For my next trick, I&#39;ll need a volunteer...

What's the best furniture polish you've found?

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lilsayermonster.livejournal.com

I just use the spray Olde English whatever in a can and an old soft t-shirt and a lot of elbow grease. I meant to reply to this earlier, like when you first asked, and forgot until now. I've found that in life, an stubborn nature and elbow grease can accomplish a lot. Like, you sorry unpolished furniture, you're going to shine whether you want to or not, mumble, mumble, cuss, cuss.

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Well done. Tenacity is what it's all about.

(deleted comment)

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Magic, most likely.

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How do you define a hero?

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The Greeks defined it as anyone who did something that no one had dared to do. Many of their heroes were called such for things that we would consider terrible.

I define a hero as an ordinary person made extraordinary by being in an extraordinary situation. You have the ability to either crumble under the pressure or to stand it, and do whatever needs to be done, and there's really no way of knowing which you are, until you get there.

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raidingparty.livejournal.com

"Hero" was a woman. Whose lover, Lysander, died swimming across a river when the torch blew out (or maybe a jealous rival put it out?) and he couldn't find his way.

I've since seen "Hero" used as a masculine trait and "Lysander" as feminine in advertising.

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That's rather interesting, I didn't know that. Thanks.

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raidingparty.livejournal.com

Aww shucks, anythang fer a lady.

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Aww, that's precious.

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There seems to be a spectrum of heroism, in a way. As children, we're often asked who our hero is... You know, that comes with Batman, Superman, a fireman, a policeman... So on. Then when we get older, say junior high / high school times, we start being asked who our personal hero is. This can be a friend, a mentor, a parent, or just someone we admire greatly.

Then there are ... tragic heroes. And huge heroes. And Purple Heart heroes.

Is a person that risks his or her life to save children from a burning building more of a hero that someone who faces hardship in their life every day, prevails despite adversity, and goes on to be successful, living a good, honest life and helping others along the way where they can?

Can a hero only be a person who is put into an extraordinary situation? Or can someone be a hero based on the way they live their life, even if they are never given the chance to prove this staple heroisms?

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sadistic-apollo.livejournal.com

fine, fine. I'll wear pants when company is over.

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I'd really appreciate it. Most people need at least a Little liquor to get them pantsless, and I think doing them the courtesy would go a long way.

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mendori.livejournal.com

I left very specific instructions that the imps were not supposed to do that. That was totally a manufacturing screw up, and I had nothing to do with it.

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Look, just tell the shop boys to keep their eyes on their work, from now on, and these kinds of things won't happen, okay?

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ladymerrydeath.livejournal.com

Taquitos!?

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Must... Obey... The Taco Man...

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momentai.livejournal.com

When and where?
What is of no real concern me as you will determine whether I need be interested.

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Here and now.

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momentai.livejournal.com

You know, even David Lynch isn't cryptic and weird ALL the time.

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When he's not, it's because he's on his meds. I didn't think that was really that cryptic...

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did that just mean you think you're on your meds?

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paosparti.livejournal.com

I want to talk to you about dancing

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Can't dance, unfortunately. Not in general, i just mean Tonight. Prior engagements. Sorry. :\

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paosparti.livejournal.com

*pout*

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Sorry.

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unknownbinaries.livejournal.com

Your mom.

...

....My mom?

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How is your mom?

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ellenore.livejournal.com

19th century mesmerism?

Because I've developed a fascination lately.

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It's a pretty fascinating subject. What have you learned so far?

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ellenore.livejournal.com

Mesmer had kinky hottub magnetizing parties where people rubbed eachothers breasts with rods.

Also, I like how social norms and conventional wisdom were taken as hard scienctic fact- it reminds me of a lot of the "obesity crisis" panicked info of today.

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Now that.... That is sexy.

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ellenore.livejournal.com

Also people got tied up in ropes hanging from trees (mostly poor people who didn't have money for the real performance).

Did I mention this was all done to harmonica music?

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Add an accordion, a ukulele, and a backward calliope and you've a Tom Waits play.

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books in the queue?

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Several dozen, at the moment. Listing them all... well I'd have to find most of them, first. So damn many.

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since i'm moving, had to pack mine. re-reading a short series i've gotten quite a bit of pleasure from. nightrunner series by lynn flewelling (

otterdance). never was highly into the genre, but she's got a damned decent grasp of magic in it.

once i'm done moving, i'll finish a few carlos castenada's i've been perusing.

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!!!
I love Lynn Flewelling!

Since you know her LJ name, I'm sure you're aware that she's working on the 4th book? Apparently, the 100,000th word was "poisonous" ... followed by "smile."

She wrote a trilogy in the middle of NR, the Tamir trilogy, which takes place in the same area, just way, way, way before. In fact, there's mention of Queen Tamir in the NR books, in a strait they pass through on a boat. Those books deal with magic in a big way, with Arkoniel (who was Nysander's master/teacher) and learning blood magic and figuring out new fancy ways to do magic.

It's just as gripping as the Nightrunner series and written better, to boot. Her writing style progressed dramatically in those books. So if you like her, I certainly suggest reading them. The Bone Doll's Twin; Hidden Warrior; and The Oracle's Queen. *nod*

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I didn't catch "smile" as the following word, but I did see "poisonous". This woman is just fantastic...

Speaking of fantastic - Did you catch her short story in Assassin Fantastic? Its from the perspective of the kids that are watching the house for Serigil and Alec. Particularly, the small one they catch after the other one gets scragged by the demon.

I actually much prefer the NR series over the Tamir series, but I think that has to do with my masculine-ish nature moreso than writing styles of the author. I've been REALLY anxious to read her next installment though, so i started reading the NR's again. :P

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Ah, I'm on the mailing list, because she posts little "snippets" from the upcoming book there. We made so many guesses as to what would come after "poisonous" that she finally just told us it was "smile." So that's how I found out. Of course, it just led to speculations about who is smiling poisonously at who. ...Which turned to conversations about Ilar, somehow, and the fact that Alec would never betray Seregil. Er... *digressing*

I did NOT catch the short story in Assassin Fantastic -- is there any way you can point me to it?

I definitely prefer NR to Tamir, as well... but I can't say I wasn't flipping page after page wanting more when I read it. :P When I reread the NR series, her writing style was just ... sort of subpar, but the story was so great that I remembered how much I loved it. That's why I found the mailing list. I don't typically like reading (I lose interest in most stories too quickly), but Lynn Flewelling is the only author that's had me so anxiously awaiting one thing: MORE.

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beepbeep train...see, there's the train of thought. it just derailed. :P twas a good one, though.

not terribly big into mailing lists anymore, i went nuts with king's list because of the gunslinger "epic" - never again, started going "omg omg omg did he post something today!?" everytime i woke up, and nearly bowling people down to get to the computer to check my email. not my bag, i tell yas.

couldn't find a link to it, but the title of the short story is Raven's Cut.

Here's the amazon link to the book (http://www.amazon.com/Assassin-Fantastic-Martin-Harry-Greenberg/dp/0756400023) itself, however (didn't see an ebook of it either) - good reviews of each short story.
buy it here (http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?tn=assassin+fantastic&sts=t&y=0&x=0) though, support your local stores, over major resellers.

i just finished downloading the ebooks of both Tamir trilogy and the NR series - shoot me an email - syserror [at] gmail [dot] com and i'll send 'em your way if you want.

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cailement.livejournal.com

So, who makes your favorite coffee?

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I don't think I have a favourite coffee, really. I like almost all coffee, though I have to say, for burning the shit out of their beans, Starbucks makes a pretty tasty dessert.

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Alan Davies: Is it true you once gave Prince Charles, for his wedding present, some coffee made out of weasel shit?

Stephen Fry: ...Not exactly. It was Cambodian weasel vomit coffee. It's this coffee the weasels eat -

Alan Davies: They eat the beans, and from what they excrete -

Stephen Fry: No, vomit. They vomit, and the acid in the stomach kind of softens it, and apparently it's very flavoursome. I just felt it was something he wouldn't have.

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Yeah, I've never tried it, but I've been thinking about it. Copi luwak is reputedly the best coffee in the world... Vomit though it may be. :)

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