i first came to chicago on the trail of my father's killers

[unamaga]

• I went to a concert last night! My voice is all but gone! I have no idea how this happened, but I suspect the "Back in the USSR" cover had something to do with it. Oh, and pentapus being far too awesome for my health. (summertea was also, as usual, absolutely darling, and took being bopped on the head by balloons throughout the show with grace and aplomb. ♥) My only beef with the place besides the fact that my ears still ache a little? FOUR DOLLARS for a bottle of water. What. What.
  
  
• What've you all been up to the past few days? I've been a horrible friend and haven't checked my flist much since Friday. I blame Constable Benton Fraser and his attractive cohort! I watched seasons three and four in something like thirty six hours and oh god, you guys.  villainny and chopchica warned me, but I had no idea what I was getting into.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I cannot even deal with how dorky and adorable and achy and in LOVE they are. And then, fjagoiajgm, ficccc. I've torn through everything by lamardeuse, resonant, cesperanza, china_shop, isiscolo, and shrift, and more names that I know just keep popping up! *flaps delightedly* Any of you who've seen this show and read fic in its fandom, do you have a favorite story you'd recommend? I have a three hour trip with no internet both ways and the fics I'm writing are almost done. Halp!
  
  
• Last one, I promise: Shore Leave in, like, A DAY. Some of you will have no choice about meeting me and letting me hug you. Everyone else, I think I'll post my cell phone number tomorrow morning before I leave under flock and filter (tell me if you want in) in case anyone wants to get in touch with me. If you'd rather just surprise glomp me, there are a few events on the schedule I'm pretty sure I'm going to attend - nothing's really set in stone yet except for the Hewlett Panels and autograph sessions (well, and the fact that I'll be hanging off kashmir1's arm for most of the duration), but you should be able to find me easily enough; I think my name tag says Mel on it. If all else fails, look for the girl with the ridiculous donkey laugh who can't keep her hands to herself.
  

  - Supernatural: Gone to Hell in a Handbasket (7-8 Salon B, FRI)
  - A Dog's Breakfast (10-12 Valley, FRI)
  - Season Premiere (12-on Valley, FRI)
  - Atlantis: Rodney Gets No Respect (12-1 Salon F, SAT)
  - David & Kate Hewlett (2-3 Hunt Valley, SAT)
  - Jewel Staite (3-4 Hunt Valley, SAT)
  - Firefly/Browncoats (5-6 Salon B, SAT)?
  - Dr. Who, Torchwood, Sarah Jane Adventures (10-11 Salon F, SUN)?
  - Jewel Staite (2-3 Hunt Valley, SUN)
  - David & Kate Hewlett (3-4 Hunt Valley, SUN)

Comments

[kashmir1.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE *takes a breath* EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Less than 24 hours now, Mel!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

fjawgmkag;joiajgma!!!! A JULIE FOR ME. *steals*

[amberlynne.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

*GLOMPS* HI AMBERFACE.

[perardua.livejournal.com]

Yay for Due South love! \o/

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

They are so. AWESOME. fja;ogkag.

[stealmyhorses.livejournal.com]

Due South! Fraser and Ray K were probably first real ship obsession. Ah, the memories!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

With their - and the - and! !! !

God. THEY RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET. I still haven't gotten over that.

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

*tires to figure out which group she's in*

I love that we're collectively mainlining dS. I've got the rest of s4 tonight, although who knows if I'll actually be able to finish it.

OMG TWO DAYS!!!!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. SURRENDER TO MY HUGGING.

Omg, omg, you have to finish season four so that we can squeal at each other in glee because, I just. There are not enough people who are fresh to this! They're all like, "WELL YEAH DUH, of course it's awesome!" while I sit there and bite my nails and mumble things like, "omgray'sglasses!"

[splits_thesky]

DUE SOUTH!!!! \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ !!!!!!!!!!!!




....yeah, that's all I got.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Their love is so gorgeous!!! I want to wrap myself up in them every night. ♥♥♥

[grammarwoman]

With all this dS madness, I have to wonder: what the hell is in the water? seperis has been going gaga lately as well, so check out her posts.

SHORE LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hey, put me on your cell phone filter, eh? Since I spazzed out and never glommed you for an IM session for premiere watching, I'd love to be in your vicinity for at least that. Plus, there will be hand-holding and spine-lending needed for asking DH to purr "I love you John" for posterity's sake.

SHORE LEAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Seriously!! I think villainny turned me onto it initially and then chopchica worked me over in that way she has and held my hand through the first two episodes. Needless to say, I loved it and I love her for making me love it.

Will do, mon capitan! <3

[beeej.livejournal.com]

Hey! There's a post over here with my cell number, just in case you wanna track me down at Shore Leave. :D

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

*inputs*! :D :D :D Yay! I'm so looking forward to meeting youuu!

[hyunbin.livejournal.com]

YOU DO NOT HAVE A DONKEY LAUGH.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

I TOTALLY DO.

[emyrys.livejournal.com]

I will be there -- I've been kind of quiet about it, cause I am bringing my 12 year old (excuse me, 12 & 1/2 year old) daughter, and I don't want to harsh anyone's wanting to be shallow & talk teh sex squee, but don't be surprised if an overweight, middleaged (ok, older but still), person with an unrecognizable badge name suddenly says "omg, it's you -- I love your stuff!!!!" :-).

(we're staying at a nearby Embassy Suites, but looking at your schedule, I have a feeling we will be attending many of the same events, even if we never recognize each other :-) ). I'm going to post a locked post with my badge name on it in a little bit.....

[emyrys.livejournal.com]

PS I am loving seeing everyone turning onto dS :-). I have to get the rest of the seasons, as I only have Season One so far.

*puts it on to do list*

[caersmane.livejournal.com]

Anything by slidellra is worth the read. Plus there is ds_flashfiction which is just starting with the DS Match *hand wave* thing. All the entries for it from last year were brilliant.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thank you! *click*

[pennyplainknits.livejournal.com]

Due South is ooooh about 80% responsible for my obsession with all things Canada.

I adore All the Comforts of Home :http://www.squidge.org/~dsa/archive/romance/allthe.html

and the sequal, Chicago Tales: http://www.dueslash.com/archive/844.html

And crysothemis writes great DS stuff as well. Try Blind Justice http://crys.mrks.org/fic/blindjustice.html for the truly inspiring visual of Benton Fraser in clingy sweatpants...

You all enjoy Shore Leave. I'll just sit and podfic John obsessing over Rodney's ass while wishing I was there ;-)

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

*GLOMPS*

I suspect I'll be listening to your pod of objectify on the train as well. I loooove your voice, hon, it's gorgeous. <3

[mklutz]

I know people have this thing for RayK, but RayV is the only one for me! If you've got train time, maybe check out The Fan and Nourishment.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

I'm a RayK girl, myself. I HOPE WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS. *clings to you*

[clear-as-blood.livejournal.com]

Have fun at Shore Leave. And be sure to touch David lots. *is envious*

Some recs (all are Fraser/RayK):

Pas de Deux (http://www.dueslash.com/archive/905.html) -- AU where Fraser signs up for dance lessons and Ray's his instructor

A Fine Romance (http://www.dueslash.com/archive/1274.html) -- clueless, clueless Ray

Like Bacon and Axle Grease (http://community.livejournal.com/ds_flashfiction/577351.html) -- Ray is getting ready for the cluelessness Olympics.

Academic Punk (http://www.theburrow.net/ds/punkp.html) -- AU where they're professors

Ray Is Not Actually Graphing The History Of His Relationship With Fraser--That Would Be Pathetic, And Ray Is Not Pathetic--But If He Was Graphing It, Even Just In His Own Stressed-Out, Messed-Up Brain, It Might Look Something Like This (http://www.crocolanthus.com/graph.htm)

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

j;oifmkawg;joaiwgjma, naturally I clicked the last one before all the others because I am nothing but predictable and OMG YAY. \o/ These are all so wonderful! I've saved the AUs for the train, but, ok, CLUELESSNESS OLYMPICS! *loses all ability to form coherent paragraphs, sentences, phrases* Ray makes me happy in my soul. I need icons of his face.

[ismenetruth.livejournal.com]

Jesus, what is it with the upsurge in dS love all over my flist? It's making me so damn happy.

Recs for you, all F/K:
Un-American (http://www.dementia.org/~jacquez/writing/dsfic/unamerican.html) by Laura Valentine. Hilarious and awesome and lovely.
Everything by arrow00. Seriously. Everything.
The Fraser Record (http://community.livejournal.com/ds_flashfiction/513181.html) by berty_bertle. Creepy as fuck, but wonderful.
Five Ways to I Love You (http://community.livejournal.com/ds_flashfiction/579564.html) by caersmane. Five AUs of AWESOME. Zombies. Stargate fusions. Love.
Field Trip (http://www.strangeplaces.net/torch/fieldtrip.html) by torch. John + RayK + blowjob. That's all I've got to say to you.
The Small Indian Mongoose is Not Immune to the Cobra's Venom (http://community.livejournal.com/ds_flashfiction/572182.html) by brigantine1. Wonderful RayK characterization, adorable F/K.
Everything (http://members.tripod.com/~happyfriendbox/DSmainpage.html) by brooklinegirl. Her F/K/V stuff is fabulous, too, but I'm a RayK girl, so.
Everything by spuffyduds.

um. others, I'm sure. These are just off the top of my head. Enjoy! And I envy you Shore Leave people like you wouldn't believe.

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

I haven't read really any of these at all. It's like a veritable buffet of oblivious, adorable boyyyssss. *brandishes tongs* I dive in!

<333 If I manage to make it to the front of the picture line without fainting, I promise to touch you with the hand that was around David Hewlett's waist.

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

Omg I hadn't looked at the schedule yet, EVERYTHING SOUNDS AMAZING YAY. *beamfaces at you* SO SOOOOON MEL. I GET A YOU TOMORROW!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Um. Since I no longer have a cell phone (IT NEARLY EXPLODED WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT ON BEFORE IT WAS SO TERRIFYING ANNE. IT STARTED GETTING ALL SNIPPY WITH ME AND MAKING REALLY DISTRESSING SMOKEY BITS) here's my train info:

43 Pennsylvanian | Leaves 10:50 am | Arrives 1:52 pm

Woot woot chugga chugga chugga chugga I'M COMIN TO YOU BABE.

[rinsbane.livejournal.com]

hee! I've been watching everyone's Due South posts, and then you go and add yours to the mix and I've been considering watching it since, like, YEARS because I've been in fandom too long and I was in The Sentinel for a while and the two shows get compared a lot, but I finally gave into the hive mind and my first disc just arrived today, yay!

Have tremendous fun at Shore Leave and give us a full report when you get back!

[justbreathe80.livejournal.com]

SO happy to hear lots of new excitement for Due South! I am currently in Vegas and short on time, but I'd be happy to make recs at some point. If you want, you can check out my recs page at http://justbreathe.mediawood.net and then Recs - all Due South recs and mostly NOT the authors you've already dug into (I love them all, but tried to rec some less known stuff as much as I could).

Enjoy! While I'm slowly falling out of DS, I love to hear about those of you who are just discovering it. *g*

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

Your fic and the fic you recced totally kept me occupied the entire journey, even though there was a curious monkey-child hanging off my shoulder all the way to Philadelphia. Thank you SO much. I loved it ALL. <333

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

I already posted my cell phone number on my LJ, but wanted to say SEE YOU AT CON! Also, are you not coming to my ADB panel on Sunday? You know you want to :P

[kimberweeme.livejournal.com]

They moved it? HURRAH! Now there can be premiering!

[morgaine22.livejournal.com]

I'm so jealous!! HEWLETTS!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

THEY LOVE YOU.

[kimberweeme.livejournal.com]

I will be there too! And my plane leaves at a very early hour and the airport is on the other side of the city and I have to be up in FOUR HOURS!

But, OMG! HEWLETTS! SOOOON!

[mokarran.livejournal.com]

Uh, wow due South is *definitely* next on my TV hit list... I can't help but think "creepy cylon" when I see that last pic, though XD

:D Yay Shore Leave!! Hope to see you there!

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

HEEE. Oh, but Raaaaay is so much love! You will adore him! He's like this great big dork wrapped up in a badass package with a complimentary tattoo. SLIGHTLY REMINDS ME OF JOHN SHEPPARD.

[countess7.livejournal.com]

i don't understand how this is possible, but it seems that no one has recc'd How Ray Got His Groove Back (http://www.mrks.org/~bone/duesouth/aristide/groove.html) by Bone and Aristide. Its the best in the fandom. They wrote others together, and all are A. MA. ZING. but HRGHGB is the best.

other dS authors to check out are:
Basingstoke
Brighid
Hth
Jacquez
Jessica Harris
Julad
Kat Allison
Pares
Punk
Te

[unamaga.livejournal.com]

EEE, I read that one as one of my firsts and I've already gone back and read it twice since. It's only been a week and a half! :O It's just - guh, so incredibly hot I can't even deal with it. I'm gonna poke through all these other authors appropriately, since you have awesome taste. But, uh, do these people have lj handles? I know basingstoke and hth and julad and pares and punk, but everyone else - my mind is failing me.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

*reels you into DS* Are they not ADORABLE? God.

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

I add bethbethbeth and sihayab and kelliem and imkalena to the abovenamed, btw. Awesome writers all.