Her Life is a WIP

There's nothing like a quiet Saturday morning in Autumn, is there? Ok, maybe a Sunday one. But Saturday has the clear advantage of being the first day of the weekend so it holds even more promises ;) 

I've just written a tiny scene that may or may not be part of my next TOG fic. It's not part of the story I'm currently writing but it popped into my head fully fleshed and I thought it would be a crime not to commit to paper right away! My writing plan for the weekend is to finish at least one of the last two scenes in the Current Fic I'm working on. Obviously, if I finish both - meaning if I finish the whole fic - I'll be over the moon, but one out of the two would be fine with me.

We don't have a lot planned, so it could be doable: last Art History class this afternoon, then nothing specific for tomorrow, except we'd like to try a coffee shop that makes Japanese fluffy pancakes, so maybe just a little outing on Sunday. We'll see.

So our little program makes for a quiet and chill weekend, which makes me think I could manage a nice chunk of writing (if inspiration allows and all that). Then again, writing usually happens when I haven't planned it at all, maybe even didn't think I'd have the time, so.

Oh, also included in our weekend schedule: a bit of Netflix and Chill. Although, in this particular case (especially for me) it'd be more a case of Netflix and Freak Out as we've watched the first episode of The Haunting of Bly Manor yesterday and will continue throughout the weekend. I loved The Haunting of Hill House so much, was so incredibly moved by the Crain family, I don't know if I'll feel the same kind of 'affective' investment for the new season and the new characters but I've enjoyed the pilot a lot and trust the show to be both scary and touching, anyway, so I'm sure I'll enjoy the ride (even if I enjoy it mostly hidden under my plaid but that's neither here nor there).

Something else I'm quite impatient to watch is Helmstrom, one of Hulu's new shows. It seems to be checking many of my favourite boxes. If memory serves, the show piqued my interest when someone described it as the child of Prodigal Son and Evil. I mean, if that's not an interesting combination, I don't know what is ;) I don't expect it to be groundbreaking but it should be entertaining and I'm hoping I'll fall in love with the Helmstrom siblings. You can watch the first minutes of the pilot here. 

I think I'm also excited at the idea of 'being excited over a new show coming up.' What with Everything, I wasn't sure we'd really get many new shows so it's nice to have something to look forward to in that department :) There's also the second season of The Mandalorian, of course! October is looking good tv-wise. 

Ok, must go and get our lil' homemade brunch ready now. Have a lovely weekend, flist <3

I'll have to check snailbones' journal but I think it's alright for me to celebrate the weekend now \o/

Oh, alright, alright, I only went back to work yesterday. And from home, too! Not exactly my fault, though: ( Cutting for Covid-related content. I might always put that type of content behind a cut from now on, come to think of it... )

So that's RL for us now. Fannish-wise, oh Fandom is still a delight ♥ In my last entry - before last, to be precise - I mentioned that I didn't know whether I'd keep writing now that I was going back to work and all but turns out I had - at least - one more fic in me because between that entry and now, I've written and posted my fifth story in The Old Guard fandom. We'll see how the next weeks/months go but five fic, you guys... it makes me happy ;) 

Without the slightest segue, I've seen this lil' 'Trip down memory lane' meme on  turps33's LJ and I wanted to play too: Time travel challenge: For this challenge, go to the year your journal was created and find the entry closest in time to today's date. Post that entry here.

The year is 2003, the date is August, 28th, and - funnily enough, as I'm in such a fic-mood these days - it was actually a Fic post, namely a Jim/Blair story, written in response to that week's challenge over our Sentinel Thursday comm', back when The Sentinel was one of my main fandoms.

Aww, sweet memories ♥ I almost didn't read it but hey, surprisingly it isn't terrible! It even made me smile, so ;) 

Happy weekend, flist. Hope you're all doing well.

Hello, flist! Rumour has it that all good things come to en and, I'm back from my one-week holiday in the south-west of France followed with a couple of days in Normandy. I've been back for the last two days, actually. I've had a fantastic time with my family, it was a very much needed break from, well, Everything. It's very odd to think that I'll be back to work next week... let's not even talk about the Current Situation and all the questions and doubts that arise from It. 

Let's not dwell too much on that. ( Here are a couple of pictures from said holidays )

Between the sixteen of us in that rented house - yes, surrounded by vineyards and without a single neighbour in sight, it was glorious - the many cousins that paid us a visit, the outings and activities we had planned, believe me when I say I didn't have the time - nor the opportunity - to sit down on my own and write, but I did have many TOG thoughts. One of the perks of vacationing in places filled with History.

I also took mental notes as I could just imagine Joe and Nicky having a little break dans le Sud-ouest, doing a little road trip in Lot-et-Garonne, visiting all those old places that could be filled with memories for them, reminiscing about how the Château de Pressac looked back in 1453 compared to now, smiling at the thought of those Ursuline nuns that created macarons in 1620 in Saint-Emilion and how said macarons look nothing like the ones we're familiar with today. I could see them having fond memories of the very old and very small bakery where the very old and very small Monsieur et Madame Miniard made and sell their own bread, pretty much in the middle of nowhere, twenty years ago (turns out a young couple bought that same very old and very small bakery so you can still go and buy bread there).

Yeah, many TOG thoughts, indeed ;) 

I haven't written that Lot-et-Garonne fic but between Friday and Saturday, I finished the one I'd started just before leaving, so now I've written four TOG stories \o/ I have no idea whether I'll keep writing once I'm back at work - what with having so much less free time and all that. I won't push it, we'll see how it goes. In the meantime, I'm so happy about those four stories I've written. It felt glorious ♥

Ok, our delivery for tonight's dinner just arrived: tonight's program is Indian food and Netflix (we've been watching Cursed - and being surprisingly quite into it - so tonight we'll watch the last episode.).

Hope you've been doing well while I was away!

I don't know if I mentioned it (amidst the many, many TOG talks) but Cookie and I are now on holidays \o/ The past week has been quite productive, too: a mix of fun activities and household chores. 

Since Lockdown ended (I don't remember whether I talked about it before either) Cookie and I have been slowly but surely renovating the kitchen, the bathroom, and our office, ie. we've changed the counter and added a new, er "wall cabinet frame", English!Ikea tells me it's called, in the kitchen. We've changed the flooring then the vanity+faucet and added a mirror cabinet in the bathroom. The past week, we've moved on to the office. We removed the (old) wallpaper (last room to have wallpaper in the flat) and now that it's done, we need the prep the walls so that we can paint it. You know how it works, fix any holes and cracks that remain, sand the surface, wait, sand it some more, and finally (finally) start with the painting. (I can't wait to reach that part).

So that took some of our time - especially as we had to go twice to the home improvement store because (of course) we couldn't find everything we needed in a single visit - but we also included some fun outings; Cookie and I went to a museum and saw an exhibit, I met with a friend and went to another museum and saw another exhibit. We had BBQ at my sister's. Fun times. (We also "went on strike" and remained indoors for two consecutive days when it was so bloody hot outside that the wind was blowing hot air, you guys. This is the worst). 

Oh, and I wrote three TOG stories. I've already posted the first two, I finished the third one just last night, it's in starwatcher307's capable hands, now ;) I've also started a fourth one but I'm not sure where it's going so I'm letting it sit for now. But, yes, talk about being on a roll :) I'm going away for ten days at the end of the week and I don't think I'll have the opportunity to really sit down and write. I'm talking family vacation with sixteen of us in a big house, including five assorted nieces and nephews - age 3 to 12. Can you say "busy" and "noisy"? Oh, in the best way, I cannot wait, but still... not exactly the kind of environment made for "peaceful writing", is what I'm saying ;) Besides, I'll want to enjoy this family time to the fullest, so. All that to say, maybe my brain felt it wouldn't be able to indulge in more fic-writing for ten days and decided to make up for it now.

Ok, gotta go. Cookie and I have been craving junk food for the longest time and we decided today was the day. Burger King, here we come!

I have zero focus for work today, my brain has been absolutely unable to get into work mode this morning. It is a bit of a problem because I happen to have a busy day ahead of me, including two (online) meetings that I've already prepared for but which preparations need to be looked over once last time (with a  sharp mind, if at all possible). If you think aforementioned brain is set on The Old Guard mode, you wouldn't be wrong, but it's a bit more than "just" TOG.

Something completely unexpected and ever so exciting happened yesterday, you guys... I started writing a fic! I repeat, I, Mouse, have started writing a fic, ie. I committed fannish thoughts to writing. An idea came to me (which, admittedly, happens every now and then - the last time was for Prodigal Son so it's not even that long ago) but usually, it goes away and even if it doesn't, it is not aligned with the desire/want to write it down? I haven't felt that desire for a long time, I'm afraid (and I'll admit I miss it). But this idea wouldn't leave me. It got stronger and then I actually sat down in front of my laptop and started writing. And kept going! 

I wrote words! For the first time in eleven years. It has been so long since I wrote my last fic that I had to look it up but turns out the last time I posted a story was in 2009 (the Merlin fic I still get kudos for, as a matter of fact, amazing). 

I had to take a break as I had something planned in the evening and I was pretty worried I wouldn't be able to resume when I got back home, that I would lose interest somehow. Or worse, yet, still be interested but lose inspiration? But I picked up right where I'd left it and added more words. Until precisely 1.46AM when I slipped up and almost deleted a whole chunk of the story with no way of retrieving it. I still have no idea what the hell I did, it's not as if I didn't know my way around my files, but I thought it was time to take a break and go to sleep ;) 

So far, I've written around 2260 words of Joe/Nicky, post-movie (the story picks up right after the movie ends). And I even have a title! In Ligurian! Did I mention I am beyond excited?  Now, I can only hope I will not stop mid-story and never finish. But even if I don't finish it, I think I'll post it here, at least. Unbetead, unfinished but I need the world to know that I wrote words and a not!fic exists. But it hasn't come to this yet so heee! Wish me luck!

Ok, enough of this. Now, fic- I mean work! Now, w.o.r.k. *waves*

The Old Guard has been watched a second time last night and enjoyed as much - maybe even more because this time around I knew what to look for and what to pay attention to. Besides, there was the feeling of "I know, and love, those characters" which usually makes you appreciate their interactions even more.

My fannish headspace is filled with Everything Old Guard at the moment, I've been reading articles (the latest being that one about having a MENA male as a romantic lead the likes of Joe/Yusuf and I agree. It was such a good move. Also, Marwan Kenzari is so perfect as Joe. The way he plays that character is pure love), watching interviews (my favourite to date might be this one which has Luca Marinelli talking about Nicky/Nicolò. There's this moment when he mentions the Van scene and it filled me with glee ♥ It's in Italian, though, so you might need to find subtitles - or I could let you know what he says, mind).

It's so interesting (and amusing) that whenever you look for articles or interviews about the movie (which is supposedly an action movie), you will find an ode to romance somewhere - or maybe as the focus of said articles and interviews. The action scenes are praised (rightly so, they are so cool. Wait, here's another pretty cool video, this one about the training the cast had to follow to make it looks like they really were soldiers that have hundred/thousand years of combat training and experience) and in the same breath, they'll talk about the depiction of epic love.

To this day, I still consider that the most romantic moment that ever graced our tv is the Small and Tiny World scene in QaF UK. Well. The particular scene is still (and forever, maybe) #1 but then there's the Van scene in The Old Guard ;) If you don't ever watch the movie, at least watch that clip right here - if only for gloomy days, as a remedy against sad feelings, it'll help ;)

Then, obviously, I've been reading fic. You guys, we already have 153, 172 185 (I swear, I blink and five new fics have been posted lol) works in The Old Guard over at AO3. The fandom is growing so fast. When M. looked the day after the film was released there were two works posted (movie-verse, at any rate) and look how many are published today! Fly, little fandom, fly! Oh, and we already have a coffeeshop au and a sex pollen fic! We're on track, people, we are most definitely on track lol

In conclusion, The Old Guard.

Day 100? How (and when) did that happen? Oops, and also eek! I can't even blame post-lockdown life because it has only been lifted very slowly and it's not as if Life Got Back to Normal or anything but time flies sometimes, is all. I've started a couple of entries in the last weeks but never got around to finish them (case in point, I had to delete the one I'd last written to write this new one because it wasn't relevant any longer) and here we were.

I don't intend on writing a long post, I'm merely trying to get back into the swing of things so let's go for a quick recap. Let me think, where to begin? 

Ok, let's start with work. I'm still doing remote work although as of last week I can go back to work on-site once or twice a week. I'm debating doing that... maybe once a week, to begin with (I'm still not super keen on taking public transport at rush hour, even with the new regulations, tbh). I meant to do it yesterday, as a matter of fact but had to stay home (to receive a pretty big delivery) so maybe next week? We'll see!

Most public places have (as of the beginning of this week) opened again (including restaurants and movie theaters etc.) and I'm so impatient to go see a film in an actual theater! I knew I enjoyed going to the movies (not just seeing them) but I had no idea how much I'd miss the whole "process". So I'm debating going back to the movies, too. I just need to check the regulations and everything, see how I feel about them #ToDo

I don't know if it was the joy of being able to go outside (going to Paris omg!) and go shopping for something other than food but I've paid a little visit to several bookshops the past weeks and treated myself with a lovely little list of books, which had made me super happy (sorry for how capitalist that sounds but there you have it lol). Work has (finally) slowed down a little so I feel like I'm able to enjoy my free time a little better, which is lovely. I've also kept the good work regarding tv even though I'm behind some shows (story of my life). 

Many things are still like they were during lockdown (workout sessions in the morning, healthy cooking mixed with fun baking) but with the amazing addition that is the freedom to go outside and enjoy Outdoor Life and see your family and friends. I'd missed Paris so much, you guys! Incidentally, I've been able to enjoy Paris as never before, ie. almost deserted in some places. That might not be as true now but a couple of weeks ago you could go to the Louvre and basically take a photo of the place (where the pyramid is) with absolutely no-one there. I mean, obviously, as the museum was still closed and the vicinity was as well, but still it was eerie. Same thing with the Tuileries or the Palais Royal garden, the Buren columns and so on... we're still trying to keep our outings to a minimum but at least we can go out. It's absolutely lovely :)

Anyway. I just wanted to say "hi" and hope you're all doing ok! As you can imagine, I have quite the backlog of entries to catch up. Wish me luck ;)

PS: Also, I'm hot. Not in an "I'm too sexy for my shirt" kinda way but in an "it was still 33°C around 10.00PM last night and I'm not ok with it!" one. Summer has come, people!

I genuinely thought I'd posted something not that long ago but turns out it's been ten days since my last entry? Funny thing, actually, I just saw a tweet that went along the lines of "we all agree that the month of March lasted approximately six years but the month of April only lasted about six minutes?" and I do feel like there is some truth in that statement. Tomorrow is the first of May! How did that happen? Even more baffling yet, lockdown should ease up in ten days.

That is... presumably. I don't know how your own roadmap reads like for your exit plan but ours is... er, let's say a little "unclear". Lockdown will end on May, 11th. Or not. It depends on whether the number of new cases drops below 3000 a day. If that doesn't happen, Lockdown will most probably remain as is. Or not. It might be lifted but under stricter rules than expected. Everyone should be able to go out without a permission form except not really, and not too far either. Technically, only those who can't do remote work are asked to go to work. But not really. Next week TPTB will release a map listing all our départements and whether those areas can lift their lockdown, a weather forecast of sorts that will let you know whether you're allowed to roam free or not. And when I say "roam free", I use the term loosely as public places will remain shut down and we won't be able to wander very far, anyway. What about the masks, now? It'll probably be mandatory in certain places, including public transport... but they're not sure there will be enough for everyone. There should be! Hopefully. Who knows? Oh, also we might get un-confined only to be confined again in June.

Ok, then!

I'm lucky that I've been able to work from home since day 1 of Lockdown so I'm among those people who are highly encouraged to stay home and keep doing what they've been doing all along, ie. stay cooped up inside and, between you and me, I'm pretty ok with that.

So I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing for the unforeseeable future: there are many new recipes I want to try (not that I wouldn't be able to anymore but they have a certain kind of flavour during Lockdown), new books I mean to read, more Yoga poses I want to master, we want to sort out our cellar, we have a new boarding game on the way to try, there are more shows I want to watch... I'm doing fine where I am!