(no subject)

[gilpin25]

So you come back from holiday and you have homework. The best part seems to be that I have five new stories to read, I'm not quite so sure about the Battle Cry thing which, apparently, I just had to discover...

What Is Your Battle Cry?

Striding on the wasteland, carrying a vorpal blade, cometh Gilpin! And she gives an ominous bellow: "I'm going to bludgeon you with such reckless abandon, you will drink poison and piss honey!"

Find out! Enter username: Are you a girl, or a guy ?

created by beatings : powered by monkeys

Is it me being paranoid or do I sound a bit Xena-like? Well, Xena-like if she was a shot-putter with hairy armpits, strapping thighs, and probably a beard that ladybracknell would recognise... No, I'm not convinced by this one, although there's a fair few people I could bludgeon with a lot of abandon, and obviously I do have an interesting turn of phrase there. ;)


Next I was tagged by bratty_jedi, pandorajones and celtmama to do a meme. I thought I'd given these up, but obviously it was only for a week's trial period.




1. My maiden name is Italian, although it doesn't sound particularly so. My Dad researched our Family Tree and found out that part of the family fell out with the other back in the late 1700's and, in a bit of a huff, set sail for fame and fortune in England. (Apparently leaving a vast amount of wealth back in Italy with the other lot, which says a great deal for our intelligence). They ended up in Yorkshire, founded a firm of stonemasons, and helped build part of Ripon Cathedral. Another lot took the wrong turn in their boat and ended up in Ireland, which also says a lot for our navigational skills. Needless to say, I live in hope that one day some Italian count will turn up on my doorstep, and cry 'Bonjourno! I bring all zat lira you are owed!'

2. I've got a small scar in front of my ear where I fell off a pony as a child, and he galloped over the top of me, giving me a whack on the head as he went. An inch the other way and, as they kept telling me while sewing me up, he'd have taken my ear off. I was more upset by having to have my hair shaved.

3. I used to do a lot of dancing as a child - ballet, tap, ballroom - and the summit of my ballet career was playing Mary, Mary Quite Contrary (yes, it was type-casting) at our local theatre. Shortly after this, the ballet teacher told me I couldn't do ballet and ride horses, so I'd have to choose between them. I never went to ballet again, and gave the other two up shortly afterwards so I could concentrate properly on falling off horses.

4. I met my husband at a badminton club. We played a game together, were thrashed, and agreed we'd avoid each other like the plague in future as we were clearly incompatible.

5. My best mate and I used to spend our days off from work at the cinema. We once saw five films in one day, including the same one twice. We had rectangular eyes afterwards, and a few problems for weeks afterwards with people who made a noise in front of us or went anywhere near popcorn.

6. On my first date with my eventual husband he took me to the cinema to see "Stargate." It was sold out when we got there, but in an incredibly impressive moment he marched up to the desk, asked if any tickets had been returned or someone not turned up (we were late), and triumphantly returned with two tickets. We sat in the back row, I got an eyelash in my eye for the last few minutes and couldn't see a thing (until I saw it on video I had no idea how it had ended), and when the credits rolled I left him there and ran for the loo, shouting 'Don't worry! Back soon!' One streaming eye and a lot of assurances that I wasn't crying at the film later, he decided to take me to a restaurant he knew - it was closed - so we ate chips in McDonalds and then went for a walk. It was a starry night and he knew the name of every star and every constellation, much like ladybracknell's Werewolf chapter. I was hooked...

I won't tag anyone else because I'm already late with my homework. Hopefully I'll get detention with Remus. ;)





That's it. I'm going off to read other people's fics so as to distract me from all thoughts of tomorrow when it's fic posting day. mrstater says I'm not allowed to tweak any more. I think I need some earthy potato drink...

Comments

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Needless to say, I live in hope that one day some Italian count will turn up on my doorstep, and cry 'Bonjourno! I bring all zat lira you are owed!'

What if you end up with Roberto Benigni?

We once saw five films in one day, including the same one twice. We had rectangular eyes afterwards, and a few problems for weeks afterwards with people who made a noise in front of us or went anywhere near popcorn.

So are you one of those people who could watch all three LotR movies back-to-back in a movie theatre? Which five did you see?

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

I'm going off to read other people's fics so as to distract me from all thoughts of tomorrow when it's fic posting day. mrstater says I'm not allowed to tweak any more.

Heh. No more teasing me about waking up too early with a nervous tummy when it's posting day.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

No more teasing me about waking up too early with a nervous tummy when it's posting day.

I'm fine when it's just me! It's all right for you - you can claim, justifiably, that I made you do it. What am I going to say? I drunk too many potato-rich beers beforehand? ;)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

you can claim, justifiably, that I made you do it.

Except didn't I make you do it? When did we start writing it? June? Earlier?

Michael Keaton? Well, he was the best Batman before Christian Bale, so I guess I'll not raise my eyebrows too high. And you do have good taste with The Hot Faun and Aragorn. And of course David Tennant.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Except didn't I make you do it?

YES, you did, I remember now! It was your idea that we did one together, and I was far too polite to say I wanted to write a one-legged stripper fic with molly_coddles.

I feel better now I can blame someone else. Thank you. :)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

It was your idea that we did one together, and I was far too polite to say I wanted to write a one-legged stripper fic with molly_coddles.

You should have been polite. Though I'm kind of worried when your choices are stripping and poop. Really, R/T has degenerated into a lot of slapstick, hasn't it? ;)

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

I believe I detect a note of heavy sarcasm there...

Hmpf. See if I name any more respectable pole-aerobics instructors after you. *snort*

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Not true! Despite being the Queen Of Sarcasm, I can't tell you how thrilled I was to have a one-legged stripper named after me. I shall be reading it again to cheer me up about tomorrow.

I think the most flattering bit is that you think I can bend my back into so many interesting positions... ;)

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

Uh huh, like I'd believe anyone in their right mind would prefer writing about a one-legged stripper than Remus and potato-less fecal matter.
Oh, wait...

As for the Gumby-like bendability, you seem like the flexible sort. ;)

Say, since you're so inspirational with names, I need one for a mouse. If you were Sirius, what would you go with? Midge (Mary, Mungo and Midge), Mary/William (The Witches, Roald Dahl) or Mr. A (Monty Python's Flying Circus)?

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

If I was Sirius I'd avoid curtain shops like the plague... Sorry, that wasn't the question, was it? Out of the choice, I like Midge. But there's Mickey, Mighty, Jerry and my friend's little boy has called his pair Cheddar and Trap. But he is a bit strange... ;)

Midge is cute. :) But is this for a one legged stripping mouse?!

[bratty-jedi.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I want to know how a mouse would go about stripping...

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

Perhaps he would eat a Canary Cream and moult in the middle of a lap dance.

[bratty-jedi.livejournal.com]

But then he wouldn't really be a stripping!mouse. He'd be a cananry stripping into a mouse, which is an all together different breed of insanity.

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

Perhaps he's not really a mouse... No, it's Ron Stoppable's naked mole rat, Rufus, from Kimione Possible! And the feathers... Rufus has strung them together to make a boa and is dancing in a very provacative manner. Oh my... Someone has tucked a burrito in his g-string. Isn't he spicy?! HOT!
Oh no! Doctor Draco vows vengance! He demands satisfaction. *gasp* Kimione has turned Doctor Draco into a ferret.
RUFUS! No! Ron told you to 'grab his tail,' not 'get some tail'!
We could almost feel sorry for poor Doctor Draco, except... he seems to be enjoying it. Oh great gerbiling genderbenders, so THAT'S where Doctor Draco gets all his hair gel...

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

No, no curtain shopping. Just a bit of Tonks baiting. And subsequent entrapment. I've been struck by a sudden bolt of ionic inspiration. ;)

I think I like your friend's little boy. He sounds like my kind of kid.

*snicker* If it was a one-legged mouse, I believe I'd name him Lucky. Hm. Would Sirius name a mouse Wary - since he doesn't know if it's a William or Mary?

Midge is striking an odd tone with me. Cute, but maybe a bit too cute for this. Also, Midge is the controversially pregnant Barbie doll. Which is funny in its own right, really... but I'm liking this Wary idea a little too much. It seems to be fitting right into this horribly warped fic in frighteningly easy way. Oh poor, poor Tonks...

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

If it's a warped fic, then Wary sounds very suitable and very Sirius. (I forgot Dangermouse as well, which is on the same lines. And congratulations on making me go to sleep thinking about mouse names, there's not many people who could do that, LOL).

A controversially pregnant Barbie doll?! I miss out on these things not having kids, but perhaps it's as well in this case. Whatever would Sindy think... ;)

[molly-coddles.livejournal.com]

It wasn't my kids who expressed interest in prego Midge. I had to buy the entire Happy Family off ebay for my aunt a few years back. It wasn't a proud moment, I assure you. I requested they ship the package in plain brown wrapping with no return address.

Did the mice inspire cheesy dreams? I daresay you'd lose less favor with the husband by muttering "Dangermouse" in your sleep than, say, "Remus..." ;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Your aunt?! Relatives are such a worry, aren't they? The tales I could tell about mine, and probably will, while disguising them as 'inspired' R/T stories. Haven't got anyone who mud wrestles - as far as I know - but you know you want to do it... ;)

I do talk in my sleep occasionally, and I do worry about the 'R' word slipping out. My one hope is he won't hear it above his own snoring.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

What if you end up with Roberto Benigni?

I'd just like to sort the money problem out first. Then I'm sure we'd get along fine, as long as I avoid bellowing my battle cry.

So are you one of those people who could watch all three LotR movie back-to-bak in a movie theatre?

Well I could certainly watch the Aragorn parts back-to-back, or front-to-front. Might fall asleep when Frodo's on his never-ending walk... ;) Seriously, I don't know, I was young and foolhardy then. Plus neither of us appeared to need much in the way of food, fresh air or loo visits.

Which five did you see?

It was Batman time and we had a bit of a thing about Michael Keaton so we saw Batman, Batman Returns, Wayne's World, Batman Returns again (Or, Batman Returns, Returns) and, I think, Howard's End. Interesting combination!

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

I actually think poison into honey would be a pretty neat party trick!

I too used to see multiple films in a day, back when I was a student and it was only a pound per film on Wednesdays, and I lived across the road from the cinema. A friend and I saw Speed four times in a row (and for ages, liking Speed so much was my guilty secret, becasue I had no idea why I liked it so much. Then I found out Joss Whedon wrote it, and it all suddenly made sense), powered largely by Haribo and Diet Coke.

I actually think all 3 LOTR films would be no problem for me, since once I took a day off and watched an entire series of Buffy....

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

We tried to do the extended trilogy on New Year's Day and made it about halfway through TTT before we both konked out. And that was with a sandwich break, and a chips and dip break, in the comfort of our own home.

Joss Whedon wrote Speed? I had no idea.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

I can watch TV for days at a time if I'm in the mood. There was a Ray Mears (who you've probably never heard of, but anyway) marathon on TV recently, and I got completely engrossed in that for a good half a day. Give me a good DVD boxset and I'll keep myself amused for hours....

Joss Whedon wrote Speed? I had no idea

Yeah, he's responsible for most of it, although he didn't get credited as the writer for some daft political reason (which he's not at all bitter about ;)). Can't even remember how I know this - I think I saw an interview with him about writing Toy Story and it came up in that....

But as soon as I found out, I could very much see it in the dialogue.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

I can watch TV for days at a time if I'm in the mood.

So can we, which is why I'm really surprised we couldn't make it through the LotR trilogy. We've watched all of LOST season one in about four days, same when we caught up on Doctor Who...

I think I saw an interview with him about writing Toy Story and it came up in that....

I didn't know that either! I love him even more now.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

I'm a mind of useless Joss facts. How come this stuff never comes up in Trivial Persuit?

I've always been a bit of a TV junkie - when I was 16 and I had to pick an English Language project for coursework at school, I picked studying the language of television comedy, just an excuse to watch all my favourite things repeatedly. I tell myself it's all useful research, but clearly that's just a front ;).

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

I picked studying the language of television comedy, just an excuse to watch all my favourite things repeatedly. I tell myself it's all useful research, but clearly that's just a front.

Heh. Yeah, I took a screenwriting class in college almost purely based on the course description being that lectures consisted of watching a movie a week. Though it did turn out to be a genre of writing I was surprisingly good at, so it wasn't a total blow-off...

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

I took a Shakespeare on Screen course at uni for the same reason - we got to watch a different film adaptation every week, and there wasn't any reading (which, as I was doing pure English was a relief, because the term before, I'd been attempting to read 8 novels a week).

Unfortunately, it did mean that on Valentine's Day, I got to watch half a dozen different versions of Desdemona's death in Othello - think my lecturer had been dumped, or something!

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

I was doing pure English was a relief, because the term before, I'd been attempting to read 8 novels a week).

Ugh, been there, done that. My last semseter, and I'd just gotten married, was 18th century British novels, 17th century British poetry, Malory, Creative Writing, and Writing for the Popular Market, and I nearly died...

When I took Shakespeare, I checked out taped stage versions from the library, and it helped with the reading...Though my absolute favorite had to be Anthony Hopkins as Othello. Somehow the racial imagery just didn't quite transcend the casting. Hee

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

If you think that's bad, you should see the Lawrence Olivier version.... Never has one man worn so much boot polish on his face and done so much wide-eyed emoting in the name of art. It's not as good as his Henry V, mind you, which has some of the worst men in tights footage of all time. I didn't know where to look.

I think my low point in uni was when I ran into my best mate when I was on the way to the library to do some last minute research on my dissertation - I asked him how his was going and he said 'Fine - just handed it in, actually - I'm off to Spain for two weeks'. I hadn't even started mine.

The worst thing about the 8 books a week period was that, at the time, I was living with a bunch of slacker media students - they'd all come home, whinging about how much work they had to do, when all they really had to do was watch 2 videos and write 500 words on the mis-en-scene, whilst I was reading Proust with one hand and cooking dinner with the other.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Never has one man worn so much boot polish on his face and done so much wide-eyed emoting in the name of art.

I'm not sure which is worse: that Lawrence Olivier tried to be black, or that Anthony Hopkins didn't try to be black.

they'd all come home, whinging about how much work they had to do, when all they really had to do was watch 2 videos and write 500 words on the mis-en-scene, whilst I was reading Proust with one hand and cooking dinner with the other.

See, I didn't get to whinge properly because the husband was doing a two hour there and two hour back commute to work every day so I could finish school...I felt I had nothing on him, since I at least got sleep...

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I didn't know Joss Whedon wrote Speed either. You've made me feel better because I always thought it was some embarrassing Keanu Moment, which never occurred in any other film. We only saw it twice at the cinema so you beat us. But Wednesdays was our day too, so it's fun to think we were all sat there square-eyed and happy, keeping the film companies going. ;)

We did TV Marathons as well - we were head of the Moonlighting Fan Club at work, and at the end of a series used to spend a day watching the whole lot. Bruce Willis had hair then, of course. ;) There were also plenty of Buffy ones, finishing at about four in the morning when one of us fell asleep.

Is that Survival Ray Mears you spent the afternoon with? He's the only one I can think of...

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

Yes! Not a show I'd ever have watched normally, but I was knackered from painting a ceiling, and in the mood for something mindless - after a while I started to find his calm rubbing off and found myself very soothed. Plus I can now tie four new kinds of knot.

I too initially put Speed's appeal down to the tight white vest of Keanu - even though I'd never found him especially attractive before. Or since, come to think about it. Except maybe in The Matrix.

And how much did I love Moonlighting? Er, lots. I keep meaning to investigate it on DVD, but almost don't want to in case it's not as good as I remember.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Can we do a Moonlighting quotes session some time? My mate and I still say 'Is this a great moment in sport or what?' and 'Do bees bee etc.?' We absolutely loved it until she got enormously pregnant.

I've got them all on video - some have dated badly, but the early ones are still brilliant. You have to ignore her shoulder pads and very shiny tin foil dresses though. ;)

Does the Alan Davies icon mean you're a Jonathan Creek fan? Or just him? I like him, loved that show. Especially the Anthony Stewart Head pilot.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

"You have the morals of a rabbit, the character of a slug, and the brain of a platypus."

One of the greatest insults, ever.

Am a massive Alan Davies fan, ever since I saw him in some comedy dive doing his alsation routine. I saw him about four times live, I think - on one occasion laughing so hard that I pulled a muscle in my stomach. Very much looking forward to the new series of QI, since Stephen Fry is also in my top ten favourite famous people.

And I just loved Jonathan Creek - one of my favourite TV shows of all time. I think the dialogue in it is fabulous, and The Boyfriend and I still use the 'the lightness of touch you have in the kitchen is a joy to behold' line whenever one of us does something disasterous with food. The one with Rik Mayal in is hilarious.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

One of my favourites was 'David! What are you doing down there?' and the reply 'If you've got to ask, I must not be doing it right.' And I could probably still do the whole 'Man who's Chinese with a mole on his nose, with some kind of clothes that you can't suppose' speech if necessary. Yes, I'm that sad, but you knew that anyway. ;)

Sadly I've never seen Alan Davies live, but he's one of those people I just have to look at and he makes me laugh. Especially in his Jonathan Creek duffle coat. I'd forgotten the 'lightness of touch' quote, it'll come in useful.

And these TV shows seem to be piling up (perhaps we should start our own channel, though you'll have to convert me to Ray Mears;)), but we never miss QI either. For Stephen, Alan and, though I normally don't like her, I always really enjoy them when they have Jo Brand on it.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

Have you read Stephen Fry's autobiography? If not, I'd heartily recommend it - I laughed so hard whilst reading it that I actually fell off the sofa - twice. I really enjoy QI, since quite often, I know the answers because I've always collected random facts. I am the person at a party who fills an awkward conversational gap with 'did you know, two thousand people every year die falling down the stairs whilst putting on their socks?'. And Bill Bailey's probably my favourite guest, because he cracks me up - although any time they make Alan draw you normally know you're onto a winner.

If memory serves, the Jonathan Creek duffle coat is actually Alan's own one - he turned up in it on the first day of filming, and they liked it so much they decided to go with it. See? Another useless factoid.

We should definitely set up our own TV station. I suppose you liked The Mary Whitehouse Experience too?

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I haven't read his autobiography, but as I am supposed to be currently compiling a list of 'I Wants' from Amazon I'll add it to it. I'm sure I'd love it, I just marvel at his intelligence as well as his wit. Just to go off at a slightly related tangent, have you ever read the novel Hugh Laurie wrote a few years back? I really enjoyed it, shame he's gone off to fame and fortune over the water.

I'm sure you're right about the duffle coat as somewhere in the library that is our spare bedroom (if you stay over at our house, it's important not to have a phobia about going to sleep surrounded by books), we've got one about the series my husband was given a few years back. I'll have to dig it out. I very much like random useless facts too, so QI is the perfect show really.

The Mary Whitehouse Experience - not obsessively, but yes. Of course! We must have enough programmes for a day's viewing now. ;)

[joely-jo.livejournal.com]

This is metamorfic_moon posting day, yeah?

I shall drop over to have a peek at what you guys have written, I think. I'm sorry I didn't sign up, but I've just completely lost my R/T muse at the moment... I suppose a challenge would have helped, but I just didn't think I could have written 1000 words when it's not flowing...

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Actually no, there are two weeks left to sign up, and then prompts get assigned October 1, and there's another 10 days after that to write. So you've time to find an R/T muse, we'd love to have you join in!

[joely-jo.livejournal.com]

Eh. I don't know... My problem is that when it's not flowing I usually have a crisis of confidence and can't envisage me writing anything that isn't total pants. Plus the prompts all seem REALLY hard.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I find it helps no end if you visualise David Tennant as Remus, and the muse seems to get a new lease of life... As for the metamorfic prompts - I'm burying my head in the sand until I've got to worry about them, an attitude that gets me through lots of difficult potential prompt situations, LOL. ;)

The posting I'm wetting myself about is the joint fic mrstater and I have written together. The first chapter - well it's a prologue - is being posted tomorrow, unless I emigrate in the meantime. It's ten times worse when it's joint responsibility than when it's just me, and I can think 'Oh, sod it!'

And your R/T multi-chaptered one is one of my five to read. :)

[joely-jo.livejournal.com]

*giggles* I would like visualise David Tennant as any HP character except Barty Crouch Jr... much as I loved him Evil!Son turn, it didn't do anything for my fic writing soul. And anyway, Thewlis is more than hot enough for me...

My problem with the prompts is two-fold. First of all some of them I would need to look up on the HP Lexicon in order to understand, and second of all, for most of them all I can think of is crack!fic and I know that's NOT what you're all looking for... ;)

You're very brave writing a joint fic. When my muse is with me, she's mine and only mine... And I don't think I've ever known another writer in the same fandom well enough to want to share her. But, I shall make sure I check in for a read. Provided RL doesn't intervene...

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

all I can think of is crack!fic and I know that's NOT what you're all looking for...

I may be in trouble then, LOL. You can ignore one of the prompts if you don't like it, and...there's always sneaky ways round these things. Or am I reverting to my school/college days again?! Anyway you should be very, very good at school things! ;)

You're very brave writing a joint fic

Mad or brave?! We're about to find out. It's been a lot of fun bouncing ideas around, it's just the 50% responsibility that weighs very heavy. But we'd love you to stop by, and I'll obviously send a card from the airport where I'll be waiting to board my plane! ;)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

And see, I like that 50% of the responsibility doesn't fall on me. :)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Reading though this thread, I have lots of highly intelligent things to say, but I'm doubting my capacity for word smithing right now since I've been up for far too long and was convinced that cocktails are a good idea on your birthday.

Just to say though, I think that in light of your hereditary poor navigational skills, perhaps you might think about fixing that and heading back to London, rather than insist that I migrate to the Midlands.

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's what I meant to say, A+ on the homework. Extra points for getting it turned in so soon. ;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you're having a good Birthday if you've ended up cocktailed. ;)

Not sure I deserve A+. I forgot the mildly amusing holiday tales about us unwittingly causing distress and blisters to innocent Americans abroad. Still I'll wait and see if any Americans are still speaking to me after today.

And I'm the one in the family with the sense of direction! The Italian blood must be very diluted, though I loved Italian food before I couldn't eat it any more.

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

The amusing holiday tales were part of another assignment, you can do that later. ;)

It was a good evening, problem with the cocktails was that the barman didn't seem to see the need for a measuring device, and he's obviously a generous man, cute too actually.