FDK goes here.

Would a list of Australian Rules (AFL) clubs be helpful?

Thanks.

Corrina.

I must admit that I usually find almost anything sports-related to be extremely boring...But you included enough WAFFy stuff to hold my interest. I now know a lot more about footy than I do about American football.

Edit: Perhaps "WAFFy moments" isn't quite the phrase I was looking for; rather, "discussion of Clark's emotions".

BTW, I loved your description of Paul Brown. It was both amusing and vivid.

Looking forward to part three.

cheers,
Lynn

With regards to the YouTube video:

I liked the "tiny pants".

I was laughing myself silly over this:



Just a few weeks ago, my best friend and I were talking about the fact that different cultures have different taboos, and I noted that the word "toilet" is all but unmentionable in the United States. My friend then told me about a colleague of hers, now a woman in her fifties, who went to the United States in the seventies, when she was just a girl. Upon arriving at the American airport the girl was amazed to see that the place was full of "restrooms", as if newly arrived passengers like herself were supposed to be so tired after their flight that they needed to lie down for a while and rest. Well, soon afterwards her host family came to pick her up, and they immediately brought her to a restaurant, where there were more restrooms. The girl was even more astonished. Did Americans need to take a nap after they had eaten, too? She expressed her amazement at these incredibly strange American facilities to her American hosts.

'We don't have anything like that in Sweden," she told her horrified hosts.

'But what if you have to...?' her hostess objected weakly.

'We don't!' the girl said firmly, bursting with patriotic pride. 'We wait until we get home!'

Well, in Australia the girl would not have mistaken a public toilet for anything else! And I noticed another similarity between Sweden and Australia, too:

Yes, of course, where else would you have them?

Otherwise, I loved seeing the interplay between Clark and Lois. You really managed to show how Lois appreciated Clark's help and friendliness and his willingness to practice "footy" with her. (Clark, of course, was heads over heels in love, and that was wonderful to see, too!)

But I really think that Lois could use a friend, because she seems to be even lonelier and without any support here than she is usually seen to be in canon LnC, even if it is set in the first season. Perry always supported Lois and Jimmy was always her friend, but even though this Banjo guy seems nice enough, he doesn't exactly seem to be Lois's friend. And her boss doesn't seem to take any particular interest in her. And there are pictures of half-naked girls in the bullpen - I bet Perry wouldn't allow that sort of thing at the Daily Planet.

Well, I'm really looking forward to part three of this!

Ann

Soooo cute
I don't think the word for loo has ever been so sexily explained.
I'm glad you included a football throw. It felt somewhat familiar. The Waffy stuff was totally enjoyable, but I don't think I'm up for a whole explanation of Australian Rules Football.
Just keep the heat coming and we'll learn by osmosis.
Great story. Good video. Dudes with flags at the goal posts. Did I see 2 sets of goal posts, a wide and a slimmer, taller set? Isn't that like - what? - Canadian football?

Artemis (who knows about 'shouting for Ruth')

Great part!

Loved the explanation about toilets - I know when we visited the US, it was weird asking for the restroom because I grew up with the terms "toilet" or "loo".

And our traffic lights are also on poles by the side of the road - another similarity

Cannot wait for part 3!

This looks like it could be a fun ride. I'm enjoying the culture clash/fish out of water situation that Clark has to deal with.

I also like, and sympathize with, this Lois. She seems very likeable and friendly, yet her obvious loneliness comes through.

I am getting an impression that the Austrailia and it's folks of this particular era aren't terribly progressive.

I don't know if its deliberate, or just a byproduct of this particular story (ie a newspaper environment) but the implied defacto discrimination against women in general and Lois in particular is somewhat depressing. Maybe it's this situation that is mostly responsibly for this Lois' character building.

Also, I'm a guy, and I like sports. Most particularly, baseball and football. But while I consider myself a fan, I'm not a fanatic. I find those who live, eat, and sleep their favorite sports a bit pathetic.

Again, it might be part of this particular story, but is everyone in Melbourne totally fanatic about their football. I know that Clark is supposed to pose as a sports reporter, but so far he hasn't run into anyone who seems... 'normal'.

I guess I'm experiencing some of the culture confusion that Clark is while reading this story. I'll continue to do so, if only to see Lois lose her infatuation with Dan Scardino.

Tank (who wonders if Austrialian Rules Football is the same thing as what we used to call Rugby)

Waff junkie, checking in. I also love having a whole new culture setting, and footy has been very enjoyable!

Looking forward to more,
JD

Lynn Thanks for your comments.

Oh, good. One of the challenges was to get in some explanations about footy (Clark *is* there to write about it) without losing sight of the fact that this is a Lois and Clark fic.

I'm glad it worked for you.

Iolanthe



Ann Thanks for your story! The American hosts must have been shocked - they probably decided there and then never to visit Sweden!

Artemis

Thanks - Lois and Clark know no bounds - they can make the most mundane subjects sexy!

The 'dudes' are the goal umpires. They wave two flags for a goal, one for a point. The goal posts are as you describe (more in part 3). I have no knowledge of Canadian football.

Ruth? As in Babe Ruth?

Thanks for your FDK.

DW Thanks for leaving FDK. I'm glad you're enjoying the fic.

Tank

Yes and no.

Firstly, the fic is set fourteen years ago. Things have changed a lot since then - particularly in football. Women are goal umpires now and there are increasing numbers of female football journalists. There is also a female footy commentator working for a television station. Every year the AFL hold 'Women's Round' to 'celebrate the contribution of women to football'.

Secondly, an all-male environment is going to be one of the last places female-induced change happens. If this fic was about the arts for example, it would read differently.

Thirdly, I wanted Lois to be a pioneer - I wanted her to be the one who led the way, who went where no woman before her had gone. Possibly, to be completely true to history, this fic should be set in the eighties - but I didn't want to deviate that much from canon.

Not *everyone*, but I believe it is a much higher percentage than most other cities. It's hard to judge of course, but I've heard reactions from visitors expressing their amazement at how football is such a wide-spread obsession (in Melbourne, less so everywhere else).

From a writer's perspective, that's great!

I doubt it. Rugby League and Rugby Union are also football codes. Both are very different from Australian Rules Football.

Thanks for your thoughts.

JD Thanks. If you like the different culture and can tolerate the footy and love some WAFF, I'm hoping you will enjoy this fic.

Corrina.

It also pertains to when there has been too much "shouting" at the pub the night before.

Artemis

/flashes back to 6th grade English lessons and words we should be careful with. But then, I'm sure it's harmless.

I loved the pink-tornado references. It conjured up this image:


What did happen?

Oops? Talk about a contact sport.

I really wonder how much Lois a free agent. If she is really rooting for her friend. Or if there is more between her and Dan.

And is this going to be a Clark-only POV fic? Not that I mind and I can certainly see the charm in showing us Australia through his eyes only.

And part 3 is already up since way back when, so...

Michael

Artemis Thanks. Too much 'shouting' is definitely not a good idea!

Michael



No, it won't be only Clark's POV; occasionally we will get a glimpse into Lois's mind.

I've been thinking for awhile about writing a relationship story from mostly one POV. It seems to me that that is more true to life, as we usually only get the benefit of our own feelings - particularly in the early stages.

This seemed like the ideal fic to do it. If we're in Lois's head, it is unrealistic to describe things that she sees every day and probably barely notices any more.

This is probably a good time to send another bouquet of thanks to my two wonderful BRs. In writing this fic, I've had to try to describe what is familiar to me as if it were unfamiliar. I really needed their perspective. Thanks Iolanthe and Deja Vu!!

Corrina.