Procrastinating is Fun
Jun. 5th, 2007 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lls_mutantSo I should be writing, but I'm not. Or at least, not at a rapid pace.
Last week I posted about For Better or For Worse, and how Michael was annoying the snot out of me. (For the record, he still is. He has been for some time.) However, this really does make me sad, because I grew up with For Better or For Worse. Michael is two years younger than me (I think), and I always really found him an empathetic character, especially given that he had a totally annoying younger sister. (Well, annoying to him.) I want to still like Michael, but I don't.
So. Two lists.
Ten times I really, really liked Michael Patterson.
1.) There was a Sunday strip when Michael was in high school, when he was home alone. (The girls and their parents had gone on a cross country trip to see the grandparents, and Michael had to stay home to work.) A hummingbird flew into the house, and Michael caught it and got it out. At the end, he wrote in his journal, "Every so often you're given the chance to touch a miracle. Today, I held a hummingbird in my hand."
I've always empathized with Michael's desire to be a writer, and in recent years, I've found his writing to be intolerable. It's not often shown in the strip, but it is in the monthly letters. It's usually present tense, which I hate, and I find the style pretentious and full of purple prose. I sort of dismiss this as Lynn Johnston not being a "real" writer, but honestly? It drives me nuts.
That one sentence Michael wrote in high school has stuck with me in ways that his current bad fanfic style never, ever will. ::Sigh::
2.) When Michael was a preteen, and Gordon was over and saw his teddy bear. They laughed over it and Michael kicked it under the bed, but as soon as Gordon was gone, he rescued it and put it back in its place. So cute.
3.) When Michael and Weed got their first job for Portrait Magazine and were jumping around hooting and holloring like idiots, and two old guys thought they were high.
4.) When Michael was an idiot and taking pictures of the accident that Deanna was in.
I add this one for a reason. I hated Michael there, really. He was being an insensitive jerk. But for one, it was age appropriate. For two, he deserved the smackdown he got. It was in character for him to act that way, and in character for him to realize how terrible it had been once everything calmed down.
Recently, I've felt that LJ isn't seeing her character's flaws. Example: Liz and Paul. Yes, Paul did cheat on Liz, and I don't ever find justification for that. But I have a problem with how it's been handled, especially in the monthly letters. I mean, Liz decided first to stay up North, and Paul requested a transfer to be with her. Then, without discussing it with him at all, she decided to move home. Paul DID request another transfer, but it was denied. (I think?)
When the breakup came, Susan was "Paul's own kind." (Said by Gary and Viv.) Liz "made Paul up" (something she said in the letters on the website.) When Paul couldn't come down to Ontario for the long, dragged-out trial, Elly commented on how Paul wasn't there for Liz. (Does "work" mean anything here?) There was no blaming Liz for changing her mind and not committing to Paul- it was Paul's fault or no one's fault. But with what we were presented, I thought Liz screwed that relationship up royally. Paul was very obviously devoted to her, and Liz threw it away. Liz didn't get the moral smackdown from the writers/artists; Paul did. And again, while I never condone cheating, I'm just saying that maybe Paul deserved some better treatment before that. But rather than making it clear that Liz had a hand in how the relationship fell apart, Liz is treated as the injured party entirely.
So yeah, the Mike-is-a-jerk-about-the-accident arc is part of what made FBOFW stand out to me- the characters used to be so human.
5.) When Liz and Mike went out to the food court, and Mike leered at two girls. He and Liz got into an argument about the appropriateness, and Liz finally shot him down with "They were my age." It was just a really funny moment.
6.) The Lawrence-is-gay arc. There are two important moments here. One was when Lawrence asked if things would ever be the same. Mike said no, but in a few seconds they were punching each other in the arm in a way that made it clear Mike was going to get over his issues fast. It was well-handled, and Mike was realistic in his fears and preconceptions, but also in his loyalty. The other moment was when Mike brought Lawrence home and then slipped out as Lawrence and Connie were hugging, clearly recognizing this as a family moment. Again, mature and tactful on Mike's part.
7.) When Michael came home from University, and went out to check on his job. April complained that he'd just gotten home, so he suggested he come with her and they get an ice-cream cone. Compassionate and sweet and considerate.
8.) After Deanna had Robin, and Mira and Wilf were arguing in the apartment, Mike got them to leave firmly, politely, and with no other questions. His first priority was Deanna and the kids at that point. I respected that.
9.) Michael's arguments with Elizabeth. Yes, half the time they were totally his fault. But that's an older sibling's right, just like it's the younger sibling's right to torment the elder. Mike and Lizzie's relationship is what got me into FBOFW in the first place, because it is SO SIBLING. :)
10.) Mike assessing the real meaning of friendship.
and
Ten reasons he drives me nuts now.
1.) When Robin was nursing, and Michael told Merrie that Deanna made "chocolate."
Parents, is there ANYONE who doesn't agree with me that this was a truly dumb and rather cruel thing to do to your kid? For one, it's an out-and-out lie, and he knows it. And for two, it makes what one kid has look tons better than what the other kid gets. This was the precise moment Mike and I totally lost it.
2.) Taking over April's room for five months after the fire.
In the letters, April has mentioned that she redid her bedroom (paint and furniture) from her own pocket. After the fire, Mike and Deanna took over April's bedroom, and April has been down in the basement. For FIVE months. It just seems like, once they realized they were going to be there a while, it would have been far more considerate to let April have her own room and her own stuff than to kick her out of it for that long.
3.) The fact he's been at home for five months since the fire. I'm sorry- I just can't believe that it would be THAT hard to find SOMETHING. Especially when you do have kids, and your wife makes 100K. Although at least he is paying rent. But still.
4.) This I do attribute to too-many-characters-not-enough-time, but there's been a lot of Mike needing to escape his kids, and very little showing him doing any of the heavy lifting with the kids. Like I said, I do believe this is just what Lynn is showing- we all have those "I need to get away!" days. (This journal is filled with them.) But it puts a bad taste in my mouth.
5.) Mother's Day this year. The strip was Deanna taking two arguing kids to see a mother dog for a Mother's Day treat. Understandable, but dude. Where the heck was Mike? Wasn't this supposed to be Deanna's special day? Especially since Deanna looked EXHAUSTED by the end. I realize this point seems almost contradictory to the last one, but it's not. I keep feeling like Deanna is always the one doing the grunt work with the kids, and Mike is usually shown helping when the activity is a fun one.
6.) Quitting his job at Portrait Magazine because he was asked to lay off one person. Dude, you're in a management position. I know laying people off isn't easy, but it's part of the job. Quitting to make a stand about what is a standard business practice- without any thought or discussion with your wife- strikes me as irresponsible, especially when you do have two kids to support.
7.) The secret wedding and then the big wedding. I do understand, but that's a big etiquette no-no. It does bother me, even though I can kind of understand.
8.) From the letter Iris wrote this month: In fact, I'm frustrated in general these days. I need some help, and someone to talk to. April and Liz are each here on weekends, which is excellent. April stays with Jim, usually, while Liz and I go out and run errands together, or just get lunch. Elly and John pop over whenever they can, but with their move it's been difficult to get together. I think that once they're settled in they'll make a point of coming to visit more. Elly has offered to stay here with Jim for a few days running if I want to go visit my daughter, Maggie.
Notice who's missing? If Mike lived far away, I could understand. But even though he can't communicate, Iris has made it clear Jim can generally understand. I'm sure Grandpa would like to see his grandson, and even more- his great grand-kids. He's not to the point where it's not appropriate to take kids to see him. And even if it was, there are plenty of people to watch the kidlets while Mike runs over to spend some time with his grandfather.
9.) We're finally seeing some joy, but Mike's utter fear of buying a house- and for a long time, all we saw was fear. Sure, some fear is natural, but when you've lived in your parents' house for 5 months and have the financial situation that Mike and Deanna have, overwhelming fear at getting your own place should not be all there is.
10.) Mike's writing. It's just really, really bad and pretentious. (Or at least, it drives me nuts.) This is entirely from the letters, and not at all from the strip, btw.
That killed an hour or so! :)
Last week I posted about For Better or For Worse, and how Michael was annoying the snot out of me. (For the record, he still is. He has been for some time.) However, this really does make me sad, because I grew up with For Better or For Worse. Michael is two years younger than me (I think), and I always really found him an empathetic character, especially given that he had a totally annoying younger sister. (Well, annoying to him.) I want to still like Michael, but I don't.
So. Two lists.
Ten times I really, really liked Michael Patterson.
1.) There was a Sunday strip when Michael was in high school, when he was home alone. (The girls and their parents had gone on a cross country trip to see the grandparents, and Michael had to stay home to work.) A hummingbird flew into the house, and Michael caught it and got it out. At the end, he wrote in his journal, "Every so often you're given the chance to touch a miracle. Today, I held a hummingbird in my hand."
I've always empathized with Michael's desire to be a writer, and in recent years, I've found his writing to be intolerable. It's not often shown in the strip, but it is in the monthly letters. It's usually present tense, which I hate, and I find the style pretentious and full of purple prose. I sort of dismiss this as Lynn Johnston not being a "real" writer, but honestly? It drives me nuts.
That one sentence Michael wrote in high school has stuck with me in ways that his current bad fanfic style never, ever will. ::Sigh::
2.) When Michael was a preteen, and Gordon was over and saw his teddy bear. They laughed over it and Michael kicked it under the bed, but as soon as Gordon was gone, he rescued it and put it back in its place. So cute.
3.) When Michael and Weed got their first job for Portrait Magazine and were jumping around hooting and holloring like idiots, and two old guys thought they were high.
4.) When Michael was an idiot and taking pictures of the accident that Deanna was in.
I add this one for a reason. I hated Michael there, really. He was being an insensitive jerk. But for one, it was age appropriate. For two, he deserved the smackdown he got. It was in character for him to act that way, and in character for him to realize how terrible it had been once everything calmed down.
Recently, I've felt that LJ isn't seeing her character's flaws. Example: Liz and Paul. Yes, Paul did cheat on Liz, and I don't ever find justification for that. But I have a problem with how it's been handled, especially in the monthly letters. I mean, Liz decided first to stay up North, and Paul requested a transfer to be with her. Then, without discussing it with him at all, she decided to move home. Paul DID request another transfer, but it was denied. (I think?)
When the breakup came, Susan was "Paul's own kind." (Said by Gary and Viv.) Liz "made Paul up" (something she said in the letters on the website.) When Paul couldn't come down to Ontario for the long, dragged-out trial, Elly commented on how Paul wasn't there for Liz. (Does "work" mean anything here?) There was no blaming Liz for changing her mind and not committing to Paul- it was Paul's fault or no one's fault. But with what we were presented, I thought Liz screwed that relationship up royally. Paul was very obviously devoted to her, and Liz threw it away. Liz didn't get the moral smackdown from the writers/artists; Paul did. And again, while I never condone cheating, I'm just saying that maybe Paul deserved some better treatment before that. But rather than making it clear that Liz had a hand in how the relationship fell apart, Liz is treated as the injured party entirely.
So yeah, the Mike-is-a-jerk-about-the-accident arc is part of what made FBOFW stand out to me- the characters used to be so human.
5.) When Liz and Mike went out to the food court, and Mike leered at two girls. He and Liz got into an argument about the appropriateness, and Liz finally shot him down with "They were my age." It was just a really funny moment.
6.) The Lawrence-is-gay arc. There are two important moments here. One was when Lawrence asked if things would ever be the same. Mike said no, but in a few seconds they were punching each other in the arm in a way that made it clear Mike was going to get over his issues fast. It was well-handled, and Mike was realistic in his fears and preconceptions, but also in his loyalty. The other moment was when Mike brought Lawrence home and then slipped out as Lawrence and Connie were hugging, clearly recognizing this as a family moment. Again, mature and tactful on Mike's part.
7.) When Michael came home from University, and went out to check on his job. April complained that he'd just gotten home, so he suggested he come with her and they get an ice-cream cone. Compassionate and sweet and considerate.
8.) After Deanna had Robin, and Mira and Wilf were arguing in the apartment, Mike got them to leave firmly, politely, and with no other questions. His first priority was Deanna and the kids at that point. I respected that.
9.) Michael's arguments with Elizabeth. Yes, half the time they were totally his fault. But that's an older sibling's right, just like it's the younger sibling's right to torment the elder. Mike and Lizzie's relationship is what got me into FBOFW in the first place, because it is SO SIBLING. :)
10.) Mike assessing the real meaning of friendship.
and
Ten reasons he drives me nuts now.
1.) When Robin was nursing, and Michael told Merrie that Deanna made "chocolate."
Parents, is there ANYONE who doesn't agree with me that this was a truly dumb and rather cruel thing to do to your kid? For one, it's an out-and-out lie, and he knows it. And for two, it makes what one kid has look tons better than what the other kid gets. This was the precise moment Mike and I totally lost it.
2.) Taking over April's room for five months after the fire.
In the letters, April has mentioned that she redid her bedroom (paint and furniture) from her own pocket. After the fire, Mike and Deanna took over April's bedroom, and April has been down in the basement. For FIVE months. It just seems like, once they realized they were going to be there a while, it would have been far more considerate to let April have her own room and her own stuff than to kick her out of it for that long.
3.) The fact he's been at home for five months since the fire. I'm sorry- I just can't believe that it would be THAT hard to find SOMETHING. Especially when you do have kids, and your wife makes 100K. Although at least he is paying rent. But still.
4.) This I do attribute to too-many-characters-not-enough-time, but there's been a lot of Mike needing to escape his kids, and very little showing him doing any of the heavy lifting with the kids. Like I said, I do believe this is just what Lynn is showing- we all have those "I need to get away!" days. (This journal is filled with them.) But it puts a bad taste in my mouth.
5.) Mother's Day this year. The strip was Deanna taking two arguing kids to see a mother dog for a Mother's Day treat. Understandable, but dude. Where the heck was Mike? Wasn't this supposed to be Deanna's special day? Especially since Deanna looked EXHAUSTED by the end. I realize this point seems almost contradictory to the last one, but it's not. I keep feeling like Deanna is always the one doing the grunt work with the kids, and Mike is usually shown helping when the activity is a fun one.
6.) Quitting his job at Portrait Magazine because he was asked to lay off one person. Dude, you're in a management position. I know laying people off isn't easy, but it's part of the job. Quitting to make a stand about what is a standard business practice- without any thought or discussion with your wife- strikes me as irresponsible, especially when you do have two kids to support.
7.) The secret wedding and then the big wedding. I do understand, but that's a big etiquette no-no. It does bother me, even though I can kind of understand.
8.) From the letter Iris wrote this month: In fact, I'm frustrated in general these days. I need some help, and someone to talk to. April and Liz are each here on weekends, which is excellent. April stays with Jim, usually, while Liz and I go out and run errands together, or just get lunch. Elly and John pop over whenever they can, but with their move it's been difficult to get together. I think that once they're settled in they'll make a point of coming to visit more. Elly has offered to stay here with Jim for a few days running if I want to go visit my daughter, Maggie.
Notice who's missing? If Mike lived far away, I could understand. But even though he can't communicate, Iris has made it clear Jim can generally understand. I'm sure Grandpa would like to see his grandson, and even more- his great grand-kids. He's not to the point where it's not appropriate to take kids to see him. And even if it was, there are plenty of people to watch the kidlets while Mike runs over to spend some time with his grandfather.
9.) We're finally seeing some joy, but Mike's utter fear of buying a house- and for a long time, all we saw was fear. Sure, some fear is natural, but when you've lived in your parents' house for 5 months and have the financial situation that Mike and Deanna have, overwhelming fear at getting your own place should not be all there is.
10.) Mike's writing. It's just really, really bad and pretentious. (Or at least, it drives me nuts.) This is entirely from the letters, and not at all from the strip, btw.
That killed an hour or so! :)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-06-06 05:52 pm (UTC)