Wherein Cam is amused at fic descriptions and ponders OTPs

[misscam]

So, a friend passed on a link and rather amusingly, I found various fics of mine rec'ed and described as "good but too old school, not in line with current producers' vision of D/R. Not shippy enough" and "Definitely of the brand of Doctor/Rose fic coming from the Old Skool, which tends not to see D/R as an OTP by any stretch. Which always makes for very, very *interesting* fic, if unsatisfying and occassionally annoying."

So after I stopped being amused being classified old school when I can count on one hand the number of classic episodes I've seen and having not been in fandom even a year, I got to thinking about OTP. And the thing is, I'm not sure I believe in OTP at all.

Yes, I believe in love. And I believe sometimes you find someone who seems ideally suited for you and it is genuine, heartfelt, I'd-die-for-you kind of love. However, under different circumstances and at a different time in your life when perhaps you never met that first ideal match, I think it's possible to meet someone else you might feel genuine, heartfelt, I'd-die-for-you kind of love for. Humans - or Time Lords, for that matter - adapt and change with the people we love. I don't think there's just one shot at love out there. However, once you found one of them, it could be the right one for the rest of your life and you don't need any others.

Rose meets the Doctor. In doing so, she changes. Later, he changes. I choose to see their relationship as love. But if they had never met, do I think they wouldn't ever have loved anyone else? No, I don't. In fact, I don't think Rose is the first one the Doctor has loved or will love. It doesn't demean their relationship to me, really. Just like it doesn't demean my love for my father that I also love my brother, you know? Love isn't a restricted quality.

Of course, you can have conflict with loving more than one and fidelity tends to be a good idea. Nothing's perfect. Certainly not love, which fucks you over and comes for repeats when it feels like. But it's still fascinating and human and neccessary. And sometimes, when you've found and lost it, the really brilliant thing is that you might get another shot.

So, I don't really believe in the soulmate OTP part. But I do believe in love. Quite a lot, actually.

Maybe that makes me another sort of old school.

Comments

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Not shippy enough? WTFWTFWTF???

There are people who believe that Perfect Love is a perfect shield against sorrow, loss, change, and anger. Avoid such people; most especially avoid falling in love with them. For one day, they will discover that even True Love doesn't do much when you have a migraine headache and have just lost their job, and they will question the nature of their love instead of saying a few choice words. I have true love. It's hard work. It doesn't keep away pain or anger or old age; it simply makes it easier to cope with them when they come.

You don't have to be Old Skool to know the Doctor isn't emotionally monogamous -- what, precisely, were these people thinking during "School Reunion" and "Girl In The Fireplace"? I'll tell you what they were thinking. They were thinking La La La This Isn't Happening.

My mother once said to me that I was romantic but not sentimental. I think that describes you, too.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Heh, perhaps. I certainly don't believe in fairytales and happily ever after. If you're lucky, I think you can get mostly happy most of the time. That's my aim, anyway.

But there's always going to be some shit happening, and it helps to keep your eyes open if you want to manage through.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

My husband and I agree that our 25 years of marriage have included the happiest 23 years of our lives. ;-)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Heh. I like that.

[shandydann]

I'll tell you what they were thinking. They were thinking La La La This Isn't Happening
*sniggers*
As an old skooler myself I enjoyed the series.

I tend to think folk who believe in soulmates are a touch nieve. But that's 'cos I'm bitter and twisted.

I suppose it's easier for people to project how they would feel though the shipping. You're right about the true love thing it's hard work and your true love has to work just as hard.

I was a bit bemused at the reviewers comments.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

People project how they feel through a lot of things, really. Shipping and fandom is just one possible outlet.

[shandydann]

Yeah, I shudder to think of the stories I nearly wrote for some fandoms as a teenager. Especially as I realise that the fans do love the character 's they ship. But I've always been more confortable with doing original fiction.

You've got a real talent for writing really well for the fandoms you write in. I still remember your LOTR ones. You can stick within established canon because you do your research. It'll put you in good stead for journalism. If only because as well as being able to write the facts you can bring emotion to a piece to connect with a reader.

[nostalgia-lj.livejournal.com]

You don't have to be Old Skool to know the Doctor isn't emotionally monogamous

It seems to be almost fanon that he is. Though I really don't know quite how that happened.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

What, he loved Zoe and Jamie was just there to even out the loading on the TARDIS?