Fandom as A Ferris Wheel -
Jul. 25th, 2025 08:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatIt was well over 90 degrees today, got up to 96 with a heat index of 106. So, I think that translates as ...40 C, and 50 C? We weren't taught the conversions well when I was in school? They started to teach us - in or around the fifth or sixth grade, then decided it was too hard and gave up. (Basically the adults didn't understand it well enough to pass it down to the kids. When I state that the American Educational System is lacking, I'm not exaggerating.)
As a result of the heat, I went out in brief snippets. Luckily it wasn't that bad when I set off to work at or around 6:50 am. I got a matcha latte at Gregory's around 10 am, still not too bad. At noon - when I got a salad at Pret, it was around 90, and I was only out for about twenty minutes - ten were in Pret, and by the time I got back it was 92. It rained while I was on the train going home (it's air conditioned) and by the time I got off the train cooled down a tad due to the rain. So overall? Not too bad. I work near the harbor and the east river and South Brooklyn doesn't get that hot. (I live and work on islands. NYC is basically a series of islands. Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island (encompasses Queens and Brooklyn), the Bronx, Governor's Island, Roosevelt Island, Liberty Island, Ellis Island. So the air smells like it does near water, and the weather acts the way it would near and around water. Having lived landlocked (with no water nearby), and near mountains but not water (Colorado Springs) - I can tell you I prefer living near water. It comforts me. I need trees, flowers, and water. Also grass. I do not need to grow it. I just need to be near it. )
The Ferris Wheel
Journaling Prompt: Life in fandom goes through ups and downs. Reminisce about the "wild ride" of your time in fandom or in other online communities.
Sigh, yes. I have a complicated love/hate relationship with fandom. Also, mixed feelings about being a fan myself. As a result of this? I tend for the most part to lurk on the outskirts of it, or jump in and jump out again. It's rare that I participate.
I've participated in a few here and there. Buffy/Angel and to a lesser degree Whedon fandom. I kept getting into trouble with that one, because I don't equate being a fan with mindless devotion or worship of a person or thing - I don't mindlessly worship anything? But just obsessive interest/curiosity and enjoyment. Which apparently isn't the same for others? For example I was fascinated by Whedon and his work, and highly critical of it at the same time. I wanted to critically analyze the works and Whedon. Other fans appreciated the fascination but not so much the in depth critical analysis.) Buffy and Angel fandom - had similar issues.
When it comes to fandom? All I really want to do is discuss the characters, the writing, the technicalities of the series or show, the narrative structure, how the actors/writers/directors etc are putting it together, the day to day process of creating the show, what will happen next, why the characters are doing what they are doing, literary and philosophical allusions, themes, tropes, etc. But not everyone wants to do that. They want to fling their emotional attitudes at you. And god, forbid, you disagree. And people have very strong decisive opinions about fictional characters and can be extremely protective of them, almost as if they are family members? I've admittedly felt that way at times, so I get it. Although, I ran into issues with folks who refused to see the negative or dark sides of their favs - which to me made the characters more interesting. And dear god, do fans hold grudges? When I self-published a book, two internet Buffy fans picked it up for free and attacked it in reviews on Good Reads. I mean, really? Talk about being petty? I decided to blatantly ignore both. (How did I know? They referenced the show? And my book wasn't about it, and didn't mention it?)
I have however had lovely things happen in regards to fandom? And those outweigh the bad. I made long distance friends, who I am still in contact with over 20 years later online. I've watched their kids grow up from afar. As they watched me jump through job searches, gain a niece, and publish a book. Also, they saved me more times than I can count, and kept me sane during some rough times. I wouldn't be on Dreamwidth if it weren't for the Buffy fandom. And I wouldn't have met so many interesting and lovely people. People who while far away, probably know me better than most of those close by, and understand me far better than they do.
So yes, fandom is very much of a ferris wheel - up and down and around and around.
I'm kind of interacting in other fandoms now - but not heavily so. I am on a fandom spoiler board and discussion board on FB for General Hospital. It's monitored and private. But, I have the same issues at times with it as the others. Also, I can't say it is the same as the Buffy fandom (for one thing - it is a daytime soap opera).
As a result of the heat, I went out in brief snippets. Luckily it wasn't that bad when I set off to work at or around 6:50 am. I got a matcha latte at Gregory's around 10 am, still not too bad. At noon - when I got a salad at Pret, it was around 90, and I was only out for about twenty minutes - ten were in Pret, and by the time I got back it was 92. It rained while I was on the train going home (it's air conditioned) and by the time I got off the train cooled down a tad due to the rain. So overall? Not too bad. I work near the harbor and the east river and South Brooklyn doesn't get that hot. (I live and work on islands. NYC is basically a series of islands. Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island (encompasses Queens and Brooklyn), the Bronx, Governor's Island, Roosevelt Island, Liberty Island, Ellis Island. So the air smells like it does near water, and the weather acts the way it would near and around water. Having lived landlocked (with no water nearby), and near mountains but not water (Colorado Springs) - I can tell you I prefer living near water. It comforts me. I need trees, flowers, and water. Also grass. I do not need to grow it. I just need to be near it. )
The Ferris Wheel
Journaling Prompt: Life in fandom goes through ups and downs. Reminisce about the "wild ride" of your time in fandom or in other online communities.
Sigh, yes. I have a complicated love/hate relationship with fandom. Also, mixed feelings about being a fan myself. As a result of this? I tend for the most part to lurk on the outskirts of it, or jump in and jump out again. It's rare that I participate.
I've participated in a few here and there. Buffy/Angel and to a lesser degree Whedon fandom. I kept getting into trouble with that one, because I don't equate being a fan with mindless devotion or worship of a person or thing - I don't mindlessly worship anything? But just obsessive interest/curiosity and enjoyment. Which apparently isn't the same for others? For example I was fascinated by Whedon and his work, and highly critical of it at the same time. I wanted to critically analyze the works and Whedon. Other fans appreciated the fascination but not so much the in depth critical analysis.) Buffy and Angel fandom - had similar issues.
When it comes to fandom? All I really want to do is discuss the characters, the writing, the technicalities of the series or show, the narrative structure, how the actors/writers/directors etc are putting it together, the day to day process of creating the show, what will happen next, why the characters are doing what they are doing, literary and philosophical allusions, themes, tropes, etc. But not everyone wants to do that. They want to fling their emotional attitudes at you. And god, forbid, you disagree. And people have very strong decisive opinions about fictional characters and can be extremely protective of them, almost as if they are family members? I've admittedly felt that way at times, so I get it. Although, I ran into issues with folks who refused to see the negative or dark sides of their favs - which to me made the characters more interesting. And dear god, do fans hold grudges? When I self-published a book, two internet Buffy fans picked it up for free and attacked it in reviews on Good Reads. I mean, really? Talk about being petty? I decided to blatantly ignore both. (How did I know? They referenced the show? And my book wasn't about it, and didn't mention it?)
I have however had lovely things happen in regards to fandom? And those outweigh the bad. I made long distance friends, who I am still in contact with over 20 years later online. I've watched their kids grow up from afar. As they watched me jump through job searches, gain a niece, and publish a book. Also, they saved me more times than I can count, and kept me sane during some rough times. I wouldn't be on Dreamwidth if it weren't for the Buffy fandom. And I wouldn't have met so many interesting and lovely people. People who while far away, probably know me better than most of those close by, and understand me far better than they do.
So yes, fandom is very much of a ferris wheel - up and down and around and around.
I'm kind of interacting in other fandoms now - but not heavily so. I am on a fandom spoiler board and discussion board on FB for General Hospital. It's monitored and private. But, I have the same issues at times with it as the others. Also, I can't say it is the same as the Buffy fandom (for one thing - it is a daytime soap opera).
no subject
Date: 2025-07-26 02:59 pm (UTC)I think this is true of Europe as well, which is actually further North than New York and most of New England. So hot summers in Europe are rare, particularly Germany - it would be like having a hot summer in Maine.