So, if my email post thing was working properly (which it's not; it says it can't find my PIN), this is what you would have seen...about a week ago.

So, apparently, all these last couple of posts I've done through email
haven't been posting. I'm trying this one more time, and if this doesn't
post...well, I don't know what I'll do other than not email post anymore
obviously, but I'll also complain very strenuously to the management.
Probably.

Anyway, to re-iterate what I've said in my last few (missing) posts:

* Thank you very much jcolanthe, my LJ Secret Santa, for the
book and all the goodies! There's a funny story behind The Book of
Jhereg. I got hooked onto Stephen Brust in HS, read all the Vlad books
I could find (which wasn't many), and then, somehow, forgot about them when
no new ones appeared. Then a couple years ago I re-discovered Brust and the
fun of Vlad and Loiosh and Morrolan and Aliera and Sethra. I ordered
The Book of Jhereg from Amazon, read it, loved it, and left it in the
car so I could keep re-reading it at lunch. Now, I live in Louisiana where
we have *very* hot summers. And hot car + paperback binding glue =
problems. I picked up the book one day to read it and had it fall apart in
my hands. I even tried to keep it for a while after that, but the pages
would get scattered and mixed up, so I finally, regretfully (and man, was
that hard to do) trashed it. So now I have a new copy, yay! And sparkly
things and chocolate and girly stuff, woo! I shall have to see if I can
think up some fic as thanks. (P.S., jcolanthe, if you're reading this and
have any particular ideas for fic, please let me know. I work well with
prompts.)

* The Yuletide story I wrote is called "Muder Among Friends." It's a Nero
Wolfe story for Rhiannon featuring a hard to solve case, poker night with
the guys, lots of Archie being Archie and Saul being cool, and even a dash
of Fritz. I want to thank everyone who's commented for the very nice things
they've said. I really appreciate the support! Also, I still think that
everyone should go read the Tactics story I received, stat. It is casefic
with snuggling and tie-tying, and it is by Harukami who writes
awesome stuff.

*I wrote a tiny XXXholic drabble the other day:

He is fuming to Himawari-chan about Doumeki’s latest bout of irritating
behaviour, “—and then he ignores me and announces he wants yakitori for
lunch. Yakitori!” He hurls the word like an accusation.

"I think it's cute," Himawari-chan supplies, looking at Watanuki like she
expects him to sprout pigtails for Doumeki to pull. He has a sudden
horrific vision of himself with Himawari-chan's long, beribboned pigtails
curling down his chest as Doumeki tugs at them curiously. He quickly
replaces himself with Himawari-chan, and, funny, he didn't think he was
supposed to be jealous of both of them in this scenario.

*I've been trying to get back my Desperate Housewives love, I
really have. But maybe it's that Bree hasn't been quite as kickass as usual
lately? Maybe it's that I don't feel any 'OMG WTH?' over the last death. I
mean, I am glad that Gabi finally got a bit of a reality check as to how her
affair affects other people. And I'm glad Lynette didn't go all jealous as
hell with some lameass plan to test Tom's fidelity that would backfire in
her face as usual. I'm glad Susan wasn't horribly insecure and clingy for
once. And I'm saddened that Bree has her views on homosexuality, although
it is perfectly in keeping with her character. I just wish she was a little
more...kickass with her son.

*Lost love is back! *flails happily* Hi, Mr. Eko! (or is it Ecko?
Eco? Echo?) I love you! And your priestly brother! Okay. So. Eko's
confederates (plus brother) were on the drug smuggling plane that crashed on
the island that Locke saw in his vision that led Boone to his death. Now
I'm just wondering if it's feasible for a little plane flying from Nigeria
to have enough fuel to make it to the island. (Surely if they'd landed
somewhere to refuel they'd have gotten rid of the brother? Actually, why
they didn't just dump him the moment they got over the ocean is a mystery to
me.) Charlie is a great big git for lying about the statue and the plane.
Now we all have to wonder if he's using again, or is he just stashing the
icons "just in case." What was computer!Walt's message?? "I need you to
come--" Come where? When? How? Aaaaaaaack! Stay good, Michael, stay good!
Plus, OMGWTFBLACKSMOKE! With the explosions and the staredown, and I second
Charlie's look of 'You Are a Complete Whackjob' at Eko for not running and
somehow making the smoke go away. Plus, you know, "scripture stick" and
"Just what kind of priest are you?"

So, apparently yesterday was National Video Games Are Evil Day, and I didn't
know about it. First on Intervention there was a guy addicted to gaming (he
had no job, no social life, only one friend, he'd ignore everybody else to
game, he talked to the game instead of to people, and he'd threatened
suicide), and then on L&O:SVU there was a case about a group of teens who
decided to re-enact a scene from a computer game and run down a hooker then
kick her to death. Whee. (Not.) Although I did get to see a good bit of
Munch, so that made up for it.

And then Cold Case did a Rocky Horror themed show! And it didn't feature
fans as creepy weird loser criminals, but as normal people who wanted to
have fun! And all of the flashbacks had bg music from Rocky Horror! And it
made me really really really want to get either the dvd or the soundtrack or
both!

Also this weekend: bathroom renovations. Painted the tub. Yuck. Nasty,
nasty fumes. Take my advice and don't try this at home. Also bought new
tile for the floor--faux slate vinyl tiles--and a cabinet for towels and
stuff. And a vase. Shut up, decorations count. There shall be a real
bathroom and not a construction zone soon.

Still need to get a Bree icon. Ah Bree, how lovely as always. How clueless
of what all the men in her life are up to. And while I feel like I ought to
feel bad for Lynette (because I'm not sure I'd like it if my husband was
working with his ex and didn't tell me), I agree with what Tom said. She
just seems so desperately unhappy with her life that she's trying to drive
everyone else to unhappiness *and* she's sabotaging every attempt at making
her happier. (She doesn't seem to have any "playdates" that last longer than
once, she's messed up every new friendship she's tried to start, she's
disliked by all the other moms at school, she first tried to sabotage and
then fired their nanny and never got another one. The woman does not seem
to know how to build friendships. She's all about compete, attack, win,
win, win, and how she ever ended up with laid back, good natured Tom is a
mystery to me. I want a Tom in my life, dammit.) And ha! Mary Alice and
Creepy Paul are babynappers! I knew it!

Angel the Series:

Watched "First Impressions" and "Untouched." Had to re-watch bits of "First Impressions" so I could fully appreciate both naked Angel tackling Wes (autoerotic asphyxiation, yay!) and the pink helmet argument. God, I just love to hear Wes call Angel a wanker. :)

Desperate Housewives:

Dude, Susan's mom grates. And where is Julie? Also, Mike's a copkiller? Who wants to bet it was a crooked cop? Am I supposed to like either Gabi or Carlos at all, because right now I could care less about them. Alas, Bree is not going to be playing matchmaker with Andrew and some really nice boy she met at the country club. And I knew she was going to bring up Rex's sub tendencies at dinner, although I wasn't quite expecting "Your father is into S&M and he makes me spank him with a riding crop." ^___^ Although I am very, very, very disappointed in and angry at Mark Cherry for making the one (admitted) bisexual character evil. I mean, first he didn't even use the word bisexual (copout), just some lameass metaphor, and then he made sure to point out that Andrew is completely amoral and twisted and eeeeeville. Gee thanks, Mr. Cherry. Way to go with the progressive thinking.

Law & Order:SVU

Okay, first off, totally distracting to be watching this and every time Richard Belzer comes on, all I can think of are Te's fics. The line "Munch is a sex god" keeps running through my head. (Okay, so yeah, I had a thing for the guy back on Homicide too, okay?) Secondly, is a show about sexual predators really the place you want to pitch KY warming lube? (Also, every time they advertise that stuff it makes me want to write vampire porn. Oh what? Come on, like you don't get that urge too?)

Bree. Bree Bree Bree. I love you. Oh Marcia Cross, you kicked so many kinds
of ass last night. You just broke my heart. "I'll go with green. Everybody
loves green, right?" And you told Lynette what I've been wanting to tell
her forever.

Lynette, I understand you may have Issues with corporal punishment, but from
what I've seen your *only* method of "discipline" for the boys is
threatening them. You never, ever follow up on any of the threats with
anything--removal of toys or privileges, timeouts, extra chores, etc. Face
it, loving your boys and wanting to provide them with good education and
lots of opportunities is great, but if you don't give them some control now,
they're going to make mowing down grannies look mild. And besides, you dare
to bitch out Bree after she a) agreed to babysit for you at the last minute,
b) helped get your kids into a super-elite prep school, c) tried to give
your sorry ass a chance to be around adults more by helping you steal a
nanny only to have you fire her because you were afraid your (amazing)
husband would prefer her cheerful perkiness (and we're not just talking
about the boobs here), and d) helped get you down off your Ritalin addiction
because you can't set priorities or get anyone to help you (because your
kids are hellions and you get rude if anyone points it out). So jumping on
her about her son? Was *so* much ass.

Oh Susan. Like Mike said, this explains so much about you. No wonder you
desperately thrust yourself into awkward situations--it was the only way you
could steal some limelight from your mom.

Gabrielle, don't go running off to your teen lover! Go to the police, show
them the bruises, and remind them that contracts signed under coercion are
inadmissable under law. (Don't you watch any L&O?)

And ooooooh, Zach is really Dana! Ha! I knew it! I told you so *months* ago.
But whatsherface is so setting herself up to get whacked by Paul. I mean,
he already strangled her sister and killed/helped kill the female private
detective (Mike's ex??) who was going to "take Zach away."