Where the warrior roams

Last night, my family and I arranged a surprise party for my little big brother. He graduated last week and has elisted in the army. He will join the Air Manoeuvre brigade, if that is the right English translation. If all goes as planned, he could be send to Afghanistan in about a year, when he is 18. If I think about it too much, I am certainly gonna freak out.

With all the fights I had with my sisters, I have never had a fight with my brother. He is the sweetest guy I know, and I am not just saying that because he is family :-). Even now, at age 17, when I visit my parents, he comes to sit with me and he cuddles me when he think no one is watching. He always said he wanted to join the army, but I thought that was what all young boys want, and that it would pass. But he decided to really go through with it. He has grown so much this past year, the orientation year for the land forces (what a weird translation, is that right?), both mentally and physically. My brother has a sixpack!

We were sneaking around all week, inviting all his friends, fixing the barbeque, asking the neighbours for extra chairs.. My mom even called the supermarket my brother works at, to ask if he could work so he would be away the afternoon. Last friday, my sister and I spent a whole day in the kitchen, making salades and snacks and garlic butter..
But it was well worth it when I saw my brother's face. And I've never heard something more cute that half-grown boys singing to my brother. 

The war in Agfhanistan is still heavily debated here. The newspapers have found evidence that even though the Tweede Kamer, the House of Representatives, was against 'our guys' going to Uruzgan, the Kabinet, the government which has the final saying (in short) said yes, and decided the Dutch army will stay there untill at least 2010. The decision-making process is still not made public, the Kabinet refuses to make it public, which results in criticism towards both the government and - that is what I thought strange - the army itself.
I can understand people are against the war in Afghanistan. Í am against the war in Afghanistan, because I am against war as a whole. But I am not against the army being there now. Criticising the government and the way the decisions were made: yes. Criticising the soldiers: no. These are guys risking their lives, doing their best to make Uruzgan a safer place. They do not need us here, comfortable, out of harms way, telling them they are wrong and they should leave. It hurts me extra because I know that in a year, it could be my little bro.

I still have faint hope he will come back from his decision and stay here, digging ditches and be safe, but I see the glint in his eyes every time he talks about the army. We won't be able to stop him. So I can only hope and pray he will be safe.

In the past few months I've notice a serious decline in fanfiction posted throughout the communities. Why is that? Are people tired of the LOTR slash? Has everybody moved on to SPN/Twilight/Star Trek? I've tried SPN, but it just isn't my thing. I don't know Twilight and I am not a true Trekkie, so no ST for me either. Maybe it is a natural process: a rise, a peak, and then a downfall when people move on. Don't get me wrong, I do not mind, but it is interesting.

I'm also thinking about this from my personal pov. I haven't written anything in a long time, aside from drabbles, and even though I have a few works in progress, I just cannot seem to push myself enough to continue with them. Now I have always been a little apprehensive about writing, because it makes me painfully aware of my - at times-  poor English, but then there was always something that stimulated me. Maybe it was knowing that people would read and perhaps comment. But now, with so many people moving on to different comms or even different websites, you can't even be sure there will be comments to your entry. And well, fanfic writers (writers in general) need lots and lots of comments, it makes them happy and it gives them the drive to go on. I tried to comment on each fic I read, because I know how much a nice comment can make your day.

When I started reading fanfiction, I liked everything. Every drabble, every R, G, PG, NC-17, you name it, I liked it. Nowadays it takes a lot to get me exited about a fic. Some writers get to me every time, but with other stories, it is just not enough reading porn. I need a story, a believable story, with good characters and insight and a plot. (This is another reason why I do not write so much anymore: I want to write by there standards but i don't know if I can, especially in English.)

I have noticed that there are a lot of non-slash/fanfic/hot men things I want to talk about, but I am unsure if I should. I'll try to explain: I started this journal from a specific point of view: I wanted to perve with others. I was so glad I was not the only one who wanted to read about two handsome men getting it on.. That is how I met most of you guys, and I am thankful for that. But what will you think if I all of the sudden started talking about completely different stuff? Are you even interested in it? I remember softbluebuddy  once got a comment from someone, who said she was disappointed she also wrote personal stuff and not just slash. I don't think any of you will say that, but still, I think about it.

I have been thinking a lot about my future, and how I am just not interested in dating again. I have views on politics, I am introduced to so many interesting ideas on university. Can I put that in my journal? And if i do, will that scare away the fanfic readers? And will new friends be scared off by the fact that I enjoy and write/have written fanfic? My point is: is it better to keep things apart? And on another note, is it even interesting? I've always thought it was funny people are so sure others want to read about what they have to say. They seem so confident people will listen to them.

A few weeks ago, autumn_witch78  sends me a dreamwidth invitation code. Maybe I could check that out, open a new journal there, a fresh start.

This entry has turned out to be longer than expected :-), and it is mostly random ideas that I put into words while writing. But they are certainly things I have thought about in the past few weeks. Maybe you can share your thoughts on some of what I've said? I am looking forward to reading it.

Hello dearies, how are you all doing?
Ugh, college is almost over, I have four exams next week and I have been studying the bible The Entire Day.
Time for happy things and yummy men..
( Pics! )

Now, I am off trying to read Isaiah.

*swooooons*
I am not a Trekkie, maybe even a bit anti-Trekkie, but I had to see it because of Karl. I just wasn't sure I'd like the movie in general.
But it was good! Really good. I had a really great time, even more so because sis and me were stuck between true Trekkie fans, who laughed every time there was reference to the old series. They even cheered when The Old Spock showed up. Sis and me would look at each other and giggle.

No seriously, the movie was exciting, stunningly beautiful and there was a real, obvious connection between all off the characters.
Karl was - but that was to be expected - wonderful. I just can't over how handsome he is (yes, I squealed and punched my sister when he came on, it was embarrasing) and how funny. The grumpy doc is very different from Eomer or Kirril for instance, it was nice seeing him in this kind of role.

One other guy sis and me really liked, was Chekov. Did I tell you I have an accent fetish? Chekov is Russian (but you probably knew/guessed that), and he has the cutest accent EVER. There is this scene in which he has to give a code to access something, and because of his accent the computer doesn't recognize the code. I wanted to wrap him up and take him home! *coughs* and I have a Chekov wallpaper now..



On the left! *pinches cheek*
The one in the middle with the blue shirt is still the most handsome though :-)

Have a sparkly day!

 

Tonight: Little sis + me = Star Trek!
To quote Austin Powers: YEAH BABY YEAH!

I cannot believe this happened.

Today is Queens Day, we celebrate the Queen's birthday. Basically it is one big party throughout the country, with music in the streets and all.

The royal family was visiting Apeldoorn and as every year, there were a lot of people watching them ride by in an open-top bus. Out of nowhere, a car careered into the crowd of people, trying to go for that bus. He then hit a monument called 'de naald' (the needle).
Since the celebration was live on tv, I saw this live. I saw a small black car breaking through the barriers with great speed, hitting all these people, I saw people literally flying around after the car had hit them. Panic, screams, blood, crying children. I saw awful, awful pictures of a little girl after she was hit.
Latest news is there are 17 injured, 4 died. The man responsible did it on purpose, he told the police.

I have been watching the news all afternoon and I still can't believe it. This is not my country, this is not where I live. We don't have terrorist attacks (because that's what they think it was), we don't have people deliberately driving into a crowd, trying to kill the royal family. My God. 

(cnn news here)

Edit: five dead, and the suspect is said to be braindead. Three children (16,15 and 9) are severely hurt. It's a sad day.

Edit 2: Another victim passed away, and the guy who did it died last night. Six innocent lives..

I posted these six drabbles to craiguncensored , but I wanted them in my own journal as well, for administrative purposes. Also, for everyone who hasn't read them yet, here's your chance :-).

Pairing: Craig / someone nice
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I lied. Sorry.
A/N: No beta, apologies for any mistakes.

**********

( Right this way )

The lovely balrogtweety  wrote a drabble for meee! It's so sweet.. clickety click. I love happy endings.

Have you noticed so many (good) writers are taking down their fics/f-locking their journals? Why is that? And now where do I get my slashy porn?

At least I have enough Karl to perve over. All the vids and new pics.. *swoons* I am impatiently waiting for the day I can see Star Trek in cinemas, which will be.. 07 May, wtf?! Why do I have to wait so long?

I have booked my vacation! Ireland, here I come, and I am planning on taking one of your lovely redheaded Irish boys-with-matching-accent back with me.. Anyone have any suggestions where I should go to and what I definatively should see?

Meme time, and two pics I took a few weeks back..
( Memes  )

I'm gonna be on tv tonight!

I was ironing when the doorbell rang, and there were three guys at the door, one with a camera, from a well known Dutch program that is notorious for filming onexpected people at home. They asked me all these questions about how often I went outside, and they told me that people in this part of the Netherlands stay inside for about 21 hours a day. That is a biiiig part of the day.. can't be healthy.
They asked me if I wanted to come outside with them for a walk. They ran around me with the camera, filming me walking towards them and walking away, asking all these questions.
I was so glad I had already put makeup on *snickers* And I was glad I was ironing, and not lazing behind the laptop. And that I had done the dishes already and that I had cleaned up a bit. Oh my!

I'm still confused. I probably look dorky!

Not much to tell you.. other than I am still alive and kicking.. and that boys are stupid beings.

And that some time ago, I made the most adorable piccies of my little baby. At least, I think she is adorable. Or maybe every mom thinks that of her child, heh.





She pushed me off the pillow last night (and the night before) because she considers it her spot. It's really nice falling asleep with a something purring in your ear.

For luthien_af

Why do all things have to be so difficult?

I got fired. Thank you, economic crisis. I'v called so many other stores, compagnies, I've written letters, but no one even bothers to reply.
The student cousellor is trying to get me into a course I really, really, really need if I want to finish my third year and my bachelor phase (in Dutch universities, you have a 3 year bachelor phase and a 1/1,5 year master phase), but the professor teaching it will not allow it, claiming I don't have enough credits yet. If she gets her way, I will have to wait a whole year to do this class and be able to move onto the next phase.

Oh Gerry, when will you come down here and save me?


Hold me in your big strong arms and whisper things in my ear with that liquid sex Scottish accent and then.. Wait, did I say that out loud?

Hi dearies,

After uploading some Omnia songs for the lovely moanahine</lj>, I figured there might be more people interested. Give them a try, because they are awesome and wonderful. Tags: pagan, medieval, didgeridoo, bhodran, harp, flutes.

( downloads under here )

Now, back to writing that essay, the last part is always the hardest.. *sigh*



p.s. Does anyone have the pic of Karl on a boat, barefoot and with the blue shirt on? The one I have has a huge watermark stamped over the goods, and I wanted to use it for a new icon..

Yes, I am still alive.
Just busy, and still without inspiration for another fic. Some I haven't worked on for over a year, I mean, darn!

I have taken on a new love: mr. Gerard Butler. I am still very much in love with Karlchen and Daisy, but Gerard is too yummy to resist.
The accent! The accent makes me weak in the knees. Seriously.
If I would meet Karl or David and they would say anything to me, I would al least be able to say something (stupid) back. But with Gerry? No way.


(I used my chocolate fountain the other day with my family and as I was dipping a strawberry in the chocolate I had this very vivid vision of smearing chocolat all over him. Oooh yes.)


Btw, I am writing you this while eating Weihnachtsmandeln, sugar almonds in chocolat, sent to me from Germany by the lovely, lovely noreen_mcalba  (hugs and kisses), along with all these other sweets. Yay for LJ-friends!

I will not post it somewhere 'he' will be able to see, but I need to get it out!



Hopefully next time I can show you a fic, much better & friendlier.

Title: Better Than Books
Author: Nemain Isa
Pairing: Craig/David
Rating: G
Beta: autumnverse. Thank you for the beta-ing and the suggestions! (Any remaining mistakes are mine.)
Disclaimer: I am a compulsive liar. I don’t know them, no matter how much I wish I did. This is all made up.
Summary: Books, books, books, that about sums it up.


( Read more... )

I was tagged by tootaa  for this meme:

A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs & replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

B) Tag 8 people to do this quiz & those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by & cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.

Well, I'm not tagging, but everybody is welcome do it too.


01. What is essential for your happiness?
Solitude. If I would be surrounded by people the whole time I would go bonkers.

02. What are you wearing at the moment?
Clothes. Nothing unusual. Jeans, shirt, sweater because I'm always cold. Underwear, socks and really ugly but warm&comfy slippers.

03. Who is/was your favorite cartoon character?
Is this about Manga? Cause I don't know anything about that.. Or can I say Homer Simpson? He's cool.

04. What is your favourite scent?
Like perfume? I have Tommy Hilfiger: Dreaming, and Paco Rabane: Ultraviolet.

05. What video games are you playing at the moment?
None. I Suck (capital S) at playing any kind of game on the pc or Xbox or Nintendo or whatever. 

06. What do you drink the most?
I think tea. Lipton has this really nice Morocco tea.

07. What color is your room?
Just white. I have to leave this house somewhere coming spring, because it will be teared down (the whole neighbourhood in fact), so when I came here I did not want to spend a hell of a lot of money on paint. There is a poster of Mucha on the wall to brighten things up a tiny bit.

08. Who was your first big crush?
Uhm. *whispers* Leonardo diCaprio in Titanic. OMG hahaha how awful!

09. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A lawyer. Or a Viking.

10. What mythological figure are you?
An Amazone. Or any one of the (Irish) goddesses of war: Morrigan, Badb, Nemain..

11. What characters are overrated?
I'm not sure if I understood th question correct, but the person that came to mind was Meredith Grey from Grey's Anatomy. In my opinion, she is so NOT nice, she always wants what she just threw away and she is so scared to be alone it's irritating.

12. What 3 people do you invite to dinner?
Let's see, the first two are easy: David and Karl.For obvious reasons. Although I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to eat at all.
The last one.. I think I'll go for Noam Chomsky. He's a linguist and a philosopher and the first one to pose the idea that language is somthing native to people, that human beings are born with what he calls a Universal Grammar, that makes it possible to learn language in the way and at the speed that it is learned. I would just sit there and let him talk for as long as he can. It's such interesting stuff.

13.What is your current desktop?
The poster of Karl from Star Trek.

14. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
We haven't talked much, but she looks really sweet and adorable and I'd like to know her better.

15. What are you afraid of?
- not graduating from uni
- losing my brother, who has decided to join the army
- losing another member of my family
- never talking to my dad again
- burglars
- losing my cat

16. What's your favourite item of clothing?
Undies. People underestimate the joy of comfortable, fitting underwear.

17. What are you into right now?
I've just bought a new cd of a Dutch singer, called Wende. She sings in French, Afrikaans, Spanish and Dutch, and she's so.. passionate I get goosebumps every time I listen to her.
I'm also very much into David and his long hair, it has inspired my first drabble - that - will - be - a - fic in a looong time.

18. Which book are you reading?
John Irving - Hotel New Hampshire.

19. What do you want?
Another cat. I've emailed the local animal shelter because I am not sure if I can just bring another cat in the house. I don't know what the cat will do... (any advice on this btw?)

20. What should you be doing right now?
Homework

21. What's the meaning behind your LJ username/name/nicknames you go by?
Nemain is one if the Irish goddesses of war and battle, and Isa is one of th runes, it means ice.
My real name is a combination of two names: Anne/Anna and Maria, which mean the invaluable and bitter/sea. I actually prefer to think that the Maria-part was from the Virgin Mary or Maria Magdalene, both women whom I admire, even though I am not a christian.

(Aww the cat came over and licked my nose! I'm not sure if that means: I love you, or if it means: I'm hungry. But it was cute..)

Yay! I hope you've had a great day with lots of presents and cake!