Fan Language

[sartorias]

Last year, at my favorite con, Sirens, I did a presentation on folding fans and fan language. Unfortunately, I can't reproduce here the fun part--the skits the participants put together. I had expected ten or twelve people at most, but the room was packed, so we ended up with five different teams, who came up with hilarious and inventive skits

Comments

[resonant]

let's start a fashion revival!

[sartorias]

I'm doing my best--except I haven't a fashionable bone in my bod, alas.

[kalimac]

We could have used those fans when we were in Europe 15 years ago. (I understand that they've invented smoking restrictions since then.) Standing around in the train station waiting for our train, we'd pick a spot where nobody was smoking, and then sure enough someone would light a cigarette right next to us. Pick up our bags, move, repeat.

[sartorias]

Hoo yeah, I used my fan A LOT when I was in Europe during the seventies.

[queenoftheskies]

I loved that panel and some of the skits were so original and amazing.

I had fans when I was young and they were very fashionable back then. My grandmother gave me some beautiful ones.

Are you going to Sirens this year?

[sartorias]

I know! The skits were way better than anything I could have come up with. Best part of the workshop, imo.

Alas, again the timing doesn't work. Last year was a delightful fluke.

[asakiyume]

Like queenoftheskies, I loved participating in this--it was so much fun!

[sartorias]

:-)

[kith_koby]

Ah, fans. In the hot Israeli summers I experienced (which is basically any time from April to October), there were many times when air conditioners broke down, both at school and in the army. In that moment, everyone somehow produces a fan. Even those who do not have a real one immediately make one by folding and stapling paper. For all the heat and sweat, those were truly glorious days...

[sartorias]

I bet! I have made many a fan when mine was out of reach, or vanished. (I've been through a lot of fans, though I did manage to keep one for twenty years, until it fell apart.)