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Saturday, July 18th, 2009
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10:54 pm - Boston sundries
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We're having a glorious time, which has included amazing amounts of great celiac-friendly food, a three-hour whale-watching tour that wound up being four hours due to some wacky weather, some burlesque, about which I have lengthy commentary at another date, and sitting on a kerb in Havard Square listening ot this random German family do strage things to pop songs with an electric violin.
In other news, I have annoying work stuff to deal with when we get home tomorrow night and I've been granted a RIDICULOUS amount of time for my Snape and gender presentation, and I feel really intimated by just how scholarly a setting I'm going to be in. OH, god, you guys!
Tomorrow: the Maparium!
If there's anything I need to see/read link it here (this now includes Torchwood fic and meta. I'm feeling much better).
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(7 locusts | plague )
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| Friday, July 17th, 2009
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3:32 pm - to azelma
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can't respond to pm's from mobile. Am traveling can look at it tomorrow. Let me know if there's specific stuff you want me to keep an eye out for. This message will self-destruct later. If you don't have my email check my lj profile (i think it's there) or ask around on twu.
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(1 locust | plague )
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7:58 am - quick and dirty sundries
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I need a good suit bag for airplane travel (specifically, I mean one of those luggage pieces where you basically hang the suit in a garment bag and then the whole piece folds in half and goes on your shoulder). Any of you have a recommendation? I shudder at what I did to my clothes packing for Boston last night.
Ah, email from Duchess sadly not "your stuff is ready" but just an update on their awesome. Which is pretty awesome. Granted it was more awesome when they noted that John Hodgman was wearing on of their suits when he was on Keith Olbermann recently and I was tired and thought it said they'd done a suit for Keith Olbermann. Okay, I'm weird, but that misreading made me squee like a little girl.
Okay, this two sports bra thing when I wear men's clothes is now officially annoying. Anyone want to recommend a binder? (since it's relevant, I'm arguably a 34B, but possibly a 34A or a 32C, depends on the bra).
Enough to Go By is coming along AWESOMELY. Also Kali and I are going to do another short little CoE tag when I get back from Boston, because I had an awesome idea. Also, yes, I am still working on those eight billion different stories I said I was working on both before and during CoE. Next week! Time!
Of course, next week, I also have a couple of essays due, so I need to get on that.
Packing the suitcase last night also meant unpacking from the last trip (I'm really bad about that) which was Lunacon. Apparently though, I hadn't entirely unpacked from Gally, as I found my vortex manipulator (I can't believe I'm even typing this sentence) in the bottom of the suitcase and ( shiny shiny cut tag pretends emotional responses are still spoilers for CoE )
Dear Torchwood Fandom: http://phaenix-ash.livejournal.com/1339106.html (caveat: this is not an excuse for various varieties of the bad behavior going on including, but not limited to harassment, wank, self-harm threats, and misogyny. I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE TO SAY THIS. (Also, aside, I imagine she was talking about her actual life, not our silly programme, so don't go over there being all Torchwood! at her)).
Re-potted the basil last night (it was nearly all roots, no dirt -- LJ wins again for telling me what to do!)
Good news is that it's supposed to rain late tonight, which means less plant worry while we're gone, although herbs have been taken inside and everything else was watered this morning.
Good news is also that it's now not supposed to rain in Boston, which means that hopefully whale watching is go. THERE WILL BE WHALES.
We are spending so much time on the water this year, it makes me so happy. We're going to a party on a tall ship next weekend.
Are we really talking about the weight of the nominee for Surgeon General? Really? This is crap, because it's not about weight or health. It's about gender and race and it's OFFENSIVE.
Meanwhile, I was up super early to work before heading up to Boston, and the world was bright and beautiful and full of haze. It reminded me so entirely of the mornings when I was taking flying lessons (I was in the air by 7am), that I felt really nostalgic and desirous and the way I often feel when I think about flying now, which is wondering if I'll be able to hack it when I get back to it, but I suppose, like anything, it's a choice.
Over the last couple of years, I've learned a few things from all the crazy stuff I've pursued: like fencing, like flying, like horseback riding. I've learned that we all fight alone. I've learned that we all die alone. I've learned that, as bleak as it sounds, we all live alone too. I've also learned that jesus fucking christ, some things are impossible to manage if you don't have people to talk them through with though. When I first took flying lessons, I did it in a nearly secret vacuum. Same with horses. And fencing. And it forced me to ascribe the basic human irritations, frailties and politics involved in each of those situations to The Ordeal of what I was learning, when this was often inaccurate and distracting from the real work. My point being: I now know how to do it all better for next time, and that is one hell of a consolation.
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(25 locusts | plague )
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| Thursday, July 16th, 2009
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3:45 pm - sundries
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| Wednesday, July 15th, 2009
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11:35 am
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If you're here from ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) torchwood_three the content you are looking for is at the end of this post, so scroll down past the rest of my life.
Last night, I caught a woman on the train. She was giving money to a homeless guy and lost her balance, stagger-fell down the entire length of the train and pretty much plummeted into my lap. Sadly, I was playing a video game on my iPod and not really paying attention, meaning that I didn't see her because she planted both her heels (thank god she was wearing flats) firmly into the tops of my feet with all her weight. Luckily I, and my dress shoes, survived. Anyway, I did actually manage to grab her before she actually sat and me and stood her back up. She kept asking if I was fine, I was, and I told her not to worry about it. Then she slunk off to another car in embarrassment and I've been thinking about that ever since -- since I would have done the same -- although the fact is she did nothing wrong.
The Sacred Heart School's version of Flame Trees remains so awesome. This makes probably zero sense to any non-Australian's on my friends list, with the exception of folks that saw Little Fish.
We have our bus tickets, our hotel reservation and our burlesque tickets. Boston is almost under control.
My exhaustion caught up with me last night, and I was in bed by midnight, asleep, even with the lights on as Patty read. This morning, I didn't wake up at six as I normally do instinctually, and even when my alarm went off at eight I was having none of it. Gaaaaaah.
I'm so tickled people want to discuss Torchwood with me. Sadly, I can't quite muster the energy right now. Give me a few days -- possibly until after we're back from Boston? I've a few things for later down in this post, but responses to specific queries, I'm not sure I've the energy for right now.
Harry fucking Potter. Need to see it, no idea when that is going to happen.
I am worried about our basil plant while we are away as it seems to need water twice a day. Otherwise, gardening is going well!
I had a realization today on the subway, which is that my upbringing was such that women were very discrete about pregnancy -- pregnancy clothes were extremely voluminous; the curve of the belly was never, ever visible, because that would mean people acknowledging that the act of sexual congress had taken place. I'm not even joking. I'm always slightly amazed when I see hot pregnant women in fashionable clothes on the subway; it is perfectly normal, but it always strikes me as so recently a modern notion that this is true and that omg, my childhood was even CRAZIER than I already knew. Perhaps this is why it's so hard for me to live in the world, perhaps it's because I never really did.
Patty has just paged me to inform me that there's been a squirrel attack on the garden! But she thinks she chased it away before it did anything. Clearly, there's an interested party though, as I had to fix some soil this morning as it seemed like a squirrel had come to dig holes for nuts. Argh!
Patty wants to know if scarecrows work on squirrels.
I've never been to ReaderCon but considered going this year both because authors I am friends with an authors I've never met who I admire were attending. However, after reading this I feel perhaps glad I did not go. But, actually, the post heartens me -- because it says to me we are having some valuable, fandom-wide growing pains, which might in time have good results.
I am following the Sotomayor confirmation hearings. However, they are so appalling to watch in a white-men-are-normal-everyone-else-is-suspect way, that I can't tune in a lot or I seethe with rage.
On that note, do not bring the tone argument to my door. It's not my job to be gracious about your bigotry.
And on that note, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) moominpuppet links us to a piece about being bi in Britain.
From the department of "I can't cope," hllangel alerts us to this which is an article praising the supposed "pro-American sentiment of Torchwood." Among other things, it insists Jack is American (he's not) and compared Gwen to Palin. I CAN'T COPE. Get your crazy paws off my big gay show!
Today on Thinky Thoughts About Torchwood, I want to talk about Jack and heroism. ( CoE spoilers and Doctor Who references )
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(72 locusts | plague )
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| Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
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11:01 am - sundries
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As some people noticed, cleolinda linked the other day to my piece about the fetishization and diserespect towards both gay people and gay characters in fandom. This happened in the midst of the CoE craziness (which had its relevance, surely, especially in light of the line from the original post that was used for the link -- that was sort of great, I was rather proud of that quip), and I hadn't gotten around to mentioning that I was glad more people saw the piece, but also disturbed by some of the derailing that showed up with the new influx of readers ("you're too sensitive"). Today, one of the posters who wanted to bring up the issues I raised at a con panel reported back on the results, which were disheartening to say the least. Don't yell at her, as her panel audience is not her fault, but I wanted to underline how real the problem is thanks to her reportage.
Meanwhile, there was a post about LGBT discomfort with content in Torchwood: Children of Earth, which I seriously disagreed with here. My comment is on page 2. Obviously the whole thing contains epic spoilers. The original commenter has, what I feel, is a reasonable point of view I disagreed with. However, some of the comments are illuminating as regards the paragraph previous to this, as they are filled with random examples of misogyny and more than a few straight women informing us they were only there for the queer and they feel betrayed.
*Sigh* I feel... very defeated.
Meanwhile laurab1 links us to a gay soldier's story because of whatever homophobic idiocy she's encountered in fandom this week (not sure what it was, but that was the set up of her choosing to link).
In response to all the fuckery going on in the over-the-top and art-negative and sincerely just human rudeness fail-y reactions to CoE (hate it if you want, but don't harass or threaten writers) blackbird_song had a bit of chat with James Moran and has organized a little charity drive benefiting Children in Need and Cancer Research UK. If you've got a few extra bucks and want to say "no, this behavior was not okay," you can do both at once. Particular kudos for her, because of the way her own opinion on the CoE material and reactions evolved and for doing something constructive. Details and the vaguest of spoilers are here.
This piece by is the greatest piece of Torchwood fan art ever. Rec'ed by xtricks and entirely SFW and spoiler-free.
Things I don't need: people's shitty ex-husbands friending me on Facebook.
Things I also don't need: residual virus drama on office computer that makes me hesitant to do things I need to do involving online banking and travel arrangements; I think I'll wait 'til I get home.
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(28 locusts | plague )
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| Monday, July 13th, 2009
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10:24 pm - sundries
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I now know what I will be doing at Dragon*Con, although I don't know when. In addition to modeling in the steampunk fashion show, I will also be presenting a paper ("Beyond Queering the Villain: Severus Snape, Gender and Heroism"), judging the YA costume contest and appearing on two panels on the YA Lit track: one on Alternative Sexualities in YA lit and one on Women Warriors in YA lit. It's gonna be good, guys.
Kali and I had a story meeting tonight for Enough to Go By and very cursorily for our project after that (the Jenny/Jack/Ianto fic). We've redrawn the EtGB arc to encompass certain key elements of CoE while discarding others in a way that it is entirely justifiable under the laws and structure of the Whoniverse. Because we like to be as canon compliant as possible, even when that doesn't seem possible at all, this was Not Easy, but has been achieved. We're thrilled, and although it's lengthened the piece from 5 chapters to 10, we hope to have chapter 2 coming at you before WriterCon.
WriterCon! We're doing stuff.
Patty and I are for Boston this weekend, which means we need to get bus tickets and return your email! Since my computer at work metled down today and took me with it -- that will be tomorrow.
Did anyone notice that Keith Olbermann's tie tonight ( CoE spoiler, really )
Book sales continue to be awesome, I have to assume it's because of impending HBP release. ONly two left in stock on Amazon right now.
My skin is peeling form last weekend's sunburn. Yuck.
Okay, off to wrok on my Golden Age TW fic and respond to some threads about a virtual season that may be in the works.
And, as we discover in comments, there's a photo of me on page 93 (93! ha!) of the current issue of Movie Magic magazine. I'm in my Abraxus Malfoy costume dancing with stupid_drawings.
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(17 locusts | plague )
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| Sunday, July 12th, 2009
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10:48 pm - quick CoE sundries
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I watched CoE again, this time with a group. I loved it even more. Eventually I'll watch it again, with just good friends or alone and wallow again, but today it was fun, and I got to look at it more critically and really enjoy it. ( spoilers )
I've ranted about the bad behavior going on in this fandom towards creators right now before, but after the things I was told tonight, I feel like I need to say it again. Death threats? To BBC Wales? REALLY?
Look, art is not a democracy.
In fact, all stories start alone. And I say this as someone who writes collaboratively a lot. But all stories start alone. One voice, and then another and another - -whether these be the writers or the chracters of both. And then the story grows. But all stories start as an impulse that needs expression more than the silence and the dark.
When we play in fandom, we too are adding to the story. But stories are not a democracy, rather they are trees as well as shards and fragments. The idea that the fans should have a say in the creation of an original story someone or some team is creating sincerely appalls me. Because art is not a democracy and stories demand their space from the dark.
You don't have to like the stories that come forth. Don't have to play with them. Should be a critic and can completely toss out any canon you want. But those are your stories speaking out, and they don't have to be and shouldn't be anyone else's.
In fencing I learned all sorts of things, like that idea that everyone dies alone and everyone fights alone and everyone lives alone. It sounds bleak at first, but it's not. It's power. It's fact. It's simplicity. I learned the simplest thing is the hardest thing is the best thing. I learned that stories come to us alone.
I'm not saying you have to have liked the many turns CoE took, hell you can loathe it. I really do not care. But never, ever say that people don't have a right to tell their stories and never ever seek or threaten to silence those stories.
I am sad and I'm appalled and because I MAKE STUFF TOO (and to be clear, I don't just mean in a fannish capacity, but as a pro), I do find this personally problematic.
If you haven't seen James Moran's most recent blog post, you should: http://jamesmoran.blogspot.com/2009/07/stepping-back.html.
Also in Whoniverse news that some of you will care about, apparently GDL's one con appearance in the States for the rest of 2009 will be at Hurricaine Who.
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(34 locusts | plague )
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11:01 am
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Today started with me accidentally snapping my favorite pair of glasses in half.
Now I am trying to figure out what to wear to the CoE thing today that DWNY is going.
Last night Patty and I saw Public Enemies, which I thought was a film that had no idea what story it wanted to tell and examined too many aspects of the story in deeply curosry ways so that they were disturbing but without viewpoint. That said, the use of music in it was spectacular (what was the guitar track that's also used in the previews? so great!); the performances were all amazing (although I wish the actors had been given more to do, and there's something hilarious about Billy Cruddup playing Hoover); I always forget how much I enjoy that mid-century patrician accent you barely hear anymore that was all over this film; and people, the aesthetic brilliance of the film (oh the suits!) was amazing. So I had fun, and I'm glad we went and romantic dinner afterwards didn't hurt either.
What hurt? CoE preview at the movies!
( vague CoE spoiler here )
I can't believe I snapped my fucking glasses in half!
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(51 locusts | plague )
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| Saturday, July 11th, 2009
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6:19 pm - hrrr
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I just did a draft recording of the Torchwood thing Kali and I wrote last night (when I do pod fic, I do a first recording to test different readings, my speed and to find problem words and phrases -- since seven years of speech therapy hasn't erased all my problems and my tendency to drawl is not always appropriate).
It's _really_ powerful aloud. It's also a much harder fic to read than I thought it would be, and it works better when I pitch my voice down (which I did instinctively for like a third of it, but I'm realizing need to do for all of it, clearly).
Hrrrr.
This is sorta gonna be a pain in the ass, but I also want to knock it out of the park.
But hey, off to the movies! More of this later, time for a different story for a few hours. (man, I've never so needed a bucket of popcorn in my life).
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(9 locusts | plague )
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2:29 pm - more CoE: random stuff and have some plot bunnies
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10:12 am - sundries
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Unlike after Day 4, things do look better in the morning after Day 5, but possibly only because there's no new info to absorb, I can finally just sit with this.
Coming at you, hopefully tonight: an audio version of the story Kali and I posted last night amd a post Golden Age fic from me.
If you have reaction stuff re: Torchwood you particularly want me to see, you need to point me to it, as I'm feeling overwhelmed by everyone's emotions and no longer feel like I can click on every link, at least not for a few days.
Yes, I'll be at the DWNY thing on Sunday. I want to see other people react in real time. I want to put myself through at least some parts of it again and lord, I want to do it with a proper drink in my hand.
I've not gotten dressed yet, because I'm afraid I'm going to go into my closet, with all my dress shirts lined up in a neat little row and my coat and my suit all wedged in there (it's NYC, we have no closet space and everything gets wedged together) and burst into tears.
ALso people, wow, I've never seen anything like this whole crazy experience. Anyone know what the overnight numbers were for days 4 and 5?
Meanwhile, today I have things like work, and the farmer's market and tending to plants and going to see Public Enemies with Patty.
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(21 locusts | plague )
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| Friday, July 10th, 2009
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10:13 pm - Torchwood, Children of Earth: Day 5
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9:36 pm - Torchwood fic: The Deep That We Shall Never See [Jack/Ianto; R]
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7:32 pm - okay
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Home to watch S3.5 now.
Kali and I have fic coming at you tonight.
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(10 locusts | plague )
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3:27 pm - about that word... and another word: yeah, more Torchwood meta
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12:37 pm - this
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10:53 am - sundries
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There really aren't words for what a trooper Patty's been this week.
Hey, more tomatoes are ready to eat.
Weird music request of the day: I'm trying to buy all the songs on this really emo (and odd) Ianto mix I made a few weeks ago (so not a spoiler!) on Last.fm and I've been able to find most of them. But I'm not on the impossible hunt for Farewell Johnny Miner by The Whisky Priests. Can anyone help?
( Read more... )
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(15 locusts | plague )
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8:34 am - PSA, both general and specific
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Okay on my journal: anger and disagreement. Not okay on my journal: threats of physical violence, toward anyone in any way that is the least bit possibly Not a Joke.
I am more discreet than you often realize about people I have social and professional relationships with.
When you slag viciously on famous creative people: writers and actors, it bothers the fuck out of me --- sometimes as a decent human being, sometimes as a storyteller and sometimes because I know these people! Yeah, really. And while I seem to be saying this in regard to the Torchwood fuckery going on; it's actually that the Torchwood fuckery reminds me of all the times people have done this shit about other, non-Whoniverse people with whom I do have more than passing social relationships and go for drinks with and talk about real, actual life with, and I've more or less said not a damn thing, because my life is less drama if y'all don't know who I know. But seriously, think the fuck twice. I'm surely not the only person in this position.
Be a critic, be a harsh one (lord knows I am) but don't be arbitrarily cruel.
Which means the misogyny? the threats of violence? the nasty remarks about people's partners famous and not? Are really not welcome here.
Sometimes we say unkind, gossipy shit. I am so not immune to this it's not even funny, but I try, and I'm asking you to try, and if you can't contain it, I'm asking you not to do it here, because I'm sick of having to say nothing when you talk about who you want to punch in the face or whose girlfriend you think is a slut.
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(56 locusts | plague )
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| Thursday, July 9th, 2009
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11:26 pm - Torchwood: Children of Earth, Day 4
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