A Kinder, Gentler Red Pen

asylum 3 and news reporting (or, I only lj now when I can't fit my thoughts into 140 characters)

Sun, 31 May 2009 17:27:20 GMT

So my soon-to-be-live-in boyfriend Josh-- he's the guy in charge of the Nieman Journalism Lab, which I point out in part because it's apropos and in part to try to make up for my previous "Nieman" spelling mistakes-- talks sometimes about Twitter's potential as a reporting and news vehicle, largely thanks to its immediacy, even compared to web-based news sites, blogs, etc. Case in point: reports of earthquakes on the other side of the globe. Not so earth-shattering (earth-shaking?) other case in point: the other week there was a shooting on Harvard's campus, and while the articles that were posted on "official" newspaper webpages were no doubt more complete, and "reliable" (re: accuracy), and are important for it, they came after anyone on Twitter had already heard the basics.

What it seems like is happening here (at least to my non-journalist mind) is that one of the traditional functions of the news-- speedy reporting of things-that-are-happening-now(ish)-- has been essential usurped. In a world that has Twitter, etc., even online outlets' stories become recaps, rather than breaking news. That doesn't mean those recaps aren't worthwhile; it just means they're slow. And that sometimes its more important that an event be reported quickly than reported thoroughly or even well.

That's not all that's happening, of course. There are other clear benefits (and detractions) to the spread of news via Twitter. My favorites (given my personal post-modern bent) are that you can 1) get first-person perspectives directly, from the source (the role of a retweeter is, if you think about it, a lot like that of a traditional journalist: collecting a source's perspective, and distributing it to a larger audience); and 2) access a veritable kaleidoscope of those perspectives, which lets you build a more multi-dimensional "picture" of the event the way you might build an object via sonar. Between these two things, you end up feeling a little bit like you're there-- you get the same sense of anticipation, the same sense of piecing together things from what you see and hear, except other people are your eyes and ears, and you can have a hundred eyes and a hundred ears, all in different places, seeing and hearing different things.

But none of this really hit home for me until this weekend, and not because of "important" news like a shooting or an earthquake. It hit home because I've been following the #asylm tag on Twitter-- the "official" tag for UK Supernatural convention Asylum 3. We sent the folks at Asylum flyers for the registration packs, and donated copies of In the Hunt for the auction, and have a vendor selling copies in the dealer's room, which is (mostly) why I started watching the tag. But I kept watching because it was riveting. (You can check it out for yourself here.)

Friday's registration was a mess-- lines upon lines, and individually no one knew what was going on. But one person in one part of the line would ask a question, and someone else a few dozen or hundred feet away would supply the answer. Someone would spot a guest and pass the word down the line. Panels started, and when audience members relayed quotes they were taken up, repeated, commented on. Photos started trickling in, and links to vids.

And it wasn't just what was happening (what people said, what people did) that showed up, watching the twitter feed. You could see reactions-- and not just of the people there, but of the other people watching the feed, as they commented and retweeted. The "important moments"-- the ones that captured people's attention and imagination -- were clear almost immediately. And maybe what remains important will change as time passes, but to see that process taking place, to see a community making decisions like that, in real-time, was just . . . kind of incredible.

If I were not so out of practice lj-ing, this is the point at which I would draw some sort of very insightful conclusion about the news. Instead, I'm going to go catch up on the #asylm twitters I missed while writing this. :)

What do you mean I never post anymore? (does guilty shifty eyes)

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:32:12 GMT

You are Helvetica

You fit in well to most situations. You're not flashy, and prefer clarity to knocking people over with your style. A tad quiet perhaps, but not stuffy, and you've got very strong opinions under there somewhere. When you get drunk, you start looking more like Impact.

Take the quiz on BuzzFeed.com

closest thing I've written to a blog post in awhile

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:48:24 GMT

My comments on a negative (?) review of In the Hunt

You can't link straight to the comment, but it's easy to find-- it's the pathetically wordy one about 22 down, labeled with my name. A few thoughts on passion vs commerce and the value of publishing/editing in changing literary landscapes (in this case fandom), plus a generic reference to my fanfic habits.

I know I don't update anymore (Twitter has taken me over!), but . . .

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:19:22 GMT

. . . if you're a Supernatural fan, I humbly suggest you check out our In the Hunt promotional site, complete with an excerpt of the book and the finalist essays from our Supernatural.tv/Smart Pop Supernatural Essay Contest from last year.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out. And, of course, with the ever-growing fixation with the show that the project gave me. ;)

looks like slash is going mainstream :)

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:34:48 GMT

Running Press Sweet on M/M Romantic Fiction

Running Press is launching a new m/m historical romance line that features gay romantic fiction written primarily by and for straight women, which the publisher called a growing market--however unlikely it may seem. The books feature plots "ripe with forbidden love, exotic locations and sensual leading men." Because the books are modeled on romance novels, not gay erotica, they are geared toward the romance sections of bookstores, not the erotica sections.

The first two titles, to be published next April, are Transgressions by Erastes and False Colorsby Alex Beecroft. Two other titles are scheduled for fall 2009.

The publisher said that "initially the phenomenon of women reading gay male romances flourished in the anonymity of the Internet, where fans could have instant access to a spirited, diverse and ever-growing community. LiveJournal, an online journaling community, has over 300 communities for M/M romance interests. Online review sites such as Dear Author, Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels and Speak Its Name champion all romances regardless of pairings.

"The success of 2005's Brokeback Mountain demonstrated the lure of the subject for a female audience. The average movie aimed at a gay audience nets about $5 million. Brokeback Mountain netted over $120 million, in part due to word-of-mouth from straight women. ABC's hit Brothers and Sisters and CBS's As the World Turns prove that gay male relationships are becoming a drama staple."

Which naturally led into a staff meeting discussion this afternoon about my recent forays into Supernatural fandom. I'm not sure what made my coworkers' eyes go wider: Wincest or RPS.

too many characters for Twitter

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:21:04 GMT

Had a conversation this morning at Starbucks with a Latin translater on the orginal bible phrasing re: homosexuality (sparked by the 600-page Queers in History manuscript on my table). It was about specific acts, he said, not love. Which makes me wonder whether cleanliness-- a la guidelines for kosher meats and women during "that time of the month"-- wasn't a big factor there.

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to proclaim my love for Neil Patrick Harris

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:42:45 GMT

Proposition 8: The Musical

This afternoon, also, I bound a manuscript copy of Queers in History for easier transport and reading. My day has been so thematic!

tweet!

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:31:17 GMT

Twittering now, in case that's anyone's thing: www.twitter.com/leahalexis

McCain's Concession Speech

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:29:32 GMT

I admit I haven't done a lot of listening to past concession speeches, but--

I'm very satisfied with (most of) McCain's concession speech; it's the most sincere I've heard him sound since the election began, and the most appealing. Not because he's conceding (though it is the outcome I voted for), but because of the way he's conceding. I remember back before this election, when I used to respect McCain very much, and I'm glad I'm getting to leave him on a good note.

conversation

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:50:47 GMT

*phone rings*

Leah: (picks up phone) Hello?
Leah's sister: I'm with my scooter at the mechanic's, and I'm wearing some guy's motorcycle jacket as a skirt.
Leah: Why are you wearing some guy's motorcycle jacket as a skirt?
Leah's sister: Well, it was raining.
Leah: . . . and that somehow made you LOSE YOUR PANTS?

saving journalism, one blog at a time

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:13:45 GMT

My guess is I don't have a lot of working journalists on my friend's list, but if you've ever been interested in journalism, or like to read news stories sometimes, or just are so slavishly devoted to me that you click on whatever link I put before you (suckers!), I'd like to recommend you check out the newly launched Nieman Journalism Lab.

The NJL is "an attempt to help journalism figure out its future in an Internet age . . . highlight attempts at innovation and figure out what makes them succeed or fail . . . help reporters and editors adjust to their online labors . . . help traditional news organizations find a way to survive . . . help the new crop of startups that will complement-- or supplant-- them."

Yes, this site is the product of much hard work on the part of the boy, so I'm obliged to recommend it regardless, but I'm also digging it on its own merits. Sure, I'm not very good at following the specifics of news (i.e., the actual news . . . but seriously, that knowledge is clearly Josh's job in the relationship, whereas I handle the plot details of various sci-fi and fantasy tv shows), but I'm very interested in how things work, and how industries change. Also, y'know, Josh writes stuff good.

Current highlights (in my un-newsy mind): an interview with Ana Marie Cox (the original Wonkette), the purpose behind those Mad Men "advertising facts", some very Smart Pop-relevant musing on the recent John Hodgman Wired interview

two tv thoughts

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:05:12 GMT

1. I'm still trying to figure out what I think of Fringe overall, but I do know two things: first, more shows should have cows; and second, I am irrationally pleased to have Joshua Jackson back on my television. I blame this largely on Doug, for putting Dawson's Creek (and thus Jackson) on my radar to begin with, and my freshman roommate Carrie, for actually making me watch it. Or, more accurately, I should probably blame my strong appreciation for competent smart ass second fiddles-- guys who can comfortably take a backseat. Jackson, I think, plays an awfully good one of those.

2. Does Sarah Palin's new hairstyle make anyone else think of Laura Roslin from BSG?

-

ETA (before I even manage to post!): The boy has already burst my bubble by letting me know I am not the first to observe this Palin/Roslin thing. Alas! Curse the Internet and its capacity for preventing me from being pleased with my keen powers of comparison!

the NYT Magazine acknowledges our existence!

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:47:22 GMT

Losing the Weight Stigma

They don't acknowledge us by, like, name, or anything, but look! There's our book!

Is it just me . . .

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:26:40 GMT

. . . or does Jim Lehrer sound like a marriage counselor? ("Senator McCain, please, address Senator Obama directly. Tell him how his behavior makes you feel. . . .")

SPN

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:08:40 GMT

Okay, what the hell, Supernatural. Can you not just totally invalidate, like, five of my essays from In the Hunt in the frickin' season premiere?? The day after I turn the manuscript in to the production department???

Great, great opening ep, though. I miss Katie Cassidy as Ruby, but other than that, totally dug it. Loved the apocalyptic feel to the beginning, loved skeezy!Sam at the beginning, loved the iPod scene. It's completely perfect and not-surprising (in the best way) that Castiel is an angel (according to my quick googling, the "angel of Thursday," hee!), whatever "angel" ends up meaning in the Supernatural universe . . . even if it does result in a bunch of outdated essays (dammit! I know I'm going to have emails tomorrow). Looking forward to next week's.

guerilla publishing

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:23:26 GMT

There's a frickin' bullet-hole in my boss's office window.

That is all.

a collection of observations

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:51:56 GMT

1) In school, I hated outlining chapters, and I never thought I'd need to use the skill ever again. Practically all I've done this week is outline stuff. And not in the fun chalk/dead body way.

2) Jack in the Box's "orange sunrise" tastes a lot like an icier Orange Julius.

3) My handwriting is even worse than I joke to incoming interns that it is.

a political (and personal) manifesto

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:14:20 GMT

Nothing about me (save, occasionally, my toenails) particularly sparkles. I'm generally kind of quiet. I don't have hilarious, appropriately paced stories sanitized for casual group telling, and consequently people tend to have to be introduced to me a half dozen times before memory of me really sticks. (This last bit is not self-pity; it is, I swear, absolutely true.)

This is actually about politics, I promise.

To borrow a metaphor from the very wise Ms. Crusie, I'm more of a muffin than I am a cupcake: I've got a lot of nutritional value, but I don't exactly titilate the taste buds, first bite.

This became particularly apparent to me in college, where relationships make and break in days or weeks, not months or years. It's not that I developed low self-esteem, exactly; it's that I didn't quite fit, and I suspected the fault was mine. And it eventually occurred to me: the problem was a disconnect between what society at large seemed to value and what I valued. The problem was personality versus character.

It was around that time I read in some class or another, this letter from the early twentieth century, from a dean of some college, I think, written to the students coming in. He talked about character-- about being authentic, and honest; about being true to your fellows, and treating people with respect-- and about how, even then, the importance of such traits was on the decline. The value of character was being usurped by the value of being "interesting."

I have this ex-boyfriend, right? And after we stopped dating, my mother broke the news to me that my family, well, they thought he was, you know, kind of bland. Which, first of all, wasn't true; they just didn't know him very well. But more importantly-- so what? He was a good guy. I never worried that he'd cheat on me; I knew he'd always tell me the truth. I knew he'd always try to do his best by me, and he did, even in breaking up with me, and hell, in a way, he's probably still doing it now, 4+ years later and a half dozen states away.

Having personality-- being interesting-- is great for parties. It's useful in meeting people, and in being memorable. But without character backing up, it's not good for much of anything else. Character is what makes a person valuable over the long haul. Character is what makes someone trustworthy; it means they'll be there for you when you need them. People with character are honest with themselves, and honest but considerate with others. People with character make mistakes, but they also own up to them, try their damnedest to fix them, and work not to make the same mistake the next time. Character is about integrity. Character is what gets things done.

All of this is to preface the following statement: Sarah Palin has a lot of personality. She's charismatic, and well-spoken; I do appreciate her aggressiveness, and her wit, and she gave an entertaining speech at the Republican National Convention (which I'm sure would have been much more entertaining if I, you know, agreed with the Republican party platform more, or thought calling other people names was funny or charming).

But I'm not looking cheifly for entertainment in my elected officials, just like I'm not looking cheifly for "interesting" in a boyfriend.

When it comes to character, Palin worries me. It's the investigation over whether or not she fired a state official for refusing to fire her sister's ex-husband, and it's the misrepresentations in her speeches and answers so far, both the ones the news media has pointed out and the ones I've noticed on my own. It's the name-calling. It's the lack of apparent substance beneath the style.

The reason I'll be voting for Barack Obama is because I believe he has character. He gives a heck of a speech, too, sure, and I agree with his stance on political issues pretty solidly across the board. But what's more important to me is that I honestly believe he believes what he says-- that his stance is well-thought out, and that if we put him in charge and a situation comes up in which he changes his mind, he'll have done so for good, solid reasons, after consulting in an open and honest fashion with people who know more than he does, and that those decisions will truly take the best interests of the country into consideration. It may be smart political strategy to not bash his opponents, but I think it's more than just strategy: I think it's what he thinks is the right thing to do. And I think he-- and his people-- think the reason it's the smart thing to do is because they believe we, the people, are intelligent, reasonable human beings who will respect him, respect his character, for it.

Obama's running against McCain, of course, not Palin. And McCain let me down by choosing Palin as his running mate; he let me down in his reversal on a number of issues (both because I respected his previous positions, and because his reversals seem less than genuine). But of course his campaign chose Palin at least in part to compete with Obama's appeal-- and for me, at least, she really, really, really doesn't measure up.

silver linings

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:16:17 GMT

So, seriously, I've been trying to come up with something good about the whole Palin VP thing, and today I did: How great is it that somebody went, shoot, if we wanna win this election, we better pick somebody female? That someone thought it'd be helpful, instead of an obstacle? Sure, I was pissed that McCain et al did it, and I'm still kinda pissed about it-- and picking somebody for their gender? still not best case scenario-- but it's still pretty awesome, since four years ago, I find it tough to believe anybody would've done it.

So there you go: silver lining.

Reasons not to like my alma mater include:

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:12:03 GMT

This guy:

As someone who went to Duke, let me say I'd have rather gone to Columbia. Sure the prestige of the degrees is pretty much equal, but Duke is full of ugly, overweight, women. Driving out to Chapel Hill to nail UNC girls gets old. I'd rather have my pick of Upper West Side trim.

(The article's cute; it's just the commenters who scare me.)

Ahh, the government

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:52:54 GMT

A tidbit from my current project, Toxic Beauty:

Following over a decade's review of AHAs [alpha-hydroxy acids], studies sponsored by the FDA finally warned that AHA ingredients in sunscreens increase the susceptibility of the skin to damage following exposure to sunlight-- the very thing sunscreens are supposed to protect against-- and thus increase the risk of skin cancer. These studies also identified a doubling of UV skin damage among people using AHA products. While typically failing to take any regulatory action, in this case the FDA proposed the following: sunscreen users should be warned to "limit sun exposure while using these products and for a week afterward."

I . . . I just have no words.

deep thoughts on the Olympics

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 03:25:44 GMT

If I were an Olympic gymnast? I'm not sure I'd be wearing makeup. I mean, I get mascara in my eyes when I blink, forget flinging myself around bars and over vaults and stuff.

Truly, gymnastics is a demanding sport.

talk about a nightmare

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:16:35 GMT

It's at moments like this, when you're awakened in the middle of the night by the fire alarm going off in the building next door, followed by the sound of sirens, that you think to yourself: Shit-- I have no renter's insurance.

video link

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:28:09 GMT

Blogging and long-form narrative can be alternate means to the same end, breaking through the calcified restraints of traditional newspaper writing.

Featuring Steve Jobs, 19th century painters, the Sixth Floor Museum, Tom Craddick, and a rustic french loaf, all in 51 minutes or less.

Leah is: interested by the way technology changes interaction

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:55:18 GMT

The Atomization of Conversation