Books and procrastinating

[bop_radar]

Seems like hiatus is a time for bonding with people over books...

I am still reeling about the wonderfulness of having other people with whom to share squee about Dunnett's The House of Niccolo series. c_mantix, dionusia and bitterlatinist have all started reading it, and I am so jubilant about hearing their thoughts! I started this comm for us: readingniccolo. And if you know of any other Niccolo readers out there, please send them over. Our only request is that they be good about spoilers--the books are so dependent on plot twists. (And eee newbie Dunnett readers are so cute! I want to rush around reassuring them all the time...)

Then I happened to stumble on some fellow GRR Martin fans in BSG fandom and we started babbling about favourite characters, speculation for future books, the possibly wonderful/possibly disastrous HBO series-to-be and so on:
- spinkkitty started the discussion
- m_a_r_i_k_s made this great post on her favourite ASOIAF characters.
If there are any other fans of A Song of Ice and Fire out there, feel free to come join in!

literaryll has put me on her own special correspondence course in DC Comics. I don't even know where to start on how wonderful she's been... *speechless* Her euphoric enthusiasm is incredibly infectious and I really do feel like I'm getting an education. *lol* In a good way. ;-) I'd post about the comics but her own posts on the matter are so gorgeous that really you'd be better off to head over to her journal. *g*

There are a stack of things on my fannish 'to do' list that I am totally ignoring. But it occurred to me that I have friended lots of new people recently and haven't updated my Ten Things to Know about Me (Warning: Niccolo readers! DO NOT CLICK THAT LINK--it has spoilers) for a really looong time--so much so that it's out of date: there's not even any BSG in there! Although it's cute to look back on.

So, here's Ten (New) Things to Know about Me (which you may or may not know already)
1. Fannish update first: Battlestar Galactica became my second major fandom somehow... it snuck up on me. *g* I caught up on the series mid season 2 but only lurked in the fandom for quite a while, but season 3 sucked me into more active fannish participation. *g* Favourite character: Lee Adama, Favourite Ship: Kara/Lee. ;-)

2. I vid. I'm still shocked by this, but it's true. And I'm completely addicted. I've never viewed myself as a creative person and I've never been proud of anything I've created before ever. So vidding is a joy to me (though the process is often torturous!)--it's the most wonderful new thing in my life other than my doggy.

3. I have a Bob Bob! We adopted him from a shelter and he came with the name. *giggles* It's stuck. He does sort of answer to 'Bobby' now, but never to Bob on its own. In the few months we've had him he's grown in confidence so much, from a frightened withdrawn little fellow to a bouncy outgoing little guy. He's even overcoming his phobia of the lead and gets quite a spring in his step when he walks on it without having a panic attack.

4. I really love watching vids. I watch more vids than I read fic which I always feel vaguely guilty about. This is silly because vids and vidders are awesome and deserve more love. I am ALWAYS open to recs, to vidding chatter or to asking for recs. I do hope to formally update my own vid recs eventually. There's only one show I won't watch vids for. *giggles* And that's SGA. :-p I won't watch many SPN ones either. Both shows bore me to tears. Sorry!

5. I have a Books Filter, where I keep a record of books I read. I also have about twenty books that need to on there... *lol* If you want to be on it, just ask. I keep it filtered as I'm sure not everyone wants to have to scroll past my snark or squee on what I read, but if you're interested, that's great. You can also ask to be taken off it at any time. I really really do not mind.

6. mskatej just made a fabulous poll on friending, so it occurs to me to mention my friending policy. If you comment in my journal, I'm likely to friend you. If you seem like an interesting person and/or you post interesting or useful material, I may friend you--it's cool if you don't friend me back--I use my f'list as my reading list, so it's convenient for me to have you there regardless. If you friend me first and don't ever comment I may or may not friend you. My f'list is scarily big (to me!) so I do use filters, which I know many consider to be the height of rudeness. However:
a. when I friend someone I automatically put them on my 'emergency' reading list (for when I'm busy) so I get a chance to get to know them
b. I then sort people more or less by fandom (where possible) or by fannish output (I have a vidders filter and an icon journals filter, for example--I have a LOT of iconists friended and it helps to be able to click to them easily when I'm in an icon-hunting mood)
c. I try to read my full f'list whenever I can--which is most days at the moment. Doesn't mean I read every post in full, but I skim everything. Except when I'm busy and then I use the aforementioned 'emergency' reading list of close friends, new friends and comms that I need to keep up with. I never object to self-pimping, so if you have something you'd like me to read and think I might have missed--let me know. *g*

7. Among my plans for hiatus are watching Rome (halfway through first season and loving it), catching up on Due South (somewhere near the end of S1 now), finally, FINALLY finishing Six Feet Under (yeah, Kate, it's ridiculous but I still haven't finished it! *lol*) and rewatching Friday Night Lights (because it is awesome). I would like to get to one or two other shows that people have pimped me... but that's looking ambitious. Especially seeing I actually spend most of my time playing with Final Cut Pro. ;-)

8. I'm one of the editors for sv_ledger and I really should be looking for links for next edition right now...

9. I value honesty, integrity and open-mindedness in people. I like opinionated people and those that wear their hearts on their sleeves, even when it means they screw up sometimes. I also like those who are generous or compassionate enough to champion the underappreciated--whether it be (in fandom) a little known show, an unpopular character (*coughs self-consciously*), or newbie fans. I absolutely adore it when someone can give me a new angle on something that I haven't thought of before. I don't have to agree with you to be your friend--but I probably do have to find you 'genuine' (whatever that means online!).

10. I wear really bright colours a lot. They cheer me up--it's that simple. I like my clothes to be comfortable, cute and bright. I wear skirts often, never wear jeans (what good are pants you can't do a side kick in comfortably, I ask you?), red shoes or black boots, and have kinda quirky indie taste in clothes. It helps that I work in publishing and can get away with these things. I'm also very grateful that I hardly ever have to wear make-up because that stuff is weird and annoying and expensive. I'm very self-indulgent where clothes are concerned. I'll spend $$ on really snuggly pjs or awesome yoga/workout gear more readily than I will on a smart but boring top for work. Sometimes I think I kinda suck at being a girl.

Finally, mlsky wrote some interesting Lee meta--good news for those of us feeling a little starved of meta on hiatus. ;-)

Comments

[sadface.livejournal.com]

I could never get into the GRR Martin books. I did try and I read the first two, I think, of ASOIAF but then I accidentally skipped one and could never work out what was going on. I think the problem for me was they were a little too wordy and there was too much going on with favourite characters disappearing for chapters and chapters. I couldn't pick it up and instantly remember the plot and with being a mother (oh my god, I can't beleive I seriously just said that) but you know, you try and grab ten pages of a book when you get the chance rather than sitting down for hardcore reading sessions and they just aren't good for that kind of thing. I might give them another chance in July though when Chib goes away on holiday, I was fond of that guy, the one that went to the wall and that girl who got captured and escaped! I liked her.

I love PJs, they are the only thing I treat myself on more than is necessary, well and scarves. I think I have more PJs that other clothes put together now and recently I have been getting ones that could almost pass for tracksuits so I can answer the door in them \o/

[grapefruitzzz.livejournal.com]

Lee meta! Yay!

Your clothes sound interesting.

[alissabobissa.livejournal.com]

OMG, I wear red shoes almost everyday! I have a bright red Converse pair with stars on them and a plaid pair that is just fun. My co-workers laugh at me and call the Converses my "bowling shoes". I really don't care. I just love my shoes, 'cause if I have to dress semi-professionally, I will have some small rebellion. :)

Thanks for sharing your ten things. Quite interesting.

[allzugern.livejournal.com]

Wow. You have time to read books? *iz jealous*

I hope to have time over my August vacation to read - anything you consider a *must* read?

[talitha78.livejournal.com]

I vid. I'm still shocked by this, but it's true.

You don't know how gleeful this fact still makes me. I remember when you were all "oh, no, the technology is scary--I could never!" And now look at you. I read the comments on "South Side." People were saying it was the best vid they'd EVER seen. You're amazing. *squeezes you really, really hard*

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

EEE! DUNNETT! And MARTIN!!! And LEE!!! You're like a giant gift-basket of goodies for me this morning :)

I've been thinking a lot about Jaime lately - is it wrong that I want to go back and reread all his chapters AGAIN! Hee!

[bzoppa.livejournal.com]

I think I'll check out that Niccolo series. Just read a brief sentence that it's a swashbuckling-type of adventure. Any other things to tell me that'll make me want to read it?

Like another commenter, I was never able to get into GRRM. I read the first one but couldn't bring myself to tackle the second. I grew up on fantasy, it's all I read for a good decade, and I think I'm worn out on the genre. I understand this is the adult fantasy series of like the decade but it simply doesn't hold my interest. There are so many other things I want to read that trudging through them doesn't seem all that worth the effort.

[kristiinthedark.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love that you wear bright colors! That fits with your personality, but it's like a "I THINK I KNEW THAT" kind of moment that comes from being friends for a while. :D

And I totally need to do one of these 10 things posts. *nods*

[brigantia-65.livejournal.com]

The rec of Lee meta made my day. :D Always good to read pro-Lee/Jamieness anytime I can find it.

[skuf.livejournal.com]

he's grown in confidence so much, from a frightened withdrawn little fellow to a bouncy outgoing little guy.
Yay, *sends virtual pet*.

I won't watch many SPN ones either. Both shows bore me to tears. Sorry!
*Hyperventilates in shock*!!

My f'list is scarily big
Omg, it is O_O

[anoel.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way with vidding. I never had anything creative to do before and finally found vidding and actually loved to do it and work to be better at it. I'm glad you watch vids a lot (don't feel guilty!) as I watch more vids too but that's mostly because I don't read a lot of fic. And because I suck at vid feedback, I just want to let you know that I loved Southside :)

Your dog is so cute! I will never get enough of animal pictures. Yay for watching Due South and rewatching Friday Night Lights! I love those two shows (although FNL more as a whole).

[hazyshade.livejournal.com]

I think I love you for not watching SPN. THANK THE GODS there is someone else on LJ that doesn't! ;) *huggles*

I really like reading learning new things about people on LJ. :) I might do a similar post as there are a good few people new to my journal and at the same time I'm relatively new to BSG fandom.

*runs to Lee meta*

[carylerg.livejournal.com]

Hi there, I'm coming out of lurkdom to say that I've really enjoyed your insights and comments on sasa_hq. I've especially appreciated your thoughts on Lee; I've always appreciated him, but I think I understand him more. I'm adding you to my f-list so that I can keep reading (and learning) more.

I'm hoping to have something useful or interesting to say re: BSG over at my LJ in the future. For now I seem to find myself mesmerized by everyone else's deep thoughts. Everyone has to start somewhere, eh?

One last thought - snuggly pjs are necessary to life! I think they're a private joy, and since we rarely wear them in public, I think they are a great opportunity to be our private vs. public selves.

[suffolkgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm so excited to find another Dorothy Dunnett fan! I love her books and I don't know anyone else in RL who reads them - I've tried to start a few friends but they found them too complicated. *sigh*

I will have to check out your community, because I've only read House of Niccolo once and have been meaning to re-read the series for years (because you need to read Dunnett series again - the second time around for Lymond I was constantly 'now I get that quote/reference/comment' etc). Maybe this will kick me into finally re-reading Niccolo.

I'm an ASOIAF fan too - I love grey characters and that series has them in abundance. Plus I love that Martin doesn't pull his punches - the world is unfair, and he doesn't shy away from that.

[the-rejection.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love a Song of Ice and Fire! I used to be a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan until the sheer number of books that were exactly the same book over and over again got to me. But George RR Martin just manages to make it all interesting, tied in and never tired, which is hard when you're dealing with such a boxed-in genre like high fantasy.

That, and he releases new books regularly for all of his junkies.

[dionusia.livejournal.com]

I very much enjoyed reading your new list of "10 things." I like bright colors too. Mostly bright blue. Blue this, blue that. Green if I'm really getting out of the box. And also yellow. I need more red! *blather, blather*

But you can't do a good side kick in jeans? ;) I can!

And eee newbie Dunnett readers are so cute!

:P

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Colourful-clothes-wearing WT! *twirls you* I like blue and red and yellow. Purple and green sometimes too. *nods* And fuchsia pink.

But you can't do a good side kick in jeans? ;) I can!
*pouts* Perhaps I'm not wearing the right jeans. I find they're too stiff--I can't get the nice board-breaking snap in my kick. ;)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Whee another fan! Yay! I read a lot of fantasy when I was younger but I demand decent writing in any genre and there's a lot of crap in that one. I still read the best of the genre though. *g*

Martin could be a bit faster with the writing... *prods him* (I'm impatient! *g*)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, you are a Dunnett reader! YAY! It's true that it's hard to hook people into them. And you are so right that you need to read Dunnett series again to get all the nuances. I have read Niccolo a couple of times but I'm still finding more in it. The other folks in the comm so far are reading for the first time, but if you were interested in comparing notes on re-reading, we could make our own posts for that (so as not to spoil others). *g*

I love grey characters and that series has them in abundance. Plus I love that Martin doesn't pull his punches - the world is unfair, and he doesn't shy away from that.
*nods* Absolutely! Dunnett and Martin both do that well, imo. But they're very different writers/worlds. Martin's is one of the darkest fantasy worlds I've read, I think. I love that it's based on the wars of the roses too.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Heeee. And you have a stylish West Wing icon! That was a very good show. *nods*

SPN... not so much. :-p I tried it, I really did, and I stay quiet about my true opinions on it because so many people I like are OMG!SQUEEEE about it. But it's just 'not for me'. *g*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Aww, thank you! *g* Yes, little guy is doing well.

*Hyperventilates in shock*!!
*hands you a brown paper bag* I know. It's hard to comprehend.

Omg, it is O_O
*nods* I do try and get it down under control sometimes... but then I just keep meeting cool people! *sighs*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Definitely! *g* There is not enough of it. I tend to pimp it when I find it. ;-)

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

it's like a "I THINK I KNEW THAT" kind of moment that comes from being friends for a while
Hahaha! Yes. But haven't you also seen that hilarious photo of me in the world's brightest outfit in Japan?! ;-)

You should do one, yes! *nods* It will be like this:
1. I've got the hots for CKR.
2. No, I've REALLY got the hots for CKR.
3. Um... Ray K/Fraser FTW?!
4. Leoben, anyone? :-p
etc... *giggles*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

There are more Martin fans, QoT!! I founds them. *bounces*

I've been thinking a lot about Jaime lately - is it wrong that I want to go back and reread all his chapters AGAIN! Hee!
No, it is GREAT! You should do so and then you should post awesome squeeful meta on the subject. *nods*

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

Awww, the SouthSide comments are an insane ego trip... it's like some surreal other reality in which I am REALLY AWESOME. *giggles* It's fun to visit... It feels a bit of a fluke, really.

But yeah, I still can't believe I'm vidding... *blinks* I actually might become one of those annoying people who says 'you can do anything if you put your mind to it' because it really makes me believe that. I really DO find techy stuff scary, but I love vids SO MUCH that I had the drive to overcome that. And a HUGE part of that is you and your encouragement/inspiration. You made me feel like it was possible and like it was ok to start small and not worry about making the world's best vid first off and you were so supportive and ... *hugs you tight*