estara: (Default)



#mylivejournal #lj18 #happybirthday



As most of my friends list is emigrating. I'm more on tumblr and somewhat on Goodreads these days, but regularly in ESO (except currently, cause I'm playing ME:A and I can't handle two in-depth games at the same time any more).
estara: (Default)
This year really saw me switching my daily interactions to tumblr (estaraswanberg.tumblr.com), although I still regularly read my friends pages. I hope you have had as good a year as was possible this year and I wish for peace and health for everyone, especially the friends who have kept me sane here repeatedly over the years.

My depression is better than it was last year, let's see how that goes. Please all be safe and well.
frohe-weihnachten_halfsize
estara: (Default)
fröhlicheweihnachten50
I was just reading through last year's Christmas post and I can say roughly the same ^^. The only thing I have to mention is that I'm changing ISPs and because of how gloriously that works in Germany, I should not be able to reach the internet from December 27th to January 11th, best case scenario (i.e. the technician actually shows up).

As always, your posts put my life into perspective and open new interesting vistas. I hope everyone has a peaceful and content holiday, whether they celebrate Christmas or not ^^ - and a healthy New Year!

NeuesJahr75

Found these pics on the flickr stream of Baylor University, Texas ^^
estara: (Default)
It was a heck of a year at the job, worse than 2013, and I got into a depression because of it (although that has built up over the previous years and is one of the reasons I stopped reviewing on Goodreads in June 2013) - however I'm finally taking steps to deal with it openly. Financially there's no alternative equivalent to this job.

Healthwise was fairly ok. My trip to London for Loncon 3 was an amazing and perfect gift of a trip which shines a beacon. My family is fairly ok healthwise themselves - bar the age of my parents.

I read all your posts every day, as I always do and you help keep things in perspective, so I'm wishing you all a Merry Christmas or a Peaceful time of the year depending on whether you celebrate.

I should be back at my PC on the 27th.
estara: (Default)
2013-happy-new-year

The old one may have ended in a severe cold, but then "the only way is up" as Yazz used to sing ^^. Thank you for all your amazing posts and conversations and support when I needed it, I hope I can do the same for you again (although not posts, I guess - Goodreads and my book reviews are totally fulfilling my posting desire), as well.
estara: (Default)
Okay, this is so brilliantly an ode to Chuck Norris and at the same time taking the mickey out of Uma Thurman's character in Kill Bill, Rambo, Facebook, Terminator, Superman, Kung Fu Panda, Steven Seagal, Bruce Lee, Hong Kong martial arts movies AND the song "Moves like Jagger" - all in Hungarian that I really advise all the people who get updates from my LJ (who aren't that many, heh) to watch the youtube video at Valkyriesailor's LJ (our resident Hungarian).

Especially good should you need a grin today ^^.
http://valkyriesailor.livejournal.com/602199.html

No previous knowledge of Hungarian is necessary to enjoy the show.
estara: (Default)
On GoodReads, though, guys, because it's too hard to keep juggling various commenters on various sites. Here's the info:

There's a paperback giveaway on GoodReads officially, but I want to spread the joy via Smashwords (which offers drm-free versions for any reader and allows gifting) and sponsor one lucky ebook reader to read this fun book for free.

If you write a review that's nice, but I won't even ask for that, I just want more awareness for this fun scifi fantasy apocalpyse.

How to take part:
- Comment on my GoodReads status update until Wednesday, 3rd

- I'll close the competition around 7 pm my time and use one of those random comment drawing things on the net to pick one of the commenters (I'll obviously count the comments first ^^)

- Then I'll message you and you tell me your e-mail and I send the gift link to the e-mail you tell me.

Void were prohibited. Always wear a hard hat on a building site. Keep calm and carry on.
estara: (Default)
On this World Book Day, help Judith Tarr get her newest novel co-op published at Book View Café! For a Kickstarter donation of $5 you get the finished ebook (various formats), that's a bargain for a novel and Book View Café sells worldwide via Paypal - and anyone who can use Amazon Payments can support Kickstarter!

If you haven't read her yet, how come? She's the goddess of historically based fantasy (especially where horses are concerned).

Read more )
estara: (Default)
And I have a British edition of Code Name Verity up for grabs! It only comes out in the US in May and as a hardcover at that. The book is here, the signed bookplate by Elizabeth Wein to be inserted is here, too!

Help a good cause!
estara: (Default)
So Booksmuggler Ana gave Code Name Verity a perfect ten and made my day this Friday (it had been one of THOSE days at school) and then I read on various LJs that con-or-bust was just starting again for this year (and admin Kate Nepveu pointed out that they hadn't had as many offers as they usually do).

I've bid and won there before, but I've also wanted to offer a post of my own - my usual problem is that I have some nice used books, but what with all the new and signed books offered that is not very tempting (and the real rarities are so heavy they would cost an arm to send to the US).

Since E.Wein has hinted at sending me an autographed copy of CNV, I've decided to put my just arrived, unread copy of the UK paperback up for auction. This way people outside the UK get the book months early and hopefully I get a few more bids to raise a bit more money for Con-or-Bust. I have a huge link bonanza here about the book and reviews of it.

I even have a bid already ^^, but hope to sell a bit higher than that.
estara: (Default)
Considering I really hinted, nagged and mentioned on blog and email, Booksmuggler Ana was really patient with my insistence on her reading CNV (but then I had read reviews of hers of books with similar tropes - good and bad: female pilots - World War II - spies; come to think of it I think the nearest book in this vein had been a disappointment) - but I was SO SURE she would love it that I put my money where my mouth is and sent her a copy via Bookdepository (when stupid Amazon.co.uk cancelled the preorders - Ana lives in the UK), even though we had taken steps to organise a possibility for her to read the book in time for the release week already (*shifty eyes*).

She gave it a perfect 10, called it one of the Top Ten of the Year books and thanked Chachic (who is a renowned Book Blogger herself - just have a look at her incredible Queen's Thief week this year and the star-studded posts and comments) and me for convincing her to try it (so now I'm back to crossing my fingers she'll get into Gen-in-Ethiopia, too ^^).

There's more to read and a possible Book Depository offer after the cut )
estara: (Default)
A shout-out to all the people I'd been trying (by leaving mysterious hints about female friendship, female pilot in WWII and lots of tissues needed) to convince to eventually read Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity - on a thread of Rachel Manija's, I remember, and wherever else...

Code Name Verity

And may I just give you a further impulse to buy it - especially if you want to know my real life name ^^ - Elizabeth Wein was kind enough to mention my checking her German in the Afterword of the book (and very graciously overlooked the ages it took me to nerve myself up to read a book where Nazi Gestapo tortures one of the heroines: I'm very grateful that they weren't turned into caricature monsters, but remained humans - having made/making some very bad choices and perpetrating horrors onto others).
estara: (Default)
There's a new blog post linked at my link aggregation page for the book ^^

This is shout-out to all the people I'd been trying (by leaving mysterious hints about female friendship, female pilot in WWII and lots of tissues needed) to convince to eventually read Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity - on a thread of Rachel Manija's, I remember, and wherever else...

Code Name Verity
estara: (Default)
A shout-out to all the people I'd been trying (by leaving mysterious hints about female friendship, female pilot in WWII and lots of tissues needed) to convince to eventually read Elizabeth Wein's Code Name Verity - on a thread of Rachel Manija's, I remember, and wherever else...

Code Name Verity

Don't worry - I'll only be doing this until February 10th (when the blog tour ends)

Read more )
estara: (Default)
In 2012, estara resolves to...
Overcome my secret fear of dark ages.
Apply for a new rpg.
Tell my family about books.
Find a better anime.
Volunteer to spend time with shadowservers.
Take evening classes in manga.
Get your own New Year's Resolutions:


I thought it fit quite a bit ^^. LJ only, by the way.
estara: (Default)
I'm so thankful for my online friends and acquaintances in 2011. Your posts always were great distractions, sometimes were fascinating new ideas and discoveries and occasionally real emotional help and succor.

This was the year that I really used GoodReads to the max and got my reading groove back - and mostly managed to write something about every book I'd read. Apart from comments I haven't written so much regularly since... 2007? At least?

Here's some creative stuff that I really enjoyed on the internet this year:
estara: (Default)
I should be back before New Years, but I am off to my parents today and I know that my mum expects me to help her out with my little niece staying over for a bit - which is no hardship ^^.

I hope you all have a peaceful holiday and if YOU should be offline until after the New Year, a very Healthy New Year to you all.

I would especially like to thank the people who listened to me this March with my mum's major illness. You really were a valve to release pressure with your kind thoughts.
estara: (Default)
Originally posted by [livejournal.com profile] write_light at BAD Internet Laws Heading Your Way

Via Sharon Lee, author of the Liaden Universe: 



Spread the word, even you're not a US citizen, it is important for everyone!! It easy to do and it can change everything. More info by clicking on the banner.

Website Blocking

The government can order service providers to block websites for infringing links posted by any users.

Risk of Jail for Ordinary Users

It becomes a felony with a potential 5 year sentence to stream a copyrighted work that would cost more than $2,500 to license, even if you are a totally noncommercial user, e.g. singing a pop song on Facebook.

Chaos for the Internet

Thousands of sites that are legal under the DMCA would face new legal threats. People trying to keep the internet more secure wouldn't be able to rely on the integrity of the DNS system.


Read this analysis from boing-boing.net

Get on the phone and call your representative. Express your disapproval. Tell him or her exactly how you feel, and that you don't support this. Tell your friends to call their representatives, their Congressperson, and complain. Mention that you are a registered voter that takes your civic responsibility seriously and that you will use that vote to express your feelings about this.

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_60/Internet-Companies-Boost-Hill-Lobbying-210345-1.html?pos=olobh

“We support the bill’s stated goals — providing additional enforcement tools to combat foreign ‘rogue’ websites that are dedicated to copyright infringement or counterfeiting,” the Internet companies wrote in Tuesday’s letter. “Unfortunately, the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action and technology mandates that would require monitoring of websites.”  The chamber-led coalition in support of the bill includes Walmart, Eli Lilly & Co. and Netflix.

Google and other opponents of the legislation argue that restricting the Internet in the U.S. sets a bad international precedent and that the language defines infringing too broadly.

estara: (Default)
You can do it! May you have lots of fun with your rats ^^

April 2017

S M T W T F S
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526 272829
30      

Syndicate

RSS Atom

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 5th, 2025 11:13 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios