Oh, I forgot about this one.

[valis2]

fernwithy is doing that meme where you say you'll answer any question (within reason).

I forgot how much I like this meme. So go ahead. Ask me a question. Er, I feel the need to qualify this with: I don't know how much time I have tonight, so only ten questions please and thank you; and I might be circumspect in my answers, so as not to give out identifying details.

And behold the new really gold Lion icon.

Comments

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Y'know, this is always one of the questions.

Part one of the answer:

I'm going to cheat and reply with something I wrote before:

The lion has to do with a trip I took to Italy several years ago. I
ended up photographing several lion statues, and I wrote a poem about photographing lion statues, and it just sort of stuck. I don't care about *real* lions at all, honestly, but a lion statue...they intrigue
me. After I wrote that poem I just kept seeing lion statues. People
make symbols out of lions.

I'm not making much sense, but I guess it has to do with all sorts of
feelings I experienced in Italy, thoughts of being a stranger in my
own 'culture' and then being a stranger in an entirely different
culture. There I was, not wanting to do 'tourist'-like things, yet I
couldn't stop myself from taking these pictures of lions (the lion is
the unofficial symbol of Venice & St. Mark's).

Icons on LJ tend to fall into two groups; fandom and non-fandom.
People who are into fandom use lots of fandom-related icons. My
non-fandom friends tend to use pictures of themselves or pop culture
icons. Icon-use fascinates me.

I just wanted to use pictures that I had taken myself. I'm rather
stubborn that way. I didn't want to have to mess around with figuring
out how to credit and such. I just wanted a nice set of icons with a
common theme. I started with the lion and with some grave marker
icons, and then I phased out the grave marker icons when I took more
pics of lion statues and scanned in those pics.

Part Two:

Lion poem I wrote after I came back from Venice (http://valis2.livejournal.com/131916.html)

[blackletter]

I was pretty sure that it was the sort of thing that gets asks a lot. But *I* hadn't heard the story yet.

For me it's arches. I always end up taking lots and lots of pictures of arches wherever I travel. Natural arches, architectural arches...I'm fascinated by the shape, and by the fact that each culture and each era has a different sort of arch. And arches are so liminal; they're almost mystical to me, a doorway between here and there. (Whether "there" is another place or another time or another state of mind.)

Anyway, so I totally relate to the fascination (and compulsive picture taking) of a particular image.

Maybe I need some arch icons.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes! Arch icons! Absolutely. Sometimes I really fall in love with bridges, especially really unusual ones. I always wonder about them, because they're made for practical purposes, yet sometimes the designer will add little touches, scrollwork, etc., and I think, did they sneak it in? or did everyone want it to be pretty?

I think I've been drawn to bridges since reading The Bridge to Terabithia, even though there is no actual bridge in the book. Just the whole demarcation concept is surreal.

Glad you asked about the lions...I'm certain that one or two people were curious as well.

[chrysantza.livejournal.com]

Which Marauder would you date, and which one would you marry? ;)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oooh!!

I'd definitely date Sirius Black...he'd be one hell of a ride, I think.

And I'd marry Lupin, hells yes. Absolutely. Sweet, strong, smart, clever, funny...

[chrysantza.livejournal.com]

Those are exactly the answers I'd give. I'd date Sirius, but I'd marry Remus. In fact, I'd say that Remus (minus the furry little problem, of course) is exactly the kind of man I have in mind as husband material...I'm looking for a real-life Remus Lupin of my own!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I would so not mind a Lupin for a husband. Especially if we could get our cycles synchronized. Oops, TMI.

[chrysantza.livejournal.com]

Bahahaha! I've thought the same thing on a couple of occasions - while Remus is off transforming I could be free to eat Ben and Jerry's straight from the carton and lounge around with my Therma-Care and Advil! The timing could be very useful there...

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

ROFL! hee hee

I would probably date and marry Lupin. I'm a sucker for sweet and quiet book-learnin' guys, and have never developed the taste for bad boys.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

He does seem like a lovely man, doesn't he? He's funny, and quiet, and so in control...rawr.