In which Brammers spreads some fucking sunshine

[blamebrampton]

There are scads of memes going around at the moment, including one in which you say things to people on your flist anonymously. I am playing my version of this one. It's cheery.

"Why are you relentlessly Pollyanna at us?" you may ask.

"Because there are enough crap things in the world without me choosing to be one of them," I reply. "Harden the fuck up and take a compliment."

Every single person on my flist is covered by at least one of the following. Some are covered by several. If you think I mean you, I do.

1. I am always so touched by the generosity you display in both your posts and your comments. Your warmth is contagious and your kindness is inspirational.

2. You see things in ways that would never have occurred to me, but once you have pointed them out, I see things differently, too.

3. You are a completely brilliant parent. Your kids must have a fabulous time of it!

4. Do please write an original novel and become terribly famous and wealthy. I feel it would be fun for you and then I would have something else good to read.

5. You know, you are fabulously good looking.

6. We have pretty much nothing in common. I don't care, I like you anyway.

7. I never have time to read your stories, I feel very badly about this. One day I will.

8. You are SO MUCH FUN. And let us not forget the smart.

9. Your strength and resilience amaze me.

10. God, you're talented.

11. I know that things seem grim right now, but in the future, you will look back and see how strong you were through all of this, and you will be amazed at what you can do.

12. On those days when you have no idea what you're doing, nor what to do next, nor any sense of why it's happening, relax. You're young. You're allowed to make mistakes, it's how you learn to be a smug, slightly condescending but well-intentioned adult.

13. I wish I could still run the way you do.

14. My fingers, and my toes, are crossed for you. I want you to have that dream. But I also know that you will find another, fine and worthwhile dream if this one doesn't work out.

15. That thing that you said to me made a real and significant difference to my life. I treasure it, and value you.

16. Every time I think about meeting you, I feel very happy about the serendipity of the internet.

17. You are SO my secret twin/lovechild/crush.

18. Your adventures sound ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY brilliant.

19. Of COURSE you can do it. Der! You can do it better than anyone else could, too.

20. Thank you so much for the love and laughter! I like the fact that my face is ageing into smile lines because of people like you.

Comments

[absynthedrinker.livejournal.com]

That a pretty big flist. I hope all 20 comments cover everybody. You are an absolute wonder.

Peace,
Bubba

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

They do, though a shameful number are numbers 6 and 7. You, of course, begin with 1 and pick up several more from there.

[deensey.livejournal.com]

Love you too

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You know that most of these apply to you, especially 5, 8, 9, 10 and 19. Also, AREN'T YOU HAVING A WEEKEND AWAY FROM THE INTERNET? I am laughing with you, not at you. Really I am .

[marguerite-26.livejournal.com]

You can spread your fucking sunshine on me anyday, hun.

Nice list. :D

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Spread, spread, spread!!! And your numbers include but are not limited to 1, 3 and 15.

That sounds a bit like bingo. Oh dear. Oh well ;-)

[empress-jae.livejournal.com]

i know who number 4 covers! lol! :D

your rays of sunshine are pleasantly blinding. ♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

HA! 4 covers about 20% of my flist right now, and will probably expand to about 60% before we're all gone. Including you, missy! (and me for that matter ...)

And you have been a 15 for some time now, thanks to your 1-ness, too. You know, I'm quite enjoying this speaking in code thing.

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

*sends you flowers*

I like your version of that meme. :-)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

*catches flowers!*

Thank you, I like my flist, so I thought it would be a good time to remind some of it of its better qualities, and let the rest know that I have noticed their excellence! (BTW, you are such a 10, and I find you an 18, too, among others!

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

You're so cute when you do sap! *hugs*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Thank you, oh poster girl for talented people who are also kick-arse parents!

[themadpoker.livejournal.com]

This is totally the best version of the anonymous meme I've ever seen. :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Cheers, dear! I was thinking of you particularly in the ones about strength and about expanding horizons.

[romaine24.livejournal.com]

This is awesome. I would love to save this and cut and paste some of them on a daily basis. I'd give you credit of course.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That would be lovely, oh poster girl for 2, among other numbers.

[nqdonne.livejournal.com]

I AM TOTALLY #17, YES/YES? lovechild FTW. :P (only b/c there wasn't one that said "you are secretly 40, aren't you? :P :P :P)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You are my secret lovechild who was raised by a sane person (hence obviously adopted out ;-) Also, 1, 2, 5, 8, a tiny bit of 12 and several other numbers, too!

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

6 makes me chuckle... true, you don't have to have things in common to like a person, and sometimes it's more interesting if you don't.

Thanks for spreading the love : you do realize many of these apply to you too, don't you?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh yes ;-) I think you get the highest number, though, 6, 7, 12 and 13 are the only ones that don't apply at all and I have my toes crossed for 3 being the future truth. And now I must go back to sleep!

[rickey-a.livejournal.com]

I sooo dig you :)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I dig you back, Ms Rickey, oh woman of immense 10-ness and a whole heap of other numbers!

[scrtkpr.livejournal.com]

This is awesome. I was wanting to do something like this, and hopefully still will if I can find the time. Fandom definitely needs more people like you. ♥

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Do! Fandom needs more people like you, too, oh woman of many numbers not least of which are 2 and 10.

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

I think I want to gank this from you. Or, a version of it, at least?

Is that okay?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That's not just okay, it's positively encouraged. BTW, you're another person whose list starts with 1 and goes on from there ;-)

I am awake at 4am because the kitten just jumped on me until I got out of bed to give her more kibble. Next time we will have dwarf rabbits as per your icon!!

[sesheta-66.livejournal.com]

I swear I can't get enough of your posts. Really. And number 5? *preens* Thanks.

So ... you are incredibly awesome. I need to say that. I absolutely adore your snark and humour, which is almost always incredibly witty. And when it's not, it's still hilarious!

And this type of post--a breath of fresh air for everyone--is awesome. I agree, there's enough sh** out there; an ego-stroke is something everyone can use. Muah!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It's the living in Australia, all this sunshine makes me chirpy, and the winters are no colder than Oslo summers, as pingrid often reminds me with not a trace of bitterness.

I loved your comment that I am still funny when not witty, if you could only see the Ranty McRantypants hand gestures and facial expressions, you would have a very good laugh indeed! Sends you a big kiss back!

You're another 1 plus a collection that includes but is not limited to 10, BTW.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a terrible cynic and general mock-maker, I would just like to say, "Bravo".

What a lovely way to offset some of what I am sure was epic wank. (I tend to miss these things as I am usually somewhere in the basement archive of fandom, but that suits me fine.)

I thoroughly enjoy your stories, and your writing in general and you are clearly A Very Nice Person.

So I will take 5 and 6 with a smile and a "Thank you".

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I think it's more that I would like to be a nicer person, since I find it very easy to take the piss, as they say. So it's a sort of compliment-based carbon offset analogue. If I am going to poke fun at things and people, then I should also point out the good, so nature balances itself.

And you are very welcome, 5 is terribly appropriate, and I have many lifelong friends who are 6!

*smooch*

[frantic-mice.livejournal.com]

OH! YES! It really applies to me. SPECIALLY #5 though the other ones not so much. *g*

Re: *smooch*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

OBVIOUSLY for you! Though there was a really big 15, too! And quite a few other numbers, missy!

[brinian.livejournal.com]

Well thank you for your fucking sunshine :-) That some of it may apply to me gives me hope!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Actually, I thought of you for several of these numbers. And, because I have been through the year-long rehab, too, you get a particular variety of 11, which has the caveat that I know you already know this. I also have high hopes that you will be a 13 again someday, and you are certainly a 1, as your grace under all sorts of fire continually shows. Have some more shiny shagging!

[gossymer.livejournal.com]

Your version actually makes me want to do this meme! The more negative versions make me run away 'cause I know I wouldn't be able to do it :(

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly! And I suddenly realised that people produce all that negative crap in their own heads ALL THE TIME, so it would be pointless for me to replicate it. But what we can sometimes forget is the huge bundle of good stuff that comes with practically each and every one of us (there being no leaders of Zimbabwe on my flist). So I thought I'd focus there.

It was fun to do and reminded me of all the things I really enjoy about fandom. BTW, you were one of the poster girls for 15, and there are quite a few more numbers that are firmly attached to you in my head!

[drgaellon]

I choose to believe you meant #5 for me - because, for the first time in my life, I believe it of myself! (Amazing what losing 160lb does for the self-image.)

ETR: OOPS! "lb" doesn't take an 's' either!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You were one of the people who specifically inspired that one!

Also, 1, 2, 8 and 10 are numbers that I particularly think of in reference to you.

[raitala.livejournal.com]

You cheat!

You're supposed to be British, yet you're being open, unashamedly emotionally sincere and forthright, frank, personal, direct and making everyone feel better about themselves instead of faintly inferior. You didn't even finish with a lame joke, undercutting the sincerity of everything you just said. They'll take away your passport your know.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Remember, I was raised by hippies.

I have to confess that the first time I managed to just say "You are an amazing person and I love having you in my life" without any element of ironic tone or dismissive handwaving or alcohol was after three years in Australia. I received a non-ironic round of applause in return. Cheeky buggers.

You know that you're 2, 5, 8 and 10 at the very least. See, I'm drunk on the power of sincerity now.

[jadzialove.livejournal.com]

You are magnificent! That was just exactly the sort of sunshine I needed, and all I can say is: back atcha! Times ten. *smooches*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Catches and hugs the return! Yes, it all seemed a bit gloomy out there, and I thought it was time to remind people that we're here for the actual talent etc, too. You get pretty much every number save 3, 6, 7, 12 and 13, though the things seem grim now one only applies because moving is horrible for all concerned!

And that casual way you have of spreading cheer and encouragement about? BIG inspiration behind my idea to do this, matey.

[tomatoe18.livejournal.com]

No. 12 made me cry like a baby. I wish someone in my RL could say this about me. Thanks for writing that. You are a joy.

In fact, I would like to give back no. 20 to you because you are that to me. :)

On another note, I sent you an e-mail. Hope you got it. :P

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm real and I'm saying it ;-)

But yes, that was the one that it took me a while to work out when I was young. Then one of my uncles made a comment to me about a dumb decision I had made, and my favourite aunt burst out laughing and regaled me with tales of the mistakes he had made at my age, and much later. That's when I remembered my biology: youth is for learning, you learn by doing and sometimes failing.

Speaking as a now somewhat ancient person, I was a smart young person!

Thanks! 20 is a good one!

[grey-hunter.livejournal.com]

LOL This list was fun to read! Especially because I'm so out of things right now and I don't have an idea who all you mean by them but found myself, as I went, applying some of these to people on my own f-list. *grins*

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Let's not forget the several that apply to you!

[pingrid.livejournal.com]

Darling Brammers, you are wonderful and wise, and nearly every single item on your list except 6 and 7. Well, I'm making an educated guess on 5, and I hope the grim ones don't secretly apply, but you do get 3 for raising monster cats. *smooches you*

In other news the summer here has stopped pretending to be Sydney winter, so my bitterness has temporarily fled. ;) I've had the most fantastic weekend by the sea, swimming and sunbathing, eating copious amounts of lovely food, and hanging out with good friends - and also, remembering to appreciate it while it was happening! Coming back to find this post is the perfect end to it. Thank you!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Heh, they wre both demanding kitties all weekend, so I will take three, but I cannot take the one about being young as I really am middle aged these days.

I was thinking of you a lot yesterday because it was five degrees and it snowed in Sydney for the first time since 1836. The weather bureau said it was 'soft hail', but I tell you it looked like snow. Alas, half an hour on the train north of here, but still!

[winnett.livejournal.com]

You are fabulous, in the amazing Dr.WhoLovesYou kinda way.

*hugs*

Thank you for the fucking sunshine. I need fucking sunshine. ;)

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Have some more sunshine!!!

I like the word fabulous, it makes me want to dress like a drag queen ;-)