will variations on this meme ever get old? I think not

[lirazel]

Snagged from eowyn_315 and snickfic.

Choose one of my icons (by keyword) and I'll tell you something about it. Or probably several somethings. In fact, I'll probably natter on a bit, because it turns out I'm a little obsessed with shiny graphics in small sizes.

Comments

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

I love the icon you're using right now. Was it taken from a publicity shot for "Mad Men"? The colors are beautiful.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Isn't it stunning? I have no idea where the original image came from (it could have been a screencap from the show instead of a pub. shot), but I couldn't resist the coloring and the cropping. I love the vertical nature of the shot, and the variations on blue, gray and tan. I also love that it emphasizes these female characters; I've always said that Mad Men is really about the women, and I feel like this icon encapsulates that sentiment and the era it reflects.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_jems_/]

I feel an icon meme just isn't an icon meme without the icons, so I'm hotlinking instead. *g*

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Hee! I forgive you for breaking the rules!

The color scheme of that icon is one of my favorites. I love fire colors: bright orange, intense red, lemony yellow. Especially in combination like this. Plus, it's KBell, and she's very pretty. Plus it's a profile shot AND a pretty person looking down shot.

But mostly I'm just madly in love with the colors.

[that-september.livejournal.com]

How about [btvs] rescue? Love that one.

Also, I just realized I totally stole your icon organization system! I didn't even do it on purpose; I know I've looked at your userpics a lot, and a couple weeks back I was looking at mine like, "HEY! I need to organize these by fandom!" And then I did it in brackets, blithely unaware that I was sub-conciously copying you, lol.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Gah. That scene. Easily one of my top five favorite Buffy/Spike scenes ever. I love that that scene in a inversion of typical gender roles: Buffy's the knight rescuing the damsel. And the fact that his faith paid off: she did come for him, just like he told himself she would.

And I lovelovelove how you can see the glint of a tear in her eyes. SMG has a way of acting with her eyes that just kills me. The way she looks at him: how can anyone doubt how much she loves him.

Haha! That's awesome! I'm sure I stole it off someone else a thousand years ago, so here we are, spreading the organizational love!

[that-september.livejournal.com]

I love that scene, too. It's just so ridiculously beautiful, as is the icon. I agree with you about SMG; her eye acting is some of the best out there.

And yay for organizational love! I definitely like this system; I was just sad that it gets rid of all the other times you've used the icon, lol.

[snickfic]

Okay, random LJ-fu question: is there a way to rename icons without losing the link between that icon and all the previous places you used it? Or if you do a reorganization like that, are you just stuck with your default icon showing on all your older posts and comments?

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

As far I as I personally know, there isn't a way, which is unfortunate, because there are a few titles I'd love to change. *sigh*

[snickfic]

That's what I thought. It's really not at all flexible (although still way better than the memories function).

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

What's your major gripe with the memories function? As soon as you say it, I'll probably think, "Oh, yeah, I hate that, too," but at the moment I'm coming up short.

[snickfic]

Mostly just that it's really unwieldy. Like, I can't do anything to a bunch of posts at once - I can't delete a bunch, I can't change the tags on more than one at a time, that kind of thing. Basically, editing anything once you've added it is a pain - way too many clicks.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Aha. Well, I've never tried to do anything with more than one memory at once, so it's never been an issue for me. I keep them on there forever.

But! You're the Organization Queen, so of course that would irk you! ;)

[snickfic]

Heh. I guess this is one of those places where I figured everyone was sitting around being as irked as I am, but lo! it is not so!

[next_to_normal]

Heh, the memories thing has never bothered me (since I've never tried to change a bunch at once), but the tagging thing OMG. I would give my left kidney for the ability to tag multiple posts at once.

[that-september.livejournal.com]

As far as I can tell, you're stuck with the default for older posts. I don't know if there is a way--if there is, I'd certainly like to hear about it, because I was mad disappointed when I realized that.

[snickfic]

Alas. I guess I'm stuck, then.

[snickfic]

Ooh! Ooh! I don't even know how to choose. So, how about [btvs] lollipop? I love the coloring on that one.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes! The coloring! There was actually another one without the pink sidebar but that has tiny words in pink, but I like the big block of pink because it's so pretty and girly and Buffy-y.

I felt like I needed a younger!Buffy icon, since I only have one other one (I think?) of her pre-S4. I also like the connection of this Buffy to just-been-called!Buffy sitting on the steps with her lollipop. Except in that scene, there's this dirty guy (Angel) leering at her from a car, so it's got a Lolita thing going on that I hate. But here! No such creepiness! But it's still a tie to innocent!Buffy, and even though I'm a later-season!Buffy fan, it's good to remember where she came from.

Isn't this fun?

[snickfic]

It is so much fun. I love talking about my icons. Since, yanno, I put such a ridiculous amount of thought into choosing them... *g*

I was thinking that I didn't have any early!Buffy icons either, but that was just me drawing a blank. 'Cuz I have this one for example, and two from S2, and one with Faith in S3. It's actually late!Buffy that I have almost nothing of. (Also, it turns out I have a "Buffy is the Slayer" icon for every season up through S5, which pleases me.)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

There can never be enough Buffy is the Slayer icons.

Ah! I forgot about my rocket launcher one! And this one. And the one with Cordy. But I think that's all?

[snickfic]

I was going to say, "But the rocket launcher one is from S7..." and then realized that you, dratted girl, have two Buffy&rocket launcher icons. :p

And this is my S2 "Buffy is the Slayer" icon, which I think I've fallen in love with.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Haha! Yes! The irony of the fact that I'm seemingly quite obsessed with fictional women with guns is that I'm really committed to nonviolence in real life. But for some reason, with fiction I want to WATCH THINGS BLOW UP. I do not know why.

But yes. Rocket launchers FTW!

The lighting on that one is cray-zee! Cool!

[next_to_normal]

You can never have too many rocket launcher icons...

[dollsome.livejournal.com]

Icon meme, huzzah! I, too, am rebelliously hotlinking, because living on the edge is important:

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

It really, really is. How good you are to remind me.

One of my earliest icons! When I first got an lj, I hadn't really gotten into all of my TV fandoms yet, so I was just looking for pretty pictures for my icons. But that one! Is Anne! And it's Prince Edward Island! I feel like it perfectly captures the beauty of those films/books. And I'm a sucker for orange and fall leaves, so that's a bonus. It's just one of my happy places, you know? AoGG.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

Gilbert Blythe was the crush of my childhood. I grew up on Anne of Green Gables and dreamed of some pig-headed boy calling me "Carrots." And I had "Lady of Shalott" and "The Highwayman" memorized by age ten simply because Anne did it. And I'm still suspicious of any Anns who don't spell their name with an 'e'.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

There are no words to express my love of those books. They make me endlessly, endlessly happy.

BTW, have you heard Loreena McKennitt's versions of "The Lady of Shalott" and "The Highwayman"? I remain convinced that she's a huge Anne fan, especially because she has lovely red hair.

My grandmother's name is Ann, and it drives me endlessly crazy that there's no "e"! It's so much prettier with one!

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Tell me about 'Byronic hero' 'cause I love it and wanna hear you ramble on about it. :)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Haha! Where to start?

First off, I love that it's making fun of the Byronic hero trope which is one I can't stand. OH HE'S SO TRAGIC AND MISUNDERSTOOD AND ALL OF SOCIETY IS AGAINST HIM BOOHOOOOO! It's just ripe to be mocked.

I also love the picture it stirs of a poet sitting in the corner being consumptive and tragic. It makes me laugh. I mean, the picture is so clear!

Also, it lets me make fun of various characters (see: Angel). Which is always a bonus.

Oh, and I love Keats, and it makes me think of Keats.

Yeah.

[louise39.livejournal.com]

Love this one: she alone made by aiken_4graphics

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I love that one. I love the darkness around her, but she's in the light. I like how that layout makes her look so very alone. Because that's what calls to me about Buffy. She's so very, very often alone.

[louise39.livejournal.com]

Yes. That is what I liked about the icon. She is the center of BTVS and this shows how she carries on [usually alone].

[next_to_normal]

[bsg] of which reason knows not

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

The first thing that caught my eye with that one was the color. That glorious green. Gah! I love it!

But I also love the cropping, with their faces just at the corners. I love negative space, and it's such a unique way to do a shippy icon. He's looking at her, and it just makes me happy!sigh.

And I keep it around because I ship Helo/Athena so damn much.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I'll play. Default icon? And why is it default? (I think I'll do this on everyone's meme . . . prolly will be interesting.)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

It's been my default for a long time, though I changed it to [dh] why the caged bird for a while.

I love the coloring--the white and shades of gold with just that hint of blue. And the cropping: it's enough for us to know it's Buffy, without every seeing her face (I love interesting cropping). And it looks so lovely blowing in the wind here! I also like the use of text, that single word, smallish font. Because Buffy's a creature of both darkness and light, and it's always nice to see her in the sun.

Mostly it's because I have a Thing about Buffy's hair (just like Spike!). I just covet her beautiful, shampoo commercial hair.

It's my default because A) I need a Buffy icon for my default and B) it's just so pretty! I'm shallow. What can I say?

[madcap-shiny.livejournal.com]

I would like to know about 'indestructible,' because RIVERBOT. /predictable

Also! I'm going to be a complete attentionwhore and beg for a comment from you slyly hint at my snaggage of this meme. /predictableandpathetic

Also! Hi! How are you? IT HAS BEEN TOO LONG.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

THAT ONE IS FOR YOU.

No. Lie. I feel that I need to have a Summer Glau icon around specifically to make you happy and to use on your posts. And that one's the prettiest I've seen. The color! You should feel special since you are, I believe, the only person on my flist who I keep an icon around for. REJOICE!

Also! I'm okay. Ish. Y'know. How are you? IT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN TOO LONG. I miss you when we're not talking regularly!

[gigi-tastic.livejournal.com]

the (btvs) anya one. i love it.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Ha! Me, too!

I like it because it's like the ultimate Anya quote--she never wants to be put out. And because it's a pretty color scheme.

But mostly I love it because it's the most useful icon ever. Whenever I'm complaining about things I don't want to do and being my typical lazy self, I whip it out.

[pennydrdful.livejournal.com]

Alright, someone already mentioned the icon that I was going to mention, so I have nothing else to contribute meme-wise. However, I would like to take this moment to recognize your good icon taste. I generally am very fond of your icons.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm generally fond of your icons as well!

Just out of curiosity--which one was it?

[pennydrdful.livejournal.com]

The Athena/Helo one.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Aw! I'm so fond of that one!

[pennydrdful.livejournal.com]

They always struck me as such an odd couple. I can clearly see Helo's love for her shining throughout most of the series. But with her, it just never seemed to be an equal sort of love. And I feel like the exact same thing can be said for Sam and Kara. I was always just left with the feeling that these two great guys deserved to be with women who would love them better.

Maybe it's just me?

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I definitely felt that way about Sam. Poor Sam! He deserved so much more! It was very, very clear that Kara never loved him the way she should have if she was going to be involved with him.

But I don't see it that clearly with Athena. Actually, I think maybe that's why I was drawn to the two of them: I like the sort of gender inversion thing where the man is the one who is really in touch with his emotions and the woman is less forthcoming (see: Spike and Buffy, Logan and Veronica, etc.). So yeah, Helo is certainly just like brimming over with love for her, but I don't see an absence of love (the way I do with Kara, who was never more than fond of Sam), but more that she doesn't communicate it as clearly.

Though that's obviously open to interpretation.

[pennydrdful.livejournal.com]

You might be right about Athena. Having only watched the entire series once, and never seen any episode more than once, it's kind of hard for me to think back and remember super specific scenes. Especially when there's like a gazillion different Athenas/Boomers/Sharons/3s, etc. ... She was a three right?

Speaking of Sam, I would just like to say that i think he got completely shafted during the series finale. He was such a good guy and what did he end up with? A woman who never really loved him, and left in a weird catatonic state that left him to clean up everyone's mess while they all got to enjoy the new Earth.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Well, I've only watched it once as well, so either one of us--or both--could be missing out on something, I'm sure. Who knows?

Yeah, I think she was a 3. It sometimes was really hard to sort them out.

I SO AGREE. But then, there were a lot of messes in the finale. *sigh* Though Sam's was one of the worst. I say it again: poor Sam!