"Do you know what vegan chicken and rice is? RICE."

[fishpatrol]

3 unpopular opinions:

1. I can't muster up any enthusiasm at all for engagements/weddings/etc. I can understand the fuss, but I myself don't experience any excitement. It's nice that Jensen and Danneel are engaged, but I can't say that I feel excited/happy/whatever for them -- I mean, I don't know them (I don't know anything about Danneel -- other than her boobs are fake, but that's just hearsay -- and Jensen's more like a fictional character to me), nor is it any of my business, but I suppose other people are more...invested in them? (at least, this is my impression garnered from poking around online. Where are all the tinhatters and conspiracy theories? Clearly I am not looking in the right places!)

Anyway, the only thing that irks me is the profuse amount of comments about how they should start having babies now now now. I can't even pinpoint why that bothers me (maybe it's about the strong association people hold about marriage and children? maybe I just dislike children that much? ;;;). I wonder if Jensen got engaged to another man (silly US laws aside), would fans be as adamant about them adopting children?

IDK, I can't offer any explanations for this opinion.

2. The amount of negativity towards this clip (SPN 5x09 preview) is somewhat surprising. The complaints seem to centre around Becky being a poor representation of fans. SPN has never been good with representing females or people of colour -- this shouldn't be a surprise to any viewer. Being female and a person of colour myself (and a fangirl to boot), if I got offended every time SPN poorly characterized a fellow woman or POC, I wouldn't even be able to watch this show -- heck, I'd have to stop watching TV altogether.

Returning to the representation of fans on SPN, the sad fact is, the most noticeable fans in real life are the crazies. On the scale of crazy!fannishness? Becky probably only rates a 5 out of 10 (wasn't there some girl, a few years back, who wore a wedding dress and jumped Jensen? I'd give that a 10.5). If Becky was written as a "sane fangirl" who was highly intelligent and provided Sam and Dean with invaluable help on a case, I'll bet half the fandom would be up in arms about how Mary Sue-ish she is. If you can face your favourite (formerly)fictional characters without gibbering (and possibly attempting to feel them up), I'll give you all my persimmons. (see point about persimmons below)

3. Now for something completely different: I like my Macbook, I really do. What can I say? I have an affinity for shiny things. Now that I've been using my Mac for a while, I can't honestly say that it's better overall than the PCs I've used. It's prettier, yes, but I don't find the whole "Now that I've used a Mac, I'll never switch back" holds true for me. I am clearly missing the "I LOVE APPLE" sequence in my DNA.


2 yummy things:

1. Persimmons -- I always forget how much I love persimmons until the fall season when Chinatown sells them by the bag. There's something about the slight crunchiness of the centre that makes me go YUM♥

2. I bought some green tea chocolates along with my fruits and veggies today. As I was omnomnoming away, I thought to myself, "Hey, self, you have hot chocolate powder and milk green tea powder -- why not mix them?" And so I made myself a big mug of chocolate milk green tea and it was delicious.


1 adorable fluff ball:

1. If all dust bunnies looked like that, I'd be willing to clean the house more often! (but where are its eyes! and ears!)

Comments

[akeyoftime.livejournal.com]

I've been a bit disconcerted by the babies comments as well. I imagine a lot of people are doing it on autopilot and most of them would argue that they don't think that Daneel and Jensen should have kids at all, but I think that it's still terribly telling about societal values. I'm with you on the whole point one, really.

if I got offended every time SPN poorly characterized a fellow woman or POC, I wouldn't even be able to watch this show -- heck, I'd have to stop watching TV altogether.
Sad, sad truths. I joke that I like to punish Glee for trying, but I think it's because they're going for Rachel's "gold star" that's encouraging me to hold them to such high standards. Except that I'm (trying to be) a bit radical and they're still mostly mainstream. I almost want to get into the industry so I could at least try to make a small difference, but it's so unfriendly to disability that it's not even an option. (I really don't mean taking on the whole world, but I can see small changes I can push for and initiate in my everyday life that are achievable. Even if it's just to get people thinking, you know?)

You have now seen my own procrastination!

[fishpatrol]

but I think that it's still terribly telling about societal values

Mm, yes, I agree. I feel that the automatic equating of marriage --or engagement, even, in this case-- to procreation somewhat undermines the "marriage is only about love (not gender, procreation, etc)" idea that I'm sure most of these same people support.

I'm curious to see where they take Glee. They're blunt about the stereotypes they're portraying, but they have yet to transcend the stereotypes, to show us that these characters are much more than what they appear to be.

Haha, procrastination is a way of life for students!

[illuminations.livejournal.com]

2. Don't people complain about anything and everything though? Not implying that there isn't anything legit behind it, but I feel like it's always either not enough or too much or this or that, and let's face it, nothing will ever be good enough. And you're right, realistically the fans that stand out are the batshit insane ones. Also they showed her writing incest porn. I don't think they could've gotten away with that had she been portrayed as "sane".

3. I am pretty sure Macs are going to get less awesome once hackers decide that the potential damage is worth the effort it takes to launch a virus. On the other hand, I am slightly jealous that this (www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.html) is Mac-only. :(

[postingwhore.livejournal.com]

Anti-virus programmes for Macs do exist. :P

In addition, imo, if one uses noscript + firefox, one should have no need for an anti-virus programme no matter the OS.

[illuminations.livejournal.com]

Dead, but how do you prevent a virus that doesn't exist yet? Honestly I don't believe that one OS is "safer" than the other. It's a matter of what kind of person is using the computer. We've cycled through so many computers in the past 15 years and have had maybe 2-3 crashes and none were because of a virus.

[postingwhore.livejournal.com]

A lot of malware and the like works by running scripts that install shit or w/e when you visit a website, so if you don't let the scripts run (which is what noscript does) then you eliminate most of the problem. (The other problem is downloading programmes that are virus-laden, but well...that depends on the net-savviness of the person.)

I wouldn't say that Macs are necessarily safer than Windows...(although I'm tempted to say that about Linux, if only because whotf wants to hack Linux computers anyway), either. It's really a matter of personal preference in deciding what OS to get, in regard to interface and the like.

[illuminations.livejournal.com]

True, but I don't really take those seriously. I've come across a handful of those before and my antivirus took care of them right away. I don't think a script blocker is going to stop anyone if they really wanted to do damage.

Dead I definitely agree on Linux. And yeah, I don't know. I think Macs are great and will probably own one of each one day. But secretly in case some Apple fanatic decides to go HA SEE IT'S BETTER ISN'T IT!!! at me.

[fishpatrol]

nothing will ever be good enough

Heh, true enough.

Also they showed her writing incest porn. I don't think they could've gotten away with that had she been portrayed as "sane".

What, sane fans can't write incest porn? ;)

That program looks awesome! *bookmarks*

[illuminations.livejournal.com]

I just feel like most people need to take a chill pill no matter if it's rl or fandom. Yes, I understand that discrimination is bad. Yes, I understand that gender equality is good. BUT STILL. RELAX. Also, even if the show takes fan opinion into consideration and tries to change the characterization of Becky, like. It'll just seem fake. AND ALSO LIKE. Why would you ever use a normal person in storytelling? WHO DOES THAT. HOW BORING. Sorry if you're offended, but I assure you if Becky was switched out with you, even less people would want to watch. Because a normal person would not steal a phone and pretend to be someone else for their own gains and therefore, MANY THINGS WOULD NOT HAPPEN. God, facepalming so hard, I can't take this.

Dying. I know it costs money, but I assure you I've scoured the internets for Windows freeware and none of them come close to matching Scrivener's capabilities. So I think it's worth the $40, but I guess if you're not a regular writer, it's like ehhhhhh.

[fishpatrol]

I just feel like most people need to take a chill pill no matter if it's rl or fandom

But if everyone was calm and rational, imagine how boring the world would be! ;) But yes, I definitely agree with this: Why would you ever use a normal person in storytelling? Becky is over-the-top because she's used as a source of humour -- portraying fans "accurately" would be, as you say, boring. Also, if they were going for accuracy, there needs to be a whole lot more girls at the convention -- guys cosplaying as Sam and Dean? How unrealistic! X3

[fishpatrol]

Oh, but uck, that program costs $40. D: I'll bet there's something similar to that program for free for Windows floating out there somewhere!

[postingwhore.livejournal.com]

So, for a moment, when you said you are a person of colour, I went, "No, you aren't." And then I was like SHIT MY REFERENCE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE CHINESE PEOPLE, ISN'T IT.

Also, did you know there are two types of fruit known as 柿子? :P (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persimmon#Fruit)

[fishpatrol]

XD Do you consider Caucasians (i.e. White people) to be POC, then?

I got the non-astringent kind! And they are yummy! \o/

[postingwhore.livejournal.com]

No :P
I consider poc to be like black people and latinos and middle eastern people...and maybe other east asians? Some times other Chinese people, but rarely myself.

[trolleys.livejournal.com]

Re: your subject line - I laughed SO HARD at that last night.



And mmmm persimmons! SO SO GOOD. (but don't you hate it when they're underripe and leave a disgusting chalky feeling your mouth, haha)

[fishpatrol]

The Raj/Howard bits never fail to make me go into fits of giggles!

I don't think I've ever had an under-ripe persimmon! I'll have to watch out for that. According to wiki, unripened persimmons can cause bad things to happen in your stomach. D: Also: "consumption of persimmons has been known to cause bezoars that require surgery in over 90% of cases" -- I thought bezoars were those rocks that counteracted poison in Harry Potter!

How do you eat your persimmons? I end up chopping them into slices and nibbling the fruit off the skin. I tried peeling one with a knife today and it totally didn't work (I don't know how to peel fruits with a knife D: That makes me a failure of an Asian person, doesn't it?) and ended up peeling it with my fingers and making a sticky mess.

[trolleys.livejournal.com]

"consumption of persimmons has been known to cause bezoars that require surgery in over 90% of cases"

AHHH OMGWUT. and I thought constipation was the worst side effect of persimmon consumption D:

How do you eat your persimmons?

I like them really ripe and kind of mushy inside, which makes slicing difficult, so I just cut it in half and dig in with a spoon like a grapefruit (I just wiki'd it and I think it's the non-astringent variety?)

(I don't know how to peel fruits with a knife D: That makes me a failure of an Asian person, doesn't it?)

Hee, that's what the fruit peeler is for!

[scorpiod1.livejournal.com]

1. I'm happy for them, but I'm not jumping up and down for joy or turning into a rabid, anti-Danneel fangirl. Much as I like J2, I say let Jen and Danneel be.

People are saying they should have kids already? 0_o I...have not heard that in my little corner of fandom. For serious? That would irk me too. They're not even married yet, they don't need to have kids rightthefucknow. And what if they don't want to have kids? I mean, I would like it if Jensen passed on his wonderful, pretty genes but there's no law that says once you're married, YOU MUST PROCREATE!

2. I see your point and agree (especially that Becky would be considered a Mary Sue if she were highly intelligent and helpful. I could just fandom jumping all over her for that) but it still kind of bugs me. I feel like they're breaking the fourth wall too much. I loved The Monster at the End of this Book, but I feel like they're crossing the streams now. It's kinda uncomfortable.

3. LOL. I've never had a Mac. It's been PCs all my life. But Macs do look awfully shiny, don't they?

OMG, that bunny is so cuuute. I thought it was a kitten at first. What happened to it's eyes?

[fishpatrol]

It seems every "yay Jensen/Danneel engagement" comment is followed up with "omg BABIES" from what I've seen (but maybe I'm being oversensitive to this XD). I'm thinking it's how so many people equate marriage with procreation (well, engagement with procreation, really) that's bothering me. I mean, each to their own and all; my own views on the subject definitely falls within the minority, but after all the "marriage = love" kerfuffle (especially re: gay marriage), this current reaction seems kind of...backwards?

I can see how some people are iffy about breaking the fourth wall. It made me squirm a bit at first, but I'm now embracing it for the crack that it is. ;) I guess my comment mostly addresses the Becky-hating.

They are shiny! I could not help being drawn to their shinyness!

Maybe they were swallowed up by all the fur! \o\

[scorpiod1.livejournal.com]

Oh, I actually quite love Becky! It's the Krikpe-putting-fandom-in-his-show that makes me wanna hide behind the couch because I foresee it going horribly wrong. But Becky is awesome; shine on you crazy diamond fangirl!

[crazyboutremmy.livejournal.com]

Well, the Danneel/Jensen thing is weird for me, because I've never felt any chemistry between them. So it's amusing, at the very least, about how all these crazies are obsessed with them. :\

I quite like Becky! She makes me LOL immensely.

And yeah, I get you on the Mac thingo. I don't mind using either Windows or Mac *shrugs*

[fishpatrol]

I don't follow/"fan" real life relationships (I remember people in high school used to be all Brad/Angelina and whatever) and I treat RPF/RPS pretty much as fiction. But hey, each to their own.

I'm rather fond of Becky as well -- she's the slightly crazy fangirl in all of us. ;)

I'm using both Mac (at home) and Windows (in my office and alternate laptop) and I find they each have their own advantages and flaws. I hope you enjoy your new Macbook Pro though!

[sharona1x2.livejournal.com]

I suspect some of the people who are squealing over the engagement are doing it less because they care about them being happy, and more to distance themselves from the haters. They see it as a way to show that they're better fans, because they're able to feel happy for him. It's less about Jensen, and more about improving their status in the fandom.

As much as I love SPN, I couldn't give a toss about Jared and Jensen's personal lives. They're actors in a show I watch, not personal friends. If they get engaged/married/have children, it's no concern of mine. It's not like they were going to ever date me. (Not that I'd want them, but Misha... maybe.)

People are taking Becky as a serious representation of SPN fans??? The fandom is more weird than I thought! She's supposed to be over the top. It's parody, why don't people treat it like that and have a good laugh at it? SPN fandom takes everything too seriously. I'm glad I stay on the outskirts. It's bad enough that half the fandom hates my favorite character.

[fishpatrol]

They see it as a way to show that they're better fans, because they're able to feel happy for him. It's less about Jensen, and more about improving their status in the fandom.

I think you definitely have a point here. Also, especially since some of the BNFs are vocal about their excitements, other fans are likely to be jumping on the bandwagon.

I can see why people become so involved in the lives of celebrities, but personally, I agree with you: they're not people that I know personally and thus are no concern of mine.

All fandoms have their crazies. ;) A fandom wouldn't be a "real" fandom without wank and rage and people taking offence left and right.