yonmei

04:14 pm: Words
These are words whatho associates with me. (None of them are omelettes.) If you want words, say "Words!" in comments.

( China, soup, Edinburgh, activism, Mulcahy )



Tags: childhood nostalgia, edinburgh, m*a*s*h, meme, slow cooker, soup, travel

11:01 am: Five Favourite TV series
Meme gacked from alixtii: Pick five of your favourite shows, in no particular order, before you read the below questions, then answer them!

1. Blake's 7
2. Doctor Who
3. M*A*S*H
4. House
5. West Wing

( Q&A )



Tags: blake's 7, doctor who, fannishness, house md, hugh laurie, lists, m*a*s*h, meme, slash, someone died, tv addiction, west wing

10:14 pm: Zulu said Fred
1. What is your greatest ambition 1) for today, 2) for the month, 3) for the year?

1.1 For today: to compile the email bulletin. 1.2 For June or for July? I could be perverse and say June, which would be the same as for today, wouldn't it? For July: to launch my new website effectively, and to finish writing the latest fanfic. Or I'll get killed. 1.3 To get my photoblogging back on line and to cope with work without losing track of home.

2. You can change one law. What is it, and what does it become?

I would amend the 1975 Marriage Act so that same-sex couples could get married. Oh, that's awfully serious. I would change the Hollywood Law that makes it impossible to have two women talking to each other about plot stuff instead of teh menz, and so from now on all films and TV series would pass the Bechdel Test. Is that too frivolous? I think I want to repeal the law of gravity, so that we can all fly whenever we want to.

3. What's your favourite website to visit?

I wondered how to answer this one. xkcd because it always makes me smile? www.guardian.co.uk because I habitually turn to it for news? insanejournal.com or redbubble or feministsf - the blog for obvious reasons?

No, I think in all honesty it's much simpler than that: www.google.com. Sorry.

4. What's something you are or have been fannish about, and how would you pimp it?

Depends what it was. If Blake's 7, probably start with fanfic, and move on to episodes only when actually begged to do so. If Star Trek, probably begin and end with fanfic, plus maybe carefully selected bits of episodes that are genuinely OK, mostly because Spock and McCoy are gazing into each other's eyes. If ST:tng, I'd probably try to start off with "Chain of Command", because that's certainly what hooked me, or possibly just all the Picard/Q episodes. Especially the one where Q licks Picard's ear. Or the one where Q and Picard are tucked up naked in bed together. If The Professionals, same technique as for B7. If MacGyver, make them watch the Murdoc episodes until sufficiently convinced this is the primary pairing, then introduce them to the sincere yet limited M/M fanfic. If M*A*S*H... well, who could fail to melt at the thought of Hawkeye/Mulcahy? They're just too adorable.

5. Beanie caps: height of fashion, or accessory disaster?

Disaster. That was easy.

You know the rules: if you want to be interviewed, ask me!




Tags: bechdel, being queer, blake's 7, fanfic, fred, m*a*s*h, redbubble, star trek

08:47 pm: Copracat asked Fred
copracat asked fred questions (you can too):

1. Were you happy satisfied with the final episode of M.A.S.H.?

Yes, on the whole. It did not wrap it up too nicely: it was raw and bloody and embarrassing in places. Awful things happened to the wrong people. It was satisfying to me as a writer, in a way that too nice a way of ending it would not be. (Structurally, one of the peculiarly neat things about it is that every single character who is named in the opening credits leaves the 4077th by a different method of transport - none of them go together, but also none of them leave in the same way.)


2. Best onions for caramelised onion/onion relish?

The ones you have in the house, because it's way too meta to use the ones you don't have. Whatever. Really. I like onions.


3. You never post about the Edinburgh festivals in July/August; I wondered if you object to them or if you just don't care?

I have no objection to them, really. It's just... I've lived here all my life, well, 90% of it. Every year in August, the city goes slightly insane. Back once a long time ago - twenty years - it used to be entirely possible for anyone, during the Festival, to just spontaneously go look something up and go - tickets would be dirt cheap, concessions were half price (so a show that charged £5 to get in fullprice would be £2.50 if you were under 16, or a student, or unemployed, or a pensioner) and you could take a chance on something that sounded interesting because what did you risk? Nowadays tickets cost £10 and upwards, concessions mean getting £1 off, and anything good is fully booked unless you queue up well in advance. I still go to see something or other most years - last year I went to see RiK in Wyrd Sisters - but it's not something I plan out any more. I do take photographs - you can see some of them from last year - but I don't tend to write about it much, or often, not because I approve or disapprove, but mostly because... I rarely see anything I care about enough to make it the subject of a post, I guess. (Update: No, it's not even that - the Festival(s) in August are just there. Like Arthur's Seat: too big to ignore, but I don't generally write about it much.)


4. Tea Cosy: Yes or No?

If you make tea in a pot, yes. If you make tea in a mug, no.


5. Tell me something you've learned from photography.

That I can share what I see in other ways that by writing about it, and that sharing is almost as satisfying as writing it out.




Tags: edfringe, fred, m*a*s*h, photos, tea

11:40 am: Charles Emerson Winchester the Third
David Ogden Stiers just came out. Whee!

Tags: being queer, m*a*s*h

07:12 pm: The character list meme
The list of characters





( Copracat asked: Why do birds sing? )

( Copracat asked: Don't you regret betraying her? )

( Magpyr asked: If 3 could go back in time, what is the one thing they would change about their life? )

( Magpyr asked: What is 5's favorite food? )

( Magpyr asked: If 7 were to be a dog, what breed would they be? )

( MuninnHuginn asked: Number 13, what is the length of a piece of string? )

( MuninnHuginn asked: Number 6, was it 'in the greenhouse with the conductors baton' or 'the downstairs loo with a grand piano'? )

( EileenLufkin asked: 2&11: do they fight each other, fight crime, or have hot sex? )

( EileenLufkin asked: Question for number four; 1, 8, and 9; cliff, marry, shag? )

( Ruthi asked: 1 and 7, how do they save the world, and from what? )

( 12, 14, and 15, on finding themselves ignored )

Tags: babylon 5, blake's 7, books are what i read, dr who, highlander, house md, m*a*s*h, macgyver, shakespeare, slash slash slashity slash, star trek

06:10 pm: "Sweet, but sick."


omg♥♥♥♥♥ Loretta Swit on the Muppet Show!



Tags: dragon eggs need clicky, m*a*s*h, muppet show, omg hearts

08:08 pm: Redemption: originality...
I'm sitting in the "It's not SF but I like it", thinking about the past panel (the last one I moderated) on originality - why are there no more original TV series/movies?

And, sadly, we concluded: it's not just the accountants, it's because to a certain extent no one wants all original, all the time: we all want to just veg out in front of something we expect: and this fits surprisingly well into the discussion of what we like when we're not watching SF/F.

Which is: West Wing, House, Due South, The Professionals, M*A*S*H, Spooks, Northern Exposure - genre shows with a big overlap between their fans and SF/F fans.

Time Team, Ajay points out. Mythbusters, Victorian Farm...

(I also said: Have I Got News For You, As Time Goes By, and the novels of Jane Austen.)





Tags: house md, m*a*s*h, redemption, west wing

10:35 am: How much do I love Alan Alda?
From Edge.org’s World Question Centre:

From: "George W. Bush" <address restricted>
To: "John Brockman" <address restricted>
Subject: Science Advisor
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002

Dear John,

I appreciate your taking the time to recommend the appointment of Alan Alda to be my next science advisor and I am pleased to hear of his interest in the position.

I am impressed with the resume of Dr. Alda which you sent earlier. Could you please ask him to prepare a memo which answers the following question:

"What are the pressing scientific issues for the nation and the world, and what is your advice on how I can begin to deal with them?"

In addition to obvious issues that have dominated the headlines during my first two years in office, I would hope to hear about less obvious scientific issues as well.

I need the memo by the end of December.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

GWB

In response:

Dear Mr. President,

I think there may have been a terrible mistake. I'm not a scientist.

Worse than that, I'm an actor. So, I don't know how I got recommended to you as a candidate for science advisor. Possibly, someone felt that if we could let an actor be president without major damage beyond a trillion or two, why not science advisor? But, I'm also a writer who has a lifelong interest in science, and I host the PBS program Scientific American Frontiers, and I have played Richard Feynman on the stage, so I can see where the confusion might have arisen.

If you choose to name me as your advisor on scientific matters, I would consider it my duty not to turn you down, but I think it only fair to let you know the kind of advice I'm liable to give you. (read the rest)

Tags: m*a*s*h, omg hearts

03:25 pm: Class on TV
I am still thinking about a comment alixtii made on her journal. Just out of interest, what's your impression, imaginary Internet people, of the difference between class representation on British TV and American TV?

Never mind (for the moment) how you yourself define upper, middle, and working class: what shows currently (or historically) on British TV portrayed which classes, and which ones did you watch? And what is the difference between this and American TV?

Tags: blake's 7, bob, class, doctor who, fannishness, m*a*s*h, tv addiction

01:02 am: 10 flash fiction stories - late, argh!
Yes, yes, I suck. Sorry. I got distracted Christmas Day and couldn't focus to do flashfic, and with one thing and another have been getting distracted ever since - until tonight, when...

As requested, following a longstanding tradition:

( Moonflowerz, Xena, familiar )


( Jekesta, M*A*S*H, frame )


( Whatho, West Wing, headache )


( Melancharisbron, Mary Sue )


( Plasticsturgeon, ballad, heather )


( Bubosquared, Mickey/Jake, rain )


( Strangerian, Georgette Heyer, stranger )


( rainherder, Lord of the Rings, femur )


( solar_boat, Blake's 7, Library )


( ruthi, Ninth Doctor, duck )

Tags: blake's 7, brokeback mountain, christmas day stories, doctor who, dr who, flashfic, georgette heyer, m*a*s*h, star trek, tolkien, west wing, xena

10:13 pm: Fantasy Pirate League
jekesta did it, and she got it from tiniago. We should all do it and then we'd have a Fantasy Pirate Fleet. Which will sail round livejournal being swashbuckling and everything and talking pirate talk and taking prisoners and loot and everything!

( My Fantasy Pirate League )

Tags: blake's 7, discworld, georgette heyer, jane austen, m*a*s*h, macgyver, pirates, running away to sea, silly memes, star trek

02:39 pm: The Timberlake/Mulcahy popslash thing
I said: "You've got me liking ... popslash ...what will happen next?" (in response to this series).
flambeau asked: "You'll start writing Mulcahy/Timberlake?"

( There were a lot of army bases in Korea )

flambeau:

*loves you madly*

I'm not sure which one of us is going to be struck by lightning for this, but: wheeeeee!

( The mess tent was full of people, wandering around, drinking a peculiar-looking punch. )

flambeau:

*dies*

*is dead*

(Oh, dear. Maybe it was for me.)

Tags: *bounce*, fanfic, m*a*s*h

11:25 pm: 10 flash fiction stories
As requested, following a longstanding tradition:

( Spacefall, Blake's 7 )

( Foreverdirt, West Wing/Star Trek/Drop the Dead Donkey )

( Nerdcakes, Star Trek )

( Shoshanna, Highlander/Next Gen )

( Derryderrydown, Professionals )

( Whatho, M*A*S*H )

( Angelofthenorth, Harry Potter )

( Melata_fic, Discworld )

( Thette, Buffy the Vampire Slayer )

( Coyotegoth, Harry Potter )

( Bugshaw, hamster )

Tags: bible, blake's 7, christmas day stories, discworld, flashfic, harry potter, m*a*s*h, professionals, star trek, west wing, write write write, yuletide

01:08 pm: Meme: Five Characters
Five Characters I Want To Punch in the Face. Or rather bitch-slap, since it seems more appropriate somehow. (nicked from snowgrouse)

The one thing all five of these characters have in common is a smug self-satisfaction - a certainty that they're in the right and they are the centre of the universe. *eyes the line-up* Some of them, of course, with more justification than others. And any pain they might cause is nothing because they didn't feel it themselves.

None of them are outright villains. I tend to find outright villains either not interesting enough to slap around, or so painfully interesting I want to vivisect them slowly and in public, not just bitch-slap.

( my five )

Tags: blake's 7, buffy, house md, i watch tv obsessively, lists, m*a*s*h, meme meme meme, star trek

08:33 am: Rants the fifth and sixth: Marion Zimmer Bradley and Hawkeye/Mulcahy
Back to the at your own risk meme...

For plasticsturgeon: ( Marion Zimmer Bradley )

For siggen1: ( the lack of Hawkeye/Mulcahy fic )

Tags: m*a*s*h, marion zimmer bradley, rants

10:24 am: St Aelred wrote
Anyone know of an online text of Speculum Caritatis (The mirror of charity) or De spirituali Amicitia (On the Spiritual Friendship)? A translation with both English and Latin would be ideal. (What little Latin I ever learned is very, very rusty.)

Tags: m*a*s*h, write write write

08:25 am: Birthday blues
Gosh, I'm 38.

This is not the way I'd have chosen to feel on my 38th birthday (tired, post-flu-y, and heading into work) but Ajay is coming round later on today, her official birthday mission to cheer me up, and I'm sure she'll manage. (We usually do think of something. Father Mulcahy in pon farr. That kind of thing.)

I have absolutely nothing planned in the way of food: anyone want to recommend a good take-away place? (They have to deliver to my home, so no fair taunting me with your ideal place on Mars or in Machu Picchu.)

Getting early morning birthday wishes from pinkdormouse and glitterboy1 was lovely, though. Thank you!

Tags: birthday, m*a*s*h

12:19 pm: Some questions troubling my mind
1. If both your eardrums are ruptured, what - if anything - can you still hear?

2. If you can lip-read, can you lip-read from someone's face reflected in a mirror?

3. If you were looking to get hired as a teacher by a New York public school in the 1950s, what qualifications would you need?

4. How long does it take to become fluent in ASL, if you begin as an adult?

5. Where could I find a good history of the New York School for the Deaf?

6. Is anyone reading this a Catholic with a familiarity with pre-Vatican II Catholicism who wouldn't mind reading a story I'm writing and telling me what's wrong with it?

Tags: m*a*s*h, writing

12:02 pm: That puts a wet sock on my happiness
This morning I walked to work through the dew-laden grass of Victoria Park.

I haven't sprayed my trainers with the waterproofing stuff (why not? you ask. Because I didn't think about it, I mutter grumpily: we were having lovely hot weather when I bought them) and anyway the fabric upper has already worn into a tiny hole, which is an utter pain since the damn things cost £60 and are less than six months old. No, I didn't keep the receipt. Yes, I should have done.

Anyway. As a result, when I got to work, my socks were wet. Damp. Icky. So were my shoes, but stuffed with newspaper (I stopped at a newsagent on my way up the road and bought a copy of the Guardian - for once, yes, for the sports section, though I do plan to read the news-and-views part over lunch) they have pretty much dried out.

The socks, though: Ack. The radiators are switched off (well, it's summer). We are not high-tec enough to have hand-dryers. I have been wandering around the office barefoot because I cannot bear the thought of putting my tootsies back into those cold, disgusting socks.

I shall have to, though. Pity Poundstretchers on Elm Row is closed down: they sold reliably cheap socks. It will have to be the hiking shop or the army-and-navy surplus: I can't think of any other sock shops within handy walking distance. And I really would rather buy dry socks to wear than walk around in damp socks for the rest of the day. [But I didn't have to, because the wonderful brandnewgun nicked a pair of socks from her girlfriend to lend to me. Happy dry feet!]

But I made chewy gingerbread cookies last night, and I wrote 500 words or so of "Out and Far Tonight", and another 500 words or so this morning when I got up, and am feeling indecently happy, altogether, apart from those disgusting damp socks that I shall have to put on in fifteen minutes or so.

Tags: friendship, m*a*s*h, weather, writing