crystal: (Default)
Saturday, August 10th, 2013 09:58 am
I am bored with my writing and must write other things now. Angst Bingo it is!

Please have this adorable picture of me and Kelsey.

IMG_1390 (1)
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crystal: (Default)
Monday, July 29th, 2013 05:49 am
So we're reading this Marvel comic series called The Runaways, because it's one of Lee's favorites.  I quite like it, actually!  It's about six kids who find out that their parents are super villains who are carrying out a plan to destroy the world, so they run away from home and become super heroes to try and stop them--and then continue to do so to atone for the sins of their parents.

It's got a real sense of humor and doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, which is nice.  The runaways initially fail at being super heroes, and they act like kids, and it's pretty great, actually.  

There are also queer characters.  Karolina, who we find out is an alien, is an in-the-closet lesbian at the beginning of the series, and has a crush on Nico.  Nico is...complicated.  Enter Karolina's unknown betrothed alien Skrull fiance.  

Xavin: I've come to marry you!  We have been betrothed to bring about a union of our people.  

Karolina: I can't.  I don't know you.  

Xavin: If we marry, we could save two warring planets and bring about peace!  

Everyone else: No!  You can't just marry someone because of duty. And you can't go off to another planet you've never been to!  

Karolina: I do want to save my people from genocide, but.  But.  I like girls.

Xavin: Oh, why didn't you say so!  *changes into a girl* Skrulls are shapeshifters!  And you know, it doesn't really matter to me.  

So Karolina goes off into space with her new girlfriend, and Nico, who rejected her when she first confessed her feelings, gets all sadface. 

Through the series Xavin basically switches back and forth between genders, and mentions several times that she/he doesn't really know what gender she/he really is, just because for a Skrull changing gender is like changing your hair.  It's kind of interesting to watch the characters interact with Xavin and to see gender through the eyes of an alien.  

At one point Xavin turns into a male because he says his "male form is more intimidating," and one of the girls immediately points out that that's sexist.  And then Karolina is really happy when they get into a fight and Xavin accidentally reverts into her girl form again.  

Basically I wish there were more volumes of this.  



crystal: (Default)
Saturday, July 6th, 2013 12:33 pm
Finally watched the last episode of Elementary, season 1.  Thoughts:  Watson was as awesome as usual, Moriarty could have been better.  Though I still do prefer this version of Irene Adler to the BBC Sherlock version, so at least there's that.  

spoilers behind the cut )

crystal: (Default)
Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013 06:44 am
A;adkpafkogjeg. Dudes. I've been waiting for a very long time for this fic to be posted. So I just need to tell you that if you are in HP fandom or if you're not and you like Snape, you should go read this fic. It's about Snape returning to Hogwarts to teach at the end of the first war, written by the extremely talented [personal profile] tofsla . It's got one of the best Snape characterizations I've read in a while, and is funny and sad, and all the good things.

To demonstrate, here's a snippet:

"Such touching concern," he says -- indifferently, he hopes, but he suspects that he sneers. Sneering implies that he is irritated. He is irritated -- but it would be nice not to show it. "Has Dumbledore set you to be my minder?"

"I'm sure you're quite old enough to mind yourself," she says, tart. It is not, precisely, a denial. Of course not. "However, one must help one's colleagues however one can. I am quite certain," she says, "that you would do as much for me, were it noted," she says, "that I had missed dinner three nights in a row."

It is an art, the way she speaks; that carefully placed emphasis that can make one feel eleven years old again. Too grubby and too surly to pass muster. Too Slytherin, quite possibly. He scowls. Regrets scowling. Blank, blank, blank. "Of course."

Her eyes flick over him, note the dust that smudges his robes and his hands, his scuffed boots. No, certainly not fashionable. What is one meant to do with fashion in a storecupboard? Still, something about the whole does not meet with her approval, he feels.
crystal: (Default)
Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013 06:45 am
Title: All Roads
Fandom: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Pairing: Korra/Asami
Author: tofsla
Summary: Republic City to Ba Sing Se, with a number of lessons learnt in the process. Korra and Asami take a road trip.

This fic is the first Avatar fic of any kind I ever read, even before I saw all of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and that's because the wonderful [personal profile] tofsla wrote it and I'm a big fan of her writing. There is something quiet and sweet about the tone of this fic, Korra and Asami growing steadily closer and coming to terms with their attraction for one another while on a road trip. It's relaxing and the pace is just perfect for this kind of story; one never wants it to end. I highly recommend!

Snippet from the fic:

Morning, bright and clear but not warm, sees them on the road.


Republic City falls away behind them as the car climbs, winding its way up and down through the eastern mountain pass. Beside her, Korra can't decide whether to stare up into the mountains or back down at the city as it slides in and out of view behind the first of the peaks.

A van follows them at a discreet distance, with their escort and Naga, who actually broke three doors trying to get to the cars the day before and completely freaked Korra out. Asami wonders how many of the Order are actually comfortable behind the wheel, and resists the urge to test their limits. It wouldn't be very kind to Naga, and it definitely wouldn't be a very appropriate way to start their journey.

But she entertains the idea of racing over the pass for a while anyway, just as a thought. Korra would enjoy it, anyway.
crystal: (Default)
Saturday, June 22nd, 2013 02:58 am
Liz thought I should post this. A just tiny scene with Snape & Dumbledore, written in 15 minutes, for the prompt "puzzle". I really like Dumbledore and Snape in just this context, both rather unsure and fail at being functional.

----

crystal: (Default)
Thursday, October 25th, 2012 09:44 pm
Hello! This is my first yuletide exchange and I'm super excited about the prospect of receiving fic that I never thought anyone would ever write me. So thanks very much for being so obliging! =) I can't wait to read whatever it is you're writing, because whatever it is it is bound to be made of win.

But I should probably tell you more about myself. My name is Crystal, and I used to write a lot of Prince of Tennis Rikkai fandom fic, as well as a smattering of Harry Potter slash. From a very young age, I've been fascinated with queer and genderfucky things--my favorite character from Sailor Moon, even before I realized that he was originally written as a crossdressing female, was Seiya Kou from Sailor Moon. As you may or may not know, Seiya and his two friends are female sailor soldiers who transform into male idols, who physically transform back into women when they fight villains. *grin* It's pretty awesome stuff. 

But yeah. I'm really fond of anything that messes with traditional sexuality and gender. I love slash, and femslash, and characters with ambiguous sexuality and gender identity. I love it even more when these characters are morally ambiguous (used that word twice XD). Um. Other things I like: historical AUs; crime; stories set in the future, especially it if means the characters are going to be middle-aged and rough around the edges; what-if kind of stories, in which alternate decisions are made in a canon setting that propel the characters into a completely different situation than the ones they were in; fic that explores relationships in a slow, rambling sort of way; fic that has UST; fic about missed opportunities and regrets and memories. 

I could go on and on. Possibly I should talk about the things I don't like, too, though. I'm not fond of fluff, or extreme angst (unless it comes from Oniisama E), and I'm no fond of crack. Cracky ideas played straight, to borrow the words of my lovely friend tosla, are great. I'm okay with dubious consent fics if the consent is not actually really that dubious? I don't like noncon, or really extreme BDSM, and I don't believe in punishing the characters to the point of torture. XD Feel free to write really depressing fic if it fits, though, and don't worry about killing off characters--I can handle that. 

Maybe I should talk about the actual requests now?


Wild Adapter

Aside from Kubota, I think I'm most fascinated by Sanada as a character. He's just so creepy and full of mysery and also kind of straightforward at the same time. I like the idea of Sanada playing all these mind games with people. There's this scene where Kasai tells Kubota that Sanada is a dangerous man, and to stay away from him. My brain has always latched on to that, and told me that there must be something more between Sanada and Kasai. I'd love fic where they maybe shared a past of some kind--maybe they were lovers and Sanada played those mind games with Kasai? Maybe Sanada is so very interested in Kubota because of his relationship with Kasai? I don't know. I'd really like to see the interactions between these two characters in the present after whatever past they had together.

XD Really, I just want an excuse for some middle-aged slash, maybe with some UST mixed in. I also like the idea of older characters who feel more comfortable in their own skin and have calmed down some since their youth. I like the idea of the aches and pains of long years. 

Anyway. Suffice to say that if you wrote me Kasai/Sanada fic any kind I'd love you forever. But if you just want to explore Sanada's relationship with Kubota or write about Sanada in general that would be lovely as well.



Friday's Child by Georgette Heyer

I tend to slash pretty much whatever I watch/read, and I guess Regency romance is not barred from this. Friday's Child was the first Heyer novel I read, and I was instantly intrigued by the various relationships the men had with one another. Especially in the case of Sherry, Ferdy, and Gil, it seems as though the men are mostly more interested in spending time with one another than spending time with any woman. Gil in particular strikes me as caring very much about his fellow men, and can always been seen dining or having hung-over breakfast with one of them. I'd love to see Ferdy/Gil fic. I'd love to see Ferdy/Gil/Sherry fic. Possibly they get drunk after a night of gambling and end up in bed together. Possibly Gil just has unrequited feelings of lust for George. XD Possibly Gil and and Ferdy just have a mutual arrangement of sorts, only they both feel more than they let on.

I also wouldn't mind at all any fic where Gil puts on lady things and Ferdy walks in on him. No, not at all. =D

This being such a random fandom for slash, I'd be pretty much ecstatic with whatever you give me <3


Pet Shop of Horrors

I really like this manga, and I liked that the ending was so open. It's definitely one of those ones that border on outright slash. I've always wanted to know what happened to Leon and Count D--whether Leon ever found him and maybe they run another Pet Shop together somewhere across the world now. I'd also love just another episode-esque fic about various creatures in the shop and the world's interactions with them. I'd love more interaction with the new Count D and Chris Orcot. Female!Count D? Yes please. XD Any way for you to get femslash in there? Would be win.

This fandom really lends itself to historical AUs, or just fic involving history in general. I'd love to see Count D in a historical setting--Prohibition Era America is my favorite, but other time periods work just as well. Or Count D in the future?

I'm basically really flexible with this one. I think I'd like whatever you're willing to write me in this fandom, because I just want there to be more of it.


Oniisama E

Yeah. What can I really say about Oniisama E? Basically it kind of breaks me. But in a good way. I'm pretty much okay with whatever you choose to write that's Rei/Kaoru. You could write really sad fic where everybody dies; obviously I'm okay with this XD. You could write fic where one or either of them doesn't die and they end up in bed together eventually (because sex with ladies is awesome). You could write fantastic Prohibition era historical AU where Rei is a racketeer and Kaoru is part of the police force. Or an AU where Rei is a pirate and Kaoru is a ship captain. I would love each one of these fics in a very special way.

My dream fic? Prohibition era AU crossover with Rose of Versailles. Oscar/Kaoru & Kaoru/Rei. Conflicting loyalties and women in suits and Oscar smoking in a dimly lit office at night.  Or really, just any kind of Oniisama E/Rose of Versailles crossover would make me the happiest Crystal in the world. <3



Disclaimer:
I am not actually the same person as [personal profile] tofsla , although if you run into trouble and would like to know what my thoughts are on any particular thing dealing with fic, please do contact her as she will probably be able to help.
crystal: (Default)
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 10:25 am
XD I know this is greedy of me, but my DW flist doesn't keep me busy for long enough.  I have...6 hours of idleness stretching out before me at work today, and nothing at all to fill it D=  
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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 09:13 am

Lee owes me movie-time for something, so I've been making him watch films I like with me. It's been making me focus a lot on the films I come back to over and over again, and I thought I'd post about that here, because hey, movie recs!

First one I considered making Lee watch:

1. Secretary (2002 film) -- About a mentally-disturbed, self-abusive young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who gets a job as a secretary in a lawyer's office and enters into a BDSM relationship with her boss (James Spader). Right of the bat, it seems as though this can be an uncomfortable film that, if not executed properly, can tumble into distasteful disaster. But actually, it's really really good! It's well acted by both leading actors, and has a free, uplifting spirit that one wouldn't expect. It's really a film about finding your place and coming to terms with who you are, with your desires. I like that it doesn't poke fun at the BDSM style or make it into something dark and scary. Instead, it's a sweet, funny love story where the characters just happen to like their sex...a little bit differently. It makes me smile.  
 
 
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Friday, May 13th, 2011 10:48 am
Today I walked to the transfer bus stop and sat down, minding my own business.  This middle-aged homeless-looking woman hobbled over and started picking up leaves, and went REALLY close to me and picked up a leaf behind my foot.  I managed to stay still and she hobbled off.  

Five minutes later she came back and grabbed my shoulder, leaning in really close.  Then let go.  Then grabbed me again.  o.o  

Needless to say I was a bit alarmed, and jumped off the bench I was sitting on.  She asked me if I was Chinese (I'm not), and then told me not to lie, and that she'd need to see my ID, passport and credit cards, NOW!!  And then she called me a bitch, and said in a low muttering voice "your dad probably fucks you, yeah?" and that if I'm not Chinese I must be Japanese (I'm not), and this is her land, damnit.   She warned me not to lie or she'd kill me.  And talked of knowing a serial killer who lives just across the street, there. 

I really wanted to leave, but I couldn't because the bus wasn't there yet, and I didn't want to be late.  So I stood up and walked somewhere slightly further away.  She starting yelling instead of mumbling, and showed me a leg that had sores all over it, and then asked me if I was smart, and yelled so loud she was spraying spit all over the place.  

Decided this is a scary woman who possibly might attack me, so I just...ran away.  XD  And she followed me, but she wasn't fast enough, and I managed to lose her and make it back to the bus stop.  Of course, I missed the bus and had to wait for a later one, but by then I assume the woman had found someone else to terrorize because she didn't come back. 

Alajdijfjg it was really quite scary, despite making me feel like a wuss for running away from a limping homeless lady.  Still.  It's kind of sad to think about what must have happened to her to make her so crazy and hostile.  I dunno.  

Today did not start out very well.  Hopefully the rest of it will be better.
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crystal: (bigdork)
Thursday, May 12th, 2011 04:43 pm
...I think my flist will learn that when I start with something, I tend to obsess until I've exhausted the subject.  

The other day I was searching on ebay and there were menstrual cups on sale for really cheap, so I ordered another two--both softer and smaller than the one I have now.  For some  reason, though it still works well, the Keeper Moon Cup (the brand that I've used since I started college) is giving me little nagging cramps throughout the day.  I consulted with the cup community, and someone suggested buying a softer or smaller cup, since apparently the KMC is one of the stiffer ones.  

The two cups (two of the softest cups available) have already been shipped, so they'll probably arrive within the next week or two, just in time for Period Week.  Am sort of excited o.0 

Every day this week I've had bunches of stuff to do when I got home, and today is no different.  Hoping for some time to myself to work on writing and return emails.  God, inbox so full.  

I have two fanfics to write and no idea what to actually write XD 
crystal: (Default)
Monday, May 9th, 2011 08:50 am
The [community profile] help_japan  auction at LJ is over, and as a result I am:
  1. teaching someone how to make icons on photoshop
  2. making a wordpress website for someone
  3. writing letters to wales for a year
  4. finishing that Saiyuki police AU 
I bid on some things, too, and won fanart, fanfic, some BSSM trading cards, and a penpal.  Fun fun fun.  


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crystal: (bigdork)
Friday, May 6th, 2011 04:52 pm
I changed the layout because the one I had before was so ugly and messy.  This one is much better.  Adapted from the Drifting style, I think.  It's not a completely new layout -- I used it on another dead journal account, but since that one's no longer in use I thought I'd recycle the layout.  I'll probably make another header image and color theme when the mood strikes.  The mood just isn't striking now XD  

One of my favorite BSSM manga pictures, though it would have been infinitely lovelier if it had the Three Lights.  Oh well.  

=D Check it out, flist!  [personal profile] crystal   Warning: it is rather pink.
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Wednesday, May 4th, 2011 04:18 pm
BINGO
grief Mary Sue (or Marty Stu) domestic bliss hallucinations / visions social event (workplace)
birth traditions AU: Alternate History / Continuity pandemics and epidemics chance encounters
angelic (or demonic) beings AU: Affiliation Switch FREE SPACE anonymity reading aloud
coming home nurse back to health caught in the rain animals family celebration
slavery zombies insanity love letter / song baby

from [community profile] origfic_bingo 

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Thursday, May 21st, 2009 11:19 pm
Updating from phone. So I came in today to my first job and the wireless network for the entire campus was broken, which
means I am out of a computer at both workplaces, since at the other office the computer I'm using is being replaced. No work for Crystal.

Tonight we are going pn a date, and then tomorrow we are going to see Terminator 4. 8D Happiness.
crystal: (Default)
Friday, May 8th, 2009 06:31 pm
In human years I would say Kelsey is the age of a three year old now. This means he's a toddler that's just discovered he's very good at running around and also pretty good at chewing things up XD Which doesn't bode well for my things.

destructo!bird )
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Friday, May 8th, 2009 11:14 am
Finals are officially over now that it's Friday, and yet I don't feel any more idle than I did the rest of the week.  It all comes from having two jobs and then two design commissions on top of that.  Web design projects so annoying, mostly because my old Flash 8 software doesn't include the javascript to make things work properly on most browsers, so I have to borrow the work computer to convert things when I'm done.  Not a big deal but still an inconvenience. 

But I wrote fic last night, after a really damn long while of no writing at all.  It's not good fic, and it's just a tiny drabble of a fic, but I am so happy~ 

There are lots of things I want to pick back up this summer, like my collab rp with [personal profile] kikyo , my huge collaborations with Val, and my blogging, and my Japanese study.  >__> Also I want to start a photo blog.  Am forever wanting to start new things, damnit.  Dooom.  

Having a regular non-fandom, non-professional journal is great, I think.  XD I can ramble about myself and other nonsensical things all I want, and it won't matter~  
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crystal: (Default)
Friday, April 24th, 2009 03:39 pm
Hello~  I'm sure I can use this for something.  *tests posting features*   My name is Crystal and I have a layout with Hakkai in it: [personal profile] crystal .   Thanks to Liz for giving me an invite =D
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