The Kiss, Party Boats and the like

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

No: HPFGUIDX 10493

Hi --

Ebony Elizabeth Thomas wrote:

> No shipper here has ever argued that the kiss was significant.  The R/Hers
> certainly haven't.  The H/Hers laugh about it and wonder what Hermione was
> thinking, but the archived posts show that for the most part we agree with
> you!

Susan responded:

> My memory is that folks were arguing that the kiss WAS significant
> and used the argument that the 14 year olds that they knew thought
> it was significant.
>

While I haven't argued that it was wildly significant, I do think it plays into
the mix.  And, honestly the opinions of all those 14 yr olds that we heard about
made me more convinced over time that it might be more significant than I first
thought.  I've laughingly admitted that I'll put my money on Ebony's 8th grade
students & Cassie's 14 yr old cousins & Heather's younger sister.  *They* all
think it's significant.  I think they *could* be right.  I think I have put more
stock in it than some other H/H'ers, including Ebony.  <shrugs>  Time will
tell....

> Penny in the past has teased the R/Hers by saying "that's 1 in the H/H column,
> 0 in the R/H", but she even has admitted that it doesn't necessarily have deep
> significance.

I am *joking* about that one!  <g>  (hopefully no hard feelings from that
teasing remark)

PARTY BOATS --

First -- the H/H ship should be renamed the Party Ship H/H or something else
more positive.  It can be the Cruiseline H/H.  But, I don't think it should be
called a battleship or a destroyer.  Gads!  Like Kathy, I find that sort of
comparison to be quite disturbing (and quite different from my original
conception of 2 "party boats" (cruise lines) sailing away on the HP waters).

And, despite Neil's very entertaining parody on the Titanic -- the Cruiseline
H/H has *not* been sunk!  Maybe Neil's dream was all foggy, and it was actually
the Good Ship R/H that sank.  After all, I (captain of H/H ship) am unlikely to
be pregnant if the Cruiseline H/H sinks in the future.  Since the Captain was
clearly pregnant in FFA's dream, I maintain, it cannot have been the H/H Ship.
:--)   And, FFA has made no provision in his "captain rescue" scenario for the
Captain's husband.   The Captain maintains she wouldn't have been sailing in her
condition without her husband.  <g>

Kathy wrote:

> I know it's all in jest, but tell me, why is it that H/H-ers seem to see
> themselves as missionaries of some sort?  I hope you know I'm not picking
> on you, Ebony, or anyone in particular for that matter, but it just seems to
> me that the H/H crowd often manifests an almost manic to convert others.
> (Almost like they're trying to convince themselves of the rightness of their
> position...(;, sorry, couldn't resist throwing that in!).  But seriously, I
> have corresponded with several other R/H-ers off-list who have told me they
> wouldn't participate in the shipper debates on this list because they
> perceived the H/H-ers here as being, well, let's just say too vehement.
> Obviously, I don't really agree, since I get into it with y'all on a
> regular basis :), but I can't help but notice that the R/H ranks have gotten
> quieter around here, even though the number of R/H-ers (at least according to the
> poll) hasn't gone down.
>
Well, that's why *I've* been trying to make it more obviously light-hearted &
humorous.  Like Ebony said, we all have lives other than matchmaking fictional
characters ... it's not like we H/H types live & breathe this sort of thing.
Most of us do have lives, spouses/significant others, kids, jobs, other hobbies
....  And, as Ebony also said: This ain't the navy.  We have no draft.  We're
just interested in other people hearing what we have to say -- if we happen to
land a few converts in the process, then great.  But, the goal is more to say:
"Hey, there's more than one side to this issue."

Speaking for myself, I don't really have an agenda that I'm trying to "convert"
anyone.  I do like to be upfront about what the H/H position is.  And, I'm happy
if what we H/H'ers have said convinces someone ... if they say, "You know I
never thought of it like that -- that makes sense," then I'm happy.  But, I
don't have an agenda of any sort.

And ... I'm a *lawyer* by nature (even if I'm not practicing much anymore).  A
good lawyer *always* has a counter-argument of some sort, and I tend to be
enough of a lawyer that I do enjoy throwing a monkey wrench in every now &
then.  Right, Heidi?!!   If that gets mistaken for "overly vehement," then well
... sorry but that's just the lawyer coming out.  :--)

Since Kathy posed a question about our side, can I likewise ask a question about
the R/H philosophy?  My perception (could be wrong admittedly) is that the R/H
types seem to be defensive.  I always get the impression that it's shocking &
bordering on sacrilege to even "suggest" that there might be the slightest
possibility that Hermione doesn't like Ron back (or that they might not last if
they do get together).  Is this just a misimpression on my part?  (honestly
curious ...)

Ebony said:

> I think I've become one of the most vocal around these parts, but I don't have two horns growing out of my head.  Most of
> what I post in the ship wars is tongue-in-cheek and is very indicative of
> my Type-A, quick to speak and react personality.
>
This describes me too (including the lack of 2 horns growing out of my head).
<g>

Penny


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