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Fanfiction: Postbellum
Title: Postbellum
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist
Summary: Chris and Roy Mustang after Ishval.
Genre: Gen
Spoilers: For Chapter 87.
Warning for mentions of violence.
Disclaimer: I don't own FMA and have no intention of profiting from fanwriting. Please don't sue me!

With luck, I'll be expanding this into a series of drabbles concerning any and all characters.

Link to my LJ.

FEAR ME--I COOK!!!
Mother woke me in the wee hours in order to instruct me to put on pot roast for lunch. This is after going to bed about 3 am. Insomnia again. Just nerves.

Tried my best at the pot roast. Added a large sliced onion, two slabs of pot roast, a tall can of beer and several chopped garlic cloves into my crockpot and set it on high. We'll see how it turns out.

But she knows my cooking record--was this wise?

Bob has instructions to monitor the ~~noxious brew~~ meal--I'm going to take a nap now.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: Suppertime II from Little Shop of Horrors

Chapter 97 out on Onemanga!
Here.

This chapter was especially exciting at the end. ^___^

Current Mood: chipper

Champion- EdWin
Title: Champion

Mangaverse, up to chapter 84 or so.

Pairing: EdWin

Summary: He's taking a bit of her with him, wherever he goes.

FMA belongs to the lady with the million aces up her sleeves- Hiromu Arakawa.

I wrote this wondering why Winry does not get her earrings back in chapter 84. Note: I realize this is very similar to evil_little_dog 's 'Tokens of Her Esteem' (Good story, check it out!) I actually posted this on my ff.net account a while ago. In any case, this was inspired by the EdWin forums on ff.net. So, kudos to them. :) Enjoy, and please comment.

( He was no knight, and Winry was no princess... )

In Between the Raindrops
Just wanted to apologize for being so whiny the past few days. I feel like Ritsu from Fruits Basket: "I'm sooo Soooorrrry!! I apologize to the whole world!!"

(Actually, I was kinda poking around the interwebs for a Ritsu icon, because I do get that way from time to time, but I didn't see one that quite took my fancy.)

Cool and rainy today. Heavy rain, too, so I can't stay online long. I went and got my blood test done--doctor is supposed to call with results either today or Monday, so I need to tote my phone along. I went to Mass at St. Mary's afterwards (if I ever needed to go to Mass, NOW is the time!). Actually, just going into that church always cheers me up. It's just so lovely.

Mom just called--she just woke up. Bob's folks are still asleep. I've been up since about 4 am. Maybe I'll take a nap since it doesn't look like they'll be showing up for a couple of hours yet.

Bob's folks wanted to see the Cathedral, but it's not looking likely. There's a wedding tomorrow and the staff is working on prepping the sanctuary. I left a message for them to call me, just in case, but odds are, it's no go.

We may all just end up hanging out here and playing Joker. Joy.

Current Mood: sleepy

2 fics -- "By Contrast" and "Pickup Lines"
Hello everyone! I've got two fics here I thought I'd share. :)

Title: By Contrast
Author: naive_wanderer
Word Count: 194
Rating: G
Characters: Hohenheim
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga)
Summary: The years spent with his country village family are the brightest.
Warnings: none
A/N: Won 2nd place for Prompt 18 (Restless) at </a></b></a>

fma_fic_contest ! My first post there and my first win, I'm so excited. :) You can read the original post here.

( The years spent with his country village family are the brightest... )

Title: Pickup Lines
Author: naive_wanderer
Word Count: 584
Rating: PG
Characters: Ling, Ed
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (Manga)
Summary: Written for the kink meme prompt: Ling/Ed, flirting. Ling tries his luck during a train ride.
A/N: This isn't spectacular, but it's my first every fic written for the FMA Kink Meme, so I thought I'd just go ahead and out myself!

( "Your eyes are quite beautiful." )

x-posted to

fm_alchemist

GOBLIN FRUIT LAUNCH PARTY
GOBLIN FRUIT LAUNCH PARTY

BURLINGTON MARRIOTT ROOM 608

10:00 PM

The Marriott's so-called internet is appalling. Things are ever so interesting right now.

Fic: Whisky in the Glass (Hawkeye/Mustang, not worksafe)
Title: Whisky in the Glass
Characters: Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang, Madame Christmas
Rating: Hard R
Length: 500 words
Contains: Adult content (sex between consenting adults). Manga spoilers through... I believe it's chapter 87.

I consider this to be in the same continuity as my fic Cinder and Smoke, but reading that story is not necessary for understanding this one.

( On the nights when the dark rises up behind Roy's eyes, the dark of smoke and bleak nights, he goes to Madame Christmas' place, and asks for whisky )

Current Mood: mellow

Looking Ahead
Enjoying a bit of quiet time before the parents come in again. Bob's folks are due to arrive this afternoon and then we'll be juggling all of them for the next three days. Bob's folks are leaving Sunday afternoon and I believe my folks are leaving sometime on Monday.

These visits remind me why I'm so much of a recluse. It's difficult for me to be around people so much. I feel like I have to watch everything I say and do, and if I let down my guard even for a moment, disaster strikes. I don't mind meeting up with friends for a few hours to go out for some entertainment, or even a daytrip, but I definitely need my space!

I have some things I want to see to once everyone heads home.

1. Straighten my office. I've got books stacked all over the place right now and I need to put those back on the shelves and get the place in order again. I foresee another culling--my shelf-space is looking kinda slim again.

2. Sort through my clothes. Between the stuff Mom brought me and the swag I've picked up from thrift stores lately, I really need to dig out everything from my closet, figure out what fits, box up the stuff that doesn't and store it*, box up the winter clothes and store those and organize the summer/early autumn clothes so that I can find things easily. I should probably do that for Bob and his closet as well, but that will require having him there to try on things so I know what fits him now.

*Normally, I'd just donate outgrown clothes to charity, but my weight has been fluctuating wildly up and down over the past two years. I've got clothes in three or four sizes now and I'd prefer to not have to buy yet more clothes until the weight stabilizes.

3. Get back on regular writing schedule. I've been using my illness as an excuse to not do anything, but after some conversations with my folks and with some people I know from church who have encouraged me, I want to try a new approach. Yes, there are days when my concentration is very, very bad and on those days, the quality of my writing will probably be poor. But if I can maybe work on an outline on those days, or do a background character sketch, or anything else to advance my projects, I'll be making progress and that's what counts. I keep setting these goals which might be realistic to some people but are overwhelming to me. That's not working: my abilities and restrictions are not the same as some other person. Judging myself using someone else's guidelines is counterproductive.

4. Get back to regular Japanese language study. Again, something that got set aside due to illness. I know I have bad days where I won't retain knowledge, but if I just take an hour every day and just sit down and practice, surely something will stick. I have plenty of old textbooks with exercises to practice with.

Also, I think I've been slacking with #3 and #4 because my office is in totally disarray right now and I just can't concentrate in this mess! So by accomplishing #1, #3 and #4 can advance!

5. Exercise! I'm doing a bit, just gotta keep going and keep adding on. It's tough--my knees and ankles are swollen so bad! Wish I could afford to join the YMCA to use their swimming pool, but that's not possible right now. Not so much the cost of membership--it's the ability to get over there. The Dubuque Y isn't that far from where we live, but since we only have one car, it's tricky trying to schedule around everything else. We've been kicking around the idea of getting a second car again (and even looked around a little), but the economy is just too soft right now.

Taking another blood test tomorrow: there was a thyroid abnormality that showed up when I had my physical last month, so more tests are being done now. If there is a problem there, that might explain a LOT. Just have to wait and see on that.

Current Mood: contemplative

Chapter 97 crack -mild spoilers I guess?-
I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought of this... right?... Right!?

Mild spoilers, but only very mild...

( To the fancrack... )

Stephen Harper Saves Jesus for the Road
Via

springheel_jack: Stephen Harper pocketed a communion wafer at Romeo LeBlanc's funeral mass.

So, okay. Sadly, I have to kiiind of admire this if it's because he felt that, as a Protestant, he had no business taking Roman Catholic communion. But you'd think the Prime Minister could sort that kind of thing out in advance without spitting in the face of the religion of the man whose funeral he's attending. When someone hands you the body of Christ, you don't freakin' put it in your pocket.

...You eat it.

(No, I'm not Catholic either. Never quite been able to wrap my brain around the non-symbolic, completely literal nature of transubstantiation. But still. A little respect.)

In other news, leaving in an hour or so to go pick up

sevenravens and head down to Readercon, YAY! There to launch the Summer 2009 issue with great pomp and ceremony. It's stunning, you guys. It's such an awesome issue, and I can't wait to show it off! 10:00 PM EST tonight, lads and lasses!

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Steeleye Span, "Boys of Bedlam"

fic: Darkness

Title: Darkness
Author/ess: Jellyjay
Summary: Once upon a time, Riza Hawkeye was scared of the dark.
Characters/Pairings: Riza, Roy, little bit of Royai
Rating: K/G

The worst part, she thought, was that she couldn't make it go away.

Parental Invasion: Part Deux, Day Three
We were very busy running around yesterday. Went over to Dickeyville (about 7 minutes across the River over in Wisconsin) to a butcher shop there (forgot name, will get later) that has excellent meat sticks, cheese, summer sausage and the like. Actually, I don't each much of that (irritates my stomach), but Bob LOVES it and so do my folks.

While we were there, I finally got to see the Dickeyville Grotto, a precious, kitchy piece of Americana. A priest there in the early 20th century decided to build a shrine made of found materials--shells, glass, stones, fossils, whatever. And it just grew and grew. The folks here at the Cathedral told me it was tacky, but I thought it was absolutely charming. Took several pictures which I will post later when I have time to get them on my computer and resize them.

They also had a gift shop (yay, postcards!) and a garage sale in the basement. Since Mom was there, with her mighty shopping karma, I found three really nice sweaters for $1.50/each and Bob found a pair of steel-toed insulated work boots for $4. If you looked at the sizing in the boots, they would be too big for him, but he tried them on and they fit perfectly. The Church Ladies told us that a parish member had bought the boots thinking they were his size and found out they were mislabeled, so he just donated them yesterday. Boots like that usually run between $40 to $60 minimum. (Bob needs to wear steel-toed shoes to work because he often has to haul heavy equipment around.)

Lunch was at the Mystique Casino (formerly the Dubuque Greyhound Park and Casino). They still race greyhounds there as far as I know. I hate gambling and casinos, but Bob said the buffet there is very reasonably-priced (it was) and the food was good (yes). The music was annoying.

After that, we were off to look at potential properties. My Dad is thinking about buying some land to park their Airstream on up here during the winter (rather than storing it). One of the guys from our Cathedral choir, Loras, is a real-estate broker, so he agreed to take us around some properties. Due to housing codes, it's hard to find a nice place to park an RV close to the city, so all the sites we looked at were down in Jackson county, south of here.

The day ended with a game of dominoes.

More later, must go. Today we look at more property.

Current Mood: busy

United Breaks Guitars
Apologies to the list if you see this more than once--just passing the word along!

via

gurdymonkey: Professional musician Dave Carroll, of the Sons of Maxwell band, had his $3,500 guitar broken by United Airlines, who refused to take responsibility for it and cover his loss. So he vowed to write three songs about the experience and share them on the Internet. The whole story is here at his site.

Here is the first video:

I actually like this song. It's kinda catchy.

Current Mood: aggravated
Current Music: United Breaks Guitars

Admittedly, this DOES make me want to cackle.
Via

therealsherbs: Get paid 50K pounds a year to live in a cave and be a witch for tourists.

And here I am paying thousands of pounds a year for a PhD on fairies. I've missed my calling. Although perhaps it isn't too late to throw it all to the wind and invest in a goat?

I can hear all the little girls whose mothers told them they couldn't grow up to be witches RAILING BITTERLY AT THE WORLD.

A Job Centre is advertising a "witch" vacancy with tourist site Wookey Hole, in Somerset, for £50,000 a year.

The witch, who has to live in the site's caves, is expected to teach witchcraft and magic.

Wookey Hole staff say the role is straightforward: live in the cave, be a witch and do the things witches do.

The advert for the post, placed in the local press as well as job centres, says applicants must be able to cackle and cannot be allergic to cats.

The job has come up after the previous witch retired from the role.

"We are witchless as the moment so need to get the role filled as soon as possible," said Daniel Medley from the tourist destination.

I wasn't sure this wasn't from the Onion, to be honest.

Also dead amusing:

"This was when an old woman lived in the caves with some goats and a dog, causing a variety of social ills, including crop failures and disease."

BUT!

Due to sexual discrimination law, the job cannot demand that the post is filled by a woman.

Oh, WORLD. We need to talk. Soon as I stop laughing.

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Great Big Sea, "Chemical Worker's Song"

Remnant: FMA LingRan darkfic
Title: Remnant

Mangaverse

Warnings: I'm rating this a high 'T'. I don't think it's enough to qualify for an 'M' rating. Contains language, violence, brief sex...and angst.

Pairing: LingRanFan, slight implied EdWin, Royai, one sided AlMei.

I do not own FMA, and even if I did this probably wouldn't happen. Comments are much appreciated!

Note: This is a fairly unlikely senario, simply because Lust is actually dead dead. As in gone, since Father never reabsorbed her, or whatever. But, that's what fanfiction is for! (PS: I will eventually post an edited ending. The one I have now feels rushed, but it'll do for the moment)

( Some things never die. )</div>

Father- FMA Hohenheim fanfic
Title: Father

Mangaverse.

Pairings: None really, implied Trish/Hoho and slight implied EdWin.

No warnings really, but once again, beware the angst. One line from the song 'Father's Son' is used.

Spoilers for the manga, and the Elric Family Omake.

My magic lamp is still packed. Darn. Guess Hiromu Arakawa still owns FMA. Oh, and the song 'Father's Son' belongs to 3 Doors down. Comments much appreciated!

Father

The camera flashed.

Trisha was busying herself with thanking the photographer, adjusting Al more comfortably on her hip. Hoenhiem turned away from His wife and his son, facing the wall. He knew he was shaking. He knew he was crying. It mattered little.

“So please...stay with your family...Don’t be distant, don’t leave us alone.”

He felt his breath leave him in a slight gasp, and knew that he had to be careful, lest he be seen. He couldn’t let her know of his tears, not yet.

“...And don’t call yourself a monster.”

He hadn’t realized that he still held his don in his arms, until he felt the hand reach up, and touch his face. Hoenhiem started, looking down at the boy in his arms. The tears dripped slowly down his chin, onto his collar, and his son’s head. Ed looked up at him, eyes big and bright and gold and all of the things that he had seen there, before Ed had smiled at him. The little hand moved over Hoenhiem’s face, over his beard and chin- and Ed was frowning, as if in deep concentration.

He wiped the tears away.

( Read more... )

Sooper Seekrit Readercon Project Revealed!
Here it is.

So I lied a little bit. By omission. See, the Launch Party at Readercon isn't only for the Summer 2009 issue. It is also for the following:

To accompany the Summer 2009 issue, we're launching the first in what will become a series of small-run chapbooks put out by Goblin Fruit, called Fresh from the Vine.

Demon Lovers and Other Difficulties presents the enigmatic work of Nicole Kornher-Stace (

wirewalking), this issue's Featured poet. It gathers all the poems you'll find in her Feature with illustrations by Oliver Hunter, as well as the addition of a dual-voice poem written with C.S.E. Cooney (

csecooney). It will be available for the special price of $5 US at Readercon; prices may increase slightly after that to accommodate shipping and the vagaries of internet-payment. All proceeds from it go directly back into Goblin Fruit, to pay future contributors and finance the next chapbook.

There are only 100 copies available; online purchase will be possible after Readercon, to make sure we know how many we have.

Guys -- it's gorgeous. It's so gorgeous I want to marry it. In spite of the Difficulties.

With great thanks to two Mikes,

time_shark and

yagathai, for laying out and proofing it respectively, and of course to

wirewalking and

csecooney for sharing their incredible work with us!

Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: Great Big Sea, "End of the World as We Know It"

My Perpetual Quilt
I did finally get a little sleep: about five hours. Enough to recharge the batteries for awhile anyway. May try to sneak in a nap later.

Schedule today is all up in the air. Everything depends on what happens with Dad at the Chevy/GM dealer.

There's an old quilt project that I started and set aside (10 years ago--has it been that long???) that Mom and I are debating about what to do with. I started the quilt during a class I was taking when Bob and I lived in Des Moines, but I had to quit the class when my job made me start working mandatory overtime due to a big project the department had taken on. Then we moved and I kinda stored everything away and mostly forgot about it.

I can sew a little, but I'm self-taught and not very good. I have learned to make some period garb (mainly by trail and error, via very detailed instructions on the internet and in person), but there are a lot of the basics that I never learned.

Quilting doesn't have to be difficult per se, but it is very precise and it helps if you have people around who know what they are doing. Mom has gotten into quilting pretty big in the past couple of years since she moved to San Antonio and has a group of ladies she works with on that. There are several local guilds here but the few times I've met local crafters, they've been kinda snotty (Iowans are NOT friendly to outsiders. Period.) Plus, I admit I tend to a touch of paranoia, which doesn't help.

So we're debating whether it would be better for me to try to finish the quilt up here or for Mom to take it down there and work on it with her group.

On one hand, it's my design--well, I picked the pattern and fabrics (it's a collage of ukiyo-e bijin prints, to be bordered by strips of rose calico and black)--and I tend to be more of a perfectionist (Mom says "persnickety") when it comes to sewing. Seam isn't straight? Rip that sucker! Do it again!

OTOH, Mom has more energy than I do right now (being that I'm sick) and she has a network of friends in place who can help out. But she's the type that will let a mistake stand rather than bother to take the time to make it right, which drives me up the wall.

If it was just finishing the quilt according to the pattern in the book, that would be one thing, but when I started the quilt, we had a queen size bed. We now have a king size bed and therefore adjustments need to be made, and that kind of calculation means that we need to consult people who have more experience. Or else not worry about the thing fitting the bed properly.

Of course I will dither about all this for a few days until the folks leave and we have to make a decision. So will Mom. Where do you think I get that trait from? ;-D

Current Mood: busy

Happy Birthday!
Two birthdays, actually! All the best to

bwinter (are you still partying it up in Japan?) and belated best wishes to

aardy!!

I hope great things are coming up for both of ya'll in the next year!

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: That Tune