inmyriadbits (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
inmyriadbits) wrote2006-03-22 04:27 am
inmyriadbits) wrote2006-03-22 04:27 am
Entry tags:
Beauty, Due South, Prince Caspian, conversations, guilty pleasures meme
I haven't really had the time or inclination or energy recently to put together a real LJ post, so I've just had a couple of Notepad files that I've been jotting down random thoughts in so I can later develop them into postable material. This is some of what I've accumulated from the past few weeks.
Sometimes this city can be so ugly, and sometimes it is truly beautiful. It's like most things in that way, I suppose. I can still remember flying into La Guardia after winter break. I had the aisle seat on the left side of the plane. To land at La Guardia, the plane had to fly north along the east side of Manhattan. The sun was setting just as we reached the city; the skyline was lit up from behind with this glowing orange sunset, and the city's lights were all turning on, combining the beauty of the shapes of the buildings with the magic of city lights from the air. My other favorite beautiful memory of the city comes from a bartending job I had. Have I ever mentioned that I work as a bartender/partyhelper through the Barnard Bartending Agency? I quite like it; it's always interesting and unbelievably lucrative. Anyway, I was partyhelping at a book-publishing celebration (this book), passing hors d'oeuvres mostly. The author, Kevin Baker, was quite nice; the party was still going on when the time we were contracted for was up, and he invited all four of us working the event to stick around and have some food and some wine. I was the only one who took him up on it (silly other girls), ate some shrimp cocktail, drank a glass of white wine. I'd actually worked at that same apartment before, oddly enough; it belonged to a couple who had offered up the space for the party. I'd worked my first job for them, partyhelping at their five-year-old daughter's Halloween party (sooo cute), and they were very nice people, and remembered me. I had an interesting discussion with the dad, Andrew, and talked with some of the writers and publishing folk there, including the author. He was very sweet; he recommended a professor at Barnard to me that he said had inspired him to become a writer, and I told him about where to find swing dancing in the city. Anyway, the more relevant point: that apartment was amazing; on Central Park West, the northwest corner of the building on the 35th floor, with windows down both corner walls and a balcony. That night was very foggy, so the sizeable expanse of the city that we could see was veiled in mist. I discovered that if I stood on the very furthest northwest corner of the balcony, with no part of the building in my peripheral vision, it felt as if I were floating or flying or falling. More recently, I remember riding the Staten Island Ferry with Katie and watching the full moon rise orange over the harbor, with the lights of the skyscrapers to the north. Like I said, beautiful.
There are many things I love about Due South fandom, to which I am relatively new.
-It amuses me that there is almost more fic touching on the dynamic between Dief and Ray's turtle than about Turnbull.
-I really, really want to read a CSI/DS crossover. Grissom would trade meaningful quotations for Inuit stories, Sara would be the only woman in the world not to fall all over herself with Fraser, Warrick and Huey would discuss being black and beautiful, Nick and Fraser would geek about birds, Greg and Ray would probably hit it right off, weirdness would insue with Doc Robbins and Mort in the same room, and just imagine a conversation between Catherine and Thatcher... I would also love to see House/DS, because House and Fraser meeting would be remarkably similar to a matter-antimatter explosion. (As a side note, Veronica Mars/House would also be sooo cool. That much snark, in one place? Awesomeness.)
-Almost all the people in fandom are a level smarter and more sophisticated than pretty much any fandom I've seen. I don't know if that's because the show itself requires that kind of sophistication to be really appreciated and adored, or if the amount of time it's been cancelled has a filtering effect. I mean, DS fandom is rooted in the days of 'zines and conventions. You had to be really devoted to even get into fandom in the first place back then. Anyway, the people are intelligent and have a slightly wacked-out sense of humor, which makes for the best company. :)
-The guys are really, really good-looking. I mean, people are *still* writing porn, almost ten years later. That tells you something.
-I love that I will forever be ruined for "A Streetcar Named Desire"; someone will say the names "Stanley and Stella Kowalski" and I'll start giggling. I can just see it now...
-I find it funny that many DS fans believe that "Home again, home again, jiggity-jig," is an original creation of Ray K's--just one more of his colorful expressions. I think this is funny because my granny has used this phrase consistently throughout my entire life, which not only proves that he did not come up with it, but makes my mind connect Ray with my 85-year-old granny. Hee.
-Another thing that always jars with my personal experiences is the treatment of Fraser's name. Names are always something that fascinates me; what name a person is given, and what they choose to be called, and the different ways that different people use different names in different relationships--Ray Vecchio calls Fraser "Benny"; Fraser calls Ray "Ray" rather than "Raimundo" although he calls Frannie "Francesca"; Ray Kowalski calls Fraser that or "Frase" but never his first name; Victoria called him "Ben"; a lot of people pronounce Fraser's name incorrectly ("Frajhur" instead of "Frazer") but he never corrects them; Ray K's mom calls him Stanley; Fraser's dad addresses with "son" instead of by his name... Anyway, in the case of Ray K, people in fic make a big deal about what Ray calls Fraser when he switches to a first-name basis. It always sort of reminds me of Alias (my second fandom ever)--there was always a thing about when Sydney would start calling Vaughn "Michael," which happened, if I remember correctly, after they took down SD-6. Anyway, I always come down on the side of Ray calling Fraser "Benton." There are a couple of things that contribute to this. First, I have a thing for full names. I always think of Miles (Vorkosigan, you infidels who haven't read Lois McMaster Bujold's glorious series) in Komarr and A Civil Campaign, and the way he treats Ekaterin's name. He's almost offended by her husband's nickname for her of "Kat," because to him, the diminution of her name is a diminution of her person. He's right, too; Tien doesn't respect Ekaterin, and the nickname is an extension of that. Miles, on the other hand, treasures every syllable; he speaks it like music, or like an actor once told me the words of Shakespeare should be read, each sound a gem to be held into the light to sparkle. I loved that the first time I read it, and it's really stuck with me. Words have power, and names moreso. Some people need shortened names, and they ask for them, and that's a choice they make, as in the case of both Rays; Fraser, to my mind, is Benton in the same way that Ekaterin is her full name. The fact that their nicknames "Ben" and "Kat" were used by Victoria and Tien, respectively, only supports my belief. Both characters were deeply wounded by those relationships, and I consider the names a symptom. I know a lot of people would consider this too formal for an intimate relationship, but I disagree. Ray and Fraser were a lot about respect, and partnership, and knowing each other. The full name thing is about respect. Compare with Ray Vecchio and Bob Fraser's names for Fraser: "Benny" and "son." The use of "son" is just simply distancing, just as Bob is a distant father. Ray V and Fraser were more about a very comfortable, unfettered acceptance of each other--exactly what Fraser needed at that point in his life. The way I've always seen it, there are a couple of kinds of friends. One kind is the sort that just accepts you and likes you and loves you, however inexplicable you may find it. They make you feel good about just being yourself and don't make you feel inadequate or worry about being anything else, and that acceptance gives you the confidence to be that person they like--just yourself, nothing more or less, is what they want from you. Another kind also accepts you and loves you, and knows you very well, sometimes better than you know yourself (because they have the advantage of perspective). That sort of friend tells you when you're screwing something up. That friend pushes you to improve, because they love you enough to help you change into a better person (and we're none of us perfect). Those are the really good friends; they love you for who you are, but they also love you enough to help you change, and change is the hardest thing in the world to go through, with yourself or with somebody else. It's not that they think you suck when they point out a problem, it's that they see it screwing you over and are brave enough and loving enough to point it out. Someone who didn't care would let things slide to avoid confrontation, but this kind of friend wouldn't let it go if it's hurting their friend. "Benny" fits with the first kind of friend. Ray V doesn't love Fraser any less, just differently. He lets Fraser be himself, with the occasional jibe, and keeps loving him even through the massive Victoria SNAFU. He complains, but he always backs Fraser up. His love is incredibly vital to Fraser's well-being, and should not be underestimated. Ray K, on the other hand, is always pushing Fraser. He loves the big lug, but he won't let things go. He won't let Fraser not trust him and ruin their partnership (Mounty On The Bounty), he pushes Fraser not to hurt himself by falling for another criminal (Odds), and he pushes Fraser not to fall victim to his own arrogance (Good For The Soul). I think their friendship is a lot more equal because of this; Ray K is more partner than sidekick, a position I feel like Ray V is relegated to oftener than not. Thus, the use of "Benton." As a side note, I may also find "Benton" not as formal as some because I have a good friend who goes by that name, and I have never felt formal with him in the entire four years that I have used it. I'm not sure if any of this will make any sense to someone other than me, but oh, well. God, this was long. /babbling
And look! They're making Prince Caspian! I'm sooo excited! (And not only because I have a crush on William Moseley). I totally saw it coming, but still... *wonders who will be cast as Caspian* Although, I worry about what will happen when they reach the later books, namely the ones that deal with the Calormen. The parallels between Narnians/Calormen and Christians/Muslims is just a little too easy to see, and in the current political environment, that could be Not A Good Thing, especially considering how negatively the Calormen are portrayed.
A conversation I just heard outside in the hall:
Andre: You went to the store? What'd you get?
Mia: Something exciting.
A: Chocolate?
M: Nope.
A: Alcohol?
M: Nope.
A: More exciting than chocolate or alcohol?
M: Lightbulbs!
*snicker*
You know what annoys me more than anything? People who ask questions or start a conversation and then either wander away before getting an answer or finishing the conversation. It's just rude, like hanging up without saying goodbye. I mention this because Paola and Andre (across-the-hall girl and her-next-door-neighbor-and-partner-in-crime girl) do this a lot, and it drives me crazy and makes me a little sad. Because...it's like they just don't care, or can't care, or bother to care. Andre in particular, I've noticed, can't stay on a topic for long or really explore it thoroughly. Sometimes it makes me think of her as shallow, only I don't believe she is. Flighty is perhaps a better word. (Crazy works too. :)) Still, it annoys. I prefer the more...hmm...soulful people that I know. Abby, Inga... I think this is why I prefer Bethany's company to Kacie's or Emily's. Besides it just being awkward most times I try to talk to either of them, for some reason (you know, how with some people it's just awkward and with other people it's just not?), they only ever seem to talk about fannish things. And while I love me a good geek-out session, I can have an actual conversation with Bethany and throw in teh geek every so often. Angie, one of my favorite people in the world, is a great mix of a goofy girl, a clever wit, and someone who truly feels things deeply. That's why I usually let it go when I get annoyed with her for not really devoting her attention to a conversation, because when she is there, she's really there, and very full of life. It just doesn't happen as much as I'd like.
And I just realized that both Bethany and Angie read this journal. Oh, well. I'd tell them this, anyway, if I could just figure out how to say those kinds of things in ordinary conversation. "It snowed today, oh and by the way, I think you're one of the more soulful people in my life"? Doesn't quite work.
to complete this same Quiz, Its HERE.
Oh, and this is so cool.
Alright, that's it for now.
Sometimes this city can be so ugly, and sometimes it is truly beautiful. It's like most things in that way, I suppose. I can still remember flying into La Guardia after winter break. I had the aisle seat on the left side of the plane. To land at La Guardia, the plane had to fly north along the east side of Manhattan. The sun was setting just as we reached the city; the skyline was lit up from behind with this glowing orange sunset, and the city's lights were all turning on, combining the beauty of the shapes of the buildings with the magic of city lights from the air. My other favorite beautiful memory of the city comes from a bartending job I had. Have I ever mentioned that I work as a bartender/partyhelper through the Barnard Bartending Agency? I quite like it; it's always interesting and unbelievably lucrative. Anyway, I was partyhelping at a book-publishing celebration (this book), passing hors d'oeuvres mostly. The author, Kevin Baker, was quite nice; the party was still going on when the time we were contracted for was up, and he invited all four of us working the event to stick around and have some food and some wine. I was the only one who took him up on it (silly other girls), ate some shrimp cocktail, drank a glass of white wine. I'd actually worked at that same apartment before, oddly enough; it belonged to a couple who had offered up the space for the party. I'd worked my first job for them, partyhelping at their five-year-old daughter's Halloween party (sooo cute), and they were very nice people, and remembered me. I had an interesting discussion with the dad, Andrew, and talked with some of the writers and publishing folk there, including the author. He was very sweet; he recommended a professor at Barnard to me that he said had inspired him to become a writer, and I told him about where to find swing dancing in the city. Anyway, the more relevant point: that apartment was amazing; on Central Park West, the northwest corner of the building on the 35th floor, with windows down both corner walls and a balcony. That night was very foggy, so the sizeable expanse of the city that we could see was veiled in mist. I discovered that if I stood on the very furthest northwest corner of the balcony, with no part of the building in my peripheral vision, it felt as if I were floating or flying or falling. More recently, I remember riding the Staten Island Ferry with Katie and watching the full moon rise orange over the harbor, with the lights of the skyscrapers to the north. Like I said, beautiful.
There are many things I love about Due South fandom, to which I am relatively new.
-It amuses me that there is almost more fic touching on the dynamic between Dief and Ray's turtle than about Turnbull.
-I really, really want to read a CSI/DS crossover. Grissom would trade meaningful quotations for Inuit stories, Sara would be the only woman in the world not to fall all over herself with Fraser, Warrick and Huey would discuss being black and beautiful, Nick and Fraser would geek about birds, Greg and Ray would probably hit it right off, weirdness would insue with Doc Robbins and Mort in the same room, and just imagine a conversation between Catherine and Thatcher... I would also love to see House/DS, because House and Fraser meeting would be remarkably similar to a matter-antimatter explosion. (As a side note, Veronica Mars/House would also be sooo cool. That much snark, in one place? Awesomeness.)
-Almost all the people in fandom are a level smarter and more sophisticated than pretty much any fandom I've seen. I don't know if that's because the show itself requires that kind of sophistication to be really appreciated and adored, or if the amount of time it's been cancelled has a filtering effect. I mean, DS fandom is rooted in the days of 'zines and conventions. You had to be really devoted to even get into fandom in the first place back then. Anyway, the people are intelligent and have a slightly wacked-out sense of humor, which makes for the best company. :)
-The guys are really, really good-looking. I mean, people are *still* writing porn, almost ten years later. That tells you something.
-I love that I will forever be ruined for "A Streetcar Named Desire"; someone will say the names "Stanley and Stella Kowalski" and I'll start giggling. I can just see it now...
-I find it funny that many DS fans believe that "Home again, home again, jiggity-jig," is an original creation of Ray K's--just one more of his colorful expressions. I think this is funny because my granny has used this phrase consistently throughout my entire life, which not only proves that he did not come up with it, but makes my mind connect Ray with my 85-year-old granny. Hee.
-Another thing that always jars with my personal experiences is the treatment of Fraser's name. Names are always something that fascinates me; what name a person is given, and what they choose to be called, and the different ways that different people use different names in different relationships--Ray Vecchio calls Fraser "Benny"; Fraser calls Ray "Ray" rather than "Raimundo" although he calls Frannie "Francesca"; Ray Kowalski calls Fraser that or "Frase" but never his first name; Victoria called him "Ben"; a lot of people pronounce Fraser's name incorrectly ("Frajhur" instead of "Frazer") but he never corrects them; Ray K's mom calls him Stanley; Fraser's dad addresses with "son" instead of by his name... Anyway, in the case of Ray K, people in fic make a big deal about what Ray calls Fraser when he switches to a first-name basis. It always sort of reminds me of Alias (my second fandom ever)--there was always a thing about when Sydney would start calling Vaughn "Michael," which happened, if I remember correctly, after they took down SD-6. Anyway, I always come down on the side of Ray calling Fraser "Benton." There are a couple of things that contribute to this. First, I have a thing for full names. I always think of Miles (Vorkosigan, you infidels who haven't read Lois McMaster Bujold's glorious series) in Komarr and A Civil Campaign, and the way he treats Ekaterin's name. He's almost offended by her husband's nickname for her of "Kat," because to him, the diminution of her name is a diminution of her person. He's right, too; Tien doesn't respect Ekaterin, and the nickname is an extension of that. Miles, on the other hand, treasures every syllable; he speaks it like music, or like an actor once told me the words of Shakespeare should be read, each sound a gem to be held into the light to sparkle. I loved that the first time I read it, and it's really stuck with me. Words have power, and names moreso. Some people need shortened names, and they ask for them, and that's a choice they make, as in the case of both Rays; Fraser, to my mind, is Benton in the same way that Ekaterin is her full name. The fact that their nicknames "Ben" and "Kat" were used by Victoria and Tien, respectively, only supports my belief. Both characters were deeply wounded by those relationships, and I consider the names a symptom. I know a lot of people would consider this too formal for an intimate relationship, but I disagree. Ray and Fraser were a lot about respect, and partnership, and knowing each other. The full name thing is about respect. Compare with Ray Vecchio and Bob Fraser's names for Fraser: "Benny" and "son." The use of "son" is just simply distancing, just as Bob is a distant father. Ray V and Fraser were more about a very comfortable, unfettered acceptance of each other--exactly what Fraser needed at that point in his life. The way I've always seen it, there are a couple of kinds of friends. One kind is the sort that just accepts you and likes you and loves you, however inexplicable you may find it. They make you feel good about just being yourself and don't make you feel inadequate or worry about being anything else, and that acceptance gives you the confidence to be that person they like--just yourself, nothing more or less, is what they want from you. Another kind also accepts you and loves you, and knows you very well, sometimes better than you know yourself (because they have the advantage of perspective). That sort of friend tells you when you're screwing something up. That friend pushes you to improve, because they love you enough to help you change into a better person (and we're none of us perfect). Those are the really good friends; they love you for who you are, but they also love you enough to help you change, and change is the hardest thing in the world to go through, with yourself or with somebody else. It's not that they think you suck when they point out a problem, it's that they see it screwing you over and are brave enough and loving enough to point it out. Someone who didn't care would let things slide to avoid confrontation, but this kind of friend wouldn't let it go if it's hurting their friend. "Benny" fits with the first kind of friend. Ray V doesn't love Fraser any less, just differently. He lets Fraser be himself, with the occasional jibe, and keeps loving him even through the massive Victoria SNAFU. He complains, but he always backs Fraser up. His love is incredibly vital to Fraser's well-being, and should not be underestimated. Ray K, on the other hand, is always pushing Fraser. He loves the big lug, but he won't let things go. He won't let Fraser not trust him and ruin their partnership (Mounty On The Bounty), he pushes Fraser not to hurt himself by falling for another criminal (Odds), and he pushes Fraser not to fall victim to his own arrogance (Good For The Soul). I think their friendship is a lot more equal because of this; Ray K is more partner than sidekick, a position I feel like Ray V is relegated to oftener than not. Thus, the use of "Benton." As a side note, I may also find "Benton" not as formal as some because I have a good friend who goes by that name, and I have never felt formal with him in the entire four years that I have used it. I'm not sure if any of this will make any sense to someone other than me, but oh, well. God, this was long. /babbling
And look! They're making Prince Caspian! I'm sooo excited! (And not only because I have a crush on William Moseley). I totally saw it coming, but still... *wonders who will be cast as Caspian* Although, I worry about what will happen when they reach the later books, namely the ones that deal with the Calormen. The parallels between Narnians/Calormen and Christians/Muslims is just a little too easy to see, and in the current political environment, that could be Not A Good Thing, especially considering how negatively the Calormen are portrayed.
A conversation I just heard outside in the hall:
Andre: You went to the store? What'd you get?
Mia: Something exciting.
A: Chocolate?
M: Nope.
A: Alcohol?
M: Nope.
A: More exciting than chocolate or alcohol?
M: Lightbulbs!
*snicker*
You know what annoys me more than anything? People who ask questions or start a conversation and then either wander away before getting an answer or finishing the conversation. It's just rude, like hanging up without saying goodbye. I mention this because Paola and Andre (across-the-hall girl and her-next-door-neighbor-and-partner-in-crime girl) do this a lot, and it drives me crazy and makes me a little sad. Because...it's like they just don't care, or can't care, or bother to care. Andre in particular, I've noticed, can't stay on a topic for long or really explore it thoroughly. Sometimes it makes me think of her as shallow, only I don't believe she is. Flighty is perhaps a better word. (Crazy works too. :)) Still, it annoys. I prefer the more...hmm...soulful people that I know. Abby, Inga... I think this is why I prefer Bethany's company to Kacie's or Emily's. Besides it just being awkward most times I try to talk to either of them, for some reason (you know, how with some people it's just awkward and with other people it's just not?), they only ever seem to talk about fannish things. And while I love me a good geek-out session, I can have an actual conversation with Bethany and throw in teh geek every so often. Angie, one of my favorite people in the world, is a great mix of a goofy girl, a clever wit, and someone who truly feels things deeply. That's why I usually let it go when I get annoyed with her for not really devoting her attention to a conversation, because when she is there, she's really there, and very full of life. It just doesn't happen as much as I'd like.
And I just realized that both Bethany and Angie read this journal. Oh, well. I'd tell them this, anyway, if I could just figure out how to say those kinds of things in ordinary conversation. "It snowed today, oh and by the way, I think you're one of the more soulful people in my life"? Doesn't quite work.
| Culinary: | Salt and sugar | I love to eat salt and sugar (separately) straight up. As in, I pour salt into my hand and lick it up, or eat sugar cubes plain. Yum. |
| Literary: | Re-reading books | I always feel guilty about this, because there are so many things out there that I haven't read, and yet I'll re-read a book for the ninth time. Favorites: Tamora Pierce's series, Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series, Robin McKinley. It's like comfort food, only comfort reading. I have a lot of fics that constitute comfort reading as well. |
| Audiovisual: | What A Girl Wants | I really enjoyed this movie for its sappiness. Don't ask me why. Maybe it was Colin Firth that raised this particular movie's caliber. Anyway, it's a definite guilty pleasure. |
| Musical: | Kelly Clarkson | She's poppy, she's sentimental, and she's an American Idol. And I love her so, so guiltily. |
| Celebrity: | William Moseley | Yep, that's right. The guy who played Peter in The Chronicles of Narnia, the one I was so happy to discover was my age so I didn't feel like a pervy minor-fancier. He's just so pretty! |
to complete this same Quiz, Its HERE.
Oh, and this is so cool.
Alright, that's it for now.
no subject
I wish I had more coherent things to say - I liked reading your post and hearing what you've been up to and all the snippets (visual, conversational, mental, beautiful) that make up your days. Did I tell you that I am a member of the official Kelly Clarkson fan club? :) Courtesy of my sis, who works for the company that manages the club. Best Xmas gift ever, in my opinion.
Oh look at that, I'm late for work! Eek! Happy 'hump day'. :)
no subject
no subject
O.o REALLY?!? Weirdos....
Re: Miles on Ekaterin v Kat - I love that scene where he says her full name, and the other people in the room totally clue in. What a dork ;)
I'm with you on the people-wandering-away thing, but Emma does complain about our tendency to beat a topic to death....
no subject
Oh, Miles. He really is a giant dork at heart, despite his cool-commander/Auditor routine. That scene, like so many others in A Civil Campaign, make me squee. That one made me pleased with the supporting characters, because they *can* figure Miles out like that.
But it doesn't do an idea credit to just drop it! That's just...just...wrong.