It's okay, I've done it before.

Way-hey! At last I’ve gotten enough time to post after a crazy busy week with Doug on nights and piles of work to get through at the office after a week away.

First and foremost, I’m now going to be off the beta circuit until 20 June. I hate to do this, cause I love it, but with work heating up (which means less free time to play), two birthday ficlets and hp_sas on the horizon, I need the time. I’ll be back in the beta business after the 20th, so feel free to start sending in stuff again after that!

Speaking of hp_sas , I’ve got 6K written and it’s about just over halfway done. Finished the beta work yesterday, so it’s full steam ahead (with just the slight detour for enchanted_jae’s and moonlitdark’s birthday presents)!

Next, as many of you know, I'm commissioning some art (all one design- five different artists) as five wonderful and uniquely different BIRTHDAY PRESENTS FOR MYSELF! Since Doug's being deployed soon, I thought to treat myself to a little bit of quality fan art. And two of them have come through and boy are they winners! For those of you who like this kind of thing (okay, that's all of y'all) I give you What Snitch? by the incomparable oldenuf2nb and her wonderful work with graphite and Quidditch Kiss by the lovely leochi whose unique style with watercolours always makes me smile. There's more to come and I can't wait. Thank you ladies for the wonderful presents! They're just what I wanted and I'm so, so appreciative.

Now, onto less civilised matters- GeneralsGrrls or generalsgrrls as it will soon be known. Happy Anniversary to HSU! I can't believe we've been together for 10 glorious years! For those of you who don't know us, we're all survivors of JediHunks (with the icon to prove it). We met and formed GeneralsGrrls in 1999 and have been going strong ever since. We've met in RL with HoCons in Las Vegas, Seattle (in which I required participation at my wedding- surprised nothing burned down) and St Louis. I love you all and I'm so glad we're still as nuts as ever. And just to prove it for those who are brave enough to read the latest story synopsis...

( The Dean incurs the wrath of her DE PA's wifey )

Voted yesterday. The kids helped put the ballot papers into the boxes for me. In the southern Oxfordshire district in which I live our two main cadidates were Crabbe (Conservative) and Wood (Labour). I shit you not.

In other news: I’m officially OUT OF DEBT! Credit card paid off (and yes, I only use the one card), car paid off (and still going like a motherf*cker), student loan paid off, everything!! And since we’ve decided to live on the base for awhile instead of buying a house this year, we can start replacing some of the furniture- which is a good thing- seeing as most of it came from the set of Shoebox Zoo. Okay, it’s kinda nice that Sean Connery’s son and my husband are the only two people I’ve lain in that bed with, but the stuff is getting OLD. (I bought most of it at the art department’s auction after we wrapped).

And finally, as I was talking about birthdays HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favourite snake. You may not be around in RL (maybe you are and we’re all going to feel pretty damned embarrassed when you stumble upon the Internet- ask someone to show you how to use a com-pu-ter), but you are a great character and my life would certainly be less smut-filled without you. And seeing as my husband is also turning 29 this year, I in no way feel that there’s anything wrong with playing in your sandbox.

I think that's enough for now.

*collapses in heap*

Finally got myself sorted into HiH and you'll never guess where I've ended up! No, c'mon- have a guess. Everyone there has been SO friendly! Will eventually try out for the team, as well (natch).

Am getting sigtags now (even found a hybrid one, seeing as evidently I'm an amalgam- didn't I tell you I looked good in Christmas colours?) Anyone anywhere needing art make sure to get over to dripping_cherry's store ASAP! Also, make sure you go read her wonderful H/D World Cup entry for Team EWE The Familiar Familiar and leave her some love. If it doesn't make you smile, you'll never be able to claim to be a lover of ornithology.

I also have a couple of other shouts I have to mention: leochi is an awesome friend and artist, who's just made my kids some pics of our favourite snake since they just assume you can't have one boy without the other. Thanks again for the lovely work!

Remember way back when I posted that sweet little fic and I promised you art? Well, here it is- courtesy of noeon and her skilled fingers. You da bomb!

( Lovely Bum )

My ST coms have GONE. TO. TOWN. Am reading anything with my main man in I can get my greedy little hands on and my god, Jim, people have also been posting some rockin' art and I now have some lovely new McCoy wallpaper.

( Can't Save Them All )

And finally, for kilter: Just give that damn thing the chocolates and get it back to the Clinic- people could be stealing stuff as we speak! Me? I'm in the cabinet. Busy.

Oh look, I managed to mention both my bestest kinks...

Hi everyone! *waves*

I'm in beta heaven with all the fests going on out there at the moment- wo0t! But I've got a few questions for mods and writers.

ST authors: PATIENCE! Am going this weekend. Start sending now.

HP authors: I need to get some holiday booked and figured you will keep me busy this summer, so it seemed as good a time as any. Are you all mostly going to be at Az. for the whole week and planning to sit on your inspiration or are you all taking laptops and starting to write in the dark the instant the scene in the loo has finished? Should I clear the week of 20-25th July or the one before or after? Opinions? Right, have booked the week of the 27th-31st July cause a) that will give people time to regroup and b) if Doug gets deployed this summer, he has to be in the Gulf by 1 Aug.

BSG authors: Just another brief reminder for those writing in the new series- names as well as numbers are always nice, but not completely necessary. For those writing in the old- nggghhhhhhhhhh... am loving the work.

SW, L&Os, D, CoD, any other fandoms: Business as usual.

Have been really busy at work with flu stuff and kid and I came down with d&v, so I've not been posting much of anything, BUT I am winning at SAS and picking at h/d and getting betas turned around pretty quick. Am really enjoying the beta work, so keep it coming! Oh, and joining HiH on Sunday (as soon as that gets sorted- so to speak). Anyone on my flist who's over there, keep an eye out for me. No prizes for guessing where it looks like I'll end up...*roar*

For everyone at HSU, and particularly kilter and ladyoneill, tell your bloody EAs to stop frightening the children with their bloody 70s rock anthems.

And thanks again to dripping_cherry and noeon for keeping me laughing!

I'd say something to the May birthdays on my flist, but you'll be hearing from me soon enough...anyway, all for now!