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shadowkatTook the day off, had physical therapy ("PT") at 2 pm. Slept until 8 am, took a shower, made breakfast (fried eggs - sunny side up, fresh raw spinach, and grits), iced leg, did knee exercises, and watched several Buffy S5 episodes. (I'd forgotten a lot of it - so it was bingeable.)
I noticed another pattern in Buffy that I'd not picked up on previously, or maybe I did and I forgot about it? Buffy likes poetry, and has a thing for poets. She also tends to like poetic banter, and quips. And does this with the vampires. I think it's because the writers are frustrated poets? It's possibly one of the reasons the series resonates with me? I can identify.)
Owen - in S1, Angel gives her a book of love poetry Valentine's day (S3), and in S5, she talks about her love of a poetry class, also Spike tells her he was a poet, which I think was a game changer.
Fool For Love changed how I (and a good portion of the audience and the actor who played the character) viewed Spike. He suddenly became layered and interesting to me. Being a poet myself or at least in a former life, that resonated with me. Also I've had the experience William did, not exactly like it but close. I think a lot of people have - which is why the character resonated with a lot of folks, it's also one of the reasons why fights over the character got brutally personal at times in the fandom. People wanted diametrically different paths for the character, which doesn't tend to lead to fruitful fannish discussions? When you are diametrically opposed - well...
I've finished episodes seven through nine, now.
I kept wondering when Buffy was going to everyone but her Mom and Giles about the key. Joyce figures it out on her own in Listening to Fear, and Buffy tells Giles at the end of The Real Me. And that actually is the biggest problem Buffy has - telling people things. It makes sense - she was taught by the Watchers to keep her identity secret. And now, she has to keep Dawn's identity secret. But I can't help but think that was causing the divide with Riley or why Riley felt she didn't love him -- she didn't really trust him. And she had reason not to - Riley had one foot in the door with the military. His allegiance had never been completely with her.
It's not yet. I'm guessing it might be sometime after Into the Woods. Because she never tells Riley. Riley is triggering me this season and grating on my ever living nerve, and how his character is written may well be among the reasons a lot of folks don't like Season 5? Riley doesn't really seem to care about anyone but Riley? Seriously, Riley, can you be any more self-absorbed.
He doesn't show up to patrol with the gang, nor does he seem to care what happens to them or if they survived. When the Queller demon pops up, Riley goes to the military, instead of telling Buffy about it, or talking to the gang. They call him - to give him information on it, not the other way around.
I get why they are writing Riley in this manner - the writers need Riley to leave, or the second half of the season won't work. Also it fits with the general theme of men leaving, or the absentee male father figure or romantic figure. And, the writers are deconstructing various romantic tropes in the series, and gender power plays in romantic relationships. Riley - wants Buffy to need him, to slobber over him, to put him first, in a way he wants her to be "dependent" on him. Kind of like she felt about Angel - to the point in which it hurt when Angel was gone, and she wasn't sure she could go on with out him. A kind of possessive all consuming love. Riley - the center of her love. He also wants GI Jane, a woman or partner to go with him on military missions.
Spike is right and wrong, when he tells Riley that he isn't long-haul guy, because Buffy needs a monster in her man. He's right that Riley isn't in it for the long-haul, but not for the reasons he thinks. It's not the edge or the monster (although Buffy does have a savior complex, and when Riley didn't require saving any longer, Buffy's attention went elsewhere), so much as Buffy's need to be equal, respected, and put in charge. Also, the savior complex. She didn't become interested in Spike, until two things happened - he sacrificed himself to save Dawn/put Buffy first and he required saving. She has a savior complex. That's what attracted her to Angel, Angel required saving. Spike doesn't see that - so he didn't pick up on. I don't think Xander does either. It's about power plays more than anything else - or that's the emphasis of the writing.
The deconstruction of romantic tropes - is Buffy and Riley don't work for a lot of reasons. On the surface they should work. And they are a popular romantic trope - you see it in a lot of contemporary romance novels and Hallmark movies. The nice/wounded military guy who falls for the small town girl. Or the vampire slayer and the military guy who fights demons. It's what a lot of fans wanted or expected with Buffy/Angel. It doesn't work though. Buffy is stronger than he is, and the chosen one, while he's not.
Angel and Riley both need to feel important, and have Buffy in the supporting role. Riley unlike Angel is willing to let Buffy take the lead, but only if they are a team off fighting demons together, without her friends, her family, Giles, and Riley comes first in Buffy's world. Basically Riley can handle S1-4 Buffy, but not S5-7. And the writing shows how ego-centric Riley is. They can't work. Buffy gets it. The fact that he issues her an ultimatum. Runs away to join a covert ops initiative in Central America - after she finds him in a vampire brothel (literally the day after - it's not been a week, it's the NEXT day). Kind of says it all.
She's probably experiencing a bad case of deja vue, I know I was, since it literally feels like I Will Always Remember You Take II.
Normal Human Guy doesn't want to be in a romance with Buffy Long-Haul. It's too dangerous for him, or she's too powerful for him, or he's not quite able to handle being with a powerful woman who can not only take him in a fight, but save him. She experiences it over and over again. No wonder she's considering joining a convent in the next episode.
Oh well, Spike's a far more entertaining and interesting romantic interest.
He's a soulless vampire who hunts vampire slayers, and over 150 years of age, trying to figure out how in the hell to romance a vampire slayer, who he's inconveniently fallen for. It's kind of like what would happen if Wile E Coyote fell in love with Bugs Bunny.
As he tells Riley - he doesn't expect it to work, or that he has a chance. But he can't help but try. And at the moment he's failing to comic effect.
The Troll episode, which I can't remember the name of, has two great lines that I've co-opted over the years and have fallen into pop culture:
"That's insane Troll Logic." (Xander)
"Nah, I'm not going to do that on account of being paralyzed with not caring all that much." (Spike)
Someone on Twitter asked - if you could only pick one vampire series from these four vampire series to keep - "Buffy, Angel, Vampire Diaries, and Interview with a Vampire" - which would it be? My response is still: Buffy, of course. It's best written and has the best dialogue and characters. I have yet to get through Interview, Vamp Diaries is NOT rewatchable - I tried, I can feel those actors "act", and the dialogue is horrible in places, Angel is good, but not as good as Buffy. So really it's just between Buffy and Angel for me. Also, if you threw Supernatural into it? Same. I wasn't a Supernatural fan. I barely made it six seasons.
Listened to a bit more of the Juliet Landau Revamped podcast - and what works for me are her interviews with fellow castmates, producers, directors, writers, etc. She's an excellent interviewer. Also her insight on backstage tricks of the trade, and the process of filming. What does not work are the "Dru" commentary (which is annoying - a little Dru, goes a long ways), and the navel-gazing regarding her dysfunctional parents. (Yes, yes, Juliet, we all know your parents were awful? (I really could live without knowing how awful?) But one is dead, the other is in her 90s, and you're 60, happily married, and doing what you love? MOVE ON. GAND Your childhood was only 20 years of your life. I get having issues with bad parents, but I'm not sure it is helpful to incessantly discuss it on a public podcast?) But other folks are loving it, subscribe to it, and pay for it, so what do I know?
Latest on the reboot - is no, no one else in the original cast has been contacted. They have to get the pilot off the ground first. They do it differently now? They shoot and air the pilot, as a movie, if it takes off, then they order more episodes, and air those, usually just six to ten episodes, if they work, then so on. Right now - they just asked for the pilot.
I don't know. What they may not realize - is the fandom loves the original cast and has their own ideas what they want to see? And it may be diametrically opposed to what the fans writing and producing the pilot and continuation want to see? The Buffy fandom like all fandoms is kind of fractious?
***
Finished the Paul Newman Memoir and onto the Larry Silverstein one about the fight to rebuild the world trade center. Larry is 93 years of age. I didn't realize that, until I started listening to the book and realized he met his wife Klara in the 1954. He was 70 when the Twin Towers fell. He's writing about the struggle he had to rebuild them - in his 70s. So far, my main take away, is there has to be a specific spot in hell just for all the real estate developers on the planet. Although it is interesting - learning all about real estate development in the 1950s and 1990s, also the pitfalls of working with big government agencies like the NY State Port Authority.
***
PT was frustrating. He wants me to follow up with the Orthopedic, who basically told me to see the PT. I feel like I'm going in a circle? He wants me to get an MRI of my knee. I don't want an MRI. I hate MRI's.
We will see - it will most likely be sometime in January at any rate.
Also more annoying exercises. And being told to stay off the knee and leg, but do the exercises, which is kind of impossible in NYC. The PT agreed that NYC is tough on the joints. He'd noticed that big dogs walk funny in the city - and all you really have to do is watch them, to see how hard the concrete is on the joints and hips.
He keeps asking me for Wifi on the Rail Road. I told him I have no control over that. (Nor do I care.) And he wants cup holders. (Also kind of paralyzed with not caring all that much.) I had to explain to him that he's wanting me to chat, do exercises, and count all at the same time. (Worse chat about Crazy Org which makes my blood pressure go up.) I miss the PT's who put heating pads on my back and ice on my knee. Gave me exercises, made me do them, then wandered away.
He also keeps asking me what my pain level is. I don't know. And how many times daily I have it.
Me: I can't decide which is worse, doctors appointments or PT?
Fellow Patient: I'm thinking PT, because it hurts more.
Did manage to make it to Union Grocery on Court St. Picked up gluten free pastry dough, a small gluten free dutch apple pie from Raised, home cut fries with just avocado oil and sea salt, salmon burger, quac and salsa (homemade), cucumber, gluten free crackers, gluten free caramel chocolate bar cookies, gluten free peanut butter bar cookies, flourless chocolate cookie, ronny brook egg nog. And a few other things I can't remember. It was heavy but not too heavy to safely make it ten blocks to Carroll street and train home, which was filled with self-absorbed teenagers who got off from school. (Trick is to avoid them - by getting on the train before 3pm or after 4. They get out of school between 3-3:30.)
And it rained heavily this morning between 6am and 10 am. Then stopped. Sun came out. Then got gloomy and rained briefly after 3pm. It's windy now. I'm staying in and off the knee the rest of the weekend, except for knee exercises.
Off to bed.
I noticed another pattern in Buffy that I'd not picked up on previously, or maybe I did and I forgot about it? Buffy likes poetry, and has a thing for poets. She also tends to like poetic banter, and quips. And does this with the vampires. I think it's because the writers are frustrated poets? It's possibly one of the reasons the series resonates with me? I can identify.)
Owen - in S1, Angel gives her a book of love poetry Valentine's day (S3), and in S5, she talks about her love of a poetry class, also Spike tells her he was a poet, which I think was a game changer.
Fool For Love changed how I (and a good portion of the audience and the actor who played the character) viewed Spike. He suddenly became layered and interesting to me. Being a poet myself or at least in a former life, that resonated with me. Also I've had the experience William did, not exactly like it but close. I think a lot of people have - which is why the character resonated with a lot of folks, it's also one of the reasons why fights over the character got brutally personal at times in the fandom. People wanted diametrically different paths for the character, which doesn't tend to lead to fruitful fannish discussions? When you are diametrically opposed - well...
I've finished episodes seven through nine, now.
I kept wondering when Buffy was going to everyone but her Mom and Giles about the key. Joyce figures it out on her own in Listening to Fear, and Buffy tells Giles at the end of The Real Me. And that actually is the biggest problem Buffy has - telling people things. It makes sense - she was taught by the Watchers to keep her identity secret. And now, she has to keep Dawn's identity secret. But I can't help but think that was causing the divide with Riley or why Riley felt she didn't love him -- she didn't really trust him. And she had reason not to - Riley had one foot in the door with the military. His allegiance had never been completely with her.
It's not yet. I'm guessing it might be sometime after Into the Woods. Because she never tells Riley. Riley is triggering me this season and grating on my ever living nerve, and how his character is written may well be among the reasons a lot of folks don't like Season 5? Riley doesn't really seem to care about anyone but Riley? Seriously, Riley, can you be any more self-absorbed.
He doesn't show up to patrol with the gang, nor does he seem to care what happens to them or if they survived. When the Queller demon pops up, Riley goes to the military, instead of telling Buffy about it, or talking to the gang. They call him - to give him information on it, not the other way around.
I get why they are writing Riley in this manner - the writers need Riley to leave, or the second half of the season won't work. Also it fits with the general theme of men leaving, or the absentee male father figure or romantic figure. And, the writers are deconstructing various romantic tropes in the series, and gender power plays in romantic relationships. Riley - wants Buffy to need him, to slobber over him, to put him first, in a way he wants her to be "dependent" on him. Kind of like she felt about Angel - to the point in which it hurt when Angel was gone, and she wasn't sure she could go on with out him. A kind of possessive all consuming love. Riley - the center of her love. He also wants GI Jane, a woman or partner to go with him on military missions.
Spike is right and wrong, when he tells Riley that he isn't long-haul guy, because Buffy needs a monster in her man. He's right that Riley isn't in it for the long-haul, but not for the reasons he thinks. It's not the edge or the monster (although Buffy does have a savior complex, and when Riley didn't require saving any longer, Buffy's attention went elsewhere), so much as Buffy's need to be equal, respected, and put in charge. Also, the savior complex. She didn't become interested in Spike, until two things happened - he sacrificed himself to save Dawn/put Buffy first and he required saving. She has a savior complex. That's what attracted her to Angel, Angel required saving. Spike doesn't see that - so he didn't pick up on. I don't think Xander does either. It's about power plays more than anything else - or that's the emphasis of the writing.
The deconstruction of romantic tropes - is Buffy and Riley don't work for a lot of reasons. On the surface they should work. And they are a popular romantic trope - you see it in a lot of contemporary romance novels and Hallmark movies. The nice/wounded military guy who falls for the small town girl. Or the vampire slayer and the military guy who fights demons. It's what a lot of fans wanted or expected with Buffy/Angel. It doesn't work though. Buffy is stronger than he is, and the chosen one, while he's not.
Angel and Riley both need to feel important, and have Buffy in the supporting role. Riley unlike Angel is willing to let Buffy take the lead, but only if they are a team off fighting demons together, without her friends, her family, Giles, and Riley comes first in Buffy's world. Basically Riley can handle S1-4 Buffy, but not S5-7. And the writing shows how ego-centric Riley is. They can't work. Buffy gets it. The fact that he issues her an ultimatum. Runs away to join a covert ops initiative in Central America - after she finds him in a vampire brothel (literally the day after - it's not been a week, it's the NEXT day). Kind of says it all.
She's probably experiencing a bad case of deja vue, I know I was, since it literally feels like I Will Always Remember You Take II.
Normal Human Guy doesn't want to be in a romance with Buffy Long-Haul. It's too dangerous for him, or she's too powerful for him, or he's not quite able to handle being with a powerful woman who can not only take him in a fight, but save him. She experiences it over and over again. No wonder she's considering joining a convent in the next episode.
Oh well, Spike's a far more entertaining and interesting romantic interest.
He's a soulless vampire who hunts vampire slayers, and over 150 years of age, trying to figure out how in the hell to romance a vampire slayer, who he's inconveniently fallen for. It's kind of like what would happen if Wile E Coyote fell in love with Bugs Bunny.
As he tells Riley - he doesn't expect it to work, or that he has a chance. But he can't help but try. And at the moment he's failing to comic effect.
The Troll episode, which I can't remember the name of, has two great lines that I've co-opted over the years and have fallen into pop culture:
"That's insane Troll Logic." (Xander)
"Nah, I'm not going to do that on account of being paralyzed with not caring all that much." (Spike)
Someone on Twitter asked - if you could only pick one vampire series from these four vampire series to keep - "Buffy, Angel, Vampire Diaries, and Interview with a Vampire" - which would it be? My response is still: Buffy, of course. It's best written and has the best dialogue and characters. I have yet to get through Interview, Vamp Diaries is NOT rewatchable - I tried, I can feel those actors "act", and the dialogue is horrible in places, Angel is good, but not as good as Buffy. So really it's just between Buffy and Angel for me. Also, if you threw Supernatural into it? Same. I wasn't a Supernatural fan. I barely made it six seasons.
Listened to a bit more of the Juliet Landau Revamped podcast - and what works for me are her interviews with fellow castmates, producers, directors, writers, etc. She's an excellent interviewer. Also her insight on backstage tricks of the trade, and the process of filming. What does not work are the "Dru" commentary (which is annoying - a little Dru, goes a long ways), and the navel-gazing regarding her dysfunctional parents. (Yes, yes, Juliet, we all know your parents were awful? (I really could live without knowing how awful?) But one is dead, the other is in her 90s, and you're 60, happily married, and doing what you love? MOVE ON. GAND Your childhood was only 20 years of your life. I get having issues with bad parents, but I'm not sure it is helpful to incessantly discuss it on a public podcast?) But other folks are loving it, subscribe to it, and pay for it, so what do I know?
Latest on the reboot - is no, no one else in the original cast has been contacted. They have to get the pilot off the ground first. They do it differently now? They shoot and air the pilot, as a movie, if it takes off, then they order more episodes, and air those, usually just six to ten episodes, if they work, then so on. Right now - they just asked for the pilot.
I don't know. What they may not realize - is the fandom loves the original cast and has their own ideas what they want to see? And it may be diametrically opposed to what the fans writing and producing the pilot and continuation want to see? The Buffy fandom like all fandoms is kind of fractious?
***
Finished the Paul Newman Memoir and onto the Larry Silverstein one about the fight to rebuild the world trade center. Larry is 93 years of age. I didn't realize that, until I started listening to the book and realized he met his wife Klara in the 1954. He was 70 when the Twin Towers fell. He's writing about the struggle he had to rebuild them - in his 70s. So far, my main take away, is there has to be a specific spot in hell just for all the real estate developers on the planet. Although it is interesting - learning all about real estate development in the 1950s and 1990s, also the pitfalls of working with big government agencies like the NY State Port Authority.
***
PT was frustrating. He wants me to follow up with the Orthopedic, who basically told me to see the PT. I feel like I'm going in a circle? He wants me to get an MRI of my knee. I don't want an MRI. I hate MRI's.
We will see - it will most likely be sometime in January at any rate.
Also more annoying exercises. And being told to stay off the knee and leg, but do the exercises, which is kind of impossible in NYC. The PT agreed that NYC is tough on the joints. He'd noticed that big dogs walk funny in the city - and all you really have to do is watch them, to see how hard the concrete is on the joints and hips.
He keeps asking me for Wifi on the Rail Road. I told him I have no control over that. (Nor do I care.) And he wants cup holders. (Also kind of paralyzed with not caring all that much.) I had to explain to him that he's wanting me to chat, do exercises, and count all at the same time. (Worse chat about Crazy Org which makes my blood pressure go up.) I miss the PT's who put heating pads on my back and ice on my knee. Gave me exercises, made me do them, then wandered away.
He also keeps asking me what my pain level is. I don't know. And how many times daily I have it.
Me: I can't decide which is worse, doctors appointments or PT?
Fellow Patient: I'm thinking PT, because it hurts more.
Did manage to make it to Union Grocery on Court St. Picked up gluten free pastry dough, a small gluten free dutch apple pie from Raised, home cut fries with just avocado oil and sea salt, salmon burger, quac and salsa (homemade), cucumber, gluten free crackers, gluten free caramel chocolate bar cookies, gluten free peanut butter bar cookies, flourless chocolate cookie, ronny brook egg nog. And a few other things I can't remember. It was heavy but not too heavy to safely make it ten blocks to Carroll street and train home, which was filled with self-absorbed teenagers who got off from school. (Trick is to avoid them - by getting on the train before 3pm or after 4. They get out of school between 3-3:30.)
And it rained heavily this morning between 6am and 10 am. Then stopped. Sun came out. Then got gloomy and rained briefly after 3pm. It's windy now. I'm staying in and off the knee the rest of the weekend, except for knee exercises.
Off to bed.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-22 01:19 am (UTC)As with slaymesoftly, I had to really push for the MRI to be done, and with the same concerns. The doctor wanted me to increase PT work when I was concerned it would worsen an existing tear.
no subject
Date: 2025-12-22 02:10 am (UTC)