hmpf

So... went to bed... tried to go to sleep for several hours... failed thoroughly.

So I got back up again and switched on the computer. And took a look at my collected icons. And while it can't be denied that most of them (while often based on a nice idea) look like crap, I actually - wonder of wonders! - sort of like most of my LoM ones. True, they're not *really* good. But they look better than the rest of my icons, and, what's more, I *really* like most of the ideas. So I'm going to do the self-indulgent thing and talk about them for a moment!

(BTW, still didn't get around to catching up at all, despite my statement of intention last week. Sorry. Partly I was just crazy busy; and the time I did not spend being busy I spent in a frenzy of creativity. More on that later. Nope, not fic, not yet, sorry.)

Of course, among my LoM icons there are some that now leave a bitter aftertaste in my mouth - the ones I made, naively, well before the end of the show. For example, this I simply can't use anymore, though in aesthetic terms it's probably still the most effective of them all:

Using that icon would feel too much like an endorsement of 2.08. And the same goes for this one:

Which brings us to my main area of productivity in LoM icon making: 2.08 snark icons. I think my first snark icon was probably the one I made using a quote by

selenak:

But the modified version of the 'alive' icon followed soon:

Of course, for a while, immediately after 2.08, I couldn't use that, because it was too spoilery. And then, sadly, I came up with an even better one, and, having only very limited icon slots here at LJ, and plenty of fandoms, the other one then took pride of place, so the 'alive (not)' icon never really got its moment in the sun. Awwwww.

This is the 'better one' I'm talking about; readers of this LJ know it well, of course:

There's also a subtler, non-animated version:

The above-cited limit on the number of icons is also the reason I never really used this nicely understated icon, although I still really like it:

Maybe I should switch to that as my main LoM/2.08 icon now? I think it's nicely simple and effective, and fits my more 'settled' mood two and a half years after the fact...

Of course, I couldn't ignore the opportunity to snark at Sam in German as well:

("merkbefreit" means something like: "officially entitled not to understand certain things", in other words, it means someone is being - maybe selectively - stupid.)

Not really snark-motivated, but also related to the post-2.08 situation was the creation of this icon:

Obviously, it mainly refers to Sam's oh-so-delicious-to-an-angst-junkie outsider position - but it also comments oh-so-metaish on my own situation in the fandom after 2.08. Heh.

Right. And this icon allows me to segue into less controversial realms: I'm a card-carrying angst junkie, so of course I needed a Life on Mars angst icon - this is another one that visitors of this LJ know well; with the 6-icon limit on free accounts, it also doubles as my general angst icon. It uses an atrocious font - don't ask me what I was thinking; I must have been high. On angst, natch. - I should probably remake it, but I can't really be bothered... I love it as it is, like an ugly baby.

I still think that's a pretty funny icon, and maybe a funny icon doesn't need to be pretty quite as much as one that's supposed to move you. Maybe?

Also vaguely angsty, plus - unusual for me! - shippy (Sam/Maya, which I've always found vaguely intriguing):

I just love that moment. *is tempted to insert long rambling explanation why, then considers the time and decides against it*

And, lastly, how could we forget weirdface Sam? He needs no introduction or commentary, really - a picture, or a short animation in this case, says more than a thousand words, doesn't it?

And that's my LoM icons. In the unlikely case that any of them should strike someone's fancy, feel free to use them - I can't really use most of them myself, and it would be nice if they were used by someone, even if it can't be me! :-) Credit's nice but not necessary.

Oh, and if you'd like to remake any of these, feel free to do so also - but in that case, I would like to see (and be allowed to use, if I so please) the result! ;-)

(ETA: If it's the "Stay" or "Alive" icons you would like to use: please don't credit me... ;-))