dendritejungle

*taps mic* Testing, testing, 1 2 3...is this thing on? Just trying out my inaugural Dreamwidth post, and hoping it cross-posts back to LiveJournal effectively? I've been meaning to switch over since the April transfail incident - which actually bothered me much more than their various preivous and subsequent privacy-related failings - but I'm not very organized. Sorry it hasn't happened sooner! If you're on DW, please (a) let me know who you are so I can stalk you access your posts there and (b) please add me, since I really don't want to have to switch back and forth between my DW account and OpenID just to read stuff.

And if you're used to reading here in LJ and want to keep it that way, that's totally fine too: I'll be cross-posting and leaving commenting open. LJ just won't be getting more of my money when my current paid account expires.

SO. *dusts off hands* With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, how are y'all doing? I hope the fall has been treating you well? I can't quite believe it's been a month since I last posted, but that's life for ya. Fortunately I've just had a week of vacation (originally supposed to be a road trip to Chicago with neequdrazil to see eboniorchid.livejournal.com and culminating in WinCon, but as it worked out I have been spending my vacation at home. This turned out to be a good thing as it's enabled me to at least start unpacking All The Things from storage and trying desperately to catch up on several dozen half-completed projects I'm terribly behind on - including posting! And, even while the reno isn't quiiite done (come on, kitchen pantry!!! it's been THREE EFFING MONTHS!!!) as I'd desperately hoped by now, it's close enough that I'm treating this as Screw It, I'm Declaring The Reno "Basically Done And Moving On With My Life", With Bonus "Projects" To Finish Up. I'd hoped to finish touching up the bathroom paint this weekend, but it was that or posting, and frankly, much as I want it done, I'd rather talk with all of you and tackle painting next weekend. *gathers you all up in a giant hug*

Anyway. I also have about a GAZILLION photos I'm dying to share with y'all, not in the least because I had promised shing_ ages ago that I would post about Fan Expo.


( Fan Expo a.k.a. fannish stuff and famous people )

( parental visit a.k.a. pretty fall picture slideshow )

( pics from a few projects )

( Thanksgiving and vacation )

And boy, if you made it through all that, you get a cookie!

For the curious and those far away, I thought I might as well share my pictures of Toronto yesterday as I went about my business (I'm still annoyed it conflicted with me participating in the protest - but given the subsequent indiscriminate arrests, maybe that was a good thing): downtown wasn't all as violent and dramatic as it looked on TV!

( pics )

You guys, I survived the week! \o/

*happy sigh* I'm safely and serenely ensconced in a comfy hotel room up in Huntsville with my parents dozing away at the far end of the room. Tomorrow I get to see my brother's family, and Sunday is my eldest nephew's second birthday. I can't wait.

I have SO MUCH to talk about! So I figure I'll just tackle a topic or two this post, and then do another tomorrow, etc. But first things first: y'all were tremendously pivotal in helping make my final grout colour decision, so let's do that reveal, shall we?

It was really interesting watching the poll results come in: the first 12 hours had medium grey as the clear leader, but within a day medium and light were head-and-head. Once I realized that products exist to effectly stain grout lighter or darker, I decided to start light and go darker later on if I needed to. I was quite astonished in the end at how light the grout ended up: it looks white! Still, it turned out to be a great decision, since the resulting look really pops and is just FANTASTIC.



( Lotsa pictures of the results and the new carpet )

ANYWAY. It is now stupid o'clock, so I'm going to stop blathering and post this bad boy. More later, I hope. Next up: neat workshops and cherry blossoms!

Whee! Things wot I did since I posted last week:

Watched Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles pilot and second episode. And, because Space* was apparently having a Terminator-palooza last weekend, ended up seeing them THREE TIMES. Plus the first Terminator movie. Plus the *wince* third. That was just painful. But not the second movie, oddly, which sucks since it is so incredible. Because of Linda Hamilton. And her Arms of Awesome. GAH.
*the Canadian sci-fi channel

( Thoughts on the new series - pretty non-spoilery unless you're really die-hard )

The other nifty thing I did this week is SO GEEKY I can't even. *hands* The Japanese Consulate and Japan Foundation arranged a cross-country tour for Satoshi Kamiya, who's considered one of the top origami artists in the world today. So I spent Monday and Tuesday evening at his workshops. Mostly intermediate stuff, so what we were folding wasn't all that exciting, but it was incredible to see the gallery of his works up close and personal. He even brough Ryujin, an INSANE dragon that is probably my single favourite origami model of all time. ONE PIECE of square, uncut paper, guys. TWO METRES square. To make this:

( more origami as more art than craft )

And finally, an opera update! So it turns out (THANK GOD) that my dad is NOT one of the guards being serviced, and in fact plays a priest in the third act. (Which sadly may still be giving me Inappropriate Images thanks to veronamay's incredible fic have you seen him whom my soul loves. I CAN'T WIN.) So I am going to see it with not only my mom, as it turns out, but with my brother and his wife as well. And heh, I'm going to a "porn and tequila" party afterward (nothing to do with family, just to be clear!). About which my mom said (what? Of course I mentioned it. We were taking about a randy opera and TMI anyway), "Hey, tequila & porn – can we come? Nooooo pun intended. And, of course, just kidding anyway." My parents are really awesome. And my mom has just discovered smileys and is using different font sizes to good effect in emails and...yeah. Awesome. *smishes them*

Firstly, the email seems to be sorted out...turns out I needed to do a clean install of Outlook. (I know, I know! I'll switch!) I'll be catching up with those lost emails as soon as I can. Thanks everyone for your support and patience.

Secondly, and much more importantly: happiest of birthdays to that awesome asset to the Supernatural fandom, the illustrious missyjack. All the BEST people are born in August! *beams* While I didn't have time to undertake any of my initial plans, I did assemble a kinky-esque little picspam* just for you over at dean_sam: Dean and Sam at their hottest when evil, tied up and/or getting roughed up. Enjoy, enjoy!
*With some wincest subtext, for those of you who might want to skip it on that basis.

Thirdly, this is my Official Announcement of my new opt-in filter about sex and me, for thinky discussion and happy wallowing about in the gutter of random lewdness.

I'm creating this mostly to spare those of you who really don't care and/or really don't want to know, but also to provide a bit of privacy for more personal discussions. ( Likely conversation topics )

I will be making liberal use of LJ-cuts, so even on the filter you are welcome to scroll on by anything you don't want to read without needing to reach for the eyebleach.

The requirements:

• You be 18 or older. Yes, I will be checking profiles if I don't know your approximate age.
• You be a LiveJournal member. (For those of you not on LiveJournal, that's because the filter permitting you to see the entries is associated with each reader's username. If you're a friend of mine not on LJ and want to read 'em anyway, let me know and I'll try to figure something out.)
• You be respectful. You don't have to do or even agree with anything, and discussion is encouraged, but you do have to be respectful.
• You wanna read it! And let me know by commenting below so I can add you to the filter. Comments to this post are screened, so no one except me will see them.

That's it! First post in a day or so. (Oh, and if you've already told me you want to be on this filter, I've already got you down. Unless you now want to be OFF it - in which case, just comment here to that effect and I will. :D)

So. First off: ( New York. )

Friday I increased my geek cred exponentially by heading back from the possibility of a WEEKEND IN NEW YORK CITY to spend the WEEKEND IN A DARK TORONTO CONVENTION CENTRE WITH FELLOW ANIME OTAKU. And no, I don't regret it for a second!

As many of you know, I am joined in this yearly pilgrimage by the inimitable Mr. Mongolia, where we cling to each other as thirtysomethings among the sea of teenagers. This year we were also accompanied on Saturday by jaefru, and we popped by to visit bassringer in the dealers area where she was selling her incredible creations (which you can buy online, see? Pimp! Pimp! ;D).

Rather than subjecting you a blow-by-blow of the entire weekend's happenings, I have lumped things of interest.

( My swag. )

( Cosplay and pictures. )

( Show reviews. )

( Panels and the Impossible Positions contest - with stories and pictures! )

This contest just begs for a crack Supernatural version, and I'm working on a little comic to that effect but...well, you've seen the quality of my illustration skills. :\ It will take me a few days (at least) to come up with something. But first I will tell you about THIS weekend. Stay tuned!