MinervaFan

Glad you're home, Hooked. Grandma's have such a way of keeping on being grandmas even after they leave this world. Fey and I went have a spot of tea yesterday, and I swear my grandmother's coffee cup and saucer was staring right at me from the table! It's like, almost ten years, and you still say hello every now and then, don't you, Grandma?

Completely OT, I just wanted to let you guys know I cut my hair yesterday--SHORT. It's much shorter than I expected it to be, and it turned out...well, groovy. It's way with the OOMPH, and actually has... you know, wave and stuff. Not JE in the Rough wave, but a heck of a lot more than I thought I had. And the maintenence is like--wet, brush, scootch with fingers, let dry. I'm much good with this kind of hair. I'll try to get Fey to take a picture of it so you guys can see the final result. Oh, and my braid? Is going to Locks of Love.

Hooked, I'm so sorry you're going through this right now. That's got to be so hard--I don't envy you the job of going through your grandmother's things. I know you'll do okay, and get through it. Have a good flight, and we look forward to having you home again.

FWIW, I wrote a short Shadybrook!Tracy fic this morning and posted it to the Ficathon. Lights Out: The first night was the hardest. URL: http://community.livejournal.com/tq_ficathon/87202.html

And I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of Inyron's fanfic--it's really good, and I think you guys will like it. We are so lucky to have so many good writers in our midst.

Just read the SZ Recaps.

Yay! No reason to watch my tape this afternoon!

Oh, and today was much better than yesterday. No freak outs, no racing pulse, and just the normal everyday stress of the job. AND IT'S FRIDAY!

Deb, I agree Jane was so fabulous and I loved her attempts to ignore Alan as well.

I hope you are doing better today and am sending you some calming vibes. Believe me I know what you are going through. I had been having panic attacks coupled with extrememe anxiety every day on and off for almost a month until this week. These days it has added the symtoms of having the feeling of wanting to jump out of my skin and irrational thoughts at times.

That's EXACTLY how I felt. Of course, today, I'm feeling stupid and melodramatic. PSA, ya'll. Depression is real. Can't state that enough. No matter what Tom Freakin' Cruise says, depression is real.

Inyron, I agree with you that Dillon seemed very much back IC yesterday--although I thought his hug with Tracy in Shadybrook was very telling. She doesn't trust him anymore. It shows. She sees the change. Maybe that will play a part in his exit storyline--that he's changed and he wants to find the "Real" Dillon again--outside of PC. After Tracy, Dillon was always my favorite character until the stupid Lulu-Diego storyline. Then he just spiraled out of control and TIIC ruined him. (I still love real!Dillon, and wish he'd come back.....really. I love him.) I hope he and Tracy get some serious screen time together before he goes. He brings out such wonderfulness in her, and she brings out such wonderfulness in him. I wish to death the stupid writers understood that, and kept Dillon as Dillon, instead of trying to make him a "Teen Character" in the worst sense of the words.

Welcome, inyron. Just to clarify about the Ficathon--lots of the stories there are from POVs other than Tracy's. As long as she's a major player, it's perfectly okay to post it to the Ficathon. If you PM me, I'll be happy to talk to you about the story and maybe help you out.

About yesterday's show--Lainey Winters is still the biggest dumbf^ck quack of a lousy psychiatrist in the history of all time. She is so being played by Edward, and is too naive/stupid/braindamaged from the tequila shots to notice. The fact that she was able to given a court order without any prior psychiatric evaluations -- from a judge who was a "family friend" of the Quartermaines -- should have had alarms going off in her head immediately. Either way, she shouldn't have been so blase about it, and she sure as hell should be more concerned that this all transpired in less than a week--with NO PRIOR PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATIONS -- and Alan's been dead for four months. Involuntary committment is a huge thing, and can ruin a person's life. It can have an affect on whether you can purchase a handgun, hold certain jobs, etc. You DON'T involuntarily commit somebody without just cause and much documentation.

That rant aside, I have to admit our girl played it FABULOUSLY. Jane had the perfect element of outrage, cynical amusement, fear, scheming and actual "crazy" to make it totally believable. Her efforts to ignore Alan were perfect--she is just so damned good an actress. Honestly, if I weren't so outraged about the piss-poor writing and the insult to the psychiatric profession they're turning Lainey Winters into, I'd be thrilled with this storyline. Tracy's line about "I m afraid I'll start foaming at the mouth, barking like a dog, and quoting Tennessee Williams" had me ROFL. I always knew there was a connection between insanity and a working knowledge of the text of Tennessee Williams' plays....

Speaking of insanity, just an OT update on yesterday. Around 1 pm, I started to have what I can only imagine was an anxiety attack at work. I had a combination of physical discomfort and emotional distress just escalate out of control. I couldn't focus, I couldn't concentrate, and I couldn't sit still. I did my work as best as I could, took frequent bathroom breaks, walked around the building (our call center is in a remodeled Wal-Mart, so that's no small task), and then finally went home at 3:30 because I couldn't take it any more. Four Aleves and a four hour nap later, I was feeling a little better. I'm hoping my boss doesn't think I'm crazy, or worse--faking it. Sometimes my depression will cause me to have these panic attacks--there is no cause, no link to anything I can fix (my caffeine intake yesterday was about normal, btw), and nothing to do except ride them out. (Believe me, I've done the Emergency Room, EKG thing. It doesn't help.)

So, wish me luck that today is better.....

Oh, dear gawd. Does Tracy actually do a Blanche DuBois moment???? LOL.

Hey, guys, Maggie at the LC/SD Yahoo Group has created a Quartermaine Fan Fiction list. Edit: BTW, this is Monica/Alan specific, but I think we can nudge. I joined, and I thought it might be nice to have some of the Tracy fans represented.

To join, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/QuartermaineFanFic and follow the instructions.

The biggest question on my mind after watching yesterday's episode is of course....

IS LAINEY WINTERS THE BIGGEST QUACK EVER TO HIT THE PSYCHIATRIC PROFESSION OR WHAT????

Okay, she shows up with STRAIGHT jackets after observing a woman for twenty seconds from another room and talking to her for five minutes? A bleepin' STRAIGHT JACKET?

I sat through her inept miscalculations during the whole "Em thinks Sonny is cracked, but Lainey thinks he's charming" fiasco.

I held my breath as she (and Scrubs) discussed medical treatment of Laura with a man who is (a) not related and (B ) not specifically designated as Laura's guardian (Oh, somebody PLEASE call the HIIPA police!)

But I will no longer remain silent. Lainey, you my dear, are a quack. You give psychiatric professionals a bad name. You lend credence to the BS coming out of Tom Cruise and John Travolta's Scientology-spewing mouths....

I am hereby making a citizen's arrest. Lainey Winters, I demand that you hand over your license immediately and cease and desist the practice of psychiatry...before you HURT somebody.

Freakin' moron.

ETA: The above tirade is against GH character Lainey Winters, not to be confused with our own beloved (and completely competent) LaineyBev.

Thanks, Angel. If I'd trusted the stupid SZ Live Post, I might not have known. Any chance of a recap?

I wrote a wierd little stream of consciousness thing at lunch. This Time, He Leaves: Tracy responds to a conversation with Ned about Dillon.

Thanks TL Jane looks like she is going to knock that scene out of the park. Another scene for her potential Emmy reel.

...not that she ever submits an Emmy reel...

Whoever asked, yeah, there were pictures with the articles--and yeah, they were the stock JE pics that they use with every, single, blessed article. Pretty, but over them.

The MediaNet stuff--wow. I am not looking forward to this. I mean, I am looking forward to JE and Scott having some great scenes, but I'm not looking forward to Tracy losing another son from her life. Oy. I'm feeling morose. Stupid hormones....

Glad to hear JI is okay. Why do I get this imental mage of JE and LC cornering him on the set and reading him the riot act about taking better care of himself?

*sad*

Lainey's out of town.

Hooked's out of town.

MsQ's out of the freckin' country.

*taps on computer monitor*

C'mon, ya'll. Come out to play. I'm bored.

ETA:

There are two small articles with Jane in the news ABC Soaps In Depth.

In an article about Scott Clifton's departure, she says she is still stunned and that her empty nest syndrome at work is as bad as it is at home. She also hoped that Scott was as good as her own son at keeping in touch.

The second article was about

Jane's childhood dream of starring in musical comedies. According to the actress, she was somewhat hampered by her inability to sing and/or dance, but that didn't stop her from dreaming. I personally think this is just too darned cute for words. And she can sing! Everybody, altogether--"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...."

I'm REALLY bored, ya'll. I'll just keep posting until somebody entertains me....

Found this neat little toy online--it takes your .jpg file and creates a "sketch." Granted, nothing so fabulous as knh does, but it's fun to play with. (I tried it with this wonderful picture I have of Morgan Freeman and Dana Ivey in Driving Miss Daisy, and it came out pretty cool.)

http://www.dumpr.net/sketch.php

Hooked and Angel, I'm so sorry about your grandmothers. I think any of us who have lost a grandmother we were close to has an understanding of what you're going through, both of you; but that doesn't change the unique experience you are having, nor does it lessen the challenge of what you're facing. Thinking on my own experience of losing my grandmothers (one close, one not so close), I send you both my love and prayers today. Be strong, and let what they have given you--the love, the wisdom, the stories--carry you through.

Am I safe in assuming no Tracy today?

Oh here is a funny Monday morning story for you guys to make you laugh...the joys of little boys...

I was in my kids bathroom today and they have this little white stepstool thing in the bathroom to the sink that has a little flip top lid on the top step from pottery barn kids or something like that. Anyway, it was in there for years so my little one could reach the sink to wash his hands. Anyway, I happened to notice the top of it was not staying down so I opened it up (forgetting that there was even a compartment inside of it. And what do I find? Literally about 20 pairs of star wars, spongebob and power ranger underwear stashed in there. I was like WTF??? I was wondering why he had no underwear in his drawers and why I kept buying him more and it kept vanishing. I was cracking up!!!! So I asked him about why he was putting them in there and he said, "cause it was cwoser (closer) than the hamper" Oy!

I am going to try to write some more today if I have time!

LOL--that is so cute about your son! I hope you get to write some more. Father's Day was truly one of the best stories you've done. It felt very "free," for lack of a better term. Like you'd wrested yourself from the iron grip of plot and let yourself just write this character's life as it was in the moment. It was very powerful and poignant, and I hope to get more from you like this. (Not that I'm all that against the iron grip of plot, especially when the plots are good.)

Oh, and I figured out the cure for writers' block--read. I've been reading "The Story of Philosophy" by Will Durant (C. 1926), and I'm like, oooh, I want to write I want to write. Not that I don't want to read, but the narrative is so good and the style so beautiful that I'm inspired to write myself. I'll have to carve out some time to write this week, but I think I'm going to be okay.

And Tracy IS going to be on today. Why? Because we're supposed to have thunderstorms and bad weather, and there's like a 75% chance of GH being pre-empted by weather reports.

Not to totally put my neck on the line here, but storyline for storyline, I actually prefer OLTL right now. There's no Tracy to suck me in, but I like a larger percent of the characters (Dorian, Vicki, Nora, Marcy, Michael, Blair, Roxy, etc.), and they have a better overall division of labor as far as acting goes. There are "stars" who show up all the time, but not in a MoBernard/Steve Burton sort of way. Nobody takes over the screen to the detriment of other characters in the way characters on GH do, and overall the storylines are a little less repetitive and a little more realistic than GH's are. Okay, so we're still trying to figure out who killed Spencer Truman (duh? Tracy Quartermaine?), but at least it's not six months of Who My Baby Daddy followed by another six months of angst because My Baby Daddy Ain't My Husband!

ETA:

A gift for Mah Peeps!

(Found this on my Photobucket page and had to share the fond memories....)

Putting the TG thing in perspective....total total speculation based only in my own fevered assumptions.

1. The man has survived gawd knows how many years in the business by knowing how to deal with reporters and the public. What he says in interviews has a 50/50 shot of actually being what he really believes. (That's a nice way of saying I doubt he's above lying to the press to say what they want to hear and what will not get him crucified publicly. Maybe he should teach a course, and Tristan Rogers should be his first student.)
2. TG does have pull. He is the biggest face on that show, with huge name recognition. GF has been gone only five years and has huge fan support. If TG were putting pressure on TIIC to get GF back, and the fans were putting pressure to get GF back, and the press is putting pressure on to get GF back, and if GF wanted to be back as much as she's telling the press she wants to be back, don't you think she'd be back by now? I think honestly, the LAST thing TG wants to go back to is that Luke and Laura thing. From what I've read, it totally unraveled his life in the 80s, drove him out of the country, and really just freaked him out. Whatever his personal feelings about GF may be, I doubt TG wants to relive the "glory days" of Luke and Laura.
3. Money. Money is the big thing. Money led them to "kill" Alan (oh, and what a stupid muck they made of that!) and money, eventually, is what will decide the level of return GF has. If she's greedy, or too demanding, or just plain snotty, they won't play ball with her. She's popular, but she's not working. She's not gone on to have a career like Meg Ryan or Demi Moore. She has a store in Maine and sells stuff online. All she has going for her is nostalgia, and that's while a huge thing, the bottom line is bigger. TIIC want her back because it will help ratings and because it will make them look like the "Good Guys" for "bringing Genie back." But the fact is, if she were worth paying for and fighting for, they would have already done it.

So. My bottom line is, Genie Francis will DEFINITELY come back to GH, but on TIIC's terms. Either on contract (and not an Ingo or Tony contract, but a normal contract for normal actors--hell, even Mo Bernard doesn't have an Ingo or Tony contract...) or as a guest-star. And I think at this time, it will be in Genie's better interest to do the guest star thing, so we can look forward to seeing her about as much as we see Anna and Robert and Holly.

YMMV.

So, hooked, has the Houston Department of Emergency Services been advised of your plans to cook this morning? Because they might want to have a crew on hand, just in case! Ha. Just teasing.

While I appreciate your being so domestic for Father's Day, you really need to get cracking on that TrAsh fic, woman. How dare you have a life that interferes with your fannish activities?

Hope everyone has a great Father's Day.

A little Sunday morning treat for you guys--100 Situations #50 : A Catered Affair. URL: http://community.livejournal.com/tq_ficathon/86439.html

I know it's short, and I'm sorry for that. I've been having serious brain freeze lately, but this came to me and I decided to go with it.

Lainey, I still want that Tralu story when you get back from NOLA. Have a good time. Say hey to the City for me.

I'm in the breakroom, too.

I am the single most horrible person in the history of the universe.

Upon reading of John Ingle's collapse before the Emmy's last night, my first (honest) thought was, "OMG, Tracy's entire summer storyline is connected to Edward!" My second thought was, "OMG, that poor man. I hope he's okay." My third thought was, "Jesus, they do not need a real health crisis to deal with after all the fictional one's they've endured this year."

Upon reading that GF took home the Emmy, my first (honest) thought was, "Oh, hell." My second thought was, "And she lost weight, damnit." My third thought was, "There goes LuNacy."

I so cannot afford to skip my Prozac this weekend.

Humming...

The wheels on the bus go round and round...round and round...round and round...

I think they need to do "Port Charles: The Musical" as a Disney-type extravaganza. We could put Helena and Tracy in Villainess garb and they could have a show-stopper. Tracy could get her Cruella da Ville multi-toned hair back, even.....

Hey, if OLTL can do it, why not GH?

Ooh, and can they give Tracy a magical power, like the ability to stop time? How about Charmed Hospital--The Power of Q Will Steer Me True?

Somebody needs to give Guza an idea or two, because I'm sick of kidnapped babies, Who My Baby Daddy, Secret Pain, and Mob Wars. I'm really really tired of it.

Make Tracy crazy, and have her hallucinate a musical extravaganza a la "Phantom of the Opera," with Alan as the Phantom.

Just anything but more stupid baby talk, cuz...well...BORED NOW.

Hooked, that just bites about your friend cancelling. It can be incredibly frustrating. Of course, now you can channel that energy into fanfic, if you want--this could be the inspiration for a great TrAsh story--Larry cancels one of Tracy's parties due to "illness" and she extracts her revenge...Mwahahahaaaa.

My Stepmother, the Felon. Funny, with all the laws Tracy has broken in the past and got away with, that she finally gets nailed just for being a freakin' accomplice.

Still mulling over the Tracy-Lulu story. My next prompt is Affair, and I'm dreading it. No way to do that right, if you go with the tried and true connotation.

Want to do a Lulu/Spinelli story, too, but need a bunny. Anybody got any little literary rodents hopping around that they don't need?