(no subject)

We're in the middle of a snowstorm, so of course I volunteered to leave work at four in the morning and drive back home in it. And I now know exactly what my father is thinking when he decides to drive the family somewhere during a snowstorm and he responds to everybody's worries with, "Don't worry, I can handle it" -- the entire time, he's thinking, "Holy CRAP, am I stupid."

And really, if you don't know that Pennsylvania's department of transportation is run by monkeys, you're lucky. I was just driving home from work on main roads over tracks worn through the snow because nobody bothered to plow them (it's been snowing since last night, so it's not like this just snuck up on them), and had to keep slowing down to drive over rises in the snow from where the plows had driven past to clear freaking side roads. And don't even get me started on my reaction when I was skidding along a main route in one town only to see a plow clearing out the parking lot of a beer distributor. Which I know is probably their own plow, but ... but ... a beer distributor, for Pete's sake. *growls*

In work-related news, I don't think it's too much to ask to work in a place where finding an intelligent conversation doesn't require three large sailing ships and funding from the Spanish royal family. (I think that may be why I can't bring myself to watch the American version of The Office ... because it's set in Scranton. At least with the British version, when I said, "Oh, my God, that's where I work!" there wasn't such a good chance of me being literal.)

EDIT: And because they're such pretty banners ... :)



OTHER EDIT: And while I'm scheduling my fic writing for 2006 solely by writing challenges, I point you towards the Ask Questions Later Challenge for Veronica Mars fic. ladybug218, you so have to check that out. *giggles*

Granted, I haven't seen it yet, but ...

Don't you think Bush looks tired?

If you get this, pass it on. *snickers*

(no subject)

You know, I got to thinking the past few days about the kind of characters I love to write most in fanfic, and I've noticed a pattern. I like writing about complete and total assholes.

No, seriously. Sarah Connor, Shannon, Dick Casablancas, Logan Echolls, Jayne Cobb, Spike (back before he got really, really tame) ... just people you wouldn't want to be trapped in a room with for ten minutes in real life. All of these people would drive me up a fucking wall, but I adore writing them. They're irritating, they can be so freaking insensitive, and they're all pretty selfish in their own ways.

*snickers* Yup, that's me. I'm TP, and I like writing about mean people hated by pretty much everyone. ;)

More fic recs ...

Ice in Crystal, by juliefortune (Firefly, Mal/Inara, Zoe/Wash) -- Okay, before you read this, go get chocolate, and a teddy bear, and maybe some cheesecake. Do you have a woobie? Because you might need a security blanket to read this.

Something Wrong With the Body Politic, by aliaspiral (Firefly/Serenity, Simon) -- Yeah, because after that first rec, what you're really going to need is so much more angst. But this is sad and scary all at the same time, featuring Simon's reaction when he gets his hands on the R. Tam Sessions.

Maneater, by witchofthedogs (Supernatural, Dean and Sam) -- A creepy story from the outside POV of a supernatural creature as it watches the Winchester brothers and assesses both their relationship and their place in the world.

Always Trying To Break Me, by sexycereal (Veronica Mars, hints of Veronica/Duncan and Veronica/Logan) -- A dark AU piece following "Normal is the Watchword" in which Veronica left the trip early for work, and there was no limo.

Fic recs left: 356 recs

Since I haven't done a movie trailers post in a while ...

... although that was mostly because my Quicktime conked out for some mysterious reason and refused to reinstall for a while. In any event, trailers!

The Hills Have Eyes -- Okay, I think I've pretty much established I loathe remakes. But ... but Aaron Stanford, all unshaven and wearing glasses! *is totally superficial*

The Ant Bully -- A little boy who tortures ants for fun is shrunken down to ant size. Not bad at all, although what really killed me was "Wrong movie!"

Thank You For Smoking -- Aaron Eckhart portrays a tabacco lobbyist who goes on a PR offensive. I think I love that cast. :)

The Benchwarmers -- Jon Heder, David Spade, and Rob Schneider take on entire Little League teams. Yeah, it looks about as stupid as it sounds.

American Dreamz -- The President guest-hosts an American Idol-like show, featuring Dennis Quaid as a very Bush-esque President. Hold me. *whimpers*

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada -- Tommy Lee Jones steals a body and takes it to Mexico. There's a carpool lane joke in here I'm supposed to be making, isn't there?

Over The Hedge -- After their forest is turned into a housing development, a group of animals search for food. Bruce Willis, Steve Carrell, Shatner ... the voice talent alone is enough to make me go, and I think that's my favorite trailer of the bunch.

Cache -- A family receives secretly filmed videos of themselves that get more and more personal. A very creepy trailer.

Mission: Impossible: III -- Bah. The only part I really like is when Tom Cruise slams against the car. I could watch that over and over again. By the way, don't you just love a movie title with more colons than a proctologist's office?

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- For anyone who hasn't seen the pretty Quicktime version yet.

Miami Vice -- You know what the great thing about this trailer is? Up until the title comes up, it looks like a really good movie. (Not to say that it won't be, but once you see "Miami Vice", you're free to question it.)

39 Pounds of Love -- A guy born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and given until the age of six years old to live decides at 34 years of age to go to find the doctor to basically tell him the equivalent of, "... you were saying?" It looks like a pretty cool documentary, actually.

Water -- In 1938 India, an eight-year-old widow is sent to live in exile. Boy, I hope that's a good movie.