Man/Myth/Monotone

[aloysiavirgata]

I am working on a Mulder-centric piece right now and whoa. The fanwankery in which I am having to engage is epic. Several homes in New England!  Mother  from Ohio! Graves in Raleigh! Jewish jokes! Christian funeral!  Wedding band!  Not attending Oxford until age 22! Where he "graduated with honors"! Which I am given to understand is not done at

Comments

[medland]

Oxford is a bizarre and wonderful place unto itself. I think anything is possible there.

[aloysiavirgata]

Oh, wait! Actually I am mistaken. It's that they don't do cum laude designations like the US. But they do have Honors. Yay! The minorest of quibbles is now resolved.

[medland]

I don't think any UK universities have those sort of degree classifications. But yes, you can graduate with honors. I did!

[aloysiavirgata]

Smartypants! You go, girl.

[amalnahurriyeh]

I choose to ignore that which I do not like, and proceed from there. I mean, it's pretty much the only option left to us. *shakes fist impotently*

(My favorite thing for Oxford is that he actually did his graduate work there, not his undergrad. Since a profiler should have a PhD, anyway. Or maybe I just like Dr.!Mulder scenarios.)

(Also, I should really write that academic AU, sometime when I feel like hating my job in print.)

[aloysiavirgata]

My favorite thing for Oxford is that he actually did his graduate work there, not his undergrad. Since a profiler should have a PhD, anyway. Or maybe I just like Dr.!Mulder scenarios.

Yes! That was my plan, actually, since it fits perfectly within the timeline and, as you say, ought to be canon.

Also, I should really write that academic AU, sometime when I feel like hating my job in print.

Lulz. It sounds potentially cathartic.

[wendelah1]

It seems like you have to throw out a lot of badly conceived "canon" in TXF universe; for example, that Scully is unable to perform CPR correctly. Her resumé is a mess, too

[aloysiavirgata]

Thanks all around! I've already got many of the elements you mention in place (the degree, religion, the family in NC, marriage), so I'm very pleased to see we're thinking along the same lines. Very reassuring!

Is several synonymous with three? I didn't know; I meant it as a general term of "more than two but less than six or so." My bad on that. Yes, there are four. There was definitely money in that family, and lots of it. I'm guessing "had" rather than "made" because they strike me as old-money people, not "paid off by the Syndicate with a big wad of cash" people.

I am lucky to have an Oxford-educated friend as well (and she's thinking of joining the FBI!), so I'll probably pester if need be and save your friend the trouble.

Scully's resume...ugh. I can't even.

[wendelah1]

emily_shore is not on your flist but she is in fandom, attended Oxford, and has written fic and meta for TXF. I'm sure she'd be happy to answer any remaining Oxford-related questions.

[aloysiavirgata]

I appreciate the heads up! And you know, she really ought to be on my Flist. I see that girl everywhere. Must send PM...

[glisters]

Actually every student graduating in the UK graduates with Honours. What's really important is the class of your Honours. Specifically, you either graduate with a First, a 2:1, a 2:2 or a Third (also called a "Gentleman's Degree").

Particular to Oxford is what's called a Congratulatory First, for those graduating with the highest marks.

Hope that's useful!

[aloysiavirgata]

Gentleman's Degree! I love it. Oh, England. You're so cleverly scathing. ♥

And yes, this is very helpful, thank you. One of the bridesmaids from my wedding went to Oxford but she doesn't know I write fic, so it's better if I can rely on the internet.

[glisters]

A Gentleman's Degree is just the beginning of it! Although it's not well used, there is a degree slang done entirely within the conventions of Cockney rhyming slang, often using the names of popular British media personalities. There's a wiki sub section on it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_undergraduate_degree_classification#Undergraduate_degree_honours_slang

It's something that Mulder might be just obscurely and oddly informed enough to know all about!

And if you need any info on the layout of Oxford, popular haunts or which college Mulder might have been at just ask.

[aloysiavirgata]

Ooooh...obscure trivia...tastes like sexiness...

I mean, uh, thank you.

[maybe_amanda]

ohio? huh?

(Also, you know, wanna read it)

A

[aloysiavirgata]

I know, right? Apparently her given name is Elizabeth Kuipers and she is from Ohio. Thanks for fucking me over as per usual, canon.

And thanks!

[maybe_amanda]

But...her name Teena. And Ohio is a very nice place. Or so I have heard.

[aloysiavirgata]

I have no quibble with Ohio per se. It's just reconciling Massachusetts and Connecticut and Rhode Island and North Carolina...

...and now Ohio.

Paper Clip provides us with her name and birthplace. Canon's so useful that way, right Samantha T. Ann Mulder?