Since I'm chatty today, I'm going to share a website with y'all, created by the daughter of my late creative partner and best friend, Paula Wilshe. Check this out for some great ideas on saving money, especially for those of you with babies in your life:

www.mamacheaps.com

Devon was even interviewed by her local news station, which you can see here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5sIbQv_b2M

I'm incredibly proud of her. What a great girl.

Current Mood: bouncy

So, I could go into why May kicked me in the teeth, but I'm going to spare my flist that. Suffice it to say I'm happy to see this month come to an end and hoping for a much better June.

I had a thought. One of my most favorite fannish things is to get together with other fans in real live person. List life and LJ life is fun, and I have dear friends in that world whom I've never met in the flesh, but there's still nothing that can compare to watching eps and song vids and sharing zines and telling stories with a room full of like minded folks, so here's my thought: Open houses. One per state. Now, I have no idea if we have Starsky and Hutch fans in all fifty states, but I thought I'd start off big and let things whittle down from there. This is how it would work. I live in Texas, outside of Dallas, and I'd pick a date and invite any Texan who wants to come (and isn't allergic to cats) over to spend a fannish day doing fannish stuff. With snacks! I have lots of original Lorraine Brevig art, every version of every episode, oodles of song vids, and people to vouch for my character so that those who want to come but don't know me will hear that I'm not a serial killer:)

So, I can cover Texas, or at least north Texas. What about Washington and California and Pennsylvania and you see where I'm going with this. Good idea? Lame idea? Any interest?

Current Mood: calm

I have to finish cleaning the house and go to the grocery store for snacks and drinks and other food stuff since it seems I'm hosting a casual Oscar gathering tonight. Hm. It seemed like a good idea a week ago when I was thinking with my Californian brain and not my Texas one. In California the Oscars start at 5:00. In Texas they start at 7:00 and end whenever they feel like it. I get up at 4:30 to get ready for work. I should be in a fine mood in the morning.

The Paul M. Glaser and DavidS appreciation site is still thusly named. I'm still unamused.

The older I get in my fandom life the more I appreciate a writer with an even and balanced hand. One who loves both characters and it shows. That's my bail card now, when I sense a writer doesn't like one of the guys, or so heavily favors one over the other that it's laughable...bail. What I need to carefully watch myself for is reading too much into opinions given on lists. List conversation does not necessarily mean that the person will put her opinions into her characterizations when writing. I keep telling myself that so I won't be biased when I try their fiction.

I think my patience isn't what it once was. As I do in all things, I blame menopause.

smudley is getting better and better every day, even though she has a head cold right now. I've never heard her voice so strong, her confidence and hope so high, and her laughter so sweet. This is a miracle, and I'm a believer.

Okay, clean, shower, shop. Even though the cats would love to have tuna for dinner like they did for breakfast, they need real food and so do I.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday.

Why I will never join this group:

Paul M Glaser & DavidS Appreciation Site

Um, can't fit David's whole name in or even be bothered to separate the first name from the last initial, then I can't see how he'll be any part of the appreciation.

Current Mood: cranky

Here's a post I never thought I'd make. Go watch Lifetime's (is it still television for women?) new red carpet movie "Praying for Bobby" during one of the 9,000 runs of it I think Lifetime will be having this month. Bring a box of tissues with you, though.

This movie knocked me off my feet. I repaired the DVR with my magical, incredible talent of unplugging it, waiting one minute, and plugging it back in again, so the movie was waiting for me when I got up at 4:00am this morning. I fail at getting the whole weekend sleep in concept, so I was sobbing at about 4:45. I won't give away spoilers, but I think it's a really important movie (true story) for everyone who cares about gay kids having a future.

What I don't get is why I've never heard of Bobby and Mary's story before. It happened in Walnut Creek, right smack in the Bay Area, in the late 70s, early 80s. I grew up in the Bay Area and by the 80s had more than several gay friends. I'm baffled how this story--printed in the Tribune--passed me by.

I'm ordering the book today.

Saturday love going on here. French toast for breakfast, good coffee, friends stopping in. My routine is a little off, though, since my DVR decided to dump all of my recordings for the week, so no watching for me. I guess that's another lesson in trying to do better to keep up with things as they're happening. Watch shows when they're actually first shown like other people do instead of waiting for Saturday morning.

Speaking of keeping up, another huge conversation on the list came and went while I was at work. I never catch them live anymore.

I've tried twice now to post raunchy story to M&T and twice it hasn't gone through. I'm trying to decide if that's the Universe's way of telling me it's not meant to live on a big archive and needs to stay in my little LJ forever.

Worried about KAM. Always worried about her.


Trying to reconcile myself to leaving bifocals on face long enough to actually get used to them.

Wondering if buying the new family room furniture I fell in love with last week would be patriotic of me to help my local economy in a small way, or stupid timing to part with cash in this scary, scary economy.

So go my random thoughts.

All prayers, good wishes, happy thoughts, candles--whatever you have in you--for KAM would be deeply appreciated.

Happy New Year, Flist. May 2009 be a wonderful year for all of you.

Even though the morning started with the very sad news of Bernie's passing, this has been the first day of my vacation (since returning home) that was even a little bit productive. I cleaned everything out from under the tree in preparation for it coming down tomorrow--something that will make my cats very sad. I'm a Christmas lunatic and the tree has been up since a week before Thanksgiving. The cats love to sleep under it, wrestle under it, see what ornaments can be snatched from it, and generally consider it their own private Disneyland.

What else? I did laundry, gathered up decorations from the family room, unpacked new dishes and washed them, found a space for old dishes, answered a few emails, and read some of my Flist. What didn't I do? I didn't watch TV, which is basically all I've done while in the virus' clutches--that and nap--and I didn't feel the need to exchange jammies for real clothes. Yep, Day five of the virus, and Day five of jammies.

So, what did I watch for virus days 1 - 4? Well, one of my nieces gave me season one of The Gilmore Girls for Christmas, something I was vaguely aware of as a show that used to be on the WB, but honestly thought was a teen thing. Ha! Was I wrong. I love this show! Yes, it's now off the air and all of that, but after watching 24 episodes in four days--I'm nothing if not thorough--I'm very happy to learn there are six other seasons to buy on DVD. And it has Jared in it! How could I not have known this? And his character's name is Dean which is just wrong, but I'm trying to adjust and curb the desire to yell out, "He's really Sam," to the TV. Hopefully, that buys me maturity points somewhere in the universe.

Three days of vacation left. At least I'll be honestly able to say I've caught up on lost rest while on vacation. Who else out there went to bed at 8:30 on NYE?

I can't go to bed until I finish packing. I can't finish packing until my jeans are dry and the dryer is taking its sweet time with them, so I was playing with this fun site:

http://www.televisiontunes.com/

A gazillion different theme songs. It seems I still know all the words to Good Times and Welcome Back Kotter. Oh, and Love American Style. And Conjunction Junction. And Maude. I can't tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday, but I sure can sing a theme song from when I was eleven.

I went to the S category first, of course. All there.

As of two hours ago I'm on vacation! I don't go back to work until January 5th. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to pull this off, but the Project that's been devouring my focus for the last six months is now, well, as of five days ago, in a highly manageable phase. So, I took the time. I'm exceedingly grateful.

I leave for California and Christmas with the family tomorrow morning at a scary hour. So worth it, though, to be able to be in California at 10:00 and have the whole day with friends and family--some I haven't seen for a year.

I'll be back here on the 26th to have Christmas celebration with my Texas friends.

Then, next week, other than a dentist appointment, I get to hang out, catch up on things--like the beautiful Advent calendar--sleep in past my usual 4:30 a.m. rising, and just enjoy myself. I'm actually giddy at the thought. I might even make a dent in the 374 emails in my box, too.

So, what do I know from my quick read of my Flist? Well, not as much as I should. A more careful read will be coming, but I do know that one of my best friends has found her way to LJ with Laura's help. If you're reading this Smudley, I friended you:) I also took the opportunity to friend other SH folks I've met before in person or email. I'm always stupid about LJ protocol, so if I friended you and you don't have a clue who I am, feel free to unfriend me, or whatever that is.

There's a little voice in my head telling me I'm about to start rambling about Christmas and nostalgia and friends and all the soapy stuff and that I should not do that and wrap it up before I've typed enough to require a scary LJ cut.

For those who celebrate it in whatever fashion you choose, I wish you a wonderful, joyful Christmas filled with all the things that most bring you happiness.

I just spent four days in Tucson for work, not pleasure, but even though the conference was full of long days and crammed with a lot of technical info that made my head hurt by 6 each night, the hotel was gorgeous and the views just unbelievable. And there were wild animals all around--bob cats on the nature trails, wild pigs in the parking lot, raccoons, skunks, etc. It was an amazing place, one I'd like to go back to sometime for pleasure.

Traveling gave me the opportunity to finally, finally be able to do some pleasure reading on the planes and at night. I took Marion's marvelous Boys in Blue zine with me, and finished almost half of it. So far, Laura's story is my favorite--knocked me out with its tenderness, angst, and originality. I could have stayed happily cocooned in that universe for another 100+ pages. I was finishing it on the flight home, and determined to finish it, when the gal in the window seat said hi, we were at the same conference... Not only did I not want to continue discussing anything to do with tissue or eyes, I wanted to read, damn it, and read slash. I briefly considered what the odds were of her seeing what I was reading from the window seat when I was in the aisle seat and there was no one in the middle seat and decided she'd have to really reach to get nosy so I politely said hi back, hope you had a good time and got lots of good info, and put my nose back in my zine. I was on *my* time by then! I've been working so much these last few months that I've gotten really selfish with me time where I can find it.

Thursday night I watched SPN and ER in my hotel room hoping my DVR was being good and recording everything for me at home. I'm a big re-winder for SPN.

ER made me miss the old days so much. Damn, that used to be such a good show before they ripped the heart and guts out of it.

Me and Thee exploded while I was gone and I had forgotten to go no mail. I hate having to delete so much stuff.

I can hear Dana in my head--read no more of the zine until you until you write LOCs.

Current Mood: calm

My to do list is looking empty again, and I don't think any other con duties are going to come along to fill it up. I just ordered the chocolate which will arrive at Flamingo's house on Wednesday, finished the Jeopardy! games last night and they've been emailed to Flamingo, the spread sheets are all up-to-date...I'm either done, or nearly done (still have to finalize the transportation groups and update the panel list but that will need to wait until this afternoon's call with Flamingo) or I'm forgetting something important.

I pulled out the suitcases and started packing, just to be sure that incidentals like underwear and a toothbrush actually get packed before the last night frenzy of trying to stuff last minute fannish items in gets under way. That's always a fun time: Me running up and down to the fan room 9,000 times with four cats on my heels back and forth. My bedroom is down stairs so I rarely go upstairs unless I need something from the fan room or the zine storage closet. The cats think my traipsing up and down stairs is an event they should enthusiastically participate in.

Speaking of the cats, three out of four are currently enjoying their weekly chlorox-fume induced high and writhing about on my slippers and on the bed. The fourth cat, who is unaffected by the illicit delights of a freshly cleaned bathroom reeking of the smell of chlorox, keeps running back and forth from my bedroom to the office where I'm now sitting as if to report that his sisters are once again going mad. Don't know why, he should be used to this weekly show by now. It only lasts about a half hour and then the girls all collapse for deep naps, their buzz all gone.

Speaking of cats part two, if all goes well I'll be bringing a new baby home the Thursday after SHarecon. She's between 9 and 10 weeks old, and a co-worker of mine rescued her from a tree four weeks ago. She was abandoned and scared to death, but my co-worker has been socializing her and I understand she's a perfect little peach who loves my co-worker's cats. And she's completely healthy! She's been tested for everything and has already had her first round of vaccinations. I think this might be the one. I've been waiting a while now for the right baby to come along. My crew will have some adjustments to make, I know, but my oldest two are almost 12, the next in line is 10, and my youngest is 9. It's time to bring one more in while everyone is still healthy and happy and not cranky with old age and unwilling to accept a new baby.

I think I'm naming her Jenna, with Lucy and Gillian (yes, I know) being possibles, too. I have to actually snuggle her to know what her name should be--can't completely tell from her pictures.

And that will be it, I don't have my Crazy Cat Lady hat made yet, so I know I have to keep the number at 5.

And now I go take a shower and run errands and get a pedicure.

Marking the date in my LJ when I finally, finally can say I'm done with this season's zines! The con zines are shipping to MD as I type this, and the mail order zines are safely living in sealed boxes in the garage until I get the energy to move them into the house. I'm a wet noodle right now, but that's it! I'm done! It was a long labor but the babies are birthed.

I keep starting the Barry White Ultimate Collection over and over. Could I be more of a cliche? Playing Barry White while editing hot slash... See why I can never join you in SPN land, Gayle? Barry would never fit.

Maybe I can taper down to Luther? Joni? Snow Patrol? No? I'm going to be playing this CD all afternoon, aren't I?

I just opened up a fresh pound of coffee--my second of the week. That's not too bad is it? Three weeks until the printer and I'm barely twitching at all.

Originally published in Venice Place Chronicles Volume VI. With enormous thanks to molo and Ro for helping this LJ idiot get this story posted.

( Fantasy Friday - Part 1 )

( Fantasy Friday - Part 2 )

When I was seventeen I saw David Soul in concert at the Circle Star theater in San Carlos, CA. It was a theater in the round and I was in the third row and he was indescribably beautiful. It's been almost thirty years now since that concert and yet it really does feel like yesterday because the memories have stayed so vividly in my head.

Yesterday, myself and two friends, also fans of SH, saw Jensen Ackles in Fort Worth, Texas performing in "A Few Good Men." I haven't seen so many fangirls in one setting outside of a con in, oh, ever. The excitement to see their boy was just palpable, like mine was to see David way back when. I also happen to think that Jensen is adorable and I love Supernatural--I wouldn't have gone to the play if I didn't--but even with as much fun as I had, and that cool feeling of, "Oh, gosh, that's him, big as life and twice as pretty," when Jensen claimed the stage, I was just as moved by the fans themselves. I know some flew in for it, as did one of my friends, and there were the special outfits (and more bared cleavage than one expects to see outside of Hooters) and the clutching of the souvenir programs. I don't know, but it got me thinking a lot about fans and what this all means to them. I haven't had an opportunity to see many celebrities in person, and even less of an opportunity to observe their fans observing them. This was special. A very special afternoon, and a very cool play.

I wonder how many in that audience will remember every detail thirty years later like I remember that concert?

Thanks to Molo and Flamingo's generosity, my zine announcements are on the SHarecon site:

http://sharecon.org/vpp.php

One of these days I really am going to sit down and learn how to build a webpage. Today isn't the day, but maybe soon. I was appalled at how bad the emails looked when put on a Yahoogroups list.

Printer week always brings a certain amount of frustration into my life. Today's quandary is if I should attempt to market the new S/H -- Emergency novel I'm premiering at SHarecon with the Emergency! fandom, since the novel contains their characters as well--but this is not a Johnny/Roy story. Nope, Roy stays straight.

I've looked up Emergency! slash groups on both yahoo, livejournal and Squidge and can't find an appropriate one. I'm also not sure about joining one of their lists, anyway, just to advertise--that feels like spanning to me since I'm not part of that fandom. The novel's author is well-versed in emergency and did a terrific job writing them, but she has never been a part of their formal fandom either.

Who knows Emergency! slash fandom better than I do? I'm trying to determine how many copies to print.

Someone a few weeks (months?) ago wrote a wonderful S/H story using Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" LP as background for the fic... I have a terrible feeling that I didn't LoC the writer at the time I read it, which really makes me mad at me. I take these notes and make lists and I'm still always insanely behind in feedback, unless it's going in one of my zines. Then I manage to keep up:) Last month I LoCed three writers whose work had been out for over a year. I was a little embarrassed to send feedback so late, but I figured better late than never, and I think they did too.

Anyway, after I read that story I went to MusicMatch (the place I buy music from) and purchased several cuts from this amazing album. I'd almost forgotten how good it was, but I remember now. Joni led to Joan Baez and so many good memories. Gosh, women folk singers of the sixties and seventies were so, so good.

So now I have a few hours to myself after a busy week. I'm editing and listening to music...Joni and Joan...and wishing I could remember the name of the author who wrote the story that inspired me to d/l the music in the first place. She made me happy.

I've done my part to ensure that Season Four of S&H will be released ASAP to N.A. How do I know this? Because I just bought (and received) a Region 2 set from the U.K. That should do it, especially since I also had to purchase a Region free (if I knew how to do those LJ cut things, I'd attach the link for it) DVD player. That really should be enough to make sure that everyone else in N.A. will have much cheaper DVDs right away!

Lack of patience? Me? Whatever gave you that idea?

So last night was fun. I met Sue D. (fellow fan, good friend and neighbor) for dinner at Camille's and completely enjoyed the closest thing to California Cuisine I've been able to find in my new home town. Whoever started that restaurant has to be a Californian... after dinner we went to my house, and after staring at the DVD box and pretending we weren't going to hook it up rightthatsecond since I really needed to make room for it in the entertainment thingy and who knows if the family room TV had enough outlets (inlets? Whatever those jack things are in the back of the TV and as it turns out also in a secret side part of my TV) and all of that. Yeah, I went upstairs for a little table to put the player on and Sue started opening the box. Ten minutes later, the two of us had a temporary set up in place and hooked up and were watching "The Game."

There was much happy giggling.

Today I'm getting a hair cut (and telling myself I can't become a red-head just before Devon's wedding) going to the P.O., picking up hated tax files, and trying to find *something* appropriate to wear to a wedding where there might be snow outside. Snow in Vegas. The mind boggles.

I've had a few friends ask me if I'm going to cry at Devon's wedding, and I think they mean cry for Paula because she won't be seeing her daughter get married, but while I'm sure I'll cry (I always do at weddings) it won't be because Paula isn't there. I firmly believe she'll be right there watching with all of us.