Life has been a bit ropey lately, brain is a bit broken, so apologies for the late reply - but thank you all very much for the birthday wishes. :D

As I haven't posted here since April (oh dear) I thought I would do liz_mo 's Meme, which is nice and short because I only have one fandom. As broke as my brain is, even I can do this. :D

Comment to this entry and I'll pick three of your fandoms. You must then update your journal and answer the following questions:
1. What got you into this fandom in the first place?
2. Do you think you'll stay in this fandom or eventually move on?
3. Favorite episodes/books/movies/etc.?
4. Do you participate in this fandom (fanfiction, graphics, discussions)?
5. Do you think that more people should get into this fandom?


My fandom (as picked by liz_mo ) is... *drum roll*... The A Team!! I know? Who knew?

1. I watched this when it was first aired int he UK back in the 80s, and like any normal, self respecting child of the 80s I fell in love instantly. Kind of lost track during my teens and 20s, then got back into it when I noticed you could buy the DVDs. At that time I had been busily absorbing myself in Starsky and Hutch, and somehow found S&H fanfic. From there I found the online world of TAT, and have been very lucky to meet some wonderful and very talented people who let me tag along for the ride. I don't need to name check them - if you are reading this, you are one of them. :p :)

2. I can't see myself moving, and even though I don't appear to be around, I'm a massive lurker. So as long as my favourite authors keep writing, I'll defo keep reading. As far as the shows - I don't think I'll ever grow tired of watching them. :)

3. Oh, man... mostly Season 1 and 2... if I could only pick one it would br Beast From The Belly Of A Boeing, but anything Murdock centric is good with me.

4. Not as much as I'd like. I just don't have the time, and when I do have the time something always seems to get in the way. Like I say, I read loads, but I don't post much anymore, and I don't write. :( I do like to get the odd comment in on a story - they're usually not very constructive, but I just like people to know that I'm loving their stories. I consider myself Chief Ego Stroker, 'tis my role in the TAT fandom. :p

5. Oh HELL YEAH! Though, in some ways I also like it's niche-ness. :)


Ta da! All done. :D

Yes, I am really posting. Woot!

Reading a book that my brother-in-law lent me (he didn't really lend it to me, I sort of nicked it off his coffee table) - Writing From The Inside Out by Dennis Palumbo. It's not another instructional (WOO!), it's more about the psychology of writing. Very interesting stuff; the author is actually a professional writer, and now a psychotherapist specializing in creative issues. Anyway, thought I'd drop you all a line about it, I'm a bit overdue for a post. :)

Ok, we're off on the annual hols on Friday. However, Singapore Airlimes have a fleet of shiny new planes, and one of them allows you to plug in your iPod and watch your OWN movies on the in flight entertainment system. Genius! I don't own an iPod, because I hate Apple stuff, but hubby is a fanboy and has two. He's lending me one to put stuff on and I though... A Team!! 

So the question is, what episodes of TAT would you like to watch at 39,000 feet? :) Because I need a little help. :D

I have this Random Quite widget on my Google home page. Mostly I ignore them, but I liked this one:


Any word you have to hunt for in a thesaurus is the wrong word. There are no exceptions to this rule.
  - Stephen King

Interesting. :)

Just calling in to let you know where I've been - seeing as I've promised you all a story and everything. ;)

Basically, I have gallstones and since Monday last week I've been in agony with them. I've had a doctors appointment and a trip to A&E, but seems unless they get really bad there isn't much that can be done. Needless to say, I'm cheesed off to the max and surviving on handfuls of painkillers at the moment. It hasn't really put me in the mood for writing. :(  The worst of it is that I'm flying to Australia in 2 weeks time - not a great journey at the best of times.

So anyway, I wanted you all to know I wasn't being my usual slack self, and I actually have a doctor's note to let me off writing. :p I'd rather not have it though.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=UBmZN2LnDbA

Oh, and a funny quote I found today:

'Never tell anyone that you're writing a book, going on a diet, exercising, taking a course, or quitting smoking. They'll encourage you to death.'  - Lynn Johnston

There is only so long you can look at a Halloween LJ theme before it starts to taunt you ('you didn't finish your story, you didn't finish your story...'). So I've finally recognised that it's winter, and it's a pleasant change. :) Now I just need to get me some new icons.

... when you get a remote controlled A Team van for Christmas. :D I squealed like a child when I opened it. Apart from that, got a coffee machine from hubby, one of those one that you put a pod in, and I love it! He couldn't resist telling me about it so I actually got it a week or so ago, and I've already saved a fortune in the morning on my usual Starbucks splurge. They'll be wondering where I've gone! Got lot's of useful home things from my folks, they like to see me right with bedding and towels etc (I assume they know it's because I can't be arsed to spend money on the basics), some lovely perfume from hubby and some Amazon vouchers from Down Under (thanks Mum and Nigey!). Had a lovely day at my folks house, just the four of us and the two dogs, and really enjoyed watching my mum and dad open their pressies, lol. Back to work on Monday, sigh...

This was my overriding thought this afternoon, after spending hours trawling through old posts on the ATSB. Wound up on a thread about H/C and as usual much was made of the fact that Hannibal and BA never get the really rough end of the stick. Nothing new to me, but the discussion was very interesting and raised some good points. There are some really interesting directions that that could go in; obviously we know the guys can cope admirably on their own, we've seen them do it many a time, but I really like the idea of what would happen to the team if Hannibal was either long term AWOL or physically or mentally incapable of commanding them anymore. Not to mention how much fun it would be to get inside his head - I mean, the audacity! Let's face it, Stockwell managed to get him, while he was in a hospital no less! And we know Dougie Kyle is up to the challenge - junkfood_monkey proved that. :D

Anyway, just thought it was an interesting discussion. :)

That's what it feels like when you've been away for a while. :)

I have lurked, but RL has been a bitch, lots going on and none of it good. Nevermind. There was one little bit of good news. I did promise to post my weight losses (or gains - oh dear God) here, as a much needed kick up the arse. As of yesterday morning I was down to 15st 13 (223lbs). Ok, 2lbs in two weeks is pretty poor, but I was happy. I was actually 15st 10 on Saturday, but I didn't eat a great deal the day before so it was probably just a blip. I didn't get to the gym in nearly 2 weeks, but have been back religiously this week and I have my re-programme with my trainer tomorrow, followed by an RPM class. Have purchased a few low carb veggie cook books, and have completely cut bread out of my diet. Surprisingly, I don't miss it.

There hasn't been any writing; I felt I needed to do some reading, other than fanfic, to try and develop my thoughts, vocab etc a little more. Embarrassingly, it's been a while since I've read anything of substance and as I have about 50 books that I haven't touched I thought this would be a good time to get stuck into them. Currently reading The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. I love the original black and white movie, the book can only be better.

So, that's what I've been doing. Nice to be back in the land of the living. ;)

I don't believe it, I just don't believe it.

I sat down to read what is one of my all time favourite A Team fics - Pitch Black by JD Sampson. And you know what? It's gone! It's fucking gone!! The site it was on has closed down and now I'm going to die. I can't believe that I had started to copy and paste the story into a word document so I could enjoy it for ever more but it was becoming so laborious that I stopped after about the second chapter. Oh God, what am I going to do? :(

Hmm... wonder if it was ever posted on the ATSB... ?

Back at the gym this morning. How I managed it, I have no idea. I was up until about 3am, got hooked watching 9/11, the film by the French brothers who were making a documentary about a rookie fireman and just happened to be there as it all unfolded. I'm a bit of a documentary freak - I studied Documentary Photography at Uni, and I love a well crafted story. This one, filmed by the wrong person, could have turned into a macabre freak show. But it's so beautifully and delicately handled. You're totally aware of the horror going on around them, but without actually having to see anything graphic. They chose not to film certain things, where a lesser person would have turned the camera on everyone and everything. Anyway, I digress...

Hubby is off for a couple of days, and as he knows I'm a bit worried about going to classes on my own (there is nothing more uncomfortable than being the big fat chick in a class full of super fit, super human Amazonian Wonder Women) he said he would come to the powerplate class with me today. The class was at 10am. I was woken by the kittens racing around at 6.45. Fifteen minutes later the binmen were on the street, effing and blinding and generally making a bloody racket. Mark gave up and got up, but I was determined to actually get some sleep. I gave up at 9, had brekky, but was so exhausted I couldn't face the thought of a workout. Eventually I got guilted in to an RPM class at 11.15. Seriously, spinning classes are the home of the super thin and super fit, but I managed to complete the workout, be it at a slightly slower pace than the others. Mark has vowed never to go back, but I am going to the V Cycle class tomorrow as my instructor collared me on the stairs and as she's taking it I won't feel stupid. Anyway, I feel really good for doing the class and I would definitely go back. I think doing classes may be the thing that makes a difference to my weight loss this time. Being pushed on really does help, and you don't get stuck in a rut the way you do when you just do the same old program a few times a week. Yeah, feeling good...

AND! I'm going back tonight. I know! How mental is that? Planning to just do my resistance, but I might do one of my cardio machines if I'm feeling up to it. Most likely The Wave. The Bitch might just about see me off tonight. I also need to come up with low or no carb meal options for the evenings. Instructor doesn't want me eating carbs after 6.30. Doesn't sound too tricky, but I'm a veggie and I avoid soya, and much as I like salad I don't really want it for dinner every bloody night. The few recipes I've found online have been full of cream, butter and cheese, all things that are not so great for me and even if I wasn't already lardy would upset my gallstones no end. The last two nights I've actually not bothered with food at all. (Though I have pined for it, I truly have.)

Wow, that was a bit long. :)

It's been 12 days but I went back to the gym, and despite only intending to do my cardio, I managed my entire workout! Woo! For reference:

15 minutes on the Wave
15 minutes on Treadclimber (or the Bitch, as I like to call it)
2 sets of 15 - leg press
2 sets of 15 - chest press
2 sets of 15 - adductor
2 sets of 15 - abductor
3 sets of 10 - bicep curl
3 sets of 10 - lateral shoulder raise
3 sets of 10 - tricep dip
3 sets of 20 - plank
3 sets of 20 - ab crunches

I actually managed to do the tricep dips properly for once, evidence I should imagine that they are working. There is a powerplate class in the morning which I'm going to try and get to, and then I'll do the above all over again. I love it really...  Technically this is week three, and I'm meeting the trainer at week 5-6 so still have a lot to do by then. It's going to be difficult getting to the classes once I'm back at work, but I shall find a way.

Got an email the other day telling me my paid account was nearly up - has it really been a year? Apparently so. Luckily they are also have a 20% off sale on paid memberships, so tonight I signed up for another year - $20, £11.64 to us Brits. Not bad for a year, I reckon. :)

So, I have another year to get the Corridor finished... ;)

You probably didn't even realise I was gone. :D I was on the Isle of Wight for the week with my mum and dad, but as I had my laptop all packed up I didn't get a chance to post my farewells. Nevermind, I'm back now. :)

I had all sorts of plans to get lots of writing done, but I'm afraid to say I didn't write a word. I was in constant company and I didn't really get the chance. I did, however, cap about 6 episodes of TAT! Wee!!! I'll start bombarding the Murdock thread over on the Shrine tomorrow. :) I even managed to cap a couple of the rest of the team, too.

I see LJ has been busy, so I'll be spending my evening catching up. Just as well there's nothing in the TV really, isn't it? ;)

I had another session in th egym this morning, where my trainer finished off my programme. She is definitely trying to kill me. Not content with seeing me collapse in a heap on the floor after doing The Plank (someone needs to feature that in a fic - it is certified TORTURE! Don't get me started on Tricep dips... ) she manages to talk me into doing a powerplate class. Sure, I say, it's just standing on a vibrating platform after all. How hard can it be? Famous last words... It was bloody hard work, but I would definitely do it again, could feel it working everywhere. Will be hurting tomorrow, thats for sure.

Fell asleep on the couch and was woken by the noisy TWAT downstairs and his hip hop. As he was working in the garden he wanted to hear it out there too. I swear, one day I'll blast Megadeth or Iron Maiden so loud his ears will bleed. Decided to go off to the coffee shop and try and get some of my short typed up. did pretty well, except now I can't get it on the PC because I need a Pocket Word converter and I can't find one anywhere! Grrrrr. No doubt the next few hours will either be spent trawling the net for that, or giving up and typing it up again. Sigh. If one of those two things happen, I will post the first little bit up tonight for general comments.

Ok, let the internet trawling begin...


Edit - Ok, I realised (in a DUH! moment) that I could just save it as an .rtf and open it that way. I'm so thick sometimes...

We joined a gym about this time last year, a new one that had just opened practically on our door step. With all the hassle and stress of our move back in March/April, and then going on holiday in April/May I totally fell out of the habit. In the last couple of months Mark has become very dedicated, going several times a week, not to mention his runs in the morning and evenings. He's been telling me how appalling the gym has become, it's very over subscribed and you can never get on anything. So he's recently gone back to our old (very luxurious) gym and has managed to convince me to do the same. I had my induction yesterday, and wow, a very different experience to usual. She's only given me 2 CV machines, but she's picked two total bitches - the Nautilus and the Wave. 15 minutes on quite high settings and she wants me to build that up over 5 weeks. :o I've got some resistance and weight stuff, and on top of that in 5 weeks she wants me at 2 aquarobics sessions a week, and the spinning class and the body pump class. :o :o :o She was totally different to the others, I have goals and targets and she's going to be making sure I actually do this. Dare I hope that I might actually start to change my ways and more importantly my shape?

So now I have to find time to get to the gym about 6 bloomin times a week! Well, at least it's only a 5 minute walk from the flat. I guess I can't complain that much. ;)

A position in our department is going to be available from September. At the moment a friend of mine does it - it's essentially a training coordinator, scheduling suppliers to come in and give training, arranging training within the store for systems stuff, and alongside that helping to write the rota's and our daily schedules. That's the short version.

At the moment, I work on the shopfloor as a demonstrator. I advise on pushchairs and carseats, and anything else they want on top. I'm very good at my job, and I like the fact. People queue on the shop floor when other people are available to serve them because they've come back to see me specifically. But... it's become a little mundane, and for every great customer I serve I'll serve three complete bastards. Then you have the other issue that at the moment we have nobody to look after the aftersales side of the business - repairs. Doesn't sound like a biggy, but I spent four hours today trying to sort out something for a customer... we're all so stressed from having to deal with this, not to mention the fact that we are already very short staffed... meh... anyway, I'm considering applying for this other job because it's not customer facing but I have absolutely no confidence in my ability to do it. The girl who already does it has recommended me, and both my husband and another friend have told me they will never speak to me again if I don't apply - a little harsh, lol.

Am I being silly? I tend to stick in jobs because they are within my comfort zone - I have an epic fear of failure which has managed to keep me in pretty crappy jobs since I left Uni. Just don't know what to do... :(

Well, first goal not achieved - I haven't finished the first, very scrappy, draft of my little short, so I definitely won't have the second one up tonight! We went to the coffee shop for an hour, and I did get another few pages done, but it was a bit vague in places, very notey. If I were looking to get my stuff up on Lousy Fic I'd leave it as it is and post it tonight - you guys would have a ball! Particular with the POV changes, several a paragrah at the mo, lol. I started to nod off in the coffee shop - I mean, jacked up on caffeine and it's not enough to keep me awake... that's not really good, is it? I was late for work yesterday, only by a few minutes, but my boss did come and ask if I'd had problems getting in. I was too tired to come up with an excuse, so I just told her the truth, can't sleep and couldn't get out of bed. She seemed concerned, asked me quite a few questions but I did tell her I'd be seeing a doc in a couple of weeks. Can't help but think there is something else going on there, but that could be my natural paranoia in place. We'll see I guess...

Ok tonights plan of in-action is to watch an ep of TAT, because it's been a while and I think I could use hearing their voices again. I will then clean the kitchen, cook our dinner and then hopefully start typing up my short, and filling in any blanks where I need to. I'll have my notebook with me at work so i can easily get it finished this week anyway, no reason why I can't start the second draft in the meantime. PM'd Leia over on the A Team forum and she very helpfully answered loads of questions for me. I do have one more, so I'm going to hop over there now. While I'm there i might have a look at that Murdock thread... you know, just for research purposes...

This should be my 3 days off in a row, but I (stupidly) agreed to cover someone tomorrow, so today is my only day to myself until next Thursday. I have been a busy bee though. Went to the doc this morning to see if they could squeeze me in for an emergency appointment, not for the sleeping (though I have made a routine appointment for that), but for severe pain in my leg. Got one for 12pm, so took myself off to the coffee shop and did some more on my short story. Had appointment - got varicose veins! I'm 34 for goodness sakes. Anyway, there's also some problem with my calf muscle, and the two are due to me standing all day long. Got stuff to rub in and support stockings... sigh. Popped in to Argos to look at a cheap printer. Nothing there so I'm going to look online. Want something so I can print my stories off and look at them properly. The thought of editing The Corridor on a computer fills me with horror, as it's all in bits and odd bits at that. So I think printing might be easier. And anyway, it's ridiculous that we don't have something to print letters and the like. Going to get a couple of loads of washing on, make some lunch, do some house work and THEN I'm going to sit and write. I now have three stories on the go; the Murdock and BA very short (it's probably not even long enough to call it a short story, actually, lol), The Corridor, and what is tentatively called The Crazy Lady, which I know sounds like a recipe for Sue-disaster, but will make more sense when you read it. Hopefully, that one will be finished (first, veeeeeery rough draft), this weekend, possibly tonight actually. I'd like to get that on here this weekend because it's fully formed and I just wanted it finished so I can get on with other things. AND, best of all, it will officially be the first story I have ever finished. :o

Have decided now that A Promise Made is totally dead. It is a dead bunny. Bereft of life, it rests in peace etc etc. (Sorry, Python moment). It's a shame because I'm really proud of the first two bits that I wrote for it, and you never know it could be that some time in the future a bunny appears where those two pieces could slot in. But the whole 'story' feels like a dead weight around my neck, and while my bunny supply is limited, I am at least writing at the moment, so I don't want to get bogged down with something that just isn't happening. So there, I officially have laid that one to rest.

So, goals... hmmm, that is practically a dirty word to me, however here is what I'm aiming for. The Crazy Lady - second draft to be posted on here by Sunday night ready for shredding by The Mad Betas. The Corridor - to be complete, including editing, by October 31st. And the Murdock and BA thing (note the deliberate non use of / ) to be posted here by Friday 25th August. It's a very odd day, but it's my last day before I head off to the Isle of Wight for a week and I'll have no internet access. Phew, I'm all sweaty and panicked at the thought of deadlines, but I need something to see me through to the end of these stories. :)