The Icon Faerie

So, watching Ripley's Believe it or Not just now, I found out that Swansea, Wales is home to the world's largest rubber band ball. Also, werewolves. And a lot of sheep.

Oh, Wales.

So I haven't updated much because honestly it's been kind of low-key around here, but today I finally have good news, so here's what's been going on in the last week.

1. I worked two days in a week for the first time in a long time. I love pretending like I'm going to be a contributing member of society.

2. I joined westerosorting and am working diligently on finishing AFFC so that I can get my app in so I can find out what great house I belong to. \o/

3. I am taking my second GRE on Saturday and I have been relearning how to do algebra, geometry, fractions, and learning about statistics and probability so that I can do better than I did originally. I also wish that I could somehow inherently improve my essay writing skillz like a mofo but alas I don't think it's going to happen. I'm just going to have to make sure that I'm doing my best.

4. On the TV front, my mom has started watching Dirty Sexy Money with me, and my dad has taken to watching Heroes with me so that he can make fun of me when I make noises and yell at the TV. I also finally finished Angel (I liked it, but not as much as I liked Buffy -- it had its moments, like Smile Time wherein Angel becomes a puppet). Joss always kills my favorites, though. The bastard. :( With Angel behind me I no longer have an excuse for not writing Reneesme Cullen/Connor Angel-slash-Reilly I can now watch Doctor Who and Torchwood, which I have started to do -- Doctor Who, anyway. I'm making myself wait for Torchwood (WAH). I think I secretly adore Christopher Eccleston and I want a TARDIS for Christmas.

5. There were many lolz to be had in RP last night. LOLZ are the only reason I do anything anymore.

6. I was contemplating doing NaNoWriMo because I really, really want to and I have an idea and everything, but I'm just not sure. I don't want to start it and be on track only to not do anything for three days in the middle of the month and then boom get behind and discouraged. I might do it anyway, since I don't have pile of homework and three term papers like I have in years past. >_>

7. One reason I love my Movie Gallery job: I get to talk about movies and be paid for it. My co-worker and I last Saturday talked about scary movies with basically every customer who came in and wanted a copy of The Happening, which we can't seem to keep on the shelf. She can't do them at all, and my problem is that I can never seem to find one that's scary enough. The last one I saw that I was truly scared by was The Blair Witch Project which -- okay, say what you want about that movie, but when you're twelve, watching it in the middle of the night because you know your parents wouldn't let you, and watching it in the dark lest mom and dad become suspicious... that is a fucking scary movie. I did not want to get up off the couch to turn off the TV. Maybe I'm too cynical for scary movies, I just end up thinking, "Man. That's lame," and I inevitably get bored.

8. Friday we were all ready to go to my brother's play(s) and then BAM my sister called my mom and asked if anyone was going to come get her. It was her fall break, except she had neglected to tell anyone this until that point. So we changed our plans and went to Cedar Rapids to get her. I took her back yesterday, and reminded her to tell us the next time she wanted to come home. I'm glad that we got to go to CR, though, I love road tripping with my family because seriously. Some of the stuff that happens when I'm out with all of them I could not make up if I tried.

9. Finally, I got that job I interviewed last week for and I am going tonight to do paperwork. \o/ I am going to go crazy but you know what, at least I will be paid. Not particularly well paid, but still paid.

Reason 48029 Aaron Sorkin Rules Me.

If you don't want to click that link based on that, then let me tell you that it is a meeting of Barack Obama and Jed Bartlet. Now see if you want to click on that link.

Yeah. That's what I thought you said! :)

Mandy's leg is asleep and it is the FUNNIEST THING EVER.

Found a surprise in my bed whilst sleeping last night. My mother brought home the dentist office's copy of the most recent People that has Orlando Bloom on the cover and left it there. How nice. I'm just going to enjoy going around today and probably for a few days hence saying I've had Orlando Bloom in my bed and see what people say and wishing it were true.

Just thought I'd let you all know that my wisdom teeth are gone and I have a lot of painkillers to keep me blessedly oblivious to the excruciating pain I should be in.

This is a good day. Not only am I wearing shorts I haven't been able to fit into since two summers ago, but there is a really fit guy mowing the lawn across the street. He looks a bit like Tom Welling with light hair from what I can see.

"Thig a seo!" he called, putting out his right hand to me. "Thig a seo, a Shorcha, nighean Eanruig, neart mo chridhe." Come to me, he said. Come to me, Claire, daughter of Henry, strength of my heart. Scarely feeling my feet or those I stumbled over, I made my way to him, and clasped his hand, his grip cold but strong on my fingers.

I saw him turn his head; was he looking for Bree? But no -- he stretched out his other hand toward Roger.

"Seas ri mo làmh, Roger an t'òranaiche, mac Jeremiah MacChoinnich!" Stand by my hand, Roger the singer, son of Jeremiah MacKenzie. Roger stood stock-still for a moment, eyes dark on Jamie, then moved toward him, like one sleepwalking. The crowd was still excited, but the shouting had died down, and people craned to hear what was said.

"Stand by me in battle," he said in Gaelic, his eyes fixed on Roger, left hand extended. He spoke slowly and clearly, to be sure of understanding. "Be a shield for my family -- and for yours, son of my house."

Roger's expression seemed suddenly to dissolve, like a face seen in water when a stone is tossed into it. Then it solidified once more, and he clasped Jamie's hand, squeezing hard.

Jamie turned to the crowd then, and began the calling. This was something I had seen him do before, many years before, in Scotland. A formal invitation and identification of tenants by a laird, it was a small ceremony often done on a quarter-day or after the harvest. Faces lighted here and there with recognition, many of the Highland Scots knew the custom, though they would not have seen it in this land before tonight.

"Come to me, Geordie Chishold, son of Walter, son of Connaught the Red!"

"Stand with me, a Choinneich, Evan, Murdo, you sons of Alexander Lindsay of the Glen!"

"Come to my side, Joseph Wemyss, son of Donald, son of Robert!"I smiled to see Mr. Wemyss, flustered but terribly pleased at this public inclusion, make his way toward us, head proudly raised, fair hair flying wild in the wind of the great fire.

"Stand by me, Josiah the hunter!"

Was Josiah Beardsley here? Yes, he was; a slight, dark form slid out off the shadows, to take up a shy place in the group near Jamie. I caught his eye and smiled at him; he looked hastily away, but a small, embarrassed smile clung to his lips, as though he had forgotten it was there.

It was an impressive group by the time he had finished -- nearly forty men, gathered shoulder-close and flushed as much with pride as with whisky. I saw Roger exchange a long look with Brianna, who was beaming across the fire at him. She bent her head to whisper something to Jemmy, who was submerged in his blanket, half-asleep in her arms. She picked up one of his wee paws and waved it limply toward Roger, who laughed.

"...Air mo mhionnan..." Distracted, I had missed Jamie's final statement, catching only the last few words. Whatever he had said met with approval, though; there was a low rumble of solmn assent from the men around us, and a moment's silence.

Then he let go of my hand, stooped, and picked up a branch from the ground. Lighting this, he held it aloft, then threw the blazing brand high into the air. It tumbled end over end as it fell straight down, into the heart of the fire.

"The Frasers of the Ridge are here!" he bellowed, and the clearing erupted in a massive cheer.

I was nominated for best NML lurker.

I think that speaks for itself, don't you?

And I see that our dear friend harumph was nominated several times. ... Mwah. :)

EDIT: AH HA HA! THE SITE, harumph, THEY NOMINATED THE SITE!

This is the best day ever.