Dept. of Brainzzz

[kaffy_r]

Scattered Thoughts

I haven't been around for several days, largely because I've been trying to keep up with my work day story minimums. Since I actually haven't been able to do that very well (I will not be surprised if I get hauled in for a disciplinary meeting sometime in the next month or so, but I'm not overly fussed about it) I figured I'd just do a bullet point list on miscellanea, just to keep my oar in.

• I got my back X-rayed, checking for possible spinal causes for my back spasms. The upshot; nothing but some unsurprising age-related erosion; I didn't actually expect my spine to be related to the spasms, but at least we can definitely rule it out. I'm dealing with a (so far) mild back spasm right now, and am reminded again that it's a muscular thing.
• We said goodbye today to our old clunker of a 1996 Taurus; not in the way I wanted to say goodbye to it, but at least we gave it to a charity. I hope said charity can make use of it.
• I've had no difficulty avoiding the very large spoilers about S8 of Who, and I'm rather pleased that I haven't had the urge to click on dangerous links. I'm perfectly happy to wait for next month. Well, I say perfectly happy, and that's not quite true. I'd like next month to be NOW, kthnxbai, but having attained some painful measure of maturity, I can at least maintain some tattered sense of dignity about the whole thing.
• I've been reading Captain America fanfic and enjoying it. I don't know what this says about me. Probably it says that I really, really want to see The Winter Soldier again, largely because I want to see Natasha again. And Bucky. And Sam. And Cap. Yeah, bit of a fan, here.
• I have discovered how much of a fan of Kill la Kill I am. Maybe more about that at a later date. Maybe more about some of the other anime series I'm enjoying, like Barakamon, at a later date as well.
• I've been thinking a lot about Who, and whose Who I like, and whether I'm in the minority of fans who likes both recent showrunners, for different reasons, and gets uncomfortable when either showrunner gets slagged off (although I confess that I get really irritated when I have to read through "OMG Moffat is Saaataaaaaan" crap, and slightly less aggravated - but only slightly - when I read people being flippant about RTD.)
• And with that, I'm going to toddle off to bed while my back is relatively pain-free.

Comments

[masakochan]

I have discovered how much of a fan of Kill la Kill I am.

Depending on where you are right now- all I'm gonna say is- prepare for a hell of a roller coaster ride.

Also- the English dub is proving itself to be quite good. (I think I enjoy the 4th episode 'Dawn of a Miserable Morning' almost better in the dub.)

[kaffy_r]

We just got past the episode where Ryuuko beat Gamagoori, and I know it's a 24 episode series, so I know we have a long way to go.

I'm really enjoying the sub right now, because I'm so rarely impressed by dubs. But sometimes they do make some good ones.

[masakochan]

Ahhh- okay. My favorite fight in that entire thing is her vs. Nonon (the band girl). Yeah- roller coaster warning is for when you get to like- episode 17.

Same. Like Cowboy Bebop, FLCL, and a few others (aside from the ones I grew up watching on Cartoon Network's Toonami). The moment that finally got me around to liking Satsuki's dub version was that moment of her putting on Junketsu for the first time.

[kaffy_r]

You're right; that's not a bad dub at all. But I like the depth of voice that the Japanese voice actor (seiiyu?) uses. On the other hand, I really can't imagine other voices for Spike and the gang than the English dub team; FLCL; well, I love both.

[masakochan]

True. I really enjoy the seiyuu's work (especially the person who worked on Senketsu). I think what helps with the dub is that it sounds like everyone's having so much fun with it. (Especially with the 4th episode.)

Cowboy Bebop is on a whole other level. I think the only time I've gone back to watching the sub version was with the 3rd Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OVA.

[kaffy_r]

Oh, lord ... Cowboy Bebop; it's one of those series where I get to the last two or three episodes and I find myself hoping that this time, they'll all make the right choices, and not break up the family, and bring the new girl into the family and don't go up on that roof, and keep her safe and don't go find Vicious, and, and, and ... and then the end happens anyway, and "bang" and the song and the camera pans up to the stars, the stars, the stars, and I'm a crying, blubbering mess.

[shanghaied]

I suspect 'age-related erosion' is shorthand for 'the story of the rest of our lives' :P

I'd love to see Winter Soldier again - some great acting from Evans and Mackie and Atwell and the old dudes, and I especially liked the Parkour elements of the fight scenes (gorgeous fight choreography in this film). I would also love to see Natasha on the screen. I wish this were possible :P :P :P

There's New NuHu spoilage? And anyone gives a tinker's toss about it? Wow.

Relatively pain-free is good. I'm having one of those days myself, for a change. Long may it last for both of us!

BTW how's your bro?

[kaffy_r]

I would also love to see Natasha on the screen. I wish this were possible :P :P :P

Heh. I remember, I remember. And you probably remember my thoughts on her beautiful, luminous face ... yes, I'm quite the cheap date, why do you ask?

And anyone gives a tinker's toss about it? Wow.

I am definitely looking forward to Capaldi. I want to see what the stories will be like, and I want to see the next stage of the Whoniverse. There's presumably a great deal of wank out there, but not even I, a fan who's about seven point five of ten on the Silly Fannishness scale, is interested in wasting time with it.

Just looking forward to August 23.

BTW how's your bro?

Thank you for asking, my dear*. He is slowly recovering; he can drive by himself now, and has, I think, made the final decision not to go back to The Force. He is irritated with a number of his administrative seniors - was, even before the heart attack, for the way they handled Mum's final illness, in terms of giving Mac time - but his heart is the heart of the best kind of police officer. He is the kind who truly does serve and protect. He got into policing after coming through his own long road of dark valleys, and he was a counselor of jailed substance abusers who knew whereof he spoke, and his desire - his blunt, no-nonsense, deeply felt desire, has always been to protect people. So leaving the force is hard for him. Luckily, even though his pension will be somewhat truncated (because he'd planned to stay about four more years before retiring), a full disability pension will be almost as good. He may not be able to visit me until October, instead of September, but I'm still looking forward to seeing him.

* If that is too much of a familiarity, please let me know, and I shall refrain from using it. It is a term of affection I learned from my grandmother, and it falls naturally from my lips - or in this case, my fingertips.

[shanghaied]

Just looking forward to August 23.

Ah, is that when it starts? Don't get me wrong, I have no objection to the show continuing past its 50th, have known Capaldi's work since the early mid-'90s (after noticing him in a Comic Strip Presents episode), and have every reason to believe he'll discharge the role admirably; it's just that I - along with DB and all our RL friends - gave up on caring about the storylines and character arcs a long time ago, most especially since it first became obvious, and then painfully obvious, that the dark, emotionally involving, beautifully handled At Last: Doctor Who For Grown-ups approach of the Eccleston season had given way to some sort of childishly undercompetent Fanfic With a Big Budget nonsense :-S We watch for the performances - of which there are many fabulous ones, not only from the principal actor of each run but also from the supporting and guest casts - and for the visuals - again, often delicious - and yes, there have been isolated superb episodes in ones and twos (though often the quality of a second-half-of-a-two is far below that of the first half), but there is so much bad story and unnecessarily bad science and most of all horrendously bad writing that, to put it in the words of another, far more modern, iconic telly character, 'Somehow I just can't seem to care...'

He is slowly recovering; he can drive by himself now, and has, I think, made the final decision not to go back to The Force... Luckily, even though his pension will be somewhat truncated (because he'd planned to stay about four more years before retiring), a full disability pension will be almost as good.

Oh, that is excellent news! Both on the health and the finance fronts. Especially in this age of ever-increasing financial uncertainties. Remind me, do you have the Natty Health in some form in Canada, or has the long-standing and AFAICT now barely improved Mordor model infected your homeland?

* If that is too much of a familiarity, please let me know, and I shall refrain from using it. It is a term of affection I learned from my grandmother, and it falls naturally from my lips - or in this case, my fingertips.

Not at all! After all, you and I seem to have wandered into some form of pixel-people friendship over the years :-) FWIW I use that in RL, along with other phatic way-smoothers i cluding darling and - since long before the creation of River Song - sweetie!

[kaffy_r]

'Somehow I just can't seem to care...'

That's completely understandable. Since I am the original Cheap Date when it comes to DW, loving it not wisely (or rarely wisely), but Too Damned Well, I imagine we somehow balance each other out in the eyes of the Universe. Heh.

Remind me, do you have the Natty Health in some form in Canada, or has the long-standing and AFAICT now barely improved Mordor model infected your homeland?

Oh, we do have single payer health in Canada, despite all the efforts of the current federal government to try to turn Canada into a tiny Grade Z Bush-era America.

I like the phraseology of "pixel-people friendship." Sweetie and Sweetheart are also things that drop from my tongue from time to time.

[shanghaied]

Since I am the original Cheap Date when it comes to DW, loving it not wisely (or rarely wisely), but Too Damned Well, I imagine we somehow balance each other out in the eyes of the Universe. Heh.

Ah, but don't forget that I've broken RL friendships over someone not loving a book or film as much as I do - that's probably some sort of antimatter cluster off in one of the dark galaxies :P

we do have single payer health in Canada

I dunno the term 'single payer' - does it mean 'healthcare is free or heavily subsidised for all'? That's what the National Health Service is (or was, before the latest round of Yuk robber-baron cronies started privatising it), and likewise, I'm told, for 'Medicare' in Australia (before the latest, etc etc). Not that I have ever used either, because I don't hold with 'em - though in fairness, I accept that some sort of emergency health care should be available free to all in large societies like ours. And yes, I live by that 'cash or suffer' concept, and yes, I am suffering do to lack of funds. Sux to be me, but I do hold this passionately, so at least I can face myself in the mornings ~shrug~

BTW a question: as my use of 'Mordor' for USA appears to be spreading, does that make Canada the Shire? And if so, is Harper Sharkey? Just wondering...

I like the phraseology of "pixel-people friendship.

My own invention. Feel free to use :-)

[kaffy_r]

Single player is taxpayer-funded health care. We've had it in Canada since the 1960s so I almost remember the news stories about it, but definitely spent most of my early life with it, thank god (due to various childhood ailments/problems/etc, I would have very possibly had a much shorter lifespan without it.) It's a social construct I find comfortable, and am very willing to pay taxes for, because I think the overall health of the people I live with and among affects the society I live in, just as the overall health of rails, roads and such affects that society. Helping people stay well and get well and not get dead is kind of a win-win in my personal books.

And I'd rather know someone like you - however much I might not hold your philosophy - than have to deal with people who rail on against intrusive government whilst heading to the hospital to make use of their disability pensions, driving on roads paid for by "the government" etc. etc. etc. You're at least willing to walk the walk.

[shanghaied]

It's a social construct I find comfortable, and am very willing to pay taxes for, because I think the overall health of the people I live with and among affects the society I live in, just as the overall health of rails, roads and such affects that society. Helping people stay well and get well and not get dead is kind of a win-win in my personal books.

As mentioned, I agree with the not getting dead part. I also agree with the paying taxes part, so long as those taxes are reasonably configured and the redistribution of them isn't arse-reamed by the (deliberate and accidental) incompetence and self-perpetuating misuses so prevalent in Big Bureaucracy. And it should be further noted that I've never tried to make anyone else live by my opinions on public health. I very definitely would have had a much shorter lifespan without medical intervention, especially in my early childhood (when my father used the last of his money to not-dead me) and mid-twenties (when I was quite probably the only cold-cash-paying chemo patient in Hellay), but I felt then and still feel now that without that cash - or the intervention of another, private benefactor who might have found my not-deading worthwhile - I had no reason to presume the gift of livesaving care. OTOH a previous husband who'd been spectacularly run over was saved by the (hugely expensive) brilliance of Natty Health specialist surgeons (not to mention the airlift and all the rest...); that was what changed my mind about publicly funded emergency care, and FWIW we spent years afterwards doing fundraising for the hospitals and related agencies that did the saving.

And I'd rather know someone like you - however much I might not hold your philosophy - than have to deal with people who rail on against intrusive government whilst heading to the hospital to make use of their disability pensions, driving on roads paid for by "the government" etc. etc. etc. You're at least willing to walk the walk.

Someone told me there are Tea Party orcs over there who protest against public health reform attempts with 'Hands Off Our Medicare!' signs and completely fail to notice the irony. My brain, how it melts and runs to the floor...

BTW I just noticed my ghastly mistype of ghastliness in previous reply - that do to lack of funds was meant to be a due to.... Apparently it got lost in translation between brain and fingers. Oh, the ignominy! :-)

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Oh, bless, honey..those minimums are ridiculous and I am ever so sorry...

*HUGS YOU*

Thank goodness it's not the spine! Not that it helps make it better, but I am so, so glad it is not spinal injuries!

I hope that charity makes that car run like a dream again. I'm sure it quite deserves a good home!

Gods, yes!! I am a touch of a spoiler-phobe (which is damned near impossible in Who Fandom, lol!!) but I am DEFINITELY ready for S8!! Nao. Plz. Yes. Nao.

YAY!! Still need to see Winter Soldier. Hopefully it will be soon!!

I've heard nothing but good things about that anime! I love some of the music, lol!!

Mmmm...I admit, I'm likely bitchier about RTD than I should be. But I think it is mostly the man himself that gets me. I love his Eras, though admittedly, I do love Moffat's more. I totally love that RTD gave Moffat the reins and knew he could pull off some awesomeness - and I love that RTD launched Torchwood. T'was a good show with a lot of potential. I have a few nitpicks with Moffat's Who as well (one of his main storylines gets me), but other than that, I'm here to enjoyed the Doctor in all of his incarnations!! So...there's that, lol!!

Get some rest, honey. Love you!!

*SNUGGLES*

speaking of the music

[masakochan.livejournal.com]

Here's another good track from the series soundtrack.

Though I will warn- that if anybody else wants to click on the link, and is watching the show for the 1st time- there's screenshots used during it that are major MAJOR spoilers for the middle to the later episodes of the series.

Re: speaking of the music

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Ohh, that is severely Epic!! Whoot!!

*HUGS*

Re: speaking of the music

[kaffy_r]

Yup - the music was great and I avoided the spoilers by simply not watching the vid, just listening to it. Looking forward to more!

[kaffy_r]

Hi, my dear; took too long in responding. It's Saturday now, and I have a little time and space (not enough of a blue box, though), so ... Yup, we are going to see Winter Soldier again this weekend because of Shady Acquirement and I am very happy, yes I am.

Kill la Kill has all of what I think are the best things in anime: batshit crazy, amazing art (not beautiful - amazing, which is different. It's actually pretty brutal art, full of slashes and color and motion, which is, in itself a commentary), plus incessantly intelligent self examination and commentary on Japanese anime and cultural tropes. People who yowl about its sexism and objectification of women aren't seeing the reason for it, and that's sad.

But I think it is mostly the man himself that gets me. I

Oh, I love Uncle Rusty; he's just as much of a trickster as The Moff, and they understand each other very well. But you're right about loving the Moff Era more. (I give Rusty Nu Who S01, though; still tears my heart out every time I watch.) My favorite seasons of Nu Who have actually been S01 and S06 (and I know the latter is a distinctly minority opinion.)

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

LOL!! Enjoy, sweetie! You have definitely earned it!

Ahhh, you always see the best in everything. And you get the subtleties, which is...refreshing and lovely.

Well, considering they were friends, I shouldn't be surprised, lol! I do like that he has a good poke at himself, though. That is rather awesome, really.

S06 is a definite fav of mine!! So I will happily sit in the minority with you, lol!! (And who doesn't love Nine's Era?!)

*SQUISHES YOU*

[masakochan.livejournal.com]

People who yowl about its sexism and objectification of women aren't seeing the reason for it,

Hoo- boy. Pfffft- they clearly don't see how the women are pretty much the major characters in the entire series- while all the dudes are there as supporting roles. And yeah- it does have a bit of objectification fanservice in it, but the outfits stop feeling blatant fanservice in like- the 5th episode.

I think the one thing that actually pisses me off is when there's criticism of a umm.. certain 'scene' towards the latter half of the series where- something very bad takes place- and the person labels it as a scene that was just put in for nothing but fanservice, (there's one other criticism of the scene that I'm hoping I just imagined having read).

hahahaaaaa- I tend to blow a gasket over those comments- while making an expression similar to Ryuko's:

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

I like RTD and Moff both, too, although I have my issues with both of them. Running Who is a huge job, and nobody is going to do it perfectly.

I'm staying spoiler free for season 8, too. I was pretty much unspoiled for Day of the Doctor, and I must say I was very happy that everything was a surprise.

Winter Soldier is AWESOME! Really wonderful; I saw it three times in the theater.

I hope your back feels better soon. If it's muscular, have you tried physical therapy?

[kaffy_r]

Running Who is a huge job, and nobody is going to do it perfectly.

This is truth, and should be engraved on the side of a mountain somewhere. Preferably by River.

We have now acquired Winter Soldier (ahem, but I did pay for it in the theater when it first came out) and I intend to watch it again. And possibly again.

I'm pretty sure the back is muscular and I will be looking into some sort of exercise I can do at home, if not full physical therapy.

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

Cleaning out my inbox and realized I never responded to this. D'oh!

The funny thing I remember was how people on-line, mostly over at the TWOP forums, would complain about how RTD was running the show, his writing choices, etc. Then when Moff came on board, suddenly he was Public Enemy #1, and RTD was made a saint retroactively. It made my head spin, in a LOLing kind of way.

One of the things I love about the MCU movies is that, for the most part, they've been so good that as soon as you get one, you want the next one. It's going to be a long wait to Avengers 2 next summer. : )

[kaffy_r]

Oh, my lord, the TWoP forums! They're what brought me into online fandom, and I miss them so!

But yeah, the one constant in Who is that the last showrunner/producer will be wonderful and the current one will be awful. I'm told that's the sort of thing that happened in Classic Who as well. And in this particular case, I think the two of them must giggle, partly in frustration, because they're friends and they have such respect for each others' work.

The MCU movies, man, they are top quality crack.

[eaweek.livejournal.com]

I never posted on the TWOP forums, but I always enjoyed reading them, and I gleaned a lot of insights, thought of things I wouldn't necessarily though of on my own (or someone would post something very succinct that summed up my own incoherent thoughts so perfectly it was like we shared a brain. In particular Shanna Marie (?) was like my brain-twin; it was almost creepy).

The MCU movies have been amazing. I didn't see either Hulk movie; I didn't care for the second Iron Man movie, but all the rest have been well above average, and two or three of them have been really stellar. The big thing for me is they give you characters you can care about; fingers crossed that this continues.

[kaffy_r]

Yup - Shanna is incredibly well spoken; not surprising, since she's a published author of multiple novels. Isn't it fun/creepy when you find someone echoing your thoughts? Heh. The meet markets for Dr. Who and BSG were my hangout (the former more than the latter), and of course story threads.

I saw the very first Hulk movie, the Ang Lee one that everyone hated, and was surprisingly impressed by it. The second one, I completely missed. I'm very happy with the Ruffalo version of the Hulk, so I don't mind missing the one in-between. I was rather fond of Iron Man 2, mostly because I found myself making up head canon/fanon about the relationship between the bad guy and his father. Daddy issues - which were a big part of the movie - always intrigue me, possibly because as a child of divorce I didn't grow up with my own (and I know that comes across as far more emo than it should; I had a great childhood; it's just that the whole concept of "dad", as opposed to "grandad", which I had, was distant and more of intellectual interest to me than anything else.)

Wow, ramble much, woman?

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry about work being tough, and about your back problem :/ I hope they can figure out what's wrong exactly, and help fixing it.

Been avoiding the spoilers as well—and I completely agree with you regarding the appreciation of both showrunners. Personally, I have stronger love for Moffat, but I'm also more critical of him—I feel rather passionately about his stuff, in positives and negatives alike ;) I have a more peaceful relationship with RTD's stuff. (I'm completely sounding like I'm a relationship with Doctor Who. Send help.) It has bad sides too, but differently… Moffat's flaws feel more like recurring patterns and can really grate me, but he still does/did some great things, and he gives me feels like no other. I can understand why some people are really pissed off with Moffat, but hardcore bashing and getting personal like it so often does… That's always just saddening :(

[kaffy_r]

Personally, I have stronger love for Moffat, but I'm also more critical of him—I feel rather passionately about his stuff, in positives and negatives alike ;)

I'm more hopeless. I love Moff so much that I'm blind to the cracks in the facade and the inherent structural flaws. I've become so attuned to them that I think of the recycling of stories as simply the retelling of archetypical legends that the world tells itself in cycles. So I'm kind of the world's cheapest date for the Moff. With Uncle Rusty, yeah, more peaceful, although he can tear my heart out and show me some transcendentally wonderful scenes.

(I'm completely sounding like I'm a relationship with Doctor Who. Send help.)

Heh. Me too. Don't send help. I like it.

[flowsoffire.livejournal.com]

It's great you can embrace his stuff so much, though! :)

I changed my mind, I don't want help either :D