So Tumblr decided to let me join up this morning. I don't know how the hell to do anything with it, nor how to find anybody/bodies/groups that I'd be interested in looking at. Maybe there's a wiki somewhere. In the interim, if any of you of my flisters who know my interests and know me, if you'd care to guide/illuminate me, or just want a new follower, please link away! Thevina was taken, so you'll see a hybrid combo of FrealasRuadh. Which is moi. ♥

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I read aloud the Númenorean story that I'd started writing back in '03 or '04 to evannichols in the car yesterday while driving to Newberg. While it's pretty short still, only the beginnings, it reminded me of why I've held onto this one story and its to-be themes of obsession and… well, mostly obsession. Partnerships. At the time, it was a way for me to project the negative messages I was getting from my wasband on to another character and to deal with it by writing about it. I'm in a very different place now, but still think that the story would resonate to whatever maybe-dozen people might read it. Stories set during the Second Age aren't necessarily a huge draw, especially a story that is taking place in multiple time periods at once and in a fairly static format of the present of the one protagonist, a cleric in the 600s in Númenor (I think) and then journal entries of Tar-Aldarion. And yet, I really, really want to get back to this fic. I'm having a stylistic issue in that when I started this, I was somewhat trying to emulate Tolkien style, so it's archaic and stilted. I think I may modernize the 'modern-day' Númenorean protagonist's speech, but I can let Aldarion's entries still feel more Tolkien-esque. Evan enjoyed it, though he doesn't know this fandom to the depth of degree that I do, and I'd venture that even most devoted Tolkien fans aren't necessarily going to be up to speed on this gem of a story from Unfinished Tales. I'll need to reread Aldarion and Erendis' story, and it appears that I ditched my copy during that February trip to Harrisonburg. Guess I'll put it on my library hold list. :)

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It's early (5:25) but a common time to be awake for me on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays when my work schedule and Evan's are in sync. I'm taking 2 days of PTO this weekend, which means this is our first 3 days together without working some of it since last October. WOOT! And I need it. I'm on the threshold of a work-free weekend (we're using 'koala' as a sort of reminder word if I find myself talking about work, and I absolutely will not even log in to see how many emails I may have), and it's much needed. :P

Yesterday was an absolutely delightful usual day off. It was unexpected in that I had company! evannichols was home because he'd come home sick midday Tuesday, and was still not feeling well yesterday. I took the opportunity to sleep in as much as my body needed, which was a lot: didn't wake up for a final time until 9:30. So no ballet, but I was certainly rested. I enjoyed a leisurely morning, including writing a letter to Evan's mom, then ran a couple of errands with Evan before leaving him at the apartment to rest while I went out and did my own things. First on the list was a truly lovely hour visit at my former residence on 79th. I met up with Gail and Robin, had tea, shared some of my knitting projects, and just enjoyed their company and seeing Cooper, the boxer [dog] again. What made me particularly happy about that whole scenario is that they are the first people since my Years of Struggle (approx 2005-12) whose residence I've left as a tenant under positive circumstances. They have enthusiastic roses in their side yard, and Gail sent me home with a stunning bouquet of a dozen, which are gracing a table now.

Other adventures included going to Value Village in search of sandals. Instead, I bought a pair of flip-flops (o_O), and a unique pair of side-zip quasi-dress shoes in a kind of rich grey. They need a lot of love, and some thoughtfully-chosen shoelaces, but I bought then for $5.99 and 20% off. I've decided to invest up to $40 in them to bring them back to life, and I'm oddly attached to them already. I rounded out the day with a wonderfully long phone call with Jen in Eugene, then a few episodes of season 3 Project Runway Evan and I are watching (my second go-round, his first) before going to bed. All in all, just a splendid, enchantment-filled day. And it was overcast/some rain, the perfect Portland day for me. :)

So today is work, and then 3½ days off as my Monday schedule is 1-10. We're trying to keep much of our time unstructured and free for spontaneous activities, but there are a couple of planned events on our docket: I bought a Groupon for a 2-hour jewelery-making class for 2 at a studio in Newberg, so Evan and I will take a bezeling class tomorrow from 2-4. I'm taking a years-old pendant with 2 circular peridots and a teardrop citrine and will plan to convert it into a pair of earrings with the peridots. But we'll see! The other thing I really want to do and have brought up on occasion is for Evan to show me around the Lewis and Clark College campus, as it's his alma mater and I've never been out there. I applied to several jobs there during my time in Portland, but was never invited for an interview and consequently have never gone to see the campus. I think it will be insightful to go through the buildings and on the grounds where young!Evan spent some formative years. And, like my alma mater, it often shows up in top lists for beautiful campuses. Maybe there will even be a picnic. ♥

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I just had a wonderful chat with emansil_12 which got me into writing, researching and re-engaged mode with a variety of writing-centric elements in my life which have been rather on the back burner. This happens a lot, in that I talk with her and get excited about writing again. So thank you, emansil_12! My aims along those lines for this week are to:
◎ print up my 2 Wraeththu novellas, back to front on 3-hole punch paper and put them into a notebook for reading and editing.
◎ While at the UPS store to do the above, print up my Númenorean fic I started a decade ago. Revisit it and consider working on it again.
◎ Revisit the Secret of Kells unclaimed prompts from Yuletide, especially this one which I'd saved in my email: well, never mind. I've now spent a half hour trying to find the damn unclaimed prompts from "Secret of Kells" fandom from prior Yuletides and have gone all over the internet and resorted to emailing the Ao3 staff within the archive. Hopefully they'll guide me once and for all as to how to do that. Thankfully I'd saved this particular author's 'Dear Yuletide Author' letter in LJ so I have the prompt: "This is my vaguest request. I just love this goddamn movie, and I was so heartbroken that Aisling went silent for the last 30 minutes. I want to see her story, as an immortal sprite of Ireland: anywhere between the fall of Kells to modern Ireland. I want her to interact with people: Brendan's descendants? Everyday pubgoers? No traipsing about as a wolf, she needs to be herself, reacting to any of the emerald isle's various developments: IRA vs England? Ireland reinventing itself as a silicon superpower? I want a mythical being watching the everyday world develop and grow. I want to know what Aisling thinks of St. Patrick's Day in Galway last year, or her interactions with terrified Black and Tans in the early 20th century. You have free reign. Just make Aisling Aisling, and if possible involve Pangur Ban (or her descendants!) somehow." The thought of making this a crossover with Harry Potter (though in the middle ages or later) could be a whole lot of fun.

And now, to knit for a bit, then cleaning up because evannichols and I are going to go for a walk with sanguinity and grrlpup at 11:00. :)

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Or: why I don't post much anymore.

My life is superb. The only drama I have (though at times it can be mighty and crosses over into my non-work life, of which I don't approve) is work-related. I have renewed and newly-meaningful relationships with some key people, including my sister, mother, and Eugene-friend-Jen. I still write letters and have phone calls maintaining other long-time friendships. I even see some people locally who are also friends— and colleagues! I'm financially in a far better place than I've been since 2005. I'm comfortable in my own skin, with a distinct lack of chemicals. My deep-seated anxieties about the irony of the universe lashing out at me personally in unique and traumatizing ways is near-banished. I'm exercising and even going to ballet once a week. Creatively, I knit more than anything else, but I've also revived work on my Wraeththu novel book contract and will be having a First Pass Major Re-Read/Edit with my editor at the end of July. I'm living and sharing every day with the life partner I didn't dare to dream actually existed. I'm 130 days into giving a full years' experiment of seeing what it's like to choose not to drink.

So I think I get a bit wary of sounding like I'm vomiting rainbows. Of course there's some shitty stuff. I've had several bouts of sinus/throat issues, which haven't been fun. While I thoroughly enjoy my particular role at work, I'm ambivalent about the ever-changing landscape outside of that realm. I'll need to do a major exorcism of preconceptions about headquarters in general before going there in June, though perhaps the very act of going will provide some clarity I haven't had before. My left pinky toe is apparently going to hurt for the rest of my life, and I've screwed up my right shoulder somehow, as well as done something to my upper left hip flexor… all of which makes the ballet more painful than necessary. I need to keep constant vigilance not to succumb to hedonic adaptation, and to be very, very aware of any inklings of creating drama simply because my life is so stable.

But in general, I'm fully engaged in my life and content in ways I've not been for a very long time. So that's why I don't post all that often. Still, here's an update! ♥

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My throat hurts. Again. And I'm a bit congested. I really didn't approve of this! :scowl: At least thus far evannichols seems to be dodging it. We're both grateful for that. I'm not great company when I'm sick, not that I complain overmuch, but because I do get sulky and very quiet. Often as productive as normal, but quiet and with a bit of a stormy vortex. Good thing that I work from home.

I'm really hoping to go try out an adult ballet class at Portland Ballet Theater tomorrow; I bought canvas ballet flats and everything so that I wouldn't have an excuse not to at least try a drop-in. I'm getting all worked up, however, because the one listed as Ballet 1 is actually intermediate level. There are two adult ballet workshops, both full, and neither of which I could attend with my work schedule. But those are for super-beginning ballet, and one level up. I danced intensely until I was 16, and then was in a bus accident that injured my back, but I'd healed up enough to take some ballet and modern again in college. In other words, I was pretty skilled, but at this point I've not tried ballet in a class setting since I was around 26. I tried something like this back then in Nashville, and I remember leaving the class in tears, being wretchedly disappointed in that while my mind remembered so much, and my body had the kinetic memory, even back then I'd lost some flexibility. Now I'm 43. But I'm going to go and give it a try, and hopefully it'll go well and I can keep dropping in the Wednesday 9:30-11 classes and work on regaining some suppleness. More to come on that front.

I'm in the final stages of finishing up another repurposed yarn project:


It's an adorable pattern and the first I'd done from this Japanese company. Only one size was given which, thankfully, happens to be my size. I modified the top in that it was supposed to be crocheted, but I don't know how. So I used an openwork knitted pattern instead. There's crocheted edging around the collar, armholes, and bottom, as well as a corsage flower thing in front. Fortunately for me, there is a crocheter in the apartment: evannichols knows how and is going to instruct me so I can finish up this lovely cotton top. I also sprinkled beads throughout the body just because I had them and thought it would jazz it up a bit. I'm quite pleased with how it's turning out.

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A confession: this is from a prompt request from [cough] May 30, 2011. Yeah. Not quite 2 years ago. So this is for you, espresso_addict. Her prompt was this:
How interested are you in the Gondor Steward's family? altariel & I were recently bemoaning the lack of Finduilas Lived! AUs, though that would turn out a lot more than a short story! If you don't mind writing an m/f relationship, I'd find anything with Denethor & Finduilas interesting, perhaps what made Finduilas decide to marry Denethor? (I tend to prefer my Tolkienfic to stay within PG-13 rating.)

Title: From Sand to Stone
Fandom: Tolkien
Rating: G
Word Count: 4172
A/N: This is my very loosely-sketched idea of how and why Finduilas may have grown to love Denethor over time. It begs for more scenes, so I may write more within this world. Thanks to espresso_addict for the prompt and to llembas for giving it a once-over.

( From Sand to StoneCollapse )

- and it's a special birthday, indeed! A banner year: the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything! :D



Looking forward to birthday sushi this weekend, sanguinity! ♥

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So I posted my Finduilas' POV fic and it's been quietly received. And that's really okay. I'm thinking I'll re-read the story of Aldarion and Erendis in UT and see about going back into the fic graveyard to dig up my Numenorean story long-ago abandoned, but not forgotten. :)

And ( I'm wearing armwarmers!!Collapse )

More about my newest project, but here's a link to the WIP on Ravelry:
http://ravel.me/Thevina/sts

I'm back to my 'regular' schedule, so back to work tomorrow afternoon. But I'm so, so excited by my new specialization and position. :D

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My Finduilas/Denethor story is done! It needs a thorough edit and to be beta'ed, but it's finished. I'll look forward to putting this little story into the fandom. Happiness. :D

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