Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[T-Gate]

Astrogeologist,

I was just skimming thru your SamGCCollection for AT.
It is fantastic! Congratulations to you and all who contributed.
It should make Amanda very proud!

All the best
Toni

[astrogeologist]

Happy birthday Charlie!
May my fellow Page have a wonderful day on her 18'th .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Charlie!

And, Deepspace, great photoshopping of Sam with the event horizon in the background. Those shots of Sam on the 'crystal planet' are some of my favorites. Great contrast between the yellow dirt and the clear blue crystals. And, Sam just looks cool in those sunglasses!

[astrogeologist]

I am currently at Uni, doing an IT course, but how long that'll last... who knows

Happy Birthday Charlie!!

OK, someone may have already asked, but what is IT? I'm pretty sure that you've said it in a post long ago... but my poor old grey matter lost track of those memory engrams... I Technology? Something to do with computers?

[astrogeologist]

Wow! You all keep amazing me!!! The map with the blue jello is pure genius.

I still can't dl the "tome" though, my pc freezes. I'll keep working on it.

Hmmm... how much RAM does your computer have? It's a pretty large file (smaller than the Word doc by 25%, but it's still a 7+MB file).

And can you currently download other PDF files from the internet (maybe you should try downloading a different file and see if that works?). I'd suggest one... but if my file(s) are the problem, you should probably test your Acrobat Reader software with a file that I didn't make.

[SamFan31]

OK, someone may have already asked, but what is IT? I'm pretty sure that you've said it in a post long ago... but my poor old grey matter lost track of those memory engrams... I Technology? Something to do with computers?

You're darn close! IT = Information Technology and yes, it's computer related. It's a catch all for programming, database administration, database design, data analysis, mainframe/PC service and maintenance, network configuration, etc...all the data/programming/hardware/networking stuff. Folks usually end up specializing in one area.

[astrogeologist]

amanda blows me away. i don't want this to come off wrong, but i've got a bit of a crush on amanda. not in a sexually attracted to way, but in every other way. i'm not insecure about myself, but i'd love to be her. and besides her being *gorgeous*, she's just as beautiful inside. and that's prob what has made me adore her as much as i do, because amanda is just a truly nice person. that description has lost it's punch i think over time, but i can't think of a better or more fitting description of her. i've never heard one bad thing about her from anyone.

reminiscing a bit, i remember meeting her at a con a couple of years ago. after i'd gotten my autograph, i stood around and watched others getting theirs. i knew i'd prob never get this chance of meeting her again (i can't afford cons, and most are too far away for me), so i wanted to get all of my 'meeting my idol' in. so anyways, after the photo/autogs were done, and amanda was getting ready to leave, she looked right at me and thanked me (i'd given her a letter from another fan that she knew about). that eye contact, and her thanking me... it just knocked me out.

suffice it to say, i admire amanda with all my heart. she's an excellent role model, because she's truly a nice person.


sally

Great post, Sally! Thanks for sharing your meeting with AT with us [QUOTE=majorsal]

Add a Caption:




Daniel: "Sam, stop it!"

Sam: "Whaaat?"

Daniel: "Stop laughing at me!"

Jack: "Daniel, stop being a baby."

Daniel: "She's picking on me!"

*sam snorts*

Daniel: "God, she's just like you! You're both 10 years old at times."

Sam: "Am not."

Daniel: "Yes, you are."

Sam: "Nope."

Jack: "Actually, Carter, you are."

Sam: "Not."

Jack: "Are."

Sam: "Na."

Jack: "Ya."

Daniel: "Shut up, both of you!"

*sam snickers*

Daniel: "Oh, god, grow up!"

Teal'c: "DanielJackson, stop being a baby."

*sam giggles*




sally

LOL!

[Carterslave]

speaking in broad, broad, broad generalizations here, for the most part you have: jack fans; daniel fans; jack/daniel fans; jack/sam fans; sam fans

From what I've seen, I'd reckon that Daniel fans are the most numerous & passionate, while poor Teal'c brings up the rear. Heck, even poor Jonas seems to own a decent fandom, while Dr. Fraiser's is surprisingly robust for a character who only figured in 75 episodes (and only for a scene or two in many of those).
Then there's a healthy & vigorous Sam/Janet fandom, a tribute to the presence of two such strong, charismastic, intelligent & dazzlingly articulate female principals on one TV show. (And I don't think there's anything wrong with a fan saying he or she "adores" or has a "crush" on their idol; it takes a fair amount of stones to discuss stuff like that in public.)

I got quite a laugh from the scenario about how the SamHaters would gripe even if Sam died, saying she took too long to die & the time should have been spent with the rest of the team dealing with the aftermath. It's funny b/c it's not an exaggeration in the slightest. It is exactly what would happen. (You should see how she got blamed for Jacob's death. Or maybe you did.)

As for Strix's discovery of the INTJ profile, great work! It 'tracks' with Carter so closely that I found myself wondering if such a profile figured either in Glassner & Wright's conceptualization of the character or in AT's background preparation—the kind of stuff she alludes to in the Red Sky commentary but is too bashful to discuss.

[astrogeologist]

ÜberSG-1Fan - Sorry I have not been around much but it's that time of the school year that concerts are keeping me really busy. I know several long pages ago you were asking about AT injuries and I ran across this quote from Ultimate TV Chat with Amanda Tapping
May 26, 1999

Have you ever been hurt on the set?
Yes, I got a concussion in Season 1 and a small explosion went off in my face during Season 1. I was supposed to run past and the bomb would go off, but we had a happy trigger finger happening. I wasn't seriously hurt. Just a minor spotting on my face.

In case you want to read the whole article here is the web link http://fortunecity.com/lavendar/east...ptv.html#taptv

Thanks for the link, tsaxlady - that was a fun read from AT's earlier days with the show. Sky should love AT's comment about wanting to see more Sam-Teal'c interaction. Also really enjoyed AT's comment about liking the 'more fun' episodes like 1969.

[astrogeologist]

College professor... of choc?

Yes, I teach on the globalization of chocolate.

LOL at both Strix's question... and the reply! Thanks for the smiles!

[astrogeologist]

amanda blows me away. i don't want this to come off wrong, but i've got a bit of a crush on amanda. not in a sexually attracted to way, but in every other way. i'm not insecure about myself, but i'd love to be her. and besides her being *gorgeous*, she's just as beautiful inside. and that's prob what has made me adore her as much as i do, because amanda is just a truly nice person. that description has lost it's punch i think over time, but i can't think of a better or more fitting description of her. i've never heard one bad thing about her from anyone.

reminiscing a bit, i remember meeting her at a con a couple of years ago. after i'd gotten my autograph, i stood around and watched others getting theirs. i knew i'd prob never get this chance of meeting her again (i can't afford cons, and most are too far away for me), so i wanted to get all of my 'meeting my idol' in. so anyways, after the photo/autogs were done, and amanda was getting ready to leave, she looked right at me and thanked me (i'd given her a letter from another fan that she knew about). that eye contact, and her thanking me... it just knocked me out.

suffice it to say, i admire amanda with all my heart. she's an excellent role model, because she's truly a nice person.


sally

I understand what you're saying. The emotion is a strong one...but unfortunately I think the English language is woefully inadequate when it comes to adjectives to describe it.

The best words like "crush" unfortunately imply some sort of sexual or romantic attraction...and even the word "attracted" has that same aire about it which is unfortunate...because that's not how I feel at all. My "attraction" to AT and SC is completely non-sexual and non-romantic but if you can have a non-romantic crush on someone then I guess that would be an apt description of how I feel.

The phrase "Hero worship" also has a funny sense about it as well...it seems almost stalkerish. Same with the word "obsessed"...it has a very distinct kind of "restraining order" feel to it. But look at us...in one way or another, we are obsessed with the show and this character/actress (and no, I'm not implying that anyone here would do anything inappropriate...and I'm fairly certain that anyone trying to stalk Sam Carter would find themselves at the business end of a P90).

I look up to AT for her dignity, her character, her dedication, her grace and her humor and I admire Sam for her strength and her honor and her compassion. She is, to the best description I can muster, a hero figure for me.

Sometimes I wish people would make up words to describe these emotions more succinctly...

I propose the Royal Scribe invent an appropriate word or phrase for use in such matters...

I agree with you, Uber. You presented a very convincing argument earlier and I agree with you. I think most of the things Sam has done over the last several seasons has been in character, except one thing--accepting so easily Pete's behavior at the end of Chimera. This second half of the episode was out of character for me.

Otherwise, I agree that Sam has made mistakes, but she is clearly not weak or incompetent. I see her this way because I can't just look at one behavior (or one scene) and determine she is now weak and incompetent. I look at the whole history of her character over time. I made a list awhile ago of all the competent things Sam did in season 7 and half of 8 thus far. I like seeing different sides of her, and I am definitely willing to forgive her if I think she did something stupid!! All the characters do stupid things for the sake of the plot.

I think it is interesting that AT won the Saturn award this year. She had been nominated a number of times, but never won. Now she does, and there was tough competition. Maybe it is because she was allowed to show a range of emotions and behaviors (seeming to fall in love, being giddy and fidgety, losing loved ones and therefore feeling grief, playing evil, playing geeky, being vulnerable, being shy, being embarrassed, doubting oneself a bit in a new leadership position, yet still solving problems, caring for her teammates, spitting out technobabble, playing spy and solving problems). AT got to play more dramatic situations, romantic situations, and comical situations too.

Even though I may not have liked the way Sam was written at times (I feel this way about all the characters), I do appreciate AT's ability to play this range.

I totally understand what Sally and Uber are saying. It's very hard to describe how Amanda makes me feel. I've been a fan of Stargate for eight years now ( I met my husband during the first season and we have been happily married for five years now). In all my life I have never had any sexual feelings for another women, but I've also never felt this deep of admiration for any other person before either. I've been a fan of RDA's since I was in grade school watching General Hospital and I've continued to swoon over him all through my adult life. So when the show first started I was definitely a Jack fan; however, as time went on Sam grew on me more and more. I loved her charismatic personality and the way she seemed to just light up a room whenever she entered it.

If I had to place an order on the team members it would have been Jack, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel ( Daniel reminds me too much of a younger brother. I love him dearly but he gets on my nerves at times. But like a RL sibling it really bothers me when I hear other people put him down or any of the other characters as well ). Joking is cool. Playing with captions and what not, but to sit and blame one character for everything that is wrong with another, or an episode is so utterly wrong in my opinion. It's one of the reasons I stopped reading several threads here on GW.

As for Carter, as much as I have always liked Carter, I think I took that next step from blissfully ignorant Stargate fan to fandom the moment I watched my first DVD and saw Amanda goofing around behind the scenes. It was like a 'WOW'... I really REALLY like her.

It's very, very hard to put these types of feelings into words because as Uber has said, there really isn't one to truly depict what I feel. I love my husband deeply... I cherish my children. I know Sam is a fictious character and Amanda is an actress whom I have never met nor will likely meet in my lifetime, but she is everything I wish I could be. Not the actress, but the person. She is brilliant, energetic, witty, charismatic and she genuinely acts as if truly cares for everyone around her. She makes everyone around her feel as if they are the important and gives them what little time she has. She is a beautiful human being with a truly wonderful gift.

When I first started watching the behind-the-scene interviews I started to feel very uncomfortable by it all, because it felt almost like an attraction to this woman. When I watched her smile or laugh, my heart was filled with this feeling of utter joy. It was like a drug. The more I watched and listened, the more I wanted to be around it. I can understand completely why all her co-workers say that she is a joy to be around, because just watching her onscreen for a few minutes brightens my day. The only other person who's been capable of doing this to me is my daughter. She also has large, blue, doe eyes, an infectious smile, and an endearing knack for making everyone around her smile.

So how exactly would I describe my feelings?

Well according to Webster, I think these descriptions best conveyed how I feel about AT/Sam:

1 : to worship or honor as a deity or as divine
2 : to regard with loving admiration and devotion
3 : to be extremely fond of

So I would have to say 'I adore her'.

What a fantastic discussion! There have been so many wonderful, thoughtful posts, that it's taking me *hours* to catch up!

Blue Jello All Around!

[astrogeologist]

Hey uber

have you thought what to use as a cover for the book?

If you haven't, do you think that the daffodil samanda picture might be nice?

If AstroG wants me to come up with something...I'm sure I could...



You know, it's funny...but most of you haven't even seen my graphic art or web design skills...just my keen sense at how to take good screen captures...

Before I left home today, I downloaded Kat's wonderful pic into the collection... right now, it's the closing page - but it can certainly move. I'm not sure about the cover yet - haven't had time to check into the options available in binding and such yet. I was envisioning something like what was done with my graduate thesis... 'leather looking' covers with embossed title... but I'll see what's available in a couple of weeks when I get home.

[astrogeologist]

Not only is there nothing wrong in criticizing the actions a character takes...it is IMHO an integral part of fandom. I don't agree with everything Sam does and I have openly criticized some of her more egregious errors in judgment...At the same time, I believe that most of the mistakes she makes are in character...based on her personality or past experiences. Gemini is the flashpoint I think because for Sam, RepliCarter personified the mistake she made betraying Fifth...so she was even more prone to errors in judgment. RepliCarter knew exactly how she felt and knew exactly how to exploit Sam's humanity to her advantage.

But the line is exactly where you place it...criticizing vs. bashing. One is constructive the other destructive.

Sam has never demonstrated weakness to me. Has she made mistakes? Of course. Has she had moments of doubt? Undoubtedly...and like I posted in my diatribe last night, even Jack doubted his own abilities...I didn't hear the masses scream for his head on a platter for being "weak."

I hope I didn't offend anyone...I guess my ire goes up when people trash someone I kinda view as my hero figure...

Great post, Uber! And I thoroughly enjoyed all of the pics in your other post last night. Also really like your new link to the SaGC thread in your signature (Astrog is now mulling over how to add such a link to her sig without exceeding that 200 pixel sig-pic restriction limit)

Would Sam get the same bashing she is getting now if she had been written as a happily married woman?

I think some of the bashing comes from people who some how feel threatened by her. She is beautiful, smart, strong, and successful.

I think there may be some truth to that, Rogue. I don't pretend to understand the psychology of why people might feel threatened by her... but women in the fire service run into it all the time, and I think Sam is in a similar (if fictional) position (ie. a strong, competent woman in an untraditional role).

Good point, Rogue and Strix. I've often wondered what it how things might have worked out if Sam had been simply happily married... maybe to some guy also in the Air Force - and who knows what she does. I wonder if they'd be able to resist the temptation to write episodes where they have spousal arguements about her job... or about having kids...or write the guy as philandering... or have him get killed in some tragic fashion so that she's 'single and available'...

I whole-heartedly agree with you here AstroG - I so hope they allow Sam to be happy for once. I really miss seeing her smile. She's had far too much angst in her life over the past few years and she truly deserves better.

Besides there's a whole slew of new characters to spread the angst around.

I just pray the writers don't plaque Sam with a season of wanna-be love interest( I refuse to say old boyfriends because in my mind Sam never showed interest nor encouraged any of these men to fall for her ), and I'm truly sick of the fact that people make it seem as if she's left a trail of used and discarded men behind her.

I agree, Kat!

Perhaps it's her 'doe eyes' and her infectious smile, or maybe it's just her compassionate nature and ability to make every one feel at ease around her; but whatever it is, there is undeniably something about Sam that draws men to her like a moth to a flame.

And that is definitely the "AT" effect! It's quite amazing to see a female scifi series character who attracts men with her natural good-nature and inner character - instead of overt sexuality used as a manipulative weapon/lure/tool.

I just hope with all the upcoming spoilers,

Spoiler:

with Orlin, Barrett and possibly Joe

that the storylines have a lot more meat in them than whether or not Sam has a boyfriend.

Kat

I agree - here's to some solid stories for Sam to take part in.

Now as for Sam in Season 9...I think that Sam will be much more at ease and comfortable in her own skin now that she's faced her Jack issues head on. Jack not being there, IMHO, will do wonders for her because she won't have that tension to deal with day in and day out and as a result I think she'll be able to focus more on being an incredibly confident and competent SG-1 team leader.

Yes! I think Sam's professional competency is something that I'm really looking forward to seeing in Season 9. Season 8 didn't showcase it - and it was a missed opportunity. It's rare for a TV series to have a situation that allows the 2IC (second in command) to rise to permanent command in a lead role (especially if it's a woman who's not just an occassionally recurring character). Typically, TV series stick to the formula (and ranks and pecking order) that are established early in the series. For Sam to get the chance to move into the position of leader of SG-1 was a rare opportunity - it would have been much more typical for the series to have ended with Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c all still in their 'positions' on the team.

So, for Sam to get the chance to move into the leadership role was such a rare opportunity... and then, Season 8 went in other directions and Sam didn't shine as the off-world SG team leader. It would have been so great to have had around 5 episodes that showed Sam leading the team offworld and in very hazardous situations.

Hopefully, Season 9 will show us some of that professionally competent Sam who has the fire of exploration and zest for life!

[1speed4Sam]

Not sure if someone else already posted a pic and I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toe. I just got to thinking after I read this post and started playing a bit.

Absolutely beautiful, although I can feel my hay-fever coming on just looking at the picture!!!

1s4S

[astrogeologist]

Anyone familiar with the Myers-Briggs and Keirsey personality/temperment descriptions based on Jungian psychological types? (Okay, besides Lida...)

http://www.typelogic.com/
http://keirsey.com/

Sam is a very good example of an INTJ (text stolen from the first link above):

To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they don't know.

INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.

INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into play, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.

In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their inherent unconventionality.

Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.

This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. :-) This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.

Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and support those they care about, and those relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good communications.

INTJ - that's exactly what I came out as when I took that test. The 'I' always seems to surprise my students... shouldn't a teacher be an 'E'? Erm - no! I have no trouble talking about my field of expertise when I have a planned presentation and know that I'm giving it to a room full of non-science majors! (E is extrovert and I is introvert).

The other aspects that always glare at me are the 'T' (for thinking) as opposed to folks who have the 'F' (for feeling)... makes me feel (ha!) that I'm missing something by being too analytical and objective. And I can *so* relate to Sam when she gets a bit focussed on her science instead of considering how folks might *feel* about it (ala A Matter of Time or Metamorphosis).

And then there is that 'J' on the end. For 'judgemental'. Erk. I find myself judging my response and reactions carefully! But I have to agree, I like to look at things objectively rather than through a 'perceptive lens'.

At any rate, I got a kick out of your choosing INTJ for Sam... 'cuz that's what I am!

What fun, Strix!

[1speed4Sam]

Originally Posted by 1speed4Sam
The RA also had another opportunity to demonstrate her “combat roll”, but luckily fell to the left where a grassy bank stopped her momentum, rather than to the right where she would have plummeted down a ravine into a raging torrent.

Yikes! Again? What kind of bike rides are you two going on? Methinks you need to pick a nice flat, paved street next time! We can't afford to lost the RA down a ravine! ROTFLOL! You folks should really write professionally! So much fun! Love the humor! Thanks for brightening my day and putting a smile on my face!

Glad you like it, astrog. Dunno about the "write professionally" bit, though – all I do is stitch together a few one-liners and smart-ass comments, and I’ve shot my bolt.

And just to set your mind at rest, it wasn’t really a ravine or a raging torrent – it was actually a very narrow, gnarly sheep-track running above a drop of a couple of feet or so to a stream. Mind you, it would still have been a nasty fall. Needless to say, I was off the bike and walking at this stage – the Royal Accountant (who has far larger cojones than me, and is definitely worthy of all the recent comparisons to Sam Carter) was still riding.

1s4S