So the Little Voices in my Head Went Like This

Rational Writer Me: Okay, Natalia, you need to come in and provide some spy stuff exposition for purposes of the plot.
Natalia Romanova (aka Natasha Romanov aka the Black Widow): Okay, but only if I get to sleep with Steve.
RWM: Bzuh... what?
Nat: You heard me.
RWM: You don't want to sleep with Steve! When have you ever wanted to sleep with Steve?
Nat: I had UST with him in the mid-'90s, and I produced his sprog in The Next Avengers.
RWM: That's hardly firm canon.
Nat: And Virgin!Tony and Virgin!Daken are?
RWM: Look, I already have Sharon in this story. Why don't I just swap you two. You can ride unicorns, and Sharon can be a spy who has a thing with Steve.
(Sharon: But I like riding unicorns. RWM: More than you like Steve? Sharon: ... maybe?)
Nat: Would I have to be a virgin?
RWM: Well, yes.
Nat: As you Americans would say: Screw that.
RWM: But don't you see, it can't just be a one-night stand. Steve's not that kind of guy; he only puts out for committed relationships.
Nat: I have no problem with that.
RWM: I don't suppose you'd be willing to break up with him in the end?
Nat: Nope.
RWM: But... but... but it's a Steve/Tony Story!
Nat: Not any more.

And that's how this monstrosity turned into a threesome.

ETA: Now she's demanding an NC-17 rating. -sighs- If you give an inch, they'll take a foot, and next thing you know: you don't have a leg to stand on.

We're Standing on Ancient Ground

Someone linked to this video last night, which is nerdy and kind of awesome, and admittedly is "an anachronistic daydream asking the question, 'If pop producer Timbaland had sought to build consensus around declaring independence, what might he have produced?'"

It's nerdy and awesome in a number of ways, not the least of which is the fiddle solo.

Tonight, I went to a dinner at my church, which was followed by a talk about the history of the United Church of Canada (basically starting with Luther an moving to present day). It was a pretty fast summary, to be fair, but it still made almost no mention of First Nations people (when it did, it was about how the UCC now campaigns for Aboriginal rights).

After, in private, I told my minister that I thought he'd somewhat erased First Nations and Inuit peoples. He said that it was a theological history, which it was, but it was a history of what he said was a social justice-orientated church in North America. What we are is formed and informed by the land and people that were here when our ancestors arrived. This church would not be the same without the First Nations and Inuit peoples, and that gets left out.

And, you know, the bit where he skated right by the residential school issue, without so much as a mention. I'm always in favour of owning up to that one.

And this is where it ties into the otherwise awesome video linked above: my minister referred to the church on new ground. The first line of the song is, "Halfway across the globe, and we're standing on new ground."

But this isn't new ground, is it?

New to Europeans, certainly (discounting the Vikings), but that never seems to be the implication.

Relevant to My Interests

IGN Comics: So this series is focusing on Tony, Thor and Steve Rogers?

Bendis: Yeah, and what happens is they get thrust into an adventure. There's so little I can say, but this adventure is against their will. This adventure will hopefully be a very cathartic, rip-roaring one that will remind them of their glory days. At the same time it's kind of like a couples retreat...

The rest of the admittedly marvellous interview regarding "Siege Aftermath: Avengers Prime" may be found here.

Jan: Still dead. -sighs-

Also, it seems that all the cool people will end up in New Avengers, again (link). If Jericho turns out to be on this team too, it'll make my freaking year.

Finally, you know when Marvel talks about "Year of the Woman"? This is rather more what I was thinking of. You know, the thing where Monica Rambeau, Emma Frost, Agent Brand, Jen Walters, Valkyrie and Hell Cat team up to save the earth? Yeah. That.