The lyf so short

It's too hot to be sensible. (For tomorrow, we're being threatened with temperatures of 40°C. Urgh.)
It's too hot to get anything done. (And as always, there's a lot that should be done.)
And then, Dawn published the SWG birthday celebrations post. (The SWG is turning 10. In online fandom, that's an eternity! So go and celebrate, ye Silmarillion fans all!)
So I might as well... use the occasion to brag a bit.

Now, I've been thinking about the subject line of this post, and such exceedingly funny lines as "From Mordor with Love"* came to mind. Or "In Soviet Russia, vanity publishes you."² But that would look political. Also, it would've been seriously ungrateful to my Russian fans. Because it seems I - no seriously, I, yours truly, moi, я - appear to have a small but reliable Russian fanbase for - wait for it - my Silmarillion fanfic. (That's how all this ties up with the SWG 10th birthday.) And one of my - it still feels really weird to say that! - Russian fans translated my opus magnum into Russian. She kindly translated a lot of the Russian feedback into English for me, too. (It was all positive feedback, so she probably filtered out the less friendly reviews. That's why I'm enjoying the illusion of having only fans, no enemies, in Russia.) Anyway, then another Russian fan felt the urge to illustrate that story. Oh, and print it on paper. As a real book, like. Just a couple of copies, mind you, but, book.

- - -

As you might be aware, I'm a huge fan of fanfic. I'm also a huge fan of fanart. I consume it and I create it, or at least I did before I had two kids that mysteriously swallow up all free time I might otherwise have. So I don't create fanworks anymore. But I still love it.

So when I got an e-mail from my Russian translator (being able to say that really is the most awesome thing in the world!) that this fellow Russian fan had asked whether she might illustrate and publish my story for other fans, it was like Christmas, Easter and Middle-earth Festival in one day. SOMEBODY WANTS TO ILLUSTRATE MY WORDS. SOMEBODY WANTS TO PUBLISH ME. HOLD ME, GRAVITY.

When I was done soaring around, serious issues raised their head. So I replied something along the lines of "Hell yes to the illustrations, go wild, but about the publication, uh, the Tolkien Estate is gonna chew me alive, so no. But I'm ever so flattered."

My translator explained that she didn't have the impression we'd be touching these issues, and whether it was OK to give my e-mail address to the other fan. Sure, go ahead. So I got an e-mail from the illustrator/publisher-in-spe. ("You've got mail from Mairon Gorthaur!") She explained that she really just meant to ask a couple of fellow fans whether they wanted a copy to spread the expenses of printing, then printing (and binding etc.) exactly as many copies as there were contributors, and that was it. Not, as I'd sort of expected from what I'd seen in Japanese fandom, creating like 200 copies and then selling them for the price of printing. No profit made, etc, aside from the joy of having the book.
So that was settled.

I was hardly back from Britanny (oh wait, I never mentioned that either. Never mind.) when I got my copy. I don't read a word of Russian (although I discovered that I can decipher "Maitimo" or "Findekáno" or what-have-you in Kyrillic script just fine!), but I was vain enough to ask for a copy anyway. I mean, it might be the only book I ever get printed, right?

And holy moly, it turned out gorgeous. The cover is gorgeous. (The cover and the chapter titles are in English. Possibly just for me? Aww!) The backcover is gorgeous. The illustrations are gorgeous. (That's my only teeny tiny qualm about fanart: But what if I don't like it, I mean, somebody went to all this effort and then I might not like it? I'll have to lie! But in this case, there's nothing to worry about, I adore it.) The layout is gorgeous. The paper is nice and firm. Did I mention that it's a hardcover book? So far, every self-published book I've seen was softcover, rather poorly printed, and on rather bad paper. And this one of all self-published books, that I didn't even publish myself, is everything I'd ever want from a book. Well, aside from being in a language I can't read. Never mind. I've got the English text on my computer.

It's not quite like holding your newborn baby ("Beides versucht - gar kein Vergleich"³), but it's a pretty damn awesome feeling. Really awesome. But being a sensible grown-up woman, I suppressed the urge of running around and pushing the book into everybody's faces. LOOK! BOOK. WHICH I WROTE THE WORDS FOR. MY BOOK. IN RUSSIAN! After all, it's only fanfic, etc. etc., and anyway, life goes on and is busy and it really doesn't matter.

But, as I said, today it's too hot to be sensible. And it's the SWG's birthday month. And as it happened, that book OMG MY BOOK SOMEBODY PUBLISHED MY BOOK WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S ONLY VANITY PUBLISHING IT'S STILL A BOOK THAT I DIDN'T PRINT MYSELF! was first published - in the sense of publically shared - on the SWG archive. So when I join the SWG's birthday celebrations, I can't help also celebrating myself a little.

Because, let's be brutally honest for a second, one of my childhood ambitions was to be a published author. And for my childhood self, it really doesn't matter whether it's "only fanfic" and whether I can't make any money with the book. The SWG has given me a platform on which I can publish the stories I actually write (as opposed to the ones that might help me make money, but that I just don't get written), on which I can find readers, and even found a translator. And, good heavens, fans. I mean, people who like my fanworks so much that it makes them create their own fanworks. That counts as fans, no? I have fans, ahahahah.

Anyway, to stop this post being all about ME ME ME, this is all thanks to the SWG. So thank you, Dawn & Company, for that - and many happy returns!

And that ends Lyra's irresponsible bragging post. I'll return to my usual bad housewifing now. Or maybe to melting. Probably that. It's too hot for anything else.

- - -
*For the youngsters among you, there was once a James Bond flick titled From Moscow with Love. That's pretty much the entire joke.

²For the youngsters among you, a coupla years ago that was a bit of a joke on the intarwebs. "In Soviet Russia, the music plays you." "In Soviet Russia, Pikachu chooses you." There's almost certainly a serious and unfunny issue behind it, but I only know the online jokes.

³Line from a silly old German med student joke. "In the dormitory of the medical faculty, there's a big note: 'It is absolutely forbidden to receive lady visitors or dissect corpses in your rooms!' A scribbled note next to it declares: 'Tried both - no comparison!'" That's what our grandparents laughed about, people.

Random fannish squee moment of the day, via ladyelleth.

Escrick sapphire ring's mystery history sparks meeting

LOOK AT THAT RING. THAT IS CLEARLY A STAR OF FËANOR. Well, very nearly. Very very nearly. 7th to 11th century? WELL MAYBE MAGLOR LOST IT.

Say, mirien, would you say you can replicate something like that? I mean, it's a genuine historical find, so it ain't touching copyright laws, no? :D

Icon used for ironic relevance.

So this morning at dA, I find a comment on the gift art I made for hhimring a while back:

Wow! The Tempered Steel is a thing I translated into Russian - at least half of it. I did it for my personal fun without meaning to share it with anyone... I chose it because it was the best fiction on this theme I could find. So - this is you! )) Regards!

Actually, I initially read no further than into Russian because after that my brain melted. OMG. OMG I have been translated. BE STILL, MY WRITERLY HEART. Dear previously unknown Russian fangirl, no need to justify yourself. HAPPY LYRA IS HAPPY.

- - -
Yes, you may all go on with your lives now. I just had to share this. SQUEE.

Must go and shovel snow (this night brought a lot of it; bets as to whether or not it'll stay till Christmas are now on), but first I must make this entry:

juno_magic!
Thank you so much for the lovely surprise parcel! I must admit that I opened it before Christmas eve. >_>
Incidentally, The Very Hungry Caterpillar happens to be the first book I remember reading on my own. Friends from the neighbourhood, who were attending Waldorf school and thus weren't even approaching literacy yet¹, couldn't believe that I was actually reading the book and thought I'd memorised it instead. (For a long time, I found it puzzling that they thought it was easier to memorise a whole book, even one as short and straightforward as The Very Hungry Caterpillar with its supporting illustrations, than to just read the letters. Now that I've learned all these exciting things about orality and literacy, however, it makes perfect sense. -- Anyway.) That's probably why it stuck in my mind. At any rate, I loved that book, but our copy did not survive my brother and me (or maybe my mother later gave it to one of our cousins, and it didn't survive them...), so the shiny new copy is much appreciated! And with matching toys, too. Eeee. ♥
Right now, the only thing Felix seems to like about books is that you can grab the corners and turn the pages, but he'll grow to appreciate the stories, too, no doubt. And then one of my own childhood favourites will already be waiting for him. ^^

There, you got a ramble all of your own! *shifty eyes* In short, thanks bunches. I'll keep the candle for Christmas eve, though. Still pondering whether or not to wrap the book and toys for Christmas, too...

*squees and hugs*

- - -
¹By now I am actually sympathetic to their reluctance to teach children to read and write. Now that I know how much literacy rewires the brain and changes the way our minds work, I'd want to put that off for as long as possible, too. When I read that some of the kindergardens around here have a "literacy education" programme for three- and four-year-olds, I shudder in horror. (Yes, I know that in some places this appears to be the standard. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.) It's one thing when kids decide that they want to read and write and start picking up letters - I did that when I was five, too, and accordingly spent my first year in school being bored - you can hardly stop them then - but actual, organised schooling? Damn, people, that's wrong. But I digress.

So is anyone on my f-list actually experiencing any of the LJ fuck-ups that get reported all over the place? Or personally knows someone who does?
Because I find myself slightly puzzled. And (amusingly enough) the only people on my f-list who have so far signal-boosted about the trouble predominantly use other platforms anyway...
(Not that I'm not trusting you, or mean to imply that you want to damage LJ, or something... I'm just wondering whether anyone I know actually noticed anything untowards, or whether it's mostly an hearsay-and-dramatisation avalanche thingy. *headscratch*)

No. I'm gonna quote fileg:
I know- any one could be THE one.
But, so far, LJ has never actually screwed me, but the "leave LJ NOW!" scares have......

And it's true. And then I'll have to either run after yet more people who migrated to where-ever. And let's face it, that only happens when I remember to do it. Or even if I am dedicated enough to check a variable amount of journals in other places every day, I may not be able to read stuff there because not all platforms allow easy Open-ID access, or the people often can't be, I dunno, bothered to friend their LJ-ex-friends' Open-ID ID. So in effect, you loose touch. Or you're forced to migrate as well, which I personally am loath to do - not just because of my permanent account here (although that is totally part of the reason), but also because I already have a nice network here that I for my part don't want to loose. So no, if you leave, I won't follow. I'll just stand on the pier, waving sadly, and hope you'll x-post to LJ (as some people on my f-list fortunately do), or otherwise allow us sorry folks who are not members of the sanctified other blogging platform to read your entries anyway...

I have to admit that by now I actively despise Dreamwidth. The Germans among you will probably know the commercials for the ERGO insurance company: That's what Dreamwidth reminds me of. "WE'RE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING AS ANY OTHER INSURANCE/BLOGGING PLATFORM! BUT WE'RE DIFFERENT! BETTER! BECAUSE WE CARE! WE UNDERSTAND! LOVE US! FOLLOW US!" Makes me automatically suspicious.* For the non-Germans: Um, I've never actually seen an episode of V - The Visitors, but from the trailers, it looks like the same principle.
On a smaller scale, naturally. I'm not that paranoid. Just slightly irrational. ;)

- - -

In completely different and MUCH more positive news: OMG zorn made fanart for me. (Disclaimer: Contains harmlessly naked Elves. Yes, skinny-dipping is actually canon. If you count The Lost Road, anyway...)
I sniffled. And I hearted. <3

- - -
*I'm still trying to figure out how ERGO can afford being as nice as they promise. Either there are a lot of loopholes in the small print so they don't actually have to deliver when push comes to shove, or else the whole insurance thing is just a front to win followers in order to take over the world or something. No, seriously. Who said "If it appears too good to be true, that's probably because it is"? Whoever it was, THIS.

Yesterday also marked the big secret reveal (TM) in the family circle, so now I can finally squee and blather and spam to my heart's delight here.

Of course, the secret has already been sort-of-revealed by Sherlock chili_das_schaf, who, in a feat of good memory, clever speculation, pattern recognition and brilliant intuition combined recent incoherent mentions of "no period in November", "secret" and "one more week" and (presumably) came to the correct conclusion, which is, in case you still haven't guessed it: Yes, the Lyra is totally pregnant. ^^

Although the lack of period as such didn't tip me off at the time - I've had, as mentioned, the same issue during other stressful exams - there were other indicators, such as weird cravings (cauliflower, wtf?) and sudden dislikes (feta cheese ;_;), inexplicable breast growth (like they aren't big enough already :p) and absurd and quite inappropriate tiredness.
After the last written exam, I bought a pregnancy test kit, but I still didn't quite dare to get my hopes and spirits up, since a positive test result might also have other reasons and it'd kind of suck to be all "YAY OMG BABY" only to find out that actually it's uterine cancer or somesuch. >_>

However, a week ago I finally managed to get an appointment with the gynaecologist, and although the little figure in the ultrasound scan was kind of fuzzy and looked more like a teddy bear, a general trend towards human being was clearly recogniseable.

( Pictorial proof! Yes, I start baby-picspamming before it's even born. Because I can! )

Anyway! Yesterday, week 12 started (although the gynaecologist - and yes, her name is indeed Dr. Kox, and no, I think Dr. Kuntz would be more awkward, and yes, I know this was a horrible pun - said I might as well tell people "already", i.e. in Week 10, as things were stable already anyway), and as conveniently the nuclear family was gathered for Christmas, we started spreading the news. I was somewhat surprised that they were all happy - I'd expected my mom-in-law and my brother to be ecstatic, but rather thought my parents and grandmother would be too full of "BUT WHAT ABOUT YOUR CAREEEEEEER" worries and we'd have to explain forever why now was a good time and the feast would be ruined. Instead, everyone appeared really happy. Phew!

As there may be a few standard questions, I'll try to answer them right away:
- Yes, this was intended. We've sort of been trying since August, though we were a little surprised that it worked out so soon. ^^
- No, I didn't have to struggle with morning sickness. Fortunately - exams + morning sickness would've been a kind of sucky combination. As morning sickness, if it occurs at all, tends to get better/ go away after week 12, I am no longer expecting that I'll have to deal with it this time around.
- Estimated time of arrival is mid-July. (I won't even bother giving an exact date - otherwise I'll probably have people going all "OMG IS SOMETHING WRONG" if it takes a bit longer, as it apparently does in 98% of cases.)
- No, I am indeed not allowed to have sushi ;_;. Or raw fish in other forms. Or raw meat. Or cheese made of raw milk. I am also not allowed to clean the cat litter until they've checked whether I've already had toxoplasmosis. That, I am not too sad about. ^^

Next check-up on Jan. 4th. First time I'm excited about an appointment with the gynaecologist (or any other doctor, really...) ^^

And... I think that was enough blathering for the moment! :D Thanks, you may now go back to your feasting.

Point the first: I am ridiculously empathetic, and I am uncomfortable with heights and fast movement, and for reasons I do not quite understand, I seem to have used so many muscles while sitting in a bloody chair in the bloody cinema that I am now genuinely sore. (Also, washed with adrenalin.) Yes, ladies and gentlemen: I come out of the cinema feeling as though I'd just exercised. For three hours straight. WTF.

On the other hand, there's worse places than Pandora to exercise ;)

We didn't go to a 3D showing after all. Why? Because even though the movie is running in five theatres at once, two of them 3D, and it's been in cinemas for what, three weeks?, it's still selling out, and after queuing for 45 minutes and being offered front row far left seats for the 3D showing two hours later, I spontaneously decided that front row far left 3D can't be that enjoyable and surely the movie is more enjoyable from mid-back middle seats with no 3D.
In hindsight I'm actually glad, because, as barbardin so aptly put it, that was more sense of wonder than you can grasp in one go, and I am soundly overwhelmed as it is. In 3D, I'd probably have thrown up. Or missed half the story.

Not that the story was all that innovative, but still. I had been hesitant to see Avatar at first because the trailer didn't excite me much and I heard things like "just like Pocahontas" and "just like Dances with Wolves" and I wasn't certain whether pretty images would be enough to tide me over a potentially trite/boring story.
Well, for about half an hour I managed to think "well, huh, nothing exciting" and after that I got sucked into the story, and trite or not stopped being a point. There were some parts that I found somewhat annoying, mostly for what may best be described as the American Action Kitsch syndrome, and occasionally for all-too-obvious tropes (did an inward cheer for each subverted trope though, too). Sure, the story wasn't anything you'd never heard before, but it was well told, and in the end, that's what matters. Didn't feel as if the story only existed as an excuse for the technology. Although of course the technology certainly enhanced it, and turned a simple story into a rollercoaster ride.

And Oh. So. Prettily. The mix between "totally alien" and "just vaguely familiar" was perfectly played, I think, from the plants and beasts to the body language of the Na'vi. The world-building was pretty much flawless. Suspension of disbelief total. I bought those flying mountains without a blink. And if the Na'vi were just the tiniest bit too good and the humans, with few exceptions, rather too bad, there were nonetheless just enough characters to identify with. And the Na'vi faith/ explained by human science was a very nice move. :D And Jake was just adorable.

naurring, I had no time whatsoever to look out for exclusive wes or trial plurals or infixes, but the language certainly sounds prettier spoken than it looks written!

So there remain just two sore spots, really:
Unobtainium. They made it Unobtanium in the dubbed version - and German doesn't have "to obtain" - but still. Oh, we have words meaning "to obtain", of course, but we don't have "obtenieren" proper. So Unobtanium doesn't look too different from Ununbium or Ununtrium or any of those other elements that don't have a snaggy personal name yet. I suppose it must be more jarring in the original though, and I do wonder why they didn't come up with a more original name. I mean, they went to such efforts to give the Na'vi a reasonably original language and couldn't invent one stupid element name? Or just take one out of the Periodic Table, I mean, honestly, there's a lot of them?

And: So they spent 300 million dollars on the film but couldn't afford to have their own font developed? I mean, seriously, Papyrus? Not just for the poster title, but for every single subtitle? Papyrus?!

But still, worth the queueing, worth the money, worth the time and worth the sore muscles (wtf body?). There was applause in the theatre after the movie. Applause. For a three-weeks-old movie.
And deserved.

In conclusion: Beautiful. Totally bought it, would buy it again, thanks for flying Air Pandora.