katurdayss

[katurdayss]

Ah, yes now that I agree with. It’s one of the reasons I’m a lapsed Catholic as well. They do not take too kindly to you asking *questions* and are very ‘Things are the way they are because that’s the way they are and that’s the way they should remain’.

Thank you for indulging my curiosity!

A lot of people hate to hear this, but they in particular really need to understand it.

If you were raised in the US, and you weren't specifically raised as a specific religion other than Christianity, then you are culturally Christian. Yes, even if you were raised atheist. Yes, I know you hate that idea. People who were raised in specific other religions in the US are usually still influenced by it, just not as thoroughly.

But specific Protestant values and attitudes have worked their way so far into US culture that we do not ever think about. (They've gotten into US Catholicism, too, Catholics elsewhere are frequently WTF at US Catholics, or so I'm told.) The "Protestant work ethic" is one of them, that "manager in your head" you should kill. Purity as a principle. The nobility of suffering (very Calvinist specifically). The prosperity culture (again, very Calvinist). A whole list. I'm honestly not good enough at Christian history to list it all. After all, I wasn't raised Christian myself. But I can see and acknowledge that I was raised in a culture with a Christian hegemony. If I pay attention, I can see where it's affected how I think. And when I do pay attention and look at it, I can change it. I can root out those patterns in my head. It's a lot of work, but it's well worth doing.

Denying that you are culturally Christian on the basis of your absence of Christian upbringing, or absence of Christianity now, just shows that you don't understand what cultural Christianity is. It is the culture that you have marinated in all your life, if you grew up in the US. The same way you've marinated in racism, classism, sexism, right on down the line (and generally they are all one thing). All of that affects you, and the only way to fix it is to acknowledge it and work on it.

This isn't a "hot take". It's just a fucking fact.

I'm posting at 10:30pm US Pacific time on a Sunday night, and fucking nobody is going to see this. Or reblog it. But I feel better having said it.

[katurdayss]

Literally spent 10 min scrolling the reblogs to see if any non-US Catholics could point out what US Catholics do that’s so shocking, cuz as an American who considers themself culturally Catholic at this point I was hella curious and I only got two examples that I NEVER HEARD in my catholic upbringing or existence.

A) music being the devils sacrament/ owning a TV will send you to hell

B) young earth creationists

I mean I WTF-ed myself when I read that because those are obviously Protestant values, which essentially proves the point of the original post. However, no reputable American Catholic Church I was forced to go to as a youth espoused these beliefs. The church is OBSESSED with defining the line between Catholics and Protestants in religious education here to the point that they had a graphic in my workbook to prove that protestants weren’t closest in faith to God (they notably left out Orthodox Christianity) but were considered Christian anyway. They would NOT adopt any Protestant beliefs.

Someone in the reblogs did point out the difference between converts and those born in the faith from generational Catholics, however, and I think that’s the key. As people have pointed out in the tags, changing ingrained beliefs and behaviors is incredibly difficult and takes constant attention. Those converting to Catholicism from the Protestant faiths will inevitably have a hard time putting down those original beliefs and those with less…conviction in their conversion shall we say…will end up trying to incorporate those original beliefs into the new belief structure thus becoming one of those US Catholics shocking the rest of the Catholic world.

Oh but what does this self-admitted lapsed Catholic know? Shes not a theologian. Yeah well my dad was an Episcopalian and converted when he had a Catholic wife and kids. That man converted so hard he knew Catholic dogma better than my mother, born Catholic and sent to Catholic school by Italian immigrants. And yet still, I never encountered these shocking beliefs people speak of. And we’re not even a religious family.

Which is to say, I would love more examples if you got any, but I’m already gonna assume they’re from the converted because the American Diocese are not that close to breaking with Rome. I mean the pope was born in Chicago for crying out loud.

A lot of people hate to hear this, but they in particular really need to understand it.

If you were raised in the US, and you weren't specifically raised as a specific religion other than Christianity, then you are culturally Christian. Yes, even if you were raised atheist. Yes, I know you hate that idea. People who were raised in specific other religions in the US are usually still influenced by it, just not as thoroughly.

But specific Protestant values and attitudes have worked their way so far into US culture that we do not ever think about. (They've gotten into US Catholicism, too, Catholics elsewhere are frequently WTF at US Catholics, or so I'm told.) The "Protestant work ethic" is one of them, that "manager in your head" you should kill. Purity as a principle. The nobility of suffering (very Calvinist specifically). The prosperity culture (again, very Calvinist). A whole list. I'm honestly not good enough at Christian history to list it all. After all, I wasn't raised Christian myself. But I can see and acknowledge that I was raised in a culture with a Christian hegemony. If I pay attention, I can see where it's affected how I think. And when I do pay attention and look at it, I can change it. I can root out those patterns in my head. It's a lot of work, but it's well worth doing.

Denying that you are culturally Christian on the basis of your absence of Christian upbringing, or absence of Christianity now, just shows that you don't understand what cultural Christianity is. It is the culture that you have marinated in all your life, if you grew up in the US. The same way you've marinated in racism, classism, sexism, right on down the line (and generally they are all one thing). All of that affects you, and the only way to fix it is to acknowledge it and work on it.

This isn't a "hot take". It's just a fucking fact.

I'm posting at 10:30pm US Pacific time on a Sunday night, and fucking nobody is going to see this. Or reblog it. But I feel better having said it.

[katurdayss]

So. I just finished The Vampire Lestat. And I have THOUGHTS.

First, I kept noticing foreshadowing and plot points hinted at by AMC. Now I understand why people say Rolin's Lestat is not Anne's Lestat. By virtue of the nature of the adaptation they can't be but I feel like the core is the same though, which is the mark of a good adaptation.

Second, the views of the time that Anne Rice wrote the book in is unfortunately apparent. In how she describes the 80's as well as the institutionalized sexism rampant through out the book and the eurocentric views. We'll forgive her though because it was the 80's and none of this shit was discussed at all. (I can't forgive Marius mentioning Italian wine though. Italy didn't exist it would have been Roman wine.)

Third, Nicki and Armand, jesus christ what horrible people. I do not have Lestat's loving nature and therefore was thinking very violent thoughts during those parts. Nicki was a cowardly self destructive narcissist. Never once does he ask about how Lestat is doing after his transformation. He only thinks about how he's not being told something and then once he reveals his hatred...rage on my part. That boy didn't even have the guts to drink himself to death by himself in Paris. No he returned home to destroy a bunch of other people along the way. Don't even get me started on Armand. Jesus.

Also, I did the math in my head. As Lestat is 21 and the 7th child, assuming 2 years in between each kid (the average of that time period) his Oldest sibling is 33. The Average age women first started having kids is 23 which would make Gabrielle 56 BUT given she was noble enough to a) travel with her family and b) marry a marquis I'm going to assume she was closer to 18 (her family obviously valued her enough to give her an education and therefore would most likely wait a little for a "good match" instead of marrying her off stupid young) making her possibly 51. How this will change since they aged Lestat up in the adaptation should be interesting.

I end this all by reporting that I screeched 'That's how it ends?!' loud enough to disturb my napping cat. Those of you who have cats know the look of contempt I received.

Man am I optimistic for the absolutely insane, bat-shit disturbing season we're gonna get next year.

[katurdayss]

y'all...I'm reading The Vampire Lestat and....is Anne Rice the female Tom Clancy? Like I've just spent however many chapters in Marius' backstory, which is tangentially related to the plot line I'm assuming. Does it pay off in this same book? Did she just wanna drop some lore?

Tom Clancy is KNOWN for doing this in his own books but with like little to no pay off. Is this something I'm I gonna have tto prepare myself for?

[katurdayss]

So....*trails pointer-finger across table* I might have been insanely curious enough about what is in The Vampire Lestat (thank you AMC/Tumblr) to dig up a 1994 audiobook that Reddit says had the best narrator to try and force myself to "read" the book given I hate 1st person POV.

And having compared the Frank Muller (94) and Simon Vance (current narrator available EVERYWHERE) versions I can say yes, Frank is so much better. 1) because he actually does voice acting instead of having a monotone and 2) because its not a bloody Englishman with his English accent reading a FRENCH character. Like COME ON, Lestat is a French Nobleman from the 18th century, he'd be FURIOUS if an Englishman tried to play him. The AUDACITY.

Also, I can say listening to the audiobook is working wonders. If you have a really hard time reading 1st person POV books like me but you want to read The Vampire Lestat, I recommend trying it. It sort of feels like someone is telling you their life story. Also if you're insanely picky about your audio narration (hello have we establish I'm insanely picky hi), I recommend the Frank Muller version as well.

[katurdayss]

So, uh, I might be feral for Rockstar Lestat if…if all these teasers from SDCC are proof positive?

Jesus CHRIST

[katurdayss]

It would be truly shocking for a season of TV to finish filming in October and not get released until the following October, I'm not sure that ever happens, so I think we're a lot more likely to get TVL in spring next year. Still painful but better lol

I’m not super aware of how networks decide what shows get certain slots, but in my head Vampires = Fall which is why I mentioned it. HOWEVER, season 2 did come out in May last year and if they do the same next year I’ll gladly consider it a birthday present given it’s my birth month. That’ll just make me extra patient too, oddly enough. So fingers crossed for a spring release date.

[katurdayss]

Look, I said this back when S1 was released but with the new photos coming out, I'ma say it again

I NEVER understood the appeal of Lestat, book or Tom Cruise or Stuart Townsend and then in waltzes (sp?) Sam Reid and suddenly I GET IT. OKAY. 'He had a way about him' YEAH HE FUCKING DOES. Louis, I. get. it.

Which is to say, while I adore AMC's adaptation (not saying its perfect) of The Interview with the Vampire, for the first time in my LIFE I'm excited for an adaptation of The Vampire Lestat. (I could never get past the 1st person narrative of the book. Call me whatever you want but those are incredibly hard for me to stand, like chewing noises in movies or television. Being tortured would be less painful)

Do I wanna wait till 2026? Possibly even Fall 2026? No. But throw me a photo here, maybe a song there and I can be incredibly patient goddamn it.

[katurdayss]

seeing as how I know someone named Daniel Molloy, the dissonance I have EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Interview with the Vampire fans make posts about him and Armand is like a mental ninja warrior run at warp speed.

It does get a little better when IWTV is either filming or has a new season since it's like a if/than statement in javscript for my brain but let me tell you, the wild post appearing when all has been quiet? oh boy that needs a full on mental reboot.

[katurdayss]

just a heads up to my fellow writers out there that AO3 is currently fighting off bots commenting on people’s works to tell them that AO3 will delete their fics “due to the works being deprecated”, and the deletion will affect their accounts unless the authors delete the fics themselves first. IT IS A SCAM. AO3 will NOT delete your works. please do NOT fall for these bots!

I’ve been told the reason why these bots are doing this is due to copyright infringement issue where they’re trying to steal your works (possibly to train AI but this is just a guess) ‼️‼️‼️and once you deleted your fics, it will be either very difficult or impossible for you to claim ownership of your own fics when they were already deleted.‼️‼️‼️

a reminder that AO3 will never contact you through your comments section (in case they claim to be one of the moderators). AO3 will only contact you through your email address which you use to register your account, and it will be from AO3’s official handle. not some sketchy ass @

so if you get a comment telling you you should “delete your works to protect your account because AO3 is doing blah blah blah” report that comment. don’t delete your works.

PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THESE SCAM.

AO3 IS NOT DELETING WORKS.

DO NOT DELETE YOUR WORKS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CLAIMS THEY KNOW SOMETHING.

[katurdayss]

reblog if you remember what it felt like to walk into blockbuster

[katurdayss]

“But if you forget to reblog Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.”

[katurdayss]

I've been to one movie in theaters since 2020 and it was Barbie because fuck every studio executive that thinks "girl movies don't sell". Why haven't I been to more movies, you ask?

Movies are fucking expensive now! I used to be able to get $7 matinee tickets on a Sat or Sunday in like 2018-2019 at an AMC and I'd go to the movies A LOT. Now? $14.50 is the cheapest AND that's before the sales tax and convenience fee. Like Buddy, this is actually LESS convenient for me and now a Sat morning matinee ticket costs $18? And my local theater is actually kinda groudy? Hell no.

And before you ask, it's a used-to-be-Arclight now an AMC at the mall. I have never seen so many stains on seats or wondered what I'm stepping in at a theater before.

[katurdayss]

Hot take: I miss the days when 9-1-1 had voiceovers for every episode. I feel like it forced the writers to really adhere to a theme ✨ which ended up making some damn good/poignant television.

[katurdayss]

i've sat on it for a few days and I think what bothers me most about Buck's and Eddie's confrontation is that Eddie never says sorry. And yes, I know bringing Pepa and Chris is meant as a silent apology but at the end of the day? Those don't mean shit. If therapy has taught me anything is that saying the words is extremely important to hear, even if you understand the non-verbal gesture. Case in point, my family is not verbose is our feeling words, and I know my parents are proud of me, but my mother said it to my face recently and I had to talk to my therapist about it because it I did not know what to do with that. And that's a positive feeling, forget about the negative ones.

Also, Eddie implies Buck is shit at his job and then ASSUMES Buck understands his note without communicating shit and then diminishes his hurt with a flippant remark. And that's all water under the bridge because Eddie brought Pepa and Chris over for dinner (that he didn't even cook!)? Like I'd be mad as hell still. Yes, I know Eddie is grieving and yes, people can say shit things in grief, but the 118 is supposed to be family. That means Eddie, as an goddamn adult, should have said "I KNOW you did everything you could to save Bobby I'm just wondering if somehow I would of tipped the scales in our favor more by being there" as the bare min. Yes even after that horrible 'you make everything about you' line. And then wrote, 'went to the airport, be back later' AS A BARE MIN.

I have not been in an abusive relationship so I can't speak to that element as other people are, but I have been stuck in toxic af communication patterns and Eddie's behavior threw up alllll the red flags in this recent episode. And I'm supposed to believe this man went to therapy? Multiple times? $10 says his therapists fired him every time cuz he didn't put in the work ever and then said therapy wasn't working. Jesus.

[katurdayss]

Finally watched the funeral episode after seeing how angry people were about it on this hellsite and how pointless they found Athena’s case and respectfully, fully disagree.

This episode was beautiful, as a (lapsed) catholic that church was everything you’d wish for in a funeral service AND the depiction of the crucifixion where one of the 2 thief’s crucified with Jesus asked for forgiveness and was given it? Chefs Kiss. Cried during the whole ending.

As for the B storyline? To me, that was solely about Athena and how she’s handling her grief. It was meant to show her what happens when grief is so raw, so real, so powerful and you drown in it and deny it at the same time rather than accepting it and learning to live with that scar.

This episode was about Bathena, only what it means when they’ve been ripped apart.

[katurdayss]

been thinking a lot about fandom recently because a creator I respect jumped into a ship that has a history of being...disrespectful to the competing ship and the creator has sort of/half-sies followed suit (i've been dealing with disappointment).

what i've come up with is; fandom is supposed to be something that is joyful, that brings you joy, that is a refuge from when your outside world goes to shit. Now it doesn't have to be rainbows and puppies all the time, disagreements do happen, but there is a way to disagree with some goddamn manners.

it's sort of bonkers to me that people can hate a character/ship enough to give them a nickname to avoid saying their name but can't stop talking about them? If I don't like something that badly in fandom (which is stupidly rare bc its fiction) I just don't talk about it beyond a politely worded 'no thanks not for me'. Example: The Galadriel/Halbrand(Sauron) ship in ROP. I filtered every tag for that ship because it's a giant hell no for me, but I've maybe talked about it enough times to count on one hand, including this one. Buddie is another example, I'm super ambivalent about it. I just don't see it and I've watched alllllll of 9-1-1 multiple times, once even trying to see the Buddie if it all. And still got nadda, big fat goose egg, nothing and barely even talk about it.

so I guess the point of this is, if you're feeling disappointed in the fandom space lately or like the joy's been sucked out of it, a) you are not alone and b) these feelings are VALID and to quote Eleanor Roosevelt (and Princess Diaries) "nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent". Meaning I like what I like and you don't gotta like it but you also don't got to listen to it and I don't gotta listen to you so you do you and I'll do me booboo.