Astor Place

Wishing all of you...

2008-01-01T18:00:40Z

...a fabulous 2008.

xo

Sopranos humor (no spoilers)

2007-07-05T20:58:20Z

If The Sopranos was syndicated on network TV, it would look something like this:

click for video

astridaria @ 2007-06-26T21:46:00

2007-06-27T03:40:07Z

So I started watching Boston Legal in order to feed my recently rekindled love of James Spader and I'm liking it so far, although not as much as I might have if I hadn't started watching the Sopranos around the same time. I'm crossing my fingers that they come up with a new credit sequence for Boston Legal by the second season because, seriously, the one from the first season sucks beyond sucking. The music is completely wrong -- and not in an ironic way -- and the morphing of actors into cartoon-likenesses looks cheap and very silly.

I only started watching the Soprano's because of all the talk about the finale. I'm spoiled in the odd way that I know what happens in the last four minutes only. As you probably know, whether you watch the show or not, what actually happens during those minutes has been the subject of some heated debate. The only two cents that I have to offer at this point -- having just finished the first season (no spoilers, please) is that Owen Gleiberman had better have it wrong. This is what he has to say:

"For a few moments, we felt, and envisioned, Tony Soprano's death, and so, in the skipped heartbeat of our imaginations, he really did die. Moments later, we imagined that he might have lived, and so he did live after all. He died and he lived. Not the possibility of either one. But both. Cut to black. And let there be light."

If Gleiberman is right, then David Chase is a pussy. Ambiguity is one thing, but there's nothing brilliant or poetic about an ending that lets you have it both ways (as an end in and of itself, so to speak)-- it's one of the biggest acts of creative cowardice in my hypothetical book.

Anyhoo, while David Chase has been tight-lipped as to what the ending means (as he should be), HBO has confirmed that he had a definite ending in mind. And that's all that I need to know to enjoy the ride.

astridaria @ 2007-06-20T11:03:00

2007-06-20T16:01:03Z

Happy Birthday

2007-06-02T00:46:05Z

Happy Birthday to elenorlaura!!!!!!

one of many good points made in the last 24 hours

2007-05-31T08:01:35Z

From the c/net article on the "lj revolt"

For its part, LiveJournal's abuse staff has defended pulling the plug on the communities by saying: "Material which can be interpreted as expressing interest in, soliciting or encouraging illegal activity places LiveJournal at considerable legal risk." That led one user, "femmequixotic," to reply: "I list 'gay marriage' among my interests--that is illegal in my state. With this wording my journal could be deleted, without warning, for the fact that I support equal rights of marriage for all."

ps -- I've avoided clicking on any links to W's of I. If you already have, you might want to scan your hard drive for spyware. This may be hysteria or me giving in to an urban legend of sorts, whatev.

fyi...

2007-05-31T03:33:17Z

If you'd like to see a list of some of the communities and users that have been suspended, click away:

list of permanently "suspended" journals and communities

If you haven't already, please consider joining fandom_counts.

EDTA: As of 2:35 AM, EST, fandom_counts has nearly 21,000 members.

Happy Birthday

2007-05-07T17:38:20Z

To the ever amazing, super-talented janedavitt

You've made me purr, you've made me cry. You've written some of the most amazing fics that I've ever read -- and I'm forever grateful for the fabulousness that is Secretary.

Happy Birthday!
::hugs::

the afterlife of My Favorite

2007-03-30T22:15:04Z

Last winter, one of my favorite bands, appropriately titled My Favorite, went kaput. If you've never been introduced, check out this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp53RoudMbU

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time hugging my knees on a hill behind my house, overlooking the sprawling miles of farmland. I'd wear out Smiths tapes in my walkman, because I loved to listen to "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" over the sound of crickets. My hero was Joan of Arc, the original punk rock girl from a small town who got burned on her way to the big city. I guess I was a My Favorite fan waiting to happen.

The band, minus Andrea Vaughn, has just reformed with a new female vocalist under the name The Secret History. I listened to live videos of two of their songs --- but couldn't really make it through either of them. It isn't fair to compare these to the polished recordings I've been listening to for years. Just takes some getting used to, I guess. Joan and I are kind of chums. We'll take walks together, or browse through Benetton. She's very concerned about the state of music...actually the way things are going, she's pretty much my steady on a Friday night.

Spike/Faith fic rec

2007-03-23T18:09:58Z

I've been blown away by Amy B's All the Sinners Saints series. Unrepentant, five by five Faith meets soulless Spike and helps him take care of that nasty chip.

And because I'm such a tease:

In the space of an instant she found herself pinned to the wall, lean muscle against her front as effective as the plaster behind her at holding her in place. Glacial blue eyes held hers, and a sinister smile crossed his face as he leaned towards her, hovering over her throat before moving until his mouth was inches from hers. “Slayer fear still smells as good as I remember.”

Now go on, you know you wanna:

http://www.shadows-and-dust.co.uk/Fiction14/allthesinnerssaints.htm

My first award...

2007-03-06T02:16:51Z

Just wanted to say thank you to whoever nominated and voted for this ficlet!

happy valentines day

2007-02-15T02:44:54Z

Thanks to the lovely tinpanalley for the valentine e-card! You're the sweetest!

And belated birthday wishes to the fabulous paratti .

Happy valentines day, everyone.

Happy Birthday to....

2007-01-14T19:51:06Z

velvetwhip!!!!!

I hope that you're having a lovely day, sweetie! Thanks for being such a wonderful friend (and one of my first friends in fandom)!

::hugs::

Another drabble

2006-08-15T01:29:25Z

For frellingtinked, who requested Willow/Xander

Title: Ice cream
Rating: R
Summary: Takes place during the S4 episode, "Something Blue."
Characters are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy; I'm only borrowing.

She thinks it's ironic when he talks about how everyone feels pain -- especially since he's been the cause of so much of hers. All the times that he didn't look at her and -- after it was too late -- all the times that he did. At the end of the day, he's just another man who's hurt her.

She doesn't tell him that; instead, she says what everyone's been thinking but are too afraid to say.

Oh, like what? "Oh, poor me...I live in a basement." Yeah, that's dire.

The look that he gives her makes her want to throw up.

In fact, she does throw up, but it's not until she stumbles out the back door and smells the foulness of the dumpster that she really starts to heave. As she bends over to avoid puking all over herself there's suddenly a hand on her left shoulder and another smoothing back the strands of hair that have fallen across her face.

He looks away when the bile splashes onto the pavement, but he doesn't leave her. When she's finished, he takes her arm and, by the time she asks him, he's already leading her back to the dorm. He's there to steady her when she trips and stumbles -- that is, until they start walking on grass that's slick with rain and, this time, she takes him with her.

Instead of trying to get up, she curls into a fetal position and begins to cry like a wounded animal. He doesn't know what to do except roll her over and take her face between his hands and kiss her runny nose and quivering lips that open to suck in his tongue. He shouldn't be hard, but he is and there's a flurry of hands and all he can think about is ice cream on her nose that summer as he sucks on one nipple after the other.

Next up is Spawn for Jessica!

Drabble

2006-08-12T22:17:23Z

Spillow for kallie_kat

Title: Tender is the Night
Pairing: Willow/Spike (soul-free, of course)
Rating: R, dark fic
Summary: This drabble is meant to be a part of an early series of mine called "When I'm Gone" in which Willow is captured by Spike. You don't need to read the series before you read the drabble, but if you want to the first five chapters are posted at Near Her Always.

He doesn't need to tie her up anymore -- all it takes is a half-hearted push and she's on her back, her wide green eyes staring off into the darkness above her. He'd think she'd gone catatonic if it wasn't for the trembling that starts at her mouth and makes it's way down to where his teeth are on the inside of her right ankle. It takes forever for him to break the skin because he likes to tease her by nipping just enough to hurt all the way up her leg. When he gets to the really tender part at the top of her thigh, he pushes her underwear aside and blows against her lips. He doesn't touch her there, just calls her names like "cunt" and "whore." When he sinks his teeth into her, drawing blood this time, he can feel her back arch as she gives out a hoarse scream that dissolves into sobs.

He doesn't know why he does it -- perhaps he's still a Victorian at heart -- but he takes his T-shirt off and arranges it over her torso before he blows out the candle and walks away.

frellingtinked, your Willow/Xander will be next!

Drabble

2006-08-12T03:48:31Z

This one's for Gabrielle.

Title: Darkness Visible
Pairing: Willow/Angel(us)
Rating: R
Summary: Takes place during Becoming part 2
Everything is owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy

Te implor, Doamne, nu ignora aceasta rugaminte

Her words guide her through the dark hallways of the school until she finds him, lying face down on the floor, his body overcome with a litany of unnecessary gasps. She tells him that she's come for him, that he's going to be like he was, but as she bends down to stroke his hair, an arm shoots out and sends her crashing onto the marble. As he straddles her back and holds her hair in his fist, he tells her that he can see, feel the evil inside her.

"You'll keep me from destroying the world so that you can do it yourself one day," he says as he pulls up the hem of her skirt.

"Finish the spell and the darkness will enter you," he hisses in her ear before he slams an open palm down on her buttocks.

"Like this." His fingers are inside her underwear, pressing against the puckered opening between her cheeks.

She feels a bolt of energy surge through her just as a finger worms its way inside.

"Can you feel it?" he asks, as he thrusts his finger as far as it will go.

The energy tears at her while he fucks her ass with his hand.

Then everything around her lights up, splits her open until she's pulled back into a room that is all white and her friends are staring at her blankly.

"I found him," is all that she can say before sleep overcomes her.

Drabbles, anyone?

2006-08-12T01:05:52Z

I miss writing drabbles!

Requests anyone? I'm open to different pairings -- but characters must be from the btvs/ats-verse.

xo,

Astrid

happy birthday

2006-08-08T21:41:21Z

Wishing disgracelands the happiest of birthdays.

Mazel and gezunt.

Happy Birthday

2006-08-04T17:39:51Z

Wishing tinpanalley the happiest of birthdays! ::huggles you::

Angel Bloopers!

2006-08-01T04:53:40Z

Bloopers

astridaria @ 2006-07-22T20:51:00

2006-07-23T01:53:00Z

Happy Birthday to kallie_kat

::hugs::

guilt and confusion

2006-07-12T02:15:54Z

My grandfather spoke to me for the first time since I've been out here (I've been with him for nearly a week now). "What's that you said, doll?" --- I haven't heard him call me that in weeks --- it's a term of affection that he only uses with my grandmother (when she was alive), my mother, and me. I've been feeding him chips of frozen orange juice whenever he lets me -- and part of me knows that it's more for me than it is for him.

I'm flying home tomorrow and part of me is guilt-ridden and part of me is relieved. When I flew out here last week, we didn't think he'd last more than a few days at most and a week seemed appropriate -- but, five days later, he's still with us and there's nothing alarming about his vital signs. We don't know how long this will go on and I can't stay out here indefinitely. I don't have something that's absolutely pressing to go home to --- just a lot of little things that add up. Mostly, I think, it's that I don't want to watch my grandfather die this way which is, in effect, starving to death. It's the most humane thing for him right now, I know, but still, it's hard to just sit there and watch for 6 hours each day. My father will be here on Thursday after I'm gone -- and then I'll be coming back next week or when the end is near. I still feel as though I'm being selfish -- I want some kind of sign or definitive answer besides my parents "it's up to you, whatever you want is fine with us." But I don't have anything definitive right now and nor do they. We're all stumbling around, not knowing exactly what to do except what we think is best. And sometimes that just isn't enough to let you sleep at night.

Happy B irthday

2006-05-20T22:17:21Z

Wishing the lovely darling_effect un bon anniversaire! I totally owe you a porny wes/faith drabble....

astridaria @ 2006-05-07T19:40:00

2006-05-08T00:42:13Z

Happy Birthday to one of my favorite writers, the lovely janedavitt ::hugs::

Happy Birthday

2006-02-20T22:40:58Z

Happy Birthday to claudia_yvr!