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red_satin_dollI am participating in the Snowflake Challenge (on Dreamwidth) for the very first time - or trying to at any rate. I've never been much good at these "Post something every day" challenges, so let's see how this goes! The image below is a "static" image btw, not a link to the site because I can't get the link-y version to work, so clicking it will get you nowhere fast. *le sigh*
Day 01
In your own space, talk about why you are doing the Fandom Snowflake Challenge? What drew you to it as a participant? What do you hope to accomplish by doing these challenges? Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
Ok this one is easy: I'm participating because it looked like fun last year, and because![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
velvetwhip encouraged me to do so this year. I don't think I mean to "accomplish" anything in particular except to see how many of these days I can actually cover. I usually avoid memes and daily posting types of things.
Day 2
In your own space, create a list of at least three fannish things you'd love to receive, something you've wanted but were afraid to ask for - a fannish wish-list of sorts. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your wish-list if you feel comfortable doing so. Maybe someone will grant a wish. Check out other people's posts. Maybe you will grant a wish. If any wishes are granted, we'd love it if you link them to this post.
This is gonna get slightly "political" so bear with me. My favorite part of this post isakamine_chan's extremely astute observation: Asking for things is hard. We're socialized to not ask for things, and in a lot of ways I think that's not necessarily a good thing. We feel guilt and shame when we ask, and that makes us less likely to ask for help, for care and consideration and kindness, for respect, when we all deserve those things.I think this is spot-on.
I tend to think of this as an American tendency but perhaps it's a "modern" tendency - pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Be entirely self-sufficient. Don't admit to weakness. It's American "rugged individualism" writ large, but it's also useful to super-capitalism: instead of people living together in extended families we've been conditioned to believe that everyone living in their own "nuclear family" is the one right and true way to live. Everybody in their own home with their own tv, their own radio, their own computer and their own washing machine, etc means more stuff to sell, sell sell and keep the almightly GDP going. And even if you are receiving help or aid of some sort, we're conditioned to be ashamed of it, ashamed of ourselves as "failures".
ETA: A very very kind benefactor came through and granted my wish already with an extension of my paid account through 2018 AND even more icon space through the next year! I am just stunned and speechless beyond anything except to say THANK YOU to them. THANK YOU.
And thank you to everyone who I know would have done if you had the resources. I'm just overwhelmed by the love and support I've received here. And people wonder why I hang out in fandom.
And in keeping with the theme of being ashamed to ask for stuff, I do actually have one wish and this really makes me cringe to ask. The paid LJ membership that someone gifted me with a year ago expires on Jan 12; and I'm pretty sure that the extra icon space that someone else gifted me with will disappear on that date and I'll be back down to 6 icon spaces. I had assumed by this point in time that I would be working again and would be able to renew it on my own, but I simply can't justify even that small outlay when there are things like rent and groceries to cover. The only part of the paid membership I really do take advantage of is the extra icon gallery space. I feel really weird about asking if anyone would consider gifting me with another year's paid membership, but I that's exactly what I'm asking for. *gulp* I would be most grateful. (And please not at the expense of your own food, rent, etc.)
Barring that, some help in selecting and paring down my icons would be most appreciated. But I'll probably do a separate post on that as I haven't had time to think about what ones I would keep.
Beyond that, I always want more kindness and understanding towards Buffy Summers, and fics that don't portray her as simply the accessory for a supporting male character, or a stone cold bitch who exists only to be punished. I'm always on the look-out for more Buffy and Dawn fics that is about the sisters and again, not about a man in the center, and in fact 2015 saw some really wonderful Summers Sisters fic; so I'm hopeful that there's more of an appreciation of their relationship. I'm also hopeful that more folks are inspired byvelvetwhip's Answering Prayers and explore the character of Joyce Summers in ways that canon didn't bother to, and her relationship to her daughter. Spuffy fics that don't bash Willow or Drusilla? Yes please. Buffy and Tara friendship fics? Bring it on. Basically, anything that gives more face-time to the interrelationships of the women of the Buffyverse, not just for slashy porn and not to justify how "good" a male character is.
And I always wish for the various fandom factions and shipper factions to lay down arms, stop attacking each other, and see just how much we all have in common. We all want the same damn things for our beloved babies. We're all hurting over the things we were denied. Rather than attack each other, let's look for common ground - and attack TPTB who look down on fans with smug satisfaction and superiority whilst depending on us for their livelihood. 'kay?
In your own space, talk about why you are doing the Fandom Snowflake Challenge? What drew you to it as a participant? What do you hope to accomplish by doing these challenges? Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.
Ok this one is easy: I'm participating because it looked like fun last year, and because
velvetwhip encouraged me to do so this year. I don't think I mean to "accomplish" anything in particular except to see how many of these days I can actually cover. I usually avoid memes and daily posting types of things.Day 2
In your own space, create a list of at least three fannish things you'd love to receive, something you've wanted but were afraid to ask for - a fannish wish-list of sorts. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your wish-list if you feel comfortable doing so. Maybe someone will grant a wish. Check out other people's posts. Maybe you will grant a wish. If any wishes are granted, we'd love it if you link them to this post.
This is gonna get slightly "political" so bear with me. My favorite part of this post is
akamine_chan's extremely astute observation: Asking for things is hard. We're socialized to not ask for things, and in a lot of ways I think that's not necessarily a good thing. We feel guilt and shame when we ask, and that makes us less likely to ask for help, for care and consideration and kindness, for respect, when we all deserve those things.I think this is spot-on.I tend to think of this as an American tendency but perhaps it's a "modern" tendency - pull yourself up by your bootstraps. Be entirely self-sufficient. Don't admit to weakness. It's American "rugged individualism" writ large, but it's also useful to super-capitalism: instead of people living together in extended families we've been conditioned to believe that everyone living in their own "nuclear family" is the one right and true way to live. Everybody in their own home with their own tv, their own radio, their own computer and their own washing machine, etc means more stuff to sell, sell sell and keep the almightly GDP going. And even if you are receiving help or aid of some sort, we're conditioned to be ashamed of it, ashamed of ourselves as "failures".
ETA: A very very kind benefactor came through and granted my wish already with an extension of my paid account through 2018 AND even more icon space through the next year! I am just stunned and speechless beyond anything except to say THANK YOU to them. THANK YOU.
And thank you to everyone who I know would have done if you had the resources. I'm just overwhelmed by the love and support I've received here. And people wonder why I hang out in fandom.
Barring that, some help in selecting and paring down my icons would be most appreciated. But I'll probably do a separate post on that as I haven't had time to think about what ones I would keep.
Beyond that, I always want more kindness and understanding towards Buffy Summers, and fics that don't portray her as simply the accessory for a supporting male character, or a stone cold bitch who exists only to be punished. I'm always on the look-out for more Buffy and Dawn fics that is about the sisters and again, not about a man in the center, and in fact 2015 saw some really wonderful Summers Sisters fic; so I'm hopeful that there's more of an appreciation of their relationship. I'm also hopeful that more folks are inspired by
velvetwhip's Answering Prayers and explore the character of Joyce Summers in ways that canon didn't bother to, and her relationship to her daughter. Spuffy fics that don't bash Willow or Drusilla? Yes please. Buffy and Tara friendship fics? Bring it on. Basically, anything that gives more face-time to the interrelationships of the women of the Buffyverse, not just for slashy porn and not to justify how "good" a male character is.And I always wish for the various fandom factions and shipper factions to lay down arms, stop attacking each other, and see just how much we all have in common. We all want the same damn things for our beloved babies. We're all hurting over the things we were denied. Rather than attack each other, let's look for common ground - and attack TPTB who look down on fans with smug satisfaction and superiority whilst depending on us for their livelihood. 'kay?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 05:56 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 06:23 pm (UTC)I do feel a little selfish voicing it - children are starving in Africa...heck, children are going hungry right here in the US of A every single night.
Being broke sucks dead bears
When I was growing up I remember so many tv shows, especially sitcoms in the '70's and '80's that had an episode where the main characters got to be rich for a day or a week via an inheritance or lottery or something, and gave it up because it was more important to be "happy". As if the two things were necessarily incompatible. Or poverty was some sort of virtue. Or maybe it's meant to keep people in their place and satisfied with their lot in life. Money doesn't guarantee happiness, no, but the lack of it doesn't guarantee happiness, either. (it always felt like there was some sort of propaganda at work there designed to keep people "in their place". We're supposed to strive and work hard, but not overreach ourselves? Hard work is ok if it enriches someone else? IDK)
Money is awfully nice for are things like rent and food and health care and clothes (the basics) and then if you're fortunate the little extras. Not being afraid and anxious and wondering where the next dollar is going to come from.
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Date: 2016-01-04 08:45 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
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Date: 2016-01-04 09:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 09:34 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
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Date: 2016-01-04 11:41 pm (UTC)This kind of consideration and generosity is well nigh "real", as real as anything.
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Date: 2016-01-04 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 08:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-05 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-05 02:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 07:34 pm (UTC)http://www.livejournal.com/support/faq/263.html
I hope you get your wish!
no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 08:14 pm (UTC)I did consider the Plus account though, and I'd probably have gone for that as long as the ads weren't too objectionable or obnoxious (or slowed my site down or caused it to crash. I haven't even noticed the ads on your journal so they must not be too bad.)
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Date: 2016-01-04 09:20 pm (UTC)I could do the Buffy and Dawn one when I have time (Which not really soon at all, unfortunately) but I would love to try. Yay for the Buffyverse ladies!
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Date: 2016-01-04 09:26 pm (UTC)I'm still hopeful you'll get a chance to write more Buffy and Dru (or really, just Dru period - there really aren't a lot of people writing her and she's fascinating. What if Dru had come back in S4 instead of Spike, for instance? I can also imagine Willow having a strained relationship with her and yet being vaguely aware of an uncomfortable bond. Which only intensifies if she goes off the rails as in canon. And now, oops, I'm suddenly shipping Willow and Dru in my head....)
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Date: 2016-01-04 09:46 pm (UTC)My basic problem these days is a) I should be studying, b) I'm always ill for some reason. So I don't have really much time to write and do stuff, but as soon as I can count on me. Especially since these days I'm all about the graphics and the ladies in the Buffyverse (While I'm mostly about the dudes in Harry Potter, LOL)
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Date: 2016-01-06 10:44 pm (UTC)Well you know that's where my heart lies!
I am rather pleased though that this past year I've actually done not-bad icons of many of the men of the Buffyverse and even a Xander banner, and some Bangel artwork - stuff I never thought I'd do a year ago, even if it's just a handful by comparison.
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Date: 2016-01-05 12:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-05 01:03 pm (UTC)