Miscellaneous Things
First off, The Lord of the Rings Extended Editon of Two Towers on the big screen: TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Not too many geeks in costume, though the handful that did looked fabulous, but a very enthusiastic and participatory/reactionary audience. There was applause and laughter and cheers and even one lulzy heckler who shouted, "Get over it!" at Eowyn during one of her mooning over Aragorn scenes. (Well, I thought it was lulzy at any rate, Ally protested that it was kind of mean.) And I had that wonderful feeling where it seems like I've been sitting in the movie theater forever but it's a good thing, instead of a bad thing. Like, even though I was sitting there a long time it was so much fun I didn't mind. Usually only get that sense from plays or concerts. The Lord of the Rings films are unique in that respect for me.
Gonna try to start doing commissions. Will have to research/inquire of other artists I know to get a baseline of comparison for pricing and things like that.
Finally gotten back to writing again. Coming along smoothly and should have new chapters for various stories up soon.
And I feel weirdly nostalgic and have been wanting to find and re-watch some of my old childhood shows. Plus some new ones I've never seen but need to.
Thirty Day Ship Meme
Day 21:
Star Wars
General Grievous/Shaak Ti-
(Fanart credit "Grievous - Shaak Ti - Beach" by raikoh14)
Ha ha, there is no other pairing on my list that weirds people out or makes them double-take at me more than this one. Everyone I've ever told about my liking of this ship is all, "WTF?! HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHY DO YOU LIKE THAT? THEY'RE NOT EVEN A THING AND HE FREAKING KILLS HER! WHAT THE HECK MAN?"
And I want to be all, "LOOK I DON'T EVEN KNOW OKAY? THE FANART IS REALLY CUTE AND I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA AND IT COULD BE REALLY ADORABLE IF PULLED OFF RIGHT."
Seriously though, these two are my crack and I love them. We all need at least one off-the-wall completely absurd crack!ship every once in a while for lulz and giggles, yes? And you shall not take this crack!ship away from me.
<33333
Stargate: Atlantis
Rodney Mckay/Jennifer Keller-
Man, it seems like everyone and their mother hates this couple. I don't get it. I thought they were really kind of sweet together, in an awkward nerd love "You're such an arrogant pretentious dork but I love you anyway." kind of way. Admittedly I hadn't seen all of the later seasons of Stargate: Atlantis so I wasn't aware that there was any ship tease for Ronan/Jennifer and other alternate pairings. Still, I liked how Jennifer was patiently tolerant of Rodney and his occasional know-it-all jerkitude and how he demonstrably really cared a lot about her and how they had playful mutual snarking over people's bad science and things like that.
I should probably stay far, far away from the fandom on this one.
---
Day 22:
This is a tricky one for me to answer. My hated pairings list is... actually kind of short. And my reasons for going beyond mere dislike and into outright hate in those cases are usually pretty well-shared in and out of the fandom. I think Bryce/Nicole from Flash Forward was the only time I hated what seemed to be the preferred fandom ship, but even then it was fairly clear to everyone in and out of the small fandom why I and others hated it. (Oh let me count the ways!) So... IDK, I guess the closest one would probably be...
DC Comics
Dick/Babs (Robin/Batgirl) (Nightwing/Oracle)-
It's an exaggeration to say no one understands why I hate this ship but I think it's safe to say it's the one I get the most side-eying for and the most people going, "But... but... why? Aren't they so cute and classic? Just look at them! How could you possibly hate them? :D"
And then I have to explain how I don't actually hate the ship itself on its own merits void of context and in certain cases think it actually might be kind of cute, even if I personally don't feel it, but that what I hate is the context and history of the ship and the general ~Magical Retcon~ shit the DC writers pulled to make it work and the whole editorial and fandom aura of "DICK AND BABS WERE TTLY ~SOULMATES~ Y'ALL!" and "DIE FOR OUR SHIP KORY YOU BIG BITCHSLUTWHORE!" and "PFFT! DICK'S TIME WITH THE TITANS WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT." and ALL MY RAGE FOREVER YOU STUPID STUPID RETCON ARRRRRGHGHGHAJSFLAHJS.
*ahem*
I should probably elaborate further for those of you who aren't familiar with the intricacies of DC continuity. Very well, let me put on my Comic Historian hat. (And hopefully I can do this without going into RAEG MODE too often.)
In 1966-1967 DC Comics introduced into the Bat-mythos the character of Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon, and the costumed crime-fighter known popularly as Batgirl. (Barbara was actually the second character to bear the Batgirl title, the first being Bette Kane, who along with her aunt Kathy Kane served as love interests for Robin and Batman, respectively, during the 50s and 60s.) The then-teenage Robin developed a bit of a crush on the older Barbara, who was a working woman already in her twenties at the time.
This is the version of their relationship that I actually really like and find the most interesting. A younger, romantically inexperienced Robin with an adorable unattainable crush, and an older Barbara who, while somewhat flattered by the boy's occasional flirting, doesn't really take him that seriously, given that she's way out of his league and busy being independent and solving crime and serving in Congress and awesome stuff.
Sadly, nothing much really came of their relationship here. Batgirl continued to be awesome and Robin grew up and went to college and both of them started dating other people and having their own rollicking adventures elsewhere and separate from each other.
Fast forward to the 1980s. Robin is now in the big-selling New Teen Titans book, with a long-term committed relationship to Starfire. Somewhere along the line he becomes Nightwing. Meanwhile in The Killing Joke in 1988, Barbara gets shot by the Joker, loses her ability to walk, and re-titles/repurposes herself into the heroine Oracle, a tech-savvy informant for heroes everywhere.
Fast forward again. Through various unfortunate circumstances like editorial fiat trying to pull Dick out of the Titan books and back into the Batverse Nightwing ends up in a bit of a limbo. Also he and Starfire get broken up. Plans to give Nightwing his own series (in which he and Starfire would re-connect) fall though. Finally Dick gets his own book to play in. Oracle becomes a recurring support character in his book, and he in her Birds of Prey series.
Aaaaaaaand then various writers start pushing the Dick/Babs. Or rather, their version of Dick/Babs, retroactively erasing their age difference and making them closer in age, changing the dynamics of their relationship, and generally pretending the two were always mutual childhood crushes. This version of their relationship is crushingly, terminally boring to me. It has absolutely no appeal to me and I don't feel their chemistry anymore.
Nope, not working peeps.
And then OF COURSE in the process of obnoxiously trying to convince readers that THEIR LOVE IS SO PURE AND TRUE FOREVER they start in with the whole "Dick never really loved Kory you guys, he was just hormonal and in it for the sex and the Titans totally didn't matter to him or shape his character in any way, NOPE! And Dick must always be Batman 2.0 too and forever pine over Barbara pathetically and she him." Leading to many, many Dethroning Moments of Suck like the flashbacks in Nightwing Annual #2 where an OOC Dick sleeps with Babs and then gives her an invitation to his wedding with Kory the next morning I HATE YOU FOREVER COMIC WRITERS. I EXPECT THIS KIND OF THING FROM SOCIALLY AWKWARD FANGIRLS BUTTHURT THAT THEIR SHIP ISN'T CANON, NOT PROFESSIONALS IN A WRITING INDUSTRY. DICK DID LOVE KORY AND THEY CAN STILL BE FRIENDS WITHOUT IT BEING A THREAT TO YOUR PRECIOUS DICK/BABS YOU NO-TALENT HACKS.
*steams*
And a fair portion of the ship's fandom acts exactly like these writers too. Which doesn't help.
*deep calming breath*
Like I said, several other people understand perfectly why I hate this ship, but it was the closest one I could think of that fit the criteria. Sorry Dick/Babs. You're cute sometimes; you just have really terrible writers and fans.
Not too many geeks in costume, though the handful that did looked fabulous, but a very enthusiastic and participatory/reactionary audience. There was applause and laughter and cheers and even one lulzy heckler who shouted, "Get over it!" at Eowyn during one of her mooning over Aragorn scenes. (Well, I thought it was lulzy at any rate, Ally protested that it was kind of mean.) And I had that wonderful feeling where it seems like I've been sitting in the movie theater forever but it's a good thing, instead of a bad thing. Like, even though I was sitting there a long time it was so much fun I didn't mind. Usually only get that sense from plays or concerts. The Lord of the Rings films are unique in that respect for me.
Gonna try to start doing commissions. Will have to research/inquire of other artists I know to get a baseline of comparison for pricing and things like that.
Finally gotten back to writing again. Coming along smoothly and should have new chapters for various stories up soon.
And I feel weirdly nostalgic and have been wanting to find and re-watch some of my old childhood shows. Plus some new ones I've never seen but need to.
Thirty Day Ship Meme
Day 21:
Star Wars
General Grievous/Shaak Ti-
(Fanart credit "Grievous - Shaak Ti - Beach" by raikoh14)
Ha ha, there is no other pairing on my list that weirds people out or makes them double-take at me more than this one. Everyone I've ever told about my liking of this ship is all, "WTF?! HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHY DO YOU LIKE THAT? THEY'RE NOT EVEN A THING AND HE FREAKING KILLS HER! WHAT THE HECK MAN?"
And I want to be all, "LOOK I DON'T EVEN KNOW OKAY? THE FANART IS REALLY CUTE AND I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA AND IT COULD BE REALLY ADORABLE IF PULLED OFF RIGHT."
Seriously though, these two are my crack and I love them. We all need at least one off-the-wall completely absurd crack!ship every once in a while for lulz and giggles, yes? And you shall not take this crack!ship away from me.
<33333
Stargate: Atlantis
Rodney Mckay/Jennifer Keller-
Man, it seems like everyone and their mother hates this couple. I don't get it. I thought they were really kind of sweet together, in an awkward nerd love "You're such an arrogant pretentious dork but I love you anyway." kind of way. Admittedly I hadn't seen all of the later seasons of Stargate: Atlantis so I wasn't aware that there was any ship tease for Ronan/Jennifer and other alternate pairings. Still, I liked how Jennifer was patiently tolerant of Rodney and his occasional know-it-all jerkitude and how he demonstrably really cared a lot about her and how they had playful mutual snarking over people's bad science and things like that.
I should probably stay far, far away from the fandom on this one.
---
Day 22:
This is a tricky one for me to answer. My hated pairings list is... actually kind of short. And my reasons for going beyond mere dislike and into outright hate in those cases are usually pretty well-shared in and out of the fandom. I think Bryce/Nicole from Flash Forward was the only time I hated what seemed to be the preferred fandom ship, but even then it was fairly clear to everyone in and out of the small fandom why I and others hated it. (Oh let me count the ways!) So... IDK, I guess the closest one would probably be...
DC Comics
Dick/Babs (Robin/Batgirl) (Nightwing/Oracle)-
It's an exaggeration to say no one understands why I hate this ship but I think it's safe to say it's the one I get the most side-eying for and the most people going, "But... but... why? Aren't they so cute and classic? Just look at them! How could you possibly hate them? :D"
And then I have to explain how I don't actually hate the ship itself on its own merits void of context and in certain cases think it actually might be kind of cute, even if I personally don't feel it, but that what I hate is the context and history of the ship and the general ~Magical Retcon~ shit the DC writers pulled to make it work and the whole editorial and fandom aura of "DICK AND BABS WERE TTLY ~SOULMATES~ Y'ALL!" and "DIE FOR OUR SHIP KORY YOU BIG BITCHSLUTWHORE!" and "PFFT! DICK'S TIME WITH THE TITANS WASN'T THAT IMPORTANT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT." and ALL MY RAGE FOREVER YOU STUPID STUPID RETCON ARRRRRGHGHGHAJSFLAHJS.
*ahem*
I should probably elaborate further for those of you who aren't familiar with the intricacies of DC continuity. Very well, let me put on my Comic Historian hat. (And hopefully I can do this without going into RAEG MODE too often.)
In 1966-1967 DC Comics introduced into the Bat-mythos the character of Barbara Gordon, daughter of Commissioner Jim Gordon, and the costumed crime-fighter known popularly as Batgirl. (Barbara was actually the second character to bear the Batgirl title, the first being Bette Kane, who along with her aunt Kathy Kane served as love interests for Robin and Batman, respectively, during the 50s and 60s.) The then-teenage Robin developed a bit of a crush on the older Barbara, who was a working woman already in her twenties at the time.
This is the version of their relationship that I actually really like and find the most interesting. A younger, romantically inexperienced Robin with an adorable unattainable crush, and an older Barbara who, while somewhat flattered by the boy's occasional flirting, doesn't really take him that seriously, given that she's way out of his league and busy being independent and solving crime and serving in Congress and awesome stuff.
Sadly, nothing much really came of their relationship here. Batgirl continued to be awesome and Robin grew up and went to college and both of them started dating other people and having their own rollicking adventures elsewhere and separate from each other.
Fast forward to the 1980s. Robin is now in the big-selling New Teen Titans book, with a long-term committed relationship to Starfire. Somewhere along the line he becomes Nightwing. Meanwhile in The Killing Joke in 1988, Barbara gets shot by the Joker, loses her ability to walk, and re-titles/repurposes herself into the heroine Oracle, a tech-savvy informant for heroes everywhere.
Fast forward again. Through various unfortunate circumstances like editorial fiat trying to pull Dick out of the Titan books and back into the Batverse Nightwing ends up in a bit of a limbo. Also he and Starfire get broken up. Plans to give Nightwing his own series (in which he and Starfire would re-connect) fall though. Finally Dick gets his own book to play in. Oracle becomes a recurring support character in his book, and he in her Birds of Prey series.
Aaaaaaaand then various writers start pushing the Dick/Babs. Or rather, their version of Dick/Babs, retroactively erasing their age difference and making them closer in age, changing the dynamics of their relationship, and generally pretending the two were always mutual childhood crushes. This version of their relationship is crushingly, terminally boring to me. It has absolutely no appeal to me and I don't feel their chemistry anymore.
Nope, not working peeps.
And then OF COURSE in the process of obnoxiously trying to convince readers that THEIR LOVE IS SO PURE AND TRUE FOREVER they start in with the whole "Dick never really loved Kory you guys, he was just hormonal and in it for the sex and the Titans totally didn't matter to him or shape his character in any way, NOPE! And Dick must always be Batman 2.0 too and forever pine over Barbara pathetically and she him." Leading to many, many Dethroning Moments of Suck like the flashbacks in Nightwing Annual #2 where an OOC Dick sleeps with Babs and then gives her an invitation to his wedding with Kory the next morning I HATE YOU FOREVER COMIC WRITERS. I EXPECT THIS KIND OF THING FROM SOCIALLY AWKWARD FANGIRLS BUTTHURT THAT THEIR SHIP ISN'T CANON, NOT PROFESSIONALS IN A WRITING INDUSTRY. DICK DID LOVE KORY AND THEY CAN STILL BE FRIENDS WITHOUT IT BEING A THREAT TO YOUR PRECIOUS DICK/BABS YOU NO-TALENT HACKS.
*steams*
And a fair portion of the ship's fandom acts exactly like these writers too. Which doesn't help.
*deep calming breath*
Like I said, several other people understand perfectly why I hate this ship, but it was the closest one I could think of that fit the criteria. Sorry Dick/Babs. You're cute sometimes; you just have really terrible writers and fans.