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aruanOkay, so, reading Betty's seahorse story this morning, and it got me thinking about all the talk while she was posting parts and the general controversy surrounding Trace in the fandom.
I seem to have acquired the impression that there's a distinct amount of antipathy toward Trace, and not just on the writers' end. Personally, I've always thought he was something special and Justin is lucky to have him, but anyone who knows something more about Trace than what I've got to work with, which is basically the obvious fact that Justin loves him like a brother, do please fill me in.
Betty loves her Trace. It's absolutely a joy to read him here, but not in the way that, wow, she's created a wonderful incarnation of him here. No, we don't actually know any of them, but sometimes someone hits just that close to home for you that you're like, wow, yeah. I don't believe any of his father speech or the way he took on caring for the eggs is stretching the boundaries of his character, but not because Betty skews him for sympathy - in my opinion, she's hit on an aspect of him that reads so right, it's hard not to think of it as true.
Barring the last few months because he's just bound to get photographed since Justin has been schlepping him everywhere he goes, for the most part Trace has stayed out and away from the spotlight. We've never heard a single rumor, seen one leaked photograph, or read any kind of press that could possibly be attributable to him. Where Freddy is a world-class sleazeball (and Lance is either an overly forgiving man or got really fantastic head for his trouble), Trace has done exactly none of the invasive, asinine things he has. Did we just cast a blanket suspicion over anyone who isn't the boys after him, even though Trace has been around literally forever for Justin and has tried to capitalize on their friendship in exactly no way?
I could quote a thousand things from this story. I'm settling for this one, on your honor that you'll read the rest yourself:
"Well, I'm not Justin's." Even though everybody thinks so, everybody always has. He's not anybody's. He follows Justin all over the world, keeps his schedule and his secrets, listens to him and makes himself the most reliable thing in Justin's life, but it's not because he doesn't have a choice, he's not Justin's property. Trace likes it. He's here because he likes his life, because it makes him happy.
That, just, yes. Essentially, Trace has lived Justin's life with him and is still everything he was to Justin before and everything Justin needs him to be now. He's the best friend, not the comic relief or a passing groupie or some random date. It's the mutual exclusivity of his being Justin's friend and a good person that's baffling. I mean, isn't that just a little ridiculous?
Because as it stands, apart from this particular piece because I wouldn't dream of making claims to Betty's writing motives if they even extend beyond wanting to tell a story, it seems downright silly to me that someone should have to feel the need to essentially redeem Trace. I'm not saying the boy's character (necessarily) is unimpeachable, but I would contest that his devotion to Justin is.
Walking back from Reporting, I reflected on my most recent change of major to Journalism, the demands of the class, what this line of work would continue to entail, etc. Essentially, I panicked. I'm thisclose to dropping the class because of the lab nazi, which would screw me in the worst way for graduating on time. My solution is for the school to offer a degree for being a well-rounded student - I've taken at least half the courseload of English and Psychology alike, and probably have at least two or three minors if you do the credit math. Can't I just graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Well-Roundedness?
I've been going to the Racquet Club for lunch a couple of times a week now for the past month, since Jon reported his sighting of a double-take-and-gape-worthy Justin look-alike, but no dice. Ran into Jon on my way home though, and we ended up grabbing lunch together.
We discussed music and a thousand other relevant things that come out over fried chicken, and somehow ended up with my sharing this current crisis of purpose and discussing finding a forum for my writing instead of tailoring my writing for a forum, which has so obviously proven itself both strenuous and not terribly successful. Must take deep breaths, speak with an advisor, and decidedly not freak out. Big college! Lots of majors! I can be so uncharacteristically impractical when frazzled.
There was a symposium of statewide journalists who serve on a university advising council tonight, which ended up being a lot more interesting than I just made it sound. For example, I realized that wanting a career in journalism didn't even mean having to be a journalism major, which may be the best thing I've heard all semester. Has anyone else noticed how education can suck the life out of something you love? Anyway, we got a lot of stuff talked about, I shook hands and got business cards, advice, and perhaps even a copy editing job offer.
Caught the E! newsclip and yeah, Chris totally had to remember he was on camera and bite his lip to keep from kissing Lance.
Justin was every bit as adorable as you've already heard on TRL today. Charming and playful, he was a delight to watch. Gideon even got him to do the Omeletteville line! That one, I assure you, will never get old. Excellent appearance.
"Unadulterated Viggosity" is one of the absolutely coolest phrases ever uttered. The inanity of GQ's Men of the Year preshow was worth that alone. Also, Orlando's acquired a serenity and poise that, combined with his ever-increasing hotness quotient, is going to make him nigh unwatchable by human eyes.
And, eee! Justin said my name! In that voice! Eee!
I am so freakin' easy, man.
Also, Brit's new song? Good god, it's been driving me crazy, trying to figure out what it reminded me of. Me Against the Music is Plug It In! Oh, so, so Plug It In. Except without the cool edge and crazy production, though Brit does prove worthy competition in the pretty department.
[ETA: A guy just walked by outside my window singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Winamp's been throwing Christmas music at me for a week now, and decorations are beginning to appear at Wal-Mart. I love the holiday season.]
I seem to have acquired the impression that there's a distinct amount of antipathy toward Trace, and not just on the writers' end. Personally, I've always thought he was something special and Justin is lucky to have him, but anyone who knows something more about Trace than what I've got to work with, which is basically the obvious fact that Justin loves him like a brother, do please fill me in.
Betty loves her Trace. It's absolutely a joy to read him here, but not in the way that, wow, she's created a wonderful incarnation of him here. No, we don't actually know any of them, but sometimes someone hits just that close to home for you that you're like, wow, yeah. I don't believe any of his father speech or the way he took on caring for the eggs is stretching the boundaries of his character, but not because Betty skews him for sympathy - in my opinion, she's hit on an aspect of him that reads so right, it's hard not to think of it as true.
Barring the last few months because he's just bound to get photographed since Justin has been schlepping him everywhere he goes, for the most part Trace has stayed out and away from the spotlight. We've never heard a single rumor, seen one leaked photograph, or read any kind of press that could possibly be attributable to him. Where Freddy is a world-class sleazeball (and Lance is either an overly forgiving man or got really fantastic head for his trouble), Trace has done exactly none of the invasive, asinine things he has. Did we just cast a blanket suspicion over anyone who isn't the boys after him, even though Trace has been around literally forever for Justin and has tried to capitalize on their friendship in exactly no way?
I could quote a thousand things from this story. I'm settling for this one, on your honor that you'll read the rest yourself:
"Well, I'm not Justin's." Even though everybody thinks so, everybody always has. He's not anybody's. He follows Justin all over the world, keeps his schedule and his secrets, listens to him and makes himself the most reliable thing in Justin's life, but it's not because he doesn't have a choice, he's not Justin's property. Trace likes it. He's here because he likes his life, because it makes him happy.
That, just, yes. Essentially, Trace has lived Justin's life with him and is still everything he was to Justin before and everything Justin needs him to be now. He's the best friend, not the comic relief or a passing groupie or some random date. It's the mutual exclusivity of his being Justin's friend and a good person that's baffling. I mean, isn't that just a little ridiculous?
Because as it stands, apart from this particular piece because I wouldn't dream of making claims to Betty's writing motives if they even extend beyond wanting to tell a story, it seems downright silly to me that someone should have to feel the need to essentially redeem Trace. I'm not saying the boy's character (necessarily) is unimpeachable, but I would contest that his devotion to Justin is.
Walking back from Reporting, I reflected on my most recent change of major to Journalism, the demands of the class, what this line of work would continue to entail, etc. Essentially, I panicked. I'm thisclose to dropping the class because of the lab nazi, which would screw me in the worst way for graduating on time. My solution is for the school to offer a degree for being a well-rounded student - I've taken at least half the courseload of English and Psychology alike, and probably have at least two or three minors if you do the credit math. Can't I just graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Well-Roundedness?
I've been going to the Racquet Club for lunch a couple of times a week now for the past month, since Jon reported his sighting of a double-take-and-gape-worthy Justin look-alike, but no dice. Ran into Jon on my way home though, and we ended up grabbing lunch together.
We discussed music and a thousand other relevant things that come out over fried chicken, and somehow ended up with my sharing this current crisis of purpose and discussing finding a forum for my writing instead of tailoring my writing for a forum, which has so obviously proven itself both strenuous and not terribly successful. Must take deep breaths, speak with an advisor, and decidedly not freak out. Big college! Lots of majors! I can be so uncharacteristically impractical when frazzled.
There was a symposium of statewide journalists who serve on a university advising council tonight, which ended up being a lot more interesting than I just made it sound. For example, I realized that wanting a career in journalism didn't even mean having to be a journalism major, which may be the best thing I've heard all semester. Has anyone else noticed how education can suck the life out of something you love? Anyway, we got a lot of stuff talked about, I shook hands and got business cards, advice, and perhaps even a copy editing job offer.
Caught the E! newsclip and yeah, Chris totally had to remember he was on camera and bite his lip to keep from kissing Lance.
Justin was every bit as adorable as you've already heard on TRL today. Charming and playful, he was a delight to watch. Gideon even got him to do the Omeletteville line! That one, I assure you, will never get old. Excellent appearance.
"Unadulterated Viggosity" is one of the absolutely coolest phrases ever uttered. The inanity of GQ's Men of the Year preshow was worth that alone. Also, Orlando's acquired a serenity and poise that, combined with his ever-increasing hotness quotient, is going to make him nigh unwatchable by human eyes.
And, eee! Justin said my name! In that voice! Eee!
I am so freakin' easy, man.
Also, Brit's new song? Good god, it's been driving me crazy, trying to figure out what it reminded me of. Me Against the Music is Plug It In! Oh, so, so Plug It In. Except without the cool edge and crazy production, though Brit does prove worthy competition in the pretty department.
[ETA: A guy just walked by outside my window singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Winamp's been throwing Christmas music at me for a week now, and decorations are beginning to appear at Wal-Mart. I love the holiday season.]
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no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:28 am (UTC)My opinion? Trace keeps Justin sane. They have been best friends for years and he knows more about Justin than anyone else including the guys. It's nice to know Justin has someone like Trace around. I don't mind the kid even if he is a little goofy and wears horrid outfits to the VMAs. lol
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:40 am (UTC)But that, as it so often is, is just me.
And seriously, if the worst he's done in riding Justin's coattails is get laid, then more power, I say. Girls who go for that line/expect dividends are just starfuckers anyway. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but whatever. *shrug*
And I may have liked his little VMA suit. Easter egg pastels are the new black! Or something. ;)
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:51 am (UTC)As for the suit, it was better than what he wore to the Grammys. I wanted to kick him for looking horrible.
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:43 am (UTC)The Seahorse Story
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 08:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 09:31 am (UTC)Heh, he was whistling it when he passed by my room. It didn't drive out GMHS, which I *inexplicably* woke up with in my head; that was finally supplanted, for no apparent reason, by The Saga Begins on the way back from class. Ladies and gentlemen: my brain.
And man, I loved the seahorse story so hard. I didn't come into it with Trace issues, so those weren't a problem. Her characterization is always so natural and flawless (and I got the Bassez for freeee!). We need to get together and talk about fic again--wasn't there one you liked and I didn't really that we said we were going to go over? Is it Friday yet?
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 10:51 am (UTC)God Must Have Spent! My unholy love for that song grows ever stronger. It's just beautiful in a thousand squee-inducing ways. Melts me every time.
And yes, much, much love for the seahorse story. Like, an incredible amount of love. I think my favorite parts were Trace's father speech to Joey very early on and Chris talking about Lance not understanding the split parenting thing but yes, the whole thing. Such intense amounts of love. As far as the characterization, I had a few issues here and there, especially with JC, but on the whole, very very yes. She writes a fantastic Joey, which is so rare.
We need to get together period, man. We've had no us time for something like a week now, which is just wrong. On the agenda is the clubbing AU, which is the one we disagreed on. Now we should find a story you liked and I didn't, and we've got the makings of a great discussion.
*checks calendar* Nope, not Friday. I have to survive tomorrow first, and I'm not entirely sure how that's gonna happen.
no subject
Date: October 22nd, 2003 11:52 pm (UTC)Since I don't have any problem believing that Trace can simultaneously be completely loyal to Justin and pretty scuzzy with women, I don't have any problem with either sort of stories; I think people just need to cope with the fact people have different opinions.
no subject
Date: October 23rd, 2003 07:11 am (UTC)Personally, I'm pretty blase about the whole thing, if it is in fact true. Trace gets to be the way he allegedly is because he *is* the relatively high-profile best friend of a superstar and yeah, that does carry clout with a certain population of women, which lends itself to allowing himself to be choosy. I think I really need a better idea of what you mean by "scuzzy." Could you elaborate on that, like what brought the behavior on or what was said/done?
You don't mean Younger's story, right? Surely that couldn't have started this whole thing. The kerfuffle as I know it goes way farther back than that. I get the impression that people don't like Trace on the whole, tend to write him off (which is what I'm baffled about) if they choose to write him at all.