Death, immortality and Captain Jack Harkness...

dees417 posted on literaryquotes today:

Death is a part of who we are. It guides us. It shapes us. It drives us to madness. Can you still be human if you have no mortal end?
-- Christopher Paolini, Brisingr

That has to be a rhetorical question, since outside of religion, myth and fiction, we have no sample subjects to date.

Still, it's an interesting one, the whole subject of death on our psychology. Most people don't talk about it, or they use euphemisms that bypass the pain. Understandable, to want to avoid pain. Sometimes that's healthy. Sometimes not.

Is Captain Jack Harkness truly immortal? He thinks he is, since he's had no evidence to the contrary, but if he's the Face of Boe, we've seen him die. For good. And not come back. (Or we think we have.) If he's not the Face of Boe, well... anyone's guess. It seems to me that his acute awareness of the mortality of others is a sort of psychological replacement for knowledge of his own death. As for being driven mad - well, he's had his bad moments, but is on the whole a sane a man as any I've seen on television, and more than most. In all the nicest ways. He also has a highly developed death wish - a sane response to his circumstances.

The truth of it is, most of us think about the deaths of others more than we think of our own. We have an instinct to resist death, but a tendency to disregard it. My favourite line about hte approach to death is from a Mary Renault novel, probably Fire From Heaven - something to the effect that we should ive each day as if it were our last, but assume we will live forever.

I've heard a lot of people say that they wouldn't want to be immortal. It sounds wonderful to me: think of all the opportunities to learn, to read, to think, to explore! The 'fate worse than death' in my head would be either living in pain or depression, or living in artificial circumstances rather than experiencing real life or real death, like River Song.

Christmas meme... a nice one.

I got this from kikibug13 who got it from sayshisname in the Muse community. She says it the "most awesome OOC HOLIDAY MEME ever!" I rewrote a little to suit myself - i.e., to not be specifically Muse-connected, because I don't write there any more, but when I did, I was writing Aral Vorkosigan (from the Bujold novels) and Gwen Cooper (from Torchwood). I certainly haven't run out of things to say about them; I just didn't have the time to keep up with them.

~ ~ ~

I'm going to write ficlets for Christmas. Consider it a gift from me to you. Pick whatever fandom I'm in that you prefer - Torchwood and Doctor Who being my favourites these days, but I'm open to writing any number of other things: old favourites like The Professionals or X-Men or new diversions like Merlin. Pick book characters, even, if you like. Crossovers are okay, too. Fill out the information below. I will grant one or more of your requests depending on time and inspiration. If you want to borrow the meme go right ahead.

Give me up to five requests with the following information:

1. Fandom or character or characters or pairing or threesome whatever you'd like.
2. A song, quote, one word prompt, or brief description of what you'd like
3. Fluffy, angsty, comedy or writer's choice?
4. Rating request?
5. What timeline or setting do you want? or do you want me to choose?

Make as many requests as you like. I'll pick and choose and have something written before the end of the year.

Writer's Block: Be Prepared

[Error: unknown template qotd]

Easy answer: no.

My experience has been that the unexpected happens. Whatever you prepare for is much less likely to come to pass than the wildly surprising events that you would never have imagined. Aside from the basic health and safety rules that are a matter of common sense, any attempt at disaster control is pointlessly stressful. Make yourself the best person you can, and let the future happen. Face the world with confidence and love, not fear and greed.

Today has enough troubles without worry about possibilities. Relax and gather some field lilies. You'll be better for it in the end.

That being said... how does a person prepare for zombies?

(no subject)

To nina_ds:






To a friend whose honest intelligence and good taste in actors and heroes make our discussions a delight: have a wonderful year.

Canada's political volcano..

I, the person who usually avoids politics with all my might, just watched Prime Minister Steven Harper address the country with commodorified, iclysdale, auriaephiala and raynedaze.

To quote Patrick Nielsen Hayden, "Every so often, after long stretches of preternatural boringness, Canadian politics becomes, for brief periods, the greatest show on earth."

The Prime Minister had his say. "He seems to be confusing himself with the heritage of Canada," I said.

"He seems to be confusing himself with the government," said commodorified.

"L'état c'est moi, motherfuckers," said iclysdale succinctly. I do love my friends.

Stéphane Dion is making more sense in two sentences than Harper did in his whole speech. I've heard a lot of people say they don't trust Dion, but I find it amazing that, given Dion and Harper, anyone could choose Harper as the more trustworthy.

The journalists had to point out that Harper said nothing new. I'd say... he had almost no substance at all. He was just begging Canadians to keep him on.

It's not looking likely.

I'm planning to go to the rally on Parliament Hill tomorrow, to support the coalition.