A Study in Contradictions

Oh man, I am so tired at the moment, and my best girl from school is here, and so I'm totally relying on Past!Lal having achieved things to put any substance at all into this post.

Luckily Past!Lal hasn't been too bad. At least she took some pictures to pretty up the place. And my friends continue to have opinions worth chronicling. Which is handy.

So! I went down to my boyfriend's parents house for a massive family party. After much preparation (during which Nat and I had the most middle-class argument ever. It was about bunting.) many friends of the family and neighbours and extended family descended on the house.

Every second conversation I had, summed up.

Me: Yes, I'm Nat's girlfriend.

Party Guest: OH! When are you getting married.

Me: *thinks* fuck RIGHT off I am TWENTY FOUR YEARS OLD.

Me: *actually says* You should ask (boyfriend's older brother) and (girlfriend)! *forced laugh*

I also met a girl who sat down by me and declared "I love this cake. I would marry this cake. I would make love to this cake." So apparently my willingness to discuss frosting sex is something even strangers can sense. Pictures! Party balloons, party tent, party dress and shoes.


Me: *posts (different) picture of self in dress to Twitter*
Twitter: CONGRATS ON THE BOOBS!
Me: *is very unsurprised*
Then on the following Monday I met my wonderful marmfish loves hanelissar, playwithfyr, hanelissarand altogetherisifor a day of geeky frolics in London Town. We had the best time. We went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the IMAX in exciting 3D, picnicked outside of Foyles and left TDL bookmarks about the place.

And then we went to see the preview screening of Let's Kill Hitler! SO MUCH EXCITEMENT, OMG.I managed to take one, very faily picture on my phone but oh, wow, you guys, I was SO CLOSE to the front it was AMAZING.


You can read my recounting of this marvellous event at my tumblr. And if you want to talk about the episode, I can finally do that! YESSS. Not spoiling people has been really hard.

Still very conflicted about Steven Moffat. For those of you playing along at home!

The very next day, having got the bus back from London, which takes 6 hours and meant I fell into bed at 6am, I had a hanelissar to stay. She was good to me in my times of sleep deprivation, and we only wept on each other about our Big Bangs a very little bit. A forest for my pines etcetc. Also there was baking, as per. We made all manner of chocolate chip cookies. Pony cookies! Ship cookies!

For his birthday Nat got tickets to Sunday at Leeds Festival, hurrah. It. Was. Awesome. I mean, it was cold. But awesome. I got to see the National live, which I've wanted to do for an age, and I got to see my best friend Lil be in charge of lighting a whole stage, and go stand with her in the technical area which makes you feel all fancy. She is a fabulous lady doing fabulous things in a completely male dominated industry and I couldn't be prouder.

And at the end of the night we saw Pulp and it was the perfect festival experience, thousands upon thousands of people dancing and singing and yelling lyrics into the night.

LEEDS! MUD! SUNSETS! MUSIC!

In the morning I discovered that I'd sent Moog an email at 2am. I do not remember typing this email, but my inbox suggests otherwise. In it, among other, crazier things (and by that I mean all caps versions of the ridiculous AUs that we are not writing, oh no, that would be ridiculous, what, why are you looking at us like that), I continued a conversation that had started a week or so ago on Twitter.
playwithfyr

Hey lovely flist!

Sorry about the hugely long entry of meme-ish doom that was my last post. I had fun, though!

There are a few things that either got lost in the word onslaught or are just awesome and I wanted to share.

LIST OF AWESOME 

1. In case you missed my GLEEFUL TWITTERING or the fact that I mention it every other sentence, I'm going to America! WHEEEEEEEEEEEE! I have flights booked now and everything. And by everything I mean a snazzy dress to wear to the Jamboree and an approved visa waive thing.

So far the plan looks like this

23rd March - Fly to New York \o/

23rd March to 30ish March - BE IN NEW YORK. Hang out with brimtoast . Bake her and her boyfriend cupcakes. Keep their cats out of the frosting. Wander the park (or possible The Park).  See a show. Ride the A train. ??? . It's a vague plan. If anyone wants to come hang out, have coffee or a beverage of your choice, that would be awesome.

Travel to Boston

31st March to 1st April - FANDOM CONVENTION OMGOMGOMG. Or muskratjamboree as I believe people who are not one giant ball of squee are calling it *g*. Much Glomping! Fangirl sleepovers with brimtoast , shiningartifact , novembersmith and swiiftly (yes we are all sharing one hotel room. No, I do not think we will get a lot of sleep) Attend panels! Convert many people to the awesome of bookdeyada! Try not to make an idiot of myself in front of amazing many people! PROFIT!

At some point - Return to New York

5th April - Turn 24 (Oh my god)

6th April - Return home /o\

2. My work contract has been extended! Whoo! Until the end of February, possibly a bit longer. Which means that I will be able to sort out my finances and also be able to afford to actually do some things in New York. I mean, the thought of having this job for too much longer is kind of upsetting but NEVER MIND *thinks of the money*

3. The company I work for are having a ball to celebrate the company's 10th birthday and new product launch. Which means I get to go to a swanky do for free and drink swanky drinks and wear a very swanky dress. That is to say, my old prom dress that I am jazzing up for the occasion. I've dragged it from house to house for 5 years, it's good that it's finally getting some wear. Also that I get to be all, oh, this old thing, I just CUSTOMISED IT MYSELF *is the most hipster*

4. The ever fabulous kaiserkuchen drew amaaaaaaaazing The Hunger Games art for yuletart which everyone should go marvel at. My new goal in life is to have Kaz draw me beatiful and kickass outfits and then have someone make them for me. Look at those dresses, people! Paper dolls are made of WIN, I used to have sets and sets of them when I was younger. Plus this art is somehow fashionable, lovely and creepy as all hell so, you know, KUDOS TO HER.

5. I got a really incredible cupcake book for Christmas (my relatives know me so well! My Granny, as she tends to do, also bought me incredibly fabulous jewellery because she kind of rocks like that) and it has so many recipes in it that I just keep reading it over and over in a bakery daze. It's like porn. But I love it extra specially because it has a recipe for Tiramisu cupcakes! This is only truly exciting news to people who have read the Inception coffeeshop AU but OMG I CAN MAKE TIRAMISU CAKE. Now all I need is an Eames to make the coffee.

OKAY STOPPING NOW. How is everyone? Do you want to talk about cake?!

Or, Things To Do in London When You're Cool!

Hey Guys.

So my dear friend brimtoast is visiting London this week, and wanted a list of cool not super touristy things to see and do with her parents while they're there. I have y few ideas, but I know that I have Flistees with good London knowledge, so I'm asking you all for ideas too.
And then we can create the greatest guide to London that livejournal has ever known!

Okay I'll start.

I lovelovelove the South Bank. It can be kinda busy and everything but still. There is always something cool going on, there's the really great bookshop that we had a marmfish picnic in, art exhibitions, the book fair, and let us not forget, the busker who sang a serial killer song especially for me.

In places to eat, I love the World Food Cafe in Neil's Yard near Covent Garden. There is also a amazing Moroccan restaurant there that I can't remember the name of for the life of me.

I say, go to the British Library, it's incredible.

Go for a drink in the new, gorgeous St Pancreas station and read the poetry in the floor.

What about you guys? Any suggestions?

(PS. Man, after this I am going to have to think of some sights to see in Leeds!)

(PPS look, I have worked out how to do line breaks on my phone \O/)

Hey you guys!

Not dead, or time travelling. Just faily.

So, other stuff forthcoming. But, whatever, I just want to catch up with everyone, say hi, hang out, you know the kind of thing.

This last weekend I spent with my three ex housemates. I hate just calling them my friends because I lived with them for a long time - with Belle for the best part of 4 years, actually -  and it feels inadequate to use such a catch all word as "friends" that I use for people who have not nursed me through tonsillitis, seen me naked, sung along to whole of the Sound of Music, talked me through my dissertation and know who the Invisible Friends are. You can find out more about them in a rambly thing I wrote about moving out of my last house.

Anyway, they all live in London now. Wren lives on a canal boat that her boyfriend rebuilt from practically nothing, which is kind of hilarious and bohemian, and very cool. She has just got a job at Hampton Court Palace. Belle is tutoring after finishing an intern-ship at UNICEF, and wants to be an English teacher, and Sal is going to do voluntary work overseas. I don't see them as much as I'd like.

It was a very cool weekend. I got there on Friday, by coach. I seem to have perfected the art of not making people want to sit next to me on the bus, which is a life skill and probably also a troubling reflection on my ability to look like a crazy person.

We managed to get free beers in a Cuban bar, which was a better reflection on all of us, and had pizza and concerned our fellow diners by appearing to talk in code and making very loud excited noises about everything, especially the puddings. We also talked about my ongoing unemployment.

Belle *very serious*: Have you considered a life of crime?
Me: Um...
Belle: My boss at UNICEF asked me that!
Wren: You do have a very deceptive face. Just promise you won't go into terrorism.
Me: I was thinking something more along the lines of international jewel thief.
Wren: I'm sure it's a very glamorous life and not at all dangerous.
Me: Exactly. Now I know what to put on my Career Objectives.

Me and Wren were staying in the spare room in Belle's house, and even though we were both really tired, in the best tradition of the sleepover, we stayed up really late talking about nonsense.

Wren: Who is that guy who sings 'Summer of '69'?
Me: Bon Jovi? Oh, no, Bryan Adams. I get them confused.
Wren: Oh yes. I get him confused with Phil Collins.
Me: But they aren't anything alike! One has bad hair and is Canadian and the other is the fat drummer from Genesis. It's not like you are getting him confused with Ryan Adams.
Wren: There is also Ryan Adams? Who is he?

And so then I sung a lot of songs by people who were Big In The 90s. I'm still not sure if Wren knows who Ryan Adams, but my version of 'Baby, When You're Gone' was pretty good for 1.30am, if I say so myself.

On Saturday, over breakfast and Earl Grey tea, we looked at election maps and tried to work out what the hell had happened in our national election. The answer, No one Knows! Which is... confusing. Frankly. But it was interesting to see all the speculation, and also to mock the Conservatives. It's always a fun game, but tempered greatly by the thought of David Cameron representing our nation to the world. So. Upsetting.

We went to Covent Garden for lunch, which was awesome as usual. On the way there all my friends were very harsh about tourists on the Tube and I tutted at them and reminded them of their hick roots. Although, it is annoying when people stop suddenly in the middle of the corridor because they are lost. God, I'm such a hypocrite. While waiting for Sal and her boyfriend in the café we managed to accidentally steal a chair from Noted Comedian Frank Skinner.

Then we went to The British Library. It was AMAZING. Their Treasures of the Library exhibition is incredible! I saw the original copy of Jane Eyre. JANE EYRE in Charlotte Bronte's own hand. And Jane Austen's early writing and the first draft of Tess of the D'Ubervilles with crossings out and rewrites. It was so cool. We had so much fun. I love my geeky friends and our massive amounts of dorky glee.  

Then we went back and made lasagne and Wren filled me in on about a year of Home and Away. It's a seriously ridiculous Australian soap opera that we used to watch together. It mostly consisted of finding out which of the characters had slept with which others, who had died and who had been allowed to live Summer Bay and have a normal life.

Wren: And so she got cancer and died and now her brother has come back oh and do you remember Martha well her boyfriend was thought to be dead only he wasn't and she has only just found out...
Me: Did she have to go stare pensively at the sea?
Wren: For like, a whole episode. She just watched the sea and cried.
Me: I love Home And Away.
Belle's Boyfriend (who has never seen a single episode in his life): What about Bob?
Wren: What?
Me: Oh, he's dead.
*about a minute later*
BB: What about Dave?
Me: Oh, he's dead.
BB: How sad.
Me: Yeah. He drowned looking pensively at the sea.

On Sunday we went to Brick Lane market and people watched and clothes watched, which is like people watching only with more emphasis on their outfits. We had coffee and tea about once an hour because it was so cold. I also lusted after a lot of really gorgeous steampunk jewellery, including some lovely pocketwatch pendants.

All in all it was most delightful! On the bus back I curled up with some podfic (<3) and then wrote some fic. It was probably for the that no one came to sit next to me. I find it hard to write with someone looking over my shoulder.

Since being back I have caught up on my best new show (Over The Rainbow! My love knows no bounds!) and started on Kaz's best show. She sent me all of Season 2 of Supernatural on DVD. I was warned about the shows extremely poor attitude to women (someone once described it as "the show that will not suffer a bitch to live") so I went in with very low expectation. However, NO ONE WARNED ME THAT IS TERRIFYING. Holy hell. I watched some episodes alone and at night and this was a very, very bad plan. I scare easily and dislike horror movies. AHH.

Well, that is what I have been up to? How about y'all? I have missed you! Have you done or seen anything cool? Are you okay? Is there anything you want to ask me?

LET'S CATCH UP.