily at them all. He has the best team ever. "Happy New Year!" <br /><br />His arms are suddenly full of Vala, who puts her hands on his cheeks and presses her mouth to his. She tastes like peppermint and bubble gum and open skies at night, and Cam barely has time to blink in surprise before she's pulling back and, apparently being an equal opportunity kisser, moves on to the person sitting to the left, who is Teal'c. Teal'c smiles at her when she pulls back, and then from there she moves on to Sam, who laughs into the kiss, and then from there to Daniel, who puts his hand on the back of her head and leans forward into the kiss when she pulls away.<br /><br />Once she's gone round the circle, Vala sits back on her heels, noting their bemused stares. "What?" she asks brightly. "Isn't kissing what this holiday is all about?" <br /><br />Cam throws his head back and laughs, ignoring the outraged noises Daniel's making, and then leans over and presses a kiss to Vala's forehead in return.<br /><br />Best. Team. Ever.<br /><br />***<br /><br />A few hours later the storm passes, and the natives conclude from this fact that perhaps SG1 did not, in fact, anger the rain gods. Cam's execution is called off, the five of them are set free, and Sparky even apologizes to Cam for punching him in the face. <br /><br />The walk back to the gate is muddy and precarious, the ground being littered as it is by debris, but Cam whistles the whole way back, in an undeniably good mood. The sky's a brilliant blue above them, the air's sparklingly fresh and clean, and he's got his team all around him. What more could he ask for?<br /><br />Then up ahead he hears the sound of the river they'll have to cross to get to the gate; the raging river, furious and swollen with rain water. Well, he could maybe stand to have a bridge. <br /><br />But still. Cam grins fondly at his team, linking his hands behind his head. <br /><br />All in all, not a terrible way to spend a New Year's.<br /><br /><br /><br />Happy New Year's, everyone! urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:114151 2007-12-27T05:27:17Z 2007-12-27T05:32:34Z OMG, you guys. I finally found it. YES, IT. The most perfect hot chocolate recipe in the world.<br /><br /><center><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00022f4a/"><img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00022f4a" width="160" height="160" border="0" /></a></center><br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />So, a couple years ago I went and did this whole study abroad thing in Florence, Italy, as I am sure most of you know (If not, go ?skip=295 on the journal to read about it). We got there during the winter, and there's this drink there they do called cioccolata calda-- which translates to hot chocolate, but it's not precisely the same as you'd call hot chocolate here in the US. It's much thicker and darker, for one. They sell it in all the cafes, and it's made in this giant machine that sits there on the counter and stirs it constantly to keep it from congealing. I'll confess that I had it way more often than I really should have, and I was pretty depressed when they stopped selling it once the weather turned warm. <br /><br />So ever since then, I've been searching for a way to replicate the experience. None of the powdered cocoa drinks were quite right, though Trader Joe's Sipping Chocolate (3 tbsps of mix in 1/3rd cup of milk(!)) came pretty close. <br /><br />Then I had the bright idea of actually, y'know, searching for a recipe. (Yeah, I know, took me long enough.) And whaddya know? I found one. <br /><br /><br /><br /><a name="cutid2"></a>The Recipe<br /><br />I've made some minor modifications to the original recipe I found, since it wasn't quite chocolaty enough for me. Dial it back if it's too much for you. It's simple but pretty time-intensive, unless you can find some way of automating the stirring while it's on the stove-- hire a small child perhaps?<br /><br />Cioccolata Calda<br /><br />1 1/2 C milk<br />2.25 g dark chocolate (70-80% cocoa is good)<br />1 1/2 Tbsp sugar (to taste)<br />1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch<br />pinch of cinnamon<br /><br />1) In a pot, melt chocolate with a bit of milk on low heat. (Using a heat diffuser to keep the chocolate from burning would be a good idea.)<br /><br />2) Add corn starch and sugar; mix well. <br /><br />3) Add rest of milk and cook on low-medium heat until the chocolate thickens (it should take about 20-30 minutes). Keep stirring constantly-- and I do mean CONSTANTLY-- to keep the chocolate from sticking to the bottom of the pot. <br /><br />4) When the chocolate is ready (it should just about coat the back of a spoon), serve it in a cup sprinkled with a pinch of cinnamon.<br /><br /><br />It's basically just drinkable pudding, but it's damn good. I think next time I'm going to try adding a tiny pinch of chile powder, see how that tastes. I like it in my regular hot cocoa but don't know how it'll go in this.<br /><br />Mmm. *slurps* urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:113733 2007-12-25T00:58:19Z 2007-12-25T00:58:19Z <a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00021xb8/"><img src="http://pics.livejournal.com/spark_force/pic/00021xb8/s320x240" width="420" height="332" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates, and Happy Holidays to those who don't! urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:113202 2007-12-22T01:09:36Z 2007-12-22T01:09:36Z o.O<br /><br />I apparently <a href="http://jer-bear711.livejournal.com/8591.html">won an ARC</a> of <i>Wicked Game</i>, by Jeri Smith-Ready! \o/ Haven't read any of her other books, but this one (about "a cadre of vampire DJs and the con artist trying to save their "lives"") sounds like it's going to be teh awesome, so yay! I'll let all y'all know how it is once I get it.<br /><br />Christmas party tonight, the only one I get to go to this year, so I'd better go get ready for that... <br /><br /><br /><font size="-2">oh, also, I have a semi-Christmas-y SG1 fic that I'm hoping to post by Christmas, so would anyone be interested in betaing that once I'm finished with it?</font> urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:spark_force:112987 2007-12-21T01:58:08Z 2007-12-21T02:01:03Z <center><a href="http://www.justsayhi.com/bb/booze" style="color: #8A7A70; text-decoration: none; display: block; width: 158px; height: 94px; padding-left: 65px; padding-top: 128px; background: url(http://assets.justsayhi.com/badges/67/16/booze.ggqsbff4kw.jpg) no-repeat; font-family: Times New Roman, sans-serif; font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;">85%<span style="display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial;">DRUNKARD</span></a><div><small>Looking for <a href="http://www.cashadvance1500.com">payday loans</a>?</small></div></center><br /><br />The funny thing is, I'm really not.