Serendipity

I caved. I did it. I bought my Christmas present. I only allow myself to "splurge" 2 days of the year - my birthday and Christmas. My birthday this year I bought myself Bones season 3. For Christmas I was eagerly awaiting ordering season 2. So I found a great price tracking Firefox add-on (The Camelizer!) and checked it out on Amazon to discover it's only $19.99! Camelizer shows that being the lowest price yet, with prices likely to skyrocket after Thanksgiving. So I grabbed it while I could. I caved. I bought it. Heeeee! It was actually hard not to add on Season 1 as well. Only problem is now I'm set to get that by next week and nothing to squee over at Christmas. Why doesn't Amazon offer delayed shipping?

Anyways, I still have a couple requests to fill out (thank you for the enthusiastic response, guys! I needed the inspiration), PLUS I've now signed up for the XF Advent Calendar (it's back! It's back! Squeeeeeeeeee!!!!). Don't know what I was thinking. But you all need to sign up as well. C'mon, guys, it's a holiday tradition!

Aaaaaaand, of course there have been shows. ( Bones, and Doctor Who, and House. )

I'm spending Thanksgiving at a friends house (need to make mashed potatoes tonight, eee!), then work Friday and should hear back from the doggy daycare about the job. I think it's in the bag. But I never trust it until it happens. Also, woot for bayareajenn who got an interview! Heeee!! That's the best feeling in the world. Yay happy good times!

It's really that time again. And yes, almost 12 years after becoming a phile I still dork out about this date. Hehe. So! I decided an appropriate celebration would be to finally make that list of my Top Fic Picks: X-Files Edition. I wanted to make it a top 10 list, of course, but I couldn't possibly narrow it down to 10. So instead, the fics that have made it into my "Wow" folder - the best of the best, the ones I can read over and over again, and save for a rainy day. In no particular order:

Top X-Files Fics

1. Parabiosis by Penumbra (penumbra23) - Hands down my favorite fic of all time. Perhaps the best piece of literature I've ever read. The narrative is stumbling, strange, and entirely captivating because of it. The prose is magical. Certain scenes, lines, sections, stand out clear in my mind years after reading them. Better yet, I get something new out of it each time I read it, so it never gets old. Obviously I could go on and on, but most of you have read it already and I'm just preaching to the converted. So, perhaps a given, but definitely a classic. Aaaaand, since I'm obviously such a sucker for her writing, Penumbra has two other fics on my list:

2. Black Hole Season by Penumbra - Penumbra Lite. All of the magical scenes and lines and style of Parabiosis without the novel length. The ideal of what a short story can be - moving, thought-provoking, simple and yet deep.

3. Contact High by Penumbra - I think I've raved about her style enough. So I'll skip it here, but this fic is a standard of how in the right hands, what sounds like a silly premise (Mulder and Scully telepathically share thoughts and feelings after the events of Field Trip) can be magical.

4. Bridge by Maria Nicole - Deals with the same premise as Contact High in a similarly astounding way. I can never, ever forget the magic of their dream world.

5. 12 Rites of Passage and 12 Degrees of Separation by Anne Haynes - Absolutely my default when I want a long, engaging story to snuggle away and read for a few days. Because Anne has mastered the art of bringing the reader to the edge and keeping them waiting. It's like Harry Potter that way - I just can't put it down.

6. Arizona Highways by Fialka (fialka) - For novel-length fics, this comes right behind Parabiosis as a favorite. Another fic I cannot put down, and end up doing nothing but reading for 3 days straight. The story is complex and engaging, enough to pull me in against my will. And it has perhaps the most memorable love confession I've ever seen or read. It had me breaking down alongside Mulder. For me it's not just a story - it's an experience.

7. Blinded by White Light by Dasha K. (dashakay) - Another classic, and for good reason. I still can't put my finger on exactly what it is that makes it so good. But somehow in the unique trappings of a sci-fi future, it is one of the best love stories I've ever read, while not shying away from the very real issues that result.

8. Spectacular by Rafferty - Let's take a break from the novels for a short one-shot, my guily pleasure feel-good escape for when I'm in a bad mood. It absolutely never fails to brighten my spirits.

9. An Alluring Indiscretion by Beduini and M. Taylor Harrison - Another long fic that captivates and enthralls and untimately sticks out in my mind for its astounding visualizations.

10. Salt by Anjou - A tender, feel-good fic, with dreams and stories along the way that slowly bring about the meaning.

11. Five Years and One Night by Shalimar - Another fabulous mythology story that covers all extremes - from fantastically hot smut to some of the deepest, darkest angst. Fabulous story, hot sex, and the. best. breakdown scene I have ever read. Scully's breakdown on the beach is some of the most visceral, real, emotional writing I have ever read.

12. What Happens to the Dreamers by Buckingham - Buckingham weaves a story between the events of season 7, specifially the whole IVF situation revealed in Per Manum. A fascinating glimpse of what we didn't see, and I'm a sucker for the at times flowery, poetic language.

13. The Cycles Series: Lucid Dreaming by Prufrock's Love - The first in the Cycles series, Lucid Dreaming really stood out as a fantastic bit of immersive storytelling. A calming, meditative journey, especially for that time of the month. ;)

14. 99 and 44/100ths Percent Done by Sarah Segretti - Just a fun old romp of a casefile. Doesn't take itself too seriously, but has fun, UST, and some delicious, delicious ice cream.

15. Adagio by Terma99 - A short Milagro post-ep that is heart-breaking and touching at the same time.

16. Syncopation by Lilla Vaughan AKA Nanda (nandamai) - Sweet, sappy flick-fick. And I'm a sucker for it.

SO! That's the list. There are so many others that are close to making it - The Magician Book series by Suzanne Bickerstaffe and Jennifer Lyon, Acadia by RivkaT, Blood Oranges by Syntax6, and many, many more - but I'm tired and that's a pretty good list. So yay X-Files! Just putting this list together re-awakened my inner phile, who's now screaming for me to re-read all these fics, or at least watch an episode. So I guess you know what I'll be doing the rest of the evening. Hehe. So happy 10/13, my fellow philes. *mwah* I love you all, and I hope this community never dies.

This has nothing to do with Parker, I love my son more than anything, it's just seriously she could have given me like an hours notice at least that she was going to drop him at my doorstep, in need of a shower and completely starving.

The only things in my fridge right now are beer and um.. Maybe a stick of carrot?

Perfect. I’ll just make him beer carrot stew. Sounds fan-freaking-tastic.

Beer carrot stew. *snork* That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages. From Falling Asleep With An Anthropologist by SomethinLikeLove. Filled with witty little snippets like that.

I think I had more to say, but I'm tired and I think I may be coming down with something. Bah.

Let me describe the awesomeness.

First off, there was the ( Bones season finale. )

And then there was ( MASSIVE Who spoilers! )

And of course shows start on SATURDAY at the zoo, which means many run-throughs on stage in front of the crowds. Such a thrill! I'm so nervously excited. Plus I'm completely turned over on the green-wing (I love my parrots!) and handling the golden eagle bit by bit. Life is grand!

I have SO MUCH I wanted to write about, including seeing Bridget from The Girls Next Door AND an NCIS van yesterday (on the same day!), plus that X-Files meme, and...oh, the phone interview I had on Tuesday (went well enough, will probably hear by next week), but now it turns out I will be working ALL DAY tomorrow (from 6:30 AM pretty much straight through to 11 PM), so I need to post a V-Day post now. Plus some things I'd already written out for that update. SO,

Thing the First: I LOVE you all. You all live in a little portion of my brain entitled "flist" that I love dearly and could not live without, so thank you, thank you, thank you for providing me entertainment, listening to all my stupid ramblings, and being there for all the ups and downs and RL and fandom and general craziness of my life. I wanted to make a big silly red heart graphic for you all, but again with the time thing! Just know I love you and I hope you all have a wonderful V-Day and feel the love I'm sending your way. *BIG GIANT SNOOGLY HUGS*

Thing the Second: ( thoughts on this week's Lost and American Idol. )

Thing the Third: ( Fic exerpt! )

Also: Fun little brilliant DW fic. I watched The Santa in the Slush (Bones, people) the other day and it was beyond awesome. I'm generally fangirly about any Christmas episode of my shows (How the Ghosts Stole Christmas, Noel, In Excelsis Deo, The Christmas Invasion), but this brought it to the 10th degree and then added a kiss. *L* Loved it. The ending of the second new episode was also made of adorable. *shifty eyes, trying to avoid being outright spoilery*

Random post of squee. I'm wrapping myself in fandom. Thought I'd share ;)

Music: Randomly checked out some of Billie Piper's music the other day and actually ended up really liking some of it. But the song stuck on repeat lately has been Josh Groban's You Are Loved (Don't Give Up) ever since I heard it here:



I've been working my way through seduff's fabulous Doctor Who vids, and this only just scratches the surface. When I'm done watching them all, I'll link all my favorites in a special post (lucky you! hehe).

Art: I signed up for the time_and_chips advent calendar, and then worried I would never get around to actually making something, so I worked all day on my entry. It's a manip I've had the idea for building up in my head for a while. Only now I SO wanna share because I'm pretty happy with the outcome. December needs to get here faster! The problem lately has been that all my muse wants to make is manips, but they're so time-consuming, I need some sort of prompt to get me to actually sit down and make them. But I really enjoy the thrill of manipulations - the attention to detail and tiny technical challenges. I learn something new every time. Anyways...

Fic: I've been trying to find the best Doctor/Rose fic, and while my personal favorite by far has been But Broken Lights by rosa_acicularis, I'm currently working my way through hippiebanana132's two fabulous Thirteen series. They're WONDERFUL and I don't know what I'll do once I've reached the end. Another rec: The Calm Before the Storm by Kalleah. It's so wonderful to have a brand-new fandom to jump into and find all the hidden gems.

Anyways, it's now 2:40 AM and I really should get to sleep. Bad Mem, bad!

Fic Update: Cycles. Read it. Swoon. Float away in shippy warm fuzzy bliss.

Job: No update. *sigh*

Movies: Caught The Sound of Music on TV last night (and again tonight!). Ridiculously cute movie. Forgot how lovely it is. Have been listening to soundtrack all day.

Look what arrived today!



My birthday present to myself. ;) Ska-weeeee! All Things and Amor Fati and Je Souhaite and Closure, Hollywood A.D., Theef, Chimera, X-Cops, Requiem! Woohoo!

Also, balmyone was gracious enough to let me burn some of her DVDs, and we started watching Doctor Who - the first of the new series (with the Ninth Doctor and Rose). We watched about 6 episodes and I really got into it. I've got the remainder of season 1 to get through, and then I'll have to search for season 2. I'm gonna miss Nine! I like Ten, but Nine really really grew on me (as did Rose. Rose is awesome! I can't imagine trying to adjust to a new pair). So yay new show!

Also? CSI spoilers so good. I might actually have to watch this season. Now I just want that friggin' ring!!

Fic Update: Reading Cry of the Truth by A.I. Irving. Quite a good novel-length fic. If smut is your thing ;)

Guuuuh. I'm SO far behind on my flist. I'm sorry, everyone, but I just can't keep up, and I really don't want to do a friends cut. So I'm not ignoring you, I swear, and I'll try to be back up to running speed soon.

Also, thanks to everyone for the outpouring of support on my last entry. As suspected, I was perfectly fine by the next day, but everyone needs a little emo catharsis now and again. ;) I decided to re-read the fandom classics 12 Rites of Passage/12 Degrees of Separation, and just like a really good book I could NOT stop reading until I finished today. That's all I did when I got home from work until I went to bed. *L* So that was a nice escape.

What else? After a lot of drama, my bipolar co-worker is quiting, and I'm so glad because she's made my life a living hell. There's still the arrogant boss to contend with, but I'm looking forward to the remaining 2 months of work now.

Oh! X-Files! I can't believe it's only 2 weeks away! After ages of it being so far away, it's suddenly coming up so soon. I squeed when I saw ads on TV for it. The LA premiere is on the 23rd at 7:30. I work until at least 5, and have a flight from LAX at midnight, so I don't think I can make it, though I may pop by briefly if people are meeting up. I can't make an evening of it, though. Darn! Also, HUUUUGE spoilers are coming out about the movie and I'm desperately trying to avoid them. I've enjoyed the minor spoilers now and again until now, but I really do want to remain unspoiled from here on out. Who's with me?

I'm sure I had more to say, but...my mind is sieve. So what's up with you all?