The Phial Cabinet

I saw the original movie when it came out. I haven't seen any of the rest of the apparently endless franchise. So if I wanted to ... where do I start? By which I mean in the order the series(es!) came out, not the order of their internal chronology.

Same question regarding Dr Who, about which I know nothing - where is the right place to start?

Any help appreciated! Thanks.

Since I see these all the time and I'm aware memes are usually created by teenagers, but I also see old folks like me doing this, and I marvel. Am I the only person in the world who doesn't do "music on shuffle"? I usually pick particular songs I want to hear, and sometimes a particular artist. Never do I just go "I need various songs by various people." Except at Christmas (and then they're all themed).

Am I the only one? Just curious

A fellow writer just mentioned something was not her "best work." (I won't name names even though of course we've all said this or summat similar and there's nothing wrong with saying it.) It set me to thinking (yes, I'm avoiding actual productive work, why do you ask?).

Writers: You don't need to tell me your best work or your worst work, although you can if you want (links are OK), but I'm wondering: How do you define "my best work"? I mean, fill in the blanks: "This is my best work because it has ________." What does "my best work" mean to you, specifically? I'm interested in how different people articulate those aspects of writing, or of the story itself - or even, if that's what floats your boat, of readerly reaction - that make them sit back, smile, and go "Yeah. I done good." That's if you articulate it at all, and being writers, I'll bet you do. :-)

I've finally started what I've been planning for some time now: posting to wip_rip , a community I created so I (and anyone else who wanted to) could post abandoned stuff for others to do whatever they want to. One WIP's there, others will follow. If you're curious, check it out. Please read the community rules, but it comes down to this: you can do whatever you want with the stuff I post, but please post, or link, what you do back to that comm, so I can see what you did and so credit's given where it's due.

... but it's a little one (although I see this all the damned time):

It's "homed in." It is not honed in. When you're drawing down in focus on something, or getting nearer to your goal, you are homing in, not honing in.

And I do like to vent from time to time.

It's not jive, people. That's, literally, bullshit (well, it's slang for it, anyway). It's JIBE. When something does (or does not) line up or make sense, the word you're looking for is jibe.

And a minor added rantlet (I've ranted about this before). What the hell ever happened to knelt? Did the Bush administration ban that too? I'm not sure I ever saw or heard anyone use the word "kneeled" until the last 5 years or so, on the net.

And, as ever, anyone who wants to piss and moan about the use or misuse of a particular word or phrase? Have at it! It's always interesting.

... but typically am too lazy to go back so far. I write so slowly that 25 stories is like a million years ago. So, under the cut, the first lines of the last 20 (finished) fics I've written, plus five stories I've yet to finish or post, and any pattern I think I can discern from them.

To the beginning