sundries

[rm]

So, Naperville. We're here. We're about to go downstairs for the free breakfast buffet and then take the shuttle to the train station to go to my wonderful Chicago. Thank you all for your offers of rescue. We may need them on Saturday or Sunday, when this will get more complex (Friday's the wedding). It has utterly warmed my heart after what has been a stressful 24 hours.

Here, have a thing about the first time I came to Chicago.

I am sitting at the desk typing and Patty says, "you look like a naked businessman." She is teh AWESOME.

Over 500 people have answered the poll about cursive writing. I am in awe that you care about this more than vampires and the formal voice and that it's so emotional a subject for people. Really, REALLY, interesting stuff. Thank you for playing.

Last night we did actually catch the very powerful Rachel Maddow/Keith Olberman coverage of our kinda, sorta withdrawal from Iraq.

I have been asked to comment on this guide to menswear related to Inception. Yes, it is good and accurate as a fic-writing guide. Go read it. I have things to add (the OP is quite clear that this is a brief overview, and for a brief overview it's quite long) but will do so later and yes there are simplifications and omissions in there that will make it seem very problematic to people who already have this type of knowledge.

Things that should never have to be news, pt. 1: Muslim prayers welcome at Pentagon chapel.

Things that should never have to be news, pt. 2: Dr. Laura being appallingly racist, and for bonus fail misunderstanding the first Amendment, which does not, in fact, give anyone the right to say anything anywhere at any time to anyone without criticism. I've had that particular chestnut used against me when I ban people for being assholes and it pisses me off. Your right to be an asshole comes with my right to call you on it and not let you be an asshole in my house.

The OUT NYC Gay Resort, which much to my surprise is clear on the L, B and T in LGBT.

Yes, I have seen the character summaries for TW S4 and I am okay with them, because seriously, back of the book copy is usually pretty wack.

In a comment to a post a few days ago, I discovered that at least one of you have not heard of Angels in America (originally a play the HBO miniseries of it was surprisingly excellent). It, and despite my issues with it Rent, and The Laramie Project should all be on your queer cultural literacy list if they are not.

White Collar on Tuesday: need to re-watch because I was in the middle of laundry and missed a few key scenes, and also because I want to do a serious critique of the card playing stuff in it. You will have this soon.

Covert Affairs on Tuesday: It would have been a better, more serious show, if the hit on the aide having the affair had come clearly from the CIA and been successful, because I want Annie to have to deal with bigger murkiness than she has thus far. Hey, don't yell, I liked CoE. That said, AUGGIE! Holy shit that plotline. Also, I stand by my pre-series Auggie/Joan feelings of awesome. Watch this show people, it has just gotten AWESOME.

Hey, today? Ianto Jones would have been 27. No, I didn't know that on my own, tw_gleeclub told me. But, I share, wistfully, because I care.

Comments

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Glad things improved overnight re: Naperville!

Patty is indeed of the awesome, heh.

Dude, I had no idea about Ianto. That makes him a tad younger than me.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I will never forget looking at the memorial at Mermaid Quay and Patty going "He was only a year older than me." CHILLS.

[bethynyc.livejournal.com]

Just a quick note--Angels in America is coming back to Broadway this fall.

Info at Theatermania here (http://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/08-2010/signatures-angels-in-america-revival-extends-throu_29363.html)

And yes, raise a glass to Ianto on his birthday.

[rm.livejournal.com]

THAT IS SO EXCITING (Angels in America). THAT IS SO EXCITING.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

your queer cultural literacy list if they are not.
I'd add "Bent" as well to that.

Wow, "Angels in America", I saw it when it came to television (in 2004) and I was so totally unaware of what it was that I was seeing.
19 seems so far away.

Looking forward to you expanded comments on menswear :)

[rm.livejournal.com]

Bent is awesome, and I think lesser known? It shouldn't be. But I would say it is, if only because I don't see it referenced in casual conversation like the other three. I could make some guesses as to why, but then we'd be depressed.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your feedback re: the menswear guide. Someone on my f-list has decried it as totally off, and of course I know nothing on the subject, so I'm rather clueless on the subject.

Btw, the people at Duchess are very sweet. Thanks for the rec. Next time I'm out in Portland I'll set up an appointment, depending on how finances are.

Things that should never have to be news, pt. 2: Dr. Laura being appallingly racist, and for bonus fail misunderstanding the first Amendment, which does not, in fact, give anyone the right to say anything anywhere at any time to anyone without criticism. I've had that particular chestnut used against me when I ban people for being assholes and it pisses me off. Your right to be an asshole comes with my right to call you on it and not let you be an asshole in my house.

That happens too darn often when people get called on their privilege, doesn't it? I wasn't aware the First Amendment protects one's right to not be criticized for engaging in inappropriate behavior.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Someone on my f-list has decried it as totally off, and of course I know nothing on the subject, so I'm rather clueless on the subject.

There are things that are simplified in a way as to make them technically wrong, but as a guide for fic writing it's totally fine and better than what a lot fic writers are doing, even if it's quite different than how I would handle things. I'm going to try to get into some of the nitty gritty of it later, but not sure when.

I also don't necessarily agree with the OP's brand assessments or with their understanding/explanation of bespoke/custom, etc.

The Duchess people are AWESOME.

[mithrigil.livejournal.com]

Can I just say that I look forward to your evaluation of card-playing in this week's White Collar episode?

[rm.livejournal.com]

I knew someone would care!

[firefly124.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the heads up on Angels in America. Have added it to my Netflix queue to make sure I see it. Though I see from one of the comments above it's coming back to Broadway, which might be the better way to see it.

[rm.livejournal.com]

It's really meant to be a stage production because that makes it otherwordly in such a strange way, and theater in New York and AIDS have a linkage. That said, the HBO production is very very very good.

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

Re: Menswear guide

I uh guh want yes now. I think I'd blame you for my recent increase of actually caring about clothes and fashion and stuff (not all the time, but more and more often) except I don't think you really did anything except help kick-start my taste from "suits I guess" to "suits done right equal win".

This is a babbly comment.

Re: Angels in America

I'm not the one you're admonishing in question, but I have not yet seen either AiA or Laramie Project, and I should get on that. I think I know what both are, at least? I should wikipedia that, at the very least.


Re: Ianto

I don't think I ever realized he was so *young*! (But then again, I've only got the first season actually watched, and I'm missing at least the cyberwoman episode entirely (stupid homework), soyeah. That.)

~Sor

[rm.livejournal.com]

No one is being admonished, just saying "hey, you should see this stuff" and AIA is also about a lot of other stuff about life in the US and is an incredibly significant work on a lot of levels.

And yeah, he was that young. It's one of the reasons it's SO SAD. You must watch the secret half-robot girlfriend in the basement episode. MUST.

[newsbean.livejournal.com]

AUGGIE. My love for Auggie is so deep. One of the things they did beautifully in the last episode was deal with one of the small and ongoing frustrations of being blind - people not verbally saying hi when they enter your presence and saying goodbye when they leave. When he tells the foot-runner that he's brought the wrong data and he just leaves and Auggies says "I guess you're gone now" sort of to an empty room? That. Yes! I'm not blind myself, but have lots of friends who are. It's something that the sighted world often fails to respect, which is keeping them in the loop. They have been doing such a wonderful job of not only addressing the blindness but also not making it a big deal. He's the sexiest guy on the show and extremely capable and deals with the same annoyances in life as anyone. He is also clearly loved by the writers.

[51stcenturyfox.livejournal.com]

Dr Laura is a total fucknozzle.

Man, she's always been a complete and utter jerk to callers, but hey, no one twists their arms to ring in.

However, if you remember her nudie pic scandal, she's always been an utter hypocrite so it's nice to see her get her comeuppance.

[adelheid-p.livejournal.com]

I love your story about the first time you were in Chicago. Some of my earliest memories are of our move to Woodridge, IL and swimming at Centennial Beach in Naperville. At the time, as I recall, the water had catfish swimming in it. My mom would call us out of the water when a particularly large one would be swimming nearby until it passed the area where we were. We once caught a small one and took it home and kept it in a bowl for a while.

[elisi]

Oh Ianto. *sniff*

Meant to comment on your Torchwood S4 post that you did a while ago btw, because this stood out for me:

I watch this show for Jack. I watch this show because I identify with Jack. My grief about Ianto is absolutely, positively, through that lens of Jack.
Because I am almost the opposite. Well that's not quite true - I adore Jack, I adored him with Ianto, and their relationship was the first to really 'get' me in the same way that Spike/Buffy did. But my grief about Ianto was about me. *I* lost him, and I'm still not sure what to make of that. Fictional character, hello? Still - it was absolutely personal. All of which makes me look forward to S4 with growing excitement and a fair bit of detachment, because what I loved most about the show died already.

Um, sorry about the tl;dr, I've been pondering this a while. And now I need to run away and be useful again...

[rm.livejournal.com]

That's cool. I think most people come at it from where you come at it from, and I think that's why what happened feels like a personal affront to many fans. I think one of the things that's been hard for me is to articulate in a not crazy way what it's like identifying with the dude who was in love with the dude that died.

[redstapler.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD THAT GUIDE TO MENSWEAR IS EVERYTHING I EVER WANTED.

::pets it::

So much stuff I knew, half-knew, didn't know I didn't know...

<3

hackthis FTMFW.

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

See, I always kind of thought that the purpose OF a chapel in buildings like hospitals, military barracks and other government buildings was to give non-denominational religious space along with chaplains for that matter. I mean, isn't that what they're for?


I just love the free speech argument. "I have the free speech to say ANYTHING no matter how offensive or vile or ridiculous. But YOU cannot say anything in response" freedom of speech =/= freedom from the consequences of said speech

[emily-shore.livejournal.com]

"Angels in America" is definitely fantastic. Can I add the real-life story of Roy Cohn to the cultural literacy list as well?

[trinker.livejournal.com]

Am I being old-fashioned or just wrong, when I nosewrinkle at the sleeve/cuff length in some of those pix? TOO SHORT!!!

[marchek.livejournal.com]

I will celebrate Ianto tonight by ironing all of my dress shirts and figuring out how to use the espresso machine I inherited.

We still need to devise a plan for the scotch when you get back.

[laughingirl.livejournal.com]

And now Sarah Palin is chiming in and displaying the same lack of understanding of the First Amendment... through her practically incoherent tweets, of course...

http://twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA/status/21534515854

"Dr.Laura:don't retreat...reload! (Steps aside bc her 1st Amend.rights ceased 2exist thx 2activists trying 2silence"isn't American,not fair")"

Doctor Laura No.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

No one has a Constitutional Right to have paid sponsors.
I'd thought we'd covered that bit when the idiot was on TV.

Re: Doctor Laura No.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

Amen.

[popfiend.livejournal.com]

It would have been a better, more serious show, if the hit on the aide having the affair had come clearly from the CIA and been successful, because I want Annie to have to deal with bigger murkiness than she has thus far.

I hear you, but I don't want that in the first season. I want it to come in when she's more invested in the CIA. When she thinks she's got it all down because then the resonance kicks up.

Also, the subplot about her BiL hit home. When I was younger my dad got laid off and did the whole pretend to go to work thing for 3 months for the same type of reasons. It happens a lot and the thing with my dad was well over 30 years ago so to see it onscreen was a bit jarring on a personal level.

Although no one was thinking my Dad was having an affair.

Hey, today? Ianto Jones would have been 27.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

So young.
Absent friends.

[missysedai.livejournal.com]

Here, have a thing about the first time I came to Chicago.

That was utterly delightful.

Thank you for the pointer. It has gone miles to alleviate today's work stress.

[austengirl.livejournal.com]

I've seen bits of Angels in America, but I know I need to see it in its entirety. Would love to see it on Broadway, but I don't know if we'll be in New York again during the run. I can hope it goes to the West End next year.

Bent is very good as well and should definitely be better known, I'd love to see that on stage as well.

[podle.livejournal.com]

Apropos of nothing else here other than your Chicago piece, holy god I love the way you write. I especially love the way you write about your point of view as a child because you nail it absolutely every single time - the sense I remember of not belonging, of moving through the world by archaic rules that other children have no concept of, of being moved to your very core by magic and by fear. Thank you for sharing this.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

White Collar on Tuesday: need to re-watch because I was in the middle of laundry and missed a few key scenes, and also because I want to do a serious critique of the card playing stuff in it. You will have this soon.

One of the interesting bits with the card playing was that all the players were male, despite a serious increase in women playing in high stakes gambling in both real life and most other gambling scenes I've seen in recent movies and TV.

Wrt Covert Affairs, I've very pleased that we're seeing more about Auggie.

[lefaym.livejournal.com]

Hahaha, my partner had to pause the card playing scene and watch it over several times in order to work out exactly what was going on. :P

I suppose it's a good think that I didn't realise it was Ianto's birthday until 10:30 last night, when someone mentioned it on Twitter. Shows that I'm fixating on him less, at least.