cicer

About two years ago, I got a Dell Inspiron laptop. It's great, and has worked perfectly ever since. Thing is, the warranty is almost up. I recently received an offer from Dell to renew the warranty for $300. This would cover things for three more years, although (of course) there's about a hundred little footnotes concering what would and would not be covered by the warranty. I am on the fence about whether renewing the warranty is a good idea, or if it would just be a waste of money. Any thoughts? Anybody out there who has dealt with Dell for warranty/repair stuff who would like to weigh in? People who are a bit more savvy about these things than I am? Anyone?

All right, I'm just about ready to cave. I know, I know, everybody who's anybody uses FireFox already, but I have held out because I like my comfort zone and am afraid of having figure out how to work a new browser. But I'm almost ready to think about switching (mostly because the new version of IE is heinously ugly and I refuse to update, which kind of leaves me out in the cold). So tell me, is FireFox really all that and a bag of chips? Is it hard to use? Should I just suck it up and make the switch? Tell me what to dooo.

So, for the last month or so I've been keeping four journals active: my LJ, a GreatestJournal, a JournalFen journal, and an InsaneJournal. I made several different accounts because it seemed prudent at the time, given the state of uncertainty on LJ, but things have settled down for now, and it looks like most people are planning to remain on LJ for the time being. And given that keeping all those journals up is kind of a hassle, I've decided to just pick one journal site to use as a backup and remove everything from the others. I think I'll still keep the accounts, in case I want them later, but I'll take down all the entries, icons, etc and probably won't actually be using the accounts at all. Keeping four journals synched is just too much. I want to pick the journaling site that will be most convenient for others though, since it really doesn't matter to me which one serves as a backup. So I ask you, the good people of LJ!

[Poll #1049291]

Am personally leaning toward the GJ, since it has most of the features I like best, like tags and the ability to not get confused when I try to date posts out of order. The servers are not very robust, though. Hm.

Anyone know any good Chinese first names? I've trying to name a few characters for a couple different Saiyuki fic, and I can't think of any. Anyone have any thoughts, or know of a good naming site for Chinese names?

Because I just read a fic that made me sob, I've got to know. So tell me, which fics have made you cry? Not just the ones that you thought were sad, but the ones that literally brought tears to your eyes. I'm sure I can't be the only one who had burst into tears over a particularly sad fic, so tell me. I want to knoooow. Share the link too, if you have it, so we can all go read it sniffle into our hankies.

The list of fics I can actually remember crying over (though I'm sure there are a few more I'm forgetting) is thus:

Stages of Love (Murderers in a Minor Key Remix) by jammasterjayne. I can't...even describe this one. It's so hard to portray Schwarz as sympathetic, even tragic, characters and do it realisticly, but oh man, did this fic pull it off. Cried like a baby, yep. I can't wait to see who wrote this one.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow by devikun. Oh geez, I cried so hard over this one, I can't even tell you. It hit all my emo buttons, and was so pretty and beautifully written. *sniffs*

When You Go There by emungere. The layers in this story are just breathtaking. And the family traumas at play are just painful and indescribably touching.

Such Great Heights part one and two by eris_frost. Exquisitely written. It's pretty much told from Goku's point of view, but it was Sanzo who broke my heart in this. Because really, what would he do without his monkey? I weep at the ending to this. So sad.

On a Deaf Ear by trensaddiction. The relationship between Sanzo and Goku just makes this sadder. Goku is so devoted and Sanzo is so afraid of depending on anyone and letting them see him vulnerable. Soooob.

So yeah. It's funny, looking over this list I can clearly see some repeating themes here. People getting old and sick and dying is obviously my emo button. I think I just find something monstrously unfair in the fact that people get to live a long, happy life and find someone they love, and then they have to leave that person. That just doesn't seem right. Also, stories about people taking care of their loved ones when they're old and sick = soppy, teary cicer. That kind of profound love and devotion hits me right in the heart. Oof.

So! If I haven't totally depressed you by now, share your list of Fics That Made You Cry Like A Little Girl. :D

I always forget how much I adore my favorite books and series until I go back and reread them. As soon as I do I immediately fall in love all over again and am overcome by just how much I adore certain parts.

On that note, I've recently been rereading Saiyuki and I cannot help but squee over certain bits of it. I'm curious, and in the mood for a little meta, so tell me: what are your favorite parts of Saiyuki? It can be anything from a single phrase to a whole arc or volume. Just tell me which bits you love the best and why.



Apropos of absolutely nothing, I love how the mood icon for 'curious' has the little fox lying prostrate on his back staring up. This is exactly how I look when I'm pondering Important Things. Like the fact that Minekura loves her some gay subtext. Mmm, buttsex subtext.

slashfairy is looking for someone to scanlate a piece of manga for a friend's birthday and is looking for someone with the ability to translate from kanji. Do any of you know of a person or service who might be able to do this for her? She is willing to pay for it if necessary, so if you know of a professional, that might work too. Anyone have any recommendations?

I'm clearing out a bunch of my old books and DVDs. Some have been sold and some are getting donated to the library, but I have some leftover manga and I haven't been able to find anyone who wants it. So! If you see anything on the list below that you want, gimme your address and I'll send it to you! No recompense needed, really, I've been trying to get rid of this stuff for the past month. All if in good condition, as I handle my stuff very gently. So step up and snag anything you might want! First come, first served!

Sold out now. Thank you for your business!

Manga
-Revolutionary Girl Utena volume three
-Naruto volume four
-Confidential Confessions volume one
-Gundam Wing: Ground Zero
-Trigun: Maximum volume two
-Love Hina volume two
-Hana-Kimi volume one
-Trigun volume one

DVD
-Dragonball Z: Vegeta Saga I (the first three episodes of the series; this one is actually still in the shrink-wrap)
-Cowboy Bebop 1 (episodes 1-5)
-Dragonball Z: Frieza- Death of a Prince

Anybody want something?

Yesterday, I did the stupid thing where you open a cupboard over your head, bend down, and then forget that the door of the cupboard is open and smack right into it. Ow. I now have a nice goose egg on the top of my head.

I'm almost finished with the holiday cards and will be sending them out shortly. If you want one, this is your last chance! Check out this entry to give me your address (comments are screened). No reciprocation is necessary, so don't be shy about asking for one!

Fannish content is soon to return to this journal! In another week I'll be finished with my classes and will have plenty of time to finish the stack of fics that are looming over me and address the pile of recs and meta-ponderings that have piled up over the last month or soon. Many thanks to all of you who have been so patient with me as I've been completely braindead during November. Thanks also for all the kind and encouraging comments as I tackled NaNoWriMo. It really helped a lot.

As you may or may not have heard, Iris Print is creating an anthology of slash stories involving fairy tales or myths. I think I'm going to try and make a submission, but I haven't decided what sort of story I'd like to write. Since the greatest thing about LJ is that you can force other people to make your decisions for you, polls!

( No tickyboxes, sorry! )

Am rather bored and feeling the desire to ramble while lacking in subjects to ramble about. Give me a topic (or three) you'd like me to chatter about! It can be anything, fannish or otherwise. Absolutely anything. Let me spam you!

...Yes, yes, I'll go work on my writing now. *shuffles off sulkily*