odds and ends
Dec. 14th, 2014 11:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The following is for Myriam who wanted me to post various useless pictures for her entertainment.
1)

There, are you happy.
2)

That's the way we roll around these parts.
3) New Zealand, yo. There's no excuse for my having not been there since it's right next door, too.



(I'M COMING FOR YOU,
catteo. WAIT FOR ME.)
4) Top 3:

(^ OBVIOUSLY.)


Yeah, so two of these """""aren't real"""" and one is extinct, life is shit, no one cares, etc.
Also, cats, duh, but I already did a post of about 20422 photos on that topic, so.
+ your non-visual prompt: Kalinda Sharma and your thoughts on how she is portrayed in The Good Wife.
A can of worms you're opening there, my good friend.
Lemme preface this with establishing that I love everything Kalinda herself chooses to be. Patronus, life goals, etc. etc.
My feels for the writing for Kalinda are rather not good.
Things started off promising, but it's become increasingly apparent as the show's gone on that the writers just do not know what to do with Kalinda. It was all good until the return of abusive husband Nick, a story which was compelling in theory but alas, it appeared the writers bit off more than they could chew. I wouldn't say it was a mistake to pursue the storyline in itself. (No doubt it pissed off many a viewer that such a STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER WHO DON'T NEED NO MAN would harbour a past of victimhood, but we've established that cis white middle-class feminists are mostly trash.) As far as I'm concerned that backstory is consistent with Kalinda's characterisation. Too bad about the execution (= weird sensationalising of a real world abusive dynamic)!
And then we have Kalinda/sexuality itself. Firstly, a bisexual woman of colour on primetime television = yay. OTOH, the typical over-sexualisation of South Asian women = hmmmm. Compare to Alicia and Diane, who are both portrayed as sexual beings but not defined by their sexuality. Kalinda is the femme fatale who uses sex as a means to an end, and I'm about that, but there's been an Ethnic Sex Kitten vibe around her character from the beginning.
Granted, this doesn't bug me nearly as much as it bugs that I am incapable of giving a fuck about a single one of Kalinda's romantic/sexual relationships with other women. It would seem the show also doesn't particularly give a fuck since whatsername/whatsername #2/whatsername #25 are all barely fleshed out recurring minor players. I understand that Kalinda has complicated and changeable feels about all her girlfriends. I wish I cared. I don't. (And it pains me somewhat to say that I care considerably more about Cary/Kalinda, i.e. the het ship that the writers have developed consistently from the start. Also, Cary's a regular, we care about him.) Now, if they went for Kalinda/other regular female character i.e. Alicia, that would be a different matter.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO: Alicia and Kalinda being forbidden from sharing a screen for the las 92742 years. Apparently, Julianne Margulies is to blame for this, since she was of the mind that women don't continue being close friends with other women who have slept with their husbands.
Alicia and Kalinda's friendship used to be one of the most interesting things on TGW, and was an all-around positive Bechdel phenomenon. And then it was torpedoed because of FUCKING! PETER!!!! FLORRICK!!!!!!!!!!!

... So yeah, those are a few of my beefs with the writing for Kalinda Sharma.
It's especially disappointing since The Good Wife is one of the more progressive shows on air and yet it's descended into the same disregard for women of colour as every other loaf of whitebread on television. (I'm gung ho and all about all the people of colour on the Florrick & Agos team, but why should I throw a party if they hardly ever appear on screen?) Y'all know I'm an Alicia stan, her character journey has been a triumph in every way -- but I can't identify with it. I can identify with Kalinda. So the lack of effort put into Kalinda's development in comparison is... well, business as usual, isn't it. You either hate us or don't care; nothing to see here.
IDK if there'll be a seventh season, but with Archie Panjabi leaving after this one my motivation to watch would be supremely diminished. If they kill her off I might really have to flounce. Prayer circle.
On the bright side, here for an Archie-headlining new show. MY ENTIRE LIFE I'VE WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT~~~~~
To conclude, have this picture of Archie looking fly while Cary/Matt admire in the distance:

In less homicidal news, Jessica prompted: rambles about the creative writing process.
I just survived a post-grad degree in creative writing, which means I've come out of a year of being forced to write creatively to deadlines. You'd think this means I'd have some Wise Words to offer, BUT NO.
So how do I conquer writers' block and get shit done?
... A COMPELLING QUESTION. WE MAY NEVER KNOW.
But here's an ill-defined list of coping methods I employ with big projects:
SO. WHO KNOWS IF THE ABOVE MAKES ANY SENSE OR HAS A USE. In any case I hope you have enjoyed this peek into my haphazard and inexplicable brane.
- my aquarium
- the motorcycle you would own once you can drive
- place in the world you would like to go to just to admire the landscape
- animal you find the most majestic
1)

There, are you happy.
2)

That's the way we roll around these parts.
3) New Zealand, yo. There's no excuse for my having not been there since it's right next door, too.



(I'M COMING FOR YOU,
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
4) Top 3:

(^ OBVIOUSLY.)


Yeah, so two of these """""aren't real"""" and one is extinct, life is shit, no one cares, etc.
Also, cats, duh, but I already did a post of about 20422 photos on that topic, so.
+ your non-visual prompt: Kalinda Sharma and your thoughts on how she is portrayed in The Good Wife.
A can of worms you're opening there, my good friend.
Lemme preface this with establishing that I love everything Kalinda herself chooses to be. Patronus, life goals, etc. etc.
My feels for the writing for Kalinda are rather not good.
Things started off promising, but it's become increasingly apparent as the show's gone on that the writers just do not know what to do with Kalinda. It was all good until the return of abusive husband Nick, a story which was compelling in theory but alas, it appeared the writers bit off more than they could chew. I wouldn't say it was a mistake to pursue the storyline in itself. (No doubt it pissed off many a viewer that such a STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER WHO DON'T NEED NO MAN would harbour a past of victimhood, but we've established that cis white middle-class feminists are mostly trash.) As far as I'm concerned that backstory is consistent with Kalinda's characterisation. Too bad about the execution (= weird sensationalising of a real world abusive dynamic)!
And then we have Kalinda/sexuality itself. Firstly, a bisexual woman of colour on primetime television = yay. OTOH, the typical over-sexualisation of South Asian women = hmmmm. Compare to Alicia and Diane, who are both portrayed as sexual beings but not defined by their sexuality. Kalinda is the femme fatale who uses sex as a means to an end, and I'm about that, but there's been an Ethnic Sex Kitten vibe around her character from the beginning.
Granted, this doesn't bug me nearly as much as it bugs that I am incapable of giving a fuck about a single one of Kalinda's romantic/sexual relationships with other women. It would seem the show also doesn't particularly give a fuck since whatsername/whatsername #2/whatsername #25 are all barely fleshed out recurring minor players. I understand that Kalinda has complicated and changeable feels about all her girlfriends. I wish I cared. I don't. (And it pains me somewhat to say that I care considerably more about Cary/Kalinda, i.e. the het ship that the writers have developed consistently from the start. Also, Cary's a regular, we care about him.) Now, if they went for Kalinda/other regular female character i.e. Alicia, that would be a different matter.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO: Alicia and Kalinda being forbidden from sharing a screen for the las 92742 years. Apparently, Julianne Margulies is to blame for this, since she was of the mind that women don't continue being close friends with other women who have slept with their husbands.
Alicia and Kalinda's friendship used to be one of the most interesting things on TGW, and was an all-around positive Bechdel phenomenon. And then it was torpedoed because of FUCKING! PETER!!!! FLORRICK!!!!!!!!!!!

... So yeah, those are a few of my beefs with the writing for Kalinda Sharma.
It's especially disappointing since The Good Wife is one of the more progressive shows on air and yet it's descended into the same disregard for women of colour as every other loaf of whitebread on television. (I'm gung ho and all about all the people of colour on the Florrick & Agos team, but why should I throw a party if they hardly ever appear on screen?) Y'all know I'm an Alicia stan, her character journey has been a triumph in every way -- but I can't identify with it. I can identify with Kalinda. So the lack of effort put into Kalinda's development in comparison is... well, business as usual, isn't it. You either hate us or don't care; nothing to see here.
IDK if there'll be a seventh season, but with Archie Panjabi leaving after this one my motivation to watch would be supremely diminished. If they kill her off I might really have to flounce. Prayer circle.
On the bright side, here for an Archie-headlining new show. MY ENTIRE LIFE I'VE WAITED FOR THIS MOMENT~~~~~
To conclude, have this picture of Archie looking fly while Cary/Matt admire in the distance:

In less homicidal news, Jessica prompted: rambles about the creative writing process.
I just survived a post-grad degree in creative writing, which means I've come out of a year of being forced to write creatively to deadlines. You'd think this means I'd have some Wise Words to offer, BUT NO.
So how do I conquer writers' block and get shit done?
... A COMPELLING QUESTION. WE MAY NEVER KNOW.
But here's an ill-defined list of coping methods I employ with big projects:
- Make shit up as I go along!!! Too much planning can be disadvantageous to inspiration tbh. And on some level, if the story can't "write itself" then maybe it doesn't deserve to be written?? (Don't quote me.)
- Allow fellow writers to peck your work to death. Obviously. I wouldn't be alive today if not for my seminar group. I was thinking of doing the filtered beta group here on LJ? But here's the thing: the truth is that I am so image-obsessed when it comes to blogging that sharing such personal things as original writing is just ????????. (This would also be why I don't make "personal" posts. lol, what is a personal life, we may never know.) Being put in a group with other writing students and then forced to have your work torn apart was so necessary -- there was no room for ego. Although it's tempting, NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH ALL-POSITIVE FEEDBACK. Constructive criticism = a path. So yeah, if you're not getting enough from your current audience then actively seek out someone who will torture you.
- Think of the audience. Writing "for myself" doesn't work. It's not enough. This probably comes down to the kind of writer or artist you are and why you're doing this. Me, I'm in it
for the fameto entertain. If I'm writing for someone else then it's like I'm riding this tidal wave to shore. I'm not saying I don't put myself into my work (lol, narcissism blog -- do you go here or) but that doesn't make it go all the way. So yeah, if I'm stuck on some writing choice or other, then I'll defer to the closest person who cares -- not just in the "gimme advice" sense but "what would you want to see happen in this story?" - Get the right words down in the right order. Yeah, I don't do that thing where I write scenes for the sake of writing them, i.e. to get closer to the end? Every section of writing must be an event. If my own prose isn't inspiring me, then what's the point?
- Write out of order. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I WILL NEVER BE A BIG NAME MULTI-CHAPTER FANFICTION QUEEN. I just don't think linearly. I write whatever part of the story I feel like at any given time and then go back and fix continuity later.
- Think in emotions. Like I said making shit up along the way is how I roll, but that's generally regarding PLOT. (lol, what is a plot, we may never know, etc. etc.) But I always know what the emotional beats are going to be. And if I'm blocked then it's usually because whatever bit I'm writing isn't arousing the right degree of FEELS. MAKE IT SO THAT THERE ARE FEELS.
- DIALOGUE IS LIFE. The one area safe from blockage for me (mainly due to the screenwriting classes). Usually I'll picture various attractive actors delivering my lines -- that's pretty helpful, too.
SO. WHO KNOWS IF THE ABOVE MAKES ANY SENSE OR HAS A USE. In any case I hope you have enjoyed this peek into my haphazard and inexplicable brane.
no subject
Date: 2014-12-14 03:17 pm (UTC)Re TGW: yeah, this is why I don't watch TV... I have told people, in all seriousness, that BtVS ruined me for episodic television, and it seems to have held true: not wanting to invest time and imagination in characters to see them treated shabbily later on because of who knows what complications. (Of course that logic should not, in theory, apply to shows whose run is over, or whose gone-to-shit point is known, and I don't watch them either. So, shrug, Hollywood sucks.)
ok now for the actual
lifewriting advice.Make shit up as I go along!!! Too much planning can be disadvantageous to inspiration tbh. And on some level, if the story can't "write itself" then maybe it doesn't deserve to be written??
which I will pair with
Write out of order. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I WILL NEVER BE A BIG NAME MULTI-CHAPTER FANFICTION QUEEN. I just don't think linearly. I write whatever part of the story I feel like at any given time and then go back and fix continuity later.
because I think these two go together, because committing to a plan makes it harder to write scenes that don't fit with the plan later.
I think getting into romance writing threw me off (more on that in a second) w/r/t this particular point, because in that genre there is a very firm expected structure for plot. Experiment with character as you wish, but boy must meet girl (there is slight progressivity here in the last few years, probably more since I was actively involved), there must be something separating the lovers, there must be a resolution, etc. The novel I worked on from 2007 to 2010 or so went through several drafts, and the bugaboo was my having to hit those notes at certain times .
(Note: I'm not knocking the structure, or the readers who prefer the structure. I know and admire women who write very well to the structure and find ways to play with it. But at that time, the structure got me mired, when I think being free of it would have allowed me to do more with those particular characters. I hope to do more with them anyway at some point.)
Allow fellow writers to peck your work to death. Obviously. I wouldn't be alive today if not for my seminar group.... Being put in a group with other writing students and then forced to have your work torn apart was so necessary -- there was no room for ego. Although it's tempting, NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH ALL-POSITIVE FEEDBACK. Constructive criticism = a path. So yeah, if you're not getting enough from your current audience then actively seek out someone who will torture you.
HAHAHAHA with your misanthropic/misandrist intelligence you have once again put your finger on the exact problem. I have a long history of wilting like a fragilie flower in the face of criticism -- I'm getting better at it, but still.
(to be continued)
(no subject)
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Date: 2014-12-14 09:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2014-12-14 10:01 pm (UTC)Also Kalinda! I think that the difficult, for the writers, is that they created this quintessential badass-I can do everything-I'm better than you woman, so it gets difficult to write about her. You can overdo everything in a bit, but you don't want that she loses her badass appeal. It's hard, I think, so maybe there's that. But yeah, things go bad after the ex-husband shows up. (I wanted to hit him with something all the time. So annoying)
IDK if there'll be a seventh season, but with Archie Panjabi leaving after this one my motivation to watch would be supremely diminished. If they kill her off I might really have to flounce. Prayer circle.
But Kalinda can't die. It's canon. She just can't.
The pictures made me smile. Nice touch the pink in the motorcycle.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2014-12-15 07:56 am (UTC)YOUR WRITING ADVICE IS INTERESTING! I agree with some and not others? Though, it's less I don't agree and more "eh that doesn't work for me" probably because we have different writing styles. For example I SUCK AT DIALOGUE. Dialogue is the worst, it's always the hardest thing for me and half the time I wish I didn't need dialogue in a piece at all. Also letting people constructively TEAR APART YOUR WORK is the best advice, no argument there--my beta is really good at telling me when something sucks or doesn't make sense--my problem is just, I never know when something is good enough to be posted. I always feel like there's SOMETHING to be fixed, or something more than can be added and it trips me up for days (obvs I am talking fanfic here though. I imagine you were doing original fic for creative writing classes?).
Get the right words down in the right order. Yeah, I don't do that thing where I write scenes for the sake of writing them, i.e. to get closer to the end? Every section of writing must be an event. If my own prose isn't inspiring me, then what's the point?
Heh, I am actually curious what you mean by this and if you can expand on it more? Scenes for the sake of getting closer to the end?
Write out of order. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I WILL NEVER BE A BIG NAME MULTI-CHAPTER FANFICTION QUEEN. I just don't think linearly. I write whatever part of the story I feel like at any given time and then go back and fix continuity later.
LMAO I CAN NEVER WRITE IN ORDER. NEVER EVER. I AM GLAD IT'S NOT JUST ME. Even my long, 100k plus fic were written out of order to some extent. Like I can technically do a multi-chapter story, but only if i release it all at once. The whole 1 chapter an update thing, NO WAY. I am constantly fixing continuity so I can't actually do a mutli-chapter story without having that option to fix it later. And I can't even write in order consistently, like, not just doing scenes out of order but when I write, I tend to go full steam ahead and skip from sentence to sentence or paragraph to paragraph or so it's very stream of consciousness.
But oh god, post grad degree for creating writing!! That's amazing. And a bit terrifying. I am actually pretty curious about your original work tbh.
(no subject)
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Date: 2014-12-15 09:23 am (UTC)LOL planning. I'm forever amused by detailed outlines. HOW DO PEOPLE WORK LIKE THIS.
In conclusion, you are wise.
(I also enjoyed your TGW thoughts, but I have nothing to contribute, so let me shut up.)
(Also bridal raptor.)
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2014-12-17 11:19 am (UTC)AND YOUR A+++ GRAPHICS.
(I'M COMING FOR YOU, catteo. WAIT FOR ME.)
THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE TOO LIKE A THREAT.
Status: packing bags and wondering if you'd still find me in Bolivia...
JK, JK. ANY TIME, BRO.
Your creative writing stuff is VERY INTERESTING. I am kind of in awe of people who have a plan when they sit down and write. I basically start writing and hope like mad that there will turn out to be some sort of cohesion at the end. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. WHY WOULD ANYONE TORTURE US ALL WITH MORE WIPs?! IT SHOULD BE A CRIME PUNISHABLE BY BEING CHAINED UP AND READ A WHODUNNIT, RIGHT UP TIL THREE PAGES BEFORE THE REVEAL. THEN, LOL, JOKE'S ON YOU CAUSE I'M BURNING THE REST. Concrit IRL? Tough. Concrit in fic? ALWAYS MAKES IT BETTER.
if I'm blocked then it's usually because whatever bit I'm writing isn't arousing the right degree of FEELS. MAKE IT SO THAT THERE ARE FEELS.
WORDS TO FUCKING LIVE BY.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2014-12-17 09:38 pm (UTC)1.
a) FINALLY ! Your aquarium looks nice with the pink light and the weird waterfall. Do you only have two fish or did the other ones get eaten by your cat ?
b) P E R F E C T. If you really get a motorcycle like this one day, I'll get you this
c) Pretty pretty pretty pretty ! New Zealand is too far awayfor me (but who know maybe one day, when i have a lot of time and money ^^)
d) Can't argue with those choices. (except maybe the cat part)
This pic post made me really happy ! :D
2. KALINDA IS MY BABY FOREVER AND EVER!
Agreed 100% with everything you said. You had to talk about Nick tho, didn't you ?
Alicia and Kalinda's friendship used to be one of the most interesting things on TGW, and was an all-around positive Bechdel phenomenon. And then it was torpedoed because of FUCKING! PETER!!!! FLORRICK!!!!!!!!!!!
We are all waiting for a Alicia/Kalinda/screentimetogether comeback we know will never happen :'(
RIP this
PETER FLORRICK... you know how i feel. go hide in a corner and die!
Granted, this doesn't bug me nearly as much as it bugs that I am incapable of giving a fuck about a single one of Kalinda's romantic/sexual relationships with other women. It would seem the show also doesn't particularly give a fuck since whatsername/whatsername #2/whatsername #25 are all barely fleshed out recurring minor players.
You know it's weird because i thought i cared about Kalinda's girlfriends more than i actually do. The thing is that Kalinda is someone who chooses the people she surrounds herself with very carefully. And she certainly chooses her girlfriends carefully too, even if it's just a casual thing. But the show isn't interested in meaningful r/ships for Kalinda it's all just about sex anyway. Nothing else to see here. smh.
I dream of a Kalinda spin off some nights...
IDK if there'll be a seventh season, but with Archie Panjabi leaving after this one my motivation to watch would be supremely diminished. If they kill her off I might really have to flounce. Prayer circle.
D': PRAYER CIRCLE. I WOULDN'T SURVIVE.
she would be reuinited with her one true bff aka Will, that's something right?Archie looks flawless, as always !
Your writing advice is great bro!
I'll keep it for the day i chose to write something big or anything at all really. If that day ever comes ^^
(no subject)
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