Saw Half-Blood Prince a couple hours ago, and ( Spoilers, kinda? )

Also, I wore my HP t-shirt to the movies. Even though I'm almost 30 fucking years old. ::hands::

I was *supposed* to go to Busch Gardens with my friend and her family today, but one of her kids got strep throat overnight. So no rollercoasters for me. Alas.

In other news, a meme I stole from dafnap.

• Post ten of any pictures currently on your hard drive that you think are self-expressive.
• NO CAPTIONS!!! It must be like we're speaking with images and we have to interpret your visual language just like we have to interpret your words.
• They must ALREADY be on your hard drive - no googling or flickr! They have to have been saved to your folders sometime in the past. They must be something you've saved there because it resonated with you for some reason.
• You do NOT have to answer any questions about any of your pictures if you don't want to. You can make them as mysterious as you like. Or you can explain them away as much as you like. ( Click! )

Stole this meme from cincodemaygirl. Reply with "WORDS" and I'll give you five words to expound upon.

1. Favorite flowers: I have many. My all-time favorite flower is the orchid... it's just so beautiful and elegant. I love delicate pink and purple varieties best. My favorite flower to arrange with is probably alstromeria, with sunflowers coming up a close second.

2. Education: As you all know, I'm currently in school. Eventually I want to become a social worker... or at least, get a degree in social work. You can be a counselor at a school with a degree in social work, and if you get a master's and your LCSW you can become a kind of therapist. Anyways, yeah. I started college right out of high school (in 1997-99) but kind of flunked out, like majorly. Then I tried to take another class in 2002, but messed up that too. Finally in summer 2007 I went back with my head screwed on straight, and I've been taking classes ever since. At the rate I'm going, taking like 2 or 3 classes at a time, I should have my 2 year degree by roughly 2011 and my bachelor's degree... sometime in the next 20 years, heh. But I'm slogging along, and I'm gonna get there eventually.

3. The Democratic Party: Oh, I love you, even though you keep fucking up even when we're in control of everything. My heroes are basically Democratic Party royalty: the Clintons, the Obamas, JFK, Harry Truman, FDR. I truly believe with all my heart that this country is better off with Democrats in power.

4. Panic! at the Disco: Heeeeee, they got rid of the "!" awhile ago, but I don't expect everyone to know that. As you might have heard, Panic is breaking up, and I am DEVASTATED OMG. Like, not as bad as I would feel if like, Pearl Jam broke up, but still. I'm very vreklempt. Mostly because my two biggest bandom ships are Jon/Spencer and Ryan/Spencer. What's going to happen to the fic now?!? ::flails:: HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME RYAN ROSSY.

5. Museums: Oh god, I fucking LOVE museums. Ask anyone who's come to visit me here in NoVA - I always drag them out to the Smithsonian. I mean, it's right there in my backyard (relatively speaking) and it's FREE (unlike those museums in most other major cities) so I just have to go. My favorite museum of all time is the National History Museum - they have all kinds of neat stuff, like a pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers, a Kermit puppet, the First Lady's dresses, and a million other cool things.

WAIT, WHAT?!?!?

Commence freakoutery, starting... NOW.

Yesterday at work I took some pictures of some of my arrangements, and I thought I would share them with you. ( Click! )

I think I'm getting better, don't you think?

You know what I don't get? Why so many people like Sarah Palin. I mean, I don't LOATHE her. I don't hate her the way Republicans hate Hillary Clinton. I just seriously, honestly, absolutely DO NOT GET why so many conservatives love her so much. Yeah, she gives good speeches. I actually wrote a paper on her OMG AWESOME speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention thinger. (I'll upload it if you want to read it). But, beyond that, what's so great about her? She's basically done NOTHING. She is (was) the governor of a state with the 3rd lowest population in the country. Like, less than 700,000. My COUNTY has like, twice as many people as that.

Not to mention, she's a giant fucking hypocrite, what with the abstinence-only education stance and then her daughter getting knocked up at 17. And don't get me started on Trig - she parades that poor baby around like he's a political statement or something. Gaaaaaaaaah.

I mean, in a way, I understand. I love Hillary Clinton. I supported her in last year's primaries until it was painfully obvious she couldn't win. She's one of my heroes, in fact. And when people ask me why I love Hillary so much, I basically say, "Just because". I have actual TRUFAX reasons why I love her, but basically it just comes down to I think she's awesome, and that's all that counts. I bet it's something like that with conservatives who idolize Sarah Palin. But I still don't get it.

I'm hearing that the reason why she's stepping down as governor is so that she can focus on a presidential run. ::shudders:: THAT IS JUST SO HORRIBLE I CANNOT EVEN CONTEMPLATE IT. And honestly, does she really think she can win? Come on, Sarah.

Hey, Happy Independence Day to me and all my fellow Americans!



Wikipedia has a cool article about the day.

I'm spending my holiday by: sleeping in late, hanging out at Starbucks playing on the internets, studying for a test that I should have taken a week ago, and then watching Independence Day (the one where Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and an old school Mac Powerbook save us from the aliens). So, pretty much a perfect day.

Except for the studying part... yeah. So basically remember that English class? It was technically for the Spring semester, but it was an online class and thus had a different timetable. It started March 2 and ended June 29. Except that I got bronchitis a couple weeks ago, and then I was in the hospital, etc etc so I still haven't finished the class yet. But I emailed my professor, and it should be cool. I turned in (that is, emailed) my final paper today and plan on taking the final exam on Tuesday, my next day off.

So basically I need to figure out the gist of An Essay on Man and review all the past 3 months of stuff I read & studied about, and take the test, and I'm good. Wish me luck!

Random: one of the things I love about living in Reston, Virginia is that it's very liberal. At least, it's very eco-friendly. This is like, the land of a thousand Prius's. I'm looking outside at the parking lot right now, and I see 3 Prius's and one of those little tiny cars that almost look like golf carts. You know what I'm talking about, those teeny little things that basically have room for the driver, 1 passenger, and like, 2 bags of groceries. I see those cars around Reston all the time. It's awesome.

Of course one of the reasons we have so many Prius's in Virginia is that this state used to let people with hybrids drive in the HOV lane without passengers, but the General Assembly stopped that shit years ago. I can thus only conclude that the reason there are so many Prius's here is because WE ARE AWESOME.

I've had a hard week. You all know this. I've had a hard MONTH. Hopefully July will be better. Of course, July is when I have my 30th birthday, so maybe not.

ANYWAYS. You know what I like to do when I've had a hard month? Post pics of adorable fuzzy arctic baby animals. Today I'm posting pics of baby harp seals. I can't guarantee that all these pics are actually of baby harp seals, because I got them all off Google Images and whatnot, but at any rate they're all cute and fuzzy and white and PRECIOUS.

( Click! )

I put up some of my stuff to sell and trade.

++ My books on PaperBackSwap

++ My DVDs on SwapaDVD

++ I *think* this is my page on eBay. My username there is luna_marieanne. When I go to that "My eBay" page my items for sale show up, but then when I try to search my user name it says I have nothing listed. Hmmmm. At any rate the items I'm selling are:

High School Musical 2 (still shrink wrapped)
The Chris Rock Show Seasons 1 & 2
Charmed Season 3
Friends Season 1
South Park Season 3

If you wanna just search by title.

So, yeah! Check out what I have listed. Buy my shit! You all know I'm broke as fuck.

I think this is awesome.

WASHINGTON – Congress struck the government's strongest anti-smoking blow in decades Thursday with a Senate vote to give regulators new power to limit nicotine in cigarettes, drastically curtail ads and ban candied tobacco products aimed at young people.

[...] The legislation, one of the most dramatic anti-smoking initiatives since the U.S. surgeon general's warning 45 years ago that tobacco causes lung cancer, would give the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate the content, marketing and advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

This is definitely a step in the right direction.

Now they just need to add a $20 tax to every pack of cigarettes sold. I bet *that* would get more people to quit.

In related news, as I posted on Twitter a bit ago, I'm having smoking dreams again. Like, these incredibly vivid dreams where I'm smoking, and I think "didn't I quit? why am I smoking again?". Then I wake up, and I swear to Jeebus that I can TASTE the smoke when I first wake up. It's fucking eerie.

In completely UNrelated news, last night I dreamed I was a Special Victims Detective and Ryan Ross was my partner. Also, girl!Spencer Smith was there, partnered with Brendon (who was still a boy). Jon was the Captain Cragen role. We investigated a rape-homicide in which Ashlee Simpson-Wentz was killed by Rush Limbaugh.

TRUFAX.

My brain, ladies and gentlemen. Obviously, I need to stop reading genderswap & political blogs and watching Law & Order:SVU right before bed.

regala_electra did a list of her fandom OTP's, and because I like lists I decided to do one too.

Fandom OTPs, in Sort-of Order (Biggest to Not Quite As Biggest):

1. Spike/Buffy (BtVS) - my all time favorite OTP. Between 2001 and 2004, I probably read every single Spuffy fic on the internets.
2. Mulder/Scully (X-Files) - my very first OTP, back before I even had internet access. First pairing I ever read fic for.
3. Harry/Hermione (Harry Potter) - Awww, I love them. I knew it would never happen in canon, but it's fun to read.
4. Draco/Hermione (Harry Potter) - I read so much fic in this verse that I had to include two OTPs. I love this pairing because it's totally and completely unrealistic, but come on, you know they're awesome together.
5. Ryan/Spencer (Bandslash) - Best friends who grew up together, etc.
6. Benson/Stabler (Law & Order:SVU) - It's never gonna happen in canon, but the writers keep making us hope.
7. Edward/Bella (Twilight) - Ahahahaha.
8. Sam/Dean (Supernatural) - HELL IN A HANDBASKET.
9. Rogue/Wolverine (X-Men movieverse) - The whole he's her daddy figure, EXCEPT NOT REALLY.
10. Anakin/Padme (Star Wars prequels) - SHUDDUP THEY ARE PRETTY TOGETHER.

I am totally not ashamed of #9 and #10. I love Rogue because she has my name and Anna Paquin is pretty, and her & Logan have genuine chemistry in the movies. Especially that first one, where she sucks out his powers in his bed, come on, that's some pretty heavy symbolism right there. As for #10, I'm probably the only one who saw the movies and genuinely thought Hayden & Natalie had chemistry together.

Tragically, I can't seem to find any Benson/Stabler fic out there, which is bewildering because it's consistently in the Top 10 tv shows of the week, ratings wise, and I know lots of people watch the show purely for the Benson/Stabler UST. And, you know, for the visceral joy of watching Stabler beat up pedophiles. (That's always my favorite part of every episode.)

You'll notice that virtually all of my OTPs are het pairings. (Although one is not only a slash pairing, it's an INCEST pairing. Yeah, I'm going straight to hell.) There's two reasons for that: one, I always root for the underdog, and in fandom, het is totally the underdog. There's at least 10 slash fics for every 1 het fic. (I just pulled that out of my ass, but you know what I'm saying.) Two, I love cheesy romance novels and rom-coms, so het fics are right up my alley.

What's your OTPs?

It's short, but it's awesome. ( YouTube embed )

YouTube says it's been viewed over 2,000 times, so you've probably already seen it linked on ontd_startrek or whatever. But if you haven't, check it out.

Also, rainjewel linked me to this little Spock/Uhura fic, which was neat. G rated, which I sometimes like.

Anyone got any links to more Star Trek fic? I'm willing to read Kirk/Spock (because really, weren't they the pairing that like INVENTED slash?), Kirk/McCoy, and any fun little gen stories. Actually I'm willing to read whatever. So, yeah, link me!

I forgot to mention, I saw Star Trek this weekend. ( Spoilers, but not really? )

Yeah, now I'm not the only geek in the entire world who hasn't seen Star Trek anymore. Yay me!

This happened a couple days ago, so it's already old meme by now, but it really pisses me off: Liberty University bans Democratic club.

Liberty University, if you'll recall, is a private evangelical university in Lynchburg, VA which puts it, what, an hour and a half away from me. I've actually (kind of seriously) thought about going there, because I think it would be fun to spy on the enemy. Also, and this may shock you all, but I actually get along better with religious conservatives than I get along with like, Libertarians. I don't know how that works, but it's true 90% of the time.

As you may have heard, Liberty University was founded by that agent of love & tolerance, Jerry Falwell. Liberty university says they can no longer recognize the College Democrats on their campus because like, Democrats are all for allowing sodomy and killing babies, or something to that effect. Which I think it total bullshit. For one thing, there's plenty of conservative Democrats around. Aren't they called "Blue Dog Democrats" or something? Whatever, I've *totally* met lots of pro-life, pro-gun, anti-gay marriage Democrats before. You can be a Jerry Falwell fanboy and still vote for Barack Obama.

I guess they're perfectly within their rights to de-recognize the College Dems, because they're a private university and all, but it still makes me incredibly mad. Fuck, even the Mormons let Harry Reid still go to temple. What the fuck, Liberty University?

In other news, FAIL, CALIFORNIA, EPIC FAIL. But WaPo says this ruling "hardly settles the matter" and this still be overturned. Or something.

Oh! Remember this poll? I decided to do my journal on the Virginia governor's race, because while health care is a topic near & dear to my heart, I'm finding more articles on the governor's race in WaPo and other local papers, and plus it's a Politics class, so this is more pertinent to the subject. (Oh, and annearchy asked me why I'm talking about school when classes are over - this is a summer class. Also, I'm still taking my English Lit class from Spring, because that didn't start until the beginning of March & ends the end of June. Just to clarify.)

One more thing! Happy birthday to my favorite Republican, cathyteach2! Hopefully you're not a fan of Jerry Falwell. Heh.

[I know, I'm supposed to be posting about this stuff under a filter. Sorry.]

This American National Politics class is awesome in so many ways. First of all, the topic; you all know I'm a politics junkie. Second, the teacher: she's a self-described aging hippie with at least 3 degrees, one of which is a doctorate in poli-sci. Oh, and she used to be a lobbyist for the National Organization for Women. ROCK. Third, this is what our grade is based on:

40% class participation and
60% keeping a journal.

This journal is basically, we choose a topic to become an "expert" on through the course of the next 6 weeks, and we clip/print out articles pertaining to our topic, and then write about them. I think she said she wants us to get at least 30 articles. Which, doable. The only thing is, which topic do I choose? I've narrowed it down to two choices.

Poll #1403624 Journal
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Which topic should I do my politics journal on for the next 6 weeks?

Any input is gratefully accepted.

Rob confirmed that there's gonna be a movie of Breaking Dawn. (link via cleolinda) Seriously, how the fuck are they gonna film the birth scene? I can't even fathom it.

Still, I'm totally stoked. How many more months until New Moon? ::twitches::

In other news, I'm devouring my SVU dvds (and the eps I've downloaded, shhh). I seriously love that show. I want an Olivia & Elliot of my own to come kick ass for me.

Hey, vote for "Metal" this week, would you? I mean, if you wanna. ::toes the ground::

I actually had the first two discs of Battlestar Galactica Season 1 from Netflix for like, a month and a half, but never got around to watching them. Well, I finished the miniseries quickly, but I kept putting off watching the first 4 episodes (disc 2) but then FINALLY watched them all in like, a day. LOVED THEM. I have such an epic crush on Starbuck, it's not even funny. That episode with the flashbacks of her & Zach all naked in bed? Whoa. I think I'm gonna have to buy the dvds just for that episode. Also, all the angst she has over, you know, what she did for Zach. I feel her pain. Perhaps she can come over to my house and I can comfort her. OH WAIT SHE'S A FICTIONAL CHARACTER. ::bangs head::

Jamie Bamber is pretty hot too. I didn't like him at first because he was all pissy towards his father, but I think I understand his motivations more now.

I still like Tricia Helfer, but really, I think Katee Sackoff is hotter. Maybe it's because Starbuck is more unconventionally hot. I dunno.

One thing that bothers me about BSG: "Frak". Not because it's not an awesome euphemism, but because Farscape did that shit first. Remember, "frell", "dren"? They totally ripped that off! Hence, a poll.

Poll #1400026 Very Important Poll
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Pick the more awesome "fuck" substitute:

ETA: Okay, I've been told that the original BSG came up with frak back in 1978. Sorry people!
Now I just have to wait for the rest of the discs to come.

In other news, I'm reading Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) for English class. I actually have to do a paper on it, and I'm like totally unprepared. I haven't read Shakespeare since high school! I need to get Sparks Notes or some shit. But yeah, cross-dressing, yay!

Students try to survive life "unplugged":

Cesar Rodriguez knew he was addicted to electronic devices. But the Los Angeles 10th-grader had no idea just how sick he was.

"I can't stand it," he wrote in his journal on the second day of a one-week attempt to survive without television, iPods, cellphones, BlackBerrys and computers. "I woke up last night but I was still kind of asleep and I was having a dream about my phone and I started to bang my head against the pillow. I AM GOING CRAZY!!!"

I could live without my cell phone - I have, recently, when I lost it - but living without my iPod, computer or DVDs? ::shudders:: That would be supremely difficult. I probably wouldn't last 2 days.

What would be the electronic gadget you would have the hardest time living without?

Wow, I almost feel sorry for the guy.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose mere name once stirred calls for lifting the constitutional ban on foreign-born presidents, is facing the most difficult period of his political career.

His approval rating is in the 30s, his state is broke and the policy celebrations of the past have been replaced with scenes like one recently in Los Angeles in which Mr. Schwarzenegger stood on a sweltering patio at a senior housing center trying to persuade a small group of voters to back a slate of budget-related ballot measures needed to keep California solvent.

[...] Perhaps the ultimate indignity: Mr. Schwarzenegger has the sympathy of Gray Davis, the Democrat he ousted as governor in the recall election of 2003, when the state was mired in another budget morass and Mr. Davis was blamed for it.

I remember thinking during the whole California recall thing, that Gray Davis was just a scapegoat, and California had bigger & deeper problems. And obviously, I was right.

Not to mention, has anyone seen Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, about the whole Enron scandal? There was a great part where Gray Davis was talking about how he got blamed for the rolling blackouts, when really it was Enron manipulating the power companies. Gray Davis probably wouldn't have gotten recalled if not for the energy woes Enron caused.

Whatever, the whole thing with The Governator being unpopular reminds me of how I felt during, oh, the last 4 years of the Bush administration, when Bush's approval ratings were like, 20% or something. The 2000 election was stolen, but Bush totally won the 2004 election, and the people stupid enough to vote for him soon got buyer's remorse. Meanwhile I was sitting on the sidelines going "That's what you get, morons!".

Go DC!

An overwhelming majority on the D.C. Council voted today to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, sending the District deeper into the national debate and galvanizing supporters on both sides of the issue.

The measure, approved by a vote 12 to 1, now goes to Mayor Arian M. Fenty (D), a supporter of gay marriage.

Fucking Marion Barry voted against it:

Before the final vote, Barry noted he has been a longtime supporter of gay rights but said he decided to stand with the "ministers who stand on the moral compass of God."

"It has been a very agonizing and difficult decision," Barry said. He then added, "I feel comfortable with this position because I know where my heart is. . . . I am representing my constituents. I have thought about it lot and I have been a friend of [the gay] community and will continue to be a friend of this community."

Riiiiiiight. But seriously, can't we get rid of this dude, who just a couple weeks ago got dragged into court for not paying his taxes?