| "Give them the little things and they'll never notice the big ones" |
[06 Feb 2010|10:55am] |
I've had a lack of sci-fi in my life, which I feel has translated to a lack of writing as I really tend to favor science fiction when I write.
I have however found a new source of love and inspiration: Caprica.
I will preface this by saying that I have never watched Battlestar Galactica and while I probably should, Caprica is a far more interesting tale, IMO. While BSG is the tale of the attempts to save humanity from the brink of destruction, Caprica is the story of how the world fell apart, how very human-like AI robots got their start, the rise of terrorism under monotheism and how William Adama learned what he would need to know to be the Admiral in charge of saving the world.
Holding all that, what Caprica does, that Firefly did very well, is make it more about the relationships involved than what goes on around them. Even more so because there is no great space battles, it is a futuristic world that centers on the lives of two main families and the spiraling chaos that they are involved in.
So watch and enjoy. I'll save spoilerish posts for another time.
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| Some historical figures are just better suited to hip-hop |
[07 Nov 2009|09:04am] |
Everyone needs to watch but I know this is ultimately for Katey whose love of the Founding Fathers knows very few bounds.
Just so you all know this is a serious project that the man is actually going to do. Awesomeness to the tenth degree.
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| Because it's ICKY! |
[26 Oct 2008|01:21pm] |
I know I've been harping on this point but that's because I feel it's essential to the basic rights and needs of humans that we are all created equal and believe it's okay. I offer you here some of my very favorite Vote No on Prop 8 (or 2 in Florida and 102 in Arizona). Get the word and the message out that everyone deserves the same Rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.
And a few extra talking points for those of you who may need them
- Our constitution states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, by writing in discrimination against a subset of people we are devaluing our constitutions
- The legislation is only about civil marriage not about religious marriage - religious institutions will not be forced to marry same sex couples if they do not wish to.
- Every child has the right to know that they are safe and happy and that their lives are okay 1 in every 10 children grows up to be LGBT and thousands more have LGBT parents - they deserve to know they have the same standing as everyone else in our society.
- If two completely equal water fountains labeled white and colored respectively are wrong then two civil institutions labeled marriage and civil unions even if completely equal (which they aren't) are wrong.
On to the good stuff - pass these on to people you know who may need them - especially if they're in California, Florida or Arizona. Cut for bandwidth issues. I hope you find them as amusing and yet as to the point as I did.
( I'm totally going Amend her )
Please remember this nation was created so that we could recognize that all men are created equal and that religious freedom is an essential part of our foundation. Do not write religious docrtine into the constitutions across this country - we're better than that.
For more ways you can help check out <a href="www.noonprop8.com>No on Prop 8</a> and <a href=www.hrc.org>The Human Rights Campaign</a>
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| Why Marriage Equality has nothing to do with marriage... |
[16 Oct 2008|10:48pm] |
Honestly the start of this post started here by Prince Gomolvilas on his blog Bamboo Nation. Go read it first, because frankly I agree with him.
Because when it comes down to it, marriage equality is not about whether or not I ever get married or you ever get married or any person gay or straight gets married. It has nothing to do with the integrity of anyone else's marriage. A civil marriage has nothing, I repeat nothing to do with religion. A religious marriage happens in a church (or when a union is officiated by a religious official), a civil marriage happens when you sign a marriage license.
Gay people can have a religious marriage in a few religions without having a civil marriage. The UCC and the Unitarian churches are supporters of tihs. Marriage Equality has nothing to do with religion.
When it comes down to it, Marriage Equality has to do whether or not the government recognizes me (and the hundreds of thousands of other LGBT people like me) equal to every straight person out there. By having a constitutional ban on marriage between two people of the same sex we insist that there is something fundamentally less about couples of the same sex.
Some people like to ask why civil unions and domestic partnerships aren't enough. For one thing, they only offer protections at a state level (which under DOMA so does marriage right now but that's an easier fight to make). They are significantly less than any straight marriage.
Secondly, they're discriminatory. In the days of segregation in the South many places had water fountains - usually two. It's likely these water fountains would have been the same model, connected to the same source, cleaned in the same way by the same person. There was nothing "fundamentally" different about them - except they were labeled differently. One was labeled whites and one was labeled colored - and the whites lined up behind one and the "colored" lined up behind the second. We agreed as a nation that this was an abominable breach of human rights and civil liberties.
In a system with marriage and civil unions, we ask the straights to line up behind marriage and the gays to line up for a civil union. In the eyes of the law and in the eyes of the nation, that means that gay individuals are not good enough, are not worthy enough, to line up with everyone else. That is wrong. I don't care how you spin it - it's wrong and it's discriminatory and it's not okay. Separate but equal is a violation of civil liberties in this country - and I cannot tolerate it and I hope you cannot either.
I do not care what your religion says - your religion does not have to support gay marriage nor will any religious figures be removed - this is a civil not religious matter. I do not care whether or not you are personally okay with gays or not. It is about the fact that if you honestly believe I - and every gay person out there - deserves every right that you have - we all need to be lining up the same way. Otherwise, please, come tell me that I'm less than you are, because by voting for the ban on marriage equality that is exactly what you mean.
If you live in California, Florida or Arizona (and some of you do) vote no on the constitutional bans of Marriage Equality. If you have friends and family living in California, Florida or Arizona please explain it to them. Donate money to the fight. Continue posting about this.
Marriage Equality now exists in three states and living in the oldest one - nothing terrible has happened here. Religions haven't crumbled. People are not marrying children or goats. Please continue fighting for the day when we will actually honor our Constitution and that all people will be equal under the laws of this country.
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| Mockage is my life |
[09 Sep 2008|10:45pm] |
I think it's well known I like a good poke at things, whether I love them or hate them I enjoy a good mocking. Today has been a banner day in mocking.
The Style Network has a show that I saw for the first time today called The Dish - their own personal answer to The Soup. Same concept but all girly shows. The fabulous thing, it's hosted by Topanga (or Daneille Fishel as she goes by in real life). Thankfully she has retained the same fearlessness that allowed her to draw on her face with lipstick and do various and other wacky things on her tenure on Boy Meets World and retains a lovely comedic timing.
The highlight of the episode was when she mocked the ex of Jamie Lynne Spears who is predictably asking for money after he knocked her up. "Um, Casey, you knocked up Zoey101 not Hannah Montana. Sad for you!" Complete with the finger tear move. The right mix of wrong and so right!
The other, is honestly from nothing I've ever experienced, but I've heard a great deal about. There's this teen series Twilight running around about Vampires (which is why this Flist will likely find this interesting.) But everything I've heard - including from people who enjoy it - it's crap. The vampires are highly non traditional and SPARKLE IN THE SUN. Yup.
It's all about beauty and obsessive stalkerish love. Yeah, the sort of story you want thirteen year old girls reading. There is one serious review you can find here but for the true mockage check this out.
I'd post this over on LJ but I have a few friends who are a wee bit rabid about this subject. And well...perhaps I should be braver but...eh. I figured with our favorite vampire author on this Flist it will be far more appreciated.
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| Nothing can keep me from loving you |
[11 Aug 2008|01:58pm] |
Occasionally I go places, like Newbury Comics (which is one of the best music/movie/comic/game etc. stores in the New England Area) and get sucked into the comic section. I've mostly stopped reading comics but some things, like the Runaways *points to icon* suck me in to picking up the latest issue to flip through. In some cases, like the latest issue of Runaways, it makes me remember why I loved them...and I'll give you a transcript of the part that made me miss it.
Chase and Nico are standing outside the leapfrog. He's sorry that things with her and Victor are so sucky. She admits she's never really been in love, not like he was with the girl who wouldn't hop through the future with them. She admits that she does like to try to wreck people's happiness - as he should remember.
To which Chase admits in a trip from the past to the future landed him in Gert's house when she was 14 and he managed to stumble across her in her living room. Nico asks if he talked to her to which the answer is no.
"What was I going to say to her? I know you're just fourteen now but in a few years you're going to become a hero and fall in love with the dumbest guy you've ever met who is two slow to save you."
"You could have brought her back. Saved her."
"The butterfly effect remember. Yeah I looked it up. Besides I figure she's got a few more good years left. That's more than I can say for us."
"So what did you do?"
"I just hid and watched her for awhile."
"Was it hard?"
And then Chase looks off into the distance. "It was fucking beautiful."
That line, right there and really the whole exchange reminded me why Chase and Gert have always been top of my Runaway's list along with Molly and Karolina. It's just...he loves her enough that he's not going to do anything selfish and knows enough that changing things would change everything and finds watching her the most beautiful thing ever.
Not enough to have me pick it up again, but enough to remember the love.
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| Something "Horrible" This Way Comes |
[02 Jul 2008|06:03pm] |
Alright, I haven't seen this on the F-List so I figure I'll pass it along.
Joss Whedon has a new project. I could explain but I think the trailer says so much more.
Looks SO amazing. Neil Patrick Harris! Nathan Fillion! Superheros and Villans. And...oh yeah... Whedon! Three webisodes will be released this July starting on the 15th.
Also you can find a comic to satiate your appetite and learn more check out Captain Hammer: Be Like Me! The Nemesis of Dr. Horrible
July 15 - Be ready.
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| Fic: Little White Lie |
[30 Jun 2008|09:40pm] |
So I've been steeling promts from various places to write things. Mostly because I'd been drained all of June. I finally finished one, so you'll all just have to enjoy it ;). X-Men Movieverse, taken from an LGBTfest promt.
( Little White Lie )
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| Another Actual Factual Moment |
[07 Jun 2008|06:55pm] |
It has been awhile since I've been able to truly do a post inspired by a class for you all, and I know how you love them so. But now that I'm getting educated yet again, I am being made to critically think again...and here is what I've got - with a queer twist because yay me.
George H. Mead was a sociologist who came up with a concept of how we make up our ideas about self and there were two main parts of your self
The I Self - who you truly are on the inside. The real You
The Me Self - who other people think you are. Ideas people attribute to you.
To further punctuate the point we read the children's story "The Bear That Wasn't" and for you I've found the cartoon on youtube. So here...The Bear That Wasn't
So the point is, essentially that the bear knows deep down that he's a bear, but if people tell you for long enough that you're not a bear and the bears tell you you're not a bear, the me-self can overwhelm and supress the I self but it cannot kill the I self.
In the real world, this applies to the queer or LGBT community really strongly. You've got a group of people that have a "uncommon" I-self - an odd, unusual I self. No one ever really attibutes that catagory as a Me self to most children. Straight parents express truely heterosexual lives to their kids. It's not necessarily through any fault of their own but that's what they know. People to many parents, of our generation and above just know that people, in general are straight. Most children's books feature non-queer protaganists. If you listen to right wing religious groups - everyone is straight.
But when there is that overwhelming Me self it can suppress that I self. Most children only get that me-self when they fall into the stereotypical categories. You're queer if you... But it's a very negative me-self at that point. It's ugly words and threats and sneers.
And if you don't fit into the stereotypes - well then, clearly you can't be that either. When you're told all queer people are a certain way and you're not that way...well then, that can't be you either. Much like the bear is told all bears live in the zoo and the circus and the bears don't recognize him, the fear of not being recognized by one's own community could very easily steer queer people further into the closed.
And then this is a huge part of why people struggle with with coming out. You can accept the positive me self of being straight or the negative me-self that others project as being queer. But it's not until you accept the I - Self as the true self and are proud of that self, thing's are not going to go well. While it's getting better and easier as time goes on, it's still by no means easy. There are still plenty of people who are hiding themselves or are entirely miserable about being themselves.
This is not the only area in which this happens, by any means, but I think it's a really current example. It often only in moments of crisis (external or internal) that the incongrous parts of ones self really get looked at. I still get attributed with a straight me self, but I have more than come to terms with the internal Lesbian I self but it wasn't an easy process and I don't think it ever really is for anyone.
~*~
And to keep us on my queer funness - one of the truest expressions for how I feel about men uttered by one of my friends.
"I find men quite attractive, even sexually attractive, so long as, you know, they're fully clothed. Women, however, I want them naked at some point...or all the time."
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| The Streets of Heaven Are Far Too Crowded |
[02 Mar 2008|04:50pm] |
I'm not sure how many people have heard of this, but as this has only come to my attention recently and I'm usually up on this sort of news, I thought I'd spread this around as the news media has not been covering it. I may not hit a lot of bloggers, but I thought it was important to share.
On February 12, 2008 a 15 year old, eighth grade, boy by the name of Lawrence King was shot in the head by a fellow classmate because he was gay. Alledgedly the shooter was a kid who had been part of a group that had consistently harassed Larry for being gay and dressing effeminately and according to Ellen Degeneress, Larry had had a bit of a crush on this boy who shot him in the head in front of two dozen classmates in a computer lab.
Reports from parents and students say the bulling of Larry was well known and death threats had been made against Larry that people knew of. How much the administration did or didn't know is unclear, but if these attacks had been do to Larry's race or his religion the bullying would have been dealt with quickly and the death threats also would have been taken seriously.
There is still an implicit feeling amongst people that gay people bring this sort of thing on themselves by being open and honest about who they are and that they deserve what they get. Most school teachers, councilors and administrations around the country do nothing about these attacks, and some even participate in harassing their queer students.
Even more insidious is that this school shooting was not even picked up by the national press. As grotesquely horrifying as it is to randomly go in and shoot up a school in a sort of rage, it's even more horrifying to me that one boy walked up to another and shot him in the head in cold blood in front of two dozen witnesses because the other student was gay. Even more terrifying to me is that they were only Junior High students.
In short, it is essential that schools have better programs on educating children on LGBTQ issues and make a marked effort to stop homophobia. If this had been a racial hate crime, a religious hate crime, or any other type of hate crime we all would have heard about it in minutes. It was a queer hate crime and therefore was swept under the rug until individuals like Anderson Cooper and Ellen Degeneress got a hold of it and knew that there was a message to spread here.
To quote my girl Ellen, "It is okay to be gay." and nothing like this should ever happen to any children out there.
For more info check out Remembering Lawrence which has links to various reports/websites and includes the family's personal remembrance page.
Things will not really be equal until we are all treated as equals. Do what you can to spread the equality, respect and kindness to all you meet or we will remain trapped in a world where this is ok.
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| I'm Just A Man Looking For a Dream |
[02 Mar 2008|04:48pm] |
Alright, so we all know Laura is a BFG (Big Fat Geek)TM. But last night I spent my Saturday night watching The History of Comic Books on the History Channel. Yes, I am that much of a geek. And, it was fabulous.
Some things you may not have known...
Wonder Woman's creator was a psychologist and writer who had come up with the lie detector test. He also had a mistress who lived in his house with him and his wife who always wore large metallic bracelets on both wrists. Kind of makes why tying the bracelets together stripped Wonder Woman of all her powers, non?
The original comic book code was instituted because comic books were a threat to the United States of America and the well being of our country. The government attacked them because prisoners read them and well, they were full of horror stories, and superheros who were either not exactly complient with the law or blatant homosexuals. I mean what were Batman and Robin DOING in that cave with no girls around? And this Wonder Woman...not much of a woman.
So not only were Bats and Robin thrown into more situations with girls and Wonder Woman dated Steve far more there were very, very specific rules. No mention of drugs, homosexuality or other abberent behaviors. No disrespect was to be shown to the government, the military, local law enforcements or Parents. And there would be no, absolutely no, vampirism or werewolfism period. (I'm so sorry Katey. You'd have been in trouble)
Marvel started superhero comics up again because the CEO of DC and the CEO of Marvel played a golf game and DC's CEO told Marvel's that this Superhero thing was really working for them. Marvel's CEO went to Stan Lee who had been campaigning for more interesting and superhero comics and said "Stan, just write a book however you'd want. Just do whatever you want. We'll see how it goes." And thus the Fantastic Four was formed and Stan Lee's impressive dominance in comics and comic creation.
Speaking of which, Stan Lee is a fascinating man to listen to. He talked about how they managed to get around the comics code in various ways and how eventually, Marvel was the first company to publish without the comic's code stamp of approval and no one stopped buying the books. Also the fact that his boss, who just about let Stan do whatever he wanted anyways, balked at the idea of Spiderman, who is perhaps the favorite single book superhero, ever.
Various other things were discussed. They had individuals like Neal Gainman, Stan Lee, Frank Millar etc. discussing the history of comic books and their personal investment. Joe Quseda talked too but I tried not to listen too much.
All in all very interesting. And despite it's dorkiness a pleasurable way to spend my Saturday.
Edit: I'd forgotten one of my other favorite tidbits. During WWII when writers would go off to war the editors and CEOs would keep the book going, which is how the corporations felt that they had a stake in the ownersihp of these characters. Which, as a friend pointed out, explains a lot about the state of comics today.
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| Rows and Rows of Big Dark Clouds |
[27 Feb 2008|04:46pm] |
Little drabble-y bits that have been stuck in my head. Fandoms/names/genders removed because I just want to get the sentiments out. Mostly because it's dialogue. And I need to get this stuff out of my head before I do anything else. Some of it lacks a fandom and is just stuff from my head.
Anyways...some monologues of the dark and angsty kind.
~*~
"How...how I hurt you? How I hurt you?! That's right, it was all my fault. I broke your heart in one fell swoop. I can't...Your heart may have been broken in one moment but mine, you ripped it a little more every day until there were only shredded pieces. You knew I would do anything to keep you and you stood in front of me and asked me to do something that betrayed everything that we had ever talked about believing in, and I did it to have you. And then you kept pushing and pushing. You were right, by the end of it I didn't recognize myself either. But don't sit here and pretend you're the only one who got hurt. I gave myself away for you and by the end there was nothing left of me. And the worst part is that you didn't even notice."
~*~
"I...You know you're the last person I expected to see here. Standing on my front porch like you belong. I used to think that you'd come. I used to wait for you to turn around and come running back. I thought you'd come and knock on my door and say that you were crazy and you were wrong and you really loved me most of all. But then years went by and you didn't come and I figured you never would. But here you are, now. Why?"
~*~
"There are times when I wish I'd never met you. I can picture how different my life would be without you. I think I'd be happier, you know, if you'd never existed. But who knows. I might still be that girl I was then. The one that I hated. So maybe I should thank you for reminding me I'm better than that."
~*~
"I can't remember the last time I was really happy. I know I was once. I know what pain is and I know there was a time when I felt something else than pain, but I can't remember a time when the pain wasn't there, cutting in just a little. I watch kids and I envy them in that pure innocence and happiness that I've never really known and I'll never have again. Every bit of happiness will always have an edge of pain. I just want the pain to stop."
~*~
The pale hand moved over the letters on the gravestone before shifting the fresh flowers on the ground.
"If I could raise you from the dead to kill you myself, I would do it. You brought this upon yourself, you know. And I think that's the hardest thing. You made this decision, you started this path and never turned around. If you'd only turned back and reached out a hand. But you spit on everything we believed in, everything we were raised to be and believe in. You spit on Mom. I love you but what you did was wrong and I don't know if I can forgive you for it."
~*~
"We can just get in the car and go. Drive until we hit the ocean and just stay there. We'd be happy, you know we would. Why don't you just let go a little? Why won't you just give?"
~*~
"Was I ever anything more than just a pawn to you? Did I matter at all? Because I'm starting to think I was just a means to an end. And if that's all I was, how did you stay so long and pretend like I mattered, like I was special? How do you sleep in the bed with someone for that long and not feel something, anything?"
~*~
"There are moments when I don't miss you at all. I don't know what that says about me or about us. I just...don't. I should. I know I should. But all I am is glad."
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| What is this Feeling |
[15 Feb 2008|04:44pm] |
All I have to say is hells yeah. I fell in love with Wonder Woman back when Linda Carter played her on TV. I could have watched her for hours and wore my Wonder Woman pjs all the time.
And of course for the men I get Cable. Who would I be if I weren't with a Summers? I can't find one of them I want to kill. I know I'm alone in that. Although I think I got the wrong, alternate future child
Go find out who your super-lover would be at comics vine. Male or female. http://www.comicvine.com/dating/1 or http://www.comicvine.com/dating/2
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