celticblack

The happy day is not until 25 December, admittedly. But since missmurchison and I are both setting off across country tomorrow to annoy our relatives and freeload all their booze, we have decided to post the next chapter of our tremendously exciting serial 'Decadence in Iowa' two days early.

Last year on her birthday, we left Elinora dangling by her combination suit from a very high silo in the corn-rich plains of Iowa:

Elinora in peril.

She must be a bit hungry and thirsty by now - and so, a year later, we are rescuing her:

Elinora is visited by a Guardian Angel.

Happy birthday my sweet, and don't let Jesus hog all the limelight.

Today for Pony Countdown Day...a holiday berry munching pony...and a ficlet.

WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS
by Rabid1st
Doctor Who
Doctor/Rose
Rating: E for Everybody
Beta: No one at all
Summary: It's nothing really...just a little idea I had about holidays...and I made it into fiction.
Disclaimer: I do not have any say in the lives of or right to these characters.



“Merry Christmas,” the Doctor sang, presenting Rose with a brightly wrapped package, ostentatiously festooned with wide and narrow ribbons, tinkling bells, bouncy bows and sparkling geegaws. ( Read more... )

By this time EVERYONE who even occasionally reads my blog knows what I think should happen in Ten's final episode. But...the real crux of the issue is what writer/producer (and all around Father Christmas) Russell T. Davies thinks. So, does Russell think that Rose/Ten should be honored with a happy for her lifetime ending? I've quoted him before...but let's look at what he just told the Times Online was the absolute #1 thing he loved about his reign as show runner...( Read more... )

The snow is back with a vengeance tonight. I was very grateful just to have to walk home in it rather than driving. There's traffic deadlock, and cars sliding along the road wherever there's a slight slope - including on the bridge, which must be scary.

I got back to my house, then, and was just congratulating myself on an easy trip when I spotted one the neighbourhood old boys who spends his life in and out of the local pubs, clinging to the wall of the pub nearest. He was a) doddery, b) pissed and c) wearing shiny patent leather shoes, so we had a slow and tortuous journey back to his house - and in fact I had to commandeer another pedestrian to take his other arm. Got him to there eventually, only to find he had locked his key inside. I thundered on the door knocker, we did the whole 'going through every pocket' routine, and I was just about to go and find his landlord to get a spare key when mercifully one of his housemates opened the door.

Now back in the warm, and have washed my hands very thoroughly, since he is an extremely smelly old gentleman. The roads outside look foul, local news says the buses are suspended, and we have more snow and sleet forecast for later.

The view from my front door:( Read more... )

Today is a special day, so I thought we would go with "the love pony" as our icon of the day.

And why stop there? How about a couple of inspirational pictures? These come to me courtesy of a link from skyisfalling in billie_love that led me to a really amazing Billie Pic Spam and linked me to a David/Billie community that is well worth the visit. No spoilers below this cut...just a couple of lovely pics.

( Read more... )

We interupt the pony countdown for this special Survivor Finale Bulletin.

You know, I have watched Survivor since that first game with Richard Hatch. People generally are surprised when I tell them and usually they respond by saying they can't stand reality television. For the most part, I agree with that assessment. I don't watch Top Chef or The Bachelor or Jerry Springer or Who Cares About the Lyrics or Are You Smarter Than Your Gay Neighbor?

Most reality television is an exercise in honoring the bottom feeders in society with celebrity they don't really deserve. But I do not feel that way about Survivor. I believe Survivor is a game of skill that reflects America's ideals. This season speaks to that and clearly demonstrates why Survivor was voted the most influential television program of the past decade.

( Read more... )

As we near the end of David Tennant's run, it is time to look back in wonder at just how wonderful he was. Of course, we of the pony persuasion hope that he will continue to be wonderful as he wanders off to have new adventures with Rose in the Doctor Who Afterlife of Pete's World.

But in the sparkly new pony spirit, I came across David's pre-Christmas 2005 BBC Breakfast interview. Here he is all sparkly and new to the role. I love when he talks about how long he might be staying. And, in retrospect, I also enjoy what so many refered to as lying in this interview...at 4:10ish...when asked if Rose will be staying. He says, "Billie is sticking around." And, well, she did, didn't she? Billie stuck around for a very long time. I hope forever. But I think long enough to confirm that he's not really lying here.

And, for those of you who think that they filmed the Ten/Rose finale scenes at the same time that they filmed Doomsday that quote becomes even more meaningful, I think.

Check out the lovely, fresh-faced and genuine David Tennant...on the brink of becoming the greatest Doctor so far.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CtuzKmI7ng

Today's Doctor Who pony icon countdown is brought to you by the Press Day Viewing. It happened yesterday. But oddly enough, there aren't too many spoilers in Google News links today. Now, I'm not searching...and I don't want to know...and I heartily recommend that you all stop looking and reading right now. But...I'm pleased at the restraint from the normally blabbermouth press sources. I wonder if RTD simply gave them a snippet or two to view and then granted interviews with people. I'm also assuming David didn't go...because I think he's still filming Rex in LA. On the other hand...he's been on every show imaginable...so maybe he flies home on the weekends.

REMEMBER...THIS IS A NO SPOILER ZONE FROM NOW ON...

Christmas is approaching, so getting into the right spirit, we have a helpful lateral thinking test....

You are driving in a car at a constant speed.
On your left side is a 'drop off', (The ground is 18-20 inches below the level you are travelling on)
and on your right side is a fire engine travelling at the same speed as you.
In front of you is a galloping horse, which is the same size as your car and you cannot overtake it.
Behind you is a galloping zebra.
Both the horse and zebra are also travelling at the same speed as you.
What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?

For the answer, click and drag your mouse from star to star.

*"Get off the merry-go-round, you're pissed.*

The pony cometh! Or so we all hope. And I have decided to celebrate with a different pony icon for each of the next 16 days. I am also going to try to post something each day, but my health might not allow that. We will see.

These pony and horsie icons come from equestrianicons and from eirenealetheia and ilikeblueskies who are both very talented and should be explored for their other pretty work as well. I also have a few icons from enchanted_medow where there some extraordinarily pretty icons that have nothing to do with ponies. Check out my user pics to see which is from whom. And feel free to join me in adding your own pretty pony icons to the mix.

Rae

Part of me wanted to keep the horses up all the way to New Years so that Russell and company would sense my Pony Pleading from afar! Keep the faith, I say. Keep the ponies!

But all of my friends are decking their LJ halls with brightly colored ornaments...and I wanted some sparkle, too. So...I have followed the crowd like the squinty sheep that I am.

And besides...I am having back spasms. And, also, a crisis of faith.

The latter is because I just saw an End of Time clip that rather worries me.

No need to worry yourself...just move along and think happy pony thoughts. But, you could...pop under the cut if you want a small seasonal frisson.

SPOILERS AHOY!

( Read more... )


Edit To Say: Welcome to the advent of Icon Ponies!

Icon Pony expects us to keep believing in him!

All I want for Christmas, as most of you know, is a pony! And, again, as most of you know, my pony is actually a creative gift of love and hope.

Which brings me to this lovely video put out by disgruntled Christians.

The Advent Conspiracy is the brain child of a group of four pastors who really thought about that "Jesus is the reason..." slogan. They wondered if maybe...just maybe...there was more to giving than finding the right Black Friday sales on Nintendo DS games. And, interestingly just like David Tennant, they found something really worthwhile to focus their giving on...water. Water for the thirsty people of the world.

This video does have a religious perspective, but it isn't preachy and it makes a very good point about consumerism and the true nature of Christianity. These are the issues Bill O'Reilly and his ilk might think about next time they are gearing up for a rant about the "War on Christmas" and lamenting one more "Happy Holidays" wish from a clerk at Walmart.

Maybe Walmart profit margins shouldn't be the reason for the season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVqqj1v-ZBU

Love to all! As these conspirators put it.

It's raining with thick cloud overhead, and sleet forecast. So much for watching the Geminid meteor shower tonight.

However, I cannot be unhappy - for come May/June I will be road trippin' USA. Chicago, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, here I come! Whoo hoo!

C'mon flist - tell me what to see in Chicago. I already have plans for the Badlands and the Prairies.

Space Analyst Explains Sky Spiral...and Russia has come forward...after much denial and claimed that, oh, yes, the weird grasping at straws theory is correct.

I don't hold with most of the UFO sightings being down to aliens among us. I know we have our fair share of tin pie plates and weather ballons and jets seen from an angle. But I think I believe more in aliens than in some of the scientific explanations we hear. This sort of explanation happened after the big sighting in Phoenix, too. After a lot of video flooded YouTube, military leaders crawled out of their burrows a day later to blink at the uproar and then declare it to be some lame skydiving formation. Nobody in Phoenix who had witnessed the big ship overhead could believe they were simply seeing skydivers in formation. Nobody who witnessed this event thought it was a rocket, even after being told to think that by the media. For one thing...it lasted 10-12 minutes. Rockets tend to go wrong in a few seconds. But, by all means, let's listen to the guy who knows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L85OkML5drQ

While we are wondering why he didn't bring some video evidence to support his claims, let's hear from an eyewitness. “I LIVE there, and believe me that was NOT A ROCKET. It stood still in the friggen air for multiple secounds and slooowly rotated, I thought my litle brother was out in the yard playing with a flashlight or something due to the bright light, but.... I was wrong.”

Let's see if you agree with the guy who thinks about space for a living. Here is some video of a spinning missile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icJOjKwn_7Y

Here is the Trident Launch I believe he means. Totally the same, don't you think? BWAHAHA!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z-3fjg4dYY&feature=related

Here is another Trident Launch going wrong...maybe if there was no obvious contrail I might think this was something odd crashing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkT3I6RDPkw&NR=1

Okay...now...make up your own mind with a few angles on the event. Pay particular attention to that middle part of the middle video and that beam that comes out near the end and does weird things to the ground. Few people noted that because the sky show was so interesting. But what looks like a contrail coming up to the thing is actually an after effect...and again...there is no sign of a missile in any of this. So, were the Russians lying last night, because they did such a nasty act of war so close to the US president...or are they lying now to keep the public from getting interested in something that science can't currently explain?

http://www.inquisitr.com/51593/norway-spiral-video/

Got to love the speculation.

Rae