Floating Leaf

I feel so weird. I still can't quite believe that I'm not getting laid off. Not only because I had anticipated it for a few months, but because they did lay off a few people I would never have imagined I could possibly be chosen over, so to speak. I mean, I know it's about money, just like I said before - but still... The entire 'data operations' department (of which we are part) was pretty much cut in half. We had another meeting yesterday, just for those who are being retained - and I was shocked at how few of us there were. We all looked sort of wide-eyed and deflated, and the HR lady told us that we are suffering from the 'survivor syndrome' - feeling guilty about still having a job while others don't. That pretty much sums it up, I think. *nods*

Besides, I'm still at a loss about what to do with my vacation. ( I don't really want to go anywhere just by myself, and since I didn't know what was going to happen, job-wise, I haven't been in touch with anyone regarding their travel plans and such. )

Okay... here I go again. Another snippet... very porny this time.;) Must be some hormonal fluctuations or whatever.:P

I meant to make an RL post today, btw, but somehow this seems more important. I wonder what that says about me, LOL.

Anyway... on with the smut.;)


Title: Voyeurs
Author: Floating Leaf
Pairings: A/L, Elladan/Elrohir
Rating: NC-17
Summary: A passionate tryst in the woods... with an audience.;)
Warning: Graphic sex, (implied) twincest, voyeurism.
Disclaimer: This never crossed Professor Tolkien's mind, I'm sure.

( Legolas threw his head back with a deep moan. )

Life is certainly full of surprises, isn't it? This would seem like the worst time for writing, and yet... the muses chose to come back full force and grace me with this brand new little ficlet which practically wrote itself in the scant few hours between 10p.m. and 2a.m. last night. I don't normally stay up that late anymore, even on weekends - but I felt so exhilarated at finally being able to write again that I just had to finish. The funny thing is, I suspect that this sudden bout of inspiration might have been brought on by an anthology of erotic lesbian stories I am currently reading (you know, trying to find something I might want to translate for my publisher friend back in Poland). Don't ask me how or why that helps with writing m/m slash. I'm not sure I know.;P One thing I can definitely say is that in whatever I read or write (or translate, for that matter), I am primarily interested in feelings, emotions, the dynamics of relationships and human (or Elven in this case, lol) interaction - not in the mechanics of sex itself. That is a very secondary thing to me - and so is gender, basically, even though I do prefer exploring homosexual relationships to heterosexual ones (probably because they are simply closer to my personal experience and I feel more confident talking about them). And I am perfectly fine with PWP's - but they must be featuring either an established couple, or the beginnings of such (first time sex between people who feel very intensely about each other). Otherwise it's just a waste of time for me. Which could be one of the reasons why I'd much rather read fanfic than 'original' erotica where the characters often seem too anonymous (if there is little characterization and no 'back story', I simply don't understand why these two/three etc. people are having sex, or why I would want to know anything about it, and can't for the life of me get into it enough to actually feel turned on, even mentally - if you know what I'm talking about). But enough of the background philosophy for now - on with the fanfic.:) I hope it brings a smile to whoever choses to read it - as it has certainly done for me.:D


Title: Investigation
Author: Floating Leaf
Pairings: A/L, E/E/L (implied)
Rating: PG-13, I think
Summary: Legolas and the Twins have a talk.
Warnings: Complete sap and silliness.
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Tolkien, though he probably wouldn't recognize them by now.
Author's Notes: This little snippet immediately follows Pure Bliss. If you click on the 'my fiction' tag at the bottom of this post, you will see all the other ficlets taking place in the same universe, which include also Naughty Thoughts, Secret Mission and Closer Than Brothers (that last one is out of chronological order and does not need to be read to follow the storyline). Hopefully there will be more. *crosses fingers for her wayward muses' future cooperation*

( Legolas stretched luxuriously, sighing in bliss as his pleasantly aching body savoured the memory of last night's activities. )

Snagged from mellacita:

Your result for The How Well-Read Are You? Test...

Incredibly Well Read

Your level of Well-Readliness is 94 %!

Take The How Well-Read Are You? Test at HelloQuizzy

Eee... really?... *blinks* I didn't think so. I read a lot, but not necessarily 'only the best' or most famous authors. And I made a few intelligent guesses.;)

I suppose I'm lucky that this quiz is based almost exclusively on literature written in the English language, since that's what I studied at university. Otherwise I'd probably do rather poorly. Not that poring over Chaucer was any fun.:P

Welcome to Confusion Central, again. As of this week, I am being trained in a completely different section of our products than what I have been doing since I started this job, over a year & a half ago. Why?... Shoot me if I know. All I know is that it would make absolutely no sense for it to be happening now if were to get laid off within the next month or so. ( Read more... )

So, for the past few weeks I have been catching up with an old friend of mine, who unexpectedly resurfaced via email (like all my old friends, she lives 'across the big pond', obviously). And who also happens to be a professional publisher, interested in feminist and/or lesbian literature. Many years ago, before I flew across the big pond, we had an idea of making a book together. An anthology of lesbian short stories, written by various American authors, translated into Polish by yours truly. My publisher friend was very enthusiastic about it, but she didn't have enough money to sponsor the project, so we applied for a grant. Predictably enough, we didn't get it (there was only one feminist organization in Poland at the time, and they told us they had more pressing issues to deal with than publishing a book about lesbians). And that was the end of it - or so I thought. Now, however, my publisher friend claims she doesn't need to go begging for a grant anymore, she can fund it herself, and the market is much more receptive to the topic than it used to be all those years ago. In short, she still wants to do the book with me - more than one book, in fact. She just wants to start publishing new lesbian literature that isn't currently available in the Polish language, and I am her translator of choice. She will only start looking for someone else if I decline her offer of cooperation. And she doesn't expect me to do it for free either.

( Read more... )

I've been SOOO totally slacking at work these past few weeks. I am over 10 minutes late almost every day, but I never mark that on my timesheet like we're supposed to. I take 10-20 minute naps on the toilet seat after lunch (not the most comfortable place for a nap, but falling asleep at my desk would be a bit much, no?...;). I spend a portion of nearly every hour chatting extensively with Mike from the next cubicle. I write private emails. I even read fanfic (of the non-porny variety, just to be safe in case someone takes a closer look at my screen ;P). And I just don't seem to have any qualms about it whatsoever. I guess my morale is gone.:P If I were my boss, I'd probably fire myself - but the boss is on vacation, and everyone else seems just about as focused and dedicated as I am. Except for those who possibly hope they might NOT get laid off by September. But those are a distinct minority. Of course there is gossip and speculation and all that crap, but I don't really take part in it. I mean, what business of mine is it who stays & who goes, apart from my own sorry ass which will be the first one out the door?... Whatever angle you take it from, I won't be there for this year's Christmas party - and that is all I need to know. So I might as well enjoy the nice and stress-free environment while I'm still in it.

Incidentally, a friend of mine has a job she is bored to hell with, and she says that as soon as she finds something more stimulating, she will be happy to recommend me in her place ( (she knows I don't mind boring jobs, because I have a fascinating alternate universe inside my brain at all times ;P). )

I hate to sound like a party pooper, but I'm seriously sick & tired of the fireworks already - even though I know it's only a warm-up before tomorrow. Someone in my neighborhood has been rehearsing the big celebratory cannon blast since Tuesday. Judging by the gradual increase of noise and intensity of the explosions, they will probably blow the place up tomorrow night.:\ I get the message - it's a big day and all that crap - but why does everything have to be so tackily over the top in this country?... Surely it's possible to honor a memorable occasion in a less shallow, flashy, noisy way. Yes, I can hear you're having lots of fun - you don't need to shatter my window panes to convince me of that. *weary sigh*

So, wanna know what's my next favorite thing in the whole world, next to slash fics & Viggo movies?... Random, unexpected music discoveries. Every once in a while I get this urge to go on www.mp3sugar.com and just browse the alphabetical list of groups/artists, clicking on any names that sound intriguing. Funnily enough, these happen to be mostly either folk or metal bands of late. Seems like two opposite ends of the spectrum, no? Well... think again. I just stumbled upon a band that has the following two labels affixed to it: "Irish folk" and "pagan metal". It's called Cruachan. And it absolutely ROCKS. Just imagine all the raw, penetrating soulfulness of traditional Celtic music, but with a major kick added to it. It just sounds so fresh, so alive. Okay, maybe some of the arrangements are a bit too noisy & chaotic, and some of the vocals aren't too impressive - but the very idea of combining these supposedly incompatible music styles proves quite explosive. It's the lively, but richly melodic instrumental pieces that get me the most. There are obviously many different influences to be detected here, and on some tracks they even clash a bit - but there are many little tresures to be fished out of this eclectic pond. At least on the earlier albums... because now my exploration has apparently reached the ubiquitous, overplayed folky-pop phase. *sigh* Oh well... no band is perfect, I guess (unless they're called Lacrimosa :P). And it's time to go to bed, anyway.

Just because I can, here are a few more recent shots of my place (as opposed to the ones I posted sometime last year). No particular reason, other than perhaps documenting the progress of my 'settling in' and making the apartment look more cosy. ( It's the little things that make a home.:) )

I have also discovered the absolute culinary hit of the summer: seafood salad with citrus vinaigrette. It tastes like pure heaven. Must have been the food of the gods in some ancient Mediterranean culture, or something. I like seafood pretty much any way I can have it, but it is sublime indeed when mixed with fresh greens, white wine vinegar, grapefruit and avocados. So simple... so perfect. The unquestionable number one on my list so far.:) Though the tuna salad with green beans, red potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and olives I made last week is probably a close second.:P A bit heavier, calorie-wise, but well worth it. I could probably alternate between one and the other for a good month or so before I got tired of it... lol. Not that I have to, since there are about 15 other recipes I mean to try out in the near future. I know I've probably said it about a hundred times by now, but I never thought that eating healthy could be so much fun. If I'd had a clue, I would have started YEARS ago. I just never believed it was worth the time and trouble to cook for yourself on a regular basis. But it totally is, in so many ways. Except you won't know until you try it, and I would never have tried it if I'd thought I had a choice (other than letting myself grow heavier and heavier, until it's too late to ever go back to looking & feeling like myself again). Well... better late than never, I suppose.

Speaking of late... I should totally be in bed by now.:/