CLEO SMASH

[cleolinda]

Man... I have been cranky the last few days. Not in real life--just online. It culminated yesterday with someone sending me his version of "X-Men 3 in Fifteen Minutes," since he knew I "would never write that one," except for the fact that I saw it specifically to write it up for a book. I can't even tell you what his version was like, because I CAN'T LOOK AT IT. You know, the legal ramifications jazz and all that. I just--okay, this is me being completely ranty and irrational, but why do people send me these things? Why would I be happy that someone's horning in on my schtick? I'm not saying that I necessarily have the right to stop anyone, nor do I go around regulating on people, but--why would you send it to me and expect me to be happy about it? Would you send Coke executives red-and-white swirl cans of your new soda, Cuca-Cola? Would you expect them to be happy about it? I mean, I understand the imitation = flattery thing, and there is a point where I can tell people are genuinely trying to express that they like something I've written so much that they want to try it themselves. This is, in fact, flattering. But--and I admit this freely--the "Movies in Fifteen Minutes" name and format is a schtick, the way that "[Whatever] for Dummies" or "Chicken Soup for the [Impressionable Demographic]'s Soul" is a schtick. It's an organizational scheme that, in my case, prevents a piece from just being "random, sporadically amusing ramblings about movies," which you get on this journal all the time, but also creates a brand name, which sounds excessively mercenary, but is really just shorthand for "If you liked that, you'll like this, because it's the same format and the same creator." If you use the name "Movies in Fifteen Minutes," you are confusing people as to what they're getting and from whom, which is not to my benefit. I understand why you want to try your own hand at it; I just don't understand why you think I would be pleased that you're sending it to me, possibly exposing me to legal issues, and posting it all over the place online. I mean, "This is going to piss Cleo off, but screw her, this is a free internet" is an attitude I can at least understand. "I'm sending you this because I think you'll enjoy reading a bunch of jokes you can now no longer use yourself, whether you had thought of them already or not, so just go ahead and change your name to Kaavya now" or "I'm sending you this and you can use it if you want, you don't even have to write your own" (which, yes, someone actually said to me) just baffle me.

So... I'm just saying. I'm getting cranky on Snarkfest, I'm getting irritable here on the journal, I'm this close to bitching random strangers out. No, it's not PMS. Yes, I need to get out of the house. I did meet up with college friends for Mexican last night, although I had forgotten that tequila really, really does not like me. I was okay, if a bit loopy, for most of the evening, but after I got home, I'm sitting at my computer, checking email and hydrating, it's nearly midnight, and I'm soulfully mouthing along to Cher ("Sooooonuh or laaaaaaaaatahhhhhh, we aaawwwwwwwll sleeeEEEeeep alooooooooowooooooone") and feeling sorry for myself for no particular reason. Maybe because I haven't been able to sleep through the night for a week solid.

Random things:

First two installments of Nightmares and Dreamscapes on TNT tonight--I think they're only running eight episodes total, over the next four weeks, but I love King's short stories far more than any of his novels, so I'm there.

Set pics from Elizabeth: The Golden Age, or whatever they're calling it now. Her Cateness has a formidable headdress somewhere in there, and there's also a couple of pics of Clive Owen. Meanwhile, Anne Hathaway is Becoming Jane.

Meanwhile, I'm going to go fix some Tahitian tea and try to get some more writing done. That was actually going pretty well last week--2400 words one night and about 4,000 words the next, but that was more freewriting about the hero's journey, which is less mental effort than actually writing-writing, so it's not as much as it sounds. Maybe I'll feel less stabby if I've gotten something accomplished.

Comments

[anne-jumps.livejournal.com]

EowynEion "Monchichi" Bailey's and Ron Livingston's eps of "Nightmares & Dreamscapes" will be on tonight and a week from now respectively. The others I don't really care about ;)

[silk-noir.livejournal.com]

Ron Livingston?? Ron Livingston? Oooooo.... *fanfanfan*

[sapphires13.livejournal.com]

Nightmares and Dreamscapes is airing already?! Time needs to stop going by so fast. Sadly, I'm pretty sure I don't have the energy to watch it.

[scornedsaint.livejournal.com]

.:hugs Cleo:.

.:makes tea for Cleo:.

.:backs slowly away:.

Sorry for the crap past few days.

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

*shoves my copy of X-3 in 14 1/2 Minutes under my desk*

So, how you doin'?

We're geeks for being excited about the new Elizabeth movie, aren't we? I keep trying to talk about it with people who aren't on LJ, and they either go "Who's Elizabeth?" (woe) or "There was a first one?" (even more woe).

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I play the Clive Owen card when I get backed in the geek corner. Heh.

[angevin2.livejournal.com]

You know, as much as I will regret going to see whatever the Elizabeth movie is called because I will spend the whole time going "no, that is TOTALLY wrong" -- Cate Blanchett really is gorgeous, isn't she? Damn. *questions own sexuality*

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

You know, the first one didn't really bother me, because I hadn't gotten crazy into Tudor bios by that point. It's really hard to watch it now, though--I keep having to remind myself to focus on the eye candy, or it's a two-hour festival of "THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENED!!"

[scarlettfish.livejournal.com]

It's that fucking Mercury in Retrograde. For the past couple of days, I've been almost ridiculously irritable.

Stupid people need to GO AWAY.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Exactly.

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

*sympathy*

I hope you get some serious sleep soon. I have no idea if all this is irritating you more than usual because of the tiredness, but I doubt it's helping.

I love Cate's purple (http://www.costumersguide.com/elizabeth2/purple1.jpg) dress like woah.

[angelene.livejournal.com]

remember that thing about Mercury in Retrograde (http://www.astrologycom.com/mercret.html)? is it still on? I think it's still on. either that or some people need to get a frackin' clue


in the meanwhile, I couldn't even have the pleasure to go through ANY of your PotC2 entries, since I haven't seen the movie and I don't want to get spoilered, even though it might be ages before I get a chance to actually see it. *sniffles*

since I'm curious, could you please let me know whether you liked it or not, simple as that?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed it, personally. I can see how it might be loud and exhausting, but you will definitely get your money's worth. Also: preeeeettyyyyyy.

[chickosaurusrex.livejournal.com]

Sorry you're internet-sad, mang.

If it makes you feel any better, you reminded me to record Nightmares and Dreamscapes, so now I'm happy. ;P

[dreamingenigma.livejournal.com]

wtf that's so stupid. "here cleo, read this, i'm not jacking your idea or anything!"

[pinstripe-bindi.livejournal.com]

It's definately not just you. This week alone I have: engaged in a comment war over the validity of cheesesteaks from Geno's, been accused of anti-Semitism in a fairly well-known blog (yeah... no), and come thisclose to e-dumping a friend because she's going to couple's therapy with her ex-boyfriend. The internets are crazy this week.

[edda.livejournal.com]

On the bright side, I love your username.

[nilo.livejournal.com]

You're not at all being ranty and irrational about this. The 15 Minutes format is yours. You might not be able to stop someone from doing it, but I highly doubt you'd want to see the results. Sort of like watching film of your man sleeping with someone else, I would think.

[missmp.livejournal.com]

It's seriously not just you. My heretofore small & friendly fandom appears to be eating itself and I accidentally insulted my fiance so badly that the wedding looked in doubt for a bit. Mercury retrograde is truly whomping everyone right now.

[bodhichitta0.livejournal.com]

*Some* people are stupid and amateurish and under the mistaken assumption that they are the only person who might have EVER thought to e-mail you with something HILARIOUS they have come up with. Some people think they are original even with their copying/borderline plagiarism.

I don't know if you have yet encountered the people IRL who say, "Oh you write? I've always wanted to write a book. If I just had the time. How do you find the time? It would be easy if *I* just had the time."

That's pretty bad too. Not as irritating as expecting to be applauded for stealing, but still, pretty bad.

[cassildra.livejournal.com]

The interbuttsnets are just weird lately--like everyone else is saying, you know.

Um. At least you aren't having friends jerk you around over stuff(?). That would be much worse.

[lilgoala.livejournal.com]

Can you copyright the "(Movie title) in 15 Minutes" thing? Just curious.

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

Titles cannot be copyrighted. General ideas cannot be copyrighted.

I don't think Cleo is making any claim to "own" the idea--in fact, she says clearly that she's not; only to not be insulted in her own email and LJ by blatant imitators who seem to think she will enjoy their attempts to mimic her work.

[pygmymetal.livejournal.com]

Sometimes people are just too stucking fupid.

[nekoama.livejournal.com]

It's the internet, and it one of those things that comes with Internetfame. After all, not every single person who's read M15M would know that you had put them into a book. How could they? These things get passed around and around and around. They probably thought they were being nice/flattering. Like someone sending fanart to an artist in that artist's style. Or like fans sending in scripts to their favorite TV shows/comics/whatever because they think it's a great idea and though the creator would appreciate it as well. It probably wouldn't have even crossed their mind that they were causing you grief. The average person doesn't think about these things.

[azuresquirrel.livejournal.com]

^ What she said. I sympathize with your feelings quite a bit. Hell, I got so annoyed when my friends would steal my schtick, and I'm not a published writer! (and not as funny as you are) But the guy probably just bought into the old adage "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." We know that it's not true, but I'm sure he meant well. Not that you still can't be annoyed with it. ^_^

[laurelin-kit.livejournal.com]

I've been exceedingly irritable and antisocial these past few days as well. Having a houseguest at this time did not help.

[silk-noir.livejournal.com]

OMG, I just about spooged when that website came up, costume dominatrix that I am. So bookmarked.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

omg that site. I spent hours on it yesterday, drooling over teh pretteh.

[25775423.livejournal.com]

It's been national stupidity week from the internet, so I'm not suprised some asshat is being retarded. However, that level of stupidity might just win an award ( the Cleo Idiot Award, aka the CIA). Hope you feel less aggrivated soon :)

[mysticowl.livejournal.com]

Does the person who sent you X3in15 live anywhere near Toront? Because if so I can go beat them up for you. "It's hammerin' time! Write a 15 minute parody of this!"

[darynthe.livejournal.com]

Whaaat? Shouldn't you at least put a smiley or something so people know you're not serious?

Just saying.

[headtotoe.livejournal.com]

Oh God. I hate asshats like that!

MI5M is totally your thing and no one could ever do it like you. Pfft, his lack of originality is more annoying that anything. -_-

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I'm sending you this and you can use it if you want, you don't even have to write your own"

Are these people mental? Seriously? I mean, why would they think you wouldn't want to write your own?? Not to mention that it's 99% more likely to be funny than whatever they wrote. Durr.

Tequila does not like me either; hence, I do not like it. My sister loves it. She says it makes her feel "warm and fuzzy." I tell her it just makes me feel "hot and sickly."

*sends sleepy vibes to you*

[blinkliz.livejournal.com]

You had me at "Chicken Soup for the [Impressionable Demographic]'s Soul."

♥