unpopular opinion day + memes!
Oct. 15th, 2011 12:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anghraineI ranted about Han's skeeviness in ESB for yesterday, so I'm doing the unpopular opinions today! Though probably not for every conceivable fandom.
UNPOPULAR OPINIONFRIDAY SATURDAY
Darcy/Fitzwilliam makes more sense than Darcy/Bingley, Fitzwilliam/Anne, or Fitzwilliam/Georgiana. Fitzwilliam/Georgiana, by the way, is kind of creepy.
I suspect many, many monosexual people are partially repulsed (like me!). Other people getting up in arms about how my being repulsed (...by men) is so misogynstic is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard.
The Jedi are disturbing not because of the no-attachment thing, but because they’re raging hypocrites: samurai pretending they’re monks, and in the process messing up all those kids who are brought up to be monks. It’s like if the Air Nomads expected the Air Nomad children to abide by Air Nomad teachings, but fight like Fire Nation officers. Um, no.
I will always consider James a better person than Snape, even at his worst phase, because (1) James only picks on people his own size and (2) James does not join any genocidal hate groups.
I do not care how many lionturtle statues were randomly placed throughout the series, energybending still came out of nowhere. I like it as a solution, too. :(
I kind of wish Daine had become a goddess. I know, these plots are always about the renunciation, but...
I've seen five of the Doctors so far. Ten is my least favourite.
Polgara/Durnik is a bit weird to me. Not as weird as Sparhawk/Ehlana, though.
Gaston is the best Disney villain ever.
Fanfic isn't a gift; most authors write what they want to write and hope for the best, which is not generally how one goes about giving gifts. (Well, I really like Jane Austen, so here's a nice Oxford edition for you, Daddy!)
Penelope deserves better than Odysseus.
I think St. John Rivers is more likable than Rochester. Yup, I went there.
The extended edition of TTT does not begin to rehabilitate Faramir's character. It just makes him kind of pathetic.
I don't think tomboyish Jill saying that Susan's lost interest in Narnia because she doesn't care about anything except makeup and parties and staying young as long as she possibly can = adult female sexuality is evil.
Troi is 'eh' to me, but the virulence of the hatred for her is a bit ... disconcerting.
Colin/Mary OTP!
Gilbert (from Tenant) is kind of a jerk. Though obviously he can't approach the Charlotte-and-Emily levels of jerkassery.
High Wizardry's jokey Lone One as Darth Vader thing wasn't offhand geekery, it was epic foreshadowing. Think about it.
Andtree just reminded me that I have been slacking on my mission to spread memes like a bacterial outbreak, so here are some proper ones.
Asexuality meme
Day 26: Who is your biggest ally?
My greatest ally is ... hm. I don't know. Not anyone in my family, certainly.tulina and hl , probably. (Yes, I know that's cheating and that you'e not really one person. But really.)
Day 27: What is your favourite type of cake?
Ice cream cake! Chocolate cake with oreo inside.
Day 28: What is your favourite type of pie? (Or, is pie an acceptable replacement for cake?)
Chocolate cream or eggnog. And it's about six to one half-dozen the other for me -- I'm not honestly much of a fan of either. And no, I don't feel excluded from the community because of this.
Day 29: Where did you first learn about asexuality?
Google.
Day 30: Tell us anything about asexuality that you want to end with.
There's a lot of debate about what asexuality really is, how exactly it works, what "makes" people asexual, who are trufax asexual people and who are special snowflakes, etc etc. A lot of this, as far as I've seen, comes from sexual people struggling to define the lived experiences of asexual people.
Protip: don't.
The ace community already has a quick 'n easy method of determining who is asexual and who is not. It goes like this.
Do you identify as asexual?
If yes, then you are asexual, congratulations, sunshine and sparkles and cake all around. If no, then you are not asexual, sunshine and sparkles and cake all around.
Thank you.
Fanfic meme
Day 26: What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
Huh, let's see. I did some research into entailments, but that wasn't so much odd as boring. (Blackstone = best sedative ever.) A lot of my research is like that, titles or names or Sindarin or calendars or clothes or hairstyles or whatever.
Oh, I know! I researched genetic sexual attraction and the Westermarck effect for the latest version of Subsequent Connections. Odd and fun!
Day 27: Where is your favourite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
My bedroom, and the computer. My laptop carries everything. Well, and a dozen backup discs, because I'm paranoid.
Day 28: Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I've had artists for the three au_bigbangs, so technically I have for those, though they could tell you that I'm...not much of a collaborator. Otherwise, hl and I have brainstormed fics a few times, and I came up with the premise and helped brainstorm for A Long Engagement, so there's that. I tend to the bossy, though, so I work better by myself.
Day 29: What is your current project or projects?
ahahahahahahahahahaha
How about we narrow it to the things that I actually intend to finish in the near future: three five things fics (Leia, Catherine, Lucy), I'm considering a sort of femmeslash AU of First Impressions (or...not FI, but what I decided not to do at the outset), the sequel to Lucy Skywalker, and something to do with Subsequent Connections. I'd also like to finish up my shorter projects, like Padmé's third of Distaff Lines and whatnot. Oh, and there's a self-indulgent short Lucy AU. This is a very small portion of the things actually on my plate, though.
Day 30: Do you have a favourite fic you've written? What makes it your favourite? And don't forget to give us the link!
Unquestionably, First Impressions. Now that I've got a little more perspective, I can see things that are wrong with it or that I should have done differently. Charlotte's storyline just disappears, for instance, the end is really rushed, I should probably have varied the Netherfield scenes up a bit more, blah blah. But it's still my favourite. It took so much effort to work it all out and I don't think it shows, which makes me happy, I kept wanting to insert arbitrary changes (but what if they were wizards??) and didn't, my well-established love for Darcy increased exponentially for Catherine and I was terrified of Sueifying her -- but instead, she seemed to be everyone else's favourite part too. And just technically, I think the writing was a bit stronger than usual?
But the main reason? It's a Regency P&P retelling with girl!Darcy. Not Elizabeth-as-Darcy, not role reversal, not modern AU, girl!Darcy. I wanted to see this so badly, and it just kept not existing (woe) and now it does. Because I WROTE IT. And people LIKED IT. My baby! <3
Other fanfic meme, 'cause I can
(gacked fromjedibuttercup )
The first 10 people to comment on this post get to request a drabble from you. Post all fandoms you're willing to write for.
Comment on this post, and I'll comment back with the link to the drabble when it's done. Just give me a fandom (or two, for a crossover), a name or pairing, and a one or two word prompt. Use your imaginations!
Fandoms: Austen (bookverse), Star Wars (original or prequel trilogies; no EU), Tolkien (anything), Harry Potter (bookverse). They can cross with anything on my fandom:___ tag.
UNPOPULAR OPINION
Darcy/Fitzwilliam makes more sense than Darcy/Bingley, Fitzwilliam/Anne, or Fitzwilliam/Georgiana. Fitzwilliam/Georgiana, by the way, is kind of creepy.
I suspect many, many monosexual people are partially repulsed (like me!). Other people getting up in arms about how my being repulsed (...by men) is so misogynstic is one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard.
The Jedi are disturbing not because of the no-attachment thing, but because they’re raging hypocrites: samurai pretending they’re monks, and in the process messing up all those kids who are brought up to be monks. It’s like if the Air Nomads expected the Air Nomad children to abide by Air Nomad teachings, but fight like Fire Nation officers. Um, no.
I will always consider James a better person than Snape, even at his worst phase, because (1) James only picks on people his own size and (2) James does not join any genocidal hate groups.
I do not care how many lionturtle statues were randomly placed throughout the series, energybending still came out of nowhere. I like it as a solution, too. :(
I kind of wish Daine had become a goddess. I know, these plots are always about the renunciation, but...
I've seen five of the Doctors so far. Ten is my least favourite.
Polgara/Durnik is a bit weird to me. Not as weird as Sparhawk/Ehlana, though.
Gaston is the best Disney villain ever.
Fanfic isn't a gift; most authors write what they want to write and hope for the best, which is not generally how one goes about giving gifts. (Well, I really like Jane Austen, so here's a nice Oxford edition for you, Daddy!)
Penelope deserves better than Odysseus.
I think St. John Rivers is more likable than Rochester. Yup, I went there.
The extended edition of TTT does not begin to rehabilitate Faramir's character. It just makes him kind of pathetic.
I don't think tomboyish Jill saying that Susan's lost interest in Narnia because she doesn't care about anything except makeup and parties and staying young as long as she possibly can = adult female sexuality is evil.
Troi is 'eh' to me, but the virulence of the hatred for her is a bit ... disconcerting.
Colin/Mary OTP!
Gilbert (from Tenant) is kind of a jerk. Though obviously he can't approach the Charlotte-and-Emily levels of jerkassery.
High Wizardry's jokey Lone One as Darth Vader thing wasn't offhand geekery, it was epic foreshadowing. Think about it.
And
tree just reminded me that I have been slacking on my mission to spread memes like a bacterial outbreak, so here are some proper ones.Asexuality meme
Day 26: Who is your biggest ally?
My greatest ally is ... hm. I don't know. Not anyone in my family, certainly.
tulina and hl , probably. (Yes, I know that's cheating and that you'e not really one person. But really.)Day 27: What is your favourite type of cake?
Ice cream cake! Chocolate cake with oreo inside.
Day 28: What is your favourite type of pie? (Or, is pie an acceptable replacement for cake?)
Chocolate cream or eggnog. And it's about six to one half-dozen the other for me -- I'm not honestly much of a fan of either. And no, I don't feel excluded from the community because of this.
Day 29: Where did you first learn about asexuality?
Google.
Day 30: Tell us anything about asexuality that you want to end with.
There's a lot of debate about what asexuality really is, how exactly it works, what "makes" people asexual, who are trufax asexual people and who are special snowflakes, etc etc. A lot of this, as far as I've seen, comes from sexual people struggling to define the lived experiences of asexual people.
Protip: don't.
The ace community already has a quick 'n easy method of determining who is asexual and who is not. It goes like this.
Do you identify as asexual?
If yes, then you are asexual, congratulations, sunshine and sparkles and cake all around. If no, then you are not asexual, sunshine and sparkles and cake all around.
Thank you.
Fanfic meme
Day 26: What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you've had to research for a fic?
Huh, let's see. I did some research into entailments, but that wasn't so much odd as boring. (Blackstone = best sedative ever.) A lot of my research is like that, titles or names or Sindarin or calendars or clothes or hairstyles or whatever.
Oh, I know! I researched genetic sexual attraction and the Westermarck effect for the latest version of Subsequent Connections. Odd and fun!
Day 27: Where is your favourite place to write, and do you write by hand or on the computer?
My bedroom, and the computer. My laptop carries everything. Well, and a dozen backup discs, because I'm paranoid.
Day 28: Have you ever collaborated with anyone else, whether writing together, or having an artist work on a piece about your fic?
I've had artists for the three au_bigbangs, so technically I have for those, though they could tell you that I'm...not much of a collaborator. Otherwise, hl and I have brainstormed fics a few times, and I came up with the premise and helped brainstorm for A Long Engagement, so there's that. I tend to the bossy, though, so I work better by myself.
Day 29: What is your current project or projects?
ahahahahahahahahahaha
How about we narrow it to the things that I actually intend to finish in the near future: three five things fics (Leia, Catherine, Lucy), I'm considering a sort of femmeslash AU of First Impressions (or...not FI, but what I decided not to do at the outset), the sequel to Lucy Skywalker, and something to do with Subsequent Connections. I'd also like to finish up my shorter projects, like Padmé's third of Distaff Lines and whatnot. Oh, and there's a self-indulgent short Lucy AU. This is a very small portion of the things actually on my plate, though.
Day 30: Do you have a favourite fic you've written? What makes it your favourite? And don't forget to give us the link!
Unquestionably, First Impressions. Now that I've got a little more perspective, I can see things that are wrong with it or that I should have done differently. Charlotte's storyline just disappears, for instance, the end is really rushed, I should probably have varied the Netherfield scenes up a bit more, blah blah. But it's still my favourite. It took so much effort to work it all out and I don't think it shows, which makes me happy, I kept wanting to insert arbitrary changes (but what if they were wizards??) and didn't, my well-established love for Darcy increased exponentially for Catherine and I was terrified of Sueifying her -- but instead, she seemed to be everyone else's favourite part too. And just technically, I think the writing was a bit stronger than usual?
But the main reason? It's a Regency P&P retelling with girl!Darcy. Not Elizabeth-as-Darcy, not role reversal, not modern AU, girl!Darcy. I wanted to see this so badly, and it just kept not existing (woe) and now it does. Because I WROTE IT. And people LIKED IT. My baby! <3
Other fanfic meme, 'cause I can
(gacked from
jedibuttercup )The first 10 people to comment on this post get to request a drabble from you. Post all fandoms you're willing to write for.
Comment on this post, and I'll comment back with the link to the drabble when it's done. Just give me a fandom (or two, for a crossover), a name or pairing, and a one or two word prompt. Use your imaginations!
Fandoms: Austen (bookverse), Star Wars (original or prequel trilogies; no EU), Tolkien (anything), Harry Potter (bookverse). They can cross with anything on my fandom:___ tag.
no subject
on 2011-10-27 12:00 am (UTC)OMG, yay for Revenge!verse Qui-gon, and I am so glad you like the idea of Dooku and Qui-gon running around the galaxy being actual Force-serving knights (and not the Senate's muscle, lol). But now I really want Revenge!verse Qui-gon.
And, yeah on Obi-wan's teaching style and its interaction with Anakin's... as you say perfectly, odd passivity: he's very active as long as someone else is picking the objective for him. (It is now my crack!headcanon that the entire tragedy part of RotS could have been averted if Padme had mentally rolled her eyes and said, "All right, dear, go build me a med-droid that's capable of averting whatever scenario you're having nightmares about." Because it's only when Anakin starts, ah, freelancing that things get ugly; he needs someone else to provide him with direction, and there is an angle at which RotS is all about the significant people in his life either exploiting that need [Sidious] or glossing over it [pretty much everyone else and especially the Jedi Order's framing of relationships in general, i.e., I am not blaming Padme for not doing this, but rather suggesting a more awesome scenario for her than the one demanded by the plot. Mostly because I am
kind ofdisgusted at how much the way Lucas chose to operationalize the plot needs in the PT gave Padme the shaft, so I occasionally like coming up with ways she could have fixed everything, lol]. And it also probably explains why he clings to Palpatine like he does for the next two decades: he has just enough self-awareness to realize that it really doesn't end well when he tries to make strategic as opposed to tactical decisions, so to speak.) And oh-so-much-YES on it makes his dying words that much more tragic (as if they needed to be! *sob*).Oh, I cannot tell you how happy I am that someone else agrees with me about Durnik/Polgara! And... I get Belgareth as being expected to be more powerful, he's her parent and has about three thousand years' worth of divine instruction and experience on her--- but in that case, Durnik should definitely not be Polgara's equal! Not right away, especially!
Heee! Most of my other fannish pals can only write stuff they can believe/buy into, so I am sort of fannishly canalized to give mutually-fun prompts as best I can! :) I am glad this one was fun!
no subject
on 2011-10-27 06:34 pm (UTC)Right -- I think this goes back to the scene in AOTC where he explicitly states that he wants somebody, who is (1) wise and (2) NOT HIM, to have complete control over everything. So basically a philosopher-king. It is completely unsurprising to me that his bids for galactic domination never involve sole domination; I think he knows that he'd kind of suck at it, and that's why he invariably asks another, subtler person to do it with him.
As you know (lol), I don't tend to think the prequels improve the original trilogy, but the scene with Luke equating saving a loved one with saving their life and not getting that keeping them alive is maybe not the most important thing must, given the PT, be agonizingly familiar to Anakin. And then you've got him insisting that escape is impossible ("it is too late for me...") to the very end of his life -- and framing his perhaps only free action ever still in terms of rescue and other people's agency. ad;fka;dkfjal;dfjk
Re: Eddings -- right. I mean, if it's about experience, then Polgara should vastly outclass Durnik, and she doesn't. So that makes Belgarath > Polgara seem more that he's just more badass than she is. (Which is manifestly not true, because NOBODY is more badass than Polgara. *impartial judge*)
no subject
on 2011-10-28 12:26 am (UTC)QFT. That is just so... Anakin and ow and I... just... saying "Poor boy" is getting repetitive but really, my heart hurts for him.
And ditto on "NOBODY is more badass than Polgara"--- although her mother does have her moments, lol.