manga manga manga

The title story of Rinjin wo aisou (I'll love the neighbor) by Okuda Nanao is really cute. It's a typical opposites attract story with high school students. This one is between a happy-go-lucky guy and the class officer. The class officer is a total dork in the cutest manner and the happy-go-lucky guy is a such nice guy. They make a sweet couple. The other stories really didn't interest me, tho.

Hidoku shinaide (Treat me gently, please) by Nekota Yonezou is yet another manga by this artist I just don't get. The uke in the title story is too clueless for words. I'm not even irritated by him, I can't care enough. The seme is cute in the "I like you so I'm going to be a bit mean to you" little kid way, but his attempts are sad in the face of the cluelessness of the uke. :P The other stories were kind of cute but in the end uninteresting to me.

old is a state of mind...

Oh man, I don't know what Maneschewitz tastes like (or even heard of it until just now), but I want to try Maneschewitz Granita. I wonder if this is even sold here? I don't think there are many Jews here...

I finally made my first batch of cookies ever on Christmas day! I followed the recipe on the bag of Nestle chocolate chips and was delighted at how easy it was. The only funky part was figuring out how the oven heats. The resulting cookies were slightly underdone but still very edible (and incredibly tasty right out of the oven). Unfortunately we received an ungodly amount of cookies from family later in the day. I still have the rest of the bag of flour to use up (the original reason I had decided to make cookies), I'll have to find something else to make.

I could hear the Akutsu vs. Ryoma match from my room and had to laugh everytime Akutsu called Ryoma "kozou" (kid). I mean, HELLO. Akutsu is 14!! He's just a kid himself!!

I feel old when I think this way, but considering I'm old enough to be his mother I suppose it can't be helped.

worst email subject line ever

I refreshed my inbox and was shocked to get an email that said "Borders Closing, 40% Off Clearance Sale." I immediately thought about having to use the gift certificate I received for Christmas before it became useless...Then I clicked open the email and was relieved to find out that ONE store was closing instead of the entire chain. But the subject line didn't sound like that, did it? Especially in this climate you never know which big company will go belly up next.

Now I'm motivated to use up all of my gift certificates as soon as possible. :P

Yuletide fics...

I just spent many hours this morning going through the archive reading fics. Luckily I wasn't in much of a mood to read fandoms I don't know and I don't know many of the fandoms in this set, so I skipped A LOT of them. Still, it took a LONG time to get through the list. I seemed to have been in a light and fluffy mood because most of the fics I particularly enjoyed were light and fluffy (though some were leaning towards sappy and others were mostly funny). The ones that moved me to tab them:

A Storybook Story, The Princess Bride, what happens afterwards.

Wearing the Sod Gown, Laputa Castle in the Sky, what happens afterwards.

Souvenir, Crest of the Stars, Jinto gets Lafiel a souvenir.

Four Lessons on the Alcione Order, Elenium Tamuli series by David Eddings, slash I can actually believe in from this series (though not necessarily because I thought the characters were slashable--I don't remember enough from canon to say. It's all the author's skill in making this couple work in this fic).

This I Promise You, Demon Diary, fluff!

In Which Howl Adjusts HIs Crooked Heart, Howl's Moving Castle, title says it all.

The Boy With The Thorn In His Side, Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Cat finds home at the Castle.

Apple Vines, Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Cat finds his place.

Ten Hats and a Gallon, Fake, I love this because of Ryo's extended rant about his completely irrational hatred of Santa hats.

Cartography, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Ram Dass contemplates London, his life, his master, the little girl in the attic next door.

Evermore, Gankutsuou, it has a lovely lyrical sex scene--no clue if it's even remotely IC. XD;

As Close as Hands and Feet, The Incredibles, big sisters take care of their little brothers.

Junjou Christmas, Junjou Romantica, how the three couples spend Christmas--with one of the worst cliches ever (love the argument the Terrorist couple have in particular).

Lucid Dreaming, Kuroshitsuji, Ciel dreams dark things, of the past and (possibly?) of the future...

The Most Beautiful Woman of His Acquaintance, Anne of Green Gables series, Gilbert at one moment in Anne of the Island.

Invincible Summer, Nightrunner series, a sweet first time.

Wind in the East, Mary Poppins, Bert waits for the wind in the east.

Five Kindnesses Charles Emerson Winchester III Performed (But Would Never Acknowledge), MASH, Charles, ever pompous yet with flashes of secret kindness.

Like Love in the Movies, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Kyon finds himself stuck in a really bad indie romance movie (complete with soundtrack).

Turn the Tables, Merlin, tables are turned more than once.

Worth Every Moment, Temeraire, odd slash pairing but some fun dialogue and lots of awkwardness.

In Dreams, His Dark Materials, short and lovely fic about a very odd couple...