So other people have done it, and I thought it would be interesting. It's a bit brain-splurt-y - I haven't put anything in order within the months, it's all just as it came to me. But I think it's at least a little interesting!
2000
In 2000 I was 14. I was in year 10, so my first GCSE year, and enjoying it. I was in a play called Hourglass at the York Theatre Royal, with
emailitin amongst others. It was a play in which all of the York schools came together. I can't actually remember much about the plot, other than it was connected to the Millennium and there was a funeral scene where a girl called Jocelyn was supposed to be dead, and we all kept getting the giggles. On Googling, I managed to find an
article about it which ran in the paper I now work for.
Scarf Tim was also my first boyfriend in this year, and I had my first kiss with him too. Our relationship lasted a whopping month and a half, which embarrasingly is actually the longest relationship I've had to this day. He dumped me for a girl named Paige who he met, annoyingly, at Hourglass.
My half-brother Thomas was born in January - this was probably the point I realised my parents were unlikely to ever get back together, something which I had been somewhat slow in realising because Dad had been a bit vague about everything and still stayed at our house every other night.
2001
This was the year I went out with Shanks, a relationship I think I was only in because he was interested in me. I never liked him that much so it was sort of doomed to begin with.
I passed all 10 of my GCSEs - 3 A*s, 2 As, 5Bs - and decided to stay on at school for Sixth Form, with all of my best friends. I don't think anybody I was really close to left after Year 11. I also met Bry in this year, who joined our school from another one after having missed her GCSEs due to developing Social Anxiety from being bullied.
Christmas of 2001 was the year we were in charge of the school Panto, something the Lower Sixth was charged with each year. We did a production of Little Red Riding Hood (or L'il Red In Da Hood as we called it), starring
emailitin as L'il Red, and Scarf Tim as one of two Gay Wolves. I was the director and also in charge of music/sound effects. It all went down very well, and as the person who has the video I can tell you it's still funny to this day! (To us. Probably not to you lot as its full of in jokes.)
I spent most of my online time talking to Regina in Louisiana, I used to get up at 7am after Mam had gone to work and talk to her til gone 6am her time.
2002
2002 was important for various reasons. It was the year I went to my first organised signing (James Marsters at Forbidden Planet with Hils and my friend Selina, who had been in my year at school since year 7 but we had only discovered that we were both massive Buffy geeks when we got chatting at Panto rehearsals), my first convention-type-event (Mark Lutz and Andy Hallett at the University of Leeds, organised by Sector 14 and ticket aqcuired from
helygen, which also marks the first time I met somebody "off the internet" in real life. That worked out well :)
I joined Shippers United and spent all my time on a message board for the very first time. I met
playfullips and
_fullofgrace and we became the Three Musketeers, also known as the Powerpuff Girls. I also met
ficbitch82 there, as well as
sheisthesmoke, my twinnies,
missambs,
cherrycokerocks,
niennah and various other people I'm not still in touch with, like Emily, Twi and Sky.
I started working in the Travelodge with Hils as a room cleaner on weekends and school holidays. It was hard and messy but also a lot of fun sometimes too.
2003
2003 was my first convention, End of Days. I stayed in a Blackpool B&B with Gail, had an amazing time, and was completely hooked. I delivered Alexis Denisof's pizza and had him read to me at the autograph table. I had my first experience of being recognised by somebody,
larakailyn, who I knew through Wes/Fred fandom and was stewarding an autograph session I went through. She wrote "Rachael" on my post-it and then asked me if I was "Rachael from A Whole New World", which shocked me as I'd been all ready to say no, and it turned out that yes, I was! We talked for hours on the Sunday night, until we were practically thrown out of the stewards meeting room (which in those days involved crisps and sweets and fizzy pop, not just a quick thank you).
On my 18th birthday I had a sleepover, though it was in the middle of A-Levels for some, so only a couple of people stayed the whole night. I recall the Buffy finale aired on Sky that night, but we didn't have Sky and I'd already downloaded it, so Selina, Quinn and I watched that on the computer while Hils, Bry, Danni and Jen were upstairs watching some documentary about Prince William, who Hils and Bry used to fancy a lot. During the night, Shirley called me and we chatted and I passed the phone around to my friends for them to say hi.
I passed my A-Levels (BBCE, I think. The E was in German, I know that.) and got accepted to Sunderland University to do Film & Media Studies. I moved there in September and met Claire, Chrissy, Katie and Colin, and had hysterical funtimes in our flat in Pallion. I miss them, though Colin now does a 4Talent nominated podcast so I can hear him in my ears weekly. My love of sleeping developed, and I would often lock my bedroom door and pretend I'd gone out so that nobody in the flat could convince me to actually socialise.
2004
This was a big year. I used to download Angel in the library and watch episodes while I was there, with headphones on, as I didn't have the internet where I was living. I did manage to contain myself for the finale until I got back to the flat, so that I could watch it properly.
Shirley came to visit me for two whole weeks in June. Christie and I picked her up at Newcastle Airport with a sign we'd made, then went back to my flat and we all went to sleep for a bit. Shirley was jet-lagged and I'd been up all night like a crazy person. We stayed up all night that first night, watching con videos from End of Days, the Angel finale and various other bits of stuff, like CSI, while eating pizza. The three of us went to Hyperion, my second Starfury event, with the Twins who had also flown over for the event, and a lot of the other SU people mentioned above, like And and Sky. When we got back, we spent one more night in Sunderland and then my Dad collected us from my flat and we went back to Tadcaster for the rest of the time.
In September I moved into a house that was 5 minutes walking distance from Uni, with Steph, Michelle and Laura. I don't keep in touch with any of them, sadly, even though they were all awesome. I went to another con, The White Room, a few weeks after becoming hooked on Firefly, and met Nathan, Summer and Morena for the first time. I was smitten with Nathan immediately. I also met Jonathan Woodward for the first time. I liked him more than I expected due to my hatred of Knox. I booked for Serenity when I got home.
2005
The year of Serenity. Other things happened, but Serenity took over 2005. I saw a preview screening in February, thanks to Starfury - unfinished, with effects placeholders and temporary score. This was also the first time I met
angelite, though she doesn't remember it. It was a long six months not being able to talk about it, until I went to see a press screening with Mam and Lara in July, thanks to something sarcastic I said on serenitymovie.org making
gossi decide to befriend me and offer me a few places. Then there was another press screening in August with
kataclysmic, when I saw
jainaj introduce herself to somebody else on another table in Chiquitos but was too afraid to say hello as we hadn't really talked online at that stage. Then there was Edinburgh, where I went to the premiere, hung out with some cool people, met
skidachu who I knew from the Four Star Mary board although again was too silly to say who I was when I realised who she was, because we'd been talking for an hour or so already when it hit me. I saw
fallen_wiccan in front of me in the cinema, but didn't realise it was Karen til later. The next day I went to the Joss talk, hung out with Gail some more, and then on the Wednesday I went home, dropped my stuff off, and went back into York to get the train to Manchester with Hils, where we saw a preview screening of the movie. There was another preview with Quinn and my Dad to come, as well as Starfury Prime, before the London premiere. I skipped a film class to attend (I thought it was fair enough, given why I was skipping) and met
hilaryjw outside the Odeon. This was a big night for the formation of the Echelon. Hilary was with Jaina and
xfunkydoryx and
mrbuttmonkey at the barriers by the red carpet, but I don't think Ryan and I actually spoke to each other that night. I also had limited interaction with Jaina, though I do remember her meeting up with her brother too. Then inside the cinema, it turned out I was seated next to
jossno1fan. Afterwards we went for a drink, then Hilary and I went back to the hostel with Bex. The next day we went to HMV very early, got wristbands, got in the queue for the Joss/Nathan/Summer signing and stayed there for a good few hours. Kat and Melissa joined us in the queue, and then after the signing Mel and I went to see another Serenity preview.
Serenity Squared came in November which was Quinn's first Starfury, and though we didn't see much of Hilary or Melissa we did speak a bit. And the Rad had DOORBELLS! That was a big realisation at the time.
My half-sister Emily was born and it hardly even registers in the year of Serenity. Hah.
Oh! Fell in love with HIMYM. Another fandom did push through that year after all. And that was also the year I talked to Bill Lawrence and Neil Flynn on the CALL-TURK line.
2006
I met
fallen_wiccan properly as we went to see Chicken Little in Sunderland on Valentines Day. I officially met Ryan for the first time, as he, Hilary and I went to Not Fade Away, where I also met
scourgeoe in a bit of a roundabout way! We'd become a proper group by this point, through Can't Stop the Signal.
I graduated with a 2:2 in June, and as a graduation celebration I went to stay with the twins in South Carolina for two weeks in August/September. It was my first time in that States and I expected it would be my last in a good long while. We went to Dragon*Con and met up with Shirley, where we had more awesome fun than could ever be imagined. I also met her parents. Three weeks later Shirley came back to England to come to Cubed with us - the first full group Echelon meeting, although we weren't named at that point. On the year Anniversary of the Serenity premiere, Mel, Tricia, Toni, Holly and I went to Liverpool to see Alexis Denisof in a play. Melissa attacked him and he phoned Alyson but ended up talking to "Ted". We endured out first Expo and I fangirled over Jacqui and Joel, and got to meet Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. We said we'd never go back. If only past us had known what was to come.
Then in December I went back to America, to LA this time, for the Flanvention that wasn't to be. It was one of the best weekends of my life. Cons should get cancelled more often. I think that was the true start of my love affair with Mr Woodward, even though I'd met him 3 or 4 times by this point.
When I finished Uni I started working full time at the Travelodge as a receptionist. I spent most of my life there, especially once I started working night shifts, though I did get a lot of TV watched. There are things I still miss about it - the flexibility, being able to take holidays without using holiday time if I schedule my shifts right, for one. But that's about the only thing.
2007
Kat and I did Culture and went to see The Seagull. We hung out with (okay, near) celebs in the bar afterwards. We saw Ewan McGregor and I was forced by a crazy foreign dude to interact with Elijah Wood. We all went to Glasgow and the Echelon got their name. We scared people all over the city. The Irish were well and truly welcomed into the fold. I did more cons, I won't name them all, that's boring. Shirley and Verdie came over and we went to a con. Then we toured London for three days, and then I left them to their own devices for two more. I got home from the con and had a job interview. I went to another con, had a second interview which turned out not to be an interview but a job offer. That was to work at The Press in York. Shirley came over again for Infinity in October, I met Richard Kahan the week after that and he melted my heart by being wonderfully sweet to me, then a month later Hilary, Alison and I joined her in LA for the first (and only) Starfury LA Serenity con. Hilary and I hit up Universal Studios and went to see Wicked, I dragged them to see Richard and Kaj Eriksen doing a sketch show which has actually left us with jokes to this day, and the con was one of the best. In December Shirley and I went on the Browncoat Cruise, where we hung out on a boat for 5 days with Woodward, Nectar, two old men and the Bedlam Bards (shudder). It was one of the best times ever. Then we got back to port, headed of to LA on a bus and walked round in circles for three hours with Joss Whedon and a bunch of other people. And ate donuts from Sarah Michelle Gellar.
The Echelon came North for the first time in September, for Wii fun, and I think it was probably also the first time I went to Hotel Jaina although I can't quite remember when that was. Or why. We saw the Spice Girls in December at the O2.
2008
We met Alan Dale, I came to hate Elisabeth Rohm, David Anders was awesome, I loved Leah Cairns despite hating Galactica still, and Jodi O'Keefe was a cow. Ryan Hansen loved my feet, I had a birthday party at Jaina's house, I finally met Greg Grunberg and I went to LA with the Irish. We saw NPH and Cobie Smulders, went on the Chuck set for the first time and finally met Gina Torres. Had an insane cab ride from CBS to the Burbank Marriott past the Magic Castle. Spent Thanksgiving in America, went to Universal Studios again. Loved the Simpsons ride. Hilary, Jaina and I tried to see David Tennant in Hamlet and failed, but loved the production anyway. Took some of the Echelon to Flamingo Land and proved its actually awesome. Went to Spain with Jaina, Ryan, Kat, Mel and Mark. Almost died on a Barcelona underpass but managed not to. Fell in love with Chuck and Dr Horrible. Watched 100 movies. Found out Rachel at work is a massive geek and had a lot of awesome chats with her. Saw Wicked again, in London this time. Went to Edinburgh in an attempt to stalk NPH but he had gone home. Went to Witney for the first time to See Alison Sing.
2009
Hilary and I stood in the cold for hours upon hours but it was worth it when we met David Tennant for 30 seconds. We met Colin Ferguson and saw Tiny Kaj again. I used my Richard connections to embarrass Tiny Kaj and it was awesome at the con with 50 attendees. Echelon holiday to San Diego was a massive success. I met Paul Gross after 15 years of lusting. Went to Melissa and Mark's wedding, felt incredibly grown up. Passed my driving test and got my first car. Went to Subway with Zac Levi. Had yet more Echelon escapades, too many to mention. Had a week of concerts - saw Take That with Karen (amazing, best concert of my life), saw Boyzone on my own just a couple of months before Stephen passed away (so glad I went, I would have been gutted if, as I'd almost done, I'd decided not to bother and "go next time"), and saw Oasis with my Dad just before they split up. Saw Athlete with Ryan, Karen and Max too. We had an Echelon trip to Flamingo Land for my birthday and Mel's "hen do". Ended the year getting drunkfaced with the Irish and Alison, before seeing Anna Friel in Breakfast at Tiffany's and then going back to Jaina's for yet more Echelon good times. Went to see Gareth David-Lloyd in panto twice. Loved it both times. Planned more holidays. Fell in love with Glee. Dad got married, I dragged Hils along and pretended to be a good daughter and care. Bought a DSi. Was almost made redundant but am so awesome they transferred me to Bradford instead. Went swimming a lot at the start of the year, which dropped off towards the end. Need to get back into that this year now my hours are a bit more settled.