I don't know if you lot are actually using these recs anymore, but I am, so I shall keep at it until I cannae be bothered anymore.


Misc

Fourteen Actors Acting by The New York Times -- The Times calls this a video gallery of classic screen types. I won't lie I immediately went here for Jesse Eisenberg doing what I'm pretty sure was Mark's mental reaction when Eduardo froze the bank account (watch his face very closely). What I really fell in love with was Noomi Rapace. Cause I love the fuck out of Noomi Rapace. She is Lisbeth Salander and this abomination that Hollywood is about to thrust upon the world makes me reach for the Maalox. (Also, this has Robert Duvall, Chloe Moretz, Vincent Cassel and some dude named Matt Damon. I'm a fan.)

You can go strangle yourself with that yellow ribbon, or, here is what I want you to do instead of shaking my hand by A. Scout-Sniper -- This is a piece written for Tom Ricks' blog (The Best Defence) by a Marine veteran who served four tours in OIF and OEF, wherein he talks about the draft and the current make-up of an "all-volunteer" military. You don't have to agree with all of it, or most of it, hell you may disagree with everything he says, but I definitely think it's worth reading if only to increase your awareness because this is your war too, and how do you know where you sit if you don't know where you stand?

ETA: There is a Fuck Yeah Ryan Gosling and none of you bitches told me? You're all fired! Except for antheia. Oh, and uh, don't forget the part where Himself actually talks about the FYRG tumblr to MTV. Yeah, bitches. \o/


Inception

And I Feel Fine by amazingly_me -- Arthur's having problem with four little words. And no, the words aren't, "Is that suit Dunhill?"

Chibi!Yusuf by pinstripesuit -- Yusuf. Nuff said.

The Delphini Trials by atomicskull -- loobeeinthesky made art for this story and after seeing the art all I could think was, "WTF is happening here?" And then I read the story and was utterly blown away.

One of the things I really appreciate about atomicskull's writing is that it's clear and concise. You know: who, what, where, when, how and why. I appreciate that. I'm not a fan of 10 words when 2 will do. I don't need to read five paragraphs about the sheets or the dry rot in the walls and the limescale in the tea kettle. I believe one line will do. I'm a fan of someone taking a concept and making is so plausible that for a moment you have to stop and think, "Jesus is this where we're headed, or are we already there?" Depending on who you talk to, or what religion you believe you may already be there. (Yes, I was watching The Last Enemy this week, why do you ask?)

Skin Deep by starlingthefool -- Eames used to be a thief. Now he's on hiatus and running a tattoo shop south of Market (San Fran). Ariadne is his apprentice. Arthur is a client. Modigliani. Magritte. You know if there's art I'm there. Ceci n'est pas une pipe.


Sherlock

But Love Is A Voice On The Wind by Snow -- Mycroft is of the opinion that if he leaves it to Sherlock things will never happen. He's probably right. There's something about Mycroft that I find incredibly enjoyable, so I'm a bit of a sucker for stories where he plays matchmaker. Or when he's just cleaning up after Sherlock's messes. Or when he's just, you know, being Mycroft.

Touchy, Feely by basingstoke -- Some people are very into touching; some people aren't. No matter the circumstances.

A Version of Normal by dark_aegis -- The concept of "normal" has always left me a bit aggrieved and irate, because who is to decide what's normal. Who created this Bell Curve and what gave them the right to set it? Who are you to say what my normal is? Who am I to say what your normal is. Normal's just a word, a concept created to keep people eternally dissatisfied with what they have. It's like Valentine's Day that way -- except it wasn't made by Hallmark.


The Social Network

Pilea involucrata by fledmusic -- I've read a lot of anthropomorphic fic in my day; I think my first anthro story was a love affair between curtains and a sofa. (thefourthvine did you write that?) I digress. Out of all the anthropomorphic fic I've read (and I really did love the PC/Mac wars), this is hands down my favorite. fledmusic took a concept that is utterly insane and should never ever ever work, especially in such a place as The Social Network, and left me gasping on the floor in hysterics. What would happen if Eduardo Savarin turned in a plant? Now with awesome story art by ellegen



And in conclusion: 26 days until Southland *\o/*

Video of the Week

I was in the store, like you do, and I picked up the latest issue of GQ, like I do, which happened to be the Men of the Year issue. And yet, Scarlett Johanssen was on the cover. IDEK. But inside said issue James Franco, Drake, Jeff Bridges, Stephen Colbert, Jesse Eisenberg, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ryan Gosling were listed as Men of the Year. That got my attention.

So I reckoned I'd come home and post some of the photos. But then I got distracted, like you do, and it seemed like some people I like are having a rough patch as well, so I thought... PIC SPAM TIMES! Plus, challenge!

Under the cut is what I like, come on around and bring what you like. Gifs, images, music. It's like pot luck, but a pot luck of happiness. It'll make you feel better. Promise. ( Enter the Thunderdome. What? Too Much? Incredibly Image Heavy. Just saying. )

*red_rahl drew some art for my Inception A to Z. It is love. Adorable pint-sized love! \o/ ♥

*rai_kwoto wrote me some Jealous!Sherlock

*Pervygirl.tumblr.com continues to be my favorite tumblr around. For real. So NSFW

It's like my birthday is coming or some shit! :D

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Assume that I've never ever ever read a Sherlock Holmes story by Sir Conan Arthur Doyle (stop shouting, reading Malraux* is time consuming ;-) -- which story listed here is a must read? (Thank you, maurheti)

*At this point I'm going to have to learn French just to read what I want to read because these translations leave a lot to be desired.

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Tonight is a very important night, because tonight I finally get to see the last episode in Luther series one and if I was any more excited I'd keel over and foam at the mouth.

Idris "If you breathe near me you'll get knocked up" Elba! Ruth "I am the female Benedict Cumberbatch with my hair color changes totally making me an acting chameleon" Wilson! Indira "Oh my god, my hair and my cheekbones are divine" Varma! Steven "I may be lilliputian but you'd still give me the time of day" Mackintosh.

I'm totally having Ultraviolet and Undercover Heart flashbacks!

If you have not been watching this, or have not seen this, I am very sorry for you. You should rectify that at once. Also, it's been commissioned for a second series. *\o/*

This is like finding out that the cloning machine finally works.

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Sidebar for all my fellow marathoners/triathletes/serious exercise fiends/anybody in training. Protein drinks. Muscle Milk tastes fantastic. Yum-my. ReGen tastes disgusting. Oh my god, don't drink that. Even if it's free post-event. It's worse than chalk.

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Yesterday I heard the saddest words in the English (both versions) language: Sherlock is to return for a second series in autumn 2011 on BBC One.

Autumn 2011? That's Mad Men far away. That's worse than Mad Men far away, because Benedict has Tinker Tailor and Martin's about to go become the most famous hobbit ever and then that date may change too /o\

Also, maurheti informed that that God, err, Benedict sings. And he sings well.

So, for those of you keeping tabs on factoids about Benedict Cumberbatch. We present to you on this Sunday at the Holy Church of the Cumberbatch:

a) he's got a posh name
b) he has a voice like a jaguar in a cello
c) he looks like that
d) has eyes like that
e) looks like that in a suit
f) is nine feet tall
g) has an ass like that
h) is smarter than most MENSA candidates
i) probably speaks French fluently
j) has hands like this
k) sounds like the best sex of your life on audio
l) can draw
m) fucks like a goddamn pro <-- Sadly I cannot vouch for this, but the Lord said so himself.
n) he can sing
o) his hands
p) I may have a plate of ham in the kitchen to entice him (damn you veronamay that I started listening to this again)
q) HIS TEARS DEFINITELY CURE CANCER. (But since he doesn't cry we'll never know. Fuck Chuck Norris)

I haven't written anything in a really long time. Gotta work that out.

Inception
Eames, Arthur... Chris Rock: The Sequel <-- rageprufrock et al. don't say I never gave you anything. ( Whatever you're into, your man's gotta be into to )


The Social Network
Mark/Eduardo
( This is nothing like The Chicken Dance )


Inception
Yusuf, Eames
( I am not your child minder, Sherlock )


The Social Network
Divya/Cameron/Tyler (I cannot believe this shit doesn't exist already)
( Threesomes all around )

Today is Veteran's Day. Unfortunately it's also been a right pisser for me. To that end I'd like to point everyone towards maurheti's thoughtful post.

I'd also like to reiterate what someone else said today, "Veteran's Day is the one day of the year that effects everyone on this earth regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or location."

This world is built on wars. Everyone has been affected by one war or another.

I'll finish by doing something I don't normally do, which is reposting what I said last year on this date:

Today is Veterans Day. I thought about writing about my feelings about war in general. About how being a liberal wine-sipping communist dick-suck does not preclude my sense of awe and appreciation for all branches of the military. How serving your country is not a second-rate choice if you don't want to go to college. How passionate I am about Veterans Affairs, about volunteering to help people when they come back from serving overseas. About trying to make a point of saying "thank you" to servicemen and women, because this is their JOB. They aren't doing this to pay the rent, they're doing this because it's something they believe in. How many people can say they're doing something that they honestly believe in? And then I realized this isn't about me, this is about them.

This is about every man and woman who has chosen to go out in the world and put on a uniform in service of their country, of this country. This is simply to say THANK YOU for putting this country first. The United States/United Kingdom/Canada/Australia/France/Spain/New Zealand/Brazil/Mexico/Israel [insert your country here] is not perfect; it has problems and faults and dysfunction that would be Viagra for Freud, but you have seen past that. You go out every day, and to paraphrase Rudy Reyes "put on your Superman suit" and sacrifice for the bigger picture.

There is no greater service than the one you provide.

You are deeply appreciated, admired and respected.

THANK YOU.


Also, I know times are super hard, but if you have a few dollars (or books or extra hours in your week) please consider donating to one of the following:

Veterans UK

IAVA: Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America: Volunteer, donate, or even just read up and think about what they're saying.

ReMind: The Bob Woodruff fund which gives to injured servicemen (and women) and their families.

Books for Soldiers, which accepts books, games and movies.

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which is the National Intrepid Center for Excellence, which treats servicemen with brain injuries

Military.com has a list of charitable organizations. Everything from Adopt a Platoon to Wounded Warriors Family Support and National Military Families Fund.

Yesterday I was gifted with the most holiest of holies: Benedict Cumberbatch reading Kafka's Metamorphosis. I love Kafka. Yes, I really am one of those people. I think you lot know my feelings about Benedict. With these two things combined I walked around town with the most insipid smile ever. And I don't care. But this is all I have. I need more. I must have more. I am begging you. If you have more Benedict audiobooks, whatever the hell they are: novels, non-fiction, script readings, children's books, the shopping list. Please. Please share them with me. I am in need. I am in so much need. (And probably other people are in need too, so think about all the good will you'd be putting out in the world!)

1. I have a new saviour. His name is Benedict Cumberbatch. sparky77, maurheti and I will now be High Priestesses at The Most Holy Temple of the Cumberbatch. If you have need of our services, please come see us in the garden and we'll be happy to talk about menswear ad nauseum. Okay, I will talk about clothing, the other two will talk about something else. ( JUST LOOK! )

Photos from Oh No They Didn't. If there are icons for this, PLEASE GOD SHOW ME WHERE THEY ARE; I HAVE NEEDS. This is the first time in my life I've thought, "Why is the model in there, she's not nearly hot enough for him and is totally bringing down the total hotass quotient."

2. For those of us who were a little bit less than happy with the outcome of this season's Project Runway. So was Tim. Love you, Tim!

3. I am not particularly interested in Inception right now. Maybe I'm burned out. Maybe I'm seriously over it and over fandom and only want to read stories about Sherlock and Watson (I won't lie, when Benedict said in his interview 'Sherlock's asexual' all I could think was 'ohhhhhhhh, that's where that came from in fandom'. Sherlock fandom writers know how to bring in the schooling. \o/)

Maybe the Inception DVD will come out and I'll fall in love all over again.

Whatever the case, maybe I'll write something sprawling and heart-felt tomorrow based on loobeeinthesky's Inception art; maybe I never will again. I don't know; right now I don't really give a shit.

If you're here only for Friday Inception Recs those may not happen again. They may wind up being only about Sherlock and The Social Network. Feel free to leave at any time. You don't need my blessing or amnesty. There's no contractual obligation for 99.99% of you. We're all grown-ups even when we're not acting like it.

But, for what it's worth, here are what's left in my rec folder:

Again & Again by sorrynotsorry -- Arthur's an escort. Eames wants to make him a better offer.

Chasing the Rising Sun by foxxcub -- Arthur is a Weimaraner puppy; Eames is a Australian Shepherd puppy. Considering how high-strung Weimaraners tend to be, that's pretty perfect casting.

Dream-Share Tactical Employment procedures. by darkknightrises -- These are fucking amazing, holy fucking shit.

I Think We're Alone Now by nami86 -- This is Arthur/Ariadne art and I'm utterly besotted by this artist's style and her attention to detail. There are totems on the nightstand. She almost makes me wish I wrote Arthur/Ariadne, but it's not my thing, just as Arthur/Eames isn't the artist's thing (she's not gonna do it, don't bother asking). But it's always nice to appreciate awesome for the sake of awesome.

Naked Lunch by jibrailis -- Eames makes a wish; Arthur has to live with the consequences. It's quite the wish.

Everybody's read gyzym's coffee shop!AU; it's a game changer. It may be the biggest fic in Inception fandom; I'm pretty sure it's the best received and talked about for a reason. I'm not overtly recommending that one (it's obviously warranted, but well past superfluous). I'm recommending We Must Unlearn the Constellations to See The Stars which is Robert Fischer fic. There's some Robert/Saito, but it's not really about that, it's about being who you want to be and not who the world or your parents or society thinks you should. (But I suppose the coffee shop fic is about that, too; it's a thing).

And of course the folder dump wouldn't be complete without this bad ass video from orlisroses29 featuring Massive Attack's Inertia Creeps. I love Massive Attack. Shocking, I know.

So. Yesterday I ran and completed my very first marathon. Yes, marathon. M-A-R-A-T-H-O-N. The one with 26.2 miles. The one where you run over 40K. It was... it was pretty fucking amazing. Not gonna lie. Maybe not the hardest thing I've ever done, but probably one of, if not the most rewarding thing I've ever done. If you're thinking about doing this, I cannot encourage you highly enough.


( Here are some before and after photos of my experience )

It's important to me, now that the marathon is over, to thank a few key people:

* The United States Marine Corps. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are going to run a marathon... Let the Marines organize that shit. They are timely, they come prepared (hush, Brad) with food and Powerade and an awesome, scenic course, and the biggest smiles ever. And when you are about to jump on someone's back at mile 15 and demand they carry you, you will instead find yourself jumping in the air to high five Marines standing on pillars, and yelling back when they tell you how good you're doing. Also? HOTTEST BRANCH OF THE ARMED SERVICES YOU COULD EVER HOPE FOR. Hotass is good motivation. Or as Layla once said, "'rines, Daddy! 'Rines!"

* The Semper Fi Injured Marine Fund The charity I raised money for. If you're going to abuse yourself, do it for a good cause.

* I'd like to thank everybody on my flist who gave me music this year, because you've contributed to my endless hours in the pool and on the bike and on weights and running. I really couldn't have done it without you.

* To Porn Swat (alethialia, romanticalgirl, sparky77) for all kinds of support.

* To issaro and serialkarma for their unflagging support not just this year, but every year. For never telling me I was crazy (well, not to my face).

* To antheia, kattiya, lazlet, random_flores and shireeen for listening when I was injured and supporting me when I was questioning my sanity. For never telling me to just give the fuck up and go have a drink instead.

* And to maurheti, who single-handedly made this marathon possible with her network of connections and advice and her willingness to walk me through injuries and runs and nutrition and duct taped Ziploc bags and. For not once ever letting me think I couldn't get this done. For always believing in me even when things got super hairy. You did this, too, so thank you. (And Pnut). WE LOVE YOU PNUT.

And to a bunch of people who will never see this, but also made it possible: M and D and the other D and S and J and A and B and on and on.

Thank all of you so very much. I would raise a glass to you, but if I have beer or chocolate I'm probably going to vomit. And also, my body parts aren't working so let's just say I did.

♥

Today I learned a new phrase Hipster Racism. It exists. I've seen it. Experienced it. Just never knew it had a proper term. I mention this to say race relations are an on-going struggle. Racism is different for every person of color. What offends one Person of Color may not even ping for some other Person of Color, because we don't all come from the same background, but that doesn't make it any less racist to the offended party. We are not all the same. Just because you're not offended doesn't make someone else's hurt any less valid. And fandom is a large, strange, sometimes polarizing and lonely place. Sometimes attention is brought when offense is given; sometimes people are just like, "No, not today, because I deal with this every other goddamn day and I am not your racism police," which -- well, that's just how shit is. People get tired. But what's just as hard as saying something is how the conversation is had, how people interact and how people react. For every person who flips out and screams, "I'm not racist!" it's nice to know that there are people who are able to say, "You know what? I messed up. I'm sorry; I apologize -- I didn't realize how this came off. Please forgive me; I'll try to do better in the future." It's hard to admit when you fuck up, but it takes a very strong person to admit it, and it takes another strong person to say, "I accept your apology. I hope you see why I feel the way I do."

So, people, keep talking. Keep trying. Keep being adults about it, because this shit is hard and the only way we're going to get through it is to make an effort together.