Dolorous Ett's Bestiary

I'm worried about Postman Pat. He's not been himself at all since the Post Office gave him the push in 2000 for not fitting in with their corporate image. Even though he's managed to get another job with the Special Delivery Service, it's like the heart went out of him when he left the Royal Mail, and it's really miserable to watch. We usually give the wee one a cartoon or two off BBC's iPlayer around teatime, and they've been on the Special Delivery Service episodes for a couple of weeks now. I used to enjoy the Postman Pat cartoons in a sappy, harmless kind of way, as he trundled round Greendale in his red van, delivering post and saving the day. But no more. These days I find myself muttering "please,Pat, please don't screw up today!" when the theme music comes on. But he usually does screw up. He always just about gets the job done in the end, but the Special Delivery Service episodes are full of worried people looking at watches and phoning the depot, and a lot of the time due to avoidable human error, which would have been unthinkable in his old job. He even mislaid a teddy for a baby, and lower than that you can't go.

I was going to say a lot more on the subject, but I find that this blog entry by Grumpydaddy says much of what I wanted to say, in a lot more detail. Though personally I think the stuff about Sara and her "evening other job" is a bit over the top myself, and missing the point besides, as so often happens in fandom once man-woman stuff gets dragged into the discussion.

What matters is this: the one true love of Pat Clifton's life was the Post Office, and they threw him away and broke his heart.

What is to be done?

Because I'm developing a grey streak, which on the whole I rather like. I was just wondering what other people's thoughts on the matter might be.[Poll #1840448]

 Was I the only person who thought of mina_de_malfois  - not to mention dreamer_marie 's famous Pseucide Games - on reading this story?Especially the bit where he gets his sockpuppet arrested by the secret police because he's realised he's got all out of his depth?

Not really a funny story, and I certainly don't endorse behaving in that way.

Summary: Ron is struggling with his identity after leaving the Aurors and setting up a detective agency. A woman needs his help but seems reluctant for him to learn the truth. To complicate matters, Fenrir Greyback is on the loose, and Ron must face the Forbidden Forest and his own fears if he is to unravel the mystery.

This is a story that contains a lot of my favourite things: private detectives, what happens after happy endings, mystery, action and a thoughtful and sympathetic take on a despised group that few fanfic writers get right.

It's about 15000 words long.

 Here is the link you need to follow.

A link to Star Wars if Dr Seuss had created it 

Thanks to coyotegoth  for this.

And it goes without saying, but I still aten't dead.

Compliments of the season, my friends.

God, I'm useless. I mean, really, seriously useless. There I was, getting myself all hyped up for Yuletide... and I missed the deadline for application. I didn't even find out it had opened till it was closed, if you know what I mean. OK, there was other stuff going on in my life... but there will always be stuff going on in my life from now on, and I have to get used to it. *kicks self*

Anyway, to divert myself from pointless reproaches, I thought I would just have to see if, with the goodwill of my flist, I can't at least organise a challenge for myself.

Here's the idea - I've put a list of fandoms below the cut, and am hoping some kind readers will offer prompts - even one word will do. I'll try to do as many as I can, though realistically I won't get through them all unless everyone ignores me... 

The fandoms I am offering: 

Cold Comfort Farm
Wilkie Collins - The Moonstone
Wheel of Time
Vorkosigan Saga
Elizabeth Moon - the Serrano books
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Archers
Dalziel & Pascoe
Emma's Diary
Charles Stross's Laundry series
Georgette Heyer: The Grand Sophy, Regency Buck
Lindsey Davis's Falco series
The Gruffalo

Odd crossovers are a speciality of the house - the odder the better!

Seeing how many people who read this journal have thought about learning Klingon, I thought some of you might also be interested in this:

Someone has invented the Dothraki language for the Song of Ice and Fire TV series!

I'd love to know more about this language. You?

... to Lazy Neutrino for sending me an LJ gift of balloons! Cheerful! Bright! Fun! Thank you!

For the rest, I'm still not dead, just permanently exhausted. But I promise to update properly soon.

*waves*

Whoops, missed all the major festivals. Sorry about that.

Nonetheless, a very happy New Year (or festival of choice) to all our readers.