Yes, I am alive :P

First, I'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to twotone! The Post Office promised your gift would arrive today, but I am waiting to see. ^^;

Happy Belated Birthday to chokingcufflink, who never checks LJ anymore, but deserves birthday wishes even if he never sees them.

Happy Belaed Birthday to anyone else on my flist I missed in December. ^^;

Happy end of Channukah, to those few other people on my flist who celebrate it.

I have been reading LJs but not making comments, since I've sort of been overwhelmed. I hadn't quite realized Christmas was actually Monday, and spent part of the week end trying to get gifts together for people. Quite a few people will be getting late gifts, as the order I placed hasn't arrived yet. Sorry! Channukah kept me more occupied than I had expected. I had a party last Saturday, Sunday and Monday. o_O Monday was definitely the best, as it was the one I hosted and I enjoyed it the best. Saturday's was the worst and the most costly. ~.~

I've also been quiet because thanks to muscatlove I've fallen into the power of Harry Potter fan-fic. For those who don't know, I don't really like the actual books much. It was only with the urging of I think Mura and Kim all those years ago, that I read past book 2, having been completely underimpressed with books 1+2. But I actually enjoyed book 3, book 4 was all right though I confess I haven't made it past 50 of Book 5. I've now read most of book 6 though. I was recommended the lovely super long fic Blood Magic by GateWay Girl, and promptly spent as much time as I could reading it. It's really quite amusing and lead to my new interest: Snape/Lupin or Snupin. It's really rather a surprise since my previous foray into HP fic had mostly been Draco/Harry, Voldemort/Tom/Harry, and Snape/Harry. The latter making a lot of sense with my teacher/student love. But suddenly, I've found myself rather taken with Remus Lupin. I even went to so far as to read book 3, and might have to go and search for the Remus parts of 5+6. UnFortunately, Snupin seems rather popular and I've come across quite a few fics with the pairing. (and wow, HP fic is generally GOOD) I'm also horrible amused with HarryxRemus (and yes, that order and yes, it does exist) and will read SiriusxRemus in a pinch, but have come to the conclusion I'm just not that interested in Sirius. I even read a lovely non-slash Remus angst fic (It's much better than it sounds) as well as Draco/Remus (which was rather good) It's such a treat, as in general the characters I've liked best have mostly gotten little fan-fic and what they did, the characterization didn't work for me or had larger fanbases but fanbases who didn't fic. It's not since my X days there has been such a plethora of fic, and overall HP fic is just so good.

Though I need to stop, and get something else done.. just after this next fic. XD;