lirazel | Further proof that I am influenced by peer pressure if only when it comes to memes...

You have a lot of awesome icons!

[misc] Calvin and Hobbes euphoria

*loves Calvin and Hobbes* :)

You beat me to it!

*joins you in the C&H love*

Thanks! I might have a mild addiction....

That one actually does have a story behind it. It's fairly long, too!

So my family does this thing where if one of us, while looking through the funny paper, finds a comic strip that really reminds us of another family member, we cut it out and give it to that person. My parents do this all the time with each other; they have one of those small photo albums full of comics that apply to them. My parents are kind of adorable.

Anyway, one day somebody found that Calvin and Hobbes one (I adore that strip, too, by the way), and gave it to me. It was on the door of my bedroom (which used to be this massive collage of postcards and movie tickets and pictures from magazines) for years.

It reminded (I think) my daddy of me because I have such extreme emotions. When I'm happy, I'm not just happy--I'm exploding with joy. And when I'm sad, it feels like the end of the world.

This was one of the very, very first icons I found when I signed up for lj, and is one of the few from that first batch that still survives. It was my default icon for probably the first six months, and I still adore it.

[ff] family.

:D I love to hear rambles, especially Firefly rambles.

Should have known!

The thing I love about Joss's shows is the way in which the characters construct families. The Scoobies or Team Angel of the Serenity crew don't start out that way, but they become, in effect, a family. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside, and I love that icon because it's during my favorite episode ("Out of Gas"), in that perfect moment where everyone's happy and laughing (right before the world explodes, of course). Also, the lighting of it is just gorgeous.

It's really useful because (as you've probably discovered) so many of my Firefly fics start out focusing on just one character but then expand to talk about most if not all of the crew. Because I find it nearly impossible to write about any of them without writing about all of them.

I gotta say, you have much more imaginative keywords for your icons than I do for mine!

Since you're always using it to respond to me, how about "[btvs] bloody hell"?

I gotta say, you have much more imaginative keywords for your icons than I do for mine! That's more peer pressure than anything. My friends were always having these ambiguous but beautiful phrases as their keywords, and I felt in adequate. ;)

That one's so pretty! And yeah, that's one of the reasons I picked it: Spike is so very, very pretty in Season 2, especially "School Hard." It blows my mind to think that James was already in his thirties in that episode because he looks so young. Heartbreakingly young.

Anyways,

thirdhex has gorgeous icons, and I really needed a just-Spike icon. I had several of him already, but always with someone else, and since a fair bit of my lj life revolves around the guy, I needed a Starring Spike icon.

For some reason, I've always really loved the nickname William the Bloody. I have no idea why, but the text on this one paired with the swipe of blood on his cheek (I adore that parallel with Buffy and the red paint in "School Hard"--they're putting on their war paint, getting ready to face off, and they don't even really know it yet) that's just fits with the "bloody" so well...the icon is incredibly striking.

And yeah, it comes in real handy for your gen fic since it also Stars Spike.

I was noticing from your userpics that I need to check out this

thirdhex person. From what I can see, I think I really like their work.

the icon is incredibly striking.

Definitely! I love icons that are memorable, that aren't just one more shot of so-and-so, and this definitely fits the bill.

Yes, definitely check out

thirdhex. One of my favorites. Though I think there's my Buffy-stuff further back, so you might have to do some digging.

[fall] are you trying to save my soul?

This movie hurt my heart.

The Fall is at least my favorite movie of the last five years. It would probably be on my Top Five list ever as well. I really believe that visually speaking (has any movie ever been more beautiful?), that movie is what the medium of film has been aspiring to since the beginning.

But I also think it's perfectly cast. I had a conversation with my professor with whom I shared the movie. He loved it and we talked about the way the movie isn't really like American movies in that it isn't plot-driven or character-driven. It's about the nature of storytelling, the nature of film.

But it tricks you because the actors are just so good that it makes you think it's about these characters, even though it's not. Lee Pace just shatters my heart both with his tragedy and with his weakness. And the little girl who plays Alexandria is a revelation.

This icon breaks my heart, too, because you know there's betrayal in their future, and yet at that moment, there's such an innocence there. It's so beautiful. And the lighting and cropping in the icon just make me so happy.

Wow. That was rambly and long.

I'm adoring your Darla&Dru icon. That screencap captured their faces perfectly!

I'm really enjoying reading your commentary on these. You're so wonderfully thoughtful and can express those thoughts really well too, which is pretty much the best combination. (Me? I am a fan of the rambly and long.)

I'm so very much in love with this movie, and you've summed up why really, really well.

(And haa, I am terribly fond of that icon. Drusilla's expression makes my life.)

Aw! Thanks! You're very kind! I had lots of fun thinking of these things.

(Me? I am a fan of the rambly and long.) Then you're totally in the right place! I am always both of those things.

Juliet Landau is awesome. As horrifically awful as her fake accent is, it's totally worth it because her brand of crazy is unparalleled. Nobody else could do Dru half as well. It's a wonder to me that I've never seen her in anything else. I think she's quite talented.

would it be really self-centric to choose one of the icons i've made? i'd just be super-interested to see where you go with it!

so if it's not too self involved, i believe you have your options of either "[btvs] dying for a good slay" or "[dw] this is the story of how i die"

...on the otherhand i think "[dh] we'll look for each other" sounds like a great prompt. so i guess you have three choies now? ; )

Dude, I will totally do them all! And not at all self-centric!

I can never have enough Buffy icons. She's pretty. She's heroic. She's my favorite television character ever. I'm always on the lookout for new ones (as you could probably tell from my request caps!).

I also really like cool cropping and colors. Check! I really like the kind of hazy indistinct background that takes up most of the icon and then her just perched in the corner.

That one is from "Something Blue," right? At least, that's what I thought it was--the beginning where she's teasing Spike in the bathtub. And it's such a hilarious, lighthearted moment, but this particular cap captures a solemn moment, and that just seems very Buffy to me. She can never be totally lighthearted and happy; there's always another apocalypse around the corner.

Gah! I love her so much!

ohmygod you DID do them all. you are AWESOME. <3

you're right about 'something blue.'

also i'm RIGHT there with you in the buffy love. sooo very, very much.

When I was looking for Doctor Who icons after recently watching the show, I mostly looked for ones that centered around the Doctor or the Tardis. I like Rose, but I also like Donna and even Martha, so I wasn't really on the lookout for a Rose icon.

But the cropping on that one! That tongue thing is just so Rose! And I love how you push it up till her mouth is really all you see, but it's still perfectly recognizable! It's brilliant! Also, the warm light is gorgeous, and I like the font you used for her name, just tucked there in the corner. It all spelled Rose to me so clearly.

these analyses (analyses? erm.) are so incredible- i love how you explain your thoughts about the icons in-depth; i know i think about my stuff in this kind of detail but the fact that anyone else ever does is really, really awesome.

(and yes, i'm going to reply to each of them, heh.)

I'm so glad you're pleased! Honestly, this has gotten me to think more about why I have immediate emotional reactions to these icons. Like, I just look at it and connect and don't often get a chance to really think about why. That's why I like this meme so much!

As for the last one, I'm still not entirely sold on Dollhouse yet. I'm struggling with what exactly Joss is trying to say about it and also about the fact that you can't really root for any of the characters because they're either entirely messed up and amoral or they have no real personalities.

Except that I do, totally and completely, root for Victor and Sierra. Echo really bores me a lot, but these two are just so wonderful. Enver is an amazing actor. And his affection for Sierra seems so pure that I've begun to ship them. I had bunches of problems with Sierra's arc in "Need" (which was otherwise a really great episode), but the relationship between Victor and Sierra there just works for me.

So I wanted a V/S icon and this one has pretty colors! And interesting cropping! And a cool lack of focus! It's my one Dollhouse icon.

(Actually, that last bit isn't true. I also have a really funny one with Tahmoh that says "Tahmoh says suit up." But that one is so silly that I don't really think it actually applies to the show. It's more a Tahmoh-is-pretty icon.)

this icon appeals to me for the same reasons really- victor/sierra was the first ship i really liked on the show, and one that came to me as more or less a complete surprise once they began bringing it up. (there are other dynamics i like, like the relationship between echo and boyd (who reminds me SO much of giles in those moments), and the bits between topher and dr. saunders, but none of them have had quite the same pull for me as victor/sierra).

can i ask what problems you had with 'need'? i'm just really curious to hear your thoughts on that.

(there is nothing wrong with tahmoh-is-pretty icons, as far as i see it. that icon and your caption on it seriously makes me giggle. (...as opposed to making me giggle seriously...))

Basically, I don't like the treatment of Sierra. She's presented as VICTIMVICTIMVICTIM and it's always sexual. She's always passive and victimized, and I find that really problematic. I just feel like yelling at Joss: "We get it already!"

And "Need" was worse because the whole point of the episode was that each character needed to face something about his or herself and do something about their problems. So Echo needed to take care of others. November needed to deal with the death of her daughter. Victor needed to connect with Sierra. I can buy all that.

But Sierra has no moment of power or insight. Victor punches out some guy on her behalf. That isn't her doing something. She needs to be rescued? I don't like that. It makes her too weak.

I really hope that in the future we'll see more of her as a strong person. She's the most doll-like of all the dolls; I want to see a real person behind all that.

Does that make sense?

oh, wow, you're right (aka it makes perfect sense). i mean i obviously caught the VICTIMVICTIM in the rape storyline and in needs, but i think i never really connected the two because i was distracted by all the 'active' personalities in between.

come to think of it, is it just me or are the women in dollhouse particuarly weak? caroline has spirit but she's makes herself a victim by rushing in (at least in my opinion). and then if november isn't a pitiful character i don't know who is. maybe this is done to provide a really strong contrast with their 'active' personalities; to show how different the characters can be under imprint...but it still seems very problematic. maybe their treatment of newly-released november will let them present a strong real female and remedy the problem...?

...sorry for the random meta rambling. my turn to ask if it makes any sense!

No, I think you're absolutely right. The only strong woman on the show is Adelle, and she's so corrupt that of course that strength isn't a good thing. I would have no problem with her being so strong if only there was a good woman who was also strong, but this equates strength with evil too much for m liking.

I'm really hoping he'll do better with it in the next season. Maybe with Saunders/Whiskey?

No! I love meta rambling! Ramble away! And perfect sense, actually!

Edited 2009-07-08 17:59 (UTC)

OH LOVE!

That's my Press Gang icon! My latest fandom that is, unfortunately, pretty dead (I rambled about it here, in case you want to peruse).

British TV is the best! Spike is this rebellious, leather jacket and sunglasses-wearing American guy who gets forced into being on the student newspaper so he won't get suspended. He falls head over heels for Lynda, the editor. She's bossy, bitchy, snarky as hell, and completely amoral. They snark. And chase each other. And their story is epic. Also, equally awesome, is that Spike is totally the moral authority on the show and Lynda, the uptight one, is the one who has this grey morality. It's fascinating.

As for the icon itself, I found this picture of them from back in the day and kind of fell in love for it.

shootmefromagun was taking requests, and she made this one for me! It makes me happy! They're adorable!

No deep thoughts except that they make me flail with cuteness.

Edited 2009-07-08 18:45 (UTC)

Ah! I just perused a couple Youtube clips, they're so cute, man. Also arguing debating OTPS ftw.

Deep thoughts are vastly overrated I'll have you know.

HP | Express

Ron and Hermione steal my heart.

Aw! They steal my heart, too!

I wanted an icon where they're together but that really got to the heart of them: that they're just part of each other's lives, always there. And this icon really did this for me. It makes me happy.

Hmm. That reminds me of something I once loved. "Never together. But in an affair. Always in an ffir." Of course we won't hve Ron nd Hermione glntly prouncing round the room hving these strict affirs, but still. It's fun wy to look a things.

R/Hr are the couples I love. The typical love/hate thing that turns into something so ... electric. I was biting my lip the whole seventh book waiting for their moments. *swoons*

Further proof that I am influenced by peer pressure if only when it comes to memes...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I WANNA KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS ONE - TOO CUTE.

Re: I WANNA KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS ONE - TOO CUTE.

Re: I WANNA KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS ONE - TOO CUTE.

no subject

no subject

no subject