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Not hardcore enough to be ultra nerdy, but it's not that shallow, either. |
 I'm not super dedicated to science fiction. In fact, it's my escape from reality. However, even when escaping I have plenty to say on the subject. I'm not as devoted to it as some people I know. That said, it's not a shallow thing for me. I can overthink it like I overthink everything else under the sun (and moon and other planets). My ramblings will range from cerebral to silly and borrow random elements from seemingly nonsensical areas. Many have (and will) appear in my journals first. When they arrive here, there will be edits for language, typos and similar details. However, the 18+ rating will stay since sex, violence and similar topics will be addressed in this blog. After all, sci-fi includes these elements in various ways from time to time. To get an idea of my science fiction background, I recommend this primer "Preferences in a nutshell"  . Links are always relevant to my interests, and my favorites can be found in the lefthand column next to this blog. You'll also see links to my other journals if you want to browse the unedited versions of my rants and/or see who I am outside the science fiction realm. Comment as much or as little as you like. Just remember that I'm not here to take things too seriously, as that's just not how I roll in sci-fi discussions.TAG GUIDE!
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Hey, everyone! I've actually been consumed by a sprawling 10,000+ word story for another community that is finished in longhand but still needs to be typed. Hence I haven't been around much. That said, I would like to share a little snippet of some sci-fi stuff that I've been contemplating. I watched a couple TOS episodes on YouTube a few months back, namely "The Trouble With Tribbles" and "Mirror, Mirror". I enjoyed both of those eps, and had I been alive when it originally aired, I think I would have followed it regularly. Get obsessed with it? I don't know. Either way, it was certainly an entertaining way to spend my time. The original portrayal of Klingons was quite...different. Having grown up with TNG Kilngons, I was taken aback when I watched "Tribbles". By the way, that ep cracked me up, and Scotty's zealousness for the ship was just beyond epic. "Mirror, Mirror" made more of an impression, namely because it had a greater deal of character development. I think I should have seen at least one other episode of TOS before "Mirror", though, because I ended up not liking TOS Sulu. Otherwise, it was a captivating episode, and I had a brainstorm about Uhura afterward. I'll save that for another entry, though, because it involves another long discussion on gender and characterization.  One final thought. The ISS symbol of the Terran Empire? I hate to say this, but I thought it was gorgeous. I could see that as a potential tattoo design. I might stick with the Olympics rings, though. Anyone watching the new Doctor Who right now? I don't get BBC America in my neck of the woods, so I'll have to wait for Netflix. However, from what I've seen of it, on an aesthetic level it seems like a smoother blend of Classic Who with contemporary vision. Eleven's outfits and build echo the Classic Who doctors more than Nine and Ten, at least in the photos I've seen. And I hear people are actually okay with the redesign of the TARDIS. I'll probably get around to watching it, but I'm curious as to what other people think in real-ish time first. I'm still a little behind on FlashForward but have seen some of the more recent eps. I'll have to do a separate entry on that, but this half of the season really makes me miss Allan like a mofo. Stan still rocks my socks, though. Then again, Courtney B. Vance is just plain awesome. Talk about an underrated actor. It would kick so much ass if he and Karl worked together. I'd pay to see that happen. ANYWAY, I'm a little up in the air about Mark, Janice, and Zoe. Poor Dem is getting screwed. Aaron, meanwhile, just whoa. I didn't see any of that coming. I hope we get to find out about his mission to find Tracy. I've always thought he was one of the more solid characters, flawed but sympathetic. I would watch a show that's strictly about his trials and tribulations. I think there's an audience for it. Oh, and I'm going to get the novel, by the way. When I'll read it I don't know. Probably in 2012 at the rate I'm (not) going. There's a reason I don't drink often. I woke up this morning, and while trying to go back to sleep (after getting only four hours or so of rest), I started thinking about old fanfic story ideas I planned but never wrote. Most of these are for Heroes, and one involved the daughter of Sylar and Maya being raised by Peter and Mohinder but using her multiple abilities to find her biological parents to find out the truth about her lineage. Since a lot of the elitists seem to have disappeared from the fandom, I'm so tempted write it. I probably won't because of my 8 zillion other commitments, but I'll entertain myself with the whole concept.I promise more entries as soon as I can get caught up on other stuff first. |
A James Doohan quote is currently up for remixing at the In and Out only most people get!
I highly recommend checking it out. |
| Hello, everyone! I know I haven't updated this in a while. Between work and the Olympics, sci-fi has taken a backseat for a bit. I probably won't get caught up on things for at least another month, but I still have plans to get through some of my list. I'll probably get caught up on FlashForward next month, and I hope to watch a few movies over the course of spring and summer (since I won't be distracted by ski jumping). I still also want to talk about the Star Trek DVD, and it will be full of spoilers in regards to the extra features. In the meantime, I'll try to post some archived stuff, and if anyone has suggestions for sci-fi stuff to check out I'm all ears! |
| Hello, everyone! At the moment, I'm a bit sidetracked by the inanity of Shani Davis, the melodrama of the weather and the sheer awesomeness of many of the lesser known (in America) Olympic moments. However, I thought you might enjoy a little silliness by way of the new Star Trek. (paraphrasing a conversation I'd been hoping to avoid: discussing the film with my co-workers) Ko: So who do you think is cute in the movie? me: [blushes] Um, I'll send you an e-mail. Sarah: [mentions something about having seen the movie and thinking about how various cast members are cute] me: [facepalms] Sarah: I don't know all their names, but...the guy who played Kirk is cute. me: I find his eyes to be disconcerting. Sarah: I think Spock is cute. me: His fans are crazy. Sarah: I liked him with [Uhura]. me: [thinking] So many people would eat you alive for that. (And for those of you who care, I don't mind it, but I don't think it was the strongest relationship in the movie.) Sarah: I didn't care for the doctor. me: [head almost explodes; grits teeth and says nothing] Sarah: I thought Scotty was cute. me: [under my breath] Really now. Sarah: But [Chekov] drove me nuts. me: [shrugs and wonders why Sulu wasn't mentioned] Ko: I'll have to watch it this weekend and let you know what I think on Monday . me: [e-mails Ko and owns up to favoring Bones, letting her figure out the rest] That reminds me. I still need to send a Karl 101 e-mail to some people. I think he's quite an underrated actor who actually does his best work when cast way against type (and that discussion will eventually take place in my regular journal). |
| Hey, does anyone remember this story ? Well, it's been getting a pretty good response, and I find out when people add it to their favorites. Given that people are still looking at it even four months after I first posted it, I have an inkling that people might enjoy the story that spawned that one. Thing is, this story is too long to be admitting to writing in my head. Yes, it has gotten to that point, especially since I read the Memory Alpha entry on Denobulans. Without going into the long and really geeky explanations of retconning, fanon and how anything is fair game in the new Star Trek universe, let me just say I figured out a plausible solution to a problem that has been bothering me since June. Yeah, I've been working on this much longer piece since that time but stopped to work on the story I did eventually post, and then I spent the holidays focusing on work, neighborhood involvement and other non-online aspects of my life. All the while I was bamboozled how to handle the Borg, as I had plans for the Enterprise to confront the Borg in this particular story. I had a lot of contrived ideas floating around but tossed them all out the window after "At Last" was posted. When I read that Denobulans possessed super strong immune systems that were caable of holding off Borg nanoprobes, I had a Eureka moment. Perhaps Starfleet would invest in the research and development of a vaccine of sorts to prevent assimilation using Denobulan physiology as a springboard. Granted, that type of project would take decades, so anything available at this time would be experimental at best. It would make for an interesting showdown. Since I thought this up...I want to go back to this story in the worst way even though I shouldn't. I'll probably end up doing it, though. I hate my brain, but every once in a while it amuses me.  |
| First off, I apologize for the unbelievable spelling fail in the title for the last entry. Anyway, so I've been mentioning FlashForward for a while now. It's a good show. It gets kind of addictive in marathon, but there's no need to worry about it replacing Trek in regards to obsession following. Even so, there are plenty of reasons to tune in and have a look. I'll share some of my thoughts after watching all except the last two episodes (just haven't gotten around to them). The opening episode is very visceral. A lot of care went into developing the impact of the blackout and the physical chaos that resulted when everyone snapped out of it. And it borders on surreal in parts, especially when the marsupials start hopping along the streets of LA. No, that is not a dream I had. (It could be, though.) Racial diversity among the cast is evident but not thrown in your face. In fact, quite a few of the FBI agents are black. The best part is the diversity doesn't feel obligatory, and the non-white characters are developed in terms of what they do and not what they look like. So far, the writers have expanded this beyond sci-fi. It's taken a more dramatic angle, sure, but better to go light on the science than to totally bungle the facts and theories. Given the series original source material, I think we'll see more of it in the second half of the season. Spoilers ahead! It's hard to have a favorite character on this show mainly because everyone has their turn at being an asshole. I guess that's why I like Brice the best. Though he does have his prickish moments, he's a lot less stubborn about things than everyone else. He's seen the business end of the gun and realizes that he still has something to live for. His view of life after the blackout makes me a teensy less cynical. Dude, when the Benford marriage explodes, it's going to be an epic trainwreck! Brace yourselves. Demetri Noh better not die or I will bawl like an infant. Just...yeah. (And for the record, any character portrayed by John Cho getting killed off is a bad idea. Anyway.) I actually do have a rant about this show in relation to ABC. That, however, will be posted in the Angry Rant contest. Stay tuned. |
| [from an old journal I re-stumbled upon; glad I put this down for posterity somewhere] I've been sitting in on a lot of discussions about how dependent the female characters are on men [on Heroes]. However, Robert Waltz  has raised an interesting counterquestion.Are any of the MALE characters really that independent? The answers might surprise you. Ribit doesn't think so, and he raised some good points. Nathan did rely a lot on his campaign staff, although that might have been a part of the running for office thing. Peter was generally very needy. Hiro relied on Ando a lot for much of season 1. Mohinder, well, I think his season 1 personality speaks for itself. And Sylar? Though he plays by his own rules and seems independent, he is not able to evolve as a character without help from the Suresh men. Likewise, in order to heal, he needs help from the Company. If you think about it, Sylar is less independent than we might think. I will say that at least for season 1 (and even season 2 in some respects), the most independent characters are Matt, HRG and the Haitian (in reverse order). I think the Haitian has the following he has because he's a real lone ranger in the show. He has shown flexible loyalties and can move among the groups quite easily. He has proven to be the wild card on multiple occassions. In HRG's case, his independence from others stems from his instinctive desire to protect Claire. Aside from that, he's among the more world-wise of the characters, and his lack of abilities is actually emancipating. Since he doesn't have a power, he has an easier time pursuing his agenda under the radar. As for Matt, it's a little harder to say, other than his season 1 career fluctuations did show him being put in a position in which he has to fend for himself, and between him and Ted, he was the voice of guidance and reason. Anyway, point is, the issue of character independence is very interesting. While it tends to focus on women more, I think we should look at independence for male and female characters. So discuss away! |
| Or maybe it's a horrifying insight into my (lack of) writing capabilities. I found a fanfic writer quiz type item and took it for the hell of it. Here's what it says. Your result for The Fan Fiction Personality Test... The Mindgamer Everything is possible; nothing is ever really over. Fanfiction is a creative outlet for you. You don't intentionally write it, it just happens. You find inspiration in several fandoms, but are not obsessed with only one. You like to explore "what if" situations. What if this character had never made this very choice? What if this event had taken place sooner, never, elsewhere? What if these people had never met? You are likely to write Alternative Universes, fan seasons or sequels and just follow your (sometimes pretty strange) plot bunnies. The quiz can be taken here, for those that are curious. Granted, all three fanfic forays have ended up somewhat alternate universes in some way, but I do think in all kinds of writing choices make a big difference in how a story unfolds. I even devoted a newsletter to the subject: "Drama Newsletter (June 10, 2009)" . Good times! But yeah, I got to thinking about this after someone added my Heroes stories to their favorites lists. I'd like to write some more fanfic, if only because it's fun in a way that's different from original writing. Thing is, though, original writing kind of trumps everything right now because I actually have the motivation for it. So, it's gonna get done, and maybe after that I'll play around with fan fiction again. We'll see. |
| In the great hope that this will the last season for Heroes, I go into the recent episodes with a light heart and a strange sense of serenity. Aside from Kring alienating much of the fanbase (and NBC's decision to fire Greg Beeman), I hope it wraps up soon so I can focus more on FlashForward (which I recommend, by the way, and I will be commenting on it soon). That said, here are my latest thoughts on the show. First, what is with the Mohinder hate? Second, people seem to stop caring about the show until Mohinder shows up. Third, Mohinder is alive but peeved. Granted, I'd be feeling the same way if I was locked up against my will, but Ando had a good point when he said Mohinder ought to be grateful that Hiro even came back for him. That reminds me. I'd really like to know what Damien did to Hiro that prompted him to run off from the carnival. Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of Mohinder right now, but I do hear he'll be integral to the action in future episodes. The Hiro storyline is what's had my interest this season, and I'm glad to see it again. It was full of laughs in the most recent episode, and it was nice to see his friendship (and ONLY friendship, people!) with Ando come back to the fore. Speaking of Ando, he stole the show recently, and his red lightning has been quite, er, handy. Pun sort of intended? Anyway, fanboy soup is a great phrase (andI'll now have to periodically say fangirl soup because I can). And next week's episode looks very intriguing, especially since Adam Monroe will be returning. Hiro and Adam had subtext in Season 2 (at least in my opinion), so I'm itching to see how this plays out. Sylar has been really all over the place this season, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Namely, he's being over sexualized, and it's making me a little sick to my stomach. I guess it stems from being so over discuss about Zach Quinto's sexuality. Seriously, I really don't care except that if he's knocking boots with certain male cast mates on any of his projects I may need to hover over the porcelain god for a while. Getting back on subject, I am intrigued that since he won the tug of war with Nathan he doesn't cut open heads (which I miss, oddly enough). He and Claire get more time together in next week's episode, and I can't decide whether to cringe or laugh like a loon. Finally, Samuel is still working the morally gray line quite nicely, tempering his malevolence with true acts of beauty. Right now, I'm on the side of "Why can't Sylar slice YOUR head open?" and not feeling much in the way of sympathy for him. And it seems the carnival group is split over Samuel's leadership skills. I have a feeling the fecal matter's going to be hurtling into the rotating air foil very soon in this regard, and it'll be just like a train wreck. You don't want to look but can't stop staring. Coming up next: FlashForward, DVD jibber jabber, and eventually a quasi-tag guide! Yay! |
| Comparative analysis+literary references=MY AREA OF EXPERTISE! Well, it does in some ways. After all, I have studied English hardcore for what amounts to at least a decade. So yeah, I'm going to connect stuff, look for literary/pop culture references in my entertainment and design some crackheaded theories when all is said and done. So where do I begin? Let's start with something I've been kicking around for a year or so now. I think Heroes will become the new Star Trek. Think about it. Both shows endured four tumultuous seasons. Yeah, even as a major Heroes fan, I am already making the prediction that the show will be canceled after this season. However, with that in mind, let's consider what happened to Star Trek. After it was canceled, it hummed beneath the surface of pop culture in convention halls across the country (globe, even). Then it came back to life in the movies and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Its many incarnations have been met with varied expectations, but it has endured. I think Heroes has the potential to do the same, although if it does it will take a much different route to get there. I think it will thrive primarily on the internet after it has left the TV airwaves, but that's not to say there won't be live gatherings and what not. But perhaps in that lull someone will decide that it deserves another chance, perhaps in a somewhat different form. Of course, the kicker is whether or not Tim Kring will have the same dedication to the show concept and the fan base that Gene Roddenberry exhibited. That will make all the difference, and Kring has a lot to prove. If I had pursued the entertainment business track I pined for back in high school (you still tracking clues here?) I wouldn't mind taking the reins (especially since I've been told I'm better at developing intriguing storylines than those who work on the show itself). Time would really have to tell on this one, especially since modern society is not focused on developing things that will endure through the ages (except Toyotas and Hondas, although the older ones I see these days are from the early 90s). Besides, given how much Heroes references Star Trek (and casts its actors say Kring, how 'bout a guest role for Karl Urban? Thanks!), it's begging for this comparison! Maybe we can all luck out and get a super awesome Heroes: The Next Generation. Hey, I'd show up for that! And since the Trek-a-thon is still going on here (can never be too sure about site drama these days), I gotta mention the conversation I had today with Ribit. We were talking about the acting on TOS when Ribit said it wasn't Shakespeare. We somehow got to talk about Shakespeare references in the Star Trek series, and I mentioned that if J.J. Abrahms even thinks about referencing Romeo and Juliet in future films I would have to choke him myself. I can't stand Romeo and Juliet. While Shakespeare is not my favorite, I prefer the much darker stuff (King Lear, anyone?). And hell, any play that can be twisted into something dark is worth my time. Remind to discuss my plans to adapt Midsummer Night's Dream in further detail later. Anyway, Romeo and Juliet makes me kind of queasy, so any references to it in Star Trek just...no. Just no. However, all of Shakespeare's other works are up for grabs in my book (although it'd be real damn interesting to see how anyone could possibly reference Taming of the Shrew). I don't go actively looking for these references in anything (except when it's an adaptation and is overtly stated as such). However, if it's so subtle it might go unnoticed, I'm game. Just no Romeo and Juliet. If anyone even tries to go that route (which I could kind of see happening with the whole Spock/Uhura relationship and what not), I will have choice words and a couple knuckle sandwiches ready for that witless bastard. I will. |
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