Sleepy, cold, unsure of what to have for dinner

[cleolinda]

Since it's kind of a slow news day, I wanted to ask--about the Secret Life thing. I can't quite put my finger on when, but it's like it suddenly exploded a while back in terms of people getting really, really into it. I mean, I had some passing references to the dolls doing stuff as early as 2003. For whatever reason, I got whimsical last September and started writing about them on a more regular basis, so the series as you know it has been going on for like six months now. What happened? I mean, I'm curious to know from y'all's perspective--I know a lot of y'all kind of roll your eyes sigh indulgently and scroll past when I go on about them again, but for the people who have gotten invested, what was the tipping point? Was it when I started adding pictures? Was it a particular entry, a new character, a plot development, a specific storyline? I just don't know--I feel like interest increased a lot very suddenly, but I can't figure out why.

(While we're here--it looks like it's now going to be two more entries until The Package, so five entries total, rather than the four I had thought I would need instead of three. Uh. Sorry about that.)

Actual linkspam: Everything We Know Is Wrong - And Awesome:

Cheerleaders waved their pompoms and the students formed an aisle down the middle of the gymnasium. "Nerd Herd, Nerd Herd!" they chanted over and over as the high school's band played Survivor's thumping "Eye of the Tiger," the herd's unofficial theme song. Simon, along with team members Benjamin Kelk and Gregory Chin, both 12, ran down the aisle, high-fiving their screaming fans, like they were playing in an all-star game or something... Serenah Nevarez and Michael Loseto, both fifth-graders, waved a giant poster that read "GOOD LUCK, NERD HERD!" "This is a great energy booster for the school," Michael said. Serenah chimed in, "They're so cool!"

Which is a far cry from the days when my high school had a pep rally with a giant banner that read "LIFE IS FOOTBALL AND THE REST IS CRAP." Having been an editor on the school's literary magazine at the time, I have never quite forgiven them for that. My issues, let me show you them.

Kanye: 'South Park' put me in check: "I JUST WANT TO BE A DOPER PERSON WHICH STARTS WITH ME NOT ALWAYS TELLING PEOPLE HOW DOPE I THINK I AM." Dude, I want that embroidered on a pillow or something. Maybe a table runner.

'Simpsons' stamps to hit post offices (d'oh!).

Cartoon Network, Disney XD add more live-action to draw older boys.

'Dollhouse': Fox won't air 13th episode, but show could still go on; Tim Minear Clears Up Felicia Day’s Twitter Regarding The 'Dollhouse' Fox May Not Air; Now We're Really Desperate To See Dollhouse's Season Finale.

Fringe's Leonard Nimoy Stunt-Casting May Have Crashed And Burned.

Images: New Harry 'Half-Blood Prince' piano photo; Grey Gardens, The Movie Fashions: The Best Costumes For The Day [S-T-A-U-N-C-H]; Cillian Murphy and Feist star in 'The Water.'

Trailers and clips: Second Full Trailer for Butler and Heigl's 'The Ugly Truth'; Domestic Trailer for Frears’ ‘Cheri’ is Here; Amy Smart Beats Up Corey Haim in One of Four Clips from ‘Crank 2′; 'They Came from Upstairs' Trailer ('They' are ALIENS!).

These 10 cities are vying to host the Wolverine world premiere.

A Few More New Star Trek Photos to Hype You Up; Is there a new Star Trek ARG?

Must Watch: Phenomenal Trailer for Duncan Jones' 'Moon'!; Duncan Jones' 'Moon' Sci-Fi Also Gets a Brilliant Poster; Sam Rockwell’s ‘Moon’ Gets Trailerized, Posterized and Picturized.

'New Moon' Set; More 'New Moon' set pictures.

'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' author receives rumored $575,000 for 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.'

Zombies Can Be The Next Vampires, Because I've Already Moved On To Werewolves. Please. Given how I collect news for linkspam, I can tell you: we had a huge wave of zombie-related media, then vampires got crazy big (again), now zombies are mounting a counterstrike. But trust me, I was boggling over the sudden resurgence of zombies way before everyone started trying to jump on the Twilight bandwagon.

Although, yes, The Wolfman looks awesome.

Voldemort Joins 'Cemetary Junction.'

Sherlock Holmes Video Chat with Rachel McAdams.

Russell Crowe Talks Robin Hood.

Review: 'Hannah Montana' is strictly kid stuff.

Movie Review: Observe and Report (2009); Review: Rude 'Observe' is brilliant; Review: 'Observe and Report' doesn’t compromise.

(Related: Seth Rogen Aims High For ‘Pineapple Express’ Sequel.)

You’ll have a ball at ‘Dragonball Evolution’; Review: Dragonball Evolution could easily have dropped the ball, but didn't. I... I don't understand this crazy world I seem to have woken up in.

First Look: Very First Set Photo from 'Tron 2' in Vancouver!; Disney's Tron 2 Also Going to Cost $300 Million to Make?!; Seven Ways We Would Spend Tron's $300 Million Budget.

'Fame' isn't fleeting for characters in film remake.

Will 'Outrage' Become Tribeca Fest's Most Controversial Film?

'Silent Hill' Sequel Possible.

Jonny Quest Loses Its Name?

It's Like Blade Runner, By Way Of Uwe Boll [Found Footage].

Comments

[bumblebee-1983.livejournal.com]

'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' author receives rumored $575,000 for 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.'

Oh. *ahem*

This will totally warp kids minds regarding Lincoln. Not that I have a problem with that...as I find it all very humourous.

[shlupquack.livejournal.com]

I danced at the news much like the characters in your icon. *continues to dance*

[bumblebee-1983.livejournal.com]

By the way, Cleo, did you have any weather in your neck of the woods? I had tornado warnings coming out of the yin-yang all afternoon! Two confirmed touchdowns in my area, but I wasn't immediately affected.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

We had a good stiff wind and a light rain, but that was all, really.

[chase820.livejournal.com]

I always liked the doll stories, but my interest really focused with the introduction of the Littlest Edward. I think he added a lot of interesting and fun conflict.

[bumblebee-1983.livejournal.com]

I completely forgot to answer the question.

I must say...the way you tell the stories are fabulous. I suppose that's what keeps me gripped and wanting more. :)

[wolfsilveroak.livejournal.com]

It would be awesome if there was another Silent Hill movie.

[macbethchild.livejournal.com]

It was definitely when the pictures started happening (they're always my favorite part), around the time you started really getting into it---the dolls were helping you choose new dolls, I think, and Anna was so hilarious and Eowyn was so flippant and it was just FUNNY.

[greyduck.livejournal.com]

My answer is similar to this. I don't actually get into the pictures as much as the dialog and characterization, but I think when the pictures started showing up is when the momentum picked up.

[dragonzair.livejournal.com]

SWEET! I'm so excited for Moon!

And it's not just because I'm a fan of is dad, lol.

[purple-smurf.livejournal.com]

Re: your SLoD question. For me... well, I didn't actually have you on my flist, and the SLoD was what really pushed me over there (same reason I was following you on Twitter before I was following you here). It would have been early January, I think?

What has caused me to actually have a subconscious that dreams about the things? I think TLE's addition, Faramir's arrival, the whole Anna/Elizabeth thing (dude, I SHIP YOUR DOLLS. I haven't gone so far as to be tempted to sign up for ship_manifesto for them, but I can't help but feel it is Only A Matter Of Time), the fact that SLoD is a). incredibly well written and thought out, and b). it is way better than any soap opera around these days. I really started obsessively following once Elizabeth and Lyra arrived, and the talk of Edward Dollen began in earnest.

It could be the pictures -- TLE and the ponies, OMG! -- but it is as much the characters and the way you've brought them to life.

[sun-star-n-moon.livejournal.com]

What has caused me to actually have a subconscious that dreams about the things?

Oh man. You're not alone. I had a crazy ass SloD dream the other night that I still can not get over.

[tinuviell.livejournal.com]

I always liked your references to dolls in general, since I have some of the same dolls you do, and you usually had good doll news. But I probably got interested in the storyline, as it were, when Faramir One arrived. He's one of my favourite LOTR characters so I started paying more attention. Part of the attraction is probably how so many different fandoms are involved; it's like a big crossover fanfic, in a way. A well-written crossover fanfic. I'm not big on Twilight or the Littlest Edward (though I like the added drama he has brought), but I'm a big LOTR fan so I'll always be reading.

[emmaorgana.livejournal.com]

Just on the whole Dolls thing, for me what really got me interested was a combination of Elizabeth's arrival and when Ewoyn discovered she had a double that you were going to sell. The way you wrote her seeing The Other Eowyn in The Box just reminded me so much of when I'd play with my Star Wars Action Figures and I had to make Leia be multiple different women even though they all looked the same and yet there was still a level of fandom-meta in the play (lines like, "Nice outfit" or "You look familiar" somehow always wound up in the craziness. :p). It just reminded me of something I would do.

And then the arrival of Faramir 1, and then Faramir 2, clinched it. :)

[laigaiem.livejournal.com]

Yes. This.

The first SLoD post I remember was with The Other Eowyn. Then I had to go back and get caught up 'cause until then I hadn't really been paying as much attention.

[roseredhoofbeat.livejournal.com]

For me, it was whichever entry had Anna threatening your earlobe with a pistol. Or maybe the one with Aragorn's Safety Scissors.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is old-school.

[ofshoesandships.livejournal.com]

I've been following them since I started reading your blog. *shrug* I think they're very cute and witty.

[kyle-blake.livejournal.com]

Definately Faramir One's arrival for me too.

Before that I just kinda skimmed them since I was never a big fan of LOTR, except for him.

The Littlest Edward and his emo drama has got me completely hooked though.

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

SLoD-

Maybe it's because there has been a HUGE upsurge in well made 'character' dolls? As opposed to 'fashion' dolls. If you wanted anything decent over 12" that wasn't a fashion doll, your choices were action figures (which were hit and miss) Or imports, or so thinly distributed that you had to go to eBay to get them. Most of the US 'Doll' Market was dominated by Fashion dolls (Tonner and Gene come to mind) only in the past few years have we seen more and more character dolls.

And those dolls...since they are now spread across a wide genre...are more accepted? Hell DC now has a series of INCREDABLE 12-14" dressed character dolls, check out Nightwing!
http://www.mwctoys.com/REVIEW_102407a.htm

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Oh good, he didn't steal my idea for Willard Fillmore: Demon Slayer.

[citharistria.livejournal.com]

I was always a fan of your blog, got hooked through M15M sometime back in ... oh wow, 2005? Anyway, I was aware of SLoD but didn't really get into it until you added the portraits. Then Fugagorn's name piqued my interest and the rest is history. I'm really enjoying the current storyline and definitely don't mind a longer build-up to The Package. :)

[lunakitten.livejournal.com]

I've got to say that the above applies to me as well- I loved M15M, but I didn't read your blog- until one day I came across the Fugagorn entry in my friends of friendslist, and I was hooked- went back and read everything tagged SLOD.

Edit for massive typo trauma.

[eyemage.livejournal.com]

The secret life hooked me on the Prototype episode...

in that it neatly dovetailed into the twilight readings at the time...

been hooked ever since.

[barrelgoddess.livejournal.com]

... Nerd Herd? Surely I can't be the only one who saw that and thought of "Chuck". >.>;

As far as SLoD goes... uh... um... actually, I don't even remember. o_o; Just that somewhere along the way I was *really* drawn in, and going back to read the stuff I missed and now I'm totally hooked. And it got me to read The Golden Compass, which I adored, so... yeah. I'm quite happy for it. Also - don't fret on the longer build-up to -The Package-. I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that I enjoy every installment, and a little bit of a longer wait is not a bother at all. :) (In fact, I think it'll make the payoff all the sweeter.)

[instantpicnic.livejournal.com]

I totally thought it was going to be an article about Chuck! Although the actual topic was probably cooler.

[cherrysakura5.livejournal.com]

I have not i idea either when i started loving the dolls . I kind of tunned in on your journal after reading all your Twilight recaps. I don't even remember how i got i knew about Twilight in 15 minutes i think it was posted on a community that had nothing to do about Twilight. After reading that i loved your other movies in 15 minutes, then came across your Twilight recaps after that i peeked into your journal and read every post, linkspam and SLoD post. (I know it sounds stalker-ish) and eventually you became my favorite blogger on LJ.

I think i got interested in SLoD because of your Anna doll but i started reading the post (and going back to read so i could catch up) when you bought Lyra. I was thinking three weeks ago if i should send you my Hermione doll so Lyra could have a friend but i was against it when i started to think of SLoD as a fanfiction and your effort to not leave any character out. Thank God i didn't sent you Hermione i would of missed her terribly anyway.

Thank you for your linkspams and SLoD post. It's always the highlight of my day.

PS: I couldn't stop laughing for an entire day when i read the JaBrian Williams post like three months ago i still burst out laughing when i See Brian Williams on TV.

[elendiari22.livejournal.com]

For me, I think it was when you were window shopping for a Sweeney Todd doll and the girls wanted to know if he came with razors that did it. I just thought that it was all kinds of hilarious.

Longtime Lurker

[magicalmartha.livejournal.com]

I was an avid reader of your Movies in 15 Minutes (I've probably read the book four times over and it STILL makes me laugh), and I started reading your blog because your conversational and humorous tone were really entertaining. I got invested in Secret Life when I started picking up on the different personalities you've developed for you dolls - it pleases me to know that other supposed "adults" still like playing with their toys. :)

[marlinkhylacat]

I only just added your LJ to my reading list a few weeks ago, and I started reading SLoD at the same time, so I'm afraid I don't have much to contribute. Reading about the Shelfians came with the territory of reading all your other nifty posts!

[artemis-archer.livejournal.com]

With the Secret Life of Dolls I think it was something about the Elizabeth introduction entry that hooked me. You'd done a few around that time if I remember right about the Edward Dollen and the reactions from the Shelf on seeing his pictures and those were great. But then you brought in Elizabeth and had the whole thing with her and Anna surprisingly hitting it off and it just felt more like its own story at that point instead of just the dolls tossing in their two cents here and there. Before it was like the dolls would chime in if say you found a cool new doll but after the Elizabeth entry it seemed like you started talking about the actual goings-on of the Shelf.

Or maybe you had been doing more of that all along and I have a terrible memory but yeah, the Elizabeth entry was the tipping point.

[kellinator.livejournal.com]

I agree with this.

Also, some of the first stuff I remember getting invested in was Eowyn reading Twilight, and it was like the world of the shelf opened up and came alive whereas before I just saw them as a bickering chorus of heads rather than the fully-fleshed... characters? that they are. Now it really *is* the Secret Life of Dolls.

[arvada.livejournal.com]

Re: SLoD

I passed by your SLoD entries for quite a while because I just didn't get what was going on, and I was picturing those scary big Victorian dolls with the crazy eyes. Then I finally broke down and looked at what your dolls really look like, but much as I love the LOTR movies I wasn't that invested in the characters. When you started featuring Elizabeth and then Lyra, I got really excited and started following regularly. And then The Littlest Edward came along, and, well... I'm hooked, what can I say? So yeah, it was more about characters coming in that I was really familiar with and could follow. It's like a big cross-over 'verse full of shenanigans and soap-opera elements, and it's just fab.

:D

[arvada.livejournal.com]

Also: this has, like, no relevance at all, but ever since I got into SLoD and started looking at character dolls I've been sorely disappointed that there is no kick-ass Professor McGonagall doll. Where's the bad-ass older-lady love in this cruel world?

[kitrinlu.livejournal.com]

I found you through the whole Twilight thing, then discovered you were pretty interesting in general, so kept stalking watching you. The fact that you write SLoD and it's hilarious is kinda an added bonus.

[sushixpack.livejournal.com]

Same happend with me! I kind of enjoyed SLoD straight from the start. Most of my favorites are from the beginning.

That dude is coming to eat your brains, I hope you know that.

OH LOOK SHE FELL AGAIN. YOU KNOW HOW CLUMSY SHE IS.

YEAH WHAT ABOUT RAZORS?
RAZZZZOORRS
I SAID NO RAZORS!

Uhm.. yeah. I didn't memorize that (I'M NOT THAT BAD OKAY) but i looked on your cleoland wiki thing. Those sure did make me lol.