Required Once a Month title including: Random

[crazydiamondsue]

Random

Went to lake retreat "All Spanish Immersion" weekend with elcazavampiros. (Note: For those who I don't bore daily, Caza is a Spanish professor. He was teaching a class. We're not just big, random Spanish speaking geeks. Okay, we so are.)

I had to speak Spanish all weekend and was shocked at how much I knew. More than curse words and beer names! Woo-hoo!!! Highlight of the weekend:

Mi amiga nueva, Amber, shows me of pics of her Colombian fiancé (totally hot in that pouty lipped, polo playing shirtless kind of way.) I ask her his name and she says, "Oswaldo, but he goes by Oz." I squee and say: "Como en Buffy!" The girls giggle indulgently. Why am I 34, sitting at table of 21-year-olds and I'm the only one bouncing and squealing, "Boof-ay!" ('cause you have to say it with the exagerated Spanish accent)?

Back home, I sit down to work on Rodeo II: There's No Hide We Can't Ride (okay, still working on a title) and instead just end up googling things gay cowboy. Found a great pic to iconize (if adis723 loves me, and I think she does) and a truly horrible original gay cowboy fic that had the guys saying lines (in all seriousness) like, "C'mere, you tall drink of water and let's rub buckles." Snerked. A lot. New friend smashsc you-send-it'd me her gay cowboy song mix. For this, I have much love.

Got a call from stoney321 and we shared tales of heinous sister-in-laws and heinous students who give evaluations that read: "Esposa (that would be me) and perro (that would be Max, the weiner dog) should be incognito (at the immersion) because they're not students." Well, kiss my ass for participating. You don't have the Sue and Max love? That's literally like hating sunshine and puppies.



Recs

Stuff I've read and loved in recent days:

Spike/Xander

In From the Cold by camisha and reremouse. Two of my favorite S/X writers teaming up do a Human AU? Oh, hell yeah. Between the two of them, they write some of the best Xander dialogue I've ever read. And the concept of Xander paired with twins Spike and William is extremely well done here. Especially the designation of who the "bad twin" really is. WIP

Apartment 4A by kyrieane. WIP. Kyri probably ties with adis723 for me in regard to writers who can create imagery so vivid and real it leaves me gasping and then pouting 'cause I wanna be able to do it, too. This is a Human AU with a hiding-inside-himself Xander (Alex) and a human Spike that, well, sounds like Spike:
“I don’t have any impulse control, and no respect for personal space. Just so you know.” And then Spike was touching him, running curious fingers down his nose and around his lips.

Tangled Hearts by tgray. Tgray was the first, and still reigning Queen of my AU world. Plus, she usually works Angel in between Spike and Xander (sometimes literally) and my inner angst whore just thrives on that. Complete.

Spander Drabbles by new friend altyronsmaker. I'm usually iffy on drabbles (it's cause I'm jealous because I can't be that succint. I admit it) unless they're by adis723 or darkhavens, but I clickied anyway, and these were beautiful. Here's a tease of the first:

They were all gone now, dreams of perfection long lost, and he was where he needed to be. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of leather.

The Road to Poofdom by bytemi66. This was one of the first stories I read when I got into S/X and it's honestly probably one of the best combinations of laugh-out-loud funny, gasping hot and canon-with-a-twist I've ever read. And she's just shared it on bloodclaim! It's complete, and she'll be posting in installments. And there's a sequel! And guess who gets to beta? *g*

For Love of My Brother by _sharvie_. WIP
I'll be honest: although I've read a couple of good ones, I'm not big on the brother!kink. However, when _sharvie_ asked me to beta hers, I did so gladly, 'cause even though it's not my thing, to quote "Best Little Whorehouse": I don't care if you get off on getting your ass tickled with a feather. I like to think that's what heaven's all about. So beta I did. And it's fantastic! She's ignoring the kink for the psychological (and really getting inside Xander's head.) Plus a twisty, turny plot that keeps me squeeing that I get first look...and part 5 should be up soon!


Other

Along for the Ride, Xander/Lindsey, by entrenous88. I know saying read Entre Nous is like saying, 'Try chocolate! It's good!' but just in case. I really like the twist she wrote in this, with how Xander and Lindsey meet, and pickup trucks do just do it for me. You can take the girl out of Muskogee, but...

Bent Justice by toobusy2write.
Yeah, I know you're already reading it. It's that Spike/Angel Human AU where everyone's in prison, and after you stop wrinkling your nose at that, you discover she's using this fascinating concept called 'plot' that I understand is popular with the kids these days. And fantastic Andrew voice. Yes, you read that right. crazydiamondsue (you know I mean it, going 3rd person) said fantastic Andrew. WIP

Family: Ties That Bind, Connor/Drusilla, by stoney321. Damn, when Stoney decides to get serious, she gets serious. Seriously twisted and brilliant, that is. And she's making me love Connor!!!! Look at the pretty:
Connor heard Holtz screaming in his head, push her! Stake her! Cut off her head! but could only stand next to her and look down at the rippling surface of the ocean.

"Huh. You really don't have reflections."

"Oh, we do, little Connor."

They continue to stare down at the surface of the water, one face looking back at them.


Rough Magic, Angel & Wes, by karabair. It's not slash (well, insert your own subtext if you want) but she gets inside these characters heads in such a Jossian way that I feel like my fics are rambles on a Big Chief table in crayon (yeah, I know I've used that before. I love it.)

Birthday, Spike/Angel, by uberaeryn. She's kinda lost in that new show that looks like Gilligan's Island with hotter people right now (what? It took me 7 1/2 years to catch onto Buffy) but she writes Spike/Angel that just makes me feel good. And the image of Illyria clicking a car alarm is just...neat.

Just Another Irish Rose, Angelus/Drusilla, by julia_here. Finally got to start this, and it's so grand and amazing in its depth. To saying nothing of the Angelus/Dru interaction:

“Hush, my sweetest, hush, my child, we’ll go back to our game, be still, be still.” He crooned as if she was a sickly babe, and shushed, and wondered where her dolls were packed, and petted her hair. He kissed her forehead, and then her throat, stroked her back, lied with his hands and his lips: told her with his kisses and bites that nothing was wrong or worrisome, that this night was made for games.


Really Other

Say My Name, Justin/Brian and Gale/Randy, by Keisha7. I don't read a lot of Queer as Folk fic, unless adis723 or spuzz nudge one my way. This one is a fantastic-voiced, freaky, funky twisting bit between Justin/Brian fic and (gasp!) RPS, and it's absolutely incredible. And I just signed on to beta...I know, I have no shame. WIP

Comments

[crazydiamondsue.livejournal.com]

Yay for recs! I always feel bad for the ones I forget. :(

But yeah, your X/L went into memories. Que bueno! Seriously, I'm stopping that now. And it's possible that my estimate of having Rodeo II done by tomorrow was a bit hasty, as I didn't realize tomorrow was tomorrow. :)

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

God, that's so like tomorrow, coming up tomorrow when you're not ready for it! **is huffy**

You're so fancy with the Spanish weekend. I know some French, have forgotten much Latin, and can speak a bit of Italian, but I never learned Spanish except for the Sesame Street words. Peligro! is a big favorite.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Hee!! you are referring to the owl that hoots, "whoo whooo whoooo.... peligro!" yes?

Sorry for the spam, it just makes me giggle to remember that.

[entrenous88.livejournal.com]

Yes yes! And he keeps saying it, and then he finally flies into...a wall? and says... "ooooh," sadly, as he crumples to the ground.

Um, or I may be misremembering. But yis, that sounds like the same cartoon owl. :)