liz_marcs | FYI: No Water Hold Me Down tonight...

(A)
Movie: Brazil. Funny, angsty, weird.
Book: Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett or 1984 by George Orwell
Musical Artist: Stuart Davis

(B) 1. Who are your literary inspirations?
2. What moment or moments define Xander as a character for you?
3. How do you view your writing (i.e. I view my own as the unmitigated insanity churning in my brainsphere as written by a very sloppy translator)?

(C) Doing now.

I love Brazil with its funny and creepy.

Oddly enough, I actually own a first edition hardcover of Good Omens and I'm reading 1984 (again) right now.

I'll have to check out Stuart Davis.

1. Who are your literary inspirations?

Nathaniel Hawthorne. Now and always. No one was better at writing about ordinary people in extraordinary situations (whether it's supernatural or natural). No one was a better writer about guilt and fear and the effect it has on people. Hawthorne was all about ghosts--the ones that live in history as well as personal demons. In fact, in the latest part of Water Hold Me Down, you'll see that the kidnappers specifically refer to Xander as "Young Master Harris." It's a tip of the hat to Young Goodman Brown, a Hawthorne short story I'm sort of using for Xander's psychological work-up for what I'm doing.

2. What moment or moments define Xander as a character for you?

Oddly enough, when he's at is worst. Sounds strange, I know. It also sounds like something someone who writes bash-y Xander fics would say. When the mask drops and he lets the anger out, you sort of get the sense that Xander is no as much of a "good guy" some fans would like to believe. It (to me, anyway), just highlights the fact that "the clown" is this mask he puts up because he's not entirely sure anyone would want to deal with him if they got a snootful of who he really was. I'm not sure whether I should credit the writing or the acting (depends on the season, I think; early seasons it's more writing, later seasons it's more acting) for when the mask slips. It's a shame they didn't do anything more with it because I think it would've been interesting to get a look at the dark part of Xander's psyche without the need for Hyena possession or Wish Verse vamping.

3. How do you view your writing (i.e. I view my own as the unmitigated insanity churning in my brainsphere as written by a very sloppy translator)?

I'm analytical about it, maybe too analytical. A lot of it my jobs in real life have forced me to write in such a way (reporter, medical technology writer for a magazine, high technology editor for a Web site, and now scientific medical writer) and it carries over to fanfic. So I'm always thinking about how a thought or action (Z) affects everything else (A through Y). It also carries over to plots. Everything has to make sense and everything has to build on earlier parts.

So, I guess it's more of someone who's a little too organized about things poking and prodding at the land of make-believe.

Hey, my first meme response. Liz, I love your writing. Your dialogue, timing, pacing. It's been fascinating to witness your growth as a writer through your fics. You're definately the goods, woman. Thank you for sharing your art. And now...

1)
Movie: "Illumiata" - Incredibly beautiful movie directed by and starring John Turturro

Book: "All the King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren. Most unbelievable use of language anywhere. They guy won the Pulitzer for poetry and it shows in his prose. It reminds you of a time when being smart was considered a virtue in America

Music: Kid A by Radiohead - Slightly atonal, eerie in a comforting way. Non-traditional instruments, electronica, irony and something else. It's like sitting in an unlit room durring a rainy day in a very good way.

2)
1. Who would you be if you could appear somewhere else and start fresh?
2. Have you ever had sex with more than one person at a time?
3. Why aren't you happier?

3) Pasting

Awwww...thanks. I do actually see a stark contrast between Where Fools Go, which strikes me more as a series of scenes, and something like Living History, which is a little more organic. Although I truthfully don't think I'll ever be able to top Whisper. Thanks for noticing. *blush*

I'll have to check out Illuminata. I know that I have All the King's Men somwhere on my "must read" list. When I worked at Borders, we used to listen to Kid A while shelving books overnight. Strange thing to listen to, I know.

1. Who would you be if you could appear somewhere else and start fresh?

Having done this several times in my life (I've lived in several states), I'd still be me, although I think I'd be thinner and a little more rich.

2. Have you ever had sex with more than one person at a time?

*sputter sputter* Unh, no. I remember *almost* getting involved in an orgy with another couple, but my partner and I decided to give it a miss. Crazy college days. I think the issue here is that we were sober when things were, ummmm, going to get started.

3. Why aren't you happier?

See thinner and richer. Seriously, though. I'm pretty happy. Although I'd like an occassional date on a Saturday night.

hrm. well, you asked for it.

(been reading your fic and journal for a bit now, btw, and certainly enjoying it)

A)
Movie: Cosi. About a man who finds himself roped into directing Cosi Van Tute (sp?) for a occupational therapy program at an insane asylum. Includes the woman who played Muriel in Muriel's Wedding.

Book (well, series, rather): The Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, starting with The Eyre Affair. Books for people who read. and for people who write. Seriously funny stuff. The man uses punctuation humor. Successfully.

Music: I've been on a Postal Service kick of late, personally. Light, almost naive electronica with escapist lyrics. Though I don't know anyone who couldn't benefit from a little bit of Stevie Ray Vaughn, especially Little Wing. It's what the blues is supposed to be.

b)
1. What would you do with your life if writing weren't an option?
2. Have you ever done something truly bizarre, just for the sake of seeing people's reactions?
3. What's the furthest from home you've ever been?

c) I'm over at journalspace, actually. but I'll be posting this at bellatemple.journalspace.com (http://bellatemple.journalspace.com).

Bella Temple

*waves* Hi! Thank you for uncloaking!

Cosi sounds interesting. I'll put that on my Netflix list. Plus, I liked Muriel's Wedding, so that's actually selling point for me.

I read The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and really liked it and there were some laugh-out-loud parts. The problem is I'm a little gunshy about reading Lost in a Good Book and the new one. I've been burned on the Honor Harrington series (turning a nicely flawed character in a professional Mary Sue) and I'm a little afraid of it happening to Thursday Next. I'll probably get over it and read it, but you should see the pile of unread books I need to read. I've had to force myself to stop buying books until I finish reading what I have.

I have to be in the mood for Postal Service. Some days I love thme to bits. Other days I can't stand to get beyond the first song. Nothing against them, I'm like that with all electronica. But Stevie...well, we can agree on Stevie....

1. What would you do with your life if writing weren't an option?

Probably jail. It's so much a part of my life (I've been paid for it since I was 17) so I can't imagine life without it. I've always done this in one form or another, so I suppose it's like asking me, "What would you do with your life if you didn't breathe?" I know that sounds crazy and artsy, but it really isn't. My RL job is actually as far away from crazy and artsy as you can get (scientific medical writer). I guess all I can say is that writing (whatver form it takes)is so much tied up with my identity and with who I am that not writing really isn't an option.

2. Have you ever done something truly bizarre, just for the sake of seeing people's reactions?

I remember I was with a bunch of friends on the T (subway system in Boston) and this drunk frat boy comes up to me and starts randomly daring me to slap him. So I'm all like, "Unh, no." And he's all like, "Yeah!" And his two buddies, who were equally trashed, were like, "Please! Do it! He's so toasted he says he's numb!" Just to shut them up, I actually drew back my hand and...

THWAK!

I left in imprint on his cheek.

These three guys start laughing all-crazy. Slapped guy is yelling, "I didn't even feel that! That's sooooo coool!" And his friends are like, "You're going to feel that tomorrow!"

Needless to say my friends and I took off at the next stop. For the next week they'd look at me and just shake their heads.

3. What's the furthest from home you've ever been?

I live in Boston and the furthest I've been is Santa Barbara. I was visiting Beverly Hills on business and I made a special trip just so I could dip my toe in the Pacific. The really hilarious thing was that it almost never rains in California, right? That day it was pouring.

Recommendations:

1) Bull Durham. Sexiest baseball movie ever.
2) While I Was Gone, by Sue Miller. Or anything else by Sue Miller. She rocks.
3) Philadelphia Chickens, by Sandra Boynton. Hysterically funny, compulsively danceable, genre-bending fun fun fun. Good mood guaranteed.

Questions:
1) What defines your ideal lover or spouse?
2) For you last meal, what would you eat/drink?
3) Tell me about either your best or your worst birthday ever.

You don't have to prove anything to me...I know you're weird, and I like you that way. :-)

I like Bull Durham, even if Kevin Costner's face drives me crazy in a not-good way these days.

I've never read Sue Miller. I'll have to look into her once I read through the pile of books I have.

And the Philadelphia Chickens is soooo cute. Another CD we used to listen to when shelving at Borders (bouncy!). I know I've pushed more than a few grandparents to buy it as a birthday gift. Sadly, I don't own it, but it's on my list.

1) What defines your ideal lover or spouse?

Someone who's a friend first, with all the good and bad that implies. Good: Supportive. Bad: Someone who'll tell me the truth even if I don't want to hear it. I think it's a serious problem for me because I tend to go for the friend first, which makes guys think I'm not interested in the romance part. *headdesk*

2) For you last meal, what would you eat/drink?

A bottle of very expensive Merlot and the most aged Vermont cheddar I could find. Followed by a rare T-bone stake with carmalized onions. For desert: chocholate Oreo cookie death. Topped off by Greek coffee.

3) Tell me about either your best or your worst birthday ever.

On my best birthday ever, my boyfriend and a friend bought tickets to see George C. Scott's one -man show called Darrow. It was revalatory. I learned that a good actor is one who can make the shadows move just by the sound of his or her voice. By the end of the play, I was convinced that I was the crazy one and that there really were people up there with Mr. Scott. All other actors are now compared to that performance. I always ask myself, "Did they make the shadows move?" I've seen some actors come close, but not close enough.

My worst birthday? A boyfriend (different one this time) decided to take me to a Patriots' football game. On my birthday. I like the Patriots, but I'm not a huge football fan. It was cold. It was miserable. And to make matters worse, he topped it off three weeks later with a Christmas present that was an electric blanket. *sigh* I'm not shocked when we broke up on New Year's Day.

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie: The Final Countdown. An intriguing time travel story with poor special effects
2. a book: Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams
3. a musical artist: Amy Studt

(B)1. What achievement are you most proud of in your life?
2. What is your greatest regret?
3. While in Vegas, did you indulge in any major sins, and if so, what?

(C) Going there now...

Oooooo, I haven't seen The Final Countdown in years. Thank you for reminding me...

I'll have to check out your other recs.

1. What achievement are you most proud of in your life?

Getting out of high school without killing anyone. Happiest. Day. Of. My. Life. I even did a little wiggle dance on my way out during the graduation ceremony.

I'm working on topping that. I'm hoping "The Day I Sold My First Novel" will replace it.

2. What is your greatest regret?

College. I was in an on-again-off-again long-term relationship with this guy (it lasted four years, don't ask). During one of the off-times, this older guy took a serious interest in me and took me out twice. Didn't even really get to the kissing stage, more like "the impress me" stage. When I found out he was closer in age to my father than to me, I broke it off really fast. Plus, nothing turns me off faster than a guy who tries to impress me with his toys. Anyway, I did kiss him good-bye after the second date and...WOW!

Really should've not done that.

3. While in Vegas, did you indulge in any major sins, and if so, what?

No major ones. Venal. I did drink more than I usually do. Unfortunately, given the dry desert, that meant I got actually drunk. When I'm buzzed, I smoke like a chimney. So, drinking and cigarettes. That's about it.

Last Chance To See has Douglas Adams writing about creatures on the endangered species list in his trademark understated hypobolic style. In some cases, it's frustrating, like with the flightless bird with a heavy-bass mating call. In some cases, it's heartrending, like with the Yangtse river dolphin, which is blind from the muddy water and deafened by the engine noise in a country where the river is the interstate and the Yangtse is the interstate. In all cases, it's blindingly well-written.

Oh, I love these silly question things.

Kay.

Movie. Educating Rita staring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Sweet, literary, funny. Plus you feel smart when you've read the books they talk about.

Book. Well, my first instinct would be something Terry Pratchett, but I'm going to go different and suggest The Art of Happiness by the Dali Lama.

Music. The Wiggles. No, seriously. They are quite good musicians, Greg is a good singer, and, well Anthony is nice to look at. They all are, really. And they are fun and it gives you a chance to nurture your inner child.

*Resisting the urge to quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail* What was your first career aspiration, when you were a child?

If you could go back in time in your life and re-live one day, what day would it be?

Do you believe in ghosts?

Eeeep! I tried watching Educating Rita when I was in college and couldn't finish. I'd probably enjoy it more now. So, I'll have to add it to the list of things to try along with Art of Happiness.

I've heard the Wiggles on The Playground, a weekend college radio station show in Boston. They sound interesting, but aside from a few cuts, I haven't heard much from them. Thanks for the rec!

What was your first career aspiration, when you were a child?

Please don't laugh. Secretary. I had an older cousin I idolized who was a medical secretary. My parents ~~quietly piched a fit~~ started encouraging me to think of something else. It's nice when both mom and dad say, "Don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't do something because you never know until you try. Just because you're a girl doesn't mean you can't be a firefighter if you want to be one." (This was in the late 1970s).

One problem: I'm afraid of heights, so firefighter was definitely out.

If you could go back in time in your life and re-live one day, what day would it be?

*blush* There was this day where it was raining and icky and my boyfriend and I blew off college classes to, ummmm, you know. *blush* Seriously, the perfect day. And the few boyfriends I've had since then weren't really willing to do that.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Heh. Unh, don't think I'm crazy, but I grew up in a haunted house, complete with footsteps up stairs, sounds of things being lifted and put down, seeing someone standing or walking out of the corner of your eye, cabinets opening and closing. Also, ghost had a fascination for electronics. Whenever a new whatever came into the house that had a digital clock as part of the set-up, we'd literally turn our backs for a second and it would be flashing 12:00 (just that one item). Once, a candle zinged across the room at an uncle and my mother had to make a flying leap to stop it from bonking said uncle on the head.

It wasn't mean or scary (we all kind of got used to it because, hey, not like we could sell the house). Just sometimes unnerving and mischievious.

No. This is true. I'm not making this stuff up.

So put me down for "Yes," if only because I saw something as close to proof as I'll ever see.

1. Vendetta: A Christmas Story. Twenty-minute short film made for a grand total of $100. I actually managed to do a report on this film in college, and got an A. Go me!

2. If you haven't read them, the Exiles trilogy by Melanie Rawn. I've mentioned these all the time already, but I don't know if you've read them or not, so I'm gonna do it again. =)

3. The Dandy Warhols. I think you'd like them, they fit into your musical selection pretty well, it seems like.

--

1. How did you first start writing fiction? What got you into it, that sort of thing, when was it, yada yada.

2. What is your favorite entertainment medium, and why: books, television, film?

3. What is your favorite part of your writing? For instance, I think that I do badguys really well, that's probably my favorite part of my writing -- that's the sort of thing I mean.

YAY! Downloads! Will definitely check it out. I've never actually heard the Daddy Warhols. Rawn I've shelved while working at Borders, but haven't actually read.

1. How did you first start writing fiction? What got you into it, that sort of thing, when was it, yada yada.

This? Is gonna make me sound a little petty. First fanfiction I ever wrote was for Forever Knight, and it was mostly because I had read some really bad stories. At the time, I was working as a reporter and decided I could do better. Please don't laugh: VQ: Vampire Quarterly. S'cringe-worthy.

I did a couple of pieces of Battlestar Galactica fandom after that. It includes the only crossover (Red Dwarf/BSG)and only co-authored I ever wrote. It also includes the last fanfiction stories I wrote for 12 years which you can find here.

Part of the reason why I stopped was because I really didn't have the desire, part of it was that I had a lot of life changes going on where I had to figure out who I was.

Then, S6 and S7 BtVS. And me being frustrated with both seasons. I wrote Revelations. That one was also written with a bit of a chip on my shoulder because I had be reading a lot of fanfic at that point. Some was good, but a lot was...well, not good. One thing I kept running into was the "Xander gets a power" stories that were so Marty Stued and so awful that I wanted to see if I could do better...or at least do it so Xander was still Xander.

Then my reasons changed:

1) The needed to write something "different" from what I usually do for my job.

2) Now it's pretty much to see if I can pull something off, i.e., unreliable narrator, mystery writing, science fiction, original character creation, first person narrative, present tense vs. past tense use, etc. Basically, every time I write a new story I set out a "challenge" for myself to write something I've never written before (in the case of Water there'll actually be some use of sex or sexual sitautions to illustrate where a character is at or push characters in different direction...have I mentioned I've got a serious mental hurdle about this?).

3) It's recently occured to me that I'm using it to practice writing original fiction, but it's a very recent realization.

4) It's fun and I'm a slut for FB. *grins*

2. What is your favorite entertainment medium, and why: books, television, film?

Depends on what it is. Television is probably my least favorite because I have no patience for commercials. Film is my second favorite, but my wallet screams when I walk into a theater. So books (or reading in general) is my favorite enteritainment medium.

3. What is your favorite part of your writing? For instance, I think that I do badguys really well, that's probably my favorite part of my writing -- that's the sort of thing I mean.

Breaking characters right down to their atoms. Seeing what makes them tick. How they think. What motivates them. It appeals to the side of me that might be too analytical. It's funny, but in some ways I have a difficult time seeing writing as a creative endeavor (although intellectually I know it is). I tend to be somewhat mechanical in my view of it: what words are important to use, word choice, sentence construction, speech patterns. How do you get across a visual? What is the best way to express something? Getting that "golden line" or "golden exchange" that sums up everything I think about a character is the most thrilling thing for me.

A movie: "Igby Goes Down" - Eee, one of my personal favorites.
A book: "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold
A song: "So Cold" - Breaking Benjamin

Three questions. Hm.
1. If you could be any character in any episode in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which character and what episode would you be and why?
2. You have a million dollars, what do you do with it?
3. Your house is on fire! Ah! What three things do you save?

*goes to post on her own LJ*

Heee! I have Igby on my Netflix list. I can't read Lovely Bones because I've already been warned about the rape scene. As a reporter I covered too many trials about RL rapes that I can't bring myself to read it in fiction. I've been told I should read it, but I don't have the courage yet. I'll have to check out Breaking Benjamin.

1. If you could be any character in any episode in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which character and what episode would you be and why?

Oddly enough, I wouldn't. I recognize pieces of myself in them: Willow's geekiness; Xander's fanboyishness; Giles's book love. Oddly enough, I never had anything in common with Buffy and had the hardest time connecting with her. So, I'd probably be Buffy just so I could get in her head.

2. You have a million dollars, what do you do with it?

Travel the world, baby! And while I was doing that, I'd write a novel so that when the money ran out I'd get rich sellling the movie rights.

3. Your house is on fire! Ah! What three things do you save?

George, my pet lovebird, my Calvin and Hobbes limited edition print (signed by Watterson), and me.

Ah. My friend introduced me to Igby. I seriously adore that movie. Great acting and witty dialogue. Makes me wish that I had a bunch of writers writing my life. I'd be so much cooler sounding at all the right times. ;)

I adore The Lovely Bones. It makes me sob and smile and laugh. It is very hard to read though. I've known quite a few friends who've been raped or sexually abused (including actually myself). So, yes, again with the hard to read. I'm hoping to read Lucky which is actually the author's memoir on her own experience with being raped. I think the reason that I actually need to read things like this is thatit's a form of not being silent. It's something that seems completely silenced. Okay, now I'm just babbling your ear off. Hope you don't mind.

Also, I could send you the mp3 of "So Cold" If you'd like.

Traveling the world sounds awesome. Something that I hope to do some day.

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie: The Whale Rider
2. a book: Stephen King's DarkTower Series
3. a musical artist, song, or album: "Encore Album" Eminem

(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.
1-what makes you happy?
2-what is your favorite color?
3-how did you get started writing the fanfics?

(C) Then I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends to ask you anything & say that you stole it from me.

Thanks for the recs. I haven't tried any of them.

1-what makes you happy?

This combination: A good book, a cup of coffee, a couch in a coffee shop, and a rainy day.

2-what is your favorite color?

Hunter green.

3-how did you get started writing the fanfics?

Answered this one already (sorry). Here's the link to this one: http://www.livejournal.com/users/liz_marcs/54050.html?thread=522274#t522274

1. The Seven Samurai. the Criterion Collection version is great.
2. Corner: A Year in the Life of an Innercity Neighborhood by David Simon. The same as the book Homicide, except from the view of the people served, not the detectives. I haven't read it yet, but I saw it at the library and thought of you.
3. "This Boy Is Exhausted" by the Wrens. Watch your Gmail. B)
1. Occasionally, I read something or watch something or hear something and half-formed thoughts gel around that and become semi-eloquent positions and I just go "yeah". When was the last time that happened to you and what was the source?
2. Can you speak on the relationship between Willow and her parents, as well as her extended family? Xander, we know, has strong connections to his extended family, being able to extract favors from relatives that are actively shunning his part of the clan. We never see relatives beyond her mother and we never hear about relatives beyond her father. Is there any relation between that and her presentation of her jewish identity? Her rejection of man of the cultural/religious aspects of that heritage? Her strong but occasionally hollow relationship to Xander? (Trying to budge you, even just a little, off your Xander kick.)
3. What if your favored flavor of jam/jelly/preserves/preserved-and-spreadable-fruit?

OOOOO, have The Seven Samurai paired with The Magnificent Seven on my Netflix list. And I love David Simon. I haven't read Corner, but I did read Homicide. I'll definitely have to get that one.

Got the Gmail. Will download as soon as I finish. Thanks. ^_^

1. Occasionally, I read something or watch something or hear something and half-formed thoughts gel around that and become semi-eloquent positions and I just go "yeah". When was the last time that happened to you and what was the source?

Yeeeeeeeee! You don't softball, do you? Actually, you've seen some of the most recent ones in this LJ. I'll have to go with My Vanity Fair Literature Rant, which is centered around the realization that in no way and no how are high schoolers ready to read "classic" literature because they lack the life experience to appreciate it. Or rather, most of them do.

2. Can you speak on the relationship between Willow and her parents, as well as her extended family? Xander, we know, has strong connections to his extended family, being able to extract favors from relatives that are actively shunning his part of the clan. We never see relatives beyond her mother and we never hear about relatives beyond her father. Is there any relation between that and her presentation of her jewish identity? Her rejection of man of the cultural/religious aspects of that heritage? Her strong but occasionally hollow relationship to Xander? (Trying to budge you, even just a little, off your Xander kick.)

Eeeeeek! *hides* I think the fundamental problem I have with Willow is that canonically speaking I think BtVS stripped her of her "every girlness" by making her an uberwitch, so it placed her somewhat out of my interest as a character. I tend to focus on "ordinaryness" in the sea of "extraordinaryness" as something that's interesting to me. Also, I think the other issue is I've been so influenced by Hawthrone that I tended to start putting BtVS characters into camps:

Giles, Xander, and Faith struck me as Hawthorne-like characters. Yeah. I know. One is a Slayer. But Faith really is nothing extraordinary without the Slayer powers, so it makes her Hawthorne-like in my mind. In general, these are people who are constantly living with their consequences, or who *think* they are living with their consequences.

Early in BtVS, there was more of a Hawthornian feel to the series. Buffy and Willow were also somewhat "ordinary" in many ways and their "extraordinary" was beside the point. It was touched by the Victorian Horror novel characters like Angel, but they weren't so much the focus as they were the spice. However, with the tonal shift that I think started in S5 and was completed by S6 from Hawthornian sensibilities to Victorian Horror Novel sensibilities, the "important" characters made the shift. The characters that were more Hawthornian, like Giles, Xander, and Anya, were somewhat ignored because they didn't quite fit the tone.

So, end result, when Willow shifted tone, I lost my grip and sympathy for the character.

Long story short: I don't necessarily think that Willow's distance from her family is so much a function of her "Jewishness," but more a nurture thing. It struck me that for her (blood) family was not important. On the other hand, I think she's frighteningly possessive of people she sees as "hers." Up until the beginning of S6, Willow definitely seemed to think she should have claim on Xander (which Xander failed to realize or didn't discourage). That overwhelming possessiveness got transfered wholly to Buffy and Tara (although I think Tara overlapped with Xander in S5). She was certainly that way with Oz.

I think a lot of her "throwing off" her high school image is exactly how we saw it in Restless: she wants to be the center of attention, but she's afraid of being rejected. She wants to be the heroine, but she doesn't think she's strong enough (so in a sense, the Potential Spell was her realizing she was). She wants to do it on her own terms without compromise, even if it means shedding who she was.

I know we differ strongly on the Xander/Willow relationship. However, I can see that your view is just as likely as mine. I agree, they have a very tight bond that probably strangles one or both of them at times. I can see where post-"Chosen" they might look at each other and realize that they really have ceased even knowing who the other person is. On the other hand, given Xander's need for people and Willow's possessiveness, I can see them also possibly forming their own brother-sister unit.

*shrug* Just my .02.

3. What if your favored flavor of jam/jelly/preserves/preserved-and-spreadable-fruit?

Blueberry. ^_^

I do softball on occasion. My third question was very soft.

I see your point on Willow, of course. Anything organically motivating the character seemed to drop to the way side after graduation, or perhaps even before.

A)1. A Movie -- Lone Star (1996) Written and directed by John Sayles. Starring Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Kris Kristofferson, and Matthew McConaughey.
2. A Book -- America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction, by The Writers of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
3.Album -- American IV: The Man Comes Around by Johnny Cash.

B)Three questions? Okay.
What's the most vivid nightmare that you can still remember?
Which era or cast of Saturday Night Live is your favorite?
Crunchy peanut butter or creamy?

OOOO, the Cashman is a good choice. I head that CD a lot when I worked at Borders. I just got America: The Book, so I'm getting ready to read. Thanks for the movie rec.

What's the most vivid nightmare that you can still remember?

I was maybe 5. I remember I had watched some Shirley Temple movie called (I think) The Bluebird of Happiness? I'm not sure. All I remember was this scene while ol' Shirl as standing on the shore watching this ship sail away with a friend or all her friends, I'm not sure. Something about them being born and having to leave. I think. Anyway, that night I had this nightmare where I was standing on a shore all alone and everything I loved was on that ship sailing away.

I think it took my parents three hours to calm me down waking up from that one.

Which era or cast of Saturday Night Live is your favorite?

Original cast.

Crunchy peanut butter or creamy?

Crunchy. Yum.

A.
1. La Jetee by Chris Marker. A stunning post apocalyptic short about memory, love, and time travel. The inspiration for 12 Monkeys

2. The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. The best book I've read all year. A beautiful and breaking book about love, time travel and the circular possibilites of both. Also Four Quartets by Eliot but I rec that all the time.

3. Steve Earle The Revolution Starts ... Now. The best political protest album to come along in years, at least, maybe a decade.

B.
1. What does home smell like?
2. What is your favorite holiday food?
3. Do you decorate for the holidays?

C. Will do.

I've seen La Jetee and it's such a perfect short. I positively adore it. It's one of those perfect little packages. I've heard cuts from Steve Earle's latest. It's on my must-have list. I'll put your book rec on my list.

1. What does home smell like?

Cinnamon.

2. What is your favorite holiday food?

My mom makes this meat stuffing for the turkey on Thanksgiving (it's a French-Canadian recipe). I could pig out on that stuff forever and I only get it around the holidays.

3. Do you decorate for the holidays?

No. But I help my parents decorate their house.

Can I second the Time Traveler's Wife? Cuz that book rocks. Never seen that take on it before. Mucho props to this recommendation

It is such a wonderful book.

The book totally and completely got under my skin in ways books don't usually do.

La Jetee really is perfect. Now that it is on DVD I can recommend it to people without it being so obscure. I think you'll really enjoy The Time Traveler's Wife

Cinnamon is an interesting home smell to me because it isn't a smell I'd ever associate with home.

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie: The Stand (ABC TV movie)
2. a book: Wheel of Time Series
3. a musical artist, song, or album: Paradise Theater, Styx, 1977?

(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.

1) What was the defining moment when you knew..absolutely knew, that you wanted to write?

2) Were you upset that they paired Spike with Buffy in the last few seasons of B:TVS?

3) Do you agree with all the fuss that is being made over "decency" on the TV? (ie last Monday Night Football "scandal")

*'scuse me while I shake out my wrists...ow...*

Heh. Trying to answer everone in one go. There's a word for that: stupid.

Aaaaahhhh, The Stand. The movie when people finally agreed with me: Gary Sinise is teh hot. Man, I haven't heard Styx in ages. I was gong to start "Wheel of Time" but my brother is all: Don't do it! You'll want to kill Jordan! He needs an editor! Actually, I probably will get to it eventually, but I have a huge pile of books at home I have to read.

1) What was the defining moment when you knew..absolutely knew, that you wanted to write?

High school. We had a creative writing component to our Junior class where they'd give us a subject and we'd have to write on it. This one week, the subject was "pigs." Nothing else. Just "write about pigs."

Well, you've been around my LJ, right? Do I have to tell you what happened?

I was so pissed about these lame-ass writing assignments, I wrote a 20 pages short story about a gang of detectives that happened to be pigs that was going after this criminal mastermnd called: [Dragnet theme] *Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh* [/Dragnet theme] THE CLEAVER!

Yeah. I really wrote it. *heh* Didn't fit the writing assignment at all. Got something like a C, only because I put in an effort, otherwise it would've been an F. But still, people laughing about [Dragnet theme] *Duh-Duh-Duh-Duh* [/Dragnet theme] THE CLEAVER? Doesn't get any better than that.

Let's not talk about the Weeble Mafia story I wrote for the same class. No. Really. Let's not.

2) Were you upset that they paired Spike with Buffy in the last few seasons of B:TVS?

The thing is, I can kind of see what the original intention was: challenge the necessity for a soul. They had *right in canon* (from School Hard) that it was possible for vampires to be "housebroken" without the soul. I just would've approached the whole thing differently. Shed the "fall in love with Buffy" thing if only so the water wouldn't get muddied when you balls out challenge it (like you're shocked that would be my approach, right?). Instead, have Spike make a cost-benefit decision to throw in with the Scoobs (i.e., no stakage, free blood and smokes, payment, possibly even a nice little roommate situation involving cable). It would've brought in all the characters instead of just Buffy and make them question a little more about it. You'd have Giles possibly more aggressively questioning Council policy, it would've forced Xander to deal with his Jesse issues, and Buffy would've had to take a look at being a Slayer without getting emotionally messed up in the bargain. Willow and Anya would no doubt be able to be woven into the mix. Most importantly, Spike would get to keep his balls.

Anyway, I simply would've passed completely on the Spike-Buffy thing because it was too close to Angel-Buffy and headed in a completely different direction. If you're going to throw your canon in doubt, at least have it make some sort of logical sense (at least from a storytelling persepective).

It wasn't so much that I was necessarily upset with Spike-Buffy per se, as I was with the disrespect they showed the character of Buffy through the whole thing. It seemed like they dragged Buffy through the mud (all the characters really) just so Spike didn't look as bad by comparison. I was one of the people screaming holy hell about this because the last thing you want to do is elevate one character by trashing another. It makes all the characters look bad, especially the character your trying to elevate.

However, had it not been for Seeing Red and the attempted rape, I would've been able to get past it. I've always argued (and still argued) that an attempted vamping would've been more appropriate and would've carried the exact same message about power and control. Furthermore, it would've helped people like me deal better with the (piss poor) execution of the Spike-Buffy twisted relationship in S7. Had he attacked her as a vampire, that soul foolishness would've made a hella lot more sense. Since he attacked her as a man (sorry for the generalization), having a soul or not having a soul should not have made the difference.

So, in short, horrified by what they did S6 and S7. While it was airing, it was simple outrage over the white wash and the lack of dealing with it (No, I don't think "He has a sooouuulllll!" is a good enough excuse). Looking back on it, it strikes me as simply bad storytelling. Or rather, subverting the story simply to make whatever point Joss wanted to make and it says something that I'm still not entirely sure about what he was trying to say.

Personally, IMHO, the story comes first and should always come first. If you decide you want to make a point and it doesn't fit, then do the world a favor and start a new story, don't impose it on one already in progress. Why? Because if you change stories mid-stream, readers (or viewers) have every right to get pissed. They didn't sign up for the left hook you threw at them. They signed up for one thing and got something else. I think that's why you see a lot of pre-S6 fans grumbling about the last two years while people who started watching with the switch to UPN don't understand the problem. (Again, generalizing and it's not 100 percent true, but it seems to be true more often than not).

A lot of people assume I feel this way because I wanted B/X. No. Did not and never did. My Old Skool ship was actually W/X (in as much as I ship anything).

The really sad thing? Up until mid-S5 (with Crush) Spike was my second-favorite character right after Xander.

3) Do you agree with all the fuss that is being made over "decency" on the TV? (ie last Monday Night Football "scandal")

Fuck no. Kids see a hell of a lot worse on billboards.

I think it's because my parents didn't (visibly anyway) throw themselves bodily in front of whatever my tender little eyes wasn't supposed to see. However, I do remember that my parents made it their business to watch the television shows I liked and there was a period in junior high school where every book I read my mother read, too. There'd also be sneaky little dinner discussions about those shows and books. Looking back on it, my parents were checking to see what I got out of it and if I had questions.

The FCC is not my mom. Period. If you want to institute a watershed hour ala the U.K., fine. No problem. Just enforce it. However, I kind of resent this nannying down to the level of a 5 year old. Excuse me? Not five. Plus, seems to me it's teh sex that gets hammered. Not so much with the violence.

However, I'm all for reinstituting "The Fairness Doctrine," which is a completely different debate, as well doing something about broadcast/print media consolidation, also another debate.

Eeeeeep! Didn't mean to go all ranty. Heh.

In the end, I think S/B was pursued, and Spike elevated so high in the story compared to everybody else (and at everybody else's expense), because of two factors: how much the show's writers and producers liked James Marsters as an actor, and the response James (and Spike) got from the audience (or at least an extremely vocal segment thereof.)

Over the years and during the course of two shows, ME displayed a subtle (and not so subtle) degree of favoritism towards various actors and characters, with the most obvious examples being Marsters, Alexis Denisof, Alyson Hannigan, and Tom Lenke. Conversely, those actors and characters who were regarded as not a favorite of the writers/producers and/or the audience were left to twist in the wind or ejected from the cast. Prime examples being Xander (I think at least some of the writers liked Nick, otherwise we'd have seen that dead!FirstXander scenario), Anya (The Girlfriend of a character ME no longer considered necessary, and JE admitted that they lost interest in her after "Selfless"), Charisma Carpenter/Cordelia (too long to get into here), and Riley (I think the writers liked Blucas, but the overwhelming audience disinterest and/or outright hostility to Riley and B/R forced their hand).

I don't know about anybody else, but that kind of treatment of different characters and actors in an ensemble cast speaks to me of a certain degree of unprofessionalism at ME.

--skippcomet

I got the first question answered...but no two or three....

I got the first question answered...but no two or three....whoops..never mind...stupid me...pay no attention to the man behind the curtain..we put him there for a reason

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie: Bubbah Ho'tep. (Bruce Campbell as Elvis. A black John F. Kennedy. Fight a Mummy in A nursing home).
2. a book: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
3. a musical artist, song, or album: Rock 'n' Roll Kids by Paul Harrington & Charlie McGettigan (this is Really Really difficult to find.....it was eurovision winner in 1994)

(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.
1) Where in the world (excluding North America) where would you want to live most?
2) What is Your biggest regret?
3) Outside BTVS/ATS what Fandom would you be willing to write in?

(C) Copy to LJ now.

My brother and me keep threatening to rent Bubba. I'm a huge evil dead fan and this is right up my alley. I have the Cryptomicon right in my pile of books that I need to read. Hmmm, I'll have to mooch around for a track or two on your music rec.

1) Where in the world (excluding North America) where would you want to live most?

Since I can't choose Montreal, I'll have to choose Sydney, followed by Prague, and then London.

2) What is Your biggest regret?

Don't actually have one. I tend to think everything has a reason, even if it takes 10 years for you to see it. Although, right now, I'd say lack of dates on a Saturday night.

3) Outside BTVS/ATS what Fandom would you be willing to write in?

Not planning to make a jump, unless it's to original fiction.

I don't think you're crazy. I believe in ghosts, too. I think it's cool you grew up with one! Have you ever seen the show Ghosthunters on Scifi channel? Really interesting. I recommend it! (although considering I was off on my movie choice, maybe I'm not the best source!)

One of my other favorite silly movies is this thing called My Chauffeur. Rom Com from the 80's staring the guy who was Flash Gordon and this blond girl whose name I can't remember. Not really a 'good' movie, but sweet and had some funny lines. My best friend and used to rent it practially every week.

FYI: No Water Hold Me Down tonight...

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from a lurker

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meme!

Re: meme!

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Can those of us without LJ's play, too?

Re: Can those of us without LJ's play, too?

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The Cleaver requests answers to questions 2 and 3

The Cleaver requests answers to questions 2 and 3

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