QAF, meet real life
Or, well, first off. The important thing. I heard about London ...early, when the first news reports came in and no one had an inkling of what was going on. Living way over here, never having visited London and having no friends there* (save for friends of friends), relating to this is belated and second-hand. I don't have anyone in particular to be afraid for, and the chances of something like that happening here are slim to none. It's horrible, but it's not horrible on a personal level. I know I'm lucky there. I feel for everyone who's worried or grieving because of what happened. Hugs, because that's the best I can give.
Although, you know, I vastly prefer the gallows humor to other ways of dealing with this. It's curious how when I started to write my little obligatory London bit, it slid into a generic 'Oh Lord, the tragedy' blurb. Tragic, yes. But still the best thing I've heard about it this far? One of the ladies caught in the bus bombing apparently crossed the street and boarded another bus, because "what are the chances I'll be blown up twice in one day?"
* Having said that, I got irrationally worried for nini_loves_pink, because she gets around UK way too much for me to be absolutely sure she isn't in London now.
.
Happier things.
Queer As Folk, 509. I tend to write down thoughts as I'm watching because if I don't, half of them will be lost by the time I'm finished with whatever it is I'm watching. Of course, half of the time the things I come up with pop up later in the same episode, and I see the redundancy of my ways. End disclaimerish thing.
Random: I love Brian with Debbie. And I love Brian with Ted. Aside from loving Brian in general, I mean. I love the reference to the previous time Brian and Debbie smoked pot together: it's only one of my favorite scenes ever.
Random two: ahaha. I think Drew is redeemed in my books. He was an asshole for the longest time, and I'm not saying just coming out on air (and kissing Em on air, too!) makes him a good guy, but the fact that he, however reluctantly, allowed Em to question his notions, made him more sympathetic. And seriously. It was Emmett.
Now I'm horribly scared that he'll dump Em on whatever stupid excuse. How did this happen? A while ago I was begging him to get written out of the show. That's some good writing there.
.
I think I fail to see where Justin's coming from in his attack against his mother's boyfriend. I suppose it has a lot to do with how Jennifer's been his support through, if not his entire life, then at least through everything that's happened in the past few years. She took his side. It sort of feels as though Justin's been her single priority from the beginning of the show. She didn't divorce her husband because of Justin, but Justin was the catalyst. And although we know about Molly, due to her small importance in the show we get the impression that Jennifer's main concern is always Justin. But now she's gone and found herself a boyfriend, and it seems to be serious. I could see how Justin would be upset that she's been seeing someone for six months without telling him, but he's way upset before that ever comes up. And he has a problem about the boyfriend being so much younger. Now that I don't see. I mean. 'You're my mother. You should know better.' Riiight.
It's both annoying and effective to show absolutely everyone getting the urge to settle down with a house in the suburbs and maybe throw in a picket fence. It's certainly something that I can picture going around like the plague. It hardly takes more than two people in your circle of friends to do it and start a trend. I haven't been there personally, but a few years back there was a huge wave of breeding, moving out of the capital and buying a house among my sisters' friends, all previously high-flying urban thirtysomethings. They spoke with great conviction about 'not getting any younger' and there being 'a time to settle down' and, most importantly, about being reminded by their friends' example about 'the important things in this stage of life'. My translation: 'I want what my friends have. I don't want to be left behind. I want to take this step with them.'
So, plausible. But it's annoying because it's hard to tell if the writers are saying something about group cohesion, group loyalty, or if they're endorsing a certain way of life. Previously, Justin's decision to accept Brian as he is was a statement about more than just two people. And now it almost looks as if by making Justin go back on his decision, the writers are saying that while fucking around is okay for a while, ultimately you will want the traditional things, and that's it's okay to want them. A pretty, family-friendly ending for the show.
All the while making a point with Proposition 14. I'm tempted to say they're advocating the gay life turned straight; that in the end, we all want the straight people's idea of good life. (But maybe I'm too young to say this. Maybe in ten years, god forbid, I'll know where the inspiration to this plotline comes from.)
And, as for Justin going back on his decision: sure. He can do that. People do all the time. They think they've worked out an issue and put it behind them, and maybe for a while they have, but then something comes up and the issue's there again, unsolved. Some things are small enough to be ignored; some have to be solved again. So maybe Justin really was okay with the terms of their relationship, for the time being, and now he isn't. I can buy that, despite annoyance factor.
.
Proposition 14 and the Holocaust analogy. You know, I feel like I should say something about this, because like it or not, it's not as far-fetched as I hope it would be. I can't really say that it sounds ridiculous, because, although at first it does (mostly because Holocaust as a term conjures up images of a unique horror that simply can't happen again and I could go off on a tangent about this, but it really has nothing to do with anything here, so, no), it isn't, really. And, yeah. I'm not well-informed enough to tackle this. I know more about the Holocaust than the current state of legislation concerning gay rights in the US. But the gut feeling I have about it isn't at all good.
.
Possibly should also talk about Michael's stubborn refusal to try and patch things up with Brian, but I don't have an opinion there. He's obviously being as ass, because hey, he's known Brian long enough to know what's going on, and it's not like Brian said anything worse than he's already said a dozen times. I think I'm getting tired of these random interludes of 'OMG, my best friend's such a dickhead, I'll never talk to him again, just watch me!' Seriously.
.
Random three: the lesbians. Just when I thought they were getting less annoying. Well, actually, they weren't. I keep wanting to throw little paper tomatoes at the screen, like Cim. Maybe I should try it. It was very therapeutic just to watch her do that. Greatly improved the Sam Auerbach plotline.
.
[post-510] ...What. The. Fuck. Okay, cheap blow. Maybe I'll feel differently later but first impressions? Cheap. Too easy. Of course something like that gets people to say and do all kinds of things. Some of them may even be true. Most of them will be true at the moment. Will have to reflect on this more. But generally speaking, when a writer takes that way out, there's little left to save. /eta
Some of this was mirrored in real life as I got a call from Noora. We usually talk about once a month; we try not to drift apart too much, but I fail. I can't relate to her life anymore, and somehow feel that our friendship is standing on two crippled feet and nostalgia for a crutch. She and her live-in boyfriend of two years just bought an apartment, a place to grow roots and build a family. We talked about their move (going slow, because she's got a summer job in a different city), about building a home together with a life partner, about their tentative wedding plans, and so on, and so forth. About different ways of living together: traditional families; families or communes based on friendship; communes based on sharing the living expenses. Talked about the practical arrangements and the mindset it takes to share living space. Talked about settling down, and dreams, and where we saw ourselves when we were younger. She's got her dreams, almost. I've... yet to discover mine. Honestly, I hoped that by twenty-two I'd be living and studying abroad, but I don't think that's going to happen anymore. Not anytime soon. The moment passed. I still want it, but I went and grew roots here. After last year, I don't think I can make that leap again. I should've packed my stuff after high school and gone straight to wherever the hell I wanted to, instead of making a stop in Turku. Now I'm stuck here and not really regretting it either. I get the occasional wasted opportunity laughing in my face, but then I think, fuck them. I could still take off, only now I think I'd probably come back, eventually. The old scenarios never said anything about a return ticket.
And, now I'll enjoy the slightly more reasonable weather and watch 510 & 511.
Although, you know, I vastly prefer the gallows humor to other ways of dealing with this. It's curious how when I started to write my little obligatory London bit, it slid into a generic 'Oh Lord, the tragedy' blurb. Tragic, yes. But still the best thing I've heard about it this far? One of the ladies caught in the bus bombing apparently crossed the street and boarded another bus, because "what are the chances I'll be blown up twice in one day?"
* Having said that, I got irrationally worried for nini_loves_pink, because she gets around UK way too much for me to be absolutely sure she isn't in London now.
.
Happier things.
Queer As Folk, 509. I tend to write down thoughts as I'm watching because if I don't, half of them will be lost by the time I'm finished with whatever it is I'm watching. Of course, half of the time the things I come up with pop up later in the same episode, and I see the redundancy of my ways. End disclaimerish thing.
Random: I love Brian with Debbie. And I love Brian with Ted. Aside from loving Brian in general, I mean. I love the reference to the previous time Brian and Debbie smoked pot together: it's only one of my favorite scenes ever.
Random two: ahaha. I think Drew is redeemed in my books. He was an asshole for the longest time, and I'm not saying just coming out on air (and kissing Em on air, too!) makes him a good guy, but the fact that he, however reluctantly, allowed Em to question his notions, made him more sympathetic. And seriously. It was Emmett.
Now I'm horribly scared that he'll dump Em on whatever stupid excuse. How did this happen? A while ago I was begging him to get written out of the show. That's some good writing there.
.
I think I fail to see where Justin's coming from in his attack against his mother's boyfriend. I suppose it has a lot to do with how Jennifer's been his support through, if not his entire life, then at least through everything that's happened in the past few years. She took his side. It sort of feels as though Justin's been her single priority from the beginning of the show. She didn't divorce her husband because of Justin, but Justin was the catalyst. And although we know about Molly, due to her small importance in the show we get the impression that Jennifer's main concern is always Justin. But now she's gone and found herself a boyfriend, and it seems to be serious. I could see how Justin would be upset that she's been seeing someone for six months without telling him, but he's way upset before that ever comes up. And he has a problem about the boyfriend being so much younger. Now that I don't see. I mean. 'You're my mother. You should know better.' Riiight.
It's both annoying and effective to show absolutely everyone getting the urge to settle down with a house in the suburbs and maybe throw in a picket fence. It's certainly something that I can picture going around like the plague. It hardly takes more than two people in your circle of friends to do it and start a trend. I haven't been there personally, but a few years back there was a huge wave of breeding, moving out of the capital and buying a house among my sisters' friends, all previously high-flying urban thirtysomethings. They spoke with great conviction about 'not getting any younger' and there being 'a time to settle down' and, most importantly, about being reminded by their friends' example about 'the important things in this stage of life'. My translation: 'I want what my friends have. I don't want to be left behind. I want to take this step with them.'
So, plausible. But it's annoying because it's hard to tell if the writers are saying something about group cohesion, group loyalty, or if they're endorsing a certain way of life. Previously, Justin's decision to accept Brian as he is was a statement about more than just two people. And now it almost looks as if by making Justin go back on his decision, the writers are saying that while fucking around is okay for a while, ultimately you will want the traditional things, and that's it's okay to want them. A pretty, family-friendly ending for the show.
All the while making a point with Proposition 14. I'm tempted to say they're advocating the gay life turned straight; that in the end, we all want the straight people's idea of good life. (But maybe I'm too young to say this. Maybe in ten years, god forbid, I'll know where the inspiration to this plotline comes from.)
And, as for Justin going back on his decision: sure. He can do that. People do all the time. They think they've worked out an issue and put it behind them, and maybe for a while they have, but then something comes up and the issue's there again, unsolved. Some things are small enough to be ignored; some have to be solved again. So maybe Justin really was okay with the terms of their relationship, for the time being, and now he isn't. I can buy that, despite annoyance factor.
.
Proposition 14 and the Holocaust analogy. You know, I feel like I should say something about this, because like it or not, it's not as far-fetched as I hope it would be. I can't really say that it sounds ridiculous, because, although at first it does (mostly because Holocaust as a term conjures up images of a unique horror that simply can't happen again and I could go off on a tangent about this, but it really has nothing to do with anything here, so, no), it isn't, really. And, yeah. I'm not well-informed enough to tackle this. I know more about the Holocaust than the current state of legislation concerning gay rights in the US. But the gut feeling I have about it isn't at all good.
.
Possibly should also talk about Michael's stubborn refusal to try and patch things up with Brian, but I don't have an opinion there. He's obviously being as ass, because hey, he's known Brian long enough to know what's going on, and it's not like Brian said anything worse than he's already said a dozen times. I think I'm getting tired of these random interludes of 'OMG, my best friend's such a dickhead, I'll never talk to him again, just watch me!' Seriously.
.
Random three: the lesbians. Just when I thought they were getting less annoying. Well, actually, they weren't. I keep wanting to throw little paper tomatoes at the screen, like Cim. Maybe I should try it. It was very therapeutic just to watch her do that. Greatly improved the Sam Auerbach plotline.
.
[post-510] ...What. The. Fuck. Okay, cheap blow. Maybe I'll feel differently later but first impressions? Cheap. Too easy. Of course something like that gets people to say and do all kinds of things. Some of them may even be true. Most of them will be true at the moment. Will have to reflect on this more. But generally speaking, when a writer takes that way out, there's little left to save. /eta
Some of this was mirrored in real life as I got a call from Noora. We usually talk about once a month; we try not to drift apart too much, but I fail. I can't relate to her life anymore, and somehow feel that our friendship is standing on two crippled feet and nostalgia for a crutch. She and her live-in boyfriend of two years just bought an apartment, a place to grow roots and build a family. We talked about their move (going slow, because she's got a summer job in a different city), about building a home together with a life partner, about their tentative wedding plans, and so on, and so forth. About different ways of living together: traditional families; families or communes based on friendship; communes based on sharing the living expenses. Talked about the practical arrangements and the mindset it takes to share living space. Talked about settling down, and dreams, and where we saw ourselves when we were younger. She's got her dreams, almost. I've... yet to discover mine. Honestly, I hoped that by twenty-two I'd be living and studying abroad, but I don't think that's going to happen anymore. Not anytime soon. The moment passed. I still want it, but I went and grew roots here. After last year, I don't think I can make that leap again. I should've packed my stuff after high school and gone straight to wherever the hell I wanted to, instead of making a stop in Turku. Now I'm stuck here and not really regretting it either. I get the occasional wasted opportunity laughing in my face, but then I think, fuck them. I could still take off, only now I think I'd probably come back, eventually. The old scenarios never said anything about a return ticket.
And, now I'll enjoy the slightly more reasonable weather and watch 510 & 511.