Not Quite Donne

Okay, I have been posting far too many things f-locked, time for a real post. And, re: f-locking, I need to change that info on my user info, cause I'm now f-locking a third of my posts :/ All RL sensitive stuff, though, so I just can't help it!

So, first of all, what's been keeping me busy: hp_springsmut! Lisa and I are basically wrestling with posting schedules, late submissions, chasing down no-shows and proofreading every story that comes in, so it's quite time consuming. Re: late submissions/people chasing - if you are on my f-list and have not yet submitted, plz to be sending springsmutmods@gmail.com an update! We're not mad at you (unless you've been totally MIA this whole time in which case we might be, but I don't think that's any of you :D) and it's totally cool if it's almost done/at your beta/in revisions, etc. we just need to know when we're getting it. Ideally, if we could get a whole bunch of stuff this weekend, we'd love it, since we are currently holding at least 20 submitted fics that can't be posted until the recipient of those gifts turns theirs in as well!

Re: proofreading. Meh. I wish Lisa and I had been more explicit about this! We certainly were with *each other* and it was the whole reason for creating the beta resource list, but now it's leading to some snafus. So, for clarification, for both this fest AND hd_hols: we are proof-reading every fic submitted. In most cases this involves skimming the fic to double-check that is has been betaed (we did say fics needed to be betaed, at least). We're changing any typos we find, doing British spelling corrections in any fic that appears to be attempting British spelling (but has missed some) and I am doing canon capitalisations (FYI: Apparate/Appartion and Floo/Floo-ed are ALWAYS capitalised in canon. As are Bludger, Seeker, Keeper, Headmaster, etc.). We are then emailing said author, telling them we read through their story and did they mean to "insert tiny error we found" and is it okay if we change it on our master? If they say no, we leave it! This is a measure of basic quality control to make sure little errors that are easy to pick up on (also easy to miss!) and change can be fixed before posting. Because I WILL hit the back button on a fic that has multiple canon capitalisation errors, a misplaced modifier or two and an incorrect usage of who/whom, etc. in the first 500 words (though if a fic had these, we'd send them back for a second beta). Maybe that's just me, but I can't be the only one who is turned off by SPAG errors! (or even just multiple typos) And if there's all this plus OOC-ness and trite story telling? Major back-button moment! But I can deal with an imperfect fic if it is, at least, grammatically sound and well-written. And grammar rules are subjective and the basics are easily fixed. Mind, if I'm finding lots of stylistic grammatical uses, I leave it - it's not my place to judge style (unless you ask me to :P). Sorry for the manifesto but, yes, it's been on my mind!

Anyhow. I saw Borat yesterday with mk_tortie. I haven't laughed so hard in AGES! My cheeks hurt, I was laughing so much. But, why Americans, why? Why are you so stupid?!?!?! And OMG PROLONGED NUDE WRESTLING. YES. So I highly recommend this film to anyone who's wants a good, cheap laugh (literally cheap if you go to the Prince Charles Cinema! I only paid £1.50).

I have started my hd_hols fic. It's going to be... interesting. I am trying desperately not to turn it into a super long, plotty fic of doom. I already wrote one of those this spring, lol. I also need to finish my hp_crossover fic AND Life on Mars. Oh, and on a separate note *cough*, if there's anyone on my f-list who is an expert on British football, please comment. I may need you for something...

I think I told one of my co-workers I'm into HP slash, lol. It was amusing. But she basically flat out admitted she knows about fandom and has read HP fanfic, though I get the sense that, while she's read the porny stuff, she's not into it. But I didn't mention that I "don't do Harry het" so I basically admitted to being a slash fanatic, lol.

Um < /random update>

I forgot!!!

I bought hair dye, too! So I'm dying my hair red (really "warm medium auburn") on Sunday. In December I went blond for the first time in four years and I'm now tired of it, so it's back to red! There's just something about red hair that gives me a confidence that blond doesn't. And I will totally picspam with photos after I do it. I am also going to go to Vidal Sassoon next week and get a trainee haircut - something with a cute fringe and a thinned-out back. I'm super excited!!!

I'm also now at week three of Yoga of Doom and, yay, I don't ache anymore! I really feel like I'm getting somewhere, in terms of toning my legs/thighs/stomach/arms, which is something I've been wanting to do for ages. I'm now a proper UK size 16 (more or less!) which is very exciting, as that's a US 12 (though I'm still kind of teetering between a US 12 and 14, but UK sizes are cut a little bigger). Also, my yoga teacher/sister tells me I'm actually pretty good at somethings, such as getting my legs really straight when we do the shoulder stand, etc. which is nice. I'm crap at anything that involves my hips, but it's also interesting learning the limitations of my mis-aligned pelvis (oh, yeah, I have a mis-aligned pelvis, FYI :D). It's also good to find a form of exercise that won't aggravate said pelvis and lead to another sciatica attack (yes, I was a lame, far-too-young 19-year-old who had a bout of sciatica).

Work is okay, but I'm really starting to miss journalism/editing and am looking around for my next job already. If anyone in publishing/journalism has any leads, let me know, lol. Preferably in London! :D