NaNoWriMo's fast approaching and I am in despair!

Well, not really but I am wondering if there's a point in joining, all the times I've joined I've never really completed it. I wonder if its because fanfiction spoiled me? I mean, in fanfic I wouldn't need to think about worldbuilding because the world is already built but an original story means a new world to create and think about which is really far more difficult than I thought it would be!

--

It seems like every time I visit TV Tropes I emerge with a new fandom and this time is no different. I've been doing an Archive Trawl of Mahou Sensei Negima (Magical Teacher Negi) which of course led to an Archive Binge.

It took me a long time to get into this series when I first tried it out I was really, really put off by the fanservice. (Un)Fortunately TV Tropes was very convincing. It wasn't the fan service nor the prospect of finding out who Negi ends up with that caught my interest; actually my interest in Unwanted Harem series are almost nil, the only series I love that had an element of that trope was Ranma 1/2.

The story in a nutshell started out as Harry Potter meets Unwanted Harem and midway through the third volume of the series it shifts to Harry Potter meets Dragon Ball. With a lot of Clothing Damage. A LOT.

It's the clothing damage that kept me away for a long time.

( And then TV Tropes just had to have interesting things to say about Evangeline and Asuna. Spoilers up to current volume. )

--

For a Harem series of course a good deal of fan focus is devoted to shipping Negi but I'm actually less interested in that aspect of the series. I really don't care who Negi ends up with and other than the cuteness of Setsuna/Konoka I'm also less interested with the current generation.

The first generation interests me more. The Ala Rubra and their adventures in the magical world. I like how the adventures of the Ala Rubra seems to be a deconstruction of the heroic Shonen series ( spoilers up to chapter 268 )

I seem to be in a Haruhi kick these days especially when I learned a tidbit about one of the voice actors (seiyuu).

Yuko Goto who voices Mikuru is actually a biker chick.

This might not be an extraordinary discovery but it is to me since Yuko Goto's been stereotyped to play helpless, clumsy girls with high pitched voices.

Her role as Mikuru is actually the best example since she's almost always helpless in Haruhi and prone to be bullied by the title character. I have no strong feelings for Mikuru as a character since most of the time she's just there although lately I am feeling a wee bit more suspicious of Mikuru because no one can be that helpless and incompetent especially an operative from a Time Agency.

This is an example of Yuko Goto as Mikuru, the characters are shooting a student film (hence the really amateur 'shooting' and acting):



And then this is Yuko Goto guest starring in Lucky Star parodying herself:




According to wiki people do actually call her Gotouther-sama. Heee.

Then to top it all I found this (c/o TV Tropes), where Yuko Goto plays a Canadian exchange student with surprisingly good English and spectacularly bad Japanese accent.




I cannot stop laughing. SOU NAN DESS KARR!

And this is Gotouther-sama herself:



--

I'm also currently trying to catch-up with K-ON and watching To Aru Kagaku No Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun), a spin-off of A Certain Magical Index.

It follows the story of Mikoto Masaka and Shiroi Kuroko, two powerful ESPers living in Academy City for anyone who knows me, it's would be no surprise that one of the things that caught my attention about this show was the city itself a futuristic styled city whose conceit was that it was a home for both students and scientists and all the students are measured for their ESP abilities. There are five levels, the fifth level being the strongest and in a city of over 2.3 million citizens there are only seven Level 5 people in the city and standing as the third strongest among the seven Level 5 is Mikoto Masaka, a person capable of commanding electricity and lightning in anyway she chooses earning her the nickname the Railgun.

( The Railgun and the Teleporter who loved her )

• First of all, I'm aliiiiive! Sorry for falling off the radar but things have been a lot busy here but thanks for all the support and concern.



• Apparently our section of the world is the go to spot for storms with one particular storm stubbornly over staying its welcome for ten straight days. Dammit.



• In fannish news I'm trying to get reacquainted with a few series and picking up some new ones. Although, um, most of my new ones seem to come from the anime/manga spectrum. Although its mostly for the slice of life variety than anything else.



• Sometimes I don't get fandom. Some vitriol towards a few anime/manga series seems so... out there. I mean, there's hate for Toradora, who would hate Toradora??



• Usually I like sunny days but after the storms I find myself suspicious of sunny days. Sunny days are usually followed by torrential rains.

--

We have finished the endless recursion of time. We have finished the endless recursion of time.

I think I'm a bit more patient than some fans but the Endless Eight in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya episodes tested me. I have no problem with groundhog day episodes but only if it tells me something new but the whole thing was just literally one episode over and over and OVER again.

Even the director and the voice actors thought it was excessive (and the original director attempted to fight the Execs on it and was... fired. Yeah.) but Executive Meddling still wanted to go through the whole Endless Eight by dedicating eight episodes to what could essentially be done by the third time loop.

Then I hit my boiling point when I learned a movie was coming out, it was an arc that was supposed to be included in the second season. It was in the trailer but it seemed midway the Executives changed their minds and thought to milk the franchise for all its worth and instead of getting just three episodes of Endless Eight we got EIGHT episodes just so they could fill the season 2 episode quota.

It is frelling annoying.

I've also been reading the Wild Mass Guess entries in TV Tropes ( annoyed spoilery rant )

--

( Haruhi Light Novel thoughts )

Typhoon Ondoy really hit us hard and I can't wrap my head around the fact that most of Metro Manila is underwater.


(NY Times photo)

It just seemed to happen so suddenly. It's been raining non-stop before then and then there was a few days of sunshine then on Friday it began to rain again. At first I thought it was another one of those rains, little did I know how much the non-stop rains of a few weeks ago and Ondoy's steady downpour would wreak such havoc. In a matter of hours half of Manila was underwater. Cars began to float and houses that used to be impervious to flooding was suddenly invaded by the mud brown waters and most everyone was forced to flee to their roofs.

A few brave souls went out of their way to help people some to joyous results others to tragic but heroic efforts.

My family and I were unaffected by the flood but stunned at the horrific scene unfolding before us. Manila isn't all that big to begin with and to think that the scenes on TV were only a few minutes away. Worse, I have friends in those hardest hit areas.

The kicker?

There's a new storm brewing. Possibly, two.

Frankly, I don't know if we can stand another storm, much less two.

We're stocking-up on food and other things just in case.

--

Snagged from wheresmycow, some of the info here are probably already obsolete since I posted this very late but hopefully some of it is still relevant:

Philippine Red Cross: 143 or 527.0000, 0917-899-7898 and 0938-442697
*For those who want to help, donate to the Red Cross donation through SMS: text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 or go to your local Red Cross because they'll be swamped with donations or requests, for sure. You don't need to be a rescue worker. Sheer manpower will suffice. http://www.redcross.org.ph/Site/PNRC/Chapters.aspx

RELIEF CENTERS:
La Salle Greenhills. Beginning 9am you may bring donations to Gate 2 of La Salle Greenhills, along Ortigas Avenue.

( More numbers and aid relief centers )

I really have to wonder how long I'm going to mourn Life. It's really ridiculous how I let the show get under my skin and even more ridiculous is how I'm unable to let go.

I don't even bother to watch the shows I used to watch or if I do I don't even bother to blog about.

I know Bones, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, and Castle are all awesome but... well, I don't feel the need to check them out. What is up with that?

More and more I feel myself drawn to the quiet slice of life dramas than the flashbang, snazzy series. Or, okay, I'm still drawn to them but not as much as I used to be all starry eyed about it.

It was the quiet character moments and the camaraderie between Crews and Reese that made me fall for Life and it was these moments the second season lacked IMHO. Especially when the showrunners and NBC decided to go for slick. It's a mistake they never really recovered from because for all it's procedural trappings Life really isn't a procedural.

It's more gentle and forgiving of human frailties and, a lot more hopeful than a regular cop show.

I suppose it's why I've turned to anime because there's surprisingly a lot of gentle slice of life anime dramas that's weaved together by a beautiful and haunting soundtrack.

In short, the first few paragraphs were part of my long winded introduction to Honey & Clover a two season anime series about art students in college.

Just that. No forces of darkness to fight, no giant robots on a rampage but students and teachers. People struggling to get by and finding some sort of meaning in their lives. It's bittersweet and funny with unrequited love and love triangles that don't make me want to scratch my eyes out because everyone is treated fairly and no one is a villain in the story.

It's one of the more affecting shows I've seen in a while and I couldn't believe how fast I was drawn into the character's lives, more, how fast I came to care for them. It's really amazing how manga/anime can build such a big cast but make everyone distinct and unforgettable. I particularly love the friendships formed and how the series show us the little moments that, as the series progresses become such a huge fabric of their lives.

--

( Sports Night - Season 1 & 2 )

--

( NCIS - Truth & Consequences )

--

( HIMYM )

I recently purchased the King of Attolia and I'm so very excited to start. I've heard nothing but good things about the book.

Speaking of queens I don't think I really talked about finishing Merlin. I've come to accept the changes and crack and tried to keep in mind that this was Arthur via Xena lenses.

( Merlin thoughts )

--

( NaNo writing thoughts, spoilers to Dune series )

--

I should also probably finish A Song of Ice and Fire especially with the upcoming miniseries (also, have you seen the cast? ( casting spoiler )

But the series is sooo unrelentingly grim!

I don't post as frequently as I used to. It's not that I lack time (although, that's an issue but not all the time) and I always think of posting but somehow... I never get to it. I mean, I have time to join fandomhigh (the most time consuming thing on the net next to TV Tropes, OMG!) but my posting frequency has gone down. I don't mean to but days would pass and I'd realize I haven't posted in a week/s.

I've consumed a lot of media since the start of August and I hope to write-up my impressions on the books, shows I've read/watched.

Let's start with the most recent.

Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

I started reading the books because I stumbled into lizbee's rec post on the Attolia trilogy. It's a bit spoilery but I think if I hadn't read the spoilery bits I would have continued to put the books in the back burner rather than go on a one woman book hunt for MWT's books.

(Sidenote: For some reason or other I always mistake Queen of Attolia for one of Tamora Pierce's books. I also plan to read TP's books one of these days.)

As a nice change of pace from all the fantasy series I've read, the Attolia books are set in the Mediterraneans, or something close to it since MWT's world is not our own. Actually, the only other book I know set in a similar are Guy Gavriel Kay's Sarantium duology.

Kay and MWT even share a similar way of handling the fantastic in their books. There's no outright magic but you know the fantastic and the mythic could occur in the stories.

( The adventures of Gen the Thief )

Queen of Attolia

This, this was the reason why I wanted to start in the first place. I read lizbee's description of the Queen and sort of... fell in love. Apparently I really do have a place in my heart for ruthless rulers.

(Okay, okay, my first thought was: ZOMG, It's like Azula as a main protagonist! Only maybe not so evil! They're really nothing alike but it was the impression I had when I read Attolia's description and like I mentioned, it was the main reason why I went around bookstores to get copies. So, yay?)

( You look like a vulpine )

--

I've entered several book stores in a hunt for the Attolia books and I only have one thing to say: I am pretty damned tired of vampires. I really, really am. Every book store I went to had vampire books on prominent display and I got pretty tired of looking at the same thing over and over and over again.

I like vampire stories as much as the next person but dammit, how about some variety, huh?

I blame Twilight for this.

--

NaNoWriMo is fast approaching again and I'm wondering if this is the year I actually get to finish a WriMo. One of my biggest problems aside from the worldbuilding is I don't write in order, I jump from scene to scene, sometimes I write a scene from the middle or sometimes I write the end and most of the time I don't know the plot. I mean, I try to plan for it but even if I do I find myself bogged down with the plotting because I suddenly realize I've plotted myself into a corner and I don't know how to proceed from there.

I have story ideas, lots of them but I don't know if it's enough to materialize into something.

--

BTW, the Endless Eight arc of Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya finally ended and while I'm pretty patient not all fans are and I really feel like they pushed this repetition arc too far although I suppose I understand why but I think eight is far too many for a repeating arc. I do appreciate the animation studio tried to put different scenes each time but I think there's a problem when even the director has expressed concerns about the number of episodes and was... summarily dismissed.

One thing watching and reading Haruhi Suzumiya taught me is that I can be spoiled for the ending of a story but I can still appreciate and be surprised by the journey towards the outcome maybe because of that I'm now a little more lax with spoilers. I mean, I can know the vague outlines of what will happen as long as I don't know the exact details of how the ending came to be.

I watched The Proposal and once it started I didn't stop laughing. Seriously, I'm still pondering how Ryan Reynolds got so hot. I remember him from the Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and while he was attractive then he wasn't this hot before.

He and Brian Austin Green should have a union or something.

--

I'm looking around some avatar communities and wow there's a lot of Zuko/Katara (no, you can't make me use that smush name) meta round there, it's like 90% is dedicated to that pairing and while I don't ship it, I understand why other people do and more power to them... but I'm really more interested in meta on the Fire Nation or world building or individual characters (especially Azula) and its disappointing that I only keep running into shipping metas which don't interest me at all.

I want some gen, I want people to talk about the politics in Avatar-verse, shipping wasn't the only thing in Avatar, y'know?

(I actually ran into a few 'Zhao is better than Azula because Zhao was a distinguished general not just a bitch' WHAT? WHO WOULD PREFER ZHAO OVER AZULA??? And Azula wasn't just a 'bitch' she was one of the most effective villains I've ever encountered in Western Animation! She is awesome personified!)

--

Taken from just about everyone in the FLIST:

Ask me about my top five fannish [whatever], any subject will do! I will write a list of said five things, brief (or long) descriptions optional.

On the day of President Cory's funeral my brother and I decided to meet her funeral cortege, which was a good thing because all morning I felt like I was letting history pass me by. We left after lunch and arrived on the road where the cortege was going to pass by when we arrived there were already people lining the streets wearing yellow shirts or yellow bandanas, some people were on the island and up on the trees all in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the late president's cortege.

The wait lasted for four hours and through all that time the crowd didn't thin or waver even though the rain kept pouring down on us but it was worth the wait when the cortege finally arrived. It was a strange feeling watching the flatbed truck carrying President Cory's body just a few feet away from me. The four soldiers standing guard where steady as a rock despite standing there for nine hours straight and they seemed unfazed as everyone waved the LABAN sign at them, chanting Cory's name.

I mean, the cortege was right there, a few feet from me! My feet hurt, I was a little soaked from the constant downpour but it seemed small compared to what I actually witnessed, it felt great sharing this moment with so many people. People I don't even know but there was a feeling of camaraderie and joy at that moment. It wasn't just about mourning then, it felt like a celebration.

When we got home my family immediately tuned in to the last rites ceremony and it was all so moving, it felt like it was the end of an era. The era where a generation braved and fought against tyranny and won through an amazing peaceful rally, a rally led by this woman who considered herself 'just a housewife' and rose to the occasion and became the leader of our nation.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop now and it's been a few days after the funeral but I could still see the yellow ribbons. Once again, paalam at salamat, Tita Cory.


A few photos taken that day:
( a thousand words to say )

Today, is the day President Corazon 'Cory' Aquino will be laid to rest. I think this was the first time a Philippine President ever had a state funeral this grand. It's pouring cats and dogs and still there are people lining the streets, carrying yellow ribbons waiting for Cory's funeral procession to pass by.

Last week, as people got word of Cory's worsening condition, yellow ribbons started to appear everywhere as a sign of solidarity with the former president. And when I mean every where I mean from Luzon to Visayas and even to Mindanao.

Cory was a symbol of democracy in the Philippines, the person who helped realize democracy from a dictator. She's been that way as long as I could remember.

My first memory of Cory was during the anniversary of the People Power Revolution, she was wearing her signature yellow dress, her glasses, hand flashing as she made the 'L' sign of the LABAN political party and I remember most of all, her stinging snarky comments against Imelda Marcos, the surviving wife of Marcos.

Cory's death is still something I'm trying to process especially with the way I learned her death, I think it was around 5 AM and I was sound asleep suddenly my brother started screaming: 'MOM, CORY'S DEAD!'

Not really one of the best ways to learn and I guess that's why its taking me a while to process it.

I'm not out in the crowd, even though her final resting place is only 15 minutes away, mostly because as I'm watching the TV now the crowd is stretching from the Manila Cathedral to Manila Memorial Park (Paranaque City) and that's... really, really far. This is a testament of Cory's magic. Her ability to bring people together at moment's notice.

I feel like I'm missing on history, just sitting here.

Cory's body is being carried in a float filled with yellow flowers with a reprsentative from the police, the armed forces, the navy and the airforce on each side and that's not counting all the people following along on foot. In the pouring rain.

I don't think Cory ever expected this when she first married an up and coming politician, Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino that she'd ever have this much impact on the Philippine history, much less become the first female president of the Philippines.

I'll be the first to admit that her administration wasn't perfect, it had a lot of missteps and it was constantly plagued by coups from a military used to getting its way. But she was the symbol for change at that time, the one who brought hope to a hopeless Philippine scene.

Now, the APO Hiking Society are singing, one of the popular singing groups active during the revolution.

Looking at the people now, with yellow confetti streaming down and everyone in their yellow shirts, with their yellow ribbons and flashing the 'L' signs it's a familiar scene from the old days.. Almost all cars have yellow ribbons tied on the cars, our cars even had one (unfortunately my dad's not very good tying ribbons and the ribbons were lost).

Rest in Peace, Tita Cory, you changed history.

Guys, guys! Y'all know how conflicted I feel about the Tenth Doctor and that I might even go as far as to say that I really dislike him. And I was sad because I thought that extended to David Tennant. I recently learned, this is NOT the case!

Zap2It posted an embedded Tennant 40 second video interview.

And I couldn't progress with the video because there's this point where Tennant looks directly at the Camera, DIRECTLY and raises an eyebrow and I suddenly turn into a giggly fangirl! I feel like he's looking right at me. I haven't progressed past that! I try to but I end up pausing the video right at that point and giggling.

I CANNOT DEAL. HALP!

If you don't believe me, look for yourself:

I don't know if anyone still recalls but I mentioned something about posting a few snippets on the WIP I'm currently working on. It's post-One, Crews and Reese, gen with a wee hint of Crews/Reese.

So, here it be, cribbing a little from nwhepcat's posting style:



( Charlie liked mornings in Los Angeles )

Two posts about Dollhouse back-to-back, I couldn't believe it myself.

Seriously, why are the unaired episodes of Dollhouse awesome?

Epitaph One is the unaired episode guest starring Felicia Day, the episode was filmed and created as the supposed season finale for the first season but was never aired by Fox network.

( Burn your house down )

Most unaired pilots I've seen are not that good BtVS's unaired pilot and from what I've seen and gleaned from the script Life's unaired pilot kind of sucked.

There's the other end of the spectrum where the unaired pilots are actually quite good. And then there's the odd duck where the unaired pilot is actually better than the one aired.

Dollhouse's unaired pilot falls in the third category. No, really. It's actually better than the script I read.

Dear Ashes to Ashes,


Thank you so for much for making my head explode. It's not like I needed it or anything.


Love,

Me

I've been reading some reactions to Torchwood the recent miniseries seemed to divide fandom. But I'm still in the same place regarding it. I mean, it did good for Torchwood but it suffered from RTD's finale syndrome a lot.


( More thoughts on the miniseries )


Then there's the fans who're sending out death threats to James Moran (the other writer of the miniseries). Stop it, fandom!


I have serious issues against the series but c'mon that's going a bridge too far!

This entry was originally posted at http://grimorie.dreamwidth.org/87027.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

The thing with Torchwood is I have a very conflicted relationship with it. Season 2 improved a bit better than season 1 when they finally realized all the sex doesn't make it edgy and adult.

Then I heard good things about the miniseries so I decided to try it out.

( CoE 1-5 )

Reply to this meme by yelling "Words!" and I will give you five words that remind me of you. Then post them in your LJ and explain what they mean to you. These are the words given to me by

redbrunja:

( the Queen icon, show called 'Life', Western Media, current news, goblins )

unicorn23

( Philippines, Crews/Reese, Veronica Mars, Lord of the Rings, anime )

firthgal

( Anime, Philippines, BtVS, Dani Reese, Los Angeles )

--

I finished Ashes to Ashes season 1.

( here are incoherent spoilers )

--

I'm thinking... I might try snippeting the Life continuation story I'm thinking about, ala nwphcat's style. Its set post-finale and gen, I don't know if I'll turn it into a series (sort of a virtual s3) but I do have some idea how I'll like some things will go.

What do you guys think?

I have a few series lined up for watching and reading. Ashes to Ashes continues to give me joy but the *ahem*-ing is slow. I'm also practicing sketching which I am also pants at and I feel like my attempt at graphic design are so stale. So basically work = not so good.

( Basara vol. 1 - 27 )

--

( Nana vol. 1-13 )

--

Slayers: Knight of the Aqua Lord by Hajime Kanzaka

I recently read an interview with the creator of Naruto, Masahi Kishimoto, I understood before this that he has trouble understanding female characters. I didn't realize to how big of an extent until I read the interview.

I don't understand why he can't relate to his female creations as characters. Female writers can write from a male POV (both in fandom and professionally) and vice versa. And if it's a cultural thing I'll only have to point to Norihiro Yagi, creator of the fantastic Claymore series and to Hajime Kanzaka. Particularly Kanzaka who has been writing Lina Inverse since the 90s.

Lina Inverse is a great character, a heroine who depends on her wits, skill and absolute belief in herself. She's pragmatic and very genre savvy, she loves food and money and could be counted on to save the world a dozen times over (and then, its quite possible she'll bill you for that). She's also a savvy merchant as she'll tell you herself.

And after reading one light novel I like her even better.

So, it's no surprise I love Knight of the Aqua Lord too. KoAL is an alternate version of season 3, which, I admit I like better than the one that aired (only we don't get to see Xellos and Filia) but Kanzaka introduces us to a wonderful set of characters, their quirks and a cracking good adventure.

( KoAl vol. 4 )

--

My brother watched Terminator: Salvation and liked it and then I introduced him to The Sarah Connor Chronicles and fell absolutely in love with the series. He's now raging at the cancellation and waxing poetic about Summer Glau's Cameron. It's kind of cute.