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Gay Geeks of the World Unite!'s LiveJournal:
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| Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009 | 2:21 pm
[inkwell_bkstr]
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Comic Book Review: Likewise by Ariel Schrag
The fourth chapter/third book in Ariel Schrag's 'High School Chronicles,' Likewise details not only Schrag's senior year at Berkeley High, but also the aftermath of her parents' divorce, her search for a "scientific" explanation for her homosexuality, her continued heartbreak over her boy-crazy ex-girlfriend, her do-or-die devotion to her comics, and her self-image as it relates to her appearance and intelligence. That Schrag is able to do all of this with a wit and wisdom that makes her constant contradictions completely credible is quite an accomplishment.  So why couldn't Likewise have come out before Dash Shaw's Bottomless Belly Button and Alison Bechdel's Fun Home? If it had, it would've been so much easier to sell. I mean, how many NPR-listening, casual comics readers do you think are gonna go for a third cartoonist's coming-of-age magnum opus in just as many years? What makes this even worse is that -- in my opinion -- Likewise is the best of the bunch. Covering a lot of the same terrain as BBB (parents' divorce, lingering heartbreak, complicated sibling dynamics) and Fun Home (gay teens, sexual politics, questioning one's identity, art as a life raft), Likewise manages to surpass both by blending the strengths of each while simultaneously skirting their weaknesses. Lemme break that last line down a little. To me, Fun Home's sole shortcoming was it's almost complete lack of comics magic. There are so many storytelling devices unique to comics, it seemed a waste of the artform for Bechdel to stick to a basic picture-describes-words/words-describe-p icture template. You can open up to any page in Fun Home and see what I mean. In its 240 pages, I can count only a handful of instances where the illustrations actually add anything to the narration (or visa-versa). While Bechdel's words do an amazing job of expressing her emotions and experiences, I can't help but feel that Fun Home would've been just as effective as a 50 page prose story. Contrasting this, Likewise could've only been a comic book. I had the opposite problem with Bottomless Belly Button. Shaw clearly has a mastery of/fascination with the many possibilities of a comics page. Open up BBB to almost any page and you're sure to be wowed by his technical trickery. But the story itself? Pretty predictable. Part of it, I think, is the fact that Shaw was attempting to tell a highly emotional story while having never experienced any of those emotions himself. That's not to say that a writer needs to have lived everything they write about, but if you're making up a story from scratch, you'd better have one helluva an empathetic imagination. Shaw, at least in BBB, does not. The tale he tells contains zero surprise details or up-til-then unidentified emotional nuances. It's almost as though he was attempting to re-tell a divorce-themed family drama he'd seen on TV or heard from a friend of a friend. It never feels authentic. Likewise, on the other hand, is so much weirder, so much messier, so much more full of insightful observation and -- I don't know -- realness? (Quick side-thought: I've always felt that making a comic is a lot like making a movie. You've got the screenwriter/writer, the cinematographer/artist, and the actors/the manner in which the characters are drawn. In movies, these positions are filled by anywhere from three to three hundred people. In comics like the ones being discussed here, they're all done by one. Expecting one person to do all of these jobs to perfection may be asking a lot, but that's what the combination writer/artist has volunteered to do. To keep this questionable logic going a little longer, I'd say that Shaw excels as a director and special effects coordinator, Bechdel as a screenwriter and cinematographer, and Schrag as all four...plus actor.)  With Likewise, Schrag has crafted a comic that is as structurally daring as it is emotionally affecting. Every time she plays with panel layouts or switches art styles or f**ks up her fonts, she is intentionally entrancing the reader with an explicit expressionistic effect. Sometimes it's giddy, drunken glee, sometimes it's the harrowing disorientation of a recurring heartbreak, but there's always an extra layer of emotional imbalance being added. If I had to criticize Schrag for anything, it would be her aping of James Joyce in the narration. While it works most of the time, there are moments when it reads almost like a slam poetry parody of Ulysses. Much more effective is her ear for dialog. Nearly every word bubble echos one's own memories of high school -- the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's the rare autobiographical work that doesn't make me at least occasionally question the author's authenticity, but three books in, and I've yet to doubt a single detail in Ariel's art. Maybe it's the fact that she admits to keeping extensive files on her friends and family, or maybe it's the way that she continually shows herself jotting down conversations in a notebook, or maybe, just maybe, it's that one panel on page 100 where, in the middle of having a "freak-out," she pauses to remind herself to use it in the comic. Yeah, that's probably it. I've only ever read one interview with Schrag. Still, thanks to her comics, I feel like I've come to know her. She's funny, smart, fragile, self-centered, manipulated and manipulative, undeniably endearing and, ultimately, awe-inspiring. I'd rank her high school books up there with the autobiographical work of Eddie Campbell and Harvey Pekar, with Likewise standing shoulder to shoulder with Pekar's Our Cancer Year and Campbell's Alec: The King Canute Crowd. It's DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED. See Also:Ariel Schrag's websiteTimeOut's awkward, panel-by-panel, two page previewMore sample pages, this time from the folks at National Public Radio Noah Berlatsky's interview with Schrag (This is what pushed me to finally buy her books!) | 12:04 pm
[trina_crys]
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| | Friday, May 29th, 2009 | 11:24 pm
[guyinterruptd]
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Moving to Blogger
So the boyfriend I told you about a little while ago? Yeah him. No no no, we're still together. I know boring right? Well, not really. :) We're starting a joint blog over on blogger-- come check it out! http://ronnyandtito.blogspot.com (I'm Tito). Later! | | Monday, May 11th, 2009 | 3:26 pm
[ticbataca]
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I'm using a VOIP phone with an automatically tangling cord. the phone itself does not support blue tooth. do you know if there is a way to attach a device so that I can use blue tooth tech with this phone? alcatel lucent 4038 ee ip touch. I was thinking the way you can pretty much attach a plantronics phone thing... | | Monday, May 4th, 2009 | 7:12 pm
[trina_crys]
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Happy Star Wars Day!
 From Wiki: Star Wars Day may refer to one of several dates or events honoring or involving Star Wars.
May 4 is called Star Wars Day because of a pun or play on words based on the similarity between "May the 4th be with you" and "May the force be with you", a phrase often spoken in the Star Wars movies.
Despite efforts to start a Jedi Church with 4 May as its Star Wars Day, as of 4 May 2009 there is no religion-supporting organization that promotes 4 May as Star Wars Day.
The joke is recorded in the UK parliament's Hansard. Current Music: Animal Crossing City Folk | | Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 | 3:08 pm
[mjcg] |
Gay Who Study
Mod: Apologies if this type of posting is not allowed We are currently working on a book chapter on gay fan perspectives on Doctor Who for a collection on the programme that is to be published in the coming months. We are very interested in hearing from gay fans of the series about their thoughts about the programme. Very little has been written about gay fans of the series, and we hope to provide an opportunity to correct that omission and finally make known the important contribution to fandom that gay viewers have made. To achieve this, however, we need your help. Only by hearing the views of gay fans can we accomplish this important goal.
Our discussion community can be found at ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) gaywhostudy
Please use this group to discuss your thoughts on any characters, episodes, or anything else you think is important to discuss about the programme. We really appreciate your help with this, and will, of course, seek your full permission before using any posts you make in our work. Feel free to join the community, friend the community, watch the community, or otherwise post freely. We look forward to reading about your perspectives!
Sincerely,
Matt and Christy PS: Gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and pansexuals are all more than welcome! If you wouldnt mind telling us how you identify in the introductions thread or by private message we would be really grateful, just so that we don't attribute your ideas incorrectly! | | Friday, April 24th, 2009 | 11:32 am
[movehalfaninch]
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| | Thursday, April 16th, 2009 | 4:10 pm
[curtain_mist]
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WEP key? IP Address?
Ok, so like I've been trying to connect my Wii and/or DS to the internet for a long time.
We have the Verizon Wireless Internet or whatever.
Now, when ever I try and establish a connection, the connections are locked and say I need a WEP key.
Now, I know more or less how to get it, but when I enter it in, it says I got a connection, then it goes away and says cannot establish a connection please, do something, with the IP address. o_O
So I need some help.
How do I get a for sure WEP Key ?
How do I get the IP address ?
How can I connect my Wii / DS ? | | Thursday, April 9th, 2009 | 7:32 pm
[tsunderess]
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Are you a person who considers themselves part of the LGBT community? Are you struggling with issues that others around you can't relate to because they are not? Are you discouraged that most of the peer advice networks for people of alternate sexualities and genders are offline and not so anonymous?
Or are you someone of an alternate sexuality who wants to help their peers go through the same things you did? Are you someone who wants to keep up with LGBT news and socialise with other people going through the same things you are? Are you a heterosexual person who is adamant about LGBT rights?
If you answered yes to any of the above, then this community is for you! We are a peer advice community for LGBT youth in crisis. Our dedicated volunteers will help you deal with issues such as coming out, discrimination and homophobia, relationship problems, the fight for equality, reactions of other people, alternate sexualities and religion, and et cetera. We also function as a social group where you can meet other people in their teens and twentysomethings within the LGBT community and stay up to date with news on important issues that concern us all.
We are currently looking for staff that would be willing to help advise young LGBT peers in crisis.
congregaytion | | Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 | 11:00 pm
[ufp0275]
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Star Trek Phase: II -- Now with gay characters!
Hey all -- I don't know if this is ok, but I thought I would help spread the word about a new fan-based star trek series call Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II. It is very impressive and challenges the original series in many ways, including having actual gay characters! Anyway, so just a quick plug. This teaser doesn't actually show the nice men kissing, but you can find them on the web with just a few searches. Go check it out! (P.S. Here is your first part on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XD84sc3W2w) | | Friday, April 3rd, 2009 | 1:28 am
[the_nighteyes]
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For sale: Proclip car mount for PPC6800
Hey guys, with my new phone on the way I would like to sell the practically new car mount I bought for my old ppc6800 (sprint mogul, verizon xv6800, etc)  I paid $70 for it new and it includes a built in 3 in 1 dongle. The attached dongle allows for A. 3.5mm audio out, B. Aux usb for charger, and C. the HTC usb port for use with any other htc accessory like the headset. I want to sell this for $45.00 replies will be screened for privacy Only thing is that this is just for the device mount. If you do not already have a vehicle mount you'd need to first look and see if your car is supported. check here: http://www.proclipusa.com/vehiclemounts/vehiclemounts.aspxI know I will probably not get any sort of reply through here but I'd thought I would try anyways. Thanks :3 | | Thursday, March 26th, 2009 | 6:35 pm
[ticbataca]
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ok any ideas on how to increase space on an xbox to save the disks to the machine? connect an external HDD? put in my own 320gb into the old hdd case? iws it formatted in any special way? any one try this? | | Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 | 8:19 pm
[ticbataca]
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I used my 360 in the horizontal configuration and it scratchd up my left 4 dead game beyond repair. :( any ideas? I mean besides, don't do it again? or get a ps3 | 9:13 am
[ericdabear]
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Don't know if this is the right place for this question or not, but of all the places I've got now, this seems the most likely to yield fruitful results: Does anyone know of a way to load the last x amount of a text file? like, let's say the text file is 250k and I only want to see the last 30k of data. I'd prefer a solution I can run from a windows command line. I'm just not sure what kinds of keywords I'd use to search with google-fu | | Tuesday, March 24th, 2009 | 10:41 pm
[kc_risenphoenix]
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AIDS Walk 2009
 Well, it is that time of year again. Very soon AIDS Walk will be on us. I’ve already put in for a vacation day so I can do my yearly walk. This will be my third year. Thank you all who have been supporting me in past years. You’ve helped me raise $2,190! Is that amazing, or what? How incredible. I was a teenager in the late 70’s. Experts and researchers believe that HIV entered the United States and North America in general about 1976. But the virus takes time to start doing damage. I “came out” about 1981 or so, and was sexually active during a very bad time -- only no one knew it. Gay and bisexual men were spreading the virus, and didn’t know. I was raised Southern Baptist and was carrying around a lot of self hatred, and at that time in my life I believed I was most probably going to hell for being gay (rest assured I don’t think that anymore). Ironically, that self-hatred probable may have saved my life. I met a woman who thought she could make me straight and I packed lock, stock and barrel and moved from Chicago to Kansas City and was faithful to her during the six years of our relationship. Also during that time, there began the rumors of a new “gay” disease. At first they were calling it GRID, or gay-related immunodeficiency disease. They didn’t know what it was and figured it was caused by a combination of promiscuity, many doses of STDs breaking down immunity, and poppers (of all things – thank goodness I never liked them anyway!). As those years went by, this acronym was changed to AIDS and the HIV virus was discovered. I remember when my lady discovered she was pregnant, there was an early HIV test and she had it done to make sure our baby was healthy. After all, a gay man was the father. Thank God and the fact that while I was a gay man in years were promiscuity was secretly deadly, and that I was a little wild, I wasn’t promiscuous “enough.” Apparently. I guess being taken out of the sex game during those dangerous years saved my life. Fear of AIDS (and how little was known about the disease) was one more thing that made it hard to come out the second and final time. But once I realized that it was religion that said I was “bad” and not God, I was finally able to accept myself and come out as to who I really am. And by coming out, I had to face something else. AIDS related death. I lost many close friends. Watching big bears turn into concentration camp-like victims was horrifying. Watching gorgeous young hot men turn into skeletons before my eyes was agonizing. Watching friends no matter their age, size or looks, fade away was incredibly tough. Many went FAST in those days. Now we have drugs that make AIDS at least a somewhat more manageable disease. Unfortunately, some people misunderstand what that means and have thrown condoms to the wind, and HIV is on the rise again. I can’t tell you how many young gay men I know who haven’t even been tested because they believe the rhetoric that AIDS/HIV is now as “manageable” as diabetes. Then why am I still then loosing friends? Through miracle upon miracle, I am HIV negative. Considering some of my brushes, and not-so-only-brushes, it really IS a miracle. So, I am doing what little I can do to help. I walk. If you can, please do the same. Every dollar helps. What’s great is that you don’t sponsor by the mile, you just pick an amount. You don’t have to worry that your walker will walk twenty miles or something. And if you can’t, will you sponsor me? It is so darned easy and I know it is safe. The website is famous for how safe it is. Just go here and help me out? http://www.firstgiving.com/cslkcI, and so many others, will appreciate it beyond words. We WILL end this disease!!!! Namasté, Ben | | Thursday, March 19th, 2009 | 2:23 pm
[cypherangel]
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| | Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 | 7:05 pm
[kakaze]
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To Kindle or not to Kindle...
What do you guys think of the Kindle? I'm tempted to get one—it's between a Kindle or an Xbox—and have been reading and reading reviews. The more I read the more I seem to want to get it but I'm wary of spending that much money for it. I love the fact that it's an iPod for books. Knowing my luck I'm going to die one day crushed under several hundred pounds of books. And the prices seem to be pretty good as well with a tonne of free books on Amazon not to mention the free books I can download from other places. I want one badly but I don't know if I should. :sigh: Current Mood:  curiousCurrent Music: Bones | 8:50 am
[ticbataca]
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Ive been having trouble with my external HDDS (2 1/2 in) on OSX XP and vista. they keep o getting read as USB1 rather than USB2 and they are draggig butt. I notice that IfI connect it and disconnect it a couple of times it eventually goes into usb 2 mode. tried alone on a USB device or with others, same crap. also tried using extra power as well to not avail. still drags. | | Thursday, March 5th, 2009 | 1:05 am
[cjkline83]
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Dear asterisk: You have stolen my soul... in a good way. I've spent the past three weeks learning the interface in and out, but there is still much to learn. I figured out a way to solve our "outcalling" on emergency support calls, just by making some queus, ivrs, ring groups, and custom recordings. If I could wrap my head around some programming, I could probably enable you to do anything I could think of. You are my new boyfriend. Love, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) cjkline83 Current Music: Boyz Ii Men - Uhh Ahh |
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