Focus 2015-04-22

[Dave]

Be careful. That could get you started on the path to making yourself a Room Full Of Crazy.
(Warning, TV Tropes Link)

Ouch. Trust me, that isn't just a trope.

One of my nerdish friends in high school (like myself, an early-generation computer whiz-kid before it was trendy) went down that road... seeing conspiracies everywhere, amassing boxes full of clippings, filling notebooks with his theories and conclusions, sometimes proposing multiple conspiracy theories at once and ignoring the fact that they contradicted one another... I couldn't talk him back to rationality and eventually gave up trying.

It was multiply unfortunate. He'd always been a nice (albeit troubled) guy, extremely bright... but his anchor to reality slowly came adrift as his obsessions grew, and he found it increasingly difficult to hold down a job despite his smarts and skills. I now suspect he was suffering from adult-onset schizophrenia.

In the end, he turned out to be one of the ones who was actively dangerous... after a girlfriend broke up with him he went into a jealous rage and shot her to death. I gave his lawyer copies of all of the emails he and I had exchanged, in the hope that it would help get him an honest evaluation of his mental status. The prosecution concluded they had no evidence he'd stalked her, or planned the shooting in advance... he just "lost it" in a big and horrible way... so they offered a deal. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, told the judge he wanted to be punished for what he had done, and was sentenced to 20-to-life.

I still grieve for all of them... for her, for her family and friends, and for him.

A guy who was a friend to both of us said to me a while later, "It's strange, and I hadn't thought I'd ever say this, but right now I'm glad my mother's no longer alive... because she loved him like a son, and it would utterly break her heart if I told her what he's come to."

So, yeah, the room full of crazy really is out there... it's not just stories, and it can be an utter train-wreck.

[Jabberwonky]

Woah! Krystal is pumped just like Shelley!

I noticed that too. She seems much beefier then when we saw her in the Para-School Pool.

I too, thought to comment on that.

maybe shes in her 'gotta dash, overland, need to change my shape a bit' mode. er sumpt'n...

yeah, I almost made a comment about her being butch enough to date a gay guy. But I don't mind, I've always liked tomboys...

[TazManiac]

yeah, I almost made a comment about her being butch enough to date a gay guy. But I don't mind, I've always liked tomboys...

While I've been appreciative of the girly-girls, it's the tomboys (and Amazons) I'm drawn to... there are so many kinds of pretty.

[GlytchMeister]

Be careful. That could get you started on the path to making yourself a Room Full Of Crazy.
(Warning, TV Tropes Link)

Ouch. Trust me, that isn't just a trope.
...Tragic story...

*blink, blink*
Uhhh. Jeeze. I, uh. Man... *runs fingers backwards through hair*
Sorry I triggered bad memories and... Stuff.
*puts hands in pockets, looks at ground*

[AnotherFairportfan]

It's MLP. Bronies can think the strangest things.

Speaking as somebody on the front lines of that fandom, I can & will confirm.

Heh, and I'm the guy with an avatar of a pony flying by the window of a girl holding a knife to her wrist.

...and i'm the guy who just changed his avatar, though it may take a few minutes before it propagates.

Let's cross-pollinate some more fandoms.

[jwhouk]

Remember what's on the wall of Atsali's room...

[AnotherFairportfan]

Remember what's on the wall of Atsali'S room...

Actually, i don't remember. What?

[GlytchMeister]

Mother of God... a MLP version of Spinnerette in the Wapsi Square forums?
This isn't just cross pollination. This is approaching crossover critical mass.

As for Atsali's wall hangings, I'm pretty sure there was a bit hullabaloo over a pony poster. I dunno, this is just from memory.

[AnotherFairportfan]

Mother of God... a MLP version of Spinnerette in the Wapsi Square forums?
This isn't just cross pollination. This is approaching crossover critical mass.

I've had that one on Gravatar for years, now. Occasionally, i pull it out when the time seems right.

[jwhouk]

Remember what's on the wall of Atsali'S room...

Actually, i don't remember. What?

Rainbow Dash.

[Dave]

*blink, blink*
Uhhh. Jeeze. I, uh. Man... *runs fingers backwards through hair*
Sorry I triggered bad memories and... Stuff.
*puts hands in pockets, looks at ground*

No, no, no need to apologize or be ashamed... you did nothing wrong... what was and is, is. It isn't anything I'm ever going to forget. I just use it to remind me that life is precious and fragile, that Bad Shit can happen to good people, and that as I think Ivanova summed it up, "(Babylon 5) taught us that we must take care of one another... because if we don't, who will?"

[GlytchMeister]

*blink, blink*
Uhhh. Jeeze. I, uh. Man... *runs fingers backwards through hair*
Sorry I triggered bad memories and... Stuff.
*puts hands in pockets, looks at ground*

No, no, no need to apologize or be ashamed... you did nothing wrong... what was and is, is. It isn't anything I'm ever going to forget. I just use it to remind me that life is precious and fragile, that Bad Shit can happen to good people, and that as I think Ivanova summed it up, "(Babylon 5) taught us that we must take care of one another... because if we don't, who will?"

Ok, good. I know lots of people have nasty stuff packed away in the dark corners of their minds, and I try to be careful not to trigger it with ignorant, privileged, or rash words.

[Catawampus]

Mother of God... a MLP version of Spinnerette in the Wapsi Square forums?
This isn't just cross pollination. This is approaching crossover critical mass.

Heh, my thought was that somebody had combined My Little Pony with Norse mythology. Which would make a rather interesting mix, now that I think on it (though everybody would end up killing each other in the end).

[AnotherFairportfan]

Mother of God... a MLP version of Spinnerette in the Wapsi Square forums?
This isn't just cross pollination. This is approaching crossover critical mass.

Heh, my thought was that somebody had combined My Little Pony with Norse mythology. Which would make a rather interesting mix, now that I think on it (though everybody would end up killing each other in the end).

Nope - "Spinnerette". If you're not reading it - why not?

[Atomic]

Mother of God... a MLP version of Spinnerette in the Wapsi Square forums?
This isn't just cross pollination. This is approaching crossover critical mass.

Heh, my thought was that somebody had combined My Little Pony with Norse mythology. Which would make a rather interesting mix, now that I think on it (though everybody would end up killing each other in the end).

I can suggest a worse one: My Little Oglaf.

Google at your (hilarious) peril!

[Catawampus]

Woah! Krystal is pumped just like Shelley!

I noticed that too. She seems much beefier then when we saw her in the Para-School Pool.

I too, thought to comment on that.

maybe shes in her 'gotta dash, overland, need to change my shape a bit' mode. er sumpt'n...

I noticed that she's not looking as slim as Jessie, but then my mind went off on another track.

When we first meet Jessie and Krystle, they're right next to each other in the pool. When Jessie has her wardrobe malfunction, Krystle is there right next to her. In the locker room when Jessie goes to talk to Atsali, Krystle is anxious for Jessie to rejoin her.

Later, after all the fracas with Cricket and Monica in the cafeteria, we meet the two mermaids again. Again, they're right next to each other. When startled, they huddle up together for protection.

Now, we see Jessie all in turmoil. The first thing she does is seek out the company of Krystle.

It seems that mermaids have a very strong schooling instinct.

Or perhaps that's just because they're schoolgirls?

Nope - "Spinnerette". If you're not reading it - why not?

Search engines haven't been working for me this week. Is there a URL?

[AnotherFairportfan]

Nope - "Spinnerette". If you're not reading it - why not?

Search engines haven't been working for me this week. Is there a URL?

Yep - http://spinnyverse.com

It's a general affectionate parody of superhero comics in general, that leans very heavily on the Fourth Wall - when Spinny designs her first costume, she gets a cease-and-desist from Marvel; her costume is too similar to that of Spider-Woman, who has a contract with Marvel.

While it' usually funny and not infrequently silly, sometimes it sneaks up on you - the reason one of the other heroes chose the identity and costume they did...

Definitely begin from the beginning.

[jwhouk]

A little more "proper" diagram of the relationship chart:

[AmriloJim]

Nice chart, but I wouldn't consider Atsali's attraction to Jacob as "has the hots for," not to the degree of Nadette's or Krystle's attractions. She's still afraid to allow herself to have that level of desire.

[GlytchMeister]

"ParanorMall"
I like that. I'm officially adopting that into my headcanon.

Also, did that chart come out of a program specifically made for flowcharting or something?