I was reading a PM about Neville today from Dogstar (because I'd finally posted a review for the penultimate chapter of Asking for Roses) and this popped up. Ginny and Neville during the Yule Ball. Don't ask me why. It's not like this is ever going to be included in Watching for Wolves. That is purely about her second year. But this plot bunny just would not let me be; it nibbled at my heels until I was forced to write it. Not that anything actually happens.

( Thank her for reminding me of all the things I've done completely wrong )

And here endeth the plot bunny.

For sm_monthly

Damn, this mushroomed like nothing I've ever seen before.

( J'ai deux amours, mon pays et Paris... )

French translations:

Que faites-vous ici? = What are you doing here?

Zoisite's reply = "I was looking at the river, Mercury."

Vous êtes prête? = Are you ready?

Je te fais confiance = I trust you

Tu veux danser = Do you want to dance?

Zoisite translates the first verse of the song, which is by Margot Wagner and is called "Ne Dis Pas". The chorus literally translates as "Don't tell me that you don't know what you do to me, when you do that thing you do so well".

Je veux mourir = I want to die

They're out!

I've seen the spikes, I've seen the buds pushing at the tips but now I can see the flowers! The crocuses are blooming and spring is officially here! My heart shot upwards in my chest when I saw the first one with its purple petals open to show its golden centre. There are others coming up; hopefully I'll see yellow ones soon. No daffodils yet.

I did some work today - not academic work but honest to good physical work, the sort people in the West do less and less often. And I volunteered to do it. On my bus route, there is a large roundabout which used to be covered with overgrown grass and lots of rubbish - bits of plastic and crisp packets. Now it's been cleaned and has about six flower beds. I helped plant trees, bushes and various grasses. I haven't handled a spade for ages and my arms were quite weak. It was a bit better after I got a smaller spade, though still a strain. I could feel the muscles in my back and arms working as they haven't worked for ages. The wind was cold but we were all grateful for that because it meant we were nicely warm and not boiling. Occasionally the sun broke through the thick white clouds, almost as if winking and nodding at us. Patches of blue sky appeared as the afternoon went on. All the snow from yesterday had melted because of the exposure although there were still some patches in hidden places. Everybody was very nice and there were lots of photos afterwards.

It felt good to do something since I don't have any technical or economic translations to do. I have to "see them (the tutors)" about it. I hate that phrase. It sounds so ominous, though I'm too old to be told off now. They're probably both worried about me. Concerned that I'm not "living up to my potential". I've got a whole roster of reasons, plausible ones - I wonder if I really am anaemic. I don't think so. It was just the iron that was lacking in that blood test, not the haemoglobin, which is different. And I eat meat and fish and eggs (loads of eggs). The bigger problem is that most people in the class have drawn away from me. Not obviously but I can feel it. Living off campus isn't much of an excuse when I managed okay last semester. Must find out from Greg if the quizzes are still going on. Nothing wrong with taking a break on Thursday night and I did promise him a quiz section. I could do one on mythology/folklore, easily. Might e-mail him over the weekend.

Tomorrow I'll go into town and hand in my C.V. to the juice place and try to find my swimming costume. I hate it when things go missing "between" places - you're never really sure where you ought to be looking. Damn, I wish Culpeper's would just phone and tell me whether I've got the job or not. It's over a week since I had the interview. I suppose they'll make me wait two. If I haven't, well, too bad, but at least I can go about applying with a clear conscience and let Arabella and Sophia know if I can meet them or not.

Despite my academic failings, my creativity continues to flourish. I might even think about writing some more of Watching for Wolves. Maybe I should join a HP drabble community. sm_monthly certainly keeps my BSSM muse busy.

Speaking of which...

( Would you like a trim? )

So I was woken up today by my mobile ringing, showing a Guildford number. I stared at it for a moment, tempted to hang up, but then I thought, "No, see who it is." So I answered. It was Culpeper's, the herbalist shop. They want to know if I can come in for an interview. Wednesday afternoon, 3pm.

YEAH, BABY! XD

If I get this job, I'll be working two days a week, Friday and Sunday, which leaves me Saturday free for work or pleasure. And Sunday is only six hours anyway, thanks to trading laws. :D Of course, the important thing is that it's MONEY... The store is small, it will be just like working at the Bulford Surplus Store, I can pootle around, rearrange things and look cool.

Wo-hoo! Finally, all that tramping around pays off!

So I went into town to celebrate and bought three books: How To Get Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward, Gilead by Marilynne Robinson and The Republic of Trees by Sam Taylor; then I went to HMV and found bargains.

Finding Nemo: £9.99 (usually £21.99)
Return of the King: Extended Edition: £15.99 (usually something like £36.99)
Jack Johnson: On and On: £6.99 (usually £8.99)
Nina Simone, Gold: £13.99 (which isn't a bargain, but it's two CDs and I love it)

I already love the Nina Simone CDs, which I will definitely play when I'm writing Exiles. And Jack Johnson is wonderfully mellow. I need to make a CD box for melody CDs - Jack Johnson, Joni Mitchell, Saint Etienne, Madeleine Peyroux, Gretchen Peters, Beth Nielsen Chapman... others will go in there. I'll buy a CD box with my work money! XD

My parents are coming tomorrow for my mum's birthday; my sister is coming, too, but Mum doesn't know it, it's going to be a great surprise! She's bought two books and I've got Mum some gardener's soap and a whole bag of lavender seeds which have made my bedside table smell divine. And we're going to a seafood restaurant which is going to be divine. Then I'll show off Guildford to my sister. :D Can't wait to tell them my good news.

( Happy Birthday To Kerry! )

Title: Thrice-Blessed
Author: sea_thoughts aka Starsea
Theme: Shakespeare
Genre: Drama
Version: Manga
Rating: PG

For the Shakespeare challenge on sm_monthly

( Chanting hymns to the moon... )

Dear Santa... Dear Santa, This year I've been busy! Last Saturday I committed genocide... Sorry about that, norwegianblue47 (-5000 points). In February I caught a purse-snatcher who stole dark_branwen's purse (30 points). Last month I didn't flush (-1 points). In August I gave papirini a life-saving blood transfusion (50 points). Last week I signed my organ donor card (28 points). Overall, I've been naughty (-4893 points). For Christmas I deserve a lump of coal! Sincerely, sea_thoughts

Write your letter to Santa! Enter your LJ username:

Genocide must be the worst thing you can possibly do. There's no way I could ever recover from that, is there? :-P

I was a good girl today, went to my science lecture and did my notes. We only have to get 30% on the test to pass, 40% to get a distinction. Maybe I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I feel that's a little too easy! I mean, 40% to pass, and 60% for a distinction sounds better to me. Then those who get a distinction would have really worked for it.

Some of us met to discuss the questions we'd put to the French Legal Lecturer. He's a French lawyer teaching Law here at Guildford. Of course, the session also turned into a bitch-fest. We all want to know why we don't have a separate lecturer, since our usual lecturer has no background in English law, let alone French law. She knows about translating French law, but that's not the same. Anne, our Californian representative, is very good at speaking up for us. ^_^

Waiting for a response from "Past Times" on my application. *crosses fingers* Also preparing my terminology and theory assignments.

( Follow me to the unknown... )

(icon by ravenrogue)