Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[m0r1arty]

Who censors the censors?

 

-m0r

[Alice Holmes]

Who throws himself off a building?

[John Watson]

Who throws himself off a building?

 

Sherlock Bloody Holmes! That's who.

 

Of all the...

[JessieBlackwood]

Great, a rant section. Okay, where to start?

 

Weddings, great things, wonderful opportunity for disagreements, family conflict, misunderstandings. Take my advice, keep the lines of communication OPEN. ALL THE TIME. Doesn't matter what you want or why you want it (it is YOUR wedding after all) but talk to everyone involved so nobody, and I mean nobody, can say they were not told what was going on, even if you change things, and especially if you change things. Next, calm down. Take a break. Try to do something NOT wedding related, even if it makes you feel bad/guilty/etc. for a couple of days (if you can spare the time). Treat it like I treat writers' block, give yourself some space from it, and then come back later, when it's not so stale. Make a list - fors and againsts for your choices. A 'for' for asking people to stand down is less people to spend on for dresses, another would be keeping it to family only, an against would be that you might upset people. If when you come to look at your list, there are more fors than againsts, then you know what to keep and what to let go. Alternatively, despite the againsts you might still want something and that simply focuses your desire, which is fine. You need to stand back and be objective.

 

Self serve checkouts? In real life, I was trained by the SAS of shopping checkouts - M&S foodhall at Christmas, on the serving side of the till. After that, nothing scares me. The phrase "Please God, let me live" comes to mind, it was a front line job. There are some nasty people out there, but some nice ones too. Self service checkouts, doddle. Come shopping with me, I'll protect you. There's never any milk in my fridge either but that's because my sons drink it all and don't tell me we're out.

[Banshee]

There is one thing I hate about the Easter break: going back to work after it. Can I go back to bed now? Please?

[I-Spy]

I have a short fuse, so I normally want to rant over most things one minute and change my mind the next. But I do have something that has been bothering for over an year and so i'll rant:

 

Crazy fangirls that take their pairing and their shipping way too far. I understand that you love a couple, I truly do. But no love for fictional characters gives you the right to disrespect and bully real people just because they don't agree with you!!

 

Example 1: I was in a fandom which had a canon gay couple: K and B. However, I and a good portion of fangirls didn't like B and therefore began to ship K with D. People that shipped KxB went mad, refused to read our reasons for shipping other pairings and said things like: "eww, if you like D with K that means you like bullies and sexual harassment and rape! You're disgusting, a bully and you should just shut up because you're horrible" This was all.the.time! God I dropped out of that fandom simply because I just can't being bullied every day over something like that.

 

 

Huh... K and B... and also a D... plus "bullying" and "sexual harassment".... hmm....

 

Kukukuku. *singsong voice* I know which show you're talking about! I like it, too! I don't mind K being a couple with B, myself, but I do think it would be a lot more interesting if K and D were together. For some reason, I was more affected when D kissed K, than when B and K kissed. B is cute and all, but he's just not very interesting compare to a closest jock on the verge of a nervous break down, y' know?

 

And yeah, I totally understand what you mean about crazy K/B shippers. They will jump down your throat, and cuss you out, and accuse you of all sorts of horrible things if you even entertain the idea of K and D getting together. They're all batshit crazy. And they travel in packs, so you'll definitely be rendered black and blue if they corner you alone in a comment section somewhere. Best to just back away to a safe distance and leave them to their musing.

Edited April 10, 2012 by 9lil6

[I-Spy]

So, yeah, my rant of the day? I watched the news. Big, big mistake, but I do quite often make it. What annoyed me today? The Church (any variation thereof) and their mania of using the pulpit to push their politics. As if they had never heard of the separation of State and Church. *big sigh*

 

Notice that whether or not I agree with their politics is irrelevant for this argument: what bothers me is that they use a place of faith to discuss politics. That is what bothers me.

 

I'm going to leave that rant there, cos I always end up unwittingly annoying/offending someone, and that's the last thing I want to do right now. Also, I think I need to get some sleep...

 

Yeah, I agree. Every time I see some politician on TV quoting scriptures to garner favor with the public, or using the god-has-forgiven-me excuse to mitigate their offenses, I just want to reach in there and punch them in the gullet. It's shameful the way politicians and churchmen alike use people's faith to manipulate and control them. What century is it already? Have people learn nothing over the past hundreds of years about the harm of mixing religion and politics?

[aSnowyEvening]

Ah, thanks to you both, Jessie and Banshee. After calming down a bit... well, I definitely need to do the pro's/con's list and think about it objectively to make a decision still. But the advice helps, it really does.

 

And, wow, I can't believe I read over the shipping thing earlier and didn't clue in that I know exactly what you're talking about. I myself ship K and B, I think they're absolutely adorable together, but I think in different circumstances K and D would have been a good couple as well.

 

But, um, we K/B shippers are not ALL that crazy, honest! It's just that the crazy ones are the most vocal and it gives the allusion that we're all that crazy. Which we're not. Personally, I think the Q/R shippers are a bit more on the crazy side.

 

Actually, there's something rant-worthy: the fact that all too often, the extremely loud vocal minority of a group is SO loud that folks that don't know any better assume that the ENTIRE group consists of the minority. Not ALL shippers are batpoop crazy. Not ALL anime fans are socially-challenged 30 year-olds that sit in their parents' basement watching animated porn all day. Not ALL students are loud and obnoxious party animals who don't know about self-control because it's their first time away from mommy and daddy's watchful gaze. Etc, etc. Maybe I'm bitter and I just see this phenomenon as a way of life now and there's not much that can be done about it, because what can you do when the person looking in is so closed-minded that they're not willing to open their minds a little bit and see that maybe they can't see the entire situation from their perspective?

 

And it's NOT to say that you are closed-minded, Lirael! Honest! I'm so sorry that you were bullied by those folks for simply having a different opinion on the romantic situations surrounding fictional characters, it sucks that people can behave that way. It was just a segue into a phenomenon that was bugging me a few weeks ago.

[Undead Medic]

Actually, there's something rant-worthy: the fact that all too often, the extremely loud vocal minority of a group is SO loud that folks that don't know any better assume that the ENTIRE group consists of the minority. Not ALL shippers are batpoop crazy. Not ALL anime fans are socially-challenged 30 year-olds that sit in their parents' basement watching animated porn all day. Not ALL students are loud and obnoxious party animals who don't know about self-control because it's their first time away from mommy and daddy's watchful gaze. Etc, etc. Maybe I'm bitter and I just see this phenomenon as a way of life now and there's not much that can be done about it, because what can you do when the person looking in is so closed-minded that they're not willing to open their minds a little bit and see that maybe they can't see the entire situation from their perspective?

 

I so know what you mean!

Not all men are rabid sports fanatics who are more interested in their cars than their girlfriends. This is one stereotype that bugs me no end. along with the double standard that it is perfectly fine to devote "unhealthy" quantities of time to sports fandom, but sci-fi fans are "nuts" or "sad virgins"

Just one of my pet rants. Different people like different things, just because a guy doesn't like sport or a girl doesn't like the colour pink and frilly dresses doesn't make them "wrong"

[Alice Holmes]

Sherlock Bloody Holmes! That's who.

 

Of all the...

 

Well of course that would be who you were talking about. It was a rhetorical question meant to be annoying and to allow me to be positive of whom you spoke. I knew that you would answer it, as people can never resist answering rhetorical questions. That's why they're so popular.

[I-Spy]

Ah, thanks to you both, Jessie and Banshee. After calming down a bit... well, I definitely need to do the pro's/con's list and think about it objectively to make a decision still. But the advice helps, it really does.

 

And, wow, I can't believe I read over the shipping thing earlier and didn't clue in that I know exactly what you're talking about. I myself ship K and B, I think they're absolutely adorable together, but I think in different circumstances K and D would have been a good couple as well.

 

But, um, we K/B shippers are not ALL that crazy, honest! It's just that the crazy ones are the most vocal and it gives the allusion that we're all that crazy. Which we're not. Personally, I think the Q/R shippers are a bit more on the crazy side.

 

Actually, there's something rant-worthy: the fact that all too often, the extremely loud vocal minority of a group is SO loud that folks that don't know any better assume that the ENTIRE group consists of the minority. Not ALL shippers are batpoop crazy. Not ALL anime fans are socially-challenged 30 year-olds that sit in their parents' basement watching animated porn all day. Not ALL students are loud and obnoxious party animals who don't know about self-control because it's their first time away from mommy and daddy's watchful gaze. Etc, etc. Maybe I'm bitter and I just see this phenomenon as a way of life now and there's not much that can be done about it, because what can you do when the person looking in is so closed-minded that they're not willing to open their minds a little bit and see that maybe they can't see the entire situation from their perspective?

 

And it's NOT to say that you are closed-minded, Lirael! Honest! I'm so sorry that you were bullied by those folks for simply having a different opinion on the romantic situations surrounding fictional characters, it sucks that people can behave that way. It was just a segue into a phenomenon that was bugging me a few weeks ago.

 

 

Hey now... isn't this a thread for ranting? ^_^ Of course we know that not all fans are the same, and of course generalizing about any group of people is unfair to the whole. But this thread is for letting loose, right? Being a little superlative in your complaint is ok. If you have to qualify every subject you rant about or diligently moderate yourself every time you feel like complaining about somebody or some group, where's the fun in that?

 

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And Lirael... you didn't have to drop out of the fandom just because of some bullies. Should've just stayed and troll them. That's what I do when the crazy ones start getting abusive. It's so much fun riling them up and watching them huff and puff about. Have a little fun next time. It's the internet. Don't let them ruin things for you.

[JessieBlackwood]

No matter the fandom, no matter the hobby, fanatics will be in there somewhere. People get intense about things they love. They cannot understand that other people don't feel so intense but still feel love for the thing they ship. Some people are OCD and that is a problem. Some people simply have nothing else in their lives. Some people simply enjoy being with like-minded people and the camaraderie is the important focus, not the fandom itself.

 

Every fandom has different levels of fannishness. We are all different and place different priorities on our interests. Bullying, whether on-line or in your face is unaccaptable though. Its what gives fandom a bad name. I've been there, seen it, combatted it, and boy am I pissed off with it sometimes. I won't be bullied out of a group now because of it now. However, for every bad one, there seem to be loads more good ones, so fans can be found who you can enjoy stuff with. I hope anyone who has found this in the past has found good folks here, because from what I've seen so far, the folks on here are great.

 

Torchwood and Dr Who have their fanatics, its true, but I'm not sure they're any worse than others. It's a pity you felt forced out of the fandom because of it. As a fan of both these shows, I can appreciate the feeling. It seems here we might find common threads of other fandoms that we like, people who ship more than Sherlock. In fact, it might be a good thing to have a thread somewhere here to express whether we like other fandoms and to find contacts through that too. let's network people.

Edited April 10, 2012 by JessieBlackwood

[Undead Medic]

In fact, it might be a good thing to have a thread somewhere here to express whether we like other fandoms and to find contacts through that too. let's network people.

 

There is this one: Recommend A Fandom... Also Called The What Other Tv Shows Do You Watch Thread

[Alice Holmes]

Awesome. I shall explore in there...

[Undead Medic]

Exactly how many years do a government have to be in power before they lose all credibility when trying to blame the state of everything on the previous administration...

 

It's the same whichever government's in power, pointing the finger at the other side and going "Miss! Miss! it was their fault!"

[EvigMidnat]

ok 1. what does "of a teading variety." mean Aely

2. money sucks

and 3... My own rant: My rod of asclepus necklace managed to drop off my bed today, onto the metal frame, it opened (not broke, opened) and the Special Sand I had in it went in a small heap on the floor. someone 'up there' probably Loki has decided to pee me off cos i can't go to the Goth Weekend this week.

but I do have plans for after it *looks in a certain persons direction* wether it works or not is another matter knowing my luck

[aely]

what does "of a teading variety." mean

If it was me that said it, it probably means I was typing when half asleep! Is likely a typo but what for? Reading? Teaching? No idea! See what I said about sleep (and yesterday there was the lack of it)...

[aely]

Pissed off with my body today - I've had stomach ache all day and now I'm hungry as well as having gripey pain. Lovely.

[Banshee]

Exactly how many years do a government have to be in power before they lose all credibility when trying to blame the state of everything on the previous administration...

 

It's the same whichever government's in power, pointing the finger at the other side and going "Miss! Miss! it was their fault!"

 

Let's not forget than anything they deem to be good is either because they put it in place last time they were in place, or because they opposed whatever the previous government wanted to introduce as well... *headdesk*

[Carol the Dabbler]

Terrific thread! Now I'll know where to come next time I need to vent.

 

I watched the news. Big, big mistake, but I do quite often make it.

 

The "news" consists largely of irrelevant and/or depressing events that you can't do anything about anyhow. Try to focus on things that you care about and can do something about. (If anything hugely important happens, you'll hear about it soon enough.)

 

What annoyed me today? The Church (any variation thereof) and their mania of using the pulpit to push their politics. As if they had never heard of the separation of State and Church.

 

Oh dear, I've always assumed that the two were officially connected in the UK (with the Queen being the titular head of both), and that "the separation of Church and State" was an American invention. Please educate me.

 

Exactly how many years do a government have to be in power before they lose all credibility when trying to blame the state of everything on the previous administration...

 

Another idea that I thought was invented over here ....

[EvigMidnat]

ok so here goes my first proper shot at the wall.

its like 5 days to a convention in honour of The Moffs first triumph (DW) as as much as i wanna attend and see everyone and meet Matt Smith, it doesn't look likley

being an unemployable uncredited Writer in a no horse no starbucks town does not go well with Conventions and other things.

i know its an old stigma but i don't like talking about my situation but I have to say this the Job Seekers Allowance is supposed to help you live. ha! i finally think i get why one of my friends is always wanting to tear her hair out.

My life at the moment, and i sound like such a cliche is Walking the dog then about 18 hours of tv broken up by job searches, making my mam tea and doing chores, hell its not living cos Conventions are my life. and i know i'm sounding spoiled after having just got back from Asylum8 a few weeks previous but by the gods. trust me 2 weeks jobless feels like a lifetime

 

*Breaths sigh of rant over-ness*

[Banshee]

The "news" consists largely of irrelevant and/or depressing events that you can't do anything about anyhow. Try to focus on things that you care about and can do something about. (If anything hugely important happens, you'll hear about it soon enough.)

 

Yeah, news are depressing by definition. It's really annoying, the way the news spin anything into being bad, scary or evil. I wonder how much of the current crises was made worse by the news shouting "crisis! crisis! the end is nigh! Crisis!" at the top of their voices...

 

Oh dear, I've always assumed that the two were officially connected in the UK (with the Queen being the titular head of both), and that "the separation of Church and State" was an American invention. Please educate me.

 

Well, yeah, the Queen is head of the Church, and all that, but in theory Government and Church are separate entities. Although the Queen opens Parlament and ratifies government decisions, and could technically turn around and refuse to approve anything passed by Parlament, it's not like she's likely to do it, or to force Parlament to do anything. Funnily enough, Government seem to be much aware of how independent from them the Church is, it seems to be the other way around that doesn't quite work as it should.

 

Also, don't get me wrong, anybody is entitled to political views, whether they are associated with the Church or not. Anybody is entitled to acting on their political views as they see fit, and far be it from me to say anything about that. But the Church, as an organisation, using their influence on church-goers to try and mobilise them... that's an entirely different thing, and that is what annoys me...

[Banshee]

On a proper shoot-the-wall thing.... We went away for a few days, and had a lovely time. We came back home to a non-working washing machine. We were thinking of replacing it, but, you know, at our convenience, before it packed up, but it beat us to it. Cue having to go washing-machine-shopping instead of relaxing on our first day back.

 

Add to that the fuss one of our neighbours created when we asked them to clear the shared path to the property so that our new washing machine could be delivered, and I'm about ready to go back on holiday for a year.

 

And my back, which was amazingly good while we were away, even with all the stuff we had to lug around most days, is starting to hurt again.

 

Definitely need more holidays...

[Alice Holmes]

I hate summer. No school, unpredictable internet access, hot weather. And I'm moving, so I have worry about all of that, and I have people bothering me left and right about the orchestra tour to Canada I am helping with before I leave.

[JessieBlackwood]

Hmm, try two years unemployed. That did suck. Hope it isn't as long for you Evig'. If you need any help with the CV then please ask. I am now employed and still cannot afford to go to conventions though.

 

Now that is a rant you should not get me started on. I HATE the new style of convention. It's pay pay pay all the way. We need the old-fashioned for-charity style of con where guests expenses were met and nothing else, no money for photos, no paying for autographs, nothing but talks, competitions and shows, fashion parade and disco saturday evening, the good stuff. I miss those conventions from the 80s and 90s, the smaller intimate convention which could still pull decent guests but didn't cost an arm and a leg to go. This money-grabbing thing is against everything I believe in. It is now no longer for charity and has turned into big business for the people who run them. Name me one convention recently that has given it's proceeds to charity and I will be glad to stand corrected.