sundries

Okay, Team Internet, here's another one: snufflesdbear has a friend who just lost their house in a fire. I've seen the news stories on this and have additional information I've been asked not to share, that compels me to post this. Take a look at the post and see if you have any help you can offer in the area.

The nomination period for a new award for authors' blogs is open. Anyone can nominate. vua reannon.

Coming Out -- The Epic. Yes. This. Totally. Cab drivers. Shop clerks. Can I be gay and still get what I want? And the way it can get tied up in our other -isms at the end of the piece -- I wish the writing had been a little more deft there, but I think it's a true thing that I often see where I have to work on my own biases because of who I'm concerned about outing myself to. via andrewducker.

The Washington Post is defending its front page publication of a photo of a gay couple kissing as equal marriage rights come to DC.

Also in the region, the new attorney general of Virginia has been aggressively working to remove the limited protections LGBTQ peopel currently have in that state. Scary stuff.

Forgot who I found this through, but Australia allows issuance of identity papers with N instead of M or F gender identity.

A badly written article about a sex study that perpetuates the belief that women don't really like or want sex, at least not as much as men do. Many of the quoted individuals try to explain reasons for the results regarding female sexuality including culture bias and training, so that's good. But the whole thrust of the piece still ticked me off.

Alexander McQueen's final collection has a lot of amazing stuff in it.

OMG, Corey Haim has died.

So last night, having watched the first episode of Buffy, season 4, we started watching Angel season 1. Now the first two episodes of Angel aren't great, but it was disturbing how much the show felt more comfortable to me. I've been loving the hell out of Buffy but even in its sucky first episodes and featuring a main character I don't even like Angel suits me so much better it's a little bizarre. Also, underground lair? broods on rooftops? really? That was a little funny.

That said, I've gotten to the point with both Angel and Buffy where I just look over at Patty sometimes and say "rapetastic plotline #873."

Last night we also, after going to one of our favorite restaurants, stopped in at New York's newest gluten-free bakery, Tu-Lu's. Go. Go there now. The cupcakes are about a billion times better than at Babycakes and since they use sugar instead of agave nectar, the icing is the texture you expect -- which is to say red velvet cupcake with cream cheese icing = heaven. NOW NOW NOW, people. SO GOOD.

Patty heads back to Ohio for about ten days as of tomorrow. And I will be lonely, but we're booking London tonight and it will be well and truly spring when she returns.

Gallifrey character death panel response roundup

Here's what I've found.

If you know of something else, please let me know, and I will add it to this list. I've only included links to things involving people that were in the room, and the list is alphabetical by username.

Be warned that all these posts are spoilertastic, often for things other than Torchwood, including, but not limited to Buffy, Angel, and Harry Potter.

51stcenturyfox: These characters do not belong to me
betnoir: The stories we tell each other
bitsyrant: "That's sexist" or "How the Fandom Stole Christmas" rant
bodlon: All Songs End And All Songs Last Forever
Bridging the Rift: Live from LA (podcast)
gypsylady: Reaction post to the now-infamous (apparently) Character Death panel discussion
redstapler: Ianto Jones Is Not My Mother But He's Just As Dead (And So Is Tonks)
rm: There's a cyberwoman in the basement! - or, What Happened on the Character Death Panel at Gally
saveiantojones: Gallifrey? (details on panel in comments)

Tonight on Buffy

So we just watched "Living Conditions" and "The Harsh Light of Day" and woah, I have a lot to say.

1. Now I know why people write Giles/Xander.
2. Xander's sexual decision making process -- you know, it's funny, but it also sort of annoys me that we've got this male fantasy of dudes just stumbling into the ready availability of sex and then just being random about it.
3. Buffy! Buffy can't catch a fucking break. That shit with Parker was realistic, but will Buffy ever get laid and not get punished for it?
4. Go Willow for being sex positive.
5. Okay, previously Spike's appearances were sort of appealing, even though he was evil. Now he's just an abuser. And he's still sexy. Hi, I'm uncomfortable.
6. OMG THAT FUCKING RING CHANGES EVERYTHING.
7. Okay, not really.
8. I mean, if he wanted to, Angel could still kill himself, but the situation becomes much more Jack-like.
9. Although I suppose one of the main reasons for the ring device is that it would be really nice to shoot in goddamn daylight on Angel.

Over all, I found myself in a funny mood after these episodes. Wistful, sad, annoyed, turned on. Effective, and yet it's hard to say why. They're not exceptional episodes, but they really capture something don't they? Also, great use of music.