Green Room - Week 25 - Day 2

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I don't game. At all. I do sometimes enjoy watching other people game. When I'm really bored and I happen to be hanging out with someone into gaming.

No real interest.

But for some reason I've been finding myself continually sucked into the rabbit hole that is "#GamerGate", especially now with more death threats coming toward people who have spoke up against the shitty way women are treated in the gaming community.

What interests me is that every time you peel back a layer, and think you have a good understanding of what is happening - someone says something and throws you into an entirely different area. Maybe *this* is the game that I can get into: Following complete meltdowns of fandom groups.

I'm pretty much convinced that half of the gamer community are horrible human beings and the other half are horrible Canadians (or something called a "Canadian-American")

Which did remind me of the sheer number of "social justice" bloggers that I know, out there, who are Canadian - and once again have the urge to tell them to get off my lawn! No one asked you Canuck!! :P

(or maybe it's the long-standing stereotype that Canadians are "extra nice" that is just coming out to the forefront and ruining the quality of meanness and inequality that the rest of the world cherishes for everyone!)

***

Those were the things that I was concentrated on for most of the day yesterday. Until the news hit.

Those of you who know shay_writes know how awesome she is, and how she has been a member and supporter of this community for years. (I think Season 3 was her first. It may have been 2 though) Even when she doesn't play, she's usually out there cheering from the sideline.

Life has been rough lately, but it just got even worse.

I don't have many details - and I'm probably saying too much already, but her 3 year old grand daughter Naomi died today after falling down stairs a few hours earlier. (yesterday by the time I post this)

If you are religious - prayers would be appreciated. If you are not - good thoughts toward those left behind in the devastation never hurt.

Shay is one of us. I'm not sure what, if anything, we can do for her. But if anyone hears anything - other than just keeping the family in our hearts, please let me know.

That, and hug the people you love, and let them know how much they matter to you. No matter how old or young they are. Because you never know just how much time you are going to have left with them. Cherish it.

***

All of that said - I'm still trying to run this thing that Shay loves. And I would be remiss if I didn't post a link to the poll: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/792692.html

That said, I can't eliminate anyone this week. My heart just went out of me. We are still giving people the chance to advance. But no one is leaving us from that "Last Chance" poll.

I'll make up for it a little later. Just not today. I just can't do it today.

***
I forgot to link these things. So here they are: A new topic: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/793590.html
and a Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/793644.html

Comments

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

That's awful to hear. Bad stuff happens to everyone, but some bad stuff is so much worse than others. I hope the family can find a way to cope with it, and eventually recover.

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

I'm so terribly sorry to hear this. All good thoughts to her and her family at this desperate time.

[aimercat.livejournal.com]

thoughts and prayers to her and her family. so sad :(

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is so sad.

[flipflop-diva.livejournal.com]

That is so horrible. Sending so many good thoughts her and her family's way. I hope they can come together to get through this.

...

[ellakite.livejournal.com]

...

I lost my faith long ago... but the only thing I can say right now is: Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

That, and I will pray for Naomi and Shay. Mind you, I won't pray for *MYSELF* ever again -- I feel like it would be hypocritical. But when I see good people going through Hell needlessly, I am more than willing to send a few words on their behalf to "The Power(s) That Be".

[waltzmatildah.livejournal.com]

Maybe *this* is the game that I can get into: Following complete meltdowns of fandom groups. THIS!!! THIS IS 100000% ME!

To illustrate: I have never watched a single Harry Potter movie, nor read a single Harry Potter book (though I did inadvertently attend the Leicester Square red carpet for one of the movies and got to see most of the stars... much to my HP loving friends' DISGUST!), I have no interest whatsoever in anything at all related to Harry Potter and his buddies. Howeverrrrrr... I have read every word and link and opinion piece and comment related to the ms scribe (http://www.journalfen.net/community/bad_penny/1074.html) affair several times over. I can't click the link without losing WHOLE HOURS OF MY LIFE IN SLACK-JAWED WONDERMENT, EVEN TO THIS DAY!

(Searching the link to include in this comment was an exercise in extreme restraint given the Things That Are Not Re-Reading The Ms Scribe Affair that I have to to at the moment!!).

DO I WANT TO KNOW WHAT GAMER GATE IS??!!! (I mean, HELL YES, I WANT TO KNOW... but... DO I REALLY WANT TO KNOW??!)

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

If you do decide to dig in - whatever "side" you end up finding first - go and read the "other side" for awhile... then go back and read the original. Especially the coverage from the "Gaming press", because man, it's one of those cases where the more you look, the more spinned around you will get. (I'm at the point where I just want them to get rid of everything and bring back Pong! :D)

[waltzmatildah.livejournal.com]

I dipped my toe in. It's 1.54am here and work is waaaay too soon for comfort now, but I suspect I'll be back. Which will be all your fault ;)

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are in for a treat!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I clicked on that link, and half the words didn't even make sense! ;)

(I really enjoy the Harry Potter books and movies, but I wouldn't go near the fanfic community if you paid me. There are some good people - and writers there - I know, some of them came here! But man, there seem to be a lot of crazy people too!)

[waltzmatildah.livejournal.com]

Half the words didn't make sense to me either :) They still don't, even after several read-throughs! I kind of like it that way, makes the whole thing seem that extra little bit 'other worldy' and exotic!!

[waltzmatildah.livejournal.com]

And now that I've got that out of my system...

Oh, goodness. My thoughts are definitely with that little girl's family :(

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

[jexia]

So sad :(

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

<3

I can't imagine how her family feels, right now.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

:still rendered utterly speechless re Naomi:

And what sucks even more is all the crap Shay's been going through IN ADDITION to this. Jesus Fucking Almighty Christ.



I tried reading the NYT article about the whole GamerGate thing and even though I understand it on one level, I don't on another. I'm chalking the latter up to not being a gamer.

I ran across a term the other day that means that when something is all-inclusive, it becomes its own universe. It can be a job, a school, a fandom, almost anything. If I were a gamer I'd probably be roaring a lot. I'm not. I'm not part of that universe :shrug:

[lauriempress.livejournal.com]

I don't know when or if she'll see this, but *hug.*

[btterflykiss.livejournal.com]

Thoughts are with Shay & her family. This is so hard to hear.

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

I am very much a gamer. Sims, obviously, and I've been playing WoW off and on since 2005, and I've dabbled in other MMOs and I played a lot of RPGs, both console and PC.

I have no idea what GamerGate is, except a bunch of people yelling at each other on the internet and being outraged and self-righteous and performing for their social group. That's not my scene.

I mean, yeah, misoygny is a problem in games and the culture, and I'd like to talk about that. Just not in the internet kerfuffle let's link everything about a person obsessively so we can point and scorn and pile on to them and let's scream insults and write self-righteous blog posts to get reblogs and pats on the back from people who agree with us way.

I don't know, I've always been more into the big picture and less about chasing down individuals and bullying them and obsessively gossiping about them. I've been on the receiving end of that sort of thing, and it's toxic and terrifying and years later it still affects me and I still have some anxiety, although I don't have the panic attacks anymore.

And that was in the rather small Sims community. I can only imagine what it's like for the targets in something as large as this.

Also that is horrible about the little girl. *hugs* to everyone affected.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Half of the commentary on the subject reads like Click-bait.

Which may say more about the state of online journalism than it does about the actual situation.

[rayaso.livejournal.com]

"How very softly you tiptoed into our world, almost silently, only a moment you stayed. But what an imprint your footsteps have left upon our hearts."
Dorothy Ferguson

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

*No one* has said anything about this to me, but I had a dream last night where a couple people did, so I'll just go ahead and answer your alternate reality/dream selves:

Yes, I know that eliminating people isn't the same as people actually dying and no, it won't make a bit of difference to the lives of those actually impacted by this tragic loss.

Yes, it will mean "Last Chance Idol" could go on for a little longer. (although not by much)

It just felt like the thing to do, and so I'm doing it.

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

You don't have to 'splain Gary. Your heart is heavy. Elimination is not death, but it is still an ending.


My thoughts of love and healing to Shay and her family...

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Exactly this.

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Sad to hear about the little kid...my heartfelt condolence..<3 *hugs*

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

So many prayers for this family.

...any man's death diminishes me...because I am involved in Mankinde...

[beeker121.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes only one person is missing and the whole world seems depopulated.” Alphonse de Lamartine

I will be keeping Shay and her family in my thoughts.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Many heartfelt hugs to Shay and the family. ♥

[adoptedwriter.livejournal.com]

I saw something about this go up on FB. So sad......hugs, prayers and all those good things for Shay_writes and her family.....it's especially sad when it's a little kid..... : (

In other news, I'm totally clueless about gaming and gaming culture. I cannot comment much, but anyone in any game, on line, on a sports field, gym or at a table who bullies and acts like an asshole should be DQed fast. It's a game....just a game.

AW

[gratefuladdict.livejournal.com]

So horrible. :( Sending good thoughts to her and her loved ones.

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

I've read all the entries that are up so far, and they all rock a lot. But with these topics - it's going to be hard to decide if the entry fits the topic or not.

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

But with these topics - it's going to be hard to decide if the entry fits the topic or not.

Good. :)

(Hi, I'm a fan of loose topic connections, and people seem to be getting punished for them more often than not, this go around.)

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

I'm not a stickler for much and I am very open to things. I don't mind a loose connection. As long as I can see it.

But I do like to be able to see it.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Because of the nature of the topics or because it's unclear which one they've picked?

IMO that's been an issue pretty frequently this season, but I've been told I'm more picky on that front than the average.

[medleymisty.livejournal.com]

The nature of the topics. They are very abstract and open-ended.

So far I think everyone has mentioned which one they picked up front.

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

Shay, your family is in my heart and my thoughts.

[reckless-blues.livejournal.com]

Well - that's not so bad. Three years is a full life - you're full of love and curiosity at that age, you have no inhibitions. Probably, no one hurt her too bad, or made her cynical, or broke her heart. A short life, but it must have been one that was almost totally positive. So there's that, at least.

[dmousey.livejournal.com]

I can't decide if that is a cruel and cold reaction... or very insightful. :/

[reckless-blues.livejournal.com]

...Jeez, did I say something wrong again? Sorry. I'm just trying to be - I dunno, helpful, I guess.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

To quote Jennifer Aniston, "I think there's a sensitivity chip missing."

Your philosophical point is interesting. Bringing it up in this venue is inappropriate.

I hope you write about it in a larger way in another venue, or perhaps in this one when there is more distance for those affected.

[reckless-blues.livejournal.com]

Mm. Sorry. I have autism, so you're right, I'm missing most of the hardware.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

FYI - I actually talked to her tonight. She's read all of the comments in here, including yours.

She had no problem with it. (her oldest grandson also has autism, so she understood completely)

[reckless-blues.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay. Well, that's good. *frowns*

[ellison.livejournal.com]

Wow. This made my blood run cold. My son is 3. I can't even.. just. I have no words. I am so so sorry for her and their entire family.

[porcelain72.livejournal.com]

Oh no! I talk to her from time to time on Twitter, though I'm not there as often these days. How awful.

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

oh Shay... *hugs self*

gods. what a horrible thing to happen.

*goes to light a candle and pet kitties till the Spousebeast gets home*

[witches.livejournal.com]

:( this is so awful

[crisp-sobriety.livejournal.com]

Jesus, this is terrible. Shay, my thoughts are with you and your family.