http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2009/12/11/happy-birthday-charlie-weasley-5

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2009/12/11/wsj-tom-felton-talks-jason-isaacs-ralph-fiennes-and-deathly-hallows

Tip of the day:

When you're modding a fest and a participant emails you to tell you that she's upset over her gift because it contains elements that she had on her "do not want" list and she explains why Element X in particular upsets her so much, your response should not be to defend the writer of the gift by saying how the writer worked very hard on the story and had a different interpretation of Element X than she did if you want to generate good will and good PR.

No, this isn't about Snusa.

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2009/12/11/harry-potter-and-the-half-blood-prince-on-oscar-fx-short-list

( The Quibbler Report: Friday, December 11, 2009 )

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2009/12/11/-17

( Apparently there are more rooms in my house than just the kitchen... )

Potion master seeks exceptional Muggle-born witch for apprenticeship at his apothecary. Virgos with a great love of books (especially Hogwarts: A History) preferred. Intelligence a must; bushy brown hair optional. Serious applicants only. For further information, inquire within.

Good lord, I tried to do a spot of online Christmas shopping, since Boss 1 is gone for the day and Boss 2 is in a three hour conference call, and the phones will not stop ringing! And when the phones aren't ringing, people are stopping by! WTF? It's Friday! Give me fifteen minutes of peace so I can order some gifts! *rant about international shipping and the lack thereof from some sites redacted*

Speaking of Christmas, I don't send holiday cards anymore - I got out of the habit and never got back into it, so I never put my name in anymore for people to send me cards, since I feel bad that I don't reciprocate. I do love receiving cards, though, so thank you so much to rei_c for the lovely card! First one of the season! *hearts*

***

Last night, mosca posted a poem in breathe_poetry that I really liked (Different Uses for Windows by Arlene Ang), and included a link to H_NGM_N, the literary journal in which it appears, so of course I had to go over there and poke around.

I found this poem:

Fifteen Beautiful Colors
by Erica Bernheim

I. Four mornings in a row of dawns, reversed sunsets, greasepaint reflections of peril heightened.



II. Ash, scattered, tastes of care and warns of inter-mural collisions. Expected, their flat hues.



III. Speaker, formulaic, blends all domestics into hard-won remainders like salt and rock salt.



IV. Lights at their brightest are the first to be extinguished. Six tickets rigged. Stained clandestine yellow.



V. Signals, misfired. Cornflower becomes alabaster, what voices scrape the self-professed neutron into action.



VI. Sweets, water, rested and longing for motion, the completion of the voiced projections: picture, abandon.



VII. My love, this journey and you have worn me like a jacket, like bluish seams erased and easily worn out.



VIII. Comfortable lead, pulling from center together, narrow as spit rope. Forty bowls, none glass.



IX. No one cares for the plights of the professionals, their amber sweat, their safety is what this does for you.



X. This is what the conversation looks like when no one wants to have it. Someone keeps score in red.



XI. Dead pull hitter. No trigger. Even the handle has been sold. What remains, iron.



XII. Two arms reaching make little sound grasps at smoke. Nothing here will bloom or rise, planetary faces.



XIII. Ball into glove is to tincture as impact was to need. Precious intensity wheedles its own sins.



XIV. Fine and ground to pieces no bigger than the heart of palm that holds yours. Waves out, be mine.



XV. What is this moon but silver ending, this flesh but nothing, this lamp, this stiff night.

~*~

I liked the first poem on the page well enough to scroll down and keep reading this one, and I liked it too, even though it didn't really ping me. Interesting use of language, and the first sentence of IV is well put, but nothing to really jolt me until I hit this:

VII. My love, this journey and you have worn me like a jacket, like bluish seams erased and easily worn out.

How perfect is that? It packs a whole relationship into one line, twenty words long, nothing tricky about it, deceptively simple. You know exactly what kind of jacket she's talking about, and exactly what the narrator feels like. This is why I love poetry and why I wish I could write like a poet. (It also doesn't hurt that it makes me think of Sam and Dean. Shut up.)

And X. reminds of fandom. Sigh.

***

This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/105339.html. people have commented there.

Current Mood: cranky

It's that time of the year. This is the fourth year that our troop began contributing to the Girl Scout Cookies for Our Troops program. People can buy cookies for our troops oversees, and the NY Council has an arrangement with the Armed Forces to have the cookies delivered throughout the world (most are currently going in Iraq and Afghanistan).

If you'd like to contribute, each box is $3.50. As I've said last year I don't have paypal, but I can provide an addy if you are out of the US (Paypal charges a fee, so please check with them). If you are in the US, the council will accept checks for less than $50 and money orders. They should be made out to The Girl Scout Council of Greater New York. This is considered a charitable donation. If you are interested, leave a comment, and I will give you my name and address.

I must have all the money by January 15, 2010.

Thank you to everyone that had helped us for the past two years. My daughters sent 100 boxes last year thanks to all of your help. I know times are not great, but anything you can spare for a good cause is appreciated.

67_chevy Raphael!! (We have 4 other angels, come on!!) Chucky Shurley, Becky Rosen! Bobby Singer! Zachariah! DEMONS!

wonder_land Tweedle Dum! (We have a Dee who wants you!) King of Hearts! (Because we have the Queen & the Knave!) Caterpillar!

mozaic Ian Somerhalder or Naveen Andrews for lines with taliya! She needs an a controlling ex-boyfriend and the best friend she lost her virginity to!

PSLs maybe? I have a couple Harry Potter lines listed in this journal I'd like to play out. Possibly something fairy tale related. I'm open to ideas.

My hd_holidays gift posted tonight and I'm all squeeful because it is gorgeous art that's so subtle and delicate and fairy-taleish. ZOMG. I heart it something fierce. \0/

Everyone should go look and tell the artist how awesome it is..and dear God, I want to live in that house so much. It would be fantastic. :D Although I suppose I'll allow Harry and Draco to live there, if they let me come visit. *G*

Two...Four...Six... by Anonymous

Also, huge thank yous to everyone who sent snowflakes earlier this week (and apologies for the belated thanks--I've been keeping myself offline in order to write the past couple of days). I meant to return the snowflake love once I got home from work on Monday night, but alas, LJ had turned the option off by the time I got to my laptop. But believe me when I say every single one of them brought a smile to my face on a day when that was sorely needed. You guys are seriously awesome. *hugs every damn one of you*

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This entry was originally posted at http://femmequixotic.dreamwidth.org/438096.html. You can comment here or there using OpenID.

Current Mood: squee!

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2009/12/10/mtv-filming-on-deathly-hallows-now-will-run-until-june-2010