Grey Bard

Taking prompts! Sort of.

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 23:32:54 GMT

Okay, so. I've recently become a member of the Comic Book Artists Guild - which, yes, includes writers as well as arttists. And they have an upcoming comic book anthology project for members for comics about public domain or historical characters. Accepted scripts are then hooked up with a member artist. Guys, I don't need to draw *or* hunt down an artist! You can see why this interests me.

Comics can be about characters in their usual context (Sherlock Holmes) or wildly outside of it (Sherlock Holmes in orbit.)

So, my question to you is: What historical or out of print character(s) would you like to see me write a comic book about? In any particular plot or concept?

Share your peeves! Colors Don't Work Like That.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:19:14 GMT

Wanted: Characters frequently described in fic as having blond or red hair who clearly do not.

Also, characters often described as having a totally different eye color than the truth, particularly when the truth conflicts with stereotype or is not seen as glamorous. I.E. A blond with brown eyes described as having blue, a black person with green eyes described as having brown, a person with brownish-hazel eyes usually described as having bright green etc.

And any other such suspect physical inaccuracies. Big, strong 5'9" women described as delicate and tiny. People described as pale who... really aren't. Characters frequently referred to as members of a racial group to which neither they nor the actor belong. Yes, comic characters too. This is the time for your pet peeves!

Why: For secret vidding purposes.

So step right up and jump right in! I don't need to know you from Adam, I'm just looking for suggestions.

P.S. Please feel free to share any pictures you feel are particularly instructive.

ETA: I know it looks like I got a lot of comments already on the LJ post, but seriously, please keep the peeves coming. I need as many as you can dredge up.

Your Chance to Custom Order a Fic!

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:50:05 GMT

Sort of.

Do you like Trek - of any incarnation? Do you, in fact, HATE Trek? Do you just think it is silly? This is your golden opportunity!

I'm taking part in the treknovelfest ficathon, and signed up to write humorous, satirical in-universe "educational" or "nonfiction" material on some topic like Dilithium and you! A film strip.*

So the question is, what should it be about? Any suggestions?

Where would you like me to sharpen my wits? What would amuse or vindicate you ?

*Only not about Dilithium, because that one has already been written and my prompt is to do something like it.

Okay, I'm confused

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:24:52 GMT

Okay, here's what I'm not getting about the latest round of the warnings controversy. How, exactly, are the people who don't want to warn being oppressed by the people who want them to use warnings? It isn't like there's some magical fandom enforcement agency that can *make* them warn, is there?

You have a right not to warn for stuff, and other people have a right to call you a jerk.

Not so giant Trek Frankenpost ETA: AND! Merlin on TV tonight

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:56:06 GMT

This was going to have a bunch of things in it, but... I can't remember what they are. So! Here's what I remember.

Trek Novel Fest. Old school new school!

To those of you with any interest in this. Trek Novel Fest! Basically, a leave prompts, choose prompts sort of fic fest for story ideas in some way related to Trek novels. You don't need to commit to fic to leave prompts. Use of TOS novels to generate Reboot fic prompts is not only allowed but encouraged! C'mon, you *know* you want to find out what Diane Duane's Rihannsu make of the Narada. Room for more Number One and Pike! Deadline for prompts is TONIGHT at midnight

If you don't have a Dreamwidth ID, don't worry! You can comment using Open ID - the Dreamwidth.org opening page will tell you how. Alternately, bother me and I shall give you an invite code.

Your Chance to See Grey Bard Looking Silly.

Remember that Trek Movie outing? Now on video for your amusement.

Ridiculous fan reenactment of various scenes using the subway car as a set! Oh, our poor fellow passengers.

An off the cuff group attempt at singing the horrible quasi-secret official lyrics to the TOS theme tune.

I'm the short goofy-looking one in the Gotham PD t-shirt wearing the hat on the subway.

More commentary and more videos - including Star Trek Macros performed live! - at ink_n_imp's humorous and content-filled post on the subject. Videos courtesy of ink_n_imp.

ETA: NOW I remember the other thing! Merlin on American broadcast tv tonight! Premiere on NBC at 8pm EST, followed by episode two, "Valiant" at 9pm. Hop on board! Ridiculous slashy and femslashy fun for the whole family! *Literally* the whole family, the thing was produced to be safe for kiddies too.

Note: This post will eventually be locked down for obvious privacy reasons.

Okay guys, time for a consult. Are they playing with us?

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:18:49 GMT

You know, I was going to have a whole post about this, but the posting interface ate it, so hell with that.

Basically, Marvel Comics has announced they will be putting out a collection this August entitled, I kid you not, Marvel Bromance #1.

Guys, is this for us? Or is there actually an intended straight male audience that wouldn't be too embarassed to buy this book?

I present to you the solicitation copy:
http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=12656

Pop Quiz! (How not to be a fictional amnesiac Take Two)

Mon, 25 May 2009 20:10:55 GMT

Pop Quiz! You live in a science fiction setting where time space anomalies and mind-mucking is common. You fall unconscious among friends and wake up among friends, but something is different.

You are surrounded by scientific and medical professionals who are used to the idea of people with altered memories / from other realities / etc and would be happy to help you in any way that you desire. It is not the universe where everyone is evil.

Do you

A) Pretend to still be suffering the after effects of being knocked out while you try to learn more about what's going on.

B) Ask one of the friendly scientific professionals for help.

C) Attempt to go about your business as if everything were normal and hope that no one notices you are not on the same page.

True, this is totally different from my thoughts on How To Be A Fictional Amnesiac Part 1, but it's kind of a little different when this sort of thing is less crazy and more business as usual in your day job.

Why are fictional characters so dumb?

So.. If you were going to make a Star Trek XI drinking game...

Fri, 22 May 2009 22:21:42 GMT

...What would you put in it?

I'm going to see it again tomorrow with a friend and I have every intention of playing one. Well, only with something else instead of booze because we'll be in a theater and neither of us are particularly drinkers. Both of us have watched Star Trek TOS, although not obsessively.

So far I have:

- Kirk falls off of something and clings dramatically

and

- Kirk wades into a fight cockily and loses hilariously thus needing to run away or be rescued

Suggestions?

So. Star Trek.

Sun, 17 May 2009 03:52:27 GMT

I'm predisposed to like this movie because I liked original Trek and I universally hate Trek movies.

Hold up, what?

Well, I universally hate Trek movies. Even Wrath of Khan, aside from the bits with Spock being awesome. But Spock is *always* awesome, so I feel this does not count. They should have done more with the incredibly cool potential of Khan Noonien Singh than: I shoot your ship, leave you for dead, you fix it and shoot my ship, leave me for dead, wash rinse repeat several times.

BAH, I say.

So I was primed to like a Trek movie that, er. Tried a different approach than the other ones, so to speak.

And I did like it, I liked it way more than any other Trek movie ever, I will totally see the sequels, but I have a few comments. Only moderately spoilery.

1) The Kirk Is Marooned On An Ice Planet subplot was hilariously unnecessary. I know there were some plot points there, but they were just sort of tacked on to make it look more useful to the plot.

Basically, it was "Let's take time out from a giant plot to save billions of people to see Kirk run away from Ice Monsters! YAAAAY."

Laaaaame. Hilariously lame.

2) Wow. Someone *really* likes seeing Kirk fall off of stuff. The first scene we see Kirk, he falls off the edge of a canyon and clings to the edge. Thereafter, we have at *least* three dramatic moments involving Kirk falling off of something and clinging to the edge. Probably more than three. And aside from Sulu that one time, Kirk is the only one we see this happen to!

What, does Kirk's level of awesome and egotism have its own gravitational field? Inquiring minds want to know.

Seriously, this needs to have its own part of the Star Trek drinking game, or possibly a Lord King Bad Vid to Flo Rida's Low. You know you want it.

3) What the hell was up with the random clip of Kirk as a joyriding 10 year old juvenile delinquent that we saw in all the early previews? It had zip to do with the plot aside from establishing that this AU Kirk seeks out trouble like crazy, and the bar scene that follows establishes that perfectly well. Sure it was cool looking, but it was a total waste of ten minutes that could have been used showing us more personality and acting from someone who wasn't Kirk or Spock.

And whatever, people who are like "Destroying the 60's car is symbolic of destroying the 60's idea of Star Trek". If you want to send a message, go to Western Union. It has zero to do with the plot. The car is not even *from* the 60's, anyway. So there.

4) Zachary Quinto, who played Young Spock, came off as hilariously tenor, particularly since we had Nimoy on screen too. I understand that if you're a tenor, you're a tenor, but it didn't even sound like he was using the bottom of his range. I mean, here's Spock and his voice is an octave above Kirk's. It was a little "....?"

But that's just me.

Hellblazer, anyone?

Sun, 03 May 2009 19:45:23 GMT

A number of you know or have guessed what I do and where I work.

Anyone here like Hellblazer and want a fun surprise item? I promise you that you haven't already bought it, because, um. You can't yet.

This item should only go to someone suitably discreet. Either someone who can keep their squee under f-lock or understands the joys of euphamism. (I.E. Flying Rodent Man, A certain amazon princess, Mr. What I Do Ain't Pretty, the wall-crawler etc.)

I'm not giving this first come first serve, but instead anyone who comments wanting it in the next 24 hours will go into a hat and one will be chosen. No, I don't need to know you particularly well, you just need to be a fannish type I can trust to keep your word about the discretion thing.

This post will be locked after the item finds a home.

ETA: Yes, it *is* better than the last 4-5 years of crappy Hellblazer, I assure you.

Anybody want to see Franz Ferdinand?

Fri, 01 May 2009 20:07:00 GMT

No, not the dead historical figure, the band.

They're coming to New York's Roseland Ballroom next Thursday, and I have an extra ticket that would be a shame to waste. Anyone want it?

No, you don't need to be my most close personal friend ever. You just need to want to see Franz Ferdinand.

Ever want to create a superhero?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:09:42 GMT

Okay, for a comic writing course I'm taking, we need to write a full length comic script. Only problem is, it has to be for a character we "created" in class. Which would still not be a problem, were it not for the fact that all it is is the barest bones of a character with no actual personality on them.

And I only have a little under a week to write it, so the usual long contemplation and characterization process is out.

So you guys probably know what that means, right? Time to steal a character! Oops, I mean borrow and become inspired by one.

Here are the stats. The character is female and has the superhero name of "Loner". This right there is a problem, because that means she has to somehow escape the gravitational field of that name to not appear in any way to be a cheap Batman ripoff. Also, Woe Is Me I Am Filled With Gothic Romantic Angst is right out. (Other kinds of lonerness are obviously fine and welcome, of course.)

So I need a character to steal - of any gender, and the more vivid the better - who you think would make an interesting superhero with some of the serial numbers filed off. Any character, from myth, legend, fiction, movies or television. I'm really open to anything here.

This is your chance to rescue a secondary or tertiary character from a canon that does not love them! Or to reincarnate an old favorite in a way. Obviously the end result won't be *exactly* that character, but I need a soul to hang a story on, and I just don't have the time to spontaneously generate one.

Any suggestions? Feel free to share as many as you want, no matter how outrageous or obscure, even if I have no clue who you are.

ETA: The character doesn't necessarily need to be *particularly* lonerish, some powers I have in mind that I may or may not choose to use could partly take care of that, just... not attached to the hip to a giant crowd of people. Basically, go crazy! Any character that's not already a superhero, that you think might be interesting, I want to hear, no matter how off the wall. You never know what will click.

OMG WTF Amazon?!?

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 16:44:35 GMT

It looks as though Amazon is pulling sales rankings from books with gay and lesbian content. And it appears, not even necessarily sexual content, and regardless of literary or historical merit. Confirmed targets include Brokeback Mountain, The Well of Loneliness and work by James Baldwin.

Maybe this isn't as pervasive and offensive as it looks, maybe it isn't what it looks like, but... If it *is* what it looks like, I am most decidedly peeved.

More information is available here. Be sure to read the comments, some of the most important information comes out there.

ETA: Yes, I completely acknowledge that they are a private company with a right to run their company any way they like. That's the way it should be. And I am a free citizen with a right to spend - or not spend - my money wherever I please. Hopefully, it won't come to that.

P.S. Amazon Rank. No I am not above Google Bombing.

Multitopic Megapost with Added Muskrats

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 08:09:53 GMT

Okay, it is reasonably apparent to anyone reading my livejournal that I'm lazy about posting. My opinion is that the internet is better off for it, but there you are. So one post for all the things I was thinking of posting on.

My reaction to the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles season finale can be quoted as follows:

Aaa! Aaaaaaaaaa! Aaa! OMG.

If this doesn't come back next season on some network, Fox or not, I will be a sad, sad puppy.

Gaelic Storm:

I had to miss the concert because I had family obligations and it just wasn't practical. Oh well, maybe next time?

And last but *decidedly* not least, Muskrat Jamboree!

Sadly, I am just not going to mention the names of all the exceedingly cool people who I met at this con because, well, there were too many of you and I'm bad at names. Sorry.

I had an incredibly good time last weekend in Boston, but I'm really very bad at con reports. I was wait-listed and resigned to not going, but then at the last minute got in, and parhelion and sphinxvictorian were kind enough to give me space in their room, so all went astonishingly well. They were basically the unasked for but extremely welcome fairy godmothers of my con experience, and there are no words for how nice they were. They even treated me to some food! I feel like a very grateful stray cat who can write fic.

By the way, they live in Vermont and now will be getting legally married! How's that for a con present from your state?

Some highlights of the con included:

The Life panel with mayatawi which was awesome and included our very own slightly messed up DIY Charlie's Conspiracy Wall! It is apparently much harder to do neatly than Charlie Crews makes it look.

The Leverage panel which was enormous, made of win, and confirmed that this is a show where everyone seems to love everybody, though we all seem to love Hardison just a *little* bit more. And it is renewed! So no fannish angst there. The Leverage party after Jacques was also delightful, and somehow managed to fit six people lounging on each hotel bed comfortably.

The Alternate Universe panel which was hugely informative and detailed, and in which I was able to inform surprised fellow slash fans that according to a canon DC published Elseworlds, when Batman is a girl, he is a ninja who is in love with Superman. No lie. Shogun of Steel.

The craft table in the con suite full of colored paper and glitter pens and pictures of fannish love object and so on and was open whenever the consuite was for bored fans to make fun stuff. I absolutely loved it and I think more cons should have them. Just as fun as it was back in kindergarten!

The vid and dance party was incredibly fun, although I was sad that every single song was from the English-speaking world. No Bollywood! No Latin music! Oh well. I admit my favorite part was when they played "Low" and multiple fans fell over (and laughed) when they tried to dance low to the floor during the chorus and got a little *too* low.

Jacque's was wonderfully rowdy and terrifically well performed, and somehow the fact that it took place in a dive bar where they serve the drinks in plastic picnic and where we were surrounded by confused bachelorette partiers only made it more amusing.

On a more personal note, people showed up to my Sarah Connor Chronicles viewing party! True, only three people including me, but that was cooler than watching alone.

I was kind of sad that it was only a two day con, but it finished off in style, because selkiechick invited fellow Muskrats out for dim sum on Sunday at the China Pearl. I cannot recommend that restaurant enough. The food was great, fresh and plentiful, the place was truly authentic but they had enough English to reliably answer questions about your order, and wow, was it cheap. The six of us ate as if there were twelve of us and it still worked out to $10 per person. Win!

Let's play a game...

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:09:26 GMT

Let's play a game. I call it: "You know you've been in fandom long enough to warp you when..."

The rules are simple - finish that sentence with something true.

I'll start.

You know you've been in fandom long enough to warp you when... You find a character's outfit much, much more unbelievable than the seven chapters he spent changed into a girl.

Okay, now you!

Muskrat Jamboree 2009... Anybody spare a room?

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 07:44:42 GMT

So, beyond my wildest dreams, I actually got into Muskrat Jamboree from the waitlist! Still don't have anywhere to stay, though.

I need a room for Friday and Saturday, and it doesn't need to be the same room both nights. I'm willing to share with anybody. The more roommates the better , but I won't sneeze at even a single roommate. Anyone willing to help me out and save a little money in the bargain?

Also, if you live in New York City and are planning on taking the cheap bus up to Boston early Friday morning... want some company? Because I'm totally doing that too.

<i>(Yes, I'm still going to Tribal Forces. I'm going El Cheapo style and taking advantage of the fact that my parents live an hour away to avoid getting a hotel room.)</i>

Promote your local artisans! And for me, local is the internet.

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:28:55 GMT

So I was out tonight with some great fangirls, and astolat asked me about my locket. I told her that it had an antique watch movement on it, and she asked me to put up a picture and a link to where I found it online.

I found my locket through a link on sharpest_rose 's livejournal to the BirdsNBees Etsy store. The listings of jewelry made with watch parts are marked "Once Upon A Time".

The picture below is not my locket. It is a similar locket by the same maker with a fancier necklace setting.

Dear Feral Ficcer,

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:13:46 GMT

Dear Feral Ficcer,

You've been professionally published with a mystery novel I have actually heard of. That's why I'm scratching my head at the ending to your Nero Wolfe crossover fanfic novel.

Given that your dead character was a blackmailer and you spent most of the novel unravelling his plot in detail, I was surprised to see some random young guy in Armani show up and take pot shots at Archie for daring to investigate the apartment of the deceased, get killed by Archie for his trouble, and be pronounced the murderer ten pages before the end of the story. This guy, who had never appeared before in the story, you then revealed to be the boyfriend of the deceased. Only no one had ever heard of him and the dead guy was out of the closet, and no motivation for this murderous lover's spat was ever given.

Then, in a random passage a paragraph before the end, one of the dead guy's acquaintances who Wolfe and Co. had interviewed, also gay, turned up in Archie's bedroom stealing Archie's underpants. The man was previously depicted as a law abiding professional blogger with only a minor Archie crush. Now, suddenly, he's broken into a second story window for the sake of a cheap gag?

WTF?

Sincerely,

Me

Seriously guys, up until ten pages before the end, the whole thing made sense and didn't seem particularly anti-gay or anything. Do you think the guy who wrote it thinks that gay people are somehow prone to random murders and underwear theft? Or do you think that he was just tired of the story and Deus ex Machinaed his way out, and it only *accidentally* came of as freaky deaky?

Fic: Like It Says On The Box (Leverage/crossover) PG-13

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 04:34:08 GMT

Title: Like It Says On The Box...
Co-authored by mosellegreen
Summary: A man walks into a bar. He says "Ouch."
Genre: Gen with canonical lesbians.
Fandom: Leverage and Bound crossover, canonical Corky/Violet.

When Eliotwalked into the bar, the most gorgeous brunette he'd seen since... well, since he finished work yesterday, was taking a sweating beer mug from the hand of another chick. The other chick wasn't bad either, kinda tomboyish, probably was on the softball team in high school. But the brunette was made up almost like a 40's movie star, with a big luscious mouth designed to make a man think thoughts, and she'd painted her dress on.

Eliot knew not to let opportunities pass by. He stepped right up, gave her his best crooked little grin, and said, "That's a nice dress you're almost wearing."

The other chicks around her all cracked up, but only for a second before they went back to watching the two of them like they'd never seen a guy laying on the charm before. The tomboy was checking him out with narrowed eyes. But she had to be used to this. If she wanted guys to notice her, she really needed not to hang out with the hottie. No guy was going to notice anyone else with her around.

Eliot turned his attention back to the hottie. She actually had a beauty spot, how retro was that? "So, beautiful, you got a name?"

One of the other women nearby, another tomboy type, smirked. "Oh, that's Violet."

"Violet. The name's as pretty as you are."

At this, Violet's smile widened and she finally spoke. "You sure know how to flatter a girl." Her voice was a combination of little-girl and husky.

Time for the next step. "Can I buy you a drink?"

She looked at him for a second, then held up her nearly-full mug, still topped with foam. "Got one."

Oops.

"Well, tell you what, Violet. I'll get myself a beer of my own, and then we'll go find a table and get to know each other."

The tomboy raised her eyebrows. The woman would be gorgeous if she got some decent clothes. "She's with me."

Damn cockblocker. Eliot smiled disarmingly. "It's nice you're so protective of your friends and all, but how about letting her lead her own life? Come on, Violet."

Violet didn't move, just stood there watching him, dimpling. The others, however, were now laughing out loud. Probably the tomboy was always pushy and they were glad to see her told to back off. Violet was into him, he could tell, but he was going to have to get her away from this crowd. Firmly he took her arm, but the other woman actually stepped right between them.

"Don't touch her." It was a quietly given order, and she didn't sound like she was joking. It was too crowded, so he took a step back and began, "Look, I don't know what you've been through, lady, but...."

He didn't even see it coming. Probably the strongest right cross since that Russian smuggler fella. Not that it would have blown him over that way if he were expecting it, maybe.

Still trying to follow that last bit, Eliot started to pull himself up, grabbing a bar stool. And that's when she got him with a knee and an elbow. At once.

"Go get him, Corky!" hollered the little blonde at the end of the bar, and the other women just laughed and cheered. He knew there were some man-haters out there, but this was ridiculous.

She kicked him a few times, but there wasn't much heart in it, then walked back to her friend.

A tall cool brunette crouched at his side and patted his shoulder. "I'd stay down, if I were you. Not much point in getting up."

He eased himself up a little on one elbow, and looked at her. Raised an eyebrow in question.

A few feet away, he could hear that husky velvet voice again. "Come on, sailor, let's go home."

Corky laughed and touched her hip. "Don't mind if I do."

Eliot looked at his new ally again. Raised the other eyebrow.

She shrugged. "What do you expect at a bar named Gertrude's?"

A few hours later, back at the office, Nate was explaining a stupider plan than usual while Eliot was holding an icepack to his cheek and thinking on what went wrong.

Nate caught a good look and stopped mid-sentence. "Yeah, well.... What happened to you?"

He shrugged. Life was funny sometimes. "Well, how was I supposed to know it was a lesbian bar?"

Yuletide Reveal: Seven Bells (Abhorsen series) Gen, PG

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:14:15 GMT

I wrote Seven Bells for coffeebased in Garth Nix's Abhorsen series. Post-Sabriel PG-rated gen with mentions of canonical marriage. Action and Sabriel-centric.

In one of those little coincidences that has had writers headdesking since the dawn of time - or at least desks - loneraven also had the very same idea this Yuletide for structuring her Abhorsen fic around the necromantic bells.

Since Nicolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky is not my name and I don't know a man in Minsk who knows a man in Pinsk... I believe it is safe to say we both came by the idea honestly. Both stories are considerably different, but I thought it was only fair to mention hers.

Will Mr. Klaus please stand up? (Though you're probably female)

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:51:06 GMT

Some anonymous (I assume accidentally) soul sent me a used copy of Roger Eberts' I Hated Hated Hated This Movie from my Amazon wishlist.

However, it came straight from the seller, with no indication of buyer.

Who are you, Santa? I'd like to say thanks.

Holiday geekitude

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:33:35 GMT

So... Maybe I like comics a bit too much? Naaaah.

My boss took one look at this picture and said "If anyone ever doubted you were a comic geek, this would be proof that would stand up in court."

Oh, come on. Like you haven't been tempted to decorate fannishly sometimes.

Free comic or No Prize to the first person to name all the characters on my tree!

In my own small way, I win at life. Well, at the moment.

Sun, 21 Dec 2008 05:39:39 GMT

This was a banner day. Not only did I manage to finish my yuletide fic to my complete satisfaction, I also managed to install Linux onto my new old free computer.

True, the yuletide fic was up only about an hour and a half before uploading closed, and at the moment there are some minor kinks to be worked out of the Linux - (hellooooooo Pupwin98!) - yet neither of these things detract from my feeling of triumph. I have made someone a nice ficcish present, I am *not* a pariah from the fannish community, and I now have Linux to noodle around with.

Personally, I'm calling it a win.

ETA: Whoa! Had a brainwave. Food for discussion - If I write arty Yuletide Stocking Stuffer fic for a deeply obnoxiously obscure fandom on it, do I get to claim the crown of Annoyingly Indier Than Thou? Or would I need to eat Thai food while doing it in order to qualify? Thoughts?

Anyone want to talk shiny, shiny Linux with me?

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:46:58 GMT

So, I'm getting an accidental Christmas present. Well, sort of.

There's this laptop that's been passed around my family which is virtually indestructible despite being eleven years old now. It belonged to my parents, then was mine through most of college, then it became my grandmother's computer after my cousin murdered hers. (Long story, short version is never trust early adopter techies who are related to you.)

Now my grandmother has decided that she doesn't want it anymore, and my parents want nothing to do with it, so it is mine.

I've been wanting to play with Linux for a while, over a year, so this is a golden opportunity to have a brand new toy absolutely free. New Linux is definitely sounding shinier than ancient buggy Windows.

I've downloaded Freespire Linux to run on it, does anyone have any advice or suggestions for fun things to do with my brand new Linux?

ETA: Yes, I know "old windows laptop" is hardly a useful tech spec. Don't worry, I'm not looking for step by step instructions, just general thoughts and blue-skying. Stuff like "This program is awesome!" or "Don't use that, use this!" I'm not looking for a supercomputer, just a chance to play with fun Linux stuff for free.

In the spirit of giving...

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:53:11 GMT

Does anyone want a free copy of the hardback recent Torchwood Annual containing articles, pictures and yes! authorised fanfiction (Oh wait, I mean "official fiction stories") about Torchwood?

Also, does anyone want the Miranda or Serenity Valley posters from this set?

Both offers are absolutely free to a good home, first come first served.

ETA: The Serenity Valley poster and Torchwood Annual are taken, but the Miranda poster is still on offer.