Y2/D312...Brrr part 2
Jan. 22nd, 2022 09:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatIt was cold, but pretty. I stayed inside in my sweat pants and long sleeved shirt and purple fluffy socks.
Played on the internet for a bit. Mostly FB's Whedon Studies Association, where I debated journalistic integrity, and whether you can truly see in a highly collaborative work of art the diabolical leanings of one of the creators and the hostile work environment he inspired.
Poster: I'm wondering now about Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and how much this informed that -
Me: Not at all. First of all it wasn't written by Whedon nor directed by him. It was written by Marti Noxon. And it contains her fetishes - not his, if you've seen her future work, you'll catch it - (See UnReal for example).
Also it wasn't directed by either of them, so the director had some influence, as did the individual actors. Add to all of the above? None of Whedon's works were solo affairs, it's not like Noah Hawley who wrote all of the Fargo episodes, or Stanley Kubrick who wrote and directed his films and took takes until the actors delivered the performance he saw in his head. Whedon couldn't do that. He may have tried, but he couldn't. Television show-runners don't have that much power.
He didn't write all the episodes, he may have ghost written a few, but so did others, and he certainly didn't direct them. Marsters states that he barely interacted with Whedon - Whedon rarely directed any of the episodes or things he was in. Just a few here and there, but usually even in the episodes Whedon directed - he was with the second unit Director. Nor did he edit all of it, and he had a co-show-runner, David Greenwalt. When Greenwalt left, Marti Noxon and David Fury became the co-showrunners and had a lot of say in the story.
Whedon didn't control any of the things he wrote. You can't in that industry. It's not a medium that lends itself to that.
Also in regards to hostile work environments and Hollywood? You can have a happy set, and a wonderful work environment but a boring show and bad movie. I mean I've seen a lot of movies and television shows, where everyone got along, but the product was crap.
Likewise, you can have a horrible experience, hostile work environment, and nastiness backstage, but a brilliant product. The art isn't always affected by the work behind it. You can have a bad day in pottery, but create a great pot.
It's not a restaurant.
Same is true for music - look at the Beatle's Get Back documentary or for that matter Abbey Road. They had a horrible time in the beginning, were close to breaking up, and in the middle of all of that turmoil - they create amazing music.
So, no, I wouldn't read too much of Whedon's craziness into his end product, if it is there - it's coincidental or the by-product of more than one crazy soul.
I also tried to debate journalistic integrity but I was doing it with people who aren't debators and aren't that interested and gave up quickly.
(By quickly, I mean one post and refused to address the central issue and kept making it about the subject of the article as opposed to how it was written.) They weren't the folks who debated stuff with me on the boards.
Got further discussing the journalistic integrity here and in the Whedon Studies Association Group actually.
**
Meanwhile, according to Twitter, Arizona's Democratic Party finally got fed up with their candidate and Representative supporting the Conservative Republican Party. So they censured her, and refused to back her in the up-coming election, which means she can't win the primary and be re-elected as the Senator from Arizona. Now, if only West Virgina can do the same thing, it won't - because it is West Virgina.
**
I've reached the point in the pandemic in which I know more people who have had COVID (often more than once) than who haven't. Lovely.
Raise your hand if you've not gotten it? I've not gotten it, as far as I know. I've no proof of it. Nor for that matter has anyone in my immediate family.
The Cleaner at my Dad's long term care facility told my mother to be extra careful in the facility. My father should be fine - he's wandering about without a mask and refuses to wear one. But he's more worried about her.
So am I - I sent her more masks. I also call her daily. My idiotic brother didn't call her today and hasn't sent her masks. In fact this is the first day in two years that he hadn't called.
Mother: this is the first day your brother didn't call.
Me: Why?
Mother: Well not counting the fact that I did call him while I was with your Dad, but he didn't answer so I left a message.
Me: He's not called you back?
Mother: I've not tried again. My New Year's Resolution is to break the habit of having to call him every day.
Me: That's silly. He's not going to have you forever. This time is precious.
I'm furious with my brother again. I wonder sometimes what the point of having a sibling is? I discussed this with Gabe recently. She said someone told her she should have another child to give her son a companion or playmate. And she responded: "That's not how siblings work. There's no guarantee they will be friends or get along. Also having kids so they can take care of you - isn't necessarily going to happen either. And having more than one isn't a guarantee of that. You have no idea what people will do."
I agree.
Wales attempted to compare her family to mine. She said hers is worse because they all voted for Trump.
I wish human beings wouldn't do this. You should not compare your family or life experiences with someone else's. It's akin to comparing the lives of palm trees with pine. They are not remotely comparably, and by doing so you invalidate both.
I hate it in myself, and I hate it even more in others - this compulsion to compare one's life with someone else's. No good can be gained from it. We are unique - and our lives are very different.
***
Fluffy television movie was "Kate and Leopold" from the Meg Ryan genre of romantic comedies.
It's not very good. But, it had Hugh Jackman. And dear God, the man is charisma plus. It's impossible not to fall for him (unless of course you are heterosexual male...). It's also part of the 1980s/90s film trope of women who leave their careers for romance.
In this one, Kate was in the unfulfilling career of advertising creative director. I spent most of the film envying Kate's hair cut, clothes, and apartment. I wanted that apartment badly, along with the furnishings and decor. Meg Ryan always has these amazing apartments in the New York romantic comedies that she starred in.
It's an unrealistic film though. For one thing - the New York of the 1880s is far too clean and civilized. Kate goes back in time at the end of the movie and is able to rush through the streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Duke's House without any impediments - no muggers, no mud, no horses or carriages, nothing. I did not buy it. Also, she has an apartment that I've never seen. It has a modern tub, and beautiful decor. Granted she has a top notch job - but a cute apartment living above her ex-boyfriend didn't make sense. The down-side of living in NYC for over twenty years - is you notice the unrealistic bits on the city in various movies and television shows.
There's also a cringe-inducing dinner scene with Bradley Whitford as her boss, that is very 1990s, but wouldn't work now - with her boss coming on to her, and Leopold saving her - but also almost costing her - the job. The writers do have her boss give her the job at the end - while he's about to vamoose to England.
Other than that it's enjoyable, and has an interesting cast, rounded out with Liev Schrieber and Spaulding Gray.
***
I'm working on my fantasy novel again - we'll see if I make it past the first 100 pages. I keep getting distracted. Apparently my father reminded mother of me today, he said all he wants to do is read and write.
She reminded me that he retired at 58 and was able to do precisely that for over twenty years. Perhaps the Universe will grant me the same privilege? Although technically, I'm already doing that, aren't I?
My father also apparently has me working in my current job and in advertising.
Mother: So, want to tell me what you are doing in advertising?
ME: I've no clue. Nor how I'd be able to juggle both at the same time. I have enough issues juggling what I'm currently doing. Does he have an answer for that?
Mother: I forgot to ask.
I need to buy a new kindle so I can read all the books on it, and not keep reading them on my phone and Fire HD, which don't work as well. Romance Novelists Twitter wanted to know what books gave me joy this year. I've no clue, I can't remember the titles.
**
Played on the internet for a bit. Mostly FB's Whedon Studies Association, where I debated journalistic integrity, and whether you can truly see in a highly collaborative work of art the diabolical leanings of one of the creators and the hostile work environment he inspired.
Poster: I'm wondering now about Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and how much this informed that -
Me: Not at all. First of all it wasn't written by Whedon nor directed by him. It was written by Marti Noxon. And it contains her fetishes - not his, if you've seen her future work, you'll catch it - (See UnReal for example).
Also it wasn't directed by either of them, so the director had some influence, as did the individual actors. Add to all of the above? None of Whedon's works were solo affairs, it's not like Noah Hawley who wrote all of the Fargo episodes, or Stanley Kubrick who wrote and directed his films and took takes until the actors delivered the performance he saw in his head. Whedon couldn't do that. He may have tried, but he couldn't. Television show-runners don't have that much power.
He didn't write all the episodes, he may have ghost written a few, but so did others, and he certainly didn't direct them. Marsters states that he barely interacted with Whedon - Whedon rarely directed any of the episodes or things he was in. Just a few here and there, but usually even in the episodes Whedon directed - he was with the second unit Director. Nor did he edit all of it, and he had a co-show-runner, David Greenwalt. When Greenwalt left, Marti Noxon and David Fury became the co-showrunners and had a lot of say in the story.
Whedon didn't control any of the things he wrote. You can't in that industry. It's not a medium that lends itself to that.
Also in regards to hostile work environments and Hollywood? You can have a happy set, and a wonderful work environment but a boring show and bad movie. I mean I've seen a lot of movies and television shows, where everyone got along, but the product was crap.
Likewise, you can have a horrible experience, hostile work environment, and nastiness backstage, but a brilliant product. The art isn't always affected by the work behind it. You can have a bad day in pottery, but create a great pot.
It's not a restaurant.
Same is true for music - look at the Beatle's Get Back documentary or for that matter Abbey Road. They had a horrible time in the beginning, were close to breaking up, and in the middle of all of that turmoil - they create amazing music.
So, no, I wouldn't read too much of Whedon's craziness into his end product, if it is there - it's coincidental or the by-product of more than one crazy soul.
I also tried to debate journalistic integrity but I was doing it with people who aren't debators and aren't that interested and gave up quickly.
(By quickly, I mean one post and refused to address the central issue and kept making it about the subject of the article as opposed to how it was written.) They weren't the folks who debated stuff with me on the boards.
Got further discussing the journalistic integrity here and in the Whedon Studies Association Group actually.
**
Meanwhile, according to Twitter, Arizona's Democratic Party finally got fed up with their candidate and Representative supporting the Conservative Republican Party. So they censured her, and refused to back her in the up-coming election, which means she can't win the primary and be re-elected as the Senator from Arizona. Now, if only West Virgina can do the same thing, it won't - because it is West Virgina.
**
I've reached the point in the pandemic in which I know more people who have had COVID (often more than once) than who haven't. Lovely.
Raise your hand if you've not gotten it? I've not gotten it, as far as I know. I've no proof of it. Nor for that matter has anyone in my immediate family.
The Cleaner at my Dad's long term care facility told my mother to be extra careful in the facility. My father should be fine - he's wandering about without a mask and refuses to wear one. But he's more worried about her.
So am I - I sent her more masks. I also call her daily. My idiotic brother didn't call her today and hasn't sent her masks. In fact this is the first day in two years that he hadn't called.
Mother: this is the first day your brother didn't call.
Me: Why?
Mother: Well not counting the fact that I did call him while I was with your Dad, but he didn't answer so I left a message.
Me: He's not called you back?
Mother: I've not tried again. My New Year's Resolution is to break the habit of having to call him every day.
Me: That's silly. He's not going to have you forever. This time is precious.
I'm furious with my brother again. I wonder sometimes what the point of having a sibling is? I discussed this with Gabe recently. She said someone told her she should have another child to give her son a companion or playmate. And she responded: "That's not how siblings work. There's no guarantee they will be friends or get along. Also having kids so they can take care of you - isn't necessarily going to happen either. And having more than one isn't a guarantee of that. You have no idea what people will do."
I agree.
Wales attempted to compare her family to mine. She said hers is worse because they all voted for Trump.
I wish human beings wouldn't do this. You should not compare your family or life experiences with someone else's. It's akin to comparing the lives of palm trees with pine. They are not remotely comparably, and by doing so you invalidate both.
I hate it in myself, and I hate it even more in others - this compulsion to compare one's life with someone else's. No good can be gained from it. We are unique - and our lives are very different.
***
Fluffy television movie was "Kate and Leopold" from the Meg Ryan genre of romantic comedies.
It's not very good. But, it had Hugh Jackman. And dear God, the man is charisma plus. It's impossible not to fall for him (unless of course you are heterosexual male...). It's also part of the 1980s/90s film trope of women who leave their careers for romance.
In this one, Kate was in the unfulfilling career of advertising creative director. I spent most of the film envying Kate's hair cut, clothes, and apartment. I wanted that apartment badly, along with the furnishings and decor. Meg Ryan always has these amazing apartments in the New York romantic comedies that she starred in.
It's an unrealistic film though. For one thing - the New York of the 1880s is far too clean and civilized. Kate goes back in time at the end of the movie and is able to rush through the streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Duke's House without any impediments - no muggers, no mud, no horses or carriages, nothing. I did not buy it. Also, she has an apartment that I've never seen. It has a modern tub, and beautiful decor. Granted she has a top notch job - but a cute apartment living above her ex-boyfriend didn't make sense. The down-side of living in NYC for over twenty years - is you notice the unrealistic bits on the city in various movies and television shows.
There's also a cringe-inducing dinner scene with Bradley Whitford as her boss, that is very 1990s, but wouldn't work now - with her boss coming on to her, and Leopold saving her - but also almost costing her - the job. The writers do have her boss give her the job at the end - while he's about to vamoose to England.
Other than that it's enjoyable, and has an interesting cast, rounded out with Liev Schrieber and Spaulding Gray.
***
I'm working on my fantasy novel again - we'll see if I make it past the first 100 pages. I keep getting distracted. Apparently my father reminded mother of me today, he said all he wants to do is read and write.
She reminded me that he retired at 58 and was able to do precisely that for over twenty years. Perhaps the Universe will grant me the same privilege? Although technically, I'm already doing that, aren't I?
My father also apparently has me working in my current job and in advertising.
Mother: So, want to tell me what you are doing in advertising?
ME: I've no clue. Nor how I'd be able to juggle both at the same time. I have enough issues juggling what I'm currently doing. Does he have an answer for that?
Mother: I forgot to ask.
I need to buy a new kindle so I can read all the books on it, and not keep reading them on my phone and Fire HD, which don't work as well. Romance Novelists Twitter wanted to know what books gave me joy this year. I've no clue, I can't remember the titles.
**
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 01:01 pm (UTC)His middle brother and wife got it (breakthrough,) after rehearsals and performing at SF opera, our neighbors got it early in 2020 (they were coming back from Europe when the outbreak there happened,) and I have a friend who has had it twice (she is an idiot and is not vaccinated and refuses to not be in large gatherings.) I know of others that got it before Delta and I probably know people that have gotten it recently (people that I do not keep in regular touch with.)
A co-worker (unvaccinated) of my husband died in 2021 from COVID and currently his boss has it (breakthrough.) It has become so commonplace that unless you ask point blank or you are close with someone, they don't just tell you.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 06:15 pm (UTC)Most of my co-workers have. Or roughly half of them have, most because they are gallivanting about without taking precautions. The ones who are taking precautions, and family members are, haven't had it, with few exceptions on both sides.
And you're right, people don't just tell you. I get it. I wouldn't. Although I do tell folks I've had the vaccine.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 02:19 pm (UTC)Don't count on it. Sinema is well funded and the state Democratic party is rather weak. Unlike a lot of extreme liberals, I understand why she did it. They see her as betraying voting rights, while she sees it as not giving the Republicans an excuse and a means to completely undo our democracy when they get back control of Congress. She said repeatedly she would have voted for the voting rights bill, but I think she was reluctant to weaken the filibuster rule which might help keep the Republicans in check someday.
It's, of course, not certain she can win her next primary. But honestly, she is the biggest name in the Arizona Democratic party, and I know of no one in the party who at this moment who could defeat her.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 02:46 pm (UTC)She's going so far that I can't help but wonder if reelection isn't a (ha) primary goal of hers, if she's looking to get paid better as a fair-and-balanced pundit or somesuch so is looking to establish her credentials for that instead. None of this seems either politically wise or a reflection of deeply held principles, after all.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 06:05 pm (UTC)Also the Voting Rights Act is important - since the Republican controlled states are passing laws right and left that is crippling the right to vote. If you are a white male you won't notice, because the redistricting and the new laws are crippling and hurting non-white voters in those states.
If they accomplish their aim - our democracy is toast anyhow.
What is annoying me is that they haven't found a way to do what O'Connell did with the Supreme Court Nominations and his pet legislation, which is get rid of the filibuster for this instance or at the very least put it back to the state it was previously - because O'Connell began to abuse it.
I get why a lot of folks are terrified of doing away with it, but keeping it intact is not the answer either.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 02:37 pm (UTC)A friend who reviews movies and television and lives in London notices all kinds of glaring inaccuracies in London-based stuff, often in terms of geographical implausibilities, including routes between things. Though, some of the funnier would be more widely noticed, e.g., when in (2019) she arrives back from Paris on an East Midlands train. One also gets unrealistic views of places in London that many people would know in person, like when you see what's supposed to be Heathrow at the start of (1990), the in the sign was funny, as well as the Union Flag out front, together with, of all things, a tube map at the dropoff - I don't know where they are but it's not recognizable to anybody who's been there.
I've not had COVID-19, that I know, nor have my kids. I'm living alone in my own house with my own laundry, etc., though. I do take some risks, like yesterday I did grocery shopping in person, but for that I double-masked and wore eyewear with side shields, and the store wasn't busy, and I had hand sanitizer waiting in the car, etc.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 06:12 pm (UTC)Also some folks don't get it at all. I have two co-workers who haven't gotten it, but been exposed multiple times to family members who have.
You are pretty safe just with a mask, and a vaccine. And social distancing - six feet apart. Although I take the subways and trains, and have literally sat next to people with just a KF94 mask. And NYC had a 26% infection rate.
no subject
Date: 2022-01-23 07:24 pm (UTC)Yeah, it's definitely something that Arizona, hardly a liberal state, would have gone ahead with the censure. But I'm glad they did.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-05 10:12 am (UTC)