Hi everyone! I'm in Seattle.

I met the awesomest sauciest of people on the way, but which one is which I shall never know. seraphcelene, kita0610, fodian, and dakingrl take the cake. Cakes. They all have frosting on top of them and gooey innards. Okay that sounds dirty. Which is was meant to. I will reveal all their dirty secrets post haste. Watch this space. Or actually my IJ.

Speaking of up and moving and living in a new place, which I wasn't, how pretentious is it that some people feel the need to name their houses? Very.

eta: I didn't mean it.

( Me me me! )

But enough about me!

( You you you! )

This year I am reapplying to grad school. I'm applying to all theschools to be admitted into two different programs: the CreativeWriting MFA and the English MA. I feel like if I don't get into theformer I probably have more of a chance with the latter. So far, theschools I'm applying to are:

WashingtonUniversity in St Louis, University of Florida, University of Texas, NewYork University, University of Houston, Saint Mary's College ofCalifornia.

I'm also looking into University of Michigan, OtisCollege of Art and Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago,University of Notre Dame, University of New Orleans, Emerson College,University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of New Hampshire,Rutgers University, City College of New York, The New School, SarahLawrence College, Syracuse University, Ohio State University, ChathamUniversity, University of Pittsburgh, University of South Carolina,Vanderbuilt University, Goddard College, George Mason University,Hollins University, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, anywherethat does MFAs in Creative Writing in Alaska, University of NewBrunswick, University of British Columbia anywhere that does MFAs inCreative Writing in Canada, University of East Anglia in the UK,anywhere that does MFAs in Creative Writing in any English speakingcountry such as the UK, Australia, or New Zealand, and English MAprograms anywhere in Europe, particularly the Netherlands, Switzerland,and Poland, and English MA programs anywhere in the world, includingArgentina, South Africa, India, China, Russia, and Egypt.

Um,so. The purpose of this post is to ask if anyone has any advice on anyof these universities, any of these locations, any English MA programs,any Creative Writing MFA programs, any grad programs, getting into gradprograms, writing portfolios, and stuff. I'm just trying to gather anyinfo I can on the process of choosing and applying, as I have failed sospectacularly in the past.

So how 'bout that Buffy 6 comic?

When I was very wee, I used to have these nightmares about bugs. The dreams were always the same: bugs were at the bottom of my bed trying to crawl their way up. They were actually sort of waking nightmares; I had them when I was trying to get to sleep more often than when I was asleep. I used to wake up crying all the time.

I stopped waking up crying by the time I was 7 or so I think, but I never really got over that nightmare. I still have it fairly often--again, while I'm awake. I can feel bugs crawling on me, and have to concentrate really hard to remind myself it's not real.

When I read 1984 and got to the part about Room 101 (Winston's Room 101 being rats) I started trying to think what would be in my Room 101, what one thing I was so afraid of I might even betray someone I loved out of sheer fear. And sadly, I had an answer, and it's a certain kind of bug. This bug is relatively harmless, but it frightens the bejesus out of me. And my Room 101 would be full to the top of them, and I'd have to go in there, and they wouldn't just crawl on me, they'd crawl in me. Yes, in every place. I am very good at feeding my phobias.

So tonight when I was reading some of the best fiction (pro or fan) that I've ever read anywhere, one of those bugs crawls into my pants. I tell myself it's the nightmare and it's not real. I tell myself this a good five minutes before I look in pants to check.

I am never going to sleep again.

SO. Do not mention bugs or tell me your bug horror stories or I will stab out your eyes and stuff them like olives. But do please tell me something nice, because I deserve it. ROOM 101 IS UPSTAIRS, AND MY PANTS ARE STILL IN IT*. MY WORST NIGHTMARE LITERALLY JUST CAME TRUE.

*am not pantless, though.

Hi. I've been back for a week, but only lurkily. I don't know what's wrong with me; I can't seem to finish anything, even . . .

(sentences).

( My trip to NYC. )

Link me up: Hey, if you've done anything or seen anything over these past couple weeks, give me a holler or some links. Whether it's fandom related or something about your life you think I might want to know or anything random that pops into your head. And I've been meaning to say for a while: if you're new to the old flist, hallo, make yourselves at home. I don't always friend everyone back because I just can't manage to read a big flist, but I listen to what you have to say and like to surf around. So feel free to holler and leave links too, 'cause I want to see new stuff! I want to see crazy stuff! Like lostakasha writing A/S; it happened; I am eager to read it.

Also: talk to me.

Wow, that was really surreal.

I just got fired from my job. Like, two minutes ago, I was told, starting tomorrow, no more job. It was a PRN job which I guess means they used me on an "as needed" basis, which I guess means they can fire me with no warning? Or can you always fire someone without warning? A bunch of other people are getting shafted with Whatever Is Happening too; a bunch of the OR techs were just told they would only need to be there during actual surgery, which means they only need to be there for several hours a week, and some basically don't need to be there any more at all. But it's weird; it's confusing, and everybody except me is really sad but they're not acting that way.

I am not actually sad because this was a very temporary job that I was afraid I was going to get myself stuck in because I was too lazy to do anything about it. But now I'm going to be back in the flaily I-don't-know-what-to-do mode, the one where I know an English major can get jobs that pay, but I don't want to do anything except write, get published, be a big movie director, tango in Argentina with seraphcelene, open a bakery with my friend, be a big time editor, be a professor, study in India, start a cultural renaissance with my brother and s-i-l, live with nuns in the Alps, ride elephants in Malaysia, get a cabin in a woods somewhere and be creepy, be in a poet/author circle like the Beats or the Romantics or something, make a POTO movie with my_daroga, establish my Universal Theory Of Fiction, touch people's lives, and eat ice cream.

I love to write.

Even when nothing goes right and I have to tear it all apart and it's not coming to me and I can't ever be as good as I imagine and I can't go to sleep at night because of it and I stress about never publishing original stuff.

I love it. More than just about anyone or anything in the world. I love it like that.

Thanks, Sue, for the St Paddy's e-card! *much love*

I got my laptop!

Vista: is very Apple-y, in that it's very "user-friendly" and never lets you see where all the files really are and where your computer does it's computing. Which for the most part is fine with me, except when it's not. It's all very pretty, anyway.

The "cancel or allow" thing is nice, actually, because too many times I open a .exe when I don't actually mean to, and I like knowing what my comp is running at all times. The problem is, it reminds me of the Mac commercial, which reminds me of the computer porn someone wrote about it, which just kind makes want to write smut. Mac probably got syphilis from that fic and then had a system crash. Your parents warned you about safe sex on the internets! or at least mine do.

Question: I had this client dl'ed on my old machine that allowed me to use all kinds of IM do-hickeys at once. I can't remember what it was called though, so can anyone tell me what they use and whether they like it?

I installed Word and World of Warcraft, and downloaded Firefox and Semagic, so I'm pretty much good to go. And write fic.

I have drama! Not whiny emo drama either, I have true, juicy drama!

( The story of me getting robbed! Okay, okay, so it's more about what got stolen, actually, but I thought that cut text sounded more exciting. )

SUPER SPECIAL NOTE TO K and samsom: POTO fic won't be up at tkpfics for a while.

SUPER SPECIAL NOTE TO stoney321, redbrickrose or stultiloquentia: could one of you send me back that H/D fic I sent as an attachment, as I don't have that backed up anywhere? Thanks so much. I'd be sad to lose it, even if it *is* 100 pages of H/D with no H/D. I'm sad the 15 pages I wrote since I sent it to you is gone forever! eta: THANKS STONEY!

SUPER SPECIAL NOTE TO brandil: uh, I'll send you that fic when I one of the ladies I've already sent it to forwards me a copy.

I know there are things I will be missing over the next several months, but hey. They didn't steal my car, I'm alive, and it was a really good gyro.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Thank you so so much to ros_fod for the lj virtual gifty, and anon. for the other virtual gifty (who are you, zomg!). I just love that 'cause I never got any before and it's such a surprise to see them whenever I open my user page! And thanks to chrisleeoctaves for the card, and imnotacommittee for the card and vampire captain! And thanks a bajillion to kita0610 for the chocolates--you found the way to my heart (well. The other way is through vampire porn. The other other way is through my superior vena cava. And stuff.)

Um, no one recieved anything seasonal or holiday-y from me. But, if I have your address, please don't think it's weird if you recieve a really random gift in January or February or March. Or anywhen. 'Cause I meant to do some stuff and didn't have time. 'Cause, hey, you know what? I GOT A JOB. Yay me! It's a sucky job because I sit around, but good because I sit around--still don't know if I can go online, but I can write, and read. And that's important to me because professional goals and personal preferences and grad school and also lots and lots of fanfic all involve writing and reading. So, that's what's been up with me!

That, and I got a Claddaugh ring for Christmas. I am SUCH a cheese. You could cover it up by saying, oh, it's a nice piece of jewelry and blah blah blah, but you'd be wrong. The ONLY reason I wanted it because I'm such a sappy B/Aer, and every time I look at it I think of that stupid stupid dock scene and get such a freakin' happy.

Love to you all, and have a fabulous rest of your year.

Hi I'm sort of alive!

So this past week has been pretty crazy. If you posted something chances are I didn't read it, but don't link me to it now 'cause ... I still won't be able to read it.

But I'll be ghosting about, and should be back regularly by next week. Then I can read the rest of the IWRY Marathon stories, reply to emails, read fics, leave fb, and dump wild and crazy meta on you that's been stewing forever, and possibly also that cracktastic Spangel thing.

But for now, lots of family and lots of food and lots of stuff and lots of driving later, I have those strange intersections of family, friends and fandom to share. ( TKFamily Holiday Hijinks )

If you didn't and want to, take the me quiz!

( And now, I win at my life because you all lose. Quiz questions about me revealed! It's all about me! Me me me! )

Hi! I've been kinda MILJ lately--or is that MFLJ? Anyway, just been ducking my head in, squirreling away foxy tidbits, then quick like a bunny hopping away, and also trying to ferret out how many animals I can monkeywrench in a sentence without becoming a cheatah. 8? Anyway, thank you for replying to my questions and thank you for your vid recs; I'm going to get back to each of you. Hopefully having watched some! If we had an email conversation going I'm about to get back to you too. If you've posted anything of importance and I haven't commented, please direct my attention.

    

So, today was the commissioning of the USS Texas. A big submarine was there, the First Lady was there, and, courtesy of dlgood, ( so was I! And I have pictures! )

Y. Effusive, embarrassing, and possibly kinda scary amounts of gratitude to romanyg for paid time. You're awesome with the love and make lj a cooler place to be, and not just for the random fairy gifts on the doorstep!

A. And: I'm back! For good this time I think. I helped my brother move to Gainsville, Florida--I'd never been to FL. Or Mississppi or Alabama. It's humid in Houston, but Florida is SWIMMING in it. Seriously, if you can't hold your breath for long times underwater, don't go to Florida. I nearly Wicked Witched of the West'ed.

Y. Ask a question, any question about me, about fandom, about fic, about lj, about you, about oompas or hatracks or zits or finely carved small foxes, and I'll answer to the best of my ability. Unless I don't feel like it; then you're screwed. But no, really, I want to play! *blows breath on window and draws heart with fingers*

! ZOMG thank you again romanyg!