Me me me, let's talk about me! Or, There's two "me"s in "meme."

[bironic]

So theninth tagged me to do the meme where you list seven random facts about yourself, but you know what? I'm bored this week (sloooooow at work) and a little lonely, and I like you guys and I like talking about myself, so how about you ask me stuff? I reserve the right to pass if the question's too personal, but you can always ask another. Yeah? And then if you like, I'll ask you something back.

...

Oh, I give in. Here are three random facts about me—two copied from a recent comment over at cryptictac's, and one I've been saving up in case a meme like this came 'round again. shut up.

1. Most of the time, if I can't remember a word, it starts with "con-." This makes me suspect that there are tiny areas of the speech centers of the brain responsible for particular morphemes.

2. I still sometimes work on years-old Mary Sue stories in the privacy of my hard drive.

3. If I'm reading a story and someone blinks, winks, nods, shakes or jerks their head, grimaces, shrugs, smirks, squints, raises their eyebrows, snorts, etc., I do the same thing before I've realized it. Like some kind of above-the-chest reader's Tourette's.

4-9. Here are six random facts from the last round.

Comments

[purridot.livejournal.com]

#2 - LOL! I have a whole set of OCs that I "write" stories about in the privacy of my imagination. It's totally comforting b/c no one will ever be able to read it as it's not written down so it can be as melodramatic as I like (which is VERY MUCH SO :-)

#3 - If I'm reading a death!fic, I'll put on sad music so that I feel the angst along with the characters... Très macabre, I know!

Question: What would Lord Byron think of House?

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Oh, ask me something easy, why don't you? I think Byron would approve of House's bluntness and drug use and admire the way he won't let himself be defined by his leg (though, like House, he'd couch it in scorn). And, um. He'd get a kick out of House's metaphors and condescension. And they could "go brood in a dark corner" together for a little while, until House told him to grow up and get over himself and Byron would say he's a pale and mixed-up descendent of his great heroes. Okay, straying from the topic. But after that great chat you & Elynittria & I had way back when, one of my persistent long-term plot bunnies is to do a House/Wilson/Byron/Shelley gen (or PG-rated slash) piece where they're all at a table in a pub together, so I'll probably figure out a better answer for you whenever I get around to writing that.

2. Oh, yes, there are written OCs/Mary Sues and then there are fantasized OCs/Mary Sues that dare not be put down on paper! In our minds, there is no censure for melodrama etc. -- and thank goodness for that.

3. Not macabre -- getting in the mood.

[elynittria.livejournal.com]

I have a whole set of OCs that I "write" stories about in the privacy of my imagination.

I used to have Mary Sues that I "wrote" about in my mind to pass the time, but eventually I discovered that I enjoyed "being" fictional characters even more (i.e., imagining elaborate, probably excessively melodramatic h/c plots from the POV of a particular character that I loved, without any self-insertion into the scenarios). Now I only daydream about my Mary Sue characters on rare occasions.

[purridot.livejournal.com]

It's funny how melodrama can be appealing, though! But like sex, it's really more fun in private.

One author whose books I consider WAY OVER THE TOP is Diana Gabaldon... I believe that every major character, male or female, has been raped or tortured at some point in the, um, "epic", and yet... I have at least zipped them all. My defense is that someone gave them to me! Honest! It's like eating a whole litre of angst-flavoured ice cream. You don't necessarily feel healthy afterwards, but it is hard to stop.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

And it feels great to indulge once in a while, so long as there are lots of healthy fruits and greens and whatnot in between.

So these Gabaldon books... do any of the male characters get raped, or just tortured? My slash-ruined melodrama-loving heart wants to know!

[purridot.livejournal.com]

Oh no, her hero is not exempt!!! These days anyone can have their bodice-ripped.

And the hero's best friend is gay (which the hero is cool with, even in 17th century Scotland). And the best friend became such a popular character (he is a sweetie who, in fact, is the only character that I actually liked in the whole series -- I sort of enjoyed it when the others got beaten up etc.) that he got his own spinoff series. :D

Not sure I really recommended Diana G., but she does have her huge melodramatic following!

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I getcha. Sounds like my approach to Anne Rice: it's not quality, exactly, but I still love it.

who, in fact, is the only character that I actually liked in the whole series -- I sort of enjoyed it when the others got beaten up etc.

Of course, those don't have to be mutually exclusive -- witness all the Wilson bashing when we love him dearly. :D

These days anyone can have their bodice-ripped.

*trails off into happy memories of Sheppard getting his tac vest torn open by the Wraith who'd infiltrated Atlantis in "Siege, Part I"*

...Oh, wow. Our library has more than a dozen of her books. If, uh, a person were to check one out for skimming, uh, to the good bits, or to try one for starters, what might you recommend?

[purridot.livejournal.com]

I getcha. Sounds like my approach to Anne Rice: it's not quality, exactly, but I still love it.

Hee! I love Anne Rice too! I think we are on the same page here :D

I think the first book of the series, Outlander, is the best place to start. And it has a very evil and depraved villain who is in slashy love with someone. I won't say whom. ;-) (Um, I think that's the right one anyway!)

Mmmm... Sheppard suffers so very beautifully. Especially when his hair droops into his eyes in sweaty dishevelment.

[elynittria.livejournal.com]

I've never heard of Diana Gabaldon before. She sounds similar to another female sci fi/fantasy author whose books I've tried to read. (I'm thinking Mercedes Lackey, but I'm not really sure now—it's been a while since I picked up one of her books.) I just couldn't get into them because they were so over the top. The angst and physical, emotional, and mental torture started almost from the first paragraph, and since I had no emotional investment in the characters yet (unlike in fanfic), I just couldn't wade through the morass.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

Ever try Stephen R. Donaldson (http://www.stephenrdonaldson.com/)'s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever? Talk about epic angst and constant, worsening torture with little emotional investment! The (anti)hero is a leper who falls into a parallel world where he has to save the day. Again and again. Against ever-stronger foes, all the while battling his deadened nerves. He's cast in the Byronic mold, all right, but hoo boy.

[bironic.livejournal.com]

I discovered that I enjoyed "being" fictional characters even more

Hee. That sounds like fun. Do you concern yourself with characterization while you're at it, or just run with it?

Now I only daydream about my Mary Sue characters on rare occasions.

I've had a huge drop in OC fantasies since joining fandom, actually. I don't know if it's because most of my desires are satisfied with all this fic to read, or if I've trained myself out of it in favor of writing, or if I'm ashamed to do it around all those invisible people who'd never know, or what, but it's true.

[elynittria.livejournal.com]

Do you concern yourself with characterization while you're at it, or just run with it?

I usually try to keep everyone in character as much as possible. Of course, sometimes it's fun to imagine how characters would react if they weren't so terrified of showing their true emotions.