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I haaaaaate mooooving.
Nov. 11th, 2022 07:27 pmSo twitter (omphale23) is on fire? And now we're in limbo, but I do have a cohost (omphale23) and a tumblr (punkrockhester) and...idk. Probably a discord handle, if I think about it hard enough?
Yuletide letter!
Oct. 19th, 2018 11:31 pmEvery year I plan to do this early, or at least vaguely near the assignment date, and every year I completely fail to finish my letter in a reasonable amount of time. This is, quite possibly, worse than never promising to do it at all. However! Upon prompting and with a great deal of enthusiasm for ANYTHING you might want to write, I bring a letter!
A week later than I was prompted, which is totally on me for going offline for the holiday before I posted it.
(No, seriously, I don’t really think I’ve ever gotten a story I didn’t love, and I trust fandom (and you!) not to do me wrong this year. Especially this year, when these requests are so broad and I am so happy about the idea of fic for any of them that I couldn’t even settle on story ideas to . Yay Yuletide! Yay fic! Yay anonymous author who also loves at least one of these canons!)
Delilah Dirk
Adventures! Intrigue! Bad Decisions! Anything would be fantastic for this, because I really just want to know what other capers and scrapes they've gotten into.
So. I am not in comics fandom (I’m NOT, don’t let anyone tell you differently just because my bookcases might be filled with decades of trades and graphic novels) but I unabashedly love a good story told well in any medium. And I loved this story so much that I started sending out copies to other people before I’d even finished reading, because it made me sad that they hadn’t read it yet. Every time there’s a new adventure, I reread the whole set because it’s a chance to spend more time with the characters.
Try Guys
All of them would be great! Guest appearances would also be great! But so would a story about just one of them, maybe something about what goes on when the cameras aren't rolling. Or hijinks!
Eugene is by far my favorite Try Guy, but honestly I would be excited to read anything about one or some or all of them.
Shenanigans. So many shenanigans. I admit, Eugene’s resigned ennui about the choices that have led him to this life speaks to my cold and bitter soul, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love something about everyone else. Keith’s enthusiasm! Zach’s persistence! Ned’s wife! Maybe especially Ned’s wife, because she’s AWESOME.
Hard Core Logo
Where is Billy now? What's it been like since Joe is gone? Or, alternatively, what was he doing before the last tour?
For me, this has always been about the in-betweens and the aftermaths, the bits of life that Billy has without Joe and that Joe has without Billy. I ship them, because who doesn’t, but I don’t need to see that directly and if you want to instead focus on them as individuals I would love that story as well.
Battleship
I have so many thoughts about this movie, I don't even know where to start. But the short version is that I'd be happy to read anything about any of the characters, obviously including these two. I was so excited to see that someone had nominated this!
I love that Battleship literally locks the standard heroes outside of the action with a giant alien forcefield, and instead follows the efforts of a bunch of characters who are usually relegated to sidekicks and romantic interests. I love that no one apologizes for that narrative choice, and that of course they’ll win but it won’t be easy. I love that Hopper is, quite frankly, the most ridiculous character ever to fall through a convenience store ceiling, and everyone has exactly zero time and patience for his ridiculousness. I love that everyone is wrong about something, and everyone fails at least once, and everyone takes that failure and tries again.
So. More broadly?
I love complex narratives and complicated characters and liminality. I adore bittersweet endings and uncertain happiness and the sharp edges of people who can’t quite fit themselves into the lives they lead. I love stories that make me think, that leave me with a new perspective on characters I thought I knew.
Then again, I also love kittens and rainbows and glitter and cookies, so I guess I’m not much help.
Squicks: Meh, I used to have an extensive list of things I didn’t read, or wouldn’t read, or disliked for various reasons that I mostly don’t remember. At this point, as long as everyone is a consenting adult, I’m happy to read whatever might appear in my Yuletide mailbox. Every time I think there’s a line, someone proves me wrong, so.
A week later than I was prompted, which is totally on me for going offline for the holiday before I posted it.
(No, seriously, I don’t really think I’ve ever gotten a story I didn’t love, and I trust fandom (and you!) not to do me wrong this year. Especially this year, when these requests are so broad and I am so happy about the idea of fic for any of them that I couldn’t even settle on story ideas to . Yay Yuletide! Yay fic! Yay anonymous author who also loves at least one of these canons!)
Delilah Dirk
Adventures! Intrigue! Bad Decisions! Anything would be fantastic for this, because I really just want to know what other capers and scrapes they've gotten into.
So. I am not in comics fandom (I’m NOT, don’t let anyone tell you differently just because my bookcases might be filled with decades of trades and graphic novels) but I unabashedly love a good story told well in any medium. And I loved this story so much that I started sending out copies to other people before I’d even finished reading, because it made me sad that they hadn’t read it yet. Every time there’s a new adventure, I reread the whole set because it’s a chance to spend more time with the characters.
Try Guys
All of them would be great! Guest appearances would also be great! But so would a story about just one of them, maybe something about what goes on when the cameras aren't rolling. Or hijinks!
Eugene is by far my favorite Try Guy, but honestly I would be excited to read anything about one or some or all of them.
Shenanigans. So many shenanigans. I admit, Eugene’s resigned ennui about the choices that have led him to this life speaks to my cold and bitter soul, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love something about everyone else. Keith’s enthusiasm! Zach’s persistence! Ned’s wife! Maybe especially Ned’s wife, because she’s AWESOME.
Hard Core Logo
Where is Billy now? What's it been like since Joe is gone? Or, alternatively, what was he doing before the last tour?
For me, this has always been about the in-betweens and the aftermaths, the bits of life that Billy has without Joe and that Joe has without Billy. I ship them, because who doesn’t, but I don’t need to see that directly and if you want to instead focus on them as individuals I would love that story as well.
Battleship
I have so many thoughts about this movie, I don't even know where to start. But the short version is that I'd be happy to read anything about any of the characters, obviously including these two. I was so excited to see that someone had nominated this!
I love that Battleship literally locks the standard heroes outside of the action with a giant alien forcefield, and instead follows the efforts of a bunch of characters who are usually relegated to sidekicks and romantic interests. I love that no one apologizes for that narrative choice, and that of course they’ll win but it won’t be easy. I love that Hopper is, quite frankly, the most ridiculous character ever to fall through a convenience store ceiling, and everyone has exactly zero time and patience for his ridiculousness. I love that everyone is wrong about something, and everyone fails at least once, and everyone takes that failure and tries again.
So. More broadly?
I love complex narratives and complicated characters and liminality. I adore bittersweet endings and uncertain happiness and the sharp edges of people who can’t quite fit themselves into the lives they lead. I love stories that make me think, that leave me with a new perspective on characters I thought I knew.
Then again, I also love kittens and rainbows and glitter and cookies, so I guess I’m not much help.
Squicks: Meh, I used to have an extensive list of things I didn’t read, or wouldn’t read, or disliked for various reasons that I mostly don’t remember. At this point, as long as everyone is a consenting adult, I’m happy to read whatever might appear in my Yuletide mailbox. Every time I think there’s a line, someone proves me wrong, so.
*taps mic*
Aug. 29th, 2017 08:50 amIn the process of switching over completely from LJ, so I've just updated a bunch of feeds and permissions. I tried to match access for everyone and repopulate my DW feed, but please let me know if I've missed you or gotten something wrong!
I'm so sorry, dear Yuletide writer. It's been busy and I moved across the country at the end of August and haven't quite gotten back online consistently. Still, that's no excuse for taking so long to post my letter, or for not posting a note about the delay.
Thank you so much in advance for what I'm sure will be an awesome story that has everything I could want, even if it has nothing that I ask for (because optional details are SO OPTIONAL, seriously, write me what you would want to read and I will be FINE WITH THAT, I promise.)
Still, in case you operate better with more details than just a list of fandoms, some thoughts!
Previous years:
( 2007-2015 )
***
Some general notes:
I have a deep-seated attachment to characters who are spectacularly competent in a chosen field, and even more incompetent at everything else, including human relationships and life in general.
Cheating is a no-go, but poly groupings of all shapes and sizes are not just okay but actively encouraged. Actual explosions and despair are like catnip and you should feel free to push the boundaries of canon whenever and however you like, but underage sex is not a thing I read, no matter how well written.
Everything else is (as is plain from previous years' letters) mostly negotiable. I'll try it, and probably like it, and then I'll feel silly about thinking I didn't. Which is sort of how I feel about a lot of things, really.
***
( 2016 )
Thank you so much in advance for what I'm sure will be an awesome story that has everything I could want, even if it has nothing that I ask for (because optional details are SO OPTIONAL, seriously, write me what you would want to read and I will be FINE WITH THAT, I promise.)
Still, in case you operate better with more details than just a list of fandoms, some thoughts!
Previous years:
( 2007-2015 )
***
Some general notes:
I have a deep-seated attachment to characters who are spectacularly competent in a chosen field, and even more incompetent at everything else, including human relationships and life in general.
Cheating is a no-go, but poly groupings of all shapes and sizes are not just okay but actively encouraged. Actual explosions and despair are like catnip and you should feel free to push the boundaries of canon whenever and however you like, but underage sex is not a thing I read, no matter how well written.
Everything else is (as is plain from previous years' letters) mostly negotiable. I'll try it, and probably like it, and then I'll feel silly about thinking I didn't. Which is sort of how I feel about a lot of things, really.
***
( 2016 )
*taps mic*
Mar. 20th, 2016 07:39 pmI'm listening and not commenting much and mostly hanging out on twitter and tumblr and a bit on instagram and FB when I'm around at all. Still, for those of you still reading and who're interested, a link to some of the photos from our NYC trip last month. (Minus the Hamilton-related ones; those will be a separate post, possibly with text if I manage to get my shit together enough to write it.)
Come find me other places! I haven't gotten much better at responding, but I miss the internet something fierce.
http://punkrockhester.tumblr.com/post/141397809049/nyc-2016
Come find me other places! I haven't gotten much better at responding, but I miss the internet something fierce.
http://punkrockhester.tumblr.com/post/141397809049/nyc-2016
Yuletide recs: an updating-as-I-read list
Dec. 31st, 2015 11:56 amIn the interests of concision, and because I know otherwise I'll never get this posted and finish sorting through this year's stories before authors are revealed, I'm going to turn this into a running tally of the stories I've read and enjoyed this Yuletide season.
( First, my gifts! )
( And then for the other things I've read so far: )
( And finally, the story I wrote, for those who are interested )
( First, my gifts! )
( And then for the other things I've read so far: )
( And finally, the story I wrote, for those who are interested )
Because I fail at communication
Dec. 20th, 2015 11:25 amAnd so that next year at least the aggregate collection of prompts is easier to find. (Let's just say that my yuletide author this year is probably an ACTUAL SAINT, and leave it at that.)
Previous years:
( 2007-2014 )
( For posterity: 2015 )
Previous years:
( 2007-2014 )
( For posterity: 2015 )
Life is a thing that happens even when I would really prefer that it back off and leave me some room to breathe. Also, I owe emails to everyone and cards to some and possibly even packages to a couple of you, and I am a terrible person because I know that I owe all of these things. I wrote this post instead.
In my defense—yeah, there's not really a good defense here. I'm just not a fantastic person to keep around, if what you're looking for is sustained attention or anything approaching dependability. I like to think that my witty comebacks and enormous rack help to make up for that, but maybe not.
So. Blanket apology, and then sparkly handwaving distractions in the form of youtube links to some stuff I think is neat? Business as usual.
( American Idol, guys. Do you know about this show? And about this season? )
Harry Connick Jr, folks. Here, have some highlights.
( And by some, I mean a whole bunch. )
So if you're wondering why he has no patience for people who do nothing but trill the same set of notes and act like they've invented sliced bread whenever they manage to change keys? It would be music like that.
If you're wondering whether I have all of his albums? And if two of them are on cassettes, which no longer play because when I started listening to them music was a thing that could wear out? Um. Maybe. That could be true. (Really, you're all lucky you've managed to avoid this post before. I just didn't have a good enough reason to drag you all into this stuff. Now I do, and everyone wins.)
***
There's a rumor, though, that other people do not watch American Idol because a quarter century ago they already knew too much about "Basin Street Blues" and German anti-aircraft tactics. These people, I'm told, have thoughts about the contestants.
My thoughts are often about how much I wish the contestants would trip and fall into the audience, thereby leaving more time for banter and solos by the judges, but I do find the following remaining singers either adorable or talented. Sometimes even both.
And so I've brought some links to things that they sang before American Idol, with the assumption that you're all fully capable of finding the new footage should you be so inclined.
( More links, in alphabetical order because I really don't feel like ranking them. )
***
This post is getting insanely long, and I'm beginning to regret starting it. Still, some other stuff I'm listening to these days:
( On heavy rotation, for reasons of TOTAL AWESOME. )
Now for a quick spin through the rest of my current playlist (armchair psychology is always a bad idea. But let me know if you figure it out, I guess).
( Seriously, in no fucking order at all. Welcome to my subconscious, and my current playlist. )
In my defense—yeah, there's not really a good defense here. I'm just not a fantastic person to keep around, if what you're looking for is sustained attention or anything approaching dependability. I like to think that my witty comebacks and enormous rack help to make up for that, but maybe not.
So. Blanket apology, and then sparkly handwaving distractions in the form of youtube links to some stuff I think is neat? Business as usual.
( American Idol, guys. Do you know about this show? And about this season? )
Harry Connick Jr, folks. Here, have some highlights.
( And by some, I mean a whole bunch. )
So if you're wondering why he has no patience for people who do nothing but trill the same set of notes and act like they've invented sliced bread whenever they manage to change keys? It would be music like that.
If you're wondering whether I have all of his albums? And if two of them are on cassettes, which no longer play because when I started listening to them music was a thing that could wear out? Um. Maybe. That could be true. (Really, you're all lucky you've managed to avoid this post before. I just didn't have a good enough reason to drag you all into this stuff. Now I do, and everyone wins.)
***
There's a rumor, though, that other people do not watch American Idol because a quarter century ago they already knew too much about "Basin Street Blues" and German anti-aircraft tactics. These people, I'm told, have thoughts about the contestants.
My thoughts are often about how much I wish the contestants would trip and fall into the audience, thereby leaving more time for banter and solos by the judges, but I do find the following remaining singers either adorable or talented. Sometimes even both.
And so I've brought some links to things that they sang before American Idol, with the assumption that you're all fully capable of finding the new footage should you be so inclined.
( More links, in alphabetical order because I really don't feel like ranking them. )
***
This post is getting insanely long, and I'm beginning to regret starting it. Still, some other stuff I'm listening to these days:
( On heavy rotation, for reasons of TOTAL AWESOME. )
Now for a quick spin through the rest of my current playlist (armchair psychology is always a bad idea. But let me know if you figure it out, I guess).
( Seriously, in no fucking order at all. Welcome to my subconscious, and my current playlist. )
Dear Yuletide Author:
Dec. 25th, 2013 12:00 pmAnd by this week, I obviously meant "sometime the weekend after next." Time management is simply not part of my skill set.
Still. A letter! First, links to my previous letters:
( 2007-2012 )
And then, some really very optional details and thoughts.
YOOOOOOOOLLLLTIIIIIIIIDE. It's the most wonderful time of the year, and you're the most wonderful author for writing a gift for me. Doesn't matter what you write or which characters you include, I will love it and read it and call it George.
( More. )
Caveat: I have only one line, and it is located firmly in the space of no underage sex. None.
Any other lines I may have had have fallen prey to the shifting space that is fannish interpretation. Beyond that one thing, your options are limitless and I will love what you find to tell me about these works.
( Want more detail? Really? Well, okay. )
Still. A letter! First, links to my previous letters:
( 2007-2012 )
And then, some really very optional details and thoughts.
YOOOOOOOOLLLLTIIIIIIIIDE. It's the most wonderful time of the year, and you're the most wonderful author for writing a gift for me. Doesn't matter what you write or which characters you include, I will love it and read it and call it George.
( More. )
Caveat: I have only one line, and it is located firmly in the space of no underage sex. None.
Any other lines I may have had have fallen prey to the shifting space that is fannish interpretation. Beyond that one thing, your options are limitless and I will love what you find to tell me about these works.
( Want more detail? Really? Well, okay. )
A question
Dec. 15th, 2013 07:13 pm...for Reasons.
How do you organize/shelve/provide a home for your books?
Exhibit A: http://the-toast.net/2013/12/12/pros-cons-organizing-bookshelves-color/
Exhibit B: http://bookporn.tumblr.com/
Exhibit C: http://bookshelfporn.com/tagged/favorites
Exhibit D: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/06/these-classic-books-are-s_n_4373470.html
How do you organize/shelve/provide a home for your books?
Exhibit A: http://the-toast.net/2013/12/12/pros-cons-organizing-bookshelves-color/
Exhibit B: http://bookporn.tumblr.com/
Exhibit C: http://bookshelfporn.com/tagged/favorites
Exhibit D: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/06/these-classic-books-are-s_n_4373470.html
Feel free to ask me about any of these in the comments. No, really, you should ask. Then I can tell you about how wonderful they are, and convince you to read/watch/discuss them all with me.
( Nominations! )
( Nominations! )
Running shoes? Yep.
Sep. 2nd, 2013 09:02 pm( Cut for those of you who don't think running when not being chased by aliens and/or angry lions is time well spent )
* "This heel feels a little odd," I thought to myself. I pulled my shoe off to check for a pebble or something. "I wonder if it--" and then the entire thing came off in my hand. I don't think that's supposed to happen.
** I don't understand sockless running. I won't even wear flats without shoe liners; why would I want to sweat all over my running shoes and then stick my bare feet back in them, day after day? I'm sorry, I don't care how much more natural it's supposed to be, that just sounds gross.
*** If you don't learn an acceptable gait, the Skechers people come to your house and beat you over the head with the original Go Run design until you swear to take up Prancercise instead. Trufax.
**** You think I'm exaggerating. I'm not. My natural form is something like a cross between a drunken clown and a tantrum-throwing two-year-old. I once tripped myself and skidded backwards off a hotel treadmill. I have been known to lose track of my limbs and accidentally punch myself in the face.
***** Necessitating a new playlist. I am, thanks to half a decade of marching band, unable to move my feet against the beat of a song, and so now my current one has to go. Before I manage to give myself a heart attack trying to match it to my footfalls.
****** Never mind why. Let's just all agree not to speak of the demise of my former equipment, or the spinning panicked flailing at a horsefly that immediately preceded it.
* "This heel feels a little odd," I thought to myself. I pulled my shoe off to check for a pebble or something. "I wonder if it--" and then the entire thing came off in my hand. I don't think that's supposed to happen.
** I don't understand sockless running. I won't even wear flats without shoe liners; why would I want to sweat all over my running shoes and then stick my bare feet back in them, day after day? I'm sorry, I don't care how much more natural it's supposed to be, that just sounds gross.
*** If you don't learn an acceptable gait, the Skechers people come to your house and beat you over the head with the original Go Run design until you swear to take up Prancercise instead. Trufax.
**** You think I'm exaggerating. I'm not. My natural form is something like a cross between a drunken clown and a tantrum-throwing two-year-old. I once tripped myself and skidded backwards off a hotel treadmill. I have been known to lose track of my limbs and accidentally punch myself in the face.
***** Necessitating a new playlist. I am, thanks to half a decade of marching band, unable to move my feet against the beat of a song, and so now my current one has to go. Before I manage to give myself a heart attack trying to match it to my footfalls.
****** Never mind why. Let's just all agree not to speak of the demise of my former equipment, or the spinning panicked flailing at a horsefly that immediately preceded it.
I've tried, I really have, but the posts are so short on facebook plus my entire family is there watching me and that's stressful. Tumblr is nothing but exclamation points, gifsets, and apoplectic fury. Twitter is...twitter. I love it, but I'm really a longform sort of girl, and there are days when the twittering makes me want to shoot that little blue bird in the head.
I also tried NOT being on the internet, but that made me twitchier than usual. Which is a high bar to clear.
I have a Thing percolating about introversion and performativity in social relations, but this is not that post. This post isn't nearly that highbrow, but it does have links to some awesome things.
( And so, a fairly random update of recent life-ishness. )
10. In conclusion, I've managed to procrastinate for almost an hour on this post. Back to the grind. I suppose. If I must. (I'm kidding. There is nothing I find more interesting than my actual, you know, research. It's just that there's so much reeeeeeeading involved.)
* He directed "Oceanside," for which there's a link on the VT Kickstarter. I have a lot of thoughts about that song, and that video, for perhaps the obvious reasons.
Also, this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJapCQLlQSk (Oh, my HEART. Go, go, go. Watch. Best vacation video ever, I promise. It doesn't matter if it's sincere or ironic, because Postmodernism. Also, see #8 above.)
I also tried NOT being on the internet, but that made me twitchier than usual. Which is a high bar to clear.
I have a Thing percolating about introversion and performativity in social relations, but this is not that post. This post isn't nearly that highbrow, but it does have links to some awesome things.
( And so, a fairly random update of recent life-ishness. )
10. In conclusion, I've managed to procrastinate for almost an hour on this post. Back to the grind. I suppose. If I must. (I'm kidding. There is nothing I find more interesting than my actual, you know, research. It's just that there's so much reeeeeeeading involved.)
* He directed "Oceanside," for which there's a link on the VT Kickstarter. I have a lot of thoughts about that song, and that video, for perhaps the obvious reasons.
Also, this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJapCQLlQSk (Oh, my HEART. Go, go, go. Watch. Best vacation video ever, I promise. It doesn't matter if it's sincere or ironic, because Postmodernism. Also, see #8 above.)
(no subject)
Jun. 2nd, 2013 02:55 pmRight now, I have thoughts on JARVIS and the way that Tony would have no interest in passing the Turing test; he originally built a fully rational, learning AI and only added a voice program with an inhibitor switch when it turned out that other people freaked out at the result.
Even then, it wasn't that he cared about mimicry of human behavior. He just got tired of cleaning dropped coffee and sandwiches and paperwork out of the floor vents in the lab. Also, eight assistants in a row quit while sobbing uncontrollably, and that looked bad in the quarterly reports.
Conclusion? Cognitive modeling: not a thing in which Tony Stark has any sort of consistent interest. But he fakes it well.
(What, other people don't spend the morning reading AI textbooks? It's a really GOOD textbook. There are exercises and quotations and an entire section on ontological engineering. Plus the theories on artificial neural networks are NEAT.)
I don't remember what the original intent of that little anecdote was, beyond a segue to me complaining about fandom and the perils of uninformed ficcing that can be boiled down to, "if you are writing characters who have specialized knowledge, please do some fucking research." Which is neither new nor interesting, so it's just as well that it took me five paragraphs to get to it.
***
Oh. My actual point, if I had one, was the following: so far this weekend I've managed to demonstrate that I am neither a good person nor a kind one, and so to distract myself from the looming realization that I'm not terribly useful, either, I've decided to take prompts until I wander off to read some more social epidemiology assignments.
Fandoms are as usual, although I haven't done this in a while, so I guess I'll reserve the right to ask for a new prompt if necessary. Anything you've been hoping to read but can't find? I'll see what I can do. Otherwise, I'm going to have to go finish cleaning out my filing cabinet, and I'm really trying to avoid that if at all possible.
Even then, it wasn't that he cared about mimicry of human behavior. He just got tired of cleaning dropped coffee and sandwiches and paperwork out of the floor vents in the lab. Also, eight assistants in a row quit while sobbing uncontrollably, and that looked bad in the quarterly reports.
Conclusion? Cognitive modeling: not a thing in which Tony Stark has any sort of consistent interest. But he fakes it well.
(What, other people don't spend the morning reading AI textbooks? It's a really GOOD textbook. There are exercises and quotations and an entire section on ontological engineering. Plus the theories on artificial neural networks are NEAT.)
I don't remember what the original intent of that little anecdote was, beyond a segue to me complaining about fandom and the perils of uninformed ficcing that can be boiled down to, "if you are writing characters who have specialized knowledge, please do some fucking research." Which is neither new nor interesting, so it's just as well that it took me five paragraphs to get to it.
***
Oh. My actual point, if I had one, was the following: so far this weekend I've managed to demonstrate that I am neither a good person nor a kind one, and so to distract myself from the looming realization that I'm not terribly useful, either, I've decided to take prompts until I wander off to read some more social epidemiology assignments.
Fandoms are as usual, although I haven't done this in a while, so I guess I'll reserve the right to ask for a new prompt if necessary. Anything you've been hoping to read but can't find? I'll see what I can do. Otherwise, I'm going to have to go finish cleaning out my filing cabinet, and I'm really trying to avoid that if at all possible.
How did it get so late in the year?
May. 19th, 2013 02:31 pmSo Memorial Day has rolled around again, and because Sansets is off vacationing until next weekend (well, about to be off vacationing after being graduated) I'm hosting this year's semi-annual paratrooper drop and game night with optional movie marathon.
(That sounded way cooler in my head.)
Right. Next Sunday afternoon until Monday-ish, with food and alcohol and games and mixers and this year's movie theme: Drag Queens and Crossdressing. Comment or email if you're coming so that I get enough food, and feel free to email if you need directions to get here!
I have a list of movies, but if anyone has additional titles feel free to bring them along--I know I'm missing some of the classics, because twitter has told me so.
( what we already have, some of which are a bit of a stretch )
I probably forgot some, so if you think I have a movie and didn't list it, the comments are open.
ps. S tells me that I should mention that we have Cards against Humanity and the expansion packs. (Well, all except the Christmas one). I wasn't sure why that would entice people to show up, and then I thought about this group and suddenly I understood.
(That sounded way cooler in my head.)
Right. Next Sunday afternoon until Monday-ish, with food and alcohol and games and mixers and this year's movie theme: Drag Queens and Crossdressing. Comment or email if you're coming so that I get enough food, and feel free to email if you need directions to get here!
I have a list of movies, but if anyone has additional titles feel free to bring them along--I know I'm missing some of the classics, because twitter has told me so.
( what we already have, some of which are a bit of a stretch )
I probably forgot some, so if you think I have a movie and didn't list it, the comments are open.
ps. S tells me that I should mention that we have Cards against Humanity and the expansion packs. (Well, all except the Christmas one). I wasn't sure why that would entice people to show up, and then I thought about this group and suddenly I understood.
Sorry this is late, kids. My internet time this week was limited for reasons of plot.
BUT. I come bringing the titles of this month's book club selections, guaranteed to be less fury-inducing than Vampire Nation. (No, really. If anyone finds this month's books more annoying than that insane attempt at rationalization, I will personally write you the ficlet of your choice. No questions asked.)
Can I just say, that when Eledhwenlin is right about something, she's REALLY right? Fantasy is totally a valid segue from the WTAF that book induced in, as far as I could tell, EVERYONE who read it. (I still want cookies and a nap coupon for having finished it, though.)
And so, without further ado:
1. Lord of the Elves and Eldils, Richard L. Purtill
Goodreads
A classic effort to treat fantasy literature as actual literature, with philosophy and bonus discussions of Beowulf.
ps. Can we consider Beowulf bonus reading for this month? Or, even better, leave some space in the comments here for suggestions of medieval works that we could ALSO discuss? Pretty please? *bats eyelashes and offers you all girdles and Icelandic sex jokes*
2. The Once and Future King, T.H. White
Goodreads
We're only really reading The Sword in the Stone, because the whole quartet is something like 600 pages. But it's classic children's literature,* so really, I'm pretty sure that if you don't already love it, you'll still want to finish the whole thing eventually.
(There's actually a fifth book, and I'd LOVE to talk about that as well, but it's not really fantasy and also in a completely different style, so maybe not. Or maybe later; let's see how SitS goes, first.)
Stay tuned for a discussion post, coming sometime next weekend; until then, dig out your hidden VHS copies of the Disney version and get ready to discuss how cool it would be to transform, and how much living backwards would fuck with your head. \books/
***
As before, this post is open to suggestions for future months. And, you know. Links to other relevant works that you want to suggest people check out to go along with our (first?) month of fantasy literature.
For instance, I'm just going to leave this link to "The Monsters and the Critics" here. As one does.
http://www.english.uga.edu/~jdmevans/Personal/JRRT1936.pdf
***
* For definitions of children's literature that include, "I read it as a child," which is maybe NOT the traditional definition, given that I also read The Five Fingers and almost all of W.E.B. Griffin's Brotherhood of War that year. YMMV, is my point, here.
BUT. I come bringing the titles of this month's book club selections, guaranteed to be less fury-inducing than Vampire Nation. (No, really. If anyone finds this month's books more annoying than that insane attempt at rationalization, I will personally write you the ficlet of your choice. No questions asked.)
Can I just say, that when Eledhwenlin is right about something, she's REALLY right? Fantasy is totally a valid segue from the WTAF that book induced in, as far as I could tell, EVERYONE who read it. (I still want cookies and a nap coupon for having finished it, though.)
And so, without further ado:
1. Lord of the Elves and Eldils, Richard L. Purtill
Goodreads
A classic effort to treat fantasy literature as actual literature, with philosophy and bonus discussions of Beowulf.
ps. Can we consider Beowulf bonus reading for this month? Or, even better, leave some space in the comments here for suggestions of medieval works that we could ALSO discuss? Pretty please? *bats eyelashes and offers you all girdles and Icelandic sex jokes*
2. The Once and Future King, T.H. White
Goodreads
We're only really reading The Sword in the Stone, because the whole quartet is something like 600 pages. But it's classic children's literature,* so really, I'm pretty sure that if you don't already love it, you'll still want to finish the whole thing eventually.
(There's actually a fifth book, and I'd LOVE to talk about that as well, but it's not really fantasy and also in a completely different style, so maybe not. Or maybe later; let's see how SitS goes, first.)
Stay tuned for a discussion post, coming sometime next weekend; until then, dig out your hidden VHS copies of the Disney version and get ready to discuss how cool it would be to transform, and how much living backwards would fuck with your head. \books/
***
As before, this post is open to suggestions for future months. And, you know. Links to other relevant works that you want to suggest people check out to go along with our (first?) month of fantasy literature.
For instance, I'm just going to leave this link to "The Monsters and the Critics" here. As one does.
http://www.english.uga.edu/~jdmevans/Personal/JRRT1936.pdf
***
* For definitions of children's literature that include, "I read it as a child," which is maybe NOT the traditional definition, given that I also read The Five Fingers and almost all of W.E.B. Griffin's Brotherhood of War that year. YMMV, is my point, here.
A note on access, and local plans
Feb. 3rd, 2013 09:14 pmBook club folks! If you can't see the previous post (or if you can only see it on Dw, where you can't comment) let me know what your LJ is, so I can give you access.
Locals! So far the plans for this month are:
1) Top Gun at the Silver Spring IMAX, 3pm showing on Sunday, 2/10. We'll be meeting in the lobby at 2:30, so text or comment to let me know to look for you.
2) GAME NIGHT. Sunday the 17th, we'll be meeting for brunch at the Founding Farmers in Potomac (it's on RideOn Route 42 at Park Potomac) and then headed to my place for games and snacks and drinks and such. The time isn't set yet, although I'm thinking 10am or so, to give us plenty of time to hang out.
Unfortunately, I can't do a whole weekend for scheduling reasons, but I'm hoping this will be a compromise that people can live with. It'd be great if you guys could come for one or both things; just let me know by next Sunday (2/10) so that I can make reservations and plans.
Locals! So far the plans for this month are:
1) Top Gun at the Silver Spring IMAX, 3pm showing on Sunday, 2/10. We'll be meeting in the lobby at 2:30, so text or comment to let me know to look for you.
2) GAME NIGHT. Sunday the 17th, we'll be meeting for brunch at the Founding Farmers in Potomac (it's on RideOn Route 42 at Park Potomac) and then headed to my place for games and snacks and drinks and such. The time isn't set yet, although I'm thinking 10am or so, to give us plenty of time to hang out.
Unfortunately, I can't do a whole weekend for scheduling reasons, but I'm hoping this will be a compromise that people can live with. It'd be great if you guys could come for one or both things; just let me know by next Sunday (2/10) so that I can make reservations and plans.
Friendslist cut and opt-in post.
Jan. 31st, 2013 02:58 pmAs most of you have noticed, I'm cutting down on my internet interaction for offline reasons. This includes putting limits on the details I share about non-fannish things, and trying to interact more with the people who want to read, rather than throwing information out into the wilds of the internet and hoping someone notices.
I made a filter that has since become my LJ f-list, and for any of you who have been defriended because you weren't around to vote, but would prefer to stay on the f-list, I've created a poll.
( Poll and more discussion )
I made a filter that has since become my LJ f-list, and for any of you who have been defriended because you weren't around to vote, but would prefer to stay on the f-list, I've created a poll.
( Poll and more discussion )
