Title: Through the Looking Glass
Author: karate0kat
Word Count: 63,000+
Rating: PG-13 (for brief sexuality, language, violence)
Pairings: Kara/Sam, Jayne/Jean (Barolay), Mal/Inara, mentions of Kaylee/Simon, Zoe/Wash, and Helo/Athena
Warnings: The story begins with a crash and there are several characters that die. They are all relatively minor characters and their deaths are not graphic and in fact happen 'off screen'.
Summary: When the Demetrius runs into Cavil's forces, they must make an emergency blind jump. Finding themselves stranded in a strange world, they're soon picked up by a ship called Serenity and its motley crew. AU for BSG after Ties That Bind, starts after Objects in Space for the Firefly ‘verse.
Notes: Written for bsg_bigbang . I cannot praise my beta merrykk enough. Not only did she provide me with wonderful feedback and notes but she put up with truly insane brainstorming emails during the planning stages. Seriously, I think some of them were almost as long as this fic. You’re a doll, Merry!
Artist: dhfreak



( chapter links behind the cut )

So, I finally wrote up my full length review/meta for this glorious episode. One of the upsides to having a hiatus is that I can have time to really write out an episode review without feeling the pressure of getting it done before the next episode, which is a challenge for me with all my fandoms. I've had time to read other people's reviews and metas and really just write this out fully, and trust me, I do have some things to say about this episode. Particularly with certain characters and what happened to them.

( Oh Death, won't you spare me over 'til another year )

There seems to be a series of depressing episodes before the hiatus hit. I heard about what happened on Criminal Minds and now this episode, it feels like Battlestar Galactica all over again. Not that I'm complaining, some of the most amazing stuff happens when there's tons of dark shit occurring and aching angst with characters. But this episode....it was emotionally draining, like really emotionally draining. It was great, but still. It makes me wish there could have been a Thanksgiving/Christmas episode of Supernatural this season or something.

But it doesn't matter, because I love this show even if it hurts. Because like what Joss Whedon and Ron D Moore and David Eick bring us, Kripke hurts us so good. And even if we may hate it, we know we love it.

Title: Why Do You Love Me?
Fandom: Battlestar Galactica
Song: "Why Do You Love Me" by Garbage
Pairing: Kara/Lee, Kara/Sam, Kara/Leoben
Summary: Set in Season 3/4. Kara doesn't understand her appeal for these three men, and she's not sure she wants it.
Notes: For the twelvecolonies vid challenge.

Watch at YouTube -- Download here


Find more videos like this on BAM Vid Vault

I’ll admit it, I’m not really much like Kara at all. I identify more with Dee, with maybe a little Baltar mixed in. But Kara and I draw close on a few issues, and yes, fandom ends up crossing over with the personal there. Shipping’s just a fandom hobby for me, but if I ship, it’s not going to be because they’re quote-in-quote romantic or ideal or perfect. It has to be something that I can point to and go “That. Yes. I’ve seen that; I know it works.”

So with that in mind, I’m going to say that in life, there is sometimes nothing more valuable than someone who does not push you. Like Kara, I have times where I look at myself and I know I could be better. I want to be better. I want to be my best. That doesn’t always feel possible, and sometimes—though thankfully it’s rare—I feel like I’m doing things I don’t want to be doing, spiraling down into a place I don’t want to be.

But you know who were invaluable at those times? The people who said nothing, just looked at me with love and worry, and were there. They knew I felt like crap about myself, and they knew I wanted to be better, and so they waited with me until I pulled myself up and got back into the game. I wasn’t dependent on anyone to tell me where I screwed up—that I could figure out on my own—I just needed their support until I got there on my own. And they knew all that because we’d communicated, and we came through with a strong relationship still intact (thankfully there's no trauma or destinies screwing with my life).

You know who didn’t help? The people who made a big deal about confronting me about what I was doing wrong; the people who nagged me; the people who only pointed out all the consequences if I didn’t turn around and change what I was doing right now. Those people? Despite the fact that they loved me and were trying to help? Made me want to spite them. Because, like Kara, I have a hard time not being in control. Thankfully it’s not a complex for me and most of the time I can balance my life and be fine. But if someone I love tries to dictate how my life should be, even if they’re absolutely right I will feel like I compromised myself if I go along with them (which I will, because I love them, I'll just feel wrong about it).

Thankfully, I have more than one real life Sam Anders. I have people who I can be honest with, who I can confess to and know that I won’t be condemned or condoned. I have people who I can trust, not only to be there for me, but to not push me when they know it will make things worse. And I wouldn’t trade them for anything else.

And despite the “enabler” label that their personality type gets in fandom, these people have made me better, not by pushing me towards how they think I could be better, but by supporting me to make my own way there. Just because you don’t get in someone’s face every time they screw up, it does not mean that you’re a doormat. To a self-motivated person, that look of unconditional love and worry is more challenging than a thousand confrontations.

So when I’m having a bad day, I unapologetically go to Kara/Sam for comfort and support. Because I’ve lived that kind of relationship—in different ways, yes, but with the same underlying dynamic. I know that there is nothing more precious than finding those Sam-like people. And I know that it’s possible to pull a strong, healthy, happy friendship out of them if there’s true love there (not “true love” but true, real, unconditional love), and that’s the best foundation for a marriage ever agreed on by everyone.

So frak yes, I believe in supporting Kara/Sam. When Katee says that Kara realizes that she flourishes with Sam for all those reasons, I know exactly what she’s talking about, and when I look at Kara I believe that she does too. Thank you, Kara and Sam, for giving me wonderful characters in fandom that remind me how lucky I am in life. <3

Best

01) House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski - Just a pure head trip, somewhere between a drama and horror story, and one of the most unique stories I've ever read in my life. Once you get done reading it, it just stays with you and haunts you with its creative strangeness.

02) Watchmen by Alan Moore - It's a graphic novel, but it could have just as easily been a regular novel with how advanced and developed the story and world is in it. The characters are amazing, it makes you question humanity and the existence of superheroes and vigilantes and takes all those other costume wearing people and turns them on their head. It would get on this list for having the character of Rorschach alone, but every character in the book is fascinating.

03) Don Rosa's The Life & Times of Scrooge McDuck - yeah, another graphic novel. But also a damn good life story. It's amazing how detailed and intricate the history of the character is in Don Rosa's hands, and the development of the character reads better than what I've found in most novels.

Worst

01) House of Night: Marked - Couldn't get past the first chapter, it was so horribly written and juvenile to me. Did anyone really act like Zoey Redbird as a teenager? She was intolerable.

02) Twilight: Breaking Dawn - The baby plot = utter crap. And I think she should have ended up with Jacob.

03) Harry Potter: Deathly Hollow's Epilogue - Just the epilogue. I liked the book until those last few pages containing their cliched children whose names are ridiculous, and baby making Ginny and Hermione. It reads like it was written by a ten year old writing fan fiction. An awful end to an amazing series.

So, I finished Stargate SG1 plus the two movie sequel thingys. Needs moar Vala. I was very sad to read that they're making a third movie but Vala's not in it. What's up with that? Pfft.

So now I'm still working on Farscape. I think I'll finish that and then catch up on Fringe over it's winter hiatus so I can maybe start watching live later. Because I need more TV in my life.

Is Stargate Universe any good? I'm not sure I want to try to catch up on Atlantis, but I like the cast of Universe, so if it's any good...

The fandom secrets troll is back. Today it is going after Katee fans.



I like the file name of the image. "rofl" so says this is totes legit.

Secret 116 comments thread

I'm defending Sarah Palin. Again.

You know all that Palin/Beck 2012 talk? Yeah, Glen says no.

But here's why...

"I'm just saying -- Beck-Palin, I'll consider. But Palin-Beck -- can you imagine, can you imagine what an administration with the two of us would be like? What? Come on! She'd be yapping or something, and I'd say, "I'm sorry, why am I hearing your voice? I'm not in the kitchen."

Now that BSG is over and our fridays are cold and lonely, I'm doing an ongoing "Friday Favorite" thread. Each week I choose one character (or episode or whatever else) and kick off the conversation from there. This way we can keep the BSG love alive and well, and share some of our best memories of the series!



In the comments below, tell us what your favorite Admiral Cain moment was of the entire series. Feel free to go into as much or as little detail as ya like. If you can't think of just one, list your top three! :)

These Friday Favorites will span everything from the mini-series to the series finale, so avoid this thread if you're not caught up.

P.S. If you missed last week's Bear McCreary Friday Favorite, here's a link.

For those of you in Canada, Fulvio Cecere (who played Lt. Alastair Thorne in the Pegasus arc) will be in tonight's episode of THE BORDER (3x08: Dark Ride). Grace Park is one of the leads on THE BORDER so here's hoping that 'Sharon' gets some revenge on 'Lt Thorne' :)


Fu and Grace Park on the set of THE BORDER (3x08: Dark Ride)

Hey Guys!

When Aaron Douglas was in town for Big Apple Comicon he was nice enough to sign some photos to be auctioned off the raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.
All the money from this auction will got to support organizations like The Actor's Fund which provides housing assistance and health care for people in the entertainment industry. You will also be supporting The Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative which helps women get mammograms and treatment for Breast, Cervical & Ovarian Cancer.

Here is a look at the image...


And here is THE AUCTION

And your purchase is tax deductible!!

If you all would like to help spread the word (and maybe bid) that would be great!!

I totally should be in bed right now considering I have to be up extremely early in the morning, but I had to come down from the high of the day because it was very, very awesome.

Hopefully tomorrow won't ruin my mood, but I'm not sure anything can at the moment.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

[43] Battlestar Galactica Icons


HERE at cigarsgalore

Fanmix:

"Don't forget me" - Kara Thrace Fanmix

Wallpaper:

1. Kara Thrace
2. Kara/Sam

Icons:

[1-10] Kara Thrace
[11-20] Kara/Sam
[21-40] Random season 1 and 2 (only slightly spoiler-y)

Preview:



More HERE @ cracks_in_time

I've got the flu. On Thanksgiving. At least it isn't getting worse, so it's probably not swine flu. Still, I'm at home and vegging and not feeling in the mood for holiday food.

Still chugging away on my twelvecolonies 4.5 AU fic, which is also going to be my second bsg_bigbang entry. I just about killed myself over a few binge writing sessions to get myself to the last chapter, which I'm writing now (37,000 words at this point, yeeks!). Even though there's not really character death in this fic, and it's technically a happy ending (thought not giddily so) it's choking me up and I haven't even got to the end. Oh show... *wibbles*

As soon as I'm done with this, I really want to read non-mine bsg_bigbang entries. And maybe watch some TV? I bought all of Doctor Who when it was on sale, but I'm actually feeling in the mood for something less thought-provoking. karate0kat keeps making comments that make me want to see more of Supernatural, even if it is full of fail, though I'm tempted to just watch more How I Met Your Mother (which I finally got around to starting).

Can I do a community promo/plea for help here?

We are having a Kara/Sam challenge over at karastillness and we currently have NO icons.

**POUT**

I'm rather bummed because 1) It's Sammy (well and Kara yes). But 2) It's my theme for my Birthday.


So I know there are some amazing iconners on this community. I just wanted to let you know of the challenge. If you are up to iconning Kara/Sam (and/or making me pretties for my birthday **bats eyelashes**) please come join us here. Challenge 'ends' tomorrow (unless I need to extend it). I know it's a holiday in the states, but I'm still hoping for enough icons to put up voting tomorrow afternoon.


x-posted to starbuck_anders