Grey Bard's Journal

2:28AM - Horrible thoughts

12:46AM - Open letter to Paramount

Dear Paramount,

So. You have made the *brilliant* business decision that what you *really* needed to do to sell more Star Trek: the Original Series dvds and syndication rights is to spend squillionty dollars converting all the lovely period effects into state of the art boring CGI.

(I know this has been going on for the past two years, but work with me here, I just saw how much you're charging for the remastered dvds, and how boring your shiny new remastered versions look.)

Yes. That is a good use of squillionty dollars. In no way will you lose money on that. Good luck on *that* one.

Now, to be fair, unlike Star Wars, you aren't changing any character actions or plot - no guns into flashlights, added new scenes proving Spock is actually secretly a replicant, etcetera. Good call there!

However you could have gone a step further and just CGIed... Nothing.

I'm not just saying this as a fan. I'm saying this as someone who has seen many people lose giant piles of money doing obviously stupid things. And in that capacity I say... Captain! There appears to be an idiotic idea in sensor range!

Here's why:

A) Do you really think that anyone who hasn't bought Star Trek dvds has held off because it lacked CGI?

Hahahah. No.

How about making them less absurdly overpriced? Paramount is not starving, and dvds are physically cheap. Stop charging $70 a season, when other shows are $40 - $20 a season.

I know that's why I haven't bought them. Now, I understand it's your show, your dvds, and you can charge whatever you think the market will bear. But if you feel something needs to be changed to attract more buyers, price might be a good place to start.


B) Why, exactly, do people buy original Star Trek? Why do they like it? What have people loved about it for over forty years? Is it for the CGI?

Oh wait! CGI wasn't invented.

Clearly, the gigantic audience of obsessive fans are obsessed for some other reason.

C) Adding a lot of CGI will not make the show "Less dated". Sorry.

Not while they're all wearing 60's makeup, and keep meeting Misguided Star Hippies.

Also, we all know Shatner is an old guy now. We're okay with that! Really!

Finally, Paramount, do you really think that the number of people who will go "Well hell. Now I'm going to have to buy the whole dvd set again!" will be enough to pay for the squillionty dollars you spent on boring brown state of the art CGI?

Really?

I mean, there are some completists out there, but honestly.

Maybe I am wrong about your financial models, Paramount. Maybe you really do know something I don't. But frankly, this strikes me as a silly idea driven by a kneejerk need to "fix" things that aren't broken.

Oh, except the dvd set prices. Feel free to fix those.

No love,
Me

12:29AM - Public Multiverse Apology (Mea Maxima Culpa)

I just wanted to apologize for totally whiffing this to my unnamed would be recipient, and whatever poor fool might have written my request.

No, I will not be getting this fic done, I feel like total scum, but fact is, I got the deadline wrong. Thought it wasn't due for another two weeks.

I've always loved Multiverse and never would have intentionally skipped out on it. I did not mean to screw you over, I just remembered the date wrong. For future ficathons, I will be using the time-tested post dated private livejournal entry method. Sorry for my idiocy on this one.

7:04PM - Totally off topic, but help me out here

Is anyone else having trouble with Google? For the last two days, no computer using my internet connection has been able to load the site.

1:17PM - Stark Industries in person at Con.Txt, Also, comics room party

Stark Industries Room Party, Room 621 7pm - Special Guest Elspeth Dixon! All Iron Man, all the time.

Comic Room Party, Room 621 post vid show (Elspeth Dixon also there) FREE COMICS.

Yes, we have comics!

(Also, we're going out to dinner at 5:30, all are welcome, we're meeting at the comic table in the con suite)

10:07PM - Con.Txt NEW PLAN - Anyone looking for a ride from PA, NJ or MD?

While still *also* interested in catching a ride with someone, there's another possibility.

I would drive down from the Lehigh Valley along the PA turnpike, I 95 and 495, if only I had someone who wanted to come along. 

It turns out the route is a whole lot easier than I originally thought, so I could totally drive it, no problem. I still need a passenger, though.

Long story short, my mother is pitching a fit about a woman driving alone so far, she would worry, etc etc don't give your old mother a heart attack, hence the most of the whole ride share thing in the first place.

So. If you live in Southern PA (will be passing Philly, arrangements can be made) New Jersey or Maryland and want a fannish ride for free, no strings attached, let me know. I'll even let you pick the music, and buy you coffee and donuts or something for the service of helping me not have my mother pass out from a heart attack.

No, I don't need to know you. Or your friends or your dog. I don't need to have even have heard of your fandom. Just let me know, okay? You'd be doing *me* a favor.

I'm a non-smoker, I drive a hatchback with a comfortable back seat and a reasonable amount of room to cram stuff in for a smallish car.

2:30AM - Your chance to make me write crackfic to order!

Okay guys, what fandoms and characters do *you* think would be funniest / best / most cracktackular in a reincarnation revenge comedy?

Anyone? Anyone? This is open to anyone reading this, even if I don't know who you are.

8:15PM - Fannish Comic Book Library at Con.Txt current library catalog

This post is only for confirmed books. If you think you *might* bring a comic, do not comment here. If you are considering bringing a comic, do not comment here. If you're bringing a comic if you are able to find it under your bed, do not comment here. This is only for confirmed comics so that no one wastes luggage space on repeat titles.

 If there is a comic or manga (or digital comic or doujinshi or fancomic) that you are definitely bringing please comment here with the title or email me to be added to the catalog.

Current Library Catalog of the Fannish Comic Book Library at Con.TXT 

Antique Bakery vol 1
Batman Chronicles 1-3
Batman: Dark Victory
Batman: Year 100
DC: New Frontier vol. 1&2
Fake vol 1
From Eroica with Love vol 1
Gravitation vol 2
Innocent Bird vol 1
Justice League: A New Beginning
Love Circles
Musashi #9 vol 1
Outsiders vol 1 & 6
Robin #174
Seven Peaches (The Desert Peach compilation/trade)
The Smithsonian Book of Newspaper Comics
Superman/Batman vol 1
Superman:Birthright
Tek Jansen #1
Treasure vol 1 & 2
xxxHOLiC vol 1-3  
Yuri Monogatari vol 5 

7:57PM - The Fannish Comic Book Library (Slash Edition) at Con.Txt

(NOTE: Feel free to copy or link this anywhere that you like. More publicity = better. That's why I spend this entry talking in the third person.)

The Fannish Comic Book Library at Con.Txt
 
The Fannish Comic Book Library (slash edition) has come to Con.Txt! Gay, slashable and femslashable comics and manga will be available to read in the con suite.

If you have comics you would like to loan and share through the library during Con.Txt that would be wonderful!

 

10:18PM - Anyone for Con.txt? Rideshare = money, fannish good deed

 I'm going to be going down to the Con.Txt slash con* on June 13-15. It's down in Silver Spring Maryland, and it's the replacement for good old Connexions.

The thing is, I don't really feel skilled enough at handling Beltway traffic to drive all the way down all by myself, so I'm hoping to catch a ride with a fellow fan or fans - both ways or one way. 

If you're passing through the tri-state area on the way down, I'd be more than happy to drive to meet you at the convenient pick up point of your choice anywhere in Jersey / Southern PA / Possibly New York suburbs. I'm leaving from Allentown in PA's Lehigh Valley, conveniently on Interstate Routes 78 and 22. I'd be happy to leave for the con on Thursday the 12th or Friday the 13th, driver's choice.

I would be *more* than happy to pay for all gas and tolls as well as food for the driver, and I'm a good navigator.

If you or some fellow fan that you know might be interested in this, please let me know. No, you don't need to know me or be on my f-list.

*(Still taking memberships, by the way.)

1:51AM - Obadiah Stane wishes he had it so good.

Figuring out how to customize a livejournal theme, and then doing it - 3 hours.

Moderating a lively new livejournal fic community - Countless hours.

Buying a rename token in order to use a name abandoned by a previous user - $15

Being able to say "I run Stark Industries"? Priceless.

 

3:53AM - What day is it? FREE COMIC BOOK DAY!

Hey, fandom! It's Free Comic Book Day today! 

Go to almost any comic book store today, and they will hand you an absolutely free comic book. No, really. Don't know where your local participating store is? Click here.

I heartily suggest you go. I mean, come on! Free fannish stuff! It's a holiday tailor made for our people.

And incidently, if you're onboard with Girl-Wonder.org, maybe you want to join in for Celebrate Free Comic Book Day With Girl Wonder. Just print a flyer to tape up at your local store, or tell people about the site, or even make a blog post like this one, celebrating Free Comic Book Day *and* Girl Wonder!

More details here.

1:10AM - Overheard in My Genepool

Normally, I don't talk about my family. I don't, not because there's anything wrong with them, but instead because they're happy and sane. Normally. Every once in a while, though, there's a banner day for familial WTF.

My parents and I went to dinner with my grandmother tonight, and she was feeling down on the modern world. Only... in that uniquely vaguely hallucinogenic way of old people who don't really *understand* some details of the modern world.

"I don't know how it could really get worse. With violence on tv and with the computers...."

Apparently because her house cleaner met a guy over the internet during the break up of her marriage, and because she's heard of people meeting people over the internet, she seems to visualize it as some kind of dingy single's bar of sin. Possibly with a few well lit corners for selling books, renting videos and discussing quilts.

Meanwhile, it is my uncle's turn, at long last, to do something eccentric, and for my aunt to be the bemused sensible one.

The man has decided, apropos of nothing, that what his life really needs is chickens. No, really*.

Why? We do not know.

First any of us heard of it is after he sent away for the exact kind of baby chickens (and one rooster) that he wanted. From California.

Mail-order chickens.

Ladies and gentlemen, my family. (facepalm)


*No, he isn't a farmer, he frames pictures.

12:23AM - My Secret Project is all grown up!

The child of my foolishness and obsession, starkindustries is open for business!

Stark Industries is a fanfiction community devoted to Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, and the other characters from his comics, movie and animation in any genre of fic. Discussion, art, recs, other fanworks and resource links are also welcome.

Due to the growing interest in Iron Man as a character, and with his upcoming movie coming out in precisely a month, I felt like the time was right.

It's alive! It's ALIIIIIIIVE!

9:11PM - Mea Culpa

I never really thought of myself as a bigot, but after a long conversation and heated conversation with Hannah Dame, I realized that I sort of was.

(See her rant on the subject here: http://girl-wonder.org/4colorheroines/?p=19)

I, ah. Never really liked sentient plant characters, or "plant monsters" as I tended to call them. And I guess that just isn't fair to fine characters like Swamp Thing or Poison Ivy. So I'll try to do better and attempt to move past my prejudices.

ETA: APRIL FOOLS!

4:29PM - An experiment in colors - Help me, f-list?

So..... I have a Secret Project online. Only problem is, my red background looks like brown to some people and orange to others, depending on their monitors. So, I would much appreciate it if you would go to http://www.alouwebdesign.ca/colourchart.htm and tell me which of these do not look like brown or orange to you, choosing as many as apply:

#800000

#B22222

#8B0000

11:22PM - A night in the life of a fanfic reader OR Why my discretion is your friend

Not that I don't often fail to comment on great fic out of sheer laziness, but I do think people who say things like "Reading a fic and not commenting is super rude!!!" really don't understand that by and large, they probably don't want to hear what I have to say about their fic. No, not if you're on my friends list, but generally speaking.

I mean, come on. "All feedback is good feedback!"? Really? I bet these (slightly disguised) comments would go over real well.


"Kind of mediocre and any two guys, but enh. It was at least the right fandom and pairing, right?"

"You're good at writing, but the story was totally pointless. I liked that one sentence, though."

"Great idea for a story, but dude. Call me in ten years when you don't write like a thirteen year old on a sugar high"

"Wait, what? I am backing away from this fic slowly. You are one sick puppy. And I do not mean that in a good way."

"Oh wait, this is a new fic? I'm sorry, I thought it was any one of the other twenty things you've already written that were just like this. Oops! My mistake."

"Terminators don't get pregnant. Unless the Blue Fairy is in town."

"So tell me. Tequila or pairing generator?"

"So. Part 143 and you still haven't figured out how to break a universe up into stories?"

"Wow. You really like shopping. So tell me, is this what's in your closet, or what you want your imaginary girlfriend to wear?"

8:50PM - Astonished book rec - Guns Will Keep Us Together

I have just gotten my hands on the most unexpectedly awesome book ever. Guns Will Keep Us Together. I picked it up at the supermarket, of all places. I read about ten new books a month and I've ljed about exactly *none* of them, so I think it's fair to say I think this is a hidden gem.

An almost airheadedly blithe assassin acquires an unexpected illegitimate son at the same time that the family business (in killing people) has acquired some bargain-basement competitors. So! There's nothing to be done but pick off the competition while considering offing the PTA.

The "hero" of this thing is one of the most hilariously note perfect first person narrators I've seen in years. He chattily waltzes through cell phone squabbling with his mother mid-execution, making a family vacation out of a hit on a guy in a Mickey suit at Disney World, and an attempted assassination of a bear-keeper at a zoo that goes horribly, brilliantly wrong.

You know those start a chapter with a quote things that a lot of books have? This author went for Addams Family, Blackadder and The Heathers quotes (among others), all even funnier in context. It's just that kind of book. Fluffily fun black comedy of dooooom!

Now, to be frank, I think this book has a truth in advertising problem. Theoretically, it's a "mystery romance", but this is less of a romance than your average science fiction novel about very large bombs and prehensile aliens written by a gruff sixty five year old grandfather. I say this as someone who likes romance. Read it if you want rollicking action comedy.

Excuse me, I am now going to hunt down everything this author has ever written.

ETA: This rec only applies to Guns Will Keep Us Together. *Not* everything she has ever written

10:39PM - Sorry I don't like your genre, but I still think women are awesome. Deal.

I am sick and tired of being told I'm not watching the right shows or consuming the right media to be a good, pro-woman woman.

Just because I don't like supposed "girl shows" like Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty does not mean that I don't like women! It doesn't even mean that I don't like fictional women!

About half of my favorite fictional characters?

WOMEN.

In fact, I've noticed that if a show or a comic book in the genres I like has a female lead, an extremely interesting major female character, or a strong gender balance I tend to be much more likely to enjoy it, all other things being equal.

Just because the other half of my favorite fictional characters are men does not mean I am self hating! Nor does my lack of interest in soap opera plots about cattiness or infidelity. Sorry.

Recently, I've seen a certain amount of: "Sniff. Oh look. Some SGA fans are being sexist. How unsurprising, given that the show is about MEN. You could have the best show on television be about women and no fangirls would watch it cause it is about women. And you all hate women, you just like boys. You should like our awesome shows about fashion and people who have cheating sex in a hospital."

Ahem.

Maybe, oh here's a thought. Maybe some of us like shows that tend to have male leads as a genre accident! Because we like shows that are about things that marketers want to sell to men even when the demographics say that most of the fans are women.

And, you know. Since we like shows about space and stuff blowing up and cops the main characters tend - tend! Not always are, but tend to be male.

But you know? When they're women, a lot of us love them too. I know I do. We just don't write gay male romance about them 'cause.... they're not male. Thus gay-male-ness is kind of unlikely unless they turn out to be trans.

(Which has never stopped me from writing gen, het or gay female romance about them, but that's a whole 'nother post.)

12:24PM - Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles - It's crazy theory time!

So, I've been watching the Sarah Connor Chronicles, and in the background there have been the questions of what is the Terminator working with the Connors really up to and, also, what is Future!John's Grand Plan.

Well, after seeing the most recent episode, I have a theory. A crazy theory, but I like it! Hear me out, it's kind of plotty and awesomely sci fi.

( Spoilers for episodes 1-6 and Terminator 1 & 2 )

Thoughts? Am I nuts? Am I reading too much into this? Do you have your own theories?