Partly

Captain America is still my favorite. Hawkeye is a very close second.

But Cap... he's still the best.

Taiwan Mao Feng: These gorgeous, tippy, golden hand-processed black tea leaves steep up a deep gold-orange color and deliver an aroma that is rich and luxurious. The liquor of this exotic black tea is very smooth, thick, weighty, sweet, and complex. It is reminiscent of a black tea from Hunan or Yunnan, but it has elements of a floral note never found in those teas. This is a delicious and intriguing black tea.

I really like this tea. The wondrous finabair got it for us for Christmas. It's got a great flavor, not too strong, but able to stand up to the mini-gingersnap people that I'm snacking on while drinking it.

Merry Merry Everyone!

I know I've been very quiet here lately, but I just wanted to say Merry Merry!

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I love it. Here's wishing you and yours a beautiful and peaceful day with joy and good will to sustain you throughout out the year ahead!

To quote tiny Tim: "God bless us, everyone!"

Myr, studying calculus. Me, sitting next to her.

Myr: No. No, don't crush it! *sigh* #21 crushed my soul, Mom.
Me: Souls are resilient. I learned that from watching Supernatural.
Myr: What do they know? They only dealt with hell, this is Calculus.

I really couldn't argue the point.

As I mentioned in my last post, I put a bunch of fic up on ff.net and AO3.

Boy is that a distracting thing to do. I suck at reviewing, I suck even more at responding to reviews. But I think that I should at least acknowledge a kind word. *gah* I like the "kudos" button at AO3, but I don't really need every "kudo" notice sent to my in box. It's nice, but not needed. And, over at ff.net, they have to learn that the "completed" button means that the story is done and not to ask for more. Although I guess it's nice to know that if I had written more, it would have been appreciated. Actually, there are two fics out there that I do want to continue, so I suppose its not a completely whack request.

It amuses me that at ff.net, when I do an author search for "Partly" I don't show up, but if I do an author search for "Part" I'm in the list. Heh. In fact, if you search for "partl" I don't show up either. Weird.

Of course, all that stuff means that I'm not writing new stuff. Odd how that works.

I don't say it often, because I think it usually makes me sound foolish, but I really like the fic I wrote for Yuletide. I had my main assignment and then I grabbed a pinch hit. I like how both of them worked out.

Of course, I've learned long ago that what I like doesn't always translate to what others like. So, I'm rather nervous. The last thing I wrote for Yuletide (many moons ago) was well received and you would think that would make me less antsy. No such luck.

Well, I'm not going to be around much today and tomorrow, so I'll have to wait and see!

For the season I give you a short drabble I wrote a while ago, in honor of joy and wonder:

A Wintry World

The sky raged with snow, as if stirred by an all-powerful hand. At the apex of the storm nothing could be seen but swirling flecks of white. The storm waned and small houses could be glimpsed as the heavy flakes slowed and settled.

A scene evolved from the chaos. A tiny hamlet of houses, brightly decorated with snow covered awnings and dark evergreen trees. The last of the snow drifted to the ground, peace reigned.

A small child clapped and laughed, wonder and joy filled the small sounds. “More, p’ease. More!”

The mother smiled and shook the snow globe again.

My conversation with my husband about The Walking Dead:

Me: "I'm really excited about the Walking Dead."
Hubby: "Really?"
Me: "Not because it's about Zombies, you know. But because it's really about cowboys*!"

I stand by this statement.

*Not cowboys in the traditional sense, but cowboys in the metaphysical sense.

This is my little girl (not so little, she's 17 -- will be be an official adult in May)

She's the most amazing person I know. If, all those years ago, you would have told me I could have custom ordered my "perfect" child, she never would have been half as cool as the one I got. Right now she is trying to do all her homework because at 7:30 am on Saturday she got on a bus to do Band Competitions and didn't get home until 7:30 pm tonight. Plus Friday she played at the football game and then had a bondfire event that was postponed from Homecoming two weeks ago. So we are listening to her music and staying positive despite the total lack of sleep she had this weekend.

No specific reason for this post, other than the icon and the fact that she is uber-cool.

It's after midnight and I'm still up. A condition I can't really explain since I'm really very tired and have to get up at 6 am.

I'm bumming around trying to find some good cannon-complaint fic to read. A lot harder trick than one would think. Too tired to write my own, I guess.

I did write something today. I have this issue with deadlines -- that being I can't seem to write without them. I belong to two "Last Author Standing" Comms. The fic in them is always due on alternating Wednesdays at 4 pm my time. Which means at 3:45 I'm usually trying to finish it all and send it off. I was earlier today. I managed to send it off at 3:37 pm; only because I had to be out of the house by 3:30 and needed to get it off first. My fic would be better if I would let it set and edit it before I submit it. Still, I got it sent off, so that's a bonus.

I have a whole list of writing that I need to get done. I'm thinking that I'm going to be home alone tomorrow, so I'll try to get a start on it.

OH! It's after midnight! Which means it's my anniversary. I've been married 21 years today. Which is fairly awesome, I think.

On that note I will leave you with a picture that makes me happy every time I look at it:


That's Myr at the home band competition. They always do a senior salute where all the seniors line up and are named. Wil and I got her flowers and, when her name was called, ran out and gave them to her. I just love how happy she looks in the pic. They had a ridiculous amount of fun out there. She's having a much better High School experience than I did.

As in American Football because, well, when in America. *grin* And since it's Saturday, that would be college football. Specifically, the Badgers. Yay, Badgers!

I went to UW-Madison, but I never actually attended that many games. Game day was always lots of fun though. After the game the band always performs at the "Fifth Quarter". As if the town needed another reason to party. Heh.

The Badgers did well today and there is a great deal of hype around them this year. I always prefer taking the low profile approach to these things. This is Wisconsin, we prefer low profile. So much better to be underestimated than hyped.

Packers play tomorrow. I'm hoping that our defense picks up a bit, it's always hard to get a feel of the team from pre-season games. Packers are getting way to much hype for my taste, too. Still is nice to be appreciated for being a team. I'm just hoping that we play well.

Ok... I'm hoping to get to the play-offs. And that we pound on the rest of the NFC central. And that we never, EVER lose again to Dallas. I hate the Cowboys.

Yay for fall!

*eyes shift* I'm back from vacation. Had a great time. Yay, family. Lots to talk about, really. Pretty sure I won't do that soon. I know. I fail at getting back into the swing of things, I acknowledge that. I'm not sure that will ever change. I apologize to all those who'd like to know more about my life.

I have been doing some things. I wrote some short fic for the land comms I'm on. The pieces are not polished yet, but I plan on posting them by the weekend. They aren't really complete stories, but they're fun.. I like the land comms, they are getting me writing, even if it's small. More than that, Land comms are all about the love, baby.

However, my team on xoverland needs serious help and I'd appreciate it if you would lend a hand. Go here and write "I support Team Day" as your comment.

If you need an incentive... How 'bout this -- once you've posted "I support Team Day" over there, come back here and I will write a crossover drabble/very short fic for you. Just tell me what shows/who you want your crossover drabble/very short fic about and I will write it for you. It's not bribery, it's a thank you! (Since it's a crossover comm, I think I should write crossovers. Besides, I love them.)

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who you'd think would like a fic. The other teams are way ahead. In all honesty, Team Day is a little... lax on these things. We'll get points for coming in last, but I really think we need more than one comment. Thanks!

Besides, I feel like writing fic, so this will be good.

There are some fic headings that just confuse me. Things like "Gen, slash if you squint". Huh? What does that mean? If I squint at the screen, suddenly the words "I'd do you in the backyard if I could" would appear? Maybe if I look at it cross-eyed the line "He loved him so much his heart would burst now if only he could have sex with him on the kitchen counter" will be visible? Either you write it slash or you don't write it slash. You can't control what people infer when they read your fic. Sexual innuendo is everywhere, that's what makes sexual innuendo so much fun. You don't need to give your readers permission to see slash in your fic any more than you can keep people from reading a slash subtext if that's what they see.

For that matter, if you intentionally write it, it's really not subtext. If you point out that it's there, it's not subtext. Subtext is a subtle layering of the story, it's there for the reader to interpret in their own way. If you bring the subtext to the forefront, it is no longer subtext, it is actual text. Subtext is that brave world in which an author allows the reader to create part of the story for themselves. It's where the writer releases control of what the reader sees and each reader can bring their own experiences, interests and desires into the story to make it uniquely theirs. It's what makes a good story great and allows the story to touch each reader equally, but differently.

Another one that confuses me? "Pre-slash". Isn't that just gen? I mean, if it's before the relationship, if there is no slash (ie no same sex romantic/sexual relationship) it has to be gen, right? Usually I find "pre-slash" means "much longing, angsting, sexual desire, and romantic cliches, but no actual sex." But isn't that slash, just PG rated slash? When that's not the case, it usually means "It's gen, but I want all the people who will only read slash to still read it". Quite honestly that probably what "slash if you squint" means, too.

I also enjoy the ever popular "pairings to be determined later", "possible sex in later chapters" and "rated: PG (for now?)". If you're writing the story, you need to know what the story is about. I know that a great deal of fanfic is crafted so that the writer receives the maximum amount of positive feedback. I also know that it's fun to write a story that fits someone else's requirements. But even then, you have to have a story in mind. It's not even just a case of having too many cooks, rather it's that each cook has her own recipe. No matter how good the ingredients are that you put in it, the result is going to be a mess. Sorry. Just the way it is.

Then there are those that a just confusing, like the one that prompted me to write this post: Rating: 15+ (T, PG-13). Vague sex. Profanity.

Yup. It's rated PG for vague sex. How, exactly, does that work? What constitutes "vague" sex? Quite honestly the words "vague" and "sex" don't go together. Would it just be descriptions of shadows on the wall? Perhaps, right in the middle of a scene, it switches to volcanoes erupting or trains going into tunnels. Is that how vague sex works?

Heh. There are times when the heading/warnings on the fic are better than the fic itself.

I have Earl Grey tea, homemade bread and eggs fresh off the farm. Needless to say, breakfast was good.

FarmVille is evil and sucks up way too much time. I should never go there in the AM and I certainly should never expand my farm unless I have the endless hours I need in order to rearrange it. *gah* I started this post at 8:30, thought I'd take a moment to check fb and BAM the big black hole that is FarmVille sucked in two hours.

I have Season 3 of Criminal Minds. It was a belated birthday present from my brother and his family. When I thanked him I asked how he knew that S3 is where I really started liking/watching the show. Hotch rules all. And soon there will be Rossi, whom I love more than I ever liked Gideon.

I have crossover plot bunnies. I should be writing.

My desk is clean. I managed to (finally) transfer all my stuff so that I could get the old iMac off my desk. The "new" computer is actually not too much of a step up (age or processor-wise) but it does seem to be a bit faster. There are both macs, so I am confident that I will be able to do what I need to on the new one, despite it being old. I'm talkin' 8 or so years old here.

I am home alone today. All day. This is a very good thing. You would think, being unemployed that I am home a lone a lot. This is not true. I would have been out to my Mom's to do some sewing, but my Aunt Barb is having knee surgery today, and Mom is off staying with her for that. They may stop by later. That's the type of family I have. And that is good.

It is gray and cloudy outside but the snow is mostly melting and there is green grass showing through. The ground is still very frozen mind (That's how it is up here, north of the 45th). It was above freezing last night and there was a great deal of fog this morning. Which is unfortunate. It needs freezing nights and warm days for the sap to run. Even here in town, I've seen that several places where the homeowners have tapped the maple trees in their yard. I would do it, but I don't have any soft maple trees available to me. And the whole "Spend hours cooking down the gallons of sap in the a small amount of maple syrup is also a problem. Hmmm... syrup. I think I need to made French toast for lunch.

I think the rabbits need to be tended to, then I am off to write. Or so is my plan. If I actually manage to put words on paper (or screen as the case my be) I will let you know.

Today's project: Desk drawer organizers.

Because you can never buy perfect desk drawer organizers. They never fit perfectly into the drawer. Nothing ever fits in the slots they have.

So I make my own. The advent of colored duct tape make the boxes fun and interesting.

This ends the insight into Partly's brain.

Enjoy your day.

I adore my horoscope for today:

You may be a contrarian today, doing things your own way just to demonstrate that you're different from everyone else. Normally, you could get a rise out of someone when you do something that seems out-of-the box. Now, however, people look at you with astonishment and admiration, wishing they could get away with such unconventional behavior so easily. But even if it's not as simple as it appears, doing the extra work, at least, sets a wonderful example.

Look!  Permission to be unconventional.  I can get behind that.  I'll point out that while I will buy the "astonishment" part, I doubt that too many people are in the "admiration" mode.  Heh.  I'll take what I can get, though.

Also: 

Hubby was on the news!  He's the good-looking guy with the beard behind the jewelry counter at Sears in this Shop Local news item (about 1:15 in the piece).  Actually, he's in it again after that, too.  Lookin' good!  I so need an icon of him.

And while I'm on the news I want to share this little bit about one of my favorite beers -- The Spotted Cow:  New York authorities confiscate Wis. beer.  Poor New Yorkers, all Spotted Cow-less.

(I'm posting this via email and I'm hoping that it all looks good.  If not, I'll fix it tonight.)

--

So... bought a new computer for my daughter.

Right now she is using the built in web-cam as a mirror to help her as she does her hair. It's nice to know $1200+ is put to good use.

I love the kid. She constantly amuses me.

The New York Times recently (July 5) had an article about my State Capital, Madison called 36 Hours in Madison, Wis. - NYTimes.com.

It's mostly a travel guide focusing on where to eat and a couple of things to do. Because it's, you know, the New York Times, it focuses somewhat on the High End, but Madison's High End is usually very welcoming and within the realm of affordability even for the average person. Anyhow, it was nice to see a shout out to the town. The best part of the article, IMO, was the introductory paragraph, where the writer captured the spirit of Wisconsin better than most ever do:

MADISON, a liberal college town that doubles as the capital of a politically complicated state, pulls its disparate elements together into a spirited reality all its own, a funky amalgam of hard-partying students, socially conscious activists, sports fans, outdoor warriors, politicos from both sides of the aisle, artists, foodies and more. Long pigeonholed as a hotbed for frat parties and activism, Madison has a vibrant but much more tempered side brimming with arts, culture and food. In a city with so many types to keep happy, it’s impossible not to find something that suits your fancy.

I especially love the description "politically complicated state". And we are. We may have been Blue in the last elections, but you will notice that even the Democratic Party doesn't count on Wisconsin as a sure thing. That's because we don't do things out of blind loyalty and we tend to be too politically aware of real life consequences. Hell, even our most influential Democratic Senator (U.S. Senator Russ Feingold) isn't afraid to buck the party line when he knows it's the right thing to do.

That is the best things about Wisconsin -- isn't just one thing. Don't try to stereotype us. Don't think that just because we're A, we also have to be B. Political labels of "Democrat" and "Republican" or even "Liberal" and "Conservative" aren't nearly as important as the practical and pragmatic. While Madison does tend to lean more toward the "well-intentioned but stupid" occasionally, it happens far less than most other places. In a society where everything has to have it's own little label and niche so that things can be easily categorized and dismissed, Wisconsin doesn't fit.

And I like that.

I had a wonderful weekend. It started a day early, as I had off on Friday!

Myr and I spent the afternoon at the coffee shop, drinking lattes and reading. The evening was spent watching all the shows that we've been DVRing in the past weeks. Perfectly lovely.

Saturday we slept in and then headed over to my folks to help with the Easter Feast that we always have. In between making roasts and ham and potatoes and salads, I also helped set up the new digital picture frame that my mom just bought and help install drivers in her new computer. Just before we left we made a large batch of doughnuts. See, for some reason lost to time, we always make doughnuts on Easter. "Danish doughnuts" from a recipe that my grandmother used. They are a raised doughnuts, that you make the day before and let raise overnight.

Myr was doing the children's message at the 10:30 service, so we headed out to the folks early to cut out the doughnuts and let them raise. Then it was Church and back out to the folks to get dinner ready. Then we made a absolute ton of doughnuts. There was good food, good company and a beautiful Easter Day!

Now we are home, watching Man From U.N.C.L.E. and have enough food to last us this upcoming week.

Life is good.

It is 56 degrees outside, people!

56!

Do you know that means?

It means it's a no-coat, drive-with-the-windows-down, get-a-Dairy-Queen-and-eat-it-in-the-sun afternoon. It's a spend-a-couple-of-hours-with-the-windows-open-in-the-house, listening-to-the-melting-ice-running-down-the-road type day.

And tomorrow is to be more of the same. YAY! One more day like this and the last of the 4-inch-thick ice pack in our driveway will be gone. Woo-hoo!

Life is good!

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this time a year? I do. The best time of year by far.

Granted, it's starting a little early this year. We're ridiculously dry up here and cold, early, so the leaves are starting to turn already. It froze last night out by my folks so we went out at half time (Go Pack!) to pick the last of the tomatoes that looked like they could possibly ripen yet. Pulled in some peppers and the last of the cabbage. It's supposed to freeze HARD tonight, so I would say that the gardening days are done. This is the time of year I always wished we would have planted some rutabagas (Swede/Swedish Turnip to the Europeans on the list) because Rutabaga's are always best when they've been in the ground for a good freeze or two. They are hard work to grow, though, and cheap to buy so we don't plant them much.

Still, it's supposed to warm up (at least to normal 60 degree nights) for a bit and there is a chance for rain (Yay - we are seriously short on rain up here). I love rainy fall days almost as much as sunny ones. I love walking out in the morning to a cool blast of air and the sharp, musky smell of fallen leaves. The sounds of rustling because of wind or wildlife. Everything is changing -- colors, coats, time -- and it just sweeps you along into that new beginning.

See fall isn't the end. Sure, summer is over, but new things are coming. There's a new school year. New colors for the trees to wear. A new crispness that chases away the lazy doldrums of the heat. New foods to harvest. A new chance to fill your freezer. A new opportunity to be thankful for everything the world provides. A new change that gets the blood pumping and the blood racing. It's the time of year when everything that you've seen all summer long are new and different.

They really are golden days.

There is much going on in my life, most of which is post worthy. As usual, this means I'm not posting anything. I've got to figure that out sometime.

In the meantime, here is a Random Thought of the Day:

While checking out the headlines I came across "Sound of Music" Plan Protested, which talks about how there are plans to turn the von Trapp's Austrian house into a hotel and how the neighbors aren't fond of this idea. Standard stuff. However, in the middle of the article, there is this paragraph:

Baron Georg Ludwig von Trapp, the real-life widower, lived in the villa with his family from 1923 to 1938. After the Nazis confiscated the property in 1939, SS chief Heinrich Himmler moved in and stayed until 1945.

And my first thought was "Why would anyone want to stay in a house where Himmler lived?".

My daughter had an interesting comment the other day. She said: "Did you realize that every breath you take has been breathed by someone else -- thousands and thousands of people have already breathed the air that you do." (Being who she is, she followed that by saying "Einstein could have breathed the air already!".)

I just don't think I want to breathe the air that Himmler breathed. Or sleep in a room where he could have happily planned the death of millions. Most importantly, I wouldn't want to do either of those things without acknowledging what I was doing.

It seems like such a odd, throw-away line in the article. As much as I love the story in "The Sound of Music" and admire the perseverance of the van Trapp's, Himmler's presence in the house has much more of a historical impact. How many people visit the site without ever thinking about the evil that resided there after the von Trapp's left? How does the van Trapp's escape from Austria/defiance of the Nazis overshadow Himmler's role in the very Holocaust they were running from? How does Himmler get reduced down to an afterthought in an article about romance-driven tourist attraction?

It's a strange world we live in.

I love talking to the insurance company and saving money!

I upped my policy coverage and the premium still went down! That was due to the fact that, in Wisconsin, they give a credit for "level of education completed" since Wil and I both have (some sort of) college degree, we get a discount.

I love Wisconsin.

Myr is generally enjoying High School. This is good. She is a little stressed, though, with the change in semester coming up. She will lose art and pick up gym. It's a very bad trade -- her favorite class to her very least favorite class. She also is switch lunches. This combination is driving home the fact that she doesn't have any classes or even lunch with any of her friends yet they all have classes and lunch with each other and many more of their friends. That course, means that she's always on the outside of any real circle of friends. Most often she feels that she's an after thought, a third wheel, a tag-a-long.

It's a problem I have no solutions to.

The motto "Make new friends" only works for those who can make new friends. I'm sure there's a knack to it, but I have no idea what it is. I don't make friends. Hell, I can't even make new online friends. I have no idea how to help her do something I can't do.

Of course, part of the problem is that she doesn't need to be with friends. She is a bit of a loner -- by choice -- and she can find ways to happily occupy herself without have to be with others. This is a problem, especially in High School. Because she can be alone, she doesn't have the patience to do all the little things that people need to do in order to break into a new "friend" group. She tires quickly of social games. She has a very strong sense of self and doesn't much care for being a "pleeb" -- she very much expects to be treated as an equal without having to jump through circles to "earn" a place.

I totally understand all of that. I don't have any answers for her.

Fortunately, she doesn't have a problem with it all the time. She enjoys the classes enough to not need a circle of friends to provide her with enjoyment of school. I'm not greatly concerned for her over this. I just... just want things to be easier for her.

It's just Myr and I today, as Wil has a Redemption tournament and then works late tonight. I have big plans for the day.

• Sleep in late.
  
• Get up slowly and bum around the house for a bit.
  
• Go to coffee shop.
  
• Drink coffee and eat a breakfast sandwich for lunch. Write/work on computer and chat with Myr until 1:00 or 2:00 (Coffee shop closes at 2 so we will have to leave).
  
• Go to the library.
  
• Return books, walk the stacks, write/work on the computer and chat with Myr until 4:00 or 5:00 (Library closes at 5:00 so we will have to leave).
  
• Go to folks place and eat supper with them. I think they are having chili or potato soup.
  
• Head home, do some wash, clean the kitchen and put the chicken in a brine so it can roast tomorrow.
  
• Drink some wine, write/work on the computer.

Since it is now almost 1:00, you may be interested in how well my plan is going....

Quite well, actually.

My coffee shop recently added wireless so I get to do some online stuff (like make this post and chat with finabair). Coffee is $1.75 for unlimited refills of non-specialty coffee so I am well caffeinated. Myr and I have chatted and ate and are having fun. She brought her own laptop and is working on a "sad" Christmas icon that she won't let me see.

The only drawback is that I haven't done any actual writing yet. I still have plans, though. *grin*

So what are Dean and Sam doing wandering around in my dreams? And why, if they insist on being there can't they be out of character, instead of being their obnoxious, snarky selves? Not only were they following me around the countryside in their oh-so-not-inconspicuous car, but they (well, mostly Dean) kept bickering with me on how I must have some "supernatural" connection because I noticed them. Yeah, Dean, you blend right in.

Most people dream in color; why, oh why, do I dream in canon?