Dream with Our Eyes Open

Reply to this meme by yelling "Words!" and I will give you five words that remind me of you. Then post them in your LJ and explain what they mean to you. These are the words given to me by redbrunja:

Saiyuki

Probably my favorite fictional thing in the world at the moment, this manga is a twisted take on the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West. I think that the family-by-choice aspect of it (nakama) is probably the single most important aspect of it to me, followed by the way that humor manages to trump even the most awful experiences. All the Saiyuki boys are broken to some degree, and yet they still keep trying. I can identify with all four of the leads at various times - Gojyo and Hakkai most, but Sanzo also, and sometimes even Goku. He's the toughest for me because he's so young, and hs amnesia about his early days makes him seem even younger. But he's growing up - and that's another important part of the appeal of the series. The characters develop over the course of the story.

Underwear Meta

Well, I was going to say that this only goes with Saiyuki, but actually, I think we've done it with Black Lagoon recently as well! At some point, smillaraaq and I and a few others were trying to figure out which types of underwear were worn (ummm ... or not) by the four Saiyuki leads. The discussion ran for several hundred comments, in the end. And then, to our delight, it turned out that Minekura-sensei herself had addressed this in a magazine column at some point. (Sanzo goes commando! In blue jeans! No wonder he's always so cranky!) We've also discussed the foundation garments of the Kougaiji-tachi in Saiyuki - for example, Dokugakuji wears tighty-whities and manages to make 'em look good. It goes with that whole clean-cut jarhead look of his.

Breast Cancer

I had it. It's to be hoped that I don't, anymore. However, I'm still being treated for it, and this causes side effects that make me crabby and sometimes eat my brain. (I don't mind answering questions about this, but in general, I'd rather talk about it under lock ... I don't want this to turn in cho's cancer LJ.)

Timed Writing

For me, this means the saiyuki_time LJ community. This has been saving my brain from work and health issues. Having a prompt regularly waiting for me makes me focus and complete something that I can share, and that's really important to me. You won't see anything there under this account name, though - I use another account for writing.

East Coast

I am definitely an East Coast person - born in Washington, DC, raised in its Maryland suburbs, visited relatives in New York and Boston, went to college in Charlottesville, VA, and first lived on my own in Arlington, VA (another DC suburb). I'm now living a mere 15-minute drive from the house in which I grew up. My soul gravitates toward the salt marshes and beaches of the Delmarva peninsula and the low, gentle, green-carpeted, waterfall-sprinkled Appalachian Mountains, where we spent summer vacations when I was a kid. More recently, we've been spending time each summer on Cape Cod, and that's growing into my heart as well.