Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed

BOOYAH :D

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:35:32 GMT

My entry The Climb scored me Team Hell's MVP for Round 5, Loyalty, at spn_teamfic !! :D
Shiny banner is shiny.

Okay, so I was also the ONLY Team Hell netrant that week, BUT STILL. Shush. Is pretty. Anyway, pimping the comm and generally being squee over mai prettifull banner. YAYZ.

Excuse me my moment of mushiness.

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:30:23 GMT

Was saying to Keeks (baby_k21) earlier, and I decided I wanted to say to all my friends, that...

No matter how meh you feel about yourself in the bad times, there is always someone in the world who is grateful to share it with you. (And for anyone on this flist, one of those someones is me)

BIG LOVES.

:*

BRING ME PIE!!!!!

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:59:08 GMT

Okay, so I ALWAYS forget to do persephone33 's thing and take pics all the way through, but I wanted to show off my baking skeelz as practiced last night. We're having a quiz night for church this Sat, and given that it's the 4th of July, it's American themed. So am baking pies, etc. Hurrah.

Have never baked a fruit pie before in my life, let alone one with latticey bits, so that needs reevaluating, but I'm pretty happy with it. Well, havne't EATEN it yet (got it out of the oven around 10 last night since I didn't start baking till after dinner) but it looks damned good.

Twas an amalgamtion of a few online recipes I found, so I'll try to describe that for you as best I can...

(warning: I'm very much a...repices-are-a-GUIDE, cook-to-taste-and-what-feels-right kind of a girl. Sorry)

Filling:
2 cans pitted black cherries (drained, juice saved) (I think the cans were 425g? anyway, enough to fit in your pie pan. You guys are big enough to figure it out)
some caster sugar
some cornflour (or cornstarch if you're American)

Crust:
2 sheets shortcrust pastry (yes, I'm slack, shut up)
Egg wash

Method:

Heat cherry juice in saucepan, add caster sugar to taste. When disolved and mixture hot, add some cornflour paste (mixed with water, duh) to thicken. Once thickened, pass through a strainy/sievey thing so is nice and smooth. Pour over your cherries which are already sitting, waiting in a bowl. Mix so it's all harmoniously coated. Cool.

Line alfoil pie pan/case thing with shortcrust pastry, brush with eggwash. When egg becomes sticky, pour filling in and wonder at own brilliance. Then, cut strips of pastry and layer in lattice pattern (note to self: DO NOT PULL THEM. BE VERY GENTLE. ahem).

Flute edges with fork (or bluebird feet if you are a Disney princess), brush lattice with eggwash.

Bung in oven preheated to 220C (or 430F) for 20-30 minutes until the crust is golden and it looks yummy.

Let it set/cool, serve with ice cream and cream while Warrant blares from your ipod/laptop/music provider of choice.

fin

Will tell you tonight if it works (pretty sure it did. Tested the filling a few times and was yummy :D )

Birthdays!

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:35:32 GMT

I am wishing happy birthdays to two of the greatest ladies the internet has brought me...

A belated (though she did get a text message!) one for my indescribably wonderful dieloreley - may your days shine as bright as you do in my sky :*

(Autmn cake, because it reminds me of your old layout; those colours always make me think of you)

And a yummy for you:

And for my delightful, delicious goeungurl , who will one day be greater even than Denny Crane, and whom I MISS and treasure...a lawyer cake. Yay!

and your yummy:

Love and huggles and all those things to both of you. I adore you both, MWAH.

Depressed

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:41:18 GMT

Dudes. That sound you hear? My little heart breaking. The ABC's 7.30 Report's cheif political correspondent and the intellectual love of my life, Michael Brissenden, gave his last report tonight. Apparently he's heading to Washington to be a correspondent from there?

DO NOT WANT.

SRSLY. Am distressed and disturbed. He's BRILLIANT. WASHINGTON, YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM. GIVE HIM BACK. NOW.

DON'T THINK I AM ABOVE STAMPING MY FOOT ABOUT THIS.

Also, he look terrifying permanently surprised, but I DON'T CARE. HE IS A GOLDEN GOD OF POLITICAL JOURNALISM AND I LOVE HIM. *huffs*

I COMMAND YOU.

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:01:17 GMT

Everyone must read this because it made me happy and gives Paddywhack like a billion life points FOR EVER.

Thank you. Return to your regularly scheduled genuflecting.

i think i am dead

Wed, 27 May 2009 03:05:22 GMT

woke up at like 2.30am and my body pretty much exploded. sparing y'all the gory details ecept to say a) vomitted on the hour till like 6am, b) my mum totally rocked the maternal thing c) this is, without a doubt, what it must feel like after an exorcism; sore from retching, shakes, jelly legs.

Am wallowing in sorrow now, kthxbai. May crawl to the couch later, but doubtful.

Celebratin' and stuffs

Mon, 11 May 2009 08:41:45 GMT

Hello, all!

Sorry I've been so absent, been busy with parental returns, birthday and WEDDING to be getting on with. Promise to post later and at length about all those wonderful things, and to gush about my wonderful friends and birthday and presents and stuff.

Thank you ALL for the sweet well wishings and presents!!!!!!

(And dudes, first day at work where I've not been able to sneakily have personal webs till the end of the day - torture!!!!)

Anyway, mostly just LOVE.

And promise to post that drabble meme I owe really soon. Toodles!

Count down pimpage!!

Wed, 06 May 2009 13:37:03 GMT

Born of a twitter discussion, I present my pimpage to you... Harry Potter Hump Day Drabbles!

Opening in two weeks, yo! Am maintaining with elle_blessing, and everyone is welcome to submit. YAYERS! Click the banner if you want to know more.

Bout time

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 08:00:15 GMT

So, I finally got around to changing my journal's layout, since the poor thing's been the same since I joined. I'm a little bit proud of myself for tooling around with the CSS to get colours and sizes and stuff like that right. *is dork*

Anyway, wanted to post credit where it's due; the wonderful people at freelayouts specifically layout_fujikoThe flower icon is by hermitsoul and brushes came from hawksmont. Last, but SO not least, the header is by fabi7

Also, am sick. Bah. *wibbles*

Birthday post!

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:59:13 GMT

Happy birthday to fiery_flamingo (3rd) , embertine , my awesome cousin sundaydriving , and my mummy! (2nd)

Hurrah! Lovely ladies all, and I hope you all enjoyed fabulous days! (Well, I know mum did, since she spent it with me :D)

Three AWESOME THINGS

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:41:11 GMT

This is one of my favourite weeks of the year, since it holds the birthdays of two of the most amazing citizens of this planet (they rank above Wentworth and Sophia, even)

Jaz and Claire!!! They are both wonderful, amazing, awesome, supportive peeps who make my life enjoyable, point me in the right direction, pick me up when i'm down (or too short to reach something) and are srsly the bestest fandom buds evar. Plus, combosolo is totally an adult now! 21! Congrats, bear :D You're a remarkable and admirable young woman, just so you know.

</a>thejazyfizel</a> ? You're my bird. There's nothing else I can really say, I think, that encapsulates just how much you mean to me. (which is LOTS, to the uninitiated)

And to steal from Billy Elliot, I am proud to have known you, and proud that you are mine.

And the third thing? My little (okay, so he's 18) step cousin, Tom just got some kind of scholarship to play college soccer in the US. I DUNNO WHERE BUT I AM TOTALLY STOKED. I always said he'd be a major athlete one day :D

*is full of pride and love and STUFF*

Today is a good day.

P.S. Please excuse the fact that HTML HATES me and just join in the glees, okay? Cheers

10 little words

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:27:47 GMT

Nicked from a fair few people, I present my version of the 10 word fic meme! :D

The rules: Write ten types of fanfic for the same fandom in ten words or less

Harry Potter, Muove verse, obvs. 10 points if you can guess my fave.

1. Angst: "Dirty blood didn't matter when we were naked," she snapped.

(Mandy Brocklehurst and Edward Carmichael V)

2. Alternate Universe: Stewart held his sleeping son, just listening to Sean breathe.

(Stewart and Sean Ackerly)

3. Crack!Fic: Euan donned his cape, and took off into the night.

(Euan Abercrombie)

4. Crossover: Somehow, Michael found her puzzle the most intricate of all.

(Mandy Brocklehurst and Michael Scofield from Prison Break)

5. First Time: It hurts until it feels wonderful. She forgets the pain.

(Mandy Brocklehurst)

6. Fluff: "Fen, stay away from boys," he muttered. "That include you?"

(Euan and Fenella Abercrombie - Fen being his little sister, FYI)

7. Humor: Edward snickered, locking the cupboard door behind Euan and Diane.

(Edward Carmichael V, Euan Abercrombie and secretary!Di)

8. Hurt/Comfort: Lisa held her tight. "There's nothing wrong with you, sweet."

(Mandy Brocklehurst and Lisa Turpin)

9. Smut: Whispered names. Her cries. His moans. Sounds fill the room.

(Mandy Brocklehurst and Edward Carmichael V)

10. Unresolved Sexual Tension: Even when he looked away, she felt his hungry eyes.

(Mandy Brocklehurst and Edward Carmichael V)

WOOT!

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 02:54:55 GMT

Oh yeah! I totally vanquished and have a new Prison Break mood theme. Thank you, intarwebs :D

Glorious moodthemery courtesy of nordmaedchennightfall_icons & alias_jems

BIRTHDAYS! WOOOOO!

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:29:26 GMT

Not very long ago, in a hemisphere far, far away, a talented, captivating, adorable addition to our world was made.

Happy birthday to persephone33 ! I hope the day is as fun and wonderful as you are! (and owl/dolphin/squirrel/bunny FREE).

Present to unwrap:

And also, here's a heap of belated birthday wishes, since I kinda dropped the ball on doing them in the last month or so:

</a>raspberry_rave
</a>caramelsilver
</a>saiariddle
</a>liyian
</a>heyurs
</a>neytaritook
</a>mugglechump
penchaft

I hope they were all great! Enjoy this GIANT BIRTHDAY CAKE to make up for it :D

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:56:18 GMT

JUST FOUGHT A FIRE.

No one was hurt, no property damaged, AM BIG DAMN HEROINE. YEAH.

Jim Bianco - FREE MUSICS

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:10:51 GMT

Major thanks to baby_k21 , who made me listen to Jim Bianco! I've got yousendit links of both his albums, which you should totally get (7 days or 100 downloads) because, OMG, the songs are sooooooooo sexy. This gorgeous, sensual, sultry jazz that just makes your jaw (and clothes) drop.

*Sing:

Handsome Devil:

Review that sums *Sing up perfectly

“To hell with the devil/ I’m selling my soul to you” Jim Bianco sings on his latest release. On albums past, Bianco has been known to fill his lush, seductive compositions with references to Beelzebub, and his new effort, *sing, is no different. A rich mix of sexy tangos and quirky melodies, Bianco delivers an album on par with 2004’s Handsome Devil.

Laden with tales of debauchery, depravity and unrestrainable desire, *sing is the first release off the Hotel Cafe imprint and to be distributed Rykodisc. A logical move, as Bianco is a Hotel Cafe staple, both at the venue and on the annual tour. The opening track, “I Got A Thing For You,” evokes the image of a smoky, slightly seedy bar with it’s rich instrumental blends, and lyrics like “even when you sweat, you sweat with style / making my imagination run wild.”

The title track, “*sing,” opens with a delightfully lilting guitar line before it bursts into a joyful request. “Never Again” is a driving force with lyrics to rival the speed and wit Jason Mraz is known for. Bianco, however, sounds more like he belongs in a cabaret or Vaudeville show, whereas Mraz is hanging on the beach.

While the entire album is fun and strong, the weakest track is “Painkiller.” While it is a sweet sentiment, something in the song’s composition makes it seems as though Bianco is trying too hard. His strengths lie in his darker, more corrupt sounding tunes.

Available March 4th, *sing is an album worth getting. Packed with accordions and horns, and a little bit of raunch, this is not your grandpappy’s jazz.

Jim Bianco Is - Well, If Leonard Cohen Had Been Raised By Gypsies …

I Sell the Dead trailer

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:41:35 GMT

Major pimpage right now, because this a) looks awesome, and b) stars Dom :D
Go my hobbit, go! I've missed you since uni and utter confusion bade me give up on Lost!

Streamers! Confetti! Shirtless Taylor!

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:14:38 GMT

I wish all those thing in the title and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the sensational, sexy, singular Slyth wrangler (yes, and Ravies too :D), Kelly!

Enjoy your day, airmidm !

You are glorious and fun and deserve a great day smiling and loving life! Save me some cake, kay? :D

There is nothing

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:35:27 GMT

Your result for The Classic Dames Test...

Barbara Stanwyck

You scored 33% grit, 38% wit, 29% flair, and 19% class!

You're a tough dame, a bit of a spitfire, and you can even be a little dangerous, but you do it with such flair that almost all is forgiven (and even when it's not, you're still the most interesting woman in the room). You can be witty and charming, all right, but you have a tough streak that keeps you focused and sometimes deadly. You've had quite a climb to get where you are, but you're a hard worker and you mostly deserve all you get...and then some. You might end up destroying everything around you, but you must admit...you've got style. Your leading men include Henry Fonda, Fred MacMurray, and when you forget yourself, Gary Cooper.

Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.

Take The Classic Dames Test at HelloQuizzy

Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:56:16 GMT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLE! ( elle_blessing )

Hope it's a day filled with soccer and scening, good music and better rum.

Thanks for all the insanely in depth characterisation chats!

Bask in the birthday glory!

[It's actually 4.50am, but since I haven't slept yet, I'm still counting this as Thursday. Plus, her timezone is still in Thursday. So ha.]

Kisschasy - Opinions Won't Keep You Warm at Night

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:16:09 GMT

Wait while jealousy tears you apart
I'm sorry but I cannot help the way you are
That we do the things you can't

Just wait
can't you see you're being weak?
It's shallow and dark you know every time you speak
You're just lying through your teeth

Sometimes, days I'd like to say I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

Sometimes, days I'd like to say I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

We are everything you wish you were
But, I'm feeling kinda concerned
we're probably friends
But you hide from consequence

Yeah you must have a lot of spare time
To put down the words that you write
But no one cares
You should put your mind to rest

Sometimes, days I'd like to say yet I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

Sometimes, days I'd like to say yet I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

Get to me...
Get to me...

Sometimes, days I'd like to say I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

Sometimes, days I'd like to say yet I don't agree with what you see
But I will never let the bitter things you say ever get to me

The Harry Potter Random Facts Fest - Mandy Style

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:31:21 GMT

FIC: Twenty random facts about Mandy Brocklehurst
Title: Twenty Random Facts About Mandy Brocklehurst
Author:numbaby
Rating: PG13, just in case
Word Count: c. 725
Disclaimer: Not making money off Harry Potter, quite the contrary ~~though this is my take on Mandy~~
AN: Written for the Harry Potter Random Facts fest

1) She's afraid of flying. Growing up in the Muggle world meant she was more than a little wary of the whole business; the only person she's ever been completely comfortable with on a broomstick is Roger Davies, who's been just a tad smug about that fact.

2) She'd always made up silly stories, but the first time she really wrote anything that mattered was when she was fourteen. She'd been acting up after finding out her parents were having another baby, and after her father embarrassingly turned up at school to talk to Professor Flitwick and chew her out, her quill helped her make sense of it all.

3) She still has that quill, locked in a drawer of her writing desk.

4) Mandy has a serious thing for corsets, and has a separate drawer full of pretty underthings. If she's wearing one, you can be sure her heels will match her underwear, too.

5) It took four years for Mandy's big brother James to really get over how different she really was, and then another three months to work up the courage to apologise for all the things he'd said. She never actually replied, just flung skinny arms around his neck and leaked tears all over his shoulder.

6) Mandy mastered the Wingardium Leviosa within the first fifteen minutes of her first charms lesson. It's been her favourite spell ever since, as in Roger's words, she's too short to reach anything important.

7) Despite now being a grown up, she's never quite gotten over the horse fixation all little girls seem to develop. She's firmly in denial about Cormac letting her win when they went horse riding, though.

8) When she was twenty-one, she answered an add in the Daily Prophet (to be fair, she filched the details from the advertising department before it went to print so as to get in early) and ended up with a job writing tawdry romance novels under a pseudonym. So far, every novel has contained the phrase "quivering member" at least once. ~~Per chapter.~~

9) She's definitely not ready for kids yet, so she channels her maternal urges into cooking and baking for her friends. It's not uncommon for her to spend an afternoon in the kitchen and then tire out her owl with deliveries up and down the countryside.

10) She still wraps presents the Muggle way.

11) Her favourite book from childhood is The Hobbit, which she first read at age eight. She had a bunny named Balin who "ran away" just after she started second year.

12) Mandy never told her parents the whole truth about "that business with the Basilisk," fearing she'd be brought home if they knew a dirty great snake was targeting people like her.

13) When she was 15 (and a bit tipsy) she snogged Lisa Turpin in the Sticks. She still taunts Rog about it, much to his chagrin.

14) ~~She always has been and always will be hopelessly in love with the roguishly handsome Terrence James Boot.~~
Terrence James Boot has been known to steal her diary on more than one occasion.

15) She's always secretly wanted to ask Michael Corner to teach her the guitar, but every time he strums, he slides into this serene trance that she can't bear to break.

16) Despite being a witch, she still irons the Muggle way as well; says she finds it soothing.

17) She's never cheated on a test, but she told Terry she did once, to make herself sound more tough.

18) Ever since she knocked over the suit of armour in the transfiguration corridor (she was fourteen and tipsy and it was totally Terry's fault, she swears) she crosses the corridor and will only walk along the other side, never next to it. (The one time she did, she was sure it swatted at her on the way past.

19) The first and only time she drank beer, Cho had made her laugh so hard she snorted some out her nose, and she vowed to never repeat the experience.

20) She'd thought the sense of wonder she felt at finding her wand would never be matched, and she was right; until she took her younger brother Dan shopping for his. She'd had to turn away before he saw her tears.

Legal!

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:01:39 GMT

Ok, so I tried and failed to make a "Leigh is legal!" pun in the title, so didn't happen.

Anyway,

HAPPY 21ST, leigh_adams!!!!!

Congrats on surviving to grown-up hood (so-called)

May life be wonderful, may you learn and love and grow and all those other things, and experince beauty.

Now, drinks all round!

MWAH

Birthday Tacos?

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:17:15 GMT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!!!!!!

Enjoy tooling around Tokyo and being old :P

I'd give you a picture of Jake, but you already have more than me, so my present is that you get to enjoy 5 minutes of interrupted, no-holds-barred ogling time. I'll protect you. GO.

Oh, what the hell. Here, feast your eyes on this.

Have a glorious day!