sundries

[rm]

It's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Good news. Dogboy & Justine was one of the top vote-getters in Act Five: One Acts and so will be performed along with the other top plays from Jan 20 - Jan 23 at 8pm (and with an additional 3:30pm show on Jan 23). I get to see it. You can do, by visiting The Queens' Players.

So I'm working on this Jack/Alonso fic and I know exactly what every moment of it looks like in my head. EXACTLY. And I tried to write it last night, and it sucked and I know why. For some idiotic reason I tried to write it from Alonso's perspective. Why the fuck would I, of all people, who is deeply interested in Jack's dilemma and can write his voice without even thinking about it do that? Oh, because I'm avoiding pain. I'm an idiot. I'm going to take another stab at it tonight. The rest of the problem, of course, is that there are fics I can do (like that Jack/Ianto/Andy PWP I did) and be fine with their imperfections and fics where I really, really can't. I've gotta do this one well. I have no idea why I felt the need to put that behind a cut tag, but there you go. I'm having issues. Talk to me.

Torchwood fandom and fandomsecrets actually being awesome for a change. via eumelia.

Merlin 2.09 sucked. First of all, his love for this girl comes out of where? And then she's a cat-bat-weredragon THING? I might have LOVED this if it had been a b-story arc over like four episodes. As it was, I did not care. At all. And it was just further proof to me that about the only thing Merlin has going for it as a show is the chemistry between the actors which often serves to make the scripts make even less sense than they already do.

On the other hand, I enjoyed Merlin 2.10 rather a lot. I felt for Gwen, Arthur was hilarious, Merlin was oddly inscrutable (again with actor chemistry muddying the scripts) and hey it's Georgia Moffett! DESTINY AND CHICKEN.

Then, Patty and I watched the first two episodes of Buffy. I never watched Buffy beyond an odd episode for background noise here or there. I dig it, although I find the high school setting hard to take (I tense up every time Cordelia comes on screen, it's awful) and, as Patty notes "awful '90s fashions." Somehow, I also managed to be all "Giles/Willow 4evah" in like five seconds; this can't end well.

Once we're done with Merlin it's time to finally check out Being Human which I admit is probably all about my "OMG Russell Tovey, please be on TW, S4" thing. Just to circle back to the beginning of this post and all that.

I think I've sort of gotten over this thing about my hair for Gally. My hair is lighter than I think (I just usually put product in it when it's wet to keep it looking darker) especially with how grey I feel it got on the cruise. So yeah. I'll probably manage not to do something terrible to it for LA. You all were incredibly good and funny sports about that poll though.

Last night, Patty and I ordered Chocri.

Tonight we're going to Macy's with the gift card from my bank to get one of those featherbed mattress topper things that are so awesome.

Briefly on the whole women/slash/real gay people/fetishization/etc. thing: I realize that to me the issue isn't about who is writing what how AT ALL. It's about what people think said writing means, and I am someone who thinks writing can be profoundly meaningful. However, being a slasher is not gay activism by default (just like being gay doesn't make you a hero by default -- we've discussed this before, fandom), and if you say that, I will holler. I will similarly holler -- and very, very loudly -- if you think it's appropriate as a non-queer person to "explain" the practical realities of homophobia to a queer person. And that's not about queer cred, that's about common sense. I don't care how well you can imagine my shoes; I'm still the person wearing them.

Wyclef Jean responds to allegations about his charity, Yele.

The Plaza as New York's Gilded Age continues to fade.

Comments

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

For some idiotic reason I tried to write it from Alonso's perspective. Why the fuck would I, of all people, who is deeply interested in Jack's dilemma and can write his voice without even thinking about it do that?

Because it hasn't been done yet? :D That is an excellent reason to do it.

I love this idea. What must Jack seem like to someone who's just met him. And who's been told he can read minds?(!)

Semi non-sequitur: I think I might go blonde. Or red. Because why not? My eyebrows can go hang.

[rm.livejournal.com]

It is interesting, and I do think I worked up an interesting voice, but it's not the story I'm trying to tell (or the one I should be telling or need to tell or whatever). Right now, there's a chance I'm going to either alternate or go for omniscient third, but I have to stop tryign to avoid Jack's misery or the thing isn't going to work.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

I think trying to understand Jack's misery from a perspective that is NOT omniscient is really important, though. Alonso has none of our baggage as viewers and people who know things about Jack or Alice or Ianto or Steven, either.

I'm intrigued by this. Seriously.

[rm.livejournal.com]

One of the key elements in whatever I'm trying to do from whatever perspective I'm trying to do is that Alonso sort of gets it, but doesn't have information and keep anticipating incorrectly.

There's a point where Jack sorta tells him some of it in a highly edited version (because argh, Jack is okay with random sex to take his mind off things or to make himself more miserable or to be sure he doesn't forget how, but he's not okay with having real actual chemistry with someone right now -- or at least at the start of the story) and Alonso sort of cuts him off and is all, "and I'm the first one you've... since...." and Jack in that creepy, unpleasant flat way he can be sometimes says "No. You're just the first one I've liked." You know, and then Alonso feels like an asshole and a kid, when he's not really either. And of course, Jack's not being totally honest AT ALL, but he's really trying to be open to the whole thing, because the Doctor said....

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Jack's not totally honest a LOT. And I think he'd definitely listen to the Doctor, since he's one of the few people who really understands Jack.

Still really intrigued.

[(Anonymous)]

Are we purchasing the house on the Aukai?

[rm.livejournal.com]

I think this wins the sweepstakes for strange/eerie/wtf anonymous comments I have received.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Re: Cordelia - I think she grows more as a character than any other television character I've ever watched. In other words, you won't hate her forever.

Speaking of which, I finally watched The End of Time this weekend. Remember when I first whined about David Tennant as the Doctor? I thought he was too goofy and I wanted Eccleston back? Yeah, so last night I sobbed. Big soggy loud crying that upset the cats.

I knew you'd understand.

[ubixtiz.livejournal.com]

Re: Re: Cordelia - IAWTC

[smirnoffmule.livejournal.com]

Re Cordelia, I agree, rivaled only perhaps by Wesley across the same two shows.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Oh, Buffy! :D

It just gets better and better, I swear!

Looking forward to your Jack/Alonso story, when it comes.

Re - The Slash Debate:
Damn it! I'm not sure in my huge post I managed to put the point you make here across D:
Because that is a huge, important point.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

*weeps* the beautiful run of the secret is over.

I know this is another case of someone on the internet being wrong, but I feel like crying as I read this thread (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomsecrets/419826.html?thread=237934578#t237934578).

[rm.livejournal.com]

PM'ing you

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Did you get a list of what plays made it to the final week? I went both weeks, and I know your play and Tommy O'Reilly got in, but want to know about the others!

Looking forward to Being Human and I agree with the Russell Tovey love!

[sahiya.livejournal.com]

Oh S1 Buffy! I do love it. Buffy's skirts are ridiculous, but her bangs are so cute! And Giles is so very tweedy, except there are moments when he really isn't.

I agree with kathrynrose that Cordelia probably ended up further from her starting point than any character I've ever watched on a TV show. You'd have to watch Angel, though, to see it in full, and I can't really recommend it. But even on Buffy, by the time she leaves at the end of S3, she's gotten much more interesting.

As for the story, I think a story from Alonso's POV would be fascinating, for all the reasons that 51stcenturyfox gave, but if it won't work in that POV, then in my experience nothing will make it do so. Forcing the wrong POV never helped a story be better. In any case, I'm very much looking forward to reading it!

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

The slash debate has pretty much made my skin crawl.

Mostly because it's included this (fantastic crit here), and my discovery of a thing called "girlfags."

I discovered that second thing because someone on my flist "came out" as one. While she does ID as bi, she's part of the phenomenon talked about in the first article.

It's all so icky, I can't even.

[moljn.livejournal.com]

(This isn't about your comment as such, so feel free to ignore. It just seemed like the obvious place to put it, since the post you linked is a week old.)

A couple of the comments in the second link made me wonder if there's a big misconception in this debate that women read slash mainly for titillation. I'm sure some do, but I imagine most, like me, read it first and foremost for the characters and stories, just like those gay men in the comments. Mind you, I love porn too, but it's not the gay sex in itself that does it for me, at least not anymore; the novelty of that wears off pretty quickly.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

There's nothing wrong with enjoying stories of gay romance.

I think the ire comes out when people assume that by reading those things, you're automatically a supporter of LGBT issues and a member of the community. You can be a supporter, and you can be a member of the community, but just by reading gay romance doesn't mean that you are either of those things.

[moljn.livejournal.com]

Absolutely, I agree. And I do think there's a certain "fetishising" of homosexuality going on in fandom (the idealization of it, for instance, which I'd say is largely about misogyny), but the comments made me wonder if the sexual component of that appears much larger to others (non-slashers and non-women slashers) than it actually is, making them more uncomfortable than they'd otherwise be.

And I should mention that I don't mean to diminish or dismiss women's sexuality by saying that, I 'm just not sure it's a major factor in the issue of appropriation. In other words: there's objectification going on, but in most cases I don't think it's sexual objectification.

[malle-babbe.livejournal.com]

RE: you observation of the idealization of M/M relationships as a sign of misogyny.

Do you mean fans trashing female characters that they see as getting in the way of the M/M couple?

I only ask b/c lately I have been wondering if my own interest in reading M/M couples (mostly Torchwood) comes from a presumption (which I *totally* admit is a *presumption* on my part) that a man having sex with another man doesn't view the other guy with the contempt that seems to be present in my own experience wrt the way a guy would view the woman he would be having sex with. In my own experience, the men I have desire for have no interest in me, and the only interest I have experienced from guys is of the creepy cat-caller variety.

[moljn.livejournal.com]

I should probably have said that it often *comes off* as sexism/misogyny, because to be fair I'm sure a lot of it stems from the One True Love trope rather than outright sexism. But yes, kind of. I'm bothered by the trashing of specific women or women in general that is often present in slash that goes out of its way to point out how the men in a pairing have never been this close to a partner before (usually meaning women), how the sex is so much better, how nice it is to finally have someone who's their equal, who can really understand. It's not inherently sexist if it is just that particular person that's special, but a lot of the time it seems like the person's maleness is a big factor.

And I get where you're coming from with your presumption and experiences. I don't share them per se, but one reason (and an oft-cited one for others, I think) I love slash so much is that I can leave a lot of gender issues behind when I read it. They do crop up, as in the case above, but in well-written stuff, at least, it's such a relief to not have them colour the main interactions.

[spicklething.livejournal.com]

Then, Patty and I watched the first two episodes of Buffy. I never watched Buffy beyond an odd episode for background noise here or there.

Come on in! The water is just fine in the Buffypond. Resistance is futile.

Yay! You're watching Buffy \o/

If you can get past high school, they really do grow up. So glad you are giving it a whirl!

[5251962.livejournal.com]

It really is futile. I mocked this show relentlessly when it was actually on. Then caught myself watching one night on a long, boring overnight and was hooked. Buffy, then moved on to Angel, which I liked better, admittedly. But both are seriously addicting. Lol

[spicklething.livejournal.com]

I was completely the same way until I got sucked into a Thanksgiving Day marathon on FX. Prior to that I was, Pffffft, it's Dawson's Creek with fangs.

I'll be the first to admit I was wrong. And it is seriously addicting!

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

It's good water. Even with the creatures that sometimes emerge from that Sunnydale water.

I first got exposed to Buffy through Season 4's final show, a dream episode with a twist and a point. Kind of a mood piece, which the show did several times and did well. Then I saw Season 5 and about half of Season 6 before I wound up without a TV, then years later started from the beginning and got glad I did. I hope you stay glad.

Hey, rm, I hope you can say more about your reaction to Willow and Giles.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Some of it's probably due to time spent in the Snape/Hermione part of HP fandom, but most of what I'm responding to so far is that they are both smart, oddly lost and genial and have similar taste in textiles.

[5251962.livejournal.com]

Wyclef: I don't mean to sound too naive or anything here, but I've seen him talk about his love of Haiti, and how much he cares. The passion he's got is very real, so I dunno about all of these accusations. It's probably a really silly way to look at it, but it's very hard for me to believe.

Merlin: I went to the Merlin hulu page and nothing. Are they going to be posting the episodes like they did last season, do you know?

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

1. YOU'RE WATCHING BUFFY! ♥ ♥ ♥ YAY PATTY! (It gets so much better in S2.)
2. Yes, Being Human rocks.
3. Merlin - HAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA. Isn't Georgia Moffett hilarious? Have you seen the troll one yet? We were like, "bzuh?!" However, we really enjoyed the last two eps. of series 2 a lot, as they gave us some hope of the plot, you know, actually advancing, which is my big issue with the show -- it's so sitcom like that they have to restart/reset character arc at the end of every episode. The Lady of the Lake one -- I was just like, um, whut?! But Arthur being okay with Merlin cross dressing is awesome. Show is ridiculous. But fun!

[rm.livejournal.com]

We have seen the troll episode. We may never recover.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Why do you think they felt it was necessary to point out that GilesUther had sex with the troll. In troll form? I was really puzzled on that point.

Also: omgwtfbbq!

[rm.livejournal.com]

Maybe that was the only concession the show could bother to make to punishing Uther for being a genocidal, hypocritical asshole? I have no idea. We were really boggled.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

Buffy yay!

S2 is immeasurably better than S1, and also midway through goes from way better to OMG AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME. There is, IMHO, one decent episode in S1, and that's "The Pack." So, have fun, but better stuff lies ahead!

[rm.livejournal.com]

I just like Giles and his tweed. He's so young! He's like my age.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

But next season, he gets BADASS! Also, amazing backstory.

He is so young! It's hilarious seeing the scoobies be like "OMG ANCIENT."

[rm.livejournal.com]

He gets backstory? I hadn't dared hope. That's awesome.

[ladyofthelog.livejournal.com]

Giles has the best backstory. Trust me. His backstory also introduces another character with whom he has incredible gay chemistry. I will stop myself now as to save the surprise for you!

[rm.livejournal.com]

I'm really pleased. Giles is fun for me, because so far, he's the guy I would have identified with ten years ago, now I'm just like "cute suit" ;)

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Giles has awesome backstory. And yay for another Willow/Giles shipper! Seasons two and three are the best, IMO.

I watched it in first run and identified with Joyce. My daughter was tiptoing into tweedom, and here is a horror series about the perils of High School, where the monsters are really monsters. But part of me will always be shy, unfashionable, geeky Willow.

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

My Jack/Alonso fic is from Alonso's POV too. I think it's partly that yeah, I'm not ready for Jack's post-CoE head (and honeslty, I don't think I'll like what I find there anyway), but I also find it interesting to play with the discrepancy between the knowledge of the focalising character, and the knowledge of my presumed readers, which is of course, far broader as far as Jack is concerned.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I think I've finally sort of worked myself up to go there, but whether I'll have time today, I'm not sure.

[laufeyette.livejournal.com]

I think the last three episodes of Merlin S.2 are the best of the series so far, so you have those to look forward to. :)

I'll be happy if I never have to see those troll episodes again, though. *shudder*

Buffy!

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Sadly, I have no illuminating fannish opinions.

What kind of Chocri did you order?

[rm.livejournal.com]

milk w/ cinnamon, vanilla & seasalt

milk w/ three types of hot peppers

dark w/ strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

milk w/ ginger, black pepper, cinammon and vanilla.

[kel-reiley.livejournal.com]

re: merlin - OMG IT IS RIDICULOUS! honestly, some of the fic is just so, so much better than the show (and it's the crazy storylines that make it awful b/c the actors are quite good)
i liked the last couple episodes of the series, though

re: being human - check your email :)

re: jack/alonso - i can't WAIT to read your fic :)

[sinonmybody.livejournal.com]

Cordelia becomes completely amazing in Angel. She's actually my second-favorite character in the whole buffyverse. :P

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

That is the most beautiful fandom secret ever. I saved a copy. It's fantastic.

Also, ping me re: Being Human. I may know a guy.