Coming into town this afternoon, I saw all the people lining up to watch the Manchester Pride parade. I wasn't in a confetti mood, so I smiled and hurried on to Waterstones, thinking of 
duellan who once taught me what the rainbow flag stands for and how much it means to her. In the end, of course, I got stuck. No buses, no through way anywhere. Plenty of people celebrating, plenty of people who had just happened to come by and got stuck, just like me.
Yes, I've heard loads about the joy of celebrating with like-minded people coming together from all over the country, not being a minority and an exception just for once, and I've been happy for the sake of my friends. Their day, not that terribly much of my business. But it is. Even a clogged-up road and no buses for an hour have a message for us.
Sometimes, they dress up like Dolly Parton and throw confetti. Mostly, they don't. Some probably don't like confetti at all. But no matter whether you're the one with the rainbow flag, the little girl who's just happy she gets to wear pink bunny ears, or the enraged (would-be) passer-by yelling at someone in your phone, there will be gay people in your life and your world. They belong there, so deal with it already.
duellan who once taught me what the rainbow flag stands for and how much it means to her. In the end, of course, I got stuck. No buses, no through way anywhere. Plenty of people celebrating, plenty of people who had just happened to come by and got stuck, just like me. Yes, I've heard loads about the joy of celebrating with like-minded people coming together from all over the country, not being a minority and an exception just for once, and I've been happy for the sake of my friends. Their day, not that terribly much of my business. But it is. Even a clogged-up road and no buses for an hour have a message for us.
Sometimes, they dress up like Dolly Parton and throw confetti. Mostly, they don't. Some probably don't like confetti at all. But no matter whether you're the one with the rainbow flag, the little girl who's just happy she gets to wear pink bunny ears, or the enraged (would-be) passer-by yelling at someone in your phone, there will be gay people in your life and your world. They belong there, so deal with it already.
- Current Mood:
jubilant
During my time in England, I suspect (and hope) that certain, very special, real-life friends will check out my livejournal and this place-holder post is for their benefit, or for anyone's who's just stumbled upon my posts in other journals and came to see who this dipsas may be. You're all equally welcome! If you're a real-life friend and feel so inclined, get a LJ account of your own and come join the fun! (Pssst... It's here: Setting up an account.)
Most of my LJ is friends-locked for (an attempt at) privacy, as I tend to ramble about whatever's happening in my life at the moment, but if you're not a troll and think we may have a thing or two in common, drop me a line here!
dipsas may be. You're all equally welcome! If you're a real-life friend and feel so inclined, get a LJ account of your own and come join the fun! (Pssst... It's here: Setting up an account.)Most of my LJ is friends-locked for (an attempt at) privacy, as I tend to ramble about whatever's happening in my life at the moment, but if you're not a troll and think we may have a thing or two in common, drop me a line here!
- Current Mood:
awake
The Two Towers was on TV here last night. I couldn't help but watch parts of it. The first time I saw this movie was in the theatre, and I loved it, not because I thought it was perfect rendering of the books (which it certainly wasn't) but because it was quite a powerful experience to see how others had visualised at least parts of a story and a world I've been able to wander into most of my life.
After watching the dvds and now this TV version, my intial enthusiam has rather dwindled and turned into annoyance with all the things that were changed, or left out, or even misinterpreted in order to make a sufficiently actionpacked movie. Last night, I did a lot of ironical commentary. It all ran along the lines of 'cool, except it didn't happen like that, now did it?'. So I have some idea what it's like to watch the films after reading the books, though opinions may differ, of course, depending on what it is that you like in the books, or miss there.
Furthermore, as a movie, on its own, without any ties to the books, well the least I'd say is that Jackson's work is grandiose and spectacular. I'm still impressed with the battle scences at Helm's Deep, for instance, though they have very little to do with the way I see the same scene if I read the book.
But what is it like to read the books after having seen the movies? Are you disappointed by the lack of action or is it like finding the best 'Missing Moment' fic of your life? There were lots of new books printed and sold in the wake of the movies, in Sweden even a new, longed-for translation. Did those books become as dear to their owners as my old copies are to me, or do they still stand about, tossed aside after a few pages that were not up to the same standard as the movies?
After watching the dvds and now this TV version, my intial enthusiam has rather dwindled and turned into annoyance with all the things that were changed, or left out, or even misinterpreted in order to make a sufficiently actionpacked movie. Last night, I did a lot of ironical commentary. It all ran along the lines of 'cool, except it didn't happen like that, now did it?'. So I have some idea what it's like to watch the films after reading the books, though opinions may differ, of course, depending on what it is that you like in the books, or miss there.
Furthermore, as a movie, on its own, without any ties to the books, well the least I'd say is that Jackson's work is grandiose and spectacular. I'm still impressed with the battle scences at Helm's Deep, for instance, though they have very little to do with the way I see the same scene if I read the book.
But what is it like to read the books after having seen the movies? Are you disappointed by the lack of action or is it like finding the best 'Missing Moment' fic of your life? There were lots of new books printed and sold in the wake of the movies, in Sweden even a new, longed-for translation. Did those books become as dear to their owners as my old copies are to me, or do they still stand about, tossed aside after a few pages that were not up to the same standard as the movies?
Most of us are done reading HBP by now, and most of us also enjoyed the book a lot. Still, there have been several posts about how our reactions to the new book itself, to having a new book, to fandom erupting in about equal amounts of wank and squee, were different from what we expected. I'm curious to see if we can sum it up a bit.
Also, I just finished the 37th crochet patch for
molly_ish. It's not to late to join, or to invite other friends. The more, the merrier!
Did you go about spoilers the way you meant to?
Yes - no spoilers!
12(57.1%)
Yes - spoiled!
2(9.5%)
No - I couldn't resist peeking under a few cuts.
3(14.3%)
No - some mean folks ruined it for me.
4(19.0%)
Did you read it the way you thought you would?
Yes, I know how I like to do these things.
16(72.7%)
Yes, mostly. I couldn't resist peeking ahead a little, though.
4(18.2%)
No, not really. Once I really got it in my hands, I felt differently about it.
1(4.5%)
No, not at all. RL things I had to deal with came up.
1(4.5%)
Regardless of whether your pet theories were confirmed or your OTP ships turned canon, did you feel the way you had expected to?
No - I wasn't expecting to feel so overwhelmed.
5(22.7%)
No - I was expecting to feel more pleased about the things I had predicted coming true and the like.
3(13.6%)
Yes - I knew I could rely on Jo to give us a great ride.
5(22.7%)
Well - about canon, yes. About fandom, no.
9(40.9%)
Also, I just finished the 37th crochet patch for
molly_ish. It's not to late to join, or to invite other friends. The more, the merrier!- Current Mood:
curious
I'm miles and miles away, but I'm jotting down a few thoughts anyway, because London, to me, is a symbol of life being fun again, of me getting back on my feet and feeling more like myself again. I travelled more on the District and Circle lines this spring than I had ever done on my previous visits to London, so in my mind, Liverpool Street Station means those first, few lightheaded steps when you get off the airport express from Stansted, you're there, you're back, you're really in London... Even now, I carry a miniscule tube map in my bag, for luck and to remind me I'll soon go again.
To some of you, they (whoever 'they' may be) won't have done it merely to a place you go to for fun and relaxation, but to places that you pass through everyday, on your way to work or when you're heading out to see friends, places where you, even though we all knew something like this could happen, felt safe. And even if you are, today's events will have taken away a little bit of your sense of security. That's hard to bear - it can make the whole world seem a different place. I hope, and, like someone else said, pray in my own way, that you and your dear ones stay safe and that you'll be able to not to let these people steal more of the joy in your everyday lives than they already have done.
To some of you, they (whoever 'they' may be) won't have done it merely to a place you go to for fun and relaxation, but to places that you pass through everyday, on your way to work or when you're heading out to see friends, places where you, even though we all knew something like this could happen, felt safe. And even if you are, today's events will have taken away a little bit of your sense of security. That's hard to bear - it can make the whole world seem a different place. I hope, and, like someone else said, pray in my own way, that you and your dear ones stay safe and that you'll be able to not to let these people steal more of the joy in your everyday lives than they already have done.
- Current Mood: thoughtful
The Sorting Hat meme that was making the rounds last week prompted a few (and non-exhaustive) thoughts on why I - and I end up in that house every time I take a test to be Sorted - always feel it's a compliment to be Sorted into Hufflepuff and something quite hard to live up to. We're told from the first that 'Puffs are hardworking and honest. They make loyal and faithful friends, and we may infer that they're the kind of people you can always count on when the going gets tough.
In Book 1, the Sorting Hat tells us just that - the characteristics of Hufflepuff are loyalty and faithfulness. In the first Sorting Hat Song, all four houses are described in positive or (in the case of Slytherin) neutral terms. Still, it's the chapters preceding Harry's own Sorting that first associate Hufflepuff with something negative. In spite of being the Boy Who Lived, Harry fears that he really isn't magical enough to go to Hogwarts and assumes he'll either end up in Hufflepuff, the house 'everyone' considers full of 'duffers' or, which is even more scary, that he won't be Sorted into any house at all.
Throughout the series, in fact, Hufflepuff is associated with the notion of not being enough - not smart enough, brave enough or indeed magical enough. I'll take the rest says Helga in the Sorting Hat's song in OotP, and I believe that to many (and to Harry), this is what's so damning about being sorted into her house - it's the just the default alternative.
And then, there's the obvious - the distinguishing characteristics of the Hufflepuffs are geared inwards, towards their own group, or house, and we, following Harry's Gryffindor perspective, have little opportunity to learn much about them until Cedric appears in GoF and above all in Book 5, where the students face a common enemy from the outside for the first time. Acts of loyalty and faith are often small things, performed in silence, but of overwhelming importance nevertheless.
In Book 1, the Sorting Hat tells us just that - the characteristics of Hufflepuff are loyalty and faithfulness. In the first Sorting Hat Song, all four houses are described in positive or (in the case of Slytherin) neutral terms. Still, it's the chapters preceding Harry's own Sorting that first associate Hufflepuff with something negative. In spite of being the Boy Who Lived, Harry fears that he really isn't magical enough to go to Hogwarts and assumes he'll either end up in Hufflepuff, the house 'everyone' considers full of 'duffers' or, which is even more scary, that he won't be Sorted into any house at all.
Throughout the series, in fact, Hufflepuff is associated with the notion of not being enough - not smart enough, brave enough or indeed magical enough. I'll take the rest says Helga in the Sorting Hat's song in OotP, and I believe that to many (and to Harry), this is what's so damning about being sorted into her house - it's the just the default alternative.
And then, there's the obvious - the distinguishing characteristics of the Hufflepuffs are geared inwards, towards their own group, or house, and we, following Harry's Gryffindor perspective, have little opportunity to learn much about them until Cedric appears in GoF and above all in Book 5, where the students face a common enemy from the outside for the first time. Acts of loyalty and faith are often small things, performed in silence, but of overwhelming importance nevertheless.
- Current Mood:
mischievous - Current Music:Brahms - 3. Symph.
I've been wondering for a while now - where did all the wards come from?
In HP fanfic, one sees a lot of wards. They're preferably used as defences for larger areas, buildings etc. No. 4 Privet Drive and Hogwarts have been protected by wards in many a fic, in early and widespread ones like After the End (where they're turn up for the first time in Ch. 8) and Jedi Boadicea's Memories of Tomorrow... to mention but two. It seems reasonable enough that there would be some kind of magical protection to keep enemies from entering but letting friends through without having to hide the place altogether. It wouldn't be very practical to have a whole village under the Fidelius Charm or made Unplottable. It also makes sense that the strength of these defences would depend on the one casting the spell and that they could be broken by force, both current ideas in fanfic.
Yet, is there any canon evidence at all? When we hear anything about the defensive measures keeping Harry safe at Privet Drive, it's only in the general terms of 'protection', which both Dumbledore and Voldemort use. At Hogwarts, we know there are "Muggle-Repelling Charms" and "many ancient spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety" of its residents and Sirius' father "put every safety measure known to wizardkind" on Grimmauld Place, so there must be a multitude of such charms. Unless I've forgotten some significant passage, though, they're never specifically referred to as wards. So, where did the concept of wards come from? Has it wandered over from some other fandom? Or did we come up with this all on our own?
In HP fanfic, one sees a lot of wards. They're preferably used as defences for larger areas, buildings etc. No. 4 Privet Drive and Hogwarts have been protected by wards in many a fic, in early and widespread ones like After the End (where they're turn up for the first time in Ch. 8) and Jedi Boadicea's Memories of Tomorrow... to mention but two. It seems reasonable enough that there would be some kind of magical protection to keep enemies from entering but letting friends through without having to hide the place altogether. It wouldn't be very practical to have a whole village under the Fidelius Charm or made Unplottable. It also makes sense that the strength of these defences would depend on the one casting the spell and that they could be broken by force, both current ideas in fanfic.
Yet, is there any canon evidence at all? When we hear anything about the defensive measures keeping Harry safe at Privet Drive, it's only in the general terms of 'protection', which both Dumbledore and Voldemort use. At Hogwarts, we know there are "Muggle-Repelling Charms" and "many ancient spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety" of its residents and Sirius' father "put every safety measure known to wizardkind" on Grimmauld Place, so there must be a multitude of such charms. Unless I've forgotten some significant passage, though, they're never specifically referred to as wards. So, where did the concept of wards come from? Has it wandered over from some other fandom? Or did we come up with this all on our own?
- Current Mood: curious
I'm walking about London with an enormous smile plastered on my face. One of the great things about big cities is that they allow you to define yourself in new ways over and over again, and coming from a cramped little place, that feels like there's suddenly air to breathe again.
The booksellers are having a very good weekend, too.
The booksellers are having a very good weekend, too.
- Current Mood: high
Today is liebchen127's birthday, so...
Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, Liebchen!
I hope you have a wonderful day, nothing at all like an ordinary tuesday.
liebchen127's birthday, so...Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag, Liebchen!
I hope you have a wonderful day, nothing at all like an ordinary tuesday.
- Current Mood: hopeful
Like everyone else, I've been hitting the refresh buttons on various news pages all day.
To those of you (many, I know) who wished and voted for the US to choose another path than that of Bush, know at least that you too have made your voices heard around the world.
In my own case, those voices have made every bit as deep an impression on my image of America as has the eventual outcome of the elections.
To those of you (many, I know) who wished and voted for the US to choose another path than that of Bush, know at least that you too have made your voices heard around the world.
In my own case, those voices have made every bit as deep an impression on my image of America as has the eventual outcome of the elections.
- Current Mood: thoughtful
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