They've got jobs with health insurance, they've got cars with second gear
In the shower this morning, I was thinking about Avatar (which I haven't seen), which made me start thinking about James Cameron, and then about how the Terminator franchise is apparently for sale, and then how Joss Whedon said (jokingly, I'm pretty sure) he'd like to buy it, and then I thought about how, being Joss, he would probably kill everyone off, and then I started thinking about Terminator: Salvation. So there was an earlier version of that script where John was supposed to die, and his face was grafted on to Marcus' body and Marcus continued as John Connor. (I assume there was also an earlier-but-not-as-early script where everybody lived, Marcus included, since that's what happens in the novelization, but. Not to be confused with the VERY early, pre-Bale script where John was just a voice on the radio and the whole movie was about Kyle and Marcus. BUT I DIGRESS.)
Anyway, my biggest problem with John dying that way is that there would've been a huge impact for me, as an audience member-I've been invested in this franchise for over 15 years now (holy shit) and the whole time, it's been a central tenet that John is central to the salvation of humanity. Finding out that isn't true, or at least not in the way we thought it was, would have been a HUGE thing for me. And that's fine, that could actually be really interesting, except the problem is that as the movies currently stand, there's no way to play that reaction out for its dramatic potential, because none of the characters would experience that impact in the same way an audience would. Everyone who's part of the resistance-including Kate-is a relatively recent convert. The dramatic potential for that storyline would lie in one of the other characters trying to deal with that transition in the same way that the (long-time) audience would be.
And you know who would be fascinating to have in that scenario? Sarah. Watching Sarah deal with the realization that John isn't fated to save the world in the way she thought he was, watching her interact with a half-man, half-machine who wears her dead son's face… that has major dramatic potential. I mean, not that Sarah needs any more suffering piled on her, but if killing John was the way they wanted to go, that would've been a really interesting payoff from it.
If they hadn't also killed Sarah, of course. So obviously none of this would've happened anyway. But I'd read that fic. Heh. (Though if Sarah had been around to meet baby!Kyle, that would be slightly awkward. Hee.)
Also, it would be interesting to see John knowing he was going to die, and having that weight of responsibility lifted from him, the weight he's been carrying literally his entire life. I mean, I think he'd fight it almost till the very end, but at some point he'd have to know that death was inevitable and I think there would be an enormous amount of relief there, all tangled up with frustration and anger. And now I am getting kind of verklempt picturing a deathbed goodbye between him and Sarah, so MOVING ON. But I'm saying: I'd read that fic!
Aaaanyway. I was going to post some music for More Joy Day, but I never got around to it, so here, have some songs that make me happy (with some commentary, because I can't shut up about shit):
Allison Iraheta - Holiday -- You guys, it breaks my heart that Allison's album isn't selling better, because it's SO FREAKING GOOD, and I think her voice is (in its way) every bit as exceptional as Adam's, and she deserves a fantastic career. This is my favorite song off her album, a good in-your-face post-breakup song that has a very P!nk vibe to it, only with less self-absorption. It's AWESOME.
Allison Iraheta - Scars -- I'M TELLING YOU THIS ALBUM IS AWESOME. A stripped-down, melancholy ballad that really showcases Alli's astonishing voice.
MWK - Judging a Bullet -- To go along with yesterday's theme! I've been listening to this song a lot lately for some reason. I also can't quite wrap my head around how it contains both the awesomeness of "Such a sweet radiation / I love the burn she leaves on me" (RRRROWR) and also the noogie-inducing "You shot me with the heaviest! You shot me with the lovelessness!" Oh, Neal and Zac. I love you, but really? Two of you working on that song, and neither one of you reconsidered that? Really? *noogies*
Kris Allen - Alright With Me -- TOTALLY my favorite song off Kris' album; it makes me SO HAPPY every time I listen to it. Just cheerful and bouncy, with a great groove to it. According to Katy, this is the musical direction that Kris is finding that he wants to go, and I AM SO ON BOARD WITH THAT. (Plus, the champion Kris-lyric-mishear-ers over at ontd_ai have reinterpreted the first line as "I'm a little prawn, stealin' your gay," so now you can try to unhear THAT when you listen. Heee.)
Crash Kings - Mountain Man -- Of all the music I've discovered in the past several months, I think the Crash Kings have the most original sound; this is what happens when you have piano, drums, bass, and a bunch of jazz-geeks-turned-rockstars. Their music has the unpredictability of jazz without being up its own ass the way that jazz can be sometimes, and this song in particular has a dirty-sexy-funky drive to it that I find totally irresistible.
Adam Lambert - Fever -- Look, I can't not complete the Kradison trifecta! Lady GaGa wrote this song, so you can take that as a recommendation or as a strike against it, depending on how you feel about Lady GaGa. :) It's catchy as hell, and sexyclever, and Adam sings it with the perfect sly slant. VERY fun.
Headstones - Roadpops -- Aaaand some old-school Headstones, just because. I remember dugrival saying one time that the guitars in this song are so raw that she was afraid she'd get slashed if she stood too close to it, and that's a PERFECT description, I think. Plus Hugh talking about being strapped in behind a thousand pounds of engine. Mmmmmmmmm.
To Have Heroes - Better Day -- THH is my go-to music these days when I'm upset; something about the purity of Andy's voice and guitar just seems to put a balm on anything that might be raw in me. And this song always kind of makes me giggle because it's all about the speaker having some sort of deep dark secrets that he can't share with his loved one for fear that it will cause her to turn away from him, and I know that the speaker is not actually Andy, but it's still him SINGING it and I just go… really, Andy? What sort of horrific events from your past do you need to hide? Was it that one time when you rescued a three-legged puppy and instead of taking it into your home, you gave it to a sick child? I mean seriously. YOURS IS NOT THE FACE OF DARK SECRETS, I AM SORRY. *smishes him*
David Cook - Straight Ahead -- From Cook's pre-Idol "solo" album, Analog Heart (I say "solo" because it involves a whole bunch of people he'd worked with before and some he's still working with now, so the "solo" designation amuses me). Um, I actually do not know what to say about this song, except that I love it, and also in my head it's about Neal, lalalalala. But it is awesome aside from that, as well! It's got that build and energy to it that Cook does really, really well.
David Cook - Let Go -- Also from Analog Heart, and apparently there's been a lot of discussion in DC fandom over what this song is about, because a lot of people contend that it's about sex, which to me, it is clearly not, at least in terms of the lyrics. However, I can understand how people would come away with that impression, because hearing Cook singing things like "potent" and "want action, reaction" all growly and intent is pretty fucking sexy. Also Neal has a smokin' guitar solo in the middle of it, and when Cook was asked what the song was about, he said he doesn't really like to "divulge" (nggh) the meanings behind his songs, but that that one was, in fact, about said smokin' guitar solo. BOYFRIENDS. (Who have an open relationship that also allows them to date smoking hot green-haired burlesque performers, FOR THE WIN.)
Jeffrey Foucault - I'm Alright -- This song has been saving my sanity, on and off, for a good five years now. It's simple and wry and beautiful and comforting, and it's excellent for regaining perspective, and it's Jeffrey Foucault, and I love it.
And for those of you who are neither interested in Terminator nor (my) music, I give you lethally adorable adoptable puppies. OH MY GOD. WANT. I mean, the last thing I need right now is a puppy, but OH MY GOD LOOK AT THEIR LITTLE PUPPY FACES. *noms on them*
And if neither Terminator nor music nor puppies can tempt you, well, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO YOU. Hee.
Anyway, my biggest problem with John dying that way is that there would've been a huge impact for me, as an audience member-I've been invested in this franchise for over 15 years now (holy shit) and the whole time, it's been a central tenet that John is central to the salvation of humanity. Finding out that isn't true, or at least not in the way we thought it was, would have been a HUGE thing for me. And that's fine, that could actually be really interesting, except the problem is that as the movies currently stand, there's no way to play that reaction out for its dramatic potential, because none of the characters would experience that impact in the same way an audience would. Everyone who's part of the resistance-including Kate-is a relatively recent convert. The dramatic potential for that storyline would lie in one of the other characters trying to deal with that transition in the same way that the (long-time) audience would be.
And you know who would be fascinating to have in that scenario? Sarah. Watching Sarah deal with the realization that John isn't fated to save the world in the way she thought he was, watching her interact with a half-man, half-machine who wears her dead son's face… that has major dramatic potential. I mean, not that Sarah needs any more suffering piled on her, but if killing John was the way they wanted to go, that would've been a really interesting payoff from it.
If they hadn't also killed Sarah, of course. So obviously none of this would've happened anyway. But I'd read that fic. Heh. (Though if Sarah had been around to meet baby!Kyle, that would be slightly awkward. Hee.)
Also, it would be interesting to see John knowing he was going to die, and having that weight of responsibility lifted from him, the weight he's been carrying literally his entire life. I mean, I think he'd fight it almost till the very end, but at some point he'd have to know that death was inevitable and I think there would be an enormous amount of relief there, all tangled up with frustration and anger. And now I am getting kind of verklempt picturing a deathbed goodbye between him and Sarah, so MOVING ON. But I'm saying: I'd read that fic!
Aaaanyway. I was going to post some music for More Joy Day, but I never got around to it, so here, have some songs that make me happy (with some commentary, because I can't shut up about shit):
Allison Iraheta - Holiday -- You guys, it breaks my heart that Allison's album isn't selling better, because it's SO FREAKING GOOD, and I think her voice is (in its way) every bit as exceptional as Adam's, and she deserves a fantastic career. This is my favorite song off her album, a good in-your-face post-breakup song that has a very P!nk vibe to it, only with less self-absorption. It's AWESOME.
Allison Iraheta - Scars -- I'M TELLING YOU THIS ALBUM IS AWESOME. A stripped-down, melancholy ballad that really showcases Alli's astonishing voice.
MWK - Judging a Bullet -- To go along with yesterday's theme! I've been listening to this song a lot lately for some reason. I also can't quite wrap my head around how it contains both the awesomeness of "Such a sweet radiation / I love the burn she leaves on me" (RRRROWR) and also the noogie-inducing "You shot me with the heaviest! You shot me with the lovelessness!" Oh, Neal and Zac. I love you, but really? Two of you working on that song, and neither one of you reconsidered that? Really? *noogies*
Kris Allen - Alright With Me -- TOTALLY my favorite song off Kris' album; it makes me SO HAPPY every time I listen to it. Just cheerful and bouncy, with a great groove to it. According to Katy, this is the musical direction that Kris is finding that he wants to go, and I AM SO ON BOARD WITH THAT. (Plus, the champion Kris-lyric-mishear-ers over at ontd_ai have reinterpreted the first line as "I'm a little prawn, stealin' your gay," so now you can try to unhear THAT when you listen. Heee.)
Crash Kings - Mountain Man -- Of all the music I've discovered in the past several months, I think the Crash Kings have the most original sound; this is what happens when you have piano, drums, bass, and a bunch of jazz-geeks-turned-rockstars. Their music has the unpredictability of jazz without being up its own ass the way that jazz can be sometimes, and this song in particular has a dirty-sexy-funky drive to it that I find totally irresistible.
Adam Lambert - Fever -- Look, I can't not complete the Kradison trifecta! Lady GaGa wrote this song, so you can take that as a recommendation or as a strike against it, depending on how you feel about Lady GaGa. :) It's catchy as hell, and sexyclever, and Adam sings it with the perfect sly slant. VERY fun.
Headstones - Roadpops -- Aaaand some old-school Headstones, just because. I remember dugrival saying one time that the guitars in this song are so raw that she was afraid she'd get slashed if she stood too close to it, and that's a PERFECT description, I think. Plus Hugh talking about being strapped in behind a thousand pounds of engine. Mmmmmmmmm.
To Have Heroes - Better Day -- THH is my go-to music these days when I'm upset; something about the purity of Andy's voice and guitar just seems to put a balm on anything that might be raw in me. And this song always kind of makes me giggle because it's all about the speaker having some sort of deep dark secrets that he can't share with his loved one for fear that it will cause her to turn away from him, and I know that the speaker is not actually Andy, but it's still him SINGING it and I just go… really, Andy? What sort of horrific events from your past do you need to hide? Was it that one time when you rescued a three-legged puppy and instead of taking it into your home, you gave it to a sick child? I mean seriously. YOURS IS NOT THE FACE OF DARK SECRETS, I AM SORRY. *smishes him*
David Cook - Straight Ahead -- From Cook's pre-Idol "solo" album, Analog Heart (I say "solo" because it involves a whole bunch of people he'd worked with before and some he's still working with now, so the "solo" designation amuses me). Um, I actually do not know what to say about this song, except that I love it, and also in my head it's about Neal, lalalalala. But it is awesome aside from that, as well! It's got that build and energy to it that Cook does really, really well.
David Cook - Let Go -- Also from Analog Heart, and apparently there's been a lot of discussion in DC fandom over what this song is about, because a lot of people contend that it's about sex, which to me, it is clearly not, at least in terms of the lyrics. However, I can understand how people would come away with that impression, because hearing Cook singing things like "potent" and "want action, reaction" all growly and intent is pretty fucking sexy. Also Neal has a smokin' guitar solo in the middle of it, and when Cook was asked what the song was about, he said he doesn't really like to "divulge" (nggh) the meanings behind his songs, but that that one was, in fact, about said smokin' guitar solo. BOYFRIENDS. (Who have an open relationship that also allows them to date smoking hot green-haired burlesque performers, FOR THE WIN.)
Jeffrey Foucault - I'm Alright -- This song has been saving my sanity, on and off, for a good five years now. It's simple and wry and beautiful and comforting, and it's excellent for regaining perspective, and it's Jeffrey Foucault, and I love it.
And for those of you who are neither interested in Terminator nor (my) music, I give you lethally adorable adoptable puppies. OH MY GOD. WANT. I mean, the last thing I need right now is a puppy, but OH MY GOD LOOK AT THEIR LITTLE PUPPY FACES. *noms on them*
And if neither Terminator nor music nor puppies can tempt you, well, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO YOU. Hee.