(no subject)
It's kind of ironic that I'm posting this now, since June 2001 was when I entered HP fandom for the first time, if I date from when I first read the books and went looking for fic. (I had the idea-oh, naïve little me!-that I should make a webpage, because what were the chances that anyone else had? Slim, right? I was so wrong.) So consider this my 5-year Anniversary post, if you like.
I've been in fandom a long time, and I've watched just about every single wank go down, even before fandom_wank existed. (Hey, anyone remember Stacey's Big Rant? The one where she posted about the four big dramas that were going on at the time, wayback in February 2002? Know why she wrote that? Because I'd posted I was tired of the infighting and was withdrawing from fandom. Kid you not. We will not go into how drama-queeny it was of me to say "I'm leaving fandom!" and then...not leave. Ahem.)
Anyway.
It's really easy to think, oh HP fandom, cesspool of wank, all they ever do is fight and wank and plagiarize and create sockpuppets and be mean. And honestly, some days it really felt that way, particularly during the height of the sockpuppetry that went down and was chronicled by Bad Penny. It felt like every day there was a new troll, or a new watcher journal, or something. It sucked the joy out of something that was supposed to be fun.
But way more than wank has come out of the Harry Potter fandom over the years. All the people I've met through fandom and through LJ: you guys rock. coconutswirl, r_becca, mahoni, red_wench, mynuet, rainpuddle13, trakkie, banfennid, thepiratequeen, heinous_bitca, adrith...I could name everyone on my friendslist, just about, and write an essay about how great y'all are. You're talented, smart, funny, savvy people, and I know I'm the worst commenter ever, but I want every one of you to know that I do read all your posts, and I do care, even if I'm terrible at saying so. I haven't been involved in HP fandom stuff for several months, but I remember it-and all of you-with affection.
strangerface and wm_law2003. I honestly don't think I'd have gotten involved in HP fandom at all if you two hadn't found and friended me on Livejournal in 2001. I'm so glad you did, and I'm so glad we've stayed friends for the last five years. Five years of chats and drama and dorkiness and laughing, and I just swell up with happiness when I think about that, and about how lucky I am to know you. We haven't met in person-not yet, one more month!-but I love you guys.
Ok, group hug! Big group hug!
I've been in fandom a long time, and I've watched just about every single wank go down, even before fandom_wank existed. (Hey, anyone remember Stacey's Big Rant? The one where she posted about the four big dramas that were going on at the time, wayback in February 2002? Know why she wrote that? Because I'd posted I was tired of the infighting and was withdrawing from fandom. Kid you not. We will not go into how drama-queeny it was of me to say "I'm leaving fandom!" and then...not leave. Ahem.)
Anyway.
It's really easy to think, oh HP fandom, cesspool of wank, all they ever do is fight and wank and plagiarize and create sockpuppets and be mean. And honestly, some days it really felt that way, particularly during the height of the sockpuppetry that went down and was chronicled by Bad Penny. It felt like every day there was a new troll, or a new watcher journal, or something. It sucked the joy out of something that was supposed to be fun.
But way more than wank has come out of the Harry Potter fandom over the years. All the people I've met through fandom and through LJ: you guys rock. coconutswirl, r_becca, mahoni, red_wench, mynuet, rainpuddle13, trakkie, banfennid, thepiratequeen, heinous_bitca, adrith...I could name everyone on my friendslist, just about, and write an essay about how great y'all are. You're talented, smart, funny, savvy people, and I know I'm the worst commenter ever, but I want every one of you to know that I do read all your posts, and I do care, even if I'm terrible at saying so. I haven't been involved in HP fandom stuff for several months, but I remember it-and all of you-with affection.
strangerface and wm_law2003. I honestly don't think I'd have gotten involved in HP fandom at all if you two hadn't found and friended me on Livejournal in 2001. I'm so glad you did, and I'm so glad we've stayed friends for the last five years. Five years of chats and drama and dorkiness and laughing, and I just swell up with happiness when I think about that, and about how lucky I am to know you. We haven't met in person-not yet, one more month!-but I love you guys.
Ok, group hug! Big group hug!