Just get on with it...

[gilpin25]

Okay, so I've toyed with a number of possible topics for my first post. Pluto being turned into a Mickey Mouse Planet seems to have been well-covered, and then there's my worrying obsession with "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" Worrying because it's not a good sign when you've nothing better to do than watch TV on a Saturday night, and also because I'm not sure the obsession isn't with Andrew Lloyd-Webber as I keep casting him in suitable HP roles. (jesspallas aren't you into this? Obviously it's only to kill time until Strictly Come Dancing makes a triumphant return;))

But I've rejected both those, and catching up on my emails (to those who I owe one, please look on them as a WIP, and they'll be progressing soonish;)), to instead give a progress report on "Up All Night," the joint writing project mrstater and I are attempting. Not least, because she'd probably like to know if I've done anything today, or just enjoyed the sunshine. (Erm...;))

So ... we're doing alternate chapters, and so far we've completed a joint prologue and a long chapter each. I'm now three-quarters through chapter 3. Mrstater did a beautifully organised plan which, at various times, I have changed, ignored and, on one slightly embarrassing occasion, deleted by mistake. She's also put up with me adding the odd 3500 words to my first chapter, based on a supposedly good idea that was going to take half a page, and consequently having to write part of hers from the angle that mine was based on. Still, I like to think she's having a really good time!

As there's a vicious rumour going around - which I started - that this may never see the light of day, and as thousands of people are clamouring to know what's going on (or, to put it another way, a couple have politely enquired), I thought I'd give anyone who might have read this far a sneak preview of what to expect from an early chapter. And just to prove it really does exist ...



Sirius gave him a grin, which could only be described as smarmy. “You would think that, wouldn’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not that far removed from a young Minerva, is she? I remember you at fifteen hot-footing it to Transfiguration at a million miles an hour. The rest of us couldn’t keep up with you.”

“Minerva was an excellent teacher and I always enjoyed her class.” Remus firmly sent a fleeting image of his teenage self goggling at Professor McGonagall – it was those tartan plaids that always got him - to the outer most reaches of his mind. Hopefully it would get lost there in a passing black hole. “Anything else is a figment of your imagination.”

“You were a figment then, were you? Sat there, saying: ‘Please, Miss! Show us your cat, Miss!’”

“Getting back to the original topic of conversation just for a few minutes,” Remus said, coldly. Merlin, he wasn’t going to be able to look Minerva in the face at the next meeting. “Do you think you can ever mix work and romance?"

Sirius pulled a face. "You tell me. You're the one who thinks she's stately."

Comments

[modestyrabnott.livejournal.com]

I'm friending you, of course. Is that okay?

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Of course it is! :) And that's a fabulous icon ... ;)

[modestyrabnott.livejournal.com]

Thanks! mrspadf00t1 made it for me!

[wildmagelet.livejournal.com]

“You were a figment then, were you? Sat there, saying: ‘Please, Miss! Show us your cat, Miss!’”

“Getting back to the original topic of conversation just for a few minutes,” Remus said, coldly.

Thank you. :) That's going to have me giggling all day.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

The worrying thing is, that's actually one of the more sensible parts of the chapter. I had to give a lot of thought to which bit I could safely use as a preview! ;)

And thanks for friending me. :)

[wildmagelet.livejournal.com]

Well, can't wait to read it! :)

Thanks for friending back.

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

and then there's my worrying obsession with "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?"

You too, then?

*hangs head in shame*

And Remus with a crush on McGonagal? I always knew tartan was the way to a man's heart.... ;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Aha! I knew I wouldn't be alone in my madness, but somehow I didn't think you'd have succumbed to wondering if anyone is working Andrew from underneath that chair, and who on earth is voting for Simona? The husband and I are just transfixed...

As for Remus - so many layers, so much tartan. ;)

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

gilpin25, I hope you don't mind me giving away the big plot twist, but Tonks finally figures out how Remus feels about her by morphing plaid skin. And cat ears.

And of course I'm having fun. Your creativity greatly improves upon a tight outline. You haven't deviated too much from the plan. :)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I certainly think my creativity in deleting the new plan in favour of the old - and then not noticing for a week - made things more interesting. Perhaps we should have continued to work from different ones... ;)

And perhaps we should have dressed Tonks in tartan for her evening out,LOL.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

And perhaps we should have dressed Tonks in tartan for her evening out,LOL.

That would have been perfect if she'd been going to the McDonald's in our neighborhood, which thinks English pubs have plaid wallpaper and artword of fox hunts.

[mrstater.livejournal.com]

Artword = artwork sans a cup of coffee

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

Worryingly enough, I've been in English pubs that did have tartan wallpaper and pictures of fox hunts on the walls.....

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

Me three. It's got me too. Though Meliz should have gone last week and who the heck is voting for Simona? I'm rooting for Connie myself...:) And why the heckythump aren't they singing show tunes so that we can actually tell who can sing the part rather than crappy pop tunes that tell us nothing???? ;)

*ahem* Anyway....

I'm looking forward to the fic. Tartan... *sniggers*. :)

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

Connie's my favourite too, since she seems the most Maria-like to me. Although if my normal form with reality-type shows is anything to go by, my endorsement of her will no doubt be the kiss of death....

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Okay, so it's definitely a Midland's Madness... ;)

When it started, I thought Connie was head and shoulders above the rest, but I think the gap's narrowing, and the normal reality show factors are coming into play. Favourites rarely win (she may need to reveal a disability at a crucial stage;)), the public love an under-dog, an improver, and a story to latch onto - and then there's those artfully edited BBC clips where Connie either seems to be bitching about Simona, or having a hissy fit after a cross-country run.

Siobhan's very pretty, keeps crying, says all the right things and only got in as reserve. Very shrewd. Abi is trying The Darren Gough Approach, 'I'm so laidback and just here to have fun,' which is also a good move when you're up against a lot of divas. I think it's between the three of them.

I'm edging towards Abi, who I can see as an innocuous nun, but who seems to make-up very well (yes, I can out-bitch Connie;)) into someone more glamorous. BUT I agree they need to sing the show songs, we need to see them act a bit more, and a duet with the leading man would be nice, to see if there's some chemistry between them. Plus it would shut him up. ;)

The husband says when they get down to the final three, they should all be handed some curtains and a pair of scissors, and whoever makes the best clothes wins!

So, three-way discussion after next Saturday...?! ;)

[jdbracknell.livejournal.com]

They're definitely the top three, I think - Siobhan might win, depending I suppose if the dads watching can be bothered to vote for the one they fancy.

See you on Saturday for the post-match analysis ;).

[enomis57.livejournal.com]

Heeee, I love it! Very funny =) Poor Remus.....

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

He has a very hard time in our story, but he's also very good at taking care of himself. ;)

Magical You

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

I am humbled by your magicalness in getting yourself a shiny new layout.

(in a strange coincidence, my ailing iPod just decided to randomly play Phantom of the Opera)

‘Please, Miss! Show us your cat, Miss!’”

This line troubles me, or perhaps my mind is going places it shouldn't;)

Re: Magical You

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I had good teachers, I could recommend them to you, if you're interested? ;)

Please don't go to those places. That sort of thing isn't implied until chapter three. ;)

Re: Magical You

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

I had good teachers, I could recommend them to you, if you're interested? ;)

Please do, I should like to congratulate them;)

Please don't go to those places.

I shall do my best.

Re: Magical You

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Please do, I should like to congratulate them;)

Please don't. They may get big-headed, and there's enough Wonderful, Magical People around here. ;)

Next time you comment, could you arrive with your fabulous Kiefer icon, please? Are you a 24 fan and, if so, did you see he got the Emmy for it?

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

You mean this one? I've acquired another one too, but I shall save it for a rainy day. Yes, I'm a 24 fan but I'm only on series 4, since I was rather put off by series 3. Which I must say is rather splendiferous as not only do we get to drool over Kiefer but we have Roger too! I didn't see about the Emmy, was that for series 5?

Go you on the quoting and italics! I shall swoon over that in place of the cut.

Could you please enlighten me about this show competition soundy thing. I'm lacking a TV here to watch it, but it does sound like something that might just interest me.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

*Drools* Yep, that's the one.

It was for series 5, which is excellent. Twists from start to finish. It also got the Emmy for best show. And Curtis, eh? Well, I won't say anything as you're watching 4, but he's certainly got a nice set of muscles. ;)

"How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?" - Andrew Lloyd Webber, clearly in need of a hit, got together with the BBC to find a new Julie Andrews to star in his forthcoming stage production of "The Sound Of Music." Lots of girls interviewed, they were whittled down to ten, and each week the whole lot get tortured in true reality show style (singing/acting/dancing/army assault courses) for our entertainment. Three judges - nice judge, bitchy judge and John Barrowman, who is going to play the Christopher Plummer role - plus Andrew on a throne, with the Phantom Of The Opera Music played every time he opens his mouth. Oh, and Graham Norton hosts it all, and seems to have something very strange going on with Andrew...

See, it's compulsive. And that's before they even sing anything! Then there's the girls themselves, and the seperate competition as to who can cry the most. The over-whelming favourite is Connie, who has just missed out on West End roles before - and, I think, is fated to come second again. ;)

Have a look at www.bbc.co.uk/maria/ - you can download clips and see whether it makes your hills come alive! :)

And, once again, can I suggest you move to the Midlands??????? ;)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Taking the other new icon for a test drive - it rained earlier so that counts. I'll purchase a copy of 5 soon. It's kind of bad for my health as I'm not very good at switching it off. I watched Season 2 in 2 days. I'm a bit worried about Curtis now, wondering if he kicks the bucket or does a Nina.

Thanks for that. The show sounds like fun. I like John Barrowman - saw him in Anything Goes a couple of years ago. Lloyd Webber might drive me a bit round the twist - I have to skip past his speech when I watch his 50th birthday concert. I'll take a peek at the videos and hope that the nasty TV licencing people don't pop round this week (they keep threatening me, apparently they find it hard to believe that a person would choose not to have a TV), since the Beeb has recently declared that you need a licence to view their video content on the web.

By the way, I've decided that if I ever do cave and bring my telly up here, you've got to vet all the shows for me first - tell me what sucks and provide me with my very own reviews, kay?

And, once again, can I suggest you move to the Midlands??????? ;)

I'll think about it. Might be a bit of a commute, that is, when I actually do go into the office.

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

*now drooling over new icon*

By the way, I've decided that if I ever do cave and bring my telly up here, you've got to vet all the shows for me first - tell me what sucks and provide me with my very own reviews, kay?

So you think I've proved I've got good taste in TV shows do you? Presumably this is for 24, not Maria, LOL. Didn't realise you had to have a licence to watch video clips, seems a bit mean. That sounds my dream job actually - vetting and reviewing TV programmes. Pay me for it, and it's a deal. ;)

Don't know what to say about Curtis, in case you wouldn't want to know either way! But I'm smiling... :)

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

What do you think of this chap?

I reckon you'll do alright at the vetting - I'll let you know if I cave/my flat magically increases in size and I actually have room for the 28" monstrocity.

I made you an icon btw. It's not very good, I'm tweaking it. But I was wondering what kind of wording you wanted on that announcement;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Twenty years ago he was gorgeous, still nice now, especially his voice. I saw Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves three times at the cinema many years ago, for him and Christian Slater (while ignoring Kevin Costner). That do? ;)

You made me an icon? Look, I've gone bold, and italic, I'm so excited! Wording...any clues before I commit myself here?!

Any thoughts on my icon?

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

Twenty years ago he was gorgeous, still nice now, especially his voice. I saw Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves three times at the cinema many years ago, for him and Christian Slater (while ignoring Kevin Costner). That do? ;)

Yup. He can still pull it off. I love him in Dogma.

You made me an icon? Look, I've gone bold, and italic, I'm so excited! Wording...any clues before I commit myself here?!

I made two actually. On one of them, the wording is entirely down to me and will be with you as soon as I've figured out how to do the animation thingy (but I know you'd approve of the wording). The second makes that annoucement you've been bugging me about with a warning not to tell your husband - but I'm open to ideas about the wording for that one.

Any thoughts on my icon?

Am I supposed to be capable of thoughts after looking at that icon?

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I made two actually. On one of them, the wording is entirely down to me and will be with you as soon as I've figured out how to do the animation thingy (but I know you'd approve of the wording)

Do you know, I just knew I was going to pay for those emails somehow, LOL. Animation? Does your technical genius know no limits?! I'm sure I'm going to find all this hysterically magical... ;)

The second makes that annoucement you've been bugging me about with a warning not to tell your husband - but I'm open to ideas about the wording for that one.

'Remus & Gilpin: It's official!' (My marriage might survive then, as well;)) I've sent yet another of my six icon selection as inspiration.

[godricgal.livejournal.com]

My 'technical genius' does indeed know limits. Hence why I have to do something hideous, like read a manual, to find out about animation. I've discovered that the 'click and see what happens' approach doesn't work with Paintshop.

Magically I think the icon you might be expecting is the other one I considered making. But that is better left until my skills have evolved somewhat. But yes, it has been noted;)

I'll jump on the announcement tomorrow. Icon inspiration appreciated.

[gloryforever.livejournal.com]

Just gotta say ... This is my favorite-est picture of Mr. Thewlis ...

</ fangirling>

[gloryforever.livejournal.com]

Wow! Gilpin's come to LJ!! May I friend you???

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

Only if I can friend you back! :) And, be warned, I haven't worked out what all the buttons do yet ...

If David Thewlis looks like this in OotP, I'll have no complaints at all. ;)

[an-fhanai.livejournal.com]

*it was those tartan plaids that always got him*

I'm going to quietly giggle over this line all day. You and MrsTater need to stop teasing or you'll force some kind of retaliation from desperate readers. ;)

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure this isn't back-firing horribly on us. There's now rumours I'm writing Remus/McGonagall, and Mrs Tater's incorporating her chapter into her TH Series - so everyone's going to start eating potatoes, and the whole thing will turn out to be nothing but a smut-filled dream. And actually... ;)

And it shouldn't be much longer. We were aiming for mid-September and we might get near it.

My ironing's not going well. ;)