Goodbye, 2009!
Dec. 31st, 2009 05:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blamebramptonWell, that was a year, wasn't it?
I had hoped to start this post with links sending you all to ecards, but some lupin at Oxfam decided that instead of using the name provided by the purchaser in the From section of the gift purchase interface, they would use the real name provided in the Please Take My Money part. Eedjits. So no ecards for you lot! One pic, below, because the other is just all Sincere and Depressing.
Anyway, I bought you all adult literacy classes for Cambodians, and paints and brushes for childcare in South Africa. That seems about right for so many writers, readers and artists!
This was a weird year for me, in life and in fandom. I seem to have spent a lot of it several months behind where I meant to be. For this reason, it is my last year of beta-ing in fandom for the foreseeable future. I seem to have beta-ed about 10 words to every one I have written, which means my WiP pile is no smaller than it was at the start of the year, rather, it has grown. Shameful! I have two beta jobs left on my plate, and once they are done, so am I.
I did fail a bit with last year's resolution not to do any more fests, but only a bit.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
hp10k_showcase was more like a bunch of friends daring each other to put something out that was a bit unlike what any of us normally did, while hd_career_fair was a fair, not a fest ;-) I'm keeping the no fest rule until all my WiPs are done (er, probably 2013 ...)
Writing-wise, I was a disaster. I think that all I have managed this year was two parts of A Single Wizard's Guide to Fatherhood (both deranged), one part of Baby, Basket, Death Eaters (likewise), the quite serious for recent me And Save Me From Bloody Men, and the good god woman, what were you thinking Little Red Courgette. The last two benefit enormously from the inclusion of art from raitala, who is a profoundly good influence.
Fingers crosse LJ stops chopping out these two lines! The best fandom thing for me was
azkatrazathome , which was our Con for People What Aren't At the Con. While it was madness to run, and would not have happened if it had been left to me (thank Merlin for the mod team, who were all BRILLIANT!), it threw up so much good stuff that it was worth every minute of sleep deprivation! If you're at a loss for things to read over the snowed in/defeated by heat part of the year, trek over there for the drabble challenges and prepare to laugh an embarrassing amount. Which reminds me ... I did write an end to the Tag-Team Fic and never posted it ... er, anyone up for a beta? And, why yes, I do have the memory of a vague guppy.
The best thing has, as always, been you, flist. I have failed miserably in keeping up with reading and commenting, and two computer deaths (one thorough) played merry hell with my Giant List of Open Tabs to Read. So if there was something you particularly think I am a thicky/complete bastard for not commenting on, please feel free to let me know. Otherwise, I should catch up somewhere around April of next year.
That said, I wish each and every one of you a Very Happy New Year and the very best of life in 2010. May small improvements grow into large ones, may difficulties be replaced by opportunities and doses of luck, may past grief be tempered by present joy, and may all of you be surrounded by kindness and good will as we embark on this year.
I had hoped to start this post with links sending you all to ecards, but some lupin at Oxfam decided that instead of using the name provided by the purchaser in the From section of the gift purchase interface, they would use the real name provided in the Please Take My Money part. Eedjits. So no ecards for you lot! One pic, below, because the other is just all Sincere and Depressing.
Anyway, I bought you all adult literacy classes for Cambodians, and paints and brushes for childcare in South Africa. That seems about right for so many writers, readers and artists!This was a weird year for me, in life and in fandom. I seem to have spent a lot of it several months behind where I meant to be. For this reason, it is my last year of beta-ing in fandom for the foreseeable future. I seem to have beta-ed about 10 words to every one I have written, which means my WiP pile is no smaller than it was at the start of the year, rather, it has grown. Shameful! I have two beta jobs left on my plate, and once they are done, so am I.
I did fail a bit with last year's resolution not to do any more fests, but only a bit.
hp10k_showcase was more like a bunch of friends daring each other to put something out that was a bit unlike what any of us normally did, while hd_career_fair was a fair, not a fest ;-) I'm keeping the no fest rule until all my WiPs are done (er, probably 2013 ...)Writing-wise, I was a disaster. I think that all I have managed this year was two parts of A Single Wizard's Guide to Fatherhood (both deranged), one part of Baby, Basket, Death Eaters (likewise), the quite serious for recent me And Save Me From Bloody Men, and the good god woman, what were you thinking Little Red Courgette. The last two benefit enormously from the inclusion of art from raitala, who is a profoundly good influence.
Fingers crosse LJ stops chopping out these two lines! The best fandom thing for me was
azkatrazathome , which was our Con for People What Aren't At the Con. While it was madness to run, and would not have happened if it had been left to me (thank Merlin for the mod team, who were all BRILLIANT!), it threw up so much good stuff that it was worth every minute of sleep deprivation! If you're at a loss for things to read over the snowed in/defeated by heat part of the year, trek over there for the drabble challenges and prepare to laugh an embarrassing amount. Which reminds me ... I did write an end to the Tag-Team Fic and never posted it ... er, anyone up for a beta? And, why yes, I do have the memory of a vague guppy.The best thing has, as always, been you, flist. I have failed miserably in keeping up with reading and commenting, and two computer deaths (one thorough) played merry hell with my Giant List of Open Tabs to Read. So if there was something you particularly think I am a thicky/complete bastard for not commenting on, please feel free to let me know. Otherwise, I should catch up somewhere around April of next year.
That said, I wish each and every one of you a Very Happy New Year and the very best of life in 2010. May small improvements grow into large ones, may difficulties be replaced by opportunities and doses of luck, may past grief be tempered by present joy, and may all of you be surrounded by kindness and good will as we embark on this year.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 06:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 06:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 06:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 07:32 am (UTC)The really sad thing is that the last of that list would probably be easiest to achieve ...
Have a wonderful one, dear!
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:07 am (UTC)Happy New Year and I hope 2010 will be a great year for you!
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:40 am (UTC)Very very pleased that I could help you out with TDL, I really enjoyed it, but it was sold under false pretences with some of the marketing and cover choices from the publishers, which is always confusing!
I hope you have a wonderful 2010, too, and look forward to reading lots more from you!
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 07:23 am (UTC)I am very happy and feel lucky to be on your flist this year and look forward to reading some of your much-lauded work! :D
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:45 am (UTC)It's been lovely having you and your fabulous hair here, too!
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:23 am (UTC)THANK YOU, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY FANGIRLY HEART, FOR BRINGING ME HERE!
I've had an indecent amount of fun over the past six months, and a large part of that is due to you reading and beta-ing my longer fics, cheering from the sidelines, and
ignoringtolerating my penchant for writing comepletely pointless PWP ficlets :DI want to write something for your birthday. It will be late, inevitably, but I will not fill it with porn. Any requests/prompts?
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 07:48 am (UTC)You really don't owe me anything, you're a gift that pays for herself! But if you want to, I'd love a story about Chef!Draco going to visit Harry at his farm by the river and cooking over a weekend while they work on other parts of their relationship. Or, you know, anything with historic fashions! *Sends air con and then hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 08:01 am (UTC)*looks shifty*
I will do sewing over winter, when it's quite nice to sit under a pile of fabric, I promise!
Oh, what I wouldn't do for air con...
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:42 am (UTC)Is it odd that out of all of the important details you have just posted about the one thing that was like a neon sign to me was End-to-the-tag-team-fic? Please post it with or without a beta. If you really need to have someone look over it just to have a scape goat I am more than happy to cliam ownership to that title.
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:43 am (UTC)And yes, I am deeply crap, sorry!
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Date: 2009-12-31 07:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 07:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 08:10 am (UTC)If you would like some little festive nuggets to read you should check out
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Date: 2009-12-31 09:52 am (UTC)Of the remaining betas you are wrapping up, is one of them mine?
Hope 2010 is a wonderful one for you.
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Date: 2009-12-31 10:23 am (UTC)(Oh, ETA, I think your cut&paste had snaffled a piece of one of your sentences - unless Rai has a very clever sockpuppet and your stories did indeed have art from azkatrazathome. :))
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 11:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 10:54 am (UTC)I would try to say something sage about the beta process being the lying fallow period for the creative fields, but really, no, you've done good work but do your writing. And we'll all benefit.
*cheerleads*
PS Am living under lj name of Underhill when your authors come round.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 01:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 01:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 01:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 02:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-31 05:00 pm (UTC)Happy new year to you, too. I hope 2010 brings you joy,love, and both writing inspiration and writing time.
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Date: 2009-12-31 05:38 pm (UTC)I'm so glad we'll be getting more of your fics next year, I'll definitely be looking forward to them! *twirls*
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Date: 2009-12-31 06:12 pm (UTC)Writing-wise, I was rather a disaster too... I can't believe I wrote so little this year! Mind you, this is the first year that I can say that I've been in a job for a year and I'm not bored to death yet, so I suspect that has something to do with it :)
Happy New Year! *toasts you with wine*
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Date: 2010-01-01 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-01-01 03:19 am (UTC)Hope your 2010 is as bright and wonderful as you are, m'dear!
no subject
Date: 2010-01-02 10:50 am (UTC)