To the seat with the clearest view

Last week I bought myself Richard Ellman's Oscar Wilde biography on Google Play Books, and have been reading it at work while hiding from everyone and ignoring the fact that I'm in this field. The book was kind of my birthday present to myself, and being able to discreetly read on the phone at work is amazing. Of course I'd used chapters/parts of that biography for various papers back in happier days, like in high school and college, but I'd never done the whole cover to cover reading thing, and I'm so glad I am, even if Ellman peppered it with some occasional facts which were later proved inaccurate.

I'm also on a roll for finding quotes that were in Velvet Goldmine and that I didn't even realize were Oscar Wilde references. (For some, I initially figured they might be Wilde quotes, then, after reading more of his work and not finding those lines, I figured they were just Todd Haynes trying to sound Oscar Wilde-esque but not actual quotes.) I have literally found at least one reference every single day of the week; some days, it's been more like three at a go. Monday I read quite a bit, didn't find a reference and thought my winning streak was ending; as soon as I thought that, I turned the page, and there it was. That was one of the happiest, most fun moments of my week. (My dreams are very small...) Today the Velvet Goldmine OW reference was on the second page I read, at about 11:00 am. I've actually started betting to myself on the lines that are going to turn up. I preempted my reading to Google a few... and was right about 2 on 3. (One is in Ellman and I will probably come across it tomorrow or Friday: my Google search turned up the biography in Google Play Books, bringing everything full circle.)

So, yes, so far my winning streak has lasted the whole seven days I've been reading (I'm wondering if it's even going to end at all) and it's made me really happy. It perfectly marries two things I love so much and that changed my life so much.

So remember how a few months ago, I said there needs to be a line of *something*, like Etsy nail polishes or perfumes or Adagio teas, with Velvet Goldmine themed names? That needed to be a thing asap?

Well, it’s now a thing. Check out the Velvet Goldmine collection; if you’re a fan you’ll get a kick out of the names. They’re good tea blends too. I know my tea…

Also started up a classic rock collection. Check it out!

In unrelated news, my partner's coming in this weekend. Yay! I'm totally baking cookies from Loblaws refrigerated dough; I like to surprise him with baked goods when he comes in. I totally did NOT just eat a fuck ton of raw cookie dough, either, of course... *shifty eyes*

1) So, instead of marathoning TV shows, my new obsession seems to be marathoning the Dan Savage archives. This is actually a kind of bad obsession as it's getting awfully time consuming - but so interesting, and he's just so funny and flippant...

2) I haven't done one of those "outfits inspired by" posts in a while, so, in keeping with my last post here, I'm paying tribute to Velvet Goldmine with some Polyvore creations.

( Apparently I couldn't shut up about this movie so, um, fashion inspired by Velvet Goldmine plus commentary on the film (and even footnotes!) because converting people to this fandom is totally one of my life's ambitions )

Title: Days in Summer
Pairing: Curt/Arthur
Part: 5/5
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Words: ~2600 (~3200 with epilogue)
Rating: PG13 for some language
Warning(s): None for this part
Disclaimer: Velvet Goldmine and all associated characters and trademarks are the intellectual property of Todd Haynes and Miramax. This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction commentary on the film; no ownership is being claimed and no profit is being made.
Author’s note(s): First, this follows immediately after the end of part four. Second, the title, which is dropped into the last line, is a reference to a line in The Picture of Dorian Gray; the lyric “I miss you – you’re beautiful” comes from David Bowie’s song Five Years. Third, I felt iffy about the epilogue but included it anyway for the sake of clarity; I guess you can think of it as "optional".

( Part Five )

( Epilogue )

Title: Days in Summer
Pairing: Curt/Arthur
Part: 3/5
Part 1 is posted here.
Part 2 is posted here.
Words: ~1400
Rating: R (mentions of drug use, sex)
Warning(s): As noted above, mentions of past drug abuse.
Disclaimer: Velvet Goldmine and all associated characters and trademarks are the intellectual property of Todd Haynes and Miramax. This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction commentary on the film; no ownership is being claimed and no profit is being made.
Author’s note(s): First, I posted this piece under the title Give and Take on September 1st, when I had only a vague idea for the longer narrative it could fit into. With some minor tweaking, it has now morphed into Part 3 of Days in Summer. Second, in keeping with the liberal use of Oscar Wilde quotes in this movie, the quote about regretting the loss of one’s worst habits is a paraphrase from The Picture of Dorian Gray.

( Curt knows that just a few years ago, he would have destroyed someone like Arthur in about two months. )

Variations on a Theme
Pairing: Curt/Arthur
Disclaimer: Velvet Goldmine and all associated characters, plots and trademarks are the intellectual property of Todd Haynes and Miramax. This is a work of non-commercial fan fiction commentary on the film; no ownership is being claimed and no profit is being made or sought.
Author’s notes: Here are three short, somewhat interconnected C/A vignettes all exploring the theme of reminiscence (and pillow talk, apparently). These have also been cross-posted around to a couple VG comms.


“Oh No Love, You’re Not Alone”
Words: ~420
Rating: PG
Warnings: Implied references to internalized homophobia/ self hate.
Author’s note: The title comes from a lyric in David Bowie’s Rock and Roll Suicide. The line sort of inspired this piece...

( “Oh No Love, You’re Not Alone” )

“Look What They’ve Done to the Blues”
Words: ~360
Rating: R
Warnings: Do I need to warn for not particularly explicit m/m sex? Really?
Author’s note: The title comes from a line in the original Steve Harley version of Tumbling Down.

( “What was it like, that day on the roof?” )

"Love That Doesn’t Know What It’s Dreaming Of”
Words: ~430
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Brief reference to past drug use
Author’s note: The title comes from an Iggy Pop song, Something Wild.
( “You know I seriously considered taking you with me” )


Still trying to get all my plot bunnies for this ship out of my system. Also, do not ask about the epic war I just fought with LJ's Rich Text Editor mode of posting...