Update for Measure of a Man

[gwyn]

I finally posted the latest chapter of The Measure of a Man last night...yes, seven months after ch. 8. I suck. What can I say but that my whole world kind of crashed and burned between 8 and 9, and that I have a hard time writing anything I began in the Before part of the world.

So, Chapter 9, Read the Fucking Manual, is here, and it has not been beta'd yet. But I head out to VVC at 3:15 in the goddamn morning on Wed/Thur, and considering all the burninating of discs and the stuff to get ready and whatnot, I just didn't have any extra time, and I wanted to post while I could. Once I get fixes and edits, I will make them. I am sure I'll have more time after the con. The chapter's around 6,000+ words, and that link will take you directly there, but I'm sure the few people who are reading this have probably forgotten the story by now, so all the previous chapters are linked at my home page.


I'm in a cranky blue funk mood about Spike right now. Yet again I've been treated to a flist series of nasty-ass posts about Spike and how everyone who likes Spuffy/Spike has the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old girl, and I'm getting really, really tired of it. I've had to listen to shit-talk about my vids because I had the temerity to make a couple vids about Spike that weren't, you know, hate-filled vitriol, which apparently is the only thing the character deserves, and I'm just kind of tired of seeing the same old crap arguments made for how Spuffy lovers are the dregs of humanity. I'm just... really annoyed. Not all of us who enjoy the character are little girls who think Spike is a poor wee ickle mistreated woobie, who have an agenda to spread the gospel of Spike to the rest of the world, who want to play the apologista game. Some of us just think he's a damn fascinating character (at least, the one before Marti Noxon fucked him up) who gives us a lot of possibilities for vids and stories. We like him in all his messed up stupid funny selfish cruel devoted lovesick glory. And every time I have to listen to the asshats talking about "all" of us Spike fans, I just want to knock them on their hats of asses and say "how about a nice big cup of shut the fuck up?" /rant

Comments

[sandy-s.livejournal.com]

Grrr...where are all these anti-Spike people? How come I never run across them? I just don't get it. I tend to be fascinated by Spike for the same reasons as you, and I'm 30. And my new office mate...just found out yesterday that she loves Spike and she's 50-something! :p

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Same here. I never see them either. it's bliss.

[sandy-s.livejournal.com]

Heh...maybe you're right. I probably shouldn't seek them out... :o)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I amended my post to indicate that I was talking about Spuffy/Spike -- what was pissing me off was that recently some moron posted about how Spike slash was a reaction to Spuffy people who were traumatized by S6, and next thing I know, all us Spuffies and Spike fans are moronic 12 year olds. Again.

Just because one person says something retarded, that makes all of us who like Spike and Buffy together retarded, as well. And I'm just sick of it. A lot of it comes from slash fans, and as a sometimes slasher, sometimes het-er, I really resent the idea that because I like this het relationship that they don't, they are somehow cooler and more mature. Only 12 year old girls like Spuffy, you know.

[sandy-s.livejournal.com]

Ah...I tried to read the post in question and got tired halfway through. :o) I tend to disagree that slash was a reaction to Spuffy season 6. I just think that people got interested in different pairings...especially as the show was winding down and people wanted to explore more! And of course, slash was around pretty strongly prior to season 6...so...huh. :p *feels tired again* Hee.

[maubast.livejournal.com]

I just want to knock them on their hats of asses and say "how about a nice big cup of shut the fuck up?"

Can I watch? Cause, you know, I'm right there with you.

[soundingsea.livejournal.com]

Heh. I ranted a while back about how Spuffy fans are, in fact, NOT all 12. But somehow I'm not surprised that you keep seeing the same old, same old. But seeing it on your flist? Bleh! *lends you my flist* ;)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Yes, all us Spuffies are stupid little girls. Because one stupid little girl makes a dumbass comment about how slash is a reaction to S6 trauma, we are all nitwits.

Bored now.

[kadymae.livejournal.com]

and how everyone who likes Spike has the emotional maturity of a 12-year-old girl

And dear jeebus, I'm imagining what would happen if oh, troutkitty saw something like that.

[chrisleeoctaves.livejournal.com]

Gee, I thought B/A shippers were the only segment of the fandom who had to put up with accusations of immaturity. I mean everyone knows that people who ship B/A are uneducated love struck teens. Shows you what *I* know.

Spike is utterly compelling to me in all his incarnations. You shouldn't need to have to defend your love for him, but then again, fandom is wacky.

And while I am here, I would still dearly love to add you to the Good Words section of Octaves (http://www.octavesoftheheart.com/octaves). If you're still interested give me a shout at
octaves at rogers.com and I'll fill you in.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Yeah, really, I mean what is the deal with you people? Don't you realize it's OVER? Get a clue. They can never be happy together, so you might as well give it up. Honestly. Plus, you're all just deluded little girls who haven't yet discovered the joy of Spuffy. Or been traumatized by S6 and run off to become slashers. Because slash fans are just better, you know.

Gah. (Love your pretty icon, btw.)

Oh, you know, I'd forgotten all about your invitation, and I apologize. I've forgotten a lot of things I shouldn't, and I'm kind of embarassed about. I will try to contact you after VVC, when hopefully more of my brain has returned to visit.

[gattagrigia.livejournal.com]

"Gee, I thought B/A shippers were the only segment of the fandom who had to put up with accusations of immaturity"

huh? Blake/Avon? immature? not in my universe, and I have a 4-drawer filing cabinet full of B7 fanfic to prove it!

(runs away very fast!)

sorry gwyn, couldn't help myself....

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Hey, cut that out! Get out of here with your evil '70s British sc-fi slash cooties! Run!

[sweet-ali.livejournal.com]

You didn't get the chapter?

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I hadn't last night when I posted -- I will try to make changes when I get back. But I'm just drowning in Vividcon stuff to do, and late last night was the only shot I had for posting!

[sweet-ali.livejournal.com]

Ah okay, just checking :)

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Good stuff.

I'm sick and fed up of the Spike/Spikefen bashing posts too.

[ixchel55.livejournal.com]

I loved BtVS and Angel but I'm not really into the fic for some reason (with the exception that I read Angel/Lindsey or really Lindsey and anyone because Christian Kane is so very pretty).

I did 'vote' for Buffy and Spike, though. They actually compliment each other better than Buffy/Angel. Angel was too ready to coddle her, he didn't shake her up enough. That said, people who like Buffy/Angel...go you. Have fun.

What I can't understand (and never have been able to) is why people feel they have to denigrate someone else's choices instead of just touting their own. My preferences don't invalidate anyone else's, they're just that, my choices.

Asshat is a good description because it's obvious they have shit for brains.

I just want to knock them on their hats of asses and say "how about a nice big cup of shut the fuck up?"

Take pictures! Share the joy! *g*

[hobbituk.livejournal.com]

To be fair, the post about the slash explosion being a reaction to season six wasn't a dogmatic "this is the way it is" statement so much as a "hey, do you think there is anything to this idea?" question. I don't think there was any malice in it, at all. *shrugs*

Me? I love Spike in all his many incarnations - yes, even as attempted rapist - and I am in my forties! The people who can't accept alternative viewpoints exist are the ones who have an IQ lower than their shoesize, IMO. I mean, personally I can't see anything to drool over with Angel - but intellectually I totally understand that some people do.

[mama-terra.livejournal.com]

I was never much of a Spuffy fan. I was more a Spillow Fan. Or W/A or W/A/S or A/S or X/W/A or X/W/S or...Well, I think you get the point. Willow was my focal point. I think I identified with her more than the others. The geeky redhead who couldn't lie to save her life and was in love (or thought so) with her best friend unbeknownst to him. That was me.

Anyway, I don't get people who generalize about a ship fandom. I see a lot of that in HP with Draco/Ginny. I think that fandoms and religion have a lot in common. There is always someone else who tries to shove their beliefs down your throat and say that yours are stupid, immature, and completely baseless.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

What's hardest to swallow, as in this case, is when it's people in the same fandoms, people who even like one of the characters you do, but who still will let something idiotic make them say nasty things and generalize about others' behaviors. That's what really pushes my buttons!

[ruddigore.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the update. It's very much appreciated.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad to see that it was read -- I should keep story announcements and rants separate in the future, I think!

[mlyn.livejournal.com]

All right. With a chapter name like that, I'm going to read the whole series. And I'm sure that at some point you're going to make me cry, and I'll love it, and I won't be able to stop talking about the fic to the utter boredom of my flist. You evil witch, you.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Ah, I'm not sure it'll be worth it, even if you like the title. I'm not sure if this will have anything especially sad, either, though I think the next chapter might work a few buttons for people. Not sure, though.

[makd.livejournal.com]

In case you're interested, here are some statistics on Spuffy 'shippers: http://www.livejournal.com/users/makd/17470.html
They're from The Fandom Project's survey last year of 100+ Internet fans. The participants in the survey were from fanboards scattered across cyberspace. Some of the boards were Angel, some were Buffy, some were Spike, one was Lindsey, etc.

As you can see, the bulk of 'shippers are Spuffy. Spuffy 'shippers are GENERALLY (Hi, Chrislee) older than B/A 'shippers.

Also, the current survey - which is the one I did for "fun" - found that the three favorite characters of the Internet fans
surveyed were (in order): Spike, Buffy, and Angel.

~~

Now, on general principles, I don't think you should apologize for liking/loveing a fictional character. We love whom we love. Period. At the same time, when that fictional character is the fans' favorite AND represents 1/2 of the favorite 'ship? Why Why Why apologize?

~~

I think you need to hang out more in the more tolerant side of the Internet, yo'.

[makd.livejournal.com]

Forgot; my bad.

Read Chapter 9 and it's wonderful. I like the way you've smoothly integrated your story with canon. A job well done.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is very interesting. I will have to ruminate on that. (I feel an essay coming on!)

And thanks for the words on the chapter -- it took a long time, but I was mostly pleased with how it turned out, all things considered.

[stultiloquentia.livejournal.com]

Hey --
I found your lj right at the beginning of your horrible year, and was shy about friending you, fearing to make you feel gawked at by a random stranger. But I drop in every once in a while to browse your essays, which are often nifty, and your grammar posts. I love TMoaM.

Ch. 9 is great. We share a lot of kinks, including the one for romance built on friendship and collegiality. I loved Buffy's musings about that. And the buddy system! Thank you! I always thought it would have been neat, in S7, to see the gang combatting the First by instituting a hug/handshake policy. They were all isolated and starved for touch (except for S+B -- she was constantly patting him, making sure he felt her solid touch). What you've done is lovely.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! And I'm glad you did finally say hey. I really do have a big ol' kink for love that comes out of friendship -- I think that was one of the biggest issues I had with S6, was that not only did they turn Buffy and Spike's friendship into something really ugly to no real purpose, but they also destroyed the friendships of the Scoobs and Giles and... well, everyone. When people rant about S6, that's what I think of, but it's rarely what they think of.

And I guess that's what I get to do now -- fix it to my heart's content!

[http://users.livejournal.com/caraway_/]

Your update is wonderful, your opnions are correct, and I will have your 12 year old babies.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Heeeee.

And OMG, what a freaking great icon!