le state of le Minx

[minxy]

Item 1) due to nefarious comments made by rydra_wong, sugargroupie (unintentional on her part, fwtw) and synecdochic,* I seem to be writing a long piece of fanfiction. Like, longer than I've ever written before. I mention this because after a day of angsting and being deviously enabled via IM, I have started writing a few scenes.

Now, this already promises to be a crazy unusual writing experience for me, because I never write out of order, so the fact that I just wrote the end? Is WIERD.

[* This is how it went (okay, not exactly):

One day, on IM: rydra_wong: So, you're writing the established relationship Talion tag? Then I may try to write something a little different. Maybe a first time tag.
Me: Wait, I'm writing what?
Rydra: I'm putting you down, you're committed.

Another day, in comments to her fairly smoking Cam/Teal'c PWP:
sugargroupie: I'm really hoping all of these disparate scenes come together into one cohesive fic one day.
me: hey, I have a bunch of disperate Cam/Teal'c scenes, but they would never work tog--.... heeeeyyyyyyyy..... *plot bunny*

And then, and THEN, synecdochic goes and posts a brilliant, practical discussion of the elements of longer vs. shorter fics and how you tell the difference and how the pacing is really dependent on what type of story you're writing and it was Really Helpful, dammit.
Me: Crap. I'm think this story wants to be long.

The next day:
Rydra: If I have a novella-type thing eating my brain, it is only fair that you should too.
Syne: HAHAHAHA I'M NOT SORRY (but I will hold your hand throughout, you big wuss.)
Me: You are both evil. *starts writing*]

Item 2) Hilarity.

liviapenn's T-Rex comics as SGA. It is alarming how perfect these are. Set 1, Set 2.

surrealphantast's wonderful anti-wank Venn Diagrams of fandom, which inspired:

-This fic from kellifer_fic: Seekrit Passage of OT3. (worksafe, insta-rec)

-This definition of BNF from katie_m: "I use BNF here in the non-pejorative, "well-known person who can get twenty people to respond to a post consisting entirely of the statement 'I really like cheese'"** sense of the word." which led to this post from rydra_wong, in which I committed comment fic.

niamaea's fantastic, your cure for the long work week blues, witty and addictive Jacksonian Fashion: Everybody's Crazy 'Bout a Sharp Dressed Man (parts 1-5 and Director's Cut.) I dare you to be sad after that. You may be horrified, impressed, or speechless, but you will be smiling.

Item 3) I was just visited by women going door to door to invite me (and others, I presume) to some kind of bible study. I think they were disheartened by the obvious dichotomy between my friendly "no thanks, I'm good" and the Firefly t-shirt I was wearing that said, in Chinese characters with the English underneath "Holy Mother of God and all her wacky nephews!" I win at bizarre and subtle brush-offs for today.

Item 4) Yesterday was International Women's Day, it would seem. And I'm thinking that if ever I have been an international type woman, it's now. I'm also feeling like if ever I had something to say on the subject of international women, it's now. I know the definition of this day was likely intended to inspire the kind of philanthropy that crosses country borders, but my thoughts are running much more towards transcending them. They boil down to this:

I have been raised in a family of strong women to be a strong woman, to stand tall and curvy, to have a possibly extraordinary self-esteem. I attended a women's college and became one of the students 150% more likely to major in math or science as a result, and then did my alma mater proud by attaining a ridiculously advanced degree in basic science.

I have always been a feminist, in other words. However, I am also of the personality that deals with conflict by subtley indicating that someone is out of line (Oh Really Glare of Superiority) followed by dealing and getting the job done in spite of the tactlessness of the people involved.

I've been traveling, though, lately. I've been in countries where the women are still, clearly, openly, frankly, a step under the men. I've been in places where I was aware, walking down the street, that I was afforded absolutely no respect for myself except what was lent to me by the men I was with. I have experienced all I need to know about what a lack of respect can mean in that context.

And then I came home and I did not like the reaction of "well, you did have men with you who lent you their respect, so that's okay then, and a testiment to how sweet you are." I could not handle my Mother's matriarchal habits of being territorial in the house and breaking down my study/business desk because aesthetics mattered more to her than respecting my space. I would not tolerate a lack of respect while doing construction work in an all-volunteer barn-raising (sort of, ask me later) on my parent's property. My father has never heard me so dangerously, quietly angry, he says, and to his credit, he let me fight my own battles, let our general contractor figure out for himself how far over the line he had stepped and apologize. When it didn't really change anything and the situation spiraled into a strange committee meeting of volunteer-director-type-men-people, he stepped in and pointed out that perhaps we should let me have my project back.

So I am in possibly the best situation a woman in the world, anywhere, is likely to be in, with the most respect, the most support, and the most opportunities anywhere.

Which has led me to decide that while this newfound inclination to speak up is interesting, it's more than winning respect for myself. So I'm volunteering at a local women's shelter until I move to my new job.

I have never been a soap-box kind of activist, but when those girls in Kenya gasped in amazement that a girl could be a doctor, my heart broke a little bit. It hasn't stopped breaking since, and seeping up in the cracks is this need to act.

Comments

[rydra_wong]

Then I may try to write something a little different. Maybe a first time tag.

OR MAYBE I WILL NEVER GET TO THE FIRST TIME TAG HOTNESS BECAUSE MY BRAIN IS BEING EATEN BY THE PROBABLY-GEN NOVELLA ABOUT THE PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN HAVE ICONS OF.

*cries for woe*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I'm living in hope that the sexy Jack/Daniel piece will get written one smutty scene at a time during breaks from the probably-gen novella.

...we get breaks, right? For coffee and stuff? (she says, having typed only a couple hundred words today)

I have one icon for yous. Also there were a bunch of icon posts tagged in the last newsletter. *enables*

[vee-fic.livejournal.com]

Novellas that eat your brain are the best kind of novellas!

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

What if they really just chase you around and look menacing and *threaten* to eat your brains?

*is worried*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

sending you good writing thoughts. and heh, i like cheese too. although i always think of crabman from "my name is earl" when i see that phrase. makes me smile in every way and for every reason.

also go you for your volunteering and for being a strong wonderful person. *hugs*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I do enjoy cheese. I can sometimes eat far too much of it. I know of Crabman as my folks watch Earl on occasion, but I do not know that I am familiar with his stance on cheese. I expect, though, that I know how the actor would deliver the line, and that makes me chuckle.

I've totally been meaning to volunteer during this, my self-imposed sabbatical, but it's hard to overcome momentum. Dunno why I got such a bee in my bonnet last week, but as I say, it's sort of a strange time. *hugs*

[jenlev.livejournal.com]

oh, i do love the guy who plays crabman. it's an early episode, but i should be careful to avoid spoilers i'm thinking. anyway, he has a panache that i adore.

bees in bonnets arrive at surprising times, and i'm so glad that you are taking time for yourself and to help others.

[synecdochic]

I'd like to just state for the record that I never actually used the word "wuss". I didn't even THINK it. Swear.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

That's because you're probably much more elegant and used some other word like 'dipshit'. I swear I got a distinct phychic twinge that indicated eye-rolling.

Though, maybe it was just an earthquake or something.

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

so glad that:

1. you are back
2. you are writing
3. you are writing sg-1????? say you are.

*hugs*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

1. Yay!
2. omg saaaavvvveeee meeeeeee
3. *head buried in pillow* Yesh. Drat them. One third of a Jack/Daniel written and just the beginnings of this huuuuuuge Sam and Cam and Teal'c thing. *head/pillow*

*hugs back*

[lyr]

Just chiming in to say great post, and that I really respect that you're taking your experiences and drawing fuel from them to volunteer at a women's shelter.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Thanks. I was a little concerned that it flitted so multiple personality-like from resentment to amusement to rudeness to nobility, but I'm glad it left a good impression. Sometimes I wonder about myself.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

I think your volunteer effort is wonderful and now I have one more reason to admire you. I wish I could have grown up like you.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

Every once in a while, despite the fact that for a lot of my friends this is nothing to bat an eyelash at, I realize what a gift it is to be in my family. Even when I get a little tired of living with them these days, I really do still appreciate them.

The point of all this time off was to do something noble along side all the traveling for self, so it's been in the embryonic planning stages for a while, and I'm starting to get edgy now that I want to do something (I think that might be where the long writing project came from too) so it's time. Yes. When I get the information in I might farm out the idea to see if anyone wants to come with, as it's the early planning/organization that's sometimes the sticking point, but I'm happy enough to go with just me.

Thanks delph, your admiration is quite a compliment.