Do you remember that year when a dark haired boy got off the bus in Stars Hollow and our lives weren’t quite the same after that? Because of that boy, because of his aloofness and intensity and, face it, smoking hot looks, we were drawn first to the television every week, and then to the internet, where we found each other. It was then, when I tentatively placed my pen to paper and first wrote for an audience. I lived to write, snatching moments in pharm lectures to plan out the next scene, to find just the right combination of words. I loved the reviews that encouraged me on.

It’s been a long time since I was enchanted with Gilmore Girls. Long before the series finale aired, I had stopped watching, disgusted by the changes in Rory’s character, the lack of warmth in the relationship between Lorelai and Rory, the cardboard caricatures that the townies had become. I’ve stopped reading GG fanfiction, my own story gathering figurative dust, two chapters short of finished.

And then I clicked on this story and was instantly transported back to the magical days of Season 2. “Truths Universally Acknowledged” is an absolute delight to read. Her characterization of Jess and Paris are spot on perfect, and Rory, while somewhat wooden in her dialogue is still the charming, bookish 16-year-old that we once loved. Did I mention that it’s all about Jane Austen and takes place after “There’s the Rub” and there’s delightful townies storylines that seem positively lifted from the show? It makes me want to dig out my DVDs, watch all of the old fan videos that Ali and Becka used to make, reread some of my favorite stories, and yes, even tackle my little neglected story again. It’s that good.

You can find links to all 8 chapters of the story here: Truths Universally Acknowledged by 12cubed. Go on, now. Go read and then come back and we can gush together. 🙂

Title: Tardus Semita
Author: Julia (jcd1013)
Characters: Ten/Rose, Eleven/Rose
Rating: All ages
Warnings: General spoilers for Doomsday and Gridlock. Character death.
Summary: Living the slow path means facing the fact that someday, he’ll lose her.
Author’s Notes: Written for the Anywhere But Cardiff ficathon. My prompt was: Blackpool, England, 21st century, which turned into a rather “blink and you’ll miss it” mention. Sorry about that. Especially big thanks to shirerain for looking over it and reassuring me that it wasn’t terrible and valancy_s for the last minute editing job.

Humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone you…
~ Doctor Who, School Reunion

She’s twenty-five when her family convinces her that she needs a vacation.

Would anybody be willing to read over/rip apart a short story? I finally finished my ficathon piece and as the deadline is today, I guess, not a minute too soon. I’m not entirely happy with it–I thought up the best ending for it last night when I was at a concert, and of course lost it before I could get home to write it down–but I don’t think it’s entirely horrible either. It’s shortish, five pages, so it wouldn’t take long.

Comment with your email address if you have some time today, and I’ll send it on. I prefer using Word with its editing tracking, but otherwise, I’m available on AIM or MSN (let me know your usernames) to discuss some of the changes.

So, a few months ago, I volunteered to participate in the Anywhere But Cardiff ficathon. It has been ages since I wrote anything beside histories and physicals, and frankly, I can’t be the least bit imaginative with them.

Anyway. I signed up for the ficathon and was very excited and very nervous, because if it did turn out sounding like a H&P, wasn’t so sure that would go over. I was a bit disappointed with the prompt that I got. Blackpool, England. 21st century, because it didn’t spark anything in me. I mean, I knew what was expected, but I haven’t seen the show and I don’t even like most crossovers (although, I’ve been toying with the idea of a Doctor Who/His Dark Materials crossover, because that could almost work). But I had been hoping for something foreign and exotic, you know, and this prompt just wasn’t either. So I’ve been lost. Oh, yeah, and not to mention, I really haven’t had a lot of time to write either. 🙂

I finally figured something out, or rather something that at least mentioned Blackpool, even though it was pretty insignificant in the overall plot. Now, I’ve changed the rest of the story (or at least the bits that I have written, and it’s so choppy right now and man, I write soooo slowly!), that stylistically, it doesn’t fit at all. *sigh* So either I try to fit it in, or I end up writing two stories, which at the rate I’m going, will take me forty years to do. Or I just give up entirely. Which even though I’d be branded as a QUITTER and a LOSER, might not be such a bad thing.

And, um… Legally Blonde: The Musical is scary (it was free from iTunes, I swear!).

It’s been a long, long, time since I put pen to paper and pulled anything creative out of my brain.

After last night’s Dr. Who, Ali (watcher_junior) demanded “Gah. Someone rec or write some Rose/Ten fluff. Now. Please?!”

Well. I’m a slow writer, so I couldn’t comply with the “now”. And I wasn’t doing so well with the fluff part either; trying to rewrite certain scenes at the end of Gridlock turned into a big angsty blowup between the Doctor and the TARDIS… And of course, in the process of trying to do a bit of research on it, I discovered that already, somebody had written out the little idea that I had and did a much better job, well, that completely killed my little story. It was a crappy anyway, painfully stilted with too much “telling.” Nearly a thousand words, though, miscarried. That hurts.

Instead, I’m posting a drabble, that would have served for the introduction (albeit in a lengthier form). I hope you like it, Ali!

Astronomy Lessons

I’m late (as always) doing this, but since most of her flist is not on my flist, I only found out about this through the grapevine. But I couldn’t resist and since it’s still April 7 in the Pacific timezone, well, technically, I’m not late!

I’ve been a fan of eponine119‘s writing for practically forever. I remember her writing from back in her X-Files days and her stories were always the ones that stuck with me. Next, I discovered that she also was a fan of Gilmore Girls and once again, I had the opportunity to read and enjoy her fresh takes on the relationships in the show.

Lately, however, her fiction has taken place in the LOST universe and nobody, nobody writes it better than her. Especially the general stories or the stories about the characters that nobody else is writing. Those are the ones that I read over and over again.

A few of my favorites:

Home is one of my absolute favorite Shannon stories. Even now, with Shannon’s death, this is one of the comforts, this idea that she did survive.

Sawyer’s Book Club. I honestly think that it’s stories like this that got everybody interested in who Sawyer was, his motivations. Excellent story. Excellent.

Red Sky has been recced by everybody but this is *the* doomsday fic. The descriptions are incredibly poignant and so dead on in the characterizations.

And finally, one last Shannon fic and a story that eponine119 wrote for little ol’ me. I love it. Bonds.

Thanks for the many hours of enjoyment, Megan! I hope you enjoyed your day!

There will be a real post too soon, I promise (no, I’m not avoiding LJ like last week, I just got super busy. And unfortunately, it’s the boring kind of super busy that wouldn’t be the slightest bit interesting to read about). But until then:

Snagged from eponine119:

Rec-Go-Round: Rec me ONE story you’ve written that you’re proud of, any fandom, any genre, here on my LJ.

Then go forth and ask the same in yours.

I’ve been wanting to do more writing recently, more short stories and drabbles. It’s been so long since I took a pen to paper. When I was in Kenya, I was so determined to finish Like Never Before that I wrote for two afternoons, transferring crumpled paper of many edits to computer, writing two new scenes. It was great, I was on a roll, things were progressing, and I was going to come home and surprise everybody–not that I think anybody has missed my story, it would have mostly been for my satisfaction. I saved it on my memory stick and when I turned on my computer the next morning, somehow the stick had gotten corrupted and I lost everything. My sister has the same brand and it died two weeks later, so we think it’s some error with the stick itself, but I lost all motivation again. I hope it comes back.

I’ve missed the creative outlet that writing provides, the satisfaction that came from getting just the right word and turn of phrase. I keep thinking about trying to tackle some original short stories or essays (you may have noticed some of the attempts in my journal entries, to make them sound a little more like prose rather than ramblings. I have no idea how well I’m succeeding–this entry would not be an example, btw). Especially since I heard that Brooke was writing a children’s story, which knowing her will be completely wonderful and witty and alive, since that’s how she writes naturally, and Michelle’s been corresponding with a friend, a la “Sorcery and Cecelia”. But I don’t have the time or the ideas at this point. Okay, I shouldn’t use time as an excuse, since Atul Gawande wrote Complications as a surgery resident, snatching 15-30 minutes away from precious sleep, and I have a ton more free time than that right now. (BTW, that’s the best book on the practice and culture of medicine I’ve ever read. I highly recommend it, even to those who have no medical knowledge at all. It’s a fantastic, enthralling read).

No, for me, the real hiccup is the creative side. I can’t seem to come up with a single original idea. Every time I attempt to invent characters or plots, they feel like pale ripoffs of every single author I’ve ever read. That is the reason that I love fanfiction so much–the characters are there with preformed motives, personalities, behaviors, etc and the trick is to write your own story within those boundaries. It’s difficult, yes, to stay in character, but I like the challenge combined with the ease. However, I really love the opportunity presented with the minor characters–people that we might have names and looks for, but everything else is a blank slate. Why I can invent personalities and mannerisms in this case and can’t with OF is beyond me.

Anyway. As I said. I’ve been wanting to write. Gilmore Girls has passed beyond inspiration. Even with the lure of Jess coming back for one more eppy hasn’t been enough to light the fire (maybe that will change come April). And I’m really wanting to try something new.

So. The sum up is that I found a prompt community called 7spells for Harry Potter fiction. It’s only seven stories which is much more manageable than the fanfic100 communities and I like the prompts, and even more amazing, there was a character pairing not taken that I thought I could actually maybe write something about.

Behind the cut is my master list for writing Harry Potter/Luna Lovegood. I’m rather excited, actually. I had so hoped that Luna would become a bigger character after she proved herself in the 5th book and was disappointed in the sixth book. I loved her scenes, she was hilarious, but it was lacking in substance–she was just the humorous situation generator. Where was the whole “Hermione and Luna balance Harry” plotline? Or the mystical “life after death” connection.

Erm. I’ll stop now. I’ll be posting the stories to my journal, since communities have a tendency to disappear and I don’t want to lose anything, but you have no obligation to read anything. Promise. 🙂

Harry/Luna challenge stories

Literati Fiction Exchange

To Include:
– some type of problem in Rory/Jess’s relationship either being resolved or being explored b/c it can’t be resolved.
– dialogue about some random detail of the setting they’re in…i.e. “that clock on the wall” “this carpeting” “how the sun reflects off the wall”…anything.
– a book reference that isn’t often mentioned.
Not to Include:
– Jess crying (almost is fine if it happens to work that way *shrug*)…(I’m sorry, it’s just…a thing…I have…about writing Jess. Now, at least, lol. =$)
Rating: anything is fine *nods* …not NC-17? =P

A/N: Special thanks to Becka for the application of the whip to make sure I finished this. She’s the bestest! Please review!

Sticks and Stones

They do have chipper as a mood!

Please don’t ask me why I’m chipper. I’m sure if you asked me to analyze it, I would find out that I really am not so. My ankle hurts. My non-existant ab muscles hurt. I spent all afternoon hanging around a tiny office with 5 other doctors, so I could exam 2 patients. (So. Painfully. Boring.)

Yep, started a new rotation, pediatrics, which I have been excited for, but stuck in clinic has kinda sapped me of the glee. I was looking forward to doing well baby checks and looking into kid’s stuffy noses, but I can’t stand just sitting around in a too-small room and changing attendings every half day! Thankfully, this does not count towards evaluations. And it should get better. I hope it gets better.

Only three more rotations and I’ll be done with third year!

Only three more rotations and I’m done with third year. When you really think about it, it’s scary. I went to a med school party this weekend, where I mingled with so many of my classmates that I haven’t seem in months. And it hit me. In just a year and a bit, we’ll be separating and spreading across the country… These close friendships and associations will end. I can’t stop it, and even though it’s so far in the future, that black dread is taking over residence in my stomach.

Hey, come back here chipper feeling!

No, things are good. Really. I just won’t let myself think how miserable my life is going to be when Chris and I are on opposite coasts. 🙁

I am such a nerd. No, really, it’s true. How did I spend my evening? My wonderful evening free of responsibility? Not to mention Valentine’s Day?? Reading articles from the latest Grand Rounds. I discovered this a couple of weeks ago, and I have to admit, when I read these blogs, written by actual doctors talking about real patient encounters, or just the science behind our bodies (they’ve figured out the genetics of why people have different sleep habits??? how cool is that!) I get so excited. Medicine is definitely my calling. Marissa, you should check some of it out–it’s written for the layman, and might give you an idea of the field.

Is tomorrow a new episode of GG? I haven’t seen the previous two yet (oops), but I still plan to and would like to tape it if it is.

And speaking of GG, can I do a bit of shameless plugging? Of course, ff.net messed up half of my formating (they’re taking out commas before quotation marks now!) and I’m not in the mood to go back and change it by hand, so believe me, it really doesn’t have nearly the number of errors in RL.

I’ve had to go through and make all most of my journal friends only. I had been planning on it, but I got friended by a rather, um, unsuitable person. And I really don’t need stalkers. 😉 Unless, of course, you guys want to stalk me, and if that’s the excuse it takes you to come out and visit me, then by all means, I give you my blessing.
.

Geez, after this randomness, you’re going to be begging me not to keep my promises!

*hugs* to flist.

Found on just about everybody’s journal. I’m late, but eh…

Fanfic evaluation

Followed this link from kimlockt

Fanfiction Rant

Apparently I’m a criminal! Whee!

I’ve never been on that side of the law before… I wonder what crime I’ll commit next… Hmmm.

The guy really needs to get off his moral highhorse. Or, I, petty criminal that I am, will be forced to take him down. (or not–wimpy side kicking in there.)

It snowed here. A lot. Outside my house, there’s about 14 inches. 14!! And it’s still falling.

It’s beautiful. I am such a winter personality. I love the magic of a snow storm. That line that Lorelai says in GG, during the first snow storm, yeah, she was channelling me.

So the trip to AZ is in limbo because my parents aren’t sure if they want to battle the elements all the way done and then on the way back, ’cause it’s supposed to snow again on Tuesday. Kinda disappointed, but since it took us about 6 hours to get to my apartment in SLC (my parents live about three hours away normally), I really can’t complain too much. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.

So what am I doing right now? I remembered last night, when I should have been sleeping, that I had forgotten to do an assignment. And if I don’ turn it in, in the next day or so, I’ll fail. Yeah. Oh, and I also remembered that I forgot the shoes that I had tramped all over the valley trying to exchange them because they were too big. Weird thoughts come to you late at night, I tell ya.

And am I a really bad GG fan if I admit that I don’t like a particular fanfic that has almost become canon, it’s talked about so much. Shivery was updated today (or yesterday) and I tried yet again to read it. I really did. This is at least the third attempts. And (I hate to say this), I can’t stand it. The story starts out so circular that I lose the story line and I’m so confused. And then, that’s when it gets dark, and I end up feeling awful about the world. Her writing is remarkable, filled with images that live, I’ll give her that, she certainly makes me feel, but… eh. It’s just not me, I guess. And I do read quite a few of the darker fics and enjoy them, I just don’t know. But it’s such the standard for GG fic, that I fear I’ll be stoned for my dissent.

(Sigh). Back to describing the layout of my doctor’s office. And this is what I’m paying thousands of dollars for…

Wow.

I am so blown away by the positive response that my latest chapter got. You know that scene in Moulin Rouge, where Christian is first singing to Satine, and she gets this stunned look on her face and then they’re off dancing in the stars and clouds above Paris–yeah, that’s me. I was positively giddy today–I skipped down the hall, much to the chagrin and bafflement of my more mature classmates (maybe I should go into peds, I’d fit right in there with the kids). I was checking my email every few minutes just to see if there were more nice things in my inbox. It felt like Christmas and my birthday and every other magical day there is.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I honestly wasn’t expecting anything like that. I really expected a rather lukewarm reaction, “damned with faint praise” at best. It’s probably not wise to trust my own judgments, especially since I had been staring at the same scene every day for about three months.

But it’s nice to be proven wrong too.

And I tell you, flattery is the best medicine for a ill muse–she perked right up and I had about a dozen brain whirl-winds this afternoon about the next couple of chapters. I’m sketching the ideas, working them in and I’m really excited.

Response to AvidTVFan’s fabulous review

I was in a pretty good mood today. Cardiology was understandable for once (if only they could manage to put physiology in terms of balloons and gas tanks!) and it got done early, another bonus. My afternoon study session was fairly productive and I didn’t get too freaked out when I heard the third and fourth years talking about the horrors of rotations–I so don’t even want to think about it, but I’m not being given that chance.

Came home, had a fairly relaxing evening and sat down to watch some television and within ten minutes my blood started to boil.

(I’m still exploring this Livejournal thing and just figured out how to do the cut thing. Of course, I can’t resist playing with it! And since it is spoilerish information if you haven’t seen it….)

Rant Number One