raven: [hello my name is] and a silhouette image of a raven (velvet goldmine)
[personal profile] raven
If you divide my life into two sections, real and fannish, then on the one hand I have had a good day, and on the other, an absolutely dire day.

Let's begin at the beginning, and I did not begin well. My mother has suffered from neck pain over the last few days, and didn't want to go to work today. I had to get the train into Crosby. I got up and found I'd overslept and missed the train, so ran around desperately trying to catch the next one, and I thought I would - I ran on the station platform and just brushed the closing doors with the tips of my fingers - and the train left without me. I wasn't even awake yet, I hadn't bought a ticket, everything was going wrong, and I had one of those moments where you just want to give up and cry. The feeling took a few moments to pass, so I bought a return ticket in a daze and watched as the train to Southport went past. I later found that [livejournal.com profile] cucharita was on this train, and saw me standing on the platform. I wish I'd seen, and waved.

I got the train at ten past eight and reached Crosby at twenty-five past. Oddly enough, I wasn't late to school but I did have to walk through Crosby in the pouring rain and my hood wouldn't stay up and I never carry an umbrella, so I got drenched. I reached school five minutes before registration, slipped into my chair and was in time to hear the next piece of bad news.

In our common room, we have a set of shelves with nice little dividers to keep them in order. On the first day, most people claimed shelves by just putting their books on them. I have a nice shelf, next to Becca, not so high I can't reach it and lit by the daylight from the window, so all was well with the world. Now, for some unknown reason, each shelf has been numbered so we can all use them in alphabetical order. Everyone has to move. I don't want to move. I don't want to have to hand over my shelf to someone else. And to make things even worse, there are seventy people in the year and only sixty-five shelves. Because of its being in alphabetical order, I don't get a shelf at all. Apparently I'm supposed to use the Upper Sixth common room instead. Fuck that. This is not right. They can't throw me off my shelf that I'd been comfortably using without any problems for a week, and then say there's nowhere else for me to go!

So. Yes. I went off to my first lesson (Politics) in a very bad mood indeed. The lesson did not improve it, because even though it was one of the ones by Mr Evans, and he is a good teacher, I discovered half the class are raging Conservatives. I also discovered that Mr Evans' claim to fame is stepping on David Blunkett's dog, but that's nothing to do with it. I was still feeling pissed off at the entire world. I was pissed off at the entire world in Psychology, which is not one of A-levels but rather one of the school's "Extension studies" designed to make us all well-rounded people but merely take away our free periods and bore us to death.

And talking of taking away free periods, I had to go to Maths today. I hate Maths. I wanted to leave it behind forever. But no, anyone who's doing A-level science without Maths has to give up a lunchtime for it, and mine was today. So, with Becca and Bev, I went to lunch at twelve so we could go to Maths at second lunch. When second lunch rolled around, we discovered that the notice we'd been given had had the wrong times on it, and we'd actually missed the lesson and Mrs Jordan was after our blood. We did go and try to apologise to her, but she wasn't around and Mr Wilson (the boring Geordie) wanted to know later on why we didn't go. I had to help explain we didn't know we had to go and just... blah.

I think that after that, things wouldn't have been so bad; I didn't have to go to Biology today, which is always good, and I had English, in which I was asked to read out loud, which I do like doing, and it was Brave New World, which I also like. I walked to the station with Becca without incident. But when I was there on the station platform, I saw the train I usually get at twenty-seven minutes past four go flying past the station without even slowing down, leaving in its wake a lot of electrical sparkage and confused people. I had to wait for the next train. They come every fifteen minutes, but the journey itself is fifteen minutes, so that effectively doubled my time taken getting home. They broadcast announcements every few minutes after that, saying the next train is heavily congested, and when it finally arrived... well. I lurked in a corner and tried not to breathe and in so doing get crushed.

My mother was around, and picked me up, and I got home, told her this tale of woe, and my grandmother thought it was hilarious. I still have a lingering feeling she thinks I'm about three, and they're all just humouring me in letting me go to school.

That, then, was my real life today. In fandom terms, it hasn't been so bad. I got six or seven reviews for Green Fingers, including this little gem - "that was a pretty pathetic story but it killed some time for me. but please do try better next time" - and I had an email from Heidi at Fiction Alley Park. A couple of weeks ago, I applied to be a Niffler. I never told anyone because I didn't think I'd be accepted, but I have been! I am now officially a Niffler - Sharing Shiny Things With The Fandom - and will appreciate any recommendations anyone throws my way. Briefly, what the Nifflers do is read underappreciated HP fics on FAP and elsewhere, and reccommend ("Niffle") them. They're named after the creatures in Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them that can find gold in hidden places.

As part of my Niffler's profile, I need to provide a list of words others have used to describe me. As there is a very similar meme going round LJ at the moment, I'd appreciate it if you'd help me out... please? Thank you.

That's all.

on 2003-09-11 11:04 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] cucharita.livejournal.com
'Brainy/Clever', or in the HP related word would be 'Hermione' :p

on 2003-09-11 11:46 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
*blushes*
*removes pencil from behind ear*

on 2003-09-11 11:10 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] hathy-col.livejournal.com
Just one word?

Fangirly. Fun. Friendly.

Um.

They're the immediate three that spring to mind.

No, wait! One more word:

Glitter

on 2003-09-11 11:47 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
*grins*
*tosses hair*
*watches glitter falling everywhere*

on 2003-09-11 01:03 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] gamesiplay.livejournal.com
How's "brilliant" strike you?

I figure that's a fairly good endorsement, at least to start with.

on 2003-09-11 01:07 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
*laughs*
Oh, that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. *mwah*

on 2003-09-11 01:13 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] apestaartje.livejournal.com
A word: "interesting" or "fun" or both or something else. And trains are mean.

on 2003-09-11 01:17 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
Thank you.
Oh, yes, trains are mean. They're horrible things.

on 2003-09-11 01:50 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] language-idling.livejournal.com
I would say "fun" and "imaginative" and "interesting"
I've never really sat down and *thought* about why I like you so much. I just do.
That person obviously has no taste. I thought that story was delightful and hilarious and all in all good!
Congratulations on becoming a Niffler!
Expect an e-mail ce soir. Not from Meredith, though. :P

on 2003-09-12 11:11 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
Thanks, on so many counts! *squees*

I got said email, and while I don't want to tell him to his face as it might embarrass him, he is adorable. Utterly adorable and I am ever so slightly smitten with him. Nothing new there, then...

on 2003-09-12 11:14 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] language-idling.livejournal.com
*laughs*
He's extremely excited about this trip. It's *all* I've been hearing about for weeks and weeks. He made me read that e-mail and I promptly embarrassed him by telling him everything he didn't explain very well. You'll have to ask him for clarifications. I think he is as smitten with you as you are with him, tho.

on 2003-09-13 03:20 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
*blinks in surprise*
I'm going to choose to think that's a good thing.

on 2003-09-13 07:38 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] fragility-lily.livejournal.com
Honestly, I have no idea what the hell I meant. But take it as a compliment.

on 2003-09-12 10:52 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] donnertheim.livejournal.com
That sucks, about your rough day at school. At least the fandom seems to provide some consolation.

Concerning the 'raving Conservatives', it's probably not really so bad. They probably aren't real conservatives. (Here's a hint as to what I mean: as an American conservative, I'm of the opinion that anyone who would support an NHS-style system isn't a true conservative.) Remember, your Conservatives would, in America, be southern Democrats.

on 2003-09-12 11:07 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] loneraven.livejournal.com
Thanks for the tip. I have very little idea about American politics, as you've probably guessed, and I have a feeling the word "conservative" has a slightly different meaning each side of the pond. I am, of course, a bit of a bleeding heart... :)

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