ladyotterfae

For those who didn't already know about this, there's supposed to be a rather nice display in the sky tonight.
Not sure whether I'll get the clear skies to enjoy it, but figured I'd pass along the proverbial heads-up.

a couple of interesting links, grabbed from elsewhere on LJ:

first, a look at some of the psychology of socio-politics, one that was well thought out and nicely balanced, while written from a liberal perspective.

second, a link from that article, which is to some psychologist's surveys, where they're trying to learn more about how people from different parts of the political and religious spectrums weight various aspects of social reality. From the looks of the numbers, they could use some more takers, particularly some more conservatives. I know there are a few self-identified conservatives on my flist.
I've taken the first survey, and will probably take more, because it's intriguing to see where I line up with what they've already seen, and get a feel for the differences in how the world is viewed. Besides, I enjoy helping out research when I can.

Step One

- Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered...whatever you're comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related ("I'd love a Snape/Hermione icon that's just for me") to medium ("I wish for _____ on DVD") to really big ("All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.") The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.

- If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it's your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.

- Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two

- Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here's the important part:

- If you see a wish you can grant, and it's in your heart to do so, make someone's wish come true. Sometimes someone's trash is another's treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don't want or a gift certificate you won't use--or even know where you could get someone's dream purebred Basset Hound for free--do it.

You needn't spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn't to put people out, it's to provide everyone a chance to be someone else's holiday elf--to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not--it's your call.

There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just...wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you'll have the joy of knowing you made someone's holiday special.

( wishes )

Who wants to go see Happy Feet with me next week? Realizing, of course, that dancing penguins make me squee and bounce, so it won't be a polite and refined adult movie-watching experience. :)

Anyone?

still snickering, must share -

for them what don't read metaquotes, or even those who do, but failed to look at the entire entry on this one, this is one of the best overviews of monarchy lineage I have ever read, even if it is specific to one line of heritage of Elizabeth II. (for the StL crowd, be sure to take a peek at the delightful comments on James V, Marie de Guise, and Mary Stuart...)
http://ironychan.livejournal.com/745596.html

Last call and a quick double-check. There is a new post in the filter I set up for the school stuff. If you cannot see it, and wanted to (or didn't want to, and can), let me know. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check here, and feel free to let me know if you want in.


A real update will turn up in the not-too-distant future, hopefully.

Time for a little confession.

I'm a romantic. I like sweet and sappy, within reason, adore flowers of almost all kinds (though granted, that has more to do with being a nature sprite. I talk to flowers, yes.), and find little gestures of affection, be they physical, small gifts, found objects, whatever, to be delightful, on both the giving and recieving ends. Whenever.
I think Valentine's Day is cute. Oh, not the excessive pressure to buy (mostly ugly) things for people to prove you love them, not the obnoxious cards or the unrelenting pink that sweeps over the retail world for a month or more previous to the rather arbitrary date. But the idea of taking a day where you have the encouragement of the better part of a whole society to celebrate your love(s), publically or privately, with as much oozing, nausea-inducing, overly-sugared silliness as you and they can stomach...I find that fun. Okay, so society is limited in what they're willing to support. Take what they give you, and run with it as far as you want.

Myself? I get nervous around excessive declarations, dramatic emotionality, or smothering. But I have fond memories of the couple of VDs where I wasn't alone, and things were going well, and there was gentleness and adoration and silly cuteness from all concerned.
I also have fond memories of my VDs when I was a teen, and would lock myself into the TV room at home, watch sappy movies and eat junk food, all by myself. All day. (We had a pretty decent collection of Tom Hanks/Hugh Grant/Meg Ryan/Names Like That movies on laserdisc.)

As one of my wiser friends pointed out, it doesn't just have to be about a partner love. It's a holiday, it's a day, make of it what you want. I chose to believe it's about love. In all it's delightful and miserable and ludicrous forms.

If I am alone tonight, which I expect to be, I may bake, or make myself something fun to eat. I may find a movie I enjoy that I haven't watched in ages, or just curl up with a book and my cats.
If anyone else who is near me and is alone tonight wants to join me for a quiet friendly evening involving food and felines, they are welcome as well.

So yeah..I rant about Valentine's Day. About it being silly and stupid and a lot of pressure. I adore holding Anti-VD celebrations, involving black clothing and making fun of just about everything. Because that's part of me, too, and it's a lot of fun to boot.

Yes, I can have it both ways.

Alright, I have a huge list of people theoretically reading this, so I'm going to put out a plea for the animal nuts among you to consider joining in on this. Those of you in rescue work know there are networks for pet transport to get animals to new homes. Well, now there's an LJ community which posts trips in need of people to take an hour or two leg with a pet who needs help getting to a place to live.

I know a lot of us try to help out however we can, but are constrained by time, money, and space. So, this only takes a couple-few hours, a little gas money, and a willingness to make a new kitty or doggy friend, and hand them off a little further down the road.

Drive For Life LJ Community

*points at icon*
shiny! yay!

*snuggles rabidcaocao in all sorts of good ways and offers cookies*

You scored as Lawful Good. A lawful good person acts as a good person is expected or required to act. They are dedicated to upholding both what is right and what is set down in law. </td> Lawful Good 75% Neutral Good 60% True Neutral 60% Chaotic Neutral 50% Chaotic Good 50% Lawful Neutral 40% Lawful Evil 35% Neutral Evil 25% Chaotic Evil 10% What is your Alignment? created with QuizFarm.com

when the hell did I become lawful anything?
neutral good and true neutral I expected, with chaos right on their heels. but lawful good? *sigh*