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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:24:17 GMT -5
It's been made clear that the First Evil existed pretty much prior to just about everything else.
But nothing has ever been said about early incarnations of Good.
Then Caleb comes along and says something about how strong Buffy is and how she represents that "....invention of humans, the NOTION of goodness."
Oh course, being evil, Caleb could easily be lying, or telling half-truths, but his quote stipulates two things:
1. There is no entity of Goodness, parallel to the FE, incorporeal or otherwise--it is simply a notion.
2. Even the notion itself is an invention of humans.
(Aside: Talk about belief in Original Sin. The pre-existence of the FE seems to me to pretty much taint everything. Given how ungood humanity can be the thought that we invented goodness is a little scary.)
And Buffy said (and will repeat this coming Tuesday): "The only thing stronger than evil is US!"
The Buffyverse is a very sad and scary place where Evil exists and Good makes an appearance only via human intervention. Which leads me to the question: what kind of "balance" is that?
Edited By Sue P at 4/19/2003 8:26:00 PM
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:24:46 GMT -5
My sister just called from NYC. She gets the Sunday NYT Arts and Entertainment section (maybe the magazine?) with her Saturday paper. Says there is a big article by Joyce Millman on how Buffy SHOULD end (no spoilers). I tried to find it online, but it's not up yet. It will probably get listed on slayage.com tomorrow or Monday.
Ellie--do you get the NYTimes?
My sister said the author made a point of pointing out that "the Xandman" had been crucial in nearly every season ender. (Season 1: revives Buffy; Season 2: perhaps indirectly responsible for Angel's death (?) because of not delivering Willow's message; Season 3: leading the students; Season 4: suggesting they combine powers; Season 5: hitting Glory with the bowling ball; Season 6--duh!) And she hopes the same will be true this year.
Kathy (the sister) also was NOT happy with Joss choosing to bash Christianity. (She's married to a Presbyterian minister.)
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:25:07 GMT -5
I finally got to read your last chapters by printing and taking them off on a business trip with me. Really, really excellent. You just get better with every chapter. The 'pale' ending was brilliant. I stand in awe.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:25:39 GMT -5
Thanks. The closing portion was inspired by Johnny Cash. I hesitate to bring that up because I don't want to be laughed at, but that's where it comes from.
His most recent release, "The Man Comes Around," features a few amazing tracks. The title track is based on he book of Revelation, and the quotes from scripture that Spike delivers in Truths are directly lifted from Cash's recording. I've never been a big fan of country music, but the power of their very best singers and songwriters is undeniable.
Cash stands alone in his interpretive skill. You can put a song in his hands and completely buy into the fact he wrote it himself.
During Faith's plea to Xander in Chapter 22 I had the song "Hurt" on repeat. The mere fact that a guy who's supposed to be a washed up country artist would even consider covering a Trent Reznor composition says a lot about Cash's talent and artistry. A 70 year old man is still taking chances in his music that others wouldn't dream of. He is far more than a country artist, which explains why the man can't get any radio airplay these days. He's impossible to categorize....radio stations hate that stuff.
Thank God for musicians who sell records to people who aren't afraid to listen to something different. Most modern country music pretty much blows. Actually, if I may be even more cantankerous for a moment, the great majority of stuff I hear on the radio sounds more and more canned.
I've got very wide parameters when it comes to music. I have AC/DC sitting next to Johnny Cash, Lauryn Hill, The Beach Boys and Prince in my CD player as I write this.
Duke Ellington said it best. There are two kinds of music: good and bad. I categorize good as artists who at least try to do something interesting without focusing on how much it might sell.
Unfortunately pop radio has become a place that provides soulless, pointless music with catchy beats and let's go to bed and get busy lyrics. I happen to love catchy beats. I also happen to like getting busy. :-) Contrary to popular belief, it's not all that men think about.
How about airplay for artists who have other things to say besides that? That's my problem with modern pop music.
Sorry for the rant. Rusty's mentioning of that sequence reminded me of how great music can inspire me about things.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:26:27 GMT -5
OK Watergal, I’ll play:
You ask: How did Spike Sr. *tee hee* die (or did he)? Was it tragic? Did he run off with the maid and never return? Was he domineering? Was he kindly and geeky?
Here’s how I see it, based on what we saw in LMPTM:
William’s father was, surprisingly, not named Spike Sr. He was named Arthur. He was not a cruel man, but a rather boring one, with nothing remarkable to recommend him. He was from a well-to-do family, and did not have to work for his daily bread. He was well educated, so he filled his time writing very dry textbooks on the subject of butterflies native to the British isles. He also had large, meticulously maintained collection of dead butterflies.
Being a fairly non-social creature, he didn’t marry until he was in his late thirties. Anne was only 20, and the daughter of a friend of Arthur’s family. The pairing was arranged by Arthur & Anne’s parents, both of whom feared their rather shy children would never find a mate. Arthur was secretly very pleased by the arrangements. Anne, who liked to read romances and poetry, was not so pleased. But she too shy to protest – and like her parents, worried that she might not find a better match.
As the years of her marriage to the dull and undemonstrative Arthur rolled by, Anne prayed and prayed for children to relieve her loneliness and boredom. Finally, when she had all but given up hope, she became pregnant with William.
Arthur died in just as dull a way as he lived; he died in his sleep, of what was likely a heart attack or stroke (if only he had been named Spike Sr., his life might have taken a different course!). William was less than a year old. William does not remember his father. To him, it was always just he and his mother. Anne raised him to be the companion to her that Arthur never was.
PS> I meant to add - Arthur did have a great body.
Edited By Spring Summers at 4/19/2003 10:40:00 PM.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:27:08 GMT -5
Kerrie! Don't you know that if you keep up that kind of talk, you might actually BECOME INVISIBLE?? Please go back and rewatch "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" and re-think this concealed text thing.
None of us wants that to happen to you - though of course, if it does happen, take a cue from Buffy, and go find Spike in his crypt. He knows how to show invisible girls a good time.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 20:27:51 GMT -5
Sorry--I posted this the first time on the miscellaneous board itself. Oops!
OK, Joshua, you've got me interested where you're going with this. Moreover, you've convinced me YOU know where it's going. And it's going somewhere, which not all stories do.
I'm looking forward to further developments.
Nan Dibble
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 21:01:14 GMT -5
Profile of a S'cubie
Age: ("Off the chart in cat years did not compute mathematically, plus I did not take into account who has had birthdays since completing survey, so all age-related data is approximate)
Range: 20 to 60
Mode: 26 (3 S'cubies)
Median: 37.5 ( 9 age 40 and up; 9 age 35 and down)
Mean: 39
TV Show most in common (outside of the obvious): Trading Spaces
Male: 4
Female: 15
Married/partner: 7 (nearly everyone who said married also specified: "very" married; or married for a long time)
Single (inc. divorced or widowed): 12
Children? 9 have them: total of 8 boys and 8 girls (avg of 2 children); 2 with grandchildren
Locations:
3 Countries: U.S, Canada, Australia
11 states: Alabama; California; Florida--4 (2 in Orlando); Illinois; Indiana; Maryland; New York; Ohio; Tennessee; Texas--2 (both in Houston); Washington
Other stuff I think it would be fun to share, but only if you all want to: your Alma Mater; current career or jobs you have had.
Edited By Sue P at 4/19/2003 11:22:00 PM.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 29, 2003 21:24:43 GMT -5
David, I missed 5 pages of posts by not logging on today til now - can't go back and comment on all the neat stuff everybody posted, but your post in part 17 about me being in your head and all was well...just neat... So, fear not. If any dogs try to take a bite out of you, I'll be turning all black eyed and veiny on your behalf.
Patti T.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:01:11 GMT -5
Rob, I KNEW you would love that! Diane kindly emailed me the story (name dropping, boasting rudely here) before it made it to the website, so I got the honor of first tears. As I told Diane, that little gem was gorgeous, and I got all teary eyed, and she COMPLETELY fooled me with the ending. Did a real Joss. I hope you will write more, Diane.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:02:36 GMT -5
I thought of trying to say this in some modest manner so I wouldn't sound so vain but I can't think of any so I'll just say it.
Have the rest of you noticed how cool we are? I just went again to the profiles section of our site and read the newest profile (Dave's) and then reviewed the others and was again impressed by what a funny, clever bunch we are! Every single profiler sounds like someone I'd enjoy knowing personally, and the posts bear it out. I really hope that many of us can get together at some point and actually meet.
I just hope when the rest of you wrote your profiles you weren't ...you know, LYING as much as I was...
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:03:16 GMT -5
I watched that movie a couple of weeks ago on tv and shamelessly enjoyed the heck out of it. I thought Eliza used a lot of FAITH in her role
Patti T.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:04:28 GMT -5
. I second your recommendation for this fic. I enjoyed ALL the Geek the Girl stories, though I've begged for a sequel to the series in vain so far.
Patti T
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:05:42 GMT -5
Sue said: Kathy (the sister) also was NOT happy with Joss choosing to bash Christianity. (She's married to a Presbyterian minister.)
I know this is going to sound strange coming from ME, but is Joss really bashing Christianity? All those terrible sacriligious things Caleb is saying...consider the source. Caleb is probably the nastiest and one of the most clearly evil characters they've had on Buffy, at least in my opinion. So what he says can only be considered wrong. It would be more chlling to me if this evil creature said good things about Christ. What is interesting to me is the fact that Joss, the angry atheist, can't seem to keep his mind off God and Christ. As a Christian, it makes me smile.
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Post by Dalton on Jul 30, 2003 0:06:39 GMT -5
Excellent idea, Diane!!!
Alright, S'cubies: what topic should Diane and I debate next? Anyone can play with us, it's not just limited to us.
Toss out some ideas about what we can debate!!!
Lee Hollins
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