Happy New Year, again

[lls_mutant]

::blows noisemaker::

Yeah, happy New Year!

I can't quite get myself worked up about New Year's Day this year. Maybe it's because I'm tired, maybe it's because hubby's got a nasty stomach virus, maybe it's because we spent last night being totally lame- pajamas by ten, much Guitar Hero 2 (I suck), and bed for me by 12:02, because it doesn't matter to Toby that it's New Year's Day. But I think part of it is because I just don't like resolutions.

I make them, of course. I've succeeded at a grand total of two. One year my resolution was to call my best friend from high school every month, since we'd fallen out of touch. Very easy resolution to keep, and it led to us talking about once a month for the past however many years. (I highly recommend this resolution.) The other was a weight loss resolution in 2001, shortly after we got engaged. Lost 70 pounds then. This year- naturally- has a weight loss resolution again since I've put about 40 of it back on, but aside from that.... While I understand the whole "new year" thing, I also have no problem with making resolutions on July 17, y'know?

So, yeah. :P

I ought to do a year in review or something, but I'll probably write it for the MRFH instead, since I have a deadline ;) Instead, I'll do the

Favorite Story this Year: No question, it was Though I Speak With the Tongues of Men and Angels. Probably the best story I've ever written (with a few close seconds), and I'm just really, really proud of it.

My Best Story This Year: See above.

Most underappreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Wake Me Up Inside (Losses and Recoveries: The Peace in Your Arms Remix. I was actually really happy with this one. But fortunally, medicinal_mirth liked it, and that was really what mattered.

Most fun story: Ooh, easy! Sparkles and Sugar Plums, which I wrote for rs_small_gifts. The Wizarding Ballet Company was a lot of fun :)

Sexiest story: For Educational Purposes Only, I guess. I really veered more towards gen this year.

"Holy crap, that's wrong, even for you" story: I think probably Let the Water Hold You Down, which was my Peter AU. Get into Peter's brain right and you will feel the need to take several showers afterwards.

Story that shifted my own perceptions of the characters: I was going to say Brotherly Love, which really, really got me into wanting to write Ron and Sirius hanging out, but I wrote that in 2005. You can't do Peter without shifting your perception of him, I guess. Either Taking Offense, because Damien Lupin is SO set in my head and none of these are him, or A Little Respect, because anything that makes me decide Flitwick used to fight in the RAF during WWII would qualify as shifting perceptions.

Hardest story to do: My hp_holidaygen fic. Why I had such a hard time with it I'll never know, because the prompt included one of my favorite characters and several of my favorite situations. But inspiration simply would not strike. And then I actually discarded about 4-5 pages of written story a week before it was due because I realized I'd started the story in the wrong place.

Biggest disappointment: That I have still not finished Chapter 12 of Accidentally In Love.

Biggest surprise: Not sure, and running out of time :)

Most telling story: Men and Angels again. Totally.

A story I want remembered: Men and Angels or Let the Water Hold You Down. Those were probably my two best this year.




And, as promised, some
Recs

This is very incomplete, as I haven't read even half the fics at either of my pet challenges this year. But still. Recs are fun.


Gen

Chasing Bill by Anonymous. The fic written for me at hp_holidaygen. Arthur and Remus go to find Bilius Weasley. Read this fic, and tell me this author doesn't know me. Seriously. This author hit one of my favorite plotlines. Like, YES. ::hugs mysterious anonymous author.::

Battles with Basilisks by snorkackcatcher. What if Lockhart really had done all those things he said? I'm on a bit of an AU kick these days, and this one is awesome.

Godfathers by "Anonymous." Artists really get screwed in these anonymous gift exchanges, because some of them have very distinct styles. If you're an R/S shipper, you can probably guess the artist immediately. Great "missing scene" illustration of Sirius and Remus discussing just what Harry should be told in OotP. I particularly like the expressions on their faces.

Tabby Cat by Anonymous. Cats have their territories. Privet Drive, in Little Whinging, Surrey, is claimed by a stray tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. I so want to hug Harry here, and obviously, so does McG.

Reindeer Games by Anonymous. The MWPP crew is in a Christmas pageant. Normally, I hate fics like this, but this has got to be one of the best ever. So funny I nearly burst out laughing in several spots. I've got my guess on who wrote this, and as she hasn't commented on it and has a pretty good knowledge of medieval literature, I think I've got a shot at being right, but we'll see. If I'm right, it's totally up to the standard of her other work and she's very funny, so go read.

A Breath of Fresh Air by Anonymous. Arthur's first days in the Ministry. Arthur/rubber ducky might be one of the only things that can dethrone Arthur/Slinky as my new OTP.

Black and White by Anonymous. Everyone's reccing it cause it's just that good. James and Lily and sad, sweet, and subtle.

Remus/Sirius

A Cup of Kindness by moondagny. This was the fic written for me at rs_small_gifts. New Year's Eve with Arthur, Molly, Remus, and Sirius. Warm and cozy and frayed and just beautiful. (Look, I really like the Weasleys and Remus and/or Sirius palling around together, okay?)

Midnight Mass by almost_clara. So, so, SO beautiful. It made me tear up. So poignant and so emotional and so gorgeous. Tell me this couldn't also be an illustration for Though I Speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels.

Sparkles and Sugar Plums by Me. :) Okay, so it's not a rec. It's a self-pimp. But this one was mine- Remus and Sirius take a young Nymphadora to see the Nutcracker Ballet. And if someone could please get buttfacemakani on the phone to illustrate one key line (we all know which one I'm talking about if you know her work and you hit the second scene), it would be to die for. This was fun to write, and don't worry- nowhere in the fic does Tonks EVER say "I'm going to marry him someday!"

Humbuggery by moony. Basically Sirius as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. I admit, there were a few times I wasn't sure how much I liked this one- the author managed to hit some of my pet peeves. But then she turned around and hit some real high notes, too. The bit about Sirius's father debunking Father Christmas was brilliant, and so is Lily Evans as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Worth the read.

Four Imagined Decembers by thistlerose. Feeding my recent AU kick, where Remus is still a wizard and a werewolf, but can't go to Hogwarts. Interesting, because if you listen to Remus in PoA, everything is all his fault :)

Comments

[werewolf-lib.livejournal.com]

Yay for fic recs! Just what I needed to make the day pass by.

Forget resolutions, I say. A friend of mine had the best idea: take up a new hobby or learn a new skill. I'm learning how to spin yarn(as if there isn't enough in the house anyway!).
Speaking of yarn, Duckie should be in the post by Wednesday. I wanted to wait until the holiday mail season calmed a bit as one of my recent 'Priority' packages took over a week to be delivered.

[busaikko]

Happy New Year! I'm really glad to see that your Small Gifts fic was 'most fun' - I'm still kind of blown away by how well the whole thing worked. And it *was* a fun fic: I laughed all over the place (as you know).

May the new year bring health and happiness and inspiration (as well as the time to write it down *g*)!

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

You know, I was thinking that. I'm thinking my first project will be get the house in order :)

And thanks so much! I totally understanf about the postal system!

[werewolf-lib.livejournal.com]

Duckie is on his way!

I'm with you on getting the house organised; it seems like every time we get it just right, something happens that distracts us from keeping it that way. And we don't even have kids to keep us busy! Too bad we can't train the cats to clean. . . .

[lls-mutant.livejournal.com]

LOL!!! time is of the essence, isn't it? Hope you have a wonderful New Year as well!

And yeah- the low-pressure way you guys ran rs_small_gifts was awesome. I seriously haven't enjoyed participating in a challenge quite as much!