My Fannish Ways

[moonshayde]

You know, I've always been the type to really only be able to focus on one fannish thing at a time. And when I did, it became all consuming. Some years back, I was all about Star Wars. I was into X-Files at the same time, but no where near the way I was with Star Wars. Then, I moved to Rurouni Kenshin and then to .hack//SIGN and then to Firefly to Smallville to SG-1...But out of all of those shows and movies, I've only been extremely fannish for Star Wars, SG-1, and somewhat X-Files. (Though, I have been obsessed with all of this shows at varying levels.) But really, for the most part, it's been one at a time.

NOTE: When I say fannish, I don't necessarily mean "involved in fandom." I mean that I think about the shows a lot, the characters, may write fic, and get excited. In short, I get fannish ;)

I've been slowly breaking out of that mold. Currently, I'm having fun fannishly with SG-1, Smallville, MacGyver, Farscape, and now Supernatural. And the experience has been interested. I notice I am less obsessed with SG-1 (though that could be do other reasons and also the looong hiatus--I expect to get jumpy again in April), and while it's sad, it's also freeing. I'm finding I'm not stuck in a single mindset and that everything is about SG-1. I can watch other things, enjoy them, and it in turns helps me creatively. It's like when I read -- I jump from horror to fantasy to science fiction. It gives me the variety that I need to break creative blocks.

I've also moved past having a sole favorite show. If I want something different and a bit bizarre, I'll put in Farscape. If I want something nostalgic and idealistic, I'll watch Superman or Smallville. If I want something twisted with conspiracy, I'll put in X-Files. If I want something filled with archetypes and fantasy, I can slip in Star Wars. If I want urban legends and the occult, I can put on Supernatural. If I want wonder blended with science and history, I'll watch SG-1. There's something out there for every side of me :)

I know this isn't for everyone, but it's working for me :) And I'm not one to ever abandon something I've gone fannish for. I still adore X-Files. I still exalt Star Wars. And I'll always always love SG-1. I'm just having fun being able to dabble into all my interests.

Isn't being a fan fun? I get to squee about multiple things at the same time! Hee! :)

Comments

[seramercury.livejournal.com]

I used to be able to tell you the name of an X-Files episode by a brief description (ie. The one where Mulder gets his finger broken, Pine Bluff Variant). I'm pretty good about doing that with SG1 and SGA now.

Woo! I love being a fan too!!! *spins*

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Heh heh. I don't think I was ever that good with X-Files.

Alas, X-Files love. I really need to start rewatching that series again. That really was my all time fave TV show.

[calantha42.livejournal.com]

Which part of the Star Wars fandom were you in? I into Star Wars for quite awhile, and I still adore the movies.

I've always been a one fandom at a time kind of person. So much so that I can't properly get devoted to Atlantis while I'm still completely fixated with SG-1. Or maybe I'll just never enjoy Atlantis the same way.

The closest thing I had to two simultaneous fannish obsessions was Buffy and Star Trek, for about a six month period.

Now if only I could hone this single minded focus onto my school work...

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Star Wars was a Fandom of Me ;) I went to some of the forums and boards and joined a locak fan club branch, but didn't get too into the fandom. All my fannish activity was more personal. I wrote SW novels for myself *cough* Mary Sue *cough* and I was a collector. I've watched the movies an insane amount of times. Read the books. Etc. I was a classic SW fan, though I watched and enjoyed the prequels too. TESB is still my fave movie of all time.

I still can't be fandom fannish with more than one at a time. I can only really write SG-1 fanfic and take part in heavy meta here. The other shows I am fannish to a lesser extent. But I've reached a point where I can spread myself around a bit more, so to speak. it's kinda nice. Different from what I am used to.

Now if only I could hone this single minded focus onto my school work...

LOL Wouldn't that be great!

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

I'm similar. I was obsessed with Saved by the Bell, then with Dawson's Creek, and then with Stargate, but not all at the same time. Each obsession was all-encompassing. If I watched anything else, it was because one of the actors from my one show was in it.

Still, I retain a special fondness for my previous obsessions. I still have my Dawson's Creek poster and three framed photos on the walls. OTOH, I did sort of abandon that fandom and I still feel rather sad about it. I got busy, lost interest in repeating the same discussions over and over, and sort of fell out of going to the forum all the time. To be fair to me, though, that was a full forum that had many, many busy threads. Even at the top of my obsession, I couldn't keep up and as I got further and further behind during a busy time, it got harder to go back.

Now I'm watching Smallville, Degrassi, Lincoln Heights (which I mean to write about soon), Gilmore Girls, Boston Legal, and, of course, Supernatural. I don't think I've ever had a time in my life when I have had so many shows on that I want to watch and modern conveniences make it easy to catch up on shows that I haven't watched from the beginning, so that makes it even more fun.

and while it's sad, it's also freeing. I'm finding I'm not stuck in a single mindset and that everything is about SG-1. I can watch other things, enjoy them, and it in turns helps me creatively. It's like when I read -- I jump from horror to fantasy to science fiction. It gives me the variety that I need to break creative blocks.

I don't know if it helps me creatively to be more multi-fannish and less obessessive, but there was a time that if something I read didn't have Daniel Jackson in it, I simply was not interested. I couldn't even *make* myself read fiction any more--this from the one who has never gone anywhere without a book since I was 8 or 9 years old. hehe Everything seemed so boring unless it was about Daniel, or, as my son once joked, "the more important Daniel." *g*

Daniel Jackson invaded my life, and I think it was all good, and I'll always love him as a character (even if I don't love him *g* if you know what I mean), but I think I could actually enjoy a real novel again even if he was no the featured character. *g*

But now I'm thinking... Are there any Smallville books? *g* Hee! I'm hopeless.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

You know, I think there are Smallville books, come to think of it...I just never got involved at that level. But I'm a bit of a Superman fan anyway. I just watch the stories in my head ;)

In other news, I'm quite liking Supernatural. it's far from perfect (what Tv show is anyway?) but it's fun. it suits my urban legen need that I haven't had saisified since X-Files went off the air. I've watched through Skin, but haven't posted about them yet.

[autumndandelion.livejournal.com]

I'm in the same boat as you are. I used to be incredibly single-minded about just one fandom and couldn't deal with more than one at a time. Now, I find that I'm less obsessive than I used to be and able to enjoy more things at once that I ever did as a teenager or when I was in my early 20's.

[crayonbreakygal.livejournal.com]

I was as you were a while ago. One show. I would watch other shows, but be totally obsessed with one show. It might have been Star Trek, Star Wars, whatever. My first real fandom though was Angel. I lived and breathed it. Wrote epic fics. Couldn't miss an episode ever. Then the WB cancelled it. I haven't been the same since. Now I'm into lots more fandoms. But it was nice to be able to identify each episode, what character said what, have the characters' voices down, etc. I can't do that now on any of my fandoms. That doesn't bother me per se, but it would be nice to once again feel that deeply about a show.

[meg-tdj.livejournal.com]

Ahh, my little protege... *pets* You are learning well. ;)