polling for greater justice (and my curiosity)

[meitachi]

My promised post on classes is finally up, I am trying to catch up on Singapore sleep debt, and I have made plans to meet up with many awesome people (including thundersquall, htenywg, mardisgrasmaven, and danii06) and also for travels!

Speaking of travels, I am very tentatively looking into a week in Korea in mid-to-late April (plane tickets are a bit pricey, so it'll depend on how much $$ I have to spare) since, you know, all of you are there. Putting out feelers: would anyone be able to house me for a week? If not, I will look into hostels, which are pretty cheap and awesome from previous experiences. But any money I can save would be fantastic, of course.

I'm a selectively social person, meaning I'm mostly introverted and like to hang out with people in smaller groups and not tag along with big crowds. A lot of times this means I end up grabbing a quick meal on my own, which doesn't bother me, but apparently can be an issue? Evidently there were some NUS students who rallied together to send out an email or announcement or something to reassure other students that it was okay to eat alone, don't worry! Er, thanks? It got me thinking, anyway, thus the poll. Which then got sort of random.

[Poll #1670039]

SO TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR ANSWERS. Or talk to me about Tom Hardy being cast as Bane! I'll be honest: I am torn. I did not know Bane was Latino (or at least half, apparently his father was white?). So while I am SUPER EXCITED NO LIE about T-Hard, I am also side-eying Nolan for (another) whitewashed role. In other news, I like Anne Hathaway but I have never found her particularly ~sexy~ so I'm interested in how she will pull off the Catwoman role! :D



THE GOOD
- fuck yeah Kono! I have so many complicated thoughts on the way Kono is treated in fic (the short version is I am so tired of her being matchmaker) but I adore her in canon. I love that she isn't awesome just because she's kickass; she's awesome because she's her. And that includes strong loyalties, family love, being amazing at surfing, being smart and good at her job, being human and making mistakes, being jokey at times, petty at times (re: Chin's ex-fiancée), good with kids, etc. She's so much more than kicks-asses-and-takes-names, okay? I mean, I love that about her too, but that's not all she does! Also, protip, she calls Steve "boss" and "McGarrett".
- more Chin backstory! The hospital scene was a little awkward but awwww Chin, I am really glad we're getting to see another side of him. And ooh another facet to what we thought we knew: he was the one who made it seem like she left him! She's still wearing the ring! They clearly still have feelings for each other, oh god. Oh Chin, poor thing.
- CHiPs bantering, Steve and Danny both trying to suck up to Kono, lmao ♥
- CHINESE FAMILY :D CHINESE BOY yay more representation, yay guy who could actually speak Mandarin, yay all around!
- I love that Nicole had no remorse whatsoever and was completely untouched by Steve's emotional guilt trip.
- MASI OKA always


THE BAD
- Oh. Danny actually calls him "Steven" while lecturing him? Oh. I must've missed it in earlier eps that spawned this trope in fics. Sorry, not to my taste.
- On that note, DANNY. WHY SUCH A FUCKING ASSHOLE to Steve about his daddy issues? There are gentler ways to approach that, ffs.
- Frankly I am starting to dislike the car bantering scenes because they're starting to feel obligatory and forced. Maybe the writers think they're being clever and pandering, but all I'm getting is Danny being an asshole and Steve...kind of being one back. Not exactly further bonding or whatever. It was done better in the beginning and to greater effect, imo. These days, it's the less-forced conversation (not banter) that actually makes me melty and happy over Steve and Danny. For example, the opening scene at Steve's house! The mutual flinching upon opening the trunk! The way they communicate silently when they break into houses! :3
- I AM AMBIVALENT ABOUT HOW CHEESY THE ENDING WAS WITH STEVE AND THE CHINESE FAMILY. Oh god it was so heavy-handed. BUT I TEARED UP ANYWAY, LEAVE ME ALONE, I CRY AT COMMERCIALS.
- Also, why the fuck does Steve keep driving Danny's car around? Even without him! Steve, you own your own fucking truck. Actually, it doesn't make sense that Danny would have such a nice car so soon in Hawaii but shhhh canon.


THE UGLY
- LOLOLOL ALEX O'LOUGHLIN'S MANDARIN OH GOD DYING OH HONEY PLEASE DON'T PLEASE DON'T. "不错" was actually not bad and gave me some hope, but as soon as he started on the sentences? I wanted to weep. From laughter or pain, I'm not sure.

That said, I think it is FUCKING AWESOME that Steve McGarrett is canonically fluent in Mandarin. Bad-fucking-ass. That's an awesome language to know. :D I'm kind of surprised Danny didn't comment on that at all.

Oh show, you are ridiculous but you still make me happy. :D :D :D







/spoilers

Comments

[cobweb-diamond.livejournal.com]

I AM FAR MORE EXCITED ABOUT ANNE HATHAWAY. i didn't know anything about Bane until yesterday, so, hmm. i did hear nolan was whitewashing again tho --- which, oh dear.

re: eating along, i have never gone to an actual restaurant and sat down and eaten alone, but i do eat alone in public occasionally and only feel mildly self-conscious.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

I ONLY KNOW DCU VERY SHALLOWLY but I am excited nonetheless about, oh, EVERYTHING. Anne Hathaway was totally unexpected for me, but ooh I am so interested in how she will do. :D Heath Ledger was unexpected back then too!

Yeah I did not know anything at all about Batman when I saw Batman Begins, so I didn't realize what he'd done with R'as but oh Nolan, why? :(

/feeds you chocolates from a great distance aways! Also I keep thinking it's super late for you because you're ahead of me, but then I realize I'm on the other side of the world now so you're actually, like, 8 hours behind...

[anitac588.livejournal.com]

I wanted to weep. From laughter or pain, I'm not sure LOL, ouch.

I'm kind of surprised Danny didn't comment on that at all There's a nice shot of Danny watching Steve talking Mandarin, and he was probably contemplating that hearing Steve talking Mandarin is a huge turn on. *G*

[meiface.livejournal.com]

hahaha probably because he couldn't tell how atrocious that accent was. Though, in canonverse, since Steve's clearly supposed to be fluent, we can assume it is good and he is great and Danny is turned on. I'm okay with this!

[lil-blossom.livejournal.com]

The only thing I remember about Korea and easting alone is that apparently they think it's sad and will pity you if you eat alone. So I figured I was pitied a lot. My only problem with eating alone is that everyone else I hung out with in Korea knew more Korean than me and could read some menus when I couldn't.

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

Eating by yourself means you can eat where you want! :D

I am on the never ending quest to find the perfect pair of sandals. They have to be both pretty and comfortable. This is so hard. So I wear a lot of flip-flops. Everyone does here! In winter I live in boots. Though I do love a pretty heel. Most of family just looks at my closet in horror hehe.

Ugh whitewashing. In places I've read about the Anne Hathaway casting most people are confused because she doesn't read as sexy~~ but we'll see? Though Katie Holmes. He doesn't have the best track record with casting women. Not that a huge amount of women are cast, so. I've been catching up on comics at the moment too and diving into some of the meta.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

When my friend and I were in Korea in 2008, neither of us really knew Korean, so we sort of just pointed at the menu randomly and tried new things! :D

Did you ever tell us about your trip? HOW WAS IT? I hope it was fantastic!

[weatherfront.livejournal.com]

HI MEI I was on my way to bed and then I saw "eating alone" and I was like OH GOD IF I SLEEP NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE NIGHTMARES but I'm still going to bed because I'm fucking tired okay, that is what people do when they are tired goddammit, but seriously though eating alone ;____;

[meiface.livejournal.com]

This is true! Sometimes I just wanna do what I want. :D

I'm surprised so few people picked flip-flops as I basically have lived in mine here in Singapore haha. Everyone seems to. Well, sandals and flats too. Converse for the guys. Heels for the more fashionable girls. /people-watches a lot

I liked Katie Holmes up until she...married Tom Cruise and I went a bit "wtf?" I guess I'm not really participating in the discussions about the whitewashing except to say that I do not like it but am legitimately torn because I do want T-Hard to do a brilliant job regardless.

[meiface.livejournal.com]

OH BABY GO TO BED, I WILL ALWAYS EAT WITH YOU. /HOLDS YOU, FEEDS YOU DELICIOUS THINGS. DREAM OF ME.

[meritjubet.livejournal.com]

I live in a sub-tropical climate, covered shoes are not the nicest in this heat for several months of the year. Some people seem to really hate them though. Reminds me of this scene in H50 where Chin was wearing a pair and Danny was just so flabbergasted. Ha. Whenever I see a girl wearing 3+ inches heels at uni I wonder at her dedication to fashion.

I didn't really have a opinion of her, but then she married him and it was as you said "wtf". She was just bland in BB. Plus there are existing characters they could have used, so :/ Yep. I wonder how they are going to spin the costume though?

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

MEI MEI MEI DID YOU CATCH THAT DANNY WENT OVER TO STEVE'S HOUSE FOR NO REASON AT ALL. LIKE, HE WALKED IN AND I EXPECTED HIM TO SAY "WE HAVE A CASE" BUT THEY ONLY GOT THE CALL WHEN HE WAS ALREADY THERE. SO WHY WAS HE VISITING STEVE? OHOHO.

[jibrailis.livejournal.com]

My excitement about Bane was wayyyy tempered down after I found out that the character is Latino. I mean, I am still excited to see Tom Hardy, but I wish it could have been in a different circumstance now.

I'm fine with eating alone! A lot of times these days I grab food in between classes, so I don't have time to meet up with friends and make meal plans. I just grab a table, order food, and read while I eat. It's nice.

[chaos-harmony.livejournal.com]

Bane's ethnicity isn't canonically specified. His biological father, Sir Edmund Dorrace (alias King Snake) is actually a Brit - which, if you want to go down that route, actually makes Tom Hardy a pretty racially accurate choice - and his mother is of indeterminate racial background (though assumed to be Hispanic, which is where that notion comes from). And oh my god, why do I know these things. /facepalms.

[chrestomanci]

The first time I ate alone was in college! and I can only do it at fast food type places.

[transitorial.livejournal.com]

I've never had a problem eating alone, though really it depends on my mood. More often than not I prefer to be by myself, but sometimes I need human companionship and all.

T-Hard as Bane...tbh I'm not sure how I feel about it. I like him as an actor, certainly, but the whitewashing, it saddens me.

Boooooots. I would wear boots everywhere ever if I could.

[regicidaldwarf.livejournal.com]

I got used to eating alone when I went to college and had meal breaks with no friends free. I bring a book with me everywhere, which helps.

[herocountry.livejournal.com]

but i thought he came from a clearly (though fictional) latin island? /doesn't know anything about canon

[herocountry.livejournal.com]

EATS ALONE EVERYWHERE IT IS SO MUCH FASTER I DON'T HAVE TIME TO WAIT FOR OTHERS!!!!!!

boots in the winter, heels/converse in summer!

[delocalised.livejournal.com]

YOU CRY AT ADVERTS? SO DO I. I'M LINKING YOU TO ONE THAT MADE LOADS OF MY FRIENDS (AND ME) TEAR UP IN THE SUMMER.

[papered.livejournal.com]

I don't have any issues with eating alone, usually - esp at school because I also end up grabbing quick meals on my own (since I never properly schedule in a lunch break), haha - but if it's at a restaurant? I can still do it, but then I start feeling a little self-conscious.

YOU WERE BORN THE SAME YEAR AS MY COUSIN, this has never occurred to me before

flats and heels most of the year, boots in the winter, and flip flops at the height of summer. :) actually I used to wander around flip flops all the time, but then my mom was like PLEASE WEAR ACTUAL SHOES, LIZ, so I went out and bought four pairs of flats one spring and switched over. I don't think I've worn sneakers regularly since elementary school, hehehe, and in high school, only on days when the gym instructor would nag at me for not wearing ~proper footwear~. :3

KONO

ALEX O'LOUGHLIN'S MANDARIN HAD ME SIMULTANEOUSLY WEEPING AND LOLING. I was also hopeful after his 不错, and but then I sort of started rolling...

[papered.livejournal.com]

LOL YOU GUYS. ♥ ♥

[delocalised.livejournal.com]

wait it didn't embed. D;

link! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYOsWWKHZVw)

[papered.livejournal.com]

awwwwwwww, that was really cute.

[celerywench.livejournal.com]

1. Anne Hathaway kicks ass no matter what so I have high hopes for her catwoman role, plus I'm glad they cast somebody with actual curves for the role AND an actual brunette!

2. I did not know that Tom Hardy's role was whitewashed and that is so not on - on the other hand, I know a boy from Brazil who is very very blonde andomghot, technically German in descent, but he considers himself Brazilian and when people ask him where he's from he says Brazil so it could be a matter of Bane's character's mother or Bane originating from a Latin American country but not explicitly Latin American. ...or so I will tell myself to feel less =\ about it... Also, jesus christ how much exactly is Hardy going to need to bulk up @_@

3. Depends on how you're eating alone in public. If you're reading a book, listening to a ipod, watching a movie on your laptop, doing homework, etc. it's socially acceptable - if you're sitting by yourself at a big long lunch table while everybody in the whole room is sitting and chatting with other people...theeen you start to look kind of pathetic...

4. Flats in all weather. I ♥ flats. Makes a everything from a dress to a over-sized sweater and skinny jeans combo look casual chic.

5. LOL Hawaii 5-0 ♥. I'm glad to say my mandarin is better than Steve's! :D Kono was awesome as always - loved how they guys were fighting over being the brunet and then fell over themselves trying to get to be the blond b/c Kono said he was hot. So DNW this new character :( but if the show canonically went SteveorDanny/Kono I could live with that as long as this new chick GTFO.