strangetomato | Updates and rambling on about various things

It's a grab bag of topics, folks...

So, what is this... Wednesday? *scratches head* Could I post the next chapter by the end of the week? I haven't actually taken any photos for it yet, but maybe I could put it together in a couple of days.

I'm thinking of taking a different approach to some of the upcoming chapters, and making them more centrally focused on one character or group of characters. The next chapter will have two parts (was originally going to be one, but I thought I'd add a little look at Erin and Circe before I got to Nervous - that side of the plot needs to catch up with itself). After that, I'm going to take all the college kids up to graduation (well, not Buck, Jill, etc.), but I think I'm going to tackle them seperately. There'll be a chapter on the trio, one just about Frances, one about Tank (yeah, I could combine those, but maybe not...). There'll be some overlap there with events in those sections, but I think this will work. I'll probably send Vidcund to Veronaville in there somewhere too.

So... it's good to have a plan of action. Next up: get some momentum back.

Oh, and squirrel_tamer has been feeding my creativity in a big way with some new drawings, and she REALLY outdid herself on the latest one. (Seriously, I'd like to print this out and frame it... and maybe I will.) It really captures the whole J/R/O thing so well for me, and it's a gorgeous drawing. Scroll up for some other sketches, and she posted this set recently too - also very cool. (I'm pretty sure those are the only ones I haven't linked to yet.)

Thanks a BILLION for these, ST (hey, we have the same initials. How... confusing). ^_^ You're super cool. I liked your suggested soundtrack for that latest drawing, but I'd also like to suggest Illuminated by Weird War. Have a listen (it's on Youtube)... I think it really works. *adjusts nerdly glasses*

Speaking of nerds, If you'll allow me to nerd out about characterization a little here, I love how she's drawn their bodies in this one. It really exaggerates the differences in heights and builds in the way I imagine they differ. Ophelia is so cute and pear-shaped. And short... or, at least, she's short compared to Johnny. Johnny is tall (I think of PT as being tall too, so perhaps it's an alien thing) and thin. He's athletic, and not really underweight, but maybe bordering on it. Ripp probably tells him that he needs to eat more meat. *snicker* I really like the image of Johnny as this willowy, green, vegan athlete. It's pretty kickass to me.

Ripp is physically average, but has a hint of those solid "army guy" genetics, and you can tell he could be really well built, like Tank is, if he bothered to try (though, of course, he doesn't). He's somewhat broad-shouldered and it all looks pretty good, but get closer and he feels... kinda flabby.

I told you this would be nerdy. ;)

I also sometimes think about how their voices would sound, and I've made reference to it here and there in the story (same goes for those body types too - I've mentioned it a couple of times). Some characters give off really definite "voices" like that when I'm writing their dialogue. I'll spare you the details for now... unless you're really interested.

I've been playing with Apartment Life a little, and I do enjoy a lot of the new features. There are some issues with it, of course, but MATY has provided some fixes (be sure to get the critical fix and the updated notownieregen - that fixes an NPC spawning issue similar to the one from BV - both hacks are in the updated Director's Cut). I'm happy to have the Director's Cut again, since there are some real sanity-savers in there, though I always spend some time weeding out all the hacks I don't like. Traditional Marriage? Umm, no thanks... I can decide who's name gets taken myself.

Speaking of the Director's Cut, there are always a number of hacks that are unlisted in the hack description thread. Does anyone know how to find information on those? I know it's part of the whole "director's cut" thing and I don't get to know what they do because I'm not "awesome" enough, but most actual director's cut dvds come with hours of commentary that over-explain the movie in question. I don't see why we can't get a simple one-liner about what those mystery hacks do.

But anyway... I'm lucky to have the Director's Cut at all, aren't I? I shouldn't complain.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I love the way you nerd out about the characters. It shows a real caring and attention to detail, signs of a good writer. And I really like your idea of a threesome. I recently started work on an OT3 in the Matrix fandom, and ever since I've been fascinated by the group dynamics of a triad as opposed to a traditional couple. If done right, it's a beautiful thing to read.

I still have plans to go back and read your stuffs from the beginning, BTW. It just seems too great not to.

Well, good. If you like the nerding, you've come to the right place. :P I could go on and on... I find it fascinating and entertaining to work out character details. The right detail can just add so much when you just drop it in the story at the right place. I love that sort of thing when I'm reading something.

I agree. Any relationship is interesting, and the dynamic between three close friends can be interesting enough without the trouble that love can add to that mix. With three different relationships at work (and six different points of view), and varying degrees of romance and/or intimacy involved, it's very fascinating. The thing about three is that one will often (always?) feel like the apex of the triangle, while the other two are having a moment. That's why these things so often remain as love triangles or fracture and fall apart. It's hard to find a balance there, but sometimes it does work.

Thank you. :) I really appreciate that you'd go back to read all that. I know how hard it can be to catch up on a back chapters. I'm glad you've been enjoying what you've read so far.

Character details are like a fine spice added to a story!

The group dynamics of three is always going to be challenging; peoples' roles constantly change, and a lot of the time there's going to be one who feels left out.

Out of curiosity: do you know how intimate Johnny and Ripp are going to get? Will it always be platonic, or is there going to be some room for greater romantic intimacy between them? I'm really drawn to stories that have characters not so much question their sexuality but think about accepting things they wouldn't with other people or prior relationships. Not some internal crisis, but a mature examining of feelings. It doesn't even have to be sexual.

LOL like I said, the dynamics of three fascinate me!

I couldn't agree more.

As for the nature of Johnny and Ripp's relationship, I can't say too much about that right now. Or, rather, I won't. It's one of the areas of the story I've deliberated over more than most. On one hand, they really could go past a platonic level in their relationship. Like you said, those things can happen, even when someone didn't know they had it in their sexual/romantic programming. Sexuality is such a mystery. It's very hard to argue hard and fast rules on what can or cannot happen between people, and even those who seem very set in a certain way (I can hear the Tank/Frances supporters getting their hopes up).

Then again, they might remain (I won't say "only") friends. The line between romance and an intimate friendship is pretty fine to me, though. There's also the concept of "romantic friendship", which has the intimacy, but draws the line at sexual contact (but where's the line for that? *snicker* kiss? hug? backrub?). I do like the idea of them as friends who can be that close too. The intimacy might be more of a familial sort.

They might also have differing opinions about their relationship, or what they would like it to be. There's also that. It could always be a changing and undefined thing too. They aren't required to declare anything, unless they want to.

You're right. This is pretty fascinating to think about.

But, as I said, I'm not going to reveal my plans. ;) I do have plans, but they've been known to change.

Totally understand you not wanting to reveal your plans! Plotting is hard. It's one big reason I haven't tried a story format Sims thing myself.

What's great about sexuality is how flexible it can be. For example, I'm about as straight a female as they come, but I've had a couple secret crushes on girls and I'm not even sure how far they might have gone in different circumstances.

The way I see your version of Johnny and Ripp is they would be really comfortable with a more intimate physical relationship but draw the line at sexual contact. That drawing of them in bed sticks in my mind. Imagine a threesome with the sexual energy focused on Ophelia but the boys being comfortable with each other nude. *sigh* I think that's one of my kinks.

The more important part of the whole relationship is the emotions. Even with what little I've read, I can tell these three are really close emotionally. It's amazing how much thought we put into fictional people. Humans tend to react to fictional characters as though they are real, it's an interesting psychological thing.

Sexuality can be very random. I know a guy who has been in a committed relationship with a man for almost ten years, and he suddenly fell for a woman (but he chose not to follow through on it). He had never thought of himself as anything other than gay.

For myself, I know I've been all over the map with it, even though I've mostly been involved with men. To an outside observer, I would be considered straight, but I don't consider myself limited by that. So, unless they ask, they don't know, and it's the same way with fictional characters. There are often things beneath the surface that we don't see, and they might not even see it themselves.

That's an interesting analysis of Johnny and Ripp, and who knows... you might be right (or maybe not). I have to let it work itself out as I go. The characters keep changing things for me, so I'm never completely sure if my plans will stick.

(I quite like that sort of scenario too. The idea of a relationship that is that close, but stays just short of sexual. There's a beauty in it for me. And the idea of two guys working together to please a woman is very appealing. It's interesting that this supposedly does often happen with two guys who identify as straight, even though there's that element of same-sex contact to it.)

It seems like people react even more to fictional characters, since we can get so deeply into their hearts and minds. Nobody ever knows that much about anyone else in real life. We barely know that about ourselves. But in fiction, we can explore that in a character.

Updates and rambling on about various things

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject