Are You Bored Yet?
15 Jan 2011 11:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curiouswombatAre you bored yet? Now that all the festivities of Christmas and New Year are over, the decorations are down, the January Sales have been exhausted, you've been back at work for a couple of weeks and got rid of the backlog... and you want an excuse not to start the spring cleaning.
If you want something to keep you occupied I have a couple of suggestions.
For friends who like to take photos - why not join The Photo Scavenger Community?
A new theme each week for you to interpret as you will and post a picture. Not onerous - but fun. And it would be so much more fun if there were more members... You don't even have to go out and shoot a new pic if you have the perfect one for the week's theme already on file.
For friends who like Tolkien - there are plans to hold the first ever Tolkien Big Bang. If you are like me, you may not know what a Big Bang is - well, I know now, because I read the info!
Writers commit to a story of 20,000 words or more before July, artists to do art work to go with the stories. So if you aren't a writer, but like doing artistic stuff (in which case I admire you enormously), it might be a new and interesting challenge for you. Think of not only the films to help with Lord of The Rings, but all the lovely things you could do with trees, lakes, rivers, jewels.... go on - you know you want something to stop you getting bored!
This was going to be purely a pimping post - but there is something else I really must share, too. I have just had a review of "Return of The Key" left at Twisting the Hellmouth. It starts
After reading AEMI's Serpent In Paradise, it's impossible for me to enjoy any other LOTR fanfic.
Then it goes on to, I guess, quote large chunks of their preferred fic... (here is the whole review if you are interested!)
I was a bit gob-smacked as to how to reply. I settled for Oh, how sad. I am sorry that you didn't enjoy this one .
I came to the conclusion the reviewer must have been bored to have read as far as the epilogue when they found it impossible to enjoy it!
If you want something to keep you occupied I have a couple of suggestions.
For friends who like to take photos - why not join The Photo Scavenger Community?
A new theme each week for you to interpret as you will and post a picture. Not onerous - but fun. And it would be so much more fun if there were more members... You don't even have to go out and shoot a new pic if you have the perfect one for the week's theme already on file.
For friends who like Tolkien - there are plans to hold the first ever Tolkien Big Bang. If you are like me, you may not know what a Big Bang is - well, I know now, because I read the info!
Writers commit to a story of 20,000 words or more before July, artists to do art work to go with the stories. So if you aren't a writer, but like doing artistic stuff (in which case I admire you enormously), it might be a new and interesting challenge for you. Think of not only the films to help with Lord of The Rings, but all the lovely things you could do with trees, lakes, rivers, jewels.... go on - you know you want something to stop you getting bored!
This was going to be purely a pimping post - but there is something else I really must share, too. I have just had a review of "Return of The Key" left at Twisting the Hellmouth. It starts
After reading AEMI's Serpent In Paradise, it's impossible for me to enjoy any other LOTR fanfic.
Then it goes on to, I guess, quote large chunks of their preferred fic... (here is the whole review if you are interested!)
I was a bit gob-smacked as to how to reply. I settled for Oh, how sad. I am sorry that you didn't enjoy this one .
I came to the conclusion the reviewer must have been bored to have read as far as the epilogue when they found it impossible to enjoy it!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:21 pm (UTC)Your response was more than classy.
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 15/01/2011 11:29 pm (UTC)Wow, that's a very special review. Your restraint in replying is commendable!
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:41 pm (UTC)I didn't recognise the story he was going on about, but my husband found it and realised that he had read some of it, before giving up, over at the Pit of Voles. So he gave me a quick briefing - the story takes chunks of Tolkien's dialogue and changes which character says it, chunks of his descriptions of battles and thenuses them for other battles, and gives someone a handgun which then more or less makes then invincible.
I think I'll stick to what I do...
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:38 pm (UTC)I like the idea of the photo community and so put in a request to join. If nothing else I'll get out there with my camera!
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:46 pm (UTC)I like the idea of the photo community and so put in a request to join.
The photo scavenger community is such a good idea - but it really would be better with more people posting - so Hurrah!
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:40 pm (UTC)Evidently, serpents not only reside in Paradise, but there are a few slithering about on the Internet, too.
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:52 pm (UTC)It makes me wonder if the tale referenced was written by your commenter! - I hadn't thought of that!
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Date: 15/01/2011 11:57 pm (UTC)ETA: read the review, and now I'm even more confused. I think I'm going to vote for the reviewer being the author of the favored fic, or perhaps the beta?
The photo thing sounds kind of interesting. Will look into it. :)
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Date: 16/01/2011 12:11 am (UTC)The review might have unsettled me a few years ago - but now it firstly bemused me, then confused me - I really don't understand the stuff he quoted (S2C says this particular reviewer is male - he's come across him before).
In the end I decided to be more amused - and came to the conclusion that I wouldn't really expect anyone who liked the sort of stuff he quoted to get past the first chapter of 'Return' - goodness knows why he bothered.
Bojojoti thought perhaps he wrote the fic he quoted, too.
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Date: 16/01/2011 12:13 am (UTC)It might be fun if not something I'm going to be wracked with guilt over!
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Date: 16/01/2011 12:16 am (UTC)You'd be very welcome even if you only posted sometimes, I'm sure.
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:24 am (UTC)*scratches head*
*mumbles "whu???"
*rereads*
*decides the reviewer has his head up his arse*
Your reply was just right.
As for the Big Bang thing... it's very tempting, I must say. I'd love to have a fic that someone illustrated. Coming up with an idea for it will be the tricky thing.
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:02 pm (UTC)Yup - I think you have summed it up perfectly!
I really am very tempted to sign up for the Big Bang - I have a lot of stories in my head for the ongoing series - I think the story of leaving Middle Earth after the death of Aragorn would come to about 20,000 words - there are journeys to make, tears, discussions, farewells...
Because, like you, I do love an illustration to go with my story.
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 01:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:48 am (UTC)I think I had run across the Photo Scavenger group early on when I joined Live Journal but I probably felt intimidated. Now I think I could do it, so thanks for the suggestion!
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:13 pm (UTC)Photo Scavenger is good fun - sometimes I go out and take a picture (Like this one (http://community.livejournal.com/photo_scavenger/62548.html)), and sometimes I use a photo I already have (http://community.livejournal.com/photo_scavenger/49645.html#cutid1) - and sometimes I don't do one at all...)
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Date: 16/01/2011 06:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 01:14 pm (UTC)Do just lurk and look at the pictures - or you could kindly leave the odd comment for encouragement!
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Date: 16/01/2011 07:57 am (UTC)Have joined the photo com... hubby bought me a lovely new camera last year that actually fits in my handbag (unlike the old clunker I had before), so this is a good excuse to use it more often.
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:19 pm (UTC)S2C reckons they probably aren't the same people - so presumably he was just pimping it for a friend!
I like photo-scavenger - it's friendly and there is no pressure, but it is actually really interesting to see how other people interpret the prompt.
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Date: 16/01/2011 10:27 am (UTC)I didn't know what a Big Bang was until I encountered it in Merlin fandom. For a reader they are absolutely brilliant as you get masses of long fic to read with illustrations as an added bonus.
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:22 pm (UTC)If you are still interested in reading Tolkien stuff I think there will be some good stories, looking at who is already signed up.
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Date: 16/01/2011 10:33 am (UTC)And screw them, whether it is or it isn't! (Sorry to use profanity especially on a Sunday but my brain isn't working well enough to put it any more eloquently.)
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 11:54 am (UTC)I know full well that I can't manage the Big Bang but I shall read with pleasure :-D
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Date: 16/01/2011 01:24 pm (UTC)There should be some good stuff to read at the Tolkien Big Bang, seeing who is already signed up.
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Date: 16/01/2011 02:55 pm (UTC)And yes, I am bored, bored, bored after the holidays.
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Date: 16/01/2011 03:48 pm (UTC)Hmm - pushes bored Lady B towards her keyboard... or you could make cakes... or play your guitar. Now I am considering if there is any way of combining the above; a story for BigBang about a bard and a cook?
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Date: 16/01/2011 03:48 pm (UTC)Anyway, I remember reading "The Key" for the first time and I couldn't stop, honestly. Even though I know literally nothing about Buffy (haven't seen a single episode evah).
Really, people why bother to read what you don't like for whatever reason in the first place, heh?
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Date: 16/01/2011 04:31 pm (UTC)Actually it is interesting to know that 'The Key' worked so well for you when you had no previous Buffy knowledge. I have often wondered if it would work if you only knew one of the two groups involved, as it did cross-over from one to the other in each chapter.
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Date: 16/01/2011 04:24 pm (UTC)What's the opposite of concrit? Apart from flaming, I think 'this isn't [a specific] fic that I love' must be about the least helpful comment ever.
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Date: 16/01/2011 04:36 pm (UTC)The 'review' is so odd - it might have completely thrown me a couple of years ago. But S2C says he has had reviews at TtH from the same person - often long and rambling, sometimes about one tiny thing he feels you did wrong, sometimes about the whole direction he thinks you should go in rather than the one you are doing - he says these days he mostly ignores them.
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Date: 16/01/2011 05:00 pm (UTC)The photo community sounds interesting. I am scratching my head slightly at this week's challenge of "honour", but I don't mind a challenge.
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Date: 16/01/2011 05:24 pm (UTC)I am thinking this week's challenge is certainly that - a challenge! I've got as far in my brain as 'Love, honour and obey(or whatever!)', 'roll of honour', 'degree with honours'... um, maids of honour - aren't they cakes? I'll have to see what catches my eye over the week, I guess.
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Date: 16/01/2011 05:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 05:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 07:59 pm (UTC)Oooo... thank you for the rec! What a wonderful idea! I'm waiting for approval to join now...
After reading AEMI's Serpent In Paradise, it's impossible for me to enjoy any other LOTR fanfic.
o_O Um, okay... I'm afraid I would have no idea what to say to that either.
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Date: 16/01/2011 09:03 pm (UTC)The review has, at least, amused everyone here!
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Date: 16/01/2011 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 16/01/2011 09:05 pm (UTC)I have decided that is exactly how I feel!
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Date: 16/01/2011 11:33 pm (UTC)When I am bored, I usually go look to see if any chocolate cheesecake and stout have magically appeared in my refrigerator.
I like to think my method of dealing with boredom is slightly less obnoxious.
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Date: 16/01/2011 11:48 pm (UTC)I rather think you are right!
To be honest, even if you were steeped in the LotR fandom I don't think it would have helped make any sense of his comment!
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Date: 17/01/2011 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 17/01/2011 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 17/01/2011 09:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 17/01/2011 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 20/01/2011 10:21 am (UTC)Are you planning to sign up?
I've occasionally had people paste apparently random quotes into a comment. I wonder what they think it will achieve (and where they find the time)? The funny thing is that she doesn't seem to be criticising your fic, just going off at a tangent!
[You know about my troll. I also had two people commenting on L/E icons I'd posted literally years earlier: "I think this is all wrong." "So do I." Me: "I don't care!"]
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Date: 20/01/2011 01:22 pm (UTC)Are you planning to sign up?
I am signed up - I think I might write the Returnverse story of the leaving of Middle Earth - a ship to be built, farewells to make, ends to tie up.... And an Arwen who doesn't know how to lie down and die, a Legolas who has reasons for visiting his father, and taking one particular young warrior with him - a young warrior with his own agenda for the trip...
That comment I got is just strange! I think your response to the comments on your icon is exactly what I'd have said, too.