przed | Busy and Amused

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life,
takethat

Busy and Amused

It's been a hectic last few days. In no particular order, I've

Arranged the posting schedule for the

takethatslash Big Bang

Set up and sent out the templates for said Big Bang

Did one last, I-promise-this-is-the-last-time edit of my TT Big Bang story

Taken Ros for an all day outing to the Royal Winter Fair, including the horse show

Pulled everything out of our linen closet, washed all the shelves and walls and got half through laundering everything in the closet as part of an ongoing moth eradication scheme

Finally did the 2011 taxes for me and the Sweetie (bad!Zed) which kept me up far later that I was hoping last night because as I was just about to finish, the online service I was using suddenly lost all the income data I'd entered, aaaiiieeeee

Taken Ros, and me, to the dentist for our usual check ups

There are still mounds of sheets, towels and sweaters to wash before they can go back into the definitely moth-free closet, and too much work time today was spent in a meeting that 99% had nothing to do with me, but then I was poking around on Twitter, noticed Howard Donald had put up a new tweet, and it put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.

Oh, Howard. :D

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Hahahaha, oh Howard :P I bet he has no idea of the dark places our minds went to when he posted this...

Or he completely knows the dark places our minds went to and is messing with us. Either way, I luvvvvv him.

I also have moth problems, particularly in Portugal, and despite my LJ name, I am less than well-disposed towards the clothes moth variety!! Good luck!

We'd just started seeing moths around the house the last few months, but I've finally decided to stomp on them before they get worse. I cleaned out the laundry room, which is where they seemed to have started since I found a bunch, a couple of weeks ago. The linen closet didn't seem to have any yet, but I'm taking no chances since it's right across from the laundry room. Then it's on to our bedroom closets. That's going to be a big pile of no fun, but must be done.

I do hope your moth problems are under control.

For the time being I'm storing all bedding in airtight trunks. Clothes are more of a problem and one of my husband's sweaters suffered. I've been looking at some moth repellant balls for drawers and rings for coathangers. I think in the long run those have to be the best way to go. I remember even in her new and incredibly clean bungalow my mother had moth problems. So even though you can clear up a current infestation they will come into the house again!

I got a bunch of airtight containers to hold the off season stuff. I'm hoping to minimize the damage, since I haven't found anything that's been obviously moth-eaten. Yet. But it does sound like constant vigilance it what's needed, and that it's something that never goes away entirely. ::sigh::

I utterly love Howard ♥ And he is clearly rewarding you for all your busyness! *g*

Yep, I utterly love him too. If he keeps this up, he'll overtake Mark as my fave member of the band. ;-)

I've definitely been rewarded. And funnily enough, in the useless meeting I'd been stuck in just before I saw the tweet, I'd started working on a Mark/Howard story.

Howard is simply hilarious :D Where did he even find that pic! It's not one of the first to pop up when you search for them or something :p

Looking forward to your BB story so much!!

Twitter is clearly the perfect medium for Howard. His tweets consistently make me smile. And you almost have to figure he had that picture stored away, waiting for a rainy day. (Given the pictures he's posted lately, it's almost like he's got a file called "Goofy Pictures of Me" sitting on his laptop.

Hope you enjoy the BB story. I have to say it's one I'm rather proud of. I've been sitting on it for ages now, so I'm dying for it to see the light of day.

Wow you have been really busy, I'm exhausted just read all of this :D

I'm a bit on the knackered side myself. When my alarm went off at 5:30 this morning for my Tae Kwan Do class I very nearly wept. But I got up and did the class and felt better for it. (Clearly I'm a masochist.)

I don't know how you do it...can I please have a bit of your energy? Mine seems to have vanished. Or do you think if I asked him nicely he'd start searching for it, too? (I wonder where he'd go searching for it...*g*)

I more and more start to believe that it's not Robbie, but Howard who keeps 'em all informed about what is going on in the far corners of the internet. I mean, seriously, how'd he find that picture?? There's this picture from the Rule The World-Behind-the-scenes where he's showing Mark and Jason something on his laptop that gets a whole new meaning now... :)

I don't know that I've got much energy left. I have to say I've been pretty knackered this week. My plan for tonight is get Ros to bed, prep the Big Bang story, and go to bed very, very early.

I think you've got something there. He's cannier than he seems, our Howard. I mean, just look at him there...

Speak of being knackered...:( But I've got my Dublin-trip organized and prepared now, so I can work short days tomorrow and Friday, so there will be time to write. Fingers crossed there's no unpleasant surprises tomorrow...

This picture! It gets a whole new meaning now, doesn't it? And just look at how happy our Dougie is, completely smug! "See, Jay, this is what they call Donage..." And their reactions: happily surprised Jason ("Nice one!") and shocked Mark ("Surely that's not true?!"). Completely hetero, that band is...*g*

Here's hoping we're both significantly less knackered soon. (My plan is for lots of lovely sleep, and then getting up at five to post my story.) And that you have lots of lovely writing time. (I eagerly awaiting the next bits for beta!)

The picture! Yep, I love it even more now. Howard is definitely smug, but also really proud and pleased with himself. Jason is totally thinking "nice one!" And Mark's shock is utterly adorable. Donage on How's laptop would totally explain it all! (Yep, they're completely hetero. And manly! Let's not forget manly. *g*)

I'm with you! If I wasn't all that tired tonight you'd hear me squeeing - it's so exciting that you're posting!! I can't wait! Are you happy with your story now? Did the late changes work out??
I'm eagerly awaiting your next beta too. I've written fragments that need to be put together and edited. And I'm constantly swallowing the panic. *breathes*

Let's not forget manly! They are indeed a fine piece of macho manliness. Or how was that phrase Jason used to describe Howard with in that interview where Howard complained that everyone thought the others were gay and no one thought he was. ("I want to be gay, too!" - Howard, let's face it, is not just a real butch bloke, he's also a very serious and reasonable grown-up!) (How can anyone not love them???)

I have to say, I'm really pleased with the story. The last minute changes were just tiny tweaks--a few last things that had always bugged me but weren't substantive--and a couple of typos that had managed to get through.

No panic! Just breath and keep going! (I've got to tell myself this with the Secret Santa. Not to mention the three other Christmas stories my brain decided to start working on. And Yuletide! Yeah, no panic here.)

I think that was the phrase exactly that Jason used. God, they are far too adorable. Especially Howard, complaining that no one thinks he's gay. (Definitely a serious and reasonable grown up, our Howard. *g*)

That's great! You shouldn't just be pleased with this story, but with both of your BBs. Really, you should be pleased with yourself. Like Howard, you know? Big smug grin on your face and one hand on little Markie's arse! *g*

You've got to explain this whole Yuletide-thing to me one day, I'm not getting how this works. All I understand is it's very secretive, no?
And breathing and keep going is definitely the way - I can do this! *swings pom poms for herself*

See? I should be his publicist! *g*
It's a competition thing, isn't it? If everyone else in this band is thought to be gay then why not him?! Every serious and reasonable grown-up would be bugged by that! :) Besides, who's the one bandmember that rocks the man-liner???

I can manage the big smug grin, but the Sweetie will have to stand in for Markie where arses are concerned. *g* Not that that's a bad thing.

Yuletide is basically just a monster secret Santa story exchange aimed at small fandoms and with 2,000-ish people signing up. You request a story in three or four fandoms, and offer to write a story in one of four or more fandoms. (For purposes of Yuletide, TT counts as a small fandom, which is a definite incentive for me to sign up. Though I didn't draw TT to write this year.)

You should totally be Howard's publicist. *g*

They may be grown men, but they do sometimes act like kids on the playground, bless 'em. And Howard does indeed rock the man-liner. Mmmmmmm, man-liner. :D

Ahh, I'm sure the sweetie wouldn't mind standing in for Markie, would he?? *g*

It sounds nice, but a bit scary -do you know who you're writing for??

Most definitely! Anyone who can memorize almost everything Jason has ever said, is fluent in German and knows how to handle man-liner and guys with a very short span of attention is perfect for this job, right?? Mmmmmmmm, man-liner...

We just won't tell him he's standing in for Markie, and he'll be none the wiser. *g* (After a year and a half, he still can't remember who my favourite band member is. "It's Barlow, right?" "No!")

I don't know who I'm writing for, but she has tastes similar to mine, so I think it'll work out.

You are clearly perfectly qualified for the job. Especially the handling guys with short attention span part. And the man-liner part. ::daydreams about applying man-liner to certain band members:: <----This needs to go in a story. Now.

Ugh, of all 5 choices he chose The Barlow?? Ah, but I get that - self-protection, clearly. Hoping you're favourite is the one he obviously outshines easily...poor sweetie! (Mean me!)

It is scary then. I just saw a couple of people posting their "dear yuletide writer"-posts - so you get their LJ-names and troll their journals? Is there a word count??

Yes yes yes. *nods* Ah, I can keep the short-span-of-attention-guys busy! ("Markie, where are the cupcakes, mmh? Go, look for the cupcakes! Good boy!" - "Howard, come here! Look what I've got for ya! Fags! And a shiny new mobile with lots of new gadgets! Who loves his new mobile? Good boy!" - "Robbie, where's Jay's bum? Where is it? Put your hands on it when you've found it and don't let go!" - No need to take care of Jason, not once Robbie's found...erm... - "Gary! How often do I have to tell you to not use Howard's man-liner to write down notes! Jesus! See what you've done? Now Dougie's crying!" Okay, this may get harder than I first thought...)

And brilliant! Not that I haven't got a gazillion plot ideas for the SS already, just casually add applying of man-liner to it! *shakes fist*

By the way: I LOVELOVELOVE that we're kind of chatting! Am I keeping you off work? (I'm not even sorry, though??)

Edited 2012-11-14 20:03 (UTC)

It's either self-protection or he's being deliberately annoying. The latter might be more likely. ::eyes the Sweetie suspiciously::

We get the link to their "dear yuletide writer" letters, and then you can check out the rest of their LJ. It was scary the first year I did it, but now it's something I look forward to, in a "what wacky fandom will I pull this year" way.

Oh. My. God. You short-attention-span techniques made me howl. (Trust The Barlow to muck it up. *g*) But no nasty giving How fags! Him and Markie need to quit that habit!

Ya know, the man-liner could totally fit into the SS I'm working on. What the SS needs is more man-liner. Hmmmmm.

I LOVELOVELOVE that we're chatting too! No worries about work. I finished the project I was working on before lunch. Now I'm just pottering around looking for things to do.

Let's put it this way: it's very probably a mix of both - and who could blame him? Just imagine the many times you sat howling in front of your screen with the sweetie eyeing you suspiciously...*g*

But you're not allowed to tell what fandom you're writing for, right? It sounds intriguing, but scary as well. I'd not be sure if I could offer enough fandoms, so... Is your story available for a wider audience at some point??

Ah, worry not! Of course they're not real fags - chocolate fags only! That's why The Barlow mucks it up - he's not allowed any, or there'll be tears when he won't fit into his Vivienne Westwood suit next Saturday!

I'm even more looking forward to your SS-story now...sounds...yummy...
Funnily, I think applying of man-liner could work in mine as well...who I write for likes Donage and "first times"...*g*

Don't look any further! Just stay here with me!! :)

He's no doubt eyed me suspiciously quite often. *g* (I'm not quite sure that excuses the irksome/dumb nicknames he's given the boys, though.)

Yeah, you keep your Yuletide fandom a secret. Stories are anonymous for two weeks, then you can reveal what yours was. They go up on AO3. I'm very strategic in the fandoms I offer. Besides TT, only movies, and only ones I know well, so I don't have to scramble to watch 50 hours of source.

Ah, chocolate fags are fine. Except for Gary. Hee.

See, I just read "man-liner" and "Donage" and "first times" and my brain just about went into melt down. Phhwooaarrr.

Now I've got Greatest Day going through my head. "Stay close to me! Hold on!" :D

*g* He does deserve a medal, methinks! (Irksome/dumb nick names?? You got me curious now?!!?)

Sounds fun! How many writers are participating in general? And \o/ for your brilliant strategy!!

I gave them chewing gum fags first (less calories, you know?) - but after endless discussions with Jason about the downsides of saccharin and Robbie constantly swallowing the gum I dropped it. Except for Gary. *g*

It's quite overwhelming, isn't it?? It's a bit like a kid locked in the candy shop over night, no??

"Arms open wide! Hold on!"

Any medal he deserves might be undercut by said irksome/dumb nicknames he came up with. (He didn't even try to be clever with them. The best of the lot is Duckman for Howard. I shan't tell you the rest because they're really really dumb. It's a good thing I love him for other things. *g*)

Yuletide has around 2,000 participants. Which is nuts. And is why there's a computer algorithm to do the matchups. MInd you, I could have done with a computer algorithm for the TT SS. And that was only around 15 people. :-/

Those boys, they can't be trusted with anything. *g*

"Watch the world come alive tonight!"

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Busy and Amused

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