Dept of Unmatched Stuff on the Same Shelf
Thursday, 11 February 2021 09:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kaffy_rYou Know What's Good About the Impeachment Trial?
At least for me?
It's allowed me to start writing my first non-fanfic piece of fiction in decades. Truly, decades. I think the last time I worked on an original piece of fiction was when Andy was a baby. I wrote it with Word Star, for heaven sake, that's how long ago it was.
I've had the germ of the idea for this piece in my head for months - I know I mentioned that I'd had the idea here somewhere in a previous post - but I've done nothing about it until now. I have to thankstrannik for inviting me to a Zoom fiction open mike last week, because that was the kick in the pants that I apparently needed to get started. Perhaps that's because I suddenly wanted to be able to read some of my own work, and realized that fanfic really needs a listening audience that's familiar with the universe in which it's based. The fact that a couple of the folks speaking there appear to be published authors really told me I needed to up my game - and made me want to up that game.
I have no intention of stopping work on my fic. Fic is where my heart is, something I've repeatedly told people who've asked me why I don't write original fiction. I guess I'm just looking to see if I still have original writing chops; perhaps finishing one story will get it out of my system.
But as I said, I've been able write while watching the trial, largely during breaks, and during muted blocks of advertising as I watch post-trial analysis in the evening. I have no idea why it's been possible to do it this way, but I'm not going to check the dental records on my new pet pony.
The trial has been amazing and gut-wrenching to watch. The Democratic House impeachment managers have done an impressively thorough job of showing how Trump did, in fact, incite insurrection. I think one of the best things they did was lay out the timeline, not just of Jan. 6, 2021, but of Trump's deliberately instigated policy of prepping his cultists to believe the election would be stolen from him, a policy they showed went back to May, 2020. That , the team pointedly noted, was when polls showed him he was seriously behind in the presidential race.
They've spent significantly less time on their case than was allotted to them because of their impressive efficiency; much of the most gut-wrenching proof of Trump's high crimes and misdemeanors was there on video clips. Some of those clips had never before been seen by the public.
Apparently the defense plans to start - and end - its case Friday. After having watched both defense attorneys on Tuesday, I can only assume that their case will consist of three hours of flailing their arms wildly, reaching for papers on their lectern and missing them, then upending the lectern while trying to catch the papers, yelling about coastal elites before trying to entertain the Senate Chamber with folksy reminiscences about that time in Nebraska when their aunt talked about being judicial, or about Everett Dirksen, not sure which ... no, really. If you want to sit in front of your screen, jaw dropped in complete wonder that people this inept actually got through the Mail Order Law School of Middle Musquodoboit*, or simply want to laugh yourselves sick before weeping for the legal profession, type in "Castor and/or Schoen" on Google.
The frustration lies in knowing that stains on the body politic like Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul, and that A1 douchecanoe Lindsey Graham, will vote to acquit Trump. Not only have they indicated they plan to acquit no matter what evidence is presented to them, they've made it clear in other ways, like putting their feet up while sitting in the gallery, while doodling, while working on papers, looking anywhere but at the screens - which is to say, in the way that high school boys try to make clear to the class hot girls that they don't care about the stupid lesson or the stupid teacher,
They know. The cowards.
Still, I did get some writing done, so there's that.
*Yes, there is a Middle Musquodoboit. It's in Nova Scotia. And no, no one in that community would be stupid enough to a) start a mail order law school or b) let those two jokers enroll if there was one. But it's a great name, no?
At least for me?
It's allowed me to start writing my first non-fanfic piece of fiction in decades. Truly, decades. I think the last time I worked on an original piece of fiction was when Andy was a baby. I wrote it with Word Star, for heaven sake, that's how long ago it was.
I've had the germ of the idea for this piece in my head for months - I know I mentioned that I'd had the idea here somewhere in a previous post - but I've done nothing about it until now. I have to thank
strannik for inviting me to a Zoom fiction open mike last week, because that was the kick in the pants that I apparently needed to get started. Perhaps that's because I suddenly wanted to be able to read some of my own work, and realized that fanfic really needs a listening audience that's familiar with the universe in which it's based. The fact that a couple of the folks speaking there appear to be published authors really told me I needed to up my game - and made me want to up that game.I have no intention of stopping work on my fic. Fic is where my heart is, something I've repeatedly told people who've asked me why I don't write original fiction. I guess I'm just looking to see if I still have original writing chops; perhaps finishing one story will get it out of my system.
But as I said, I've been able write while watching the trial, largely during breaks, and during muted blocks of advertising as I watch post-trial analysis in the evening. I have no idea why it's been possible to do it this way, but I'm not going to check the dental records on my new pet pony.
The trial has been amazing and gut-wrenching to watch. The Democratic House impeachment managers have done an impressively thorough job of showing how Trump did, in fact, incite insurrection. I think one of the best things they did was lay out the timeline, not just of Jan. 6, 2021, but of Trump's deliberately instigated policy of prepping his cultists to believe the election would be stolen from him, a policy they showed went back to May, 2020. That , the team pointedly noted, was when polls showed him he was seriously behind in the presidential race.
They've spent significantly less time on their case than was allotted to them because of their impressive efficiency; much of the most gut-wrenching proof of Trump's high crimes and misdemeanors was there on video clips. Some of those clips had never before been seen by the public.
Apparently the defense plans to start - and end - its case Friday. After having watched both defense attorneys on Tuesday, I can only assume that their case will consist of three hours of flailing their arms wildly, reaching for papers on their lectern and missing them, then upending the lectern while trying to catch the papers, yelling about coastal elites before trying to entertain the Senate Chamber with folksy reminiscences about that time in Nebraska when their aunt talked about being judicial, or about Everett Dirksen, not sure which ... no, really. If you want to sit in front of your screen, jaw dropped in complete wonder that people this inept actually got through the Mail Order Law School of Middle Musquodoboit*, or simply want to laugh yourselves sick before weeping for the legal profession, type in "Castor and/or Schoen" on Google.
The frustration lies in knowing that stains on the body politic like Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Rand Paul, and that A1 douchecanoe Lindsey Graham, will vote to acquit Trump. Not only have they indicated they plan to acquit no matter what evidence is presented to them, they've made it clear in other ways, like putting their feet up while sitting in the gallery, while doodling, while working on papers, looking anywhere but at the screens - which is to say, in the way that high school boys try to make clear to the class hot girls that they don't care about the stupid lesson or the stupid teacher,
They know. The cowards.
Still, I did get some writing done, so there's that.
*Yes, there is a Middle Musquodoboit. It's in Nova Scotia. And no, no one in that community would be stupid enough to a) start a mail order law school or b) let those two jokers enroll if there was one. But it's a great name, no?
no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 07:23 am (UTC)(Go you.)
[waves]
no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 11:10 pm (UTC)a canon of your own making
I know, weird, right? Heh ....
no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 08:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 01:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Friday, 12 February 2021 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Sunday, 14 February 2021 06:33 pm (UTC)Still...an original work?? I am so, so proud of you and super excited! Go you!!
*HUGS*
no subject
Date: Sunday, 14 February 2021 10:45 pm (UTC)All of which is probably a lot less unhappy for me to consider than the ultimate ending and result of the impeachment. It culminated pretty much in the way I expected it would, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make me angry. I'd actually wondered if the eventual GOP pro-guilty number would actually be 7, so yay me for predicting it. I'd hoped for 10 but I guess getting 2 more than the 5 who voted that the trial was Constitutional is a win. And as for the Dems supposedly caving on not bringing live witnesses in, I felt bad but ultimately agreed with the amazing Delegate Stacey Plaskett (one of my new TV/poitical girlfriends; she's that fantastic) when she said: "We didn't need more witnesses; we needed more Republicans with spines."
Here are a couple of good pieces, one from the Washington Post, which kind of lays out how it happened, and this take from John Stoehr, who I've come to really appreciate.
Oh, and here! Have some hugs!!!
no subject
Date: Saturday, 20 February 2021 05:57 am (UTC)I tend to agree with Delegate Plaskett as well. We need more GOP with spines. Or better yet, a new party to replace those crazy bastards.
WaPo can occasionally print good news. Better than NYT, that's for sure. *Sigh*
Aww, thank you! Do love some hugs!
no subject
Date: Saturday, 20 February 2021 07:41 pm (UTC)Bob and I have talked about whether the GOP as we know it will dissolve, and a new party will come into being, possibly a center right party like the GOP was in the 1950s and early 60s, leaving the crazies in the existing GOP. We'll see if that happens.