YEAH. I KNOW.

I was trying not to post anything in between my X-Files essay whatevers (which really is very easy for me as I have nothing to say about anything most of the time); but as the writing on that is slow and I've reached levels of insane boredom these past weeks I've caved and am updating my sad blog with sad things.

Sad thing number one: Getting a 25 correct answer streak while playing 1 Vs 100 on XBOX Live today was the most exciting thing of my week.

Sad thing number two: I'm not lying, exaggerating, or make that up.

And that's my update.

PART ONE: THE EPIDERMIS

[THE SURFACE OF A CULT SERIES IS NEVER WHY IT IS A CULT SERIES]

When watching The X-Files, or any television show or film a decade old or more, one can view the material in one or a combination of ways:

1.) Watching from the context of the time of creation (1993-2002)
2.) Watching from the context of the now (2009)
3.) Watching from the context of film/television history/academia
4.) Watching from the context of personal fulfillment and expectation (opinion)

Any and all are valid means of experiencing a movie or TV show. In fact, most people simultaneously alternate, shift, and weigh these four modes of viewership onto any media they experience.

Now, The X-Files is 16 years old. While watching the series you will see early 90s cell phones. You will see pant suits. Plaid pant suits. Secondary characters will say odd out of date slang and some hair cuts will be totally tubular. You'll bare witness to speedo Mulder and baby faced Scully; puppet attack cats, plot holes, and interesting musical choices. Some special effects are still kind of impressive, although most are just acceptable, while others never were effective to start with. Your 2009 eyes and sensibilities will tell you this with flashing lights and whistles. Most likely a new viewer's main struggle will be to not let any of the bad hair, silly effects, and not always tight story planning distract them – which is futile, because it will.

I'll go ahead and make the argument now: The stories being told are still worth your time, and most episodes (with the exception of those that rely too heavily on then-technology for the crux of the plot) have aged well enough to still inspire, entertain, and possibly even frighten. You do not need 1993 eyes and sensibilities to enjoy this series, I'm convinced of this. Of course, if you want to take a deeper look into the series then you'll want to dust those babies off and pop 'em in. There is a lot to see from way back in 1993.

And after all, The X-Files isn’t a cult series because it has retained its fanbase, like all cult series it is one because its fanbase has continued to grow. In spite of being 16 years old. What this means is that imaginations and interests have been repeatedly captured regardless of modes of viewing and when; and that perhaps is reason enough for labeling the series as worthy of revisiting, and analysis.

Watch out now!

I'm going to be posting a shitload of writing on The X-Files in the next month; three installments really of a large Essay-ish piece. I don't actually know how to classify it.

8D

Fandom!Secrets

So I've discovered Fandom!Secrets and now have a crazy hobby of reading all the posts addictivly in a way that I never have and never care to for PostSecret. I've been surprised at how many Fandom!Secrets I myself can relate to - to the point of being sad that the posts be anonymous, because I can't find and befriend the poster! Since I can't get a hold of the individuals I thought I'd just respond back to them here. Just for the lulz. XD

[[CLICK PICTURES TO SEE IN THEIR ENTIRETY. WAY TO GO EBLOGGER.]]


I had kind of the same strange feeling of pride at the end of Harry Potter too, anon. <3



The only reason I even bothered trying to get into Supernatural (aside form finding it on sale uber cheap at Walmart one day) was because for a year prior I lurked Supernatural communitys (Capslock Com or otherwise) to laugh at the fandom's crazy batshit-asshattery. Because, come on! The SPN fandom is seriously hilarious; "SPN is SRSBUISNESS, grrrr!" Incest/fanwank aside, some people had really great senses of humor so I thought I'd give the show a real try. I got to the end of the first season but haven't bothered to watch the last two episodes - I just can't seem to care. But I still lurk sometimes. I know, I'm a creeper. At least I'm not alone. D8



I honestly have nothing else to add to this one - that pretty much sums it up.



This is my philosophy on dressing myself as well, I won't lie. And no, it has yet to work (except for one or two ultimately unwanted exchanges). But I keep doing it.



BECAUSE SRSLY?: We'd be BFF's. D8



Next time Lee asks why I insist on going to midnight showings I might actually show him this. Well, probably not, but MAYBE!



Anon, we need to talk and we need to be friends. You have made me feel so much less freakish but you'll never know it. <333



This made me laugh because it made me realize I rage over people claiming to love sushi when all I can see is their animu icon/sig. Gawd, I'm a bad person sometimes; but I genuinely do like sushi (and not just California roll imitation crap, I eat unagi, calamari, tako, you fuckkin' name it) and for some reason I rage. Anon and I have (admitted) issues.



I want to be your friend. I want to be your friend so much. NOT just because you love Bone (which believe me, I love it very much as well), but because I know exactly what you're talking about - because I want the very same thing. T-T



I can't help but agree, just not really with the whole not being a human being part. That part I only agree with a little. 8D



I don't do this to a uber degree, but Jesus Christ do I do it.

BOO.

So I arrived at work today only to be told I was cut barely a hour later. September is certainly the crap tourist season here in Hawaii but holy damn. That has never happend to me. I'm actually kind of freaked out about it and I spruced up my resume with my sudden down time. I also dug into season 4 of Battlestar but as far as friends I'm watching it with online know I'm at the start of season 3. Shhh interwebz!

In a wrong turn to the water park Lee and I found a mall we did not existed on our island whilst in Kaneohe. They had a Suncoast! I don't know why I put a exclamation point there as Suncoast is over priced and irritating. I always get excited when I see one because I'm a pop culture geek and love movies and TV and love to buy DVDs. Every time I go in though I'm disappointed by Suncoast as it is severely overpriced. Like. SEVERELY overpriced. We did find two used Spike and Mike's film festival DVDs for 10 bucks total, one of which has Dr. Tran on it. The shorts range from horrible to OK to pretty damn good; but Spike and Mike don't even touch the impressive works from Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeld's The Animation Show.

I also found a Flapjack t-shirt of total amazing-ness. It says "You're beauteous" on it and Flap is all freakin' out. I luvs eet. If you don't know what The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack is, then you should check it out. Its one of the best cartoons in recent memory, superior to Spounge Bob in my own humble opinion.

Ah, animation. I love you. In all your forms.

"Any city gets what it admires, will pay for, and, ultimately, deserves. Even when we had Penn Station, we couldn’t afford to keep it clean. We want and deserve tin-can architecture in a tinhorn culture. And we will probably be judged not by the monuments we build but by those we have destroyed."
— Ada Louise Huxtable, "Farewell to Penn Station," New York Times editorial, October 30, 1963

BSG

Damn you Battlestar Galactica. You are a combination of genius modern relevance and horrible cliches so finely woven and meshed together I can't decide if I love you entirely or find you overrated. I'm going to say that I love you, for now. My attachment to your little fictional world and characters surprised me as I mostly anticipated your cliches, which is why I avoided you for so long as I am constantly weary of Science Fiction that people who "usually don't like Science Fiction" like.

MUST WATCH ALL OF SERIES TO MAKE MORE CONCLUSIVE DECISION.