Questions Post #1

[lettered]

Usually I don't ask questions in public settings. I'm shy and also very arrogant; I like to think I know stuff or can find out on my own. But these things have been bothering me, and while I think a few things might be answered by digging through people's old entries or some FAQs, I'd love some answers (and opinions. Some are about opinions. Not the one about Buffy's natural tufted treasure, though. That has to be fact).



General

What does RPS stand for?
I'm aware OTP means pairing of choice, but what do the letters stand for?
Where did the term 'squee' originate and how come so many people use it?

LJ

What's a meme? Does it mean memory?
How do you tag someone? What does it mean?
What does the term "gak" mean?

Fanon

-How do people feel about using fanon? For instance, some fic writers use the name "O'Connor" for Liam (mostly in all-human AUs, which I don't really read, but whatever). Do you frown upon writers who use this name? Does it throw you off when writers don't use this name? Do you yourself consciously just avoid ever getting anywhere near the characters' surnames just to avoid the issue?
-From where did O'Connor-as-Liam's-surname originate, anyway?
-Does Spike have a commonly used last name? What about Faith? What about Darla, whose first name we know isn't hers, and Drusilla, whose first name is almost certianly not hers?
-This is a much debated topic, but is there even a marginal consensus regarding the age of Spike?
-Buffy smells like vanilla in a lot of fics. What's up with that?
-Does canon make Buffy out to be a natural blonde? I.e., is her altar of love, her carnal trap, her eye that weeps most when best pleased, her bearded clam, her garden of eden, her nest of curls blonde in most fics? What? Just asking.
-Is there a generally accepted explanation for how vampires get it up?
-Is the idea that vampires "pretend" to breath in order to look natural a fanon thing, or was it on the show?
-Does nobody use the fact that Angelus wears eye-liner in fics?
-Is Andrew ever a heterosexual in fics?

General again

-Whatever happened to Miss Kitty Fantastico? Did Dawn really shoot her with a crossbow?
-Do vampires sweat?
-What're some (slang) words for the dominant partner in a D/s relationship? I.e., some for the sub are: bitch, punk, sister (in prison), et al. I've just been drawing blank on their counterparts for about a week, now.
-Does anyone besides me hate Joyce Summers' guts in a visceral, it's-even-alright-to-character-bash sort of way?
-Have you ever not been able to find relatively common words for weeks at a time? (I once spent a month looking for the word 'conceited')
-Am I the only (character) Angel squeeing fangirl who didn't find David Boreanaz convincing as Angel at times? (don't get me wrong; most of the time he was great.)
-Can David Boreanaz sing better than Angel?
-What is the IQ of David Boreanaz? Is it really as low as it seems sometimes?

Comments

[seraphcelene]

Whew! I hope you got all or your questions answered. Certainly looks like everyone gave it the old college try! I'll add my one point five cents in to the great debate.

Buffy smells like vanilla in a lot of fics. What's up with that?

It's a really curious question and fandom assumption. I've never actually read a fic where Buffy is described as smelling like vanilla. At least not that I can recall. I have, however, written a fic that references the scent:

'Tara can smell the sweetness of her breath and the curious mix of vanilla and earth that perpetually cling to Buffy's skin.'

The idea, for me, was that she is a combination of the sweetly feminine and the earthy. Her two heritages, demon and girl, combining and conflicting in every way, even down to the way that she smells. Vanilla is also a 'warm' scent. And, I think, that mostly, she is that, warm.

Does canon make Buffy out to be a natural blonde? I.e., is her altar of love, her carnal trap, her eye that weeps most when best pleased, her bearded clam, her garden of eden, her nest of curls blonde in most fics? What? Just asking.

rotfl.

She is, in canon, naturally a brownette. Season One and the opening of Season Six were the only times that she actually had blonde hair. Her hair lightened progressively throughout the series beginning with Season Two. So, the landing strip, if we want to be accurate, would have to be brown.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

'Tara can smell the sweetness of her breath and the curious mix of vanilla and earth that perpetually cling to Buffy's skin.'

Which fic might that be? I'd like to read it, because I love that idea about feminine/earthy you just supplied. And, for the record, I LOVED the idea of Buffy smelling like vanilla; I thought it fit her so perfectly, for the reasons you state. And I think I just mentioned to someone else how dlgood mentioned as to how vanilla fit in with her theme of being sunshiney and golden, which is what you seem to be saying partly as well. The problem is I've just read the vanilla detail so many times by now that it seems to me people aren't thinking about it when they use it--but you obviously have; you have reasons behind it, which, in the end, can only make your fic richer. Now, about that link...? ;o)

So, the landing strip

Thanks for the answer, but thanks especially for the phrase "landing strip" because that's one I hadn't heard yet (and I'm all astonishment! What with "bearded clam," I thought I knew them all...)

[seraphcelene]

*snicker* bearded calm? really?

As for the fic, it's entitled 'A Butterfly Dream of Sand and Sky'. It was meant to be second in a trilogy that began with Secrets Not Long Buried but that I never actually finished. The triology I mean, not the fic.

So, go forth and read. I hope you enjoy.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

There's also bearded axe wound. I don't make these things up. Really. (They're in my slang dictionary ;o)

Thanks so much for the links; I'm looking forward to reading.

[tkp.livejournal.com]

These were fabulous. The way you reveal what happened with Buffy in the first one was really well done--though what happened was so utterly horrific. Are you ever going to finish?

I especially liked "A Butterfly..." The flow of the languange and your images were really beautiful. I especially enjoyed Buffy and Spike's part in Tara's dream. The whole thing was very . . . swirly.