willing suspension of disbelief

garak/bashir

2009-11-11T00:42:37Z

Just spent the last forty-five minutes reading random fandom meta re: DS9’s Garak/Bashir. It’s a pairing that…I...don’t…think I’ve rambled about before. Back in the day, I watched DS9, but it would have lost me if it weren’t for Garak. It was one of those feats of acting -- attention-grabbing on the verge of scene-stealing. Andy Robinson has that compelling quality here which makes you zero in on studying the performance just as much as the character. And overall, Garak’s an intriguing character -- an ex-spy who’s still playing his little games, ~~particularly to entice Bashir~~. I can’t become interested in someone unless he’s a bit of an unfathomable mystery, so that worked for me. Hidden depths combined with inaccessibility, we’re talking here. (I like to make things frustrating for myself.) The slash overtones between them are not one of the more hopefully speculative of fandom. In fact, they became so obvious that they ended up writing in some dissatisfying hetero love interest for Garak lest someone get upset. I read a little fic here and there, but these meta articles were a fun revisit and reminder that in the Star Trek universe, Cardassians are my second-favorite alien life form (after androids, of course).

Completely unrelated, but...
Is “spasming” a real word? Spell check doesn’t like it. What do you say, then: “in spasm?” That’s not as sexy.

hooray for lily woo

2009-11-07T02:34:33Z

Last night I was over-tired and couldn’t sleep. I found the film Pi so I watched it, fell asleep, and dreamed about numbers. It must have been slightly nightmarish, because I remember repeating to myself “They’re only numbers.” (And while awake, I have fun repeating “Darren Aronofsky, Darren Aronofsky, Darren Aronofsky”… to myself. Try it. And try any of his films. As your doctor, I recommend them.)

I hadn’t seen that film since 1998, I suppose, when it came out. I’d found an art cinema that showed a different film every week, and decided to make it my practice to go once a week after work. This lasted for three consecutive weeks until it suddenly closed.

Changing subjects, apparently all of It’s Garry Shandling’s Show were just released on DVD. Very unique show, from what I recall. Surreal and fourth-wall breaking. I haven’t seen those since 1986, but can still sing you every word of the theme song. It’s very catchy and easy to learn:

I can also do you a rendition of The Facts of Life theme song…but don’t worry, I won’t.

Sorry about this post. Apparently I'm still over-tired.

penny for the guy?

2009-11-05T23:21:54Z

Today is my cats’ birthday. (Also Guy Fawkes Day.) Got them a bag of cat weed and a boingy mouse. Six bucks well spent. They are pleased.

I signed up for a gift fic exchange recently. I’ve never done one before, never had the inclination, but it should be very exciting to have an assignment...and a present of fic. As a result, I'm suddenly looking forward to the holidays.

aitch potter

2009-11-05T02:27:30Z

A gift from a friend from whom I haven't heard in a long time. Now it's my move, I guess.

They look like hobbits in my house! It was amusing when it was still part of the display -- a massive spiderweb spanned the space between the tip of Harry's wand and the P of "Potter." The spider had a magical sense of humor, making it look like a spell being cast.

goth 2009

2009-11-04T03:21:16Z

I’d really like to get back in the habit of writing in my journal. Of writing plenty of anything. It’s been going well these last few months, comparatively, but I tend to beat myself up about all that I’m not doing. I need an attitude adjustment and fewer excuses.

In the meantime…
Halloween is over and done with. Woke up and literally startled myself in front of the mirror the morning after the goth party. Too much black make-up migrating to new locations. Hair on backwards. Eyes bloodshot! as all get-out -- due to the make-up or too much drinking, I don’t know. My best friend and I spent much time talking about our slash pairings, her husband teasing me mercilessly the entire time. We didn’t do the usual photoshoot. (In fact, I kinda hope there aren’t any pictures at all.) But we didn’t do the staged ones. Maybe we’ve finally outgrown it; maybe it’s just not the same without R. He died unexpectedly a few months ago, and the goth party was just as much his as our hostess’s. He was missed but memorialized. Good guy, R. Astronomer. Taught physics at Johns Hopkins. We dated for a time, and every decent kitchen utensil I have was bought for me by him. He taught me how to grill fish, grind coffee, and berated me for not separating laundry properly. Best Friend once pointed out that I was the “man” in that relationship.

Didn’t mean to go off on that tangent; sorry. Finally started the new job at my new job, coordinating images for the website. I’m diggin’ it. It’s fine. I get left alone a lot more than I did before, which I like. I’d gotten too used to the independent environment over the years at my previous workplace! I still find it kind of weird that there are people walking past my desk all the time. Phones ringing. I’d never sent a fax in my life before. The Office is such a ridiculous place, really. Do not let me become institutionalized to it.

Be back tomorrow, I hope. bye

B&E

2009-10-21T23:59:03Z

The other upstairs apartment here is vacant at the moment. I jimmied the back door and let my cats in so that they could have a look around.** It's so freakin' funny! It's like they have bobble heads, the way they're checking things out, doing double-takes in their meticulously observant, nervous cat way. It's just like my apartment, but in reverse! How Twilight Zone that must seem to them.

**Yes, it's astonishingly easy.*** All it takes is a library card and less than two seconds. My ex-neighbor (who is now a policeman) taught my mother the trick when she came to stay with me and was locked out.

***But if you happen to have my address and are considering a breaking-and-entering escapade, tough luck. They've installed guard thingies (on my door) since Mom learned how to slide my lock.

"You have betrayed me, Wil Wheaton!"

2009-10-20T23:52:49Z

The Big Bang Theory throws those geek bones left and right, but my three favorite so far have been...

1) Sheldon's Tron t-shirt

2) The Time Machine replica in season 1

3) Wil Wheaton's appearance on yesterday's episode.

Not only was the ST:TNG nostalgia enchanting, it was also charming to see a real-life geek doing geeky activities with other (fictional) geeks. I just checked his blog for production notes (there were only a couple, but more coming soon). The man uses the word "grok" correctly in a sentence. Ten points to Gryffindor.

MASTER POST - Watchmen projects

2009-10-17T23:08:48Z

Watchmen graphic novel photo manips

I've been sheltering most of my flist from this behavior of mine. But here they are. Not only is it enjoyable to see the characters in new (generally slashy) situations from what canon gives them, but it's highly rewarding to spend time paging through the book again and again -- not to mention studying the artwork through the tip of a stylus. I wanted to gather them all together for a couple of catch-all posts. Approximately 50 pics in the first post; about half that in the following one, but growing. They're probably funnier if you're familiar with the original panels. (That's not me posting them at /coq/, by the way. I'd have chosen different ones! Hah!)

Manips Post 1 - Nite Owl/Rorschach - NSFW here and there
Manips Post 2 - Nite Owl/Rorschach - some NSFW

Watchmen Action Figure Theatre comics

Also, the action figures' adventures continue in the following comics. Generally all are Rorschach/Nite Owl, but Hollis Mason, Laurie, and Jon feature here and there. (Linked to my journal; not the comms)

Retribution
Creature Comforts
Investigate Further
American Love
First Kiss
Vodka and Tachyons
Beer Session
Venus and Mars
Rose-Colored Goggles
Owl Watching
October Twelfth

Watchmen graphic novel manips master post 2

2009-10-12T00:20:22Z

Master Post 2 of Watchmen graphic novel manips

Rorschach's getting the spots sucked off his face.

The boys discover Rorschach/Nite Owl fan sites.

Dan takes a peek.

Rorschach breaks in, interrupting Dan's masturbation ritual...

...and finds it's more than he can take.

Date rape Dan.

Rorschach's request.

Oh I do enjoy this one.

Dan turns away, wiping his mouth...and Rorschach looks SO happy.

Go ahead and stare, Dan. I was too.

I apologize. A little bit.

"Friday. Our date night, Daniel."

Prison can be a lonely place. Even if you're only in it for fifteen minutes to rescue your friend.

Oh dem lips.

Gently, Dan!

Kneel before Zod!

"Please, Rorschach. I'm trying to work!" Meanwhile, someone in front notices and approves --^

Rorschach is "presenting."

Heh. No reason to remove the dialog balloon.

i hope i become a ghost

2009-10-04T00:05:54Z

I Hope I Become A Ghost mp3 -- The Deadly Syndrome

When I die, I want to haunt you.

October

2009-10-01T23:23:38Z

I loooo-uh-uh-huh-ooove October. I love the weather, the shortening days, the changing leaves, and cozy gray skies. (And then of course there's Halloween.)

Passing by a roadside stand, I could not pass up getting one of these white pumpkins.

Don't know whether I'll carve it or draw on it yet.

These were in the grocery store. Obviously, I thought they were little Rorschach-faced lanterns...but it's actually the silhouette of a witch on a broom. A bit of an ink blot test all the same!

Watchmen graphic novel manips master post 1

2009-09-25T02:12:41Z

Master Post 1 of Watchmen graphic novel photo manips.

The first one...and one I can't get tired of.

To begin with, it was all about replacing Laurie.

Rorschach's strong, practiced grip is admirable.

Dan gets the feeling he's being stalked...

...and Rorschach pounces!

They exchange gropes while Adrian's back is turned.

Dance away the apocalypse!

Not that this would ever happen.

"Hmm. Must investigate further."

Caption with the proposition of your choice.

A more tender moment.

A tender moment which Rorschach may or may not be enjoying.

This is the way my cat wakes me up.

Some Rorschach-on-Rorschach action!

Scarred for life.

I don't like this one. It lines up, but...meh.

Dan swoons to Rorschach's oo-mox.

But when Dan's not home, Rorschach spends his evenings playing action figures.

Rorschach moves lower.

And next -- you'll recognize the "eating a raw egg" scene, I hope. I do apologize for this one, but...

Daniel...so...beautiful...when...sleeping. Can't...keep...hands...off!

"I don't rightly know. I just sorta woke up a-holdin' it."
Rorshach has bad thoughts.

The Handshake gets more intimate.

Me in my spare time.

I don't have much explanation -- other than the fact that it lined up so that Rorschach was blowing Dan's nose and it made me laugh. (And I think he's giving Dan oo-mox again.)

Rorschach's checkin' out the gun show!

But it might be funnier with Laurie and her "WTF?" expression.

Or maybe funnier with her lurking in the shadows, surprised.

Desperate vigilante.

This is prettied-up "Dreamy Walter" -- one of my favorite panels in the entire book, much as I avoid maskless Rorschach.

What the owl ship is really for.

Another favorite. Dan's dangerous proximity to the railings -- !
Watch your wrists, Dan!

Have A Nice Day!

2009-09-25T01:28:00Z

Silk Spectre's new uniform.

HRG

2009-09-22T23:29:28Z

Whatwhatwhaaat?

Heroes premiere last night? I'm going to go watch. Hopefully I can remember where we left off last season.

Only ten minutes ago, I stuck my hand down the sofa looking for the phone, and I found action figure Noah Bennet's glasses! I thought they were lost forever...or at least until the next vacuuming. Much better this way.

hell and damnation

2009-09-21T01:09:51Z

This time of year is always a bit of a lonely time for fandom. So many people return to classes and need to devote themselves to classwork sorts of projects instead of fic and art kinds. Output slows, and there's a lull for a while before they adjust or get bored or just can't contain themselves anymore.

I'm wandering the halls alone, refreshing my friends page but seeing too little of what I need. I'm writing and all, but it's just not the same -- I know what's going to happen in those stories. But I will be patient. No need for anyone to fail a class just because I want something new to read.

wigglesworth

2009-09-18T00:16:47Z

I heard one of the most amusing names today -- Andrew Wigglesworth. I've been repeating it in my head all day, and it's quickly replacing Nigel Bottomley as my favorite "sounds like it's from a storybook, but really IS someone's name" name.

initial_aitch @ 2009-09-17T18:32:00

2009-09-17T22:40:19Z

My parents played a lot of Peter, Paul, and Mary during my childhood. But being a sensitive young thing, I couldn't help but cry helplessly at "Puff, the Magic Dragon." It was just too devastatingly heart-breaking to think of Jackie not seeing his best friend anymore. I don't know if it was a question of feeling worse for Puff or for Jackie -- the unfairness of them not being together just plunged me into despair, and I'd cry every time. Mom had to lift the needle and skip over that song on the record. When she played it on the guitar, it didn't affect me. Only when Peter, Paul, and Mary did it. Heh, don't worry -- I'm pretty over it.

initial_aitch @ 2009-09-14T20:26:00

2009-09-15T00:27:31Z

Thank god for Rule 34.

labor day weekend

2009-09-08T23:29:57Z

The weekend was absolutely fantastic; just what I needed. I’m still learning to get into the swing of having days off, paid holidays, and all the normal things that lucky people tend to take for granted. I’d been shafted for so long by my old job, I’d forgotten what basic rights were like. And this time I didn’t have to turn down an invitation to go up to the woods for a couple of days.

Dad and Rob share a house up there with another couple. They’re not rich or anything; they’re retired teachers. They just love going there as many weekends as possible for the escape. Over just two days I/we hiked, picked blueberries, made a big fire, listened to the football game (the whole lot of us staying there are graduates of the same university), splashed and sunned in the river/creek, watched movies, set off fireworks, drank, and slept hard. It should be enough to get me through until next weekend :)

S’mores roasting on an open fire.

My hard-won harvest.

Praying mantis. About the extent of the wildlife I saw. I missed the Patronus deer. Seriously, there’s an albino deer that they get pictures of occasionally, but it passed through at 1 a.m. when I was asleep.

Dad taking photos of the mantis. If only the mantis were taking a picture of something, this photo would be so nicely balanced.

Praying mantis climbing my leg. Sorry, I couldn’t aim that well.

Dad’s incendiary collection. Note his samurai hairdo. He was told to put it up to avoid setting it on fire, and this is his passive-aggressive solution.

Better shot of the hair.

The ‘works.

Always a great time. If you ever come visit me, we’re definitely going.

rraaaarrl !!!!!!

2009-08-21T01:07:08Z

You know those times when something’s not right in your house, and you cast about quickly to find a weapon and go investigating the source of the not-right-ness? Well, I just went off to defend my home and my life armed with a fork.

It’s great when you’ve whipped open the doors or shower curtains and completed the perimeter check and found nothing. You congratulate yourself on being so brave to have instinctively grabbed a weapon and gone after the bad thing. My self-congratulation was immediately followed by embarrassment. I really must leave more baseball bats laying around.

It turned out not to be a murderer after all. Now that I’m thinking about it, I did just watch the new episode of Dexter tonight. Didn’t know I was so suggestible.

(great ep, by the way. John Lithgow!! and lots of blood.)

initial_aitch @ 2009-08-16T15:33:00

2009-08-16T19:57:56Z

My one day of the week to sleep in, and the guy next door decides it would be a good time to sort through a scrap metal collection in his yard. Between that and the meowing cat on my shoulder patting my eyes until they opened, there was to be no sleeping beyond 9. At least I got a couple of lost hours back.

As usual, I am feeling creative but stifled. I know that this artistic impotence is completely self-induced; I just don't know why I do it. A few years ago, it was the total opposite. For instance, right now I have the whole rest of the day to write or draw or role play (or even 'shop comic panels or do action figures), but I'm typing a pointless LJ entry instead.

I'd gotten all re-invigorated the other night, too. My best friend was in town for her birthday, and we had a phenominal visit. She steered the conversation toward fandom...and then toward slash...and then "came out", telling me about the pairing she's into. Not that she had anything against male pairings; she'd just never found one that grabbed her until now. It's inspiring the novel she's writing -- she's a writer by profession -- so it was exciting to talk about writing, slash, and fandom. I love having snippets of that in RL as well as on LJ. I wish there was more of it sometimes. But I need a local friend who's into the same fandoms.

ischial tuberosities

2009-08-09T16:00:37Z

I always think that I can't overdo it on the bicycle. For the most part, that's true; I don't get sore muscles. But there are other endurance factors to consider -- sunburn, bringing enough water, a long walk home after a flat tire...or an uncomforable seat. My butt-bones hurt. And my tailbone.

But they'll get un-sore, and it was totally worth it. The weather was amazing, and I went down to the riverfront for the view and the level ground so I could just go flat-out. I rode with my mp3 player in -- something I'd never done before since I usually ride on streets and need to hear traffic. Got to get more speedy songs, though; they're the best spurs. Need new gloves, too. They're worn through and not gel-squishy anymore, but my wrists aren't in pain, at least. Such a fun long ride, wow. Gave me a high.

On Friday I carried my camera around for a "Day in the Life" post (a photo every hour on the hour), but my day turned out to be so boring that I've decided to skip posting it. Half the point is to show a normal, average day, but when the Aitch-cam only shows a view of my desk for eight successive shots, it's hardly riveting stalkery entertainment. I should have done it yesterday. Yesterday was an active, diverse day.

And yesterday was meaisin_caoin's birthday -- Happy birthday, X! I had a great day on your birthday; I hope you did too!

<3

2009-08-07T23:00:58Z

HAPPEH BIIIIIRRTHDAY!!!

HAPPEH HAPPEH BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRTHDAY!!

Happeh birthday, st_minority!

One of my first, longest, and best LJ pals. We've had so many adventures -- on-line, on the phone, and in person! You introduced me to pretzels and Nutella, the fun of reading porny fanfic aloud to each other, and reaffirmed my faith in the brilliance of Geoffrey Rush.

*sigh*, we're long overdue for a marathon phone call. Must arrange that. In the meantime, get out there and have a great night. Do something memorable and slightly illegal.

<3,
your Aitch-bomb

roller derby

2009-08-04T23:53:09Z

Roller derby is the most fantastic sport ever!

It's fast, it's rough, the players go by bad-ass nicknames, and the whole shebang has a kind of costumes and alternate-persona theme. I've never felt compelled to play a sport, but this one sure has its allure. However, the last time I was on skates -- well, it was ice skates -- I got a concussion. I spent my childhood on roller skates, however, so there may be hope for me yet.

Better hold off another month, though, until my health insurance kicks in. Just in case.

HP6

2009-08-02T17:43:24Z

After more than two weeks of irresponsible fan behavior, I finally saw Harry Potter yesterday. I opted to just wait for the IMAX release, which then meant waiting until I had a shift at work. (They talked me into staying on part-time, which is actually working out well. I grab a shift when I want, and the extra paycheck is great.)

As usual, I’d been avoiding hearing any review of Half-Blood Prince. It’s hard enough going into a film adaptation with one’s own preconceptions, let alone those thrust upon you by someone else. The only minimal “reviews” that I couldn’t filter out boiled down to two opinions: “It was true to the book” and “It wasn’t true to the book.” This was confusing, of course, because “true or untrue” is more easily qualified than something more subjective like “it was good” / “it wasn’t good.” Now that I’ve seen the film, I think I agree with both true- and not-true-to-the-book.

For me, HBP was a dark book. All that chilling background into young Tom Riddle seemed the main focus of the story, and should have been the focus of the movie -- not all that unfortunate paring-off of every character with a love interest. (I wasn’t a fan of that in the book, either… and not only because of the disastrous, offensive Lupin/Tonks pair. Slashy preferences aside, if there is one character who really is gay, it's Lupin!) I’d have liked to see a lot more Riddle focus.

Overall, I’ve always thought the films were honest enough adaptations. In this one, I liked all the little contrivances to keep the story tight. Like Luna and her spectrespecs finding Harry on the train! Being let in on Draco’s task with the cabinet worked for me. Added intrigue and brought that subplot to the forefront. It added to Draco as a character, too. For the first time, Draco becomes more than one-dimensional. You can feel the weight on him. And you can hate Harry for a moment after Draco gets sectusempra’d. (While I’m there -- Merlin’s pants! the thing was rife with delicious moments for Snape/Draco shippers, no? When they left Slughorn’s party together…. oof! And every time Snape throws someone up against a wall is a cause for celebration.) I really loved that moment beneath the astronomy tower where Snape appears and shushes Harry. It eliminates another gratuitous use of the invisibility cloak, and it makes the audience think for a moment -- “hooray, a professor is here to save the day” -- before a big ol’ nasty avada kedavra.

Jim Broadbent -- perfect in every way. He’s one of those two or three actors I can watch in anything they’ve done, and just marvel at every flicker of their eyeballs. Loved Mr. Weasley’s garage, but since when does Bellatrix burn their house down? What was up with the Horcrux Fortress Cave of Solitude? The inferi were plenty scary, though. Nice job on them. Lavender Brown -- perfect casting. Adorable, yet sickening-sweet. Personally, I could have used a bit more intensity as Snape and the Death Eaters storm out of the castle. Damn it, Snape didn’t get his “coward” line!?!? There’s never enough Snape for me. I’ll try to enjoy what I have :)

As far as the 3D section at the beginning -- worth it for the flying shot down into London and up Charing Cross Road!, but other than that yeah, fairly lame. The scene at Slughorn’s house is 3D, but it’s done by the time we get to Spinner’s End. Well, it’s hard to get 13 uninterrupted minutes of non-stop swirly, flying action anyway. Visually, I liked the way the memories swirl down and build up the street or the room or whatever is in the memory. And wow -- Dumbledore swinging around all that fire in the cave!

The movie didn’t blow me away, but neither did the book. I’ll continue to enjoy watching HP6.

I’m taking a new job at my new job. A position opened up working on their website, and long story short, it feels like a satisfying switch. Plus, there’s opportunity for grooming and advancement to another role, so there’s that to think about. At the moment, it seems like this is all very good for me.

This evening, a friend and I are going to see the city’s roller derby team play. I’m hoping for entertainment of the action-packed sport variety rather than the trashy-but-amusing type. In any case, it’s something new, and that’s always good.