Fandom and Obsession

(An odd occurrence has happened. Two posts in the same day!)

Recently I began a trend of reading fan fiction. Now, to be clear, I do not read fan fiction because I'm interested in what some 13 year old girl thinks is a great combination of characters. Or what some 17 year old boy thinks would be a totally rad story with explosions. No I read fan fiction because I think they are funny. Adolescent fantasies of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter or some anime that no one besides them has heard of.


The best fan fiction I've read to date is called My Immortal. It wins that coveted award for many reasons. First, the main character is the definition of a mary sue. Second everything that takes place is ridiculous and a childhood fantasy, and last, the grammar and spelling mistakes improves the narrative and makes the story fun to read. The premise is a girl at Hogwarts who is a vampire goffic girl who hates preps and posers. She isn't smart but she is popular as she sleeps with Vampire (Harry) and Draco (Draco). Dumbleydore sometimes tries to be friends with her but it doesn't work.


Actual line from the Fanfic


While My Immortal should be classified as classic literature now, most fan fictions are boring at best. My favorite thing to do is to head to fanfiction.net and browse the cross over sections. I love to try to find the oddest combination such as Ecco the Dolphin and Home Movies. You can always find some kid's two favorite shows or games smashed together in a way that wouldn't work or couldn't work. Case and point: Planet X. A published crossover of X men and Star Trek. Whoever allowed it should be given a medal.


All this fandom of fan fiction often overlaps with another area. Super fans or obsessive fans love to dress up. Now, I will admit I think it would be fun to do for Comic Con or something similar; however, I wouldn't and couldn't do an anime one. Anime Cosplay and super hero or game cosplay are in different leagues.


Anime cosplay, especially in Japan, is a big deal. Now, I won't say American Cosplayers aren't that their same level but in some respects, the Japanese go overboard. It is almost as though they have professional cosplayers. But to state my bias in the open, I am not a big anime fan so the anime cosplayers suffer some for that. It could be the character design or it could be the culture around anime; Nevertheless, they suffer in my opinion for those flaws. The people I'm sure are nice I'm sure.



Kinda creepy? Ya.


Not to stay off topic too long, I do look at pictures of cosplayer posted on Facebook by people. Unlike the fan fiction where I go to laugh, I do admire the work and dedication the people whom cosplay. The hours it takes to make the outfit and sometimes make out is extraordinary. Though I do enjoy seeing the goofy and awkward people who do it. It would be fun to try it once. Maybe Emmy and I will do it once for Comic Con.

I admit this would be fun. Only cause no one could see it was me.


While I don't think there is anything wrong with being a fan of something, sometimes fan can go a little overboard. But in the right vein, it can be just damn fun.

Sorry. No witty ending today. Just a graph.

New Life Stuff and Stories

Typically, and as a rule of thumb, I attempt to make my blog interesting to read. That means, I find stories in my life that need to be told or shouldn't be told but are. At other times, I attempt some "kewl" blog: epic trailers etc. Of course, that leaves the blogs that details my life.

Which brings me to this current one you are reading. You have expectations and hopes. You don't want them dashed. You would hate me if those expectations weren't met.
"Enough with the delay! Start your topic!" you shout at me.
Ok. Here it is.
I forgot it.


Seriously. I had a topic in mind. Sat down, ordered some coffee, played some Ecco the Dolphin on my iPod. Then I realized I lost it.


So this has become a update on my life blog.


I have three shifts left at Hastings. HALLELUJAH! It has been four and a half years at this job. I started back in January of 2007. When I started, there was a different store manager and a whole different set of department manager. Now, I'm not known as the new guy but Ol Reliable. Or MadDog. Take your pick. Some would tell me that it should be bitter sweet. But the truth as I see it is that it is time to move on and Hastings was just a stepping stone to bigger and better.


All this takes me to the reason why. I've been waiting for this forever and now the time is upon us all. Nay. You don't need to repent or do anything like that. Emmy and I finally going to end our long distance relationship as in we are moving in together. We will be living in Washington DC in our own little apartment. The tenth of August is the day I leave the West and journey east. In the three day trip, Ellie and I will bond.



My new home isn't in this view.


We're both excited in so many ways. Emmy and I have been preparing and packing for the past couple weeks ever since it was finalized. Her job was made permanent on June 20, so now she is a
responsibility champion. She even has a trophy that says it. Proofed!


As we plan the move, I continue to work on my novel. It is roughly 300 pages now and I just finished the climactic chapter where all the big shit happens. It builds up a little more before I start to let everything chill out. Once I finish, I'm going to give it some time before I begin my rewrites. Hopefully, I will be doing this while I'm not working at a real job. Which I will hopefully have.



Heres to me becoming a responsibility champion.