For Your Entertainment

Adam's new single ROCKS! Go get it!

Everything Is Adam!

Wow! Tis all I can say about the cover for Adam Lambert's forthcoming (Nov 23) CD For Your Entertainment.

Many people have been dissing the cover, and they're entitled to their opinion... which is totally WRONG! LOL Didn't I mention earlier that people like to criticize Adam Lambert? Well... they've all emerged full force and the lynching has begun. Adam can't do anything right where these people are concerned. He was too hetero in Details, and then too androgynous on the album cover... GRRR

He's putting on a show, people! It's not meant to be taken seriously! GAH

Personally, I LOVE the cover. And I'm not just saying it because I'm a card carrying -- there's no actual card, mind you -- member of the Singapore Glamberts.

The cover is retro, and looking at it makes me feel young again! I grew up listening to music from the UK like Duran Duran and Culture Club, aka men who love their blowdryers and aren't afraid of hairspray and make up! The electronic synth pop era was the bomb and I still have all those classics on my iPod. Heh. I think I just dated myself! I'm OLD!

Anyway, back to Adam's cover. I think the colours are beautiful. Blues and purples have always been my favourites, and there's a heck of a lot here.

Plus Adam looks lovely. Glammed up to the nines and pouting at the camera. YUMMY  Thanks to EW's Mike Slezak, I now imagine Adam sans clothes during the shoot! GULP

And I have no problem with the so-called androgynous look he has adopted for the cover; it's way better than the Michelin Man pic that was leaked earlier. I happen to love beautiful men, hence my fascination with Jean-Claude. But that's another story!

I didn't really like FYE as the album title at first; I thought it was clumsy, and comprised of too many words, one of which is FOUR syllables long! I used to be a radio jock and I HATED tongue twisting artist names and song titles, but it makes complete sense now that it's been revealed his first single would be For Your Entertainment! Why did I doubt him?? I should've known he had a plan! And I'm glad I'm not on the radio anymore. It would be so unbecoming if I was to squee everytime one of Adam's songs comes on!

The single drops on Monday and I can't wait to hear it! The man has said it'll make us dance. I wonder what the neighbours directly below my flat would have to say about that? Maybe I should get them some ear plugs this weekend! But what do I do about the vibrations? It'll be like an hippo having a danceoff with an elephant!

In other news... the Time For Miracles video has been unveiled, and what a video it is! I was fascinated by the Batman imagery throughout the video. It starts off with Adam crouching on a rooftop, see what I mean about Batman?, and then proceeds with him, in a trenchcoat no less, walking down a street in slo-mo, while all around him pandemonium reigns! There are also scenes from the movie 2012... But seriously, all I saw the first time was Adam! LOL What movie scenes? What people? There was a fire???

TIme For Miracles is HERE!

It's been an incredible week for Adam Lambert fans all over the world and I'm no exception!

I was going through some serious shit at the beginning of the week -- Shadow had his procedure, my dad had a heart thing, and when all the dust settled, I got sick. Still am in fact. The voice is gone. Poof. Just like that. And on top of that, I'm hacking out huge globs of phlegm. Oh joy! NOT! LOL

But all things Adam made this week so much easier to pass. I was seriously jonesing for an Adam fix by then, he'd virtually dropped off the radar after the American Idol Tour, and Adam did not dissapoint. He virtually exploded back into the media scene on Monday! Thanks to my good buddies on Twitter, @adamlambert, @SG_Glamberts, @Globerts, @GlambertTwat, @MrLambertPress, @ooipau and @serene_yip, I was able to follow Adam's exploits... some of them in REAL time. Gotta love the internet! Gotta love annual leave! *bounces*

So Monday, Adam phoned in to Ryan Seacrest's morning radio show -- it was nighttime here -- and dropped a bomb! He would be PERFORMING at the American Music Awards on 22 November, two days before his CD comes out! Whoa! Personally, I have NEVER watched the AMAs, but I'll certainly make it a point to do so this year! Another first for me! And then Adam went on to present the AMA nominees with Paula Abdul and Snoop Dogg. A weird trio in so many ways, but it hits you hard visually when tiny Paula is sandwiched between two fully-grown men! And Adam looked fabulous! Our boy cleans up real good!

And then yesterday... Adam tweets that he will be on the COVER of Details magazine! Anoher cover! Whoohoo! And my magazine peeeps are off in India on a pilgrimage. Talk about bad timing! I shudder when I remember what I had to go through to get my mitts on the Rolling Stone with Adam on the cover... But the SG_Glamberts have come to my rescue. I love our esteemed web mistress and the other people in that community, they have helped me get so much Adam stuff! Not to mention they keep me informed on everything Glambert!

OMFG! Check out the Details cover below. Doesn't he smoulder so beautifully? And the pictures inside are unlike anything we have ever seen. Go buy it! Go on! You have to see to believe. Prudes BEWARE!

Remember how I freaked when 30 seconds of Lambert's new song, Time For Miracles, was leaked last week? Hah! That's nothing compared to what happened yesterday! After ding donging on the release date; first it was 16th Oct, then 18th Oct, 20th Oct, 25th Oct, and finally 27th Oct, it was unexpectedly released in a few European countries yesterday. Hmm... methinks someone did not get THE memo! Great news for all Glamberts though.

I was trolling the bookstores looking for Details, which is not in Singapore yet, when I had an urge to check my Twitter. Thanks to Broadband on Mobile I was able to to do. What I wasn't able to do was contain the shriek that came out when I saw this tweet: Time For Miracles by Adam Lambert is available for download. OMG! OMG! OMFG!!!

The bookstore was abandoned and I almost ran to the McDonalds a few floors down. I bought my usual large Coke, do you think I'd be able to eat anything at this point?, and secured a table at the far end of the restaurant. The people esconced there were not impressed with my bull in a china shop inpression. Imagine this: a not too small woman, carrying a huge bag, stomping towards you, weaving too quickly in between tables and chairs that are placed way too close together. Scary huh? YEPPERS! Anyway, I managed to get to the table without seriously damaging anybody, sat down and pulled out my laptop... thank god for WiFi. Ten minutes later, I was listening to the WHOLE song while sipping my Coke.

AND I LOVED IT! Big surprise there! Adam can sing the phone book and I'll love it! LOL I tried not to expect too much... I mean, it's the song that'll play over the closing credits of 2012, this year's big end of the world epic, and from what I've heard so far, all 60 odd seconds, brought back memories of Aerosmith's I Don't Want To Miss A Thing, which I really HATED! But as I was listening to Time For Miracles yesterday, and ignoring the glares from people who wanted my table -- apparently it's really difficult to get a table at McDonalds at 8.30pm!, I realised that Adam made all the difference. He SAVED the song. Sure it was formulaic; the words were cheesy, and the arrangement bombastic and over the top, but Adam's crystal clear voice rose above all that and shone through beautifully, much like a rainbow after a thunderstorm. Eh... I beg artistic license. Give the girl a break. I'm hyped up on cold meds!

Long story short. Good song. Great performace. But I predict Adam will get a lot of criticism for it. People like to tear him apart for some reason. And so many seem to want him to fail. I have no idea why people do that. If I don't like something, I just don't buy/listen/read/watch it. I don't go around making rude and hurtful comments! All haters need to GET A LIFE!

Shadow Update

Shadow is back on his feet again!

I'm pleased to report that Shadow is much better today! YAY But I'm not. I seem to have developed a cold and sore throat. Good thing I took the week off to look after the mutt. But it looks like he may have to look after ME from tomorrow!

Shadow finished his last round of pain killers this morning, and then he actually went to the door and barked at nothing. Later, he ran around the flat a few times, chased his ball and gnawed at a Greenie! Now that's the Shadow I know and LOVE!

He still has seven more days of antibotics; after day 1, he refused to take the pink pill orally. I had to crush it and put it in milk to trick him! The milk was a huge success. Didn't hurt that it was chocolate flavoured! However, I don't think milk for seven straight days is going to help with his weight problem though... LOL

I started him on the gum gel today. And what a nightmare that was. The doctor suggested I use a towel to lightly dab the gel onto Shadow's gums. Easy for him to say considering the mutt was unconscious when he stuck his hand in its mouth!

Anyway, Shadow was in full EVIL mutt mode this morning. He struggled, growled and snapped at me. He even bit me... good thing he has less teeth these days! Eventually, the silly canine stopped struggling when he realised the gel was all good; it's slightly minty and was a cooling balm to his inflamed gums. He still pretended NOT to like it and growled the entire time. He even tossed his head about for good measure, but he stopped biting me. Far be it for me to tell him the gum gel would help. He wouldn't believe it anyway.

Shadow is now out for the count. I'm taking cold meds and joining him. It's nap time!

Vets Make Big Bucks From Dogs With Bad Teeth!

Shadow's post surgery nap

Shadow's looking a little better after hs nap!

 

I brought Shadow to the vet to have his teeth cleaned today. To a regular person, i.e. ME!, it appeared to be a very complicated procedure involving general anaesthesia (GA)and truck loads of money! More on this later.

First, a little background. As you know... Shadow is totally alpha. Certain parts of his body are off limits to everyone except his beloved groomer Felicia, and his mommy (ME!) when he's having his bath. These sensitive areas include his ears, his teeth, his butt, his paws AND his privates.

Up until recenly, Shadow allowed Felicia to clean his teeth, so I wasn't too worried. But the last time we saw her, she reported that my baby wouldn't allow her near his mouth. EVIL boy! She noted his teeth were in bad shape and recommended I bring him to the vet to have them cleaned.

I balked at her suggestion. I knew teeth scaling required administering GA, and I didn't like that. Shadow is seven already and putting him under concerned me.

But his teeth were bad and getting worse. I tried to clean them on my own at first, but the little devil wasn't having any of it. I have the bite marks on my hands to prove it!

I finally caved and made the appointment last week. Because of the GA, Shadow had to fast from 10pm last night. No food, no water. Try explaining that to a canine! I had to work last night, so it was up to my poor mom to make sure Shadow was cut off from any form of sustenance. That was easier said than done!

I removed all his treats and chewie edible sticks from the floor before I left for work. What I didn't know was that Shadow had squirrelled away some Greenies, which he dug out and would have eaten had my mom not seen and taken them away. I would stave to death in a famine, but Shadow would have treats!

When I got home in the morning, Shadow was hot, bothered and thirsty. He couldn't understand why all his water bowls were MIA. He looked at me woefully until I told him we were going out, and then he got really excited. Bet he wouldn't have been so thrilled if he knew what the rest of the day had in store for him!

We got to the animal clinic early. The vet was a nice young man who impressed me with the way he handled Shadow. You'll be surprised how many vets so obviously do NOT like animals! He was also very nice to me... even though I tried his patience with all kinds of questions, not all of them relevant! I'm sure I came across like a high-strung mom, but the good doctor did not even bat an eyelash. He explained the procedure to me, and promised to take good care of Shadow. However, before the dental work could commence, a blood test needed to be done to make sure the mutt was well enough to be put under the GA. We also discussed the possibilty of extracting those teeth which could not be saved.

And then I had to leave. That was one of the hardest things I have ever done. The bus ride home was depressing and I tortured myself with worse case scenarios. Home was even worse. It was so still and deathly quiet. No patter of little feet, no ding ding dings from his little bell, no happy barking, no enthusiastic kisses...

I needed to sleep. After a long night at work, I was exhausted, but my brain wouldn't shut off. Two hours later, my phone rang and it was the vet! He said the procedure went fine and Shadow was AWAKE! YAY!

And then he dropped the bomb. He had to extract NINE teeth! Ouch! My poor baby. Apparently, his teeth were in worse shape than any of us imagined. But the important thing as far as I was concerned was... Shadow was OK! Shadow was OK!

I managed to snag a couple of hours of sleep after that, then it was time to collect Shadow. When I got there, the vet assistants were singing praises of my pup. They threw around words like sweet, friendly and playful. Were they talking about MY Shadow? Did they drop him on his head during the procedure? Did the GA have some sort of bizzarre side effect? Where was the ornery dachshund I knew and loved?

A door swung open and out lunged Shadow on a leash, tugging the vet along as he raced to me. He certainly didn't look like a dog who was just had nine teeth removed. I had another pow wow with the vet, who gave me some pain pills as well as antibiotics for the pup. He also gave me Shadow's blood test results, which turned out to be good! Yippeeee!

Thirty minutes later and $900 poorer, the mutt and I were home. He guzzled TWO bowls of water and ended up regugitating most of it. Silly boy. He was alright after that, he even ate his dinner, which was laced with crushed pain killers. I even managed to get him to down an antibiotic tablet! He's resting comfortably on my bed now. I hope he'll be able to sleep a little. Nothing helps recovery better than a good rest!

I'm hoping Shadow has a quick recovery. NINE teeth extracted in one go. What a nightmare! And on his BIRTHDAY too!

Rest well baby. We'll celebrate tomorrow...

Random Rant

That's happy Adam, so you know it's RANT time! I'll try to keep this brief... something I'm sure everyone will appreciate! LOL

Today's topic: People on the MRT (subway)... or should I say, people who annoy me on the MRT!

A lot of things can be said about Singapore's MRT. World class, economical, clean, safe, blah... blah... blah...

I won't argue with any of that, although the six minute wait is a bummer, and the sometimes sweltering heat in the trains makes my head spin.

What I really don't like are those down-riding escalators. Don't get me wrong. I hate stairs with a vengeance and I totally see the need for these escalators, but I have no desire to linger on them longer than necessary. I mean, their sole purpose is to cart passengers from the train platform to the main floor so they can exit the station and get to their intended destination. Right? You betcha!

Which brings me to today's rant. I HATE people who muscle their way out the trains and rush to escalator, only to hog it and make it difficult for other communters, i.e. ME, who want to get off the bloody thing ASAP!

Today was different. I was not my usual tolerant self. By tolerant I mean merely giving the evil eye to the morons who force their way out of the trains and cut me off at the escalator.

I was running on minimum sleep and in full bitch mode. That's not an excuse, bitchy is my normal mode; ask my friends!, but my filters tend to vanish when I'm tired. Anyway, I was muscled aside by TWO idiots who procceeded to stand side by side on the escalator, blocking the way for anyone (ME!) who wanted a quick ride down...

I was stuck behind those two asses, and they didn't budge even after a polite excuse me. I remember rolling my eyes and sighing... and then the F word escaped my lips. They turned to me with dropped jaws and a path immediately cleared. That was bloody effective; they were too shocked to react, and by the time they gathered their wits about them, I was long gone!

Three burning questions:

Do I have to swear everytime I need the path cleared?

More importantly, should I try this again tomorrow?

And does anyone believe I was just singing Lily Allen's very amusing song?

Epic Night@Work!

This picture was reportedly taken during the Time For Miracles video shoot!

What was shaping up to be an uneventful *ahem* dull night at work took a dramatic change when I logged into Twitter via my iPhone to find out that a snippet of Adam Lambert's new song from the film 2012 was streaming on the Amazon UK site! Whoohoo!

That was VERY welcome news to Glamberts all around the world, and I was totally jazzed... until I found out I couldn't get it to stream on my phone! Bloody HELL! I was squirming in my chair, trying desperately not to just get up and go home; or at least to the nearest place with WiFi! I kid you not.

But my boss wouldn't have been impressed had I gone AWOL. It was also 4am in the morning, and with no car or public transport, it would be a miracle if I had gotten anywhere before sunrise!

But then, a light-bulb went off in my head and I thought... youtube! Within seconds, an angel sang to me, for all of thirty seconds! It was both too much and not enough. But I wanted more.  I wanted to hear it all!!!

After more than a dozen listens, I returned to Twitter and discovered there was a longer clip out in cyberspace; this one was the promotional video for the movie/song. Like before, the original link wouldn't play on my phone, so it was back to youtube and there it was! And I was BLOWN AWAY!

Time For Miracles rocks!

I finally got home -- bus rides have NEVER been so long! -- and managed to download the clips into my phone! Now I can watch the clips and listen to the song whenever the mood strikes me, which should be all day everyday until the actual song is released on 25th October!

I'm now plotting how to get my paws on Time For Miracles when it's released on Amazon UK in 15 days. I have a plan... and I've already put phase one into action. Wish me luck!

Off to bed now. Shadow is grumpy. Not sure I can sleep though. Guess what song is on repeat in my head?? And no... you don't win a prize if you guess right!

Let Sleeping Dachshunds Lie!

OMG! Aren't they just the cutest pups you've ever seen!!

 

 DoMo Toh

 

Cloudy Low

 Shadow Tan

A New Start

 

Picture by talented fantasy artist bluestheword. Find her stuff here:http://bluestheword.deviantart.com/gallery/ 

This is another piece of ABVH fan fiction I wrote, but this one does NOT take place in the Anita Blake universe. I lost interest in the books when Anita started collecting boyfriends, so I re-imagined the story by removing the main character, and placing my favourite vampires in the spotlight. This story is a prelude to my very long, and still incomplete piece, Marguerite. I'm really inspired to finish it now! 

A New Start 

"Do you love me?" It's an almost inaudible whisper in the darkness, but thanks to heightened sense, Asher hears every word.

"I always have, cher..." he answers honestly as he gathers the raven-haired vampire into his arms. Jean-Claude and Asher are in the Master's private chambers. Everyone else has been ordered to stay away and Jason is just outside, standing guard with specific instructions they are not to be disturbed this night. But the two vampires are not doing anything naughty or fun. Quite the opposite.

Jean-Claude is trembling, his beautiful pale face stained with blood tears. He’s been crying for hours, his fragile heart broken yet again by Anita. Asher was very upset himself when The Executioner arrived at the Circus early this evening and dropped the bombshell, but Jean-Claude was devastated. His worst fear had come true. His Anita was gone.

Her timing couldn't have been worse. Jean-Claude had planned a surprise birthday party for his ma petite, scheduled for this very night. His living room had been beautifully and lavishly decorated, the ridiculously expensive gifts had been purchased, the delectable food prepared, and all the guests invited.

Every preternatural being in St Louis had received an invitation in the last week and no one had turned it down. It was going to be a fabulous celebration; an elaborate show of Jean-Claude's dedication and commitment to his lover and human servant. He had spent months arranging it, making sure every detail was nailed down perfectly for Anita, the woman he loved dearly... the woman who destroyed him with three small words.

"I'm leaving you." That was all she said. And then she left, arm-in-arm with Micah and Nathaniel. There were no explanations, but Jean-Claude really didn't need one. He just stood there, staring at the door through which she exited, as if he were expecting to her to stroll back into the room with a smile on her face, saying it was all a joke.

It breaks Asher's heart to see Jean-Claude in so much pain and the blond vampire refuses to dwell on his own feelings regarding Anita's departure. He will deal with them later. For tonight, he will be here for Jean-Claude. To hold him; comfort him... to be whatever he needs.

Asher waits for his cue. But Jean-Claude does not move for hours, a beautiful pale statue with very sad eyes. And then after a long while, he blinks, and tears stream down his face. When Asher moves to hug him, the dark-haired vampire collapses in his arms.

"She will return to you, Jean-Claude..." Asher says softly, not believing it for a second, but wanting so badly to comfort his best friend and former lover. Asher had only recently realised he still loved Jean-Claude madly despite everything that has transpired between them. He had never really stopped loving him, but pride and anger buried those feelings so deep in his heart he wasn't even aware they were still there!

But he was too late. When they were thrown back together by the Council, Jean-Claude was already in love with another and Anita would not permit them to take such liberties with each other any longer. It was one of her many rules. Asher respected that, so he kept his feelings locked down and never openly pursued Jean-Claude.

Asher passed his time living for the all too brief moments they shared together... with Anita. But how he yearned to taste Jean-Claude for himself once again! Perhaps now that Anita is gone, Jean-Claude would be more receptive. Perhaps…

"You do not really think that," Jean-Claude says, shaking his head sorrowfully, his usually wonderful voice hoarse from crying. "I believe this time she is gone for good."

He closes his eyes and tries to get a hold of himself. He is the Master of the City and weaknesses such as these are not tolerated. Who could respect him if they see him crying his eyes out over a woman? Jean-Claude knows he needs to get a grip. Emotions like these can, and will be, his undoing. And with Anita gone, he has nothing left except his position in the preternatural community. He must be stronger than this, but the pain in his heart is more than he can bear.

Somewhere in the back of Jean-Claude's mind, he KNEW she would leave him one day. Running away was always Anita's solution when things become too complicated. And things WERE getting harder… for all of them. The combined power of their triumvirate was threatening to overwhelm her and she resented having Jean-Claude and Richard inside her all the time. It made it more difficult for her to hide things from them.

Her other men were also becoming more demanding. Micah finally found his spine and insisted she return to the home they shared every night. There were to be no more sleepovers at the Circus.

Jean-Claude and Asher were not happy with this new arrangement, and argued strongly against it, but Anita's mind was made up. She began pulling away from them after that. Things were never the same and her visits to the Circus became less frequent and she never stayed longer than it took to satisfy her ardeur.

Jean-Claude knew something was going on in her head; she had been distracted for a long time, so he gave her plenty of space to work things out for herself. He retreated from her mind and waited for Anita to come back to him like she always did. He never imagined she would leave without talking to him first.

And then there was Asher. His temoin was demanding more alone time with him, and to be perfectly honest, Jean-Claude was equally eager to have the blond back in his bed. Especially now, since Anita was avoiding them. But what could he do? He knew she would bolt the instant he and Asher made love and Jean-Claude did not want that to happen.

Despite all their problems, he still loved Anita with all his heart, and was content to wait for her to lift her restrictions regarding Asher and himself. He had no doubts she would eventually agree.

Asher was not so patient. They would argue about this constantly and Jean-Claude knew it was a matter of time before the blond decided he would wait no longer. He dreaded the day he would have to choose between his mon chardonneret and his ma petite. But that day would never come; Anita had made that decision for him.

Asher's tight embrace brings Jean-Claude back to the present. He wills his body to stop trembling, but fails. He sighs deeply, not really understanding why his body betrays him. Regaining control should not be this difficult. After all, he had spent much of his undead life learning control, keeping that blank face on in spite of everything. But Anita's decision to leave is a huge blow and it all but shredded his heart. So here, in the privacy of his own rooms, Jean-Claude allows himself to break down, leaning on Asher. But there are no more tears. Jean-Claude is all cried out.

Asher continues to hold Jean-Claude, not knowing what else to do or say. He has comforted Jean-Claude many times in the past; they were both much abused and sought solace in each other's arms, but never because of something like this. This is different.

Asher cannot remember the last time a woman left Jean-Claude of her own free will. He doubts it has ever happened. For centuries they had loved them and left them, men and women both, never thinking about the consequences. Their dark Mistress would decide when each 'relationship' ended, but they knew the other would be there when their duty was over.

And Asher will be here for Jean-Claude now. He hopes it will be enough, but knows from experience it may not be. After all, Jean-Claude wasn't enough for him when Julianna passed. No! He will NOT think about his Julianna. Jean-Claude is the one who needs him now. Asher is so lost in his own thoughts he does not notice the other vampire has gone still in his arms.

Jean-Claude shrugs out of Asher’s embrace and looks searchingly into his temoin’s face. Asher flinches under the intense scrutiny and shakes his head, allowing his golden locks to obscure the right side of his face, covering the burn scars there. Jean-Claude pushes the hair back and looks into Asher’s eyes.

“I am being selfish. She left you as well. I am sorry.” He leans his head on Asher’s chest, still trembling ever so slightly. A wave of anger comes over Asher. He cannot bear to see Jean-Claude like this. He curses Anita.

"I hate her," he declares, venom dripping from his voice. He still cannot believe she is gone. Everything was normal yesterday. The three of them had gone on a date and had a very pleasurable time in bed after. For the first time in a long time, there were no arguments. It was like it had been when they first forged their ménage a trois.

Asher was happy again for the first time in centuries. He was alive, safe, hopelessly in love, and in the arms of two people who loved him back. He should have known it wouldn't last. It never did. It is their curse, his and Jean-Claude's... love is their weakness, it always has been. And these emotional wounds take so long to heal. Some never do. Nobody knows this better than Asher. He is still bleeding inside from Julianna's loss... and now Anita is gone. He fears Jean-Claude may never recover.

"That is not the truth and we both know it. You love her as much as I do." Jean-Claude speaks softly, each word a tortured whisper. "I knew this would happen; that it was only a matter of time... Why else would she keep refusing to take the fourth mark? But Anita was with me so long, I deluded myself into believing her love for me was genuine and she would stay with me forever. I am a fool..."

Asher looks at him sadly. It is painful for him to see the other vampire so distraught, it brings back terrible memories. The last time Jean-Claude was so broken was when Asher cast him out his life; after Jean-Claude had saved him, and then sold himself to heal him.

"Do not think of those times, mon amour..." Jean-Claude looks into Asher's eyes, a lone tear sliding down his perfect pale cheek, but the blond looks away, the guilt still eating at him. Jean-Claude reaches out to Asher, but his second moves away from the bed. "Asher...?"

"Why did you do that for me... after everything I have done to you, everything I said?" Asher shakes his head. "I… I hated you, Jean-Claude. I tried to get Belle to kill you. Why would you want me with you now?" Jean-Claude watches Asher pace the room, getting more agitated with each stride.

“Do you not know?” Jean-Claude asks softly. Merde! How could Asher not know? After all this time, does the blond vampire still doubt his love for him? The Master of the City wonders, not for the first time, why he is drawn to people with severe emotional problems. The other two-thirds of his triumvirate, Anita and Richard, certainly possess enough baggage to sink a ship, and Asher... well he was never the same after the loss of Julianna and the scars. But Jean-Claude loves them all. Even the Ulfric.

“Non. I will never understand how you can forgive me. You were there, Jean-Claude, you know the things I did…I may never have tortured you myself, but I was always there, watching, happy to see you being raped and beaten, laughing at your suffering...” Jean-Claude takes a deep breath, shakes his head and closes his eyes. He is not ready for this conversation, certainly not tonight of all nights.

“I never blamed you for any of that. You were not yourself, mon chardonneret,” Asher stills when he hears those last two words. It is an ancient pet name he never thought he would hear again, at least not from Jean-Claude's lips. Overwhelmed, Asher begins crying silently.

“Mon chardonneret,” Jean-Claude whispers. “I loved you then… I love you now and I will love you always. Why is that so difficult for you to comprehend?" He hugs Asher and places a gentle kiss on his lips. Asher returns the kiss with a passionate one of his own, imprisoning Jean-Claude to his chest as his tongue does a slow exploration of the Master of the City's mouth. Asher has missed this closeness.

Jean-Claude stiffens for a moment, and then relaxes in Asher's embrace. For the first time since their reconciliation, the raven-haired Master does not shy away from Asher, giving the other vampire permission to do whatever he pleases. And Asher doesn't waste this opportunity. He's been waiting so long for this, for Jean-Claude's surrender.

Jean-Claude moans into Asher's mouth, his eyes fluttering close as Asher pushes him roughly back onto the bed and climbs on top of him, their lips still sealed together. After holding that kiss for longer than humanly possible, Jean-Claude gently pushes Asher away and sits up. Jean-Claude smiles as his tongue slips out to taste Asher’s flavour on his lips. Asher's heart melts. It's been an eternity since that smile had been directed at him, and only him.

"Mon amour, I had forgotten how wonderful your kisses are..." Asher whispers breathily, reaching for Jean-Claude and finding him hard and ready. He caresses him and smiles seductively when Jean-Claude collapses back onto the bed, his body trembling invitingly.

"Oui. I made myself forget. I had no choice. I have missed you terribly." The dark-haired vampire moans loudly as Asher continues to stroke him through all that leather.

"Mon chardonneret! You will be the death of me!" Jean-Claude laughs shakily as moves away from Asher's wandering hands but continues to gaze at him longingly. He removes his shirt, and then slowly peels off his leather pants, swaying to music only he can hear.

Asher watches him hungrily as inch by inch of flawless alabaster skin is revealed. When he is nude, Jean-Claude chuckles and does a little spin, showing Asher everything he has to offer. When he turns back around, his face is serious again.

"Anita is gone, but we will survive. It will not be like before. Now we have each other..." With these whispered words, Jean-Claude turns and heads towards the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Asher asks, sounding slightly panicked as he leaps off the bed after Jean-Claude. He pulls his Master to him once again and devours the smaller vampire in another hungry kiss. Jean-Claude chuckles, untangles himself from Asher's strong embrace and then rips the shirt off the blonds’ body. Another strong tug and Asher's jeans and underwear are gone. Jean-Claude licks a line down Asher's quivering body, pausing just before his throbbing member.

"To have a bath, mon chardonneret... Would you care to join me?" Jean-Claude's eyes are sparkling sapphire jewels, shining with arousal. Asher recognises that look and goes willingly to his Master. Jean-Claude grabs Asher and pulls him into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind them. The water doesn't start running for a very very long time...

Because One Dachshund Is Simply Not Enough!

Shadow

 

 Cloudy

Dodo

Momo

Shadow again!

Remembering Dan Fogelberg

I finally got my copy of Dan Fogelberg's final CD, Love In Time.

It's a bittersweet occasion. While I'm always thrilled to get my hands on new material by him, I can't help but be a little sad to know that this is probably the LAST album of new songs he will ever release.

Dan passed away last December and I was devastated when I heard the news. I knew he was ill, but I didn't know he had so little time left.

I've loved him since the early 80s, but I joined the party late. By the time I heard my first Fogelberg tune, Run For The Roses, Dan already had quite a number of hits and six albums under his belt. But that didn't stop me. I trolled record stores -- CDs didn't exist then -- looking for his albums. I didn't manage to find all of them at first, but I eventually met a record store guy who was willing to import the albums for me. I didn't care what they cost, I was THAT obsessed! I spent all my allowance on Dan and never regretted it. My turntables are dead now, but I STILL have those records! 

Vinyl gave way to CDs and I'm proud to say I have his entire discography, including the Laser Disc, which is also extinct, AND the DVD of Dan Fogelberg Live: Greetings From The West. That DVD is my prized possession, and I have always harboured a desire to see him perform live. But that was not to be, and is one of my greatest regrets.

I LOVE his new CD. It's vintage Fogelberg, and Dan rips through musical boundaries seemlessly as only he can. It doesn't matter which of his musical styles you prefer, they're ALL here in this album. Personally, I love the way he's able to tell a story in every song; he always engages the listener, and THAT is his true genius.

Dan wrote all the songs save two, played all the instruments and did all the vocals. And he has never sounded better. It's hard to believe that he was sick when he put it all together.

I got a little emotional when I listened to Love In Time this afternoon, and I was sniffling shamelessly when the final strains faded out. The last song, Birds, is so beautiful and a fitting close to a wonderful album.

The world of music will never be the same without him, but heaven has gained an angel. My heart goes out to his family. 

RIP, Dan Fogelberg. I'll miss you...

Woweeee!

When I see something like this, and after I pick myself up off the floor!, I wish I had just ONE creative bone in my body. Plus a nifty software to do earth-shattering  graphics, and the ability to use said software!

PS: The actual picture was posted online by the super-talented ADAMGASMIC and can be found here. http://twitpic.com/kci34

Random Rant

Before the rant commences, I need a nice picture to calm me down! And nothing is nicer than a picture of Adam smiling!


*Start of Rant*

 I had everything planned out before I left the house. I'm meticulous, *ahem* anal. I knew what I was going to have for lunch, and what I wanted to pick up for dinner. Subway was on the menu for my evening meal. Easy enough, right? NOT! 

I was jazzed when a Subway opened at White Sands; happily dreaming of cold cuts, melted cheese and personally chosen salad items for lunch, dinner or whatever.

But things are never THAT easy. I'm a night owl, and I usually work the graveyard shift. I typically get of the house at 8.30pm and go scrounge for food! I usually troll Pasir Ris Central for dinner, because that's where the company van picks me up. I work in no man's land; no food, no public transport, no nothing.

Anyway... more often than not these days, I find myself at the Subway outlet at White Sands, and they usually tell me my favourite bread -- Parmesean Oregano -- is unavailable. They close at 10pm, so it's perfectly understandable that they run of stuff by 9.

Over the weekend, I dropped by after work at 8am to sample their breakfast. They didn't have my fave bread -- again -- and this time they told me they bake their bread fresh every morning and the Parmesan Oregano isn't done yet. Also perfectly acceptable.

Which brings me to today.

I arrived at the outlet at two in the afternoon, and not only did they run out of my preferred loaf, they only had two bread choices left! Both of which I imagine would taste awful with my sandwich choice! Plus they were out of roast beef!! How the hell do they run out of stuff so early in the day?? The person who does their procurement must be an idiot! Isn't it part of his/her job to find out what sells and make sure there is enough to last through the day? AARGH!

So I didn't get my sandwich today... which put me in a sucky mood. Man plans... God laughs. So true. I ended up having chicken rice for dinner; a far cry from what I really wanted, but at least I didn't go hungry.

I resolve to get my sandwich tomorrow. Only I won't bank on the Subway at Pasir Ris. I'll get it from Tampines 1. Now that's an outlet that has never disappointed me. Plus the staff is very helpful and efficient. The queue is scary though...

*End of Rant*

A New Toy

I finally got one of those media players today. I hemmed and hawed for two days since I saw it. Not sure why I hesitated. It wasn't too expensive, about 80SGD, considering some of the less useful stuff I've been buying of late! LOL

Anyway, I pounced on it the second I got home. The battery installation for the remote vexed me endlessly. I'm all thumbs when it comes this stuff. I couldn't get the damned batery compartment open, and ended up almost ripping the nail off my thumb. Ouch! My mom came to the rescue -- I'd be totally lost without her -- and after struggling with it for a minute, she managed to get battery compartment to pop out. Good thing the device came with a battery in the box, or I would have been really pissed! It's not like I have those funky little flat round batteries stocked up at home.

Long story short... the device works! YAY! I can now watch my downloaded movies and youtube clips on my TELEVISION! The first movie is cued up. Superman/Batman Public Enemies! Woot! Batman is hot! Later...

Death Takes A Detour

I've decided to post a piece of fan fiction I wrote some time back.

It's set in Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter universe and my imagined events happen during The Killing Dance. It's told from Edward's POV, which was a challenge as Edward wasn't a major character for me.

I don't own anything. I wish I owned Jean-Claude... but that's a different story!

Death Takes a Detour

I told Anita on the phone I would arrive in St Louis tomorrow. I lied. I'm already here, sitting in my black nondescript rental car, watching her back. She's at a party at her lawyer friend Catherine’s house. Her new boyfriend is with her. I snort. Boyfriend. Right. How any human can date that monster is beyond me.

But I suspect Anita may be less than human these days. I warned her not to get too involved with the vampires and shape shifters, but would she listen? No! How else can she explain her OTHER boyfriend? He's dead for God’s sake! Well, I suppose undead is the politically correct term. But I'm not known for being tactful. That's Ted's department.

I shouldn't even be here. I'm supposed to be at a family retreat with Donna and the kids. But this will be more fun. I get to kill things; and if I'm really lucky, I may even be able to take out Anita's boyfriends in the process. Collateral damage. Anita will understand. We are more alike than she knows.

I'll have to make it up to Donna later though. I’m not looking forward to that. She's getting much too clingy and whiny, but I have needs and she lets me do what I please. Plus she and the kids are good cover for my other, less legal but infinitely more interesting, activities. But it’s getting increasingly harder for me to resist putting a bullet between her eyes. That scene she made before I left for St Louis was bad. She's lucky I'll be gone a while.

Anita is finally leaving the party. I wonder what took her so long. She was reasonably freaked when I told her about the contract on her life so I expected her to bolt out of the house immediately. But that woman is always unpredictable. Keeping her alive is going to be a full-time job. I may need some help. Maybe Harley... or Bernardo. But not Olaf. That guy is crazier than I am.

I decide to follow them back to her apartment before I proceed with the rest of my plan. The werewolf is with her so she already has some protection. I don't like preternaturals as a rule, but shape shifters make great cannon fodder.

I trust no one but myself in situations like this, so I won't leave her until she is safely indoors. Besides, I am not looking forward to what comes next; but I can’t put if off any longer... not if I want Anita safe.

The drive to her apartment is uneventful. I don't expect any trouble; only an idiot would try to take her out when she's inside a moving vehicle. Unless they use a bomb… But no one has been near her car since I arrived.

I maintain a safe distance between our cars and neither Anita nor the wolf is aware I am only a few cars behind them. They are too engrossed in their conversation to notice me. I'll have to talk to her about watching her own back. Distractions like this can get her killed!

We reach her apartment building soon enough. It's as familiar to me as my own place. I've blended into the shadows many times in the past waiting for Anita to show up. Everything looks quiet tonight. Even that annoying dog her neighbour has isn't barking. I can’t remember how many times I’ve wanted to shoot that infernal canine! He makes breaking into Anita's apartment more difficult than it has to be. I scan the car park slowly; everything looks clear.

I find a spot where I can watch her apartment. It's dark, but I can see well enough. I need her to be safely inside before I leave for Guilty Pleasures. Just the thought of voluntarily going into Blood Quarter at night makes me nervous. Not that I’ll ever admit it! But tonight, it is necessary.

I’m getting impatient. What's taking them so long? By my calculations, they should have been in the apartment by now. I hope they are not smooching in the hallway. I don’t have time for that!

I squint into the darkness, and then I hear a deafening boom. Shotgun! I reach for my weapon and walk deliberately towards the building. I keep my eyes trained on Anita's apartment and my ears peeled for the slightest noise. And then I hear it; a little pop. It's Anita's gun. I’d recognise that sound anywhere. She’s OK.

However, my relief is short-lived because seconds later, there’s another boom, followed by deathly silence. I sigh unhappily. I’d be so disappointed if that idiot managed to kill her. And with a shotgun! What was he thinking?

I move quickly but stealthily, using the shadows to conceal my approach. Once I’m inside, I plan to head directly for the stairs that will bring me to Anita’s apartment.

I’m almost at the building when I hear two more pops from the Browning. And then the screaming starts and lights come on all over the building. But I am only interested in one apartment. When Anita's lights come on, I see her silhouette moving around, a dark shadow against the curtains. That's something else we have to talk about, but not right now. The police will be here soon and I have a vampire to see before sunrise.

I get the heebie jeebies whenever I drive into the Blood District. I'm well known here; all the monsters fear me. I am Death, their death. I kill them for sport... and for huge amounts of money. You'd think they'd give me a wide berth, but there's always some dead or furry fool who thinks he can get me before I get him.

I drive straight through to Guilty Pleasures, a strip club owned by the Master of the City, head bloodsucker in St Louis. The impossibly well-muscled vampire bouncer lets me through with no argument. Apparently I’m expected.

Once inside the club, my ear drums are assaulted by loud music and screams from lusty women thronging the stage where an almost nude vampire is strutting his stuff. I shake my head incredulously. A vampire strip club. What will they think of next.

I am surprised when a cool hand lightly brushes my arm, but after years of practice and meditation, I am able to remain outwardly calm. This vampire tells me he is Robert, manager of Guilty Pleasures. I study him through narrowed eyes. He looks more like a stripper than a manager.

Robert relieves me of my gun and escorts me to the office in the back. I am not amused by this, but decide to let it go. I did not come here to kill anything; not tonight anyway. The vampire is careless though; he misses the knives hidden in my boots and the wire in my hair. When we reach the office, Robert knocks one time, opens the door for me, and then leaves. I take a deep breath and step inside. Here goes nothing.

"Monsieur Edward. Always a pleasure..." A soft silky voice from deeper in the room makes the hair on my arms stand on end. "And what brings Death to my doorstep?" The voice belongs to Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City of St Louis.

He glides towards me gracefully and stops just in front of me, a small smile on his lips. His face is the usual unreadable mask, but he is obviously waiting for me to make the next move. Don't tell me he wants to shake hands! I ignore him as much as I can. But he is not an easy creature to ignore. His clothes are ridiculous and his hair... the less said about that the better!

"I've come to talk to you about Anita." I say curtly. It’s short and sweet… and maybe a little rude, but I did not come here to make small talk.

"What about ma petite?" That awful nickname makes me cringe. It's bad enough she's dating him, but pet names are not her. I'm surprised she hasn’t killed him for that yet. Anita has a bit of a problem controlling her temper.

"Yes. I have been offered a contract to kill her." The vampire's eyes flash in anger. His blank mask vanishes and is replaced by something that looks a lot like concern. I raise an eyebrow. Is it possible he truly cares about Anita?

A mere second later, his mask is back in place. A regular person would have missed it, but I am a trained observer. The emotions that played briefly across the vampire’s face fascinate me. I’ve never seen a real expression from him before today. Not even when he was near death all those months ago.

When he speaks, his voice is a low and dangerous growl.

"And have you accepted this contract, monsieur?"

"I have come to protect her." He laughs; it’s a sinful sound that makes me shiver. I glare at him and the laughter dies away.

"Why have you come to me then?" He asks mockingly. "Surely you do not need MY help to do that." I almost walk out right then, but the look on his face earlier buys him a little slack. Maybe we can work together on this. I can always kill him later.

"I need information and I don't have time to screw around. They've already tried to kill her once tonight." His mask slips again and worry floods his eyes.

"Is she alright?" He whispers, fear tainting his words. So he DOES care. I was wrong about him... maybe.

"She's fine. She took care of the killer." He smiles softly to himself, clearly proud of Anita. This is bizarre.

"What kind of information?" The abrupt subject change is jarring, but I’m impressed by his ability to see the big picture and not dwell on things he can’t change. The worry in his eyes has been replaced with grim determination, and I know I made the right decision coming to him for help. I have a feeling Jean-Claude will do almost anything to protect Anita.

"I need to know what you plan for your date with Anita tomorrow." His eyes narrow as he considers my request. I hope he's not going to be difficult. There's not enough time for that. Apparently Jean-Claude comes to the same conclusion. He may be a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them.

"I will be escorting ma petite to the opening of Danse Macabre, my newest business venture.” He glides to his desk, picks up a card and hands to me. It’s an invitation to the opening of his new dance club in the heart of Blood Square. All the relevant details are there. I pocket the card and begin asking questions.

"Will there be a crowd?" I hate crowds. It’s almost impossible to find one lone killer in that din.

"Oui. We are expecting a crowd. The press has been invited. The mayor will be in attendance as well." He pauses, and then continues, speaking so quickly and softly I can barely hear him.

"You only need to ensure we reach the club without incident. Once inside, my people will protect her. She will be in your hands again when we leave." He shuts up and lets me think. This is complicated. Why couldn’t they just be going out for dinner?

I run several scenarios through my mind. If it was me, I wouldn't even dream of attacking her in a crowd. Too many things could go wrong. I would hit the car on the way back, when she's more relaxed and her guard is down... But other killers may not be so patient. I know many who would prefer to kill from a distance with a bomb. Which brings me to my next question.

"How will you get there?"

"My limo." Of course he would have one of those. Everything about him is over-the-top, so why would he settle for a mere car when he can have a limo?

“Do you trust your driver?”

“Oui. He is one of my people.” That’s good enough. For now.

"I want to check the car before you leave." He nods. “That’s it then. I have everything I need.”

"It is very late, monsieur; will you require accommodations for the night? There are several guest rooms at the Circus." Is he joking? Death having a sleepover in the Circus of the Damned? Has the Master of the City gone insane?

"I'll be fine. Are you worried about me?"

"Non. In truth, I am worried for my people." He says with a chuckle as I turn to leave.

"Monsieur?" I turn back. "Promise me no harm will come to her." His voice is calm, but there is turmoil in his eyes and his face is suddenly vulnerable.

"I promise to do my best."

"Under the circumstances, that is the best I can hope for. Merci. If there is anything else you need…"

“I’ll ask.” He turns to go back to his desk.

"Jean-Claude?"

"Oui?" I surprise both of us by sticking out my right hand. He looks at it for a moment, and then shakes it. His palm is warm and his grip is firm. I'm glad he doesn't try to crush my hand, or I would have to kill him.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." He nods and I leave, closing the door softly behind me.