Housekeeping

[geoviki]

I read somewhere that obsessive-compulsive behavior and neatness are part of the same continuum. And sometimes I find myself closer to the scarier edge. Now that I'm done with the sequel, I'm finally getting back to RL chores. I finally finished the bloody garage-painting. That took 6 days. Moon landings were accomplished in less time. Just logged 3 hours in kitchen cleaning. Now it's Merlot time.

I admit today that I tested the comment function on Skyehawke to make sure it wasn't broken. I haven't had a comment on the sequel since last Wednesday. Not a peep. It's a good thing I have some self-esteem built up over my writing from my betas, because I'd sure be wondering WTF right about now. Scientifically analyzing the situation, the feedback rate is clocking in at 1%. If I estimate that each reader hits the prologue twice before finishing the story, that's 2%. Which means that 98% of the readers bugger off without saying a thing. Which is my own behaviour with fics I'm not all that enamoured of. Which also, in an odd way, gives me freedom to write the fics in alternate fandoms that I've got bunnying. I've got two plots percolating, one in a fandom that only God and I even read.

ETA: Hey, I didn't intend to make any of you feel bad about not having tons of free time and not reading the sequel. Really! I'm just pondering the thousands who did read it and tiptoed away. But I know that archives are notoriously bad places to gather feedback. I know this. The stupid fic just won't fit on my LJ, though. < / ETA >

There's an age-issue thing going around, and I find myself clueless. Don't know who, don't know how. I was relieved that it wasn't about those of us who might be too old for this sort of thing! So maybe one or two underage fans have wandered over here; if you look at the userinfo you'd have gleaned my age and scurried away by now.

Oh, right, I was going to say something about defriending. I updated my infamous and anal spreadsheet of who's who in my friends list. Here's my policy:

- I can't friend everyone back and still have a RL, dull as it may be.
- if I've friended you, I read your LJ all the time.
- if I haven't friended you back but you still have me friended, I sometimes read your LJ, too.
- I friend folks who interest me. I have lots of folks friended who don't have me friended.
- I'm looking for fandom stuff. If you only post RL topics, I can't keep up.

So here's the kicker: if you have me friended out of guilt, or I used to interest you but now I don't, or you're afraid if you defriend me I'll sic my minions on you or snub you or react badly - don't fret. I'm announcing amnesty: feel free to clean up your list and bid farewell, no bad feelings. I have no minions anyway.

Comments

[dementordelta.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'll be your minion! I'm, er, actually pretty good at it!

[urnesha.livejournal.com]

I haven't had a comment on the sequel since last Wednesday. Not a peep. It's a good thing I have some self-esteem built up over my writing from my betas, because I'd sure be wondering WTF right about now.

Hi! Ah.. I'm one of those people who have you friended mainly for HP fic though I do read all your posts. I don't comment very often but felt the need to respond to this one because of the comment that I have copied.

I squee'ed like a fangirl when you posted the link to the sequel. Yet I still haven't built up the courage to read it yet. A Thousand Beautiful Things is my absolutely favourite fanfic in any fandom, any pairing. I've recc'ed it to all my friends and the Harry/Draco reading club that I'm in. I love every word of it and adore your Harry/Draco relationship. And ironically am now petrified to read the sequel because I know that somewhere in there they are going to argue or fight or whatever and though I know that's how thigns work I know it's going to break my heart. Not to mention I don't know if you leave them together at the end or not (I refuse to read any reviews extra so I don't spoil myself). Anyway, I will read it soon. I just need to have a nice long free day (haven't had one of those in 5 weeks) and will definitely leave a review.

Hmm.. No idea if this helps or not. lol

But just wanted to say hi and hmm.. let you know that I adore your writing, your characters and will be reading soon? hahaha Feel free to ignore me if this comment makes no sense.

[forlornhope1865.livejournal.com]

Don't forget that due to Memorial Day, a lot of people are out of town, or day-tripping or outside doing cookouts, at the beach, camping, etc. There're tons of folks without Internet access this weekend, not to mention the days before and days after catching up with work, laundry, etc. Please don't take any lack of feedback during this time to heart. It'll be the same around 4th of July, so put it out of your mind for now and check back in a week. Treat yourself to some watermelon (did you know they have SEEDLESS watermelon now?) or some other Memorial Day-ish treat.

BTW, I'm 46 and I would be upset to think that I'm too old to enjoy fanfiction. The stories I read on the 'Net are many times better than what's in the bookstores by pros. Speaking of Pros (Professionals), go hang around Pros fandom for awhile. Everyone is around my age or older. We all started in fandoms in our teens or early 20s with Blakes 7, K/S, Dr. Who and/or Pros.

Personally I want to reread A Thousand Beautiful Things before I read the sequel. And what with the aforementioned holiday plus upcoming job interviews and my ongoing job search activities, I don't know when I'll carve out the time to. Unfortunately for me, it'll probably be when I should be working on job stuff - I'm too good at procrastinating.

Not spamming you but

[forlornhope1865.livejournal.com]

I checked your userinfo after writing the comment above. You're the Denverite who had a birthday celebration at the Oxford? Monaco? some nice place downtown and mentioned it in your LJ.

I'm probably right up the road from you (I'm at 8th & Marion). What a dreary day, huh? The weather is probably bringing you down. Just hold on til Wed when the sun will reappear.

Also, you aren't old! You're the lucky recipients of AARP discounts for the amazingly cheap sum of $12 year in dues. I can't wait til I can join AARP.

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

ATBT remains my favorite HP story, and when I heard you had written a sequel, I squealed like a fool---but I haven't yet read it. I'm getting ready to move, and I'm a huge procrastinator. I've promised myself the sequel as a reward to myself for completing the packing and doing everything else I have to do before we leave.

I'm sure that's not helpful, but I wanted you to know that I'm very excited about the sequel. :)

Re: Not spamming you but

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I am a card carrying AARP member! Go me!

Yeah, I was chuckling at your last comment about the picnics and nice weather. Although I'm not complaining about the rain - we really need it - and look how much lovely housework I got done today, too.

I'm out near Golden, BTW. Yes, birthday at the Oxford, and I want to make it an annual event. The massage alone was worth the cost of the room.

I don't know why I was so whiny, but really I feel as though I get to do it once in a while, you know? It's not that folks don't have lives and can't get around to reading my fics. God knows my own "to read" list is long, too. It's just odd that people are reading it in droves and then... silence.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I hear there is a Minion School. Maybe we should sign up!

And yes, I'm going to The Witching Hour. It's my fall indulgence. It'll be fun to meet all these LJ names at last. I came into fandom almost simultaneously with the last conference in Orlando, and so was unaware of the event. I've never been to New England in the fall.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

You've always said the sweetest things about ATBT, so I don't begrudge you putting off reading the sequel. And I always think that "Once upon a time" should meet with a "happily ever after."

Your comment made perfect sense, no worries.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Moving, huh? A big pain in the rear, isn't it? I wish I had a dollar for every single time I threw my life into boxes and hauled them to a new home.

Is this sequel enough of a reward? By then what you'll really need is a good massage!

[djin7.livejournal.com]

I could go all fangirly on you.

*We're not worthy!*

I read it on skyehawke, but pimped you in my journal, then told you how much I loved it in your journal. I have been doing most of my reviewing on the eljay nowadays. *shrugs* I don't go to skyehawke much anymore now that I have everything I need right here.

[iulia_linnea.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, once I'm living with my husband again there will be all the massages I would like---but there's only one sequel to ATBT! Truly, the fic was perfect and satisfying in every way that matters to me, so yes, it will be enough. *beams at the brilliant writer lady*

[urnesha.livejournal.com]

And I always think that "Once upon a time" should meet with a "happily ever after."

Yay! You have no idea how much relief this brings. :) Will start soon then.

[tipgardner.livejournal.com]

It's probably worse to say this, but I haven't had time to read the sequel yet. I've been trying to read the cookies on Skyhawke, but have been mainly offline due to work/RL time constraints. But your piece is extremely high on my list (ie, first thing of any length that will get read the second I have even a second). Meanwhilst, I know that I've already posted you mail about this, but ATBT is AWE INSPIRING: It's driven, well paced, beautifully written, well imagined and executed and original. I thought it was quite humourous, that wank/critique about the unoriginality of the manner having been confiscated plot line, because I see all of those stories as referencing ATBT.

[balfrog.livejournal.com]

Oh, darn, no minions? Though not card-carrying, I suppose my minion status could be proved by bahavior:
1)crawled out of bed after having gone to bed from fatigue at 9pm
2)read your post
3)decided, "o CRAP, the house is a mess"
4)is considering doing housework now

Skyehawke is probably the worst place to get feedback, I guess. Chapter by chapter by lj probably gets more in depth discussion, but less readers?

Though, I got, what I considered THE GREATEST review the other day. Stuck it in my userinfo for vanity.

5)now, if I toddle off and do housework instead of goof around and write pron, then, mimion status will be confirmed, no?

[elsie.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel any better, I am in love with ATBT and DSoT, and although I can't even remember whether I commented on Skyehawke, I did leave more than one long-ish comment on your eljay. And I bet a lot of readers did the same thing.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

OMG, that comment is priceless! I guess you really have the crack!fic down, huh?

One of the sad, sad facts about my housecleaning is that I have to wear my reading glasses so I can actually see the dirt and grime. Other times, I can blithely ignore it all since I can't see fine details anymore.

Should I make "minion of geoviki" icons now? Maybe with the sign of the crossed mop and broom?

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

No, no, you left wonderful and multiple feedback, and I remember it very well! I counted all my LJ feedback, too. And email.

Thanks for the support, though. I do appreciate it.

Can I get you to drop by and tell me what a great job I did on painting my garage? :-) When I tell people I spent my weekends at it, the question I usually get is: "Why?" No one paints their garages much.

[balfrog.livejournal.com]

Your proletariat minion brigade. We'll all be cleaner and happier. We can all use the icon when we comment here, and report on how neat our houses are. Or write fic about housework.

Bratty, manipulative Draco (in my mind) would deliberately break every dish in the sink, until Harry doesn't let him in the kitchen, if they had to do without a house elf.

Though I do complain to the husband when I have to carry one of the grocery bags that I'm just his houseelf. Sheesh. Of course he should carry all the grocery bags!

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Are you trying to tell me you have a life? My jealousy is so transparent!

I think the hp cliche site is actually fun - I know I use cliches and I think we all have to on occasion, given the restrictions of canon. Malfoy Manor being confiscated, to me, can be tossed in to show how vindictive the Ministry can be. IRL, the US government has confiscation down to a fine art in the case of drug dealers. They can take one's car, one's home, anything remotely associated with the drug dealing, and often without trial.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

http://www.flylady.com/

I've been known to use the "house-elf" comment quite a bit here, especially to my kids. And I posted a note at work reminding my cow-workers that we freed the house-elves, so we have to refill the coffee pot ourselves rather than sneaking away and leaving it empty.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I saw your LJ comment, and thanks!

Ah, your icon reminds me of one of my first fandoms - the Beatles! I remember when "A Hard Day's Night" came out - the excitement of seeing them in the movies was unbelievable.

[djin7.livejournal.com]

I thought that the fact that I could remember "Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band" when it came out dated me. Apparently, not so much. Explains why we seem to like the same music though, *squees you again for the Pink Floyd*

*g*

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Well I adore the sequel and it is in no way, shape, or form a commentary yon the writing. I actually think lack of comments has everything to do with the temporarily disabled "favorites" function on skyhawke. Since they post fic as it appears and several people have dumped several stories (like 10-12) on all at once, your fic automatically went "off" the page pretty damn quick. You might want to wait until they fix that function and then "repost" (or "edit) so that this comes up again so that people can see that it's alive and kicking.

This is a beautiful piece of writing. Make no mistake.

[teh-del.livejournal.com]

Hullo. You commented on some of my art. Sooo, I wandered over to check our your journal. See if we shared any interests beyond Harry/Draco, and... behold! We do. xD

Therefore, I'm friending you.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Is this because I obsess over admire Boyd Holbrook?

I want to hold LJ hostage until they allow me to buy 100 icons. I hate wanting more and not having any room. But I fear I will fail in my attempt and be nothing more than embarrassing, like that farmer who parked his tractor in one of the ponds on the Mall and bolloxed DC traffic for a while.