entirely ruined her disposition with books

+ Does anybody else think that the reason they kept Benedict Cumberbatch's role in the new Trek movie a secret is because they knew people would be incredibly pissed at this white guy taking Ricardo Montalban's place and they didn't want to deal with the fallout until they were able to say "Oh, it's too late, we already filmed it"? Because I hate to be that cynical about things, but I'm kind of that cynical about things. Needless to say, I'm pissed. I've been looking forward to this movie, itching for this movie since the last one came out, and now this. Also: if any character didn't need to be rebooted, it was definitely Khan. Ugh. I am distressed.

+ Well, Mark at Mark Watches pretty much had all the right reactions to Fool for Love, my favorite episode of TV ever. And I thought he was surprisingly subdued and thoughtful about it. I was pleased.

+ I have watched four episodes of Queen In-Hyun's Man AND IT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING. Kim Boong-Do is a wonderful little scholar-turned-resistance fighter (of sorts, it's complicated) in 1694 Joseon Korea, and through some plot machinations he ends up traveling to the future on several occasions and meeting up with this actress who is playing the queen he serves in a new drama. And what is delightful about this show, besides how brilliantly it's shot and styled (which is brilliant), is the character of Kim Boong-Do. I like Choi Hee-Jin, the heroine, quite a lot, too, but Kim Boong-Do is flawless.


source

He's adorable and precious for one thing. But he's also loyal, smart, and incredibly competent. I feel like most time-travel stories really go overboard with CULTURE SHOCK, but Boong-Do's reactions are very calm. He doesn't know things, but he learns very, very quickly, and he has a good enough mind that he can put two and two together and figure things out instead of acting like an idiot. He acts exactly like a smart guy would if he was suddenly time-travelling. He even figures out that he's time travelling all by himself. I can't get over how well the show is handling him and his jumping around through the centuries. It's brilliant.

There is nothing I love more than a show that lets its characters be smart instead of forcing them to be idiots for the sake of the plot. If your plot requires your characters to be idiots IT IS NOT A GOOD PLOT.

[Also, the kid playing Han Dong-Min is insanely cute. THOSE CHEEKBONES.]

+ I feel like King 2 Hearts is becoming kind of sloppy? But I'm still invested, mostly because of Eun Shi-Kyung and his earnestness and his face. Love of mine. Between Ji-Hyuk and Shi-Kyung and now Boong-Do, I am falling in love with kdrama guys right and left.

+ NEW EPISODE OF LOVE RAIN WAITING FOR ME TONIGHT. I DIE OF LOVE.

+ I've watched the first five or so episodes of Young Justice. I like it, but I don't have loads of feels yet. Hopefully those will come.

+ It seems like Vampire Diaries' goal in life right now is to remind me of why I hate love triangles. IT IS WORKING.

+ I am having Bonnie/Jeremy feels again. I know it's insanely underdeveloped, but THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER. I'm rarely struck by how a couple looks aesthetically because I'm so busy being obsessed with their characters, but these two are so beautiful individually and when they're together they become even more beautiful and speaking of beautiful if you aren't on tumblr you missed this, which just reminded me of how aesthetically pleasing Buffy and Spike are. Seriously one of my favorite tumblr posts ever. I look at it, and I think, "This is why tumblr exists."

+ I went to see Avengers on Sunday by myself, because that's what I do when I want to see a movie and no one else will go see it with me. I think it's strange that this is considered strange, considering that you're SITTING IN THE DARK and that common courtesy demands you not talk during the show. And yet you're supposed to feel like a loser if you go by yourself? I do not. My mama said that the reason you go with people is so that you have someone to talk to about it afterwards. I said, "That's what I have the internet for." She said, "Oh, yeah. I forgot." TROLOLOLOL.

( Avengers feelings be here )

All in all, it was just a popcorn movie, but it was a good popcorn movie because it cared about its characters. And I love a good popcorn movie.

+ I am now dreading Anne Hathaway as Catwoman even more than before. DO NOT WANT.

+ Lil Sis graduated on Saturday. Which makes me feel old. Lots of family times, and though it was great seeing everybody, it was overwhelming to have everyone together in my parents' house like that--so many people in such a small space! I loved them but was glad when they were gone and I could breathe again.

+ I have discovered the best barbeque place in town. If you're ever in the area ASK ME WHAT IT IS so that I can tell you and you can get some of the best barbeque I've ever had. Everyone in the family agrees that it's so good that you don't even need sauce.

+ I just finished The Man without a Face about Vladimir Putin, and now I am depressed about the world. It was an excellently written book, fascinating and insightful, but being reminded that there are people with so little regard for human life, who will sacrifice anyone and everyone to get what they want...it just reminds me of how broken the world is.

+ I have hit the climax for my novel. And...I have no idea of how to make my hero end up in the vicinity of my villain for a show-down. It would frankly be stupid for her to go into it on purpose, because she is so outmatched, and yet I can't have the villain go to her because of reasons. I think I have written myself into a corner and am not sure what to do. This is the first time since I started the book 65K words ago that I don't have any idea of what to write next. UGH. I really don't know what to do. I didn't write yesterday and I probably won't today, and I do not like what this is doing to my momentum.

+ Does anybody else think that the reason they kept Benedict Cumberbatch's role in the new Trek movie a secret is because they knew people would be incredibly pissed at this white guy taking Ricardo Montalban's place and they didn't want to deal with the fallout until they were able to say "Oh, it's too late, we already filmed it"? Because I hate to be that cynical about things, but I'm kind of that cynical about things. Needless to say, I'm pissed. I've been looking forward to this movie, itching for this movie since the last one came out, and now this. Also: if any character didn't need to be rebooted, it was definitely Khan. Ugh. I am distressed.

+ Well, Mark at Mark Watches pretty much had all the right reactions to Fool for Love, my favorite episode of TV ever. And I thought he was surprisingly subdued and thoughtful about it. I was pleased.

+ I have watched four episodes of Queen In-Hyun's Man AND IT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL THING. Kim Boong-Do is a wonderful little scholar-turned-resistance fighter (of sorts, it's complicated) in 1694 Joseon Korea, and through some plot machinations he ends up traveling to the future on several occasions and meeting up with this actress who is playing the queen he serves in a new drama. And what is delightful about this show, besides how brilliantly it's shot and styled (which is brilliant), is the character of Kim Boong-Do. I like Choi Hee-Jin, the heroine, quite a lot, too, but Kim Boong-Do is flawless.


source

He's adorable and precious for one thing. But he's also loyal, smart, and incredibly competent. I feel like most time-travel stories really go overboard with CULTURE SHOCK, but Boong-Do's reactions are very calm. He doesn't know things, but he learns very, very quickly, and he has a good enough mind that he can put two and two together and figure things out instead of acting like an idiot. He acts exactly like a smart guy would if he was suddenly time-travelling. He even figures out that he's time travelling all by himself. I can't get over how well the show is handling him and his jumping around through the centuries. It's brilliant.

There is nothing I love more than a show that lets its characters be smart instead of forcing them to be idiots for the sake of the plot. If your plot requires your characters to be idiots IT IS NOT A GOOD PLOT.

[Also, the kid playing Han Dong-Min is insanely cute. THOSE CHEEKBONES.]

+ I feel like King 2 Hearts is becoming kind of sloppy? But I'm still invested, mostly because of Eun Shi-Kyung and his earnestness and his face. Love of mine. Between Ji-Hyuk and Shi-Kyung and now Boong-Do, I am falling in love with kdrama guys right and left.

+ NEW EPISODE OF LOVE RAIN WAITING FOR ME TONIGHT. I DIE OF LOVE.

+ I've watched the first five or so episodes of Young Justice. I like it, but I don't have loads of feels yet. Hopefully those will come.

+ It seems like Vampire Diaries' goal in life right now is to remind me of why I hate love triangles. IT IS WORKING.

+ I am having Bonnie/Jeremy feels again. I know it's insanely underdeveloped, but THEY ARE SO BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER. I'm rarely struck by how a couple looks aesthetically because I'm so busy being obsessed with their characters, but these two are so beautiful individually and when they're together they become even more beautiful and speaking of beautiful if you aren't on tumblr you missed this, which just reminded me of how aesthetically pleasing Buffy and Spike are. Seriously one of my favorite tumblr posts ever. I look at it, and I think, "This is why tumblr exists."

+ I went to see Avengers on Sunday by myself, because that's what I do when I want to see a movie and no one else will go see it with me. I think it's strange that this is considered strange, considering that you're SITTING IN THE DARK and that common courtesy demands you not talk during the show. And yet you're supposed to feel like a loser if you go by yourself? I do not. My mama said that the reason you go with people is so that you have someone to talk to about it afterwards. I said, "That's what I have the internet for." She said, "Oh, yeah. I forgot." TROLOLOLOL.

( Avengers feelings be here )

All in all, it was just a popcorn movie, but it was a good popcorn movie because it cared about its characters. And I love a good popcorn movie.

+ I am now dreading Anne Hathaway as Catwoman even more than before. DO NOT WANT.

+ Lil Sis graduated on Saturday. Which makes me feel old. Lots of family times, and though it was great seeing everybody, it was overwhelming to have everyone together in my parents' house like that--so many people in such a small space! I loved them but was glad when they were gone and I could breathe again.

+ I have discovered the best barbeque place in town. If you're ever in the area ASK ME WHAT IT IS so that I can tell you and you can get some of the best barbeque I've ever had. Everyone in the family agrees that it's so good that you don't even need sauce.

+ I just finished The Man without a Face about Vladimir Putin, and now I am depressed about the world. It was an excellently written book, fascinating and insightful, but being reminded that there are people with so little regard for human life, who will sacrifice anyone and everyone to get what they want...it just reminds me of how broken the world is.

+ I have hit the climax for my novel. And...I have no idea of how to make my hero end up in the vicinity of my villain for a show-down. It would frankly be stupid for her to go into it on purpose, because she is so outmatched, and yet I can't have the villain go to her because of reasons. I think I have written myself into a corner and am not sure what to do. This is the first time since I started the book 65K words ago that I don't have any idea of what to write next. UGH. I really don't know what to do. I didn't write yesterday and I probably won't today, and I do not like what this is doing to my momentum.

Hey, y'all! Have some recs!

+ Tangled: Freudian.
*AU* Flynn Rider's terms of parole include going to therapy, and they don't expressly forbid hanging around with that one awkward graffiti girl.
OMG Y'ALL READ THIS. A contemporary AU of the best kind, it makes me flaily and happy and it's just deliriously wonderful. I cannot even. It's a WIP, but it was recently updated, so I think it's safe to start it.

+ Vampire Diaries: Talk You Down.
Use your heart, not your head.
Grayson and Miranda Gilbert have an important discussion. I wouldn't have thought I'd enjoy a fic about Elena and Jeremy's parents but this is a great little look at life in Mystic Falls.

+ The Book Thief: pro patria mori
It is good and sweet to die for one's country—because if you say a lie long enough, loud enough, and often enough, people are going to believe it—ten people who didn't.
OH MY HEART. Read this if you've read the book and let your heart bleed.

+ Wizards of Waverly Place: call that a comeback
Alex destroys the world. But really, its all Justin's fault. Written for apocabigbang at LJ. Post 'Wizards vs. Werewolves.'
ALEX RUSSO CAUSES THE APOCALYPSE. I know it's a stupid kids' show on the Disney Channel, but I love Alex and Justin so much. And ever_neutral, if you don't know Alex Russo, you should change that. YOU WOULD LOVE HER.

+ Nu!Trek: World as We Know It
Leonard McCoy doesn't hate Jim ALL the time. Just, you know. Mostly. // You couldn’t subdue Jim Kirk if you put a muzzle on him. And anyway, McCoy’s looked it up, and they don’t make them for humans. Jim/Bones friendship.
Kirk/Bones is my favorite bromance. THESE BOYS.

+ Doctor Who: the woman named to-morrow
Of course she misses it.
A little slice of Martha/Mickey, that appreciates them both. Why is there not more of this in the world?

+ Life with Derek: move in circles around you
disasters are kind of their specialty.
I don't understand why there is so much quality Derek/Casey fic in the world, but I am so glad there is. Here's the latest.

+ Sherlock: Sustain (or Concerto for the Famished in D Minor)
"So now you're behaving like a six year old 'cause he didn't take you along on his honeymoon?" Lestrade said. "Grow the hell up."
Um, so this is a Molly/Sherlock fic. A long Molly/Sherlock fic. A believable Molly/Sherlock fic. So, um, you should probably read it.

+ Hunger Games: The Unrecorded Hours
Katniss and Peeta in the weeks and months after the war.
Oh, hey! It's a long, satisfying fic about the Katniss/Peeta stuff I really wanted to see which is: when they actually fall in love (because I'm not convinced it happens in the books. I have very mixed feelings about this pairing and its potential vs. its execution. Anyway). This is kind of moody and quiet and it makes loads of sense. It fits perfectly in before the epilogue and it's become canon to me.

+ Hunger Games: Scylla and Charybdis
Finnick decides that, come hell or high water, he is bringing his tribute home from the seventieth Hunger Games. That tribute is Annie Cresta. But Finnick never thought that he would have to choose between bringing her home and keeping her safe, and he wants both. How Annie Cresta crept up on Finnick Odair.
I SHIP IT SO HAAAAARD. I want ALL the Finnick/Annie fic. Gah, I love living in Finnick's head. Best boy.

+ Hunger Games: and our dreams will break the boundaries of our fears
Johanna and Finnick flirt with rebellion, and learn that the Capitol has teeth.
This fic hurts my heart, but in the best way. Gah.

Because I have a few, and none of them are Yuletide related. They're all just stuff I found while browsing AO3 while bored at work.

Leverage:

Techno-Wizardry. "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced." Alec is on board with this argument. A little ficlet about Hardison being a Tech God. Because he is.

FANDOM IS SRS BZNESS. So then, because he’s Hardison, he created a fandom. post-the Gold Job. A meta, geek-love celebration of fandom and its ways, all issuing forth from Hardison’s brain of perfectness. If you have any familiarity with this fandom at all you must read this. OMG I CAN’T.

four times hardison told his nana he was sorry, and one time he said he was (but he totally wasn’t) Sometimes, a geeky fanboy has to do what a geeky fanboy has to do. Obviously my new favorite subgenre is “Hardison participates in fandom with bonus fandom meta!” fic. Because, y’all, Hardison is so one of us.

Life in theTwenty-First Century. Alec Hardison, if pressed, would probably suggest that he subscribes to a post-modern definition of identity. Hardison figures out who he is, sexually and otherwise, via fandom. I think ladyofthelog in particular would be interested in this one.

Nu!Trek:

Your Mom. In which Kirk, Sulu and Chekov feel guilty for no good reason, Spock feels bewildered, and McCoy feels an aneurysm coming on. If everyone listened to Bones, their whole lives would be better. Basically, male bonding, only Spock isn’t so good at that.

In Which the Enterprise Is Like a Village. Turns out, despite the vast emptiness of space, and the worryingly illusory protection offered even by Starfleet's finest vessel, and the sheer likelihood of being taken out by an unexpected cosmic event (sure, those nebulae look pretty now but up-close they're just a disaster waiting to happen) and/or Klingon attack (McCoy's sure it's going to happen any day now) and/or new and fatal alien disease (probably sexually transmitted; probably Kirk's fault), life on the Enterprise isn't as far off a village as you might expect. Gen!space!family!times. Basically: Nakama 101.

That’s What Friends Are For. The Enterprise crew takes take of each other. They are friends, they went through thick and thin together, and they are violently protective of theirs. They are family. Everyone loves everyone else and everyone is BFFs and everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.

Harry Potter:

journals and ice-cream series. Draco Malfoy: ex-Death Eater, former bigot, divorcee, and single father. His wife left him for Viktor Krum, his children worship the Weasleys who clash with the décor, something is rotten at Hogwarts, and he doesn't really know what he's doing. But maybe he's getting the hang of it. Draco in this fic has absolutely nothing to do with Draco in canon. Maybe less than nothing. But this series is fun. And silly. And occasionally strangely moving. I don't even have any particular feelings for Draco, and I enjoyed this. It's fun.

Dollhouse:

Whatever Remains, However Improbable. Victor and Sierra are imprinted as Holmes and Watson, but the engagement does not go as planned. For fans both of Dollhouse and Arthur Conan Doyle. Only the most basic working knowledge of DH is required to enjoy this fic. Which you should read because it is DELIGHTFUL.

Because I have a few, and none of them are Yuletide related. They're all just stuff I found while browsing AO3 while bored at work.

Leverage:

Techno-Wizardry. "Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced." Alec is on board with this argument. A little ficlet about Hardison being a Tech God. Because he is.

FANDOM IS SRS BZNESS. So then, because he’s Hardison, he created a fandom. post-the Gold Job. A meta, geek-love celebration of fandom and its ways, all issuing forth from Hardison’s brain of perfectness. If you have any familiarity with this fandom at all you must read this. OMG I CAN’T.

four times hardison told his nana he was sorry, and one time he said he was (but he totally wasn’t) Sometimes, a geeky fanboy has to do what a geeky fanboy has to do. Obviously my new favorite subgenre is “Hardison participates in fandom with bonus fandom meta!” fic. Because, y’all, Hardison is so one of us.

Life in theTwenty-First Century. Alec Hardison, if pressed, would probably suggest that he subscribes to a post-modern definition of identity. Hardison figures out who he is, sexually and otherwise, via fandom. I think ladyofthelog in particular would be interested in this one.

Nu!Trek:

Your Mom. In which Kirk, Sulu and Chekov feel guilty for no good reason, Spock feels bewildered, and McCoy feels an aneurysm coming on. If everyone listened to Bones, their whole lives would be better. Basically, male bonding, only Spock isn’t so good at that.

In Which the Enterprise Is Like a Village. Turns out, despite the vast emptiness of space, and the worryingly illusory protection offered even by Starfleet's finest vessel, and the sheer likelihood of being taken out by an unexpected cosmic event (sure, those nebulae look pretty now but up-close they're just a disaster waiting to happen) and/or Klingon attack (McCoy's sure it's going to happen any day now) and/or new and fatal alien disease (probably sexually transmitted; probably Kirk's fault), life on the Enterprise isn't as far off a village as you might expect. Gen!space!family!times. Basically: Nakama 101.

That’s What Friends Are For. The Enterprise crew takes take of each other. They are friends, they went through thick and thin together, and they are violently protective of theirs. They are family. Everyone loves everyone else and everyone is BFFs and everything is beautiful and nothing hurts.

Harry Potter:

journals and ice-cream series. Draco Malfoy: ex-Death Eater, former bigot, divorcee, and single father. His wife left him for Viktor Krum, his children worship the Weasleys who clash with the décor, something is rotten at Hogwarts, and he doesn't really know what he's doing. But maybe he's getting the hang of it. Draco in this fic has absolutely nothing to do with Draco in canon. Maybe less than nothing. But this series is fun. And silly. And occasionally strangely moving. I don't even have any particular feelings for Draco, and I enjoyed this. It's fun.

Dollhouse:

Whatever Remains, However Improbable. Victor and Sierra are imprinted as Holmes and Watson, but the engagement does not go as planned. For fans both of Dollhouse and Arthur Conan Doyle. Only the most basic working knowledge of DH is required to enjoy this fic. Which you should read because it is DELIGHTFUL.

- First, a rec. If you've got even the slightest, most miniscule interest in the rebooted version of Star Trek (and how could you not?), please go here immediately and read Four Consequences of the Unexpected and Unlikely Friendship Between James T. Kirk and Nyota Uhura. Wait, you didn't know that you wanted Kirk and Uhura to be BFFs? Really? YOU DO NOW. I was cackling with glee and squeeing with delight all the way through this ridiculously fun fic. Read it read it read it! Now if someone would only write me that fic where Chekhov needs advice on a girl he likes and Uhura plays big sis and Jim gives horrible advice and Spock is above such things (new!Spock is ridiculously arrogant, isn't he? He's my least favorite thing about new!Trek) I'd be blissfully happy...

- For joy in a concentration that can't possibly be legal, please go here immediately and watch this trailer that I saw last night before The Young Victoria (which was also joyful, incidentally). I thought I was going to die of cuteness overload, and the BFF was laughing at me all the way through it. Caveat: your ovaries may explode. Don't say I didn't warn you.

- And finally, y'all, this is the GREATEST MEME EVER.

ship me meme

And, once again, it's Joy Day! So y'all should add to my joy by doing it! Because I really want to know who you ship me with! So click on the pink and blue banner to tell me!

Logan Echolls? Tony Stonem? Wash? Helo? Enver Gjokaj? John Donne? George Washington? The third red shirt from the right on that random episode of Star Trek? Yourself? Whowhowhowhowho?

I will badger you till you complete this, and then I will reward you with PIE!

This is maybe the coolest thing ever: Gender-reserved Star Trek 2009 Cast. Usually those things make me rolls my eyes, but these are so spot-on that I may have flailed a bit.

The only one I disagree with is Uhura.  Because come on, y'all, that should totally be J. August Richards instead.  It would give him a chance to really do something besides look pretty (though we all know he's very, very good at that).

Also, I may be the stupidest person ever, but I totally never realized that D.L. from Heroes was Forrest from Buffy.  Maybe it's because I liked him so much as D.L.?

+ Well, the job search is equal parts terrifying and monotonous, so let's talk about happier things, okay?

+ Like the fact that on Saturday I finally got to see Stark Trek.

( spoilers even though everybody's probably seen it already )

Yeah. So...there's that.

+ I'm also watching Farscape now, and of course I love it. And yes, yes, I have already developed a massive crush on Ben Browder and I think Claudia Black is awesome. Are we surprised? Not at all.

+ For those of you who love Tarsem Singh's The Fall as much as I do (and for those of you who haven't seen it, I am demanding that you rush to do so right. now. Check out my icon! It's Lee Pace! Everybody loves Lee Pace! Plus an adorable little girl! And the--bar none--most gorgeous movie ever made! And it's an examination of the nature of film and the power of storytelling! You can't go wrong!), you'll be thrilled to see that he's about to start a new movie called War of Gods, which stars Henry Cavill (hello, Albert!) as Theseus fighting the Titans! If you've seen The Fall, you'll understand when I say that THIS IS THE GREATEST NEWS IN THE WORLD.

+ Working on my good__evil challenge entries. The gorgeous art really is inspiring; I really hope I can come up with something worthy of it.

+ For those of you still caught up finals and stuff, good luck!