shit kenzi says

I have about ten million things I have to do. Especially because OMG big_bang is due in 60 59 days OMG. And then there's unpacking and dishes and laundry and putting together the SF picspam and working on belated help_haiti goodies. Instead I've been organizing my iTunes library and trying to figure out a good way to turn a .vob into a .avi (I think I'm going to have to grr argh Adobe Premiere Pro but am not quite up to doing all of that, yet).

Also, I voted in this:



You should all vote in it, or the communists win. I mean, come on, can you believe that I was the first person to vote for Charles Gunn? There is something deeply wrong with the internetz (I also support Giles and Riley, because they're awesome and don't get enough love). And how is Taylor Townsend not winning in The OC bracket?! No one is more awesome than Taylor Townsend!

And while I voted for Dean (cause, duh) I also support the "Anybody but a Winchester" contingent, seeing as the Winchesters get lots of fannish love and a lot of characters don't get quite as much as they deserve.

Which reminds me, the radio keeps on playing songs that turn into ridiculous Dean/Castiel 'ship vids in my head. And I don't even watch shipvids! But Beyonce's Halo and We The Kings' Heaven Can Wait would make cheezetastically awesome vids. And Sneaker Pimp's Six Underground could make an almost actualfax good vid.

I hate my brain. And now you can hate it too. ;-)

Has anyone else been noticing a West Wing renaissance around fandom? Maybe it's just me, I don't know. I might be super-sensitive to it because Josh Lyman is the only one of my fandom boyfriends who I actively want to punch in the face. Let's just say, we had a really bad break up. It involved him being a dick and me going "Why am I even in this relationship, anyway? I'm always super-supportive and you do jack for me and WTF?" It's bad times, let me tell you. It all ends in blood and tears.

And these are the things that have been going through my head today. I'm sure you're all really grateful that I shared them with you. *snerk*

This entry was crossposted at http://liptonrm.dreamwidth.org/1575.html.

Did you all know that I got some really awesome holiday cards from auntimeesh and shanghai_jim? Well, I did, and they are beautiful. shanghai_jim's has the most adorable penguin on it and auntiemeesh made the card herself, OMG! You are most talented, my friend. And thank you both, I love them.

For some reason my brain has been "all pop music all the time" the past couple of days. It probably has a little something to do with watching/listening to this on repeat. I am awed and amazed that this DJ Earworm guy is able to make an actual song out of Billboard's Top 25 for the year. A pretty friggin' good song, too.

I know people give pop music a lot of grief, but sometimes it's exactly what I want to listen to. My brain just loves music, the genre doesn't seem to matter.

Also, all thanks to buffyaddict13's recent enthusiastic discovery, I've been rewatching Band of Brothers. Easy Company just never goes out of style, you know? My DVD is currently paused at the beginning of 'The Last Patrol' because I needed a break after 'The Breaking Point'. I'm always impressed at how much I find every time I rewatch, even when I thought I knew all there was to know. That's some damn good television right there.

I should probably get back to work. spn_j2_bigbang sign-ups are coming soon and I need to be ready.

Have been experiencing large, and fairly regular, waves of rage for the past couple of days. One second I'll be surfing the internet or washing dishes or something and the next I'll feel like I want to put my fist through a wall. It's not very productive.

I'd blame it all on residual grrr-ness regarding this past Sunday of Fail, but I have a feeling it's really my brain saying 'Enough already. All of the annoying mfers in your life need to Step Off and let you deal with your own shit.' Or something like that. So, you know, SSDD.

[Tangent: Man, Dreamcatcher book and movie are really, really atrocious. How they convinced a bunch of great actors to join the cast is beyond me. However, 'Same Shit, Different Day' is one of the greatest shorthand descriptions of life ever created. When Stevie's awesome he's really, really awesome. And when he's not he's really, really not.]

Have spent the past day, or so, poking around, dl-ing things like Ken Burns' documentary on the National Parks (which makes me cry because, well, I'm not entirely sure why, probably for the same reason that NPR makes me cry regardless of subject matter. Though, it may also have to do with my deep and abiding love for all of the wild places that the national parks are still trying to save) and not working on any of the ten million fannish-type projects I have on my plate. But I did finally have the chance to dig deeper into s.2 of The Wire and am digging it hardcore. I love how David Simon so carefully lays out the story he wants to tell and doesn't take any shortcuts or rush things for the sake of rushing them. And I really appreciate how he's telling these stories that are such snapshots of what's really going on in a certain time and place. I can't tell you how glad I am that these stories were told.

You know what else I love? That activity in fandom is pretty much the equivalent of getting a degree in media interpretation and critical thinking. I love how fans have such an appreciation for media and are willing to engage with it on a variety of levels. I also love that this means that I can go to my Entertainment Law lecture and namecheck Star Trek Dance Floor during a discussion on copyright and fair use. Getting to say "Too many dicks on the dance floor" in front of the entire class might just have been the greatest thing I've ever gotten to do in law school.

First: For those of you who didn't know, it's International Blog Against Racism Week. The excellent people over at ibarw have all of the posts, regardless of content, linked from the community.

Second: I seem to be on quite the grrrl power kick, if the story I posted last night is any indication. So to continue the trend I've embedded under the cut some of my favorite female-centric vids. Plz to enjoy.

One Girl Revolution by arefadedaway Because chicks kick ass, no matter the fandom.


Find more videos like this on BAM Vid Vault


( The Party Continues Under Here! )

CHICKS RULE

Finals are done. Boo yah. That's one more semester done and under my belt.

So, apprarently when I was out of over the weekend there was a SPN convention in Australia? In which Misha said that fandom likes Castiel because he's not a woman? *facepalms* LOLOLOLOLOL *lulzy facepalms*

Wow, dude, you're kinda late to the party if you're just figuring out that fandom in general isn't all that fond of female characters. I mean, don't pat yourself on the back for making some clever observation cause some of use have been saying that for years. And not just about SPN. Hell, I have a friend who used to be a big Without a Trace fan and when they introduced a new female character/love interest for one of the leads she only ever called her Agent Whore Whore. It's a poly-fannish problem.

Which doesn't mean that I think that fandom is inherently misogynist or anything like that. I've been able to carve out a pretty nice corner of fandom that doesn't really have any problems at all appreciating female characters. It's just unfortunate that the more reasonable fans aren't the ones spamming the popular media feedback sites. And that media in general has a gender bias that leans overwhelmingly towards the male side of the spectrum. And that's not even taking into account the social mechanism that conditions women into believing that every other woman is a competitor and not a possible friend. That causes a multitude of problems all on its own.

So let's put this all in perspective. Yes, the fannish gender bias is part of the problem. But Hollywood is a bigger part of the problem. I very much believe that if we want to have media product that's more open to female characters and female points then of view we're going to have to make it ourselves. Because Hollywood isn't going to do it for us, especially not the genre side of Hollywood that for all its "progressive" talk still errs on teh side of giving guys lots of tits to stare at.

[Content redacted after taking advantage of the "think twice then post" clause of internet communication]

Is there an answer? Who knows. Just like all human interactions it'll only get messier and more ambiguous as time goes on. Because in fandom, just like in life, the answers are never easy.

Ahem. So that's my take on this whole thing. FWIW

I've been trying to recreate a lot of lists and things after the Great Computer Upheaval of 2009, one of which is all of my bookmarks. And I realized that I've found a lot of fun swag that I've never shared with the internetz at large. So prepare yourself for a little linkspam. =D

Jewelry

School of Charms Beautiful retro jewelry. Some of it's a little pricey or ornate but there's a lot of gorgeous pieces there that I crave.
Kim B Designs My sudden resurgence of ring-love has me craving pretty much every piece on that page. So shiny and tawny...
Chiyogami Creations Pretty and interesting enamel pieces. Very Nice.

Posters

Battlestar Galactica Propaganda Posters Very smart, very geeky. I'm sure everyone's seen them around but they're still awesome.
Retro Solar System Travel Posters These are just full-on cool. I want each and every last one even though I have no idea where I'd hang them.
The Universe Chart Because everyone should have a map of the universe hanging in their living space. With that, a Hitchhiker's Guide, and a towel you'll be ready for anything.
Old Friends Meeting at the Crossroads You just can't get anything better than a picture of Robert Johnson selling his soul at the crossroads. Totally awesome.

T-Shirts, Etc.

Dawn Treader Outfitters Want to take a trip to the Edge of the World? They'll help you get started.
Saving People, Hunting Things This is the absolute best SPN t-shirt I've ever seen. Understated and simple but you still get to go around saying that you've got Winchesters on your boobs.
Non Timebo Mala Another simple SPN design. I'm all about having my t-shirts be a secret handshake rather than a screaming declaration.
Hunter Haven I really like their Devil Trap design but I wish they had it on more than just the t-shirts. I mean, come on, at least a sticker so I can safety seal my apartment, or something! ;-)
Yellow Rose Gallery & Studio Now these people know how to put their design on everything. Plus, the design is exquisitely rendered with all of the details intact.
Visual Newbie A one-stop shop for all your zombie fighting apparel needs.

Books

A Shortcut to Mushrooms by baylorsr. If you love hobbits and well-told stories then you'll adore this book.
Mockingbird by hiyacynth. A print version of Hiyacynth's outstanding SPN AU.
Shotguns and Salt Lines. A SPN Gen anthology with some terrific, must-read stories. It's just so awesome to be able to read fic wherever you go.

Wow, that's a lot more than I realized. I guess it is true that swag makes the fan world go 'round.

You know, I was going to use this post to talk about how awesome things are and how I've been gobbling up pictures and articles from inaguration and the balls and the Obama Administration's first two days in office. I was going to talk about the closure of Gitmo and the return of law, order, and civility to our government and the introduction of transparency.

Instead, I get online and find out that there's a jackhole who feels like it's just the dandiest thing in the world to out a member of fandom to his/her/its RL family, friends, employers, etc. And suddenly all I can see is red.

There are a lot of crazy things about fandom and a lot of crazy people in it. We all know this. And the only way our little community is able to function is because there is one trust that underlines it all. We all trust that other people out there in the cyber wilds won't betray our online activities to people outside of the community. We depend on this anonymity. If someone has wronged you online the correct way to go about dealing with it is online. You don't move this to another sphere and you don't make it that kind of personal.

It is fandom's one law, the one rule that keeps our universe spinning.

Anyone who breaks that law deserves what is coming to him/her/it. And let me tell you, when your name gets out, and it will, it always does, there will be hell to pay. I don't even know any of the principals who were harmed by your actions and I'm still salivating to see your head on that cyber-pole.

There are many things one can say about fandom, we're a fractious, bitchy group with our share of problems. We allow and foster trends and fashions that would shock the rest of the world. We don't always get along and we rarely agree on anything. But we also protect our own and our right to freely participate without fear of RL reprisals or discovery. So, kiddo, you'd better run, because we will find you and the gloves are off. You reap what you sow.

So, I was at the Chicago SPN Con this weekend. Who wants to touch me?

;-)

Actually, I felt so crappy for most of the weekend that I hardly did anything at all. I missed all of the panels except Richard Speight's. Yes, that means that I spent Jared&Jensen's panel lying on a couch in the hotel bar. I tried to go in, I really did, but the wall of sound that was coming out of the ballroom convinced me that I really didn't have the wherewithall to suffer through it, even for the boys.

But now, it's the day after and I really regret not doing a lot of stuff. Which is the nature of the beast when dealing with some stupid fucking chronic illness. So, whatever. In much better news, there was a whole hell of a lot that I really, really, really enjoyed during the con that I got to do.

Like how hiyacynth, baylorsr and I stayed in a penthouse suite with a bunch of other fangirls and had ridiculous amounts of fun. baylorsr wowed the room with her SPN versions of Life and Jeopardy. It was that group of girls who coined the phrase "canonical necrophilia" and asked the question in the Jared panel that totally forestalled any truly crazy questions that might have come because of this week's episode (because, you know, it was a joke, in case anyone didn't get that). It was just generally awesome to sit around and talk about fannish things and debate and squee and be totally fabulous together.

If you want stories about celebrity encounters you can't do much better than the Baylor Sister and Cousin. I swear, they live under some sort of freakish con star and I don't know whether to be bemused or jealous or what. I think I'll settle for quiet amuseument and 0_0.

Watched Thursday's episode with baylorsr and hiyacynth, the first time we've ever watched a first-run episode together. We were very tired by the time we got to it but it was a lot of fun. I don't think I have very much to add to the internet discussion at large about the episode, but I will share that ( spoilers )

I have a ton of comments I haven't replied to yet, and I apologize for the lagtime. It's been a crazy couple of weeks and will only be getting crazier as finals are coming and I have some serious catch-up to do. So if you don't see me you can totally assume that's what I'm doing. Stupid law school.

I try not to drama queen on lj, but screw it. It's not like a thousand other fangirls don't diva their way around town and don't become the biggest BNFs in BNFdom.

Actually, at the moment I'm finding myself so ridiculously fed up with the whole system we've set up in fandom that I'd rather be reading Russian novels with women who throw themselves under trains than hanging out here. Just so you know.

So here's my favorite unpopular fannish opinion: I don't care about slash. I have absolutely no opinion on it one way or another. There are tons of people who only read slash stories and there are tons of people who wouldn't read anything that even hinted at non-conventional same-sex relationships. I am in neither camp. I really and truly don't care. If I think a story is good* I'll read it and if I think it sucks I won't, the presence or non-presence of any pairing or pairings has little or nothing to do with that decision. So, yeah, I just don't care about pairings. I say pair whoever you want to your heart's content; it's your head and your heart and your character interpretation so more power to you. Or, hey, don't pair anyone at all, that's pretty awesome too.

Of course, fandom hypocrisy is pretty hilarious in this area. I just love how I've seen people out there say the equivalent of they can't read Sam/Ruby because it's rape but they love Dean/Spoilery New Character because it's rape. Make up your damn minds, please, or at the very least own your hypocrisy. To do otherwise makes you look like a moron.

I obviously have ceased caring whether the entirety of fandom thinks I'm a bitch. It's a strangely liberating sensation. Now if only I can learn to tell off the creepy guy who hangs around the mailbox I'll be golden.

* Footnote: My criteria for good fic is rather high. At the very least a fic needs basic elements like plot, coherent and consistent characterization, and decent pacing. You will not believe the number of fics I've found by good, popular authors that win the first two and lose tremendously on the last one. Let me give you a little hint, if you find yourself writing the same scene over and over again you need to sit down and think about where you want your story to go and what you want it to say. I won't say know where you're going when you start the story because every author works differently and I know I hate it when people try to tell me how to write, but writing a 60 part story that is the equivalent of 10 parts of actual plot/character development/meat interspersed with 50 parts of stagnation will cause me to personally send you a red pen. Which, in a way, is a compliment because obviously I think you've written a great story that deserves to be even more powerful.

Of course, you are absolutely free to think that I am a shitty author and have no place to criticize anyone's writing and we can agree to disagree on that opinion.

I have nothing to say about the latest wank that other people have not said. ( I lied, I totally have something to say;-) )

Aaaah, the joys of the internetz. Sometimes I wonder why I love them so when they drive me so crazy.

And I totally did not mean to post the whole screed. I got a little carried away. ;-)

What I really wanted to talk about was how wonderfully awesome Prince Caspian is. People, the Narnia movies make me so ridiculously happy. I can point at them and say, "Yes, see, that's how you adapt books. You keep the spirit of the story alive while telling a story that excells in a movie format." I saw it again last night and I cried and cried, mostly because for the 2+ hours that I was in the theater I felt as if I was in Narnia and when the credits rolled on the screen I had to leave, again.

I wish I had a coherent reaction to put up, I really do. Right now it pretty much consists of, 'OMG, that scene, and then the one after it, and then the one after that!' and 'I love you all so much I'm going to burst!' and 'AWESOME topped with AWESOME covered in AWESOME-sauce!'

So, yes, I highly approve. Oh boy, do I.

*happy sighs*