The Soulful Spike Society Part 8

[Dalton]

Welcome to the unhallowed ground of the Soulful Spike Society (SSS or 'S' cubed). Topic area devoted to Spikaholics, Spuffyites, Spike shippers of all types, plus any James Marsters information. All information on relationships, behavior, physical/mental/emotional/spiritual qualities of Spike or JM welcome. Share your knowledge, insights, observations, speculations, or other information on our favorite character in or out of any episode.
Straying off topic not a problem here. We welcome posts on any other aspect of the BtVS series also, but please, no spoilers. See also "All Things Spike/James Marsters" (Parts 1-7) farther down the Miscellaneous Board. Supplementary archival web site for The Soulful Spike Society is available at: www.soulfulspike.com

Again, welcome!

Alexandra K.

[Dalton]

When Dawn goes to Spike's crypt to get away from home for awhile and Spike tells her a story of his past, watch Spike's left ear from the moment he comes up from the lower crypt area. There appears to be a cigarette tucked behind his ear. The cigarette appears and disappears throughout the scene. He is also smoking a cigarette while "wearing" the other one.

Alexandra K.

[Dalton]

I am glad you have discovered other uses for the information. *smile*

As far as pictures on the web site: Yes! In fact, there are already pictures on the web site. In the VHISN section, there is a screen capture I made of Spike demonstrating the British Bird and there is the Weetabix logo at the bottom of the main page. All of the buttons (ie. the Fangfest Festival, Fanfictional, Weetabix, etc.) are in actuality pictures that I created and utilized as the "link" to a different HTML page.
I am not adverse to putting up pictures of Spike and the BtVS cast and the like. I would also like to take this time to solicit original art from our fellow S'cubies. Remember folks, this is your site. You are creating it.

Also, I would like to put up a few sound clips and maybe even a few video clips if possible for folks to enjoy. The audio stuff is being "found" by a S'cubie and the video is a possibilty that I am playing with myself. We'll see what happens.

Spring Summers made a comment about seeing if we could get linked to other sites. Personally, I don't spend much time on other boards or Spike or BtVS sites. In the links area I created one for the Bloody Awful Poet site, and one to the Tabula Rasa site. Submit other sites to link to and I will post them. As far as links to the S3 site; have at it! Makes me no nevermind. You are one and all S'cubie missionaries. Go forth and spread the word.
A final note about pictures on the web site. I will post most anything (aside from raunch) for the S'cubies. However, should anything be copyrighted and I get a complaint, that material would be removed without argument by me.

Also, should a piece of material (and this goes to written also) be objectional by it's content to someone (or to our Geocities host), I would review it, discuss it, and possibly remove it depending on the nature of the objection. I just want these things said beforehand so there isn't an argument later.

See ya in the posts...

Vlad, TA, tp

[Dalton]

Here ya go folks. Rob's done it again. You asked; he provided.

Check out Robert's latest addition to his story Truth in Fanfictional! on the S'cubie Website at:
www.geocities.com/scubiefan/

I enjoyed it and I know you will.

Thank you Robert!


Vlad, TA, tp

[Dalton]

Sping wrote: "HARMONY: I wanted to add some praise for Mercedes McNab in the role. She does a great job. I would be curious to see Harmony's reaction to Spike now, and even more curious to see Spike's reaction to her. I hope we get to see her before the Season is over. Any thoughts on what their interaction would be like?"

I actually have been thinking about Harmony recently, and how much fun a guest appearance by her on BtVS would be. I love it when I find out other people are thinking about what I'm thinking about.

I think Spike would be sorry about the way he treated Harmony now, and also really be able to empathize with her because, after using her for sex and companionship when she was really in love with him, he had the same thing happen to him in reverse with Buffy the next year. I don't think it would really occur to him to feel guilty about it right now, considering that he's got so many other things to feel guilty over, but I feel like he came face to face with her he would realize it and want to apologize, but then also probably feel like he had to stake her afterwards, if he felt like she posed any danger to innocent people. (I know Harmony is seen as ineffective and ditzy and therefore harmless (ha! Harm is harmless) but she did manage to sire several people, thus she is in fact a future danger that really ought to be staked as much as any other vampire.)I think it would be good for him too, because she's probably one of the few people he's wronged that he could actually face and apologize to. Facing up to the people you've hurt in the past is a big part of the process of making amends, (isn't that part of the 12 step program, and isn't vampirism supposed to be a bit like a metaphor for alcoholism?)but can Spike really go up to the family members of the people he's killed, and say sorry?
I know there's only 10 episodes left, and there really isn't time for this to happen, but I've also wondered what would happen if Spike actually did have to face one of his victim's family members? After all, he was killing only a few years ago, unlike Angel at the beginning of BtVS, there are still plenty of people he's hurt who are still alive and he could easily run into them.

-Julie A.

[Dalton]

From the desk of Miss Pamela, Linguistics Chair, VHISN:

Dear Soulful Spike Society Members:
First off, I know I've missed a lot in by absence over the past two weeks; some of you have e-mailed me and I do appreciate it. I honestly didn't mean to be away this long from the board, the VHISN, and the SSS actually. I had been so caught in up BTVS over the past few days or so at that time that as I had explained to President Rusty, I had been neglecting my paid webmistress duties elsewhere.

A couple of weeks ago, to refresh, I became concerned here that I had unknowingly and without said intent or purpose somehow made myself unwelcome here. Call it paranoia; call it insecurity; call it having had a bad experience or two elsewhere, but the feeling mysteriously hit me and it hurt.

Unlike the very pointed and tense discussions of blatant "unwelcomeness" toward Nan Dibble and other Spike-centric fans at the Episodes board during the CWDP thread that led to Alexandra starting these posts (and the SSS) in the first place, I feared I was maybe just getting "let down easily" here by an "ignore her and maybe she'll go away" tactic. At that time, Vlad had been making a point or two I had recently made in earlier posts that he probably had not read, but noticing his somewhat "take-charge"-type modus operandi, I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt and just assumed (yes, yes, I know the old saying) that I was being given a hint to take..

"Self-centric / obsessive much, Miss Pamela?", you might ask. No - just a former "fat girl" and "outsider" as a kid here. No wonder I identify so much with Spike and even the Scoobies. ;-) Those childhood memories can tend to stick around for a long time...

Anyway, that's why I just point-blank asked if there was a problem with me, and it was mainly directed toward Vlad but I also wanted feedback from anyone else who cared to share. For those of you who did, I thank you.
I have been enjoying the whole SpikeVerse experience so much that my disinterest in a rather high-profile area that has been my passion and part livelihood for the past few years has increased even more so now that I have something else (Spike, etc.) that I enjoy more. One thing about my "non-Spike" current situation that's contributed to my disinterest is feeling like a red-headed stepchild - that's been the case for nearly 4 years and I'm getting tired of it. I have loved it, but it hasn't loved me back so much. Part of it's because I'm both an "outsider" and a woman; it's just the nature of the business. I'm needed but not really appreciated.
Some would say I wear my heart on my sleeve. Perhaps; I'm the type who, once interested in something, I'm like a pit bull or a locomotive - on a one-track mindset and relentless on letting go until *I* am ready to.

But over the years, and unlike our poor Spike, I've learned life is too short to pour heart and soul into any unrequited situation. I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable with my presence and stay where I'm not welcome, even if I'm only a very small part of the big picture, and even if it's involving something I love like the whole SpikeVerse. That's not fair to the majority.
However, if at best I'm seen as an equal to everyone else, then that's all I could ask for, and the e-mails I received gave me the positive reinforcement to convince me this is the case.

The bottom line is, I meant no harm or insult to anyone, and if I am indeed still welcome - if you'll have me back - I do want to participate here because I miss it and miss a lot of you very much. If I am plunging ahead into full SpikeVerse deadication (thinking of writing a book, was thinking of building a website), I want to spend my time and energy happy and feeling it's a mutually satisfying thing, unlike my current situation. Life's too short, and I've been thinking of moving onto something else. For me, "Spikeaholism" might just be that "something else."

Humbly and respectfully yours, Miss Pamela, VHISN Linguistics Chair

[Dalton]

Miss Pamela, I feel quite safe in saying that we have all missed you of late! So much has happened in you abscence! How will we ever catch you up on all the details? (Other than, of course, making you trudge through all those crazy posts further down the page.)

Check out our new website! (http://www.geocities.com/scubiefan/) Check out the wonderful poetry! Check out the Spike-centric episode reviews! And did you know that Robert can write fantastic fanfiction! (Thanks for the new installment Rob!) (so many exclamation marks!)

Your wonderful exposition leads me to think that you yourself have fanfiction laying in wait just waiting to get out. We need your help with our new website. (And you will find thereon the full list of faculty members. And I even think it is acurate! We were having such trouble keeping people straight we had to make a list.)
And if you missed my previous post my dear colleague, the invitation still stands. Come down the hall to my office for tea and biscuits (or Weetabix if you prefer) and we can study the Thermodynamics research I have done up to date.

Missed you muchly, Watergal Chair NosfEng

[Dalton]

Miss Pamela! I have a huge smile on my face right now.

I have missed your wit and contributions.

We all get insecure sometimes, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn that "outsider" experiences and attendant insecurities are very common to Spike-fans. As you mention he's the poster boy for that sorta thing.

Whew. So glad you're back. I didn't know what I was going to do the next time I needed a definition for a word like "marsterscate".

- Spring Summers

[Dalton]

Miss Pamela said, "The bottom line is, I meant no harm or insult to anyone, and if I am indeed still welcome - if you'll have me back - I do want to participate here because I miss it and miss a lot of you very much."
We missed you, too. I never did feel any "harm or insult" from you. And OF COURSE you're welcome - if you've read some of the older posts, you'll see we missed you and wondered where you went.

If I had a tail, I'd wag it.

- Alexandra K.

[Dalton]

'Bout damn time you got back, girlfriend. Missed you.

Diane

[Dalton]

It was so nice to log on again after the weekend and find you're back among us where you belong.

I'm glad you came back. It gives me tummy rumblings when S'cubies disappear.

deborah

[Dalton]

...and may God bless you for your kindness (or whatever deity, if any, you worship). If you don't believe in any deity, then may the good karma you've sent my way come back to you. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

My shingle is out; I will accept any and all requests for help in whatever manner however I can as my time permits. My social calendar is also cleared and I've got boxes of Wheetabix on order with spicy buffalo wings and bloomin' onions on the side. My second VCR is cued up to record "Passions" for anyone who missed an episode when the sewer leakage cut the electrical power to their crypt. I also will stay on my diet of humble pie and leave my suggestion box out and, unlike TFE might tend to do, will keep the hole at the top of the box OPEN.

Can't wait to get all my "real" work caught up now as well as review all past posts so I can be up-to-speed with my good fellow S'Cubies so I can start having fun here again on a more regular basis. I forgot - who DO we kill for fun around here? ;-)

Miss Pamela

[Dalton]

Wasn't going to "peek" before I got totally caught up, but I just couldn't resist a little warm-up reply here:

Julie A wrote: "I know there's only 10 episodes left, and there really isn't time for this to happen, but I've also wondered what would happen if Spike actually did have to face one of his victim's family members?"

I think a lot of folks have been wondering about that. Ten episodes, though - hmmm... a lot could still happen. ;-)

Miss Pamela

[Dalton]

I posted this question once before but it didn't get a response so I thought I'd try again before dropping it entirely. Can anyone tell me how and when the Scooby Gang came to be known by that name?

Also, a couple pieces of fanfiction I read today over on the Bloody Awful Poet Society website had Spike recall killing his mother; well, his mother in one story and in the other his mother and a sister named Amanda, after he was vamped. ISTR from somewhere that Angel killed his family after he was vamped but I don't remember any reference in the show to Spike offing his family as well. Does anybody know or remember hearing or NOT hearing about Spike killing members of his family? I understand that it is fanfiction that I'm going by here and that it's very likely that the authors just invented the matricide (and what's the killing of a sibling called anyway?) but it got me curious. Anyone?


deborah cohen

[Dalton]

Scoobie name: Well, deborah, I'm not 100% sure of this, I can only tell you the first time I remember anyone using this term - and that was Xander, in What's My Line Part I. I just rewatched that yesterday, because it's next on my list of what I want to write up for analysis. As Xander & Cordelia are going into the Summers house, Xander says something to Cordelia along the lines of "If you want to be one of the Scoobie Gang . . ."

Spike's family: Spike killing any family members is totally fan-fictional. It's never been mentioned on BtVS. He mentions his mother to Dru, right before she sires him, so we know his mother was alive at that time, but that's it. We've never even been told that he had any siblings, much less that he killed any of them.



Spring Summers