RhymePhile's Rat Race

So Torchwood fandom continues to explode.

One of the reasons is a blog post from one of the Children of Earth writers, James Moran.

( A meta-ish opinion on the world of TV writers vs. the net behind the cut )

( Final thoughts on the five nights of Children of Earth. Discussion of the whole thing, actually. Avoid if you don't want to know what happens )

I have finally, finally finished this story.

It was originally started two years ago (!) in answer to a lyrics challenge prompt. I would type a little, abandon it, come back, get discouraged, write a little more...you writers know the drill. I hated having something languishing all this time. So I finished it.

The lyrics prompt is from the song "Trigger Happy Jack" by Poe.

And I hate myself
Just enough to want him
But I hate him
Just enough to get off
But I understand him
Maybe I'm just crazy enough
To love him

Title: "Another Time, Another Place"
Author: rhymephile
Pairing: Eddie Drake and Chris Keller, Wanted and Oz crossover
Rating: R for language and sexual themes
Timeline: Set after Tobias Beecher is paroled in Oz
Word count: 4,500
Summary: U.S. Marshal Eddie Drake faces off against the manipulative con Chris Keller. A straight-forward interrogation turns into something more than Eddie expected.

( Another Time, Another Place )

( I won't even bother to put anything outside of the cut. Lots of angry within )

This post has spoilers, but I covered up what I was talking about with a spoiler field. Highlight to read.

I'm going to watch Torchwood: Children of Earth again when it premieres on BBC America in two weeks, to 1) enjoy it in HD, and 2) BE ABLE TO TURN ON CLOSED CAPTIONS.

( And I stuck this behind a cut anyway )

First, thanks to everyone who came to the rescue yesterday! I love my Flist.

Here's a few thoughts about Day One.

( This is more meta about Jack and Ianto than anything and how I think their relationship should be addressed. Barely any spoilers, really. )

Heh, I made a joke in the subject header.

It's really because it's the start of Torchwood miniseries week, "Children of Earth." Please be good WHOO. I've been looking forward to it. My GF is a HUGE Janto shipper and was literally *bouncing* the entire time we listened to the third audio drama this weekend. She's super excited. All she does is read Janto fic. Seriously. It's all-consuming.

I'm hoping to find a good download tonight, specifically from a user by the name of Mad Martha. Her versions of past Torchwood episodes have been excellent. I hope she uploads tonight. I hate that BBC America has decided to wait TWO FREAKING WEEKS before they air it. WTF? Don't they realize some of us have friends everywhere? We want to see it!

I also rode my bike into work today for the first time. It wasn't super scary, but biking in Manhattan is still a study in anxiety and stress. Getting from Grand Central to the West Side at 16th St was challenging. Considering I hadn't really ridden the bike all that much since I bought it, I think I did okay. I'll get better as the summer goes on. It was a relief not to have to deal with the piss-scented subway for a change (and save $2.25 a trip, GAH, price increase!).

I hope everyone enjoys Torchwood tonight and uses cut tags tomorrow!

TV Guide Magazine has an exclusive interview with Meloni about the contract negotiations for another two seasons of SVU. You can read the whole thing here.

Side note to any Supernatural fans avoiding spoilers: Don't look at the top left corner of the page! Dammit!

I will cut and paste the quote I thought the most notable, which was this:

TV Guide: Were the fans with you and Mariska during the negotiations?

Meloni: [snip] The vast majority believe money's not the issue. They were like "These are guys who are workers. And if they’re in a position to get as much as they can for the work that they do, good for them." And then there’s the other side that I'll call the "playa haters," who begrudged and were very upset that we should ask to get paid what we thought was at the very least fair market value.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAA OMG MELONI. SHUT UP. There are people who have lost their homes, their jobs, and can't afford to feed themselves or their families and you're bitching about MORE MONEY FOR ONE SINGLE EPISODE THAN PEOPLE SEE IN THEIR LIFETIMES??? LOLOLOLOL! SHUT UP AGAIN.

Damn, it feels good to be a playa hater. WTF? Really?

And y'know what Mr. Meloni? I think it's time we broke up. It was a sweet ride with highs, lows, sexy thoughts, and much obsessiveness in between, but I feel I've outgrown you. I think I will move on to more healthy TV relationships, and we'll both be happier for it. Oh, now, don't cry. You still have your $8.8 million and your other devoted fans. You won't miss me.

I'll continue to hold Oldskool Elliot and Chris Keller in my heart of hearts though, because good characters are forever. Someday I might even watch you in other things, to think back about the good days.

But really, it's not me, it's you. And don't bother sending flowers. This is better for both of us.

So, Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni brokered a deal with Universal/NBC to stay on Law & Order: There Are No Scripts That Make Sense Anymore for another two years.

I officially gave up with SVU after that stupid-ass "Stabler gets shot and then the squad saves a monkey in a basketball" episode last year. Good LORD, what are they smoking to write that shit? Honestly.

Apparently they both asked for work "flexibility" to be worked into their contracts. I guess that means more guest stars while the scripts mention Stabler and Benson being in court, huh? Whatevs.

I covered my opinion on these contract talks once already, but to know that they'll be making $8.8 MILLION for an average of 22 episodes a season is astounding. There was no way Universal was going to risk losing them, no matter what the suits say. They can't be replaced, and it's about the only drama on NBC that continually makes money. No way they're going to recast. They'll pay out the nose.

But the unique thing about a contract is that they get paid even if they're not in an episode.

I hope they're worth it. Buy a couple more houses, guys! I won't be watching anymore. They should be using that money for frickin' writers.

I purposely recorded and uploaded this video just so I could make this post!

Have you seen the new commercial by Dell advertising the candy-colored Inspiron laptop? It uses the song "Lollipop" popularized by the 50s group The Cordettes. If you haven't seen it, take a look.



Okay, you watched it?

Now, I bet you didn't see a curious moment at the beginning of the commercial...which is why I uploaded it. Watch it again and tell me why the room is dark at first, and then tell me WHY THE SECOND WORKER GUY POPS UP FROM BENEATH THE FIRST WORKER GUY AND THEN FASTENS HIS OVERALLS. What was he doing down there I wonder? You know where my dirty mind went.

This is what happens when you view the world with slash goggles.

Although I wasn't a fan, I still mourn the passing of Michael Jackson. In my opinion, this man virtually defined the '80s, both musically and visually, for many of us that grew up in that decade (and who weren't influenced by other musical styles of the generation).

My brother and I knew his Thriller album from front to back, even the Vincent Price voiceover at the end of the song "Thriller." In fact, my 7-year-old brother Moonwalked and did a whole Michael Jackson dance during the party for his Communion back in 1984.

He was influential in shaping a huge part of what made pop music so popular back then.

Jackson also changed the way we watched music, with videos that focused on special effects and multi-million dollar budgets to dazzle and amaze.

"Thriller" became a mini-movie in itself, with fantastic costuming and makeup. "Billie Jean" featured those totally cool light-up sidewalk blocks -- and who among us hasn't imitated walking down a checkerboard tile floor and wished they lit up? "Black and White" had those beautiful synchronized dance moves and the birth of the morphing visual effect. And "Beat It" is simply a classic, hands down.

Whatever controversies attributed to Jackson in recent years should not eclipse his greatness. He was kinda weird, true, and was deluged by scandals, but that's not uncommon for any child who grew up in the public eye. I think he had a rather sad life, to be honest.

The impact of his death makes me wistful for the '80s, when all I really had to worry about was cartoons, learning to breakdance, and coming home in time for supper.

I feel a true sense of loss at his passing.

A very Happy Birfday to one of the sweetest people out there, the dear maddiec24. I hope you have a healthy and happy year ahead, babes!

I missed colleendetroit's birfday yesterday due to robot pirate ninjas, so I'm making up for it. I hope this coming year is much better than the last, sweetie.

During last week's repeat of the Supernatural episode "Monster Movie" (which I admittedly had on in the background and was sorta paying attention to, because I dislike that ep) the CW aired a promo for Season 4, which was the winning entry made by kookiemonster11 for Supernatural's Making the Cut promo competition, as seen here. I recorded it in high quality and you can see it behind the cut. It's less than a minute long.

( Supernatural Season 4 summer promo in high quality )

Hey kids out there in Supernatural-loving land!

If you love spoilers for the upcoming Season 5 and you plan on posting uncut spoilers to your journal, please let me know so I can put you on a filter.

Everyone has their way of dealing with spoilers, and if you like posting them in your journal free for discussion, that's cool with me. But I'd rather not know one single thing about Season 5, be it character spoilers, casting spoilers, or pretty much anything, really.

Thus, please let me know your opinion on how you like to use spoilers on your personal LJ, and for some of you I shall see you in September, no hard feelings.

Through links of links, I have two new time-killers: Neatorama and Mental Floss. YAYZ.

It was posted a few days ago and I'm sure many have already read it, but here's an interesting article: 8 Starship Enterprise Facts That Every Trekker Should Know.

If the new one is playing at home I'm going to take my mom. I know it's Father's Day coming up, but my dad prefers to sit in front of the TV yelling at the guys who host fishing shows, telling them they're doing everything wrong.

My father hates sports and has never watched football, or baseball, or anything of that sort. His thing is hunting and fishing shows, Saints preserve us. There's only so many times I can watch some dude with a Southern accent catch bass, y'know?

I hope everyone has a pleasant Father's Day this weekend, whether you are celebrating with your dad, or remembering him. In my case, I hope he's not in a shitty mood, because I'm staying at my parents' for the weekend.

ETA -- Facebook lament from my mother: "Facebook: Everybody added me as a friend.....I only wanted to see photos!!!"

ZOMG BORED. You ever have those days where you've clicked on your Flist like a hundred times and there are no new updates, and you've read your blogs and you've refreshed everything that can be refreshed yet you are STILL BORED? This is where I am.

This is usually where I ask for a writing prompt, but it's almost 2 p.m. and I'm sure all of you are off doing more important worky things or sitting down to tea maybe if you're across the Pond. Aren't you all also sick of my Supernatural obsession? I apologize. It owns me.

Anybody have some good time-killing blogs?

In other news, I've subjected my GF to the season finale of Supernatural, because I subjected her to the episode before that, and I conceivably convinced her she needed to know what happened. However, she DOES NOT CARE ABOUT MY BOYS, which, y'know, makes my heart hurt. *sigh*

But, this transpired last night:

GF: What's your boyfriend's real name again?

Me: Jensen Ackles

GF: *perplexed look* Jansen?

Me: No, Jensen.

GF: Jam Spackles!



Now I'm going to think of him by that name!

She makes up nicknames for all my TV characters. Col. Saul Tigh from Battlestar Galactica was "Billy One-Eye." Admiral Adama was "Stand And Deliver." Paul Adelstein from Prison Break's Seasons 1 and 2 was "Mr. Puffy Face."

And I tease her that her TV boyfriend, Gareth David-Lloyd from Torchwood really only has three first names.

I know I'm not supposed to cheer for the bad guys in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, considering He Who Shall Not Be Named killed his parents and I read all the books and cried every time he looked in the Mirror of Erised or conjured his Patronus that was the same as his father's and Gryffindor!, honor!, destiny!, hero!, blah blah blah.

But every time I walk through the Times Square subway connection I keep seeing Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy on the posters and I get this little squee because he looks so ominous. The poster I refer to is here with my other fave Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in the background. Now if they could have added teh sex Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, all would be right with the (go Death Eaters!) world. Yes, yes, I know he's in Azkaban in the sixth book. I don't care.

All the posters I see every morning are here. They have them all put together one after the other in the station, so everybody's looking at each other.

This is going to be the most bizarre "look what I found on the web" via clicked links EVER.

I knew about Misha Collins' Twitter feed, and I hadn't read it since he escaped the bunker by turning the doorknob the right way. He's Twittering this bizarre tale, starring himself. It's easier to read it than try to explain it (calicokat reminded me of the feed earlier today).

Anyway, in one of his Tweets he mentioned Alyssa Milano and linked to her Twitter. LOL, I thought, let's see what she has to say.

She in turn linked to this really interesting post on Mental Floss, where blogger Chris Higgins discovered a website filled with Polaroid photo images from 1979 to 1997.

Turns out this guy named Jamie Livingston took a Polaroid photo of himself, his friends, his surroundings in New York City or wherever he was traveling, every single day from 1979-1997. He was a cinematographer and music video editor, and his photos show his daily life. Sometimes the photos show common scenes of his apartment, or images of the television, or street scenes.

You can visit the website to see all the photos.

But what's most remarkable about this is that the entire project is a memorial. Skip ahead to 1997, and you will see photos of Livingston in the hospital, after having had surgery. He's had surgery on his brain, as you can see a huge stapled scar on his head.

Within five months of that photo, the final image is of Livingston on his deathbed.

To learn about the whole project and why it was done, visit Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn and learn how his friends took digital photos of the original Polaroids and displayed all 6,000+ photos at Bard College in NY, Livingston's alma mater.

It's amazing to click randomly and see what was going on in the world on that date -- we see a newspaper reporting the death of Princess Diana in one photo for example, and the 1986 World Series was captured via photographs of the TV. It's also a remarkable study of one man's life, however fleeting.

Absolutely worth a look.

I'll be 35 this year. I consider myself a fangirl: writing fic, loving characters, collecting toys, buying merchandise. I like what I like and in the past I focused on things (eating, sleeping, breathing X-Files for years), but never, ever, NEVER have I seen something like this.

It's an Italian-made (I think, guessing by the titles) video mash-up of fans' YouTube reactions to the trailer of the new sparklevampire Twilight film, New Moon. Gawker did a post on it.

First, watch the trailer:



Next, the fan reaction mash-up:




WHAT THE FUCK, world? Really? Jebus, I bet it's like this in most fandoms, and if I were a star, I would never show up for cons or public appearances. It's frightening. (Also, most of those girls look like they could kick Cedric Diggory Robert Pattinson's ass.)

This is also part of the reason I've retired the going-to-cons thing. It's too damn scary out there, fer realz.