Ahem. Things went a tad wonky for a while again. Actually, to be honest, things are still somewhat wonky, but I’ll live. The Heatherbunny is coming to stay for a few days from tomorrow, and then the parents will be up for a week after that, all of which should keep me on an even keel. Which’ll be nice.
Captain Kirk, ruler of Liberia? – this was sent to me by Inne the other day, and made me giggle. And then giggle some more. Presumably it’s some kind of commemorative thingy, but still – hee! Thanks for that, Inne :-)
And belatedly, my Blogger Inside questions. You can read Tinka’s answers to the questions I sent her here, and then you should really read the rest of the blog, cos it’s a damn good one.
So, here are the questions I was sent. With my answers to them. Obviously.
1. Buffy. What made you start watching the show in the first place (and by extension, what keeps you watching?).
Well…. I’d never seen the original movie, though I had it mentally bookmarked as one that I’d like to watch if I came across it. I’m pretty glad, however, that I didn’t see it before any of the series, cos it might well have put me off. *g* I saw an article on the upcoming TV series in SFX mag, and again mentally bookmarked it as something I might like to watch. Then one evening I rang my Mum, only for her to tell me that she couldn’t talk to me right then, cos Buffy was on. Oookeydoke. So I turned it on myself, and thoroughly enjoyed the episode (which was “The Witch”, one of the early Season 1 eps). My brother happened to have taped the first few eps, so he sent them to me, and I was hooked from then on. As for what kept me watching, well, that would be the interesting storylines, and ultimately I suppose the fact that the characters are well written enough that you become involved with them to an extent, want to know what will happen to them next. Not to mention the added bonus that is Spike. Mmmm, pretty :-)
2. What is your very first memory?
This one has actually stumped me. I honestly don’t know. I have memories of my Dad taking me up to London on the train when I was fairly small, I remember falling off the climbing frame at playschool and landing on my head (which could explain some things *snerk*), I remember falling backwards into the paddling pool in the back garden and being utterly outraged that my Mum laughed, and there are a few other things that I’m pretty certain are pre-brother (who was born when I was 4½), but I can’t pinpoint any one thing as being the earliest. Hmm.
3. What will always get a laugh out of you?
[thumb:298:l]This is my first cat, Mr Worf. I’d had one of those instant pasta thingies, then stuck the empty pot in the bin. Worf obviously liked the smell, and went down the bin to have a taste. Only the pot got stuck on his head. So he started walking backwards, presumably with the assumption that the pot would stay still and he could pull free. Ah, no. I laughed a lot, then rescued him. Except I made the mistake of just putting the pot down on the floor, and he promptly stuck his head back in it. Got stuck, started walking backwards. That’s when I took this photo. Even better, I then took him and the pot (separately) into my flatmate’s room, and lo and behold, Worf did it again. Maybe you had to be there, but this pic will always crack me up.
4. LOTR – a story for geek guys, only appealing to girls because of the pretty Elf in the film. Discuss.
You know what? I’m actually not sure I know any guys who are fans in a big way. Of all the female fans I know, I think about 90% were fans of the book(s) long before the film went into production, and those of us who hadn’t read it were otherwise widely read in the ‘Epic fantasy’ genre. So perhaps what I’m trying to say is, it’s a story for geek boys and girls (or certainly fantasy fans *g*) which appeals to anyone who enjoys this kind of epic. The prettiness of the Elf (and the hobbits) in the film version certainly doesn’t detract from the story *g* and in fact brings an extra level of enjoyment to the whole experience – as, in fact, does the obvious and public enthusiasm of the actors for the film. However, I for one would have found the film just as amazing if the actors had been of the non-pretty variety. Had I not enjoyed the story itself, I very much doubt I would have been disposed to sit through three hours in the cinema, let alone go for multiple viewings. Each time I’ve watched, I’ve picked up new things that I missed before. Pretty elves and hobbits are very nice to stick posters of on my walls, but they ain’t the reason I’m counting the days til December.
5. Could you imagine ever living anywhere else but Britain?
Yep, I could. Certainly right now, I have no reason or particular desire to leave the country, but there are so many fabulous places in the world… the only real consideration is distance from my family, but thinking about it, there are parts of mainland Europe that are nearer to them than I am now. *g*
6. What made you start blogging?
The desire to ramble where other people might respond, I suppose. And also partly because I enjoy experimenting with / learning new things, and I wanted to have a play with Blogger. *g*
7. What CD would you put on in order to introduce yourself to a potential date?
Um. Hmmm. Good question. Would probably depend on my mood. I would think it’d be a choice between Meatloaf, Guns n Roses, Linkin Park, Offspring, Nine Simone, or the B52’s. Maybe. *g*
8. What can really, really put you off a person you have just met?
In a word, sliminess. That creepy too-friendly, over-familiar attitude. Ick.
9. What things do you always have in your fridge?
Skimmed milk, margerine, eggs, cheese, meat, vinegrette, mayonnaise and cat food. That all sounds oddly healthy, doesn’t it? Huh.
10. What word do you use far too often?
“Aaaanyway…..”
11. What’s your poison?
As in alcohol-wise? Baileys and Archers are faves. I can’t actually drink at the moment, though, so I guess it’s Coke or Pepsi right now.
12. You have both a LJ and a blog. How do you decide what goes where?
Well, when I started this blog, I intended it to be a general rambling space, with not too much babbling about fannish stuff. So I’ve tried to stick to that. With my LJ, just about everyone on my friends list there (and who lists me as a friend) I know from the BtVS fandom in one way or another. So in general my fannish stuff now goes there, because it’s more likely that the people reading will be interested. I hope! *g*
13. What makes a good fanfic?
Hah, the sixty million dollar question. Simple answer, I suppose, is good writing. All the little things like spelling and punctuation are as important in fanfic as in any other writing. Plus a well thought out plot where needed – which of course isn’t always necessary in fanfic if you’re writing, say, a vignette about the thoughts of a character during a scene from an episode. For fanfic specifically, what is needed is good characterisation – you’re writing about already established characters, so you need to try and capture them as best you can, to make them ‘believable’. This applies even more if you’re taking a character out of canon – say, writing a Spike/Xander relationship fic. There needs to be a good hook on which the audience can suspend their disbelief, as it were. Am I rambling now? I think that about covers it, though.