Politically And Grammatically Correct

Journal Change
Hey, everybody! Sorry it's taken me so long to get here and announce this, but my journal name's changed. Buncha stuff in my life's changed recently, and anyway I wanted to have a journal that was more essay- and fiction- centric. Again, sorry for the delay in announcing, but I wanted to make sure I did really want to make the switch, and apparently I do, because I haven't been posting here at MT these days.

Anyway. New journal here:

oh_my_words

Thanks, all! ^__^

<3 Paul

Current Music: Scissor Sisters - She's My Man

What makes you a Fan?
I was trying to come up with a working definition of Fandom the other day, and couldn't. (And I'm talking Fans with a capital F, not just people with a passing interest). So I decided to come to my flist and ask a very simple question: What makes you a Fan?

Don't think too much about it, and of course don't feel like you have to post if you feel it's too personal. I'm not going to argue (for once), and I definitely won't judge. I'm just earnestly curious to see how others put their Fannishness into words. So just relax and tell me, if you want, no matter the Fandom: How do you know you're a Fan?

Current Mood: contemplative

Conversation of the Day
GEORGE: Patrick Swayze is not attractive.
PAUL: He's totally not.
JASON: It's that jaw. *holds hands several inches from either side of his head to illustrate the improbable size of said jaw*
GEORGE: It's like a lizard jaw; like it could just... unhinge.
PAUL: Yeah... you totally expect him to swallow an egg.

Is Everyone Here *Very Stoned*?
So I know I don't do a lot of ranting anymore, but I just had to put pen to paper on this one, despite the fact that it's supremely fandom-centric. But before we begin, here's the SPOILER WARNING:

( Spoilers for Doctor Who, Season 4 Episode 6 - The Doctor's Daughter )

Why Slash Fanfiction?
Lately, I have spent a good deal of my time composing what I believe is a beautiful work of fiction. I feel it is very well-written and, for its intended audience, heavily emotionally affective. When it is complete, I will have produced something very dear to me. But I will not be able to share my art with most of the people I love. Why? Because I write fanfiction, that's why. And furthermore, I'm one of those dreaded slashers.

It's often asked of gifted fanfiction writers why we don't apply our talents to mainstream fiction. "Wow, this is really good," say the outsiders. "It's a shame it's not original fiction." And well, in a way, they're right. I could never make a living off of fanfiction, my art will likely never be recognized in my lifetime, fanfiction is hardly a legitimized form of art and will thus not be understood by the masses, and perhaps dozens of characters and situations that might have been born of my mind were overlooked in the hurry to use an already-existing fictional universe.

( Cut for length )

Political rant GO
Okay, so Dennis Kucinich is bringing an impeachment vote for vice president Dick Cheney to the house floor. Needless to say, I'm thrilled about this. Many others seem to be, as well, but there's one thing I don't understand. Why do I keep hearing this: "Well, it might be a nice idea, but it's not going to work." We'll call this person The Naysayer.

Now, I'm not talking about Faux News saying, "Look at that Liberal Loony and how he's getting all worked up over nothing, LOLZ". That's just invalidation. But the Naysayer is someone who supposedly champions the cause being fought for, but actively discourages those who fight for it. Sometimes you hear this sort of thing as "You're just wasting your time," or "It's just pointless to try," or "People just aren't ready for it," or any number of permutations, but the message is always the same: "You're stupid for doing something, and I'm smart for doing nothing."

( Read more... )

Current Music: The Coasters - Along Came Jones

Harry Potter Book 7 SPOILERS
*DIES OF SQUEE*

I FUCKING KNEW IT

link contains SPOILERS

Drunken LJ Post GO
I like to warn before I make drunken LJ posts and just cut the rest. Well, I would like to do that if I regularly made drunken LJ posts, but I guess I don't. Anyway.

( Guinness is the worst alcoholic drink I've ever had OMFG )

Current Music: The Rutles - Easy Listenin'

My Favourite Article From "The Onion"
The Onion is a satirical newspaper in the US, and just for fun I'd like to point everyone (if I haven't already) to the article that has been my favourite for years and years:

Area Man Goes And Gets Himself Hit By A Goddamn Bus

I just roll every time I read this article. XD

Marginalization Station (Revised)
I'm gonna be alittle link-happy today; there's a lot of good stuff going on that points out very well what I want to discuss today. I'd like to first point out that the Liberal Eagle at I Drew This makes an excellent commentary here that I think you'll want to read. Pay particular attention to that Molly Ivins quote.

It's interesting, because just last week I wrote a piece about the use of the word "extreme" to describe my political views, and I've not quite been satisfied by it. I think I really failed to make clear how disempowering marginalization is.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: Jason playing the dulcimer

To the George!
I'ma post this publicly, in case you're not somewhere where you can be logged in to your LJ, or your flocked posts are messing up or something-- you know how technology is, haha! I'm thinking you might have missed it because it's been so long, but you really need to check your LJ, particularly that flocked post you last made to me and Moony, because we replied, and we need an answer from you by next Friday, the 28th. It's really important. You can use this thread to reply if you need to. :) Oh! And we left you voicemail messages, too, just in case. You are getting those, aren't you?

If "Everybody Else" Jumped Off Of A Bridge
I no longer accept that I am "extreme".

People use this word a lot to describe my political tendencies, and to a certain extent, it's true. It is nearly impossible to quantify, but I am aware that my ideas are much more left than practically anyone I could hope to encounter in my life on a normal day. In this way, I certainly would qualify as "extreme". But it is the other meanings of the word which I do not wish to apply to myself.

"Extreme" is a label attached to an easily dismissible viewpoint, one that was arrived at through bent logic or questionable motivations or even derangement. "Extreme" has been applied to me one too many times to mean "incomprehensible", "unrealistic", and "laughable". It's an Othering word; "No normal person could be like you." ( Read more... )

Current Music: Little Richard - Long Tall Sally

Yep, Tuesday. Still no check.

Check, mate?

Yep, Monday. Still no check.

I'ma do that meme where you describe ten of your fandoms as if they were lovers and invite others to guess what they are. Here they are, in no particular order:

( Read more... )

Queer Culture: Visible In Its Invisibility (Revised)
Draco Malfoy is a total queen. I mean, you know that, right? Well, maybe you're familiar with the Good Ship: Remus and Sirius. No? Well, maybe you were more-than-surprised by ( cut for length and mild spoilers for the sixth and seventh HP books )

Current Mood: pensive
Current Music: Paul McCartney - Coquette

Yeah, it's one of these. I did it. This is what comes of staying in on a Friday night. It's actually kind of cute.

Click here.
Take the quiz.
Post your results.
( See magicaltrevor's results. )

Time for musings!
So there's a concept I'm having trouble putting a name to. I'd like to discuss it so I could get a more solid idea of the concept and define it better, but there's no one here but me. So I'll just use my LJ. Yay.

This concept deals with misconceptions, and the curious nature of their degree. Here's some examples of some common misconceptions, and why they are so ironic:( cut for length )

Current Music: Paul McCartney - You Tell Me

Veggie Rant Woo
So I encountered another one of those guys in a community who felt the need to attack vegetarianism in a veg*an-dominated discussion by stating how aggravated he was by veg*ans' "wrinkling their noses" at his meat-eating.

Disclaimer: Veggie rant. I shouldn't have to say this, cos I'm tired of worrying about offending meat-eaters, but yeah, if you eat meat, it wouldn't be a good idea to read under the cut, cos this rant is not intended for you. Just FYI. Okay, here we go:

( Read more... )

Current Music: Paul McCartney - Ever Present Past

That's my boy
I commented in someone's post over at F_R, and wanted to expand what I said regarding gender roles expected by family members, so I thought I'd do that here.

( Read more... )

Current Music: Paul McCartney - Mister Bellamy

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