Prejudice

So, something happened with a friend of mine who had worked at the same gas station for more than twelve years. This friend is the only employee to have ever worked there that long - not even the manager has been there that long. Yet, my friend was fired a couple of weeks for making a supposedly derogatory comment.

It was something that was a joke, maybe an inappropriate one, but the person my friend said it to found it funny. And the only reason it got back to the bosses, was because some nosy jerk was listening in rather than doing their own job.

My friend was within seven years of their retirement. And to be treated like that, to be fired, with no warning and no chance to defend themself... I find it truly disheartening.

This leads me to a topic that's becoming very relevant in today's world. And that is how every comment and opinion of late is being almost immediately esqueed as being racist, bigotist, sexist, etc.

Over and over recently, I've noticed this.

Now, let me be honest. I was raised with very prejudiced parents, and to this day that effects me. I often struggle to not react with my first instinct. There's so much that I was raised believing, and a lot of that, now that I'm an adult, I find really hard to not perpetuate.

It's not something that you can just decide and then get over with a snap of the fingers. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. I wish it did.

Now, here's the truth. There's been a lot of things (mostly movies) that have been coming out in the last few years that have been bugging me. But I thought I'd talk about the most relevant ones.

So, let's begin with Jason Momoa. I'm not a hundred percent certain what the first thing was I saw him in, though I remember finding him to be complete eye candy for the few episodes that he was in GoT. I stand by that opinion. I think he's hot. But I do not like him as Aquaman. Now I grew up reading the comics and used to watch the show, so I wanted a lean blonde actor to play the role  - who, yes, should have been white. Is it racist that I dislike him as Aquaman? I don't think so, but maybe.

Another one that has bugged me is Will Smith as Genie. Now let me make this clear, this is all about the role and him. There are plenty of black actors who I think could have made a great Genie (Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Chris Young, etc... just to name a few). Will Smith isn't one of them.I do like Will Smith, I find him to be a great actor, with amazing skill, but I don't find him to be the slightest bit comedic.

And perhaps the most recent upset, almost the entire cast that has so far been announced for The Little Mermaid. Now, I will say this, I really don't like who they've case as Ariel, and I'm not a hundred percent sure why. Is some of it about color, possibly like five percent, but that's really not my biggest issue with her - though I can't pinpoint what it is. Would I have preferred someone who was looked more like the  original Ariel, yes. But I also would have been happy with a handful spanish actresses or asian, or even someone like China Anne McClain playing her (though I freely admit, with her playing Ursula's daughter in the Descendants movies, that would have been a bit confusing). Like I said, I can't pinpoint what it is that I don't like about Halle Bailey, I just don't. And who knows, she may surprise me. I will say this, if Idris Elba is cast as Triton, I'd absolutely adore that. There's also talks of Melissa McCarthy being on the short list for The Little Mermaid, and while I love her, I got to say, I don't think she's a good fit for the role (maybe because I don't think I've ever seen her play a villain).

But I want to go one step farther and say, I really haven't liked any of the Disney Live Action Remakes so far, except Maleficent (and that was all because of Angelina Jolie... okay, maybe two percent of it was about Elle Fanning). I also flat-out despise the silver screen DC extended universe. In my opinion the movies (on both fronts) so far have sucked. Sorry.

.... .... ....

Anyways, I got off topic, or maybe I didn't. The fact is that prejudice isn't always the reason a person has an opinion about something. As humans, we have a right to be upset if we don't like something. We have a right to express that opinion too. We shouldn't immediately be attacked because we voice that opinion.

Monday

It's a new week and my current muse is running away from me.

Seriously though, in spite of the fact that my muse is refusing to work with me, I'm trying to write. I have a personal piece I'm working on at the moment. But I'm hoping to get it done and go back to focusing on my stories. 

Crossover Plague

Recently, as I've watched some shows, a multitude of crossover ideas have been plaguing my mind. I'm trying to avoid them, but they keep on trying to get my attention in spite of my efforts to ignore them.

So I'm writing them down here, hoping that will get them to shut up. 

First is one that has been plaguing me for a while (one I've mentioned before). That's The Heirs - Renesmee Cullen, unaware of the fact that Jacob imprinted on her is sent away to go to high school at Auradon Prep in the rural kingdom of Auradon. When she meets one of the other new students, Jay from the Isle of the Lost, will he be the love of her existence? A momentary crush? or a newfound enemy? :: A Twilight/Descendants story.

Then there's a new obsession of mine, and that's a one-shot about Cheryl Blossom from Riverdale moving to Forks. I still don't have a title, but I so want to write it.

I've also been thinking about doing a Twilight/Veronica Mars crossover, though I suspect it would be a difficult one to pull off.

And I've had a reader of mine specifically ask me to do a HP/Twilight crossover. It's not something I'd normally write, but I like to challenge myself, so it may happen eventually.

Finally, not a crossover, but I really want to write a one-shot or short story about Ursula, and her more altruistic acts, from The Little Mermaid 

Unable to Reply

So, like all fanfiction authors, I occasionally get guest reviews which are allowed on both Ao3 and FFN.

Ao3 allows review threads so I can respond directly to them. Unfortunately, I can't do the same for guest reviews on FFN.

With that being said, today I got the following review:

So, no definite conclusion to this story. I have to say that while I accept that this is your ending, I don't care for it. These types of ending are so unsatisfying. Even if you say it was always your intention, it leaves the impression you either didn't know how to end it or you were afraid to end it the way you wanted for fear of backlash from your readers or you were trying to suck up to all the readers by leaving it so open that anyone could make anything out of it they wanted. I'm an hea girl, but would have preferred a non-hea over something like this. To me this says the author has lack of faith and conviction in her own story.

To this reader, who I don't know, obviously you've never ready anything of mine before, because open endings are my jam.

I love endings that leave a reader wondering what happens next, that leave enough space that if, someday in the future, I want to continue it, I can. It's why a good majority of my one-shots are left with questions unanswered. And though I don't do it as often with my full length stories, it is truly what I prefer, because to me, nothing is less satisfying than when a story ties everything up. 

This is a personal preference, and I completely understand that not many people feel the same. But never doubt that I have the conviction to complete a story to my satisfaction. Trust me, it is one of the most terrifying things to choose to close a story, knowing readers are going to hate me from both sides because I decide to not tie everything up in a bow one way or another. 

Quote of the Day

Occasionally when I'm watching a show I hear a profound quote. Today was one of those days. This takes place between Hal and Betty Cooper in Season 3 of Riverdale. It's just the last line that I find truly profound, but I showed more of the conversation to give a little background.

Betty: "Well she does spend most of her time at the farm, presumably with Edgar, who's a con-artist. He's got her thinking she's seeing Charles."
Hal: "It's impossible. Charles is dead."
Betty: "Yeah, but I don't have physical proof of that. I don't have a body, I don't have ashes..."

Hal: "You know, you don't need a body or ashes, Betty. Just a stone. Piece of granite will do."

Happy July 4th

Feeling...

Feeling turtle-like today

Good Time Movies

So, I have several bookcases full of DVDs and there are several I watch over and over again because their the ones that I truly love, but sometimes I'm just in a mood for a good movie with classic beauty and classic humor.

Currently I'm in such a mood.

So I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

In the classic beauty department, there's Gone with the Wind. For anyone who has seen this movie, they'll know why. But, for everyone else, well...

There's also Driving Miss Daisy, which is possibly one the most amazing to watch movies. And Breakfast at Tiffany's is another truly beautiful movie, there's just something about Audrey Hepburn's classic little black dress and string of pearls that is unforgettable.

Another portion of classic beauty for me are musicals and there are few that always stick out to me. Those include, Sound of Music, West Side Story, and Disney's own Mart Poppins.

As for classic comedy, there's Grumpy Old Men and it's sequel. Two of the funniest movies, in my opinion, ever made. It's a type of humor not many other movies have ever achieved. Then there's Caddyshack, which is a far more adult humor, but there's just something about that world's ugliest gofer that is simply hilarious.

Finally, and far more recently, is Bucket List. For me, this movie, with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson is somehow freshly amusing. 

Unsung Heros Contest Winners

I entered two stories in the TwiFandomNews Unsung Heros Contest and they took first and second.

You can click on the images below to be directed to the stories.

           

The awards

Nothing to Say