It's my unofficial policy...
Jan. 10th, 2004 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azuriteI don't use the phone. Willingly, anyway. Seriously, you guys know how rare it is for me to call anyone without them calling me first. And even then...
I dunno, I'm just not a phone person. -.-; David H. (the guy who hit on me at the theater) called me today; I checked my phone while on my break. Buuut... I don't particularly WANT to call him back. Maybe it's part anxiety over calling anyone I barely know, and maybe it's just me and the unofficial policy. I can't seem to communicate as well over the phone... :P Blah. I get distracted too easily.
When I was LEAVING work, Taz actually called me-- we talked for a good 8 minutes, maybe, before I saw Sung on the bus and we wanted to catch up before he got off. So maybe we'll talk online tonight. I'm much better at talking online, obvoiusly... (though spelling errors is a big "ouch" of the online thing; just like stuttering over the phone, or those long awkward silences...)
So in talking to Sung, of course the college thing came up again. So here it is in... whatever colors you're currently viewing this loverly page in.
I applied to go to SFSU in Spring 2004 (that would be NOW)-- giving me a semester off for Fall to get a job, figure things out. Thought it was a good plan-- until the schmucks at SFSU said that:
* I didn't have enough Japanese credits
* My CCSF Japanese wasn't the SAME course, and therefore didn't count as makeup
* It did, however, count as college credit.
* That, combined with my applying in Spring rather than Fall designated me as a Lower Division Transfer, but I need to have something like 260 credits before I'm officially a LDT, and they will even LOOK at me.
Hence, SFSU SCREWED ME OVER! I was told that, since in Summer 03, they didn't HAVE any other Japanese courses at CCSF, it would be FINE. And I could always take a foriegn language waiver exam or something, to prove I knew the language. -.- And now they go and tell me there ISN'T one.
So then I applied to CSUN, in Northridge. I figured I'd ask about a foriegn language waiver, so I wouldn't have to worry about the missing credits at all. I still haven't heard back from them, but I had one woman from admissions tell me there IS no exam for the waiver. HUH??? So I have to get back to them, I guess.
If worse comes to worse, I'll be stuck here until at least Fall. I can go to CCSF-- there are people I know, and I'm somewhat familiar with the campus. It's either that or go down to Northridge ANYWAY, and take classes at Pierce, the community college there. But I'd have no hope of transferring into CSUN; they don't EVER accept Lower Division Transfers. *sigh* So, it's all one big, complicated, "Yeah you screwed yourself over in Junior year" mess.
Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Crystal and Katia, and we're checkin' out the new Musee Mechanique over at Pier 43. I wanna go to In-N-Out after that, since I've been craving a good burger for a long time now, and the thought of MickeyD's just doesn't do it for me anymore. *snicker*
Now, onto some more interesting things:
I recieved an email from Allie Something, someone who read my Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction rant:
Hello, I was just reading your Yu-gi-oh Fanfiction Rant. I must say, I agree with a lot of what your saying - especially about Self-Insertion fics. But I completely disagree with your thoughts on yaoi. It may not be hinted at in the show, but fanfiction is all about using your imagination - and what's normal or accepted shouldn't inhibit someone's creativity. I say that if someone wants to write something, they should write it. If you don't like what they're writing about, you shouldn't have to read it - and you don't.
But the Seto/Mokuba pairing is disgusting.
And here's my reply:
Wow, I've never had anyone reply to the rant before. I always figured it's because it's not widely distributed or anything, but I'm glad someone was looking at it!
The thing abouy yaoi in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom... it's my personal belief about ANY show that if certain pairings (at least het/slash ones) are not hinted at even a LITTLE, then they shouldn't be written about. It doesn't really deter anyone's imagination any; there are tons of fandoms out there where 90% of the writers are happy with all the characters being het, and never write otherwise-- except for hentai fics.
I look at Sailor Moon as a prime example-- the lead character, Usagi, is never ONCE hinted at being bi or homosexual. And most of the time, she's paired with guys-- Mamoru (her canon boyfriend) or Seiya (Another Guy in the show). Nothing wrong with that at all; here are still MILLIONS of fics waiting to be written, and without her getting paired up with her best friend or worst enemy.
Back to Yu-Gi-Oh. I find it really SAD that people make the characters gay or bi when they provide no logical BASIS for it. Everyone knows they're not like that in the show, so how do you explain their sudden (pardon the pun) "Change of Heart?" It's BAD WRITING. Not anything against yaoi or yuri (both are great-- where they're canon) But when people just put people together because they CAN... or because of a rumor... *shrugs* I find it hard to believe. Characters aren't IN-CHARACTER, and I keep thinking back to the original author's work; is it really anything like theirs?
Out of ALL the thousands of fics on FFnet in the Yu-Gi-Oh category, how many writers bother to say why they're pairing up two people? Or to make it seem plausible within the context of the character, or the series? Very few, if any. Most just slap an "AU" or "AR" on there and call it even. Not so easy.
Worse, I hate seeing IMPOSSIBLE pairings. Like Seto/Mokuba-- or, Yami/Yuugi, Marik/Malik, Ryou/Bakura... it just doesn't make sense. I've been writing fanfiction for many years, I've seen a lot of stuff, and where Yu-Gi-Oh concerned, it's just a matter of carelessness.
~*~
As an addendum (which I neglected to write in the email), it's also a matter of where the material is coming from. In Japan, homosexuality is NOT as accepted as it is in Western countries-- and considering how many people still protest homosexuality out here, you can understand how uncomfortable the average Japanese person would be with such a topic. That's why manga like FAKE and Gravitation are so controversial, really.
People out here are used to having homosexuality thrown in their faces, but out in Japan, you can't even get a hotel room with someone of the same gender as you. I mean, not unless you have PROOF that you're related to them, or somesuch, and you're NOT going to do the nasty.
I'm not preaching about sinning or anything here; I'm one of the biggest Haruka/Michiru fans (from Sailormoon; they're lesbian you numbnuts!) ever. I just don't happen to like yaoi that much, and when it's non-canon, and badly explained... I just keep asking myself "Why?" Bad fiction possesses authors to write more bad fiction, in this disgustingly never-ending circle. What was going on in the warped mind of whoever thought of yaoi pairings in a het fandom, in the first place?
Ugh, doesn't look like there's a reply in the Codegrrl.com forums about my PHP error yet. *sniff* I should double-check, just to be sure, because Yahoo!'s bulk folder is whack.
I'm finally getting around to finishing up the Circle Journey book for Round 3... that'll be going to Roro next. I should take it with me to the post office on Monday when I go to get the 4 Peach Girl volumes I'm selling weighed. Someone actually wants to buy! YAY!
So... yeah. I better work on WDKY8 now, if I EVER want to get it done, Fanlisting or no. *le sigh*
I dunno, I'm just not a phone person. -.-; David H. (the guy who hit on me at the theater) called me today; I checked my phone while on my break. Buuut... I don't particularly WANT to call him back. Maybe it's part anxiety over calling anyone I barely know, and maybe it's just me and the unofficial policy. I can't seem to communicate as well over the phone... :P Blah. I get distracted too easily.
When I was LEAVING work, Taz actually called me-- we talked for a good 8 minutes, maybe, before I saw Sung on the bus and we wanted to catch up before he got off. So maybe we'll talk online tonight. I'm much better at talking online, obvoiusly... (though spelling errors is a big "ouch" of the online thing; just like stuttering over the phone, or those long awkward silences...)
So in talking to Sung, of course the college thing came up again. So here it is in... whatever colors you're currently viewing this loverly page in.
I applied to go to SFSU in Spring 2004 (that would be NOW)-- giving me a semester off for Fall to get a job, figure things out. Thought it was a good plan-- until the schmucks at SFSU said that:
* I didn't have enough Japanese credits
* My CCSF Japanese wasn't the SAME course, and therefore didn't count as makeup
* It did, however, count as college credit.
* That, combined with my applying in Spring rather than Fall designated me as a Lower Division Transfer, but I need to have something like 260 credits before I'm officially a LDT, and they will even LOOK at me.
Hence, SFSU SCREWED ME OVER! I was told that, since in Summer 03, they didn't HAVE any other Japanese courses at CCSF, it would be FINE. And I could always take a foriegn language waiver exam or something, to prove I knew the language. -.- And now they go and tell me there ISN'T one.
So then I applied to CSUN, in Northridge. I figured I'd ask about a foriegn language waiver, so I wouldn't have to worry about the missing credits at all. I still haven't heard back from them, but I had one woman from admissions tell me there IS no exam for the waiver. HUH??? So I have to get back to them, I guess.
If worse comes to worse, I'll be stuck here until at least Fall. I can go to CCSF-- there are people I know, and I'm somewhat familiar with the campus. It's either that or go down to Northridge ANYWAY, and take classes at Pierce, the community college there. But I'd have no hope of transferring into CSUN; they don't EVER accept Lower Division Transfers. *sigh* So, it's all one big, complicated, "Yeah you screwed yourself over in Junior year" mess.
Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Crystal and Katia, and we're checkin' out the new Musee Mechanique over at Pier 43. I wanna go to In-N-Out after that, since I've been craving a good burger for a long time now, and the thought of MickeyD's just doesn't do it for me anymore. *snicker*
Now, onto some more interesting things:
I recieved an email from Allie Something, someone who read my Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction rant:
Hello, I was just reading your Yu-gi-oh Fanfiction Rant. I must say, I agree with a lot of what your saying - especially about Self-Insertion fics. But I completely disagree with your thoughts on yaoi. It may not be hinted at in the show, but fanfiction is all about using your imagination - and what's normal or accepted shouldn't inhibit someone's creativity. I say that if someone wants to write something, they should write it. If you don't like what they're writing about, you shouldn't have to read it - and you don't.
But the Seto/Mokuba pairing is disgusting.
And here's my reply:
Wow, I've never had anyone reply to the rant before. I always figured it's because it's not widely distributed or anything, but I'm glad someone was looking at it!
The thing abouy yaoi in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom... it's my personal belief about ANY show that if certain pairings (at least het/slash ones) are not hinted at even a LITTLE, then they shouldn't be written about. It doesn't really deter anyone's imagination any; there are tons of fandoms out there where 90% of the writers are happy with all the characters being het, and never write otherwise-- except for hentai fics.
I look at Sailor Moon as a prime example-- the lead character, Usagi, is never ONCE hinted at being bi or homosexual. And most of the time, she's paired with guys-- Mamoru (her canon boyfriend) or Seiya (Another Guy in the show). Nothing wrong with that at all; here are still MILLIONS of fics waiting to be written, and without her getting paired up with her best friend or worst enemy.
Back to Yu-Gi-Oh. I find it really SAD that people make the characters gay or bi when they provide no logical BASIS for it. Everyone knows they're not like that in the show, so how do you explain their sudden (pardon the pun) "Change of Heart?" It's BAD WRITING. Not anything against yaoi or yuri (both are great-- where they're canon) But when people just put people together because they CAN... or because of a rumor... *shrugs* I find it hard to believe. Characters aren't IN-CHARACTER, and I keep thinking back to the original author's work; is it really anything like theirs?
Out of ALL the thousands of fics on FFnet in the Yu-Gi-Oh category, how many writers bother to say why they're pairing up two people? Or to make it seem plausible within the context of the character, or the series? Very few, if any. Most just slap an "AU" or "AR" on there and call it even. Not so easy.
Worse, I hate seeing IMPOSSIBLE pairings. Like Seto/Mokuba-- or, Yami/Yuugi, Marik/Malik, Ryou/Bakura... it just doesn't make sense. I've been writing fanfiction for many years, I've seen a lot of stuff, and where Yu-Gi-Oh concerned, it's just a matter of carelessness.
~*~
As an addendum (which I neglected to write in the email), it's also a matter of where the material is coming from. In Japan, homosexuality is NOT as accepted as it is in Western countries-- and considering how many people still protest homosexuality out here, you can understand how uncomfortable the average Japanese person would be with such a topic. That's why manga like FAKE and Gravitation are so controversial, really.
People out here are used to having homosexuality thrown in their faces, but out in Japan, you can't even get a hotel room with someone of the same gender as you. I mean, not unless you have PROOF that you're related to them, or somesuch, and you're NOT going to do the nasty.
I'm not preaching about sinning or anything here; I'm one of the biggest Haruka/Michiru fans (from Sailormoon; they're lesbian you numbnuts!) ever. I just don't happen to like yaoi that much, and when it's non-canon, and badly explained... I just keep asking myself "Why?" Bad fiction possesses authors to write more bad fiction, in this disgustingly never-ending circle. What was going on in the warped mind of whoever thought of yaoi pairings in a het fandom, in the first place?
Ugh, doesn't look like there's a reply in the Codegrrl.com forums about my PHP error yet. *sniff* I should double-check, just to be sure, because Yahoo!'s bulk folder is whack.
I'm finally getting around to finishing up the Circle Journey book for Round 3... that'll be going to Roro next. I should take it with me to the post office on Monday when I go to get the 4 Peach Girl volumes I'm selling weighed. Someone actually wants to buy! YAY!
So... yeah. I better work on WDKY8 now, if I EVER want to get it done, Fanlisting or no. *le sigh*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Phones
Date: 2004-01-11 01:13 am (UTC)Anyway, I'll be telling you more of this when we meet up later. ;P
Re: Phones
Date: 2004-01-11 02:19 am (UTC)Yo!
Date: 2004-01-14 02:53 pm (UTC)Okay, yes, I would've emailed you, but I wanted to show off this icon I made! Interesting, eh?
^_~ Ciao!
Mamono
Re: Yo!
Date: 2004-01-15 01:50 am (UTC)I wonder if there's a formal word (like beef, veal, etc.) for snake. Cuz that is what he's chomping on, isn't it...? ^^;;