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An effulgent entry. Only not really.
The other day, as part of the Get More Fit regime, I bought some weights. They were fairly inexpensive, which is only annoying because easy access to weights was one of the reasons I delayed leaving my health club for so long. Anyway, I got 8lb weights for bicep work, and 5lb weights for tricep work (oh for those days when I had graduated to 12lb weights). I've only been doing curls and such for a few days, but I already have more muscle definition! I noticed today. Crazy. Oh, and I also got a sit-up bar, which will make it much easier for me to do full sit ups rather than just crunches (though aren't full sit ups supposed to be bad for your back?).
Every time I remember what my doctor's office told me when they gave me the cholesterol news, I get bitter. "The doctor wants you to maintain a low-fat diet. Okay? Then we'll see you in three months." Oh, a low-fat diet, is that all? Because yeah, if it were that easy, I wouldn't have been doing it all along. :-l
Does anyone know of a free tool I could download to edit MP3s/WMAs? I'm a big fan of making myself mix CDs -- particularly now that I'm trying to take long walks and such -- but sometimes, especially with live albums, there's junk on a track that I don't want, and would like to be able to edit it out.
Speaking of music, the discman that I purchased when I moved to DC nearly six years ago now has finally died. It served me well, though I had hoped it would last even longer. But now I've gotten a new one, the Panasonic SL-MP77 (though the link is to the MP75; I can't seem to find the MP77 anywhere -- WTF is up w/ that? I SWEAR it's SL-MP77 on the packaging). It roxors because it can play MP3s! Which means I can include a buttload of songs on a CD and not tire of it as quickly.
***
When it came to Roswell, I shipped all over the place. I was, of course, into Max/Liz, which was the primary couple. I also, at one time or another, also shipped:
- Michael/Liz
- Kyle/Isabel
- Alex/Isabel (though mostly after it stopped counting)
- Michael/Isabel
- Tess/Horrible Fiery Death
When Max turned into a complete asshole at the end of S2, I still liked the show, but I was no longer as into Max/Liz (which is sad because it's such a great ship in the first season and a half). I was half-heartedly searching for fanfic one day when I came across the idea of Michael/Liz. The idea intrigued me, and intrigues me to this day, at least theoretically. It'd never really work on the show. Anyway, then I found The Polar Novel by Whiteotter, and it was so. fabulous.
Here's what it's about, in the author's own words: "The Polar Novel is the official recording of Michael and Liz's secret lives together in Roswell, New Mexico. The recordings begin when Liz Parker left Max Evans in the desert and then backtrack to when Michael returned Liz's journal to document how their relationship first began."
After reading the fic (it was a WIP when I started reading, and when my Roswell interest waned, I stopped keeping track ... but I don't think it was ever finished. Doesn't matter; it's incredibly long and you can still get something from it), I was made into a certified Polarist (so called because Michael and Liz are polar opposites). In a way, given how much I love the whole opposites attract premise, it's surprising that I only turned to Michael/Liz when the chips were down. That probably speaks to how strong the Max/Liz was -- that despite their not really being opposites, I was compelled by them anyway. (I was never really into Michael/Maria, because they were too similar, and while I love Maria, I find her to be an incredibly annoying girlfriend. Whereas Michael is like Draco, only hotheaded.)
Lately I've been feeling the hankering to read it again, even though I've rediscovered my Max/Liz love. Michael/Liz is just such a fascinating dynamic, especially in terms of fiction and what you could do with it. So much built-in angst, what with them being such a mismatch, and with having to deal with Max, etc. If you have ever had any hankerings to see what Polarism might be like, I highly encourage you to read this story. :D
As for the actual DVDs, the original music is sorely missed. It's not just because I have associations w/ certain songs from certain eps (though I do, and I will always regret that they had to replace Ginny Owens' "If You Asked Me To," which was so utterly perfect for Alex and his situation), it's also because the music from back then reminds me of the great music of that time, and often, it was the show that had turned me on to a particular song/artist. It's missing things like Garbage, and Sarah McLachlan, and Jewel, and Vertical Horizon, and Santana featuring Everlast, I could go on and on. I'm sure that Jason Katims and the gang are somewhat glad by this development, because Roswell's budget was never very much and they seemed mired in having to use Christian rock music. And that doesn't exactly support the secular themes of the show. But you know what, some of that Christian music was awesome. And yes, while it's a bit strange to try and associate the lyrics w/ guys and gals or whatever when you know the artist is actually talking about God, that's also just true to what we had to do when the show was on. That music is part of the show.
I didn't realize how much I missed the music until, after watching my DVDs, I pulled out some of my old taped episodes of Roswell to see if I could tell a difference. And I so could! Which makes me bitter because now, of course, I can't tape over these episodes. I have to have the originals. What I'd really like to do would be to download the original episodes off Kazaa or somewhere, and burn them to a DVD. I wonder if that BitTorrent site![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
corianderstem uses would have those. Hmmm.
NO OTHER SHOW that's gone to DVD has had this problem, that I'm aware of. Why Roswell? Was their budget smaller, because no one had any faith that the DVDs would sell? Was it just that they had more music than any other show? But is that even true? It seems to me that the WB frequently uses popular music in their TV shows, because they always pimp the artists under their labels after an episode airs. So Roswell wasn't unique in that way, was it? I just don't get it. I'm bothered because they had such great music, and it really does feel like something's been taken away.
When push comes to shove, however, I'm glad that we have the DVDs at all. And of course, the music doesn't make the show; the heart is still there (though if they hadn't even gotten Dido to do the theme, I might not be singing the same tune <g>). It was just ... the blood that goes into the heart. Okay, maybe not quite that important, but pretty darn close!! :((
Okay, I think I'm done whining about this once and for all.
Every time I remember what my doctor's office told me when they gave me the cholesterol news, I get bitter. "The doctor wants you to maintain a low-fat diet. Okay? Then we'll see you in three months." Oh, a low-fat diet, is that all? Because yeah, if it were that easy, I wouldn't have been doing it all along. :-l
Does anyone know of a free tool I could download to edit MP3s/WMAs? I'm a big fan of making myself mix CDs -- particularly now that I'm trying to take long walks and such -- but sometimes, especially with live albums, there's junk on a track that I don't want, and would like to be able to edit it out.
Speaking of music, the discman that I purchased when I moved to DC nearly six years ago now has finally died. It served me well, though I had hoped it would last even longer. But now I've gotten a new one, the Panasonic SL-MP77 (though the link is to the MP75; I can't seem to find the MP77 anywhere -- WTF is up w/ that? I SWEAR it's SL-MP77 on the packaging). It roxors because it can play MP3s! Which means I can include a buttload of songs on a CD and not tire of it as quickly.
***
When it came to Roswell, I shipped all over the place. I was, of course, into Max/Liz, which was the primary couple. I also, at one time or another, also shipped:
- Michael/Liz
- Kyle/Isabel
- Alex/Isabel (though mostly after it stopped counting)
- Michael/Isabel
- Tess/Horrible Fiery Death
When Max turned into a complete asshole at the end of S2, I still liked the show, but I was no longer as into Max/Liz (which is sad because it's such a great ship in the first season and a half). I was half-heartedly searching for fanfic one day when I came across the idea of Michael/Liz. The idea intrigued me, and intrigues me to this day, at least theoretically. It'd never really work on the show. Anyway, then I found The Polar Novel by Whiteotter, and it was so. fabulous.
Here's what it's about, in the author's own words: "The Polar Novel is the official recording of Michael and Liz's secret lives together in Roswell, New Mexico. The recordings begin when Liz Parker left Max Evans in the desert and then backtrack to when Michael returned Liz's journal to document how their relationship first began."
After reading the fic (it was a WIP when I started reading, and when my Roswell interest waned, I stopped keeping track ... but I don't think it was ever finished. Doesn't matter; it's incredibly long and you can still get something from it), I was made into a certified Polarist (so called because Michael and Liz are polar opposites). In a way, given how much I love the whole opposites attract premise, it's surprising that I only turned to Michael/Liz when the chips were down. That probably speaks to how strong the Max/Liz was -- that despite their not really being opposites, I was compelled by them anyway. (I was never really into Michael/Maria, because they were too similar, and while I love Maria, I find her to be an incredibly annoying girlfriend. Whereas Michael is like Draco, only hotheaded.)
Lately I've been feeling the hankering to read it again, even though I've rediscovered my Max/Liz love. Michael/Liz is just such a fascinating dynamic, especially in terms of fiction and what you could do with it. So much built-in angst, what with them being such a mismatch, and with having to deal with Max, etc. If you have ever had any hankerings to see what Polarism might be like, I highly encourage you to read this story. :D
As for the actual DVDs, the original music is sorely missed. It's not just because I have associations w/ certain songs from certain eps (though I do, and I will always regret that they had to replace Ginny Owens' "If You Asked Me To," which was so utterly perfect for Alex and his situation), it's also because the music from back then reminds me of the great music of that time, and often, it was the show that had turned me on to a particular song/artist. It's missing things like Garbage, and Sarah McLachlan, and Jewel, and Vertical Horizon, and Santana featuring Everlast, I could go on and on. I'm sure that Jason Katims and the gang are somewhat glad by this development, because Roswell's budget was never very much and they seemed mired in having to use Christian rock music. And that doesn't exactly support the secular themes of the show. But you know what, some of that Christian music was awesome. And yes, while it's a bit strange to try and associate the lyrics w/ guys and gals or whatever when you know the artist is actually talking about God, that's also just true to what we had to do when the show was on. That music is part of the show.
I didn't realize how much I missed the music until, after watching my DVDs, I pulled out some of my old taped episodes of Roswell to see if I could tell a difference. And I so could! Which makes me bitter because now, of course, I can't tape over these episodes. I have to have the originals. What I'd really like to do would be to download the original episodes off Kazaa or somewhere, and burn them to a DVD. I wonder if that BitTorrent site
corianderstem uses would have those. Hmmm.NO OTHER SHOW that's gone to DVD has had this problem, that I'm aware of. Why Roswell? Was their budget smaller, because no one had any faith that the DVDs would sell? Was it just that they had more music than any other show? But is that even true? It seems to me that the WB frequently uses popular music in their TV shows, because they always pimp the artists under their labels after an episode airs. So Roswell wasn't unique in that way, was it? I just don't get it. I'm bothered because they had such great music, and it really does feel like something's been taken away.
When push comes to shove, however, I'm glad that we have the DVDs at all. And of course, the music doesn't make the show; the heart is still there (though if they hadn't even gotten Dido to do the theme, I might not be singing the same tune <g>). It was just ... the blood that goes into the heart. Okay, maybe not quite that important, but pretty darn close!! :((
Okay, I think I'm done whining about this once and for all.
*hugs*
It's lame, but there ya go
Re: *hugs*
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Now, I've never actually read any Roswell fanfic... though I must say that I'm totally intrigued hearing you talk about it. Like you, I totally support Max/Liz. Their relationship and chemistry was just so intense that I could not help but be compelled to support it. DAMN Tess for ruining their relationship for so long!! :-)
Anyway, my favorite ship (and sadly your least favorite it seems... WAHH) is Michael/Maria. Now, I adored each character individually immediately from the pilot all the way through to the end. Michael was especially my favorite... cute, badass, unpredictable... LOVE HIM!!! Now Maria had her moments when she was annoying (but only when she was with Michael, in my opinion), but it was so totally worth dealing with those occassionally annoying bits! Their interactions were so very comical, yet touching, that I was sucked in and have been ever since... I remember cheering the night Michael kissed Maria just to calm her down and shut her up! WHEEE!
Now, have you read any Michael/Maria fic that was written well and is worth reading by any chance??? Your concept of Michael/Liz is an interesting one... not one that I can totally see or support... but interesting nonetheless. Despite the unlikliness, I can see how it could potentially fit in a little bit concerning the whole diary episode... :-)
WOW... I'm totally rambling! Sorry!!
*hugs*
I can out-ramble anyone.
Yeah, Tess ruined a lot of things, although the concept of her character wasn't a bad one. I liked the turmoil and angst she put everyone through, and it made Max loving Liz even more meaningful, which was already quite a high bar. However, they went completely over the top in S2 when they turned Max into a controlling asshole. Jade and I hoped desperately that it was because he was being mindwarped, and we were all ready to forgive him if that were the case. But no, they didn't do that, which meant it was all just Max ... and then they compounded on their sins by doing a quick take-back in S3 without really earning the idea of Max and Liz being together again. So I was pretty done w/ the relationship and the show by the time S3 ended. Watching S1 has made me rediscover why I loved it in the first place, and I'm alternately looking forward to and dreading S2 and S3, because either the same thing is going to happen all over again, or maybe (I hope) I'll be able to view them with more distance/perspective.
I love Michael and Maria both as individual characters, for all the reasons you state. : ) However, yes, I found Maria really dislikable when she was Michael's girlfriend sometimes. She just turned shrewish and became a typical girl, when the thing I love most about her is that she's not a typical girl; she's a "wacky friend" (in her own words <g>). And I loved her when she was being a friend, being just plain Maria. But as Michael's girlfriend ... ehhhh, you're right, they were probably my least favorite couple (next to canon!Alex/Isabel). I take it back -- my least favorite couple was Liz/Kyle, even though I grew to absolutely LOVE Kyle in the later seasons. He was practically my favorite character.
Heehee, the diary episode is what holds up the entire Michael/Liz fanbase, I think. They hardly ever have those two characters interact on the show, so it's totally a UC ship the way Draco/Ginny is. I think I'm just a UC shipper at heart. : )
Anyway -- fanfic. I don't know a lot of variety, because I was never that immersed in the fandom, but I did come across some really great work by Elizabeth (http://www.ficorama.net/fic.htm), who wrote a number of Michael/Maria stories (as well as other pairings).
Here are some M/M:
- Fix (http://www.ficorama.net/fix.htm)
- The Gods Must Be Crazy (http://www.ficorama.net/gods.htm)
- Persephone's Footfalls (http://www.ficorama.net/perseph1.htm) (this is part one of five)
- Your Little Voice (http://www.ficorama.net/littlevoice.htm)
Other stories:
- Twenty-Seven Echoes Neverland (http://www.ficorama.net/27echoes.htm) (one of my favorite Michael/Liz stories of all time)
- Tesseract (http://www.ficorama.net/tesseract.htm) (Michael/Liz, sort of. Liz POV in the wake of Tess)
- Moerae (http://www.ficorama.net/moerae.htm) (great Michael piece, but M&M aren't necessarily together)
Anyway, there's a billion more where those came from.
Another writer I loved was Bennie (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/fic.html), but I'm not sure if she wrote M/M ... she wrote a lot of other ships, though, as well as genfic. My faves, all Michael/Liz:
- And So I Fell (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/andsoifell.html)
- Variations in More (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/variationsinmore.html)
- Penumbra (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/penumbra.html)
- Watch Her Fall (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/watchherfall.html)
- Call Me Mikey G (http://bennie.tvheaven.com/callmemikeyg.html)
Finally, as my Roswell fanfic knowledge has basically been exhausted by these two writers (and the Polar Novel), Debbie's Collection (http://www.debbiesfics.com/) has a great deal of recommendations from various fandoms ... I think she's known as
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:)
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Definitely important to look one's best for weddings!! And really, it was not v. expensive at all, plus you can do the exercises while you're watching TV or something and you'll hardly notice that you're working out. ;)
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:)