Snowflake Challenge, Day 14
Today's challenge probably couldn't have come at a better time for me, really. Lately I've been really frustrated with certain Hanson fans' antics, and torn between squeeing over how awesome BTTI is and being sad that I can't go next year (I will, however, attempt to do MOE, tour and Disney, since none of them require a huge and immediate deposit).
Annnnyway, on to the challenge!
In your own space, write a love letter to Fandom in general, to a particular fandom, to a trope, a relationship, a character, or to your flist/circle/followers. Share you love and squee as loud as you want to. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
Dear Hanson fandom,
You annoy me. A lot. Sometimes, I think Hanson fans are worse than Hanson haters. You're constantly competing with each other to be the better fan, which apparently has something to do with either being rich enough to attend every Hanson event ever or being too cool to go to such lame things. It also appears to have something to do with not being famous and pretty, because as we all know, Hanson fans are ugly fat losers. And you're not allowed to dislike their stupid fashion mistakes (see: Zac's haircut and ugly sandals) but you're not allowed to say that you love them in spite of that stuff. And how dare you criticize the sound of Shout It Out and hope that the new album sounds different, because Hanson knows best and aren't capable of making a bad album. Or, alternatively, their music has sucked for years anyway and why the fuck are you a fan if that's what you think.
But you know what? None of that shit matters.
Because as much as some of these fans piss me off, there will always be others who are amazing and supportive and friendly and just plain awesome. Because we're weird, girls! We've never been normal, have we? Liking three little boys with weird hair and made up words in their lyrics has never been cool, but they told us it was okay. They reminded us that everyone was a little bit weird sometimes. They probably had no clue what they were doing, but they created a safe haven for us weirdos -- all of us weirdos. Doesn't mean we have to be BFFs, but it damn well ought to mean that we tolerate our differences.
And they inspired us.
It goes a lot deeper than just the fic, but that's what I'm most familiar with. My first finished stories ever were hanfics. And it was writing those fics that gave me the push to finish my first original fic. The things I've learned in twelve years of this fandom (because, yeah, I haven't been around from the beginning -- but that's okay!) have made me a better writer by far. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be the author or the person that I am today without this band and the amazing friendships I've made in this fandom.
And that is fucking awesome.
I can only hope that everyone else enjoys it as much as I do. It's not always fun. There are times when the music does kinda suck, and times when the other fans really suck. The writing is my outlet to get me through the times when shit sucks, but when that fails, I still have the music. Isn't that why we're here in the first place?
I had a point in all of this, but I think I've kind of lost it, so it's probably time to pull an Eddie Izzard and just sort of... stop. Just know that I love this band and I love every one of you on my friends list, even if I don't know you personally.
You, Hanson fandom, are awesome. Even when you kinda suck.
Annnnyway, on to the challenge!
In your own space, write a love letter to Fandom in general, to a particular fandom, to a trope, a relationship, a character, or to your flist/circle/followers. Share you love and squee as loud as you want to. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
Dear Hanson fandom,
You annoy me. A lot. Sometimes, I think Hanson fans are worse than Hanson haters. You're constantly competing with each other to be the better fan, which apparently has something to do with either being rich enough to attend every Hanson event ever or being too cool to go to such lame things. It also appears to have something to do with not being famous and pretty, because as we all know, Hanson fans are ugly fat losers. And you're not allowed to dislike their stupid fashion mistakes (see: Zac's haircut and ugly sandals) but you're not allowed to say that you love them in spite of that stuff. And how dare you criticize the sound of Shout It Out and hope that the new album sounds different, because Hanson knows best and aren't capable of making a bad album. Or, alternatively, their music has sucked for years anyway and why the fuck are you a fan if that's what you think.
But you know what? None of that shit matters.
Because as much as some of these fans piss me off, there will always be others who are amazing and supportive and friendly and just plain awesome. Because we're weird, girls! We've never been normal, have we? Liking three little boys with weird hair and made up words in their lyrics has never been cool, but they told us it was okay. They reminded us that everyone was a little bit weird sometimes. They probably had no clue what they were doing, but they created a safe haven for us weirdos -- all of us weirdos. Doesn't mean we have to be BFFs, but it damn well ought to mean that we tolerate our differences.
And they inspired us.
It goes a lot deeper than just the fic, but that's what I'm most familiar with. My first finished stories ever were hanfics. And it was writing those fics that gave me the push to finish my first original fic. The things I've learned in twelve years of this fandom (because, yeah, I haven't been around from the beginning -- but that's okay!) have made me a better writer by far. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be the author or the person that I am today without this band and the amazing friendships I've made in this fandom.
And that is fucking awesome.
I can only hope that everyone else enjoys it as much as I do. It's not always fun. There are times when the music does kinda suck, and times when the other fans really suck. The writing is my outlet to get me through the times when shit sucks, but when that fails, I still have the music. Isn't that why we're here in the first place?
I had a point in all of this, but I think I've kind of lost it, so it's probably time to pull an Eddie Izzard and just sort of... stop. Just know that I love this band and I love every one of you on my friends list, even if I don't know you personally.
You, Hanson fandom, are awesome. Even when you kinda suck.