Marvelous Miyazaki film, Ponyo, is a fascinating story of the magic of the sea, made with astonishingly beautiful traditional animation. The backgrounds (on land) appear to be all drawn in pastels, and the glowing landscapes, glowing or sunny skies, marvelous colour! And the oceany scenes are sheer magic, from the teaming diatoms to the pulsing jellyfish to the malevolent waves summoned by Ponyo's father Fujimoto, wow.

Speaking of Fujimoto, I really adored him. That's Ponyo in the bubble there.

so, what are you waiting for?

1. Happy Canada Day!   J'adore notre voisin au nord!  I was privelaged to grow up on the Ste. Clair River which forms the US/Canada border, and have many lovely memories of Ontario. If nothing else, the place names are wonderful: Tobermory, Lake Coochiching, the River Snye, Wallaceburg, the Big Basset, Missasaugua, Thorold, Pentangueshine, Guelph. I raise my virtual Molsen's to you, O Canada. But it definately tastes better when you drink it 'in country'.

2. Don't forget to check out the Percy_ficathon, now posting on LJ and IJ. There's fic! There's art! **wink**

3. Same goes for NextGenDarkFest, over on LJ. My gift just posted, a dark and twisted ghost story wherein Lily Potter & Rose Weasley get in trouble in the Forbidden Forest.

4. In need of good 'foundation garments' for my Sprout costume, I braved the mall today in search of bras, etc. and scored well at a 'buy 2 get 2 free' sale. I loathe shopping, so I was pleased to bag my quarry so easily. New undies, woot! and a surprise cool black vest that has costumey potential.

Goodnight, all! It's time to curl up with the latest fabulous Snarry from  , The Black Asphodel. Romance! Adventure! Mystery! and fabulous costumes! I love reading about Severus having his many buttons lovingly opened...

This week felt like the first bout of truly summery weather. Tonight there are big thunder rumblers wandering around. I love curling up in bed during a thunderstorm!

so, first a Friday recc:

Gladly Beyond Any Experience, by  . written for Team Romance in the 2006 Snarry Games. I thought I'd read all of femme's Snarry, so I was thrilled to find this satifying tale. Harry as a public defender with a wonderfully clever Sytherin daughter, and Snape the fugitive captured in Canada and destined for Azkaban, find themselves in a world of memories. Bonus Snaco!

2. Michael Jackson, I had no idea you had affected me so much. A few songs that were unforgettable, an original style that repeatedly challenged the status quo, and a vivid illustration of the tragedy of success... I could go on. suffice it to say I Never Cared to Say Goodbye.

3. I love my therapist. We did this amazing session on ... what? feelings about failure, money, and a movie that had haunted me for days and days.  Into the Wild... a film I'd meant to see in the cinema. I came home from seeing UP, such a happy movie, and found this on the telly, and although I knew how it ended, I could not look away.  I could have been that kid. I wanted to be that brave and resourceful and independant. I am that good at running away. That movie, the denouement, got into my guts and haunted me, roiled up all this fear and grief... It was really good to find the threads among all those things.

4. I give thanks for Friday Nights and stupid TV. For instance, Black Sheep. This is a preposterous tale of mutant carnivorous sheep, a revolting gorefest with new-agey jokes and intermittent beautiful New Zealand landscape. And exploding farts!  I could not have made this stuff up.

Finally, It's time to read The Half Blood Prince.  SFor years, summer has meant Harry Potter in the hammock, and tomorrow one of my keen ambitions is to do just that!

the gifted loveslashangst , who writes primarily for Dr. Who and Torchwood,  posted her first fanfic


Title: Act V, scene i
Author: loveslashangst 
Fandoms: V for Vendetta, Shakespeare
Rating: NC17
Warnings: knifeplay
NOTES:  it's a canon compliant missing moment, with amazing snark, wit and smut, told in bardish banter. enjoy!


story here

**hugs flist**  I am loving all the cards and goodies that arrive these days. Thank you, dears!!

I've been through the mood swing wringer this past week, and have taken some time off to restore my batteries. Last week's funeral for a dear artist friend, and  my cousin's Debbie's death this week really took their toll. Deb's untimely passing was something that she had been wishing for, and confirms the tragic truth about the worst of my family, that addiction and depression are killers, one way or another.

I've seen the Eight Days of Happiness meme floating about my flist, and it's time I took it on. My grandpa, Deb's Uncle Joe, taught me that we can choose to be happy, by where we steer our mind.

The rules: Post each day for eight days one (or more) things you are truly happy about. Tag friends to do the same.

No, not a giant pretzel. :p

An amazing fic for snapelyholidays , where I requested (of course) Snarry. I'd forgotten this fest had an option to choose a Fluff, Medium or Dark setting, and I have been cultivating my darkside. So at first the story shocked me. heh. **rubs hands gleefully**

It's dramatic, mysterious, NC17 for sure baby, loaded with mindfuck and dub-to-non con. And did I mention hot? guh. You are thus forewarned, and encouraged.

so without further adeiu.. I give you Shelter From the Storm.

Mystery Writer, thank you for warming my cold winter night!

Here's my second Snarry Games pimp post, showcasing the Brilliant Comedy of Team Phoenix. Put your coffee down, and enjoy these hilarious images:

Picture Perfect by accioslash  -- slices of life with the Bastard and the Idiot. Don't miss it!

Dazzling by pennswoods  -- clever artist! most original use of prompt award! and, a beautiful graphic Snape.

Slipping into Dangerous Territory by lizardspots  -- she doesnt call it humour, but I find it delightfully hot and funny.

Stone, Snow and You by sherant  -- yeah, this was in Romance, too. cuz I love it. But it's funny! Smart-ass Potter! Sentimental!Snape

Fifty Points to Gryffindor by tripperfunster --  yeah, this one too. What's not to love about this drawing?  silly-grin Harry is just love. and chest hair!

Much magic is afoot, (not the least is that I get to wear my Hogwarts robes to work, *g*), so here are some things to keep an eye on:
Snarry Art Games! go and browse - this year we have wonderful recaps with thumbnails. Go find something to love, and comment!

hp_cross_fest  is about to wrap up...watch for the reveals on this wonderful new fest next week. I just got a gift of Charlie/Teddy!!!

hd_fanart  wraps up their amazing run of magical Harry/Draco art, made to really detailed prompts. There are lots of All Hallow's Eve themed images to enjoy, so goo browse and comment. Reveal will be posted next week.




hp_darkfest  is underway!!!!
Get yourself good and scared by the art and fic !

snarry_holidays  goes live tomorrow.

Tis the season!

Remember, comments are LOVE!

Go read Norbert & Chloe, by  igtow

It has the coolest little dragons called FireDrakes.
why you should read this:
it's a beautifully crafted, canon compliant, witty and engaging tale with a wonderful grown-up Harry and a potions master who has made peace with things. Their dragons bring them together and they build a remarkably sane and believable relationship, friends first, with lots of wonderful plot along the way.

You must read this, if only to learn what fate has in store for Rita Skeeter!

I am so swamped with RL work and fandom pursuits that I can never get to the movies, but artist friends coerced me to see this, and I cant say enough great things about it. Great tale about imagination, storytelling, heros and the human heart; wonderful actors, beautiful magical visual style, jawdropping locations, fabulous witty and beautiful costuming.

I tell ya, I just have a thing for men in long black skirts!

All kinds of wonderful storytelling is happening over at Snarry Games and it has derailed my attention from any other reading. More gems keep rolling out every day!  So here's a few to consider:

Do you want a sweet, redeeming, healing story? Go read Seventy Times Seven, by abigail89, aka Hysterical Historian. I love the history she creates for our heros, setting them free, in a way.

In the mood for a puzzling mystery, rich with magic? Run, don't walk to read josan's One Down, Two Across.  It takes Snape places you've never imagined before, introduces a new pet, and makes great use of a 'minor' canon character.

For a fast-paced, immediate post DH mystery and a dramatic resurrection read Revealing Truth, by unbroken_halo

And, last but by all means not least, Polyjuice Pertinacity, or The Tale of the Auror and the Whore, by   
svartalfur  I loved this to pieces, even though the premise didn't appeal to me. A ripping good yarn, and nice and hot. Harry becomes a pretty good Occlumens, but in the end he can't fool the man he loves.

it was an amazing thing to behold,