Fannish Glee (and some car thing)
Sep. 8th, 2004 05:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyTheoretically, I should be in a bad mood. My car may be dead. Again. The last time that my car went bad on me, I was miserable for days. It was a major upset.
No, wait, let me tell you everything that happened.
So, around twelve-thirty-ish, my roomie tells me that she's having a social worker over at one and said worker doesn't know that she has a roommate, so could I please stay in my room and be quiet.
Well, I only like staying in my room when I want to, so instead, I went out to go to the store to pick some stuff up.
Now, a couple of days ago, my car started making this noise -- someone said that it sounded like a belt and that it was no big deal (remind me never to trust him again when it comes to cars). Yesterday, however, it sounded really, really bad.
So, I stop by Jiffylube, see if maybe it's the oil or something that they can deal with. They suggest that I go to the mechanic very conveniently located just behind them. I do and the guy there tells me that something has likely gotten into my engine (and that it's probably my fault for letting the oil stay so low, but that was mostly subtext).
Anyway, he says that the cheapest thing to do is to replace the engine. That they could make inquires or call for a tow-job or whatever.
So, I do what I always do when things get tough -- I called my mommy.
She gave me the number and address of the mechanic who put the engine in the car to begin with and my car is currently there. I was able to pay for the towing (yesterday was the day before payday) and now I need to wait to hear back from the garage. They'll probably call sometime today.
I was pretty close to tears for a few minutes, but talking to my mom helped. Because. She's my mom. She helps. That's what she does.
So, if the price is that of an engine, mom thinks that it'd be better to just trade in the car and get a different one. Fresh start, that sort of thing.
I walked from the garage to about half an hour walk away from my place (this took me a bit over an hour). This is when work called me back.
Oh, did I mention that I called work when the garage said my car was doomed and let them know that I might not make it?
Well, they couldn't find anyone else (willing to clean the shake machine), so they had someone pick me up and bring me in so that I could close drive-thru. It's the little things like that that really make a girl feel indispensable. Which is a shame for them, since I'm certainly not going to be working there forever. Or even another year -- I plan to have a new job before summer (because I will kill myself if I have to cook one more damn onion ring).
So, I went in and closed drive-thru. Around three o'clock in the afternoon, I gave into my need for laughter and I've been smiling since. Got back here around one-ish in the morning.
Haven't slept yet.
That's been my day and night thus far. Tiring, filled with more walking than I'm used to, but ultimately very dealable.
But, really, none of that matters. Right now, all that matters is that I am filled with giddy, fannish glee.
Why? Because I am all signed up to write a Benton Fraser character study for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
idol_reflection. Now, I wasn't sure if I should sign up. I have three half-written relationship manifestos (due in October, and I'm having so much fun writing them that I may end up doing 'unofficial' write-ups of all of my favorite couples). But the chance to write about my own personal hero? I could not pass that up.
I have loved many characters, but when I read![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
spren_cious's post and saw the words "One True Character", there was only one that popped into my head. Fraser's more than a character to me. Throughout all the many and varied fandoms I have loved, no one can rip me so close to the bone. Fraser can break my heart in stories that he doesn't appear in. More than love him, I feel sometimes as if I bleed him.
He's both my hero and this flawed yet beautiful man. I don't... talk about Fraser as much as I do some of my more... broken favorites, but the truth of the matter is that I spent the first five minutes after I got back my confirmation email just whispering, "I got Ben," to myself. I keep checking the community to make sure that my name is still there (and each time I see it, a bolt of joy hits my heart -- the way Cordy looks in that mood icon? 100% accurate.). Even now, I'm breaking up into delighted giggles every few minutes.
I got Ben.
Life is wonderful.
No, wait, let me tell you everything that happened.
So, around twelve-thirty-ish, my roomie tells me that she's having a social worker over at one and said worker doesn't know that she has a roommate, so could I please stay in my room and be quiet.
Well, I only like staying in my room when I want to, so instead, I went out to go to the store to pick some stuff up.
Now, a couple of days ago, my car started making this noise -- someone said that it sounded like a belt and that it was no big deal (remind me never to trust him again when it comes to cars). Yesterday, however, it sounded really, really bad.
So, I stop by Jiffylube, see if maybe it's the oil or something that they can deal with. They suggest that I go to the mechanic very conveniently located just behind them. I do and the guy there tells me that something has likely gotten into my engine (and that it's probably my fault for letting the oil stay so low, but that was mostly subtext).
Anyway, he says that the cheapest thing to do is to replace the engine. That they could make inquires or call for a tow-job or whatever.
So, I do what I always do when things get tough -- I called my mommy.
She gave me the number and address of the mechanic who put the engine in the car to begin with and my car is currently there. I was able to pay for the towing (yesterday was the day before payday) and now I need to wait to hear back from the garage. They'll probably call sometime today.
I was pretty close to tears for a few minutes, but talking to my mom helped. Because. She's my mom. She helps. That's what she does.
So, if the price is that of an engine, mom thinks that it'd be better to just trade in the car and get a different one. Fresh start, that sort of thing.
I walked from the garage to about half an hour walk away from my place (this took me a bit over an hour). This is when work called me back.
Oh, did I mention that I called work when the garage said my car was doomed and let them know that I might not make it?
Well, they couldn't find anyone else (willing to clean the shake machine), so they had someone pick me up and bring me in so that I could close drive-thru. It's the little things like that that really make a girl feel indispensable. Which is a shame for them, since I'm certainly not going to be working there forever. Or even another year -- I plan to have a new job before summer (because I will kill myself if I have to cook one more damn onion ring).
So, I went in and closed drive-thru. Around three o'clock in the afternoon, I gave into my need for laughter and I've been smiling since. Got back here around one-ish in the morning.
Haven't slept yet.
That's been my day and night thus far. Tiring, filled with more walking than I'm used to, but ultimately very dealable.
But, really, none of that matters. Right now, all that matters is that I am filled with giddy, fannish glee.
Why? Because I am all signed up to write a Benton Fraser character study for
idol_reflection. Now, I wasn't sure if I should sign up. I have three half-written relationship manifestos (due in October, and I'm having so much fun writing them that I may end up doing 'unofficial' write-ups of all of my favorite couples). But the chance to write about my own personal hero? I could not pass that up.I have loved many characters, but when I read
spren_cious's post and saw the words "One True Character", there was only one that popped into my head. Fraser's more than a character to me. Throughout all the many and varied fandoms I have loved, no one can rip me so close to the bone. Fraser can break my heart in stories that he doesn't appear in. More than love him, I feel sometimes as if I bleed him.He's both my hero and this flawed yet beautiful man. I don't... talk about Fraser as much as I do some of my more... broken favorites, but the truth of the matter is that I spent the first five minutes after I got back my confirmation email just whispering, "I got Ben," to myself. I keep checking the community to make sure that my name is still there (and each time I see it, a bolt of joy hits my heart -- the way Cordy looks in that mood icon? 100% accurate.). Even now, I'm breaking up into delighted giggles every few minutes.
I got Ben.
Life is wonderful.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 02:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 02:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 05:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 08:47 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 03:39 pm (UTC)Hee. Thanks.
Date: 2004-09-08 08:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 08:39 pm (UTC)LOL...I had the same reaction when I signed up for the Chris/Vin Ship_Manifesto. I couldn't believe that no one else had nabbed them. The essay's not due until Novemeber and I'm already half way through it which is just astounding because I usually write at a snails pace. It's so great to be able to let out all my enthusiasm and affection for these characters. Plus, it turns out I'm really f**king opinionated.
I'm looking forward to seeing your essay on Fraser. I think sometimes people see him as perfect and impervious but he is so beautifully flawed and it's all just under that red (Stop!) uniform.
I hope things work out with your car one way or the other. I know your pain. I have an 11 year old car and I'm frantically trying to save up for a new one before this one leaves me on the side of the road.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-08 08:54 pm (UTC)Yes, exactly. These essays are a really good reason to go extremely fan. It's really nice.
I'm looking forward to seeing your essay on Fraser. I think sometimes people see him as perfect and impervious but he is so beautifully flawed and it's all just under that red (Stop!) uniform.
Yes! He's manipulative, has passive-aggressive traits, and hides behind his uniform like it's going out of style. Self-righteous on occasion, stubborn as hell and starts out not the best in a team/partner situation, being a lone wolf sort (but all lone wolves are looking for packs).
I love him so much. Gah.
I hope things work out with your car one way or the other. I know your pain. I have an 11 year old car and I'm frantically trying to save up for a new one before this one leaves me on the side of the road.
Thanks. Honestly, I rather dislike the idea of cars, though I do enjoy driving. I think that my love-hate relationship with cars is part of what causes me to take less care than I should.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-24 03:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-25 03:06 pm (UTC)I'm pretty happy over it, definitely.