Since you're gone my empty arms have nothing left to hold

1. First thing, quick fic rec for anyone who might be interested (idk how many on here are into both, but it's so brilliant I have to share): this is an ASOIAF/Father Ted crossover where Stannis, Renly and Robert are priests living on Craggy Island and it's the most beautiful crossover that ever crossovered in every history of crossovers. Seriously. You don't have to be familiar with Father Ted to crack up, though if you are it's funnier. Okay, there it is. You won't regret it.

2. That said, I SAID I WAS GOING TO DO EPISODE REACTIONS AGAIN and I'm doing it. Okay, SPN time since no vampire porn this week.

( spoilers )

3. Two GRRM-related things: seriously. IS THERE SOMEONE WHO READS WILD CARDS other than me in the universe? Seriously, I spent Easter reading throughout books sixteen and seventeen and it's just - so many delish characters and I have at least four otps TWO OF WHICH ARE CANON AND CURRENTLY LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER and while it does have the asoiaf realism/angst (as much as superhero books can have) CHARACTERS ACTUALLY GET TO BE HAPPY MOST TIMES even if they get through hell first, and there's canon queer/interractial/interspecies relationships and okay while some parts are seriously WTF or tacky or irrationally gross as a whole IT'S REALLY REALLY GOOD D: and I can't find fic or a fandom or ANYTHING except a forum that is updated every two months, whyyyyy.

4. Second GRRM-related thing: if I have any Theon fans on here who are on tumblr but we don't follow each other, me and a friend on there will hopefully be hosting a week of ridiculous Theon fangirling in mid-May because seriously the hate on the guy is pretty horrible atm and it'll just get worse as the season progresses so if anyone's interested, we'd love to have you. ;)

5. In other news: I spent Easter between despairing over my grandmother (whom I love but the more time passes the more I'm convinced that she'll never understand that life doesn't equate obligatory valley of tears) and feeling like some old person because my ten year-old cousin spent like half an hour speaking about how in his class people get caught for hiding their i-pods in their shoes, can't use their cellphones or *i-pads* in class etcetera etcetera. At which my basic reactions were: 'WHY would you buy your ten year-old an iphone or an ipad or ANYTHING LIKE THAT' and 'fuck when I was ten we didn't even bring our frigging *walkman* to school and we didn't spend time during classes playing Angry Birds'. Which probably explains a lot of things, but still, I'm too young to feel like an old woman and wish that kids these days would just go and read Treasure Island under their desk instead of playing Angry Birds, if they really have to not pay attention.

... damn, I sound like my grandmothers used to sound when I was seven. Brb, getting drunk.

6. I also had a sort of half-high school reunion. Half in the sense that just half of the people were present, and most of them were people I never talked to. But for some miracle it actually went decently, we got nicely buzzed (even if the beer I had was good enough to keep me awake until 4 AM even if the entire thing was over at 2...) and idek, apparently it took five years to get past the stage where people forget how much they used to dislike each other in HS but it was nicer than I thought it'd be.

That said, I'm also apparently too old to get buzzed and then go to bed at five AM because the morning after I woke up at like 11.30 AM and I wanted to spend the entire day in bed.

7. The politics around here are getting so depressing that I can't even fathom it. Not any news, but still, when you think you can't get worse IT GETS WORSE.

8. At least, I found a recipe for strawberry muffins which works like a charm. Now if only I had a chance to use said muffins to charm the Richard Madden lookalike haunting my university who appears in there once every two years or so, my life would be awesome. Again: why don't I know how to flirt? Because I'd have done that three months ago, if I had.

9. In more interesting book-related news, I'm three chapters into Fifty Shames of Earl Gray and it was deliciously hilarious. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes on, because if the rest is as good as the first three chapters, it's going to be the funniest thing I've read in ages.

10. Aaand since I have nothing else of import, I'll just leave you with this, which is arguably the best piece of live music that I've heard in the last six months that wasn't a concert I was attending. You're welcome. ;)

Or, this is where I rec you a bunch of stuff I read in the last two weeks. Premise: it's probably all Dean/Cas. I don't even remember if I saved stuff for other pairings. First, random news.

1) Not so good: my first final is eating my soul. I put it first just because it's the one I feel less motivated about and I want it out of my way, but between the industrial revolution and Galileo (who is seriously making me grow respect for anyone studying physics because seriously, so beyond me) and my teacher being apparently the kind who wants to 'make you reason' rather than starting from the books, I'm wanting to weep in frustration. I'm okay with reasoning. It's just that I don't care about half of what I should know and I barely get the other half. Ah well, if I blow it I can always try again in September, right.

2) In very good news: I opened my Dark Tower hardbacks at random after years of not touching them and I found money in both. On one side I'm kicking myself because seriously, forgetting money inside books was something I did when I was twelve and I didn't need money in the first place. On the other side, it means I can now avoid touching my savings account when I get my next batch of expenses, so I'll just be happy. XD

3) In awesome news: my Dark Tower shirt from RedBubble.com (the place where they lovingly craft and tenderly package shirts) arrived and it's amazing. I want to wear it forever. And I want to marry whoever runs that site and shipped it in a week and a half making me pay five euros for the shipping instead of the usual ten with a three week wait.

4) And after saddling you all with my stuff, I'm giving you a bunch of recs! Most is D/C, most is fic. I'll put the first two here and the rest under a cut.

Supernatural, Dean/Castiel

a) The Shape of Flight by destina;
Maybe there's something better down this road than all the roads before it. ; Dean/Castiel, Sam. PG, 2,142 words, no warnings, set post 6x22

There's a lot I loved about this. It tells a complete story with a relatively short length, it's written in second person POV and it's done extremely well (and I love myself some second person POV), it provides a great take on the 6x22 aftermath and the writing itself is just gorgeous, with everyone being perfectly IC.

b) Two colors by fossarian;
Dean gives Castiel what he wants, and then he gives a little more.Dean/Castiel, PG13, 2300 words, set after 6x22; no warnings.

Okay, this is hands down one of the best codas to the finale I've read until now. And in the ambiguity department it's probably my favorite. The only way I can define it is creepily sweet - it doesn't make sense probably, but if you read it, it does. The characterizations are spot-on, I love this take on God!Cas, and you'll have to read it three times to realize how complex it is - it's so layered, you miss things on the first read. The imagery is great and I just love everything it chooses to be. It doesn't wrap things neatly in a bow and fix everything, it so doesn't, but I just love how many things about both Dean and Castiel it says.

( more Dean/Cas fics and a fanmix )

5) I'm almost done editing my spn_j2_bigbang story. One week later than stated, but see point one. Now I'll just take the evening off and do the one for the Balthazar exchange, then I'm writing the dc_everafter one between this stupid final and the other and then I'll get started on the Dean/Cas bigbang at some point after July 11th. And I'll try to finish something else in between, one that I should have finished a year ago especially. Oh fic, why can't I just spend my time writing you.

6) Also, I started reading Game of Thrones. I probably won't finish it before finals are over, and I'm also very scared of having done something very stupid since apparently no one is safe and I tend to take it badly (aka: cry for four hours with people asking me who died in RL) if fictional people I like are killed off, but then again I wanted to give it a try. I didn't really get far into it, but the writing itself is really good. I'm looking forward to getting to a point where I actually know who everyone is. Even though I hope I do finish it soon since I had to block GOT related things from my tumblr dash after getting spoiled for one death I hadn't known from Wikipedia. I'll put it back on when I'm done though. Also I'm still not getting a lot of stuff re tumblr, but then again as long as I can save pretty pictures I'm good.

7) Uhm, I think it's all for now. And this post is already too long. Right, I'll see if I can write that exchange fic, hoping I'm not brain dead from cramming.

Or: nothing in this post is related to Ally McBeal, but having an icon quoting Richard Fish is a good enough reason to do it. This entry will be mostly random linkage for random stuff but apparently this is the weekend I need to link things.

1) For Lost fandom people: me and toestastegood are deciding whether (and how) to run the luau at lostsquee this summer, so could you please vote in this poll so we can have an idea of the interest? Thanks! :D

2) For Dean/Cas people: vote for Dean/Castiel in that favorite romantic couple on TV poll! ;) If you haven't done that already, of course. I think it's a pretty safe win but this morning it kinda wasn't, so I'll just put it out there.

3) For SPN people needing some uplifting after the finale, here are two excellent codas (I should rec fic more often, I should).

a) In the garden by blue_fjords (Castiel, Joshua, mild Dean/Cas). A conversation in a garden, one year after the events of 6x22. which is absolutely lovely and has amazing imagery and I just love everything about it.
b) Redemption by epicycles (Dean/Cas-ish, also has Sam and Bobby). Coda to the episode, no further summary provided. Also, it's totally what I decided happens in 7x01 until that episode happens and canon proves me wrong. It's short but totally happy-providing.

4) For SPN people liking Balthazar: there's a Balthazar centric fanworks exchange at spn_balthazar. I signed up even if I totally shouldn't have because I barely have time for the rest, but the minimum is 1000 words and it should be fun. Also more Balthazar is never a bad thing so I figured I'd link this too. There's time until June 1st to sign up.

5) Misha Collins, I don't know how you can look so gorgeous while driving a chariot with a mule in Brazil, but I love your face.

6) For Misha people: sneak peek from Divine The Series which I'm sure everyone has seen up to now but I need to link it, too. Also: I totally and absolutely do -not- find priest attire sexy, or anything church-religion related sexy, but dammit Misha you're making me change my mind.



7) For everyone, because after spending yesterday's afternoon pondering over how half of the Kill Bill V2 lines fit the SPN finale in a very creepily accurate way, 100 of the views of this video on YT are probably mine, get the Kill Bill V2 almost-final scene. No scene where what happens in this happens has the right to be so damned gorgeous and to make me ship them like nothing else, but seriously.



Aaand that's the linkage for today. I realize that 6/7 are totally gratuitous fangirling, but hey, why not.

1. So, tomorrow I'll be heading to the grandparents' for the holidays. And this year we're going a day later than usual and leaving one earlier, so you probably will be spared me complaining because whenever I'm there for more than one day while I do love my family they make me go crazy and either I bitch or I want to headdesk. Though it's ALL my dad's side which is better than when it's not everyone. Just hope that my cousins grew out of the singing Christmas songs off-key attitude, even if I'm not too sure. ;) Anyway there's the internet there so I'll be around.

2. I sent the cards out! Sorry for doing it so late *sigh* anyway, I don't think I missed anyone, some of you who didn't ask for drabbles got some surprise ones and I just hope they arrive at least before the 31st. And cards speaking, thanks so much to mozartfan1313, polvodestrella, haldoor, jaydblu, gottalovev, onlyechoes and pnr! I think I'm not forgetting anyone out of the ones which arrived until now (if I did I'll rectify when I thank the next bunch *wink*) and I ♥ you all. <333 The cards were all so pretty and I ♥ you.

2b. Uh, thanks also to my anonymous stalker...? In the sense, in additions to the ones in point 2 I got this card from Finland without a return address, with a Boone picture attached to the back and signed, literally, creepy stalker. Uh. Well, I figure that if this person has my address then he/she is on my FL but atm I can't figure out who you are so, er, thank you so much? ;) Also the picture was very appreciated. Indeeed.

3. Also, on the 26th I might post a bunch of late birthday fic/Christmas stuff I got from lists/etc. Or maybe on the 25th if I manage but I doubt it.

4. OT: my exam list for the semester is as it follows. Major Hegel exam that implies a lot of studying that I didn't exactly do until this point - Jan. 11th. Not-too-hard exam about some ancient Greek stuff which is fairly easy but requires some studying too - Jan. 15th. Medieval Philosophy exam from hell - Jan. 29th. Dreaded History of Pedagogy exam (which well, after all SHOULD be easy, but I need to prepare a Powerpoint presentation for it and one of the three books I need to read makes me want to tear my hair out) - Feb. 12th. Semiotics (not TOO hard but both written and oral on the SAME day and a lot of stuff to study) - Feb. 26th. Someone SHOOT me. Now. The fact that I actually LIKE the subject of two of these, kind of can work with one even if it's A LOT and that I absolutely and completely do-not-care about the other two doesn't exactly help. Argh. Again, shoot me. The only decent thing is that the exams schedule doesn't conflict too much with my TV schedule.

5. I'm up to episode 14 of Chuck S2!! I love it. So freaking much. I can't even believe how much I exactly love it.

( Spoilers! AWESOME! Mozart! Nerd-y heaven! )

6. Random, because hopelessfangirl linked it to me on Twitter: MISHA COLLINS IS GORGEOUS. TRUE FACT. CLICK THIS AND TRY TO DENY IT. Jesus. Not what I needed to see before going to bed because now I'm kind of NOT sleepy, but still. <3333

7. Last thing before I go. RECS! I took part in three exchanges and I already recced the crossover one I got, but I need to rec also the other two that were written for me because just, YES.

At deancas_xmas: Dean's Favorite Christmas is just lovely and whoever my awesome mystery person is finally went and picked my prompt where Cas zaps Dean back to a Zeppelin concert which I tried to force upon poor anonymous people in exchanges for a good six months and never got picked up. It's totally adorable and heartwarming and just, awww.

At lostsquee: Big Bad Wolf (Jack/Damon from the vamp porn) is... THE MOST AWESOME THING EVER EXISTED. SERIOUSLY. People. If you haven't read it, go read it NOW. Right, it's a vampire porn crossover (which I didn't even ask for but I hadn't realized how much I actually needed it in my life until I read it), but as long as you know that Damon is a snarky vampire son of a bitch with a kinky mind and (mostly) no morals whatsoever, you don't have to know zilch about VD. COME ON. It features an awesome and snarky and deliciously evil POV, CROSSDRESSING which is not just lingerie, delicious crack, hothothothot sex that is just scorching, each voice COMPLETELY down pat, the best ending ever and it's just so AWESOME THAT I CAN'T EVEN FATHOM IT. GO READ IT. I need to spread the love. And even if I have my suspects about who is my mystery author, be sure that I'll worship you again properly after the reveal. <333

8. Random: I suddenly want to watch It's A Wonderful Life. Clearly tomorrow it's impossible because here they don't air it and I doubt it'd be too appreciated. *sigh* I'll bring the dvd and try to re-watch it on the 25th. That said, it's 2 AM and tomorrow I have a suitcase to pack and books to gather, so bye for now!! <333 and have a great 24th everyone!!!

1. I hope all my fellow Italians had a good Liberation Day yesterday! Mine was good, even if I think I made one of my oversleeping records.

2. Ship battle meme with icons stolen from lenina20, which ended up being crazy. And fun, but mainly crazy. Also, proof that not only I have too many ships icons, but I really am not a mainly het person. Also, I didn't put the icon I have Enchanted because really, it's there just because I like the icon and I thought that movie was adorable but I really can't say I ship people in a Disney movie. Aanyway.

Make a list of all the ships in your icons. (Although you may have more than one icon of a single character ship, they only go on the list once.) Alphabetize it. Take the first two on the list; that's your first pairing for battle. Second two; second pairing for battle. Etc. Then write your reaction to each battle.

( madness under here )

3. Memes speaking, I need to spread love for the two fics I got for the alphabed meme until now. emiliglia wrote me the most angsty and heartbreaking and lovely Jack/Boone ficlet and toestastegood wrote me some Boone/Charlie videotaping sex which is all kinds of perfection. Go read them! ;)

3b. I still have six or seven letters free at said meme, so if you want to give me a hand filling it all they're there. ;) I'll probably spend half of the afternoon writing anyway, that meme was a good thing. I wrote more in two days than one month.

4. I think I'm in Adrian Pasdar withdrawal enough to catch up with Heroes. This volume had better be better than three though.

5. On the 23rd it was something like International Book Day and at my usual bookshop everything was sold with a 30% discount. Clearly they couldn't have said it before so that I'd have waited to buy some stuff for school which would have cost way less with such a discount but when I found it out I caved and got Gaiman, Steinbeck and Chabon non-fiction and saved a lot of money. Next year I'll be better prepared.

5b. And anyway, I wanted to buy Good Omens for a friend's birthday because I think she'd have a kick out of it. But she doesn't read in English, so I went searching for it in Italian. Well, apart from finding out they translated the title Good Apocalypse to Everyone! (really), I find out it's completely out of print and at said bookshop, which is a chain with at least eight stores in Rome, there isn't a single one which has a copy. Really? I mean, geez. (Well, fine, I think the only Gaiman book I've actually seen in print in Italian is Stardust, but still.) Then I bought her another thing but still, really? Out of print. Ah well, it's not like I'd have bought it with such a title. I'd kill whoever adapts books like that.

6. Just for the lulz, meme from lasamy. Maybe I just want an excuse to upload music.

Post the names of 20 25 (because I feel like I'm leaving people out) of your favorite musicians.
See who can guess which is your favorite song by each.
Once someone guesses right, bold that row and upload the song.

*with hints for every one not guessed now

( list here )

7. Uhm, that all. This already was too long of a post anyway. And now I'll be writing and trying to finish Tropic of Cancer. I hope everyone is having a good Sunday!

Still sick. *sigh* And for the one day I stay at home and could have my laughs with Heroes in the morning, I find out that it wasn't airing yesterday. Oh well. I pretty much spent my morning doing other stuff. Such as,

7823 / 50000 words. 16% done!,

which is pretty much good. I might do more this afternoon. And since I had the post almost ready for three days or such, I finished the rec post of everything I read for the lostsquee feedback challenge.

( This is a looong list. 30 fics everyone should read with kind of long ramblings coming for free )

Okay, that's it. I guess. Oh, and last evening I re-read pretty much all of Of Mice And Men. *sniffs* God, it's just so beautiful. Though today it'll be the turn of those two novels set in Cannery Row, I think.