not too short for a stormtrooper

Yuletide assignments are out. If you are my author, you can find my letter here, I wrote it last week.

**

There have been some yuletide icons floating around that people have made, and recently there has been a lot of discussion of assumed knowledge and of 'cultural norms,' some of it related to yuletide and some of it not. chomji posted some icons here earlier in the month, and I recall there was some concern that some people might be upset over the Hanukah icon. The thing is, whilst the whole secret santa concept stems from the Christian/Christmas thing, everyone's yuletide experience is different. During the yuletide kerfuffle, someone commented that they always explicitly ask for no Christmas stories when requesting their stories. It had never occurred to me that people might ask for Christmas stories during yuletide.

My December 25th: I wake up and sulk that the stories don't come out until at least GMT -5, and since I'm at GMT +8 that's a long wait. Usually my partner and I meander out, blinking in the bright, early morning light. We sit under the patio at his parents' house, coughing as my partner's father burns stuff on the barbie and contemplating a morning swim. We go up to visit my parents, who love giving presents for a million reasons, and use Christmas as a reason to spend a ridiculous amount of money (second only to the amount of money they spend at Chinese New Year). We meander home. Sometimes we sms friends, see if anyone is up for a visit to the beach.

Then I get to read the yuletide stories.

The point of this is that when people post their yuletide icons, I'm kind of like, stars and snow, that's great, whatever. I've blogged previously about this dissonance, people talking of snow all the while I'm sweating like mad. So, like a dork, I rummaged through some of my photos from last year, and have made some yuletide icons that are far more relevant to me than those usually are. I would love it if anyone wanted to use these (if you do, please comment to let me know), but I understand if they're not really your thing.

Also, I don't want to encourage the stereotype of Australians and bright sunny days and beaches and things, but this is what I do December through January, I'm not going to lie, so.

I'm not cutting, because there's only eight of them.

I have so many beautiful pictures of famous people on my computer, I decided to make some icons for sharing. I feel really bad putting them under the cut, but I feel equally bad not making a list! Also, memo to Amy, there are Stick It icons here, too.





( i have a deal with myself )

This is a listing of fics for the (mini) Pretender ficathon! There are a few missing, but I guess they'll sort of trickle in, so be sure to check back to see if the list has been updated!

anr wrote for permissionslip: Child's Play. Prompt: porn, sunrise, and red pumps.

bantha_fodder wrote for mandysbitch: Palindrome. Prompt: Miss Parker/ Jarod - with an appearance by Mr Lyle, some kind of intervention from him. Twincest is awesome if you feel like going down that road...*g* and no happy endings.

blademistress wrote for daygloparker: Some Disassembly Required. Prompt: Miss Parker/Jarod, clicking, opposites, no torture, no post-IotH, no mushy

familyarchives wrote for juliefortune: Waffles in Idaho. Prompt: Jarod saves Ms. P from a fate worse than...

juliefortune wrote for familyarchives: Rain Runs Cold. Prompt not specified.

mandysbitch wrote for blademistress: The Home Fires Are Burning

daygloparker wrote for anr: If Strangers Meet. Prompt not specified.


zeplum didn't write for anyone, but she DID write all the same: The Lonliest Valentine, a post ep for Gigolo Jarod.


In other Pretender related news, you should all know that medie has made some FABULOUS icons that you can find here.

In other Pretender fic news, you should all read five things: cinq mots que mlle parker a appris dans sa lycée, which is five words Miss Parker remembers from high school French, by quasiradiant, and it is awesome! Tahlia especially will appreciate this one.

This is an icon post. All of these icons are shareable. Because I think it'd be nice to see more of The Pretender about the place. Warning: may induce flailing.



( the centre wants him alive )

This started quite innocently - I thought I would make a few icons of Irulan. But I started capping and going through my caps, and I started iconing and I could not stop. As I have stated on many an occasion, Dune and Children of Dune are both visually quite stunning. I've shared caps to illustrate its beauty, and if I have not yet convinced you then there's really nothing left for me to say.

For those of you whom I have convinced, under the cut I have eighty-seven (87 OMG) icons from both minis. Some are icons, and some are bases. They're all mixed together. You are welcome to use them straight, or modify. I don't need comments, and I don't need credit, but if you do modify them please do tell me so that I can see what you've done with them. And whilst I say I don't mind if you don't comment, at the same time if you wanted to validate my love/obsession, I wouldn't mind.

I tried not to icon the twins. But you know, the twins, they are aksjlkasdff. So.




( i am a desert creature, ghola. )

This is the dorkiest thing ever. Fifteen Narnia icons under the cut. Well, I say Narnia, but I got distracted iconing James and accicdentally iconed CoD for a while. GEE WHAT A SHAME CoD I LOVE YOU.

( no one thinks any the worse of you )