My computer’s in Maryland for repairs, so I’ve been bouncing back and forth between using the Wii’s web browser and my parents’ computers to get my fix for the last several days. I’m having trouble keeping up with the internet, but I guess that’s a good thing.
Bonnie and I are playing a little game of switcheroo, with me taking her place writing Playing Dirty this week, and her taking my job writing Off the Grid for the next. My column, entitled “The Queer Hero,” should appear on Joystiq sometime this Thursday. Lord knows I’ve been writing it in my head for long enough.
I just sent off my scholarship application for GDC 2007. I haven’t exactly figured out how I’m going to get there, but I know I want to be there. Very badly. The scholarship means a lot to me, which is probably why it was so hard to hit the “Submit” button. I want this scholarship. I don’t know what else to say about it.
Finally, tomorrow I leave for Israel, which is mostly scary because I don’t think I’m entirely aware of it yet. My body’s not acting like I’m leaving the country. It’s only eleven days, but I still feel like I should feel some kind of tension or anxiety. I’ll feel better when I don’t feel so good.
The trip itself is going to be incredible. I’ll write about it once I return, and once my PowerBook returns to me.
2 replies on “What a weird, busy week.”
Hey, I just read your contribution to Playing Dirty and I thought I’d post my thoughts here instead of the miasma of the Joystiq comment section.
First, why all the hate for the Fear Effect girls? Just because the girls are in an overt male gaze doesn’t make these heroines any less queer and doesn’t exclude the possibility of queering the gaze itself. Lesbians could certainly get pleasure–visual and identificatory–from watching, playing as and projecting themselves onto Hana and Rain. And isn’t that the appeal of a queer hero: to be able to finally identify with a game hero when all the other games follow straight narrative and characterizations? I can’t see any reason to take away their gay card simply because straight boys lust after them. We don’t question Brokeback Mountain’s queer credentials just because it was marketed to straight women.
Second, isn’t your definition of a queer hero as being “‘cool’ neither because of his/her sexuality, nor in spite of it.” exactly what “gay for gay’s sake” is? And what’s wrong with “gay for gay’s sake” anyway? I’m guessing your model for a queer hero is similar to Samus revealing that she was a she at the end of Metroid…doesn’t that make Samus a woman simply for the sake of being a woman?
Anyway, nice blog you got here. I’m going to bookmark it. You and Bonnie have a great time in Israel!
I didn’t want to post this on the Joystiq post, as I figured you’d never even read it, but I just wanted to say that I thought that your article was not only well written, but I completely agreed with it. I thought I was the only one with the “Leon is gay” theory, seeing as every time I brought it up with my straight gamer friends they balked, but it seems I’m not alone. Anyhow, nice piece, I just added you to my list of favorite blogs! (I just read a few of your other entries here on numberless)
-Nick