WAAAAH! And Wow …

hd_holidays is not taking my signup form! Which leads me to believe that:
* LJ hates me (99% likelihood, and by 'me', I mean most of the world);
* The mods have intelligently reasoned that the most efficient way to make sure I don't miss my deadline is to make sure I can't enter, but being friends of mine haven't wanted to say 'Oh honey, no.' and so instead have cunningly coded the thingywhatsit to reject all my attempts to enter (0.9% likelihood, and I could not in good conscience blame them, nor would it affect our friendship as I understand the horror!); or …
* The Singularity has already quietly occurred and my computer is trying to gently remind me that every single time I sign up for a fest or even agree to pinchhit, my life goes utterly spare and is attempting to avoid the inevitable. (0.1%, and yet, I suspect …)

It's OK, though. There is TIME! All will be well!

ETA: Having the same problem because the commenting buttons don't work? (even though they work on other posts in my case, damn you, LJ!) Read down to follow the link from the awesome _inbetween_ for a fix. And if it still doesn't work? it is possible that you, like me, might need to follow cassie_black12's advice and split the post in two. And then it will post! Hurrah!

In other news, leochi has begun posting her series of children from around the world, and it's spectacular. I know that she was sometimes crosspants about fandom, but no-one can deny that she is both a very fine portraitist, particularly of children, and has a beautiful sense of colour. So if you're a fan of illustration, pop over to her journal and take a look.

And, of course, I am behind on birthdays again, because the tardy is my spirit animal (it's a shy tree-dwelling forest mammal, like a cross between a sloth and a pigmy marmoset …) MASSIVE HAPPY BIRTHDAY for yesterday to the very lovely lilian_cho, I hope that all your humans were full of celebratory joy for you and delivered on the breakfast in bed and present fronts! And for the day before that to queerbychoice who SO has the best birthday pressie ever this year and THANK GOODNESS you are moving! and to flamewarrior, I hope your time away from LJ has left you space to do some wonderful things in your life! And for the 19th (the shame!) to emmacmf, but at least I got in early with The Project there, so my guilt is assuaged (though I have a not-sent package to send which STILL requires only cotton tape to be organised, so basically, LOADS of guilt), and pervert_bitch for the 18th – you are a thoroughly awesome human whose brain works in brilliant ways. I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog, but I know you brought a lot of love into each other's lives.

Arm still a bit buggered but improving with physio and exercise, new bike still not picked up due to trackwork on the trains – I could have ridden it for 20km down a highway to get to a running train line, but thought that would make a poor decision for a first ride on a 'new' bike …