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Post by Sara on May 10, 2004 11:08:37 GMT -5
Before I say anything else, Sue deserves a huge thank you for all the work she did in tracking down and posting all of the prior recaps on the new thread. Having to plow through that much of my babbling must surely qualify as cruel and unusual punishment in any way you want to define the terms. Kudos, Sue. Now, on with the show: -Shanno offered to make me a kept woman once she becomes independently wealthy. How often would I get to drive the Beetle? -Brain upgrades seemed to be a popular option when we were talking about fantasy science and spare body parts. Sign me up too. -Karen did some grilling outdoors for her family, while Shanno and Julia reveled in some alone time this Mother's Day. Unfortunately, the rest of Julia's Mom's Day was not the best--right now she's looking into pricing regarding shipping Anna to a Swiss boarding school run by tyrannical nuns. There's another kind? -We took a brief sojourn into current events and the extreme suckage found therein. -Matthew and Shanno did some shrimping, and not of the Bubba Gump variety. -Lola mentioned how the scene with Illyria killing everyone in "Time Bomb" really made her think about the contradiction between how strong vamps are and how fragile they can be--something as simple as sunlight turns them into a mere pile of dust. Interesting dichotomy there. -Barba, Julia, Lola and Nan shared the love of the Spander fic "Repossession." Thumbs up also for "Subtleties" by AnnaS. Later on Matt provided a link to NWHepcat's piece on the mass slayerfication, which I believe you can find on the fanfic thread. Fanfic--the other healthy addiction. -Nan had a busy writing day Sunday. -There are new fonts to play with. Check out the first couple of pages of this thread and quote what Patti's done--you too can get your words out as prettily as she did. -Spring got through a tough mother's day, while Caraleigh got to spend part of hers in the ER with her daughter Tabitha. Best wishes to Tabitha on a recovery as speedy as Barbalurina's ascent to master s'cubie status. -Shanno, Matthew, Barbalurina spent another low-key night in the Thrall Room--more shrimping was involved. And yay--Rachael was back. No wonder there were so many new pages to recap this morning... -Meanwhile, Rachael enjoyed her trip to see her mom for Mother's Day but had a very frustrating weekend where her father was concerned. {{{{Rachael}}}}} -Rachael also came to better terms with the S/B/A parts of "TGIQ," realizing she's glad Buffy has moved on because that's what she liked best about what the ending of "Chosen" implied. Barba agreed, although she hopes the Immortal is just a good-time guy as she finds him to be an annoying character. Rachael also commented on the phallic imagery in "Matrix: Revolutions," but said it's so subtle you really barely notice it's there. Wait...is that an anvil falling from the sky? -becca had a nice chat with her mom, who revealed she's glad her kids have gotten to the stage where they can tell her to go fly a kite. As Barba said, it's nice when parents finally grow up. -Lola will be mainlining fanfic when Angel goes away. I suspect it's going to end up being like a fanficadone clinic around here. -becca's convention costume arrived, so she's having a very happy day indeed. Oohs and aahs and glove envy abounded. Links were provided. -Julia--Patti-itis--page 10. She's also so sleep-deprived she's seeing Jayne's pretty little butterflies from "The Train Job." -Julia feels hats need to be restored to a more prominent place in American sartorial culture, while Shanno took a flying leap onto the anti-hat bandwagon. Pistols at dawn, ladies? -And one final thing: my folks always told me the two things you never discuss in mixed company are politics and religion, so I apologize to anyone I might have offended when I wasn't minding my manners. Now, if politics and religion are off the table, what else can we all find to talk about...? I know! Anyone see any good tv shows lately? With that, I bid you if not a good Monday, then at least a tolerable one. And always remember: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Your humble scribe, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 10, 2004 16:01:54 GMT -5
I don't know about anyone else, but words cannot describe how very little work I got done today... In other news, let's see what we've covered since last I 'capped: -Erin shared the infamous moaning story on page 13. No, it isn't what it sounds like. Yes, her boss does need a serious ass-kicking; volunteer sign-up sheet is on the fridge. -Some more oohing and aahing over gloves, with Lola relating an entertaining story about a friend and her PVC dress. That transition does actuallly make sense when you read the posts involved. Moral of said story: Windex makes it shine. -Vlad is feeling very much under the weather--we S'cubies send him all wishes for a quick recovery. He did surface on the board long enough to get Nan's review up, and effort for which we are very grateful. Meanwhile Rae resurfaced after her own bout with blechiness--very good to see you again, rae rae. -Lola mentioned doing a new Nerd Alert for speculation/brainstorming about future Buffyverse tv shows. Any takers? -Still much pondering as to what Illyria is really after: power? a place in the world? to matter again? how to live linearly? So far, the only thing we've decisively ruled out is Donald Trump--at least until he gets a better haircut. -Matthew speaks Spanish and Russian, Shanno Spanish and French; Matthew feels the most important phrases to know in any foreign language are "Please don't shoot me" "Where is the American embassy?" and "Where is the bathroom?", while for Shanno they are "about food and telling people to f*ck off." Subsequently the two of them took great delight in almost getting me to laugh aloud at work with those two postings. Payback is coming, my pretties--and I will be the bitca. -I solved Matthew's language joke, but Patti provided the best punchline when she suggested my prize for doing so will be a Berlitz course. -Matthew's mother has apparently led a life that makes Sydney Bristow's look downright mundane, with the added benefit of being entirely true. He also introduced "chagrinning" into the lexicon, for which I for one will be eternally grateful. -makd logged on for a quick hello to share some more "TGIQ" thoughts, ask for some clarification on the board mantras I put at the end of my recaps, and shared the delightful news that there may be a Buffy book in her future. Cool deal, makd. -I shared some more fly-fishing porn--look for the brown paper wrapper on page 17. -A few S'cubies will probably be checking out the "Wrinkle in Time" movie tonight, but are already steeling themselves for vast disappointment. -The stuff Sue was stressing about Friday turned out to be a case of Haley's Comet morphing into Bill Halley and the Comets by the time it made its way through the grapevine. Excellent to hear, Sue. -Clarification on bonobos was provided by Julia and Matthew on pp 19-20. In the immortal words of Oz: huh. -The ScoopMe archive is complete!! The winner of the pic contest has been posted!! Be sure to check out both updates, and send special thanks to Patti, Erin, and Vlad for all their hard work. And I think that catches us up on a Monday afternoon. I hope everyone's days are going well, and as always I remind you to: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Scribblingly yours, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 10, 2004 21:25:17 GMT -5
This is going to be quick and dirty, which I know will bother not a one of you... -Big congrats to Shanno for winning the Uber Pic Contest!! -Much love for both Shanno and for Patti & Erin for all their hard archiving work. -Lola contributed to the language tales by describing how she tried to learn German and French at the same time and now remembers neither. And the surprise there would be...? -Matthew thanked Julia for helping him clarify his great and lesser apes. Too many possible jokes...brain is overloading... -Erin's boss is an asshat of epic proportions. But she got lots of love, support, and sound advice from her fellow S'cubies. Like that's news. Hang in there, Erin. -Meanwhile, savor this visual: Spike in NYC Subway. Wesley in turtlenecks. Naked Angel in "Faith, Hope, and Trick." VampXander in Leather. Add oil. Mix well. Yeah, I'll be in my bunk too. -Barba really wishes Buffy had found a way to move on without getting involved with someone else, while tlv loves the idea because she feels it's a sign that Buffy is running in place as well. Barba seemed willing to board that train of thought. -Barba noting that Bianchi said she was "breathless," not "breastless," combined with Caraleigh mentioning she'd just seen the phrase "angry penis" in a fanfic led to... well, I'm sure I don't have to tell any of you where it led. Suffice it to say Rob used the adjective "bored" instead, Barba immediately wanted to know which fic, cal wanted to know what an angry one looked like, and makd almost went to a one-eyed place. Barba then wondered what it looked like in different moods, prompting Rob to describe conversations with his bored one. Barba later (p27) provided her own descriptions. We also got an important safety tip: according to Caraleigh, "cock-rings are anger-inducers." Good to know. -No, I didn't just make all that up: take a look at pp 25-26. Just don't say you weren't warned. -Anne posted a book review in the rec thread for a mystery set at a scifi con. If that intrigues anyone, take a look at what she had to say. Meanwhile, Becky reccommended "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" to all us grammar mavens. -makd provided a link to Estepheia's LJ and a report on JM's appearance in Berlin: www.livejournal.com/users/estepheia/ -The Swiss can be odd. But they make damn fine chocolate. Not to mention Reeecolaaaas. And those nifty knives of theirs... And that wraps up as much of this Monday as I'm going to be awake for. I hope everyone enjoys their evenings. As always (or, at least, as of late), I leave you with: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Qwertily yours, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 11, 2004 10:01:57 GMT -5
I am so happy with myself for doing a recap before I went to bed--otherwise I'd be typing up somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 pages instead of 11. Let's see what we've been up to since last I typed: -Welcome N'ubie Beatnik! -Congrats to becca for hitting the millenial mark!! -Nothing can defeat the penis. Don't believe me? Check out pp 25-33. Really--reprinting doesn't do the conversation justice. Meanwhile, Caraleigh provided a link to the story that instigated the whole discussion: adultfan.nexcess.net/aff/story.php?no=15475 while Barba fretted that she'd gotten too raunchy. Many assured her that such a thing is well-nigh impossible on this board. -Makd said, "Wisteria, by the way, has a really neat little schmoopy fic up at her LJ. Here's the URL: www.alanna.net. Then, just hit the link to her LJ." She also says this www.livejournal.com/users/spikewriter/ is a good read as well. And Caraleigh noted "Repossession" is up to chapter 108, as well as adding a recommendation to the fanfic thread. -becca wondered why it is that Andrew, with all his herosexualism (to borrow a phrase) wasn't as entranced with the Immortal as everyone else. -Lots of talk about someone named Jake; I'm hoping he's a character in a fanfic, because otherwise someone's cast the "who's Connor?" spell on me. And frankly, if that's what happened I can think of lots of other folks I'd rather have had deleted from my head... -As expected, some major "grrr arrrghs" over the way A Wrinkle in Time was done. -Caraleigh sent us to a funny story here: www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/05/10/sausage.retires.ap/index.html and to a Spike-centered video here: www.angelfire.com/vamp/slaveofspike/index.html-Patti's updated her avatars to include images from "TGIQ"--be sure to take a look-see. -Caraleigh, apparently foregoing sleep for the evening/morning, posted both a link to an increasingly doubtful rumor about Angel's future: and a comment questioning the rumor's plausibility: whedonesque.com/?comments=3883 . She leans toward fear that it's a cruel joke/hoax, but becca pointed out that the rumor at least lets us live in happy denial land for a little while longer. Nan and Shanno preferred to take the wait and see approach, and either revel or chuck rotted fruit when the correct course of action is clear. -Matthew, Caraleigh and becca engaged in some more speculation about the Immortal. -Words cannot express how much I love rae's Pinky and the Brain avatar. -becca's currently reveling in the triumph of when a plan comes together. I agree becca--lubing furniture just seems...wrong somehow. Except for the Thrall Room furniture, of course. -Julia has added injury to injury by cutting her finger while cooking last night. And now her healing foot itches like she soaked it in poison ivy extract. And believe it or not, I think that catches us up for right now. So I'm going to try and do something today to actually earn my paycheck, although I'm sure the lure of the board will be hard to resist... until next time: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Yours in S'cubiedom, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 11, 2004 15:37:41 GMT -5
Hmmm... a fairly quiet day on the board. I'm suspecting an outbreak of nose-to-the-grindstone syndrome today so tomorrow the board can be frequented with abandon. As if it wouldn't be already... -Julia explained the Jake question--he's a character in the very popular "Repossessions" fanfic. -Erin, Rachael and Becky all had issues with the way "A Wrinkle in Time" ended, but only because they changed the entire meaning of the ending. Like that's a big deal... They also questioned why arbitrary changes were made that had no impact on the story being told, much like in the first Harry Potter movie when they changed the nationality of the guy who gave Hagrid the three-headed dog from what it was in the book--Greek--to Italian. Rowling's version: funny for those of us who remember Greek mythology. Their way: funny for no one. Why? Anyway, all of that led us to... -Books good. Adaptations? Usually, not so much. -Plants live to serve man. At least, Audrey II does... -becca's excellent hutch adventure appears to have a happy ending so far--the hutch is gone, nothing got broken, and now there's a beautiful space where space should be. Congrats becca. Yay for the new trackball as well. -I related a scary sighting I had today of a construction worker without his shirt on, which led to Julia conjuring up an image of a large white man rollerblading while wearing Speedos. -Anne contributed this link about peregrine falcons in SF: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/05/11/MNGLC6JEOO1.DTL -Erin changed her name to egor and provided a link to an interesting article on Buffy and religion: 166.70.46.216/2004/May/05012004/Saturday/Saturday.asp. Becca gave us a link to an OT but fun page: www.scottkim.com/-Julia translated two engineering principles: 1. Water flows down hill. 2. Never create with a bulldozer a problem you will have to solve with a shovel. into correlaries for current events: 1. Actions have consequences. 2. The bigger the action, the less predictable the unintended consequences. I like it. -Much bumming about the Angel/NBC rumor turning out to be just that. Too bad. -Caraleigh apologized for what she feels is her bad habit of turning everything around and making it about her. Matthew properly castigated her for feeling guilty, because as everyone here knows it's really all about him. They commiserated about what it's like to worry about being accepted even among people who already do accept you. Huh--wonder what that feels like? *taking "Been There, Done That" t-shirt and hiding it behind back, whistling* -In good healing news, Caraleigh's daughter Tabitha isn't in pain any more, although she's bummed about how her usual activities have been hindered. In bad healing news, Julia's still experiencing way too much anti-fun with her foot, and someone Caraleigh knows is hanging on in the hospital after a bad tick bite. -Erin and Matthew traded turns wearing the pointy hat in the dunce corner. No, not that pointy hat--the kind you wear on your head. No, not that head... Anyway, later on they began talking about tying cherry stems in their mouths and blowing each other's rings. On second thought, maybe it was that kind of hat and head. -Anne and Matt chatted about Crossing Jordan's Jordan and her Woody. I'm not sure if it's that kind of Woody or not... -Many thumbs up for deborah on her new JM avatar--simply scrumptious. Some wondered how this new head tilt will be parsed by the renowned internet expert at headtilt.com. -It was tlv's turn to have the sucky day at work today. Check the roster to see if you're up tomorrow. What am I saying? Of course everyone will be up tomorrow--it's Smutday. -Matthew described the delights of hearing the crickets chirp when one makes a genre-specific reference that no one in the listening audience gets, while Rachael told a fun story of what it's like when you're among your people and they do laugh. Sigh. -In a stunning turn of events, Matthew actually restrained himself from making any sort of sexual comment at all when Anne, in various posts, used the words "dog," "licking," and "sniffing." In other news, the earth rotated backwards, pigs were sighted over JFK, and the Weather Channel noticed a severe temperature drop in Hell. -Spike, Dru, "The Masochism Tango": now there's a visual. -Julia ran smack dab into the dreaded midday braindeadness, which I myself began experiencing at about 8:30am. Bringing us back up to speed once again. I hope everyone is enjoying their day so far, but if not, just repeat the mantra: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Yours in S'cubiedom, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 11, 2004 21:03:48 GMT -5
14 flippin' pages in 3 hours? What did you people do, mainline espresso? Yeesh. Settling in... -Reeta gave us a brief, tantalizing description of meeting JM. General cries of squeeeee! were heard all around. -Spring notes that the S3 is an oasis of civility in the vast wasteland of the internet. -Shanno had the best day ever. Really. She and Matthew, Blues Brothers, construction delays. -Matthew, off of Shanno describing herself as close to naked she ever gets (with the caveat that this meant she'd removed her burqa), began imagining half or full naked Shanno, and then added full naked everyone else. Except Vlad. Maybe. -SMG's comments in a recent magazine interview about feeling degraded by season six sexcapades (try saying that five times fast). Lots of general feelings of squick, particularly regarding the balcony scene, but also general agreement that that was kinda the point. However, some hardy souls confessed to finding the balcony scene erotic as well. Disturbing yet still sexy--a phrase that could really describe most of the afternoon's conversation as well. -Nan's posted the beginning of chapter 15: www.livejournal.com/users/nandibble/12610.html-Julia is about to engage in the War of the Roses, as now is the spring of her discontent. Long John Silvers beware. -The secret is out: Matthew types one-handed. Okay, maybe it wasn't that big a secret. And from the moment of that revelation on the Wednesday, to quote Erin, came early and often. -And then pages 11-17 covered the following bullet points: torturing Matthew via the Faith Five (plus a new Barbaluria addition: sticky), Catholic schoolgirl outfits and many tiny ones owned by erin (news of which caused Matthew's head to explode. Both of them), stilettos, shackles & candle wax. Plus there was this whole potty training cats vs kids sidebar that ran parallel to the other topics. It's really a "you have to read to understand" thing. -Madeleine L'Engle hated the movie too. -Yes, most sports cars are shaped like a penis. -New nerd alert! Go play. -Is there anything beer can't do? Nope, apparently not, 'cause fruit flies like a beer with their banana. -Julia knows that reading fanfic WIPs is an exercise in futility, but just can't seem to stop. Welcome to the world of the Red Sox Nation. -Shanno was trying to remember the title of "Teacher's Pet," which led to a brief discussion of virginity and continuity (but not in the same context), which in turn led to... -Matthew fixin' to get a tongue-lashing (and not the good kind) from Rachael for using the phrase "nebbishy science geek type," but he managed to talk her down of the ledge. Referring to Fred as the "first sensual geek in Spec-fic history that I can remember" did much to ease Rachael's pain. And here we are. Oh look, and just in time for me to go to bed. I've recapped, seen "Gilmore Girls," and watched the Sox stage a come-from-behind victory. All in all, a most triumphant night. Catch you all in the morning, when I'm sure we'll be bright-eyed and bushy... tailed for Smutday. 'Til then: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Yawningly yours, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 12, 2004 10:11:37 GMT -5
Spring has finally wended its way to the Northeast: the sky is blue, the lilacs are at last in the dooryards blooming, the Green Mountains are becoming green again, and construction workers are doffing their shirts. Okay, so it's not all good news. Let's get a recap out of the way so we can start Smutday properly. Since I left you last night: -Geeks of the world, bring your corporeal selves into harmonic convergence!! Meanwhile, Rachael has one thing to say about geeky athletes: damn. Shanno took many notes, while there was some discussion as folks tried to remember if there'd been many other sexy geek gals on t.v. before Fred. - Free Enterprise--very, very funny according to Matthew & Rachael. A must see for all Trekkers. -There was a little bit (okay, a lot of) ragging on the writing in "As You Were." -We got a little Farscape info re John/Aeryn and their romantic history. -"Yay: Luke and Lorelei" was heard from Rob, Sue, Rachael and Sara. -The undisputed highlight of the evening came courtesy of Rachael, Shanno and Barba, who had a very thoughtful and eloquent discussion on pp 28-30 of the events of and leading up to "Seeing Red". In discussing Buffy and Spike's sexual relationship, it was noted that much of the way she communicated with him was rooted in her wanting have sex with him and yet absolve herself of the responsibility of actually making that decision. We know she got involved with Spike in large part because she simply wanted to feel something; our threesome speculated, then, that when Buffy told Spike using him was killing her maybe she meant it less because she felt bad for using him but because the realness she felt with him wasn't carrying over into the rest of her life. Barba also asked a very interesting question: was Buffy on some level hoping that Spike would drain her during one of their encounters, and was then disappointed when she had to return to a life she wanted no part of? Shanno, off of this, pointed out that Buffy may have been trying to goad him into doing just that in "Smashed." -As for the pivotal scene in "Seeing Red," again our trinity did a complicated subject justice. Rachael pointed out that people with souls, good people, still do horrible things, and so there's still some question in her mind as to whether what Spike almost did can be completely blamed on being soulless; was it the demon who was out of control, or the man? And both Shanno and Rachael agreed that if Buffy hadn't stopped him, he most likely wouldn't have stopped himself. Although they also agreed that afterward, if Buffy hadn't already killed him, Spike would have taken a brief walk on a sunny day. -All agreed that SMG gave amazing performance, even though (or perhaps because) she had personal issues with the storyline. -becca provided this link: www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction-common.shtml of a list of stories seen too often in genre writing. -Barba and Matthew did some osculating. No, they weren't on a pendulum... I don't think. -On page 33 becca made some excellent observations as to what Giles may have been going through offscreen during season 6: guilt over killing Ben and not saving Buffy, having felt useless throughout much of the preceding year, losing women he'd loved, putting his life on hold to be a Watcher, constantly acting as a father stand-in, and not having any friends his own age for support. Sue and Spring both encouraged her to write more on this subject at length--I encourage everyone to go back and read her post. -New chapter of Rob's story Trust is online for your reading pleasure. Cries of "oh frabjous day, calloo callay" rang out across the land. And that brings us to Wednesday morning (at least here in the U.S.) and the dawning of a new Smutday with, fresh "Angel" mere hours away. So put on your party suits and join the fun, always remembering: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Yours in smut, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 12, 2004 15:35:21 GMT -5
...but I have finally caught up. Seemed for a while there that every time I'd reread two pages, another three had gotten tacked on the end. So I economized a little. Actually, a lot. Think of this as the Cliff Notes of the Cliff notes: -Send a prayer to the plumbing gods on Becky's behalf--the words "leakage" (eww) and "new pump" (ouch $$$$) were used in ominous ways. -A brief discussion about Gilmore Girls by those who watch. Rory--don't become the other woman. -Once again, huge kudos to those who spent so much time archiving the ScoopMe pages. You ladies are simply amazing. -Happy birthday to Julia!! -becca talked about food on "Buffy" and its shareage, in part because it was teatime where she was. -Many comments for becca's (whatever you do, don't call it an essay) ramblings on Giles last night--it made many long for/demand the much-rumored "Ripper" series. She reposted them on page 1, so there's no excuse for missing it. Her ramblings also prompted a dialogue that wove in and out of the thread throughout the day regarding parents, children, and the shifting dynamics between them as children grow older. -Chanting circles to ensure that Spike returns to our t.v. sets some day will meet Saturday evenings--check your local listings. Optional hokey pokeying to follow. -Julia pointed out, while commenting on becca's essay, that "it is not the responsibility for children to be caretakers for adults, either." In related news, Karen, Matthew, and Rachael have all commissioned Julia to come speak to their parents. -Shanno was a font of happiness and bonhomie throughout the day. No, really. -If you'd like to take a gander at Sue's cutie-pie son, click this link chicagotv.feedroom.com/iframeset.jsp?ord=481818, search for "campus crime" and then click the piece that comes up. He appears a few minutes into the segment. -Rachael's struggling to find a way to communicate with her dad, with a few S'cubies chiming in to try and offer whatever advice they could. However, Rachael also provided her own "reality check," which I'm thinking I may need to print out and put up at my desk, with a few alterations--particularly in the "job love" department. -Riff posted some excellent observations with ME's seeming obsession with failed relationships in the "Angel Investigations" thread for "TGiQ" that met with eetahs all around. Repeat after us, Joss: happy endings are good. In fact, in this day and age they're downright radical--so please, embrace your inner rebel and give us something to feel happy about when it's all said and done. -Matthew said that Thomas Hardy could bite his ass; seeing as how he's dead, Barbalurina offered to be Hardy's stand-in. -Congratulations to Riff on achieving Master S'cubie status, although he's apparently still labouring under the delusion that he's surrounded by mature adults here. Many S3 posters offered to help him celebrate. -becca had an excellent Buffy-inspired observation about relationship on pg 13--I'm going to condense it down to this: "Things I have learned from watching Buffy- relationships is like building card houses... Mostly, everybody needs to lean sometimes, and if everyone else leans too, stuff can be built up pretty good." Shanno then asked becca to marry her, so apparently my days as a kept woman are nearing an end. Can I keep the Beetle? -tlv made an excellent observation about the possible purpose of stereotyping in "TGiQ" on page 16--we're not sure if we want to give ME that much credit, but it is an excellent theory. -Lots of envy from those who haven't met JM and ASH directed at those who have. -Low blood sugar--an excellent all-purpose excuse for whatever ails you. -British tabloids--freaky and borderline pornographic. Matthew wants to know where he can get a subscription. -And lots and lots and lots of the usual Smutday bantering and flirting--most of it under Giles--with a naughty gnome story thrown in for good measure. As Rachael said: "We've got this multiple-personality thing going on. And we schedule a day for sexual innuendo. We're a tiny bit scary. 'Cause, that's the FUN!" And I am posting this sucker now before another 2 pages suddenly appear on me. You know the drill: Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Exhaustedly yours, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 12, 2004 17:44:38 GMT -5
I truly cannot believe I'm recapping another 12 pages about 90 minutes after the last recap... -Poke salad: it isn't what you think it is. Unless you think it's wilted spinach, bacon and egg, in which case: it is. -As Matthew's blossoming black eye will attest, don't touch Shanno's ears. Ever. -Good news--I'm still Shanno's kept woman. -Rachael described her ongoing projects at work; she's trying to figure out why ethanol kills olfactory nerve cells, and she's hunting for a particular genetic receptor in a mutant gene that is more receptive to the sedating effects of ethanol--appropriately christened "cheapdate." -Matthew is in charge of S'cubiefest wardrobe. -erin's over Post-Dalton Depression and moving on to Pre-Angel's Over Depression. -Matt, Shanno, ears, necks, the ceiling, cake, icing--pretty much your typical Smutday for those two. -Diane boiled Thomas Hardy down to this: "Thomas Hardy: Take a nice girl. Chase her up a tree. Throw rocks at her. Cut the tree down." She also proffered the undisputed groaner of the day: "Is that anything like offering to give Anthony Stewart Head?" -Erin's mom once told her to be be careful what you put into your head because it's there forever. The Smutday corollary: be careful what you put your head into, because some STDs are forever. -Riff provided details as to what kind of research he's doing on pg. 35--I encourage everyone to take a look. Very interesting. After this post, the fighting over him intensified greatly. And on the serious side of the street: -Best wishes to Caraleigh, her family, and her community as they deal with a difficult and very untimely loss. -We're living in times that strongly test our faith in humanity. -War sucks beyond the telling of it. No way to seque gracefully back into the funny from there, so I'll simply sign off for now. Your humble scribe, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 12, 2004 19:54:46 GMT -5
...of the brief but much-loved life of Part 169 the second: -The S'cubie board will last as long as we believe--everyone can breathe again. Rob reminds us that he is the S'cubie heart--as long as his heart beats, we live. Take excellent care of yourself, my man--need a pillow or anything? -Riff and Fred agreed that, as someone once said, "There are more things in heaven and earth...than are dreamt of in your philosophy." -Julia was concerned because she talked about a 9 foot penis sculpture and no one made a single remark. Must have caught us at a low ebb... -A few fans had fun talking about a book called The Day of the Triffids.-"Get down and be evil." That is all. -And another big YAY! and a To an AMAZING Team! for our goddesses of archiving (thanks to Rachael and Diane for the graphics). Things seem to be winding down as the East Coast prepares for the penultimate episode of Angel. We'lll see you on the other side. Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And be excellent to each other. Yours in S'cubiedom, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 13, 2004 9:23:41 GMT -5
24 pages of excited conversation about "Power Play," which I think I've boiled down to:
-The line that launched a thousand 'ships: "Angel and me have never been intimate, 'cept that one..." -Everyone liked the Angel/Nina scenes, and are dying to know why Angel has a "stake" in his drawer... -"It's about power." -Everyone loved the Illyria/Spike interaction. -There was a really nice episode analysis from a guest, Aria, on p12. -"I play this game. It's pointless and it annoys me. Yet I am compelled to play on." struck some as reminiscent of Anya's lines in the penultimate Buffy. Many also noted Illyria wasn't just talking about the game. -Today's speculation: who's gonna die? Wes and Angel seem to be the most popular guesses. However, a perfect alternate ending scenario was provided by Patti: "Everyone on the show lives and the WB execs die a slow and painful death." -Hamilton's expression at the end unnerved a lot of people, many of whom are wondering whether or not he's seeing through the glamour. -Many see lots of parallels with what's happening here and the endings of Buffy seasons 5 and 7. -Once again we see how Wes is intensely (some would say obsessively/pathologically) loyal to those he loves. -Matthew provided his usual entertaining and thoughtful stream-of-consciousness notes on pp20-2. -becca made some great observations about form and color in the episode, including the way Angel moves to form an equal-sided shape when he's bringing them into the plan and offering them the choice and Wesley's moment of decision, when his expression brought to mind "something that was bent out of shape getting straight again." -Angel's call to battle seems to be the most hotly debated topic of the night. Some feel Angel's giving up, trying to go out in a suicidal, testosterone-fueled blaze of glory for what appears to be very little purpose other than to give the SP the double finger. Others, (with Sue expressing the argument most eloquently) point out that this is not necessarily a suicide mission, that Angel was just telling them it's a task that, if accomplished, will guarantee they'll all be hunted men for the rest of their lives. Either way, and perhaps most important, we see that Angel's no longer making the gang's choices for them. Maybe he can learn after all.
Okay, I think that's the gist of what went on. This looks like to be a great episode for discussion, so visit frequently and post early and often, always remembering:
Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Have some chocolate. And always, always be excellent to each other.
S'cubiely yours,
Sara
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Post by Sara on May 13, 2004 15:05:12 GMT -5
Surprisingly quiet day here on the board--everyone must be actually working or something. Yesterday we filled 14 pages in three hours; today we've filled eight since I recapped around 10am. Here's what we've been up to in our slow, quiet way:
-I'm generally getting a positive buzz from this episode. The most debated issue continues to be Angel's plan: idealistic suicidal exercise in pointlessness or necessary stand in the fight between good and evil? A lot of one's perspective seems to rest on how you interpret his call to arms at the end. And Nikki chimed in with this interesting observation: "as for the AtS message, I think it's more we can't REALLY make much difference in this world individually, but we can help a few people and at least not make things worse for the rest." -The killing of Drogyn has also been a point of discussion--many feel like once again Angel is allowing the ends to justify the means, which in this case meant murdering a friend. Of course, that's presuming Drogyn is really dead. -Did Spike pronounce the word "primer" the way a good Brit would? Many say no, and their dictionaries agree, but at least two of our S'cubie Brits said they heard nothing wrong with the line and have the OED to back them up. -Speaking of which, Riff provided a couple of fun links, one to a takeoff on OMWF called "Once More, with Hobbits" (http://www.omwh.com) and the other to the Star Wars Gangsta Rap (http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/atom_1403) -Come live in Erinland, located in the Empire of Julia, where we are all Queens of Denial.
And so we reach the end of another part. It's been real, it's been fun, and it's even been real fun.
Eschew the badger. Embrace the bonobo. Enjoy your inner bitca. Defy the chicken. Eat lots of chocolate. And be excellent to each other.
Yours in Erinland,
Sara
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Post by Sara on May 13, 2004 20:42:12 GMT -5
...the hell? I'm on the board all day, we fill up 8 pages. I go away for two and a half hours and there's 20? Were y'all just waiting for me to leave or something? Oh wait... maybe it's better I wasn't around; I'd have ended up too much of a blubbering mess to have cooked dinner without some form of bodily harm. But I'm getting ahead of myself...
-Sending all best wishes to Nikki, who goes in for tests on Tuesday, followed by the pain block on Wednesday. -Rachael's got an AHA fellowship application and an NIH application brewing--lets cross our fingers that they show her lots of money. -It's getting tough for all the S'cubies right now--emotions are running high, and there was much sadness among the posters this afternoon and evening. There were confessions of several breakdowns after "AHitW" and "Shells," and mourning for what next Wednesday means. What we're going through now has also put many of us much closer to old heartaches we thought had healed, only to find them still raw and hurting. -Meanwhile Riff, Rachael and Anne talked about Joss and whether his talent for causing the pain has gone from good, dramatic storytelling to an overused device in his universe. As many noted, we use fantasy as an escape from real life--but what happens when fantasy is actually worse? -There was also some speculation as to why it is we can get much more upset over the loss of a fictional character than we do over some deaths in RL. It seemed to most that it's simply a reflection of how we're wired--we react most strongly to the loss of those closest to our hearts and minds, even if they're not flesh and blood. Julia also pointed out that sometimes we mourn a fictional character because they symbolize a very real loss we're still coming to grips with. -Fred? Not gone. End of discussion. -Nervous breakdowns scheduled for lunchtime next Thursday. Who's with us? -Much information about the sex life of fruit flies. I'll confess: this was actually the most depressing part of the entire thread for me, because it appears fruit flies have a better sex life than I do. -Rachael imagined a double bill of "The Passion of the Christ" and "Life of Brian." Which would undoubtedly be followed by live video footage of Mel Gibson's brain exploding. -Anne offered gifts of libation and tribute to Erin, almighty technopagan, the S3's very own St. Anthony. -Shanno shared a great work story on p.13, providing a much-needed bit of fun and laughter in the afternoon's musings. -If all else fails: blame Matthew. -A few hardy souls finally came out and admitted they don't really like fanfiction. Riff decided to dip a toe into the waters, thanks to a few S'cubie recommendations. -Erin tried to trade away her sister for one of Matthew's brothers, but Matthew didn't bite--for a change. Maybe eBay, Erin? -Nan had a tough day at work--send lots of virtual hugs her way.. -Do not read Rachael's first post on p.21 if you've just eaten dinner. Trust me on this. -Sandy got a letter published in Soap Opera Digest. Big congratulations, Sandy!
Whew--and I'm finally caught up. Sorry for the lack of funny, but it's been that kind of a posting sequence. Personally, I'm just grateful every day that no matter what happens, we've got each other to lean on; in a world such as the one we're living in these days, such caring and compassion as we've found here puts us among the truly blessed.
Yours in S'cubiedom,
Sara
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Post by Sara on May 14, 2004 11:32:08 GMT -5
Where the weather is always sunny and there's the perfect temperature zone for your body's climactic needs. Wait--that went to a more Wednesday place than I intended... Here's what I've got so far today: -Lola, Patti-itis, pp 22-23 -Nan said of the S'cubies: "I'm not sure if you help keep me sane or make me not care that I'm crazy." As Rachael said, does it matter? -makd provided some fanfic recs on p23. She also joins the many who will be following Jeffrey Bell and (hopefully) Drew Goddard to Alias. You know, tvtome.com has some excellent reviews of this season's Alias eps by someone named Yorick... ;D -Sturgeon's First Law: 90% of everything is crap. Sara's corollary: and the other 10% is way too freakin' expensive. -much Spike love from Gail and makd -makd and Rob spoke for many of us when they say how much they need a happy ending for once. Spring points out that the season 5 finale wasn't meant to be a series finale when it was envisioned, and thus may not reflect the way Joss wanted to end the series itself. -Diane-Patti-itis, p26-27 -This is Sue's Black Friday, and to kick things off she shared a funny/painful dishwasher story on p27. The potential repair bill is nothing to laugh about, but we still want to see the pictures. -Spring and makd talked about words and their ambiguity in "Power Play," citing "intercourse" and "intimacy" as examples. Others noted a lot of the episode centered around leadership, and how Angel is finally trying to make the SPs play his game. -Smith's Law of Human Behavior: given any amount of room, and any number of individuals, humans tend to cluster at the point which creates the greatest nuisance. See any grocery store or cocktail party for examples. -Nan's added a section to chapter 15 of Blood Rites: www.livejournal.com/users/nandibble/12610.html-Some more debate about the wisdom of Angel's plan on pp 30-31, with Rachael doing an excellent job of crystallizing the "this is suicidal and insane" contingent's view on why the plan sucks. -And then on page 31 everyone started channelling Dru. "Run and catch, run and catch, the lamb is caught in the blackberry patch."Sorry, where was I? Oh yeah--caught up again for now. Hope everyone is enjoying their Fridays, and remember the S'cubie credo: "I like Spike--I don't care about his hair." Yours in denial, Sara
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Post by Sara on May 14, 2004 14:58:09 GMT -5
Lots of very heavy thoughts for a Friday, which as usual were expressed civilly, eloquently, and thoughtfully no matter which side of which debate the poster was on. Great stuff, gang. Here's what's been happening since last I 'capped: -The meaning of "immortal" as used in fantasy was bandied about. Most agreed it tends to mean you live until someone finds a way to kill you--no death by natural causes. -I suggested Angel feels like he's battling the Hydra, and that he feels this chance to severely screw over the SPs is one he can't miss. A few folks found something of merit in those ramblings and agreed; Rachael and Spring both feel, however, that one can't fight evil by doing evil--every action matters. And that Angel has a death wish. Others felt that what is true for Buffy (can't fight evil with evil) isn't necessarily true for others. This resulted in some very interesting discussion about good/evil and the distinction (if there is any) between evil and wrong. And is all of it a matter of realism vs. idealism? I strongly suggest giving the first 5 pages of part 172 a red-through, because no recap could do justice to how fascinating and thoughtful the whole discussion was. -The old guy in the Magic Mountain/Six Flags ads is just plain freakin' creepy. -I shared a very interesting article that finds parallels between "Power Play" and "The Wild Bunch." Let's hope Joss' desire for a Wild Bunch-style ending doesn't extend to the part where everyone dies. -Shanno came to better terms with Angel's plan by thinking of it this way: they all know they're going to die some day; this way they get to maybe choose how, and more importantly get to make their deaths matter in some small way. -Sue had an amazing 2-part post examining Joss' view of the world based on the evidence we have (ie the shows) and why it may not be the bleak perspective some of us have begun to think he has. Part one is at the bottom of pg. 1, part two 3 posts down on pg. 2. -A cool site for toys such as a plush minotaur, Godzilla, and Vorpal bunnies (whatever the hell those are) came up among our banner ads, and Anne encouraged all of us to go check it out: www.givemetoys.com/-And Vlad stopped by to let us know that Spring's review of "Power Play" is posted for your reading enjoyment. That brings you back up to speed. Be strong, stay calm, and always remember: eschew the badger, embrace the bonobo, enjoy your inner bitca, defy the chicken, eat some chocolate, and above all be excellent to each other. I remain your humble scribe, Sara
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