hotel california

-shuffles in shyly-

Is anyone actually still reading my journal? I'm frankly amazed that I still have the number of friends I do, considering I'm updating so terribly sporadically these days. Thanks ever so much, you guys.

I feel like I've got lots to say and I don't really know where to start, but I suppose a good a place as any is to just say upfront that (sadly?) I've lost a lot of my interest in fandom. :x Perhaps lack of time and involvement fuels a self-consuming loop of disinterest, but I've felt no compulsion whatsoever for a while now to read fic, write fic, work on icons, keep up with fandom news - regardless of fandom - and I don't really foresee that changing in the near future.

Reading my flist on this journal has become a chore because of the number of communities and fandom-related journals I have friended, and I think that a number of people who originally friended me for fandom reasons are likely to be disappointed that I've been so silent on that front. This induces quite a lot of guilt in me, and the two factors combined have been making me avoid LJ altogether at times.

So I've decided, for now, to close elyciel. I'll stop updating here indefinitely and am withdrawing from fandom involvement altogether. That said, I'm not planning to delete this account! This journal is chock-full of very treasured memories.

And neither am I planning to withdraw entirely from LJ. :) How could I, when I've got to know so many fantastic people through my years of journalling? I don't really want to start naming names because then some people will inevitably feel left out, so I hope you realise my absolute sincerity in saying that it's really been awesome getting to know you - yes you, reading this - and I would love to keep that contact up. There are a few people whom this particularly applies to. I hope you know who you are!

Thus, I'm moving journals. You can find me at widepretence from now on. Friends only, and it will probably be filled entirely with personal RL entries. You're under no pressure whatsoever to move along with me or to friend me back if you're not interested in reading the new journal.

I feel an unexpected pang at the thought that this might be the last line I ever type as elyciel... thanks for the memories, everyone. ♥

Happy belated birthday to quatredeathlady!

And to me as well. :) It was a good birthday.

Now I'm 21 and I'm old. Gosh.

Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?

- Ernest Gaines

So I'm late to the gay rights meme, and I'm sure you've seen this all over your flists already, but somehow I felt I still had to post it. As you can probably guess, I feel particularly strongly about this. Though, as many of you guys have already pointed out, the real issue here is not gay rights, or lesbian rights... it's human rights. And I believe in that.

Dear Savefile,

What do you mean by "The HTTP server isn't alive!"? Is this a thinly veiled euphemism for "SERVER DEAD, GO AWAY"? Why are you keeping me from getting my manga? Why? >:O

LJ's userinfo is all cool and piratey today! I just noticed. Haha. And when you make a post, the submit button says "Update Captain's Log"!

10 Reasons to Drink More Water

I have to say, this actually works. In a last ditch effort to try and stay focused on work today, I'm downing water like never before, and I really am staying more alert and feeling better.

Wow, who knew! :)

I'm watching The Sound of Music now. Haven't watched it in the longest time. I'd quite forgotten how much I enjoyed Sixteen Going on Seventeen. :D

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

- Mahatma Gandhi

I am spammy and I haven't done a meme in a while, so. From quatredeathlady:

1. Have the people on your friends list choose a number between 1 and XX, where XX is the total number of songs on your computer.

2. After your friend comments with his/her chosen number, upload the song that corresponds with said number.

You have between 1 and 2608 to choose from. :)

OMG, Ouran High School Host Club is the best thing ever. :DDDD

Word Sandwich

This game is RIDICULOUSLY addictive. I've burnt hours on it since discovering it. Try it now. :D

Crowley and Aziraphale's New Year Resolutions are the most adorable things ever. I think I died of cute at "Feed the Ducks."

And! I want the new hardcover editions! I'd get both if I could afford it, but alas, finances are in a dire state... how absolutely nifty is it that Aziraphale's cover is black and Crowley's is white?

It is a dreary rainy day today, there is still snow on the ground, and I have to go out later.

( icon meme )

Hello LJ! *clings* It's been a while, hasn't it?

My computer is still dead. No, I've no clue when it'll be revived. Service inefficiency seems to increase in direct exponential proportion to the proximity of the holiday season. I am internet, MSN, and Photoshop deprived, and I assure you 'tis no fun. I am so out of touch, I have not read my flist for utterly yonks and I feel really guilty about it, plus I see all these new people have added me even though I'm totally not around these days. Thank you very much! I'm so sorry I've been totally MIA - my computer's been down for more than two weeks now, it's really hard to get alternative prolonged computer access, and school is still in the process of devouring me whole.

In happier news, I am going to watch Narnia soon, and Christmas is coming, which is always good. :)

How is everyone doing? I miss you all!

emergency
temporary
HIATUS

due to untimely death of computer - you know how these electronics are.

I'm still working on that fic and essay I owe for remus_reads and reflections_2 respectively, but for now I'm quite out of commission with regards to everything else. And that includes iconning, because I'm not sure yet if my hard drive data remains intact. If I've lost all my pictures, it's going to be long hard arduous work rebuilding the collection.

I'm not sure when my computer will be fixed. So cross your fingers, and I'll be back soon, hopefully!

Happy birthday, quatredeathlady!

You're such a wonderful person Nicole, and I'm so glad to have come to know you. I really wish life was less crazy these days so that we could talk more and stuff, but I'm glad we're still close. Do you realise this is our third birthday together? Time is passing so quickly, and yet I think back sometimes to our first days of meeting and it seems like just yesterday.

I really wanted to do something special for you, but I simply couldn't dredge up the time, so all I have is just a very heartfelt happy-birthday-to-you. I hope you have a wonderful day, birthday twin. :)

Stolen from everybody, because I had fun doing it for others.

Take a look at my icons. Comment with the following:

1. One that makes you automatically think of me.
2. One that you think I should TOTALLY use more often.
3. One that you don't get/needs more explanation/you have no idea why the hell I have it.

Comment using an icon of yours that you LOVE, and tell me why you picked THAT one too.

(...I get a funny feeling that a lot of the old stalwarts on my flist are going to pick one particular icon. And I bet they all know the one I mean. :D)

It is the 15th today, and illyad and I have promised each other to post a little something this time each month, so that fandom won't forget us and vice versa. :)

This is a very short ficlet. I tried to expand it into something longer, but it just doesn't work beyond a certain length.

( Only Mercifully. Remus/Sirius, G, 293 words. It is a warped kind of mercy to him, their monthly romps in the grass. )

Hi all. Long, long, long journey successfully survived, though not without some very jarring side effects, which include numerous aches and severe jetlag.

Will attempt to catch up with flist, but if anything interesting happened, you should probably tell me in a comment so that I will see it.

Many many things to do. Don't know if I'll be around often, but fingers crossed.

( Bleach 198, briefly )

Note to self: write up something about why the shinigami are more appealing than the ryoka.

( Also, Survivor )

Oh my god, I haven't been THIS excited about a video since the Return of the King Extended Edition Trailer. Really. I snagged it, watched it, and squealed myself out loud to death. Then I watched it two more times in a row.

( ASDKSLDKAHFDSKLFK )

I need to icon the opening, stat.