A Midsummer Nights Dream (in Forumshire)

So the character experienced the horrors of ageing...in real life?

it seemed that Mrs Figg most took offence to it being the character based on her who expressed those views on female aging and beauty- Eldo

Thats ridiculous. I was writing about Mrs Figg- an eel wrangler from Bree who has a shop in Needlehole and seems to have had her youth some time about the Edwardian period. Im pretty sure she is not real.
Anymore than Wisey is actually a ghost, Amarie a real ambassador or CC a mischievous spirit (ok that last one might be true)- hell the character of Petty comes off a lot worse than anyone else in anything I write.

If people are going to start thinking that versions of their characters that appear in peoples stories are meant to be comments on the real person then we may as well all give up writing anything right now.

The Mrs Figg I was writing as a character is taking one of the parts in a satire of a play- she therefore has a character arc that has nothing whatsoever to do with the real person.

I kind of took it as read that much was obvious.

Hey! Was my role in this play so small I don't even get a character description?!

But if someone wrote me not as a liberal hipster I'd be so not chill y'know?

You are Ally, as you always are in my tales- the coolest person on the planet (although you are slightly more distracted in this one than usual, but in a cool way)

Pettytyrant101 wrote:Thats ridiculous. I was writing about Mrs Figg- an eel wrangler from Bree who has a shop in Needlehole and seems to have had her youth some time about the Edwardian period. Im pretty sure she is not real.
Anymore than Wisey is actually a ghost, Amarie a real ambassador or CC a mischievous spirit (ok that last one might be true)...

What... all illusions?   By gom!  

My character could probably sense that a controversy like this was waiting to happen.

I think all my 'characters' as such are pseudo-quasi-real people here. A heady mix of vaguish-fact, pure-fancy, and unabashed-facetiousness. But they can be troubled waters on which we sail I espy, especially Petty for some reason.   {{{Thank Eru it's Petty and not me, I'll give you the tip.  }}}

Which literary wall is he breaking?

We should be cheering up Petty

Don't fight you guys...
What would this place be without you both?

If they both left, I might consider coming back. That's certainly worth thinking about.  

Eldorion wrote:

Ally wrote:Are we being good moderators right now

because it sure doesnt seem so

I ask myself this question every night before I cry myself to my sleep.

Welcome to my world of crippling self-doubt on one hand and the expectations of the forum on the other.

 there there *pats head* that's the reason i should've been moderator

Pettytyrant101 wrote:it seemed that Mrs Figg most took offence to it being the character based on her who expressed those views on female aging and beauty- Eldo

Thats ridiculous. I was writing about Mrs Figg- an eel wrangler from Bree who has a shop in Needlehole and seems to have had her youth some time about the Edwardian period. Im pretty sure she is not real.
Anymore than Wisey is actually a ghost, Amarie a real ambassador or CC a mischievous spirit (ok that last one might be true)- hell the character of Petty comes off a lot worse than anyone else in anything I write.

If people are going to start thinking that versions of their characters that appear in peoples  stories are meant to be comments on the real person then we may as well all give up writing anything right now.

The Mrs Figg I was writing as a character is taking one of the parts in a satire of a play- she therefore has a character arc that has nothing whatsoever to do with the real person.

I kind of took it as read that much was obvious.

 i agree Petty. if one doesn't want to be written about, then of course we won't write them, but this isn't based on real people. Some resemblance of course (i am just as awesome as Lance says i am lol) but yeah.. I am sure Petty meant no harm.  just as you two aren't really getting married, this is a character based on you, just like caricature is based on a celebrity/politician. 

i think it's fun to see what other people come up with about me, i mean, it's just fun. they're not putting words in my mouth or anything.. 

i lost my trail of thoughts.

bu seriously.. i don't see what the fuzz is about?!

i do not complain even though this sweary, rude and childish interpretation has nothing to do with who i am! i would not say half the things people write i would, but i don't complain, because it's all in good fun. 

and please, continue to write Petty, you're writing is fabulous. 


no one complained when i draw .. and if they did, i would understand petty i think, when someone complains, it's like taking air out of a balloon.. but at the same time, artistic freedom right?

just want to straighten a few misconceptions out, firstly Norc, this has nothing to do with 'artistic freedom'.
even an idiot would know our avatars are fictional characters, made for fun. if we describe Petty as being drunk on Buckie  its because he has implied directly or indirectly that he doesnt take offense at these references, and has actively encouraged that aspect of his 'character' here. therefore we are free to comment on it. I have NEVER implied either directly or indirectly that it is ok to comment on my age and physical condition.

Norc NONE of these avatar character traits are connected to the way you LOOK. If someone started describing your appearance in a negative light you would be justified in being angry or am I wrong? if someone described your avatar character as not being pretty even if you knew you were very pretty would it make you very upset and pissed off? I think it would. so I was pissed off at being described as sagging although I am not in real life, it still hurts my female pride.

In my stories I take great care not to offend anyone by trying to describe their physical appearance for laughs at their expense, I wouldnt describe for example  a middle aged male as having a beer gut or any slurs about his body. I would have the sensitivity to not use physical descriptions for an avatar that could subconsciously be connected at that person as an object of ridicule. Non of my stories make comments about the physical flaws of a person. if you want to make a story about somebodies supposed character, no matter how silly it should be made with delicacy and gentleness not barbed bitchy comments about somebody getting older couched as 'fun' because its not fucking fun for the person described as such.

Eldo , no its not based on personal experience, I am fortunate to have escaped comments like that (for the time being), so its not coming from some slur I received personally bubbling over here. i was actually enjoying Pettys story very much until I read that passage, it felt like a slap in the face, and if anyone cant see why it could be offensive then thats down to their lack of empathy not mine. I wouldnt dreamof writing anything that could possibly hurt anyones feelings even in a fictional world, as the avatars are based on our personas to some extent. we have constructed them through with our own personalities shining through from time to time. so keep ageism and sexist comments out of it I say.

Mrs Figg wrote: I have NEVER implied either directly or indirectly that it is ok to comment on my age and physical condition.

I have to say I'm quite surprised by this Mrs Figg. I can remember you referred to your character as a 19th century lady on a number of occasions. I seem to remember you complaining that the forum wouldn't let you give an age of over 99, and that we were all children compared to a lady of your dignified age. If anybody had asked, I would have guessed that you had made as many jokes about your age as I have about my vegetables.

[And while we're on the subject, I'd like to point out that certain comments that have been made about limp vegetables have absolutely NO BASIS in Reality!!!!      ]

OHMYGOD NORC WILL YOU EVER LET THAT GO

David H wrote:

Mrs Figg wrote: I have NEVER implied either directly or indirectly that it is ok to comment on my age and physical condition.

I have to say I'm quite surprised by this Mrs Figg.  I can remember you referred to your character as a 19th century lady on a number of occasions. I seem to remember you complaining that the forum wouldn't let you give an age of over 99, and that we were all children compared to a lady of your dignified age.  If anybody had asked, I would have guessed that you had made as many jokes about your age as I have about my vegetables.

[And while we're on the subject, I'd like to point out that certain comments that have been made about limp vegetables have absolutely NO BASIS in Reality!!!!      ]

In that case I am assuming that you didnt get my joke Dave. its a reference to my preferring to have lived in the Victorian age, with Victorian clothing, art etc rather than to me claiming to be over 100 years old. its not the age its the era, I thought that was obvious.

I have NEVER implied either directly or indirectly that it is ok to comment on my age and physical condition.- Mrs Figg

I didnt comment on your age or appearance- whoever you are- I have never met you or seen you that I know of it to make such a judgement- I was writing about a fictional character called Mrs Figg who eel wrangles and is of an unknown age but seems to have been about a while.
Further I was putting these Forumshire characters into an already existing play and giving them similar roles to the plays characters- so the Mrs Figg character has to have a (false) sense that she is not quite what she once was in order for her character to have some development and the story to have a point in that regard.
In just the same way it is necessary for the Petty character to be full of himself, wanting to play all the parts yet completely incompetent at any, lazy and a drunk- so as his arc can develop in parallel to the Figgs arc.
It had NOTHING whatsoever to do with any real people at all anywhere, ever.

I had always understood that was the premise on which everyone wrote their forumshire tales or newspapers.

Also the passage in question it is a general observation- not Figgs thoughts as shown by the fact all 3 of the more 'mature' ladies in the scene- Figg, Amarie and Azriel all share this view and all give Norc the frowning look for it.
So on that basis they should both be equally offended as you Mrs Figg.

No one gets my jokes either #thestruggleisreal

I did understand, and I think I do understand. But I still would have assumed that by making jokes about your own age you were intentionally opening yourself up to friendly teasing, just as I knew when I first mentioned I was a farmer that I'd inevitably be teased about my livestock. Doesn't that make sense?

I have self doubts, plenty of them, they practically haunt me daily but, Ive learnt to laugh at myself. It actually softens the blow & help me cope. I am who I am, good or bad. Im full of faults but someones gotta be the duffus, so why not me ? In my daily life if someone doesnt like me then,ok, leave me alone & Il leave YOU alone. We cant like everyone, that would be impossible ! & not everyone can like us.but it IS fun to hide behind an avatar ! its fun to make someone guess about you. "you" can be anyone you want & no one knows the real you ! I can understand how some remarks feel more hurtful tho, & to be honest what pisses me right off is, when some twat on TV talks about a book hes bringing out & says the female lead is beautiful " Oh yeah ! so, are you saying shes not worth reading about if she looks like quasimodo ? an instance..Susan Boyle went on "X factor" on TV, she looked plain, Simon Cowell pulled a face just cos of her "auntie" appearance, but the moment she opened her gob & sang, that shot him right up the arse !! how bloody dare he cast aspersions before he knew her a little more ! In my view EVERYONE is special in their way, looks do NOT come into it. The richness of the spirit or soul is whats beautiful.  

I make jokes to protect myself (in every aspect of my life.) It’s something that I’m working on.

after a while it becomes easy, id say 1st nature, let alone 2nd.( Im aiming that at me)

David H wrote:I did understand, and I think I do understand. But I still would have assumed that by making jokes about your own age you were intentionally opening yourself up to friendly teasing, just as I knew when I first mentioned I was a farmer that I'd inevitably  be teased about my livestock. Doesn't that make sense?

how does saying I am Victorian, ie over 150 years old lead to friendly teasing about my actual age? thats completely different. If I had made jokes about being a middle aged lady thats one thing, making jokes about being from another century is another. I fail to see the connection. you are a farmer, I am not actually Victorian.