trinityofone

Okay, so here it is. I'm very nervous about posting this, because I don't think that, given the time and length constraints, I was really able to do the topic justice--but then, I'm not sure if, had I world enough and time, I would be able to do the topic justice. So really, if you want a fuller picture, and one unmuddled by my own interpretations, I recommend that you go look at the responses to my original post: that's where the truth wealth of information lies. (And to those of you who responded, but have not yet gotten responses from me: I'm getting to you, I really am, but I had to take a break to, y'know, write the paper. *g*)

However, here's what I came up with. I had to address the prompt Given your experience of this course, write an essay on why you think formulaic writing is so popular, and thus my thesis by necessity moved in that direction. There are so many angles that could have been explored, however; one of us needs to write a book about this. Really.

Huge thanks to taelonmahal, kalpurna, refracting, and plainsong_x, who looked this over and offered support and encouragement; and most especially to mciac, who rescued the paper from the land of long-windedness and no-sense-making, and who saved me from a nervous breakdown. Your help was invaluable.

Finally, thank you to everyone who responded to the original post: you all had many more intelligent and insightful things to say than I do. (And in case the people I quoted are wondering, yes, I did use whatever alternate names you gave me in the paper itself, but I switched back to LJ names here, 'cause LJ! Linky! Fun! If you want me to change yours back, please let me know.)

So without any further ado:

Why We Slash

( Sixty-one thousand, two hundred and fifty-two. Since entering the Stargate: Atlantis fandom in August of this year, that is the number of words I have written in order to make the show’s two male protagonists, Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard and Doctor Rodney McKay, come together. )

Questions? Comments? Any communities you think might be interested in seeing this? Or, um, any comms where I can never show my face ever, ever again? ;-)

First of all, I would just like to say thank you for the incredible response there's been to Revelations. Not just all the comments (although five Edit: OMG six pages of comments?! That's incredible, and I'm incredibly flattered), but the fact that people took it the right way and got that I was trying for something...I don't want to say deeper, but more emotionally complex than just kinky smut. Not that there's anything wrong with kinky smut--bring on the kinky smut, I say!--but that's not what this turned out to be, and it's just really cool that that resonated with people.

Also, in case you missed it, since I first posted the fic, slodwick has made haunting cover art, and not_sally wrote a terrific, full-fledged piece of backstory: Prior Enlightenment. Go look/read and tell them how awesome they are! (Them personally or the story/art--or better yet, both!)

Also in the category of things that blow me away: the quality of the responses to my Why We Slash questions. I was already aware of the quantity of the responses (which is also: wow) but damn, you guys have a lot of fascinating, insightful, and downright clever things to say. I'm only about 1/3 of the way through going through everything in super fine-tooth-comb detail and pulling my favorite quotes--a highlights reel of sorts. And so far, every single person who's responded has said something that's made it onto my supposed short list. Every. Single. One. Unfortunately, my essay's only supposed to be 2,000 words, and the word count I just did on my pulled quotes document? 4,943. Um, oops? There's no way I'm going to be able to do this topic justice.

I was going to say, "Speaking of justice..." but this next item of news doesn't seem particularly just to me, except in the context of "just weird." While I was making dinner (mmm, fan oven lasagne!) I got a call from my parents, and apparently, the Berkeley Department of English has awarded me a $1,000 scholarship for the 2005-2006 year. For academic excellence among English majors or something. Which is very flattering, yes--but did I mention, also, weird? Because not only did I not apply for any scholarships, meaning that someone else would have to have nominated me, the English Department doesn't seem to be aware that I'm, um, not at Berkeley. I mean, I'm still technically enrolled at Berkeley, and I will be graduating from Berkeley, but I'm never going to attend another class there again. It's the rest of the year at Trinity and then that's it. So, since the money's been deposited directly into my CARS account (weird Berkeley bureaucratic whatsit), I'm not sure if I'm ever going to be able to get at it. I hope so, though, because if I do, my Mom says I can have it for myself, can use it to tour Europe a little. (Trip to visit monanotlisa--yes!) At least the 'rents are proud.

Speaking of parental pride, part of the conversation tonight almost made me swallow my tongue:

Mom: ...and when you're done with your essays, I really hope you'll spend more time writing to your family, and less time writing slash.
Me: *chokes on the air in her mouth*
Mom: Oh, don't think I don't know you do that.
Me: *various inarticulate noises of the 'what? how? what?' variety* Have you been reading my journal?
Mom: What? No. But I'm your mother, I listen to you, and I know things.
Me: Oh my God, please don't tell Dad, he'd freak.
Mom: I don't see why there's any reason he should know.
Me: *silent prayer of thanks* *deep breath* You know the funny thing is, before you called, I was doing research for a paper on slash. That's one of my two essays.
Mom: Ooh, can I read it?

So yeah, my Mom's pretty cool. But sheesh, how many more people am I going to be outed to this week? ...Well, suitemate!Aidan, apparently, because when I went to make tea, he was in the kitchen, and he complained that he has nothing to do tomorrow ("I was going to go to Kerry and get a trumpet, but then this guy I know in Kerry, he calls me and says, 'I'm coming up to Dublin, I'll bring you the bloody trumpet! So now I don't have to take the train to Kerry tomorrow"), and I responded with the standard, "You wanna write my paper for me?" And he said, "Sure, what's it about?" And okay, I could have lied. But instead I sort of smiled and said, "Boyporn," and then explained it to him. He was very cute about it. Cute and flustered. Mostly cute. ;-)

So yeah, apparently academia actually is liberating. *eg*

Finally, two things that amused/distracted me today:

1) darling_effect linked to A Christmas Story, as Enacted in 30 Seconds, by Bunnies. A Christmas Story is my favorite holiday movie ever (yes, above even It's a Wonderful Life and (the original! not colorized!) A Miracle on 34th Street), and dude--bunnies. It's even better than the 30 Second Shining.

2) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest Trailer--which, shockingly, I haven't seen every single person on my flist link to yet. Hmm. Maybe I am just looking in the wrong places?