1. If you're on my friends list, I want to know 35 things about you. I don't care if we never talk, or if we already know everything about each other. Short and sweet is fine ... you're on my list, so I want to know you better. You don't even have to answer them all.

2. Comment here with your answers and repost the questionnaire on your own journal, IF YOU GIVE A RAT'S ASS OR ANOTHER PORTION OF A RAT'S ANATOMY ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
02) What was your dream growing up?
03) What talent do you wish you had?
04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
05) Favorite fruit?
06) What was the last book you read?
07) What zodiac sign are you?
08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
09) Worst Habit?
10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
11) What is your favorite sport?
12) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude?
13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
16) Do you have any pets?
17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
18) What was your first impression of me?
19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22) What color eyes do you have?
23) Ever been arrested?
24) Bottled or tap water?
25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
26) What's your favorite place to hang out at?
27) Do you believe in ghosts?
28) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
29) Do you swear a lot?
30) Biggest pet peeve?
31) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
32) Do you believe in love at first sight?
33) Favorite and least favorite food?
34) Do you believe in God?
35) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

I have many new awesome icons. I had to stop adding them, since I was flooding one poor person's inbox with "OMG your icons are awesome I've taken *blah*" messages. But you should go check them out!

Which reminds me, one of these days I need to get Dark Angel on DVD, since it apparently it has Jenses Ackles as twins. O_o And I never did get to see all of it on TV, and I saw it all out of order...

I piked off the feast that was on tonight, because my head hurts, and I'm loopy from drugs. But I should wait up for Rowan to get back, since I took his key... I forgot my keys in our rush to get out the door, since he wanted to get to the tourney on time. It started 2 hours late, because apparently that's how long it takes seven people to get into armour... *grumble* But there was much silly fun had, and Beoumont has cylon-shiny armour.

I finally got my proofreading and editing course (I was good and finished the uni semester first, though) a week or so ago, and I've sent in the first 2 assignments, so I feel virtuous. And I blame any and all mistakes in this post on migraine drugs, sleepiness, and caffeine.

I think that's about all of note that's really happened. My hair's a more vivid shade of red than it used to be. I should try and take pics before it fades.

Unfortunately, yesterday's planned shopping expedition was postponed (along with everything else), as I woke up with a headache, right in that "if you don't take drugs *now*, and go back to bed, you'll regret it for the next week" stage. Yay.

But shopping mostly worked today. Those $6 skivvies I found were shit, which shouldn't have been surprising, but I got some decent ones and a pretty skirt from K-Mart, so I am happy. (Now, to work out what the fuck to wear with a skirt...)

And Gods, the BSG soundtrack is awesome. I especially love the season 3 one, where they start bringing in electric guitars towards the end (which ties nicely with some plot bits I won't mention).

I was going to do a meme, but I might leave that for another post.

Kind of like a Quest, but lacking a few electrons.

Recently, Rowan started up a Battlestar Galactica RPG. It's awesome. However, it needs background music. So far we have (or will soon have) the soundtracks for:

* BSG (new series)
* The Matrix (ok, this is being slightly more problematic than anticipated)
* Medieval Total War 2
* Angel
* The Two Towers
* Iron Man

Do any of you have ideas for other good background music for a RPG set in space, with things shooting at you? I've been thinking soundtracks are good, since its music designed to be in the background. (Unlike, say, Linkin Park or Artic Monkeys.)

Also, if I put on any Harry Potter soundtrack music, I'm fairly certain my character will die an instant, yet painful and embarrassing death. Any suggestions?

I have a Quest. Actually, I have several, but I'm going to write about one of them first, since writing about them all at once would just get confusing.

My main Quest: Getting Organised.

Or, more specifically, Turning the Hornsby House of Horrors into Somewhere Nice to Be. Those poor few who have been subjected to the House know what I'm talking about. It's an organised-person's nightmare - not a surface that isn't cluttered, there's shit *everywhere*, with no sense of order, or even who that random thing belongs to.

One of my main problems at the moment is not having anything to wear. There are several reasons for this:

1. I've put on around 10 kg in the last year or so, which means my size 10-12 clothes no longer fit me.
2. I can't *find* what clothes that do fit me.
3. If I can find clothes that fit me (and are clean), they often don't go together.
   

To fix this, I'm going to both buy more clothes (in an organised manner!), and get rid of a whole bunch of clothes. So I've started compiling a list in my head of what cold-weather clothes I need. (Struckthrough items are things I already own.)

• 2-3 pairs of jeans. (Possibly 4, because anyone who knows me in RL knows I live in the things.)
• 1 pair of nice black non-jean pants, that ideally will be warm. (Because I might want to get a job at some point.)
• 4 black scivvies (I'm not sure what Australians who aren't me call these - Americans call them turtle-necks.)
• 3 or so non-black scivvies, probably a white and a grey one, and something else.
  
• 3 or so nice t-shirts
• 3 or so nice long-sleeved shirts/tops of some form
• 1 black skirt
• 1 other skirt
• Pantyhose, possibly brightly coloured, to go with said skirts
• A dress, possibly black, assuming I can find something that isn't maternity wear empire waisted, and that I like. (Looking preggers went out of fashion in the 1800s people!)
• Several turtle-necked jumpers (hence all the scivvies).
  
• A black hoodie.
• A black leather jacket.
• A casual jacket.
  
• A black trenchcoat. (I need to sew a button back on to mine.)
• Accessories - I make jewellery, I should wear some of the damned stuff. Also possibly some scarves and gloves.
• A pair of everyday flat boots. Guess what colour!
• A pair of high heeled boots. (Actually, I have several.)
• A pair of sensibly-heeled boots. (Because 4-inch heels aren't good for pub-crawling.)
• Something like 14 pairs of undies.
• 3 or so bras that fit properly.
• Pijamas, dressing gown, and warm slippers.
• At least one comfy sweatshirt.

And I think that should do it. I know it's a lot of black, but I figure that that way it'll be easy to get stuff to match, it won't date (except possibly for brightly coloured tights, but I don't really care about that), and I can add colour with tops, which are fairly easy/cheap to get. Have I forgotten anything? Any suggestions of things to add/take away?

The hard part will be going through the current clothes piles, sorting, washing, and storing/giving away the things I already have. And finding pants that look good. Damn that's hard.

The other part of the HHH Quest is to clean out the living room, because I want a Wii Fit, and space to entertain people or sit and watch movies. At the moment, it's not so good for that. If anyone wants tapestry frames, let me know - I got some at Reverse Garbage, and haven't really gotten back into embroidery, so they're free to a good (or mediocre) home. I have a feeling that the local Salvos will be getting a lot of stuff soon.

Tomorrow's tasks are to get started on the living room, and to buy scivvies (since I found them for $6, new) and try on yet more pairs of jeans. Also, to do washing. I think that'll be a good start.

I also need to study, since my uni exam is coming up (yeah, I'm only doing one course 'cause I suck) on Friday. Then I'm going to buy that proofreading course I've been eyeing off for over a year - hopefully my inner OCD will help earn me some money from home. Or, at least, that's the plan.

What are my other Quests, I hear you ask?

• The Quest for the Quiet Pub! (With reasonably priced alcohol, in a location accessible by public transport.) Any suggestions are welcome.
• The Quest to Finish Uni! (This won't be done any time soon, I'm afraid.)
• The Quest to be a Size 10 (except possibly in tops, because I have, and will always have, bountiful breasts)!
• Umm... that's it for now, really.

Gee, I've really been getting into the alliteration today. I think it's because I need more sleep, and am still getting over a cold (which I've given to Rowan, the poor guy).

So, I'm heading off to Festival tomorrow. Hopefully, it'll be fun - and if it's not, I can always come home, as it's so close this year. For the first time ever, I've made myself some garb (I've been in the SCA 5 years, wearing 2nd hand garb I'd bought/got given my a laurel who was sick of seeing me in the same two t-tunics) - a wool! cloak, a wool over-dress, two t-tunics (with gores and everything), and an over-tunic with silly sleeves, that I just realised I'd forgotten to finish. Fuck. Oh well. And, it was made nearly-entirely by myself, with Lyndsay helping with the planning/working out bits.

Except I really hope I haven't broken her sewing machine. I stopped sewing last night when it mysteriously refused to work, and I couldn't get it working today, either. Or, rather, I could, but only for a few stitches, and it complained bitterly. I really hope it's something easily fixed. But, either way, I had need of a new sewing machine. I went to the local shopping centre, hoping for one of those shitty $20 machines. No such luck. K-mart did have a deal on a home-brand (Homemaker, to be precise) machine, for $150. And it worked well, and has button-hole stitches, and all different kinds of feet, and everything. (I may even make myself one of those funky cotehardies with the fuckload of buttons, after Festival, and when I'm thinner.) I really hope I haven't permanently fucked up Lyndsay's sewing machine.

So, after a few hours of mad sewing, I loaded up my granny-cart with my new garb, and trundled to the good curry place on the way to the train station. I go to the closest ATM, which is in a 7-11, and as I'm leaving... one of the wheels on my granny cart breaks. Now, the wheels come off the bloody thing all the time - but this was properly broken. So, like any self-respecting child of a civil engineer, I walk back into the 7-11 for some superglue, and proceed to glue the wheel back together, hoping it'll hold till I get home. While waiting for the glue to dry, I get curry, but no beer, as they wouldn't let me get takeaway but stay on the premises to drink the beer. Finally, the half-fuckload of superglue (2 tubes - it was a pack of 3) is dry (and I have spots of it on my jeans, and all over my fingers...), so I chuck the wheels back on the cart and carefully walk off, wheeling it over nice, flat bitumen. It lasts about 15m before breaking apart. And there was no araldite at the 7-11. I go to throw out the wheels, and they won't fit through the narrow opening of the bin. Great.

So, I drag my cart down the (King) street for a block or two, till I get to a cheap shop that's still open. But, unsurprisingly, I'm out of luck - they don't sell carts, or even the fold-out-wheel-platform-thingys you can strap luggage to. So I drag my way to the nearest bus stop, on the bus, off the bus, up the hill to the train station, and on to the train. I tried to call R to share my tale of woe, but my (stupid fucking BIRD brand) phone has shitty reception, as usual. So in the first call, he can hear me, in the second, I can hear him, and in the third we exchange a few words before I give up, since I didn't feel like yelling my tale of woe for the entire bus to hear.

On the train, waiting for it to leave (I catch city-link trains - specifically the one to Newcastle, as it's quicker than the city trains, and more comfortable), and I open up my curry to start eating - and realise I forgot to grab cutlery and serviettes. So I eat Indian-style, with my naan, while this creepy English woman watches my every movement. Eventually, I get to Hornsby, where R was being awesome and waiting to pick me up, so I didn't have to drag the cart home.

That was my day. Now I'm going to feed my cat.

Oh! Almost forgot to mention that I tried to take my dead Eee PC to Myer - but they told me to call the company that makes it. Typical.

Well, I've been back in Sydney over a week now, so I really should finish writing up the trip to England.

We had a quiet few days bumming around in Bath, with a lovely dinner at the place Dad's renovating, Lucknham Park. (Ok, so I'm not sure how to spell it...) We also went on a day trip to Stratford upon Avon, which was cool. We got yet more Shakespeare paraphernalia, which has given me some badge ideas. (We have a shot glass with "You have drunk too much canaries" on it, for example.)

After Bath, we went up to London for our last days in the UK, mostly so we could see Avenue Q, which was awesome. Everyone should go see it. And I do mean everyone. We also met up with Irene again for drinks, which was great.

Since we've been back, we've been going through the house, cleaning and re-organising. It's slow work, but all progress is good progress. I've been reading this awesome book, you see...

Anyway, I've also learnt to play Magic: the Gathering, and I've gotten an Implanon, which has made me very happy, if quite sore.

Last night R and I went to the James Squire restaurant, which was awesome, and had good food, too. One year already! I really, really should get those last wedding photos from the photographers. I'll have to make a note in my Giant Organiser o'Doom.

I think I've worked out what I'll do at uni this semester - I just need to check the timetabling. Maths for Life Sciences (yes, *again*, and I'm going to get a fucking distinction this time, see if I don't), the intro to science communications course, and either an Ed course or an intermediate Spanish course (which would be my preference, as long as it doesn't make my timetable horrible). My goal this semester: straight distinctions. Mostly so I have a hope of transferring to either a uni in the UK if R ends up at Cambridge next year, or to somewhere like Macquarie which has correspondence courses. That's the plan, anyway.

Now, time to get back to work... *sigh*

Yay, the dreaded x-mas is finally over! Hopefully I won't hear another fucking x-mas song (with the exception of Metallica and Electric Light Orchestra's Carol of the Bells) for another year. The 25th was a pleasant enough day, with R's paternal family for a very traditional lunch, and then with my Sydney family for dinner. My (second) cousins are starting to interesting-age. Not counting the newborn, obviously.

There was loot (almost all of it shared with R):

• a camera from my parents
• a cool history trivia game from Richard
• cash from Jim and Shiela
• movie tickets from R's x-ian uncle and aunt
• a toaster, a pretty plate set, and some biscuits from Adrian and Sally (partially wedding presents, apparently)
• pretty glasses from George and Sue
• wine glasses from... someone
• wine from Becca and Adrian
• possibly some other bits and pieces I can't quite recall

Today was fun, spent gaming with Anton, and then Lyndsay when she got home. I'm looking forward to spending New Year's with friends, and trading gifts then. I have ideas for most people. Now, I'm tired and slightly tipsy, and the painkillers have started to kick in, which means it's bedtime for me. I think I've done two ligaments in my ankle - I'll go to a doctor sometime soon to get that confirmed. Lucky I've worked out how to get my right-foot aircast from when I fucked my ankle in year 10 onto my left foot.

Go forth and watch this. I'd embed it if I knew how, but the FAQ entry is useless. 

Go forth and watch this. I'd embed it if I knew how, but the FAQ entry is useless. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present for your viewing pleasure, one of the most completely wrong sexy-costume-things I have ever seen (including furries).

Click here, because Cat's computer really doesn't want me linking/saving the picture.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present for your viewing pleasure, one of the most completely wrong sexy-costume-things I have ever seen (including furries).

Click here, because Cat's computer really doesn't want me linking/saving the picture.

 I got mine from vonstrassburg.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment here on my blog. I don't know what that gift will be, yet, but you will receive it within 365 days. The only thing you have to do in return is "pay it forward" by making a similar agreement on your blog.

And you have to let me know an address (at some point) where I can mail your gift and/or drop it off.

I'd prefer people in Australia, so I can make things that don't have to go through quarantine, but it's not an absolute requirement.

 I got mine from vonstrassburg.

I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment here on my blog. I don't know what that gift will be, yet, but you will receive it within 365 days. The only thing you have to do in return is "pay it forward" by making a similar agreement on your blog.

And you have to let me know an address (at some point) where I can mail your gift and/or drop it off.

I'd prefer people in Australia, so I can make things that don't have to go through quarantine, but it's not an absolute requirement.

Got a bone to pick with me? Have I said something that offended you somewhere else on livejournal? Bring it here, as I'm sick of having fights scattered throughout my journal (and other people's). And don't even bother with anonymous comments - if you don't have the balls to tell me who you are, I'm not going to bother letting your comments show up. Simple, really.

Because of the whole strikethrough07 thing - this journal is now friends-locked, and I'm in the process of moving to GreatestJournal. Most of my posts there are public. I'll keep cross-posting things here - hopefully to encourage people to move.

However, if you have something to say to me (possibly because I've offended you somewhere else - I seem to do that a lot), and don't have a GJ, feel free to put it here.

Because of the whole strikethrough07 thing - this journal is now friends-locked, and I'm in the process of moving to GreatestJournal. Most of my posts there are public. I'll keep cross-posting things here - hopefully to encourage people to move.

However, if you have something to say to me (possibly because I've offended you somewhere else - I seem to do that a lot), and don't have a GJ, feel free to put it here.

So, I've been thinking things over for the last few days. The Great Knee-Jerk Reaction, and the Great Knee-Jerk Reaction to the Knee-Jerk Reaction. ebonypearl has a point - very few people were thinking rationally, and unfortunately mob-mentality happens over the internet. I'm still of mixed opinion.

For the last few days, I've been talking about leaving LJ, and deleting my paid account. The latter will definitely happen - I have no desire to have a business blog here anymore. For that, I'll probably use Wordpress, or something similarly "grown-up" looking. As for this personal journal... I will continue moving it over to GJ, and for a while I'll probably do mirror-posts, while slowly weaning myself off LJ. Finding other communities, and the like. I have a lot of friends here that I don't want to lose contact with - hopefully some of them will move with me, or I'll work out a way for them to friend my GJ. Because I believe in not saying things I don't mean - and I meant it when I said I was leaving. Not immediately - that was knee-jerk on my part - but leaving nonetheless.

But this has happened once, and it could happen again. It could happen on GJ - corporations, despite all the fuck-ups in the past year or so, seem to think that they *can* censor the internet. And, if we're not very, very careful, they might be able to. My lovely husband, squire_lachlan, doesn't give a flying fuck about fandom (except in a "keep it away from me, you strange women" kinda way) - but about censorship? That's a different kettle of fish.

I have no wish to turn this into a flouncepost, so I'll cut it off here.

So, I've been thinking things over for the last few days. The Great Knee-Jerk Reaction, and the Great Knee-Jerk Reaction to the Knee-Jerk Reaction. ebonypearl has a point - very few people were thinking rationally, and unfortunately mob-mentality happens over the internet. I'm still of mixed opinion.

For the last few days, I've been talking about leaving LJ, and deleting my paid account. The latter will definitely happen - I have no desire to have a business blog here anymore. For that, I'll probably use Wordpress, or something similarly "grown-up" looking. As for this personal journal... I will continue moving it over to GJ, and for a while I'll probably do mirror-posts, while slowly weaning myself off LJ. Finding other communities, and the like. I have a lot of friends here that I don't want to lose contact with - hopefully some of them will move with me, or I'll work out a way for them to friend my GJ. Because I believe in not saying things I don't mean - and I meant it when I said I was leaving. Not immediately - that was knee-jerk on my part - but leaving nonetheless.

But this has happened once, and it could happen again. It could happen on GJ - corporations, despite all the fuck-ups in the past year or so, seem to think that they *can* censor the internet. And, if we're not very, very careful, they might be able to. My lovely husband, squire_lachlan, doesn't give a flying fuck about fandom (except in a "keep it away from me, you strange women" kinda way) - but about censorship? That's a different kettle of fish.

I have no wish to turn this into a flouncepost, so I'll cut it off here.

So, I've been thinking things over for the last few days. The Great Knee-Jerk Reaction, and the Great Knee-Jerk Reaction to the Knee-Jerk Reaction. ebonypearl has a point - very few people were thinking rationally, and unfortunately mob-mentality happens over the internet. I'm still of mixed opinion.

For the last few days, I've been talking about leaving LJ, and deleting my paid account. The latter will definitely happen - I have no desire to have a business blog here anymore. For that, I'll probably use Wordpress, or something similarly "grown-up" looking. As for this personal journal... I will continue moving it over to GJ, and for a while I'll probably do mirror-posts, while slowly weaning myself off LJ. Finding other communities, and the like. I have a lot of friends here that I don't want to lose contact with - hopefully some of them will move with me, or I'll work out a way for them to friend my GJ. Because I believe in not saying things I don't mean - and I meant it when I said I was leaving. Not immediately - that was knee-jerk on my part - but leaving nonetheless.

But this has happened once, and it could happen again. It could happen on GJ - corporations, despite all the fuck-ups in the past year or so, seem to think that they *can* censor the internet. And, if we're not very, very careful, they might be able to. My lovely husband, squire_lachlan, doesn't give a flying fuck about fandom (except in a "keep it away from me, you strange women" kinda way) - but about censorship? That's a different kettle of fish.

I have no wish to turn this into a flouncepost, so I'll cut it off here.