Ooooh, pretties. I love how we get shiny graphics and fic for Secret Santa. How many days is it going to go for this year?

My Secret Santa is almost done (thanks to my betas), but I've got miles to go on real world work until my holiday starts. I can't wait for the Christmas break though, I'm going to hang out with family and friends, eat and workout. Just that, on repeat. :)

We've picked the posting schedule and I think it's going to go on for ten days. Graphic banners have been made for each individual story. Coincidentally, I have giant bags under my eyes and look like a zombie!

Your Christmas break sounds amazing. I am incredibly jealous, mostly because I side-eye working out like Ryan Gosling with a velcro wallet. ;)

How did you know what graphics to make when you didn't have the themes? Are they all Christmassy? Also, each story, color me impressed!

For me, working out is like therapy, but cheaper and less painful :P

I don't make graphics based on the story. I just make a bunch of blank slate graphics with various moods and themes to them and will match up stories based on what the authors tell me. The only stories I'll get to read early are the ones I'm helping write and the ones I'm writing myself. :) And I like the idea that everybody gets a unique banner. It just means about 15 hours of staring at Renner and Johansson.

Such a chore. ;)

The sacrifices you make for this community are indeed great. But seriously, you're amazing! Thank you :)

haha, that's soo true! Staring at Renner never hurts anyone :) And, when are we making banners? I think I signed up to make them :)

Oh, whenever you like. I made about 30, but I'd be happy with some variety that's not me. They're all 600 px by 200px. No nudity, no spoilers, both Clint and Natasha or something related to them. Have at it! ;) Should probably get them to me in the next couple of days, though...

Can you email me with more info?

Wow! Busy elves, and all that. based on all the shiny -- including Slytheringurrl's above -- that this comm has produced, I can't wait to see what you guys come up with.

Hahaha, it's going to be very, very fun. *takes a bow* And thank you, very busy elf here!

I need to send you an email. :)

Okay, couple of things.

1. My Secret Santa story? Text is done and has received the preliminary "does it suck" test from my faithful bellwether. Now I have to go and sand over some bits that strike me as choppy, or extraneous, and then look around whether I can find someone willing to beta the thing. Or maybe I'll just improvise ...

2. Holiday stresses? Several observations here.

- The good thing about waking up at 3:30 am is that it's a really good time to go on EBay.
- Still haven't decorated the house, but since I only took down the last of the decorations in July I think the universe is evening out.
- Mother-in-law arrived yesterday. Which was fine, except we thought she was arriving TODAY so the house wasn't clean (my cleaning lady comes Fridays ...), her bed wasn't made, and then there was that horrifying moment where we got that call from the airport ... Ahem.

So, all things considered, par for the course.

PS: Had to edit this TWICE to get rid of typos. I need a weekend, and a bottle of wine.

Edited 2013-12-13 08:54 pm (UTC)

OMG, how did that mix-up happen? I am cracking up over here! I can totally picture how you felt when you got the phone call.

Yeah, well. Guess I have become so blasé about travelling, I usually don't check times until the day before -- which works well, provided you have the right day! (I once got to the airport only to be told I was a day early, although this time it was my secretary who goofed; she'd forgotten that the only connection to the place I was going left half an hour before I arrived in Ft Lauderdale, so I needed a 23-hour layover ...).

All that said, it is not cool, leaving an 82-year-old granny un-picked up at the airport, but we all got over it and it will no doubt enter family Christmas lore! ;-)

Haha. Still loving this.

Unless it's another of your 30k epics, I'd be more than happy to give it a once over :D I just won't have that much time this weekend (as I have to get my own fic ready for betaing and go get drunk on Glühwein ;)).

Awwww .... It's not. Quite. I'll PM you ... ;-)

I knew every aspect of my story and was convinced it would be awesome until I actually got to the main part of it today and I don't think I like it anymore.

Fingers crossed I'm just being picky cause I don't have time to do anything else :-(

Last minute doubts are awful things. That's why I have my "does it suck" review before I try and land a beta. If I'm way off, I will (hopefully) hear about it in time ... But most of the times it's just nerves and jitter and unnecessary fretting, and all is well.

My Secret Santa is finally done, and I'm going to send it off today. One thing out of the way!

I'm really looking forward to my break over the Christmas-New Year period. Just got to make it through the coming week...

YES re the coming week. That will probably be the week when I decide I forgot to buy my husband a present or something ...

I need to wait until I've been paid for a conference I worked at to do my Christmas shopping. Unfortunately I still haven't been paid yet, so if I don't get paid before next weekend my parents and boyfriend might find themselves getting a crappy card each. It's times like this I wish I was crafty or artistic so I could make something without having to wait for money.

In times of reduced economic circumstances I always resorted to baking, and hand stuff out in small tins or those cellophane bags you can buy. Maybe baking doesn't have the same appeal in Oz, where you now have summer, but if you're interested I'll happily PM you some seriously good cookie recipes that will make (non-nut allergic) people think you're a rock star baker.

Like this: (http://s1294.photobucket.com/user/AlphaFlyer/media/DSC_0664_zpscd6d252f.jpg.html)

CONGRATS!! Isn't it great when you finish a story?

I'm so excited about all the new awesome stories coming up!!! I admire you all SOOOOOO much.

Try it! You'll like it! I finally overcame my inhibitions about 3 years ago, and I've never looked back ... :-)

I definately have ideas. But not sure how to get them down properly. I tried writing a fic awhile ago, but it wasn't cohesive.

I'm the type of person who loves to dance (hence my screenname) but can't do it in public. I guess its the same way with fic. I'm hoping someday I can get something semi-entertaining down.

I'm so excited that my secret santa story is finally looking like a story! With a (somewhat) plot and everything! Now I just have to finish it...easier said then done I'll be cleaning all weekend and then baking. That and my story is going to be longer than I anticipated (not necessarily a bad thing for the person receiving it just bad for me).

I can't wait to see everyone else's gifts!

Hahaha, I still have over half of my fic to go, but I love that moment where it starts looking like a story. And stories turning out longer than anticipated is something that happens to me all the time. I bet your giftee's gonna love it. Good luck with the writing, cleaning, and baking!

It is very exciting! I'm so pleased with it so far. If only my other story for another exchange would take shape...

I've been cleaning and hiding away when I can to write a few words. I think I'll stay up a little later tonight to finish it.

Soon there will be cookies (and other sweet treats) for everyone. you just need to come to Canada to claim them ;)

I'm already in Canada -- be right by! :-)

Well in that case I'm somewhere in Ontario ;)

I'll have whipped shortbread cookies and milk waiting for you :)

You're practically walking distance then! I prefer my milk inside a latte though, so I'll pass Starbucks on my way! :-)

PS: How much snow did YOU get yesterday? Ours is still coming down ...

There's a Starbucks just around the corner from me (a slight walk but still very manageable) so that's convenient for you :)

Yeah still snowing here too. I'm not exactly sure how much but it was enough that my dad decided to use the snowblower instead of shovelling, so I know it has to be quite a bit. It's freezing (apparently I have yet to leave my nice warm house) it's like -20 with windchill :( and apparently it's not even officially winter yet...

I had a mild panic attack about my Secret Santa fic this week, thinking I would never finish it and that it sucks completely. I have since gotten help from an awesome friend (thank you, Frea :D) and finished the first draft. The weekend is reserved for editing (the time I'll be at home, which may not be too much as there are Christmas markets to attend ;)), I have my betas all lined up and the preliminary suckage test yielded positive results. So I'm much more confident about it now and not as overwhelmed by everything that happened lately.

The last few weeks were stressful, even though I don't have to work (or maybe because of it), but I'm gonna get myself to my friend in Switzerland next week to enjoy amazing company and great food along with gorgeous landscapes.

On a sidenote, I'm done with my Christmas prep. I have my presents all lined up, homemade truffles for everyone. Super-easy recipes too, if anyone is interested, I'll gladly translate them and send them your way (measurements will be metric, though, as I have no patience to convert :)). Also there are homemade bath bombs for my mom and girlfriends, along with solid lotion bars. Gosh, I love the internet! My cupboards are stocked with freshly baked cookies... I think I'm set :)

Wow, nice job on the presents! I still need to buy one for my mom and one for my grandmother, which is tough, because I don't share or understand their taste.

And I'm sure your story is going to be fantastic!

Truffels! bath bombs! lotion bars! I can attest to their awesomeness... :-)

You're very welcome, of course. I'm just happy I was able to help you out because I wanted to see this story come to life!!

You sent me the truffle recipe, I think I'm gonna have to try it out now that I'm at my parents'. :)

the banners are so pretty!

I've pretty much finished my story, might add a quick wrap up on it-if I can think of one. If not, I'm in good shape either way. It was fun to write though! ^-^

Thanks!!! And, congrats on finishing that story. I only made icons for my person but if I had a story, I would've been writing till the last day.

I ended up doing that, lol. I had to fix a few things and then tacked on a better ending so I was doing it the day of since my life was so crazy up til then. Thank you and I bet your graphics are going to be awesome! :)