laura_seabrook | 10 Things Meme (Reply)

Name 10 things you love that begin with a certain letter. cmcmck gave me M:

The Magna Mater
I met Her twice in dreams, and have felt her presence in my life, even when I despair.
Mum
That's her (Ronnice Jacqueline) standing up next to my aunty Glennis, who died last Xmas.
Music
Considering that I have persistent ringing in my ears and other minor hearing problems, I really get into music of a wide and varied type. I love Hawkwind, The Cure, Placebo and Interpol, et al. When I'm in the mood though, I'll listen to Yes, INXS, AC/DC, classical music (Phillip Glass?) or even (gasp) jazz.
Mad Scientists
OK, Mad Doctors have been around for a while, especially in film. Real Mad Scientists, like Josef Mengele or Dr Atomic either get laughed at or shunned, but in fiction they can personify our very real conceits and ambitions. Two favourites are the web comics A Miracle of Science and Girl Genius, but Dr Horrible comes pretty close (pity there's so little of it).
the Matrix
You know, the original film was pretty good, and packed with all sorts of clever philosophical, mythological and religious references. The sequels, while entertaining, weren't a patch on this, because unlike the first, very little that's new is discovered therein, and pretty much killed off the franchise. However, have a read of The Matrix Explained. There is so much hysteria listed therein (alas, the Forums were killed by the equivalent of Agent Smith). Also, there is something about Second Life, that crude as it is, is reminiscent of that paragon of Virtual Reality.
Medium
This TV show has an appeal that a similar one, The Ghost Whisperer, doesn't. I think what it is is the main character's family. They act pretty much (other than the women in it being psychic) like a real family. They get pissed off with each other but mostly make up. Also, the plots are often a matter of "can you figure it out?" which I like, though it would make repeat viewing unappealing without the family stuff to back it up. I like The Dead Zone as well, but there's no way I'd want to know <td class="ddd"></td><td class="char">Johnny Smith, whereas Allison Dubois would be a good neighbour. </td>

Oh, and while I'm at it, I love "Mooseville", which is my own nickname for Northern Exposure.
Mathematics
I used to love Mathematics back in school, though I never got past Calculus. There is a beauty in which we perceive patterns in nature, and Maths embodies that. In particular I love mathematical diversions and games, such as Martin Gardner's stuff or, say, Rubik's Cubes and Rithmomachy. Mind you, nowadays, at 50, I'm hard pressed to do quadratics in my head like I used to, and am not the best at arithmetic either (wish I'd kept that book on speed arithmetic).
the Mysterious
Lots of folk get confused over this. It's not so much about solving mysteries that I enjoy (though I've been reading Ancient Roman Detective novels for the last two years), but reading about what humans do when confronted with the unknown. Most of the time, the see patterns with the most minimal of data, especially when those patterns aren't there! Hence a love of Forteana, which focuses not on the veracity of such claims, but on how and why they are made.
Making Art
Yeah, I know, a bit of a cheat, but I do enjoy making art. This is why a 4 year Masters in which I produce two graphics novels and a research paper doesn't worry me. Not making art, does. My main focus on this for the last year or so has been my web comics, notable ComicGenesis and ComicsDish stuff. Both have been a bit stalled of late, with flow on effects in my personal life (or is it the other way around?).
My Pets
Yes, an outright cheat, as none of the bugger's names start with an 'M'. Perhaps Pegasus is "my mutt"? But I really do love them. Nuff said.