I only take advice from 80s songs.

Fandom stockings are live now, and I wrote two fics:

(Don't) Blame It On the Moonlight, Veritas, Calvin/Nikko, PG13-ish, I guess, 3150 words.

In which Nikko isn't sure where he stands with Calvin, but he thinks his father might actually be a clone. A remix of tommygirl's adorable Solomon-centric ficlet, Blame It On the Drugs.

The Space Between, Harry Potter, Creevey-centric gen, G, 1385 words.

Colin and Dennis Creevey grew up braver and stronger than their stature would ever have suggested, and their father wouldn't have traded them for the world.

The HP fic was angstier than I intended, especially considering it's a gift, but it's post-canon, so. The Veritas fic was really fun to write, and I hope my recipient enjoys it when she sees it. She said she was okay with remixes, but I think I got a bit carried away.

Anyway. Thus endeth my fannish participation until next Yuletide, probably. It was fun while it lasted.

Yesterday was the deadline to sign up, and for whatever reason at the very last minute I threw my hat into the ring. Well, technically it was a few hours before the deadline. Anyway, my stocking is here, if you're so inclined. It's just the usual stuff, really. I have been having some success with Yuletide writing, so I hope to write a few ficlets for other stockings as well.

I finally discovered the magic trick that will get me to crosspost consistently. All LJ had to do was completely bork the post interface! So now I will just post to DW and you can comment wherever. I don't care.

So I'm reading this book called How to Make People Like You In 90 Seconds Or Less. It's about body language, and how to use it to establish a rapport with other people. I always say that the key to my professional success is that I don't really care what other people think of me, so I don't waste time being passive aggressive. If you don't like me, oh well. Here's how things are going to go, and that's the end of it. It's pretty efficient, and it has the side affect of making people want me to like them, for some reason.

I've employed this approach when job hunting over the years as well, and I've always said that the reason I've had success in a really tight job market is that I always go into an interview not caring whether or not they hire me. They'd be lucky to have me! It tends to make you a lot more relaxed.

Well, for the first time in my life I actually care whether or not I get a job, so I'm brushing up on my first impression skills. It's really very interesting, to be honest. I would recommend this book for introverts who have to fake it in order to get ahead or even just make a good impression. There are some great tips in there.

Next on my list is Sixty Seconds to You're Hired, which I have read before, but I need to refresh my memory. The only problem is that I tend to listen to nonfiction, and the author read that one herself. That was not the best decision. Her voice is pretty irritating.

I've written quite a bit lately! I just can't show you any of it. My Yuletide fic is still not done, but I have an outline for the rest of it, so fingers crossed I'll get it done pretty soon here. Yesterday I took a break to write a couple things for Fandom Stocking, but today I'll get back to my Yuletide Fic. Honest. I'm going. Here I go.

ETA: I just totally thought of something I should have asked for in my fandom stocking. A Will/Finn header for my LJ! Though I would be hard-pressed to let this one go, I love it so much. Still, there's been so much hugging and touching and longing looks on the show lately that it would be glorious. But it's not worth making Medie edit my entry for a pairing that squicks 90% of the population. Alas.

Is anybody signing up for Fandom Stocking this year? I keep going back and forth, but if you do I want to know about it, because I think I have to work the Sunday before Christmas, and it'll be dead so I'll have time for ficlets.