I have my finalized panels for WisCon, and it’s a pretty exciting line-up! Although now I’m feeling the need to brush up on the topic of class. And I suppose it is now imperative that I finish Mass Effect 3.
Imaginary Book Club
Sat, 10:00–11:15 am
Moderator: Alyc Helms. Participants: Saira Ali, Julia Rios, Benjamin Rosenbaum, Jane A Thompson
A repeat of “Imaginary Book Club” from last year’s WisCon. Each panelist presents a review of an imaginary book, and other panelists discuss the books and their merits. Possible books to review: Connie Willis’s foray into noir steampunk, “Beyond Lies the Dubstep” by Philip K. Dick, and Le Guin’s new translation of Borges.
Class Culture and Values in SF&F
Sun, 1:00–2:15 pm
Moderator: Debbie Notkin. Participants: Eleanor A. Arnason, Alyc Helms, ANONYMOUS, Rose Lemberg
Class isn’t just how much money you have or what work you do; it also involves cultural beliefs, values, and attitudes that are expressed in how you talk, what you do in your free time, and all sorts of less tangible elements. (See Barbara Jensen’s book Reading Classes: On Culture and Classism in America, due out in mid-May.) The SF&F writing and fannish communities are mainly middle class folks, which makes the class values of SF&F works mostly middle class, too. What works and creators explore classes outside the mainstream, white, European, middle-class value systems? What class markers tend to show up most, or least, often? Do these works show the non-middle classes positively? negatively? realistically?
Gender and Class in Gaming
Sun, 4:00–5:15 pm
Moderator: Tanya D. Participants: Lisa C. Freitag, Alyc Helms, Heather Porter, Jessamyn
This panel uses Dragon Age II, Mass Effect and classic table top games as a starting point to discuss class and gender issues that have been raised by players. We’ll discuss the ways in which class and gender are used in past and current games. How are gender and class issues used in the plot of the game? Does this detract or add to the gaming experience? Is it possible to be a feminist gamer?
Alyc Helms 
You know, one line that I think would’ve soothed a lot of nerves about TGitF was cut–that is, Rose telling Mickey (rather tonelessly) that the Doctor had keyed the TARDIS to take them home if he was unable to get back to them for whatever reason. If they’d just left that line in, the whole episode would’ve been much better received, I think.
All that aside, I’m really enjoying this fic. One of the things I like to do is to figure out after every episode of Ten what Nine would’ve done the same or differently. (Not that I don’t love Ten, because I do–it’s just fun to speculate.) This is doubly fun to read because of that.
Oh, and nice kiss!
That’s funny you said that, because I’ve spent many hours doing the same. One of these days I’m actually going to get around to writing it as a fic series. Like, proper episode rewrites, dialogue and everything.
Oh, please do! Somebody needs to. It’s just a project of mammoth proportions (hrmm…maybe better as a group project).
I’m game. I do everything by aim: elyria34 on aim, and sylven_mage@hotmail.com on msn.
😉
That definitely would have made it more palatable. As it stands…well, you know. It’s all been complained about in countless other places.
Glad you like the kiss!
Verra nice chapter. Verra nice kiss. 😀
Many thanks. Oh, and verra nice icon ;>
Poor Doctor. 14 years is a long time to be in a non-technological linear timeline, without even ATMs that can be sonic’d into making life easier for him. I’m hoping his relationship with Rose gets closer from this point on… the time it took him to get back to her would be a good explanation for his change of hearts.
Yeah. You’ll notice I didn’t get into any details, and probably never will. Those miserable 14 years are definitely offscreen. But I did kindof think that it would take something rather drastic to change his hearts.
Shiny. Very shiny. I prefer this to the actual episode. I have real GITF issues and adore your take and the ninth on this. Fantastic.
Wow, thanks so much! Writing Nine is a bit of a challenge, so I’m glad that you’re enjoying him!
I.
Love.
You.
…seriously.
I love you too! (and I’m so happy you’re enjoying this)
Gods, this was so much better then the Hurl in the Fireplace. I love your 9 so much. I can’t wait to read more of this.
Heh, I hadn’t heard it called that before. Glad you’re liking it!
Curse you, kitsune…i ended up reading parts Prologue through 9 the other day when i was looking for entertainment on the internet, and now i’m hooked.
…And i’ve never even seen the damned show. (Except, appropriately enough, brief snippets while my roommate was watching–you guessed it–some of the episodes with Four. Because of that, he’s the only Doctor i can pick out, which meant that i was pretty ecstatic when you mentioned his scarf and i got it.)
So what i’m saying is, even with my very limited knowledge of Dr. Who, i’m enjoying this way too much. Good job. (:
Heya! Are you done with the schooling stuff? BEn is borrowing our S1 right now, and I need to hold on to the S2 stuff that the bunnyraven loaned us until I’m done with each episode I’m writing (for continuity research), but we can definitely pass off the crack to you. I think you’ll really dig the first season and the Ninth Doctor especially.
Glad to have gotten you hooked!
The fox says “yer mom”
I am done with the schooling stuff. Although i admit, i’m loath to start watching and find out that the real characters don’t measure up to the ones i’m reading here.
(Was that too much? 😉
Mmmmmm…crack. I’m game.
And tell the fox that he smells like a dead basketball. I would know.
Poor Doctor, Nine seems to be made for the angst.
Heh. And that’s why we love him!
uuuuuuuuuuppppppppppddddddddddaaaaaaaaaattttttttttteeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
Not for a few days, I’m afraid, but if you’re looking for smut to tide you over, check out the short two-parter I’m posting over the weekend.
Sam gets better–give him time. Dean hasn’t started crying yet. (; Which episode are you up to?
We started Dark Angel tonight. So far, all i’ve seen is Logan become Lifeguard, but i’m definitely enjoying it. More updates as i have ’em.
To be fair — lest the kitsune get the wrong mental image — Dean’s more the “get glassy-eyed and clench my jaw so I won’t REALLY cry” sort than the full-on weeping sort.
But yeah, they kinda swap the whininess around. Which is good, because it means I don’t ever decide I’d like the show better without one of them in it. (And the one character I did want to go away obliged me by doing so.)
That’s cause Dean is awesome. Go Clenchy McAgnst!
But I have to echo the K8; like a fine whine errr… like something, Sam improves with age. Well and with Dark Origin Agnst.
Heh. Clenchy McAngst, indeed.
(Indean? Oh wait, that’s dirty. Teehee.)
Glad you’re digging it. And yeah…Dean’s totally my favorite.
He’d make a good half-vampire sidekick to a bunch of Mummies.
I dunno, I’m near to the end (the vampire episode), and he just keeps irritating me. It may be because I don’t have much sympathy for the whole “My girl was killed and stuffed in a refridgerator/All I want is a normal live” set of motivations. He was starting to improve a bit in my mind, but then this episode came along. I just want Dean or his Dad to smack him one and say, “Dude, people are *dying*, and you have the ability and the knowledge to save them from the pain that you’ve gone through, so quit yer bellyaching about not having everything that’s going on spelled out for you and get your ass back in the car”.
Whereas, I haven’t really noticed Dean whining much at all. As a motivation, “keep my family together” isn’t all that compelling to me either, but it works. I’m hoping for some more Dean development, because the Clenchy McAngst thing works well for me. Keep it all in. Let it brew like fine poison, then expel it all in one massive spew where you verbally rip everyone to shreds. Aw, yeah.
So, unless by “improve with time”, you mean the second season, I’m going to have to say that Sam is the bitch in the Wincest relationship. And I heart Dean!
Uh…all of which is to say that I’m really enjoying it!
Yup, it is a good show. They keep twisting it around too so I never really know what will happen next and I like that.
Oh, i should warn you–“Bugs” is quite possibly the worst episode ever. It’s worth seeing, i guess, but go into it understanding that it’s going to be awful, and not even really in a cheesy-fun sort of way. There are a few lovely moments in it, though, but if you want, i’ll come over and fast-forward through the crap and let you see the good bits.
(Oh, and there’s about two minutes of Important Metaplot that you should watch of it, so stick with it. You’ll know ’em when you see ’em.)
Heh. It was pretty bad. About the only thing that made sense was them closing down the development because they found human remains on it. The rest…well, the spider was pretty.
UNGH.
Dean.
Nuff said.
Though I agree with , Sam does get better with age…like a fine whine.
I slay me. No really. 😉
Wonderful series you have here. I think I may have read it all in just a few hours, I am that hooked. Will there be more soon?
This is absolutely fantastic, I’m completely hooked.
Great snog and 14 years! *eek*
I really wish the people who write panel descriptions would stop tossing in things like “Is it possible to be a feminist gamer?”
But apart from that, they look good. 🙂 I’m very sorry to be missing that third one, dumb closing questions aside.
Yah, it sounds like the panel should be fun.
That question, though… (facepalm)
I mean, somebody did try to confiscate my Official Feminism Card when I went to GameStop, but I just gave them the stink-eye and they backed off.
Man, GameStop. (shudders)
Seriously, though, there are probably media effects theorists who would buy into the “If you play games you are endorsing evil and cannot be a feminist!!1!1” line. I just hope that none of them are on/in the audience for the panel.
Hey! One absolutely cannot be a feminist and a gamer. They are diametrically opposed. It’d be like being a pirate AND a ninja. Only Westley can do it.
Yah, clearly when gamers and feminists come into contact, there’s a matter-antimatter explosion.
Man if I had to give up everything questionable to be a good feminist, I would cease to exist.
Yeah, no kidding.
I would really like to read PKD’s “Beyond Lies the Dubstep”. 🙂
Best of luck!
-S