Floating Leaf

I have this irresistible urge to post something today. Namely, the link to my sister's new website: http://www.magdalenaalmy.com. She just shared it with me, since she's been working on putting it together to promote herself as an artist. I think it's gorgeous. And since it's an open website, available to the public, I have no qualms about flaunting it here.:) I am insanely proud of her, despite the fact that we don't see eye to eye on many issues (politics and religion, most importantly, as anyone who has been following this journal knows already - but let's leave that painful topic alone for the moment). Sometimes I think she was simply born in the wrong century - and if you take a look at her art, you will understand what I mean. There are many contradictions about her, and she is a mystery even to me sometimes, though I know her better than most people. But whatever else there is behind the carefully created 'public image' you will see on the 'Bio' page, there is definitely immense artistic potential. And I'm not saying this because she's my sister. Anyway... feel welcome to browse, or even contact her if you are so inclined (she is trying to sell her art, after all) - just don't tell her you found the link in my LJ, since she doesn't know I have one.:P And I'd rather keep it that way for now, not being sure how she would feel about some of the things I post here (the slash, for one; as well as any mentions of her & her ideological outlook, obviously). But you may, of course, say that you are a friend of mine and that I told you about the website - that would be, indeed, most welcome (just don't mention the name Floating Leaf, since she has no idea who that is :P). Or just take a lurker's look around and tell me what you think.:)

Summer is here. It is hot and stuffy, and after the endless winter and brief & reluctant spring we had this year, it feels unreal. So unreal, in fact, that I am keeping my windows open to let in the breeze, even though the breeze is warm and sticky. The A/C can wait. I have a fan, and freshly made ice cubes in the freezer (chilled wine would be heavenly just about now, but since I don't buy alcohol these days, I'm making do with iced water instead :P). It's been raining on and off for most of the day, and the smell of it is thick in the air. So I am letting it in, and probably won't close the window until I wake up covered in mosquito bites.:D

And that is all for now. I have an exciting life, you see.;)

In other news - Happy Birthday, mellacita. I hope you have a great one. Take it easy and indulge yourself, for once.:)

It's that time of the month, again. *painful groan* I guess I should be glad that my periods are so mathematically regular right now - but the bad side to it is that they actually happen more often (they were frequently late before), and, what's even worse, they always come on a weekday.:/ And I only get 10 sick days per year at my workplace. While, in this kind of situation, I need 12 (or 13, considering the fact that I took two in April - one at the very beginning of the month, another one at the end). Besides, it's kind of embarrassing and difficult to try to come up with a different excuse for a sick day every month (yes, my boss is a woman, but I still don't feel comfortable telling her the real reason I need to stay in bed for most of the day - especially since I don't think I know anyone else who does; not at my workplace anyway). So this time I told a blatant lie about car trouble on the way to my parents' house, which supposedly forced me to stay there overnight and then wait for the car to get fixed before I could go back. I feel stupid and bad about it - I hate to lie and invent stories like that - but at least it saves me one sickie for later, because in this case I will be able to put it down as 'personal day' (of which I can have 3 per year). By the way, here is a question to the women on my flist who still suffer from this disgusting 'natural disaster' every month: do you need to take a sickie for it, or do you just grit your teeth and go to work/school/wherever else you're supposed to go that day?... And if you stay home because of it, do you tell your boss - or whoever else was expecting you somewhere - the real reason for your absence, or do you invent some other (less embarrassing?...) ailment or excuse?... I'm just curious. I also can't help thinking that in a matriarchal society, we would all get an official day off once a month, specifically for that purpose, and no one would be questioning its necessity. Or am I just a pathetic wimp, because some other women I know don't seem to care or suffer much during that time at all?... Opinions, anyone?

I suppose I had more to say, but I think I need to go lay down for a bit, again. *sigh*

Sooo tired. Been hanging out with the Anime Central crowd since yesterday. Headed over to the convention center in Rosemont right after work (it's about a five minute drive from my workplace, so it wouldn't have made any sense to go home first), then had dinner at the nearby Giordano's with akashaelfwitch, namarie120, helynhighwater, elvishlady09, jades_tempest, taelyn_sass and krazykitten46. It was great to see everyone again (or for the first time, in some cases... lol). I stayed to chat in one of their hotel rooms almost till midnight. Went over there again today to check out the dealers' room (thanks to my member's badge, kindly provided by Akasha), did some shopping at the Yaoi Press market stand (where else?... LOL), got a picture taken with my favorite European manga artists Dany & Dany (thanks, elvishlady09!), walked around a lot admiring people's costumes and generally soaking up the atmosphere etc.etc. I also took public transportation, since I didn't want to deal with having to find a parking spot with both the convention center itself and all nearby hotels packed to the limit, so I had to leave before 8 p.m. to catch the last bus home - but I was dead on my feet by then anyway.:) Oh, and this morning I also managed to pick up Viggo's latest book (Skovbo) from the post office (I just couldn't resist ordering it, despite the impressive price). I have only cursorily flipped though it so far, but some of the photos look drop-dead gorgeous. The man has talent and that's a fact.;D

I was also lucky enough to grab my first Netflix movie before someone stole it (yes, I just signed up for Netflix - I'm on free trial right now, so I'm not losing a penny even if the DVD's do disappear; and besides, it's cheaper than Blockbusters Online, so I decided to give it a shot anyway). And it's one I'm really looking forward to seeing (Atonement). It's long, though, so I'll probably watch it tomorrow. Right now I need to wind down, get another cup of soothing herbal tea and tumble into bed.:)

I can totally feel my leg muscles, btw, so I predict a very slow, relaxing day tomorrow.;) A long, indulgent bath, reading naughty comics, watching a good movie and trying out a new (hopefully delicious) oriental recipe. Mmmmm... life is good.:D

So... I am trying to make myself post something here every once in a while, just because I still care about some of the people who might actually read it... but the only thing I could come up with today, for some reason, is a bunch of old angsty poems. Don't really know why. I'm not horribly depressed or anything - just kind of pensive and, well... introvert (so what else is new, LOL). And it really bugs me that I don't seem to be able to write anymore... so I decided to console myself with translating stuff I had written years ago in another language. Just because I can - even if it has no bearing on anything going on in my life right now, and won't tell you anything you needed to know about me, besides the fact that I've had my share of unhappy and/or unhealthy relationships (which could be why I decided that reading slash is more fun, somehow). In a way, it also feels good to be so distanced from my own angst that I can treat it simply as an exercise in translation. Go me. Or whatever. *shrug*

( three poems under the cut )

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, surreysmum!!!

I believe a certain Elf just showed up to pay his respects:



He does seem happy to see you, doesn't he?...;)

( In other news, I had a peculiar dream this morning in which you came to visit. )

I thought I had things to say today - positive things, even - but somehow they just seem totally pointless and irrelevant. And fake. Because whatever I said, it would be just pretending that everything is fine again. And it isn't.

I can't let go of LJ, because I generally find it hard to let go of things I have become accustomed to - but it's not the blessed, joyful place it used to be for me. Now it's more like that phase of drug addiction where you take them because you know you need to, but it's not any fun anymore.

Not that I really know what I'm talking about. Luckily for me, I guess.

Again, I think I'd better shut up.

Maybe I need a life or something.:|

Okay... stormatdusk said she would be interested in reading whatever I wrote.:P So, without further ado, I present my latest dribble. I haven't written anything in over a year, so it might feel a little scratchy... and it's not my usual pairing. Though I guess it fits into the same universe with my three fluffy/humorous ficlets about Legolas, young Estel & the Twins. Except this happens before Legolas walks into the picture - for Estel, anyway. Just a little snippet of unintentional voyeurism.;) (I hope you're not bothered by twincest, Tania - otherwise don't feel obliged to read, since I didn't warn you before :D)

Title: Closer Than Brothers
Author: Floating Leaf
Pairing: Elladan/Elrohir
Rating: R
Summary: Young Estel discovers something unexpected about the twin sons of Elrond.
Warning: Well... twincest, obviously.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tolkien.

( It was one of those glorious summer days when everything seemed bathed in light. )

Okay... let me just try to get some things off my chest. First of all, I really don't want to 'take sides' or judge anyone. I've seen enough of that on LJ in the past few years. I wasn't eager to judge or condemn even when the controversy revolved around people I didn't really care about - I'm just not comfortable passing judgement on someone because they're human and may have made a mistake. Period. And when it comes to those I call friends, it's even more difficult. To put it as simply as possible: I don't judge my friends. I support them. Regardless of whether I agree with what they do, or whether I would have done the same. Does that mean I have double standards?... Maybe. I don't know. All I know is that I always try to understand everyone's viewpoint in any situation, and sometimes I agree with two opposing sides, in a way - or at least see what put them in the place they're in, so to speak. I guess that might be synonymous with a lack of moral spine in the eyes of some people... but that's how I feel, and there's not much I can do about it. ( So shoot me. )

Snagged from gairid:

The 100 Most Annoying Pop Songs We Hate To Love* Meme.
Let's see how sad you really are.
Bold the ones you like (if you dare!) then count them up and use your shameful total for the subject line. Add reasons if you dare.

( Okay. Here goes... )