(no subject)

[knomey.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to post this for awhile now, from the LKH forums, in the Answered Questions section.

Oh, Laurell. Or Darla. Or whoever.

So as far as I can see, 'Mary Sue' is banned from the boards, and Laurell - I think? - has stated that Anita is NOT a Mary Sue. However, It's easy to see why a message board mod would ban the use of 'Mary Sue'. Because then, she wouldn't have to face up to term when she goes ahead and proves everyone's point.

WHY a character envisions herself a certain way, and WHY a character chose to take a particular major in college are fundamental building blocks of characterization. These details? These are the things that make your character a separate person from you.

That being said, why did Anita take preternatural biology in school? And why did she envision herself as a sort of preternatural Jane Goodall?

Well.

"Mostly that reflects Laurell's interest. She had duel degrees in biology and english."

I can see it now.

Richard: This is a nice nature walk, like the ones we used to take when we were dating and acting less insane.
Anita: I agree.
Richard: So. Why did you want to become a biologist, anyways.
Anita: Oh. Because Laurell wanted to.
Richard: W... uh. Who's Laurell?
Anita: Fuck if I know. DING DING DING. That's the ardeur! Take off your pants.

Comments

[dwg.livejournal.com]

DUELLING DEGREES! *banjo plunking*

Back to back, they faced each other...drew their swords and shot each other!

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I'm shocked and disappointed the whole Blue Moon novel didn't have more Deliverance references in it.

I must now dig up Duelling Banjoes to listen to. XD

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

Can I be uberpicky and point out that Jane Goodall is an anthropologist, and not a biologist? So if Anita/Laurell really wants to be a preternatural Jane, biology ain't gonna get her there...

It's a small thing, but dammit! Us anthropologists need love too! :)

On another note...

Anita: Fuck if I know. DING DING DING. That's the ardeur! Take off your pants.

This makes me giggle all over.

[knomey.livejournal.com]

What a tragic, tragic loss.

...

*confetti!*

[knomey.livejournal.com]

Picky away! I didn't know what the hell Jane Goodall is. In the books, Anita always blathered on about how she went into biology, and wanted to be just like Goodall.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Have you ever seen/heard of Gorillas in the Mist? Cuz...that's about Jane Goodall. She's big on gorilla conservation and lived in the mountains with them for a while.

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

While primatology (Wikipedia lists Goodall as a primatologist, an ethologist, and an anthropologist) straddles biology and anthropology, I wouldn't call what Goodall does biology really. She used anthropological field methods to do her research (what we call participant observation), and anthropology really seems to have claimed her as its own. Then again, I could be biased since I am studying anthropology (cultural anth but still!), so that's where most of my info lies. But I never have seen what Goodall does as biology, tho I could be wrong. To me, biology seemed more "lab" based, not as much "in the field" whereas most if not all anthropological research is done "in the field" in one way or another. Again, I don't have a lot of knowledge of biology (I took it in high school and that was the end of that!), but that's just how I see it :)

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

Gorillas in the Mist is actually about Dian Fossey. Goodall worked with chimpanzees, whereas Fossey worked with gorillas. The two did start their work around the same time, though, and both were proteges of Louis Leakey who was a Big Heep Anthropologist type.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

GAH! I knew it was one of those two, and took a wild stab in the dark. Back when we were doing this stuff, we were more on "omg, Louis Leakey is so awesome, HERE IS WHY!" *awesomestuff* "oh, by the way, ,"

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

Yeah pretty much :) I'm still "in the discipline" as it were (I may study cultural, but I've TA'ed several physical anth classes. In California, physical anth and its lab count as a physical science so there's more of those classes to go around at some schools!) so that's the only reason why I can keep them straight... it's in the recent memory :)

(btw I have always loved your icon... it is full of win all over the interwebnettubes!)

[shriekitty.livejournal.com]

All I know is that this entry made me laugh a good one. Thank you.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

Aww, thankenyowl! :D

[keepsake]

Anita: Fuck if I know. DING DING DING. That's the ardeur! Take off your pants.

Brilliant! May I metaquote?

[knomey.livejournal.com]

Go ahead!

[knomey.livejournal.com]

Quite welcome.

[knomey.livejournal.com]

I'm studying to become Illustrator, myself. Jane Goodall was a name I've heard around in the news and references and such, but never bothered to find out about. Thank you for the info!

[allova.livejournal.com]

Anita: Fuck if I know. DING DING DING. That's the ardeur! Take off your pants.

I don't often actually burst out laughing but this one had me cackling at my screen for a good five minutes.

If any iconmakers out there have the time and inclination, this exchange would make a great animated icon.

[keepsake]

Quoted!

[sadisticsidhe.livejournal.com]

I saw this and had to ask, were you also bugged when Mr. Oliver turned out to be a H. erectus? Was it just me? I am studying Physical Anthro. and I was so excited when I saw your note.

*sinks back into waves of obscurity*

[saadiira.livejournal.com]

That one had me glad to not have a mouthfull of anything, too.

-Dira-

[vamprayne.livejournal.com]

my district manager has it as his ring tone. I giggle every time it rings.
/random

[ccaretta.livejournal.com]

Here from metaquotes, and thought I'd throw my two cents in.

As a practicing holder of Master's in Biology, I know I tend to think of Jane Goodall as a biologist. She doesn't do what most people think of as biology, ie, the lab stuff. She does what I used to do, which is field work, or studying a species in its natural environment. It allows for truer responses to stimuli and often offers better understandings of biological processes. Also, she specializes in animal behavior. I make note of that because it's her ground-breaking studies that made many hard-core biologists realize that the unseen processes in a species' head can be as important or even more important than the physiological processes.

That being said, I do also consider her to be an anthropologist. Any good scientist knows that one discipline doesn't have all the answers. Mixing two or even more disciplines is often the best way to come to any conclusion, since you have separate angles of attack. Biology and antropology have some things in common, so adding them together probably gives a much truer picture of what she does than just biology or just anthropology.

[knomey.livejournal.com]

Eee! I feel all tingly inside.

[amamelina.livejournal.com]

Back to back, they faced each other...drew their swords and shot each other!

what poem is that from? I've seen it before.

[bluesimplicity.livejournal.com]

I believe this is called "The Opposites Poem." I remember it from back in the day when I was still in elementary school. It goes as follows:

"One bright day in the middle of the night
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faced each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
A deaf policeman heard the noise
And came to arrest the two dead boys
If you don't believe this lie is true
Ask the blind man, he saw it too."

Don't ask me HOW I can remember this when I can't even recall what I had for breakfast, but it's more than 25 years later and I still remember that poem word for word.

[saucyirishlass.livejournal.com]

There are so many different versions and titles for that poem.... I just remember some kid at school claiming that he's the one who wrote it.

[bluesimplicity.livejournal.com]

Wow - Quite honestly I didn't know there were alternative versions to that. I just remember reading it in my text book sometime around 3rd or 4th grade. I'd be interested to hear what the other versions are.

*goes off to Google*

[tonights.livejournal.com]

Man, it's good to see another anthropologist in this community. XD

Bioarchaeologist here.

[come-love-sleep.livejournal.com]

My mother's grandfather taught it to her, when she was a kid. Mom's 46, so it's not a new thing...

[ichini-sanshigo.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure that "Opposites Poem" is by Shel Silverstein, even though I can't recall the actual name.

And I always thought that unless Anita was going into medicine or something, preternatural anthropology would have been a more appropriate field of study, considering her particular field and the fact (possibility?) that most (all?) of the creatures in question are sentient. I wouldn't have so many question marks if LKH could do some decent world-building.