I had a role-playing game on tonight. So this fresh and new, and I've finished watching it just this second.

I DON'T FORGIVE YOU FOR THIS, RUSSELL, YOU BASTARD.

I really don't.

After a wait of more than a year, this flawed, beautiful, brave show of which I am inordinately fond, has returned! \o/

( Spoilers for the first episode, and possibly the radio plays )

Just bought a new magazine, that's only available online, but if you purchase it, they send you a nice printed properly magazine that you can read in bed/in the bath/in the garden.

I bought it on recommendation of a friend, because it's a new project that's trying to put out a magazine that, well, people like us might like. Basically, for the geeky girl/woman who's not that interested in celebrity gossip, and tanlines. But we're not talking a mag like your Women's Realm or that ilk either - they describe themselves as being for women who enjoy intelligent thought and beautiful men. And, mmm, they're not wrong.

My only quibble having received it, and reading the first issue, is that it may skew for younger audiences than me (in my early forties) - but I think that's most of my flist, so. *grin* And that may change for the mag, as they sort out what their demographic is, who knows. It's closer to my interests than most mags you find in the shops though, that much I know. Livejournal is referenced more than once for example...

EDIT: I think this is work safe, but there are pictures of topless chaps on the website - if that's not work-safe for you, don't click the link...

Title: Magic Dance
Author: valderys
Fandom: Torchwood AU / Life on Mars
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Gene Hunt
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,330
Notes: This a crossover with Life on Mars and my Torchwood AU in which Ianto became a career criminal. It’s my entry for the kinkbingo prompt ‘locks/chains’, and it got written because I had a sudden visceral urge to write these characters together in their full testosterone-laden glory! The title is a Bowie song, to match LOM, and it has particular significance to Gareth, if not actually Ianto :)
Summary: It seems life doesn’t change that much, even in the arse-end of a different universe. Ianto is still being pushed around by arrogant cops. And he’s still pushing back.

( “I haven’t a fucking clue what you’re talking about,” said Ianto ‘Bloody Bastard’ Jones, from his unenviable position beneath the boot of a bullish gentleman in a camel-hair coat. )

I count myself lucky, and extremely honoured by the fact that eos_rose has made a podfic of one of my fics - Beautiful Game, a Bradley/Colin RPS fic.

My first podfic!! Woo hoo! Check it out, if you will, here. It has artwork! It has a song at the end - is that usual? IDEK, you guys! :)

Title: The Perihelion Variations
Author: valderys
Beta: smirnoffmule
Pairing: Ianto/Jack, Ianto/John
Rating: R
Warning: temporary character death
Word Count: 28,062
Notes: Angsty, I'm afraid, but not without some hope. Also, the plot made my head hurt, so I hope it makes sense! Writing this for the tardis_bigbang has been a huge, and yet satisfying challenge! Also, as part of the challenge, I have had some awesome artwork created for me by vintagehearted and baffledking - go check it out, and thank them too!
Summary: After Tosh and Owen's deaths, Jack finally thinks that the team is beginning to recover, but he might be speaking too soon. Meanwhile, in the future, Ianto has discovered why the twenty first century is when it all changes...

But when Ianto turns his head, he knows he's not in Kansas any more. Or rather, this is Cardiff, but not his Cardiff.

Ok, I've gone through my pics and pulled out a more or less random selection of the ones I took that are not spoilery, just to give a flavour. That does mean there aren't any of Mackenzie Crook, just in case his costume does count as spoilery. Therefore I'm keeping my promise to Johnny Capps. I hope :)

( Here be set pics )

Ok, I've wanted to go and see some Merlin filming ever since it seemed like it was possible to do so, given that Pierrefonds is a castle open to the public. So I was waiting for the first reports to come out that they had begun filming over there, and as soon as there were some, I booked my tickets. It helps that gwene lives in Paris and could drive us over there, and I could stay in her place - thank you so much, gwene!

( Set visit - spoilers, but not large ones! )

This is going to be highlights again – too much stuff happening :) Utopia was a small one day Dr Who con, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, because the guests were mostly Old Who related and from the Sarah Jane Adventures. Now I love the Sarah Jane Adventures, and Toby Whithouse was there (in his capacity as the writer of School Reunion) so that’s why I went, and I was happy to be there, even though it was a completely different experience to most cons I’ve been to.

( Old Who fans run things differently )

Kink bingo has opened for business again, and for the first time, I've signed up! Writing kink is not my thing, but I like a challenge, so I thought I'd give it a go. I suspect my kinkfic will still be pretty tame, mind you :)

I'm thinking of trying the vertical line on the far left or possibly the middle vertical line on the right...

( Here is my card )

Damn - mcshepmatch is on again but the sign-up is on Friday 12th June at 10.00pm GMT. I'm not anywhere near the Internet at that moment for the very good reason that I'm at the BFI watching the first episode of Torchwood being previewed. I mean, it's *possible* I'll be back in time, but it's not very likely - McShep Match spaces go pretty quickly. Is there anyone out there who could sign up for me, perhaps someone who's also signing up themselves? It's allowed in the rules, to have someone else sign up for you, I've checked.

I missed out last year, I'd quite like to sign up this time.

Pretty please?

Title: Beautiful Game
Author: valderys
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Bradley/Colin
Word Count: 4,375
Notes: This was supposed to be a throw-away ficlet inspired by the Soccer 6 tournament - what can I say? It grew a little :)
Summary: Bradley didn't tell anybody about the football tournament, but he most particularly didn't tell Colin.

( Beautiful Game )

OMG, I don't really know where to begin - you know after you've done loads of things it's too daunting to even think about... Well, I'm just going to go with the most recent, which is the Merlin weekend I've just had. I'm reeling from it, it was the most fantastic weekend - so much squee, so much fun, so much so my voice is now a croaking husk of itself :)

( Expo etc... )

I've noticed others of my flist doing this, but today was the first time I've heard something worthy of repeating - from a group of students who are taking exams. It's that time of year at the university where I work, and one girl, obviously panicking, was explaining at loud volume to the group how she was too stressed to even cheat. Apparently yesterday she'd written the equations on the back of her earrings, but she'd actually written the wrong ones!

On the back of her earrings! I'd never have thought of that.

There seems to be an unpopular fannish opinions meme going around. I'm not sure if this counts but I saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine on Sunday, and I loved it! Perhaps that's because I don't really know much of the comics - I read Excaliber for a while, but that's about it. It seemed a well done origins story to me, and oh, Hugh Jackman! *pets him* Gambit seems cool too, which is just as well, as I have to write him for a ficathon, and I'm concerned because I only know the movies - and I have to slash him with Scott! This was going to be impossible before this movie, and now I think my job will be a lot easier.

Aww. I literally turned over at the precise moment that David Mitchell won Best Comedy Performance for Peep Show. He was so adorably flustered. And Robert Webb looked so proud! It was well deserved, but I was surprised he got it, because I thought Rob Brydon for Gavin and Stacy would pip him to it. Very happy!!! And congratulations, David!

Today I got home to find a mysterious parcel that the postman had put through my cat flap - I thought I'd forgotten some random bit of Ebay impulse purchasing, but no! When I opened it up I found a wonderful knitted Adipose from the lovely tracey_jane! I had mentioned at Redemption how much I liked the one she'd already knitted but did not in any way expect the surprise!

Thank you, tracey_jane, it's so cute with its little feet and hands, and little smiling mouth! It now has pride of place on my mantlepiece underneath the telly! (Once I moved it along, after I realised I'd put it in front of the sensor for the remote! :)

Title: That Growing and Changing Situation
Author: valderys
Pairing: David Mitchell/Robert Webb, David Mitchell/Lee Mack
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,560
Notes and Disclaimer: Written after going to see ‘Would I Lie to You’ being filmed, and obviously not true :) Mentions of partners, but no bashing, I hope.
Summary: Rob’s picking David up after filming, but he’s not sure. There’s something wrong, if only he can put his finger on it.

( Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine )

I have to say, it's a lot more civilized at Pinewood than the London Studio. They have a waiting area - with chairs, and food and drink! Me and glittertigger had gorgeous salads for the same price as my workplace's awful sandwiches! Still, enough of such boring stuff.

I've just sat and had David Mitchell be sarcastic at me for three hours - talk about heaven. My only quibble is that I wasn't a bit closer (dammit, how did the regular two lasses in the front row do it?) and that David didn't go off on one of his rants. There were mini rantettes but nothing full blown. OTOH Lee Mack did declare David to be his one true love and clutched his heart like some spectacularly bad romantic comedy. Aww. And David did get to exclaim "Of course, I've been to fucking MacDonalds!" at one point, although pick-ups had to get him to do it again without the swear word.

Rob Brydon is the host for this season, and did a fine job. Carol Vordeman and Jo Brand were both excellent (Jo was still massively embarrassed by her turn as Britney for Comic Relief), and Russell Howard was decent too, but the show was probably stolen by Lee Mack who kept everyone bubbling along for the full three hours, with David interjecting. I love the way he calls him Dave *hearts* There may have to be fic soon, although god knows where I'll post it :)

I'm in a bit of a David Mitchell filled daze at the mo. I have to go to bed. (No, it's late that's all - you flithy minded sods :)

Title: Love is Like a Butterfly
Author: valderys
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2,172
Notes: Despite the apparent soppy title, this is a bit angsty :)
Summary: Merlin loves Arthur. He knows that, it’s like the sun rising in the morning, or the lake freezing in winter, just part of the natural order of things. But…

( Merlin can’t remember if it was always like this. )