In which I wear a half-arsed Halloween costume

[gement]

Losing last week to a virus really put a crimp in my remembering to think about Halloween in a timely fashion. (I have a certain amount of ego bound up in not being one of those grown-ups who used to enjoy Halloween but has stopped having energy for it.) Fortunately, I'd actually been pondering costuming in the back of my head for a year, so it's nothing focused but I have a corset and flouncy skirt; the wig and makeup will wait for an occasion more momentous than work.

Thanks, coworker I know from outside work, for lacing me up! And I figured out how to use one scarf as a shawl over my shoulders so I don't feel naked. Sometimes knowing a bit about historical costuming is annoying. But just a shirt! No coat, no shawl, and clearly not outerwear!

Some people went and had a marriage recommitment ceremony in a language they didn't speak and the celebrant had a hey-day. Maybe this will make people think twice about buying an "authentic" experience they don't actually comprehend.

My imaginary Internet friend rm has written a (non-exploitative) play about a dominatrix and her client called Dogboy and Justine. She's fundraising for a full production and this is a project I'd really like to see succeed. Y'all of my friends in relevant communities, please have a look and see if you feel like supporting it and/or spreading the word. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1604890644/dogboy-and-justine-workshop-production

I had a dream with Hipster Hitler and an incredibly climactic bit of an 11th Doctor episode with a hurtling lorry and River Song having dug a (tiger trap style) pit in the middle of the freeway ahead of it to try to get him to stop. The timing and momentum were spot on 5th Season. It was epic, and woke me up at the cliffhanger. Damn it.

Comments

[gement.livejournal.com]

Nope. But the idea that a ceremony is more meaningful to you when you can't parse the actual meaning is kind of central to phenomena like American hippies thinking India is "like, sooo spiritual."

[gement.livejournal.com]

I think it is a prank. It doesn't meet my standards of compassion; I only truly love a prank if it's something the victim can grin about at the end of the proceedings. Short of that, it had better be a political action, designed to clue-by-four the victim or serve as a warning to others. For me, this is the second sort of prank, and a damn funny example of the genre.

On the other hand, I didn't pay a lot of money for a recommitment ceremony to be called a lot of nasty names behind my back and to my face at the same time. On a personal level, it would be fair for the purchasers to ask for their money back and post "WOULD NOT BUY AGAIN" feedback all over the Internet.

I can see how the country's tourism board would see it differently, though. There's a lot of money in rich yahoos who will pay premium rates for incense and a serious-looking guy in a robe. This could be a serious economic blow.

And it's still a damn funny prank.

[elfinragdoll.livejournal.com]

It's true that in the moment, no actual harm was done, because the couple was so wrapped up in their ceremony. However, now that everyone knows what they know, I would probably demand some action be taken myself.

I wouldn't care about "monetary compensation" or any such bullshit, because really, money doesn't fix insults. But I would want him legally punished in some way for abusing his position in order to entertain his own bigoted delights, for thinking that he can just do that to people.

At the same time, it doesn't mean that the couple's decision to have an "ooh la la" exotic ceremony was the best idea, either. It's akin to basically using people of other races for your entertainment. I mean, I'm Pagan, I want to have a Pagan wedding ceremony because it's important to my spiritually, not because it's "pretty".

[gement.livejournal.com]

Ayupyup. Being mean is still being mean. I can parse the celebrant's actions as a form of protest, which is why I can post about it with a grin, but I feel bad for the actual people involved.

[elfinragdoll.livejournal.com]

Really love those fliers of yours, btw. Good stuff ^^

[gement.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I am trying very hard to stay on the correct side of the line between "try to do and share good stuff" and "ally can haz cookie nao?"

Honestly, I expected to be slammed to the floor in about five seconds with a categorical explanation of just what a bad idea I had come up with and how I needed to Just Stop. I was braced for it, and I hope I would have taken it with grace, but I'm astounded that (so far) the smackdown did not come.