Ramblings and Musings of the Insane, Philosophical Ladybug

That was a fun quiz in the last post. I got to reminisce on old favorites and even talk about a couple of series I normally don't. And I really am idly wondering if sometime I'd like to try writing that Old West AU fic with Sephiroth and Aerith that I dreamed about years ago. I'm nuts about Westerns, always have been, and the scenario in that dream is probably the only way I'd ever even consider writing Sephiroth/Aerith, which usually doesn't interest me and often downright disturbs me. I remember how much of an impact that dream had on me at the time.

... But I have the feeling that if I did write that fic, characters from other Westerns would end up playing a part in it as well. I'd find at least one of William Talman's characters to be in it, and I'd want someone Simon played to be around too.

Out of utter curiosity, are there any votes for what Western character of Simon's should play a part, if I ever try this bizarre idea?

And here is, just for the heck of it, the quizzes done for Perry Mason.

My OTP - You know, it's hard to come up with pairings for this series, unless you also venture into guest-star territory. Perry/Della is an OTP in the sense that I don't want to think of them ever getting together with anyone else instead. But I don't really like the thought of Perry and Della officially hooking up romantically with each other, either. Their interaction on the series is so perfect just as it is.
My OT3 My favorite set of three, not in a romantic sense unless it's a love triangle - I'm ... not sure, honestly. I have a favorite set of five instead---all five principle characters.
My guilty pleasure ship - I can't think of one.
A ship that makes me nauseous - I was going to say Perry/Hamilton, but actually, the thought of that just makes me giggle in amusement more than anything. I can't take it seriously. For something that actually makes me cringe, Perry/Lieutenant Tragg comes to mind.
A ship that is too fluffy for words - Gosh, I'm not sure. My favorite guest-starring pairing is Jeff and Lola Bronson in The Case of the Guilty Clients. Offhand, they certainly seem anything but fluffy. They get a divorce at the beginning because they're always squabbling like cats and dogs. But when there's a murder and each is worried the other may have committed it, they go to all lengths to implicate themselves trying to exonerate each other. It was absolutely adorably squeeable. At the end of the episode they get back together.
A ship that gives me nightmares - Donald Fletcher/Anybody. That guy, from The Envious Editor, disgusted and repulsed me so much that I breathed a sigh of relief when he was killed off. Very few characters give me such a strong reaction.
The sexiest ship to ever set sail I don't use the terminology, and at the moment I can't think of something to replace it with, so right now I don't know if I'll even answer this question. I'll get back to it later.

❤ Fave male: Hamilton Burger, for reasons already explained and squeed over.
❤ Fave female: Della Street. Her interaction with both Perry and Paul is just perfect. I love her loyalty, her sensibility, and her efficiency. And she's wonderful with kids.
✖ Least favorite: The afore-mentioned Donald Fletcher. He's a gutter-minded, selfish creep.
✔ Who resembles me: Physically? Absolutely no one. Mentally, I can oddly enough be like both Perry and Hamilton. I often employ Perry's dead serious, calm reactions. At other times, I can blow my stack like Hamilton.
❤ Most attractive: I find Perry very attractive. And both he and Hamilton have the most beautiful, striking blue eyes. I love when they smile, too.
❤ Three more characters that I like. Lieutenant Tragg, the original police regular. His faux friendliness is amusing and endearing and a bit exasperating all at once. Then he counters it with genuine friendliness at times. He rarely shows when he's angry, but when he does, watch out! A perfect example is in the end of The Moth-Eaten Mink, when he rescues Perry from a dirty cop.

Paul Drake, Perry's detective friend. I wish so much that he and Mr. Burger would have had more interaction. He's tough and will get angry if threatened. He's also the provider of many amusing, sarcastic comments and occasionally gets himself into ridiculous situations, such as when he tried to pass Sammy off as a fierce guard dog and Sammy promptly glomped him. LOL. Perry was so amused he laughed and tried to cover it with a cough.

Lieutenant Andy Anderson, Tragg's trainee and eventual replacement. He's much more easy-going than Tragg, but that doesn't mean he'll look kindly upon bending the law. He's a fun character in his own right. Apparently the writers worried he was too permissive/friendly with Perry and company, as in the final season they replaced him with Lieutenant Drumm, a more by-the-book fellow. Drumm is still friendly too, however.

Kim had an excellent idea of taking a 30-Day fandom meme, splitting it in half, and doing a bunch of the questions all at once. I was particularly interested in this meme, so I've taken the first half of it. I'll probably take the second half when she posts it.


01 – Your favorite all-time fandom(s)

Gosh, I’m not sure. I met a lot of my dear friends through my YGO writing, but I try to stay away from the fandom in general. There’s a lot of awesome people, yet there’s also a lot of scary, immature people, and sometimes they’re more prominent.

Princess Tutu has a really good fandom. The fans are mature, agree to disagree, and engage in deep and fun discussions.

When it comes to specific shows, Tutu and YGO both top the list. And I love classic TV shows, but it isn’t always easy to find good fanbases for them. The Perry Mason fanbase is very active, however, which I’m thrilled about.

02 – Your current fandom

Perry Mason. The characters are old friends to me, after spending more than a decade observing their adventures, and I finally realized how fiercely loyal I am to them.

03 – First fandom, the one that made you the fangirl you are today

Gosh, I don’t know. I’ve always been incredibly loyal to shows and characters I love. I suppose my first fandom was probably Fox’s Peter Pan and the Pirates, when I was four. (And it seriously hurts that most people don’t even know what I’m talking about and are only familiar with the Disney version! Fox’s characters were so much better and more three-dimensional.)

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? would probably fall under that first fandom category too. I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic for it again lately, probably because we’re nearing the 20-year anniversary of its debut. (Gosh, I feel old.) Detective shows rule. It was the detective element that made me determined to see the show when it first came out. I thrilled at the picture of the cool guys in fedoras in the TV Guide.

04 –First, current, or favorite fandom crush

First would be … oh, Heavens, I don’t know. It depends on which show came first. But my early crushes were Mr. Rogers (there we go with that older men thing), Chuck, Captain Hook (from the Fox version), and Sean Altman.

Current would be Simon Oakland and William Talman. My favorite of Simon’s characters is presently the controversial Lieutenant Schrank. For William, it’s always been Hamilton Burger.

Overall favorite…. I can’t be expected to pick just one.

05 – Your fandom secret

I … don’t think I have one that I haven’t already revealed.

06 –Favorite song that brings fangirl tears to your eyes

I can’t think of one, honestly. I have lots of favorite songs, and sometimes I do cry over some, but I don’t think I’ve fangirled said songs or their artists. Oh, except maybe some of the Full Moon wo Sagashite songs. They are absolutely phenomenal. And when I remember key scenes in the anime when they were played, I do sometimes tear up.

07 – Your OTP(s)

As most people know, I am not a romantic kind of person. Give me a good friendship any day and that’s what I’ll squee over.

Nevertheless, romantically I do love Seto/Téa (from YGO) and Fakir/Ahiru (from Princess Tutu). Their interactions are highly intriguing. I just wish there had been more canonical interaction for Seto and Téa.

08 – A fandom that you thought you wouldn’t get sucked into, but ended up getting sucked into anyway

Probably Perry Mason. I did my homework when it was on back in the day. But secretly, instead of reading, I was watching it more and more as I became deeply interested in the characters. I looked forward each night to pretending to read while watching it instead. (I was very prideful and unwilling to admit I was nuts over a show my parents were watching. It’s only been the last few weeks that I’ve wound down and let my interest really show.)

09 – One of your favorite characters

It seems it should be someone I haven’t talked about much before. I get tired of rehashing and I’m sure people get tired of reading me rehashing.

So let’s see … let’s go for someone completely unexpected. Knuckles, from Sonic the Hedgehog! Sonic was my first favorite until Knuckles came along. I was there right from the beginning, with the introduction of Sonic 3. I didn’t get to play the game unless I was at Toys R Us or a friend’s house, but I loved it and the character all the same. I had the Archie comic where Knuckles made his debut and was thrilled. To this day it’s sometimes hard to imagine Knuckles having a different speech pattern than he had in that comic (which was that of a streetwise tough guy), although I love Dan Green’s interpretation for Sonic X and some of the games.

And exactly why was it that Knuckles appealed to me over Sonic? I’m not fully sure, but I think his mysteriousness had a lot to do with it. And I was intrigued by his and Sonic’s interaction. And I loved that he was an antagonist who turned to Sonic’s side when he realized he had been tricked. Knuckles is also more serious than the happy-go-lucky Sonic, and of course, everyone knows how much I love serious characters.

Also, let's say Hamilton Burger. I've talked a lot about why I love him at the Perry blog, so I don't want to rehash too much here. But I really admire him for his strong sense of justice, as previously mentioned here. He and Perry may sometimes have different ideas on how to achieve justice, but in the end, since they both want the same thing, they cooperate. Plus, I love his hilarious expressions and comments. And the way his character clearly develops through the seasons, starting with being closer to the frustrated antagonist of the books and expanding right away to be so much more than that. Even when he and Perry clash in season 1, it's obvious from a lot of episodes that they are growing close. And it becomes more that way season by season.

10 – Your favorite scene or moment from one of your favorite fandoms

Gosh, just one scene or moment?

Well, I discovered a new favorite Perry Mason scene last night. I was watching The Golden Oranges and Perry is trying to prove that a dog didn’t bite someone. Mr. Burger overhears the court case and comes in to see what’s going on. His expressions are priceless. At the end he goes over to Perry and asks, “Is business really that bad?” LOL. And I have determined that season 6 just may be my favorite season. Mr. Burger is so different from season 1, so relaxed and openly friendly with Perry in, it seems, most of the episodes.

11 – The fan art, fan fiction, cover song, cosplay, etc. that you’ve made that you’re most proud of

I still say Lead Me Through the Fire is some of my best work, and certainly my favorite long fic.

I am also really proud of all of my non-fiction work lately. I co-run the Simon tribute blog and I have my own Perry blog, and I try to make each post on both very mature and intelligent and professional (while still keeping a casual air at times). And I know this doesn't belong on this meme, but I love the articles I’ve been writing for money (which I don’t have the option to share, as I’m ghostwriting for the time being). I was given the highest rating possible for an amateur writer when I submitted my writing sample to the site.

12 – Your favorite fanartist or fanfiction writer

I don’t have one. All of my friends, let’s say.

13 – The best cosplayers of your fandom that you’ve seen; the ones you consider to be real-life versions of your favorite characters, OTP, etc.

There are cosplayers I can think of who are favorites, but I don’t have their links (and usually not their names) handy. I love Puchiko’s Autor, pictured on Cosplaylab.com. And there are some incredible Sailor Moon cosplayers out there.

14 – A group of characters from one of your fandoms you’d love to hang out with for a day

The Sailor Senshi, on a day when they’d just be hanging out at the mall and not fighting demons.

15 –Your favorite collectible/merchandise from your fandom that you most cherish, or one that you wished you owned

Just one favorite piece of merchandise? I can’t quite think of one piece I cherish above all else; my favorite material object isn’t from a fandom at all. (Well, I guess technically it could be; it’s a Holly Hawk Hobby quilt. Yeah, when I was little I couldn't say Hobby and Hawk stuck instead.)

1) Which book has been on your shelves the longest?
That's a good question. I don't know what was my first book. But I probably still have it.

2) What is your current read, your last read and the book you’ll read next?
Current: Altered State by Gregg Luke. It's a psychological thriller involving mad scientists and mind control.
Last: The Missing Chums by Franklin W. Dixon. #4 of the original Hardy Boys books. For some reason, I didn't like it when I read it years ago. When I read it now after finally adding it to my collection, I loved it. It's very intense and exciting.
Next: Final Act by C. Paul Andersen. A mystery/thriller involving a huge, mysterious house.

3) What book did everyone like and you hated?
I wouldn't say I outright hated Twilight, but I was cringing at the terrible, goopy, mushy nonsense. Honestly, I think I could write a better romance. And romance is not a category I like to write.

4) Which book do you keep telling yourself you’ll read, but you probably won’t?
I don't know. Any book I'm telling myself I'll read I fully intend to get to.

5) Which book are you saving for “retirement"?
Why would I want to save any book for retirement? Why wait to read in forty years what I can read today?

6) Last page: read it first or wait till the end?
It depends on the book, honestly. Sometimes I can't bear it and I just have to know if the characters are going to be okay. Other times I won't even read it at all if I peek and see there's a discouraging ending. And sometimes I have the willpower to just read straight through.

7) Acknowledgements: waste of ink and paper or interesting aside?
Those who helped/inspired the author should be acknowledged. Usually I read the acknowledgments, unless they're outrageously long.

8) Which book character would you switch places with?
Why would I want a fictional character's life? Then I'd get their problems, too. And face it, book characters' problems are usually far worse than your own.

9) Do you have a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (a person, a place, a time)?
Yes, I have quite a few like that. Books that were gifts or that were received at a special time often remind me of the particular time they came into my hands. Sometimes I feel quite nostalgic reading them.

10) Name a book you acquired in some interesting way.
Exactly what ways are you thinking of, other than buying or receiving as gifts? I haven't stolen any books, if that's what you're wondering. But I do have a few of my deceased maternal grandma's books. I found them in a box and thought they looked interesting, so I brought them into my room to be part of my collection. Another one, a book of cat stories, I used to read and reread at Grandma's house. Also, I received the first Baby-Sitters' Club book through the mail as part of a surprise Scholastic promotion. I read it and fell in love with the series.

11) Have you ever given away a book for a special reason to a special person?
No. Except when I was really little and I used to "gift" my books to Mom. Otherwise, if there's a title I want to share with someone, I buy them their own copy.

12) Which book has been with you to the most places?
I don't tend to take books out of the house much, but I did read a good deal of the Star Wars book Heir to the Empire while waiting in the car. Also, I took The Lord of the Rings several places with me and finished it at a wedding. That was a very stupid idea. It took me some time to stop crying over the ending.

Though I suppose technically, the books that have gone the most places with me are religious volumes. I always have my old Book of Mormon in my large black purse, albeit I rarely get into that pocket because I discovered spider webs inside it and I still haven't cleaned them away. I tend to read my other copy.

13) Any “required reading” you hated in high school that wasn’t so bad ten years later?
I don't think I've reread any of my required reading. I thought The Old Man and the Sea was rather depressing, but realistic and with some shimmer of hope.

15) Used or brand new?
New. I love the smell of new books. And with used books, to quote the Weird Al song Germs, "You don't know where it's been!" That being said, I have learned that there were at least two Patty Duke Show books released in the sixties, mysteries at that! And I must have them.

16) Stephen King: Literary genius or opiate of the masses?
I haven't read any of his books, but judging from what I know of them I'd say literary genius. I've wanted to read some of them, actually. If I didn't scare easily, I probably would.

17) Have you ever seen a movie you liked better than the book?
Yes, almost every one. I'm that strange person who usually prefers to see stories brought to life on the big screen. Save for a couple of objections, I like LOTR better in the movies. I think most of the changes were excellent.

18) Conversely, which book should NEVER have been introduced to celluloid?
Pollyanna. I *hated* the changes Disney made when they did the movie. Also, it seems like White Fang has never been done right. As it stands, I prefer both of those as books.

19) Have you ever read a book that’s made you hungry, cookbooks being excluded from this question?
Yes. Offhand I don't remember what, however.

20) Who is the person whose book advice you’ll always take?
I don't know if I'd "always" take one person's advice. Everyone's taste runs different.

... What happened to question #14?

... My header is gone again. Where does it go when that happens? Is it bandwidth overload or something?

I randomly decided to take this quiz. I got who I wanted, so I'm pleased.


What Death Note Character Are You?
Hosted By theOtaku.com: Anime

I know he gets accused a lot of being an L rip-off, or people just dislike him because he isn't L, or people don't like some of the decisions he makes, but I always have liked him. Maybe I wouldn't if I read Death Note again, I don't know. But to my way of thinking, that series is pretty much filled with characters who have many flaws. And Near's apparently didn't rub me the wrong way and I like him in spite of them.

EDIT: I tried the Sailor Senshi quiz that mythc_writer took and got this:


Which Sailor Scout Are You?
Hosted By theOtaku.com: Anime

I often do get Mercury on these. Once I got Saturn. I'm pleased.

I should not have wasted time taking this. But it was interesting. One selects five TV shows and then answers the questions.


1. Princess Tutu
2. Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters
3. The Patty Duke Show
4. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
5. The Monkees

Who’s your favorite character in 2?
In YGO ... I'm not sure. The first one who popped into my head was Alister, and he's certainly still one of my favorites. He's serious, blunt, and is really good at disguises. And he's devoted to his younger brother. I think Seto is right; deep down Alister blamed himself for Miruko's death, but it hurt too much so he shifted the blame to Gozaburo Kaiba. He's a fascinating character to pick apart.

Who’s your least favorite character in 1?
In Princess Tutu ... Lilie, of course. I'll never like her, but I have started to wonder if her denseness is an act. There's a scene in Akt 11 where she's exclaiming about Ahiru being sad and Pike flatly says, "You seem happy." Lilie blushes and holds a hand to her mouth like "Oh my" and says "No way!" She looks and sounds like she knows she's been caught in the act. I would actually find her marginally interesting if she knows she has a problem, rather than for her to be empty-headed as she comes across.

What’s your favorite season of 5?
In The Monkees ... season 1, hands-down. The characterization was a thousand times better than season 2. So often in season 2, I want to slap Micky. This makes me sad, since in season 1 he's my favorite character. In season 1 he's intelligent, hilarious, sarcastic, and brave. In season 2 he's been degraded to a whiny, hysterical, random coward most of the time.

What’s your favorite ship in 3?
In The Patty Duke Show ... I think George Tutwiler/Cathy Lane would be an adorable couple if the problems concerning Cousin Betsy were resolved. If I remember right, they seemed to be studying together when Betsy stumbled upon them, so they might have a love of learning in common. And George is a sweet, innocent boy; he just had a very thoughtless moment when Betsy charmed him. But he could change; Patty's boyfriend Richard has certainly had moments of weakness too.

Ted Browning/Cathy Lane is a more canon couple and a lovely one. Ted seems intelligent and level-headed, and he's crazy about Cathy. She thinks highly of him also. Their personalities mesh very well.

Who is your anti-ship in 2?
In YGO ... I'm not sure. Seto/Serenity, perhaps. I understand the basis for it, but it seems too syrupy sweet and cliche. I also don't like Alister/Valon. If they're going to interact and come to like each other more, I'd prefer seeing them as friends/surrogate brothers.

How long have you watched 1?
Princess Tutu ... since June of 2006.

How did you become interested in 3?
The Patty Duke Show.... It's on late-night/early morning on THIS TV network. Mom watches the oldies block and I started seeing it with her sometimes. The Patty Duke Show attracted me because it's more of a domestic comedy than a sitcom and the characters are amazing and well-rounded. And most episodes have a moral point, but it's not annoyingly drilled into you. It's got so much more meat to it than say, Mr. Ed (which is also on the block). Mr. Ed is just a silly sitcom, but that's a rant for another time.

Who’s your favorite actor in 4?
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon ... is an anime. I'm not sure who my favorite voice actor is. Maybe Emi Shinohara, who plays Makoto Kino/Sailor Jupiter. She is incredible and her singing is powerful. When Jupiter isn't being boy-crazy, she's really a superb character. She's strong and determined and justice-driven, and always puts boys aside to fight for the greater good. She also has a wonderful relationship with a childhood friend and fiercely believes in Sailor Moon. Emi Shinohara portrays all of Jupiter's emotions flawlessly. Jupiter has really become one of my favorite characters. Even her English dub actress, Susan Roman, is really good. I think Jupiter had just about the best voice in the dub.

Which show do you prefer: 1, 2, or 5?
Princess Tutu, YGO, or The Monkees.... Well, as much as I love them all, I still think YGO will always hold the #1 spot for favorite show. I shared adventures with the characters for so many years and I learned so much about writing while doing stories about them and I met so many people I likely never would have otherwise. I think YGO has had the greatest and most long-lasting impact on me of any show I've ever watched. I really think of the characters as friends (albeit I feel the same about the characters on any show I love).

Which show have you seen more episodes of: 1 or 3?
Princess Tutu or The Patty Duke Show.... Well, Tutu only has 26 episodes while Patty has 104. There's only a handful of Patty episodes I haven't seen now.

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?
I don't want to be anyone from any show. I like my life.

Give a random quote from 1.
Princess Tutu....

Autor: You're late.
Fakir: What are you talking about?
Autor: It took you eighteen days, seven hours, and twenty-four minutes from the time you started researching your power to when you noticed me.

Would a 3/4 crossover work?
The Patty Duke Show and Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.... Um, I don't think so. However, if the girls just all met and could hang out without all the magic and bad guys, I think that would work. Ami and Cathy would get along well with their love of studying, and Patty could introduce Minako and Makoto to all the cute guys in school.

Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple.
Princess Tutu.... Autor and Ahiru. There's not much canon evidence in their interaction to support it, it's true. Well, other than Autor's friendly behavior in the follow-up, which may or may not be canon. (But it's squeeful in any case.) It's in their personalities that the evidence comes. Autor is a kind person underneath the arrogant facade and Ahiru is someone who accepts and cares about anyone shown to be good. I think if they got to know each other more, they could become very close. And from there, who knows?

Has 5 inspired you in any way?
The Monkees.... I'm not sure what kind of context "inspired" is being used in, but offhand I don't think that it has. Unless it was that I think the little teddy bears cosplaying The Monkees were my first "big" purchase and I had to work really hard to earn the money to buy them. And the show certainly gave me lots of laughs. It's a joy to watch.

Overall, which show has a better cast: 2 or 4?
YGO or Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.... Oh gosh. Well, one problem with Sailor Moon is that a lot of the good guys are better in the manga, but the villains are better in the anime. In YGO, the characters are pretty much all awesome in the anime. They only made a couple of slip-ups (Duke's intro ... ugh), but overall I prefer YGO characterization in the anime to the manga. So YGO would probably get my vote.

Which has better theme music: 3 or 5?
The Patty Duke Show or The Monkees.... I love them both. I was originally going to say The Monkees, since it's so catchy and I've loved it for a longer period of time, but I also really love The Patty Duke Show theme. All the horns are awesome and the vocals are great. The lyrics of both amuse me. Patty is more my obsession at the moment. In the end, for me, it might be a draw.

Though I suppose nothing could really top the utter silliness of the antics in The Monkees' theme.

What are you listening to right now?
Ruslan und Ludmilla Overture.

What song(s) make(s) you sad?
It really depends on my mood. Songs about death can make me sad, but sometimes they just make me somber and contemplative. Hmm.... Oh, Forgiven from the new Battlestar Galactica usually makes me sad or melancholy. It's beautiful, but it makes me think of cemeteries because I was looking at cemetery pictures and writing a deathfic when I first heard it.

What is the most annoying song in the world?
Any Christmas song by Christina Aguilera.

Your all time favorite musicians?
Rockapella will always be very special to me, especially now that I've rediscovered them. And the 4 Seasons and the Monkees. Also, Evanescence (I'm so excited for the new album! I hope it comes out next month like it's supposed to), Within Temptation, and Nightwish. And for instrumental composers, John Williams and Howard Shore. Danny Elfman is pretty good too.

Your newly discovered musician is?
Not really newly-discovered, but thanks to Garowyn, I know enough of Blackmore's Night that I bought a CD of theirs at the Scottish Festival last month. I love it. I was particularly attracted to it because it has the song I Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore, the title of which I took for my phantom hitchhiker fic.

Best female voice?
My favorite female voice is Sharon den Adel, lead singer of Within Temptation. She is *amazing*. Her range is incredible and her voice is so ethereal. Close runner-ups would be Amy Lee of Evanescence and local artist Allyse Smith-Taylor.

Best male voice?
Oddly enough, this one is harder for me. Most of the bands I listen to have female singers. And I'm not sure which one of the many beautiful Rockapella voices to single out. In the end, though, maybe Scott Leonard. But I always have a certain loyalty to Sean Altman, too. And I love Mike Nesmith's songs so much.

Music type you find yourself listening to most?
Right now, classical, anime music, or rock.

What do you listen to, to hype you up?
Cheery anime songs or energetic classical pieces.

What do you listen to when you want to calm down?
Quieter songs, sometimes religious, sometimes friendship, sometimes instrumental. EDIT: Oddly enough, if I'm in a certain frustrated and angry mood, quiet songs only make me more frustrated. Sometimes I need to listen to something rock in order to calm down enough to listen to quieter songs.

Last gig/concert you went to?
Rockapella, last August. It was awesome. X3

Band you find yourself listening to the most right now?
Really none. Mostly I've been listening to individual artists or classical.

Most hated band?
**shrugs.** I can't really think of a band I detest. I could much easier tell about individual artists. I can't stand the aforementioned Christina Aguilera's singing style at all.

Song that makes you think?
Anything by Within Temptation or Nightwish. Their songs are so deep.

Band that you think the world should love as much as you do?
Within Temptation! But finally they're getting some of the recognition they deserve. At last, it's easy to buy their albums in the States!

Coolest music video?
I really loved the one Within Temptation did for Memories, but watching it recently I felt really sad. It's still an amazing video, though. Actually, I think that even more since it evoked such emotion in me. The one they did for Angels is pretty cool, too, though the wings look fake. LOL. But soft!

EDIT: And as Aubrie pointed out, Michael Jackson's video for Smooth Criminal must be mentioned. I like both versions of it, though the edited one is my favorite overall because the full-length one seemed to have a lot of moments of pointless exclaiming by the audience and whatnot. I was really amused by the little boy in the full version, though. LOL.

Can you play a musical instrument?
I can play piano. I've wanted to play guitar, but it keeps confusing me. Plus, it makes my already-sensitive fingers hurt. XD;

Are you in a band?
No.

Do you wish yourself that you were a musician?
I want to be a singer.

Best chick band you know of?
The Ronettes. Totally random there. But I love when their Christmas songs are played during the holidays. XD;

Last song that you heard on the radio/CD, etc?
What I'm still listening to.

What do you think of Classical music?
It's amazing! I was raised on it, and always loved certain pieces, but it was only through Princess Tutu that I fully embraced my love of the genre.

What do you think of Country music?
I used to listen to it religiously. Those old country songs I heard back in the day still make me extremely nostalgic.

What do you think of metal?
I do not like heavy metal, nor do I understand why a couple of bands I like are classed as metal. Well, it's more understandable with Nightwish, but with Within Temptation I fully believe they never get harder than hard rock.

Last BIG band that you saw live?
If Rockapella is considered big, then them. If not, the oldies bands I saw ten years ago: The Shangri-Las, The Grass Roots, The Association, and of course ... Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. I also saw Micky Dolenz, by himself.

Do you listen to music in foreign languages?
Heck yes. Mostly in Japanese.

Funny concert moment?
Rockapella last year, when I wanted Zombie Jamboree and someone else wanted People Change, and Rockapella didn't want to do People Change:

Scott: Zombie Jamboree isn't depressing at all; it's just about dead people.

LOL.

And then Kevin did the customary halt of singing during the bridge and doubled over. Someone asked what was wrong and he gasped, "I swallowed a bug." LOLOLOL. The bugs were a running joke in that concert.

Best local act you can think of?
Cherie Call.

Do you listen to the radio?
Only during the Christmas season.

Do you watch music TV?
We don't get music channels.

Do you follow the music charts, like the top 40?
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a darn.

Have you met any famous musicians?
Yes, Rockapella. ^^ I wanted to talk to Frankie Valli, but he didn't do a meet and greet.

Are any of your friends/family/etc. musicians?
Some of them dabble in it.

Song that best describes your feelings right now?
Some song about being tired.

Do you know the names of all the band members that you listen to?
Mostly. I don't admittedly know the names of all the people in Within Temptation and Evanescence. The Evanescence people keep changing too, which doesn't help. LOL. I know all the singers in the bands, though. But I keep forgetting Tarja's replacement's name in Nightwish.

Does a musician’s physical attractiveness play a role in the music that you listen to?
Certainly not.

Favorite movie sound track?
The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars movies.

What do your parents listen to?
Religious music and classical. Mom likes oldies, too.

What are you listening to right now?
Still what I was listening to when I started this.

Do you wear band T-shirts?
I've always wanted an Evanescence T-shirt, but I couldn't find them when I looked in Hot Topic. Someday maybe I'll buy on their website. But I hate paying S&H charges!

Do you cook to music?
I sing a lot in the kitchen. And at Christmastime, the radio is usually on.

I am not sure what to do today. If someone who has only been around on Wednesdays for the past two weeks will be on this Wednesday too, catching her will be my first priority. If said person sees this, please tell me? ^^; Hopefully before evening.... If I don't hear back, I may or may not be thirty minutes to an hour late.

And here is a random quiz I took for Princess Tutu after stalking someone's journal.

1. The character most likely to fall in love with the wrong person - Femio? LOLOLOL, since he'll only fall in love with himself. XD
2. The character whom I'm embarrassed to admit I adore - I'm proud to admit I adore each character that I adore.
3. The character that would send me screaming in the opposite direction IRL despite being fascinating in fiction - Drosselmeyer. Intriguing villain, but oh my gosh I don't want him writing me into a tragic Story!
4. The character with the most annoying personality quirks - Lilie. -___-; She's obsessed with seeing Ahiru fail because she thinks Ahiru is so cute when she's sad and wants to "comfort" her. Um. Okay. Ahiru needs a new friend.
5. The character I most admire and why - Ahiru. She never gives up on her friends, no matter what. Seriously, how many people would keep believing in Rue after all the stuff she pulled as Kraehe?
6. The character with the worst temper - Probably Fakir, but honestly, Ahiru can have a bad temper too, when something sets her off.
7. The character most likely to fail at everything - Femio. LOL. I don't think he's ever going to get it. But that's what makes him so hilarious.
8. The pairings I prefer in canon - Fakir/Ahiru. It feels so real and amazing, the way their relationship steadily develops.

Mytho/Rue is such a twisted pairing in a lot of ways, but it's also so heart-wrenching and beautiful, the latter moreso when you finally get the whole story.

One-sided Autor/Rue I also support. It's so sad for Autor, but honestly I don't want him to end up with Rue. XD;
9. The pairings I prefer in fanon - Honestly, I don't think there's any. I almost always support the canon pairings and like them above all else. And in Princess Tutu there's so many more interesting things to explore rather than fanon romance. Let's explore fanon friendships or something!

That being said, Autor/Ahiru is kind of a guilty pleasure pairing for me. I don't *really* want them to end up together, especially since the only way it would probably happen is if Fakir was permanently out of the picture. ;__; But their interaction is so intriguing and fans have demonstrated how they could be friends, and I adore x0whitelily0x's Autor/Ahiru fics. I kind of think, though, that since I had them officially admit to familial feelings for each other in Think Back on Yesterday, my guilty pleasure over the romantic possibility will fade. But I will still love those fics.
10. The character with the most personal growth in canon - Fakir seems like the obvious answer for this, but I'm going to say Ahiru as well. Someone once said she didn't change throughout the series, and I could hardly believe it. Look at how much she matures throughout the series, from episode 1 to episode 26! Drosselmeyer even canonically makes the observation in episode 23. I honestly can't picture Ahiru as she was in episode 1 being anywhere as mature if she was thrust into the situation in episode 26. She would have epically failed and Drosselmeyer would have had his tragedy. Though, actually, if Ahiru had not matured and grown as a person, I doubt they would have ever got to that point in the first place.

... because I'm bored and I want my ego stroked.

Question #3 has been modified, eliminating two genres I haven't ever written.


1. What pairings/characters that I write do you enjoy the most?


2. What stories stand out in your memory? C’mon, there’s gotta be at least one! ;)


3. What genre do I write best? Humor, drama, hurt/comfort, fluff, horror, romance, deathfic, AU? Something else?


4. Have you ever read an unfamiliar pairing/fandom because you trusted me as a writer? Did you ever become a fan because of my introduction?


5. What is it about my writing style that says insaneladybug to you?

I forgot to copy over more than the questions I was given, but you guys have done a million of these, right? If you want five questions, say so, I give them, and you post in your journals.

Interview by rose_of_pollux:

1) KH Zack, Cloud, and Seph vs FFVII Zack, Cloud, and Seph-- which verse is your favorite to write for and why? You know, I've debated this question with myself a lot. As I recall from when I mused on it in past entries, KH is fun because less is known and you can make up more, but FF7 is fun because it's the original and so much *is* established already to work with. I think I tentatively concluded I preferred KH, but I think now I prefer FF7. Kaze's story could be an influence on that decision, as well as the role-plays I've done, but in any case I really love the darkness of FF7 and all the various established angles. With the Compilation, there's so much to work with. Of course, KH is pretty dark too, but there's not a lot of information on their versions of the characters.
2) How did you get into Princess Tutu? I saw the DVDs at Media Play (yes, it was still Media Play then) and was somewhat intrigued, but the concept of the Prince losing his heart scared me away. Later, Stacey and Elora both got into the show and showed me the infamous Hall Om Mig AMV. I watched, was immediately hooked, and ordered the first DVD from the library. I loved it so much, I couldn't wait for any more to arrive. I watched the entire rest of both seasons on YouTube over two evenings. I've been a fan since then and have been in the comm, but I never really felt confident in the fanworks part of the fandom until I could finally get the DVDs and watch and rewatch to my heart's content. I don't often connect with characters well enough to write for them, so discovering I actually could with the Tutu characters was a big thrill.
3) Your favorite characters in YGO have changed throughout the years-- but which one will forever hold the #1 spot and why? Honestly, I don't think anyone does. XD; My #1 spot changes with the favorite characters. For a long time I tried to insist Yugi was my #1, but I finally conceded that Seto had beaten him. But then Marik beat Seto, and there was Alister, and Siegfried. I dunno, I'm back and forth on Seto, but I really don't like him as much as I used to. He drives me crazy in Battle City. The coliseum thing really made me headdesk. But of course Seto has awesome moments all along too, mostly in the anime-only arcs and in R. He was really good in Duelist Kingdom too, though. At the moment, I'd tentatively say Duke is my favorite, but he doesn't hold the #1 spot overall. I dunno, I guess if it wasn't for Battle City, Seto really could be my #1, and heck, maybe deep down he really still is.
4) Which of your OCs is your favorite to write for? Alexander. He's positively adorable. A child in a man's body, he's both innocent and introspective. I really would like to get my novel done; there'd be so much about him that would get fleshed out.
5) What is your favorite episode(s)/moment(s) of WITWICS? The Boll Weevil Retrieval is my favorite episode. Kneemoi is AWESOME and then there's the crazy anvil nonsense. But my favorite moment is Zombie Jamboree in The Costume Caper.

Comment with a romantic or platonic 'ship that you know I like and I'll tell you:

1. When I started shipping them
2. What I think their challenge is
3. What makes me happy about them
4. What makes me sad about them
5. What moment I wish had never happened
6. Who I'd be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other
7. My happily ever after for them

You'll probably have more luck if you go with platonic.