kaffy_r | Entries tagged with skiffy

This and That
This: I watched what I believe was the first episode of the second series of Merlin on Skiffy tonight. It is, apparently, not for me, not even taking into consideration all the fun of playing BBC Bingo (and its subset of DW Bingo) with the actors. No, not even Anthony Head. I am too distracted by the wretched writing and the indifferent acting. This leaves me confused, since folks I like and respect have gone - oh, FFS, since it's been appropriated by a pop singer, I suppose I can't even use the phrase "gone gaga" can I? Well, then, folks I like and respect really enjoy the show. Me? Nope. When I can honestly say I found the season 2 premiere of Stargate: Universe more interesting (!) I can also honestly wipe Merlin from my schedule. And I was prepared to like it, historically inaccurate cheese and all, too. Pity.
That: Proof that having the brains to be a Doctor does not automatically provide one with a gut understanding of the Hippocratic oath. I was also disappointed at the results of the poll connected to the story, specifically the low percentage of people who clicked the "it doesn't matter what you believe, doing that's unethical" button.
The Other: Much editing work awaits me tomorrow. Also a phone interview and some actual writing for work.
The Final: Helloooo to Minicon folks, and all the ships at sea. Have fun, my various dears.

Current Mood: exhausted
Current Location: going to bed
Current Music: Nothing. Nope. Not a thing.

I Should Never Put Up Polls, But I did
I asked, and my legions of fans (for various powers of single-digit legions) answered. Tell us your impolitic views on Doctor Who, kaffyr, they demanded. And so I shall, at least some of them. Under a cut, of course. Feel free to tell me I'm an idiot, or a genius, or gaze at me blankly, or skip on to the next person on your f'list, or roll your eyes, or tell me you think I might want to take a few deep breaths and calm the fuck down.
(Brief detour into serious territory here. I have many good acquaintances and friends who hold some or all of the views that make me froth at the mouth below. They have every right to hold those views. Anything I might say below does not for one minute suggest otherwise. What's more, they have every reason and right to think I'm an idiot when it comes to my views. We're all part of Who fandom, and I'll defend to the death their right to hold their views, and to sound off just as loudly about them. I'm just inveighing, and venting, and exercising my rights as a grumpy old broad.)( It's under here. Be warned. )
And with that, I'm going to stop. Impolitic, and purely my own pompous, self-important own. There. That's done and dusted. On to Caprica!

Current Mood: quixotic
Current Location: going to bed
Current Music: XTC "English Roundabout"

Current Mood: quixotic
Current Location: going to bed
Current Music: XTC "English Roundabout"

[Error: unknown template qotd]
Oh. Well. That's easy. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension. Case closed.

There's B. Banzai, after all. And Reno. And John Parker. And the Jet Car. And Penny Priddy. And the oscillation overthruster. And Professor Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin, the divergent magnificence of both brought to me by John Lithgow in what may arguably have been his finest role(s). You doubt it? "Laugh while you can, Monkey Boy."

Of course, B. Banzai has all the best lines, partly because they're great pointers for life. "Wherever you go, there you are." "Don't be mean."

Also, B. Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers? They dance just as good as they walk. And they walk with style. Also, loads of narrow belts and ties. And syncopated music. And Perfect Tommy. And ... well, isn't Perfect Tommy enough? (Even though I much prefer Rawhide, and in my personal world he never did run into that particular Red Lectroid, and he's the reason I love Clancy Brown, not the stupid Highlander movie.) And the whole thing's the most brilliant pastiche and paean to Doc Savage that I've yet seen. It's a pity the other hour or so never saw daylight.

And you must read the book by Earl Mac Rauch. Really. It's of inestimable value for all fans of B. Banzai, and makes the movie even more wonderful.

Oh yeah; the rest of the question.

The essential ingredients for a cult classic are (she said, answering it like it was an essay question on a Grade Eleven History final): any suitable combination of off-kilter and generally vaguely scientifictional - or at least, in these degenerate latter days, somewhat niche pop-cultural plot points; attractive character aspects that can either be laughed at, yearned after, or both; one-liners (like whoah!!!); musical themes, any six bars of which, when heard on a radio or over a store sound system, will immediately throw one back into the theatrical experience; and appreciation of the absurd that talented but (possibly) over- or under-medicated writers can mix well and hand over to (possibly) yet-to-be-discovered or shouldn't-be-discovered directors and (definitely) under-appreciated, yet-to-be-discovered. or never-nope-won't-get-discovered actors.

There. I say these things three times, and they are true.

Current Mood: dorky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: the furnace

Happy Nine Day!!

I don't believe in numerology. But I am told that today's date - The ninth day of the ninth month of 2009 - has been adjudged extremely lucky for couples who want to get married, at least in some quarters.
I, however, like Nine Day for quite another reason. The Ninth Doctor brings a lot to the number 9: power, brilliance, manic energy, determination, a bleak optimism, not to mention a fierce love of all that is just and good.

And, oh yeah ... Nine Brings Teh Sex.

I love all the Doctors, you know. I watched One in his first go-round, and have been a fan ever since. But I Make Mine Nine ... and here's a picture - courtesy of one of the motivatin' masters over at Television Without Pity - for all of you who agree. (If you click on the pic, you'll get a larger version.)

Current Mood: dorky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: Rachel Maddow

See, This is What Good Writing Generates
The fact that Children of Earth is still rattling around my skull days after I watched it, the fact that certain scenes replay over and over in my head because I'm so impressed with them (no, not That One), and the fact that the story makes me think about the real world as much as it does the Whoniverse is, for me, strong proof of the series' quality.
Here's another quite brilliant take, by the talented

selenak . (Many thanks to

honorh for pointing me to the essay and the essayist.) Go. Read. Respond.

Current Mood: anxious
Current Location: living room
Current Music: opera of some sort in the background

Scattershot
Because I'm just not organized to put anything memorable on the table here tonight:

I am such a fan of The Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel. These guys - the captains of the crab boats and their crews - are probably at the far end of the political and cultural spectrum from me (Palin supporters? Wouldn't be surprised.) But I can't imagine working under tougher conditions, and doing it with more personality, bravery, strength, or irascible joi de vivre. And I'll never complain about the cost of crab.
What does it say about a person when a high point of the first day of vacation is sitting down and successfully cutting a pile of papers down to one quarter of its previous size? I admit to being perilously close to a non-official OCD type of gal, but hell, my life is boring. Oh, wait. I like boring. Yeah, boring's good. Bring on the papers!!
Writing Chapter 10 of Hearts and Moons is providing me with absolutely ironclad proof that sometimes writing is a matter of one sentence - no, one fucking phrase - at a time. Per day. I suppose sometimes the victory is just sucking those sentences, those phrases, out of wherever the hell they're hiding, and pasting them to the page.
I've been in skiffy fandom since 1977 even if I've largely gafiated, so my involvement, such as it is, in Doctor Who fandom isn't showing me anything more in terms of ... ambiguously socialized intra-group communication than I've seen at conventions, in lettercols or on newsgroups. Yeah, we'll go with that. *pauses to simultaneously sigh for the good ol' days and recoil in horror from the good ol' days* But the recent imbroglio over Torchwood: Children of Earth is staggering in its big, sleek, shiny stupidity. I watch, say little except for an occasional croggled post or rant at Bob, and wait for the seas to calm. (Although I admit somewhat shamefacedly that I did go off a bit in one post - an attempt to get across my belief that writers writing for pay are writing for themselves and not indulging in hypocrisy when they say they're doing both. Oh, and to voice my belief that writers don't actually get up in the morning with the intention of "betraying" readers, viewers or fans of any kind; that they are, in fact, rather more interested in putting together a story that satisfies their inner ear and their producers'/editors'/agents' needs at the same time than in "breaking the fans' hearts.")
As for Children of Earth itself? Bloody brilliant. Absolutely spot-on brilliant. Not perfect - nothing's perfect in this world - but a triumph of great writing, superlative acting, careful and intelligent directing, and dedicated story-telling. If Torchwood goes on, bravo, and I personally hope it does. If it doesn't, this is an incredible high note on which to go out.

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Location: living room
Current Music: nothing, at the moment

Scattershot
Because I'm just not organized to put anything memorable on the table here tonight:

I am such a fan of The Deadliest Catch on Discovery Channel. These guys - the captains of the crab boats and their crews - are probably at the far end of the political and cultural spectrum from me (Palin supporters? Wouldn't be surprised.) But I can't imagine working under tougher conditions, and doing it with more personality, bravery, strength, or irascible joi de vivre. And I'll never complain about the cost of crab.
What does it say about a person when a high point of the first day of vacation is sitting down and successfully cutting a pile of papers down to one quarter of its previous size? I admit to being perilously close to a non-official OCD type of gal, but hell, my life is boring. Oh, wait. I like boring. Yeah, boring's good. Bring on the papers!!
Writing Chapter 10 of Hearts and Moons is providing me with absolutely ironclad proof that sometimes writing is a matter of one sentence - no, one fucking phrase - at a time. Per day. I suppose sometimes the victory is just sucking those sentences, those phrases, out of wherever the hell they're hiding, and pasting them to the page.
I've been in skiffy fandom since 1977 even if I've largely gafiated, so my involvement, such as it is, in Doctor Who fandom isn't showing me anything more in terms of ... ambiguously socialized intra-group communication than I've seen at conventions, in lettercols or on newsgroups. Yeah, we'll go with that. *pauses to simultaneously sigh for the good ol' days and recoil in horror from the good ol' days* But the recent imbroglio over Torchwood: Children of Earth is staggering in its big, sleek, shiny stupidity. I watch, say little except for an occasional croggled post or rant at Bob, and wait for the seas to calm. (Although I admit somewhat shamefacedly that I did go off a bit in one post - an attempt to get across my belief that writers writing for pay are writing for themselves and not indulging in hypocrisy when they say they're doing both. Oh, and to voice my belief that writers don't actually get up in the morning with the intention of "betraying" readers, viewers or fans of any kind; that they are, in fact, rather more interested in putting together a story that satisfies their inner ear and their producers'/editors'/agents' needs at the same time than in "breaking the fans' hearts.")
As for Children of Earth itself? Bloody brilliant. Absolutely spot-on brilliant. Not perfect - nothing's perfect in this world - but a triumph of great writing, superlative acting, careful and intelligent directing, and dedicated story-telling. If Torchwood goes on, bravo, and I personally hope it does. If it doesn't, this is an incredible high note on which to go out.

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Location: living room
Current Music: nothing, at the moment

Felicitations to a Former Rassafarian*
Happy birthday to

akirlu , an extremely bright and witty woman I first met years ago on the Usenet group rec.arts.sf.fandom. (Dear lord, it really is years ago now; back in the middle 1990s. Ack. But I digress ....)
     During that group's salad days, I became happily acquainted with her sharp intelligence and somewhat frighteningly broad span of knowledge. She was a bright light in the community, and someone who heightened the level of discourse whenever she joined a conversation.
     Years passed, RASSF changed, I drifted away, but still, from time to time, thought about and appreciated some of the notable intellects I'd enjoyed within the group She was one of them.
     Just a few days ago, the redoubtable

apostle_of_eris , pointed me to a link on tartan. It led me to akirlu, and what a joy it was to realize that this was my esteemed acquaintance from Usenet. So I'm delighted to offer you birthday wishes; may today be everything you want it to be, and may the rest of the year be simply magnificent.

*The first "a" is there to facilitate the word's ease of pronunciation, given the lack of mellifluosity that Rassfarian would represent. Rassfarite? That does have a satisfyingly skiffictional ring to it, I suppose.

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: living room
Current Music: oxygen compression

Felicitations to a Former Rassafarian*
Happy birthday to

Current Mood: calm
Current Location: living room
Current Music: oxygen compression

Run, Don't Walk...

...to see Star Trek. It rocks. It rocks most absolutely. That is all.

Oh, wait. It's not all. Thank you, BB and FB, for taking me to see it. It was a fine Mother's Day present, as was the Mother's Day lunch of cut-up doughnuts topped with four kinds of ice cream, topped with whipped cream, topped with Spanish peanuts.

It was too healthy. Of course it was healthy. Emotionally healthy.

(Star Trek. Don't forget.)

Current Mood: geeky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: none, actually

Current Mood: geeky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: none, actually

Awesome Airlock
Passing by one of my local PBS stations, and it happens to be showing Dances With Wolves. (Really, WTTW? I mean, I like the movie, in spite of, and because of, Kevin Costner and such, but ... really?) And who did I see? Mary McDonnell, as Stands With a Fist.. And I was in love, because ... because I've missed Madame President. Sure, this was a younger woman, but the eyes and the smile, and the hair, and ... Damn, I miss Laura Roslin.

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Location: living room
Current Music: television noise

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Location: living room
Current Music: television noise

Primeval Urges**
I can't believe myself. I simply can't believe myself.
It's like the cosmos is spanking me for having the temerity to laugh at this show - or any completely goofy, illogical, poorly-plotted, unbelievable beyond the ability to suspend disbelief-type skiffy teevee for that matter. (No. Doctor Who doesn't count. It's ... a way of life. Yeah, that's the ticket.)
But I can't help myself. I like Primeval.
Is there any hope for me?

**And I know it's not BBC, but I didn't have an icon saying OMGWTFITV, or Granada, or whatever the hell it is.

Current Mood: geeky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: Primeval, god help me.

Current Mood: geeky
Current Location: living room
Current Music: Primeval, god help me.

Well of Course!

Ganked from the charming

denara - BSG is everywhere. Everywhere. I knew there was yet another reason I liked the man.

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: dining room
Current Music: Arcade Fire "Neighborhood #3"

Well of Course!

Ganked from the charming

denara - BSG is everywhere. Everywhere. I knew there was yet another reason I liked the man.

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: dining room
Current Music: Arcade Fire "Neighborhood #3"

Why BB Rocks My World, Part the 2,356th
     We are sitting, watching Bruce Springsteen, via the latest WTTW-Television beg-a-thon. We are singing along, generally rocking out, and being the Springsteen fans we are.
     Now, being a Springsteen fan means, in our household at least, being a Clarence Clemens fan as well. Because The Big Man ... well ... he's The Big Man. And if you don't know what I mean by that ....
     Anyhow, there he is, the Big Man, big as life, and twice as beautiful, with his sax and his percussion tools, his gorgeous braids, his imposing height, his more-than-imposing physique, his positively barrel-like arms —
     And BB looks at him, then at me, and says, "Alright, you go back and fire up the Stargate."

     I love that man of mine.

Current Mood: chipper
Current Location: dining room
Current Music: Rick Steves' Europe

I Am Amused
After days and days of being vaguely discomfited about life, lj, and the like (note to self: it's not enough to avoid getting involved in them; do not even read about lj feuds, wars, firestorms and/or other vast and hurtful dyspepsias, for it turns one's outlook grey and unhappy), I am pleased to announce to a world that breathlessly follows my every vagrant thought, that I found something today, on my bookshelf, which made me smile.

(Youngsters, the previous sentence was written by a professional. Don't try something that windy and unwieldy at home.)

And just what was it that made me smile?

( For that, you must fall into this here cut.... )

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: living room

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: living room

Awesome Is as Awesome Does
     And Battlestar Galactica does. Oh, my, yes.
     I love this frakkin'* show.
    As of tonight, ("The Oath" S4.5E03) its awesome quotient continued, grew, kicked ass and broke hearts.
    Is it Friday yet?

*So much that I feel absolutely no shame about using a curse word that exists nowhere but on the show's stages and in the minds and mouths of fans like me.

Current Mood: enthralled
Current Location: dining room
Current Music: The furnace. I love the furnace

Current Mood: enthralled
Current Location: dining room
Current Music: The furnace. I love the furnace

A Recommendation
Since I can't seem to write anything to save my soul (anything that's not a meeting roundup or school district levy story, and those are pretty difficult to assay, too), I'd like to recommend the work of someone who can. Write, that is. Really, really well, as a matter of fact.

Glen Cook not only writes some of the more memorable fantasy novels and series I've run into, he does it with humor, a fine hand at plot, a hard-eyed view of humanity that somehow makes me feel he cares a very great deal about human beings - and the ability to come up with the damndest names you ever did see and/or hear. I love the names he comes up with.* He could write complete shit around cardboard characters, and as long as he named them the way he does, I'd read it. The fact that he's eight kinds of good writer on top of it, well, that's gravy.

His Black Company novels started out compelling, and ended with two or three paragraphs that kick me in the teeth and leave me with wet eyes every time I read them. His Garrett, P.I. novels are hilarious, and touching, and bleak, and hopeful, and wonderful detective noir pastiches. I'm currently reading the latest Garrett novel, "Cruel Zinc Melodies" and it's just what the doctor ordered.

*I mean, where else but in a Glen Cook novel are you going to find characters named Saucerhead Tharpe, Morley Dotes, Chodo Montague or (a personal favorite) Toadkiller Dog?

Current Mood: blah
Current Location: dining room

Current Mood: blah
Current Location: dining room

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Grasping at Grace (and Growth)

Transformation is Inescapable

Entries tagged with skiffy

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Dr. Who: Impolitic views

Dr. Who: Impolitic views

Writer's Block: Killer tomatoes

Doctor Whoah

Whoniversal Contemplation

Dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum

Dum-de-dum, dum-de-dum

natal attractions

natal attractions

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