Sunday update thingy

[swatkat]

Have you ever wondered why all the so-called 'comfort shoes' are so fucking ugly? I mean, who gave them the idea that people who need to wear comfortable shoes (yes, need; I've had enough "If I see you wearing those bloody shoes again" from my doctor) do not, for some inexplicable reason, care about how the shoes look? Why does comfort automatically equal fugly? Why? Why?

*cough*

I also have a couple of important questions to ask.

a. How many OTPs is a person allowed to have in a particular fandom?

b. What is the plural of cactus? 'Cactuses', or 'cacti'? The character in question does not care much about grammar, btw.

Comments

in the order asked

[sk56.livejournal.com]

I have no idea about the shoe thing. I have odd feet, after years of dancing barefoot, and shoes are often frustrating.

a. I don't think there's a limit to your preferences.

b. I learned "cacti," but it's possible that's a North American west coast usage.

Re: in the order asked

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Frustrating... about sums up the state of my mind after searching through half the shops in the city for one moderately good-looking pair to no avail.

a. Yes, but can you still call them OTPs? Especially when you're shipping one person with three other characters, and all the ships make you squee, equally hard?

Even I learnt 'cacti', but I'm sure I've heard people say 'cactuses'. Or maybe it's just us - coining new and bizarre words in English are one of our favourite pastimes. I'll stick to cacti, I think.

Swatkat

Re: in the order asked

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Yes, but can you still call them OTPs? Especially when you're shipping one person with three other characters, and all the ships make you squee, equally hard?

It sounds to me like what you really have is an OTC.

Re: in the order asked

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Nope - he isn't the OTC. And thse certainly aren't the only pairings that make me squee that way. To think once upon a time I read only Harry/Hermione and Remus/Sirius (and then Michael/Nikita)! *g*

Swatkat

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

Shoes: I have vaguely hobbit-like feet (but without the hair, I must stress) so I don't wear sandles or strappy shoes or heels. I wear chunky Mary-Jane style shoes, either flat or with a bit of platfrom style height. They're very comfortable, as are all the boots that I own, and not at all ugly, IMHO. *g*

OTP: As many as your little heart desires. *g*

Cactuses/cacti: I was always taught that it was 'cacti', but as sk said, things may differ from country to country.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Ah, but are your shoes soft and anti-stress and all that crap the doctor insists I wear? Thank god for sneakers. Except that you can't wear them with anything ethnic. *sigh*

I was taught 'cacti' too - but I'm sure I've heard people say 'cactuses'. It's possible they were saying it intentionally - we love coining new words in English. I'll stick with cacti, I think.

OTP: As many as your little heart desires. *g*

I keep falling in love with new pairings these days... enough to confuse a girl. *g*

Swatkat

[nell65.livejournal.com]

AFter several months of tender feet in the mornings, I too discoverd that I had reached the 'european comfort shoe' destination. That's what they are called on the sales ticket.

I don't mind the chunky look, most of the time, and the arch support inserts are pretty interchangible.

The only thing I miss, so far, are all the various clogs/mules that I used to wear because I love the ease of slip ons, and the "european comfort shoe" clog/mule thingies actually have just enough of a heel lip that the inserts work for them too.

All the female students are strutting around campus in these pain-inducing just by looking at them pointy toed, high spike heel pumps (along with their tattered bell bottom, hip hugging jeans). I am so not envious of that...!

Oh, and a) as many as you like, and b) I've always thought it was cacti too, though I've also heard cactuses - and ranked right up there with "I'll borrow you that" as a horrid misuse of english that I refuse to go along with.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

I don't particularly mind the chunky look myself - depends on the shoe, really.

All the female students are strutting around campus in these pain-inducing just by looking at them pointy toed, high spike heel pumps (along with their tattered bell bottom, hip hugging jeans). I am so not envious of that...!

Hee! The current fad round here are sandals, with pretty sparkly things on them - usually with matching ethnic bags (which are absolutely gorgeous). All the better - I don't usually wear high heels because a. I'm a klutz, b. 'sensitive' feet, and c. being 5'8" in the Land of Short People is bad enough. *g*

Swatkat

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Forgot to answer the most important bit...

I know 'cactuses' is a misuse. But somehow it seems to fit here, you know, which has me thinking.

Swatkat

shoes and dancers

[sk56.livejournal.com]

that is the ultimate OTP

Whether it's a ballet dancer obsessing about pointe shoes (which are all still made by hand, and there are great variations between makers), modern dancers (who generally perform barefoot) dealing with what they could put on their feet between classes that will make them feel better, or, may the gods help them, tap dancers (who often name their shoes), dancers are all about footwear. Even though I haven't danced in at least a couple of years, I still have the shoe problem. Which in my case is exacerbated by several anatomical glitches and the current fashion. I have great pointe shoe toes, my first three toes on each foot are the same length, and thanks to many years of modern dance my feet are quite wide through the ball, so I am not a happy candidate for the pointy-toed pumps that Nell describes. Most of the time I wear the kind of high-top sneaker you can see in my icon, but I am always trying to find something appropriate for the theater -- as a dance critic I have to look acceptable amongst the swanky clothing crowd every so often, and it's the shoes that are the hardest part.

Re: shoes and dancers

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

that is the ultimate OTP

This made laugh out loud. *g*

Which in my case is exacerbated by several anatomical glitches and the current fashion.

Me too, me too.

Swatkat

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

Why does comfort automatically equal fugly?

DUH, because LOSERS who place COMFORT above FASHION deserve to look like CRAP :(

a. You can anywhere from one to infinite OTPs :)

b. I call them cacti. Then again, I call my parents my Parenti. I like that version of pluralization :)

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Parenti? Bwahahaha!

Swatkat

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

Practical shoes are often ugly, but can be made to appear less so when one dresses in a way that fits them well. For example, walking shoe type things actually look pretty good with jeans and casual clothes.

I think one can have an indefinite number of OTPs. *g*

My dictionary tells me that both cacti and cactuses are considered acceptable. I'd say it's cacti if the character is someone very proper in speech, but since you mention the character as being a casual speaker (not much into grammar), I might have him/her say cactuses.

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

But one question -- what nationality is the person? That might make a difference.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

For example, walking shoe type things actually look pretty good with jeans and casual clothes.

Yes, I wear it all the time.

I think one can have an indefinite number of OTPs. *g*

That is, indeed, good to know. I've been scaring myself lately. *g*

Hmm - what nationality is David Fanning?

Swatkat

[nell65.livejournal.com]

He's always struck me as practically a sterotype of an asshole American - US all the way, baby.

I suppose, though, come to think of it, and of several of my students over the years, that Canadian would work too.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Heh, me too. And he isn't very careful with words, is he?

Swatkat

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

David Fanning would say cactuses. Absolutely.

*Ponders what kind of story would involve David Fanning with prickly plants....*

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Settled, then. *g*

*Ponders what kind of story would involve David Fanning with prickly plants....*

It is rather bizarre. If I can ever make any sense out of it, you will see. *g*

Swatkat

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

It is rather bizarre. If I can ever make any sense out of it, you will see. *g*

Huzzah!!!

[nell65.livejournal.com]

Unless someone he respected (or wanted to impress) corrected him once.

Then I think he would add it to his bag of tricks - using cactuses when he wants to be underestimated, cacti when he doesn't.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Then I think he would add it to his bag of tricks - using cactuses when he wants to be underestimated, cacti when he doesn't.

Heh - I can so see him doing that. In this case though, he's thinking about them.

And since we're asking questions, is there any specific region where you can place him, based on the accent?

Swatkat

[jaybee65.livejournal.com]

And since we're asking questions, is there any specific region where you can place him, based on the accent?

Well, he does a good job of minimizing the accent, but the actor's Canadian. (Surprise, surprise! LOL.)

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Well, it's pretty bloody difficult to tell the difference! For me, anyway. LOL

Swatkat

[nell65.livejournal.com]

I know he is, and yet I couldn't help but write him into Mrs. Sam as an obnoxious American! *g*

So - based on his accent, no - not really.

Based on his style and taste as presented in the show? I'd peg him for the southern half - anywhere from Florida to Texas to Southern California.

[nestra.livejournal.com]

a. As many as I damn well want.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

That's very reassuring coming from you, lol! The past few months - with all the new fandoms (and HP fandom, of course) - has been a positively bewildering experience. I've been scaring myself lately. *g*

Swatkat

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

I'm having the same problem. I'm definitely going to have to learn some more time-management skills, lol!

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Time management is something I'd like to learn as well, because between reading goodfic and writing crapfic? I'll definitely take the first one. *g*

Swatkat

ahh..Sundays!

[ms-artisan.livejournal.com]

A time for Meaning of Life type questions. *g*

I think you might already know that I hate shoes, so I'm not even going to get into that one except to say they're all ugly, lol.

OTPs? - as many as you like, and when you're finished with the pairs, turn them into triples. ;)

Cacti from me. It's less of a mouthful especially if you're using it in dialogue, eg. "Oh, those cacti match your eyes perfectly", reads much better to me than if you substituted cactuses.

Re: ahh..Sundays!

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

You logged in!

I do indeed know that you hate shoes - and while I doon't exactly hate them, I'm not very fond of them either, like some people (*coughmscyanidecough*) tend to be. They're a neccesity.

I've always said 'cacti', but do you David Fanning would do the same?

And oh, Harry/Ron/Hermione is my ultimate OT3. *g*

Swatkat

Re: ahh..Sundays!

[ms-artisan.livejournal.com]

I've always said 'cacti', but do you David Fanning would do the same?

Honestly? I can see Mr Fanning using a cactus to poke someone in the eye, but I have trouble seeing him use one to form a proper sentence. *g*

And *my* favourite OT3 of the moment is Chris/Buck/Vin. Why have two cowboys when you can have three, I say!

Re: ahh..Sundays!

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Hee! I don't think I'll allow him to poke anyone in the eye, but he's going to say 'cactuses', for sure. *g*

OT3s are the best way to resolve a crazy triangle, too. Harry/Hermione, or Ron/Hermione? Well, why can't she have both? LOL

BTW, did you see the Mag7 recs they had up in crack_van? Only a couple, though, and you've probably read them already if they're *that* recworthy - here (http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=crack_van&keyword=The+Magnificent+Seven+Fanfic+Recs&filter=all).

Swatkat

[jetamors.livejournal.com]

a. As many as your greedy little heart desires :)

b. If it's someone who's not the sort to pay much attention to words, they'd probably say 'cactuses'.

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

My heart is getting greedier by the day, I tell you. *g*

And I'm leaning towards 'cactuses', too. Seems to fit this character better.

Swatkat

[delle.livejournal.com]

David Fanning? Cactuses, definately.

I use 'cacti'. But I also say "spelt" and "knelt" which is - apparently - rather odd for an American.

I'm in the middle

[sk56.livejournal.com]

spelled and knelt.

David Fanning -- hmm.

Great

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

I'm sticking with 'cactuses'. I found it very difficult to picture him say 'cacti' - hence the question. *g*

Swatkat

[msgenevieve.livejournal.com]

Heh. Spelt, knelt and smelt.

It's hard to keep these things sacred in the face of Bill Gates' Microsoft, lol, but I try.

Behold, the power of shoes

[mommysusan.livejournal.com]

Once upon a time, long ago (i.e., pre-children), I was a shoe whore. I still think wistfully on my favorite pair of shoes ever (Kenneth Cole black stilettos with side cutouts - my OTS!) which I nursed along until they finally died, maybe 17 years ago. Post-kids, I am still searching for the Holy Grail: the ultimate comfort shoes that look stylish, as the Kenneth Coles were.

As far as your important questions:

a) As many as you want, since they can be your OTP while you're reading about them. Or at least that's how I rationalize, lol!

b) Cacti, but cactuses for Fanning, and I always though of him as West (Arizona) or maybe more mid-North (anywhere from Indiana to Minnesota).

Nah - Fanning is definitely not Minnesotan -

[nell65.livejournal.com]

He talks waaaayyyy tooo much, and cares far too much about appearences, to be a true son of the northland. ;-)

N

Re: Behold, the power of shoes

[swatkat24.livejournal.com]

Stilettos? Eeek! *g*

I'm pretty settled on the 'cactuses' issue, but it's still difficult to handle all the new OTPs, lol! (this was prompted by my reaction after reading the Fred/Willow ship manifesto. did you see it?)

Swatkat